Are like a half-dozen in hand. Or something like that.
We’re back in business y’all! I’m receiving email at my normal email address (tim [AT] timothyjcoulter.com) and so I should be able to read anything you send me. Google says they’re still “verifying my configuration”, so I shouldn’t count my chickens before crying wolf (or so I’m told), but my initial testing looks good. Let those emails fly!
To Google. I’m using Google Apps for various reasons, most of which surround the ability to have my email accessible from one place with exactly the same filters and organizational structures.
But this means my email might be down for 48 hours. If it’s bouncing, that’s why.
UPDATE: An alternative (but temporary) email address is tim [AT] oneofthewolves.com. Feel free to reach me there.
Google Analytics told me that someone made it to my site via the search term:
“how to tell if your a wolve” — Anonymous
Oh how I wish I could help! I had to share.
UPDATE:
Here are a few other good ones:
“throbbing inside”
“what do we use wolves for”
“disproportionableness and incomprehensibilities”
One of my acting classmates blew me away with a piece of unsolicited feedback the other day. After viewing an impromptu acting performance where we were encouraged to say things that are not said in polite company, my classmate whispered to me,
“I think you’re dying to be more provocative.”
She had me pegged. The technique we’re learning encourages us to notice and verbalize things that we wouldn’t generally say in typical social situations. For instance, things like, “you’re legs look hot,” or “you look disheveled,” or “you have a big nose,” are all statements that are encouraged in the classroom. What we say can’t be fake — it must be truthful to ourselves, and not forced — but it’s meant to help each actor explore a full range of emotion brought on by another person.
The vibe I was sending, unconsciously, from my seat in the audience to my classmate sitting right next to me, was one of intense excitement and interest in events unfolding in front of me. There was a lot of body movement. Audible laughter. Oohs and ahhs. I was watching two people be honest with each other on stage, and I was totally into it. It was better than a movie.
But why? Being provocative is interesting, and being interesting is attractive. Maybe it’s Freudian — I’d buy that. But the next question is how. I’ve found this. It’s good. Read it. It’s about blogs. If you cut the fat off the top, it’s about life.
Which brings me to my most recent post, the topic I had originally intended to address. That’s my most provocative post to date. I’ve gotten a ton of responses, just not here, with varying degrees of emotion attached. Some were unexpected, some were heated. I appreciate them all.
Keep them coming.
The rules go like this:
It’s a system, and it’s easy, but your main hurdles are (2) and (4). Rarely do you have a problem at (5). At (8), it’s tough to be honest and impress. That’s all you, buddy. At (10) you must let her offer to pick up the check, though if you don’t pick it up, you’ll be seriously reconsidered.
It’s a formula. A ritual. A liturgy. If you believe in it you’re undoubtedly a process weeny — but if you stray from it you end up taking big risks.
This leaves some decisions in your court. First, at (6) you need to know where to go, or poll her for things she’s interested in and think on your feet. Keep your budget in mind. At (7), you probably want to end up going to two places, especially if you live in a city and each place is within walking distance. Note: You may not always want to tell her about the second place. It’ll make you feel like you’ve gone somewhere together. At (8) and (9), focus on her and ask her plenty of questions. Expect to relate to her when she asks you a question. (10), of course, has already been discussed.
Though it’s not listed, there’s a mysterious number (11): You’ll need to kiss this girl. Sometimes it’s great on the first date. Sometimes it’s not. Feel it out.
So why do I bring all this up? It’s not to get in her pants, no, though you can use your powers for good or for evil. It’s that I completely rebel against it. Maybe I don’t like routine. Maybe I just want a little variety. Really though, I think the girls I’m truly attracted to are defined by their spontaneity; how confident we are together, and how much our connection holds when we digress from the power of social ritual.
And I like to digress quickly. I’m unsure why, but formulaic meetings take all the interesting parts away. It’s tragic, because you can be judged on your adherence to social ritual. I know — “you’re a good guy, she’s a good girl.” Too bad she didn’t trip into you.
But really I think that’s it. Most will go through the motions and jump through the hoops, and in the end will be good performers. But it’s those that take you by surprise that you really choose to keep.
Which I guess means…
Hence the ritual.
And when this baby starts kicking, I cannot be responsible for your sanity!
See, some of the best writing comes from the professionals. The above quote, to which the title is included, is said by Chevy Chase’s character Pierce on NBC’s hit TV show Community. Though the show and its writing are hilarious as all get out (yes, there’s probably a better phrase), I’ve wanted to be a bit more creative with my own.
I’ve realized lately that I’ve been neglecting this blog. It hasn’t been intentional neglect — not the kind that piles up in the sink or topples off the clothes hamper, whichever your fancy. But more like the mild distaste you experience after already eaten half the pancakes. It’s like you’ve already had enough: Let’s have some steak, or at least blueberries. There’s nothing wrong with this blog — and of course, nothing wrong with pancakes (steak pancakes? Hmm, I’ll have to try that). But I felt this space was getting a little too bland.
For instance, it’s all tech. Granted, it was supposed to be tech — that was the point — but for better or for worse, I’m less interested by it. Things I want to write about now don’t seem to fit the original tech motif: Politics, relationships, life; how I’m most likely a product of my often unusual surroundings, or why exactly is it like sands through the hourglass? Now, let’s not put tech in the corner (nobody puts tech in the corner), but I shouldn’t be limited by it.
Which is why I’ve rebranded. I’ve mentioned branding before when I was marketing myself for a new job. Now I’m doing it to set expectations. As the quote goes: “This is a throbbing cosmic womb of creativity.” It may not be no Community (yes, the extra ‘no’ was in there on purpose), but I’m going to use this space to further my writing, talk about other subjects, and be a bit more creative. And not worry about putting myself out there. Because, I’ll be honest: I was sweating bullets when I wrote my first post here. My reader base likely hasn’t changed; they’ve seen me grow, and this is part of it. The only other option was to make ‘em read two blogs by the same author. And c’mon, who wants that?
So. For you RSS readers, here’s a helpful link to check out the rebranding. Note the construction signs are still up. And for you testers, there are still some style bugs though I “went live” anyway. How’s that for a business decision?
Thank you to my current reader base, and — raising my glass — cheers to more interesting content!
Hello Network. Intent Media is looking to hire great people, and we want your help. We currently have the following permanent, full-time roles based at our office in New York City.
Director of Finance & Administration (link to full job description).
Product Manager (link to full job description).
User Experience Lead (link to full job description).
About us:
Intent Media is a start-up which sits at the intersection of e-commerce and performance media. Intent Media’s founders and management team include entrepreneurs and senior executives from Google, Travelocity and Right Media (Yahoo!). We’re backed by Matrix Partners (TheLadders, Gilt Groupe, SanDisk, Veritas…) one of the top VC’s in the country.
So there are the jobs. Now the bling.
Because great people are hard to find (and recruiters are expensive!), we’ll send you a check for $1K if you are the first person to introduce us to a candidate we successfully hire.
That’s right. Refer your friend and get a kickback if we like ‘em. Simple as that.
Thank you, and enjoy!
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Note: Professional recruiters are discouraged from actively recruiting people for these positions at this time.
I admit to playing a video game or two when the time is right. My favorite type, for better or for worse, are those where I kill nasty goblins and amass magical items in a quest to save the world with a band of hearty adventurers. Hey — we’ve all got our vices.
I was enjoying one such game recently when I stumbled upon a bug trying to sell those magical items. I hovered over a set of lightning arrows to check their selling price (970 gold), and I noticed a little oddity: there was a small tick mark where there shouldn’t be. Hoping for a rendering error, I eagerly pressed “sell” and awaited my bounty. To my surprise, instead of money I received a message saying, “You cannot sell items worth less than one gold piece.” And when I looked closer at that tick mark, it turned out to be what I feared. A negative.
I’m sitting at the PDX airport sucking up free wifi and sucking down cheap coffee (because that’s what you do in Portland, the town of micro brewers and caffeine aficionados). And I realized I’ve just had an amazing week.
My original trek here was to support my family through a rough time. Though I didn’t come on happy news — and what happened happened, as expected — I left feeling absolutely refreshed, all due to the great people that made Portland amazing. I’d like to thank a few of them here.
Believe me, this week was just what I needed. Thank you, all.
