Updated sangs

Hello few and far between.

I’d like to offer this pictorial to catch you up on recent happenings and offer an excuse for my social media absence. Without further ado…my peace offering:

I got engaged in June 2008.

 

 (Photo:  Brad Cvammen)

I started a new position as the public relations and marketing coordinator with India Gospel League (North America) in July.

 

            

    

I got married in November.

 

I’d say seven months is pretty good life change turn-around. I’m baaaaaack…sung hauntingly, of course.

Summer Sangs

Good timing from Jen Zingsheim at Media Bullseye on tagging me for the summer meme (started by Larissa Fair). I needed a happy distraction.

4 things you like about summer

1. The absence of snow, ice and sludge.
2. Reading the newspaper outside in the morning while sipping coffee…in shorts.
3. Baseball games…despite the shoddy performance by my Tribe. Boo.
4. Fishing on Lake Erie with my dad and fiance’ … walleye beware.

4 of your favorite vacation destinations

1. Fripp Island, SC – Let’s hear it for the Sand Dollar Tavern!
2. Undoubtedly some friend’s wedding location…
3. Nashville.
4. Wow…I need to go on more vacations…

4 of your favorite summer foods

1. Handel’s Ice Cream. Might I suggest the Spouse Like a House?
2. Burgers and corn on the grill…with Heather’s Butt Rub.
3. Tom Collins. Does that count? “Tom is delightfully refreshing!”
4. Sadly, SlimFast – I’m getting married in the fall, ya know!

4 concerts not to miss

1. Journey/Heart/Cheap Trick
2. Brad Paisley – I’m a sucker for cheesy country and floral shirts…
3. Tom Petty
4. Jonny Lang, Matt Wertz or Dave Barnes – Yes, I realize listing three in one is cheating.

4 things to avoid during the summer

1. Spending time dreading winter.
2. Arguing…what a waste.
3. Staying pent up…open the windows…take a walk!
4. Large, sweaty crowds.

Tag…you’re it…

Abby Laner
TexAnnie

A KOFFEE Sang.

Oh. holy. cow. If you haven’t the time for Friday shannigans, please click ‘mark as read’ now. If you have any sort of affinity for coffee, please read on.

This email was written by a co-worker this morning after we had some conversations about a coffee-purchasing schedule for our small office. Don’t miss the Swanson amendment at the end of the email. Incredible. Enjoy.

———–

Team,

In a spirit of democracy, non-partisanship and unicameral undertaking, there is going to be established a Coffee Consortium to address the needs of our organization.  Although a loosely-affiliated body of constituents have comprised this effort to date, a formalized policy and procedures is hereby enacted for the group. 

This initiative, the Kerry “Office Fresh and Flavorful Energy Effort”, or ‘KOFFEE’, will establish rules and regulations for the entire coffee consortium in the office.  The KOFFEE will be a deliberative and consensus building initiative, with guidelines established to take into account the various special interests and circumstances which naturally derive from broad-based initiatives such as this.

• Basics – Extensive financial analysis by top officials has indicated it requires about $8.00 (U.S) per capita/ per month to fully fund and maintain the KOFFEE for The Impact Group. This is subject to variations due to seasonal needs, staffing needs, meeting times and visitors, and a general overuse of KOFFEE resources during times of increased stress and early morning meetings. However, the $8.00 threshold should maintain KOFFEE needs effectively going forward. 

• Collection – Each KOFFEE constituents will be assessed their $8.00 on the 1^st of each month, accounting for weekends and holidays, as appropriate.

• As users of the KOFFEE, you are all subject to a ‘User Fee’ associated with this initiative. While not expressly a “tax”, this user fee is in the interest of all participants for viability and sustainability of the program.

Amendments – A KOFFEE Caucus in the East Wing brought to the attention of the Chair of the KOFFEE (me), that there are areas where assessments need adjustment.  The Chair is open to further amendments, but on a needs-based and consensus basis:

• The Richer Amendment – The caucus has submitted the K. “Man, I love Creamer” Richer Amendment.  Mr. Richer will not be assessed more than the $8.00, however, due to his abundant and excessive use of creamer, it will incumbent upon him to actually obtain and deliver creamer to the office each month, according to needs and budget. This amendment has been ratified by the Chair.
• The Smith Amendment – The Chair recognizes that although he partakes on a much more limited basis, he nonetheless, is responsible to contribute accordingly.  However, in accordance with various state and federal laws and age-discrimination lawsuits, the KOFFEE will not require Mr. Smith to with make the initial pot each morning, regardless of his time of arrival. ADA rules may come into account as well due to his borderline ADD/HD and general lack of need for caffeinated items throughout the day.
• The Stulpin Amendment – A. not only provides the first pot each morning, her (ahem) ‘need for order and cleanliness’ in the KOFFEE region of the office often leads her to take inordinate steps to assist in the general upkeep of the area.  She will be assessed her $8.00, but the Chair calls for Honorable Mention for her efforts to maintain order and cleanliness.
• The Polyak Amendment – Hereshallwith, no one shall produce KOFFEE which is so weak that it is transparent to the human eye. It is incumbent all on KOFFEE producers to use sufficient supplies necessary to create a hearty and substantive pot of KOFFEE, not some weak-kneed English Tea-looking substance.  As Mr. Polyak maintains ultimate ownership over all KOFFEE resources, this amendment is not subject to negotiation.
• The Speaks Amendment – Given that Mr. Speaks is largely new to the KOFFEE world, he will not be required to produce any fresh pots of KOFFEE for a period of six months. The Chair has personally witnessed such as effort, and it is not pretty.  Training is imperative!
• The Swanson Amendment – Ms. Swanson routinely has been witnessed as “abundant” utilizer of KOFFEE throughout the day. She shall work in conjunction with Kendal “Man, I love Creamer” Richer to obtain and maintain supplies for all KOFFEE needs in the office. As the Chair occupies space very near KOFFEE resources, the Chair is quite aware of patterns of use and behavior.  And, no, the additional runs to Caribou and Starbucks will not release Ms. Swanson of these responsibilities!

Please submit any amendments to the Chair as necessary for additional guidelines going forward. 

Respectfully submitted,

 

K. “KOFFEE Chair” Smith

A Service Sang

This FedEx commercial cracks me up. I know what it’s like to work with someone resembling one of these characters, and I’m sure you do too. Here’s a shocker:  Perhaps our co-workers watch this and think of US! Doh!

Follow through, follow up, respecting someone’s time…all of these things make you desirable to work with. Do you make things easier for the people you serve or add small tasks to their to-do lists first so that you can help them when it’s easier for you?

A Lesson From Mrs. Cell Phone Customer Service:  How To Make Friends With Clients/Co-workers/Heck, Anyone…
Stated simply, I like good service. It makes sense that we continue to utilize and work with companies that provide adequate service, co-workers that are helpful and even keep friends that are easy to be with. The person serving doesn’t have to change my life, just give me what I need without making more work for me. Read:  the complete opposite of the effect these FedEx yahoos are having on their co-worker.

Think of a time you’ve gotten killer service. You know what I mean…you call your cell phone provider because when you push seven, your cell displays two; or you call your mom and the connection makes her sound like Donald Duck. Mrs. Cell Phone Customer Service apologizes for the inconvenience, assures you the problem will be taken care of that day and delivers on her word…no more work for you. That’s good service.

Mrs. CS didn’t have to ask me about my day, crack jokes or make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. All she had to do was NOT add more degrees of difficulty to my life.

Take notes. Make friends.

“If you don’t add to my life…I’m subtracting you.” – @AnnOhio
What is frustrating is when people add to your to do list. My Twitter friend @AnnOhio says “If you don’t add to my life, I’m subtracting you.” I use this policy with vendors at work, Tweeple on Twitter and, to some extent personally when forming new friendships.

Good advice for young professionals is this: Make people’s lives easier. While it’s good to ask questions, do what legwork you can on your own. Go into a work situation knowing more than you need to…it’ll save you from asking someone else to spend their time explaining. Not sure of every detail of an assignment after it’s given? Find what you can, chisel your list of questions down, then ask them. Do more than you’re asked when it’s helpful. They don’t call us the Google generation to be witty…please don’t get me started on the hundr, no, thousa, no TONS of resources we have online. Use them and serve well.

How can I help you?

…

A How and When to Manage Up Without Getting Fired Sang

I just read a great post by Phil Gomes on managing up. I posted a comment there, but then I got to thinking…look out!

So many young professionals I talk with, no matter their field, are often stuck wondering how to lead stale ideas that are losing effectiveness in the direction of fresh ideas that stick…without pissing off The Boss (that’s first name, The; second name, Boss), coming across as an ignorant academic or sounding like a mouse in a den of old lions.

In my office, our favorite word is stank. We like to “add stank to” collateral materials and, my personal favorite, “throw some stank on it” … “it” being anything caught in the crossfire of our overuse of this ridiculous word. What I like most about this phrase is the irony of it for most young pros.

A lot of online ideas The Boss wants to utilize for clients are outdated or off-target…and we know it. Essentially, these ideas stink…and not in the way we want them to. These are ideas that are stanky and exciting for lagging digital immigrants, but are outdated and far from effective…stinky. (In no way does this post represent my boss…he’s actually a pretty cool and with-it dude.) Young pros with foresight consider their future at Company Not With It and weigh it against:

• the client’s pending dissatisfaction from a failed digital attempt at effective PR,
• and against rubbing The Boss, who offers job security and raises-ching-ching, the wrong way. (Please, young pros, rub appropriately.)

Your reactions are usually from among the following – the safe, undisruptive route: to say nothing, do your work and get your paycheck; the frighteningly honest route: to confidently and boldy proclaim the good news of social media, ‘ta heck with The Boss’ feelings…this is business!; or the middle of the road route: to object in that polite tone your mother taught you and back down at the first signs of resistance…and oh yes, there will be resistance. What do you choose? What do I choose?

I’m lucky enough to work for The Boss that is young-ish and hip, but please trust me, I have also worked for quite the opposite. My advice? Feel out your employer, then decide what’s important to you. Are you passionate about carving a name into the PR sidewalk, being known for your innovative ideas and with-it social media strategy? Speak up! But…do so kindly and humbly. They DO have 20 years of experience on us, now. If the company isn’t ready…is this the company for you?

Are you just getting your PR feet wet? Don’t want to stir up the sleeping, newspaper-only-reading giant Boss just yet? Send links about the effectiveness of the social media strategy you’d like your company to embrace. Ask for a one-on-one meeting with The Boss to talk about some ideas you have for strategies for specific clients. Do your homework and back-it-up to The Boss.

Peg Swanson, the actual motherload, always told me, “Just ask. The worst that could happen is that they tell you ‘No.’” I always rolled my eyes and gagged a little, but that ole’ girl is pretty smart. The worst that could happen here is that you do some research, learn a few things about developing strategy and show The Boss that you’re interested. What’s so bad about that?

Overall, be cognizant of the experience and strategic understanding that comes along with 20 years of experience…and ask questions. The best thing we can do to help our wise elders embrace social media is to keep using it effectively. Get into it. Blog. Read blogs. (Particularly Paull’s and Bill’s.) Comment. (Don’t waste your workday finding new bands on MySpace…this I do not advocate.) Twitter. Follow. Make friends. Make followers. And for cripe’s sake, take the ridiculous pictures of yourself half-naked doing a keg stand off FaceBook! Immerse yourself in what you believe is so effective. Meet people who are immersed with you…people who could very well introduce you to your next The Boss!

It’s a being-a-young-pro-is-so-dramatic-at-times sang,

…

A Nephew Sang!

He’s a boy, he’s a boy!! The nephew-fetus is officially a little MAN. His talents already include creating indigestion and sucking his thumb.

To be developed: being an Indians fan, playing the drums, fishing, being nice to girls, camping, “building shit,” belching and playing shortstop.

Check him out…

It’s a thumb-suckin’ sang…

Welcome to the family, little buddy,

…

A New Apartment Sang.

Tonight I’m signing the lease on an apartment that I would injure someone to live in! Luckily, that wasn’t necessary.

The backyard is a full-blown nature preserve. Lots of blue heron and other sweet creatures to watch…am I turning into my mother or WHAT? The land used to be home to a celery farm…that’s right…celery. They turned the barn into this apartment…take a look…

Come visit! We’ll make a fire, drink coffee and talk about…sangs…

. . .

An Insomnia Sang

This is what one might do after midnight after h/she discovers h/she can’t sleep…even after h/she’s tried a rum-enhanced Diet Coke…even after h/she’s walked around the block a couple times…even after h/she’s talked to the Man. There’s always Joshua Redman, blogging and Indians box scores from the sleeping position…

It’s a can’t sleep sang…

A Port Sanilac Sang.

This past weekend, the band and I played in Port Sanilac, MI. That’s in the “thumb” for all you mapmakers…I shouted across to Canada…a couple Canucks hollered back…don’tcha knooow.

It’s a pretty-to-look-at sang…

…   

A Lakehaven Sang.

Yo.

My aunt has a kick A summer house in the Poconos…Lakehaven. Last time we were there, we pretended to be cow-people because Mikey, the bro-in-law, was playing with Blackhawk at a nearby county fair.

I now give you…Peg the Cowgirl.  And this was HER idea…

 It’s a laugh your A off sang…

 Yee-haw,

….