Switching from Editor to Content Strategist? Consider These Questions First

Content strategy is a hot term, and consequently it's become a hot job and job skill. Plus, companies are using -- and hiring -- content strategists, and those companies are generally outside of publishing. That means they pay better.

Throw all those factors in, and editors might start to wonder whether life as a full-time content strategist is right for them.

I wrote a blog post for the American Society of Business Publication Editors addressing the questions editors should consider before making the switch. Of course, the list applies to anyone. Read on.

What's Going On

Here's the latest and greatest, without prose:

* Wedding plans are going swimmingly.
* I decided to do the Pleasant Prairie tri a week before the race and set a personal record of 1 hour, 23 minutes. (The perfect weather helped.)
* My posts for ASBPE on content strategy have led a few association trade pubs to interview me.
* My dad's cancer has turned aggressive. We're hoping that he can still have necessary surgery to remove his bladder now that he's had a mini-stroke -- from which he's recovering magnificently, btw.
* Food is still fun.
* I'm doing my best.

More at some point.

Strength to All

My cousin's wife passed away less than 24 hours ago. I can't imagine what's going through his head, or what their two sons (12 and 15 or so -- clearly old enough to know what's going) are feeling. I can't imagine, and I don't want to imagine.

I hadn't seen them in years; family schedules just didn't mesh, and admittedly, priorities didn't either -- and there's no blame on anyone's end. Our family's complicated. But just because we aren't close doesn't mean I can't feel horrible for the tragedy they're going through.

We found out about five weeks ago that Cindy had cancer -- I think it was of the liver, bones, and brain. Whatever it was, it moved fast.

She had battled breast cancer twice before, and then this.

So, I'm holding Brian tighter tonight, and I'm sending prayers their way. Wine might be involved.

God, I hate this wretched disease.

Brian's Food

I, 23 Times Removed

Oops. It's been a few weeks since I've written. That's because I haven't really wanted to detail the New Bad News -- how my cousin's wife had cancer of the liver, bones, and brain diagnosed a month ago -- and the Formerly Bad but Good News, that my aunt had surgery because they suspected she had cancer (pre-cancerous growths, in the end, but not there yet). Who wants to hear all that? Not me. It's in my head already.

But since then things have been OK. And tonight I come off of three really good things:

1) A fantastic weekend with my eternally energetic, intellectual, ALIVE friend Cynthia. Cupcakes, multiple ethnic foods, and a play that -- of course -- was about sex and artistic men.

2) My first lecture and assignment for an advanced personal essay class.

3) Feedback from my managers that people are happy with me at work.

I'm still sorting through that compelling play -- mainly why I'm so attracted to it. The class, which I just signed into, is top of mind.

I recently wrote my friend Laura about this class, and she wrote back telling me how she admired I get excited about "assignments." I see it as someone challenging me to do something I love in a different way.

The first assignment is to write like a Joan Didion passage we read as part of our lecture: to write in first person without using "I."

I'm scared by this. I'd like to think that when I had my blog (no, I will not link to it, and even if I wanted to I couldn't) I avoided saying "I", and I think I did. But since then? I, I, I, I, I. This instructor managed to pinpoint why I've hated my writing for years. I couldn't figure it out.

In case you wondered, I used "I" 24 times prior to this sentence.

Let's see how "I" can reign that in.

Trying to Eat Healthy and Exercise Regularly? Ideas on How to Make It Work (And It Starts with Becoming Disciplined)

I had this weird stretch in my last job in which colleagues -- even ones I didn't know -- were constantly commenting on what I was eating, which usually wasn't fried, like their food, and was a smaller portion, unlike theirs. It got so bizarre that one woman who saw me filling up my water bottle with half-hot water, which is just something I do, turned to me and said, "See, that's why you're skinny. I'm gonna do that if you're doing that so I can be skinny too."

By the time she had said this to me, I had been facing comments for months, and I'd had enough. So I just told her, "I'm thin because I work out five days a week in the morning and I make sure to eat well 90% of the time," and I left the room.

I still am often asked what I do to stay at a healthy weight, albeit in much more normal and tactful? flattering? way. And I answer with the same basic answer: I eat healthy and exercise regularly.

Then, I usually end up listening to the person -- who knows very well that healthy food and exercise is important and who has the means to improve their lifestyle -- list excuses about why they're not doing either.

It's frustrating because they often make the assumption I don't face similar challenges  -- and that's what they are: challenges, not obstacles. Just because you don't have time for whatever reason to get a workout in doesn't mean you can't eat well. Just because you are on the road a lot and forced to eat restaurant food doesn't mean you can't make healthy decisions.

That's what it boils down to: constantly making decisions every time you go to eat and figuring out how to fit in exercise -- weighing good, bad, and ugly choices; thinking about it strategically; and being responsible.

Here's the best advice I can give to someone trying to be healthy for whatever end goal and trying to get into a sustainable routine. Because we all know it has to be sustainable to work, right?

• Stop the excuses. Find a way around the challenge, because there is one. Hitting a road block? Ask a friend for ideas or consult the Google machine.
• Devote money to your food budget. The sad thing about our society is that food that is bad for you is cheap and easy to put in the cart. If it means spending less money on gifts to people, entertainment, clothes, etc., do what you need to shift that money. Accept the sacrifice for the commitment.
• When you can't get a full workout in or go the gym, look for time you can take to do something elsewhere in your day -- stretching, lifting, walking, etc. Or accept a shorter workout and go to the gym anyway. Just get there or get moving so you can look at it as an accomplishment: I had no time to do X, but I made time to do Y.
• When you're not motivated and know you should work out, tell yourself that anything you do -- even if it's an easier or shorter workout -- is better than nothing.
• Can't workout at all? Make sure to eat healthy.
• Learn how to shop for food -- and keep easy-to-cook ingredients on hand for when you don't have time.
• Wondering what easy-to-cook ingredients are? Google them. 
• Make the right decision in the moment. Forced to eat takeout? Be that customer who asks for the grilled chicken sandwich without the cheese and mayonaise. 
• Except you're going to have to get creative on how to add flavor to food that isn't fried or covered in butter or mayonaise. 
• Don't cook at home with butter. If you must use butter, use actual butter, fat and everything. And don't go crazy on it. 
• Plan what you're going to eat or do for exercise for the week or that day.
• Then have a backup plan when life inevitable comes in the way.
• Give yourself options
• Use those options: variety is the key so you don't get bored, so you can react when your plan's foiled, and so your body is happy (cross training, different foods all work differnt muscles or provide diff. nutrients).
• Don't try to go cold turkey on anything food related. You'll torture yourself, and it's unrealistic. The point is to learn how to enjoy things like birthday cake and not go crazy -- either by overindulging or denying something you really, really enjoy.
• Don't set unrealistic goals you can't accomplish or follow-through on. Think short-term, or baby steps, and build on from there.
• Pay attention to how full you are.  Stop eating when you hit that point. If you're still hungry, eat. 
• Listen to your body. Think about how you feel and what you did that day that might be affecting you.
• Cook at home. Don't know how to cook? Learn how to boil water, make scrambled eggs, open a bag of frozen vegetables, etc. Even if you don't like to cook, determine what you need to do to avoid having takeout or restaurant food at every meal.
• If you're in the happy-to-splurge mode -- say, at a party or dinner with friends -- and are offered something that tastes bad, don't eat it and move on to something else.
• Save your calories for the good stuff.
• Talk about exercise and healthy food with people. Keep trying if you have a hard time finding like-minded folks.
• Make being healthy what you're known for. 
• Read labels; get educated; read the pamphlets HR hands out or your doctor talks about. Eat those foods. If it sounds bad, i.e. I can't imagine a baked potato without a slab of butter, find ways to (naturally) add flavor. 
• AVOID PROCESSED FOODS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. Just do it, and you'll see. 
• Don't overdo it and become too concerned that it stresses you. This can be hard once you get into it, but trust me, you don't want to drive yourself nuts.
• Find what works for you -- what makes you feel healthy and satisfied that you're doing something and are showing improvement.

I know I'm writing this with a lot of attitude, and it's mainly because of my beef with American society's food culture. My hope is that the people asking me for advice take a hard look at the areas you CAN control and can improve and go after them. Take ownership of your lifestyle!

While I recovered from pneumonia and could barely cross the room without losing my breath, I tried yoga. I was really doing very basic stretches for short periods of time, but I felt like I was doing what I could, as frustrated as I was.

Are you doing what you can?

MAKE THIS PIZZA NOW

I am proud to share this super-easy pizza recipe for your indulgence. I love the olive oil and garlic base and the kick that the roasted poblanos give. I made it using leftovers from bison burgers we had one night, but I'll share how to get those ingredients too. Many thanks to my Facebook friends for their ideas that finished it off!
Here we go:


BISON PIZZA

1 whole wheat pizza crust, ready-made
10-12 slices provolone
1/2 lb. ground bison, cooked, sprinkled with just a touch of seasoning (we used Cavender's)
caramelized onions
mushrooms that are sauteed with olive oil and S&P in the same pan that was used for the onions
1 poblano pepper, coated with olive oil, roasted and chopped
3 cloves chopped garlic
olive oil


1) Preheat your oven according to the pizza package instructions and prepare the bison, onions and mushrooms
2) Brush the crust with olive oil and sprinkle on the garlic
3) Top the pizza with the caramelized onions, mushrooms, poblano peppers, and cooked ground bison
4) Layer the provolone on top
5) Bake until crust just starts to crisp, about 9 min. for us.

It's heaven. Enjoy.

I believe that everyone should have a right to go to the bathroom privately and comfortably. I even feel for dogs, who are forced to go to the bathroom not just in public, but in front of their owner. Have you ever seen a dog look up happily at its owner -- watching with an eagle eye! -- while it squats? No, you haven't, because that dog is humiliated.

I bring this up because we found out this week that my dad's bladder cancer might be making a comeback. It was diagnosed a couple years ago, when he began frequent bacterial treatments that caused him a lot of pain. The treatments flushed really strong bacteria through his bladder, which makes peeing painful and even dangerous if he's not careful; he has to disinfect the toilet after he goes.

Going to the bathroom essentially had to take over his life. But then they started weaning him off and had switched him to a 6-month schedule. What they were doing was basically maintaining it, keeping it at bay. I could tell he wasn't running to the bathroom as often. I'm not sure if he was in pain.

Unfortunately, in his words, "the plumbing didn't start to work" right again, and in those 6 months, several growths developed. Now we're waiting to hear back if the tumors are malignant or cancerous.

I think at some point I read that bladder cancers are contained and that the worst-case scenario is a bag. That's certainly better than a lot of other alternatives, and believe me, we've been thankful this has been manageable and he's been able to maintain a pretty normal life. We don't ignore that.

But I would hate to have my dad go through all this again. I hate that going to the bathroom for him is difficult and could become a major part of his life. I feel the same way for a friend who's dealing with rectal cancer (hi, Beth).

They're both doing brilliantly and prove that you really can handle what life gives you, even when it comes to matters of the bathroom. But that doesn't mean that I like it and don't get angry they have to go through it.

Hopefully while I'm angry for the situation, some cosmic or karmic forces are making them both at ease so it's easier to focus on getting healthy.

An Anniversary Toast to MK

We celebrated our four-year anniversary this week at MK, what I've always heard of as an "institution to Chicago dining." Brian's been there a bunch of times, and pretty much everyone in our little foodie group has too. Because of it, it's never at the top of our list;when you live in a city with new -- good! - restaurants popping up every time Tom Skilling says "lake effect," the oldies but goodies take a back seat.

I don't know what it was like when it opened 10 years ago and don't have multiple visits to compare to. But I will say it's worthy of its reputation. I love MK, and here's why:

• The food's just as innovative as some of the new folks' in town, which says a lot for a 10-year-old restaurant. Sure, there are a couple dishes that have been on the menu since the beginning (I hear the MOST AMAZING EVER (!) truffled frittes are one of 'em) but this place has changed with the times.
•  The staff were awesome and had a sense of humor, which really can make or break your meal, no mattter how great the food is. The staff at L20 last year were about as stuffy and stiff as you could get, and while Nomi's crew, for example, were extremely nice and knowledgeable, they were quite reserved. On the flipside, two cocktails, and glass full white and red wine later, we invited our MK servers to our wedding. It's completely ridiculous and not going to happen, but in the moment, it was a brilliant idea. When you laugh and joke with people all night long, it makes the meal all the sweeter.
• And the decor is awesome. It's warm yet contemporary. Wood beam ceilings, exposed brick but then contemporary tables and colors and whatnot. Really cool and comfortable. Yet ..
• There's brilliance in dressing up for dinner yet still being comfortable -- making a special meal an affair, a cause for celebration. They say all this on their home page. I love it, as these days, all we seem to do is dress down more and more. That's great, but it doesn't mean dressing up can't have it's place too.

Whenever people ask me for recs, I'm tempted to name the hottest spot or a relatively hot spot. This will be top of mind from now on.

What We've Been Eating, January 2011

Here's a snapshot of our meals from January 2011. Some were no-recipe wonders, others borrowed from cookbooks, some combined leftovers with new ingredients. Enjoy!

I heart this dish! I added some fish sauce, sesame oil and oyster sauce to soba noodles and mixed in shrimp, ginger and vegetables. 

Mmm: My mom's oxtail soup. I just read that oxtails today aren't really the tails of an ox but instead cow parts. I know she's been buying the same meat for this soup for decades based on what her mom bought, and given the fact she doesn't shop at a shi-shi grocery store, I'm thinking it's the real thing. Regardless, she gets a kick out of the fact that oxtail is trendy; it's been a staple for peasants for years. 

One of the items on our wedding menu is an amazing korean bbq pork roast. Brian duplicated it pretty darn well last week and made an Asian-inspired slaw and AMAZING garlic mashed potatoes, his own special recipe. 

I barely remember this, but I know that the sauce on top is actually pureed vegetables with rosemary, leftovers from another dinner. I took leftover potatoes that had been sliced, baked, salted and sprinkled with thyme and mixed it with more vegetables, then topped it with the puree. To use Brian's favorite phrase, it was "actually pretty good."

How a Content Strategist and Information Architect Work Together

If you're going to practice content strategy, you can't not incorporate information architecture.

ASBPE asked me to write a blog about just this. Without further adieu, here's a snapshot into how a content strategist and information architect can work together. (And no, I didn't write the headline.)

And She Wrote and She Wrote and She Wrote

I really want to try to write more.

Years ago, I wrote all the time. I was prolific! I had a blog, the MorningAfter Blog, that tackled dating and relationships and people and all things universal. It was popular and I enjoyed it.

But then it wasn't fun anymore. I got into a relationship and realized, for the moment, I had shared enough with the world. I wanted to be private and give up being public. I didn't want a "beat."

Since then, I've tried to get into topics -- food, triathlons, etc. -- without feeling passionate about it. And I still feel that way most of the time.

But something today has gotten me going, and I'm hoping it's not a fluke. Writing's been on my mind a lot, and I'm considering dropping a lot of money in a time when I'm spending way too much (wedding! hel-lo!) just to take a class on personal essays that would require me to write and put me in a position to improve how I do it too.

If I dig deeper, it's easy for me to point to my friend Cynthia, who recently took up a new blog and a new writing class and has thus reminded me of what I used to be like. We worked together as editors in a tiny newsroom serving a big geographical area, and then after we parted jobs chose to take a writing class together too. I associate writing with her, and if she starts back up, maybe I need to start back up too.

Even if the best thing we got out of that last writing class was the phrase "Hershey Kiss nipples." You don't need to know the story; that will suffice.

I'm preparing to dig back in.

I Will Tri This Year -- Maybe

It's been a full year since my triathlon training went haywire because of the Great Sickness of 2010. I could link to it but honestly don't feel like digging up the pneumonia-filled memories that plagued my life and my blog for several months.

Anyway, when I became sick, I had to recover and get my lungs back up to speed. Even after a few months I wasn't a sure thing, and my triathlon last August was pretty miserable: after a great swim my asthma kicked in -- likely because of the chest cold I had fought the week before -- and I ended up walking/trotting the run and promptly getting escorted to the medic tent when I crossed the finish line.

Prior to that, I full out quit a race in the middle of it because I just didn't want to race.

I haven't been excited about triathlons.

So it kinda surprised me and Brian when I signed up for a triathlon I swore I'd never do again, Pleasant Prairie.

I realized I'm already practicing three sports in my workout routine and have accepted, because I"m not really training, my time won't be as good. And that's OK. Admittedly, I also wanted to make sure I kept a part of "me" -- people know me for triathlons now! -- while I did all this wedding stuff. My part time job is the wedding, but I don't want it to completely define me this year.

Part of me signed up because I have a couple friends doing their first tris this year. A big part of me chose that race because it's at the end of June, which still gives me a couple months to heal before the wedding in case anything happens (knock on wood). And ultimately, I just don't want to skip a year of tri. They say you can call yourself a triathlete as long as you do one tri a year. Well, I'm fulfilling that requirement.

I also want the T-shirt.

You might be wondering why I hate the Pleasant Prairie race. My main gripe is the horrible swim conditions. Sure, it's in "beautiful Lake Andrea" which is "warm and spring-fed." But the lanes are poorly marked,  causing swimmers from two directions to collide. You also race into the sun. If you haven't raced into the sun during morning hours, while wearing goggles and while dodging swimmers from the other direction coming at you, you're missing a whole new ballgame. 

I also didn't like the parking situation or the food, but whatever. It's a triathlon that's placed perfectly according to my wedding schedule. I'm in!

(The "maybe" component to my headline is my recognizing that I just might not mentally want to do it. My rule is it has to be fun, and if it's not, screw it.)

Why You'll Like Longman & Eagle

Everyone's talking about Longman & Eagle.

"You like bourbon? Go for the bourbon!" our catering manager (just booked!) told us a month ago.

"It has a Michelin star!" my colleague said.

And like all things in Chicago, if you hear of 3.5 hour waits at 8:30 p.m. on a Saturday, it must be good, right?

I'm happy to report it is really, really, good. And here's why: Instead of in-your-face offal whose purpose is to shock (Want beef tongue? Here's a slice in the shape of the tongue! tease the chefs behind Publican) or weighs you down so much come course No. 2 you don't want to eat anymore (hello, Incanto), L&E balances everything really well.

Braised oxtail combines to make the perfect bite with scallops and tiny gnocchi; a pot au feu of short rib, tenderloin, foie gras, and horseradish marrow is actually really light and cleanly presented, not to mention well balanced with a consomme and vegetables.Brian had cod with some typically heartier accompaniments, but we didn't roll out feeling greasy and gross. The intention of the cod was maintained, gosh darnit.

Sure, wild boar's on the menu. But it's in the form of sloppy joe. That's fun.

We went on a Saturday night just before 6 and waited a half hour. I'd add it to your List of must-tries.

Why I Think Vendors Like Brides Like Me

I'm happy to report that wedding preparations continue to go swimmingly! Sure, there's been a little crisis aversion here or there (say, immediately retracting Brian's invitation to have his sister's family of five stay with us the week of our wedding), but all's going well. And importantly, my vendors are happy. At least they tell me so.

I want to keep my vendors happy not just because of my crush on them but because happy vendors equal personal motivation to do my wedding well. I'm trying to keep them happy by practicing a few genuine business rules:

• Treating each interaction with them as I would any other professional meeting or conversation
• Offering my opinions and requirements but listening and trusting theirs
• Staying super organized and sharing any updates with them that might influence the plans we've created
• Asking, what do you need from me in order to do your job? 

I figure that if all goes to hell in August for whatever reason -- Acts of God, my own emotional stress, etc. -- I'll have enough planned and have built up enough goodwill to not anger them so much they do the equivalent of a waiter spitting in my food.

Everything I listed is really basic, but you've seen bridezillas: it's as if they check everything -- tact, grace, couth, professionalism -- at the door, leaving everyone else -- including the people they're paying to work -- as slaves to their emotions.

I'm probably prematurely tooting my own horn. They could hate me for all I know. Personally, I might have thought, "Jeez, woman, your wedding's in September" if I received a few of the emails I sent.

But whatever I'm doing, it's paying off, because our relationships are going really well. I'm going to try to keep it that way!

Vendor Crush

I've noticed a certain glee that comes over me whenever I talk with any of my wedding vendors.

I want them to like me. I want to give them ideas that they'll like. Whenever they tell me they like an idea or praise me for being so organized I secretly hope it means I'm their No. 1 client (even if for the moment).

Egotism? Maybe. Only-child syndrome? Perhaps. But I truly feel like I'm surrounding myself with the cool kids who are amazingly talented, and by golly, I want to fit in.

I'm hiring them because they have good taste and good opinions. On top of it, we're making a point to work with people I genuinely would want to surround myself with anyway -- good people who I've decided could help me plan one of the most emotional days of my life or be at my side during that time. Man or woman, how horrible to think I would bore them or not inspire them!

At the end of the day, I get everything I do accomplished because I make decisions, I take the emotion out of it as much as possible, I have a clear vision, and I do my best treat our relationship as the business transaction it is.

Except for having my secret crushes. I wonder if they know?

The "Intro to Natural Family Planning" Classes Freak Me Out

So Brian and I decided that it wouldn't feel like a wedding for us personally if we didn't get married in the Catholic church. And now the fruits of our decision are coming to light.

He was not only raised Catholic but went to Catholic school up until college. My parents are named Mary and Joseph -- and yes, they're just as devout as their names imply. No wonder anything but a church ceremony would feel awkward to us.

But awkward enough to make us endure a required "Natural Family Planning" class that dives into detail on the various methods to "help couples space, achieve, or avoid pregnancy?" Apparently, we're into torturing ourselves, because according to the class lineup based on the methodologies, Brian and I will discuss cervical mucus no fewer than 25 times.

I don't want to discuss cervical mucus with anyone.

The ironic part is that we don't want kids. We acknowledge that one day we might change our mind but know that in that case, we will be relying on modern medicine -- our doctors -- to help us out with that one.

The church, of course, knows this. What we think or feel doesn't matter. If we want a traditional wedding, we have to do things traditionally by taking the class.

And I'm surprised because ... ? 

Wedding Sanity and a Smile

The wedding is under control, and it's actually fun planning things now. We're proud to have accomplished the following:

• Got the band.
• Found a dress.
• Booked a venue.
• Secured a chapel.
• Signed up a day-of coordinator.
• Selected a photographer.
• Put up a website.
• Chose the wedding party.
• Reserved hotel rooms.
• Decided on the officiant.
• Hired floral/event designer.
• Nailed down the save-the-dates and invitation concepts.
• Set up registries.
• Started tastings with caterers.

The best part about it all is that everything is based now on what we want -- not how others would do it. We're in control of how this party comes out, and so far it's turning out to be a good one. And a lot of folks who are out of town sound like they're able and willing to attend, which makes my heart smile.

Here's to keeping my sanity and having fun in the next months ahead.

Happy New Year to Me, You

We rang in the new year last night, and 2011 feels great.

2008 was pretty stressful. Then came 2009, which sucked too. The beginning of 2010 -- I'm recalling being part of a sinking ship (a.k.a. my job), then getting sick for three months -- was pretty shitty, and although I welcomed the layoff, it wasn't exactly fun job searching and being unemployed.

But then I decided to blow a few thousand on a trip to Italy, which was not only a great solo experience but ended up prompting Brian to propose. We got engaged, I got a new job I love, and now, as we start 2011, we're both healthy and planning a wedding.

I'm financially secure. I'm healthy. My parents are OK. His parents are OK. Brian's job is OK.

Life feels really, really, really good right now. Knock on wood.

Here's hoping 2011 is really, really good to you too.