Tackle Time

This went on for about 30 minutes.

Pardon the exposed diaper.  Desi just got off the potty.  If the tackling hadn't interupted, we would have taken him up to change into jammies. 

Also pardon the mess.  No excuse for that...but, it's my house so back off!
Note...after each tackle, he is putting his hand out to help me up...just to knock me down, again.


Tacklin' from Jason Pankow on Vimeo.

Darn that Daycare...again

I've mentioned before that Desi has a lot of words.  Some are clear, some are not.  We're still learning some of his words as he learns some of ours.

We discovered a new word of his, the other day.  It's a word we haven't taught him.

He was being whiney (what's new?) and Shaundar was holding him.  He started saying something over and over, again.  It sounded like "Tootoo row" or something.  Shaundar, being the ever insightful person that she is, stops and asks me, "Do you know what he's saying?" 

I have no clue. 

She motions to the kitchen counter.  On the counter lies a Tootsie Roll.  It's left over from Easter.  Desi was saying Tootsie Roll.

Now...I can say with almost absolute certainty that Desmond has never had a Tootsie Roll in this house.  I've never given him one and I am sure, as she is 100x more anal than me, that Shaundar hasn't either. 

That leaves daycare.  Of course, it could be Aunt Kelley or one of the PEPS parents that have babysat him over time.  But, I have a feeling that picking up "Tootsie Roll" would have to involve more repetition that a night or 2 of babysitting. 

Fantastic.

Photo from fellow PEPS dad

Our friend and fellow PEPS parent, Chris, snapped this at our weekly meeting.

FOT post

Just had a post published at Fistful of Talent that I'm enjoying.  Yes, I readily admit that I am a big nerd.

Here's the link: http://www.fistfuloftalent.com/2010/05/draft-everything-i-need-to-know-about-candidate-experience-i-learned-from-lost.html

Here's the post:

Monday, May 24, 2010


Everything I Need to Know About Poor Candidate Experience I Learned from LOST

Chances are, either you or someone you know is a fan of LOST. Actually...maybe this isn't true. Because if you are not a fan of LOST, I don't know why your LOST-loving friend would still associate with you.

Regardless...even if you are not a fan, you probably heard that last night we witnessed the LOST series finale. After 6 years, 121 hours, multiple dead cast members, 2 god-like beings and 1 huge mess of unanswered questions, the worst candidate experience on TV is over.

Let's take a look at the recruiting tactics that would make any company, even the Hanso Foundation, cringe.
It takes until Season 3 before we even hear the name of the LOST isle recruiter. His name is Jacob, and he's clearly a headhunter. He easily tracks down a bunch of passive candidates. Candidates who A) have never heard of the place he's recruiting for, B) are not currently looking for a job, and C) meet all of the basic qualifications. Of course, maybe I'm giving Jacob too much credit. The basic qualifications for this role aren't too niche. "Must be lonely and confused. Preferred candidates will also come with Daddy issues."

I'm not sure that Jacob is the most productive headhunter though. I mean, over the course of almost 2000 years, he is only able to come up with approximately 360 names. If I were his client, I would have ended this relationship 1500 years ago. However, Jacob is great at getting prospects on the phone and getting them interested in opportunities. Of course, by "getting them on the phone," what I mean is crashing their plane on the island.

Jacob's interview process has to be one of the most discouraging in history. First of all, these candidates have no clue they're even interviewing until season 6. Or...the final interview with the big wig. They're not prepped and there is no opportunity for the candidates to interview Jacob; where's the relationship building, here?

Second, they're never asked a single question. Granted, it may be hard to come up with behavioral interview questions around possible scenarios. "Tell me about a time you were charged by a hungry polar bear," or "Describe for me a time when you started bouncing around the space-time continuum," probably won't come with legitimate real-world answers. But, at least throw some hypotheticals at them. I think there are a ton of answers that could be given to, "How would you handle a situation involving a smoke monster and a sonic fence?"

Finally, let's talk about feedback. For candidates who aren't hired for any job, feedback is a big part of what caps off their experience. Jacob was not big on feedback. For the few who had any idea they were being considered for Jacob's role, he just left them hanging after the selection was made. Of course, most of the candidates were dead by the time the position was filled, so maybe it didn't matter so much to them. However, there was one person who did receive feedback. Kate specifically asked Jacob why she wasn't chosen. Jacob, who apparently hasn't taken a single HR course in his life, told her, "Because you became a mother." Someone call the EEOC!

So, all in all, I think it's clear that recruiter Jacob is the world's worst staffing professional. My guess is that he learned from a terrible mentor. Probably some 3000 year old wench from Egypt or something. But from his missteps, we can walk away with these lessons: maintain open communication, answer questions openly and honestly, follow up with feedback, and don't tick off a giant pillar of black smoke.
Gonna miss the show. What am I to do on Tuesday nights now?

Editor's Note - Jason Pankow is a Senior Recruiter for Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE and Xbox Software groups. Jason supports the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft, bringing in technical, as well as creative, talent to Redmond. Look him up on Xbox Live, where he'll ring you up for a triple-double as Steve Nash on NBA 2K8 or kick it old-school via a 7-digit score on Galaga...

Words and Food

Desi has a ton of words, now.  However, he doesn't really know how to end most of them.

For example: Milk is Muh.  Kitty is Key.  I love you is I Loo, or something.

However, the other day, he amazed us by completing one of his words.  The conversation went something like this:

Daddy: "Finish your dinner, Desi."

Desi: "Ah-Da" (translation: All Done).

Daddy: "Have another bite"

Desi: "Coo-Coo" (translation: Cookie)

Daddy: "Uh-uh...have another bite"

Desi, louder this time: "Coo-Coo!"

Daddy: "One more bite and they I will contemplate maybe giving you a cookie."

Desi, angry, now: "COOKIE!"

Daddy and Mommy - *silence*

Desi: "COOKIE!!!!!!!  COOKIE!!!!!! *cry, cry cry* COOKIE!!!!"

So, anyway.  That's that story.   

Prepping to be a Zag

Gotta practice if he wants to make the Gonzaga basketball team.


Ballin' from Jason Pankow on Vimeo.

Your Happy Read of the Day

Props to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Seattle Sounders FC (professional soccer team, for the non-locals) and everyone involved.  Here's the link to the story: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011740342_electronboy30m.html

Local boy with cancer turns into a superhero for a day


Erik Martin, who is living with liver cancer, has always wanted to be a superhero. On Thursday, the regional chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted him that wish with an elaborate event that involved hundreds of volunteers in Bellevue and Seattle.

By Katherine Long

Thursday was shaping up to be just another school day for 13-year-old Erik Martin, but then something extraordinary happened: Spider-Man called.

Spider-Man happens to be one of the few people who knows that Erik, too, has a secret identity — he's Electron Boy, a superhero who fights the powers of evil with light.

And Spider-Man needed Erik's help.

Erik, who is living with liver cancer, has always wanted to be a superhero. On Thursday, the regional chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted him that wish with an elaborate event that involved hundreds of volunteers in Bellevue and Seattle.

The local chapter, which serves four states, grants more than 300 wishes every year to children with life-threatening medical conditions, but only a few of them involve so many participants.

Pulling off a wish like this one required a big story, and a lot of heart. And so, with a note of panic in his voice, Spider-Man explained the dilemma: "Dr. Dark" and "Blackout Boy" had imprisoned the Seattle Sounders in a locker room at Qwest Field. Only Electron Boy could free them.

Erik got into his red-and-blue superhero costume, and called on the powers of Moonshine Maid, who owns a DeLorean sports car. For good measure, more than 20 motorcycle officers from the Bellevue Police Department and King County and Snohomish sheriff's offices escorted Electron Boy to Seattle.

"They shut down 405 — they shut down I-90," marveled Moonshine Maid, aka Misty Peterson. "I thought it would just be me, in the car."

At Qwest Field, Electron Boy was directed by frantic fans to the Sounders locker room, where the entire team was shouting for help behind jammed doors. With a little help from Lightning Lad, the alter ego of local actor Rob Burgess, Erik opened the door with his lightning rod. The Sounders cheered.

"Thank you, Electron Boy," said defender Taylor Graham.
"You saved us!" exclaimed forward Nate Jaqua.

"Good job, big man," said defender Tyrone Marshall. And forward Steve Zakuani mutely bowed his thanks.

Electron Boy seemed a little dazed by his powers. Out on Qwest Field, the Sounders gave Erik a hero's congratulations, posed for pictures and gave him a jersey and autographed ball.

Everyone was startled when, overhead, the Jumbotron crackled to life.

"Electron Boy, I am Dr. Dark and this is Blackout Boy," sneered an evil voice, as the villain — Edgar Hansen, and his sidekick Jake Anderson, both of Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" — taunted the young superhero. "We are here to take over Seattle and make it dark!"

On the Jumbotron, a video showed a Puget Sound Electric employee Jim Hutchinson trapped in the top of his bucket truck in front of PSE's Bellevue headquarters. Only Electron Boy could save him.

As Electron Boy's motorcade — the DeLorean, the 25 motorcycle officers and a white limo — rolled through downtown Bellevue, pedestrians stopped in their tracks and pulled out their cameras to take pictures. Clearly, somebody famous was in town. But who could it be?

"It's Electron Boy," Erik's older sister, Charlotte Foote, shouted out the window of the limousine.

More than 250 PSE employees gathered outside the company's headquarters and cheered as Electron Boy freed the trapped worker. "It was so loud, people in office buildings were looking out the window," said Make-A-Wish communications director Jeannette Tarcha.
But Dr. Dark and Blackout Boy were still at large. Electron Boy got a tip that the evil duo were at the Space Needle, where they had disabled the elevator and trapped people on the observation deck. Racing back to Seattle, Electron Boy stepped out of the DeLorean to a cheering crowd of dozens of admirers, and confronted his nemesis.

"How did you find us, Electron Boy?" Dr. Dark demanded.

Erik wordlessly leapt at Dr. Dark with his lightning rod, freezing the villain. Then he unlocked the elevator and freed the people trapped upstairs.
Bellevue police Officer Curtis McIvor snapped handcuffs on Dr. Dark and Blackout Boy, who couldn't resist some last words: "How can we thank you for saving our souls?"
A tiny smile played around Electron Boy's mouth. Just for good measure, he held his lightning sword to Blackout Boy's throat again. The crowd went wild. "Hip-hip, hooray!"
Seattle City Councilwoman Sally Bagshaw stepped forward with a key to the city and a proclamation that Thursday was Electron Boy Day. Afterward, Erik posed for the TV cameras, flexed his muscles and spent some time astride a Bellevue police motorcycle.

"He's over the moon," said Foote. "This is definitely beyond anything we thought it would be."
Watching her son run across the plaza in front of the Space Needle, mom Judy Martin said Erik goes to school when he's able, but is often too tired. "He hasn't had this much energy in a long time," she said. "They called it the power of the wish, and they're right."

Like any good superhero, Electron Boy kept his innermost thoughts to himself. But he did have one important thing to say:

"This is the best day of my life."


Katherine Long: 206-464-2219 or klong@seattletimes.com