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.

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!

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!

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.

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 ...