Is the media hurting Tiger? Is a ten pound robin fat? Although the tone is joking, the question (at least the first one) is not. Complaints have made their way to newsrooms across the country about the media coverage of the Tiger Woods scandal. "Too much coverage" the readers say. "Leave the poor guy alone" viewers implore. "He and his wife deserve some privacy." The complaints beg the question about the quantity of coverage devoted to Mr. Woods. But the more important question is: Could this have been avoided? How can negative media exposure be kept to a minimum?
Obviously Tiger's reported unseemly behavior is the kind of story that media types salivate over. And the shenanigans of El Tigre have even propelled the celebrity news reporting at TMZ into the national spotlight. As the tales of his trysts seemed to grow exponentially, the media has had more fodder for every new news cycle and deadline. But is the story mostly media hype? Is it possible for anyone to be treated with respect and cautious reporting instead of with public skewering?
The original incident, the relatively minor Tiger Woods car crash played much higher than it would for most "regular" people. But little was known about the condition of sports most revered, respected, talented athlete and so heavy coverage was journalistically indicated. The tweets, news cut-ins and type scrolling across the TV were all scaled back when Tiger was released from the hospital same day. Again, no harm no foul on the part of the media.
But the story wouldn't die, and the media didn't fuel that fire. Tiger Woods fueled the fire. There is a Yiddish proverb that is apt here: "A half truth is a whole lie." When a story doesn't make any sense the media will continue to ask questions in order to clarify. This is a basic tenant of journalism. And when more details emerge slowly but regularly, the negative story is like a pendulum with nowhere to go but back and forth.
The official Tiger story was nearly nonsensical from the very beginning. The pretty petite blond wife wielding a golf club to rescue her semi-conscious husband from the bowels of his Escalade and conflicting reports from law enforcement, neighbors and hospital personnel just didn't add up. So:
Tip 1: Tell the truth
Do NOT lie. Do not misrepresent what happened, no matter how foolish you may feel or even if you believe you can get away with it. Do not lie. It will not work. The media is nothing if not tenacious. You will be caught in the lie eventually and the situation will then be even worse. Honesty in this situation also means: no half truths, no fact fudging, no attempt to misrepresent what has happened. Tell the truth and tell it quickly. If there is a possibility of laws broken consult legal counsel.
Tiger Woods did not respond appropriately. The statement about wife Elin's courage in rescuing him was disingenuous. The statement was not credible because it was completely illogical. The opportunity to correct the negative publicity and to reduce the barrage of questions could have been successful with honest revelations early on. Thomas Jefferson said it best: honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom. True then, true now, very true in mitigating negative press.
Tip 2: Make a Comment
Do NOT refuse to comment and do not ignore the publicity and the media. In our multimedia, multiplatform world the negative publicity will not just go away. Questions will continue and will linger in the minds of the public. Avoidance is a flawed strategy. Additionally a comment offered long-after-the-fact is not going to be helpful in offsetting negative perception. Commenting also means "speaking" as opposed to posting a comment online or issuing a statement through a spokesperson. The failure to comment personally can be perceived as either cowardly or as a smokescreen - which will compound the negativity you are trying to offset.
When Tiger failed to respond to growing speculation, tabloid or otherwise the story practically fed on itself. Press coverage abhors an info vacuum and the media will actually interview each other if they aren't getting good info from the source.
Tip 3: Take your lumps
Own up to your piece of the problem including that of your company or your family or your own behavior. An explanation is acceptable and desirable but reacting defensively is not acceptable. You should not take the blame for things that were genuinely caused elsewhere BUT your failure to see something as a problem does not excuse you from responsibility.
In light of Tiger's eleven reported adulterous sexual encounters it was ludicrous to say, "I am not without faults." These were very serious mistakes in judgment that were unfair to many people. Egregious behavior must be acknowledged if negative press is to be reduced.
Tip 4: Apologize Sincerely
Assuming that you are actually sorry for the mistake, you should offer the same heartfelt apology that you would offer a good friend. Phony or non-apology apologies will not cut it when trying to avoid negative publicity. A non-apology apology is "if you were offended by my actions then I'm sorry that you felt that way." A sincere apology is, "I know that my actions were offensive and I'm very sorry I behaved that way."
You are not the victim here, and no one will feel any sympathy for you regardless of the media scrutiny. Don't even attempt to play the victim card, regardless of how much you feel like one.
The following statement demonstrated a certain naivete about the current insatiable desire for details. In his on-line statement Tiger wrote: "Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions." The reality for Mr. Woods is that he cannot have it both ways. He earned millions of dollars in endorsements and was offered big bucks to play in certain golf tournaments precisely because he had a big, loyal fan base. Fans or customers often feel they are owed an apology when their belief system has been undermined.
Tip 5: Be proactive and go on the offensive
Now is the time when you can control the information that the media will cover. You can call the shots with your own press conference, press release, on-line statement, etc. And your ability to respond with sincerity, confidence and even humor is critical. If you have made a mistake, explain what are going to do to correct it. If you have made an error in judgment or a poor decision, explain the steps you are taking to insure that won't happen in the future. You will have to be honest with yourself and with the media about next steps. But when you do so, the wind is effectively taken out of the media sails...it's over.
Clearly Tiger has not been proactive as of this writing. But other celebs, utilizing some or all of these tips have managed to deflect some of the criticism.
• In June South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford capped a three day media frenzy by announcing that he had been unfaithful, had lied to his staff and had left the country to meet his paramour. Sanford acted relatively quickly, was honest in his admissions and so sincere that he was tearful at his own press conference. He took responsibility for his actions and apologized.
• In September Late Night Host David Letterman told his audience that he had sex with female members of his staff, and was on the receiving end of an extortion plot. Letterman told the truth, told it in a typically self-deprecating fashion and vowed proactively to protect his family and his staff.
Bad things will happen, and they will happen to everyone. The media will grab onto a story for all it's worth. Best advice though? Common people make mistakes. Uncommon people react pragmatically with courage and intelligence.
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Friday, December 11, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AN AFFRONT TO WORKERS and WORKFORCE
This afternoon I'm writing another "blog on demand". I asked my peeps on Facebook what really get's em hot under the collar right now - and several of them responded quickly about both unemployment AND employment.
When I think about unemployment, I think that working today leaves employees both insulated and exposed. Sometimes a nasty cocktail of naivete and negativity too.
Consider the current unemployment rate - and cynic that I am, I'm talking about the REAL unemployment rate. According to the fed website, the big bad Bureau of Labor & Statistics defines the current 10.2% unemployment figure as "the people in the work force who are looking for a job but cannot find one". Gulp, that's 1 out of every 10 workers. But wait...
As Mark Twain so aptly put, "Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable." You, my valued and insightful reader must see the conundrum - what about the under-employed? What about the scores of unemployed who are now so disillusioned and disheartened that they have stopped looking? Many estimates including the vaulted WSJ put the REAL number at 17.5%. Good god!
And even though 17.5% unemployment is damn bad, that number doesn't include the self-employed like so many of my consultant, freelance and independent friends.
And the news just gets better and better. NOT. The Bureau of Labor and Stats says that the number of 'discouraged workers' rose to 2.4 million in September. I wonder how they count that? I don't disagree with the finding, but do they really survey unemployed people about this?
I have visions of a "friendly" federal employee who calls right at dinner time (naturally) to query: "say Mr. Jones, we were just wondering if you've had so many doors slammed in your face, had so many job app emails disappear into the ether, and seen so many jobs eliminated that you've just freakin' given up?" Not a pretty picture.
My friend Maddy in Omaha wonders if some of those discouraged non-workers are being way too picky...refusing to apply because the salary is too low or it isn't the dream job. Must be nice.
But the whole discouraged worker label is also where we find that insulated naivete. Probably true in all biz, and certainly the one in which I labor away all day long. My old buddy Dave from a tv station in Detroit mentioned this yesterday, "I get annoyed by people who are gainfully employed in this economy and still whine about their jobs."
Sure we are working harder for less, all of us. We have less employees than we used to, and our salary is lower than it was a year ago. In my shop, the only thing we are buying is duct tape,and that's just to hold the old stuff together. That's the reality. That's November 2009.
But I'm amazed at the questions I OFTEN get about "staffing up again" and "raises soon?" Seriously? Have you heard a newscast, seen a headline lately? Of course I'm even more chagrined because we are in the news business. It is our job to know what's going on and even (dare I say it) understand the current realities of unemployment. And so to those bastions of negativity, the low morale morass of the gainfully employed, I'd suggest O. Wilde's words, "The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one."
So for now, I'm not going to delve into why we are in this mess because you already have your own ideas. And lord knows the answers are complex and long-term. But in the meantime, let's try this:
-0-
When I think about unemployment, I think that working today leaves employees both insulated and exposed. Sometimes a nasty cocktail of naivete and negativity too.
Consider the current unemployment rate - and cynic that I am, I'm talking about the REAL unemployment rate. According to the fed website, the big bad Bureau of Labor & Statistics defines the current 10.2% unemployment figure as "the people in the work force who are looking for a job but cannot find one". Gulp, that's 1 out of every 10 workers. But wait...
As Mark Twain so aptly put, "Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable." You, my valued and insightful reader must see the conundrum - what about the under-employed? What about the scores of unemployed who are now so disillusioned and disheartened that they have stopped looking? Many estimates including the vaulted WSJ put the REAL number at 17.5%. Good god!
And even though 17.5% unemployment is damn bad, that number doesn't include the self-employed like so many of my consultant, freelance and independent friends.
And the news just gets better and better. NOT. The Bureau of Labor and Stats says that the number of 'discouraged workers' rose to 2.4 million in September. I wonder how they count that? I don't disagree with the finding, but do they really survey unemployed people about this?
I have visions of a "friendly" federal employee who calls right at dinner time (naturally) to query: "say Mr. Jones, we were just wondering if you've had so many doors slammed in your face, had so many job app emails disappear into the ether, and seen so many jobs eliminated that you've just freakin' given up?" Not a pretty picture.
My friend Maddy in Omaha wonders if some of those discouraged non-workers are being way too picky...refusing to apply because the salary is too low or it isn't the dream job. Must be nice.
But the whole discouraged worker label is also where we find that insulated naivete. Probably true in all biz, and certainly the one in which I labor away all day long. My old buddy Dave from a tv station in Detroit mentioned this yesterday, "I get annoyed by people who are gainfully employed in this economy and still whine about their jobs."
Sure we are working harder for less, all of us. We have less employees than we used to, and our salary is lower than it was a year ago. In my shop, the only thing we are buying is duct tape,and that's just to hold the old stuff together. That's the reality. That's November 2009.
But I'm amazed at the questions I OFTEN get about "staffing up again" and "raises soon?" Seriously? Have you heard a newscast, seen a headline lately? Of course I'm even more chagrined because we are in the news business. It is our job to know what's going on and even (dare I say it) understand the current realities of unemployment. And so to those bastions of negativity, the low morale morass of the gainfully employed, I'd suggest O. Wilde's words, "The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one."
So for now, I'm not going to delve into why we are in this mess because you already have your own ideas. And lord knows the answers are complex and long-term. But in the meantime, let's try this:
- if you have a job you don't like, remember that there are at least 10 people who would happily take it off your hands
- if you think an available job is beneath you, see the above
- if you need a job then commit right now that you won't be among those 2.4 million discouraged workers. Keep trying. Yes, it IS difficult and frustrating, but you are 100% guaranteed not to find employment if you stop looking
-0-
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
10 DAYS OF GRATITUDE AND ATTITUDE
Some people online are using the month of November to post 30 things they are thankful for. In my usual fashion I over thought the concept until November 17th and then boldly decided to weigh in with 10 things that I personally am thankful for. Pretty damn bold, dontcha think? Kidding, but even 10 days have proven a little more challenging than it sounds.
I have a ton of things that I truly am thankful for but articulation of those things on Facebook and Twitter begs a reaction from others, so I think carefully before I write. I'm 9 days in, and here is my attitude of gratitude so far:
1. I'm grateful to have a job I love that makes me laugh out loud nearly every day.
2. I'm grateful for Facebook, seriously! Scoff if you must, but FB has spanned the limitations of time, space and age to reconnect with friends lost long ago. I truly enjoy every one of you and am thankful not to have missed this part of the ride. Okay I do enjoy some of you more than others, it is me after all:-)
3. I am thankful that I am the age I am. This feels like the perfect age... I'm old enough for "been there, done that, got the t-shirt" but young enough to have a helluva good time every day! In the words of Johnny Nash, "I can see clearly now" and I'm lovin' what I see.
4. I am thankful for high school football. There's nothing better than sitting in the stands on Fri. night, watching young men hit the gridiron with all of their heart. An all-American lesson in teamwork, leadership and passion. It took six kids but we finally have one who loves it, excels at it and is playing in his first ever championship game tonight. Go Hornets, Go Trev. T-G-I-F-Football
5. 6. & 7: (skipped the weekend!) I'm thankful for 3 amazing children: Hilary, Megan and Trevor. All interesting, beautiful, talented and hugely unique people that I'm very proud of. Each one has made my life much more full. It's not always been easy, but rewarding and joyful nonetheless. To my peeps: Hili, Meg & T - I love you guys
8. I'm thankful that my life has not turned out like I planned. Often wonderful, occasionally horrendous but never, ever boring. If it had turned out like I planned I would surely be missing a helluva ride!
9. I am thankful to be younger than Oprah, there I said it! I don't even like nor watch Oprah and have always found her to be self indulgent. But for some reason I was honestly just thrilled last week to learn that she is older than I am. I may win the award for "shallow" today, but a girl has gotta do what a girl has gotta do...
As a personal and self-indulgent aside I'm also thankful to have the time, energy and ostensibly talent to pursue my passion for writing. This blog, Elance, Technorati: ZRNQWEBMPP7M, the press releases, the ad copy, the first 10,000 words of a novel, the grant writing, the local magazine...writing, writers, the written word is THE BEST.
I have a ton of things that I truly am thankful for but articulation of those things on Facebook and Twitter begs a reaction from others, so I think carefully before I write. I'm 9 days in, and here is my attitude of gratitude so far:
1. I'm grateful to have a job I love that makes me laugh out loud nearly every day.
2. I'm grateful for Facebook, seriously! Scoff if you must, but FB has spanned the limitations of time, space and age to reconnect with friends lost long ago. I truly enjoy every one of you and am thankful not to have missed this part of the ride. Okay I do enjoy some of you more than others, it is me after all:-)
3. I am thankful that I am the age I am. This feels like the perfect age... I'm old enough for "been there, done that, got the t-shirt" but young enough to have a helluva good time every day! In the words of Johnny Nash, "I can see clearly now" and I'm lovin' what I see.
4. I am thankful for high school football. There's nothing better than sitting in the stands on Fri. night, watching young men hit the gridiron with all of their heart. An all-American lesson in teamwork, leadership and passion. It took six kids but we finally have one who loves it, excels at it and is playing in his first ever championship game tonight. Go Hornets, Go Trev. T-G-I-F-Football
5. 6. & 7: (skipped the weekend!) I'm thankful for 3 amazing children: Hilary, Megan and Trevor. All interesting, beautiful, talented and hugely unique people that I'm very proud of. Each one has made my life much more full. It's not always been easy, but rewarding and joyful nonetheless. To my peeps: Hili, Meg & T - I love you guys
8. I'm thankful that my life has not turned out like I planned. Often wonderful, occasionally horrendous but never, ever boring. If it had turned out like I planned I would surely be missing a helluva ride!
9. I am thankful to be younger than Oprah, there I said it! I don't even like nor watch Oprah and have always found her to be self indulgent. But for some reason I was honestly just thrilled last week to learn that she is older than I am. I may win the award for "shallow" today, but a girl has gotta do what a girl has gotta do...
As a personal and self-indulgent aside I'm also thankful to have the time, energy and ostensibly talent to pursue my passion for writing. This blog, Elance, Technorati: ZRNQWEBMPP7M, the press releases, the ad copy, the first 10,000 words of a novel, the grant writing, the local magazine...writing, writers, the written word is THE BEST.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
URBAN OUTFITTERS SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES
Oh come on Urban Outfitters, are you serious? Really? Your newest holiday "limited edition" sweater for young women proudly features a red mitten strategically placed over each breast...as though Santa himself is molesting my teenage daughter. What's wrong with this picture?
My good friend Maryann emailed me the pic last night and told me how lucky I am that my daughters aren't teenagers anymore. I am not normally the grinch who stole Christmas, but this is just wrong.
Urban Outfitters is a well-known and successful retailer that markets itself to "young women and men" and there's the rub as far as I'm concerned. Anyone who has ever had the unmitigated joy of parenting a teenage girl knows that if it lives in Urban Outfitters, teens WILL find it hip, clever and fun.
On the Urban Outfitters website right now, nearly 100 customers find this trashy cardigan "adorable". Oh please, there is nothing adorable about this. I think the customer who described it as "mitten-tits" is closer to the truth and that this particular customer is of the male persuasion. Ya think? That my friends, really makes my point.
I'm not a side-splitting yuckster but I like to think that I have a decent sense of humor. And the concept for the sweater could be mildly amusing, in the right place. But what contemporary and reasonable adult women do NOT find funny or adorable is that this is being showcased in stores that specifically target young women. YOUNG women. Extremely impressionable 10 - 14 year olds who already think that their parents are incredibly uncool will clamor for this sweater, put it on their girlish Christmas lists, or god-forbid ask their pubescent boyfriends to purchase it. Ugh.
I don't normally use the word objectify, although it might be perfectly suited for this bit of Christmas finery. The message is wrong for this audience. Young women ought to be delighting in themselves and developing a sense of respect for their own bodies. And young men should be learning what respect means when it is applied to girls. Mittens on breasts is not any of these things.
Funny thing, Urban Outfitters is smarter than this. Ten days ago CEO Glen Senk reported record earnings for the third quarter and a solid 19% operating margin. (http:money.cnn.com/news/newfeeds/articles/globenewswire/178234.htm) and they can't be running such a successful company by making many amatuerish mistakes. But this $78 "Grey Antics Mrs.Claus Sweater" limited edition cardigan is exactly that. Oh sure the sweaters may sell, they may even sell out, but that doesn't change the fact that this design should be outlawed in my house and yours.
The solution of course is crystal clear: vote with your pocketbook, because that's where the rubber meets the road. Let's just say no to such a poorly conceived piece of clothing. Don't buy it, don't laugh at it, and don't let your daughters wear it. We don't have to go nuts and picket Urban Outfitters - because between crazy jobs, prepping the Thanksgiving bird and readying for Black Friday battle, who has the time or the energy? Just say no, as simple as that.
Although now I have a picture in my head of middle-aged moms with real mittens pinned to their matronly bossoms, proudly marching on malls across America holding signs that read:
MOTHERS AGAINST MITTENS and DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW WHERE YOU PUT THOSE HANDS?
Lemme know if you and your sign decide to take a stand.
My good friend Maryann emailed me the pic last night and told me how lucky I am that my daughters aren't teenagers anymore. I am not normally the grinch who stole Christmas, but this is just wrong.
Urban Outfitters is a well-known and successful retailer that markets itself to "young women and men" and there's the rub as far as I'm concerned. Anyone who has ever had the unmitigated joy of parenting a teenage girl knows that if it lives in Urban Outfitters, teens WILL find it hip, clever and fun.
On the Urban Outfitters website right now, nearly 100 customers find this trashy cardigan "adorable". Oh please, there is nothing adorable about this. I think the customer who described it as "mitten-tits" is closer to the truth and that this particular customer is of the male persuasion. Ya think? That my friends, really makes my point.
I'm not a side-splitting yuckster but I like to think that I have a decent sense of humor. And the concept for the sweater could be mildly amusing, in the right place. But what contemporary and reasonable adult women do NOT find funny or adorable is that this is being showcased in stores that specifically target young women. YOUNG women. Extremely impressionable 10 - 14 year olds who already think that their parents are incredibly uncool will clamor for this sweater, put it on their girlish Christmas lists, or god-forbid ask their pubescent boyfriends to purchase it. Ugh.
I don't normally use the word objectify, although it might be perfectly suited for this bit of Christmas finery. The message is wrong for this audience. Young women ought to be delighting in themselves and developing a sense of respect for their own bodies. And young men should be learning what respect means when it is applied to girls. Mittens on breasts is not any of these things.
Funny thing, Urban Outfitters is smarter than this. Ten days ago CEO Glen Senk reported record earnings for the third quarter and a solid 19% operating margin. (http:money.cnn.com/news/newfeeds/articles/globenewswire/178234.htm) and they can't be running such a successful company by making many amatuerish mistakes. But this $78 "Grey Antics Mrs.Claus Sweater" limited edition cardigan is exactly that. Oh sure the sweaters may sell, they may even sell out, but that doesn't change the fact that this design should be outlawed in my house and yours.
The solution of course is crystal clear: vote with your pocketbook, because that's where the rubber meets the road. Let's just say no to such a poorly conceived piece of clothing. Don't buy it, don't laugh at it, and don't let your daughters wear it. We don't have to go nuts and picket Urban Outfitters - because between crazy jobs, prepping the Thanksgiving bird and readying for Black Friday battle, who has the time or the energy? Just say no, as simple as that.
Although now I have a picture in my head of middle-aged moms with real mittens pinned to their matronly bossoms, proudly marching on malls across America holding signs that read:
MOTHERS AGAINST MITTENS and DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW WHERE YOU PUT THOSE HANDS?
Lemme know if you and your sign decide to take a stand.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
USPS "you're fired"
According to the Associated Press this afternoon: "The U.S. Post Service did not escape the effects of the economic meltdown (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing) and suffered a net loss of $3.8 billion for fiscal 2009. After $6 billion in cost savings and $4 billion in reduced payments for retiree health benefits, the agency still employs more than 712,000 people."
What clear headed individual would think that the Postal Service SHOULD escape the meltdown? When George Washington established the Postal Department in 1792 I wonder if he actually envisioned it as the second largest civilian employer in the good old U. S. of A. Yep, only Wal-Mart employs more people than our beloved postal service. And maybe, just maybe Wal-Mart is a tiny bit more strategic and thus actually profitable. Hmmm, carry the goods that customers want, treat those same customers as though they matter to you, marginalize the competition by beating them on price and selection. What a concept!
Or you could go with the USPS model: "career" employees who behave as though every customer is a pain-in-the-butt to be sneered at or ignored, prices continuing to rise unabated while the so-called service declines, hours of operation designed by the union bosses with disregard to customer preference. But if my job was described as "career employee" perhaps I'd be inclined to ignore the people who pay my salary too. Oh okay, probably not.
Today's news about the United States Postal Service cannot come as a surprise if you've given it even a whit of thought. Aside from the tedious issue of a quasi-government job, don't get me started on either privatization or technology. And yes, I'm sure the next step will be the elimination of Saturday delivery http://blog.uspsoig.gov/ which comes on the heels of the current steady removal of the trusty blue drop off mailboxes.
Hellooooooo, anybody home? When was the last time you wrote & snail-mailed a letter? And god knows I am as change averse as the next baby boomer but I managed to leave the stone age and start paying bills on-line. We really need to ask ourselves if we still need a United States Postal Service. Do we? Really? Hasn't technology all but eliminated the need for it? And if not now, then surely soon. The framers of the consitution used the pony express and the telegraph too, but like the covered wagon some services simply outlive their usefulness.
If though, we need to look at the postal service as a contestant on Survivor, and give it a fighting chance to make it through to the next reality round, the configuration must change. Competitor Fed Ex has also had a tough year (http://news.fedex.com/) and has responded with a plan to save another billion dollars in 2010 by reducing personnel and work hours, streamlining technology and finding greater economies of scale. In their own words, "We remain focused on providing outstanding service, and will ensure that our actions do not impede our industry-leading customer experience.” Service and customers...sounds slightly like WalMart meets mailing and shipping! Could it be?
As far as I'm concerned, we are rapidly approaching the lightening round for the USPS. Either the union bends, technology is embraced, and customers are valued or it should go away. The United States Postal Service may be a memory as fond as milk-men, gas station attendants and drive-in movies.
What clear headed individual would think that the Postal Service SHOULD escape the meltdown? When George Washington established the Postal Department in 1792 I wonder if he actually envisioned it as the second largest civilian employer in the good old U. S. of A. Yep, only Wal-Mart employs more people than our beloved postal service. And maybe, just maybe Wal-Mart is a tiny bit more strategic and thus actually profitable. Hmmm, carry the goods that customers want, treat those same customers as though they matter to you, marginalize the competition by beating them on price and selection. What a concept!
Or you could go with the USPS model: "career" employees who behave as though every customer is a pain-in-the-butt to be sneered at or ignored, prices continuing to rise unabated while the so-called service declines, hours of operation designed by the union bosses with disregard to customer preference. But if my job was described as "career employee" perhaps I'd be inclined to ignore the people who pay my salary too. Oh okay, probably not.
Today's news about the United States Postal Service cannot come as a surprise if you've given it even a whit of thought. Aside from the tedious issue of a quasi-government job, don't get me started on either privatization or technology. And yes, I'm sure the next step will be the elimination of Saturday delivery http://blog.uspsoig.gov/ which comes on the heels of the current steady removal of the trusty blue drop off mailboxes.
Hellooooooo, anybody home? When was the last time you wrote & snail-mailed a letter? And god knows I am as change averse as the next baby boomer but I managed to leave the stone age and start paying bills on-line. We really need to ask ourselves if we still need a United States Postal Service. Do we? Really? Hasn't technology all but eliminated the need for it? And if not now, then surely soon. The framers of the consitution used the pony express and the telegraph too, but like the covered wagon some services simply outlive their usefulness.
If though, we need to look at the postal service as a contestant on Survivor, and give it a fighting chance to make it through to the next reality round, the configuration must change. Competitor Fed Ex has also had a tough year (http://news.fedex.com/) and has responded with a plan to save another billion dollars in 2010 by reducing personnel and work hours, streamlining technology and finding greater economies of scale. In their own words, "We remain focused on providing outstanding service, and will ensure that our actions do not impede our industry-leading customer experience.” Service and customers...sounds slightly like WalMart meets mailing and shipping! Could it be?
As far as I'm concerned, we are rapidly approaching the lightening round for the USPS. Either the union bends, technology is embraced, and customers are valued or it should go away. The United States Postal Service may be a memory as fond as milk-men, gas station attendants and drive-in movies.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
CALL ME CRAZY...
I've decided to participate in NANOWRIMO - which is proving to be utter insanity! Why? Because NANOWRIMO is the acronym for National Novel Writing Month. Basically a competition of sorts to write a 50,000 word novel from start to finish during the month of November. The "prize" is really only the creative satisfaction of being able to say that you did it, so technically you are competing with a hundred thousand other people but mainly with yourself. Naturally for someone as fiercely competitive as yours truly, there is nothing like a deadline and a challenge to get me fired up!
Insanity though - I have a good but fierce full time gig, I have a teenage son & a husband who both deserve some of my time, and of course I still have the broken foot! Hmmmmmmm, yup utter insanity. Kinda cool though and simultaneously mentally draining. But what would "SandiLand" be without a new sense of drama?!?
So far the novel is a behind-the-scenes look at something near and dear to my heart. Perhaps excerpts will be posted here, but only if time allows. As of this writing I still have 47,000 more words to go so I wouldn't be holding my breath if I were you. Gotta go, the story waits for no man...
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Insanity though - I have a good but fierce full time gig, I have a teenage son & a husband who both deserve some of my time, and of course I still have the broken foot! Hmmmmmmm, yup utter insanity. Kinda cool though and simultaneously mentally draining. But what would "SandiLand" be without a new sense of drama?!?
So far the novel is a behind-the-scenes look at something near and dear to my heart. Perhaps excerpts will be posted here, but only if time allows. As of this writing I still have 47,000 more words to go so I wouldn't be holding my breath if I were you. Gotta go, the story waits for no man...
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Sunday, November 1, 2009
NY thru new eyes
You had never seen a taxi line so long. But you'd only been in taxi's twice before and weren't particularly schooled in the ways of big cities. Pregnant, bloated and waist long hair did NOT paint you as a big city sophisticate.
You were alone again, naturally. As you had been for every adventure. Not alone by choice but by chance. And it was suddenly critically important that you not look like the country-bumpkin that you secretly suspected you were.
Lesson number one, taxi drivers do not speak much English, do not seem helpful to clueless pregnant woman and apparently never clean their cabs. But look at the skyline! The names on the signs sound like those you've grown up with watching on TV, the Brooklyn Bridge, Greenwich, Harlem, Times Square. And you find yourself watching the people, staring really inside the relative safety of the steaming, grimy, speeding taxi.
You've never seen that much black clothing, well except for funerals back home – but not clothes like that, or shoes, or makeup. The cacophony of sounds was thrilling, horns beeping like so many motorized sheep, pedestrians yelling with arms outstretched and police whistles that never pause for a moment of quiet. You step out of your yellow car and into the arms of the jostling, impatient, uniformed doorman.
But after only 30 minutes of watching you already know to the bottom of your unsophisticated heart that your best suitcase is shabby and dated. The dress that seemed so nouveau in Phoenix hangs shapelessly out of style, almost embarrassed in it's own right. But you straighten your shoulders, baby bump out in front and from some unknown well deep within your psyche you begin to mirror the haughtiness you see all around you. "It's a cheap little bag" you murmur confidently to the valet "but the silly airline has lost my Louis Vuitton and I'd love it if you could take it for me".
The person formerly known as YOU was about to be buried deep within.
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Saturday, October 24, 2009
Two things for a glorious Saturday in October
First, I'm working on an article about how to write killer commercials. Some excerpts will appear here at a later date BUT I've made an interesting discovery as a part of the research process. Remember the adage "those who can, do and those who can't, teach"? Consider that chestnut officially modified now to "those who can, do and those who can't, write how-to articles for websites"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The plethora of incredibly bad advice offered as serious instruction is nothing less than breathtaking. Now granted, there is more than one good way to approach killer copy and creative, but most of the advice is truly horrendous. Forget strategy or goals, if you use the internet as your guide, just pick out the right props and remember to write the video instructions on the left and the spoken words on the right. (For you readers who are not experienced in writing tv commercials I am being extremely sarcastic!)
This particular light bulb moment means I've begun to wonder two things:
Is this perhaps a partial explanation for all of the really awful television commercials we see now? AND, if the other "advice" on-line is this far off base it's a wonder that we as a society haven't completely self-destructed by now! Imagine all those sites that specialize in finding a job, diagnosing your own medical malady, fixing a car problem, any of the gazillions of how-to sites, pages, blogs, articles, etc...all wrong, all complete and unsubstantiated fiction. Boggles the mind my friends, absolutely boggles it.
Secondly and finally, I have officially changed the name of my blog, because as I become more serious about writing it seems apt that the URL not be quite so sassy! I'll miss "i am not a drama queen" though...it came to mark an interesting confluence of dreams and reality. The writing of it quite literally changed my life. And to be honest it was so completely random and steam of consciousness that it's surprising it could become so personally important. But thanks to my friend Jim Bernstein, who with his typical clarity pointed out that people who love writing should write. Sometimes I think that you have to be in the right place in your head and in your life to heed good advice when it whacks you upside the head.
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The plethora of incredibly bad advice offered as serious instruction is nothing less than breathtaking. Now granted, there is more than one good way to approach killer copy and creative, but most of the advice is truly horrendous. Forget strategy or goals, if you use the internet as your guide, just pick out the right props and remember to write the video instructions on the left and the spoken words on the right. (For you readers who are not experienced in writing tv commercials I am being extremely sarcastic!)
This particular light bulb moment means I've begun to wonder two things:
Is this perhaps a partial explanation for all of the really awful television commercials we see now? AND, if the other "advice" on-line is this far off base it's a wonder that we as a society haven't completely self-destructed by now! Imagine all those sites that specialize in finding a job, diagnosing your own medical malady, fixing a car problem, any of the gazillions of how-to sites, pages, blogs, articles, etc...all wrong, all complete and unsubstantiated fiction. Boggles the mind my friends, absolutely boggles it.
Secondly and finally, I have officially changed the name of my blog, because as I become more serious about writing it seems apt that the URL not be quite so sassy! I'll miss "i am not a drama queen" though...it came to mark an interesting confluence of dreams and reality. The writing of it quite literally changed my life. And to be honest it was so completely random and steam of consciousness that it's surprising it could become so personally important. But thanks to my friend Jim Bernstein, who with his typical clarity pointed out that people who love writing should write. Sometimes I think that you have to be in the right place in your head and in your life to heed good advice when it whacks you upside the head.
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Sunday, October 4, 2009
MY NEW BFF
Writing is a passion, a calling, an art form, a friend, a meaningful enterprise. It haunts me when inspiration fails to strike. It is both intuitive and learned, with ever more to try or consider or hone. And a thick skin is going to be needed. Paranoia sometimes creeps in on quiet cat paws, because a significant part of any writing is really putting your self out there. These are MY words, arranged in a way logical and perfect to ME. But perhaps not perfect for anyone else.
Writing has rapidly become a good friend. Okay, weird sounding but preferable to an obsession with Facebook, Twitter, or You Tube. One of the great thing about being a writer is that it is both time consuming and brutally honest. See how that would be analogous to a best friend? Feeling guilty when neglecting it too long, vowing each morning to spend time with it in the afternoon, and then even more frustration when the day gets in the way.
I saw a t-shirt yesterday with these words on the front "keep it up and you'll end up in my novel". Thought about buying it, but am not at all certain that a novel awaits . Odd as it sounds the real fun for me can be found in more commercial writing; press releases, radio/TV copy, articles, newsletters, blogging, website copy. Perhaps that's more capitalism than art form but in the eye of this beholder it's all good.
Have a good week friends!
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Writing has rapidly become a good friend. Okay, weird sounding but preferable to an obsession with Facebook, Twitter, or You Tube. One of the great thing about being a writer is that it is both time consuming and brutally honest. See how that would be analogous to a best friend? Feeling guilty when neglecting it too long, vowing each morning to spend time with it in the afternoon, and then even more frustration when the day gets in the way.
I saw a t-shirt yesterday with these words on the front "keep it up and you'll end up in my novel". Thought about buying it, but am not at all certain that a novel awaits . Odd as it sounds the real fun for me can be found in more commercial writing; press releases, radio/TV copy, articles, newsletters, blogging, website copy. Perhaps that's more capitalism than art form but in the eye of this beholder it's all good.
Have a good week friends!
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Friday, September 25, 2009
GET YOURSELF NOTICED!
Hungering for attention is common to business's large and small. You want to be noticed, even applauded for your latest acquisition, hire, merger, community outreach, fund raiser, etc. etc. etc.
Much easier said than done! Haven't you wondered how those local TV stations pick out the stories that they do cover? Why can't your company ever get media coverage for anything other than a fire in the lobby? Even when it comes to your own unique trade publications, the media has to buy your story or it won't generate any attention. Is there some magic set of buzzwords that the media will respond to?
The trick is simple, but oddly missed by nearly all would-be press release writers. In journalism school we called it W.I.F.M. which is the acronym for "what's in it for me?" The "me" in question is the viewer, the reader, the listener. In other words, why should the audience or the media care about your news?
In today's simultaneously overweight-but-weight-obsessed society let's use a more relevant acronym for successful press release writing, and that is F.A.T.: Focused, Attention-grabbing & Timely. With a little forethought, creativity and basic writing skill you too can make your news announcement F.A.T. and grab a little bit of that media attention.
Focused - your press release should be tightly focused on ONE thing. Do not cram several pieces or tidbits of info into the press release no matter how interesting you personally may find those things. Ask yourself "what is one the one thing I want to have noticed?" and then ruthlessly keep your writing and your communication about that one point. As examples:
1. Two great new hires that you've snagged from competitors? Two separate press releases with some time in between.
2. You've just landed a huge piece of business that will allow you to add staff? One press release about the new client and another about your planned expansion (or even better about your planned hiring).
3. Your last fundraiser exceeded your expectations so you've already started planning the next one? You guessed it, two separate announcements
This process of focusing will help you cull your story down into its most important and basic element. Maybe you think you have two announcements, but check with a few trusted colleagues and you may discover that only one piece of information really interests anyone but you. Focus also means serious consideration of who will be interested in this news of yours and who is really likely to cover it. Your news may be perfect for online or printed trade publications, but The Wall Street Journal isn’t really going to bite on an announcement with specific industry-only terminology. A broader but even more compelling announcement must be crafted to reach the national media and even local TV and newspapers. Focus on getting the biggest bang for your writing buck, trade publications can be the perfect and most effective vehicle in many cases, even if they are not as sexy as USA Today.
Attention Grabbing
The headline, the opening paragraph, and the leading sentence absolutely must be attention grabbing or your announcement is on the fast track to the delete button. Headlines should be short, less than two lines and very succinctly summarize the announcement. You must force yourself to tell this “story” in one sentence. As my own recent examples:
• Bubbles the Chimp will NOT inherit Jacko’s Millions
• Looking for Orlando’s Youngest TV Reporter
• Pink Slip Party Rides to the rescue of Job Seekers
You don’t have to be a journalism school grad to realize that complete sentences are not necessary in writing headlines and can very comfortably be avoided. What is necessary is an active, interesting statement. Often times the headline should be the last thing written. The press release itself, if written correctly will almost tell you what the headline might be.
This first paragraph comes directly under the headline, can be 2 – 3 sentences long and should be a strong summary of your “news”. Finally, your lead sentence really needs to read like “a lead”. This lead sentence is the first sentence in what will be the body or the “meat” of your announcement. For lead writing reference pull out a newspaper, magazine or news website and spend a few minutes reading different leads. While there is an art to writing a great lead, most people can write a perfectly competent lead with a little bit of focused brain power.
Timely
Creating a timely announcement really means positioning your news as relevant and current. This can best be done by stepping outside of your own little world and honestly asking why anyone would be interested in this piece of information. This becomes easier with practice, but as a starting point consider what is going on around you locally, regionally, nationally, and industry-wise that you can tie in to. As examples:
• Breaking ground on an addition to your warehouse? Your expansion is great news for a sagging local economy
• Starting your own new business? Becoming an Entrepreneur is the newest solution for would-be job seekers
• Landed a new account? Your employees are demonstrating outside-the-box thinking in tough economic times
• Wrapped up a successful fundraiser? The right cause still resonates even when people are cash strapped
So there you have it. Of course, there are a lot of extremely talented writers available, and the art of the successful press release comes a little more easily to them, yours truly included. But in a pinch, or even just to test your chops give this a shot. When it comes to media attention FAT is where it's at, baby!
Much easier said than done! Haven't you wondered how those local TV stations pick out the stories that they do cover? Why can't your company ever get media coverage for anything other than a fire in the lobby? Even when it comes to your own unique trade publications, the media has to buy your story or it won't generate any attention. Is there some magic set of buzzwords that the media will respond to?
The trick is simple, but oddly missed by nearly all would-be press release writers. In journalism school we called it W.I.F.M. which is the acronym for "what's in it for me?" The "me" in question is the viewer, the reader, the listener. In other words, why should the audience or the media care about your news?
In today's simultaneously overweight-but-weight-obsessed society let's use a more relevant acronym for successful press release writing, and that is F.A.T.: Focused, Attention-grabbing & Timely. With a little forethought, creativity and basic writing skill you too can make your news announcement F.A.T. and grab a little bit of that media attention.
Focused - your press release should be tightly focused on ONE thing. Do not cram several pieces or tidbits of info into the press release no matter how interesting you personally may find those things. Ask yourself "what is one the one thing I want to have noticed?" and then ruthlessly keep your writing and your communication about that one point. As examples:
1. Two great new hires that you've snagged from competitors? Two separate press releases with some time in between.
2. You've just landed a huge piece of business that will allow you to add staff? One press release about the new client and another about your planned expansion (or even better about your planned hiring).
3. Your last fundraiser exceeded your expectations so you've already started planning the next one? You guessed it, two separate announcements
This process of focusing will help you cull your story down into its most important and basic element. Maybe you think you have two announcements, but check with a few trusted colleagues and you may discover that only one piece of information really interests anyone but you. Focus also means serious consideration of who will be interested in this news of yours and who is really likely to cover it. Your news may be perfect for online or printed trade publications, but The Wall Street Journal isn’t really going to bite on an announcement with specific industry-only terminology. A broader but even more compelling announcement must be crafted to reach the national media and even local TV and newspapers. Focus on getting the biggest bang for your writing buck, trade publications can be the perfect and most effective vehicle in many cases, even if they are not as sexy as USA Today.
Attention Grabbing
The headline, the opening paragraph, and the leading sentence absolutely must be attention grabbing or your announcement is on the fast track to the delete button. Headlines should be short, less than two lines and very succinctly summarize the announcement. You must force yourself to tell this “story” in one sentence. As my own recent examples:
• Bubbles the Chimp will NOT inherit Jacko’s Millions
• Looking for Orlando’s Youngest TV Reporter
• Pink Slip Party Rides to the rescue of Job Seekers
You don’t have to be a journalism school grad to realize that complete sentences are not necessary in writing headlines and can very comfortably be avoided. What is necessary is an active, interesting statement. Often times the headline should be the last thing written. The press release itself, if written correctly will almost tell you what the headline might be.
This first paragraph comes directly under the headline, can be 2 – 3 sentences long and should be a strong summary of your “news”. Finally, your lead sentence really needs to read like “a lead”. This lead sentence is the first sentence in what will be the body or the “meat” of your announcement. For lead writing reference pull out a newspaper, magazine or news website and spend a few minutes reading different leads. While there is an art to writing a great lead, most people can write a perfectly competent lead with a little bit of focused brain power.
Timely
Creating a timely announcement really means positioning your news as relevant and current. This can best be done by stepping outside of your own little world and honestly asking why anyone would be interested in this piece of information. This becomes easier with practice, but as a starting point consider what is going on around you locally, regionally, nationally, and industry-wise that you can tie in to. As examples:
• Breaking ground on an addition to your warehouse? Your expansion is great news for a sagging local economy
• Starting your own new business? Becoming an Entrepreneur is the newest solution for would-be job seekers
• Landed a new account? Your employees are demonstrating outside-the-box thinking in tough economic times
• Wrapped up a successful fundraiser? The right cause still resonates even when people are cash strapped
So there you have it. Of course, there are a lot of extremely talented writers available, and the art of the successful press release comes a little more easily to them, yours truly included. But in a pinch, or even just to test your chops give this a shot. When it comes to media attention FAT is where it's at, baby!
Raising a Jock
Remember the original ‘Friday Night Lights’? High school football back in the day…those chilly fall football games when we were in high school? Popcorn, cheerleaders, the biggest guys lumbering around with shoulder pads, huge helmets, and happy-if-muddy grins. Win or lose, we’d always meet up after the game for burgers and our carefree high school life continued. Granted, high school sports in the Midwest were slightly more frostbitten than here in Florida, but still fundamentally the same.
Fast forward to 2009, high school football Florida style. Those carefree memories are a funny novelty to the high school jock of today. Playing football today is a very serious and often expensive business to thousands of young athletes.
According to online publication ESPN Rise: “Many people clearly believe Florida is the best high school football state.” Lake Mary, Florida grad, All-American linebacker at USC, and first-round draft pick Keith Rivers of the Cincinnati Bengals is a perfect example of a ‘local-kid-makes-good-on-his-dream’ story.
But sports success does not come easily or inexpensively for most youth in high school sports today even here in Florida. Doug Peters, Athletic Director at Lake Mary High School tells me that his high school alone averages 800 student athletes annually and only about 15 of them will go on to attend college on athletic scholarships after graduation each year.
Although his parents may not be aware of it yet, high school football players already know that they need real marketing to the tune of: professionally produced highlight videos, personal trainers and even a “scout” who contacts multiple schools on the player’s behalf in order to play college football. The commitment required for today’s high school athletes is so different because it involves even greater emotional, personal and financial investment on the part of the whole family.
Take 16 year old Trevor Alfredson (full disclosure: my youngest child) who has been playing football and loving it since he was six years old. “I’ve wanted to play Division 1 football for as long as I can remember” says Trevor. And as a high school sophomore varsity player, Trev’s season also involved hiring a firm to make a highlight video, discussions with two different recruiting service firms, training with former a NFL playerDana Sanders and attending something called “combines”.
For those uninitiated in the “jock” lingo of today: high school football combines officially test athletes on a number of physical skills like speed, agility, and strength while various college coaches look on. The pressure to get noticed is incredibly heavy for these boys, as early as age 14! The cost of sophomore year football alone, with an eye toward playing “division 1 football” can range upwards of $5500.
The pressure and problems of “making it” aren’t unique to football either. Lake Mary’s Lee Morgan is a junior who plays two kinds of soccer (Club Soccer and high school soccer) AND football so he’ll have the best shot at playing a college sport at a good school. A super-talented and first string football kicker, Lee has already emailed a number of college coaches (part of his personal marketing plan) and heard back from some of the Florida college coaches. For a fee Lee’s invited to summer soccer camps so the coaches can get an up-close-and personal look.
As fiercely competitive as college sports have become for high schoolers today, Lee tells us that “I’ve been playing soccer since I was 7, and now I want to keep all of my options open.” His educator father Walt, says that “part of today’s added pressure is because the cost of college has also risen, which can put more pressure on athletic scholarships.”
Florida’s Chip Humble works for CSA Prep Stars and he scouts players for multiple schools. Chip says that most parents need help understanding how recruiting really works. And with the exception of those very rare “blue chip players” like Keith Rivers, “lots of good athletes go unnoticed and unseen because they haven’t been properly marketed”.
The pros in the know say that the main reason many boys are not recruited is that no one knows about them. As Chip reminds the parents of his athletic roster: “just because your child was good in Little League or a standout at her own school it doesn’t mean they are a ‘blue chip’ All American athlete as far as college coaches are concerned.”
Raising a jock right now means a personal profile with website; following coaches on Twitter, verified game & combine stats and that pro-quality highlight video looked at by hundreds of college coaches. Dreams don't come cheap these days, even in high school!
Fast forward to 2009, high school football Florida style. Those carefree memories are a funny novelty to the high school jock of today. Playing football today is a very serious and often expensive business to thousands of young athletes.
According to online publication ESPN Rise: “Many people clearly believe Florida is the best high school football state.” Lake Mary, Florida grad, All-American linebacker at USC, and first-round draft pick Keith Rivers of the Cincinnati Bengals is a perfect example of a ‘local-kid-makes-good-on-his-dream’ story.
But sports success does not come easily or inexpensively for most youth in high school sports today even here in Florida. Doug Peters, Athletic Director at Lake Mary High School tells me that his high school alone averages 800 student athletes annually and only about 15 of them will go on to attend college on athletic scholarships after graduation each year.
Although his parents may not be aware of it yet, high school football players already know that they need real marketing to the tune of: professionally produced highlight videos, personal trainers and even a “scout” who contacts multiple schools on the player’s behalf in order to play college football. The commitment required for today’s high school athletes is so different because it involves even greater emotional, personal and financial investment on the part of the whole family.
Take 16 year old Trevor Alfredson (full disclosure: my youngest child) who has been playing football and loving it since he was six years old. “I’ve wanted to play Division 1 football for as long as I can remember” says Trevor. And as a high school sophomore varsity player, Trev’s season also involved hiring a firm to make a highlight video, discussions with two different recruiting service firms, training with former a NFL playerDana Sanders and attending something called “combines”.
For those uninitiated in the “jock” lingo of today: high school football combines officially test athletes on a number of physical skills like speed, agility, and strength while various college coaches look on. The pressure to get noticed is incredibly heavy for these boys, as early as age 14! The cost of sophomore year football alone, with an eye toward playing “division 1 football” can range upwards of $5500.
The pressure and problems of “making it” aren’t unique to football either. Lake Mary’s Lee Morgan is a junior who plays two kinds of soccer (Club Soccer and high school soccer) AND football so he’ll have the best shot at playing a college sport at a good school. A super-talented and first string football kicker, Lee has already emailed a number of college coaches (part of his personal marketing plan) and heard back from some of the Florida college coaches. For a fee Lee’s invited to summer soccer camps so the coaches can get an up-close-and personal look.
As fiercely competitive as college sports have become for high schoolers today, Lee tells us that “I’ve been playing soccer since I was 7, and now I want to keep all of my options open.” His educator father Walt, says that “part of today’s added pressure is because the cost of college has also risen, which can put more pressure on athletic scholarships.”
Florida’s Chip Humble works for CSA Prep Stars and he scouts players for multiple schools. Chip says that most parents need help understanding how recruiting really works. And with the exception of those very rare “blue chip players” like Keith Rivers, “lots of good athletes go unnoticed and unseen because they haven’t been properly marketed”.
The pros in the know say that the main reason many boys are not recruited is that no one knows about them. As Chip reminds the parents of his athletic roster: “just because your child was good in Little League or a standout at her own school it doesn’t mean they are a ‘blue chip’ All American athlete as far as college coaches are concerned.”
Raising a jock right now means a personal profile with website; following coaches on Twitter, verified game & combine stats and that pro-quality highlight video looked at by hundreds of college coaches. Dreams don't come cheap these days, even in high school!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
I'm in love and his name is Roomba!
It’s not a traditional love story. Think Romeo and Juliet meets 2001 A Space Odyssey. No, maybe ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?’ is closer. It’s a bizarre tale of my new love affair…which my husband knows about, tolerates and even sometimes encourages!
I'm fairly sure that I've never put pen to paper (or fingers to laptop) about a household appliance before but enter my new and now beloved Roomba. Can I just say, OMIGOD!!!!! Jane Jetson here I come, I mean O-M-I-G-O-D!
It started late last year when a work pal and avowed geek told me over lunch that he had a Roomba vacuum and it would change my life. Yeah, allright. It's basically a vacuum cleaner that runs by itself. I was mildly intrigued, particularly when he told me where I might find one on sale, but it was still a vacuum cleaner after all.
But the ‘vacuum cleaner’ description doesn't do my Roomba justice. My emotional attachment defies description. So a love affair with Roomba would probably be more apt. How weird is that - I'm using the words 'love affair' and a vacuum cleaner in the same sentence. I'm afraid I AM Jane Jetson.
Thrifty soul that I am (as lovingly described by my husband although ‘cheap’ is closer to the truth) I figured that a Roomba would be a lot cheaper than a cleaning lady. Change my life or not, a bargain is a bargain after all. And after four months of considering, thinking, changing my mind, changing my mind back again - I found a Roomba I-Robot on-line and took the plunge. I grabbed my plastic and pounded out my numbers and my address, little knowing how one purchase would be so pivotal.
Some seven days later a box was delivered to the house and I quickly changed out of my work clothes to uncrate my electronic toy. Like many middle-aged women, I’m not really particularly excited about electronic toys. Sure, I have a blackberry and a netbook computer but I can’t work our TiVo to save my soul and can barely turn our complicated tv/cable/bluray set on to watch NCIS.
But the Roomba was pretty easy to assemble and needed a charge so 24 hours later it was good to go. It was kind of a fun, futuristic looking little thing but I remained mildly pessimistic particularly in the face of my family’s bemused glances.
The love affair really blossomed when I put Roomba to work: Imagine a long, soul-sapping day at work OR a busy weekend when you really don’t want to spend the whole darn day cleaning and then picture this:
Roomba politely vacuums one room at a time behind closed doors while I sip chardonnay in the other room. He docks himself at the battery charger automatically when he's done vacuuming. He tells me when I need to clean out the massive amounts of dog hair from his brushes. He tells me when he's stuck somewhere. Roomba generally cleans beautifully and I don't do much besides clean the brushes after he's done. Now I ask you: Is this is lovely vision or what?
But I think my love affair with Roomba is more about what he DOESN'T do: doesn't argue, never complains, doesn’t roll his eyes dramatically, won’t shrug, and has never heaved a mighty sigh. Roomba has never ignored me, never “forgotten” that I had asked him to vacuum, never even done a half-hearted job so he wouldn’t be asked to do it again. Roomba has never ever required repeating nagging. I love my Roomba!
In truth I do need sometimes need to spend some a bit of time cleaning his brushes. But I will deny that in his presence, he might find it hurtful. The fact remains that while he is working I am not. Get that? He does the work and I don’t have to. I love my Roomba. I really do love my Roomba.
I use my Roomba at least 5 times a week, we have a pretty big house and a very hairy border collie, and every single time he finishes a room I can be heard to remark aloud that ‘I love my Roomba’. The family still teases me about Roomba’s first week when I left him to do our bedroom and actually SERIOUSLY considered leaving a light on so he could see what he was doing!
You may have noticed that he is not “the Roomba” because in my world Roomba is simply his name. And just last week I bestowed him with our family name too, so now he’s not just Roomba, he’s Roomba Gehring,
I think it’s interesting that if you Google “Roomba”, the official company website promises; maintain cleaner floors every day! Life happens in busy homes. Stay ahead of messy floors with the touch of a button!
Doesn’t even begin to describe Roomba for me though. Not even close.
I'm fairly sure that I've never put pen to paper (or fingers to laptop) about a household appliance before but enter my new and now beloved Roomba. Can I just say, OMIGOD!!!!! Jane Jetson here I come, I mean O-M-I-G-O-D!
It started late last year when a work pal and avowed geek told me over lunch that he had a Roomba vacuum and it would change my life. Yeah, allright. It's basically a vacuum cleaner that runs by itself. I was mildly intrigued, particularly when he told me where I might find one on sale, but it was still a vacuum cleaner after all.
But the ‘vacuum cleaner’ description doesn't do my Roomba justice. My emotional attachment defies description. So a love affair with Roomba would probably be more apt. How weird is that - I'm using the words 'love affair' and a vacuum cleaner in the same sentence. I'm afraid I AM Jane Jetson.
Thrifty soul that I am (as lovingly described by my husband although ‘cheap’ is closer to the truth) I figured that a Roomba would be a lot cheaper than a cleaning lady. Change my life or not, a bargain is a bargain after all. And after four months of considering, thinking, changing my mind, changing my mind back again - I found a Roomba I-Robot on-line and took the plunge. I grabbed my plastic and pounded out my numbers and my address, little knowing how one purchase would be so pivotal.
Some seven days later a box was delivered to the house and I quickly changed out of my work clothes to uncrate my electronic toy. Like many middle-aged women, I’m not really particularly excited about electronic toys. Sure, I have a blackberry and a netbook computer but I can’t work our TiVo to save my soul and can barely turn our complicated tv/cable/bluray set on to watch NCIS.
But the Roomba was pretty easy to assemble and needed a charge so 24 hours later it was good to go. It was kind of a fun, futuristic looking little thing but I remained mildly pessimistic particularly in the face of my family’s bemused glances.
The love affair really blossomed when I put Roomba to work: Imagine a long, soul-sapping day at work OR a busy weekend when you really don’t want to spend the whole darn day cleaning and then picture this:
Roomba politely vacuums one room at a time behind closed doors while I sip chardonnay in the other room. He docks himself at the battery charger automatically when he's done vacuuming. He tells me when I need to clean out the massive amounts of dog hair from his brushes. He tells me when he's stuck somewhere. Roomba generally cleans beautifully and I don't do much besides clean the brushes after he's done. Now I ask you: Is this is lovely vision or what?
But I think my love affair with Roomba is more about what he DOESN'T do: doesn't argue, never complains, doesn’t roll his eyes dramatically, won’t shrug, and has never heaved a mighty sigh. Roomba has never ignored me, never “forgotten” that I had asked him to vacuum, never even done a half-hearted job so he wouldn’t be asked to do it again. Roomba has never ever required repeating nagging. I love my Roomba!
In truth I do need sometimes need to spend some a bit of time cleaning his brushes. But I will deny that in his presence, he might find it hurtful. The fact remains that while he is working I am not. Get that? He does the work and I don’t have to. I love my Roomba. I really do love my Roomba.
I use my Roomba at least 5 times a week, we have a pretty big house and a very hairy border collie, and every single time he finishes a room I can be heard to remark aloud that ‘I love my Roomba’. The family still teases me about Roomba’s first week when I left him to do our bedroom and actually SERIOUSLY considered leaving a light on so he could see what he was doing!
You may have noticed that he is not “the Roomba” because in my world Roomba is simply his name. And just last week I bestowed him with our family name too, so now he’s not just Roomba, he’s Roomba Gehring,
I think it’s interesting that if you Google “Roomba”, the official company website promises; maintain cleaner floors every day! Life happens in busy homes. Stay ahead of messy floors with the touch of a button!
Doesn’t even begin to describe Roomba for me though. Not even close.
Friday, June 5, 2009
I like dreamin'
"I like dreamin', cause dreamin' can make you mine. I like dreamin', holding you close and feelin fine..." a tune that was
dubbed 'sappiest love song from the '70's' and it's been stuck in my mind and hummed endlessly for two days now. But it's not mired in my gray matter because of the unrequited love lyrics (I'm fine and dandy in that department, thank you) but rather because I've been dreaming.
Funny thing though, it's been a long time since I've had the energy or time or hope to dream much at all. Oh sure, I have the all-too common "can't find the right door and missing my flight/meeting/graduation/party" bad dream, and I have the maxxed out subconscious "people I've not thought about since grade school" dream, both of which happen during nights that seem shorter with every passing year.
I don't mean THAT kind of dreaming...I mean having a wide awake "that's what I want to do with me life!" dream. For years I've bemoaned the fact that I hadn't gone to law school as my "lost" dream. Secretly though, the law school dream may have had more to do with working for myself as opposed to my chosen career. Don't get me wrong, I adore working in television and have loved it from the very first moment, but my choice has also meant working for an ever-changing cast of companies and people and having little control.
God knows, I do relish control! And perhaps that's why I haven't dreamt more. Dreaming seemed both frivolous and negative. Dreaming was an impractical waste of time because it devolved into "I wish I'd made this career choice" and "I wish we'd met when we were younger" or "I wish we had enough money to...". But something has changed. Maybe I did, maybe the dreams did, although I suspect we both did.
This newfound dreaming has something to do with maturity and confidence, something to do with supportive friends and a loving family and even something to do with this blogging. It was honestly a "V-8 moment" that first occurred when I was Facebooking a friend about blogging. And then 3 days ago I was talking to an old friend and respected colleague who in response to my faint hope said, "Well, you know you could really do that".
It's been my experience that middle aged women with careers and families struggle with the same burden that most men do. We support all, most or part of our family financially. We seem genetically predisposed to shoulder most of the emotional and physical load of home, hearth and children. In my case, most of this was the result of choices I've made and don't regret. There just wasn't any time for dreaming, because there was so much "doing"!
I don't mean to be coy about my new dream, and it's not particularly wild - my dream is to write. My dream is to write for a living. The irony of writing about a dream about writing is not lost on me. Rather like holding a mirror up to a mirror so that the reflections seem to go on infinitely. My point though is not the "what" of my dream, but that the act of dreaming now strikes me as hopeful and optimistic and even possible.
I guess I've slowed down a little, at least I don't constantly run at such an emotionally high pitch. I still work 65 hours a week, and I spend the rest of the time trying to be a loving wife & mom by cooking, cleaning, organizing, shopping and generally worrying. But I don't feel so frantic these days and it's freed my mind up just enough to think about what would make me really happy. In other words, it feels good to dream and it feels even better to have a dream!
In my day job, we would say "stay tuned" but wouldn't it be great if I could say "continued on page 47" too!?!
dubbed 'sappiest love song from the '70's' and it's been stuck in my mind and hummed endlessly for two days now. But it's not mired in my gray matter because of the unrequited love lyrics (I'm fine and dandy in that department, thank you) but rather because I've been dreaming.
Funny thing though, it's been a long time since I've had the energy or time or hope to dream much at all. Oh sure, I have the all-too common "can't find the right door and missing my flight/meeting/graduation/party" bad dream, and I have the maxxed out subconscious "people I've not thought about since grade school" dream, both of which happen during nights that seem shorter with every passing year.
I don't mean THAT kind of dreaming...I mean having a wide awake "that's what I want to do with me life!" dream. For years I've bemoaned the fact that I hadn't gone to law school as my "lost" dream. Secretly though, the law school dream may have had more to do with working for myself as opposed to my chosen career. Don't get me wrong, I adore working in television and have loved it from the very first moment, but my choice has also meant working for an ever-changing cast of companies and people and having little control.
God knows, I do relish control! And perhaps that's why I haven't dreamt more. Dreaming seemed both frivolous and negative. Dreaming was an impractical waste of time because it devolved into "I wish I'd made this career choice" and "I wish we'd met when we were younger" or "I wish we had enough money to...". But something has changed. Maybe I did, maybe the dreams did, although I suspect we both did.
This newfound dreaming has something to do with maturity and confidence, something to do with supportive friends and a loving family and even something to do with this blogging. It was honestly a "V-8 moment" that first occurred when I was Facebooking a friend about blogging. And then 3 days ago I was talking to an old friend and respected colleague who in response to my faint hope said, "Well, you know you could really do that".
It's been my experience that middle aged women with careers and families struggle with the same burden that most men do. We support all, most or part of our family financially. We seem genetically predisposed to shoulder most of the emotional and physical load of home, hearth and children. In my case, most of this was the result of choices I've made and don't regret. There just wasn't any time for dreaming, because there was so much "doing"!
I don't mean to be coy about my new dream, and it's not particularly wild - my dream is to write. My dream is to write for a living. The irony of writing about a dream about writing is not lost on me. Rather like holding a mirror up to a mirror so that the reflections seem to go on infinitely. My point though is not the "what" of my dream, but that the act of dreaming now strikes me as hopeful and optimistic and even possible.
I guess I've slowed down a little, at least I don't constantly run at such an emotionally high pitch. I still work 65 hours a week, and I spend the rest of the time trying to be a loving wife & mom by cooking, cleaning, organizing, shopping and generally worrying. But I don't feel so frantic these days and it's freed my mind up just enough to think about what would make me really happy. In other words, it feels good to dream and it feels even better to have a dream!
In my day job, we would say "stay tuned" but wouldn't it be great if I could say "continued on page 47" too!?!
Monday, May 11, 2009
The good, the bad and the...it's ALL good!
I find myself getting melancholy wondering why sensitivity and appreciation are wasted on the middle-aged. If you don't know me well, this next statement will be telling about my age:
I miss the days that business' were always closed on Sunday, that department stores closed at 6pm five nights a week, that no one worked on holidays except telephone operators and hospitals, and if you ran out of something after dinner you would just have to wait until the store opened tomorrow. We had to talk to each other, spend some down-time together, and were never available 24-7 nor had any desire to be so.
What, you may wonder is the relationship between my melancholy and this new sensitivity? I find more and more, and much to my delight that our crummy economy is heralding a return to a kinder, gentler us. People actually seemed pleased to take your order today, no longer surly about a "bad" job. Clerks are helpful and caring and friendly. Small and mid-sized business now demonstrate every day the ingenuity and creativity that feels a lot more like the place I grew up in.
To whit: The Dodge dealership offering free oil-changes and tune-ups to the owners of any Dodge, Saturn or Kia...the kind of relationship building that has more to do with the customer than with the price point. Or the car wash giving away free "shammys" with every car wash (refer to April blog "fonetic sosietee!) because winning customers today means you have to go the extra mile. Consider the small but quaint restaurant that partnered with the struggling antique store next door to provide both extra seating for the weekend crowds and to get foot traffic into the antique shop - creative, ingenious, and delightfully smart in that it is both old-fashioned and trend setting.
And my favorite story of the week: On Wednesday we learned that some banks are demolishing foreclosed homes, because after all, banks didn't ever intend to own the homes, only the paper. And the foreclosures continue: short sales, defaults, abandonments, and refinancing is nigh unto impossible. But on Thursday, this light at the end of my reflective tunnel: one big bank has partnered with organizations that assist the homeless and are now leasing the foreclosed empty houses to homeless families for $1, provided they will live in the house for a year and keep the property up. NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT! Don't you just love it? Risky? Sure. Selfless? Probably not. But good God, lending a hand for whatever reason reminds me so much of the post 9/11 sentiment that swept the country but vanished too soon.
Ahhh I'm melancholy, sentimental and probably old-fashioned. These small stories are an unanticipated silver lining. Eventually this current challenge may make us all stronger and better. Of course you may have to remind me of that when I'm working into my '80's.
I miss the days that business' were always closed on Sunday, that department stores closed at 6pm five nights a week, that no one worked on holidays except telephone operators and hospitals, and if you ran out of something after dinner you would just have to wait until the store opened tomorrow. We had to talk to each other, spend some down-time together, and were never available 24-7 nor had any desire to be so.
What, you may wonder is the relationship between my melancholy and this new sensitivity? I find more and more, and much to my delight that our crummy economy is heralding a return to a kinder, gentler us. People actually seemed pleased to take your order today, no longer surly about a "bad" job. Clerks are helpful and caring and friendly. Small and mid-sized business now demonstrate every day the ingenuity and creativity that feels a lot more like the place I grew up in.
To whit: The Dodge dealership offering free oil-changes and tune-ups to the owners of any Dodge, Saturn or Kia...the kind of relationship building that has more to do with the customer than with the price point. Or the car wash giving away free "shammys" with every car wash (refer to April blog "fonetic sosietee!) because winning customers today means you have to go the extra mile. Consider the small but quaint restaurant that partnered with the struggling antique store next door to provide both extra seating for the weekend crowds and to get foot traffic into the antique shop - creative, ingenious, and delightfully smart in that it is both old-fashioned and trend setting.
And my favorite story of the week: On Wednesday we learned that some banks are demolishing foreclosed homes, because after all, banks didn't ever intend to own the homes, only the paper. And the foreclosures continue: short sales, defaults, abandonments, and refinancing is nigh unto impossible. But on Thursday, this light at the end of my reflective tunnel: one big bank has partnered with organizations that assist the homeless and are now leasing the foreclosed empty houses to homeless families for $1, provided they will live in the house for a year and keep the property up. NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT! Don't you just love it? Risky? Sure. Selfless? Probably not. But good God, lending a hand for whatever reason reminds me so much of the post 9/11 sentiment that swept the country but vanished too soon.
Ahhh I'm melancholy, sentimental and probably old-fashioned. These small stories are an unanticipated silver lining. Eventually this current challenge may make us all stronger and better. Of course you may have to remind me of that when I'm working into my '80's.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
fonetic sosietee
I fear we are becoming a completely phonetic people. No one seems to read and "spell check" autocorrects every misspelling as it occurs. I remember worrying that calculators would destroy the human ability to puzzle through a math problem, but that pales in comparison to the impact of software and the assortment of handheld technology on writing, spelling and grammar.
Ironically, the dramatic advent of social networking could be the redemption of the written word. Though my friends wonder aloud if anyone speaks to each other anymore, perhaps the fear of ridicule by other facebookers, tweets, myspacers, etc. will simply shame us into re-learning how to spell. Or maybe I'm a stickling dinosaur, forever mired in the good 'ol days of readin', ritin' & 'rithmatic!
Ironically, the dramatic advent of social networking could be the redemption of the written word. Though my friends wonder aloud if anyone speaks to each other anymore, perhaps the fear of ridicule by other facebookers, tweets, myspacers, etc. will simply shame us into re-learning how to spell. Or maybe I'm a stickling dinosaur, forever mired in the good 'ol days of readin', ritin' & 'rithmatic!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Chimpathetic
Amid speeches, platitudes, gloomy market closes and dire earnings reports the story that has really intriuged me this week was another matter entirely.
In a quick and decisive move, the House has acted quickly to enact legislation prohibiting the ownership of chimpanzees and other primates. The bill is expected to clear the Senate shortly. This magnificent piece of political genius happened “in the wake of a brutal - and highly publicized - attack last week in which a Connecticut woman was critically injured by a rampaging chimp. It passed easily by a 323-95 vote.”
Are we serious? Clearly the individual ownership of chimpanzees is at best ill-conceived and at worst dangerous. But what has happened to freedom? What has happened to liberty? What, for that matter, has happened to states rights?
“Lions & tigers & bears, oh my!” We needed the federal government to move aggressively on this critical issue why? And what will be next? Maybe overweight cats are too big a drag on the economy…outlaw ‘em! Parrots could go cage-crazy and peck out an eye…deport the feathered little buggers! Personally I detest pit bulls and think ownership of one is criminally stupid but I must say that I would fight for the right of every American to own one if they choose to.
Where was speedy and decisive federal action about actual issues…you know, things like Freddie Mac & Fannie Mae gaily loaning money to dishonest and/or starry-eyed naïve homeowners, or maybe the appalling lack of airline safety measures or perhaps premium crazy health insurers or even more federal support for mass transit. Actual honest-to-god problems that affect more than that poor woman in Connecticut.
Why, I am amazed that so many Americans have escaped similar grisly fates before the federal government swooped in to save us! This one small piece of legislation may signal, I fear, a rapid slide down a very slippery slope. Who among our founding fathers could have envisioned the need for Patrick Henry to say "Give me liberty or give me a monkey"!
In a quick and decisive move, the House has acted quickly to enact legislation prohibiting the ownership of chimpanzees and other primates. The bill is expected to clear the Senate shortly. This magnificent piece of political genius happened “in the wake of a brutal - and highly publicized - attack last week in which a Connecticut woman was critically injured by a rampaging chimp. It passed easily by a 323-95 vote.”
Are we serious? Clearly the individual ownership of chimpanzees is at best ill-conceived and at worst dangerous. But what has happened to freedom? What has happened to liberty? What, for that matter, has happened to states rights?
“Lions & tigers & bears, oh my!” We needed the federal government to move aggressively on this critical issue why? And what will be next? Maybe overweight cats are too big a drag on the economy…outlaw ‘em! Parrots could go cage-crazy and peck out an eye…deport the feathered little buggers! Personally I detest pit bulls and think ownership of one is criminally stupid but I must say that I would fight for the right of every American to own one if they choose to.
Where was speedy and decisive federal action about actual issues…you know, things like Freddie Mac & Fannie Mae gaily loaning money to dishonest and/or starry-eyed naïve homeowners, or maybe the appalling lack of airline safety measures or perhaps premium crazy health insurers or even more federal support for mass transit. Actual honest-to-god problems that affect more than that poor woman in Connecticut.
Why, I am amazed that so many Americans have escaped similar grisly fates before the federal government swooped in to save us! This one small piece of legislation may signal, I fear, a rapid slide down a very slippery slope. Who among our founding fathers could have envisioned the need for Patrick Henry to say "Give me liberty or give me a monkey"!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Random Things
I've managed to get my sister-in-law Mary hooked on Facebook, and a few weeks ago she posted 25 Random things with a "tag". Now, I'm still a Facebook newbie and don't really get the whole tagging thing but I was frankly intrigued by lists of 25 random things. Personally, I wasn't sure I could think of 25 random things worth saying, and even if I could think of them, I was even less sure that I'd want everyone else to know what they are!
And I read a newspaper column shortly thereafter about things the writer had learned in these "lists" that he really didn't want or need to know. Not to be dissuaded though, I then began to consider the concept of "25 random things" - and it struck me that given the whole "random" concept I could just as easily list as many things as I want to because the number of items on the list SHOULD BE RANDOM too. Okay, so the pressure is off to meet a specific number and I had a little fun making my own list:
1. I finally found the love of my life and he asked me to marry him
2. Teenagers are 1000% harder to raise than toddlers
3. Dogs and cats, kittens and puppies are fabulous EXCEPT for pit bulls
4. I am a decent horseback rider - western style
5. I can change the oil and spark plugs on a car myself but would rather not
6. I hate exercising and love carbs - but that isn't the way I live my life
7. I used to have a jingle for my radio air name of "Billie Jackson"
8. I've discovered mosaic-ing and although I love it I'm not terribly talented
9. I wish I'd become an attorney
10.I fantasize about owning an old classic two-seater Mercedes convertible
11. Cold white wine and very dry martinis are the best
12. I'm jealous of people who are able to actually stay in touch with old friends
13. I've always thought my immediate family was dysfunctional but the older I get the less sure I am
14. I'd like my headstone to say "she loved, she tried so hard, she made US feel important and we forgive her any mistakes she made along the way"
15. on a related note, I do not want to be cremated
16. I wish my Siamese cat Mongo was still alive
17. I hate guns
18. My favorite movie is Casablanca but my favorite book is The Bridges of Madison County
19. I can't understand a single word in rap or hip hop songs
And I read a newspaper column shortly thereafter about things the writer had learned in these "lists" that he really didn't want or need to know. Not to be dissuaded though, I then began to consider the concept of "25 random things" - and it struck me that given the whole "random" concept I could just as easily list as many things as I want to because the number of items on the list SHOULD BE RANDOM too. Okay, so the pressure is off to meet a specific number and I had a little fun making my own list:
1. I finally found the love of my life and he asked me to marry him
2. Teenagers are 1000% harder to raise than toddlers
3. Dogs and cats, kittens and puppies are fabulous EXCEPT for pit bulls
4. I am a decent horseback rider - western style
5. I can change the oil and spark plugs on a car myself but would rather not
6. I hate exercising and love carbs - but that isn't the way I live my life
7. I used to have a jingle for my radio air name of "Billie Jackson"
8. I've discovered mosaic-ing and although I love it I'm not terribly talented
9. I wish I'd become an attorney
10.I fantasize about owning an old classic two-seater Mercedes convertible
11. Cold white wine and very dry martinis are the best
12. I'm jealous of people who are able to actually stay in touch with old friends
13. I've always thought my immediate family was dysfunctional but the older I get the less sure I am
14. I'd like my headstone to say "she loved, she tried so hard, she made US feel important and we forgive her any mistakes she made along the way"
15. on a related note, I do not want to be cremated
16. I wish my Siamese cat Mongo was still alive
17. I hate guns
18. My favorite movie is Casablanca but my favorite book is The Bridges of Madison County
19. I can't understand a single word in rap or hip hop songs
Friday, February 20, 2009
"too many 'notes'"
As we begin here today:
To quote from the movie Amadeus, when Mozart asks the king why he doesn't like the latest musical composition, the king ever-so-cleverly replies, "Because there are just, well, just too many notes"...and so it goes. Sometimes the answers make no sense, sometimes there is NO answer, and sometimes the questions themselves are the problem !
However, it's also Friday and this week I'm still blowin' up on FaceBook, our new wx maps and wx presentation ROCK, I've learned (kinda) how to blog, and I'm hoping against hope that there is a large martini in my future.
To quote from the movie Amadeus, when Mozart asks the king why he doesn't like the latest musical composition, the king ever-so-cleverly replies, "Because there are just, well, just too many notes"...and so it goes. Sometimes the answers make no sense, sometimes there is NO answer, and sometimes the questions themselves are the problem !
I'm lucky enough to have a truly great job: creative, challenging, ever-changing, and the chance to work with some very talented people. But as in all creative endeavors, and in much of today's broadcast environment there seem almost a class chasm...the people who instinctively understand how to produce great work and those that either don't have the experience, the desire or dare-I-say the talent to do so.
There is nothing wrong with not having the talent to be a great tv producer. (Sounds almost Seinfeldian!) I mean it's not like I have the talent to be a mathematician or a linguist or a doctor. But being a pretty intellectually curious sort, I struggle to understand not wanting to learn how and why something does work.
Here's what I question today:
-does any regular person actually know what is in the stimulus package?
-if we do bail out the carmakers does it signal the end of capitalism?
-what will happen to the glut of unoccupied foreclosed-on houses & comm'l property? Are we going to become a land of futuristic, empty, burned-out buildings with hungry, unemployed, wild-eyed people roaming the streets?
-why was I still up at 11:00 last night reading Shakespeare so I could quiz my 16 yr. old son on Julius Ceasar this morning at 5:30?
However, it's also Friday and this week I'm still blowin' up on FaceBook, our new wx maps and wx presentation ROCK, I've learned (kinda) how to blog, and I'm hoping against hope that there is a large martini in my future.
My friend Shawn told me yesterday, as we shared our woes and fears (mostly mine) about 401k's & investments & children & jobs "ya know, this scary thing we are living through isn't going to be a sprint. If you run at your flat-out hardest for the first mile, you'll be dead long before this thing is over." Good advice, much easier to agree with than to live.
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