tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-282997782024-03-14T06:21:14.192-07:00Run Girlie RunUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger192125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-59599948509420093352013-10-22T13:24:00.003-07:002013-10-22T13:30:16.228-07:00How I Became a Stand-Up Comedian in Five Easy StepsSome people know, but most are not surprised to hear, that I've done stand-up comedy.<br />
<br />
It's interesting when it comes up in conversation, because it turns out that many people know that they're funny. Some even kind of think that doing standup might be neat. But every time these people see a comedian on TV, they overlay a little mental picture of themselves over the comedian, and go...nahhh.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR233xpWA2pT5lbAxbolHzGYcWuyKTXdJQ0o1CgYqmL0OUBPWXKpkjdm_gnMTdDarthVZMIWJcuQIJ_Ru41peqzMIzwiGbIMwgEgYbiFiYTcxK8kKvrL4sAZ9UUqxIe2FqYpaH/s1600/wrestlers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR233xpWA2pT5lbAxbolHzGYcWuyKTXdJQ0o1CgYqmL0OUBPWXKpkjdm_gnMTdDarthVZMIWJcuQIJ_Ru41peqzMIzwiGbIMwgEgYbiFiYTcxK8kKvrL4sAZ9UUqxIe2FqYpaH/s1600/wrestlers.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
They're not that person. Intuitively, it doesn't make sense.<br />
<br />
Well, I decided to discard my intuitive side and took a pretty analytical path towards being a stand-up comedian. Here's how I did it:<br />
<br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Step 1: Discovery</h3>
<div>
I was driving around with my sisters-in-law, complaining that the froyo shop near my house had gotten held up, and that the people in line were such placid sheep that they had done nothing to stop it. Let's set aside the crappy community aspect of this. I mean, you should be ashamed of yourself if your neighbor gets robbed in front of you and you don't act. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But -- separate issue -- didn't these people care about froyo? This place had an <i>hour-long</i> line every time I walked by. If I had waited in that line for an hour, and the guy before me held up the place before I could get my froyo...dude--no. I will stab you to death with a taster spoon before I let you get in the way of my swirl cone. With sprinkles.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
They laughed for about 5 minutes and they told me I should do stand-up. So I thought...okay. I've done a lot of Powerpoint presenting, and people tell me I'm good at that. Maybe I'd be good at standing up in front of people and talking in a different setting.</div>
<h3>
</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Step 2: Research</h3>
<div>
I had no idea what a stand-up set was supposed to look like. Obviously, I was not going to start with my own 60-minute HBO special.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So instead I did this:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>looked up comedy clubs in my area with "amateur night"</li>
<li>found out how long my set needed to be (5 min)</li>
<li>figured out about how many jokes it would take to fill that time (3)</li>
</ul>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Step 3: "Writing"</h3>
</div>
<div>
Great, now I had to write 3 jokes. But, let me tell you, writing jokes by yourself is SUPER-boring. So, being a new person in a city where basically no one liked me except for my sisters-in-law, I decided to take some social risks.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I would get into conversations with strangers or recent acquaintances, and try to see if I could get them to laugh. If they laughed, I wrote the joke down for future testing.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The part I didn't expect was how much people HATED hanging out with me during this process. The outcome probability graph was non-linear:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Tell joke. Person gets it. Everyone laughs, I am a hero. (1%)</li>
<li>Tell joke. Person thinks it's amusing, but that it kind of sounds "stand-uppy" and weird. Social failure. (10%)</li>
<li>Tell joke. Person doesn't get it, thinks I'm an asshole. (89%)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Takeaway: Comedy is risky.</b> 99% of the people I talked to during this period thought I was a weird asshole. Do not embark on a comedy career if you're a cool person who wants to be liked. There is nothing in it for you. This is art, man. There is no safe place for you to try out new stuff and get legitimate feedback. People are going to hate you. Deal.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
Step 4: Validation</h3>
<div>
After about a month of going to parties, I had a repertoire of three jokes that would reliably get laughs. This was great, because it allowed me to recover a little socially from the writing period, and people started to hate me less. Not a lot less, but enough less.<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I was ready.</div>
<div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
Step 5: Performance</h3>
<div>
I signed up for amateur night at a local club, and showed up early with a copy of <i>Anna Karenina</i> -- in part because I was really trying to finish that book, and in part because I was hoping that it would deter people from talking to me. However, apparently, comedy is full of single dudes and not so many single ladies, so what ended up happening was that every guy who was there tried to hit on me by telling stories of their own comedy greatness:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>"I was playing this room in Idaho, and they f*cking loved me..."</li>
<li>"Oh, yeah, I killed in Fairbanks..."</li>
<li>"Is this your first time? You know, I teach a class. You could come for free if you wanted; I wouldn't charge you."</li>
</ul>
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<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
After the flirting period ended, someone who looked official came along with a little sheet of "comedy tips:"</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Don't remind the audience to tip their waitress</li>
<li>Don't go over your time</li>
<li>Don't say "you'll be here all week"</li>
</ul>
<div>
Noted.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My friend Doro joined me and we waited for an hour-and-a-half while other people got up and told their 5 minutes worth of jokes. Then they called my name and I had to go on stage.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Outcome</h3>
</div>
<div>
I killed! Everyone laughed, no one knew it was my first time, I stayed under the time limit, and Doro and I got faceplant-drunk right afterwards. Success.<br />
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<br /></div>
<h3>
Summary</h3>
<div>
If you want to do something big, weird, and totally out of your wheelhouse, it's okay. Just be prepared to accept the trade-offs (social estrangement, harassment), practice, and don't be a weenie about it. That thing that you've always wanted to do? It's probably not that hard. It just takes some planning.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-23314610916899998012013-06-17T09:15:00.001-07:002013-06-17T09:15:51.619-07:00Let's Give Lyft a Big HandHave you tried <a href="http://www.lyft.me/" target="_blank">Lyft</a>? It's basically a cab service run by normal people driving their own cars. The cars are clean, the drivers are nice people who don't drive like lunatics, and they come on time! It's also a lot cheaper than its main competitor, <a href="https://www.uber.com/" target="_blank">Uber</a>, and a lot more reliable than cab service.<br />
<br />
As an extra bonus, they have a great customer service department.<br />
<br />
On June 5th, I took two Lyfts and managed to leave my keys in one of them. Have you ever left anything in a cab? Unless the person who takes the cab after you manages to contact you and pays for the driver to return your stuff, you're SOL.<br />
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But I crossed my fingers that Lyft was different, and sent them an email (see the thread below). Even though I got the name of one of my drivers wrong, within a day, I had my keys back!</div>
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Just so you know, I tipped Meghan an extra $20 via PayPal. She drives for a living and returning my keys probably cost her some business in the short-term, so she deserved some extra love.</div>
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Fist-bumps to all the Lyfties out there. No surprise that you guys managed to <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/23/lyft-a16z/" target="_blank">raise a $60MM round</a>. Way to go.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-68064647979906461052013-06-12T12:25:00.001-07:002013-06-12T16:32:34.765-07:00Should You Use TaskRabbit to Pick Out Your New Couch?I tried to do it. Here's how that worked out...<br />
<br />
<h4>
The Use Case -- Professionals With Less Time Than Money (Although Not Enough Money to Hire a Personal Assistant)</h4>
<br />
My fiancee and I are both employed in the tech sector. We love our jobs and work long hours, which leaves little time and interest left to focus on things like home decor.<br />
<br />
But we recently moved into a new place, and decided to get a new couch. The issue was that neither of us wanted to spend time shopping for it.<br />
<br />
So I decided to use TaskRabbit. TaskRabbit is a friendly service that allows you to hire someone for a specific task, e.g., picking up your dry-cleaning, or to take up a task like this yourself and earn a little extra cash. I figured it would be the perfect solution if I could make the task spec detailed enough.<br />
<br />
<h4>
The Experience -- Missed Deadline, Poor Communication, Task Incomplete</h4>
<br />
I used the iPhone app, which has a cute chore-wheel style interface.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XDBgzV82fjzbqoolLogWMoeipJx8i9_B5lPGd-CK0f8jo657BEaiyggdUeYLiak_CDvevbu8yL1w1jkFrYvQVZM0YpHXJFBdYeMvHvXosqRl-kMo7nDzToy345ewXgIDqvV-/s1600/image.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XDBgzV82fjzbqoolLogWMoeipJx8i9_B5lPGd-CK0f8jo657BEaiyggdUeYLiak_CDvevbu8yL1w1jkFrYvQVZM0YpHXJFBdYeMvHvXosqRl-kMo7nDzToy345ewXgIDqvV-/s320/image.png" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TaskRabbit iPhone app interface</td></tr>
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<br />
I chose a virtual task, since I thought most of the work could be done online, and then filled out the TaskRabbit form, which requires details like the skills necessary to complete a task, time limit, and how much you'll pay (I went with $25, which TaskRabbit suggested as the "most popular price" for tasks).<br />
<br />
Then I filled out the description with specific instructions:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Recommend 5 couches for me to go look at. Couches must:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">--be new (not pre-owned)</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">--be $1200 or less, including tax and delivery/assembly</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">--be available for delivery within the San Francisco area</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">--be 8 feet or less in width when assembled</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">--have a chaise that can go on either side</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">--be available in gray</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">--not be from Ikea</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This task requires Research.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This task should take Less than 1 hour.</span></blockquote>
<br />
I posted the task. I got a notification within a few hours, saying that my task had been accepted. The TaskRabbit who would be picking out my couch also sent me an email to let me know that she was on the case:<br />
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So far, so good, but then my TaskRabbit disappeared. After a day's wait on a job that should have taken an hour, I emailed her, and she sent back one link to a couch:<br />
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Okay, so 20% of the task was complete. Great! But then more waiting followed. When I pushed my TaskRabbit for updates, I didn't get much back:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8qxa7EpePwTD-agJcLV8biY5E0rdBUiZQmq8LNYhIBfTV0ncF7nQEsh2JEylqDX-FVrCMD2gaac60KMmZuA-np4lS2V15QcjxHtZY0RFcoDSYTm5k_SqhJJGzQONtNBvaYbF/s1600/TR+Update+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8qxa7EpePwTD-agJcLV8biY5E0rdBUiZQmq8LNYhIBfTV0ncF7nQEsh2JEylqDX-FVrCMD2gaac60KMmZuA-np4lS2V15QcjxHtZY0RFcoDSYTm5k_SqhJJGzQONtNBvaYbF/s320/TR+Update+2.png" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okay...</td></tr>
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I got one more link (40% of project complete):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EGlpWqQymMNFMKaSwvjcG3QlceU34SOaNrOZeF1b-2xcQoQOsE-YJbrli7uimOUVm_o5tVUtYKPjw2SlP_V697tVvvxkXfaZDEhjp3GLg8KHz_hZG4uSowdHaFBjV8I6Tc81/s1600/TR+Update+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EGlpWqQymMNFMKaSwvjcG3QlceU34SOaNrOZeF1b-2xcQoQOsE-YJbrli7uimOUVm_o5tVUtYKPjw2SlP_V697tVvvxkXfaZDEhjp3GLg8KHz_hZG4uSowdHaFBjV8I6Tc81/s320/TR+Update+3.png" width="213" /></a></div>
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And then she gave up:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC30U9aefYOVIggidNl2aWYJxTX9hTtRzVIMZt79HEfkgXSCG7q2X-6ZvwmItsHHTwtnt7_KuADi4PUBx2N_FFJcr3E0986wlqtt-uM2eviJYosNqiAVOD5WEwLtL5b4uFEtB6/s1600/TR+Update+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC30U9aefYOVIggidNl2aWYJxTX9hTtRzVIMZt79HEfkgXSCG7q2X-6ZvwmItsHHTwtnt7_KuADi4PUBx2N_FFJcr3E0986wlqtt-uM2eviJYosNqiAVOD5WEwLtL5b4uFEtB6/s320/TR+Update+4.png" width="213" /></a></div>
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She was clearly not going to help me any more. So I ended the task and paid her. I left honest feedback that reflected that my TaskRabbit had exceeded her time limit and left the task incomplete. She offered excuses and a refund:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4u0eHdD46V0qNVJN1Bgq59Ac_a26m0kAvsCIa4RCN-y0gN8WqJtal904hfnlg2WXHYtfW2KCXtiizLC2XInkEIGQsg9w-MFkuxH6BSWT4ySzxv1WxaBD1KOO2JYi8eYT2S48/s1600/TR+Update+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4u0eHdD46V0qNVJN1Bgq59Ac_a26m0kAvsCIa4RCN-y0gN8WqJtal904hfnlg2WXHYtfW2KCXtiizLC2XInkEIGQsg9w-MFkuxH6BSWT4ySzxv1WxaBD1KOO2JYi8eYT2S48/s320/TR+Update+5.png" width="213" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xtio_TysYiNMriAylMk-6NEdXI-0bgQOCyZUXpLSvnX5QqZhrjOP56mtet1H76o12L_BLE8JswF_uOiXLZ-AtVUwUzqzRmnyveTDgc417GRXBUrI1GcQUzKhdgQ-MSB4HvYY/s1600/TR+Update+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xtio_TysYiNMriAylMk-6NEdXI-0bgQOCyZUXpLSvnX5QqZhrjOP56mtet1H76o12L_BLE8JswF_uOiXLZ-AtVUwUzqzRmnyveTDgc417GRXBUrI1GcQUzKhdgQ-MSB4HvYY/s320/TR+Update+6.png" width="213" /></a></div>
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But at that point, it was too late. I didn't really care about my $25. I cared about getting some ideas for a couch. And besides, it sounded like she needed the money more than I did.</div>
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<h4>
The Moral of the Story</h4>
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When I told a few friends my TaskRabbit story, all of them shrugged and said "You get what you pay for." Maybe a higher price would have netted me a better outcome, but I was new to the service and used the price that TaskRabbit recommended. </div>
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If I were TaskRabbit, I would be worried that people were having these kinds of experiences, because it suggests that TaskRabbit's business thesis -- that you can hire people to do simple tasks piecemeal and at reasonable prices -- might be fundamentally flawed. The price task posters are willing to pay might be below the price TaskRabbits are willing to work for.</div>
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Maybe next time I'll try Mechanical Turk for jobs like this. Meanwhile, thanks, TaskRabbit, and good luck!!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-79864450357209404122013-04-22T17:09:00.000-07:002013-06-12T11:23:01.545-07:00Prove It Out, Then Move It OutAndrew Chen posted a really interesting article today: <a href="http://andrewchen.co/2013/04/22/why-developers-are-leaving-the-facebook-platform/">http://andrewchen.co/2013/04/22/why-developers-are-leaving-the-facebook-platform/</a>.<br />
<br />
While I still think that Facebook is the best place to validate your business idea, as soon as you prove it out, you should consider if the Facebook platform will continue to work for you long-term.<br />
<br />
If you're starting a software business, here are some of the potential downsides that Chen notes: <br />
<ul>
<li>Ad rates are increasing</li>
<li>Virality is harder to achieve</li>
<li>Engagement is limited -- Most people only look at 10-20 items in their feed at a time</li>
</ul>
<div>
IMHO an additional note is that you're more likely to get funding for a mobile app than a FB-only app right now.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
I still think that Facebook is the best place to see if an idea will fly. And if your business is outside the software industry, you should still maintain a Facebook Page. But when it comes to actually investing in development, iOS or Android is a better bet in terms of riding a platform-wide wave of growth and attractive the investment that can help your idea really scale.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-32477840948860619222013-04-16T14:47:00.001-07:002013-04-16T14:47:16.268-07:00What Company Should I Start? -- A Perspective from Your Friendly Neighborhood Marketer<br />
I'm a quantitative marketer. I spend countless hours researching, refining, and testing the landing pages, email campaigns, sales, and other customer touch-points for the company I work for.<br />
<br />
I spend even more time measuring the results, trying new methods, and thinking about how we could get <b>the best results for the least risk</b>.<br />
<br />
I also live in Silicon Valley. I meet a new CEO every day. They're all geniuses. These are people that could be working at Google, or Disney, or someone else's more successful startup, where they'd be pulling down a fat paycheck as well as learning valuable skills. But instead, they're starting mobile social photo-sharing apps, or apps that helps you cook parsley, or cat-based social networks. Why are they giving up so much opportunity in the pursuit of so little? Especially when they don't have to?<br />
<br />
<br />
Here's what I'll teach you that those smart guys don't know: If you're interested in starting your own business, step 1 of the process isn't getting funding or building a team or finding a freaking technical cofounder.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://kevindewalt.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/3985114086_2019473057_o-e1358059262767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://kevindewalt.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/3985114086_2019473057_o-e1358059262767.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>No!</b></span></div>
<br />
<br />
Step 1 is: gather some data! Call it Performance Marketing, Customer Development, Ghetto Testing -- whatever. But your business will need the following three things if it's going to survive:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>A cheap way to acquire customers (compared to what they spend with you)</li>
<li>Content/Inventory</li>
<li>A reason for customers to come back</li>
</ol>
<div>
The cheaper you can make all of these elements relative to what your customers spend, the bigger your profits, which means more funds available for reinvestment in the business...which means: a bigger business.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div>
What's the easiest, cheapest and fastest way to test your ideas? <b>Facebook.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQv9MESytwGCsadt2KRJ6Tb6fOyH3WFRmqCIhTvmRuaY9KOoH8s" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQv9MESytwGCsadt2KRJ6Tb6fOyH3WFRmqCIhTvmRuaY9KOoH8s" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Facebook gives you a free, credible web presence where you can post links for content, a free marketing channel with built-in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_proof">social proof</a>, ads with rock-bottom <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cost_per_mille">CPMs</a>, and a daily use case you can piggyback on. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
So if an idea for a company pops into your head -- put up a Page, and see if you can get some traction. If your idea can't make it on Facebook, it's not worth pursuing, but then you might only be out $100 or so if you buy ads...not, say...<a href="http://mindofmiller.com/dangers-of-raising-money/">$40 million and a few years of your life</a>.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
For more information on Customer Development and testing, check out these amazing books:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Four-Steps-Epiphany-Successful/dp/0976470705/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1366092905&sr=8-2&keywords=customer+development">Four Steps to the Epiphany</a>, by Stephen Blank</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous-Innovation/dp/0307887898/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1366092997&sr=1-1&keywords=lean+startup">The Lean Startup</a>, by Eric Ries</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For more information on how to set up a Page and run ads on Facebook, look here:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/business/build">Creating a Page</a> (Facebook)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_4878675_create-facebook-ad.html">Starting an Ad Campaign</a> (eHow)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
...and if you don't believe me about Facebook's rock-bottom pricing? <a href="http://www.cjr.org/the_audit/facebooks_low_low_cpms.php">"F<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;">acebookâs average CPM is just </span><span style="color: #bb0000; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;">30 cents</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;"> in five rich countries, including the U.S."</span></a> You won't find a better deal!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-24396685788877575452012-07-19T17:08:00.001-07:002012-07-19T18:04:14.296-07:00The 2 types of tech blogs you need to readI've worked at a variety of tech companies, but what I consider one of my best skills is one I acquired from writing news for a Miami TV station shortly after I graduated college: The ability to sniff out the germ of truth* in every news story.<br />
<br />
It's a skill anyone can develop -- it's actually a pretty easy one to learn. All you need is a variety of sources:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>3 or more news providers (i.e., CNN, CNBC, your local news station)</li>
<li>1 or more sources of analysis (NPR, Fox news [ew], even the Daily Show can provide supplementary analysis)</li>
</ol>
<div>
Use the information you get from the three news providers to zero in on the facts, and use analysis to set context for why a particular story matters and whether it matters to you.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In the tech world, I use the following for news:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>TechCrunch</li>
<li>Hacker News</li>
<li>Silicon Alley Insider</li>
</ol>
<div>
And the following for analysis:</div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>BetaBeat for broad analysis of news trends</li>
<li>Quora for more targeted analysis or deeper dives on particular topics</li>
</ol>
<div>
The tech scene is a world of momentum, strong opinions and big egos. When you voice your opinion, it helps if you can site an external source to show that you're providing thoughtful, well-researched information. Doing a lot of research will also help you feel confident standing your ground when faced with aggressive questioning (this happens, even at parties). So get out there, and get reading!<br />
<br />
*Well, "truth" in the sense that it's the parts of the story everyone agrees on.</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-16724124156494096942010-06-17T08:45:00.000-07:002010-06-17T09:03:37.804-07:00Seattle isn't weird...you're the one who's weirdLet me relate the narrative I've gotten from Seattle since I've lived here:<br /><ul><li>Our cops are busy <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/06/16/earlyshow/main6587526.shtml">punching people</a> for jaywalking, when they're not being <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/local/412772_suspect01.html">gunned down for no known reason</a>.</li><li>There's a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colton_Harris-Moore">6'5" 19 year old going around living in peoples' homes, stealing their boats, and learning to fly their planes off of the internet </a>(and then stealing and crashing the planes). He has a <a href="http://www.coltonharrismoorefanclub.com/">fan club.</a></li><li>People have started raising chickens. For eggs. On their apartment balconies. Better yet, there are companies that are now prepared to design you a <a href="http://seattleurbanfarmco.com/chickens.html">fabulous</a> custom chicken coop or <a href="http://seattletilth.org/special_events/citychickenstour09">take you on a tour</a> to see those owned by your neighbors.</li><li>The locavore movement has gone completely off its rocker and it's now unacceptable to serve food that wasn't raised/grown <em><a href="http://www.theherbfarm.com/">in your restaurant</a>.</em></li><li>There is a <em>Saw</em>-like <a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009636109_slaughterhouse11m.html">slaughterhouse-on-wheels</a> roaming the streets.</li></ul><p>Obviously, lack of sunlight and nightlife options has driven the people of the Pacific Northwest insane. You would never see this kind of weirdness in New York because people there have better things to do than make their own <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/food/421361_136641-blogcritics.org.html">sauerkraut</a>.</p><p>I'm going to start throwing parties. We'll call it a social service. Ooh, maybe I can even get a grant for it for the city for propping up <a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010802230_apusfeafoodboutiquebooze.html">the local moonshine industry</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-51591649040690905162009-10-26T10:35:00.000-07:002009-10-26T10:39:02.772-07:00This is so Washington<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlo3bgaAKem3-RUSGSBRBtg3D0JZRgSK8Fv0XUoVB5dHZkCmRtbh6l_WQsESTrjq1-fZIVoRudw0Fe7o0M2AU4cJ27XKSPdl45L8JQers3CL13muA82D1QYXHZWZ4LRDi3sBw8/s1600-h/12clothesline2_480.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 246px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396964513089667202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlo3bgaAKem3-RUSGSBRBtg3D0JZRgSK8Fv0XUoVB5dHZkCmRtbh6l_WQsESTrjq1-fZIVoRudw0Fe7o0M2AU4cJ27XKSPdl45L8JQers3CL13muA82D1QYXHZWZ4LRDi3sBw8/s320/12clothesline2_480.jpg" /></a>NYT article on the newest trend in laundry: hang-drying your clothes! How <em>chic</em>.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Of course, the trend's #1 photo op (besides an archive pic of an NYC tenement) is a Washington resident hanging up clothes in their yard. It's actually pretty cool. <a href="http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/25/rethinking-laundry-in-the-21st-century/">Check it out</a>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-32253537563839070912009-06-29T20:24:00.000-07:002009-06-29T20:38:11.674-07:00Curioser and curioser<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbV72jxI5AeuAbrRXyWGjWeNPzjnz-ehqTWmteQY5TJIDx4sHSCIQ4yLpmLrPdSsjuCAU1aOOLAbCjvzPk-M3_knxaHCP1a65ibXt3DReaPLQ0fKJZoe7nalPQm2_VMTT3Ngy/s1600-h/cheshire-cat-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbV72jxI5AeuAbrRXyWGjWeNPzjnz-ehqTWmteQY5TJIDx4sHSCIQ4yLpmLrPdSsjuCAU1aOOLAbCjvzPk-M3_knxaHCP1a65ibXt3DReaPLQ0fKJZoe7nalPQm2_VMTT3Ngy/s320/cheshire-cat-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352959522279382114" border="0" /></a>I was talking with a friend last night about the ups and downs of getting an MBA. It's pushing the reset button on your career, which can be refreshing, but you're also pushing the reset button on your life.<br /><br />Without going through too much detail, all of our lives have changed pretty drastically in the past two years. We had plenty of marriages in my class. Plenty of babies, too, and some divorces, unfortunately. We moved to Boston from all over the world, travelled together in little packs, and now are redistributing ourselves again.<br /><br />But I wonder: for people like we are, people who love to travel, love to learn, who are, refined to our quintessence, curious...is there really rest for us?<br /><br />Leaving school feels like a change from the temporary to the permanent, but I have the feeling there will be a few more pushes of that reset button in one way or another before we finally all shake out. Until then, let's coat the globe, a spice ground fine, an exotic species even in our homes, and enjoy that life for what it is.<br /><br />See you at next year's reunion, Sloanies.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-69894758379242666392009-05-10T11:46:00.000-07:002009-05-10T11:55:58.601-07:00Making food from the backyard<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRL3kTsQdc57m281LAyWVuC7MVw2o0RMCAEcBmWo3-5da6TFs0oeGbHtZPQJfN_LqAj6mWmP5SSnCGh3HUFpz4eeavI_5t8WX37sXl-QtdhsR7j9ksvhblCtXRO0T540RSKlTI/s1600-h/pie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRL3kTsQdc57m281LAyWVuC7MVw2o0RMCAEcBmWo3-5da6TFs0oeGbHtZPQJfN_LqAj6mWmP5SSnCGh3HUFpz4eeavI_5t8WX37sXl-QtdhsR7j9ksvhblCtXRO0T540RSKlTI/s320/pie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334270695252620610" border="0" /></a>Since it's spring and my roommate and I have lapsed into a Depression-era poverty level (I am a grad student and she is a social worker and we are both up to our eyeballs in student loans), I decided to try cooking with ingredients from the immense, lush garden we have in our backyard.<br /><br />Now, okay, up until recently, I forgot that this place HAD a backyard, and I think my neighbors did too, but now that everything's coming up roses (literally), we happen to have realized.<br /><br />We have rhubarb, which I picked for a pie this weekend (pictured above), and carrots, tomatoes, raspberries, the aforementioned roses, a peach tree, a grape arbor(!), a blueberry bush, and a variety of flowers growing. We also have weeds. LOTS of weeds!!<br /><br />Luckily, these are dandelions, which are edible. And because our garden is urban, I don't have to fight with the rabbits and deer that would normally claim my dinner. So it's <a href="http://veganmenu.blogspot.com/2006/05/polenta-with-tofu-dandelion-greens.html">polenta with tofu, dandelion greens, and morel mushrooms tonight</a>! MMMMM yumUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-27142076487119324742009-05-01T07:49:00.000-07:002009-05-01T08:08:30.235-07:00Today's frighteningly accurate Facebook Quiz resultSince I have totally run out of even moderately-interesting things to say, and because I love taking those dumb FB quizzes, I've decided to start a regular feature where I get a quiz result and comment on it.<br /><br />Today's edition: "What Classic Disney Movie Best Describes Your Life?"<br /><br />Because why shouldn't my life be completely circumscribed by populist children's movies?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Your life is best described by the movie Dumbo. Many people try to bring you down by making fun of things that are unique about you. You don't let them get you down though. You use your unique qualities to soar high above them and to make a difference in the world. </span><br /><br />Sure, that seems accurate in the way that tarot card readings are accurate. It's vague enough, and has a positive-in-the-end message. And because Dumbo the elephant made such a difference in his movie world! Curing sick children, dissolving the then-significant circus caste system in which faceless roustabouts labored in the rain for pay they made to throw away, and proving to the world that big ears don't make you a loser if you can use them to fly and rain a storm of peanut bullets on your mother's tormentors.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sharebook.co.kr/disney/a/%EB%8D%A4%EB%B3%B4.files/image014.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 268px;" src="http://www.sharebook.co.kr/disney/a/%EB%8D%A4%EB%B3%B4.files/image014.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Eat it, witches!!<br /></span></span></div><br />I don't think any further comment is necessary.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-20035748694870067122009-04-17T20:29:00.000-07:002009-04-17T20:37:27.370-07:00...And Another Thing!I will never understand: <a href="http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/apa/1127695939.html">What is the point of a "loft" if it is in suburbia</a>? Lofts are <span style="font-style: italic;">urban </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">industrial</span>. That's why they're chic.<br /><br />If it has berber carpeting: not a loft.<br />If it has walls: not a loft.<br />If it is surrounded by trees: NOT A LOFT...just a regular apartment in a bedroom community.<br /><br />Evil real estate brokers. Will they stop at nothing to offload crap apartments? (no)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-70349591948777426472009-04-17T20:19:00.000-07:002009-04-17T20:25:56.522-07:00Seattle Housing Prices Continue to Drop<a href="http://alley24.com/">Here's a building</a> I noticed a few months ago and decided to look into further. Initial prices for a 1-bdrm, according to the website: $1,450 to $1,725.<br /><br />And now? A quick search on Craigslist, and 1-bdrms are going for $1,325-$1,525, with free parking, and a security deposit of only $99 (I'm thinking they'll waive even that). Some places are giving away 2 months free rent! Ridic.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-8160701439767297402009-04-14T08:32:00.000-07:002009-04-14T08:37:00.259-07:00I Technically Qualify as an Empty Nester<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgfPbKa0cclupTJtYgGluw125MBe-0sMXQrI0Lu-s_qITtCNP-bAf-uMEP8gRrPQWfALsXh0cuLpPJ0mRIJsTTytAh1d6A-HvvEzty7FhFRkTDSZM-6iinTzKMxbjSUaPvW4M/s1600-h/doggy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 158px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgfPbKa0cclupTJtYgGluw125MBe-0sMXQrI0Lu-s_qITtCNP-bAf-uMEP8gRrPQWfALsXh0cuLpPJ0mRIJsTTytAh1d6A-HvvEzty7FhFRkTDSZM-6iinTzKMxbjSUaPvW4M/s320/doggy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324571301172134146" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.ideo.com/work/item/generations-design-direction/">IDEO designed a car for Toyota for "Empty Nesters." </a><br /><br />Hey, I'm not a kid any more, and I have no kids...and I would love a car that my dog can chill out in, especially the cupholder/water bowl. So is this me, then?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-25578834334805589952009-04-13T07:33:00.000-07:002009-04-13T07:35:22.618-07:00Holy EFF, I Am Moving to the Coolest Place EverNot just Laser Floyd, but Laser Sublime, Laser Beatles, and <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.seattlelaserdome.com/">Laser Daft Punk</a>.</span> Laser Daft Punk!!! I am too overwhelmed to comment.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-76082711852347211622009-04-13T07:13:00.001-07:002009-04-13T07:25:27.922-07:00"Wait, so you can make money from hit shows?"Defamer has a little post on the state of NBC's financials: <a href="http://gawker.com/5209324/nbcs-embarrassing-gold-mine">USA network is its most valuable property</a>.<br /><br />Defamer also complains about USA being relegated to "the nerd table," implying that NBC flagship folks look down on their stepbrother network. But this bahavior is somewhat justified.<br /><br />Follow my logic: NBC's "flagship" station is basically a very expensive show testbed in which hit shows are identified and some of their value captured. Then, only the successful shows are programmed on USA, which then serves as the cash cow that's milked for the remainder (probably 95%) of each show's value.<br /><br />What impact does this have on employee pay/status for both networks? Well, the NBC flagship folks are the main innovators, who take all the risks and hunt down the winners. Their costs are huge, their profits probably small, but they represent talent that's probably hard to find and they provide the only basis for growth within the company. So they are probably very well-rewarded.<br /><br />The USA people? Even though they're bringing in the cash, how much skill do you think it takes to maximize value on a roster of hit shows? That's right: next to none. I could probably run that network (<span style="font-style: italic;">Law & Order: SVU </span>marathons all month! Set your Tivos).<br /><br />So USA set historic ratings records? Of course it did. It's like the 1997 Marlins. <a href="http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr1997ws.shtml">Someone's bought it a can't-lose roster.</a> And they should keep it up. Unlike the 1997 Marlins, this is a very sustainable business model.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-84941702662246909762009-04-07T07:16:00.000-07:002009-04-07T07:18:31.302-07:00How DO Those DVDs Get Here?Boston.com has a really neat <a href="http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2007/08/23/netflix/">behind-the-scenes look at a Netflix shipping facility</a> (via <a href="http://consumerist.com/">Consumerist</a>). It almost makes me sad that everyone I know is dropping Netflix to watch movies streaming online.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-31360514265550072852009-04-04T07:24:00.001-07:002009-04-04T07:26:01.614-07:00Print Is Dead...In Boston, at LeastThe Boston Globe can't stop losing money. <a href="http://gawker.com/5198244/boston-globes-death-is-now-an-option">Ugh.</a><br /><br />At least I don't feel so bad about not realizing those childhood dreams of being a foreign correspondent.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-49457611394644820292009-04-02T10:14:00.000-07:002009-04-02T10:20:25.928-07:00Today in GoatsEveryone who knows me knows I love goats.<br /><ol><li>They are cute, happy and mischievous -- much as I aspire to be<br /></li><li>They are soft</li><li>They taste like heaven</li></ol>Now, even the <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">NYT </span></span>has <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/dining/01goat.html">learned to love goat meat</a>! <p><br />Inaki (the boyfriend) never believes that I am not following the trends, but I swear, I was TOTALLY on this one first. FU, NYT!!!</p><p><br /><br />And oh, also, I just discovered the band Mountain Goats. sample lyric: "Our love is like the border between Greece and Albania." Inaki, let's just sit and count the time until the NYT reviews them, shall we?<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IzgwA2O60qw&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IzgwA2O60qw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-19754073467162569892009-04-01T08:53:00.000-07:002009-04-01T09:15:15.357-07:00Why I Dread April Fool's DayIt's not just because I am hugely gullible and fall for a new media hoax every year (except for this one...see NPR post below). It's because, as a child, it's the day when I would go hungry.<br /><br />First, a little background on my mother. She's the greatest Mom in the world. She made my lunches every day, from when I was 3, to when I was 17. My friends used to make fun of me in high school for bringing a "mommy lunch" to school every day, but I didn't care, because while they were eating disgusting tacos with stale shells and greasy, goopy beef spread, I was snacking on a PB&J with Cheetos. Is there a better food to find in your lunchbag than Cheetos when you're a kid? I defy you to think of one.<br /><br />Anyway...she was my mother. I loved her. I trusted her. Which was why, every April Fool's, I'd forget what happened the year before, and open my lunchbag to find 2 slices of bread with a note between: <span style="font-style: italic;">April Fool's</span>!<br /><br />I guess it's a lot of pressure to be perfect, and everyone needs a release once in a while. Which is why I'm not bringing up the time that my Mom abandoned me at a public park and my grandfather found me crying under the tree I had decided would be my new home, or the time when she chased me and my siblings around the house with vampire fangs on, or when she and my father used to lock me outside the house at night and hide somewhere in the dark between the garage and my room so that she could scare me when I finally did manage to break-in. Nope, that would be petty.<br /><br />Moreover, the fact is, I'm sure I deserved <span style="font-style: italic;">every single one of these things</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">at least 30 times over</span>. I was an evil goblin of a child. Bored, unstoppably disobedient, as convinced of my own opinions as any right-wing demagogue, and possessed of an adult's vocabulary without an adult's restraint or good manners. Literally, a child only a mother could love. That I grew up normalish (or really, at all, judging from all of the people I managed to piss off) is a testament to her incredible parental abilities.<br /><br />So, since April Fool's day is supposed to be a time to do something unexpected, I'm thanking my mom for being so cool. No joke.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-59196950247404325132009-04-01T08:48:00.000-07:002009-04-01T08:53:15.083-07:00Hooray for April Fool's!It's April 1st, my favorite NPR holiday of the year. This is when NPR trots out one of its incredible hoaxes, the best example of which can be heard <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4571982">here</a>. Seriously, it's amazing.<br /><br />Oh, bah, I just found <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102566041">this year's hoax</a>. Not as good, but maybe that's because it has to do with sports, a news subject that I could not care less about (unless I have money on it).<br /><br />To make your day more entertaining, here's a Slate article referencing the <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2187681/">greatest media hoaxes of modern times</a>. Enjoy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-35356107704012058422009-03-31T19:21:00.000-07:002009-03-31T19:22:43.599-07:00Why does Google understand AJAX when it comes to everything EXCEPT logging into iGoogle?Seriously, Google, how many tabs do you expect me to keep open at once just to browse around? Stop hijacking my screen and put in some unobtrusive login tech, kthxbai.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-66123181797199453942009-03-29T21:50:00.000-07:002009-03-29T22:06:20.660-07:00Pork Neck Bones for The DogI picked up cooking for my dog from<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Man Who Ate Everything</span> author, Jeffrey Steingarten, while prepping for an interview to be his assistant.<br /><br />The interview never happened (probably a good thing, judging from the typical career track for a journalist these days), but the behavior remained. The dog was diagnosed with high cholesterol last year, so I cracked down on his diet. Recently, though, he had been given a thumbs-up by the doctor, so I decided to cook him up 3 small pork neck bones.<br /><br />The initial run did not go very well. I nuked the bones for 5 minutes to kill off any weird bugs, then put them in the oven at 425 for about a half-hour. They came out crispy and smelling like heaven, even to me, a longtime mostly-vegetarian.<br /><br />Which is why I was very surprised that the dog snubbed them. He had been hanging around the kitchen in the hopes of picking up a dropped morsel, so he was delighted when I called him over to me with what, I'm sure, to him looked edible.<br /><br />I made him do a few tricks, then I dropped a cooled neck bone on the ground. He ran to it, picked it up...and then spat it out and gave me a look that clearly said: "This is no treat."<br /><br />Keep in mind that this is an animal who will happily munch on clothing, cardboard, and my mink earmuffs if not carefully watched.<br /><br />I tried again, cutting up the bone, thinking that maybe the pieces were too big. But he was not interested in the slightest. I threw half of the bone out.<br /><br />Cut to today, when the bones have been sitting in the fridge, growing dried out and fridge-smelling over the course of several days. I was about to condemn them to the trash heap, but then thought: eh, why not, I'll give it a try.<br /><br />I threw one to the dog and he <span style="font-style: italic;">gobbled </span>the stinky thing up. It was kind of sad. I thought, by his earlier picky eating habits, that he had absorbed some of my personality: become, as my mother says "truly my dog."<br /><br />On the other hand, I found out this weekend that two of my cousins had to put their dogs to sleep. These were great dogs, who had been with my cousins all of their lives, and been devoted companions on runs, bike-rides, and, of course, at the dinner table.<br /><br />There are worse things in life than your dog having no taste. And, that said, I think this has been Mookie's last pork neck bone. I want him to live a good long while yet.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-37088509329757888512009-03-29T09:48:00.000-07:002009-03-29T09:54:45.503-07:00"Life happens"Team Delta was a little shocked to come in 4th at this year's Ericsson case competition. After 24 hours of honing our story, churning out slides and valuations and presenting it to 6 judges, we were told by many people--some of them judges!--that we were among 2 teams in the running for the top spot.<br /><br />Some people associated with the competition seemed embarrassed about the outcome. When we were called up for 4th prize, someone in the crowd loudly said: "What??" The case author came over to us and told us: "This is not how I expected it to go, but life happens." An Ericsson exec told us: "Your presentation was <span style="font-style: italic;">too</span> perfect. Ericsson doesn't like that." Well, I guess, what are people going to say?<br /><br />As disappointed as we are, we're happy for the winning team. We're tough competition and they obviously rocked it out. Congrats to everyone that participated, especially my Microsoft peeps!! It was great seeing everyone.<br /><br />Deltas out...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28299778.post-38581636016535762522009-03-28T00:00:00.000-07:002009-03-28T00:04:09.555-07:0024-hour case competition enters its 15th hour<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFRxRoXYJopsZHrweQUQUJjNLJptR8MXN7VT6JM8tTDDEbryervcwpXlE-wtU34ONz5GPzjkGwqRL6MIM9rF6c-pHxrjSWOLAXtL2J_gJP1xNxo8IAjK9ZGBBtKE_8LqsJWYJ/s1600-h/MIT_spam.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 386px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFRxRoXYJopsZHrweQUQUJjNLJptR8MXN7VT6JM8tTDDEbryervcwpXlE-wtU34ONz5GPzjkGwqRL6MIM9rF6c-pHxrjSWOLAXtL2J_gJP1xNxo8IAjK9ZGBBtKE_8LqsJWYJ/s400/MIT_spam.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318130810546756546" /></a><br />...and my team is still awake.<br /><br />Not only awake, but working.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0