Learning How to Relate Publically

Ok, so tonight is the third and final night of Public Relations School at the Leadership Institute in Arlington (Clarendon to be more specific). Hillary and I have been making the trek down there every afternoon, and it's been great (we've also been enjoying a little shopping and starbucks in the town center before the classes start)!

Each evening there are 2 or 3 lecturers (all but 1 of whom have been really interesting) who have a lot of experience in the field. While we've learned a lot of new information about communications and public relations, it's been great to be reassured that we've been doing a lot of things right.

I don't want to speak for Hillary (and for those of you who may not know, she's a friend of mine from church who happens to live right down the street, and she is the Communications Director for the Whisler Campaign I'm working for) but I feel like we both kind of jumped into this whole campaign/political world without any real training or experience. It's kinda like we jumped into the ocean and are learning to swim at the same time.

But hearing the speakers, we're realizing that we've been doing a lot of things right... which is SO encouraging! I mean, we're no Michael Phelps (yet) but we're certainly doing more than just treading water.

In the classes, we've talked a lot about current events (like Toyota, Tiger Woods, John Edwards and AT&T versus Verizon) which really helps make the principles of media relations and crisis management come to life. We've also talked about the different kinds of media (print, radio & tv) and how to approach each of them for your benefit. And call me a nerd, but I really miss school, so any chance for me to be in a classroom, learning something new is really exciting to me.

If you're interested, the Leadership Institute provides all kinds of training for conservative people in media/public relations fields, politics, journalism, etc. It's worth looking into, especially if you can get your boss to pay for it! (if you're familiar with the area, you'll notice that the Institute is on top of Clarendon Grill)

Ski Adventures

WOW! It's been a long time since I've updated this blog. I've been pretty busy lately with the campaign work I'm doing, planning events and writing posts for the PVRC blog (there's a link to the right if you wanna check it out!). But I also thought I'd spare you all from yet another blog post about the 23048720 inches of snow we had this month.

And while shoveling snow is no fun, Paul and I recently discovered that 50 inches of snow can be fun if you've got some skis and a mountain! For the past 2 weekends we've been skiing and having so much fun learning how. The weekend right after the big storms, my parents invited us to go skiing with them and my brother Justin at Liberty Mountain because the conditions were perfect, just like waaaay back when we lived in Vail, CO. So we went. Paul had never been before and it'd been years since I'd hit the slopes, so we went to ski school in the morning, learned the basics and were cruising down blue slopes by early afternoon. We also did some night tubing which was really fun!

So, needless to say, by the end of the day we were hooked. We've even been thinking about buying our own stuff so we don't have to keep renting. And we're working on setting up a ski trip out west next winter (hopefully to Vail).

Since we just couldn't shake the itch, we went again on Sunday. This time we went to Roundtop Mountain, and while the conditions weren't as ideal because of all the 40+ degree weather we've been having, we still had a great time. AND we were able to meet up with some friends of ours, Tyler and Laura, who are excellent skiers (Tyler and Paul played lacrosse together at Messiah). The blue runs were a bit harder at Roundtop so Paul and I came home with a few more bruises than our first trip. But that's all part of learning.

I mean, we're no Lindsay Vonn and Bode Miller... but hey, we're not too bad either. And now that we've learned a little and tried out this new sport, it's given us a MUCH better appreciation for all the Olympic athletes and their skill. I just can't believe the incredible speeds they get up to going down those super steep slopes!

So for now, it'll be biking all spring, summer and fall and skiing in the winter. I'm hoping that all this outdoor exercise will leave me with some fabulous looking legs!

Bake Sale for Haiti Relief

When I was a kid, I used to have bake sales all the time with my neighborhood friends. But what we were doing was earning extra pocket money, not raising money to help the needy. Not so for the kids I met today. A local 6th grader named Claire has a finely tuned global view. While most kids (and adults for that matter) have a limited perspective and are mainly focused on their own wants and needs, Claire and her friends were so impacted by the devastation in Haiti that they decided to give up their day off from school and raise money for the Haitians effected by the massive earthquake.

The bake sale, organized almost entirely by Claire (pictured here on crutches :( and her foot in a cast), was a huge success. Baked goods were made by the children and their families or donated to the cause. The sale was scheduled from 12-3 at the fire station on Frederick road - Claire did all the leg work for setting up the event - and for the hour and a half that I was in the area there was a steady stream of traffic the whole time! It's great to see kids getting involved... hopefully it inspires some of us adults to do the same.

The kids were really working hard to bring in donations... waving signs, calling out to people on the sidewalk, talking with people as they came to check out the baked goods. From talking with some of the girls involved, I found out that someone donated a hundred dollars (thank you, whoever you are)! And while they had a huge spread on 3 folding tables when I arrived at 1pm, by the time I left at 2:30 there were only a few items left.

Tragic events like earthquakes, hurricanes, wild fires and tsunamis are kind of bittersweet in a certain way. Tragedies bond us as a human race and make us more aware of the suffering that happens to the less fortunate everyday. It is heartbreaking to see the pain, death and loss that follows an event like this, but at the same time it is encouraging to watch the outpouring of care and love from the rest of the world. And it is especially heartening to see children giving their time and efforts to help... it's a good sign for the next generation. And it's my hope that this group of kids will inspire others, like Steve Whistler's boys pictured here, to get involved to help those who need it all over the world and here in our own backyard.

Oh yeah... and the brownies and banana bread I bought... delicious!

Giving O'Malley and his Cronies a Piece of Our Minds

"You Tax We AXE"

"Public Servants, My Ass"

"I have a Deficit, too. Don't raise my taxes Bro!"

"We're not your personal ATM machine"

"Bring Back Ehrlich"

"N'O Malley NO More"

These were just a few of the signs that waved as several thousand (not hundred as the liberal local media would have you believe) people gathered last night in Annapolis to protest the excessive spending and tax increases that have left Maryland in a huge deficit. And citizens from both sides of the isle are fired up. And what is so great is that this rally was not organized by a political figure as some sort of a publicity stunt. It's groups of concerned and fed up citizens who come together and want their voices not only heard... but listened to.

If you missed the local coverage... even though it was pretty bias and really tried hard to minimize the impact of a rally like this, check out this CLIP and see some of the other signs (and people) involved... you might see someone you recognize!

People all over the state are losing their jobs, taking pay cuts and having their hours reduced. And yet, these sleaze balls who spend our tax dollars, run our state, our counties and our cities are demanding that we give them MORE money. More money to fix the deficit they created because they weren't responsible with the money we gave them in the first place. And as if that wasn't enough highway robbery, you've got Mayor Dixon stealing gift cards from the poor.

It's time for change. Not Obama's change. Hell no. We need a people's change... a people's revolution. We need to change our activism style. It's not enough to sit on your couch and roll your eyes at the TV anymore. It's not enough to whine about your taxes to your friends after you've mailed them off. It's probably not even enough to send your representatives an occasional letter.

If you're not happy about the status quo in this state... get up and DO something. Find a candidate you believe in and get involved in their campaign. Go to a rally. Start a political bog. Make a sign. Write a check to an organization or candidate you believe in. Join your local republican club. If you're not a republican, but you're not happy with your current state and local officials... LET THEM KNOW! It probably means more coming from you registered DEMs anyway. And then do some research and find a candidate to support who's a little more fiscally conservative.

So, what got our country, and our state especially, into huge debt and full of greedy, self-serving politicians? Everyday citizens who sat by and thought someone else would address the issue. Well, they won't. You can't depend on anyone else to bring about the change you want. This is your country... your state... your future... and if you don't take charge of it, shame on you and your laziness.

Remember your US History class from waaaay back when in high school? Remember how passionate people were? Remember Thomas Jefferson? Well, he thought a lot about liberty and what it meant to fight for one's beliefs even if the odds seemed stacked against him. In March of 1811 (200 years ago and still relevant) he said:

"The last hope of human liberty in this world rests on us. We ought, for so dear a state, to sacrifice every attachment and every enmity."

In Honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

AN EXCERPT FROM HALF THE SKY:

"What about trafficked girls?" Nick asked. "Are you keeping an eye out for them? There must be a lot."

"Oh, a lot. But we don't worry about them. There's nothing you can do about them."

"Well, you could arrest the traffickers. Isn't trafficking girls as important as pirating DVDs?"

The intelligence officer laughed genially and threw up his hands. "Prostitution is inevitable." He chuckled. "There has always been prostitution in every country. And what's a young man going to do from the time he is eighteen until he gets married at thirty?"

"Well, is the best solution really to kidnap Nepali girls and imprison them in Indian brothels?"

The officer shrugged, unperturbed. "It's unfortunate," he agreed. "These girls are sacrificed so that we can have harmony in society. So that good girls can be safe."

"But many of the Nepali girls being trafficked are good girls, too."

"Oh yes, but those are peasant girls. They can't even read. They're from the countryside. The good Indian middle class girls are safe."

Nick, who had been gritting his teeth, offered an explosive suggestion: "I've got it! You know, in the United States we have a lot of problems with harmony in society. So we should start kidnapping Indian middle-class girls and forcing them to work in brothels in the United States! Then young American men could have some fun, too, don't you think? That would improve our harmony in society!"

There was ominous silence, but finally the police officer roared with laughter.

"You are joking!" The officer said, beaming. "That's very funny!"

Nick gave up.

This book is a powerful, eye-opening journey in to the daily, commonplace plight of women outside the United States. The excerpt above is just one of the many examples of the backwards attitudes and flawed reasoning that leave millions of our world's women and girls mistreated, malnourished, abused and undervalued.

Until I read this book (which is uplifting, despite the nature of the content), I knew that women in other parts of the world were less than valued, I knew that sex trafficking happened, but in no way could I have ever imagined the severity with which women (I say women, but really much of this abuse happens to pre-pubescent girls) are taken advantage of.

In honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness day, I challenge you to check this book out of the library and at least read the first few chapters. Or do some research while you're looking for something to distract you from work today.

Or, if reading isn't really your thing (which wouldn't make much sense since you're reading this), go rent Born Into Brothels. It's a documentary about brothels in India as seen through the eyes of the prostitutes' children. Very powerful. I saw this documentary when I was a junior in college and can honestly say that it was my first real glimpse into the terrible misogyny that exists outside the US. And while it is certainly a powerful call to action, it does not give a global perspective the way Half the Sky does.

Or, if fiction is more your thing, read A Thousand Splendid Suns. It's a heartbreaking story about women in Afghanistan (but it does have a redeeming ending). And if you didn't know better, you'd think the story was taking place a hundred years ago... you know, back in the dark ages before women's rights even existed. But sadly it is a modern tale, and the attitudes expressed by the male characters in the book are unfortunately not the work of fiction.

And I know that women in America often complain about not being equal to men. We sometimes make less money, get hit on or harassed by our bosses and are sadly the more likely gender to be victims of rape and domestic violence. But really, American women need to spend less time and effort complaining about their slightly lower pay and more time thanking God that by the luck of the draw they were born into a country where they are not under constant threat of being kidnapped and imprisoned in a brothel.

Now, I'm not naive enough to think that sex trafficking doesn't exist in America. I know that most American prostitutes are enslaved by their pimps, but at least we live in a country where this tragedy is being addressed. At least our police officers and law-making officials understand that the mistreatment of women simply because they are women is wrong.

We have annual 3 day walks for breast cancer awareness in this country, and I'm pretty sure than unless you've been living under a rock, you are aware of breast cancer. Yet, very few people are aware of the severity of sex trafficking and misogyny worldwide and it effects millions more people than breast cancer. So today, and my hope is for many days to come, educate yourself on this issue... this issue that has been put on the back-burner for too long.

Coming this Spring to a Trail Near YOU

This year, I got freedom for Christmas. Open air, 2-wheeled, mobile freedom. The only negative about getting a bike for Christmas is waiting until spring to use it :-(

Paul and I have been looking at bikes since last summer and were planning on buying a pair this spring with some tax rebate money. But Paul's parents surprised us with bikes Christmas morning! That's a picture of mine; it's a Giant Cypress DX W in Sangria (just a fancy way of saying dark pink). And it's perfect for riding on the street or light trails.

Just knowing that we can load up the bikes on a beautiful Saturday and head to a trail somewhere around here is so exciting. Now-a-days, with everyone trying to be budget friendly AND green, I think bikes are a great investment! For just the initial cost of the bike, a bike rack and bike appropriate clothes (if you don't already have them) you get endless entertainment every warm-weather weekend for YEARS!

There are SO MANY trails around here. And DC is a great place to go riding for the day... especially during the cherry blossom festival. Plus, when we go down to the beach they'll be a great way to get around. And get the exercise that I desperately need.

The only minor hiccup in our bike riding dreams came when Buckley showed up in our lives. Now, please don't get me wrong here. Buckley is the answer to many prayers and wishes... and he's basically the love of my life. And as such, I would never want to leave him home alone all day while Paul and I are out galavanting around the Maryland countryside. But the thought of hitting up my parents or grandparents every Saturday this spring for puppysitting duty was no good... and I knew that would never fly with them.

SO I did a little search for dog bike baskets and was pleasantly surprised! Buckley can come along with us and have a front row seat for all the action in a basket attached to my handle

bars. PERFECT. So now I'm double excited for warm weather. And getting Buckley's bike basket on sale with free shipping makes the whole thing even sweeter.

I know I probably sound like a bike salesman, but I whenever I find something to be really excited about, I just want everyone I know to join in on the fun! So, in lieu of spending big money on a vacation this summer, invest a couple hundred dollars on a good bike and hit the trails with me... for years to come!

Back from the Black-Hole of Christmas

WOW! As much as I love Christmas, I am glad to be getting back into the routine of daily life. I feel like I've been so busy for the past 3 or 4 weeks but haven't really gotten very much accomplished. Okay, maybe that's not entirely true. I did A LOT of baking. A LOT. And I hosted and cooked Christmas dinner for 14 people. (it was delicious... Italian herb crusted pork tenderloin, baked apples and cheese, mashed potatoes, roasted carrots and onions, broccoli and cheese souffle, and sauteed zucchini and tomatoes... I did have some help from my mom and aunt)

But, and I'm sure most of you feel this way too, basically the whole month of December is devoted to Christmas related things. My personality is such that if I have 100 things to do in a day I will accomplish all of them. But if I only have 1 or 2 things to do, I'll probably end up watching daytime TV in my pajamas. I really work well with a medium to high stress level.

And that brings my to my next point. While I enjoy working at a pre-school, it's only part time. And I end up being so unproductive with all the extra time on my hands. I need something that challenges me more. Something with deadlines, something fast-paced, something intellectually stimulating. Or else I will waste away watching Regis and Kelly.

Call it a quarter-life crisis, call it the post-graduation blues, call it a case of the Mondays... but I need a change. Here are some ideas I came up with last night. Maybe some of you readers could help me by letting my know what you think I'd be successful at:

1.Really dive in to the local politics scene. A friend of mine, Hillary, is in charge of communications for Steve Whistler who is running for county counsel in my district of Baltimore County. I've been kind of involved on the periphery, but I'd like to play a bigger role.

2. Get all the paperwork in and apply for a grant from the state of Maryland to get a Masters in Early Childhood Education (infant through third grade) from Towson. I have always loved school, and this is a great opportunity to get a Masters 100% paid for. The downside is the time commitment (18 -24 months) and the fact that I wouldn't be able to work full-time while taking classes.

3. Come the fall, switch from pre-school to full time daycare. I did enjoy working full-time at the daycare in Alexandria, and I think it would be a challenge for me if I was the lead teacher in a classroom (which I am now certified to do). The downside would be having to search/apply for a new job... it would end up being my 3rd school in 3 years, and I'm not sure how that would look on a resume.

4. Look in to leading a Missions Trip to China in May of 2011. Paul and I have been once before and absolutely loved it. It was so life changing and we've always wanted to go back. We're part of a church plant (a brand-new church for young adults and young families in the Catonsville/Elkridge/Arundle Mills area - let me know if you're interested!) and I would loved to be involved in coordinating missions.

5. Or maybe I just need to totally change career fields. BUT I don't know what else to do... especially in this job market. I've got a BA in English, but I feel like that doesn't matter a whole lot to very many employers.

So, those are just a few ideas. And as the new year is just beginning, I feel like I need some new goals and new challenges. Or maybe just a hobby.