Respect My Vote

I’ve been a little inspired of late. I unexpectedly launched an Etsy Shop as a side hustle to sell some T-Shirt designs and other items that I have come up with along with my boys. It’s been a nice creative outlet and I am no graphic designer, but if you have an idea, there are programs out there to help you get your words out…literally, which is why I’m writing this post.

Respect My Vote Unisex Jersey Tee with blue lettering and red check mark vote design

Respect My Vote. It sounds like an easy enough concept, right? I’ve never really though of my right to vote being “disrespected,” but sadly, in today’s current political and social climates, I do feel like my vote is a bit threatened. So, I put it on a shirt.

First, I do believe in the power of voting and having your voice heard. Both of my parents were immigrants to the U.S. and they took voting seriously, I recall election days as a young girl, waiting in long lines in my neighborhood so that they could vote. I always thought it was an interesting process to go into someone’s house in my neighborhood (polling place), where there would be a steady stream of people patiently waiting their turn to submit their ballot. All that to say, the act of voting was a big deal for my parents and the house I grew up in, so I take advantage of my right to vote.

Second, all this talk about mail in ballots and voter fraud, totally rubs me the wrong way! I have been voting absentee, which essentially is a form of mail-in voting and until this year, I have never questioned if my ballot was going to get hijacked on the way to being counted at an Election’s Office. I use the right ink for the bubbles, I seal it, sign it and put the right amount of postage or drop in the ballot box near me. I have great faith in the U.S. Postal Service and their ability to get my mail and packages delivered on time and in one piece. Is the the Postal Service perfect? No, but I tend to prefer the USPS over UPS or Fed-Ex…just saying! I respect the hard work the mail carriers and sorters put in, and I trust them to deliver my vote, if additional funding, mail sorting machines and blue post office boxes are taken away, and I have seen photos that suggest this…I find that disrespectful. Never in my life would I have ever thought that would be a thing.

Thirdly, tensions are high, we all know that. People are on polar extremes fighting and arguing for beliefs along party lines. Life is completely uncertain in a pandemic and unemployment, mental health issues creeping up on all of us and here in California, my world is literally on fire. The upcoming Election Day should be the one thing in our control. We have the opportunity to vote, we can choose who we want to vote for, and we should be able to vote using whatever method we feel safe doing so…and the way I choose to submit my vote, needs to be RESPECTED! I’m not going to tell you who to vote for or what to believe in, but I can tell you registering to vote is the right thing to do, it’s part of your civic duty and it’s one ( meaningful) way to enact real change in your community.

Respect My Vote T-Shirt Design

This is why, I was inspired and motivated to create the “Respect My Vote” T-Shirt. I plan to wear mine as we count down to November 3, 2020, and if you want to support me and order an election day shirt of your own, head over to my Shop 53 Weeks Etsy Shop! To see all my shirt designs click here. Also, you can use promo code SHOP20 until the end of August to save 20%. BTW, shirts are available Unisex or a Women’s Jersey Tee, if you prefer something more fitted. There are also two subtle design differences, one has the lettering in all blue with a red vote box check mark, and the other has blue and red lettering with the red vote check mark. But if you do anything, make sure you’re registered to vote.

Respect My Vote Ladies Tee with blue + red lettering and red check mark design

Boards for Change

My favorite interview this past week was with the sports reporter at my station, Lina Washington. I feel very fortunate to be in a position where I not only get to tell stories and give people and organizations a platform to tell them, but also have the space to use my own curiosity and inclinations to push forward and shed a light on important issues and causes.

In Lina’s case, she is one of 3 women who spearheaded a project called “Boards for Change.” The effort was spawned as a response to the recent calls for justice and change in our communities. Many businesses felt a need to board up their storefront because of opportunists and other non-peaceful indiviuals who were using the situation as a chance to vandalize and destroy property. So, Boards for Change paired artists with business owners to add some beauty and color to the wooden window shields, which also served as another outlet to spread messages about social justice.

It was awesome to talk to Lina about it on my show because she is very passionate and outspoken. I think a lot of times as people who work in media or on TV, we feel like we can’t be too visible when supporting certain social causes or events. But, in this case, Lina’s project has garnered so much well-deserved attention and really took on a life of it’s own. Boards for Change has also partnered with the MLS Sacramento Republic FC. The artwork is being displayed in the (empty) stands at the field and an auction is being held to raise money for the under-served youth in the community and all the funds collected will stay local.

All this to say, I’m super proud of my ABC10 colleague and when I get to do interviews like this, it certainly puts a smile on my face.

Easy Tips to Improve Virtual Meetings

We all want to say it’s not about the “look,” but presentation and the “look” can go a long way, especially when it comes to virtual meetings! Now that so many of us are working from home and having to use Zoom, Skype and FaceTime as our means for socializing and connecting with co-workers, effective (virtual) communication is important!

For some of us, it’s easy to carve out a niche at home to work and do these online calls, but for others it may be a bit more challenging. Clare Kumar spoke with me about ways to fix up our spaces at home and how to make yourself look and sound better using our laptops and smartphones!

Clare was a great interview and really has easy tips to improve the way we communicate virtually. My biggest takeaways are her advice for finding your “color” and also ways to improve the audio quality on these calls.

Mask Season

Like it or not, masks are here to stay. In what has become the season’s most “essential” fashion accessory, you really shouldn’t leave home without it…and even better if you can just STAY HOME! Whether you like it or not, we are in a pandemic. Medical grade masks (N95) are in short supply, and while other masks (i.e. disposable, homemade, etc…) may not provide absolute protection, they are better than nothing.

The CDC began recommending that we all wear masks when we go out in public, IF we have to go out in public for groceries or other essentials. Fortunately, my Mom made masks for my household so we have them just in case, but really, let’s be honest, my kids are not taking trips to the store with me or their Dad. So, for the foreseeable future, they won’t be donning the face-wear, as long as we can keep them at home.

It’s pretty crazy to think that this is the new normal, that even when this coronavirus aka COVID-19, gets under control, masks will be an everyday accessory. When you leave the house you’ll ask yourself, do I have my keys, wallet, phone…MASK!?! And as scary or mind-blowing as it may sound, sporting as mask can literally be a matter of life and death for some people. Not only must we wash hands, social distance and practice other safety measures to protect ourselves, we have to wear the mask, so we can do our part to save others! REAL TALK!

Alright, I’ll get off my soapbox now. I am no expert, but I will default to listening to the experts, health and medical professionals who are way more knowledgeable than me on the topic of virus protection and pandemics. I am not going to take any chances, and while for some of us it may seem like common sense, there are lots of questions out there about how to properly wear a mask or how to effectively clean it… and did you know children 2 and under don’t need masks, because it can pose other problems (breathing), for the little ones.

Check out this interview I did on FB with Dr. Eudene Harry, as she breaks it down and “unmasks” the answers to these frequently asked MASK questions. The best thing you can do for you and your loved ones right now is to stay informed and have the information to make good decisions. Stay healthy!

A Little Motivation

If you’ve never worked from home before or have a tough time adjusting to new routines, the “stay at home” order and the idea of pretty much being confined to your home and immediate neighborhood can feel a bit restrictive and confining. And, I’m sure lots of people are quickly trying to figure out how to cope and figure out their new (temporary) normal.

One person that I can always count on for good ideas and sound advice, is my good friend Shannon McKain, who just happens to be a Keynote Speaker and is an authority on strategies to stay motivated, as well as how to pursue and plan your career. So, I asked her to join me for a Zoom interview to talk about how we can find motivation and stay productive and focused during these challenging times.

A few of my key takeaways from our chat:

  • Routine – Get out of bed, brush your teeth, dress the part
  • Goals – Set a few (immediate) goals that will help you right now
  • Branding – Take the time to work on your brand and be consistent on all platforms

As you will see in the interview, Shannon is a dynamic speaker who is likeable and easy to understand. She is a positive influence in my life and I was so happy to have her share some of her real life, practical wisdom in the video. To keep up with Shannon, you can visit her website: shannonmckain.com

Disneyland Memories

When I think about my early visits to Disneyland when I was a child, the Main Street Electrical Parade is one of the first things that comes to mind, after Mickey and Minnie. In fact, if I’m being honest, I never even realized it went away….there definitely was a time lapse between my childhood, to now being a parent where I hadn’t visited Disneyland in YEARS!

Last year when I took my boys to Anaheim and Disneyland for the first time, I didn’t realize the night parade was not the same one I was accustomed to seeing during my visits as a kid. And, while the parade(s) we saw were awesome in their own right, it was very exciting for me to hear that the Main Street Electrical Parade is lighting up Disneyland once again!!!

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There sure is something about it that’s very nostalgic to me, and being able to share that experience with the kids is very cool, not to mention maybe I won’t feel so “dated,” as the characters and visuals that amused me as a child will have the same effect on them today! All this being said, I got to do an interview about this excited (limited time) event at Disneyland. I spoke to Disneyland spokesman Eddy Collins and the man mouse himself, MICKEY MOUSE even dropped in on the interview I did for Bay Area LIFE.

If you want to see it and “relive” that childhood experience or maybe see it for the very first time, be sure to visit Disneyland Resort by June 18!!

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Repost from 53 Weeks

Beer and Wine in Paradise

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If you’re a beer and wine fan AND headed to Maui anytime in the future…here are a couple MUST SEE spots for your visit! On my recent (work) trip to Maui we were able to visit and tour the island’s hottest spots for beer and wine…Maui Brewing Company and MauiWine. It was actually my second visit to MauiWine, I had went there previously with my sister and dad…but this time I got more of a “behind the scenes” look! And — I got to spin the footage for each place into feature segments for ABC7 Bay Area LIFE and you can watch them below!

KaBoom! I Helped Build a Playground

There are so many events happening around the Bay Area this week related to Super Bowl 50, and while I will do my part to socialize and network at the various parties around town, I also took some time out to lend a hand in a KaBoom playground build in San Jose. I got involved, since ESPN invited some of the Disney (parent company) affiliates to pitch in, including ABC7 where I work part time. Also in the mix were other local community members and members of the Raiders and 49ers organizations too.

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What brought this experience even closer to home is that fact that it was happening in my hometown San Jose. To have the opportunity to construct a playground for kids that are growing up among the same streets I did, made it all the more special. Not to mention that these days as a Mom, I spend A LOT of time hanging out at neighborhood playgrounds with my kiddos. I can’t wait to bring them by this one to show off what I did! 🙂

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At any rate, I didn’t really know what to expect. I’m not particularly strong and while I was my Daddy’s little helper in construction projects growing up…my handy-ness is limited to the “basics.” Anyhow, this is how it went down, all the volunteers, showed up bright and early and we were divided into groups with a team leader. Each group was responsible for  a specific component of the playground.

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The group I was assigned to was in charge of 2 directional sign posts. We had to paint arrows and think of what we were going to write on them. We decided on one post carrying “location” tags and the other would have inspirational “directions.”

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I was fortunate not to be mixing and pouring concrete aka “getting dirty,” (although I did some, to secure our post in the ground), and other groups were assembling the play equipment, painting a mural, erecting gazebos and sitting areas, etc…

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And, I think my assignment was extra special because I got to work with some of the kids who live in the community and took the initiative to volunteer to help make it happen. I was impressed at the efforts by these young men.

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The whole playground was constructed in about 6 hours. I mean of course they will properly inspect it and make sure it is sound for youngsters to start using it, but I was truly in awe of how quickly it all came together. It was a great day of teamwork and community service.

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