The Most Illuminating Show on Television

Truly. If you haven't watched CBS News Sunday Morning, the wonderful "news" show hosted by the intelligent, down to earth Charles Osgood (Charles Kuralt was the original host for many years), you've really missed out on a wonderful and enlightening program. With stories ranging from arts and culture (present and ancient) to architecture, health care, and transportation, it's the back-story you won't get anywhere else.



This show is not a focus on attractive reporters as "stars." The true star of each story is the subject matter, whether it's the mechanics of the Eiffel Tower or the best shoe salesman in the U.S. or how soba noodles are made or the band Wilco. Yes, the staff of talented reporters presents the news, but they also open a window into some of the most interesting people and places you've never heard of...and some you have. There have been segments on the famed terracotta warriors discovered and now on display in China, on Pete Seeger's 90th birthday, and on living on a houseboat in Sausalito.


I don't get to watch the entire show since I'm often rushing off to church, but I do watch some segments most Sundays as I'm getting dressed. I always learn about someone, some place or something interesting.



What other television show would dare to close the program with a long segment showing bees buzzing around flowers in the garden at Biltmore or water tumbling over rocks with fish swimming in a stream -- no narration, just experiencing nature in all its glory. It's the closest way to enjoy the beauty of the natural world in the immediacy of your home -- this is what television was made for. It's a highlight of my Sunday!

Summer Hours

It’s very common in the corporate world to enjoy “summer hours or summer Fridays.” This often consists of working longer hours 4 days of the week so one can take off on Fridays, or designated Fridays, or occasional Friday afternoons between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It’s particularly common in the NY advertising and media world, but in Washington, I was fortunate to work in a few firms that also allowed summer Fridays, as long as one’s work was caught up or being covered by someone else. Needless to say, I didn’t take advantage of nearly as many Friday afternoons away from the office as I would have liked. After all, who is ever completely caught up at work, particularly in the advertising world?!

But now I don’t have the pull of Friday afternoon commitments, deadlines, meetings (yes, we often had 5:00 Friday meetings in my former life) or client needs.  Even so, it’s been hard at times to remember that I don’t have to “work” all day every day. Now, “work” for me is different since it involves looking for a job, networking, writing, home chores, and deciding what I need to do with the rest of my life. In other words, my work is the pressure I put on myself to accomplish certain things each day. The great thing is that I only have to answer to myself if I don’t do something I should; and I’m a pretty flexible boss.

So, I’ve made a top priority this summer to create my own version of summer hours – spending all day or most of each Friday doing things that I enjoy.  I’ve spent beautiful afternoons kayaking at Black Hills Park. I’ve met friends for long lunches where no one had to rush back to work. I’ve visited Mount Vernon, the estate where George Washington lived. It’s a wonderful time to explore the vast array of parks and historic sites in our area and to feel a sense of being in the moment. I don’t have to check my iPhone or Blackberry for client messages or colleague questions. No one is calling with “issues.” I can truly appreciate the slower pace and not worry about rushing off to the next “to-do” pulling at my time.

So now I’m off to Great Falls Park in Virginia for an afternoon of hiking with my friend Katherine. It’s a beautiful National Park overlooking the falls and rapids of the Potomac River, with great hiking trails and an interesting history. Enjoying each moment and the beautiful natural setting. Now this is truly summer hours!

Update: this was a short hike today as the deluge of rain hit not long into our hike (I guess the thunder was a dead giveaway that a storm was approaching).  However it was still a beautiful place and the photo above shows the falls from one of the overlooks in the park (Virginia side). As you can see, it's a rather grey and overcast day! We got utterly soaked and decided it would be best to continue on a nicer day. 

So, I'm content to spend a dry afternoon at home with my dear friend Earl Grey, send out a couple of resumes and read a book I've been wanting to get to, The Geography of Bliss, by Eric Weiner.

Fading days of summer

As I look at the calendar and stare at the words August 27, realizing that our summer is winding down, I am so grateful to have had this summer off work and at home. After decades of working, this has been a refreshing, relaxing, happy time.


I've let go of the stress of the work world to enjoy the simple pleasures of puttering around my kitchen every morning, taking long walks around the lakes in my neighborhood, sitting on a bench listening to the birds without feeling rushed to return to check emails or phone messages. I’ve enjoyed going to the grocery store at mid-morning, sitting by the windows in the afternoon to read a book or magazine, meeting friends for lunch, talking to my sister at random times throughout the day. I’ve been able to travel, take a family vacation, and go kayaking occasionally.


Losing a job is a heart-wrenching, ego-shattering event (even when you know it’s a possibility), but sometimes these things have positive consequences. It takes us off auto-play and forces us to take greater control of our lives and priorities.


Having always worked -- before getting married, through both pregnancies and after a few months of maternity leave -- I missed summers at home with my daughters as they were growing up. I was so wrapped up in deadlines, work projects, meetings, emails, and things that had to be done “yesterday,” that our summers together were not much different from the rest of the year.  Depending upon work, of course, I would typically take off 1 or 2 weeks in the summer for a family vacation and to spend days together when camp and day care were closed.  My lovely daughters are now grown and don’t need me to be home with them any longer, but to be able to be at home this summer has been the break I needed – to be a home body, a mom, and to feel like a normal person again.  Woohoo – it’s been a great summer!

"There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart."

~Celia Thaxter

Target rebrand: missing the mark

I am a bit baffled by Target’s recent move to rebrand Target brand products with the Up & Up name.


If you haven't seen it yet, you can view it online, along with a Target video explaining the new name for their "value priced" products.


• I don’t understand what Up & Up is supposed to represent (if you are focusing on a better price point, the word “up” doesn’t do that)


• The arrow may somehow represent directing people to the Target circle/target symbol, but it’s not doing that on the packaging…so I’m not sure why the arrow.


• When a company like Target spends millions of dollars branding the company with the red circle/target symbol, and it’s become so iconic that often the company name isn’t used in advertising, with TV spots created around reinforcing the target symbol, why would you deviate from that?



• On packaging, I’m not clear if the different colors used on the products are supposed to represent different categories of product to make it easier for shoppers to identify in the stores, but I’m not readily seeing the connection. I would think that a change in graphic identity would link like products through color as well as symbol, so that all kitchen products are orange, all baby products are blue, all cleaning products are green, or whatever the palette calls for. If that’s the case, I’m missing the link, in the print ads (fliers) and in the store.


• I’m sure Target has invested significantly in case studies and plenty of consumer research to support the decision to rebrand the store-brand product, but as a Target customer, I find it confusing. I knew in the past that by shopping a particular aisle, I could easily find the product with the target symbol and know it was the store brand. I could compare the price and attributes with other brands and determine if I should buy the Target product. If I don't see that target on a package, I naturally presume that there is no longer a store brand.



• And because I like Target and Target’s normally hip advertising, I naturally associate positive attributes with many Target-branded products. But Up & Up? Sounds weak, generic, tacky, and like you’re trying to hard.


• Sure, it takes time for consumers to adapt to change, but I just don’t understand the benefit of having gone this direction…especially in this economic environment.


Sorry, Target. I’m not buying that this was a good move.

Julie and Julia...and me

I've been thinking a lot lately about the entertaining summer flick Julie and Julia, but especially about Julia Child. The movie spoke to me...as a laid-off worker seeking to discover what's next in life and what it is I really enjoy and am good at.


The story is of two women -- different places, ages, and times -- who desire to find an identity, meaningful work, and satisfying next steps in life through their love of food and cooking. I don't have to tell you the back story of Julie, the NY secretary, and Julia, the former secretary and Paris transplant, here since you can find that on LOTS of other websites this summer. Suffice it to say that these women found what was important and enjoyable to them AND led to new, unexpected careers. Now that's inspirational!


If it can happen to them, can it happen to all of us (or more specifically to me) -- baby boomer (I try to refrain from the phrase middle-age since it sounds so stodgy), laid-off and loyal employees, women who want to change the world....or at least to experience the world? Now certainly men at this stage of life and in this faltering economy find themselves in the same circumstance, but I suspect they don't relate to either Julie or Julia the way women do this summer.


My takeaway from the movie (other than that I MUST get the Julia Child/Simone Beck cookbook, Mastering The Art of French Cooking)? Let's pursue our passions and take the time to discover what gives our lives meaning. I don't want to rush into another job just to earn a paycheck...I want to create a meaningful life. I want to feel a sense of accomplishment, see the world, challenge myself to keep learning. I want to LIVE life and not just exist.


And, of course, from this coffee lover, bon appetit!

Preconceived ideas and snap judgments

Isn’t it amazing how we tend to segment people and associate traits based on a hairstyle, clothing, body type, tattoos, cars…in other words on a first impression. I really try to not be judgmental and to appreciate the differences in people. However I am sometimes stunned when I jump to a conclusion…that turns out to be totally incorrect.

As the owner of a hybrid automobile, I attributed certain characteristics to other hybrid car owners…that they care about polluting the environment, that they likely live healthy lifestyles, that they are concerned about keeping the air around us clean, and that they are natural food, healthy shoppers. That’s why I was surprised to see not just one but two Toyota Prius drivers today smoking cigarettes in their cars. I didn’t expect that from the driver of a Prius, the first wildly popular, readily available, and affordable hybrid car in the U.S. The other surprising thing was that both smokers/drivers were young women.

The contradiction for me was that they care enough to drive a hybrid automobile – although perhaps they chose it for the gas mileage and not for its contribution to lessening environmental pollution--but they didn’t care about polluting their own bodies. Seems like one cancels out the other.


Just like my daughter presumes that a BMW convertible driving acquaintance is wealthy, I presumed a Prius driver would be a non-smoker. It's a good reminder that a car (or one's appearance or accent or possessions) is not necessarily an accurate reflection of a person's values, habits, priorities, or lifestyle.

Fruit heaven

Eating healthfully this time of year is so much easier with the profusion of beautiful fruit and vegetables in this area. Thankfully Montgomery County has kept much of the county as farmland preserves so we have very easy access to the beautiful Maryland countryside and area farms. I have enjoyed the 20 minute scenic drive out to Kingsbury Orchard regularly this summer for their delicious peaches and nectarines....the people are nice, the prices are quite reasonable, and the fruit is the epitome of summer luciousness.

Check out these lovely Freestone peaches I purchased today -- likely nearing the last of the season. In a couple of days I will enjoy these on my cereal, with blueberries, and just eating a fresh, whole peach.





What I didn't expect today, nearly the end of August, was a sign of Fall...the ripe and beautiful Gala apples that were at the orchard today. Once I tasted the free sample I knew it was apple time again...and bought an enormous bag of Galas. Perfect snacking! I put them in a bowl on the kitchen table to enjoy the beautiful color and to keep them within easy reach. Nice!

Food, glorious food

Who knew that losing one's job could actually be good for one's health. There are the standard reasons why...such as elimination of ongoing daily stress (well not total elimination of stress since I don't have a job), being removed from confined spaces with sneezing and ill co-workers, avoidance of germs, no commuting stress, and being able to actually make AND get to doctor appointments.

But what I really didn't anticipate was that I would be eating better now that I'm home every day and that I actually prefer to eat at home rather than at a restaurant. This is somewhat of a revelation since I don't particularly enjoy cooking, in fact I consider it a chore...not escapism or creative or fulfilling as I've heard many people remark. And I'm not a particularly good cook...I'll take the simple recipes with five or fewer ingredients any day.

When working, I would often be dead tired at the end of the day, heading home late, and knowing that my lovely daughters would be famished as soon as I walked in the door. I, too, would be ready to eat the first food item that appeared before me or in my mind as a quick dinner -- kebabs at Moby Dick, burrito bowl or salad at Chipotle, or a yummy peanut chicken bowl at Ricky's Rice Bowl. These are all fine when you're more interested in immediate gratification and not paying attention to the budget.

But my desire to live on a budget, eat healthfully, and lose weight have led me to spend time cooking -- certainly not fancy meals but nutritious foods and I know exactly what the ingredients are. I can avoid many processed and packaged foods and focus on fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs and seasonings, whole grains, as well as chicken and fish. I'm enjoying eating my nice red tomatoes and fragrant basil that I grow in pots on my patio, and my salads taste far better seasoned with a little olive oil, white wine vinegar, pepper and sea salt than any restaurant salad. Yes, this is the healthy comfort food I've been yearning for and I'm enjoying being the chef in my own little kitchen. My body is feeling healthier and I like knowing exactly what I'm eating!

I suspect other people are feeling the same way...people who have lost their jobs and those who are worried that they may be next. With the enormous popularity of cooking shows on the Food Network, Travel Channel, and Bravo bringing higher ratings, food has moved to primetime entertainment. According to Nielsen data, since 2004 the primetime audience for Food Network has increased 55%. It's not just foodies who are watching! In addition Whole Foods continues to do well in this lackluster economy, and what are people buying at WalMart and Costco: food items.

Perhaps this mass loss of jobs and reevaluating what is really important in life bodes well for the U.S. by helping to create more people, like me, who are genuinely interested in what they are putting into their bodies and paying attention to the link between eating and health.

For love of family

One of the many wonderful things about being off work this summer is the opportunity to travel -- my favorite pasttime! Now, I love being at home, too, and love the feel of creating a comfortable and cozy nest, walking in my neighborhood, and watching the bees flitting around the flowers in my teensy back yard. But when it's family reunion time 700+ miles away -- I'm there!

I am feeling so blessed and enriched by having spent the past weekend in Kentucky with aunts, uncles, and cousins that I so rarely see. My wonderful aunts arranged the Tevault family reunion at a lakeside resort in Kentucky, with activities for adults and children and with LOTS of time to get reacquainted with family from Michigan, California, Illinois and Indiana. I am so fortunate that I still have six living siblings of my father -- 2 brothers and 4 sisters-- who are the most loving, energetic, and fun-loving people I've ever seen. Who leads the charge up and down the hill from the houses to the pavilion -- my 91-year old uncle! Who is the last one up at night, sharing jokes and laughes, and drink for drink with much younger nieces and nephews -- my 68-year old aunt! Who is the ringleader of the scavenger hunt insuring we have a photo of each of the required items in 90+degree heat -- my 67-year old cousin!

And cousins galore (along with their children...from babies to adults). And I didn't even have time to have a chat with each cousin -- too many of them! But those I did catch up with are filled with love...for family, for where we came from, and for our times together. Remembering our grandparents' house in the country, eating in shifts to accommodate the large number of people, Easter egg hunts on the lawn, our meticulous grandfather, and our loving grandmother (who always baked more pies and cookies than anyone I know).

It was a chance for Kate to connect with family members she barely knows but who are such an important part of who I am and what is important to me in life.

The freedom from work to enjoy each moment without feeling torn that I was neglecting work, projects, deadlines, budgets, or business associates was huge. I was able to spend time before and after the reunion with my mother and truly feel a sense of peace...that this was the best summer gift being a person "in transition" could enjoy.

My moment...my year

It would be so easy to let losing one's job sway me from experiencing the joys of life...travel, friends, food, theater, museums, taking classes, expanding my mind and trying new things. I am frugal by nature and the uncertainty of not having a job nor knowing when a new one will develop makes me even more conscious about spending money. But in reality, this is an enormously freeing experience. It also probably begs the classic baby boomer, midlife question...what do I want to do with the rest of my life?


Now I don't really mean goals or career (THAT's another question entirely), I mean what are the truly far out there things that add excitement AND a sense of accomplishment to life?


I have mostly taken the safe route in life: job to job (mostly loving and enjoying where I've landed), marriage, kids, divorce (okay, not the expected path there), buying a house, buying cars, taking vacations...i.e. keeping the home fires burning and keeping the career from burning out. All the while knowing that I wanted more. I want and need to try things that bring me out of my comfortable, safe shell.


What would I put on my list (some might call this a "bucket list" but I prefer to think of it as continuing education)...here's a start:

• Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu
  
• Take an acting class
• Live in Paris to learn French
  
• Buy a bicycle and ride it everywhere
• Hike Mount Kilimanjaro
• Learn yoga
• Spend 2 weeks at a yoga retreat
  
• Write a book
• Take piano lessons
• Parasailing
  

What are the new experiences you've always wanted to try? What do you want to learn?