365 Days

Since today is my birthday, I felt compelled to publish a list of goals for the next year of my life.

Jump out of a plane (with parachute) - Always wanted to do this, but never really devoted the time or money to making it happen.
Learn to play the guitar. - Chicks dig guys that can play the guitar.
Rock climb somewhere in Colorado - A hobby that has turned into an obsession recently.
Play in the World Series of Poker. - I probably will not play in the main event. It is just too expensive unless I can secure a sponsorship. Calling all sponsors. Calling all sponsors. I'm easily the third best player in my home game.
Go to the Super Bowl in Miami - Can anyone explain why the Super Bowl would ever leave the rotation of Tampa, San Diego, Miami, or San Francisco?
Go to the UNC-Duke game in Chapel Hill. - Not sure I could put this potential experience into words.
Meet Dean Smith - 879 wins in Division 1 men's college basketball. And he was a better human being than he was a coach, if that is possible.

MC Fashionista: TXU? No, TXme!

OK, new Cakeplow feature: MindComet Fashionista. This is the fashionista's first (but not last) blog about all things fashion-y.

A new trend is sweeping the nation - high end hand bags that look like corporate schwag! Please, people, this stuff is off the chain.

This bag is super hot - an exclusive TXU Energy bag acquired by MindComet's fashionista on a recent trip to Dallas.

I might put it up on eBay, but I'll probably just keep it for awhile and let it appreciate in value.

You're jealous, aren't you? And, isn't that what it's all about?

MindComet Gets Krunk

So a bunch of MindCometeers (and former MindCometeers) went out on Friday to celebrate the fact that I have survived 34 years on this planet. Here's some of the evidence:




That's me in the middle. I guess I'm trying to look like a bada** rocker or something. Instead, I just look drunk.

Drinking with HANK

I recently went to Italy and of course brought back some wine to the states. It's been a long week so Jennifer and I decided to open a bottle and cheers to our good friend "Hank."






CHEERS! It's Friday!

Team Outing

Every month MindComet gives back to the community by letting our team members loose on the city. Anything ranging from ice skating (not exactly my personal favorite) to making pottery. However, last night we went to the movies. What movie did we go see? Well Snakes on a Plane of course! What would an internet based company be if it didn't keep up on the biggest internet buzz around? Well after being witness to quite possibly one of the greatest quotes known to man("I've had it with these mother !@#$%& snakes on this mother !@#$%& plane") I must say that this was by far the best team outting in MindComet history! Thank you for letting me be witness to this momentous occasion.

Where's olive?

If you're like me, you enjoy the relevant independent films of today. When I heard Fox Searchlight was putting out a movie with Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, and that nerdy cute guy from "The Girl Next Door" - I put the release on my calendar. Enter...Little Miss Sunshine.

Here's the scoop. I believe all of my friends and I get along because our respective families aren't normal. Same deal with this movie. Satire, wicked comedy, and unfortunate happenings are the name of the game here.

If you're not convinced just by seeing here on CakePlow - check it out at rottentomatoes.com. It got a 92% there (impressive.) If the movie simply doesn't move you - then know that you can get the Shrimp Nachos at the Enzian, the only place in town the movie is showing. That's enough to get off the couch.

SoaP

After months of waiting, I finally got to see the much-anticipated pop culture opus Snakes On A Plane.

Oh. My. Freaking. God.

How can something so bad be so good?

I don't know, but I can honestly say I haven't been that entertained since I saw the "Oh Toshi, you're so good" video on You Tube last week. This movie had everything: cardboard cutout characters, really horrid computer animated snakes, and Samuel L. Freaking Jackson.

I don't want to give anything away, but go see it. Now.

Elvis Has Left the Building

Today marks the 29th Anniversary of the passing of Elvis Presley. I thought it would be interesting to see what was happening at Graceland today, and I found out that Memphis is in the midst of Elvis Week - fourteen days of special events including tours, conferences, open houses, concerts, film festivals and so much more. How they fit fourteen days into one week, I'll never know - I guess they have different clocks in Memphis...

The Battle

I am involved in a battle right now. A battle to breathe easy and to be free of an aching body. I am battling the flu!

I hate having the flu...especially the kind that sneaks up on you and never gives you a chance to fight back. That's just dirty and underhanded. I mean, give me the opportunity to bust out the Airborne, Ziacam, lime and honey or hot peppermint tea at a time when they just might work! But to attack when I'm not prepared. That's just low.

It started out with a sniffle that wouldn't stop. I thought it might be because I was cold - the office temperature is running at a steady 45 degrees on a daily basis. But before I could reach for that third tissue, my throat was raw and scratchy, my head was throbbing and my chest was tight. My eyes had turned droopy and red and all of my energy felt like it had been sucked from my body through a small hole. I knew that I had been dealt a crushing blow.

So now I sniffle and I ache. But, I keep fighting. I keep on fighting. This battle isn't over yet, flu! It's just beginning...

Smell-A-Web!!!

i've got it! i'm starting web 3.0. "how would you possibly do that when web 2.0 hasn't even really taken off," you say? well, aren't you overly negative?

i'm going to start integrating smell into our websites. "Smell-A-Vision" never took off. for some reason everything seemed to smell like soap or grandma's house. it was horribly executed. i, however, have a plan. scratch-n-sniff is out because i hate nothing more than when people touch my monitor. so, through CSS, AJAX, and a few other combinations of letters, i plan to make the web and all new experience.

imagine visiting a farmer's site and smelling the fresh citrus... or browsing through an oil manufacturer's site and finding it hard to breath the fumes. it's brilliant, and you read it here first.

get ready world. web 3.0 is on it's way and it smells like success!

MindComet tree house!

It's not that we dont like girls up in our tree house (production department), its because we've never had any apply for production position. For the longest time, the production department was an all boys club. NOT ANYMORE! I hereby declare the mindcomet production team as the all girls/boys club! toga party anyone?

National Women's Day

While on a conference call with a client located in Cape Town, South Africa, I discovered that S.A. honors women every August 9th. The day is celebrated as a reminder of the contribution made by women to society, the achievements that have been made for women's rights, and to acknowledge the difficulties and prejudices many women still face.

Girls Rule!
NextJen

Halitosis Ain't No Thang

From the early days of puberty, I developed a complex. You know that awkward stage that everyone goes through when your body's just starting to get used to itself? You sweat bullets for no reason, your feet stink, and your breath smells immediately after you brush your teeth. No? Was that just me?

To combat the odd and sometimes offensive odors that would emit from my 84-pound body, I became obsessed with things that smelled good. I'd spend hours in the deodorant aisle choosing the strongest and most pleasant scent I could find. I would shower multiple times a day using only the sweetest-smelling body soap. I bought odor-eaters. And more importantly, I chewed obscene amounts of gum.

But, oh! the days of middle school when chewing gum in class was as offensive as hiding vodka in your backpack. I'm unable to count the days I spent in detention for forgetting to keep the rubbery goodness at the roof of my mouth. I wasn't the one sticking it under the desks; I wasn't the one throwing it in my classmate's hair, so why should I be punished for it?

So this is in revolt of all the times I got detention for chewing gum in class. I now have a gum drawer! To all of my colleagues and friends: rebel with me! Chew that glorious gum until your jaws are sore and your tongue is raw. And if you don't have gum, come feast on mine. You won't be disappointed. I've got a flavor for everyone.


Get a load of this Mrs. Rickus: We're chewing gum ... at work!!!

Sometimes, being BLUE is fun

MindComet celebrated its 7th Birthday last night with a nice rooftop shindig (BLUE). That's right, combine: free drinks, MindCometeers, a three story fall, and see what happens! Well the party was a smash, with clients and MindCometers partying side by side and hand in hand.

As some of you might know, the MindCometeers put a lot of thought into what music plays in the office. We usually end up with some hip techno or alternative rock, but that all went out the window at BLUE. Instead, some of the choice songs were:

• Crazy Train - Ozzy
• Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leopard
• I Want You Back - the Jackson Five
• Push It - Salt n Peppa
• Opposites Attract - Paula Abduhl (yes the video with the dancing cat)

The DJ did offer to take requests. Since he was giving the 80s heavy rotation, I asked for an old fav (Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood). I think its safe to say that if I had an arm growing out of my forehead he wouldn't have looked at me any different. His reply, "I don't have that". What 80s man doesn't have Relax?

In his defense, it might be tough to stay focused, when your party suddenly shifts from Suave to CakePlow madness. A few example photos included for your viewing "pleasure".

Put em on your Calendar!

Happy August!

Thought Id start the month off with some fun and interesting August reminders.

National August events:

Admit youre happy month
National eye exam month
National golf month
Peach month
Romance awareness month
National blueberry month



Go on and celebrate August!