Wanted: Your stories
Posted by Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor) on July 19th, 2012 at 9:39 am
(Photo © J. Maus)
Hi everyone. Remember back in April when I put out the call for reader story submissions? It went really well. People responded with some very interesting perspectives on a range of issues from tragedy to “auto amputation” to a philosophical take on the separated vs. shared space debate.
If you missed out on that chance to have your story published, I’m opening the site up to submissions once again. (I’ll be out of town for the rest of July starting later today. I’ll still be publishing stories, but won’t be working full time). I’m looking for pretty much anything, as long as it has to do with bikes and it has some connection to the Portland region.
Want to snap a few photos of Sunday Parkways in Southwest and then share your thoughts on the site? Have an opinion on an issue covered here recently? Or perhaps there’s something I haven’t gotten to that you feel deserves to be featured on the Front Page. Head over to the online submission form and send it in. Pieces will ideally be about 400-600 words and have a photo or two to go with them.
I have always understood that loyal readers and commenters have valuable and valid perspectives and that your voices are just as deserving of the Front Page as mine. So with that, I look forward to reading your stories and sharing them with the community. Here’s that link to the online submission form again. Thanks!
Not going to write a story, too busy enjoying my bicycle. 😛
RecommendedBut, I can tell you that I finally got called in for a job interview last night. It is in SW Portland, as the man on the phone was telling me how to get there via car/highway. I interrupted him and said I was coming via bicycle.
You should of heard his complete dumbfounded voice and asked, “Then how are you going to get here, can you even do that, where do you live?”
I answered, “Of course, I just live in SE Portland!”
That about made my day.
I have had job Interviews derail for 10 minutes because the interviewer didn’t understand how I could ride my bike more than a couple miles. I absolutely try to avoid the subject if I can/
RecommendedWhy avoid the subject when you might have a chance to convert somebody? Or at least show them that cycling is doable. 🙂
RecommendedYes, because people just LOVE to be converted. Give me your address and I’ll send all the militant vegans and Jehovah Witnesses to your house. Should be cool, right?
Land the job and show them through ACTIONS that a responsible, respected member of their staff commutes by bike. 🙂
Recommended“Land the job and show them through ACTIONS that a responsible, respected member of their staff commutes by bike. :)”
That’s the way I figure.
RecommendedThank you for the unnecessary snark. I didn’t mean a forcible conversion, but a slow conversion through the introduction of new ideas, assuming the listener is interested in the first place. Just a conversation is all.
RecommendedHow many of your “slow conversion(s)” start off by interrupting someone?
RecommendedI respect a lot of your comments but what world do you live in where you attempt to educate an interviewer?!
RecommendedI gave a “bike commuting” workshop at my site a few months ago. There were about 30 people in attendance, and about half had never ridden to work before. The number of regular bike commuters at my company has increased by roughly 50% this year.
The key is finding people that are “interested but concerned” and removing their concerns.
RecommendedI agree 100% with avoiding the topic. First of all, interrupting the person who is interviewing you to state that you are a cyclist is bad starting right from the interrupting, next stating that you are a cyclist to someone whom you have no idea about can easily come off as elitist/exclusionary/high horse-esque and that is not a good look for an interview. Be professional. Realize that you are in a bubble and lots of people don’t want to hear about it.
RecommendedAgreed, a job interview is NOT a good place to display any agenda whatsoever. Answer the questions, sure, but not a good topic unless the interviewer (assuming it isn’t a panel interview) is genuinely interested.
RecommendedAgreed
RecommendedWell, I did get hired.
RecommendedSo it must mean something.
Lucky you. What Scott wrote is something similar to what happens in reality.
RecommendedUnless you were interviewing for a job as a bike messenger it likely meant nothing that you are a cyclist. One would hope you were hired because you were qualified for the work, not because of a mode of transportation you use.
RecommendedCongratulations.
Recommended@Grandpa
Recommended“interviewing for a job as a bike messenger”, that’s pretty funny. My interview was “Do you know which was west is? Do you have a bike? Can you count? You’re hired.” We have Top Men working as messengers for us Dr. Jones. Top. Men.
Ahahahaha!
RecommendedI never heard George Bush mention during his campaign that he was a cyclist.
RecommendedExplain that you are:
Self-reliant;
Socially responsible.
Those two should get you hired.
RecommendedAnd not “high horse-esque!”
RecommendedYou all are crazy. He asked for stories! …BTW i make sure to go into every interview with my right pant leg rolled up, hoping they will recognize the hidden code of the bike commuter.
RecommendedLook who’s talking, your riding a cat.
Recommended