Matchsticks

Barefoot Running Clinic - What I Learned

2009-09-12T17:43:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm pretty sure that my non-running friends, who already think I've slipped over the edge into crazy, will now be convinced I'm nuts. But, I'm really excited by what I learned at this morning's barefoot running clinic. Here are my observations and thoughts about what I heard today. Any errors, misunderstandings or omissions are all mine. :)

For those of you who are wondering WHAT I'm talking about, here's the story.

This morning a group of the intrepid and curious met at ZombieRunner on California Avenue in Palo Alto for a barefoot running clinic. Why? Because this was an opportunity to listen to Christopher McDougall, author of the bestselling book Born to Run, and barefoot running expert Ted McDonald, share their knowledge and experience about this increasingly popular topic that fascinates, scares and entrances those of us who enjoy running.

Here are some highlights of what I learned at this clinic:

There is a right way to run – POSE METHOD, Chi and Evolution all identify key characteristics of correct running technique. Barefoot running naturally pushes us into technique that is

more efficient and works with our biomechanics.

Shoes often made to provide the most protection and support can actually increase the impact on our feet, joints and body because we run “heavier” in them than when running barefoot.

Ted's three key principles for barefoot technique:

Run LIGHTLY and SILENTLY – Listen to your running, you should be light on your feet and you shouldn't hear your feet hitting the pavement. To help yourself be aware of this, you should try running without music. Listen and be aware of your connection to the ground.
Use a quick cadence – Quick foot turnover will help ensure a light touch on the ground. It should feel like you’re floating across the ground, moving forward. Your feet should touch down and lift quickly – not sliding across or grinding against the ground (which is how you can get blisters).
Maintain a tall posture – This helps ensure alignment and efficient movement when running.

A lot of running barefoot is about listening to your body – when you’re too tired to follow the key principles above, you’ll experience injury. Start out with barefoot walking, making sure to land on the front of your feet (no heel strikes). Remember the three principles, and build distance gradually.

Start barefoot walking and running on asphalt and other man-made surfaces. Your feet will manage the impact and you’ll be more likely to establish good technique habits (light, silent and quick cadence).

A couple of good training exercises to help with barefoot running technique:

Squats (using proper technique) – strengthens key muscles, builds control
Jumps that are accurate and light – jump up and down stairs or on the ground at precise distances, with your feet together, landing lightly and quietly. Again the key is to maintain control, keep a light touch, and in so doing build the muscle strength and control for great technique

Thanks to Don and Gillian, owners of ZombieRunner, who have provided great resources for runners through their store and sponsorship of this clinic.

Thanks for Your Support

2009-08-31T21:45:00.001-07:00

This summer was an adventure as I trained for my toughest event yet, the Dirt Inspires Women's Trail Half Marathon in Aptos.

One of the nice things about this latest goal has been the opportunity to share the experience of training and evaluating the experience with a core group of running friends, both real and virtual.

My real-life training partners faithfully got together to do the day-in, day-out work that is necessary. One group would meet twice a week at a hilly trail in the wee hours of the morning and attempted to conquer hill after hill at the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve. With some other friends, we'd drive to destination trails throughout the bay area and try not to get lost as we explored the wooded, hilly paths.

My virtual friends on DailyMile and Twitter were also a huge source of encouragement and advice. I gained ideas, inspiration and motivation hearing about their runs and cross training, often hoping just to get a fraction of the speed many of them had.

THANKS to ALL of you. You know who you are, and I couldn't have done it without you.

It's not about IF you should use social media; It's about WHAT you will do.

2009-07-18T12:06:00.001-07:00

Great data points for companies and why they should engage online communities via social media.

What the F**K is Social Media: One Year Later

View more documents from Marta Kagan.

Great video of a 20-minute body-weight workout

2009-07-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

A Twitter friend shared this article and video, which includes several elements I currently do for my personal training plus a couple new activities that I want to try out. Definitely will try this workout soon.

What it includes (4-6x through, 10-15 reps for each):

Push-Ups
Squats
Hindu Push-Ups
Hindu Squats
Lateral Lunges
Front Plank Taps

My Story: How I Lost 85+ Pounds

2009-07-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

A year ago last April or May, I enrolled in a medically monitored weight loss program called HMR through our local medical provider. I was turning 40 that year, and had decided THAT was it. I wasn't going to live that way any longer, and I wanted to change my life, be skinnier, and be able to buy fun clothes. (Yes, REALLY, that was a big motivator for me.) :D

Basically, the program used boxed meals and shakes to help make managing the food intake better, while also encouraging us to reach a certain physical activity goal. The program's food mostly helped me with training my body to get used to smaller portions of food. I mentally told myself that this was a "fast" of good/real food, for a year or however long it took, but it wasn't forever. :)

I continually increased my physical activity throughout the year, trying all types of activities and times. Yoga with Dave on Saturdays, walking with friends at lunch, elliptical machine early before work, exercise DVDs, cardio kickboxing, Pilates once a week, etc.

By August of that year, I started adding vegetables and fruit as part of the "next phase" of the program and had also signed up for my first half marathon (which was to be held in October). My goal at that event was just to finish, and I had a training buddy who joined me in a program where we started out walking 2 min/running 1 min, walking 1 min/running 1 min and gradually running more and walking less. At that first event, I ran only the first three to four miles, and then speed-walked the rest. :)

Sometime during this process, I also read the book Thin for Life and realized that, perhaps, this was something more than what I "did for a year." (Big realization!) That said, I knew I needed to change my mindset, that living healthy wasn't just about restriction, but about enjoying life, finding things I enjoyed, and choosing to find fulfilling, fun aspects of this "healthy lifestyle."

By November of that year, I was still working to lose weight but eating 100% "normal" food, keeping a detailed journal of what I was eating, tracking the calories (using labels and/or calorieking.com to figure out calories), and comparing the calorie intake, physical activity "burn" and my weigh-ins from week to week, to monitor where I needed to be in order for me to lose and eventually maintain.

Toward the end of the year, I also finally started to enjoy exercise – up until that point, I HATED it. Yes, really, it took eight to nine months to get to the point that I enjoyed exercise and began to love running. (I definitely got the running "bug" by then and had signed up for a second half marathon, was regularly running 15 to 20 miles a week and worked with a personal trainer once a week for core/abs strengthening) Because my physical activity had become so intense, I realized I really needed to focus on not just keeping things low-calorie, but also making sure that I was taking in quality "fuel" - with an emphasis on a variety of fresh vegetables and fruit, supplemented by healthy meats and whole grains.

I eventually got into a rhythm and pattern of eating and exercise that I know works for me. I weigh myself frequently and have a weight range that I watch. If I hover toward the higher end of that range, then I cut back on the eating and increase the exercise.

Most importantly, I love where I'm at (as much as I can – LOL), and I know I can do this. That’s how I "did" it. Not really a magical formula, but it is my story. :)

Dieting "tips" that worked for me:

Measured portions. When I'm time crunched or otherwise distracted or stressed, I am not afraid to use foods that are portioned for me (boxed foods or frozen foods, snack packs) or self-portioned (don’t take the bag of pretzels, count out 16 pretzels into a bowl and grabbing those for snacks). Mindless eating is the hardest part about weight management.

Volumetrics. It always help to find high-volume, low calorie foods (salads, broth soups) to fill up the empty body without packing in the calories.

Exercise variety and frequency. I work to be cognizant about making choices that get me moving whenever possible. Some ideas: walking during conference calls or when meeting with friends, trying new classes (Pilates, yoga, kickboxing), parking farther away from the building/store, getting a variety of DVD workouts, doing sit-ups while watching TV, and generally trying to do something active (even for 10 minutes) every single day.

Vegetables and low-calorie fruits as the first choice, always. If I have a choice of snacks, fresh fruits and veggies are selected first. Even the most caloric/sweet fruit will have fewer calories and more nutrients than the bag of pretzels and chips. To help with the convenience factor, I buy mini snack packs of baby carrots (yes more expensive, but always ready to grab) and get plenty of "convenient" fruits that I can grab and stick in my purse.

Cautious use of other snacks. Snack "health" bars are a great alternative to more caloric desserts or a handy option when hunger strikes, so I like to have them on hand as an alternative. But I am careful to read the labels to find things that are lower calorie and have greater nutritious value. For a chocolate fix, I have a Clif Kids Zbar (Organic Chocolate Brownie). And I also love the Clif Nectar bars (Organic Cherry Pomegranate). Sometimes the local store has these on sale and I'll stock up. Or I can order large boxes of them from Amazon.com for less than I can get them at the store.

Other good lessons and observations for me:

As you lose weight, you don’t burn as many calories. In the program, we were given a chart to measure and calculate the calories burned during exercise. You quickly learn that you can’t maintain (or continue to lose) weight with the same eating/activity level, because the less you weigh, the more you’d have to do (or the less you have to eat) to burn those calories at the same rate. DUH, right? Well, how many times do you go back to eating what you did before a "diet" because you were able to maintain your higher weight with those habits? Just doesn't work. ☺ Plus age is a factor, sadly, for those of us who are on the older end of the spectrum.

Perseverance is key, which is why you have to REALLY want the change, more than anything else. Eating boxed meals (especially for someone like me, who loves to cook) was challenging and difficult. Exercise was a burden. Abstaining from things I loved during those early months was NOT pleasant, and it limited my social life, and was inconvenient at work, too. I didn’t really enjoy my "new" activities until nine months into the effort. Everyone has different motivators. For me, it was a milestone birthday and vanity. For others, it might be kids/family/noble causes. ☺

The world is unfriendly to "fat" people, even fat people trying to exercise. Perhaps I'm overstating it, but it's extremely disturbing to me how differently I'm treated now, even though I feel exactly like the same person I was 15 months ago. Mentally, I'm the same person. I always had the same amount of self-discipline (I just was disciplined in other areas, NOT food! lol), and I always dressed well, even WHEN I was fat. But people treat me like I’m a magically transformed person. Sigh. Oh, and why is it nearly impossible to find decent exercise clothing for short, overweight people who WANT to exercise? ☺ Don’t even get me started on that one.

Fitting exercise into your life means finding things you LIKE and LOVE to do. There are many other articles on this, but for me, if I didn't LOVE to run, I wouldn't do it. And even now, getting started with the run is the hardest part for me. I'll procrastinate with whatever I can find to distract me. But afterwards, I'm so glad I did it. Plus, I've found a gym that I really enjoy, for multiple, personal reasons (see my Yelp review). And, when I'm in the mood for something else (yoga, DVD, cardio kickboxing), I embrace the variety and even the "rest" days. It's taken a while to find a pattern that works for me, and I have to problem-solve sometimes. But now it's a normal part of life for me.

The Pains of a Matrixed Business

2009-05-19T17:25:00.003-07:00

Most of the time, this is not true. Sometimes, though, we all think this:

Formula 1: Technology + cars = fun

2008-08-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

This morning we watched the European Grand Prix F1 race, which was held at a new street course in Valencia, Spain. Because these races are aired *early* in the morning, we record them on TiVo and then watch them at our leisure.

One of the reasons I enjoy F1 is the mix of technology and personality in this sport. And, Speed TV, which broadcasts the races here in the U.S. has a former F1 mechanic, Steve Matchett, who does a great job covering the technology involved.

Here's an example of typical F1 technology, an improvement to the traditional Hans device invented by a Michigan State University professor.

Tanya's Summer Activity Log

2008-07-05T22:35:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that we're into July and running quickly through the second half of summer now. In some respects, the time has gone by quickly, even though I've had a relatively boring summer. My thoughts on the summer of 2008 so far:

Restrictive weight loss programs really cut down on social opportunities. In May, I signed up for the HMR program associated with Camino Medical Group. The version I'm doing is low-calorie and restricted to only program "foods" (shakes and prepared entrees). This makes restaurants completely tortuous, as I order sparkling water, diet coke or iced tea and watch/smell the food of my companions. As you can imagine, I pretty much avoid this type of social situation, because it's NO FUN.

I've lost 20 lbs so far. Yay! To reward myself, I go shopping when I can fit it in. If I keep walking through the mall, it will count toward "physical activity," which is an added benefit.

You have to convince yourself that physical activity (aka exercise) is fun, because it sucks up what little time you have left, after work and household maintenance. I've been trying to add as much variety as possible into my activities, realizing that I'll have to continue to increase the precious hours for this as I lose more weight in order to get the same benefits. After six weeks of working out 6 to 7 days a week, I am getting to the point where I don't dread it as much. The supposed "endorphin" effect is all mental though... you have to fool yourself into believing it happens, so that all the work is bearable.

I've saved more money than the program costs, because I'm not going out for lunch every day. Yay!

I've also seen a lot of movies in the theatre this summer. In fact, I've seen more movies in the last 2 months than I've seen in the previous 5 years. Three key reasons: (1) Movies are an acceptable social activity that minimizes food temptation/torture. (2) Dave will go with me to the movies (sometimes) and (3) I can combine it with a little physical activity when we walk to the Cupertino AMC which is about a mile from our house. :-)

Up ahead for the summer? Ummmm, not so much. But we will join some friends for a little wine tasting excursion at summer's end. Though, I guess I won't be tasting any wine because of the weight-loss program. LOL. I'll just hang out in the jacuzzi and work-out room at the hotel during dinner, and watch everyone act silly as they get tipsy during the tastings.

American Idol and David Cook

2008-03-29T21:30:00.001-07:00

So, as TiVo enthusiasts, Dave and I don't often watch the "live" reality programming shows.... We've just not gotten into them. But, we have friends who gush about American Idol and we thought we'd record an episode. We finally got around to watching the episode from earlier this week.

Most of the performances were OK. Some painful. It was a little interesting since all the singers were singing songs from our high school years, as that week's theme was to sing a song from the year they were born. (!)

Only one performance really stood out to us and amazed us, the performance of "Billy Jean" by David Cook.

If you're like us and are living under a rock, you don't have to miss out any more. Here's a video of that performance.

Five questions for the author of Personality Not Included

2008-03-28T18:03:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite marketing bloggers, Rohit Barghava, has a new book called Personality Not Included. As part of his book launch he offered to answer 50 five-question interviews from people with blogs. I could not resist the opportunity, so I submitted my top five questions, and here are his answers!

Do B-to-B companies need to have personalities?
This is a really important question - they definitely do need to have a personality because so much of BtoB sales are relationship based. When you look at the long lead times for sales and the fact that word of mouth is so important, it becomes clear that personality applies to BtoB businesses at least as much as BtoC brands.
How do you make sure your newfound company/brand personality doesn't bite you in the butt?
The best way to do this is to make sure that you are claiming an "ownable space" as I called it in the book that is appropriate. For example, focusing on the professionalism of your employees won' t work if you cannot live up to this promise.
How do you measure the effectiveness of building authenticity back into the company brand?
One of the key measures that works for this is the power of your word of mouth and referral business. This is the area where authenticity can make the biggest impact because essentially what you are focusing on is getting your customers to tell your story for you.
Often passionate customers are also passionate detractors. How do you harness their energy in a positive way?
This is a relatively easy question to answer, but not as easy to actually do. The best way to harness their energy is by LISTENING to them and actually acting on the points that they are frustrated about. Your passionate customers may absolutely be the most demanding, but wouldn't you far rather have them interacting with you and asking for more than defecting or not communicating with you? This dialogue is vital and the best way to take advantage of it is by having a good system to react to what you hear.
Will taking an authentic approach to marketing (one with personality) win the support and or admiration of our critics in sales? :-)
Taking an authentic approach absolutely has the power to win over a critic and turn them into a customer. There is a technique I share in the book called "Fallibility Marketing," which is all about how to use the moments when you screw up as opportunities to win over new customers and keep existing ones. Based on some of your questions, I think it's a section you'll find particularly interesting.

PC to Mac Adventure... learning process still :-)

2008-03-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

This past week was crazy and hectic, so I didn't spend as much time as I would have liked getting to know my new MacBook Pro.

So far, here are my observations:

The hardware is great -- very sturdy and the key action is very nice.

However, I've struggled to get used to the touchpad. I even played with a few external mice to get the right feel. I wish there were more settings in the System Preferences area for adjusting speed and responsiveness of the touchpad and mice. The two available adjustments don't quite get the right feel, and in Windows, I could select from many different options to adjust mouse properties in the control panel.

The startup and shutdown speed on the Mac is impressive. If any version of Windows could get these two processes set up similarly, they would find user satisfaction to get very high. After all, we all experience this process nearly on a daily basis.

I've struggled with the application installation process on a Mac a little, especially when downloading and installing an application for the first time. On my first night, I installed Firefox and set up a bunch of bookmarks to sites with info on switching from a PC to a Mac. Then I started cleaning up my desktop from the extraneous icons on the hard drive and in the process deleted the application (whoops!) there went my application and all those useful bookmarks from an hours' worth of browsing and research. Since then, I've found instructions on this process, but I guess I expected the OS to install the application file to the application folder automatically. (Cause it's so easy, right? LOL.)

The OS interface is very attractive and easy to use, as long as you don't want to try to figure out how to customize settings. I'm still learning and researching here, so eventually I'll figure it out. In the mean time, can anyone tell me how to change the default location of my downloads? :-)

Thanks everyone for the support. This will be an interesting learning process, and since I love to learn new things, I'm sure it will be very rewarding.

Wild Cherry M&M's

2008-03-17T19:36:00.000-07:00

Lisa ran an errand today and found something new at the Rite-Aid check-out counter: Wild Cherry M&M's. She shared the pieces, and they're surprisingly yummy. It's probably a limited market test, but makes for a nice variety to enjoy (while they're around).

PC to Mac Adventure Diary of Tanya

2008-03-15T08:44:00.000-07:00

The Amiga was a superior machine before the others.

I've been a Windows/PC power user for many years now. I can whip through multiple applications at a time and am advanced user-certified in Microsoft Office. I create graphics, videos, sound clips and Web pages with ease in the PC environment. And, I could probably help most anyone on their PC application questions. I can even adjust things under the hood when needed on my two personal PCs.

So needless to say, this week was a big step - I got a new a MacBook Pro, and it's going to become my primary personal computer. (Yikes, that thought makes me nervous!!)

It will be fun, but it will also a painful transition.

You'll know if this process is successful or not if I can avoid using a Windows virtual image on my Mac. For now, I won't do it. But I haven't packed up my (falling apart) Vaio yet either.
Many of our friends are Mac fans and have been extolling the virtues and superiority of Macs for many years to Dave and I. Years ago, I had used under-powered Macs in a few different settings, but this was before the common availability of broadband Internet and when Steve Jobs was away playing in other places. (Back then, I preferred the Amiga, which was far ahead of its time with graphical interfaces and true multi-tasking functionality that neither Windows or Mac OS had achieved.)

I hope that this new experience will show me the advantages to the qualities of this "superior" tool.

As I learn to transition to this new environment, I'll post my observations and struggles, so that perhaps you can "help" me along the way.

Let the adventure begin!

Study Challenges Common Assumptions about Influencers

2008-03-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

Looks like there are more questions about how viral marketers understand influencers, a group discussed in Malcolm Gladwell's Tipping Point.

Guy Kawasaki recently wrote an extremely helpful summary on a CNET Networks study of this topic. This new research challenges our assumptions about the motivations and methods of influencers in social networks.

Read Guy's post (and add his blog to your RSS reader). Great stuff.

Fun Quiz - Know Your Cuts of Beef?

2008-03-02T21:35:00.000-08:00

Founds this fun site via one of the food blogs I read this weekend....

The interactivity of this "game" is fun, as you attempt to drag and drop the cuts of meat onto the correct part of the animal. LOL

It's About Having a (Great) Story

2008-02-09T23:25:00.000-08:00

Sometimes translating business ideas into a story is difficult. But, it's essential for effective communication and influence.

This article by Kevin Dugan provides a great overview of how to build memorable stories... good stuff.

Good-bye 2007, Hello 2008

2008-01-12T08:36:00.000-08:00

Vanessa inspired me to take this survey as a way to start the New Year. I thought it was a great way to review the old and look forward to the new.

What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
move to California, to live!

Did you keep your new years’ resolutions and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any resolutions and won't this year. I will continue to try to make it a better year than the last.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
My sister had twins -- see her blog dedicated to them. :-)

Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no. But Dave lost someone important to him.

What countries did you visit?
Ummm. I went nowhere! How boring. And sad. Does wanting to go to Thailand count?

What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
A little more stability. :-)

What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Is it bad that I can't think of any particular date? I remember the move, especially leaving snowy Michigan, but don't remember the date any more.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I didn't really achieve much. Maybe full-time employment at Cisco.

What was your biggest failure?
The Journey 2.0 relaunch

Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was pretty healthy, at least physically.

What was the best thing you bought?
Dave got me a Wii, and it's a great party/group game that entertained my family when they visited during Christmas.

Where did most of your money go?
Toward the downpayment for our new house.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
California, a new church community model, home organization, wine

What song(s) will always remind you of 2007?
Omigod You Guys, from Legally Blonde, the musical

Compared to this time last year, are you:
happier or sadder? happier - change has been good for me
thinner or fatter? fatter - and I want to change that, sort of LOL
richer or poorer? richer in dollars, but not in lifestyle (that's what buying a house in the Bay area will do to you)

What do you wish you’d done more of? blogging.

What do you wish you’d done less of? eating. (see above answer about being fatter)

How did you spend Christmas?
hanging with my sister, brother-in-law, nephews, aunt, uncle and second cousin -- who ALL came to visit. :-)

Did you fall in love in 2007?
Yes, with California

How many one-night stands?
none

What was your favorite TV program?
Heroes

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Dave's former boss

What was the best book you read?
Blue Like Jazz

What was your greatest musical discovery of 2007?
Ryan Post

What did you want and get?
cool new friends, a new job and a better climate

What did you want and not get?
a trip to Hawaii and/or Thailand, an immersion blender

What was your favorite film of this year?
I can't recall anything that was amazing. But, we rarely go to theatres, since everything can be downloaded on the TiVo using Amazon Unbox.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Sadly, we did NOTHING. My birthday was the day after Thanksgiving, and even my restaurant picks were closed. :-( This year's better be good, since it is the big 4-0.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I have no idea. It was a pretty good year, in all.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Bargain hunting. With Dave's unemployment, I didn't really invest in any fashion concepts this year.

What kept you sane?
A good husband and new friends

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
??? who fancies celebrities?

What political issue stirred you the most?
nothing really - politics has lost its meaning for me

Who did you miss?
Jill, Kathy, Rich, Adam, Kellen and Lindsay

Who was the best new person you met?
I met a lot of cool new people, including Vanessa, Christine and Robin.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007
change can be challenging, but in the end it works out for the best

An obversation about my iPhone

2008-01-11T15:41:00.000-08:00

Dave and I are geeks and as such did the "early adopter" thing by getting iPhones last year. I love my iPhone and do not regret switching from Windows Mobile to this device, mostly because the hardware and aesthetics are so beautiful.

Just this past week, I spent some time in a cold, snowy climate again, for a work planning retreat that was held at a ski resort near Tahoe. I dug out my gloves, winter coat, boots and scarf; and bundled up each morning to walk to the conference center. (Ugh! I moved to the South Bay area to avoid this weather!)

One thing I noticed, however, that the iPhone is pretty much impossible to use with gloves, and as such would be pretty inconvenient for me if I still lived in Michigan's long winters. This is because the glass touch screen responds to the heat from bare fingers and did not respond or work when I wore gloves!

That would be annoying... in order to answer your iPhone, you have to peel off gloves and expose your skin to the cold wind and snow. ;-) Thank goodness I live in Cupertino and only occasionally travel to snowy climes.

The craziness of the mortgage industry

2007-12-01T07:41:00.001-08:00

We're in the process of getting ready to buy a house and are meeting with a mortgage salesperson today. In the spirit of this craziness, here's a funny video about said industry.

Tanya's Shared Items

2007-11-28T06:02:00.000-08:00

I read a lot of interesting blogs and news items, including some really great ones from my Facebook friends. Now, you can see the best of the best through a shared-items compilation that I build with Google Reader.

If you're a regular reader of my blog, I will have the shared items automatically imported using a cool Blogger interface built to work with Google Reader. (see the blue box on the right-hand side of this blog)

Or, if you use an RSS reader, you can read my shared items with this link

If you'd rather just read my shared items on a Web page, use this link

NBC embraces ad metrics with TiVo deal

2007-11-28T05:17:00.000-08:00

New media business models became mainstream earlier this week, when NBC Universal announced its intent to use TiVo's interactive advertising products.

It's not a surprise to those of us in the real world, but for broadcasters who've traditionally been able to sell 10-second broadcasting blocks for outrageous fees, it's an amazing concession.

For corporations, who have been able to measure not only clicks but actual purchases from new-media ads, TV was the luxury advertising medium that was hard to justify. And, I imagine, the networks have felt that attitude as their piece of cosumer mindshare has shrunk and nearly disappeared with hundreds of competing cable channels, the Internet and even competition from gaming systems (which have recently been blamed for reducing movie viewership).

The larger networks kept away from TiVo and even blamed DVRs for reducing their advertising revenue. So, NBC's embrace of TiVo tools is an important step in recognizing that people can customize and select entertainment options based on their needs and timetables, and that corporations may want to reach these people still, just not in the same way and with the same models that have been around for 50+ years.

Dave's new toy

2007-10-09T08:20:00.001-07:00

Dave has started a new job and as a result got a MacBook Pro. Needless to say, he’s been enjoying the new technology. :-)

Even though I still think these things are way too expensive, the quality of the hardware is impressive, with nice touches such as magnetic connections for the power cords, etc.

Coverband Theology: Pursuing a Risky, Spirit-Led Life

2007-09-05T05:49:00.000-07:00

Check out this blog post by Trent Yaconelli of a Bay-area band called Five A.M. Many of his observations in "Coverband Theology" reveal how the mindset of church life often involves our desire to avoid the unfamiliar and uncomfortable.

Here's a snippet:

Our lives should be focused on playing the music never heard before. It should be about taking the path un-traveled and giving up the familiar for the chaos and beauty of living in the spirit. Spirituality should be spontaneous, a cacophony of rock, jazz, jam, reggae, ska, punk, classical and folk. It should rise up from the heart not dictated by books and lectures. It should be alive and just as things that are living; constantly growing, changing, challenging, failing, and succeeding. When I see the big MEGA churches in America and I can’t help but think they are no different from the popular dance and cover band clubs. These people don’t want to be challenged they want something they can depend on, something they already know the ending too. They want a comfortable, controlled spiritual life. They want to know exactly where the stops are, exactly when the chorus hits, and exactly where it ends. This leads to a very safe and structured belief system but it does not lead to a spiritual life.

Yum.... salmon off the grill

2007-08-26T09:07:00.000-07:00

This week our local Whole Foods moved to a new location across the street - the fancy new digs are quite impressive, as Dave and I visited it on Friday morning. While there, we spent a fortune on a nice piece of salmon, Dave's favorite type of fish.

Last night, we used Dave's new grill to make my favorite salmon recipe, Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze. Yum.

Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze

3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
Vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each

On the side burner, melt the brown sugar, honey and butter in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil and ginger. Let cool.

Preheat grill to medium heat. Brush salmon with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the salmon skin side down on the grill. Coat the flesh of the salmon fillets with the brown sugar mixture. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes to medium doneness, turning once after 5 to 6 minutes.

How to Drive a Graphic Artist Crazy

2007-08-10T16:12:00.000-07:00

A friend shared this post with me earlier today.

It's true, all true. :-)

And, please, don't ever send me a Publisher file. LOL.