Summer Vacation Dilemma

My loyal readers,

I need your help. This summer was supposed to end with a long Labor Day weekend in Virgina Beach, running a marathon and vacationing on the beach, beer in hand, post race. However, due to recent foot injuries (see What's Your Doctor's Personality from May 1) my participation in this event has been suspended.

My dilemma, then, is where I should travel in place of this trip. Ideally, it would be great to visit one of my friends while traveling, which shouldn't be a problem as most of my college friends are scattered across the country, while being in a scenic place conducive to artistic photography with running trails as a bonus.

So dear readers, if you could travel to anywhere within the continental United States this summer, where would be your pick?Suggestions in comments much appreciated.

Expect a post in June which will reveal my final destination.

Cheers!

-A

Long lost gym buddies

Over the years I've been blessed to have people I connect with at my gym. Typically, I enjoy solitary workouts where I can go at my own pace and not have to feel like I'm competing with a workout partner. But having active friends around is an important thing for me, as it provides a little extra motivation to get to the gym after work every day. Wouldn't want them thinking I'm a slacker, now would I?

Back in college I hit the gym at 3:30 every day of the summer. Toward the end of each session my buddy Jackie would come strolling in and we'd chat while we stretched (post workout for me, pre-workout for Jacks). He was a great gym buddy. We talked about workouts, plans for the weekend, all that fun stuff. He was my guardian too. When skeezy men would come talk to me, Jackie was right there to step in and handle it (lucky for me, he was an intimidating man). As the days grew shorter and the sun set earlier in the day, Jackie would often walk me to my car for safety in the dark parking lot. We were gym buddies for 3 years, until I graduated and moved far, far away.

Luckily I soon found a new buddy at my gym in San Antonio. Tony was one of the salesmen at the gym who turned out to be a great friend in the end. He hooked me up with a free training session after I was laid up from running due to a stress fracture. Our conversations on my way in and out of the gym were often brief, but enough to keep me coming back. He even stuck by me after the incident...let me explain.

While I was living in SA, my boyfriend at the time came to visit. I hooked him up with a gym pass so he could work out with me during his stay. Jealousy ensued when he met Tony. During one conversation, he decided it was necessary to step between us, give me a kiss, look Tony in the eye, and walk away. He should have peed on me, that would have been just as effective in marking his territory.

When it was time to move up to Dallas, Tony even came over to help us move my couches out of my 3rd floor apartment. He's surely been missed.

Since San Antonio, I've been without a gym buddy; until recently that is. This past winter I was getting in the habit of working out a couple times a week with my neighbor, Shawn. We would ride to the gym together, work out separately, then catch up post workout to head back to our apartment. I didn't realize the value in this routine until it ended. After my recent move, and heading to the gym alone after work, I have been missing my post-workout chats. Last night I ran into Shawn at the gym and had a nice chat after my run. It's sad that we don't see as much of each other as we once did, but comforting to know that my gym buddy is still there for the post-workout conversation and a little subliminal motivation.

Cheers!

-A

24 of the past 24

After much deliberation over this post, I've concluded that it is nearly impossible to narrow down all the encounters from the past 24 years to the top 24, let alone rank them in order of importance. So, I've come up with the list below, a quick snapshot of those encounters that have had a lasting impact. I'm all about life lessons, and many of the souls below have taught me some of the greatest life lessons just by being themselves. Here's what I've learned:

* Captain Nicole Malachowski - dedication and determination can make all your dreams come true
* Dr. Hoestetler - trust your gut and always question what doesn't seem right
* Kaleb - love of the game
* Matt - being a geek is more than okay, it's pretty damn cool
* April - not everyone is going to like you, and sometimes that's for the best
* Chris - running is all about heart
* Shannon P. - go against the grain
* Joe F. - it's better to take a risk and fail, then to never know the possibilities
* Anna - the importance of true friendship and keeping it alive
* Captain Mike - it's important to surround yourself with others who understand your passions
* CT - be someone's advocate
* TK - be someone's friend from afar
* Ryan D. - things don't always work out as expected, and that's okay
* Adam - one amazing friend is all you need
* Glenn - stay true to yourself, life's more fun that way
* Joe - be fearless, push the limits
* Jeff - respect yourself (and others) enough to do what's right
* Zack - the grass isn't always greener
*Annice - true spirit is rooted deep within
* Justin - don't give up. ever.
* Geoff - being great goes beyond what you produce
* Lauren - a little guidance goes a long way
* Robert - it's the team of people you work with that makes every day worth while
* Nate - true friendships last a lifetime

I hope everyone can say they've met so many people that have changed their lives for the better, that they too cannot begin to narrow down the 24 most important. To all those above, and all those I may have missed...

Cheers!

-A

A very Pistons birthday

In honor of my birthday that typically falls during NBA playoff time, my co-workers decided to go above and beyond with a special personalized cake this year.



The "Go Pistons" in the lower right-hand corner and the basketball cookie was the icing on the cake (pun intended). My guess is, this would not have happened if the series was Pistons vs. Cavs - it certainly didn't last year at this time!

What a wonderful surprise! Thanks to all for the special birthday wishes. Still to come, a blog on the top 24 encounters of the past 24 years.

Cheers!

-A

Selfishness

It’s human nature. We all think of our own well being before we think of others, especially in the face of danger or human need at its purest.

For example, take a look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. When a person is in this first level, animal instinct kicks in, allowing all psychological focus to be placed on attaining these primary needs. In our society today, it is even acceptable to focus solely on oneself while fighting for safety and security as shown by the second level. Hell, I certainly wouldn’t blame someone for thinking selfishly while trying to acquire safe housing and financial security.

But what about those times when the needs aren’t quite so raw? How acceptable is pure selfish behavior when you’ve advanced to the third level: belonging and love. Seems to me that in order to provide for these needs, to belong to a community, to sustain friendships and relationships, one must move beyond thinking only of himself.

It seems, that over the years I’ve encountered a number of people who seemingly meet these social desires while being 110 percent selfish a majority of the time. Everything from stealing friends and lovers, to gossip and lying to get your way, to making someone’s special day about you (weddings, birthdays, bridal showers, I’ve witnessed it frequently), to judging innocent people openly in public in hopes of making yourself look better (and just as an FYI: most people can see straight through this to your self-conscious, insecure, jealous core). So how do the most selfish of our society manage to keep a strong network of friends? Do they find others as crudely self-centered as they, or are they the dominant leaders of the pack with followers that are simply too timid to stray? If anyone can enlighten me as to how this is possible, please share some wisdom with a comment. Because honestly, I would love to get everything I want out of life, have the world cater to me, and still manage to have my friends and family stick around. Wait, what am I saying? No I wouldn’t!

Taking a look at the fourth level, esteem needs indicates that I want to have a shred of self-respect and feel recognized by others for being good natured. Sure, I want to get to the top, and get everything I want along the way, but if I don’t have to work for it and I’ve trampled on others along the way, then how can I respect myself?

So dear readers, are you annoyed with the number of I wants in this post yet? I hope so. Because now you’ll have an understanding of the fraction of the annoyance in my life recently. When are some people going to realize it’s not always about them and look around at their fellow man? For some, it’s hopeless. But do us all a favor anyhow and pretend every now and again to give a crap about the rest of us. Because let’s face it, I actually do care about you, no matter how much you may or may not deserve my concern.

Cheers!

-A

Perception

It's all about perception. How you look at each individual situation and evaluate the circumstances will determine not only how you feel about it, but how you react to it. If only this concept was as easy to apply as it is to comprehend - espeically for those of us who are known to over-analyze everything that happens in our lives.

My advice to all you over-thinkers and over-reacters out there: take a step back, look objectively at the situation, and evaluate how much it impacts your life before you react. You might find that, in fact, no reaction is needed and you have saved yourself the extra angst and frustration. Still pissed? I say follow your heart and take action. Because sometimes, you just need to kick some ass to feel better.

Cheers!

-A

Should have escaped while I could

Though I am typically opposed to documenting personal information or dating experiences in the public blogosphere, I decided that the following story is just too good not to share. It came up during a game of Wii bowling late last night with my roommate and a couple of our friends and it was the entertining topic of the night. In fact, when I first told my roommate about this first-date experience, she chuckled lightly and responded with, "you just made me feel better about every bad date I've had the past six months, thanks." You're welcome.

A while back I met a boy while I was out with my friends. He was mid-20s, attractive, had a job to support himself, and could hold a conversation so when he suggested we hang out again I considered it. After discussing with my friends (as all girls do) they agreed that he seemed like a decent person. So when it came time to decide if I was going to attend a sporting event with him one evening after work, my mind went back to our first encounter and it seemed like a good idea. And in fact, it was. He managed to get my roommate and I two great seats to the game and we all had a good time. At the end of the night we concluded that he was really cool and I should definitely hang out with him again. But boy did he fool us.

He had asked me out for the following Saturday, mentioning dinner and a movie as a good possibility given that it was supposed to rain. During the day before the rain set in I managed to enjoy some sun and accomplish all of my weekend chores. Come 8 p.m. he had still not called, though by this time my stomach overruled my brain and I made myself dinner. A text message asking if he still wanted to hang out revealed that he did, but not until 10 p.m. This is where, if I would have been smart, I would have backed away. Maybe subconsciously I knew what was coming, and at least I'd have a good story to tell later, right?

...10:00, 10:30, 10:45 - incoming text: "left later than I wanted, be there by 11." ...11:00, 11:15, 11:25 - incoming call: "i'm waiting downstairs."

In the car I give him the benefit of the doubt and pretend that I forgot he said we'd be going to dinner. "So, how was your day? Did you get to enjoy the weather before this rain started?" To which he replied that in fact he got caught up in building his Web site and lost track of time. *Strike one* - since when is any Web site better than going on a date with a cute girl?

He suggests we go to a local bar because there's a good band playing. Given my experiences with local bands, I was skeptical, but for some reason believed the words that were coming out of his mouth (though if I'd listened to the music coming out of his stereo I would have known the band was going to suck). Regardless, we go, there's a $3 cover charge. He hands the guy a $5, gets his change and walks in. That's right. Not only does he not pay for my $3 cover, but he doesn't wait for me to pay my own way! *Stike two* - hello, moron. You asked me out on this "date." Man up!

Oh, but it gets better...

So after one drink (for which he surprisingly paid), I can't take the suckiness of the band anymore and suggest we leave. Head to another local bar with a better band and no cover for one more drink. The conversation was dull, and the moment he asked me if I had beaten my score on Wii bowling yet (huh?) it was time to leave. As we are walking out he says, "I'm hungry." Well, I'm not, and I'm ready to go home, and at this point I only give a damn about myself. I should have asked for him to take me home first (in hindsight, I should have done a lot of things differently, but you know what they say about highdsight). Regardless, I shut my trap and pointed him in the direction of the nearest fast-food restaurant still open. He gets in line, orders the biggest meal he can, turns to me and says, "I don't have any cash."

Me: "They take credit cards."
Terrible date: "Oh, I don't do credit cards at fast food restaurants. Can I have some cash." - which rendered me speechless for quite some time - but oh the things I could have said...
Me: *Taking the longest pause EVER, looking at him like he just asked me to give him my left kidney*

Terrible date: "Like 5 bucks if you got it."

Me: *Hands him the 5 dollars...only God knows why, I'll never see that 5 bucks again. But I figure the quicker I give him the money, the quicker I get home and am rid of him forever.*

He pays, get's change back, and pockets it. Shaking my head and laughing at the situation at this point, I'm just happy his car is headed in the direction of my apartment. When we arrive I let out a huge sigh of relief and get out of the car; and so does he! I should have asked him where the hell he thought he was going, but of course I didn't. He comes up to my apartment, sits on my couch with the assumption that he's going to scarf down the fast food meal that I just purchased for him right there in front of me, when finally I get the cojones to kick him out so I can go to bed and forget about this night. He seemed surprised (oh wake up son!). When I walked him to the door, the last words I ever heard him speak were "so, can I chat with you online tomorrow?"

Sure, right after my World of Warcraft marathon and before I start my Halo game... *Strike 3, 4, 5, and 6* - no explanation needed

I, in fact, said nothing and shut the door.

So there you have it folks. Next time a date goes bad and you're feeling a litte depressed, please feel free to revisit this post for a reminder of how bad it could have been - and of course for a good laugh!

Comments on other date stories that are rediculous, funny, or just plain sad highly encouraged.

Cheers!

-A

Group of Spartans

For the past year I have lived in a state where not only is it a sin to have grown up in Michigan - regardless of the fact that I dispise the Wolverines just as much as everyone else this side of Toledo - but finding like-minded Spartans is a needle-in-a-haystack venture. What's most surprising (to me at least) is that in my time in Dallas I met 2-3 times more MSU alumni than I have here in this neighboring state. It hasn't taken me long to realize why Michiganders tend to steer away from Ohio: "We don't give a damn about the whole state of Michigan, the whole state of Michigan..." Yeah, it's a real song, and Ohioans love to sing it. But that's a topic for another day "Why Ohio hates Michigan..." though I'm not sure I even know why.

One of the things I tend to find most annoying about graduates of other universities, specific to the Midwest, is the mentality of Ohio University graduates. Let me be cynical for a moment, then I'll get back on track. Promise. Ohio University alumni take great pride in having attended this school in small-town Ohio, as any dedicated alumni should. Where does it become annoying you ask? When that's all they talk about, all they think about, and when they get together in groups, all they reminisce about. For those of us who have to witness this, often daily, YUCK! It's right up there with the couples who decide to grope each other in public - only it's "Bobcats forever" with this crowd. On occasion, I've actually thrown up in my mouth a little when I've had to sit through Bobcat reunions, it's just gross.

Anyhow, to my surprise on Friday, the tables turned and I got to be one of these annoying alumni for the night (just ask my friends who had to witness it). After a lovely sushi dinner with a close friend, we went to a bar downtown to hear one of our favorite cover bands. When we walked in we were greeted by a group of guys who were there for a bachelor party. Free drinks were offered so we decided to chat them up for a while before the band started. They seemed nice enough and within a few minutes of typical get-to-know-you conversation, it came out that I was an MSU grad. Maddness ensued.

Everyone in the bachelor party was a Spartan. Most had graduated in early to mid 2000s, one was still a student. To my surprise, he was the one who intrigued me the most. Though only 21 and a finance senior in the business college, he was articulate and interesting to talk to (or maybe he was just more sober than the others).

Throughout the night this group of fellow Spartans got pretty rowdy - at one point they even started a "Go Green, Go White" chant; and yes, I joined in. Now, had this happened back in Michigan, or even in Texas, I would have refrained from joining this ridiculousness. But given the sheer annoyance of Ohio State and Ohio University alumni throughout the city, I decided it would be a good idea to get a little obnoxious myself - sort of a taste-of-your-own medicine effort I suppose. I'm not so sure that it worked, but regardless, I had a lot of fun with these visiting Spartans.

Thanks, guys, for brining a little MSU spirit to Ohio, and for reminding me how green my blood really is. Until next time...

Go Green!

-A

Living in symbiosis

With continuous changes in the marketplace and the rise of social media and digital marketing strategies emerging at the forefront of our profession, the lines between public relations, marketing, and advertising are beginning to blur. Communications efforts of all kinds sit comfortably together under the umbrella known as marketing. Relationships among these agencies are morphing with each passing day, causing the relationships between the agencies and the media to shift.

The relationship between the media and professionals under the marketing umbrella goes beyond symbiosis - it's becoming interdependent. Traditional media is seeking the stories generated and spread by the buzz online. Marketing professionals are pitching prominent bloggers to influence public opinion. Media outlets are reaching out to the marketers before we go to them. The days of the dreaded pitch call are diminishing. If a story has legs, reporters are dying to run with it - and they are racing along side the influencers in the blogosphere to be the first to get the word out.

So now it's time to turn the race into a collaboration rather than a competition. Reporters, marketers, and bloggers are already working together to inform and influence the public through countless lines of communication. Between blogs, advertisements, press releases, newspapers, RSS feeds, television programming, cell phones...the list goes on...professional communicators need to work in a seamless, interdependent manner to fulfill the ultimate goal - providing information to the target audience as quickly, accurately, and efficiently as possible.

I will now get off my soapbox.

Cheers!

-A

Amazing media relations

For those who have ever "pitched the media" before, you might be intrigued by the title of today's post. In marketing and public relations, this is a task that is often slightly frustrating; especially when you are pitching a story that is not top-of-mind for the reporters and/or audience you are trying to reach.

However, when your story has a pulse and it reaches the broader consumer, you feel as if you have hit the media relations jackpot. This has been the story of the last four days of my life. Sunday night when my phone rang I knew it was going to be a long week. Between managing a crisis communications effort, 2009 social media campaign planning, and finishing a move to my new apartment, the days have been quite busy (which also explains my absence these past few days).

The crisis communications effort has been extremely gratifying. I tend to be an adrenaline junkie (noted by my supervisor during my review, and 100% true) so client crises are right up my alley. The media relations efforts have been more than successful, and this was solidified by a conversation with a local radio personality at 8:30 p.m. last night.

A colleague of mine had tuned in to the station on the way to work yesterday and overheard a conversation about our client. Additionally, they mentioned that they were unable to reach a local company representative for comment. What a great opportunity to capitalize on their need and provide them with this interview, right? After bouncing around the station's production department, I was ultimately led to an administrative assistant who took my contact information. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to receive a call from one of the shows co-hosts (and honestly, I didn't expect to get a call back at all, given all the people who transferred my initial phone call).

This conversation turned out to be the highlight of the project. Not only was he grateful that we reached out to them, but that we were able to secure one of the company's executives for an on-air interview. In our short conversation we built a strong relationship and he has asked that we continue to stay in touch for future opportunities. He even took the time to follow up with me from his home with an e-mail outlining the interview details and providing his personal contact information if any questions, concerns, or issues should arise. He was accommodating me just as much as we were accommodating him and all other media contacts we had spoken to this week. Impressive. And much appreciated.

So thanks, Joe, for the great conversation and for allowing our client the chance to go on air and talk about their commitment, their loyalty, and the situation at hand - we truly appreciate you.

Cheers!

-A

BFAD

Although Best Friend's Appreciation Day is a made-up holiday, it's by far my favorite. Thanks to the wit and creativity of the best friend a girl could ask for, we were able to spend the weekend - conveniently place between our birthdays - up to no good; and I'm talking some serious shenanigans!

The weekend started with drinks and people watching. It's always entertaining to be on the sober end of a crazy bar night to witness the personalities that come out of the woodwork. It seemed we picked a venue where everyone who crossed the threshold was put under a spell that made them think dancing like an idiot was a good idea - that spell being our friend vodka of course.

After a night of much needed rest I woke up to a day filled with the unknown. The plan was to partake in a series of activities, all of which were to be a surprise to me until the moment we did them. The day's festivities, however, turned out to be a surprise to both of us. Though no huge shocker that the day didn't go as "planned." With us, it rarely does, but that's what makes for an amazing time and some great stories to share. Besides, if the ride of life was a smooth one, what would I have to share with all of you.

"Work went well today. Finished all my assignments. No traffic on the way home. Went to the gym where everyone was friendly and I did my exact planned workout. I made a delicious dinner, again, and went to bed...can't wait to do the exact same thing tomorrow and tell you all about it!"

But back to BFAD. He made us shirts. Yes. Shirts. Matching shirts to be exact.

We drove around in the Solstice convertible. The one he fixed up and put a V8 in.

Our first destination was a failure. The second worked out exactly as planned with lunch and Frostys. Our third destination was also a failure. Turns out the putt-putt golf place we tried to locate was actually inside the mall. You'd think somewhere in the directions that would have been communicated. That's poor marketing if you ask me. We didn't attempt the fourth activity because we had a feeling it would bomb too. So we went back, enjoyed the amazing weather in the city, ordered a pizza, watched a movie from the high school days (I'll spare y'all the details, needless to say, it was entertaining). The night finished off with a live band downtown - though we decided not to match for this event.Though the weekend seems pretty generic on the outside, I have to admit it was one of the best weekend's I've had in quite some time, and much needed quality time with the BFF. I highly recommend joining in on next year's celebration of BFAD. C'mon over. We'll even make you t-shirts.

Cheers!

-A

What's your doctor's personality?

Bedside manner. It's one of the most important traits of a doctor, if not the most. Given my track record of encountering shady medical professionals - the Dallas dentist, the surly orthopedic surgeon in San Antonio, the "we're going to cut your foot open and see if we can locate the glass" general practitioner - it's no surprise that a friendly personality is key in selecting a doctor. Of course, I'll openly admit that I'm a bad patient. I am scared and nervous, which often leads to getting worked up (I've been known to yell at such physicians), but that doesn't diminish the importance of the bedside manner.

Today's encounter was with an amazing podiatrist. We are still in the middle of treatment so I can't vouch for his medical skills just yet, but the combination of wit and professionalism of him and his staff really made my experience.

In the marketing world, we see this as a great customer service experience. My nerves were calmed and I was provided with the information and services one would expect from any quality doctor's office. The nurses were thorough in their background questioning and cared to listen to my concerns and answer any of my questions. The doctor came in and welcomed me with a smile - this goes a long way in my book - and he asked me about my training, my past injuries, and conducted a series of tests on each metatarsal. Subsequent X-rays showed no stress fracture, yet - TBD at the next appointment.

Doc instructed continued running on a freshly taped foot. At the next appointment in two weeks we can determine if the stress fracture is back or if in fact my marathon training continues. Fingers crossed for the latter.
For having found this doctor on the Internet and seeing him without a referral, he certainly exceeded my expectations. Overall, the experience was educational and stasfying. Who can really say that after a doctor's appointment?

Though the office is inconveniently on the other side of town, I will continue to make the trip as needed, knowing that the physician and his staff will continue to go above and beyond.

Cheers!

-A