Cache of the Day - SHRM Leadership Conference

As the incoming President for the local Bloomington chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), I was invited to attend the annual Leadership Conference in Washington D.C. this past month. I had a chance to go last year as well, but this time I was the only one representing the chapter.



With SHRM leaders throughout the country and as far away as Egypt, we had a great opportunity to maximize our effectiveness as leaders by learning of best practices and by learning of the SHRM mission and objectives. We spent three days strategizing ideas to implement once we got back to our chapters. We had great speakers that framed our perspectives on how to maximize our potential, and how to create a sense of ownership, commitment, and accountability with our volunteer teams back home.


Here is (left to right) Aaron Garofola(President-Elect/ WVHRA), Angela Acrey (President/HRPDA), Lawrence O-Neill (CEO and President of SHRM) and his wife, me, and Chuck Gillespie (President-Elect/HRPDA).


Although the meetings were held adjacent to SHRM headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, we were able to get some time to visit D.C. I had never visited the Capitol before, other than from the outside, but I joined a tour that took us through the dome, the artwork, and the history. My biggest regret was having to catch a flight back to Indiana. The Senate was in session, and if I didn't have to get back to the airport, I may have had a chance to see the debate begin on health care reform.



The experience was a great one and I have started to out together our strategic plan for SCIHRA, our local chapter. Looking forward to a great year!

Cache of the Day - A Pageant That's Not a Pageant

Taylor was not a fan. Never has been. Doesn't "do" pageants.

Yet she decided to participate in the Junior Miss pageant so she could (1) have the possibility of winning scholarship money for college and (2) increase her involvement in activities that could support her opportunity to win the Lilly Scholarship.

After several weeks of preparation, including rehearsals for fitness routines, getting the right dress and getting it altered, preparing for a talent event, and researching and understanding current events, Taylor was able to showcase the total "her" in the actual event this past Saturday night.

She did great. She was poised, she was confident, she was everything that creates an impressive young gal. Nothing could make her momma prouder, or anyone else that knows her and has loved her.

Although she didn't win any of the scholarship awards, she did win the scholastic achievement recognition....and she was just great.

Makes me cry.

Cache of the Day - Louisville Weekend

Deb and I decided we just HAD to go see Ingrid Michaelson in concert, but the closet venue on her tour was in Louisville, Kentucky. So, rather than drive back to Indiana late on a Friday night, and in the rain, we decided to stay overnight in the city.

Here we are hanging out at a cool Irish Pub before the show.

Here is Ingrid Michaelson and her amazing band. The music was great, she had a very nice opening act, and the show was fun.

We stayed in downtown so we went to Fourth Street Live after the concert. The next day, after morning bagels and coffee, we went to the riverfront and walked a bit.

On the way back, we stopped at the Huber Winery in Starlight, Indiana, for a little tasting.

And, being Halloween, we got into our costumes and enjoyed the Rocky Horror Picture Show in downtown Bloomington.

Fun weekend!

Cache of the Day - Overwhelmed with Learning!

I think of myself as fairly tech-savvy. I have a blog (such that it is), I'm on Facebook, twitter, etc. But I was OVERWHELMED while at my CIASTD Meeting this past week. We had a great presenter who shared a TON of opportunities for learning solutions - many of them FREE - that are on the internet.

I wasn't aware of all the options in the "wiki space", or all that Web 2.o can do, or "TVlesson" or "Ustream" or "moodle" or....I could just go on and on.

My plans are to dig in and figure out what is best for my business and start to adopt these technologies to a blended learning model.

Should be fun!

Cache of the Day - Upcoming BSO Concert

“Global Romance”October 3, 2009, at 7:30 PM

Bloomington High School North Auditorium

Capture the energy and fun of Fall as the Bloomington SymphonyOrchestra begins its 40th Anniversary Season, 1969-2009, by performing therollicking number, Four Dances from “Estancia” by Alberto Ginastera, underthe direction of the youthful Charles Latshaw, conductor. Also on theprogram for the evening will be Alexander Borodin’s Polovetsian Dances from“Prince Igor.”

Internationally renowned pianist, Maxim Bernard will be the featured soloist on Robert Schumann’s Concerto in A minor. The concert begins a 7:30 P.M. at the Bloomington High School NorthAuditorium, 3901 N. Kinser Pike, Bloomington, IN 47404. General Admissiontickets are available at the door for $10.00Children 18 and under are admitted free. The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra is a 70 member all-volunteer orchestrawhose mission is to provide great orchestral music to the Bloomingtoncommunity, as well as audience members from around south central Indiana.Of Maxim Bernard, Menahem Pressler’s official website states: It is hisscope and range as a pianist that set him apart. He can play with greatpower, and still maintain intimate sensitivity in his music.” –MenahemPresslerBorn in Québec City, Maxim Bernard is one of the most promising pianists ofhis generation. He only started studying piano at the age of 13 years oldbut his outstanding talent was soon recognized in various national andinternational competitions. Music critics praised his commendable technique,his surprising maturity and his rare musical sensitivity.

The Argentinian composer Alberto Ginastera is widely regarded as one of themost important and original South American composers of the 20th century.His attractive output for piano skillfully combines folk Argentine rhythmsand colors with modern composing techniques. He was influenced by a visitto the United States in 1945.

Cache of the Day - A City

Gotta love a city! We try to get to one as often as possible, and have explored all those within driving distance from Indiana.

We recently visited Cincinnati and had a great time! Here's a shot of the square in downtown, where something was ALWAYS going on (and they had great ice cream too).

We also headed over the Ohio River to Newport in Kentucky, where we visited the Newport Aquarium and had great German beer and food at the Hofbrauhaus.

Lots of energy, lots to do, lots of fun, lots of great fun is what we find in big cities...and Cincinnati was no exception!

Cache of the Day - Wine Festival

Earlier this month, we went to Vintage Indiana, a wine festival held every year in Indianapolis and featuring the wineries from the state.

We had a chance to taste wines from several wineries and we were definitely enjoying the way that felt! We also had time to relax and enjoy the wonderful weather, and we had a chance to enjoy some of the food vendors as well.

In addition, Deb Owen (seen on the right) was able to have her palm read. THAT was a waste of 20 bucks! ("You will have a visitor. Maybe by mail, maybe in person, maybe on the phone. Maybe tomorrow, maybe 20 years from now." But fun, all the same.

Bands were playing all day on the stage, headlined by the Gin Blossoms, seen here.

All in all, we had a GREAT time and will definitely be back!

Cache of the Day - Starting Up New Businesses

Check out the video here to see some of the leaders at BizWorks Network. We were preparing for a presentation at Honda and quickly put together this video on what we do to support businesses (in this case, Employment Plus).

Contact By Design is my new gig. Go here to learn more about what we do:

http://www.contactbydesign.com/welcome.html

Cache of the Day - Prom

Taylor went to her prom this past Saturday - her second prom at Mitchell High School. Once again her date was Davie.

This is a full-day event. Of course we had the day, several weeks ago, when we went shopping for a prom dress - and shoes, and earrings, and a necklace, and of course, hair jewelry.

On Saturday we went to the hair salon, did up the hair and added glitter.

Then the makeup, which I had the pleasure of applying.

Then pictures at the boyfriend's house.

Picture at the friends house, including the requisite "shoe shot".

Then off to dinner (they went to Salem, Indiana, to a place called Christie's).

Then back to the high school for the Grand March.

After that, I was shut out. I don't get it. Why can't I go to the actual dance?

I'll work on that. Maybe next year I'll go to her senior prom.

Cache of the Day - Smart Kid

Taylor is a smart kid - second in her class and involved in lots of activities. Her GPA granted her a visit to a private college here in Indiana - the University of Evansville.

Taylor and I and Joe spent the day in the southeastern part of the state and learned a lot about the advantages of going this college. Here is a shot of her in the front yard of the University, learning from a tour guide that she took the day off of classes on Friday and laid out in the sun all day on this lawn!

To the left is a shot of a dorm room - just right for two.....two MICE, that is!!!!


This is a shot of the lobby of the business school, here on the right.






And the shot here on the right is one of the new classrooms in the business school. Taylor is considering Accounting as a major, so this may be a place she inhabits in the future.

And then we topped the day off buying Taylor a new car! Here she is in her 2005 Scion XA with 30,000 miles. She drove the card back from Evansville, a good two-hour drive. Look how happy she is (and the sales guy looks pretty happy too!).

Cache of the Day - Murder

Turns out the lawyer did it. Figures.

Here are some pictures from our Murder Mystery dinner party this past weekend. We had eight "suspects" - that all came in costume - so that we could figure out who killed Pierre DuPre during Mardis Gras in New Orleans.

I was Michelle DuPre, the deposed's wife. But I loved him dearly. Of COURSE I didn't do it.

We had great fun and shared some Louisiana grub - jambalaya, french bread, creme brulee....and lots of hurricane punch. We had a version of Zydeco music and, mostly, we had lots of fun. Took us a few hours to figure it out, but several players did guess that the J. Stephen Peek - the lawyer (also known as Stacy) - did it in the billiard room with the Mardis Gras beads.

We had a great time and really appreciated everyone's participation!

Cache of the Day - Being in the Pit

Here's my view from the orchestra pit at Bedford North Lawrence High School where, for the last two weekends (and many rehearsal days before that) I've been buried in the pit for the production of "Fiddler On the Roof". I am playing flute and piccolo of a challenging score, but so much fun to play! In this shot you can see a glimpse of my music and that's our conductor, Brian Samarzea.

Brian and I met about 10 years ago when he just started the local musical theatre group, Bloomington Music Works, and he cast me in several productions, included several Gilbert & Sullivan's, "A Little Night Music" (our favorite), "Gypsy", "Once Upon a Mattress", and "Into the Woods". And although I was on the stage then, I continue to participate in musical theatre productions and I don't mind being in the pit. I LOVE putting on a show!

Brian asked to me to help out "Fiddler" and I love it!