TEDx at Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, NC

I have my reserved space! I registered today online for the February 25th TEDx right here in Winston Salem! TEDx,

What's TEDx? Well, directly from the TEDx website, "TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 26 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives." TEDx is a locally sponsored version of the event.

If you want to join me (and all the really erudite and cool people of the Triad, NC), you can register here: TEDx Wake Forest University. You can catch more on Twitter @TEDxWakeForestU

Word Wednesday - Vilipend

vilipend   \ vil-UH-pend \  , verb;
1.To regard or treat as of little value or account.
2.To vilify; depreciate.

Vilipend - He was the worse of chauvinistic villains, taking ever opportunity to vilipend women!

Sunday Coffee Cup – The Good Stuff

I remember clearly as a child, that I had two kinds of shoes: my everyday shoes and my Sunday shoes. The Sunday shoes were the ones I wore to church each week and to any special ‘dress up’ occasions. I suspect we all have special shoes or other items that see use only at certain times – dishes, for instance. On a normal day we go to the cabinet and grab any old plate, bowl or cup. On special days, we get out the good stuff – silver flatware, china plates and even cloth napkins.

I was no more than 11 and spending the day down the road playing at a friend’s home. It was getting late and near suppertime. My friend’s mother asked if I wanted to stay for dinner, and I declined. When she asked why I told her, “I’d better go home for dinner. Mom’s planning something special – she’s using cloth napkins and everything!” My mother loves to tell this story, because she was in fact, not planning anything special. She has always enjoyed the simple pleasures of life and believes that from time to time we should bring out the good stuff – just because - and enjoy it ourselves. That brings us to today’s Sunday Coffee Cup.

Allow me to introduce you to our wedding china. Today I’m having coffee with “the good stuff” and by that I mean more than the good china. I’m sipping wedding memories and sacred thoughts about love, marriage and the most wonderful woman I know – my wife. That makes for a fine cup of coffee.

What Our Tweets REALLY Mean

After a few years of using Twitter, I think I’ve discovered a secret code. What Our Tweets REALLY Say!

The Tweet We Send	What We REALLY Mean
@lesseraccount Thanks for the RT!	“Your suck-up has been duly noted. Get back in line”
@godlyaccount Thanks for the RT!	“OMG! You noticed me… please, please do it again. Please!”
@newaccount Thanks for the follow	“Yes. I know you worship me. Get back in line”
@Celebrity Thanks for the follow	“LOOK AT ME!!! I’m somebody now!”
RT @you @somebody2 @somebody3 @afriend #FF people	“I do this for you, but I better get some followers and you owe me”
#FF @godlyaccount because they are the bomb, funny and can walk on water	“Yes. I’m sucking up. Getting back in line now.”
#FF @lesseraccount because they are new to twitter, cute and funny	“Ok. Charity done. I pray that they will remember this tweet if they become @godlyaccount”
“A clever, touching, cute quote” – Famous Person	“I can’t really be bothered to think for myself at this moment, but see how smart I am to find good quotes? Follow me now!”
RT @someone “A clever, touching cute quote” – Famous Person	"I can’t even be bothered to source by own quotes, much less create something original. I’m in line."
Current Blog title with LINK	"I've written something and I’m begging you to read it…heck you don’t have to read it just RT it or click on the link. Come on little statistics grow!"
RT of a RT of your Tweet	"Look! Somebody thought I was clever. I’m so clever! What a clever one am I!"
@someone LOOK! This is amazing w/ LINK to something you’re selling	"I’m a SPAMMER"

Should You Be Writing Right Now?

Sunday Coffee Cup - BEM Interactive

If you have ever purchased promotional products, you know the horror of printing it wrong. Some time in the past, my employer had some new coffee cups printed. It was an exciting time because the company had just re-branded. After years of being known as Beyond Email, the brand had come to need a makeover and became BĒM (note the symbol over the E) - pronounced BEAM.

So the coffee cups were printed, sporting the new name and the bright green and charcoal colors and delivered - only to discover that the little ¯ over the E was missing. The error was corrected by the printing company and new mugs sent over. Then the misfit mugs were assigned residence in the office cupboard to be used internally by the staff. Enter today's coffee mug.

I was new to the company and wanted to take a mug home to give to my wife. Hey - I'm proud of where I work. It made sense to me to take one of the misfit mugs and save the 'good' ones for our clients. However, the owner of the company intervened and insisted I not only take my wife one of the good mugs, but that I take her one packaged in a clear box with green confetti and M&Ms.

It was a small gesture, but it meant a lot. In a small way she was saying - you and your family are worth more, valued, and I want you to know it.

Today and every time I find this cup at my morning table, I am reminded of that small - but significant - act of affirmation. Sometimes, we are at our best in the small things.

Myrtle Beach Ahhhhh!

I was here Thursday and it was 75 degrees and clear!

Word Wednesday - Birr

birr \bur\, noun:
1. Force; energy; vigor.
2. Emphasis in statement, speech, etc.
3. A whirring sound.

Birr - "What's that birr?" she asked with a birr.

Sunday Coffee Cup - Mobile Joe

As much as I enjoy a good cup of coffee, slowly savored and methodically consumed in the quiet space of my familiar home, I  also like having a cup of Joe to go! This morning's Sunday Coffee Cup fits the bill well. My son gave this one to me this past Christmas and he selected it based on all the 'must have' features for a mobile mug.

Here's my list of what you need to take your coffee mobile:

1. Stainless steel inside and out. I don't want BPA leeching into my coffee from a cheap plastic liner.
2. Vacuum insulated, double walled seal. Keeping that hot coffee hot is important when your out in the cold.
3. No drip, no spill lid. The lid needs to seal tight and secure enough to handle the occasional tilt, wobble and drop. Also, that lid needs to do the job getting the sacred essence into my mouth with out dripping on my chin or rolling down the side of the mug after a quick slurp.
4. It has to be of a size to easily fit in the car cup holder and not be so small it rattles or jostles on every turn and bump.
5. Finally, my mobile cup has to be easy to grab and drink without looking. Meaning the shape of the mug and conture of the lid need to tell me which way to tip and sip - by feel alone.

That's it, and yes, I know I've given way too much thought to the mobile cup requirements, but this is just one of the byproducts of traveling too many miles on caffeine and dreams...which is another story. Later! Time to roll.

Word Wednesday - Bleb

bleb  \ bleb \  , noun;
1. A bubble.
2. Medicine/Medical.  A blister or vesicle.

Bleb : Was it Don Ho that sang about those tiny blebs?