Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Brand Ambassador Love

Last week I had an awesome opportunity to hang out on the Ohio State campus on one of the most unseasonably warm Fall days, soaking in the sunshine and handing out make-up samples to any interested Buckeye beauties while making some hard earned (more fun than hard!) cash. I came across the opportunity for a brand ambassador position on Craigslist and after a screening of my resume and a quick phone call, I was selected to work the Mary Kay Fall into Beauty Campus Tour event at Ohio State.
 
Working as a brand ambassador is a fun and easy way to make some money and add experience in branding, event marketing, promotion strategy, market research and general consumer interaction. The event last week featured an outdoor beauty tent where students could take a tour of Mary Kay products, Fall beauty trends and even experience a full cosmetic makeover from a professional make-up artist. I was stationed in the photo booth area and also spent some time handing out samples to students as they passed by the tent. It was a great experience interacting with the students, listening to what they enjoyed most about the experience and witnessing the sheer excitement they experienced as they sampled their way through the venue. 

Whether you are a student or just finding yourself with some extra time and are looking for a way to make some extra cash I definitely recommend looking into brand ambassador opportunities. In the future, if I work on a new product launch, creative brand promotion project or event marketing endeavor I now have direct operational experience in the implementing of these events. I look forward to continuing participating in these events to build my event promotions experience across multiple channels of trade - but I am definitely interested in working more beauty events in the meantime! 

Side note: The event also provided an opportunity to get to know some other girls my age in the area and I was lucky enough to reconnect with a former classmate from college, Alissa Henry (seen in the photo strip on the right, below). Alissa is in the running for Columbus' Next CW Star contest, CLICK HERE to watch Alissa's video and vote for her in the contest!



Thursday, October 18, 2012

It's Raining, It's Pouring.. I'm Running?!

Remember that scene in "Can't Hardly Wait" when one of the characters stands in the center of the party after his first several drinks and yells "I can't feel my legs!"? That's how I felt out on the all purpose trail loop at Sharon Woods Metro Parks this morning. Not because I had been drinking but because I got caught in the rain! And not just any rain either; this was a down pour! My legs were so cold from the falling rain I could no longer feel them as I took the turns, slopes and sights of my favorite Columbus running trail, learning to find love on my unplanned run in the rain.

I've written before on this site about my love of running and before today I would have told you that as much as I love running, I hate running in the rain. This morning I woke up and looked outside to see a few clouds in the sky. I asked Siri if it was going to rain today which she told me was likely but I decided I knew better and that since I wanted to get my run in run in at that very moment, it wasn't going to rain. (I'm still working on that whole "patience" thing.)

About 10 minutes into my run I found out why I am not a meteorologist. There I was taking in the sights of Ohio in the Fall, thinking of this site and how maybe I could write about loving running outside during this season and even snapping a few photos of the trail and my pure joy as I ran, when the clouds opened and let out their wrath of rain onto Columbus. As I ran my clothes became heavier as they grew more and more soaked with rain. I remembered the awning we had on our house when I was very little. When it would rain, the water would gather in puddles on top of it and my sister and I would hit the puddles with a broomstick from the porch, watching the rain spill powerfully over the edge of the awning as it fell to the ground. On the bright side? I hadn't thought about that for awhile and it's one of my favorite memories of our life at that house. 

Another thing I enjoyed about running in the rain? I've heard a lot of the songs that I run to many, many times however I had not thought about them in the ways that I did when I heard them in the middle of a down pour. "Call Me, Maybe," I was thinking of all the people I wish would call me with a ride to my dry apartment. I even ran the route faster than I usually do which almost surprised me until I realized how much I was thinking about how badly I wanted to be home the whole time I was running; I guess the motivation paid off! The people on the trail were noticeably more friendly today than any other time I've ran. I think we all were laughing at ourselves and each other for being the fools in the rain... at least that's what I was smiling about. 


Now that I've changed out of my soaking wet clothes, taken a hot shower and am sipping a hot cup of coffee inside, the sun in shining with hardly a cloud in the sky and only puddles on the streets as evidence of this recent rain. If I would have waited an hour I could have stayed dry the entire time. I am thankful for the experience as now I know I can survive a run in the rain and there are some things that I actually enjoy more than my average non-rainy run. Why did it feel so good to run in the rain? Because it felt so good to stop! :-)

 

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Road Trippin'!

"But it was Saturday night
I guess that makes it all right
And you say, 'Baby, have you got enough gas?'
Oh yeah
Little red corvette
Baby you're much to fast, yes you are
Little red corvette
You need to find a
love that's gonna last"
- Prince "Little Red Corvette"
  
 
I took a trip home this past weekend and was loving the drive. Sometimes a long drive can be boring, tiring and even painful (hello, butt lock)  but my 143 mile trip home turned out to be just what I needed. Below are some things I love about road trips! 
  • Atti came with me! I got to bring my kitty on the trip. My co-pilot rode in her pet carrier in the middle of my backseat so she could see me and the road and so she'd be out of harms way if I had to quickly stop.
  • "Quick snack" not "Fast food" I try my best to eat healthy everyday but a road trip is the perfect excuse for a little cheat. I stopped at a Taco Bell/KFC and ordered a soft taco and a chicken sandwich - it was so great! To save some calories I fed a little bit of cheese from my taco to my cat. ;-)
  • Have you looked outside in Ohio lately?! When I close my eyes and imagine the best part of living in Ohio I see orange, yellow and red leaves falling onto cold green grass. I see blue skies with big white clouds and can feel the sunshine beaming down from above me. The air is cool enough to run with shorts and a light jacket, and smells faintly of freshly cut grass, pumpkin, cider and the season's first fireplace fires. Thankfully for me, this time is now
  • DJ BV, here, driving tunes extraordinaire! It's great having someone else with you in the car to talk with to pass time but I got tired of Atti not answering me or giving suggestions for my problems... kidding, totally, just kidding. I did not talk to my cat in the car, but primarily because I had such good music on I didn't want to be distracted! It was fun to make a playlist just for me with songs I knew would put me in a good mood and get me ready to be home. Below is a collage of some of my favorites.
  • I just love my friends and family in Cleveland! Being away from home again is making me remember the things and people I love so much in my hometown. I miss driving on the Shoreway, living in Coventry, Cortina's Family Restaurant and even the construction by Progressive Field. The beauty is, when I come back I can go to each of these places and even if they are not exactly as I left them, I feel like it's a chance to catch each other up on what's been going on and all that's new. I move forward and grow and so do my surroundings - it's a wonderful reminder of my tiny piece in life's beautiful and everchanging puzzle.
I'm glad to be back in Columbus and settling into my new life here but my trip home was a great experience filled with fun times with family and friends, a couple delicious dinners, one terrible horror movie and two great road trips. See you next time, Cleveland!

 



Thursday, October 4, 2012

My first Columbus Oktoberfest

A German toast....
"Dem Leben sind Grenzen gesetzt, die Liebe ist grenzenlos."
Life has limits, but love has no bounds.
 
Last Sunday I had a lovely afternoon at Columbus' Oktoberfest at the Ohio State Fairgrounds with my sister, her fiance and my friends Michelle and Matt. It doesn't take much to convince me to attend an event that takes place outside on a sunny day, serving brats, sauerkraut balls, potato cheese pierogies and other things I love to dip in ketchup even though I'm supposed to be too old to do so, along with a variety of the latest and greatest Oktoberfest draft beers. The festival was the perfect Sunday afternoon activity as we were able to ease ourselves slowly out of the weekend while enjoying the warm sunshine and fresh air with a cold beer in hand, surrounded by family and friends. I love Sunday Oktoberfest afternoons... I can't wait for next year!
 
 
 
If 2013 is too far to wait and your local Oktoberfest has passed, take a look at the ideas below on ways to create your own Oktoberfest right at home; no DD required!
 
  • What is Oktoberfest? - Now this is not essential knowledge to host the party but just in case a guest asks you, Oktoberfest is a 16-day festival celebrating beer held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. Mass amounts of beer and traditional foods are served in honor of German Unity Day on October 3rd. Plenty of more information from Wikipedia here if you're curious.
  • Decorations & Apparel - Think St. Pauly's girl here, mixed with Hansel and Gretel and throw in a little Heidi Klum style. You'll want plenty of blue and white decorations on the wall, a German flag (black, red and gold) would be a great addition for the walls. Be sure to wear (and have a few extra for your guests) your favorite green or grey alpine hat and have plenty of  clear plastic boots (to be used as cups of course!)
  • More like OktoberFEAST - At Columbus' Oktoberfest I had a delicious meal of cheese and potato pierogies, German potato salad, a bite of a Bahama Mama and a cream puff. For your party consider some of those items I mentioned or look up recipes on your own; potato salad can be prepared ahead of time and you can cook brats on the grill easily while entertaining your friends. Another suggestion would be pretzels as those are a tradition in German cuisine and are very easy to supply party snacks.
  • The beer! - Sure some of guests are attending for the brats and your fine company but I'm willing to guess a few will be looking forward to what you've got in the cooler. Thankfully a number of delicious German beers are available in grocery and specialty stores across the country, especially during September/October during the Oktoberfest season. Do a quick Google search to read reviews on beers currently on the market then head to the store and decide for yourself which are your favorites.
 
I love the timing of Oktoberfest; early fall has the crispest air. I love that Oktoberfest is for families, with activities for adults and kids alike. I love the food and the beer at Oktoberfest; enough said on this one I think. I love being able to spend a sunny day outside with some of my favorite people and a beer in my hand. Prost!
 

Monday, October 1, 2012

A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

"Don't threaten me with love, baby. Let's just go walking in the rain," Billie Holiday

We have had some beautiful sunny days lately in Columbus but I can't get one of last week's thunderstorms out of my mind. I wanted to put together a post with some things I love about the nights when the sky opens and shares with us thunder, lightening and rain. 
  • Like a fan in the corner of your bedroom, a thunderstorm provides white noise to ease the calming of your nerves and help you relax. I fell asleep to the sound of rain drops on my rooftop and slept soundly through the night.

  • A thunderstorm is the perfect time for reflection, and not just your image in the puddles. I sometimes have a hard time slowing down in my day and appreciating where I am, what I'm doing and who I'm with. Whether you are home alone, cozied up with someone special or stuck in a restaurant until the storm passes, use the time to think about what's great about your being there.

  • Like any hard point in life, this too shall pass. During last week's storm I sat on my porch and thought about all the things, people and situations that brought me there including some situations I considered as really hard, sad or confusing. I thought about the good, bad, hard, easy, happy and sad times that have led me to where I am today and thought to myself, 'What do I have to say to the world?' As I looked out into the dark, wet night, the sky filled with stars and lightning I said out loud, "Thank you." A thunderstorm makes me thankful for the sunny days and encourage me to find grace in the rain.
Life is going to give us sunny days and there will also be days filled with thunder and lightening, both literally and figuratively. It's up to us to see the sun on the darkest days and remember and have thanks for what got us there.