Here’s a major bulletin: you are a different person at work than you are at home. We need to sort out who we are at work versus who we are as parent, lover, or friend. At work we have special talents to put to use. We can test our boldness; we can measure our own self-worth. At work we need to focus on our bravery, resilience, and mental toughness. At work you are not the the peacekeeper. Nor are you the PTA member. Work allows you to be someone totally different from who you are at home and in social situations. 

Charlotte Beers knocks my socks off. Her new book, I’d Rather Be In Charge, is a treasure trove of insights and inspiration for working women. It is revolutionizing my thinking.

In case you are unfamiliar with Beers: she was the first ever female senior vice president at J. Walter Thompson Advertising, CEO at Tatham-Laird & Kudner, Chairman and CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide and Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy & Public Affairs under Colin Powell.

I found the most incredible photo app today just by happenstance. It is called Polamatic and it is created by none other than Polaroid.

It is the perfect blend between modern digital photography and classic Polaroid style.

The app allows users to create a retro photo by either shooting a new picture or use an existing one from their library, adding a  frame, applying a filter and/or caption.

I am having so much fun!

There are 12 frames with names like “crumpled,” “tape,” and “kinda new.”  The app also features 12 photo effects for customization allowing users to apply a number of color and tone adjusting effects to their pictures.  And of course, you can add text to your Polaroid picture, even choosing from 12 different fonts.

Another unique feature of the app is the ability to easily share the photo via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, Tumblr or email, making it a must for bloggers and social media enthusiasts who want to add this classic style to their posts.

I purchased a couple of additional frame formats and effects to add to my options… because I am obsessive like that. This app sells for $1.99 and in my opinion, is well, well worth it.

 (All photos above taken with my iPhone 4S)

You either love them or you hate them.

Guess which camp I am in?

Last month was a busy month for school projects. We’d worked hard creating ginormous maps of fantasy lands and accompanying artifacts central to the story. We spent countless hours building a fictitious character entirely out of soap products. We wrote pages and pages of journals and essays to accompany.

WE WERE DONE.

Or so we thought.

But fate (i.e. sadistic language arts teachers) would have another plan for us. Let me just say, it is a sad, sad day to be a parent when your child dumps the dreaded end-of-year project into your lap. When I read the requirements for each of the assignments my children handed me, I died a little inside.

Not to state the obvious, but every parent knows that their “child’s assignment” is actually their assignment. Meaning, the parent never really gets off the hook. Like it or not, we’re in it for every single moment of torture.

I realize that some parents are pros at coaching their children through these affairs. Some even leave their kids on their own demonstrating a true “sink or swim” parenting philosophy. I’m not like that. (As much as I try to be, believe me.) I always end up in the muck and the mire. In the thick of the cajoling, gluing, cutting, practicing and assembling.

Oh how I dislike educators during those long project work sessions. (What? At least I am being honest.)

So it turns out that both boys had a ridiculous project to complete within days of each other:

• A living museum project as John Paul Jones (father of the American Navy)
• A characterization model of Martin Luther King Jr.

The living museum project required my youngest to write and recite from memory a multi-paragraph speech in first person to be presented in costume at a school event complete with visual aids, a display board and an “on button” to begin his presentation with. Two things about this project terrified me – the “in costume” requirement and the phrase “recite from memory.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t have that many “father of the American Navy” costumes just lying around. And…. I DON’T SEW. However, thanks to Facebook, I was actually able to score a Revolutionary War getup. Yes, someone actually owns one. (I know, right?)  As for the “recite from memory” part…. TORTURE. No other word for it. Over and over and over and over and fighting and bickering and cajoling. I purchased wine just to get through that project. I’m not even a little ashamed to admit that.

As for my oldest son’s project? We had to create a model of good ole MKL Jr. out of a two liter bottle of soda.

Let me say that again…. OUT OF A TWO LITER BOTTLE OF SODA.

Now, surely this heroic, iconic man deserved a better tribute then to be memorialized using a soda bottle? But alas, a soda bottle the project required. Not only that, the model had to contain at least five physical traits of the character and at least five personality traits. WTH?

That was when I realized I had to call in backup. MY MOTHER. I figured, if anyone could come up with a creative solution, it was my mom.

She saved my life.

And my son’s grade.

Here’s the thing… I am not creative. I’m just not. I mean, I can glue. I can tape stuff. I just had absolutely no idea how to complete that project and neither did my son.

But Mom-Mom did. She whipped us around JoAnne Fabrics throwing Styrofoam, popsicle sticks, felt, yarn and fabric remnants into the cart. I mean, it was out of control. And for the assembly, she carefully guided my son through the process with gentle suggestions and firm reprimands. When he strayed, she took control.

I just stood by and did what I was told. (Despite being wounded a damn glue gun and straight pins. I figure it is a small price to pay for having not having a creative bone in my body.)

And voila! This is what came of it:

Some assembly required?

Brilliant, right? And she didn’t lose her temper or anything. I’m thinking of renting her out to bring in a little extra cash. Give me a call if you need a little extra sanity…

Once upon a time…Two successful career women decided to trade in suits for supermom capes! Eileen Estok, former Account Supervisor at a New Orleans advertising agency, and Adrienne Rupinta, former Fashion Buyer for Nordstrom. Now, knee deep in the trenches of child rearing, we are forever searching for ways to pull together our love of art and fashion.
 With a friendship spanning over eight years, and a history of artistic ventures, we’re just two great friends who endlessly push each other to strive for a balance between creative expression and freedom from the daily grind. …One day, hipJunky was born!

Over the years, how have you learned to balance career and motherhood?

It’s an ongoing juggling act, but with well-oiled systems, fierce organization and lots of colored pens to manage everyone’s calendar, everything has a way of working out. Some days are more successful than others, but we approach everyday with a ‘can do’ attitude. Like most Moms, we’re masters at multi-tasking. We both come from career backgrounds that were very demanding and deadline oriented (Adrienne, Fashion Buyer; Eileen, Advertising Account Supervisor), which proved to be fertile ground for learning how to manage the chaos. At the end of the day, both of us maintain that our families are our first priorities, so if something has to give, it makes it easier to make the tough decisions.

Is there one particular parenting lesson you’ve learned about raising kids?

EE: I would have to say that learning to appreciate the different personalities and needs of each child, and how to meet them where they are, is an ongoing lesson. My sons Sawyer (12) and Cooper (7), and daughter Piper (4) each has his/her own set of successes, disappointments, triumphs and struggles. I have learned that taking the time to listen to each of them and really hear them is time well spent. They can’t always put their feelings in to words, but a tight hug speaks a thousand words!

AR: There are so many lessons, I could go on for days. The biggest ones I have learned while raising my litter – daughter Spencer (9), son Tanner (7), daughter Quincy (5), and son Kiegan (3), are fairly simple…consistency is key, fairness is a must, and I should treat them with the same respect that I expect from them. I also know, that none of my little people care what time I went to bed and that sleep deprivation affects EVERYONE and EVERYTHING. Making sure I get a decent night sleep (at least a few nights a week) is very important for my juggling act.

Battling stress? Any advice?

Exercise, exercise, and more exercise. It doesn’t always fit in to our schedules, but we try to make it a priority because we both feel more productive when we do! Also, we try to remember that everything is temporary, so take it all in stride. The kids won’t be screaming ‘Mommy look at me…I want…I need’ forever, so now is the time to listen and be present in the moment.

Tools or products you can’t live without?

MacBook, iphone, my calendar, DVR, staying on top of the to-do lists, and lipgloss!

Do you have an inspirational quote, motto or philosophy you can share with us?

We have several inspirational quotes and mantras we tell ourselves:

• When you know better, do better –Maya Angelou
• Building a successful business is a marathon, not a sprint.
• The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results
• What messes us up the most is that we all have this perfect picture in our minds of how things are supposed to be.

Favorite resources, books, or website?

Resources for inspiration… Pintrest, Design Sponge, Houzz.com, Décor8, various fashion and DIY blogs that we happen upon

Recent reads…Hunger Games trilogy, The Girl with The Dragon Tatoo trilogy, Water for Elephants, Twilight series

What are you passionate about?

We are passionate about art and fashion! We approach our buckles like miniature canvases, each with it’s own color and style story. A hipJunky buckle can completely change an ordinary outfit into something extraordinary. It’s a welcome change from the expected. We are proud to create such a unique, fun-to-wear product.

We are also passionate about giving back. We regularly donate to fundraisers and causes in our own back yards and beyond. Recently we created a ‘FIGHT’ buckle to raise awareness and dollars for breast cancer research, with a portion of the proceeds donated to support the cause. We have dedicated a page on our website that highlights inspirational survivor stories and will carry the buckle year-round.

Connect with them:

Twitter: hipjunky buckles

Facebook: www.facebook.com/hipjunky


Websites: www.hipjunky.com


Pintrest: hipjunky

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You’re uncomfortable. Unhappy. Stifled. Frustrated.

If you’ve ever been there you know that it is incredibly difficult to try to get yourself unstuck. Especially when you can’t quite pinpoint the cause for your state of mind.

I know this personally. I’ve been stuck for months now.

Happiness was fleeting. Inspiration was challenging. My attitude was lacking.

I just hadn’t  felt… stimulated. It was as if I was going through the motions of my days, stuck in a holding pattern.

Have you ever seen the movie Groundhog Day? Yeah, that. Exactly that. I’m not going to lie to you, it wasn’t pretty in my head. I’ve been quite the miserable wretch.

Until yesterday.

Let me just stop here and profess something to you – I am a woman of  faith. I don’t talk about it much here on the blog. (Although I probably should.) But I am.

And yesterday I received an incredibly inspired message from the big man upstairs:

“Bloom where you are planted.”

That phrase, completely out of the blue,  hit me like a ton of bricks. “Right here?” I thought. “In this frustrating place? I don’t even want to be here. How in the world am I going to do that?”

Upon further introspection I realized that I ultimately had two choices:

• To continue to frustrate myself by cursing where I was and wind up bitter
• OR Till the ground beneath me and see what I could grow under the circumstances

I believe that God has me exactly where he wants me. I don’t know why. I certainly don’t like it, but there is a reason I am here and a lesson I need to learn from it.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

I’m going to take a step in faith and go with this revelation.  Let’s see where it takes me.

Where are you today? Are you stuck in a place that you can’t get out of? I suggest you come along on this journey, gather up your gardening tools and cultivate life around you. Together we may find that the things we long for are right underneath our feet.

Aside from my iPhone, I can honestly say that if I were to lose it or it somehow broke, I would run (not walk) to the nearest Best Buy in order to get it replaced.

It is absolutely that fantastic.

This incredibly inconspicuous  tech device essentially measures your motion patterns to tell you your steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled, vertical climbs and sleep quality. It is so much more than a traditional pedometer.

And it is very easy to use. You just clip it on your bra or put it in your pocket. It’s so petite that no one will know you’re wearing it, unlike some of the other models I have tried which made wearing  while sporting professional or evening wear impossible.

And the stats? I am completely addicted to the stats. I have a minimum daily requirement for myself (10,000) constantly striving to do more. As you know, I have a desk job so keeping track of my progress and incorporating physical activity into my day is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Nary an evening goes by where you won’t find me quickly jogging in place beside my nightstand trying to get in the last couple hundred before retiring for the evening. (What? You think that is weird? Okay. You’ve got me there. I probably DO look completely ridiculous jogging in my pajamas. C’est la vie!) 

The Fitbit syncs wirelessly to its base station, so anytime it  is within range, your stats are synced automagically. : ) There is also an app (squee!)  making it ridiculously easy to check on your progress.

For those looking to make changes in their physical activity levels, Fitbit Ultra is key. I never knew how sedentary my work day was until tracking it with the Fitbit. It serves as a motivator and accountability partner all rolled up into one.

And you don’t have to go it alone, either. You can sync up with friends who are using the device as well (competition, anyone?) and even participate in challenge groups for extra incentives. And if you are fond of gaming, Fitbit also awards badges based on accomplishments. What is not to love?

Now, if you are not a data head you will be happy to know that you can now view your stats in a more fun or useful way via  Notch. Notch creates sweet infographics from your Fitbit data. Here’s mine.  Apparently, last month I walked the 157 miles around Halley’s Comet 1.21 times. I know, right?

Connect with Fitbit:

Website: fitbit.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/fitbit
Twitter: @fitbit

Every 90 seconds, one woman dies to complications in pregnancy and childbirth. (Approximately 358,000 per year.)

For every woman who dies each year in childbirth, 20-30 more suffer from lifelong debilitating disabilities.

Does this shock you? I know that it did me. I had no idea the stakes were so high.

To call attention to those missing, the Every Mother Counts organization has launched a social media campaign asking healthy, present mothers everywhere to raise their voice in silence and solidarity to “disappear” this Mother’s Day.

Model, author and activist Christy Turlington Burns is behind the advocacy campaign emanating from the Every Mother Counts organization which she founded in 2010.

She told MSNBC, “What we’re trying to do is get people to stop for a moment and consider how many lives are lost each day, and Mother’s Day in particular, and to try to generate some of that positive energy and love toward the mother towards every mother… There is something like $18 billion spent on mothers on Mother’s Day alone in the United States. That money certainly could be redirected to reducing maternal deals and improving maternal health around the world.”

To read more and watch the powerful video, click here.

STATUS: Conquered

ANALYSIS: Surprising results for me considering I haven’t had a whole lot of time to train for this one. The sky was overcast which made for a terrific climate, especially considering how hot is was predicted to get.

Starting the morning off right. Normally I am a peanut butter and wheat bagel kind of gal but this morning I opted for peanut butter and oatmeal. Nom, nom, nom…

Pre-race photo. Looking confident on the outside but inside truly nervous about how I would perform. I was running with a very strong companion (Lori) and a friend of hers so I felt a ton of pressure to do well. I was about as calm as someone about to undergo oral surgery…

Mile 5 and looking strong! Of course, I knew the real test for me would be mile 10 and on. Normally, I try to keep a long run base of 10 miles so that it is easy to ramp up into marathon training mode but, as I’ve mentioned before, I’ve hadn’t been the most dedicated in my training program in recent weeks.

Sad to report, I was totally right about the challenges in the latter half of the race. I started shaking around mile 11 and really began to kick myself for not taking a banana at the previous water stop. Why didn’t I grab the banana? Because I began my Weight Watcher’s plan this week and didn’t want the extra points. (Face palm!)

The last two miles were spent worrying about fainting and such and thus holding Lori back from a course PR. I’m happy to report that I actually managed to hold it together, NOT FAINT, and finish.

Whew!

I’m NOT going through that ever again. This girl will be getting serious about cross-training. Immediately.

Do I look relieved? I am. Trust me. Official time was 2:15:15. Totally stoked. (BTW – Lori did, in fact, PR the course. Woo hoo!)

WHAT’S NEXT:  New York Marathon – November 4th - I’ve got a long way to go. My IT band constantly needs to be taken into consideration, I have at least 10 pounds to lose and I have to get to work on that cross-training….STAT!

As an aside, the above photo is one of the things I look forward to in any race. FUN PEOPLE who come out to support and encourage you. Thanks, Larry for being on the course and giving all the runners something to laugh about.

Oh joy. 

I think I have mentioned before that I joined a blogging group called #vlogmoms to force myself to learn more about video blogging and become  more comfortable on screen.

I’m still working on it. But I digress….

This week’s topic has us discussing the topic of SANITY. And here is what I have to say about all that:

So, how about you? What do you do to relax, unwind and relieve your stress? Link up or leave a comment!

She recently launched  her own venture – smith&moxie…an accessible digital marketing and social media solution.

A super user and first adopter, Jessica has been using Twitter and Facebook since 2007. She started connecting with people online in the late 1980′s when she started using Prodigy and in college in the mid-90′s she was learning and sharing with other college students on Greekpages.com.  A graduate of the University of Maryland at College Park, Jessica started her career at Sapient Corporation.

Jessica has been a speaker, moderator and panelist at several conferences including PRSA International Conference, Vocus Users Conference, M2Moms, Blogher, Blissdom, Type-A Mom Conference, and Blogalicious Weekend. 

Listed on Hub Spot’s list of “100 Most Powerful Women on Twitter”, she was also named one of the Top 25 Most Influential and Powerful Women in Social Media in Immediate Influence Blog in Fall 2009, named one of the Nielsen Online’s Power Mom 50, #7 on Babble’s Top 50 Twitter Moms 2010, one of the 25 Women Who Rock Social Media by TopRankBlog in 2010 and #67 on BigMoneyWeb.com’s 200 Most Fearless Women Online and in Social Media in 2011.

Over the years, how have you learned to balance career and motherhood? 

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to say that I’ve achieved balance.  But I have realized that lack of work life balance is more often than not self-inflicted.  I’ve also tried harder in recent years to treat others’ work life balance as I’d ideally like to see mine treated: respecting their boundaries, understanding that we might not always be “synchronizing our watches”, and that the word “urgent” can mean many different things to many different people.
Is there one particular parenting lesson you’ve learned about raising kids?

I’ve learned that no matter what…if you think about it, we’re all trying to do the best we can to provide the best for our kids.   I’m also quickly learning the lesson that as my son gets older he’s inheriting a lot of my behaviors.  This makes me more conscious of the example I’m setting and the result is being kinder to myself, showing compassion to others more, and learning from mistakes and moving on – not getting stuck in a moment.

Battling stress? Any advice?

Oh boy.  I’m always looking for additional artillery for stress.  I’ve been working out 2-4 times a week for the past month or so and it’s made a huge impact.  I always knew that would be the case if I actually got moving.  I schedule exercise time into my calendar now.  Also, don’t underestimate the power of surrounding yourself with good girlfriends.  The kind you can see in person.  Having a strong network of digital friends can help get through rough times, but there’s something about having that powerful energy that comes from being in the same room with friends who care about you that really makes the difference.

Tools or products you can’t live without?

My Kindle.  Vitamin Water Zero.  This Mary Kay chunky lip pencil my friend Susannah gave me that looks orange to the naked eye but goes on the perfect coral color (she gave it to me because no one would buy it and now if I hear it’s going to be discontinued I’ll stock up!) and my Kate Spade bag.  And let’s face it, I couldn’t live without my MacBook Pro.

Do you have an inspirational quote, motto or philosophy you can share with us?

Yes…”Sometimes You’re the Windshield, Sometimes You’re the Bug”…my mom used to play the song by Dire Straits a lot when I was growing up and well, the lyrics stuck.

And “Onward and Upward.”  This was on a plaque in my Great Aunt Mare-Mare’s house, I lived with her when I first graduated from college and had moved to Boston to look for a job.

Both come in handy.  Every. Day.

Favorite resources, books, or website?

• Need to find your center career-wise?  Read Daniel Pink.
• Can’t keep off your iPad while you watch TV?  At least check-in using Into Now
• Want to get lost in a romantic novel?  Try PO Box Love by Paola Calvetti or The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

I’ve been following your journey for quite some time now and I am so excited about your new direction!  Fill us in?

I recently reached another crossroads in my career and decided to go on my own about a month ago.  I am extremely grateful that in the past 30 days I’ve grown my business, smith&moxie, to a full roster of clients and have launched a side passion project, AwesomeAllies.com.  I couldn’t have achieved that without the amazing support of my family, the incredible clients I’m working with, or the powerful inner circle of women I call girlfriends.

Connect with her:

Twitter:  @jessicanow
Facebook: facebook.com/smithmoxie
Blog: JessicaNow.com
Mentor Program:  AwesomeAllies.com

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