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.