Never regret: If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience.

I don't know if it's just my optimistic nature kicking in or what, but I have recently taken the view that you should never regret past actions. What is done is done, and you can only learn from what happened and move on. Life is far too short to be preoccupied with the past. Every life event, large or small, is a defining moment where you learn a little more about yourself. Look at relationships that have ended badly; where one person has ended up getting hurt. In situations such as those, you learn what you want and what you don't want. I always thought that I needed someone the complete opposite of myself. I thought that perhaps being with a guy who had the same intellectual interests would be stimulating, but I viewed running, hiking, and the outdoors as a personal escape that I didn't want to share with another guy. After being with someone from a completely different country for a month and a half, who doesn't speak English as a first language and who doesn't have as much of an appreciation for the rugged outdoors where there is no technology or advanced civilization, made me realize that I absolutely must be with someone who not only loves being healthy and fit through exercising daily, but who will on a whim abandon civilization for a weekend to fully embrace the great outdoors. I want to be with someone who will be by my side running a marathon, and then spend the next day lounging on the couch watching crappy TV and eating Chinese take out. I want to be with someone who will push me to my limits. As a team, we will be able to climb to the highest peak and try to tackle the greatest of the world's problems today. If we don't achieve all of those things, it doesn't matter. All that matters is that we tried. I know that Ross is the guy for me. He will push me to take on activities I have never tried before, and in turn he will let me teach him what I know. He is eager to learn about new people and new cultures, and he takes pride in adapting to new circumstances, just like me. I think having him come run the Colorado marathon with me a few months after the previous failed relationship was perfect timing. I knew what I wanted and what I didn't want, and he was it.

What I love about Ross is how much friendships and family matter to him. He's never stuck on his phone, tweeting, texting, or Facebooking when he's with other people. He genuinely cares about the loved ones in his life, and will go out of his way to help them. I really value people who nurture relationships over things, and live to experience new situations and new sensations. I mean, he encouraged Dan, Tim, and I to jump in the freezing cold Poudre river the day before our marathon along it, after driving up the twisting, narrow road to get to the start of it! He's the kind of person who I'll be able to wake up at 5 AM before work to go on a run with me, and he in turn will be kicking my ass to get out of bed as well. I feel like I've finally found my match, and I am so excited for the opportunity to get to know him in San Francisco, and to grow together. There is so much for us to explore in California, and the opportunities there are endless.

I view 3 things as the most important: Family (love), exercise, and travel. I have all of those things and couldn't be happier.

Hello, August

I can't believe how quickly this summer is flying by. Well, to be quite honest it seems like this whole year has just flown by, and so much has happened. It literally feels like just yesterday that I arrived in Denver after the craziness of August 2011 with my return from Europe, Galen's wedding preparation, my grandpa's passing, and then having to load up the Exploder with my entire life. It's sad to think that my life at that time fit in the back of a 1992 Ford Explorer, but hey, that's what happens when you make a big move right out of college!

Situation-wise things are much different now than they were last year as well. I have a year of work under my belt, and feel like I'm clearer on who I am and what I want in life. I think running has helped with that in a big way. When I run, I feel like myself. I can process my thoughts in a way I am unable to while just going about every day activities. For me, running isn't something that will get me into shape and help me lose weight. It's a religion and it's a spiritual experience. I am so inspired by the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, which taught me that humans really are naturally built for running, despite what many people believe. It's all about maintaining the proper diet high in lean protein, veggies, fruit, corn, and grain, and implementing the correct running form to avoid injuries. Normal stretching that you think might help you with coordination, really does nothing at all. At this point in my life, it's hard for me to fathom a time when I wasn't running between 1 and 3 hours every day. I think that running the Colorado Marathon in May was a spark that ignited the flame. I have never felt so incredible in my life. I can breathe better, I think more clearly, and most importantly, I know my body inside and out.  I also find that I take much better care of myself now than I ever have before. It's absolutely necessary when you're running a lot. It's pretty funny that the way I make important decisions are while I am on a really long run.

Running really is a form of meditation for me. In early April I went with my friend Laura and her family to Tuscon, Arizona for Easter weekend. This was just in the midst of my training period for the marathon, and my leg muscles were extremely tight. Laura and I both received massages, and I remember the lady giving me the massage (who was Buddhist) was telling me about how she practices the traditional meditation where you sit in silence and relieve your mind of all thoughts. She said that sometimes she becomes overwhelmed with emotion and can't handle the feelings of ecstasy coursing through her. Sometimes this happens to me when I run, except I always have a flood of thoughts seeping through my mind, which never completely goes blank. But while running, my brain is able to filter and process the thoughts in a way that does not happen when I am stationary. Anyways, it's interesting how I was able to connect with a masseuse who meditates while sitting still, just as much as I meditate while in motion. She's Buddhist, while I'm Catholic, but we are similar in that we want to exert positive energy to the earth, so that we in turn receive positive energy, and ultimately achieve sublime happiness.

I have gotten a lot out of this year spent living in the Rockies. I don't think I can say that I despise Colorado, despite the many things that turn me off about it. In all, living here by myself has made me a much stronger, driven, and more confident individual. I think that to totally and completely know yourself and be comfortable with who you are, it's necessary to live alone in a brand new place for a period of time. Or at least to travel by yourself. When you're alone and interacting with strangers coming from places that you've never been, you expose a piece of yourself and really are vulnerable. We all need to feel vulnerable from time to time, and the important thing is transferring that vulnerability into courage, and fully embracing new experiences and new opportunities. We learn and grow by getting out there and experiencing the unknown, not just by sticking with what we are familiar with and know well. You will always have what you know and the people you love to back you up, but you will only fully develop as a person once you have crossed the bridge into the strange and unmarked territory. Sure, you'll make mistakes, but your ability to work around the mistakes and learn from them are what define you in the end.

Denver has been that unknown land for me. I don't think I've ever talked about the weather as much as I have this year. From the beautiful fall Colorado weather with the multitude of golds and reds dotting the changing leaves, to the extreme winter weather when it could be sunny and warm one day, and then blizzard the next. Then there's the summer heat which is a different story. The steering wheel of the Ford Exploder sometimes feels like it's going to melt off in my hand, and stepping out into the direct sun is like getting hit by a train rumbling full speed ahead. But at this time, I'm definitely ready to make the move back to the west coast. I'm an Aquarius, which means that I need to be by water. I constantly tell my friends that in Denver I feel like I'm shriveling up like a prune! But if I hadn't experienced living and exercising high in the mountains, I'd never know that it wasn't for me. I don't believe in bad situations or experiences. I view every experience as something that will teach you a lesson, and help you grow. And I think that's important.

So this weekend I'm off to Seattle to visit with family and friends, and then plans for my move will literally crank into full gear. But I'm excited for this new chapter in my life with new people, places, and events to experience!

Random Stream of Consciousness

I decided I definitely need to post on this blog more. After all, I've always loved writing and reading yet I find that I always forget to. But writing is one of the best ways for me to unwind, distress, and take some clutter out of my mind. I think sometimes I just have a problem writing publicly. The idea that anyone can read what I'm putting out there sometimes puts a barrier up between my fingers and my thoughts. But I guess that's what social media/blogs are for, right? To encourage people to comment and leave feedback. Do you ever think that people are too public with what they put out there online, though? I mean secrets keep people interesting, and keep you wanting to learn and know more about them. In an age where technology is rapidly evolving and the focus is constantly on innovation, do you think that depersonalizes things? Where have the days gone when people used to send letters via snail mail, then actually get up off their butts to go visit the people they love. I'm not saying that I'm against technology, just that people should take some time to put down their iPhones, iPads, etc and live in the moment. Get to know the people around you, and more importantly, get outside and interact with nature.

Despite the devastating forest fires occurring across the state of Colorado, and the frequent ozone warnings, I'm going to be getting in touch with nature quite a bit this summer. I'm moving to San Francisco at the end of August, and am actually feeling a bit sad about the thought of saying goodbye to this fantastic state. Especially because I don't foresee myself living in the Midwest again. Ever. It's been a phenomenal experience but–as I tell all of the people who ask me why I'm leaving–I am an Aquarius and therefore a coastal/water-centered person. I literally crave the ocean when I'm away from it for too long, and sometimes I feel like I'm becoming a dried up prune here in the mountains at elevation 5280. Like I said, I do not regret coming to live here at all since I've learned so much both about myself as a person, and professionally. I'm just saying that a year is enough. It's back to the west coast for me. I'm also very impressed by all of the career opportunities within the start-up companies in San Francisco. I've been working with an awesome recruiter through Betts Recruiting, and she's working on helping me get a sales position in that area. Literally all of the company and job descriptions that she's sent my way appeal to me and I feel that there is an immense possibility for success and career development in that area.

I feel that it was after the marathon I completed in May that I really started to appreciate the beauty and awe-inspiring aspects of Colorado. I think I must have hibernated too much during the winter. I'm definitely not a cold-weather kind of person. It's just too bad that the area where we did the marathon is probably completely destroyed now because of the fires! That scenery will never quite be the same. I'm also planning on climbing a few of the 14ers in Colorado, starting with Mount Evans next weekend. Apparently they are fairly easy to do, and I think it will be awesome to just say that I've climbed a 14,000 ft mountain! Even if it is cheating a little since Colorado is already way above sea level.

Anyways, that's it for now. I'm developing an Aegis new employee handbook and just received an email from the graphic designer with the images. Fingers crossed they look ok!

Ciaoooo xxxxxxxxxx

Opening of The Mysterious Ophelia Majestic

Here is the opening section of the story I'm writing. Let me know what you think! I know it seems a little cheesy so keep in mind that the audience is 14-18 year olds. I am open to criticism but please provide suggestions as well.
__________________________________________________________________________________

The Mysterious Ophelia Majestic

In a whirl of white she streaked across the night sky. Her pale, bare feet blurred together as she moved. The pine needles and sticks jutting up from the treetops stabbed into her ankles and calves, but they were mere nuisances compared to the internal anguish she was experiencing. She moved almost at the speed of light. The turn-over time of her feet propelled her forward so quickly that she was invisible to any human looking upwards. But the things chasing her weren’t human. 

She looked up, observing the sky. The number of twinkling stars had diminished, indicating their individual defeats. Her family’s star was still illuminated, but it was much fainter than Calliope’s. The battle between them had intensified, and the faint red line stretching out from her star meant that surrender was near. An increasing amount of color seeped out of her star, and she wanted to catch those dying souls in her hands and cradle them back to life. She could feel their extreme anguish as if she was burning too.

The Lumiere de la Vie’s temperature increased as it sensed how close it was to home. From its spot in her pocket, she could feel its energy seeping into her injured leg.  It desperately wanted her to heal. It yearned for its place in the sky and knew that she was the only person who could take it back. Funny how so small of a object could contain so much power. It held enough energy to keep an entire world alive, but it did not possess the ability to cure a scrawny girl’s fatal leg wound.

Her left leg started to drag a little. If the ball of light wasn’t providing her with strength of mind and endurance, then she would already have tumbled down into the tangle of trees and into the fléche’s open arms. She needed to get higher still, above the layer of fog encircling the dense woods. The clearing of the trees that opened up to the river and the great waterfall was close.

She could feel the blood sloshing up and down in her shoe as she ran. The pain had yet to sink in. Panic and then fear had been the overruling emotions compelling her to start running. Once moving, her entire body went completely numb. But the bite was big, and she had been running for almost an hour now. All she could think about was how she needed the next sneeze to be just as big as the first one, or she would never make it up to the portal in the sky. She desperately wished that the jump would come before she could no longer put pressure on her injured leg. Before the venom spreading through her body completely paralyzed her. How long had Celeste said it took for the fléche’s  poison to spread through the human body? A couple of hours? An hour? The longer she thought about it the more sluggish she felt. So she focused her attention again on the star, trying to send a mental message to her dad to send someone to help. To tell him that the Light of Life could make it back before Calliope conquered their world.  But she didn’t know telepathy; she just knew how to fly. 

The rustlings of the fléches beneath her moving through the trees sent shivers down her spine. She could visualize their long, muscular and clawed arms rapidly swinging from tree to tree. The cackling of their laughter intensified. They were like blood-thirsty hyenas on the prowl.

Her foot was dragging a bit, and kept kicking up dust and the scent of pine from the trees beneath her. She inhaled eagerly, hoping that the dust would make her sneeze so that she could leap from the trees before the clearing. But it had never happened before. All she needed was to feel that dizzy, light feeling in her nose spreading to her forehead in about a minute’s time. Why did she always sneeze at that specific place? It was like something deep inside of her felt the magnetic pull from the star. After all, it was her family’s star.

 He was one of them.

The truth kept repeating itself over and over again in her mind. Celeste had warned her to keep hidden and to let no one know of her whereabouts but Sophie. But she had trusted Max too. Perhaps more than she had trusted Sophie. He was beneath her now in the trees, moving in the mass of brown and green bodies trying to catch her. Remembering the blurred image of him transferring into one of them caused vomit to build up in her throat. She tripped over a twig jutting off one of the treetops and almost fell face first into the live darkness below. Moving her arms up and down quickly like she was sprinting in place she remained in the air but animalistic laughter echoed out of the woods and burned her ears. She faintly heard him calling out her name. It sounded so tender, like he was his old self.

 It had happened so suddenly. One moment they were lying together in the cavern and then he had vanished. She had been wrapped in his muscular arms, damp from the sweat created by the fire burning gently in front of them. He was breathing French into her ear. The melodic sound of the words sent her into a dream-like state. When she listened to him she felt just like when she gazed into those liquid blue eyes. The falling sensation would take over. Her entire body would go numb.

“They will never find us, Fee.  Notre amour est comme un mur invisible et indestructible.  We are safe here.”

Our love is like an invisible and indestructible wall. Those tender words, like a spell, froze her entire body. She was a fly so wound up in the enemy’s web that her wings were being crushed. Obviously he had known this and preyed upon her even more.

And now she was running for her life. The pain was just becoming tangible and the shrieking of the fléches beneath her was becoming louder. They could smell the blood and her fear.

Up ahead she saw the clearing. Her cracked lips ached as they formed into a small smile. She could taste blood and smell it all over her body. But that didn’t matter. She was going to make it. The final tree that she always leapt from had the top cut off so that it formed a great human-catapult launch.  It was just feet in front of her. With a jump that sent a shiver of pain from her foot through the rest of her body, she landed on that tree.

 But then she hesitated. She had caught a glimpse of the sparkle from the waterfall descending into the moonlit pool far below her and recalled a time when she had been happy.  Closing her eyes she could envision their two pale shapes, running across the sandy beach and diving into the cool water. She recalled opening her eyes under the water and at the same moment feeling his cold lips press against her own. Later he had said her eyes had looked like orbs of fire under the blanket of water. He had never seen anything so beautiful.

The dark blue of her eyes welled with tears and she felt a sob forming in her parched throat. She turned back the way she had come and looked down at the rustling leaves. The fléches would be on her in seconds, tearing her apart limb by limb. Through her matted, dark hair dispersed across her face she could see their dark shadows moving in close. There was nothing she could do to turn back time.

Whirling back towards her destination, she squinted hard at the star and felt the sneeze come. Mustering all of her strength and swallowing back pain, she jumped from the tree. Her body started to spin and she was shooting upwards. The distance between herself and the beasts was increasing by the second. The star grew brighter and brighter. The window was near.

Agony shot through the bottom of her foot as claws dug through the skin and then clutched her wounded foot. She was being pulled back down to Earth. Down to death. The last thing she remembered was seeing the red eyes with the gold rims, and then all went black as pain consumed her.

Blurb from the story I'm writing...

Ok so work was incredibly slow today as 3/4 of the office wasn't in, so I worked on some of the Teen Fiction story I'm writing called "The Mysterious Ophelia Majestic." I've pasted it below. Let me know what you think! I need all kinds of constructive feedback! Thanks!

[An excerpt from the chapter entitled "An Odd Situation"]

A gentle breeze tickled Ophelia’s face like a feather. Gazing up at the sky, she saw that the thick fog and clouds had dissipated. All was eerily clear. The two biggest stars at the end of the line were burning incredibly brightly, and the ones in between were exploding in colors like fireworks. She thought she could even hear a faint popping sound coming from them, as if the stars were all at war. As she watched them, she felt a magnetic pull deep within drawing her towards the woods into which the figure had scurried. Her heart told her to follow him, but her mind told her it was dangerous. Deep down she got the sensation that whatever had darted off into the forest was deadly. But Ophelia also felt deadly, and maybe whoever or whatever it was could help her.    

The partygoers below paid no attention to the rainbow explosions going on above them. On a walkway branching off from the gazebo towards the middle of the lake, some students were lining up to board what looked like gondolas. Ophelia was surprised she hadn’t noticed the long boats in the first place. They were strewn across the lake with what looked like a shadowy figure standing in each one, waiting with their single oars to pick up the students to take them on a moonlit row.  The people waiting in the boats were most likely Jolievue and Venteforte teacher chaperones. Of course there would be chaperones. The teachers wouldn’t want any Venteforte boys and Jolievue girls sneaking off together into the shadow of the forest. Because of the dim lighting, Ophelia couldn’t recognize any of her teachers. They all seemed identical and sexless in the darkness.

An ominous sensation paralyzed Ophelia, fixing her to the roof for the time being. Perhaps it was all of the contrasts around her that created this sense of foreboding within the girl. The sky and the gazebo were bursting with colors and sounds while the lake and the boats were completely still and lifeless. The air was thick with the scent of spring, and as Ophelia breathed in the scent of orchids and pine, she felt even more weightless than she had been while running through the air. The floral aroma made her feel intoxicated and breathless. It was more like a poison than a perfume. She stretched her arms out wide and clutched the roof that she was sprawled across to keep herself from spinning and rolling off. A feeling of nausea overwhelmed her.  Something was not right.

 After a while, Ophelia breathed normally again. She heard a clock strike eleven o’clock. At some point, a band beneath her under the cover of the gazebo had started playing French classics. The sound of “Un Jour en France” drifted up to her on the breeze, and the Jolievue and Venteforte students danced out onto the walkway before boarding the paddle boats.  Those still underneath the cover were stomping their feet to the rhythm; many singing along. The whole spectacle reminded Ophelia of an Edgar Allen Poe story Madame Fountaine had read to her on a cold, winter night when she was a little girl. The tale revolved around a vain and self-righteous prince who holds an extravagant and jovial party. As the noblemen and noblewoman at the party merrily dance and drink the night away, all the while the Black Death rages in conjunction with a storm outside the palace, destroying all life. Eventually Death transcends the mighty fortress and claims the lives of everyone at the prince’s party, emphasizing that mere mortals cannot evade death forever.

Shaken back into reality, Ophelia realized that the shrouded figures in the boats waiting for the students to file out, whose identities Ophelia couldn’t distinguish, resembled what Ophelia had imagined Death to look like in that story.

The Venteforte boys and Jolievue girls spilling out onto the walkway were chatting and laughing loudly. If anything was amiss, they seemed oblivious to it. The candles floating on the lake and surrounding the gazebo gave everything and everyone an eerie glow.

Ophelia was struck by the grisly appearance and ferocious demeanor of a large, burly, and hairy man helping the Jolievue girls into the boats. He was standing completely upright and still, and had the same appearance of a massive grizzly bear standing on its hind legs. He reminded Ophelia of a more stoic version of the beast she had witnessed Clement turn into earlier. She squinted at the crowd of faces beneath her, trying to spot him. But all of the Venteforte boys seemed identical in the moonlight, as did all of the Jolievue girls. They looked like normal teenage boys and girls. The giggles and shrieks of delight from the Jolievue girls made her wish that Sophie had accompanied her. They all seemed so enraptured by the magic of the night, and so keen to get onto the gondolas. Ophelia had no idea why. After all, they were just boats going out onto the water.

The Venteforte Bear standing on the edge of the walkway moved in sudden, jerky movements as he helped each girl into the boats. Ophelia was surprised to see that there were two Ventefort boys to every one Jolievue girl on each paddleboat, along with one of the chaperones.  

Suddenly, Ophelia felt a surge of adrenaline within her that not only made her feel weightless, but invincible as well. Her mind told her to stay put and keep an eye on the Jolievue girls and protect them if need be. But she felt restless as well. In the end, passion took over. She stood up just as a sneeze tickled her nose and leapt off the gazebo and into the night.

Magical Weekend in the Mountain Town of Breckenridge

Work was exceedingly slow last Friday, and I was feeling really spontaneous, and so I basically decided at about 2 PM that I was going to make the drive to Breckenridge after all. When I told Dawn, she was like "oh, well you should probably leave at 3 to beat traffic." But I told myself that I should stay until 5 to get work done, but at 2:30 I looked around and realized that literally everyone in my office was gone...and that I had been munching on candy from my co-worker's drawer for the past hour out of boredom. I might as well be doing something productive, such as driving to Breckenridge.

So I headed home, packed a duffel bag full of clothes for a couple of days, grabbed my dear friend the Map Lady and hopped into the Exploder. I should probably admit before I proceed that before I even got into the car I gave the Exploder a pep talk. I knew the drive was going to take a good hour and a half if not more if there was traffic, and I needed to make sure that the Exploder was up for it after his recent hospitalization. I would also be traveling out of the city of Denver into the mountains so I was a little scared that I'd be trucking along up a steep incline, flooring the gas pedal, when either 1) the car would actually explode, or 2) the pedal would break from the pressure of my foot on it and I would have to "flint stone" by way to Breckenridge. Did I want to risk it? Of course. Do you even know me at all?

After some consoling words, baby talk, and strange looks from fellow members of my apartment complex who were also lucky enough to get off work early on that Friday, I took off.  The flow of traffic out of the city was incredible. It was a beautiful afternoon and it seemed like EVERYONE was leaving for the weekend with the cars laden with boats and bikes and other summer gear. After all, its late September and it's still in the 80s here.


It took me longer to get to Breckenridge than I thought. Not only was there lots of traffic, but I was driving in the right lane behind all of the massive trucks practically the entire time because the drivers here are aggressive! If I could have gone the speed limit of 70 MPR I totally would have, but at times it actually seemed like the Exploder was growling at me. Seriously though, I swear the engine was making a weird noise...or maybe I'm just paranoid. Luckily I had the sweet melody of country to soothe me, as well as the British Map Lady's lulling voice telling me "at the roundabout, turn right." The villages I passed were so quaint, sleepy, and peaceful. There were so many beautiful lakes and sparkling streams. They looked just like fairytale towns, or medieval ones like you might find in parts of Europe, although obviously not with as much history.

Breckenridge seriously looked like a town from the countryside of Germany. It must have been the architecture of the buildings and the smell of meat cooking in the air. I picked up Alex and his friends on Main St (the street were the festival would be held the next day and the biggest street in town) and we went to the Breckenridge Lodge where they have a place called "the grotto" where there is an amazing steam room and jacuzzi with a waterfall. After spending a relaxing time there we went back to his friend Pat's family's cabin, which was actually more like a lodge. Alex, Pat, and three of their other friends had flown up to Breckenridge from El Paso, Texas on Pat's family's private jet along with their 4 dogs. Yes, 4 dogs flying on a jet without carriers or anything. Two were chihuahuas, one was a Black Lab named Abby, and the other was a mutt that had recently had hip surgery and the sutures were still in place (a little gross). Pat's parents were really nice people and I even met two kids from Denver who had driven up just like me! They live in Washington Park which is like 5 minutes from Cherry Creek where I live.

It was a really fun weekend. On Saturday, despite the fact that it was frigid and downpouring, we took a gondola down the mountainside to Main Street for the Oktoberfest. We all bought the Brecktoberfest Steins and filled up on beer straight from Germany before watching some German dancing and music playing. I was really happy that a lot of the music they played I had heard 2 years prior at the real Oktoberfest in Munich! Poor, little Alejandro was sick so he joined us later after he had slept for a while. The sun even came out from time to time, which led to much cheering and much people "prosting" each other. The atmosphere was so friendly and I talked with and met so many cool Coloradans, and, like I said, from the appearance of the place I actually felt like I was back in Germany.

Although I had planned on having a relaxing weekend where I did apartment stuff, I'm actually really glad that I went to Breckenridge. Because 1) I got to see Alejandro who is literally a brother to me 2) I met his awesome friends 3) I got cultured from a German stand point and a Coloradan one 4) The Exploder made it both ways 5) I got to see Breckenridge before it became swarmed by ski and snowboarders as it will in the winter.

Work's actually getting really busy...so the next few months I'll be working hard. But I'm very excited because in a couple of weekend Caroline's coming from San Francisco to see her brother Will and I here, then the next weekend I'm most likely going to San Fran to see all my friends there, then the weekend after that my cousin Chani's most likely coming, then the weekend after that Alex deBoutray's coming! I have a lot to look forward to. If anyone else wants to visit, the more the merrier! Just make sure you visit on a weekend.

I hope everyone's having a great week :) I'll post some pictures from the Brecktoberfest weekend soon.

Thank God it's Friday!

So the storm in the region that was raging the past couple of days has finally ceased it's fire, and just in time for the weekend. This morning is sunny and mostly clear, and the highs for the weekend are in the 80s! I can't believe it, especially since the past couple of nights it's been in the 40s and 50s. I guess it's kind of nice though because I'd hate sitting inside all day when it's nice and warm outside.  So in that case, Denver, it really is ok if you pour down rain during the week as long as I'm not outside! That's not selfish or anything, is it?

Like I said, I'd talk a little bit about the social media marketing session in Littleton that I went to during the monsoon of Wednesday night. I got there late so I missed some of the first part, but I was there for the meat of the lecture. The speakers were all working in PR for small companies in the area, and they were all guys who reminded me a lot of characters in "The Social Network..." just huge computer geeks. But they were very personable and social (I guess you kind of have to be if you're using that kind of media), so it wasn't a waste of my time at all.

Some of the key points to remember when using social media to market your company's products are:
--Social media is everything besides static content and webpages
                       -Therefore it's anything that enables you to chat with people
--The key is to drive traffic to websites to purchase your products
--Get people to share photos with their new product
--Have pages that attract specific audiences
                       -CladeHealthTracker, the app designed by Aegis, is useful because it prevents reliance
                        on paperwork and files to keep your medical records organized
                       -Many audiences would be attracted by this, because when individuals go through
                        periods of immense change their mental and physical health might fluctuate as well
--Key audiences whose lifestyles might be positively effected by Clade are: pregnant women, individuals with terminal illnesses, parents of children going through puberty, kids going to college
--Research your landscape so that you know your audience really well
                       -Rely on "search" data: What are people searching for on Google?
--Provide incentives for people
                       -It's possible to track success based on how many people use certain coupons
--Target competitors in particular
                       -Send advertisements based on demographics, competition
                       -Send coupons to people who "like" the competitors
--"Celestial Seasoning"
                       -People change how they refer to things based on seasons
                       -Be wary of how you word and phrase sentences and headlines
--Listening is key
                       -Are people talking about a specific product?
                       -Consider sentiment--are people thrilled or pissed off?
--Realize the key influencers and the people guiding the conversations
                       -Sometimes they are individuals and sometimes they are web properties
--Content is KING
--Psychological share motivations
                       -What motivates people to share?
--How is what you're producing visible online?
                       -Put ads in places where people visit frequently and direct them to your webpages

Some of these tips might seem pretty self explanatory, but I found it really helpful just to lay them out. Apparently less people than expected are buying the CladeHealthTracker app, so you should spread the word. Our facebook page is: CladeHealth Tracker, and from there you can access the Apple store to actually buy the product. So spread the word to your friends, friends! Honestly, even if you've been hospitalized for small things like minor surgeries, fractures, etc, it's still handy to have because it sends reminders for when to take certain pills (even vitamins!) and will keep track of your allergies and vaccinations.

There's a lot I could do this weekend. I still need to get a big couch and dining room table, as well as hang some pictures I bought yesterday, but one of my good friends that I studied abroad with in Lille is going to be in Breckenridge this weekend for their Oktoberfest so I'm deciding if I want to go up there on Saturday for the day. It would be a good chance to see the mountain town before ski season! Don't worry--I wouldn't get my purse stolen at this Oktoberfest (knock on wood).

That's all for the moment! I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!