Kiki's Korner

I've moved!

2008-03-03T21:51:00.000-08:00

Well, it only took me 18+ months, but I finally moved my blog over to kristiewells.com and will no longer be writing sporadic posts here at this Blogger account.

I wish to send a big hug and a hearty 'thank you' to Judson who managed the migration so I didn't have to. Thank you thank you thank you.

Hoping the new template gives me the inspiration to write a bit more...

Bear with me folks, it is a work in progress…

2008-02-18T15:55:00.000-08:00

I am in the process of moving my blog from Blogger to Wordpress so things might look a little wacky here -and there - for a while. Just thought you, whoever you are, should know.

$5.01 goes a long way towards effecting change...

2008-02-12T15:58:00.000-08:00

I rarely throw my hat in the ring when it comes to politics, but the 2008 Presidential race has stirred so many raw emotions in me that I have found myself standing on my podium time and time again.

And what am I saying while standing on my podium? Obama ftw.

Senator Obama ramps me up me very time I hear him speak. So fluid. So passionate. Seems so in tune with America. No BS. No flash. Solid. When I look at the candidate options for the new leader of America, there is no doubt in my mind that Obama is the right choice.

So when the request came from Daily Kos to donate $5.01 to Obama's campaign today, I jumped at it. The idea is to show the power of the 'every day person', that a lot of little contributions can, and do, make a difference.

So if you can spare a couple of Lincolns to Obama's campaign on Lincoln's birthday (today 02/12/08), make your donations here.

Photo by: Daily Kos

Heuer's chauffeur

2008-02-10T17:15:00.001-08:00

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Need to change my voter registration card

2008-02-05T09:01:00.001-08:00

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Movie Review: Cloverfield

2008-01-19T00:03:00.001-08:00

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So damn cute, but such a pain the ass...

2008-01-12T20:15:00.000-08:00

How can something put both a smile on my face and irritate me so greatly at the same time?

Found Ele under the sheets in the guest room - which while extremely cute, also frosts my ass as she crawled under the green sheet which was meant to keep the cat hair out of the bed.

Think this is her payback for me cutting back on the amount of wet food I have been giving her and her sister. Such a bitch.

Movie review: Sweeney Todd

2008-01-11T22:56:00.001-08:00

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We eat a lot. We drink a lot. We don't exercise.

2008-01-08T16:56:00.000-08:00

We travel to foreign countries.

Tonight all those factors collided inside Heuer's body.

It is Tuesday afternoon and I find myself sitting in a Kaiser waiting room, staring at the lightly colored wood door in front of me. That door leads to the room where doctors have been poking and prodding Heuer for more than 45 minutes in the hopes of finding what ails him.

Needless to say, I am scared shitless.

Hoping Kaiser knows what they are doing…and that they return my Heuer to me in one piece.

Stay tuned.

UPDATE 1/9/08: Heuer got a call from the doctor this morning and it has been confirmed he has Giardiasis. He caught the bug while we were in Mexico, had it treated then, thought we killed it. Obviously the bug liked being inside Heuer as we had no idea that was what was causing him grief as of late.

He also has high blood pressure, high cholesterol and is pre-diabetes, but the 'bug' is the thing that was freaking us out the most so happy to know there is a name and a cure. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I am hopeful we caught all these ailments early enough to do something about it.

2008 will be the year of 'health' for us.

I can be a forgetful ass sometimes...

2008-01-08T07:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was January 7th, our 6 month wedding anniversary.

And I completely forgot it.

Well, I forgot it until Heuer came home – flowers and card in hand with an invitation to dinner so we could celebrate. Oh Lord. I am such a bad wife.

People always joke we picked 7/7/7 so that it would be easy for Heuer to remember. Little do they know it is ME who is the forgetful one.

Good thing that boy loves me. If my memory is this bad now…think what it will be like in 20 years. ☺

Also good thing he understands I am not perfect. The momentary look of disappointment was quickly replaced with a laugh, a hug and a proclamation that I was buying dinner since I was the goofball who forgot.

I do love that man.

So it all worked out in the end, especially since little does he know, I used his credit card. ☺

Scoble vs. Facebook, Scoble wins…unfortunately.

2008-01-03T20:26:00.000-08:00

Earlier today, Robert Scoble posted the following note:

If you are trying to contact me on Facebook, please don’t. My account has been “disabled” for breaking Facebook’s Terms of Use. I was running a script that got them to keep me from accessing my account. I’m appealing. I’ll tell you what I was doing as soon as I talk with the developers who built what I was using and as soon as I talk with Facebook’s support (I sent an email in reply to the one below, but haven’t heard back yet).

Seems he broke Facebook's TOS by using a 3rd party software (Plaxo) to extract his 5,000 contacts into his Outlook contact manager.

Some folks applaud Facebook and their decision to lock his account down, while others claimed this was a PR nightmare for the company and demanded they reactivate his account. In the end, Facebook buckled and Robert's account is active once again.

Robert is a likable guy. But being likable does not give you the right to do whatever you want, whenever you want. He had agreed to the Facebook terms when he signed up for an account, he was fully aware of his rights. With all the platforms available to him, he could have chosen another social network. He didn't. He knew Facebook would give him the ability to build an audience quickly so he chose to deal with the TOS. Then he knowingly broke the TOS trying to extract his contact's data.

But my opinion doesn't count.

So we move on.

Marcacci and Chris are having a baby!

2007-12-31T18:09:00.001-08:00

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Walking down the Embarcadero

2007-12-09T12:44:00.001-08:00

Photo by Cocoabisquit

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Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T15:10:00.001-08:00

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Chris and I took a short break during the day and went to the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park. Was nice just to sit and enjoy the scenery around us while sipping some yummy Jasmine tea.

The utterz is a wee bit hard to understand as we kept talking over one another (attention hounds that we are), but I posted it anyway. :)

Ski Haus Officially Full!!

2007-11-20T20:23:00.000-08:00

Very happy as we have found our last member and now our sole focus is on tearing up the mountains, nice long soaks in the hot tub and a bottle [or two] of port in front of the fireplace. Now, if only I had remembered to get my ass in shape...

Ok, so I proved I am a talker..

2007-11-18T16:52:00.001-08:00

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A fractured shoulder, a faulty pace maker and the removal of a bladder...

2007-11-13T19:31:00.000-08:00

They say things happen in threes. All I can hope is that statement holds true. I can't take in anymore bad news.

Over the last three weeks, three of my family members have experienced three separate 'incidents', ending with all three of them paying a visit to the hospital (two of them still there).

First my great aunt fell down a flight of stairs and ended up fracturing her shoulder.
Then I find out my grandpa faints at a conference thanks to a faulty pace maker.
This past Monday I spent the day at Stanford hospital as we rallied around my uncle who has been battling cancer. They ended up removing his bladder and a couple of other body parts.

As we get older, I know the chances of hospital visits increases. But it doesn't lessen the suck level any and the last two months have really confirmed how fragile life truly is (especially following the near miss of killing Heuer and myself).

Not to be a drama queen, but hug the ones you love. Hug them often. Tell them you love them. Find time to be with them.

Appreciate the moments of your life.

Looking for a ski 'hausmate'

2007-11-11T21:21:00.000-08:00

This is the time of year I love. Ski season is closing in on us.

We are just about three weeks from taking ownership of a lovely house for the Winter season (12/1/07 - 4/30/08) and find ourselves in need of one more house mate.

The house is extremely well kept and has 4 bedrooms, 3 baths with a loft and a den. TVS in most of the bedrooms. 2c garage. Hot tub. Wireless. We are a block down from the Tahoe Donner Recreation Center, so there is a gym and pool really close by.

We are a group in our 30's and early 40's, both boys and girls, some singles, some couples, some skiers, some boarders. While we have been known to throw back a few shots at the bar, most of us are laid back and prefer home cooked meals with a couple bottles of wine.

Want to hit the mountains with us? If so, shoot me an email at kristiewells [at] gmail [dot] com.

Keeping my mouth shut. For now at least.

2007-11-09T18:20:00.001-08:00

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FedEx: The Office Meeting Commercial

2007-10-09T15:21:00.000-07:00

Every time I see this commercial, I laugh out loud and I am sure it has something to do with working with folks like this in the past...

The "let's do it" one is the best.

Florida Trip, Part II - forget the alligators, it is Mother Nature you need to watch out for…

2007-10-06T16:11:00.001-07:00

Oh yeah, and tires laying in the middle of the highway too.

Heuer and I just got back from a trip to Florida, and after two freakish (one almost deadly) experiences, I have to tell you….I am happy to be home – in one piece, with all of my body parts.

The first little ditty happened this past Friday night. Heuer and I were driving to the BlogOrlando after party with our buddy Jake McKee right behind us, when a huge thunderstorm unleashed on us.

I was marveling at the size of the rain drops hitting the windshield when a flash of light bounced off the ground to the right of us, seemingly less than 10 feet away. A massive rumble followed, shaking the car and our bodies alike. Holy crap. That felt close. And I guess close it was, as just then Heuer’s cell phone rings and it is Jake, wondering if we were all still alive (himself included)? Craziness.

Never been that close to lightning before, and let’s just say I don’t ever want to be again. Retelling the story at the bar, I learn Orlando is known as the 'lightning capital of the world'. Sure, now, they tell me.

Fast forward to Sunday - Heuer and I hit the turnpike and headed to Miami to love on gramps a bit since ‘we were in the neighborhood’ (albeit, a neighborhood 3 hours away). We had a wonderful afternoon with him and even got a chance to capture a bit of his life history on video (coming soon), which is something we have been talking about for a while (and something we need to do a lot more of).

After dinner, Heuer and I jumped back in the car and headed North to hang with Beck for the night. Rain had been coming down most of the day so the roads were slick, visibility sucked, and I was surrounded by Miami drivers who tend to tailgate (and hit their brakes for no reason) more than any other city I have driven in. Needless to say, the road conditions were a bit tough.

I had managed to put some distance between us and a pack of cars (which will end up being the thing that saves us)…when it happened. We were getting close to Beck’s exit, so I started to move into the far right lane – focusing my attention beside and behind us making sure I had a clear path - when Heuer noticed the tire on the road. And I was steering us directly into it.

I overreacted, turning the wheel too fast to the left, especially at 65mph. This might have been ok on dry ground, but on a slick roadway it caused the car to fishtail while sliding us two lanes to the left, towards the guardrail. Thoughts of the cars behind us, striking us one after the other, ran through my head for a second or two - at the same time, I find myself in high school auto shop and my teacher explaining the process of turning the wheel towards the tail to recover. God. Felt like I lived a lifetime in that first 3-4 seconds.

Following both the teacher in my head, and Heuer (who is amazingly calm, talking me through the slide), I tried to correct the steering which then sent us skidding four lanes to the right. The next thing I know, we are in the far right lane, sliding backwards and facing the cars that were once behind us. I turn the wheel to the right - trying to get us forward again. The car reacts, but it seems the engine has stalled during the fishtail so I don’t have much control. We slide across four lanes again, ending up a mere foot away from the guardrail. Fuck me. The car has finally come to a stop and I am acutely aware of the cars coming up behind us. I can’t imagine what our little ‘freeway dance’ must have looked like. I know what it felt like, but to see us skidding left two lanes – then right four lanes – then backwards – then left four lanes again, must have been quite the show.

They cars behind us had all slowed to a crawl, not wanting to pass us, and were now almost at a complete stop - waiting for us to do something. So something I did. I turned the engine on and drove us to Beck’s exit (less than a mile), and got off that fucking freeway.

I know I said it already, but fuck me.

I had put my husband’s life in danger. We could have been seriously injured. We could have been killed. I was driving faster than I should have been. I was not completely aware of our surroundings. I did not operate the vehicle well.

How we avoided to hit the guardrail the first time, I don’t know. Missing it a second time is just pure friggin luck. Add in the fact that we were not hit by a single car (and there was 20+ around/behind us), and there is no doubt in my mind there is a guardian angel looking after both of us.

To that guardian angel, I wish to say ‘thank you’. Thank you for watching over my family. Thank you for protecting Heuer. Thank you for protecting me.

Photo by Dark Matter

Hello old friend, it's been a while....

2007-10-06T13:43:00.001-07:00

Holy moly. My frequency of writing sure has taken a nose dive over the last seven months. I am sure some of it has to do with starting a new job (70+ hour weeks) and planning our wedding (yeah, no longer a spinster!), but I miss it. It was great having an outlet that gives me more than 140 characters to share a thought, posit an opinion or explain the latest embarrassing situation I got myself into.

I will say it is kind of odd that I enjoy blogging so much. I was never one to keep a journal, and I suck at writing (and storytelling). But whatever. Not going to question it. Just going to blog it.

So I am back (not that anyone missed me).

Image by Hugh McLeod

Florida Trip, Part I - BlogOrlando

2007-09-28T13:12:00.001-07:00

Home from the BlogOrlando conference, and I need to tip the proverbial hat to Josh Hallet. He did a great job not only in structuring the conference to provide diverse topical tracks, but also by bringing in some of my favorite people to share their stories/best practices, and then filling the seats with a good mix of both seasoned bloggers and those new to the ‘sport’ to make for a well-rounded crowd in the room.

Josh also went out of his way to entertain the out of town guests by setting up day trips to Kennedy Space Center (‘KSC’) and Epcot – both great ways to experience the goodness of Orlando.

I had a good time catching up with old friends, meeting up face:face with some of my ‘online’ buddies (finally) and chatting with Orlandians to hear what they are doing to help bring that community together.

We took a lot of photos, but thanks to our Canon SLR not wishing to work anymore, most of them did not turn out well. Ack. Bums me out as I would like to have had some good photos from Heuer’s closing keynote (which, biased or not, I thought was brilliant) to use on his website, but at least we got it on video (coming soon) so all was not lost.

Josh is not sure if there will be a BlogOrlando III, but if there is, count on us being there.

Doing my snow dance...

2007-08-21T20:05:00.000-07:00

Didn't do one last year, and well..let's just say it was a brutally short ski season.

So I have my dancing shoes on and warming up to a little James Brown...

"I feel good"

I feel good as it is August 21st and we have a ski haus locked in this season (30 days earlier than last year).
I feel good as this house kicks supreme ass (4/3, 2 loft areas for extra beds, 2c garage, gourmet kitchen, hot tub, good location, etc.). More photos.
I feel good as we have a solid group going in with us, that I truly adore (could use one more member).
I feel good as it is reasonably priced so I don't have to stop my weekly pedicures.
I feel good as the landlord and I have clicked - like, she could have been my mom in a former life and there are way more similarities between my family and theirs than I think possible.
I feel good that I think we finally found a home that we can come back to - year after year, meaning I never have to look for another ski haus again (well, until we are ready to buy our own).

Yes, folks. I feel good. Now all we need is snow.

Forever, a white girl.

2007-07-14T08:33:00.000-07:00

Home for less than 24 hours and I am already peeling as it seems my fog riddled body did not appreciate the hot blaring sun of Mexico.

Oh well. Was nice while it lasted.

I am an old married broad now...

2007-07-11T13:31:00.000-07:00

El Dorado Royale Resort
Riviera Maya, Mexico

July 7th, 2007
5pm

The video from the ceremony and other photos from our big day will be posted on chrisandkristie.com shortly.

Photo credit: kk+

There are two types of people...

2007-06-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

Those that will laugh at this photo, and those who won't.

I am here to admit, I am part of the former group.

Not because I think seeing crying babies is funny, but because I've been there. Standing next to my dear friend who paid a load of cash and spent several hours of time in hopes of the perfect photo, only to end up with three exhausted, red-eyed teary children and a huge photographers bill.

We'd stand behind the photographer, jumping up and down, making funny faces, offering to buy them any toy they've ever wanted for just 10 seconds of any expression that even resembles a small semi-smile. Only to get the above. Yep, that's what's funny. Not what's in the photo. What's happened before, behind and after the camera.

The Break Up

2007-06-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

To my buddies in Marketing departments around the world, I invite you to watch this little video between an Advertiser and a Consumer.

The video was produced by Geert Desager who states the main reason for making this movie was to show digital media is not about technology, but about the interaction between two people. Brilliant really.

Chris and Kristie: Episode #1

2007-04-23T22:49:00.000-07:00

So everyone seems to be a buzz around UStream.tv, a new service where you can stream live video easily, without any real investment in equipment (we used the video camera in our laptop), that comes with a chat room as well to bring a little more interaction into the fold.

Anyway, Chris has been itching to do something together; a podcast, a video, something. So tonight, the decision was made to fire up UStream.tv, turn on Fox's 24, and have us a chat. Well, kind of. It is more like watch us, watching TV. Exciting right? Not really. But it was an interesting experiment to test the new service and see what all the fuss was about.

The funny thing about it is I wasn't expecting anyone to show up. But we posted the UStream.tv link on Twitter (a mini publishing tool I simply adore), and within minutes, several of our friends showed up to see what silliness we were partaking in. In fact, at the end of the session, we had 73 people stop by to take a view into our world. Totally crazy stuff. Well, thrilling and scary all at the same time.

Now mind you, this is our first creation. It is rough. In fact, the first four minutes are so painful even I was thinking of turning it off. But I think it got a little better as time went on. The format was odd as we were trying to watch the show, monitor the chat room and work a bit all at the same time, so there were moments where nothing was being said which is really hard to watch (in my opinion at least). So there is room to improve. Lots and lots of room.

Will we ever be famous for this? No. But it was fun to play with Heuer and test out the technology. I think UStream.tv is headed down the right path, but think this platform still has a long way to go. But it is a really good start.

Will we do this again? Absolutely. Not sure we will sit in front of the TV trying to watch a show again, but I am game for more experimentation and playing with the format/topic. Especially now that we have such a cool tag line for the show, compliments of our buddy Scott: Chris and Kristie, '...it's like Seinfeld, but less.'

I mean come on...we can't quit now. :)

Best LinkedIn invite EVER

2007-04-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

This morning I received an invite from a new buddy to hook up on LinkedIn.  Found it so refreshing than the general 'Hi, we met at _____ and I would like to stay connected' type invites...I had to share:

"LinkedIn will allow me to leverage your massive fame and numerous connections into piles of filthy lucre for myself. I will, of course, tell everyone that I owe it all to you...once in a while...maybe...as part of some pointless annecdote about marketing and the web and stuff...when I'm drunk."

I added him immediately. 

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R.I.P Maxwell

2007-01-29T14:20:00.000-08:00

Dad called with sad news today - they had to put our beloved Max down. He was only 6-1/2 years old.

I know it was the right thing to do, but it doesn't lessen the suck level any. Three surgerys have failed to correct the knee and hip problems he has been experiencing since he was a pup, and the much needed pain medication seems to have taken years off his lifespan (this photo was taken when he was four years old though he looks like he is 10). This was a risk my parents knew going in, but we all wanted our beautiful boy to be able to walk on the beach and be happy the time he did have on this Earth - it just turned out to be a lot fewer walks than we expected.

I can't imagine what it is going to be like going to mom and dad's house and not seeing this mound of hair waddling over to me. But I know his spirit lives on in that house, and I can guarantee his dog hair will find a way onto our clothes for years to come. And thankfully, dad buried him near the hot tub, overlooking the ocean, so we can all sit back and have a Corona w/him - just like we used to do.

Luv U Max. Woof.

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5 things you don't (and probably won't want to) know about me.

2007-01-02T08:35:00.000-08:00

My girl Andrea tagged with me the 5 Things meme weeks ago and I missed the link, as well, I just don't do Technorati vanity searches. :)

In fact, I would never have know had we not met up in New York a couple of weeks ago where she proceeded to tease me a bit as she thought I was avoiding it. Avoid it? Never. I love this kind of crap. In fact, item #6 should be me confessing I am usually the first to respond to these 'questionnaires' when sent around in email. I know, I know. I need to find a hobby.

Anyhow, here are the 5 things I am pretty sure you don't know about me:

I am pretty confident I can beat Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz in a burping contest.
My second toe is a lot longer than my big toe. And, for bonus points - my pinky toe is a lot shorter than the rest (photo coming - I know you can't wait).
I can sing, but I don't have a voice (translation: I don't even think 'breathing lessons' would help).
I have three calics in my hair (thanks mom).
I am probably the loudest typer you know. I type fast (50+ WPM), but I type loud.

So there you have it. Nothing to be overly proud of, but tid bits none the less.

I was going to continue the meme and tag five friends, but at this point - I am probably the last person to do this, so I think I will simply put this out there to everyone I know, and let nature take its course.

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I am officially out of the will.

2006-12-28T18:53:00.000-08:00

You know when you make a decision, are happy with the decision, only then to have it eat you apart a couple days later for making that decision?

That is me right now, realizing I have truly pissed off my parents.

Well, pissed off is maybe not the right words to use. Upset, yes. Disappointed, yes. Pissed off? Well? Yeah, maybe.

You see, my consort and I just got back from trips to Miami and New York, and had planned to drive to Oregon to spend the Christmas holiday with my family. It is something Chris and I have been doing since we first started dating three years ago (Miami then Oregon), and being with my family during the holidays is something I have done my entire life. In fact, I have never known a Christmas morning where I woke up anywhere but my parents house. Ever. 38 years of waking up 100 feet from mom and dad.

But this year, all I wanted was to be in Tahoe with Chris for a little 1:1 love fest.

So, you can imagine the conversation that took place when I called my parents two days before Christmas to let them know we were not coming.

To say they were shocked is putting it mildly.

Of course, to be fair....I didn't give them much warning. Mom had already gone grocery shopping, dad had just finished prepping the bedrooms for our arrival, and they had plans set for the next three days for all of us. But I just could not put myself in the car for the six+ hour drive North. It is weird, but I just wasn't emotionally wrapped around the trip this year. I can't explain why, but I know there are reasons for it. Will they ever surface? Who knows. The fact of the matter is I did not wish to go to Oregon this year and telling my parents this was breaking their heart.

The initial conversation with my dad was hard. As far as he was concerned - you always come home for the holidays. No matter what. And though I tried to point out this rule only seemed to apply to me (neither my baby sister or my brother were going to be there and weren't getting any grief) - it didn't matter to him. I was the oldest. I had always been there. I was to set the example. #%&#@*%^#*%

I know my parents will eventually get over it. It is not the end of the world. There will be other years. But why do they have to pile on the guilt? Why do I feel guilty?

Don't blame the shooter...

2006-12-19T09:28:00.000-08:00

...blame the thing she is shooting with.

Over the last couple of months I have been struggling to get a clear shot at the events and gatherings I have been to. Most are inside, in low light, so I have been using our Rebel with the 50mm lens which should have been fine.

Yet, none of my photos were coming out clear. In fact, it got to the point where 9 out of 10 photos were blurry and I could not get the camera to auto focus 99% of the time.

Even more frustrating was seeing a couple of my friends using the same camera and lens combo and not having any issues whatsoever.

Settings were correct. The lens was clean. WTF?

It finally got to the point it wasn't worth trying to use it anymore, so I sent the camera back to the Canon factory for a lookie loo. Eight days later, I call in to their customer service to find out the camera has been fixed and I should have it back in a couple of days. The problem? The auto focus was bad.

Cool. I can't wait to have it back. But it bites a bit to know I had to call Canon to find out what was going on with the camera. I mean, you would think with all the technology they have to produce the incredible camera they have, they could have set up a better customer service notification system. But whatever...it was fixed and I am looking forward to getting it back so I can start documenting our life and our little adventures again.

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The $500 oil change.

2006-12-13T09:28:00.000-08:00

I took the old girl in for a tune up the other day (just FYI - I am talking about my car, not me, though now that I think of it, I am way overdue for a little pampering myself). Anyway, as I was saying - I took the old girl in for a $50 tune-up/oil change and much to my surprise, I came out with a $50 tune-up/oil change and...$450 in four new tires.

Crap. Didn't I just put tires on this beast two years ago I ask? The young fella behind the counter smiles big and says, 'well no Ms. Wells - our records show you put tires on four years ago and it seems you have travelled well over 80,000 miles since then. They are more than ready to be replaced - in fact, I can't in good faith let you drive home on the bald things currently holding your car up, so we need get you some new tread'.

I now realize why I had been hydroplaning a lot lately. DOH.

I have been coming to this Big O' Tires shop since I moved to the City 14 years ago so I know their records are correct - and I trust them when they say I am driving on bald tires, I am really driving on bald tires. But it doesn't lessen the surprise to have to invest money on a car I rarely drive anymore. I mean gas is one thing. And an oil change every 3,500 miles seems reasonable too. But $450 for tires on a car I have put less than 5,000 miles on over the last year sucks. Especially when I have been wanting to get rid of that car for many moons. So you couple those two items with the cost of insurance and registration, and I am left wondering if it really is worth while to own Bessie anymore. We have one vehicle, do we really need two?

As I roll this question around in my noggin, I realize if my consort is using his vehicle and I need to go somewhere, I could easily rent a car through City Car Share and/or Zip. And using one of these services would be a drop in the bucket compared to what it costs me to keep Bessie stored in the garage.

So it makes sense to get rid of her. Though at the same time - she is paid for and maybe having to spend a little to maintain her is worth the uber convenience of having a second car? I mean, the tires are on her so that cash is spent. Right? I should be good for a little while. But wait...she is nearing her 210,000 mark (we are at 208,000 and change now) and there will be major items that could be on the horizon (new motor, waterpump, belts, etc.). I am screaming over $450 now...what will happen when that number is more than what she is worth? Well, maybe that is when it is 'worth' letting her go. I don't know. I hate to make a rash decision. Guess I need to mull this one over for a little while longer.

P.S. If you are wondering what this photo has to do with anything. Nothing really. I just thought 'Fred' was prettier to look at than a stack of tires.

Photo credit: Herb Ritts (if you do not know his work, check out his website for an overview of his image gallery. He took some truly beautiful portraits in his time).

Big love to the Pirillo's

2006-12-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Chris and Ponzi who said their "I do's" last night.

So wish Chris and I could have been there in person, just know we send our love and best wishes your way - and we have a bottle of bubbly with your name on it waiting patiently for you in our fridge.

And I love that everything is posted on your website...the ceremony, the vows, your experiences, all of it. So wonderful to share that with the world. And it gives me some ideas for our own upcoming nuptials...so thank you!

P.S. If there is a wonder why I picked this photo out of all of them out there, to me it totally symbolizes their relationship. They make each other laugh. Sure there is that love thingy, but the laughter...oh the laughter. *That* is what will keep you strong - in good times and those other moments.

Photo credit: kris krug

Technorati tags: pirillo pirillowedding chrispirillo ponzi wedding geeksinlove

Buy Amazon stock...I am making them rich!

2006-12-01T12:37:00.000-08:00

I haven't been doing much reading lately. Well, I should clarify I haven't been doing much *book* reading lately. I feel like I have been glued to my computer over the last three months, only coming up for air for an event here and there as there is so much going on, and a million little projects I need to complete before year end. So my reading as of late has been solely that of the blogs I like to read (to help keep me 'in the know'). But honestly, most of it is starting to sound the same (sorry guys) so I have been backing away from that medium too in dire need of something 'meatier' - well, actually - I should say in dire need of something 'different'.

Enter: the paperback book. Or 'books' I should say. Time to make some quiet 'Kristie time' to engage the brain differently and allow the eyeballs to be glued to something other than the light of my PC screen.

So I went on to Amazon today and bought a good assortment of books. 12 to be exact. Some are silly, others are books that were recommended by someone I think the world of, and the rest just sounded interesting so I figured I would give them a whirl.

Want to know what I spent my allowance on? Here you go:

Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln - Doris Kearns Goodwin
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives - Frank Warren
Thunderstruck - Erik Larson
The Mr. & Mrs. Happy Handbook: Everything I Know About Love and Marriage (with corrections by Mrs. Doocy) - Steve Doocy
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game - Michael Lewis
The Secret - Rhonda Byrne
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream - Barack Obama
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou
Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

I expect to start turning pages over the holiday as I find myself with much needed downtime. If all goes well, I will burn through a book or three per month (not getting too crazy with my goals) and will post a review of each one to let you know if I thought it was worth my time or not. And once this batch is read - I will order more. So buy that Amazon stock now, as I expect them to make quite a wad of cash off me in 2007.

Technorati tags: book books reading amazon lovetoread nomoreblogs

If you know this fella - contact the British Transport Police

2006-11-25T07:52:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Jackie Danicki was assaulted on a London tube yesterday by this little prick and a pal of his. The assault took place on the southbound Bakerloo line platform at Baker Street, and the abuse continued from there to Piccadilly Circus. If you know who this POS is, please contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40.

----------------------

As for the other folks on the train not stopping this sooner - it doesn't surprise me. It saddens me, but does not surprise me. I am happy to hear others say they would have stepped in. I hope so. I truly do. But I can guarantee if this happened in San Francisco, the odds of anyone stepping in to help would be small - mainly for fear of retaliation (or at least they would not step in initially). It is simply human nature to want to protect oneself. However - I am a diehard optimist and hope that one day we, as humans, can learn to stand up for one another and not allow these abusive situations to happen. To anyone.

I am so glad Jackie is ok. Well, as ok as one can be after her ordeal. One of the things that impresses me about Jax is her willingness to stand up for what is right, and her bold move in taking his photo will hopefully expose this little prick to the world while giving others the courage to stop future assailants.

UPDATED 12/08/06: Looks like one of the fellas (the one Jackie got a photo of) has been arrested. Thank you to everyone who helped spread the word. One more punk off the streets (for a little while at least).

Technorati tags: harassment sexualharassment london londontube physicalassault assaulted seekingjustice

Well, at least they didn't have to amputate...

2006-11-21T15:38:00.000-08:00

Two years ago, I had surgery on my right knee to correct a tracking problem I was having that made it extremely painful to do some of the things I loved to do such as hike, bike, swim, and run. There were a couple of months following the initial surgery in which all seemed right with the world and I thought my troubles were behind me...then my left knee got a bit jealous of the right knee and decided to give out on me too.

I have been battling with this for a year and a half now, all the while I kept thinking it would correct itself if I simply reduced the amount of strain I put it through. So, I decided to back away from almost all physical activity to give it a rest. I stayed out of the gym more times than I went, and in the process - I gained 30 pounds which actually compunded the knee problem as it put more pressure on the kneecap.

It seems I am one of the 'lucky' ones who suffer from chondromalacia which is part genetics (thanks mom) and part the wear and tear I put on my body when I was younger (can't tell now, but I was a runner way back when and very active in sports - softball, volleyball, swimming).

In my case - ignoring it was not going to make it go away.

So last Friday I finally conceded it would not heal on its own and let my doctor hack into my left knee in the hopes we could correct the problem and get me back into walking up stairs, swimming, and even walking long distances without crying like a little girl. It was also imperative to do this sooner rather than later as we are trying to eliminate the possibility of arthritis setting in which is a major side effect of this funky 'disease' I have.

The surgery was done arthroscopically, so thankfully the trauma is minimal compared to other surgeries (like ACL). The doctor goes in through little keyhole incisions and performs a lateral release, where s/he divides the vastus lateralis muscle which weakens it, restoring balance to the Quadriceps muscle which allows the kneecap to track correctly. The surgery takes about 1/2 hour to complete, and I am home in two hours.

Four days later and I am feeling pretty darn good. I actually walked up and down our three flights of stairs today which was very liberating as I was getting a bout of cabin fever that needed to be tended to as there are only so many movies one can watch in a day. If all goes well, I should be in physical therapy for two-three months and skiing in three-four months. **keeping fingers crossed**

Technorati tags: kneesurgery surgery arthroscopic arthroscopicsurgery chondromalacia

bub.blicio.us: the bubble is back baby...

2006-11-21T08:26:00.000-08:00

A couple of my buddies have decided it is time to embrace the bubble we seem to be in, and have a little fun with it by covering events, parties and the Silicon Valley economy through their new website bub.blicio.us.

Why bub.blicio.us you ask? Greg sums it up nicely with 'when the words "free drinks, free food" start occurring more and more in conversation - you're face is being spritzed with bubbles'. With events happening with what feels like every night of the week, it will give these guys lots to cover and share.

Photo Credit: Arnold Pouteau

Technorati tags: bub.blicio.u s parties events livinginabubble siliconvalley bubble

Do I finish the 43 drafts?

2006-11-19T13:24:00.000-08:00

Or do I delete them all and start anew today? That is the big question I have been pondering over the last two weeks.

I have found myself staring at these 43 blog posts several times lately, trying desperately to write the endings in my head, but the words have not been able to transfer through my fingertips.

I think the best option is to walk away from some of them (or at least leave them as drafts for now) as the heat of the moment has passed. Maybe it will hit again, maybe they will stay unfinished forever. Who knows. Others I will go ahead and plug away on as they are either so close to being done - or topics I feel I still need to get out of me...and it will happen, eventually.

So here we go. I am holed up in the house following knee surgery and Nurse Chris insists I take a couple days of quiet time. So I shall read. I shall write. I shall rest. Hopefully my batteries will be rejuiced and the writers block will be lifted.

Technorati tags: hiatus takingabreak writersblock drafts

Broke window. Stole wallet. Bought BART tickets.

2006-10-09T16:03:00.000-07:00

Forest Gump's momma summed it up best when she said... 'stupid is as stupid does'.

And boy was I stupid when I left my wallet sitting out on the gear box of Chris' Jeep for a couple of hours Friday night on a dimly lit street near PacBell Park (near our office).

Some asshole saw the opportunity to put their hand through the window, grab the wallet and run to the Civic Center BART station where they proceeded to buy six BART tickets for $20 each. Now my wallet was full of cards so I guess I should count my lucky stars it wasn't some deputante who would have made their way over to Bloomie's and drained me of every last penny. But all this for $120? Crap. I would have gladly walked them over to the ATM and given them $200 CASH just to not go through the hassle of replacing the car window, all my credit cards, medical cards, the wallet, and my drivers license. Not to mention I had a couple hundred dollars worth of gift cards from Macy's, Ross, Target, Staples, and Starbucks that I can never replace. That stuff is like cash - if you lose it - you can't replace it. And that sucks the most.

ARGH!!!

Well, what can I do but chalk it up to one of those little life lessons. This confirms there are still bad people in this world, and we need to protect our crap. We also need to not do stupid things like leaving your wallet out in the open. I went ahead and filed a police report with both San Francisco and the BART police, but the odds of the culprit being caught and my wallet with all its contents being returned, is extremly slim (actually non-existent). I just need to work on replacing it all which means a trip to the DMV and to the Coach store (yippee!!).

Technorati tags: theft brokenwindow carburglary criminal criminals stolenwallet stolewallet

Happy anniversary BrainJams

2006-10-06T07:04:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe October 7th was the one-year anniversary of our first BrainJam (the Web 2point1 UNconference). Wow. Those 12 months just flew by. It has been an amazing time that has allowed us to meet some pretty kick ass people all around the globe and created some friendships that I know will last a lifetime.

I know the expansion of the organization has been somewhat slow, but it has been steady. We may have strayed off the paved path a few times, but those experiences on the dirt road have given us a mission we can be proud of.

And with six (6) events coming up in the next 45 days - to say things are hopping would be a drastic understatement. But it is good. I am happy. And I thrive when kept busy. So let's just say I am flourishing. Times 10.

I look forward to the years ahead as we continue to grow BrainJams and the Social Media Club organizations and help push standards across the various industries.

Technorati tags: brainjams socialmediaclub anniversary happyanniversary

Dave coughs up the first dollar.

2006-10-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

Dave Winer gets a gold star and a big hug from me for being the first one to officially buy a ticket to the Web 2point2 unconference coming up on 11/9-11/10 at the Microsoft offices in San Francisco.

Maybe this lovefest seems silly to some, but honestly - the event has been up on Upcoming.org for over a month and though people say they are attending - Dave was actually the first to put his money on the table. So thanks Dave. Thanks for believing in us. And thanks for giving me such a great quote to play with at the unconference:

He says, Like the web, it's open to everyone.

Yep, I am going to use that one everywhere. :()

Technorati tags: web2point2 web22 unconference

Yahoo is truly del.icio.us

2006-10-04T17:35:00.000-07:00

Well, at least the BBQ they paid for was.

Last night Chris and I headed to Sunnyvale to help the folks at del.icio.us celebrate their 3rd year in existence and the feat of securing its one millionth user.

Met some fine folks, had some great conversations, and did I mention that BBQ? Yummy. The BBQ Boys from San Jose rock.

In fact, the BBQ moved me so much- I decided to sign up for del.icio.us today. Yep, must have been something in those beans.

Thanks to Yahoo for hosting a good party and I do reckon that del.icio.us is a keeper. Well, at least me (now) and 999,999 other people think so.

Photo credit: Scott Beale/LaughingSquid

Technorati tags: delicious yahoo bbq party birthdayparty

What's your guilty pleasure(s)?

2006-09-28T17:02:00.000-07:00

One of my idols, Ms. Grace, recently asked folks to state what their guilty pleasures are/were.

Never one to miss an opportunity to totally embarrass myself, I noted a few things in her comments, then realized I need to do this list justice. So, this is the condensed, yet somehow expanded, version of my guilty pleasures list:

BANDS I LOVE, BUT WOULD NOT SPEND $$ TO SEE IN CONCERT

Journey - put any of the Steve Perry song's on the radio, I will sing it. Loudly.
Backstreet Boys - used to (like only five years ago) drive down the street with their music blaring as I danced behind the wheel. Yeah, I know. I only do this in private now.
New Kids on the Block - Jordan was such a hottie
Go Go's - they had the beat...way back when.
Barbra Streisand - all my mom's fault
Hall & Oates - close race between Maneater and Kiss on my list as my favorites from them
Britney Spears - can't help it...she puts good dance tracks.

SONGS THAT STILL GET ME MOVING WHEN THEY COME ON THE RADIO (which sadly, does not happen enough in my eyes)

I've been waiting for a girl like you - Foreigner
Careless Whisper - George Michael
Turn the beat around - Gloria Estefan
Lover girl - Teena Marie
Round and Round - Ratt
Friends in low places - Garth Brooks
Achey breaky heart - Billy Ray Cyrus (remember him? Yeah, didn't think so)
Relax - Frankie goes to Hollywood
I'm too sexy - Right said Fred (come on, you dance to this one too...)
Straight Up - Paula Abdul
Poison - Bel Biv Devoe
Come go with me - Cover Girls

TV SHOWS

American Idol - and I watch ALL the audition footage
Bridezillas - I am totally addicted. And you might as well throw in Platinum Weddings into the mix too. Though I don't watch that Bride -vs- Bride show. I do have standards you know, though I will admit they are not high.
Project Runway - Heidi rocks.
Real World - I *was* a junkie for this show, but I have spent the last four years getting it out my system. So no longer on the current list, but think it deserves an honorable mention.
WWE - same as Real World. Had to move on though I wish to thank Ricky the Dragon Steamboat for all the memories. And it does make me cringe to think I used to walk up to my friends and yell 'SUCK IT' which crossing my arms in an 'X' in front of my crotch. Oh Lord. Did I really just admit that?

FOOD

Funyuns
Hamburger Helper
Cheeto s - they have these new flavored sticks out which are so damn good.

MISCELLANEOUS

Leg warmers - I have been secretly wishing that look would stick
Cruising - yes, cruising. Drop the convertible top, plug in your favorite mix tape and cruise up and down main street with 100's of other people. Don't think anyone does this anymore, but it was how we spent our typical Saturday night growing up and was so much fun. Concord, Antioch, Walnut Creek, Santa Cruz, Salinas, and Monterey were some of our top destinations.
Blogging.

I am sure there are many more, but they are escaping me now so this list will have to suffice.

I also think the time has come to own these simply as pleasures, not guilty ones. One of the ladies in Grace's s comments summed it best when she said...'My little secret is that I am not guilty about any of my pleasures anymore. Life is short and often difficult...and if one can find harmless pleasure in cheesy music or bad TV or decadent ice cream, I say hooray and pass the Chunky Monkey'.

Exactly. No harm. No foul. Just good plain fun.

Photo credit: Sean Rowely

Technorati tags: guiltypleasures pleasures funstuff thingsilove bands tvshows food accessories

Need a laugh? Try blaugh.

2006-09-25T17:58:00.000-07:00

Chris turned me onto a great cartoon site that is the brainchild of those crazy kids, Brad Kitpatrick and Chris Pirillo.

They have an innate way of capturing some of the silliness that seems to swirl through this Web world of ours, so check them out as it is sure to put a smile on your face - or hopefully put you in check if you happen to be the one getting parodied.

And while you are at it...be sure to add Gaping Void (brilliant) and Valleywag (snarky goodness) on your daily watch list too.

Technorati tags: comics comedy blaugh gapingvoid valleywag snarky

Happy One Web Day

2006-09-22T04:04:00.000-07:00

One Web Day is a global holiday to celebrate the Internet. Modeled after Earth Day, One Web Day is a day to reflect on the impact of the Internet on our lives, businesses and the world around us. Across the globe people will be joining together on and offline to participate, post, converse, and share in a multitude of small (and big) ways their personal stories.

In celebration of OneWebDay, my buddy Shannon Clark is helping to organize two events here in San Francisco TODAY:

8:30am - downtown San Francisco outside of One Market Street (plaza across from the Ferry Building). They will be handing out flyers, stickers and buttons, taking photos and shooting video asking people about the impact the Web has had on their lives, businesses and communities.
12pm (noon) - in Union Square. They will gather and hold a series of conversations, outside, in small groups to explore and celebrate the Web and it's impact. This will be a mix of a "camp" format and my MeshWalk format (a mini conference held outside, possibly in motion).

I have a post coming that will speak to what impact the Internet has had on my life (some positive, some negative) and hope to have that finished shortly. Right now it is 3:59am and I need to go to bed. (Note: Shannon, I will miss the 8:30am gathering but will be there at noon)

Technorati tags: onewebday web internet celebrate sfevents

Time to send me to the glue factory...

2006-09-21T07:06:00.001-07:00

I have had a few health issues the past couple of years, and it seems each one likes to taunt the other.

First it was my knees. I suffered a pretty bad injury playing softball about seven years ago that took me completely out of the sport. Out of all sports really. No softball. No skiing. No biking. No hiking. Then the weight started adding on. Which of course, puts more pressure on the knee and makes it harder to do anything. Anything at all.

Tired of feeling so old at such a young age, I finally realized it was not going to self correct and in July of 2004, I went in for surgery. They scraped a few chunks of cartilage here and shaved down another area there and fixed me up pretty good (mostly).

My right knee felt great, but shortly after the anethesia wore off, my left knee started acting up as I guess I had overcompensated with it for so long that it finally fired back at me. Choosing physical therapy over surgery, I have spent the last two years trying to get the weight off and get my knee back in working order. Frustrated I wasn't making any headway with the weight, my doctor suggested swimming as it was a really low impact that should give me great results.

So into the pool I jumped.

Then, being the smart multi-tasking girl I can be, I figured no better time than the present to get my scuba diving certificate as I had a trip to St. Thomas/St. John and a trip to Jamaica in 2005 and both are known as lovely dive spots. So I strapped the tanks on, added a few weights to my belt and dropped to six feet.

Pop. Hey, what was that? Hello? Can anyone hear me? Hello? What are you saying? I can't hear you...

Yes, it seems this dumbass (that would be me) was taking diving lessons while still battling a sinus infection. This is not recommended. Actually, it is downright discouraged. Plugged head and water pressure do not mix and eardrums tend to rupture. %*(#@&%(*&#%!!!

Fast forward 1-1/2 years. Unable to run/bike/hike/swim I have put on a massive amount of weight. In fact, I never ever expected to be this big even at nine months pregnancy. Good Lord that is a lot of pounds. And I am not happy about it. And I whine about it occasionaly.

My eardrum has finally healed (though my ear still feels clogged all the time) and I am now able to get in the pool without crying, but my left knee needs to be worked on. So, I headed over to my doctor's office yesteday for an xray (or two), and we confirmed what I have been thinking for the last year.

Yep...I am going under the knife again. November 13th. I am actually excited as I have been trying to diet for the last eight months and I have not succeeded in my attempts. We like to eat out. We like wine. We love beer (well, I do anyway). And I can go to the gym, but that one day agitates my knee so bad that I stay away for three. So it will be nice to be able to work out consistently and hopefully retrieve my body back from the grasps of mother gravity.

But in the meantime, I will try to be good. Losing weight before the surgery will make my recovery a lot easier and I need all the help I can get. So I will swim. And I will not drink beer. And no pasta after 6pm. These should help jumpstart my metabolism, but I can't wait to buy a new pair of running shoes.

Technorati tags: gettingold gettingolder kneeinjury sinusinfection fatgirl losingweight nomoreexcuses

Well, at least I didn't set the house on fire...

2006-09-15T13:21:00.000-07:00

So what happens when you leave a small amount of soup 'cooking' on the stove for six hours. Yep, you guessed it. It eventually evaporates. And then when there is nothing left in the pot to burn, the heat starts to eat the coating off the bottom of the pan.

And did I mention the smell? Lord help me. Where is the ocean breeze when I need it the most?

I think the phone rang while I was pouring my soup into a bowl, I got to chatting, then I walked away with my bowl in hand and forgot to turn the burner off. Whoops. Of course, it is on low, so I don't notice it when I go back into the kichen and then I go out and by the time I come home...well, I have this.

I am so going to get my ass kicked. And if I do stuff like this now...what am I going to be like when I am 80?

I guess all in all my consort should be happy that all we lost was a pot. I mean, at least he still has a house to come home too. :()

Technorati tags: overcooked burne d burnedpot stupidgirl

Bloglines - the ultimate time killer.

2006-09-13T07:13:00.000-07:00

So what I thought would be a time saver has turned into a time killer for me.

You see, I have gone the last year without using any kind of blog aggregator. For those deep in the trenches I know this must be hard to fathom. For my buddies who spend more time outdoors than in, it basically means I hand type in the 7-8 url's of the websites I liked to read when I had the time to read them. Sometimes it was every day, more times than not, it was a weeks worth of reading all at once. It was not a long list so it wasn't really a big deal.

Then I realized how much I was 'missing'. I meet so many interesting people that I would like to keep up with, that I finally realized the power of Bloglines. If they blog/vlog/podcast, I just add their url into my Bloglines account and whalaa - every time they enter a new post I get an overview - all in one spot. This is great!

Until I realized that over the last week I have averaged about 1/3 of my day reading other people's blogs. Holy crap. This is not good for productivity. Sure it helps keep me in the loop of some of the burnings issues out there, but I must figure out a way to not allow it to interfere with my other work.

I guess one small change I can make is only look at it once a day. Right now I leave the window open and refer back to it every hour or so when I need a break from my other tasks. Then of course, I get sucked in. Yeah, maybe that will make a difference - only check it out once a day and do a scan for anything that might pop out at me. Ok, I shall try that.

But I do love it. It is the type of tool that can be ever so helpful as long as you learn to manage it well. Just funny it took me a year to realize that.

Technorati tags: bloglines blogaggregator killingtime timekiller studying unproductive gettowork

I need to lick 17,500 stamps...

2006-09-12T23:16:00.000-07:00

...to get where I want (need) to be.

Crap.

I think we all remember what happened to Susan...so maybe it would be smarter for me to just get my ass back into the gym as it has been a while.

Technorati tags: lickingstamps snapple trivia seinfeld burncalories bottlecap

Meet lonelygirl67

2006-09-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

Cross posted. Please note this will be my last post on the Social Media Club ('SMC') on my personal blog. For news and happenings on the SMC, please check out that site directly as there is some really cool stuff happening there.

Here is Ana getting caught trying to sneak into daddy's suitcase. Sorry baby. I already tried. Unfortunately these bags are not meant for us 'big girls'.

Oh and Jackie - this spoils your surprise, but a big bag of Crystal Light 'On The Go' packets are coming your way. Got everything I could off the shelf so you have a variety of flavors...

This morning I shipped Chris off for two weeks to help launch the local chapters of Social Media Club in London, New York, Miami and Los Angeles. These four cities are the first in (hopefully) many with Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto, and Boston to follow shortly thereafter.

Event details are as follows:

London, September 15th at 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Fleishman Hillard offices located at 40 Long Acre, Covent Garden, London

Registration: As of this post I do not have anyone officially signed up though several have verbally commited to attend. We would appreciate your signing up on the Mollyguard site so we can prepare the security guard at the front desk for your arrival.

Need additional details? Please contact Chris Heuer at chris@brainjams.org.

-------------------

New York, September 18th at 6pm to 8pm
The Business Wire offices at 40 East 52nd Street, New York, NY

Registration: As of this posting we have 18 people registered – Chris Heuer, Howard Greenstein, Laura Sturaitis, Eric Nehrlich, John Hui, David Bradfield, Christina Koukkos, Annette Krame, Kaarli Tasso, Robert Tolmach, Toby Cohen, Laura Allen, Jen Gherardi, Steve Eisenberg, Ed Costello, Colin Ruane, Nate Westheimer, Sherri Weiss.

Need additional details? Please contact Howard Greenstein at Howard@socialmediaclub.org.

-------------------

Miami, September 25th from 6pm to 8pm
PLEASE NOTE THERE WAS A LOCATION CHANGE:

The WeblogWire Offices located at 3550 Biscayne Blvd., Miami Beach, FL

Registration: Chris Heuer, Jason Baptiste

Need additional details? Please contact Jason Baptiste at jason@theweblogwire.com or (305)576-1171 x13

-------------------

Los Angeles, September 28th from 4:30pm – 6:30pm
The Press-feed offices at 6767 Forest Lawn Drive, Suite 212, Los Angeles, CA

Registration: Chris Heuer, Sally Falkow, Dawn Wilcox, Allan Weiss, Robert Niles

Need additional details? Please contact Sally Falkow at sally@press-feed.com.

-------------------

We hope you will join us at one or several of the meetings where you will meet other folks in your own ‘backyard’ interested in Social Media.

Technorati tags: socialmediaclub smc launch london newyork miami losangeles socialmedia hrelease pressrelease socialmediarelease

My 'pen pal' finally said he was sorry.

2006-09-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

I know it is kind of hard to read the image so I will help you out here...

It says 'Hay i am sorry that i was cussing @ u and i learnd my leson not to cuss at people i dont know or just to cuss and now i cant talk to *** so i am just trying to say sorry'.

Seems my little friend got his butt chewed out for being a little turd and now is having to make amends. He has also been told to keep away from my girlfriend's daughter which kills him as I think he had a crush on her. Good. I also hope his mouth was washed out with soap and he was banned from video games for a month. Yeah, I wish all that on a 12 year old. Bite me.

Technorati tags: bully emailpenpal penpal pottymouth

Make Film. Win award. Just like that.

2006-09-11T23:18:00.000-07:00

Well ok, maybe there are a few more steps that need to be wedged in there - but nonetheless...

The 50th San Francisco International Film Festival will be rolling into town April 26th - May 10th (2007) and they have just put out a call for documentaries, shorts, animation, experimental, youth-produced, and work for television for their Golden Gate Awards Competition.

Cash prizes abound, but you need to act fast. The primary deadline for submissions is November 10th, 2006 and the final deadline is December 8th.

Get your 15+ minutes of fame people and submit those films!

Technorati tags: sffs filmfestival sanfranciscofilmfestival goldengateawards filmawards filmcompetition

There is no medicine to cure hatred

2006-09-11T17:38:00.000-07:00

All I ask is '...we not become the evil we deplore.'

Partial quote from Rev. Nathan Baxter's speech on September 14, 2001

Photo credit: Linus Gelber

You know it's a party when you take the keg home...

2006-09-08T17:12:00.000-07:00

Last night we (the Social Media Club / BrainJams crew) co-hosted an open house with our buddies from BuzzLogic at our new digs in the Looksmart building on Second Street.

The building is secured tighter than Fort Knox, so we had to limit our get together to the folks on the 3rd and 4th floors and a handful of outside guests (they would have opened up the entire building if we had given them more notice) - but we still had a nice turnout (about 40 people) and met some really good folks. Chris even got in a foosball game or two so I know he was a happy camper.

The party ended with the keg still about 1/3 full, so Chris and I decided to bring it home so the folks coming over on Sunday for the Web 2point2 planning party have something to help wash down the pizza with. I think it always makes planning a little easier when you have a heat on, right? :()

Technorati tags: socialmediaclub smc buzzlogic looksmart newdigs officeparty openhouse

'Tis the conference season...

2006-09-08T13:51:00.000-07:00

...but really, when is it not?

I need to import my Upcoming calendar into this blog, but true to form...Blogger is acting up on me. (I know, I know. I have been trying to move to Wordpress for three months now. Whatever.) For now we will do it the old fashioned way.

Here is a sampling of where I will be over the next couple of months. Of course, there are 100's of smaller events whittled inbetween these, but I figured you can go to Upcoming and see the rest.

The Future of Web Apps: September 13th and 14th
STIRR: September 13th in San Francisco
Silicon Valley CodeCamp: October 7th and 8th at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills
Office 2.0: October 11th and 12th
The Vloggies: November 4th in San Francisco
Web 2point2: November 9th and 10th in San Francisco

There are also some events I wish I could attend, but can't due to scheduling conflicts, such as Blogger Meetup, Lunch 2.0 'Web Expo' Blowout, BlogOrlando, Social Media Club London, Social Media Club New York, Social Media Club Miami, Social Media Club Los Angeles, WoolfCamp, and Blogs Wikis & Social Media.

They say the beauty of living in Silicon Valley is there is always something going on. They also say the negative side of the valley is there is always something going on.

Technorati tags: events calendar conference unconference busygirl

I'll take a Social Media Club - 'To Go' Please

2006-09-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

Next Tuesday, Chris leaves for a quick trek to London, New York, Miami, and Los Angeles to launch the Social Media Club chapters, and I get to stay home to make sure the cats don't set the house on fire.

Seriously, there were things that needed to be done here (in SF) and I also thought it unwise to spend that much cash right now just so I could see the London Bridge. Sure I could have thrown caution to the wind and put it on the credit card, but there will be other times for me to go, so I decided to 'take one for the team' so to speak. See daddy, I DO listen to your advice every once in a while...

Anyhoo, their are some wonderful people involved in getting the local chapters off the ground and I wish to thank them from the bottom of my heart for their support. Your input on the organization itself, and on the projects we will collaborate on, is vital to our success. So, 'thank you'. 'Thank you' for believing in us. In all of us.

Technorati tags: socialmediaclub smc london newyork miami losangeles roadwarrio r travel launch

Looking for a few good mates.

2006-09-06T13:07:00.000-07:00

Cabin mates that is.

Chris and I have been renting a ski house in North Lake Tahoe (Truckee) the last couple of years that puts us within 20 minutes from our favorite places - Squaw, Alpine and Northstar. There are usually 10 members involved in the house which makes the fees pretty reasonable, especially when you factor in what a hotel would cost us for the season with as much as my little snow bunny likes to go up there (I hope to hit the slopes hard this year too - if my knee holds up that is). Note to self...get in and see the knee doctor ASAP.

The same core group of have been together the last three years, but it seems injuries, weddings and babies has a few of us needing to skip this little piece of heaven this season. Bummer for us, but life goes on they say.

So we are now looking for a few good mates. Five to be exact. We are a group of 'professionals' in our 30's and 40's, social drinkers who like to cook, but who are just as likely to head out to dinner together as well. We all help to keep the house clean and believe no one should have to clean up after someone elses mess.

Think along the lines of Friends, not Animal House. We would like you to be the same. Not too tall of an order is it? Oh. And you need to have $1,500. Muy importante. Part of this amount includes a deposit that we will hopefully see at the end of the season if we are good boys and girls.

As of right now there are four boys and one girl signed up. While I personally like those odds, I wouldn't turn down another blast of estrogen or two in the house. But, if it ends up just being me and nine boys...well, somehow...I will make it through the season.

So is anyone interested in joining us, or do you know someone else who might be? Drop me a line at kristie [at] brainjams [dot] org. Unfortunately, time is of the essence, so we need to make a decision quick (by Monday, 9/11/06) as homes up there are being gobbled up quickly.

Technorati tags: northlaketahoe tahoe tahoeskihouse tahoeskilease skilease skirental cabinmates vacationrental

Do you have a great Social Media story to tell?

2006-09-05T07:39:00.000-07:00

Well then, here is your chance to show off your mad skills - but you have to act quickly!

My buddies over at SNCR are looking for case studies that highlight excellence in the use of Social Media (i.e. blogs, wikis, podcasts, collaborative tools and other forms of participatory communications).

Winners will be announced at the inaugural SNCR Research Symposium & Awards Gala in Boston, MA and the award-winning case studies will be published in the New Communications Review. Talk about getting 15+ minutes of fame!

Submit your case study now as the deadline is Monday, September 15th.

Technorati tags: sncr societyfornewcommunicationsresearch sncrawards socialmedia socialmediacasestudies

Get paid to blog

2006-09-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

Do you have an extensive knowledge base of pop culture?

Do you blog?

Do you have a good sense of humor?

Do you like money?

Well then, contact my buddy Jackie as she is looking for you! But do it quick as I think she is making a decision next week.

P.S. I'd put in my own application, but evidently I am not funny enough or she would have thought of me immediately. :()

Technorati tags: blogger payperpost getpaidtoblog gettingpaidtoblog popculture popcultureblog blogging makingmoney

Like Dave Matthews Band?

2006-08-31T17:50:00.000-07:00

Die hard fans that we are - we bought tickets for Friday (09/08/06) and Saturday (09/09/06) at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View.

I now have a company gig I cannot bow out of, so we need to sell our Friday night tickets. I will post them on Craigslist, but figured it wouldn't hurt to blog about it too.

Tickets are for:

Friday, 09/08/06 Section 202, Row Q, Seats together in the 30's

Asking for face ($59.50) plus the silly ticketing fees we were dinged when we originally bought them ($5.50) for a total of $130. Can meet anywhere in San Francisco for an in-person swap (cash for tickets) or you can Paypal the money to me and I will Fed Ex them to you (for an additional fee of $23).

If you love Dave Matthews Band and have never seen him live. You must buy these tickets and go. It is an experience not to be missed.

UPDATE: THE TICKETS HAVE BEEN SOLD. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO EMAILED ME ABOUT THEM.

Photo credit: Shoreline

Technorati tags: davematthews davematthewsband dmb livemusic concert sellingtickets
shoreline shorelineamphitheatre

HuckaBuck on the block - auction block that is.

2006-08-31T17:31:00.000-07:00

My favorite fellas from New Orleans have put their baby on the block to focus on other projects they have up their sleeve.

And just to make it interesting, they put HuckaBuck up on eBay. So go and bid. Bid big - and give HuckaBuck a new home.

Technorati tags: huckabuck auction ebay metasearchengine searchengine searchinterface

Welcome to hoochie land

2006-08-31T16:34:00.000-07:00

I can only hope neon is coming back in style or I am going look like a total hoochie mama when I answer my phone in public.

Yes folks. I own a hot pink phone. A hot pink Razr to be exact. Didn't know they made them in hot pink? Yeah, I didn't either until I opened the box and got the shock of a lifetime.

Let me backtrack a bit...

So I have had some problems with my Treo recently. Add to the mix Chris accidently dropping it at a party a couple weeks ago, and now my Treo has decided it has had enough abuse and stopped turning on, taking all my contacts with it. Now, it is not THAT bad as I backed the bugger up a couple months of ago, but there are some recent entries that are gone forever unless I pay Palm and/or Cingular to retrieve the data for me (still trying to decide if it is worth it or not as I hate giving those f***ers any more money - more on that below).

Anyway, my Treo is dead. I call Cingular and they go through their standard script - offering me a new one for $200 if I sign another two year deal. With all the problems we have had with Cingular - the last thing I wish to do is start another two year contract with them. SO how much is it retail I ask? $400? No thanks. I didn't like it that much anyway. So I decide to look at alternatives. How much is the Razr I ask? $99 with a two year contract or $350 if I pay retail. Crap. I guess I can always take the new contract, pay $99 for the phone and if I want to cancel before the end of the term I will just owe them $175 early termination fee. That option still saves me ove $75 from their retail price, but it just doesn't seem right I should have to be locked into an agreement when we are already 1-1/2 years into the existing agreement. And either way, I will then have to pay them $36 to activate the thing. So I decide to find another distribution center.

Enter eBay. Glorious eBay. I can be the proud owner of a new unlocked Razr for about $150. Cool. That is what I will do. Don't have to deal with Cingular. No new agreements need to be signed. No additional fees required of me. Buy. Ship. Swap SIMs. Answer phone. Whalaa.

So I search eBay for a pink Razr to match my new Bluetooth headset and settle on an auction that I win easily. Of course, I should note the picture in the auction did show the phone being hot pink, but I erroneously thought it was just a bad picture as the only pink tone I had ever seen was the light pink from Cingular. The nice light pink color. Isn't it pretty? The light pink color.

So anyway, I win the auction, pay my money and a couple days later I get the phone. The hot pink phone. To top it off, the phone is set in Italian so I have to spend 1/2 hour trying to remember my lessons from five years ago to change it back to English. But I do. And it works, so I guess I can't complain.

Well, yes I can. The phone is hot pink. I look like such a hoochie mama.

Photo credit: Cingular

Technorati tags: treo650 deadtreo cingular razr pinkrazr hotpinkrazr italianrazr ebay auction cellphone

Unpacking my bags and putting my PJs back on

2006-08-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

Day five of this friggin cold - well, more like day seven from the time the first symptoms came on - and this bug is still kicking our ass pretty good. So much so that we had to make the hard decision to bow out of our Burning Man trip.

Totally sucks as we would have been heading out to the playa today, but I know in the long run it was the right thing to do. I mean, our lungs are so full of crap that we can't even climb a flight of stairs without gasping for air along the way - so the 'responsible' side of us realized we were not healthy enough to tackle all the elements of the playa.

And seeing the photos of the dust storm they just had confirms we made the right decision. Something tells me our little ventilation masks would not have protected our lungs very well - so yes, it sucks that we are not there. But I kind of like breathing, so I guess I am happy we stayed home.

Shout out to our buddies at Smite Camp (3:30 and Chance). I guess we will always have next year...

Photo credit: Abraxas3d

Technorati tags: burningman burningman2006 sick sickgirl duststorm

The magic of Safire

2006-08-29T17:03:00.000-07:00

My buddy Safire just made a video of a pretty groovy trick and submitted it on YouTube in the hopes she garners enough views/votes to earn her a place in the DVD for the The Illusionist.

So check it out, rate it, share it.

Technorati tags: magicsafire youtube butterflytrick magictrick theillusionist contest

Being sick sucks.

2006-08-26T16:51:00.000-07:00

I hate being sick.

Can't breathe.

Itchy throat.

Head pounding.

Not a lick of energy can be mustered at a time when I need to be operating at 150%.

And...if this doesn't go away quick, our trip to the playa will be in jeapordy. Bugger me.

I need another can of chicken soup. And an Advil. ASAP.

Photo Credit: ImmenseImprints

Is there an Expert (or two) in the house?

2006-08-25T17:07:00.000-07:00

Presents:

ASK AN EXPERT II

So the first gathering went off without any casualties (well, none that I am claiming), so Chris and I thought - what the heck?! Let's do another. And another (January 2007). And another (March 2007).

The idea is simple.

Option #1:
You have some knowledge. You would like to share that knowledge, so you come to CNET on Tuesday, September 19th and pay it forward. You leave knowing you have done something really nice and you will win the lotto next month. (Ok, so I can't really control that, but I believe in karma so let's think positive shall we?)

Option #2:
There is something you have been yearning to learn how to do. You put your name on our website and we see if we can find someone to help you out. You go home. You play with your new mad skills. You come back to the next Rent an Expert event and teach someone else. (Show. Do. Teach.)

We have also been graced by lovely sponsors / patrons and owe much props to Joel Sacks at CNET for allowing us to cop a squat there for the evening. And another huge shout out to Mindjet, who has donated a PC version of their MindManager program that some lucky receipient will be taking home with them that night. Now, bonus would be finding some loving soul to donate a little dinero so we can bring snacks and drinks to share. Hmmm?? Anyone got a few extra pennies in their pocket? Let me know.

Technorati tags: socialmediaclub brainjams smc:expert2 askanexpert smc:askanexpert unconference cnet mindjet

Happy birthday baby.

2006-08-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

'Men are like wine. Some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age'. C.E.M. Joad

Happy birthday to the man I love, truly one of the best.

Here's to all your dreams and wishes coming true in this lifetime. Oh wait...they already did...you have me. :()

I love you muffin.

Technorati tags: happybirthday birthdaywishes

What gets me out of the house at 10:30pm on a Sunday night?

2006-08-21T08:03:00.000-07:00

Ozomatli man. Ozomatli.

What a great concert. Super small venue (Boom Boom Room). Bodies swaying to the music. The band less than five feet away from us. And the best part of all? My knees held up and allowed me to dance all night*. Wow. Good times baby. Good times.

*Of course I am paying for it today. I think it is time for another ice pack.

Technorati tags: ozomatli livemusic concert boomboomroom sanfranciscomusic latin funk

This will not turn into a wedding blog. Oh wait, it already has.

2006-08-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

We did it. My consort and I finally launched our wedding website, http://www.chrisandkristie.com.

Yeah, I know. It kind of looks ugly. Chris and I were going for a quick turnaround rather than glam appeal so we could start directing our guests towards information easily. This 'just let it fly' attitude is totally out of character for me, but I am dealing with it for now as I figure at least there is something there for people to see. Everyone has to travel, so the sooner they got the information, the better.

I have also decided that is where all our wedding posts shall go from now on so if you want to keep updated on the craziness that can be 'Chris and Kristie', you will need to add another link into your feed burner.

Good, bad, happy, sad. Let them see it all. Maybe it will shock some and help whittle down the guest list. :()

Just kidding.

Well, kind of.

Photo credit: Thomas Hawk

Technorati tags: wedding gettingmarried chrisandkristiegetmarried weddingplanning weddingblog

Social Media Club opens its doors...and is looking for your feedback

2006-08-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

Why the Social Media Club ('SMC') you ask?

We felt there was a need for a neutral third party platform in which people can share best practices, support ethics and standards, and develop programs to promote media literacy. Basically - we wanted to do good, and we want to make the world a more positive place. The SMC seemed like a perfect vehicle to do so.

Knowing there was a lot at stake, we chose to follow Bill Murray's baby steps philosophy and launched the organization with a small project to start, the New Media Release - also known as the hRelease. (HA! I know, I know. If this is our idea of a small project can you imagine what we think is big?) There has been a lot of activity in the Google Group so far, and I am excited to take these points into various online and offline discussions to generate something I can really sink my teeth into.

The first offline discussion starts tonight and will be held at the Interplast offices in Mountain View. Anyone and everyone interested in joining us - please do so - the more is merrier here. The focus tonight will be a short discussion on the development of the SMC organization and then we will dig into all the gooeyness of the New Media Release. If you are not able to join us in person, we have set up an IRC and will also have 10 conference lines available which are on a first come - first served basis.

Afterwards, we will be heading to an informal "Blogger Dinner" in downtown Mountain View at Tied House http://www.tiedhouse.com/locations/mtn_view.html
where we continue the more is merrier attitude. There will not be an IRC or a conference call available for that gathering. ;)

Look forward to growing this with you all.

Technorati tags: socialmediaclub newmediarelease hrelease interplast

New Media Release Podcast #4

2006-08-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

Chris Heuer and Brian Solis are live at SES and discuss search-engine optimization of press releases and the role of XML schemas in press releases.

The podcast can be found at the 'For Immediate Release' site.

It's a thriller folks.

Technorati tags: newmediarelease pressrelease hrelease socialmedia podcast nmrcast

Do they sell 180 SPF on the playa?

2006-08-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

We did it. We finally bought our Burning Man tickets.

We have been see-sawing back and forth over the last three months and finally realized this might be one of the few times in the next couple of years that we will be able to go - so we threw caution to the wind and added another $510 to our credit card debt.

I can't wait.

Photo credit: Waldemar Horwat

Technorati tags: burningman burningman2006 lifeontheplaya newbie firsttimer

My EDD check barely covers my COBRA payment

2006-08-07T12:58:00.000-07:00

When I was laid off, I had the following options (a) going without health insurance (stupid at my age = old), (b) trying to get a new policy on my own (stupid as I have bad body parts with pre-existing injuries = knees), or (c) extending my existing policy through COBRA and paying out the ass 'just in case' something happens (stupid as Murphy's Law will prove - nothing will happen during this time off).

Of course I chose option (c). Holy crap.

I find it amazing I have to spend $450+/month to ensure I don't end up spending 1,000's (or more) if I cut a finger off - which if you know me is likely as I am not the most graceful girl in the world.

To add insult to injury, my COBRA bill and my EDD check arrived on the same day. They basically cancel each other out so it looks like it is Top Ramen for me tonight.

Maybe I should work on that resume of mine...I need to find a sucker - oops I mean employer - to pick up the tab for my health insurance.

Technorati tags: healthinsurance cobra oldbody

Vamanos a Mexico!

2006-08-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

Hola. Como estas? Me llamo Kristie. Mas cervesa por favor. No problema esta aqui para mi. Donde esta el bano? Cuanto es?

Just thought I would start practicing for our trip next July when mi c orazon, our family, friends and I descend upon the El Dorado Royale in the Riviera Maya (Mexican Caribbean) for a weeks worth of festivities to celebrate the new jewelry Chris and I will be wearing.

Yes folks. It has happened. It only took us three months, but Chris and I have finally secured a destination for our destination wedding. YAHOO!

Nestled on a lovely strip of white beach inbetween Cancun and Playa del Carmen is the ‘little’ resort El Dorado Royale. I say ‘little’ as it is actually a lot bigger than I was originally looking for, but after closer review we noticed it had all the elements we wanted in our destination:

(1) Resort - all inclusive. Plethera of food, drinks, and activities without you ever needing to take your wallet out of the safe. There is also a spa for those moments we truly wish to pamper ourselves.

(2) Accomodations - Main resort has lovely 'reasonably priced' rooms and the building are no more than three stories high which keeps it more intimate feeling. There are also individual bungalows (casitas) available for those who wish to live like P. Diddy for a day (or seven).

Chris and I are going to go hog wild and book the swim up casita. You know what they say, 'when in Rome'...

(3) Location - most everyone can get there on a direct flight with others not having more than one layover. It is also just 30 minutes to Cancun and 15 minutes to Cozumel / Playa del Carmen so we can take road trips if everyone felt the need to leave the resort for a day.

Of course, we are still trying to figure out how to get grandpa there without him having to fly, but I am hopeful we can work it out.

-------

So there you have it. All the blood, sweat and tears that have been shed over the last three months have finally landed us in Mexico. And I couldn't be happier.

Vivo, amor, danza, cante.

Technorati tags: chrisandkristiearegettingmarried wedding weddingplanning destinationwedding gettingmarried mexico eldoradoroyale

Social Media Club Meeting #1

2006-08-02T20:29:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, August 16th
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Location:
Interplast
857 Maude Avenue
Mountain View, CA 94043

Entry fee: $0.00

Thanks to Seth Mazow and the folks over at Interplast who have graciously opened their doors to host the first open meeting for the Social Media Club.

The night will be spent talking about the goals of the SMC, how we should structure it and our first prject, the New Media Release. The specifics can be found online at the Social Media Club website and we will follow up with additional details on the event over the next couple of weeks.

I hope to see you there.

Technorati tags: socialmedia socialmediaclu b web2.0 hrelease mediarelease pr2.0

New Media Release Podcast #3

2006-08-01T15:54:00.000-07:00

Tom Foremski and Brian Solis join Chris Heuer and Shel Holtz for a discussion on what to call this thing, how to get the profession to work together on a single product, and the role the wire services will play.

You may listen to the podcast here and sign up for the RSS feed here.

Technorati tags: newmediarelease podcast mediarelease socialmediarelease hrelease socialmediaclub

Sing it with me Sammy....

2006-07-28T18:51:00.000-07:00

IIIIIIIII
Cannnnnn't
Driveeeeee . . . 55iiiiiiiiiiivvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeee!

---------------------------------

Driving home from Oregon recently, I got caught speeding.

As I watched the officer walk up to my car, I found myself getting really pissed off that he had stopped me. I was speeding. I was wrong. I deserved getting a ticket. But my initial reaction was anger. Did he not know I had places to be? Had he not seen the blue truck who had gone sailing past me not but 10 minutes ago? Didn’t he have anything better to do than to harass me? I was so close to home. Damn.

Then it struck me. I needed to take a chill pill. This was not the end of the world. What I was getting was a simple little speeding ticket. He is only doing his job (*cough* speed trap). I can’t fault him for that (I'll see you in court). My actions got me into this position (more like my lead foot), and I quickly realized I jumped to anger when there was no reason to do so (I am supposed to get away with everything).

Yes it sucks, but then I think about all the other times I had sped and did not get caught, and started counting myself lucky. Very very lucky.

Technorati tags: speeding speedingticket policia highwaypatrol chp gotcaught

BrainJams: A Conversation on Technology

2006-07-27T17:52:00.000-07:00

The National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation is hosting BrainJams!: A Conversation on Technology presented by Chris Heuer, founder of BrainJams Workshops and Beth Kanter, Nonprofit Technology Consultant on Thursday, August 3rd at the Parc 55 Hotel in San Francisco.

This all-day exploration of online technology and how it can be used by practitioners of dialogue & deliberation to enhance their work, offers an opportunity to learn directly from technologists who will join us for a day of demonstrations and conversations. These technologists, leaders in the cutting edge online technology often referred to as Web 2.0, will offer their expertise on a wide array of networking and collaboration tools (including Wikis, Blogs, Podcasts, Online Workspaces and Social Networks) through BrainJam’s signature "12 Five Minute Meetings" as well as a broader conversation using the World Café.

The BrainJams event will be held from 9am to 5pm at the Renaissance Parc 55 in downtown San Francisco and more information about the 2006 National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation can be found at http://thataway.org/conference/.

Technorati tags: brainjams brainjams03august2006 ncdd

Pimms Cup, a tasty treat

2006-07-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

When Chris and I were in New Orleans this past May, we stumbled upon the Napoleon House located in the heart of the French Quarter, and quickly latched onto frosty glasses carrying their speciality drink - the Pimms Cup.

Yummy.

The Pimms Cup is one of those drinks you can drink all day. Of course, I don't know if you would be able to walk very straight if you did - but it a light refreshing drink, perfect for a hot summers day, and really is just the right blend of alcohol and non-alcohol ensuring all you tasted was goodness. (I guess now is the right time for a disclaimer - I tasted a lot of goodness that trip - HA!). Anyway - Mario over at the Napoleon House makes a mean Pimm's Cup, and I have been dreaming of it every since we got back.

Fast forward two months later.

My girlfriend Amanda and I were playing in North Beach this past weekend and somehow the topic of the Pimm's Cup came up. I was telling how good they were, and how I wish she could try them, but I was having a hard time finding Pimm's anywhere in the Bay Area so I guess she never will unless she goes to New Orleans. She suggests we try this local liquor store saying if anyone would have it - they would. And you know what? They did have it.

So I grab up two bottles and Amanda and I rush to my house to try our luck at replicating the receipe. And experiment we did. I was trying to make them from memory and my first batch turned out way too strong. Bummer. Hard to cut that. Realizing half of the bottle was gone in my little mishap, Chris decided to take over as bartender - and he nailed it. Just like that. Almost like he had been practicing this moment for the last two months awaiting the bottle to make its way into our house.

And then we lost lost the rest of our day - floating on a Pimm's Cup high...

Gosh those are good.

If you would like to make you own, I found the original receipe on the Napoleon House website (see below). So, clear your calendar and enjoy the rest of your day on a Pimm's Cup high!

Pimm's Cup:

Fill a tall 12 oz glass with ice and add 1 1/4 oz. Pimm's #1 and 3 oz lemonade

Then top off with 7up (we used ginger ale - both work

Garnish with cucumber

Enjoy.

Photo credit: Chris Heuer

Technorati tags: pimmscup pimms napoleonhouse neworleans favoritedrink

Turn on the hose - I need to water the money tree out back...

2006-07-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

Crap. How did our wedding budget triple in less than a week? Oh I know. I could not find a nice beachy destination spot for our wedding, so Chris and I are now back to looking locally (San Francisco).

Local means big money to get the look and feel we want. Local means no toes in the sand when I say 'I do' as July in San Francisco is just too sketchy. Local means spending way more money than I ever thought we would or could spend on our wedding.

Local means we now have to rip through our guest list to get the party goers down from 125 to around 40 - and this is not an easy thing to do. Have you ever tried to rate your friends? Not fun, and definitely not something I want to have to do again. Talk about a process that could easily drive a person to drink. In fact, I think I need to grab a beer now (yes, at 8am in the morning) just to get through this post.

So back to rating your friends - crap, what a sucky way to spend your evening. Basically it goes like this...

You build the 'wish list' guest list - add anyone you would like to share your day with you
Count that up, multiply by $200/head and there is your catering bill
Pick yourself up off the floor and look at the list closely...must cut some bodies.
Who are the people that must be there? (you never ever envisioned getting married w/o them)
Place an 'A' next to their name
Count the number of 'A's and multiply by $200/head for the revised catering bill
Ok, grab another beer and look at the list again. We must cut more.
Who would understand the financial thing? Place a 'B' by their name. *
Honestly, who are you not as close too anymore? Fine. They get a 'B' too.
You look at the list again. You are close. Only talking a few more 'B's and you should be ok. Hmmm...must rethink strategy. Of course, we could opt to go a lot more casual which means our wedding budget can be stretched farther and more people could come - but casual is not what we want for our big day and I am sorry - but we will be a little selfish here.
Who did you just meet last week? I know you hit it off instantly and you plan to have them be in your life forever, but we are talking serious dollars here. They get a 'B'. Sorry.
Ok, you count again and now have an 'A' list that once calculated against your $200/head budget - you can manage.

Now you can focus back to finding that damn wedding venue...

* The trick though - is not to let your friends know you placed them on a 'A' or a 'B' list, which I stupidly let happen. A friend of mine was over the other day and needed to use the computer for a minute. I had the A/B worksheet open and of course she saw it. And she saw 'B' next to her name. She didn't say anything, but I know it must have smarted to see it. And the sad thing - she is an 'A' in my book. She is someone who I expect to be sipping margaritas with and sharing good stories when we are old and gray. But I had to make sacrifices. And unfortunately, she had to be one of them. Doesn't mean I love her any less... but I should not have allowed that to happen.

** I realize this has turned into a wedding blog. For that, I am truly sorry. I don't really know what this blog was before Chris proposed, but the last thing I ever imagined was for me to spend my time feeling sorry for myself as I spew my emotional drama over the lack of a friggin wedding location. I know I need to snap out of it!

Photo credit: Real Mac

Technorati tags: wedding weddingplanning weddingbudget

New Media Release Podcast #2

2006-07-21T17:44:00.000-07:00

This week finds Tom Foremski, Todd Defren, Shel Holtz, and Chris Heuer discussing the naming of the ('New') Media Release and continuing their discussions on how the standard old tired press release could do with an upgrade.

You can hear the podcast here.

If you would like to sign up for the RSS feed, you can do that as well (of course I think you should, as there are sure to be lots of little nuggets coming out of these conversations).

I would also encourage you to join the Google group and share your thoughts with the world.

Technorati tags: newmediarelease socialmediarelease mediarelease pressrelease nmrcast

I believe in karma.

2006-07-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

I believe if you help others, good things will come back to you three fold.
I believe if you let go of a little, you will gain a lot.
I believe karma prevails in all situations.

———

Want to know who is testing karma tonight? Folks sharing bits of what they know at the Rent an Expert event being held at CNET’s offices in San Francisco. That’s who. These lovely people are donating their time and their expertise because they know good things come back around to those who help others succeed.

As of this morning, our ‘experts’ have signed up to cover the following topics:

Setting up a Word Press Blog - Chris Heuer, BrainJams
Search Engine Optimization - Lawrence Coburn, RateItAll
The Basics of Creating a Videoblog - Eddie Codel, GETV
Smack’ ‘em (Community Building) - Jonas M Luster, Your Intarweb Going Commando
The Secret to Kick-Ass BBQ - Eugene Eric Kim, Blue Oxen Associates
Innovate to be great! - Cathryn Hrudicka, Creative Sage
Publishing Globally to the Web - Arthur Law, Ion Global
MindMapping with MindJet – Tom Blossom, MindJet
Celestial videos/pictures for blogs, websites and sharing | A handy personal organizer - Rod Seddigh

Have something else you would like to share? Sign up as an expert.

Now, is there something you are dying to learn? Let us know. We believe it doesn’t matter how many people are in the room - the odds are good someone has the information you need (or at least knows how to get it). Add your request to the list and we will do our best to find an expert for you.

The event starts tonight at 5:30pm and will be at CNET’s headquarters (235 Second Street - between Howard and Folsom). Thanks to our sponsors* - there will be drinks and snacks so even if you already know it all, or prefer to keep your knowledge tucked away inside your own nogin, join us and at least mingle a bit. It will do you good.

Want to know more? General info can be found at http://rentanexpert.pbwiki.com/.

All I ask - is if you ARE coming, we would like you to register at http://rentanexpert.pbwiki.com/RegisterOnWiki to make sure we have a good headcount.
See you tonight!

* Event sponsors: CNET, RateItAll, MindJet, Stormhoek, and BrainJams. Thank you all for your support!

Technorati tags: brainjams brainjams:expert1 brainjams:rentanexpert rentanexpert

They say you shouldn't keep things bottled up inside...

2006-07-18T13:47:00.000-07:00

I want to be married to this man. I do. I do. I do.

But, three months of search and Chris and I still have not secured a spot for our 'big day'. Three months! What the hell is going on?

Why is it so difficult for us to agree on a location? We both know no place will be perfect especially since we don't have the Hollywood budget needed to ensure it looks exactly the way we would like. But that is ok. We will be together. Our friends and family will be there. It should be lovely no matter where it is.

But, if that is really true...why does the location still haunt me to this day? Why can't I just pick any old place and be done with it?

Because deep down inside...I really do want somewhere fabulous. I want it so bad, it pains me so. I want a place that is comfortable and casual one minute and black tie the next. I want a nice destination spot for our friends. I want the places that we can't afford. Or I should say...I am unwilling to ask our friends to spend just to share our day. I want what I can't have, and it sucks. I am sure I can deal in the long run, but it doesn't lessen the suck part any.

I have searched and searched to no avail. Of course, there have been a couple of places we found that might work (Florida, Hawaii and Tahoe), but by the time we put the call into them they were either (1) already booked, or (2) wanted a premium for the honor of having our wedding there. I am sorry - but just because you can - doesn't mean you should triple your rates when you think you have a desperate bride on your hands. That is mean, and karma will come around to bite you in the ass one day.

So what about changing the date you say? Let me just say - no, no, no. We know we were silly to think we could pick the most popular day in 2007, take our time to plan and still have the pick of the lot, so I will deal with it. I might need to vent on occasion, but I will deal with it as the date is important for so many reasons I don't want to change it. I will keep searching until I am blue in the face as something in me believes the right spot is out there.

I just can't believe it is this hard. BLECH!

Technorati tags: wedding weddingplanning gettingmarried destinationwedding bridezilla

New Media Release Podcast #1

2006-07-17T18:01:00.000-07:00

Chris Heuer and Shel Holtz introduce the weekly New Media Release Podcast (‘NMRCast’) and explain the NMR working group; discussion of microformats and their role in the NMR; where we plan to go from here.

You can download the podcast, or sign up for the RSS feed to get it and future shows automatically. (For automatic synchronization with your iPod or other digital player, you’ll also need a podcatcher such as Juice, DopplerRadio, iTunes or Yahoo! Podcasts, or an RSS aggregator that supports podcasts such as FeedDemon).

If you would like to participate in the New Media Release conversations, please join the Google group.

Thank you Shel for your support!

Technorati tags: newmediarelease sociamediaclub nmrcast pressrelease chrisheuer shelholtz forimmediaterelease

Aloha. And aloha.

2006-07-17T16:02:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought we had it dialed in...POOF. The wedding location of our dreams (well, close enough to I should say) dissipates before our eyes and it seems Maui is no longer an option for us.

The owner of the house we thought we had locked in realized this is not only a special date (07/07/07), but the weekend is close enough to the Fourth of July so now he has decided he won't rent the house to us for less than seven days as it is now considered 'holiday rates'. At $6,000 per night - we simply can't afford it. Well, we can. But I refuse to spend that kind of money.

Fucker.

I know, I know. Harsh language. But we had a deal. I was ready to sign the papers. I had lined up the caterer. My friends were already checking flights (obviously, you should stop shopping for tickets now).

It was the one place that Chris and I bought felt was 'right' and now I can't believe I am back to the search again. ARRRGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!

Sure there are other places on Maui that are lovely, but this house seemed to be everything I had hoped our day would be - modern, simple, elegant, homey, luxurious, comfortable. I have spent the last couple of days searching for a replacement and nothing else seems to be able to stand up to it, and honestly, if we are going to spend the kind of money we are talking about spending - I want it to be scrumptuous.

It just sucks.

Photo credit: Fabulous-Homes.com

Technorati tags: maui mauiwedding wedding weddinglocation fabuloushomes

Wonder what a wiki is? Want to know how to set up a blog?

2006-07-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

Well then come on over to CNET's headquarters this Wednesday, July 19th and join us for the Rent an Expert event hosted by BrainJams, CNET, Mindjet, RateItAll, and Stormhoek.

The event will run from 5:30pm to about 8:30pm and is open to everyone (aka: meaning it is FREE to attend).

Yes, that's right. It is free to walk through the front door. Mingle, drink our beer, eat our snacks.

All we ask is if you wish to pick the brains of those who have signed up as experts that you give a few dollars to the cause* (ranging between $1 - $5 per session). Seems like a good deal, right?

We have a diverse list of experts that have signed up so far, and I love seeing not all of it is technically based. Do you have a burning desire to learn how to:

Jumpstart your organization with solid business practices?
Set up a Wordpress blog?
Utilize Search Engine Optimization ('SEO')?
Videoblog?
Build a community and garner awareness?
Expand services with software/website development?
Ensure you have a kick ass BBQ?

Have mad skills that are not yet represented here? Sign up as an expert and share them with the world. Well, at least a select few in San Francisco (smile).

We could use a few more folks signing up to LEARN something, otherwise Seth Mazow and I will be running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to fill in the spots. :) NOTE: It does not have to match what is on the 'offering' list right now. It can be ANYTHING, as you never know who in the room knows what.

So, if you are coming, I would like to encourage you to first register, then let us know what you are offering or seeking (or both). We are just trying to get a general sense of the topics before the event starts to help expedite the setup process.

Hope to see you there!

* The cause will be the charity that receives the most votes during a survey at the event. It will not be BrainJams - unless you guys vote on it as you would like to see more of these events happen. :)

Technorati tags: brainjams:expert1 brainjams:rentanexpert1 rentanexpert brainjams brainjams19july2006
networking sharing learning buildingcommunity

I love when a band surprises me

2006-07-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

I love the Foo Fighters. I mean, really love the Foo Fighters.

I love how creative they get in their videos. I love the lyrics to their songs. I love how crazy they can get on the stage (the boys can really rock out). I love watching Dave Grohl interact with the crowd during concerts. I love how everytime I see them - I find myself dreaming about what it would be like to sit around a camp fire sucking back beers and shooting the shit with them. I know, I know. I am a goofball. :)

And I love how one time I see them they are hard core rockers bouncing all over the stage - and the next time they are sitting on the stage with a mini orchestra, playing the same music - acoustically. And the acoustic is good people. Really good. Especially when Dave belted out my favorite song, Everlong. Wow. He really blew me away. And I will admit, I was a tad bit surprised just how good the acoustic set was. But I am now a believer.

Both concerts left me wanting more. Both made me realize I need to see them EVERY time they roll into town. Rocking. Acoustic. Whatever. I am a Foo lover forever.

Photo Credit: Chris Heuer

Technorati tags: foofighters concert acousticconcert foofightersfanclub foofightersfan

Squidlist gets a face lift

2006-07-12T11:50:00.000-07:00

I love the Squid list as it keeps me up to date with some really fun, though sometimes quirky, events around the Bay Area. Sure I still use Upcoming.org, but Upcoming to me is more for business events and concert information. The Squid list allows me to see into the cultural side of the Bay Area.

The one thing I never liked about the Squid list was the 50+ emails I would get weekly as each event carried it own notice. But Scott has answered my prayers (albeit silent ones) and restructured the way he communicates the email announcements to combine all listings into one daily synopsis. This is fabulous! I can scan the list easily and I don't have to sift through 50 emails to find what I want. Oh happy day! Talk about a major improvement. Thank you!

And in case you were curious what the new list looks like, here is the update I received today:

Upcoming Events on the Squid List
Airplane! The Movie - A Burning Man Theme Camp Fundraiser - 07/15/2006
BrainJams - Rent an Expert - 07/19/2006 (our little event - make sure you sign up!)
Burning Man Desert Art Preview - 07/12/2006
Godfellas-The San Francisco Mime Troupe - 07/15/2006
Jazz Singer Miss Henry Wig with Michael Parsons Trio - 07/15/2006
John Rendon at The Long Now - 07/14/2006
N.O.I.C. Night of Irreverent Cinema - 07/12/2006
NextArts Presents: 'The Sock It To Me Concert' - 07/15/2006
Screenprint Poster Art: New Work from the SF Print Collective - 07/15/2006
YBCA's Opening Night Party for Cosmic Wonder and Sampling Oakland - 07/14/2006

Upcoming Multiple Date Events (Click to View All Dates):
Crucible's 6th Annual Fire Arts Festival
Shakespeare in the Park: The Tempest

You can browse all 50 upcoming events or sign up to receive automatic announcements at http://laughingsquid.com/squidlist/events.

Congrats again Scott. It really is a wonderful enhancement.

Technorati tags: laughingsquid squidlist events eventlistings

BrainJams partners with the NCDD

2006-07-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

Talking. Listening. Sharing. Teaching. Learning. Collaborating.

I love when organizations get together to serve the greater good. Gets me all gooey inside.

I am pleased as punch to announce a special BrainJams event co-presented by Chris Heuer and Beth Kanter that will take place on Thursday, August 3rd at the Parc 55 hotel on Cyril Magnin Street in San Francisco.

This event is being held in partnership with the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation ('NCDD') and will cover how the dialogue & deliberation field can benefit from open source, Internet and Web 2.0 technology. Specifically designed for beginners and seasoned internet users alike, this event will offer an opportunity to learn directly from technologists who will join us for a day of demonstrations and conversations.

Registration is now open (there is a $25 fee for this BrainJams - I have a couple of free passes if you get to me quickly).

Also, if open dialogue and collaboration excites you, I would plan to join us at the NCDD's 2006 National Conference taking place at the Parc55 hotel on August 4th - 6th.

Technorati tags: brainjams brainjams03August2006 brainjams:sanfrancisco ncdd unconference networking collaborating

I am just meant to have short hair

2006-07-11T16:17:00.000-07:00

I love looking at photo albums and seeing the various hairstyles I have had over the last 20 years. They really do run the gamut - short and choppy, medium length bob, long and curly.

The funny thing is, over all this time, I have never found a style that feels good to me. I have found some I like a lot, but nothing that makes me think this is 'the one'. What usually happens is:

It gets long - I cut it short.
It is short, I get the itch to grow it long.
I use extensions to get me through the growing out phase.
I cut it short again as I realize long hair doesn't look good on me.

BLAH!!!

So creature of habit, most of you I have been trying to grow it out again.

Now, I don't know what the actual turning point was, but today it finally sunk in that I am not meant to have long, glamourous hair. Just not in my genes (thanks mom). My hair is super fine. Girls with super fine hair need to keep shorter styles. Ok, ok. I get it. Enough fighting what mother nature cursed me with (oops, I mean gave me) and off to the salon I go.

And then it happens - the hair cut I was meant to have. Just like that. With a stylist you have never met before too. It is a funny feeling. You are sitting in the chair chatting away on nothing in particular and then you look up. The perfect hair cut. The one you have been searching for all your life. Staring back at you in the mirror. Wow.

Floating on Cloud 9, you skip all the way home, excited to share your new look with your loved one.

You walk up the stairs grinning ear to ear and when your loved one sees you - he smiles - then he tells you he doesn't like it. Fuck. Oh well. Can't blame him for being honest. He is the type of boy who likes long hair. He, unfortunately for him, loves a girl with super fine hair.

So he will deal with it as I am keeping my style. I love it...and that is all that matters in the long run.

NOTE: Blogger is acting up again and won't add my photos. Will post if I can get it to work. Otherwise you will just have to wait to see me in person. :)

Technorati tags: haircut perfecthaircut newlook hairstyles

Did I mention he was the most amazing man in the whole wide world?

2006-07-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

I have been so frustrated lately in trying to find the 'perfect' location for our wedding, that I lost site of the most important piece...

It is not where it is, but the fact that Chris and I be standing at the alter together - hand in hand - committed - loving each other with every fiber in our being. Plain and simple.

Thank you muffin. Your 15 words rocked my world. I am such a lucky girl to have you by my side and I cannot wait to celebrate our big day - no matter where it is.

I love you.

Happy PRE-Anniversary muffin

2006-07-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

Wow. One year from today I will be slipping a ring onto my consort's finger and he will 'officially' become my husband.

I say 'officially', as in my eyes, Chris is already my husband / partner / life mate. He is the one who holds my heart, and the man I wish to spend the rest of my life with, so I don't need a silly piece of paper to tell me this. But it will make mom happy, so I guess we will suck it up and be 'traditional'...just this once. :)

I love you baby. Happy PRE-Anniversary.

Technorati tags: anniversary wedding gettingmarried preanniversary

Advice if you are filing for Unemployment Insurance

2006-07-06T10:34:00.000-07:00

'Unemployment is of vital importance, particularly to the unemployed'. Wise words from Edward Heath.

So one of the benefits of being laid off is you can file for unemployment insurance (if you quit - you don't get it) which can be helpful in ensuring bills (well, some at least) get paid and we don't have to eat Top Ramen every day.

Of course there are other benefits to being laid off - such as not having to get up before 8am or needing to shower before 11am, but I won't be covering those in this post. No, this one is all about the Employment Development Department ('EDD'), and some pieces of advice I feel important to share to make sure others who need to file a claim have a smooth transaction.

The things I like about the EDD, is they have a system in place that if you follow their rules exactly - checks will show up on your doorstep weekly - and getting paid weekly rocks! Of course, I'd like to get paid MORE weekly, but I guess that means I need to get my butt back to work...

The thing I don't like about the EDD, is if you deviate even one little teeny tiny bit from their 'rules' - all hell breaks loose, and the system comes to a complete halt. Seriously. They are not prepared, and do not have the resources available, to handle deviations to their program. It totally sends them into a tailspin that is extremely hard to recover from.

So what was my little deviation you ask? (as you know I speak from experience)...

...missing my Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment ('REA') appointment. Seems if you miss this (which happens within the third week of filing a claim), your file is closed and checks stop - immediately. Of course you don't realize it at the time. You notice the check didn't come one week, but figure something happened at the post office. Stupidly you do nothing as you think it will simply show up in a couple of days. Wrong.

Fast forward to five weeks and 15+ phone calls later, I finally find out they closed my claim as I missed my REA appointment and I need to talk to a manager to plead my case and get them to reopen my claim. Sure. Seems simple enough. But just try getting them on the phone. The EDD phone system has a limit as to how many people can be waiting in queue at a time, so most of the time they are swamped and the phone hangs up on you. No ability to leave a message. No option to keep holding. It simply hangs up on you. There are 1000's of people with nothing else to do but call them, so getting a live person on the phone can take hours - sometimes days.

Thankfully today, I finally had the opportunity to speak with a manager and supposedly my claim has been reopened and five weeks worth of checks will be cut this week. I am told it was good I called in as it seems there are so many claims going through the office on a daily basis, there isn't enough staff to handle it quickly. If you don't call, you have to wait until they can 'get around to it' which could have meant I would have been waiting another five weeks for resolution and payment...

Now all I have to do is wait for the postman.

I honestly feel sorry for the folks at the EDD. An insider told me most of them work for $15/hour and their day is filled with calls from irrate people looking for their checks. That cannot be easy. I have thick skin and I can't imagine doing that day in and day out. Add to this the EDD has been understaffed for well over three years which has only compounded the problem. They just don't have the resources to handle the flow of claims they get on a monthly basis. This is horrible. How can we expect anything to ever get done in this environment?

So they tell me to write a letter to our governor. You know what? I will. Yes, Arnold is going to hear from Kiki. Goingto get an earful actually. Holding checks for five weeks because you don't have the staff needed to review the claims is inexcusable. What is happening to our state? I know this is not the only department suffering...where are all our tax dollars going? What if I was living paycheck to paycheck? What if I couldn't pay my rent or put food on my table? I don't care you are understaffed. I am trying to correct a problem and you are making it extremely difficult to do so.

I guess I should stop with my rant.

Things seem to be getting back on track for me, so I thought I would share a few suggestions to those getting ready to file a claim as I wish to prevent what happened to me:

(1) Read the 'welcome' pack front to back. There will be an appointment request buried in there (think mine was eight to nine pages back) that you MUST attend. You miss this appointment - you might as well come on over and hang out with me as we wait for our claims to be reopened. Nothing is as important as this appointment. Remember this.

(2) Complete each weekly report fully and remember to sign the form. Your claim payment will be delayed if you forget to sign. Make sure you do not return the form before the week you are reporting on is over. (i.e. week ends on Sunday 7/9/06 - do not mail the form before Monday 7/10/06 or they may stop your check).

(3) If you don't receive a check within 10 days, something is wrong. Call them. Their phone system will tell you when the last check was issued, so if it was more than a week ago - get a live body on the phone to tell you what is going on. Don't wait two-three weeks like I did as that then turns into five-six weeks and you will find yourself wondering 'chicken Top Ramen tonight or beef'?

I hope this helps. I have so much more I wish to say on this matter, but will refrain as I don't want them to stop my checks again.

07/07/06 UPDATE: I called the system today and it tells me a check was cut this morning for all missing weeks (5). Should be up to date as of early next week. Yahoo!

07/10/06 UPDATE: Checks arrived today and I am now current. Now, let this be a lesson...follow the rules. Well, the EDD's rules anyway.

Technorati tags: edd unemployment unemploymentinsurance unemploymentoffice reappt

Passionate about media and communications?

2006-07-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

What happens when you get a couple of fellas in the room who are passionate about media, user experience and easy dissimiliation of data? You get the New Media Release project, the first undertaking for the Social Media Club, and a perfect way for us to launch the new organization.

We will be working on the standard press release (considering the name of 'hRelease' as we will be using Microformats to ensure standardization). Working to not only integrate podcasts and vlogs, but to set best practices on the text, tags and labels used for the company information so interested parties can retrieve the data quickly and easily.

Tom has asked Chris to coordinate the conversations around this topic, and anyone who wishes to be involved in developing industry standards and setting best practices with regards to media and communications can sign up on the Google group to offer their insights, comments and samples of work.

To read more on the New Media Release project, check out the blogs for Chris and Tom and the New Media Release discussion board.

Technorati tags: newmediarelease collaboration bestpractices standards setstandards

RateItAll added as sponser for Rent an Expert

2006-06-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

Lawrence over at RateItAll has offered up drink and snack money for the BrainJams Rent an Expert event being held at CNET's offices on Wednesday, July 19th. So thanks to Lawrence's generosity, everyone attending will not only have a little Stormhoek to sip on, but beer, sodas, and some goodies to munch on as well. Thank you Lawrence!

P.S. Have been to the RateItAll recently? They have added in some cool features and members can now share in the advertising revenue associated with publishing Weblists, referring friends, adding new listings to existing ratings lists, creating profiles, and soon, submitting reviews. Get over there now!

Technorati tags: rateitall brainjams brainjams:rentanexpert1 rentanexpert

BrainJams Presents: Rent an Expert (take II)

2006-06-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

With the help and support of Joel Sacks from CNET, the Rent an Expert event is back in full swing and will be taking place on Wednesday, July 19th at the CNET headquarters at 235 Second Street in San Francisco.

The format will follow the laws of open space as the 'how to classes*' offered will be determined by the participants. We ask that a small fee (average is $5) be given for each 'how to class' you sign up for, and all the money collected during the evening will be donated to a charity that will be decided by those in the room (majority rules folks).

So, if you have something you would like to share or if there is something you are dying to learn, please sign up on the wiki so we can try to match people before the event which should minimize the time needed for setup.

We hope to see you there!

Technorati tags: brainjams brainjams:rentanexpert1 rentanexpert rentanexpert1 sharingknowledge buildingcommunity showdoteach

Eight months and five events later...

2006-06-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

Chris and I have found ourselves at a crossroads and in need of making a decision about where we wanted to take the BrainJams organization. Our main focus has always been on finding new ways to bring people together from diverse backgrounds to connect and share stories and/or experiences in an open, free flowing environment - but as time went on, we have discovered more organizations doing the same thing (in slightly different formats) and realized there was no need to duplicate efforts. We have decided to tweak our future projects to focus on more group to group activities with folks such as the NCDD and The Berkana group.

I am keeping this intentionally short as Chris has written a brilliant post about the history of BrainJams and our go forward strategy that I would encourage you to read.

We will also continue to support the efforts of the BrainJams NOLA team as well as other BrainJams like events as these are projects near and dear to my heart, and those I believe that will make a positive impact on society.

With this announcement we are also launching the Social Media Club ('SMC') which will be the parent of BrainJams, Inc. and is a vehicle to share best practices around media and communciations, promote media literacy and work those passionate about this subject to establish industry standards. We have started a SMC Google Group (nothing added to the page yet, so bear with me) as well as group for our first project - the New Media Release (more on this in another post).

I am so jazzed about the SMC and look forward to putting the verbal conversations we have had with others into action. If you are interested in social media and communications, I would encourage you to sign up and provide your insights.

Technorati tags: brainjams brainjams:planning grouptogroup socialmediaclub smc newmediarelease

Kiki's Korner

I've moved!

Bear with me folks, it is a work in progress…

$5.01 goes a long way towards effecting change...

Heuer's chauffeur

Need to change my voter registration card

Movie Review: Cloverfield

So damn cute, but such a pain the ass...

Movie review: Sweeney Todd

We eat a lot. We drink a lot. We don't exercise.

I can be a forgetful ass sometimes...

Scoble vs. Facebook, Scoble wins…unfortunately.

Marcacci and Chris are having a baby!

Walking down the Embarcadero

Happy Thanksgiving

Ski Haus Officially Full!!

Ok, so I proved I am a talker..

A fractured shoulder, a faulty pace maker and the removal of a bladder...

Looking for a ski 'hausmate'

Keeping my mouth shut. For now at least.

FedEx: The Office Meeting Commercial

Florida Trip, Part II - forget the alligators, it is Mother Nature you need to watch out for…

Hello old friend, it's been a while....

Florida Trip, Part I - BlogOrlando

Doing my snow dance...

Forever, a white girl.

I am an old married broad now...

There are two types of people...

The Break Up

Chris and Kristie: Episode #1

Best LinkedIn invite EVER

R.I.P Maxwell

5 things you don't (and probably won't want to) know about me.

I am officially out of the will.

Don't blame the shooter...

The $500 oil change.

Big love to the Pirillo's

Buy Amazon stock...I am making them rich!

If you know this fella - contact the British Transport Police

Well, at least they didn't have to amputate...

bub.blicio.us: the bubble is back baby...

Do I finish the 43 drafts?

Broke window. Stole wallet. Bought BART tickets.

Happy anniversary BrainJams

Dave coughs up the first dollar.

Yahoo is truly del.icio.us

What's your guilty pleasure(s)?

Need a laugh? Try blaugh.

Happy One Web Day

Time to send me to the glue factory...

Well, at least I didn't set the house on fire...

Bloglines - the ultimate time killer.

I need to lick 17,500 stamps...

Meet lonelygirl67

My 'pen pal' finally said he was sorry.

Make Film. Win award. Just like that.

There is no medicine to cure hatred

You know it's a party when *you* take the keg home...

'Tis the conference season...

I'll take a Social Media Club - 'To Go' Please

Looking for a few good mates.

Do you have a great Social Media story to tell?

Get paid to blog

Like Dave Matthews Band?

HuckaBuck on the block - auction block that is.

Welcome to hoochie land

Unpacking my bags and putting my PJs back on

The magic of Safire

Being sick sucks.

Is there an Expert (or two) in the house?

Happy birthday baby.

What gets me out of the house at 10:30pm on a Sunday night?

This will not turn into a wedding blog. Oh wait, it already has.

Social Media Club opens its doors...and is looking for your feedback

New Media Release Podcast #4

Do they sell 180 SPF on the playa?

My EDD check barely covers my COBRA payment

Vamanos a Mexico!

Social Media Club Meeting #1

New Media Release Podcast #3

You know it's a party when you take the keg home...