dream chaser.

i’m excited to have been invited to participate in my  first ever blog link-up. but  i’m equally as excited about meeting new bloggers and hopefully making new friends from around the world.  this week, people across the US, australia and new zealand will be sharing our own dreams and why we dare to chase them.  join us in our dream chaser adventure!

if you had asked me in high school or college if i was an orphan, i would have laughed…or smacked you…or both.  i never considered myself poor or lacking of anything.  to me the word denoted something of poverty if not a curse.  besides my only experience of an “orphan” was shirley temple.  and i hated that movie.  but little did i know that the definition of an orphan is any child who loses one or both his/her parents.  technically, i am an orphan.

in high-school my family reeled from the sudden loss of my dad. he passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack. my twin sister and i were 15 years old. looking back i was a pretty self-absorbed kid. i covered it up as much as i could with a life full of school and sports. i also know my mom did her best to support us. she moved us to another island, far from her own family and friends to provide for her attention starving and soon to be college-bound teenagers.  she risked and sacrificed a lot. something that i could never truly appreciate until i was married. but the sacrifice and risk was something that would become a common thread in linking my dreams together.

jen and jacks

honestly i really had no idea how the loss of my father would play a pivotal role in my career.  i didn’t think it could. fast forward to senior year of college. some friends and i start a program, acting on aids, to bring awareness and activism to college students about the global HIV and AIDS pandemic. we pitch our program to world vision, and voila! three college graduates start working at one of the largest NGOs in the world.   don’t be fooled. it wasn’t as easy as it sounds. there was a lot of risk and a lot of sacrifice. how do you tell your family that you’re investing your $100K college degree into a start up with no real guarantees of a job?  besides, i can’t say i had ever wanted to work for a non-profit. back then my ‘world view’ consisted of for-profit corporations and entrepreneurial start-ups. non-profits were not in my prevue.

James, Elisabeth, Rich Stearns, and me at our Acting on AIDS program roll out at World Vision USA Chapel, 2005.

obviously God had a different plan. and a sense of humor. throughout my time building acting on aids (now ACT:S) and working at world vision, my “heart was broken for the things that break the heart of God.” poverty, malnutrition, hunger, famine ravished lands, lack of clean water, education, and the need…oh the need, has stirred in me a passion and thirst that i can’t quite quench.  and i don’t’ know if i ever will. but there was something that i really struggled with. making this ‘my story.’ how was God working in my life beyond this start up and how did this tie into what my dreams were?

my dreams of working for a big company started when i was a kid. i didn’t want to be a doctor or a nurse or even a teacher. i wanted to be a business woman who made a difference in the world. i suppose having a mom who dressed up in fabulous clothes each day to head to the corporate office influenced my decision somewhat.

Mom, Jen and I at my wedding.

okay let’s be honest, it influenced me a lot. but beyond the clothes, the  jewelry, and painted nails, i knew that there was something more about the business world that was enticing. it was about making a difference.  looking back over the last few years i’ve been able to really see how that kid-passion has driven me to shape who i am, what i desire to do in life, and where i want to go.

while with acting on aids, i was given the opportunity to travel to kenya and ethiopia on a three week trip to see world vision’s work in the field. it was one of the best trips of my life. it was also one of the hardest. i traveled with a group of senior pastors from around the US, mostly sitting in the background as to not detract from their trip. i listened, observed, rarely spoke…i was a wall flower. the night before our last day in the field, my mentor and trip leader, steve haas, asked each of us what the one thing we encountered on the trip that changed our perspective was and how would we take that into our lives as we returned home to the states?  honestly, i struggled…a lot. i nearly copped out. i was tempted to say what was the easiest…the poverty, the  need, the joy, the happiness, the children’s smiles, the culture, the food…but it was something else. something bigger that i had encountered.

Photo Courtesy of Jeff Stone, Africa 2006.

it was the realization that i was just like these kids. though not poor in material wealth, i had suffered the loss of a parent.  i too was an orphan. my mom was a single parent. she was caring for two kids, making sure we had a roof over our heads, meals on the table, and the opportunity to play with our friends. i had a connection with these children i never thought possible. and my heart just broke.  since then my dreams have always included these kids. i want to be able to give these children a life and opportunity i had, even as an orphan.  no one defined me by the loss of my dad nor should they. and no one should ever define the future of our generation.  all i see is potential. don’t you?

—————————————————————————————————————————————————

We believe dreams are made of the same filling as hope, joy and love – the things that give us breath to run, faith to believe, and a heart to sing. When we dream, nobody imposes limitations on us, and that which can be imagined and hoped for can be so.

We’re writing about dreams this month because we believe when we share our dreams, we are dared to chase them. These dreams have inspired us, changed us, and fuelled our love for life and God. They’ve moved us jobs, continents and through relationships. They remind us that everything is possible.

confessions of an “unplugged” social media addict

it’s been nearly ten months since my last blog post.  the original intent was to take a break from social media and unplug for three months and then come back to blogging. obviously that didn’t happen. honestly i’m quite embarrassed to admit this  at times i like to imagine that the entire year was like this…

Fun in the sun

but really if felt like this…though not as cute and cuddly

photo courtesy of facebook.com/frappuccino

i wish i had a great story to share about why i’ve been absent for so long. i would share photos of kyle and i on an adventure to machu picchu, or photos of a new baby, or even possibly, that i broke both my hands which prohibited me from typing on any sort of keyboard for those ten months.  but those would be lies, especially the being pregnant part.  sadly,  i was just burned out.

most people are envious when they hear that i get paid to work in social media. most of the time i feel honored, blessed and extremely lucky. i love the people i work with, especially those half-way around the world. but after a few consecutive years of major growing pains at work, supporting kyle while he finished his master’s degree, moving to the suburbs,  kicking off the settlement to my car accident, adjusting to a new team and new work environment, i was tired. couple that with the pressure to stay abreast on all the latest trends on every platform, the work expectations of SM, the need to check into every single location on foursquare, retweet and tweet the latest info, and figure out if purchasing an iphone was justifiable just so i could be on instagram kind of sent me over the edge

i took a step back and decided i needed jackie time. a lot of jackie time.  i needed to regroup and figure out not just what mattered to me but why i loved social media in the first place. it wasn’t a job. it was something i once loved. i yearned to find that love again. i didn’t want it to be a chore. i didn’t want my job to be a chore.

fast forward ten months…a new iphone, kyle’s graduation, and renewing our lease for one more year (that’s for a different blog post), and i feel like i’m starting to get back into my groove.  but honestly, i think the biggest contributing factor has been my good friends, lindsey and richenda. both are social media divas and gals i admire not just for their SM smarts but their passion and love for what they do.

both lindsey and richenda recently posted a few lists that many social media junkies out there could relate to, including me. not only was it absolutely hysterical, but it also hit a spot in my heart that needed some reassurance and encouragement. in honor of getting back into the swing of things here’s my list of an ‘unplugged’ social media addict:

• you check fliptop and mashable before you even bother opening your inbox.
• you no longer care if your computer has issues connecting to lotus notes. you can still check everything from your iphone, carry on skype chats, and open attachments faster than your colleagues can who are using a dell.
• you check your foursquare account more than facebook just to make sure you’re still the mayor of senor taco.
• you use Foursquare’s comments and check-in locations as a decision making plan on dinner instead of the Urbanspoon app just so you can increase your check-in points.
• you debate about checking in at the hunger games movie premier for fear of seeming like a teenie-bobper only to realize you’re the oldest adults in line and decide to throw all apprehension out the window.  you need points!
• you are really upset that fliptop refuses to incorporate pinterest into their iphone app. the articles are amazing and would really save you the trouble of bookmarking it in the future.
• you knew of pinterest 18 months before everyone else did but decided to hoard it like it’s a million bucks. secretly you’re bummed the cats out of the bag.
• you are really confused why more and more people aren’t aware of hootsuite or tweetdeck. really? how do you expect us to post at 1am? whoops. was i not supposed to share our magic tricks?
• you geek out over SM analytics, tracking, reporting, monitoring, and measurement tools. but are secretly frustrated that no one in their right mind has figured out a way to stream all SM platforms through one monitoring & measurement tool.
• you see life in blog posts, then facebook posts, tweets, and when it’s really busy, instagram. at least people get a photo.
• you remove and/or rearrange all the extra background ‘stuff’ so that it doesn’t get into the way of the perfect instagram photo. then you proceed to take no less then 4 photos of the same thing just to make sure it’s prefect.
• you are not ashamed to check your klout score.
• you don’t bad an eye-lash at the word “gamification.”
  Can you relate to these other social media junkies? Better yet, if you’re a social media addict, how have you balanced life and the pressures to always stay connected?

resumania

Got this from a co-worker and thought it was hilarious! Read on. 

"Resumania" is a term to describe the unintentional bloopers that often
appear on job candidates' resumes, job applications and cover letters. Here
are some examples: 

"I perform my job with effortless efficiency, effectiveness, efficacy, and
expertise." 
(And an eye on the "e" section of the dictionary, evidently.) 

"Insufficient writing skills, thought processes have slowed down some. If I
am not one of the best, I will look for another opportunity." 
(No problem ...) 

"Seek challenges that test my mind and body, since the two are usually
inseparable." 
(Glad to hear it.) 

"My compensation should be at least equal to my age."  
(And bonuses "tied to" his shoe size?) 

"I am very detail-oreinted."  
(With the possible exception of spelling) 

"I can play well with others." 
(We'll be sure to tell your mommy.) 

"Married, eight children. Prefer frequent travel." 
(A new twist on work-family balance.) 

"Objection: To utilize my skills in sales." 
(Have you considered law school?) 

"My salary requirement is $34 per year." 
(They say money isn't everything.) 

"Served as assistant sore manager." 
(Ouch.) 

"Previous experience: Self-employed - a fiasco." 
(Definitely to the point.) 

"I vow to fulfill the goals of the company as long as I live." 
(And they say loyalty is hard to come by.) 

"Reason for leaving last job: Pushed aside so the vice president's
girlfriend could steal my job." 
(We're glad you're not bitter.)

papa was right.

breakfast is the most important meal of the day.   too bad no one told him that in this day and age, time to cook up breakfast from scratch is practically non-existent. i barely have enough time to get myself out the door and at work by 7!

i am however getting a bit smarter. it could be attributed to my recent breakfast routine or the fact that i’m starving by the time 9:30am hits and i’m complaining to my intern about how famished i am.  but i think it’s more about my continued fondness for babycakes recipes.  we’ve tested a few here over the last couple of weeks and want to share some of our new favorites over the next couple of days. like with all the recipes i share, they’re gluten-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, and at times vegan. anything from babycakes is 100% vegan and we are sure to cook/bake it that way.

waffles: (courtesey of babycakes covers the basics)

• 1/4 c. melted refined coconut oil or canola oil
• 1 1/2 c. bob’s red mill all purpose gluten free baking flour
• 1 c. brown rice flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. xantham gum
• 2 1/2 c. rice milk
• 3 T. agave nectar
• 1 T. vanilla extract
• 1 c. vegan chocolate chips (optional)

preheat waffle make according to manufacture’s instructions. brush iron with oil or spray.

in a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and xantham gum. add the rice milk, 1/4 cup coconut oil, agave nectar, vanilla, (chocolate chips) and stir with a rubber spatula.

pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter into the waffle griddle and bake to desired wellness.  repeat with remaining batter. i love a bit of agave with fresh fruit or just plain almond butter. kyle slathers his with almond butter and maple syrup. these are delicious and can be paired with any other amazing concoction you come up with! even powdered sugar or plain vegan butter will do!

enjoy!

70 percent or better.

i’ve become  a dark chocolate fanatic. i live for a hint of salt and almonds or a combination of chilies and cacao.  i love how the complexity of flavors and the darkness of the chocolate forces me to sit back and enjoy the moment.  it also helps that it doesn’t melt as quickly as milk chocolate does.

now, don’t get me wrong. i do enjoy a good milk chocolate bar. who can ever turn down lindt? or a reese’s peanut butter cup? but our food allergy test forced me to realize that milk chocolate doesn’t sit well with me.  so i began to search out some other options for a severe chocolate craving and found that quality dark chocolate doesn’t contain milk.  score. some brands are also gluten free, vegan, and dairy free. bonus. and thought these are a bit more expensive., these chocolate companies care about environmental sustainability, fair trade, organic and healthy food, and community development. who can argue with that?

living in seattle (ahem, even sammamish), has many positives. being green and healthy doesn’t just pertain to our health rating by american fitness. it has a tendency to trickle into products retailers purchase, services and products offered, and ultimately what the demand is from consumers.  as a local, we’re also privy to some of the best dark chocolate around. it helps when a favorite chocolate factory resides in your backyard, theo chocolate.  if you ever come to visit seattle, this is a must have local favorite. the tour is eye-opening, educational, multi-sensory, and leaves you with an endless supply of ‘tastings’ of all their local chocolate bars.

a few other awesome chocolate bar companies have creeped up on my radar. like theo, they too are organic, environmentally conscious, and are proponents of fair trade.  alter-eco is an awesome company that doesn’t only work with farmers throughout the world for some of the best chocolate, but they have some of the most some combinations i, personally, have never heard of. dark chocolate cacao with crunch roasted nibs or dark chocolate quinoa.  not only do they produce some amazing chocolate, but they also provide products like fair trade rice, quinoa, and sugar.

our Alter-Eco selections! all are delish!

also, taza chocolate is a new brand that’s becoming well recognized. it’s all fair trade, environmentally sustainable and community focused. you might mistaken the taza chocolate discs for mexican drinking chocolate, but it’s not. it’s actually something you eat not drink and they come in the most amazing flavors. taza was actually the first brand that i found who made dark chocolate salted almond. even theo didn’t make it at the time. taza’s combinations are unlike any i’ve ever had. and i’ll be honest; i haven’t tasted a bad chocolate combination from them yet!

Taza samples at PCC

there’s a few others like dagoba chocolate, who make amazing bars and drinks. my favorites from dagoba are the lavendar blueberry, becoup berries, and new moon. one thing you may notice immediately is the price. though these are all relatively pricey in comparison to your regular hershey’s bar, the knowledge that i’m supporting local communities & farmers through fair trade practices; eating good, quality, organic food; and supporting and encouraging generations of skills and knowledge that might otherwise be erased; and supporting strong environmental and ecological practices assure me that it’s the best $4 i could have spent to subdue my sweet tooth.  i hope you do as well.

from one chocolate lover to other, enjoy!

 

you can learn a lot over a cup of coffee & from the people who make it.

i have a lot of things on my todo list. i also have a lot of books on my reading list. they range from social media to digital marketing, from biblical commentaries to the bible itself, to business and marketing trend books to self-help books. the reading stack seems endless. unfortunately, i have not had enough time in the day to devote to pleasure reading as evident by the stack of unopened, untouched books on my bed stand.

the one book that i have been anxious to read has been howard schultz’s, onward.  for those who don’t know, i worked at starbucks for over 7 months at one of the few drive thrus in seattle a few years back. though it was minimum wage and a very short stint, it was probably one of the best jobs i’ve had to this day. ultimately, i love what starbucks stands for- it’s value, mission, philosophy and ethics.  to read about the founding of those values and ethics are inspiring and encouraging, especially when one questions the ethical business practices of today. the timing of picking up this book couldn’t have been more perfect. for one, i am truly impressed by howard’s writing. he is a great writer- articulate, passionate, engaging, concise. though i am only 5 chapters in, there are a few profound things that he says that has resounded with me on multiple levels. professional. personally. ethically.  so much so, i feel compelled to share it.

1) “there are moments in our lives when we summon the courage to make choices that go against reason, against common sense, and the wise counsel of people we trust. but we lean forward nontheless because, despite all risks and rational argument, we believe that the path we are choosing is the right and best thing to do.  we refuse to be bystanders, even if we do not know exactly where our actions will lead.  this is the kind of passionate convistion that sparks romances, wins battles, and drives people to pursue dreams others wouldn’t dare. belief in ourselves and in what is right catapults us over hurdles, and our lives unfold.”

2) “work should be personal. for all of us…infusing work with purpose and meaning, however is a two-way streat.  yes, love what you do but your company should love you back.”

3) “every organization has a memory, a history of achievements, mistakes, even unintended consequences that contribute to an ongoing dialogue  as people mold an event’s meaning for themselves.  the tapestry of interpretations informs, and often directs the organization’s future. “

4) “i had written hundreds of memos during my 26 years at the company, and all had shared a common thread. they were about self-examination in the pursuit of excellence, and a willingness not to embrace the status quo. this is a cornerstone of my leadership philosophy…only by not speaking from my heart do i betray that trust.”

as i read howard’s “heart,” i’m fascinated and inspired by all that he has done to keep to the core values he originally founded starbucks on. you really can learn a lot about a person over a cup of coffee.  even more so by the folks who make it.

impeccable timing.

after working 60 hour work weeks for the last 2 months and pulling 40 hours this past week just from sunday-tuesday alone, i decided i needed a mental health day. unfortunately the way schedules worked out i only could take part of the day off.  but it worked out perfectly because of this…

i love visitors from back home.

some friends from back home were in vancover, bc for vacation for the week and decided to drive down to seattle for the afternoon to hang out with me! seriously?! i felt so loved.  it’s times like these that i miss home. the people. the food. the stories. the connection. and in typically seattle fashion, the sun decided to show up. in a mere 7 hours we accomplished the following:

• lunch at red mill burgers
• shopping at u village and hitting up amazing sales at anthropology and H&M
• kicking it at gas works park with a few photo ops and oohs and ahhs at sea-planes.
• photo-op at the fremont troll. a bit of confusion about seattle artwork and sculpture.stalin anyone? none of which i could explain.
• grabbing an ice-cold one at caffe ladro while walking the boutiques in fremont. les amis, dream, bliss, mercer to name a few
• attempting to scare kyle at second ascent in ballard- didn’t work out too well.
• more boutique shopping in ballard
• happy hour at moshi moshi sushi
• pit stop at cupcake royale for some delish goodies to take back home
• farewells

i am so looking forward to seeing my dear friends in august. it has been way too long. and though i’m on the brink of exhaustion, God knew exactly what i needed. good weather. good food. good company. what else is there but impeccable timing?