10 Tips for Wedding Planning Success

The three months prior to our wedding and up until moments before I walked down the aisle, my attention had to be focused on my parents' health. While not the build-up every bride dreams of, we still had an amazing time -- and our guests call it one of the best weddings they'd attended. 

I'm proud of the fact that I started out completely overwhelmed by the thought of planning a party for 150 people and ended up throwing a great one. I know we came out on top not just because of the support I had but because we made key decisions throughout the planning process that set us up for a great event.

Our friends and family ask me how I did it. Here's my advice that could apply to any bride:

1) Choose the right vendors. Everyone we hired met the following criteria:

• We loved their their portfolio. Sounds basic, but we didn't choose anyone out of guilt (say, because it's a friend in the business), because it was convenient, because of "the name," etc.
• There was no "chasing them down" on our end. If I placed a call or sent an email, I received a reply within a reasonable timeframe. We crossed potential vendors off our list when we realized they struggled to answer a simple inquiry. I couldn't imagine dealing with that month after month -- let alone on our wedding day.
• I trusted and respected their opinion, and they listened to mine.  
• We liked their personalities. We knew they'd be with us on one of the most important and emotional days of our life, so if they drove us crazy during a proposal meetings, we knew it wouldn't be fun the day of.
• They didn't push us. Society puts enough pressure on brides. The last thing I needed was a vendor pushing me to do something I didn't want to do. 
• My husband approved. The day wouldn't be just about me, so I wanted to make sure he had input and approved of the big decisions. Signing off on vendors is one of them.
• They were willing to work within our budget. And if we needed to adjust, they always had equally compelling alternatives. 
• They had solid, realistic replies to, "What's your back up plan in case an emergency happens on our wedding day?"

In short: we hired professionals.

2) Treat it as a business project tied to a dollar amount for which you are responsible. This doesn't mean cutting out all the emotion; it just means not letting emotion take over decisions about budget or get in the way of your being professional. Run your wedding planning as a project with standards your work boss would approve of and you'll have a great event.

3) Narrow choices down to two or three; make a decision; move on. You will continue to see many beautiful, great ideas throughout your planning process. Yes, make a change if needed, but don't look for the sake of looking. After I decided on my bridesmaid dresses and colors, for example, for my own sanity I skipped that section of bridal magazines and spent my time researching whatever was next on my list.

4) When you have downtime, work ahead. There will be lulls. During them, I would imagine how crazy brides get the month before their wedding and used that as motivation to take care of as much as I could beforehand. Sometimes people interpreted my working ahead as doing too much. I'd reply, "I don't know what I'll be like the month before my wedding, so if I can get it done sooner, I will."

This worked out, and for different reasons than I imagined: my dad was in the hospital the entire month prior to our wedding and only got out four days before, when he and my mom still needed assistance. I was thrilled not to have to be taking on anything beyond what was necessary.

5) Look at photojournalists' photos of weddings and pick one whose mood shows what you want your day to be. Tell your friends, family, and vendors what you envision, and make choices that support it. I found a photo of a bride doing a breakdance move on the dance floor and wanted to have as much fun as her -- but I knew I had to plan and mentally prepare to be that carefree. (I think we ended up having more fun that that bride!)

6) Put thought into backup plans, and keep the ideas tucked in the back of your head. My cousin's wedding dress only arrived the week before her wedding, and because she needed major alterations, there was a fear the dress wouldn't be ready.  Remembering that, I made a note about how much I loved the dresses at Nordstrom's bridal suite and kept it in mind as an off-the-rack option if disaster struck.

7) Dish out responsibilities -- wedding-related or not -- whenever you can. There were definitely tasks I, as the bride, needed or wanted to do. But if I could, I handed them off. And in the month before the wedding when most of what was left fell on my shoulders, I accepted my husband's offer to help by having him do non-wedding errands, such as going to the post office or running to the grocery store.

8) But be strategic when handing out tasks. Don't give important duties to people you can't trust, whatever the reason might be. If Aunt Martha, who applies 1960s decor to anything she touches, offers to do the favors for your very classic wedding, find a different way she can help. Similarly, don't send your well-meaning friend who easily gets lost in the city to pick up your rings downtown during rush hour.

9) The day of the wedding, don't worry about having a perfect wedding! Adopt a "roll with it" mentality. Trust that, at that point, you've done everything you can to set it up for success and let go. Have fun! Because if you can do that, when the inevitable hiccup comes up, you'll be able to laugh at it and not have the rest of your day ruined. It rained on our big day, and although we had to make a few adjustments, I'm convinced the outcome was just as awesome as if it were sunny.

10) Let this guide you: The day is yours and your partner's. Everyone has an opinion; do what is right for you. If boundaries with family or friends need to be set, be polite, but set them. You want to look back and know that you made the choices you wanted and that any compromises were ones you were comfortable with.

***

Want to see a snaphot of our wedding?


Brian and me: Love Like a Sunset. Video by Leap Weddings.

Me, getting ready: Us. A Video By Leap Weddings.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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.

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.)

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 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 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 ...

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!

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. :)

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?

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.

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!