Stepping Up Hill

Well, there still haven't been any responses to my Craigslist ad calling for people who can walk and talk, aka network, at the same time, so I begin this week solo again.

I've done a really good job of ignoring signs my car wasn't running right but I read AAA and self-diagnosed the problem and took it to Midas, a little more than one half mile down hill.

The walk back was half of my normal route and I'll do the other half as soon as they call. My self-diagnoses was way off, by the way and there were many more things wrong than I thought. On the upside of this transition is that I'm not driving 100 miles a day so these 'spensive fixes outta' last me a lot longer.

The weather is threatening but I've no choice but to hit the road to pick up my car.

One step at a time.

A Weekend Without Steps ....

Weather and chores prevented me from taking steps to better health this weekend, but I managed to network with three people currently in my extended networking family.

We traded specific job leads and some tech updates.

Something positive transpires just about every day if you put a little effort into it.

Now all I need is someone to respond to my ad for networking and walking.

Steps Along the Hudson

Today the sunshine drew me to the river again but I walked alone. That's the opposite of my goal, but I walked anyway.

Markers painted on rocks cite your progress at one quarter, one half, one mile and one and one quarter miles. That's a popular turn around point, one and one quarter mile. There are picnic tables here in a shady spot offering a clear view of a famous prison on the Westchester shore.

There were many walkers with happy, smiling pups both on leash and off which I do not like.

The parking lot was full when I left to get ready for Tomorrrow's Workplace. I spent about four hours there this afternoon, mostly organizing pieces of paper and printing even more - articles on breathing, networking events throughout October, jobs I've applied for and such. Can't let a preposition dangle, there.

I also researched the career sections of local companies like Chromalloy, Wenger, Fiske. Nobody had nothin'.

But I did reach out to an exec I know at a non-profit. I have a meeting scheduled with her next week -face to face. I've interviewed at United Way and Waterkeeper Alliance and the interviews went pretty well so I wanted to pick my friend's brains about pitching non-profits and see what they are all up to in regard to events, fund-raising and such.

I also connected with an out of work exec I met at outplacement in July. High level guy. He was on vacation and is interested in all the networking I've been doing. He'd be a good guy to bring in for some of the folks at the Monday morning group.

Also connected with a former colleague who has been auf'ed (thanks Project Runway) from more companies than anyone I know. He was like Switzerland. He got along with everyone and everyone loves him. He's a financial planner now (Ameriprise, I think) and we are going to get everyone together for dinner in the next couple of weeks. My Vistaprint business cards should be ready by then.

Then the real networking will start.

Stepping through transition!

Stepping Through Transition

When they cut my salary by 9% a few months ago, I immediately cancelled the newspaper but since that didn't help much, I had to look for more ways to come up with that 9%. It wasn't easy. I was already living lean I thought.

So I had to man up and admit it > the gym membership was the next choice. As an alternative to the elliptical and a press once or twice a week, I started walking. My neighborhood is quite hilly and on a good day I walk in the door a sweaty mess.

Fast forward to July 13 and The Great Purge. Three-hundred-plus of us were let go. Unfortunately I've been here before. I called outplacement but they wouldn't let me in for a week.

So I took a walk. The next day I walked my route twice. A few times, I'd get in three. At 2 miles each, I was doing pretty well. Then I started going to outplacement, took some sessions and worked at a workstation just as nice as the one I left. I felt like a real person when I was there.

Fast forward again and I'm done with outplacement and getting involved with different networking groups in Rockland County (NY) and Bergen County (NJ).

I've traveled to Suffern, Wayne, Wyckoff and Oakland. A big black bear ran in front of my car on the way to Laid Off Camp yesterday. I enjoy these events a lot and I've met some very intelligent and future hard-working people.

Today, the sun drew me outside and I decided to take my walk but at Nyack Beach State Park.

Its more than a couple miles back and forth, the river is wide and sparkly and the Tappan Zee Bridge looks pretty in the distance. It's not so pretty driving across it twice a day I can tell you that.

On the walk back with two books and a bench waiting for me ("Julie and Julia" and "The Secret") I wondered why all the networking events played out like board meetings, 12-step programs or happy hours. I'm not complaining; like I said I enjoy them.

But the fall is coming and its my favorite season and I want to make sure I keep on walking.

So here I am with this first step. The second is to try and find other folks who want to walk and talk at the same time. Walk for health and talk about opportunities.

Are you out there and ready to step through transition?