Posted by Jessica Esch on Tuesday, July 13, 2010,
In :
How I See It
Posted by Jessica Esch on Tuesday, July 13, 2010,
In :
How I See It
Moments of bliss
when we read at home
long before bed.
I can almost
feel
the world
righting
itself.Comments Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Sunday, July 11, 2010,
In :
How I See It
In hindsight, I should've known better than to start a book (let alone read one) last week since the firmament was shifting beneath me.
- My friend, accomplice and co-worker for nine years left my day-to-day after her grant-funded position had run its course.
- We sold our car to one of the most kind, altruistic people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.
- We had three listening sessions related to the draft report on early childhood that I spent the better part of a year working on. (There's ...
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Posted by Jessica Esch on Tuesday, June 29, 2010,
In :
How I See It
I heard Dr. Vincent Felitti speak last week about the impact adverse childhood experiences have on health outcomes later in life. In a bold moment I thought I'd share my notes. These are the things that stood out for me.
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Posted by Jessica Esch on Sunday, June 13, 2010,
In :
How I See It
Posted by Jessica Esch on Friday, June 4, 2010,
In :
How I See It
On Tuesday, the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine honored Sam and Bette Novick. The turnout was so great that they had to move the event to the Sable Oaks Marriott.
To meet them and instantly find out how wonderful they are, visit them at Hub Furniture located at 291 Fore Street in Portland, Maine.
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Posted by Jessica Esch on Wednesday, June 2, 2010,
In :
How I See It
Posted by Jessica Esch on Monday, May 24, 2010,
In :
How I See It
Posted by Jessica Esch on Thursday, April 29, 2010,
In :
How I See It
I changed my job on my own. I didn't ask anyone and no one asked me. Made it up all on my own, I did.
I changed my job because I refused to accept that I was destined to run around like a headless chicken.
I changed my job because the old way was.not.working.for.me.
I changed my job.
You can too.
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Posted by Jessica Esch on Monday, April 26, 2010,
In :
How I See It
I understand why women in the workplace want more women in corner offices. However, I'm not sure those women understand why others like me choose not to be there. For me, it all comes down to how you view work.
"Work" has never resonated with me. It's an obligation that stands between me and the rest of my life. It's what I must do for a paycheck. On the other hand, "the work" is my life. It's what I want to do and how I want to do it. It's how I change the world.
I have zero interest in corne...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Thursday, April 22, 2010,
In :
How I See It
New job is going quite well.
It's clear, however, that my co-workers do not read my blog.
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Posted by Jessica Esch on Tuesday, April 20, 2010,
In :
How I See It
Today is my first day at a new job.
It's at the same place as the old job, doing the same work with the same people. But, starting today, how I do the work is going to be very different.
I'll keep you posted.Comments Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Thursday, April 15, 2010,
In :
How I See It
 I've looked for women's negotiation success stories and told others of my own since I read Women Don't Ask a few years ago.
We cannot afford to be shy about this, my friends. It costs too much not to ask. And, knowing you can ask is just as important as actually asking.
My friend's recent negotiation was a game-changer for me. She went big and I got to watch. I now know how it's really done.
Posted by Jessica Esch on Tuesday, April 13, 2010,
In :
How I See It
Last night I created an alternate universe.
It took less than an instant and
I lived there for 13 hours.
I am in awe of my ability
to create something out of nothing.
It's not a skill I'm particularly proud of.Comments Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Sunday, April 4, 2010,
In :
How I See It
I love the exchange of Christmas, but Easter is my favorite holiday. It has nothing to do with chocolate bunnies, colorful eggs, bonnets, baskets or sunrise services. It doesn't even have that much to do with Jesus if I'm honest.
It's the metaphor I love.
Rebirth. A new day. Another chance.
Finnegan Begin Again.Comments Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Wednesday, March 24, 2010,
In :
How I See It
It took me about eight hours but I got there.
I privately railed against the Church all day after learning that Catholic Charities reclaimed their program funding at agency due to that agency's public opposition of the repeal of Maine's short-lived, same-sex marriage law.
While making dinner tonight, though, I remembered that United Way of Greater Portland also stopped funding programs at an agency because we disagreed with their internal practices. We still celebrate that decision today and p... Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Sunday, March 21, 2010,
In :
How I See It
This time of year is crazy for me.
It's usually just work that's nuts,
but this year it's been a full-court press.
You wouldn't believe it if I told you.
And it's too long a story for a blog entry.
What I can tell you without backfill is this:
When you get a hunch, follow it.
And this:
When you open up, things open up.
And:
Nets do, in fact, appear.
Comments Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Monday, March 8, 2010,
In :
How I See It
I need you.
I thought I could do this on my own, but I can't.
I need you to claim the power you have given away and stop pretending that you are at someone else's mercy, that you need to be told what to do, that others are to blame.
I need you to use your voice and be accountable for the world you inhabit.
I need you to stop.holding.yourself.back.
I need you to be a linchpin, an engaged citizen, an activist.
I need you to believe in possibility.
I need you and, if you need a cheerleader, I am her... Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Wednesday, March 3, 2010,
In :
How I See It
The simple answer is
that there is no simple answer.
-Clay Shirky
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Posted by Jessica Esch on Thursday, February 25, 2010,
In :
How I See It
Last Wednesday my friend mentioned an author and the next day I had requested two books from the library and purchased his newest. The day after than I listened to two podcasts.
Sunday night I realized my search for her Clay Shirky had become my discovery of Seth Godin.
Wild, huh?
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Posted by Jessica Esch on Tuesday, February 23, 2010,
In :
How I See It
Someone asked today what I did at work and I responded with the two main bullet points of my resume:
- Invest dollars raised during campaign back into community
- Public policy
The reality, though, is that these two things do not come remotely close to capturing the role I play. My job description is a framework. It does not confine me.
The next time someone asks what I do, my first words will be "Well, my job description says that I..." and the last few will be something like "but that is only a sm... Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Monday, February 15, 2010,
In :
How I See It
 This is what I am going to ask the next time someone sighs and shakes their head after learning that T$ and I do not have children. If they answer no to my question, I will sigh and shake my head as if their life is surely empty and sad.
This question and subsequent reaction might seem like a disconnect but it's just another example of someone pushing their preference and acting as though any response different from their own is somehow less than.
And, while we have chosen a child-free path, o...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Wednesday, February 10, 2010,
In :
How I See It
Posted by Jessica Esch on Sunday, February 7, 2010,
In :
How I See It
I accept that there will always be more things to do than I can do; that I will always be nicer in hindsight; that the thought of food will generally be better than the food itself; that I'll expect more of myself than is humanly possible; and that I will be intensely focused on something for awhile then move on to something else.Comments Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Sunday, January 31, 2010,
In :
How I See It
"In the middle years of her life and in the tradition of late bloomers, Julia Child embarked on her public career. Her eight years in Europe, where she studied cooking techniques, her organizational skills developed in the OSS Registry and writing advertising copy for Sloane's, even her drama productions for the Junior League--every life experience was used to bring her to this moment." (Appetite for Life, Noel Riley Fitch)
Just wait and see what I'm about to do...Comments Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Sunday, January 24, 2010,
In :
How I See It
I've finally come to terms with the fact that my Fairy Godmothers are sitting this one out. They are not going to swoop in and grant me more time to do all of the things calling so loudly to be done. When I catch myself in the Land of Blur, I take a deep breath, count down from three on the exhale and remember that what I do and how I do it is my choice. Comments
Posted by Jessica Esch on Sunday, January 17, 2010,
In :
How I See It
Click here to help the people of Haiti via Konbit Sante, a Maine-based organization with an established presence in the area. To earmark your donation, enter Earthquake Response Fund in the Designation field.
My friend DM tagged along on Konbit Sante trip last fall. Click here to look through his camera.Comments Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Sunday, January 3, 2010,
In :
How I See It
Two friends are asking 365 women to create an organization that takes advantage of people's greatest gifts. A new response will be posted on their site each day.
Click here to see what I had to say.
Comments Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Thursday, December 31, 2009,
In :
How I See It
What a year.
I killed a blog and gave birth to another.
I met Ken Wilber and Julia Child,
fell in love in Times Square and
got lost in Twilight.
I got connected on Facebook and Twitter,
made peace with my past,
re-connected with friends,
made new ones and
became more comfortable in my skin.
Thanks for being a part of it.
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Posted by Jessica Esch on Thursday, December 17, 2009,
In :
How I See It
These salt-and-pepper shakers fit so well together that it's painful to see them apart. Knowing this, T$ tirelessly messes with them... and me. It's a constant dance. Together. Back to back. Together. Side by side.
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Posted by Jessica Esch on Tuesday, December 1, 2009,
In :
How I See It
My mom handed me a set of stainless steel measuring spoons yesterday that belonged to my grandmother. She thought I would like to have them and added that they weren't anything special.We both knew she was lying.Comments Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Esch on Saturday, November 28, 2009,
In :
How I See It
Sometimes I get a glimpse of T$'s Facebook wall when he's forgotten to log out. This update from one of his friends caught my eye today:I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day. -Elwyn Brooks WhiteComments Continue reading ...
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