Boulder, CO

As I am packing up my things and makin sure that everything is together for my long day of traveling tomorrow I wanted to take some notes on what happened over the past few days before all of it melds together into one distorted collection of experiences.

Things I learned/saw/noted in Boulder, Co.:

A. - Boulder, CO is a lot like Ashland, OR. It is tucked right up against the mountain and it is gorgeous. However, the mountains are much larger and less green and forested. The mountains are breathtaking, huge and completely distinctive with their jagged rocks and massive size bolting up from the ground. Boulder is so much like Ashland in it's comfortable liberal feel though, it made me homesick to walk down the plaza and through lithia park. Walking on Pearl St. (the equivalent of the Ashland plaza, only much larger and more commercial) you feel like you are right at the base of the towering mountains (the equivalent of mt. Ashland, only the flat irons are much larger and covered with snow and rugged rock formations.)By traveling up Canyon Rd for only 10 or 15 minutes you can climb a 1000s of feet to a plethora of mountain trails and scenic views

B. - A lot of snow can gather even if the ground is wet after it rains, when the sun was out 30 minutes ago and it can accumulate up to a foot deep within several hours time. Additionally, you can get sunburnt from lounging on the warm track and then you can be stuck in a foot of snow the following day and then be doing a tempo workout out in shorts and t-shirt again less than 24 hours later. It can even be 65 and sunny out and there can still be 6 inches of snow piled up on the sidewalk. Additionally, Coloradians don't carry chains although they are forced to drive their compact cars through the snow frequently... for some reason I was laughed at when i asked why not... I still don't see the humor. Also, of interest... Coloradians get excited about rain like Oregonians get excited about snow... it's something unusual and exciting.

C - Altitude isn't that bad... on the track, but the lack of oxygen really hits you hard over an extended tempo workout. I could still hit my 12 x 400's in 80s without too much duress, but trying to hold an up-tempo for 30 minute was a great big challenge. After the first 10 minutes I was in oxygen debt and without the abundance of it surrounding me was forced to force my way through an ugly 20 minutes more. However, at the turn around point when I headed back West, the skyline and the high mountains which stand even higher and stark white just pass the immediate Flat Irons brought my crawl to a shocked stand still... I never really had a true chance of catching my breath anyway with a scene like that. The Rockies are truely gorgeous and are unlike anything I have ever seen... I imagine that the "jaw-drop"/"mind-stop" effect of the Rockies was very similar to that of the Swiss Alps for my dad when he was traveling Europe.






























A couple spots worth seeing in Boulder;

Boulder Creek Path - pretty (and promptly cleared of snow) paved bike/walk running through Boulder West from Canyon Rd and the Flat Irons out East away from the Rockies along the creek. Very Scenic and well kept.
Pearl Street Walking Mall - large walking mall with lots of good eating and shoppings. Some commercial and some unique little "hippie" shops. Very friendly. Lots of people. Lots to see.
Illegal Pete's - Very tasty burritos on the cheap. Nice location on Pearl Street.
The Rib House - Near downtown. Slow smoked ribs, chicken, brisket, turkey, yum! I got a nice dinner sald and a quarter of a pound of moist and delicious smoked turkey for $7.00!! Near downtown.
The Sink - Neat bar/restraunt on "the hill" (near University of Colorado"). Lots of good beers on tap and a funky feel with graffitied walls and low ceilings. Even packed on a Monday night.

After spending weeks trying to sell ad spaces to B&Bs with little to no interest (nearly 300 emails and 100 phone calls) I was really suprised by the instant and effective feedback to a short and simple email and an effective attachment.

Today Holly gave me a task to send a short email requesting clients to take a look at the attached video and consider their budgeting strategy during this economic "repression". The email was only a few lines. There wasn't any large proposition for success or a "you-can't-afford-to-miss-this" offering. The email simply stated,

Hi All,
Here’s a slide show presentation about “Branding in a Recession” that speaks directly to the point being made about advertising even when things are tight.

A major point in that script: Companies that aggressively increased their media advertising expenditures in the last recession had a post-recession market share gain of 2.5 times the average for all businesses. This makes it an important time to consider your advertising budget, your market and your message.

I hope you find this useful.

Just an honest extension of useful information. With no strings or sales pitch attached.

I recently learned in my marketin class that consumers move through a psychological thought process on the way to a sale.

Awareness (gain attention) -->

Interest (persuade to investigate) -->

Desire (from "I like" to "I want" -->

Action (pursue purchase)

From my understanding this should be a highly complex and intriquetly constructed model to manipulate and motivate consumers deliberately along a premeditated path to make a sale. Every step and every aspect must be considered and taylored in order to create a sale.

Within 15 minutes of sending this email we recieved 6 responses with interest in full-priced advertising at the Oregon Wine Press.

How do you explain that? The return rate on cold calls averages around 3%. I have found that my average is much lower. The interest this email generated was huge.

Maybe people just want some honest and genuine information and support?

Maybe this is the "hot-topic" of the time?

Maybe people just wanted proof and a quantified reason to buy?

It could be any one of these or other things, and certainly some combination of many interwoven reasons. I think what this says to me is that there is a lot of value in a personal communication and a personally felt connection.

Below is the attached slide-show. Enjoy.

Branding In A Recession

View more presentations from belkins.

For my mangement process class we were asked to create a list of things we enjoyed doing during a week so that we could translate these things into natural talents that we possess. It was proposed to us that generally people spend so much time trying to improve their weaknesses that they miss out on their areas for the greatest potential improvement; their strengths. We were not asked to forget of disregard our weaknesses but rather to improve them and work on them and also to realize that we can only go so far in trying to force something that really isn't there for us. If we can find a positions that fits our strengths then it isn't really letting our weakness get the best of us, but rather simply positioning ourselves for a happier and more prosperous career and life.

This is an idea proposed by Marcus Buckingham in his book "Now Discover Your Strengths." Below is a youtube video clip of Marcus Buckingham speaking on the Today Show about his ideas, the power of strengths, and how they apply to the recent economy.




The following is the essay that I wrote for this assignment;

Upon logging a list over the last week of acts that created positive feelings of accomplishment and worth that left me feeling motivated and energized I achieved a new awareness of my strengths. This amounted to not simply a checklist of duties and tasks successfully completed, but rather a resume of feats performed with a
feeling of interest and wellbeing. Upon further analysis, these acts were translated as representations of talents that I possess. Next I used these talents to piece together a larger picture from the collection of individual examples. Ultimately, with these newly realized strengths in hand I am prepared to develop and utilize these tools to first discover and then reach my unique and appropriate career and life goals.

When I considered my list of enjoyable tasks it quickly becomes evident that I favor structure. There is a lot of happiness for me in planning, budgeting, and scheduling. I like to log my workouts, do grocery shopping for the week, take orderly and detailed notes from assigned readings, and create an agenda, set a budget, and neatly pack supplies for my weekend trip to the coast. I like to cook a well balanced dinner for my boyfriend, write letters complete with article clippings to my grandma, and give directions to confused campus visitors. I enjoy creating power point slides to explain my position, excel spreadsheets to record my contacts, and design color coordinated to do lists to prepare for the next day. These may sound like boring events to most people. In fact, they sound pretty boring as I reread them as they are listed right here, but when I consider these small acts I also begin to derive a pattern.

I like planning for the future. I like to collect the facts, consider what is possible based on past experience and future projection. I like to feel prepared and confident in my choices by developing a calculated outline that will challenge me, but that I can believe in based on hard work and focus. I take great pride in reaching self defined checkpoints and crave goals to focus my aim on and to provide a feeling of progression and growth.

To make the strengths even more evident lets take the generalization a step further. I am future focused and self motivated. I am able to decisively choose a desired outcome, create a structured plan and outline a method to achieve it. I am fueled to confirm improvements consistently through progressive checkpoints. I like to feel capable, prepared, flourishing, and justify myself through concrete examples of my successful pursuits. I like to get things done and present them as proof of the value of my time and the power of my efficient expenditure of energy.

Ultimately I think that I am best suited for a position managing, directing, promoting, or developing projects and strategies. I would take a lot of pride and gladly invest myself personally in the success of a project. I would be able to focus and motivate others along with me in my drive for completion. I think being in a position that I can feel the impact of my work is vital to my happiness at work and could be achieved in a variety of directing positions.

Today in my finance class we were talking about the New York Stock Exchange and how it's function is completely symbolic in nature. Only 10 years ago around 3,000 brokers and specialists populated the exchange floor, today that number is down around 1,000 brokers.

This is mostly due to the fact that technology allows trades that used to made physically (then by telegraph and later by phone) to now be done instantly via internet.

What is boils down to now is the New York Stock Exchange being the crumbling and chaotic symbol of American capitalism as our ecomony's health careens, jumping and diving uncontrollably from moment to moment. This spastic nature is reflected and projected further by enormous fluctuations in stock prices that we can no longer trust to relate to our financial future and safety. A pattern can no longer be derived in this tormoil and we are left without a link to predict what could possibly be coming next.

American's budget $50 million a year in security alone for the New York Stock Exchage to remain as a nostalgic image flowing live on the morning news and as a symbol of the hegemonic prosperity of American capitalism that we wish to portray to the world. Nearly $1 million a week of government money for a space on Wallstreet that may be more functional and profitable as the newest sight for the next Subway or KFC.

Nothing that is done at the exchange can not be done via internet, from absolutely anywhere. So why do we keep the physical location of the exchange and continue a practice which has been outdated and has thus been proven useless? Nearly every other country has shut down their exchange floors in the realization that they were costly, no longer necissary, and the ideal sight for a terrorist attack.

Why does ours remain? Is the image so powerful that we truely need it? Is this symbol of capatilsm so innate to the American way that we can not do without?

Update

Track season has been going pretty well. We are 4 meets in (Frank Haskin's Invite ~ Steeple 11:14, NWC Preview ~ 1500 5:57/800 2:28, L&C Invite steeple 11:07, Linfield Icebreaker ~ 10k 36:20) The link below is a video of the bell lap of the icebreaker 10k. A 1:30 PR and a :50 school record... hopefully also a nationals qualifying time. (fingers crossed!!) Please enjoy the shot of my assistant coaches month old baby girl Phoebe Joy at the end of the clip. Greg's wife Stephanie was kind enough to take some filmage of the races and the link is from her collection. I have also included a photo taken during the Frank Haskin's duel meet with George Fox during the 3k steeple. The water was cold.



School has also been going well. I am anxious to get my midterm grades back this week and see how they turned out. We will be registering for next fall in 2 weeks already! Signing up for my senior year classes! That is crazy! I need to take one more biology class to complete my minor and then I believe the rest will all be business classes towards my major from here on out. It will be nice to be completely through with all of more core liberal arts credit requirements. The other thing that has got me a little bit concerned for next year it housing. It sounds like my friend who is currently doing a study abroud in Mexico may also be in a solo situation so we might be getting a little apartment off campus or something, which sounds awfully nice and peacefull after sharing this big ol' house with 9 people all year. I am really hoping that will come through!

http://sharing.theflip.com/session/0ee4016f8e9ab1e89e951b3b9042e0c5/video/3392572

I have also been lucky enough to have a couple of interviews for summer internship possibilities. During spring break I got to meet with Taylor Cropper of BioSkin Inc (the 9th biggest employer in Ashland). It was a really fun experience. While I was in I had the chance to watch a couple of the employees work on a proto-type backbrace. The three of them really feed off of eachother and showed a lot of creativity and ingenuinity in trying to piece together the project before they were to fly it out for a early showing later that day. While speaking with Taylor he mentioned to me a blog by Seth Godin, a "marketing guru", (http://sethgodin.typepad.com/)... I had been speaking with Jen about different marketing ideas for their business and thought that his blog might be an interesting place to read about. He had mentioned that from reading the blog earlier recently Seth discusses your "presense" on the internet. Something interesting to consider... what kind of reputation do you have following you based on advertisements or interactions or publications that are associated with your name? Even for example what to people associated about a Phoenix High grad? or what about a runner?

Well, it's back to school/work/intern/training for me. Spring break was restful. It was great to see my family and I had a nice couple days in Newport with Chris. But, I am feeling ready to get back to work... which is a nice feeling to have. Looking FORWARD to training and learning instead of dying for a rest. Let's hope this feeling lasts til summer... or at the very least a couple of weeks. :)

Enjoy your day!

Managerial Class Paper

What Makes Me Tick

Merriam-Webster online defines conscious as an adjective originating from the Latin conscius, meaning “to know.” I am not saying that I know anything, in fact I feel quite the opposite. From what I have seen of life nothing truly exists in such a constant state as to be 100% establish, 100% of the time. Not time, not mater, not space, and certainly not people. Knowing is unimportant and unnecessary to success. If you wait until you know, then you have waited too long. As opportunities arise chances must be decisively taken and we must allow hope to guide us, devotion to sustain us, and faith to pull us through. Triumph only provides contentment equal to the investment, risk, and loyalty required to achieve the outcome.
Consciousness as a motive is best explained by the following definitions;

“Done or acting with critical awareness.”
In order to see life as simple and clear as possible receive all possibilities and clues. Do not be misguided by hopeful projection or dismissive rejection. See what is, not what you expect or want to see it. Don’t beat yourself down or puff others up by augmenting reality. Find the truth by being aware of your reactions, perceptions, influence, and beliefs. By coming to an understanding you develop trust, align your efforts, and empower your positioning for success.

“Marked by strong feelings or notions.”
Act with passion, pursue with enthusiasm, question everything, consider with empathy, and appreciate all efforts. Invest yourself truly in a worthy cause and fear not. You get out what you put in and through sincere attempt boundaries will expand, barriers will be defied, perspectives will be refined, and you will find yourself become part of something greater than yourself.

“Capable of or marked by thought, will, design, or perception.”
I greatly value ambition, but more so I value active pursuit of ambition. A goal half realized and undefined is still reason enough to take action. There is always better or more than what is. Failed attempts are still a step forward when achievement is accepted as a cycle not a point, a stairway not a finish-line. Not only is purpose essential, but also a sense of control, power, progress, and accomplishment as we pour endless efforts and hours into a task.

For me, as a “conscious” being, what makes me tick is;
- Trusting basic truths as a base from which I can move forward.
- Being part of a noble and worthy cause.
- Making headway and gaining on a chosen outcome.

So I made it back to McMinnville after a lot of driving back and forth and doing a lot of different things. Chris and I left Friday for Olympia, enjoyed some tasty home cooked steaks and played some cards with his family. We spent most of Saturday driving up to and hanging around Seattle with some of his family friends to watch an indoor meet at University of Washington. We did the workout early and then enjoyed a GIANT fluffy walnut pancake before heading north. The racing was really good and we were able to watch the fastest women's 3k in the world this year. (8:56!!!!) It was deffinately motivating for our own young track seasons. The long workout and the trip made for a short night, followed by another morning run and then an afternoon watching the superbowl and spent evening wandering around Olympia.

Olympia is a beautiful area with all the water and tons of nice little coffee shops and bars and shopping because of the focus on supporting local business. Since I am but a poor college student I only had the opportunity to partake in the previously mentioned glorious walnut pancake and a shared pitcher of wheat beer. Chris's house is outside of Olympia about 30 minutes off on it's own in the trees. It is so dark out there because there aren't many houses around and it is so quiet and peaceful. It is a really nice spot with his grandparents on both sides very near by. All of his family were extremely friendly and it was nice to finally meet Chris's mom. I had only meet his dad and sister once before and so it was nice to get all the embarrasing stories about Chris hating to shower and breaking his arm and all sorts of fun little facts about when he was little. :)

Monday I headed back South and dropped Chris off in McMinnville because he had work all this week at a private accounting firm here in McMinnville. He is processing paperwork that I know nothing about and has been working quite a bit for them. Just perfecting that resume' i suppose. After the 8 hours of driving I was ready to pass out and spent the rest of my break visiting with Grandma and my mom and dad. Doing some running and getting some antibiotics to kick this killer cough I have had for a couple of weeks. I hope that with the cough gone and with being able to breathe again in a few days I can potentially run a personal best in the 5k this weekend at our meet in Moscow, ID.

I will be sure to update after the race. Tyler (my friend from home) and Shawn and Chris (my roommates) will all be running the 5k also on Saturday morning, along with Arian, a freshman on the team.

Wish us luck! :)