2014 Goals

I’m the sort of guy who counts the hours in the day and is frequently knee deep in the weeds. My fiancé often nags me for over planning but the fact of the matter is I’d get overwhelmed with day-to-day tasks if I didn’t have at least some sort of map handy. In accordance with this philosophy below is my road map for 2014. It doesn’t include the side streets or unassuming milestones.

Happy new year!

2014 Goals

Run the Seattle Half Marathon

Get married 

Take the GMAT

Develop and follow a content strategy for my blog

Refresh joshuaholland.co

Travel somewhere outside of the western United States

Acquire my own place

Participate in a volunteer project

Perform monthly network maintenance

[Photo courtsey of Jack Amick]

Favorite 2013 Making the Connections Blog Posts

After developing an irrational fear of hitting publish at the end of 2012, I challenged myself in 2013 to blog monthly. While I didn’t reach my initial goal of creating a new post every week I did hit publish multiple times a month – averaging about three  on Making the Connections and a few on my Tumblr blog. Working as a professional writer for various businesses over the past four years, it was a refreshing experience to explore personal topics once again and get back to my original passion – telling stories and exploring complex issues through writing.

In celebration of overcoming my fear of hitting publish, below are my favorites from 2013 (self-aggregated).

Enjoy!

2013 Favorites 

Growing Up in Coffee Shops

Searching for Better Content
Discovering Sparks of Brilliance
Obama II: Moving Forward
Sitting in on the Last Lecture
Boudin Blanc History and Recipe  
Which Way is the Gayborhood
Sunrise Reinvigorates the Calendar Management Process
Living the West Seattle Dream

Status Update – 12.15.13

Short post this week. I’m…

Learning:

New recipes

New exercise routines

Experimenting with:

Refresh

Vine videos

Instagram videos

Postmates

Code Academy  – Hour of Code

Playing

Pikmin 3

Watching:

Amazing Race

Mindy Project

Seahawk Games

Attending:

#SeaSocialMen

Brown and Down  

Family holiday events

Thinking about:New Year’s Eve

The year of 2013

Working on:

Becoming a better home chef

Refreshing joshuaholland.co

Constructing a “personal CRM”

Setting goals for 2014

Developing a steady daily rhythm

Improving Seattle Goodwill’s internal newsletter

Reinvigorating Seattle Goodwill’s social presence

A longer blog post…

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? JOSHUA HOLLAND MAKES HIS OWN PATH AS A DIGITAL STRATEGIST

Article Originally Published on COMMunity Building 

Joshua Holland graduated from the UW in 2009 with a degree in Communication and a minor in Diversity. During his undergraduate years, he was actively involved with Delta Lambda Phi and the United Greek Council. He also participated in an Exploration Seminar to Paris that was organized by the English Department. While there he researched and reported on the impacts of the city’s cultural sites on minority groups.

Here’s what he been doing since then and some advice to those soon-to-be graduating students:

What have you been up to since graduation? My career started at Nyhus Communications – a medium-sized public relations (PR) shop. While there I was a part of the agency’s creative services team where I focused on content strategy for the company, developing new media pitches and strategy for clients, and organizing special events. After a few months I was moved into the organization’s technology practice where I focused on traditional PR. Shortly after this transition I was laid off due to a lack of available work at the company.

During the downtime between Nyhus and my next employer, I traveled to Malaysia for 28 days. A majority of my time was spent in Kuala Lumpur – the country’s capital and home of thePetronas Twin Towers. During the trip I explored much of the city and met with a number of Malaysian businessmen to get a better understanding of the country’s business and culture. I also snuck in a fair amount of regional travel during my trip; I visited Malacca and Langkawi.

Following my trip I returned home and interviewed at Waggener Edstrom – a global PR firm which specializes in technology PR and is Microsoft’s agency of record. The interview was setup by a friend following a brief Twitter conversation we had about my job hunt. After the interview I was offered a position with the agency’s Developer Platform Evangelism team. I worked on a number of international events including TechEd Europe and Build 2012. Unfortunately after a few months I learned the world of high tech PR was not for me and missed my prior work with digital media and content strategy. At the end of 2012 I left the agency and started freelancing following the advice of a close friend/former boss.

I was a little unsure about my prospects during the beginning of my freelancing career but after some persistence and good networking I landed my first client, Citizen University – a civic engagement event held at Seattle Center. Following this initial win I hit a short streak and won business from Marx Foods – a specialty food shop in Lower Queen Anne, Tripcierge – a startup focused on trip planning, and Seattle Goodwill.  I’m currently looking for a full-time role.

In addition to my work life I’ve actively volunteered my time to a number of organizations over the years including the American Society for Public Administration, Delta Lambda Phi, and Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Seattle Career Jumpstart. I’m also an active networker and proponent of continuing education; you can often find me at local events or enrolled in some sort of class. In 2012 I participated in the Institute for Democratic Future, a political fellowship focused on learning the ins and outs of Washington State’s political system.

Describe your typical work day: In the summer of 2013 I began working extensively with Seattle Goodwill Industries as the organization’s temporary Digital Communications Coordinator. No day was ever the same. I worked closely with the Communication Manager to help distribute information about Seattle Goodwill to external audiences on our social media channels, managed web updates for seattlegoodwill.org, and created content for the blog and internal publications. Topics ranged daily as well. One day my team and I were focused on donations, another day we were working on retail collateral, and by the end of the week we may have worked on new internal programs for Seattle Goodwill employees.

How did you get the job you are doing now? After freelancing for almost a year in 2013 I reached out to Vitamin T – an international staffing agency, regarding a part-time position posted on LinkedIn. Following a series of interviews with Vitamin T and Seattle Goodwill, I started working part-time with the organization in the summer of 2013. My other contracts have been acquired through a mixture of networking and personal contacts.

Do you have any tips on finding a job for those still in school? Network. Job boards are a good start to any job search, but real success comes from creating a direct connection with people in the community and field you’re interested in working in. Shortly before graduating in June 2009, I utilized the Husky Career Network to reach out to UW alumni in the area and get advice about job hunting and general career tips.

This initial step helped me meet Anne Tillery, partner at Pyramid Communication. At the time her agency wasn’t hiring full-time for entry level positions but she offered to connect me with people in her network and helped me build out my basic network. To this day I still consider her one of my best mentors and a good friend. She also alerted me to the world of “secret job boards” and signed me up for the one she manages.

What is the single most important thing to do while in school to prepare for the real world? Intern. Real world experience will teach you so much about the field and help connect the dots between what you learn in class and practical application. It will also help you discover what type of work you want to do and the kind of work culture you fit best into.

Now that you’ve had some time to reflect on college, what advice had you wished you received while in school? Never stop learning and don’t be afraid to learn disciplines outside of the traditional scope of communication roles. The field of communication is always changing and employers are very eager to have someone on board who has a variety of skills in their wheel house. I skipped out on taking some of the UW’s free software classes and engaging with more technical concepts such as basic programing.

Where do you hope to be in five years? In five years I hope to have a master’s degree, be married to my fiancé, and working on issues related to urban planning.

Anything else you would like to add?

1) Never be afraid to ask someone to coffee, i.e. info interviews. As a new graduate info interviews are one of your most powerful resources during your job search.

2) Send thank you cards. A thank you card goes a long way in being remembered by a potential employer or business contact. Just remember, be sincere, short, and stay-in-touch.

3) Don’t be discouraged by missteps. Some of my best life experiences and learning moments have come from detouring from my “master” life plan.

Visit his website: http://www.joshuaholland.co/

Thinking Outside of Job Boards

There are many ways to obtain a job; searching job boards is just one of many solutions to consider. Networking is often the best strategy for finding a new position. The common adage, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” is becoming increasingly true in today’s competitive market. When considering candidates to hire, employers often reach out to their personal networks first and then resort to job boards if they are having difficulty filling the position.

While it may seem daunting, networking is easier than you think. To get started, take a moment and examine the personal relationships in your life. While often understated, we all wear a variety of hats which we interchange frequently depending on the situation. These roles include friend, club member, child, and neighbor to name just to name a few. Each role provides us with a different set of connections which can be used as a good starting point for networking.

After evaluating your own network you should meet with new people in order to expand your reach. A few good ways to do this include cold calling or emailing potential employers requesting an informational meeting to learn more about their organization or my personal favorite, networking events. Meetup,  Eventbrite, and community aggregated lists are great resources to find events matching your industry and interests.

Now that you've gotten over your initial fear of networking, it's time to dive in! When networking, it's important to keep a few basics in mind to ensure you leave new contacts with the right impression. 

When Meeting Someone for the First Time You Should:

• Look them directly in the eye
• Give a firm handshake - no "dead fish" or "test of strength! "Say your name slowly and confidently when introducing yourself
• Be friendly and smile often
• Ask for a business card after meeting for the first time. It will show your interest and provide a way for you to contact the person at the end of your encounter

Entering Conversations

• Wait for a natural break and then calmly introduce yourself to everyone in the group
• Establish eye contact with someone to  gain acknowledgment 
• Ease yourself slowly into new conversations

Leaving Conversations

• Wait for a natural break and then excuse yourself
• Two common lines to consider are "Thanks for your time. I'd like to catch-up more later. I'll shoot you a message via email/text" or "It was great speaking with you! I just saw someone I want to say hi to. I'll talk to you again later"

After a networking event pat yourself on the back. It's no small feat to put yourself out there and meet new people. Following your short celebration, it's time to make note of the people you met and reach out with any potential follow-up items. Also, be sure to add them on LinkedIn! 

[Photo courtesy of Flickr user CieraHolzenthal] 

Lessons from the Movie "Disconnect"

Not sure why but “Disconnect” flew by my radar when it was first released. I briefly remember hearing chatter about it shortly after its release but given the film’s dark subject matter – negative effects of digital media, it wasn't a blockbuster. Oddly, I viewed the film isolated from my digital networks during an international flight from Seoul to San Francisco.

The digital divide is often discussed primarily as an issue related to education but “Disconnect” takes the idea a step further and positions the issue as a basic necessity in today’s world. Characters without a strong grasp of digital media find themselves confronted with tragedy in the film while those who understand it easily manipulate others.

“Disconnect” connects the lives of four families through a series of interconnected events. In this group narrative the film examines a number of issues related to digital literacy including cyber bullying, online sex trafficking, and identity theft to name a few of the big ones. Each story unfolds innocently but winds up leading the characters to the doorstep of personal tragedy while taunting the audience with a hint of “it could have been avoided.” Hollywood style tragedies are absent from the film. Instead, “Disconnect” reaches for a few real life horrors such as attempted suicide, financial ruin, and modern day “slavery.”

The film is held together by the promise of relationships in the digital age. Once stitched together primarily by dotted line relationships, e.g. parent-child, partners, and neighbors, “Disconnect” brings to light the power of digital media, the ability to create new relationships outside of established networks. While harmless on the surface or when conducted in full transparency, misuse can lead to tragedy as shown in the film.

Traditional relationships also exhibited a noticeable amount of strain in “Disconnect” due to the creation of “digital networks.” Characters exhibit an inability to maintain common ties with family, friends, and significant others. Reasons for the strain manifested in the form of smartphone addiction, 24-hour work cycles, and digital realities. One strain which struck a strong chord with me was a fleeting memory. Shortly after one of the character’s brother goes to the hospital for attempted suicide she has her grief interrupted by a friend’s text conversation. The scene plays out as follows

“He was just hanging there, cold and blue… I tried to yank him down but it was too late. He was already unconscious.” Main Character

“I’m sorry to hear about your brother. Do you think he’ll be okay?” Supporting Character

Supporting Character’s phone buzzes

“OMG, Bobby invited me to his party! Can you believe it!?” Supporting Character

There is an uncomfortable pause in the room.

The main character in the scene breaks the pause by violently throwing her lunch on the supporting character and then storming off.

Overall the movie is solid and should be on the required watch list for people working with digital media and used as a teaching device to illuminate the dangers of our new reality. Now over a decade into the age of interactive media, government policies and social etiquette have fallen behind technology. In its wake can be found ruined lives and trampled connections; digital media is no longer “child’s play.” It has serious implications which can disrupt the real world. Explore the web with caution and skepticism, everything isn’t what it seems.

The Seoul of Asia: Notes From My Fall Trip to South Korea

Originally published on Endless Horizons; travel series commissioned by Fadzrul

In fall 2013, I ventured to Seoul with my fiancé to celebrate the end of the year and mark the close of my first adventure as a freelancer/entrepreneur. While four days wasn’t quite long enough to take in all of Korea, we did see a lot of sites thanks to the city’s walkable neighborhoods and extensive transit network. Here are a few things I enjoyed during my trip. 

1. Cheonggyecheon

Running through a majority of the city, the Cheonggyecheon is a perfect escape from the urban hustle of Seoul. Its lush greenery and running water are a nice compliment to the urban world at both of its sides. The most endearing feature I found about this area is its ability to create an almost uninterrupted walkway.

WARNING: Don’t try to bike it! I tried during my trip and was politely asked to leave my bike on the streets above.

2. Korean Food and All the Sides

Diets are ill-advised during a trip to Seoul. From hot noodle soups to traditional bulgogi beef, the options are endless and the flavors robust enough to satisfy the appetite of most eaters. It’s worth mentioning however pricing varies greatly depending on the neighborhood you’re in. During the last night of my trip I ate in Myeongdong and experienced sticker shock. Price for Korean BBQ and other staple foods were vastly more expensive than outlying areas.

3. Urban Fabric with a Bit of Natural Thread 

Often travelers are forced to choose between uber modern metros and more humble historic cities. Seoul is one of those rare places which effortlessly ties the two together. Traditional temples and homes sit adjacent to modern skyscrapers with looming mountains and trees lining most backgrounds.

Two of the most fascinating examples include Bukchon Hanok Village and Gyeongbokgung. Both are close to the city, yet thanks to careful planning don’t feel foreign or out of place within modern Seoul.

4. Forget the Disconnect

People looking to “get away from it all,” will get a quick reality check once entering Seoul. The city oozes technology; automation is almost at every turn. Glitzy signs direct visitors to nearby shops, live transit updates are provided via monitors in the subway, and WiFi is literally everywhere – even deep underground. I was personally impressed to see WiFi transmitters aboard subway trains and installed on phone booths. If you take a moment to look up, you’ll often see many Seoul residents on their smartphones.

5. Hospitality
From our host at our Hanok outside of Insadong to local shop owners and everyday people, Seoul is an incredibly friendly city. Most residents are also extremely accommodating to Americans or Southeast Asians who don’t speak a lick of Korean (PERSONALLY GUILTY).

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Seoul and would return in a heartbeat. No additional travel plans booked for the rest of 2013 but looking to add some US destinations to my schedule for the New Year. I’m eagerly waiting for my next trip.

Last Winter, December 2013: Part II - In Search for “Real” Mexico

Originally published on Endless Horizons; travel series commissioned by Fuzz

Travel is the quickest way to realign your perspective. Whether it’s a break-up, loss of job, or perceived life “rut,” hopping on a plane and saying “F@#& it,” is a perfect temporary cure. Early last winter, I did just that and headed off to Mexico with a bit of nudging from my fiancé. I was initially resistant to the idea fearing it would be a poor use of resources but warmed up to it after doing a bit of research about the beaches.

Arriving in Los Cabos was interesting.  We were welcomed by a patchwork of tourist spots and “real Mexico.” The tourist portions of the region were well maintained and resembled old Spanish palaces while the areas inhabited by locals seemed to be less glamorous. The drive between the airport and our hotel was very eye-opening; it further illustrated what I’ve heard about Mexico’s geography from travel literature.

“Mexico is a unique country, many of its urban environments transition seamlessly between shining examples of modernity and organized chaos.”

I took note of this while I drove between the regions small towns with no paved roads, modest structures, and taquerias. This differed greatly from the “tourist zone” which featured posh hotels, well maintained roads, and “sanitized” Mexican culture.

Admittedly I was a tad ashamed of our hotel when we first arrived. It was blatantly pandering to American tastes. Connection to local culture was faint at best. Pulling up to the entrance in my rental car I was confused by the look of our hotel. It looked like a mix between a Southwestern style cattle ranch and Spanish colonial outpost.

My skepticism faded once we were settled. While the hotel was divorced from the culture of the area, it did have a breathtaking view of the Sea of Cortez, had multiple pools and was remarkably empty the second week in December (see part I). The staff was also super friendly and helpful. My fiancé and I befriended the woman who ran the hotel’s pool house. She helped us find an awesome taqueria which served amazing baja style tacos and helped us navigate some of the areas outside of the “tourist zone.”

As I began to traverse Baja California Sur’s southern coast with my fiancé, I started to understand the allure of the place. It was far from perfect but the dry desert heat was very comfortable, people were friendly, and everyone seemed to be focused on celebrating the moment – something I took note of and brought home to Seattle after the vacation. At the time, I wasn’t sure what the trip would yield in terms of clarity about life goals or perspective but as always when I travel, I let my guard down, gave into the whims of the surroundings and was confident the area had plenty to teach and would provide ample moments of “ah” if I kept my eyes open.

To be continued… “Last Winter, December 2013: Part III”

Status Update – 10.28.13

Here’s a short post to round out this month. I’m…

Reading:

Red Herrings and Elephants

Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture

Learning:

New recipes

Basic fashion tips

Experimenting with:

Wunderlist

Duolingo

Mobile Day

Doodle MeetMe

Wrike

Playing:

Pokemon Y

Pikmin 3

The Wonderful 101

Watching:

Amazing Race

Mindy Project

Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown

Attending:

Navigating Grad School as a Working Professional

Seattle Goodwill’s Glitter Gala and Glitter Sale

Working on:

Becoming a better home chef

Refreshing joshuaholland.co

Planning a holiday escape

Visiting the dog park regularly again

Obtaining a personal CRM system

Starting a Delta Lambda Phi Local Alumni Association in Seattle

Hitting publish more regularly

A longer blog post…

[Photo courtesy of StevenW]

JHXXVI – Fresh Start, New Year

“Cut, it’s a wrap!”

Like many good things, my 25th year has come to an end. No big bangs or fireworks but many lessons learned from a challenging year which allowed me to explore my life as an entrepreneur, redefine my personal values, and lay the framework for some important “personal infrastructure projects” which I hope will pay off in the near future.

Looking ahead it’s hard to say what the new year has in store but if I learned anything from my 25th year, it’s that you have to put your best foot forward every day and plant all seeds of opportunity. The combination of these two actions will lead to the creation of a stronger and more prosperous future.  

In celebration of this milestone, I’ve created a personal curation project using Tagboard to capture the last few moments of my 25th year. I also drew up a list of personal improvements I hope to achieve in the coming year (listed below for reference).

To another year, *Cheers*


26th Year - Personal Improvement Opportunities 

• Make regular investments in my personal fitness

• Reconnect and maintain connections within my network

• Hit a little harder when it comes to point of view (POV)

• Recover quicker from “life blows”

• Push myself beyond my normal comfort zone

• Take action more frequently and ask myself “what’s the worst that could happen”

• Think more strategically about new opportunities and alliances

• Manage and respect my own time

• Step out of the weeds and look up at the bigger picture

• Don’t be afraid to take the lead occasionally   

• Own good work and learn quickly from missteps

• Strive to be the first to nod, smile, compliment, and forgive

• Draft faster, revise with care, and hit publish more frequently

• Exhibit a high level of emotional control

"Realign your life perspective frequently and often to avoid catastrophic derailments."

Year in Review, XXVI On the Horizon

The start of fall is here and so is my personal end of year (EOY). A lot has changed since I turned 25 but overall it’s been a good. I learned a lot, made new friends, and invested heavily in a number of “personal infrastructure” projects. I’m using this post to pause and reflect on my 25^th year. Check back next week for an EOY post focused on ambitions and goals for my 26^th year. Stay tuned, cheers!

Year-In Review

• Started blogging again regularly
• Dipped my toe into the world of freelancing; pitched and secured 5 clients
• Visited America’s neighbor to the south for a winter getaway in Cabo
• Traveled back to Asia for a fall trip to Seoul
• Recalibrated my personal business philosophy and priorities
• Organized and planned PRSA Jumpstart
• Learned the fundamentals of HTML and launched my own personal website
• Adapted new organizational techniques
• Met a few of my favorite local “superstars”
• Started keeping secrets from my computer via an analog journal
• Island hopped in Washington’s San Juan Islands
• Lived out my “what if I lived in Capitol Hill fantasy”
• Helped manage social media strategy for Citizen University
• Learned to make Boudin from my Granny
• Experimented with startup life via Startup Weekend Seattle and Tripcierge
• Reconnected with my two mentors
• Ended one of the worst business relationships I’ve ever been a part of
• Picked up my camera and started shooting photos again
• Celebrated my first year as a West Seattleite
• Returned to the kitchen and added a few recipes to my repertoire (#JoshFood) 

[Photo courtesy of davejansen1964]

“Seoul, Our Movie” Video Contest

Attention aspiring filmmakers, the city of Seoul is looking for help making a movie. The film titled, “Seoul, Our Movie” (currently in production) is focused on capturing the diverse experiences and feelings related to Seoul. When complete the city hopes the film will help introduce Seoul to new global citizens and increase people’s love for Seoul.

The initiative was launched by the city of Seoul in August and is being led by PARKing CHANce – a Korean film making studio owned by Park Chan-wook who recently debuted his film Stoker in Hollywood and Park Chan-kyong a prominent Korean artist.

Interested filmmakers can participate in this global film project by recording and uploading short clips (no more than 5 minutes) to the “Seoul, Our Movie” YouTube channel. The clips should relate to one of the film’s three themes - working in Seoul, made in Seoul, and Seoul (full explanation of each listed below in the theme section). The portrayal of aspects of Seoul can be both tangible and intangible. Genre of clips can vary but project organizers will not accept parody style clips.

Top clips will be added to the overall film being produced by PARKing CHANce and the best filmmakers will be rewarded with prizes. A few of the prizes include a free trip to Seoul, new Kia, laptops, and many other fun prizes. Best of luck to all participants; happy shooting!

How to Participate
1) Visit and subscribe to the “Seoul, Our Movie” YouTube Channel
2) Choose one of the three themes and create a video based on the selected theme
3) Upload your video to the “Seoul, Our Movie” YouTube Channel before November 9, 2013 at 11:50 PM (KST)

Note:  Publish your video by adding a comment with a link to your video on YouTube

Themes 
1) Working in Seoul: Show a typical day of a working Seoulite
2) Made in Seoul: Make use of a Korean made smartphone and explain its impact on your life
3) Seoul: Show any experience or feeling relating to Seoul

Contest Overview Once the submission process of the contest ends on November 9^th at 11:59 PM (KST), PARKing CHANce will select appropriate clips to incorporate into the overall film and add professional edits where needed. Entries will be judged on creativity, originality of expression, and number of views and likes on YouTube.

After all of these quantitative and qualitative aspects are measured, the best clips will be selected by PARKing CHANce. Top filmmakers will be entered for a chance to win cool prizes including a free trip to Seoul, new Kia, laptops, and many other fun prizes.

Submission Period

•  8/20/2013 – 11/9/2013 at 11:59pm (KST)

Contest Specifics

• Open to all global citizens who love Seoul;  no restrictions
• All video formats able to upload to YouTube are accepted 
• All videos must include “Seoul” in their titles
• Videos must be under 5 minutes
• Acceptable Genres: Documentaries,  fiction films, films of reenacted events, self-filmed movies, films created from still photos, etc. ALL PARODY FILMS WILL BE REJECTED

Contest Website: www.seoulourmovie.com/en/overview/overview.asp
Contest YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/seoulourmovie
Related Article in WSJ : http://on.wsj.com/1e2J1Dn
Related Article in Blouin Art: http://bit.ly/GHjk05

Show Me What’s Packin’…If You Know What I Mean

Guest post by Fadzrul Jamaluddin

Do you like travelling but always dread having to figure out what to bring along with you on your travels? Well, I do!

Growing up my mom never bothered to tell me what to put in my bags whenever I pack to either travel or go back to boarding school. She felt like I wouldn’t have listened to her anyway and we’d end up arguing over something as silly as packing a luggage. So, I had to learn on my own on how to pack a luggage…and I suck at it.

I always had something I’d forget to bring along with me, which resulted in my parents having to drop by the boarding school on a weekend to ‘deliver’ me those things. I became spoiled. I packed haphazardly thinking “ah well… there’s always the weekend if I ever forget anything”. 

Such bad habit continued on. When I was packing to go to Seattle for the first time I thought, “Well, I have shit-tons of scholarship money. I‘ll just buy in Seattle the things I need that I forget to bring along with me from Malaysia”. This habit is still here.

For our vacation to Cabo last year, I packed some toiletries and some beachwear. This girl can’t go anywhere sunny without a full supply of toner and moisturizer and a nice pair of cargo shorts. The rest of the luggage was pretty much packed by a magical elf – my fiancé. It’s so wrong, I know. But really, I hate packing. I will tell Josh “don’t fold, roll the shirts to avoid creases”, “make sure we have enough underwear” and “bring dress shoes in case we decide to go somewhere fancy” but somehow I won’t just do them myself. Lazy? Maybe. 

When travelling abroad, the most important things to have with you are:-

Medium of payment i.e. cash, credit cards, traveller’s checks.

Travelling documents

Smartphone

Mini travel kit that includes a Band-aid, a Swiss knife, lip balm, lotion, a pack of Kleenex and a pen. (Believe me on this)

Women usually stuff all of these in their handbags. Well what if you’re not a woman or not travelling with one? Well, seriously…get a man bag. It’ll save your life. Not kidding. Too insecure with your image and sexuality? Get a manly looking man-bag or if you eat tempeh-burger and shop at the local co-op, you can use your biodegradable-made-from-used-tampons-oh-save-the-poor-earth reusable shopping bag.

No matter where you travel as long as that plane is landing in an airport and not on some open unattended land I strongly suggest for you to wear shorts or sweatpants. It never really gets THAT cold in the plane. A flight from Kuala Lumpur to Seattle usually has about 18 hours of flying time. That means 18 hours in one seat where if you were lucky you’d have serenity instead of rude inconsiderate passengers around you. You really should be comfy no matter how short the flight is, so wear something comfy which I guess for me is a pair of shorts, a V-neck and my super comfy ergonomically designed sandals. This also helps you go through security faster. No belt, no socks, no jacket, all your gadgets and important stuff should be in your magic bag – super quick security check. 

Once you land, you can always change into more appropriate clothes at the airport. If it’s a long layover and you don’t have access to your clothes then you’re dumb, because you really should have put some clothes in your carry-on instead of putting them all in the check-in luggage. I personally would rather not lug around a carry-on around airports. So I would just buy new clothes if lets say I have a 24-hour layover in Seoul when it’s snowing outside. 

Ultimately, it’s not 1935. If you need something and you don’t have it with you, go buy it. Don’t fuss too much when packing for travelling, especially over small stuff like peanuts and condoms. Happy travelling!

[Photo courtesy of Shoot First, Eat Later]

Status Update – 9.15.13

With summer coming to a close I thought it would be a good opportunity to use this entry to reflect on the past few months. A mixture of sunshine, personal events, and professional developments helped make this summer one of the best. Below is a list highlighting some of this summer’s big moments.

Back to the regular scheduled programing next week. Thanks for reading!

###

Professional

• Secured three new clients –  Marx Foods, Tripcierge, and Seattle Goodwill
• Reconnected with my two mentors – Anne Tillery and J Paul Blake
• Ran “Let It Go” – a social media campaign for Seattle Goodwill
• Helped launch Tripcierge’s new travel app

Personal

• Little sister got married
• My fiancé came to visit
• Rediscovered my will power to go to the gym
• Said Goodbye to one of my good friends (he moved to Portland with his girlfriend)
• Watched a rendition of Hairspray
• Participated in my first Startup Weekend
• Discovered the joys of Colman Pool at Lincoln Park
• Alki beach party 

Boudin Blanc History and Recipe

As a Northwestern with roots extending to the American South and Midwest, I've come to understand my family better through food. Last weekend I tackled making one of the Holland/Guillory Families’ more complex dishes, Boudin – a rice-pork sausage. The dish comes in a few varieties. The two most well-known are Boudin Noir (includes pig blood) and Boudin Blanc – the version popular with my family.

Boudin gained popularity in rural Louisiana as a method to preserve meat products. Traditionally the dish was made at a celebration called “Quedema –“a creole word roughly translating to fall harvest celebration. At the event 2 – 7 families would gather from around the area to help with the meat preservation. Starting as early as 4 AM, families would begin the process of butchering, cleaning, and cooking the livestock. Prior to the invention of refrigeration techniques all meat had to be salted following the butchering process to ensure it didn’t spoil.

After sitting down with my Granny to make the dish, I quickly learned how much labor Boudin requires. Minus the actual butchering of the animals and creating the base for the dish, it took my friend and me 3.5 hours to produce a handful of links. During the creation of the dish I was particularly astonished by the fact my Granny hadn't made Boudin her entire life. She only actively started making the dish when she migrated to Seattle in the 80s, encouraging words for amateur Boudin makers like myself.

If you’re interested in trying to make Boudin Blanc, I've provided a recipe below with instructions. Good luck; let me know how it turns out! 

[Recipe, backstory, and lessons provided courtesy of Mary Guillory, aka Granny – Matriarch of the Holland Family, Seattle Branch]

###

Boudin Blanc Recipe

Ingredients
Pork roast (7 lbs)
Pork fat (4 lbs)
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1 onion
Rice (1 - 2 pots)
Cayenne pepper (add according taste)
Salt (add according taste)
Pepper (add according taste)
Sausage casings
Thread
***Optional***
Pork liver
Additional ingredients can be added to the mixture to enhance flavor (add according to taste)

Cooking Instructions
Approximate Time Required: Six Hours; preparation recommended in phases
1. Boil roast and fat until cooked (add liver if applicable)
2. Grind together

Roast
Pork fat
Bell peppers
Garlic
Onion
(Add additional ingredients if applicable)

3. Cook rice
4. If frozen, defrost sausage casings
5. Put all ingredients - expect rice, into one pot
6. Add enough water into the pot to cook
7. Simmer on stove for 2 ½ hours
8. Add salt and cayenne pepper to pot (add according taste)
9. Combine rice with grinded ingredients in one bowl. Mix until blended
10. Add mixture to the sausage stuffer machine (electric option optimal)
11. Attach casing to the spout of the machine
12. Fill sausage casing until full
13. Tie both ends of the sausage with thread and set aside on separate plate
14. Repeat steps 10 – 13 until you exhaust available ingredients
15. Boil a full pot of water
16. Submerse sausages into water for approximately 2 minutes
17. Serve sausages

Storage Notes
Eat within a week of making
Store in fridge
Freeze leftovers

Which Way is the Gayborhood? Seattle’s Capitol Hill

Earlier this month I attended "Evolution of the Gay-borhood" co-hosted by the Greater Seattle Businesses Association (GSBA) and Out for Sustainability. The event focused on defining the notion of a Gayborhood and had voices from around the community to speak about various topics related to retaining the neighborhood's identity and sense of place. 

One of the standout presenters was Louise Chernin, CEO of the GSBA. She articulately defined the meaning of a Gayborhood. Her definition is as follows, a Gayborhood is a place where LGBT people historically have lived in large numbers. Their presence usually has a noticeable impact on the surrounding community values and businesses. Today these places retain cultural history and are important destinations to celebrate key milestones in the fight for LGBT equality.

Louise was quick to point out however that Gayborhoods shouldn't be thought of as the only LGBT place in the region. Historically Seattle's gay population has called a variety of neighborhoods and cities home; we're beginning to see members of the LGBT community live in places far outside of the historic center. Two notable hot spots include West Seattle and Vashon Island. Louise went on to stress the fact that neighborhoods develop and retain identities tied to their "founders." Similar to ethnic ghettos long inhabited by Jews, Blacks, or Asians, Gayborhoods will always retain a sense of history and place of importance to the community.

Michael Brown, a geography professor from the University of Washington followed up shortly after Louise and added a few noteworthy points to consider. Like many items in Seattle, Capitol Hill is a place heavily infused with mythology and hyperbole. He challenged the audience to think about the fuzziness and ask, "Where are the blurred lines and what's being left out of the discussion." His point behind this statement was Seattle's gay history when reviewed as a whole is actually more complex than just a single place.

Looking not too far back into the city's history, Michael noted that Seattle's Gayborhood was actually birthed in Pioneer Square and has shifted a number of times since to accommodate new tastes and demands. As he jokingly put it, "No one wants to go to their parents' gay bars." The visibility and scale of the community also added pressure for it to move to a new location. It first migrated up to the upper portion of Capitol Hill – roughly between 12th St to 15th St (west-east) and East Mercer St to Pine St (north-south), and has since migrated back further down west to encompass a larger swath of land, arguably - like all Seattle neighborhood boundaries, I-5 to 15th St (west-east) and East Mercer St to Pine St (north-south).

The future of the neighborhood is increasingly unsure. With the city as a whole doing well economically, there is increased pressure to further develop the neighborhood which is leading to some changes in the built environment and community. Tom Rasumusn, Seattle City Councilmember, spoke first on this point. He highlighted the city's growing commitment to retaining the neighborhood’s diversity and character by preserving "auto row" style buildings and encouraging small businesses to develop over big chain stores. The Pike/Pine Corridor has even gained special protection under the Pike/Pine Conservation Overlay District which dictates what types of development can take place. In terms of preserving LGBT community within the area, there is a big push being backed by Capitol Hill Housing and GSBA to support the creation of a LGBT community visitor center within the new Capitol Hill light rail station. The center would serve all members of the community but would also place heavy emphasis on supporting LGBT youth and elders - a segment of the population which is considered ignored by many experts.   

Washington state and Seattle specifically is fortunate to have Capitol Hill. It's a major local economic engine and has become an international beacon for the LGBT community. Moving forward it will be increasingly important to continue dialogue about maintaining the character of the neighborhood while still allowing for growth. Gayborhoods and other ethnic ghettos will always continue to evolve and change, the most important question however is how.

[Photos Courtesy of Out for Sustainability, Seattle Times, and City of Seattle]