Quiver & Quill

I just returned from a few weeks of travel. I realized something about America. It’s possible to have an identical experience in different cities across the country. Treat yourself to a meal at TGI Fridays. Take your laptop to Starbucks. Finish at Barnes and Noble by assembling a stack of books and collapsing into a comfy chair. Whether in San Francisco, Boston, Orlando, Seattle, or New York City, you can live the same experience.

You’re also more than likely to come across the coffeehouse entrepreneur on your adventure. You’ll identify him immediately. He’s the guy who found the only plug in the place and is using both outlets for his laptop and cell phone. Out of tired desperation and in over caffeinated camaraderie, he may smile at you. Be warned. Do not start talking. If you do, the next three hours will be spent discussing his (or your) start up concept. Before long, you may be asked to serve on his Board of Directors or worse yet, you may ask him to serve on yours. However, resisting the urge to inquire is antithetical to the lifestyle. So go on, introduce yourself…

Share This

Here are the conferences I want to attend in the next few months:

http://www.nngroup.com/events/new_york/agenda.html

http://www.usabilityprofessionals.org/

http://www.digitalhollywood.com/BuildingBlocks.html

http://www.portablemediaexpo.com/

HTTP://WWW.DIGITALLIFE.COM

http://www.ctcevents.com/

http://www.forrester.com/Events/Overview/0,5158,1173,00.html

http://www.ad-tech.com/sf.asp

Did I miss something good?

Share This

I recently spoke with a model on Myspace. After I assured her that I was not another girl trying to ‘steal her identity,’ (a common Myspace practice) she agreed to speak with me. We discussed “boys, gossip and game online.”

My Myspace Hottie: An interesting thing about my online life is where some “friends” who became enemies were concerned…there was this Indian website with an infamous message board for parties… every country/city the message boards were infamous for people being crude, vindictive, and threatening others. So these girls decided to take our matter to this website to try to make me look bad, and even set up a link to a distorted picture of me…

Q&Q: What did you do about it?

Myspace Hottie: I made the mistake of responding on the message board I was actually cool with the moderator he deleted my response I didn’t understand why at the time.

Q&Q: Did it offend you more because it happened online?

Myspace Hottie: yes it was embarrassing when I was younger… but when ur younger…and I am very sensitive, it was like the worst thing

Q&Q: Does this continue with Myspace?

Myspace Hottie: no. and I never posted when I was younger, not till myspace

Q&Q: Why is Myspace what was different?

Myspace Hottie:.there was this girl in the gym I go to Myspace she is very popular on myspace she told me about it so I could check out her pics

Q&Q: What made her popular on myspace?
Myspace Hottie: Her page and pictures have been copied my so many random girls!

Share This

According to AP:

Authorities were seeking Thursday a burglar who allegedly took the time to make coffee, cook and eat meals, take showers, pick out a change of clothes, watch television and check his e-mail while inside three rural Washington County homes this month.

Share This

You don’t have to be pregnant, breast feeding, or a recent parent, to relate to Mr. Nice Guy. While his blog spans his wife’s pregnancy, child’s birth and his entry into fatherhood, it is his witty rants and social insight that makes me read him daily. See the interview below, and make sure you check out his blog!

“i think “blogger” doesn’t really mean anything different than “pamphleteer” meant 300 years ago,” – Mr. Nice Guy

Q & Q: What’s been the most meaningful comment you’ve received about your blog

MR. NICE GUY: meaningful? um. someone invited themselves over to my house for dinner. i am not sure what that meant, but it sure was meaningful.

Q & Q: Are you interested in your blog rank?

MR. NICE GUY: if you mean “interested” to mean obsessively checking every other hour to see if i’ve clicked up a notch in technorati and link whoring myself out to any web site i’ve ever visited, then the answer is yes. this is why i agreed to this interview

Q & Q: Why have you chosen to remain anonymous?
MR. NICE GUY: mostly because my wife and child never asked to be subjected to my assinine sense of humor in a public sphere.

Q & Q: Which of your posts caused the biggest stir from your readers?
MR. NICE GUY: my wife giving birth people seem to get worked up about that sort of thing

Q & Q: Did you lose readers after that? all the build up and then, there you go.
MR. NICE GUY: no i think certain individual entries draw a lot of traffic for whatever reason. then maybe a few people stick around to read again in the future. and some never come back. over time the number of readers tends to trend upward. if i update regularly.

Q & Q: How did you get the title name for your blog?
MR. NICE GUY: i didnt even know i was going to start one. i was just monkeying around. in a way the name “mr nice guy” sort of dictated the persona i adopted. i have no idea why — some freudian shit happening there. no idea why i chose it i mean

Q & Q: is there a MR. NICE GUY book deal in the works?
MR. NICE GUY: no book deal. can you believe it?

Q & Q: No, I can’t. i am writing a screenplay about something else entirely though. that’s a secret. don’t tell anyone, internet.

Q & Q: can you give us a hint?
MR. NICE GUY: farrelly brothers meet orson welles, hitchcock meet seymore butts

Q & Q: did you have any last comment for your fans?
MR. NICE GUY: no, i hate my fans. no wait! that was a typo. i love my fans.

Share This

I attended the Future of Advertising tonight, and I just returned from the RAB in Dallas. Here’s a few observations to share:

1. Many panelist viewed ‘new media,’ as a misunderstood force to which they must respond. In actuality, new media isn’t a force. It was created by changes in peoples’ demands. Blogging, podcasting, consumer generated content and other new media types would have no validity unless they resonated with people whom they serve.
   
2. Traditional media’s response to marginalize new media treats only the symptom of the real problem.People lives have changed, not just their media habits. Consumers have higher expectations, more choices and greater ability to act on them than ever before. These forces are manifest in new media.
3. A panelist at the Future of advertising used the phrase, “Discover mechanism,” to describe traditional media. He argued that it won’t be obsolete. It “centralizes how we learn about new products and services.” Let’s examine this from a different perspective. Search, tagging and social networking changes how we discover information. Think of the power of number one organic search spot in Google for any category. Do you think any amount of traditional media could replace owning the number one spot on Google for “Boston Mortgage.” We could figure it out: impressions * conversions…Think tagging. If you’re picture is tagged in Flickr, or your blog is linked to network of other blogs, you’re creating information channels that can’t be purchased. Why? Because the credibility that comes with them isn’t for sale. Think social networking: the power of the Myspace/Facebook consumer to share sites and drive traffic. The connected online community user has word of mouth credibility to build or destory a brand.

Traditional media doesn’t understand that new media isn’t a passing trend. It reflects deep shifts in our culture. 85% of college students are on the Facebook. Myspace claims 55MM users. 37% of consumers text message. 4.8 Million podcasts were downloaded from radio stations…and the lists go on…Traditional media may lose to new media unless it embraces and extends the opportunity.

New media is our media.

Share This