Meme Mashup
December 18, 2008
Image by FL4Y via Flickr
Written by Karen D. Swim
I was tagged by the uber talented Ann Handley a few weeks ago for a meme. Ann is the Chief Content Officer of Marketing Profs, a sought after speaker, a masterful storyteller and one of the nicest people you will ever meet. Ann did a twist on the meme and shared journal entries. I was delighted to comply with Ann’s request so I searched for something interesting to share about myself. I came up with…nothing, so l procrastinated. Weeks passed and the meme swept through the blogosphere picking up friends along the way. The delightful Kellye Crane picked it up and sent it my way, and now the task is 7 things. I can’t ignore two of my most favorite people in the world and as Amy Derby hilariously wrote, “I’m doing it now before someone upgrades the request to 101.”
- I’ve been tagged twice for this meme, oh right you know that now. I have never broken a bone. I did not steal this from Mack Collier, okay in a way I did because he revealed it in his meme and it’s true for me too. But it’s weird right? Does this mean I’ve played it too safe?
- I do a wicked impression of Billy Bob Thornton’s grunt in Sling Blade. It is one of my favorite things to do and sends me into a fit of giggles every time. Oh c’mon you make yourself laugh too, admit it.
- I go through periods of loving and eating the same food everyday. My current addiction is veggie dogs. I eat them daily, lunch or dinner, sometimes both. This has been going on for several months now, my previous addiction was cereal (which I still love). No person or animal is ever harmed in my addiction, so it’s all good.
- I used Oprah’s list as my anti-reading list. Once I bought a book that didn’t have that Oprah label thingy and I was really upset to discover it was on her list. I felt like I’d been secretly inducted into a club to which I did not want to belong. I have nothing against Oprah but you know the whole legions of fawning fans thing kind of creeps me out. Maybe it’s that early encounter with the hippie cult people…
- I hate shopping. Not a fan of mall browsing, window shopping, even web surfing. My motto for shopping is get in and get out as fast as you can. The last time I visited a mall was two years ago and I think I broke a record for in and out times. There are exceptions though, I could spend all day (well maybe not all day but a whole bunch of hours) in a sporting goods, electronic or book store.
- I can’t take Jamie Foxx seriously as a sex symbol or singer. I mean, Hello, the man did make Booty Call.
- I watch Everybody Loves Raymond every week night before I go to sleep. I set the timer on the TV because I like to fall asleep laughing. Yes, I’ve probably seen every episode but it still cracks me up.
Well there you have it useless bits of trivia about yours truly. So, now I’m supposed to torture tag someone else. If you want to play along, consider yourself tagged. 
If you just want to share something strange, funny or you know heartwarming in the comments, feel free.
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Sha Na NaNo - In the Key of Thanks
November 26, 2008
Written by Karen D. Swim
When I committed myself to National Novel Writing Month (NaNo) I had no idea how it would impact my days. Before the month began, I planned to awaken at 5 am, go for my morning run and then write. By 8 am I would be at my desk and ready to continue on with my pre-NaNo schedule.
My plan fell apart on day 1. 5am came and went but I never saw it. I awakened in a panic at 6:30 am and groggily tried to reorganize my day. I took deep breaths and fell back on Plan B, write, work, then work out. By 10 am, I was on to Plan C. Who knew that the first 1700 words would not fly from my fingers in one hour? On Day 1, I had a new respect for NaNo, like running a marathon it was a distance that demanded respect.
I plodded through week one. It was neither smooth nor elegant but I stumbled through. In week two I fell into a groove, still a little sore from week one but the movement was getting easier. My glee over finding the right gear was however, short lived. In week two, every client that had thought of using my services decided to sign me up. I found myself knee deep in a business feast (no complaints mind you!) with little time left to breathe between bites. My idyllic dreams of luxuriously writing, working and tweeting went up in a puff of smoke. Getting up at 5 or even 6 was out of the question when I was going to bed at 1am.
Image via Wikipedia
My phone was ringing off the hook, my days were filled with back to back meetings, and in spite of my persistence my email climbed to over 800 messages. My father, who is recovering from a stroke was also still hospitalized. I was being pulled in so many directions I felt a little like Gumby. With only so many hours in the day, I dropped several of my spinning plates. I was tired and found myself crying over cell phone commercials, and falling snow. I was a mess but I was still writing.
In week three, the work kept pouring in but my Dad finally came home from the hospital. I was still on target with NaNo and somehow I had settled into the craziness of my life. I sometimes forgot to eat and had more bad hair days than I care to share but I made it.
Now, here we are in the final stretch, week 4. I am roughly 4500 words away from goal, and will finish ahead of the November 30th deadline. The words are pouring out so fast that I can’t type fast enough. Business is still coming in and I am managing my customer’s expectations and enjoying the work. I have missed tweeting and blog commenting and visiting with friends. It has been a wild and wacky ride but in spite of it all, something magical happened this month.
I pushed the boundaries of my limitations and learned that I am capable of more than I believed. I failed early and often and am thankful for the lessons. I grew more passionate about all of you. I really missed you and had time to really reflect on how thankful I am to be part of this wonderful blogging community.
Even though I was MIA (missing in action) when I popped my head up in twitter or stopped by your place for a visit, I was warmly welcomed. I got messages of encouragement and support and continued to be inspired by your talent. So it seemed appropriate on this Thanksgiving Eve to say THANK YOU. You let me in your space, and I don’t take that for granted. You so graciously share your ideas, dreams, and fears. As you learn and grow you help me to do the same. You make me laugh and sometimes make me cry. This blogging thing is so much more than publishing content, it is being part of a community of people. You are my neigbhors and friends and I am just so happy to share space with all of you!
Whether or not you celebrate Thanksgiving, I am giving thanks for each and every one of you!
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Thankful Thursday
September 25, 2008
Thanks to all of you I am definitely not having the Worst Week Ever! This week has been one of the most invigorating, and thought provoking at Words For Hire. Wow! I could not have asked for a better party this week! I sat cross legged as I raptly listened to the thoughtful discussions and friendly debates. All week I have replayed conversations in my head and your words have fortified, educated and inspired me.
Who needs BlogWorld or Conferences when you can gather everyone in your own living room? Evelyn Lim, Rebecca Smith, Melissa Donovan, Jaden, Janice Cartier, Alex Fayle, Steph Vandermeulen, Alina Popescu, Karen Putz, and my new friend Seamus Anthony all popped in this week. Even Amy who has been buried in thesis writing had time to stop in for tea.
You recalled past world events and examined them in the context of the present with comments like this:
“And I think of this: the Aryans were an actual group of people (Indo Europeans) who thought themselves superior to others - it is interesting Hitler used this term for his ideas of the “supreme Aryan nation.” Some archeologist/anthropologists believe they may have started the whole light/dark, male/female polarity thinking in human thought.”–Ellen Wilson
Ulla Hennig shared her thoughts and personal insights on the travesty of World War II and asked the hard hitting question: “And I? What would I have done if I lived through that time? I know what I would have liked to do - I hate fascism - but would I have done it?”
After derailing Wendi Kelly’s thought, Robert Hruzek had this to say: “There’s a great little principle the Apostle Paul wrote once that really says it all, and is applicable to anyone, anywhere. I’ll summarize it this way: Do not blindly accept what you hear; test it for its inherent truth.”
Wendi then offered a wonderful comment which included this bit of wisdom: “This is why I say- and I have pounded this in to my children-you must examine your OWN beliefs and truths and carefully study and examine, never blindly follow no matter how bright or shiny the glitter may glow.”
There was talk of Science from the always Deep Friar mixed with his own unique brand of humor. Kelly who is directly responsible for motivating Nick Cernis‘ new blog, 44 Forks may very well rack up a second credit if Friar takes the bait. Kelly also added a thoughtful take on leadership.
I think that (mad, evil, etc.) leaders with blind followers are neither revealing nor teaching, but bullying, preying on fears and insecurities, and obscuring. By the end of that, the followers beliefs and self-concept have been warped, but they’ve been taught not a thing.–Kelly Erickson
For me, “blind faith” is an oxymoron. I’ve found that to believe - really believe - I must look deeply into an idea, and then into my own heart. I think it’s a lack of faith and an unwillingness to test one’s convictions that lead people to do the unspeakable.–Brad Shorr
For me it’s something to do with taking time, and what happens in it, as it is, rather than trying to impose my will on it. Letting things unfold in their own way, and in their own time. –Joanna Young
Back from his hiatus, Jamie Grove offered this wonderful reminder: “It’s hard to get too tied up in the universe when you laugh at the absurdity of it all.”
Life is beautiful, absurd and wonderful. I hope that you live and laugh well today! I’m off to visit with many of you today. Have an awesome Thursday!
Karen
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Hitting the Pause Button
August 21, 2008
Image via Wikipedia Written by Karen D. Swim
This week I have stayed up way too late watching the Olympics and tweeting about it. Yes, I know I can watch it online or even TiVo for watching during waking hours, but I just can’t pull myself away. Yes, yes I know I too protest China’s human rights policy but love watching the athletes go for the gold! This while I have been ramping up my running miles while trying not to re-injure my ITB, tweaking workouts and delivering the goods for clients. Needless to say the scales (ooh speaking of scales I should weigh myself) have become a bit unbalanced, so I need to pause real time and reconnect online and off.
So today, I’m taking a blog break. I need to go visit with friends and catch up on posts. Rogue Ink and Write From Home are both back online. Seriously the blogsophere was not the same without these two talented bloggers. New friends await on Facebook and Twitter. If you’re in any of those places today, come hang,okay? I am also going to spend some face to face time (you know where you talk with a person and not an avatar) with one of my young nephews. I’ll be back tomorrow and hope you’ll join me! Go forth and have adventures… and be sure to come back and share!
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In the Zone
July 29, 2008
Written by Karen D. Swim
Robert Hruzek is on vacation and was crazy er nice enough to ask me to guest post in his absence. Since I don’t want to go down in history as the guest poster who killed Robert’s blog, will you help me out by visiting over there today? Robert has a great community over there and if you’re not a regular reader , you’re in for a treat. This week he has an incredible all star line-up and I hope in addition to helping me out you’ll visit this week and show his guests some love. I hope to see you at the Zone!
Karen Swim for President?
July 2, 2008
Written by Karen D. Swim
I pledge to run a clean campaign and honor my campaign promises. If elected, you’re all invited to the White House for a celebration, and yes there will be cake! Can I count on your vote?
The Ugly Side of Beauty
June 30, 2008
Written by Karen D. Swim, Photo copyright 2008 Darnok, courtesy of Morguefile.com
Yesterday as I was scanning Google trends I noticed that one of the top searches was model suicide. This morning, I took the time to read the story. I had no intention of blogging about it. In fact I had a scheduled post, but the story and the comments really bothered me so I thought I would share it here.
Ruslana Korshunova, a 20 year old Russian model nickamed the Russian Rapunzel, plunged to her death this weekend from her home in a tower in New York. The police are investigating her death as a possible suicide, yet that has not been confirmed, as of this writing.
Korshunova was a cover girl for Russian Vogue and French Elle. In the article she was described as sweet, and as is common no one saw signs of depression.
Many of the morning comments were disturbing with jokes made about her blowing off the roof because of her weight to people wondering why this is news. One of my young nephews committed suicide in April and I can honestly tell you there is absolutely nothing funny about suicide.
While making light of death is disturbing enough, the comments also reveal deeper issues with how we feel about beauty. Our culture is obsessed with beauty yet on some level repulsed by the obsession. Men and women strive to emulate the models of beauty yet we objectify those very same models and ridicule their seeming perfection.
Even as we buy potions, creams, miracles in a jar and flock to the latest fitness craze, we rejoice when a supermodel falls from the runway or when a celebrity is filmed from an unflattering angle. We seem to want to tear down the very images that we as a culture have elevated as a model of “success.”
We hungered for news of Britney Spears’ decline. Her mental illness and odd behavior held us capitvated while lining the pockets of big media. We have plastic surgery to correct our flaws, and restrict our diets to perfect our bodies. We want flawless skin and perfect abs like the airbrushed photos of models and celebrities. Yet we poke fun of these same images when they gain 10 pounds or are caught looking less than fabulous.
Today, a young woman is dead. She was beautiful but more importantly she was human. I did not know her but today I mourn her loss and all others who felt that death was their only way out.
Do you think we’re obsessed with beauty? Have the images of beauty ever influenced your own behavior or attitudes?
Pretty and Functional
June 26, 2008
Written by Karen D. Swim
Yesterday, in the throes of moving the blog and setting things up, my dear James offered a profound comment that stayed with me all day “Ah, good girl!! Now that was smart. Forgoing pretty for functionality… ” Now less you think he was being snarky, allow me to explain.
The original plan was to hire the Pen Men to make me pretty and functional all at once. I would unveil my new address with the house freshly painted and curtains in the window. That was the plan. However, I could take the rental no longer. The walls closed in, my neghbors were noisy and there was no room to grow a garden, so I donned my ninja gear and did a stealth move in the middle of the night. No notice, no moving van, just packed up the bare essentials and moved.
James’ comment stayed with me because I realized that in business and life I want it all - I want pretty and functional. I am not content to look pretty and be worthless and I want my life to operate in the same way. I want my stuff to do the job but look good doing it. However, if I’m forced into a corner and have to choose one thing, well I choose function because I like pretty but I am also a practical sort.
My blog is not yet pretty but I am not ashamed to tell you that the ability to offer you comment luv has my toes tingling with excitement. Featuring your recent comments right over there, has me giggling with glee. So, in a way functional can be pretty even without the trimmings.
Soon I shall be even more functional and pretty to boot. So pardon my dust while we clean up the place but when my interior decorators have worked their magic, you will be awed.
What about you would you choose pretty or functional?
Moving Day!
June 25, 2008
Written by Karen D. Swim
Happy Wednesday! Well, this blog has moved. If you typically access this blog from the tab on my website, I have not yet updated the navigation. Please bookmark our new address. Although I have talked about this move for quite some time, the execution has not gone as planned. Thank goodness for MERRY tips! The move and brand new design were to happen simultaneously. However, I could not bear the frustrations any longer, so last night I picked up and moved (with help from my awesome web host!).
So, no Men with Pens pretty custom design (yet) but commenting will be easier and I will have comment luv (yippee). I was so excited last night I woke up at 3 am and watched the news! Yea, bad idea, but the 3 am ABC news is very interesting, kind of BBC mixed with Good Morning America mixed with carnival. Hmm, this could explain the later dreams about Bette Midler.
I’ll be back tomorrow to hit you with the happy stick in the blog’s new space. I’ll be sure to update you on how to keep subscribing too, one of the many things that must be figured out today.
Have an awesome day and if you’ve got wordpress tips, I’m sure to be asking lots of questions on Twitter or Plurk today!
Peace and love,
Karen
Planning, Failing and Java Beans
April 28, 2008
by Karen D. Swim
It is not even 12 noon and I am already on Plan C for my Monday. Plan A was a carefully thought out, high powered day filled with charging through my to do list and checking off tasks with glee. Plan A required a full night of sleep on Sunday and an early start. Plan A fell apart at 7 am this morning.
Plan B was to put the blog post off for a couple of hours, charge through the most important task on my to do list and then rest if necessary. Plan B was history by 8:30 am. Plan C was to get some rest (better to get a late start with renewed energy than to drag through the whole day), awaken refreshed and proceed with Plan A.
Did I mention it’s not even 12 noon? What does all of this have to do with you, your life and your business? Well, absolutely nothing. Think of this post like a Seinfeld episode, it’s a post about nothing, or rather the mundane things in life that sometimes make for good humor.
Actually this post may have a point. A few weeks ago, Darren Daz Cox commented that the whole point of having a blog is to be personal. So Daz this one is kind of for you. While many cringe at the thought of being personal, equating it with spewing projectile vomit in public, allow me to offer my insight.
Being personal does not mean that you are required to share the titillating details of your life. Your blog is not a confessional, unless of course that’s your thing. However, no matter what your blogging purpose may be, readers do want you “to keep it real.” Dry boring facts without personality may inform but they will not engage. If you don’t believe me, check out what CopyBlogger had to say on the subject last week.
Blogging is a contact sport, and requires a willingness to get up close with readers. Let your personality and style show up in your content, and be willing to engage readers in discussion.
If I had WordPress this would be classified as Way Off Topic. So bear with me today, I’m human and tired. Tomorrow is a new day and if everything aligns perfectly, my post will actually have a point.
How is your Monday going?
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