• A significant donation to a local women’s shelter during a fundraising luncheon today organized by a friend.
• Getting the “all clear” text message from a friend of mine who was worried her life plans would be put on hold for her and her husband.
• Having enough will power to get back into the gym and finish a strong 3 miles

Things of gratitude the past two days:
• A clean house. There is no better feeling than a vacuumed, scrubbed, dusted, and fresh laundried house. A weight lifts everytime, and when I sit on the couch in the afternoon/evening, and see how perfectly organized and clean my abode is, it’s heartwarming.

• Sleeping all day. I don’t do it often, and no, I’m not sick, but the ability to sleep all day, get up for a few hours for a jog, and then back to bed is an amazing thing to be thankful for. Makes you feel refreshed, centered and relaxed.

• My grandparents. I learned a hard lesson when I was 22. I missed the last time I would ever see my mom’s parents alive because my live-in boyfriend at the time and I had a fight. I put him and my emotions first, and two weeks later my grandparents passed on. Having learned that lesson, and reliving it every day that I think about “what ifs” over them, I see my dad’s parents as much as I can. I hear the same stories, look at the same photos, read the same memories they wrote down. And I am every so grateful for it. I lost a lot of family history on my mom’s side, but on my dad’s I won’t. I have it memorized, and what’s not memorized is written down by them. This afternoon I spent 2 hours going through ornaments that are anywhere from 10 to 50-years old to add to my starter collection at my house.

• Back roads. There’s something to be said about spending an hour or two slowly making your way home on the back road. Windows down, music up and taking in the scenery you’ve never full experienced before. Seeing the farms (Duncans), driving past horse pastures, and dairy cows, cotton fields and along the base of the White Tank Mountains. Having nowhere to be but exactly where you are. It’s one of the most efficient ways to clear my mind since I always have to be somewhere, normally.

Overall, I am so grateful for this past weekend. It was the perfect storm of activity, fun, letting loose, and unexpected-expectede-ness. My gratitude goes to:

• New friends that are quickly becoming close friends. Being more comfortable with a person who is genuine, and shows me that it’s okay to make new friends everywhere you go. To lighten up, show my goofy self, and enjoy the moments in front of us. Without that friend on Saturday during the Volleyball tournament, I would have let my competitive, have-to-do-it-well side of me take out a lot of the fun I had.

• Straws – oh man am I grateful for you! Especially when there’s PBR in that cup.

• A community who supports and gives back. Saturday I played in a charity sand volleyball tournament, and it rocked! So may new faces, but more importantly, many community leaders there to help donate, run and be part of the 1st annual event. Check out Athlete’s Promise: http://www.athletespromise.org/

• For friends birthdays! The perfect excuse to head to the nearest casino/nightclub dressed in the hottest Vegas fashion and rock like rock starts until the wee hours of the morning. LeiLani’s birthday introduced me to new friends and people, and was the prime opportunity to connect with another friend who’s been elusive.

My gratitude for today:

• Every place, relationship, setting has its good and bad. And it’s easy to see the bad more often than the good, and truly I think that’s a reflection of one’s own full-time happiness. Something that has been hard for me the past few weeks/months. Today, I see the value of all of the staff events and fun we have at work. And the scavenger hunt was the best in a long time. I’m naturally goofy, but rarely let people who aren’t close see that side. The hunt at work today let me shine in that light, and for a few hours, I was reminded.

• Living alone on nights like last night. Where you just have a party with you and your dog, blaring music, dancing around while making dinner and just enjoying the freedom.

• Taking the time to sit and listen to a colleague, hear their frustrations, questions, and goals and together identify opportunities, challenges and to just talk.

• Free drink at Starbucks

• Being comfortable enough with a friend to let the tears speak the words I can’t seem to say, and know they understand.

Two stories on bad PR moves. The first about a long-time PR practitioner posting not-so-nice comments about special needs, and reacting in what we teach out clients not to do. The second about a South African condom company who took vulgarity too far, and at the worst possible time.

A Rose Wilts

Locally in the Arizona market, well known ( and not always well liked) Jason Rose was fired as a representative for Special Olympics Arizona for posting insensitive comments on Twitter surrounding special needs. A full story can be read on .

With social media, everyone can forget at times that though they have personal accounts, and mention such in their profiles (mine included), those in the PR/Marketing industry still represent the goals and initiatives of their clients. Personal accounts shouldn’t be locked down and held accountable for everything posted, but precautions and a realization that posts are public, should still be heeded. While I’m sure Jason didn’t conduct a checklist of before he posted:

• Do I have clients that will be upset?
• Does this go against a positive image I’m representing?
• Is this harmful?

Fueling the issue was the response once it was picked up – “I meant the opposite.” As PR practitioners we drill our clients to take a step back before responding and make it accurate, meaningful and take some sort of action towards a goal (changing behavior, acknowledging a breakdown, etc). Rose knows controversy and issues management better than most, I’m sure. He should have taken his own advice.

But there is a hero in this story, Special Olympics themselves. They held steadfast to their mission and values and severed ties quickly with Rose. A beautiful statement that abuse, ignorance and neglect of any kind will be tolerate on any level.

Lesson: Hold fast to values and missions, and don’t tolerate anything less – your PR person or not.
The second is Durex – a condom brand from South Africa. Memeburn.com wrote a great summary of the issue: http://memeburn.com/2011/11/durex-social-media-cock-up-is-no-joke/
((COPY COMING))

My gratitude for today:

• Women, who position themselves as well-rounded, interesting, passionate females that don’t stop with their looks, but use them as a platform for the greater good.

• Speaking of passionate role models, a college classmate Natalie Ehmka, CEO of Pretty Feisty is not only beautiful and smart, but has overcome dark things to empower others. I read her Facebook posts and am reminded that things continue on.

Today’s points of gratitude:

• My sister and her rough/tom-boy exterior and how it teaches me to roll with the punches. Those you have highest expectations of can also be the most honest and know the exact buttons that get you stirred up. I am grateful for her to help toughen me up.

• The Starbucks crew at 7th St and Missouri, I’ve been there enough they see me walking up in the mornings and have my drink ready by the time I get to the cashier. That small customer service measure is a morning smile from me. And when I get to say “Double dirty chai” and hear the questions from the people behind me.

• Open communication and understanding between friends reminding me small issues are not the end of world, and some things are worth the risk.

• My intern Emily who has the hunger and passion I had at her age for this industry, it’s refreshing and revitalizing.

• Christmas lights on the Christmas Tree – it lights up the house in the most perfect, warm glow.

• Turning my work email back on from last Wednesday and having no emails that required attention. For the first time in nearly 3 years, I actually had no interruptions for 4 of my 7 PTO days.

• For the Dexter TV series – killer twists, literally.

• For my new Nike training shoes – complete silver and purple running goodness.

• The start of the holiday season because the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas are dedicated to family fun, appreciation and togetherness.

• For oversize rawhide bones because Derby’s eyes get so big when he sees what I brought home and for the hours of happiness he has dragging it around the house.

• For new-old friends that remember the passion I have for non-profit’s and asks me to help review marketing pieces. It warms my heart and gets my creativity going again.

• For my new sand volleyball friends taking the time to teach me what they know to improve my game. And for allowing “Ms. Mayhem” to test her rusty skills and new skills out on players that are way better than me.