Countdown to go-time: 9 days until the Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper Contest!

Practicing my giftwrapping kung-fu with packages of all sizes.

It's finally sinking in and starting to feel real. Next Friday I'll go toe-to-toe with seven other prezzie masters in the Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper contest! The nice people with the contest sent me a fabulous box of goodies to practice with, so once I've stuffed myself with turkey, I'm off to my shop to practice my speed game.

I'll be tweeting and instagramming from NYC, so be sure to follow me for the latest!

Happy thanksgiving! And wish me luck!

New obsession: bows-to-go!

This weekend I was a busy bee preparing for the Home for the Holidays event at DestinyUSA on Nov. 16. In addition to giftwrapping tutorials, I'll be selling these little pre-made giftboxes, which I dubbed "bows-to-go." Like many of my projects, the ideas and execution got better the more I practiced, and I'm really happy with the result.

They remind me of little petit fours. I spent most of the weekend making as many unique combinations as possible. The best part is they're made with a top and a bottom, so they're reusable, and you don't have to tear or untie anything. The only thing better than a pretty prezzie is a eco-pretty one!

Also very happy with how my new moocards came out! They're so cute and affordable! Thanks, Moo. I'll be ordering more soon! Let me know if you're interested, because I can refer you and we both get a discount!

I'll display them on this nifty dessert tray I bought for my custom mongram boxes, because I'll be taking orders for those at the event, too. I hope I'll see you there! Friday, Nov. 16, 2-7 p.m. Until then, cheers and give pretty!

Thanks, Syracuse!

Me and my incredibly cute mom, May 2001

Hello SU alumni. Like you, I'm in constantly in the process of writing my own success story, and Syracuse University is woven into many parts of it.

When I came to Syracuse in 2000, I had pretty specific ideas about what I wanted from grad school and my plans after graduation. I'd gain some good practical skills, find a job in the magazine industry in New York, work for a few years, then relocate to a smaller city.

What I did not expect was how deep a connection I'd develop with SU. From my first visit, I felt like I belonged. Maybe it was the thrill of being in an environment of scholarship and youthful energy. I never quite put my finger on it, but I know I feel it. Even now, years later, the view of the Hall of Languages walking up University Avenue still makes me smile.

I was also surprised by the fact that while I came to Newhouse to become a writer and editor, it turned out that I was a bit of a designer, too. Looking back, I realize that was a defining event of my education and early career. Up to that point, I had only ever considered myself a writer. And the most valuable thing I learned that year was to be open to the possibility of doing something different, and enjoying it. That discovery was made possible by great professors, supportive peers and an environment that made me feel free to go off the charted course to pursue my emerging curiosities and talents. So I came to SU for a master's degree but left with much more.

After graduation, I went to New York started instead of getting in a job in the magazine biz, got hired in the marketing department at Kate’s Paperie. It was an unexpected turn careerwise, but I was lucky - I got to work with creative people and gorgeous paper in one of the most celebrated, iconic shops in New York. More importantly, it was another defining event, because it set me on the path toward Jolie Colis.

In the years that followed, I enjoyed the benefits of being an alum of Syracuse and Newhouse. It opened doors in my career and even helped me find roommates and apartments in a few cities. But the memory of this exceptional place stayed with me, and I came home to Syracuse in 2004.

My first job at SU was in the Office of News Services, where I wrote stories of ground-breaking research and real people making a difference in the world. I interviewed Professor Joseph Chaiken, whose bloodless glucose-measuring device is going to revolutionize the way diabetics monitor and manage their blood sugar. I spent time with Marvin Druger, an SU legend, who has taught over 40,000 students in his 46 years of teaching biology at SU career. In 2007, I had an opportunity to help students in my own way, in the Division of Student Affairs by creating the readySET, a system to help incoming freshmen gear up for their first semester of college. Since then, it's become an effective tool for SU's new students, and I couldn't be more proud. From 2010-12, I had one of the most primo gigs on campus - marketing and communications for SU Abroad. There were so many fabulous stories to tell, and since I didn't study abroad in college, it was a bit of a second-chance experience for me. I'm fortunate to have been a part of an institution that made such a meaningful impression, in my studies, my career, and in life.

And it gave me the confidence to try on entrepreneurship for the first time. Creating Jolie Colis has been one of the most fun and fulfilling things I’ve ever done. And I love that my business is based here in CNY. I never thought I had the stuff to make it happen, but my time at SU helped me understand the power of imagining what’s possible. Just a few years ago Jolie Colis was an idea, and now I'm on my way to making it a successful reality, thanks to a retail management class I took with Amanda Nicholson in the Whitman School of Management. Next month, I'm competing for the title of Scotch Brand's Most Gifted Wrapper, which is like the superbowl of giftwrapping. Ten years ago, I'd have never seen this coming. But I'll give it my best effort and see what happens.

That’s why I’m such a cheerleader for SU - it's the place where I learned to see myself in a more malleable and ambitious light. I hope students and future generations of them find transformative experiences of their own here. In uncertain times like these, the ability to change and reinvent yourself is especially important. I know I'll be able to evolve again soon. In fact, I look forward to it. I wasn't like that before I came to Syracuse. A skeptic might chalk this up to the regular maturation process people go through during school. But I like the idea of having found the braver and more talented version of myself here. Why question it?

Cheers,
Carol - G'01

Thrilled to bits!

Hi friends,

Super-exciting news! I've been chosen to compete in the Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper Contest on November 30 in New York City. I'm one of eight finalists battling it out for the $10,000 top prize and probably the biggest giftwrapping bragging rights ever.

Wish me luck! I'm looking forward to meeting other people who love wrapping prezzies and representing CNY! Whoo hoo!

In the meantime, here are some quick tips for making your prezzies extra special.

Thank you, Jiro-san.

Last week, I got the best career advice of my life from an 86-year old sushimaster in Tokyo. And it changed how I think about work, success, and purpose. And all in the span of 81 minutes. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is artful, inspiring, and direct. You must watch it immediately.

The documentary tells the story of Jiro Ono and his restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro, the best in the world. It has 3 Michelin stars, and people make reservations up to a year in advance. With only 10 seats, no bathroom, and a fixed menu, it not offer appetizers or modifications. The average dinner costs $370 and lasts 20 minutes. Celebrities and tourists book trips to Japan just to dine there. Here's why.

Jiro has been practicing his craft for nearly his entire life. He began training at age 9, shortly after his father died. Upon leaving, he was told, "You have no home to come back to." With no money or support, he started on the path to becoming shokunin, which is exactly what he did. The simple translation means, "master craftsman," but many believe true shokunin share knowledge and improve the world through their work. Reaching this level is hard - it takes decades, sometimes a lifetime to achieve. And you only get there through honest, persistent effort.

Once you decide on your occupation... you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That's the secret of success... and is the key to being regarded honorably.

I know, we've heard the "love what you do" pep talk many times. And I've been lucky to have many good career opportunities so far, but to be honest, I've not yet fallen 100 percent in love a job yet. I think I've been 90 percent in love, which is pretty good. I've been "in like" with all of my work experiences, though. The point: it's incredibly hard to find work-love, even in a healthy economy. I think we settle too often, because we think a job title, well-known employer, or salary is going to make us happy. We look at what we've studied, match it up to a finite set of job opportunities, and hope something special happens. At least that's what I've done. I've focused on being good on paper and getting that raise or promotion, sometimes at the expense of deep fulfillment and meaning.

Fortunately, I still have many years left, which means I've still got a shot at becoming shokunin. And that's great, because I love doing something with focus, over and over, until it's perfect. Whether it's graphic design, fancy gift wrapping, or cleaning my bathroom, I embrace intense-concentration activity with my mind and hands. It's meditative, and if you care deeply about doing something well, effort is never wasteful.

Learning about shokunin reminded me of the 10,000-hour rule in Malcolm Gladwell's book, Outliers. Gladwell teaches us that practice makes perfect, and the key to becoming expert is logging 10,000 hours of practice. That can be daunting or attractive, depending on how you feel about the work. Here's the thing: 10,000 hours is just the start of becoming shokunin. Apprentices at Jiro's restaurant are not allowed to cut the tuna until they know how to handle it properly. For the chance to make tamago (egg sushi) one apprentice had to practice it 200 times before it was deemed acceptable. And that wasn't until his tenth year of employment. And the look on the apprentice's face when he told the story, you wanted to high-five him through the screen!

Jiro also taught me to surround myself with people who care about their craft as much as I do. In the film, we meet Jiro's rice and fish dealers, men who save their best product for Jiro, because they believe only his skill is worthy of it. Jiro's rice dealer was approached by the Grand Hyatt for his rice, and flat out turned them down because "they would not know what to do" with it. Respect for the work and those who do it well - I love it.

So I'm looking forward to what's ahead, whatever that might be, armed with Jiro's wise advice:

1. Choose your occupation carefully. Love it, be awesome at it.
2. Practice hard. Every single day. Then practice some more. Get better at it each time.
3. Find others who are as passionate as you are about the work. Work only with them.

The great thing about Jiro (and there are many), is that he's been making sushi for 77 years. And he still takes the subway to work every day. He's got no plans to retire yet, and he's constantly thinking of sushi. He sees it in his dreams and bounds out of bed (as much as a 86-year old can), with ideas on how to improve on something that's been around for centuries. In short, he's doing it right.