From "An Ocean of Plastic"

The ocean is one “away.”  The recent PBS “Need to Know” piece is haunting, but needs to be broadcast frequently and aggressively.  Most people have seen horrific images of plastic and other trash washed up on our shores; but, you have to know that there is a much greater amount that ends up floating around our oceans, suffocating our marine life, and being preserved for infinity amongst the natural habitats.

Other examples of where “away” might be: our parks, our landscape, our forests. Even when we think we’re throwing something away, it might escape, and infiltrate our environment.  This mini-documentary about the epic life cycle of a plastic bag is so well done, and says so much with very little narration.  Here, a plastic bag takes on a life of its own and ends up in “an ocean of plastic” amongst its friends.  Is there humor in this? Yes, in a sad, very true, and poignant way.

It would be nice, and certainly convenient, if our trash would simply disintegrate into nothing, and really go away. But, it doesn’t. And the fact of the matter is that our “away” is “someplace” to our planet’s lifeforms.

But the recent debacle with the Gap trying to change its logo was a testament to the fact that when it comes to your brand, less may not be more. Several companies, including the ones I named above, have tried to…i don’t know…appear more contemporary? Cleaner?  Minimalistic?  Whatever the motivation, none of these things were accomplished.  The result in all cases was an insultingly simple design that was not only  generic, but also an insult to the consumer [and fellow marketers, I might add.]

We are all aware of the impact that social media has on news and business.  Everyone has a voice. Good as well as bad spreads…like a giant global wildfire.  If companies are smart, they will pay attention to the feedback, and in this case, the backlash.

Tropicana was the first to make this very public mistake. Their original, familiar logo was brilliant: a straw stuck in an orange, and a font for the wordmark that spoke of tropical. This worked so well for several reasons. In a split second, the consumer understood that what was in the carton was:

Tropicana's familiar vs. new packaging.

1. Pure—nothing added to the juice from the orange.

2.   Orange juice—not a blend.

3.  Warm, sunny, feel-good—like being in a tropical place; or even on vacation.

4. You will get the same taste and experience from pouring the juice out of the carton as you would from sticking a straw right into the orange and sipping the juice out.

The new carton represented…a glass of orange, or something, juice? Not only was it easy to miss on the shelf, it didn’t say anything about what was inside the carton. And people were looking for Tropicana, not this new generic product. Was there high-fructose corn syrup in it? You wouldn’t know by looking at the carton. Tropicana’s sales plummeted. It was a marketing disaster that cost the company millions of dollars and perhaps their reputation, even if temporarily.

Familiar vs. new Gap logo.

This was a recent enough event that the Gap should have never even gone there with their new logo. And the timing could not have been worse:  In the blockbuster newmovie about Facebook, The Social Network, Mark Zuckerberg’s character spends most of his time in his signature Gap sweatshirt. Gap sweatshirts are cool, or were. Their logo worked as sewn-on letters on a sweatshirt or hat, or a sign for that matter. The new logo design was created with Helvetica Neue font. Really? So I could have designed a new Gap logo in a Word document? I’m going to apply for a job in the marketing department at the Gap.

The Gap’s brand is already suffering as it is.  It is no longer that cool, hip, store where you can always find the perfect t-shirt and pair of jeans, and that was referenced in a Seinfeld episode. It is getting overpowered by the budget retailer, Old Navy, and the slightly more upscale Banana Republic. So, they couldn’t exactly afford a faux pas such as this. They would have been better off to launch a new campaign to reinvigorate the brand, instead of releasing a new logo. Consider the success that Old Spice has had with their viral ad campaign with “the Old Spice guy.”  The brand has been revitalized exponentially, and they haven’t changed the logo or package design a bit. [Gap has listened and pulled the new logo. But the recovery will be painful.]

New MillerCoors logo.

And I have to throw in the new logo from Miller Coors’s merger. (Is that Arial font?) Thankfully, it has not made it onto their beer labels yet, but it’s almost as if someone said, “Hey guys, now that we’ve merged we need a logo for the company. Here’s one that sort of looks like the top of a beer can, and guess what? It can be created in a Word document, so anyone can replicate it!”

If you’re going to rebrand, make sure that the new brand is current, not generic. Simple, not simpleton. Protects your brand, not sacrifices your brand. Says something, not nothing. Can be replicated on a sweatshirt, not in a Word document.

Connie Glover, sustainability advocate

I’ve lived in Charlottesville, VA for about 3 1/2 years, and most people that live here, have gone to school at University of Virginia, or have visited find that this is a really pretty city. I agree, but I must say, it’s also pretty trashy! And I mean that in a literal sense. There is a lot of litter here, everywhere: trash, broken bottles, food, dog poop. And it’s on the downtown mall and public sidewalks where people walk, run, bike with their kids, or push their babies in strollers. I’m ashamed and embarrassed about it, annoyed, and quite frankly, confused. In this day and age where the environmental and sustainability messages dominate the print and airwaves, who litters? Who purposely rolls down their window and throws out their McDonald’s bag, or tosses their beer bottle on the sidewalk, or allows their dog to do their business without picking it up? Who is that unconscious?

I’m a Texan—one of the obnoxiously proud ones—and love the phrase we coined in the 1980s, “Don’t Mess With Texas.” It became the anti-littering campaign for the state, but it also started a movement, giving rise to a new consciousness about what it means to not trash our state, our neighborhood, our country, our planet. And that was over 25 years ago, before “green” became the most common word in the English language.

And when I moved to New Hampshire clean living and respect for the earth was a lifestyle; not because it’s the “in” thing, but because it makes sense. Why would you trash the environment that gives us our food, our air, and our water? The general commitment to recycling, local food, and protecting that which is precious is evident and can serve as an example for the rest of the world. In fact, I featured Keene, NH as a case study in my final Capstone project on Sustainable Communities for my graduate program in Sustainability through Arizona State University. Residents would never dream of throwing away a bottle or can in the trash—it gets recycled—much less on the sidewalk or in the park!

Which brings me back around to Charlottesville. There is no more beautiful place on earth than Charlottesville in the spring, when everything is in

Preston Avenue, Charlottesville, VA

Near the Downtown Mall

bloom with the colors and brilliance of the flowers and leaves.  Unfortunately, many natural plants and shrubs are interrupted with a drink cup or fast food bag, and you may not be able to lift your eyes off the sidewalk where you’re walking for fear of stepping in dog poop to even notice the  cherry blossoms on the branches above you. I’ve heard the term “sustainable city” sort of loosely thrown around here at times; but before we can even begin to spell it, we must start with the very basic environmental concept of not littering! It’s not for lack of trash and even recycling receptacles. And it is certainly not up to waste management or city personnel to clean up after the city’s residents. Have some respect, and “Don’t Mess with Charlottesville!”…or any other city in the world for that matter.

Mark Glover, President, Catalyst prc and guest blogger

After 45 days and millions of gallons of oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico I continue to see the focus of criticism, blame, and anger directed at British Petroleum. It is my opinion that this environmental crisis goes far beyond BP. This is not a BP issue, it is an industry issue, a global issue, an environmental issue, and most importantly, a leadership issue.

Like everyone else I have followed closely the events surrounding the oil spill in the gulf, the sudden acceleration of motor vehicles, the contamination and recall of food products, the emergency landing of aircraft in the Hudson River. These events do not happen by accident; they happen because businesses and industries are not in what I call “organizational equilibrium.” By this I mean that there are not as many people or resources ensuring the safety and effective production of goods as there are people and money needed to sell and distribute them. Every industry and business within that industry has responsibilities to uphold a standard of ethics, good manufacturing practices, and to play a role in developing regulations that safeguard the public and environment from catastrophe.

What I expect to see with a catastrophe like the one in the gulf is for leaders not just from BP, but ExxonMobil, Gulf, Chevron, Texaco, Shell, and CITGO to pool their vast technical and financial resources to execute a solution. Instead, what I witness are companies in the same industry going out of their way to distance themselves from the issue and hoping somehow to capitalize on the misfortune of a competitor. Don’t get me wrong here, I have no sympathy for BP or any other oil company that has for decades been taking resources from the earth and reprocessing these materials into products that hurt the earth. But, what I am saying is that this oil spill, the 24 hour news coverage, the underwater video stream of the oil leak that is digitally counting up the number of gallons spewing into the gulf is the beginning of the end for big oil in the U.S. If the other oil producers who are sitting back strategizing about potential increase in market penetration haven’t figured it out yet, they have just lost more than they will ever gain back.

The world is becoming ever more cognizant of the growing environmental impacts we as humans are having on the planet. Events like these drive the need for change and act as the catalyst for the development or refinement of new technologies. At a time when battery operated vehicles, and solar and wind technologies are within the grasp of large scale use and production I do not see any way that this event will not tip the balance of thinking towards the acceleration of alternative energies. I guess there is always a silver lining! This oil spill is not over, and before it is we may see as much as 100 to 150 million gallons of oil dumped into the Gulf. With ocean currents, hurricanes, weather patterns, and animal migrations it will spread far beyond the current confines of the Gulf and consequently have global impacts. Its destruction to the environment, ecosystem, economic vitality, and the cleanup needed to correct it will take decades and cost trillions. Yes, I said trillions.

What is most alarming to me however is not the leak itself, not the lack of industry support, but the lack of true leadership. There always seems to be plenty of time, money, and leadership to clean up after a crisis. Again, this is no longer a BP issue and due to the delay of oil industry leaders to band together and to through their full resources behind, this is it no longer a industry issue. This is national Issue! On Day One the President should have authorized FEMA to take over jurisdiction and create a focused leadership team with BP, Transocean, and oil industry leaders to bear down and execute a solution to this situation. After all of the criticism by our current administration during the election of the former president on his handling of Hurricane Katrina, it is amazing to me that so little effort to expedite a solution or to hold those responsible to task has been done. Here is my message to President Obama, “There is nothing more important going on in the nation than this spill. If you are unable to show the American public that you can lead and deliver results to end this crisis now, like big oil in the U.S., it is the beginning of the end for you and your administration. “

The WFM apron...left behind.

In my first blog in this series, I addressed my experiences at Whole Foods Market from the perspective of  talent management.  This post will address my question, How Sustainable are the Whole Foods Sustainability Initiatives?

During my recent graduate studies through the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University many of my research projects and areas of study focused on global food issues, sustainable agriculture, urban agriculture, and global organic farming practices. So I am able to look at this from a perspective that includes the importance of WFM’s impact on the food industry worldwide!

According to the 1983 Brundtland Commission Report from the United Nations, the true definition of Sustainability is “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”  While most people think of “sustainability” as environmental, the environmental piece is only one of three. Sustainability in organizations involves environmental operational practices, economic health, and social responsibility―concerns for employees and the community.

Compare this to the Core Values that Whole Foods has built its company on since 1980:

1. Selling the Highest Quality Natural and Organic Products Available
2. Satisfying and Delighting Our Customers
3. Supporting Team Member Happiness and Excellence
4. Creating Wealth Through Profits & Growth
5. Caring about our Communities & Our Environment
6. Creating ongoing win-win partnerships with our suppliers
7. Promoting the health of our stakeholders through healthy eating education.

On the surface, the Whole Foods philosophies and business practices are perfectly aligned with the definition of a sustainable organization. But there are several areas where I found that they may not be:

Whole Foods Market was the first and remains the only certified organic grocer. So you would expect to find a larger selection of local and organic foods. Thanks to WFM other conventional grocery retailers, including WalMart, have started offering a wider variety of organic foods. And it has been a saving grace for so many people with food allergies. Those with dairy, gluten, wheat, and nut allergies, as well as those that are vegetarian or vegan, can meet all of their needs here. Yes, it’s expensive, but after studying the process and expense that farmers must go through to get the certified organic label, it’s explainable.

But, comparing how WFM has traditionally packaged and sold its food, and I’m speaking primarily about the produce, and how it does now, the line between being a “whole foods organic grocer” is becoming quite blurred with that of a conventional grocery store. It’s especially felt in their newer mega-stores. (They have since decided to not go back to a smaller model.) When I shop the produce department, I see the same vegetables wrapped in plastic (so much plastic!!) and stickered with the same UPC code as in any other grocery store. For example, you can no longer buy spinach in bulk (is it the health code, or just that people aren’t buying it as much?). Rather, you must buy the large plastic tubs, reinforced with a plastic band wrapped around it. And I witnessed many shoppers who actually put these plastic containers in an additional plastic bag! Why not? It’s there!

And in the bulk section, there is an equal number of offerings in individual plastic packaging as in the bulk bins. Certainly it’s easier to just grab something already wrapped. And in the bulk offerings, you are putting your selection in a plastic bag anyway.  Same with the water: they have an option to refill your own container with filtered water, but right next to that is an entire aisle of a multitude of water in plastic bottles.

From an environmental standpoint, yes, they do a good job of promoting the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra. But any good that does is completely negated when there is an equal offering of plastic-wrapped options.

I understand that in order for a Fortune 500 company that has a responsibility to its shareholders to maintain its value, it must cater to the masses. What a shame for a cool company like this one to lose what it made it so interesting and different in the first place! But, my original question was, is it sustainable? From an economic standpoint, yes. Is it unique? Not so much anymore.

From a standpoint of responsibility to employees and the community, let’s look at community first, and it is a resounding “yes!” But when you look at the development of its people, its talent management, its training and advancement opportunities, it is an equally resounding “no!” And this will hurt them more than they realize. Every year when WFM shows up in the top 25 of Fortune’s Best Companies to Work For, the company description always includes: “Over 1/3 of the workforce is under the age of 25.”  So, is it only a good company to work for if you’re under 25? Everyone knows that WFM allows for individuality, and to the extreme in my opinion. This is one reason that WFM attracts younger employees. The other reason is because the hourly wage is so low, and not many middle-aged workers with families to support can afford it. (See my first blog in this series.)

And while the initial orientation for new employees is comprehensive, it falls apart after that. There is no real opportunity to develop and advance except to just work there for a really long time.

As I described in my first blog in this series, I have witnessed example after example of talented, educated, experienced people with so much to offer be passed over for no apparent reason. Even those of us willing to work for the low wages just to work within the company! I can’t imagine that this doesn’t lead to tremendous turnover, which is expensive to say the least, not to mention difficult to gain momentum for new and interesting initiatives.

For the most part, Whole Foods has a sustainable business model. I would caution that they not become a more expensive Kroger, and that they pay more attention to who and how they hire, train, and promote their people.

The WFM apron...left behind.

Many people don’t know that I spent a year working for Whole Foods Market, first at the new store in Short Pump, Virginia (near Richmond), and then at one of their oldest stores in Charlottesville, Virginia. I was reluctant to tell people because everyone that knows me knows me as “Power Connie,” or “ABC”―All Business Connie. I didn’t think they would understand.

I had very specific reasons at the time for joining the company:

• I was working through the graduate program in Sustainable Technology and Management at Arizona State University, and wanted to gain some experience in a company that visibly practiced sustainability values and practices.

• Whole Foods is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and I thought if I could move through the company it would be easy to transfer back to my home state.

• It’s been listed in the top 25 of Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For since it has been a public company.

• I love the store, and thought it would be a healthy, cool place to work.

The caveat is that in order to move up and through the company you pretty much have to start at the bottom. It’s difficult to get in, so when I was actually offered a job I swallowed my pride, moved my designer shoes to the back of my closet, and went for it! And after a year, I am now sharing my experience, my confirmations about my impression of the company, and my disappointments.

Because I was in graduate school and was active in my own marketing business, I was able (but barely) to go into an entry level job for $10 an hour. I don’t think I’ve ever made $10 an hour…ever!  But secretly I was hoping (and quite frankly, expecting) that someone in management (or store leadership as WFM refers to it) would quickly take notice of me and think, “We need to do something with her! Between her marketing experience and knowledge of sustainability, there are a lot of places in the store, the region, or the company where she could contribute.” It was not to be.

The first six months I kept a low profile, observing the workings of the company. After we left for the summer and I came back to the Charlottesville store I became more aggressive about applying for positions―particularly marketing and communications jobs in the Texas region― and inquiring about opportunities to work with the Green initiatives at the store level. I never even received a chance to interview for any of them! In fact, in one preliminary discussion the hiring team leader said, “But you don’t have any food experience.” Uh…except that I had been working for Whole Foods for a year; not to mention that I had twelve years of catering and convention management in the hotel industry! I was also denied the chance to contribute to the Green team. Here were the credentials I presented each time:

• I know and understand Whole Foods Market and am committed to the values and business practices of the company. This is demonstrated by the fact that I was willing to join the company at the most entry-level position and earn a wage that I have never experienced in order to learn the company and be able to explore positions that better fit my professional and educational background from the inside. I’ve worked in two stores, one brand new one in Short Pump, VA and one very old one in Charlottesville, VA, so I understand the workings and challenges of both.

• WFM Dallas/Short Pump/Charlottesville/Austin and the company as a whole will benefit from my recent graduate studies through the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. Many of my research projects and areas of study focused on global food issues, sustainable agriculture, urban agriculture, and global organic farming practices. I can contribute a perspective that includes the importance of WFM’s impact on the food industry worldwide!

• My marketing experience has spanned several industries, from sustainable building products, to individual branding and publicity, to non-profits. I’ve held big director-level positions, volunteered with community non-profits, and own my own consulting practice.  Specific to this position, I practice a level of excellence in managing creative efforts, community public relations, communications, copywriting and editing, budget management, and social media marketing.

How does a company with the reputation and success that WFM has enjoyed not even respond to this? Who is going to have more to contribute than me? And why would they rather have me standing at a cash register?

But when I came to the realization that there would be no opportunities for me and I chose to close the door on this endeavor and go full-time with my marketing agency, I actually recommended that my husband apply for their management training program. With that, he would be able to go right into Store Leadership. His background, personality, and experience would be perfect for Whole Foods. Again, it would be a step-down from what his prior positions were, but the benefits and enjoyment of the company and the job would be worth it! He actually received a phone call and interview. He proceeded to follow-up consistently. His responses to the phone interview questions and written interview questions were exactly what the company looks for in its store leaders. 8 weeks later, he has still not heard a word.

And I have witnessed example after example of talented, educated, experienced people with so much to offer be passed over for no apparent reason. Even those of us willing to work for the low wages just to work within the company!

They tout a “team” environment, where the team makes all of the decisions related to its department, but what I witnessed were team leaders who had their own agendas, and chose who they wanted, or supported who they wanted, and let those like me go away.

Stay tuned for Part 2 in this series, “How sustainable are Whole Foods’ sustainability initiatives?”

Connie Glover, Principal, CMarie Marketing Group

Back when I was in college, majoring in Marketing, it was all about the 4 Ps: Product, Price, Promotion, Place. And that was the mantra in education and in business up until quite recently. Then, Roy McClean, Principal of The Custom Fit Communications Group introduced us to the new Marketing Four, the 4 Cs of Marketing.

I’d like to focus on the fourth C: Communication. Marketing in the new economy is much more about creating a dialogue with your potential customer, rather than selling and marketing to a “prospect.”  It’s about inviting feedback, being receptive to ideas, and responding to needs; then presenting your product or service in response to what you have learned through these various interactions.

Hence, selling a Product has been replaced by responding to the Consumer; where your establishment or company is Placed has been replaced by Convenience of finding and buying your product or service through an Internet presence; Price has been replaced by Cost, which is now equated with value; and Promotion has been replaced by ongoing Communication with the Consumer.

Integrating Social Media Marketing, eMarketing, and eCommerce is time consuming and complex. But, it also allows for a more cost effective and efficient way than ever before to reach your target audience.  It is critical that you have someone on your team (whether an employee in your marketing department or a P.R. agency) that truly understands how to develop, implement, and manage a solid, comprehensive, and ongoing strategy. And be careful―many agencies are jumping on the bandwagon and charging a lot of money to do so. Just because someone can update their own Facebook page and post some Tweets, doesn’t mean they can build a brand for you or your company that will be long-lasting and effective.

Companies in this economy must be customer-centric, rather than ego-centric. I’ve done battle with countless companies when designing their Web sites and they insist on loading it up with information about their company, their owner, their products, their employees, their news, etc. A more effective and current approach is to produce a site that invites a dialogue with their visitors,  and then offering products and services that clearly appeal to the needs and wants of the potential buyer. If someone feels like they are participating, they will be much more engaged in your company, become a fan, spread the word, and before you know it, the ultimate dream―buzz is created!

Windows 7, in response to Apple’s brilliant “I’m a Mac/I’m a PC” campaign, has developed a series of television spots using real people and the theme “I’m a PC, and Windows 7 was my idea!” This is marketing in the new economy―reaching out to the public, inviting dialogue, responding to the needs and wants of the Consumer, Communicating how the products and services are in response to feedback… and the results are astounding!

Can we please send Taylor Swift into a witness protection plan? The sooner the better! I take the Grammy Awards very seriously. I think the show itself is a fantastic production featuring interesting collaborations, a variety of music influences, and outrageous performances. And the featured nominees this year were well deserving—they are mature, experienced, influential musical artists who have and will continue to make their mark on music. I am stunned and confused that Taylor Swift, a little girl who can play maybe three chords on her guitar, has an awkward stage presence, and a limited, monotonous vocal range is worthy of nominations along with Beyonce and Fergie’s  Blackeyed Peas among others. And how can the Academy possibly insult a rock legend like Stevie Nicks by putting them together on stage? (Shame on you, Stevie, for agreeing to do the duet!)  I was equally as appalled during last year’s Grammy’s when another great Stevie—Stevie Wonder—did a collaboration with the equally lame Jonas Brothers!

And to walk away with the ultimate “Best Album” award? NO! I would advise the Recording Academy to rename the Best Album award to “Award for Most Record Sales to the Tween Demographic.” Essentially, isn’t this what the award is? It most certainly is not “Best Album.” The word “best” implies musical integrity, and there is no musical integrity with Taylor Swift.

And by granting her this award, it encourages her to keep writing, and producing records, and touring, and jamming the radio airwaves with never-ending monotonous “songs” about high-school girls breaking up with their boyfriends.

To make matters worse, the award was preceded by a complex, difficult, innovative, and passionate performance by three Hip-Hop greats: Eminem, Drake, and Lil Wayne. That represents the music of this decade! And I’m borderline Baby Boomer!

Fergie, Beyonce, and Mary J. Blige (to name a few) are not only phenomenal vocalists, but also exciting performers—both on stage and on screen. They are contributing to their genre and the industry as a whole. They continue to produce new, fresh, and innovative music. They are good role models for aspiring female musicians.

And Taylor Swift? Is she wholesome? Yes. Is her music free of swear words? Yes. Is it safe to take your 12-year old daughter to her concert? Yes. Is she deserving of a Grammy Award for “best” anything? Most certainly not!

Connie Glover, Principal, CMarie Marketing Group

I must give my husband credit for the title of this blog, Simply Forward. But I am using it to make my plea to our corporate leaders, our government, small businesses, and individuals: Take a step forward…right now! Stop blaming the economy for standing still, and be the one to make a move so that the wheels will be set back in motion and the economy will recover. It will never do so if we’re all waiting for someone else to do something.

Hats off to Hewlett-Packard—they’re actually hiring!  “You can’t cut your way to the future,” said Mateen Greenway, a fellow at HP Enterprise Services. “You have to cut your way to survival and then rebuild your organization as you come out of the recession.” HP is currently ranked 9 in Fortune’s 500, and may rank higher next year as they take proactive measures to increase their business by hiring salespeople, among other positions.

The phrase that has contributed most to the crippling of our economic recovery is “We’re waiting for the economy to recover.” It has become the catch-all excuse for not hiring, not manufacturing product, cutting jobs, depleting sales forces, and eliminating marketing activities. And the result has been this incessant waiting around for something or someone else to move forward.

I understand that initial shock to businesses has caused the immediate and drastic reaction of slashing costs in the form of payroll, cost of goods sold, etc. And yes, it was a wake-up call for many to reevaluate how they could maintain efficiency while being as lean as possible. But companies are still functioning in the fear mode. I know of a small business with a big client. They are struggling to keep up with the volume of production (they produce the lace for all of the intimate apparel for their client). They are petrified about what will happen to their business if they ever lost their client, and my question was “Why don’t they get another client?” And the answer is that they don’t want to hire the staff to accommodate another client or greater production because if something happens they will have to face layoffs. So instead of moving forward anticipating recovery and growth, they are stifling their own potential. Of course, they are not alone—which is why our country’s economy is standing still rather than recovering.

There is a custom wood products company in the northeast that has suffered like all others in the building industry; but instead of playing the waiting game, they have been proactive in adding a new services division. This will not only help them increase revenue without having to invest in capital equipment or cost of goods, but it will also help them provide enhanced customer service and increase their competitive edge. This is one example of  how companies can take a step forward.

Hewlett-Packard is big. We need the big organizations to make a bold move like this. But small, local companies can make an impact as well. Word of cities or communities thriving spreads like wildfire and can be inspirational.  In the meantime, as an individual, take this time to reinvent yourself, learn a new and current skill, and be ready to contribute when businesses finally realize that they simply need to move forward.

Gerald Bartholomew. July 18, 1966-December 25, 2007.

This, I Believe
December 2008.

My brother died tragically one year ago on Christmas Day 2008. As this year’s holiday season approached, those of us who were most closely connected with him, and those who were our biggest support systems (in my case, my husband) were anxiously anticipating how it was going to be for us this year, on the first anniversary of the traumatic event.

It has been an emotionally charged year to say the least. I dedicated my energies to keeping in touch with my immediate family, planning a weekend-long memorial event in May, crying a lot, keeping his photo close whenever I did something fun or interesting, and desperately hanging on to his spirit. I certainly wasn’t looking forward to Christmas. It will never be the same for me. And I didn’t know what to do. I had so many debates with myself about whether to try and get everyone together, or go to those who I thought would be the most emotional, or spend it with my remaining brother (it was just the three of us), or our mom. But always being considered the “bossy” one, I didn’t want to be that person this year. I didn’t want to be the one to decide for everyone who should be with who, or whether people wanted to be alone with their own thoughts and emotions rather than having me invade that space. And I especially didn’t know those things about myself.

So I decided to take a much needed trip with my husband that led right up to Christmas, and then spend it quietly at home, bracing myself for the emotional turmoil…the anger, the sadness, the overwhelming sense of loss, the self-absorption.  And all of those things came in giant force.  But so did some other things:  the friends that sent the extra card in addition to their usual holiday greeting card, expressing care and concern at this difficult time of year; those that wrote an extra note in their holiday greeting card that they were thinking of my brother; the  group that took a moment during their Christmas dinner to raise their glasses of champagne and toast to his memory; the text messages, “Thinking of you and hope you’re doing okay”; the phone calls, “Just checking in. How are you holding up?” The throngs of “I love you”s .

And I noticed and appreciated every single sentiment. And I hope I didn’t forget to say “thank you” to everyone.  Just when I was wishing the holiday would just be over, I found the spirit of the season…and the gifts of love, friendship, and family, and the comfort of knowing that I am so very lucky to have that in my life.
I believe if that even in the worst of times, or in the depths of darkness, if you pay attention, you can see the goodness and the light. And I believe that is what Christmas is all about.