Imagine a little man with a construction shovel working here. I'll have a new post, titled "Homecoming Adventures: The Billy Gray Story" in this space tonight or tomorrow.
Thanks for your patience.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Thursday, November 16, 2006
*sigh*
Too much writing these days. Too much by half.
Apologies to my three faithful fans about letting this little blog choke to death under a dusty pile of indifference. Not much has been going on in my life, at least not much worth reporting. That was my thought, initially, when I sat down to type this little missive. And yet, when I look back on the (yikes!) 2 months since I last posted, a lot has happened.
First, an Evie update for all of you family and friends--she's moved from the sitting up on her own, to the crawling, to the cruising (walking with the help of a (hopefully!) immovable object) stage. She still crawls a bunch--she's a fast little bugger--but she can get around quite well on her own two feet as well. Today (and this is the main reason for this little post) she took a little half step, on her own, for the first time ever. Wow! It's not going to be long before we're all chucking the frisbee at each other as a little family.
Oh, and she has two bottom teeth, smiles a whole bunch, and generally keeps Megan's life at home interesting. Speaking of the Megster, she's doing well. She's been reading a bunch, watching Evie, and generally taking great care of both her and me. What a wonderful gal.
As for me, I've been busy as well. Last week may have been a new record in terms of hours worked on a project--I think I averaged 11 to 12 hour days for four out of five days last week. Thankfully, the push to finish the project has been completed, and I'm more free to do other things, like post to my blog, for example. I've also managed to get some work published in Play magazine, a newsstand and online magazine covering video games, anime, and other assorted things that nerds love. If you'd like to read one of my articles, pick up the mag, or you can just click on the link if you're in Japan like Tony--or if you're just lazy or cheap.
http://www.playmagazine.com/index.php?fuseaction=SiteMain.showAnimePage&Anime_ID=125
I'll post other reviews as I get them approved by my editor for your reading pleasure.
Ok, next post--a brief history of the adventures at Hillsdale homecoming. Don't worry--it'll just be another month or so before that story gets told.
PS--I did finish that short story--let me get it edited and I'll put it up on the blog.
Apologies to my three faithful fans about letting this little blog choke to death under a dusty pile of indifference. Not much has been going on in my life, at least not much worth reporting. That was my thought, initially, when I sat down to type this little missive. And yet, when I look back on the (yikes!) 2 months since I last posted, a lot has happened.
First, an Evie update for all of you family and friends--she's moved from the sitting up on her own, to the crawling, to the cruising (walking with the help of a (hopefully!) immovable object) stage. She still crawls a bunch--she's a fast little bugger--but she can get around quite well on her own two feet as well. Today (and this is the main reason for this little post) she took a little half step, on her own, for the first time ever. Wow! It's not going to be long before we're all chucking the frisbee at each other as a little family.
Oh, and she has two bottom teeth, smiles a whole bunch, and generally keeps Megan's life at home interesting. Speaking of the Megster, she's doing well. She's been reading a bunch, watching Evie, and generally taking great care of both her and me. What a wonderful gal.
As for me, I've been busy as well. Last week may have been a new record in terms of hours worked on a project--I think I averaged 11 to 12 hour days for four out of five days last week. Thankfully, the push to finish the project has been completed, and I'm more free to do other things, like post to my blog, for example. I've also managed to get some work published in Play magazine, a newsstand and online magazine covering video games, anime, and other assorted things that nerds love. If you'd like to read one of my articles, pick up the mag, or you can just click on the link if you're in Japan like Tony--or if you're just lazy or cheap.
http://www.playmagazine.com/index.php?fuseaction=SiteMain.showAnimePage&Anime_ID=125
I'll post other reviews as I get them approved by my editor for your reading pleasure.
Ok, next post--a brief history of the adventures at Hillsdale homecoming. Don't worry--it'll just be another month or so before that story gets told.
PS--I did finish that short story--let me get it edited and I'll put it up on the blog.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Hmm, Two weeks was generous
I hate missing deadlines. And I use "hate" in the strongest possible terms, here. But unfortunately, I missed one--the deadline for that short story contest described in the last post. But, never fear! I will finish my story and you, my loyal reader (all six of you, seven now that MM's reading), will be the first ones to read it--I will publish it on my blog.
Until then, here's what you really want to see--pictures of my daughter, Evie!
She had her first solid food yesterday, cream of rice made with Similac formula. And guess what? It tastes as good as it sounds! Seriously though, you should see the picture after she took her first bite--she wasn't quite sure what to do with it. Eventually, she was able to eat, but she still licks the spoon's tip as though she were sucking it out of something.
Enjoy the pics!
BillG
Monday, July 31, 2006
Two weeks? Really?!?
Has it really been two weeks since my last post? Ah well, I better put one up now, just so that I can continue to read my own writing. The last two weeks have been busy week--the battle of the bug, a flurry of paper, and getting stumped on a short story are the highlights.
The battle of the bug was more "bug" than "battle," actually. Last Saturday, as we were finishing up getting ready for bed, I was done with my toilette and was lying on the bed reading, while my wife was finishing up. Suddenly, I was jerked out of the world of George R.R. Martin by a loud gasp (I get the feeling it would have been a scream if our daughter weren't asleep upstairs). Sitting up immediately, I asked Megan what was wrong.
"Oh, just sit up and look," she said, stage left. I did so, and saw what could only be described as a hockey puck moving slowly across our carpeted floor. Thankfully, it was moving very slowly, and so my brain immediately realized that it couldn't be a cockroach. I approached the piece of sporting equipment carefully, a glass in hand. It was a bug, a black beetle with exceptionally long legs and a hard carapace. Moving nonchalantly across our rug, he seemed to be heading toward our closet--no doubt to commit suicide by hiding in a pair of my shoes (ok, they don't smell that bad, but still). We slipped a thin calendar under him, and placed him, and the glass, on our countertop to be dealt with on Sunday morning. That night, I couldn't get up without thinking I would step on something crunchy . . .
As for the flurry of paper, we purchased a new desk--actually a convertible sofa table that folds out into a sort of writing desk. Transferring our mail to the sofa table has resulted in small piles of paper where you least expect them--on the couch, on bookcases, ottomans, and elsewhere. Of course, we don't put any paper on the floor, because our daughter loves, I repeat loves, paper. Or more specifically, the taste of paper. So we're careful about what we let drop.
And the short story--it's for a contest where I can win, if chosen, the fabulous prize of $50, and the only requirement is that it start with the phrase "It was a small box, but . . . " And so I ask you, dear readers, what sort of story would you tell that began with a phrase like that?
BillG
The battle of the bug was more "bug" than "battle," actually. Last Saturday, as we were finishing up getting ready for bed, I was done with my toilette and was lying on the bed reading, while my wife was finishing up. Suddenly, I was jerked out of the world of George R.R. Martin by a loud gasp (I get the feeling it would have been a scream if our daughter weren't asleep upstairs). Sitting up immediately, I asked Megan what was wrong.
"Oh, just sit up and look," she said, stage left. I did so, and saw what could only be described as a hockey puck moving slowly across our carpeted floor. Thankfully, it was moving very slowly, and so my brain immediately realized that it couldn't be a cockroach. I approached the piece of sporting equipment carefully, a glass in hand. It was a bug, a black beetle with exceptionally long legs and a hard carapace. Moving nonchalantly across our rug, he seemed to be heading toward our closet--no doubt to commit suicide by hiding in a pair of my shoes (ok, they don't smell that bad, but still). We slipped a thin calendar under him, and placed him, and the glass, on our countertop to be dealt with on Sunday morning. That night, I couldn't get up without thinking I would step on something crunchy . . .
As for the flurry of paper, we purchased a new desk--actually a convertible sofa table that folds out into a sort of writing desk. Transferring our mail to the sofa table has resulted in small piles of paper where you least expect them--on the couch, on bookcases, ottomans, and elsewhere. Of course, we don't put any paper on the floor, because our daughter loves, I repeat loves, paper. Or more specifically, the taste of paper. So we're careful about what we let drop.
And the short story--it's for a contest where I can win, if chosen, the fabulous prize of $50, and the only requirement is that it start with the phrase "It was a small box, but . . . " And so I ask you, dear readers, what sort of story would you tell that began with a phrase like that?
BillG
Monday, July 10, 2006
Freelancing
So I took a class on writing last Saturday.
Well, not really "writing" writing, as in how to use the language to get people to feel something or experience an emotion. No, this class was designed to teach you How to Be a Writer, or how to write for a living, which is something that, more and more, I think I might just try to accomplish. All of the updates from my friend Brent, and my experiences with a friend here at work, Steve, have helped me to believe that this is something that I not only would be halfway decent at, but also something that I could make a halfway decent living at. (How's that for a budding writer's sentence!)
The class itself was an eminently practical excercise. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mr. Dennis E. Hensley, published author and director of a local writing program, instructed me and seven others on the finer points of writing novels and short stories. What was interesting about him was how compelling he was as a salesman, an ability he used in order to illustrate his points in a captivating and memorable way. It made me wonder if all writers had to be like him, because if that was the case, it certainly wasn't for me.
Of course, that was only if you listen to how he was saying it. If, as I did, you listened to what he was actually saying, you came away with more hope than that. With the proliferation of media has come a proportionate proliferation of publishing houses and presses, making it even more possible to get published someplace. The thing that gave me the most hope? Mr. Hensley talked about how one of the things writers must do is to continue to read, both the classics and modern works, esp. in your chosen genre. Reading? Now that's something I know I can do.
I'll keep you, my faithful and loyal readers (all six of you) posted on how this little odyssey turns out.
BillG
Well, not really "writing" writing, as in how to use the language to get people to feel something or experience an emotion. No, this class was designed to teach you How to Be a Writer, or how to write for a living, which is something that, more and more, I think I might just try to accomplish. All of the updates from my friend Brent, and my experiences with a friend here at work, Steve, have helped me to believe that this is something that I not only would be halfway decent at, but also something that I could make a halfway decent living at. (How's that for a budding writer's sentence!)
The class itself was an eminently practical excercise. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mr. Dennis E. Hensley, published author and director of a local writing program, instructed me and seven others on the finer points of writing novels and short stories. What was interesting about him was how compelling he was as a salesman, an ability he used in order to illustrate his points in a captivating and memorable way. It made me wonder if all writers had to be like him, because if that was the case, it certainly wasn't for me.
Of course, that was only if you listen to how he was saying it. If, as I did, you listened to what he was actually saying, you came away with more hope than that. With the proliferation of media has come a proportionate proliferation of publishing houses and presses, making it even more possible to get published someplace. The thing that gave me the most hope? Mr. Hensley talked about how one of the things writers must do is to continue to read, both the classics and modern works, esp. in your chosen genre. Reading? Now that's something I know I can do.
I'll keep you, my faithful and loyal readers (all six of you) posted on how this little odyssey turns out.
BillG
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Three years, three hours and eight minutes
Well, today is a watershed day in the personal history of Billy Gray. Today marks my third year of being married to the always cheerful, ever-lovin' Megan (Jackson) Gray. We've had some wonderful times over the three years we've been married, from a whirlwind trip down to Florida where we found that God does answer prayers to keep rain away, to a crazy, improbably, 24-hour road trip through most of Wisconsin and Minnesota, to the birth of our daughter, little Evelyn, who right at this moment is probably spitting up on a piece of furniture or carpet.
It's been a great ride.
I think one of the things I like best about being married is that it takes the pressure off. I think back to how much mental energy I expended on questions like "What kind of person is the right person for me to marry? Is there just one right person? How will the relationship that I'm in turn out? What flaws and faults are enough to have me walk away? etc. etc." That was a lot of worrying and wondering, a lot of mental angst built up over an (admittedly important) decision. But the feeling of having that finished, of settling in and being committed to this wonderful person that chose me--it's remarkable in that the mental angst is missing. I compare it to having a headache that won't go away. You live with the pain of the headache, because there's nothing that you can do about it. The headache tints every part of your life, from waking in the morning to going to bed at night. It's not like you can't function while you have the headache, rather, you learn to cope with the pain. So it is for all of you unmarried single guys out there.
Of course, there might be a few out there who believe that marriage is a mistake, that it isn't possible for one person to commit to another for 10 years, much less a life, that they're having too much fun to get married and settle down. To those people, I say--you don't know what you're missing, my friend.
You don't know what you're missing.
Happy anniversary, Megan.
BillG
It's been a great ride.
I think one of the things I like best about being married is that it takes the pressure off. I think back to how much mental energy I expended on questions like "What kind of person is the right person for me to marry? Is there just one right person? How will the relationship that I'm in turn out? What flaws and faults are enough to have me walk away? etc. etc." That was a lot of worrying and wondering, a lot of mental angst built up over an (admittedly important) decision. But the feeling of having that finished, of settling in and being committed to this wonderful person that chose me--it's remarkable in that the mental angst is missing. I compare it to having a headache that won't go away. You live with the pain of the headache, because there's nothing that you can do about it. The headache tints every part of your life, from waking in the morning to going to bed at night. It's not like you can't function while you have the headache, rather, you learn to cope with the pain. So it is for all of you unmarried single guys out there.
Of course, there might be a few out there who believe that marriage is a mistake, that it isn't possible for one person to commit to another for 10 years, much less a life, that they're having too much fun to get married and settle down. To those people, I say--you don't know what you're missing, my friend.
You don't know what you're missing.
Happy anniversary, Megan.
BillG
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Thoughts on aging
So I'm typing this with my fingers, which is one of the only parts of me that isn't sore right now. Yesterday, I played Ultimate Frisbee for the first time in about, oh, 6 months. And not just some rinky-dink pick-up game, either. This was full-on, league-certified Ultimate. Good times and fast opponents.
Every year when I come out to play frisbee, I vow that this will be the start of something good--that I will take this opportunity to keep excercising, getting into shape and by this time next year--watch out! And every year, I get more and more used to the excercise, until the league is over, and I then do . . . absolutely nothing. I always think that after the league is over, I'll start running again, or swimming, or some sort of regular excercise--hah! Not likely. This year, I plan to enjoy frisbee, to attempt to run at least one other time per week, and to re-evaluate things at the conclusion of the league.
The worst part about playing, of course, is playing people who can't stop running. Take yesterday, for example. I marked up on a player who used to be on my team last year--he remembered me, which was gratifying, and I certainly remembered him--he was the one who could keep up with my deep passes, running them down and (usually) hauling them in for a score. So I knew what I was getting into--hanging around my own end zone, watching him to make sure that he didn't break away from me and catch a pass from one of their handlers.
Well, it turns out that he's been working on his handle (ability to throw the frisbee, for the uninitiated) as well as his knowledge of how to play the game. I found myself chasing this guy, this high-school cross-country runner, up and down the field for three straight points. It was all I could do to breathe after that ordeal, much less defend anyone. And the best part? After I came off the field, sucking wind like a clogged vacuum cleaner, he stayed out there, and scored the next point for his team, all the while looking as fresh as a daisy.
I couldn't help but feel a little old, fat, and out-of-shape at that point. Motivation for the future, I suppose.
By the way, if you're interested in ultimate frisbee, check out the UPA website (www.upa.org). It has a lot of great resources on the game, as well as places where you can play pick-up in an area near you. Maybe I'll see you out on the field, one of these days.
BillG
Every year when I come out to play frisbee, I vow that this will be the start of something good--that I will take this opportunity to keep excercising, getting into shape and by this time next year--watch out! And every year, I get more and more used to the excercise, until the league is over, and I then do . . . absolutely nothing. I always think that after the league is over, I'll start running again, or swimming, or some sort of regular excercise--hah! Not likely. This year, I plan to enjoy frisbee, to attempt to run at least one other time per week, and to re-evaluate things at the conclusion of the league.
The worst part about playing, of course, is playing people who can't stop running. Take yesterday, for example. I marked up on a player who used to be on my team last year--he remembered me, which was gratifying, and I certainly remembered him--he was the one who could keep up with my deep passes, running them down and (usually) hauling them in for a score. So I knew what I was getting into--hanging around my own end zone, watching him to make sure that he didn't break away from me and catch a pass from one of their handlers.
Well, it turns out that he's been working on his handle (ability to throw the frisbee, for the uninitiated) as well as his knowledge of how to play the game. I found myself chasing this guy, this high-school cross-country runner, up and down the field for three straight points. It was all I could do to breathe after that ordeal, much less defend anyone. And the best part? After I came off the field, sucking wind like a clogged vacuum cleaner, he stayed out there, and scored the next point for his team, all the while looking as fresh as a daisy.
I couldn't help but feel a little old, fat, and out-of-shape at that point. Motivation for the future, I suppose.
By the way, if you're interested in ultimate frisbee, check out the UPA website (www.upa.org). It has a lot of great resources on the game, as well as places where you can play pick-up in an area near you. Maybe I'll see you out on the field, one of these days.
BillG
Friday, June 09, 2006
The Joys of Home Ownership
So, it looks like my weekends for the next six years just got filled. Yep, I'm a proud owner of an 83-year-old house, which means myriads of things to do, fix, paint, weed, mow, repair, clean, etc.
One thing that's curiously satisfying, though, is the feeling of having something completed, and knowing that it will stay that way, because it's yours and your family's. On my first day walking around the new house, seeing what needed to be done, (Memorial Day, btw) I moved a rock to sit between our deck and our yard, a stepping stone, if you will. Darned if it's not satisfying every time to use that little stepping stone--it's just great. Who woulda thunk it?
The other interesting thing that's happening this summer, now that we've moved in, is that Megan is watching our niece, Chloe, during the day because she's out of school. So Megan finds herself having dance parties, playing soccer, and making mint chocolate chip ice cream, on top of taking care of the health and well-being of a tiny, cute, demanding little person--our three-year old daughter, for those of you keeping track. I don't know how she does it, how she adapts--I know that I wouldn't fare half as well as her in the same situation. After a rocky period that first day, I think everyone's settled in and everything's going to be fine.
Take care, all.
BillG
One thing that's curiously satisfying, though, is the feeling of having something completed, and knowing that it will stay that way, because it's yours and your family's. On my first day walking around the new house, seeing what needed to be done, (Memorial Day, btw) I moved a rock to sit between our deck and our yard, a stepping stone, if you will. Darned if it's not satisfying every time to use that little stepping stone--it's just great. Who woulda thunk it?
The other interesting thing that's happening this summer, now that we've moved in, is that Megan is watching our niece, Chloe, during the day because she's out of school. So Megan finds herself having dance parties, playing soccer, and making mint chocolate chip ice cream, on top of taking care of the health and well-being of a tiny, cute, demanding little person--our three-year old daughter, for those of you keeping track. I don't know how she does it, how she adapts--I know that I wouldn't fare half as well as her in the same situation. After a rocky period that first day, I think everyone's settled in and everything's going to be fine.
Take care, all.
BillG
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Here's an interesting item from the Mainichi daily news. Apparently, loincloths are becoming all the rage in Japan. Picture this: a happy Hack, riding down the street in midtown Osaka, wearing nothing but a loincloth, a matching t-shirt, and a happy smile. If you didn't just get goosebumps reading that sentence, then you have no heart :)
Loincloths are being marketed by the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo's Ginza district as a feature product for the summer months ahead, it has emerged. A boom in the sale of loincloths has been seen since last spring, and in just half a year the department store has sold about 5,000 loincloths -- roughly 25 times the normal number it sells. "They're unconstrained and have got good ventilation, and they're suited for Japan's humid summers," a department store official said. The popularity of loincloths has reportedly continued even during the colder months, with about 200 loincloths being sold monthly in winter. The store predicts that that a full-scale loincloth boom is eminent. It has prepared an abundant range of products for customers, from sleek designs featuring dots, goldfish, and fireworks, to loincloths that come with matching T-shirts. With the hot summer months ahead, the loincloths may add a new twist to the "Cool-biz" trend of dressing down to cool off. Source: Mainichi
Loincloths are being marketed by the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo's Ginza district as a feature product for the summer months ahead, it has emerged. A boom in the sale of loincloths has been seen since last spring, and in just half a year the department store has sold about 5,000 loincloths -- roughly 25 times the normal number it sells. "They're unconstrained and have got good ventilation, and they're suited for Japan's humid summers," a department store official said. The popularity of loincloths has reportedly continued even during the colder months, with about 200 loincloths being sold monthly in winter. The store predicts that that a full-scale loincloth boom is eminent. It has prepared an abundant range of products for customers, from sleek designs featuring dots, goldfish, and fireworks, to loincloths that come with matching T-shirts. With the hot summer months ahead, the loincloths may add a new twist to the "Cool-biz" trend of dressing down to cool off. Source: Mainichi
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
An update, guaranteed to satisfy
So . . .
May has been "major upheaval" month for the Gray household, especially the distaff side of the family. Evie has found her feet, and started to suck her thumb, as well as laughing, giggling, smiling, and even trying to talk back to us when we talk to her. She's also usually covered in a thin sheen of drool/spit-up/healthy baby glow most of the time, depending on how long it has been since she last had a bath (1 day and counting).
We moved last Saturday, to the not-so-distant block of 4400 Beaver, which is about (and I measured this) 0.3 miles away from our old residence. So, there's no Internet connection, no land-phone line, and no washer or dryer at our current abode, though we do have a front and back yard--first time ever. Once the family settles in, I think we'll be pretty happy in our new place. It's bigger, with room to expand our family, if we and God so desire, and it's in a much quiter neighborhood, with small children running around and people out working on their lawns and gardens almost every evening. My goodness--I think I've been domesticated! Seeing as how that was one of my goals, I shouldn't be surprised, of course, but still. If I can figure out this blog thing, and if we ever get the Internet back, I may even post a few pics of our new place. Friends are always welcome to visit.
Updating this blog is now on my list of "Things to do." I'll keep these posts short, and hopefully frequent. And if you're wondering why I didn't comment directly on the lack of posts, it's because I simply don't have a good enough excuse to offer you. Since it's 6/6/06 today, I'll just say that the devil made me do it.
BillG
May has been "major upheaval" month for the Gray household, especially the distaff side of the family. Evie has found her feet, and started to suck her thumb, as well as laughing, giggling, smiling, and even trying to talk back to us when we talk to her. She's also usually covered in a thin sheen of drool/spit-up/healthy baby glow most of the time, depending on how long it has been since she last had a bath (1 day and counting).
We moved last Saturday, to the not-so-distant block of 4400 Beaver, which is about (and I measured this) 0.3 miles away from our old residence. So, there's no Internet connection, no land-phone line, and no washer or dryer at our current abode, though we do have a front and back yard--first time ever. Once the family settles in, I think we'll be pretty happy in our new place. It's bigger, with room to expand our family, if we and God so desire, and it's in a much quiter neighborhood, with small children running around and people out working on their lawns and gardens almost every evening. My goodness--I think I've been domesticated! Seeing as how that was one of my goals, I shouldn't be surprised, of course, but still. If I can figure out this blog thing, and if we ever get the Internet back, I may even post a few pics of our new place. Friends are always welcome to visit.
Updating this blog is now on my list of "Things to do." I'll keep these posts short, and hopefully frequent. And if you're wondering why I didn't comment directly on the lack of posts, it's because I simply don't have a good enough excuse to offer you. Since it's 6/6/06 today, I'll just say that the devil made me do it.
BillG
Friday, February 10, 2006
No baby yet . . .
. . . guess she's pretty comfortable where she is.
I have a hard time concentrating at work--just thinking about her and what she'll be like.
I hope she comes soon.
Sorry for the lack of posts--I hope you'll forgive me. Everything's fine, aside from wondering and waiting. It's as if you didn't know what day Christmas was, only that it was some day around the 25th. Every day you wake up and run downstairs, expecting presents, and when there aren't any, you're slightly disappointed, but you know that the presents are coming soon, and that it's one day closer to the day.
Now take that feeling and multiply it by ten, and you'll have some idea of what we're going through. We appreciate all of the calls, prayers and well-wishers. Those of you who know us--expect a call when things get moving. Those that don't, well, why are you reading this blog in the first place?
Billy
I have a hard time concentrating at work--just thinking about her and what she'll be like.
I hope she comes soon.
Sorry for the lack of posts--I hope you'll forgive me. Everything's fine, aside from wondering and waiting. It's as if you didn't know what day Christmas was, only that it was some day around the 25th. Every day you wake up and run downstairs, expecting presents, and when there aren't any, you're slightly disappointed, but you know that the presents are coming soon, and that it's one day closer to the day.
Now take that feeling and multiply it by ten, and you'll have some idea of what we're going through. We appreciate all of the calls, prayers and well-wishers. Those of you who know us--expect a call when things get moving. Those that don't, well, why are you reading this blog in the first place?
Billy
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
ESPN.com - NFL - Pasquarelli: Job postings
ESPN.com - NFL - Pasquarelli: Job postings
Click on the link, and read the headline. Looks like I could have a job in the NFL . . .
Click on the link, and read the headline. Looks like I could have a job in the NFL . . .
Resistance (sp?) is futile
Every time I log in to publish a little something for you fine folks, I'm tempted to click on and figure out how to use Adsense, that little button that promises to help you make money by placing ads on your blog. As a marketer (in name at least, if not fully in spirit), I'm becoming increasingly aware of the various ways and means companies use to try to get their name out there, to try to get folks to try or buy whatever product they're selling in increasing quantities.
Now that I'm "on the inside" of marketing, so to speak, I see things like AdSense not as another for corporate America to "take over" the hearts and minds of the American people, but as the idea of some bright marketing manager at Google trying to figure out a way to "enhance shareholder profitability." (It seems to be working, as Google's stock is up almost 300% since its IPO last year). I see ads on TV and sit at home wishing I had thought of them first, rather than taking offense at its tone/style/content/existence. Of course, there are always ones I'm glad I didn't think of, like the amazingly insipid ads a local dentist has in heavy circulation right now.
But still, the question in my mind remains--what kind of person/professional am I becoming by doing what I am doing? And am I becoming someone that I would like to be in the future? If I met my future self five years from now, would I come away liking that person? I am doing my best, with God's help and other loved ones around me, including you, dear readers, to make sure the answer is yes.
Anyway, thanks for reading, I'll try to post more often, happy new year, merry christmas, and happy birthday to my Mom (December) and my wife (January). Once I find the digital camera, I'll try to get a photo of Megan up on the blog.
Now that I'm "on the inside" of marketing, so to speak, I see things like AdSense not as another for corporate America to "take over" the hearts and minds of the American people, but as the idea of some bright marketing manager at Google trying to figure out a way to "enhance shareholder profitability." (It seems to be working, as Google's stock is up almost 300% since its IPO last year). I see ads on TV and sit at home wishing I had thought of them first, rather than taking offense at its tone/style/content/existence. Of course, there are always ones I'm glad I didn't think of, like the amazingly insipid ads a local dentist has in heavy circulation right now.
But still, the question in my mind remains--what kind of person/professional am I becoming by doing what I am doing? And am I becoming someone that I would like to be in the future? If I met my future self five years from now, would I come away liking that person? I am doing my best, with God's help and other loved ones around me, including you, dear readers, to make sure the answer is yes.
Anyway, thanks for reading, I'll try to post more often, happy new year, merry christmas, and happy birthday to my Mom (December) and my wife (January). Once I find the digital camera, I'll try to get a photo of Megan up on the blog.
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