For crying out loud I need a little peace around here!

Today, with spring having unfurled its shimmering buds and greening grasses, I am feeling the need to write about peace and inspiration. And that's not because I just watched the "Inspiration" (cough, cough) episode of American Idol. If anything, watching tonight's show might cause indigestion not inspiration, except for two of the contestants who managed to actually be real.

Enough of that. Truth is, I had a crappy day. It began with a five-year-old tantrum at 6 a.m., after a late night working and then tossing around in sleepless hell. Next up, some unpleasant exchanges with an editor at a new client, and then, a few hours later a trip to the dentist. Let’s not forget the whole gallon of milk that came crashing down from the top shelf of the fridge, exploding into large pools of sticky whiteness across the kitchen floor and cabinets. At this point, 3:30 p.m., my day actually began to get better.

I made chocolate chip butterscotch cookies with my kids, watched my tantrum child master her bike (without training wheels), and then enjoyed a crisp glass of South African Chenin Blanc (sitting down!) with a fun neighbor we haven't seen for a while. Finally, I settled down to a healthy dinner cooked by my loving and patient husband.

So all in all, the day was saved and I am ever so grateful. Every day needs a few moments in which one can find either true peace of mind (which incorporates forgiveness and a lack of self-loathing), or inspiration (yes, I am going to restart my novel and help my daughter finish her room-decorating project). When we are really lucky, we actually attain peace and inspiration all in one day or moment. I asked a few friends to share how they achieve a bit of peace or inspiration during an average day. I'm going to post their ideas below, and start with mine:


Polly’s Peace Prescription


Running, hiking or any form of exercise, looking at the mountains every morning from my window, watching my children sleep so peacefully, hanging out with good girlfriends, and a date night with spousal unit to reconnect as best friends.


From my meditative friend in San Mateo


A few minutes of silence. Watching one of my children learn something new. A mountain bike ride in God's country. Watching a frisbee glide through the air. Reading beautiful words on a page. Being with my wife - alone.


From a former colleague in New Hampshire


Getting up at 4 a.m. for morning coffee and a bit of free reading time before the rest of the world wakes up and wants a piece of me.


From my college roommate in SoCal


Watching children grow and learn is incredibly inspiring. They make me realize how many things in life I've already learned and accomplished...things I now take for granted. Take the simple task of walking. We do it every day w/o a thought, but watching a baby trying to learn to walk reminds me that it's really hard work.


From a good friend and semester abroad pal, in Boston, who happens to be a dog fanatic


Cuddling with my fur-babies, of course!


[Oh man, I agree. I do so miss my sweet golden Bella who passed away this winter]


From my highly-disciplined (damn you!) college roommate, in NoCal


Going for a run. The running part gets harder and harder as I get older, but after I'm done? Voila. Brand new person.


From my daughter's incredibly talented kindergarten teacher in San Mateo


I read a daily reflection for teachers. It always amazes me how much it helps me and makes me laugh. My husband meditates daily and he is the most positive guy I know. Lastly, YOGA!


From my deeply-grounded sister-in-law, in Idaho.


Time outdoors. No matter the weather, no matter the manner of conveyance (feet, skis, etc.). Or, a few minutes of noozle time with a treasured pet. Or, a minute to tell someone how much you love them.


Oh, that last remark rings so true, sister. Showing affection to a friend, spouse/partner, family member, pet, or neighbor is a fundamental way to feel truly connected with the universe. In my view, sharing compassion and love the highest form of peace and inspiration. Let's all do it just a little bit more.




For now, adieu, to you and you and you….

Mourning the death of freelance journalism

Lately, I've been considering the possibility that for all intents and purposes, at least as a career track, freelance journalism is dead. Oh boy, what a revelation. I finally saw the light, yet it's only because I've been in denial. I mean this can't be true, right? The only journalists out there who aren't employed with a real salary (that's everyone in the field except for about 100 people these days) who can afford to freelance for independent media are the youngsters. These are people right out of college with no experience and minimal income needs. At least I hope they're out of college but with these rates you never know. Recently, I viewed an ad on Craigslist looking for business writers willing to work for, drum roll please, $5 dollars per article. That's less than the barristas at Starbucks earn! And way more frustrating and lonely!

These bottom-feeding freelance rates make me think twice about what I read online unless it comes from a blue-chip publication. There are just a ton of choices out there now for information and analysis, but the writing on many of these blogs leaves something to be desired. The analysis, whatever of it may exist, well that's another thing altogether. But if you're only willing or able to pay the price of a few beers for an article, then you get what you pay for: untrained writers, poorly-sourced information, a lack of objectivity and clarity, and a hangover the next day when you read the piece online.

What does this all mean for the future of journalism? I quiver in my boots. Given the fact that freelancers are absolutely required given the abundance of layoffs in the publishing industry over the course of the last several years, it doesn't bode well for the future of journalism overall if none of us can make a living doing it anymore.

My friend and writer colleague Fawn wrote about this in her blog: "These days, anyone semi-literate who has Internet access can start up a free blog and call himself or herself a writer, so the perceived value of being able to write and research is much lower. Which means people are less willing to pay for the good stuff (as opposed to celebrity-oriented crap). When I'm feeling cynical, I think that's because they prefer crap to substance. When I'm despairing, I think it's because they can no longer tell the difference."

I couldn't have said it better myself, Fawn. The problem is not so much that there isn't any quality left: there's plenty, and it's much more readily available than it used to be in the old days when you had to pay for the publication to arrive on your doorstep or in your mailbox. The problem is, this high quality content now available for free is also diluted with loads of low-quality drivel that one must weed through to find the treasure. If you do a search online for a given topic, it can take quite a bit of patience to find the article or site that actually suits your needs and original interests and lives up to any sort of journalistic standards. There's simply too much out there for most of us to easily filter, so we often pick what's at the top of the search engine results… for better or worse. We read it, and we move on, because we must.

Increasingly, even with the blue-chip pubs and sites, contents needs are enormous and ever-changing. There is no time to diligently research a topic through the course of a week or two for most journalists today. And even on the pages of respectable titles, one finds sloppiness, shallowness, smug undertones, and a general disregard for detail. Detail, humility, and diligence were the foundations of my journalism education at The American University, yet who's got time for that in this snarky digital world?

Another longtime writer colleague and friend, Howard, apparently thinks I am being a little bit dramatic (which wouldn't be out of character). "Once the media figures out how to financially support its efforts — and focuses on what its readers want — everything will balance out again. Perhaps we’ll see the rise of syndicates like the Associated Press again, which will likely support local journalists and stringers. But an unheralded facet of this shift is that, like the media, freelancers have to reinvent themselves too — they will need to figure out their own business model to survive in the “free agent” society.” Howard is always positive about his career, even though he blogs about what it's like to be middle-aged and cranky. (It's very funny, and you really should check it out)

I do hope you are right Howard, yet my business model to survive has been to exit the career of journalism. For the past few years I've been doing largely corporate-sponsored work, be it writing, editing or marketing and PR consulting. I suppose I should just get over it, continue to write for companies and marketing concerns (which mostly I enjoy) or else go into sales and just write for fun. I've got this blog, after all, not to mention many unfinished short stories. But I'm having a hard time stomaching the steady but certain unraveling of my former profession.

I'm still glad that I went into journalism and worked into the wee hours for magazines because it's helped me to be fearless, to ask tough questions, to investigate, and to keep pushing for the right answer and the right story. But where will the kids learn this stuff today?

The beauty of switching careers

These days, it's not uncommon to find someone who worked in marketing move into a sales job, or someone from real estate move into teaching. People in industries that have undergone major downward shifts such as the auto industry have been looking for anything they can do with their manufacturing or engineering skills. Many people who have been laid off, demoted or need to find supplementary income are trying to squeeze their experience and skills into something that will pay the bills. Even those people with glowing references and accomplishment-packed resumes have come up short, despite their best efforts.

However, if you look at this concept of "looking outside the box" for a new job positively, it can be exciting. At one point in my career before we had kids, I was working for a high-flying business magazine. We had rooftop parties every Friday in San Francisco. Anyone who worked in the dotcom industry during the boom will remember this publication. Those were thrilling, albeit stressful times. I was paid well, but worked way too hard and suffered some serious repetitive stress injuries as a result. In the end, my husband's career took us away from San Francisco to Boulder. I was relieved in one sense to get out of that pressure-cooker environment but also worried about my career: what would I do now?

I decided to take a couple of months off, do some freelance writing and reconsider my options. Feeling a bit burned out on the writing career I signed up for a personal training certification program; I loved studying again after years beating my brains out working for magazines, and the change in topic from high-tech to fitness and anatomy was totally refreshing. I got my certification and began working at the local YMCA as a trainer and group exercise instructor. It was a blast. I was paid a little more than minimum wage, but I didn't care. On the side I continued to do some writing work and fortunately, my husband's job was covering most of our bills at the time.

As it happened, within a couple of months into my new career I got pregnant and my experiment as a personal trainer was short-lived. (I did teach exercise classes through my eighth month, which was quite a sight, I'm sure). I'm so glad I took the plunge into a new career path, even though I'm not following it now. I still think about going into a fitness or health-related career because I love helping and motivating others and I love being around exercise freaks.

The experience of switching gears completely to a different career has helped me make other shifts over the years. After we had our first baby, I got back into freelance writing for a while but then got an opportunity to work as an in-house editor within a Microsoft marketing department. I wasn't sure how I would like working in marketing for a gargantuan company, but the content strategy role that I was lucky enough to land was incredibly cerebral. I had enormous latitude to do what I wanted, which made suffering through spreadsheets and presentations in our regular sales and marketing meetings much less painful.

I surprised myself again recently by realizing that after a year of doing public relations consulting in addition to my freelance corporate writing gigs, I'm enjoying that too. I get to work with ideas, smart entrepreneurs, and help reporters. Who knows what's next? I'm open to the possibilities.

I still believe that desire and persistence can carry you far, even if your road to the goal is circuitous and unprofitable at first. Our financial planner told us the story about how he got started in his career. He was fresh out of college, with no job experience, yet somehow convinced a reputable financial services company to take him on for no pay so that he could list a position with that company on his resume while he sought a paying job. Within a few months, his manager left the company and he was offered her job. It wasn't without long hours and dedication on his part, but the unexpected occurred. He was well on his way to his new career, paycheck and all!

Granted, it's not easy switching careers at the moment, given this brutal job market where narrowly-targeted experience is just the first hurdle you must overcome to get an interview. How can you sell yourself into an industry and position for which you don't have direct experience? That’s the $6 million question--yet it's worth pursuing, even now.

Contributed Content: A Good or Bad Trend for Media?

I've been a professional writer since 1993, when I got my first editorial job at a small
local newspaper in Colorado. Since then I've worked in staff roles at trade and business magazines such as CIO and The Industry Standard, and as a freelancer for websites, magazines and companies. I also had a stint at Microsoft in a content role. So I've been on both sides of the fence: journalism and corporate marketing. In the last few years I've been almost strictly corporate, writing white papers and articles for corporate-sponsored sites and doing some PR. Lately, there's been some brewing debate about the concept of corporate-contributed content.

Some people think the idea of allowing executives and other experts from industry write for independent media is a disturbing denigration of the field of journalism. Others say that it's simply the direction content is heading now -- with bloggers becoming journalists, journalists becoming bloggers, and everyone with something to say actively contributing to the broader bucket of knowledge that we consume every day from social media, traditional media, and corporate-sponsored sites.

I'm in the middle here. First of all, whether they will admit it or not, newspaper and magazine editors need content. The current ad-driven revenue models cannot support large editorial staffs any longer, nor even freelancers; I know this firsthand, since freelance rates have plummeted drastically over the past few years. If a news-oriented, relevant article idea is submitted, that fits a current need, editors are much more inclined to take it these days if they trust the source. The media organizations accepting contributed content are not just small trade rags, but top-tier publications such as Fortune and BusinessWeek.

But the media needs good content— discussions that are well-researched, cogent, objective, and provide fresh insights and value to readers. As long as that criteria is met -- I don't see the problem with an executive writing a blog post for a traditional media site. In the few occasions that I have helped write such articles of late, the company nor its products are mentioned in the article. And often, such pieces are clearly labeled as a viewpoint piece.

Now you still might disagree: independent authors are the only ones worthy of writing for independent media. Yet the tide is changing: economics are demanding the acquisition of cheaper forms of content. This is an opportunity, in my mind, for both media sites and companies. For media: an occasional contributed article is a way to expand editorial coverage on tight budgets with a fresh industry-driven viewpoint that a journalist can’t always convey. For companies: this is an opportunity to express your (hopefully respectable) opinions and drive thought leadership among your peers, colleagues and customers.

Of course there's a danger here: use of such articles requires, perhaps, more stringent editorial policies to weed out people with an agenda versus those offering a thoughtful discussion. And most would agree that the large majority of articles from independent media should still come from journalists, not companies. Story ideas and execution must be held to the same level of rigor, if not more, of that of the independent journalist. And it must be distinctly clear in the article credits who penned the piece.

If managed properly, corporate-written content is not evidence of the field of journalism rapidly going downhill into the dregs of promotional drivel. Many freelance writers with pedigreed backgrounds, in fact, write regularly for corporations along with their journalism pieces—because they must, to survive. On the same token, many news organizations will have to consider free, contributed, yet high-quality content from both leaders and industry to "fill the pages" so to speak.

But that's just my view. What's yours?

New Year's Resolution #1: Slow down, babe.

For many of us, 2009 wasn't an easy year. So far, I can’t say 2010 is remarkably better; in fact I feel even more exhausted lately. But for working moms, is life ever easy? Sure, it's rewarding, to work in a job that you (mostly) love and to have an active hand in raising your kids and being deeply involved in their sweet and sometimes cranky little selves. I feel lucky to "have it all." Yet sometimes I need to take a step back and make sure that I am not trying to do everything 110%. There's a danger in that. A good friend of mine recently shared her struggles from overdoing it:

"As for me, after learning that I officially stressed and fatigued my adrenals and messed up my electrolytes, all of which was contributing to many other medical issues, I have/am learning to slow down and not take on too much all the time. Be careful -- true adrenal fatigue is almost becoming an epidemic with women 30-50."

Even though the Mayo Clinic website says that "adrenal fatigue" is not an acceptable medical diagnosis, I do believe my friend when she tells me that her body has suffered from stress and now that she has changed her lifestyle by doing less, eating better, and drinking less alcohol and caffeine, she feels like a new person.

For myself, I know that I am susceptible to stress and will suffer from lack of regular exercise and too many late nights at the computer. In my early 20s, I had a serious spell of depression that put me into the hospital for a bit. Since then, I've always been highly cognizant of my limits. Taking it easy, however, doesn't exactly jive with my genes; I am a person of many ambitions and interests, bred from a hard-charging woman who is a type-A doer. Yet, I know when to say no. I volunteer a few times a month in my daughter's classroom but on some days I just have to e-mail the teacher and apologize that I am not going to make it. I try and purge all guilt from my head after doing so, even though I know how much these teachers need and appreciate the help. Okay, stop, I'm doing it again. No guilt, I said no guilt!

But ultimately, I know the consequences of stuffing my schedule too tight: I get panicky, exceptionally snippy with the kids and hubby, angry, frustrated, and then I don't sleep well. I'm an exercise fanatic, but I have to accept the fact that sometimes a 20-minute walk with my dog is going to have to suffice instead of a trip to the gym. (The beauty of that is, my dog is very happy with the choice) Life happens. Sometimes you just have to roll with it and accept a lower standard, despite whatever impossibly high standards you have set for yourself.

All of us need to learn to recognize and honor the warning signs: consistent changes in appetite, sleep patterns, mood, motivation, and sociability. When I am overly-frazzled and overdone altogether, I simply don't want to be around other people. I don't care how fun and cute they are. Deep down inside I can hear my inner voice chanting: "Come on, get dressed, have fun, get out there." When I just can't do it, I know it's time to scale back. Do you?

Frazzled friends, I welcome your coping strategies for when life seems overwhelming. I'm never going to achieve everything that I want to, because I fear the consequences of doing and doing until I am brain dead. In the meantime, remember, these feelings of inadequacy too shall pass. On that note, I'm shutting off the computer, eating a brownie, taking a bath, and going to bed early. I think.

A blog on why I haven't been blogging

It's been over six weeks since I last posted to this blog. I've broken the most important rule, experts say, about blogging: Consistency. Fortunately, I am not The New York Times so I am not losing a lot of sleep about it. But it makes me wonder: when you're pulled in many different directions between work, kids, family and friends, how can one stay consistent with a blog that doesn't bring in money though it satisfies a deep underlying need to express one's innermost thoughts, ideas and concerns?

To make matters worse, I started another blog devoted to green business a couple of months back, and have only posted one blog, despite my initial enthusiasm. I'm still enthusiastic but severely strapped for time and energy because the new blog requires research and interviewing. Ouch: what was I thinking.

On one hand, this is all positive news: I am much busier with work these days. On the other hand, in my line of work (business and tech writing, tech marketing and communications) staying up-to-date with all the social media is pretty critical. If I can't handle my own stuff then perhaps that makes me look bad to the outside world.  Do the people who keep regular blogs while working, staying fit (a high priority for me) and taking care of family get less than six hours of sleep? If that's what it takes, I don't know if I am up to the task. My other problem is I don't work full-time: having 25-30 hours of week while my kids are in school to work, means that when I get busy, I'm barely keeping up with clients. Blogging? Forget about it.

Regardless, I do intend to keep doing this even if not weekly. And I've got a topic which I would love some feedback on now so I can write about it intelligently. Top of mind to me these days is the topic of stress. Why exactly do men seem to handle this better than women?

Men of the world: what are your secrets? Or are you just built this way? Please don't say the latter. I need a tip and fast. I know: I need to care less about the details of everyday life and stop trying to be a perfectionist. That's part of it. But beyond that -- when I am overwhelmed with deadlines and the never-ending miscellaneous list of things to take care of, sometimes I just shut down. Worse, I explode about stupid things to my kids or others in my life. And if the kitchen is not cleaned up before 10 AM, I get very cranky.

My husband, on the other hand, watches the Food Channel or ESPN and then stays up until midnight working. He rarely worries about or even notices the messy house, dirty kitchen, piles of laundry, bills piling up. He figures, it gets done when it gets done. That's not to say he doesn't need more sleep: he does. But he seems to care less about the ramifications of being overworked, overtired and constantly behind.

Is that the secret? Caring less? I don't know if I can do it. But I'd like someone to tell me how to whittle down on my worry gene, just a little bit. I'm afraid to discover that the answer is in fact, genetic. Men are from Mars, women are from Venus. Can I become a bit more Mars-like??

Until next time, hang tight frazzled people. Holiday downtime is almost here!!

Consulting woes: I just want to get paid.

As a home-based independent consultant, one of the most important tasks that you can nail is getting paid on time. It shouldn't be rocket science, yet it is. If you're just now entering the business of working for yourself, get used to the fact that you're going to be a part-time, industrious and high-value worker, and part-time collections agent.

My good friend and colleague, Howard Baldwin, who rants with brio about getting older in his blog, has also proven over the years to be a good partner in crime for whining about deadbeat clients. Complaining, however, hasn't done us much good.
Has anyone noticed that during recessionary times, getting paid is doubly harder than normal? Here's what I have discovered over the past 18 months: I am working harder and longer and for less money. This is true for many of us. Chasing down invoices is just grinding salt into the wound. But let's not be victims here: I'd like to offer a few ideas that have worked for me, and as well, a couple of ideas from some like-minded friends. Here goes:

1. Research a new client before taking on a project. These days, with a plethora of online forms and social media to connect with colleagues from all over the world, there's just simply no excuse for not making a small effort to find out if anyone has worked for the company, and if they were paid on time and treated well. Do the diligence -- unless of course you have a personal reference whom you trust already and can offer insights on the client's ability to pay and general ethics. One colleague even told me she does a background check on every new client. Now that's taking the bull by the horns!

2. Insist on a contract. This is a basic form of CYA. Always have a project agreement in writing from the client— even if they are a friend or former colleague. Consider the fact that an e-mail message may or may not hold up in court. It's better to have something on company stationery, with a signature. Because naturally, you're going to have to sign some documents for the client before you get started. It's only fair, right? And without a contract, you have absolutely no ground to stand on when the client starts ignoring your e-mails and phone calls.

3. On the contract, include a late payment fee clause. If the client refuses to sign a contract with such a clause, then you have to wonder why. Of course, it may not make it any easier to get paid with some clients of a particular slimy, or bankrupt nature— but at least they know you mean business from the start. As well, include on your invoices the late payment terms. Mine call for a 5% fee after 45 days, and a 10% fee after 60 days.

4. Insist on payment within 30 days of receipt of invoice. When you purchase any service for yourself, such as from your doctor, housecleaner, or hairdresser, you pay at the time of service, right? So why should you wait longer than 30 days to get paid for your work? If the client says: "We don't usually pay within 30 days,” move on—no matter how cool the project or company. Keep in mind, of course, that some accounting departments are given directives by senior management to hold up invoices as long as possible for the sake of cash flow. This is a hard, cold reality that every consultant/contractor must fight vigorously. At a certain point, you may have to walk away from a client that continues to violate your 30-day payment window.

5. Consider asking for a portion of your fees upfront. A marketing colleague told me that she is often able to get 50% down. That's impressive. I've not tried it myself but I must say it is tempting. For a new client with a big project that could be risky, it's worth asking. I'm just simply not sure how effective this tactic is today in the marketing/PR/freelance writing world in which I work. But if you have a unique product or service, and competitive prices, you've got a decent chance.

6. Kill them with kindness.Your invoice is two, three or perhaps even four weeks late. After the first reminder, it's time to get tougher – yet still remain the courteous, friendly professional person that you are. "Dear editor/marketing manager/accounting person: I've really enjoyed working on this project with you. But at this point, I really do need to get paid. I'm sure there's some kind of mix-up, and I'd love to just get beyond this issue so that we can move on to the next project. What do you say? Can you give me an answer by tomorrow as to when I will get my check? Thanks so much. I appreciate your help."

7. When all else fails, get nasty.
"I once told a publisher that unless I was paid immediately I would tell everyone on the masthead, as well as all of the publication's advertisers, the story of my shoddy treatment. It worked,” says John, a freelance writer friend. There are many ways you can spread the word about a company’s disreputable ways through the Web: review pages, Better Business Bureau, online forms for your industry, and so on. You can also  take them to small claims court--a protracted, frustrating process which I did once and I would not recommend doing for any amount less than $1000. (Collections agencies are another option, of course, but you'll have to meet their minimum and pay their fees)

8. Know your tipping point.
Don't kill yourself over principle. If a company is simply out of cash, then you're just not going to get paid. It's better to spend your time taking care of your good clients, and developing relationships with new clients who have money in the bank and a solid reputation with vendors. In short, know when to walk away. All that stress is simply bad for your health!

Late and unpaid invoices happen to all of us at some time. Just make sure that you do everything in your power to ensure it’s an occasional blip and not the status quo; otherwise, sister (or brother, as it may be), you’ve got the wrong kind of clients!