“I am who I am because of what we all are.” Ubuntu (#12)

After a hard day of selling dental widgets I have no issue walking away and totally disengaging.  When I work on things I’m passionate about, like education, there is no putting it down at the end of the day.  I walked away from KIPP Charlotte on Tuesday night so frustrated I was physically shaking.  I find working on things that impact the community I live in wholly consuming.  My foray into the land of dental widgets and work being just work has afforded me the time and emotional energy to pursue other interest and build a life in Charlotte.  Dental widget MBA programs also pay pretty well and I’m enjoying not worrying about money for the first time in my life.  The decision to work in corporate America is my big post business school experiment and the verdict is still out as to whether it has been a successful one.  The world of non-profit moves slowly and I was always left wanting more responsibility and to be more challenged.  I also wanted to be around smart, experienced professionals who I could learn from.  I am getting all of that in spades in my current role.  The looming question is whether my desire to serve and make a positive contribution to society can be fulfilled through extra-curricular activities alone or do I need to dedicate my professional career to it.  The answer, which I probably knew going into this, is that I ultimately am not going to be fulfilled working for a company who makes stuff and whose sole purpose is to make money, but until I find a sugar Daddy who will keep me in the lifestyle to which I’m accustomed and so long as I’m still learning, growing and progressing in my current role I can’t see myself making the change.

The reason I was at KIPP on Tuesday night is that I’ve been asked to sit on their development committee.  Per pupil funding is $6,000 per year versus $10,000 a year that NC public school pupils receive.  The goal of our committee is to raise enough funds to close that gap and the aim of the school is to operate at the same cost as a regular public school.  The reason I was so frustrated is there is such a lack of business savvy in the non-profit world – it was like pulling teeth to get a straight answer on what our financial gap actually is and they looked at me like an alien when I asked what the plan or series of actions are to bridge that gap.  In the non-profit world there is a real aversion to change – the committee described how they would be doing the same two events that they have done for the past three year (despite the fact that these events haven’t met the necessary financial goals) because those are the two events that they do every year.  I also find non-profits frustrating because so many people are doing things in their own time out of the goodness of their hearts that it makes it really hard to have frank conversations and say things like “your idea sucks”.  I firmly believe that we should run non-profits like businesses and that we should Executive Directors as accountable for results as we do CEO’s.  It was my first meeting so I sat back and listened and played nice, but if you know me at all you know I won’t be playing that role for very long.

KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) is network of charter schools that serves communities that are traditionally underserved and marginalized education.  They achieve above national average results and get above average percentages of children to and through college.  While in business school I had the privilege of working for the KIPP foundation marketing team in NYC and I’m so excited that I’ve found a way to reengage with my KIPP family.  I urge you to crank up the volume and watch the video below to learn more about the organization that I am so proud to be a part of:

KSS 2011 Gala Video from KIPP Foundation on Vimeo.

What does a weasel look like? (#24)

If you know me, you know I procrastinate when it comes to making big purchases.  I have needed a DVD player for over a year but am overwhelmed by the choices so haven’t bought anything.  In the spirit of embracing the list, I cancelled my contract with Sprint, handed in my two blackberries and signed up for the Verizon/i-phone 4S combo.

Things I love about my new i-phone:

• Siri
• Siri
• Siri
• Face Time
• Nike+iPod
• The ability to turn off work email with a simple slide
• Skype mobile
• Hipstamatic
• Picture/sound quality
• Internet browsing
• Siri

Things I don’t love about my new i-phone:  

• I accidentally called someone as I was reading their text aloud to my friend - awkward
• Damn auto correct
• I miss BBM
• It knows and announces where I am geographically - a real impediment to sketchiness
• I love it so deeply that I walked head first into a lamp post while texting leaving me with this unattractive bruise and a 2 day headache

I’m going to D.C. for Thanksgiving then England for Christmas so I’m not sure I’ll knock anything else off the list in 2012 – although I do plan to attend the UVA-Virginia Tech game this weekend so there is always the threat of #27.   And maybe I will set up the online dating profile over the holidays.   And I should really register to vote when I’m home.  Regardless, here is my mid-year progress report…

1. Start a blog
2. Eat lobster in Maine
3. Visit Barcelona
4. Run the Savannah, GA half marathon
5. Be debt free by 30 (hahaha)
6. Get my green card (next key date Dec 5)
7. Go to Disneyland  (Feb 2012)
8. Watch a Nascar race (Daytona Feb 2012)
9. Take my Dad to the US Masters (booked April 2012)
10. Attend a Jimmy Buffet concert
11. Register to vote by mail
12. Be elected to the board of a non-profit organization
13. Complete a mountaineering course
14. Have laser hair removal
15. Go to Bonnaroo (June 2012)
16. Big Brothers Big Sisters - 2 fun activities a month
17. Read every Man Booker Prize winner since 1982
18. Tour the White House
19. Move into a two bedroom apartment
20. Visit Joshua Tree National Park (booked March 2012)
21. Spend the day at the US Whitewater Center
22. Climb Mount Mitchell
23. Go to every museum in Charlotte
24. Buy and successfully operate an i-phone
25. Try online dating
26. See Niagara Falls
27. Streak the lawn at UVA
28. Attend every class at the YMCA gym once (20% complete)
29. Plan a 30th birthday party (in process)

Run, run, run, run, run, banana, run, run, run (#4 contd.)

A few weeks ago I ran my first half marathon in Savannah, GA and finished in 02:10:20.

I am not a natural runner and I do not find it easy.  Runners World has awesome training guides for all levels of runners  and I was amazed at how effective it was when I did follow it – adding the miles each week was a very natural easy way to run increasingly long distances.  It was truly amazing to realize that with enough work I can train my body to do pretty much anything.  I didn’t love the structure of following a schedule – I resented its rigidity and often rebelled.  I also didn’t like that all exercise had to be running – I enjoy variety and missed hiking, swimming and other exercise classes.   I had good intentions of training all the way up until the race but unfortunately life (more specifically work) got in the way.   The furthest I managed to run before the race was 8 miles so I felt extremely unprepared – I was pinning my success on the fragile hope that adrenaline would take me through the additional 6 miles that I hadn’t trained for.   The night before the race I was very nervous – the gravity of what faced me in a few short hours was weighing heavily.   My favourite good luck message was from my sister who, as ever, showed love and humor with a text that simply said “run, run, run, run, run, banana, run, run run”. After some carb loading the night before and a broken nights sleep full of super weird dreams, we were up at 5am and off to the race.

The race itself was incredible.   My eyes welled up as we set off as the reality set in that this thing I had been planning for months was actually happening and that my dear friend Nicole was there to share it with me.  There were all shapes and sizes running the race and I was particularly touched by the many people who wore shirts with the names of those they were running in memory of.  The people of Savannah, GA knocked it out of the park with the love and support they showed the runners – it was completely unexpected and overwhelming.  As we were waiting to get the bus people would let “runners get on first” and numerous strangers wished us luck.  There were local bands playing every mile, there were high school cheer squads, and there were people alongside the road with signs and cheers and high fives for the entire length of the race.  People had some pretty funny signs and my top 3 were:

• “This is long and hard so do it faster (that’s what she said)”
• “Make this race your b*tch”
• “13.1! (because 13.2 would make no sense)”

The actual running came much more easily that I had expected and I felt physically and emotionally on top form throughout.   I had set a goal of 2:30 so was ecstatic to finish in 2:10 and change.  I hadn’t had an alcoholic drink for a month leading up to the race so the first post-race beer tasted like heaven and we went on to celebrate in style with a rowdy day and night out in Savannah, GA.

Of all the wisdom that was spouted by proper runners leading up to the race this little nugget was dead on:

"Run the first part of the race with your head (slow and steady), the second part of the race with your personality (have fun and go for it) and the final part of the race with your heart (because that is the only thing that will get you through)."

You can see me finish around the 12 second mark in the grey t-shirt on the right.

Half Marathon, Savannah, GA (#4)

13.1 miles
02:10:20
Now to celebrate - apologies in advance to the citizens of Georgia.

Last minute trip to hell and back (with a 4 hour layover in Phoenix)

Let me tell you about something that wasn’t on my list!  In the past 48 hours I have flown across the country tell 60 associates that we intend to close their facility and lay them off, have been told that I have a new boss, that I will soon be in a different position, and that we are merging with another business.  I have never experienced so much change in such a short period of time.  I have got through the past few days because of a tremendous amount of support from my mentor, my “work uncles”, my team, one brilliant conversation with my Mum and wine (LOTS of wine).  Below is what I have learned from the craziest 48 hours of my professional career:

Lay-offs

·    When you are laying someone off do not dwell on the past, why the decision was made or who made it.  Help the person focus on the future.  Help them move forward.  Focus the conversation around what the next opportunity is for them.

Managing Up

·    Have an upfront conversation with your new boss about what you need to be successful and what is important to you.

·    Explicitly ask how you can help your boss be successful and achieve his goals.

Leading a Team

·    As a leader it is your job to remain POSITIVE.  During a period of change your team will be watching very closely to see how you react as it will set the tone for how they react. 

Change

·    The emotional journey of change goes something like this: anticipation, denial, shock, fear, anger, resistance, betrayal, guilt, depression, acceptance, exploration, search for solutions, develop plans, commitment, execute plans, emerge stronger.

·    You can’t control change but you can control how you react to it.  You determine the outcome. 

·    Change is an opportunity to learn, grow and develop new relationships.

·    Stay assertive, stay involved, and don’t retrench.

·    Quit taking it personally, it is not all about you.

Move stats (#19)

Hours it took to move: 24

Friends that helped: 5

Hired help: 3

Bedrooms in new apartment: 2

Friends in my new building who I can now see without getting dressed or putting on shoes: 2

Shopping trolleys stolen: 1

Altercations with old landlord over deposit: 1

Flowers rececived: 1

Overall a big win and I'm accepting applications for visitors! 

Rules were made to be broken (#17)

One of my goals is to read every Man Booker prize winner since 1982.  Lately I have been reading everything but Man Booker prize winners.  There a few factors  that have driven my recent reading habits including: books my sister has sent me, the filming of ‘The Hunger Games’ in uptown Charlotte, and books I have to read as I seem to go through book clubs like Hugh Hefner goes through girlfriends.  I will put my book reviews into three categories (serious novel, beach novel and non-fiction) and rate them out of five. 

Freedom: A Novel by Jonathan Franzen (2010)

My absolute favourite genre is big, meaty, American contemporary fiction (preferably male authors); think Tom Wolfe, Philip Roth, John Updike etc.   Freedom was right up my alley and easily earns its place next to the big guys.  It begins as a story of a seemingly normal contemporary American family, but quickly transitions into a third person narration by the unhinged protagonist, Patty.  It’s an engrossing and utterly convincing peek inside the mind of a deeply dissatisfied woman with well-developed characters.  

Overall rating 4/5 (serious novel)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008)

Because I was basically reading Dostoyevsky before I learned to walk, I used to tease my little sister when she read cheesy teen novels about mystery and unrequited love.  Then one fateful day I saw “Twilight” on a flight from New York to London and thus began my love of all things teen vampire drama.  I quickly expanded my repertoire to include Twilight, Vampire Diaries and True Blood and re-read novels aimed at young adults such as “Harry Potter” –which I’ve been enjoying  more than grown-up books.  Two possible hypothesis: 1)  the quality of novels aimed at teens is higher than I anticipated; 2) my maturity peaked at 25 and I am now regressing back toward a fetal state.  This newfound appreciation for teen-lit coupled with the fact that they are filming the movie adaption in Charlotte led me to read “The Hunger Games”.  I devoured it in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down, I was totally addicted.  The story line is full of suspense and draws the reader in.  The book touches on some moral and emotional issues, but these are secondary to the compelling narrative.  The only ‘dis I have is that the ending was a underwhelming and seemed rushed and disjointed.   I have since recommended the book to a number of friends who have all loved it.  I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of parts two and three of the trilogy in the mail.

Overall rating 5/5 (beach novel)

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay (2008)

This book was recommended by a friend and was a rattling good summer read.  The story is an intertwining of modern day Parisian journalist and a young girl who was separated from her family in the Vel' d'Hiv roundup and deportations of Jewish families from Paris in 1942.  It’s a great page turning historical novel about some of France’s darkest days.  The book makes a powerful emotional connection to the reader but the characters are a little stereotypical.

Overall rating 3/5 (beach novel)

One Day by David Nicholls (2009)

This is a great beach novel – but not a serious read.  I think I enjoyed it more than most because the story begins at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland (where I spent three happy years), the cultural references belong to my generation, and the relationship that is the main theme of the book follows a path that I could relate to.  The book is funny, sad, and incredibly sweet.  Without giving too much away, it has a really great, totally unexpected twist.  I went to see the movie, big mistake.  I wasted two hours of my life that I will never get back. The movie was dis-jointed, confusing and didn’t do the story justice.

Overall rating 4/5 (beach novel)

Mary Ann in Autumn by Armistead Maupin (2010)

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this latest installment from the “Tales of the City” series.  I am a huge Armistead Maupin fan but the last installment “Michael Tolliver Lives” was pretty bad and nowhere near as compelling as the earlier books in the series.  I enjoyed “Mary Ann in Autumn” because I have a fondest for the characters and for Maupin’s voice – but as a stand-alone book it’s pretty weak.  “Mary Ann in Autumn” is the literary equivalent of “Pirates of the Caribbean 7” and it’s time for me to stop reading them.  The first four books are just fantastic – I hardly ever re-read books but I have and will re-read these.  They  are gorgeous books that chronicle San Francisco life and are vastly superior to the Alexander McCall Smith “44 Scotland Street” series about Edinburgh life.

Overall rating 2/5 (beach novel)