Thanks to Max for bringing this to my attention. I am totally creeped out now.
Courtesy of BoingBoing.net:
Precisely why you call the 1-800 number on the side of the canister when you accidentally spill 2-4-5 liquid Trioxin in the flower bed. A garden sculpture by Alan Dickenson, only $89.95.
Zombie of Montclaire Moors Garden Sculpture [Design to Scano via Nerd Approved]
I learned computers on a Mac. The first one I ever used looked like this:
Then I switched to the dark side. When I was at Vassar, I started using a PC and haven't owned another Mac until last weekend, when I bought my first iMac from the Apple Online Store. It looks like this:
It is gorgeous. I emailed Pedraum and told him that not only did I totally, totally, love it, but that when I got rid of my Dell, I could not believe how many cords there were. It was like the film Brazil under my desk. It looked like this:
As it turned out, actually getting my first iMac turned out to be almost as difficult as unplugging my old PC.
I ordered an HP printer and Airport Express, in addition to my iMac, and chose to ship it all to my office address. I got the ancillary items fine a couple days after I placed the order. According to Apple.com, my computer would arrive a day later via Fed Ex. I was super anxious about it, so the following morning I kept checking to see the progress. By 11am or so, I knew my beautiful new computer was on the Fed Ex truck, so I waited. And waited. I finally went downstairs and checked in with our shipping guy to see if it had arrived. Nope, not yet. Back upstairs to wait. Then FedEx.com said it had been delivered. Yay! I rushed back down, but it was nowhere to be found. Back to the site to see who signed for it. Someone named J. Kellogg. Hm--never heard of him. Asked HR and checked the phone list. No one by that name works at Musician's Friend. Uh oh.
My heart was pounding. WHO STOLE MY NEW IMAC?? This J. Kellogg person. Let me at 'em. I called Fed Ex. The customer service person said oh yes, it has been delivered to 545 Stevens Street. Why'd you do that, I ask, when the shipping address on the order was 931 Chevy Way? Well, sometimes packages accidentally get mixed in with others and delivered to the wrong place. It's a huge computer box, I say, not exactly something that can accidentally be mixed in with a letter. I want someone to find that box and get it back to me (SYP, enraged). OK, let me connect you to the local Medford Fed Ex office and call the driver. Back to waiting. Of course he can't be reached and a message is left. I say, what am I supposed to do now? We'll get back to you.
Now, I'm a fairly patient person, but this was my new iMac for Job's sake. I google 545 Stevens Street and find out it's the Connection Point Computer Store down the street. I call up--do you have a J. Kellogg working there? Yes, we do. Can I speak with him please? Hi, are you Mr. Kellogg? Why, yes I am. I'm So Young Park at Musician's Friend and I believe you signed for my computer this morning. Why, yes I did. I think you're right about that. Hold on. More waiting. Yes, I have it here. I say DON'T LET THAT BOX OUT OF YOUR SIGHT. I'll be right there.
I promise Robyn a free coffee to drive me down there and pick up my computer. Why did you sign for it when it didn't have your name or the right address? No real response. I contemplated asking him to pay for our gas, but held my tongue. A nice man (not J. Kellogg) wheeled the box out and we put it in the car. Hey, I just have to ask, why didn't you buy this from us? Well, I actually tried to last weekend but you didn't have any in stock. What kind is it? I tell him and he says Oh yeah, we still don't have any of those.
Get back to the office, iMac box in tow, and heart back down to normal rates. Phone rings and it's Fed Ex. I've got a supervisor now (woohoo). I heard you had a problem? Yes, but I took matters into my own hands and picked it up myself. If I had known I'd have to do my own delivery, I would have had you pay me! Well, we would have delivered it to you. When, I ask? And why did this happen in the first place? We haven't heard back from the driver yet. Of course you haven't.
After all that, my new iMac was worth the wait and Fed Ex's screw-up, you could argue, just made me appreciate it more. It could have been worse. I could still have my old Dell hard drive that sounded like a man riding a squeaky bicycle up a hill.
This morning, I woke up to a message from my friend, Phil Terry.
I had a chance to visit the offices of ThinkGeek last week.
They put me in some chainmail, a helmet and gave me a sword and took some photos (with my long-sleeve shirt, watch and suit pants on!).
The helmet I wore was real metal and very heavy - and the chainmail was also real metal and hard to get on and off. But once it was on, it was very cool. I was ready to join the Spartans at Thermopylae. ;-)
I suppose most people nowadays know the Battle of Thermopylae from the recent movie 300 which was based on Frank Miller's graphic novel of the same name. You educated types would know it from the Greek historian, Herodotus, and his book The Histories, widely considered to be the first work of history in Western Literature. It tells the story of the war between the Persian Empire and the Greek city-states in the 5th century BC. Book VII (Polymnia) details the story of Leonidas I and the Battle of Thermopylae.
For those of you who know Phil, you know he is a HUGE student of the classics and ancient history. He is also quite the persuasive fellow and a year or two ago, he got me to re-read The Odyssey, as well as The Histories. The first time I read the former, I was in school and translated it from Latin to English. On the one hand, I got to know some of the key passages very well. OTOH, I never really enjoyed the full story end-to-end. I had actually never read the latter until recently and I highly highly recommend Robert Strassler's version, The Landmark Herodotus: The Histories. It is perfect for the modern reader who is not a scholar with wonderful maps and simple, clear translation. We met Mr. Strassler at The Met when we read his Landmark Thucydides: A Comprehensive Guide to the Peloponnesian Wars--he is a very cool guy who is devoting his retirement to making the classics more accessible. (A pic of us at our Met dinner is here.)
If reading something a bit lighter is more your fare, try the Latin poet, Catullus. His work is short, often humorous, and quite shocking and explicit in its day, focusing mainly on matters of love, sex, and everyday life.
For more pictures of Phil Terry, The Lost Spartan, Phil in Chainmail pix are on Flickr. You are also welcome to join Phil in reading the classics. For more info, check out The Reading Odyssey.
And if you must have that chainmail shirt, get it on ThinkGeek.com (hint: check out the guy in the Action Shot!).
Now that I live in the middle of nowhere, I wonder...am I too demanding? Have years of living in Manhattan really reduced me to the kind of person who sends back drinks because the balance just isn't quite right?
Um...yeah. Now bring me another.
I've been a member of the Customer Experience Executive Councils run by Creative Good for four or five years now. Lately, we've been starting our sessions with updates from each member and things to recommend to one another. The Councils are private, but because these are some of the smartest, most well-informed people I know, I thought I would share just the recommended list so you too can benefit. I suspect if you check out some of the items below, your IQ and taste bud sensitivity will go up at least 5 points.
Blogs/Sites
Books
Other Stuff
Restaurants Around the World
Obama spoke in Medford today at the Kids Unlimited Center. The tickets were free, but gone almost immediately (and auctioned on eBay for hundreds of dollars), so I watched it live on TV. He seemed tired, of course, given the week he's had, but really warmed up after a bit. He was plain-spoken, smart, funny, and most importantly, covered audience questions on topics ranging from stem cell research and the environment to China and the economy with real intelligence and common sense. Word has it that with his visit here, Hillary will be compelled to come to Medford too.
With my bum ankle, I've been resting on the couch today and while I was watching a really good bad movie (Timecop, that timeless Jean Claude Van Damme classic!), the local news actually interrupted to show us just Barack Obama's *plane* on the runway leaving Medford. There were no people in sight--the plane honestly could have been anywhere. This shows you how desperate the local news is. Top-notch coverage too: "Obama even stayed overnight in Medford at the new Marriott...oh, ok, they just finished up gassing up the plane...it's so rare that we get a 747 at the Medford airport...zzzzzzzzzz."
During a commercial I switched to CNN to see some junior reporter not doing a whole lot better. He was doing a fluff piece on what was featured on the homepages of the official sites for Clinton, Obama, and McCain. The anchor asks a totally inane question--is it possible to track how many visitors come to the sites? He flounders a bit and then says basically, "YES, you can actually measure traffic to these sites! I don't know how much exactly...a lot though." Guess he had never heard of Alexa. The anchor goes on to say something like, "Wow that Internet is really becoming a factor in the campaign, isn't it!" Yeah, right...who would have thunk it? That Information Super Highway sure is something, eh?
I'm still not registered to vote in Oregon yet--need to get on the stick. Our primary is not until May 20. The last day to register is April 29. If you're in the same boat, here's where you go to register to vote in Oregon.
BTW, here is the answer as to how Clinton, Obama, and McCain's sites compare in traffic. Obama blows the other two away.
About two years ago, I decided to leave my longtime home of NYC and travel across the country to make a new life in Ashland, Oregon. OMG, what was I thinking??? Just kidding. I am liking it here. It is not New York and of course there are so many people and things that I miss, but it has been good for me. It's beautiful and so much quieter here that I'm forced to actually relax and have times when I do nothing. You know what? It is actually healthy to do that. Who knew.
One of the reasons I chose to leave NYC was because of the death of my mentor and friend, Donna Krampf. I blogged about this a year ago. In a weird way, I was inspired by her death to take a chance and make a huge change in my life. Recently a close friend and college classmate of hers found my blog post and emailed me. It was so lovely to hear from someone who understood what a loss it was not to have Donna around anymore. Two years have gone by and I can honestly say that the move was the right decision for me at the time. Even in death, Donna continued to give me good advice.
It has been a time of death for me lately it seems. I guess I am getting to that age, depressing as that sounds. (This from someone who still has never been to a funeral.) My uncle from when I was a young child died a month ago. His name was Lou Przybylowicz. He taught me how to ski, sing along to Rod Stewart and Abba, and the importance of a good pierogi. When I was four, he taught me how to spell his name and wherever we went, he would show off this talent of mine. Maybe this was the reason I ended up such a good speller!
My grandfather is also dying. He has been ill for a few years, so while this turn for the worse isn't unexpected, you're never quite prepared for it either. Instead of going to Mexico as I'd planned this week, I'll be going back to Dayton to see him for what will probably be the last time.
I bring all of this up not to be morbid, but because in celebrating my 2-year anniversary away from NYC, I got to thinking about memories and what they mean and of course with all of the death surrounding me lately, I've been spending more time on the past than usual. Memories are a bit like rain pebbling a window. You can almost see the full picture, but not quite, and as time passes, different aspects of a memory seem to come through.
Whenever I go to NYC I feel like I'm coming home and strangely, that is the same way I feel when I think about people I love who are no longer with me. I suppose that's how it'll always be, no matter where I live.
It's my birthday! Some people hate their birthday. I never understood this. I've always *loved* my birthday. I've gotten so many gifts and so much love for my 35th (yikes!) that I decided to share the wealth and give another $50 in microloans at Kiva.org to a couple of very deserving people whose loan needs were posted today.
The first woman above is Reyna Leiva Tafur of Peru who has a mobile business selling umbrellas and other merchandise and the second is Grace Nsamba of Uganda who has a retail store and livestock.
Here's my Kiva lender page. I've given $200 since July to 8 people all over the world and none of my loan recipients have been late or missed a payment. Half of the original group are almost 50% paid back already, so I figure by next summer I'll be able to reinvest the loan money to other entrepreneurs.
Kiva.org partners with existing microloan institutions and allows you to loan money directly to entrepreneurs in developing countries. By sponsoring a business on Kiva, you're helping the world's working poor become more economically independent. Loans are usually paid back within 6-12 months and you get email journal updates from your loan recipients. The system is very transparent and when the loan is repaid, you get your loan money back. Here's more on what Kiva.org is and how it works.
Here's a 2-min clip of President Clinton "On the Record" with FOX News about Kiva.org courtesy of Newshounds whose slogan is "We watch FOX so you don't have to"--LOL.
There's been so much press about Kiva.org lately that traffic to the site is hitting new records and they've had to limit donations to $25 per business. Just this week:
Don't wait until your birthday to make a difference!
I just finished my holiday shopping. Hallelujah. If you're looking for something a little different, check out the items below. Only 10 days left!
From Japanese design powerhouse MUJI, known for innovative and environmentally friendly products, these lightweight, collapsible speakers are perfect for travelling or using in the office with your favorite iPod (mine is my new iTouch!). I just got these and totally love them.
Only $42 at the MOMA Store.
Posteritati has one of the largest collections of original movie posters from the silent era to the present. I'm a huge fan of Czech and Polish film posters from the '60s--they're known for being brilliantly designed (such as this $300 one for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner)--and Posteritati has a great collection of them.
They have lots of other film posters from all over the world and for recent movies too, so if your giftee is a film buff, you'll find something just right for him/her here.
Visit their gallery in Manhattan or online at Posteritati.com.
Perfect stocking stuffers for your cutest friends at online boutique FredFlare.com.
These former New Yorkers always have a fun selection of too-cool, kitschy and retro novelties and gifts--from vinyl archivers and guitar pick earrings to LOMO cameras and egg rugs.
Only $20! Available at FredFlare.com.
Queue Lighters
Everyone needs a lighter, smoker or not, and these are so clever and small. Made by Tsubota Pearl Company under the brand T.P.L., these are a bit hard to find in the U.S., but not impossible.
I bought these for $25 each in 6 color combinations from a store in Portland called Moule, a boutique chain from Canada.
If you want one and you don't live in Portland or Vancouver, call Moule and see if they will ship it to you--503 227 8530.
Epiphone SG Special Electric Guitar Starter Pack
The perfect guitar pack for someone just starting out (but presumably with high hopes of filling arenas one day). The Epiphone SG Special is made with a bolt-on mahogany neck, basswood body, smooth 22-fret rosewood fingerboard, dot inlays, and chrome hardware.
This package also includes an Epiphone amp with 10W power, gig bag, and more.$199.99 (Save 50%) plus free shipping! Available at MusiciansFriend.com.
You may have noticed a bit of a refreshed look for the SYPSays blog. Thanks to John T. Unger and Craig McGinty at Typepad Hacks, a popular tips & tricks blog resource and forum for people using Typepad's Advanced Templates, I've got a new Photos page, rearranged the left and right navs, did some code fixes (my blog looked fine on IE but totally wacky on Firefox), and generally made things load faster and look cleaner. They were a pleasure to work with and very responsive. If you need any help with your blog, make sure to look them up!
This was a rollercoaster of a week for me.
* The Yankees choked after fighting hard all season to get into the playoffs. What a bummer. Alas, no post-season Yanks/Red Sox match-up. I really thought this was our comeback year.
* The purchase of Guitar Center by Boston-based private investment firm Bain Capital finally closed. Glad that's finally over. I have to say it was interesting going through that process. It was stressful, hectic, and I'm sure I don't know the half of it. Anyway, we'll see what it ends up really meaning. I think it's the right direction for where we need to go.
* I saw my first coyote loping on the highway. Very cool.
* My DVR croaked for an unknown reason and didn't record one of my all-time guilty pleasures. Congratulations--You're still in the running towards becoming America's Next Top Hanger, I mean Model!
All these are lame excuses for why I missed putting up this week's Best Song. I'll be back on Monday when I'm over the trauma.
"Pocket calling" aka "ass calling" is a phenomenon in which you accidentally dial someone when the device is supposed to be safely secure in your pocket, purse, what-have-you. This random act of connectedness usually results in laughter, embarrassment, awkwardness, confusion, or some combination thereof.
Particularly amusing is who the device ends up ringing and what the circumstance. A friend of mine's Blackberry for a while seemed to have a particular love for the President of his company--always calling him late at night or on weekends. Another person I know picked up his phone only to hear a friend greet his girlfriend after not having seen her for some time (do I need to say more?). I've had people I hadn't spoken to in months call me from parties. And I've accidentally dialed business acquaintances over the weekend or late at night. Another friend had a private conversation with a peer of his about an employee. Little did he know he had ass called another employee who got to listen to the entire meeting on voicemail.
My Blackberry seems to have evolved into another being entirely, as it's now dialing people on its own *even when it's not in my pocket*. The other day I had the Blackberry sitting on my desk. I didn't touch it in any way, yet it all of a sudden rang someone I very rarely call. I happened to look over at my phone and noticed it said "Connected." Very confused, I picked it up:
"Hello?"
"Hi...you called?
"Huh?"
"You called me? I'm in the airport, but thought something might be wrong."
"No...I actually didn't call you. Sorry..."
"So...you pocket called me???"
Oops. Locking your screen, of course, supposedly prevents this faux pas from happening, but I don't always remember to do it, besides which it doesn't always seem to work. At least this humanizes technology. There's something good to be said for that.
When I was in Hollywood recently (click here for my trip summary), I was walking down Hollywood Boulevard and spied Chuck Norris's star. I absolutely had to take a picture of it. The guy who did "Walker, Texas Ranger"...Delta Force...A Force of One...I mean, come ON!
Anyway, I recently read the 2006 Best American Nonrequired Reading Anthology and in it, there is a short chapter called "Best American Things to Know about Chuck Norris" courtesy of the awesome site ChuckNorrisFacts.com.
WARNING: Do not read this list unless you are someplace where you can guffaw. Loudly. 
At last week's Guitar Center retreat, I made it to the semifinals of the softball tournament (and even got to third base!), played bongos until my hands hurt, even won a Special Recognition award (very very cool),
and...
sang karaoke...
for hours...
in an almost empty room...
but I had a blast and that's what counts, right? In order to protect the innocent, I won't share the names of my fellow karaoke brothers-in-arms, but I can share a few of our hit tunes. I'm sure we sounded amazing. Sorry you missed it. :)
Well, I did it. I survived an entire year living outside of NYC. (Somehow it feels longer?)
In honor of my 1 year anniversary at Musician's Friend and Guitar Center, and, maybe even more importantly, as a displaced New Yorker, here are my top 12 NYC songs...one for every month I've been away. A Best of 2007 bonus!
I love this picture--it shows two of my favorite buildings in New York. My last apartment was just 4 blocks south of the Empire State Building on 30th Street and 5th Avenue.
"Shattered" by The Rolling Stones "Take the A Train" by Duke Ellington "Crosstown Traffic" by Jimi Hendrix "New York City Serenade" by Bruce Springsteen "Tango in Harlem" by Touch and Go "Walk on the Wild Side" by Lou Reed "NYC Ghosts and Flowers" by Sonic Youth "New York Baby" by Leona Naess "The Only Living Boy in New York" by Simon and Garfunkel "Goin' to New York" by Jimmy Reed "Downtown Train" by Tom Waits "The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side" by The Magnetic FieldsBONUS TRACK! "Detachable Penis" by King Missile ... This song unfortunately isn't available on iTunes (except in a bizarre karaoke version), but click here to hear it on Amazon from the Happy Hour album. It depicts St. Mark's Place in all its grimy glory.
Local Celeb Alert! Patrick Kinkade, sibling to Thomas Kinkade, will be at the Rogue Valley Mall in Medford, Oregon tomorrow (2/25/07) for an autograph signing and to tell "rare and exciting stories of Thom's childhood by his younger brother." I can only imagine what this could be. "When I was 3, my brother Thomas, then 5, used to be a master at snorting milk out of his nose. That was when I knew he would become the Painter of Light."
Gee--and I was just going to the mall to return a couple of items from Victoria's Secret.
For an amusing thread about Thomas Kinkade (often said to be America's most-collected living artist) on Suburban Bliss, click here. One of the posts on that blog include this from MamaKaren:
Happy 2007 and all that...I am lame and didn't make any New Year's resolutions. In lieu of that, I thought I'd share with you how cute Ashland is at holiday time. The entire downtown is lit up with lights. I don't think my pictures convey the true Bedford Falls-ishness of the town I'm living in (albeit the West Coast version). We keep expecting George Bailey to run down the street yelling Merry Christmas! Took these pictures New Year's Eve.
Today is my birthday! 34 years ago, I happily came into this world, ready to take it by storm. I started the day a little woozy from one too many Ardbeg scotches the night before. (OK, it was more than just one too many, but it was my last night being 33. I HAD to live it up, right?) One of the first things I did was pick up my voicemail. I had to listen to the message three times before I understood what was going on..."This is Officer xx from the Medford Police Department. I have Shane Halstead's wallet and I was hoping you could give me a number where I can reach him." Shane Halstead works for me at Musician's Friend...how the police would know that and be able to get my cell number was beyond me. After 10 minutes of trying to figure it out, I finally gave up and called Shane. When he picked up I just said "Hi! Are you missing your wallet?" which of course resulted in him being very perplexed as to how I even knew about it in the first place. Definitely a weird start to my birthday.
It turned out that the explanation was very benign. Shane's wallet had a card saying he worked at Musician's Friend and the officer called our COO who gave him my number. Being the small town that it is, the officer, rather than just logging it into lost and found, actually called me so he could find Shane and hopefully get him his wallet over the holiday weekend.
That seemed like enough excitement, so I took it easy the rest of the day--read, napped, listened to music, took a walk, opened some lovely gifts, birthday emails and cards. Got a hysterical birthday song voicemail from a friend which I intend to save for blackmail purposes. Also, enjoyed the best meal I've had in Ashland since I moved here 9 months ago. Went to a place called Amuse Restaurant downtown. I highly recommend it--very New York/Napa French bistro. The owners also run a cute bakery & gelateria called Mix which would be right at home on Jane Street in the West Village. The cauliflower soup, crab cakes with daikon, seared sturgeon with cabbage, and birthday beignets were all delicious. The soup was so good that I'm going to make my own variation of it for Christmas dinner!
All in all, a relatively quiet, but satisfying birthday. Hey, I'm getting old. I can't party like it's 1999 two nights in a row.
It seems everyone I meet wants to know why I moved all the way from NYC, skyscraper capital of the world, to Ashland, Oregon...aka Tree City USA (seriously). While it's true that I felt like I needed a change and maybe even needed a break from Manhattan altogether, and that the job at Musician's Friend seemed like a good next career move for me (and hey, if I hated it, I could always get another job, right?), a large part of the reason I finally decided to leave New York was because one of my long-time friends, Donna Krampf, fell into a coma this time last year. She died right after I returned from my in-person interview with Musician's Friend in Oregon and her funeral was on my birthday, December 23, the same day I was offered the job.
Donna hired me at A&E in 1998 and was a real mentor to me. She was a brilliant direct marketer, a wonderful person, and had a great sense of humor about herself. One of the funniest times we ever had was when we were getting into a cab to go to a meeting downtown. She kicked her leg up a little too high and her pants split up the back. We were already running late and she went through the entire meeting with her leather coat tied around her waist, the two of us on the verge of convulsing in laughter for two hours straight. She would always send me little notes of encouragement and her last one to me before she left to be GM of Delias.com said that I was a star. I still have the email.
Over the years, we always stayed in touch. We'd meet for drinks or dinner or go to the movies from time to time and although we never felt like we saw each other often enough, we always knew we could when we needed to. The last time I saw Donna was in early December 2005 at Campbell Apartment, a swanky bar in Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal. I had just had my first phone interview with Musician's Friend and was looking at other opportunities in NYC, and we talked about that and our lives and where we thought we were headed. She was tired of consulting and was thinking of getting a full-time job again--maybe even moving out West. I said I'd connect her with a recruiter friend of mine who might be able to help her out. She never got the chance to call him. About a week and a half later, she was in a coma. Less than two weeks after that, she was gone.
Looking back on a year ago, I remember how strongly I felt like it was all a sign--a giant arrow in the sky pointing West so I could close one chapter of my life and start fresh, even if I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it. A new start was offering itself up to me, and I would be an idiot not to take it. I'm many things, but an idiot, I'm not. So a couple months later, I bought a Jeep, put my boyfriend and two cats in it, and headed out for parts heretofore unknown (at least to me).
Those of you literate types already know that the famous quote, "Go West, young man," (made not by Horace Greeley, but John B. L. Soule) was actually "Go West, young man, and grow up with the country." It's been over 150 years since that quote was written and while the West had a bit of a head start on me, I think I've done a lot of growing up since I arrived in the middle of these mountains. What a difference a year makes.
In honor of my first Thanksgiving out West, I've been musing about other "firsts" that I've gotten under my belt since moving to Ashland, Oregon after 12 years in NYC. New Yorkers live in their own world--separate from the rest of the country in so many ways. I've travelled to several countries and done many interesting things in my life--even hiked the Himalayas and done a camel trek in the Pakistani desert--but somehow I had managed to go 33 years without ever owning a car, dining room table and chairs, dishwasher or even a full-size refrigerator and oven. I had never changed a flat tire. I had never paid rent on an apartment with more than one room (not counting the bathroom!). I'm thankful for these conveniences, now that I have them, but they also make me feel somehow like less of a New Yorker.
I still have a NY license plate and driver's license because I am trying to hold out as long as I can, I guess, before becoming an Oregonian. It hasn't been purposeful, but somehow I always seem to be too busy to get these mundane things done. I get driven to work and picked up every day because we only have 1 car (and because real New Yorkers don't drive unless they have to...duh). I suppose these are the pitiful ways I cling to my old identity. When someone asks me where I'm from, I still say, "Manhattan, but I just moved here" even though I've been in Ashland for 8 months. At some point soon I will have to face reality, but for now, I'm just thankful I'm able to keep my delusion alive.
I had trouble coming up with a Halloween costume this year, so when I went to work today, I just wore the new J. Crew hat I'd bought in Portland and figured that would be good enough. A wiseguy coworker of mine said I looked like a sherpa...wait, no...a MARKETING sherpa. He thought he was being doubly clever because there actually is a well-known online marketing site called MarketingSherpa.com which provides Internet news, tips, job openings, and case studies.
Anyway, you be the judge. Does this look like a marketing sherpa to you or just a run-of-the-mill Halloween reveler? If the former, match the pictures below with the typical issues a marketing sherpa must deal with:
1. Sales are down for the day and you don't know why because your online Web analytics tool is offline (again).
2. You launch a big new promotion and it doesn't work in production even though it worked just fine in staging.
3. A pricing typo gives users a $149.99 guitar for only $14.99.
4. Your site goes down.
5. You beat a competitor to the punch.
6. Your latest targeted emails finally perform better than your batch and blast.
SYP Says in The Wall Street Journal
Japanese Talking Watches
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