April, 2011

1. Stores have outdoor furniture displays and everything you could possibly need for your yard including supplies, flowers and soil.
2. Snow & Sunshine in the same week. Spring in Michigan is known for drastic weather changes.
3. New spring clothes have arrived at retail stores and sales on winter clothes have begun.
4. Dairy Queen is open.
5. The WXW Garden Party is today from 4:30pm – 7pm at the Ann Arbor Art Center.

The Women’s Exchange of Washtenaw (WXW) and the Women Lawyer’s Association of Michigan(WLAM) are hosting a networking event on Thursday, April 21st. To help ease the anxiety of networking, listed below are 5 helpful tips.

1. Be prepared! Bring your business cards, name tag, schedule/calendar, pen and anything else you may need.
2. Act like the host. Pretend the event is your own party and be there early. Be sure you know where the food/drinks are as well as the bathrooms, so you can help others find them. In other words, be the hostess with the most-ess.
3. Talk less and listen more! Remember, you are here to create a network of relationships not a commercial for your business or services. Be sure to ask questions and engage in conversation.
4. Don’t do business at the event! This is the time for you to make connections, set up an appointment to do business after the event when you follow-up.
5. Be a connector. A good networker is generous, and helps to introduce others. Being known as a connector is very powerful. People want to connect with the connector.

The Ann Arbor Art Center is once again showcasing the artwork of the area’s most talented high school students. The work of Washtenaw County high school artists is being displayed in the juried exhibition entitled Potential! now thru May 8, 2011.

Potential! is displaying work that clearly demonstrates achievements in creativity and transcends the usual class projects and assignments. Seniors have to opportunity to be awarded cash and scholarship prizes in the portfolio competition, best in show, best in medium and juror’s choice. Christopher Schneider, Program Manager of the Summer Art Institute at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, is the juror for this year’s Potential! exhibition.

Be sure to check out the exhibition at the WXW Garden Party on Thursday, April 21st!