About Vickie Elmer
Short version: Vickie Elmer is a professional journalist who concentrates on careers and consumer issues, business and workplace topics. She’s worked on staff or as a long-term freelance writer or editor for the Washington Post, Newsday, Detroit Free Press and the Ann Arbor Observer. She also contributes to the New York Times and Fortune magazine and online.
She favors surprising, creative, inspiring and informative articles – and especially likes to write about change, creative people, careers, the intersection of business and life and anything related to the circus, philanthropy / volunteerism or small business. She’s the mother of three children, and likes dogs, cats and children – and anything made of fruit or chocolate.
Her motto, drawn from a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote: “To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children ….to leave the world a better place….this is to have succeeded.”
Charities: Supports nonprofits in the education, reading and writing, teen development and fighting hunger and homelessness. Strives for Everyday Generosity, small acts of kindness each day. Hopes to raise millions of dollars for worthy causes.
Favorite writers: Ellen Gilchrist, Mary Oliver, Studs Terkel, John Steinbeck, Tamora Pierce, more.
Recent reads: Today We Are Rich by Tim Sanders; The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor; Better by Mistake by Alina Tungent.
On my walls: Ecclectic array of art. Photographs, some by son Nathan; beach art; five ladies painting; We Can Do It! a cluttered bulletin board.
One amazing thing: I spent a year on a picket line in Detroit, then immediately took a management job in New York; in both I believe, I was engaged, effective and creative.
My connections, employers and conflicts: See an account of them here.
Longer bio: Coming sometime
Vickie Elmer’s list – TK words that describe me
creative
childish
hard-working
kind
“dazzling”
responsible
playful
A real Mom
smiling
serious “scoop” journalist
hopeful
vibrant
energetic
dig deep
enthusiastic
abundance
feminist
change-agent
joyful
Hi Vicki, great blog and bio. Looking forward to following your dialogue!
Cheers,
Maddy
I love your list of adjectives and also appreciation of Mary Oliver. I think you would also enjoy my hybrid leadership/personal development book “Don’t Bring It to Work. Please get in touch with me so I can get you a copy.
Best,
Sylvia Lafair
I’m inspired! I love your Blog
Thank you, Joyce. I try for a little inspiration mixed in with a healthy doses of reality and hard work. Appreciate you visiting WorkingKind!
A Perfect Timpani Symphony
Mostly if it wasn’t for the rain
Reminiscence of the rez, Coltrane
The Butte’s re: treat house, Spruce,
Not a city’s view of streets, disputes.
Many a time I’ve stood amazed staring
Out back windows glazed, their pairing;
Huge panes gleamed fire’s near pot belly’s stove;
As well as the upper ones stunningly holds
MMy breath with this home; up stares.
Near and yes, as far as one could be.
Weather clouds, sun shines, reign boughs,
Cool rays din, green, trim, blazing trees,
Views of vast goaled farmlands frieze,
How now brown cattle rustle leaves,
Shade did win the moonlight.
So many lightning storms
Raged on and on and on – sow long,
With no rain in site.
Snap! Precipitous light from
Graceful, jagged streams of energies fight.
Stretching in many, all any directions
To reach the ground ‘fore sounds deflections;
Helled two ears; or never did.
When storms came, oft warm climes,
Sublime it was; quite industrious was I;
Threw no; outside to wash the truck; did, aye.
The rez-mobile I loved so much.
Old Blue do I miss you,
Your engine, tough, low gears, our clutch.
While wearing tennis shoes,
Shorts or a bathing suit,
I’d whistle loud and sing to boot.
Feeling pooled drops or torrents, waves wet,
Watching suds soap washed, from Blue’s sides, yet;
After dark, bold clouds collect, did.
I do love brutal thunder storms.
Especially those with; know rain, warmth?
Tempests tumult, our often less ‘fore got in
A Perfect Timpani Symphony.