Weighing In on Summer

By Helen Vollmer, President

 Ah, the lazy days of summer.  The kids are off from school and the rest of us are relaxing as best we can during vacation and long weekends.  I don’t know about you, but when I think about time off,  the word “indulgence” comes to mind.  And that’s the problem.  The empty calories of summer just start piling up:  cheeseburgers, potato salad, fried chicken, cookies and for something fruity and good for you-- that perennial favorite, a vodka-spiked watermelon.  Whether it’s nachos and a hot dog at the ballpark or treating the family to ice cream cones on a 100+ degree day, summer is a constant battle of “I need to lose weight,” versus  “I deserve that bag of chips.”  And the proof is just how good (or bad) you look in that bathing suit.

Unfortunately, the real  proof is the health of Americans in general and the fact that more than  one-third of U.S. adults are now classified as obese. Not overweight — obese.   In the recently aired HBO special, “The Weight of the Nation,” lots of shocking facts give heft to the truth.  We, as a nation, are fat.  And it’s taking its toll not only in how tight our blue jeans are, but in the escalation of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancer and kidney and liver failure brought on by our self-induced obesity.  Our productivity and wellness, as well as that of future generations , is at stake.

There are lots of reasons our weight has gotten out of control:  the efficient overproduction of certain foods and the lack of government subsidies for healthier alternatives, the supersizing of portions at restaurants, food manufacturers answering to shareholders and parents who insisted we clean our plates.  We have all had a hand in this proverbial cookie jar of overindulgence.

But with awareness comes support and change.  Schools of public health, such as at UT Health have developed amazing programs to combat obesity among people of different cultures and economic backgrounds.  Organizations such as the Whole Kids Foundation are dedicated to improving children’s’ nutrition and wellness one school salad bar and garden at a time (did you know that kids who have access to school salad bars eat three times the fruit and veggies than kids without such access?).  Mayor Bloomberg of New York is pushing through a ban of sugary soft drinks above 16 oz. in public outlets, modeling the government’s tax on cigarettes to successfully steer us away from the harmful.  The First Lady has long been an ambassador for healthier eating and is currently touting her new vegetable garden book.  And while 36 percent of all adults get no form of physical activity, I am told that health club memberships are on the rise.

Summer makes me more aware of the battle of the bulge.  And awareness, if nothing else, is a start.  Instead of a bag of potato chips, I’m thinking sweet, succulent tomatoes off the vine or maybe a crisp, crunchy apple.  When you’re done you can sing out this summer, “Apple core.  Baltimore.  Who’s your friend?   _______.  “  Enjoy a healthy summer, friends.

Five Tips to Making the Most of Business Trips

By Meredith McKee, Account Supervisor and Mattie Walker, Account Executive

There is definitely a difference between a business trip and a leisure trip.  While we like being able to expense our business trips, let’s face it – there is generally nothing relaxing about them.  And the majority of your time is spent in an office building, convention center, etc. However, after years of traveling for work and working with one of the leading online travel companies – we’ve learned a few things about travel including how to make the most of every trip.

We’ll use a recent trip with the PR team from Travelocity to showcase how you can work hard – and play hard in any city where you wind up.

1. Tell Your Friends You’ll Be There.  Before we left on our trip we alerted our friends in New York we’d be in town.  We didn’t know if we would be able to get together or when we’d be available at this point, but if they were around we’d call them.  We were able to go have drinks after a client dinner with one of my friend’s from college.
2. Make a List of Things You Want to Do.  Admittedly, we had a long list that realistically, was never going to happen.  However, we had a number one priority and that was to go to the Empire State Building.  Neither of us had ever been – which may explain why we walked right by it and never noticed.  It was less than an hour out of our day and totally worth it.
3. Walk Everywhere Possible.  Skip the cab, the subway, the rental car – whatever it is.  Walking is the best way to actually see your surroundings.  We even got one of our clients to give us a nice little tour of the city as we walked back to our hotel from dinner – where Jude Law was kind enough to hold the door for us.
4. Plan Something Fun with Your Coworkers.  Maybe this is a happy hour or nice dinner.  In our case, it was a Mets game enjoying delish burgers from Shake Shack after a long day of meetings.
5. Tack on a Few Days.  We both came home when work was over, but when we can we like to add a few extra days and stay on our own dime.  Edelman has a Stay A Day program. With approval from your supervisor, you can expense a one-night hotel stay and work out of the Edelman office the following day. This is a great way to see more of the city and meet fellow Edelman coworkers.

While not everyone can travel with @RoamingGnome for business – you can have a little more fun on your work trips.  Because really should any travel be work?

Edelman Southwest’s Summer 2012 Reading List

 
With summer’s arrival this month, many of us are looking forward  to spending a little more time on one of our favorite activities – reading. Edelman Southwest recently polled our offices  to hear  our staff’s staff pick’s for Summer reading 2012.

Several of our team members are planning to spend the summer with the characters of “The Hunger Games,” by Suzanne Collins. But there are several other titles gracing our iPads, Kindles and nightstands this summer, running the gamut from  autobiographies to zombie-laden fiction. Some of our top summer picks include:

• “Bum Phillips: Coach, Cowboy, Christian” by Bum Phillips
• “World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War,” by Max Brooks
• “Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman,” by Robert K. Massie
• “Bring up the Bodies,” by Hilary Mantel
• “Girls in White Dresses,” by Jennifer Close
• “50 Shades of Grey,” by E.L. James
• “Shanghai Girls,” by Lisa See
• “The Kitchen Counter Cooking School,” by Kathleen Flinn
• “The Night Circus,” by Erin Morgenstern
• “When You Are Engulfed in Flames,” by David Sedaris. 
• “Sarah’s Key,” by Tatiana de Rosnay

The Reluctant Networker

By Ashley Wilemon, Vice President

Growing up, I wanted to be a talent agent. Yup – just like Ari Gold. I wanted to be the power behind the celebrity… making deals and trafficking in one of our society’s most elusive and bewildering commodities – fame. But the more I learned about that world, the more I was turned off by the idea that to get anything done, you had to “know someone.”

"Why,” I thought, “Should I have to ‘know someone’ to be successful? Shouldn’t my work speak for itself? Shouldn’t my effort be enough?” I was turned off by the idea of being nice to someone as a means to some self-serving end. So, I switched career aspirations and ended up in…. public relations!?!?

*record scratch*

I know, I know. Why would I go into an industry that is essentially built on the ‘knowing someone’ model… on building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships? Because I realized I could provide value, and that made all the difference. Once I stopped thinking about networking as a tool for people to do something for me and started thinking of it as a way for me to do something for them, it wasn’t such an unsavory concept. The first time you’re able to use your network to help a reporter who is struggling to put together the last source for a story or help a client tell a meaningful story about their business, then the purpose becomes clear. Networking isn’t about favors, it’s about connecting resources.

To some people, it comes naturally, but to many, the idea of walking up to someone and talking to them is as foreign as Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) and as frightening as Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992).  So, here are six simple steps to break through that barrier. They won’t turn you into the world’s Next Great Networker (which would be a great reality show, by the way), but it might set you on the right path.

• Choose a strategic location. Attending a happy hour? Many times people break from the group to refresh their drink. Or if you linger by the door, you can catch folks before they settle into groups. Is there a great view or an interesting piece of artwork that can be used to start a conversation?  
• Find common ground. “What are you drinking? I stuck with the Pinot Grigio, but I thought I might try the Chardonnay next time. Is it any good?” Whether it’s wine or the weather – or maybe you attended the same seminar that day – find something to start the conversation. Introductions and background come more naturally after initial contact has been established.
• Use a wingman or woman. Is there someone you know, even as an acquaintance? Enlist his/her help in your networking mission. Ask them to introduce you to a few people, and then return the favor if you can.
• Be honest. Everyone’s been that person who knows no one, so don’t be afraid to embrace the awkwardness and just go up to an individual or a small group and say, “I don’t know anyone here, but I’m really hoping to meet a few new people. Can I start with you?”
• Set a goal. It doesn’t have to be ambitious, but if you tell yourself that you’re going to collect five business cards or talk to ten new people, you can feel okay about letting yourself off the hook once you’ve accomplished your goal for the evening.
• Read the signs. Be aware of the difference between a deep conversation between friends and light chatting among acquaintances, and know when it’s time to exchange cards and move on to your next networking target.

Reducing Mommy Guilt with a Trifecta of Balance – Work, Family and Life

By Lori Martin, Vice President

Mommy Guilt. We all have it. It’s about achieving that work / life balance which I think proves even more difficult during the summer – pool parties and road trips tend to sound really appealing. Recently, I admittedly read a self-help book on being a mom and I’ve decided that it’s not just a work/life balance we should achieve in life, but rather a trifecta of balance moms should try to achieve – work, life and family balance.

I think the work portion is pretty self-explanatory. But what’s the difference between life and family?

I, for one,  think Moms should have a life outside of their family.

*Gasp!*

We should have a hobby other than Barney or helping our parents find quality medical care as they age. But so many of us mom’s don’t because of the G-word – guilt.

I’m not suggesting that we abandon all things family and work, but I am suggesting that you take time this summer to review what YOU like to do and find time to do it, just once. I am a Mom to a three –year-old little boy with a lot of special medical needs; it’s not a pretty picture. However, he lights up my soul, even if we’re in the hospital. So believe me, I know just how hard it is to try and achieve this trifecta – work, life and family – but I believe we owe it to our families and employers to work every so often to achieve this type of balance. It makes use better parents, friends, women, sisters, aunts and employees.

One of the coolest things I get to participate in at Edelman is a work group for the “Modern Family.” And in fact, earlier this year, a survey conducted by Edelman and The Parenting group found that sixty-two Percent of Moms and 54 Percent of Dads Say Parenting Roles will Move Away from “Mom” and “Dad” Roles of the Past.

So Moms, shouldn’t we try to leave the G-word in the past this summer and attempt to achieve a trifecta of balance? I’ve been sitting here for a good five minutes trying to decide what my goals are for this summer and I’ve come up with a jillion things for work and family – but not much on life. Here’s what I was able to come up with

• Work – Do exceptionally good work for my clients and get to know our awesome summer interns
• Family – Get a family pass to the Museum of Natural Science and take our son to see the butterflies and an IMAX4D movie (so cheap and kids go free on Tuesday’s!)
• Life – One night girl’s getaway where I got see a movie that’s at least PG 13 and have someone else to cook, clean and paint my toe nails a festive summer color. The catch is can I do this without feeling guilty?

How will you achieve a trifecta of balance this summer?

Punctuation 101: Quick Tips to Avoid Common Points of Confusion

By Susan MacLaughlin, Account Supervisor

As public relations practitioners, we are all pretty adept at using words to create effective messages and tell engaging stories, and after last month’s grammar tips from my colleague, Ashley Wilemon, determining which words to use should be a little easier.

However, even the most seasoned writers can fret about the little dots and dashes that help make sense of nouns and verbs. How often have you heard a conversation (or heated debate) regarding whether or not to add an apostrophe to a word, or if a sentence needs a comma? If you work in public relations, my guess is more than once or twice.

Sure, there a lot of punctuation rules, but if you keep the following quick tips in mind, your writing will be easier to follow and will require much less time to edit.

Serial Commas
Serial commas are a matter of style, but in the world of public relations, the Associated Press Stylebook is the final arbiter in all style debates.

Quick tip: In most cases, when your writing includes a list with a conjunction, it should not include a comma before the final item in the list (If you’re having trouble remembering conjunctions – check out the video.)

• We are reaching our fans on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

The exception to this rule is when your list contains an internal conjunction. In this case, a serial comma is A-OK.

• I am pitching business, travel and leisure, and technology publications.

Apostrophes
Apostrophes might be little, but they carry a big punch. In fact, if used incorrectly, they can change the meaning of an entire sentence!

Quick Tip: As a general rule, use an apostrophe plus an s to make a word possessive. Simply add an ‘s’ to the word to make it plural.

• Duck’s = possessive
• Ducks = plural

One area of common confusion involves how to handle proper nouns that end in ‘s.’

Quick Tip: If a word ends in ‘s,’ simply add an apostrophe to the end of the word to make it plural. This is also true if the word in question is a proper noun.

• Kansas’ new statute will be debated by the U.S. Supreme Court later this year.
• Charles’ horse is brown.

Apostrophes can also be used to combine two words into a contraction:

• It’s = it is
• You’re = You are
• And just because we’re in the South ….. Y’all = You all

Quick Tip:  Use an apostrophe to replace the missing letter or letters in the contraction.