Squidoo Internship

One person can make a difference
and everyone should try

John F Kennedy

OK, I'll admit it. I am not as conscientious as Seth about updating my blogs every day. I'll be very honest as well. As a relatively new blogger I am still having arguments with myself - well I AM a Gemini, what do you expect?

One side of me says "Yeh, I'll write about this." And the other side of me says: "What on earth makes you think that you have anything to say that people will be remotely interested in?"

But then I remind myself, people DO comment on my Blogs. . . .

Twitter? I like Twitter but please don't ask me why! I am not into getting thousands of followers on Twitter. Why would I want thousands of followers?

(As you can see, I am still trying to work out Twitter!)

At times I do think that Twitter is all about one-sided conversations and being a "compulsive communicator" (yep, there's the Gemini coming through again) I do like to feel that people are listening to me and that they are talking TO me and not AT me!

I live on the outskirts of a beautiful historical town just north of London. I am very English - as those who have heard me talking on Moon & Moo radio will agree.

But I am also very cosmopolitan in outlook and two of my closest friends are not English - in fact one is American!

If anyone was to ask me what my biggest achievement has been, I would probably say putting on a musical show! One of the best year's of my life was being the Producer of an amateur production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

I had experience of producing and directing amateur shows, but nothing on such a scale as this production and up until this show I had never worked with children on stage.

We saw a local production of "Joseph". My girls loved it. And 24 hours later I uttered the words my hubby has come to dread: "I've been thinking . . . ."

Twelve months later, I was on stage performing with my girls in my very own production of a very well known show. 35 children, 20 adults and teens, a backstage team of over 30 and a live orchestra.

We did three performances and on the last night we had a standing ovation like I have never, ever experienced in any other show ( and I have been involved in 16!) - I am having goose bumps as I remember and am smiling hugely as I type this.

But what really made it for me, was to see the people who I had recruited pulling together and doing things they had never done before. And they were doing them because I could see that they were capable of doing them and then I managed to convince them to believe that they could do it. I believed in them but their belief in me was something I will treasure for the rest of my life.

And the friendships I have made as a result? Priceless!

Thanks to the skills I learned on Squidoo, for six months I was the Editor of Imperfectly Natural.com, the website owned by UK "Green Queen" and personality Janey Lee Grace.

So I publish lenses on various topics and I am a Squidoo Angel, who recently became a Giant. I took a year to get to Giant because I spent a lot of time learning my Squidskills. I'm still learning!

I am also a Coach on JJJ's Giant Squid Challenge Team and am currently helping/mentoring a small group of Lensmasters going for Giant or Giant Squid 100.

I really enjoyed being part of the first RocketMoms group on Squidoo. Participating in a group that shares objectives but which is full of very different people and personalities is something I always enjoy.

I suppose one of the things I enjoy the most about Squidoo is encouraging people to understand that Squidoo is about giving help as well as accepting help. So every so often I will kick off a thread in the SquidU Forum, which is all about recommending others. For example:

Introduce someone else on the Forum

I found this lens today - recommend someone else's lens, not your own

Recommend another Lensmaster's lens for an Angel Blessing

What else am I up to?

Chef Keem is someone who is not only a dear SquidFriend but someone who I respect hugely, not just for his Squidoo achievements but also his wonderful outlook on life. So when The Chef emailed me and asked me if I would like to contribute articles to SquidLog, not only was I flattered but I jumped at the chance to get involved in such a worthwhile project.

I am very proud to be associated with one of the best (heck actually I think it is the best) Squidoo related sites on the web.

I am writing a novel and yes, it now has a beginning, a middle and an end!

It is in its first draft but with one crucial chapter missing, which I have only just recently worked out in my mind.

The story evolved from a very vivid dream I had. When I woke up I wrote it down and it never ceases to amaze me how easily the story developed.

Getting it published won't be so easy though!

Actually, I lie. I finished it this morning. What book am I going to read next?

I am going to re-read Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - I need some light relief and fantasy after Picoult's book, which was about child abuse and I have to admit that the "heroine" annoyed the heck out of me at times.

Other Skills

Trainer in Business Startup

Two year project helping ex-offenders, ex-users, long term unemployed, returners to work, undertake business planning with a view to launching their own businesses. Training was delivered in the form of workshops and also included Negotiation, Time Management, Presentation Skills and Assertiveness.

This was one of the most challenging jobs I have ever undertaken. Working with groups of up to 20 adults, from different educational and social backgrounds, various cultures and some with huge issues. Some participants were taking the courses voluntarily, others because if they did not they would lose their State Benefits. It made for an interesting mix!

I am also VERY proud that some successful businesses in London are owned by people I trained.

Business Analyst

In order to be able to work from home, I took on a three year project that included designing, developing and maintaining a Management Information System on Microsoft Access for a developing Company, that now has offices worldwide.

This was another interesting project, if only because for a long time I was the only female working for this Company!

I am applying for this internship because. . . .

I love Squidoo. I love what it has done for me. I love the interaction with other Lensmasters. I love the idea of getting involved in new Squidoo projects.

But most of all I love the idea of Megan and HQ saying to me: "Hey AJ, we would really like you to do this for us" - no matter what it might be, but if it should be anything like making videos or helping other Lensmasters in a specific role. . . .

What can I offer?
In life, to help and enable people to perform, whether it is in a job, on stage or on Squidoo, you have to help them believe that they can "do it". You have to help them believe in themselves.

You have to help them discover within themselves the knowledge they need to help them perform.

Often that means showing them something of yourself. Sharing your experiences. Sharing what you know. Telling them how you overcame your own inner resistance and self-doubts.

Helping other people find confidence is something I seem to do well, both in my personal life and on Squidoo. I would love to take it to the next level.

OMG!
(that's Oh My Gosh!)
This all looks so darn serious!

Please remember that I do have
a wicked sense of humour as well....

I could not Squidoo without the continuing support of my family!