I was originally planning to dedicate my last 2011 blog
to the protestors here in America and around the world that have instigated
regime change without the need for war, influenced the social and economic
conversation by exposing the income disparity here in the US and demonstrated
to the “powers that be” that the people are the real power when we work
together. I wanted to touch on how the “Tea Party” has matured from protestors
to political constituent on their way to perhaps becoming a Political Party separate
from the Republicans that don’t seem to know how to fully assuage them. And of
course I wanted to highlight how the Occupy Wall Street movement introduced the
term 99% into our vernacular that has seemed to catch fire all over the globe.
But TIME magazine beat me to the punch, so I’m going to write about something
Time isn’t writing about yet… me.
2011 was truly a year of transition not just for politics
but for me personally. It was a year for many firsts that I am proud of. I started the year by bringing together my
writing and photography into my first self-published book called “Corporate Liaison”
a love story narrated in a mix of
poetry, image and short excerpts; a project that I plan to continue as a series
to highlight some of my past and future travels. By the way you can still get your copy online
or directly from me at a reduced price.
It was the year of my first journey to the Far East,
sharing a trip with a special friend for my birthday to Japan in January right
before the devastating tsunami and then onto Thailand where we encountered people
and a culture that many only read about. Being shuttled through the streets of
Bangkok in a Tuk Tuk, named for the puttering sound of the small engine
powering the three wheel cart is an experience best enjoyed with your face
covered to protect against all the carbon monoxide… I don’t think these people
know anything about emissions regulations. The trip allowed me to let go of
some ideas of control as my friend persuaded me to extend my stay and go
outside of my economic comfort zone. As a result I was able to visit the
coastal city of Pattaya and enjoyed an unforgettable afternoon at the Hilton Pattaya high above the beach town, sipping tropical drinks, talking about
life and watching the edge of the magnificent infinity pool as it seemed to
touch the Andaman Sea in the distance. Did I mention that winter in Thailand
generate 85 degree weather?
We ended the trip in Puerto Rico, where I avoided the
tail end of the big snow storm in New York and discovered a tropical paradise
in my own backyard. Puerto Rico has never been on my list of places to visit
but the crystal clear turquoise waters and cerulean sky is only hours away. It
would have been perfect if not for the death my beloved camera. You don’t come
back from salt water damage.
This past year wasn’t just about me hopping on a plane. My
search for purpose was rekindled as I seriously flirted with the idea of
selling everything and starting from scratch.
It was only five years ago since I left the advertising world to pursue
my dreams of being a creative owner but the depressed economic environment and
a longing for all things advertising refocused my efforts to the ad world and I
applied for every interesting marketing position I could find including
internal positions at Delta Air Lines. It would’ve meant moving to Atlanta but
I was willing to do so if I could work on the strategic end. Rising oil prices,
and falling passenger loads forced Delta to reduce head-count in the form of a voluntary
exit package that I surprisingly qualified for. If a company is looking to
become stronger by cutting staff it will be a long time before opportunities
become available again and my customer service exposure was beginning to erode my
belief in humanity. I mean I do love
people but working in the front lines with the public is taxing on the soul. So
armed with that knowledge and several years of future travel as part of the
deal, I took the package marking the second time in my life that I have left a
job with not even the hint of a replacement in sight; just a world of
possibilities.
I became a quasi part of the unemployed statistics I’ve
often written about in other blogs. I
continued to work at a part-time job that I had during my tenure at Delta, so technically
I wasn’t unemployed, the economic term is underemployed. I felt the same pressure most of the
nation felt with limited jobs available but still knew in my heart that I was
doing the right thing.
My job search increased my digital footprint as I fully embraced social media. I didn’t do much with Facebook since it feels
more “social” and less “professional” but my activity on Linkedin and Twitter
skyrocketed. I tracked my social
influence using Klout and started to share my ideas about the industry that had become a part of me over the last few years; the
airlines. I was writing about the airlines, go figure. It took me a while but I realized that I wasn’t
trying to escape the airlines, I am an account manager and I was simply looking
for an account to manage. I found just
that with a strong young brand by the name of Jet Blue which I will be joining
2012.
So… just about to order a new camera, for an exciting project
related to the Arab Spring, several story ideas and training for a new position in a week. It’s a going to
be a good start for 2012.
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