And then there was… Pickleball?

Mark this down as THE day you were introduced to pickleball! ~Chris Lovasco

Say what? I thought Chris was pulling my leg. “You know Chris, if we were in Lynn, that would be an entirely different game than what you’re about to describe…” (What?! It would!) In the center of a full-blown fundraiser and literally just steps away from Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd, I found myself talking squash a.k.a racquetball. My local YMCA has indoor racquetball courts, and it’s become one of my greatest sources of stress relief over the last year. However, like all good things, it will most likely come to an end. With the rumblings of a new local Y in the future, racquetball courts are underutilized and simply take up program space.

So what’s a girl to do when her back is to the racquetball wall? Pickleball, I guess!

A paddle sport created for all ages and skill levels. The rules are simple and the game is easy for beginners to learn, but can develop into a quick, fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players.

The Basics

1. A fun sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong.
2. Played both indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court and a slightly modified tennis net.
3. Played with a paddle and a plastic ball.

A Game for Everyone

The USAPA currently estimates there are now over 400,000 players actively playing pickleball.

• Pickleball facilities are located in all 50 states.
• Many kids and teenagers play it in physical education classes in middle and high schools.
• Seniors enjoy the social aspects and the ability to stay active in towns and retirement communities.
• Tennis, racquetball and ping pong players love the competitive nature of the sport and regularly participate in competitive tournaments.

Learn more about Pickleball at USAPA! Have you played? Comment below.

Pantone Problems

Marketers wear several hats on any given day. Today, I’m dealing with Pantone problems. Is your blue making you blue? Is your green looking mean? Does that brown make you frown? Turn that frown and paint the town with rgb.to!

Usage is pretty simple, just type the color you want to convert in the top input box and click the button below. You can enter the color value in any format you want, rgb.to will figure out the color you just entered (RGB, HSL, Hex, keyword, Pantone or RAL).

Feeling blue? This could be the color for you.

I’m a hustler baby…

I just want you to know,
It ain’t where I been,
But where I’m about to go,
Top of the world! ~Jay-Z

I’ve always had a problem saying no to someone in need. As a result I recently counted the number of boards and committees I’ve joined during my former unemployment. Add this to my new full-time job and caring for a parent, then one starts to wonder why I keep volunteering. After reading the following article, I discovered that it’s just the hustler in me! Let me share:

Hustlers are driven. They are motivated to make a life of their own design, to make a difference. And just like non-hustlers, they’re motivated by their fears. Here are four things that occupy a hustler’s mind:

1. Never enough. Hustlers are motivated by the fear that they are not doing enough. They worry that they’re not taking enough action, even when they’re doing 5 times as much as anyone else. Hustlers fear that by not doing enough, they won’t succeed in reaching their goals, whatever those goals may be. So they respond by doing more.

Non-hustlers are also motivated by fear. But where hustlers’ activity is fueled by fear of not doing enough, non-hustlers are simply paralyzed by fear. They fear taking action because they’re not ready, because they might fail or because other people might judge them. Non-hustlers’ fear ensures that they never take enough action to reach their goals.

2. Not fast enough. Hustlers not only fear not taking enough action, they also fear not doing all that needs to be done fast enough. Hustlers fear that if they don’t move fast, someone else will. They worry that if they don’t take advantage of the opportunities presented to them, those opportunities might disappear. This fear fuels the hustler to move with a sense of urgency.

Non-hustlers prefer to move slowly and cautiously and to let things come to them. They say “If it’s meant to be, it will come.” They are afraid of moving, let alone moving fast.

3. Being out-hustled. Hustlers worry about being out-hustled. They worry that somewhere out there, someone else has got the jump on them. They worry that someone is working harder or smarter. This fear drives hustlers to bring their “A” game and to always remain a student. Hustlers are motivated by and learn from this fear.

Non-hustlers don’t worry about being out-hustled, because they’re always and everywhere being out-hustled. They’re very comfortable with the fact that others are out there working harder and smarter, building the lives they really want and making important contributions.

4. Legacy. Hustlers don’t fear their legacy, they fear of running out of time to do all the things that they can do to build that legacy. Your legacy isn’t built on what you do for yourself. No one ever says “Look at how wonderful he was! He made a fortune and bought himself a yacht and a big house.” Hustlers know that a legacy is built on the contributions you have made to the world around you. A legacy is built on what you have done for others.

Article Source: http://www.lifehealthpro.com/

Enjoy it while you can!

Guess who’s back?! It’s been awhile since my last post, and for that, I apologize. I’ve actually been ENJOYING some time off (pun definitely intended). Since the last time I wrote, I’ve been on a quest to discover and pursue my passions. While some may think I should be pursuing a new job, during my last six-plus months of unemployment, I noticed there was one piece of advice I got repeatedly from some of my most trusted peers…

“Enjoy it while you can!”

What does that even mean? Who enjoys unemployment? For the first three months, I could barely get a full night’s sleep, wondering what was wrong with ME. Well, there’s nothing wrong with me. In fact, nowadays I tend to think what the hell is wrong with some people (hashtag #realtalk). When I came to that conclusion, I was able to sleep longer than usual with no regret. And, I definitely don’t spend day after day sitting in front of television (my dad would be proud). I have so much to tell my loyal followers who have been along my side and invested in this journey!

I was on the phone the other day with a woman I know professionally, who was asking about how things were going for me. I explained to her what I had been doing (as I will explain to all of you in the days and weeks to come) and that I was actually enjoying my unemployment. She went on to tell me how she followed my blog and was excited to hear what was next to come. She wished me the best of luck and would be looking forward to my next blog post. I admit, I was floored! People that are not related to me actually READ this blog?! That was all the inspiration I needed. So here’s my short list of accomplishments to get you caught up while I work away at wordsmithing some more posts for you to enjoy! I thank you for taking YOUR time to enjoy this while you can.

UNEMPLOYED ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Yes, you can actually accomplish things when you’re not a slave to the grind.

1. Discovered my passion for volunteerism (aka ‘working for free’)
2. Saved Flo’s life…literally (just a little allergic reaction to chemo, no biggie…)
3. Designed a new home office (5 years later)
4. Became a starving canvas artist (shopping at Michael’s ain’t cheap!)
5. I am enjoying LIFE! (we all should try it sometime)
6. Wait, I’M a business? (Hello self-employment!)
7. Lost 20 pounds and counting (detox, detox, detox)
8. Surviving financially (learning how to make Abe cry)
9. I’m refocused, re-energized and ready to hit the ground running!
10. And I’m enjoying my unemployment…while I can! (time is ticking…)

Stay tuned for more posts!

Finding Passion – Part II

“It is obvious that we can no more explain a passion to a person who has never experienced it than we can explain light to the blind.”

– T.S. Elliot

My parents never talked to me directly about ‘my future’ much never mind helping me figure out my passion in life. And there’s nothing wrong with that; my parents are old school. Trust me when I tell you that my parent’s passion back then was for me to graduate high school, not get pregnant, and graduate college. If anything, they made me passionate about getting an education…and not getting pregnant. By the time I graduated from college, not once, not twice, but three times, I had admittedly reached all the goals I had ever really aspired towards. Job well done, but goals are not a passion.

Passion was never a subject discussed at home, in school, or anywhere that I can remember. It’s always been as simple as, you do what you have to do in life, whether you like it or not. If you like it, consider yourself lucky. Unintentional or not, my parents provided me with a pathway for a passionate journey through life. As early as I can remember, my parents let me take dance lessons, musical instrument lessons, participate in Brownies and Girl Scouts, go to summer camp, and signed endless permission slips for honor programs and field trips to museums, theaters, and more. Oh, and when I was a kid, you played outside. I ate mud pies (so I’m told), dug holes, built igloos, played with other kids (gasp!). I had my imagination, which was a playground of its own. Through a fine balance of nature vs. nurture, I’m certainly passionate about being creative.

Not so long ago, I found a story I’d written in first or second grade. I can’t remember the exact year, but it was one of those ‘where will you be in 25 years’ deals. Now I find myself wishing that the teacher, that any teacher, would’ve asked me what my passion was instead. Well, according to my 7- or 8-year-old self, I should have been America’s first black female president. Flash forward to today, and you guessed it. I was the first black female president of Salem State University’s Beta Sigma Chapter of Delta Mu Delta’s Honor Society in 2007! (Disclaimer: This statement may or may not be entirely accurate until I do some further research after accidentally discovering that potential fact while writing this paragraph.) Okay, okay…so I was a little off in my early prediction. Hey, Salem State is in America. Even imagining a black president, whether it be me or President Obama, was a profound idea at that time. Look at how far we’ve come. Two things learned: I think BIG and I have pretty good foresight. 

I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I remember going to a science fair in junior high and wanting to be a meteorologist like Michelle Michaels, or even a physicist. As I watch my youngest niece Casey journey through college, I’m happy to report that some of that dream was not lost in her passion for science. In high school, I thought I’d follow my dad’s footsteps and work at General Electric as a machine drafter or engineer. By senior year, I learned that I hated straight lines and trigonometry. I should have taken graphic design. Didn’t matter. The Internet boom would change technology as anyone graduating in the ’90s had learned it. Therefore, my dreams of working at GE were obsolete before I even knew it. All was not lost, I carried the torch to Temple University where I double majored in English and Psychology. The goal then? To be a criminal psychologist, studying serial killers, of course. Never quite reached that goal, and I left that torch in Philly. After a year of the college experience, some lingering homesickness, and a steep increase to tuition, that dream would never be fully realized. Oddly enough, my oldest niece Chelsea, is a psychology major with an interest in forensics, and some serial killer tendencies (kidding, kidding). Hey, everything happens for a reason, right?

I could go on and on about the variety of jobs I’ve had since I was 14 and able to get a work permit. I’ve been a tobacco peer leader, women’s clothing sales associate, jewelry sales associate and a piercer of ears, cashier, retail/wholesale auto parts associate, a driver, gym facility attendant…and those are only the paying jobs! Thankfully, I’ve found marketing to channel my creativity, but the journey continues. I’ve done marketing for a wealth management firm, a custom cake bakery, and a home health agency. I guess I’m a Mik of all trades if you will! So naturally, I’m curious to see where I end up next. I’m like a leaf in the wind.

So. We’ve established thus far that I am definitely passionate about having a career, learning new things, and being creative. I love marketing great products and services to people who truly need them! And as I was most recently told, I am definitely passionate about LIFE. I’m also becoming more passionate about writing this blog. Maybe that English major at Temple wasn’t a total fluke! Okay, now were on to something. Time to piece it all together…

Stay Tuned for Finding Passion – Part 3

Finding Passion – Part I

A few weeks after being laid off, I sat down with a colleague Shari for lunch in Marblehead. I was looking forward to a good lunch with some good advice. Shari is a recruiter, and we happen to sit on the board of the Northeast Arc together. At the very least, it seems like all the years of working, networking, and volunteering are finally starting to pay off. At a time when I need people, I can thankfully look in my rolodex or LinkedIn and finally say, ‘I got people.’ (Gold star if you can name the commercial…)

About 15 minutes into having lunch with Shari, she asked me the most profound question of my life. “So, what is your passion? What’s the thing that makes you get out of bed in the morning?” Say what lady? It was then I realized that the smallest questions are the hardest to answer. The toasted wheat bread of my BLT had become extremely dry in my mouth, and I felt a knot begin to form in my throat. Not again! I’ve always suffered from a mild to moderate case of anxiety, and two things that make me extremely uncomfortable are: being caught off guard and not knowing the answer to a question…mostly because the two combined oftentimes make you look and sound like an IDIOT.

“Um…” was about all that rolled off of my tongue. I didn’t know what my passion was. While I know that I like to do many things, there was nothing I could say with certainty as to the reason I get out of bed in the morning. Truth be told, I get out of bed because, well, that’s what we’re supposed to do. And passion? Pssh, the most I’ve been passionate about while being a “responsible” adult is collecting a paycheck. Beyond that, I will be 100% honest and say that I had no clue what I was passionate about. Fumbling around for a “passion”, I told Shari that I’m passionate about the volunteer work  I do. And I am. She quickly replied that while that was all fine and dandy, that is social work, not marketing. I wanted to cry. I didn’t know the answer, and I could quickly feel myself…and my appetite….spiraling out of control. In all of two weeks, I had taken a hit to my self esteem so fierce that it had me questioning whether I’m a good marketer, had I chosen the right career, did I made a mistake leaving previous jobs; and, on top of everything else, do I even have a PASSION?

I let Shari do most of the talking after my futile attempts at figuring out my passion in all of an hour. As she talked, I concentrated on swallowing my food and not bursting into an emotional flood of tears. While life was buzzing all around me, I felt like I was a very dark place in my life…and all before my 35th birthday. Way to kick a chick when she’s down. The score was Universe – 1, Mikki – 0. Fortunately, Shari gave me a lot of good advice that afternoon and told me to reach out to her with any questions. However, the only thing that rang loud and clear in my head was my inner voice asking one little itty bitty tiny weenie question, “What is your passion?” Hell if I know, but something tells me I need to figure it out!

Share Your Thoughts and Stay Tuned for Finding Passion – Part 2

Should old acquaintance be forgot?

As we get ready to usher in a new year, it’s time to break out a new set of resolutions that will help me in becoming all the wiser for next year. While 2013 dealt a fair share of blows to my personal and professional lives, the optimist in me knows that all was not lost. In fact, I look back at how very far I’ve come along despite any hardships. Hey, and where one door closes, another one will eventually open. So as I wait for opportunity to come knocking, I can’t help but wonder… Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?  Take a moment to reflect on last year’s endings and this year’s new beginnings. I say cheers and wish all my readers well in 2014!

My Top 5 New Year’s Resolutions:

1. Get organized. I spend a lot of time “looking” for things in my house, which in turn, stresses me out. It’s time to declutter, especially since I’ve started to notice my own hoarding tendencies. First I’ve taken to my home office, which has doubled as a spare room for junk since graduating college…in 2009. In addition, I’ll tackle all drawers, closets and cabinets. Like mom used to say, there is a place for everything and everything in its place.

2. Get out of debt. Time to tackle those college loans I’ve been trying to pay off. I’ve also been looking at ways to save more money around my household. Why am I paying for extra money for a modem from Comcast anyways? And since I’m being so honest, I will admit that I’ve not done my taxes in the last two years. Eek! I know, I know. When you spend so much of your time focusing on everything but yourself, things start slipping. See you soon Uncle Sam.

3. Learn something new. Blogging is actually my new thing! I’ve decided that even when I do become re-employed, I will continue to journal through my blog. It has been cathartic to blog about being laid off, and I’m happy that I’ve finally found something I’m passionate about writing. I’ve only been trying to get a blog up and running for a few years now. What works better than your own life, right? In addition, I’m determined to brush up on some of my graphic design skills with a non-credit course.

4. Live healthy. I’ve been talking about becoming healthier for years. Truth is, I’m a night owl with low iron who skips breakfast, eats lunch at 4pm, drinks Red Bull for energy, and gets home by 8pm to start making dinner. I have horrible habits and no routine. I spend days taking Flo to chemotherapy and doctor’s appointments. Did I mention I turn 35 soon? That means the proverbial clock is ticking (great). The best birthday present I can give myself this year is the chance for a long, happy life!

5. Enjoy life more. Once I get back on my feet, I’m definitely looking forward to traveling more. Until then, I’m enjoying the little things in life that I had forgotten all about while wrapped up in my career. Visiting family, being able to enjoy a clean house, reading a hardcover book, running errands (in the daytime for pete’s sake!) are all normal things that I felt like I never had time to do. Sometimes you really do have to stop and smell the flowers.

Now let’s take a cup o’ kindness yet for auld lang syne! Happy New Year!

What is Passion?

Defining passion.

Perplexed after having been stumped by such an utterly simple question, I began to doubt myself and everything I had worked for up until this point. Realizing that I was at a crossroads in my career, I stepped back for a moment to look at the bigger picture.  Join me on a soul-searching journey of self discovery and the pursuit for my passion in my upcoming three-part blog series titled, “Finding Passion.” Stay tuned!

Laid Off and Laid Out

If you think unemployment is the cat’s pajamas…you’re wrong.

Well, aren’t we quite the pair? While I’m sitting at home laid off, Miss Kitty’s sitting here laid out! I’ve been busy preparing for the holidays and spending a lot of time with my family, but I have been working! In the next week, I’ll be releasing some new blog posts on my journey through unemployment. You’ll also be happy to know that I got around to putting my home office together (although now I have piles of paper to tackle!) and getting some new business networking cards printed. On the other hand, I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve caught myself sleeping until 11am a couple of days last week. And, I thought last Wednesday was actually Thursday…all day. Do you know how ridiculous you sound when you’re trying to prove Thursday is the 12th using a calendar with cats on it? That’s all fine and dandy, but all I proved was that Wednesday was still the 11th. I need a job…bad. In regard to the home front, Flo is doing as well. We had a small hiccup in her chemotherapy yesterday that allowed us to spend literally most of the afternoon doing blood tests and waiting. So job or no job, my work is never done!  I’m looking forward to Christmas, it’s also Flo’s birthday believe it or not. So, the best gift I can ask anyone to share is to appreciate the time you have to spend with your family. Have a great day and stay tuned for some new posts! I’ve been trying to figure out what my “passion” is… (Hint, hint!)

Find a penny, pick it up.

And all day you’ll have good luck.

It was a dreary day, and I was crossing the street to my car when I saw it staring heads up from the ground. I’m not necessarily superstitious. However, with all I’m going through at the moment, I thought it couldn’t hurt.  So, I stooped over for the penny, checked the  year, brushed the dirt off, and placed it securely in my right pocket. I needed all the luck I could get. It was a 1979 penny [my birth year], and it looked like it had been through a journey of its own.  Instead of staying inside of money-lined pockets, it had seen everything from the inside of a bank vault to the gutters of Boston Street and in between. It had, in fact, lost most of its shine; but, it had not lost its inherent value. And while it keeps its same value, this particular penny had become priceless in the lint-lined corner of my empty pocket. Now, off to Salem State University’s Career Services office, me and my penny. Time to work on a RE-employment strategy. Wish me luck!