I'm never gonna blog again, guilty posts have got no rhythm...

That's right - if Seether can do it, so can I - I will 'cover' Careless Whisper to serve my own selfish purposes. That poor song just lends itself to mockery (hell, most Wham! falls into that category - but god I love it - hmmm, I wonder how many I can sneak in here...this blog post just took a very unplanned turn for the worst).

Do you have any idea how many FANTASTIC pictures of WHAM! are out there? Geez

So, last, last June, I gave you my heart - the very next day (two years later), you gave it away - so now I'm giving it to someone special. See, INK has started an official blog, freshINK, and I am now spread a little thin - and we all know I was such a posting fool to start with, huh? So now I am left to ask, if my best isn't good enough then how can it be good enough for two? I can't work any harder than I do. hmmm, that might lead you to believe I am not going to keep up both blogs, but I fully intend to. Really, just wanted to direct you over to my new baby. Plus, the rest of the INK girls are blogging (now you can meet the goofs that are always at the top of the page).

I just want to wake you up before I go-go -I am out of here kids. I know I have disappeared for more than two weeks before, but I am off on vacation and I am not tweeting, blogging, facebooking - I am taking a break from all of this social media hella-ballu. How do you know I will be back...well, you just gotta have faith. (I know, I know, that is George sans the WHAM!, but I couldn't help it)

card carrying member of NIMBY*

So, I have a little secret to tell you. I know I will be judged, hated, possibly shunned from the blogosphere - but I just have to come clean. I loathe SXSW. See how I didn't say hate? Hate isn't strong enough. I loathe it. I abhor it. I live in denial for 11 months out of the year that it even exists then I spend the majority of March with my fingers in my ears yelling, LALALALALALA!

-Picture is the stolen from Andrey Dorokhov's flickr page - this picture rocks - as do the rest of his shots.

Here is the deal, the conference, in and of itself, isn't the problem - the panels are interesting (usually), the networking is freaking incredible, and the music and film are like a little virtual cherry on top of my interactive conference sundae. But the damn thing is in my backyard. IT IS IN MY TOWN, and I therefore hate it. I like to run around Lady Bird Lake, but during SXSW it is like a punked out version of frogger - getting to the lake, dodging the hipsters, the unloading vans, the herds of folks walking to their tweet-up breakfast - it is a nightmare. I like eating at any number of Austin institutions, but the wait associated with the influx of conference attendees is more than I can bear. I like watching March Madness with Longhorn fans, not a plethora of out of town visitors determined to support their alma mater in between panel sessions and Japanese punk bands (Peelander-Z is actually kind of cool, I have to admit it). But more than all of that, I don't want to go have drinks at Scoble's party, find the show with the most celebs or gather the most foursquare points - because my husband and puppies are waiting for me at home. My desk, with all its ridiculous demands, is waiting at my office. My everyday life has to run concurrently with the show and that is a nearly impossible feat.

As usual, I whined my way through SXSW this year, missing more than I saw, participating by following along on twitter, thoroughly enjoying myself when I did venture out, but for the most part kicking and screaming the whole way. Peace out, SXSW - I'll see you next year. And I will try to work on my bad attitude in the down time.

*Not the wind one - I love clean energy

I bet lesbians love Bluetooth

I delight in Bluetooth references in pop culture - love them. Britney's horrific song Phonography (see previous post), keystone light commercials, and now, the freaking Big Bang theory is my new favorite (I can't embed the clip just yet, so you will have to click here to watch). As embarrassed as I am to admit it, I love me some Walowitz.

There are two other things about this that are interesting to me. 1) about three years ago I was facilitating an interview between Mike Foley, SIG executive director and Andy Ihnatko (Chicago Sun-Times tech journalist and all around very funny guy) when Andy announced that he felt "Bluetooth was just like Bacon - it makes everything better." Now I follow Andy on twitter, and I know he likes the big Bang Theory (seriously, how creepy for this poor guy - I swear I am not a stalker), so I am wondering if he a) remembers saying this and b) is at all pissed that this show stole his joke. I imagine he is kind of okay with it. 2) I love twitter. I really do. And I know I talked a lot of smack about hating twitter, but I have been converted - I love it now. And I loved watching all the other geeks that love twitter AND the Big Bang Theory re-quote the show last night. See here.

That's right. You gave it up. Now you gotta die. Those are the rules

Interestingly enough, I stumbled across the below quote on a CNET blog rather than actually on twitter (where it originated), but it is just too delightful not to share.

"Social media is like teen sex. Everyone wants to do it. No one actually knows how. When finally done, there is surprise it's not better."

Things like this make me proud to be the INK director for NEW MEDIA - not social media. Social Media sounds like it would leave you, uh, unfulfilled.


*Extra points to whoever names the movie the title quote is from.

If you light the fire, you can't then get rewarded for putting it out

I work with the Bluetooth SIG (a client of ours) - I have for what seems like forever (in actuality, it has *only* been a little over five years now, but feels like forever). The most frustrating thing I deal with working on SIG PR is this fabulous group of 'security' experts that dedicate time, money and develop specific technology to hack Bluetooth (the horribly over-rated Bluejacking is a perfect example), put out a press release and do a huge media push screaming that the sky is falling. CHICKEN LITTLE, CHICKEN LITTLE - THE SKY IS FALLING - IF YOU HAVE BLUETOOTH, YOU ARE CERTAIN TO LOSE YOUR IDENTITY! BEWARE, BEWARE. Then these guys come to the SIG, "Hey, if you pay us, we will handle this crisis for you." Thanks guys - I appreciate you offering to put out the fire you started. It has always infuriated me.

There is a similar situation going on with United Airlines and Jason Tryfon right now, and I am honestly curious - does this make anyone else uneasy? Brief background: Jason had a bad time with a United flight attendant, he tweeted it, his tweet kicked off a small firestorm of 'I hate united' tweets, Jason wrote a blog post about how United needs social media help, now he has his sales staff cold calling United offering their services. I do not know Jason Tryfon at all, but I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he didn't start this (post the initial tweet) just to pick a fight that he could later use to his benefit. In fact, I am pretty positive he just posted a tweet because that is what you do when you are getting on a plane - tweet, tweet, tweet. But regardless, would it hurt his reputation to bash a company, then turn around and start pimping them? Surely this isn't a good model of how to get new business? As I said, I am just curious what others think.

I will say though, if someone came up to me, pushed me down and rubbed my face in the dirt, then said, "Hot damn, looks like you have dirt on your face, let me show you how to get that off" - eh, I probably wouldn't be to keen.

Look folks, I have the SAD...

Lately, my online 'social' life is demanding more and more of my 'real' social life time. Tweet-ups, conferences, social media club breakfasts, happy hours, lunches - dear lord, the list is never ending and at all of these place I have to physically meet people that I had previously only 'known' through twitter or blog reading. It is really just too much for me. The beauty of all these new media/social media tools is that I don't ACTUALLY have to be social. My uncomfortableness doesn't translate in 140 characters, my unease does not come through in a blog comment - online I appear calm, collected, and aside from my obvious difficulty with simple spelling, pretty put together. I can be friends with you, without really having to be friends with you. Please note, my complaint has nothing to do with others - this is all about me - i have the social anxiety disorder through and through. Odd for someone working in PR.

Starr was hollering about how I needed to post - this is what I came up with. DAMNIT - I guess I am socially awkward online, too.

Home again, home again, jiggity-jig...

To market, to market to buy...a Pre?

Finally home and rested from an extremely long week at CES. But long certainly doesn't mean it wasn't good. Honestly, from start to finish, this will go down as my favorite CES to date. It was busy, my feet were killing me, I didn't get nearly enough sleep and I lost the charger to my laptop - but the positives outweigh my laundry list of negatives, by far.

All three of our clients at the show had a good time, talked to the right people and continued to tell their stories - can't ask for more than that.

I, however, had a little 'social media' heyday at this show. I sat in on the Social Media Jungle hosted by Jeff Pulver - it was amazing. Lots of smart people sharing their views on the how’s/what’s/when’s/why’s of the crazy online. Jeff Pulver crammed a ridiculous amount of talent into a one-day event. If you are in a city on his 2009 breakfast tour, I highly recommend taking part. My two favorite speakers were Chris Brogan and Warren Whitlock - Chris had a lot to say, but was summed up with "ignore the folks who don't 'get it'" ('get it' was over used to the point where I kind of wanted to pull out my hair), and to 'stop talking about talking' - I love this. I know it doesn't sit well for my blog (since pretty much all I do is write about 'talking'), but it still resonates with me - get out and DO, DO, DO. Also, his story on why he considers himself a pirate is delightful.

Warren Whitlock talked about giving - to always give more than you get. He chatted up an amazing study about a can of soda - I am hooked. I like to think that I approach PR this way - my goal is always to help journalists, bloggers, tweeters, whoever out - then if it benefits me (or my client) in the end, great - but I am going to make a point of 2009 being my year of giving. I have also been pushing to work this to the front of our communications with some of our clients - I think we get caught up in the 'what have you done for me lately' mentality or definitely the 'I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine'...but the point is, it should never be stipulated. From now on, my first question will be, "how can I help you?"

I also got to attend Robert Scoble's 'It won't stay in Vegas' party and I have to say, the folks at the Parnassus Group know how to put on a blogger event that is both fun and beneficial to the sponsors. I hate to see events like this explode in popularity, because inevitably they turn into junkets that are lacking on true networking and instead just table after table of demonstrations - but I am hoping the best for them, because this event was fantastic and a highlight to my time at CES. AND I won a Sonos multi-room music system - talk about great swag. The folks at Sonos are sending it this week and I cannot wait to try it out.

Last but not least, I am cautiously optimistic about the Pre. I won't just run out and get one the moment it is released, but I am pretty sure I am going to have to get one sooner rather than later.

Overall, killer time at CES this year. AND I DIDN'T GET SICK. It is like a little CES miracle.

Bring on 2009...and CES

Just zipped my suitcase and I am ready for my flight tomorrow - hooray for Vegas and CES. I have to watch my Horns from a sports book, rather than travel to the game, again - but I suppose, as far as places to watch football go, Vegas ain't a bad option.

Pretty excited about the show this year, as I have no booth duty whatsoever and instead will mostly be helping with parties (magicJack REVOLUTION on Wednesday, January 7th, Bluetooth SIG Best of CES 2009 at Tao Friday, January 9th - if you are interested in swinging by, let me know and I will get you on the list), attending the 'It Won't Stay In Vegas' blogger party and sitting in on the Social Media Jungle super session - where all of my little blogging heroes will be speaking - I might actually get to meet a couple of them (I'm talking about you, Toeman). I have several dinners with clients lined up, several interviews I have to facilitate - a busy, but as far as CES standards go, tame week.

OH - and I am going to be meeting up with Murray SawChuck, magicJack's magician of choice for the show. Hoping he teaches me some clever little trick I can use to shock and amaze all my friends.

See ya in Vegas!