Don't share your problems, and don't ask for advice

As it turns out I am in the process of a potentially life altering change, and a part of that change includes the effort for me to become more emotionally independent and to have the ability and desire to make my own decisions.

Part of the old (and still-sort-of-current me) shares his goings on and situation with just about anyone and everyone.  I have no problem airing my history to any Bob, Carl, or Tony that shows an inkling of interest - probably my selfish nature.

One of the problems that happens when you begin to tell people your problems is their desire to help.  Their intent is well and good, but yikes after a while you just start to think to yourself - please stop talking b/c there is a long history here that you only know a fraction of and so while you think your advice or guidance is correct - it's really irrelevent and unnecessary.

With that said, I still do believe in seeking out the wisdom of people that can provide you a perspective on things.  They don't offer advice, they tell a story about some past experience that either a friend, relative, or they themselves went through and help you draw parallels to gain some valuable insight or nugget of thought that has previously escaped you.

What's old is new again

I have gone through a major life transition, and as such I now keep a journal, and I wanted a place to share those things in my life that are publicly share-able.   This blog and associated posts are intended to compliment my journaling, not replace it.

2014 is going to be a big year for me.  I decided to stop floating through life and with that decision comes a vast amount of information and responsibility that I never wanted nor cared about.

I'm on the hunt for ways to get better.  Game on.

Priority Running

Over the last several months my life has been quite like a roller coaster with all the twists that life throws your way, and at times I've had to make the decision that even with 24 hours in a day, I could not find the time to get out the door and run.

What I found was this had a sizable impact on my mood, disposition and overall mental health.

Now I make running a priority in my life, and I like it.  I recently rolled-over the 1,000 mile mark of distance travelled throughout my workouts, which includes some biking miles but over 95% is running.

It's not the farthest or most distance logged and it's certainly not at an elite pace, but those are my 1,000 miles, and those miles have helped me cope, helped me solve problems, helped me craft things to say, or not to say.  I guess what I'm trying to say is I need to run.

Run on.

JK

Monthly running goals

Hello and good morning - The Rock and Roll half marathon is less than a month away now.  I'm quite nervous since I took 23 days off in May/June which should have been the heart of the training period.  I've been committed to getting in some miles to keep building the leg strength but I wonder if it's enough.  I guess we'll find out come Aug. 1. 

Check out www.DailyMile.com if you're interested in keeping track of your workouts.

Clash of the touch screen Titans: HTC EVO vs. iPhone

For anyone paying attention to the mobile handset market this is an exiting time.  Sprint and HTC just released the first 4G enabled handset, the EVO 4G (see picture below), and is setting sales records.  This is a pretty big deal b/c it is a very cool step in the evolution of the wireless world and the adoption of a WiMax network. 

Do you want to know which one is the best product, EVO 4G or iPhone 4?  Well fortunately for you CRN.com did a head-to-head review based on a wide variety of factors including memory and storage, price, battery life, network, connectivity, etc...

Take some time to check out the battle:  HTC EVO 4G versus the Apple iPhone 4.


And NO, I'm not going to tell you who won, you will have to read it yourself.

Additionally, it's worth checking out the Sprint site just for the interaction and viral nature of the 4G firsts feature.

Keep on keeping on - in a mobile way.

My Mobile marketing snapshot

Greetings:

Over the past weeks I've been exposed to mobile marketing in a variety of ways and thought I would post my snapshot on topic.  This post is a bit of a catch-all.

First, it was nice to see an article on eMarketer regarding an old client of mine, Cars.com.  The article - available here - outlines the approach the company took to design and launch their mobile campaign.   One thing that came out in this article that I completely agree with is this, the method or channel of customer communication may change over time, but quality and relevant content will never cease to be crucial for making a connection to your customers.

Second, according to comScore - the leading OEM's in this field are Samsung, Motorola, LG, RIM, and Nokia.  This is quite relevant to me since my group project for another class was specific to handset manufacturers   Interesting to note, although Apple is a major player in the smartphone arena they still have a relatively small market share.

Third, if you are interested in learning more or staying in touch w/ the mobile marketing space, here is a site you should be familiar with.  Mobile Marketing Watch.  They provide a wealth of information on the industry including best practices and trends.

Keep on keeping on.

Joel

Set your data free

In today's business environment everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY has had to Excel and PowerPoint.  In the realm of online marketing, like many realms I suppose, data is the key to making smart business decisions.  But how do we avoid paralysis by analysis?  How do I know which is more important, costs, revenue, ROI, ROAS?  Ahhhhhh, it's like alphabet soup!

Well, I recently decided that I wanted to improve my chart and graph skills to present KPI metrics to my team and those business managers I work with.  In my search I found a site which I will share with you to help "set your data free".  Michelangelo said: “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free".  If you know what data is necessary to sell your idea or proposal, then set your data free with a compelling visual image and not the 1,000 words or boredom already swirling around every corporate conference room in the city.

The site I found is http://www.excelcharts.com/blog/

Even a cursory look around and you understand the drive and passion Jorge Camoes, the site owner, has for this topic.  I am impressed and appreciative of the information and education available, and all without cost.  Be sure to check out the About link to learn more about the owner/author, his background and experience.

I am going to take some time to familiarize myself with this site and it's learnings.  Do you have any similar sites to share?

Keep on keeping on...now stop reading web sites and go outside: