One Woman's Opinion

Delivering Happiness - Tony Hsieh and the story of Zappos

2010-06-11T15:49:00.008-06:00

I read a lot of business books because I interview a lot of business authors. My favorite books are those which are infused with inspiration along with advice.

For me, Delivering Happiness by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh hit the mark.

Tony is an interesting guy. So,of course, I wanted to know more about him. I wanted to know WHY he chose to get involved with Zappos, WHY he decided to make customer service the key to the business, WHY he is so beloved by employees and colleagues. And I guess, I wanted to know that he had problems along the way as well. Because if he did, then there’s hope for all of us.

I got everything I wanted, and then some. The story of his early entrepreneurial efforts as a button-maker, his outside-the-box thinking in school assignments (a sonnet in morse code?!) and his college foray into the food service business... these were all stories that made me laugh, but also made me realize that it is the seemingly simple experiences in life that really shape our belief systems.

What also appealed me, and was reinforced in me, was the power of friendship and loyalty that was the absolute undercurrent of the book. People who believed in Tony; people in whom Tony believed and trusted. Without that power, there would not be a Zappos today. The smartest business minds in the world could not have made Zappos a success. It was good people, trusting good people, wanting to work with good people.

The excerpts from the Zappos culture book were interesting, but I don’t think replicable. Zappos is one of a kind. But the inclusion of the questions and essays was a good reminder that sometimes we have to give away power to get it.

But perhaps what will remain with me for a long time after I pass this book to many others to read, is the final challenge: What is YOUR higher purpose? The ending of the book reads:

I hope reading this book has inspired you to…
          …make your customers happier (through better customer service), or…
          …make your employees happier (by focusing more on company culture), or…
          … make yourself happier (by learning more about the science of happiness).

If this book has inspired any of the above, then I’ll have done my part in helping both Zappos and myself achieve our higher purpose: delivering happiness to the world.

----- *** ----- *** -----

Now that’s about the book. I want to talk a little about the brilliance of Tony Hsieh. Long before the book every came out, I had a female doctor friend who is 6’3 and wears size 12 shoes. One day I asked her where she got them, since they fit her, AND they were cute.

“Zappos," she said.

I had never heard of them, so I went online to see what she was talking about. Amazing. Shoes in MY size (11) and cute. And I could return them if I didn’t like them.

Several years later I began hearing about this Tony Hsieh guy. A mention in a blog, a funny tweet that someone re-tweeted. He seemed like an interesting guy. So I started following him on Twitter.

He was wicked with the puns, he posted photos and videos of the Zappos team doing fun and funny things, and he always had a sense of wonder about him. And he was brilliant in how his tweets marketed his business, but in a non-marketing way. He became the standard I aspired to when it came to tweeting.

Soon he was on magazine covers, written about in journals, speaking at conferences. And when the opportunity came to get an advance copy of his book, I jumped at it, because this was a guy I wanted to interview. And although they were looking for bloggers, they sent me the book anyway.

I look forward to an interview with Tony because there is much to learn from him. He is well-respected in the business world. In an interview with Brian Solis about social marketing, Solis calls Tony “brilliant.” I think you will agree.

So get the book and get inspired, and then I’ll let you know when we’ve scheduled an interview with Tony. Follow him on twitter @zappos and watch Zappos videos on YouTube.

Zappos and Tony Hsieh prove over and over again you CAN be successful by doing the right thing. May many more companies take that lesson to heart.

For more about the book, you can go to: www.DeliveringHappinessBook.com

To purchase the book at Amazon: www.Amazon.com/deliveringhappiness

Would we help today?

2009-10-05T09:22:00.003-06:00

">This came from the New York Times "Today in History:"

On October 5, 1947, in the first televised White House address, President Truman asked Americans to refrain from eating meat on Tuesdays and poultry on Thursdays to help stockpile grain for starving people in Europe.

I wonder if Americans today would pitch in... or would they say "Why should we help them? We have enough problems of our own?"

It's a different, more selfish world. After all, we don't even want to help our own people. Health care for all? Fuggettaboutit.

Maybe we need to step back a little and view ourselves from a different perspective.

Perhaps it's time we stopped acting like spoiled brats, singing the all too familiar song titled "Me Me Me Me Me Me Me ME!" It's all about MY money, MY tax dollar, MY gun, MY country, MY pocketbook, MY rights, MY healthcare. MineMineMine.

I can see the little child, hugging his toys to keep everyone else away, can't you? As a parent, what do you tell a child who won't share?

Maybe it's time we took a little of our own advice.

Memo to Automakers Wagoner, Mulally & Nardelli: It's all about Perception

2008-11-25T20:10:00.011-07:00

Of all the arrogant, crazy, mixed-up things we've ever seen in public relations, I think the behavior of the Big 3 Big Kahunas takes the cake. You don't have to be a PR genius to see the ginormous mistakes these three fellas made. Shame on the PR people who let these guys make them.

Here's what happened: Three business leaders came to Washington looking for a $25 billion bailout because, according to them, the country would not survive if these three American automakers didn't get the money.

Here's what we in the American public saw: Three obscenely well-paid CEO's flying to Washington in their private jets to ask for taxpayer money to bailout companies that they had driven, (pardon the pun), into bankruptcy, if not obsolescence. They had no plan. They had no vision of how they were going to make changes and turn their companies around. They had no way to promise that this would not happen again. No, they just put a big ol' hand out for a big ol' handout. And used the same mantra of extortion that Wall Street used: If you don't bail us out, the economy will collapse and millions of people will lose their jobs.

Now I don't know if it's the right thing to bail out the auto industry or not. There are plenty of smart economic brains out there to debate that concept, and I'm not one of them. But I do know Public Relations, and something this big needs the American public behind it, especially after we just spent $700 billion bailing Wall Street out and pretty much have seen no results from that. How these three CEO's have acted is a classic teachable moment. They've practically written the curriculum for the class on how to alienate the American public by their actions.

Here's what I would have told these guys if they had been my clients:

1. You Don't Fly Anywhere in Private Jets

Okay, look -- If you're trying to tell us that you just need taxpayer money to bridge the gap, and that you are actively working on digging the car companies out of the hole they are in, they you have to start the cutbacks with you. How can we possibly believe that you know how to streamline and cost-cut if you can't even see your own extravagance?

Rick Newman from US News and World Report puts it this way: "If you're asking for the people's money, you should be using the people's transportation."

According to Brian Ross and Joseph Rhee from ABC news, "Wagoner's private jet trip to Washington cost his ailing company an estimated $20,000 roundtrip. In comparison, seats on Northwest Airlines flight 2364 from Detroit to Washington were going online for $288 coach and $837 first class."

Doesn't matter what your reasons are for taking a private plane, no reason makes sense from a PR standpoint. Fire the consultant who didn't stop you from getting on that plane.

2. You Give Back Your Salary

You cannot tell me that the $25-$28 million a year that you each have been getting in pay and perks over the last few years is not enough to sustain you for the period of time it will take to turn these companies around. If you are really serious about making changes and effecting cutbacks, again, start with yourself. You say that a turn-around will be painful in these economic times, then be the first one in line to take some of the pain. It is obscene for you to come to Washington asking for taxpayer money when your paycheck is so high.

Our perception? If you were so good at what you did that you deserved $25M/year, then you wouldn't be in Washington asking for a handout. Fire the consultant who didn't advise you to stop taking a paycheck.

3. You Gather Up All the Leaders of Industry and Ask for Their Advice

Your company is in trouble. We want to know that you have exhausted all your possible resources before you come to the American taxpayer for a loan. Have you? We see no proof of that. We see business as usual and the same mismanagement that has gone on for years, if not decades. So call up all the smartest guys and gals you know and ask them for their advice. And then tell us you have done that so we have some security in knowing that the smartest brains around helped you come up with a plan.

Oh crap. A Plan! Which brings me to my next point.

4. You Come with a Plan for How the Bailout Will Allow You to Turn the Company Around.

Okay, this is where you need to fire not only your PR people, but your entire financial and operations management team. Who goes to the bank to ask for a loan without a business and marketing plan? You should have slid under the hearings table when the committee asked how you planned to turn the company around and what your plans were for the money.

This kinda goes back to point number two -- what are you doing for that $25M/year? You don't know that you need a plan? Or you are just too arrogant to think you need to share it with the people who are loaning you the money?

See, this point alone is why your PR people should be fired post-haste. You don't even have to be in public relations to see the problem of not having a plan. One of the Huffington Post readers said it nicely in a comment to another post. JScott wrote: "Do you even know how to put together a PowerPoint presentation... I mean really -- I just went to the LA Auto Show and their full legion of new car puffery was there. If they [had] spent [at] least as much time on a decent presentation to Congress they just might have had the check in hand by now."

Fire the entire PR firm that let you walk into that hearings room without a well-articulated plan on what you will do to turn the company around, and how the taxpayer money will help make that happen.

Now, there are plenty of other things you three guys could do to win over our confidence and get us on your side to back a bailout plan. But these first mistakes are so significant, it will be extremely difficult to win us over, if you can at all.

So fellas, here's your first move: Fire the PR people. And feel free to email me for more ideas. Heck, in the spirit of showing you guys how it's done, I'll even consult for free. But only after you stop taking a paycheck.

To make it easier on the Big 3 Big Kahunas, Pam Atherton can be reached at Pam @ ACloserLookRadio.com

I Love LA!

2008-06-09T14:40:00.004-06:00

Who wouldn't love it? Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson and a Disney Princess, all mingling about with the tourists at Grauman's Chinese. A a chili-burger at the Original Tommy's (at Beverly and Rampart). The best reuben, EVER, at Canter's, along with a fabulous story about pickles, the basement and smoking dope from the waiter. Searching for Paul Mazursky at the Farmer's Market and seeing Illiana Douglas instead. The biggest damn Book Expo ever!! Oh... and being live on KABC radio. I LOVE L.A.!!!!

It was a jolly good time for producer Darlene, Publisher Nicholas Beatty and me as we took in the sights of LA whilst participating in the largest Book Expo in North America . We spent nights at the Royal Pagoda Motel (2 blocks from the entrance to Chinatown, and thank goodness for the HUGE walk-in closet), and days at the 810,000 square foot LA convention center along with 49,997 other people. So much excitement, so many great experiences!

Nicholas had been to LA several times, but this time was the first for Darlene. And of course I was born and raised in SoCal, and worked at KHJ in LA, so this was like coming home for me. A home that had been reconstructed and refurbished in my absence... but it was home nonetheless.

Darlene and I drove from New Mexico (altho truth be known, she did all the highway driving). We had lunch with my father at El Cielito Lindo restaurant, where the highways collide in S. El Monte. This restaurant is famous for the mariachi groups who perform there, including the only all-female mariachi group. Originally, however, the restaurant was called the Jolly Jug, and our family spent many a Friday night there eating pastramis and reubens, with bowls and bowls of soft pickles served by Linda, the best waitress ever. I've never had pickles like them since. Even at Canters. But then, Canter's pickles have their own notoriety.

Most people who come to the Book Expo stay in high rise hotels near the site of the expo. Except if you decide to go at too late of a date to get a reservation at one of them. And too late would be anything more recent than 6 months prior to the event. We decided to go five days prior. Since we were driving, we had a little more flexibility in where we decided to stay. But I wanted Darlene's trip to be a memorable one, so when I saw the Royal Pagoda Motel getting good reviews at Hotels.com... and the price was right... I went for it. How can you not love a clean motel, 2 blocks from Chinatown?? And besides, Miss Universe 1965 stayed there, and beautiful Chinese starlet Josephine Siao was also a visitor. Of course the fact that no one there spoke English only added to the charm. Well, that's not exactly right. There are about 4 or 5 guys who seem to own the place, and they spoke in varying levels of English. Dapper James was there when we checked in. I never learned the names of any of the others, but Mr. Smokes (because I never saw him without a cigarette) was the one who navigated me in to the tight parking spaces and lent me the iron (with a $10 deposit because everyone kept taking the irons with them when they left).

The room had an air conditioner that never shut off (except at the plug) and a closet the size of my house. And it was two blocks from Chinatown. Have I mentioned that?

Chinatown seems to be going through death, or rebirth, I haven't decided which. A lot of the shops were closing and it didn't look as though new ones were coming in. The Wonder Bakery is still a wonder, and the shops with their close aisles are still jam-packed with buddhas, fans, scarves, ivory and jade earrings and lots and lots of stuff you just don't need. But you buy anyway.

We chose Hop Louie's for dinner the first night, and several nights after. It's a landmark at Chinatown, with it's formal upstairs dining room and the look of every 1950's B detective movie in the downstairs bar. I could almost hear the bad dialogue. The food was fresh and plentiful, and Lilly the waitress was friendly and funny. And best of all, it was only two blocks from the Royal Pagoda.

Part two of the Book Expo Adventure in the next post.

Ciao bella for now,

Road Trip to Book Expo!

2008-05-25T23:41:00.007-06:00

It's that time again... Book Expo! You remember Book Expo! It's where about 50,000 people get together to talk books. Publishers, Librarians, Authors, Booksellers... they're all there.

Last year we introduced you to Dark Horse out of Portland, the third largest publisher of comics in the United States. Yes, they publish comic books like HellBoy and Buffy and Conan and Emily the Strange. But they also publish books, have action figures, journals, lunch boxes and all sorts of cool gear. Domo stuff and Tim Burton stuff and Emily the Strange stamp of Disapproval sets. Dark Horse was one of my favorite booths last year. (for more, go to www.DarkHorse.com)

We also introduced you to Nick Katsoris and Loukoumi. Nick is the author of the delightful children's books that follow the adventures of a little Greek sheep. Nick also created the Dream Day contest, where 3 children wrote about what their dream day would be. The winners were just announced. Nine-year-old Sophie wants to be a space engineer, so she is spending the week-end (Memorial Day) in Pasadena, watching the Phoenix land on Mars!! Eight-year-old Lionel will spend the day at Giant Stadium with the New York Red Bulls. Can you tell he wants to be a soccer player? And Nika, from Colorado, wants to be a TV chef. So she'll go to New York to cook on air as well as watch a taping of Rachel Ray, and actually meet her.

The book, named one of the best products of 2007 by iParenting Media, teaches children they can be anything when they grow up, if they work hard and believe in themselves. Check your local bookstore or Amazon.com to find out more.

And who could forget Carol and Phil White? They took us on the Road Trip of our Dreams! This vagabond couple convinced us that we could go traveling for the same price as staying at home. Now in its second printing, their book "Live Your Road Trip Dream" is a wealth of information on how to get on the road... from the first glimmer of an idea, to dealing with issues on the road. Plus, their website is jam-packed with worksheets and resources and tips and information. Go here www.RoadTripDream.com for more.

So who will we introduce you to this year? Hard to say. But with a zillion exhibits, half a zillion authors and interesting people galore, you know we'll all be in for a treat. This year the Expo is being held in Los Angeles and Producer Darlene Cunningham will be along. She'll be blogging on our MySpace page with Photographer Nicholas Beatty capturing it all on film.

Plus, our good friend Dr. Susan has a book up for a Foreward award this year. You can bet we'll be at the ceremonies, cheering for Dr. Susan's Kid's-Only Weight Loss Guide.

Join us for OUR road trip adventure!

Ciao!

Come to my Cafe... in Bosnia Herzegovina!

2008-01-31T23:03:00.000-07:00

Hurray! I'm now an investor in a lovely cafe in Vitez. So you need not take out your encyclopedia brittanica, or mapquest the address... it's located in Sarajevo,Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The owner of the Cafe is a lovely woman named Ajida Bengir, and it looks as though she serves a healthy variety of alcoholic spirits. I can't wait to visit!!

It's part of my commitment to invest every month in microloans through Kiva.org. Last month I became a Ugandan Piggery investor. This month I'm moving up the food chain to investment in a business that actually serves the food after it's raised.

You, too, can be a microloan investor. Go to www.Kiva.org. It feels good.

XX
Ciao, Bella
P

Things that make me laugh!

2008-01-26T16:45:00.000-07:00

Oh golly... if you don't go to www.ICanHasCheezburger.com every day, then you're missing out on some of the funniest stuff to hit the internet. Its subtitle is lolcats... meaning, of course... laugh out loud cats. And indeed, if you don't laugh out loud, you are an old, embittered excuse for a human. Some background - Somebody stole the Walrus' bucket and he is forever in seach of it. And the title of the site refers to a photo of a cat, asking (or perhaps, demanding) a cheeseburger. Click on over when you're done with this and you'll see what I mean. (and go even if you don't like cats. You'll still laugh)

What else makes me laugh? Googling images of myself and finding a 17-year-old lad in Liverpool who may or may not have a mother named Pam Atherton, but definitely has friends who speak a text language of their own. That my-space site has added to my vocabulary... "ya dirty ticket" .. "Your fizzy willie's broke" ... and "your nan on toast." My best research shows that "dirty ticket" is basically another way to say "cheap bastard." I don't think I can tell you what a fizzy willie is; I might get censored. But "your nan on toast" is the equivalent of responding to an insult such as we might say "your mother." And the more you add to the toast, the nastier your comment is. For example... "your nan on toast with cheese sauce and tomatoes." Well, now, thems fighting words. :)

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=189948796

And finally, finding a review of a movie I was in in the '90's gave me a chuckle. Why? Well, it was an Italian film, filmed entirely in Italian, and the review is on yahoo.it. In Italian. I can't read the damn thing, but they spelled my name correctly. See if you can read it. And no fair cheating and getting it translated.

http://it.movies.yahoo.com/s/sognando-la-california/index-352406.html

Hope you get a lot of laughs!

Ciao, Bella!

XX
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I remember these....

2008-01-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

The New York Times had an article this morning about how bridesmaid dresses are catching up with the runway and getting away from the frill, chills and spills of the past. You remember... the pink taffeta dress with the poofy sleeves. The way-too-tight I-need-a-tummy-tuck rayon jersey knee-length dress in emerald green. The strapless wonder that reminded the world that you had no boobs. All dresses, your friend the bride reminded you, that could be worn again in the real world. Yeah, right.

Now you can relive those dresses, and many more disasters, at a site called www.uglydress.com. The site comes complete with commentary and is sponsored by bachelorette.com. (Whoever they are.)

Still... I must confess... I wouldn't mind having a "Gone With The Wind" wedding or bridesmaid dress. I still like shoulder pads (all women should. Have you seen how droopy most women look?) And red velvet at a Christmas wedding with a white muff instead of flowers still appeals to me.

As for my daughter... when she gets married... there is no doubt in my mind that this will be the dress she chooses. Sadly, it is also featured on uglydress.com

Well... ugly is in the eye of the beholder. I would, however, have to draw the line at her wearing the white sequin Minnie Mouse ears with the dress. You have to have SOME set of standards.

XX
Ciao Bella!

I am officially a Bacon Banker!

2008-01-02T17:17:00.001-07:00

What a wonderful holiday season! I hope you got everything you asked for. Other than world peace, I did.

I've gotten some pretty wonderful gifts over the years. (My all-time favorite is the electric pencil sharpener that I got for Mother's Day a few years back). But for this year, my most favoritest, fabulous, wonderful gift of all was from my daughter. She had heard me talk about micro-loans for years, and how I wished I could participate. But, not being a financial institution, and knowing nothing about how these things work in foreign countries, it seemed I was to be denied.

HAH! The power of the internet! My daughter found Kiva.org. They are an organization that lets everyday people like you and me participate in micro-loans. In $25 increments, we can invest in any of a number of businesses throughout the world. With the gift certificate from my daughter, I invested in an entrepreneur group in Uganda. They raise chickens and pigs, and needed the money for more pigs.

(click here to read about my group) http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=29310

I can see how one can get addicted to this! It's interesting to read about the different people and groups and what they hope to accomplish. It's also a sobering reminder of how much we accumulate and consume here in America. We've been working on simplifying in our household.

I mean, how much do we really need, anyway?? All my friends are going to get gift certificates for their birthdays and special days.

And I am going to proudly proclaim that I am an investor in a Ugandan piggery. I intend upon investing every month... so watch for more updates!

Invest!

XX
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Movie-making in Clovis, New Mexico

2006-06-13T17:11:00.001-06:00

So you may have heard… Clovis has landed itself another movie. It’s called SEASONS OF DUST and it was written and will be directed by Tim Blake Nelson. You can look Tim up on www.imdb.com … or just watch O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU, where he played Delmar, one of the three main characters. He is also the director of THE GREY ZONE and O. My favorite thing about Tim is that he was the voice of the hayseed cockroach in JOE’S APARTMENT.

Ben Salazar, who was a production assistant on the film BELIEVE IN ME that was also filmed in Clovis, called me about the film coming to town. He also told me that there weren’t too many parts, but they were looking for a Travel Coordinator.

What’s a travel coordinator? Well, you have 150 cast and crew members, and you have to keep them all straight and know where they all are! Fly ‘em in… keep track of what hotel room they are in…. how long do they stay… do they get a vehicle… who picks them up and when… well, you get the drift.

We work 12 hour days (8 am to 8 pm) 6 days a week (Sunday is our off day). Right now we are working in a location with no air conditioning, only swamp coolers. So on these hot, humid days… it gets downright uncomfortable.

Here’s a photo of Ben. He’s the Production Secretary on the film.

The best part about Ben is his wonderful smile and the fact that he likes to laugh. You wouldn’t want to be 12 hours in a room without laughter!! Ben knows everyone in town, so that makes it easy when the production company needs something. Ben always knows where to get it, or who to call to find out where to get it!

Paul Hunton is a Production Assistant on the film.

He’s from Portales where he graduated from ENMU in communications. He has already owned his own video production company and is working on a script that he has entered in the Duke City Shoot-out. It has already won third place in the New Mexico Film Commission Governor’s Cup. Good luck to him!

So that’s the latest update about SEASONS OF DUST, a film about the dust bowl in the late ‘20’s. Watch for more pictures and stories in the days ahead.

Ciao Bella, Darlings!
XX

update: The film never did get made... and I'm sorry to say, no one who worked on it for several weeks got paid either. HHrrmmm.....

My BEST OF DC Award

2006-05-20T09:50:00.000-06:00

Fresh, flavorful greens. Spicy chopped B-B-Q and juicy ribs. The best (bar none) macaroni and cheese in the world… the way Mom used to make it in the 60’s… oven baked with a crispy top and REAL cheese. Jimmy Carter knows what I’m talking about. It’s the best BBQ joint in the Washington DC environs. It’s Levi’s… and it’s in a strip mall on the corner of Oxon Hill Road and Livingston in Maryland, right off the D-12 bus line. And all for only $7.95. Levi’s gets my BEST OF DC award! J

I can also tell you that the metro in Washington DC is clean and fast. And everywhere I went, people were very willing to help out this first-time DC tourist. Bus drivers who wished us a good day or a great week-end. Riders thanking drivers. Natives taking the time to show me how to use the fare machines, or giving me hints about riding the metro.

I had a FABULOUS time in DC, although I never went to a single monument or museum. That’s for next trip. Expect several blog entries about the experience, for there is too much to put in just one.

I can tell you that the Book Expo is everything they tell you it is, and then some. And although I didn’t get some of the autographs that I wanted, I got many that I never even expected. And a photo with Jay Bush and Duke!! Chocolate chip cookies with Famous Amos, and a photo with him as well! It was a talk show host heaven, with authors everywhere.

UPS makes all its profits for the year at the Expo, for someone in the organization many years ago figured that people couldn’t carry all the books they were picking up, so they created “Attendee Shipping.” Thousands of boxes are set out on tables in a back area where people come in from time to time to load them up with their prizes. Then you get them taped up and in the assembly line to be shipped. Granted, UPS isn’t the only one making a fortune. The trucking company (Freeman) gets $25 a person “handling” charge. You do the math. They never have to work another day all year. And my 25 pound box will be trucking its way to me next week.

Next time… Oasis spa and their brilliant idea, the Colonel’s Posner, and my new best friend, Dr. Susan Bartlett.

Ciao Bella!

XX
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ps.... I know it's sad, but it was Elliott's time to go on American Idol. My prediction still stands... it will be Taylor Hicks as the next American Idol. I think he was a definite long shot when the competition began, but he has shown the style, the "It" Factor and the charm of a winner. Yahoo for Taylor and his harmonica!

American Idol, Allison and Washington DC

2006-05-17T20:49:00.000-06:00

First of all... Happy Birthday Allison! Is it 35 this year?? I hope you had a wonderful day! You would certainly love Washington DC over the next few days! It's the annual Book Expo, and there are thousands and thousands and thousands of books here, as the biggest book trade show in the nation is being held this week-end.

It's my first time in the nation's capitol, and I'm having a great time! Today I spent at PMA University, meeting people and finding out what will be expected of me tomorrow when I am on a panel to talk about media training. I met lots of GREAT people, including my new best friend, Paulette.

Tomorrow evening I'll be having dinner with Brigadier General-select Posner and the lovely Colonel Posner. We'll be in Pentagon City. Then Friday morning I will go to the opening morning of Book Expo. I'm hoping to hit the Smithsonian in the afternoon. And somehow, I want to make it to the International Spy Museum!

Wow... so much to see here. So much to do. I'm defininely going to have to come back!

And tonight Elliot Yamin left American Idol. When you watched the show, was there any doubt who had the true magic... the true star power? To me it was abundantly evident that Taylor Hicks is the next American Idol. He rocks, he rolls, he has the right energy and he has the X Factor. Yay for him!!

Hope your May is going well. I'm having fun riding buses and metros and not knowing where the hell I am going. And I find that very exciting!

Ciao Bella!!

XX
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American Idol Predictions - revised

2006-05-10T13:52:00.001-06:00

I keep getting a lot of hits from people who are searching for "American Idol Predictions." Hey... why not give the public what they want?? Plus... if it drives up MY traffic, we're all winners!

Here's what I think.... (and I've got it sorted out in my brain after this lunchtime's convo with Beverly and Brandon).....

Why the heck is Elliott in the competition at this point in time? Yes, he can sing. But when you closed your eyes and listened to him last night, did you really think you would hear any of his songs on the radio? NO. He is a bar mitzvah singer. He is a lounge singer. But he doesn't have the charisma and "it" factor to be the American Idol. (and I like you, Elliott. But not in this job).

Chris... I have to agree with Simon's assessment last night of "A Little Less Conversation." It had no energy, no punch, no excitement. Until the end. And then you rocked! You lead with your rocker side, but your real strength FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC is when you soften down for ballads. You're good. But I think you need more general appeal.

Katherine... Wow. She's got the pipes. She's got the looks. She's got the "it" factor. But she's still a little inconsistent. She will fare well out of this competition, because someone like Tommy Mattola will give her a contract. She will guest star on sitcoms. She will grace the cover of magazines. But she's not quite the American Idol yet. There have sure been glimpses of it throughout the season. More so with her than anyone else.

Honorable Mention.... Paris. She should never have been kicked off. She is, by far, the best singer of the competition and the most versatile. (Mandisa was kick-ass, too. But you know she was voted off because she was heavy. Too bad. We need new role models). Paris could sing. But she's just 17, and she's a little like Fantasia in singing style. And the public wants different. (or at least the producers do. I wonder how much they influence who stays and who goes???) Look at all the American Idols winners so far. They are all different from each other in style and looks.

Which is why Taylor will win. And because he is a heck of a blue-eyed soul singer. I love Taylor. He is my favorite for many reasons. Because he loves to sing. He loves to perform. He gets into the music and the music gets into him. He feels what he sings. He was an underdog going in (hey.. let's have an old guy who dances weird in the top 12! Okay) And he has surprised the heck out of the producers, I am sure.

So go for it Taylor! Knock us out. And put "In the Ghetto" on your first album. That was HOT!!

Now... let's see how America votes tonight. (and lemme ask ya... how many times do you think the general public votes? Does each person vote 1 time? 12 times? 50 times? 'Cause they don't have a way of only letting a number vote once. So once again... it's WHO you know.... :)

Ciao!

Pam

My friend Allison

2006-05-04T17:41:00.000-06:00

Allison asked me to come see her about a week ago. So yesterday, as the sky was storming and hail was falling, I went to see Allison. She had a special surpise for me.

Allison had secretly been working on a prayer shawl. She told me that several times she almost blew the secret by posting it on her blog! The shawl (or throw) is blue and white and full of love. Here's a picture of it for you to see how lovely it is.

I met Allison at the Women's Day Out event in Portales last year, and got to see her again this year. And I was so very honored that she would make such a beautiful and thoughtful gift as this for me. Thank you, Allison. You are beautiful and kind. And I will treasure this very, very much.

It's been a very good week.

Ciao,

Pamela

It was a Summa Cum Laude of a week!

2006-03-06T20:20:00.000-07:00

Women's Day Out in Portales was a real treat again this year. I had the honor of being asked to speak again. It fuels my soul to be able to energize a group. I saw my friend Allison Stephens and got many a warm hug from her!

The office space I am getting for my studio will be available in a few days. I'm very excited about that, as well as some of the great opportunities I've been offered in the last several days. More voiceovers... more speaking engagements... more meeting facilitation. I'm jazzed.

My friend Peggy graduated from Wayland Baptist on Friday. She graduated Summa Cum Laude, with a 4.0 average! Incredible! I cried when they played pomp and circumstance and they filed in. And I cried when she got up to get her diploma. And I cried when they filed out. I am sooooo proud of her. She has accomplished so much under such adverse circumstances.

Colonel Posner and his wife Geri are leaving the base. They are headed for the Pentagon. This is quite common... a two year hitch. I was invited to both farewell dinners... last Monday for Geri, and Saturday night for the Col. The Posners bought dinner for Twila and me and sat us at a Squadron Commander table. Then, as we were leaving, Geri asked me to stay with them when I go to Washington DC in May, and the Colonel gave me a special Commander's coin, one that is in gold. I felt very humbled and honored. What a nice recognition!

So here's today's thought for the day......

You are successful in ways you don't even know!!

Think about it. And consider all the ways you affect others in your life.

Ciao Bella!!

Pam

My Beautiful Friends!

2006-03-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

Peggy graduates from Wayland Baptist tomorrow... Summa Cum Laude!! We are all so proud of her. She wants to be a teacher, and she has worked a full-time job, kept up her family life and gone to school full-time. Oh... and then there was that cancer thing in her life. What an amazing woman!!

Another amazing woman is my friend Twila. She left work at the county after 11 years and is now the General Manager of Interim Home Health Care... the first one in New Mexico. Twila is a single mom (with a delightful daughter named Tasan) and she has the most whimsical sense of life. Here's her photo. She's pretty gorgeous as well!

And then there's my friend Karen. She's turned around the business for her company in Albuquerque and continues to surprise her bosses. She's creative, dynamic, tenacious and willing to learn from whatever life throws at her.

Hurray for friends. I have many, and they are all a wonder to me.

And as to American Idol... yes, the right ones are getting thrown off. Many more need to go, however. :)

Ciao, bella bella!

Pam

New Directions!

2006-02-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

Ever have one of those mornings when you wake up and say to yourself... "What the Hell am I doing??"

I had one of those a while back.

And then someone gave me a book called Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts.

And I interviewed Aleta St James.

And I had fun acting in a movie

And I decided I didn't know what the hell I was doing. So I decided to go on the journey to figure it out.

So I quit my job. And took 5 others.

And I stopped getting up at 4 in the morning.

And now I still don't know what the hell I am doing, but I DO know that I'm having more fun doing it. And less stress.

Don't I look a lot happier now??

Stay tuned for more new developments!

Ciao!
XX
P

My Kind of Town, part two....

2006-02-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

Last night the Grant Historical dinner was amazing!

We ate in the Empire Room and the meal included Curried Butternut Squash Bisque... Peppered Beef Tenderloin wrapped in Proscuitto with creme fraiche Yukon Gold potatoes... and Le Mirior de Truffles au Chocolat, among other things.

There were only about 25 of us in the Empire Room of the Palmer House, dining upon the same china that President Grant and Mark Twain dined upon, that is only taken out of the vault to show people... never for them to dine upon. Ken said that each place setting was worth about $6800!

We were treated to a history of Chicago and of the Palmer House. I am going to do some research on Bertha Palmer. She was quite the progressive! She was the first to bring Monet paintings to the United States and helped start the first women's garment union. Really an incredible woman.

Then Ken had a limo waiting for me to take me back to the Sofitel, where I met David and Susie in Le Bar. And when I finally got back to the room, there was a Fire and Ice bath package awaiting and a single rose on the bed.

It's so nice to live the life of luxury, wouldn't you say??? :)

Today Susie and I are going to Bloomingdales for a make-over. Still have to find those martini glasses....

I love Chicago!!

XX
P

My kind of town, Chicago is....

2006-02-11T08:50:00.001-07:00

In Chicago for the Auto Show to broadcast live as part of a contest we did on the radio. The hotel we are partnering with is the Sofitel Water Tower, truly an elegant European style hotel. Yesterday was the broadcast with the management of the hotel, and what a cast of characters they were! Rob Prohaska, the marketing director, Laurent Boisdron - the food and beverage director, and Christos Palaglou - the Chief Operating Officer. Funny, smart, clever and cute.. this was a fun bunch of guys. And a real treat. When you do broadcasts on location with people you have never met... you are never quite sure what will happen and how it will go. This went swimmingly! (pictures of the guys will go up when I get home)

Laurent convinced me to try the Lipstick Martini.... a peach concoction that came with some Bobbie Brown cosmetics. And then he ordered some champagne for us and picked up the entire bill. Thank you, Laurent. :)

Ken Price at the Palmer House found some time yesterday to sneak away for lunch at the Downtowner and he fed me like a Jewish mother! Quesadillas and crabcakes and sea bass and peapods... and a freshly baked cookie with ice cream for dessert. He is such a fascinating man! His true love is the Great American Songbook and he is bringing the Cabaret Convention back to Chicago in March. Unfortunately, they are all sold out, or I would bring Beverly back for it. It is an incredible evening.

Ken made reservations for us to come back tonight for the historical dinner at the Palmer House which will be served on the same china that President Grant dined upon. What a fabulous evening this should be!

Today I'll spend some time on Michigan Avenue doing some shopping and sightseeing. It's a little grey out today and looks quite chilly. Glad I brought the wool coat! Gotta find some martini glasses for the gang back home.

Remember when you come to Chicago to visit the Palmer House... ornate, historical, exquisite. The Sofitel is your choice for Euporean elegance and the romance concierge. And the Art Institute for a bit of culture. Chicago is definitely my kind of town. :)

XX
P

Answer this Question at your own Risk!

2006-01-30T20:28:00.001-07:00

Someone forwarded this question to me today. I thought I would ask it of you and see what you come up with for an answer. Think about it before you peek at the answer. Then write in the comment section and tell me what you think is the reason. I’ll tell you what I thought. The answer is below the picture.

Read this question, come up with an answer and then scroll down to
the bottom for the result. This is not a trick question. It is as it reads.

A woman, while at the funeral of her own mother, met a guy whom
she did not know. She thought this guy was amazing. She believed him to be
her dream guy so much, that she fell in love with him right there, but
never asked for his number and could not find him. A few days later she
killed her sister.

Question: What is her motive for killing her sister?(this is a picture of me the day Traci Harris and I went to California to drive convertibles through the Hollywood Hills. Well, of course we were there for other reasons, but that's another story for another time)

Answer:

She was hoping the guy would appear at the funeral again. If you answered this correctly, you think like a psychopath.
This was a test by a famous American Psychologist used to test if one has the same mentality as a killer. Many arrested serial killers took part in the test and answered the question correctly. If you didn't answer the question correctly, good for you.
If you did answer correctly, please let me know so I can take you off my email list...

XX
P

Definitions... they DO matter!

2006-01-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

Don’t you hate it when people use words or phrases incorrectly? Not people who are just trying out a phrase for the first time….no… I’m talking about the people who use these phrases with such confidence in the belief that THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT in their usage, that you can’t tell them any differently?

You could show them the dictionary, and they won’t believe you. You could try to gently change the direction of the conversation, and they’re not budging from their ill-conceived theories. No… these are people who think that if they just use their words LOUD enough and with enough bluster, that everyone will believe them. And they’re too ignorant to check their facts or look up the words, or consider… for even a moment… that they might be incorrect.

I had it happen to me twice last week. You just want to shake these people and say LOOK THIS STUFF UP BEFORE YOU TALK!

So in honor of those people, (and some may call them assholes), I am presenting two definitions today. One from the world of technology... and one from the world of psychology.

What is a Unique Visitor?
(this is in reference to people who visit websites)

A unique visitor is someone with a unique address who is entering a Web site for the first time that day (or some other specified period). Thus, a visitor that returns within the same day is not counted twice. A unique visitors count tells you how many different people there are in your audience during the time period, but not how much they used the site during the period.

Usually datametric companies use a COOKIE dropped into your browser to indicate that you have been counted. If the user closes the browser or is inactive for a period of time (many webcounters use 30 minutes), the session cookie will expire, and a revisit will cause a new unique visit to occur.

MOST DATAMETRIC COMPANIES USE A 24 HOUR PERIOD OF TIME AS THEIR SPECIFIED PERIOD.

Now, on two definition two:
What is Passive-Aggression and what is the behaviour generally associated with it?

The term "passive-aggressive" was introduced in a 1945 U.S. War Department technical bulletin, describing soldiers who weren't openly insubordinate but shirked duty through procrastination, willful incompetence, and so on.

People with this disorder resent responsibility and show it through their behaviors rather than by open expression of their feelings. Procrastination, inefficiency, and forgetfulness are behaviors commonly used to avoid doing what they need to do or have been told by others must be done.

A person with this disorder may appear to comply with another's wishes -- may even demonstrate enthusiasm for them -- but the requested action is either performed too late to be helpful, performed in a way that is useless, or otherwise sabotaged to express anger the person cannot relate verbally.

For example, if you are angry at your spouse who asked you to pick up several ingredients for dinner that night, and you somehow forget a couple of the items which make preparing the meal impossible, this might be considered a passive aggressive act.

Passive Aggression IS NOT when you are discussing a problem openly. (OPENLY being the operative term.) Passive aggression is typically sabotaging behaviour that is expressed separately from the anger one feels for someone else.

GET IT RIGHT… or shut the hell up.

Have a nice day!

2006-01-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful way to ring in the New Year! Gourmet cheese and crackers straight from the Minnesota branch of the Girlfriends…yummy frozen margaritas, courtesy of Jose Cuervo and the Magic Bullet… and a double-decker of See’s candies that you had to play Peek-a-Boo Guess-Who with, since there was no blueprint of the ingredients.

It was Twila’s birthday on the 31^st and November heralded a new jump-off point for me, so the Girlfriends decided to go on retreat to a mineral spa just north of Santa Fe. The mineral pools at Ojo Caliente are world-famous. In fact, Ojo Caliente is the only place in the world where 4 different geo-thermal pools can be found in the same place. They include Iron, Soda, Arsenic and mud.

After a little brouhaha about our rooms, we finally retired to the Hill House (they called it a “modular house” … we called it a double-wide. You say tomato.. I say tomatoe). I had the first massage of the group and it was with a delightful woman named Storm. She elbowed and fore-armed my erector muscles until they finally released. From there I had Alex for a deluxe facial. It was heaven! I fell asleep every time she laid the herb-soaked hot towels on my face. I WILL be trying that at home!

From there I soaked in the iron pool, on to the soda pool and finally to arsenic at a comfy 98 degrees. What a way to relax!

We opened presents and ate snacks and drank margaritas. And we were all ready to go to bed before midnight. But we had to see Dick Clark! So we talked to keep ourselves awake. Was it heart-wrenching to see Dick Clark, still dealing with the affects of the stroke? Yes. But then, it really became uplifting. Because it was courageous. Here was a man who certainly didn’t need the money or the exposure, but Rockin’ New Year’s Eve was his baby. And I do believe he was proud of the progress he had made since the stroke. And BRAVO for him for being such a wonderful role model to imply by his appearance… no matter what your disability (for indeed, a stroke is a disability).. don’t let it stop you from doing what you love! And isn’t that what we should be portraying on TV, in the movies, in magazines… instead of too-skinny women, outrageously expensive clothes and pop figures who have no reason to be a part of our culture except they have good PR people? (yes, I’m talking about you, Paris).

So BRAVO Dick Clark!!

And as for those who think Mariah Carey looked a little “chunky” on the show…. let me cash your reality check. You’re part of the reason that people have problems with their self-images. You’re the reason Hollywood is portraying skeletal women as “normal.” Mariah looked just fine, albeit too under-dressed. My problem with Mariah was how she kept “working it” as if her whole identity was tied up in her sexuality. Thank you MTV, VH1 and BET.

Twila and I saw Brokeback Mountain in Santa Fe on the way home. (Because it was never going to come here.) Wow. WOWOW is all I can say. Incredible acting. Luscious cinematography. And a well-told story. Heath Ledger captured the quiet and closed-lipped cowboy to perfection. Jake G (because I can’t spell his last name) exuded his torment without chewing the scenery. It would be a tough call to say who was the better actor. I can’t remember a movie I felt was better crafted. And oh, that Randy Quaid! Just a look and he says it all!

So it was a wonderful end to the old year and start of the new. I am sure this year will be full of abundance and change. And I anxiously look forward to that.

May your New Year be the start of something big!

And here’s a quick tip for you:

Keep in mind that toilet seat covers in restrooms are meant to disintegrate when they get wet. Consequently, when you step out of somewhere wet… oh, let’s say a mineral pool or something… and you use one of those toilet seat covers… they’re going to disintegrate. In places from which you will have trouble removing all the little dissolved and semi-dissolved pieces.

In simple language… dry your butt before you go.

Love and kisses….

Plagiarize... let nothing evade your eyes... *

2005-12-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

From Reader's Digest ...

(hey... at least I attribute!)

From television shows to sports arenas, everything seems to have a sponsor. The Washington Post asked its readers to come up with logical patrons for some important historical events and life stories. Their results:

The Strom Thurmond Story... brought to you by Pop Secret

The Life of Captain Kidd... brought to you by IHOP

The Success of Jeb Bush... brought to you by Hasbro

And finally... a good read for you if you are tired of having too much stress, feel you are over-booked and over-scheduled, and know and want to make changes in your life.

Aleta St. James is the author of Life Shifts. Her website is www.AletaStJames.com. You may have read about her in the news last November when she became one of the oldest women to have twins (she was 57). She is also the sister of Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels. And she's a great interview! (watch for her to show up on my podcast in the coming days)

And from the BAD headlines department... This comes from the Tacoma Washington News Tribune.

"Man Jailed After Striking Boy with Dog."

I bet he swung him by the tail.

Ciao Bella!

Pam
* And this itself was stolen from the incomparable Tom Lehrer, from the song Lobachesky. Does anyone know where he is, by the way? I'd love to write him.