So I was asked by our CEO to give a presentation to our board of directors about the membership magazine, which I am the production manager for. He said I have 5 minutes to report on the readership survey we just finished. I thought this would be a good thing, and get myself in front of the big wigs in the association.
So I spent the better part of 20 hours over the last month or so working in this 5 minute, 8 slide presentation. A good portion was spent analyzing data from the readership survey, but then I spent probably 6 hours over several days writing what I was going to say, and having my boss give me revisions that mostly consisted of, "Oh, they don't care about that info" and, "Cut this section down by...well go ahead and cut it completely." I'm all good with that, if they don't want to hear something, then there is no point saying it.
So I'm sitting here at the board meeting, well, actually I'm sitting outside the board meeting because right now they are talking about "important and confidential" stuff. Another coworker who is giving a presentation early in the meeting was just told he is up next, but what they are talking abut now could take an hour. I looked at the schedule, and I should be going up about an hour after him, so that means I am about 2 hours away form giving a 5 minute presentation to a group of people who mostly don't care (and will likely be exhausted by the time I get to speak) and I spent 20 hours preparing.
I'm starting to wonder if the time I spend at my job has any value at all...
At least we have good health benefits
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
My Celery Has Water
I had one of those moments today where you wonder what am I doing with my life?
I was in a 90 minute webinar (that's a online seminar for those lucky enough not to have heard of/experienced one) about the best way for associations to make the most money from corporate relationships. It took me about 45 seconds to realize the next 89.25 minutes were going to suck, and I was already grumpy from having to scarf down my lunch in under 10 minutes, and tired from the food coma that is post-pesto pasta yumminess. But then my mind started wandering as to what I was achieving by being there? What impact on society would I make by learning the best way to bundle sponsorship opportunities to get the most money out a greedy pharmaceutical corporation? I'm going to go with...none.
Luckily I got a phone call that I didn't actually answer answer, but I still left the room for about 15 minutes and walked around the office doing nothing. Then I ran into someone I didn't want to talk to, so I went back.
At this point the guy was talking about how it was more important to focus energy on companies that can give you large sums of money, "because doesn't it sound easier to manage 5 companies that can donate $1 million that 50 companies that can donate $100,000?" And yeah it does. But I started thinking, what about all those companies that can only spend $100,000, but need the exposure corporate sponsorship affords more than the big boys?
Anyway, I then traveled down a path of thought that lead me to the homogenization of our society, and how we've relinquished control over our free will and our desire to chose what's best for us. I know, it's just more of my bitching about evil Starbucks, and how "big box" stores are killing the mom and pop stores and therefore the fabric of "good" society. But for once I caught myself, and thought back to an episode of Penn&Teller's Bullshit, a really good show on Showtime, yes with that magician guy that never speaks and the other one who never shuts up.
The show looks into things that are bullshit, like the war on drugs, the death penalty as a deterrent, or ESP. The show doesn't take itself too seriously, so I don't either, but taken with a grain of salt, it has some good info (I'm now ok using public toilets for #2 is they are clean) and you get make fun of some fanatical idiots.
Anyway, the last episode I watched was about Wal-Mart haters, and how they are usually full of shit when the say Wal-Mart is bad for communities or an evil corporation. Sometimes they are, but most of the time they bring jobs to areas that need them, and they offer affordable merchandise to people who need it. Sometimes they put the mom and pop shops out of business, but in a lot of places, they were out of business before Wal-Mart came to town. It seems like the natural progression of things lately that these large corporations are increasing their market share. I see that as a potentially bad thing because we become over-reliant and more homogeneous, which leads to a loss of individuality and then creativity and intelligence (a la Idiocracy.)
But I've come to be more optimistic lately...well at least slightly hopeful. My friend Pat mentioned one day that all of this is necessary and part of greater information access which will lead to a renaissance of thought. I hope he's right. But I can guarantee you that it will not happen if the intelligent are stuck in meetings listening to speaker phones drone on about the value difference in offering logos on tote bags vs. keynote speaker sponsorship.
Oh, and here's part 1 of one of my favorite episodes of Penn&Teller's Bullshit
I was in a 90 minute webinar (that's a online seminar for those lucky enough not to have heard of/experienced one) about the best way for associations to make the most money from corporate relationships. It took me about 45 seconds to realize the next 89.25 minutes were going to suck, and I was already grumpy from having to scarf down my lunch in under 10 minutes, and tired from the food coma that is post-pesto pasta yumminess. But then my mind started wandering as to what I was achieving by being there? What impact on society would I make by learning the best way to bundle sponsorship opportunities to get the most money out a greedy pharmaceutical corporation? I'm going to go with...none.
Luckily I got a phone call that I didn't actually answer answer, but I still left the room for about 15 minutes and walked around the office doing nothing. Then I ran into someone I didn't want to talk to, so I went back.
At this point the guy was talking about how it was more important to focus energy on companies that can give you large sums of money, "because doesn't it sound easier to manage 5 companies that can donate $1 million that 50 companies that can donate $100,000?" And yeah it does. But I started thinking, what about all those companies that can only spend $100,000, but need the exposure corporate sponsorship affords more than the big boys?
Anyway, I then traveled down a path of thought that lead me to the homogenization of our society, and how we've relinquished control over our free will and our desire to chose what's best for us. I know, it's just more of my bitching about evil Starbucks, and how "big box" stores are killing the mom and pop stores and therefore the fabric of "good" society. But for once I caught myself, and thought back to an episode of Penn&Teller's Bullshit, a really good show on Showtime, yes with that magician guy that never speaks and the other one who never shuts up.
The show looks into things that are bullshit, like the war on drugs, the death penalty as a deterrent, or ESP. The show doesn't take itself too seriously, so I don't either, but taken with a grain of salt, it has some good info (I'm now ok using public toilets for #2 is they are clean) and you get make fun of some fanatical idiots.
Anyway, the last episode I watched was about Wal-Mart haters, and how they are usually full of shit when the say Wal-Mart is bad for communities or an evil corporation. Sometimes they are, but most of the time they bring jobs to areas that need them, and they offer affordable merchandise to people who need it. Sometimes they put the mom and pop shops out of business, but in a lot of places, they were out of business before Wal-Mart came to town. It seems like the natural progression of things lately that these large corporations are increasing their market share. I see that as a potentially bad thing because we become over-reliant and more homogeneous, which leads to a loss of individuality and then creativity and intelligence (a la Idiocracy.)
But I've come to be more optimistic lately...well at least slightly hopeful. My friend Pat mentioned one day that all of this is necessary and part of greater information access which will lead to a renaissance of thought. I hope he's right. But I can guarantee you that it will not happen if the intelligent are stuck in meetings listening to speaker phones drone on about the value difference in offering logos on tote bags vs. keynote speaker sponsorship.
Oh, and here's part 1 of one of my favorite episodes of Penn&Teller's Bullshit
Friday, February 29, 2008
Is anyone else upset that the word Trio has 4 letters?
Was fooling around on You Tube today checking out some videos from a cool band called Elbow (you should check them out) They have a new album coming out soon, and are coming state side for the first time in many a year.
So anyway, I stumbled upon this video of a 4-year old drummer, yeah I said 4. It is a Polish kid named Igor Falecki, and he is 5 now, and appearently has his own jazz trio the Igor Falecki Trio. I've spent the last hour checking out different videos of this kid, he's amazing.
So anyway, I stumbled upon this video of a 4-year old drummer, yeah I said 4. It is a Polish kid named Igor Falecki, and he is 5 now, and appearently has his own jazz trio the Igor Falecki Trio. I've spent the last hour checking out different videos of this kid, he's amazing.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Oh Glorious Friday
What a shitty week.
Glad I got that one behind me, and a good weekend is just about to begin.
I wanted to share with you all one of the best places to hear new music. It is a little show called All Songs Considered on NPR. I stumbled on this one day about 2 years ago when my friend Caro gave me a bunch of new tunes to check out. I was liking one, and did a search on the ol' google, and they had recently been featured. I think I spent 4 hours a day that first week listening to the old archives, it's a good site.
Have a good weekend.
kg
Glad I got that one behind me, and a good weekend is just about to begin.
I wanted to share with you all one of the best places to hear new music. It is a little show called All Songs Considered on NPR. I stumbled on this one day about 2 years ago when my friend Caro gave me a bunch of new tunes to check out. I was liking one, and did a search on the ol' google, and they had recently been featured. I think I spent 4 hours a day that first week listening to the old archives, it's a good site.
Have a good weekend.
kg
Monday, February 18, 2008
Really?
Yeah really.
I have been a neglectful writer lately. Not much to talk about really, been more in a live it phase rather than a talk about it phase. But I am entering a period where I need to keep mind occupied and writing is a fun way to pass time.
In my past month of living, I've done some cool things, learned some stuff. Had a real strong coincidence occur. Randomly thought about someone I hadn't seen or thought about in over a year, then the next day our paths crossed for a seemingly inconsequential moment, but yet it had a very poignant effect on my thoughts at that time.
I'm going to sign off for tonight. I will be posting more again for the foreseeable future, I can't promise everyday, but as much as I can.
I leave you know with a couple of cool things I have seen recently. Peace
Awesome Thom Yorke interview on NPR
I have been a neglectful writer lately. Not much to talk about really, been more in a live it phase rather than a talk about it phase. But I am entering a period where I need to keep mind occupied and writing is a fun way to pass time.
In my past month of living, I've done some cool things, learned some stuff. Had a real strong coincidence occur. Randomly thought about someone I hadn't seen or thought about in over a year, then the next day our paths crossed for a seemingly inconsequential moment, but yet it had a very poignant effect on my thoughts at that time.
I'm going to sign off for tonight. I will be posting more again for the foreseeable future, I can't promise everyday, but as much as I can.
I leave you know with a couple of cool things I have seen recently. Peace
Awesome Thom Yorke interview on NPR
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