2008 Mary in the Morning Wine Tour Kicks Off

Wine Tour took off last night at Shady Lane Cellars with an enthusiastic crowd of wine lovers. Thank you to all who attended and to General Manager Maureen Faber who knows how to throw a party!

I personally invite you to join us on our tour of nine different wineries throughout Old Mission Peninsula, Leelanau Peninsula and Petoskey. Always free, always friendly, always fun.
Click here for Wine Tour Info.

The blog is back

Having a blog is a very strange thing. You put some thoughts in writing, post it for the world to see, and hope somebody somewhere finds it at least a bit interesting.

I took the blog down for a while because radio industry folk had taken over the conversation. When anonymous sound engineers started using my blog to criticize me and my guests on the radio show, etc... it stopped being any fun. I have a pretty thick skin, but my guests and friendly blog contributors shouldn't have to be subjected to nasty remarks.

So, here we go again!

Smart Phone Intelligence

They say that to keep your brain nimble as you age, that it is important to learn new skills along the way. So, how appropriate that for my 45th birthday I bought myself a Smart Phone.

I can get my e-mail, watch CNN Headline News, download music, create Microsoft EXCEL files, pdfs, get directions from here to anywhere and a bunch of other things I don't understand. This may be the greatest personal challenge I will face in the second half of my life. The temptation to "lose it someplace" is so strong! I had just learned how to use the camera on my last phone.

So please bear with me as this old dog learns new tricks.

Five Questions of Mary

Which came first, Marigold or Mary in the Morning?
Marigold in 2005, the radio show 2007. Marigold offers face-to-face interaction with women, which I will never give up.

Do you own Mary in the Morning?
No! I am an employee of Northern Broadcast. This was their idea, not part of my plan whatsoever. I was shocked when they approached me with the idea. I thought they were crazy!

Where did you get your radio experience?
Listening to Ron Jolly (WTCM) and Terry Gross (NPR). I admire Ron Jolly for his generosity in making sure all of his guests sound good. Terry Gross is a great role model for asking the unexpected question.

How early do you wake up?
4:45AM. It isn't pretty. The first hour of the show is pre-taped the day before, so I don't get to the studio until 6:30AM.

Is the show just for women?
When we started it was, not anymore. A funny thing happened: Men loved the show and at least half of our callers are men. Naturally, because my co-host Lori and I are both women, we offer a female perspective to issues and topics. This has been a bit of an experiment for management, and I truly appreciate their risk with a female talk host.

Salute to Women in Business

Each Sunday night, for the past 26 weeks, Marigold has sent out the Salute to Women in Business e-blast, announcing the honoree of the week. Tonight's edition was an invitation to the Grand Luncheon and Awards ceremony on May 5 honoring all 26 women along with the initial 26.

The program will begin again in September. I was asked if I was worried about finding another 26. Ha!, not in the least. We have a deep pool of talented and amazing female entrepreneurs in northern Michigan.

Here is something I want to share: Almost without exception, recipients have expressed a shared concern that they feel they do not "measure up" to the accomplished women they join in the group of honorees. These women are far too humble. Each women is chosen for her ingenuity, courage, business savvy, and or economic impact on the community. I am so proud to have this opportunity to cast the spotlight on each of them.

Join us as we honor these 52 women on May 5, at the Salute to Women in Business Grand Luncheon at GT Auto on US31. Click here for more info or to register.

Back on the Blog Track

OK. I admit it. I got distracted, for months. I have ignored the blog, haven't posted are darned thing. Oh my.

I am filled with a new sense of commitment. Yes! I am a blogger! I can see myself blogging witty little tid-bits that will bring giggles and gasps from my readers. You will post your comments with interactive urgency. Ahhh, I can see it now.....

New Years' Resolutions?

Just asking..... are you making a resolution for 2008? Business or Personal? What is it?

Business-wise, mine is to make more connections with business women outside of the Traverse City area. I am so enjoying my visits to business events in Petoskey, Gaylord, Benzie County. This isn't such a small market after all!

Personally- I need to re-establish contact with my inner domestic diva. I lost her for a while there and need to reconnect. Maybe I will redecorate a room or commit to more home-cooked meals. I miss the creative aspect of homemaking.

How about you?