Why I’m Now Returning Back to Blogger

 Hey everyone. I know that I have been posting some more here in 2024. I want to let you know why I’m now returning back to Blogger to post.

                Well, a lot has happened in 2024.

·         Graduated from Tri-C

·         Saw momentum in my job search

·         Started going outside more

Graduated from Tri-C

I decided to go back to Tri-C in 2022 because I needed to learn more skills to update myself. I received my MBA in Marketing in 2002. There were no cloud computing, streaming service or Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok. Imagine how different the world is 20 years later. I received my AA in Applied Business May 2024. Check out my graduation photo below.

Saw Momentum In My Job Search

I also am seeing more movement in the job search. The past couple of years, it feels like the pandemic with everything shut down. However, I am happy to have kept learning and professional development. I will say that right now in 2024 both tech and non-tech companies are favoring applicants that are technical with soft skills.

Started Going Outside More

I took my AWS AI Practitioner certification exam at a testing center. It had been 2 years since I set foot in one (to pass my ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity because ISC2 mandated in-person testing). However, getting out there and pressing the flesh make me improve my communication skills. I passed my AI Practitioner exam but this led me to get out more.

PS – I still love doing mainly online things because they save time; but, I may have to get out more.

What Does This Mean For You?

It means more experiences and blog posts. I will be on here with much more content. Thank you for sticking with me. 

eBay Adventure – Class Act

                I have been writing eBay Adventures for a while and I love sharing my journey with so many people on Instagram and other social media channels. I have discussed with my coach how I have sold over $2000 in 60 days, combat fraud and bad customers trying to soil my reputation, she says that I should create my own eBay course. I think that this would be a great idea pricing it at $37; of course, I will give way more content and behind the scenes of creating a store, linking your PayPal, what to pick and how to accelerate PayPal releasing your funds (I have managed to go from 21-30 days to 5-7 days in less than 2 months!). My goal of this course to kill the learning curve! I don’t want anyone to go through the same mess that I have gone through. I don’t want anyone to un-learn all of the crap that I had to while reading resources. This course will solve all of this.

As always, I will still keep writing eBay Adventures because I love my community so much and am happy that you will continue sharing my journey with you!
Visit my eBay store here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

My 2015 Has Been Nothing Short of Amazing!

                Although there are still 15 days left in 2015, I feel that this is the appropriate time to discuss my year. I have purchased my carlarjenkins website domain, started a blog, became a LinkedIn Pulse contributor, renewed my PMP certification, traveled to Dallas, Cleveland, Atlanta and New York City and reserved my LLC business name. It has also been tumultuous as I am in between consulting opportunities; however, the good far outweighs the bad. Taking control of my personal career brand and dedicating myself towards writing have increased my confidence. I can handle anything that comes my way in 2016.

If You Want to Come At Someone, Please Use Spell Check!

            Someone was reading my blog entry highlighted to www.dcblogs.com and sent me an email telling me not to listen to certain people. Okay, cool. What wasn’t cool was that this person included people who did nothing to her and failed to use spell check.  So PSA: When you want to come at someone, please use spell check else you look foolish giving the other person a whole lot of ammunition!

White House Holiday Open House and Christmas Tree Tour

White House Holiday Open House and Christmas Tree Tour
I follow the White House on Twitter and when it posts the Tweetup link, I click on it registering for the event. I am thinking ‘What the heck?’. The last week of November I received an email saying to respond by noon; however, my boss and I were so busy with the deadline that I didn’t see the email until 12:15pm. I feverishly completed the registration form praying that the White House would had penalize me for my tardiness. When I received the confirmation, I jumped for joy running out to buy a new digital camera specifically for this event.

The instructions told us to meet at 17th and State Place NW to pass security before entering the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. After going through the turnstiles and obtaining our passes, we walked through a maze from the Eisenhower building to the South building where lo and behold there was no wi-fi for the Tweetup. Luckily, I had my small notebook where I jotted down notes and photographed all of the White House staffers: Tina Tchen, the First Lady’s chief of staff; Brad Cooper, Executive Director of Joining Forces non-profit; Jon Carson, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Public Engagement; Aneesh Chopra, Assistant to the President for Technology and US Chief Technology Officer; Macon Phillips, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Digital Strategy; Laura Dowling, White House Florist; and, Bill Yossess, White House Pasty chef. I asked Jon Carson about if the Administration considered nationalization the $50 billion infrastructure program to reduce unemployment like FDR did with the New Deal and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Carson thanked me for mentioning the American Jobs Act provision then explained that FDR didn’t solely rely on the federal government to create jobs. He partnered with private companies to hire workers when unemployment was 25%. He also mentioned that President Obama was trying to broker the same deal with the American Jobs Act.

The Tweetup ended with all of the participants leaving the South building for lunch and upload photos and post tweets. I ate at Café Soleil right down the street off of 17th street NW. Afterward I walked through Executive Park to 15th and Alexander Hamilton Place for the Christmas Tour. Receiving this invitation was awesome because normally you must contact your elected official to obtain approval for a White House tour. I was on the grounds with the other Tweetup participants and several others. After going through three checkpoints, we entered the White House. Every single room contained Bo, the Obamas’ pet dog. The Florist and Pastry Chef said that Bo was a big factor in the Christmas designs. There was Bo made of recycled material and another one constructed from marshmallows and licorice. Finally, the high school choir sang Christmas carols in the foyer next to the White House front entrance.

This Tweetup and Christmas tree tour were more than just goodwill promotions appeasing people. They were informative granting us access to key White House personnel. The Christmas Tree tour embodied the season presenting ebullient decorations throughout the House. I loved both events and couldn’t wait to register for another Tweetup!

The White House Blog Has Published My Tweetup Photo!

Yes! The White House has published my White House Tweet up photo of Macon Phillips on its blog! This past Monday I and 150 others attended the Holiday Open House Tweet up where we met with Tina Tchen, the First Lady’s chief of staff; Brad Cooper, Executive Director of Joining Forces non-profit; Jon Carson, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Public Engagement; Aneesh Chopra, Assistant to the President for Technology and US Chief Technology Officer; Macon Phillips, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Digital Strategy; Laura Dowling, White House Florist; and, Bill Yossess, White House pasty chef. When the White House posted my picture I was surprised because when I took it, I didn’t think that it was clear. Regarding the Tweetup I asked Jon Carson a question about if the Administration would nationalize the $50 billion infrastructure jobs program to reduce unemployment similar to FDR’s New Deal. He thanked me for mentioning the American Jobs Act then told the room that the New Deal partnered with private companies to hire workers reducing 25% unemployment during the Great Depression. Carson mentioned that the Obama Administration was trying to accomplish the same things.
Attached is the blog.