Red in the 'Hood.

Once upon a time a sassy redhead took a chance on a town with a rep and it turned out to be the best decision she ever made.  Why you ask?  Well...read on and find out why I love this town. 

• Ogden is FULL of passion and quirk all wrapped up in one.  I mean, what town has a street that is known as two bit street, but also has lamp posts decorated with crocheted creatures and the luckiest pizza you'll ever eat?

• Ogden is a town where you really can buy local for everything and it won't break the budget.  In addition to being super cool, you are healthier and happier.  I'm proof, are you?  

• Ogden is a virtual photo bomb of the very best kind.  It is rare that you snap a photo without a super cool background....or a rad bike rack that is tagged with local businesses' stickers....did we mention how much we love those peeps at Lucky Slice?  

• Ogden is a place that an instagram account and a purpose can change the world.  Have you seen Indie Ogden, Outside in Ogden or This Is Ogden?  Look them up!  They rock the block and have me falling in love with Ogden over and over again.  

• Ogden is known for it's killer recreation, but also it's killer non-profit organizations.  It's been said that other cities come to us to figure out why our snow really IS the best snow, but they also come to check out our non-profits organizations that run better than some of our for-profit businesses.  

Although I've only given 5 reasons why I love this town, it is safe to say that the list keeps growing day by day.  When I walked in the ballroom at Ben Lomond Hotel for the Ogden Area Influencers Summit, I knew it would be awesome, but I didn't know HOW awesome.  Hands down, it is the best 4 hours I've spent in my professional life ever at a networking event of its kind.  You may think I'm exaggerating, but I'm not.  kBent Media made sure that every single detail was covered and we were inspired, engaged and encouraged to open our mouth and network with new people.  I left the building on a happy high like no other.  And let's not forget to talk about the killer swag bag.  I'm still giddy about it and my trusty "Love This Town" tote is being put to good use as my new yoga bag.  I thoroughly look forward to enjoying my first paint party at Pandemonium, and a 10% discount at Color Me Mine and some yummy goodness at Roosters.  

The moral of the story:  Don't believe everything you hear about living in this 'hood called Ogden until you come here and experience 25th Street at dusk with the bright neon lights of Union Station as one view and the gorgeous mountains as your other view.  It doesn't get much better than that.  

Until next time, my lovelies!

-R

One Person.



I've spent a lot of time on the road lately for le day job and that always offers ample time for deep thoughts avec Ray.  It also means that I have to keep my attention held because I drive myself crazy if I'm in the car longer than an hour.  A couple of weeks ago I drove by a billboard on the freeway that touched my heart.  It was one of the popular "Pass It On" ad campaign billboards and it had a picture of Nelson Mandela and quoted him as saying, "what can one person do?"  Talk about an ah ha moment for me and I haven't been able to get it off my mind since.

As humans we are programmed to be needed and to help others.  We have beating hearts and generally, we use that to better the world around us.  But, it breaks my heart when I hear someone say, "I don't know what I can do, but I would love to help."  Talk about downgrading your worth in one short sentence.  We ALL have character traits that can help just about anyone or anything.  I had this shown to me personally in so many small ways, in the days after my granddad passed away.  Very little things that I could NOT muster to do for myself were done by others.  It could have seemed remedial to them, but it was extremely important to me and it helped me get through some tough days of deep grieving. 

Today I posted on my personal Facebook page about the gratitude I feel for the small blessings in my life that make a big difference.  I mean that too!  Last week I posted about the Ogden Area Influencers Summit that I was preparing to attend last Friday.  It was an incredible event.  I left on a happy high like I have never experienced after a business function before....and believe me....I've been to a few in my 11 year career.  I'm going to write more about that event later this week, but those 4 hours and $15 spent on my entrance fee was seriously some of the most beneficial time I've ever spent.  One lovely lady and her passion for Ogden made such an impact on my heart and for that I am so deeply grateful.  Never mind the impact it made on my professional goals too, but my emotional health was far greater the benefactor than the financial bottom line. 

The other element of my life that seems so small to many, but has such an impact, is the practice of writing handwritten thank you notes.  I've talked about this in the past through my personal initiative of #happymailfromthehood, but I am specifically talking about thank you notes in the work place.  My darling friend Mel is the QUEEN BEE OF THANK YOU NOTES and I took her fine example and implemented it with my new job.  Not only does it make people's day when they receive something in the mail that isn't crap, but it forces me to sit down and express gratitude for every little thing that makes my job just a wee bit easier.  I need those reminders often.  Often.  Often. 

I've been journaling a lot at night before I go to bed because my brain is in stress mode regarding work and my personal life.  I've definitely seen the positive effects of forcing myself to find quotes that uplift and empower me.  It's not easy being on your A-game day in and day out for a career and I'm generally VERY exhausted when I get home at night.  Thus, the laundry continues to pile up (big surprise) and the dishwasher is loaded when I feel like it.  Last night my journaling included some quotes written all froo froo with some new metallic pens I scored at Target (oh the simple joys of adulthood).  The first quote penned by Ralph Waldo Emerson was, "Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year."  The second was from our good buddy William Shakespeare and he said, "Though she was but little, she is fierce."  Sigh.  This lady needed those simple words.  Every day IS the best day of the year and even though I feel little in the grand scheme of things, I AM fierce.  I love deeply and I really care about the little things of life that make up the big picture. 

The moral of the story:  One person can make a huge impact on many by one simple gesture of love and gratitude. 

Until next time, my lovelies!
-R

I Heart Ogden.

Looking forward to attending this event on Friday. I was asked to put together a pre-event post about how I got to Ogden. 

In the simplest of terms I am a transplant. I am a transplant to Utah since 2006. But, it wasn't until I moved to Ogden that I felt like I could actually call Utah my home.

For the first six years I lived in Salt Lake County and didn't enjoy it. It was an ok place to live but I didn't feel like I could call it home. There was no homesickness when I would vacation. I remember a number of people voiced great concern when I accepted a new job in Ogden in 2012. Their perception was it was ghetto and unsafe. However, I had visited here a number of times and really enjoyed it so I decided to give it a chance. I have not regretted moving here for one day. It is a cultural, passionate and giving community and the view is just as awesome. I have experienced more arts and cultural events here in two years than I did in six in Salt Lake and much of that is because of the great marketing and social media presence that local organizations and businesses have. I have also grown to love and appreciate the outdoors even more and might even give skiing a shot one of these days. It wasn't until I moved to Ogden that I gained a sense of urgency to buy local and support the businesses that were the backbone of our community. I am always encouraging my friends and family to come visit and they fall in love with our quirky railroad town as soon as they stroll down 25th Street and have a Bianca pie at Lucky Slice or some lavender lemonade at Rovalli's or Kym's famous and super duper delicious bread pudding at Roosters or Union Grill.

The moral of the story: I heart the 'hood and I never want to leave.

Until next time, my lovelies!

-R