4.07.2015

We're EGG-specting!

Happy (late) Easter, everyone!
The time has FINALLY come to announce...


... and it's a GIRL!

A big THANK YOU to everyone who has wished us well and shared their congratulations with us.

Clearly, this has been a secret that Matt and I have been keeping for a LONG time!  If you're trying to do the math in your head, I'll save you the trouble...

As of today, I am 20 weeks and 2 days pregnant - halfway there!
Baby Brown should be making her debut in late August.

I have been blessed with an easy and enjoyable pregnancy, but more on that to follow in a coming post!

2.23.2015

Influenster Product Review: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel

DISCLAIMER:
I have received this product free from Influenster for testing purposes only.
The opinions expressed are my own.

I very rarely enjoy the thrill of being selected to receive a VoxBox, compliments of Influenster.  I know I'm not an active reviewer on their site and I think that I should just magically qualify for all of the great freebies that they give away, but that isn't normally the case.  This time, however, I lucked out!  I had received an e-mail saying that I could be chosen to receive a VoxBox, although it did not tell me what kind.  I always jump at those e-mails, which include a short survey, since my first VoxBox included a ton of great goodies - namely, beautiful false eyelashes and a GIANT bag of Hershey's Kisses!

After submitting my survey and waiting a week or two, I received another e-mail saying that I had been chosen to receive the Neutrogena VoxBox, where I would have the opportunity to test their new Hydro Boost Water Gel!  The package shipped quickly and I received it at my front door TODAY.  I ripped open the package and quickly slathered some on my dry winter hands.  Within seconds, the gel (which smells light and non-obtrusive) was absorbed into my skin and left my hands baby soft!

I can't say for sure if that was the idea Neutrogena had for this Hydro Boost Water Gel, but I would recommend using this product on ANY dry skin that you have.  Next, I will be testing it on my face and chest since winter weather has terrorized those areas on me as well.

#Neutrogena  #BehindTheGlow  #contest



1.22.2014

Love and Other Drugs - Pt. 1

It isn't very often you hear of a recent college graduate landing his or her dream job.  It has almost become the norm to work a "crap" job until you build up enough experience to land your ideal career.  Sadly, it is even becoming standard to head to graduate school and take on more student debt to avoid fighting the job market!  With grad school not being something I wanted to tackle, I was fully prepared when I graduated in 2012 to suck it up and do whatever I had to do for however many years I had to do it until I would be given a shot at the pharmaceutical industry.  But, as fate would have it, I thankfully happen to be an exception to the unfortunate rule of "post-grad unemployment shock."

I'm honestly not trying to brag here, but I am pretty darn happy with my life and my career thus far.  This series of posts will lead you through my journey of becoming a pharmaceutical sales representative, the dirty details of the pharmaceutical industry, and provide some tips and tricks to landing your dream job.  Take it at face value, folks.  I'm no professional career counselor or life coach, but I do have my career started and hope to share that happiness with others who are currently searching for theirs.

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I started my 4 years at Penn State aiming to become a veterinarian.  That's all I had known and wanted to be since I could walk, talk, and pet a cat.  Unfortunately, after 2 years of veterinary studies, I realized that I couldn't possibly afford to become a vet, nor could I put myself through another 4+ years of schooling!  So I switched my major...
6+ times.

Human Anatomy and Physiology -->
Athletic Training -->
Kinesology -->
Physical Therapy -->
 Health and Human Sexuality -->
Business Administration -->

Ultimately, I landed in the College of Health and Human Development majoring in Biobehavioral Health with high hopes of becoming a pharmaceutical sales representative.  Contrary to popular belief, my decision to pursue this route was not money-driven - I genuinely liked selling things!  I had worked for Victoria's Secret for about 3 years and loved my job - my co-workers, the products, and the customers... just not around the holidays or big store sales.  Most of all, I loved seeing someone happier and more confident when they found a product that complemented them.  Of course, selling bras and panties is a COMPLETELY different market than selling pharmaceuticals, so I needed adequate preparation and experience.

It is extremely hard to break into pharma right out of college.  I knew I wouldn't be able to run to GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Merck, or AstraZeneca with my wimpy resume on August 11th, 2012, the day of my official graduation.  Instead, I accepted my first "crap" job: radio sales.  I would learn later (much too late to be of any help) that radio sales is an incredibly difficult selling industry, simply because it is truly a dying market.  My friend who got me this job is one of the few people who has been able to flourish in this field - kudos, Christy!  I worked in radio sales for about a month - 3 weeks of in-office training, 2 weeks out in the selling field - before I was fired (yes, FIRED) for not "performing."  Truth be told, it was a blessing in disguise.  I found out the day I was fired what an honest-to-goodness witch my boss was when she ended my "performance review" by snidely saying, "Pack up your desk.  Sam's Club is hiring," and walking out of the room.
Yea...
I would have gracefully bowed out had it not for been that low blow.

A few months later, I found myself working at Geisinger as a pharmacy technician.  This job was appealing to me in the first place because it was pretty darn close to what I was interested in.  I was able to learn about the pharmaceutical industry in a "behind-the-scenes" sort of way.  One of the biggest benefits was understanding managed health care, or insurances, and the hold they have over many doctors, patients, and pharmacies.  While this job served it's purpose of providing me with pharmaceutical experience, familiarity with the industry, and patient types, I often felt slighted.  Because I was barely 22 and fresh out of college, people weren't taking me seriously, especially my superiors.  I can't tell you how many times I was condescendingly told how to do something as simple as counting pills or washing my hands!  At first, I soaked it all in because you NEVER want to mess up a patient's medication, but after proving myself beyond competent and intelligent (and clean!), the condescension continued.  I apologize if I sound whiny or bitter, but I was a young professional who was trying to make a name for herself in the industry.  It was beyond frustrating!  At one point, I discovered I was being timed and tracked by a boss while I was out delivering medications to home-bound patients to make sure I wasn't "wasting time" or "taking advantage of the company."  That was the final straw.  I didn't feel as if I was trusted or respected and I needed to find a way out.  That is why when I saw AstraZeneca was advertising for a pharmaceutical sales specialist based out of State College, I took my chances and submitted an application.  Little did I know how successful this shot-in-the-dark would be!

After a few painless interviews, I was hired as AstraZeneca's newest (and probably youngest!) pharmaceutical sales specialist in April 2013.  I was finally a drug rep!

 http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0141/7552/products/glitter-pills-new_1024x1024.jpg%3Fv%3D1360897843

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On the blog soon:
Stay tuned for Love and Other Drugs - Pt. 2