Thanks, Dad

Given that it's the day after Father's Day, I thought it highly appropriate to give a shout out to my good ole pops.

This weekend was a whirlwind, driving home in torrential rains on Friday, family stuff on Saturday before heading back that night so I could work at the drop zone on Sunday.

So needless to say I feel a little more than guilty for not spending Sunday with my dad.

But after reading this post by rs27 - who writes by far one of the funnies blogs ever, Your Beard is Good - I felt inspired to reflect on all those things my dad has done for me over the years.

After a recent conversion with my big brother, who in his pre-marriage counseling has to fill out a chart, plotting points on a graph of his relationship with his family members over time, I got to thinking about my relationship with my parents over the years. 

Every teenage girl has those turbulent years with her mother, so we'll shy away from that. But don't worry, mom and I get along great now!

But in my 25 years, I can't once think of a time where I could have asked for a better dad.

I was lucky that during my elementary school days my dad worked the night shift. He came to all of my school functions, signed up to chaperon every field trip, and I loved it.

He would pick me up from school and I was always proud to be walking out with my dad while the other kids got on the bus. Sometimes, on nice days, he'd even pick me up on one of our motorcycles - think dirt bike, not Harley.

After school and on weekends we'd be out shooting the basketball or I'd be running errands with him. I loved the time we spent together in the car, just the two of us, talking about who knows what anymore.

The summer before I started high school my dad took over a newspaper delivery route for a family friend. It required middle of the night drop offs - from 1 until 4 a.m. typically - driving around the country back roads. This was a daily adventure that I decided to help him out with.

Some of the best conversations took place in the front seat of his truck that summer. I gained an appreciation for music of his generation and I'd like to think he did for mine as well, maybe. Eh, Dad?

We even became immune to scent of skunk together. Had to be there, I guess.

Needless to say, I was sad when that summer ended. After that, my teenage years set in and boys became a main focus.

But no matter what I was involved in, my dad was there for it. Track meets in the rain. Tennis matches in the heat of the fall. And we can't forget how much time he spent with me on the court every summer. A little tradition that carried through to college - playing a couple sets indoors any chance we got.

Moving away wasn't easy, especially since he's not much of a phone talker, but I cherish the moments I get to spend at home and those days he comes to visit me. Next, I'm working on getting him to jump out of an airplane with me. Baby steps.

Thanks Dad, for always being there.

What are the best memories of your dad?

Cheers!

-A

Full and shivering

Look Food, we all know how much I love you and your nourishing goodness, but I've got a serious beef with you.

Stupid pun not intended.

This is a problem I've been suffering with for years. Almost immediately after consuming your pure deliciousness my extremities get so cold they feel as if they might fall off.

C'mon food, I know this is your fault, it's been happening for too long now for this to be some kind of coincidence.

What's more - when I wash you down with pure, crystal clear water it only escalates the situation.

Now, this becomes a problem when I need to eat outside of my house, because it certainly isn't acceptable for a grown 25 year old woman to carry around a blanket to wrap herself in post-meal. And I'm certainly not wearing a Snuggie around in public. 

So tell me Food, what's a girl to do? Please do tell, because I know I'm not the only person out there who suffers this debilitating coldness after eating, and I'm certainly not going to go on living like this.

Until I get an appropriate response, I'm boycotting. I'll live on coffee and tea until we can work something out, Food.

Hungrily yours,

-A

p.s. Anyone who believes I'm actually giving up food, even for a second, is out of your bloody mind.

Sucking a little

Hi. Guess what? I suck.

Oh, you already knew that? Well then I'm late in the game figuring that one out.

Things have been so crazy lately, between work, wedding stuff (my big brother, not me, for those who haven't been paying attention), skydiving, practicing skydiving, spending time with friends and the SO, and just the general upkeep of life. Sometimes being an adult is exhausting.

Can't I just go back to being a kid again? With no responsibilities, getting to play outside and be all innocent and stuff. CAN'T I???

Then, maybe it wouldn't matter so much that I'm stinking it up so much. Just look at all the areas where I suck:

*Family: This weekend I went home for some wedding stuff, stayed for less than 24 hours for my bridesmaid duties and barely got to see my dad or brother at all. I haven't seen my grandma since Christmas and this trip was no different. I even had to postpone dinner plans with friends so I could make it back for skydiving. Which brings me to my next point...

*Friends: I haven't seen my Cleveland friends in weeks - nor have I returned phone calls from some of my friends around the country. When I know a long conversation is due it's hard to find the time, making the next conversation just that much longer. Vicious cycle.

*Exercise: This is a biggie. I've committed to a 5 miler on July 4th and the Chicago 1/2 marathon. Right now I might be able to comfortably run 2 miles without stopping. Maybe.

*The SO: Another biggie. I'm trying my best to be a good girlfriend, but there are still times, like this weekend, where things are so whirlwind that I'm not around much. And when I am in town Cleveland Parachute gets a lot of my free time. At least I managed to attend his rec league basketball game last night. Brownie points there, right?

*Adult life stuff: Bills, cleaning, car maintenance. If it wasn't for online bill pay the bill collectors would be knocking down my door. Sometimes my apartment looks like a tornado went through and my car has needed an oil change for way too long now.

*Skydiving: Although it may seem like all my time is devoted here, it's not. This license isn't going to earn itself and unless I can stick it out and get in multiple jumps on the weekends I may not meet my goal of 'A' by the fall.

*Sleep: I'm a girl who not only likes her sleep, but I need it to function. This 5-6 hour a night pattern that I've got going on right now just isn't cutting it.

*Blogging: Between work and SkydiveChick I've been neglecting y'all. Sorry my posts haven't been the most engaging lately. I promise to try and step it up a little.

It appears, that I suck at life. Seems like there was a time in my life where I was on top, and I don't know how to turn it back around. 

HELP!

-A

Delurking time

So, if there is one thing that's changed about my social media habits since my return it's this: I've become a lurker.

I used to pride myself on my ability to not only keep up with so many of your blogs each day, but to thoughtfully comment on them as well.

Y'all felt the love and it showed - the comments flowed in to my posts as well.

And now, I suck. Completely and totally suck.

In attempt to defend myself, it has been difficult catching up on a lost week, but now that my Google Reader is down to (fairly) manageable numbers it's time to start putting myself out there again and add some freaking value.

I know, I know. It's about damn time. But I've changed, it's back to my old ways and you're going to hear from me whether you like it or not.

So what about all you other lurkers out there? I see my daily analytics, there are still readers out there. And with almost 100 unique visitors yesterday I had not a single comment.

Nope, not one.

How about we all put the binoculars down, come out from behind the shadows and make a little noise.

At the very least, tell me why you're here. And I promise to do the same.

Let the delurking begin!

Cheers!

-A

Speaking my mind

This is something I really need to improve upon, speaking my mind.

I know what y’all are thinking, that seems pretty inaccurate given how I typically spout off at the mouth everyday. But that’s not really what I mean.

The one thing I’ve never really been good at is confronting a conflict.

Sure, I can do this when it comes to client work, but not so much in my personal life.

Between toxic friends, an abusive roommate, bad relationships, and the occasional office spat, I’ve taken a lot of abuse these past couple years. And honestly, I let it happen.

I’m plenty prepared to bitch and moan about these issues but I’m no good at actually standing up for myself.

What gives?

Why can’t I just sit down and have an adult conversation with someone when I feel I’ve been treated unfairly? Why do I continue to let myself get walked on?

I sorta feel like part of it is that when I’ve told friends how I felt before (sure, maybe not in the most tactful way at times) it’s blown up in my face causing huge fights and even ending friendships.

Seriously, I lost a friend of 20 years because I told her she was being selfish – when she legitimately was I might add.

And whenever I told a certain ex-boyfriend about concerns I had he always made me feel guilty – as if all our problems were my fault.

I need to realize that not everyone is like that, but I guess these bad experiences have really made me think twice about voicing my concerns. Or, at least, that’s what I tell myself.

Any advice for being less of a doormat?

Cheers!

-A

Get off the ice

So today I'm telling a tale on behalf of one of my co-workers because, honestly, it's the most entertaining encounter of the week.

And I'm going to tell it in first person, just for kicks.

Two weeks ago we had the kickoff game of my winter hockey league. On the team, there's a guy named Kevin* who's, let's be honest here, a little on the terrible side.

What makes that even better, is that in his spare time, he's a hockey coach for a children's league - but that's not the point here.

He is known to be one of those people who think they know everything about everything...er, hockey, and when team members try to provide constructive criticism he wants nothing to do with it. So instead, I, like most other players, try to be nice so he'll keep his know-it-all attitude under wraps.

Until, that is, this weekend.

(This may or may not be Kevin)

So we just scored a goal with two minutes left and we're heading up for a face-off when Kevin announces that we should call a time out. Having just scored a goal, the momentum has clearly shifted toward us, so the team disagrees and proceeds with the game while Kevin continues to throw a mini tantrum while insisting on the unnecessary time out.

Getting irritated, I proceed to tell him shut his yap (as politely as possible, of course). We banter for a bit. Our captain, who's a little tired of hearing us arguing, tells us both to cool it. So I shut up.

But, of course, Kevin continues to pester me.

When he doesn't get the [subtle] hits I go for the jugular:

"When your performance on the ice matches your mouth, we'll start listening to you."

Frothing at the mouth, his reply: "YOU TOO!"


Huh?

Does he know that doesn't make sense?

I turn to the team captain, who actually coaches little league with this dude, and apologize that he'll be getting an earful from Kevin about how much he can't stand me.

So after the game I decided to make things right with him. He was standing a few feet away from me on the ice so I skated over his way. When I was inches from him he turned and skated away toward the bench. Since I needed to go that direction anyhow I skated after him and he skated away again, upon my arrival.

Seriously? C'mon now, how old are we?

Regardless, I tried.

So this Sunday we had another game. I went in, prepared to either let it go or talk it out, depending on Kevin's needs that day.

As I entered the locker room I was approached by the captain.

Captain: "Hey, so you owe us a player."

Me: "Huh?"

Captain: "Kevin quit."

Me: "He quit, over that?"

Captain: "Yep, after last week's game he asked for his check back and quit."

Wow, really, who quits over a disagreement? Again, how old are we people?

(Editors note: Thanks to my colleague Luke for sharing this story.)

So tell me dear readers, do you know anyone like this? Have you ever encountered such a personality?

Cheers!

-A

*His name may or may not have been Kevin.

Maintenance Man

For those who haven't been keeping up - I don't blame you, I didn't do much bloggie stuff over the holidays, either - my weekend was spent moving.

This was one of the easiest moves yet. Given that I've moved across the country twice now, and once across the state of Texas, I would hope this is the case.

But really this was probably the easiest move I'll ever have - unless of course next time I'm well enough off to hire some movers to do the dirty work for me. This weekend, I moved a total of three floors.


That's right, same apartment complex, better location.


When I found out that this apartment was available I jumped on it - less expensive than before and it comes with a sliding glass door out to a fenced in yard. The perfect set up for puppy ownership.


But anyway, this is going somewhere, I promise.

The move wasn't too painful, though the organization process is slower than I'd hoped. Turns out, I own a lot of shit. The SO was trying his hardest to get me to make decisions on what exactly I needed and what could be thrown out. A lot was pitched, but you'd never know it to look at my new place. Yikes, lots more work to come.

During the post-move organization process, I ran across a few maintenance issues. Lucky for me, I made nice with the weekend maintenance man long ago, so when I reported these issues on Sunday morning, he came over promptly to repair these problems.

Within 15 minutes the apartment was fixed up and George had plenty of time to spare for small talk. Of course, I was more than happy to placate him - you never know when I'll have a dire maintenance emergency again - and actually, he's quite a pleasant man.

He chatted with me about the weather, the progress of my moving, past "situations" in my old apartment, and wrapped up by letting me know that if there's anything I need, to let him know.

So the lesson here - make nice with the maintenance man, you never know when you're going to need him. And you might be surprised at just how nice he really is.

Has anyone else capitalized on such situations before? What are your apartment living tips and tricks?

Cheers!

-A

Another one bites the dust

Another friend that is.

A male friend.

*gasp* Shocker I know.

Luckily, it really has nothing to do with me - it's all about the new girlfriend.

Gah! The girlfriend gets me every time!

Why is it than when a guy starts dating a new girl he has to give up his current friendships with people of the opposite sex?

Now, don't get me wrong, some of my best guy friends have managed to stick around through relationships and even marriages - granted, I'm usually friends with the wife, too - but it pisses me off to no end when a solid friendship we had before she came along has to be ruined purely because she's insecure.

Bitch.

And odds are, it's you she doesn't trust. Not me.

Idiot.

Maybe you two do deserve each other after all.

But I have to admit that I feel a little bit bad for the poor bastard. Too bad he can't grow a pair and stand up for a friendship he once cherished.

See?

See how happy people can be in platonic friendships?!

Yes, I am wearing Pooh Bear gloves. Shut it.

This goes back to my question about friendship in your 20s. Sure, it can be a struggle to keep friends in and out of new relationships, but seriously, if the friendship came first, shouldn't that be taken into consideration before kicking them to the curb?

I certainly think so.

-A

p.s. - thanks for untagging yourself from all my Facebook photos. One more way to drive the point home, eh?

Mindless struggles

Don't let the title fool you, it's not as if I'm in a completely mindless state - rather, I'm thinking entirely too much causing my ability to concentrate on unrelated topics to evaporate.

So, today you'll be pointed in the direction of some of the greatest posts of the recent past.

These will give you an idea of where my brain seems to have disappeared to, as well.

I love holding hands - cheesy, maybe. But there's just something about it.

Each day is one step closer to me being a proud puppy owner - a mini dachshund to be exact.

Is there a way to prevent stage 4 from setting in?

What women really want - fascinating. Count me in agreement with the Original List.

Thanks goes out to Mel, Ben, and 27 Dresses for supplying me with content for another cop out post.

Until I'm back on solid ground...

Cheers!

-A

Today is my Friday

That's right, as of noon today I'm walking out the office door and into a long weekend!

I'm heading out of town, only this time, not to Michigan. The SO (significant other, for those who haven't been paying attention) and I will be making a trip to Pittsburgh for a couple days away from normal life.

The first weekend away - big step I know - but I'm excited as I've never been to Pittsburgh.

I know, right. In my 20 some years I've spent weeks in New York City, traveled to Hawaii before graduating high school, and have gone to San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas, DC, Chicago, and Minneapolis all in the last year - and yet, I've never made it to Pittsburgh.

As someone who's been spoiled by business travel, we booked a room at the Westin Convention Center - I've heard it's pretty new. I've also been given some great recommendations on where to eat and things to see while we're there.

Mostly, though, I'm excited to get away and take some pictures. It's been a while - since New York actually - where I really got some great shots. This weekend holds much potential.

So since it's my Friday, and I'll be missing Photography Friday, I'm going to post a picture that I took this past weekend during Winterfest. It was cold and crowded and the evening was centered around a parade - which, I didn't care so much about - so we only stayed long enough to get a couple decent shots.

This was one of them.

Ever since my trip to Brooklyn, I've been extremely interested in nighttime photography. The colors turn out so brilliant when you slow down the shutter speed to capture the shot.

The lack of wind worked in my favor that night - there's no way this would have turned out otherwise.

Once I'm back from the long weekend I'll have plenty more pics to share. Until then...

Cheers!

-A

Big steps

Over the course of the last couple months, some rather big changes have taken place in my life. 

I'm by no means complaining - in fact, completely the opposite. I've come to realize that I'm really lucky for these new adventures.

What I also realized is that somehow I've managed to get to this point while speaking my mind at all times. I have no filter.

None.

What. So. Ever.

After another big step this weekend, in what I like to think is a great direction, it hit me that I'm incredibly lucky to even have these opportunities given my complete lack of tact at times. 

And trust me, when I notice this, it must be bad.

But I suppose, at least I'm honest...right?

So I've realized this flaw, and I may or may not do something to improve it. Admitting is the first step.

How many of you out there have gotten yourselves into messes due to lack of brain to mouth filter?

Cheers!

-A

Country girl in the city

Well I made it - hello NYC!

Today was beautiful as I got a chance to settle in, peruse Manhattan and check out the space where I'll be spending the next 10 days - it's beautiful and full of wonderful food vendors, I must admit.

Though it was pretty obvious that I was an out-of-towner. As hard as I tried to fit in with my jeans, tailored jacket and ballet flats, I managed to scream 'tourist' as I wandered the city taking pictures of everything. And with my usual Midwestern flair I continued to smile, say hello and apologize to everyone who bumped into me. I have blisters on my feet and a beat down look on my face to prove it.

Even one of my vendors noticed. But I like the way he describes the attitude of New Yorkers, "it's not so much rude as people are just busy - to the point without all the chit chat."

I get it, and can respect it. Though I'll never get used to it.

So far so good though. I'm looking forward to the next 9 days with colleagues and clients, celebrating with food and drinks in this amazing city. And while I'm away you'll be graced with the presence of some much better bloggers than I who have graciously volunteered to fill in.

But of course, when I return there will be plenty of encounters to discuss and pictures to share. NYC has already provided some rather interesting moments. What crazy NYC experiences do y'all have?

Cheers!

-A

Pizza Tuesday

To break up my four day work week - because, yes, I'm heading back up to Michigan this weekend for more football, tailgating, and fall festivities - I went out for pizza and rented a movie.

No, not by myself, this was that second date I accepted recently, but I'll get to that in a minute.

We went to a place called Danny Boy's that in the year and change that I've lived here have never even heard of. And let me tell you, it's the best pizza in town. Sorry all you Angelo's fans, Danny Boy's takes the Emmy in the pizza category. In fact, I'm sitting here eating it cold for breakfast as I write this. There's nothing like cold pizza for breakfast.

Dinner was followed by renting a movie. This was difficult - I haven't heard of 90 percent of the movies out there right now. We ended up with Forgetting Sarah Marshall as we had both heard it was funny. Though I have to comment, there were a significant number of nude scenes - male nude scenes - that I wasn't prepared for on a second date. Thankfully, it takes a lot to make me feel uncomfortable. A LOT.

Regardless, I give the movie a B+, good, but it didn't quite live up to the hype.

Now, about this whole dating thing. I realized last night I have no clue what the heck I'm doing. Given that the last time I really dated was in high school, I'm completely out of the loop when it comes to the "rules of dating."

You know, all those stupid social norms of dating like kiss on the third date, or whatever (at least, that was how it went in high school).

So I'm looking for a little guidance on this one - I'd at least like to know what to expect. What exactly are the rules of dating in your 20s?

I just don't get it.

Cheers!

-A

Being scared isn't a weakness

Okay, so maybe it is. But just like everyone else, I don’t like admitting weakness. And I suppose, just like most other 20-somethings, I’m freaking scared.

Scared of growing up, being an adult, scared of being out on our own, scared of losing our jobs in this roller coaster economy, scared of the wrong candidate getting elected into office. Scared of being alone, yet scared of commitment. It is the latter, my dear friends, that scares me the most.

Sure, I’m scared of all of the above from time to time, and probably a whole host of other things – but I recently uncovered my current fear, being alone and being part of a couple.

Gotta love a good catch-22.

This, of course, leads me to hang onto my single-ness for dear life, purley out of comfort. It’s what I know, and for some reason I’m more comfortable with myself than with someone else.

WHAT THE…

Why the heck is this?

I mean, it’s not as if I have that much trouble finding a date – it’s just that I have trouble going on them. Recently the BFF said something to me that helped, briefly, “c’mon Ash, it’s not as if you’re marrying the guy – give him a shot.”

Point taken.

But that doesn’t mean that I’m even remotely capable of wiping away my fear that going on a second date might eventually lead to something great, yet something that has the potential to take away my independence. After all, if there’s one thing in my life that I’m proud of, and that I’ve worked so hard to become, is a strong, independent woman.

More than changing things, though, I’d like to figure out what exactly I have to be afraid of. Going on a date is not making a life-changing commitment – as proven by the BFF above. Is it that I’m just not finding the right guy from whom to accept a second date offer? (If you have any recommendations, please don't hesitate to send them my way!)

Or is it about getting hurt? Better yet, is it about letting someone else in? Or maybe, fear of letting go of the past?

Maybe I should just accept that next date invite, and see where it goes…

Who am I kidding, I don’t even like talking about it, let alone acting on it.

Anyone else finding themselves in a similar situation?

What are you scared of?

Cheers!

-A

Editor’s note: I was even scared to write this post. But then I realized how great my readers are – and if anyone is willing to listen, it’s you.

Where business and friendship collide

There’s a fine line between business partners and friendship. I’m learning this the hard way.

In today’s society, so much pressure is put on young professionals to succeed and in turn we put in endless hours to climb our way to the top. Thus, personal relationships outside the office suffer and we tend to bond with those nearest to us: our colleagues and business partners.

However, these relationships are often strained by politics as there needs to be a level of professionalism involved – buried a thin layer underneath if not directly on the surface of the relationship – which can make openness and trust an issue. And I don’t know about you, but when I consider someone a true friend, it’s a sign that I can open up to and trust the other person. After all, we all need people we can confide in on a personal level – we would not be human if not for this social need.

The question is, how do you know when you can consider a colleague a friend? What about a business partner, client, or vendor – is it ever really possible to cross over into friendship without feeling as if you are walking on egg shells to protect your reputation and the underlying business relationship?

I like to think so…

Cheers!

-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

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

The nicest man in digital

One of my more time consuming projects lately has been developing and executing a social media campaign for one of our larger clients, and one of the most enjoyable. In the short amount of time I've worked with this talented, high-energy team, there is so much I have learned while having more fun than I ever thought I could at the office. The project allows me to really grow my creative and digital skills, and as we all know, it's my goal to head down the path toward becoming the next Digital Diva.

But it's not just about the assignment itself that makes this project so enjoyable, it's about the team of people I am blessed to work with. It was apparent from day 1 (exactly one year ago today that I started my position in this office) that our team is not only talented but fun to work with and always willing to step in when needed. And yesterday, I met a new member of the global team who proved just that.

I was tasked with finding out intricate details about our client's web development environment and decided to reach out to one of my colleagues in another office who had previously worked with this client. The conversation proved beyond successful. Not only did he provide me with the necessary information, he provided guidance on execution and offered to help facilitate any follow up meetings with partners and vendors that may be necessary to get this project off the ground. And this is a client he doesn't even work for!

During our chat he asked me how the project was going and offered to provide any guidance or assistance I may need along the way, given that I'm fairly inexperienced with the technological and development side of social media. (My forte is definitely in strategy and account management, though again, this is not about me).

Needless to say, this man went out of his way to make sure that I had all the information I needed, and then some. This area of business tends to be frantic at times. The team is called on for most client work, given the increasing impact of social media in the public relations world. But even in his hurried state, my colleague took the time to ensure that we were set to execute and deliver top-quality products to our cherrished client. I can't begin to express my gratitude enough, but you best believe I'll be calling on him again in times of urgent client need or just to discuss the latest digital project. I am truly grateful to be working with such as supportive, cohesive team. Thanks, to all y'all across the global network that make this such an amazing, talented, and generous account team.

Cheers!

-A

Don't take it personally

It’s just business.

We’ve all been lectured on the importance of keeping personal and corporate affairs as separate entities, and sure, there is logic behind that advice, but with the amount of time we spend at the office these days, the lines tend to blur. Not only that, but it’s difficult to remain void of emotion while putting in 12 hour days for a profession in which you are passionate.

Over the past couple years I have gained a reputation for keeping a level head about myself when under pressure and in dealing with daunting changes – or so I’ve been told. But there have been times, even for the most level-headed of us, that you can’t help but take some issues to heart. It goes back to the old saying, no matter how cliché, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” This concept, however, doesn’t seem to mesh well with the business ethics of some people, or their companies.

I’ll be the first to tell you that when I head to the office in the morning, I get my game face on and I’m ready to hit the ground running. But I’ll also be the first to admit there are times when I let my emotions sink a little too far into my work. Passion and desire to succeed can quickly turn into a five-alarm fire when assignments go awry (I’ve been known to get a little snippy from time to time).

So how does one handle these situations? Take the high road by catching yourself in the moment, taking some time to cool off and regroup, then acknowledge your rude behavior and try to have more control next time, or do you blame others and wait for the next opportunity to throw someone under the bus again?

Personally, I like to think the high-road is best. Sure, you have to suck up your pride and admit that you in fact are not a perfect human being (and let's be honest, it's the imperfections that are most endearing anyhow), but in the end, at least you have learned something about yourself and are working to grow from these experiences. And when you find yourself caught on the other end of these emotional explosions, try not to take it too personally. After all, it is just business.

Cheers!

-A