Tag Archives: facebook

November 30, 2009 · 10:50 pm

Time to Cry Tuesday – One in a Million

A million. That’s a hell of alot.

Of anything.

But members of a Facebook group? Many have tried but few have succeeded. Here are few examples of the success stories:

Barack Obama has 1,073,090.

Stephen T Colbert has 1,171,385.

None of this seems to be an obstacle for Speck Mellencamp. The 14-year-old son of Indiana rock star, John Mellencamp, has created the group 1,000,000 people to join, my dad john mellencamp will quit smoking.

Some will say he is crazy to attempt this. Others will ask why John agreed to it. Still others will wonder whether this is a publicity stunt. (I can assure you, it is not).

In my opinion none of this is relevant. What would be relevant is the fact that a 14-year-old son found a way to get through to his dad that just might work. Speck took the language of his generation and spelled out loud and clear a sentiment that maybe, just maybe, his nicotine-addicted dad just can’t ignore.

“Sure kid, get yourself a million members and then I will quit.”

Hmmm, never underestimate the power of a son’s love for his dad. Or the internet. Or the combination of both.

I LOVE THIS KID!

Why has this hit so close to home for me? First, there is nothing I love more than a parent and child story. And a close second would be a creative way to use social media. That coupled with the fact that the Mellencamps have been the kind of friends to faraway members of our family that we are infinitely thankful for. They have been there for them in person when we could not. And for that we will be forever grateful.

For all of you out there who are skeptics, shame on you. There is nothing more thrilling than a young person who will not take no for an answer.

Speck, you are one in a million, whether you hit your goal or not. You are surely destined for greatness. And John, you are one lucky dad who better get ready to pay up because my money is on the kid.

Now friends, go out there and join the group. Tweet, stumble, digg, kirtsy, carrier pigeon or whatever else you can to help spread the word.

(FYI, as of this writing the group has 5,595 members. It was launched the day after Thanksgiving)
UPDATE 12.1.09 11PM: over 42,000 members and picked up by AP. USA Today, Rolling Stone, Washington Post and going strong!)
 
Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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Filed under current events, relationships, social media, teenagers, Time to Cry Tuesdays

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August 7, 2009 · 11:20 pm

Social Media Saturday – Facebook Profile Tattoos?

husband-tattoo

Since the whole reason for starting this blog was to learn more about the social media space, I thought it would be fun to start this new series, Social Media Saturdays. I will be taking a look at the pros and cons of social media and of course pointing out the things that amuse me.

For those of you who are not on Facebook, the image to the left is a targeted Facebook ad. And a ridiculous one at that. What targeted means, in lay terms, is that there is some kind of creepy algorithm that aggregates all your profile info – age, marital status, geography, Facebook behavior, professional affiliations and G-d knows what else, perhaps even your bathroom habits. This information is then used to create strategically targeted ads that, in theory, fill your personal needs. (Nothing revolutionary, online ad networks have been doing this for a while. Think Google Ads). Again, in theory, you will be inclined to click on those ads, buy those products and services and the world will be a much better place because you don’t have to see ads for stuff you don’t want.

NOT.

Once again, I will retain my MFTA (Magnet For The Absurd) status with this post. I am guessing that perhaps the sole reason why I saw this ad on my Facebook page was because I am a married woman. (or maybe it is because I have linked to my blog where I have written about tattoos more than once). One would guess that all married women get this one, and all married men get the wife version with Jane on it. But how far does the targeting go? Will my married gay male friends get the John version? Depends upon how evolved the ad network is – both technically and socially. And if I were to get divorced would this ad stop appearing and would it be replaced by a dating service. Probably.

Creepy? Definitely.

Back to the absurdity of the offering. Hey, I love my husband but just as I doubt I would tattoo his name on my ass, I probably wouldn’t do it to my profile either. I wonder if there is an ad for a tattoo removal doctor that follows after you add this to your profile.

This illustrates the level of nonsense that is cluttering the social media networks, most of which is just white noise to the users. You Facebook users out there, for the fun of it, start paying attention to the ads that appear on your profiles and leave the most ridiculous ones in the comments.

This should be interesting.

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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Filed under absurdities, communities, social media, social media saturdays, technology

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January 25, 2009 · 12:32 am

Plinky?

plinky

Ok, everyone who reads me knows about my love affair with Twitter, right? Well tonight, perhaps I cheated on the little bird for a moment or two, I signed up for Plinky? Yeh, I know the name is a little annoying. Kind of like peeing a slinky which conjures up all sorts of painful symptoms and flashbacks of a bad urinary infection I had back in college.

Oops, I digress, for a change!

I heard about Plinky on Twitter so you could say I am cheating but it is twitter’s own damn fault for giving us the mother of all freedoms of speech. My fellow blogger @DarryleP sent out a tweet that cracked me up:

“Help!  I am finally starting to understand Twitter—so can anyone explain Plinky??”

Of course I had to find out what she was talking about so I went and signed up. Lord knows I don’t have nearly enough online addictions!

So here is the deal. This sucker just launched this week. Plinksters, I am giving you some link love and promoting what I think will be a lot of fun. Good luck to you and I hope this is your brass ring:

Plinky is here.

Friends, today we’re proud to announce the launch of Plinky, the little bundle of joy we’ve been gestating for oh so many months.       

What is Plinky, you ask? Well, in case you haven’t already jetted over to plinky.com to check it out, Plinky is a service that makes it easy for you to create inspired content on the web.Every day we provide a prompt (like a question, or a challenge) and you answer. Depending on the prompt, your answer may contain photos, maps, playlists and more. You can easily share your Plinky answers on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and most other major blogging services.

While I am sharing all this link love I surely must not forget to tell you to read Darryle P at i never signed up for this and her really fun new project click for clutter. Oh, and her adorable sun is at UW with Miss Jana, that small internet keeps rearing its crazy head at me! (BTW, you can still contribute to Jana’s Dance Marathon. Just click the link to her name above).

And Twitter, no worries, you are still my first love.

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog.

For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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December 14, 2008 · 12:39 am

Do you want soap with that?

Seems there is a new trend of bathing in the dishwashing sink at fast food restaurants these days. This week a group of girls bathed in the sink (in bikinis) at a KFC in Anderson, California. They of course posted the pics on MySpace because…

they are idiots! When does this generation get that pranking and posting doesn’t work out? Let’s run by some other morons who did this and lost their jobs.

Timothy Tackett, the Burger King employee who did the bathing trick in Ohio back in April. This guy is a trip. Great hair and make-up. Watch this video at least halfway through, it is worth checking out his gloves. My favorite line from him: “I had been looking at the sink for like 2 months and I thought, that’s big enough for me to take a bath in”. (hmmmm, what is that black wirey thing wrapped around my fork?)

Then there is the famous cheerleader, Caitlin Davis who got thrown off the New England Patriots squad for drawing swastikas and penises on a fellow cheerleader and posting the pics on Facebook. (I still don’t get the combo swastika/penis thing).

I once had a client who was all sorts of burnt out on biz and told me the only question she wanted to ask at work was, “Do you want fries with that?” Kind of worrying about what ever happened to her…

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at Mid-Century Modern Moms and at 50-Something Moms Blog.

For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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September 20, 2008 · 2:02 am

What Happens in Vegas goes on Facebook

Yes, we have arrived. As as soon as the plane landed the guy a few seats ahead of us stood up and that is what was written on his shirt.

Kind of poetic for a Blog Conference weekend, don’t you think?

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June 16, 2008 · 10:00 pm

First Thursday

If you live in my house, or that of 6 other outrageous women in my zip code, the first Thursday of the month means a night out with ‘the girls’. I will use that term only in the cliché of ‘girl’s night out’, for the seven of us are certainly w-o-m-e-n. In all its positive (and not so positive) connotations. Our husbands may like to spell that b-i-t-c-h. (or more affectionately… bee-otch).

It is hard to describe this group and do it any justice. Were we born out of the need to be heard and not judged? Perhaps. I do know that this is a table where I can fool absolutely NOBODY. And if I try to, I am called on it… big time!

Our mission, if there was to be one, is to BE THERE, no matter what. And to laugh, laugh, laugh.

We started in the most haphazard of ways. We met riding the train, through carpools, as neighbors or running partners. There was no rhyme or reason to who was in… we just happened. We measure the time we have been together by the age of the youngest of our collective 18 children who was born 2 weeks before we started. (12 years ago!) We have shared each other’s joys and heartbreaks ever since. There have been many of both, which makes us all realize how important it is to have your girls.

Our beginning was the essence of the title of this blog, we all could cry but we just had no time. Funny…but not. We were all working mothers with children ranging in age from 0-10 when we began. We come from all fields: medicine, finance, design, merchandising, real estate and entertainment. We are business owners, consultants, full time employees… you name it. Some have stopped working (for pay), some have scaled back and others have ramped up. We are the embodiment of how to juggle at any cost. And we were all beginning to realize that ‘the cost’ was ourselves.

Now that the kids are older life is easier on a maintenance level, but way harder on a life issues one.

There is no table I have ever sat at that is more entertaining. The following is the list of topics discussed at one dinner:

hillary vs. obama, SAT vs. ACT, big 10 vs. private universities, medical neutering of men in power (sorry guys, but this COULD keep you focused), career paths, time off, homeopathic vs. western medicine, botox, tennis, pilates and yoga, 10 lbs. on your ass doing wonders for your face at ‘a certain age‘, social media ruining the focus of our kids or are they just learning in a new way, multi-tasking, facebook, study habits, glass ceilings,  spreadsheets, iphones, the choices of our kids, the ailments of our parents, south beach, vegas, perez hilton, dave matthews (how did those two get in the same conversation?), the right to choose… EVERYTHING in our lives, the size of our asses and our egos, face creams, bad dreams, edging towards, turning and passing 50… and everything in between. (And that is just the list I dare to publish).

Thank you my dear sweet First Thursdays, for keeping me laughing, and yes crying too! You make the good times more joyous and bad ones easier to endure.

I love you all. (admit it, you are tearing up a bit ; )

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