#Adventures in Randomness and Rock & Roll w @leah_cevoli

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Leah. She's pretty rad and has an INCREDIBLY random life. Like, no - for reals ... did you know she has an obsession with vampires, psychics, and tarot card readers ... and she had more sex as a teenager than in her 30s ... anddddd she even had two ex boyfriends die violently - one from a heroin overdose, and the other was murdered. Holy moly roli poli oli - that shit be cray cray. Either way, she's now here to write about her life, love, and all things nerd. I only have one more thing left to say ... HIT IT LEAH!! </editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @Leah_Cevoli

I am a huge Social Media nerd.  Huge. 

It started in the mid-nineties.  Yeah, social media existed in the mid-nineties in the form of AOL chat rooms, AOL instant messengers, and being the band-aid that I was I joined every 80’s glam rock message board I could think of, which led to meeting and hanging with every band I loved in my teens.  And  some of those people I met back on those message boards are still my friends  today! True Story!

Nowadays, social media, although still being “social” for me, is also a huge part of where I get new gigs from, showcase my work, promote my projects, and well, get the next gig.  My very first SAG acting job (Robot Chicken), came thru Friendster, and the horror film I produced and starred in came thru Facebook.

I have finely tuned my social media skills, and my brand online.   There are some people that use social media simply for playing online games or keeping in touch with family and new baby photos.   There are others that use social media strictly in a LinkedIn sort-of business only sense, but my way of social media is to combine the two. It’s a delicate balance. 

I will be the first to admit that I post A LOT.  And I’ve been told this by others as well.  Back, when myspace was in, I had friends or associates that didn’t add me, as they didn’t want to see all my posts.  I had to put my big girl pants on, and not get offended by that.  Just because something *is* important to ME, doesn’t mean everyone else is going to want to see it, and that’s okay.  I had a vision, a plan, a method to my madness.  Not really sure of anything, other than if I stuck to my gut, and posted things that truly meant something to me, and stayed authentic, without bombarding people, the people would respond.   And they have.  I have a nice social media following, that is continuously growing.  So, hey, the way I do it, must be working for me.

I also had to get used to, consistently saying no, when random people, especially bands, asked me to post something for them, whether it was thru my mailing list, myspace, or whatever.  Because see, if other ppl saw value in me posting their information/show/gig whatever, than shouldn’t I be placing a value on it, and either a) start charging a small fee (which I’ve done on occasion), or b) say no thanks, I promote things I’m involved with or feel a need of my own accord, to promote. (which is the way I usually go).

I’ve taken marketing classes over the years, branding classes, networking classes, self-management classes… I’ve learned things from all of them, but like with anything, you should take what works for you, leave the rest.  

I’ve been told over the years, I’m too “personal” online.  I’ve refined that slightly, but not much, I enjoy being an open book. I don’t mind sharing personal things.  I enjoy the feedback, and I enjoy hearing from people that got something out of what I shared.

So basically, all this to say, I’ve got my social media skills down, and I’m completely happy with the way I do things.  Yet, recently I’ve had 2 instances that I feel compelled to write about.  (I sense a part 2 to this post already…)

I recently started a mail-chimp email list, and transferred the few thousand subscribers from my Yahoo-Groups List (founded in 2001).  On day one, I received a notice that someone had not just unsubscribed, or clicked “no longer interested”, but had actually clicked and reported me as SPAM.

Mail-Chimp doesn’t take this lightly, you only get a few warnings and they shut your account down.  Who would have reported me as SPAM?  I check and here it’s this dude, who I met in 2009 at Comic Con.  He lives in NY and works outside the Entertainment industry, but is friends with some high-profile actors.  I actually, went on a date with him later that year, and even kissed him good-night after a really nice dinner in the city.

Now since then, he’s dating someone who is friends with a girl who really did me wrong, and as such, lord knows what he was told, but he deleted me off of all social networking platforms.  It hurt, like an ouch, band-aid hurt, but this SPAM report, was more than I could take and keep my mouth shut about.  I emailed him.  And politely asked, what his deal was.

And you know what he said?  “Actually while I thought we were friends, I came to realize  that we weren't (or if we were, our definitions of the word differed).  You really seem to care more about having people to get you places than actual friends. You'd been sending me an astounding amount of messages in a myriad of ways to vote for you in things I don't know anyone who asks as much of their "friends" as you do in the ways that you do, and while I know you're trying to make it in the harsh world of Hollywoodland, you may want to explore other options other than constantly asking for favors.  It really makes a friendship feel dishonest, and makes people who genuinely care about people like myself tend to back away.

WOW, REALLY?  Now, if you know me at all:

A) you know that I am the first person to hook friends up with tickets to any concert/show/screening/job/event, ANYTHING that I can possibly do.  As an adventurer I am always in constant gratitude to the people and circumstances that I've met along the way, and will always, always pay it forward. B) I rarely ask for favors, I’ve worked hard for everything I’ve accomplished and C) Just cause I post something to look at or vote on, doesn’t mean YOU have to do anything. It’s my facebook page, I NEVER EVER EVER post my stuff on someone else’s page w/out complete permission! 

(It's like my own personal RULE #1)

I took a moment to ponder and breathe.  I realized that he is NOT in the entertainment industry, so he just doesn’t understand how much my flow of income and work depends on being active online, and the friends that he DOES have in the industry are A-list actors, who don’t need to do the public, daily, hustle, anymore. So you know what, he just doesn’t get it.

I politely wrote him back: 

Yes, the summer of 2010 was filled with 2 BIG Contests that I needed votes for. One to be a Host on Oprah's Winfrey’s new network  and one to Host a very large music Festival, and I did ask for my friends (and fans) to vote for me. To most ppl it's not a big deal, to some, like yourself, it is. 

I have to disagree with you on the friendship thing tho... I am an amazing friend, I give all I can and all I got to my friends, I've never used anyone, back stabbed anyone, and I most certainly don't use anyone for what events they can get me into, 99% of the time I can do that myself, esp in the music world, and I hook my friends up ALL the time.

It's just who I am, I share a lot, and I give a lot...

What was nice about sending out my mailing list, besides the "spam complaint" from you, I woke up to 12 emails from friends/mentors/coaches congratulating me on the email and the projects listed, and that felt great.

I have not heard from him since.

I LOVE  Social Media, like LOVE.  

I just really needed to write this (2-part) rant post on a few things that have irked me lately.

Live Love. Love Life.

#xoxo

click here to follow Leah on twitter!

P.S.  Later that same year, I entered one more online voting contest, and this time I WON!  

So thank you again, to all who voted for me (I'm sure the bitter dude in NY didn't vote on this one. )

I WON THIS CONTEST

#GeekSpeak: The sometimes random misadventures of @Abby_Cake

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Abby. I met her in Chicago at the #20SBSummit, and this chick is raaaddddd!! She considers herself more of a nerd than a geek - but I think she's just all shades of random and awesome. Oh and FTR, the TNTML stance on nerds versus geeks are that nerds are products of a genetic predisposition, and geeks are raised. BOOH-YAH!!! I only have one more thing left to say ... HIT IT ABBY!!!</editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @Abby_Cake

When I was in college, there was much emphasis placed on Sex and the City. With our budding freedom and experimentation with our sexual identity, naturally, came the communal watching of Sex and the City marathons.

I always had female roommates and, before college, did not know what Sex and the City was. My parents did not have HBO, actually, until I moved out, we only had eight channels. I was more well-versed in PBS documentaries than Manolo Blahnik. But I was initiated into the culture of Cosmopolitans by pretty much every female friend I made. They saw it as their mission to make sure I understood the super-chic culture of Manhattan, a culture I obviously had no potential for what with my iced wine in plastic cups and Ramen noodles.

The inevitable counterpoint of this was that everyone sought to identify with a character. Girls do this a lot. In junior high each of us was a specific Spice Girl. I had a friend who sought rabidly to be a Samantha. And another who identified herself as the fashionable Carrie (in her defense, she was very fashion forward). I was eighteen or nineteen, and I thought I wanted to be a Carrie with oddly fashionable fanny packs, super charged sex life, and bullshit stay at home writing career. But as I watched more of the show one of my more astute room mates came to the realization that I was a Charlotte.

Her reasons: I am a romantic, with bad dating luck. I can be a little uptight with my studious over-preparedness and just-in-case planning and crying about bad test grades. I am always trying to workouts and health foods, and often dragged my room mates into it.

We also had a lot of differences as well, something I was quick to point out: I am not rich, I do not care about the whole marriage and kids package, I am not religious, I would never own a show dog, etc. Essentially: I couldn’t see myself at all in Charlotte.

But my friends needed me fill the void in their Samantha and Carrie lives. If I was Charlotte, all they needed was a Miranda and we could find a booth at the local bar to gossip in. I was resistant, much to their chagrin I’m sure.

If I was to be compared to anyone I wanted it to be Jane Austen.

It was a really weird moment when, in the midst of this social phenomenon, I realized I couldn’t identify with it. Maybe my friends could, maybe millions of viewers could. But I couldn’t. I felt like an island in a sea of Cosmopolitans.

So now, I’m just me. I’m not glamorous. I live in the real world with real problems, real people, real failures, and real successes. I shop at Ross over Barneys and wear my worn out Toms over designer shoes. I don’t have a lot of girlfriends who gossip about all the sex they are having (in fact, I very rarely talk about sex at all). My post-divorce life does not compare at all to Charlotte’s.

I haven’t watched Sex in the City in years. I did not watch the movies either. But there was a very strange period in my life where it affected who I was to some degree, and I am glad that time is over

Take a step away from TV, forget your dream-self, and just enjoy being you.

Alternatively, have you ever been influenced by a TV character or show?

xx, @abby_cake

#nerdsunite

Want more from Abby?? Check out her blog over yonder - and don't forget to drop her a follow on twitter!!

#Adventures in Procrastination & Productivity: Confessions of a Workaholic

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Rachel. I LOOOOOOOOOVVVVVEEEEEEEEEE this chick. Like LOOOOOOOOOVVVEEEE her!! She's really rad, and totally down to earth. Pretty much everything a solid girl crush is made of. These are the thoughts inside her head, and her life in the realm of procrastination and productivity. Hit it Rachel!! </editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @IamRachelWho

I don’t know about you guys, but getting back to work after a FOUR-DAY HOLIDAY is tough, even for a workaholic like myself.  I mean, really, really… pass-me-some-more-mashed potatoes… tough.  In order to mentally prepare for the hell that is the office after a short vacation, I called out to my nearest and dearest for help and motivation … the world wide interweb.  There is almost always an app for “that.”  No joke. 

Sunday night, I got a nervous tick as I thought about all the calories I had consumed over Thanksgiving and Dranksgiving (the alcoholic version of Friendsgiving complete with two buck chuck and a never-ending game of Phase 10). It was a lot.  So I set my alarm for 6:30AM and whipped out my iPhone.   I downloaded Nike+GPS, added some songs to the ‘PowerSongs’ playlist and brushed off my running shoes.  For a person who really hates exercise, I was PUMPED.  This is why I love technology.  Everything becomes a little more interesting if I’m armed with a new toy. 

Monday morning I actually woke up a few minutes BEFORE my alarm clock went off.  And in my world, that might as well be a magical moment with unicorns leaping over sunbeams and puppies licking my face to wake me up. 

It still took me around twenty minutes to stop checking everything I could on the internet (thanks a lot #cybermonday), but I finally crawled outta bed for 2.09 mile run (my app told me that!). Okay, jog… okay, jog/walk… But it was something!  I think my favorite part is the announcement when I hit one mile and then two.  Progress!! #yaylife

I wish I could say I survived the rest of my day on the high of that accomplishment, but around 3:30 I felt the dull pain of a full workday kicking in.  My “easy things to do with a tryptophan hangover” list was already slimming down, so I pulled up one of the greatest web applications of my life.  ASANA!  I love making lists, so when this sucker showed up on Mashable a number of weeks ago, I had to check it out.  It’s seriously a list-maker’s wet dream…

This application basically allows you to collaborate on lists with different groups of people in “Workspaces”, assign tasks to yourself and others, and track updates by ‘following’ the tasks.  This means if your task is “Look up cool new productivity apps” and your co-worker already knows about Asana they can comment with their suggestion in an “Activity Feed” section (which includes a handy time and date stamp), and you’re in business!   

I tried out Asana in a number of different environments and I’m pleased overall. 

1.     @girlsIRL Asana has been a really useful tool during our weekly meetings at @theberrics.  In real time, we were able to list and assign personal goals with deadlines for the different girls at the meeting.  My favorite feature, for this purpose, is inviting new people to the workspace.  Just click ‘Assignee’ and start typing.  The program will try to predict a previously used email address, but you can type whatever you want and then click invite!  No extra step required!

2.     Work I wasn’t sure if I could use Asana in my office because it’s so small.  I work with two to three people in house on a regular basis, and there’s not much collaborating to be had with our colleagues working abroad because another production supervisor is managing their tasks on a day-to-day basis.  So, I figured I would keep it even smaller.  I use it to communicate with my office production assistant who works part time.  This is great because I am able to assign new tasks when she is out of the office, and I see that she has completed things when I’m distracted by my Internet surfing –AHEM! – work.  As satisfying as it is to use a physical checklist, it’s completely addicting to see the tasks populate and disappear with email updates popping in ever so often to report that something is COMPLETE! Woohoo!  

3.     Side Projects This might be my favorite way to use Asana.  Everyone knows how hard it can be to squeeze in extra projects to get freaky with your creative self, but it’s SUPER important for my sanity!  Right now I have a number of film projects in the works and a new website to launch with @itsmejoolie.  It’s very cool to have accessibility to teammates throughout the week when there isn’t time for another meeting.  Today, I posted a reminder to schedule drinks with a colleague and almost immediately received an email with other suggestions from @mikecruz84 (Follow him!!!). #watchout2012

And to wrap-out, if you’re not on Spotify yet, you’re really missing out.  The fact that I can peruse my friends’ playlists is incredible.  Today, I powered through a stack of office bills while listening to ‘Camp’ by Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover… Swwwwoooooon.  #evenmorecrushworthy

#thatisall

click here to follow Rachel on twitter!

#NotANerd: Always Keep Your Backpack on Your Back (cultural misunderstanding? or attempted kidnapping?)

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Lindsay. She's crazy ... and bat shit ... and I love her for it! For reals, she hitchhiked across various African countries!!! HARDCORE!!! The girl is a whackadoodle noodle, but not at all a nerd. That is where I come in handy- I'm Lindsay's navigator on adventures. See, I show her how we get places via google maps, and she reminds me to stop tweeting and look up every once in a while. It's a match made in nerdy/non-nerdy heaven. That being saiiiddddddd ... she lives her life on the road and wants to share some of her experiences to all the nerdy folk out there that may be looking to do the same. Hit it Lindsay!!! </editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @LindsayMC

When you’re traveling in a foreign country alone, or even with friends you always have to be at least a little bit aware of your surroundings.Now, I’m not saying to be paranoid but occasionally things may not go as planned. “Things escalated quickly” in the movie Anchorman and while backpacking situations can snowball, going from bad to worse rather quickly as well, especially if you are traveling alone as a 105 pound female like myself. Always Keep Your Backpack on Your Back (or in your lap.)

I had been from Portugal to Spain to Morocco in constant overland transit and I was TIRED. Thanks to not enough research on my part and horrible advice from a fellow backpacker on a train, I decided to go to Almaria, Spain to take a ferry over to Nador, Morocco. I had read about Nador in a trusted travel book and it sounded alright. Nothing spectacular but I definitely didn’t get a inkling of ‘Fundamentalist Morocco‘ which is why I was completely caught off guard when I arrived at the port around dusk.

About 130 miles from Algeria, I found Nador to be intimidating to say the least. On the dock, Nador was a desolate, old desert city and unlike anywhere I had ever found myself before. There was the port, a few palm trees and a tent with men sitting outside smoking hookah, staring at me. I couldn’t communicate in my very broken French (French is the business language of Morocco, Arabic being the primary) and even dressed modestly in long black linen pants and a high-necked long-sleeved tunic, I was hissed at by the local men who seemed to have a very different view of a blonde American woman than I would have hoped for.

As the sun was setting, I was being surrounded by men whispering in Arabic and broken English where I learned that the bus stop was over two miles away and there were no taxis here. I looked around at the rubble port town that is Nador and just tried not to completely lose my shit. Enter my ‘Knight in Shining Armor,’ Local Police Officer Karim.

Karim came out of no where, yelled at the men closing in on me and took me to exchange currency and even to get something to eat. He told me that the earliest bus leaving Nador was at ten pm and seeing how it was only eight and I really didn’t want to be sitting at a dark bus stop alone. I agreed to him showing me around the city until my bus was ready to board. My angel!

We drove around and we talked about Moroccan life and Islam and some of the problems the locals are experiencing as progressive ideas like women in the work place are conflicting with the belief as men as the sole provider and the impact of the raising housing market prices on the decline of marriage and the rise of prostitution.

We passed square mud and cement houses and children playing in rubble. I was completely enthralled in the conversation when I started to notice the car slowing down. We were in a dark deserted alley way, but that was no cause for alarm as most of the town seemed like a dark deserted alley way, however the slowing of the car for no apparent reason began to make me a little nervous. I suddenly realized that even though I was with a ‘Police Officer‘ I really didn’t know how ‘official’ that was. I also didn’t know where I was, how I got there or where the hell I would go if I left... and then Karim told me to get out of the car and he asked for a kiss. Refusing to panic, I immediately started running my mouth about Allah and women’s rights, I even threw Karma into the mix but all I really was thinking about was how I could grab my bag and run.

Understanding the situation that was unfolding, the only problem I needed to solve at this very moment was how the heck I was going to grab my little napsack that had my Passport, medicine and wallet (forget the big backpack of clothes) that I had so trustingly placed in the back of the cop car while I was seated in the front.

This is where I experienced a very important Lesson Learned: Keep Your Pack ON You So You Can Take Off.

Because I believe that people are ultimately good, this lesson sucks but trust me on this one- whether your in a taxi, on a bus, hitchhiking or even just staying at a new ‘friend’s’ house, have on you or very near to you anything that you cannot be without. Luckily, my blubbering worked and I did not have to bolt out of the car and into a totally dark, completely foreign and slightly fundamentalist city but I was ready to, napsack or not.

Karim dropped me off at the bus station, thanked me for spending time with him and even gave the bus driver instructions to watch over me on my ten hour bus ride to Rabat. I wrote the whole thing off as a cultural misunderstanding and spent the next ten hours, shivering in the back of a bus that, I swear was part of an electronics smuggling ring through the desert. All the while being gawked at by the Moroccan men sitting in front of me who were completely turned around in their seats, just staring at the little American girl, clutching her never-to-be-let-go-again napsack. But that’s whole other story...

Good luck out there, nerds!

#nerdsunite

click here to follow Lindsay on twitter

#NerdsUnite: 5 must haves for any nerdy adventures

I love love love me some adventures. Seriously, I live my life off of them. Big huge deal for me - they make me feel alive, and at peace all at the same time. It's nutty I say ... NUUUUTTTT-TY.

Here are my top 5 must haves for any nerdy adventure you may be thinking about having ... HIT IT!!

1. Sleeping mask.

I wake up in a LOT of weird places. (hahaha no sexual undertone to this either. I post when I get some in the puna-nananana) But seriously, so many times I've been staying with a new friend somewhere - and I've arrived late at night to only be woken up by the GNARLIEST light as their room is ENTIRELY white, and apparently facing east.

Sleep to me is everything. I take it very. very. very. seriously.

Also too, the second I put the mask over my eyes, my brain recognizes yep, it's sleep time - and I'm out like a light within 5 minutes. Which is great since I've had to sleep in so many places that my brain didn't register that "shut off" mode automatically - I had to train it.

You can keep it in your purse/ messenger bag/ or backpack - they're obviously super small. It's cool too if you're ever having to sleep in your car, make sure you keep an extra one in the glove compartment just incase. Saved me a NUMBER of times!!!

2. Hoodie

I. spend. my. life. in. hoodies.

Seriously!!! I literally LOVE having something cover my noggin (hence why I also love spirithoods so so much). Me thinks it's because I dig protecting the brain, but who knows.

Hoodies allow me to slip into another world, while providing extreme comfort while there. They're super soft, keep you super warm, and are absolutely 100% a REQUIREMENT for a nerdy adventure as they also keep you safe.

I haven't had a car in almost 8 months, so I have to walk everywhere. Have you guys seen the streets in LA? And late night public transportation? Not so nice!

What I do is I pull my hair back in a pony tail, like so ...

And then put the hoodie up over my hair to make me look more ambiguous.

A female's hair attracts a LOT of attention (as weird and archaic as that sounds). By pulling your hair back you look a bit more ambiguous which makes you less of a target. See, if someone's gonna rough you up, they want an easy target. Thieves, attackers - whatevs want the lowest hanging fruit, it's NOT personal. If they see my hair they will notice that I am female, and then quickly realize I am alone, BAM - I become a low hanging fruit. No bueno.

And put your hair in a ponytail too - I've noticed buns still stick out too much. Just keep it as easy and under the radar as possible.

3. Sunglasses

I'm a huuuggeeee fan of sunglasses. The bigger, and crazier looking the better.

Ah yes, but there is a method to this madness.

Like I said, I wear hoodies a lot, and have to take public transportation sometimes super late at night. Being a perpetual loaner, I am 99% of the time alone. What I do is not only put my hair up in the pony tail and the hood up, but I'll also throw on a pair of sunglasses for all late night bus ventures.

For reals, who is going to mess with the crazy looking chick in the back rocking a hoodie with the hood up in summer, AND wearing ridiculous looking sunglasses. Remember, if someone is going to attack you they want an easy target. It's nothing personal.

Also too, I'm a very expressive person. My eyes are SUPPPERRRR light, and show fear like a mofo. You can't show fear when you're living this kinda lifestyle. People pick up on it, and again - you become a target.

*knock on wood* I've been kept safe. No one messes with you when you look like you're insane.

WHO WEARS SUNGLASSES AT 2AM?!?!?! Who I ask you!! Who!! Someone who is bat shit crazy, and won't be messed with - THAT'S WHO!!

4. Headphones

OMMMGGGG headphones make my life. Like for really reals reals. These are from V-moda, and pretty rad - but any noise cancelling, or noise isolating headphones will totes save your life. I get to zone out into my own little world, and it's my safety. Whenever I feel awkward, or just want to escape - serenity is just a song away, just put 'em in and start jamming out. Love love love 'em! Cannot LIVE without headphones!!!!

5. Chargers

I always. always. always. have a ton of chargers on me. You cannot have an adventure if you run out of battery on your phone, or ipods. Absolutely MANNNDDAATTOOORRRYYY for you to stay up on your charging.

Couple things, don't ever. ever. ever. go to a Verizon store to buy your chargers. I can't speak for all phone manufactures, but corporate Verizon stores GOUGE you with their prices. The average wholesale price for a charger is LITERALLY a dollar or two - corporate stores can charge up to $45. Go online, buy after market - just don't ever ... and I mean evvveerrrrrr buy from corporate.

It's redic! But if you're ever in a jam, you can also call them out on it. I did that once at the Sunset and Vine store in Hollywood, and the guy gave me the $45 charger for $15. I was still GREATLY overpaying, but I told him I knew how much those went for, and their pricing was ABSURD!!!!!!

Meh, it's worked. hahaha!!

But for reals, nerdy nerd nerds ... go have fun, man. Go do some cool shit with your life. It's here, waitin for ya! Just make sure if you do though, you're prepared. Keep on keepin on!! =)

#nerdsunite