Are you doing what YOU really want, or simply what's expected of you?

Earlier this semester I asked one of the strategy program directors if he could recommend someone who's worked in a variety of positions and different size companies around strategy development. Strategy is an intimidatingly broad field and it's a challenge to even speculate where one might fit best in the strategy 'careerscape'.  In the email, I told my director I'd be interested in sitting down to chat with someone about the practicalities and day-to-day activities of their work in various positions.

My question prompted a dialogue which turned into the idea behind what will become a series of roundtable discussions with alumni from our program and other professionals we invite. The first roundtable was yesterday, when we welcomed nine strategy students and three alumni to the Aalto Design Factory for a two-hour conversation.

Privoz Market

Privoz is Odessa's biggest and oldest open air market. It occupies three huge warehouses, an awning the size of a football field, and tons of semi-permanent and completely temporary stalls.  People sell their goods off of anything.  Some just squat around the perimeter of the market and display their garden herbs on a piece of cardboard. You can buy anything at Privoz - from homegrown veggies to knock-off coach bags, plucked chickens that are so fresh they're practically still moving, to freshly-squeezed juice, q-tips, and screwdrivers. And it's open 24 hours. At about 6.30 pm the consumer-oriented day-sellers go home and the bulk goods vendors quickly file in.

For the mixer we hosted at our flat last night, my house-mate Adrien and I went on a wild shopping adventure at Privoz. We quickly learned some survival methods...

The Efficient & Happy Traveler

In all my years of traveling, I've learned a lot of things the hard way.  But I've also honed my ability to pack a bag that will equip me to do everything from working in a professional environment to hiking any mountain I come across.  Here are a few tips from my suitcase...

Always pack a towel if you're leaving the United States. Even if you think you'll be staying in nice hotels during your entire trip, you never know when your hotel room could be coincidentally double booked.  Or you might show up in the middle of the night and not be able to take a shower because there's no one around to ask for a towel.  I recommend this one from REI -- it's a high-absorption microfiber that dries you off quick and dries out completely within an hour.  My favorite thing about it is that it's super thin and comes with a little polyester/mesh sack that packs it up the size of a thin paperback book. I bought one large one that I use for both a washcloth and towel. But they're available in many other sizes and weaves as well.

Consolidate products. Unless you have the means to hire a personal butler for the entirety of the trip, you're not going to want to lug around your whole bathroom cupboard. Picking which items to bring depends on the trip and the climate you're traveling to, but try to minimize as much as possible; creams and liquids are very heavy! Invest in one lotion that you can use as hand/body lotion, face moisturizer, and makeup remover.  I love Gold Bond's Aloe Vera lotion, but haven't found it sold anywhere outside the States.  If I have to restock while traveling, I buy Dove Intensive Nourishment Hand Cream.  Both are multi-purpose and work great! All Gold Bond products are gluten free, and most Dove products are as well.

My idea of a perfect day....

....is when you're cleaning up from dinner and the leftovers fit perfectly into the tupperware.
Especially when it was a good dinner.

Tonight mom made chicken cacciatore with black beans and corn on the cob.  It had to be one of the best meals  I've had all summer.  But you know what just put it over the top?  When I was putting the leftovers away, there was a medium sized Glad-to-go container that fit the chicken perfectly.  And there was even a small container for the 1/3 cup of little black beans that were scattered at the bottom of the sauce pan.  But you'll never believe what I found when I opened the cabinet....a long, narrow, medium-height container which had to be custom made for the three cobs of corn that remained.  AND the matching lid was laying right beside it.  A true miracle.

I closed the fridge and walked out of the kitchen with my head held high.  I had achieved an amazing feat of finesse in the kitchen.

Perfect.  Just perfect.

Conviction at its finest

I happened upon this tonight while browsing the web and happily licking a spoonful of chocolate frosting....my first "treat" after losing about twenty pounds in the last month and a half.  Needless to say, I immediately put that spoon down.  


"Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.  Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat. Practice and train major lifts: deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch.  Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc., hard and fast.  Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow.  Routine is the enemy.  Keep workouts short and intense.  Regularly learn and play new sports."


- Coach Greg Glassman


I like this guy!  And since I'm allergic to almost all grains anyways (I can only handle a little white rice right now) the diet part isn't that difficult.  Because of Celiac disease, my punishment for eating cake isn't just a few extra pounds....it's a few days of utter misery (i.e. intestinal malfunction and malnourishment because the gluten essentially attacks my body, my digestive track shuts down, and I completely stop absorbing nutrients).  So if you've been wanting to lose a few pounds for a while but keep falling off the wagon, just pretend you have Celiac disease.  


Can't wait to hit the gym in the morning and work off those spoonfuls of frosting.  I can truly say I'm glad someone caught me in the act! 
PS - the frosting was gluten free, so I wasn't poisoning myself...just ruining my wholesome diet

Gluten-Free Foodie Update

A friend just asked for some info on gluten-free food, so I made a list of some top new tips I've learned.  I know I did a piece on gluten-free eating before, but just wanted to update you on the latest!  


1. If you have a Trader Joe's near you, ask them for a list of their gluten free products. It's a few pages long...take it home, bring it to the store, try something new every time.
2. If your little one likes baked goods, the very best brand I've found is called French Meadow Bakery. The blueberry muffins are amazing and come frozen and individually packaged: just let one defrost...you'll never be able to tell they're gluten free!
3. A lot of mainstream companies are starting to hop on the GF bandwagon...General Mills and Betty Crocker are two excellent examples. I love the Gen. Mills GF Corn Chex (they have Rice Chex too), and Betty Crocker now has cake, cookie, and brownie mixes that are yumm! You can get these anywhere.
4. If your kids are like me, they'll probably miss what every mom tends to make a lot: spaghetti, bowties, macaroni and cheese...But they don't have to miss it! Brown Rice Pasta is great - don't tell them it's not "real" pasta and they'll never figure it out. Be careful, because the "cheese" powder packets almost certainly contain wheat, so you'll have to come up with another way to insert the cheesey goodness. Don't let rice pasta boil too long, or sit too long before eaten, otherwise it disintegrates pretty quickly.
5. Like to eat out? Hopefully there's a Panera Bread or Chic-fil-a near you. Both of these places have detailed ingredient information on hand and are always more than willing to go out of their way to protect against contamination...I've never gotten sick at either place!
6. IMPORTANT: don't overlook creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos/conditioners, and anything else that can be absorbed through your skin. Bath & Body products are not okay. But a miracle cream does exist: Gold Bond lotions are fantastic and completely gluten free (except if they come out with an Oat lotion, stay away from that, as often oats are processed right alongside wheat.) Personally, I love their Healing Aloe line. Another allergen-free brand I just came across is called BABYBEARSHOP. They've gotten amazing reviews (like this one I just read in my favorite local magazine).
7. Borders, Barnes & Noble, and any major bookstore will have several GF cookbooks...I'd say pick up a few and browse before buying!
8. If you really want to learn about the top players and their books/research in the GF industry, take a look at the program from the "GF Culinary Summit" 


I'm always on the lookout for new gluten-free products, so check back often or contact me (shiraheden at gmail dot com) if you want to know more about specific brands, or especially if you want to