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First Flickr Video: Dancin’ Machine

April 12, 2008 | Leave a Comment

I didn’t want to lug around my bulky camcorder in NYC, so I bought a Flip Ultra to shoot some video at Blogger Social 2008. Unfortunately, I got a faulty Flip that captured absolutely no audio. (Flip’s customer service has been great and they’re going to be servicing or replacing it soon.)

Before sending the Flip in for service or replacement, I downloaded the only video that could stand alone without its original audio and added my own song. It’s a video of some break dancers I stumbled upon while walking to Friday night’s festivities at Blogger Social. This is also my inaugural Flickr video.

Song: Dancin’ Machine a Michael Jackson remix by Rhymefest.

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Random, Video

Joy… to the world

April 4, 2008 | 8 Comments

I’m totally pulling a Perez Hilton here, but this is a plug for a completely underground and unsigned music artist named Joy. I’ll let her song - “Automatic” - speak for itself, but not before sharing this story:

I recently played “Automatic” for my wife, who was sitting in the other room. I asked her what she thought of it without mentioning the artist. She loved it and said “isn’t that the new Madonna that’s produced by Timbaland?”

“No, it’s Joy,” I said. “The Joy I went to high school with.” Joy and I were friends in high school and shared similar tastes in music. Last week, I randomly stumbled upon her myspace page and listened to her songs. The first song I heard was “Automatic” and thought it was brilliant. Great beat, great lyrics, love the way she says “droP,” and totally in line with today’s hottest electro sounds from Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Timberland, Madonna, etc. Joy’s song could easily be a single on the radio.

So, I immediately emailed Joy and asked if I could share it with my blog readers. According to Joy, she is finishing up production and getting ready to shop for a deal. If I were a record executive, I’d sign Joy in an instant - great voice, marketable personality and comes with an amazingly talented husband, who produces and co-writes her music. Check out Joy here and here, but click the play button below and let me know what you think of “Automatic.”

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Music, Random

Logobama 08

April 2, 2008 | 1 Comment

Create your own logobama.

Source: NOTCOT.ORG

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Design, Random, Social Media, Technology

Nominated as a Top Interviewer

April 1, 2008 | 4 Comments

Last week, Rohit Bhargava asked bloggers to “virtually interview” him about his new book, Personality Not Included. I asked what may be considered the two most important questions of the author: 1) how is your book different from the tidal wave of other “new marketing” books on the shelves now, and 2) what’s up with the wind-up chickens on your cover?

Out of 55 interviews, Rohit picked the top 12 for you to vote on and pick the best interview. My interview is one of the lucky 12 so I’d love your vote! Today through Friday, you can vote in two separate locations - so click over to this link and this one, and vote twice! The top five vote getters will get signed copies of the book, and the blogger with the most votes will get a $100 gift certificate from Amazon.com.

Since I already have a copy of the book, I’ll give my extra copy away to anyone who comments on this post (if more than one person comments on this post, I’ll pick a name out of a hat). Thank you for voting!

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Authors+Books, Blogging, Random, Social Media, Strategies+Tactics

The Mile-High Club of Skyscraper Construction

March 31, 2008 | Leave a Comment

This proposed $10 billion (USD) skyscraper will reach one mile into the atmosphere - more than two times the height of the Burj Dubai! This I-can-build-a-taller-tower competition has officially gone CRAZY and will soon give new meaning to the mile-high club.

According to the Daily Mail article (from March 31, so this isn’t an April Fool’s joke):

Experts say the technical challenges are enormous. Much of the lifting will be carried out by helicopters, which will also be used as commuter transport for builders. The tower will have to be capable of withstanding a wide range of temperatures, with its top baking in the desert sun by day but dropping to well below freezing at night. To resist the strong winds prevalent in the area and stop it swaying, giving its occupants a form of high-rise seasickness, it will be fitted with a giant computer-operated damper.

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Design, Educational, Random

The Pixel Couch

March 31, 2008 | 1 Comment

Nod: swissmiss

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Random, Technology

Genius Wine Label

March 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Source: Noisy Decent Graphics

Remember those “Loft For Sale” fliers hanging next to the elevator at college? This is kinda like that. Now you can send one lucky party guest home with a little reminder of the wine you served. At least… one guest… and only if you serve this type of wine. Still, it’s a great idea and more wine bottles should have it. In fact, like McDonald’s, wine makers should run a Monopoly game promotion - I’m sure that would make wine sales skyrocket!

I found this wine idea and the photos at a blog I just discovered by Ben Terrett, a graphic designer in London. Great blog! I’ll be back.

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Design, Marketing, Random

Out of surgery: All good signs

March 29, 2008 | 7 Comments

Our family breathed a collective sigh of relief today. Tricia came out of her five-hour surgery with good reports and high hopes for a full recovery. While we cannot be completely sure until the pathologist tests the tissue, the surgeon appeared confident that the cancer had NOT spread to the rest of Tricia’s body, but said we can never be sure that tiny cells aren’t still out there. Lobular cancer is the most difficult to detect so to try and kill any remaining traces of cancer, Tricia will begin chemotherapy in one month - after her body has had ample time to recover from the operation. For now, it sounds like radiation can be avoided and hormone therapy is still being considered! We will know more once the pathologist’s reports are finalized in the next couple weeks.

Still, the air around our family and in the hospital room was different this afternoon. Less tense and much lighter. Our spirits were high with plenty of positive vibes being felt. While it was a great day and initial reports are comforting, our family is preparing for a long battle to kick this thing in the butt and make sure it never returns.

Tricia’s a trooper. As soon as she woke up, she asked for chap stick, heavy socks and ice chips. She was in pain from even the smallest movements, but just hours after her surgery she smiled and softly laughed at our jokes (even the bad ones).

Thank you to EVERY SINGLE PERSON who prayed and donated. We know today’s outcome was helped by all of our combined thoughts and prayers, and you have no idea how much that means to our entire family. Together in Tricia’s hospital room, we all expressed great thanks and appreciation for the massive outpouring of support.

To my blogger friends from around the world (Australia, Europe, Canada and all over the United States), how awesome are you for mobilizing and responding so quickly. The effort was/is unbelievable! Thank you for answering my call for prayers and for helping my family with your contributions. In less than 48 hours, we had over 50 donations totaling over $1000! And with icon sponsorship commitments included, we have already received over $3000! You are truly amazing and I am forever grateful!

Years of treatment and healing are ahead as well as many added costs associated with battling breast cancer (i.e., medical expenses related to surgery, hospital care, doctors visits, prescriptions as well as wigs/headwraps, travel, lost work time, etc.). Through 4tricia.com, I hope we can continue to raise a few extra dollars for cancer research and for Tricia to put toward all the new costs. The more I can help get Tricia’s mind off the stresses of money and onto healing, the better.

Thanks to San Francisco-based Shannon Whitley and San Antonio-based Kami Huyse, we have created a “Pixels 4 Tricia” promotion that allows individuals and businesses to purchase blocks of pixels ($1 = 1 block = 100 pixels). You can upload pixel images of your avatar, a photo, your logo or even a custom support graphic - your choice.

At least 25 percent of all “pixel sponsorship” donations will be given to the Frozen Pea Fund, a blogger-established non-profit organization that promotes breast cancer awareness and uses social media (i.e., blogs, podcasts, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) to help raise money for several great breast cancer charities, like the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides. When you have time, check it out.

I’ll leave you with a great quote one of our recent visitors left in the comments: “Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible.”

Thank you!

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Random

Will You Support My Sister?

March 27, 2008 | 46 Comments

A heartfelt note to my readers: I’ve been blogging for almost two years and have written more than 500 posts for your entertainment. Today, I ask for your help.

The Story

This is my sister, Tricia. Last Thursday, March 20, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer called invasive lobular carcinoma. With absolutely no history of cancer in our family, this came as a huge shock.

Yesterday, we learned that the cancer is in both breasts, so Tricia will have a bilateral mastectomy on Saturday - 36 hours from now - to surgically remove both. It’s a seven-hour operation that will be followed with a comprehensive and overwhelming menu of treatments - chemo, hormone therapy, radiation, etc.

This evening, I asked Tricia if she’d mind me posting something on my blog. She encouraged me to share her story in hopes that anyone reading will take the time to do a self exam and take the proper precautionary steps - even the men because they can get it too!

Years of treatment are ahead as well as many added costs associated with battling breast cancer (i.e., medical expenses related to surgery, hospital care, doctors visits, prescriptions as well as wigs/headwraps, travel, lost work time, etc.).

To Help

I’ve thrown together a blog - 4tricia.com - to help raise money for my sister and provide her with an outlet for communicating with family and friends.

This is my sister who watched over me growing up - taught me how to ride a two-wheeler, healed my scrapes and bruises, and packed picnics in the backyard with me. Now, like everyone else in my family, I feel helpless. I’m hoping to raise a few extra dollars for her to put toward all the new costs and help - even in the slightest - to ease the new financial burden. The more I can get her mind off the stresses of money and onto killing the cancer with positive thoughts, the better.

That said, all I ask is that you keep Tricia in your thoughts and prayers this weekend and for the foreseeable future. If you feel inclined to provide further support (even if it’s just $2), please visit 4tricia.com - you’ll see three options for how you can help. The big spenders may be interested in the icon sponsorship that runs $300/lifetime.

As incentive to raise extra funds, any reader who contributes more than $1 via paypal, check, t-shirt purchase or icon sponsorship BEFORE April 6 will be entered into a raffle to win one of the following prizes: an official first-edition Power 150 t-shirt, a silver engraved Power 150 pen, Tricia t-shirt, and $25 iTunes gift card. I should be able to keep track of all contributions, but just to be safe, please email me a quick note after you’ve made a donation and I’ll make sure you’re entered. On the evening of April 6, I’ll pick four winners for each of the prizes and blog the results here.

Again, beyond donations, please keep Tricia in your thoughts and prayers. If you like, here is the 4tricia.com logo, which you’re welcome to display and link to her site as a display of support.