I’ll be teaching a workshop this Friday, April 23rd from 3:30-5:30pm, as part of my Spring Social Media series at Bright Sky Press.
This week’s session will focus on Managing Your Digital Life. It’s one of my favorites to teach! I’ll show you tips on how to manage RSS feeds, email, calendars, social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
I’ll show you how to link sites together, and streamline activities on the web, making more time for you to be able to stalk Justin Timberlake, or what have you.
Have no idea was an RSS feed really is, but too afraid to ask? Have no fear, I’ll explain the technology in a way that will have you wondering how you ever lived without it. Or, why anyone would want to?
Sick of updating your Twitter account AND your Facebook account AND your Facebook fan page. Stop the madness! I can help.
The class is $40 and includes an after-workshop happy hour. Putting the social back in social media. Aw, yeah.
(That, and me trying not to freak out when meeting design idols like Joslyn of Simple Lovely. And she is just that, simply lovely.)
In other news, I may never leave this place.
I was invited by the organizers of ALT to take part in a pre-conference workshop called Politicopia, led by Utah Senator Steve Urquhart. Myself, Laura Mayes, Colin Delany, David All and Ric Cantrell spoke to local Utah politicians and campaign teams about new media tactics and trends. The experience was amazing, and I learned a ton from my fellow panelists, all brilliant political new media strategists. It’s exciting and inspiring to see how other states’ legislatures are utilizing these new media tools.
After the workshop I wondering into the lobby of the Grand America Hotel where the conference is taking place this weekend, to meet up with some speakers and attendees of ALT. Holy hell. This hotel. Is incredible. Think, Versailles meets holy freaking radness. There’s a parlor. IN OUR ROOM. Straight up roylaty, y’all. Here’s a pic from our balcony. Oh, there’s two balconies. Natch.
Tonight there’s a speed networking event and a “Hollywood Glam” mixer. Thankfully, between Laura and I, we packed enough for a small Paris Hilton army.
Happy New Year! Ten days late. Appropriately on the 10th day of the 10th year in the century, the millenium, even. As Laura Mayes pointed out earlier today on Twitter, “Ah, today. The 01.10.10. Still so in love with this year’s pretty dates.” And that’s exactly how I feel in this first year of the new decade. That things are in order. And pretty.
2009 was a year filled with ups and downs, and disorder, and rebuilding, and many wonderful lessons. As I’m sure there will be all of that in 2010, as well, I begin the year with a feeling of calm, confidence, and optimism. I’m constantly blessed with being surrounded by amazing people and projects that give me dream opportunities, and I’m super excited to share a few of the things I’ll be doing in 2010. Still pinching myself on some of these.
Alt Summit – I’m presenting! (in unrelated news…I’m dying…of excitement)
Pretty much a design junkie’s dream conference. Set in the beautiful town of Salt Lake City, UT smack dab in the middle of the Sundance Film Festival. Oh, and did I mention all of my design idols are speaking? I didn’t? Well, THAT is the best part. (Unless, I track down Justin Timberlake at Sundance. In that case THAT will be the best part.)
Um, Apartment Therapy? Hell yes. Design Milk? oh yeah, they’ll be there. NOTCOT< check! Design Crush, {frolic!} and Design*Sponge. Yep. I know, right? Breathe. Oh yeah, and that guy who created the Mastercard “Priceless” campaign. I can’t think of a better word to describe this experience. Oh, joy! (yeah, she’ll be there, too.)
I’m HELLA honored (I know, hella is classy) to have been invited by Kirtsy to present a pre-conference social media workshop with Laura Mayes. After I realized I wasn’t dreaming, panic set in that I’d instantly turn into a babbling idiot when faced with the purveyors of lovely that grace my Google Reader daily. Let’s hope I can at least keep up with them on the slopes. Did I mention the Sundance party we’re going to? I didn’t? Back to pinching myself.
Running away with the Sun
During a packed performance last night at Houston’s Continental Club, Texas blues rock favorites, Runaway Sun, made a major announcement. They have recently been selected to play in New York City as part of the Best Buy Live at Best Buy Music series on March 26th. Following an amazing year that included the release of their first full-length LP, and being nominated for a Houston Press award for Best Blues Band, the Texas foursome is preparing for a Southeastern U.S. tour this Spring.
Lead vocalist and guitarist Andrew Karnavas is wrapping up recording a solo album at Sugar Hill Studios, before he embarks on a few solo shows on the way to the NYC performance. And I’m going with him! ROADTRIP! We plan to drive through Nashville, Charlotte and D.C. on the way to New York. If you’ve got peeps in those areas, let them know we’re headed that way!
WordCamp comes to the HTX
If there’s one thing I’m more passionate about than design and music, (or Justin Timberlake), it’s technology. And if blogging is my sickness, then WordPress is my drug of choice. Created by Houstonian Matt Mullenweg, WordPress is an open-source blog publishing platform that beautifully organizes all the posts, comments, and sidebar content that you see on this blog, and thousands of others. I’m a huge WordPress groupie, as are most who use the software. It’s hard to not fall in love with beautiful code. Especially when you don’t have to look at it.
We’ve just confirmed that my company, co.lab, my sister design company, Primer Grey, along with fellow WordPress enthusiasts will be hosting Houston’s first WordCamp later this year. PG and I are passionate about technology education and are friggin’ excited (official emotion) to host this incredible user group. We’re working on details and will share as soon as we lock down a date and location. Visit http://wordcamphouston.com or follow @wordcamphtx on twitter for breakin’ news. Yes, breakin’! We’re from Texas, y’all!
As part of the Best of 2009 Blog Challenge I’ll be blogging daily on the bests of 2009. To be forever saved. In html.
{December 3rd: Article. What’s an article that you read that blew you away? That you shared with all your friends. That you Delicious’d and reference throughout the year.}
This year at SchipulCon, was when I first heard Ed Schipul’s prediction of where branding was headed. This time, It’s personal.
Ed has been writing and talking extensively about the Era of the Personal Branding and what that means for consumers, employers, and companies. On October 8th, he summarized his research in a blog post on the Houston Chronicle’s The List. Read it here and decide for yourself if you agree or disagree.
p.s. A huge congratulations to my amazing friend, Laura Mayes, who for over a year has gathered, blogged, worked, slept, ate and breathed this book. She’s one of the most inspirational women I know, and of all the hats she wears, my favorite is the friend hat. You know, the warm, fluffy fleece hat that you pull out each winter. That’s Laura Mayes. Thank you, Laura, for starting so many of my conversations.
c.u.there is a weekly events post of various things going on in and around Houston. entirely subjective. entirely rad.
I’ll be at ACL fest in Austin this weekend for a much needed getaway, and I’m totally beside myself just thinking about seeing Them Crooked Vultures on Thursday night. Must. clam. down. Holler if you’re gonna be out there, and i’ll c.u.t.here! Peace, Love + Sound, Peeps! Speaking of, I’ve got a gCal for upcoming shows that you can access here. Have at it. Soon to be one for events as well. Stay tuned. c.u.there, peeps!
I’ve mentioned that I’ve been invited to join the Architypes board. This is one of the great programs they’ve got coming up this season. You can learn more about membership here.
Facebook, Twitter, Wiki, Blogs, Forums, LinkedIn, and everything else you’ve ever wondered about. What is social media, what it means to you and how you can use it.
Panelists:
Filo Castore, AIA LEED AP
Fayza Elmostehi (Schipul – The Web Marketing Company)
Jeromy Murphy, AIA
Craving your country fix? Stop by Mango’s for some pre-ACL celebration as Robert Ellis and the boys infuse this local music joint with some honky tonk blues.
{Thursday.01}
Elizabeth Irvine Lunchtime Lecture Series
I recently finished a site redesign for Elizabeth Irvine. Beth is an amazing mentor and friend. She’s most definitely positively impacted my life in the short time that I’ve known here. She’ll be doing 2 lunchtime series this fall the first one in October is focused on creating balance and well-being. In November, she will lead lunchtime meditation at Bright Sky Press. Stressed out? You seriously need this like I do!
Thursdays in October: 1, 8 and 15, 12 noon – 1 p.m COST: $100 for series, $40 for individual lecture. Lunch provided
Three Simple Ways To Create Balance in Everyday Life
Thursday October 1, 2009 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Beth shares ideas of how to relieve stress and replace it with balance and well being. How do I deal with the frustration of mundane tasks day after day? What can I do to have more energy and clarity? What are three things I can do to improve my diet? Do I really enjoy what I do?
6 – 9pm | First Cumberland Presbyterian Church (2119 Avalon Place) | facebook invite | $20
I’ve recently found out about Divergence and met the lovely Misha Penton. I’d be here if i weren’t in Austin. Check it out!
Boundary-defying performances featuring historic and new opera, art song, piano works, theater, dance, and multimedia arts. Contemporary staging, a progressive attitude to repertoire selection, and an exciting fusion of interdisciplinary arts characterizes our non-traditional approach to opera and classical vocal works. Artistic Director: Misha Penton. www.divergencevocaltheater.org
An ethereal October eve of contemporary art song in English, piano & harp works, with sitar music, film, butoh inspired dance, & shadow play. Music of Dominick Argento, Philip Glass, Meredith Monk, Jake Heggie, Benjamin Britten, and more…
Friday, October 2nd, 8pm
Saturday, October 3rd, 8pm
Kicking off it’s 14th season on September 24th, Opera in the Heights! adventurously takes on the unique double bill of Il Tabarro with Pagliacci, two unforgettable stories paired together to heed the tale of unfaithful women, jealousy and revenge which result in their untimely death. Could these be the desperate housewives of a century ago?
Opera in the Heights! is a professional regional opera company that exists to provide a stage for emerging performers and to bring affordable opera to the greater Houston area. All operas are presented in the original language with English surtitles in Lambert Hall, 1703 Heights Blvd. located in the Houston Heights, with easy and convenient parking. Experience these traditional productions in an intimate, historic setting, where the audience can enjoy the performance up close! Ticket prices start at a mere $10 per performance, with the best seats in the house for only $45. Restrictions apply, call 713-861-5303 or visit www.operaintheheights.org for more information. See you UP CLOSE!
2995 continues their free concert series at the Continental Club this week with one of my fav local bands, Buxton. Listen to some of their tracks here. Or just show up. It’s free. duh. You won’t regret it.
{Friday.02}
C2 Creative presents Hous(e)ton: the photography of Shannon Duncan and Ben Desoto
Please join the C2 Creative community in opening their newest show at Caroline Collective Friday, October 2nd from 7pm to 9pm. The show features work from local Houston photographers Shannon Duncan and Ben Desoto.
The works collected here from the talented Houston Artists Ben Desoto and Shannon Duncan speak about home, house, and Houston – home to us all. Each artist has chosen to explore the shadowy axioms of house, home and Houston. That’s not to say in a derogatory manner, but to say from the inverse. Each of their subjects is shown without house, or home. Their work shows us the oft-overlooked side of our fair city. Shannon’s works painstakingly reveals the beauty in the everyday mundane detritus of urban life while Ben’s work forces us to confront the very human realties of homelessness. Each set however has an optimism that far outstrips the meager realities of the objects or people shown. Together each artist elevates the inverse, the shadows of our homes, houses and Houstonians to a place of touching poignancy. And together each photographer reminds us that every great image, and maybe every great story, starts with a negative. Light refreshments will be provided.
I’ve been hearing so much buzz about this performance, I can’t wait to make it out to see this. Naked people, sex on stage, and Amsterdam. I’m so there. Warning: this performance is not for the easily embarrassed or squeamish. OK, see, now you’re intrigured and you’re gonna go, right?
September 24, 25, 26; October 1, 2, 3 & 8, 9, 10
All shows at 8:00 pm
General admission price: $15 first weekend; $20 second & third weekends; Student price: $10 per ticket per student ID & must be purchased at door;
Tickets available now at http://horseheadtheatre.org/tickets and will be available at the door.
Horse Head Theatre Co. presents Red Light Winter as its premiere production running September 24 to October 10 at Frenetic Theater. Written by Adam Rapp, Red Light Winter has not been seen in Houston before. Horse Head Theatre hopes to bring an exceptionally new and engaging theatre-going opportunity for Houston audiences by creating a completely designed experience. Horse Head Theatre’s goal with all of its shows is to create a theatrical presentation that reinvigorates the soul and reawakens the human spirit. Horse Head productions begin and end with ceremonial rituals and create opportunities for audiences to break the traditional code of theatre etiquette.
The story of Red Light Winter centers on misplaced affections between long time friends Matt and Davis, and an enigmatic Amsterdam prostitute, Christina. All three characters have flaws that they are aware of but do nothing to change. Because of this, emotions are propelled in a tragically wrong direction, creating an end sequence that rips out your heart with rage, disgust, pity, and complete stupor.
A few things you should know about RED LIGHT WINTER:
• Don’t expect a traditional theatre experience.
• Red Light Winter audiences will not sit in standard theatre chairs in rows. You are encouraged to sit, stand, lounge, spread out and move around any time you’d like during the course of the show. There will be no intermission.
• Red Light Winter contains nudity, explicit language, drug references, strobe effects and fog. Cigarette smoking will take place on stage during the course of the show.
• No one under 18 will be admitted due to the content of the show.
• Photography or video of any sort is not permitted.
• Drinks and snacks will be available before, during and after the show. Please bring cash for the bar and vendor stand.
• You can party, drink and lounge before and after the show. The Frenetic Theater lobby will open at 7:00 pm.
• Smoking is not permitted.
• Please turn off your cell phones.
Every 1st Sunday my buddy Jim mParsons leads this fantastic walking tour of Buffalo Bayou. Jim will be the first to remind you I haven’t bene yet. But I still know it’s fantastic if he’s involved.
Architecture Center Houston (ArCH) with the cooperation of Buffalo Bayou Partnership invite you to a stroll along Buffalo Bayou Parkway for an overview of downtown Houston’s history and architecture from it’s beginnings in 1836 to the efforts to revitalize the central city today. ArCH docents will lead you on this 2 hour architectural tour.
WHEN: Every First Saturday of the month – 10am-noon *(weather permitting) These tours will take place every First Saturday of the month. Reservations are not required but appreciated.
WHERE: Architecture Center Houston 315 Capitol Street, Suite 120
FEE: $15, $10 for AIA Houston, ArchiTypes, and Bayou Buddies members. Cash/check only at the door. Credit card purchases must be in advance. Call 713.520.0155 for tickets.
PARKING: Theater District and Hobby Center parking garages recommended due to 2 hour limited street parking.
About Architecture Center:
Architecture Center Houston (ArCH) houses offices of the American Institute of Architecture, Houston Chapter, the Houston Architecture Foundation, a gallery for rotating architecture-related exhibitions, meeting rooms, and a terrace overlooking Buffalo Bayou. ArCH aims to promote awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the ways in which architecture and urban design influence and enhance the quality of life in our community. For general inquiries, please call 713.520.0155, or visit www.aiahouston.org online.
About Buffalo Bayou Partnership:
The Buffalo Bayou Partnership is a non-profit organization that oversees Buffalo Bayou improvements. The Partnership coordinates the integration of major amenities into the Bayou greenbelt and seeks ways to increase community involvement through pedestrian, boating and biking amenities, permanent and temporary art installations, and other natural and built attractions. For general inquiries, please call 713.752.0314, or visit the Partnership online at www.buffalobayou.org.
A weekly events post {c.u.t.here} or rather, see you there. Get it? See what I did there? Clever. I know. I try.;-) Each week I’ll highlight a few events that I’m looking forward to in this grand ole city of H. c.u.t.here, peeps.
Literally one of THE best workouts I’ve ever had. A night club atmosphere, pumpin’ tunes, and workout clothes and tennies. Pretty much my dream workout. The lights are down, and people let loose. I’ve been dying to write about this for weeks. I tried this class out earlier this summer and was hooked! Now if I can just find time to make it back! Due to popular demand, they’ve just added a second day at Pravada (Thursday) and a second location (Bar RIO, 6400 Richmond Ave) that begins September 15th. Tell Jennifer I sent you!
{Wednesday}
Dress for Success 6th Annual Sizzling Summer Soiree
Nancy Levicki and the Women of Wardrobe event chairs Sharron Melton, Lauren Freeman and Shern-Min Chow with Tootsies invite you to the Sixth Annual Sizzling Summer Soiree.
Enjoy hip sips and cool canapes, and meet designer Trina Turk. 10 percent of the proceeds benefits Dress for Success Houston, so you have a great reason to shop!
Event is free for WOW members and $45 for nonmembers. Purchase your tickets to Sizzling Summer Soiree in advance to avoid waiting in a very long line! Join W.O.W. for $75 which includes complimentary admission to all W.O.W. events through next June. Buy your ticket today by calling 713-957-3779. Special thanks to The Capital Grille and TY-KU.
{Thursday}
Thursdays are always nuts. Get in where you fit in.
5-10PM | Spacetaker Cultured Cocktails benefiting Dance Houston | FREE
Boheme Cafe and Wine Bar (Taft @ Fairview) This has been THE place to be this summer if you are a non-profit. Or if you like wine. Either will do.
6-8pm | HYPA Summer Cocktail Tour at the Grove (Discovery Green) | FREE
feat. Houston artists Katy Anderson + Patrick Medrano + The Fodice Foundation HOUSTON Magazine is sponsoring a summer long tour of hip places and pretty faces. This week at the Grove with HYPA. There is an afterparty at Katy + Patrick’s studio. The afterparty + film screening is free for HYPA members, and $35 for non-members.
6-9pm | 310 Rosemont Summer Mixer (1965 W. Gray) | FREE
Fashion and Denim for Women AND Men! Come for a drink. Stay for the new fall fashions. Toast to the end of summer. I’m not sure about toasting to the end of summer…i’m hanging on with my fingernails. But LOVE this boutique. Check it.
Laura Mayes and yours truly will be leading a Social Media Workshop this Friday at the lovely Bright Sky Press. Stop by to ask all those burning questions about Twitter, Flickr, and Blogging, oh my! From 3:30-5:30 p.m. we’ll have the very informal workshop (Easy, practical social media training) and at 5:30 p.m. we’ll break out the Social Media Social Hour (A very happy Happy Hour where social media shows it social side).
Bright Sky Press is hosting its inaugural Bright New Media social media workshop at the Bright Sky Bookspace . Stop in to find out more about Twitter, Flickr, Blogging, Facebook, and a partridge in a pear tree. More importantly, we’ll talk about why we should care about all this (for business, for pleasure, for smart ways to connect)…and we’ll show you how easy it is to do (it’s really easy!). It all starts at 3:30 p.m. and ends with a Social Media Social Hour. $35 a person gets you all the know-how you need to go go go. We can’t wait to see you then!
Yummm. I love me some Lawndale. Check out this Friday’s quadruple opening. Opening Reception August 21, 2009, 6:30 – 8:30 PM, Artist talks at 6 PM. Exhibitions on view August 21- September 26, 2009:
Lawndale Art Center 30th Anniversary Exhibition –
Curated by Clint Willour
Work by Seth Alverson, Dawolu Jabari Anderson, Chuy Benitez, Elaine Bradford, Emily Sloan and Mark Schatz
Me, Mine, and not Yours – Joe Ives and Jahjehan Bath Ives
Paper or Plastic?– Nathaniel Donnett
The Green™ cyber web – Adela Andea
{Saturday}
Planned Parenthood + Riazul Tequila present Party Like a Rockstar
8pm-midnight | Warehouse Live
Whether you wear high heels, Doc Martens or blue suede shoes, come to move those feet and pump those fists in the air – and let your voice be heard!
Live Performances by DJ Alex C – voted #1 DJ by the Houston Press and Houston Chronicle and SKYROCKET! – voted Austin’s #1 cover band.
TICKETS:
Single Ticket ($50) – includes catering by Joe’s Crab Shack!
Be a VIP!
Solo-Act ($150) – one person, Hook-Up ($250) – two people, Groupies ($1000) – eight people, Entourage ($3000) – 30 people
VIP level includes catering by Morton’s the Steakhouse & Max’s Wine Dive with a Champagne Station.
Grammy Gift Bags. Exclusive After- Party from midnight to 2 a.m.
I still have my place, so there will still be a Christmas Tree Viewing Party 3.0!
I quit my job!
I’m freelancing! (yes, read above: i quit my job!)
I’m really, really happy, excited, and scared as all hell!
Wedding Bells
Whew. That wasn’t so hard? Now what took me so long to write this post? (Besides painstakingly searching for the exact right image. Which I will always obsess over.) Read more…
This past Saturday, I had the esteemed honor of putting on a Social Media Workshop for Houston Mayor Bill White, his staff, and volunteers for his upcoming US Senate Campaign. We discussed Facebook,Twitter, and other social media tools.
We gathered at the Houston Technology Center and specifically discussed the importance of new media tools in politics. Admittedly so, not a student of politics, I invited two of the most capable teachers I know, Ed Schipul and Katie Laird, to help present. Ed and Katie explained the importance of storytelling, how to listen first before engaging, and the art of responding.
After Ed and Katie presented, Mayor White got up to share a few words. I was entirely impressed by his understanding of this medium of communication, and more importantly the need for it in politics. He went on to explain that what politics can benefit most from social media is the transparency and honesty that comes along with it. No longer can politicians say one thing to one source, and another to another source.
In the time I’ve spent with both Mayor White and his wife Andrea White I’ve come to know them not only as intelligent, capable leaders, but as eager students who both see the value in community.
Big thanks to all of our volunteers: Julie Pippert, Katrina Esco, Ashley Minor, Laura Mayes, Jenni-Rebecca Stephenson, Grace Rodriguez, Katy Bacon, and Felicity Pereyra.
To David Brown of Spacetaker for playing official photog for the day, and for all of his continued support of Mayor White.
Thanks to the Houston Technology Center for hosting us.
To the city’s best coffee, Coffee Groundz, and to the Kolache Factory, who answered my last minute call via Twitter (while in Colorado nonetheless) and provided us with yummy breakfast.
I look forward to being involved in more of these workshops, and wish the Mayor the best in his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat. I hope he gets it. Because Bill White gets it.
Here’s where I try to do something I’ve never done before: cover sports.
Sure, I’ve had the occasional post on my favorite Men in Orange, but have never taken on the role of broadcaster of los deportes. So here goes nuthin’.
This weekend is the Shell Houston Open at Redstone Golf Club. (I do know enough about the tournament to know that it used to be in the Woodlands. go. me.) I dated a golf pro for 2 years and never once stepped on a golf course. Much less attended a tournament. So you guys are in for a treat of epic (newbie) proportions. I’ll probably end up looking like a fool with the lack of golf knowledge I have, but if you are interested laughing at me, or finding out what all the celebs are wearing, I’m your huckleberry.
I’ll be “live tweeting” (like there’s any other kind of tweeting?) on Saturday from about 1-4pm. You can check out my updates via my twitter stream at www.twitter.com/cosmopolitician.
For more info on the tournament, and I’m sure much more accurate information than I could give, check out the SHO’s adorably-named blog, SHO and Tell. (See? I just called golf adorable. Oh geez.)
In studying up for my assignment (more like cramming for a midterm), I discovered that the SHO is quite the local philanthropist. Since 1992 they’ve raised $46 million for local charities, among them, Acres Homes Youth Association, a neighborhood very close to where I grew up. View all core charities here.
Wonder if I’ll get to ride in a golf cart? Sa-weet.
Happy New Year! Ten days late. Appropriately on the 10th day of the 10th year in the century, the millenium, even. As Laura Mayes 
Running away with the Sun
{December 3rd: Article. What’s an article that you read that blew you away? That you shared with all your friends. That you Delicious’d and reference throughout the year.}
The Architecture of Social Networking
Robert Ellis + the Boys at Mango’s
Elizabeth Irvine Lunchtime Lecture Series
Opera in the Heights: Il Tabarro + Pagliacci
Dress for Success 6th Annual Sizzling Summer Soiree
Four Openings at Lawndale Art Center
Planned Parenthood + Riazul Tequila present Party Like a Rockstar
Here’s where I try to do something I’ve never done before: cover sports.
I’ll be “live tweeting” (like there’s any other kind of tweeting?) on Saturday from about 1-4pm. You can check out my updates via my twitter stream at