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Upping Your Game

Here’s a little factoid about me: I like to think up names for websites. When we got our first dog a few years ago and were worried about not being able to keep her because of a growling and biting problem, I wanted to buy the URL PupHelp.com. I figured I wasn’t the only one in desperate need of dog advice. I dreamed of a resource-filled website as well as 1-800-Pup-Help, a 24-hour emergency hotline.

I did buy WhyItsaBadIdea.com a while back. I thought it could be a type of Craigslist for debating policy initiatives. My mother suggested I not be so cynical, so I also bought WhyItsaGoodIdea.com. I envisioned toggling between the sites to learn what people had to say about the two sides of local issues. I can share this idea with you now because 1) Procon.org has stolen my thunder and 2) my son hijacked WhyItsaBadIdea.com for his own blog.

This morning, as I was suggesting ways for my daughter to get ready for a very challenging history class, my husband suggested UppingYourGame.com. Alas, it is already taken. It would have been a nice companion site to this 2012 Women’s Directory, which focuses in so many ways on helping you to up your own game.

First and foremost in this issue is the suite of stories related to career development. The new normal for our economy may simply be that we will never know what is coming down the pike. Yet I am hopeful that 2012 is going to be a year of possibility. And to get us all ready for new opportunities, we’ve included advice from career coach Elizabeth Atcheson on making a midlife career transition, networking tips from fundraising professional Lauren Soderland, and an update on best practices for résumés by Wenda Reed.

You’ll also find straightforward advice from computer coach Nancy Ferrell on how to safeguard your computer and other devices against the cyber criminals who are out there trolling 24/7 for your banking and credit card information. And there is an article introducing the basic tenets of sleep hygiene penned by yours truly. It’s a story that I’ve wanted to write for a very long time. I suffered from insomnia throughout my late teens and twenties, and I know how significantly poor sleep can impact every aspect of your life. Establishing sleep-friendly habits helped me get a handle on my insomnia and improved my life immeasurably. It would be extremely gratifying if this short piece were to help those of you who are similarly prone to sleep problems get a good night’s rest.

As our sixth annual Women’s Directory, this issue also includes an extensive list of businesses and services that specialize in meeting the needs of local women. You’ll find everything from counselors and personal trainers to yoga studios and colleges. You can hang on to this Women’s Directory all year long, or view an expanded edition of the Directory on our website at www.SeattleWomanMagazine.com/womensdirectory.

Wishing you the very best throughout 2012!

Marianne Scholl
Publisher & Editor

©2012, Caliope Publishing Company