How to make Vacation "Work" for You

Let's face it: vacation is not everyone's cup of tea, especially for those Type-A personalities that are always checking items off "To-Do" lists (ahem, ME).

I recently I headed out of town for a week in the midst of an extremely busy spring schedule. If you work in PR and Marketing, you probably have a pretty good idea of the type of fast paced environment I was leaving (and shouldn't have been). I made myself sick with worry, finished as many projects as humanly possible, and then set my out of office message. Done deal - I was going, like it or not!

My boss told me not to check my email while away; my boyfriend told me I needed to have fun and "chill"; but my mind told me to stay on top of my game. How could I possibly do all three things, simultaneously, and still relax? I think I found a way. Instead of forcing myself to read only Glamour magazines and sit on the beach for hours on end bored out of my mind, I found small ways to "creatively" work and I discovered some new joys to my job and my outlook on life. I'd like to share a few...

- Enjoy making valuable connections, while relaxing by the pool. You never know who you are sitting next to and what insight they might have into your industry. Who knows- this type of networking could even lead to your next job, someday.

- Remove yourself from "Work Mode." My boss was right. Turn off your blackberry and put away your laptop. The whole point of vacation is to change your routine and do things differently. If you are checking your iPhone every three minutes for missed emails, that's not any different than sitting at your desk on a normal work day.

- Let nature inspire you. Wherever you are (Grand Canyon, British Virgin Islands, Paris), take in the view. Sit back, drink a cup of tea, and notice the world around you: the little things that you don't get to appreciate when in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life back home. Hear the sound of birds singing, breath in the fresh smell of clean laundry, or feel the smooth surface of a cold stone step under your bare feet. These are the things that make life seem luxurious - no matter where you are.

- Finally, take a quick peek at the fruits of your labor. Don't cheat and go back to sending work emails, but instead acknowledge the hard work that you have put into every aspect of your job. Pat yourself on the back, knowing that appreciating yourself will help ensure that this vacation is truly restful. You will return to the office with a whole new energy and drive!

Email thoughts/comments to Catherine at camorous@gmail.com.

Time for a Change

It is a new year and a new era for me. This blog has tracked my progress in the field of Journalism from the very beginning of my tenure. However, the time has come to take this platform (a rather holdge-podge of articles and memoirs) and turn it into something more targeted and mission driven. That being said, I am not abandoning my work...you will still be able to search back through the archives and find my early writings.

Now...the transition. Moving forward, I would like to dedicate this space as a canvas for reflection and sharing insights into the world of social media management. The key to successful social media campaigning (especially for a nonprofit) is the ability to stay abreast of the latest discoveries, and to make your own and to share them. This collaborative environment stems from Mark Zuckerberg, himself, and the Facebook philosophy of open information interaction. Instead of keeping his product a secret, Zuckerberg has attempted to make Facebook available to anyone who has an interest in exploring the network. The Facebook backend, templates, and profile fields are open to everyday users and developers, alike, to develop ideas and expand upon their platform as much as they desire. This democratic approach sets a precedent that allows for positive feedback, and sharing of information that leaves the user feeling valued and empowered. I believe that this cultural change does not discount the need for careful monitoring of social media sites and a continued effort for brand name protection, but it broadens our horizons in a world where a narrow perspective on life, limits opportunity. Well done, Mark.

Ten Things to Tell my Sister

I recently sent my littlest sister (at prep school) a long list of things that I recommended she learn BEFORE college. These are things that I wish I had known or at least picked up on quickly; it would have made my life a whole heck of a lot easier.

As I do not have the exact piece of notepaper in front of me now, I will recall what I can:

1.) Learn to love doing laundry. Nothing is better than a fresh, crisp bed of clean sheets to slip into at the end of a long day.

2.) Carefully choose your friends. This does not mean that you are rude to others, but be cautious as to whom you choose to share your heart.

3.) Throw aside reason now and again. Otherwise, you will forget what it is like to laugh at all things ridiculous.

She's an Original

My mother went back to school the same year that I headed off to Boston University to start my freshman year of college. I am embarrassed to say that I was not thrilled with the prospect of my mother walking around the UVM campus with so many of my high school friends; however, Mum was determined to get certified as a teacher and this was how she planned to do it. Aside from the occasional story that my mother would recall on the phone (about how she said, "Hi" to my friend Matt on the campus shuttle bus), I was proud of her.

Carbon Offsets: An Unearthed Treasure or Pain in the Asset?

It’s like driving a car, attempting to follow a complicated map with no straightforward directions: so frustrating! Then along comes the modern day GPS system that is easy to use; you enter data and it spits out your destination. Easy as pie.

This is the analogy that Tom Kineshanko gave, when describing his company’s carbon offset identification and monetization software platform, a tool called OffsetID. Habitat Carbon Assets, founded two years ago in Vancouver, British Columbia, is on a mission to help Cleantech sellers benefit from carbon offset revenue from the sale of their technology.

Like all of his life’s work– Kineshanko is also involved with several other clean energy nonprofits– Habitat’s overall mission is to decrease carbon emissions quickly, by encouraging more and more businesses to transition over to clean energy fuel.

Trunks exposed: Ancient Trees Felled in Boston Garden

On the first cold Saturday of the season, I took a stroll through Boston Common (my new backyard) and found city workers busy as bees, hacking down some of Boston's nicest old trees.



Unfortunately, I am not a girl scout and I failed my wilderness badge at summer camp, so I cannot tell you the type of tree (although, if you do have this special "natural" talent, you may be able to decipher this from the photos of the trunks). Honestly, I was shocked at the width of the trunks (I have yet to see California Redwoods with my own eyes) and the beauty of the rings, which emanated from the core of the trunk- like waves rippling in a pool.