You guessed it. (Actually, you probably did not guess it). The SNUGGIE mania is back, bolder, better, and booklightier than ever. As I was working early this morning I had my TV on in the background to serve as, you know, “white noise.” And suddenly IT came on the television screen. The new and revised SNUGGIE commercial.

Whether or not we want to admit it, the Snuggie was, in fact, the number ONE gift for Christmas last year. And being that it is already October 12th, the Snuggie corporation is trying to think of a new way of promoting the SAME product they sold last year to make it, once again, the number one gift for Hanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, whathaveyou. Except this time they have chose to spice up their marketing with more Snuggie colors, patterns, and a DOG snuggie option (I covered my feelings about this in an earlier post). This new commercial even features HORRIBLE dancing. I mean, bad. Really bad raising of the roof.

Please note at 1:01, the only man in the stands NOT wearing a Snuggie is obnoxiously shivering, yet he is wearing an ACTUAL coat. Just thought I’d point that out.

If this is the career confessional, then it’s been four months since my last job.

That’s right. I left a steady job, with a steady salary, a great benefits package, and a 401(k). [I didn't even know what a 401(K) was until about a year into the workforce... they don't teach you that stuff in college]. I packed up my things into a rented U-Haul truck, I left Richmond, VA, drove two and half hours, and unpacked my things to start a new life in Carrboro, North Carolina.

Why? Why would I do these things in the middle of one of our country’s worst recessions in a generation? Because I’m passionate. I’m passionate about what I do.

I came to a point where I needed to do what I love: perform, write, and go out on my own. [Now, everyone knows that I love writing and I love comedy. But this is not what I'm here to talk about. I'm here to talk about social media].

Sure, everyone and their great-aunt uses social media these days. Everyone seems to be calling themselves an “expert,” a “guru,” a “ninja.” But I am going to tell you that I am none of those things. I am not an expert, guru, or ninja. I am someone who is passionate about social media and what it can do for individuals, small & large businesses, non-profits, and the public at large.

So many people that I meet and work with ask me: “What is your social media philosophy?” At this point, that is a heavy loaded question, and many people will disagree with each other as to a particular definition or the type of weight that it carries. To me, personally, social media is:

• A means of building a community around a common idea or goal for the purpose of connecting, engaging, supporting, marketing, and branding.
• It’s taking traditional media, and upgrading it.
• It’s turning marketing, into engaging.
• It’s supporting competitors, and connecting with others.
• It’s having a positive attitude towards your purpose, your goal, your business, your competitors, and your clients.
• It’s always accepting the opportunities that are in front of you and building upon them in a new and interesting way.

Okay, so that’s my opinion. But what do I know? Well, I started early. I blogged when blogging wasn’t cool. I saw the gradual (and suddenly overnight) transformation of these social networks from just connecting with long-lost friends and family to utilizing these tools for business and working towards a goal. I also realized that these tools are changing every single day and that there is no way that I could possibly know it all. So I’ve begun to learn, absorb, practice, and implement these tools. And I love it. Sitting down with people one-on-one and talking about social media gets me excited about work and the possibilities that lie ahead.

So why should you hire me? Because I’m smart, I’m funny, I’m enthusiastic, but most of all, I’m passionate. If you aren’t passionate about what you’re doing, then you are ultimately failing yourself and those whom you are working for. I love social media. I love it. [In fact, I might even be obsessed].

Because I like to make lists, here are my bullet points and highlights:

• I’m new to the area
• I don’t have a full-time job yet – I want a full-time job
• I’m networking like crazy
• I’ve met some incredible people along the way
• I’m building – I’m learning – I’m growing
• I know what I don’t know
• I work hard – all the time
• I’m awesome

And that’s why you should hire me.

So let’s meet.

You can contact me for an interview through the blog, by email, or Twitter.

It can’t be true. No, it just can’t be. My whole life (well, since July of 1994) I have lived in a fantasy world. Of SEAL. A one-named man whose sultry voice, inspiring lyrics, and scarface, have inspired me to sing karaoke many, many a time.

SEAL will always be SEAL to me.

But all of this was created in an image. No, not God’s image, Molly Buckley’s image. To me, he is SEAL. Nothing more, nothing less. An attractive, wonderful, smart, African-American man named after an adorable sea creature, thing.

This actual seal is reacting to the realization that SEAL has a last name.

And now it’s all RUINED. Heidi Klum, Seal’s amazingly hot wife (which I am totally comfortable admitting) has announced that she is going to finally take on Seal’s last name. This came as a total shock to me. I mean, he doesn’t have one, that’s why she never took it to begin with. But, alas, I have been duped. He does. And it is: SAMUEL. HIS NAME IS SEAL SAMUEL. ohmahgod.

Heidi Klum will now be Heidi Samuel.

Seal is now Seal Samuel. That is quite possibly the worst last name for a man named Seal ever.

THIS JUST IN. It’s OHmahgod, BREAKING NEWS.

I have been just informed that Seal Samuel is, in fact, his name… but only PART OF IT. That’s right, folks. Seal’s FULL NAME IS:

Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel

Say THAT three times fast. No wonder he only went by SEAL.

I have to admit, that YES, I am disappointed in him. For lying to me all these years. He has now been rebirthed, in my eyes. He is no longer Seal. SEAL is dead to me. He is Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel. Forever and for always.

True dat.

I’m going to now include the BATMAN FOREVER video version of Kiss From a Rose to mourn the deal of SEAL as I knew him. Enjoy SEAL with an open chested black silk shirt. I know I do.

That’s right. They’re back. I was doing these last Spring and frankly, I got busy, and they fell on my list of priorities. I didn’t mean for them to, but they did. Sad. I know. Well, I’ve been feeling inspired lately and I have decided to bring them back. In full force. With Mario Brothers music and all. So, here we go. This week’s tip: BE HONEST. Enjoy.

All for now.

MINUS SOUND RESEARCH 4

I just wanted to take a moment to plug an AWESOME art show coming up THIS FRIDAY. Check it:

This FRIDAY, October 9th, Wootini enthusiastically welcomes MINUS SOUND RESEARCH back to the gallery for their fourth annual show! MINUS SOUND RESEARCH is an art exhibition of visual art created by North Carolina musicians. The masterminds behind MINUS SOUND RESEARCH, Maria Albani (Organos) and John Harrison (North Elementary) strive to provide musicians with opportunities to present their creative visions through sculpture, photography, drawings, serigraphy, woodwork, and painting.

MINUS SOUND RESEARCH 4 will include the work of six artists:

Strange bassist Lincoln Hancock says of his visual work, “My mixed-media paintings interrogate color-mystical hues from the grace of nature, the artifice of advertising, and plastic graphic language.” Selections of Hancock’s music are available on Strange’s websitehttp://www.myspace.com/strange.

One of the two sound artists behind Phon, Drew Robertson also creates mixed media work. Robertson’s visual focus, however, is on sound, and how we interact with it. Robertson’s sounds can be heard at http://www.phonpage.com.

Maria Albani is co-curator of this exhibition and one-woman force powering her solo project, Organos. Albani uses paste,l chalks, and acrylic paints to create portraits and scenes of sprightly, often otherworldly beings. Sample Organos by visiting http://www.myspace.com/organos.

John Kurtz provides guitar, piano, and vocals for Bull City. He’s also created visual documents of the lives of animals in ceramic and mixed mediai. Bull City’s online home ishttp://www.bullcitytheband.com.

Mas Sato, bassist for The Sames, focuses on simple and sturdy design objects. His work fuses traditional Japanese aesthetics with modern fabrication and production techniques. A new project lives on at The Sames’ old site:
http://www.reverbnation.com/thesames

John Harrison is the second co-curator of the show, as well as a member of North Elementary. Harrison creates unique compositions through the use of acrylic and spray paints, in tandem with silk screening and stencils. North Elementary provides music for your listening pleasure athttp://www.northelementary.com.

Laird Dixon of Sharkquest has sculpted many figures thoughout his life which can be found as many resin pieces, dioramas, and chess sets (such as the chess set at the OCSC).

Where: WOOTINI GALLERY, Carr Mill Mall, Carrboro, NC

When: Friday, October 9th, 2009. 7PM-11PM (the opening, the show will run into November)

How much: FREE (unless, of course, you want to buy some awesome art)

Questions? Email me: molly@wootini.com

I’ll see you at the opening!

All for now.

I am in West Virginia for my best friend’s wedding. We went to a garden this morning and got to pick all the flowers we wanted for the wedding! It was awesome. Becca told me about this one flower called “fennel” – it is actually the main ingredient in black licorice! She told me to taste it. I did. It tastes like black licorice. It was awesome.

I just thought I’d share this with you all. Enjoy!

All for now.