The concept of how to say hello in the current virtual world is one that I find very interesting. For years the introduction was one of the highest forms of validation in the business world. Often two men, (because there were few women working at that time) would meet over drinks, dinner or at a club and discuss the issues of the day and then if they found each other agreeable, they would exchange business cards.
This was a very time honored tradition and more often than not the initial meeting could only be arranged by a mutual acquaintance so there had to be a common frame of reference to begin with. It was also considered to be very bad form to discuss one's actual business during the initial meeting so as you can see it was very much a formal and ritualistic endeavor to network.
In today's age the opposite is true. We can connect with people that we may never meet. The informality of the meetings are really a case of one friend emailing another seeing if they might want to meet with a third friend. Usually based on the mutual friends word, the two will meet together often times virtually. So then the question becomes how does one say hello in this day and age.
Well, I have always favored the " Hello, this is Rick Sheehy," approach when answering the phone. I always sign off emails to new introductions as Sincerely, Rick Sheehy. I believe this way I demonstrate a knowledge of proper communications and show a professionalism that is often lacking in today's overly casual environment.
I am also a firm believer that communications needs to be refined so that we teach people, especially younger people that there are various methods of communications , (and by that I am not talking about tools.) Too often people think that the casual vernacular they use when speaking to friends is appropriate in the workplace. In some circumstances it may be, but in most professional work situations a different type of language is required so where a simple nod may have sufficed before, a more robust good morning Bill or hello Nancy may be the more reasonable tool to use while in a more professional setting.
In unrelated news the Red Sox continue to disappoint by slipping into second place. As usual, the scrubs of the league are beating up on the Sox. This is typical Red Sox, if you put the greatest team ever made on the field the Sox will beat them handily. The 1962 Mets will take 2 out of 3 from them.
After a one day return to June weather it seems like we are heading back to normal summer weather. God I hope so!!!
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Summertime and its joys
Last night was a great summer's night. The air was milky with a high degree of humidity, the Red Sox game was on and I had fried clam strips to eat. To me that is about as good as it gets during the summer. I have to admit that one thing I never understood about people in the Massachusetts area is why they crank up the AC once the temperature turns 80? We are crammed into our homes for 9 months of the year thanks to Arctic weather and now that it is nice out we have the chance to enjoy nice weather and I see all these people going around with their windows rolled up or I hear the hum of lots of different air conditioners.
Last night I slept great and I did not use an AC to do so. It is summer time and this is how you are supposed to feel! God, imagine those poor fools who didn't sleep during summers prior to Mr. Carrier's invention? I for one enjoy the AC.
I also enjoyed watching Clay B stifle the Blue Jays last night. I hope we are seeing the 2007 version of him with that awesome control and wicked slider. If the talented Red Sox in the minors can contribute to the teams success then I like our chances this year and for the next five to ten!
And food fans the clams last night were from the Red Wing on Rte 1 south in Walpole, MA. They were simply amazing. That is the only word I can use to describe them. If there is any food that I am becoming addicted to it is them. Wow what more can I say????
Well off for the usual Saturday routines plus breakfast.
Last night I slept great and I did not use an AC to do so. It is summer time and this is how you are supposed to feel! God, imagine those poor fools who didn't sleep during summers prior to Mr. Carrier's invention? I for one enjoy the AC.
I also enjoyed watching Clay B stifle the Blue Jays last night. I hope we are seeing the 2007 version of him with that awesome control and wicked slider. If the talented Red Sox in the minors can contribute to the teams success then I like our chances this year and for the next five to ten!
And food fans the clams last night were from the Red Wing on Rte 1 south in Walpole, MA. They were simply amazing. That is the only word I can use to describe them. If there is any food that I am becoming addicted to it is them. Wow what more can I say????
Well off for the usual Saturday routines plus breakfast.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Should the role of marketing and PR change to reflect the current economic climate?
I was having a discussion on the role of marketing and PR in the current economic client with a colleague recently and a good question came up. Should PR and marketing change their respective roles based on the current economic turmoil. After considering the question, I came up with a truly enigmatic answer, yes and no.
First of all, marketing and PR HAVE changed as a result of the economic situation we are currently facing. For one thing, all marketing and PR professional know that their budgets are often the very first things to be cut while at the same time they are expected to ramp up what they are responsible for doing. In other words, give us more with much less and do so while smiling. This is something that has changed and ,despite repeated studies that have more or less proven the need to keep marketing and PR spending levels consistent, we are forced often times to deliver the same results as before with a budget sometimes a fraction of what it was before.
Still, there is a great degree to which marketing and PR have not changed. Their role within the organization still remains as it always was. Brand management, protecting the message and ensuring that the message is delivered to key stakeholders is still the domain of public relations and marketing and will remain so regardless of economic conditions. It is the role of responsible PR and marketing people to ensure that this mission is not eroded to an extent that the brand is placed in peril.
It is also the role of the PR and marketing people to ensure that the role of marketing and PR does not fall victim to mission creep. That is the situation where the PR person suddenly finds themselves in charge of something that is outside their normal job set skill set like all of a sudden managing HR communications (if it was a separate role) or event management. It is very easy to see how in this day and age one can feel pressure to acquiesce and appear to be the team player, but if by doing so you hurt the corporate then you are doing more harm than good!
On other topics I have to say it was a great weekend weather wise in Boston and by golly we deserved it! The weather was perfect for the tall ships and maybe now that the weather is turning up the shop keepers and hotels on the Cape will see their fortunes turn up.
Josh Beckett pitched a masterful game over the Royals yesterday. It is such a relief to see a pitcher go all 9 innings in a major league game and to pitch a shut out none the less. I also want to give a tip of the hat to Dustin Pedroia who decided that it was more important to be with his ill wife than to take a trip for personal glory. Sure she is in the hospital and has wonderful care, but to Dustin family comes first. Once again, D.P. proves he is a classy guy!
First of all, marketing and PR HAVE changed as a result of the economic situation we are currently facing. For one thing, all marketing and PR professional know that their budgets are often the very first things to be cut while at the same time they are expected to ramp up what they are responsible for doing. In other words, give us more with much less and do so while smiling. This is something that has changed and ,despite repeated studies that have more or less proven the need to keep marketing and PR spending levels consistent, we are forced often times to deliver the same results as before with a budget sometimes a fraction of what it was before.
Still, there is a great degree to which marketing and PR have not changed. Their role within the organization still remains as it always was. Brand management, protecting the message and ensuring that the message is delivered to key stakeholders is still the domain of public relations and marketing and will remain so regardless of economic conditions. It is the role of responsible PR and marketing people to ensure that this mission is not eroded to an extent that the brand is placed in peril.
It is also the role of the PR and marketing people to ensure that the role of marketing and PR does not fall victim to mission creep. That is the situation where the PR person suddenly finds themselves in charge of something that is outside their normal job set skill set like all of a sudden managing HR communications (if it was a separate role) or event management. It is very easy to see how in this day and age one can feel pressure to acquiesce and appear to be the team player, but if by doing so you hurt the corporate then you are doing more harm than good!
On other topics I have to say it was a great weekend weather wise in Boston and by golly we deserved it! The weather was perfect for the tall ships and maybe now that the weather is turning up the shop keepers and hotels on the Cape will see their fortunes turn up.
Josh Beckett pitched a masterful game over the Royals yesterday. It is such a relief to see a pitcher go all 9 innings in a major league game and to pitch a shut out none the less. I also want to give a tip of the hat to Dustin Pedroia who decided that it was more important to be with his ill wife than to take a trip for personal glory. Sure she is in the hospital and has wonderful care, but to Dustin family comes first. Once again, D.P. proves he is a classy guy!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
And now, the dangers of summer
I hate to be one to complain after all the rain we have had but the sun will bring with it more than just a brief respite from drizzle and downpours. Sadly, one of the inevitable outcomes of so much rain is going to be a flurry of mosquitoes and the accompanying health concerns such as West Nile virus. The nice thing I enjoy about weekends is just the relaxing routine and this is going to be one of these weekends. After the rush of last weekend with July 4, today is about relaxing, doing the laundry, running some errands and I could not be happier.
I was very pleased to see the Red Sox and Jon Lester win last night. Lester pitched one heck of a game and thankfully he won! I do have to say the umpire blew the call on Ellsbury crossing the plate. Now I am not umpire but the fact that Ellsbury was across home and in the dugout, eating a hot dog may have been a clue that he beat the throw?
I did have some time last night after dinner to watch Taken with Liam Neeson. It actually started promising but then because the classic stupid action movie where all the bad guys have Uzi's and can't hit anything and the good guy, Neeson in this case, has his fists or less and takes out all the bad guys to rescue his daughter. Not a terrible movie but not a good one either.
If you are looking for my pearls of wisdom regarding business, I only share them during the week so check back then!
I was very pleased to see the Red Sox and Jon Lester win last night. Lester pitched one heck of a game and thankfully he won! I do have to say the umpire blew the call on Ellsbury crossing the plate. Now I am not umpire but the fact that Ellsbury was across home and in the dugout, eating a hot dog may have been a clue that he beat the throw?
I did have some time last night after dinner to watch Taken with Liam Neeson. It actually started promising but then because the classic stupid action movie where all the bad guys have Uzi's and can't hit anything and the good guy, Neeson in this case, has his fists or less and takes out all the bad guys to rescue his daughter. Not a terrible movie but not a good one either.
If you are looking for my pearls of wisdom regarding business, I only share them during the week so check back then!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Why networking is about more than your next job
Networking is a key tool in today's business environment. That's for sure. But many people seem to think that networking exists solely for the purpose of finding a job. I was speaking with a friend of mine a few days back who had an opening and was looking for some help to fill it. She told me how sad it was to see all these people whom she had met at one point come out of the wood work and say, "oh do you remember me from XYZ event, well I saw your opening."
Needless to say, she found this very off putting. Quite obviously these people had believe that one previous interaction or maybe a prior conversation or two had put them on some level whereby they were very close and were able to network to a much higher degree than someone just off the street. In some regards, someone just off the street may be a better candidate because there is no supposition of familiarity that these people are trying to project.
True networking is within a small circle and extends to include business life as well as none business life. If you belong to a network you keep your network involved on major areas of interest that might concern them. I know to some this is a gray area but it really should not be. If you know of some great charitable event and think others in your network maybe interested, you share it with them. If you are having a baby or get a new job, go ahead and share that. But keep in mind a network is like the proverbial ripples on a pond. The further out in the network, the more likely they are not interested.
So I would counsel what I counsel to college grads I network with, use the person you are networking with to gain from their experience and insight. Don't go into networking thinking it is entirely focused on securing a job. Also, find time to enjoy networking. The social aspect is one of it's best components!
On the less serious side, I woke up this morning to a thermostat that read 49 degrees. For July 10th that is just not right! Well at least the sun is shining bright and the forecast is for a nice weekend! Perfect for laundry!!!
Needless to say, she found this very off putting. Quite obviously these people had believe that one previous interaction or maybe a prior conversation or two had put them on some level whereby they were very close and were able to network to a much higher degree than someone just off the street. In some regards, someone just off the street may be a better candidate because there is no supposition of familiarity that these people are trying to project.
True networking is within a small circle and extends to include business life as well as none business life. If you belong to a network you keep your network involved on major areas of interest that might concern them. I know to some this is a gray area but it really should not be. If you know of some great charitable event and think others in your network maybe interested, you share it with them. If you are having a baby or get a new job, go ahead and share that. But keep in mind a network is like the proverbial ripples on a pond. The further out in the network, the more likely they are not interested.
So I would counsel what I counsel to college grads I network with, use the person you are networking with to gain from their experience and insight. Don't go into networking thinking it is entirely focused on securing a job. Also, find time to enjoy networking. The social aspect is one of it's best components!
On the less serious side, I woke up this morning to a thermostat that read 49 degrees. For July 10th that is just not right! Well at least the sun is shining bright and the forecast is for a nice weekend! Perfect for laundry!!!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Thoughts on how the weather teaches us about marketing
Like a great number of my fellow Northeastern U.S. citizens, I am living through the summer that never was. Aside from one nice weekend last week around July 4th, we have been in nothing but cold dark and miserable weather. There have been either all day long showers and drizzle or horrific thunderstorms neither of which are fun.
I can't help but think of all the people who run seasonal resorts in Maine or Cape Cod. Unlike those in the mountains, who have the ski season to fall back on, the resorts in Maine and on the cape rely on the summer for the bulk of their revenue. What has to make this even worse is that with the economy the way it is, they certainly do not need another weight on their shoulders to make their lives even more difficult.
The point here is that sometimes you can have a great marketing plan in place and be ready to go to market and events out of your control will then intrude and make lemons of your lemonade. Does this mean your plan was bad no, nor does it mean that you failed by not having a plan B. There is no plan B when it comes to an act of nature. Rather what needs to be done is you need to have an emergency plan where you can pull back a bit and then when the environment returns to a more agreeable setting, you are ready to seize back the initiative.
I remember reading a history of the Boer War fought, at the turn of the century between the Boer's a Dutch colonial group who colonized today's South Africa, and the British. The Boer commanders gave one order to their troops and it was save your resources and fight the battle's you can win. That way you win the war. That is true when dealing with attempting to market against the unknown element that is mother nature. You plan your marketing, but have a reserve group in place to act when and if your first plan is not able to be used.
In my other favorite news, I was so happy to see that Tim Wakefield proved he is an All-Star last night. 8 strikeouts is in my opinion a perfect cap to being named to his first All-Star team. Also, speaking of the weather, we had a monsoon here yesterday for the second straight day. I thought New England was a temperate climate, not a tropical one? Oh well it is fun and cool to watch.
Well work will not wait. Some writing to do and then an errand in Newton. I hope the hot dog guy is there with his cart in Wellesley Hills. Yum!
I can't help but think of all the people who run seasonal resorts in Maine or Cape Cod. Unlike those in the mountains, who have the ski season to fall back on, the resorts in Maine and on the cape rely on the summer for the bulk of their revenue. What has to make this even worse is that with the economy the way it is, they certainly do not need another weight on their shoulders to make their lives even more difficult.
The point here is that sometimes you can have a great marketing plan in place and be ready to go to market and events out of your control will then intrude and make lemons of your lemonade. Does this mean your plan was bad no, nor does it mean that you failed by not having a plan B. There is no plan B when it comes to an act of nature. Rather what needs to be done is you need to have an emergency plan where you can pull back a bit and then when the environment returns to a more agreeable setting, you are ready to seize back the initiative.
I remember reading a history of the Boer War fought, at the turn of the century between the Boer's a Dutch colonial group who colonized today's South Africa, and the British. The Boer commanders gave one order to their troops and it was save your resources and fight the battle's you can win. That way you win the war. That is true when dealing with attempting to market against the unknown element that is mother nature. You plan your marketing, but have a reserve group in place to act when and if your first plan is not able to be used.
In my other favorite news, I was so happy to see that Tim Wakefield proved he is an All-Star last night. 8 strikeouts is in my opinion a perfect cap to being named to his first All-Star team. Also, speaking of the weather, we had a monsoon here yesterday for the second straight day. I thought New England was a temperate climate, not a tropical one? Oh well it is fun and cool to watch.
Well work will not wait. Some writing to do and then an errand in Newton. I hope the hot dog guy is there with his cart in Wellesley Hills. Yum!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Is it wise to take a vacation when self employed?
I was speaking to some of my other self employed friends about how wise it would be to take a vacation while self employed. Granted, with the weather we have had in the Boston area, many don't feel like they want to take a vacation never mind see the need for one. But still the question is very valid and one that requires deep soul searching. As an hourly employee, not working basically means you are not earning money. What do you do on vacation but really spend money. So as you can see it is a week of financial bleeding.
I would say that we self employed should take some time off if for no other reason than sanity's sake. I don't think we can afford a full week off, but we should still consider that there are serious physical and mental health issues that come without taking time off to, as the old cliche goes, recharge the batteries. Vacation time has been shown to be a proven means of increasing intellectual capabilities and overall job satisfaction. In addition, a clear link to taking time off and increased overall job performance has been clearly established.
That being said, one should go to great lengths to ensure to clients they are not being abandoned. A vacation needs to be scheduled around large projects and slow times in clients calendars. We do not have the luxury of back up or colleagues to pick up the slack for when we are not around. Also, while a vacation does not require you to be in constant contact with clients, lets face it, you might as well stay home if you're going to do that, you should check email or have some means of checking in for emergencies. But do that early in the morning!
Nice to see the Red Sox bounce back thanks to a great pitching performance from Josh Beckett. Right now I am arguing they are the best team in baseball. They are on top of the best division in baseball so that by extension should make them the best team in baseball I believe.
Now if only summer would arrive. Yesterday was unreal with the downpours and thunder. Now I can't say that the thunder was very heavy down here but the rain was almost of a tropical nature. I found it much more interesting to watch the rain than to work on my writing. I didn't watch the foolishness on television because I am not into the culture of the celebrity. Nature always proves that it is the most fascinating spectacle on the planet.
I would say that we self employed should take some time off if for no other reason than sanity's sake. I don't think we can afford a full week off, but we should still consider that there are serious physical and mental health issues that come without taking time off to, as the old cliche goes, recharge the batteries. Vacation time has been shown to be a proven means of increasing intellectual capabilities and overall job satisfaction. In addition, a clear link to taking time off and increased overall job performance has been clearly established.
That being said, one should go to great lengths to ensure to clients they are not being abandoned. A vacation needs to be scheduled around large projects and slow times in clients calendars. We do not have the luxury of back up or colleagues to pick up the slack for when we are not around. Also, while a vacation does not require you to be in constant contact with clients, lets face it, you might as well stay home if you're going to do that, you should check email or have some means of checking in for emergencies. But do that early in the morning!
Nice to see the Red Sox bounce back thanks to a great pitching performance from Josh Beckett. Right now I am arguing they are the best team in baseball. They are on top of the best division in baseball so that by extension should make them the best team in baseball I believe.
Now if only summer would arrive. Yesterday was unreal with the downpours and thunder. Now I can't say that the thunder was very heavy down here but the rain was almost of a tropical nature. I found it much more interesting to watch the rain than to work on my writing. I didn't watch the foolishness on television because I am not into the culture of the celebrity. Nature always proves that it is the most fascinating spectacle on the planet.
Monday, July 6, 2009
What a gorgeous weekend
I am hard pressed to remember a 4th of July or any other holiday weekend when there was such an absolutely perfect stretch of weather. Sitting outside yesterday and reading was an absolute joy and it made me realize just how much I missed the sun during the month of June. The sun felt so absolutely divine that I was so sorry to see it set at night. The best part of all I think was that in atypical New England fashion, we did not jump from winter right into summer. No this glorious interlude helped us relax and break ourselves into the routine and it was fantastic!
Now being the sports nut that I am and the devoted Red Sox fan, I have to say that while I was thrilled with all the Red Sox who made the American League All Star team, the inclusion of Tim Wakefield was in my mind the perfect cherry on top of the sundae that was the week that just passed. Wakefield has pitched in the bigs for 17 years and never made the All-Star game and not only does he deserve the trip to St. Louis this year but I think it is long over due. In this era where you have to do only one thing as a pitcher and nothing more, Wakefield has done everything the Red Sox ever asked him to do! Great job Wake!
I was fascinated by Sarah Palin quitting as Alaska governor. According to an interview I saw with a Vanity Fair writer, Palin did a very poor job in the McCain campaign and made very few friends and admirers among national Republican parties. Personally I thought she was a long shot if she ran in 2012 and I think this action killed any shot she ever had. And let's not forget that she has a number of ethical clouds hanging over her and there were strong doubts that she would be re-elected to serve another term in 2010 in Alaska.
I have to also say how horrified I am over the 8 people killed in traffic accidents on the 4th of July. By and large they included two things, alcohol and speed/not wearing seat belts. There are two things I think of when I see drunk driving accidents. First, if the driver survives, and they usually do, and is drunk then they have committed murder just as if they put a gun to the person's head and pulled the trigger. Send them to prison for life and you will see less DUI. Second, if you test over the limit you lose your licence to you finish your trial. Currently in Massachusetts its 30 days. Third, we need the auto manufacturers to construct a system that will not turn over the ignition unless the seat belt is engaged. The technology is there why isn't it being used? Just like the technology to have anti-lock breaks and air bags. Make it mandatory!
Well today is a hard day for people because we're all back to work so enjoy the nice weather!
Now being the sports nut that I am and the devoted Red Sox fan, I have to say that while I was thrilled with all the Red Sox who made the American League All Star team, the inclusion of Tim Wakefield was in my mind the perfect cherry on top of the sundae that was the week that just passed. Wakefield has pitched in the bigs for 17 years and never made the All-Star game and not only does he deserve the trip to St. Louis this year but I think it is long over due. In this era where you have to do only one thing as a pitcher and nothing more, Wakefield has done everything the Red Sox ever asked him to do! Great job Wake!
I was fascinated by Sarah Palin quitting as Alaska governor. According to an interview I saw with a Vanity Fair writer, Palin did a very poor job in the McCain campaign and made very few friends and admirers among national Republican parties. Personally I thought she was a long shot if she ran in 2012 and I think this action killed any shot she ever had. And let's not forget that she has a number of ethical clouds hanging over her and there were strong doubts that she would be re-elected to serve another term in 2010 in Alaska.
I have to also say how horrified I am over the 8 people killed in traffic accidents on the 4th of July. By and large they included two things, alcohol and speed/not wearing seat belts. There are two things I think of when I see drunk driving accidents. First, if the driver survives, and they usually do, and is drunk then they have committed murder just as if they put a gun to the person's head and pulled the trigger. Send them to prison for life and you will see less DUI. Second, if you test over the limit you lose your licence to you finish your trial. Currently in Massachusetts its 30 days. Third, we need the auto manufacturers to construct a system that will not turn over the ignition unless the seat belt is engaged. The technology is there why isn't it being used? Just like the technology to have anti-lock breaks and air bags. Make it mandatory!
Well today is a hard day for people because we're all back to work so enjoy the nice weather!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
15 days of rain and counting!!!
Good lord when will it stop if ever? We are now at 15 consecutive days with some rain here in Boston. I don't think there has ever been a more miserable start to the summer! Even now as I sit here I hear the peal of thunder which has become ever so more usual. I expect within the next half hour to have a heck of a T-storm as the sky which should be bright is now as dark as late evening! I have never sat through a tornado but boy this sure looks like it may become one.
In some good news, I was glad to see that the Red Sox won yesterday! I thought originally that they were ahead 5 to 1 and lost it in the ninth so imagine my pleasure and surprise to find they were down by that score and rallied to win it in the 11th I believe. The bullpen did a heck of a job and yes even Julio Lugo did a great job.
Last thing I will say today before the thunder scares me away from the keyboard is that I watched Frost/Nixon last night on DVD. I loved the acting and think that Frank Langella was simply robbed of the best actor Oscar. He didn't simply portray Richard Nixon, he WAS Nixon. What an amazing performance and he should have received an Oscar. Well sorry for the brief note today reader's but check in tomorrow for more storm news!
Stay dry!!!
In some good news, I was glad to see that the Red Sox won yesterday! I thought originally that they were ahead 5 to 1 and lost it in the ninth so imagine my pleasure and surprise to find they were down by that score and rallied to win it in the 11th I believe. The bullpen did a heck of a job and yes even Julio Lugo did a great job.
Last thing I will say today before the thunder scares me away from the keyboard is that I watched Frost/Nixon last night on DVD. I loved the acting and think that Frank Langella was simply robbed of the best actor Oscar. He didn't simply portray Richard Nixon, he WAS Nixon. What an amazing performance and he should have received an Oscar. Well sorry for the brief note today reader's but check in tomorrow for more storm news!
Stay dry!!!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Oh what a terrible morning
Well I had the chance to meet a colleague last night who was interviewing for a job. The hiring manager told her there was a project which unto itself is not that unusual. However, he wanted her to design a marketing and communications program for the next 3, 6 and 12 months for the company's principal product line. He wanted her to treat this as if she were working for the company. Needless to say she didn't do it and though it cost her the job it just goes to show another example of hiring managers trying to get something for nothing because they think they can.
Another sorry example I heard about was from a WSJ online article about a hiring manager who will not speak to anyone who is unemployed and expects only employed people willing to work for his company. I may be wrong, but I believe the article also said that he wouldn't pay to move people and would only pay a small increase. Now first of all the PR person who placed this article doesn't really get the idea that you are supposed to make your client look good when placing them in front of the news media. Sadly, this made them look mercenary and not interested in hiring the best candidate available.
I am still gobsmacked, to quote my British friends that the Sox blew a 9 run lead against the Orioles last night. This is the Orioles people!!! You don't lose to the bloody Orioles! Just a bad game and hopefully the worst one of the season!
OK I am tired of these gray mornings and want some nice summer sun! It does come out in the PM and gets hot and muggy. If it does that again today I am so heading for the Dairy Queen up the street. If not, I will try and get some work done but it is so hard to focus because there is no bright sun to cheer us along!
Oh and I am on a self imposed Michael Jackson boycott. From this point on, I refuse to discuss what is already a stale news topic. Maybe I can help achieve my ultimate goal of putting TMZ out of business!!!
Another sorry example I heard about was from a WSJ online article about a hiring manager who will not speak to anyone who is unemployed and expects only employed people willing to work for his company. I may be wrong, but I believe the article also said that he wouldn't pay to move people and would only pay a small increase. Now first of all the PR person who placed this article doesn't really get the idea that you are supposed to make your client look good when placing them in front of the news media. Sadly, this made them look mercenary and not interested in hiring the best candidate available.
I am still gobsmacked, to quote my British friends that the Sox blew a 9 run lead against the Orioles last night. This is the Orioles people!!! You don't lose to the bloody Orioles! Just a bad game and hopefully the worst one of the season!
OK I am tired of these gray mornings and want some nice summer sun! It does come out in the PM and gets hot and muggy. If it does that again today I am so heading for the Dairy Queen up the street. If not, I will try and get some work done but it is so hard to focus because there is no bright sun to cheer us along!
Oh and I am on a self imposed Michael Jackson boycott. From this point on, I refuse to discuss what is already a stale news topic. Maybe I can help achieve my ultimate goal of putting TMZ out of business!!!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Wake is just amazing!
I've made no secret of the fact that I am a big Tim Wakefield fan. I have had the chance to meet him twice and he's really down to earth and you can look at his role with the Red Sox over the years and you can see how much he's meant to the team. Yesterday, not only did he pitch well, but he tied Roger Clemens for the Red Sox club record for starts.
They represent quite a contrast. Wake is the ultimate team player and leads, from all accounts, a good decent life and puts team first. Clemens is the ultimate selfish player who always put self above team and expected to be treated differently because he was the lord almighty Roger Clemens. Keep on doing what you're doing Wake! While sports stars should be automatically held up as role models, for his hard work and commitment to the community and the team Tim Wakefield should be held up!
OK so there were massive thunderstorms in Foxboro yesterday and I missed them!!! I love a great thunderstorm and God knows New England doesn't get enough of them. Foxboro received 4 inches of rain in something like an hour. That is amazing!!! Of course I was having a blast at a friend's party so I can't complain. Oddly 25 miles away and we heard one clap of thunder and that was it. Now the stupid birds had me up at 4:30 AM this morning so now I feel like I had zero sleep last night.
Today is another lousy day so I am taking my nephew to see the Transformers movie. I looked online and it is 2 1/2 hours long so I sure hope not to fall asleep. One thing I heard on the news struck me as wrong and that is that a town in Maryland is building a new school and has decided to name it after President Obama. Now the decision belongs to the town of course, but I tend to believe that local buildings should be named for local leaders and if it is a national leader it should be one whose accomplishments are not disputed and whose record is complete. An Abraham Lincoln or an FDR for example. I have no issue with the President but it's too soon for the accolades to start.
They represent quite a contrast. Wake is the ultimate team player and leads, from all accounts, a good decent life and puts team first. Clemens is the ultimate selfish player who always put self above team and expected to be treated differently because he was the lord almighty Roger Clemens. Keep on doing what you're doing Wake! While sports stars should be automatically held up as role models, for his hard work and commitment to the community and the team Tim Wakefield should be held up!
OK so there were massive thunderstorms in Foxboro yesterday and I missed them!!! I love a great thunderstorm and God knows New England doesn't get enough of them. Foxboro received 4 inches of rain in something like an hour. That is amazing!!! Of course I was having a blast at a friend's party so I can't complain. Oddly 25 miles away and we heard one clap of thunder and that was it. Now the stupid birds had me up at 4:30 AM this morning so now I feel like I had zero sleep last night.
Today is another lousy day so I am taking my nephew to see the Transformers movie. I looked online and it is 2 1/2 hours long so I sure hope not to fall asleep. One thing I heard on the news struck me as wrong and that is that a town in Maryland is building a new school and has decided to name it after President Obama. Now the decision belongs to the town of course, but I tend to believe that local buildings should be named for local leaders and if it is a national leader it should be one whose accomplishments are not disputed and whose record is complete. An Abraham Lincoln or an FDR for example. I have no issue with the President but it's too soon for the accolades to start.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Summer Time Has Finally Arrived
Well it was hard to get to sleep last night. Understand I am not an AC person so I tend to sleep sans AC and while it's tough it never ceases to amaze me how my body just turns off like a switch. One minute I am doing some type of mental gymnastics and then the next thing I know it is several hours later. Just when I am about to get up and watch TV or something because I don't think I will ever fall asleep, I do. I sometimes wonder if I were walking would I fall to the ground.
No summer has arrived and by the dew point I would say it is trying to make up for lost time. Now if we can only hold out for one more week so that July 4th is fine and dandy. Of course thanks to all the lousy weather we've had there is a plague of mosquitoes to look forward too.
Josh Beckett pitched a beauty of a game and David Ortiz hit a homer so all is right in Red Sox land! For some reason Danny Ainge has decided that Rajon Rondo is not worthy of playing for the Celtics anymore even though he's an all-rookie and kept the Celt's in the playoffs much longer than they would have without him. I don't quite understand what Ainge's issue is but he does tend to fall in, and out, of love with players.
I watched the film Doubt last night. What an amazing movie. I find that great acting can make a movie so much more watchable than stupid special effects. This is the type of movie you have to watch to follow and enjoy. While there are many outstanding performances, I have to say I loved Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Father Flynn. Of course who can forget Hoffman's role as Dusty in Twister and his invention of the word sharted which every guy thinks is just fantastic.
Well everyone is treating Michael Jackson's death as this huge social crisis. Someone I heard on TV said the world has lost a saint. Had I been eating, I would have choked. This man was a singer. That is it. While it is sad when anyone goes that young losing a teacher or a doctor would have been far sadder in my opinion. It is another sad example of our twisted culture where celebrity means you are better and more worthy of attention than valuable members of society. Michael Jackson's death is no more and no less tragic than anyone who else who died on Thursday.
No summer has arrived and by the dew point I would say it is trying to make up for lost time. Now if we can only hold out for one more week so that July 4th is fine and dandy. Of course thanks to all the lousy weather we've had there is a plague of mosquitoes to look forward too.
Josh Beckett pitched a beauty of a game and David Ortiz hit a homer so all is right in Red Sox land! For some reason Danny Ainge has decided that Rajon Rondo is not worthy of playing for the Celtics anymore even though he's an all-rookie and kept the Celt's in the playoffs much longer than they would have without him. I don't quite understand what Ainge's issue is but he does tend to fall in, and out, of love with players.
I watched the film Doubt last night. What an amazing movie. I find that great acting can make a movie so much more watchable than stupid special effects. This is the type of movie you have to watch to follow and enjoy. While there are many outstanding performances, I have to say I loved Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Father Flynn. Of course who can forget Hoffman's role as Dusty in Twister and his invention of the word sharted which every guy thinks is just fantastic.
Well everyone is treating Michael Jackson's death as this huge social crisis. Someone I heard on TV said the world has lost a saint. Had I been eating, I would have choked. This man was a singer. That is it. While it is sad when anyone goes that young losing a teacher or a doctor would have been far sadder in my opinion. It is another sad example of our twisted culture where celebrity means you are better and more worthy of attention than valuable members of society. Michael Jackson's death is no more and no less tragic than anyone who else who died on Thursday.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
The Joy of Networking
Yesterday was a big networking day for me and as with all networking it was a mixed bag. I have to admit that I enjoy networking. I am a social animal and do don't have any fear of walking up to someone new and introducing myself. I started off at a luncheon in Boston and parked down by the courthouse and the Barking Crab and then walked to Broad Street. Thanks to our lovely June weather, I was wet but the time I got there and soaked by the time I got back to my car. None the less the event was interesting and I was able to make some connections that I hope will help the business down the road.
I also went to the Price Center's cookout, held indoors due to bad weather. They had pizza from Paddy's which was very good and by the time I went to my third networking event of the night I was so full I could barely move. Still, I made some great contacts and most importantly, I enjoyed the events. Having to sell a new concept is never going to be easy, but if you're able to do it based on not only firm conviction but an easy, gregarious nature then you are sure to succeed.
Getting back to being soaked that is just another symptom of our lovely June weather. It never rained hard and that was the case yesterday. The wind is what made me wet, I never walked through anything more than a sprinkle but it was whipped around by the wind so that I was it from all ends. Needless to say, I was soaked and if were not for an access to a dryer, I would have caught pneumonia.
My third meeting was at Boston College last night and it was for a restart of their community service committee. After so many years of gross mismanagement it is nice to see them take back the initiative and return to something closer to what Boston College is supposed to be about. The previous administration of both the Alumni Association and chapter in the Boston area was a textbook case in incompetence and inability to even care about the alumni themselves. They were out for a few people and the rest of the alumni were basically excluded, quite the opposite of the great program they inherited. Thankfully this dark chapter seems closed.
Oh and another win for the Sox last night and another homer for Big Papi. Lester seemed to pitch a good game and things look great. It will be interesting to see if John Smoltz is worth the money he is set to be paid. I hope I get home in time to see it tonight!
I also went to the Price Center's cookout, held indoors due to bad weather. They had pizza from Paddy's which was very good and by the time I went to my third networking event of the night I was so full I could barely move. Still, I made some great contacts and most importantly, I enjoyed the events. Having to sell a new concept is never going to be easy, but if you're able to do it based on not only firm conviction but an easy, gregarious nature then you are sure to succeed.
Getting back to being soaked that is just another symptom of our lovely June weather. It never rained hard and that was the case yesterday. The wind is what made me wet, I never walked through anything more than a sprinkle but it was whipped around by the wind so that I was it from all ends. Needless to say, I was soaked and if were not for an access to a dryer, I would have caught pneumonia.
My third meeting was at Boston College last night and it was for a restart of their community service committee. After so many years of gross mismanagement it is nice to see them take back the initiative and return to something closer to what Boston College is supposed to be about. The previous administration of both the Alumni Association and chapter in the Boston area was a textbook case in incompetence and inability to even care about the alumni themselves. They were out for a few people and the rest of the alumni were basically excluded, quite the opposite of the great program they inherited. Thankfully this dark chapter seems closed.
Oh and another win for the Sox last night and another homer for Big Papi. Lester seemed to pitch a good game and things look great. It will be interesting to see if John Smoltz is worth the money he is set to be paid. I hope I get home in time to see it tonight!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
How hard can it be?
I find it funny that some people get paid lots of money to do their jobs poorly and yet like cockroaches somehow survive all layoffs and reorganizations to continue doing a terrible job. I laughed this morning when I saw that I had an email from a major Boston company. That's odd as the subject was "Updating You on Your Interview Status." Equally odd was the fact that I had not interviewed with this company in several years and certainly not at any point during the last few weeks.
Well "my" email started off with "Dear Ms. Allen, thank you for taking the time to meet with us regarding the XXX position. After careful consideration, etc, etc." The etc. are mine. Well I had to laugh at what was very poor human relations management I did feel a twinge of guilt. Obviously, this woman interviewed with this company and is probably wondering what's going on. The email does not allow for response so I am stuck as I would like to let them know so they can correct their mistake but since we live in an impersonal age, there is no chance to do so. Sadly, HR is often the weakest link in an organization, yet has the most important function.
Today seems like day 900 of rain in Boston. I watched a show on TV last night about albino animals that 99 percent of the time would have done nothing for me. But with this weather, I couldn't help but enjoy the irony of watching about animals who don't see the sun for days, weeks even years at a stretch! Both ironic and appropriate at the same time. How I would love to see blue sky again!
What a tragedy in Washington D.C. yesterday with the Metro and what I hear now is 7 to 9 people dead. I hope it's not another case of an operator on the cell phone or texting. Boston was for once ahead of the curve and banned these activities and not only should they be banned for operators of public transportation, all drivers should not be allowed to use cell phones when driving.
I finished reading Under The Royal Palms a behind the scenes type expose of the crowd in Palm Beach. It had great reviews and I have to say that upon reading it I was disappointed. I think that any journalist should remain independent and offer real perspective which was lacking. This is a totally fawning profile of these people. Trust me and don't read this waste of paper. Mourn the trees killed to make it. Well even though summer came in on Sunday, Thursday is when it really shows up! I hope so!!!
Oh special kudo's to the blind gentleman who walked the entire Appalachian Trail! I could do more than a mile on it and he did all 21oo miles plus!
Well "my" email started off with "Dear Ms. Allen, thank you for taking the time to meet with us regarding the XXX position. After careful consideration, etc, etc." The etc. are mine. Well I had to laugh at what was very poor human relations management I did feel a twinge of guilt. Obviously, this woman interviewed with this company and is probably wondering what's going on. The email does not allow for response so I am stuck as I would like to let them know so they can correct their mistake but since we live in an impersonal age, there is no chance to do so. Sadly, HR is often the weakest link in an organization, yet has the most important function.
Today seems like day 900 of rain in Boston. I watched a show on TV last night about albino animals that 99 percent of the time would have done nothing for me. But with this weather, I couldn't help but enjoy the irony of watching about animals who don't see the sun for days, weeks even years at a stretch! Both ironic and appropriate at the same time. How I would love to see blue sky again!
What a tragedy in Washington D.C. yesterday with the Metro and what I hear now is 7 to 9 people dead. I hope it's not another case of an operator on the cell phone or texting. Boston was for once ahead of the curve and banned these activities and not only should they be banned for operators of public transportation, all drivers should not be allowed to use cell phones when driving.
I finished reading Under The Royal Palms a behind the scenes type expose of the crowd in Palm Beach. It had great reviews and I have to say that upon reading it I was disappointed. I think that any journalist should remain independent and offer real perspective which was lacking. This is a totally fawning profile of these people. Trust me and don't read this waste of paper. Mourn the trees killed to make it. Well even though summer came in on Sunday, Thursday is when it really shows up! I hope so!!!
Oh special kudo's to the blind gentleman who walked the entire Appalachian Trail! I could do more than a mile on it and he did all 21oo miles plus!
Monday, June 22, 2009
What in the heck do we do about social media?
As I look around the PR landscape today, many executives are looking at social media like a young girl in love with the high school's star quarterback. All they see is a positive and in typical fashion decide that they need to be on board that band wagon and need to do it yesterday. Often, they do not take the time to figure out how to best use the technology to meet current and long term needs or even how it fits into current and future marketing and branding strategies.
Social Media can also be compared to an all you can eat buffet. Someone sees a sign in Las Vegas that says $9.95 all you can eat buffet and thinks, "wow that is great, I need to do that." So they plunk down $10 and head to the table and of course load up on tons of stuff and usually end up feeling bloated, not very satisfied and usually seeing that the plate is still have full. Then to top it all off, they are usually hungry again in a few hours. Social Media is certainly an interesting phenomena but like anything else in business, it needs to be approached with purpose and with a clear goal regarding how it will be used to achieve corporate goals. Social Media does not exist to serve its own ends.
Social Media also presents risks regarding the potential for information leaks. While you need always be on guard for intellectual espionage, Social Media presents another concern where you may have employees who are proud of their accomplishments and take to the blogsphere or Facebook to brag about what they do. Pride is a human weakness and as well all know, pride preceds the fall. Employees should be instructed to treat any communication with outside parties the same regardless of whether they are meeting with friends for drinks or writing on a blog.
For my own two cents, I believe an approved blog is the best Social Media vehicle today. It allows for a disciplined and measured interaction with the world at large. It also allows the most secure and disciplined means of reaching a target audience and offers the benefits of the two way channel of communication we want with Social Media. Twitter is a close second when done properly but Facebook to me, still needs to prove its value as a business tool for social media.
More good news from the Sox yesterday. Nick Green hit a great walk off home run on Father's Day and ended what was a really fascinating and gut-wrenching day for both teams. I felt sorry to Tim Wakefield as the bullpen really did him no favors, but then again that's nothing new. But Green's homer was just a shot and only left a question of fair vs. foul. Oh and once again, Julio Lugo on the bench = Red Sox don't lose!
Well still no sign of summer or warm weather. The weather forecaster's say later this year and all I can say is that we shall see! Funny Foxborough has already put its water restrictions in place for the summer. I hope they are right!
Social Media can also be compared to an all you can eat buffet. Someone sees a sign in Las Vegas that says $9.95 all you can eat buffet and thinks, "wow that is great, I need to do that." So they plunk down $10 and head to the table and of course load up on tons of stuff and usually end up feeling bloated, not very satisfied and usually seeing that the plate is still have full. Then to top it all off, they are usually hungry again in a few hours. Social Media is certainly an interesting phenomena but like anything else in business, it needs to be approached with purpose and with a clear goal regarding how it will be used to achieve corporate goals. Social Media does not exist to serve its own ends.
Social Media also presents risks regarding the potential for information leaks. While you need always be on guard for intellectual espionage, Social Media presents another concern where you may have employees who are proud of their accomplishments and take to the blogsphere or Facebook to brag about what they do. Pride is a human weakness and as well all know, pride preceds the fall. Employees should be instructed to treat any communication with outside parties the same regardless of whether they are meeting with friends for drinks or writing on a blog.
For my own two cents, I believe an approved blog is the best Social Media vehicle today. It allows for a disciplined and measured interaction with the world at large. It also allows the most secure and disciplined means of reaching a target audience and offers the benefits of the two way channel of communication we want with Social Media. Twitter is a close second when done properly but Facebook to me, still needs to prove its value as a business tool for social media.
More good news from the Sox yesterday. Nick Green hit a great walk off home run on Father's Day and ended what was a really fascinating and gut-wrenching day for both teams. I felt sorry to Tim Wakefield as the bullpen really did him no favors, but then again that's nothing new. But Green's homer was just a shot and only left a question of fair vs. foul. Oh and once again, Julio Lugo on the bench = Red Sox don't lose!
Well still no sign of summer or warm weather. The weather forecaster's say later this year and all I can say is that we shall see! Funny Foxborough has already put its water restrictions in place for the summer. I hope they are right!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy Father's Day
Let me begin by wishing all the fathers out there a happy Father's Day! While my own father has passed on, the loads of happy memories I am left with makes me appreciate the great treasure that it is to be a father and to have a father. I can't help but think of the Red Sox games, the many many times he drove me to the movies or to friends parties, houses and so forth. The many life lessons that only become apparent in adult hood and the general ability to enjoy life.
I was pleased to see the warm response that D. Lowe received from the Red Sox fans at yesterday's Red Sox game. The star of the game was beyond a doubt Josh Beckett. He just pitched one heck of a game! It is so rare to see a pitcher go all the way these days and of course I was glad to see that Tito let Beckett finish what he should have. I wouldn't mind a return to the old days of when pitchers pitched. I remember as a very young boy seeing Luis Tiant pitch a complete nine inning game that was 9-7 and while he wasn't at peak form he was winning so why take him out?
The Special Olympics are going on this weekend at Harvard around Harvard Stadium. These games are amazing and don't let anyone fool you, these athletes are just that, amazing athletes. Except they don't cheat and are actually thrilled to receive the laurels that come with victory. The only down side is that the greedy SOB's at Harvard charge $5 to park. Oh please poor Harvard has seen its endowment slip from $40 billion to $30-35 billion so now the people who attend the Special Olympics have to pay.
The weather is still not any thing to write home about. I wish summer would show up? Right now it's gray and gross. On the plus side it was a bit sunny yesterday and I got a decent tan and slept like a baby last night! Well to all the fathers new and old, happy father's day.
I was pleased to see the warm response that D. Lowe received from the Red Sox fans at yesterday's Red Sox game. The star of the game was beyond a doubt Josh Beckett. He just pitched one heck of a game! It is so rare to see a pitcher go all the way these days and of course I was glad to see that Tito let Beckett finish what he should have. I wouldn't mind a return to the old days of when pitchers pitched. I remember as a very young boy seeing Luis Tiant pitch a complete nine inning game that was 9-7 and while he wasn't at peak form he was winning so why take him out?
The Special Olympics are going on this weekend at Harvard around Harvard Stadium. These games are amazing and don't let anyone fool you, these athletes are just that, amazing athletes. Except they don't cheat and are actually thrilled to receive the laurels that come with victory. The only down side is that the greedy SOB's at Harvard charge $5 to park. Oh please poor Harvard has seen its endowment slip from $40 billion to $30-35 billion so now the people who attend the Special Olympics have to pay.
The weather is still not any thing to write home about. I wish summer would show up? Right now it's gray and gross. On the plus side it was a bit sunny yesterday and I got a decent tan and slept like a baby last night! Well to all the fathers new and old, happy father's day.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Will Summer let us know when it has entered the building?
Well here we are at another week with no signs of summer. Officially on the calendar, summer begins on Monday but I for one will remain skeptical. Now I am wondering if we are going to have continued lousy weather into July and August or, as often happens in this wacky weather that is New England, will we have this blazing hot summer weather? I personally think the latter is going to happen. Not due to any cheeky optimism on my part, but rather due to the fact that the exact opposite of what you expect to happen in New England weather wise is usually what happens. Who would want to be a weather forecaster in New Mexico or San Diego where you know what the weather will be like on September 4 right now, because it is exactly the same each year on that date?
I do have to say that I am a bit disappointed in President Obama and the way he is handling this Iran mess. I think it's pretty obvious that the election for President there was far from a fair and free election. Never mind that the nut jobs who run the country pick the candidates anyway the fact that a man who has run the country into the ground while picking fights with any country who can help Iran won something close to 70 percent of the vote is unlikely to say the least. There is a line that I think came from the Woody Allen movie Banana's where he says "we don't want the people to think we stole the election, a simple landslide will suffice." Some force full words would be very appropriate I believe.
I just finished "Go Down With Me" a book about Bonnie and Clyde. It was very interesting, I gave it four stars on Amazon. The author basically makes the Barrow gang to be a bunch of people who were very violent and who were one step ahead of the law trying to catch them. Thanks to B&C law enforcement started to work much closer together and now we see international manhunts and Amber Alerts all of which seem to stem from this one case.
As for the Red Sox what can I say other than poor Dice K. I like you man but you can't walk 7 or 8 batters a game and expect to win!!! Oh and dinner last night was courtesy of the Red Wing Diner on Rte 1 in Walpole. The places at Patriot Place look much better but not a one can match the Red Wing when it comes to food! Well I hope my new shower rod is behaving itself and staying up today!
I do have to say that I am a bit disappointed in President Obama and the way he is handling this Iran mess. I think it's pretty obvious that the election for President there was far from a fair and free election. Never mind that the nut jobs who run the country pick the candidates anyway the fact that a man who has run the country into the ground while picking fights with any country who can help Iran won something close to 70 percent of the vote is unlikely to say the least. There is a line that I think came from the Woody Allen movie Banana's where he says "we don't want the people to think we stole the election, a simple landslide will suffice." Some force full words would be very appropriate I believe.
I just finished "Go Down With Me" a book about Bonnie and Clyde. It was very interesting, I gave it four stars on Amazon. The author basically makes the Barrow gang to be a bunch of people who were very violent and who were one step ahead of the law trying to catch them. Thanks to B&C law enforcement started to work much closer together and now we see international manhunts and Amber Alerts all of which seem to stem from this one case.
As for the Red Sox what can I say other than poor Dice K. I like you man but you can't walk 7 or 8 batters a game and expect to win!!! Oh and dinner last night was courtesy of the Red Wing Diner on Rte 1 in Walpole. The places at Patriot Place look much better but not a one can match the Red Wing when it comes to food! Well I hope my new shower rod is behaving itself and staying up today!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Oh what a lousy Friday!
Who would have thought that a Friday could be such a lousy day but today is. Where to begin? First there is the absolute terrible weather. It just sucks outside. June has been one of the worst weather months I can ever recall, nothing but rain and dampness. This is like Seattle weather but even in Seattle the summer months are usually rather nice and sunny. This is just plain horrible!
The weather isn't the worst part of it all, I go to take a shower this morning and my shower rod broke into several pieces. Yelling and swearing did not make it all back together. So now I have to run out and buy a new one. Oh yea, just what I need another needless expense. So once the weather lets up some, I will head down to Aubochon Hardware and buy a new one.
The Sox lost a tough one last night. Of course, if it had gone nine I am sure they would have won hands down. Yesterday was the day for freaky news like the pilot dying during the transatlantic flight and then the truck driver who seemed to forget that cutting of a car is one thing but cutting of a plan on the runway at Logan Airport is totally different.
I have to say one thing I hate about freelancing is people who seem to think you need to prove your value to them by giving them several solutions to their specific marketing or PR needs. That's like saying to a car dealership, let me drive it around for a month before I buy it to see if I like it? Or go into Brighams and say, let me have a chocolate cone to see if I may buy some more. These are always the ones who complain about your work anyways and will always give you issues on payment. For example they will say that you said left and not right and don't bother we told you to say that, we changed our minds and it's up to you to anticipate our moves. I actually had a CEO say that to me once.
Don't forget this weekend, besides being Father's Day, is also the Special Olympics in the Boston area. If you are free this Saturday or Sunday, stop by it is time well spent.
The weather isn't the worst part of it all, I go to take a shower this morning and my shower rod broke into several pieces. Yelling and swearing did not make it all back together. So now I have to run out and buy a new one. Oh yea, just what I need another needless expense. So once the weather lets up some, I will head down to Aubochon Hardware and buy a new one.
The Sox lost a tough one last night. Of course, if it had gone nine I am sure they would have won hands down. Yesterday was the day for freaky news like the pilot dying during the transatlantic flight and then the truck driver who seemed to forget that cutting of a car is one thing but cutting of a plan on the runway at Logan Airport is totally different.
I have to say one thing I hate about freelancing is people who seem to think you need to prove your value to them by giving them several solutions to their specific marketing or PR needs. That's like saying to a car dealership, let me drive it around for a month before I buy it to see if I like it? Or go into Brighams and say, let me have a chocolate cone to see if I may buy some more. These are always the ones who complain about your work anyways and will always give you issues on payment. For example they will say that you said left and not right and don't bother we told you to say that, we changed our minds and it's up to you to anticipate our moves. I actually had a CEO say that to me once.
Don't forget this weekend, besides being Father's Day, is also the Special Olympics in the Boston area. If you are free this Saturday or Sunday, stop by it is time well spent.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Getting the week off to a slow start
Oh goodness, what is it about starting the week with a dreary, gray Monday that does nothing for me. This is perfect weather to just go back to sleep and enjoy a nice long nap! Yesterday was a washout and once again the weather forecasters got it all wrong. Boy, I wish I could have a job where you could be wrong most of the time and people not only expect it, but reward you for doing so! What a life!!!
I have been watching the news from Iran and my own opinion is that the bozo who runs the country, and I couldn't be bothered to spell is name, stole the election. I mean if he won 51 to 49 I doubt that anyone would be more than upset and sad but to do it so flagrantly is only to stir up the hornets nest or poke the bear or insert metaphor here. There was a line I recall from the Brink's Job movie where one of the characters said that the only mistake they made was to rob from Brink's. The point being that how and who you steal from matters almost as much as what you steal.
I saw a very interesting position this morning at Bank of America and of course sent my resume in for it. I am curious that they are hiring and if so they are doing it very quietly. I like the idea that the plan is for community service grants as well which interests me thanks to my work with a number of non-profits through the years including several years on the Price Center board. Well as they say, time shall tell you know.
Yesterday I went to a First Communion for my cousin's quadruplets. Yes you read right she had four kids, two boys and two girls and they had their First Communion yesterday. It was a shame about the weather but oh boy was the food amazing. I love good BBQ and this was great BBQ. Of course I ate like a pig and when I came home last night could not move a muscle. More accurately, I had no desire to move a muscle.
Sadly the Red Sox could not pull off the sweep of the Phillies yesterday. Josh Beckett had his first bad start in almost two months and it was bound to happen. Of course Julio Lugo played so my theory of playing Lugo means the team loses still stands. Kudo's to Beckett for hitting a home run in the loss though!
Well today's big goal is finalizing the name of my company with my partner and once we have that done we can start to move faster. The devil is truley in the details when it comes to starting a company. But it is also more fulfilling. You feel like you are doing something, rather than just going through the motions.
I have been watching the news from Iran and my own opinion is that the bozo who runs the country, and I couldn't be bothered to spell is name, stole the election. I mean if he won 51 to 49 I doubt that anyone would be more than upset and sad but to do it so flagrantly is only to stir up the hornets nest or poke the bear or insert metaphor here. There was a line I recall from the Brink's Job movie where one of the characters said that the only mistake they made was to rob from Brink's. The point being that how and who you steal from matters almost as much as what you steal.
I saw a very interesting position this morning at Bank of America and of course sent my resume in for it. I am curious that they are hiring and if so they are doing it very quietly. I like the idea that the plan is for community service grants as well which interests me thanks to my work with a number of non-profits through the years including several years on the Price Center board. Well as they say, time shall tell you know.
Yesterday I went to a First Communion for my cousin's quadruplets. Yes you read right she had four kids, two boys and two girls and they had their First Communion yesterday. It was a shame about the weather but oh boy was the food amazing. I love good BBQ and this was great BBQ. Of course I ate like a pig and when I came home last night could not move a muscle. More accurately, I had no desire to move a muscle.
Sadly the Red Sox could not pull off the sweep of the Phillies yesterday. Josh Beckett had his first bad start in almost two months and it was bound to happen. Of course Julio Lugo played so my theory of playing Lugo means the team loses still stands. Kudo's to Beckett for hitting a home run in the loss though!
Well today's big goal is finalizing the name of my company with my partner and once we have that done we can start to move faster. The devil is truley in the details when it comes to starting a company. But it is also more fulfilling. You feel like you are doing something, rather than just going through the motions.
Friday, June 12, 2009
What a great start to the weekend
Oh what a great way to start off a weekend. First, the Sox swept the Yankees and showed off all of their most glaring deficiencies. Chiefly, that the Red Sox have great pitching and real talent. Even C.C. Sabathia, who the Sox owned during the ALCS in 2007. While he pitched better here it was no where near enough to help the Yankees. Also, why is that bozo Johnny Damon still in left? With his arm if he was a third baseman and Big Papi hit a slow roller up the line I would give Papi a 50/50 chance of beating the throw. Papelbon was once again the closer of the year we all love him for. I love that look he gives when he is about ready to throw!
Well some economists think the worst of the recession is behind us? I can't help but think of someone in Banda Ache who on December 27, the day after the Tsunami, said, "Well thank God that's all done with." I am not seeing any improvement from the business end of things and am finding banks still as tight with money as ever. They government wants them to loan out more money but they keep saying we only support a new business who has a sustainable business model, (e.g has revenue) which is silly since I can't get a business started without support, but can't get support with out a loan. Hopefully the economy rebounds as sharply as it went down?
The heavy rain was a nice way to wake up this morning. I can't speak for others but I like sleeping with heavy rain going on. It's a treat and you have to enjoy the small things in life. At this point, have a life of few regrets and those few regrets should revolve around what you didn't do for your friends and loved ones.
Well I am spending part of my weekend trying to finalize the name of my company. This is tough because we went something memorable but it's difficult to be descriptive without going into a 25 word name. So please wish me luck!
Enjoy your weekend!
Rick
Well some economists think the worst of the recession is behind us? I can't help but think of someone in Banda Ache who on December 27, the day after the Tsunami, said, "Well thank God that's all done with." I am not seeing any improvement from the business end of things and am finding banks still as tight with money as ever. They government wants them to loan out more money but they keep saying we only support a new business who has a sustainable business model, (e.g has revenue) which is silly since I can't get a business started without support, but can't get support with out a loan. Hopefully the economy rebounds as sharply as it went down?
The heavy rain was a nice way to wake up this morning. I can't speak for others but I like sleeping with heavy rain going on. It's a treat and you have to enjoy the small things in life. At this point, have a life of few regrets and those few regrets should revolve around what you didn't do for your friends and loved ones.
Well I am spending part of my weekend trying to finalize the name of my company. This is tough because we went something memorable but it's difficult to be descriptive without going into a 25 word name. So please wish me luck!
Enjoy your weekend!
Rick
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