Angels Words Blog

Mom and I took our first walk of the fall yesterday, and it was wonderful.  The leaves are starting to change and the air is crisp and clean.  It is my favorite time of year!  Also, at work I am planning fun Halloween parties and holiday events.  I just got the holiday postcards today and they are perfect…I can’t wait to send them out to everyone at work. 

Recently, I’ve been reading a lot about organizational communication and last week we focused on the interview process.  It is interesting to me that very few interviewees actually ask questions they want the answer to during the process.  I mean, how will you ever know if you want to work somewhere if you don’t ask questions.  I would think that asking meaningful and well thought out questions would be a sign to the potential employer that you are truly taking interest in the position.

Anyway, Heroes was amazing last night.  Mr. I’ll pull the trigger for you was incredibly creepy and awful, btut of course I like him.  And, Peter has no powers what???  Well, tune in next week.  How was your Monday?

Ok, so I know it may seem that I have dropped off the face of the planet, and in a few ways I have.  However, I am determined that the fall will be fun.  I’m taking Organizational Communication and Behavior Change and Education Through Entertainment.  Both are quite interesting, but I am very into Behavior Change.  The class is amazing.  You pick a topic, usually centered around a disease and write a serial drama for television or radio that encourages the desired behavior changes for that disease.  I have chosen type 2 diabetes for my disease. 

The first phase of the project is called the design document.  Basically, this is where you perform formative research on your topic and exhaustively cover every bit of knowledge you want your audience to learn.  My professor, Esta de Fossard, always says that you have to think of the writers as idiots.  Funny, I’ll be writing the drama starting next week.  Anyway, that means that you have to include the smallest detail like explaining glucose levels are blood sugar levels…things like that.

Ok, enough boring explanation.  The point of all of this is that I am totally addicted to this stuff.  Sign me up to work on projects like this for the rest of my life.  You get to help others while having a ton of fun.  I haven’t chosen my story line, but I am hoping for something that is Nip/Tuck-ish.  Tune in later to find out.

How has your fall shaped up so far?

Before becoming governor, Palin served as mayor of Wasilla, she recounted, adding: “And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ‘community organizer,’ except that you have actual responsibilities.”

This is a small tidbit from an article I read this morning about Palin’s speech.  I have to say, it is really nice to see a strong woman stand up and talk about some very real things.  It will be fun to watch her tackle the campaign trail.  Not to mention, the woman just had a baby 4 months ago.  Can you imagine?

Seriously, can we please stop talking about the personal lives of candidates that have absolutely nothing to do with the election?  I get that it is juicy news and gossip to discuss Palin’s daughter and her teen pregnancy, but really what does this have to do with anything?  Aside from reiterating her stand on abortion, it really is not helpful.  Why don’t we take some time and actually learn about the candidates?  What does Obama’s voting record look like?  What does Palin stand for?  How will McCain help the economy?  Do you know the answers to any of these questions?

Wowee!!!  So, McCain announced today that Alaskan Governon Sarah Palin will be his running mate.  This is a very bold and strategic choice for the McCain campaign.  Honestly, it will decide the election for many female voters even if they do not know a thing about her.  It scares me that McCain has focused on Obama’s inexperience, and chose to include a very inexperienced candidate on his ticket.  It will be very interesting to watch the vice presidential debate between Palin and Biden.  I found an interesting blog that has supported the Palin choice all along.  Check it out!  What do you think about McCain’s choice?

I have become completely and totally obsessed with the olympics.  If you know me, you know that there are very few things in life I chose over sleep, well guess what?  The olympics are seriously interrupting my sleeping patterns.  Thank goodness for my DVR and online options. 

Seriously though, this whole Micheal Phelps craziness is pretty fun.  I’m a fan of watching history in the making…that is for sure!

What events have caught your eye?

This is hysterical.  I’m not on the Paris Hilton boat, but she deserves an award for this.  I’m for the White House being painted pink!

Yes, that is the world I now find myself hazily stumbling my way through each day.  It is amazing how much the human body can handle before it presumably falls apart.  I have not reached the point of collapse, but I find myself doing some interesting things.  For instance, I walked out of my house this morning with no shoes on my feet.  Um ok.  I have no words.  Such is the life a worker/student/friend/daughter etc. 

I am excited to report that I will be getting my own office next week.  After two years of office bunking with my boss, I will be alone.  I have mixed feelings about this occurrence.  I’m not sure I can imagine a day of silence.  I am not a huge fan of silence myself, so it should be interesting.  Either way, you must stop into room 516 one day to say hi. 

Only two more weeks of class and then two weeks of freedom.  Thank the Lord!  I’ll probably sleep for two straight days after I finish up on the 14^th.

Oh, one more thing…I will be speaking at The Special Event 2009 in San Diego, and they do not provide any sort of stipend as the speaking opportunity itself is an amazing marketing opportunity.  Any ideas on how I can save up around $1500 by January?  I’m considering a YouTube plea.

Nowadays, the show stated that all the kids on the sports team get a trophy just for participating.  Great!  What happens when they get into the real world and think they are amazing just because they exist?  It is not realistic.  On the flip side, how do we every really know if we deserve the praise we are getting from someone or if it is some sort of obligatory response to our generation.

The video we watched mentioned how these young 20 something guys make a ton of money consulting with millenials.  It is pretty simple.  Do your job and do not expect to be the boss after a week.  Mary Crane mentioned in her consultation that you should cover your tattoos for an interview.  I mean really?  Are we giving these people jobs?  I guess in the end it all seems like common sense to me. 

What do you think?

If you manage a millenial or two, you might find this article helpful…

Ok, so those of you who know me fairly well know that I completely changed my career goals a few years ago.  I went from the full-time pursuit of an opera career to a career in events and PR.  Well, mom and I met for dinner last night and she pointed something out to me.  She said that never once did she see me put as much effort and ambition into my music career as I have into my new career path.  I guess it is true what they say, you put the time and effort into the things you really want.

Have you seen this type of thing in your own life?