A co-worker once opined, “Think of all the people that would be alive today if there were a cure for cancer.”

It made me so sad. But that’s the very reason countless people raise money for research and take time out for causes like Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

Some wonder why a fundraiser wouldn’t just raise funds instead of spending money on a labor-intensive 5K walk. But there were so many stories walking around downtown Houston on Oct. 3, the big day of Race for the Cure in Houston. So many people’s memories of their loved ones were kept alive and truly understood that day.

Clever slogans peppered T-shirts among the crowd of more than 30,000.

The race/walk began with announcers peering into the crowd and calling out the names of loved ones being honored.

All along the way, volunteer cheerleaders were stationed, screaming and encouraging the crowd to keep its momentum.

Just before the finish line, Sajan and I ran into my cousin Janie and her friend Mary Ann.

We are very thankful to those who graciously donated to our group to support Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!

Zimuzo Agim
Ed & Rachel Babu
Sam & Ann Chacko
Abey Jacob
Dudley Jacob
Nobel Macaden
Elizabeth Mathew
Jessica Mathew
Wes & Kasey Mathew
Elizabeth Varughese
Alice Wei

Gifts contribute to research, education, screening and treatment of breast cancer. There’s still time if you want to give.

]]> http://sheenatabraham.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/houstons-race-for-the-cure/feed/ 1 sheenatabraham In memory beatthehell Stopthewar Theracebegan cheerleaderskomen janiemaryann http://sheenatabraham.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/in-pictures-a-weekend-at-market-square/ http://sheenatabraham.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/in-pictures-a-weekend-at-market-square/#comments Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:53:08 +0000 sheenatabraham http://sheenatabraham.wordpress.com/?p=630 ]]>

If you haven’t explored downtown Houston and been totally mesmerized and enchanted, you need to get out there. It’s that good!

Much of this past weekend, downtown’s Market Square served as our stomping grounds.

According to the City of Houston:

Through the first century of its existence, Houston revolved around Market Square, bounded by the streets Preston, Milam, Travis, and Congress.  The square was donated to the city in 1854 by Augustus Allen and was used as an open air produce market, and the downtown business district grew up around it.

My favorite path along downtown is from Bayou Place through Sesquicentennial Park past Mel Chin’s Seven Wonders and across the Preston Street bridge then down to Market Square. Usually, the revolving neon Cabo sign is a star that lights the way.

Sesquicentennial Park is the perfect place for photos.

Friday’s Magic

This particular weekend, on Friday, to be exact, we happened to stroll by Alley Theatre on Texas.

Hello, Alley Theatre.

A name that stopped us in our tracks.

A closer look revealed a name that sounded almost familiar but wasn’t. Rajiv Joseph. A Malayalee writer’s play at Alley Theatre! We stopped in our tracks, excited to see a name whose origins were from Kerala, India.

Then we proceeded to our favorite stops and a few new ones. Market Square Bar & Grill is near and dear to my heart, with its juicy burgers. The patio with its cracked brick walls looks straight from 1836. A historical gem.

Climax. Next door, we start conversation with an actor from Our Town, playing at the Alley. He mentions the other play this season, Gruesome Playground Stories by Rajiv Joseph. “He’s sitting right over there,” our new friend says, pointing across the room.

Gasp. The name we had only seen on a banner on a building, happens to be in the same room as us, as chance or not-so-much-coincidence would have it.

We proceed a few tables over and briefly chat with Rajiv. Really nice guy! Selma Blair and Brad Fleischer, the stars of his two-character play, were hanging out. Rajiv generously offered tickets to a matinee of the world premiere of Gruesome Playground Injuries the next day.

A Saturday Matinee

The verdict? Two thumbs up. Talented actors. What really made the play were the set design, sound and visuals. Seamless transitions ensued through a series of scenes in which the two actors moved between various ages from 6 to 38, though they rarely left the small white stage. Read more info at Artshound and the Houston Chronicle.

We left starving and on the prowl for food.

Sajan and Stan look like detectives. Cue 80s action-drama music.

It's business time. Three chicken diablos, please.

We stopped by a historic landmark after lunch. The old Houston Ice and Brewing Company building.

Photo credit: Houstorian blog

At 6 p.m. Saturday began the much publicized event, A Night at Market Square, to promote the area and its upcoming renovations to revitalize.

The band I am Mesmer emitted Greek, Cajun, country and other eclectic-sounding sounds. I would so have bought a CD if they were selling.

Points of View by James Surls. The view from inside the sculpture.

Chillin in the Square

Free food at Hearsay Gastro Lounge. It's not even open yet! Also in a historic building.

Free food from ERA and Les Givrals.

Outrageous! Entertaining! Blow-your-mind performance! March Fourth marching band.

Every hour, a new band played. The final hour, March Fourth marching band demonstrated the paragon of entertainment and musical acumen. Crazy costumes lit by black lights. Guys on stilts that interacted with crowd. This ain’t your high school marching band. You can’t help but move as they play, and you can’t help but absolutely love this band, their music, their energy and the way they connect to the audience.

Our late summer/early fall garden is an eyesore. Sweet potato vines have successfully crawled over every inch of dirt. The beans should have been mounted on a trellis. But instead they sprawl, wild and tangled like the guts of an exploded bovine.

In spite of these facts, a glimmer of a harvest has manifested.

Fresh backyard onions and basil helped season tuna linguine.

Okra and beans became vegetable curry.

The banana tree has sprouted three baby trees at its side.

New mint sprigs are popping up in the soil.

Aloe vera gets plucked at its tips when insect bites need soothing.

What do you think makes a great leader?

Charisma?

A winning personality?

Management guru Peter Drucker begs to differ. Leadership is about results, he says in The Essential Drucker.

You’re not born a leader. Anyone can get there with laborious, iterated practice. Leaders give their followers a frame of expectations and a clear path to tread.

Drucker’s leadership rule No. 1: “The leader’s first task is to be the trumpet that sounds a clear sound.”

How does he do that? His distinguishing characteristic is he sticks to his goals like ants on honey. You can’t wait for the right opportunity to just come along. Your goals should be written down. And marinated in your mind, so they flavor every action that comes out of you and your team.

I heard Karen Farber say this brilliantly at a recent Houston Arts Alliance event as she paraphrased her mentor, all-star arts administrator Michael Kaiser: As an administrator or leader, you should be able to make a decision in three seconds or less. How so? It takes only three seconds to figure out if the opportunity will support your mission and goals. It’s that simple when you’re accustomed to letting those specific, written statements guide you.

Drucker’s Leadership Rule No. 2: Take responsibility.

The leader doesn’t feel threatened by ambitious subordinates but revels in their triumphs as her triumphs. She does not point the finger at others and understands responsibility ultimately falls on her. Sounds anti-Donald Trump, doesn’t it?

Drucker’s Leadership Rule No. 3: Earn trust.

Your followers don’t have to like you or agree with you, but they do have to trust you. “Effective leadership…is not based on being clever; it is based primarily on being consistent,” says Drucker. Manage expectations, follow through and be genuine in what you say.

What would you add to Drucker’s list of requirements for effective leadership? I think effective leaders help foster a culture of ongoing creativity, learning and innovation among followers. Earning trust is easier said than done. In addition to being consistent, you have to recognize the humanity of your followers and develop person-to-person connections with them. Recognize who they are outside of being a means to your business ends.

What qualities have you most admired among the leaders in your life or in history?

Photo credits: Wikimedia-Commons User Túrelio; Matthew Yohe, http://www.zhaxizhuoma.net/IMAGES/STUPAS/Stupa-Diagram.jpg; http://www.flickr.com/photos/eschipul/272814244.

Three weeks ago, Sajan came home to a burglarized house.

They ruffled through our drawers and cabinets.

They raked and pummeled through our sheet rock.

They took stuff.

That’s the bad news.

Good news: lessons learned. The fenced entryways to our backyard are now locked. Sturdy deadbolts secure our doors. We already had good, observant neighbors. Now we’re all taking things a bit further by talking more, asking about strange cars, noticing more.

You’ve got to feel a little violated when people break into your house and touch your hard-earned belongings.

But one thing I won’t let them do is cripple me with fear.

Our house is still a home.

P.S. Read this piece on how to survive if your computer equipment is stolen: My Digital World Nearly Destroyed.

On Houston Greenlight Community, a discussion arose about rising above networking fears.

Joe shared his “fish out of water” experience, which I would venture to say most of us can relate to.

The NYT gives some tips for shy entrepreneurs. Here’s a snapshot.

1. Know your objective. Keith Ferrazzi says to “care” and to “help.” Walk in with the intention of doing something for others. “Networking is not about throwing mud at a fence,” he says.

In a recent teleseminar, Chris Brogan offered these thoughts: Focus on what you want to achieve rather than what you’re afraid of. Forget for a moment about how people think about you.

2. Don’t sell. Transactionalism is the nemesis of building authentic relationships! “Be patient and realize people do business with people they like and know,” says Sheryl Nicholson.

3. Network in person. Get over the hump. Force yourself to get out there. Ask relevant questions to break the ice with someone. Practice and premeditated moves make perfect.

In the end, do a little study of your networking. Pinpoint successes and room for improvement.

In anything you choose to do, when you accrue experience and be more intentional, you will learn what to expect, gain control and transform your fears into personal gains.

What’s your take on networking? Do you have horror stories? Success stories? Do you wish you did more networking? Do you network more online or face-to-face?

Mondays don’t get any better than this last one.

I sat at a small cocktail table during a small event before Keith Ferrazzi’s Houston keynote for his book tour. Suddenly, Keith walks up and pulls out the chair next to me.

“Gather round; gather round!” he shouted as he stood on the chair.

Instantly, the fervor and enthusiasm in the room multiplied. He shared a few words and thanked the group. Later, we spoke briefly, and he signed my copy of Who’s Got Your Back.

You know what I really enjoyed about the whole night? It was one of those events where you could just walk up to anyone and start talking. The approachability factor was through the roof.

The Keynote

Next to San Francisco, Houston has had THE largest turnout on the book tour. Keith began by asking fun, interactive questions to set the tone and loosen the crowd.

I sat next to the VP of an energy management company. Our first conversation started with me telling him about a  personal flaw that was holding me back.

“There are people with resources that want to help you, but they can’t if you’re drowning in the deep end of the pool and not telling anyone,” Keith said.

Four magic words of the day: Generosity, Vulnerability, Candor and Accountability.

“There’s not a single person in this room that does not do something to inhibit their success.”

The tethered elephant. You know those huge elephants you see held down by small shackles on their feet and stake in the ground? If they simply moved a few inches, they could easily escape. But when they’re small elephants, those same shackles are too strong for them. As they grow, they never stop and realize they’re a hundred times stronger than those measly chains.

“Every one of you in this room is a tethered elephant. What are you doing that’s holding you back? Every one of us has glass ceilings we put on ourselves that we need to bust through.”

Two of my lifelines in my personal life happened to be sitting next to me. We each took two minutes to share our goals. It’s great to stop and listen to a person as they vocalize their passion. And it’s nice when someone stops and listens to yours with a genuine concern to help you get there.

Reconnecting. Throughout the event, I reconnected with Houston Greenlight members from our monthly lunches. Plus, I loved meeting those I hadn’t had a chance to meet face to face. My online relationships were growing offline. We were able to build familiarity and a sense of solidarity.

The After Party

Next, at least 30 of us headed over to Maggie Rita’s Tex Mex. Instant camaraderie bred. I happily eavesdropped on conversations. They were deep and fascinating! I met Ryan Geist, who’s traveling with Keith throughout the tour. Loved to hear that he appreciates the Houston heat. Other cool folks: Ted, Chase, Jared, Carl, Eric, Elizabeth, Tania-Rene, Avi, Kevin, Liz, Kristen, Wayne, Leroy, J.C., Sheila, John, Patrick and more! Kevin gave valuable insight to Sajan about the restaurant biz. Others talked about how to introduce yourself when you’re between jobs. Or how to hustle and bring in income as a budding entrepreneur.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who made the evening unforgettable.

The After After Party

By 10:30 p.m. it had been a long day. Many said their goodbyes, with new relationships forged. A few of us trekked back over to the Marriott for dessert with Keith, who had been having a small, private dinner.

This man knows how to set the mood for a party. A guitarist crooned classic tunes as guests chattered away. Soft pink lights clothed the walls. A long, thin table with crisp, white tablecloth, empty plates and tealights displayed evidence of lovely, stimulating conversations and full stomachs.

This seriously felt like a dream sequence.

We chatted around. Then, as Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” was strummed and melodized, Sajan and I strolled out arm in arm through the double doors into the night.

Were you there at any of these events? What did you take away? What brought you there?

Have you read Who’s Got Your Back or Never Eat Alone?

On a recent episode of 30 Rock, it’s time for Tina Fey’s (aka Liz Lemon’s) high school reunion. Like many of us, she doesn’t plan on attending. What could this formerly shy, quiet, mumbling nerd look forward to at a reunion anyway?

Later she discovers she was really the school bully who’d left her classmates in tears and with psychiatrist bills. What a misguided perception Fey had of herself!

And so it is with you and me.  Sometimes, we exaggerate our positive qualities. What about the self-proclaimed “good listener” who won’t shut up? Then there are the singers (Bikini Girl, William Hung, etc.) in the preliminary weed-out stages of American Idol who think they’re God’s gift to the stage.

What’s worse is when we refuse to accept our positive qualities to the point where our growth is stymied.

Consider these two ways of speaking and living:

“I’m naturally a bad speaker.” vs. “I am working to improve my speaking.”

“I don’t know too much about X.” vs. “I’m learning a little bit more about X every day.”

When I first started working full time, I beat myself up every day. Because I saw the “truth.” I saw that I wasn’t perfect, and I wished I already knew what I was having to learn. I didn’t know that learning was OK and expected.

A few months later I learned, the truth was, I was pretty good at what I had been doing. But I just didn’t see it at the time.

Minor bad experiences can be a black cloud blocking the sun. I think the key is to let your thoughts be productive by dwelling on your new goals and intentions.

So how do you know when you’re good at something?

Should we find credibility in ourselves based on when others compliment us? Or should we find credibility in ourselves without relying on what others think?

What if someone who compliments you is just being nice? I think it’s not even worth worrying about as long as you do your part to continually improve.

There truly is a sense of freedom when you understand a personal quality that holds you (or others) back and when you can accept it and work to break it.

July 1 marks the midpoint of the year.

I know I’ve been caught up in the daily grind. Now’s a good time to evaluate what you’ve been doing with your life for the past six months. And how you’re going to keep making things happen in 2009.

What new things have you tried?

Which new people have you met?

Have you been pushing the envelope and stepping out of your comfort zone?

Did you write down your goals and systematically pursue them?

What’s the next step to move forward with that big dream you’ve been holding on to?

One thing I’ve learned this year is to accept small victories. I’ve embarked on a few projects with a big vision in mind. But things don’t always go according to plan or as move as quickly as I expected. But that doesn’t mean failure. I’m starting to appreciate the slow ascent and believe that slow and steady wins the race.

Photo by Clearly Ambiguous at flickr.com.

They’ve taken over our front garden. White masses appearing on the mulch. Light and airy-looking. When you spray them with a garden hose, an explosive brown powder shoots out and floats, unfazed by the water. The spores find new crevices in which to breed.