i think you will enjoy. it incorporates all things i love. humor. food. comedy. love. laughter. friendship. beer. food. funnies. beer. laughter.
read it. laugh. love.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
confidence. served with a side of awesome
LIFE REVELATION #129381923:
ok, maybe i haven't had that many revelations, but i've had a lot. here it goes - a few weeks ago i received a piece of advice that has changed my view of the world (ok, maybe not that drastically, but it has definitely helped). the piece of advice, "be confident." now i know what you are thinking- that's so easy. duh, of course confidence carries you a long way. but, it's actually instilling that confidence within yourself and living each day with that confidence that makes the difference. it's strange how quickly my attitude and feeling towards all aspects of life changed when i finally realized my own confidence. however, there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. don't slip to the side of arrogance.
yesterday, my friend was upset at how he was trying his hardest at work and his work wasn't being recognized by his boss. i passed along the advice, "be confident in the work you are doing, and it will pay off eventually."
MUSIC SUGGESTION OF THE WEEK: i have to plug these guys because i recently saw them live again, and they blew me away just like they did the first time... CRASH KINGS are going to be huge. i call it now. they are going to be a big deal. this is a great interview with the three-man band- keyboards, bass and drums. about themselves, singer tony said, "We wanted to create a band that once and for all could be ‘The Big Rock Sound’ without guitar." go. listen. love.
ok, maybe i haven't had that many revelations, but i've had a lot. here it goes - a few weeks ago i received a piece of advice that has changed my view of the world (ok, maybe not that drastically, but it has definitely helped). the piece of advice, "be confident." now i know what you are thinking- that's so easy. duh, of course confidence carries you a long way. but, it's actually instilling that confidence within yourself and living each day with that confidence that makes the difference. it's strange how quickly my attitude and feeling towards all aspects of life changed when i finally realized my own confidence. however, there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. don't slip to the side of arrogance.
yesterday, my friend was upset at how he was trying his hardest at work and his work wasn't being recognized by his boss. i passed along the advice, "be confident in the work you are doing, and it will pay off eventually."
MUSIC SUGGESTION OF THE WEEK: i have to plug these guys because i recently saw them live again, and they blew me away just like they did the first time... CRASH KINGS are going to be huge. i call it now. they are going to be a big deal. this is a great interview with the three-man band- keyboards, bass and drums. about themselves, singer tony said, "We wanted to create a band that once and for all could be ‘The Big Rock Sound’ without guitar." go. listen. love.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
oh how i love thee blackberry.
not so long ago (Easter weekend to be exact) i underwent a digital detox. i cut myself from all things digital. i was good. i didn't slip up once. it was refreshing. i felt like a human. one of our friends even brought over the much-hyped (and i must say awesome) iPad, and i touched it to slide a picture, but that was it. i promise.
monday rolled around and i was back on social networking- though not as incessantly as i previously was. fast forward a week later... engaged a little more. three/four weeks later - fully back into the addiction. yes, i've come to the realization that i may addicted to my blackberry and social media. it's dangerous. i can honestly say that i am not as bad as others i know. however, it still is pretty bad when i am having a conversation with my friends and i check my phone all the time. there is no need. i'm not missing out on anything. it is a silly infatuation and i need to quit.
yes it is a part of the culture i am enveloped in, though i'm beginning to feel there should be a place and time for it, and the place and time should not be all the time. does anyone have a blackberry patch i can apply to sooth the cravings?
first step i admit i have a problem. what's the 2nd step of the 12 step program? i guess i should do some research. where's my blackberry so i can google it? :)
how do you all feel about this? do you spend as much time checking on the digital world as i do? i know i'm weird, but am i a freak of nature... wait, maybe you shouldn't answer that.
-kteb <-- that's my twitter handle for those of you don't know (another social media reference)
monday rolled around and i was back on social networking- though not as incessantly as i previously was. fast forward a week later... engaged a little more. three/four weeks later - fully back into the addiction. yes, i've come to the realization that i may addicted to my blackberry and social media. it's dangerous. i can honestly say that i am not as bad as others i know. however, it still is pretty bad when i am having a conversation with my friends and i check my phone all the time. there is no need. i'm not missing out on anything. it is a silly infatuation and i need to quit.
yes it is a part of the culture i am enveloped in, though i'm beginning to feel there should be a place and time for it, and the place and time should not be all the time. does anyone have a blackberry patch i can apply to sooth the cravings?
first step i admit i have a problem. what's the 2nd step of the 12 step program? i guess i should do some research. where's my blackberry so i can google it? :)
how do you all feel about this? do you spend as much time checking on the digital world as i do? i know i'm weird, but am i a freak of nature... wait, maybe you shouldn't answer that.
-kteb <-- that's my twitter handle for those of you don't know (another social media reference)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
it's not all about you...
i read a lot of blogs. some are public relations-specific, some not. but one that i read almost on a daily basis is PR Squared from Shift Communications. this blog provides a great insight into the public relations world and teaches me a lot about the industry i am in. this specific blog post every single person can relate to and learn from, whether you are currently looking for a job or not. sometimes i think we take things for granted and we are expected things to be handed to us. this just proves that people are not willing to hand things to our generation. we do actually have to do some work... so here it is, i just wanted to provide you with a good read. enjoy.
-kteb
Open Letter to Millennials (PR Industry Edition)
Riffing off of @BillSledzik’s terrific (and ultimately helpful) rant, “Dear Millennials: Your Parents Lied to You,” I wanted to spend a minute talking to these same Millennials as a prospective employer. Here’s an Open Letter to Millennials (PR Industry Edition).
Hi gang –
When Professor Sledzik suggests that the real-world is tougher than you think, he’s spot-on. Everything counts when you are job prospecting in the early days, including your writing style and use of grammar in resumes and cover letters; your clothes; your advance research and relevant questions in the interview; and, your attention to the niceties of follow-up.
Let me be even more specific. When you are hunting for a job, it’s not about you. It’s about me, the employer. I recently chatted with a fellow industry vet who regaled me with stories of twenty-something job candidates whose questions included, “Why don’t you tell me why I’d want this job?” (That’s a terrible approach, in case you’re wondering.)
Your cover letter should be flawless and interesting. Grammatical errors are perfectly acceptable — so long as you don’t mind if we immediately trash your letter. Get a friend, parent or professor to take a look. Does the letter stand out, in a professional way, or is it generic? Don’t try to be extra clever, just be sincere. I expect that you’ve done some research on potential employers and have made MY agency your top choice. So, why is that? And how can you help us?
Your resume should not be overstuffed with extraneous details. I already know you don’t have a ton of experience; I don’t really expect it. Meanwhile, however, before you even send in that cover letter and resume, you should already be fairly visible on Twitter, Facebook and/or your own blog. You’ve got time to surf the Web for fun; so carve out 30 minutes a day to post relevant content that prospective employers will find when they Google your name (which they will, by the way). If I already know OF you, I’ll be glad to get to actually know you; I’ll be excited to see your resume come through.
Your choice of clothes is also important, when you come in for the interview. Once you get the job, you can wear jeans to the office pretty much every day. UNTIL then, wear a professional outfit. We need assurances that you care about your appearance, that we can trust you to wear appropriate attire to a client meeting.
Take out the nose ring for now, too. While it may be a “part of your personality,” in the job search it’s about sublimating the all-important Y-O-U for the sake of the organization. Yes, we do have a couple of employees who sport (subtle) body-art and metal accouterments… but they weren’t worn (or showing) during the interview.
Got the job interview scheduled? Great! Now do some research. Read the agency’s blog (or all of them, if there is more than one). Read several weeks’ worth of posts. Take a look at the client list. Take a look at the newsroom. Read the bios of the principals and other top execs. Read up on the competition, too. Then, COME WITH QUESTIONS. If you don’t have a handful of thought-provoking questions, it’s a fail, dude.
And if you’ve been in a round-robin of interviews, and exhausted all your questions along the way, I still suggest you never tell your last interviewer, “All my questions have been answered by your colleagues — thanks, though!” Instead, either a) re-ask those same questions, to make the interviewer feel important, or better yet, b) ask follow-up questions based on previous answers. This shows that you can think in-the-moment. That’s a big plus.
OK, now, you GOT THE JOB! Congrats! Give me 2 more minutes to suggest what you do with it…
The Millennial Generation is already known for being self-involved and in-a-rush. Luckily, many of you have the talent and drive to impress curmudgeonly Gen-X and Boomer employers, and we soon learn to look past those smarmy qualities. But the fact remains that those perceptions will be hard to shake. It will only get worse if you engage in a lot of job-hopping to find the perfect fit.
My advice then — and you may see it as biased — is to stay put for a while. I am talking 3 – 5 years, at least. There is no such thing as a perfect fit. You must create the perfect fit. This is your apprenticeship period. It is supposed to suck. There are supposed to be crummy days when you feel under-appreciated. Such days will occur no matter who signs your paycheck.
But there are rewards for loyalty, I promise. When I look around the table of my senior staff meetings at SHIFT, for example, most of the people at the meeting have been with the Agency for 5 – 10 years. Some of them started out as interns, and now they run million-dollar teams. All of ‘em are under 40 (i.e., it doesn’t take forever). I am sure there were MANY days in the course of their careers at SHIFT when they felt underpaid or under-appreciated. But sooner or later, those situations were rectified; adjustments were made; it is a process — one that required loyalty to something bigger than their bank account.
Meanwhile, I can’t tell you how many resumes I receive from “former vice presidents” of large PR agencies who are pretty clearly not VP material. They were overpaid and over-promoted — prizes often awarded to folks who skip from agency to agency in search of a new title or extra $$$. And when the economic downturn made that fact tough to hide, they find themselves scrapping for Account Manager positions.
Summing up? Cultivate your personal brand. Do your research. Commit to quality. Align yourself to the agency’s cause for the long-term. Remember that it’s not all about you. Then go kick some ass.
Thanks for listening,
Your Future Employer (who is HIRING, by the way)
-kteb
Open Letter to Millennials (PR Industry Edition)
Riffing off of @BillSledzik’s terrific (and ultimately helpful) rant, “Dear Millennials: Your Parents Lied to You,” I wanted to spend a minute talking to these same Millennials as a prospective employer. Here’s an Open Letter to Millennials (PR Industry Edition).
Hi gang –
When Professor Sledzik suggests that the real-world is tougher than you think, he’s spot-on. Everything counts when you are job prospecting in the early days, including your writing style and use of grammar in resumes and cover letters; your clothes; your advance research and relevant questions in the interview; and, your attention to the niceties of follow-up.
Let me be even more specific. When you are hunting for a job, it’s not about you. It’s about me, the employer. I recently chatted with a fellow industry vet who regaled me with stories of twenty-something job candidates whose questions included, “Why don’t you tell me why I’d want this job?” (That’s a terrible approach, in case you’re wondering.)
Your cover letter should be flawless and interesting. Grammatical errors are perfectly acceptable — so long as you don’t mind if we immediately trash your letter. Get a friend, parent or professor to take a look. Does the letter stand out, in a professional way, or is it generic? Don’t try to be extra clever, just be sincere. I expect that you’ve done some research on potential employers and have made MY agency your top choice. So, why is that? And how can you help us?
Your resume should not be overstuffed with extraneous details. I already know you don’t have a ton of experience; I don’t really expect it. Meanwhile, however, before you even send in that cover letter and resume, you should already be fairly visible on Twitter, Facebook and/or your own blog. You’ve got time to surf the Web for fun; so carve out 30 minutes a day to post relevant content that prospective employers will find when they Google your name (which they will, by the way). If I already know OF you, I’ll be glad to get to actually know you; I’ll be excited to see your resume come through.
Your choice of clothes is also important, when you come in for the interview. Once you get the job, you can wear jeans to the office pretty much every day. UNTIL then, wear a professional outfit. We need assurances that you care about your appearance, that we can trust you to wear appropriate attire to a client meeting.
Take out the nose ring for now, too. While it may be a “part of your personality,” in the job search it’s about sublimating the all-important Y-O-U for the sake of the organization. Yes, we do have a couple of employees who sport (subtle) body-art and metal accouterments… but they weren’t worn (or showing) during the interview.
Got the job interview scheduled? Great! Now do some research. Read the agency’s blog (or all of them, if there is more than one). Read several weeks’ worth of posts. Take a look at the client list. Take a look at the newsroom. Read the bios of the principals and other top execs. Read up on the competition, too. Then, COME WITH QUESTIONS. If you don’t have a handful of thought-provoking questions, it’s a fail, dude.
And if you’ve been in a round-robin of interviews, and exhausted all your questions along the way, I still suggest you never tell your last interviewer, “All my questions have been answered by your colleagues — thanks, though!” Instead, either a) re-ask those same questions, to make the interviewer feel important, or better yet, b) ask follow-up questions based on previous answers. This shows that you can think in-the-moment. That’s a big plus.
OK, now, you GOT THE JOB! Congrats! Give me 2 more minutes to suggest what you do with it…
The Millennial Generation is already known for being self-involved and in-a-rush. Luckily, many of you have the talent and drive to impress curmudgeonly Gen-X and Boomer employers, and we soon learn to look past those smarmy qualities. But the fact remains that those perceptions will be hard to shake. It will only get worse if you engage in a lot of job-hopping to find the perfect fit.
My advice then — and you may see it as biased — is to stay put for a while. I am talking 3 – 5 years, at least. There is no such thing as a perfect fit. You must create the perfect fit. This is your apprenticeship period. It is supposed to suck. There are supposed to be crummy days when you feel under-appreciated. Such days will occur no matter who signs your paycheck.
But there are rewards for loyalty, I promise. When I look around the table of my senior staff meetings at SHIFT, for example, most of the people at the meeting have been with the Agency for 5 – 10 years. Some of them started out as interns, and now they run million-dollar teams. All of ‘em are under 40 (i.e., it doesn’t take forever). I am sure there were MANY days in the course of their careers at SHIFT when they felt underpaid or under-appreciated. But sooner or later, those situations were rectified; adjustments were made; it is a process — one that required loyalty to something bigger than their bank account.
Meanwhile, I can’t tell you how many resumes I receive from “former vice presidents” of large PR agencies who are pretty clearly not VP material. They were overpaid and over-promoted — prizes often awarded to folks who skip from agency to agency in search of a new title or extra $$$. And when the economic downturn made that fact tough to hide, they find themselves scrapping for Account Manager positions.
Summing up? Cultivate your personal brand. Do your research. Commit to quality. Align yourself to the agency’s cause for the long-term. Remember that it’s not all about you. Then go kick some ass.
Thanks for listening,
Your Future Employer (who is HIRING, by the way)
Thursday, April 15, 2010
hell night at east coast grill - a c&k in the city video review.
whoever said this was a good idea was a liar. i personally can say that i have never experienced that much pain from food before in my life. we like spicy food, but this was brutal. the experience was worth it and we really enjoyed the restaurant. enjoy the video and we hope we were able to explain the excruciating pain that was endured.
we're ready to head back and see what east coast grill has to offer on non-hell night.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
5 miles to a croissant and beer... everyone needs goals right?
i have to set goals. on sunday i am running a 5-miler on a 'fairly flat' course... the fairly adjective scares me. in running, it's either flat or not. so we'll see how that turns out. however, sam adams brewery is a sponsor and as a sponsor they deliver beer. beer, you say? well, it's been said that a beer after running is just as hydrating as water. if there are studies that have been done, i'm believing it.
the beer isn't the only thing motivating me, my roommate who is also running with me is a huge fan of a place called canto 6. anytime there is mention of something going on in JP, she plans her day around going to canto 6. i am looking forward to going to this acclaimed bakery and i hoping it holds up to its reputation. however, i think we are going before the race. i think ill have to save my croissant until after the race or else i don't think i'll be able to run.
the real motivation really comes in to play because i am going to vegas in a few weeks and i am really trying to be in tip top shape. not for any real reason other than to feel good about myself. setting little goals and running these kinds of races definitely helps me achieve the 'feel good' feeling. i ran 5 miles today on the treadmill (which i hate) and it wasn't too bad. my time could have been a little better, but at least i did it.
for me it's all about setting the little goals, achieving them, then setting bigger ones. challenging myself never gets old and it's the best feeling to accomplish something you set your mind to.
*this blog was a way for me to put it in writing that i will run on sunday. i will run on sunday. i will run on sunday. i won't back out. i won't back out. i will run on sunday.
hasta pasta
-kteb
Friday, April 2, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
what makes something world famous?
so i tweeted this yesterday and i am still curious as to what makes something world famous? the other day we went to lunch at a local pizzeria/italian restaurant called polcaris who owns pizzeria regina. on the box it says "WORLD FAMOUS SINCE BLAH BLAH BLAH". now don't get me wrong, the pizza is good. in that sense, everyone SHOULD know about this place. but it is hard for me to believe that someone in freaking india knows about pizzeria regina. even more so i think there are some people who live in the same freaking state and still don't know what pizzeria regina is. so is there a 'World Famous Deciders' organization that determines the worldliness and deems things world famous in all it's fame and glory? that is very subjective, if that is the case. i'd like to know. or is there a list of items that you can check off and once you've achieved them all, ta-da, congratulations you are now famous all over the world. you are awesome. i don't know why this is bothering me so bad. its been stuck in my head for the past three days... and welcome to the wonderful random brain that is me.
-kteb
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
the babies are here!
my sister had her twins on friday march 12, 2010. Madeline Katherine was born first at 7.1 lbs and Samuel James was born at 7.14 lbs. they are the cutest things ever. by this time i'm sort of a professional. my brother had 5 kids and my sister has gracie. so now there are 8 nieces and nephews! and you would think it got old after a few- NO WAY! it's always as exciting and as amazing with each baby! this time there are 2 to love and cuddle and google over!
-kteb
madeline on the left and sammy on the right
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
san fran was fun!
i don't have many pictures of sightseeing because well, i didn't do too much of that. we were either in the conference hall or eating or at a bar. i did the whole picture-taking sightseeing last year, so i'm just going to put some random photos on here of people i was with and different things from the trip.
.
once again the food was delicious. the weather was great most of the time. and when it wasn't great, it still wasn't bad. life there just seems so much more relaxed. i like that place.
we went back to this one breakfast place, the home plate. i have to say, and this is coming from someone whose favorite meal is breakfast, that is by far the best breakfast i've had, and i've had it twice now. there is just something about everything that is on your plate that fits so well together. the tastes, the sounds of the bites, the smells. it just all works together to create something magical. i often refer to food experiences as magical, and i usually mean it. i wouldn't say life-changing though some food experiences can be, but this was definitely magical. i recommend it to anyone who lives in the area or plans on visiting. it's in the marina. you can find it here on YELP - it's on lombard street, not the windy party, but it's not too far away!
we also went back to the thirsty bear which we frequented last year. the organic bear hit the spot once again and the food was just as delicious. the first night we went, the table ordered the one thing i remembered from last year, patatas bravas, and i couldn't eat them because they were fried. i was proud of myself. i didn't touch one! however, the next time we went, i had a few. i couldn't contain myself. it just happened. it's kinda like they actually fed themselves to me. but oth
er than that, i have kept good on my lenten promise and i intend to the rest of lent.
i've been feeling very inspired lately. i'm not exactly sure as to what i feel inspired to do or feel or think, but there is just this overwhelming inspiration that sometimes turns into anxiety because i am unsure of what to do with it. i'm hoping it will be something that just comes to me or presents itself.
that's all for now.
-kteb
.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Heading to San Francisco!
I'm leaving in about two minutes for the airport to head to San Fran for the same tradeshow I went to last year. I am very excited though very sad at the same time. My sister is about to give birth to her twins any day now and I really want to be here when they come. But I know they will obviously be here when I get back. I am secretly hoping they wait until I get back! My sister would kill me if she heard me say that! :) Have a great week and a blog will come soon after my return!
-KTEB
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Be Careful of This Email...
Just a friendly warning--- be careful. don't click if you get this email. Have a good day-
kteb
http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=8901
Users of Google's Blogger, a free blog publishing tool, are the targets of the latest phishing email campaign:
The text of the message couldn't be simpler, and the embedded link that brings the user to the phishing page withstands a cursory glance since it begins with the google.com domain. TrendLabs' experts took the trouble to investigate and discovered that the phishing site is hosted on a remote site.
The phishing site resembles the real one, but I think regular users could tell that something is different. Unfortunately, it's probable that most of them would think that Google is behind the change.
In any case, when emails requesting you to update any type of account come your way, it pays to be extra careful and do a little search on the legitimate site regarding the issue in question instead of following the link.
kteb
http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=8901
Users of Google's Blogger, a free blog publishing tool, are the targets of the latest phishing email campaign:
The text of the message couldn't be simpler, and the embedded link that brings the user to the phishing page withstands a cursory glance since it begins with the google.com domain. TrendLabs' experts took the trouble to investigate and discovered that the phishing site is hosted on a remote site.
The phishing site resembles the real one, but I think regular users could tell that something is different. Unfortunately, it's probable that most of them would think that Google is behind the change.
In any case, when emails requesting you to update any type of account come your way, it pays to be extra careful and do a little search on the legitimate site regarding the issue in question instead of following the link.
Monday, February 22, 2010
new painting... stress free...
i painted this yesterday as part of my "hang with myself day". i had a day to myself and it was awesome. i slept late. went shopping. went for a run. cleaned my room. and painted this. it just started and i kept going with it. it started out with the black tree and i kept adding to it. i didn't like it when i got up from it, but came back to it after work this afternoon and now i like it. painting for me is so calming. this one helped me just let go of everything stressful in my life (not that i have much stress). but with each stroke, it was a release of something worrisome or unhappy in my life. it's such an easy way to be stress free and the result: something you can enjoy!
-kteb
Thursday, February 18, 2010
lent- i'm giving it up
but i will not complain. i've decided to give up a major vice of mine, fried food. when someone asks me what my last meal would be i usually tell them french fries. i cannot say no to a french fry. it's pretty sad. so for lent, i have decided to give up fried foods. it's going to be a challenge, but i'm hoping it's going to make me a bit healthier. i will keep you updated.
i usually give up something during lent and it's usually something like sweet tea (or at least when i lived in SC), but i also always intend to just be a better person all around. however, a day in, and i've already failed ( i made fun of someone earlier, many times). but she kind of deserved it. that's besides the point. it would be cool if everyone could take a second (or 40 days) to do something to make a more positive impact on the world around them. i wonder if it would be one of those things that could have a long-lasting affect? it makes me think of that tv-show, flash forward, where everyone passes out for two minutes, and they have a flash forward. if that happened, i think it would be cooler to just wake up a better person. instead of having a flash forward, it would just be a reflection and everyone just wakes up a better person.
i usually give up something during lent and it's usually something like sweet tea (or at least when i lived in SC), but i also always intend to just be a better person all around. however, a day in, and i've already failed ( i made fun of someone earlier, many times). but she kind of deserved it. that's besides the point. it would be cool if everyone could take a second (or 40 days) to do something to make a more positive impact on the world around them. i wonder if it would be one of those things that could have a long-lasting affect? it makes me think of that tv-show, flash forward, where everyone passes out for two minutes, and they have a flash forward. if that happened, i think it would be cooler to just wake up a better person. instead of having a flash forward, it would just be a reflection and everyone just wakes up a better person.
i wish everyone well in this lenten season and hope you have a wonderful day.
p.s. my sister is still pregnant. very pregnant. being preggers with twins, we thought she would have them earlier than her due date, but they're still hanging in there. i guess they need a little more baking time. but we are all very excited for them to get here. i just hope it's not while i am in san francisco.
-kteb
Friday, February 12, 2010
i don't call boys by their names...
it's just something i do. i've realized that i don't ever refer to boys i talk about by their names when i am talking to friends or someone who isn't them. recently i was talking to my cousin and i was talking about a few different guys... there was pharmy (a guy who is a pharmacist), dentist boy, the comedian, Chicago (where this one lived), and potential (yes, i actually referred to someone as potential). i think it's hilarious and was just wondering if anyone else does this or if it is just me being weird me.
i have officially declared boston meteorologists the worst in the country. or i have decided that anyone can be a meteorologist. go outside, tell us if it's cold or not, then predict some sort of weather for the next couple of hours and you are officially a weatherman(woman). granted, the system that moved through DC this week was pretty intense, but aren't they supposed to know if the storm is going to die down and not be as intense by the time it gets here. aren't there barometers to measure atmospheric pressures or something. the whole state was in a panic because we were supposed to get so much snow... blah, blah. so most of us stayed home from work afraid that we would get stuck at work if the snow was really going to be that bad. well, i woke up, there were snow flakes. then is stopped. then there was heavier snow. it melted as it hit surfaces. then it stopped. there was more towards the end of the day and into the night. total accumulation less than 1 inch. i'm not complaining. it was nice to work from home for a day, but it was just a little ridiculous to call off schools, work and other events because of the snowpocalypse. it's boston. we are used to snow storms and it's winter. it happens. so i've decided i'm starting my own weather station. please send applications if you are interested in becoming a weatherman(woman). requirements: breathing, sense of humor, a smile and an umbrella.
-kteb
i have officially declared boston meteorologists the worst in the country. or i have decided that anyone can be a meteorologist. go outside, tell us if it's cold or not, then predict some sort of weather for the next couple of hours and you are officially a weatherman(woman). granted, the system that moved through DC this week was pretty intense, but aren't they supposed to know if the storm is going to die down and not be as intense by the time it gets here. aren't there barometers to measure atmospheric pressures or something. the whole state was in a panic because we were supposed to get so much snow... blah, blah. so most of us stayed home from work afraid that we would get stuck at work if the snow was really going to be that bad. well, i woke up, there were snow flakes. then is stopped. then there was heavier snow. it melted as it hit surfaces. then it stopped. there was more towards the end of the day and into the night. total accumulation less than 1 inch. i'm not complaining. it was nice to work from home for a day, but it was just a little ridiculous to call off schools, work and other events because of the snowpocalypse. it's boston. we are used to snow storms and it's winter. it happens. so i've decided i'm starting my own weather station. please send applications if you are interested in becoming a weatherman(woman). requirements: breathing, sense of humor, a smile and an umbrella.
-kteb
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
the blind date... the article
back in january i signed up to go on a blind date through the Boston Globe. well, i went on the date and it was fun. the guy, kyle, was really nice and we've hung out a few times since. he's a stand-up comedian- fitting, right? well the article ran in the Boston Globe magazine on Sunday. it's hilarious. so i share with you here... enjoy.
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/magazine/articles/2010/02/07/funny_people/
FEBRUARY 7, 2010 COVER
Her ideal match: A guy that can make her laugh
Says she’s a catch because: She likes to make people smile and doesn’t take life too seriously.
Kyle Ploof, 23, Comedian
Last book he read: Born Standing Up, by Steve Martin
His perfect date: Steers clear of any foods that might affect the possibility of a good-night kiss
7:30 p.m. Stephanie’s on Newbury, Back Bay
All Joking Aside Kyle: I was nervous I’d get paired with someone super-serious just to throw me off. I’ve seen it happen on dating shows.
Katie: I took the T in, and I was nervous it was going to break down or run into another train.
Kyle: I was 10 minutes early. She was running late but called the restaurant to give me a heads-up, which was cool.
Katie: He was tall, cute, and well-dressed. I was wearing tall boots, but he has almost a full foot on me.
Kyle: She was cute and well-dressed.
Make ‘Em Squirm Kyle: I was surprised by how calm she was. She didn’t seem like she took herself too seriously.
Katie: When he told me he was a stand-up comedian, I felt pressure to be extra funny. But I’m pretty humorous.
Kyle: We have a very similar sense of humor, where making other people uncomfortable amuses us. We both love comedy and Dave Matthews.
Katie: I was mostly interested in how he got into stand-up. I’ve wanted to get into improv for a while now. He told me I’d probably be good at it.
Kyle: I felt comfortable from the get-go. We were proud we kicked awkwardness to the curb.
Katie: The first question I asked him was why he signed up for this. He told me if anything, it was going to be good material for his next show.
Kyle: I thought she was great when I told her I could be using the date for possible material and she was like: “Awesome!” I probably won’t, though. Great material only comes from train wrecks of situations.
Katie: After telling him how much I hated the song “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus, he shamelessly told me he was a fan of it.
Kyle: Don’t let anyone tell you they don’t like that song. They’re either a liar or a terrorist.
Katie: I think we were into each other. He told me I’d have to come check out one of his shows, and I plan to.
Kyle: We cracked each other up all night.
The Afterparty Kyle: We went out drinking after the meal. It was Katie’s idea -- and I thought it was a good one. It was Friday, after all.
Katie: A couple of my friends were in the area and met up with us.
Kyle: We hugged goodbye. I was glad there wasn’t an awkward handshake-hug hybrid that all too often accompanies first dates.
Post-Mortem: Kyle says: A
Katie says: A
A Second Date? Katie: It may just happen.
Kyle: Only if she admits to rocking out to “Party in the USA.”
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/magazine/articles/2010/02/07/funny_people/
FEBRUARY 7, 2010 COVER
Her ideal match: A guy that can make her laughSays she’s a catch because: She likes to make people smile and doesn’t take life too seriously.
Kyle Ploof, 23, Comedian
Last book he read: Born Standing Up, by Steve Martin
His perfect date: Steers clear of any foods that might affect the possibility of a good-night kiss
7:30 p.m. Stephanie’s on Newbury, Back Bay
All Joking Aside Kyle: I was nervous I’d get paired with someone super-serious just to throw me off. I’ve seen it happen on dating shows.
Katie: I took the T in, and I was nervous it was going to break down or run into another train.
Kyle: I was 10 minutes early. She was running late but called the restaurant to give me a heads-up, which was cool.
Katie: He was tall, cute, and well-dressed. I was wearing tall boots, but he has almost a full foot on me.
Kyle: She was cute and well-dressed.
Make ‘Em Squirm Kyle: I was surprised by how calm she was. She didn’t seem like she took herself too seriously.
Katie: When he told me he was a stand-up comedian, I felt pressure to be extra funny. But I’m pretty humorous.
Kyle: We have a very similar sense of humor, where making other people uncomfortable amuses us. We both love comedy and Dave Matthews.
Katie: I was mostly interested in how he got into stand-up. I’ve wanted to get into improv for a while now. He told me I’d probably be good at it.
Kyle: I felt comfortable from the get-go. We were proud we kicked awkwardness to the curb.
Katie: The first question I asked him was why he signed up for this. He told me if anything, it was going to be good material for his next show.
Kyle: I thought she was great when I told her I could be using the date for possible material and she was like: “Awesome!” I probably won’t, though. Great material only comes from train wrecks of situations.
Katie: After telling him how much I hated the song “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus, he shamelessly told me he was a fan of it.
Kyle: Don’t let anyone tell you they don’t like that song. They’re either a liar or a terrorist.
Katie: I think we were into each other. He told me I’d have to come check out one of his shows, and I plan to.
Kyle: We cracked each other up all night.
The Afterparty Kyle: We went out drinking after the meal. It was Katie’s idea -- and I thought it was a good one. It was Friday, after all.
Katie: A couple of my friends were in the area and met up with us.
Kyle: We hugged goodbye. I was glad there wasn’t an awkward handshake-hug hybrid that all too often accompanies first dates.
Post-Mortem: Kyle says: A
Katie says: A
A Second Date? Katie: It may just happen.
Kyle: Only if she admits to rocking out to “Party in the USA.”
Monday, January 25, 2010
why my life is great
there are way too many reasons to list, but here are a few
- i started improv classes on saturday and I LOVE THEM! there is no doubt in my mind that this is what i was meant to do with my life. not blog, but improv.
- i am just happy in general. i left 2009 with a great outlook on life having had a great year and i knew that 2010 could only get better. this year is going to be great and i truly cannot wait for whatever it brings.
- on a daily basis i make people smile, and there really is no better feeling than to make people laugh.
- i am meeting more people who are interesting and great and just add so much more to life.
- my job is going great. i love what i do. i love who i work for.
- i met two awesome guys that i look up to and admire professionally and it was a highlight for the past week, month, year...
- life is just good. i have a great outlook on everything right now. i am happy. i am confident. i am lucky and loved.
i hope you are doing well too! if you're a little down, here is what i want you to do, "Take a breath of fresh air and sing at the top of your lungs. Let go of all worries and strife and live in the moment provided for you. Live in the moment that is now. In this moment do what makes you happy, what makes you feel. Because in this moment you are you. You are real. You are free. Make your life full of these moments so your life is real and you are you. Live for the moment that is here. Live for the moment that is you. Live for you. Live for real. Live!" - i wrote this a few years ago and never fully took this action, but now i do everyday and it is amazing!
-KT
- i started improv classes on saturday and I LOVE THEM! there is no doubt in my mind that this is what i was meant to do with my life. not blog, but improv.
- i am just happy in general. i left 2009 with a great outlook on life having had a great year and i knew that 2010 could only get better. this year is going to be great and i truly cannot wait for whatever it brings.
- on a daily basis i make people smile, and there really is no better feeling than to make people laugh.
- i am meeting more people who are interesting and great and just add so much more to life.
- my job is going great. i love what i do. i love who i work for.
- i met two awesome guys that i look up to and admire professionally and it was a highlight for the past week, month, year...
- life is just good. i have a great outlook on everything right now. i am happy. i am confident. i am lucky and loved.
i hope you are doing well too! if you're a little down, here is what i want you to do, "Take a breath of fresh air and sing at the top of your lungs. Let go of all worries and strife and live in the moment provided for you. Live in the moment that is now. In this moment do what makes you happy, what makes you feel. Because in this moment you are you. You are real. You are free. Make your life full of these moments so your life is real and you are you. Live for the moment that is here. Live for the moment that is you. Live for you. Live for real. Live!" - i wrote this a few years ago and never fully took this action, but now i do everyday and it is amazing!
-KT
Sunday, January 24, 2010
First Video Yelp! Review
My roommate and I just started a new blog. We like to Yelp, which involves writing reviews for business and restaurants that we go to. So we've decided to start video blogs for Yelp! We want to bring a new perspective to the way people review. We want to you actually be there with us.
Here is our first review. We attended a Yelp event at Revolution Fitness club in Boston. They invited us there to enjoy the gym, drinks some cocktails and great food. Enjoy!
See our reviews on Yelp... Caitlin's Profile. My Profile.
Here is our first review. We attended a Yelp event at Revolution Fitness club in Boston. They invited us there to enjoy the gym, drinks some cocktails and great food. Enjoy!
See our reviews on Yelp... Caitlin's Profile. My Profile.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
these guys get paid to get dressed in the morning. seriously.
if you haven't heard of these guys or haven't heard me talk about these guys, i haven't done my job. but i think i've done a pretty good job at spreading the word of how cool these two cats are... jason sadler (lives in florida) and evan white (california) get paid to wear t-shirts. yes you heard me correctly. in case you didn't hear me the first time, companies pay these two guys to wear t-shirts. iwearyourshirt.com is the name of their game. i heard about him early on last year and have been following his progress and stardom ever since.
starting january 1, 2009, jason started to charge companies the corresponding dollar amount to the day to wear their shirt with their logo and name on it. so January 1 was $1 and December 31 was $365. on top of that they have a sponsor each month which brings in even more mula. last year he made over $84,000. don't worry, i didn't do the math. someone else did it for me.
so what does he do in this shirt?: he blogs about the company that has paid for him to wear this shirt, he makes a daily video in the shirt and talks about the company, he wears it everywhere - to the movies, to weddings and funerals, to play basketball, to the mall, to chick-fil-a (nom nom nom)- he tweets about it all day long, he facebooks about the company in the shirt all day long, he hosts a daily webcast/chat where he interacts with this loyal followers.
this year evan white, is also wearing shirts - the same shirt. well not the same shirt as jason, that would be ridiculous and impossible. but evan does the same awesome things. he tweets. he facebooks. he video blogs. he chats. he lives. he breathes. it's amazing.
but it's genius. they are gaining exposure for companies that are big and companies that are small. some companies that are known and others that are not. it's an amazing integrated marketing business that is boding him well to say the least. it's public relations, it's advertising, it's marketing- everything all rolled into one awesome business. they hit every major social network and tear it up with marketing for the company. awesome. they've been all over the news. check out their press site.
today i tuned in to their live webcasts. each of them hosts an hour long webcast where they just interact with their viewers and usually give stuff away. it was the first time i was able to hang around for the whole thing. but i was literally laughing out loud. i was having to contain my laughter as it was not conducive for the work place. oops. during evan's live session, he decided to autograph some soccer trading cards (not of him) and then asked the viewers/listeners to tweet about it and he would chose a winner to receive the autographed card. obviously i did and i won! so i am awaiting my autographed soccer trading card from evan.
so you're probably thinking what everyone says when i tell them about these guys... why didn't i think of that? but seriously, it's the easiest thing to do. get dressed. everyone does it, but these guys beat us all to it! the cool thing about it, they are genuinely nice guys. i think they are awesome and you should too. i tried to get my company to sign up for a day, but well, we'll just say it's still on the table.
my recommendation to you, no my challenge to you, is to go watch one of their videos and if you don't laugh, i will give you a dollar. and i don't have that many readers, so i won't go broke. but seriously do it. i challenge you not to laugh and and i challenge you to not get addicted to jason and evan. it's impossible but i pose the challenge. good luck.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
crap happens but it still sucks
I was introduced to The Sandbox morning show on WFNX about 7 months ago. The guys at WFNX - Charlie, Fletcher and Special Ed kept me company on my drive to work. Not only did they keep me company, they made me laugh. Never driving in the car on my own did I ever laugh so hard out loud.
After a long break during Christmas and New Years, I jumped in my car on Monday morning to head to work. I turn on The Sandbox and it's music. Then another song, then another song, then another song. I was confused. I get to work and Christen yells at me, "Katie! THEY CANCELLED THE SANDBOX!" It was devastating. The rest of the day we were keeping track of what was going on.
Apparently, WFNX got a new manager and in attempts to gain listener numbers and cut costs, they cut The Sandbox. In response, listeners have nearly revolted. There is a Facebook page and a Twitter account dedicated to bringing back The Sandbox and making sure management knows the listeners aren't happy. Special Ed has created a blog called The Empire where he and Charlie are also recording podcasts.
It is just as good as when they were on the air but there is no Fletcher. But it may be even better, they are still discussing the same things, still complaining about the same crap, and in this podcast there is no editing, they are cussing up a storm and it's great!
The fans on the The Sandbox fan page on Facebook are trying to get a party together to honor the guys. The party will be epic and Christen and I are ready to go.
But long live The Sandbox and it will be missed! It's weird to see something that is so popular be canned and just taken off the air like that. Like I said, crap happens, but it still sucks.
So now I have to listen to my cds, my ipod or crappy other radio stations that exist in the Boston area where they play Miley Cyrus and crappy-shits of the like.
HAPPY NEW YEAR or as the fellas say, bah weep?!
-KATIE
Monday, January 4, 2010
Christmas in the South - Proof my family is really my family!
My Christmas in South Carolina proved to be like any other Christmas. And by that I mean, it was good. I always enjoy being home for Christmas. The presents. The cookies. The Friends. The Christmas Tree. The Family.
Every time I am with my nephews and nieces and the rest of my family, I find they are more like me... as shown in these pictures...
These kids are great. And totally unprompted... sort of.
Then I figured out it runs in the family. Starting with my father. My dad is known for his quotes... I am pretty sure I need to start naming them Dad-isms. These included (pulled from Facebook):
- another dadism to make my day... "holy toledo!" - Merry Christmas everyone!
- oh i'm so home... dad just said, "you bet your sweet bippy"! LOVE IT!
And I couldn't forget my mother. Sitting at the kitchen table she looks at me and says, "Katie, which color coordinating glasses should I wear?" This was the tweet from this event. "My mom is so hip. Coordinating her reading glasses with Christmas - one pair red, one pair green."
And then there is my older brother and his wife and my youngest niece joined in... we did a little jig in honor/memory of the peanuts theme song. (the resemblance is uncanny)
So my family is lovely and I couldn't ask for a better one! They are crazy! There is no question that we are related. I hope you all had a great Christmas as well!
-KT B
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