ABC
The world is full of qualitative statements. Exaggerations. Subjectiveness that cannot be measured. The people that make such statements are easily forgotten.
Quantitative statements, on the other hand, leave an impression. They measure your place in life. My father taught me this at an early age.
When I was nine years old, I ran a fast 400 meter dash, which is no easy feat. The thing about the 400 is not a lot of people run it. It’s difficult, because it’s not quite a sprint and not quite a distance race. As such, few amateurs compete in it. At least that was the case when I ran it.
So my father encouraged me to run the 400. I did. All the way to the ’88 state finals. Here’s how it happened: Continue reading…
Just do it: @blakesnow. Don’t make him mad. You don’t want to see him mad.
From the “never give up” files—Last month, I received a suprisingly condescending email in response to a story I was pitching. “Does this strike you as something we would publish?”
It was sent by a deputy editor from the nation’s third largest newspaper. “I was hoping it might it might fit your travel section, which I guessed you might oversee,” I replied. “Would you be willing to forward to the appropriate editor?”
The next day, the gentlemen apologized for being rude. But then he continued “in a spirit of friendliness” to list many greviences in a patronizing 350 word follow-up.
Continue reading…
Columbia Pictures
After more than a half year of writer’s block, I started typing the second act of my book today.
I’ve always liked the first act, and know how I want to end the book. But I’ve struggled mightily in penning the midriff.
Not anymore. I found my way again. Ain’t nobody’s gonna hold me down—not unfamiliar territory, the possibility of failure (i.e. the world thinking I’m a crap author), and certainly not myself.
In the meantime, might I suggest…
If you’re reading this, you’ve successfully traversed a foreign array of tubes, electrons, and cyberspace servers to my new home.
Welcome.
As you can see, it’s all about “me, me, me” now. It’s a vain attempt to self-promote more and a concerted effort to reduce the number of people that mistakenly call me “Harold.”
It was time. 2007 was the last time I redesigned this eight year-old website.
So I updated a bunch of stuff and added new pages of interest, including: Continue reading…
The consultant I paid (Hi, Josh!) to tell me what I already knew — and I’d do it again with a 10 foot pole… Am I saying that right? — said I needed to promote myself more. To that end, here are a few work-related accomplishments I’m proud of:
- Have written for half of the top 20 U.S. media (dozens more in the top 100)
- Have worked for a handful of Fortune 100 companies, dozens of Fortune 500 ones, and some of the coolest little guys I know. Continue reading…