what's on my iPad?

Let’s see:

565 notes in Evernote

Yes, it goes with me to every meeting. I try to keep everything digital and avoid handwriting notes as much as possible. Sometimes, it’s more practical to write my notes - when there are huge, multi-page documents being reviewed or discussed, but other than that - I put the info in Evernote (which is also on my phone, as well as on my work and home notebooks!). These notes sync like magic!! With the ability to create different notebooks by topic, and also “tag” individual notes within a specific notebook - this app has absolutely revolutionized the way I work and keep track of everything.

36 books (reading through about 5 or 6 currently)

5 sample books (just deciding if I want to buy them or not)

18 magazines in Zinio

20 magazines in Newsstand (LOVE the new WWD app!!!)

(9 issues that need to be downloaded)

a Bazillion apps (always fluctuating thanks to my kids sharing my iTunes account)

(4 apps that currently need updating)

several games (thank you kiddos) - but my FAVE is Backgammon

Twitter (of course) and Facebook (but I’m more active on Twitter for some reason)

Pinterest (just getting started with this new social phenomenon) 

camera & video (iPad2 - YES) - so lots of videos and photos

9 movies!

1 TV show - Million Dollar Decorators (SOOOOO good last year!)

1 music video - I Am A Gummy Bear (thank you, son)

1457 songs

2 podcasts

75 unread emails (whoops!)

NO telling what else, but I’m curious - what’s on your iPad???

Check YOU out!

When I imagine the most ideal professionals, they always have a super smart wardrobes and are on top of their game in the office. The women have fantastic hair, perfect manicures and a slim fitting, smart outfit complete with really yummy shoes. The men have crisp shirts and nice watches or pens.

I don’t know why I associate these particular attributes with the genders, but I do.

In making my new years resolutions, I literally wrote “Amp up office style.”

Last week, one of the executives at work mentioned a fellow employee and the conversation literally shifted into a moment of style appreciation. Basically, this particular employee was looked upon in a very favorable light because they give a lot of effort in their professional appearance at the office (as well as being very talented in their position) - ESPECIALLY on Fridays, which are “business casual.”

Say what you will about performance, but the style you bring to work each day will get you noticed.

The question is - are you being noticed for how great you look (and make the company look) OR are you being overlooked because you don’t stand out in a really good, pulled together, “I GOT this,” type of fashion?

What a difference a year makes

A LOT can (and will) change in a year.

We’ve had members of our team change, AND as a result we have new folks who’ve been terrific to work with and get to know.

I’ve completely changed how I take notes (thank you iPad & Evernote!).

We’ve reconsidered (and are still considering) the physical space of the team.

We’ve been researching new software to manage projects better - and have finally found what we believe is a VERY amazing custom solution.

We’ve been given several new exciting projects to develop - and that’s probably one of the BEST parts of the development of our team’s skills.

We’ve been given more  to handle, more to do - and we’ve met those challenges with great attitudes.

We’ve grown together.

We’ve learned more (thank you Lynda.com!).

I’m very excited about this upcoming year.

On a personal level, there are some things that didn’t really change. For instance: 

Still working on building industry relationships - although the conference I attended last year definitely (and am looking forward to this year) helped & so did the professional association I joined. 

I’ll always need to focus on my family (because they are ALL awesome!). I’ve already proven that I’m still a workaholic, but when I’m home - I’m REALLY home with them. I don’t check my phone for emails or texts. I AM, however, guilty about Twitter. Addictive! 

Listening skills - better, still no cigar. Check, continue to work on that.

I worked on the sleep thing last year. Not too terrific, but this year we have a dog and earlier workouts (very routine) - and that “less TV” thing helps also.

Lots of expectations for this year, but lots of confidence.

How was your last year, and what are you doing different or what are your focused on to prepare for this new year? 

On this day . . .

Today is a VERY special day in our household. It’s my son’s birthday. He’s smack in the middle of TWEENhood.

What I really remember most about this day is the fact that for both of my kiddos, I was healthy enough to be able to work right up until their birth. I scheduled their births for induced deliveries - don’t judge (I simply didn’t want to be the woman who had their water break at the office).

Anyhoo - both kiddos were born on Tuesdays. Linda (a very nice, interesting lady that I used to get my nails done with) told me that “Tuesday’s child was full of grace.” I was HOOKED on that particular day of the week.

During my pregnancies, I was terrified of a difficult (read: painful) labor/delivery. Ergo, I really leaned heavily on the support of my family as well as my office-mates and friends. Both times, I was very fortunate to have been blessed with non-painful, non-drama births. Which goes to prove that “we have nothing to fear, but fear itself.”

We didn’t find out the gender of either child until they were delivered (I LOVE the surprise!) and so the office had a pool for gender and size (I think). When my son was born, I remember thinking - it’s just a little after five, so I can call the office and let them know that “it’s a BOY!”  SUCH A THRILL!

Made even better when my friends from work (Julie, Lee, Denise and Seana) came to the hospital the next day to see me and meet him.

Yep - today is a special day. I worked with some very special friends. Now this kiddo is ELEVEN. Time flies. And YES, I think Linda’s theory was just right. He’s a terrific boy.

new year - clean it up!

Yep - my Friday night was spent doing something that I had needed to do for a WHILE - cleaning out all of the past issues of WWD from my office. (Yes, I have an online subscription, but I also get print copies at the office.) CRAZY how these issues just tend to become integrated with other work papers, but I had known for a while that I was way past due of cleaning them out. So - my kids both had evening practices Friday night and I took advantage of the time they wouldn’t be home to stay a little late and clean up.

SO GLAD I DID. I had issues that dated back to last July!

I also took the time to empty out my recycling bin - old papers and empty water bottles be gone!

Now, I know that on Monday - I’m going in to a cleaned up, organized office space and I’ll be ready for this week.

How’s your space looking these days? Do you need to take out some old papers that are adding unnecessary anxiety? It doesn’t take long - and you’ll feel a million times better if you just deal with it. Don’t worry - you’ll always have more to contend with at home.

Dina & her daily commute

Facts about Dina:

- Even though she lives in Dallas, make no mistake - she’s a New Yorker

- She is the Creative Lead for a large jewelry retailer

- She is well known in her local Starbucks and so is her order - Venti Pike Place with one pump   

   toffee nut syrup

- She is close with Simon Doonan and has the picture of them together to prove it 

   (yes, bumping into him on a recent NYC trip totally counts)

- She has tiny tiny nose bling and it seriously looks amazing on her

Daily commute

How long of a commute do you have and what is it like?

It’s a ten-minute commute (not to make anyone jealous), but yeah - ten minutes.

I HAVE to listen to music, but I can’t stand hearing advertising on the radio, so I keep switching between my “go to” stations until I find music (no “news” please).

Describe a typical workday routine.

I love routine - almost rigid to a fault. I need about 45 - 50 minutes to get ready in the morning. I snooze twice, shower, hydrate my skin, stare into the abyss of my closet, blah blah blah - get ready. 

I always need Starbucks first thing every morning. I find for the nearest location when I look for a job and they know me within the first week.

No day at the office is the same because the projects I work on are all different. BUT, there is a lot of creative thinking, which I LOVE. 

The “routine” part is the creative process. I love looking for inspiration, researching, reading, talking with people and implementing that into my work.

I’m home by around 6-6:30 and I work out on the elliptical for about an hour every day. 

Then I spend a lovely evening with my husband (watching TV together).

I also talk on the phone in the evening with my sister and my mom almost every day, and my friends. When I had a longer commute, I used to spend that time talking on the phone (which was very convenient and a good use of time), but my commute is very short now.

What is one of your favorite things about your job?

Being creative - definitely the creative aspect.

I love working with people who are super passionate, inspiring, positive, ambitious, visionary and FUN.

I’m fortunate to work with people who are just fantastic, and they love the company they work for. They have a thirst for growth and success. And you just want to be a part of that. It’s definitely what I look for in a job and in people. It’s important.

When you leave the office, what goes home with you and why?

Barely anything. I really try not to take work home with me and I feel like I don’t need to. In most jobs I’ve had, my superiors would say, “There’s no need to take anything home. We’re not curing cancer.”

A few times, I have taken work home, just to prepare with an idea or a sketch in my head of what I want to try for a project. 

I bring work home more vocally - basically saying how my day was (not that I rehash EVERYTHING), and then move on with life.

How do you balance your work life and your personal life?

I think it’s really important to laugh a lot. 

My husband is a comedian and he makes me laugh all the time. I know I can count on him. He puts a smile on my face. There’s always a party by us, even when I’m in “cranky” mode - we’re laughing and being silly which just clears the air.

Working out is also how I balance the tension from work. It’s very cathartic. After an hour of working out, I feel invincible - like I can conquer the world.

spring break!

Vacations. 

Got to love ‘em, but they take a LOT of work.

Just the planning - making sure the flights are booked, the ski lift tickets are purchased, any ski rental equipment (yes, for those once-a-year-skiers: we rent) is reserved - is a lot of work.

Then there’s the office. 

Once you know you’re going to be out/away for more than a day - then you basically need to ensure that your stuff is together, questions are answered, most “to do’s” taken care of, and (very important) the voicemail and “out of office” email messages are accurate (and not too braggy about the awesome vacation you’re about to go on). AND YES - no matter the great many times I check my iPhone for work emails, I’m sure I will return to the office with a very full email inbox to manage. So, in order to get away from the office - you really end up working a lot of the time beforehand, and after you return.

And then there’s the task of packing.

UGH. I don’t really know anyone who loves THIS particular aspect of a vacation. Editing the closet down to the bare minimum of what you need (and what’s appropriate for the trip) which usually brings upon a last minute dash to the mall for something uber important - but that you’ve somehow manage to live without before this incredible trip . . . . 

I’m generally awake VERY late before a trip out of town (for vacations), because, I’m too excited to sleep and (I’ll admit), I’m still finishing needed laundry for packing. 

This year, we were fortunate to go away with some very good friends. Had an absolute BLAST with them, which made all of the “work” of taking a vacation So Very Worth It. Just getting away from a very busy (dare I say hectic) lifestyle and reconnecting with our family and friends was a great reminder that although I really like my job (I mean, I REALLY like it!),  I work for my family and for the good times spent with friends. 

Travel is good for the soul - and so is taking a break every once in a while.

Going with the motto: work hard, play hard.

(I wonder what my kid’s work motto will be?)