I didn’t intend to write a piece about Dr. Martin Luther King this year, but the spirit moved me to do so. Every year, without fail, people speak about what King would and would not have approved of and it becomes crystal clear they know nothing about the man. I watch people quote the Dream…
A few words on Black Friday while I’m waiting for my flight and the music isn’t enough: If you’re boycotting Black Friday but plan to hit the mall on Saturday, slap yourself. And then go shopping tomorrow. Why? Because one day boycotts are foolish. And you’ll pay more on Saturday. Stop hustling backwards. (Last sentence…
As we’ve seen in Chicago, Minneapolis, New York, Las Vegas etc., it’s important to VOTE. Up and down the ticket. Every time. In every election. Politics is a contact sport. With no off season and no breaks. It’s bigger than the White House. It’s about the people in your state legislature, city council, district attorney,…
I used to think that I needed to take it down a notch to get ahead. Be humble about my accomplishments to provide a safe space for mediocrity. If I just put my head down and work hard, I’ll get what’s coming to me. The lie detector determined… That was a lie. If you’ve…
The Boondocks was one of my favorite TV shows. The social commentary and satire were always on point. Robert Freeman, the show’s patriarch always had a story about significant moments in history. From the civil rights movement to the election of Barack Obama, he was always in the right place at the right time. …
What a difference a year makes… On September 10, 2014, I wrote about falling out of love with PR. I thought I was headed for a career change. Was I ever wrong? A year later, I’m still working in communications (supervisor now!), in a new city and preparing to ascend to heights I hadn’t dreamed…
There are days when I look at my master’s degree and want to throw it across the room. Make no mistake, I love journalism — so much that I invested seven years of classroom time and nine years of professional time penning stories and living the dream. But what happens when the party’s over? Despite…
I had a marathon interview last week — three hours over three different sessions. I woke up like it was the first day of school having laid out my clothes the night before (Do kids still do this?). Navy blue suit, light blue shirt, navy blue tie. Those that know me offline know that bow ties…
Last week I said I was falling out of love with PR. This is still true. That said, it doesn’t mean my communication skills have fallen off. Far from it. I’ve succeeded in the field because I am a curious soul. I ask questions. LOTS of questions. I read. I process, I re-read. And I ask questions…
What do you do when you fall out of love with your profession? Once upon a time, I thought I’d found a home in PR/communications work. I was a journalist for eight years before making the jump to the “dark side” as some of my colleagues call it. While there is still a lot of…
Losing a job or being caught up in one that’s less than ideal can be mentally taxing. Getting out of the trap of unemployment or less than satisfactory employment can feel like a prison break. I understand the allure of an offer, any offer when you’re desperate to make a move. However, leaving one bad…
The hard truth is only 2/3 of these is a true option. For communicators in the digital 24 hour news era, producing sub par work is a reputation killer. IF you have a reputation to value. Anyone that wants fast service cheap doesn’t value your time or your product. Run away as fast as you…
I got my first job by filling out an application. I don’t know if there were few applicants or if I was one of the lucky few to be selected. It was easy. Almost deceptively so. More than a decade later, filling out an application isn’t enough to get most people an interview, let alone…
For better or worse, I’ve gotten used to the idea of change. While being in a constant state of uncertainty lacks stability on the surface, there is much permanence to be gained from impermanence.
As a lifelong Chicago Bulls fan, where LeBron James decided to take his talents last week was of little concern to me. From a communications standpoint, it was a sight to see.
Twisted Penster 