Those of you who follow me on Facebook and Twitter are familiar with how much I have been gushing about working here. I can’t help it. It’s a great place to work; I feel valued in ways I never thought would ever be possible (thanks to demoralizing jobs I have had in the past), and I get to use my skills and talents every single day.

The company is going through some restructuring (actual restructuring, not job cuts), and they are using this time as a way to look at who they are and where they want to go. They have hired a marketing consultant from New York City, and she has been hear all wekk on a whirlwind mission to gather data and explore passion among Truehopers.

I have had the opportunity to sit in on two meetings so far. One was an initial meeting with the executive on Monday exploring what defines us and who we are. The other was today where we conducted several exercises exploring our individual strengths.

The consultant had us fill out a 30-minute survey that determines what our 5 strengths are. Here are mine:

• Input
• Strategic
• Communication
• Adaptability
• Connectedness

Some of these are similar to the results of some career counselling I did about 6 years ago. What I found interesting this time around, however, is that my new job is built to allow me to use these five strengths every single day. No one knew when I was hired that these were my five strengths. but it is great how it worked out.

Even more interesting is she had us each write down a strength for every person in the room. Here is what everyone else saw as strengths in me:

When I was fired from the university almost two years ago, I used that as an opportunity to change how I branded myself. It looks like it worked.

Nowhere in there is anything related to my 9 years in the IT sector, which is precisely how I want it. In fact, there is only 1 (maybe 2) strengths listed by others that even focus on my technical abilities.

It is so empowering to finally be recognized for my soft skills, my real strengths.

I started a new job a couple of months ago. I am the communications specialist for Truehope Nutritional Support Ltd. They produce a micronutrient formula designed to help people with mental illness.

My responsibilities include managing social media properties, copywriting, and managing their newsletter.

Last spring, I noticed their were hiring a web developer, so I applied for that position. A couple of days after the interview, their HR rep phoned me to say they wanted to interview me again, but this time for a different position.

They had been impressed in my interview with my communications and social media skills and experience and were interested in creating a position around that. The interview went great and was very encouraging.

A couple of weeks later, I was told that they had implemented a hiring freeze because they were devoting their resources to winning a court case. I was disappointed.

About six months later, I heard back saying they were interested in moving forward. I interviewed again with a different set of people, and here I am.

The last two months have been a great experience. This is the first time where I feel like I am genuinely valued at work and I can use my strengths and talents in productive ways every day

I see sexism and discrimination against women in places I previously would have overlooked and in things I previously would have found funny.

This past week has been pretty hard for me. I have seen many of my friends participating in Facebook memes that denigrate and objectify women. When I do try to stand up against such, I am the one labelled as being insensitive and told I should lighten up.

I am very fed up this week and I am disgusted more each day that goes by to the point I feel sick to my stomach and my hands shake.

Here are a few of the images my friends have posted:

This one tries to make light violence against women. Strictly speaking it’s spousal abuse period, but since I am a man and the friend who posted it is a man, I saw this as directed at women. Besides, as the saying goes, it’s a dog is man’s best friend, not human’s best friend. It is never okay to laugh at the idea of stuffing one’s own spouse into the trunk of a car.

This is sexist in several ways. First it treats men as prizes (You’re all mine if you plan to marry in the temple. It treats women as objects of desire (if you aren’t going to get married in the temple, you don’t get me). It trivializes the sacredness of temple ordinances.

This perpetuates the stereotypes of women being emotionally unstable, and it ties so-called manhood to men being accepting of emotional abuse.

This objectifies women and glamorizes sodomization, both of which together promote sexual violence against women.

Yet another one objectifying women. This one goes even further by presenting women as objects that can be eaten. And why is it women have to wait for men to come along; why can’t they initiate relationships?

Finally, this one is sexist on several fronts. First, it promotes emotional instability in relationships. Second, it promotes the idea of women being owned by men. Finally, notice how the male progresses from boy to gentleman, but the female in the relationship remains a girl? Also, notice the female in the relationship is a girl, but the females outside of the relationship are women.

What disturbs me the most is that those who post these images are completely oblivious to the sexism contained within them.

And the sexism isn’t confined to just these images either. Every day, it seems, someone I know posts similar photos. New photos. The cycle continues: Someone promotes violence and sexism in their images and other perpetuate their messages by sharing them.

In all sincerity, what is there that can be done?

This year, I did the following:

• I started LethbridgeTraffic.ca
• I attended a ballet performance for my two oldest daughters
• I was laid off from the University of Lethbridge after working there for 9 years
• I started Southern Alberta Home Schooling Supplies with Mary
• I started Lethbridge News
• I was hired with H&R Transport
• I got a puppy

This year was filled with ups and downs. Here’s hoping 2011 is a bit more even.

This is cross posted at Our Thoughts.

I knew right off the bat that it wouldn’t be Rajko Dodic. He has accused me of being partisan, and has done nothing to engage me as a voter, certainly not like Kay Adeniyi, James Frey, and Cheryl Meheden have. In addition, Dodic has shown in the forums that his solution to dealing with criticism and conflict is to either deny any issue exists or tear down the person criticizing. Besides, despite his claim to have experience, Dodic has never been mayor.

I don’t think Dennis Carrier or Adeniyi are solid candidates. Both of them fall apart at the forums and don’t have concrete solutions when asked difficult questions. Adeniyi has some great ideas, but he lacks real experience. That being said, he can be a solid candidate in the future if he works on getting more involved in the community and doing more thorough research on the issues.

Frankly, when it comes down to it, I have struggled between Frey and Meheden. This isn’t surprising really, since I originally had been helping them on their campaigns.

So, why did I end up choosing Meheden over Frey?

Last Tuesday, at the all-candidate forum at the Lethbridge Shelter and Resource Centre, when mayoral candidates were asked why they feel they are qualified for the job, Meheden said she was a PhD candidate in leadership. Because we have been quasi-following the Thomas Jefferson Education philosophy in homeschooling our children, this comment really caught my attention.

I decided to email her to get her to elaborate on this brief statement. Here’s what I learned from her response.

Meheden chose Walden University because of its focus on social responsibility. Such a focus encourages its graduates to ensure they contribute positively to society rather than simply going into the world to make lots of money. Her PhD has required her to extensively research leadership models and practices from a wide array of situations, understand their theoretical base, and apply them in her life.

A new mayor needs to be more than someone who can tell everyone how wonderful Lethbridge is. A new mayor needs to be more than someone who can rein in any dissenters in council. A new mayor needs to be a leader.

Meheden knows how to lead and has a lot of experience being a leader.

Something else that has impressed me about Meheden is her commitment to volunteerism. At the mayoral forum Friday night, she answered a question about her experience to lead the city by mentioning the thousands of hours of community service she has put into Lethbridge. When she has been asked as a mayoral candidate to attend an event by its organizers, she claimed she always asks what she can do to help out at the event. Many aldermanic and mayoral candidates are only concerned about politicking at public events, and seeing someone who would rather volunteer than hobnob really impressed me.

She has even opened her home to shelter young girls in need as part of a programme through the YWCA. She not only attends SACPA events, she has a SACPA membership. She not only comes out to London Road Neighbourhood events, she has an LRNA membership. She is someone who walks the talk.

I was talking with someone at church yesterday about the mayoral race, and she said she had decided on Carrier for mayor because he has business experience. As I thought about this yesterday, I realized Meheden also brings business experience to the table. In fact, she brings quite the variety of experience to the table. She ran her own business and saw it double its revenues every year for five years. She has taught at university, and chaired the School of Business at the Lethbridge College. She has served on the board of Economic Development Lethbridge for several years.

I have known Meheden for several years, and the thing I like the most about her campaign is that she is still the same. She is authentic. I have never felt like she is pandering to garner my vote. She has been just as approachable for me during this election as she ever was. As well, she is humble, easily admits when she is wrong. With Meheden, what you see is what you get.

So, in short, I am voting for Cheryl Meheden because she is a true leader, a committed volunteer, an experienced businessperson and educator, and an authentic person. And it doesn’t hurt that she takes the bus to work.