Perceptions of Safety at Home and Abroad

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008

I have been back in America for only a handful of days and already, the peace and calm I attained by visiting Israel has been obliterated by a silly incident. Yesterday, my neighbor two doors down had his minivan stolen from in front of his house in broad daylight. Yesterday, the Negev desert in which my 40 new friends and I camped just a week ago (check out the picture of our Bedouin tent below), was hit by rocket-fire from Hamas militants from Gaza.

How is it possible that I felt safer in the Middle East in a country that is currently engaged in conflict than in my neighborhood in the United States that has only been attacked in its own land once?

Perhaps it’s the joy and pride the Israeli people (of all religions and cultures) have for their homeland. Perhaps it’s the ancient history that permeates through everything. Or, perhaps it’s the fact that people pay attention to the well being of others, are more aware of their surroundings (because they have to be) and are generally prepared for whatever the world may bring.

For my own peace of mind, I hope my neighbor’s car is found soon.

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Ma Nishma! (What's Up!)

Sunday, December 28th, 2008

I am an employee of a strategic communications agency. I am a college graduate. An upcoming MBA candidate. A twenty-something. And now, a Zionist.

I’m not sure if it’s my age; or the fact that I have been living a fairly monotonous life post-college of work-sleep-work-sleep, but I feel like my world has been shaken (or stirred) by my visit to Israel.

I think everyone has experiences that change the way they view their lives, and change the paths that they previously thought they’d take through those lives.

I feel like I left part of myself in Israel and I want to figure out how to get back there (either physically or emotionally). The people I met and the things I did in two weeks in Israel were more wonderful than anything I have experienced in my nearly 24 years. 2 weeks ago, I never would have guessed that I would be reconsidering my life’s path. 2 weeks ago, I never would have imagined that I’d meet people and see things that are so much greater than little old me.

Things here, at “home” seem so small and unimportant (and unexciting) due to these last two weeks.

Maybe I’ll take all of this back once the jet lag wears off … but probably not.

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Time to Fly

Friday, December 12th, 2008

There comes a time in every young bird’s, I mean adult’s, life that they must fly far from the nest, even if it’s their destiny to return shortly thereafter. Every young person must, at some point, stretch their wings. Push their limits. Live outside the comfort zone. Whatever the cliché is, I suppose I’m doing it by going to Israel next week.

I will be out of town and incommunicado until after Christmas and part of Hanukkah.

Until then, if you’re a singleton, I hope you find someone to kiss under the mistletoe. If you’re happily taken, I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season. (And if you’re unhappily taken, I don’t want to know about it.) I hope you all get the new Britney Spears album (if that’s what you want) and that you don’t get taken by ponzi schemes.

When I return, it’s back to work, back to school and back to the grind.

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Twenty Something Timepiece

Tuesday, December 9th, 2008

I think that it’s essential for every business person to have a watch, especially those of us at the beginning of our careers. (We can show that we have excellent time management. We can demonstrate that we stick to agendas.)

I was dismayed when my Fossil watch, purchased in 1999 or thereabouts, took on water earlier this week. I surveyed friends and family as to where I might purchase a quality timepiece for a not-so-quality price. Thanks to Amber, I made my way to Sam’s Club earlier today where I procured this Wegner Swiss Military Battalion® III Diver watch.

Now when I walk down the halls at work, people will know that I have places to go and things to do. I’m on a schedule!

One day I will own a Movado or a Citizen. Until then, my Swiss watch will (hopefully) treat me just fine.

Word to the watch-less twenty-something: ask for one for Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanza or Festivus! You might not gain respect (that depends on the work you do), but you’ll definitely look the part!

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All I Want for Christmas (isn't you) is a Garage

Thursday, December 4th, 2008

My mom recently asked me what I want for the holidays. I told her that I don’t really want anything (unless she wants to cover the full cost of my MBA program), but today, I’ve changed my mind. I want a garage in which to park my car.

I wandered out to my car, parked along the curb of my home, this morning, the sun just rising behind the homes across the street. I pressed the unlock button on my key remote, saw the lights of the car flash and heard the doors unlock. I placed my hand on the car’s door handle and tugged … nothing. I tried the driver’s side rear door … nothing. The same goes for the two doors on the passenger side. My doors were frozen shut. I had to be crafty. A hair dryer wouldn’t reach to the street. I couldn’t crawl through the trunk. I’d have to try hot water, and it’d have to melt the ice and allow me to open the car door before it froze again. My plan worked and I was able to get into my car, turn on the defrosters and begin hacking away at the ice on the windshield (later I learned not to use this method again as hot water can cause frozen glass to crack or car wax to melt). I eventually made it to work, the sun fully shining, my the ice still firmly affixed to my car. My driver’s side door was somewhat frozen when I attempted to get out of the car but I miraculously pushed myself out.

Around lunch time, I decided to call my car dealership, Parktown Audi, and ask them if they installed remote starters. Perhaps a remote starter could be a gift from my mom for the holidays. If I could turn on my car from outside, I could begin the defrost process before going outside. Unfortunately, Audi’s can’t have the remote start function. Tom, in the service department at Parktown felt my pain of having my doors freeze shut this morning and offered to spray silicone on all of my doors for free. The silicone helps prevent doors from sticking or freezing.

I went to my car after work, and 3 of the 4 doors were ajar – evidently my pulling this morning opened the doors just enough that when the ice between them melted, the doors were open. I am just glad that the doors didn’t blow open while I was driving on the interstate. After leaving the office, I swung by the dealership and Tom, true to his word, sprayed down my doors – cost free. I think I’m in love with Tom.

So, now my car’s back home, the doors are oily with silicone, but I just know that sooner or later, the doors will freeze shut again. This is why, I, Susan, want a garage for the holidays. Preferably a heated garage. Or a chauffeur. I would like my doors to be easy to open in the mornings, and I would prefer to not have to scrape ice off my windshield every morning from December until March.

Mama can you hear me?

How do you open frozen car doors? More importantly, does anyone want to give me a garage for the holidays? Moving out west sounds more and more appealing these days.

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Thanksgiving with the not-so-Simpleton's

Thursday, November 27th, 2008

I arrived at Thanksgiving dinner tonight mentally prepared to tell my 40+ relatives (and relatives of relatives and friends of relatives) all about how wildly successful I am. Because of my great job, great apartment, I’m about to start at a top-ranked business school for my master’s degree, not to mention the fact that everyone should have missed me to tears since I hadn’t attended Thanksgiving dinner the last few years (you know, every twenty-something would rather celebrate America’s holiday in Amsterdam and Paris), why wouldn’t people want to talk to me?

I’ll give you three reasons why not: Steve, Lucas and Andy. You see, we had three wildly successful and interesting people at dinner tonight.

First there’s Steve (who left before I got to snap his photo), a cousin of my aunt’s, Steve was just elected State Representative in Missouri for the district where I life. Who am I to compare myself to an elected official?

Second, there’s Andy, my cousin’s best friend. Andy’s a hoot. He basically oversees all of the awesome shows that are on the Bravo network. Real Housewives of Orange County/New York/Atlanta, that was Andy. The abysmal Rachael Zoe? Andy. Who am I to compare to his wild success?

Third, there’s Lucas, my great-aunt’s nephew. Lucas draws for the television show The Simpsons. Yes, the cartoon series that has been on for 20 years (how’s that for job security?). Kids gather around him every Thanksgiving (myself included) hoping that he’ll draw a Simpsons character to them. I’d be happy to show those kids how to respond to an RFP or how to write a media relations plan, but I doubt they’d take me up on that offer.
One day, when I’m a soaring success with my MBA, trophy husband, ample time to travel, hot job and no debt, then maybe I’ll have something to brag about. Until then, I suppose I have big shoes to start filling.

Happy Thanksgiving to all (in America, happy Thursday to everyone else), and to all, a good turkey-induced night full of sleep.

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Dressing for Success

Thursday, November 27th, 2008

About two weeks ago, I went to Starbucks to meet my boss’s friend who recently finished the MBA program I will begin in January. This woman and I had communicated over e-mail several times prior to our meeting, but we never exchanged how we might recognize each other. I’m always prompt (meaning early), so I took a seat and began to scope out the crowd. Eventually I noticed a woman who was certainly searching for someone. I could tell she was looking at the women wearing suits, trying to decide if any of them looked like a “Susan.”

I was not who she expected. I looked young. I was wearing a green sweater vest, wool pants and white Chuck Taylors. I was carrying a North Face messenger bag. I was not wearing a suit, heels or any other marks of traditional business attire.

I carry myself with confidence. I am a kick-ass public relator. I am not sloppy despite my aversion to suits. I prefer my sweater vests, my fly kicks (Converse Chuck Taylors in black right now) and white gym socks. If, once I complete my MBA, I score a high-paying corporate job where everyone wore black suits on a daily basis, sure, I’d throw one on (I wouldn’t just throw one on, I’d dress myself to the nines). But I don’t work in an industry that demands it right now. I’m never going to feel like myself in polyester (OK, I admit, my two suits are both from J.C. Penny, they’re polyester – I prefer to spend my money on travel).

At first I felt bad that the woman I was meeting didn’t pick me out of the crowd – I didn’t fit her mold. Now, I figure that I’m lucky that I can dress like Susan and still be successful.

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Career Goals

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008

I get a lot of hits on this blog from people searching for what they should state are their long- and short-term career goals. This is one of my admissions essays that I used to apply to the MBA program I will begin in January where I attempt to explain mine. Enjoy, but please do not repurpose.

Talk about your long and short term career goals.

I have always taken pride in communicating effectively – whether it was as Editor-in-Chief of my high school newspaper, tutoring Parisian children in English while studying abroad in France during my junior year in college, or now, as a strategic communications professional, assisting my clients, many of them Fortune 500 companies, in relaying their messages to their target audiences. Within my current profession, I have found my niche in supporting clients through online channels. Social media tools, like blogging, strategic Web site design and Web analytics, have allowed my clients to reach a larger, and often a better-targeted audience, than ever before.

In the short-term, I would like to grow my business savvy to increase my qualifications beyond my technical expertise and leverage my standing within my current company. Upon earning an MBA, I will be able to differentiate myself by possessing the managerial and financial knowledge that is necessary for high-level positions.

In the long-term, I will concentrate on applying my known skills on a career in communications consulting. I hope to combine my digital communications skills, my love of overseas travel and the knowledge attained through Organizational Behavior, Financial Management and Strategic Management (along with other courses offered) to establish myself as a leading consultant. I desire to help new and emerging markets successfully compete with established markets through tailored communications efforts. Whether I work with a preexisting agency or begin my own consultancy, it is my hope to use the business acumen I acquire through an MBA to have a lucrative managerial career in the field of business communications.

What are YOUR short- and long-term career goals?

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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Just Another Day in the Life

Thursday, November 13th, 2008

Today my colleague, Marijean and I spoke to board members, employees and friends of The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis (a great nonprofit that provides interest-free loans to college students – but unfortunately they can’t loan me the $68,000 my MBA will cost).

We provided attendees with a solid introduction to social media technologies. We spoke for 2.5 hours; but I could’ve spoken for 10 if given the opportunity.

I’m not certain what I want to “do” for the rest of my life. I know that I want to continue my education with my MBA. I know that I enjoy being a consultant. I like telling people what to do. And shockingly, I like to hear myself speak. It’ll be interesting to see how I can use my interests and education to make a lucrative career for myself.

Speaking of my MBA, sheesh, books have gotten expensive – if anyone has any hints on finding inexpensive used textbooks, please let me know!

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One Last Hurrah

Saturday, November 8th, 2008

I will have one last hurrah before I begin graduate school. On December 15, I will fly from St. Louis to New York City to Tel Aviv (I’ve hoarded most of my vacation days from the past year to use on this trip). I will spend 10 days traveling around Israel with other young people (all strangers to me at this point).

Highlights of the trip will include:

• Ascending to Jerusalem and the Old City
• Visiting King David’s Tomb – the founder of Jerusalem
• Enjoying a visit to the Western Wall
• Heading north to the Sea of Galilee
• Ascending the Golan Heights and view deep into Syria from atop Mount Bental
• Kayaking on the Jordan River
• Traveling with Israeli soldiers
• Camping in a Bedouin tent deep in the desert
• Riding a camel
• Participating in an archeological dig
• Climbing the Masada at sunrise via the Roman Ramp

The trip is completely free thanks to several wealthy benefactors who want to help young people connect with their religious lineage. For me, that means that my expenses will consist of some travel supplies: a new digital camera (do I buy a Nikon, Canon, Panasonic, Sony?), a new piece of luggage, a few meals in Israel and any travel I decide to do after the 10 days in Israel is over (perhaps Jordan and Egypt). Sponsors or sugar daddies would be most appreciated!

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