Pintrest

Pintrest is the most precious website ever. Every time I pull it up I smile because it is full of things people love and want to share with one another. I picked a few photos from the site to put on this post because they made me happy. It is a true reminder of just how beautiful life is and how it is meant for FUN. Everywhere you look there is color, excitement and vitality. Never take for granted this life you have been given. You are here for a reason and a purpose so enjoy it and live it to the fullest! :)

Living an Extraordinary Life

My sorority, Phi Mu Fraternity, posted this article on their alumnae website "Living an Extraordinary Life" and I wanted to share with you. These are simple lessons to have the best life possible, because as we all know, you only live once!

Choose.

Don’t let circumstances wash over you like a flood. Understand that by not choosing, you have also made a choice. Be clear that you are always choosing … always.

Transform.

Make choices that are transformative. This is distinct from “doing something different;” this is about making choices that take you in the direction YOU want to go, even if the point of destination seems far away. You are not going to arrive somewhere different if you stay in your comfort zone. Make small choices, every day, along the way.

Have dynamic vision.

Create your vision anew, every day. This vision of your life needs to contain elements of a passionate perspective, an ever-changing experience of moment to moment life as if you have already arrived. It’s like picking a point on the horizon -- say, Hawaii -- and every day, imagining yourself there sipping on a tropical beverage and feeling the salt spray on your face. Achieving the extraordinary requires that your intention remain firm.

Take action.

Magical thinking gets you nowhere. Sure it’s good to be aware of the weather, of planetary shifts and of your religious beliefs but do not expect that God or the Universe will pay your bills. Take action toward your vision or you will never reach the point you’ve chosen on the horizon. Take the sailing course, sign up for the trip.

Observe.

Notice that you will receive assistance from unexpected sources. This is not magic although it seems like it is. Passion is contagious! When your plans are for the greater good, there will be helpers along the way.

Plan and then go beyond the plan.

Human beings tend to go toward guarantees in life; toward safety and zero risk. The risk is where the real creativity lies. Can you imagine that you never ever had a challenge in your life? How would you grow? Challenge yourself to have more than you have ever dreamed of before.

Expect the very best from yourself.

This is not the same as being critical of you. It is, in fact, the opposite. Champion yourself. Always think the best of you. Expect the best to happen. Expect that you will perform at your best. When you expect the best you come closer to receiving the best.

Have fun.

Sure the dishes must be washed, the kids taken care of, the paper written, the report filed. Would you rather complain and be miserable, or be happy and have fun while doing those things? Having fun, keeping an eye on your dynamic vision, taking action steps toward that vision, your life can be very exciting and that’s extraordinary.

GAC Bus Tour Video

The Event Intern, Carla Gibson, and I made this short little video after the GAC Bus Tour stopped at the Knoxville office. We hope you enjoy!

My friend recently posted these super cute Watermelon Cupcakes and I wanted to share with all of you. They look delicious and I can not wait to try them! They are a perfect summer treat. Enjoy!

GAC Tour Bus Visits Scripps

The Great American Country tour bus made a pit stop in Knoxville at the Scripps main office to have a "meet and greet" day with the employees. The GAC bus travels across the country stopping at rodeos.

My department, Corporate Communications, hosted this event and because the lady in charge was on vacation, it was mine and the other intern's jobs to make sure it all ran smoothly. It was already planned out so we were there to facilitate and set it up. The bus arrived around 2pm along with the food so while GAC was setting up their equipment, we set up the food on tables outside. We had cute little goodie bags with chicken salad, trail mix, cookies and beef jerky as well as glass bottled root beers. All employees were invited to come out and get tours of the bus, rope and lasso a fake bull and get autographs from real cowboys, Kllin Vonahn and Nick Sartain.

Around 300 employees came out to the event and everyone had a great time! It is a true testament to Scripps commitment to their employees to let them spend a few hours of the day having fun with a brand and enjoying each other's company. The event was a success and I can not wait to help with more events!

Knoxville Weekend

I had a very exciting first weekend in Knoxville. My boyfriend Reid came to visit so we began by going to the $2 theater in town and seeing the  movie Hanna. We were both so excited to find such a cheap theater. It was such a nice change from the regular $9 movie. Hanna was a very action packed movie and turned out differently than I expected, we enjoyed it! We then went downtown to the square and ate sushi and walked around. Great first day!

The next day we decided we wanted to go hiking. I am not an outdoor's person but I try to go with him occasionally because I know he enjoys it. We thought an hiking trail would be close to Knoxville, but we ended up traveling an hour to Gaitlinburg, TN and visited Laural Hill Falls. It was labeled an "easy" hike and it was 1.4 miles long. If that was easy I would hate to see advanced. We were able to do it with no problems, but it was not as easy as we expected. When we reached the top the falls it was beautiful and we found a flat rock at the bottom to eat lunch and hang out. It is a very touristy spot so there were a lot of people everywhere but it was a lot of fun. The trip back down was easier but we were very ready to get off that mountain. It was such a fun day and it was a nice change to the flat Georgia land we are use to. We ate dinner at Cru' and went to our first Super Target, which was awesome!

Sunday we went to Fellowship Church and enjoyed worship. Reid had to leave early because he had a 7 hour drive ahead. The weekend went by quickly but it was very enjoyable and it was nice to find so many fun things to do in Knoxville! Can't wait for many more this summer!

WICT Southeast "Speed Mentoring" Breakfast

This morning I had the pleasure of attending the WICT (Women in Cable Telecommunications) "Speed Mentoring" Breakfast held at Scripps in Knoxville. Throughout the morning mentees moved to three tables meeting with different mentors for 20 minute sessions. We were able to ask questions about the industry and speak to these women about how they became in their positions of power.
The mentors I was able to meet were...

Deborah Dawkins-Vice President of Programming at Jupiter Entertainment. Ms. Dawkins shared with us that it was very important to plan ahead and make a path that you wish to follow. Do not obsess over something going wrong, make a back up plan and choose an alternate route. Things are not always going to go smoothly but in a position of power it is important to stay calm and figure out a solution. Also she added that it is important to prioritize your goals each day and do what is most important first. If everything does not get completed at least the most important stuff was finished.

Sarah Cronan-SVP, Brand Magement, HGTV was a wonderful woman to talk to who truly believes in work/life balance. It was so interesting to hear how she worked her way up in the corporate world and all that she gets to do at HGTV. Ms. Cronan gave me a list of 15 statements she lives by. Her favorite two are 1. Filter everything through your personal priorities and 2. Uphod your integrity at all cost. Be the same person at home, at work, at church-and in your community.

Cynthia Gibson-EVP, Legal Affairs for Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. Ms. Gibson began at a lawfirm where she was the only woman so it was very interesting to hear how she worked among all men to claim her position in the firm. Ms. Gibson explained that it is important to manage up, down and across. Do not forget about the people on your level and above you, you never know who may be your boss one day. She also made sure that everyone knew it was important to stay true to yourself. She said at her first lawfirm, she wanted to make sure she still acted and dressed like a lady and didn't try to 'fit in with the men'. It is important to find other women mentors who you can rely on to help lead  you in a good direction with good guidance.

After the breakfast I was able to go on a tour of the productions side of Scripps which was really interesting. I met the people who produce the show promos for HGTV and DIY. The graphic designers and the composers. It amazes me how someone could actually produce such work, I am jealous!

Today was a great day at Scripps, I am about to publish my first GAC newsletter so let me know if you would like me to send you a copy!
  

First Day on the Job

Today was my first day interning at Scripps Networks and lets just say...it was wonderful! I learned so much in this first day and my eyes were really opened to the corporate world. It is so interesting how a company can manage six brands and do it successfully. Everyone in the communications department was SO nice! They all greeted me with smiles and graciously answered my questions. I was able to sit in on two conference calls and begin working on the GAC newsletter that is sent out weekly. There is never a dull moment at Scripps and I am excited to continue learning. Keep checking back for updates!