Memories of "Nun Day"Posted by Bruce Pilgrim Talking to My Cats: 01-22-08 Nearly two decades ago, I gained considerable experience (read: endured a living hell) working at a software company that I'll henceforth call BlusterCom, or BC. This little business was one of many that cashed in on IBM's decision in 1969 to "unbundle" its software from its hardware, thereby helping launch the software industry. (Unbundle is industry jargon for making your customers pay extra for stuff they are used to getting for free.) Having gotten ridiculously wealthy as a result of Big Blue's move, BC's CEO quickly convinced himself that he must be, therefore, both a genius and visionary. One example of his many prescient pronouncements came in the late 1980's when he predicted that "PCs are just a fad." Guest Op-Ed: I Don't Like Peas!Posted by Amanda Chapel
Okay, the following is a little bit of a rant. I'm calm now but still taste a hint of righteous bile. Listen, I don't care how popular "Peas" are presently. They're just wrong. It's a topic literally close to my heart. For the record, I'm a survivor. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in August '04 and had a mastectomy that October. You'd be hard pressed to find someone more empathetic or more enthusiastic about Komen's Race for the Cure. I've walked. I've run. I've donated generously. I've helped raise money variously. And I've spent countless hours working with other women newly facing the words "you have cancer." That said, I find all this Frozen Pea Fund, PEAvatars and the surrounding social-media fervor downright offensive. For those of you not "live" on the grid, Susan Reynolds, an artist and self-styled social media maven, was diagnosed with breast cancer this last December. Two weeks later she too had a mastectomy followed by reconstructive surgery. The story really begins with the blog Susan started post surgery and the flash Web fire Twit extraordinaire Connie Reece then helped ignite. Susan had detailed her condition and included a photo of the bag of frozen peas peeking out from underneath her camisole. She also used that photo as her avatar on Twitter. And, with that, Connie and a few dozen other participants in the Twitter community began creating pea-themed photos and using them as their avatars. Arrrrgh. |
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There comes a time in everyone's professional life when it is wise to pare down your resume, if only in hopes of disguising what an old bastard you really are. Where I once needed to pad the old CV to feign experience, there are now entire chapters of my professional life I now try to conceal.
I'm sorry, I DON'T LIKE PEAS!
Reader Feedback
Tue, Nov 10, 04:07:04 PM
Anthone who has to delcare that they are "authentic" must presumably take the view that they are perceived as not being "authentic" - something which might be of concern in a PR company
Fri, Jul 31, 10:58:34 AM
Ray Durazo (the founder) sold the company to Dan in 1999. He was not involved in any of this. He (and I) found out about the lawsuit in the LA Times. In addition to embezzling this m [...]
Thu, Jul 02, 01:52:48 PM
Be careful using the word authentic too often. Might later come off as "synthetic authenticity"
Thu, May 07, 10:19:02 AM
Funny that such an article should appear on a blog no? You guys must be from New York.
Wed, May 06, 12:59:37 PM
I don't have a clue about PR. But, couldn't this move to 'authentic' just really be running away from anything 'virtual' at all, like all the other band-wagoners out there that never u [...]
Sun, May 03, 08:42:38 PM
I'm a totally authentic blogger. Edelman is in deep shit.
Mon, Apr 27, 08:40:57 AM
Makes me wonder what have they been doing until now?
Sat, Apr 11, 02:24:56 PM
Wow - I agree with Britton that its incredibly poor positioning. Rick also gives the kind of quote that's supposed to sound hip, clever and yet sincere, but it just comes across s [...]