My Vicarious Life: March 2012

{Quickie} Sweat. Sip. Stretch.

lululemon athletica March 27, 2012

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By Katrice

If you've had a few face-to-face conversations with me, you know that my grandfather is my hero. That distinction came during the second year I was a reporter for my hometown newspaper, The Sandusky Register, when I had the privilege of writing a special feature about his life in the community. Before I knew anything about his trials and triumphs, however, my foundation and respect for the benefits of hard work had already been set by my mother — his daughter. I'm not ashamed to say that few things came to us easily when I was a child. What we had was the direct result of my mother's earnest efforts and solid reputation; one literally fed the other.

When I started as a reporter, I was a recent college graduate with a degree in English and absolutely no journalistic prowess. Starting at the ground level is a theme in my life. I began my work with the Register as a stringer; In that couple-month period the assistant managing editor taught me how to be a reporter. And let me tell you, it wasn't a cake walk. The first couple weeks, I'd go to her complaining about my ledes being rewritten and my headlines changed, and her reply was always the same: "Do it better and it won't require my revising." I took that as a challenge. I'd write my story, put it in Ready to Edit, and proceed down to her desk to go through it line by line. I started to be fanatical about making sure what actually made it into the paper was what I provisioned. After three months, I was offered a full-time staff writer position. And even with that, our one-on-ones continued until I knew just about everything she knew about being a newspaper journalist.

When I left that post three and a half years later, it was because I believed it was a good time for me to start working toward a move up in the industry. I've always had my mind set on being an editor — though I didn't exactly know what it would take. My next move: a master's degree, followed by two years as executive director of a non-profit organization. What was happening in the midst of these pivotal stops, however, is what I contend most important in my trajectory.

From 1995-2004, I worked at the Radisson in various positions each summer. Upon graduating from Bowling Green State University with a master's degree in American Culture Studies, I interviewed for a city editor position with the Register and was passed over. I took a job as a front desk and membership clerk at the YMCA and later an adjunct instructor position with Heidelberg College. I continued to work at the Y. And I would be dishonest if I didn't admit here that I was a marginally disheartened that my progress toward a more senior post as a journalist hadn't been easier to attain. But, paying my bills became paramount.

I volunteered for every extra hour available at the gym ... filling in for people; volunteering to be there to open at 4 a.m.; and every single thing I could think of in between to become a standout — including offering the executive director unsolicited programming advice {LOL}. When the position with Big Brothers Big Sisters became available and I had been through two interviews for the executive director post, it was between me and another candidate. The departing ED had lunch with the head of the YMCA, and somehow my name came up. He began to talk about my conversations with him at the gym, not realizing that he was giving me the reference I needed to push me over. I worked at BBBS for two years before deciding to continue my quest toward editorship.

As you have gathered at this point, my road to Atlanta Tribune is not the typical route of a journalist. But, it is that of consistency, excellence, enterprise and diligence.

In my first interview with Tribune publisher Pat Lottier, I was afraid that my resume would seem a puzzle that she may not understand. But, what she told me proved that effort joined with earnest intent makes all the difference: What I see here is the summation of someone who isn't afraid to do what is necessary to achieve their expected end.

If you have your mind set on achieving, don't stop — even if you're the only one on the road you're traveling to your expected end.

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app March 13, 2012

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First Impressions Are Underrated

editor March 05, 2012

By Katrice

When I made an unsolicited visit to Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine in June of 2006, I came wearing the best interview attire I had available to me: a crisp white button-down ruffle blouse, black pencil skirt and black heels. No one was expecting me, as the magazine wasn't hiring for any editorial positions. But I was invited in for a brief meeting with the current editor. It was a conversation that I earnestly believe only took place because I arrived having carefully considered the first impression I wanted to make.

I was offered the opportunity to interview on the spot for an apprenticeship in the editorial department. {My goal was to land an unpaid editorial assistantship for at least 20 hours a week to learn the magazine editorial process and work my way up. My rationale, which I shared with the editor: I could work another job in my free time to cover my bills.} A perfect scenario, I thought ... because I didn't have any in-house magazine experience but was no stranger to sacrifice. Long story short — I didn't get the apprenticeship; It went to a deserving Clark Atlanta University student who was studying journalism. When I found out, I cried to my older brother because I thought I wasn't good enough to even get the lowest position though in the back of my mind I respected that a student needed scholarship money more than I needed the opportunity at that point.

The next day, I made an appointment with a temp agency in Union City, Ga., for later that week and went to meet the representative in the very same manner. I wore a different blouse and skirt ensemble with heels, and I was placed in an office within days. For two months, I worked two separate temporary posts through that agency until one day receiving a voicemail message from Atlanta Tribune about an opening on the editorial staff. Not only had the editor remembered me, she was offering me an interview for a full-time paid position. It wasn't what I wore, but I'm confident that factoring in what I should wear made a difference. ... As you can surmise, I got the job that lead to this point in my career. And though I completely credit God with the favor that placed me on that editor's mind, I did my very best to give Him something to bless. Being prepared for opportunity is key.

If you talk to any Atlanta Tribune intern who has worked with us over the last six years, they will tell you that our editorial staff is scrupulous about their presentation of themselves — from how they dress to how they speak. We have a business casual standard for day-to-day operations, but if we expect visitors in our office for meetings or have a conference, we wear business attire. Never mind whether the meeting will involve us or if we'll be working the background of an event.

We {society on the whole} are becoming increasingly comfortable with doing just enough. And somehow failing to realize doing "just enough" will earn you the very same. I hear people say all the time that they don't want to be judged by their appearance, and in theory — I can understand that sentiment to some extent. But, when you want to be a cut above, every single nuance of your presentation needs to be a cut above.

People often ask me how I got to where I am with the magazine and I generally get right to the meat of the story. But, I wanted to take just a moment to share my beginning. I didn't have exactly what I wanted to wear when I drove up to the magazine's office. But, I put together the best of what I did have understanding what all would be considered if I was to be taken seriously, and I still do the same today. Consider how my story may have turned out had I dropped by the office in skinny jeans and a T-shirt to introduce myself and leave my resume. ...

If you ask me, first impressions are everything.

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The 30-Day Challenge

30-day challenge March 05, 2012

By Katrice

I hate losing. Period. Interestingly, I didn't know this about myself until five years ago.

Before I discovered the online word game Literati, I never considered myself competitive — at all. And there's a catch — I'm most motivated to achieve when I'm the only one competing. Thus, my recent 30-day water challenge.

Last month, a Twitter friend asked if anyone in her timeline wanted in on the challenge to drink only water as a beverage for 30 days and, without hesitation, I tweeted back that I did. I didn't even think it through. I drink 64 ounces of water every day before 3 o'clock {a habit I started four years ago with working out}, so I figured this would be no big deal. But, by day two, I realized what my main consideration should have been: I'm nothing without options. I complained incessantly for the first 20 days. And like magic on Day 21, I didn't go through my normal routine of being bummed about not having a cup of cappuccino as soon as I got to the office that morning. I just drank my first 16 ounces of water and commenced to working. Around midday, I realized that I had turned a corner. Three days later, the magic wore off and I wanted a Coke {LOL}. But, I'm so excited to say that I made it through the entire 30 days on Friday.

I was proud of myself for not giving up. What really impacted me was how many times I've launched into betterment schemes and haphazardly let them fall by the wayside. For some reason, I was determined to see this one through to the end. And on the last day, I told my friends I planned to stay up until midnight so that I could drink a strawberry Fanta. The closer midnight came, the more uninterested I was in that soda. Don't get me wrong ... I was one step from resenting water at several points throughout the challenge, but I the benefits I was noticing were enough to keep me going.

I had no bloating around my stomach, hands or feet. I haven't noticed any real obvious changes in my skin and hair yet. But, I've definitely been inspecting both.

So, this morning I went for one of my favorite drinks. A Frappé from McDonald's. But, mid-way through, I thought I wouldn't be able to finish it. I actually lost interest in finishing it and got up to get some water from our office cooler; Not because I love water so much now, but because I love the way my body feels minus the sugar and preservatives in the drinks I usually have. And at that moment, I realized that this is what the challenge was all about.

The bottom line is changing your mind's behavior and thus your body's behavior.

The Frappé didn't taste any different to me than it had before and it wasn't hurting my stomach as I suspected it may. But, I was "feeling" as if it was too much of something, and the something wasn't important. The "feeling" was. It was that I'd prefer to not experience that feeling — whether it be bloating or a craving. I used to crave frozen coffee drinks. I haven't in about 10 days.

Now, I'm wondering what other healthy habits I can challenge myself to {begin to} make normal over 30 days.