Ever watch Whose Line is it Anyway?  Drew Carey sat behind a desk reading note cards with absurd scenarios and then asked the audience to assign jobs to each of the cast members.  In one act Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie would be married, in the next act they would be brothers (or sisters), and there was a good chance that Wayne Brady would break out in a song and dance routine.

That show was always fun to watch, I was always entertained by the crazy antics of the cast, and how well they put different, usually non related roles together.  Oddly enough, since joining Brazen Careerist I feel like I am living in an episode of the show!  Here is what I mean…

My first few months in the company I had a pretty solid direction.  I was focused on the Brazen Careerist Corporate Community (BC3).  My time was spent gathering corporate contacts, and helping to grow BC3.  At first this proved to be successful, companies are intrigued by our community and our network, and the beta launch was a great opportunity to learn to blog so that they can create a conversation with top young professionals.

As with many start ups, direction constantly changes. Being the only person in our sales department, I am usually at the forefront of whatever changes are taking place.  I went from helping Ryan Paugh with community growth, to corporate sales, to contacting colleges about consulting we can do for them, to most recently helping to build our new syndicated corporate blogging community.

While doing all of this I have overseen parts of the marketing plan, helped with business development, and staffed our CEO at conferences.  It is crazy, it is stressful, but it is fun as hell.  So everyday I look at what is going well, and what department we are struggling in.  Then I head home knowing that tomorrow I will take my seat on the stage with RH, RP, and Photis while Penelope picks up a note card and shouts out the days scenario.  Behind her the board shouts out what role we play, and without asking any questions we act it out.

It keeps things interesting, and I am always interested who the next person on the cast will be, and if they are cut out to act on a whim.  This has also allowed me to broaden my skills, and learn about myself in the process.  It isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but we’re doing our jobs for our audience, and things are working out for now…

Lately I have been trying to get entrenched in the Social Media scene.  I constantly check and update my Twitter feed, that goes to my Facebook status, and now I am blogging again.

I don’t think I am on the right track.  Even though I am on Twitter and Facebook, my community is still limited.  FB is a majority of people I went to school with (High School and College), and my Twitter followers are mainly in the Brazen Community.  Don’t get me wrong, this is great, but it is an updating and staying in touch relationship, not necessarily a branding myself and building a new network plan.

I want to get out there, I want to meet the world, I want to have something great to say…

So time to start a new plan.  I am going to do more reading, more commenting, and try to have something important to say.

Look out world, here I come!

Tis’ the season of giving.  The problem this year is, no one has any money to give.  I could go on a rant about lost jobs and a terrible economy, but I have read enough of that, and I am ready to start looking at the glass half full.

I would also like to be clear about something, if you have the money to give, then absolutely donate it to your charity of choice, they are struggling as much, if not worse then everyone else right now.  However, if this year you cannot afford the donation, these are some ideas for how to give in other ways.

Give a gift (or get the whole office to)!
Open those storage closets and take out a toy that your aunt gave you last year even though you stopped playing with toys 10 years ago.  Grab the candle holders or coffee mugs that you got last year and never used.  Then bring them to your local gift center, and they will distribute them to the less fortunate.

If you cannot find anything in the storage closets don’t fret…  If you office has a Secret Santa every year you should put a new spin on it.  Everyone should go through the fun part of buying a gift, but instead of keeping the gifts, go together as an office and donate them to people who perhaps just lost their jobs.  If your office doesn’t have a Secret Santa, maybe this would be a good way to start a new tradition.

Give your time
I realize time is difficult to come by, but it is not impossible to find.  Grab your co-workers, your friends, or your family and donate your time to benefit someone else.  There are volunteers needed during the holiday season, they aren’t difficult to find but are usually locally based, so put in a Google search and find your local shelters.

Adopt a pet
This may seem a little off topic, but as family budgets are cut, animals are an expense that some people cut out first.  You have to remember that animals are very important, they can cheer you up when your down and they make a great present for a child, or a significant other, a good idea when money is tight.  It will cost you about $90, but it is a great gift idea if you know you are able to care for the animal.

A few other ideas:

• Donate Food
• Give Blood
• Donate Clothes

I hope everyone takes the time to give something this Holiday season, and if you have any other ideas, please let me know!

This is the first time I have been in a relationship that required me to share the holidays.  It is not that I mind visiting my Girlfriend’s family, I actually really enjoy it, and I think it is going to be great to experience Christmas somewhere else.  However, it really upsets my family, and that is not an easy thing for me.

I made it home for Thanksgiving, it was great.  My birthday always falls on or around Thanksgiving, and to be able to be with my family for my birthday is always a pleasure.  My Girlfriend made the trip up from North Carolina to be with us, and it was amazing.  She was a big hit, my family and our extended family (very close family friends) all enjoyed her company.  But when I went home I had to break the news to my Father that I would be with her for Christmas.  He was devastated.

I know he understood that this is part of growing up, and when you find yourself with someone, sacrifices need to be made, but it still hurt him.  After thinking about it a little, I realized why…

Christmas is Dad’s holiday.  My Mother is Jewish, and for a while we were raised Jewish.  The one thing my Father always requested was that he got to have Christmas, and now, for the first time, one of his boys will not be there for his favorite time of the year.

I talked to him about it a bit, and he offered to put up her family, and have them come to Connecticut for a New England Christmas.  I mentioned it to her, but understood she wanted to be with her family in their home.

So now I am trying to figure out a way to make it home for Christmas Eve to see my parents, but financially it does not seem feasible.  I feel like this is a good learning experience for me, and something I will most likely have to deal with for the rest of my life…

Growing up seems to affect all aspects of your life, some easier then others, but I know it is part of life, and I can only be thankful that my parents are still around to go through this with me…