Underground Thoughts

Summer is coming to an end and a new season and chapter of life is beginning. My roommate Mic and I have settled into our new apartment. This past weekend we had a great house warming with big group of friends.  I recently was introduced to Microsoft/Bing’s new photo iPhone app PhotoSynth. I’m addicted. So today I took some time to capture the new hood and apartment! Check it out!

The Hood – Today there was a massive street fair

The apartment – Still need art but it finally feels like home!

Central park is now just a 10 minute walk north. Mic and I have started running together

I don’t know how NYC got a bad rap for being “rude” and “unfriendly.” I spent the last two months traveling, and upon returning home to NYC it confirmed what I have felt these last three years – New Yorkers are some of the friendliest most helpful people to be found.  Smile at someone and they will smile back.  Ask for directions and don’t be surprised if more than one person chimes in to help. Get stuck in a long line, and after ten minutes you will likely have a new FB friend request. So I did a little Google search… and what do you know? This last year, an undercover survey by DK Travel found NY to be the friendliest city. So why the bad rap? Here is my theory.  NY’ers aren’t huge fans of the abundance of street clogging tourists, so we probably stare you down and ask you to move to the right on the escalator. Walking is like other people’s driving.  When we are speed walking down the street we seem rude. That’s because we have somewhere to go.  And just like you find sanctuary in your car ride, we find it in our half meditative walking state. You have your ears clogged with your radio – us with our ear-buds. Ironically, maybe we should keep our pretentious reputation and deter more escalator slowing tourists from flocking to the friendliest city on earth.

Its been a crazy past three years.  In PR you often feel you don’t have a lot to show for your work.  Much of what we do is strategy and writing which at the end of the day doesn’t add up to a pretty portfolio of visually stimulating work. Haha. Before leaving WCG I was nominated for a PR News award.  Simply being nominated was exciting, and although I was hopeful I was still extremely shocked and humbled when I found out that I would be receiving the award.   Most of you have asked a slew of questions about what I do, but as your eyes glaze over I realize that healthcare communications simply doesn’t entertain the average person. But below is a brief description that may give you a little insight into the work that consumed my life for the past few years. Thank you to all the colleagues, friends and family that have made this possible.

PR New 15 to Watch – Social Media Associate, WCG Company

A well-rounded practitioner and the embodiment of both modern and future communications practices, Nathaniel Reagan has quickly become a leading social media strategist in the healthcare industry. Over the past 12 months, he counseled senior client contacts along the path to their first social media engagements, including the launch of nine branded social media sites across four healthcare companies, all of which were firsts for the client.

He currently leads social media accounts for some of WCG’s largest healthcare clients, including Pfizer and Genomic Health. In 2011, he will be responsible for the strategy in over $3 million of plans slated for implementation. —BM

The year flew by and with all the career changes now taking place I wanted to take a few minutes to capture the events thus far.  As most of you know in October I quite my job with WCG to become a freelance PR and marketing consultant.  I wanted to begin focusing my attention to healthcare issues more specific to my passion.   I want to thank everyone who has been so supportive of my career and life in NYC.

Only three years ago I was graduating from BYU-Idaho with no clue as to what I wanted to do.  Landing an internship at Hill&Knowlton was the exciting first step the started a course of events that I never before would have thought imaginable. Next came my first full time position, an Assistant Account Executive at Fleishman Hillard.  It was here that I “grew up” and was mentored (and mothered) by a number of amazing individuals.  FH will forever be “my family” not only for helping me grow professionally but for the friendships that helped me acclimate to the fast paced New York lifestyle.  Ready to focus soley on healthcare communications I moved to WCG.  Although it was by far the most demanding work, it was also the most fulfilling.  I was surrounded by the most talented communication professionals I have ever met, and who not only were good at their work, they loved it.

In all the last few years have been humbling.  I tried extremly hard to have a balanced life. But no matter how hard I tried I was late to everything, I was checking my email at every moment, and way to often I had to cancel arrangements, all in the name of “the client.”  I have no regrets. I came to NYC to work, and I knew from the beginning that my personal life was a secondary priority.  But I do feel I need to better aknowledge the freinds and two boy friends who supported me through this and who gave me their unconditional friendship even when I couldn’t give the same amount of devotion and attention in return. Darren, Mitchell, Emanuel, Chelsea, Alexis, Jennifer, Katherine, Jim and Luke, thank you.

I’m now in Boston.  There is a lot of decisions to make, there are a lot of people to meet.  However, my goal is to find a little more balance in life and build a career that I not only love, but that allows me to have more personal balance.  I’ll try to do a better job of keeping this blog updated as I start the next chapter.

Thank you everyone,

Nathan

PS.

And a huge thanks to Mom and Dad.  I’m so thankful for the three hour time difference that allowed me to call you at 1am morning, choking on my emotions when I just needed to vent. And for the multiple loans and cash advances that got me through my first year of being a “poor” New York.

Alexis is on spring break and came to NYC for the week. We met up with a large group of friends Saturday for a walk on the highline.

chelsea’s good friend came for a visit this weekend… she one of those people you meet and in the first 5 min you adore.

Sometimes my obsession with getting things clean isn’t such a great thing. but next time I want to wash the bathroom rugs I’ll contain myself from using 3 cups of detergent.

Sat morning i woke up at 6am to help handout donuts during the CBS Early Show. it was freezing cold and my fingers and toes were throbbing in agony but it was fun none the less.

Californian, Vegan, Aquarian, and simply amazing in everyway–Chelsea has quickly become a friend like no other. were it possible I’d ask her to marry me.