Wow!
My 8 year old Daughter and I have just had a major blow out regarding what she was going to wear in her class pictures tomorrow.
Did I mention she was 8?
So what's the deal with that?!?!? I thought that stuff did not start until they were like 12-13 years old?
I am so sad because I really did fight with her - I mean she was crying and screaming because I would not let her wear this halter top white crepe dress with red flowers on it. I'm not even sure where it came from - it was in her closet with the tags still on it - hmmmm - grandma I bet - I'll get her!
It was totally inappropriate for school attire and it was a little tight to boot - so I could not even fathom allowing her to go to school in it! Besides i'm not even sure if they allow halter tops at school!!
In a different situation (and a different size) I bet it would be pretty and I would let her wear it - but not to school and especially not for picture day. I can just imagine that everytime I saw that photo I would be reminded of how I allowed her to go to school looking riduculous and also remember that awful fight and that I had given in - so no way - it's not happening!
But I'm sad and I feel bad for her that she got so upset about it. A small part of me almost let her just wear what she wanted - but Isn't that what I am here for. To help her make good choices and protect her and keep her safe and beautiful and happy.
In the short-term she may have been happy - but in the long run - if someone had teased her or if she saw her pictures and realized that it did not look as good as she thought it did then the happiness would have been forgotton and I would have felt awful for not standing my ground!
Anyway - it's been a rough day all around so I'm pooped! My broken foot is hurting especially badly, I have to go into work tomorrow and I don't want to, I had to make my husband take me to the grocery store at lunch today before he went to work (so that was a nightmare)! Then this afternoon Hannah and I had trouble finding a ride to soccer practice - but finally got it worked out at the last minute! Man I will be so happy when my foot is better and I can drive again!
And so just in case I did not think the transportation issues, and family fights were enough drama for the day - I have lost one of the diamonds in my ring and I have no idea when or where it happened so there is probably no chance of ever finding it. Of Course it was one of the two in the ring that just happened to belong to my great grandmother.
OMG - i think i need a big fat glass of wine and some mindless magazines and HGTV.
Sorry to be such a downer tonight - but man - I needed to get this day off my chest!
Be Well.
Until Next Time.
Mary
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Sometimes I really do love Oprah
Why you ask? Am I becoming that cliche of a Mother who is addicted to Oprah and takes her wisdom as all that is good and true in the world? No. Certainly not.
She is a woman with the public access to get her messages and agendas out to the masses and the means to make everyone love her as she does it! And good for her - most of the time it seems like she has something pretty interesting to say. I am sure that any one of us would have a lame show now and then if we had to come up with 5 topics per week to captivate and motivate millions of people across the country. There is no way that can be easy for she and her staff....
So all in all I think she does a really good job representing women and supporting our causes and the issues that families struggle with in this country and world every day.
NOW - the reason why I am loving her lately is that she had a show about motherhood and the trials and tribulations of said job. It was like a show about "mom's dirty little secrets" and it rocked! She is so bold, sincere and unapologetic when it comes to taking a stand about parenting. And she is honest and brings out the honesty in the people who come to the show to talk about being a mother.
At some point during this show she very sincerely and candidly said, "All mothers need a wife." Period. She was not joking and did not belabor it. I just sat there half laughing and half realizing how true that was..... Wow - what if there were two of me?!?!?
Further into the show she pointed out that we used to not be so isolated when raising children. Quite often you lived with or close to relatives, and there was never even a need to ask about help with food or baking or childcare or errands. Everyone just did it together - pitched in and helped out whenever and wherever was needed. Even neighbors could provide a strong support system for one another. I remember going to my mom's best friends house as if it was my own. Just an extension of my mom who fed me and bathed me and ran me around to activities just as if I was one of her own. And my mom did the same with her daughter too. What a great example that was for me to see the art of true friendship and support, and I still consider that childhood friend as a friend in my life today. That's the power of two mothers working together to help each other be better mom's and stronger people.
Are we creating those bonds today? Do people lean on one another like we did in the past? My gut tells me no. Women today do not ask for help, or like to admit failure. We believe we can do it all and do it perfectly. I am slowly realizing that for me - my child is taking priority over my ego, or my need for some amazing world changing career. By showing Hannah what it means to be successful as a mother I am changing the world in my own special way - Her.
Be Well.
Until Next Time,
Mary
She is a woman with the public access to get her messages and agendas out to the masses and the means to make everyone love her as she does it! And good for her - most of the time it seems like she has something pretty interesting to say. I am sure that any one of us would have a lame show now and then if we had to come up with 5 topics per week to captivate and motivate millions of people across the country. There is no way that can be easy for she and her staff....
So all in all I think she does a really good job representing women and supporting our causes and the issues that families struggle with in this country and world every day.
NOW - the reason why I am loving her lately is that she had a show about motherhood and the trials and tribulations of said job. It was like a show about "mom's dirty little secrets" and it rocked! She is so bold, sincere and unapologetic when it comes to taking a stand about parenting. And she is honest and brings out the honesty in the people who come to the show to talk about being a mother.
At some point during this show she very sincerely and candidly said, "All mothers need a wife." Period. She was not joking and did not belabor it. I just sat there half laughing and half realizing how true that was..... Wow - what if there were two of me?!?!?
Further into the show she pointed out that we used to not be so isolated when raising children. Quite often you lived with or close to relatives, and there was never even a need to ask about help with food or baking or childcare or errands. Everyone just did it together - pitched in and helped out whenever and wherever was needed. Even neighbors could provide a strong support system for one another. I remember going to my mom's best friends house as if it was my own. Just an extension of my mom who fed me and bathed me and ran me around to activities just as if I was one of her own. And my mom did the same with her daughter too. What a great example that was for me to see the art of true friendship and support, and I still consider that childhood friend as a friend in my life today. That's the power of two mothers working together to help each other be better mom's and stronger people.
Are we creating those bonds today? Do people lean on one another like we did in the past? My gut tells me no. Women today do not ask for help, or like to admit failure. We believe we can do it all and do it perfectly. I am slowly realizing that for me - my child is taking priority over my ego, or my need for some amazing world changing career. By showing Hannah what it means to be successful as a mother I am changing the world in my own special way - Her.
Be Well.
Until Next Time,
Mary
Monday, April 20, 2009
more topics
my new vacuum rocks!
Dyslexia/Dysgraphia
running is all i know
the wheelie cart
ice cream man
hooked on HGTV
Dyslexia/Dysgraphia
running is all i know
the wheelie cart
ice cream man
hooked on HGTV
My Broken Foot
Hurts.
Ha! No Really - it is a pain - in so many ways!
So yes - I have broken my foot. And the worst thing is that it did not happen while I was doing anything spectacular at all! Instead it is because I am a klutz and I am a slave for fashion and I think I look at least 5 pounds thinner in 4" heels than I do in flats. So therefore I insist on wearing them pretty much 85% of the time I am outside my house.
I know - it's vain and shallow - and I know that later in life I will pay dearly for it (uh - I think I am paying for it now) but up until this happened I really did not care.
Now I am maybe reconsidering this position. mainly due to the horizontal position I have been in for the last two weeks!! Here I lay with my big swollen foot propped up with ice and bandages and not mobile in any way!!!
So the conditions of my broken foot are: No Driving and No Walking for at least 2 and maybe up to 4 weeks. In addition I must keep the foot elevated and iced as much as possible. If I promised I would adhere to these rules the lovely Orthopedics people at the sports therapy center said I did not have to get a permanent hard cast but instead could have an air cast (which is pretty much a big grey plastic boot)! :) Yea! How Lovely!
Gosh - I never thought I would be that excited about footwear that is so unattractive!
So now that I am on day 13 of my immobility I have concluded that I am not missing driving that much. Don't get me wrong - I do miss the ability to go and do whatever I want when, but at the same time NOT being able to do all those things is kind of nice too! I don't think I realized how overextended I was. There is simply not enough time in the day to do all that I do - and now I feel like I have an excuse to use for why I have to say no - or that I cannot do it! :) I guess what I really need to think about is why I feel like I need to have an excuse to say no? hmmmm - that may be a topic for another blog on another day.....
Anyway - I AM way over the hobbling around in my house! I really took for granted the use of both my feet and having my hands free and not clinging to a set of crutches! Asking everyone in my house to hand me things and get me things all the time is annoying too (for them more than me probably).
At any rate - I guess I will not do the wounded warrior 10k with my hubby and our friend Mike this weekend (bummer). And I did not get to go out for the soccer game on Saturday with my daughter (double bummer). But I am however catching up on a lot of school work and things around the house. I am working from home for 2 weeks and it is really easy to do that for me so I don't know why I do not do it more! I don't have to have a broken foot to do it - I just need to be prepared and coordinate my weeks and appointments more efficiently and I could probably do this 2-3 days of the week - or 3-4 days of half days..... that would be awesome!
I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason so maybe this happened because I needed to realize that I have the ability to create all the time I need or could want to do what I enjoy in my life. The only thing that was standing in my way was my own doubts! How ironic that it took not being able to stand to make me realize that!
Be well.
Until Next Time,
Mary
Ha! No Really - it is a pain - in so many ways!
So yes - I have broken my foot. And the worst thing is that it did not happen while I was doing anything spectacular at all! Instead it is because I am a klutz and I am a slave for fashion and I think I look at least 5 pounds thinner in 4" heels than I do in flats. So therefore I insist on wearing them pretty much 85% of the time I am outside my house.
I know - it's vain and shallow - and I know that later in life I will pay dearly for it (uh - I think I am paying for it now) but up until this happened I really did not care.
Now I am maybe reconsidering this position. mainly due to the horizontal position I have been in for the last two weeks!! Here I lay with my big swollen foot propped up with ice and bandages and not mobile in any way!!!
So the conditions of my broken foot are: No Driving and No Walking for at least 2 and maybe up to 4 weeks. In addition I must keep the foot elevated and iced as much as possible. If I promised I would adhere to these rules the lovely Orthopedics people at the sports therapy center said I did not have to get a permanent hard cast but instead could have an air cast (which is pretty much a big grey plastic boot)! :) Yea! How Lovely!
Gosh - I never thought I would be that excited about footwear that is so unattractive!
So now that I am on day 13 of my immobility I have concluded that I am not missing driving that much. Don't get me wrong - I do miss the ability to go and do whatever I want when, but at the same time NOT being able to do all those things is kind of nice too! I don't think I realized how overextended I was. There is simply not enough time in the day to do all that I do - and now I feel like I have an excuse to use for why I have to say no - or that I cannot do it! :) I guess what I really need to think about is why I feel like I need to have an excuse to say no? hmmmm - that may be a topic for another blog on another day.....
Anyway - I AM way over the hobbling around in my house! I really took for granted the use of both my feet and having my hands free and not clinging to a set of crutches! Asking everyone in my house to hand me things and get me things all the time is annoying too (for them more than me probably).
At any rate - I guess I will not do the wounded warrior 10k with my hubby and our friend Mike this weekend (bummer). And I did not get to go out for the soccer game on Saturday with my daughter (double bummer). But I am however catching up on a lot of school work and things around the house. I am working from home for 2 weeks and it is really easy to do that for me so I don't know why I do not do it more! I don't have to have a broken foot to do it - I just need to be prepared and coordinate my weeks and appointments more efficiently and I could probably do this 2-3 days of the week - or 3-4 days of half days..... that would be awesome!
I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason so maybe this happened because I needed to realize that I have the ability to create all the time I need or could want to do what I enjoy in my life. The only thing that was standing in my way was my own doubts! How ironic that it took not being able to stand to make me realize that!
Be well.
Until Next Time,
Mary
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Michael Vick: This is your life!
Who: Mike Vick.
What: May do a reality show about his "road to redemption."
When: Once released from jail.
Where: The show will take viewers from his jail release to his construction job, financial recovery planning, probation transitions, as well as his appeals to return to the NFL.
Why: Because the guy needs a job and we (the TV watchers of America) desperately need another tasteless, mindless reality show to watch.
How(can this be happening): Money Talks.
So the burning question on every one's mind this week has to be which lucky cable group will pick up the tantalizing new reality show featuring Hampton Roads shining star, Michael Vick?
As we all anxiously await the news so that we can preset our DVR's Vick and the would-be producers (and Vick's attorneys of course) are shopping the new series to a number of different stations such as Spike and A&E. The water cooler jokes have already begun about a reality show for Vick on Animal Planet - and while that might make for good office banter I would not hold your breath on that one.
Regardless of the mixed views about what Vick should or should not be doing post-incarceration the fact still remains that once released from jail Vick will have served his time, be in need of a job and be free to do as he wants.
Since NFL teams have not exactly lined up to take him off the Falcon's hands the former Warwick High School star will need to find some other means of earning a living for awhile - even if it is only to pay back the debts of his former high-dollar lifestyle.
Last week a bankruptcy judge threw out the original plans Vick and his attorneys had developed regarding his financial recovery. Now they must regroup and come up with a new plan that pays back more of the debts and liquidates more of his assets.
According to court records from the hearing on April 2nd and 3rd Vick’s current plan left the former star with two large homes and three luxury vehicles. Yet he had the ability to raise less than 10 percent of the income needed to support those living expenses at the time the case was heard.
A reality show would certainly provide a larger and faster solution to his cash flow needs than the $10 per hour construction job a local contractor and family friend has offered the ex-QB once he is released.
Vick, appearing in court to promote his plans, shared with the judge that he was counting on the TV show, as well as a quick return to football to offset the differences in the income needs and the cash available. Unfortunately the judge did not seem to think that either one of those career possibilities posed good odds for actually happening.
I can understand the Judges concern. Even if Vick gets the green light on the show the question is will it actually work out? Will the show get picked up for a whole season? Will people actually watch? Can it sustain the inevitable backlash from animal lovers who think Vick should never be allowed to move on?
Only time will tell.
Primetime that is.
Reality shows are a dime a dozen. Each day brings a new topic or person who feels their 15 minutes of fame is not quite up. So how will Vick stand out in the crowd and why will viewers accept him profiting millions off of his criminal behavior?
I have to say that the judge is not giving the TV watchers in this country enough credit! Vick’s plan will most certainly work!! Why? Because Americans love a comeback story and will anxiously watch each week as a fallen star struggles to get back on top.
In the days of layoffs, cutbacks and furloughs along with miniscule 401k’s and postponed retirement plans people need to feel like they are not alone in all this mess. Most of all they want to see people worse off than them!
This makes Vick a perfect candidate for a top-rated reality show! Broke, Hated, and Unemployed - people will not be able to miss a moment of this train wreck!
Honestly I hope the former Hokie star does get picked up for a show, pays off his debts, makes a little money for himself and redeems himself in the eyes of the public!
I think he should go work at Dogtown while awaiting the NFL’s verdict on his eligibility to return to play.
In case you don’t know Dogtown is a “sanctuary home” and the “last and best chance” for many of the dogs who come there. Earlier in the year they took in some of the dogs seized from Vick’s kennel and dedicated the show to all of 22 dogs who were removed from the home. How do I know all of this you ask? Because they have a reality show on Friday’s at 10pm on NatGeo of course.
I think Vick working at Dogtown would make for some darn-good reality TV. There would be Irony, Drama, Hatred, Defeat, and ultimately maybe even some Redemption.
I’d definitely watch.
At the end of the day, as a parent of children from the human AND canine persuasion, I truly hope Vick has learned the errors of his ways and shows that to us in whatever venue he is given.
His ultimate venue is the stadium. That is where he truly belongs. At some point down the road there will be a team that gives him that chance again – so why not in the meantime allow us to watch him try and get there.
###
What: May do a reality show about his "road to redemption."
When: Once released from jail.
Where: The show will take viewers from his jail release to his construction job, financial recovery planning, probation transitions, as well as his appeals to return to the NFL.
Why: Because the guy needs a job and we (the TV watchers of America) desperately need another tasteless, mindless reality show to watch.
How(can this be happening): Money Talks.
So the burning question on every one's mind this week has to be which lucky cable group will pick up the tantalizing new reality show featuring Hampton Roads shining star, Michael Vick?
As we all anxiously await the news so that we can preset our DVR's Vick and the would-be producers (and Vick's attorneys of course) are shopping the new series to a number of different stations such as Spike and A&E. The water cooler jokes have already begun about a reality show for Vick on Animal Planet - and while that might make for good office banter I would not hold your breath on that one.
Regardless of the mixed views about what Vick should or should not be doing post-incarceration the fact still remains that once released from jail Vick will have served his time, be in need of a job and be free to do as he wants.
Since NFL teams have not exactly lined up to take him off the Falcon's hands the former Warwick High School star will need to find some other means of earning a living for awhile - even if it is only to pay back the debts of his former high-dollar lifestyle.
Last week a bankruptcy judge threw out the original plans Vick and his attorneys had developed regarding his financial recovery. Now they must regroup and come up with a new plan that pays back more of the debts and liquidates more of his assets.
According to court records from the hearing on April 2nd and 3rd Vick’s current plan left the former star with two large homes and three luxury vehicles. Yet he had the ability to raise less than 10 percent of the income needed to support those living expenses at the time the case was heard.
A reality show would certainly provide a larger and faster solution to his cash flow needs than the $10 per hour construction job a local contractor and family friend has offered the ex-QB once he is released.
Vick, appearing in court to promote his plans, shared with the judge that he was counting on the TV show, as well as a quick return to football to offset the differences in the income needs and the cash available. Unfortunately the judge did not seem to think that either one of those career possibilities posed good odds for actually happening.
I can understand the Judges concern. Even if Vick gets the green light on the show the question is will it actually work out? Will the show get picked up for a whole season? Will people actually watch? Can it sustain the inevitable backlash from animal lovers who think Vick should never be allowed to move on?
Only time will tell.
Primetime that is.
Reality shows are a dime a dozen. Each day brings a new topic or person who feels their 15 minutes of fame is not quite up. So how will Vick stand out in the crowd and why will viewers accept him profiting millions off of his criminal behavior?
I have to say that the judge is not giving the TV watchers in this country enough credit! Vick’s plan will most certainly work!! Why? Because Americans love a comeback story and will anxiously watch each week as a fallen star struggles to get back on top.
In the days of layoffs, cutbacks and furloughs along with miniscule 401k’s and postponed retirement plans people need to feel like they are not alone in all this mess. Most of all they want to see people worse off than them!
This makes Vick a perfect candidate for a top-rated reality show! Broke, Hated, and Unemployed - people will not be able to miss a moment of this train wreck!
Honestly I hope the former Hokie star does get picked up for a show, pays off his debts, makes a little money for himself and redeems himself in the eyes of the public!
I think he should go work at Dogtown while awaiting the NFL’s verdict on his eligibility to return to play.
In case you don’t know Dogtown is a “sanctuary home” and the “last and best chance” for many of the dogs who come there. Earlier in the year they took in some of the dogs seized from Vick’s kennel and dedicated the show to all of 22 dogs who were removed from the home. How do I know all of this you ask? Because they have a reality show on Friday’s at 10pm on NatGeo of course.
I think Vick working at Dogtown would make for some darn-good reality TV. There would be Irony, Drama, Hatred, Defeat, and ultimately maybe even some Redemption.
I’d definitely watch.
At the end of the day, as a parent of children from the human AND canine persuasion, I truly hope Vick has learned the errors of his ways and shows that to us in whatever venue he is given.
His ultimate venue is the stadium. That is where he truly belongs. At some point down the road there will be a team that gives him that chance again – so why not in the meantime allow us to watch him try and get there.
###
We all need a few best friends
We All Need a Few Best Friends
By Mary McChesney
3/31/09
I have been pondering something my mother said to me the other day.
“Your husband should be your best friend,” She quipped through my cell phone.
I thought about this for a long time after we hung up. And now weeks later I am still considering that statement and its accurateness.
The person you choose to "spend the rest of your life with" should certainly be someone you like and someone you consider your friend. At the same time does that person have to be your "best friend?"
If you only relied on your husband for everything it would put a lot of pressure on one person to fulfill so many different needs for you. They are already the person you are in love with and intimate with, the person you raise a family with, and the person you probably invest the most money and trust with. They are your business partner (co-CEO’s of your household), and yes your friend. However it is not fair to make them your only friend – you must have another well to pull from when it comes to your social life and so should they.
Katie Payne, reporter at the Artesian Herald, thinks every woman should have at least 5 best friends. She categorizes them into different needs you have at different times and that makes good sense to me. Her top 5 best friends are “The Uplifter, The Travel Buddy, The Truth Teller, The Girl Who Just Wants to Have Fun, and The Unlikely Friend.”
The explanations for these friends is probably self-explanatory, but just to be clear Payne details the descriptions and expectations of these friends in her Jan. 28, 2008 article titled: “The Five Best Friends a Woman Should Have.”
Now maybe for other women their top 5 fall into different categories than Payne’s but I am sure every woman you know could give you 5 other people who they felt were a “Best Friend” and the different role that person plays in their life!
I think relying on only one person to give you the emotional, mental and physical support a human being needs will only set you up for disappointment.
Others may disagree.
A quick perusal of a few chatting sites such as Yahoo, Answer Bag, My Lot, Redbook, and Buzzle showed me that most people when asked about this topic felt that your husband should indeed be your best friend.
One writer even said that if your husband was not your best friend then your marriage was doomed – ouch – quick call the attorney!
Most of the opinions found claimed to have and cherish this singular and idealistic unity with their significant others. Ironically in almost the same breath everyone of them went on to say that other friends were important and necessary for a well balanced life.
So I concede that of course your husband should be your friend and in some aspects of your relationship he will be closer to you than anyone else. However just because you have a level of intimacy with him in some things does not mean you should then put all your other emotional eggs into his basket.
So mom, lighten up and give my poor over-extended step-dad a break. He already fulfills a lot of things for you in your life. You don’t go to your girlfriends for foot rubs and romantic dinners so why go to your husband for retail therapy and gossip sessions?
If you think about it she has already proven my point anyway by simply making the phone call to me to talk about her issues in the first place!
At the end of the day husbands and can also be your friends, but your best friends are the only people who can help you keep your husband and your sanity.
Be Well.
Until Next Time,
Mary
By Mary McChesney
3/31/09
I have been pondering something my mother said to me the other day.
“Your husband should be your best friend,” She quipped through my cell phone.
I thought about this for a long time after we hung up. And now weeks later I am still considering that statement and its accurateness.
The person you choose to "spend the rest of your life with" should certainly be someone you like and someone you consider your friend. At the same time does that person have to be your "best friend?"
If you only relied on your husband for everything it would put a lot of pressure on one person to fulfill so many different needs for you. They are already the person you are in love with and intimate with, the person you raise a family with, and the person you probably invest the most money and trust with. They are your business partner (co-CEO’s of your household), and yes your friend. However it is not fair to make them your only friend – you must have another well to pull from when it comes to your social life and so should they.
Katie Payne, reporter at the Artesian Herald, thinks every woman should have at least 5 best friends. She categorizes them into different needs you have at different times and that makes good sense to me. Her top 5 best friends are “The Uplifter, The Travel Buddy, The Truth Teller, The Girl Who Just Wants to Have Fun, and The Unlikely Friend.”
The explanations for these friends is probably self-explanatory, but just to be clear Payne details the descriptions and expectations of these friends in her Jan. 28, 2008 article titled: “The Five Best Friends a Woman Should Have.”
Now maybe for other women their top 5 fall into different categories than Payne’s but I am sure every woman you know could give you 5 other people who they felt were a “Best Friend” and the different role that person plays in their life!
I think relying on only one person to give you the emotional, mental and physical support a human being needs will only set you up for disappointment.
Others may disagree.
A quick perusal of a few chatting sites such as Yahoo, Answer Bag, My Lot, Redbook, and Buzzle showed me that most people when asked about this topic felt that your husband should indeed be your best friend.
One writer even said that if your husband was not your best friend then your marriage was doomed – ouch – quick call the attorney!
Most of the opinions found claimed to have and cherish this singular and idealistic unity with their significant others. Ironically in almost the same breath everyone of them went on to say that other friends were important and necessary for a well balanced life.
So I concede that of course your husband should be your friend and in some aspects of your relationship he will be closer to you than anyone else. However just because you have a level of intimacy with him in some things does not mean you should then put all your other emotional eggs into his basket.
So mom, lighten up and give my poor over-extended step-dad a break. He already fulfills a lot of things for you in your life. You don’t go to your girlfriends for foot rubs and romantic dinners so why go to your husband for retail therapy and gossip sessions?
If you think about it she has already proven my point anyway by simply making the phone call to me to talk about her issues in the first place!
At the end of the day husbands and can also be your friends, but your best friends are the only people who can help you keep your husband and your sanity.
Be Well.
Until Next Time,
Mary
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
A Sports Writing Class might not have been such a good idea....
I have written 2 articles.
Attended a number of classes.
Read endless amounts of sports stories in various formats.
Heard from some experts in the field of sports writing.
I still have no idea what I am doing.
Considering I have to get an "A" on every single remaining class before I graduate to save my GPA from the land of "2's" this was quite an ambitious undertaking (I just did not know that yet).
I like sports. I like to watch them. I like to play them. I even like to talk about them.
And now I know I do not like to write about them. Not because I don't like sports but because I do not feel in any way qualified to do so.
How naive of me to think that just because I liked to watch the occasional sporting event and that I grew up playing sports and in a family of fairly athletic people that I could just start writing about sports like I knew what the heck I was talking about!
It's one thing to report on a couple of games. After the game is over the teams give you all their stats and the "why does this game matter" info. Then you just report the scores, get a few comments from the players and coaches and put it all into context and you are done!
However this week when I sat down to write my first sports column everything I thought I knew about sports and my ability to write about it came crumbling down around me!
A column is your opinion on a topic. But you have to actually know a thing or two about the topic to even get out the first sentence!
Most likely this will be a topic that many people will be very passionate about or else it would not be a good opinion topic to begin with. So your audience will be highly educated on this topic and ready to shred you if you get one little thing wrong or sound like you don't know what you are talking about!
If a person is to have a passionate stance on something - especially sports - they really must know a heck of a lot more than "Well that seemed like a good game, I'm glad Carolina won."
Duh!
So what now? Do I beg someone in the class to help me? Do I throw my self at the mercy of the Prof? Should I start milling around the sports department at work (heck I do work at a newspaper after all)?
All of those things will mean I have to admit that I was shortsighted and arrogant in my ability to pass this class. :( boo that sounds - kinda - not - fun! Besides the guys in the sports department might think I am stalking them and my Prof and classmates I'm sure have better things to do than a remedial class in sports history.
If this were a client of mine I would say:
OK - get it together Mr. Advertiser!
What is it that you actually need to get done!?
What do you know now?
What do you need to know to be successful?
How do we do that?
(and then the always potent questions)
"what will happen if you fail? what is it worth to you to succeed?"
And - BAM - we have our answers and a plan on how to get there!
So let's apply my brilliant marketing and sales strategies to my current situation...
Here are my answers to my own questions:
Q: What is it that you actually need to get done!?
A: Uh, pass this class and not sound like an idiot in
all my assignments!
Q: What do you know now?
A: SportsCenter comes on at 11pm so if you miss it earlier
b/c you can't get the kids to bed you are not screwed
(thank god)!
Q: What do you need to know to be successful?
A: Historical knowledge of all sports and the ability to
use that to write something interesting and compelling
about current sporting events.
Q: How do we do that?
A: I don't know - you tell me - you're the marketing
expert (Wow I always get mad at that answer, but now
understand the meaning so much more than I did before)!
(and then the always potent questions)
Q: What will happen if you fail and What is it worth to you
to succeed?"
A: Get out of my office and don't come back!
Gee now I know why people hate sales reps.
Attended a number of classes.
Read endless amounts of sports stories in various formats.
Heard from some experts in the field of sports writing.
I still have no idea what I am doing.
Considering I have to get an "A" on every single remaining class before I graduate to save my GPA from the land of "2's" this was quite an ambitious undertaking (I just did not know that yet).
I like sports. I like to watch them. I like to play them. I even like to talk about them.
And now I know I do not like to write about them. Not because I don't like sports but because I do not feel in any way qualified to do so.
How naive of me to think that just because I liked to watch the occasional sporting event and that I grew up playing sports and in a family of fairly athletic people that I could just start writing about sports like I knew what the heck I was talking about!
It's one thing to report on a couple of games. After the game is over the teams give you all their stats and the "why does this game matter" info. Then you just report the scores, get a few comments from the players and coaches and put it all into context and you are done!
However this week when I sat down to write my first sports column everything I thought I knew about sports and my ability to write about it came crumbling down around me!
A column is your opinion on a topic. But you have to actually know a thing or two about the topic to even get out the first sentence!
Most likely this will be a topic that many people will be very passionate about or else it would not be a good opinion topic to begin with. So your audience will be highly educated on this topic and ready to shred you if you get one little thing wrong or sound like you don't know what you are talking about!
If a person is to have a passionate stance on something - especially sports - they really must know a heck of a lot more than "Well that seemed like a good game, I'm glad Carolina won."
Duh!
So what now? Do I beg someone in the class to help me? Do I throw my self at the mercy of the Prof? Should I start milling around the sports department at work (heck I do work at a newspaper after all)?
All of those things will mean I have to admit that I was shortsighted and arrogant in my ability to pass this class. :( boo that sounds - kinda - not - fun! Besides the guys in the sports department might think I am stalking them and my Prof and classmates I'm sure have better things to do than a remedial class in sports history.
If this were a client of mine I would say:
OK - get it together Mr. Advertiser!
What is it that you actually need to get done!?
What do you know now?
What do you need to know to be successful?
How do we do that?
(and then the always potent questions)
"what will happen if you fail? what is it worth to you to succeed?"
And - BAM - we have our answers and a plan on how to get there!
So let's apply my brilliant marketing and sales strategies to my current situation...
Here are my answers to my own questions:
Q: What is it that you actually need to get done!?
A: Uh, pass this class and not sound like an idiot in
all my assignments!
Q: What do you know now?
A: SportsCenter comes on at 11pm so if you miss it earlier
b/c you can't get the kids to bed you are not screwed
(thank god)!
Q: What do you need to know to be successful?
A: Historical knowledge of all sports and the ability to
use that to write something interesting and compelling
about current sporting events.
Q: How do we do that?
A: I don't know - you tell me - you're the marketing
expert (Wow I always get mad at that answer, but now
understand the meaning so much more than I did before)!
(and then the always potent questions)
Q: What will happen if you fail and What is it worth to you
to succeed?"
A: Get out of my office and don't come back!
Gee now I know why people hate sales reps.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
I LOVE Fall
The leaves in the fall are something that I look forward to every year.
They are always so beautiful and amazing.
I never get tired of them and I never get disapointed year after year.
Each season brings a more glorious array of colors than the last.
They are always so beautiful and amazing.
I never get tired of them and I never get disapointed year after year.
Each season brings a more glorious array of colors than the last.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
topics
Sports topics:
NFL Draft - the 1st round QB's Matt Stafford going to detroit)and Mark Sanchez AND the follys of Andre Smith and what will happen b/c of them
New Stadiums and their expectations/ costs
the new costs of going to see pro baseball and football with the fam
cowboys v giants game
Athletes pay
coaches pay
NCAA recruiting rules
Mik Vick - what should he do after jail
injuries
runners injuries (my foot)
being a former athlete
after college b-ball - (Lindy's profile)
not everyone goes pro
Buddy - (tennis profile)
MY Life Topics:
my career aspirations- what is that really- do you have to have those?
school sucks! i am so sick of going to college
volunteer work - i get in ruts with philanthrophy - why can i not just be happy doing small things?
my husband - are we friends? will this last forever - really?
best friends are hard to find - and even harder to be
family is a complicated love affair
mothers of mothers are a gift from god
holidays rock - and so do furlogh days
facebook and twitter - i cant keep up
budgets- does anyone really stay on those? how!
i want to have more kids
why i am now happy living where i live.
erich needs a new job!
soccer coach - sure no problem - i got time
Baby showers - how many - what do you do - what is expected
thank you notes - still necessary - really?!
parenting styles are funny
crap - i broke my foot
spring cleaning
dislexia/disgraphia
when your child has issues at school it feels like hell
NFL Draft - the 1st round QB's Matt Stafford going to detroit)and Mark Sanchez AND the follys of Andre Smith and what will happen b/c of them
New Stadiums and their expectations/ costs
the new costs of going to see pro baseball and football with the fam
cowboys v giants game
Athletes pay
coaches pay
NCAA recruiting rules
Mik Vick - what should he do after jail
injuries
runners injuries (my foot)
being a former athlete
after college b-ball - (Lindy's profile)
not everyone goes pro
Buddy - (tennis profile)
MY Life Topics:
my career aspirations- what is that really- do you have to have those?
school sucks! i am so sick of going to college
volunteer work - i get in ruts with philanthrophy - why can i not just be happy doing small things?
my husband - are we friends? will this last forever - really?
best friends are hard to find - and even harder to be
family is a complicated love affair
mothers of mothers are a gift from god
holidays rock - and so do furlogh days
facebook and twitter - i cant keep up
budgets- does anyone really stay on those? how!
i want to have more kids
why i am now happy living where i live.
erich needs a new job!
soccer coach - sure no problem - i got time
Baby showers - how many - what do you do - what is expected
thank you notes - still necessary - really?!
parenting styles are funny
crap - i broke my foot
spring cleaning
dislexia/disgraphia
when your child has issues at school it feels like hell
slacker
so I realize that this blog has been a bit haphazard so far and i think it's actually telling because it kinda reflects my life, my brain - pretty much the way i live, work, play.......
I am not really sure if the Blog is accomplishing what it needs to do in my life or in my class really - but i will assume that so far - it has done ok for what it needed to do for my class. In my life i don't believe i have yet learned how to harness the power and opportunity the art of blogging can provide to a person. I see so many people taking advantage of it in so many different ways - but for me I kinda feel like i have not given it a fair chance or dedicated enough time to its existance just yet for it to have impacted me and or my life the way that i had hoped.
Dedication, focus, desire, accountability - those are probably some of the things i need to consider and utilize when it comes to making this blog do and accomplish what i would like for it to do.
I have so many ideas of topics and drafts of topics that i have begun - but not much that i have actually published. I don't know if it is an insecurity thing or just ADD - but from this point forward i am committing to myself that i will post something - of quality - every week at a minimum.
if any of you have any tips or suggestions as to how i can be better at utilizing this blog please feel free to let me know your thoughts!
I am not really sure if the Blog is accomplishing what it needs to do in my life or in my class really - but i will assume that so far - it has done ok for what it needed to do for my class. In my life i don't believe i have yet learned how to harness the power and opportunity the art of blogging can provide to a person. I see so many people taking advantage of it in so many different ways - but for me I kinda feel like i have not given it a fair chance or dedicated enough time to its existance just yet for it to have impacted me and or my life the way that i had hoped.
Dedication, focus, desire, accountability - those are probably some of the things i need to consider and utilize when it comes to making this blog do and accomplish what i would like for it to do.
I have so many ideas of topics and drafts of topics that i have begun - but not much that i have actually published. I don't know if it is an insecurity thing or just ADD - but from this point forward i am committing to myself that i will post something - of quality - every week at a minimum.
if any of you have any tips or suggestions as to how i can be better at utilizing this blog please feel free to let me know your thoughts!
Election Project - Video The Vote!
Today, November 4th 2008, is an historic day no matter the outcome.
In order to ensure the moment is one of untarnished history and not questioned for its authenticity many organizations are out in full force all over the country working to protect the sancity of the vote and ensure every American has an equal opportunity to cast their ballot for their respective candidate.
Video the Vote is just one of the many organizations dedicated to working for this goal. According to their website www.videothevote.org they do this through a "national network of citizen journalists, independent filmmakers, and media professionals working together to document voter suppression and disenfranchisement".
As a member of a Digital Journalism class at Old Dominion University I chose to participate in Video the Vote for an election project. Our professor assigned this topic to us not only because I believe she feels passionately about protecting the vote and our political process as a whole, but also because she wanted to push us and our ability to think differently about the use of non-traditional types of media tools such as video and blogging.
It is important that we, as hopeful future members of the media, be able to utilize all types of media to report on an event and be able to tell a story. And not just be able to use them - but to also know how to converge them onto one platform - or to take the same information, event, topic and purpose it for different platforms such as print and online, using video, photos, words and sounds to tell a story in a way that was never possible before.
So often Blogs are personal and written in a casual and informal way. What many budding journalists need to learn and be aware of is the fact that the future of media is one that will require them to produce their content in a format that will be very similar to this social activity they know and love so much. That familiarity could potentially run the risk of their craft and their socializing tactics cross-pollinating one another. I guess what remains to be seen is weather or not that actually matters or if it is just the overall direction communications and media as a whole are going. Just as the market bears innovation and creates change based on society's wants and needs so will the course go for media and it's style, format and level of formality.
In order to ensure the moment is one of untarnished history and not questioned for its authenticity many organizations are out in full force all over the country working to protect the sancity of the vote and ensure every American has an equal opportunity to cast their ballot for their respective candidate.
Video the Vote is just one of the many organizations dedicated to working for this goal. According to their website www.videothevote.org they do this through a "national network of citizen journalists, independent filmmakers, and media professionals working together to document voter suppression and disenfranchisement".
As a member of a Digital Journalism class at Old Dominion University I chose to participate in Video the Vote for an election project. Our professor assigned this topic to us not only because I believe she feels passionately about protecting the vote and our political process as a whole, but also because she wanted to push us and our ability to think differently about the use of non-traditional types of media tools such as video and blogging.
It is important that we, as hopeful future members of the media, be able to utilize all types of media to report on an event and be able to tell a story. And not just be able to use them - but to also know how to converge them onto one platform - or to take the same information, event, topic and purpose it for different platforms such as print and online, using video, photos, words and sounds to tell a story in a way that was never possible before.
So often Blogs are personal and written in a casual and informal way. What many budding journalists need to learn and be aware of is the fact that the future of media is one that will require them to produce their content in a format that will be very similar to this social activity they know and love so much. That familiarity could potentially run the risk of their craft and their socializing tactics cross-pollinating one another. I guess what remains to be seen is weather or not that actually matters or if it is just the overall direction communications and media as a whole are going. Just as the market bears innovation and creates change based on society's wants and needs so will the course go for media and it's style, format and level of formality.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Old Dominion Women's Soccer Game #3
Norfolk - The Old Dominion Women's Soccer team defeated Virginia Commenwealth University on Sunday 3-0. This continued to hold their winning record for home games stable with only one goal scored at home all season (8-0-1).
More importantly is the fact that the Lady Monarchs win, along with the William & Mary loss to Christopher Newport University on the same day, has now pushed the women to the number one spot in the conference with a 6-1-1 record for the season.
The day way cold and brisk so while the teams may have been warmed up and ready for a fast-paced game, the fans were hoping for a break from the wind and were bundled up and huddled down for the show.
At the end of the day both the Monarch fans and players left the stadium warm from the pride of winning.
More importantly is the fact that the Lady Monarchs win, along with the William & Mary loss to Christopher Newport University on the same day, has now pushed the women to the number one spot in the conference with a 6-1-1 record for the season.
The day way cold and brisk so while the teams may have been warmed up and ready for a fast-paced game, the fans were hoping for a break from the wind and were bundled up and huddled down for the show.
At the end of the day both the Monarch fans and players left the stadium warm from the pride of winning.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Old Dominion Women's Soccer Game #2
Norfolk - The Old Dominion Women's Soccer team defeated Virginia Commenwealth University on Sunday 3-0. This continued to hold their winning record for home games stable with only one goal scored at home all season (8-0-1).
More importantly is the fact that the Lady Monarchs win, along with the William & Mary loss to Christopher Newport University on the same day, has now pushed the women to the number one spot in the conference with a 6-1-1 record for the season.
The day way cold and brisk so while the teams may have been warmed up and ready for a fast-paced game, the fans were hoping for a break from the wind and were bundled up and huddled down for the show.
At the end of the day both the Monarch fans and players left the stadium warm from the pride of winning.
More importantly is the fact that the Lady Monarchs win, along with the William & Mary loss to Christopher Newport University on the same day, has now pushed the women to the number one spot in the conference with a 6-1-1 record for the season.
The day way cold and brisk so while the teams may have been warmed up and ready for a fast-paced game, the fans were hoping for a break from the wind and were bundled up and huddled down for the show.
At the end of the day both the Monarch fans and players left the stadium warm from the pride of winning.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
On The Brink of a Financial Breakdown
So I find it very interesting that in the current times of financial crisis - one that involves billions in bailouts and trillions in deficits for countries and companies far beyond my daily sphere of influence - I too am at a point of financial ruin. I mean really - what do they have to do with me?
Is this some kind of convenient merging of time lines between my life and our world economy?
Do they really go that hand in hand?
I mean if so - then wow - how naive have I been!!! I always thought that stuff was happening in some other far off land where the really really rich people lived and that as long as they worked it all out - all would be fine with me too. Heck - I figured that even if it did not work out - it would be quite awhile before it actually got to me and would only do so if something drastic happened (i.e my company went bankrupt or I got laid off or whatever - ya know - something BIG would have to happen - right?!?!).
But none of that has happened to me yet. So why am I feeling such a pinch and realizing that at any moment if one more little thing falls apart the whole house of cards will come crumbling down?!?!?
It feels like it has come on so fast - yet at the same time this mess had been glaring at me in the mirror like a killer standing behind the lead girl in a scary movie.
You know what I mean?
It's like this: I was fully aware of my status and all of the risky things that I was doing - but I figured I was smarter than the killer - and so I did nothing about it - I played the game - and pretty darn well I might add (comparably to many others right now).
So does that mean that - just like the lead girl who goes back into the house (after the power outage, and all of her friends inside die at the hands of a mass murder) because she thinks she hears something and wants to check it out - I too deserve the slashing I am about to get!??!
I want to be the one who gets out alive dammit! Don't you?!?
Is this some kind of convenient merging of time lines between my life and our world economy?
Do they really go that hand in hand?
I mean if so - then wow - how naive have I been!!! I always thought that stuff was happening in some other far off land where the really really rich people lived and that as long as they worked it all out - all would be fine with me too. Heck - I figured that even if it did not work out - it would be quite awhile before it actually got to me and would only do so if something drastic happened (i.e my company went bankrupt or I got laid off or whatever - ya know - something BIG would have to happen - right?!?!).
But none of that has happened to me yet. So why am I feeling such a pinch and realizing that at any moment if one more little thing falls apart the whole house of cards will come crumbling down?!?!?
It feels like it has come on so fast - yet at the same time this mess had been glaring at me in the mirror like a killer standing behind the lead girl in a scary movie.
You know what I mean?
It's like this: I was fully aware of my status and all of the risky things that I was doing - but I figured I was smarter than the killer - and so I did nothing about it - I played the game - and pretty darn well I might add (comparably to many others right now).
So does that mean that - just like the lead girl who goes back into the house (after the power outage, and all of her friends inside die at the hands of a mass murder) because she thinks she hears something and wants to check it out - I too deserve the slashing I am about to get!??!
I want to be the one who gets out alive dammit! Don't you?!?
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Welcome to Mary Mac - (not a soccer mom) on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymcchesney/
So I have begun to create "Sets" in Flickr which i have determined is just another name for "albums." I am not sure why they just did not say that , but nonetheless, i have gotten myself about 60% comfortable with yet antother new site!
It's wild to think that only two weeks ago I had not a clue about Blogger or Flickr and now here i am adding a link on my Blogger site to my Flickr page :) wow! I'm just like so cool man.....
Ha! I am sure that for anyone a decade younger than me this whole endeavor took them two episodes of The Hills - or maybe even less! While for me it is now 8:47 pm and i sat down at my dining room table around 2pm - no joke!
Now i must admit i departed this spot quite a few times to change up laundry, unload the groceries that my husband reappeared with after a 3 hour tour at Wall-Mart on a Sunday (Brave Man), and even a brief break to help my daughter and her buddy across the street come up with a new project to stay the boredom that hits about 4pm on Sunday afternoons when all possible outdoor games have been exausted (we made a "river" to float matchbox cars down the front porch and sidewalk with some papertowel rolls, tape, staples and aluminum foil - yeah - just call me McGuiver). We also fed Hannah and her two pals Chili and referreed a few games on the Wii between the loud little things.
Eventually i got some time to focus (post bathtime and bedtime), so now here i am hooking up the blog and sharing my photo journal with you from yesterday. The photos are about the Fall Soccer Fling for my daughter, Hannah's, soccer league. You may notice that there are very little pictures of Hannah or the girls actually playing soccer and that is not an accident. The games probably take the smallest portion of time of the entire day. So i thought it would be interesting to share what goes on and around the sidelines. Hope you enjoy them :)
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
overwhelmed
ok - so I really need to get up to speed on this damn blog - I always feel behind when I'm in class and then once I leave i totally have no memory of what I am suppossed to be doing.
i need to take some photos this week and record/document them. and they need to be related to my topic. fortunately im spending all day Saturday on the soccer field for the "Fall Fling Tournament" so i believe i will indeed have lots of topics and information and content to cover :)!
look for it Early next week!
i need to take some photos this week and record/document them. and they need to be related to my topic. fortunately im spending all day Saturday on the soccer field for the "Fall Fling Tournament" so i believe i will indeed have lots of topics and information and content to cover :)!
look for it Early next week!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Digital Journalism - Say What?
So another part of my requirements for this class was to go out and talk to people about how they gather their daily news and information.
Why you ask? Who cares you say? Well my professor does. As do a whole heck of a lot of other people who are trying their best to provide that information to 8 billion people when, how and where they want it each and everyday.
There are so many choices out there today it can be a bit maddening and yet also relieving at the same time.
How so? Well because - it's simple, but not easy.
I'll say it again.
It's simple, but not easy.
I love that saying!
You can apply it to so many things and it works every time!
I’ll get off track for a moment and give you 3 Examples:
Putting on shoes and socks. Simple in concept, not easy for anyone under the age of 8.
Changing a tire. Simple in concept, makes most women (and some men) curse, cry and throw things. You will get dirty, frusterated and be late no matter what you do. So therefore.... NOT EASY.
Providing all existing news, entertainment and general information to anyone in the world whenever, however and wherever they want it.
Hey - yeah - that sounds simple enough.
Ha! Kiss it! It ain’t easy.
So therefore, I would admit, it can be a relief that whenever you need information you know you can go find it. BUT it is absolutely maddening to try and be the ultimate provider of that information. And maybe even a little maddening for those who are receiving it too. Although they may not have enough self-awareness to realize that just yet! I mean anyone who gets pissed because the latest blog comments or video clip of “From G’s to Gents” has not uploaded to their IPHONE 30 seconds after the season 8 premier is over has got to be a little loose in the brain…..
Like it or not that mentality is a product of our own creation. So instead of complaining and criticizing, many have decided to man up and figure out exactly what you need as a consumer of information so that you can have it whenever, wherever and however you want it!
Hence – this is the long-winded version to the answer of the question at the beginning of this post.
Yes, It matters! And it matters because in order to intuit where the technology and the skills of those who gather and create products for the one’s who are taking in information need to be focused, you first have to know and understand those people’s current habits and their likes and dislikes of those habits.
Sounds simple, but it’s not easy.
Man – I love that – see – it worked again!
Ok – so why not start by using a bunch of “eager for an ‘A’” students to go out and begin canvassing as many people as they can on their media usage habits.
If it’s not going to be easy lets at least use free labor!
So here are some of my findings:
Respondent 1:
Age: 86
Sex: Female
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Media Used: TV, Radio, Newspaper, Mail
Frequency: All daily for all news and info
Respondent 2:
Age: 35
Sex: Male
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Media Used: TV, Radio, Internet, Mobile, Mail, Newspaper
Details of Media:
TV – Frequency: Daily. Format: on TV and on Computer and on Phone. Specific Locations: BBC, Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, Weather Channel, CNN. (Not every channel every day– but 2-3) Time Spent: 1 hr per day Purpose: News/info/entertainment/product awareness.
Radio – Frequency: few times a month Format: In the Car “when I forget my Ipod in the car” Specific Location: FM99 Time spent: 1hr per month Purpose: Entertainment and traffic.
Internet – Frequency: Daily Format: on computer on phone Specific Locations: EVERYWHERE cnn, bbc, myspace, woot, facebook, yahoo, amazon, video game sites, newsgroups, and many others. Time Spent: 12 hrs Purpose: News/shopping/ entertainment/ work/ communication/ research/ education.
Mobile – Frequency: Daily Format: on Phone. Specific locations: n/a Time spent: 1hr per day Purpose: communication / shopping (receiving offers).
Mail – Frequency: weekly Format: in Mail Box Specific Locations: n/a Time Spent: 10 minutes per week. Purpose: communication, education, shopping
Newspaper – Frequency: Weekly. Format: In Print Specific Sections: inserts, cartoons, lifestyles. Time Spent: 1 hr per week. Purpose: shopping, education, entertainment.
I HAVE 3 more – but I will post them later!
-till then…. Mary
Why you ask? Who cares you say? Well my professor does. As do a whole heck of a lot of other people who are trying their best to provide that information to 8 billion people when, how and where they want it each and everyday.
There are so many choices out there today it can be a bit maddening and yet also relieving at the same time.
How so? Well because - it's simple, but not easy.
I'll say it again.
It's simple, but not easy.
I love that saying!
You can apply it to so many things and it works every time!
I’ll get off track for a moment and give you 3 Examples:
Putting on shoes and socks. Simple in concept, not easy for anyone under the age of 8.
Changing a tire. Simple in concept, makes most women (and some men) curse, cry and throw things. You will get dirty, frusterated and be late no matter what you do. So therefore.... NOT EASY.
Providing all existing news, entertainment and general information to anyone in the world whenever, however and wherever they want it.
Hey - yeah - that sounds simple enough.
Ha! Kiss it! It ain’t easy.
So therefore, I would admit, it can be a relief that whenever you need information you know you can go find it. BUT it is absolutely maddening to try and be the ultimate provider of that information. And maybe even a little maddening for those who are receiving it too. Although they may not have enough self-awareness to realize that just yet! I mean anyone who gets pissed because the latest blog comments or video clip of “From G’s to Gents” has not uploaded to their IPHONE 30 seconds after the season 8 premier is over has got to be a little loose in the brain…..
Like it or not that mentality is a product of our own creation. So instead of complaining and criticizing, many have decided to man up and figure out exactly what you need as a consumer of information so that you can have it whenever, wherever and however you want it!
Hence – this is the long-winded version to the answer of the question at the beginning of this post.
Yes, It matters! And it matters because in order to intuit where the technology and the skills of those who gather and create products for the one’s who are taking in information need to be focused, you first have to know and understand those people’s current habits and their likes and dislikes of those habits.
Sounds simple, but it’s not easy.
Man – I love that – see – it worked again!
Ok – so why not start by using a bunch of “eager for an ‘A’” students to go out and begin canvassing as many people as they can on their media usage habits.
If it’s not going to be easy lets at least use free labor!
So here are some of my findings:
Respondent 1:
Age: 86
Sex: Female
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Media Used: TV, Radio, Newspaper, Mail
Frequency: All daily for all news and info
Respondent 2:
Age: 35
Sex: Male
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Media Used: TV, Radio, Internet, Mobile, Mail, Newspaper
Details of Media:
TV – Frequency: Daily. Format: on TV and on Computer and on Phone. Specific Locations: BBC, Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, Weather Channel, CNN. (Not every channel every day– but 2-3) Time Spent: 1 hr per day Purpose: News/info/entertainment/product awareness.
Radio – Frequency: few times a month Format: In the Car “when I forget my Ipod in the car” Specific Location: FM99 Time spent: 1hr per month Purpose: Entertainment and traffic.
Internet – Frequency: Daily Format: on computer on phone Specific Locations: EVERYWHERE cnn, bbc, myspace, woot, facebook, yahoo, amazon, video game sites, newsgroups, and many others. Time Spent: 12 hrs Purpose: News/shopping/ entertainment/ work/ communication/ research/ education.
Mobile – Frequency: Daily Format: on Phone. Specific locations: n/a Time spent: 1hr per day Purpose: communication / shopping (receiving offers).
Mail – Frequency: weekly Format: in Mail Box Specific Locations: n/a Time Spent: 10 minutes per week. Purpose: communication, education, shopping
Newspaper – Frequency: Weekly. Format: In Print Specific Sections: inserts, cartoons, lifestyles. Time Spent: 1 hr per week. Purpose: shopping, education, entertainment.
I HAVE 3 more – but I will post them later!
-till then…. Mary
Why should you read this blog?
Why Should You Read This Blog?
Hi There!
Thanks for joining in today!
I'm Mary.
I'm 33.
I'm a mother, wife, friend, woman, workaholic, playaholic, very loud and opinionated, extremely devoted, passionate about life, can't spell for _ _ _ _, (have a tendency to curse) love run on sentences…. and a whole lotta other things that we may get into later in this journey.
The reason I'm beginning a blog is simple. I have to.
What's funny is that at first I thought I had to do this simply because it is required for a class I am taking. Therefore, if I want to actually pass this class (one of the last of 4, 6, 10 or so classes - who really knows anymore - of my 15 year journey to get a undergrad degree) then I better do it and do it well!
Note that I started that last rambling statement with "At First."
As I began thinking about my class and the reasons why we had to create a blog I started thinking about what people used blogs for nowadays and then I realized: “OMG this is like so totally perfect for me!"
How ironic that only about a zillion other people have decided the same thing!
Our lovely narcissistic personalities have created this entire world of blogs that people think actually matter to someone other than themselves and a few of their friends. Oh - and the one weird guy that always posts somewhat cheesy or funny - but at the same time a bit creepy - comments on your page.
But alas, I have fallen into this phenom and I plan to embrace it with all the hope, excitement and vigor one can put into something that they are praying will allow them a small sliver of a chance of something new. Now I cannot guarantee that it will not also contain a good bit of sarcasm, pessimism and sometimes just some good ole fashioned ranting or raving!
Perhaps however this will be a way into another realm I have never before explored - maybe even another persona that I can own for just a little bit. And that is just intriguing enough to sound fun!
So it is with that in mind that – I HAVE to DO THIS.
Not for my class or my teacher or to be able to tell people about the mundane crap going on in my daily life – but because without it I am afraid that this is all that I am. And frankly – that is not O.K.!
If you have not decided I am a complete nutcase 2 paragraphs ago then great! I need you!
I want to learn from you and make this not just all about me but about anyone who is looking for a way to have an impact outside their own small little footprint in our world!
Come on in and share with me your hopes, your dreams, your desires (hey - nothin’ pervy sicko) for your life and for your family and friends and careers and yes – even the general mundane activities that surprise you by the way they motivate you to go out there and do it all again the next day!
Sometimes it’s scary how the most simple of things matter the most.
Truly, what I hope to uncover here is inspiration - wherever it may be. For anyone who will participate.
Hi There!
Thanks for joining in today!
I'm Mary.
I'm 33.
I'm a mother, wife, friend, woman, workaholic, playaholic, very loud and opinionated, extremely devoted, passionate about life, can't spell for _ _ _ _, (have a tendency to curse) love run on sentences…. and a whole lotta other things that we may get into later in this journey.
The reason I'm beginning a blog is simple. I have to.
What's funny is that at first I thought I had to do this simply because it is required for a class I am taking. Therefore, if I want to actually pass this class (one of the last of 4, 6, 10 or so classes - who really knows anymore - of my 15 year journey to get a undergrad degree) then I better do it and do it well!
Note that I started that last rambling statement with "At First."
As I began thinking about my class and the reasons why we had to create a blog I started thinking about what people used blogs for nowadays and then I realized: “OMG this is like so totally perfect for me!"
How ironic that only about a zillion other people have decided the same thing!
Our lovely narcissistic personalities have created this entire world of blogs that people think actually matter to someone other than themselves and a few of their friends. Oh - and the one weird guy that always posts somewhat cheesy or funny - but at the same time a bit creepy - comments on your page.
But alas, I have fallen into this phenom and I plan to embrace it with all the hope, excitement and vigor one can put into something that they are praying will allow them a small sliver of a chance of something new. Now I cannot guarantee that it will not also contain a good bit of sarcasm, pessimism and sometimes just some good ole fashioned ranting or raving!
Perhaps however this will be a way into another realm I have never before explored - maybe even another persona that I can own for just a little bit. And that is just intriguing enough to sound fun!
So it is with that in mind that – I HAVE to DO THIS.
Not for my class or my teacher or to be able to tell people about the mundane crap going on in my daily life – but because without it I am afraid that this is all that I am. And frankly – that is not O.K.!
If you have not decided I am a complete nutcase 2 paragraphs ago then great! I need you!
I want to learn from you and make this not just all about me but about anyone who is looking for a way to have an impact outside their own small little footprint in our world!
Come on in and share with me your hopes, your dreams, your desires (hey - nothin’ pervy sicko) for your life and for your family and friends and careers and yes – even the general mundane activities that surprise you by the way they motivate you to go out there and do it all again the next day!
Sometimes it’s scary how the most simple of things matter the most.
Truly, what I hope to uncover here is inspiration - wherever it may be. For anyone who will participate.
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