Superbowl XLVI

Of course I baked - would you expect anything less? Unfortunately, my team lost, but fortunately these treats were winners at my friend's party. 

Just the beginning...

It was a difficult day on my baking tools

Soon to be footballs

Chocolate ganache on vanilla cakes

Chocolate with Coffee Frosting 

THE whoopie pies

Standing Apart: A Body of Work

Interested in Marketing yourself differently?

Seth Godin wrote today about showing off your “Body ofWork”, meaning an easy to find trace of your accomplishments. Obviously, it can be hard to display the intangibles and efforts that you created or did that lead to the success of a project. Godin got me thinking: “How do I, a person in a managerial and client service position, display my successes?”

Surprisingly, I have been trying to answer this question for a while. I’ve done a little research in the past, but haven’t found much luck in my question being answered. The resume used to be the go-to for applying with potential employers or being accepted for certain memberships and committees. But today, a resume is just a piece of written paper with your titles, duties and a little insight into what you do. Does it really show where you excel and what type of backbone you provide for the company body? No. I can tell you that even looking at resumes makes me cringe, and I am not the one hiring people. It is white and black, a crammed up sheet of words and completely un-inspiring.

So how does someone that really will never have a portfolio of design work and pictures of engineering feats in a pretty leather case show their accomplishments?

My BEST guess – an online, highly visual and to the point case study.

What is my action plan? Luckily, I work within a company that does lots of design work and produces actually products such as websites, advertisements, print media etc… and can add these as visual points within my online portfolio. The case studies should be short and sweet: Problem, Action, and Outcome. Make sure to list and highlight how without you working on the project, the outcome would have been different and possibly not a success.

** For those in my situation, make sure you are allowed to use items created at work. Double-check with your employer!

As a side note though – I am not someone who is on the hunt for a new job. This online portfolio would serve as more of a measure of where I can improve. I can look back at projects and say, “What could I have done differently to produce a better outcome?” It will also aid in different committees and boards that I would one day like to join. Currently, I am looking with getting more involved with the Terry Young Alumni, Junior League Atlanta and the Atlanta or Buckhead Alliance. In the future, an MBA is also looking pretty swell, and I feel this would be a great aid to any application I should send out.

For those like me that don’t have design portfolios, how do you plan to show off your work and success?

New Scene, New Opportunity

5am, my alarm for the day starts buzzing. I feel like David After Dentist: IS THIS REAL LIFE?? I remember the last time I woke up before 6am, and it was the only option I had if I wanted to be on time for my marathon in Savannah. 3 months later, I'm saying hello to the dreaded wake up time again. Only now this will last for a full month... sigh...

Surprisingly though, I was excited. I was ready to take on my new off-site project, and looked forward to the change of scene. I'll be working at a client's office for the next month and leaving the Propel office for a bit so I can be totally focused on this all-mighty task. It's exciting that at 23, I was given this BIG responsibility by my company. I honestly can't believe it.

But still, 5 am is early. Peachtree Street has only one or two other cars on it at this hour, traffic on 400 is cruising, and there is not a trace of the sun coming up. It's kind of exhilarating, plus I get off work at 4 which leaves me time to take my running outside in the cool afternoon rather than running in pitch black. I still have the same count for almost getting hit though. Once in the day, once at night. I wonder if I could have cleared that Mercedes... I might have had to.

So new project, continuing my running (and upping the speed if you've seen my tracker) and my final week of the sugar free diet! I honestly haven't kept to it though. I baked a ton on Sunday, trying some recipes to figure out which ones to use for my new little side project, and I kind of became the guinea pig for my testing. So this next week will be the final push and mental challenge to stay on track. It seems that I can keep with it during the week, but the weekend it just falls apart. One more week, let's go!

I did make one of my better crock pot recipes this week. It seems like nothing bad can come out of this thing. This is olive and artichoke chicken, making 6 servings

Slow Cooker Artichoke and Olive Chicken 

• 6 chicken breasts
• a cup of white or rose wine (I used Zinfandel)
• a can of chicken broth
• 14 oz can artichoke hearts
• (2) 14oz cans of olives (I used black and kalamata)
• medium onion, chopped
• throw in a bunch of spices - black pepper, salt, Italian seasoning and some garlic powder

Let that cook on low for 6 to 7 hours and you will fall in love with this recipe! I froze the other 5 servings (as usual) and it is just as good re-heated. I'll be trying out more recipes soon and sharing since I really don't have much time to cook at the moment. Happy hump day tomorrow!