Commentary and advice on marketing, mostly for publishers (traditional and brands) and writers, but sometimes from a broader perspective.
First of all, what marketing genius thought that the marginally-talented, off-Broadway-bound RUNNER-UP Clay Aiken was an appropriate choice for singing the National Anthem of the first game of the World Series?!?! That was as classless as the bonehead Yankee fans booing the Marlins during the introductions. Speaking of booing during introductions - in a funny way, though - that's exactly how I was greeted at Amherst last night after the host read the bio I provided him: "Guy LeCharles Gonzalez is from the Bronx, but he is not a Yankee fan." I didn't expect to run into so many Yankee…
Mr. Lawnge's remix of Queen's Flash Gordon Theme is playing on my Launch station as I start writing this. :-) A busy week ahead as I'm taking two days off work to head up to SUNY-Oneonta for a feature on Wednesday night. Robb Thibault - Fargo, 1998 - runs the Student Union and invited me to open their slam season. Have a full 30-40 minutes so I'm looking forward to stretching my legs and doing some pieces I haven't done in awhile. Getting paid nicely, too, which is always a good thing! Hung out with Phil West on Friday night,…
Last week came and went and I feel like I didn't get nearly enough done, at work or at home. With the new boss operating at half-speed - she's asked me to slow down three different times while explaining aspects of her job that got dumped on my desk in the transition - work feels like it's ground to a screeching halt. I think she's in way over her head as she's floundering already and hasn't even seen half of what she's responsible for! They really screwed us with the botched transition and I'm concerned it's going to change this…
"I know where weapons of mass destruction are... Joblessness is a weapon of mass destruction. Poverty is a weapon of mass destruction. Homelessness is a weapon of mass destruction. Poor health care is a weapon of mass destruction. And when the government lies to the American people, that is a weapon of mass destruction!!" -- Dennis Kucinich, 21 May 2003 (www.kucinich.us) Assuming the building doesn't catch fire or some other random act of randomness, at about 3pm today, I'll be getting three of my wisdom teeth ripped out of my mouth. Joy! On the off-chance I don't survive (the potential…
I love New York. Now, more than ever. Really. It's more than just some marketing slogan for me. The good, bad and ugly; I can't imagine living anywhere else. Went for a walk at lunch today, up Water Street to the South Street Seaport, walked the pier, then went across on Fulton Street to Nassau Street and headed back south to the office. The weather outside is beautiful - finally! - not too warm, nice and breezy. The Seaport was bustling with NYers and tourists alike. I picked up a Mango Italian Ice for a little childhood flashback. (Only partial,…
This just in: Def Poetry on Broadway will be closing on Sunday! Not sure how I feel about that to be honest. Not having seen it, I can't really comment but, based on what I've heard from people I respect that HAVE seen it, it's sort of a double-edged sword. Many poets (good ones, at least) felt it was a dumbed-down version of the best of what we do. A polished spin on Friday nights at the Nuyorican a couple of years back, perhaps. Most agree that they failed to take full advantage of the medium and, on top of…
The snow is blowing wildly across the gray, depressed skyline as I'm looking north - I think! - from my office on the 25th floor. Mind you, I'm in a cubicle but our section sits next to a huge ceiling-to-floor window. I've started bringing in some things to personalize my space. Not the playroom again but it feels comfy and that's what counts. Have a nice picture frame with 5 pictures of the kids, Salomé and me. Jungle Attack He-Man's here; Shea Stadium, my Jets flask, my "I'm Not Bossy, I just have better ideas" sign. Brought in only a…
