Life as a Soundtrack

Green Day is an amazing band but my respect for the trio multiplied when I listened to American Idiot.  Not only is it a great album, but each song is a chapter of a story that sounds as though it was written in one key. The band brings the expression, "Life has a soundtrack" to life.

I love it when I walk down the street, and the perfect song is on to match my mood or my pace. However, I do believe that every day is a new song, a new chapter, even if I can't always here it. Although I can't predict what will happen next, or how fast or slow a song will be, you will always find me moving to the music.

For the past three years, a recurring pattern of notes in my soundtrack belongs to MTV Networks.  I never thought that the age of 25, I would be working in the media industry or at MTVN, of all places. When I was 13, my parents blocked my MTV because they felt that the content was inappropriate for me. I always thought I would end up in medicine.  Fast forward 12 year later, and they cannot help but proudly mention to their friends that I work at MTVN, home of the #1 media brand in the world-MTV. In the words of Alanis Morissette, "Well, isn't that ironic?"

My time at MTVN has been a bit of a whirlwind.  I started off as a temp a month after finishing college and was hired permanently three months later.  In the past 3 years I have been priveleged to work with incredibly talented people across multiple departments of the company.  The people here are willing to share information, tell you how they came to where they are and help you any way they can.  By meeting with people in programming, human resources, strategy, etc., I was able to learn what I was most passionate about at this point of my career- marketing and professional development.

MTV offers affinity groups that help you meet other people within the organization. One such group is Thursday Think which fosters professional growth.  I currently lead the professional development committee which allows me to encourage diversity and promote professional development within the organization.  

Thursday Think really makes me feel that I am making an impact on the company.  This past June, some of the TT leaders and I were able to bring in Kelly Cutrone, aka Mama Wolf, author of If You Have to Cry, Go Outside.  Below you can see a picture of her with some of the board members.  Unfortunately, I was not there for this specific picture because I ran to catch my flight to San Diego for the Rock 'n Roll Marathon on behalf of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Kelly's book was an inspiration to me.  She never thought she would work in PR much less run her own PR firm or have her own TV show.  However, she still takes care of her family, takes pleasure in what she does and lives her life honestly.  Kelly is willing to take each day as it comes and live it the best way she can. She is inspring as a businessperson and as a woman. When she came to speak to us at MTVN she was as honest and straightforward with us as she is on TV and in her book.

It took me some time to realize what I enjoy doing and that is okay.  Kelly made me feel that it is okay to not know what you want to do with the rest of the your life but that you must always be honest and true to yourself.  In other words, you must always move to the music.


Today's Chapter includes music by the following artist:  Natasha Bedingfield- "Pocketful of Sunshine"