2016 Arthur W. Page Society/IPR Case Writing Competition in Corporate Communications

My absence has not been for naught. Work has been busy, wedding planning is coming along (you will get my two cents about that soon enough), and school has been fantastic.

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Wedding planning with my best bud, Max. 

Last quarter, I took a corporate communications course which culminated in a case study on a communications issue of our choosing. This case study was then submitted to the 2016 Arthur W. Page Society/IPR Case Writing Competition in Corporate Communications. If you are in public relations or communications, you are probably familiar with the Page Society, but if you are not, it is “a professional association for senior public relations and corporate communications executives who seek to enrich and strengthen their profession”. Leaders in the communications and PR fields are members of this society, and they are guided by the seven Page Principles.

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I was notified last week that my team and I were awarded third prize out of over 100 entries from schools like Notre Dame Business School, Stanford, Dartmouth, USC, and other great programs around the world (yes, it is an international competition).

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I don’t like to toot my own horn often, but I am so proud of my team, and my DePaul program, for our success in this competition. Our professor and program director, Matt Ragas, mentored last year’s grand prize and first prize winners, this year’s grand prize winners and my team, and two first prize winners and a second prize winner in 2014. I cannot say enough about how fantastic the DePaul Public Relations and Advertising program is, and what amazing administrators and faculty members we have. I have never seen or experienced such dedication and caring from academia before, and I will be so sad to leave the program when I graduate in June (but so happy to catch up on some sleep!).

Though we don’t get to travel to New York to present our case at the Page Society Spring Conference, my team and I can still take pride in our victory, and toast to our classmates who will be there!

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Things That Make My Day: Bad Lip Reading

Christmas has either come early, or Santa just dropped off a belated 2014 present, because Bad Lip Reading: The 2015 NFL Version has just arrived!

This is the third installment of bad lip reading for the NFL, and they have all made me crack up! I always mercilessly make Paul and my co-workers watch these. But now, I will share this with you.

I can’t explain it. There are plenty of people out there who I am sure will find these stupid and ridiculous, but I can’t help but laugh so hard.

Enjoy, my friends, and thank you to those who have brought this into my life.

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Marriage Does Not an Adult Make

Flash back a few days to me scrolling aimlessly through Facebook. My attention was caught by a sweepstakes to win a designer wedding gown, and not just any designer, but Monique Lhuillier, for the love of all things white and lacy. Of course I clicked the link to enter, and I realized that all I had to do was start a wedding registry with what happened to be one of my favorite home-good stores, and I was in the running for my dream gown. (Mind you, I couldn’t currently tell you the name of a specific Monique silhouette that I love, but that is beside the point. I have never won anything; this just seemed like a great way to avoid homework. There, I said it).

Seeing as Paul and I are at about the time frame when we need to start a registry, I figured, “why the hell not?”, “How hard could it be?” I thought, as I dove into casual dining collections, bakeware and cookware, cutlery, and bathroom essentials. Not going to lie… three or four pages in I started to freak out and found myself reaching repeatedly for my glass of wine. Did we really need new measuring cups? What about fine china? How many place settings? I HATE gravy! Will I ever need a gravy bowl? Where do I even start?

“Start with what you know” I found my own PR voice in my head whispering as I tapped a finger on my wine glass.

On my wine glass…

It was so simple…

I clicked on “glassware” and went straight to the wine glasses. I may not know if I need fine china, but I know for sure exactly what I DO need:

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Olivia Pope wine glasses. Wine. Solves. Everything.

Many people seem to think that getting married is some sort of gateway into adulthood. False, my friends. In fact, I feel less like an adult, because I have someone else who is technically responsible for my well being. Guess who is going to make sure I make it to the end of the day alive? My hubs. Not that I am taking this as an excuse to be reckless, but the immature side of me feels like now I have a tag team member to be twice as immature with.

Just because I am getting married does not mean that I know how many place settings I am going to need or what all those insane torture devices are in the baking section of Bed Bath and Beyond. I haven’t grown up; it just means that I have found someone who legally wants to be bound to my childlike ways.

I am hoping I don’t feel like this if we ever have a child. Like “hey, we added a third member to our idiot mob!”

In the mean time, let it be known that the first thing that I registered for were red wine glasses, a la Olivia Pope… followed by champagne flutes. Eight of each, because that just sounded good.

I can grow up next year 🙂 And I will ask Paul about the gravy boat. He likes gravy.

I Do Believe In… A Practice in Things You Believe In

Happy MLK Day, everyone!

A fun post from The Lady Oakie just hit my inbox, so I decided I would participate.

I realize it is a far cry from the dreams and beliefs that Dr. King stood for, but I appreciated the post, so here we go. Feel free to post your own and link up below!

I Believe….

You should ALWAYS give a wave if someone lets you into a lane or does a kind gesture on the road. ALWAYS WAVE. I don’t know why, but when someone gives me a wave, it can make my day. I always wave. In fact, I always say “thank you” aloud, as if that other car can hear me.

Animals have souls and distinct personalities. Domestic or wild, animals are way smarter than people give them credit for and can communicate at higher levels than I think many people believe.

Some songs can make everything better. Try being in a bad mood when your favorite “dance it out” song comes on.

Life is too short and the world is too big not to explore. We weren’t meant to stay in one place.

Mistakes are only negative in a sense if you don’t learn anything or if you repeat them. 

Negative people will only drag you down as far as you will let them.

Bread pudding, rice pudding, chocolate pudding; all some of the best desserts ever.

There is beauty EVERYWHERE in this world, it is just up to you to see it.

Hope everyone is having a great day!

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Quotes That Change Your Life

Between my homework, research, writing, and general internet trolling this morning, I found this on Instagram, and suddenly my world seemed to stop.

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Is it possible that my life/childhood just started to make a little more sense?

I might need this stitched on a pillow or tattooed on an appendage.

Some quotes just shake you to the core, and this one I will carry with me forever.

Are there quotes that have moved you or that you keep close to your heart?

Image originally found on Troian Bellisario’s feed at: http://instagram.com/p/x4WeetmrwA/

Who Doesn’t Love a Fresh Start?

Happy January 2nd everyone! A January 2nd post is way less cliche than a January 1st, New Year’s post, right? Probably not so much, but we are going with it anyway.

I have always loved the start to a new year. Who doesn’t love a fresh start? Sure, it isn’t like all of your problems dissipated into thin air once the ball dropped, but there is something about the calendar starting over that makes people think that things can be new again.

I am one who is extremely susceptible to the romanticism that is the new year and a fresh start, but there is something about 2015 that has me especially excited. I had a great 2014, but I have big hopes and plans for this year, and am feeling refreshed and ready to get back to the things I love; particularly running and writing, and possibly even tackle a few new passions and challenges.

For starters, my poor blog needs to stop being ignored, and I need to be more diligent about following all of the amazing people I have connected with through WordPress. You all inspire me so much whether it be with your running, writing, or creativity. Just exposing myself to all of this more will help fuel my writing again.

As far as my running goes, I am already signed up for two half marathons this spring. The Illinois Half Marathon on April 25th, and the Indianapolis Mini Marathon on May 2nd. This should set me up for a fall marathon (fingers crossed) come the fall. I might even add the Chicago Triathlon in August to my list.

How about you guys? What are your goals and hopes for the new year?

I have plenty of personal and professional goals as well, but I am still hashing those out. I think there is always room to be a better person , and I am sure 2015 will award me plenty of opportunities for growth.

Happy New Year everyone. Let’s have an amazing 2015.

Cheers!

P.S. A little MSU, Big Ten Cheer for everyone out there. Probably the best football game I have ever seen in my life!

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You know what is terrible for blogging? And Some Self Love

Graduate School!

Life has been so busy, and so exciting, but I am neglecting my corner of cyber space here.

So what do I bring you, dear readers, as a gift from being gone for so long? How about some good old fashion girl power?

It sounds cheesy, but I have been seeing loads of “empowering” campaigns for women and have been inspired by Jennifer Garner and her “baby bump admission” and pizza-eating acceptance speeches. If you have time, you should give both articles a read if you haven’t already.

In the first article, J. Gar defends the pregnancy rumors explaining that after having kids, her “baby bump” is there to stay. The second article is FANTASTIC! While accepting an award at Elle’s Women in Hollywood Celebration, she points out how insane it is to have a night to honor “51% of the population”, and noted how differently she and her husband are questioned during press junkets.

“Isn’t it kind of time to change that conversation?” she said during her speech. I couldn’t agree more!

This takes me to my next point:

Having a slew of single male friends (and female friends, but this weighs heavier toward the male side) I am so sick of hearing about “she’s not that hot” or “she had a decent stomach” or “I’m sure she’s nice, but…” Don’t get me wrong, I am all for taking care of yourself, but we need to stop equating a person’s value with the shape of their body, and I am speaking mostly toward the beauty industry and how women are portrayed.

I was so excited when i discovered the Stop the Beauty Madness Campaign which is focused on social change. (And I know there are more out there like this! E.g. Dove)

“Enough of the impossible standards. Enough of the “ideal” image. Most of all, enough of the feeling of NOT ENOUGH when it comes to your own beauty. There also comes a time when an entire culture of women have had it. When blogs and ad campaigns and AS-IS selfie pictures start to change the rules of the game.

That time is now. That culture is this culture. “

Some times, men don’t seem to understand, and say that we put this pressure on ourselves as women. It is up to us to feel good about ourselves, with that I don’t disagree, but I think there should be a supportive culture behind us letting us know that it is ok to be all different shapes and sizes. Being healthy is beautiful, being strong is beautiful, being smart is beautiful, and being confident is beautiful. None of these come with sizes or measurements.

Can’t that simply be our message?

Do you have a favorite message or campaign about beauty?

March on, fabulous readers, with confidence in who you are and in your individual beauty!

Shutterfly Coupon for The Gallery Wall Project

To say that Groupon has some what fueled our social lives since moving to Chicago would be an understatement. We have gone golfing, enjoyed an amazing prohibition tour through the city (which deserves it’s own post) dined out, and decorated our new place.

Imagine my glee when I discovered that Groupon now does coupons! I was so excited to see there was an offer from Shutterfly because I have wanted to develop some of my own photography to use on a gallery wall I am (pitifully) attempting to put together.

With a 45% off coupon, I was able to upload my photo to Shutterfly, edit it as needed, and five days later, I got my orange package in the mail with my fabulous canvas.

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So, we continue to piece together this “gallery” wall:

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It is a fun work in progress that can easily be shifted, but for right now, I kind of like the unconventional-ness of it 🙂

Hope everyone is well, and I will have more next week. I am off to Long Beach to stay on the historic Queen Mary for a night!

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The Loss of a Genius

“You are not a mess. You are a feely person in a messy world”‘ ~Glennon Melton

I am heartbroken over the death of Robin Williams. This is one paradox of celebrity; the mourning of people we have never met as if they were close friends, but honestly, if there was an actor out there who felt like a friend, I think for many it would be Robin Williams. 

It is always a touchy subject when it comes to apparent suicide and depression, and many people have many opinions when it comes to the legitimacy of depression and the hopelessness that can lead to suicide. I don’t pretend to understand it myself. All I know is you can’t fully understand until you have been close to it.

The quote from Glennon Melton resonates with me, though. If I had a dollar for every time Paul or someone told me not to take things personally, because the world can affect me and make me feel like a mess, but I find solace in this quote and I hope it helps others feels better as well who may be struggling with any number of emotions.

“You are not a mess. You are a feely person in a messy world.”~Glennon Melton

Go out and feel!

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