I had to put down my beloved cat Stinky on Sunday.
I knew Stinkster had been sick for awhile; at least 3 years. He had kidney failure, a hyperthyroid, & an upper respitory infection--a triple whammy for a 15 year old furbaby. He'd had some 'episodes' the past few months and I knew his time was coming, but it doesn't make it anymore easier.
I'll skip the details on how I found him Sunday, but here's how I found him in August 1996. I got him from a vet who had walked up to the office that morning and found a box at his door containing a litter of kittens and a bigger cat who obviously was placed in the box after it was dropped off. I wanted boy kitties, so I took Stinky and the bigger cat. As it turns out, the bigger cat was only a few months older than Stinky (oh! That would be Mr. Meow-gi) and they've been as thick as thieves from beginning to end.
He got his name cause he'd fart if you picked him up and he didn't like you. And believe me, this cat can float an air biscuit.
Stinky & Mr. M have traveled with me for 15 years, through apartments, through boyfriends, a failed marriage... I even came home once and found my apartment screen popped open (by them) and realized they had gotten out. Luckily the next door neighbor found them and kept them for me. Either way, these two fur balls of fire have brought me a lot of entertainment and unconditional love for a long time, and I cherish them.
I brought another furbaby in with Hank. He's 3 now and I found him 3 years ago on the side of Groesbeck just north of 16 Mile Road in a puddle on a rainy day. Yes, all my pets have been rescues, but to me they have the perfect pedigree to receive love and a good home and so much more.
Stinky was an odd looking guy. He looked like he was always dishelved and he'd always been skinny, and he had the most oddly looking, long and thin tail. He was always beautiful to me. He would join me in my office, sitting on my work or wanting to sit on my lap while I was on the computer. Stinkers also had an affinity for bathtubs. He'd even climb and sit on the rim of the tub while I was having my bubble baths ('Stinky! It's baftime!') He was my buddy through and through.
He also liked to sleep on my pillow on my head, and more recently on B's pillow on B's head (probably cause he knew B was allergic to him.) I can also honestly say B is the only boyfriend I've had who's been allergic to cats... and he's the ones my kitties have been the coolest to. Especially Stinky.
I'm dealing, I'm coping. I feel like he's still here and isn't gone. Is that wierd? I also know he's on one side of the Rainbow Bridge, 'kooking out' against a tree or in a valley, begging for table scraps (seriously, what cats beg?), loving some catnip, and probably meeting up with Rookie and Osh Kosh (other family pets chillin' til we get there on our side). I keep second guessing my decision, keep seeing his eyes when they took him... but I know he was in pain. I was being selfish keeping him here. It's up to us as furparents to make the best decisions for them, to be their voice. I hope I've done my best for Stinky the past 15 years. When he's missed his box because of his kidney failure, I've simply said 'It's ok, bud. You keep poopin' and I'll keep cleanin'.' I've given in and made sure he's had plenty of canned food, dry food, rotisserie chicken, cheese, yogurt... whatever he's wanted. And love. Lots and lots of love.
So tonight, give your pet a little extra hug, a little extra treat. Pets are precious, they are our buds... unconditionally.
You'll be missed, Stinky. This is for you. It's your song... and I know you know it, bud. Miss you.
(Aerosmith has a song called 'Pink.' I came up with lyrics on the fly one day just for my furbuddy and renamed it 'Stink'. He somehow always responded to it when I sang it for him, silly kitty.)
Stink-is my little kitty.
Stink-likes to roll in his litty.
Stink-likes to lay on wet towels.
And Stink likes to clear out his bowels.
Stink-his brother is Emmy.
Stink- cause he is so very.
Stink- begs at the refrigarator.
And Stink is the cat flagulatorrrrr... Owwww!
Stink-it was love at first siiiiiight
Stink-when we turn out the liiiiiight
(and that's as far as I got... but it was ok with him.)
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Mayor McCheese Doesn't Rule Mickey D's; I Do. Foursquare Said So.
Hold on -- I gotta check in.
I love Foursquare. It's the closest thing to a videogame addiction I've had since I met the Ms. Pac-Man machine in my youth. Foursquare is part competition, part fun guide, part marketing tool. You 'check in' at locations via your cell phone. How? Your phone's GPS tells the Foursquare app where your location is.
You also have a choice of letting your friends see your location or you can go 'Off the Grid' and uncheck the 'show your friends' box. Now no one knows you're trolling the 8 Mile and Woodward corridor for a lady-of-the-night, and your stalkers have to work that much harder at finding you.
Foursquare users can earn badges by checking into certain places. For example, after five 'check ins' to a Starbucks one can earn a 'Barrista Badge' or by 'checking in' to a certin number of bars in one night one can earn a 'Crunked Badge.' Then there are Mayorships. Simply check into a venue the most times and you've become the Mayor (I currently hold 19 Mayorships including 2 bars, a tanning salon, a Mc Donalds, & a Tim Hortons. And of course where I live.)
Mayorships are a hot competition among some groups of friends. Hell, my cousin has to fight for not only the Mayorship of 'The Rec Bowl's Secret Basement Shitter' but his friends gleefully keep after the crown for 'Kotila's Crapper' at his house. Poor dude.
Then there are the 'Fauxsquares'. Those are douchebags who try to be the Mayor of everything and 'check in' at places they aren't at. This one dude was doing just that and it so happened that 2 of the places he was perpatrating were the 2 bars I represent--and he was checking in when the place wasn't even open. I may be a nerd for busting him out, but how big a douche is he for even doing it in the first place? Please...
Anyhoo, businesses can utilize Foursquare for marketing by encouraging users to 'check in' to their venue. This does a few things. 1-It is showing their friends where they are (free real time marketing). 2-If they have it linked to Twitter or Facebook it shows up in their newsfeed (and usually these social butterflies do because they think everyone wants to know every facet of their highly interesting lives) (oh, more free real time marketing to a now bigger audience). 3-Everyone likes something for nothing, so if you offer a free coffee or soft drink, 1/2 off an entree, a percentage off a service just for checking in it's like a coupon without spending $800 for a Valpak circular. Plus repeat customers are a nice commodity.
If you check out http://www.foursquare.com/ , you can get a buttload of information: what badges you can earn, what big name places are offering specials (Chili's give free chips and salsa for checking in & there's a TON more places offering cool stuff), and more on the hows.
As for the whys, speaking for myself, well I think everyone wants to know every facet of this social butterfly's highly interesting life. And that 'Socialite Badge' is just one check in out of my reach...
I love Foursquare. It's the closest thing to a videogame addiction I've had since I met the Ms. Pac-Man machine in my youth. Foursquare is part competition, part fun guide, part marketing tool. You 'check in' at locations via your cell phone. How? Your phone's GPS tells the Foursquare app where your location is.
You also have a choice of letting your friends see your location or you can go 'Off the Grid' and uncheck the 'show your friends' box. Now no one knows you're trolling the 8 Mile and Woodward corridor for a lady-of-the-night, and your stalkers have to work that much harder at finding you.
Foursquare users can earn badges by checking into certain places. For example, after five 'check ins' to a Starbucks one can earn a 'Barrista Badge' or by 'checking in' to a certin number of bars in one night one can earn a 'Crunked Badge.' Then there are Mayorships. Simply check into a venue the most times and you've become the Mayor (I currently hold 19 Mayorships including 2 bars, a tanning salon, a Mc Donalds, & a Tim Hortons. And of course where I live.)
Mayorships are a hot competition among some groups of friends. Hell, my cousin has to fight for not only the Mayorship of 'The Rec Bowl's Secret Basement Shitter' but his friends gleefully keep after the crown for 'Kotila's Crapper' at his house. Poor dude.
Then there are the 'Fauxsquares'. Those are douchebags who try to be the Mayor of everything and 'check in' at places they aren't at. This one dude was doing just that and it so happened that 2 of the places he was perpatrating were the 2 bars I represent--and he was checking in when the place wasn't even open. I may be a nerd for busting him out, but how big a douche is he for even doing it in the first place? Please...
Anyhoo, businesses can utilize Foursquare for marketing by encouraging users to 'check in' to their venue. This does a few things. 1-It is showing their friends where they are (free real time marketing). 2-If they have it linked to Twitter or Facebook it shows up in their newsfeed (and usually these social butterflies do because they think everyone wants to know every facet of their highly interesting lives) (oh, more free real time marketing to a now bigger audience). 3-Everyone likes something for nothing, so if you offer a free coffee or soft drink, 1/2 off an entree, a percentage off a service just for checking in it's like a coupon without spending $800 for a Valpak circular. Plus repeat customers are a nice commodity.
If you check out http://www.foursquare.com/ , you can get a buttload of information: what badges you can earn, what big name places are offering specials (Chili's give free chips and salsa for checking in & there's a TON more places offering cool stuff), and more on the hows.
As for the whys, speaking for myself, well I think everyone wants to know every facet of this social butterfly's highly interesting life. And that 'Socialite Badge' is just one check in out of my reach...
Thursday, January 20, 2011
B's Rediculous Girlfriend and Time Travel
I woke up this morning a legally single girl, so yes, there was some celebrating last night. As I pried open my eyes and tried to ignore the classroom-sized globe of pain that seemed to have lodged itself behind my eyes and in my gray matter (which is quite uncharacteristic for me), I realized I sort of, well, time traveled to that point. I stumbled to the bathroom, evacuated the swill from the night before from my bladder, gobbled a couple Tylenol (who am I kidding; non-asprin generics), and shuffled back to the bed. My boyfriend opened his eyes and bid me a good morning with that sort of look that meant I was about to receive some verbal souveniers of my little time travel. Uh oh.
"Didja have fun last night, honey?"
I just decided to own up to whatever embarrassing escapade I made myself the center of. Besides, I figured it would throw him off. "You have a rediculous girlfriend."
All of us have those nights that we just let loose, have a few too many, and end up time traveling. For the uninitiated, 'time traveling' is what you do when you remember up to a point of your night before... and then you wake up in the morning. It's ok, and don't fret. Just know that you'll more than likely find out exactly what you did via camera phone pictures or innuendo on Facebook statuses. Or your better half will gleefully fill you in on your mini vacation from the land of the coherent and concious.
Which is what B did, further propaganding that he, in fact, has a rediculous girlfriend.
(Thank you, B, for loving me no matter what. You are an absolute angel with the strongest shoulders of anyone I know.)
"Didja have fun last night, honey?"
I just decided to own up to whatever embarrassing escapade I made myself the center of. Besides, I figured it would throw him off. "You have a rediculous girlfriend."
All of us have those nights that we just let loose, have a few too many, and end up time traveling. For the uninitiated, 'time traveling' is what you do when you remember up to a point of your night before... and then you wake up in the morning. It's ok, and don't fret. Just know that you'll more than likely find out exactly what you did via camera phone pictures or innuendo on Facebook statuses. Or your better half will gleefully fill you in on your mini vacation from the land of the coherent and concious.
Which is what B did, further propaganding that he, in fact, has a rediculous girlfriend.
(Thank you, B, for loving me no matter what. You are an absolute angel with the strongest shoulders of anyone I know.)
Monday, January 17, 2011
Overpromoting Your Event Makes People Want to Punch Babies
Let's not lie; we're addicted to Facebook like a fat kid to cake. Personal-wise folks use it to catch up with friends, find old pals, and play Farmville. But businesses use it, too, to promote their products or services. As a marketing peep, one avenue I'm both a fan and detester of is when it comes to 'Events.'
I love that bars, restaurants and people can create events -- say a wine tasting called 'Hollywood & Wine' or a fundraiser to Save the Bottlenosed Platypus-- and invite their peeps. It's a GREAT central hub for the event to communicate with attendees, answer questions, keep track of who's coming or not, and so forth (keeping in mind that not everyone is on Facebook, those silly clueless dinosaurs. You still need an old-fashioned source of organizing, say a notebook and pen.)
What makes me want to punch babies is this situation: one club/event enlists multiple promoters. If you're 'friends' with each one, you get a seperate invite from each one. Then in the newsfeed for the two weeks prior you see each person's version of 'Dude! THIS party is going to be OFF the HOOK, yo!' or 'If you're not at THIS party you're nowhere, bro!' or --my personal eye claw out -- 'HeY! hitme up for tx if u wana come this parteee is goin to be of the HiZzY banging models popin bottles you whut im sayin so cum on out be sumone.'
Really? THIS person is representing your venue or event? But I digress.
Even though the above situation is abhorrent, there is one more heinous abuse of our beloved Facebook when it comes to the multiple promoter event at a venue. It is the 'Photo Tag'.
It's great and convenient that we get to tag our friends in photos from that day on the lake or New Year's Eve. That's what the 'Tag' function is made for. Individuals that download a flyer for the event as a photo and then proceed to 'tag' everyone in their network in it is absolutely, hands down the most grotesque lack of respect of their friends. There is one situation where it is OK--and that's if who is 'tagged' is involved in the event somehow. That makes sense. So now we have the 'Photo Tags' of the offending flyer clogging the newsfeed along with the way earlier mentioned invites.
There is a respectful solution. Have ONE person create the Event. Make the others 'Organizers' and give them access to be able to invite their peeps. Promoter A will go down his list and invite friends, but when Promoters B, C and Fred come to the same name in their network, THAT name will already be shaded to clue them that that person has already been invited by someone else. Racous joy! And just say no to the 'Photo Tag' unless you're tagging the other organizers or peeps involved.
Or prepared to be blocked.
I love that bars, restaurants and people can create events -- say a wine tasting called 'Hollywood & Wine' or a fundraiser to Save the Bottlenosed Platypus-- and invite their peeps. It's a GREAT central hub for the event to communicate with attendees, answer questions, keep track of who's coming or not, and so forth (keeping in mind that not everyone is on Facebook, those silly clueless dinosaurs. You still need an old-fashioned source of organizing, say a notebook and pen.)
What makes me want to punch babies is this situation: one club/event enlists multiple promoters. If you're 'friends' with each one, you get a seperate invite from each one. Then in the newsfeed for the two weeks prior you see each person's version of 'Dude! THIS party is going to be OFF the HOOK, yo!' or 'If you're not at THIS party you're nowhere, bro!' or --my personal eye claw out -- 'HeY! hitme up for tx if u wana come this parteee is goin to be of the HiZzY banging models popin bottles you whut im sayin so cum on out be sumone.'
Really? THIS person is representing your venue or event? But I digress.
Even though the above situation is abhorrent, there is one more heinous abuse of our beloved Facebook when it comes to the multiple promoter event at a venue. It is the 'Photo Tag'.
It's great and convenient that we get to tag our friends in photos from that day on the lake or New Year's Eve. That's what the 'Tag' function is made for. Individuals that download a flyer for the event as a photo and then proceed to 'tag' everyone in their network in it is absolutely, hands down the most grotesque lack of respect of their friends. There is one situation where it is OK--and that's if who is 'tagged' is involved in the event somehow. That makes sense. So now we have the 'Photo Tags' of the offending flyer clogging the newsfeed along with the way earlier mentioned invites.
There is a respectful solution. Have ONE person create the Event. Make the others 'Organizers' and give them access to be able to invite their peeps. Promoter A will go down his list and invite friends, but when Promoters B, C and Fred come to the same name in their network, THAT name will already be shaded to clue them that that person has already been invited by someone else. Racous joy! And just say no to the 'Photo Tag' unless you're tagging the other organizers or peeps involved.
Or prepared to be blocked.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Marketing is not a cure for sucking
God, I love that phrase.
When I saw the quote (it's from a gentleman named Mark Schmulen) I did my best Macauley Culkin in 'Home Alone' fist move puncutated with an enthusiastic YES! No truer words could be spoken when it comes to marketing. I mean really: no matter how you gift wrap it, crap is still crap.
Marketing, in simplest details, is the art of creating an enticing buzz about something to try to get you to buy it.
As a marketing person, I have to believe in the venue or product I'm marketing, as I have these wierd things called standards and something called business ethics. I won't say or push something that isn't true or I don't believe in. I feel a responsibility to the people who follow me and my opinion, and I really do feel pride when folks say, "Well, if CK says it's a groovy place then it must be a groovy place." It warms the cockels of my heart to know my judgement is trusted.
I mean seriously, how many times have you seen posts/ads/marketing pieces on a venue claiming they're 'the HOTTEST new club,' 'the HOTTEST staff,' 'EVERYONE parties here.' Oh please. The world is huge; you can't possibly know everyone, let alone fit them in one venue.
If a restaurant doesn't produce quality food or a business doesn't provide quality service or product, HOW can one feasibly create a marketing campaign for that food, service or product?
Before starting a marketing campaign, make sure what you're about to market is at the top of its game and have enough inventory. Sure, you may be able to pull folks in with the campaign, but imagine what will happen to your bottom line and invested dollars if they get crappy service/product and then turn to their network of people and spew about how awful it was or the let down they encountered. No es bueno.
Word of mouth is really WORLD of mouth, thanks to the internet.
Sites like Yelp and Urbanspoon allow people to post their opinion in real time on places, services or products and other people can read them. Don't even get me started on what opinions posted in status updates on Facebook can do to make or break your business.
Hey, opinions are like assholes: everyone has one. Just do your best to make sure what you're marketing is quality and not crap to ensure a positive opinion and proper representation. And keep some Preperation H or Desitin on hand just incase.
When I saw the quote (it's from a gentleman named Mark Schmulen) I did my best Macauley Culkin in 'Home Alone' fist move puncutated with an enthusiastic YES! No truer words could be spoken when it comes to marketing. I mean really: no matter how you gift wrap it, crap is still crap.
Marketing, in simplest details, is the art of creating an enticing buzz about something to try to get you to buy it.
As a marketing person, I have to believe in the venue or product I'm marketing, as I have these wierd things called standards and something called business ethics. I won't say or push something that isn't true or I don't believe in. I feel a responsibility to the people who follow me and my opinion, and I really do feel pride when folks say, "Well, if CK says it's a groovy place then it must be a groovy place." It warms the cockels of my heart to know my judgement is trusted.
I mean seriously, how many times have you seen posts/ads/marketing pieces on a venue claiming they're 'the HOTTEST new club,' 'the HOTTEST staff,' 'EVERYONE parties here.' Oh please. The world is huge; you can't possibly know everyone, let alone fit them in one venue.
If a restaurant doesn't produce quality food or a business doesn't provide quality service or product, HOW can one feasibly create a marketing campaign for that food, service or product?
Before starting a marketing campaign, make sure what you're about to market is at the top of its game and have enough inventory. Sure, you may be able to pull folks in with the campaign, but imagine what will happen to your bottom line and invested dollars if they get crappy service/product and then turn to their network of people and spew about how awful it was or the let down they encountered. No es bueno.
Word of mouth is really WORLD of mouth, thanks to the internet.
Sites like Yelp and Urbanspoon allow people to post their opinion in real time on places, services or products and other people can read them. Don't even get me started on what opinions posted in status updates on Facebook can do to make or break your business.
Hey, opinions are like assholes: everyone has one. Just do your best to make sure what you're marketing is quality and not crap to ensure a positive opinion and proper representation. And keep some Preperation H or Desitin on hand just incase.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Ok. All this damn talk about blogs...
I really need to call my mom. I haven't talked to her in a couple of days, but there's this nagging thing called 'getting a blog' that I've been meaning to do and haven't. Guess I went and do'd it what with this entry, so here it is. Blog.
I recently scored a dream position as a reporter for Patch.com in St Clair Shores and in the Utica/Shelby Twp area of SE Michigan, and I get to report on entertainment, bars, restaurants, bands, and other fun stuff surrounding nightlife. How cool is that?! Anyhoo, a Social Media maven buddy of mine said I next needed to get one of these blog things. He was right. He said that people will want to follow me and where I'm reporting on and a blog was perfect for it. He was right again. So thank you, Joe Barnes, for being the dynamite under my puckered starfish to get this moving.
What lit the fuse is that I'm about to re-embark on hosting trivia. Yeah, yeah... I got in on the 'live trivia' bandwagon back in 2004 when I started hostessing a night at a bar I was working at. I turned their dead night into a live one, more than tripleing their night's take. Yay for them... didn't score me any more moolah. But it was fun and ran for quite a few years. I've moved my show around a little, and 'retired' for a hot sec. Now I'll be back Thursdays at Your Mother's (hahahah! You read right. My client is actually named Your Mother's! And once I learn how to link to their FB page, I'll do so.) and I want to add a bit of 'unfair internet advantage' to it by blogging some secret answers or hints or something. I don't have it exactly fingered out yet (hell, look at how long it took me to get here, dear reader), but I'm sure I will very shortly.
So that's my first blog. I promise to entertain or at least make you smile with each read. Cheers!
I recently scored a dream position as a reporter for Patch.com in St Clair Shores and in the Utica/Shelby Twp area of SE Michigan, and I get to report on entertainment, bars, restaurants, bands, and other fun stuff surrounding nightlife. How cool is that?! Anyhoo, a Social Media maven buddy of mine said I next needed to get one of these blog things. He was right. He said that people will want to follow me and where I'm reporting on and a blog was perfect for it. He was right again. So thank you, Joe Barnes, for being the dynamite under my puckered starfish to get this moving.
What lit the fuse is that I'm about to re-embark on hosting trivia. Yeah, yeah... I got in on the 'live trivia' bandwagon back in 2004 when I started hostessing a night at a bar I was working at. I turned their dead night into a live one, more than tripleing their night's take. Yay for them... didn't score me any more moolah. But it was fun and ran for quite a few years. I've moved my show around a little, and 'retired' for a hot sec. Now I'll be back Thursdays at Your Mother's (hahahah! You read right. My client is actually named Your Mother's! And once I learn how to link to their FB page, I'll do so.) and I want to add a bit of 'unfair internet advantage' to it by blogging some secret answers or hints or something. I don't have it exactly fingered out yet (hell, look at how long it took me to get here, dear reader), but I'm sure I will very shortly.
So that's my first blog. I promise to entertain or at least make you smile with each read. Cheers!
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