My parents’ visit ended with a bang. Literally. Driving to the airport early Wednesday morning, a line of thunderstorms producing torrential rainfall nearly washed them off the highway. The previous evening, after they’d gone to bed, weather alerts kept popping up on my phone. First a Tornado Watch, followed by a Severe Thunderstorm Warning. At one point we were afraid we’d have to roust them from their slumber and go hang out in the tiny basement bathroom together. Tara and I opened the living room curtains and watched the storm roll through, enjoying an impressive lightning show. Somehow, my folks slept through all the action.
Other than their drive to the airport, they lucked out with the weather. It was mostly sunny and mild the six days they were here, and even reached 80º on Sunday. It’s only going to hit the upper 40s this weekend, so their timing was perfect. All in all, it was a nice visit, even though I didn’t get to see them as much as usual because of my new job.
Speaking of, I can’t believe I’ve almost wrapped up my second full week at CheeseGov. I am settling into a nice routine and feeling more at home with each passing day. Last week was all about paperwork, orientation, and putting faces with names (then promptly forgetting those names as soon as the next person was introduced. I’m notoriously terrible with names. There are people I worked with at TobacCo whom I couldn’t name even after a year.)
This week, I’ve done actual work. As external communications manager, 50% of my job is devoted to social media management. If that’s news to you, well…it was news to me, too! But it’s Congratulations, you’ve inherited $5 million! news instead of Your home is teeming with mold and we’ll have to tear apart the walls kind of news, i.e., the good kind. Getting paid to post department news to LinkedIn and the-platform-formerly-known-as-Twitter, a/k/a X, sure beats having to shell out keyword-focused scaffolding blogs every month.
The other half of my job involves pimping myself out to department staff as a writing and editing resource. I’m responsible for newsletters, blogs, press releases, brochures, web copy, email correspondence, audio/video production, and plain language initiatives. It sounds like a ton of work, but honestly, this might be the most laid-back job I’ve ever had. Most of my career has been spent in agency settings ruled by tight deadlines and billable hours. Not having to worry about those things is a revelation; it’s like I was admitted into a secret society where everyone is chill and works at their own pace. Don’t get me wrong: if there’s a career fair at a Kenosha college on April 25, I can’t just say, “Ehh, I’ll share that info on April 26.” Not if I want to keep my job! (And I do, please and thank you.) But I’m also not so overwhelmed with work that something like that will slip through the cracks. It’s a very low-stress job, which has made me realize in hindsight just how stressful most of my others were. Who knew?!
Oh, and meetings. There are lots of meetings, but they’re informative, and I mostly just have to listen in case there is messaging to share with the public. I might even end up selling a few copies of my novel, because every time I am introduced to a new group of people, I tell them about my professional background and always mention that I wrote a book called No Time for Kings that’s available on Amazon.
Hey, I’m not one to turn down the opportunity for a little self-promotion when I’ve got a captive audience!
As I mentioned before, working in Madison definitely has its pluses. Take Monday, for instance. I drove to the UW Arboretum on my lunch break and strolled around the expansive grounds, admiring all the newly blossoming trees. With sunshine, a light breeze, and a 70º temperature, I couldn’t have asked for a nicer day.
Probably the most fun I have at work is playing a game I like to call Elevator Roulette. This is something I’ve done my whole life; anytime I’m confronted with a bank of elevators — a hotel, for example, or a seven-story house of ill repute — I’ll push the UP or DOWN button, choose an elevator, and confidently stand in front of it as if I’m 100% sure that’s the one that will open. Do I often end up looking like a fool? Well, sure…but honestly, that’s the story of my life, and I’ve made peace with it! Besides, it’s worth it when the elevator I’m standing in front of is the one whose doors open. I realize there’s a fine line between looking like a psycho and a psychic, but it’s one I’m willing to straddle, because when I’m right, it feels like winning the lottery. CheeseGov has four elevators, so I have a 25% chance of choosing the correct one any given time. Not great odds, but I swear I nail it more often than not.
By the way, when my dad asked me which floor I work on and I told him the top, he said, “Score!” I knew there were other people who experienced a superiority complex working on the top floor! “It’s like you’re in the penthouse!” he added. “A deluxe apartment in the sky!” Maybe he’s been watching old episodes of The Jeffersons or something, but it’s nice to receive some validation.
But enough about CheeseGov! I want to talk about other things. Like Top Chef, whose current season takes place in Wisconsin. They’ve done a great job showcasing both Milwaukee and Madison, and have really nailed the spirit of our state by highlighting cheese, Door County cherries, Charlie Berens, and supper clubs, to name a few. Just wait until they face off against the Milwaukee Brewers’ famous racing sausages!
There was a time in spring 2022 when we were on the fence about moving here. We actually decided against it, but were unable to get the idea out of our heads. I know if we had decided to stay in Rapid City and were watching this season of Top Chef, I’d be seriously regretting that decision. So, in a sense, this is another source of validation.
Top Chef is a very big deal for Wisconsin, and really, how odd is it that my favorite cooking competition devotes an entire season to the Dairy State one year after we move here? I attended a virtual meeting with communications specialists from other state agencies this morning, and the Economic Development gal was gushing over how much business the state is seeing because of Top Chef. As long as people don’t start moving out here in droves, jacking up our housing prices and clogging our highways, I’m all in favor of the publicity!
Do you play Elevator Roulette? Is being on top really best? (Read into that any way you’d like and answer accordingly.) Are you watching Top Chef? If so, who’s your favorite?
Mark My Words 
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