Lunch with Eva

So, today I had a great networking lunch with Eva Abreu, founder of NJ Social Media, at the NJ Social Media HQ in Piscataway. It was a great and informative meeting as Eva and I discussed all things within the social media industry such as marketing, resumes and social media platforms. Over a great turkey and provolone sandwich, courtesy of the Tastee Sub shop in Edison, we eventually got to talking about our mutual love for music. We exchanged stories of what we liked and finally Eva asked, “Was there a lot of music in your house growing up?”

I began to tell her about my Dad who had one of the largest and most impressive jazz album collections anywhere (yes, vinyl). Dad could rattle off the bass player in the Oscar Peterson Trio (Ray Brown) and then tell you the entire horn section to the Maynard Ferguson Big Band (too many to list but all smoking). Big Band jazz was in his heart.

Mom, on the other hand, didn’t exactly love Big Band jazz as her tastes were more of the 70s mellow side. To the this day, when I hear any track off of Carol King’s awesome ‘Tapestry’ album, my memory bank immediately shoots back to the crazy green and brown living room in our old house. When I hear that album and almost anything by the Beatles (Rubber Soul and Abbey Road), I am instantaneously sent back to the old house. That’s the power of music. Bringing people together. Very social.

Meanwhile, my two older brothers (I am the youngest of three boys) would be sneaking in Schlitz 16 oz Tall Boy Beers up to the ‘cool room over the garage’ (think that 70s Show) and crank their 8-Tracks of Deep Purple, KISS, and Lynyrd Skynyrd – talk about a mix! Listening to all this different music made a HUGE impact on my own musical roots and now, I am trying to convince my daughter (who is only 5 yrs old now) that listening to Stevie Wonder, then some indie rock, followed by Metallica , which would then turn into The Police, then Earth, Wind and Fire would round out her musical education.

So, what does this really have to do with social media? Well, my lunch with Eva was great and we agreed that just like any social media platform, music could be considered a social media platform as it brings people together. I look forward to attending more networking meetings with Eva and NJ Social Media.

Spam

Today we are going to discuss something that everyone here dislikes, and no, it’s not bad reality shows, lukewarm coffee or weather predications. I am going to chat with you about that lovely unwanted email from some unknown person looking to sell you something.

Yes, I’m talking about Spam.

Webster’s dictionary describes Spam as the following –

1. noun, verb, spammed, spam•ming. 1. Trademark: a canned food product consisting esp. of pork formed into a solid block.
And this…
2. noun ( lowercase ) a disruptive, esp. commercial message posted on a computer network or sent as e-mail.

EUREKA!

Now that’s the spam I’m talking about. Funny how something so unwanted to could traced to a canned meat substance (for the record, I have never eaten Spam, even after watching the hilarious Monty Python ‘Spam’ episode). Electronic Spam, probably like the canned meat substance of the same name, can clog up your system (so to speak). Don’t these people know that hitting the ‘delete’ button on a Spam email is as natural as brushing your teeth?

So, let’s talk about the unwanted and or unsolicited electronic mail that comes to you with the possibility of some very promising results (Act now! Be the first on your block! Feeling down? Talk to hot singles!). Should you click on them? Sure, and you should open a can of Spam and try it with mustard, on rye.

Spam, the tinned luncheon meat, made largely from pork, in the military, stood for SPiced HAM, or for Stuff Posing As Meat. And for those annoying emails we all get, it stands for Stupid Pointless Annoying Messages. You get the idea.

Here is an example of SPAM I have received in my personal email account. Breast Implants, Fish Oil, World Travel, Left Hip Replacement Recall, Free Palm Reading, Find Love Today, As Seen On TV, Right Hip Replacement Donation, Impress your friends with Origami, Hubcap Art, Personal Mobility, etc, etc…

So, like the elephant in the room, when it comes to Spam, we all get them. Some are more colorful than others, some are as fiction as a good novel and most are very annoying. Thankfully, the ‘delete’ button, like brushing your teeth, is your best friend when it comes to the never ending fight against Spam (be the first to like this blog post and win a chance to talk to a hot single!! Who loves hubcap art! And spiced meat on rye!)

Did you hear that?

knock, knock,

"Did you hear that?"

"What…"

knock, knock

"There it is again?"

"What are you talking about?"

knock, knock

"Wait, there it is once more!"

"Really, I have no clue what you are talking about…"

That, my friends was the sound of opportunity, knocking on your door. Followed by, the sound of the planets coming into alignment. And lastly, that sound was someone turning on the light at the end of the tunnel. Welcome to your second wind, also known as, graduating from the Mini MBA program in Digital Marketing at the Center for Management Development at Rutgers.

I’ve been unemployed (or in ‘transition’) for the last fifteen months and I have been exploring several avenues of employment since that time. I’ve done several informational interviews with various friends in the design/marketing industry, I volunteered at a non-profit agency (The Seeing Eye) and a music festival (wrote the FB posts for the Waterloo Music festival), and then I tried fifteen weeks in thirteenth grade, but spending 40 hours in ‘the’ Piscataway with some of the best instructors in Social Media and Digital Marketing at the Rutgers Center for Management Development Mini MBA class has easily been the best move I have made so far.

Let’s do a quick recap – An engaging Matt Bailey talked about the SEO and Blogging and then Mark Schaeffer walked us through a comprehensive Social Media guide. Glen Gilmore eased us through Privatization while Christian ‘CK’ Kerley barreled through the benefits of Mobile Marketing. Greg Jarboe smoothly explained the benefits of ‘the’ You Tube and finally Mike Moran wrapped up the whole course in a neat and tidy box and imposed a great case study on us using everything we learned. Wow, my head was spinning.

As we neared completion of the course, Mike Moran finished the week with some excellent advice for us students. He told us to ‘take a deep breath and let the information sink in,’ then he asked that we take three items that we learned this week and explore those. For me, it will be re-doing my blogging website, researching Mobile Optimization and understanding ‘the’ You Tube. Hopefully, by next week, I should have a new website for my blog, up and running.

I also attend the New Jersey Open Coffee Social Media Meetup that takes place every Thursday in Montclair to continue my networking and if you have been following this blog, I will also continue to try and have the best lawn on my block.

So, yes, opportunity does knock, planets do align and lights in tunnels can be turned on.

Enjoy the ride.

Media that is Social

So, I’m looking to get into the somewhat new industry of Social Media. I have heard that conversations amongst ‘social media-ians’ (just made that up) usually goes like this –

Man 1 – Hey dude, have you Tweeted today yet?
Man 2 – No, but I have tumblr-ed this morning.
Man 1 – Wow, you feeling ok?
Man 2 – Yeah, I’m cool, I posted it on Facebook!
Man 1 – That’s totally Hootsuite, man…
Man 2 – LOL, dude….

Well, it might not be exactly like that, but that, ladies and gentlemen, are where we are headed. Yes, social media is here to stay. Another aspect of this new trend and something that has been around for quite a long time is blogging (or imaginative writing found on obscure sounding websites that the author thinks is funny or (gasp!) creative!).

A prime example of that kind of nonsense can be found at http://totallywink.blogspot.com

Well, yes, I have tweeted (I’m @totallywink), occasionally, I Facebook (Facebook is now a verb), this morning I Hootsuit-ed but I have yet to Tumblr. As I continue to network and research potential employment positions, I need to be confident in my answers when I am asked about my Twitter account (sounds creepy, doesn’t it?) or any Blog post I may have written (telling an HR rep my fascination with a psychotic bunny styled polo may take some kid gloves).

That’s why attending the New Jersey Open Coffee Meet Up about Social Media and Digital Marketing on Thursdays (http://www.meetup.com/New-Jersey-Open-Coffee-Montclair/) has been instrumental in me learning the language that so many geeks and HR folks speak.

This, and my future sojourn (actually next Monday) at the Rutgers Center for Management Development in Digital Marketing (It’s part of their Mini MBA program!! - http://www.cmd.rutgers.edu/mini-mba-digital-marketing.html) will help with my education (Right On!).

The real key to this Social Media experience is too hopefully, not make it an Anti-Social Media. Networking can only go so far via the internet. That’s why getting out and going to the Social Media Meetup in Montclair and the class at Rutgers will help folks put a face with the Tweet. Or the Hootsuite. Or the Tumblr.

Tired of my Attire

Ya know, when your unemployed, sometimes the hardest part of the day is deciding what t-shirt to wear. Most of my t-shirts are of the short sleeve variety and just about all of them, have some sort of dopey saying or colorful image plastered over the middle (I just got an awesome Spy vs. Spy shirt! Sweeeeeett!!).

But when it’s time to ‘step it up’ a bit, I tend to reach for the traditional, collared, solid color golf shirt. I know what you’re saying, if that’s his ‘step it up’ look, I would hate to see ‘formal’. Speaking of ‘formal’, that is usually some sort of long sleeved button down with crisp starched collars that can cause skin abrasions when worn for more than 30 minutes. It’s more like Velcro than silk. Anyway, those ‘armor’ styled shirts are still hanging in my closet, with the dry cleaning tag still attached (and hopefully the blood stains removed).

Back to the golf shirts; the ones I have are mostly just solid prints, with the occasional striped accents ala Bobby Brady and not too many logos (an alligator or someone’s initials stitched on my upper left chest? I think not!). Basic golf shirts, too me, are one step up from the classic ‘Guinness’ t-shirt.

Then, a while back, my wife returned home with the most awesome-ist, down-right kick ass, most totally wicked traditional golf shirt I have ever seen. And, it has a logo – this logo –

Check out that bunny head. Totally cool. Yes, I now have a very cool Psycho Bunny traditional golf shirt (in a blue solid print, of course). And, it doesn’t matter where I go, someone always manages to comment on my new, way cool ‘polo.’ “It’s not a traditional polo,” I am sometimes asked for which I answer, “It still has a collar and two buttons so I think this still qualifies as a ‘polo’.”

http://www.psycho-bunny.com/servlet/StoreFront

Does wearing this shirt make me want to listen to ‘Psycho Killer’ by the Talking Heads or ‘Psycho Analysis’ from the Ramones? Not really. But take note all you alligator wearing, collar up two initials sporting ‘polo’ looking guys, do yourself a favor and think outside the proverbial golf shirt box. Grab yourself a Psycho Bunny polo and snub your nose at convention. I like to think of the Universe as wearing the alligator and me wearing the Bunny. Psycho Bunny, that is. (I don’t work for the Psycho Bunny, I’m just a fan).

What's in a name?

Totally Wink.

What a strange surname and domain title. What kind of person uses such a creative and thought provoking alias?

Well, it’s not so thought provoking as one might think, but it still catches folks’ attention.

So, here’s the story of how Totally Wink became such a phenomenon (well, at least in my head).

Years ago, when I was a young lad, I was in a cover band that was going to focus all its songs on the 1970s. Didn’t matter who the artist was (Captain and Tennille) or what the song sounded like (‘September’ by Earth, Wind and Fire). We were going to do the songs our own way (damit!).

One night, during a band meeting at the local Chili’s Restaurant, we reviewed our set list, pondered gig schedules, and discussed attire. Everything was going very smoothly (as were the industrial strength margaritas – on the rocks with salt) when it dawned on us that we lacked the one thing a working band needs, a name.
“Who were we?” we thought in between bites of our epic beef nachos and salsa. “What’s our niche” we deliberated while alternating our margarita and beer consumption. Finally, the lead singer announced, “We need a 70’s icon that we can have as the face of this band, so everyone start thinking about that” (this was before smartphones were invented). Well, that only left me (the bass player) and the singer as we were both born in the 60s and the drummer and guitar player were born during Disco’s peak (i.e. they had no clue).

So, names were launched out – Mr. T? Nah. Fonzi? No way. Poncherello? “What the hell is a Poncherello…” the drummer asked. Anyway, we continued and the guitar player says, “Who was this guy Wink Martindale? I remember my parents saying that was a funny name.” Like a ball peen hammer hitting your pinky toe in the middle of the night, it came to me. I said, (and probably was slurring a little when I said it) “Man, that’s totally wink…” The other guys waved me off like the drunk bass player I was and continued with their search.

Me? The next day at my job, working for an internet service provider, I bought the domain name Totally Wink (that was in 1993) and still have it. As for the band, we lasted about as long as a contestant on Tic-Tac-Dough and called it quits soon after. But the name, Totally Wink has lived on.

Still Networking...

Well, here I am, now having surpassed a year of not working, and the one major accomplishment so far, is that my lawn is the best looking one on the block.

Really.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy having an awesome green, well manicured lawn that stands out from the slightly more yellow in hue looking lawns that surround me, but I would rather be employed.

Upon further inspection, I have noticed that two other lawns, further up the road on my street, are in competition with me for the ‘best lawn on the block’ award (I just made that up). And as I drive by these masterful putting greens, the men in charge of these tour de forces are all (get this) retired.

Retired? I’m competing against retired men? Can’t be.

Well, I thought that when I RETIRED, I would have conversations with other retired men about our lawns (Say Bob, what kind of weed killer are you using? Well, Skip, I just used Ortho Weed B- Gone MAX in the spray bottle that you can get at the local Ace Hardware for only…)

I’m not there yet!!! I’m in my forties and can’t even think about retiring let alone what I’m even having for dinner tonight (I checked – leftovers). This is like a bad dream that has come true. So, what’s an able bodied person such as myself going to do? Well, I’m still networking with the New Jersey Open Coffee Meet Up about Social Media and Digital Marketing on Thursdays (http://www.meetup.com/New-Jersey-Open-Coffee-Montclair) and I’m getting ready for my awesome class at the Rutgers Center for Management Development in Digital Marketing in July (It’s part of their Mini MBA program - http://www.cmd.rutgers.edu/mini-mba-digital-marketing.html). So, if nothing else, I’m keeping busy.

And I will get to all this as soon as I’m done taking out the Craftsman Gale Force gas powered leaf blower to rid my deck of the grass clippings that my Honda Elite Mulcher lawn mower sprayed all over the place. Well, at least there are no weeds in the lawn. Well, not yet.

Going to a State School

So, the Universe is taking pity on me and finally, throwing me a bone, so to speak. I attended several training workshops with the New Jersey State Unemployment and they have agreed to send me to school for some additional training (whoo hoo!!).

Now, unlike my recent venture into the world of community college (see blog posts dated January 27th and May 20th), this class I am about to take is geared toward a skill set that is very current. Anything to get an edge on the workforce.

This coming July, I will be taking a one week intensive in Digital Marketing at the Center for Management Development at Rutgers. This class is part of their Mini MBA program and even my Unemployment counselor has heard good things from this program. (http://www.cmd.rutgers.edu/mini-mba-digital-marketing.html)

My counselor has also told me that this career is still in its infant stages and to go to this class at Rutgers will certainly help my resume. So, I am a little over a month away from taking this class and I can’t wait. In the meantime, to sharpen my Digital Marketing skills, I’ve joined a Meet Up that meets every Thursday to talk about Digital Marketing and Social Media (http://www.meetup.com/New-Jersey-Open-Coffee-Montclair/). Could there be light at the end of the unemployment tunnel? Or is that still an oncoming train piloted by the Universe?

Stay tuned.

Getting the Band Back Together

Well, it’s happening. Something that I really didn’t think would happen but, I guess the Universe had other plans for me. Yes, it’s true.

“We’re getting the band back together.”

I’d never thought I would be a part of the famous 'Blues Brothers' movie quote but now I guess, I've come full circle, musician wise.

The band that is getting back together was a group that I auditioned for back in 1993 in a seedy rehearsal room in West Paterson. Well, they picked me and for seven years, we rehearsed in said seedy room and played out in the surrounding area. We called ourselves ‘Gang O’Kids’ after a phrase that the guitarist mom used to say about her neighborhood. “Look at all them gang o’kids running around…”

Nice.

Well, times change and lives change. The singer left in March of 2000 to move to Seattle and I left a month later to move to Colorado with my wife. Fast forward 11 years and I am now back in Jersey with my wife, a five year old daughter, a thirty year fixed mortgage and a dog. Wow. Our first rehearsal is at the end of June and I’ve started to relearn the demos and practice tapes of the band yet again. For this band, I have to break out the five-string bass for the deeper low end that the music demands (Thank You Modulus Flea 5!!) and because of everyone’s schedule, this will be a one-off gig. Ok, no problem. This should be fun. I’d like to thank the Universe for giving me a present during my unemployment time.

Fifteen weeks in Thirteenth grade

OMG! WTF? LOL!
Is this Morse code?
No.

Some new Pharmaceutical ad campaign?
No.

A new kind of alien language?
Well, yes.

This little tidbit of information was brought to you by me, who just completed a semester at a local community college, or better known as, fifteen weeks in thirteenth grade.

Yes, fifteen weeks in thirteenth grade (now known as 15w13g, LOL) was quite the campaign by yours truly. Here I was, navigating thru a student body that was so strange, yet, seemed so familiar. After all these years, I was now on the OUTSIDE looking IN on these kids who probably looked at me with the same amount of perplexity as I did at them. Here are a few observations;

- Skinny Jeans can be worn by girls and guys. Back in the middle 1980s, this was all the rage. I know because as a musician, I did wear them (sadly). Then grunge came in and mercifully killed the look. Why it’s been reborn is anyone’s guess.
- ‘Heathers’ do exist.
- Every kid there is more important than you.
- Every kid would rather be somewhere else.

When you take a step back and look at it, community college is really just thirteenth grade. Most the kids know one another and it’s almost like a reunion of sorts, except they really are only one year (more like three months) removed from hanging out in high school. Whether or not they continue their education, all I know is that I will never wear skinny jeans again and my thumbs cannot text as fast as them. Maybe I really wanted to be someplace else just like them (like a job that I really like).

Lost on Campus

Ok, ok, I know you all have a lot of questions regarding my sabbatical from this hobby called ‘blogging’ and the silly point of view that I have toward job-hunting. In all actually, I really had nothing to write about unless you call painting every upstairs room in my house blog-worthy. But I’m sure what you really want to know is, where have I been since Thursday, September 2, 2010? (aka, the date of my last blog entry).

Well, many events have taken place since that time but none more important than what happened today.

I went back to school.

Yes, school. Just so you know it’s not ‘Harvard’ or ‘Stanford’, or even an Adult Education night class held in a cafeteria at a local middle school. No, it is just ‘community’ college. Community is actually Latin for ‘really inexpensive’.

Say it with me – ka-moon-e-tea.

Excellent.

I’m attending a local community college to finish a Graphic Design degree that I started way back in the early 1990’s. We all remember the nineties, right? Well, here I am in 2011 back at school fighting my way through the North Face jacket wearing, iPod listening, two thumbs a texting, I’m cooler than you because I was born when you were in college, crowd. A fellow student actually called me “Sir” the other day.

Really? ‘Sir’? Ugh.

Talk about culture shock. Might be time to get a North Face jacket and take a black Sharpie to my grey beard (not really).

I am taking four classes at the local community college; Art History, Drawing I, 2-D Design, and English Comp II, and I’ve gotten lost looking for one of my class rooms at least six times. I’m hoping that once I’m done with about three semesters of classes, I can join the hearty folks of the working class. By then I should know my way around the campus.
Graduating with a degree in Design I hope will propel me into a fancy Art Director position with a nice window view and free coffee or working for a local t-shirt company. Either way, I’ll be in a cool creative environment (Hey, ya gotta dream it!).

I have been blaming the Universe for sending me on this crazy route in hopes of finding joyful employment and, moving forward, I will continue to blame the Universe for sending me on this crazy route in hopes of finding ANY kind of employment.

But in the meantime, I have a quiz about poetry next week and need to study the material. I’m betting that there is not one poem on the syllabus that starts with “There was a man from Nantucket…”

Hey look, I see that North Face jackets are on sale! (Man, I really need to get out of the house more often).

More to follow.