Where the heck is my remote control?
Bonus Q: How do I manage to misplace it so often?
Today, I decided to fight all the snow (a historic "blizzard," according to the news) and hit the road for Bama. It had stopped snowing, so I figured it was worth a shot. Despite the 16+ inches of snow on the ground. After a little trouble actually getting out onto the roadway from my building's driveway, I was on my way. Little did I know, the next 6 hours would be ABSOLUTELY MISERABLE.
Terrible road conditions made for a very stressful drive. Plus, something was going on with my upper back/neck, so I was in A LOT of pain with no way to lessen or ease the torture. Plus, around Harrisonburg, traffic decided that 30 mph was way to fast ... and it proceeded to stop ... entirely. ENTIRELY. As in, I put my car in Park. Every 15 min or so, we would creep forward about half a mile, before coming to a complete stop ... for another 15 min. This went on for more than an hour. Then came the ice patches. I guess I'd never really thought before about what ice patches were exactly. Patches of ice, right? Sounds relatively harmless ... was expecting perhaps something slippery. Nope. This was like a cement truck had shat all over the road. It was rough and bumpy; way worse than potholes.
Anyway, that scenario continued for while, but finally cleared up. What seemed like an eternity later, it was dark and I was in Tennessee, trying to decide where I was going to eat dinner and shack up for the night. (Talking to mom, I decided to snag a hotel room for the night, since I'd lost so much time due to the poor travel conditions.) I had passed an O'Charleys earlier in my trip, and as a result, was seriously craving some potato soup and some of their aMAZing rolls. Thanks to Maggie (my for-the-most-part-trusty GPS), I was able to determine that there as an O'Charleys off a nearby exit. So off I went in search of my soup and rolls. Well. I got a little lost. Before I knew it, I was staring up at UT's stadium. Cool. Heh, and I realized I was wearing my favorite orange Auburn sweatshirt. How appropriate. But then ... as if on cue ... Eye of the Tiger comes of the radio. I KID YOU NOT. Seriously.
So after that wonderful little moment, I turned back to Maggie to direct me to my soup and rolls again. And well, apparently, my GPS knows me better than I do. Because next thing I knew, I was turning into the Mellow Mushroom parking lot. And now, here I sit. Eating my cheese calzone and blogging about my bizarro day. (sigh) Happiness.
Next up: finding a hotel. Hoping that's a little less eventful, or at least as fortuitous as my dinner situation turned out to be.
Almost considered skipping the show tonight but soooo glad I didn't.
Traffic was HORRID - but it's LA, at the holidays, and the weather today was FANTASTIC (around 80) so I should have expected that.
Valet was $25... but they gave me a free carwash. Granted, it turned out to be a pretty shitty carwash - but it was free so, whatever!
The lineup was Royal Crown Review (very short set), The Ventures (THE original surf guitar band - over 100million records sold), the Brian Setzer Orchestra.
Brian never played guitar one-handed, which kinda bummed me out. But it was still a great show. I have a billion photos and video to sort through after I recharge the cell phone... or plug the micro sd card into a reader.
My knees were okay till about the time Brian Setzer came out. By then, they were thrashed. I had some empathy from the couple behind me (father & daughter) who also had knee/leg/foot problems. I got into the venue shortly before 8 and into my car round 12:15... 4+ hours of standing and/or walking. I would have done rude things for a drink after the show but nearly everything at Universal City Walk was either a disco or closed. So I did without...
...till I got back to Long Beach, where I stopped at Puka Bar for a drink... or 20 (I think it was actually 4).
I almost bought Crankypants a big carry-all bag at Universal CityWalk. It had something about being angry, or hating people, or something like that. Would easily work for me but seemed more "okay" if I got it for Cranky. But I eventually decided we could both do without it.
So now it's after 2a and I'm too awake (even after 4 mixed drinks) and tomorrow has only one commitment (hair color & cut at... 4??). I actually tried to run some errands today but I got there too late and the only errand I actually accomplished was getting fake eyelashes (they look GREAT).
late to bed, late to rise (makes a chick look lazy to morning people)
I'm currently watching you on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.
I don't know if anyone's told you but you are NOT Steven Tyler. Let it go!!
Cause I am REALLY out of sync tonight.
I got up at noon, thinking it was 10a, cause I forgot that I reset my alarm clock yesterday (I still haven't remembered WHY I reset it). So I started the day an hour late.
Then I heard a police scanner say something about "do you have the suspects?" and it was REALLY close so I checked the windows and found out it was pretty much in front of my house. Then I recalled strange noises and lots of barking by the neighbors dogs, and Boo sitting in the backyard with her look that conveys something is wrong. When Boo gave me the look, I understood that there were people in the neighbor's driveway - but I didn't process the fact that it was a bad thing. (I suspect, based on little, that it was more than 1 person and they were trying to break into homes.)
So waiting for police issue to resolve delayed me a little more.
Knowing I'd miss lunch at work, I stopped at 7eleven and snagged a sammich and coffee - to which I added an energy shot.
Traffic was freakishly horrid, on all 3 freeways that I use, so that delayed me even more.
The day just zooooooomed by. I was driving home and shocked/annoyed that the Sketchers store was closed, as was the mexican food joint at the end of the street. Oh yeaaaaaa... it's almost 11pm. Duh!!
Now it's after midnight and I feel like it's about 9pm, max, and I'm really really thankful that it's Friday so I can not care about being awake all night and sleeping late tomorrow.
BRIAN SETZER CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA CONCERT tomorrow night (with Royal Crown Review opening).... BOOO YAAAAA!!! I'd like to do the retro/40s hairdo that I learned but I'm sure I'm too lazy to bother.
Today I got a wild hair and bought a ticket to Timbaland, at the HOB WeHo, on Jan 29. I like his music. He pairs with lots of celebrities. He'll be in LA (maybe some cool special guests??!). Tix were cheap ($45-ish; So I won't feel bad if I can't make it). It's all good.
ZOOOOOM ZOOOOOOM ZOOOOOOOM@!!
Lots of my friends and family ask me what I do and when I tell them they often look at me glassily. I try to communicate but I don’t even think my mom knows what I do for 12-18 hours/day, seven days-a-week. That said, I have been trying to brainstorm some of our lesser-know services. Abraham Harrison is globally known for being able to engage thousands of bloggers in 5 Continents, 12 Countries and 11 Languages. That said, we also offer Social Network management services and social media solutions and all of that -- here’s a list of some of them along with my interpretation of what each of them offers. Please let me know if I have done a clear job with the copy -- I think it still may be too dense.
Online Business Intelligence
Tracking and monitoring the online reputation of your brand, company, product, and services on your behalf, as a way of keeping track of conversation real-time. Unless reporting is explicitly agreed to, this "open source intelligence" will be monitored for content, friendliness, and threat. Any and all threats are triaged and reported to the appropriate client point of contact.
Online Media and Social Media Metrics
Abraham Harrison maintains a suite of tools, algorithms, and strategies that allow us to provide you and your client with bona fide measurements, including reach, tone, and sentiment. This suite of tools allow us to create illustrative proof, over time, of the efficacy of the campaign from the launch and over time.
Campaign Metrics and ROI Reporting
Intelligence plus metric plus time equals reports. Client and campaign reporting is something that needs to be defined and agreed to in advance of the campaign because reports are not built into the campaign but are a la carte and you get to define the specificity and granularity of the reporting. Generally, reports are done bi-weekly or monthly, usually interspersed with weekly updates and "as needed" alerts.
Twitter Community-Building Services
Twitter is not a broadcast medium, it is a community-prospecting platform. In order for the entire community to take shape and take bloom, one needs to not simply register an account, one needs to design, populate, and then prospect followers before there can be any real growth. This community-building leverages both our collected contacts and current community relationships as well as several tools that we use to help promote and grow online reputation and growth of your Twitter online reputation. In other words, like everything online, if you build it they won’t come. Building it is a start, if course, but unless you’re Oprah or Ashton Kutcher, there is a lot of work and a lot of building, promotion, and prospecting required, and that is what Abraham Harrison LLC can do for you.
Twitter Posts and Posting Services
Twitter has become an essential part of online branding. Companies, celebrities, brands, and even fictional entities have been leveraging the ease-of-use and the simplicity of Twitter to both communication with current and potential customers as well as being able to engage and respond to user question, user requests, and user responses. However, it isn’t as simple as posting status updates to Twitter regularly. In our process, we work with the client to come up with 25-100 pre-approved "tweets" that the client can approve, veto, or edit. Over time, AHLLC is able to message on behalf of you, the client, with messages that are consistent with client vision. After that, the messages are delivered to the Twitter stream with an approved frequency, from once-per-day to a couple posts to multiple-posts-per-day, with the frequency according to the scope of the contract. During this process, it is also important -- essential -- to trust the Twitter team to be able to triage all replies and direct messages on behalf of the client -- or, there needs to be a rapid process to triage replies and direct messages through the client. As the campaign moves forward, the evolution of the campaign can change to offer more and more independence to the Twitterer.
Twitter Retweets and Retweeting Services
The secret sauce of Twitter is retweeting (retweet (RT)): a) to copy a tweet and then send it again on Twitter. b) passing along of messages in Twitter) Retweeting is the epitome of what makes Twitter such a powerful tool.
Retweeting allows Twitterers to repeat content from one Twitter stream they’re following onto all of their own followers. Writing compelling tweets is what organically can result in retweets down the Twitter stream; however, it is also important to use Retweets as a form of reciprocal currency. Retweeting someone else’s tweet can engender attention or connection and build social equity within the "Twitterverse."
In addition to intentionally retweeting on a client’s behalf, one of the benefits of running your Twitter campaign through Abraham Harrison LLC is that you are able to instantaneously have all of your client tweets retweeted through not only our staff’s Twitter accounts but through all the status-update social network sites our staff is a member of.
This allows our clients to automatically enter the conversation well in advance of their earned reputation online.
Twitter Message Modeling and Copywriting Services
In our process, we work with the client to come up with 25-100 pre-approved "tweets" that the client can approve, veto, or edit. Over time, AHLLC is able to message on behalf of you, the client, with messages that are consistent with client vision. After that, the messages are delivered to the Twitter stream with an approved-to frequency, from once-per-day to a couple posts to multiple-posts-per-day, with the frequency according to the scope of the contract.
Active and Reactive Tweeting, Real-Time Twitter Customer Serives Services
Twitter is more than messaging and updating the Twitter status, Twitter offers the opportunity to use the real-time web to discover conversation around your products, services, and brands and either collect the intelligence for reporting or action or to engage the conversation, be it through use of @replies, Direct Messages (DMs), Retweets, or even the addition of hash tags. The Twittersphere is considered real-time so it is essential to keep up-to-the second with a constant flow of twitter mentions. The best thing about Twitter is that one may also easily engage real people who are mentioning your brand or the brand of your competitor. You can also mention these people, retweet them, or help them with any sort of problem they may well be having with you, your produces, your services, or your general customer support.
YouTube development
While it is simple to join YouTube, there are quite a few important steps one must take before launching. First of all, there is a lot of customization that one can do to make sure a client’s YouTube channel blends well with the client brand identity, mirroring the parent brand. In addition, structuring the channel, making sure the channel name is appropriate, and also make sure that if there needs to be content that plays for more than the standard 5-minute limit the ways to extend that (even to hours) are implemented. There are ways to make revenue as well, through Google AdSense.
Since Abraham Harrison LLC staff has been using YouTube since it was launched in 2005, we understand it well – most of all that, unlike television channels, YouTube is not simply a broadcast medium but rather primarily a community platform. Like Twitter and other online communities like MySpace and Facebook, YouTube allows, and is most powerful with, a very deep level of participation. Many companies, looking for the next viral hit or just a YouTube land-grab tend to forget this.
It is important to not simply create the YouTube channel and make it pretty, it is important to also upload all of the videos required as well, knowing what the most appropriate file type, file size, and file quality it appropriate for each particular application or requirement. It is also important to customize the set-up based on how the client wants to share the content and with whom.
Online Video Distribution Services
Sometimes the community maintenance required for YouTube channel creation is too much for a particular client requirement or campaign and what is needed, instead, is a complete and comprehensive video upload to all of the current video sharing sites.
This video distribution service offers a quick and comprehensive upload to over 30 video upload and social network sites, including the usual suspects but also including many other less-popular and less well-known social networks; however, in order to best cover all possible opportunities for brand video sharing, it is always a good idea to make sure the client brand experience and client video assets always exist exactly where and when people are looking for them.
In addition, one of the largest ways people choose their video content in today’s market is through word-of-mouth and sharing, which we can help you ignite; however, a more predictable and common way of discovering content online – and the only way of discovering the content if the word of mouth does not include sharing links – is search. Doing a comprehensive video upload and distribution is a way of stacking the deck towards the discovery of the content organically by flooding the search engine indices with client content -- which can result in the ownership of the content. Video distribution is an important strategy towards controlling and promoting brand perception online – the secret sauce of the social web.
Facebook Page Creation
In the past, there were many methods for promoting on Facebook; however, Facebook is clamping down on Terms of Service (TOS) violations. As a result of – and in response to – people creating profiles that do not reflect authentic people but brands, products, services, or fictional entities, Facebook has replaced business profiles and business groups with Facebook Pages. Pages are entities not unlike profiles, and are becoming more and more like profiles. Like profiles, Pages have walls, updates, videos, events, and all the rest. Additionally, they interact with peoples’ statuses in much the same way that Facebook Profiles do.
When creating a Facebook Page or Group or Cause, it is important to remember that these Facebook Apps are community-oriented and need to be fed and watered. The tools support community, conversation, and collaboration and many people develop these Facebook Pages as if they were a published brochure instead of a dynamic, developing, conversational community. These communities are needy, more like a blog or like Twitter than anything like a page. A MySpace profile can be developed more like a proper web page, but Pages offer the opportunity to share Events, Conversation, Links, Discussion, Photos, Videos, etc. While they don’t have to be completely open and interactive, they do need to be responsive and there needs to be a certain level of maintenance and content creation committed to the Facebook Page.
There is a lot to know about the Pages, however, and there are many 3rd party tools and services that can be used to expand brand, including doing Facebook Ads and the like, to help promote the brand.
In order to best promote "fan" membership of a Facebook Page, one needs to be creative as to the reason why being a fan is worthwhile. Some easy "gifts" can include exclusive content, Facebook-only offers, "live" interviews, access to celebrities or notables, etc. When an online brand reputation
One of the things that makes Facebook Pages better than either Facebook Profiles or Facebook Groups is that the content is not hidden behind the Facebook Authentication Membership Wall. More like MySpace profiles and groups, which are completely visible and partially accessible when not yet a registered member of the site, Facebook Pages are one of the few "rooms" in the mostly "gated community" of Facebook proper. Facebook Pages can be indexed by search engines like a normal web page and found using simple keywords through Google, Live.com, Ask.com, and Yahoo!
One of the beautiful things about Facebook Pages is that Google loves Facebook more than just about any other web site (Google loves Twitter more) so brands that have a Facebook Page are often surprised by how quickly the Page turns up on the first page of search.
There are other ways of promoting brand on Facebook, which can include cross promotions with other Social Networks (have all of the networks aimed at the Page), organic SEO strategies, Facebook Ads, as well as incorporating a strong blogger outreach campaign aimed at brand promotion.
However, that said, it is hard to start a Facebook Page and we generally recommend starting with a Facebook Group. It is much easier to prospect new memberships, invite new members, and get everything started from zero, so we often start with a Group, build that up to over 1,000 members, and then have the Group converted into becoming a Facebook Page, which is what we have the connections to do. We call it the one-two sling-shot punch!
The advantage of a Facebook Page is that you can use it as a proxy web page for marketing and a proxy online community in support of your brand instead of developing or hosting your own; however, aside from being a "fan" of your company, brand, product, or service, there is little incentive, or "gift," associated with ever returning to your Facebook Page unless you spend some time and resources developing unique content for the Page -- Facebook Pages support photos, events, videos, message boards, a wall, etc – as well as for responding to questions, queries, comments, and the like.
One of the strong advantages of smartly-but-aggressively developing messages, updates, photos, videos, and exclusive content is that the New Facebook Pages have evolved into me a lot more like the Original Facebook Profile, which includes status updates that scroll down each fan’s status update stream in exactly the same way their friends and family’s statuses update.
This is a very powerful method for brand messaging and distribution. One of the past lacks of Facebook Groups and Facebook Pages is that it was too easy to join and forget, becoming a Group member or a Page fan and then never seeing hide nor hair of it until there was an explicit admin message to all members -- a member update.
Even so, with Facebook Groups in the past, one was penalized by success because when a Facebook Group grow above 1,000-1,200 members, the ability to send a message to all members was revoked.
With the new Facebook Pages, it is easy to keep "fans" engaged and updates, through the regular status update stream that all users; unfortunately, as I mentioned above in the section about Facebook Groups, it is easier to prospect and collect new members on a Facebook Group and a Facebook Cause because it is very possible to easily invite personal Facebook "friends" to Groups and Causes. When creating a brand profile on Facebook, it behooves one to develop all three: Facebook Page, Facebook Group, and Facebook Cause.
I'm feeling surprisingly good this evening - without meds or alcohol to credit. I'm a little too awake for 1am but that's probably due to my 11p "dinner" (bread & cheese spread) and "un refresco de medico chili" (bottle of Dr. Pepper soda).
I suspect the improved mood (physically/knees, I'm still only so-so, though more good than bad) is due to admitting defeat on the work project and, mentally, giving up. It will get done or it won't. I didn't even want to hurt stupid people (a miracle!!), not even those who are making my job more difficult (wtf?!? who am I??). I genuinely don't care anymore. Since taking that to heart, I've been much more patient and happier and generally a pretty descent human to be around (well, as decent as I ever get). It's only been 2 days. But it's been a nice 2 days!
Having read that le Target is open late, I stopped in after work to pick up a power drill. I figured they're open till 11p so it was okay that I was swinging in at 10:15 but they're actually open till MIDNIGHT. I feel sorry for the staff - except I got out around 10:30 and the parking lot had cleared out pretty dramatically so they probably have slow work nights (at least this week). There were only 3 cashiers so it can't be too horrid... though probably worse for the people who have to restock & reorg.
My goal at Target was for a new power drill. Choices were the 9.6v drill for $18.99 or the 12v drill for $39.99. Both on sale. Would have loved the 12v but couldn't justify the extra $20. If I'm doing a project that needs more power, I should probably be having Adrian do it anyway (assuming he's still around - I haven't talked to him in months).
Of course, being Target, I also had to look at lingerie, pajamas, workout wear, and fat lady clothes. I thought about checking out the electronics and xmas depts but couldn't see any reason to put myself through that hell. Then I picked up deodorant, razor blades, hair gel, a couple sodas, and a card for giving cash to someone (my postal carrier. Yes, she deserves it.). I wonder what my total was - I didn't pay attention. I tried to find the new L'Oreal mascara with the short little brush (to see if that keeps me from getting mascara on the side of my face when doing the outer lashes) but they were out. Target's makeup dept SUCKS. At least at all the locations around here. Always looks like it's just been ravaged... 90% out of stock and the remaining 10% is a disaster area.
I really wish Target sold booze cause I would have liked some tonight (though not any of the 12 million kinds I already have in the house).
I got home and my Old Navy order had been delivered and EVERYTHING (8 shirts) FIT. Probably cause I mostly bought size "2xl maternity" (my tummy looks preggers and, sure enough, those shirts fit me well - and accent my boobs!!). I really love the sweater I bought - glad I thought (in my drunken state) to get it in 2 colors. Disappointed that I bought 3 shirts in pretty much identical styles/colors (bright magenta) but... oh well. I want to wear one of the sweaters to work tomorrow but it occurred to me that I don't have any clean, non-wrinkled, pants (cause clean laundry is in a pile on the floor). It will be fun to see what I work out in the morning!
The big box in the backyard (found last night) is clearly the auto cat litter box. I still haven't brought it inside. The box is HUGE... too much to deal with till I have more time. I don't want to let myself bring it nside cause I know me, it will take another 2 weeks to remember to drag the monster. Better to open it outdoors so the box goes from backyard straight to the recycling bin!
Am I still waiting for another order? Oh yeah... the clothes (pants, jacket and ??) from Newport News. I should probably also make up my mind about the 2 items I got from Hips & Curves (long skirt and a leopard robe/coat)... keep or return? I also have returns for Home Depot and Penny's in my car but I keep forgetting about them. I might remember, and have time, to do the HD return this Sun but I don't know when I'll make it to JCP.
Sooooo.... should be another relatively decent day at work tomorrow. I might even get out early (8p-ish) but I won't count on that. No plans till Sat. Whatever shall I do with a free evening... vacuum? put away laundry? sit on the sofa like a slug? **ding*ding*ding** - we have a winner!!!
Now for a musical interlude...
As the pipe clamp blisters began to pop and heal on my hands, I knew I was in a race against myself to find my next gig in woodworking. I had just quit my job after I was put on a mandatory 72-hour work week schedule, which was neither safe nor necessary in the warehouse where I was a full time furniture maker. From my first taste of sawdust, I was hooked. I loved everything about it, especially the aches & pains associated with putting in a hard day of manual labor.
I had moved thousands of miles from my industrial Michigan factory roots, only to go to college and decide the blue collar life is what I wanted. I quit my job, only when it was obvious that it would either kill or permanently injure me...but it was still one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. Besides the fact that I love it, I realize now how wrapped up I was in the identity of being just one thing...In my working life, I have always had to have at least three side hustles going on and I've done everything from nude modeling, to being a maid, a well-paid executive assistant, an extra in movies, a make-up artist, to an apprentice sander in a woodshop.
When I call home to update my family, typically, whatever it is I describe is met with unconditional love & acceptance, even if there is a tinge of it not necessarily being understood. As a woodworker, I was finally able to align myself with an identity - one thing that I loved being and doing...and it was so much easier to explain that!
Predictably, when the job fell apart, I scrambled for any paying gig I could find on craigslist. As it turns out, it was a good time to be involved with film making and I even signed up for acting classes. Being involved in the process is as exciting as it seems like it would be - even the long hours of waiting, while being completely dressed to the nines for a 6:00 a.m. call time, shouldn't be exciting, but it still is.
Around this time I also found work as a fit model, working for a local design house. It's a job that pays very well but the work is inconsistent. Still, I am extremely thankful to have it, even if it is a bit weird for me to use it as an identifier at the dentist's office and have the receptionist squeal and ask me a bunch of questions about the job. That's a rock star moment, I'm not going to lie, but it's completely foreign to me to identify myself as "model" in any capacity...especially when "factory rat" was a closer signifier just weeks ago.
I'm not sure if all the discomfort in lacking a fixed occupation or identity squarely rests on my shoulders, or if I am reacting to other people's confusion when I try to explain, "Well, I'm actually a furniture maker, but I'm out of work, so I'm doing the acting and modeling thing, while looking for another woodworking gig." Who does that? I'm not sure if I even understand myself anymore.
In the long run, it's probably a good thing that I am so versatile & adaptable - I always have something relevent for any type of resume I'm creating for myself (and I have at least 3); but I long for the day when I have a short answer to the question, "So what do you do?"
