Did You Know?… July 2, 2009

Our 30^th President, Calvin Coolidge, was born on July 4, 1872?

I didn’t either!  In honor of Independence Day, here is some fun trivia to celebrate!

–While Coolidge was born on July 4, three American Presidents died on this holiday:  John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe

–If the American flag is flown upside down, it signals distress.

–The 4^th of July became a federal holiday in 1938.

–The first recorded use of the name “Independence Day” in honor of July 4^th was in 1791.

–The Bristol Fourth of July Parade in Bristol , Rhode Island is the oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the US .

There are plenty more out there for those who are curious.  Have fun searching!  I’m going to go get started with the mojitos, fireworks and BBQ!

By the way, if any of these pieces of trivia is incorrect, don’t blame me!  Here are my sources:

Old Educator

Associated Content

Wikipedia

My Boyfriend’s Back… June 25, 2009

My boyfriend’s coming home in a week.  One.  Week.  He’s been gone since February, studying abroad in exotic New Zealand while I toil away here with my job, my friends and my occasional hobbies.

 

OK, it’s not that bad, but 5 months ago, I thought it would be.  When he told me that he’d be away for five months, I had a moment of panic as I considered what I would do without him.  We’d been living together for 6 months prior to his temporary relocation, sharing pet care responsibilities, chores, friends, hiking, camping.  How could he leave?  Who would I hang out with?  What was I going to do to make it 5 loooong months?

 

As it turns out, plenty.  Girls’ Night Out has made a comeback, scary movie night is in full swing (they’re my favorite, but the bf won’t watch scary movies with me, so I’d fallen behind on my list), the second job I picked up in January has yielded additional cash and the chance to hang out with two adorable kids, and I get to read in bed at night without someone complaining that “it’s too late to have the light on.” 

 

I’d forgotten just how freeing single life could be.  Oh, I still love him, and I can’t wait for him to get home, but being without him for so long was a welcome wake-up call to remembering who I was as an individual instead of as one half of a couple.  When that plane touches down at 6:27pm on June 3, I will be the first person to welcome him back to the US.  But I will not forget what I learned about myself while he was away.

Sick With the Travel Bug June 10, 2009

Originally, I was going to use this post as a way to brag about all the fabulous trips I have scheduled for this summer.  I mean, there’s Vegas with my old college crew, Glacier National Park with my mom (she’s visiting from NC, and I’m going to introduce her to bear country) and Yellowstone with the bf (he’ll FINALLY be back from New Zealand in July, and he owes me this trip!).  But instead it turned into a diatribe about why traveling is so exciting for me.  I love to travel.  I don’t think it’s so much the destination as it is getting from point A to point B (I almost said “as it is the journey”, which is just way too corny for me). 

 

There are so many things I love about traveling:

            It mixes things up.  I get bored driving on the same roads to and from work, going to the same grocery store every weekend and watching the same TV shows every week.  Discovering new places keeps things fresh and pulls me out of my comfort zone.  I’m also a very type A personality.  Traveling forces me to let go a little and compromise.  I also deal with surprises and spontaneity a lot better while traveling.

            I lose my connections to the “real world.”  Most of the time, there is no cell service at the campgrounds around here.  My initial reaction used to be one of panic, as I imagined a bear choosing a steak as an appetizer and me as an entrée.  With no phone service, how could I call for help?  Then I realized two things: that all hope is probably lost in the end if it comes to me versus a bear; and no cell service means I don’t have the irresistible urge to check my email, send a text or make a call.  It’s complete freedom from all things computerized, and it forces you to find entertainment in your natural surroundings.  Camping is face-to-face interaction at its best, and it’s kind of nice to look at faces instead of a computer screen.

            I love hotel rooms.  If you think about it, I mean, really think about it, hotel rooms are disgusting.  After all, you’re using the same linens and towels as the millions of people before you; it’s hard to tell how thorough the cleaning staff is; and the carpeting is just gross.  I actually do squirm a bit when faced with hotel carpets, but that’s what socks are for.  Otherwise, I love the anonymity, the room service and the sense of anticipation (because if you’re in a hotel room, you’re usually on a trip, trying new things and waiting for the next adventure) a hotel provides.  Just a few more tips: never stay somewhere that doesn’t have pictures or a virtual tour on the website; always pull back the covers to check for hair (and if you see any, call the front desk and ask for new sheets); and don’t lie on top of the comforter.  They rarely wash those.  Pull it down and make sure it stays there while you sleep.  If you get cold, you can always request a blanket.  

            There are so many different people out there to meet.  On my way to Prague , I once chatted with a girl from Ireland who found out her boyfriend was cheating on her, dumped him and moved to Australia three weeks later.  She spent a year working and traveling throughout the country and was on her way home when we met in the Frankfurt airport.  While studying abroad in London , I found unconditional support in my roommates, three girls who never knew I was alive prior to our trip, but who helped me through the death of a close friend’s father.  He passed away 2 weeks after I left home.  And how could I forget my notorious fellow passenger on my way back from New Zealand?

 

 Travel is a great way to learn, see, do and grow.  What’s your favorite thing about traveling?  Have you been somewhere you loved and want to go back to someday?

Ode to Summer May 26, 2009

It has finally gotten so consistently warm that I no longer fear a random snow storm.  Ever since I moved to MT, I have approached summer with a cautious hope, usually to have it squashed a few times along the way when a freak snowfall interrupts a string of beautiful 70 degree days.  After a couldn’t-be-better Memorial Day weekend, I think it’s officially summer.  On that note, I’d like to share why summer is my favorite season ever:

 

–Sun-kissed skin…I never seem to notice my tan (or lack thereof) during the winter months, but as soon as daylight savings hits and the sun is out from the time I wake up to the time I hit the sack, I start to crave color.  Not in the “my tan is darker than your tan” sense, but in the “I need to be outside in the sunshine after being cooped up all winter while watching snow fall” way.  There is nothing better than spending hours outside, whether at a street fair, a pool, a hiking trail, whatever your fancy, then coming home and seeing tan lines.  I know skin cancer is rampant, and as vigilant as I am with sunscreen, I always end up with a few more freckles at the end of the summer; but I can’t help it.

 

–Camping…So I usually have to wash my hair twice before the campfire smell goes away, and I usually dream of bears attacking my tent, but I LOVE camping.  Most of the campsites here in MT are completely out of cell phone range and accessible only by really crappy dirt roads, so I feel blissfully out of touch with reality.  The food tastes better when it’s cooked over an open flame.  It’s acceptable to eat a whole marshmallow bag worth of s’mores.  And I can sit around a campfire, doing nothing but drinking a beer and reading a book, and not feel lazy. 

 

–Flip flops…I hate shoes.  I spend a good 8 months in wool socks and boots.  Flip flops and sandals will be the only things on my feet from May to September, unless I’m at the gym.  And that’s only because they won’t let me on the machines otherwise.

 

–Fresh air…There are 4 people and 4 animals in my house.  All crammed together throughout the long winter months.  We by no means smell, but one breathes a lot better when the windows are open and the breeze is blowing in the pleasant scent of the neighbor’s jasmine and tulips.

 

–The beach…Prior to a trip to the New Zealand coast in April, I hadn’t seen a beach in 2 years.  I used to live within 2 hours of the beach.  Every summer, I miss it.  Sand, waves, shells, surfers, piers, fishermen…everything about the beach is amazing.  I’ve had a lot of people here in MT try to comfort me with “well, we have a lot of lakes.”  True, and they’re a blast in their own way, but all the freshwater fun in the world couldn’t hold a candle to my sunny, sandy paradise.

Jon & Kate Should Hibernate May 13, 2009

It’s hard for me to look at any of the articles about Jon and Kate Gosselin and actually feel bad for them.  The quote in this People article in particular strikes me as absolutely ridiculous.

Ultimately, Kate says she does not know what she can do to stop the insanity. “The scary thing for me is [the tabloids] are going to take information and create a story. It’s a matter of, ‘When will they stop?’ They’re going to keep going, and they’ll make up stuff to connect the dots.”

Um….how about you stop exploiting your family for the sake of money?  You’re not a celebrity.  The only thing you did was give birth to 8 babies and put them on national television.  You invited this scrutiny into your home.  If you want it gone, then send the cameras away.  Focus on your husband and your kids.


Jon has been fodder for celebrity magazines as well.  Apparently he wasn’t aware that sneaking around a bar with a 23-year-old was sketchy.


I’m not suggesting that anyone deserves to have nasty rumors spread all over the Internet and pages of gossip magazines, but in this particular case, when there are kids directly involved, it’s a simple fix.  You should do everything you can to protect your family.  Putting them out there for the world to see, critique, tear down and manipulate is not protecting your family.


On a side note—why is TLC constantly capitalizing on the large family dynamic?  How many of these families would actually be able to support themselves if they didn’t have a TV show?  Which brings me around full circle to ask why people are rewarding this irresponsible behavior by watching the shows, which then creates good ratings, which leads to another year of family spun drama (and in the case of 18 Kids and Counting, another baby).

California Controversy April 30, 2009

Miss California has caused quite a stir since making her opinion clear on same sex marriage. 

 

I can’t fault her for her opinion, despite the fact that I whole-heartedly disagree.  That’s the beauty of this country: your freedom of speech is protected.  I do wonder, though, how exposed she has been to the gay community.  She attends a Christian college, was welcomed with open arms at her church, which praised her for “refusing to compromise her faith”, and is surrounded by members of her family who have, based on her answer, molded her opinion on same sex marriage.  Has she ever worked with, attended school with, or even just talked to a gay man or woman?  Isolation breeds ignorance, which then breeds fear and prejudice.  I’m not saying she can’t hold her opinion; I just wonder if she’s ever considered the other side of the coin before forming it.

 

And while we’re on the subject of gay marriage, can everyone just stop using the “sanctity” excuse?  We live in a country where you can have a drive-thru wedding in a town that practically screams cheating, gambling and prostitution.  The U.S. divorce rate is 50%.  And people want to protect the sanctity of marriage?  Spare me.

I Was Just Trying to Mind My Own Business… April 27, 2009

Having just returned from a lovely two week vacation, I am relaxed and rejuvenated.  Oh, and reminded of how the simple act of flying can turn into an “is this really happening?” moment.

 

For an international flight, my travel was actually fairly easy; however, it was not without its bumps in the road.  There are simple flight rules by which one should abide.  You would think that anyone with an ounce of common sense (or someone who has at least flown once in their life) would get it.  Unfortunately, there are people out there with no concept of social rules, and being stuck in an uncomfortable, confined space such as an airplane will bring out the idiot in anyone.

 

Let’s take the guy who sat next to me on the last leg of my trip.  I’d been traveling for 20 hours, and all I wanted to do was eat, shower and sleep.  I did not want to hear a stranger apologize to his girlfriend for a sketchy email, his dominance fantasies and Craigslist postings.

 

Yeah, that’s right.  There is actually someone out there who has so little shame that he broadcast the entire saga that is his love (or should I say kinky sex) life to his fellow passengers.  The conversation went a little like this:

 

“Hey baby, I just wanted to let you know there is nothing going on between me and Sebastian.  She’s interested in me, and I’m attracted to her, but I told her that nothing would happen because I’m with you.”

(Silence as he listens to her response.)

“Yes, Sebastian is a woman.  I don’t have any homosexual tendencies.  She’s a woman in her forties, and I didn’t do anything with her.”

(Another response on the other end.)

“Yes, I admit in the past I’ve had dominance fantasies.  But I’ve never acted on any of them.  And I don’t regret not acting on them.  You are more important than that to me.”

(Response)

“It’s fine that you saw the email.  But it was just something flirty that she sent to me, and it doesn’t mean anything.  I really don’t want this to mess up anything with us.”

(Response)

“Yes, I’ve posted my dominance fantasies on Craigslist, but it doesn’t mean anything.  I’ve never acted on them.”

 

So the conversation went.  I was so uncomfortable that I eventually tried to tune it out by listening to the nice, innocent conversation in front of me regarding the cute little 3-year-old who was ready for a nap.

 

News flash:  I don’t care what you do behind closed doors.  And knowing him, they’re probably not closed, and neither are the blinds.  I do care that you’re sharing it with me, a captive audience who has nowhere to go and must sit next to you for the remainder of the flight.  Save your dominance-sketchy-email-jealous-girlfriend-themed conversation for the privacy of your own home or hotel room.  Spare the public a glimpse into your world.

 

Freckles the Guru April 9, 2009

 

 

See that crazy beast?  Yep, that’s my pup.  Adopted about a year and a half ago from the Humane Society of Western Montana, Freckles has become a part of my life I couldn’t live without. 

 

This picture was taken a few weeks ago on one of our favorite hikes. 

 

Today, a much warmer, snow-free, almost spring-like day, I came home from work, thinking about all the items waiting for me on my to-do list, took one look at Freckles’s face and strapped him to a leash, not because I was looking forward to a leisurely walk, but because I couldn’t resist the hopeful look in his eyes.  It was out of guilt that I leashed him and drove him down to the river.

 

Of course, it only took 10 minutes before all thoughts of my to-do list, dinner plans and friend-related drama disappeared.  Freckles found a path down to the water, jumped in immediately, and began splashing around like he’s never seen a river before.  My quick trip to the river turned in to an hour-long stroll through brush, sand and melting snow (resistant little suckers, those drifts…). 

 

People who don’t own dogs will never understand what they can teach you.  The first time I walked into Freckles’s kennel at the shelter, he tried to make himself melt into the floor.  If he could have dug out and run away, he would have been long gone.  I suspect that he was abused, though it was never confirmed.  I sat on the floor of his little cell until he got up and sniffed my hand.  As I walked with him along the path behind the shelter, I knew he would be coming home with me.  I’d taken a volunteer position to temper my need to own a dog; instead, it was God’s way of helping me find my perfect match.

 

Freckles was considered a “hard adoption”.  He had been in 2 different shelters and 3 different foster homes in his first year.  I took him home as the fourth foster parent a month before his first birthday.  On the day he turned one, I adopted him.  He refused to go under bridges; he was terrified of men, having accidents on the floor every time my boyfriend would walk in the room without me; and he didn’t like to be petted.  He much preferred to sit across the room and examine you skeptically.

 

 A little over a year later, and this happy, splashing dog in the river is hard to compare to that sad, scared animal who hid in my closet the first day I brought him home.  He meets me at the door everyday, wagging his tail.  His favorite activities include hiking, being brushed, chasing his squeaky football and going on playdates.  Freckles has learned to trust, love, nurture and beg for every piece of food he can.  Regardless of what happened to him in the first year of his life, he has moved so far past it that as he walks down this river path with me, the only thing on his mind is the sunshine, the river and the golf balls he could snag from the course next to us if I would just let him off leash. 

 

It might sound cliche or even a little cheesy, but I wish I could be that carefree.  Instead of worrying about things I can’t change with work, family, friends, enemies; I wish I could just brush it off and stroll alongside the river in the sunshine.  At least for today, I can.

Blog Redesign April 7, 2009

It’s been a long time since I last posted something here.  After that fact came up in conversation the other day, I thought it best to confirm that this blog is not dead.  I haven’t abandoned it; I just haven’t been motivated.  I could blame it on the blah weather we’ve had lately (except for this weekend, which I’m hoping isn’t a cruel joke!) or my crazy schedule as of late.  But the truth is, I haven’t really been interested in any recent marketing topic lately.  In reviewing some of my previous posts, I’ve found that even with the best of intentions, my posts have started to slide into my personal life.  I really wanted to focus this blog on the field of marketing and pr, given my position in the professional world.  However, I find my personal life much more interesting.   I’m not bragging, but it’s full of great stories.  And since my entire family is 2000 miles away, this will give them something besides a phone call to keep up.

I don’t plan to abandon the marketing world for good.  I just want this blog to live up to its title and become a random collection of stories that reflect me and who I am as a person.  I do also stay involved in the marketing and pr side of things through my tweets (@uncgrl84) and by posting comments on several trade publications.  On a related note, check out my take on the downfall of marketing in the current economic situation and my plan B.

I’m hopeful that this change of course will keep me more involved, more focused and more interesting.  Let me know what you think!

GIS…What? March 12, 2009

A year ago, I started working for a geospatial software development company.  Of course, everyone asked me what the company did and what my role was, and for the first few months, I was at a loss.  My experience is not in GIS or software development.  I am a public relations guru through and through, and luckily, my resume got me in the door and my interview got me the job.  My boss had the guts to trust that I knew what I was doing and could learn enough about the software to market it successfully.

 

That was a year ago, and I’m happy to say that I do understand GIS now; I can explain what my company does and how I fit in; and my track record has proven that I can market our products successfully.  Now, for all of my family members and friends who still don’t quite get it, please visit the Geospatial Revolution Project.  No, I don’t work for them; but while trolling around the internet to find out what people were saying about my company and our competition, I stumbled upon this public service outreach initiative taken on by Penn State Public Broadcasting.  Take a look at the trailer.  It’s slick.  And it will give you a great idea of the technologies I see every day. 

 

I’ll admit it: I was slightly bored when I started my job.  I knew nothing of the industry, and I couldn’t relate to the projects that our clients were doing.  Now, after a year of reviewing projects with customers, talking to people at tradeshows and finding scores of applications for our software, it’s wildly entertaining.   

 

Let me know what you think of the video and the project.