Tuesday August 26, 2008

Pat Mitchell talks to Sun Women!

I was so lucky to get to attend in person the talk by Pat Mitchell, a Sun board member, given to women at Sun a few weeks back. Ms Mitchell, an energetic and intelligent speaker, captivated the "in studio" audience as she regaled us with tales of starting her own production company for women, starting her own talk show, Woman to Woman, and acting as an anchor on the Today show.  Now, you have to wonder how a woman so involved in television came to be involved witht he Sun board of directors.  Her career path is a staggered one, starting out just trying to do something she enjoyed - teaching!  She then moved into writing articles for Look magazine and others, finding a new path for her to release her creative juices!

Ms. Mitchell talked quite extensively about how the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) actually helped her and other women to get jobs in the 1970s - and helped her get a myriad of experience. When the EEOC first went into effect, each TV station only had to have one woman in some job, but they liked to put their token hire in a position of prominent position so that everyone could see they were compliant. This is how she was able to hit the ground running and get real experience - though she did note that having such visible jobs that she didn't necessarily have all the training up front for did lead to extra scrutiny and occasional negative attention.

Ms. Mitchell found that women in media in the 1970s and early 1980s were expected to dress like men (we all remember those power-suits, right?), lower their voices to sound more like men, and to never discuss women's issues - but she decided to follow her own voice, which led her in very different directions!  She soon discovered, though, that "talent"didn't get to make decisions on what stories were covered, who got hired or who got promoted.  Feeling the frustration, she started her own production company to do things her way and to get all the experience associated with the business.  Doing this led her to her first real executive position at Turner Broadcasting - a job she held for 10 years.  Mitchell found Turner to be a fantastic mentor and only laments that her mentors were few & far between, and that she never had a woman mentor (as she seemed to always be breaking ground!).

When she found she no longer had a place after Turner merged with Time Warner (she notes that many women seemed to have lost their grounding), she nearly went back to teaching - only to get a call from PBS out of the blue.  Mitchell loves her job at PBS, but found the pay was not quite the equal of a company like Turner.  That is when she began taking jobs on corporate boards to make up the pay gap, and found she really enjoyed being able to contribute to companies she otherwise would've found unapproachable. She finds many boards appreciate her communication skills, knowledge of the entertainment business and her general business acumen.

Mitchell gave some fantastic advice for us all as well. She stated that women need to be comfortable with their own power - not only is it okay to have power, but you should use it and be able to redefine it, to have it work for you in a way that is not intimidating. Do all that and still be authentic.

She notes that you should also not be afraid of taking risks and that she's never seen anyone win anything through patience.

Related to that, Mitchell shared some of her grandmother's wisdom with us all: "Falling on your face is at least a forward movement."

Wednesday August 20, 2008

Whatever happened to NRM Music?

I was just completing my LinkedIn profile (finally), and was saddened to find that one of my favorite companies seems to have disappeared off of the face of the earth - NRM Music (aka National Record Mart).  It was retail, but I loved working there. The No Risk Music guarantees alone - I mean, who lets you return open CDs for a different title anymore? (to be fair, the No Risk Music was limited to specific selections every month that we knew did not suck).  The last article I can find on the store is on potential expansions in 1999. I can only guess this place was a victim of the MP3 (aka "let's not pay for music anymore") revolution.  I was able to grow from a lowly annoying teenage salesperson into a manager all before turning 17. I learned respect for merchandise, for myself, for others and for corporate America.  I also learned about how Federal tax incentive programs (like automatically reducing withholding but not reducing your tax bill) really impacted minimum wage earners. I also got to see first hand what happened when the Federal minimum wage was raised.  I gained an understanding for how the big picture works, and how every individual can impact the environment around them.  I could see first hand how being a helpful and courteous employee raised our sales by the double digit percentiles.  I also learned that several of our employees could not alphabetize merchandise with much accuracy, which led to my strange obsession with alphabetizing my own CDs, DVDs and books.

I've seen my favorite music stores disappear out here. It's a shame, I always find new things to listen to by just browsing or getting recommendations from a real human that has an actual interest in music.

Through my job at NRM, I was eligible for and received a college scholarship from the National Association for Recording Merchandisers.  It wasn't a full ride, but definitely made a difference, helped me focus on my studies to maintain the gift and made sure I kept my credit hours up to par.  Anyways, I'll miss you NRM, wherever you have gone.

Monday August 18, 2008

And a hush fell over the crowd....

I experienced something new this weekend - I was in the Opal Ultra Lounge in the MontBleu in Lake Tahoe.  Every TV in the casino and club was tuned into the Olympics, which people had been idly watching while waiting for drinks to be made. Then the men's 400m medley relay came on.  Suddenly, the crowd quieted. Bartenders stopped making drinks. People stopped talking. Dancers stopped moving on the dance floor. We all just stopped and watched, many holding their breath while others softly chanted "U S A. U S A."  Everyone was totally riveted until the race completed, America taking another gold - Michael Phelps receiving his 8th.  It was surreal.

I'm not a huge sports fan, but I do love watching the Olympics. These sports are just not normally aired, and this is my first time watching them in HD - an awesome experience  (I do love my TiVo!).

Thursday August 14, 2008

We've switched! Things are starting to settle down now that mercurial is up and working for ON's Solaris development. I've yet to have done a push myself, but have approved several RTIs, updated the RTI nits documentation, and am preparing more updates to other sites as well.   I'll be returning my focus to FIPS and US Governement export regulations on cryptography shortly, and hopefully doing a few more blog updates. (2008-08-14 11:35:08.0) Permalink Comments [0]

Friday August 01, 2008

Mercurial or bust! Things are so crazy for me right now, getting ready for ON's switch to Mercurial next week. To get ready as ON CRT chair, I had to update the RTI nit documentation, so folks would know what they were expected to do.  Thank goodness for all the great help from the SCM migration team! Now that that's done, I'll try to get back to my "real" work and all my missing blog entries... :-) (2008-08-01 16:06:41.0) Permalink

Wednesday July 09, 2008

American Idol Live

I'm embarrassed to say that I went to the American Idol Live concert in San Jose last night, but pleased that it was a good show. We were in the nosebleed section, which always takes me awhile to relax in (since I am terrified of heights).  I was disappointed that the organizers decided against using the arena's jumbotron and instead used screens over the stage which was VERY far from where we were sitting.  The main screen was also partially obscured with these electrical shims that were neat ... but so obscured the view that they became annoying.  Unfortunately for most of the singers, the sound guy did not properly balance or adjust the system - we heard a lot of bass and drums, but not much of the singers except for Michael Johns, Syesha Mercado and David Cook.  David A. was obscured by all the SCREECHING girls. yow.  It was a good mix of repeats from the show, some folks like Carly Smithson reworked some of the numbers significantly, while others like Michael Johns did them as we remember.  Everyone got three songs, except for David Cook. Syesha and David A were given more time and had longer numbers than the others, though.  Syesha really shined last night - showing a range I never saw on the show (though she again demonstrated that hip hop may not really be her thing). Kristy Lee Cook got such a cool reception, but showed that she's been practicing - her voice sounded much better. (I  always liked her, but still appreciated the improvement!) Vocal coaches must've been going around, as David A was actually singing very well last night (I was so tired of his nasaly drone!)

It was great to see all of the performers again - they all did very well. The group numbers were MUCh better than the live group numbers during the show. The band did a great job keeping up as well! I appreciated the intermission (though am confused by the number of women that kept standing in line for the restroom, even though there were many open stalls) and was glad that the concert started nearly on time. The problems with the show were not due to any of the performers and hopefully can be corrected for other dates.

The Shark Tank is a great place to see a show, with plenty of vendors open and nice wide halls and easily walkable from downtown.

Tuesday July 08, 2008

Fireworks spoiled by nincompoops We had a pretty great Fourth of July BBQ with friends, when we decided to walk to a nearby park and enjoy the fireworks being put on at the Shoreline Amphitheater. We thought we'd save ourselves some effort and watch from a nearby park (Whisman Sport's Complex) instead of walking all the way to the park (which would be much too crowded for driving) ... well, there was a group of idiots that thought the professional display was not enough, and they were letting off fireworks about 20 feet from a large group of people. Several of their fireworks misfired and exploded on the ground. Children were screaming and crying... yet they did not relent. They continued to let them off right near the main entrance of the park.  Some of our group had to leave early due how scared they were being so close - out of a nearly hidden back exit.  As far as I know, you're not supposed to let off fireworks in a park like that.  Who knows - but next year, we'll do the full walk to Shoreline, which is nicely policed, and enjoy the professional show without fear of injury from the amateurs. [Note: according to the Mountain View Voice, all fireworks are illegal in Mountain View]
(2008-07-08 08:54:41.0) Permalink Comments [0]

Friday May 23, 2008

Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!!!

We did the American Lung Association's Breathe Easy Lung Ride in San Luis Obispo last weekend, and it was WONDERFUL! Even though it was a very hot weekend, most of the ride was along the coast - which was beautiful and cool.  I didn't really get hot til the last 10-15 miles, particularly when I ran out of water (my fault for not filling up at the last rest stop! I totally forgot!)  Mark stopped often so I could have some water from his camel back, but the sun and the heat did get to me - I got a pounding headache behind my eyes and dizzy.  Nothing an air conditioned lobby, lots of cold water & some food couldn't fix.  I did finish the ride, but after the dizzy spell I did get a SAG wagon back to my hotel (3 miles from the ride start).  All the same, thank you all for your very generous donations! Your gifts, plus the very generous matching gifts from the Sun Microsystems Foundation, helped me raise $6884.02! WOW!

Thank you so much - the generosity of all of you is so humbling to me. Thank you.

Wednesday May 14, 2008

Biking to work & biking to save lives

This is a big week for bicycling and me, with Bike to Work Day coming up tomorrow (May 15) and my 65 mile ride for the American Lung Association on Saturday (May 17). I'm excited about Bike to Work Day, as I think this will be the first time I can actually ride in. It's always funny - I ride in all the time, but something like a doctors appointment will come up and I'll miss this one day. Well, I already rescheduled my dentist appointment so I can make it this year!  I expect to see the trails pretty packed, even though my route doesn't take me along any of the "power stations", because tomorrow is also a Spare The Air Day and my last day to train for the ALA ride on Saturday.

Unfortunately, my show schedule and cold I got after we opened kept me from biking for essentially all of April - so, training didn't start until April 30.  I've done this ride a few years in a row, now, so I know I can do it - I just know that my lack of training will result in being VERY tired and sore, but I will do it.  I do this ride for my mother, a lung cancer survivor and asthma sufferer and for all of the family friends and family members we have lost to lung disease. If you can support me, I'd appreciate it. If not, please do something friendly for the environment on Saturday to help support clean air - like combine any trips by car, or see if you can walk or ride a bicycle to do your errands, or just make sure your car is passing its smog requirements.  There's a lot of us in the Bay Area - small things we do can add up.

Thursday May 08, 2008

Last Chance: Valerie in Best Little W****house in Texas! Hi everyone!

We're down to our last three performances for Best Little W****house in Texas with Actor's Theatre Center in th Historic Hoover Theater in San Jose. Reviews have been great, but audiences have been small. Thank you so much for all of you who have already come out to support us! Tonight, tomorrow & Saturday night (all 8PM curtain)

This is the toughest acting role I've ever had - my character, Shy, is not your typical happy-go-lucky musical role, but a woman with a shattered past that was so tragic and difficult that life as a "working girl" was seen as a big step up. This show is so much more dynamic that most other ones I've seen - there are sad and touching moments, right along with amazingly hilarious ones and upbeat dance numbers!

This is based on a true story, right down to the wig-wearing, over the top, "consumer activist" television star - that will have you rolling in the aisles.

I am so proud to be working with everyone of the actors on this stage - everyone is top notch (many of whom you've seen before with me or in shows we've gone to see together).

The Palo Alto Daily quite liked us:
http://www.paloaltodailynews.com/article/2008-5-2-brothel-musical
(actresses are mislabeled - I haven't gone blond! :-)

Folks on Artsopolis enjoyed it, too:
http://www.artsopolis.com/event/detail/29869

Theater info:
http://theatrecenter.biz/id126.html

You can buy tickets online or at the door.

C'mon down! A good time to be had by all!

(2008-05-08 15:36:36.0) Permalink

Wednesday May 07, 2008

Professional Business Women of California Conference

I was so fortunate last week to get to attend the Professional Business Women of California's conference in San Francisco. This was my first time attending the event, and I was overwhelmed with everything that went on.  Every speaker was top notch, even at the sessions, and the booths in the expo were filled with many interesting things - some career oriented, others more personal - like jewelry or health care.  My only complaint is that with 6000 women in the Moscone Center, the 30 minute breaks were not really long enough.

The opening keynote from Martha Beck was surprisingly inspirational, as I don't normally find myself going for "feel good mumbo jumbo" - but I guess that's why her talk worked for me, she had substance behind her stories.  Dr. Beck was talking about her own life and how she learned to "follow her joy" to find a career that both inspired her and that she was successful in.  She noted that many people come to her, in her role as a life coach, and tell her they just don't know what to do with themselves.  She found that they actually do know, but either think they can't do what they love or don't know how to get started.  This gave me a moment to reflect in the joy I find in the work I do. True, there are days that aren't so "joyful", but having a rewarding job that I generally enjoy makes me a very lucky person, I think!

David Garibaldi, "Rhythm & Hue", was an amazing performance artist who made 6 foot portraits of both Congresswoman Jackie Speier and Madeleine Albright live, to perfect rhythm of the music, right before our eyes. It was very impressive!

I spent my morning in "Going Green: How Women's Economic Power and Counterintuitive Business Practices Can Make a Difference" where Diane Maceachern, Big Green Purse LLC, and Gary Hirshberg, Stonyfield Farm, spoke about green practices in our every day lives and in businesses and how they can actually save money in the bottom line.  Diane, who also authored Big Green Purse, noted that women are responsible for spending of 85 cents of every consumer dollar spent - making an excellent point that if we all make wise consumer choices, we can shift the market.  As an example, she noted that in 1999 there were no hybrid cars being sold commercially.  Suddenly in 2004, there were 88,000. Car makers took note. In 2004 there were not enough hybrids to meet demand and by 2007 more than 315,000 hybrids were sold.  Automakers went from pushing back on legislators demanding more fuel efficiency, saying there was no demand, to coming up with more options on their own.  A perfect example of how consumer demand can shift the marketplace faster than legislation.

She strongly recommends everyone to install water filters in their own house and use refillable bottles for water on the go - it's cheaper, and much more environmentally friendly.

Gary Hirshberg was also very interesting, talking about how sometimes searching for a more environmentally procedure for your business, you will find something that is also cheaper.  As an example, he noted how UPS had changed many of its routes to eliminate left hand in town turns - saving millions of dollars of fuel costs/year.

My highlight came at lunch time when I got to hear a very fascinating Cokie Roberts talk about the founding mothers of our country and all of the work they contributed to the US in our early years, and Madelein Albright talk about women's issues in general.

Albright spoke so eloquently, really giving me pause to think about everything that is going on in the world.  She noted that it is impossible to have a true democracy in a society where women are treated as second class citizens, and that anyone who abuses the dignity of one group, whether it be women or a specific race or class, is a security threat to us all.  In that vein, she urged all women to be willing to help each other, stand up for each other, and fight for education of women around the world. When the issue of the Queen Bee Syndrome was brought up, Albright noted that it is indeed an actual problem, but she felt "There's a special place in hell for women who don't help each other."

The day wound up with an energizing talk from Meagen Johnson on the four different generations in the workplace right now, Traditional, Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millenials. She talked extensively about how baby boomers are really team oriented, whereas Gen X folks are more self motivated and generally prefer working independently.  A neat technology point she made is that most boomers did not work with a computer until they had a full time job after graduating college. Folks from the Gen X generation on the other hand grew up with computers in the schools (I still remember my schools Apple IIe and playing Oregon Trail!).  Millenials, though, grew up with a computer always around.  It was a fun talk that made light of many multi-generational issues, yet at the same time got me to thinking.

Overall, the conference was amazing and I could not recommend it enough!

Friday April 25, 2008

ATC's Best Little W'house in Texas is honkey tonkin' along!

So we had a fantastic opening weekend for ATC's Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, even though I was sick.  I'm just now starting to feel a bit better, so I'm really excited about this weekend.  The show is really great, if I do say so myself :-)  Everyone who has come has had nothing but nice things to say.  I can't get the music out of my head, which is probably a good thing - it will help me keep the harmonies straight.  This show is never done, which is odd, because it has such a touching story, fantastic songs and so much more depth than a normal cheesy musical.

Y'all come back now, ya hear! 

Friday April 18, 2008

Security Ambassadors

I'm sitting here in one of the last sessions of the Sun Security Ambassadors conference, and thinking how lucky I was to be able to attend - getting the opportunity to learn what we are doing wrt to security in all our different GEOs, get in depth information into emerging security technologies, and I got to hear from some excellent luminaries in this field: Matt Bishop, Radia Perlman, Susan Landau & Michelle Dennedy.  We've had a great agenda and I feel like my team and I will have a lot to take away from this.

With Sun Security Ambassadors this week, and RSA last week (more on that later), I've been away from my email and "day job". That means a lot of catchup for next week!  

Tuesday April 15, 2008

first rehearsal on stage....

Last night we got to use the actual stage for the first time for ATC's Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. In some places, the stage is MUCH bigger ...in others, smaller than what we practiced with. That's what adding props and set pieces does to a little theater group ;)  The stage is much wider, and now we have access to the stage and the platforms that are between the orchestra pit and the rest of the audience.  Spacing was an interesting challenge last night, so we spent a lot of time last night fixing the big dance numbers. I only whacked one person with my tamborine last night... unfortunately I got poor Heidi more than once. I promise I'll be much more careful tonight!

Tonight we should have a few more of our costumes - I'll get a chance to try out my velcro tear off denim overalls (how else do you take off overalls over cowboy boots when you have 15 seconds to change?!?!)  I never thought I'd be wearing tear off clothing for a show... :-)

Band sounds great!

We had our Sitzprobe (sit and sing) last night with the band for ATC's Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and they sounded fantastic! The slide guitar and violin add depth we just weren't getting with the piano fill in rehearsal, and the bass and drums will definitely help us feel the beat as we dance and sing (at the same time ;).  Yesterday morning and afternoon, we got most of the set put together, so tonight we'll actually be on stage! and with the band! I'm very excited! We won't be running with costumes until at least Wednesday, which I'm a bit nervous about, as I have a few very fast changes (including one that occurs onstage!).  I'm sure it will be fine. Linda has reminded me several times that we often didn't have our costumes until opening night at the Gaslighter, and we somehow survived and still put on outstanding shows.  This will be no exception! This is one of the most challenging roles I've ever had - I'm not used to musicals having such great depth, and I've certainly never covered so many emotions in one show.

[VABF: Oops! I wrote this yesterday, but didn't post it! oops!]