The Power of YET

          I like having people look me in the eye when we’re talking.  It annoys me when the person I’m talking to seems more focused on a toy, tablet, or another device.  For years I just thought of it as rude.  Yet over the years, I have learned that some people pay better attention when they seem focused on whatever they may have in their hands. 

          Jenna is one of those people who pay better attention when it appears that she doesn't seem to be focused at all.  She gets annoyed with people who don’t realize that she’s paying attention when she is.  I have already created a post about her ability to talk and listen at the same time.  It boggles my mind that she is able to do that. 

          Nobody ever learns at the same level – though it didn’t seem so obvious when I was a youth as it does now.  Some kids need the fidget spinners or to doodle in his/her notebook while the instructor talks.  It’s frustrating as a teacher to feel like a student is not paying attention – and surprising when that student can participate even though it appears the mind is elsewhere.  Jenna may be participating in class discussions while doing origami, but what about the students sitting near her who seem to be more interested in what she is doing than what the instructor is saying.

          Within the learning environment, we run into distractions all the time.  How do we handle these distractions while trying to create the feeling of equality though none of us will ever feel equal?  We’re not.  We are all different people learning at different rates, sharing our likes, sometimes tolerating our dislikes or not.  We fight to be equal but can’t seem to accept that we’re not.  Schools seem to be short-staffed, classes too crowded, school too small. . .

          I had experienced with different titles for this post.  The title I chose came from the topic given by one of the counselor’s of the stake president who had come to speak to our ward today.  He gave examples of pupils who would whine  “I CAN’T learn math”, “I CAN’T understand these vocabulary words”, “I CAN’T pass the physical”, “I CAN’T get a job”. . . . but he told us to ponder these things and realize we can make these things happen. “I CAN’T learn math . . . Yet”, “I CAN’T understand these vocabulary words . . . Yet”, “I CAN’T pass the physical  . . . Yet”,  “I CAN’T get a job . . . Yet”

          On Friday I had a job interview at the Wild Life Safari.  I met with two of the accountants and the director of human resources.  Roland and I had gone over some possible questions that they might ask me and some questions that I might ask them.  I wasn’t able to hear all the questions as the fan seemed to be louder than the person sitting across the desk from me.  It was the shortest interview that I have ever had in my entire life.  I know I didn’t do well.  I know I had missed some of the questions.

          Aside from working with unpredictable children and possibly animals (although the position I was applying for wasn’t directly related to the animals), I don’t generally allow myself to become distracted when I am working a job the way I do when I am at home.  However, in the exact moment, I was asked if I ever get distracted,  I was – enjoying the air but not the noise of it.  I definitely need to get my hearing checked.  I answered yes because I obviously had been distracted at that moment.  If I had said no I think I would have come across as dishonest.

          I thought I was there for a payroll position but it was for accounts payable which I have never done before in a professional manner.  I’ve paid my own personal finances – which ironically is partly why I had picked the accounting major to begin with – so I could better keep track of my budgeting so that bills would get paid on time.  Of course, I didn’t think of that until just now.  I didn’t consider any of the methods that Roland had suggested after the fact.  I wish I had the same confidence in myself that he has in me.  He is always disappointed that no one company has hired me on the spot. That's not even realistic for me at this point in time.

          The thing with Wild Life Safari is I had responded to an ad that had been posted only an hour before and was contacted that same day for an interview.  That was exciting.  Wild Life Safari is a non-profit organization. I was really excited about that – being able to work for a non-profit than a for-profit organization.  The questions I asked had to do with the organization itself.  I did ask one accounting question.  I forgot to ask how many are staffed at Wild Life Safari. Or approximately how many accounts I would be dealing with.  Or why the position happened to be open.  I really would like to be a part of their team, but I think I blew it.

          I still have a job through the school district.  I have already had a personal request to fill in for one of the aides at Coffenberry.  Just nothing in accounting . . . yet.  And that’s okay.  My job hunting and interviews are only a learning curve.  One day I’ll get better at it and maybe have the desire and confidence that Roland does.  Maybe one day I will be able to do payroll with the school district.  Just not YET.