Copeland Launches Career Coaching Practice

Friends, 

I’ve enjoyed sharing my journey with you this year.  From my trip around the world to the “Memphis To Moore” fundraiser, this has been a big year for me.  Today is no different.  You may have wondered why my blog posts have slowed down.  I’ve been working on something very special to share with you.  

After career coaching informally for 9 years, I’m launching my own practice: Copeland Coaching.  I provide assistance at all stages of the job-search process — including networking, interviewing and negotiation — and am available for those seeking a career change at all levels. I specialize in personal branding online, leveraging the Internet in your search, and creative job searching in a down economy.

I started coaching while attending graduate school at Pepperdine University. My professors noticed that I looked for jobs differently than the other students. They began referring students and professionals to me for career coaching, and would also ask me to give presentations on job-seeking skills. I’ve continued to coach informally since then, and recently felt called to turn it into a business.

Even more exciting, I’m launching a new e-book that I’ve written, Breaking The Rules & Getting The Job.  The book provides practical, useful advice for those looking to improve their job-seeking outcomes. It is officially being released today and can be purchased on my coaching website at www.CopelandCoaching.com.

For more information or to sign up with Copeland Coaching, contact me at Angela(at)CopelandCoaching(dot)com.  

Thank you to all of my wonderful friends who have supported me in my launch! 

Happy hunting,

Angela 

Beale Street Video

Here's a new video that features Beale Street.

James Lee House Bed and Breakfast

On Monday, I had the opportunity to see something really great happen here in Memphis.  There was a ground breaking for a new bed and breakfast on Adams: the James Lee House B&B. 

The James Lee House is located across the street from the Mollie Fontaine Lounge inside of the Victorian Village.

The house has been empty for around 50 years, and one family with a big idea was able to get this project moving.  With the help of the City of Memphis, the DMC, other community organizations, and generous donors - the ground breaking was able to happen.

It's the first step in what sounds like quite a journey to get the house ready for guests.  I had the opportunity to walk through the first floor of the home.  It's really incredible and I'm sure will make a wonderful B&B for Memphis.

Here are a few photos that I took during the ground breaking ceremony and of the James Lee House.

Memphis news crew on the ground in Moore, Oklahoma

Lauren Squires from Memphis's WMC-TV Channel 5 called me last night as she was driving from Memphis to Moore.  She is going to report on the devastation and to share what's happening with Memphis residents.

I believe she is headed to my parents house now.  I haven't seen photos of their neighborhood yet.  Lauren promised to get some footage to send back to me here in Memphis. Hopefully, we will see that today here in Memphis.

Here's her first video from Moore last night when she arrived.

Big thanks in advance to Lauren for her hard work!

BBQ Fest - Day 2

BBQ Fest day 2 was also a success. As expected, it was far more social than day 1. 

I woke up around 10 am and made it to the festival around noon. Lunch was served around the time I arrived. It was BBQ and nachos. 

After lunch, a friend made me a manhattan, so the bourbon drinking started a bit early. We took a long walk around the park and met many different trams including BBQ Republic, Moody Ques, and Voodoo Que. 

Around 5 PM, I ran home to change into jeans. When I returned, it was time for another delicious BBQ meal. 

After dinner, my friend Jennifer and I made a huge lap around the park. We saw old friends and made new ones. It was very fun. While we were walking, we stopped by the Seed Hatchery graduation party. Pitch day was yesterday and all of the teams were celebrating. 

We eventually made it back to my team's tent. The team had cleared away the tables to turn the tent into a dance floor. A number of my friends stopped by just as we arrived which was great! 

The entire day was a lot of fun and very social. I would guess that I walked about 5 miles or so yesterday. My hurting feet would agree. 

I will be heading back down in an hour or so for more fun. But definitely in more comfortable shoes. 

Cupcakes, nails, and my garden

Most of today was spent trying to get caught up on tasks.  I have a feeling that I will be getting caught up for a few more weeks at least.  It's amazing how much can pile up over such a short time.

I'm preparing for another little trip out of town tomorrow.  In preparation, I got my nails done.  This was a huge relief as I haven't had them painted since Singapore.  Normally, it wouldn't be an issue, but since I was walking for miles and miles each day during my trip, my feet are pretty worn out.  After getting them fixed up this afternoon, I was completely relieved.  I took great care in wearing flip flops to the nail salon this time, so as not to mess up my toes.  Unfortunately, I was a little too ambitious with socks a few hours later.  It is amazing just how long it takes nail polish to dry!  At the end of the day, I'm just happy that my feet are in good shape again... but the texture on my toenails wasn't exactly the look that I was going for.

For dinner, I met my friend Betsy at a new place on South Main in Memphis called Corked Carrot.  They serve all foods that can be baked inside of a muffin tin.  For dinner, I had two muffin shaped treats: a corn dog muffin and a BBQ muffin.  They came along with small salad and Betsy brought wine.  For dessert, I ordered a carrot cake cupcake, but when it arrived I could clearly see that the strategy is to get more than one, so we also ordered a few Elvis cupcakes (banana bread cupcake with peanut butter icing). Overall, the place was nice.  The atmosphere was good and the food was interesting.  If I could change anything, I might make the dessert cupcakes bigger-- and consider evaluating the price points for a few things. 

I stopped by the garden after dinner to check out the new vegetables that I planted last Thursday.  I had been afraid that the rain completely flooded over the weekend.  To my surprise, the plants seem to be fine.  And, the lettuce that I had picked last week for sandwiches is back.  But instead of being a small lettuce patch, it has turned into a lettuce tree that's growing straight up.  I guess that the plants are enjoying the weather after all.

Below are a few photos from Corked Carrot.  You will see what I mean about the size of the dessert cupcakes.

Settling into Memphis

The past few days have been a whirlwind.  I landed on Monday night and spent the day Tuesday searching for my luggage, and buying groceries and plants for my garden.  On Wednesday, I did laundry, planted my garden, caught up on 2 months of mail, and prepared to have a few friends over on Thursday.

Thursday was great!  A few friends came by to say hello and ask questions about my trip.  I stayed up late and went to the Blue Monkey afterward.  It was a lot of fun.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were Music Fest.  For those who may not know, we have a festival here that goes on all month called Memphis in May.  It kicks off with Music Fest.

As expected, it rained, but surprisingly it was incredibly cold.  At times, it was less than 40 degrees F. The rain and the freezing temperatures, paired up with the river flood warning, made this Music Fest one of the strangest and most memorable.

Music Fest takes place on the banks of the Mississippi River, very near where I live.  This year, I could tell that the festival had improved their sound system.  I could hear every word the performers were saying from the stage (nearest to me - there were 3 or so stages).  This was my main motivation to get out and stand in water and mud for hours.

Luckily, I was able to find shelter in the Memphis Flyer tent.  It's a comfortable and private spot that's set up for downtown locals.  They serve free drinks and food, and have private "bathrooms."

Saturday was also the Memphis Farmers Market.  I went down to refill my supply of locally raised organic meats, homemade popsicles, and fresh fruits and vegetables. It was incredibly nice to be back to my local produce.

So far, I'm made homemade strawberry ice cream, chicken tacos, guacamole, BLTs, among other things.  It's been great, and I think I missed bacon.  I have eaten almost a pound of it since I got home.

Now that I'm back, I will do my best to keep posting - and keep having adventures.  Stay tuned for more excitement!

Goodbye Australia, Hello US!

My flight to come back to the US left Sydney at 1:30 PM on Monday.  It was a 16 hour flight to Dallas.  It landed in Dallas at around 1:30 PM - also on Monday.  (How strange is it to depart and land at the same time, on the same day - after 16 hours have passed?) I then had a 3 hour layover in Dallas before getting on a 1 hour flight to Memphis that arrived at 5:30 PM on Monday.

I was very nervous about the 16 hour flight.  The longest flight I've ever taken was one to India a few years ago.  That flight was long, but not that long.  I had no idea how exactly that I would survive such a long flight. 

Since I only brought a backpack on my trip, I had about 50 pounds of extra luggage I could bring back.  Shane and Laura jumped on the opportunity to send a few things back with me.  Luckily, this meant that Laura accompanied me to the airport.  I was happy that we went together, because I was so nervous about the long flight.

Luckily, I was seated in a bulkhead row and there were no children in my section.  Unluckily, the person directly behind me rested their feet on the back of my chair the entire flight.  I didn't figure out that was going on until we were landing.  But, the man next to me was very nice and nobody was seated between us.

Also, they gave us food non stop.  That made things much easier for me.  This was the food I remember.  There was probably more, but it seemed like every hour or so, something was available. 
Lunch
Pizza
Ice cream
A granola bar
Cheese and crackers
Breakfast

When we got off the plane in Dallas, I was relieved.  I survived the flight and didn't feel too bad.  Qantas did a great job.  The flight was on time and the staff was friendly and helpful. 

Everything that happened between getting off the Qantus flight and getting home with American Airlines was pretty disappointing.  I've saved the details of that portion of the journey and may share them with you at a later time.

For now, I'm just happy to be home!

Mud Island Public Use Study Meeting Thursday

Downtown Friends,

I'm emailing you today to tell you about a study that's going on downtown that you may have heard of: the Memphis Riverfront project.

In a nutshell, Mud Island River Park will be overhauled soon. Today, I went to the first of 2 meetings to solicit public feedback.

One of the big topics up for discussion is putting a large skate park on Mud Island. I'm very excited to support this concept as it would positively support the city in a number of different ways. On the flip side, some folks are either against the park, or are in favor of putting it underneath I-40. This is bothersome.

I also had one other big concern about the meeting. I was in the minority. The majority of folks were parents and young children. Very few of them actually live downtown.

If you have time on Thursday, I really encourage you to go to the meeting and be heard. Until I attended the meeting tonight, I had no idea of the magnitude of this project.

Literally, they are asking citizens to place mock-ups of attractions on a map of the existing Mud Island river park. The choices include things like a skate park, an aquarium, a walking bridge (yes!!), shopping, dining, green park space, the Zippen Pippen, and a carousel... just to name a few.

For more information, check out www.MemphisRiverFront.com.

You can also check out this blog article to read more about the skate park: http://gatesofmemphis.blogspot.com/2009/05/sk8mud.html.

I encourage you to go Thursday and give the perspective of a young Memphis professional-- someone who LIVES in Memphis. The meeting is this Thursday, May 14th from 5:45 to 7:15 PM at the HIRP Landing at 101 Island Drive.

Thanks for listening!
:~) Angie

Memphis, You Had Me at To-Go-Cup!

This weekend, among other things, a new funny saying was born. It's so perfect in fact that it needed a t-shirt. Thanks Dustin!

Check out the t-shirt below. It's available in my Cafe Press store, and I just ordered mine. :~)

The After Party

Alright, well The After Party went off without a hitch. It was what one might call FABULOUS.

As a matter of fact, I'll tell you a little secret... The South Main Dirty Dozen may just start to make a habit of this whole party thing over the summer... so watch for more... :~)

To fill you in on the details... we rented out the back of Earnestine & Hazel's downtown on Saturday night. Super 5 played and did a great job! Thanks guys! Last but not least, we also had a great open bar. Not bad at all.

Here are a few photos below. Also, feel free to check out other collections of photos:

Edison's: gallery.mac.com/edisonv

Victoria's: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2051708&l=0894b&id=8506572
Brian's: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=18428&l=14f50&id=855209169

Robbie's: TBD... check back. :~)

Weird Things Go Bump in the Night

This is going to sound strange, but here it is: I woke up this morning at around 4:20 AM (5:20 AM EST) to shaking. My entire apartment was shaking, just a little. I was very calm and lie thinking about the after effects of earthquakes that I used to feel when I lived in LA.

When I woke up, I wrote down the time and date of the shaking, so that I could compare notes in the morning with the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (located in Memphis!).

This morning, I checked online and learned that just before I woke up to the light shaking, there was in fact an earthquake a few hundred miles away in Illinios. So far, people have reporting feeling its after effects as far down as St. Louis, MO so, I documented Memphis too.

Let me add that for some reason, I'm pretty sensitive to this sort of shaking. When I lived in LA, I'd wake up to a tiniest earthquake, and my next door neighbor would sleep right through it. We'd have a disagreement about whether or not it had even happened, and I'd have to pull up the earthquake site to prove my point. :~)

Here's the map of the tremor that I felt last night.

As you can see, it happened early this morning and the magnitude was at a 5.2 -- pretty strong.
























Update: The Wall Street Journal has an article today detailing the quake. They say it was actually a 5.4. Check out the article here (or read it below).

Update 2: One of my neighbors also woke up to the earthquake this morning. SO glad it wasn't just me! :~)

WEST SALEM, Illinois -- An earthquake struck the U.S. state of Illinois early Friday, and it appeared to rival the strongest temblor ever recorded in the country's Midwest region.

The quake jolted residents in several nearby states as well, but no injuries or significant property damage were immediately reported.

The quake, measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale, hit just before 4:37 a.m. local time (1037 GMT) and was centered six miles from West Salem, Illinois.

"It shook our house where it woke me up," said David Behm of Philo, Illinois. "Windows were rattling, and you could hear it. The house was shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not like California."

The jolts were felt in a region that included parts of the states of Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Its Web site said earthquakes seldom occur in the area, and that the largest recorded earthquake in the region -- also a magnitude 5.4 -- caused damage in southern Illinois in 1968.

Friday's quake shook buildings in central Chicago and the cities of Indianapolis, Indiana; Cincinnati, Ohio; and St. Louis, Missouri.

It's Official: NWA and Delta Merger

All I can say is, I hope Delta decides to keep the Memphis hub...

Here's an e-mail I received this morning about the merger:

As a valued Northwest Airlines customer and WorldPerks^® member, I wanted you to be among the first to hear that we have announced a merger with Delta Air Lines. Subject to regulatory review, our two airlines are joining forces to create America’s premier global airline which, upon closing of the merger, will be called Delta Air Lines.

By combining Northwest and Delta, we are building a stronger, more resilient airline that will be a leader in providing customer service and value. Our combined airline will offer unprecedented access to the world, enabling you to fly to more destinations, have more flight choices and more ways than ever to earn and redeem your WorldPerks miles.

You can be assured that your WorldPerks miles and Elite program status will be unaffected by this merger. In addition, you can continue to earn miles through use of partners like WorldPerks Visa^®. And once the new Delta Air Lines emerges you can look forward to being a part of the world’s largest frequent flyer program with expanded benefits.

The combined Delta Air Lines will serve more U.S. communities and connect to more worldwide destinations than any global airline. Our hubs – both Delta’s and Northwest’s – will be retained and enhanced. We will be the only U.S. airline to offer direct service from the United States to all of the world’s major business centers in Asia, Latin America, Europe, Africa and around North America.

Both airlines bring tremendous strengths to this new partnership. Our complementary service networks form an end-to-end system that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. This is a merger by addition, not subtraction, which means all of our hubs – both Northwest’s and Delta’s – will be retained. In addition, building on both airlines’ proud, decades-long history of serving small communities, we plan to enhance global connections to small towns and cities across the U.S.

All of these positive benefits of our combination mean that we can:

• Offer a true global network where our customers will be able to fly to more destinations, have more schedule options and more opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles in what will become the world’s best and most comprehensive frequent flyer program.
• Continue to serve our current roster of destinations and to maintain our hubs in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York, Salt Lake City, Amsterdam and Tokyo.
• Improve our customers’ travel experience, through new products and services including enhanced self-service tools, better bag-tracking technology, more onboard services, including more meal options, new seats and refurbished cabins.

While we work to secure approval of our merger, which may take up to 6 to 8 months, it will be business-as-usual at both airlines. We will continue to operate as independent airlines and the people of Northwest will remain focused on providing you with the very best in safe, reliable and convenient air travel. At the same time, both airlines will be planning for a seamless integration of our two airlines, one that delivers to you the enhanced benefits that will earn – and retain – your preference.

As we work through this process, we will keep you informed at every step along the way. Thank you for your business and we look forward to serving you on your next Northwest flight.

Sincerely,

Bob Soukup
Managing Director, WorldPerks

Sad News

After a great game by Memphis, I'm sorry to report (as you already know) that they lost the Big Game to Kansas last night.

I watched the game from two different bars downtown. The energy was just amazing. Everyone was wearing blue, cheering, and finally being proud of Memphis.

Memphis could have really used a hero last night...

So sad that they started trying to run the clock out so soon... and then, that they missed their 4 free throw ops in the end... and then, for losing the ball to Kansas and not regaining in overtime...

Anyway...!!

Congratulations however for making it so far! Nobody thought Memphis would go anywhere... do well in their league... make it to the semi-finals... make it to the finals... hold their own until the end. So, good job guys! :~)

GO MEMPHIS TIGERS!!!

Memphis Wine Blog

As I mentioned recently, I've created a wine blog to track wine tastings, parties, and dinners in Memphis.

So far, you'll find both detailed information about events, and a calendar of events. It's pretty surprising just how many wine events there are in Memphis-- especially on Wednesdays. :~)

Check it out now! www.MemphisWineBlog.com.

Cheers!

Big Update

Okay- the last few weeks, if not the last few hours, have been a blurr. I've enjoyed it, but my life has swirled around me at such a rapid pace that I feel lucky to arrive anywhere on time, with my thoughts organized.

Here's a brief summary of the month:

--> visited LA (Santa Monica, Malibu, and Burbank)

--> visited Santa Barbara, California

--> visited Savannah, Georgia

--> worked a lot (end of Q1 coming up next week)

--> networked

--> spent time with friends

The past week has been extra exciting. Last Wednesday, I flew to Georgia to visit my brother and his family (thanks Robbie for dropping me off!). He is on leave for a few days from this current assignment in Baghdad. I got a chance to see my parents, brother and his wife, 4 kids, 3 dogs, 1 turtle, 1 hamster, and various friends and fish. Ha. :) It was busy! The nephew turned 8, so that was fun.

On Saturday morning, I flew back to Memphis (thanks Jessica for picking me up!). I went to see the final regularly scheduled RiverKings game in Miss. that evening. Of course, they won. :~) They're in the play-offs now.

Sunday was Easter. Unfortunately, the spa was closed, but fortunately brunch was open. I had a wonderful, music filled brunch at Boscos Squared in Midtown. Sunday night, I made ribs and watched The Waitress. :~)

Monday was very possibly one of the most random days I've had in a while. After work, I thought I would go home and have a quiet evening alone- possibly baking, or something else requiring little to no concentration. On my way home, a friend from the building called and asked me to meet him and 3 friends at the Westin for Monday night happy hour. How could I turn it down? So, I stopped by- for one hour. Determined to have a quiet night, I headed home. Before I made it into the elevator, I ran into another neighbor. He was just getting back from the airport, from a trip that had kept him out of town for over a week. He asked me to dinner and still in my suit and carrying my work bag, we took off immediately for India Palace in Midtown. Dinner was great! About midway through the meal, another neighbor called and asked to stop by and eat with us. So, he did, which was great. Almost finally back home, we get a phone call from two neighbors walking home who need a ride. We swing back around and pick them up. Before we've even made it back home, a plan has formed for cards and darts back in our building. Needless to say, my quiet night at home ended around midnight, when I finally made it home. It was great fun. Did I mention that I won at darts twice? :~)

Yesterday wasn't quite as random as Monday, but just as busy. I started off with meetings first thing in the morning at 8 AM. The meetings continued up until it was time to go home. After work, I went horseback riding in Germantown. After horseback riding, I visited a neighbor, cooked dinner, and showered. Then, I was off to a party planning meeting. Immediately following the party planning meeting, I went for drinks at Le Chardonnay in Midtown. Again, didn't get home until close to midnight. Wow!

Tonight, I absolutely must get more rest. I'm meeting a friend right after work for drinks. After that meeting, I'm going to have to go home and just lay on the couch. I'm exhausted!

Thursday, Ballet Memphis is having an open rehearsal at lunch from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM at 100 Peabody Place in Downtown Memphis. You should check it out!

Also on tap for this week:

* Wine event at the Memphis Zoo

* Happy Mexican dance club opening

* Trolley Tour

* Blake's Birthday

* The Spa...!!!

See you again soon. Hope your week is exciting...!

Teeth for Tails Event

Eddie Izzard Coming to Memphis!!!!

Oh my goodness! A show that you just should not miss is coming to Memphis—Eddie Izzard!

He’s a fabulous comedian—LOVE him! If you haven’t seen him before, you should. Look him up on Net Flix. :~)

I just bought two tickets and already quite a few are sold. Apparently, his fan club got dibs. Anyway, here’s the information about his upcoming show.

Comedian and actor EDDIE IZZARD, adored by fans and critics alike for his lightening quick wit and surreal humor is back and starting the largest comedy tour of his career.

Izzard’s new one man show fittingly titled STRIPPED will hit North America this April with performances in 34 cities.

Critics have described Izzard as everything from the "funniest man in pretty much all of the known universe," to "a human search engine," to "a surrealist maestro of historical and scientific trivia”, and "a one-man Monty Python crew."

Izzard won acclaim in the U.S. with his first one man show, DRESS TO KILL which debuted on HBO and won two Emmy Awards. His last record breaking tour, SEXIE, sold-out 15 cities, including a week at New York's City Center, and a week at The Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles.

In between tours, Izzard has earned rave reviews for his acting talent seen on television in the hit FX series, THE RICHES; on the big screen in Steven Soderbergh’s OCEANS 13; and on Broadway, where he starred in the acclaimed revival of A DAY IN THE DEATH OF JOE EGG. Izzard received a Tony nomination or "Best Leading Actor in a Play" for his performance.

To purchase tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com here: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1B00406377602E9E?artistid=851852&majorcatid=10002&minorcatid=51

Clueless in the Kitchen with Bobby Flay

I received a request today to post the following information regarding a TV show that's casting terrible cooks in Memphis. Those selected will learn to cook with Bobby Flay. I sent an e-mail back asking for more information, but for now:

CLUELESS IN THE KITCHEN? LEARN TO COOK WITH BOBBY FLAY!

Single and can't cook a meal for one? Frustrated because you don't know how
to pack a nutritious lunchbox for your kids? Forgo paying for culinary school
and learn the basics in two weeks with Bobby Flay's "Real Food Cooking
School."

Impress us with your wit and your lack of food knowledge… Bobby Flay is
ready to school you as only an Iron Chef can! You'll learn the basics of
grilling, sautéing, knife skills, how to make simple, nutritious meals from real
foods…and so much more!

If you're feisty and eager to step up your cooking skills: make us a
3-minute VHS tape or DVD telling us your worst cooking story, the most horrible
meal you ever cooked, and why you should be a part of Bobby Flay's "Real Food
Cooking School."

Worried? Don't be – you'll be having too much fun! Remember…have a family
member, best friend or spouse make an appearance on your tape – a little
testimonial, "Oh my god, she regularly burns the bottom of the sauce pan!" goes
a long way.

All applicants should live in the United States, be over the age of 18, and
be available April 15-30th for filming in New York City.

Please mail tapes by March 22nd to:
ATT: Real Food Cooking School
110
Leroy Street
New York, NY 10014

Questions? Email us at realfoodcookingschool@gmail.com

Vote for Memphis - StartUpWeekend.com!

There's a cool new entrepreneurial program that has gained national attention: Startup Weekend!

Startup Weekend chooses cities to visit for a weekend, to bring minds and ideas together to create a new business! This all happens over a 52 hour period and has had success in other cities.

Memphis has such a great entrepreneurial spirit that this program would be perfect here! In order for Startup Weekend to visit Memphis however, we've got to win the vote!

Help Memphis out! Click the following link and vote for Memphis: http://startupweekend.com/cityvote/

Thanks!