It’s been one year

Today is a day I will never forget – I lost my job on this day last year. I can’t forget it because it is also my husband’s birthday, which made this even harder.

Looking back, it’s still hard to not replay that day in my head, unless I move myself forward to 3 months after that day when the 2 people who let me go, were also let go.  That little shiny bit of karma is what keeps me from getting very angry.  It’s hard to not be angry after a job loss – even a year later, I still struggle with this sometimes and I’m sure I’m not alone in this.

The good news is that I was pleasantly surprised to find some inner strength and survival tactics that I didn’t think I had in me.  I would’ve never thought that I could go a whole year on unemployment without either leaching off of my family or losing my house.  But I survived, found a few small jobs here and there to keep me going and found out what I can live without.  When you are in a situation like this, it’s a true test of what your wants and needs are.  I’ll be honest, I did let myself have a few ‘wants’ last year, but not without careful consideration.

Where does this leave me today? I still apply for a number of jobs every week and I am trying to build a consulting business as a backup plan, which is working out pretty well so far.  I have also been taking some continuing education classes and spending more time on doing things I love, like making jewelry.  I have hope that this is going to be a good year, or at least a better year.

Job History: Part 1 (The Teen Years)

Being unemployed for the past 9 months has been a time of reflection for me (among other things).  Lately I’ve been thinking about the work I’ve done that isn’t on my resume, but has shaped who I am as a working person.

Here’s a little walk down memory lane – jobs I’ve had and what I learned:

Ice Skating Instructor (age 16): my job was to walk little kids around a skating rink for a half hour and teach them to “step step glide”. What I learned on this job is that if I am the teacher, I am in control.  One student was adamant that I teach her how to do an advanced move, which I knew was not a good idea.  She pushed and pushed and finally I gave in, and she fell down.  She wasn’t hurt, but I will never forget this experience because I didn’t stick to my guns.  I frequently remind myself that my instincts are generally right and I should trust myself more often.

Glitter Gluer (age 17): I worked for a couple, out of their home, gluing glitter to large foam-core cut outs of cartoon characters.  These were used as table centerpieces for extravagant Long Island bar and bat mitzvahs.   The glitter had to look just right – evenly distributed and each color within the proper section, so that the image would look right. I learned about precision and the importance of being attentive to details, while gluing my glitter.  In any job I do, I try to always think about the big picture and making that image “look right” in the end, by paying attention to the details.

Show Crew (age 18): This was a summer job at the local park that provided entertainment every weekend of the summer. My job was to set up the chairs, sound and lighting equipment for each show.  I was the only woman on a team of about a dozen men.  This is when I learned how to assimilate (for the sake of getting along with your co-workers) when you are different from everyone you work with.  In this case, I did it by working just as hard as every man on the team.

Pizza Girl (age 18): I sat in a window of a pizza place (attached to a bar) in my college town selling slices to drunken patrons.  My job was to yell out to the street “pizza – dollar a slice!” – I guess this was my first lesson in advertising.

Apprentice to Mural Artist (age 19): I would probably rank this as one of the more interesting and fun jobs I’ve had.  I worked for a mural artist, painting a cement parking structure to make it look like bricks, mortar and metal beams: http://bit.ly/EIdID.  We used templates and had a very specific guide to follow on how to make everything look right, down to the shadows on the rivets.  The lesson learned here was the importance of following directions and trusting the person who is giving you directions.  I have used this lesson both in listening to my managers and also in being clear in giving directions to people I manage.

Stay tuned to hear about my 20′s, when my unexpected career in marketing began ….

Impressive Campaign

So last night I had a fantastic dinner with some friends at a locally well-known establishment.  The restaurant advertised that they were ‘rolling back prices’ to 1989 in commemoration of their 20th anniversary.  Well I fell for it.

As I ate my way through half of my linguine with shrimp & lobster, which I just finished for lunch today, I realized that in 1989 I had no concept of the price of food.  I was a sophmore in High School and still on the mom & dad food plan.  Whenever we went to a nice restaurant, the price of the meal would’ve never crossed my mind.  What did I know?  I was a teenager who wasn’t even old enough to hold a job, let alone know what a meal costs.

I guess where I’m going with this is that $70 later (and well-fed), I don’t feel like I got a deal.  No complaints about the food, but I normally spend about that on a good meal these days anyway, so what was the draw?  I think  I sucked into the hype that I was going to be a part of something and lucky enough to get reservations at the one-time only anniversary event, while really it was just another night at expensive restaurant.  I wouldn’t generally quote Flava Flav, but seriously, “don’t believe the hype.”

LinkedIn sold my name & I’m not happy about it

Okay, maybe I’m overracting a little … I’m familiar with the unsubscribe process and nobody got hurt.

Here’s the story – I signed up for a free job networking event last month run by LinkedIn and hosted by the Sports Club/LA, but I did not attend.  Since then, I have received not only promotional emails (plural), but a voicemail message on my cell phone from a representative of the sports club trying to sell me membership! 

I get it, if I were in their shoes, I would want to get something (perhaps a list) out of my generosity for hosting the event.  However, I might be careful in how I target the list, since a) it was an event for job seekers (ie: we have no money) and b) maybe a little geo targeting would help (I live on Long Island).  I was also a bit miffed by the only URL in the entire email landing on a page that launches into a 4 page PDF brochure.  Come on!

Just something to think about Sports Club/LA – if you need to hire a marketer that understands targeting, I’m available

Fortunoff’s sold my name, and I’m okay with it

If you’re a native New Yorker, you know that the name Fortunoff’s has been a staple in fine home furnishings for many years, but recently closed its doors permanently.

Upon my engagement to Chris in late 2005, I took the standard trip to Fortunoff’s with mom at my side and sku gun in hand to start shooting off my wedding registry.  Fast forward to today, I received an email from “Replacements, Ltd.” with the following message:

Dear Fortunoff Customer, We are Replacements, Ltd., and you have been referred to us as someone who may be interested in access to the best in old and new tableware, collectibles, and giftware. You may be aware that earlier this year, Fortunoff closed its doors after decades of industry-leading service and selection in fine tableware and collectibles.  Replacements, Ltd. carries many of the same patterns, both discontinued and active, with a great selection of pieces in each pattern. The list below includes pieces now available in your pattern(s), including measurements and prices. If you appreciate fine tableware, and the joy and fun it brings to family and friends, we can help with everything you need to enjoy life’s special occasions to their fullest for years to come. If we’re mistaken regarding your potential interest in our tableware selection, please accept our apologies for interrupting; check the instructions at the bottom of this message to opt out. Thanks!

Okay, “If you appreciate fine tableware, and the joy and fun it brings to family and friends …” is pretty cheez-erific, but I think this is great marketing.  I did not receive everything on my registry before Fortunoff’s untimely demise and now I have a place to buy what I’m missing, and at a lower price.  Not bad, Replacements Ltd.:  you just may have found a new customer.

My Everyday Dishes

Antonio’s in Oceanside

Had a fantastic meal here on Saturday night.  I had the “Stone Steak” which was cooked to order on the table right in front of me.  http://www.rewardsnetwork.com/details.htm?merchantId=92127.

Super-friendly staff, terrific atmosphere and great food.  Check it out.

some very awesome people I met last night

The South Shore Mall’s “Girl’s Night Out” had a great turn out.  Check out some of the cool folks I met:

Kristina Genova – super-friendly graphic designer (and best/only customer of the night): http://kristinagenova.com/

Wali Collins – handsome and charming comedian with an inspiring message: Y’nevano! and an affinity for Burbon Chicken  http://walicollins.com/home/home.asp … and he was in the movie Coyote Ugly, really!

“Live it Up” tv divas Donna Drake and Fran Capo: http://www.liveituptvshow.com/hostbios.html

Nick Shatarah – sweet and uber-talented musician: http://www.myspace.com/nickshatarah

John Hampson – fantastic musician with a fantastic voice – check out his “Shiny New Album”: http://www.myspace.com/johnhampson?p=10 - I dig it

My plans for tonight …

Tonight I will be at the South Shore Mall for “Girls Night Out” – a fun, free event featuring the music of John Hampson and Nick Shatarah.  There will also be a fashion show.  Click the link for more info:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=228360900520&ref=mf

Please stop by – I will also have some of my latest creations available for sale.  Here is an example of what I’ve been working on.

Fireworks Jasper Necklace