How the Hell Did I Do That?

Hi folks. I'm back after a brief hiatus. It's been crazy in Jen's world the last couple of weeks! I've been traveling for work, and then the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Finally I can get back to life as I know it!

Fenway Park - Boston 5/14/09

Disneyland, Anaheim CA - 5/19/09

Otter Tail Lake, Memorial Day Weekend 2009

Traveling is tough, especially if you're me and on a regimented exercise/weight loss program. The way I do things does not really allow for variations such as change of venue or time zone. If I can't go to my local YMCA at 8:00 every morning, I don't exercise at all. This is just how I operate. So, two days in Boston messed up that whole week, and three days in Orange County meant the week was a complete loss, both with exercise and with diet.

So I fell completely off the wagon for about two weeks, even before we hit the cabin for Memorial Day. I decided that I would let myself enjoy the weekend and not stress about what I ate. I would come into this week rejuvenated and ready to undo the damage.

So this morning I dragged myself kicking and screaming to the Y. First item of business: get on the scale. I was both eager and reluctant to see how many steps backward I had taken.

Imagine my shock when I saw that my weight hadn't changed. I didn't know whether to be flabbergasted or ecstatic. I went with flabbergasted. How in the hell did I do that?

I guess it doesn't really matter. What matters is that I can clear my conscience of how and what I ate these past two weeks. I don't know if I'm getting better at eating reasonably, or if I got more exercise than I thought...but I do know I'm glad. I won't be feeling bad or getting down on myself, which is never a good way to start a week. Maybe I'll quit worrying about it now and get on with my day.

Stay classy, San Diego.

Green is the New Black

So by now you can probably tell that I am making an effort to "go green." To "reduce my eco-footprint." To "preserve the earth for future generations." I've got my own vegetable garden, I've got a composter, and I am downright weird about recycling. And you know what? All this is a lot of work -- but I get a lot of satisfaction from making a tangible difference. The work is worth it.

The biggest area of chagrin for me is food packaging. My family consumes a whole lot of pre-packaged food, especially frozen food. And with all that food comes packaging -- boxes, bags, plastic clamshells. Some of which can be recycled, some of which cannot. I'm hoping to start cooking more fresh foods, but so far I haven't found the time to do that. Maybe an overabundance of fresh produce will give me the kick in the arse I need.

Anyway, I can always appreciate packaging that is practical and reusable. Hillshire Farm is leading the way, by packaging their sliced ham and turkey in Gladware. We all love Gladware, don't we? Recyclable, reusable, keeps toddlers entertained for hours. Another bonus -- there's no price difference between Hillshire Farm and, say, Oscar Meyer. There's a lot to be said for that.

I would encourage you to keep your eyes peeled for products like this -- that help you be green without significantly changing your lifestyle. Heck, why not?

All My Crazy Questions Answered!

I don't know about you, but I often wonder how much of an impact the internet has made on life as we know it. This video provides that answer from a historical perspective. I'm convinced that I have been witnessing the next great "age" of history: the Internet Age. Enjoy.

BTW, thanks to MarketingProfs for sharing this fabulous bit of macroinfo.

On Social Media

I've been thinking a lot about social media lately. As a B2B marketer, I try to stay tuned to the goings-on of the industry, and social media has been the buzzword for the last six months or so. I think Twitter takes most of the credit for grabbing the attention of the corporate world...it's like a whole new opportunity has magically presented itself.

That is, if you are in the business of talking directly to Joe Schmoe. Consumers. If you're in the business of talking to other businesses, or consultants, social media isn't the magic pill you'd think at first. People blog and tweet and Facebook -- businesses, not so much. I'm sure it won't be long before somebody figures out how to effectively communicate B2B through social media -- maybe that someone will be me! Although businesses still have a lot of learning to do in this area...I'll be following it!

This is the conclusion I've drawn in my recent research, but I still remain fascinated with the possibilities -- and related stresses -- of social media. After bemoaning the value (or lack thereof) of self-branding online, I went ahead and started just that sort of initiative. I can be personally googled. I have this blog, although I'm not sure anyone's reading it yet. I can be found on Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, and FriendFeed. Right now my social media network is being used for both personal and professional purposes, and I'm waiting to see how that evolves. Works for me at the moment.

Brand Overhauls

I've been noticing lately that many consumer brands have been changing. This article from Woman's Day confirms my observations! The marketing guru in me wonders if this will really help, or actually hinder in these tougher economic times.

One of these things is not like the other.

After dropping Price off at day care this morning, I headed to the Y for my Monday step aerobics class. The roads were busy...at 7:45, trains are coming through and people are dropping their kids off at school. In the sea of Fords and Dodges and Toyotas, I spotted a car that looked rather out of place in humble Elk River:



A Maserati Gran Turismo coupe. Dark green, and a gorgeous car. Retail price for a 2009 model: $110,000.

I wondered what the hell a car like that was doing in downtown Elk River.

Elk River has blue collar roots. And even though many Twin Citians have relocated here over the last decade (myself included), this town isn't a hotbed of corporate activity. In fact, this past year Elk River lost the headquarters of one of its major businesses to Maple Grove because Elk River, with all of its car dealerships, farms, and industrial parks, doesn't project the image the company was looking for. In fact, they said and I quote, "The type of people that we need to attract want addresses like Edina and Minnetonka, not Elk River." Ouch.

Indeed, there aren't too many high rollers around here that would drive a Maserati. Most of our "rich" folks drive your standard Beemers and Mercedes.

The lady driving the Maserati headed west on Hwy 10, and I wish I knew where she was going. She looked like she belonged in Edina, DT Mpls, or outside Minnesota altogether. New York or L.A., perhaps.

But you know, I like this town. I wear my M & S Exteriors hoodie and feel perfectly at home here. I know, I used to make fun of people who wore logo gear from manufacturers, construction companies, and other blue-collar companies -- but now I am one of those people and am proud!

I like my house in the boonies. Elk River has pretty much everything I need...I don't make it into the Cities that often anymore. I like its proximity to major highways and I like how much easier it is to get to the cabin from here. The schools are good. The people are good. And if someone driving a Maserati feels compelled to drive through, I say welcome!

Green Thumb In Action.

So. Friday is the big day!

What's so big about it, you ask?

Well, this next week is going to be crazy with traveling to Boston mid-week, so I took Friday off to take care of some bidness. I'm going to give myself my Mother's Day presents (a massage and a pedicure), and I'm going to FINALLY plant my garden!

I am so frickin excited -- my garden is all I've been able to think about for over a month. And now, the danger of frost has passed and the ground is primed.

I've got it all planned out. In my main garden next to the house I'm going to plant carrots, beans, peas, spinach, and lettuce. And then I'm going to create a plot somewhere out back for the creepy viney things like pumpkins, cukes, canteloupe, and watermelon. I also bought two Topsy Turvy Tomato Trees. Once those arrive they will house my tomatoes and bell peppers -- both of which are already started and in the basement awaiting planting.

I'm such a nerd. If you'd asked me two years ago if I would ever be this weird about growing things, I wouldn't have believed you. Ha!

Anyway, so I have a few things to do in order to prepare the garden to receive seeds. The first is, I have to buzz up to the horse farmer up the road and help myself to his pile of FREE horse manure. I bought three Menards 5-gallon buckets for the occasion. I just need Shawn's pickup truck -- no way are three buckets of literal horseshit going in my car. The manure will be used to fertilize the garden, and some will go in the composter.

I also need some new black dirt. Lots of new black dirt. I could buy it in 25-lb bags at Home Depot, but I'd rather my hubby call in a favor and get a couple yards of it for me.

Past that -- I have the seeds, I have the cages -- all I need is some time to get it done.

I've also been enamored with my birds. I bought a new seed feeder this spring, and my yard is most popular with the local avian population. I fill the feeder every day, and I've seen all kinds of birds out there -- mourning doves, various woodpeckers, nuthatches, goldfinches, robins, cardinals, even a rooster pheasant (he ate seeds on the ground, and completely dwarfed every other bird around him). The resident squirrels are feasting as well -- far be it from me to stop them. I got plenty of seed to go around! No hummingbirds yet...I think I'll have to plant some flowers to attract them.

AND, did I mention that my 170 tulips came up as planned this spring? When I planted them last September I wasn't sure I'd get them all. But I did, and early! They're almost done now, but they have been a joy, and really brighten up the front of my house. As do my new hanging baskets.

Aaahh. You know, I think that telecommuting has given me the chance to finally take an interest in my house and its curb appeal. No commute means more time! And I'm glad for that.

Reflections On Mother's Day.

Happy Mother's Day to me.

I'm feeling pretty blessed. I'm loving my little man even more today...feeling beyond thankful to have him and to have the opportunity to raise him. I try to be a good mom, to raise him to grow up and become a productive member of society. I like to think he'll change the world.

I'm also feeling lucky to have my own mother. You know, they say that you never truly appreciate your mom until you have children of your own. I don't think that's completely true, at least for me. My mom and I have always had a great relationship, and I am perfectly aware how much she loves me. But on a deeper level, it is true. She worked and sacrificed for my brother and me, and that's what I didn't get until my son was born. I didn't get how much having a child truly changes your life. And for a woman to be more than willing to make any necessary adjustments to life as she knows it for her kids -- well, I think it's perfectly amazing. My mom did it, and I do it -- it's just part of the deal.

I also am blessed with a wonderful mother-in-law. She worked even harder and pushed through some bad circumstances to raise five healthy, happy children. I adore her.

I no longer have my grandmothers, but I am thinking about them today as well.

Because the Minnesota fishing opener falls on Mother's Day weekend this year, which means my hubby is gone until later today, I'm taking Friday off and will treat myself to a massage and pedicure before planting my garden. Sounds like a divine way to spend a day all to myself.

Happy Mother's Day!

Feeling All Adult and Stuff

My brain is finally catching up to my age. The past week or so I've been thinking a lot about responsible stuff like life insurance, wills, safety deposit boxes, savings accounts, and disaster/emergency preparedness. What I like to call "Just In Case" syndrome.

I bought a Gerber Life policy for Price, which I'm totally thrilled about. Assuming I can maintain the premium payments until he's 25, that will be his nest egg. His college fund. His money to do with as he sees fit. And being able to provide that to him pleases me immensely.

Shawn and I both need to take out life insurance on ourselves. Shawn jokes that I just want to bump him off, but really -- it's the responsible thing to do. Just in case. Now that I've quit smoking, I think we can finally afford to do it. We simply have to.

Now that we have Price, we'll need to do a will. Good thing one of my very best friends is a lawyer; I know absolutely nothing about how to set up a will or trust.

I'm in the middle of taking an inventory of all our valuables -- writing down serial numbers and descriptions, taking pictures.

Then I have to gather all this ultra-important paperwork (house deed, insurance policies, SS cards, etc) and stash it in a safety deposit box somewhere.

Just in case. It's best to be prepared for any possibility. I hate to think of such adult things, bit now that I have a family -- someone's gotta do it.

My Home Party Days Are Done.

Not that I've hosted a large number of home parties, but I've had a few. You know -- Pampered Chef, Tastefully Simple, Mary Kay, Premier Jewelry, etc. This morning I hosted what I've decided will be my last party. It was Jessica's inaugural Usborne Books party, and nobody came -- except Jackie. I sent probably 30 mailed invitations and invited everyone I know on Facebook, and not a one person came.

I think Jess was relieved to not have to face a large group of people, but I felt bad that I couldn't help her turn a profit on her first show. And, I must admit, I'm a bit disappointed.

So I'm done. I think we've all outgrown the home party phase, and I know nobody wants to drive up here to attend one anyway.

Okay -- I'm over it now. Done feeling sorry for myself. I put forth a valiant effort, I can say that much.

Thoughts on the Blogosphere

I'm torn. I've been thinking a lot lately about the online world, about social media and personal branding and what that means to a career. I've been very active in the social media world, but purely on a personal level. I've been loathe to start doing it on a professional basis. Why? Let me list it all out.

• I'm in Marketing, but I'm not all that passionate about marketing. It's a job, and my current chosen career path, but I don't love it enough to immerse myself in it. I think that immersion and passion are key if you're going to have anything worth sharing online.
• I don't feel that I have much expertise. I don't care enough to become an expert in any area of marketing. I've always been more of a generalist, which has served me well so far, but doesn't lend itself to a targeted social media identity.
• I suppose I could write about my one potentially career-related passion, which is writing. But again, I haven't developed any real expertise. I just know it's what I want to do someday.
• I think there's a lot of pressure to proactively prepare for a jobsearch. I read the other day that if you can't be personally googled, you might as well not exist. I see many blogs and LinkedIn network pages, and I suspect that many people are doing it to build themselves up for a kickass job somewhere down the road. This is what they're recommending these days, and it strikes fear in my heart -- what if I lose my job and can't get another one because I didn't do the same? Do I really need to have thousands of LinkedIn connections and a viral blog in order to get a job?
• Which leads me to my next question: who has time to do that if you already have a full-time job?
• I would rather blog about whatever I want and not feel limited to blogging about career-appropriate subjects. I don't want to have to censor myself, or maintain two blogs/LinkedIn profiles/Twitter profiles. I want to be myself. I don't feel I can really be me if I want to "build a personal brand." I doubt any potential employer would hire me if they see half the crap I say on Twitter and Facebook. Which begs the question -- if that's the case, would I want to work for such a company?
• And really, how much more can I stand of corporate life? If I were to lose my current gig, would I really want to go back? Would it be worth all the effort in the end?
• I've always wanted to be different. To stand out somehow. I feel like anything I could possibly blog about is already being blogged about by a thousand other people. Who would care about what I have to contribute? This is also an insecurity I have about my writing, which makes it difficult for me to discipline myself and actually write. My own issue to manage.
  

Maybe I have commitment issues when it comes to my career. Maybe I have regrets over the decisions I've made and the paths I've forged in my career. And maybe I don't know what to do about that, so I just toddle along as I am. Just the thought of a career change scares the bejesus out of me and draws many protests from my husband.

So I just keep going, and wonder why I never find the true balance I'm always seeking.

Bristol Palin -- Just Like Her Mother.

I saw this article, and in blinking neon lights my mind produced the word HYPOCRITE. I remember that happening once before, while Sarah was on the campaign trail.

I'm with Levi on this one. Abstinence isn't realistic for today's young people...so let's teach them how to do it safely.

The Most Amazing Website

Check PostSecret out if you haven't yet. It'll invariably make you feel better about your own life.

twitter: postsecret

Become a fan on Facebook