Welcome to our new monthly feature, Wine Wednesday with Christine Trice (you know, the one from OMG Wines)! Christine has joined us a few times in the past, and we decided it would be fun to get together on the first Wednesday of every month to talk about wine and work and whatever else crosses our minds. After a few minutes chasing various topics down rabbit holes (including, but not limited to: Jerry’s pulled groin, Girl Scout Cookie wine pairings, U2 and Public Enemy, and the possibility of Jim and John Harbaugh making out for Jackie and Christine’s entertainment), we moved on to more worthy topics.

Christine shared details about an upcoming fundraiser she’s put together for Sutter Middle School called A Taste of Sutter. In addition to a great live auction with some fabulous items up for bid, A Taste of Sutter is a wine experience that combines a little tasting, a little camaraderie and bottling of your very own wine! If you’re local to Sacramento and a lover of the vino, you should check it out.

We also talked about Drink Careers 101, a new Kickstarter project that Christine is participating in. This is a very cool collaborative project started by the folks at Mutineer Magazine. It will be a printed how-to guide to pursuing a career in the beverage industry and will explore a long list of specific beverage professions in full detail, with insights and resources for securing employment in the beverage industry. In addition to the printed guide, an advisory board of beverage industry professionals will be available to career seekers. Check out the project and get all the details on Facebook, Twitter, or Kickstarter.

The discussion about Drink Careers 101 led to a quick discussion about the non-linear path to success. In a world of folks looking for shortcuts and “sure-fire” formulas, Christine reminded us that the steps that lead to success are often unexpected and that you often can’t plan for them. More often than not, you just have to be paying attention and willing to say yes to the opportunities that come your way.

From there, we explored the topic of sensationalism and ambush in the news media, specifically an incident involving Katie Couric and a group of mommy bloggers. The conversation led to a discussion of the over-simplification that seems to be the default setting of pundits, talking heads and news agencies. The reality, of course, is that we live in a complex universe that is painted in shades of gray. The variety and individuality of people creates a world of infinite possibilities and outcomes, and there is no one right way to be in the world.

Whew! That’s a hell of a range for a sixty-minute show. Give it a listen, leave a comment to let us know what you think, andset a reminder for next week’s show!

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