More Than Just a Great Shoe - Minna Parikka Shoe Designer and Modern Day Girl Who Get's It!

It's January (Yeah), and I'm doing all the things you do in January to get yourself organized for the year. I'm writing down my goals, I'm organizing the office, and excited as all can be - I'm opening up a new calendar. Last fall I purchased a desk calendar in anticipation of the new year on a shopping trip to San Francisco with two of my girlfriends. This calendar - A shoe of the day calendar.

Now for a shoe fanatic like me, there is nothing better than a new shoe to look at everyday. (talk about inspiration to wake up in the morning). And there it was, on Monday January 2, 2012 the baby blue Lizardskin "Siouxsie" platform with heart-shaped little cut-outs as a beautiful bow. The calendar by Workman Publishing New York (brilliant idea might I add). A 2010 shoe by Minna Parikka, who shockingly I hadn't heard of until I began searching out this beautiful shoe.

It seems that Parikka not only has remarkable talent in designing shoes, she also is making headway as a professional woman in business. According to the lust for shoes website she has been designing shoes since she was 15 years old. Recently she has been honored with a young entrepreneurs prize.

The thing about her that I like the most is that she gets what shoes are all about. I think about shoes as a power that women have in wearing something beautiful and attention getting. When I wear a great pair of shoes, people stop me to ask me about them and inevitably I meet all kinds of new people discussing my shoes. In a way it has become a part of my personal brand. From what I'm reading and watching about Parikka, she gets that shoes are an extension of a women's personality and a way for her to have fun, even in the board room when you might need to be a little more conservative.

I'm so happy I've found her - I'll for sure be buying!

There is a Shoe in my Kitchen

There is a beautiful shoe in my kitchen, not to be confused with "there is a whole in my bucket" but then again, maybe there is. Gary Dahl and Dori Fitch of my Blytheco, LLC marketing team knew the way to my heart by getting me the perfect Christmas gift. Not only is it a shoe, but it holds a bottle of wine. Who could ask for more! This along with a few other gifts from my friends at Blytheco make me feel very blessed and loved. I can't imagine working with better people.

As my team knows well, in the workplace I have a total Driver, Driver personality. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the personality traits Driver, Amiable, Analytical and Expressive I encourage you to check out your style here. So when it comes to gifts, I'm not sure if it is my background or my personality type that has such a hard time. When receiving a gift, I feel awkward, and don't know what to say. I'm touched and often speechless.

My childhood was one without gifts. We didn't celebrate holidays nor birthdays, and as much as I try to tell myself that doesn't impact me today, it really does. Especially as we get closer to the holiday's I often find myself feeling overwhelmed by the spirit of people giving to me. I have no issues giving to others, in fact, I quite enjoy it. When it is me on the receiving end, I truly don't know at all how I'm supposed to respond.

So, if you have given me a gift (Ginger, Dori, Gary, Robert & Holly) please know that I am truly thankful that you would think of me. I am honored.

And here is my poem for today:

The Gift

Bruised from years of repetition

The wound, deep

Yearning for a resolution

An answer, a distant plead

To be left behind, forgotten

An ache, unknown

Yet so clearly explained

But still awkward

In breath, forbidden

To partake of joy and song

Burying it deep inside

A place that swells, overwhelming

Drowning, a vortex of time and affection

Until it has been opened

By kindness

Poem Return

My promise was to continue to write poetry everyday, and it has been challenging. I find that I'm figuring out ways for myself to be distracted from this mission and then feeling guilty about it.

I can only give as much poetry as my creativity is willing to give me at this time. So I will continue to post them as they come, to share them with those of you who find comfort in reading what I write. I have also been wrestling with how much I want and need to be transparent. Do I let myself be vulnerable and show poetry that may speak about more of who I am? It is a tough choice for me, but I'm slowly opening myself up more, and my writing may become more meaningful to those who read. I've also been doing some self portraits as one of the distractions to writing. It is also very vulnerable, but I'm willing to start to show some of my work in both photography and writing. 

Here is today's poem.

Reminder

I’m built in blood and sin

Trying to find my way from the past

Trying to drive myself from uncertainly

Trying to make things last

I’m built in glory and relevance

Trying to find my own value

Trying to drive myself from interweaving

Trying to make things new

I’m built in presence and alterations

Trying to find my own success

Trying to drive myself from misguidance

Trying to make things in business

I’m built in love and kindness

Trying to find my soul to keep

Trying to drive myself from fearing

Trying to make things unique

30 Days at Actual Size

I have, for the past 30 days been without my comfort zone of high heeled shoes. I got in an accident and have been unable to wear the heels I would normally trot around in so proudly. It isn't just how the shoes have made me feel, but the fact that they have become a part of my persona. People know my by my shoes and the love I have for them.

This week I had to go to a conference, and I was dreading it. Even during the packing process of getting ready for #itaF11 (Information Technology Alliance 2011 Conference in Austin, TX) I was worried what people would think of me at actual size. At first it was the double takes as people couldn't tell if it was actually me. Then came the "you are really short" jokes as I explained my story. Followed by the taunting from my boss Stephen Blythe (@SBlythe), who knows about my love of shoes and decided to point out all of the others wearing shoes I would normally wear, like the one featured in this picture below with my boss on the left, me in the center and Tammy Mathews (@TammyMathews) from Sage Software on the right. This was the shoe of @ScanSnapKim which was, by the way, terrific. Ed Kless (@EdKless) mentioned I should start a separate twitter account of Actual Size Apryl Hanson - which is probably too many words - we could shorten it to AAAH - which might already be taken...but none-the-less, his comment to propel me in my shorten version of myself to say things I might not normally say.

So what did I learn by this humbling experience of being my actual size. Well, we do all have persona's about ourselves that we like to maintain. We want people to view us the way we want to be viewed, sometimes not the way that we actually are. It isn't that I've been trying to HIDE my size, because I like my height, but the persona as the girl who wears outrageous shoes makes me feel like I can defy gravity. I feel powerful, because very few people would dare to wear the shoes I do in the settings I wear them in. For the most part, the shoes that I wear would hurt most women's feet, but I have grown accustomed to them and my feet and legs are those of a dancer, so they can take a beating.

I also learned that no matter what the persona is that you have developed for yourself, people still know who you are, at least those people who work with you and your friends and family.

Being at actual size really hasn't been that bad although @SBlythe is trying to convince my teams that "I've sworn of my love for shoes". I have enjoyed viewing the world from a slightly different height, but look forward to the time when I can again return to my high heel stature.

Taking Time Away, to be Away

This week, I had the pleasure of traveling to Estes Park, CO to a leadership retreat. I used to be a co-facilitator of these events with my good friend Ed Kless. What I didn't have was great Internet access, so I was unable to post my poem per day as originally planned. What I did gain was valuable insight by taking a few days to remove myself from the Blog, Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook feeds.

We take in all of these different elements and think that because we are so involved with all of them, not to mention our phones and texting, we are connected. Yet, walking around with your phone at your side, when you could be having a valuable conversation with the person in front of you, seems somewhat counter-intuitive.

It can be very good for our spirits to sit back, watch our surroundings and take in what is happening in front of you. You may be missing something very special by staring at your phone.

Not related at all to this topic is a poetry piece that I can't explain other than to say, it makes sense to me.

RAW

Am I validated?
In a world where I thrive on demanding more of myself than others
In a moment where I can be all things to all people
Where I survive in a tiny crack of the emotion I have left myself
So that I would not, could not be, expected
Am I rational?
In a world where my emotions can be played like a violin
In a moment where my desire wants more than it can possibly have
Where I survive by telling myself that I don't deserve more than I already have
So that I would not, could not be, conflicted
Am I grateful?
In a world where I see good in other people
In a moment when I reach out a helping hand
Where I survive in the possibilities of knowing I could make a difference
So that I would not, could not be, alone
Am I missed?
In a world where I run from intimacy
In a moment when I don't want to be with anyone but my thoughts
Where I survive in the distance of knowing that pulling back, sometimes brings me forward
So that I would not, could not be...

Are you Empty or Full? Maybe None of the Above!

Why do we look at things in terms of extremes? "Are you either empty or full?", is a very either or way of thinking. Do we ever hit the point where we are satisfied? I think it is there that we find balance, if only briefly, in our worlds, but that balance isn't necessarily what we should be searching for. It is however part of the process. If we don't take time to enjoy the moments when we are in between change or transition, the transition itself can become unrecognizable to us. Can you recognize growth when it happens, and if you don't is it really happening?

For a long while I was in the middle place - feeling satisfied, not over examining where I am and what is happening everyday. But growth is uncomfortable, it feels awkward, it isn't always balanced and it does not always come with ease. It might feel like you are either running on empty or completely too full. The key is to not panic. Know that it is all a part of the path, and staying in one place too long can hinder your growth and long term development.

We hate losing control of situations, and feel that if we are out of balance, we are out of control. But really, by allowing yourself to move into a different place, and be uncomfortable, you are ultimately controlling your destiny. Regardless of being in this situation personally or professionally, it can feel the same. Here is today's poem focused on celebrating movement.

Movement

Rumbling, bittersweet rumbling
Attempting to take control
with an absence of power
and memory of a time
when beauty guided
a happier place

Rumbling, bittersweet rumbling
howling in the shadows
without bravery
but with shame
and honesty
forgotten

Rumbling, bittersweet rumbling
Something so absent
capture in white
hollowed spirit
dangling bitterness
ultimately light

Resilience

Have you ever been in a situation in which you couldn't see how you were going to recover? If you find yourself there, are you the kind of person who is unable to find a resolution? What skills do you use during this time?

Being resilient to me, whether it is in business or in life, (let's face it - for most of us our business is our life) is one of the strongest traits you can bring to the table. Resilience is defined as:

1. the power or ability to return to the original form, position, etc., after being bent, compressed, or stretched; elasticity.

2. ability to recover readily from illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyancy.

 

I'd like to think that it isn't as much about returning to the original form, but a changed more adapted new form with enlightened information. Resilience should bring on transformation.

 

Here is my poem for today, about being resilient, and yes again, it applies to people and to business (seeing a theme here?).  Devin, this ones for you!

 

Resilience

 

For only now, you know what is present

it isn't absolute, or definite

You have power building within you

Faint now, but a promise of something stronger to come

Don't give up on your days

because it is barely sunrise

and your years will be filled with pleasure and pain

Rejoice in the contrast

because it will never be all or nothing

but it will be something amazing

If you don't force it

and close your eyes when it is dreadful

to dream of a day with glory

you will rise in the morning with peace