While Twitter, Whrrl, and Facebook are my go-to-tools in online sharing, their limitations can stunt my stream-of-consciousness on a subject. So I’m taking ideas that come from other discussions and networks, bringing them here, and expanding on them.

Also, I too am annoyed when people post a waxing philosophic dissertation as a Facebook status. No, I’m not going to become “that guy” on the Social Networks.

This blogpost was inspired from a Twitter exchange I enjoyed with one of the sweetest ladies of Social Media, Vivid Muse. Viv was easing into her day, and fired off this tweet across my starboard bow:

VividMuse: Also, Three Stooges are even dumber than I remember. It would be interesting to try and classify all men as Larry, Curly or Moe. Possible?

My reply:

I think there’s a little bit of 3 Stooges in all men. (Heck, @PhilippaJane saw my “Curly” on the JMU football field last month.)

This reminded me of my own personal observation of The Three Stooges and why us men-folk are so curiously drawn to them like moths to a bonfire. What is it about those three guys?

It should be noted while their humor is crude, base, and just plain absurd, the Three Stooges never went for the gross joke ala modern slapstick offerings like Opie & Anthony, the Jackass crew, or Tom Green. The latter I would describe as the “torture pr0n” of comedy. Yes, the Stooges did cause mayhem and chaos wherever they were but it never crossed the extreme end of tolerance. Even the Stooges knew their limits.

This brought me to a possibility that the Three Stooges held a deeper meaning to us men, that perhaps there was — at the core of this slap-riddled humor — a sophistication that has made them sacred.

Yes, sacred. Men can disagree on football versus rugby, Batman versus Superman, and Captain Kirk versus Captain Picard; but ask any man and they will tell you without question that the Three Stooges stopped being The Three Stooges after 1955 (following the death of Shemp Howard).

End of (that) discussion.

So what exactly is the hidden symbolism of The Three Stooges? To understand it, you have to go back to the iconic imagery of King Arthur’s fall.

Yes, I am drawing a parallel between The Three Stooges and Le Morte d’Arthur. Roll with me here…

Depending on which legend you track with, Arthur after his climactic battle with Mordred is seen on a boat with three women (again depending on which legend you track with, presumably are Igrayne, Guinevere, and Morgana) watching over his final journey to Avalon. The symbolism of the three women is usually attributed to the Maid, the Mother, and the Crone, or three stages of a woman’s life: childhood, motherhood, and sage adviser. The “power of three” is rife through classic literature and modern storytelling, from the witches of MacBeth to the Halliwell sisters in Charmed.

So it goes for guys and The Three Stooges. Break down the slapstick comedy trio and you can really see the symbolism. The Three Stooges embody three stages of Man, or at least what men strive to be and why we are constantly at odds with ourselves.

Moe Howard

Moe embodies Control. When the Stooges find themselves in a pickle, who calls the shots? Do we look to Larry for the answers or Curly for the leadership? Hell no, all eyes turn to Moe. He’s the man with the plan. Not always a good plan, but a plan’s a plan. Men, on an average, love to think they have a magic plan that will fix everything. Sometimes, a plan is paramount to brilliance. More often than we like to admit, a plan will end with a pie fight, cops showing up, and its masterminds running into the sunset at double speed. Still, Moe is the Control that men feel must be applied to every situation, be it a crisis or a social situation.

Larry Fine

Larry is the Follower. Yes, men like to take charge. Yes, men like to have the final say. Men also like to hear those above us say “Good work.” or “Well done.” We feel a sense of accomplishment when, as part of a team, victory is earned or problems become solved. As Followers, men still find themselves serving as the Control, but shouldering less of the responsibility. Larry is the first person Moe turns to in order to get things done. And why not? He practices a strong work ethic (Do what Moe tell me to…) coupled with an even stronger motivation (…and he won’t slap me!), making Larry trustworthy and reliable, traits men strive for.

Curly Howard

Then there is Curly. Men want to be him. Women want to tame him. Why? For his physique? (Body by donuts.) For his command of the English language? (Nyuck-nyuck-nyuck.) No, it’s the man’s approach to life: Curly represents Wild Abandon. If we are led to believe the “Girls Gone Wild” video extravaganzas, the role of Wild Abandon is reserved for women only; but wasn’t it John Belushi that called forth the spontaneous “Gator” dance move in Animal House? And wasn’t it Steve Martin that called himself a “wild and crazy guy” to the delight of millions worldwide? And was it not “Weird Al” Yankiovic that fearlessly repurposed pop hits under titles like “Eat It” and “White and Nerdy” to conquer the music charts? These and other “Devil May Care” transgressions can be traced back to Curly. In my recent return to James Madison University, I paid homage to Man’s personification of Wild Abandon by dropping to the ground and spinning on my shoulder. (See my earlier-quoted tweet.) In that moment I won the hearts of the JMU student body, the admiration of my fellow alumni, and the embarrassment of Philippa Ballantine. Curly was always my favorite when growing up, but it was later in life I understood why. Why women always went to Curly first. Why Curly, unleashed, became a juggernaut of Wagnerian proportions. Why Curly, of all the Stooges, is the most cited, most quoted, and most revered of the Stooges. Curly resides where we dare not go. He is that recklessness we feel in our youth and struggle to hold on to in our later years.

Shemp Howard

I would be remiss if I did not include Shemp, the original third man. Shemp managed, while not evident at first, to embody the stage of Man that balances out his predecessor.  Shemp stands for the Consequences of Our Actions. While Curly stands for Wild Abandon, it is Shemp that shows us what happens the day after that leap into the unknown. If there was something needing to be tasted, tested, or tried before the other Stooges proceeded with their master plan, Shemp was usually (yanked) first in line to “see what happens when…” followed by the wheezing, the stammering, and the perfectly-quaffed hair falling as a final curtain into Shemp’s face and blinding the poor man. Shemp — the perpetual lab rat that he was — would step up and serve as a powerful lesson to the responsibilities of what we do, be they voluntary or not. He would also serve as an example of bearing the fallout responsibly, be that fallout voluntary or not.

What you may see on the outside of their vintage comedy shorts and feature films is cream pie battles, early attempts at waterboarding (with fire hoses), and pratfalls testing the mettle of mortals; but underneath the slapstick runs a subtle symbolism of what Men strive for, what we need to be, and why we are what we are. The deeper meaning in the bond shared between Moe, Larry, Curly, and Shemp is ever present in their performances; and once you look past the gags, the slaps, and the eyepokes, you get a sense of why Men are so passionate about their Stooges. They are the building blocks that — together — complete the composition of the male species. This is the reason why, ladies, the same guy who buys you flowers for no reason and surprises you with a day-long trip to a spa is the same guy who refuses to put the toilet seat down and remarks “Damn, she’s hot!” whenever you’re watching True Blood or Burn Notice together. We are complex machines; and to understand how the machine works, you need not look any further than the (pre-1955) works of The Three Stooges.

This is the Power of Three, manning up.

click image to view full size

We’ve been sitting on this cover art for months!

When Pip Ballantine and I first saw it, we were over the moon. Imagine the heartbreak when our editor, Diana Gill, told us “You can’t post this anywhere just yet.” To watch the evolution of this cover, from the earlier drafts to the final product, has been a real trip; and while this is my fifth novel, it feels like my first.

Who is the artist? No clue. We know the artists were in-house and open to our input (something unheard of, particularly with new authors) when it came to cover ideas. We said, “Keep it simple. Have the heroes on the cover. Eliza should be armed to the teeth and up front. Wellington should be hanging in the back, enjoying a spot of tea.”

The rest came from the creative minds of Harper Voyager (formerly Eos Books).

You know that blogpost I keep promising, both here and on my Facebook group? Well, a fire has been lit under my bottom with the arrival of these cover flats. Somewhere during line edits (yes, I go on and say it — between the lines…), I’ll be going into my thoughts and feelings on this steampunk project, and how Eliza and Wellington will be affecting Rafe, Askana, and Billi. It’s not bad news, rest assured. It’s just a very different direction for myself as a writer.

I think the important bit to walk away with from this post is that in May 2011, I step back to where my heart has always been: Fiction.

Thanking Laurie McLean (my agent) and Diana Gill seems so inadequate, but I do appreciate this opportunity that they have given me. Laurie could have easily passed on this idea Pip and I hatched over Skype one night, but she saw the potential and got behind the book. Diana, with everything on her desk, not only saw the potential but really got behind the book in the negotiations; and in our discussions and her notes, she gave us her time and expertise and made the story even better. Thank you, both.

And thank you, Pip. She was pretty much set with Geist and Spectyr. She knows my cold feet when it comes to collaborations. She pressed, and she inspired me. Pip got me writing fiction again, and with our current preliminary work on Of Cogs & Corsets, it feels great. Who knew my Muse had a New Zealand accent? I really am blessed to have you in my life.

So, one step closer, here we are — a book cover for my first mass market paperback, coming to a book store near you in May. If you want to find out more about what we have planned in the ways of blog tours, appearances, and accompanying podcast, pay us a visit at The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.

May your weekend be full of that steampunk funk. Cheers!

Hey, everyone! You may all think I’m suffering some sort of steampunk kick; but as you heard in my previous podcast, it is the focus of my attentions. My current work-in-progress now circulating the market is a steampunk romp entitled Books & Braun: Volume One — Phoenix Rising, co-written with Philippa Ballantine. I have always been fascinated with this sub-genre ever since hearing about it from two of the most creative people I know, J.R. Blackwell and Jared Axelrod.

And it was another creative type, the incredibly-witty, and delightfully-sultry Gail Carriger who — in a ways and means of promoting her paranormal steampunk romance, Soulless — made the offer to write guest blogpost.

Gail is my first. You always remember your first…

So I’m bumming about the internet, as you do, and Tee tweets me…

“Wanna guest blog?” says he.

“Delighted,” says I. “Got a topic?”

“What makes Steampunk so sexy?” says he.

Obviously, first and foremost, one word: corsets. There are a number of fine corsets (on the outside and underneath, worn by men and women) bumming about the steampunk scene. But as scrumptious as they are, there’s also that jodhpurs and newsboy cap look (yummy!) and never discount how truly hot a man (or cross-dressing woman) in proper fitted evening dress, or, for that matter the adorable grease monkey. Those flashes of brass, the occasional interesting adornment or mechanical arm which force one to look closer, to ask questions, these only serve to make the person wearing the outfit more intriguing and approachable, that to is super sexy too. Because what it means is that the person behind the outfit is creative and smart – frankly, it there anything more sexy than that?

So we’ve dealt with the sexy surface features of steampunk, shall we delve underneath? There’s that attitude, no don’t ghetto-neck at me, not that kind of attitude. One of the best bits of the Victorian era that steampunk has gently been reviving is the manners and the politeness. Online in forums, or out and around the maker’s circuit, running into fellows of a steamy inclination at fairs or conventions, I’ve found they are genuinely pleasant to be around. I don’t know about you, but I find ladylike and gentlemanly behavior extremely sexy.

And then, I hope you’ll forgive me for going slightly philosophical here, there’s this overtone of visible technology. We live in an age where technology has become hidden away in little silver boxes. Steampunk has taken the machine and made it a work of art, and it gorgeous. Suddenly, we get to see the gears and guts spread out before us. There’s something lascivious and yes, a little dirty about that.

Also, very very sexy…

Ms. Carriger began writing in order to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning. Ms. Carriger then traveled the historic cities of Europe, subsisting entirely on biscuits secreted in her handbag. She now resides in the Colonies, surrounded by a harem of Armenian lovers, where she insists on tea imported directly from London and cats that pee into toilets. She is fond of teeny tiny hats and tropical fruit. Soulless is her first book.

With a whopping 42 comments to it (and as that is the big answer, I thought the time was right for this post…), I think it’s pretty much common knowledge by now that I got a new job. I didn’t really consider how quickly the wheels got rolling on getting me in there; but on retrospect, this place did not diddle around. I was offered the job on August 4, taught my final class on August 14, and then on August 17 I walked in, filed paperwork, went through the orientation, and was then literally thrown into the thick of it. I didn’t hit the ground running. I bitch-slapped the ground, made it call me a pretty girl, and had it beg for more when I was through with it.

And the really frightening bit? After a week, I’m still not sure how my voice mail works.

But what exactly is the job? I didn’t really go into detail on that in “Perseverance and Peter Gabriel” as that post was less about the job itself and more about the job hunt. Amidst the comments of congratulations and inspiration, a few of you have wondered “So what is this job you got?” I wanted to wait until I finished the first week before I shared details, and I’m glad I did. Last week was overwhelming, amazing, and eye-opening, on a lot of levels.

I was also beat at the end of every day. Slept a lot. Now, with some of the blur that was last week processed, here it is…

Intersections is a security firm, based out of Chantilly, VA. Since 1996, Intersections has dealt with credit history and digital identity protection. They are in the business of making electronic transactions, be they financial or personal, safer; and I have been hired as their Social Media Manager. (I’d like to point out that this job falls under Corporate Communications, not Marketing. That thrills me like you wouldn’t believe.) They were looking for someone who could not only apply Social Media, but understand the different initiatives out there and what they offer.

They were also looking for someone who could write. Yeah, I think I got that covered, too.

What I’m particularly excited about with this job is the angle Intersections takes with Social Media. Obviously, I’m being called upon to manage blogs, create podcasts, edit video (which I’m doing right now), and manage an outreach program with Twitter and (soon) Facebook; but I am also being asked to investigate and research security in Social Media, something I’ve touched on in Bird House Rules but only scratched its surface. On Friday, I was forwarded some news about Social Media from a security perspective and I was floored. The ironic bit is, that morning I was catching up with The SpyCast and listening to a fantastic interview with Dr. Terry Gudaitis who specializes in cyberintelligence gathering. (That’s the June 15, 2009 show if you’re interested.)

I feel as if I am starting all over again in Social Media, this time from a new perspective I hope Blogworld will let me speak on this year. I am officially on their schedule. I’ve confirmed “But Honey, It’s For the Studio” but am working to change topics concerning my second talk. So, if you’re at Blogworld this year, stop me and say “Hi.” It should be good fun in Vegas this October!

A cublicle in transition

So in the end, I am using my knowledge and background on Social Media for good, not for evil. While I will help in the promotion of what Intersections does, I will also be their on-call specialist in Social Media while I find out more about security matters with Twitter, Facebook, WordPress, and the like. My brain has been firing on all cylinders since Day One, and I’m soaking it up like a thirsty sponge. The first week just blinked by, and I’ve not slowed down yet.

If you were wondering, though, how the day job will affect my writing, it will only make me more productive. Now that I know my hours, I can regiment and manage my time efficiently. I’m still writing for AppAdvice; and this weekend Pip and I completed the first draft of Books & Braun: Phoenix Rising, our Steampunk CSI peppered with hints of James Bond. I’m also planning to dust off Whiskey Tango Foxtrot and start working on that. I’ll give up details with an upcoming Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy…and yes, that will be its final episode.

It’s a long story and a hard decision concerning The Guide, and I’ll save the rest for that show.

My job at Intersections is now underway, and my writing is moving forward. From here, all that I have to face now are the possibilities.

In this picture are two people that I hold very dear in my life. One of them is my daughter. I will let you try and figure which one of them is her…

The other “bloke” is Martyn Casserly, a journalist, an accomplished musician, and now he is an award-nominated podcaster with his one-minute Movie Mantras podcast. (Martyn is also a dad and a good mate to boot…although his opinions concerning the new Craig-Bond films and recent Doctor Who are completely wrong, but I digress…) With the many endeavors he had going, Martyn approached me this Spring to talk about an article he was penning on podcast authors. He was optimistic that Wired Magazine (UK) would pick up the column. So I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

This morning, I checked my Twitter stream and found this waiting for me:

My article about Podcast Authors is up on Wired ! @scottsigler, @sethharwood, @jchutchins, @teemonster all appear. http://bit.ly/Pv53w

Now live on the site, Wired Magagine (UK) picked up  “Novels by Podcast” where Martyn discusses how we authors are giving away our hard work in audio format for free. He also goes into the genesis of the podcast novel and why we do what we do.

“Giving away your stories isn’t a risk… it’s a competitive advantage,” explains Scott Sigler. “If a reader who’s never heard of me has $25 to spend and they’re looking at my book next to a Stephen King book, who are they going to choose? They take King. He’s a proven storyteller. But if King is $25 and my story is free they may try me out first. Why not? It’s no risk to them. If they like me, they buy me. If they don’t they buy King. Whatever happens the customer gets what the customer wants.”

It is a tight article covering successes and milestones; and while many who follow us on Twitter, on blogs, and through podcasts, may consider what we do “old hat” after four years, podcasting — and more importantly, podcasting fiction — is still a brand-spanking new concept to the mainstream market. Articles like Martyn’s and venues like Wired are getting the word out about what we are doing. That’s what is important here: getting people to listen.

Show Martyn appreciation by blogging about this article (and yep, I got it covered from the business perspective over at Imagine That!), syndicating his link in your feeds, dropping him comments on the article’s page, and talking it up on your podcasts. Let Wired know we’re paying attention and appreciate their support, and let Martyn know both on Twitter and on Wired that his words ring true.

Thanks, Martyn. Well done!

Today, I got a job.

Today, I got a full time job in Social Media.

While this sounds like something simple, the point I want to make, if I teach the world anything, is not to give up. Don’t give up.

Remember that song? There’s a darkness in that song, sure. I mean, hey, it’s Peter Gabriel. But there’s that optimism (voiced by Kate Bush), that assurance, you can make it through the storm.

I frakkin’ love that song.

People on Twitter and at KrakenQuest’s Great Reveal all knew I was having a tough time at this job hunt, but let me give you the run down that only a few have heard…

October 2007

First, there was actually dusting off the resume. I realized straight away there was a problem: I hadn’t done this in nearly ten years. I had no real experience, apart from my skills in the classroom. It amazed me how many people thought that would make me a valuable asset because I had the mad skills. InDesign, Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, Soundtrack Pro, and so on and so on. This was going to be a piece of cake.

I knew better. Even with two books in podcasting under my belt, I knew I had a lot of knowledge, but not the experience that people would want. Still, I gave the resume an overhaul with the help and encouragement of Paul Fischer & Martha Halloway, and began the job hunt.

In this proud land we grew up strong
We were wanted all along
I was taught to fight, taught to win
I never thought I could fail

February 2008

I was thrilled to connect with a headhunter that found me a client wanting someone knowledgable in Social Media. I went in for the first interview and made such a good first impression that one of the interviewers chased me to the elevator to say “Goodbye.” The headhunter prepped me, said I was close. One more interview. It was supposed to be with the president of the association. Well, okay then. The president and an associate? No problem. We set the time for a late afternoon, after a class; and I cut my class off early so I could make the 4:30 p.m. interview. I walk into the office and meet the president and two associates. Two? Well, okay then. Two. I proceed with the interview, the two associates just watching me and the president wanting me to regale her with tales of my theatre days. (Another blog post about that to come….) After being there for over an hour, the president of the association cuts me off and says “This isn’t going well.”

You could have heard a pin drop.

Before I could ask what was wrong, she said to me, “When I hold an interview, I should be asking questions. Not listening to a speech about numbers. You can leave.” Well, huh — guess I’m done. So I start to pack up to leave, and as it was the Podcasting II class I’d taught, I had a bit of gear in tow. I’m trying to get out there fast, and then I hear this over my shoulder…

“Maybe next time,” she said to me. Twice. The second time, she was smiling at me.

I had to get out of there. Fast. Otherwise, I was going to pop. Yeah, the “F.U.” was on the tip of my tongue. I’d been there for an hour, and she tells me after that long it isn’t going well? That evening, I got an apology phone call from the associates that I’d first interviewed with. I found out from the headhunter that the president felt I talked too much.

No fight left or so it seems
I am a man whose dreams have all deserted
I’ve changed my face, I’ve changed my name
But no one wants you when you lose

March, 2008

On a longshot I applied for a six-figure job that happened to be looking for a podcaster. Imagine my surprise when I got the call. The bad news was the job was moving to Atlanta. Nope, I wasn’t going to make that jump. Then the interviewer, the woman who owned this small but awefully profitable company, was fascinated with my podcasting experience. She said “We were going to be hiring an editor from CBS News Radio to edit our podcasts. Would this be something you are up for?” I accepted the challenge and she said “Fine, send us a demo reel and we will be in touch.” So I burned a CD of my podcasting best, sent it off, and waited. A week later, I received an email from her saying “We went with someone else for the podcasting job, but he knows nothing about podcasting. We’d like for you to come in and train him. He’ll be in touch shortly.” That same day, the associate called. I said “So you have no experience in podcasting?” He replied, “None.” I came back with “Okay, here are my rates for training and I’ll need about three days.”

Silence.

“Ummm….I’ll get back with you,” was his reply. About an hour later, the woman who interviewed me called me back, and she was pissed. She wasn’t expecting me to have rates for training, and to ask for three days was outrageous. I asked “What were you expecting?” She replied, “We figured you’d come in here. Half-an-hour, two hours tops. Show us what you know, and that would be it.” When I tried to explain there was a bit more to podcasting than that, she huffed and said “Well, I was talking with my IT guys, and they told me we don’t need you coming in here. We could just download for free what we needed and do it ourselves.” I replied with “You could. In fact, I have a podcast that teaches you how. Your podcast will sound like it’s coming out of the basement of the Science building, but you can do that. You want your podcasts to sound like mine? It’s going to cost you.”

Silence.

“We’ll be in touch,” were her last words to me.

I’m still waiting to hear back from them…

Don’t give up
‘Cus you have friends
Don’t give up
You’re not beaten yet
Don’t give up
I know you can make it good

October 2008

I was fresh off a plane from a convention in St. Louis, and I was off to an interview with an environmental group, anxious to find someone who really understood Social Media. This time, I went for a different tactic and decided to drop them a copy of Podcasting for Dummies. This was, after all, my crowning accomplishment: a #1 book on the subject of podcasting. Come out of the corner swinging, right? The interview went great, and they even asked me to autograph the book. One of the women who interviewed me wound up following me on Twitter, and I started to feel positive about this experience. (Something else I loved about this place — the office. WOW! The group had apparently hired an interior designer to really pull out the stops creatively. It was also a Mac office. Bonus!) I did feel good about it…and then I was told via email that the position was being filled by someone else. Why?  I knew nothing about the environment.

Previous experience about environmental issues. Something that wasn’t in the job listing.

Though I saw it all around
Never thought I could be affected
Thought that wed be the last to go
It is so strange the way things turn

November 2008

I decide to start tracking my resumes. The applications were starting to become more and more frequent, and there was also the matter of applying to jobs repeatedly. This was a reoccurring problem as many of the jobs out there were all done through website interfaces that didn’t even send out confirmations. It was really frustrating because I wasn’t hearing anything in reply. Not. A. Thing. It also didn’t help that the economy was bottoming out. After months of being told by the President “The economy was strong…” the financial crap slapped hard into the fan’s spinning blades. I managed, though, to get two interviews in one week. One was with Ford’s Theatre, and I got a send off from my friends Thomas Gideon and Kevin Crosby. While talking about the job hunt, Thomas shook his head, saying “It’s ludicrous that you are struggling to find a job in Social Media.” I was humbled, and deeply touched, by his seniment. It was something I took with me to the interview where, once again, the interviewer was asking me — on hearing I was an actor — to perform for her.

It was no longer so flattering.

I wound up losing the job to someone else who was experienced in Social Media…and Drupal…and MySQL….and PHP….and had written his Master’s Thesis on Lincoln…and had read every book written about Lincoln.

But that sting was short lived as I was approached by another group — an Advertising/PR firm — looking for someone experienced in InDesign (check), Photoshop (check), Keynote (check), podcasting (check), blogging (check), and Final Cut (check). I was really optimistic about this one. So much, in fact, that I went on and gave a copy of Podcasting for Dummies to them, as I did with the environmental group. I followed up with them after several weeks and they told me “You have the skills, but no experience. We need both.”

This particular job posted three more times. On the third posting, I called and left voice mail. Nothing in reply.

Drove the night toward my home
The place that I was born, on the lakeside
As daylight broke, I saw the earth
The trees had burned down to the ground

December 2008

I then found a job that was an early Christmas present: a coalition of anti-drug initiatives, was in search of a Web Content Manager that also had a background in Social Media. What got me really revved up for this interview is that this coalition knew me. They had hired me to talk at their Regional and National conventions. On what, you ask? Social Media. This was a slam dunk. There was even a coalition rep there who told my interviewers about me, and raved about my knowledge and background. I spruced up the resume, created Social Media demo reels, and then…

The interview was scheduled for 9:00 a.m. I left my house in Manassas at 6:15 a.m. thinking two and a half hours would be plenty of time to get through the D.C. traffic to Alexandria.

What I didn’t count on was the rain.

I reached the interview at 9:45 a.m.

The good news? The interview went well over two hours.

I thought I had this one. The follow-up’s were replied to, and I was even given updates on when my resume was up for review and the progress of the decision process.

Then, nothing. Emails stopped. No updates. Never knew why. Never found out why. That was weird. Just plain weird.

Don’t give up
You still have us
Don’t give up
We don’t need much of anything
Don’t give up
‘Cause somewhere there’s a place
Where we belong

Rest your head
You worry too much
It’s going to be alright
When times get rough
You can fall back on us
Don’t give up
Please don’t give up

February 2009

The search has continued up to this point and in my tracking spreadsheet I’m on my 55th resume (but considering how long I have been hunting, it was probably closer to my 100th…#125, maybe?). I get a phone call from this place that is looking for a Director of Digital Strategy. As exciting as the job sounds, I am preoccupied on several fronts:

• I am writing All a Twitter
• I am watching Darth Bon Bon, working as a relief nanny for Paul & Martha
• I have a talk coming that week: ANTI-Social Media

When they don’t call me back, I focus on my seminar, a seminar that goes over like gang-busters. It’s a packed house, and I capture fantastic video, prime footage for promoting my abilities as a speaker. During the congratulations and accolades, I’m approached by a representative of the group that was supposed to call me about the Digital Director position. “We thought, since we read on your blog you were doing this, we’d come and see you.”

They’re reading my blogs? Woah.

So I call her the next day, leave a voice mail, and within an hour I’m back on the phone. She cannot stop raving about the talk. “I want you to come in here and see if you’re a good fit for the group,” she tells me. “I’ll have HR call you on Tuesday and we can set a time when you can come in.”

Friday becomes Tuesday, and I get the call from HR. “We decided to go with someone else,” they tell me straight away. I asked why. “They had more experience,” was the answer. I was resigned with that until they continued with “That being said, we were really impressed with your background. Would you care to come in and train our people in Social Media?”

That was when I snapped. It amazed me how even my voice was when I asked “So let me understand you — I don’t have enough experience to work for you, but you want me to come in and train your people who know nothing about Social Media. Do I understand you correctly?”

Silence, and then “So, are you interested?”

“You have my number,” I said flatly.

They haven’t used it.

Got to walk out of here
I can’t take anymore
Going to stand on that bridge
Keep my eyes down below
Whatever may come
And whatever may go
That river’s flowing
That river’s flowing

March 2009

This particular shock to my system came when I hear from someone on Twitter, a job recruiter, say that she is in desperate need of a Social Media expert. Much as I hate the word “expert” I immediately follow the Twitter and start DMing her my details. Within minutes I get an email with the description you see. (You might recognize it from a previous Stranger on a Train entry.) This job post read as a checklist for who I was and what my skillset was geared towards. This position called for someone that was:

• a blogger
• a podcaster
• a video editor
• a public speaker
• a trainer
• a writer
• a curriculum designer

I immediately got home from the job and sent in my resume.

Once again, I didn’t have enough experience.

This time, I took a step back. A change was needed.

Moved on to another town
Tried hard to settle down
For every job, so many men
So many men no-one needs

May 2009

The resume was given a hard reboot in the previous month. New job titles. New accomplishments. Items once downplayed were brought to the front. It was a far more aggressive showcasing of what I had accomplished as a podcaster and as a writer, and almost immediately I noticed a reaction from job hunters. One looked promising, but as it was a contractor (and his first impression on me was less than…hospitable) I knew it was just more of what I was getting as a contractor with EEI. It came as no shock to me when he did not win the contract for the job.

Along with the reboot of my resume came a reboot and redesign of my LinkedIn account as well, thank to Craig Fisher and Annette Holland. LinkedIn I was never wholly convinced was helping me in my job hunt, but I knew having a presence and connections there could not hurt. In fact, job hunting did help me appreciate what LinkedIn was all about.

However, I really appreciated the online resume site when a PR group reached out to me, wanting to have a meeting.

The position was for Vice President of Social Media Strategy and Training. Six figures. And they found me.

We met at a very fashionable restaurant in downtown Washington D.C. and the four of us had a terrific lunch. Not only did they ask me questions, but I asked them the tough questions as well. Questions like “Will you want me to come up with a Social Media initiative for you?” and “What are your expectations levels for me?” Perhaps I was feeling confident on account of the trip to New Zealand I would be setting off for in a few weeks, but I knew I was hitting the sweet spot with them as one interviewer immediately connected with me on LinkedIn and the president discussed with me the possibility of doing a webinar while I was overseas. What I knew about this particular job was this:

• They needed someone who knew Social Media
• They needed someone who had experience running workshops and seminars
• The VP currently holding the position was not on Facebook, Twitter, or any other Social Media initiative
• The VP was also running his own business on the side…an arrangement that wasn’t working out as originally planned by the PR firm

This job was mine. Seriously. The reassurances I received in the week were that I would hear from them soon.

I emailed them from NZ, asking if they still wanted a seminar. No answer. I emailed them after I got stateside. No answer. When I called the week after I got home, I was told “She’s got your email’s and will be in touch soon.”

Still waiting…

Don’t give up
‘Cause you have friends
Don’t give up
You’re not the only one
Don’t give up
No reason to be ashamed
Don’t give up
You still have us

August 2009

Yes, this blogpost is silly in size, but all this — all this — led to today, to my meeting with the woman who is to by my new boss at Intersections, Inc. in Sterling, Virginia. This was Resume #94, possibly closer to #200. And while there were those moments, I never stopped.

Social Media and job hunting have a lot in common with one another. It’s not about the shortcuts, but about the focus and the determination. There are going to be a lot of days when you don’t feel it, but you have friends that will be there for you. And with all the different things you succeed and fail in, there are lessons learned and faith restored.

There were moments I didn’t really have the heart to send in yet one more resume. I know I sent out well over 200 resumes over the past 22 months. Encouragement along the lines of “It’s such a crappy economy…” and “You just don’t have the experience…” might have kicked the wind out of me, but I never stopped. Some might call it stubborn. I call it relentless.

Today, I got a job.

Today, I got a full time job in Social Media.

No, it wasn’t easy, but it happened. It finally happened.

Persevere. If you take anything from my post here, please, let it be that. Persevere.

Don’t give up now
We’re proud of who you are
Don’t give up
You know it’s never been easy
Don’t give up
‘Cause I believe there’s  a place
There’s a place where we belong

Opening image courtesy of Kreg Steppe. “Don’t Give Up” written by Peter Gabriel

Photo by Kreg Steppe

Hey, everyone! I’m closing in on a pretty busy chunk of time, and it all starts next week. As you can see in the photo, I attempted to jump to New Zealand, get a head start on the travel. The only problem is this picture is taken at CREATE South 2009 in Myrtle Beach, so that puts me by the Atlantic.

Oh yeah, and while I got some serious hang time in the photo…my distance was FAIL!

Before I get into the schedule, I got good news on All a Twitter: the manuscript is now at the publisher and currently being prepped for printing. You can pre-order the book but keep an eye on Imagine That! Studios for latest developments on my latest book concerning Social Media, and get ready — I got something else coming this summer.

Oh yeah, and I’m nearly done writing my smut for Chef Pip. I really am a naughty boy.

Now, here’s my upcoming schedule. This is where I will be:

May 22-25
Balticon 43 in Hunt Valley, MD

May 29-June 1
Conscription in Auckland, New Zealand

June 2
ANTI-Social Media, presented for LIANZA, 12pm-2pm
Room 420 Kate Edgar Information Commons Building #315
2 Alfred Street, University of Auckland
Auckland, New Zealand

All a Twitter, presented for LIANZA, 3pm-5pm
Room 420 Kate Edgar Information Commons Building #315
2 Alfred Street, University of Auckland
Auckland, New Zealand

June 3
Social Media Mainline Workshop for LIANZA, 9am-5pm
Computer Lab Room 433, Kate Edgar Information Commons Building #315
2 Alfred Street, University of Auckland
Auckland, New Zealand

June 6 (JUST ADDED!!!)
Podiobooks: The Best Audiobooks FOR FREE Online for Tararua District Library, 1pm-2pm
Dannevirke, New Zealand

June 15
ANTI-Social Media, presented for LIANZA, 12pm-2pm
Seminar Room, Reserve Bank of NZ
2 The Terrace
Report at ground floor reception no later than 11.45am
Wellington, New Zealand

All a Twitter, presented for LIANZA, 5pm-7pm
Conference Room, Department of Conservation
18-32 Manners Street
Report at ground floor reception no later than 4.45pm
Wellington, New Zealand

June 16
Social Media Mainline Workshop for LIANZA, 9am-5pm
SOLD OUT (Waiting List available)
Computer lab 510, Level 5, WelTec Wellington Campus
11-17 Church Street (off Boulcott Street)
Wellington, New Zealand

June 17

Speak Geek to Me, for Te Papa Tongarewa: The Museum of New Zealand, 10am-12pm
Location: TBA
Wellington, NZ

If you are in New Zealand and looking for a primer on Social Media, you can still sign-up for the Auckland workshop. I could not be more excited about this upcoming trip the Land of the Great White Cloud…

18.5 hours on a plane…AFTER I fly from DC to San Fran. Whoofah!

Next time we talk, I’ll be in the Southern Hemisphere. See you on the other side of the world!

Imagine That! Studios presents…

A FIVE-PART
EPIC MINISERIES
VIDEO PODCASTING
EVENT!

*explosions — screams — kittens and puppies*

Yes, Tee Morris premieres his seminar, ANTI-Social Media: What NOT to Do with Web 2.0, today! Running exclusively at Imagine That! Studios, Tee brings his opinions and commentary on Social Media askew in this…

FIVE-PART
EPIC MINISERIES
VIDEO PODCASTING
EVENT!

*explosions — screams — kittens and puppies*

…and critics are raving!

@PodcastJunky says:

“It’s coming from the house of awesome so it is nothing less than fabulous.”

@akaMonty raves:

“Tee Morris once again proves that he’s more than just a beefcake”

Social Media trendsetter Chris Brogan…

…didn’t return my calls and I don’t know what the restraining order is all about.

@zard proclaims:

“Tee Morris is holding me at ransom unless I write this blurb. Send help!”

Podcasting’s Rich Sigfrit pushes you down, presses his foot against your trachea, and states:

“If you can’t be a good example, be a bad example: Tee Morris brings you Anti-Social Media.”

So you — yes, YOU — must stop whatever you’re doing, focus on the screen, and bask in the awesomeness that is this…

FIVE-PART
EPIC MINISERIES
VIDEO PODCASTING
EVENT!

*explosions — screams — kittens and puppies*

(And if you really dig what you’re seeing, the rest will be made available in installments at Imagine That! Studios. Thanks for playing along, everyone, and thank you, Jason, for the “Epic Miniseries” idea. Nice way to kick off a week!)

photo by Kreg Steppe

Are you in the Washington D.C. area, within driving distance of the Nation’s capital, or happen to be in my stomping grounds next week? If you are, you have two chances to catch me speaking on Social Media. The Washington Network Group and The Washington DC Write to Publish Group have invited me to come in and speak, and I am thrilled to present:

ANTI-Social Media: What Not to Do in Web 2.0

Thursday, February 26
4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

hosted by
The Washington Network Group
Merrill Lynch Conference Center, 6th Floor
1152 Fifteenth Street, NW

Ξ

Social Media for Writers: Making Web 2.0 Your Marketing Machine

Saturday, February 28
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

hosted by
The Washington DC Write to Publish Group
Arlington Central Library
1015 N. Quincy St., 2nd Floor Meeting Room
Arlington, VA

If you are in the area, I hope you can make it for the discussions. Feel free to pass along the appearance links on your own feeds, and I hope to talk to you then!

Coach Ian Scott connected with me through my work on Podcasting for Dummies, both the podcast and the book. (No, the PFD Podcast hasn’t faded. It’s just been difficult to get to on the priority list.) I have been working with him on fine tuning both his podcasts, and as a way to say “Thank you” Ian invited me on his interview show “Conversations with Coach Ian Scott” which is a talk show featuring creative professionals from around the world. From his website, Ian says about our interview:

We talk about Tee as a podcaster and author. Podcasting: How and Why organizations, corporations, and individuals should be utilizing the power of podcasting. Social Networking, the CES 2009 Expo of January 8 – 11. Projects Tee Morris is currently working on, and a new book on Twitter to be launched around the Summer of 2009. Oh, and we had some fun along the way!

We most certainly did that! In this interview, I give one of the reasons I have not been on Twitter recently. (It’s a good reason, trust me.) I also have a few announcements to make after I return from Farpoint. Enjoy the interview and please leave Ian a comment on his blog concerning the interview. He’d love to hear from you!