Detroit Gets Love From Our Neighbors to the South

Add The BG (Bowling Green) News to the list of pubs outside of Detroit that are finding a reason to sing our praises! This article credits Detroit as "perfect for a day trip or weekend adventure." The article calls attention to places such as Midtown, the Majestic Theater's Magic Stick, Corktown and Mexicantown.

It's really refreshing to read articles like this one that combat all the negative publicity D-town has received in recent months (unfortunately for a variety of reasons that do not fall into the realm of this blog's topics!). So a big high-five to The Bowling Green News for showing O-H-I-O (I've been succumbed to being a partial OSU fan, I'm sorry!) that Detroit really does stand out from the crowd -- in a POSITIVE way!

Not All Talented Young Pros Leave MI

Contrary to the fact that a recent study says Michigan can't retain highly-skilled, educated workers, one Royal Oak company is doing just that -- pulling in young, talented workers from across the country. RTT USA, Inc. is a German-based company specializing in 3D visualization software that creates computer-generated renderings of products that are used in industrial design, marketing and advertising. This uber-cool company is rapidly making a mark on Oakland County and Michigan as a whole.

This is the type of story that needs to be told more often -- one that proves that Michigan is a desirable state for young, educated workers (especially in the tech/design industry). So if you're like me and are beyond exhausted of reading stories about Michigan's economic woes (or the 138595 billion stories about Detroit's mayor that you can't hide from unless you live under a rock), make an honest effort to read the positive stories about companies in our state that are thriving and prospering. You'll be surprised to find that there are an abundance of companies like RTT -- and many more whose stories have yet to be told.

David Beckham Shows Some Love for the D

OK -- so I'm completely confessing that I read this blog now and again (it's so hard not to!), but Pink is the New Blog posted photos of hotty soccer star David Beckham wearing a Detroit Tigers hat. David and his LA Galaxy team are in gorgeous Honolulu, HI prepping for a soccer tournament. So hats off to you Becks (although I can't STAND your wife!), for sporting your D-town pride all the way down in the islands of Hawaii!

Another interesting tidbit -- Trent, the self-proclaimed gossip regurgitator behind the blog, is a native-born Detroiter.

An Introduction to E-mail Apnea

E-mail apnea - a temporary absence or suspension of breathing, or shallow breathing, while doing e-mail (Linda Stone, February 2008).

I love it when people coin creative phrases that 100 percent describe a part of my personality that I haven't quite yet found a way to put words to! Thank you Linda Stone for writing this article and helping me discover that I am a victim of e-mail apnea. In the field of PR, we are absolutely dependent on e-mail as a primary means of communication. Many times, and especially when pitching a story to a reporter, e-mail is the first impression you make on a person. So ensuring that it's flawless (grammar, punctuation, information) is enough to make a semi-OCD person such as myself go blue in the face. I'm really glad to know that I'm not the only person in this world who holds their breath before sending off and uber-important e-mail that could make or break a potential relationship or media placement.

Research conducted at the National Institute of Health proves that holding your breath can contribute to stress-related diseases and disturbs our bodies balance of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide. Who would have thought? Linda goes more in-depth about the medical stuff that goes right over my head, but I find it fascinating that someone was creative and clever enough to coin a term like "e-mail apnea."

So as Linda suggests, make sure to breath when writing e-mail! Although, it might be interesting to try and tell a client that I didn't respond to an e-mail because I passed out from holding my breath due to chronic e-mail apnea. Now that's creative! :)

Ode to Mushy Love Day

First and foremost, many thanks to Girl.in.the.D for giving props to the out-of-the-box Valentine's Day gifts that are offered at the RenCen shops. Check out her post, and you'll quickly become addicted to her blog that, hey what do you know, highlights the POSITIVE things that are going on in Detroit!

Now -- on to my ode to Mushy Love Day. I know there are many people in this world who think Valentine's Day is overrated and has been tainted by companies who make you feel guilty if you don't spend a gazillion dollars to prove your worth to the one you love. However, being the die-hard romantic that I am, I will always think of Valentine's Day as a way to give simple yet meangingful reminders to the person that you love -- whether it be through a thoughtful gift, card, flowers or my personal favorite....words.



If you are a sap who's a sucker for stories that make you go "Awww", do read this Free Press article where local couples share secrets to lasting love. Not only is the photo of happily-ever-after couples beyond adorable, but the "love secrets" shared by the couples featured in the article are absolutely priceless. Who knew that the secret to love is as simple as playing footsie in bed, learning to forgive, trying not to change a person and laughing together? Easy as pie, right? Most people who have been in a long-term relationship will beg to differ, but I firmly believe that it CAN be this simple -- so long as both people in the relationship work toward keeping their love alive and fresh, whether it be 10, 30 or 50 years down the road.



I hope there's a Bill Waddell in my future. Bill (who mind you is 80 years old and lives with his wife in a senior center in Farmington Hills), leaves his wife Hershey's Kisses under her upside-down coffee mug every morning. And Carolee, his wife, makes sure to cover him up when he takes his daily afternoon nap. If that's not love, then I don't know what is!



Maybe the perfect love story doesn't exist for everyone, and sadly will never exist for many people. But I refuse to step down from my "love should never die in a relationship" preaching post. And with that, I'm off to do the traditional love-day thang (regardless of the many eye rolls I've encountered along the way), and will continue to look forward to the day that I can tuck my Bill Waddell in for an afternoon snooze. :)

Show Some Love For Your Heart in February -- Go Red!

Move over Valentine's Day -- you're no longer the sole proprietor of the color red in February. Red also represents American Heart Health Month and today, February 1, is National Wear Red Day.

Heart disease is the numero uno killer of women (and men), and the American Heart Association wants people to understand that it CAN be prevented. The organization is putting its heart and soul into spreading the Go Red for Women message "Love Your Heart" to raise awareness of heart disease and empower women to do everything they can to reduce their risk. Check out the American Heart Association's Web site for inspirational stories from women who've battled heart disease, light and easy recipes that will keep your heart happy and ways you can take part in this amazing initiative.

The Go Red for Women ambassador this year is a girl in her twenties named Melissa. She suffered two heart attacks at the age of 19, regardless of the fact that she is physcially fit, eats healthy and is WAY younger that most people who are affected by the disease. Check her out on TLC's What Not to Wear (love, love, love Stacey and Clinton!!) on February 22 at 9 p.m.

I had the opportunity to attend the Go Red for Women luncheon at the Renaissance Center last year -- and I'm hoping to go again next week. I never realized how many women are affected by heart disease every year, so needless to say it was an eye-opening experience. Women empowering groups ignite a fire under me! One day when I'm ready (when I'm done stressing over student loans and living on my own again), I plan to join groups that work to elevate, inspire and benefit women.

What can (and should) you take away from this post? Love your heart, take the necessary steps to keep it healthy and Go Red! Um, you too men! :)

** On a side note, check out my sassy boss Maria (she supports the Go Red team in Detroit) in my favorite and local you-go-girl magazine, Strut.

Public Relations = Ethics

When I started this blog, I swore to myself that I would not write about anything negative going on in the state of Michigan. We've got the 24/7, never-ending negative recaps on news stations, Web sites, blogs, RSS feeds (shall I continue) to report the negativity that somehow never seems to dissipate. But, as a public relations professional, I felt compelled to write about this despite the bitter taste it leaves in the mouths of many of those who share the same passion I feel for PR.

Mary Kramer, publisher of Crain's Detroit Business, posted a blog that further solidifies what was ingrained in my head the day I started learning about public relations (thank you CMU profs) : Ethics is the foundation upon which PR was built. Without ethics, my profession means nothing. Without exemplifying honesty and truthfulness, my profession is meaningless. Unfortunately, a very well-known PR agency based in Grand Rapids that prides itself in its ability to provide solid crisis communications forgot (maybe intentionally) to be ethical. Ironic, huh?

I will not go more in depth (read Mary's blog) about what exactly this PR firm did (and what its client did) that if proven, was not only illegal, but a true embarrassment to the PR industry. I won't do that because that goes against the positive outlook I showcase in this blog, and the positive outlook I have regarding the profession I'm proud to be ingrained in. But I do have to give props to Mary because she is just shy of an M.S. degree in marketing and is currently enrolled in a PR class. Now unless you're in the profession, you have NO IDEA what a blessing it is when journalists befriend PR pros and understand that we are more than just the stereotypical flacks who "spin" the truth to make our clients shine. But Mary gets it. She confirms that "ethics in PR is a major issue." Now, PR pros may know how to craft the perfect pitch to garner the media's attention or put the right angle on a press release to make a company's product/event/philanthropic work stand out -- but we do it honestly and ethically. There is no room for lies (no, not even teeny tiny white lies) in the profession of PR. This well-known PR firm and its client may very well end up being a case study in future PR classes, maybe even Mary's. But hopefully it will serve as yet another lesson to all of us as to why admitting to failure up front (and then outlining how you plan to fix the mistake), or choosing the honest road (no matter how difficult or bumpy it may be) will ultimately make us stronger, more trustworthy and well-respected in the long run.

Thanks, Mary for writing a very thought-provoking post to remind us why in all walks of life, being ethical is not one quality you want to lack.

Michigan Mittens

If you were to ask any given long-time resident of Michigan if they've ever used their hand to represent the state and point out where they're from, I can pretty much guarantee you they would say yes. I know I'm guilty of that on several occasions! Well, fellow Michiganders, there's no need to resort to turning your hand into a map anymore to proudly show those out-of-staters where you reside. Let me introduce you to Michigan Mittens, created by Erich and Connie Hahne from Clarkston.

The couple dreamed up this crazy-idea-turned-reality while driving home from a weekend at their Upper Peninsula cabin. The maps are embroidered into the palms of the mittens - the Lower Peninsula on the right and the Upper Peninsula on the left. They sell for $20 on the Web site, www.michiganmittens.com. The mittens are made from Angora wool (perfect for those bitterly cold, dead-of-winter days). Read more about it in this Flint Journal article.



I think this is a fantastic way to give tourists a token to take back with them and Michiganders a fun and unique way to sport their pride during the harsh winter months. It also gives hope to other Michigan entrepreneurs who want to jump-start the economy and prove why small businesses are the backbone of our nation's economy. Kudos to you Hahne family!

Detroit Poem Holds True 10 Years Later

While reading this week's Metro Times, I came across a poem titled "Detroit" written 10 years ago by Mariela Griffor. "Detroit" was conceived after a conversation Mariela had with Harriet Saperstein. Saperstein ran the economic development organization, HP Devco, is a professor of physics at Wayne State University and an active world researcher on peace and security issues. Saperstein devoted 35 years of work to the architectural improvement of the city. The poem by Griffor may have been written 10 years ago, but it still holds true today. It touches on the negativity and suffering that still surrounds the city, but Griffor also cries out for rebirth and revitalization, such as many are doing today.

Detroit

by Mariela Griffor

When I drive down from

Grosse Pointe on Warren

a sudden knot in my heart

is born.

The solitude my soul

is roaming

with the images of

a city broken

and gone.

I cross my fingers

hoping I won't see

any black cats

crossing

streaming manholes.

Detroit full of churches

and where is God?

Could he be hidden

under politicians' coats?

A mon cher

looked through my car window

and he believed

he melted snow.

His eyes aflame

consumed two seconds

when the red light stops.

City in flames,

who took away your palaces

and gave you back

to a tribal pain?

It was not me,

I am a foreigner,

I just came to see.

Detroit wake up

from your profound sleep.

Build back your empire.

Build it back

so I can see.

Forget about

black LaKeishas

and your white Portias

forget about your yellow Chengs

and your brown Carolas.

Let the golden haze

that rusts on your aura

shine proudly

on your face again.

Let a feeling of goodness

grip the city as if in storm.

Let your dreams flourish and endure.

Turn the holy fight into

salutation.

Let the happiness return.

Leave your vinegar grief behind.

Let me see Detroit.

Let me see.

Rockin' the Red Kettle

As promised, Ms. Panny and I braved the windy, snowy, blistering cold weather this morning to ring bells and raise money for The Salvation Army. We decided to put our personalities into it by bringing a radio and rockin' out to Christmas tunes. Regardless of the freezing cold snow blowing on us, we were jiving and singing in the spirit of the holidays to help raise money for those in need. People were extremely generous, and we're thankful to everyone who stopped by and donated. Donations are down this year in the red kettles all around Michigan and the country. Volunteers will be collecting at the red kettles through Christmas Eve. So even if you can't afford to donate anything more than the spare change in your pocket, just remember that a little bit truly goes a long way!