It’s Gonna be one of those posts…..
As many of you know, I’ve been involved in local politics seriously since 2014. I became a local democratic zone leader in 2022. It’s been a big job, but it’s largely akin to running the PTO, but with more far-ranging consequences. You’ve got planning for events, wrangling volunteers, and keeping…
Guide to Gift Giving
It’s close to Christmas, and as we finish up our shopping, it’s worth reflecting on the purpose of gifts in the first place. I read an article this am about how millenial parents are frustrated that their Boomer parents are showering their kids with useless stuff that just ends up…
FFS
We’re living in interesting times. The lead candidate for the republican nomination for presidency just wants everyone to give up and anoint him their candidate now, despite finally starting to face the consequences of years of fraud and treating the legal system as a cudgel to use against anyone he…
AI is Going to Change Everything
Working in digital marketing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and what it can and should be used for is all the rage right now. If you want to understand AI better, the best source is really Chris Penn– who has an excellent set of videos and regularly explains what’s happening in AI…
Podcamp 2023
A small group of us, die hards from Podcamp Philly and Podcamp East, came together this past weekend for Podcamp 2023 in Philadelphia. There were amazing sessions talking about how AI and Chat GPT will pose challenges to those of us who are involved in digital marketing, or looking to…
Glad to Leave Office? I get it.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney is getting into trouble because he spoke his truth, saying he’s looking forward to a time when he’s not mayor. As someone who was a Township Supervisor for 6 years, I understand this sentiment perhaps as much as anyone. Being a local elected official may look…
Almost 80 Best Movies of the 80’s
Rolling Stone just put out a post of the 100 best movies of the 1980’s- and there are a lot of obscure movies that as a teenager/college student during the 80’s I never heard of. As a child of divorced parents, I spent a ridiculous amount of time at the…
Losing but not Lost
I lost my bid for re-election as a Township Supervisor. Elections are like the world’s longest job interview. I knocked 946 doors, speaking with friends and neighbors; sending mail out to people about what I stood for, and what I believed. I chose not to attack my opponent, even though…
Running for Office
I am a local Township Supervisor in Pennsylvania, running for re-election this year. Supervisor is a part-time position, and comes with a statutory stipend of $2,500.00 a year. that equates to about $5.20 or less an hour of meeting time, and other work we put in to help guide the…
Dementia
My mother-in-law has dementia. She had been pretty good at hiding her slow cognitive decline for a long time, but gradually, not even those of us who would have preferred to be in denial could avoid the truth. We needed to move Nancy out of her home and into a…
Credentials & How to Beat The System
I saw a mention of the Tweet My Jobs jobs posting service, so I went by to take a look. I looked for local jobs involving social media and marketing, and found that the job requirements for these positions were all over the map, but most of the them still required a...
Why Podcamp?
Podcamp, from its very inception, has been more than mere how-to's about recording audio or video and posting it online. It's been about finding your voice, expressing your creativity, finding a niche and a community, and personal development, clothed in this thing...
Vernacular
This is something I think about often- on the web, we have our own vernacular- a local language, a lingo- words that have different shades of meaning than they do to the rest of the world. Yet the way we use language and talk about things matters, and it can clarify...
Things to know about Podcamp
This year, we seem to be getting lots of questions and confusion about the difference between Podcamps and Barcamps. So I thought I'd do a brief post here so everyone is clear. 1.Podcamp is Not Barcamp. This is a biggie. Barcamp veterans often write me and say that...
Dealing with Fame- Lessons from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
We took an extended weekend holiday with the family, and since we have an 11 & 14 year old, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame seemed like a fun destination we all would enjoy. I have to say I got WAY more out of it than I ever thought. I got some perspective on...
Igniting a Community
Last night, I attended Ignite Wilmington, the first such event held in Delaware. Ignite is like Pecha Kucha- it is a short form presentation format, where presenters have 20 slides, time limited to 15 seconds each- giving people 5 minutes to bring their passions and...
Beach Town- Geek Week at the Beach
We just got back from spending a week (our annual family vacation with my relatives) in Provincetown, MA. Provincetown is the last town on the very tip of Cape Cod. It has been a fishing port, and while this is still part of what happens here, it is better known for...
More Blasts from the past:
Again, from 1947: "talking letters"- a device that was called "mail a voice" where you could record a three minute letter on a paper disk, fold it and mail it. The recipient could then play the recording on their own Mail A Voice. Disks could be erased magnetically...
The More Things Change… Airline Addition
The more things change, the more they stay the same. We recently stopped by a vintage bookstore in Cape Cod, which carried old magazines, including copies of Science Illustrated dated back to 1947. There's amazing stuff in here, but let me quote the first paragraph...
The Price of Healthcare
My mom called me up in tears this morning. We'll get to the reason in a few moments- let's first talk about her medical conditions. My mom, Janet Schumacher, turned 65 this year. Following an episode of pancreatitis that damaged a good portion of her pancreas, she's...
