Best Present Ever.
Don’t remember if I got the uber Barbie penthouse with the deluxe sports car, or a G.I. Joe with Kung-fu grip. Always had a budget and a need for the practical, so presents were usually clothes, shoes, that kinda thing.
Thanks for the memories
A few of the many things I remember:
- My grandmother cooking the traditional feast and me helping with setting the table, the nice china, silver and crystal; all the work and hours that went into a meal.. only to be devoured in 34 minutes, cleaned up in time for presents and football. (Geaux Tigers!)
- How great it was to have an evening cold enough for a roaring fire, a rarity for Biloxi and New Orleans. Or how cool it was to wear shorts Christmas day, when others spent their day shoveling snow.
- Whenever someone get a new board game, we’d play Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary, Scatterogories for hours. (See also, now and the iPad versions.)
- Decorating, baking, late night visits with this friend or that aunt.
- Going to Disney World to ogle the pretty lights and playing ‘Dirty Santa’ – my family’s gift exchange game.
- Food and treats and more food, with the bonus of eggnog and other potent libations when I came of age (even a few sips when I was younger).
So many moments that all share the same things: friends, family, food, fun. Playing cards, nice music, little wine. That’s all it takes, being together… even quality time with annoying relatives.
Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa. Whatever you celebrate this time of year, may you have lots of fun and easy gift returns. Enjoy these moments with those you love. Best present ever.
A Ritual Sacrifice. With Pie.
Happy Turkey Day folks. U.S. folks. (The rest of you, back to work. 
)
Please enjoy the cleverness of Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer. (Or at least, I think he’s funny.)
For those of you venturing into the madness that would surely rank its own circle in Dante’s hell – aka Black Friday – have fun, be safe; I’ll be sleeping in then cheering “GEAUX Tigers, beat ‘dem Hogs.” Later!
Confession of an Internet, techno-junkie
As inspired by today’s SoloPR chat and my recent so-called Unplugged vacation, a few random thoughts on today’s hyper-connected world and what it all means.
While my priorities are in check and I’m not so addicted to social media that I’d ever ‘like’ my own status update, I have to face the writing on the wall: am a ‘plugged in’ person.
Going Offline is easier… when you have no choice.
I trapped myself on a cruise ship last week, with Internet access rates that would do loan sharks proud. (Starts at $0.70/minute for satellite-based speeds, shudder.) It’s nice to check in on things, but not at those prices.
I did however pop into a computer place while shopping in port mid-trip; 10 minute email check = peace of mind, knowing the world didn’t implode in my absence.
Cutting the cord? Didn’t happen.
I used my devices when I could. In St. Thomas, my AT&T cellphone was good to go, so I checked messages, made a few calls. My iPad was my music gaming fun device, used daily.
I did try to read a few ebook novels, but it was too relaxing – if you can fathom such a thing – and kept making me want to nap. Since I can nap at home for free, I put down the iPad and went on the water slides, played trivia, learned the Thriller dance. (Thankfully there exists no photos or video.)
We’re a plugged in, connected world. Deal.
Face it, even if we try to completely unplug, go social media cold turkey, it’s everywhere: TV, news, at the gym, at work, our phones and friends. A problem faced by social media addicts trying to cut back, the disconnect.
Watching the news in my cabin, I did have that ‘cut off’ feeling, the not knowing what was going on back in the world but it wasn’t too bad. I missed work, my friends, my online life but I’m happy to wait a day or so before uploading pictures to Facebook and marking the Reader as “read” has been all too easy to do.
One of the first things I did upon checking into the hotel post-cruise: fire up the iPad and WiFi. I was sneaking in a couple days at Disney World and it was the easiest way to double check reservation times, confirm directions. Anything I wanted to do, getting connected was the best way to do it.
Balancing act
As with work, play, wine, surfing, Jenga – it’s balance: using your devices and online time to help manage your work and play, not letting them manage you. I’m a connected person, but know how to step away when I need to. Now if I can just find someone in Atlanta who sells the well-balanced Cederberg Bukettraube we had a Disney’s Jiko the other night, I’d be all set.
YOU: have you ever gone offline for an extended trip? Totally unplugged, leaving the laptop and iToys behind? How’d it go?
Photo credit: ME! Going offline and out of town, you get to take pretty pictures like that one in St. Thomas.
Unplugged
Going on vacation and I’m taking the blog with me!
Absence makes readers grow fonder.
Or at least, that’s the plan.
I considered running another guest post but then thought I’d give everyone a break. I’m not going to be around to engage, I won’t be reading or keeping up with much industry news while I am gone; this is (mostly) an unplugged trip.
I have scheduled this with clients, worked some nights and weekends to get ready for my trip. Barring catastrophe – aka LSU losing, Coach Miles eating some bad grass — I should be ok, hopefully enjoy the trip sans worrying about work or the blog.
I shall return refreshed, revived, recovered from any over indulgence and hopefully, NOT red as a lobster. See you in a couple weeks.
Does your blog take a vacation?
Draft Dodging
Ok, so this is a twofer this week, blogging about blogging, but damn it.. this is my blog.
All drafted up, nothing to post
Between drafts in Word, in WordPress and now my beloved Evernote, I have many ideas for posts kicking around. And yet, nothing is really publish ready; it’s half-baked or half-assed, or it’s too much of the same old stuff, doesn’t hit any of my targeted goals.
Perhaps it’s the goals that are the problem, or the focus of the blog – too much vs. not enough – as I run into many of the mistakes you can make that cause people not to read, comment or share your blog.
Google+ aka the Mini-Blog
When things are too short for a post, I’ve been sending those nuggets of random to Google+.
- Disney Verizon-only app.
- Brilliant poem on SEC football.
- Blogging, social, networking – the usual suspects.
The idea has been to mix up from what I share on Twitter, perhaps walk that tightrope in the balance of personal vs. professional. It’s been good as I’ve joined and started some nice discussions, seen some things I would not have otherwise.
Thinning out
I’m still using Twitter while enjoying Google+, remind myself LinkedIn does work.. even lurked my Facebook of late. Latest to the mix is StumbleUpon, which I’m finding it a little like Flipboard. I’m considering stumbling my own blog once in a while, since pimping to SU is the hot new traffic driver,
Perhaps my branching out from the blog to other platforms is an issue, I’ve spread myself too thin. Right now, I’m also distracted – trying to get everything done before I enjoy an offline vacation in a couple weeks.
Getting from draft to done
I’ll defer to the wisdom of The Gambler: know when to hold ‘em, fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run. If there is some ‘there’ there on an old draft:
- Turn to your latest reading, updated links might be all it takes.
- Look at recent events and current news; a tie-in to a PR flap or marketing mismanagement can breathe new life into old draft.
- Review older posts, see if you can repurpose them with the newer stuff.
- Go back to the beginning, what sparked your interest in the first place, then give it another go.
How long do your posts sit in draft mode? Is there such as thing as too long before they go stale?
Photo credit: May I never run out of Someecards.