Quilting Lessons

Ta da! Started in October when Dominic's mother, Peg, came to visit and here before your very eyes today: My first complete picnic quilt!

Peg came up to Seattle by car -- which was a good idea because it would be hard to carry a sewing machine and folding table on a flight from California. I sure am glad she did because it gave us the excellent opportunity to experience what she warmly referred to as "intense relationship building". She taught me the basics, how to sew (and unfortunately rip), how to cut with my new special for-quilting-use-only scissors, and how to measure accurate squares (that's a skill I'll need to perfect over time).

Quilting is an amazing process and one that I've taken for granted. I have a dear Aunt (Carlene) who quilts by hand. Among many others, she has the gifts of patience and attention-to-detail. Here's the quilt she gave us at my bridal shower:

I'm not sure if the intricate stiches show up here, but trust me, this is a masterpiece.

Peg is also an artist. She has a special talent of dreaming up creative designs, patterns and color-schemes that become functional works of art. For my Sacramento bridal shower she gave us the quilt below:

In the upper right hand corner there are two hearts on a map of Armenia.

Peg is a teacher by trade, so of course she was patient with me as I fumbled with the new tools and instructions. She was great to show me the skills I could use to make a quilt on my own (even without a sewing machine). One of my favorite parts, pictured below, is the corner-tying. Not only does this keep my stuffing from sliding around in between the front and the back, it helps cover up any aligning mistakes I may have made. How handy!

This was a late night. We even managed to pull Dom into the tying fun while we all watched TV on our laptop.

We had to celebrate my accomplishment, so Sunday night I made Aunt Kathleen's Chinese Chicken Salad (one of my favorites) and we had a picnic in the living room.

(Don't mind the poor basil plant in the background, I have high hopes it will make it through the gray winter).

Thank you to all the awesome women in my life who teach me such great life skills. Watch out, you just might get a home-made meal on the floor the next time you visit!

Dangerous Health Care Reform

Bear with me, it's Sarah and I'm going to get a little political. Well, not me personally, but I wanted to use this forum to highlight an article I just finished by the editor of The American Journal of Health Promotion.

The article, "The Danger and Opportunity of Health Care Reform Providing a Huge Influx of Funds for Health Promotion... and how to Avert Danger", is written by Dr. Michael O'Donnell and highlights just how important it is to protect the work of existing health promotion vendors. Since I happen to make my living through one such vendor, I was immediately drawn to his statement.

As someone who tends to appreciate all things free and discounted, I normally would have agreed with his scenario that "The best way to persuade employers, hospitals, insurance companies and other organizations to implement health promotion programs would be to provide free program materials and consulting services". The reality that Dr. O'Donnell highlights, however, is that this scenario in real life would cut revenues of health promotion providers leading to layoffs, threats to innovation, and potential bankruptcy for health promotion businesses. My perspective changed.

Dr. O'Donnell argues that, in general, federal funds should be used to do what private businesses cannot do on their own. Hello, hello, government representatives, we're doing health promotion on our own! And, we're doing a great job!

Thank goodness he provides four solutions for avoiding the dangers described above:

1. Develop core technologies that could be entered into the public domain and used as the foundation for new products and services developed by entrepreneurs.

2. Support program evaluation and research as well as information synthesis and dissemination so that the most effective methods are widely known.

3. [My favorite] Contract with existing health promotion vendors to develop and provide new products and services, rather than hiring new government employees to develop them internally.

4. When free or discounted services are needed for small businesses or other specific under served population groups, pay vendors to provide these services rather than having the government provide these services directly.

What do you think of Dr. O'Donnell's position? Are businesses threatened when government provides an agency to offer free services?

What about the U.S. Postal Service? Could our industry thrive the same way DHL, UPS and FedEx have?

I'd love to hear other examples you've seen where a private business is forced to compete with a government agency that uses tax payers' money to develop products and deliver services and then gives them away for free.

Sharing

The time has come. Dominic and I have been married for three months today and we've decided to take the plunge and share this blog with you as a team.

It will mean more we's and less me's and hopefully will introduce you to why we 'compliment' one another so well.

Love,

Sarah

Trick or Treat

Is is just Queen Anne? The Northwest? 2009? The joy of door-to-door neighborhood trick-or-treating has disappeared from our lives.

This neighborhood has a lot of fun in our 'suburban downtown' community event. People bring their kids (and decked-out dogs) to the shops and restaurants where they can collect candy and small toys. They really get into the occasion-- a tradition Dominic passionately describes as: "the most wholesome thing I've ever been a part of."

We were invited into the heart of the upper-Queen Anne neighborhood to celebrate a friend's birthday and Halloween together. The house was fully prepared with costumed party-goers, decorations, finger-foods and, of course, plenty of candy to pass out to the trick-or-treaters...except they were few and far between. I'll admit, around 7 p.m. we got one or two kids and then closer to 9 p.m. some middle-schoolers came with their pillowcases opened wide, but the crowds certainly weren't storming the streets. What is the excuse for the poor showing? I thought it was well-known that poisoned candy is an urban myth.

In discussing the low turnout, someone at the party mentioned that where she's from in Oregon everyone goes to their churches for trick-or-treat. In the parking lots parents create a big circle with their cars where kids can run around and collect candy in a safe environment. Something like this only with car trunks (which makes sense in Oregon):I boasted that the Midwest still understands true trick-or-treating-- the kind where kids scope out the streets with the biggest, nicest houses (you know, where they give you the full-sized Hershey bar). Or where you run around as fast as possible praying you'll be the first to the unattended bowl of candy on the front porch labeled "please take one". I like to believe we are holding down American tradition in the heartland... but then again, I haven't been there in years. Is my memory accurate today?

Here are some of my favorite dog costumes. Oh Seattle...

Loving the Locks

Locks of Love, a non-profit in Florida, that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. On Monday I decided I had loved my 10-inch locks long enough and chopped them all off.

Chopped isn't the right verb, I actually went to a super fancy, very expert salon in Pacific Place Mall called 7 where a highly trained expert shaped my hair to match the bone structure in my face (which I learned is rectangular). I found it online by searching for locks of love + salons + Seattle. For those who might not know, most upscale salons will offer complimentary cuts if you plan to donate the ponytail afterward.

The salon 7 has a concierge who offers you a robe, beverage (which is generously made by the in-house barista) and a 70% dark coco chocolate bar. I could barely contain myself! Here I am with my 7 freebies (I just chose water, I already had enough energy without sipping on a latte at 6 p.m.):

This is also my 'before shot'...

I sat back and let Tonya work her magic as she determined the bob was for me (and then proceeded to assure me that the bob was 'in style' for fall).

Little by little Tonya and I got to know one another. We chatted about her training, my job, her boyfriend, Locks of Love and then much to my surprise she asked about my church.

Nervously, I started to describe Bethany Presbyterian. It's not that I don't like talking about my faith, it's that I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable doing her job. I described the Wednesday Night Dinner outreach, the strong leadership, and the sense of community we had found there. Much to my surprise she started telling me about her church and her faith. It was amazing! She described the difficulty she faced in balancing a job that required her to work Sundays and the desire she felt to serve others. She told me about the prayers she has for her co-workers and how she'd even taken one or two with her to worship. I sat there in awe of this person who spoke so boldly about her faith and had an excellent opportunity for ministry by interacting with others constantly at work.

Many of my thoughts have been on work since Labor Day as we've been in a mini sermon series on what Labor means to the Lord and how work is really fulfillment of our lives in Christ. The thought to "do good work" regardless of what it is we're doing has resonated in my daily routine.

I liked Tonya and wish I could afford to go back to her again. She offers a great haircut and uplifting conversation. I guess I'll just have to start growing out these short locks again...

Tonya and I

Just camping in the rain

Happy Labor Day!

We worked hard last week and put in some long days at the office so that Friday afternoon we could beat the I-5 traffic out of town. We probably should have known why we were able to fly out of Seattle and through Tacoma--the rain was rolling in.

When it comes to camping Dom and I learn as we go. The first time I ever took him out into the woods (Hiking Hills,
OH) I forgot to pack water. This time we had water in abundance and were trying to keep it away.

Dominic's good friends from high school, Ames and Frank, and their wives Brooke and Lisa joined us at Battleground Lake. With a little effort the guys covered a large portion of the campsite with a tarp and Brooke sewed the hole in the middle shut with twine. It was a brilliant response to the inclement weather.

We spent Saturday at Mt. St. Helen's national park enjoying the view, the museums and a short trail around Coldwater Creek Lake. The men got to fish and we all enjoyed smores by the fire.

Dominic and I look forward to many more weekend get-a-ways in the NW, but we have a lot to learn about packing. What about you? Is there anything you don't leave home without?

Mt. St. Helen's: I recommend the visitors center(s). They're informative, fascinating and have plenty of knowledgeable naturalists just waiting to share their passion for volcanoes.

Battleground Lake at our campsite. The few minutes we had sun.

Mt. St. Helen's National Park: Plenty to see and do.

Thanks for a nice weekend all!

Wedding planning: Done. Wedding: Done and Done!

For those of you who read this blog but don't speak to me personally, I went and got married. It's true, now the experiential learning will be shared.

It's amazing how great life can be when you're surrounded by those who love you so much they'd sacrifice time, money and travel to be by your side and show their support. We experienced this the week leading up to, and the day of our wedding August 1st. Thank you to all who made it to Columbus for the day.

Dominic and I are getting settled in our new home by unpacking beautiful new gifts, perusing the IKEA catalog, and diligently studying my new Rachael Ray cooking magazines. I'll admit, everything's easier when you have the right kitchen tools. I'm rather proud of my ability to make fresh pesto in our food processor (thank you again Mr. & Mrs. Salvamini) and chop with our fancy knives. I'm more of a 'put together' cook than a 'preparation' cook in that I like throwing ingredients into one place (i.e. salads, crock pots) and seeing what we get more than measuring out ingredients for sauces and mixes. You're still welcome to come and eat with us--just keep an open mind when you sit down at the dinner table.

Truly, our cup overfloweth. Thank you for your kind congratulations, generous gifts and unwavering support. We can't wait to host you in our home- please come visit.

Birth-week

I'll be traveling to Ohio on my birthday this year so Dominic decided to plan a birthday celebration one week early. I was OK with this so long as I could keep celebrating for the duration of the week. Having been born on December 26th, he's not much for creating a big to-do over birthdays, but I'm hoping to change this in him the longer we're together.

He came over early yesterday and brought Cranberry Almond Crunch (the best cereal ever) with him. We had some breakfast and then he surprised me with a new (to me) older bicycle. This would be our mode of transportation for our "Seeing Seattle" themed day.

The seeing began with a trip down the hill to a nearby neighborhood, Fremont. Each year this community throws a big festival for the summer solstice. We enjoyed looking at a collection of decorated cars, riding the European Super Slide and watching a solstice parade.

The Fremont Solstice parade only has three rules: 1. No printed words or logos, 2. No motor vehicles, 3. No animals. You can imagine (and I'll show you below) what we saw.

The parade, as interesting as it is, had a new addition this year. Just before the costumed dancers, musicians and stilt-walkers emerge there's a large parade of people on their bicycles. People riding bikes alone may not seem like much, but very few of these bikers wear more than their helmets. Don't worry, there's decorative paint. For the record, Dominic and I did not bike in this portion of the parade.

That's a lot of dentures!

The European Super Slide--It's really fast!


There were probably ten women dressed up in these elaborate costumes. Something related to ice... They were beautiful.

Dominic...under the parade... can you see him?


If someone would have made me judge over the parade, this group would have won my award for most creative costume/messaging combination. Their outfits were made out of plastic bags and they were chanting something about reduce, reuse recycle so that bags don't end up in the ocean. There was a man dressed up like a big fish somewhere towards the back of the pack.

It's a bull, and smoke blows out of its nostrils!

This man (a tree) was my favorite stilt walker.

From Fremont we biked to the base of the space needle and, much to my surprise, boarded the most thrilling form of tourism that exists: The Ducks! For those who live or work on the Duck route, I apologize. I'm sure it's a quite a nuisance to have to listen to a car/boat load of people singing the YMCA and shrieking at every Starbucks they pass, but for those inside the Duck it's a blast. I learned all kinds of interesting facts about the city like: The space needle was originally orange, where the Sleepless in Seattle house is located on Lake Union and how much the owners tried to sell it for last year (more than $2 million), how many times a day the Fremont bridge goes up and down (35) and that Seattle is the largest ferry system in the U.S. It was so exciting my face hurt from smiling all day long.



We returned to Queen Anne for a little rest and then took a picnic dinner to my favorite park in the whole city: The SAM sculpture park.

I crawled, exhausted, in to bed-- loving this city and my dear fiance for letting me see it with him.

Wellness Coordination

I hadn’t realized I was such a sucker for wellness information. As if my new job weren’t fascinating enough, StayWell is letting me attend a WELCOA Workplace Wellness Webinar for certification. It’s an awesome opportunity!

I was doing some reading on data analysis today and came across fascinating smoking information. This, coupled with an article I read yesterday about the employer who refuses to hire (and fires) smokers, has my head spinning.

The following quote is from Dr. Steve Aldana a professor of Lifestyle Medicine in the Department of Exercise Sciences at Brigham Young University. He is also an adjunct faculty member of the University of Illinois School of Medicine. Since he has spent his career researching and teaching about the impact of lifestyle on disease and quality of life I figure he’s a good person to reference.

“First, it’s important to understand that approximately 23% of the population uses tobacco. If you’re a female and you’re 24 years of age and you’re a smoker, it’s going to cost $106,000 for you over your lifetime to treat the diseases that you get from tobacco use. That’s everything. That’s private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid; it’s going to cost $106,000 to treat you. If you’re a man, and you’re a tobacco user at age 24 and you use tobacco your whole life, it’s going to cost $220,000. This equates to about $40 in healthcare costs for every pack of cigarettes you smoke.

So if you spent $4.25 for a pack of smokes, the real cost of that purchase is about $44.25—$40 of which will be paid for by someone else.”

What do we do with this? How can my work help people quit?

Memorial Day Ride

The weather has been unbelievable in Seattle since the middle of May, so we took advantage of the long weekend by borrowing some bikes for a long ride on Memorial Day. We rode from Dominic's house all the way downtown and across the sound in the West Seattle Water Taxi (which is almost the same price as the Metro bus) for a day along Alki beach and Lincoln Park.

Look at that view! It only takes about 15 minutes to get to West Seattle on the water.

Once it arrives, the taxi is by far the most enjoyable route across town. Talk about a great commute!

Expectations vs. Expectancy

I recently finished reading The Shack by William P. Young. I was caught by an excerpt on expectancy and expectations:

"...if you and I are friends, there is an expectancy that exists within our relationship. When we see each other or are apart, there is expectancy of being together, of laughing and talking. That expectancy has no concrete definition; it is alive and dynamic and everything that emerges from our being together is a unique gift shared by no one else. But what happens if I change that 'expectancy' to an 'expectation' - spoken or unspoken? Suddenly, law has entered into our relationship. You are now expected to perform in a way that meets my expectations. Our living friendship rapidly deteriorates into a dead thing with rules and requirements. It is no longer about you and me, but about what friends are supposed to do, or the responsibilities of a good friend."

In the novel, God uses this dynamic when describing the main character's relationship in faith.

I find myself living with a lot of expectations. This week I started a new job and this summer I plan to get married. Expectancy is empowering, motivating, inspirational. Expectation is strict, unimaginative, limited. Is expectancy sustainable in societal institutions and long term relationships?

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Tulips originate from mountainous areas with temperate climates and need a period of cool dormancy. They do best in climates with long cool springs and early summers. Fortunately, Skagit Valley, about an hour and a half north of Seattle, is just a perfect.

Saturday afternoon Dominic and I drove up to La Conner and enjoyed walking through the immense tulip and daffodil fields in bloom.

La Conner

Tulip Fields

Garmir, Kapuit, Tsiranaguin!

Lesson learned

Today I joined Dominic on a South Lake Union pier for lunch in the sunshine. I learned that as difficult as underemployment can be, it provides opportunities to enjoy the people and places that are so often taken for granted.

After the event: Objectivity, Balance and Trust...

The Christian Science Monitor hosted a panel discussion on the changing face of journalism in it's downtown reading room today.

The Christian Science Monitor exemplifies the changing media landscape. The more than 100-year-old publication has gone from offering a daily print newspaper, to offering a daily online news site, to offering the daily online and a weekly print magazine in a matter of a few years. At csmonitor.com I can sign up to recieve news updates on Twitter or become the publication's friend on Facebook. Certainly we all agree that journalism is changing.

It seems like I could go to a panel discussion about this topic each week if I had the time, but this panel was different because of the audience. Maybe it was the time of day or maybe it was the hosting organization, but I was probably the second youngest person in the room- beat by a senior at the University of Washington.

A woman in the audience raised her hand and commented on the fact that she desperately missed the print Seattle Post Intelligencer. She shared that she was willing to follow the news online at the SeattlePI.com, but had yet to arrange her internet connection so that it wouldn't interfere with her phone.

I know that my Grandpa, at more than 80-years-old, is willing to read this blog as a way to stay in touch with family. If the audience is capable and willing, how long will it be before we move all news information from ink and paper to the internet? Will you trust it Grandpa?

After the event: Professor Zaenger

On Wednesday I was invited to speak to a PR class at Seattle University.

A combination of about 20 sophomores, juniors and seniors majoring in everything from business to English listened as I explained how professional networking is a lot like corporate campaign development.

Here were my three steps in program development/professional networking:

1. Planning (Research & organization)

I explained that on a broad level planning means figuring out what industry is most important to you. Tactically, however, research and organization means completing your due diligence. Before a job seeker can even begin sending out cover letters, he or she must find basic company information and contacts and create a progress table listing:

• Companies I want to work at
• Companies I've spoken to (interned, informational interviews)
• Companies I need to speak to
• Companies I've applied at

I recommended creating a 'little black book' of admirable organizations and admirable people. For each entry, the job seeker documents what is known about the company and/or individual- past, present and future.

2. Implementation (Network, informational interview, Twitter, Internship)

I explained that implementation on an individual level lets people know you exist. Job seekers need to have experience- volunteer or paid- to demonstrate to potential employers that you have the capacity to work hard and learn quickly. The best way to find any work opportunity is by Tweeting, interviewing (others) and networking.

An easy first step is by listening through Twitter. Individuals can learn a lot about what industry leaders are saying and considering just by following the links that people post. There are helpful discussions like #hcsm and #journchat for professionals who want to connect with others in a particular area of interest. Once you find the professionals, attend a local Tweetup to meet face-to-face.

Informational interviews are the most valuable face-to-face time you can spend with professionals. Divide your 30-minutes (no more than that) into three areas: asking about the professional's background, asking about the company they work for, and asking about the industry as a whole. Always inquire about how you should be preparing for your career today.

Join local associations or social networks (like Biznik) and attend events. To me, this is 'invested networking' because you learn from a presentor and get to mingle with professionals interested in the same topics you are.

3. Evaluation (Follow up. Forever.)

I explained that following up doesn't mean just one thank you a day later, but rather relationship development on a quarterly basis. Follow your contact's business in the media and congratulate him/her when something good happens, subscribe to their corporate newsletter and then comment, recognize holidays, events and occasions. At the very least send contacts a status report on your search.

As it turns out, I love teaching adults. The class was a blast and I learned a lot from the experience. I may not be a networking expert, but I was happy to share the tactics I use.

PRSA volunteer opportunity

I blog for PRSA Puget Sound. You can check out my monthly posts here.

Care for a cupcake?

Months ago I attended a Foundation for International Understanding through Students event through the University of Washington. I met a very kind Armenian man who is studying public affairs on a special fellowship.

The man, his wife, and their two children have been in Washington now for nearly a year and this past weekend Dominic and I felt it was high time we show them a little American hospitality. After all the extreme generosity we were shown in Armenia for two years, it seemed like the least we could do to treat the family to a picnic on Alki beach.

The logistics of our American day hindered my enthusiasm as I racked my brain to figure out how I would conjure up a car seat and what we could cook for the Armenians. Fortunately, one of my part time jobs involves caring for 9-12 toddlers at a mom's group in Ballard. The reality of the situation, however, was that we had too many adults and not enough seats in Dominic's two-door Honda. For nearly an hour we went back and forth on what we could make to show the true style of an outdoor lunch and yet not expose our inexperience in the kitchen. Sandwiches--too many options, potato salad--too many steps, fruit skewers--might spoil. Finally, we settled on pigs in a blanket, fresh fruit, chips & salsa, root beer, and cupcakes to compliment the Armenian fried chicken, matsoon, salads and homemade bread. It was quite a spread.

Dominic and I have been huge funfetti advocates for awhile, and made some beautiful spring-like cupcakes for the day. The prized dessert was a huge source of pride and accomplishment. I know, they come out of a box. They were festive.

In an effort to address the car arrangement, I volunteered one of my friends and I to sacrifice the car-ride for the Seattle Metro. The route was easy and I assumed that if I left early we'd arrive in enough time to scope out a table and playing area for the kids. Uncovered cupcake trays in hand, we set out on what I assumed would be a half hour trip.

On the way to the bus, we passed a woman asking for money. Neither of us had much, but I thought it would be harmless to offer her one of our dozen springtime cupcakes. She thankfully accepted. We joked that we were never going to make it to the beach with enough cupcakes to serve as we walked to the bus stop.

As it turns out, the number 15 bus does not always turn into the number 56 bus. This bizzare system had us stumped but we were cold and anxious and got on anway with the hope of finding a different route in downtown Seattle.

Inside the crowded bus we ended up hovering in the aisle trying to balance our weight to preserve the dessert trays. When one man complimented our colorful cakes I quickly offered one out of appreciation. What was one more right?

We arrived on 1st Avenue right by Pike Place Market. This street is a high traffic area in downtown and we certainly stood out. Much to our dismay, we realized that the 56 only comes once an hour and it is the only route that runs to Alki Beach. With a 40 minute wait and 10 cupcakes left, Jessy suggested we go in to a tea store that offers free tea tasting. I've become quite the tea connoisseur since moving to the "land of cafes" six months ago, and I gladly accepted the offer to sit down for awhile.

We placed our trays on the counter and as we sipped blueberry red tea we chatted with the waitress. She was kind and very generous (giving us each a sample of the natural sweetener Stevia to try) so we gave her one of our cupcakes in return. These little things were turning into quite the crowd pleaser!

Upon leaving the cafe, we walked back to the stop and I counted our cupcakes. I knew we needed at least 7 to feed all of our picnic attendees and by this time I was down to 9. I thought that surely we could make it, until a bus (not the 56) pulled up to our stop. A guy ran to catch it, but upon seeing our colorful treats he stopped at the door and asked if they were free. "Of course they are," I replied. "Help yourself." He took one right on that bus! I was worried about the no-food-on-the-Metro policy so I turned my head to see the driver's reaction and sure enough he was motioning to me. I expected to be reprimanded for passing out food to Metro riders, so imagine my shock when he asked for one too! He delicately placed cupcake number 8 in an old coffee cup and drove off.

Uh oh. Now here I was, an hour late to the party and with almost half of my cupcake contribution missing. Poor Jessy was hungry by this point, and it seemed crazy to carry two cupcake trays for just seven cupcakes so she indulged right there. Fortunately, this freed up the empty tray to use as a cover/shield from all the potential cupcake requests between Union Street and Alki Beach.

When we finally got to the beach we were able to serve up a beautiful lunch full of delicious food, soccer, Frisbee and conversation. The kids didn't take to the cupcakes, but we truly impressed my friend's wife, who enjoyed two! Dominic won over the kids with his pigs in a blanket and Jessy cut a beautiful pineapple Cambodia-style. It was a nice day.

I realize that most of my stories come from the Seattle Metro. To be honest, it's experiences like this one that remind me why I wanted to move to a city and why I'm thankful for the 'urban lifestyle'. I'm convinced that public transportation builds communities in a way no other service program can.

My new social media policy

All social networks are not created equal.

I believe Facebook is for real-life friends (who you've met), LinkedIn is for professional contacts, and Twitter is to learn from the world (as much of it as you want). Determining who your blog audience is takes a whole different set of priorities. This blog, for instance, seeks to address family members and potential employers under the umbrella that life is full of learning experiences.

I created my Facebook profile in 2005. Back then, you checked each of your friend's pages individually on a daily basis to see if they had uploaded pictures. You viewed your own profile to see if anyone had written a comment on your wall. Life was simple.

After graduation, I said goodbye to Facebook. I naively assumed that the platform was for college kids who wanted to chat with one another with the world watching. Since I was all grown up, I decided it was time for a LinkedIn profile. On LinkedIn, I could stay in touch with my professors, mentors and employers.

Then I left the country for two years.

Much to my surprise, America greeted me in 2008 with people all a-twitter over microblogging. Even more shocking was the fact that my friend's parents were inviting me to be their Facebook friends.

Wait. What did professional adults have to do with Facebook? Afterall, the last Facebook group I joined in school was based on how many Chipotle burritos I could eat in one sitting. Facebook reminded me of my friend's birthdays, promoted my favorite movies, and hosted last weekend's photos in creatively titled albums.

Today, I think Facebook is out of control. I have invitations to: receive 'flair', find my look-alike, and create a pet society. Sure, there are invitations to support causes, but they're lost in all the ridiculous applications and clutter fed into my homepage.

Last week I thought about establishing my own befriending policy on Facebook. I think that a week is an appropriate amount of time to worry about a social media identity. That policy is at the begining of this post. I'm sorry if you met me at a PRSA networking event and want to see my photos from childhood. You belong in my LinkedIn network. I'm sorry if you were my friend at Thomas Worthington and we haven't seen one another in a professional setting in 5 years. You belong on Facebook.

There will come a day when all these networks will figure out how to play nicely with one another. Until then, lets chat on Twitter.

After the event: Root causes of health disparities

Gilda's Club Seattle hosted Dr. Maxine Hayes, the state health officer, last night for a lecture on the root causes of health disparities in society.

This lecture was the third session in a four-part series based on the Unnatural Causes documentary.

Dr. Hayes was a fascinating speaker who actually published an article in the Buffalo Physician about today's health buzz back in 1971. She realized back then that people weren't dying for medical reasons, they were dying of poverty. She described a program where she took government funding to plant gardens-not write prescriptions.

"Medicine contributes the least to health," Dr. Hayes said. Fifty one percent of what influences our health is healthy behavior (environment is 22 percent and genetic makeup is 17 percent). Interestingly, health care only has a 10 percent influence rate. McGinnis, et.al, 2002

For the past 50 years, our health policies have focused on: 1. Health behaviors & personal risk factors, and 2. access to health services. Today, however, people are noticing other influences: Institutional biases, stress, environmental risk, language, education, mental health & social support, economic opportunity & equity, and trust in the health system and research. These are called social determinants of health.

"Genetics loads the gun, environment pulls the trigger," Dr. Hayes said.

We can't blame poor health on lack of health care. There must not be a change in health care policy, there needs to be a change in health policy.

"The choices people make are based on the choices people have," Dr. Hayes argues. If people can't walk on safe streets will they exercise? If people are surrounded by fast food restaurants will they eat a variety of fresh foods?

I must admit, I left last night's lecture feeling rather helpless in addressing this issue. Dr. Hayes works on a policy level with people like Ron Sims. After two years in the Peace Corps I want to know what I can do on a community level. Isn't there a need for a brochure or Web site? Perhaps a group or committee?

If you knew that you could change the health of this nation by improving an urban planning or zoning policy, what would you change?

After the event: IABC Seattle Social Media Seminar

Chris Brogan doesn't scare us with tips about how to implement social media strategy because he's a really nice guy.

As an associate working on behalf of Shiftpoint Strategies today, I had the opportunity to attend the International Association of Business Communicators social media seminar "Harnessing the Power of Web 2.0".

It was my job to help with set up, Tweet, and interview speakers and organizers from the event. I I went into the day intimidated by some of the blog personalities and Twitter presences I'd be interviewing, but as it turns out, the real people behind @shellyshelly (Shelly Farnham, PhD), @Tosolini (Paolo Tosolini) and @Chrisbrogan (Chris Brogan) are very real and very helpful. After all, they're in the business of network building, information exchange and relationship development too right?

What do I take away from the event beyond the social media tactics? How fun these people are! Chris Brogan and I talked about our favorite movies (his: Fight Club, mine: Life is Beautiful); Paolo Tosolini shared how he gets excited when he can blog about Italy and travel. I guess what it comes down to is that online tools can only take you so far--people need personal interaction. Dr. Shelly Farnham, a luncheon panelist, referred to this as neighboring. Neighboring is to what extent we go to one another's homes. It's what real people do.

I won't recap the whole event because you can watch it for yourself here, but if you're in Seattle I will encourage you to check out Biznik, a social networking site similar to LinkedIn. If you're like me (a freelance professional or small business owner), Biznik provides you with a place to network both online and in person through local events. The site's co-founder, Lara Eve Feltin, spoke to the value of connecting. My favorite quote was: "Collaboration beats competition." She proved this truth by citing the fact that professionals joining Biznik jumped from 40/month in 2008 to 100/month in January and February 2009. In a rough economy people rely on their network and the more widely accepted social media becomes the more people will turn to platforms like Biznik.

Me with social media experts: Dr. Shelly Farnham (social media consultant), Lara Feltin & Dan McComb (Biznik founders), Chris Brogan (president, new Media Marketing Labs)

Look at how excited Brian Westbrook (@bmw) is to show off this new flip stand to Paolo Tosolini (@Tosolini)--they're just people who have fun with technology!

Thank you, IABC Seattle, The Adobe Group, Watchdog Graphics Production, Shiftpoint and Digital Marketing. This was a fantastic event!

After the event: BusinessWire gets back to the basics

A lunch panel discussion, "From the News Cycle to Spin Cycle: What I learned working both sides of the pitch", reminded about 40 PR professionals in Seattle today how to relate to journalists and pitch our client/company stories.

Chris Elliott, David Postman and Marty McOmber-all former journalists- spoke to both new and experienced PR professionals about the dos and don'ts of making a successful pitch.

The meeting was a helpful reminder that we should always know with whom we're speaking. It was good to hear that PR professionals should be aware of how a day works for reporters in print and television media, that we should serve as a trustworthy resource, and that we should make our subject line and first sentences captivating. All this information, however, we learned in PR 101.

I was most interested when panelists provided specific examples of relationship building that they respected. David Postman, for example, shared that he was much more willing to read an e-mail that acknowledged a recent piece he'd written followed by some type of resource or valuable information than he was to open an impersonal e-mail blast. His example described the pay it forward concept, the moderator called it "making deposits in the bank of goodwill", but the truth is that it's all about relationship building.

The panelists introduced us to The Poynter Institute, taught us how reporters respond to media kits and print releases, reminded us that not all journalists are created equal, and even addressed the current unanswerable question: "Broadcast follows print-if print goes away, who leads?" [Mr. Postman said, "Everyone."]

Although journalism is in transition now, I was thankful for the new perspectives and timeless PR fundamentals that BuisnessWire's event reinforced today.

A little push

You never know who you'll meet on the Seattle Metro.

Last night, I was riding the bus home from work when we stopped for a substantially longer pause than the normal red light. I didn't think about it until the friendly, older-looking driver got out of his seat and walked down the aisle to announce that there was an accident ahead and we'd have to wait for a push truck.

I wondered what a push truck was but rationalized that maybe this man was just confused and meant to say 'tow' truck-referring to the cars involved in the accident. In a matter of minutes, however, his adjective was proven correct as a small white truck with flashing yellow lights pulled up behind our bus-not in front where the accident was located.

I always knew that there are Metro buses that run on electricity, but I never considered what might happen if one needed to be rerouted (like in the case of an accident blocking an intersection in Belltown). Sure enough, I heard two men unhooking the cables that connected us to the power lines above the street. I was curious, and the bus was nearly empty, so I moved to the back to watch the action.

For nearly three blocks, our push truck, bumped us along the street. Like a little kid I was bouncing around in the back of the bus watching the truck maneuver us around corners and up slight inclines. Once we were back on our normal route, the bus stopped and the men got out to hook us back up. They must have been entertained by my interest in their career because one wrote me an 'I love you' message on the back window (see photo).

The Metro just moved right along like nothing had happened and amazingly no one on that bus seemed to care that we'd just been pushed like a train car in the middle of downtown Seattle. Maybe it was late, but I was really interested in this process so I moved back to the front to inquire.

Laury Minard, 82, has been driving Seattle Metro buses for 24 years (I googled him after I found out his dedication to Seattle Metro). He just happened to be my driver and was willing to entertain my questions about Roy (our push truck technician), the push truck process, and his experience as a driver. Sure, it was a short conversation but here is my favorite part:

Laury- "They roll pretty easy."
Me (shocked)- "Yes, but it's a bus! We're so much heavier than that truck!"
Laury- "Well, you and I couldn't get out and push."

We chatted for another stop or two about his career with Seattle Metro and how neat it is to meet new people on the bus.

It sure is, Laury, thanks for the great commute!

House guest perspective

There’s something refreshing about spontaneous house guests. They consume your time, your home and your attention--but the distraction is so enjoyable.

I didn't know what to do with myself when I found out Thursday I had house guests coming on Friday. My apprehension stemmed from the fact that I don’t live a proper entertaining lifestyle. I don’t own any dishes, cookware or bath towels and my mattress is delicately placed on the floor due to lack of box springs. My theory is: just make do, this is fine for now.

I knew my situation wasn't much to show off, so I created a plan for helping our guests feel welcome. I washed sheets, grocery shopped and even made a draft itinerary for their stay. All this was unnecessary as Mark and Lina are so easygoing, pleasant and fun to be around that we probably could have hosted them in a reserved parking spot and they would have had a good time.

The weekend was terrific. Saturday we had a dinner party with friends, roommates and family members. I got to wedding dress shopping with my future sister-in-law and we even hiked little Mt. Si in Snoqualmie.

The entire weekend, I didn’t check Twitter, I didn’t read emails, I didn’t even scan Google headlines... and to be honest, it was refreshing. I think sometimes we get so caught up in focusing on what’s going on, what needs to be read, or what the breaking news is that we miss the real people who are right in front of us. I’m thankful for this weekend’s reminder that everything’s not virtual.

Hiking Mt. Si

What a lovely view

Nice Glass!

A Chihuly glass admirer since college, I was treated to the Museum of Glass in Tacoma for Valentine's Day.

Expecting a typical showcase of glass art, I was shocked to enter a beautiful amphitheater-the world’s largest hot shop amphitheater actually- and second row seats to watch a world-class artisan blow glass art.

We sat for hours watching the heating, shaping and smoothing process unfold as the piece grew from a small stone-sized project into a 3 ft bubble. All I could think was-- don’t drop that glass!

After the demonstration concluded, we walked through the gallery with a renewed appreciation for the time and attention that goes into glass art. We saw Dante Marioni’s Form, Color, Pattern exhibition full of colorful, opaque vases with crazy handles and intricate designs. I chatted with an artist as she worked on an intricate bead with a small torch. She even gave me a handmade bead for free.

The fun didn't end at the Museum of Glass. Tacoma goes one step above normal museum tours by offering a self-guided walking tour of Dale Chihuly's art in the entire museum district. The best part is that you can call in the guide on your cell phone! Even from your home right now you can learn about Chihuly's spectacular artwork by calling 888.411.4220. You'll learn about his pieces displayed in an outdoor bridge of glass, the Tacoma Art museum, and inside Union Station. There are interviews and commentary. I advocate for cell phone tours in all museums.

Visit Tacoma for a day of beautiful art-it's worth your time.

Chihuly glass. Gorgeous.

The man on the short seat in red is blowing, the man with gloves on in gray is buffing.

Chihuly Bridge of Glass

Timeless Hopper

Last night, in appreciation of the First Thursday Free program, we went to visit the Seattle Art Museum.

The museum has had an Edward Hopper exhibit since November, and we'd been looking for the perfect opportunity to visit the show. Although small, "Edward Hopper's Women" included some impressive pieces that we both enjoyed.

My favorite painting they had (below) was interesting to consider in today's context. The museum had posted this interpretation:

"War and economic necessity changed the place of women in American society, impelling them out of the home, into the workplace, and onto the road to seek a better life. Hopper's women are figures suspended in time, subjects that embody educing associations with girlhood, motherhood, and home and earth, but now-as occupants of offices, cheap restaurants, movie theaters, rooming houses, or motel rooms-they are women strangely out of place."

Automat, 1927

I couldn't help but think about how things have changed from 1927 to 2009, and particularly in the last few months. I find that there are more and more women (and men) spending time in coffee shops throughout the city, libraries and cheap restaurants. The difference between the audience I'm describing and the casual coffee drinker is that we're not sitting down to relax. Our gaze is directed at a laptop screen instead of the tabletop. We spend long afternoons searching-just like this woman portrays in her contemplative stare-but for employment.

Job hopping

In late December, I decided I would need another temporary position to help me sustain the job search lifestyle. I used my background in youth lacrosse coaching and healthy life skills teaching to obtain a position as a substitute teacher in Seattle's private schools.

I must admit, it's rather fascinating to sing Old McDonald in a Y-PreK (3-year-olds) classroom one day, interview business owners in a client meeting the next, and serve dinner at a fundraiser gala the following evening. Talk about wearing different hats.

I'm learning about myself and what grabs my attention.

Today, for example, I was having lunch at the French-American school on Mercer Island debating the idea of a four-day school week. I've always shied away from the educational system, but I found myself passionate about school scheduling.

The P-I published an article on January 27th that proposed this shorter week as a money-saving effort for districts in Washington State. I don't know much about the American system (I'm thankful for what it's given me) but my initial reaction was negative. I had no idea that there are nearly 100 small, rural school districts in 17 states that hold a shortened school week. Apparently New Mexico used the schedule to save money during the 1970s energy crisis.

"What about extracurricular activities?" I asked.

The teachers in the break room replied that students could meet on the 'fifth day' of the week.

That seems impossible to me. What athletic team practices one day a week? When would they compete? If there are schools that choose the schedule and others don't (it's an opt-in system) how would they have games, matches or performances against regualarly scheduled schools?

I would really like to hear your opinions. Parents, would you be worried about finding childcare? Teachers, would you be able to capture students attention? Students, what would you do with your day off?