Are you a Superstar? Do You Really Need a Badge? (I’m not worthy….)

Four-square.

Blip.

Trade show. (ok, it was SXSW)

How different is this from the “Good Work!” sticker we’d get on our 2nd grade math test? Not much. At some point we realize that these badges are just that- one big puffy sticker saying we’re awesome.

Where they do have some importance is when they can be translated into currency.

At Foursquare, by “checking in” to all the places you go and snatching up badges, has cache within certain circles. Mostly if you’re 18-34 and a mobile-urban marauder. If you check-in the most at an establishment, and become a Four-square “mayor,” you get free stuff (drinks, roll of hockey tape, free shoes.) It’s Four-square’s business plan- by establishing and helping maintain loyalty for businesses.

Another one, Blip, the music sharing DJ site, does badges as well. Source a new song get a badge. Get reblipped by another DJ or props get another, and so on and so forth.

For those that work in/on/around social media it’s practically a necessity. That, and your twitter follow numbers, your blog draw, reputation and resume makes, well, makes your resume..

I just find it interesting. The cache of badges as another measurement of how “plugged-in” you are. For some it’s just fun, a factor of how cool you are. For other’s it’s a requirement, and tells others how competent you are.

But at some point it will not be. Fun or a requirement. When everyone is doing it, when all businesses are participating in it. Once the uniqueness is gone, when everyone is doing it, then what? It will just be another thing on the to-do list. I mean, if everyone is special, then no one is special.  Actually just today, someone posted on FB a picture  of a printed “table tent” from a bar, saying something to the effect that if you’re the mayor, show your Four-sqaure status to the waitress and get a free beer- one per person per day. Lame.

If McDonald starts giving out a special badge for, say, being the first to try their new McFlurry- it’s not so cool is it?

Not really. And that’s the real nugget isn’t it? That is the challenge for Blip and Four-square, keeping the tension between accessibility and cool.

Do really need the badges to reveal how awesome we are?

I don’t play Four-square. Actually I’m not that much of an urban maurader, and I also find it slightly creepy that people would know where I am or where I go. Creepy.

I blip not for badges, but because I love to share music on Twitter.

But that’s just me.

Human Evolution- A Snapshot

Sometimes I find myself asking how did we, as humans evolve in the alpha-species of Earth?

Yeah, opposable thumbs are awesome but really, what makes us so fabulously different from, say,  Bubbles the Chip?

Well I think I might just have the answer.

At some point today my 3 y.o. (a.k.a. “Baby Lug”) showed up naked and pantless.

Bear with me, this really is about us evolving, not de-volving.

Promise.

When asked where his pants were, he replied, “They were drying.”

When asked why his pants were drying, he replied, “‘Cause they were dirty.”

When asked why his pants were dirty, he replied, “I washed them.”

I know it doesn’t make sense, he is, after all, THREE.

It would seem  that Baby Lug, upon determining his shorts were dirty, took it upon himself to take them and his underpants off, march to the bathroom and wash them in the toilet. Then dried them in the sink.

This kid is killing me.

When he’s not metaphorically killing me, he’s impressing the hell out of me.

Messy yes, but you have to give the kid credit- that was some creative problem solving.

Sure the opposable thumb is cool. But I’d also think human’s aptitude for creative problem solving is right up there for pushing us up the evolutionary ladder.

Monkeys have been known to use simple tools- trimming a stick to probe for ants– but what does it take to a look at that stick and see the foundation for an arrow? The handle of an ax? Or part of a shelter?

It’s the same higher-order creative thought processes that  tells one person, a long-long time ago, see tree sap and, think if it was just boiled down, it’d make maple syrup.

Or a 3 y.0. that the path to clean pants is just a toilet bowl away.

Happy Fourth on the Fifth.

Thanks to the-parenting-magazine.com for the great photo

How was your fourth?

(Mine was just fine, thanks for asking…)

So we think “Yea Freedom!” and “Oooooh” and “Ahhhh” at the fireworks and sometimes, in the midst of holiday traffic we might even think a little bit about this freedom thing that we’ve all been celebrating.

Like, what does it mean to you?

Free speech, Freedom to congress, right to bear arms and so on. These are the biggies that come immediately to mind (and also they’re from The Bill of Rights, not The Declaration of Independence but that’s just me getting nit-picky.)

But I thought of one that I think is little overlooked. It’s an offshoot of “the pursuit of happiness” clause, which is right smack in The Declaration of Independence.

The freedom to fail.

I think one of the greatest gifts this country gives it’s citizens is the right to try the new, create the daring and fail miserably. And try again. And again. And again.

And because we can fail means we’re unafraid, even encouraged to be entrepreneurial and innovative. Not hard to see why the U.S. is considered the epicenter of new ideas, products and industries because of this.

Personally speaking, I’ve failed and failed SPECTACULARLY. But I pick myself up, dust myself off and keep at it.

There are a lot of countries failure isn’t an option. People are afraid to suggest or try the new, the different, and the potentially better. Or they’re not the right color, creed, or connected enough. Here success is based on the individual, their stamina, their creativity, their product or solution offering and even how well they hustle.

Yes, it’s not perfect playing field but at least you get to play. And play again. And again until you win or give up.

Yes, the freedom to fail is a very powerful thing.

Breaking Point: $10 for 8 Commercials at Movies?

I really, really loved Toy Story 3.

Which is good, because right before it started I was about to throttle someone.

I love movies. Not like. LOVE.

So much I turned down an investment banking job to work, for free, on a film. Then I spent the next 3+ years as a glorified gofer (the titles changed but the job remains the same) at Paramount pictures, until I realized though I love movies, I do not love the entertainment industry.

We were a lousy match.

But I still loved movies.

Not today. We almost broke up.

Movie prices go up. It’s getting so bad, it’s almost prohibitively expensive for the average family to go. But to then make someone, after shelling out $10-$20 a ticket, sit through EIGHT commericals, that’s just insulting.

I’m not talking about previews. I love previews. I make sure I’m there plenty early to see previews. I’m talking about the Disney Visa Debit card, Toy Story the Wii Game, Glidden Paint, and god-knows what else — I can’t remember what else they were hawking because at this point I was shouting at the screen like a crazy woman… which I guess I was. All I kept thinking is… I am paying so I can be forced to sit through this crap? At least at home I can work on a blog post and ignore the Toy Story 3 Disney Visa debit credit card commercial (seriously, as I type this, the same freakin’ commercial came on TV. How’s that for timing?)

Dear theater owners and movie studios, this practice more than stinks, it sucks…

But they are rapidly finding ways to charge more- by offering movies in 3-D, “adult” seating in theaters  with cocktail service, mega screens… but commercials, especially EIGHT? It’s just a cheap move.

People leave their homes, pay tidy little sum to sit in a darken theater, eat over-priced popcorn for escape. Escape from their troubles, escape into adventure — perhaps an epic love story, a high drama or the chance to laugh hysterically. They need the magic, not the cross-promoted, high-commericalism slap in the face.

Pretty soon either we’re going to realize we’re not that desperate for entertainment or they’re going to realize that being “commercial free” is the next big selling point.

But right now, it’s just making this rabid film-lover think twice about attending my next film.

You Plan, God Laughs, What Next?

One thing I’ve learned from the past few years is BE FLEXIBLE.

You have to, or you just might break.

This applies for business, especially in these times, being agile is crucial. It works for parenting, in fact it’s practically is the motto. You have to be able to adapt and ride the wave of change. Oh, and I’ll throw in that you need “hope for the best,” and a “remain calm” and finish it with “think positive.”

All are necessary when dealing with unexpected turmoil.

My friend Flames just called me. Literally, I just got off the phone with her 2 mins ago. She’s about to board a plane to San Diego for her brother’s wedding, 3 kids in tow. She was feeling so pleased with herself she just about executed the perfect escape: the house is clean, the kids packed and ready, the hubby coming a couple of days later. She is all set. She’s got it together, she’s on FIRE.

Then she realized she left her bridesmaid dress and her daughter’s flower girl dress back at home. So much for the fire. Hubby will bring both items just in time, but still, she’s angry because she had the gall to think she was super on top of things. Confirmation to the contrary is a bitter pill.

When things change, usually for the worse, is when we most need to be on our A game.

Change is inevitable folks. Believe me, I’m living proof.

Remain calm. Think positive. Adapt.

A Few Things I’m Excited About…

Photo courtesy of jithinv mohan

A few things on my mind today…

1. The new iPhone 4th Generation is rumored to be released this week, or at least announced today when Steve Jobs does the keynote at the WWDC. Oh wowsie-wow-wow. I’m not your average tech geek. I’m the married to a super lovely Super-Geek, but I’m more the practical “what have you done for me lately?” type of techie. I love the sparkle of shiny new, but if you make my life harder I’ll drop-kick you like a few of my college boyfriends. Hard.

Having said that, I’m also the lady who got the iPhone 3G as an anniversary present and told my husband that, outside of his love, the kids and my wedding rings, it was the nicest present he’s ever given me. Intuitive, sleek, it makes my super ADD life work quicker, faster, and more seamlessly, all on the fly. I can’t wait to check out the 4th Gen (not to be confused with 4G) latest edition. Supposedly front and back camera (for video conferencing,) bigger screen, longer battery life — these are the rumors floating around. There was even a scandal surrounding the found 4th Generation iPhone prototype. Very heady stuff.

2. Rainy-day Cardio. Ever since starting the Go Betsy Go! 90 Day Fitness Challenge, I’ve had to log in 5 sessions of cardio in a week. I can usually do 3 of them during the 2 Pilates sessions and 1 personal training sessions I have during the week, but that leaves 2 I have to squeeze in sometime during the week. Not that hard when it’s sunny, but lately Boston has been subjected to thunder storms and days of rain. Days. I asked my personal trainer, the fabulous Laura Dosdall, at Bodyscapes Fitness for some rainy day cardio ideas. No treadmill needed.

Laura come up with the following ideas– and being with any exercise, you should absolutely consult a doctor first before starting ANY exercise program– so don’t just up and try these without any professional input.

Running stairs- 30 mins. Run up, walk down (for safety.) Between rounds, alternate the following:

• Body weight squats and lunges.
• Hopping from the ground to the first stair for 30 second intervals (holding the railing for support if necessary)
• Use any equipment and throw in some exercises between rounds up and down the stairs. For example, run up and down 5 times, then do 20 stability ball crunches, then 5 times up & down, then 20 resistance band bicep curls, etc.

I’ve already done it, and it was pretty intense. Thanks again Laura!

3. My kids are getting out of school soon- and I have yet to plan the summer out.  I guess this is where “just in time Mommy” rules. I heard a great idea from my friend Suzy: the 1st day of summer she sits down with the kids and drafts the “Summer Bucket List.” They write everything they’d like to do this summer and plan each week to knock off one or two items off the list. Neat idea!

A Social Network for Kids? Seriously?

Togetherville.

It’s being called the “a social network for kids with training wheels.”

In private beta until recently, Togetherville aims to be the safe social media alternative for kids 6-10. Kids can befriend other children (and adults chosen by their parents) from their parents FaceBook friend list. They can create art, play games, watch and share videos all in a semiprivate environment, everything is vetted prior. Comments are limited to a pull-down menu of preselected phrases, though a user can request additional phrases to be added.

Started by Mandeep Singh Dhillon, he created Togetherville because his son was interested in sharing pictures online with the family.

According to The New York Times, “Mr. Dhillon said this type of interaction helps children develop social skills that they can’t get from virtual worlds like Club Penguin, which protect children by having them act only through anonymous avatars.

We teach kids from a very early age, never let your identity be online, never let anyone know who you are, but we’re teaching some bad things,” he said. “Kids don’t learn how to be accountable.””

No ads, but revenue will be derived from children share virtual “gifts,” which are purchased through their parents.

Advising Mr. Dhillon is the CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute, Stephen Balkam. According to The New York Times, Mr. Balkam “said that he thought the site could keep younger children off Facebook, where they are more likely to find inappropriate content and are less protected from potentially harmful interactions with strangers or bullies.”

My take?

Why should kids 6-10 be on a social network in the first place?

If my kids wanted to share pictures with the family, they can. Through me. Via email.

Children age 6-10 don’t need an identity online. They’re not ready for that. Even with “training wheels.” When do you need to teach them accountability? When you get them a cell phone, when they start to ask about chatting online. Then you need to have the online safety and privacy chat. And you keep having the chat.

I know I’m more conservative than most when it comes online privacy, especially with my children, but for GODSAKES, this venture is so wrong on so very many levels. At best they are exploiting kids with a not-so-very-social sanitized experience, friending kids of their parent’s friends. (I mean did you ever want to be friends with your parent’s friends kids? Seriously?) At worst they are pushing kids to be hooked even earlier to social media, online gaming and artificial socializing.

Excuse me, but my idea of being social at eight is to play hide & seek, not spending hours playing on a computer, super neat-o virtual gifts aside.

Plus, whose “vetting” these interactions on Togetherville? Not me. To me, this is one more thing I have to negotiate, monitor, and fight over with my children.  And for full disclosure, we have a Club Penguin account. It’s cute, and it’s used as a treat for the kids. Just like the Wii. My 7 year olds play the little games on it, but there’s not much “interaction.”  And that is not a bad thing.

Young kids don’t need to be introduce to social media. Children are developing their social skills and they don’t need to formulate them from pull-down menus and “vetted” artwork. They need to learn it on the playgrounds, playing baseball on a real field with real “in the flesh” friends.

It would seem that Togetherville, though may have been started with all the good intentions, is just one more electronic distraction trying to separating kids from their childhood.

But that’s just my opinion.

Lessons From The Meanest Duck

One of my favorite stories of my Dad’s is about his time in Vietnam. It involves a duck. A boa-constrictor. Oh, and a few observations.

Around April 1967, my father was a Naval dentist, attached to the Marines, stationed in KhanSan. He’d fixed teeth, do occasional triage, even kept one man alive in a foxhole for three days with nothing but a dental kit. Always, right before patrols were about to go out, there’d be a spike in emergency tooth-aches. The hardest part, for the medical teams, was to tell these boys that they were fine and ship’em off, some never to return.

So much death, you understand why MASH (the movie, not really the show) could possibly exist. Anything to break the tension, take your mind off the potentials, help alleviate the stress of the daily.

One day, after two day patrol,  a Marine Recon patrol comes back, bearing what could only be described “the biggest mother-fucking snake” ever seen. Like anaconda size big.

Big.

This motley group of 6 or 7 fatigued teens, proudly hoisted their prize, as they should. Again, according to Dad, it was one big snake.

And it was their unit’s new mascot.

Housing such a magnificent creature was the Unit’s focus for the next day or two. Bamboo cut, cage crafted. And to feed it, not a problem. This was Vietnam, so procuring a edible creature or two wasn’t much of a stretch.

Enter the duck.

It was a big duck, duck-wise, but compared to the snake? No contest.

Probably unceremoniously shoved into the snake’s lair, someone leashed the duck so it couldn’t fly around and elude being dinner for the prized mammoth snake.

That’s thoughtful.

And everybody went to bed, congratulating themselves on their new mascot, one huge mean-looking mother-fucking snake.

Next morning: Duck alive. Huge-ass snake? Dead.

It seems the snake was pecked to death by the duck.

Of course you know where this is headed…

The Duck became the unit’s new mascot. While they had lost the huge, they figured they more than made it up by gaining the meanest mother-fucking Duck in all of Vietnam.

(I actually spent a good amount of time looking for the banner/badge/patch of this company. I couldn’t find it. Not even a picture or story. Know anyone who might? Please forward and have them contact me. My dad only had a Super-8 of the snake. Go figure.)

The Take-aways? Here’s what we can learn from the Meanest Duck episode:

• Don’t assume. Huge Snake. Smaller Duck. Duck kicked snake’s ass (or pecked it) to death. Wait to see one’s actions before you judge an individual’s performance or worth.
• Size doesn’t matter. Will to live, drive to succeed, sheer tenacity can kick Mammoth’s ass.
• Bet the money on the one that refuses to stay down. This could be in the bullet point above, but it’s worth seeing it twice.
• Embrace change, and accept new and different.  It might be better. Sure the snake is a cool icon, but a killer duck? Awesome. Memorable enough for repeated story-telling and a life living decades beyond.

So there it is. Don’t assume. Be the one that refuses to stay down. Size isn’t a factor. Embrace Change.

Remember The Meanest Duck in Vietnam.

You can be a Streaming Media GOD! Wii-Netflix

“Two great taste that go great together”

Wii. Netflix.

Here’s the review.

I love this idea. Debuting this month, Netflix, the online DVD rental, now can stream movies directly through your Wii.

First, I’ve drunk the Netflix cool-aid. Yes, there’s Red Box and yes, there’s Blockbuster. But somehow, nothing does efficient, lazy-ass movie rentals like Netflix. The Hubster has been a member since inception in 1997 (one of the first 1000, and all he got was a lousy -shirt!) The basic gist- you manage your DVD list online, you pay for the amount of DVD’s “checked” out at anyone time, once you finish viewing a DVD you return it via snail mail in the pre-paid envelope it arrived in. No late fees ever.  It’s pretty awesome.

Now we get it streaming? Sweet.

First, the Pluses

Instant Gratification. You pop it in. Select what you want and it loads and plays. Hello? This is awesome calling, and I’ve just made your life easier.

Intuitive Instructions. Wii is intuitive. And the Netflix UI (User Interface for the rest of us… the controls) are just as intuitive. Pop the Wii disk, select the movie from Your Netflix “Instant Queue” and it plays. Viola! You are a Streaming Media God.

Feel the Power. You are hero. To the impatient, the overly-tired. The cranky. The obsessed. The forgetful. You feed their insatiable habit for flickering digital images of delight… well, instantaneously. If only you could George-Jettison fresh pizza out the coffee-maker– wow, you’d truly would be all-powerful.

Now, the Sucky side of Wii-Netflix

Selection Spotty. Well not exactly spotty but you’re not going to get AVATAR when it’s released. You can get a lot but just don’t get snippy when it’s not everything. This is all new, so I’m going to give them some time get things i,n order. I got BOLT, but that’s been out for a while. I checked out other titles- for example Entourage, all the past seasons are available except the first– this I don’t get.

But what you can see is where this is going. All streaming all the time. Price points will be altered to reflect. No more driving to pick up a movie ever. No more returns. On-demand: in the home, on the iPad, on your smartphone, on the computer. In your brain… wait.. maybe that’s not such a great idea…

Picking Instant Movies Online Isn’t Intuitive… at first.  I’ll spare you the five minutes it took me to figure this out. Look for the movies you’re interested in and the ones available for streaming will be a part of the “Add to Queue” button you normally hit. Touch and it will ask you if you want to add it to your “Instant Queue” (that’s the list you choose from on the Wii.) And you want to hit yes. You can also go though regular “Queue”- ones available with the “Play” button are the ones you can add to your Instant Queue. Hit the title and again it will be apparent how to add it to your “Instant Queue.” Honest, it was 5 mins before I figured out that out. You can send me a ham later.

And Just So You Know (Extra Bonus Round)

Wii isn’t the only way to stream movies. You can also stream from XBox-360, PS3, Roku Digital Player, Seagate FreeAgent Theater + HD Media Player, a bunch of Internet Connected Blu-Ray Players and HD Internet Connected Televisons, just to name a few.

So don’t think Wii is only way you can be a streaming media God.

But you knew that already.

Brief follow-up to the best complaint letter ever.

Recently I posted on The Best Complaint Letter Ever. Ever. Ever.- One man’s disappointing flight on Virgin Atlantic hysterically detailed. There was a rumor that Sir Richard Branson, the fabby head of Virgin, called to thank the author for his letter and apologise.

I believe it.

Consider this evidence supplied by Guy Kawasaki, AllTop founder, Social Media and Apple Computer Legend:

Backstage in Moscow. Richard Branson is speaking before me. He asks me if I ever fly Virgin; I admit that I never have.

He asks me to try it. I say to him:  “If Richard Branson asks me, I guess I have to.”

He then gets on his knees and starts polishing my shoes with his jacket in order to convince me.

Can it get any better than this?

You see the personality that makes a mega-successful entrepreneur ( Virgin Records, then Virgin Music, Virgin Mobile, Virgin Air and finally Virgin Galactic… among others.)

Yeah, he’d totally call.

And invite him to Necker Island for a drink.