Ok...so....

So, according to feedback I need to focus on what I've been up to...which if I was doing all kinds of exciting things that could work! However as my day is mostly absorbed by work, sadly that's mostly what I end up doing. For instance, today was spent running around the office trying to get several high-priority projects completed. I was there until 6 p.m., which then when I got home we went to On the Border for dinner, then to Dillards for more makeup and now I'm home trying to help figure out how to design the AI shirt for this year. That's about my life in a nutshell! :)

Now you see why I was trying to make it a little more exciting? So...again, here's my attempt:

Brand of they Day: Green Truck Tour!!

One of my high-priority projects was getting the new Greentrucktour.com site launched. We did a complete redesign, so if you didn't see it before just know it's even better now. Check it out at http://www.greentrucktour.com/!

Then you'll be able to see some of what I've been up to!

POST! POST!

I just spent the past couple of days hearing about social media, blogging, search, mobile marketing. But I can't seem to make any posts of my own. So...here I am! I've been better about updating my Facebook and Myspace pages - primarily Facebook so if I don't have you as a friend on there - you need to get signed up! :)

So, over the past year - as Susan has notified me it had been a year since my last post - what have I been up to? Well. I switched jobs. Still doing interactive marketing, but now for a different company. Still working on our house, but it's now livable and actually comfortable at times. I made my first real trip to California, been to Steamboat Springs, CO for the third time and right now am sitting in Dallas.

I'm still the proud mama of my 4-year-old Bichon baby. I'm coming up on my 4-year wedding anniversary later this week on 4/24. I still run on a fairly regular basis. JCrew is still my staple clothing. Right now sitting here in my JCrew jeans and tank top - but there's a little Banana Republic mixed in. In marketing terms, I would be a huge brand advocate for JCrew. Now if only they would give me a loyalty discount! ;) Still drinking Starbucks. Usual is a Venti Non-fat Iced Caramel Latte, with an occasional Caramel Frappuchino Light mixed in. There's another brand that I'm an advocate for. Not big on the prices but the coffee is good!

So - I'd like some feedback. Since I'm not too good at blogging on a regular basis, and honestly it's easier to share photos on Facebook and/or MySpace - what would this space be good to use and update on a regular basis? I could talk about things I'm learning at work and applying to everyday life (this entry is the result of this and it's amazing how much marketing does really affect our lives), progress on our house (which sadly wouldn't be updated too often!), adorable pics of my dog (again not the most exciting but they are cute), or just random posts on what's going on in my life (work. sleep. occasional play.) So let me know and I'll try harder to make regular posts.

Good 'ole Pinnacle

These are from about a month ago, but they're absolutely beautiful. Amazing that JJ is opposed to walking around our neighborhood, but doesn't think twice about hiking up the rocky side of Pinnacle. Which, he neglected to tell me consisted of rock climbing - insert fear of falling. But I definitely got a good butt workout.

Mary & Brian's Wedding

This past weekend was Mary became Mrs. Muldrow! It was a great weekend and it was certainly hard to come back to work on Monday. JJ's aunt and uncle from California were also in town so we hung out over at his other aunt and uncle's house for dinner on Saturday. In addition, JJ's step-sister had a baby boy on Friday. So needless to say it was eventful.

The Soccer girls - now all married - and little kickers on the way!

Bridesmaids and the Bride

Brian & Mary Muldrow with JJ and Elana (Geffken) Watkins

JJ and Seth - hard to take a picture of the two of them together!

I am "Y"

This past week, I became curious about my so-called generation. According to which place you look, Generation Y is considered to be those born in 1978 or later, depending on where you look. I became curious b/c at my current job I am considerably younger than most of my co-workers and although I get along fine with everyone there does seem to be a disconnect. So, being that I work for so-called "baby boomers" and work with so-called "Generation X" I looked for how my so-called "Generation Y" differs. Although these are broad generalizations, I do see some of my tendencies in these and can sense that this does cause some uneasiness with older co-workers.

Generation Y at Work

• Don't respond well to command-and-control managment


• Will question the status quo and speak their mind.


• Like an independent and creative environment. Want freedom to do their own projects.


• Want jobs that accomodate family and personal lives


• Have high expectations of themselves and expect to move up right away


• Need for constant feedback and recognition
  

I've really noticed that I do question things more than some of my co-workers. I also do have high expectations of myself, but one of the things that I've faced with my job is a frustration with lack of feedback. This may very well go back to the feedback that was acceptable for my co-workers, won't be the same moving forward as more and more people my age enter the department. I'm fascinated by why we all act the way we do, so this is right up my alley.

Consider the things going on in the world that had an impact on me while growing up:

• Computer. I've had a computer my entire life, and part of my early learning was on educational computer games on my parents Commodore 64. I had internet and email in high school.


• First Gulf War - 3rd and 4th grade. I remember having a Barbie doll and being protective of it b/c my uncle was over in Saudi Arabia. All I remember of our weekly readers in school is the focus on the war.


• OJ Simpson. Summer between 7th and 8th grade. I remember exactly where I was during the infamous white bronco, as well as us watching the verdict being read in 9th grade English class.


• Oklahoma City bombing - 8th grade. Found out during English and thought about how I was in downtown OK City a year earlier for New Years.


• School Shootings - especially Jonesboro. It's a different experience to have those going on while you're still in high school. The spring after the Jonesboro shooting happened, I played soccer at Jonesboro and although I don't remember if we won the game, I remember thinking that I was probably playing against people who knew those that were killed.
  

Long post, but this just gets me thinking about why I am the way I am.

Below are links to 2 web sites that are pretty good reads with regards to managing Generation Y.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2005-11-06-gen-y_x.htm

http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobPoster/SmallBiz/articles.aspx?articleid=ATL_0027MANAGOUTGGEN&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=8f5d23e80ea14989af4f8120e4823678-225746707-VA-4

First Post in Forever!

It's been forever since I last posted! JJ and I just got back from Breckenridge, CO. It was so great to be on vacation for a whole week and I'm ready to go back! We're still working on remodeling our house. Unfortunately. Work is going good, just very busy. Here are some pics from Colorado.

On top of the Mountain

Old Man Winter Snow Sculpture

Swirl Snow Sculpture

I love the background in this picture! It almost doesn't look like I'm really there!

Chicago Bound

Woohoo! 2 more days and I'll be in Chicago, my kind of town. Come Sunday I'll be basking in the bleachers at Wrigley, watching Chris Carpenter and Carlos Zambrano pitch - if you follow baseball you understand why I'm super psyched about that! We still haven't decided what else we'll do while up there, but I'd like to rent bicycles and ride along the lakeshore. We've never really seen a lot of the residential side of Chicago so that would be a good way to see more and just enjoy the breeze off the lake.