So, a couple of things before I lead into the post, which I’m cross posting from the blog at my new place of employment… Voxus PR.

First, yes, I have a new job. Still doing public relations, but with a much smaller agency.  Waggener Edstrom (or WE as they are now known) was a terrific place for me to learn the craft, but at almost 8 years there I felt like I was starting to get complacent. Not good for me, the agency, or my clients. I wish my friends there nothing but the best.

Second, I’m going to stop beating myself up about infrequent posts. People, I keep telling you all that we should just reach out to each other, right? So if I’m not posting, it is likely because I have nothing ninja-like to say… and if you want an update, I’m 99% sure that you know how to find me. You can even just post a comment here — I see all of those. 🙂

The Breast Cancer Ninja 2015 (see- hair & all)

So to the main event:

Last month I wrote this new blog for my new job, and talked about some “Personal Relations” strategies for starting a new gig, and included a few juxtapositions.

Listen but don’t be afraid to speak.

Make sure your work is good, but don’t expect perfect.

Reinvent yourself, but BE yourself.

The last one I’ve had some intense inner debates about.

When I left TV for PR, I took my husband’s name professionally for the first time. I had already legally dumped the middle name that my parents made up & I never liked… and kept my maiden name of Dyer. It’s got a lot of history both personally & ancestrally that I was not willing to give up. But I’d been married for more than 10 years, so seemed right to make the change.

This time, I’m bringing an alter ego.

Rocking the Pink Wig, October 2012

I thought about keeping the Breast Cancer Ninja to myself professionally. No one NEEDS to know I am a breast cancer survivor. It doesn’t seem like I blog very often lately, because I’m just living my life. Although it will always be a part of who I am, I don’t need to explain my bald  head anymore.

When we hit Breast Cancer Awareness Month (aka Pinktober) I’m always torn.  On one hand, I am happy to be someone talking about a bilateral mastectomy and 4 months of chemo at age 38 because, well, I know a lot of other people aren’t as comfortable putting themselves out there.

But I really wish we could move past “Awareness.” Dude. Most people are totally AWARE of Breast Cancer. Let’s take ACTION!  Let’s make sure that the NCI is totally funded, so they can continue to fund those working for a cure. Lots of the pink crap that people buy is is to “raise money for awareness.” Let’s face it, awareness didn’t stop my cancer.  My willingness to take action did.

But October is also Domestic Violence Awareness month.  Something that I think “awareness” can do a lot more to solve. For example, things changed a LOT when we were more AWARE (because of the video) for Ray Rice, right?

I get it. Talking about “save the boobies” is much more “sexy” than talking about somebody knocking around their girlfriend, or kids, or even husband. But it is no less important.  I think that the boobs just get better PR.

The same week my blog posted, the Pope was also in the US, and I read this really interesting article, saying he’s not really as progressive as people think he is, he just gets good PR.

So what do you think?  Can the current Pope’s popularity with non-Catholics and Breast Cancer’s advantage really just be about PR?