Last winter, I told you that Wisconsin Winter Builds Character because…
The four inalienable truths discovered during the 2010 – 2011 winter season were about self-reliance and staying positive within a typically stressful situation. Three weeks ago, the 2012 winter season came back with a vengeance and wasted no time chalking up truth number five.
At the end of January, I reported to my co-workers that I hadn’t fallen down this winter. Once February hit, I was regretting my bold statement as winter wreaked havoc on my otherwise uneventful, organized little life. I’ve come to accept the following inalienable truths of Wisconsin winter…
You Will Fall Down
I was on my way to a Super Bowl party, with an appetizer, Smirnoff Vodka and a lovely Orange/Mango fruit juice. As I came around the corner, both my legs slipped to the right and the rest of my body fell on the pavement. After a surprised shriek, I heard glass breaking and smelled Vodka piddling on to the pavement. Although I was tempted to lay there until someone offered me a fresh handle, I got up & smiled proudly at the amused bystanders. My father always said, “Don’t cry over spilled vodka.”
Since Monday morning, I’ve been living vicariously through the tweets of the #socialrecruiting summit attendees. I couldn’t watch ERE’s live stream all day, but kept hitting refresh so I could be the first one to view slides and vids from the conference. I started watching Paul DeBettignies’ (@MNHeadhunter) presentation on “Building Community as a Solo Act” because the title & description appealed to me. I kept listening to Paul for a few other reasons.
1 ) His major sarcasm. If scientists identified a gene directly related to sarcasm, it would be traced back to the Midwest.
2) His goal to recruit candidates in the Minnesota area did not require recognition on a global or even a national level. He focused his efforts on networking within the state and did not set his sights beyond that. In a world where most want to be a Lady Gaga-esque super star, it was refreshing to learn about his narrow approach. “You’re So Vain” began playing in my head as I realized that being a nationally recognized blogger might not be a realistic goal. My roots are in Wisconsin. I love the following cities in this descending order: Milwaukee, Fox Point, Madison, Up North (kidding). I suppose I’ll stay local and ditch the dream of international stardom sigh…
Miss Early Bird 