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Today, August 31, 2010, marks a year of my blog. It’s been 525,600 minutes (and some change) since I wrote that short, fateful post:
The Real Jessica Randazza Stands Up
I’ve delayed it and I’ve been hesitant to initiate a space all about me — my life, my experiences, my story. But as I near another birthday (this Saturday, Sept. 5), I reflected on the past year thinking about goals, accomplishments and experiences. What I have and haven’t done, where I’ve been and where I’d like to be. But without properly cataloging it, I can only remember bits and pieces, which makes it substantially more difficult to learn and grow.
So with that, my goal with this site is to use it as a place to experience, reflect and flourish.
So here it is. The real Jessica Randazza stands up.
What I love about that post is how true to that mission I believe I’ve stayed. I have used this as a place to experience, reflect, and flourish. I’ve used it as a sounding board, a place to unveil my fears and concerns, and to share my happiness. But what I absolutely love about this space, is as I flip through the year of posts, I read each one with absolute certainty that it is a true reflection of me.
This year, I’ll continue to stand up. Talk about what I believe in, what I fear, what I love, and point out the ironies of my life. Speak to my experiences and my beliefs, and share what I learn from each of you.
Thank you all, for letting me confide and share with you. Having this space to be here with you has vastly improved my life, and I look forward to it continuing onward!
If there is one thing to know about me, it’s that I spend a whole heck-ton amount of time on my phone. Whether I’m texting, e-mailing, instant messaging, Facebook chatting, tweeting, checking-in (on Facebook or Foursquare), reading the news or checking Yelp for restaurant recommendations, I’m always connected to a media communications platform.
And while I was wrapped in a lengthy text message conversation (which in my mind was a philosophical debate), hanging out with a few good girlfriends, they stopped me.
“Jess, he probably thinks you’re flirting with him.”
I’ll admit, sometimes I’m a little naive. I was stunned.
“What are you talking about? I’m not flirting, I’m talking about the oil spill, there is nothing sexy about that.”
They looked at each other, and then looked at me with that, “isn’t that so cute/sweet” look.
“Jessica, texting is flirting.”
“What? I text you guys all the time, it’s not flirting, it’s com-mun-i-cating.”
“You established your friendship in a social setting, though, did you not? That context says flirting. It establishes the tone for your texting.”
Okay, so they made a good point. That’s why they’re such good friends, they do that sort of thing. But it got me thinking, about all of my modes of communication, and which platform I could have possibly talked to him in that would have communicated what the relationship/conversation meant to me (which was friendship).
Perhaps instant messenger? Work e-mail? Telephone? I use each one so differently, and in my mind they each have very specific media ideaologies.
Intrigued with this idea of “media idealologies” and the varying interpretations of media platforms, I immediately sent out a survey to friends. While I’m still collecting results (which I’ll post once the survey has reached it’s full term), here’s what I’ve heard so far:
- 55.6% of respondents use texting as a way to communicate with their crushes/significant others (ahem, no comments)
- 66.7% of that same sample prefer using phone calls as a means to communicate with their crushes/significant others (see, I’m not wrong either!)
- Facebook is the primary choice for communication among friends with 57.9% percent of the vote
- Phone calls and work e-mail hold equally important at 78.9% of survey respondents
Whether we recognize it or not, our communication platforms typically hold some type of context. For me, as I mentioned, texting is just a means of one-on-one communication about a variety of subjects. Rarely reserved for flirting.
Same for direct messages on Twitter. I use the privacy function for communicating primarily in the business realm. I’ll speak with journalists, share my location with friends at tweetups or events, or give top-line information with my network. Let’s be real, I’m terrified anything private will show up as a DM-fail, so I just opt out.
Since a lot of what I do for business is through Facebook or social networking channels, I’ve used the platform to communicate with friends, colleagues, clients, and my clients’ customers. While I certainly allow my personality to shine in the space, it still is only top-line information because of my sensitivity to my professional life.
So what platform do I reserve for friends/crushes? Phone calls, Skype, personal/playful e-mails, instant messages and in person. And while those ideaologies are certainly malleable to work/external forces, I make them accessible primarily for close friends and family.
What about you? How do you define your different channels of communication? Do you establish boundaries between your lines of communication with personal/professional contacts? If so, what are they and how do you maintain them?
With it you’ll be able to check in to venues that you visit, tag yourself with your friends and share what sorts of trouble you’re getting into at those locations. You can get push notifications when you have friends nearby and see who else has checked in the same place as you. The checkins will show up in your friends’ newsfeeds. It’s basically like Foursquare sans the game-play. The announcement was rolled out with the LBS companies (Foursquare, Gowalla, and Loopt, etc) to show that the 500 million user-site isn’t trying to demolish the ones that came before them. And after hearing from my friends over at Foursquare, they say they’ll be ramping up the gaming portion to differentiate themselves, and continue to make their offering unique — and I’m absolutely inclined to believe them.
What do I think this will do? I think it will open up the idea of LBS to the mainstream, and make those applications richer to keep up with what I believe (fingers crossed) will be a growing demand.
Facebook Places claims to do 3 things:
- Help people share where they are in a social way
- See which friends are nearby
- Discover nearby places and new places through friends’ profiles
Here’s a pretty picture I nabbed off the Facebook blog that shows what it looks like:
Worried about privacy? Don’t be. Well… at least, I’m not yet.
After the slip-up with privacy issues surrounding Facebook last year, I think they probably are trying to get this new application on lock-down. Check-ins will only be visible to friends, and you can customize the setting to allow broad sharing, or narrow it down to whomever you want. If you’re tagged at a place by a friend (which can only happen once you checked-in yourself) you can remove the tag the same as you do with those less-than-flattering photographs. You can also opt out of tags all together.
What does this mean for brands? The potential to make outreach even more targeted to consumers, and for consumers, this means you’re more likely to be served ads/outreach from brands that you’re actually interested in.
So what do you think ? Are you checking-in?
I’ve been spending a lot of time lately reflecting on my goals that I set out for this year (both those that I have completed, and those that are taking a tick-tock longer than I anticipated), both to re-access whether the goal in question is still of value, and/or if my strategy is out of whack.
While I’d like to say it’s the latter, and just a simple re-evaluation of the strategy, the more I examine the goals, the less I’m certain of their original purpose.
Okay, I’m not being clear. Let me see how to explain…
I have both the fortune and misfortune of being deeply ingrained in our media-centric society. Constantly I’m surrounded with innovative thinking, breaking news updates, glossy magazines, and incredibly accomplished individuals that are revolutionizing our society.
I love it more often then I hate it, but because I am a..ahem..woman, I tend to take a lot of those external influences and internalize the heck out of them.
I have a goal to improve positive self-talk by creating a list of 10 things (Oprah makes a list of 5, so I figured I should double efforts) I’m grateful for each day* (if you’re interested, today’s list is: my mother, my unconditionally supportive brothers, a cool day in New York, Broadway musicals, peanut butter banana cupcakes, phone calls from old friends, real mail, the smell of my Burberry perfume which I’m almost out of, Koi fish, garish/ornate hotel lobbies). While I make a conscious effort to do this each day, picking up a glossy pub or digging too deeply into some of my beautiful/talented/successful friend’s Facebook newsfeed can make me feel a little down on myself.
So what am I getting at here?
After moving to NYC at the beginning of this year, I’ve been so eager to make it here (I’m told if you make it here, you can make it anywhere) that I’ve let other people’s successes/initiatives direct my own path, turning their benchmarks into how I evaluate my own success.
Friends/peers/media moguls/breaking news deserve their own chance to ripple and impact, as much as we all do.
Were my goals and metrics made to better myself, or just created as a reflection of what I’ve been exposed to? How are you ensuring your goals/metrics/values are specific to your needs/wants?
Alright, so I’m going to step away from our traditional programming, because I have a a confession. It’s been bothering me for quite some time…This has nothing to do with marketing. It has nothing to do with social media. It has nothing to public relations. And I wrote this out awhile ago, but I thought it was so obscure that you were likely to think I was crazy. Well, crazy or not, here it is.
I grew up in a family of mechanics, worked briefly in an auto shop, and had all brothers you’d think I’d be a girl that knows a thing or two about cars. And for a long time, I’ve played into that role by participating in my guy friend’s carburetor and horsepower conversations, as if my 2005-Honda-Civic-Coupe-economy-model-self had something of value to contribute.
But, to ease my own conscious, like I said, I have got to come clean.
I am not a car girl. I like them, and I’ve watched more hours of Top Gear than I care to count and, I even get the appeal of speed and sleek lines, but you won’t find me at any car shows anytime soon. So in order to prove my lack of knowledge about cars, I’ve compiled a top five list of the cars I’d like to own which you’ll find rated in three categories: attractive….and attractive…and whether or not I’d look cool driving it.
So let’s just say, Scott Monty and Chris Barger I am NOT your girl (that is, of course, if you want me to actually know anything about the cars).
Ahem.
5. 1953 MG. I’ve been fascinated with the idea of having an old car that’s completely impractical. And, I could also buy a Hermes scarf to wear around my head for wind protection (even though this car only tops speeds of 77 MPH, if it’s in REALLY good condition, that can be damaging to the hair).
4. 2010 Maserati Spyder. Over the years I’ve chatted it up with my guy friends about GranTurismos, and how sweet they are, but it wasn’t until a couple weeks ago when I had my first in person Maserati Spyder experience. Having never seen a GranTurismo in person, the Spyder wins out. And I think I’d look pretty flipping cool cruising the West Side Highway.
3. 2006 BMW M5. Having dated a guy for years that was obsessed with the M-series, I absorbed a lot of information about this car. Sexy and speedy for sure, and having actually driven one before, this automatically makes the list.
2. 2009 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty Truck. Listen, it’s not just because I’m Southern that I want this truck. I mean, maybe I’m drawn to it slightly for that reason, but it’s mostly appealing because it can carry a lot of stuff. You know, in case I ever need to. And climbing in and out of it would help tighten my gluteus muscles.
1. 1967 Mustang Convertible. Don’t judge me, but I’ve wanted this car for years. 1967 was the first year of Mustang’s redesign, and because Ford pushed hard that year to compete with Chevy’s plans to roll out the Camaro, they put a lot of thought into this magnificent car. Plus, can you imagine how sweet I’d look behind the wheel of that baby?
So there you have it, my secret of being a non-car girl is finally out and celebrated with my top five cars of all time having nothing to do with performance, and merely based on their attractiveness and if I’d look cool or not driving them.
I was 8 the summer I found out my nonna had breast cancer. I was too young at the time to understand what that really meant, but I took cues from my parents that it was serious. I was terrified to have a woman I loved so much be so sick.
Nearly 20 years later, my grandmother recounts her fight with breast cancer as just something that happened. Chemo treatments she remembers as if they were bad haircuts. It’s one of the reasons I’ve always wanted to do right by her, and why I love and admire her so much – she’s an empire of strength.
When I took my position at Digitas in January, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work for a client that was not only food focus, but also have the opportunity to work for a client that had a tie to Susan G. Komen and breast cancer research.
On July 16 – 18, I had the incredible opportunity to support the launch of the first ever 1,000 Cooks for the Cure, an initiative created by KitchenAid® (my client, I mentioned) which encouraged cooks across the country to host a party to support the fight against breast cancer (basically instead of asking your friends to bring a bottle of wine or food you ask them to make a donation toward Susan G. Komen). Of course, I jumped on the opportunity to drive it forward — a chance to eat and celebrate my nonna? Double heck yes, I was absolutely all about hosting a party.
 Yes, we even had aprons. What? I'm Southern, I can't help myself. Now, here’s where it gets a bit more complicated, but I’ll try to explain succinctly…the party I held last Sunday raised nearly $5,000. Every time I think about it I can’t help but burst out laughing because I’m so thrilled, and I cannot believe how many people jumped in to make the event such a huge success.
Ahem.
In March I was fortunate enough to be asked to participate in the Chevy SXSW drive, which took 8 teams of four (or five in our case) people from cities all across the nation to participate in challenges and stops along the way for 3 days leading up to SXSW. While the New York City team did not take first place (Detroit won), Chevrolet was generous enough to offer each team a $6,000 stipend to throw a party to celebrate the incredible experience with friends in our respective cities. It took little to no convincing to ask my team mates if they were willing to throw a fundraiser/charity event, and then get them charged up about 1,000 Cooks.
Roger Smith donated space, created an incredible lobster bake, and sourced alcohol sponsors (thank you Patron and Tommy Bahama) so that we could invite 100 of our friends (and New York City supporters of breast cancer research) to come and celebrate with us at no cost (we took $3,000 out of our $6,000 budget to pay for food and service and such), just a suggested donation.
After a couple tweets, a Facebook post or two, and a couple e-mails, an incredible group of new friends and old came out that took the suggested donation seriously, bringing us back up to $5,000 — an amount sure to make my nonna proud.
Thank you all so very, very much for your support.
Adjusting to New York, as you may have inferred from my previous posts, has been somewhat…difficult. Finding a slice of this New York pizza, a bite of this Big Apple, requires patience and persistence.
While I’d like to think that I’ve fared better than most, or at least some, there is still something of vital importance that I’m missing — a “third place”.
What in the Sam Hill is a third place, you may ask? It’s a place you can claim yours, outside of your work and home, that gives you that something extra that you need.
For me, I need a place I can think and write. I need peace, but also inspiration. In Seattle, my third place was Gas Works Park which in the summertime was vibrant, full of picnic-ers, kite-flyers, sailors, couples and kids. In the winter (or rain/gray season, whatever you’d prefer) my third place bounced back and forth between Caffe Ladro and Cyclops. A comfortable stroll from my abode, open late, and attracted the same type of geeky, computer-toting 20-somethings.
So where do I turn in New York to find such a haven? Here’s a few spots that may be in the running:
1. Cafe Pick-Me-Up. Pros – amazing coffee, good crowd, close to home, appetizing menu and WiFi. Cons – Typically packed, pay for WiFi, cash only (I’m a terrible cash carrier), and not open as late as I may like.
2. Kate’s Joint. Pros – vegetarian fare, Killians on draft, AC (important in summer months) and close to home. Cons – little to emo-punk for it’s own good, unsure of WiFi situation, and a little lack-luster in the inspiration department.
3. 71 Irving. Pros – Amazing coffee, and I do mean amazing. WiFi is solid, and a particularly cute Southern barisita. Cons – not very close to the hizzy, not open as late as I would like and their zucchini bread gets me every time.
Realizing that I’ve cast a ridiculously small net on this enormous NY community, I’m in need of recommendations so I can get back in the swing (not that I want to steal your spot, I realize it’s a very personal choice).
Where’s your third place? And what do you look for in your haven? Does it change based on mood or weather or are you a die-hard loyalist?
When I first moved to New York, I promised myself that I wasn’t going to let my time here (however long or short) pass by without exploring all the great touristy, and seemingly cheesy, that this town has to offer. I made that mistake in Seattle (by never making it to the Oregon coast, or camping at the base of Mt. Rainier), and I decided I was unwilling to let that happen again.
So on day one, over a bowl of cappuccino, I made a list on the back of a Balthazar postcard. Not surprisingly enough, many of these are food (these are in no particular order; purple I haven’t done and black I have).
- Library Card (and actually use it) – I have visited the library, both the one with books, and the one without, and have still not gotten my card. That will be done this month. I promise.
- Visit the Rockefeller Center Tree for some prime people watching – Done, and done. Gigantic tree with lots of lights with little children staring up at it in complete awe. It was definitely a worthwhile “to do”.
- Central Park Ice Skating – Negativo, however, as soon as the rink opens in the winter, I’m on it with hot cocoa in hand.
- Russian Tea Room – Absolutely over the top. Bright red banquets with vibrant green wallpaper adorned with Russian paintings and dowered in stacking dolls. I absolutely loved it. And the tea was pretty good, too.
- Paddle boats in Central Park – Kinda. I hit up the row boats over Memorial Day weekend, the same day as Russian Tea Room actually, which may be better than paddle boats. Definitely gave me more of a work out. It was also an absolutely fantastic way to see the city for $12.
- The Frick Collection – my favorite museum, which I have not visited since living here. I went last September, and will absolutely make it there before it passes the year mark.
- The Met – How can you not love the Met? I should have written it on my list AT LEAST 12 times. What a lot of people don’t know, is entrance is suggested donation of $20, but you can pay $2 or $10 or $100, just be sure if you’re going to give a low donation amount that you make the trek several times. Or come with me and have a drink on the rooftop deck. I lovvvvvvvvveeee it.
- Natural History Museum – I’ve attempted twice and failed. No bones about it, I think I’d really dig some dinosaurs and such.
- Empire State Building – I hated and loved writing this on my list. Loved it because of course I expect to take the long elevator ride up to find myself come out of the doors as Meg Ryan with the man of my dreams waiting for me. But let’s be real, I hate heights.
- Ellis Island – My nonna’s name is there, so I absolutely MUST go.
- Statue of Liberty – Ehhh, I don’t know. Can’t I just check her out on the Staten Island Ferry?
- Brooklyn Bridge – DONE! I walked across it a few times and I’m happy to note that I almost got run over by bikers each time. It’s terribly crowded, but has a spectacular view of the city. And landing in DUMBO isn’t half bad, either.
- Window Shopping in Upper East – surprisingly enough, I haven’t yet. Anyone want to take a stroll with me in the next couple weeks?
- Dim Sum in Chinatown – I love Dim Sum. LOVE it. But I want to be sure the place I’m checking out is legit, which is exactly why I need to learn how to use Yelp on my phone and stop making up lame excuses.
- Little Italy pizza – You may or may not know this about me, but I don’t really like pizza. Truly. But, I’m willing to take a slice for the team.
- Drinks at Oak Room – I’ve been to the gorgeous and beautiful Plaza Hotel a number of times, but never strolled into the magnificent (or so I hear) Oak Room to have a cocktail. I think I’m going to wait until after the summer heat burns off. Seems like a better autumn activity.
- Shake Shack – It’s literally a block from my work, I’ve watched the Shack Cam, and yet, I haven’t partaken. Any Shake Shack lovers want to show me what it’s all about?
- Yankees game – Pretend like I didn’t say that. Go Sox!
- High Line – I’ve walked by/near 26 billion times, but never taken the steps up.
- Sarahbeth’s breakfast – SHUT THE FRONT DOOR. The BEST preserves and muffin I have EVER had in my life. I’m not the type of gal that likes to wait around for brunch, but I’d wait the hour and a half again to eat there..and again, and again, and again.
- Seredipity III – I don’t like chocolate so waiting the 1.5 hours or more to get a frozen chocolate beverage doesn’t have the same appeal as the pumpkin muffin. But, if the right company convinced me to wait, I’d be down.
Not a bad list, I dare say, and making my way through at a pretty fare rate. Is there anything I’m missing? What are on your list of New York “must-dos”? Or any overrated “must-don’t’s”?
After my last post about Remembering to Take Time For Me, I fell quickly into major PTVS (post traumatic vacation syndrome), and allowed my progress to be derailed by falling back into real-world habits. Taking the time to think about my personal needs was more fleeting than I anticipated, and was certainly easier when I was not attached to tech devices and staring into the European landscape. And after my mentor and hero, Betsy Plank (by far the most exceptional woman to ever touch my professional life, and who was extraordinary at making time for her personal life) passed away last week, I felt even more discouraged. Less willing to think.
But, if nothing else, I’m a woman of my word (though sometimes it takes me a bit longer than I should), and I want/need to start making more personal time. It’s just a matter of recognizing and accepting my limitations. Takes time to really understand yourself, or so I’ve heard.
So what are my limitations? What’s preventing me from diving into potential awesomeness? Well, let’s see here…
- I don’t think this will come as a surprise to anyone, but I love working. Like, a lot. I feel affirmed working, and I’ll admit, it’s probably a bit of a security blanket (when I heard about the volcanic ash cloud eruption while I was in Spain, that was possibly going to keep me in Europe for the rest of my days, I dealt with the stress by checking my work e-mail and felt enormous relief).
- I’m bad at the “no”. Ask any friends or colleagues, and they’ll tell you I’m a “yes” girl. The truth is, I WANT to be, but at some point I have to recognize my limits. I’m going to need help/insight with that, if you have anything to share.
- There are so many possible choices for where I could take next steps into my personal life, it feels a little overwhelming so it’s easier just to hole up and keep doing what I’m doing. But maybe if I tried being a origami master or a fencing competitor I’d really love it? Just need to try something new out.
- I’m no Betsy Plank (although I’ll forever strive to be), in fact, I’m no one but me. Accepting who you are professionally/personally and identifying your potential growth opportunity is difficult. But you have to start somewhere.
So immediate next steps?
Forgive myself. Which is what I’m doing right now with this post.
Next up, create an ignition plan. I’ve laid it out for you guys several times before, but it needs to be more GTD’ified for me to really live up to it. In that plan I hope to include:
- A goal to try one new activity (we’ll use this term loosely, so it could be trying a new recipes, etc.) every other week
- Reading at least three books each month (professional improvement, something literary to make me sound really smart, and something for fun)
- A plan to live a healthier life (which may force me to cut down my cupcake consumption)
- Taking a class or two (there is a personal finance and food writing course I think I could really get into at NYU)
- Attend a totally random event at least once a month (fly-fishers of NYC unite, or check out the Hindu meditation ceremonies at temple right around the corner I’ve been eyeing)
- Do something ridiculously New York/touristy every three weeks (I have to make it to the Statue of Liberty, who’s with me?)
- Commit to one day a week without using the words: “social media”, “Twitter“, “Facebook“, “whatev”, and “meh” (the last two will definitely be the most difficult)
So, as always, stay tuned.
For nearly as long as I can remember my personal achievements and sense of accomplishment has stemmed from my professional life. It’s been what drives me and the only way I’ve gauged success in my life. And while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, some may argue that it leaves a gap in my life – which I didn’t recognize until recently.
Now let me preface by saying I’m not fulfilled by work alone. I have incredible friends and a wealth of experience in a number of territories. What I am saying is that up to this point I have allowed work to be what drives me and the only place where I set goals.
Recently a friend of mine who has known me for quite a long time, both personally and professionally (actually the only one that has crossed over wholly on both sides), turned to me at work (since we sit right next to each other) and said, “Jess, tickets to Barcelona are only $500, we have to go.”
Responded the way I always do to her off the beaten path ideas, I smiled and kept working.
There was no effing way I was going to Europe, that we could both get the time off, or that I could leave work for 10 days. I mean, I hadn’t been on vacation in…well, let’s be honest, I had never taken a real vacation (sans family/weekend trips of course).
She prodded me for days after, forcing me to give it some actual thought. I called my mom expecting her to back me on what a silly idea it was.
My perfect mother: Jess, sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime, and you could really use the time off. It would be good for you to disconnect for awhile. You’ve NEVER done that.
Me: But I don’t know with work, I’m not sure it’s such a good idea. I’d love to go, I just –
MPM: I want my daughter to experience life, if I were you I would figure out a way.
The severity of her response may be the only time in my adulthood I’ve been surprised by my mother. So the next day as we booked the trip a flood of panic and exhilaration pulsed through me.
Terrified and enthralled.
Scared and exuberant.
My first vacation meant I would be forced to disconnect and actually spend time thinking about me. My goals both professionally and personally (personal goals I had somewhat been avoiding for years).
Now that my vacay is complete (with nearly a full 10 days off the grid), I would like to tell you that the trek provided me with clear vision as to what I want, but I’d be lying. What it has provided me is the recognition that my personal goals are equally as important as my professional goals. Obvious statement, and probably a “no duh,” but saying as a statement and accepting it as a practice are two totally different things.
So here’s the plan (which I hope to shape up in the upcoming weeks), I will be launching a personal page on my blog. I have no idea what I’ll throw on there, maybe pictures of food or random links I find amusing. The idea of exposing me personally makes me terrified and enthralled. Both scared and exuberant….
…Stay tuned.
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