A Pioneer Woman for 2010

We have a saying in our family – “Pretend you’re an Oregon Trail pioneer woman.” Ok, maybe it’s not as much of a saying, as a mantra. I’ll be the first to admit it; I’m not a big outdoors, roughing-it kind of girl. But as my mom will remind my sister and me, as bad as we think things are, it could be worse. She will say, “Imagine how hard it was to survive back then. If they can do it, we can. We can be pioneer women too.”

As 2009 came to a close last week, I had my hardest pioneer woman experience ever, and, poetically I suppose, it involved an epic journey across great lands and through the elements just trying to make it home. [click here to read the entire harrowing tale of survival and perseverance]

After the whole ordeal, I never thought I would be so thankful to be saying goodbye and good riddance to 2009 and everything that came with it. But time, warmth and food have given me a different perspective. Snowpocalypse, as they are calling it, pushed me beyond what I was comfortable with or had ever experienced. It was full of first times – driving over sheets of ice, putting chains on, pushing cars in the snow, praying to any and all gods just to grab pavement. Many lessons were learned.

And that is what I hope 2010 brings for me. I’m not in the university bubble anymore. It’s not as easy to take chances and to make mistakes, but I realized that if you hide from these experiences for too long, they have a way of sneaking up on you.

2010
01/05
CATEGORY
Growing up?
On a personal note
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Umm..awkward

No matter how many times I see this commercial for Halls Refresh, I always feel weird/awkward/icky inside. The sexual tension is just too much for me. Creep factor = 10.

2009
12/02
CATEGORY
In my humble opinion
Noteworthy
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You Are Not Alone

One of my favorite Michael Jackson songs is “You Are Not Alone.” It’s almost tragically poetic that he could write such a beautiful song but not be able to hear his own lyrics. Isolated from the outside world after decades of controversy, it took his death for the country to really show how much they still loved and embraced Michael. But I’m straying from the real topic of this post, as I often do. The point is that everyone needs to be reminded that they are connected. As alone as they feel, there are people out there going through the same thing.

A while ago I stumbled onto this website called “We Feel Fine.” The system searches out blog entries that include the words “I feel (insert emotion),” or “I’m feeling…” When found, it records the full sentence and categorizes it according to the feeling expressed. It then organizes it into an interface with floating tons of particles, each representing a feeling posted in the blogosphere. Things like color, size or shape of the particle indicate the nature of the feeling. When you click on a particle it reveals the full sentence and any information it has about the author. You can also filter the particles by feeling, author’s sex, age, weather or location.

But more that just the random particles careening across the screen, Jonathan Harris and Sep Kamvar have created six different movements (Madness, Murmurs, Montage, Mobs, Metrics, and Mounds) to categorize and display the information in real time. Basically it’s an infographic  paradise.

During his TED talk, Harris said, “”I think people are very similar, but I also think we have trouble seeing that. As I look around the world, I see a lot of gaps, and I think we all see a lot of gaps. We define ourselves by our gaps: language gaps, ethnicity gaps, age gaps, gender gaps, sexuality gaps, wealth and money gaps, education gaps, religious gaps…but I think that actually despite our gaps, we really have a lot in common.”

2009
11/18
CATEGORY
Floating around the blogosphere
Noteworthy
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Marketing + Psychology = $$$

Chalk it up to naiveté, being new in the world of marketing, but I thought that the important intersection between marketing and psychology was obvious. It’s one of the reasons that advertising and marketing initially appealed to me. But after reading “Why advertising needs behavioral economics” by Rory Sutherland, it would seem that maybe the world doesn’t value that connection like I thought. Sutherland asks, “Why is marketing – and, more importantly, the vital study of human behavior – so little celebrated in the wider world of business?” Perhaps because I was brought up in the Journalism School that I take for granted the idea that everyone knows that everything should be firmly based on research; and it seems so counterintuitive that you would go forward in business without knowing about people – the people who buy your product, the people who support your business, the people who drive your bottom line.

2009
11/03
CATEGORY
In my humble opinion
Industry News
Noteworthy
On a personal note
Real World
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Napster didn’t kill the music industry –> choice did

The Internet has drastically changed the music industry. It’s been said before, but I never really considered how until my sister emailed me this video:

To make money through major labels, you need blockbuster hits. You need to be the next Lady Gaga, Britney Spears or N’Sync (forgive my obviously girly examples). They spend so much money producing, distributing and marketing the physical CD releases that it’s more effective to try to make money from one super mega-hit than many smaller singles that could cumulatively sell the same number as the mega-hit; hence the age-old problem of over-played songs on the radio. Surely there exists more music than the 10 songs played over and over on 105.1. It’s artificial scarcity –> variety exists, but you’re only exposed to a sliver of it. Labels just didn’t want you to know it. But now in the information age, with digital music sales, it’s almost as easy to make as much from the small hits as the one mega-hit. Paired with the low-cost of digital tools, there are millions of people, like Levi Weaver, out there making music for every genre you can think of and those you would never have dreamt of, and making it independent of a major label.

So here is Levi offering a fresh perspective, a new model – basically fundraising. Instead of looking at it as buying a CD (a very impersonal transaction), Levi is asking that you donate money to support him. In return for your donation, you will receive a CD. He offers a glimpse in to his world. Supporters know that the money is going directly into his hands, instead of through a distributor –> record company –> representative –> agent –> musician (or however the equation goes).

Back to how the Internet changed the game, I guess it boils down to accessibility and choice. Now how do record labels harness these to make more $$$? I think the answer has to do with making it easier for the consumer to sift through all the choices.

2009
10/26
CATEGORY
In my humble opinion
Industry News
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Job Search-aplooza 2009

As the leaves start to turn rust-colored and more frequently we see the dark clouds heavy overhead, it feels weird to not be packing up my room in anticipation of the annual migration south to Eugene. No, this year I will watch as my sister makes the journey alone. Well, not quite alone since she broke her ankle and we have to do all her moving for her, but I’m metaphorically watching her go. You get it, right?

So how will I spend my days if not wading through the giant puddle that is the University of Oregon in the fall? Job Search-apoolza 2009! That’s right. My internship is ending and I’m now in full job search mode. And my first act of job search was to attend the Career Center’s GET CONNECTED. It wasn’t so much the job fair portion of the evening I was interested in, the employers were not exactly what I was looking for, but the actual discussion panel that was there. The panel included:

Heather Flynn, Staffing Manager, Waggener Edstrom

Valerie Larson, Recruiter, Portland Energy Conservation, Inc.

Lisa Weiglin, Senior Recruiter and University Relations Manager, Tektronix

Breelyn Young, Talent Acquisition Manager, GlaxoSmithKline

Jason Abernathy, Human Resources Manager, Fisher Investments

Although my interests aligned closest with the PR field from the above choices, I was really interested to hear from all the fields. They were able to give some great insight into job hunting and the hiring process, which I shall now impart onto you:

The Search.

It’s no secret, a lot of companies prefer to promote from within, through referrals or networking. As cliche or old as the saying is, it really is about who you know. Meeting you in person and talking to you can give them much more than just seeing your resume can do, as impressive as I’m sure yours might be. At least for me, networking seems really scary and throws me out of my comfort zone, but the panelists pointed out, your network is already bigger than you think. Parents, friends’ parents, fellow alum. Start there and let them know you’re looking for a job. Maybe they know of one, maybe they know someone in the business you can talk to. Informational interviews can be gold.

If you have a specific company you are interested in, get their attention on the web. Follow them on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, comment on the blog. If you have something smart to say, they will listen and remember it when they see your name on a resume, for example.

What they want.

Flexibility. Most companies want someone who can do the job today but also grow with the company in the future. The old 80/20 rule comes into play with qualifications. 80 you have, 20 you can grow. But if you don’t have the 80, don’t apply. In this economy there will be someone who does.

Passion. Enthusiasm. Innovation. Integrity. Adaptability. Resiliency. Urgency.

A match for the company culture is paramount. Some say interviewing is analogous to dating. The fit/vibe/chemistry, whatever you want to call it, needs to be there. As my dad always says, liking the people in the office is almost more important than liking the work.

The interview.

It’s the intangible skills make you stand out. Preparation is big. Know the clients, know the work, know the awards and show it with questions – smart questions. Mimic the language they use so they can really start to see you in the company.

You’ve heard this before, but they said it again, you are your own brand/product. Sell yourself as you would a brand. Think of 3 marketing messages you want to really get across and relate everything back to those. Trying to say too many things about yourself waters down the message.

Structure your stories and examples in terms of Problem –> Solution –> Result.

Above all, show that you want the job and follow up with personal thank you note.

2009
09/22
CATEGORY
Growing up?
Noteworthy
Real World
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Farm City Pro Rodeo

I spent the weekend exploring, what I like to call, the Wild West of Eastern Oregon with @amber_mckenna. Stationed in Pendleton for the duration of her Snowden internship, Amber invited me to a little thing called the Farm City Pro Rodeo. Actually it wasn’t little, it was quite large complete with an accompanying fair.

We trolled the fair grounds on Saturday and immediately I was overcome with the urge to buy a funnel cake. As I kept an eye out for a vendor of my favorite fried concoction, I couldn’t help but notice the ridiculous amount of other fried things. Besides the regular funnelcakes, twinkies and elephant ears, there were fried cinnamon rolls, pizza and coke! I was not brave enough to hazard a taste but Amber had tried the coke earlier in the week and did not speak highly of it.

After wondering around for a bit, we found ourselves in the middle of pig auction. Now this is definitely something I can say I had never seen before, nor want to. The smell alone was enough to send me running, but my piqued interest kept me seated. It seemed absurd that these pigs were being sold for over $300, but then again, considering how much we paid for our labradoodle who will not provide us with bacon for a year, maybe it wasn’t that crazy.

We ate dinner at a delicious Mexican restaurant and then headed over to the stadium to grab seats for the main event. The entire stadium was filled with cowboy hats, boots, denim and beer.

The first event was the bareback riding, which to me seemed unnecessarily and extremely painful. Yet all the cowboys walked it off and found their way back to the gates on their own after being thrown off.

The crowd favorite was definitely the bull riding. As the crowd chanted and clapped at the announcement of the event, you could feel the heightened anticipation.

Once we saw the first cowboy ride out of the gates and hit the ground, we understood why it was so revered. This first rider didn’t move for about five minutes while the medics tended to him.

Amber and I look fondly at the memories of this weekend and our first rodeo (minus the rodeo clown). But it wasn’t all fun and games, some lessons were learned.

1. Don’t drink too much (bathroom line > beer line)

2. Matching corsets and jeans are perfectly acceptable for friends to wear.

3. Oversized crosses on necklaces and hats are super trendy (especially when accessorized with turquoise).

4. Late night funnel cake + coors lite = bad dreams

5. Always leave a 50 ft. radius between you and any animal barn.

2009
08/19
CATEGORY
On a personal note
Real World
Sightings
This just in - current events
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The Religion of Annaism

This summer I read My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult (bear with me, I swear this is not a book report) and I cannot say enough about how amazing it was!! Picoult writes in the perspective of every character so convincingly as she weaves together the story of a family torn apart by disease. The most honest and refreshing commentary comes from thirteen year old Anna, who was conceived to be a cure for her sister Kate’s cancer but only ends up a stopgap in a Kate’s losing battle. Amidst the questions of morality, ethics and responsibility, there are few times where Anna is allowed to really be a child + let her imagination run wild. It is in one of these rare occasions that the idea of Annaism was born. It is a beautiful, celestial explanation for why there is human sadness.

As I read the passage, there were so many visuals that jumped out at me, I knew I wanted to use it somehow in a creative piece. In an attempt to learn photoshop trial-by-fire, this is what I came up with.

annaism

2009
07/31
CATEGORY
Blood, sweat and tears (my work)
Growing up?
In my humble opinion
On a personal note
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May Cause Confidence

Maybe it’s because I’m in advertising (and when I say “in,” I use it loosely to mean my degree is in advertising, while I have yet to actually obtain a job), or maybe it’s just because I watch too much trashy reality TV, but whatever the reason, very rarely do I see an ad that I love. Even more rare is an ad that I actually remember and talk about. But the planets must have aligned just right because Euro RSCG came out with this Clearasil confidence commercial. To this day, this commercial is my hands down, bar none, absolute favorite commercial.

2009
06/21
CATEGORY
In my humble opinion
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My run in with Project Runway

For those of you who don’t know me well, I am addicted to trashy reality TV. It’s my ultimate weakness and Project Runway is one of my less shameful favorites (along with, cringe, Rock of Love and American Idol). I’ve watched all the seasons and absolutely love it. So imagine my complete and utter shock when I’m just going about my business at work, Eugene Swim and Tennis Club, and in walks one of the contestants from the original season, Austin Scarlett! Apparently he is the grandson of one Buzz Summers, a tennis pro at ESTC, and was in town for Buzz and Joyce’s 50th anniversary. They were making the rounds in Eugene and stopped at the club. Pretty much the best day at work EVER. Shook hands and conversed. Love it.

2009
05/19
CATEGORY
Real World
Sightings
This just in - current events
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