Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Misleading Headlines, Misguided Content Strategy

Here's a prime example of a headline that misleads its readers.

The Nice List: Santa's Top-Five Cities

Sounds cute, right? So you click on it and scan -- because that's what you do when you see a web page -- for the list that the headline promises, and .... no list for you!

The cities are actually in paragraph form.

Props to the headline writer for pulling me in; it's technically accurate and does its job. Boo to the writer or editor for not presenting it in list-form to begin with.

This is why it's important to take a step back and think about how you present information -- even stories about an imaginary person. :)

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Content Strategy and Content Curation

My former colleague Dan Blank just wrote a blog about the importance of curating content -- carefully selecting it and caring for it -- versus collecting content. As a content strategist whose boss likens our job to curating moreso than anything, I of course am on board with the distinction.

If you publish content somewhere, are you curating it or adding to a collection? Have a read and think about it.

Friday, November 26, 2010

What We're Like As A Wedding Couple

As you read the upcoming posts -- which will inevitably entail details of my wedding since it began a 20-hour-a-week job -- just know the following:
  • Neither of us are "wedding people." I get excited hearing about my friends' plans, but I don't watch the plethora of shows and I didn't grow up with a diary devoted to my wedding day. Hell, I go in to each vendor meeting with such a variety ideas of what I'd be happy with that they probably wish I was one of those women who had all the details decided before they got engaged.
  • I hate event planning -- a reason why I have complete respect for event planners. Thankfully, I have project management skills at work, so I efficiently stay on schedule, stay calm and don't overburden Brian with details; I go to him on what we need. I'm also great at assigning tasks so I stay sane. Still, I promptly hired a day-of coordinator so I don't have to be point-person when shit hits the fan. 
  • Food and photography are our priorities. 
  • We're planning a friggin' awesome party.
  • Our honeymoon will kick ass. 
Stay tuned ...

What's Up Since September and Why I'm Elated and Bitter

Yikes! I last wrote in September, right before I started my new job. Here's what's been going on (although anyone reading this most likely knows):
  • I started my new job Sept. 13 and love it. I feel like I'm in the right place at the right time in my career, and it's a great feeling. 
  • I turned 30 a few days later.
  • We took a fantastic trip to San Francisco and Napa Valley at the end of September ...
  • ... And got engaged Oct. 2 on our last night there alongside a vineyard at dusk and right before a dinner at French Laundry.
  • We spent the month of October desperately searching for a wedding venue --- vineyard, barn, etc. -- that was available in 2011 in Southwest Michigan or Sonoma, Calif.
  • I got virtually no sleep the month of October because of this. 
  • After much turmoil for multiple reasons, we decided on the one place in Chicago we imagined ourselves getting married and signed the contract Nov. 3 for a Friday night wedding in September 2011. 
  • We are in full-out wedding-vendor immersion. Brian has hit a wall but has worked through it; I'm handling it well thanks to my project management skills. We're still trying to regulate our relatives.
That weekend we got engaged was one of the happiest in my life. Not only did we have a fantastic few days wine tasting, cycling and touring Napa Valley after a great night out in SF, but the guy I'm head over heels for officially picked me to marry him. I remember thinking that if the wedding left me 1/10 as happy as I was that weekend, I'd still consider myself the luckiest woman alive.

And then the most f-ing stressful and hurtful month began.

See, we did it the old fashioned way and didn't book a venue or pick a date ahead of time, which I still am happy with. But it lead to problems above of not being able to find a date within 18 months of our engagement. 

Then we shared with our families our desire to get married in Sonoma, Calif. Both sides of the family had members tell us -- coincidentally in the same words! -- "If you get married in California, don't expect anyone to come."

Part of the concern came from family who referenced members wouldn't be able to afford it. No one cared that we had set aside money to pay for or at least largely pay for those people who we knew truly were unable.Another part of the complaint was that people just wanted a Chicago wedding so it would be easier for them -- a place they've wanted to visit.

And many of the people complaining didn't do an airfare or hotel check to realize that it would be cheaper to be a guest at our destination wedding than a Chicago wedding. But whatever, no one would consider coming, we were told.

Now, Brian and I are both independent adults used to making our own decisions. But I want you to try to plan a wedding and completely ignore the thought of having no one show up to your wedding out of spite.

It was a horrible pall that was cast over what's supposed to be an exciting time -- not to mention hurtful. Both Brian and I really took those words to heart. The way I describe it, it was the equivalent to someone saying, "If you do X, don't expect anyone to come to your funeral." There are other ways to convey concern or frustration, no?

The ironic part is that the family and friends who could afford the trip the least (and who they didn't know we would have helped pay) were the most supportive and never, if they did feel inconvenienced, let on. Brian and I will always remember that -- hell, it's how we got through October. 

Ultimately we decided to not do California to not put anyone in a financially difficult situation. We ran the numbers and decided the cost of travel once we put up everyone or covered flights would get high and decided to go with Chicago. Little did we know that Chicago is such an expensive place to get married that we could have PAID for the VIPs who needed the help to come AND had the size and location wedding we wanted. But that's OK. It'll be great.

I get excited about our wedding, and ultimately all the decisions we're making are the ones we want. I know it'll be great. But I'm having a really difficult time getting over how hurtful our families were and that we had to give up the wedding we wanted.

It's not their fault. It's just hard to forget.

I'll write about the exciting fun stuff later.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

The To-Do List is Done


I can confidently say that I made the most of my months off of work. I did enough freelance work to keep me fresh; I learned to cook better and healthier. I exercised. I went to Europe. I met up with friends. I took care of annoying errands that are best done during the weekday, like going to the DMV for a new license and taking a car in for emissions. 

I kept myself busy and stuck to my rules of unemployment: do something every day to find the right job; don't sleep in past 8 a.m.; no TV during the day; and my list above. And I still had plenty 'o' time to reflect and figure out what I wanted to do. I'm refreshed and ready to go, which is good, because I start my new job as a Web content strategist on Monday. 

But during all these wonderful months off, I had a job search looming over my head. Yeah, I was confident I'd find something. But I never knew when, and gosh darn it, it took a lot of interviewing and thinking and researching to lead me to go all or nothing in what I new I wanted to do, content strategy. 

Even while I explored Italy, I could never forget why I had the time to take a few weeks and a lot of money for a European vacation: I was laid off. Unemployed. When you travel by yourself, you tell your story to a lot. Say it enough times, and even the more confident of folks such as myself start to get a little self-conscious. 

So this past week and a half since I accepted my new job has been brilliant, a weight lifted off my shoulders. I watched (some) TV during the day! I took trips to unhealthy food haunts like Hot Doug's, spent time at the Montrose dog beach (aka the happiest place on Earth), took a day trip to my childhood vacation spot, New Buffalo, Mich. (pictured above), and resumed meeting up with friends spur-of-the-moment, which I had curtailed because it gets expensive. It was a great week.

It's the perfect time to go back to work, because there's really not much left to do. I did it all! And during summer. It really couldn't have worked out better. I'm a blessed person. 
Wish me luck on Monday!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

What to Do With Tzatziki

We made a tzatziki sauce over the weekend to go with a fantastic grilled lamb recipe Brian does. We loved the tzatziki so much we made it again Monday night and have been on a binge ever since.

A few winners:

Tzatziki atop a bison burger on wheat with tomato. Grilled veggies on the side.


Tzatziki as pasta sauce. I added browned ground lamb that I seasoned with mint, rosemary, lemon, salt and pepper and then topped it with fresh, chopped tomato. It worked! Glass of milk optional. :)

If you have other ideas, let me know!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

JOB!

Congratulations to me: A week from today I will be in my second day at a new job as a Web content strategist at the National Association of Realtors. My new job's home base: www.realtor.org. The office home base: Michigan Avenue.

How excited am I? I'm getting paid to do what I love, the people seem really great and I'll get to flex a fresh brain. Life is good!

Another perk: Brian and I will have something fresh to talk about again as a opposed to a boring recount of my day. Not too much drama in a job search, light freelance schedule and workout routine!

I can honestly say I've made the most of my time. I kept my skills fresh with some freelance consulting and did what everyone wants to do when they're working and can't take the time to vacation: travel, read, cook, visit friends and explore -- all while looking for a job.

Unemployment Mission Accomplished.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Last Night's Dinner: No-Recipe Stir-Fry


This is what you do with leftovers! The list included:

-- Corn, jicama, red bell pepper, red onion and lime salsa
-- Snow peas
-- White jasmine rice
-- Carrots

I bought chicken, marinated it in low-sodium teriyaki sauce and stir-fried it in the wok -- my first time using one (loved it!). I set that aside, dumped all the veggies in, and made a sauce with sesame oil, honey, fish sauce, soy sauce and just a little "classic stir-fry sauce" I found in our fridge.

Next, I dumped the rice in, and voila -- a tasty and not-too-salty (considering the ingredients) stir-fry.

The jicama did scare me -- I'd only had it cold and in salads and was afraid it would be the ingredient that didn't make sense. Turns out, it provided a perfect crunch and texture similar to water chestnuts. I think the lime from the salsa added a refreshing twist, too, although at first it was a little too tangy -- that's when I added the honey.

I'd like to credit the dump-it-all technique for this recipe's success. :)

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Last Night's Dinner: 'Fiery' Tilapia with Cucumber-Snow Pea Salad

I put together last-night's dinner from several recipes, mainly Allrecipes.com's "Fiery Fish Tacos with Corn Salsa." I didn't want the calories from taco shells, so I just pan-fired the tilapia in Brian's grandmother's cast iron skillet with some olive oil. Yum.

I intended to mix the salsa with the white jasmine rice but left it separated, Brian's preference; for what it's worth, he ended up mixing them together, and it tasted great. It balanced the tilapia well. I was afraid the recipe's spice mix of cayenne, pepper and salt would be scathing hot, but it wasn't.

I chose the cucumber and snow pea salad because I wanted something green, cold and with lime, to match the salsa. I have Bill Granger's "Everyday" to thank for that recipe.

Tonight's dinner will feature many of the same vegetables, some leftover rice and chicken. We'll see what I come up with.

Girl & The Goat's Good!

I haven't told you about Girl & The Goat: It's good!

Earlier I wrote about being a little nervous that the restaurant would be "too much girl and not enough goat," my response to Stephanie Izard's face's being plastered all over the Web site -- clearly capitalizing on her "Top Chef" win. Would the highlight be the food, or the fact we're eating at a TV personality's (albeit a very likable one's) restaurant?

But I was wrong. Her seafood and vegetable dishes offer refreshing surprises; I'd compare her meat selections to that of other quality offal-loving chefs, such as Paul Kahan's at Publican.

Take this surprise as an example: light and fluffy chickpea fritters without a hint of grease, set atop cherry-size heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella -- what ended up being my favorite dish. A close second: the spicy, grilled baby octopus mixed with beans and a lemon-pistachio vinaigrette.

We also really liked the veal, goat and something-else sugo -- homemade thick pasta with meat that had a pulled-pork consistency -- and the pig face, which is like you'd guess, kinda like pork belly.

My least favorite dish ended up being a dessert Brian loved: a goat-cheese cheesecake with blueberries. I could barely swallow it; Brian nearly licked the tourine.

The atmosphere is sophisticated-casual as most gastropubs are these days, but unfortunately it's loud; get ready to yell your way through the meal. Still, we were seated promptly at our reservation time despite the full-house, and the service was great. When so many things are right, it's hard to pick a fight over the noise.

So Stephanie Izard's food really is as good as it looks on TV, and watching her expedite, she seems just as calm as she appeared. Good for her!

We'll be back.

Monday, August 30, 2010

The 'Hot Racing Mess' Who Finished

I present to you my divisional results (Women 30-34)  for the individual legs of the sprint distance Chicago Triathlon, which took place along the lakefront yesterday. Can you guess when I had the asthma attack?

Swim (1/2 mile): 17th of 219

Bike (13.7 miles): 22nd of 219

Run (3.1 miles): 215 of 219

I guess it was a sign I wasn't in tip-top shape when, right before we started the race, a spectator heard me coughing and joked to me that I should have laid off the cigarettes the morning of the race. 

As soon as I got in the water, I could tell I couldn't inhale to full lung capacity. That said, it's really easy for me to control my breathing in swimming, so I just plowed ahead and got on a roll! The water was 72 degrees, and I had fresh arms. It felt like last year: a perfect swim. 

I passed nearly everyone in my wave and started to take on the next; by 14 minutes, 33 seconds, I was out of the water (if you look up my time, it includes the 2? 3? block run to transition area, during which I saw a few people sprint past me -- still came in 17th though). 

After transition, I hopped on my bike and dealt with the same southwest headwind both directions --a pain in the ass on any day. A quarter of the way I could tell my lack of lung strength was starting to take a toll. I was also shivering, despite guzzling water all morning and an already-warm air temperature. 

The last half of the bike race I didn't feel like I was "racing" anymore, just getting through it -- and not because of muscle fatigue, which is typical: just my lungs and that shivering thing. I began to think of quitting, which felt like a brilliant idea -- until I imagined having to tell people I quit the race. Do I listen to my body? Or am I being too sensitive and not strong enough mentally? Will I get pneumonia again if I keep stressing my lungs?

By the time I got off the bike, I felt dizzy and sauntered to my transition spot to get my run gear on, coaching myself on breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth. Three minutes and something-seconds later (a long-ass transition time) I slowly walked to the start line of the run portion, feeling dazed. At this point, I was 98 percent of the way to giving up.

A woman saw me walking (still on the course), stepped in front of me and said, agitated, "Did you finish the race?" The look I gave her answered her question. By the time I saw Brian, maybe about a city block-length, I was taking off my race number.

The first thing I said to him was, "I don't feel good. I don't want to get pneumonia again." Then I started crying. And then I felt like a loser. 

Brian told me I could quit and he wanted me to be healthy, and getting that confirmation made me not want to quit. So, I put on a long-sleeve T-shirt he'd brought along to warm up and began walking the 3.1 miles.

Thing is, Brian wouldn't let me do it alone. He spent the next 3 miles at my side, walking or trotting with me with a backpack on, which isn't easy. He later told me it wasn't just for support but to make sure nothing happened to me, which was good, because the next 47 minutes featured me gasping for air, stopping, breathing in through my nose deeply and out through my mouth, coughing, then trying to run/trot once my breath was regulated, only to have to walk again -- a hot racing mess.

I didn't mention Brian has been fighting a cold too. What a guy... 

I picked up the pace toward the end when I saw the finish and actually had to stop short of the finish line to try to breathe. I crossed the finish line, went into full-blown attack mode, heard my dad call my name, waved to him, then was ushered by triathlon medical staff into the medic tent, where an awesome and very nice crew gave me an Albuterol treatment and oxygen.

I had an easy time -- someone finished the race and began having seizures. You can see the medic team that worked on me working on that person here.

I summarized the race in a Facebook update and got kudos from several friends, one even calling me inspirational. It's really touching, but honestly, I call it stupid more than anything. I'm glad I started the race, even if I wasn't in the greatest shape; I tried. But once the asthma kicked in full-force, I shouldn't have continued. It's not healthy! And if I grew worse, the chaos on the course could have messed up other people, too, or taken resources away from more serious cases. 

In case you're wondering, I didn't bring my inhaler because I didn't even think of it. I use inhalers temporarily when I'm fighting something like bronchitis or pneumonia, and although I should have taken one with me, just in case, I didn't even put two and two together that a chest cold from last week could trigger an asthma attack during a race. Again, stupid.

It's a race I'd rather forget; I finished almost a half hour after I normally do. Brian says he's more proud of me for finishing this race than any other. I'm trying hard to forget the time, even if I still managed to finish ahead of a lot of people who were perfectly healthy. 

There's always next year. :) 

A special shout out to:
* The medic team. So sharp and on the lookout, I have been taking their standby assistance for granted each race.
* Brian. Duh. Not only did he do a 5K with me spur-of-the-moment, but I thanked him by leaving in the medic tent his Oakley sunglasses he lent me. Sheesh. Yes, I probably could have crossed the finish line without him, but I would not have been as strong. He's there for every race I do.
* My parents, who not only came out to the race but had to watch their daughter gasping for air and disappear with doctors. They also waiting a long time while we collected my gear to drive me home.
* The random people who saw me struggling and called out my race number, cheering for me to "stay strong," "keep it up" and "walk through it." Admittedly, I was annoyed when, while coughing and heaving, some of 'em yelled, "You're lookin' good!" but that's my problem: they were trying to be nice and pry didn't even realize the irony of the cheer they chose to yell.  


And to the fellow racer who looked at me and Brian as she passed and said, VERY snarkily, as we walked, "You know you're in the middle of a triathlon, right?": 

I finished, bitch.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Race Day's Around the Corner ...

It's another gorgeous day and another opportunity to work out, but I'm holding back. I haven't worked out in a week because I've been sick. Now, I'm just about well, but considering I have the Chicago Triathlon Sunday, I can't afford a relapse and am trying to play it safe.

You generally taper yourself before a race, shortening your workouts' duration and intensity closer to the event. I'm dying to get a little something in -- I want to move! And it's stunning outside! -- but if I go harder than I should, I don't have enough time to recover before the big day.

At this point, my race -- .5 mile swim, 14 mile bike and 3.1 mile run -- will be my first workout in a week and a half. We'll see how this goes!

Perk: Two of my longest-time friends and recent triathlete converts will be racing too. I gotta show up!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Are You A Content Strategist?

Since I've been writing and talking about content strategy with my colleagues, I've gotten a surprising amount of feedback.

One feature-writer friend said, "Hey, I think I'm a content strategist!" Another journalist friend directed her journalist friend to my blogs because she suspected she found an alternate name for his newspaper job. Another non-journalist friend had no idea what content strategy was but found it fascinating.

So do you think you're a content strategist? Or do you care enough to click to learn more? Check out the presentation posted today at The Content Wrangler, a blog I check into once in a while. The slideshow's called "Why Every CMO Needs to Know About Content Strategy," but I say you should check it out because of the easy-to-follow overview it gives of content strategy and because, at the very least, you're a consumer and should know how and why businesses deliver information to you, specifically online.

Goal: Resume Control of Dinner Ingredients

I've had a bad cold this week, which means I've pretty much been rendered useless, and by choice; I need to get better, and considering I'm not working full-time, I'll take the rest that I can get! Consequently, I'm not cooking dinners in the evening, a role I've voluntarily and happily assumed three or four days of the week.

When I cook these days, it means I'm using as little packaged food as possible. I'm whipping up recipes impromptu in the store, and our meals are balanced because I want them to be. We've been eating well! And considering Brian and I lost more weight after we'd already established a workout routine, I'm happy to credit the non-processed food goal with that result.

But now I'm sick, which means Brian's in charge of dinner. Brian can whip up mouthwatering three- or four-course meals that require techniques and kitchen tools with foreign names. Middle of the week? Particularly after a really stressful day (typical when you're a trader)? He specializes in a walk to Subway, or like last night, grilling a pre-made bison burger. Not bad at all, but when you're on an anti-pre-made-food streak, it can be hard to stomach. 

Don't get me wrong: I totally appreciate his taking care of me when I'm sick and grilling me a burger. I didn't mention he offered to pick up whatever I needed, and when I refused, still bought me miso soup (my favorite sick food these days) and other treats to make me feel better. And he does indeed make really wonderful food during the week too when the mood strikes.

I just wish it were easier to keep the non-processed trend going.

The funny thing is, it's not like he's totally unhealthy! When we first met, I was shocked that a guy could buy so much organic food or request to order out or make "something healthy" so often. I would eat healthy, but in a low-fat kinda way. I can't say that I always approved of the money he'd drop at Whole Foods on one of his big, special dinners because I didn't see the value.

Now I'm the one encouraging us to spend my unemployment check on organic and fresh foods and, for the most part, resist the indulgences I was always happy to succumb to (specifically Skinny Cow ice cream). I'd rather make the banana bread homemade than buy the fake stuff.

But you can't do that sick.

So here's hoping I get better soon! The next four days entail a second-round interview, celebrating Brian's birthday at Girl & The Goat, being a guest at a wedding and a triathlon. And hopefully, I can resume control of dinner ingredients. :)

Friday, August 20, 2010

Content Strategy to the Rescue: A Look at OnlytheBestinChicago.com

The client I'm supposed to meet with right now just sent me a photo of himself sitting in a hospital bed, thankfully with a can-you-believe-this? smirk on his face and not looking dead.

I have no clue what's going on with poor Walter and assume he's at least somewhat OK given he's texting; hopefully he wasn't on the way to see me when whatever happened happened. Meanwhile, I'm selfishly bummed because I was pretty jacked up and ready to talk about his site, whose content I'll be spiffing up (I think I'll survive the wait).

If you need a host, bartender, coat-checker or anything of the sort for a party, Walter's your guy. But you wouldn't necessarily know that off the bat if you visit his Web site, OnlyTheBestInChicago.com.

Click to enlarge
Take a look at what he's got so far; he has a great start. The design is clean and sophisticated, which is important for his upper-class and corporate clientele; his information is grouped into easy-to-navigate and clearly labeled pages (Home, About Us, Services and Contact Us); and the site doesn't have the type of typos or grammatical errors that complicate his message and are typical in similar small-business copy.

Content Strategy to the Rescue
Yet if I stumbled upon his site, I wouldn't know what his business could do for me unless I had the time to browse the pages -- and you can't assume I do. A strategic changes to the content, however, can help, and he wouldn't even have to change the structure of his site.

Take the home page, for example. The main thing I get from it is that he believes in customer service, is excited to have me visit the site and is dedicated to helping me.

It's all very noble, and those sentiments can definitely have a place on a home page. But what services is he selling? Yes, it says hospitality at the top of the page, but there are a lot of types of hospitality. And where are these services available? If I find his site and am in New Jersey, can this business help me?

Not only are these missing keywords making it difficult for the user to understand what his business can do for him or her, the search engines are equally confused. SEO will definitely be a part of the prescription.

The services page is much more on target in terms of content; a visitor can quickly understand what Walter's business offers, and those keywords help search engines too. That said, I'd like to see a conversational but short introduction to the page reiterating quality and customer service; summarizing the services; and telling me where he can help me -- all in about a sentence or two.

I like the bullet approach but would want to keep the construction parallel. Also, when I talk to him I'm going to see what services fall under the "and much more" category. I'm still wondering how large or small these events can be and who his partners, if any, are. There are other little tidbits to fill in, and all that info --the gist of it, that is -- we can use to clarify the home page too.

When I spoke with Walter initially he mentioned wanting to play up his 15 years of industry experience, which is a great idea for the About Us section. I like this page and think reiterating the team's commitment to quality is important here. Although, off the top of my head though I wonder what those hours are about -- customer service contact hours I assume, because I know his party services do not end at 5 p.m. :)

And finally, I'd like to work on the Contact Us page. I'd want to know as a site visitor what that form is for. Is it to schedule an appointment? Get more information? It says "to be added to a customer list," but at this point, there's no impetus to join any customer list and frankly, it turns me off as a visitor. I want info, not to join your mailing list if I barely know you.

I'm curious about the coding for his site and all other things SEO, and of course I want to know about his goals. Sure I can help him with the copy and strategy as it exists, but we can brainstorm other Web site features and social media reach that might be useful for his business too.

They're some of the many reasons I can't wait to finally get to talk with him -- after he's recovered of course. Content strategy is awesome, but we want him well first.

Related: The Gospel of Content Strategy: The Word's Spreading?

Monday, August 9, 2010

Italy Highlights, Group 3 of 3: Chianti Countryside and Florence

The last of three groups of photo highlights from my Italy trip is ready for your viewing pleasure. There are fewer photos this time around, this time covering Chianti countryside and a few parting shots of Florence.

That might be me riding the boar.

It's been a pleasure sharing. Enjoy this last round.

Links to the other albums:
Group 1 Highlights: Florence and Venice
Group 2 Highlights: Cinque Terre, Lucca, Siena and more of Florence

Sunday, August 8, 2010

I Quit A Race. Am I Un-American?

This morning was the Bangs Lake Multisport Festival, where I registered to do an aquabike --  a 1.5k swim and a 38k bike. I call it Sara's God's Gift to Racing because I don't train on the run well.

As I wrote yesterday, I was totally unprepared for the race but decided to go anyway. I even thought deeply about it, writing that I do races because of motivating factors such as my mother's health problems.

Well, that's deep 'n' shit, but I found out the real reason this morning: they're fun. I could get my health kicks doing myriad physical activities, but you don't get up at 4 a.m. and hit the water before 7 without some enjoyment in the competition and accomplishment.

Lest you get the impression I skipped through the race with a smile on my face and determination this morning, the truth is I chose to only do the swim and ... not finish the race.

GASP! I feel so un-American. Who quits a race? I should be writing about how visions of my mother in pain inspired me to grit through my own mental block and how I knew that I'd feel shitty with a big ol' DNF (did not finish) next to my name in the race results. I should tell you that the pep talks talking to my fellow-athlete friends this week worked.

To a degree they did -- after all, I did show up after weeks of doubt.

I think the decision was technically made for me before I went to Italy, when I realized how far off my training goals were and knew I'd never catch up. When I chose to order three courses at dinner for two weeks and walk around sampling gelato three times a day in lieu of swimming, biking and running (and no, my bike tour through Tuscan countryside -- a clever way of sampling wine and olive oil -- didn't count), I knew I wasn't setting myself up for success this season.

When I woke up this morning, the first thing I thought was, I don't want to do this -- not in a dreadful way, but in a I-don't-care kinda way. The only dreadful thing I could think of was trudging through a race I knew I was capable of doing better.

So why did I even show up? And why did I confirm my registration this week -- already in full-on doubt mode -- after a snafu showed I hadn't yet been charged for the race?

It's because I'm an optimist and have it engrained in me that you should never, ever quit unless it's absolutely necessary. Broken appendages. Malaria. A death in the family the day before. I can't say all the athletes I hang around are hard-core, but they fall into the give-it-your-all group. Heck, even when I say I do races for fun, part of that fun is knowing I've done what I can to put in a good showing, even if only for myself.

People who don't quit are celebrated. People who do quit? I'm guessing they generally don't talk about it unless they have one of aforementioned good excuses.

I'm actually proud of decision because I know this one race doesn't make or break me, just like this off-season of sorts doesn't ruin my chances at future success. But am I afraid a potential client or employer or athletic compadre will read this and think of me as a quitter, someone who can't get over a mental hurdle? Absolutely, even if I have a thousand reasons to defend my decision and character ("I was exhibiting signs of malaria." J/k).

On the shuttle bus to the race start, a cheerful woman sat next to me and asked, "So, are you ready?"

"Actually, no!" I replied. "I haven't really trained, so we'll see how this goes."

"Me too!" she said. "But after all, you do it for fun, right?"

Absolutely. And that's why I will NOT be hopping on that bike, I thought.

I had fun giving it my all at the end of the swim because I knew I didn't have to conserve energy or breath for the bike. I had fun looking down at my watch to see I shaved two and a half minutes off my time. And I had fun packing up my transition area knowing I didn't have to do that hilly ride!

See?  A good time was had by all.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Triathlons: Not Just Because I Want the Finisher's Medal

(No time to fix formatting ... but you can still read text below).


I'm signed up for this year's Chicago Triathlon and tomorrow's Bangs Lake Aquabike, and given this training season has gone to shit thanks to pneumonia, a crazy work schedule and yes (by my choosing), a jaunt to Europe, it's been hard to talk myself into showing up to the starting line for either.


This week's Chicago Triathlon e-newsletter update though forced me to spell out my answer. Event organizers asked for triathletes' special reasons for doing the race. Here's what I sent in:


It's easy to say I do them because they're fun or that I hold a special place in my heart for the post-race food tent (who doesn't love PB&J on white bread?). 

But what keeps me signing up and gets me to the start line -- especially during a year like this one, when I'm less than prepared -- is the thought of not having the ability to do one. 

My mom's disabled, and she couldn't do one if she wanted. There are people who don't have the money to sink into the registration or the gear, and they couldn't do one. 

I figure as long as I have the means and the basic health, I should make the most of it. After all, one day I might not have the ability, and how would I feel knowing I didn't take advantage of the opportunity when I could? 

So, contrary to the reasons I thought I was going to tough it out -- the feeling you get from crossing the finish line, knowing that I at least tried, not wasting the $$$ registration fee, the free swag, the finisher's medal (true to my Gen Y generation!) -- triathlons do have a deeper meaning for me. 
***
As for tomorrow's race, I'm going. The temperature will be in the low 90s (even in the morning), and I haven't been cycling with the necessary intensity to put in a good fight. But, this same race last year was my toughest yet most successful ever (I came in 15th of 60 overall) despite equally high temps, wind and hills I didn't expect. 

I figure if I don't finish I'll know I tried -- and hopefully, they'll let me have a PB&J sandwich too.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Baby Steps to Better Cooking, Courtesy Italy


Since I experienced Italian food, I have a completely new appreciation for ingredients and simple cooking -- and it's not just because I upped my wine consumption.

I've always been a fan of basic dishes -- I'm the person who couldn't follow a recipe if my life depended on it and hates cooking anything with more than five ingredients -- but the country inspired me to get more creative on my own and not stick to the basics I've mastered. This means I walk into the store, pick out a protein based on what looks good, and compose from there. Admittedly I pretend I'm walking around Florence's mercado centrale. And it works!

Last night's example: The catfish filets looked good, which reminded me we wanted to pan-fry fish using Brian's grandmother's skillet. Easy -- throw in little olive oil and garlic and we're done. At the store I decided to pair the fish with roasted vegetables, which I seasoned on-the-spot with garlic powder, onion salt, coriander and mustard powder. For a starch, I took jasmine rice and mixed it with black pepper, coriander, cumin, a little cinnamon and salt.

OK, so maybe it's not Italian, but it's something.

Other dishes since I've been back: homemade pesto with Tuscan bread; homemade bruschetta with Tuscan bread; Tuscan bread with pecorino romano cheese, arugula and truffle oil (mimicking a sandwich I had in Florence); and ... yeah, other things with Tuscan-style bread, and then some.

Last night I used lemon fettucine from the Cinque Terre co-op and tossed it with shrimp, olive oil and garlic I had sauteed. And it was wonderful. I felt Italian! I patted myself on the back.

None of this is original (except for the roasted vegetable seasoning combo) but it's original for me. And I probably wouldn't have gotten to this point if I didn't have as much free time or as flexible of a schedule as I do now. I know I sure don't have enough patience or creative juices left in me at the end of a long work day to walk into a store and let the ingredients guide me.

Until work picks up or I join a company full time, I'm going to try to stick to it. Hopefully food-on-a-whim will become habit. We shall see.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Italy Highlights: Group 2 of 3, Cinque Terre, Lucca, Siena and yes, more Florence

Ciao, ciao

I present to you the second of three groups of Italy highlights. Enjoy!

(See the first group here.)

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Italy Photo Highlights, Part 1 of 3



I took 1,909 photos in two weeks and wittled them down to a digestible 500 for folks' viewing pleasure.

This is the first of three groups. Enjoy.

(I released the second group. See it here.)

The Publishing Question We Need to Stop Repeating

On my way home from the gym today I listened to a BBC World segment on NPR about e-book publishing and how it needs to work itself out: readers need more books, writers need their fair share of royalties and publishing companies need to catch up after all the time spent in denial that e-books would become competition.

Of course I'm always interested in these reports, but inevitably the reporter questions, "Is this the end of publishing as we know it?"

Really? We're still asking that question?

"The end of publishing as we know it," if you're the type to go with such doomsday scenarios, occurred when Joe America gained access to the Internet.

And we're not going to come up with a one-size-fits-all answer to media. Just like magazines filled gaps that newspaper left, technology will continue to fill gaps print leaves behind. And just as I'm going to tap multiple  media  for information -- sometimes print magazines, sometimes the Internet, sometimes and e-book, sometimes a mobile app, to name a few -- one of those forms isn't going to completely disappear.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Too Much "Top Chef?"

I just made reservations to Stephanie Izard's Girl and the Goat for Brian's birthday in August. We liked her food on "Top Chef," which is why we want to go.

Not surprisingly, the menu sounds good, but I gotta admit: all those photos are distracting. They're selling her personality and not the food, which is the part I really care about, even if I really did think she seemed cool personally.

Which makes me wonder about the eatery: Too much girl and not enough goat?

The Gospel of Content Strategy: The Word's Spreading?

I'm happy to report that, in addition to the two people who contacted me about content strategy while I was in Italy, job boards for full-time and temporary work seem to be turning up more content strategy postings, contractual and full time. Can I get an Amen?

Content strategy has been part of my job for years, yet I only began billing myself as a content strategist about 8 months ago. When I launched a job search and expanded my freelancing, I tried to search for such positions, but they were nearly non-existent.

I'd go on interviews, where I realized talking content strategy with chief editors and publishers was an awkward subject, mostly because they couldn't speak to it -- frustrating as a colleague, a content strategist and a job seeker/freelancer. I understand it's a new term, so I'm patient. But the concept is important, so it's really important to me that people "get it."
 
It used to be you just churned copy and put packages of information in one place. For a while now, that hasn't been enough: you have to coordinate all that information across all those channels we're accustomed to: online channels, print outlets, radio and TV.

What you put out there has to be meaningful to people; it has to have value. If the user isn't getting something out of whatever you created (and I don't care if it's the flashiest of Flash designs, the swankiest of podcasts), they're not likely to come back for more, talk about it, remember it, remember you.

When we first started Housing Giants digital publication, we put up a lot of content that was flashy but not value-driven. Gradually, we wisened up on where we spent our resources and limited the fancy interactive elements to what would be really meaningful.

Sounds basic, right? We were blinded by the wonders of technology, so it took us a while to figure out the best way to deliver content to each of our audiences to make them care, as opposed to figuring out the most creative way to put up a pie chart.

That's part of the gospel of content strategists, and all indications are pointing to an uptick in content strategy positions in this evolving discipline. Let's keep those discussions going!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

A Toast to Italian Food: Part I of ???

I'm back from an amazing trip to Italy, and before I write about it, I thought I'd pass along some food photos. After all, that's what this trip was about: Some people tote a sightseeing guidebook; I carried a food lovers' guide to Florence

I had a food rule I was able to follow about 98% of the time: choose restaurants without English on the menu. This usually got me eating surrounded by Italians and tasting the authentic stuff. If I saw the words "pasta with red sauce," I went the other way.

A great thing about Italy is that even crappy food at the bottom of the chain -- at train stations or right at the steps of a well-photographed statue, i.e. restaurants with English menus -- tasted good. Amen to wonderful ingredients!

I summarize my experience this way: At my favorite restaurant, I didn't want to ask for their bruschetta recipe; I wanted to know where they bought their tomatoes.

And without further adieu, a few photos highlights. It's a cruel transition from Italian food to American food. Thankfully I have photos to remind me of all those wonderful bites. Here's part I of ?:


Italians have un caffe -- an espresso -- and a pastry for breakfast, and although I actually missed my whole-grain-cereal-with-fruit breakfast from home, I always had room for this Nutella-filled treat at Cafe Pacskowski (sp?).


I have no clue how many pounds of tomatoes I consumed, but they were all amazing.


One of my first meals at what would become my favorite restaurant, Osteria Antica Mestica in San Niccolo. Clockwise from the right: crostini Toscani, beans in olive oil and what I call "tripe three ways." All are typical Tuscan favorites -- as is the vino della casa.


A working man's lunch near San Lorenzo market: panini with lamprodotto, the second part of the cow's stomach. The sandwich has a spicy red salsa with a parsley sauce on top.


Market special at Mercado Centrale!


A wonderful shrimp, avocado and lemon salad at Fiesolano in Fiesole -- refreshing, beautiful.


Pizza w/ artichoke, ham, porcini mushrooms and olives. Love the thin crust, which is the pretty much the only way I saw it.


"Un cappucino, per favore." I thought they all came with hearts. 'Tis not so!

And there are more, but I'm jet lagged and exhausted. Stay tuned!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Life Is So Good I'm Using a Friggin' Rainbow to Illustrate It

View from our rooftop after tonight's storm

I made two decisions recently:

1) Don't rush into my next job.

2) Book a trip to Italy.

The first comes after realizing I have the means to take the time off, so I'm going to. I have a little bit of a cushion in terms of finances, and I want to take a job that will make me really, really happy and give me what I'm passionate about.

The second is part of the above: Get away! Stimulate the senses! Take an adventure by myself and do what I want!

I booked an apartment for two weeks in Florence to sink my teeth in and use it as a base for day trips. Of course my time is filling up more than I wanted, but I'm doing my best to strike a balance between being on the road and layzing around -- specifically sitting in a cafe wearing a cute outfit while sipping an espresso, people watching and and writing my travel thoughts on napkins.

That's what I like to do when I travel. I don't have to be digesting a textbook worth of history or get led around by a jovial tour guide, although both can be fun. Instead, my number one goals it to find a neighborhood cafe that will become part of my daily routine -- a place where I can scribble (I'm constantly composing in my head when I travel solo) and then photograph it before I leave. The photo will inevitably stand in whatever my next work desk is, and I'll think back to those carefree hours I spent composing and drifting and daydreaming about Brian back home.

I'm going without Brian because, on a basic level, I have the time off of work for vacation and he doesn't. But I didn't let the sad thought of being without him for two weeks (did I mention I tear up when I think about it for more than 10 seconds?) stop me from going  because I need an adventure. He's still invited but not without my getting time to myself to do what I want and just.get. lost. I used to travel solo all the time! And while I wouldn't trade my travels with Brian for anything, I miss going at it on my own.

I might look back on 2010 and say the year I turned 30 was crazy: illness, a layoff, a bad-fit job, a spur-of-the-moment trip to Italy and who knows what else. But it's all good, and for that I'm lucky. Heck, getting laid off worked well because I wanted to move on in my career and hadn't found a job worth quitting for; getting so sick convinced me to eat organically as much as possible and get off the cray triathlete track; and that job that didn't work out told me to reject a position that didn't have what I'm passionate about: creative editorial.

Of course, my good attitude wouldn't be possible without the financial turnaround I experienced in the past year, supportive friends and the most encouraging boyfriend you could possibly imagine. Yeah, a year ago, my debt was so high God only knows what job I would have stuck with just to pay the bills. And those friends who I consider family? They said "Good for you!" and "I'm impressed!" when I told them I chose unemployment and devoted a chunk of my severance to Italy.

I never had to defend myself. You know how big of a difference that makes? It means not sounding stressed when I tell my story, walking taller and sleeping better at night. It's nice when you don't have to take a fuck-ya'll-I'm-doin'-it-and-I'll-prove-it's-the-right-move mentality.

Brian wants me to do what will make me happy and has supported me 1000%.  How could I not walk on air when I have him behind me? I leave the country knowing we keep getting stronger -- and this will make us stronger too.

So despite being a little in flux, life is good, and I'm genuinely happy.

2010 Part II: Bring It On.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

A Toast To New Beginnings, Version 2.5.2

I last posted weeks ago about getting a new job. Since then, I've been working really long hours and giving my all, leaving me little time to workout or see Brian, let alone blog.

Here's my update: last week I gave my two weeks notice. That's crazy!, I hear you say. I think so too. The truth is, I took the job and realized the job responsibilities are not what I understood them to be -- and what I thought I wanted just didn't feel right.

It's no one's fault. The team and I interviewed each other, asking a zillion questions with growing excitement each time we were on the same page. Due diligence was done.

I just had to start the job to realize it wouldn't be right. Specifically: I need to have ownership of creative projects, such as creating editorial packages with lots of visuals and interactive elements. My current job has me brainstorming and helping other people do that until a special project happens to come along.

There were other permanent aspects of the job that wouldn't change that influenced me too. To make sure I wasn't just reacting on emotion -- the learning curve for the position is steep and the first couple weeks are overwhelming -- I consulted with mentors, talked to friends in HR, held proactive conversations with my managers and even quantified my unhappiness (I have a great formula, btw, if you're ever considering leaving a job).

I'm confident in my decision but regret the stress it'll put on the team and the money the company lost in training me. It was an investment in my time and emotion too. No one wants to quit in a situation like this.

But it was the right move, one that I've been told is much more common than I realize. And I'm psyched I know what I'm passionate about and what gets me ticking (visual, visual, visual -- and hopefully content dealing with food, Chicago or something of the sort).

Upward and onward: it'll work out! Maybe now I can tackle that list ...

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

I have a job!

This is old news to my close friends but news to the blog: I have a job! And it's a great one, in a dream work environment, with people who I want to hug when I see. Starting Monday I'll be an editor at Imagination, a custom publisher and content marketing agency in the city, right on the foodie street no less.

What I love about this position is that it combines my project management and editing skills with my multimedia background and interests. The client I'm working on is kick-ass, too.

It was a serendipitous series of events that I won't detail now, but it all worked out, and that's what's awesome.

Wish me luck!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

My rules for being unemployed

So you might have been able to tell that I'm a pretty happy camper thus far about my company's shuttering last Friday. Still the case! That said, the sun won't shine forever (this week's rays have brightened up the world even more), and I'm more than aware that all this free time that comes with freedom could potentially lead to boredom, laziness and bumminess. I don't want to get to that point! So I set a few personal guidelines for myself:

  • Don't stay up past 11 p.m. during the week. This is key in getting enough sleep while not overspending time in bed, part of my next goal;
  • Don't stay in bed mid-week past 8 a.m. I don't want to find my day out of whack and wasted. And the closer to normal my schedule is now, the easier it'll be for me to go back to work. 
  • No daytime TV! OK, there will be exceptions, I'm sure, but I don't want to become a couch potato. Too much of that, for me personally, is a slippery slope to unhealthiness. 
All that means that I will be keeping busy. Here's my list of what to do if I find myself waning on ideas:
  • Make a job contact or connection every weekday. Alternatively, do something proactive toward a new position every day. While covering a work/life conference for HR professionals, one speaker said she recommends job searchers "cast a pebble" each day, the theory being that pebbles that fall into water make ripples, and the more ripples, the more possibilities for a new job. I don't want to overstress myself -- there are plenty of sags in momentum that can leave you with downtime -- but I want to make sure my efforts are consistent and quality.
  • Work out every day (or at least 6 times a week). And if my muscles are recovering from a hard workout, do something light -- pilates, yoga, a walk -- instead of forgoing a workout altogether. I've got time to be healthy; gotta make the most of it!
  • Stop ordering takeout because we're lazy. I have a kitchen at my fingertips for lunch and time and energy to cook a healthy dinner instead of ordering out. We love to eat at restaurants socially, on our date night or at the end of a hard week. Those ocassions are fine, but takeout for laziness no more.
  • Eat organic. This and my previous goal force me to experiment with new foods and recipes. I'm all for it!
  • Work on my children's book. My recent trip to Virgin Gorda inspired new story developments to plug into my tale of Lucy the island chicken that couldn't get up the roost. Again, I've got the time; I should use it!
  • Connect with friends, take care of random shit (like switching my car title to my name), and everything else I feel time-crunched to do during a normal job schedule.
You might have noticed I didn't include any measures to promote my income. I have at most, if needed, four months of pay coming and savings, so I'm blessed to not feel panicky about that at the moment. 

I've already hit several on my checklist today and the other days, so so far, so good. Now, you'll have to excuse me, but it's time to make another recipe from www.eatbetteramerica.com. :)

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Great news! Who wants to meet me for lunch?

I know I'm on a blog diet, but every diet needs to be broken a little; I've got news!

Last Friday, they shuttered our company -- 23 trade magazine titles -- and gave us a few hours to wrap up business. The closing wasn't a shock internally -- we'd been for sale in some form or another for more than two years because our parent didn't want to operate advertising-based publications -- but the immediacy of it was. Externally, a media conglomerate like ours shuttering in this way rocks the publishing world. 

That said, I woke up the next day and felt great. And I still do! At work I had mustered as much enthusiasm and positivity as I could (and my colleagues did the same) day after day, rumor after rumor -- seemingly a new one every day for almost four months -- of the inevitable closure. Operating with that morale is horrible, even when you have wonderful people to work with.

I had taken the CEO's hint when he sent out a memo New Year's Eve that told us to prepare our resumes; I also began preparing for a job search before that when it was clear my new roles weren't in line with my career goals.

So I've been in a hard-core job search for months and even turned down a couple offers, realizing I have the luxury of being picky; the great part about being part of a huge company is that you're exposed to a lot of different forms of media. We weren't perfect by any means, but I can call myself a multimedia content strategist when other journalists and their companies are just scratching the surface. My point is, I've got talent, which gives me confidence in matching up with a sharp, innovative company.

I'm doing better than many of my colleages.

Many have been with my company for decades, many are brand-loyal and many were totally happy with their job other than the whole for-sale-limbo thing -- they made the commitment to stick it out until the end and hopefully get picked up "on the other side," the term that came around to describe whatever owner buys out the individual brands and needs to reassemble a team. Many of my coworkers are also ready to send kids off to college and have that huge expense to worry about.

As you can see, I'm the opposite: different career goals, no kids to support, already in a job search, mentally prepared for a change. Add that to 60-days pay including benefits plus two months of severance, and I'm good! 

So what will I do with my time off? There are a couple big ifs: I might be called back to help with a project, and I might get a job (I just had a second interview w/ an association that would be great to work for and simultaneously heard from a company I'd love to work, too). Two huge, big ifs.

If they don't pan out? I got a visa to visit friends in Austrlia, and I intend to continue to rebuild my immune system by cooking organic, working almost every day, revising my children's book, job searching, networking, taking care of random stuff such as getting my car's title transferred to my name (finally), volunteering again with Inspiration Corporation and sitting on my ass by the lakefront while taking in some sunshine. :D If I have more time, I might do some more travel.

I have a lot to look forward to and feel like I've been given a gift. I haven't decided if I'll update this blog regularly, but at some point I'm sure I will.

Now, who wants to meet for lunch?

Monday, April 5, 2010

The blog diet begins

 I want to be doing what he's doing!

Well, folks, it's time for a break. I'm going to give this blog a formal rest and come back to it later, kinda like what I do to a story when I have writer's block, although that's not an entirely accurate comparison. I know what I want to say; it's just when to say that gets me.

My story -- my life -- is actually quite busy, but I can't stand knowing that the few friends who check this blog know I don't update it. And that stresses me out (even if I know it makes no difference to them). Good thing I don't promote it and thus worry about SEO, tracking stats, etc., as I do with my professional work -- then I'd really have an audience to worry about leaving.

I have plenty to say, and I constantly think about how I want to say it! I still want to tell you about our L20 experience, and share my thoughts about New York, and update you on all the great food we had on vacation in Virgin Gorda.

I have yet to share with you my Health Action Plan of 2010, and fill you in on my still-unsuccessful triathlon training thanks to my still bothersome health, and describe my frustrations with going to work full-time while taking a class that actually requires reading, writing and homework (Marketing 201) while dealing with all of the above.

Yeah, and then there's the job search. I haven't told you about that yet.  That keeps me busy, too.

And the photos! I have tons of photos of new recipes and great meals to post -- all taken with a new camera. I haven't gotten around to that yet, have I?

Work. Class. Triathlon. Health. Job search. Relationships.

So I'm going to take this off my plate -- for now. You know how I love full plates; I always have to share. That time will come again soon, but until then, the blog diet begins. 

Keep me posted on you! And talk soon.

I feel better already.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Soon TK

Soon to come (TK, for those of you in the publishing biz): 
-- the L20 experience for our anniversary dinner last week
-- a little bit about a Chicagoan in New York. Working title: "Great place! Now slow the f*** down!"

MISSING: IMMUNE SYSTEM; REWARD IF FOUND

MISSING: IMMUNE SYSTEM
 29YO, F, HEALTHY EATER, TRIATHLETE
MISSING IMMUNE SYSTEM SINCE JAN. 1, 2010.
RESPONDS TO "DAILY VITAMIN," "ECHINACEA GOLDENSEAL" AND "FRUITS AND VEGETABLES"
IF FOUND, PLEASE CONTACT AUTHOR OF THIS POST.
***REWARD***

I'm sending a plea to my missing immune system to come back or be found. Since coming down with pneumonia, I've been wooing it with tons of fruits and vegetables and rest. Alas, I find myself sick with a sinus infection again. Where did my immune system go? When will it return? And what is this delicate line between pushing yourself and overdoing it?

As I train during race season I face that quandry all the time. Striking the balance between going hard -- either in duration, intensity or schedule-wis --and consequently getting a little sore or tired and going hard and getting injured or worn down to the point of being unhealthy constantly plague me. I generally can avoid the latter. Apparently not any more.

My definition of "going hard" has changed. I last wrote about how great it was to do yoga/pilates/core work for an hour in the mornings, and then last week I resumed swimming followed by core work at the gym. That was fine, until an overnight trip to New York. On day two, I hit a wall and felt really exhausted, despite getting a full night's sleep. And then I sat on a delayed plane for a couple hours and inhaled airplane air.

Whatever the cause -- not being able to handle New York's fast paced with still-recovering lungs or sitting on that plane -- I'm sick now. I hate this.

We have a dream vacatin planned less than a week away, and I want to be healthy by then, dammit. I have five days to feel better.

I'm considering wearing a mask during the flight. Sounds crazy, but apparently I can't risk it. This sucks!

Sunday, March 7, 2010

The slow lane

I'm back at it. This whole week I woke up early to do an hour of core work, and I'm happy to report that I haven't lost everything. In fact, when it comes to yoga/pilates/core work, my strength is there, it not a little shaky at first.

And then there's the endurance part. Yesterday I got in the pool for the first time in almost two months, and in one sense, it went much better than I expected. Freestyle was good; breathing in on my side followed by several strokes breathing out allowed me to take shallow, quick breaths -- as I usually do -- and swim fairly easily. Backstroke, in which my breathing isn't as controlled and uses my full lung capacity, wasn't so good.  My lungs burned and I had to stop to let them calm down.

That was all in the first 10 min., and slowly I made it through just over 40 min. of swimming. Granted, I wasn't going hard or fast, and I had to stop to rest frequently (if only for a few seconds), but I kept it up. Swimming slowly really allowed me to focus on my storke, so that's a plus

The weird thing is that the burning I'm describing had nothing to do with my asthma -- which has been really bad lately -- or anything cardiovascular. My muscles weren't tired and my energy level was good. I just couldn't fill my lungs up with air as much as I wanted -- or needed.

The plan was to try to go to spin tomorrow just to get back on the bike -- I wouldn't expect to keep up. Knowing what I know about cycling and its requiring my lung capacity, I don't think it's a good idea.

I'll get there. I guess it's just going to take a while.

***

I've been scouting what my sprint triathlon would be -- the one I want to have early in the season, June. I'm not so sure it's a good idea at this point. Provided I'm able to go decently hard beginning in April, I'll only have two and a half months. I'd technically be able to complete it, but my time will suck, and I'll get mad about it. Not sure how this'll play out.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Back in the saddle (sort of)

Progress has been made! Not only did I survive the first week back at work post-pneumonia, but my muscles feel like they need a workout, which makes me smile because that's how I feel when I'm healthy; with this whole February sickness, going through the motions of a normal day was tiring enough. Quite the contrasts for a crazy woman who's used to 5 a.m. swims, bikes and runs.

I'm going to start with doing yoga, pilates and core work for a little bit at home and build up from there. I'd love to be back in the pool in a week, but we'll see how it goes.

Another indicator I'm getting better: I think I'm back to needing a workout in my daily routine to sleep well.

Feeling like me is a good thing. 

Update to www.SaraZailskas.com

I updated www.SaraZailskas.com this week to make sure I included the words content strategy on the home page and services page.

Content strategy involves deciding the best way to present information: What kinds of content? Which media? Which audiences? I'm a content strategist, which means I know how to brainstorm, plan, create and package information to tell the story -- and get deliverable results. I've been doing it for a while, and not many have. Gotta promote it!

I also write, edit and manage projects, too. Hopefully, the site conveys all that in 50 words or less. :)

***

Several people have asked me who designed my Web site, and I'm thrilled to thank (and recommend!) Paula Grishman of Graphica29. Paula was my art director on our award-winning digital magazine Housing Giants, which she took from solid to striking. She's also amazing to work with: extremely creative, open-minded, a good listener and a good negotiator. What can I say -- I hire the best! :)

Now I get it: The Rick Bayless craze

I've heard Rick Bayless' name associated with the word genius for a while now, but I've never tasted his food until this week when we went to Frontera Grill. Honestly, I wondered not if his food is over-hyped but by how much.

I get it now.

Those were my words after my first bite into the first appetizer that came out, goat enchiladas, aka Enchiladas de Barbacoa de Chivo. The dish features a "Mexican-style chile sauce," and I wish I knew spices well enough to name them all. All you need to know is that they were smooth, complex and perfectly balanced, which I wouldn't necessarily expect from any type of Medican chile sauce.

And the goat: I've had goat before in African restaurants, and it always tasted a little gamey and was often a little tough. Of course Bayless' farm-raised goat was perfectly tender and flavorful. I imagine the goat sacrificing itself for the Rick Bayless cause.

We also tried the ceviche trio and for mains ordered the duck breast with Oaxacan mole (on the side: a fantastic helping of sauteed spinach and fritters) and cilantro trout with a guajillo-laced sauce. That was my dish, and it was just what I was in the mood for: something really flavorful that didn't get its punch from a heavy, greasy sauce. The smokey green beans and cheesy garlic mashed potatoes hit the spot, too. (See the menu for more details).

Given my love for food and trying restaurants with Brian, you'd think I would have made a beeline years ago to Frontera or Topolobompo -- especially considering they're couple miles away from where we live. Not only am I not one to rush out to something just because of a name, but until recently I didn't think I liked regional Mexican cuisine that much, mostly because I had had some overpriced moles at a restaurant and didn't like 'em. But I'm coming around -- flash back to my two trips to Mixteco Grill in January -- and having world-class preparation definitely helps.

I may or may not have bounced around in my seat when we potted Bayless in the kitchen. When you eat something that good, how can you not get star struck?

This isn't a groudbreaking discovery in the world of foodies, I know. For me, Frontera was an education -- and a damn good meal.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

WE'VE GOT RESERVATIONS AT SCHWA

After one and a half months and one missed call, I finally got us reservations at Scwha. It's the dream we've been chasing -- the dream to return for Brian and I, to experience it for his brother Patrick -- with reservation nightmares.

If you don't know Schwa, take some time to get to know the story of wonder, a nervous breakdown, a hiatus and back to wonder.

It used to be that you'd call and have to book out months in advance. And calling to get a hold of someone to take your reservation was nearly impossible, thanks to the fact that five (I think it's five) people run the entire place. That was Brian's experience a year ago. Now, you have to call and either 1) listen to a repeated "Voicemail Box Full" message day after day or 2) Leave your information for a reservation request for the following month and pray you're around to get the call when it does come -- weeks later.

You'll hear stories about how to talk to someone. "Call between 2 and 3 -- that's when Michael Carlson told me he answers the phone." "Call around noon, when they'll likely clear out the voicemail box." "Try showing up in the afternoon."

Nothing worked. But I did get a call.

I missed that call while I was on a business trip. The message I left detailed my name, phone number, the number of people in the party and the date we'd prefer, along w/ the note that we were totally flexible. The message they left weeks later came from what sounded like either a boy who was 12 or a man who was stoned (maybe both?) and it went like this:

"Hi, this is Schwa returning your call. If there's anything we can do for you, please give us a call back."

What the fuck.

It's maddening, of course. I left another message and eventually stopped trying. Then I came down with the flu and pneumonia and forgot about it entirely.

Lo and behold, Michael Carlson himself called today to tell me -- surprise! -- I was on a wait list for tonight (really?) and could come any time I wanted. Tonight. "Oh  my God!" I said. "We'll be in!" Then I remembered our long-standing Frontera reservations, and the fact I'm still not up for alcohol, and that we'd have to check with Patrick. A lot of ifs. But the pressure! He talked at high speed and was very nice, but he wanted a decision, and he wanted one now.

I found out he was currently eating at Frontera as he returned me call. He promised Schwa would be amazing. I told him I already knew that.

Thankfully it hit me to slow the fuck down and ask questions. Turns out there were two weeknight reservations in March and I ended up getting one on St. Patrick's Day.

We hung up. Then I used my inhaler.

This is way too stressful of an experience. Their system is horrible!Yet they know they can do it because they're that good, and people will call, and they will phone-stalk the place. We liken it to the best dining experience. Ever.

Hopefully the stress is till worth it.

***
Yup, we've got reservations at Frontera Grill tonight -- my first time, Brian's second or third -- for our Tuesday Night.

It feels good to be getting back to normal life, even if it is still in slow motion.