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Starbucker’s Meme

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What Can I Do? He Danced!

When I’m a speaker at an event and the emcee asks me to do something for him, I naturally give him my attention. When he’s the Terry Starbucker co-founder of SOBCon, one of two guys who handled so many things through the event planning and details, I make sure that my attention is unwavering.

Ah but, when you know that Terry is the famous half-fuller, the guy who danced and sang at the conference, ah then, ah then, that’s an even bigger story. Then, dear readers, attention is too small a word. When the half-fuller guy comes calling to say “Liz, how full is your glass?” I have no other option, but to tell him and to answer to the best of my abilities.

handpainted champagne flute

These are the questions Terry Starbucker asked me.

What’s in Your Glass (The Starbucker Meme)?

  1. How full is your glass?

    2. My glass is completely full. There’s no question about that.

  2. What kind of glass is it?

    3. It’s a hand-painted French champagne flute, lovely and light to the hand.

  3. What’s in the glass?

    4. A nice, sparkly French champagne I enjoy on occasion.

  4. Reasons for #1, #2, and #3

    5. All of the above go together so I’ll do my reasons this way. Champagine is light and effervescent, celebratory. It’s a drink of positivity. It’s about hope, new beginnings and I’ve got a new beginning I’ll be announcing soon. When I reached a certain age, my father once said to me, “You can drink all that you like, but don’t get drunk.” He followed that with a smile and said, “Do you know what that means? That means you can’t drink all that you like.” Then he smiled again.

I smiled so sweetly right back at him, and gave this reply, “Aw, Daddy, I thought for sure you meant just drink something incredibily expensive so that I don’t have the money to get drunk.”

Some other who might like a chance to take a creative drink. David, Wendy, Nick, and Billy. Don’t forget to link back to that half-fuller man. 🙂

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Successful Blog Meets Problogger! Join Us if You Can!

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The Ann-iversary

On May 4, 2006, Ann Michael, left her first comment here. In a bit of fun, two weeks later, we started planning a trip together. The first place mentioned was Australia. As it turned out, we actually took a trip — to NYC to the Seth Godin seminar. We met outside our hotel, checked in and had dinner. We walked the city at night talking about life, and the next day went to Seth’s Seminar. That was last June.

Ann Michael was the first blogger I met in person.

So when Darren said, “I’m in NYC. Are you coming?”

I called Ann and said, “It’s been a year. We have to.” Then we laughed and started plotting.

ProBlogger New York Readers Meetup

On June 9th in beautiful New York City, Ann Michael and I are meeting Darren Rowse (and, oh probably, over 100 of his best friends) in a saloon called “Speakeasy.”

One year since we met to go to Seth’s Seminar and we’re going to a meetup to enjoy the famous Australian hospitality of Darren Rowse. Talk about kicking it up a notch! Is that cool or what?

It’s the official Problogger Meetup. Are you going to be there? The folks who went last time said it was incredible.

Here are the details.

ProBlogger New York Readers Meetup
Date – Saturday 9th June
Time – 7pm – 10pm (we might go on somewhere afterwards)
Venue – The Speakeasy (a party room at 442 Amsterdam Ave between 81st and 82nd St)
Cost – Free – thanks to the generous sponsors Chitika (they are providing some finger food snacks and a free drink to the first 100 people to arrive – don’t be late). All we ask is that you tip the bar staff and ‘be merry’!

If you’re planning on attending it’d be great if you could drop by the page to RSVP. While it’s not compulsory to RSVP it’ll certainly help Darren with planning for prizes and such.

Too fun! I get to be with the first blogger I met and meet the friend — legend, star, super human being — who’s always been there for me. To think I once believed blogging was only about writing.

Rowse and Strauss — they rhyme.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Business Rule 12: The Brother Story and the Facts about Grandma

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The Rules About Salaries

Business Rules Logo

Remember the three editors who were about to have their first review? They made a pact to go to lunch to make sure they got the same salary increases.

In my experience, the idea that you don’t talk about your salary is a foreign concept to well over 50% of people who are in their first business job. In a context in which most employees I trained didn’t go to business school, this number makes total sense. There is no reason they might have picked up this information.

In most companies, it’s a serious offense for an employee to reveal his or her salary or compensation details. I’ve seen it lead to written reprimand and probation. Every employee handbook that I’ve read states the company’s right to terminate an employee’s job for such an action.

Most new employees immediately can see why such a policy is in the company’s interest, but often they don’t see why the policy works to protect them. So whenever I share a company handbook, I tell The Brother Story and the Facts about Grandma.

The Brother Story

When I was nineteen and still in college, my much older, married brother sat me down to teach me of the world. He asked about my future and my goals as if I were in an interview. Then he invited me to ask him questions–any questions–I asked many. What struck and scandalized me at the time was that he answered every question, no matter how personal, except one–How much money do you make a year?
I thought he had his priorities screwed up for sure, telling me personal things, but keeping things of money secret. I told him as much. He said, “Never tell how much you make. People only need so much money to live, and the rest is gravy. If you knew my salary, it would change things.”

“No it wouldn’t. You’d still be my come-here-grasshopper-learn-from-the-master, older brother.” At the time I was too inexperienced and idealistic to understand what he was saying.

That’s why, when I relate The Brother Story, I always follow it with The Facts about Grandma. I figure if I needed something more concrete, other people might need it too.

The Facts about Grandma

“Now, listen to these facts about my son’s grandma,” I’ll say, “and decide whether my brother was right.”

  • My son’s Grandma retired.
  • She used to manage a real estate office in downtown Chicago
  • Her yearly bonus was US$20,000.
  • When she retired, her boss gave her an extra US$30,000 bonus, a sterling silver champagne stand, and a magnum of Moët et Chandon.
  • The bonus was 20% of her yearly salary.

Do you see how Grandma changed in five sentences? She’ll never be the same Grandma she was before I revealed the information in the last three sentences. The changes in who Grandma seemed to be are proof of the rule.

When people know how much money you make it changes how they see you.

I don’t even tell Grandma how much I make.

–Me “Liz” Strauss
Check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

Related
Business Rule 10: Is Their Urgency Real?
Business Rule 9: What’s the Value of Money?
Business Rule 8: What Are Your Square Periods?

Bloggy Question 50: The Safety of the Human Race Is Up to YOU!

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Compu-Sphere

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week. I offer this bloggy life question. . . .


In the spirit of the biosphere projects, a team of reseachers has asked you to join a world-wide program. Each year close to 200,000 people are tested to see whether they are healthy, fit, and stable to withstand a one-year test of an emergency life plan.

The program, which is funded by several nations, is a method of supporting the human species in times of severe threat of attack. A high-security computer system connecting 150,000 locations worldwide via a cloaked and encrypted section of the Internet is being constantly being monitored. The participants who pass the testing are asked to sign up to take a turn at one of the 150,000 remote sites.

The terms of the program are simple. You are asked to live away from civilization for a period of 1-3 years. You may bring one other person with you, provided he or she can pass the testing also. Food is grown in the facillities where you will be living and meals are prepared by the only other human living where you will be. Your bills and financial obligations at your current home will be convered while you are gone. A monthy stipend in your name will be deposited into an account in your name.

You will be allowed to take on an assumed name and profile on the Internet under a cloaked IP. You will not be allowed to reveal who you are to anyone you know or to contact anyone directly during the time you are on the project. People can know you have enlisted in government work — that is the limit to your ability to explain your absence.

When you ask about the terms of confidentiality upon leaving at the end of your proposed stay, the answers your receive are vague and confusing. They seem to say, “We’ll talk about that when the time comes.”

How do you respond?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
Bloggy Question 49: Chase the Sun!
Bloggy Question 48: Where Was I When that Happened?
Bloggy Question 47: Take It to the Edge
Bloggy Question 46: Beware of Making Noise