A day like most any other day. Almost.

I spent the tenth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks going about my life like most any other day.

Almost.

I started the morning a bit differently. I set the alarm to wake me up early so I could watch a portion of the ceremonies in Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania. After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I went downstairs and fired up the television. As my Samsung TV went through its two minutes and thirty seconds warm-up, I hung the American flag.

I returned to the family room and watched as the ceremony at Ground Zero took place. My heart hung heavy and those familiar emotions washed over me as I recalled that horrific day.

I sat and listened. And reflected. Life in America has changed some since September 11, 2001, but in more ways than not, it has remained the same. As President Obama remarked:

"These past 10 years have shown that America does not give in to fear," he said. Nor to suspicion or mistrust or sacrificed values, he said.

"Our people still work in skyscrapers," Obama said during an evening ceremony centered on American hope and resilience.

"Our stadiums are still filled with fans, and our parks full of children playing ball. ... This land pulses with the optimism of those who set out for distant shores, and the courage of those who died for human freedom."

We always remember. We pay our respects. And we honor those who died on September 11th, 2001 by living each day to its fullest.

As the names of the 2,983 who perished on that day were read, I spent another moment in thought, and then turned off the television. I had a tennis match at 9:00 a.m. and it was time to get on with my day. A day that’s like most any other day.

Almost.

LiveJournal Tags: September 11,9-11-2001,Ground Zero,Twin Towers,the Pentagon,Shanksville,ten year anniversary of 9-11-2001,2983,President Obama,writing assignment,key messages,copywriting,ghost writing,ad copy,freelance,marketing communications,social media writer,blogging

Whatever your taste in music, you’ll find it here

I have the good fortune of living in the self proclaimed Live Music Capital of the World®. It’s not bluster or a slick marketing slogan; if it isn’t the truth, it’s pretty darn close. Just about anywhere you go on any given evening in Austin, Texas you can find an artist or a band performing. I’m not talking about a bunch of young pups learning their chops at the expense of your hearing and love of music. The performers are young, old and all ages in-between and play about every style of music known to humans. Often times, their talent is off the charts.

Two signature events that bolster the city’s claim to fame are South by Southwest (SXSW) and Austin City Limits Festival (ACL Fest). For ten days in March, the best minds and talent in the world come to Austin for SXSW to celebrate film, interactive media and music. According to the SXSW 2012 website: “At SXSW 2011, over 16,000 music industry professionals attended compelling panels, industry discussions, demo listening sessions, trade show exhibits, and our first year of an expanded six nights of music by just over 2,000 acts representing 57 different countries, performing at over 90 venues in downtown Austin, Texas.” Immense aptly describes the scale of this event. You owe yourself this experience once in your life.

Six months later, the Austin City Limits Festival brings musicians from all over the world for another music extravaganza. From the event website: The Austin City Limits Music Festival is an eight stage, three-day music festival that takes place in Zilker Park, Austin, Texas. The festival not only features “130-plus artists from across the globe, but amazing local eats and wares, fun for the kiddos, green goings-on, and other cool activities to entertain you for three magical days.” It’s a wow weekend that also needs to go into your bucket list.

If you enjoy music (and who doesn’t), come to Austin next March for SXSW 2012 or in the fall for ACL Fest. If you prefer a less frenetic scene, then just pick a weekend and come on down. Whatever your taste in music, you’ll find it here. You’ll also find phenomenal restaurants, hotels, shopping, museums and recreation to round out your trip. Check it out:

Get your groove on in Austin, Texas

Austin is a wonderful place to visit. The music you take in while here will become the soundtrack of your memories. I think you’ll agree as you leave that the city of Austin truly is the Live Music Capital of the World.

LiveJournal Tags: Live Music Capital of the World,Austin Texas,musicians,live bands,artist,South-by-Southwest,SXSW,The Austin City Limits,Festival,ACL Fest,Zilker Park,The Bucket List,writing assignment,key messages,copywriting,ghost writing,ad copy,freelance,marketing communications,social media writer

Hey! What’s the big idea?

When I worked in a very talented corporate communications department in the DFW metroplex, one of our creative agencies, which is still in business today, had the moniker What’s the Big Idea? I loved the agency before I met anyone on the account team because the name so resonated with me. As a creative, I always believed that every campaign required a big idea to give it life.

An idea is the seed from which a campaign is grown. It doesn’t matter if it’s a small seed or a big seed. What’s important is how well nurtured the idea is and that it is allowed to grow. As espoused in The Columbian Orator, “Tall oaks from little acorns grow.”

But oaks don’t become mighty overnight. One of the challenges all creatives face is the pressure to produce quickly. Like a tree, fast-growers often die young. They simply don’t develop the root system and a strong base to support the rest of the tree. Limbs are weak and some don’t take at all. There just isn’t enough vitality within for the tree to flourish.

So too can be the fate of a big idea. When building out your campaign, you need to socialize your idea throughout the entire organization. Each business unit, product line and service line must understand how the idea and associated campaign will support their business objectives. Listen to the feedback these constituents provide. You’ll hear some great suggestions. Work the relevant ones into the campaign and communicate it back to the sources. You’ll secure the broad support across the organization that will ensure the idea doesn’t get thrown into the wood chipper before its time.

LiveJournal Tags: big idea,advertising campaign,little acorns,mighty oaks,The Columbian Orator,Caleb Bingham,progymnasmata,writing assignment,key messages,copywriting,ghost writing,ad copy,freelance,marketing communications,social media writer

Samsung blue

I’m a fiscal conservative who prefers to buy only what I need. Growing up in a large family and settling for hand-me-down everythings conditioned me this way. So I am not frivolous with my money, and rarely do I indulge myself.

Don’t get me wrong. I do live in a fantastic home that we built (it’s in a hoity-toity neighborhood that is so not me) and I have nice flat screen LCD televisions and a recently-purchased multi-core computer. I occasionally add items to my wardrobe, though not often enough for my daughters’ likings.

When it comes time to upgrade or replace a big ticket item, I am very thorough in my research. I look for the brands in my price range that are known for quality and reliability and narrow my choices down to two or three. I then I shop around for the best deal. I expect this product to last up to a decade or longer.

So imagine my dismay when my 40” Samsung LCD television, purchased in mid-2007, began acting wonky a few months ago. I’d fire it up via remote and rather than come right on, it would seem to hang. I’d hear clicking and see a little red light blinking, but no picture. Between 30 and 40 seconds later, the picture would finally appear. This problem only worsened and now it takes two and a half minutes for the picture to appear. Literally. I timed it.

I had to take action. I called 1-800-SAMSUNG and the recording said the wait time was infinity. I’m a patient man, but that’s too long, so I did as the digital voice encouraged and went to their website to initiate a chat session with a Samsung agent. I had never done a chat session for a customer service issue, so I didn’t know what to expect. I can tell you I didn’t expect what I got. Let’s just say it didn’t go well.

Here’s the almost completely unedited script of the chat session (I did change the agent’s name and neutered telephone numbers and email addresses. That’s fair, right?)

Please wait for a Samsung Agent to respond.

You are now chatting with 'Chevette'. There will be a brief survey at the end of our chat to share feedback on my performance today.

Your Issue ID for this chat is XXXXXXXX

Chevette: Hi, thanks for reaching out to Samsung tech support. How can I help you today?

Brian: TFT-LCD Television, 40" model from 2007 is taking 2 mins. 30 seconds to power on. This has been escalating for months.

Brian: I've researched this issue and see it is a common problem with the capacitor on the main power board.

Chevette: I’m sorry to hear that. Let me help you with the issue.

Chevette: Let me know the Samsung TV complete and exact model code you have. You can find the model code on the label attached on the right side edge of the TV.

Brian: Model # LN-T4061F

Chevette: Could you let me know since when you're experiencing this issue with the TV?

Brian: Ah, for several months. I'm a patient individual...to a fault.

Chevette: Please confirm, whether the TV is connected to the surge protector or any other device for  power?

Brian: No power supply or surge protector.

Chevette: I recommend you turn Off the TV and unplug the TV from the power outlet wait for a minute  or so and then re-plug it back directly into the power outlet on the wall and power on the  unit and check whether the same issue persists.

Brian: I've done this dozens of times. Problem still exists.

Chevette: Let me know once you are done with the above procedure.

Chevette: Have you also tried connecting the TV to different power outlets and checked?

Brian: Yes.

Chevette: Have you registered the TV online with Samsung?

Brian: I may have...don't recall.

Chevette: Please provide me with the e-mail address and the phone number you've provided for registering the TV online with Samsung.

Brian: Just confirmed that I did register the TV.

Brian: briancurabitur@ligula.arar.com 555-555-1234

Chevette: Let me check for the details and provide you with the information.

Brian: I need to update the telephone number...I disconnected that number.

Chevette: Please provide me with the new contact number.

Brian: 555-555-5432

Chevette: Let me know the exact date of purchase of the TV. 

Brian: I'll try to dig that up in my files. I know it was four years ago at Best Buy and I'm fairly confident it was in August...going to my files now.

Chevette: Sure, go ahead.

Brian: Found the receipt: August 5, 2007.

Chevette: Thanks for providing the information.  (pause)

Chevette: Thank you for holding. (longer pause)

Chevette: I'm sorry to make you wait. (even longer pause)

Brian: I'm still here...

Chevette: Based on the information provided, your  TV needs to be examined by a professional service technician to fix the issue. 

Chevette: You need to file an online service request for the TV using the link below to get it serviced:

Chevette: http://www.samsung.com/us/support/service/request

Chevette: Can I help you with anything else?

Brian: Okay. I'll submit the request. Anticipating that this is the capacitor, I trust Samsung is going to cover the service call and the cost of the part?

Chevette: Not really, as the TV is out of warranty you'll be charged for service.

Chevette: Do you have any other questions for me?

Brian: Not cool. This is a known product quality issue. I've seen this problem discussed in forums all over the Internet. If Samsung won't replace a part that failed on a massive scale at your cost, I can promise you I won't be purchasing a Samsung product again.

Chevette: Samsung aims to consistently deliver a professional products and services to it's customers. As Samsung would stand behind it's products, it is providing one time free service for few TV models with power issues and you TV does not qualifies for this free service.

Brian: Not a customer retention policy. Consider me a lost customer. When I replace my 3 Samsung TVs, they'll have a different brand name.

Chevette: I’m sorry to hear that. However, I don't have the option you're referring to, being a Live Chat agent these are my options.

Chevette: Is there anything else I can assist you with?

Brian: No. We're done.

Really? Samsung decided my TV didn’t qualify for a free repair? I was shocked. Angry and shocked. I did not expect to be stonewalled. It was incomprehensible.

I decided to walk away from this for a while and then review the chat script in a more calm state of mind.

There it is. I believe the chat agent gave me a clue to my next play. Chevette wrote: “I’m sorry to hear that. However, I don't have the option you're referring to, being a Live Chat agent these are my options.”

She’s telling me Live Chat agents don’t have much authority. Her hands are tied. Without explicitly saying so, I think she was encouraging me to take another route.

Excuse me. I believe I need to make a phone call. A long wait will not deter me. As Buzz said; “To infinity and beyond!” Wish me luck.

LiveJournal Tags: Samsung,customer service,customer retention,Live Chat,capacitor,Buzz Lightyear,Tim Allen,Toy Story,writing assignment,key messages,copywriting,ghost writing,ad copy,freelance,marketing communications,social media writer

Limericks? Or lemonricks?

I love whimsical limericks.  I have a Little Golden Book titled Pocketful of Nonsense by James Marshall that is a wonderful collection of rhymes, ditties and limericks. I keep this children’s book at my desk and pull it out when I need to lighten and brighten my day.

I mean, how can this not put a smile on your face?

It gets even better with this one:

These James Marshall originals are so very clever.  My daughters loved it when I included Pocketful of Nonsense in the nighttime reading. The magic in limericks and other rhymes is reading them aloud and the 20 in this Little Golden Book were no exception. Plus, the illustrations are simply marvelous…a visual icing on the cake.

One day, inspiration hit me and I decided to write my own fun little limericks. These don’t follow the standard form of limericks in terms of cadence and accents, but I think they’re pretty solid efforts for a novice:

Family Limericks -- by Brian Beasley

There once was a woman named Janet
The finest female on the planet
A daughter, wife, mother and teacher
The love she gave was her greatest feature
Her fame shall be etched in granite

There once was a girl named Brooke
Who loved to read from a book
She read and she read
From morning until bed
Oh the ideas she did cook

There once was a girl named Blaire
Who did everything with such flair
She designed and she drew
A thirty color shoe
That simply was beyond compare

Apologies to Gershon Legman, Arnold Bennett and George Bernard Shaw who argue that a true limerick as a folk form is always obscene, but I couldn’t go there when writing about the special ladies in my life.

Are you a fan of limericks? Have you ever written limericks? If yes, do share in the comments section.

LiveJournal Tags: Limericks,rhymes,children's rhymes,Pocketful of Nonsense,Little Golden Books,James Marshall,Gershon Legman,Arnold Bennett,George Bernard Shaw,composition,writing assignment,key messages,copywriting,ghost writing,ad copy,scripts,freelance,marketing communications,social media writer,twitter

All play and no work

It seems only appropriate that on Labor Day I do anything but labor. I believe heading to a ball park to take in a game once dubbed America’s Pastime qualifies.

I organized a tailgate and baseball game watch event for the Austin chapter of the Ohio University Alumni Association at the final game of the regular season for the Round Rock Express. The weather forecast is mostly sunny and windy, north to northeast wind at 20-30 mph and a high of 90. That is a very comfortable day in Central Texas in September.

The pre-game tailgate itself will be wonderful: brisket, sausage, turkey, potato salad, cole slaw and beans from The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que. I’m salivating just thinking about it.

A social with friends seems like the perfect way to relax on a holiday that honors the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Yes, take me out to the ballgame!

What do you have planned?

LiveJournal Tags: Labor Day,America's Pastime,baseball,Ohio University,Ohio University Alumni Association,Round Rock Express,The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que

An UnNatural way to spend Thursday nights

I captain a men’s softball team whose origin goes back to the summer of 2000. We were formed soon after the completion of the sale of the communications IC division of Advanced Micro Devices to a private equity firm. The new company, Legerity Inc., paid the league fee, and the Legerity Legends was born. We were a horrendous team: a collection of guys mostly in our thirties with modest-to-poor athletic “talent” and little understanding of how to compete in amateur slow-pitch softball at any level.

I didn’t organize the team and I wasn’t the manager that first season. That honor goes to Osie. He played on other teams and decided to start a company team. I remember showing up for our first game and feeling like I was seeing an adult version of the Bad News Bears. What a collection of players! We had guys in jeans, button-up shirts, Keds, boat shoes and I swear I recall one guy wearing sandals. Obviously, a bunch of these engineers thought this was a company social that happened to include a game of “pick-up” softball.

Reality set in rather quickly.

Like the Bad News Bears, that first game and most everyone thereafter that season was comedic. Unfortunately, it was bad comedy. Rarely did we threaten our opponents. They were experienced teams that knew how to score and limit their defensive mistakes to keep us from pushing many runs across the plate.

After perhaps four games, it became abundantly clear that even at the lowest level of city league softball, there were some pretty good athletes on the other teams in our league. They competed hard and wanted to win. And win they did when they played us. Handily. Oftentimes, it was a slaughter.

It was a bit chaotic that first season. We were a team lacking organization and a core of quality players. As we closed in on an 0-8 record, Osie and I talked about me assuming leadership of the team. It wasn’t much of a discussion, I volunteered and Osie gladly handed me the reins.

Eleven years later, we are now known as The UnNaturals. Three of us remain from the original roster and that includes Osie. We’ve played 333 games in 48 seasons. During that span, many faces have come and gone.  The team gradually improved as better athletes with baseball and softball experience joined. We started having winning seasons and finally earned the title of champions in the fall of 2004.  That was a glorious feeling and we celebrated with a team happy hour.

Looking back, probably the most important contributions I’ve made to the team as captain are communication, organization and establishing an identity.  Today’s rendition of the team has a special camaraderie. As Geno, the other original member of the team likes to say, “Thursday nights* are pretty much the highlight of my week.” That sums it up rather nicely for me and it’s what has me looking forward to a twelfth year.

LiveJournal Tags: softball,slow-pitch softball,Capital City Softball,Austin Texas,Advanced Micro Devices,AMD,Legerity,Bad News Bears

*The softball team has played on Thursday night every season except maybe one or two in the early years.