Micki LeSueur’s Blog

Sexual harassment in school -- what's the long-term impact on education and career?

nospam@example.com (Micki LeSueur) — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:37:01 -0700

Every girl being harassed is being told that her looks and sex are more important than her intelligence, skills or effort. She is placed in a position of feeling that she must choose between her grades or permitting verbal and/or physical violations to continue. Shame, humiliation, helplessness and anger are obvious outcomes of those on the receiving end of this kind of treatment. But what is less tangible is the long-term impact sexual harassment has on academic and business careers.

Get more bang for your entertainment buck -- finding fun for free

nospam@example.com (Micki LeSueur) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:59:07 -0700

I've been flush and I've been broke. Obviously, flush is better -- but not always when it comes to having fun.

When I found myself a very young, very broke single mother throughout my twenties, we couldn't afford Chuck E. Cheese or first-run movies and forget anything like Sesame Street Live. Being broke forced us to be creative. So what we did was go to the free bonfire/marshmallow roast/storytelling at the nature preserve. We went to the free Jelly Belly factory tour. We caught fireflies and played freeze tag with the neighborhood kids.

As my financial situation improved, we slowly added the pay-for-play venues into our leisure time repertoire. Yes, we did the pricey miniature golf, laser tag and an indoor playground called Jungle Jims. And we went to the theater and bought those kiddie packs of popcorn with soda and a candy treat. And it was fun. Sort of. Chuck E. Cheese was always a bit of a bittersweet event. There were tears when the tokens ran out. And disappointment when no one had the bazillion tickets necessary for the flashy $2 trinket. Maybe it was because expectations were so high -- all the expense and excess led us to believe we would reap a greater reward. But with our freebie activities, the kids always seemed to walk away happy. Or at least satisfied.

How NOT to write a cover letter

nospam@example.com (Micki LeSueur) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:50:02 -0700

Bob Killian is somewhat of an advertising legend in Chicago. He is one of those really, really smart people who also happens to be really, really funny. Which is why it is always a day brightener when his newsletter appears in my email box. Sure, I like reading up about what's new with his agency and applauding his successes, but truth be told, the reason everyone signs up for the Killian Agency newsletter is the Cover Letters from He-- section. (And the Cover Letters From He-- Hall of Shame is definitely not to be missed.) As the head of an agency, Bob gets hundreds of letters from applicant hopefuls. He takes the best examples of the worst writing, adds his own commentary, and shares them for our edification and amusement. Well, mostly for our amusement.

The economy sucks. Money is tight. Life is good.

nospam@example.com (Micki LeSueur) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:07:57 -0700

I've come to the conclusion that I'm a spoiled whiner. The value of my house is dropping. Gas is expensive. My 401k is sliding. Wah, wah, wah. Poor me.

I was noodling around on Bankrate.com (I know, I'm a loser) and stumbled across this "7 Steps to Financial Abundance" article written by Wayne Farlow. While I have to say most of the advice is pretty recycled, "spend less than you earn" no-brainers, the opening premise of the article is pretty thought-provoking. Farlow says, "Do you live from a sense of financial abundance? Or does a belief in scarcity cause you to live in fear? I meet many people who do not feel they live in financial abundance, despite the fact that their wealth far exceeds the basic human requirements of food, shelter and clothing."

How many of us, regardless of how tight finances are, have roofs over and heads and food to eat?

Consumer confidence: What are you worried about?

nospam@example.com (Micki LeSueur) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:57:19 -0700

Looks like more and more of us are seeing the glass as half-empty. Consumer confidence is at the lowest it's been in 26 years.

For many, economic woes are an immediate reality, with food, fuel, jobs and housing making every day a struggle. For others, jobs are currently intact, mortgages are being paid, and while the food and fuel bills are unpleasant, they haven't yet broken the bank. Of those who aren't in financial crisis, many are still worried about what's coming around the bend, so they're cutting back and preparing for the worst.

My husband and I still have our jobs and we're fortunate that our mortgage is locked in for 30 years, but I'm definitely concerned.

Dumb credit scoring penalizes the financially savvy

nospam@example.com (Micki LeSueur) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:00:28 -0700

The credit reporting and scoring industry is an oppressive dictatorship. Want to close out high interest credit cards and switch to ones with zero interest? It sure seems like the financially astute and responsible move. Actually, it's pretty much a no-brainer. But being smart in the kingdom of the credit reporting industry will hit you where it hurts; right in the credit score. Staying debt free with no revolving debt? Good for you -- from a fiscally savvy standpoint. Bad for you -- from a credit score standpoint. Want to save 15% on that purchase at Old Navy? Or Target? Or Best Buy? Of course you do. You would be foolish not to. But it will cost you a ping on that score, making you appear risky as a borrower for being smart with your money.

I checked my credit report and credit score a few months back. The report showed that we had no unsecured debts. That we paid all our bills on time. Overall, our score was good. But it should have been excellent. What more could a lender want than someone who pays all their bills on time and has no consumer debt beyond the mortgage?

How much does it cost you to work? It's the dual-income conundrum.

nospam@example.com (Micki LeSueur) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:35:34 -0700

My husband and I were having the ubiquitous “uneven-distribution-of-household-labor” discussion. I laid down an empty ultimatum – either help out more or I’m quitting my job. My husband said, “Okay. Quit.” Um…what? Definitely not the response I was expecting. But it got me thinking...was it feasible? Could we actually afford for me to quit?

We tend to think of our gross salaries as what we need to keep the house running. I was absolutely stunned when I took a look at the actual numbers. I did some math and it was amazing how much less my income actually contributes to the household in terms of real dollars.

When moving up in your career doesn't get you ahead

nospam@example.com (Micki LeSueur) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:05:50 -0700

Moving ahead in one’s career is a good thing, right? Not necessarily so. Personally, I don’t want a promotion. I’ve moved up the ladder before only to intentionally bring myself back down.

As an advertising copywriter, the next rung on the advancement ladder is usually to become an associate creative director. When clients offered those positions, I used to laugh – just because I can write, doesn’t mean I know how to direct creative work, which involves art oversight as well as copy direction. Being good with words doesn’t translate into being able to manage people, impose deadlines, and mediate squabbles between writers and designers. When the offers arose, I always declined.

So when a reputable advertising professional approached me to start a new agency, I should have known better.

$300? Not very stimulating...

nospam@example.com (Micki LeSueur) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:46:07 -0700

What would you do with $145 billion?

Well, if you were the federal government, you would give people around $300 a pop and hope everyone runs out and spends the money to stimulate the economy. And let’s say all goes as planned and we do run out and buy new Wiis, iPhones and handbags. Most consumer goods are produced overseas, so a huge chunk of this money is going to another economy – probably one in Asia . And considering we have a budget deficit, the money to pay for these items (in the form of a stimulus check) probably comes from Asia, as well . So interest payments on the money to buy foreign goods is going back to a foreign country. I personally fail to be stimulated by this stimulus package.

I would like to take this Shine opportunity…and run with it

nospam@example.com (Micki LeSueur) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:19:50 -0700

When it comes to our careers, there is a constant stream of opportunities flowing past us. Some we miss because we don’t recognize them as opportunities, like meeting someone at a dinner party in a similar – but slightly different – field. Or we’ll pass one by because it intimidates us; we say to ourselves, “Oh that would be so great – I wish I had that skill/could apply for that job/take that class.” Chances are, most of the time we could if we only let ourselves. Other opportunities present themselves and we’d like to take advantage of them, if only we had the time or energy.

And some opportunities, we recognize and run with.

Like this, my new blog. It all started with an email I got from my friend Meagan Francis a few weeks back.