This child

May 27, 2011

photo 22Ohh, this child.

Photo1She makes my ovaries hurt. Pang. Ping. Pang pang.

Whoops. That was them.

photo 32 “Hi, Auntie!” I mean, honestly, can we take note of those cheeks. Those cheeks could spark world peace.

This child also makes me laugh.

photo 4 I turn on the front-facing camera on my iPhone. She notices it.

photo 222 “My! Look at that, Auntie!”

photo 51 Then curiosity takes over. She must try and touch that darling punkin on the screen.

photo 122 “Not…sure…if I…can…”

photo 41 “Not…sure…if I…can…reach…it…”

photo 11 “Hey hey!”

photo 21 “I am SO CUTE!”

photo 31 “I’ve just gotta touch it one more time.”

Dearest Youngest Niece,

You are going to be end of me.

And my ovaries.

I love you bunches. And please, if you do nothing else, nothing else at all, put those darn cheeks to good use.

Hugs and kisses,
Auntie Annie

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Feature Friday: Dear World

May 27, 2011

Welcome to a new dealio here on AnnieSorensen.com – Feature Friday. I suggested creating a platform where we could more formally feature cool kids doing cool stuff, you heartily responded, so here we are.

Every week, Feature Friday will highlight something…cool. It might be a person, it might be a business. It could be a new product, a new site, a new book, a new idea.

There are so many amazing people and stories out there that deserve more attention. Attention from all of you, my five, lovely readers.

This week’s feature is for you if:
– you love photography and design
– you are a photographer or a designer
– you love getting involved in original, meaningful causes
– you like to smile

———

Dear World
Feature Friday, vol. 1

I was introduced to Dear World a few weeks ago while attending the Big Omaha conference. It’s the coolest definition of originality. But it’s also strikingly simple. And fun. And meaningful.

From Dear World’s website, here is what they are about:

Dear World began as a for profit/social good venture called Dear New Orleans, where current New Orleans resident Robert X. Fogarty began photographing residents “love notes to the City.” From a New Orleans resident who wrote “Rest in Peace Katrina” on the fifth anniversary of the storm to Superbowl winning quarterback Drew Brees (1…2, Win for You), Dear New Orleans has captured the spirit of a joyful, strong city, where residents know what it’s like to nearly lose something they love.

In early 2010, while shooting under the Dear New Orleans brand, Fogarty photographed two series: Dear Haiti and Love Notes to the Coast (BP Oil Spill) that received international response. Dear World’s work is now seen over 1.5 million times per month online and the collection includes Academy award winning actress Susan Sarandon, NBA All Star Chris Paul, NFL Owner Tom Benson, and political commentator James Carville.

Officially launched in March 2011, Dear World is building a high value social venture where photographers and designers around the world photograph and document “messages to the world” in the same accessible portrait style.

Dear World :: Omaha is Dear World’s first BETA city and the organization hopes to have five Dear World cities operational by the end of calendar year 2011.

Be Bold. Be Brave. Write Our Future.

Basically, Dear World is a photography project that encourages people everywhere to share a message to make the world a better place. What makes Dear World unique, though, is how those messages are shared.

They are written in black marker on the subject’s body. Then photographed.

No Fear
Livin the Dream
I'm Going to College
Cancer Free
Go Saints
Strangers are Friends in Disguise (All photos from DearWorld on Facebook)

Cool, eh?

I love this. It’s personal. It’s fun. And it encourages the message to be short and concise. That makes it more powerful, don’t you think?

I mentioned that I was introduced to Dear World in Omaha few weeks ago. That’s because, Dear World? They’re expanding!

Their goal is to have Dear World receive 1.5 billion views per month. Yup. Billion. So, they’re looking for more and more photographers and designers to join their cause, city by city, event by event.

Dear World’s Dear New Orleans was their first venture. My Hawkeye friend, Andy Stoll, co-founded Dear Omaha, to join the Dear World cause from one of his favorite cities.

And then when I was in that city of his the other week, he roped me into doing this:

Smile! (It won't kill you)

It was silly. And really, really cool.

(Holy forehead vein, Annie. Good gracious.)

(Also, note the presence of my beloved black blazer. I mean, honestly, does it ever not travel with me? Nope. Never ever. Ever.)

———

How you can get involved

– Stop by Dear World’s main website and read more about their mission

– Like Dear World on Facebook

– If you are a photographer or designer, consider joining Dear World’s team

– If you’re planning an event, consider booking Dear World to join you

– Say hey to Dear Omaha, the first expansion of Dear World outside of New Orleans. Send them hugs. And high-fives. And happy thoughts. Dear Omaha is on Twitter, so that makes it easy for ya.

Dear World, you’re pretty neat.

Cheers to more fun photos.
Cheers to inspiring people.
Cheers to changing the world, one magic marker inscribed message at a time.

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Feature Friday, it’s on!

May 26, 2011

Well well well, I KNEW there were more of you out there than just two. Yesterday, amongst observations from my dungeon, I threw out the idea of a new section on this site, something like a Feature Friday, and it wasn’t just the two of you that responded…there were five.

Swoon!

I love you guys. All five of you.

So, it’s on. Let’s do it.

Every Friday, starting tomorrow, I will feature something…cool. It might be a person, it might be a business. It could be a new product, a new site, or even, because you’re dealing with me here, a new book.

(Shocker.)

In cruising around the Land of Internetz, I run into so many amazing people and stories, as I’m sure you do, too. Many of them don’t get the attention they deserve, and gosh darnit, the five of you need to know about them!

This will give you a chance to do so. This will give us a chance to do so.

It will allow you to check them out. To give them a high-five. And to perhaps even spread the word to your own circle of influence. (What? You have TEN people in yours? Luck-ee!)

Feel free to send in suggestions. Leave them in the comments below or pass them along via Twitter. If they’re cool and I think the other four of you will like them, then I’ll feature ’em up.

Who is doing something out of the ordinary? Creatively? Against the odds?

What has caught your attention this week? What site? What person? What product or business?

Who should be making headlines, but isn’t?

Let’s send them our hugs and high-fives, ok? One post at a time.

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From the archives: Resume Creativity

May 26, 2011

Another exhilarating tidbit from the archives. And by exhilarating I of course mean weird and random with a splash of pathetic.

This one I didn’t dig up on an old hard drive. It was farmed from my Tumblr site. I site that, since I’m now spouting off about whatever topic floats into this brain of mine here on AnnieSorensen.com, I don’t need.

When me dot com was limited to the tiny box that I put it in, I used a Tumblr blog to collect some of the other randomness that I felt needed to be put on paper.

Err, on keyboard.

Screen?

Bytes?

(What?)

If you’re in the market for a jobby job or if you’re in HR or if you’re a decision maker of any capacity in your company, this is for you.

If you’re not one of those, then please stop reading now. If you haven’t already.

But I’m sure you have.

How about I stop now? Mmkay.

————

Random thought of the day: Resume Creativity
July 2010

What if, instead of the normal resume content of objective statement, educational history, job history, blah blah blah, you just included a url? So, you have your normal header at the top of the page with your name and contact information, and then in the middle of the page, in a giant font surrounded by acres of white space, you have something like: http://bit.ly/Annie

Then, at the other end of the link is a private YouTube video with an introduction by you, looking straight into the camera lens, repeating your name and objective. And instead of TELLING the viewer your job history and what benefits you could provide to their organization, pull together a series of clips of you actually doing some of those jobs (or acting them out or something).

Creativity.

Yeah?

Can someone do this please? Kthxbye.

————

Kthxbye? Ugh.

All in favor of banishing that phrase from the internet forever?

AY!

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A basement list

May 25, 2011

1. Our home is an old, cute Tudor in the center of the city of Kansas City. Nooks and crannies, tons of character, oddly wonderful smells – we love it. We’ve also had to remodel every piece of it since we moved in over 4 years ago. But that’s another story for another time. A time when my post traumatic-remodel stress syndrome isn’t flaring up.

Our house is centrally located in town, which is ultra-convenient, and nestled amongst those charming little “city” nieghborhood shopping areas. The kind the contain the small, fancy grocery stores and privately owned coffee shops and the restaurants where you run into half your neighbors while grabbing a quick bite on a Wednesday night.

It’s Tudor style on the exterior, but has several Arts and Crafts influences on the inside. And it’s not unlike many other homes built during the 1930’s in that it’s set on a stone foundation. Stones that weep when it rains and keep you from ever finishing your dungeony basement. Stones that smell kinda musty but always keep cool. Stones that never, ever allow the laundry you’re trying to air dry to, well, dry.

–

2. This basement I speak of? I’m in it. Right now. As we speak. Err, type.

Basement hideout

I’m sitting in a camping chair and typing away on my new laptop stand – our large, red cooler. It’s emblazoned on the back with SORENSEN in magic marker and I’m pretty sure the dirt dried into the cup holders is leftover from the lake last summer.

Also, I have to pee, and I’m afraid to run upstairs to do it.

–

3. This Midwestern tornado business? I’m over it. May we please get back to our regularly scheduled programming?

–

4. The canine is huddled over there by the washing machine, pointed in my direction yet fearful of looking anywhere other than out the tiny window behind her.

Here, I’ll show you:
photo 1

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5. I had to sling her over my shoulder and practically throw her down the stairs earlier. This dungeony basement? She’s not a fan. But she’s even less of a fan of thunder, so she weighed her options and let me carry her down when the sirens starting going off.

She had been outside in the rain a few minutes before, right before the storm really hit, so she was wet.

Wet dog with dark hair + white shirt = we need more lint rollers. My own shirt is making me sneeze.

–

6. Sneezing. Yeah. Not helping this having-to-pee problem.

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7. Oh! Update! She’s now whimpering with her eyes closed.

photo 2

The whining is a lovely backdrop to the streaming weather updates I’m trying to listen to and the hail outside and the tornado sirens in the distance.

A regular bad weather chorus, we are.

–

8. Speaking of chorus, thank you all so much for your kind emails and texts and messages yesterday about my ‘lil library interview. They’re such a great organization and deserve the attention.

–

9. That had nothing to do with a chorus. But you knew that.

–

10. Could I use that drain over there? No no no. Too disgusting. Tooooo disgusting.

Umm.

But…could I?

–

11. My feet are cold. Is that a spider?

–

12. Oh. Hi! You’re still here! Great. I’m currently reading Hugh MacLeod’s book Ignore Everybody. It’s lovely. Inspiring. Full of short, digestible chapters. Shall I post a review when I’m done?

What’re you reading?

–

13. I left my iPad upstairs. I hope she’s ok. Hang on, little lady! Hang on!

–

14. Achoo. Hehh achoo. HEHHH ACHOO.

–

15. Stupid shirt.

–

16. sniff sniffle So, what are you reading this week, my lovely readers? I’d really like to know what the two of you are up to. Wait, I’ve already asked you what you’re reading.

So, tell me what you’re working on then! I’m considering starting a new feature here on this ‘ole site on Fridays that will highlight someone doing something cool. A new business, a new site, a new book, a fun idea, a cool project. Whatever.

I keep running into awesome people doing awesome things that deserve to be shared. I’ll feature one each week, maybe. And I’ll call it Feature Friday. Because I’m creative like that.

Thoughts? Good idea/bad idea? Would that interest you? To hear about cool business things, book things, people things, all sorts of things?

Let me know what you think. If you like the idea, feel free to send in recommendations.

–

17. I think I just might die right here in this basement. I’m not using that drain. Nope nope no I’m not. It’s been nice knowin’ ya! Bye bye forever.

–

18. At least it’s quiet down here. Kind of relaxing. Maybe I’ll put my feet up on this box over here and close my eyes and…

–

19. Wait a second.

–

20. WAIT ONE STINKIN’ SECOND.

It’s quiet?

Canine? Hello?
Rai? Lighten? Thun? Torna? Sire? Wha?

–

21. It’s over?! Wohoooooo!

–

22. That bye bye forever stuff? I didn’t mean it, kids. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.

At least, not today you’re not. :)

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An enterprising reader? I’ll take it

May 24, 2011

I’m feeling grateful today. And lucky. And geeky.

Wait, I’m always feeling geeky. So I guess that’s nothing new?

Nope. Not new. Crap.

So, I’m feeling grateful, because I didn’t apply to get noticed.

“The H&R Block Business and Career Center was designed, in part, to help people get their own businesses up and running. Now, one local entrepreneur has crossed to the other side of the help desk, where, as a Library volunteer, she works with customers not unlike herself.”

I applied because I wanted to give back a little.

“Self-education – mainly through reading – has always been Sorensen’s driving force.”

Because I felt like I was all take take take.

“Her love of books made the Kansas City Public Library a natural fit when she was looking for opportunities to give back to the community.”

I applied because I’m a book geek. To the most outraaageous degree.

“When people come into the Center, they’re working on something – whether it’s finding a job or career, or researching a business opportunity or business plan,” Sorensen says. “Everyone who comes in is always working on something, going somewhere.”

I didn’t apply to get noticed.

And when it comes to finding help for fellow entrepreneurs, she could hardly be in a better place.

But it sure felt nice when I did.

Thanks, my lovely library. You look like a beautiful, old museum and you smell like dusty books. And you made my day.

I kind of like you. I kind of like you a lot.

——

KC Unbound Blog: Volunteer Profile: An Enterprising Reader
by Jason Harper
May 24, 2011

——

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From the Notebook: The past week, happiness is…

May 23, 2011

I’m a notebook kind of gal. Have we discussed this? The past couple years I’ve molded into an I-never-do-not-have-my-notebook-with-me type of person. It serves as my scratch pad, my list of reminders, my diary, and, often, my sanity.

Amongst the scribble of the garage code for the rental property and my grocery list from last Wednesday and two book recommendations from a friend were a few “Happiness is…” entries. I’ve apparently been in a poetic, journaling mood the past week.

Happiness is…that long intake of breath as you slowly tip your coffee cup up to take that first sip.

Happiness is…when the dog’s mouth is dry and, when called, she looks up at you with her lip caught on her tooth. That innocent, unintentional, lopsided snarl. Hi.lar.i.ous.

Happiness is……leaving the back door wide open so the smell of the freshly cut grass wafts into the kitchen.

Happiness is…a new pair of jeans.

Those were dated Thursday, May 19th. From Friday:

Happiness is…the smell of a new paperback.
…the feel of the grainy cover of a new paperback.
…the crispness and straight lines of a new paperback.
…paperbacks! paperbacks! paperbacks!

So maybe I spent a few minutes that day wallowing in the stacks at Barnes & Noble.

MOVING ON.

Happiness is…cresting a hill while driving down the interstate to a sea of majestic, silent, starch white wind turbines.

Happiness is…driving 14 hours in 2 days to celebrate baptisms and new homes, first communions and birthdays with those you love.

Happiness is…family.

And I guess that’s all there is to say about that. Stay tuned for more exhilarating entires from Annie’s Beloved Notebook!

Wow, if that’s not the most pathetic sentence I’ve ever written.

I was just kidding, anyway.

(Sort of.)

(Sorry.) (In advance.)

Here’s one more:

Happiness is…being yourself.

Agreed. Very much, agreed.

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Chick-Fil-A Leadercast

May 23, 2011

There I was, working away in our itty, bitty home office, sipping my coffee, when I looked over and gasp! saw this grease-stained fast food bag laying on my desk.

And it was empty.

Chick-Fil-A bag

Drama!

After getting over the initial shock of who, in their seemingly healthy, right mind would ever.do.such.a.thing. as order something that arrived in a grease-stained fast food bag, I picked it up.

And it said something kinda interesting.

Chick-Fil-A bag close-up

Leadercast? Something resembling personal development on a…on a…on a grease-stained fast food bag?

That’s kinda outside of the box (err, bag), and I think I like it.

Also, the list of speakers for the event? Not too shabby. The COO of Chick-Fil-A, author and blogger Seth Godin, leadership expert John Maxwell, journalist and author Suzy Welch, personal money management “expert” Dave Ramsey, etc, etc, etc. Not too shabby at all.

(The quotes around Ramsey’s expert title are mine.)
(I’m sorry.)
(I couldn’t help myself.)

So, Leadercast. I realize it’s kind of pointless to be highlighting an event that’s already said and done, but this is neat. It’s just…neat.

I guess this is me giving Chick-Fil-A a high-five. Way to go, Chick-Fil-A, folks! Keep the motivation coming. You might be helping Americans everywhere break their New Year’s resolutions, but at least you care a teensy bit about their motivation levels and leadership skills.

Chick-Fil-A bag cow

And while we’re doling out accolades and pats on the back, I think we need to discuss your spicy chicken sandwich.

Oh. My. Goodness. do we need to discuss your spicy chicken sandwich…

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