First Day of School, August 2008.
Ele started the 3rd Grade! Ethan started Kindergarten!
The Toothpick
The other day I ate a toothpick.
I actually consumed three quarters of a four inch toothpick. Chewed it up and swallowed it. Yep.
I was sitting in a room full of co-workers, sharing a catered lunch from the Honey Baked Ham Company. The culprit was a nicely sliced ham wrap. I guess the preparer oh-so-carefully inserted two of those long toothpicks into each wrap and then cut it in half. I picked up a half and just started chowin' down.
My wrap had a pile of ham, some green-leaf lettuce, and cucumber. It also included what I thought to be REALLY crunchy bacon in the middle! Not so, apparently. Even the little red cellophane stuff must have looked like bacon......because, you guessed it, I consumed that as well!
After two large bites among the conversations (and quite a bit of chewing and swallowing I should add!), I happened to look down to notice the small piece of toothpick remaining in my wrap. "No wonder that bacon was so darn crunchy!" I thought.
Of course I then proceeded to tell everyone the news - - - and get a good laugh.
I'm pretty sure The Toothpick has made it's way out of my system. I'll spare the details and leave that to your imagination. Let's just say: I'm glad I'm not dead.
Until another story.....
I actually consumed three quarters of a four inch toothpick. Chewed it up and swallowed it. Yep.
I was sitting in a room full of co-workers, sharing a catered lunch from the Honey Baked Ham Company. The culprit was a nicely sliced ham wrap. I guess the preparer oh-so-carefully inserted two of those long toothpicks into each wrap and then cut it in half. I picked up a half and just started chowin' down.
My wrap had a pile of ham, some green-leaf lettuce, and cucumber. It also included what I thought to be REALLY crunchy bacon in the middle! Not so, apparently. Even the little red cellophane stuff must have looked like bacon......because, you guessed it, I consumed that as well!
After two large bites among the conversations (and quite a bit of chewing and swallowing I should add!), I happened to look down to notice the small piece of toothpick remaining in my wrap. "No wonder that bacon was so darn crunchy!" I thought.
Of course I then proceeded to tell everyone the news - - - and get a good laugh.
I'm pretty sure The Toothpick has made it's way out of my system. I'll spare the details and leave that to your imagination. Let's just say: I'm glad I'm not dead.
Until another story.....
OREO and Events at Standard Publishing
It's only taken 8 months and, you guessed it.....I'm official.
This past Friday, I was given the opportunity to share "Conventions and Events" with my colleagues in a great setting at our semi-annual Sales Conference. My department has been through a lot of transitions and throughout my tenure so far, my supervisor had challenged me to bring Events to the next level. My presentation was the necessary "next step" to showcasing all I've done so far and all I have plans for in the future. My audience was all of the sales reps in the office and from across the country, the Sales Manager, all the admins, the Customer Service Manager, my boss (Vice President of Marketing & Sales), and even the President of Standard Publishing.
To say the very least, I did not take this presentation lightly. I knew it was important to establish my confidence in my responsibilities as well as present my "take" on how Events fits into the whole Standard Publishing realm.
Presenting my "take", however, was definitely going to include creativity. Not much of my life at work is boring - - I try my best to interject "creative moments" into most everything I do. And so this presentation was going to showcase Events in a creative way, while of course getting the point across.
So....I repeat what I said at the beginning of this blog. I'm official.
Officially the crazy & creative, wacko & weird, manager of the madness! And I do believe my colleagues would agree. You see, they have seen the quiet, held back, organized, do-your-job Robb the past 8 months. Every so often (especially away from the office AT events or during other weird tasks), my "true" weird self would appear. For the most part, though, I'm known as the REALLY organized one (is that hysterical or what???).
Anyway, I definitely presented Events in such a fashion as to showcase creatively the job, the expectations, and the "oh-so-exciting" Robb.
I went with something I am truly linked to: OREO!
I took everyone on an "OREO" Adventure. Each time they saw the OREO logo on a sign, they were to yell "OREO"!!! Then they saw words on powerpoint slides that they were also to yell. These formed a summary statement for each "point" of my presentation. Then 4 of my Marketing colleagues did a little "oreo cheer" ( "O" - "R" - "E" - "O" - "OREO"!!!!)
Here were my points as we contemplated the Conventions & Events Department:
Oh.....Robb.....Events aren't....Ordinary!
Oh.....Really?......Events are.....Organized!
Moving forward we have Oodles of.....Reasons to.....Enhance our.....Output!
Our......Required.......Expectations are......Outlined!
We are Optimizing......Resources at.......Every......Opportunity!
We are creating Occasions for..........Responses and...........Emerging......Opinions!
We're focused on Ongoing..........ROIs...........Evaluation, and.........Outcomes!
The presentation was very well-received and, of course, we all enjoyed oreos to end things!
This past Friday, I was given the opportunity to share "Conventions and Events" with my colleagues in a great setting at our semi-annual Sales Conference. My department has been through a lot of transitions and throughout my tenure so far, my supervisor had challenged me to bring Events to the next level. My presentation was the necessary "next step" to showcasing all I've done so far and all I have plans for in the future. My audience was all of the sales reps in the office and from across the country, the Sales Manager, all the admins, the Customer Service Manager, my boss (Vice President of Marketing & Sales), and even the President of Standard Publishing.
To say the very least, I did not take this presentation lightly. I knew it was important to establish my confidence in my responsibilities as well as present my "take" on how Events fits into the whole Standard Publishing realm.
Presenting my "take", however, was definitely going to include creativity. Not much of my life at work is boring - - I try my best to interject "creative moments" into most everything I do. And so this presentation was going to showcase Events in a creative way, while of course getting the point across.
So....I repeat what I said at the beginning of this blog. I'm official.
Officially the crazy & creative, wacko & weird, manager of the madness! And I do believe my colleagues would agree. You see, they have seen the quiet, held back, organized, do-your-job Robb the past 8 months. Every so often (especially away from the office AT events or during other weird tasks), my "true" weird self would appear. For the most part, though, I'm known as the REALLY organized one (is that hysterical or what???).
Anyway, I definitely presented Events in such a fashion as to showcase creatively the job, the expectations, and the "oh-so-exciting" Robb.
I went with something I am truly linked to: OREO!
I took everyone on an "OREO" Adventure. Each time they saw the OREO logo on a sign, they were to yell "OREO"!!! Then they saw words on powerpoint slides that they were also to yell. These formed a summary statement for each "point" of my presentation. Then 4 of my Marketing colleagues did a little "oreo cheer" ( "O" - "R" - "E" - "O" - "OREO"!!!!)
Here were my points as we contemplated the Conventions & Events Department:
Oh.....Robb.....Events aren't....Ordinary!
Oh.....Really?......Events are.....Organized!
Moving forward we have Oodles of.....Reasons to.....Enhance our.....Output!
Our......Required.......Expectations are......Outlined!
We are Optimizing......Resources at.......Every......Opportunity!
We are creating Occasions for..........Responses and...........Emerging......Opinions!
We're focused on Ongoing..........ROIs...........Evaluation, and.........Outcomes!
The presentation was very well-received and, of course, we all enjoyed oreos to end things!
Memorial Day Weekend
Enjoyed a great Memorial Day camping with extended family! Brenda took some BEAUTIFUL pics of the kids and here is one! Ele is growing up too fast ~ I can't believe it! And Ethan is so much taller ~ I keep calling him "little buddy" and he continues to remind me that he's a "big boy" now! AAAAHHHHH! I'm getting old!
What It Means to be an "Events Coordinator"
I've never really shared what my new job entails. For those that may not know, I recently switched from managing the CCU Bookstore (see link for Cincinnati Christian University) to serving as the Events Coordinator for Standard Publishing (see link to left). It's been a great transition...and a very "God-confirmed" transition. Because the transition happened in January, there really wasn't a good way to inform everyone who needed to know. Not like I could just send an addendum to our Christmas letter! :)
Anyway...I've tried to explain my job in spoken word. Most of the response has been a weird "I don't get it" stare or a shrug of the shoulders with "Okay, Robb....hope you like what you're doing" impression.
Events Coordinator may inspire thoughts of me setting up tables and chairs for millions of people at events hosted by Standard Publishing. I do coordinate the Energizing the Smaller Church Network conferences (yep, see the link to the left). These are great one-day events for small churches with great potential! It's pretty exciting to hear and see the enthusiasm from the staffs from these churches via email, participation at the events, and with contact afterwards.
Along with that "hosted" event, I also help decide which events, conventions, and conferences Standard Publishing should participate in. Once decided, the real job begins! Imagine a 10'x10' booth space at your normal convention (like the North American Christian Convention or the Children's Pastors Conference). Everything that is involved with getting that space filled with furniture, products, carpet, electricity, internet, staffing, and anything else is what I do. It's a huge process and it's quite an exciting array of responsibility. I work with a specific SP Marketing Manager and together we figure out all the specifics of each event.
What the job entails is a myriad of organization, planning, and following-up ~ while creating, collaborating, and branding in the process. The job itself is A LOT of paperwork. It also requires MUCHO input from others. It involves budgeting, financial follow-through, purchasing, filing, keeping track of a million tasks for each event, and then the fun stuff! Fun includes creating gift packs for product giveaways, working with a host of people, designing a booth's layout, programming cash registers, creating and simplifying processes, and doing a ton of "behind-the-scenes" things.
When I'm available, I head to some of the larger events. Responsibilities at the event includes setting up the booth space, displaying and selling the product, making connections with customers, tearing down the booth and getting it back to Cincinnati in one piece! :) If I'm unavailable to attend, then the "booth reps" are responsible for these tasks. It's a GREAT time! Most enjoyable, of course, is meeting and talking with our customers. I'm not much of an extrovert, yet I completely enjoy this part of the job! Now that I'm more behind a desk than a cash register, it's nice to get out and speak to the people we sell to!
One of the most fun parts of my job is working with the Marketing team! We have a great group! And yes, I'm a little biased on that. :) What a talented group of individuals!
And of course, I completely enjoy organizing all the crazy chaos during the work week! It's also great fun to apply my crazy and creative side to the perceived "boring" part of the job. I think my co-workers think I'm a little nuts ~ but I think they like it! :)
Anyway....life as Events Coordinator is FUN ~ Full of Unique Nuttiness!
Anyway...I've tried to explain my job in spoken word. Most of the response has been a weird "I don't get it" stare or a shrug of the shoulders with "Okay, Robb....hope you like what you're doing" impression.
Events Coordinator may inspire thoughts of me setting up tables and chairs for millions of people at events hosted by Standard Publishing. I do coordinate the Energizing the Smaller Church Network conferences (yep, see the link to the left). These are great one-day events for small churches with great potential! It's pretty exciting to hear and see the enthusiasm from the staffs from these churches via email, participation at the events, and with contact afterwards.
Along with that "hosted" event, I also help decide which events, conventions, and conferences Standard Publishing should participate in. Once decided, the real job begins! Imagine a 10'x10' booth space at your normal convention (like the North American Christian Convention or the Children's Pastors Conference). Everything that is involved with getting that space filled with furniture, products, carpet, electricity, internet, staffing, and anything else is what I do. It's a huge process and it's quite an exciting array of responsibility. I work with a specific SP Marketing Manager and together we figure out all the specifics of each event.
What the job entails is a myriad of organization, planning, and following-up ~ while creating, collaborating, and branding in the process. The job itself is A LOT of paperwork. It also requires MUCHO input from others. It involves budgeting, financial follow-through, purchasing, filing, keeping track of a million tasks for each event, and then the fun stuff! Fun includes creating gift packs for product giveaways, working with a host of people, designing a booth's layout, programming cash registers, creating and simplifying processes, and doing a ton of "behind-the-scenes" things.
When I'm available, I head to some of the larger events. Responsibilities at the event includes setting up the booth space, displaying and selling the product, making connections with customers, tearing down the booth and getting it back to Cincinnati in one piece! :) If I'm unavailable to attend, then the "booth reps" are responsible for these tasks. It's a GREAT time! Most enjoyable, of course, is meeting and talking with our customers. I'm not much of an extrovert, yet I completely enjoy this part of the job! Now that I'm more behind a desk than a cash register, it's nice to get out and speak to the people we sell to!
One of the most fun parts of my job is working with the Marketing team! We have a great group! And yes, I'm a little biased on that. :) What a talented group of individuals!
And of course, I completely enjoy organizing all the crazy chaos during the work week! It's also great fun to apply my crazy and creative side to the perceived "boring" part of the job. I think my co-workers think I'm a little nuts ~ but I think they like it! :)
Anyway....life as Events Coordinator is FUN ~ Full of Unique Nuttiness!
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