The 2004 Office Olympics

The "Eternal Flame" in the "Olympic Stadium."

With the 2014 Winter Olympics in full swing, I’m fondly reminded of my own Olympic experience ten years earlier as a participant in the “Office Olympics”.

Just after I started work as Art Director for a national magazine at a company that boasted 500+ employees, the company “Activities Committee” announced registration for the first “Office Olympics.” Not knowing too many people other than my immediate staff, I decided to sign up for the week-long event as a way to meet more people within the company.

“Athletes” who signed up to participate were randomly placed on one of five teams: Blue, Green, Purple, Red and Yellow. This method of team building allowed employees from different departments to meet staff members they might not have the had opportunity to work with otherwise. Rather than pitting the Marketing staff against Maintenance, or an all-male team against an all-female team, there was an even balance of participants across all teams.

Kidding around and laughing during the week, one of the men on my team seemed like “just one of the guys.” It wasn’t until after the final medals ceremony, that someone pointed out this guy was the VP of Accounting. I was mortified! Ack! He saw the “silly side” of me.  I cringed as I remembered playfully telling him to “shUH-uUHp!”

My first inclination was to apologize to him for my familiarity toward him. But then, I realized that he was just a regular person like me. His equal treatment of everyone increased my respect for him, as both a person and executive. It made me happy to have landed at a company where people of such caliber were hired. 

Opening Ceremony

Events were held during the lunch hour every day for one week. The opening ceremonies were marked with all the pageantry of the “real” Olympics. Including the arrival of the “Olympic Torch” carried in by the company president, who, like me, was just newly hired.

Dressed in a t-shirt, knee-high tube socks, jogging shorts and running shoes, the “torch bearer” ran into the “Olympic Stadium”­—also known as the cafeteria—and to the delight of the crowd gathered there, made one complete lap around the room. Cheers resonated through the office halls as she “lit” the “Olympic Flame” in the center of the atrium declaring that the games were officially open. I loved walking through the cafeteria during the week and seeing the “Eternal Flame”, a silent tribute to teamwork and camaraderie.

On that first day, introductions were made, teams were announced and rules were read. The teams were given time to relegate events to each member and to discuss possible strategies.

Scheduled activities included: The Floppy Disk Throw, Recycled Paper Regatta, Accounting/Warehouse/Shipping Triathlon, World Travel Race, and the Maintenance/Test Kitchen Relay. The results of each event were recorded on an official score board posted in the center of the “Olympic Stadium.”

Green, Red and Purple teams cheer for their teammates.

First Day of Competition 

Held outdoors and in the grassy area beyond the back parking lot, the Floppy Disk throw required two members from each team to throw a computer floppy disk further than their competitors. The greater throw between the two teammates would be recorded as the official result for their team. Some variables came into play making this event harder than it sounded. Gusts of wind could alter the flight path of the lightweight disk. Not to mention that square floppies are not aerodynamically designed. 

Heading back inside, contestants gathered for the Around-the-World Traveler Relay which represented the sister-company’s travel business. The objective was for each team to dress one teammate as a tourist. At one of the “Olympic Stadium”, stood one team member on a box. At the sound of the starting whistle, team members ran one-by-one to their teammate on the box and dressed them with travel accessories such as camera bags, hats and sunglasses, rain coats, Hawaiian leis and other things. The team to completely dress their teammate in the least amount of time would win the event.

The Olympic Spirit was every where. 11” x 17” posters promoting one team or another began popping up on bulletin boards in break rooms and inside restroom stalls. All over the building, friendly competition was in abundance. Energized with team spirit after that first day of competition, I made red pennant flags on sticks to support my team: “The Big Red Machine.” I made sure that I had something red to wear every day. I even dug my old high school cheerleader shoes and mega-phone from the back of my closet.

Although I was not the captain of our team, I sent emails to my team members with mini-pep talks. Every morning I reminded them what event was scheduled that day and encouraged those not participating that day to attend and cheer for their teammates. At the end of the day, our team captain would email everyone, with a summary of the day’s event, and reporting our team’s progress. The emailed messages encouraged friendly banter among us and helped build unity in our team even though we worked in different parts of the building. 

Second Day of Competition

The Recycled Paper Regatta was a timed two-man event. The first person folded an origami boat out of recycled office paper. The second person placed the boat in a designated rain-gutter filled with water and propelled the craft from one end to the other, without touching it. In preparation for the event, teams were allowed to practice folding the boats.

While most teams propelled their paper boat with “lung-power”, one team came prepared with a battery-operated hand-held personal fan. There was no rule against this, and as long as a player did not touch the boat with his or her hands, it was fair. It was “out of the box” thinking at its best.

The Regatta played out rather quickly as the fan-propelled boat came in first. There was excited buzz about the close race for second and third place as the spectators and teams began to disperse.

Then I noticed that the first member for the Yellow team was still struggling to fold a boat. I stood on a chair above the crowd and started chanting, “Yell-ow. Yell-ow.” 

Loud and Proud: The Big Red Machine

Thinking that Human Resources would not take too kindly to me standing on the furniture in the workplace, I looked around the cafeteria. Instead of disapproving glances from HR personnel, I saw other the team’s members begin to realize that the event was not yet over. One by one, the others began to gather again, and join in: “Yell-ow! Yell-ow!”

Finally the “Yellow” boat was built and placed in the water. “Yell-ow!! Yell-ow!!” Huffing and puffing, the Yellow team member blew the boat inch by inch down the gutter. Diners in the cafeteria were startled with wonder when the room erupted in a loud roar of cheers as the little “Yellow” boat reached the finish line. That was the beginning of real competitive spirit.


The Spirit Stick

At the end of each day, one team earned the right to display the “Spirit Stick”. A simple broom-stick handle decorated with brightly colored streamers, the “Spirit Stick” was awarded to the team that demonstrated the most team spirit. Although our team began the cheer for “Team Yellow”, we were not awarded the “Stick” that afternoon. At that point, my “Red” teammates made it their goal to win that “Spirit Stick”. It was a goal that was achieved on the third day of the games. I was honored by my teammates when they declared that the “Stick” should be displayed in my cubicle.

The basic concept of the Office Olympic games was to reflect the strengths and specialties of the employees. At that time, our company flourished as a full-function facility, housing everything from a national call-center, and catalog warehouse fulfillment and distribution center, to marketing and publication production, all under one roof.

The Accounting/Warehouse/Distribution Triathlon represented those departments by first requiring teams to process a customer order for billing,  locate an item for packaging, and then package it for shipping, in the most accurate and fastest time. It was a great way to learn what our coworkers in other departments did forty hours a week. Those who actually worked in those departments were FAST!

Little cakes...my favorite!

Final Day of Competition 

The final event was Maintenance/Test Kitchen Field Event was a timed tag-team event that featured a one-man “Nail and Hammer” event and the frosting and eating of a small cake by a pair of teammates. I was part of that tandem team. After our teammate hammered 6 nails into a board, my partner and I had to dress in a baker’s uniform. Placing my hands behind my back, my teammate slipped her hands forward through my arms. Her hands became my hands, and guided only by my verbal instructions, she had to frost a small cake, and then feed it to me.

Little cakes...mphff ffphvvvrttt!

I like cake. If I could eat cake every day, I would. So I thought quickly eating a small cake should be, well, “a piece of cake.” But it wasn’t as easy as one might think, especially when another person is blindly stuffing it up your nose, and you’re both laughing.

All week, our team was running neck-and-neck for the Gold with another team. I did not win my event, but the points we received helped advance my team. 

The Medals Ceremony  

I had some difficulty sleeping the night before the Medals Ceremony. It was too close to call which team would win the Gold. The next day, at the presentation, every team member received a certificate of participation, and a gift bag. The Fourth and Fifth place winners were acknowledged and cheered. Then Barb Newton, the president of the company, placed a “Bronze Medal” with a ribbon on the neck of each member of the team that came in Third place.

It was down to the Purple Team and the Red Team. When the winner of the “Silver Medal” was announced, a loud cheer rocked the cafeteria. It did not immediately register in my mind that “The Big Red Machine” had won Gold until my teammates began jumping up and down and hugging one another. We waited patiently as the Purple Team received their medals. Then, with a congratulatory handshake, the company president awarded each of my teammates Gold medals.

Spirit Award Recipient draws the first name for the raffle.

The First Place team members also received small figurines depicting various “office gods”. I received a statue of “Deliverus”, the mythological office god of communication who delivers mail, packages, email and instant messages. He is depicted as a mail-toting messenger with winged hat and feet riding the back of an eagle.

Following the Medals Ceremony, a special award was given to the individual participant who most embodied the ideal employee attitude. Roy Reiman, the founder of the company, made the presentation, saying he was proud to award the “Most Spirited Athlete” to an employee who was “a relative newcomer to the company.” My coworkers cheered as he announced my name. He shook my hand and said with a great smile, “Congratulations, you should be especially proud.” Ten years later, when I remember that honor, I still think, ‘Wow!’

Additional raffles and door prizes were handed out to participants and spectators alike. Then the Eternal Flame was extinguished, and the games of the first Office Olympics were closed.

The Champions of the first Office Olympic Games.

The Olympic Spirit

Everyone went back to work but the Olympic spirit lingered for days afterward. The biweekly employee newsletter reported the official results of the Office Olympics. When asked for my thoughts on “team spirit”, I quoted the opening sentence in Rick Warren’s best-selling book, The Purpose Driven Life: “It’s not about you.”

I didn’t win that Gold all by myself. I was part of a team in which each person brought some value and skill to the playing field and was regarded as an equal. Not only did we enjoy our teammates, but we enjoyed the friendly competitiveness of the other teams. For seven years, seven months and seven days, that gold medal hung in my cubicle as a daily reminder that. 

Symbols of Olympic Victory and Spirit.

It was the best week ever! No other company-wide activity has ever come close to the spirit of that event—except the Mardi Gras Fundraiser for the Hurricane Katrina survivors, and that is a topic for another blog.

For all the extra-curricular activities that week, the employee production level did not wane. No one seemed to mind putting in a few extra hours for the sake of team-building. Many lasting friendships were forged over the course of the competition. And valuable lessons were learned by everyone. I continue to apply three basic principles from the Office Olympics to my career: Be Productive. Nurture your Network. Enjoy the Moment.


Those principles can be applied to everyday life, too, and that is a truth that is as good as gold.



Inspired by the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

My First Paying Gig

Cheryl Michalek the Artist

I’ve been following a thread on one of the online discussion boards for a professional designer group I belong to, and the question came up “What do you charge for freelance work?” The posting caused quite a buzz among freelance designers and some of the entries got me thinking about my first “paying gig” as an artist.

My first paying gig came when I was a senor in high school. I attended what at that time was considered the County’s premiere “High School for the Arts” which offered specialized curriculum in Music, Dance, Theater and Fine Arts. For the most part of my high school years, I was enrolled in the Art Specialty program that featured drawing, painting and art history.

I had a knack for drawing caricatures, and I guess that talent caught the attention of Leslie, one of my classmates. One day, Leslie approached me and asked if I would be interested in doing caricatures for a free children’s fair that was being held at her church. Outside of doing self-portraits, I had never drawn from a live model before. All my sketches of people had been done from observational memory.

...resulted from first gig!

More detailed drawings...

I was hesitant at first, because outside of goofing around with friends, I never really shared my sketches en masse. But Leslie insisted it would be easy, it would only be for a couple of hours, and the children­—being fairly young—wouldn’t have too much expectation of my abilities. Thinking about it for a nano-second, a voice in my head said: “why not?” So I told Leslie, yes, I would do it.

Then came the question every artist dreads: “How much do you charge?”

How much do I charge?  A professional artist could charge per project or by the hour. I was hardly a professional, I didn’t have a set rate. I was just a kid really. I didn’t know what was appropriate for spontaneous art…the teachers didn’t cover that in Art Specialty school! Still, I had to come up with an answer. I babysat the neighbor children for $2.00 an hour, so I stammered, “uhmnuh…five dollars?”

“Great!” Leslie smiled cheerfully, “I’ll let my dad know you’ll do it!”

Personalized for each kid.

The day of the Children’s Festival at Leslie’s church arrived. I remember it was a warm sunny Saturday morning. I wore a multi-colored pastel striped blouse with short sleeves and a lavender colored wrap-skirt. When I arrived at the church, Leslie showed me to the lower hall where the festival was set up. There were a vast array of fun games to play, crafts to make, candies and treats to eat, and a clown who made animals out of twisted balloons.

In one corner of the church hall, a card table and two folding chairs were set up. There was a handmade sign “CARICATURES” hanging on the wall above the table. I brought a sketchbook and several types of drawing media: pencils, pastels, charcoal, and conté crayons.

Customized as a "Precious Moments"

I was a bit apprehensive. Scores of children arrived and scattered in every direction, naturally drawn to the bright colors of the balloons, games and candy. Largely ignored, I sat waiting. Finally, a little girl came over and inquired what the sign said. She couldn’t read, and she didn’t know what a caricature was. “I draw pictures,” I explained. “Would you like me to draw you?”

She sat down on the chair opposite me, and I looked at her face. “Its okay to smile,” I said. When she did, the curves of her face were more defined, there was a twinkle in her eye, and her personality came through. That made it easier to SEE her…and draw HER. The strokes on the paper started out slow and deliberate, but I soon realized that I could get better results with quicker generic strokes. Switching from one medium to another, I finally got a feel for my preferred choice for quick sketches: charcoal. It was easy to manipulate on the paper and create light and dark contrasts as well as fast shadowing.

Caricature used in a birthday greeting.

I remember one boy who sat for me, but refused to smile. No matter what I said to try to make him smile, nothing worked. “Okay,” I sighed, “You win. It’s your picture,” and I drew him with the scowl on his face. When I showed him the finished drawing, his face lit up with the smile I was trying to coax from him! He went around showing the art to his little buddies and soon, there were many children lined up waiting to sit for me. I had to work faster. I drew girls and boys, chubby faces, freckled faces, big smiles with missing teeth and bright eyes that peeped out expectantly behind eyeglasses. Some personalities were easy to discern, while others I had to squint my eyes a little bit to see.

All told, I think I may have sketched two dozen kids that day. Time passed quickly and the festival was over before I knew it. I was unable to draw all the children, and had to turn some of them away at the very end.

Cha-CHING! $10.00 was a lot of money back in the day!

As I was getting ready to leave, Leslie’s father came over to settle up payment with me. He asked me to remind him what price was agreed upon before hand. I told him, “Five dollars.” He smiled and said, “You did a wonderful job, you deserve more than that.” Then he handed me a $10 bill!

In the years that have since passed, I have done caricature drawings at several events, including a local high school “Senior Lock In”, and corporate Christmas parties. I’ve also been commissioned to draw many caricatures as gifts for other people. I've honed my craft, and learned to charge accordingly. I’ve also learned that many clients expect “freelance” to be “free.” Putting a price on talent can be difficult, especially when that talent is your own.

Whenever the negotiation of a fair price and livable wage gets rough, I think about my first “paying gig” when my “client” valued my work TWICE as much as I did.

Inspired by the perceived value of talent. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The drawings here were done years after that first gig. Unfortunately, I don't have any of the charcoal sketches I'd done for the children to share with my readers today.

The First Time

I remember my first time like it was yesterday.

I was still young and naïve, not yet jaded by the world. But if every negative thing seen on television and the news was to be believed, there seemed to be an edge of risk and a little bit of danger involved. That made me a hesitant to try something new. On the other hand, lots of people had done it and continued to do it without serious consequence. As the demographic for “First Timers” was getting younger and younger, I wondered what was I missing.

Then, one bright summer afternoon in 1997, an opportunity presented itself and with curiosity running high, I ventured into the unknown. The experience was exciting and experimental and it made for a memorable event.

It happened in the office during the lunch break while the boss was away. There was roughly an hour to fool around, so I figured, ‘why not?’ I’ll admit, it was a little awkward at first because I didn’t quite know what I was doing. But soon I got the feel for it, and it was a wonderfully magical moment.

I’m talking about the first time I logged onto the Internet, of course.

At the beginning of my career, the Internet as a business tool was not as widely used as it is today. Back then, the new fangled “http-colon-forward-slash-forward-slash-WWW-dot” string of characters was used only by a handful of businesses in print and television ads. Web addresses seemed so cryptic its almost laughable now.

What you'll see at MenWhoLookLikeKennyRogers.com

In the office where I was working at the time, only the boss’ computer had Internet access. While access to the World Wide Web and email for our small staff was still weeks away, the boss encouraged us to take time on our lunch break to "surf the net" on her computer.

So where did my colleagues and I go first on the web? As we gathered around the monitor on our boss’ desk, one coworker asked, “What should we look for?” I don’t remember from where I got the web address, but I suggested a fun site called: www.MenWhoLookLikeKennyRogers.com. On this site, viewers could submit photos of men they knew—or just random strangers—who looked like the legendary singer and recent Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Kenny Rogers.

Mom & "Kinda Kenny" Marty Edwards.

You’d be surprised how many men actually sport the “Gambler” look: white hair, neatly trimmed beard and moustache, button down shirt with a black leather vest and jeans. The website features over 1,000 photos of men from all over the country, Tips on How to Look Like Kenny, the “Kenny Hall of Fame” and my personal favorite “Kenny of the Year.” Once you view this website, you’re going to enjoy conducting your own “Kenny Sightings.” And although the website is still active and updated, the owners are no longer accepting photos.

While we are on the subject of Internet “Firsts,” I will never forget the first email I sent in September of that same year. The online experience was more of a serious nature.

News broadcasts contained numerous reports in which two young boys had lost their mother in a horrible car crash. Among the reports was a bit item about an email address that had been established for mourners to send their condolences to the family. I thought that was such a lovely idea.

On my lunch hour that day, I composed a brief letter of sympathy to the two boys. Naturally, my coworkers were curious and inquired to whom I was writing. After explaining my heartfelt intentions, I asked if they cared to include their names to the sentiment. After adding each name, the “Send” button was clicked.

There was an outpouring of grief from people all over the world when the Princess Diana died. I can only imagine my email to Buckingham Palace was one of many sent to her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. I don’t know if any of the emails that were received had actually been read by them, or if they were comforted by the messages they contained. I hope so. For me there was a silent comfort from a digital message that traveled to the other side of the planet and converged in one place with so many others.

Fast forward to this year. It is another exciting “Year of Firsts” for me, including my first Tweet on Twitter: Psalm 19:15. "May the words of my mouth, the thoughts of my heart, win favor in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." This same Scripture passage was also included in my first blog posting.

I occasionally enjoy frivolous activity on the Internet, but there is more satisfaction making meaningful connections with other people, whether is it business or personal. The first of many millions of electronic messages I have sent over the years—and will send in years to come—was something profoundly human. With each new technological advancement of electronic communications, I will always look back fondly at the “first time”.

Inspired by my “First Time.”

DO YOU REMEMBER the first email you sent or received, the first website you visited, or your first Tweet? Leave a comment below and share your memories about your first time!

Making the Most of Linked In

I was not actively job-hunting in early 2009, when I registered with Linked In. There were some corporate trends indicating that my position might be in jeopardy, and that compelled me to join the professional online community. After the initial set up, my visits to my profile page were so infrequent that I had to change my password each time I logged in because I just could not remember it. At the end of 2011, my number came up in the downsizing lottery. I turned to the Linked In community for cyber comfort and I began to really examine what this networking tool had to offer.

A quick and easy read.

I started by reading Wayne Breitbarth’s popular book Power Formula for Linked In Success. I highly recommend this book for Linked In novices, as it will provide basic instruction for using this online professional profile tool. I would also recommend this book for people -- like me -- who were on Linked In for years but not utilizing it’s potential. I found several helpful tips within the pages that made my Linked In user experience more productive and enjoyable.

Here are a few things I’ve learned over the last year of active Linked In use:

Recommendations

The first thing I did when I began my job search was to ask my connections for recommendations. I received several “generic” critiques like, “Cheryl is a nice person” and “She is always cheerful.” While the sentiments are appreciated, they don’t speak to the quality of work done or the type of projects handled.

For those giving recommendations, I would advise addressing one specific instance when a coworker’s cheerfulness was appropriate in a stressful situation, maybe dealing with an upset customer or a tight deadline. If you can’t think of something off the top of your head, ask your colleague if there were anything specific they would like you to address.

For those seeking recommendations, you need to remember that not every colleague is a prolific writer and may have trouble articulating thoughts. Do not be afraid to offer a suggestion, such as: “Remember the time that (fill in the blank with a specific unexpected situation) came up? You and I worked together to resolve that situation. Could you comment on that?”

If there are typos, don’t be afraid to go back to your contact and ask for a rewrite. Accuracy and presentation will be beneficial to both of you in the long run.

Linked In recommendations should not be a “mutual admiration society” where users stroke each other’s egos. Plain and simple, they should be the honest evaluation of your coworkers’ skills and abilities that potential employers are looking for.

Connections

There are many “super-users” who have 500+ connections. Unless you are a high profile personality like Big Shoes Network founder, Jeff Carrigan -- a veritable cog in the job market machine -- you may not have a large number of connections to start, and that’s okay. Building a quality network takes time.

When it comes to professional connections, I prefer the “Quality Over Quantity” strategy.  It is helpful to consider whether the person requesting a connection with you is someone worth connecting with professionally. If they are a “screw up” or have unethical practices in an office setting, do you really want to be associated with that type of office personality? Thankfully, invitations to connect can be “ignored”… no questions asked.

Generally speaking, I don’t usually connect with people I don’t know. There have been some exceptions, though, when a commonality comes up within online groups. When requesting an online connection through Linked In, be specific as to why you want to connect. Telling someone you enjoyed a presentation they’d given is a good way to break the ice. Sharing a remembered experience of them that left a lasting impression on you is an excellent way to reintroduce yourself.

Choose the connections that will best compliment and honestly support your career goals.

Your Profile 

"Recognized!" for using the Linked In site.

A colleague offered an opinion of my Linked In postings. She was concerned that consistent updates of my job search activities were hurting my chances of getting interviews with other companies. Since Linked In is a “career” site, I had to respectfully disagree because my postings were definitely career-related.

It was my experience that most direct contacts were genuinely interested in my search. Members of online groups to which I belong drew inspiration from the shared experiences. Frequent postings were keeping my Linked In profile active.

The generic “Cheryl has updated her profile” announcement that goes out every time I make a small change, doesn’t do justice to the actual activity. Specific updates to career and job search activity show potential employers that neither are passive.

If you choose to post updates like this, keep in mind a few things:

• Don’t specifically name companies with which you are interviewing (unless you get the job!)
• Keep your comments positive (even if you feel you “crashed and burned” in an interview, keep it up beat!)
• Keep the update brief and relevant (if someone wants to know more, they will ask!)

Online Involvement

Finally, get involved in online discussions. Every person who’s ever been employed has a story to tell. It’s a great way to meet other people in your profession. If you agree with something that was written: “Like” it. If you have an opinion on a topic, share it. Oh, and one more thing: I'm a big fan of spell check. You have 15 minutes to update or correct your posting before it goes onto the network forever and ever, Amen.

Whether your Linked In profile is the hub of your online resume, or a supplementary entity that compliments your electronic job applications…it is YOUR profile. You have the power and the right to build, control and protect your own professional reputation. The time spent is worth the effort.

Inspired by professional networking.

A Day in the Print Shop

One of my favorite aspects about being in a creative office environment is the occasional opportunity to mentor student interns. When I take on an intern, I often reflect back on my own internship at a local newspaper.

Each day in the layout and production department presented a learning opportunity where every staff member was a potential teacher.  Everyone from the receptionist at the front desk to the advertising sales staff was willing to share experiences and offer advice. This type of open environment fostered a level of comfort that allowed me to ask questions.

Wanting to make the most of my short internship – a mere 5 months­ before graduating – I asked the manager of the printing department if I could shadow his staff for one day.

I loved going down to the print shop. It was the perfect mixture of sight, sound and smells. It reminded me of my happy high school days when my homeroom was located in the Graphic Arts classroom. There’s nothing like the smell of Bestine solvent in the morning!

From the “chunck-chunck” of the binders saddle-stitching staples into newsletters, to the “swish-swoosh” of the 2-color Ryobi press, the print shop was a cacophony of mechanical rhythm. Wafting above the distinct smell of fresh ink, and glues used for perfect binding and padding, was the aroma of the department manager’s blacker-than-black coffee brewing in his office.

Taped to the doors of a metal cabinet that housed envelope stock was a collection of small swatches of paper of varying weight and colors. Assuming it was a display of available paper stock, I inquired about the colorful mosaic. The pressmen called it their “Bug Collection.”

Thinking “Bug Collection” was some sort of press room terminology like “blanket” or “kiss,” I waded past paper-laden palettes for a closer look, and put my nose nearer to the swatches. ACK! I realized there were actual bugs squished on each and every piece of paper! The pressmen laughed as they explained how insects occasionally get embedded in the pulp when the paper is being manufactured and packaged. And you certainly could not let that go through to the client. You never know what type of industry trivia you will learn on the job!

Time was well spent with each press operator talking about the capabilities and limitations of the machine he/she worked with every day. I learned about different types of papers and saw first-hand how certain inks behave when applied. I began to better understand terms like “dot gain” and “registration”…words I’d only read about in books but never really applied during my on-campus coursework.

What was the most valuable lesson from that day in the print shop? Realizing that the work I produced did not end with me. Use of the proper tools, accurate technical set up, and the organizational quality of my digital files always affects the next person who has to handle the page or file after I am done with it. It is that collaborative effort that inspires me to be an efficient, conscientious layout artist and has made me a better designer overall, regardless of medium.

A Digital Blog Inspired by Print.

Career Advice from the 'Younger Me'

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A common, if not “cheesy”, interview question often posed by potential employers is “If you could travel back in time, what advice would you give to the “Younger You”?  It’s one of those non-scientific, psychological inquiries used to assess a candidate’s maturity, wisdom, and maybe, sense of humor. They’ll tell you there is no “right” answer. Which begs the question, “Why ask it at all?”

A better question to ask might be, “What words of advice would you get from the ‘Younger You’?”

In the 1986 movie Peggy Sue Got Married, Kathleen Turner’s character goes back in time and has the chance to change her life history.  Instead, the “mature” Peggy Sue learns a life lesson while revisiting her younger days, finds renewed purpose to her life, and rediscovers her happiness.

Recently, I came across an old article about Desktop Publishing from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “Careers” section. In the upbeat article, reporter Heidi F. Schudrowitz interviewed a local art director whom she referred to as an “expert” in the field. I was that art director. I smiled as I read the old article, now peppered with archaic terminology, when a quote at the bottom of the page caught me by surprise: “Don’t be afraid of computers.”

“What?,” I wondered, “Whatever happened to that girl who was so excited about new technology?”

At the time that article was written, I primarily designed for print media but had begun dabbling in web design. In fact, that is how the reporter found me. While looking through the graphic design listing in the local Yellow Pages, our company’s colorful display ad—which I designed—caught her attention.  It drove her to the company’s simple website—which I also designed. Ms. Schudrowicz liked what she saw and called the company owner to set up an interview. You might call that a successful “print-to-digital” media push!

After the article was published, job-changes led me deeper into the print industry where I enjoyed cutting edge print technology. While exciting and very fulfilling, creative jobs in the shrinking print industry were becoming scarce. With more and more employers asking for web design and social media experience, a career shift was necessary for me.

Professionally speaking, working with the Internet can be creative, informative and meaningful. Technology can also be frustrating, and judging from news reports, downright scary at times. To begin my own successful “print-to-digital” push, I had to hear my own voice, speaking to me from the Past: “Don’t be afraid of computers.” And like Peggy Sue, I returned to school. Today, there is renewed purpose to my career…and I find I am truly happy again.

Inspired by advice from the “Younger Me.”

This photo was taken by photographer Tom Lynn.