Tomorrow is this my three year “blogoversary.”  I can’t believe this little box of chocolates has been around for three years! This year has been amazing and crazy busy. That whole getting married thing took up a lot of time! In all seriousness, I do wish I had been able to spend more time on this blog in the past year. Going from a job where social media was a major part of what I was doing, to one where it’s only minor, definitely had an impact. I also don’t believe in posting for the sake of posting. If I don’t have something worthwhile to say, if I don’t think you will be able to get something out of it, or at least enjoy it, I’d rather post less often than give you crap.  You deserve more than that…and you also deserve my thanks and appreciation for reading this blog. Thank you for your comments, emails, RTs, Facebook likes and comments. Each one put a smile on my face!

In the past year, 87,630 people have visited this blog…wow!  The majority of readers hail from the United States, with the Philippines coming in a distant, but surprising, second. The most viewed post was Be Kinder Than Necessary, with A Thank You Note to My Friends remaining as the all-time leader.

So, as a blogoversary present, I want to hear from you. What would you like me to write more about on this blog? Any suggestions for how I can improve? Any new topics you would like me to cover?  Recommended plug-ins/analytics tools are also appreciated. Looking forward to your feedback. Thanks again for reading

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Passion. It’s that elusive word that is talked, dreamed and written about often. As overused as it may be, the truth is that everyone has at least one. The definition is subjective and we are all searching to define it for ourselves. For some it comes early in life. Others search for years before they find it. Whenever you figure out what your passion is, the next step is figuring out how to make it part of your every day. Chances are that your passion will light a fire inside you, and even if you can’t pursue it right away, it will keep burning deep down until you make it a reality.

To me, passion is the thing that makes your heart beat faster. It puts an ear-to-ear smile on your face, and makes you want to jump up and down in excitement. It’s work that doesn’t feel like work. It’s losing track of time. Passion is a glistening pool of opportunity that you can’t wait to dive back into every day. It’s worth sacrifice and changes. It’s something you can speak about for hours without notes or nerves. Passion is that thing that you truly enjoy doing. Passion is no holds barred, stepping outside your comfort zone and loving it. It’s learning new things and meeting new people. Passion is fulfillment, worthwhile challenges, and utter joy. It’s side projects and networking opportunities, and planning your escape. Passion is a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. It is that fire inside you that burns as a constant reminder of what really makes you happy. Stoke it until you can set the world ablaze, just don’t ever let the fire go out.

What does passion mean to you?

When we’re little, one of the first lessons our parents teach us is the importance of sharing. Young minds are initially suspicious of this concept…Why would I want to share my awesome toys with someone else? I don’t want to let Cindy play Barbies with me. Her stories probably aren’t as good. What if I let Mikey borrow my Legos and he never gives them back? It wasn’t until we had our first few mutually beneficial sharing experiences that we started to believe the hype. So, if I play nice with Rachel and let her do my dolly’s hair, that means I get to try out her sparkly new crayons? Cool! 

This desire for mutually beneficial sharing has manifested itself in the social media world. We create something and share it with others, hoping they will share something in return.  The sharing is awkward at first, and a little hesitant, until we see that we are in a place where everyone helps each other share and is generally happy to do it. Our sharing has gone beyond Barbies and legos, but the process and the feelings attached to it are the same. We are proud and slightly protective of our words, pictures, products, and brands. Taking the control of these things out of our hands can be scary, but if we develop the right relationships, it’s totally worth it.

This development is key to forming a social media community or network. In order to establish real, worthwhile connections, you have to put in the effort. If your feeds are endless streams of one-sided sharing, you’re not going to make many friends. But, if you share things of your own and things of others that you find valuable, you’ll find that those people will share right back. Foster interaction and conversation and see just how powerful sharing can be. Think of the smile on Cindy’s face when you finally let her play Barbies with you, and try to replicate that feeling among your friends, fans and followers. Create an experience that is rewarding for all.

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Note: It took me WAY longer than it should have to find a normal-looking Barbie and Ken.

This weekend, I gave one of my best friends a present that has been sitting in my purse since her birthday in October. It was a charm for a Pandora bracelet, something I was sure I had seen her wear. But, it turned out that I was wrong. She doesn’t have the bracelet, and thus the charm is useless. Selecting presents for people I care about is something that I truly love to do.  I put a lot of thought into the process, trying to balance fun and function. I enjoy it so much that I even wrote a column about it while I was unemployed a couple of summers ago. As far as I know, this is the first time I’ve really failed at gift giving. I felt awful, and although I know she would never say so, I wouldn’t be surprised if my friend was a little disappointed.

The day after this happened, I went shopping for a present for another good friend. Honestly, I was a little nervous about finding the right thing, second guessing myself more than usual. I had to take a step back and remind myself that this is something I’m really good at it, and it’s the thought that counts the most.

Some of you may be wondering what the hell this has to do with you. Most people find gift giving frustrating, and look forward to reaching the age where it’s no longer necessary, or when they have a significant other who takes care of it for them. For me, this was a failure, albeit a small one. Instead of letting it ruin all further gift giving attempts, I’m taking it in stride. If we can’t learn to deal with the small failures, mistakes and bumps in the road, how will we cope with life’s major challenges? Just because you mess something up once doesn’t mean you’re starting a new trend. Dust yourself off and try again.

Disclosure: This post is an entry in the “Present the Best You” Contest sponsored by Monster.com and their BeKnown app. I was provided with a participant gift that included a makeup kit and professional business card holder, but was not otherwise compensated.

In the summer of 2010, I lost my job unexpectedly. The next few months of unemployment were stressful and overwhelming. After some frustrating weeks of many more applications than interviews, I decided to seek the assistance of a recruiting agency. Although agencies can be a great help to people looking for jobs in certain fields, in retrospect, it wasn’t the best idea for me. I went on a couple of interviews because I was happy to have them. Even though many people say that you should take every opportunity you get during the job search process, I have to disagree. Sure, you can chalk anything up to experience, but make sure you’re not wasting your time or anyone else’s.

One particular interview the firm sent me on was a very interesting experience. It was a research position at a magazine that focused mostly on economics, and I’m guessing they sent me because of my background in the journalism. I prepared the best that I could, but I’ll be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to it. Economics was one of my least favorite subjects in school, and I was overjoyed when I finished the requirement in college. When I got to the magazine, I met with an HR rep and went through the basics. Then my potential supervisor came into the room. The next half an hour was one of the most uncomfortable times in my life. My interviewer never cracked a smile, all business and a little cocky. The worst part was that he totally knew that I wasn’t a good fit for the job and he pretty much called me out on why I was at the interview in the first place. It was awful…but he was right.

Going to that interview taught me something, but it honestly wasn’t worth it. I had no interest in researching economics for a living, and it showed. I got caught up in the excitement of having an interview, even though I probably wouldn’t have taken the job if they had (crazily) offered it to me. Doing so would have been a disservice to me, my skills, experience and interests, and less than the magazine deserved.  So, my advice is to take as many opportunities as you can to learn about the industries and companies you’re interested in. Informational interviews and networking receptions are great and shouldn’t be passed up. But, make sure you’re pursuing something because you actually want it, not just because it’s out there. No matter how long you’re unemployed, it will be difficult, and you’ll probably feel desperate. That doesn’t mean that you should undervalue yourself, your skills, time, experience or your dreams.

Some info about Monster and BeKnown:

Monster.com recently launched BeKnown, a professional networking app for Facebook. BeKnown allows you to set up a professional profile directly on Facebook that is completely separate from your personal Facebook page. One of the apps newest features, College Pages, even provides a way for alumni to network professionally on Facebook and view job postings from their fellow graduates!

With BeKnown College Pages:

• Any jobs posted by alumni on BeKnown are added to the College/University profile page and Alumni with job opportunities can post jobs to students and recent alums for free
• Students can follow their school and build relationships/connections with alumni working at top companies & discover alumni  jobs

In addition to College Pages, BeKnown also lets you conduct a job search of Monster’s database of jobs without ever leaving BeKnown or Facebook. By tapping into the networks of their Facebook friends, young professionals can easily connect, send messages, and see who among their existing contacts is connected to a company or job opportunity they are interested in.

“As soon-to-be college graduates start to think about their entry into the workforce, their first step should be building out their professional networks using the invaluable connections they have right in front of them,” said Tom Chevalier, Global Product Manager for Monster Worldwide. “Alumni networks are a key source for career opportunities for college graduates, so we wanted to make it as easy as possible for them to connect and engage right from BeKnown.”

Bright and early on New Years Day, a shiny black car will arrive at our apartment to take me and my husband to the airport. We will fly to Atlanta, and then on to the Dominican Republic to enjoy a blissful seven days as we celebrate our honeymoon. This will be my first real vacation since sophomore year of college (when I went to the place in that picture). It’s been that long since I took more than a few days off from the real world and truly relaxed. I’m excited for the beach, frozen cocktails, all of the benefits of staying at an all-inclusive resort, and of course, quality time with the hubs. This week will also be the first time I’ve actually unplugged since I started this blog almost three years ago. There may be one (scheduled) post while I’m gone, but other than that, silence. No tweets, no instagrams, no Facebook likes and updates. It will definitely be a welcome break…but it will be weird. But, don’t worry, I won’t be totally without technology. I’ve already loaded up my Kindle, and I even got it a special cover so I can bring it to the beach and pool without worrying. I will also have my camera, and I promise many photos when I return.

I’m hoping that starting the new year in a beautiful place on a trip to celebrate love and happiness will set a tone for the rest of 2012. The past few years haven’t been the easiest for me, and I have no qualms about saying that I deserve this trip. In fact, we all deserve to take a break, even for a day. Do whatever makes you happy and forget about your responsibilities. It doesn’t matter where you go, as long as you’ve got a smile on your face. It’s been far too long since I’ve felt sand between my toes and heard the waves crash on the shore. I can’t wait to escape to paradise!

P.S. If everyone could please put in a good word with Mother Nature for me, that would be much appreciated. Sunshine!

I can’t believe we are less than a week away from 2012! As each year ends, I try to look back on the year that was, and forward to what the coming months will be. I also look inwardly and reflect on how true I was to myself, my goals, values and passions in the past year.

A lot of people make long lists of resolutions for the new year, adding items to their bucket lists and promising themselves and others that there will be huge accomplishments and revelations to come. This year, I’m taking on one thing and committing to it fully. This is kind of ironic because the thing I’m committing to fully is committing to things and following through. See, I’ve noticed something about myself. I know a lot of things. I know I should journal more often. I know I should worry less about what others think. I know I should figure out what I want to do with my life. I know I should stop bottling up my emotions. I know I should cut ties with those who only bring negativity into my life. I know I should stop apologizing for things that aren’t my fault…I know all of these things, but the trouble lies in following through, taking action, putting things into practice. So, my goal for 2012 is to stop just knowing, wishing, dreaming, waiting, and planning, and start doing.

What is your #1 goal for the new year?

Last week, I had the pleasure of working at a convention in the DC area. The URJ Biennial is a gathering of  Reform Jews filled with learning, planning, singing, praying, and socializing. I’d been to Biennials before, but never as a staff member. This year, I went as a representative of my organization, an affiliate of the URJ, and spent much of my time working at our booth. I’ve grown up in the Reform Jewish community, not only through my synagogues, but also spending my summers at Eisner Camp, and interning at the Religious Action Center. It was an exhausting week, but I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to see old friends and make new ones. My organization hosted a photo contest and encouraged people to vote for their favorite photos. It was great to interact with people and tell them about the wonderful things we’re doing in Israel. I also got to spend quality time with co-workers from across the country who I don’t see on a regular basis. All in all, it was a fantastic week.

However, the most powerful moments were when all of the attendees and staff were gathered together in one big room. To look around and know everyone shares something in common is pretty cool, and all of those voices lifted together in song was nothing short of magical. There were some noteworthy speakers, including none other than President Barack Obama. Our Commander in Chief had clearly done his research, and his words electrified the crowd. I felt so lucky to be in the room when he spoke. We also had the pleasure of hearing from Dr. Wendy Mogel who shared her refreshing outlook on parenting and had us all laughing non-stop.

There are a few major takeaways from this week away. It’s so important to get out of the office sometimes, get to know your co-workers on a different level, and meet face-to-face with the people you work with and for. If you have the opportunity to trade ideas and business cards with the people in your industry, do it. We never stop learning. Don’t ever feel like you know everything you need to know, because it’s simply not true. Find a way to be part of a community. There is absolutely nothing like it. Be proud of who you are, and embrace your heritage. Realize that a strange eating schedule and lack of sleep are more than worth it every once in a while.

*In order to understand the title of this post, just look at the hotel’s website.

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Every year around Hanukkah time, my mom and I get together and make cookies. It’s a process that starts with making the dough from scratch, watching  excitedly as it spins around in the food processor. When it’s done, we roll out the dough and choose which shapes and symbols we want to make. There are menorahs, stars, and a bottle of oil. Next is my favorite part: decorating! We have a collection of colored sugar and sprinkles, and it’s so fun to combine them  into rainbows and patterns. When the decorating is complete, the cookies go in the oven until they turn golden brown, and their sweet scent fills the house.

I have always been the one to teach friends of other faiths about Hanukkah. My mom and her best friend came to my college campus to make latkes in our dorm kitchen. I’ve brought dreidels to every place I interned or worked, urging everyone to take a break and have some fun. My Hanukkah bear sits on my desk throughout the holiday, and I ceremoniously squeeze his foot to light the candles on his plastic menorah every day.

For me, traditions are what make the holidays meaningful. Although the cookies are yummy, it’s the time spent with my mom that I look forward to the most.  It’s wonderful to know that there are certain holiday comforts that will always be there, no matter how crazy life gets. I think it’s so important to take a break from everyday life and spend time with family and friends during the holiday season. Step away from the computer. Eat, drink, and be merry. Learn about other people’s traditions and enjoy your own.

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Dear Gawa,

When Mom and I got to Cleveland on Friday, we went to the cemetery to visit you. Even though it’s been a few years, it was still strange to walk across the damp grass, counting the headstones until we got to yours. Mom teared up, and I did too. We miss you every day, but especially this year. I’m not quite sure what I believe about the afterlife, but I know that what is under the ground below that headstone is not you, even though it bears your name. The real you, the Gawa I knew most of my life, before that horrible disease began taking you away from us, memory by memory, is somewhere watching over us. You would have been so proud of Jason as he sped through the English and read confidently from the Torah last weekend. As I sat there glowing with pride, I could almost see you smiling too. I wish we could have laughed together, pointing out interesting outfits and making silly  jokes. You would be proud of how (almost) everyone is behaving these days. It’s like they’ve finally realized how lucky they are to have each other. I hope it stays this way.

The hardest part of the weekend, when I felt your absence the most, was when we went to your house…just Pa’s house now. I wandered away from the crowd to an empty room, studying pictures of you and me, touching your necklaces that still hang on the wall. The house isn’t the same without you, neither is Cleveland, neither is my life. I want you to know that we miss you, on happy occasions and sad ones. No matter who may be brought into our lives, you will never be replaced, and we will never, ever forget you. I wish I had given you more hugs, called more often, came to visit an extra time. I wish you had recognized me the last time I saw you. But, what matters most is that wherever you are, my beautiful, loving, thoughtful, creative, funny Gawa, I love you, and I always will.

Love,
Samantha