Southern in the City

Thank You Marina Maher Communications

2010-04-02T16:28:00.009-04:00

Today is my final day at Marina Maher Communications and naturally I am a bit sentimental. I feel so blessed to look back on the first year of my career with such positive thoughts. How many people can honestly say in their first year at the “bottom of the chain” they felt nurtured, appreciated and valued by every level of colleague? I have been given incredible opportunities and learned so much from such brilliant women.

A little over a year ago if you told me I would still be in New York City, let alone working in healthcare PR, I would have laughed hysterically. Well, I am still here and I can honestly say I love working in healthcare. The once overwhelming tasks of learning FDA regulations, various disease categories, what the heck a PDUFA means and understanding patient symptoms now make me thrive. The patience my teachers in MMC’s healthcare practice bestowed upon me is unbelievable. I can’t even believe how much I have learned, but here are a few tidbits:

As soon as you know, open a PO
My definition of a PDUFA date: Plan for months. Expect a Delay. Understand that inevitably half your team will be out when the announcement comes in. Forget about knowing (or in my case understanding) what the answer will be. Anticipate lots of media coverage and don’t think you can arrive at 8:30 and have a monitoring report out by 9 (major mistake)
The Swine Flu Brigade will forever be my favorite costume ever
The office services staff are incredible people and always help you when you are in a jam
#MMC14 is the best Twitter hashtag
Always, always, ALWAYS make sure the correct file is attached to an email
An article was PUBLISHED, not PICKED-UP (Shout out to AB)
I’m calling the Clairol team if I ever decide to color my “virgin strands”
A junior level project may be extremely time consuming, but being in the trenches is the best way to get to know your coworkers
Emailing support (aka Jeff) will resolve any technology crisis and he is the genius of all things computer
Friday Happy Hours are critical to team bonding. They help you realize that your supervisors actually have pretty cool lives outside of work and you have more in common with an SVP and MS than you would think.
I was able to avoid drinking coffee the first three months of working 9-6, but that collapse was inevitable
Thanks to the well-being group and our monthly practice meetings, I am comfortable saying the word “vagina” :o)
An FDA approval will always be delayed
It is possible to strike the balance between boss and friend while maintaining a high level of respect for her
No one knows how to throw a great party like the MMC HR department
You are never too senior to jump in and tackle a project
And finally….The six most important words: I admit I made a mistake. The five most important words: You did a good job. The four most important words: What is YOUR opinion? The three most important words: If you please. The two most important words: Thank You. The one most important word: We. The least important word: I.

I am a far better PR practitioner thanks to the incredible people I have worked with over the past 13 months and I can only hope that I maintain the professional and personal relationships I have developed.

Thank you to MMC for an incredible start to my career.

Miss Manhattan 2010

2010-03-30T12:01:00.001-04:00

As many of you already know, this past weekend I was crowned Miss Manhattan. I didn’t tell very many people I was competing because I was “coming out of retirement” to do so. I started in the Miss America Organization after I graduated high school and realized I was in desperate need of scholarship money to pay my out-of-state tuition. It has always been a hobby for me and I’ve never let it get to a point where it determined my self-esteem or worth.

After Interview

After not participating for two years I found myself missing the different phases of competition. I have grown to love the adrenaline that takes over as I step into the interview room and have questions fired at me ranging from “How do you feel about (insert: universal healthcare, gay marriage, immigration border control, stem cell research, etc)?” to “What makes you tick and what ticks you off?” I could do without the swimsuit competition, but the idea of walking in a bikini and four inch heels in front of hundreds of people is the best motivation to hit the gym. Onstage questions have helped me improve my presentation skills and I love putting on a beautiful evening gown and feeling so glamorous. More than anything however, I have missed the opportunity to sing onstage. Graduating college and being in the “real world” I rarely have these opportunities, so I have missed the thrill of performing my talent.

The best picture so far of crowning, hopefully there are more!

So I went into last weekend’s pageant completely relaxed knowing that it truly was something I was doing for myself and no one else. I was beaming when I walked out of my interview because of how much fun I had and didn’t realize how much I missed being under the “firing squad.” On Saturday afternoon right before my talent I looked at the stage manager next to me and said, “Oh my gosh, I’m about to perform on a New York City stage!!!” Talk about a dream come true!

When the competition was over and we were standing onstage awaiting the crowning, I was on cloud nine. I didn’t expect to win and was simply so proud of myself for having the courage to compete again, so needless to say when they called my name I was in complete shock. I already felt like a winner and to have a crown put on my head was the icing on the cake.It has always been my dream to move to Manhattan so you can imagine how privileged and excited I am to represent the city that has made all of my dreams come true. In June I will travel to Albany to compete in Miss New York and I plan on going with the exact same attitude as this weekend. I already feel like a winner; the rest is just fun!

Amelia and Riley celebrating with me that night

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Side note: A special thanks goes out to my mama who flew in from Atlanta. She has always been my number one fan and to have her there to support me meant the world. My win is hers as much as it is mine and I didn’t do the cheesy “pageant girl crying” until she came onstage and hugged me. Thanks to my Aunt Joanne who has also sat through many pageants and had her car towed that day. Before the pageant while she was at the impound she told me, “You better win the damn thing!” Haha Thanks to my former boss Janene who attended her first pageant and was able to share in my special moment. Finally thanks to my Miss Georgia pageant family back home for all their love and support!

New Dreams: The Sky's The Limit

2009-11-15T13:46:00.003-05:00

Two months ago I wrote about celebrating my one year anniversary in NYC. I talked about how it had always been a lifelong dream to live here and how last year I discovered I really do have it in me to take a leap of faith and follow my dreams. I also said “I am now in search of a new dream and with the confidence that has come with my recent success, the sky’s the limit.”

I have decided upon that new dream and took “the sky’s the limit” quite literally. I’ve decided that I am going to follow in my dad’s footsteps and get my pilot’s license! My dad began flying in the Navy in the early 1980’s and has been flying people all over the country as a Captain for Delta Airlines for the past 22 years.

Being a child of a Delta employee has the most incredible benefits; I was able to fly anywhere in the world for free until January 1, 2009 when I was no longer considered a dependent. As you can imagine, this has been quite the blessing because I have been able to maintain very close relationships with my extended family all over the country (calling up my uncle in LA and asking to come out for the weekend because I was “bored” was common place) and I have been fortunate enough to see so many different parts of the world in my short 23 years.

Growing up in airports throughout my life also inspired a love for flying. The rush of excitement when we are about to take off, looking out the window at the horizon during sunset or viewing the NYC skyline as I am flying home from a trip are all reasons why I love being in the air.

So with the sky being the limit, I am onto my newest dream of traveling in the cockpit instead of the cabin. It took me a long time to get to NYC so I am not giving myself any time constraints, but it’s fun knowing that I have set a new goal for myself and found a new dream to keep reaching for the stars.

Southern Belle Hits NYC Milestone

2009-09-14T14:09:00.001-04:00

Below is a post I wrote for my company blog about celebrating my NYC one year anniversary...

Last week I celebrated the one year anniversary of packing up my life and moving over 1,000 miles from Atlanta to New York City. As a child my desire to star as Annie and passion for musical theater shaped the ultimate dream of moving to NYC, so when the time came to select a PR internship I knew exactly where I was heading. An internship in NYC was the perfect opportunity to spend four months deciding whether or not I could actually be a resident of the city I loved or remain a passionate tourist.

After landing the internship, I established living arrangements, packed up the car and drove to my aunt’s house in New Jersey. It wasn’t until I was in the middle of North Carolina that it hit me my lifelong dream was becoming a reality. After a brief moment of paralyzing fear and “OhmygoshwhatamIdoing?” I continued heading north and haven’t looked back since.

One year later I am the same southern belle, but with a little more “New York Edge.” A few of the things I’ve learned:

With a little southern charm and a sweet smile, random people will stop to answer a question or help you.
That same southern charm goes out the window when someone attempts to crowd you on the subway or take advantage of the sweet smile.
Roof tops are a necessary amenity.
Pizza, Thai food, crepes and cheesecake sound like heaven the first few months, but this will inevitably force you to join a gym.
The mysterious cold weather we always hear about in the south is just as bad as it sounds. This year I am far more prepared with heavy clothes and no longer consider 40 degrees "freezing."
You can conquer the subway system, but regardless of how long you have been here you will get on the wrong train more than once.
There is no such thing as a "relationship" here, dating is far more complicated.
Walking shoes are a must.
A home cooked meal from one of my aunts in New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Maryland is the next best thing to going home.
New Yorkers avoid Times Square like the plague.
Shelling out a ridiculous amount of money to live in a small apartment each month is worth every penny to be here (although I typically fail to remember this when it comes out of my bank account).

This year I discovered that I have it in me to take a leap of faith to follow my dream and, despite many moments of being homesick and the numerous bumps I’ve faced over the past year, I succeeded in making it become a reality.

I am now in search of a new dream and with the confidence that has come with my recent success, the sky’s the limit.

Life's What Happens When You're Busy Making Plans

2009-05-04T13:03:00.011-04:00

Friday night my friends from the Webster and I usually stay in, drink wine, and watch movies in one of our tv rooms. This past Friday night as we were drinking Vicente Vineyards wine (Aunt Kar--The nunnery is very grateful!) we kept throwing out ideas of what to do on such a rainy weekend. After going down the list of The Met, the library, museums, etc. someone finally brought up the Kentucky Derby. Being a true southerner I got ridiculously excited and immediately decided we would go buy big hats, get all dressed up, and find a bar in NYC that is having a Derby party. We found a few places online and went hat shopping first thing Saturday morning before heading to the bar around 3.

The first place we went had me pretty excited because they claimed to be having a "Hat Pageant," 2 for 1 mint julips and a free Bud Light for anyone in a hat, along with other prizes. Thinking the place would be packed we were pretty shocked when we walked in and the bartenders cheered as we were the first to arrive. Feeling a little awkward we took advantage of the drink specials for about an hour and then took off as the other hat people started to arrive.

Justin Timberlake's restaurant, Southern Hosiptality, on the UES had a MUCH better turn out. How could it not with a name like that?? We called before we left to make sure people were there and ended up having a blast. Sadly my horse, Hold Me Back, didn't win...but I picked him for his name anyway! :o)

We ended up spending the rest of the night hopping from one random place to the next and ended home at 4 am, a record for me here in the city.

The point I'm trying to make is that I keep being in this mindset that everything has to be planned. Not only when I think of the next few years of my life, but even the little things like what I'm doing this weekend. Living in NYC I tend to plan every where I go because I can't hop in a car and quickly get where I'm going. This weekend I was completely spontaneous and off the cuff and I had a blast.

I think its a good reminder that sometimes I just need to sit back and be 22...

Rocking Out at Rock of Ages

2009-04-16T12:26:00.009-04:00

Note: As many of you know, one of my greatest passions is the Broadway musical. The opportunity to see a show any night I want was a major factor in moving to this city. While I am by no means a famous Broadway critic, I do consider myself to be quite knowledgeable and view every show with a critical eye. I won't discuss the synopsis of the show because you can learn about it here. This is just about my overall experience...

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Two weeks ago my brother Patrick, 14, came to visit and I was faced with the challenge of how to entertain him. He is at a very hard age because you can't take him to kid stuff and he certainly is not old enough to go bar hopping. If he was a girl the choice would be simple, take her to a Broadway show like Wicked or Mary Poppins on Saturday night. Rarely is there a show I can confidently take a boy to and know he won't fall asleep as the Overture begins.

For several weeks now I have been following @RockofAges on Twitter and, amused by his creative Tweets, I was inspired to check out the show. When I heard Patrick was in town I thought it would be the perfect thing to do on a Saturday night with a 14 year old. Over the past two years he has gained an appreciation of classic rock music thanks to Guitar Hero and Rock Band. I did not learn the words to "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" until I heard it at numerous band parties in frat houses my freshman year, but I could belt every word of it by the time football season ended. So needless to say, I thought the classic hits that comprise Rock of Ages would be something we would both enjoy.

We arrived at the theater two hours early to participate in the lottery and luckily won two tickets. When we came back after dinner the place was buzzing with people. I immediately knew this would not be my average Broadway show when I walked in and they handed us "lighters." We quickly found our seats, which was the one major downfall of the entire night...they did not inform us that the lottery seats were partial view. We could still see 99% of the stage and we would have still purchased the tickets, I just think it's extremely rude when that isn't even mentioned at the time of purchase.

After settling into our seats I saw people walking up and down the aisles serving beer in the theater, another Broadway first for me. I also saw in my Playbill there was an option of pre-ordering and having drinks served to you during the show! Between the lighters and the flow of alcohol, I knew this would not be my standard night at a Broadway show.

When scantily clad strippers walked out in the opening number I was immediately stricken with panic and thought "What have I taken my little brother to see?!" I quickly murmured "Lets keep this aspect of the show to ourselves and not tell mom and dad," under my breath and squirmed uncomfortably in my seat.

From the first note to the last, the ridiculously talented cast had us dancing in our seats and hanging on to every word. I was amazed at how they incorporated so many great songs and strung them together with the script at all the appropriate times. Every single voice in the cast was very strong and they blended together so well, but of course there were a few standouts.

American Idol alum and leading man Constantine Maroulis gave a pretty incredible show and made us look at each other and say "daaaayum" several times with his high register. Amy Spanger was not only an amazing singer but one heck of an actress. I found myself relating to her several times as she struggled to find her place in the "big city." She showed such raw emotion that I too couldn't help but want to belt along with her that I'm "Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world."

If you ask my brother, the star of the show was Mitchell Jarvis, the narrator. Every second he was onstage he was in character and full of such energy, not to mention the fact that he was absolutely hysterical. See a picture of Patrick and Mitchell below!

By the end of the second act we were on our feet screaming the words to "Don't Stop Believing" and dancing right along with the lady two rows ahead in the pink wig and "I like Boobies" tshirt. The final note hit and Patrick looked at me with the biggest smile on his face and said that was the coolest show he has ever seen. Score two points for the big sis! :o)

There are few shows that I will see twice, simply because there is always a new one to catch my eye. However I will confidently say that I will see Rock of Ages again. As I said before, I often struggle with shows a guy can sit through so this will be kept in my back pocket if I ever get in another tour guide pickle.

PS--Special thanks to whoever is behind the @RockofAges Twitter account that got me hooked on the show!

Preparing for Marital Success LONG Before I Walk Down the Aisle!

2009-03-23T16:00:00.004-04:00

Last Thursday I went to a NYC Catholic Young Adults event at St. Patrick's Cathedral. The topic was "Catholic Dating, Marriage....and Divorce", apparently I wasn't the only one interested in this topic because the room was PACKED. I certainly do not plan on getting married any time soon, but I am always enthusiastic about attending lectures on marriage. Divorce is every where I look and I'm not going to waste any time setting myself up for success, despite the fact that I may have not even met "the one" yet!

The priest leading the discussion was hysterical and has been leading Marriage Encounter retreats for years. He was so funny and insightful that I could have listened to him all night. His points were very basic/common sense, but he explained them in unique ways that really resonated with me. Here are a few that stuck out (although I know I won't do him justice):

Forget the idea of the "soul mate." So many of the struggling couples he meets with after 15 years decide, "I just don't think this person is my soul mate." This image we have in our heads of a perfect soul mate is constantly reinforced by dating sites and pop culture telling you there is one person just waiting for you out there that will make you complete. Fr. Richard said that is not the case because no one you meet will ever be perfect for you, everyone is flawed. Too many relationships fail because they imagine that perfect soul mate still out there waiting for them and that perfection is impossible to find.

I am extremely guilty of this stereotype. I have been in two amazing (long term) relationships and ended both because I didnt want to settle down at such a young age. However, there is also the counterpart of my head that says if I keep looking for perfection and "what else is out there," I am setting myself up for failure. What if he really was the "one" for me and I won't ever find it again because I was so busy looking for the perfection that "completes me." So I am going to listen to Fr. Richard and forget about the "soul mate" and focus on finding someone whose positive traits outweigh the imperfections every man has.

A wedding isn't about two souls uniting as one. A wedding is God's blessing/approval of the commitment two people are making "'til death do us part."

Being the romantic that I am, it is so easy to get wrapped up in the "union of souls" (note: not soul MATE!) and fantasy wedding. But when you take away the dress, flowers, and fluff you see a wedding for what it is, a commitment before God with the support of your family and friends behind you. Again, it sounds very basic but Fr. Richard said it much better than I just did! :o) When I used to work for the Alabama Healthy Marriage Initiative one of our billboards said, "Prepare more for your marriage than you do your wedding day" and that phrase has stuck with me ever since. I hope that some day when I'm wrapped up in my wedding plans someone reminds me of that!!

When dating, look for someone with common virtues, not just common hobbies.

I think this has happened to me several times now. I date the person who is fun, likes to do the same things, and makes me laugh. Then after the first few dates I start to realize the core virtues I want in a partner don't align with his, but I'm having a good time with him so I tell myself that can be pushed to the side for now because I'm having fun. Fr. Richard is extremely correct and I need to break this habit because I should be dating people with virtues that reinforce mine and make me a stronger Christian. However on the flip side, just because someone is a Christian and shares the same virtues doesn't necessarily make them a good match for you. You can find someone with both.

I'm truly glad I decided to go last week because it gave me a lot to think about. It did not take me long after leaving Auburn to learn that dating in the "real world" is a whole new ball game. While I am not in any way on a man hunt or searching for "the one", I think these are things I need to remember while maneuvering my way through this new dating world and these ridiculous dating games. I watch my friends get engaged/married all the time now, so despite the fact that I am not actively looking for "forever love", I know God has a plan that I am unaware of and it could happen to me at any time.

My First Manhattan Apartment

2009-03-08T19:38:00.000-04:00

Last week I officially moved into my first apartment here in Manhattan. As you would expect, it's smaller than my college dorm room (disclaimer--Auburn dorms were wayyy bigger than others I have seen!) but actually a really great deal. Its extremely old school (I don't think it has been redecorated since the 70's) but I am rarely there so it doesn't bother me very much.

Webster Apartments is for women who are interning or just accepted full time jobs in the city. Yes, again a reminder of living dorm room style, but I actually really like it! First of all I feel very safe, the door is guarded 24 hours a day and they are extremely picky about this. Men are only allowed on the ground floor common areas and they must be accompanied at all times...I know daddy is a fan of this! :o)

On the bottom floor there is a dining room that serves breakfast and dinner (included in rent). The food really isn't that bad and in the morning there is always cereal and I can always eat the full salad/soup bar at night. The bathrooms are very clean and I have not had to wait on a shower yet (knock on wood).

As for my room I have a twin bed, decent size closet, vanity with chair, chair for guests, tall dresser, sink, and a book shelf. The bed was AWFUL at first but I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and bought a great fiber bed to go on top of it that makes sleeping much better. I'm on the 8th floor so it isn't too noisy and my end of the hall is very quiet. A maid comes in every day and makes my bed. Every Monday she does a full cleaning of my room. And mom said I would never have a maid to make my bed!!! :o)

There is a huge TV room with vending machines and lots of comfy chairs I go to about every night. I like it because you can always count on the popular show on that night to be playing and there are always a bunch of girls in there. So far I have met another girl from Auburn (in addition to my friend Amelia who told me about the place) and someone who went to USC and knows a bunch of Auburn people.

On top of the roof is a huge garden area with a great view that I look forward to enjoying as soon as the weather warms up!

Needless to say it doesn't come close to home, but I'm pretty lucky to find such a great deal here in the city. Heading to Atlanta this weekend and cannot WAIT to be back in my big house with my family and very comfy bed. :o)

Back in the Big Apple

2009-02-23T16:02:00.002-05:00

It’s hard to imagine this time last week I was doing some last minute packing at home in Atlanta. The past week has been a whirlwind, but unlike the first time I moved up here in August, there was really no adjusting necessary. I arrived at LaGuardia airport Monday afternoon with two suitcases (packed to full capacity thanks to space saver bags!) and a carry on.

Tuesday was my first day of work and I spent the whole week in orientations and going through files on the computer trying to acclimate myself with the different Healthcare accounts I have been assigned. I’m not really sure what my day-to-day tasks will be for each of these accounts because last week was all orientation meetings. Starting this week I will begin receiving assignments; I’m pretty sure it’s just going to be a lot of research and account management tasks. Have to start somewhere!

I did manage to have fun last week though! Tuesday Aunt Joanne met me at Jeff’s in Hoboken for dinner. It was great to see her after such an overwhelming first day. Wednesday I met up with Peppercom friends for dinner/happy hour, and Friday my friend and I went out to dinner. Saturday we had brunch at Pastis and tried to get tickets to see Will Ferrel’s play but it was sold out so I went out with a bunch of my girlfriends for an old Peppercom intern’s birthday.

It was so great to see all of my friends this weekend because it was very hard for me to leave Atlanta again. I fell back into my comfort zone while home for 2 ½ months and the idea of leaving all of my friends/family again was very unsettling. However knowing that I had existing relationships up here made it much easier and after spending time with them all over the past week I’m confident in my decision.

"I'm Gonna Make it After All!"

2008-09-23T16:05:00.000-04:00

Well this week I finally did it...moved to the Big Apple! I had a lot of time to think throughout my 16 hour drive from Atlanta. I thought about what to expect at my job, what train I would take into the city every day, what to wear, etc. But for the most part I prepared myself to hate the people. I thought they would be the number one reason I would go running back home in December.

After growing up in the south my whole life I've learned we have a sense of "southern charm" you won't find anywhere else. Since I am so fortunate to have a dad that works for Delta Airlines I travel to the northeast many times a year and typically come home thinking "Northerners are so rude and obnoxious." I had a long talk during my drive with my Jersey-raised dad because I didn't know if I should keep my friendly ways in the city and let people assume they could take advantage of me. He told me, "Jack, just because you're moving somewhere different doesn't mean you have to change who you are." So when I came into the city last Monday morning I was prepared for people to run me down on the sidewalk and for no one at work to learn my name or talk to me (a lowly intern) until I proved myself worthy. Boy was I wrong!

I could not be happier at Peppercom. The moment I walked in the door someone greeted me and spent the morning showing me the ropes. He took me to lunch and introduced me to every single person in the office. Each person I met said "Let me know if I can help you!" in some form. All week I received Google Talk messages from various people asking how things were going and if I needed any help. I received an email my second day from Peppercom's co-founder, Steve Cody, after I commented on his blog telling me to "stop by" and meet him. Needless to say I was shocked! Maybe I've watched The Devil Wear's Prada one too many times. Whatever the case, I packed some tough skin to come work up here and I'm so grateful I haven't had to use it...yet.

I have also discovered that people on the street aren't all that different from down south. Yes, they may be wrapped up in their Blackberry's and many won't look your way, but I have encountered many helpful people. I even had someone offer to help carry my suitcase up the stairs the other day and another ask if I was lost (which I definitely was!) and needed help on the street. I've learned that if you ask anything with a smile and that "southern charm" I know so well, people are usually happy to help.

Now don't get me wrong, not everyone has met me with a smile and open arms, but I am so happy to be here and to remove the stereotype from my mind. I get so very frustrated when people assume all southerners wave Confederate flags and drive pickup trucks; I'm disappointed in myself for being just as guilty by stereotyping Manhattan people.

Note: I will NEVER consider myself to be a Yankee, but as Mary Tyler Moore would say, I think...

"I'm gonna make it after all!"