Given this week my fascination with the word Chutzpah (see for Joys of Yiddish full explanation), I figured I could do one more amusing post about the use of this word.

Know how to say it first

Many years ago I was interviewing for a job in a very interesting group. I had heard of the leader of this group, but didn’t really know him personally, so when he called me so I could come in for an interview I was very happy to come in and chat.

The interview seemed to be a little stunted in the discussion (i.e. it seemed mostly to be this person pontificating about his views on how technology was going to go in the future), but having been to many interviews I didn’t think much of it, I just asked a few questions to keep my interviewer going (I find the more an interviewer talks, the better the interview seems to go), so I simply asked open ended questions as follow ups to his statements, and time seemed to fly by, with me saying very little (of substance).

There was a pause, so I felt obliged to throw in another open ended question to my interviewer, so I asked, “What kind of person are you looking for to fill this job?”. This is an excellent time wasting question for an interview, as most interviewers don’t really have a clear answer, and if they are very confident like this chap, then the answer can take up to 10 minutes, and all you do as a candidate is point out how you are that exact person (a trick I learned long ago).

Sure enough this interviewer ran on and on about someone who could create symbiotic technology concepts, and show an ability to create a fused capability delivered cross-domain in the pike position,etc., etc., etc.,. I noted the catch phrases being used (without laughing out loud), and was formulating my follow up to this statement when the interviewer completely de-railed me with a statement.

It started off with the phrase, “If I could sum up what I am looking for in a candidate for the team, I’d have to use a word I learned a while ago, it’s a Jewish word…”, I fought the urge to point out that it would either have been Hebrew or Yiddish (don’t think there is a “Jewish” language per se). I figured that as long as he didn’t say “Shmuck”, I was ok, but what he did say was entertaining.

“The word that describes it best is someone with CHOO-TS-PUH…”, (I spelled the word phonetically so you could get the gist of this story). Now the word chutzpah is pronounced HH-oo-tzpa (along those lines at least), and the CH is most definitely not pronounced as CH. I must have had a bewildered look (it was actually the look I have when I am attempting to not burst into laughter), because the interviewer proceeded to give me an explanation of chutzpah (a relatively correct one).

I sat there using all of my inner strength attempting to:

1. Not correct this individual on pronunciation, because he seemed positive that he was correct.
2. Not burst out laughing at the mis-step (very bad form for a job interview)
3. Figure out whether I really wanted this job.

There was a long pause at the end of the interviewers ramble and I felt he was expecting me to respond, so I carefully responded how I fit the bill of this kind of person without actually saying the word out loud, for fear of offending this individual. After summing up, the interviewer then had to recap by saying, “So you think you have this CHOO-TS-PUH, do you?”, again, I fought hard to not burst out laughing.

My only way to respond was, “Yes, I think I am that guy.”.

I didn’t get the job, but I did get an interesting anecdotal story that I tell sometimes.

So Michael James and Larry MacDonald both commented last week about Hospital and Medical clinics and their User Fees, and I was exposed to those and a few other interesting charges as well.

This past weekend I hung out in the Emergency room at CHEO (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario), due to my daughter assuming that her knee can bend sideways (I guess I should be happy she didn’t try to bend it like a dog’s back leg like Napoleon MacCallum did in the NFL). The visit was long and I believe I have been exposed to most of the respiratory illnesses out there, however there was another interesting charge that came up.

Yes, I had to pay for parking which wasn’t cheap ($13 for 5 hours), however, the interesting charge that came up was the cost of having to buy crutches for my daughter (whether we really need these crutches remains to be seen). The crutches cost $30, and I had to pay with direct withdrawal or cash (no credit cards). The no credit cards part seemed quite odd, given not many people I know wander around with $30 cash in their wallets, but the fact that the Crutches only cost $30 was interesting.

The last time I got crutches, it wasn’t that much either (it was for me, I decided running fast and then placing my foot in a gopher hole and almost shattering my ankle might be fun), so are these aluminum crutches somehow subsidized? I think I can claim them on my insurance so I am not that worried, but I was more curious about whether these were somehow subsidized, or are crutches just that cheap? Anyone know?

Whether any of the odd bacteria/viruses I was exposed to take hold in my body, remains to be seen.

For those of you thinking, how can I help, here are a few sites to think about where you can make donations to help out in Haiti:

This list I have shamelessly borrowed from the Canadian Capitalist:

1. Donations through the Canadian Red Cross, which sent $200,000 immediately to support relief efforts, can be made here.
2. Donations to the Salvation Army’s Haiti Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund can be made through this website. Salvation Army is also accepting micro-donations of $5 from donors who text HAITI to 45678 from any Rogers or Bell phone.
3. Donations to UNICEF Canada’s Haiti Earthquake relief efforts can be made here.
4. Donations to the Humanitarian Coalition Online comprising Oxfam Canada, Oxfam Quebec, Care and Save the Children can be made here.
5. Médecins Sans Frontières Canada is also directing donations to Haiti relief.
6. Michael J. points out that World Vision, which has been on the ground in Haiti for more than 30 years, is accepting donations here.
7. Matt N. says Plan Canada is helping children and families in Haiti. Donations are accepted here.

Help, if you can.

I didn’t manage to get any Christmas Cards out this year, so here is a good one from the National Film Board.

So we start the second decade of the new century and the new millenium, so it is an exciting day today, that is for sure. It is astounding to think that the first decade of the 21st Century is over, but it is and time continues to speed up in my life rather than slow down.

I am very thankful for all the amazing things that have been given to me in the year 2009.

• A new career start
• A new niece
• Good Health
• Good Friends

My life has always been blessed and this year was another great year for me.

What comes for 2010? I have no idea, but I pray it is a good one.

Happy New Year 2010!

Man that was a tiring year