mike browne's blog » gratitude

My Experience and Shaw Tower Open House

Mike Browne — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:56:45 +0000

This week my long and arduous job search came to an end. I applied for a job with Shaw Cablesystems. I’ve been a customer for many years using their digital television and internet services. I have always had good experiences dealing with the company and its representatives so when I found out that Technical Service Representative (TSR) jobs were available there I pounced on the opportunity.

I received a link to the job by a friend. The link had an online questionnaire around my technical knowledge and an “apply now” button at the bottom. On the next page I set up my account for the Shaw careers database filling out all of my information and copied and pasted a plain text version of my resumé into the form provided.

On the same day I got a phone call about coming in to Shaw Tower for a screening interview with a Talent Supply Coordinator from the HR department after which I scheduled for back for a second interview the next day with two supervisors from the Technical Service department.

I had to bring my passport (which I seem to have lost on the way home) and my driver’s licence so a credit and criminal record check could be done on me.

After the second interview, which I thought went well, my interviewers told me that I should to wait for a call one way or the other.

The phone call with a job offer came a day later. It included an amazing benefits package that starts right away, not the least of which is an employee discount on the old cable bill. Nice! Every bit helps.

The whole hiring experience was extremely pleasant, professionally executed and efficient. At no time was I made to feel I was just a number.

The offices in Shaw Tower are beautiful and modern. The people I met were all friendly and accommodating. That’s a corporate culture I can get used to.

I start training on Monday. I am looking forward to this new adventure.

If you’re in Vancouver and might like a career at Shaw you can attend the Shaw Tower Open House tomorrow. Here are the details —

We have three questions for you:

Are you customer service driven?
Do you have a passion for sales?
Do you love technology and innovation?

If the answer is YES, then come to our open house and bring a friend!

Shaw Tower is opening its doors on Saturday, July 24th from 2 to 4 p.m. and we are looking for enthusiastic people to join our Customer Service and Technical Service teams.

There’s never been a better time to join the Shaw family as we continue to grow and expand our business.

So, if you know anyone who would be interested in applying, please pass along the information below.

Details

When: Saturday, July 24
Time: 2 to 4 p.m.
Where: Shaw Tower, 1067 West Cordova Street, Vancouver
Open Positions: Customer Service and Technical Service Representatives
What to bring: Your resume
What to expect: Be prepared to have an on-site interview with one of our Customer Care Supervisors

IMPORTANT: These jobs are all PART-TIME and only guarantee 20 hours per week. Our call centre operates 7 days a week from 7 AM – 11:30 PM. All candidates must be available to work anytime within these hours.

A Doggerel on an Old Tombstone

Mike Browne — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:30:52 +0000

As mentioned in my last post I have been scanning photos and postcards from a very old album that was obtained by a friend of ours at a local estate sale. The album, it turns out, belonged to a woman from Vancouver named Jean M. Story. In 1938, she traveled with one or more people across Canada to Quebec and through Europe documenting her trip with photos and postcards. She saw pre World War II versions of the Republic of Czechoslovakia, Germany, France, England and Ireland.

It has been fascinating following along, but I wondered why, I of all people would be doing this project. Then I came across her photos of Winchester Cathedral in England. One photo immediately stood out. It is of a tombstone in the cemetery adjacent to the Cathedral. The text of the tombstone is as follows:

In Memory of Thomas Thetcher

a Grenadier in the North Regiment of Hants Militia, who died of a violent Fever contracted by drinking Small Beer when hot, the 12th of May 1764, Aged 26 Years.

In grateful remembrance of whose universal good will towards his Comrades, this Stone is placed here at their expence, as a finall testimony of their regard and concern.

Here sleeps in peace a Hampshire Grenadier Who caught his death by drinking cold small Beer. Soldiers be wise from his untimely fall,
And when ye’re hot drink Strong or none at all.

This memorial being decayed was restored by the Officers of the Garrison A.D. 1781 An Honest Soldier never is forgot, Whether he die by Musket or by Pot.

The Stone was replaced by the North Hants Militia when disembodied at Winchester on 16th April, 1802 in consequence of the original Stone being destroyed.

This is a very significant find for me and many of my friends for personal reasons. Of note, this stone was once again replaced in 1966, making this photo even more meaningful. It would have been standing during World War I when a young American doughboy on furlough was so moved by it that he wrote about it years later in one of the most important books I have ever read.

I’ll tell you privately what it was if you want to ask, and will delete any comments that identify the book or it’s author. Sorry for the mystery but it is in keeping with tradition. It’s easy enough to find out if you are familiar with Google.

Thanks Jean M. Story, where ever you are. What a neat find.

Quit Now and Win Contest and My Story

Mike Browne — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:35:01 +0000

On January 18, 2010 it will be exactly 12 years since I quit smoking. It may not seem like a big deal to you, but to me, and my family, it’s a really big deal. I had tried to quit many times and always went back to it. I was smoking over a pack a day at the end and sometimes even go up in the middle of the night to smoke.

It certainly sucked being chained to something like that, but no more. I am grateful everyday that I don’t smoke anymore. I think that’s a part of what has helped me to stay stopped. I had plenty of my own reasons to quit smoking, health being the most obvious. But, I couldn’t quit for good until I decided that what I really wanted for me and no one else. Sorry Mom.

Anyway quitnow.ca, along with the BC Lung Association, is running a little contest that may give you that extra little push toward quitting yourself:

Quitting smoking is easier with support from on-line contest

November 23, 2009 – QuitNow & WIN, the contest that successfully convinced more than 7,000 British Columbians to sign up to quit smoking last year, is back.

The contest encourages smokers to turn to a buddy for encouragement, register online for support, and have the chance to win prizes totaling more than $20,000, provided by corporate sponsor McNeil Consumer Healthcare Canada.

“I had been thinking of giving up smoking for a while, and the contest was the push I needed,” said Justin Tournier, last year’s grand prize winner. “Cigarettes were no longer my companion, and I had to find new ways to deal with stress, boredom, social activities and habit. It was great to have a community of support to get past the rocky points and to learn new coping tactics. Once I had adapted to a new way of living, the need for cigarettes vanished. It’s been almost a year now since I quit and now, I wonder why I waited so long.”

“QuitNow & WIN had a very successful first year, and I am very excited that we can help more British Columbians go tobacco-free this year,” said Ida Chong, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport . “I am a big fan of this contest because everyone who participates in it is a winner. It provides great prize incentives for people to sign up, but the whole philosophy behind QuitNow & WIN is that participants help each other ‘cross the finish line’ and reach the first goal of going five weeks without using tobacco.”

QuitNow & WIN is an online contest that uses a combination of traditional and social media supports to help people quit smoking. Participants sign up with a ‘buddy’ who provides friendly encouragement. They can use QuitNow by Phone (1-877-455-2233), a free telephone-based counseling program available 24/7 in over 130 languages. They can sign up for supportive emails, text messages, Twitter “tweets” and Facebook updates. They can also join online support groups on www.quitnow.ca, an Internet based quit smoking service that offers individualized programs to participants – anytime and anyplace.

Organized by the BC Lung Association through grant fun

#Movember 30: Say Goodbye to the Mo’

Mike Browne — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 07:08:28 +0000

I have had enough of this itchy thing on my face. Just in time as today is the last day of Movember. Yes, the moustache comes off tomorrow. My upper lip will probably be a little chilly as it won’t be wearing a fur coat anymore.

All jokes aside, I am glad that I participated in Movember. I got to meet some really cool people and both Carol and I had tons of fun. Taking part gave me a reason to blog more on this site again as well.

I need to find another cause now. I’ve already been approached about one thing that I will definitely do a post or two about.

Anyway, here’s the last Movember video. It’s about something I will not be shaving in the morning.

Maybe I’ll do this again next year.

#Movember 28th: Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

Mike Browne — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:59:22 +0000

Rather than see another boring-ass picture of me and my stupid moustache, seeing as today is the day the winner got chosen for the set of Movember cuff links from Arbitrage Clothing Inc., why not see a picture announcing who the prize goes to.

Chosen at random here he is:

It’s not the picture you sent me Marc, but this one from your website, marcmcpherson.ca, is much more amusing and truly captures the spirit of Movember. Marc wrote a great post, well worth reading, on his site about why he participates in Movember. Donate to Marc on his Movember page if you like.

As soon as Arbitrage gets those cuff links to me I will mail them off to you Marc. Congratulations!

A couple of honourable mentions

Stacey B, from Sacramento, CA for her wedding day mo’:

Aw! Isn’t that cute? That’s the spirit Stacey. Check out Stacey’s web site Pill’s Place.

Craig G. a.k.a. Uber Giles a.k.a. The Sailor:

I know. Yucky, right? You can also donate to the cause via Craig’s Movember page.

Thanks to everyone who participated. There were some great entries. I wish everyone could have gotten a prize. Hopefully I will have more prizes to dole out next year!

#Movember 26 and 27: The Mad Arab and Grinning Goof

Mike Browne — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 03:09:55 +0000

Last night was the Movember Gala Parté at the Fortune Sound Club in the Chinatown district of downtown Vancouver. We were frisked quit thoroughly on the way in. They made me feel like some sort of terrorist. Perhaps it was profiling of some sort.

Not every arab is a terrorist you know.

The ghutra (or keffiyeh) I was sporting is the real deal as Carol used to live in Saudi Arabia. I wish I had a thawb to go along with it to allow the boys to have some air. Good for the prostate.

Movember is going well for our team. Last night, thanks to LG Electronics, our Movember teammate John Biehler won a whopping $5000 to put toward the cause. Here’s a photo that Carol took of him with the novelty cheque.

Very Happy Gilmore. Way to go John. That’s fantastic!

The reason the picture didn’t get posted yesterday is because Carol fell asleep as soon as we got home. She was pooped, so two pictures today.

I start my new gig on Monday. I jumped through all the hoops I had to. I am pretty grinny today.

Here’s my favourite Mo’ wearing Muppet, Lew Zealand singing Goodnight Sardine:

Extremely lame, but that is exactly why I posted it.

More information and how to donate to Movember: Movember 2009 Info

#Movember 25th: Angry Billy Idol hockey moustache man

Mike Browne — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:58:42 +0000

Tonight the mo’ felt like snarling a bit. Billy Idol would be proud. If you’re too young to know who he is, that’s what google is for. I’ll wait.

The month is drawing to an end. Finally. I will soon be able to shave the mess off my face someone’s prostate may be saved from cancer and all will be right with the world again.

Tomorrow night is the Movember Vancouver Gala Parté. We’re going to party like it’s 1979! Here are the details:

Fortune Sound Club
147 East Pender
Vancouver
British Columbia V6C 2V6
November 26th
Start 8:00pm
End 2:00am
Judging: 10:00pm

If you want to buy tickets you can do so on movember.com. Come on along and watch people make fools of themselves. I’ll be the cool guy…

Speaking of off putting and angry men with hockey moustaches:

Yeesh. What is that, an ad for a prison hockey league?

More information and how to donate to Movember: Movember 2009 Info

#Movember 24: Required for a career in law enforcement

Mike Browne — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:19:21 +0000

A lot of police officers have moustaches. I have not been asked whether or not I was a cop in a very long time, if you know what I mean. If you don’t I am not explaining.

Not all cops have moustaches, but a lot do. Carol’s sister is a cop, but doesn’t have a moustache (I would hope not). You can probably figure out why very easily. If you can’t I don’t want to talk to you.

In this brief scene displaying mixed up crazy backwards day in the world of law enforcement from Police Academy the two cops DO NOT have moustaches, but the other gentlemen in the scene do. Can you tell who’s who?:

When I was a kid I did not understand what was happening in that scene. I guess it’s OK to laugh at the homophobic cops in the scene. The look of sheer terror on their faces is hilarious.

I love that song and will buy the mp3 if anyone can find it. I want to use it as the ringtone for my iPhone. But alas, I think that version was just made for the film.

More information and how to donate to Movember: Movember 2009 Info

#Movember 23: Get this thing off my face RIGHT F’ing NOW!

Mike Browne — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:10:48 +0000

Mo’tographer, Carol Browne, should be congratulated as she undertook great personal risk in getting today’s Mo’ Photo. The wearer did not keep up his usual caffeine and aspartame intake and was, clearly, on the warpath at the time of this photo. The lack of his addictive substances and fuzzy thing on his face made him particularly insane today.

I’m not sure why I am talking about myself in the third person, but am sure it is a clear sign that my cheese has finally slipped all the way off my cracker. I am very glad there is only a week left. I should be given a medal for this.

Sorry for whining.

Here’s today’s Movember related moustache video. I don’t drink but this is still amusing:

Hey I used to have an outfit just like that. It can be seen, turtleneck, tweed jacket and all on the family room wall in my parents house for everyone to throw up at.

More information and how to donate to Movember: Movember 2009 Info

#Movember 22: The Mo’ Looks Cranky

Mike Browne — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:08:38 +0000

WTF? The Canucks lost the game tonight 1 – 0 against the stinkin’ Blackhawks. That makes me sad and cranky in the mo’. I don’t have much to say other than I have to wait until Thursday to watch them play again. Boo!

Oh well, at least I didn’t have to colour my mo’ like Michael Allison from our team, although he’s raked in a whopping $1000 for donations. Way to go Nice n’ Easy.

Whatever, here’s tonight’s video courtesy of Gus (and Movember Canada), also on our Movember team: