2010 Year In Review for Jason Douglas

As 2010 comes to a close, here comes the time of the year where people choose to reflect on the positives, negatives, and moments that has a short or long-term impact on their lives. Let me act as if I am the first one to do this.

Positives:

• I saw a Minnesota Vikings playoff win in January over the Dallas Cowboys. Remember when those teams were Super Bowl contenders?
• I traveled to New York for the first time.
• #unfollowgate
• I attended the stadium opener at Target Field, which was a dream come true.
• I saw Conan O’Brien on his comedy tour in May at the Orpheum, my first time there.
• I fell in love.
• I ran in and completed Grandma’s Marathon; my first, and definitely not my last.
• I had another birthday, my 28th to be exact.
• I helped a friend get a job.
• I was quoted in the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press multiple times.
• I was interviewed by MPR twice (made it in one of two articles).
• I was interviewed by WCCO, and was the inspiration for a Good Question as well.
• I continued to grow as a professional.
• I continued to grow as a person.
• I met new friends.
• I got rid of bad friends.
• I ate lots of free pizza at Green Mill. Yum!
• I had my first relationship anniversary.

Negatives:

• I watched the Minnesota Vikings blow the perfect chance to go to the Super Bowl. I lost five years off my life that day.
• Twins Opening Day.
• Car transmission repairs.
• Inconsistent workout patterns.
• Was stabbed in the back (figuratively) multiple times.
• Still at home.

I could expand on each of those positives and negatives. However, I know you don’t want to read The Memoir of Jason Douglas, 2010 Edition. I don’t blame you. Just know that based on every event, experience, interaction and situation above, I learned plenty which will help me become a better man in 2011.

Overall, 2010 was a very great year; one of the best on record. There were some moments and events that tarnish the year to a degree, which is very unfortunate. There’s plenty I’m not posting about, as I want to protect those involved. I am proud of what happened in 2010, and hope that a great foundation was built for the future; most notably 2011.

I’ll explain more about my 2011 Goals/Resolutions in my next post.

~J

Twitter: @jasondouglas

Facebook: Jason Douglas

LinkedIn: Jason Douglas

My Ten Twin Cities Titans of Social Media #tctitans

Tonight is JustJudyJudy’s 2010 Twin Cities Top Ten Titans of Social Media. I am fortunate to be nominated for this, but am up against some very worthy competition. While a few judges will name the official top ten list tonight, I thought it would be interesting who I would name for my top ten using the list of nominees.

In no particular order, here is my top ten titans of social media list, and a brief reason why:

 

• Jason Douglas @jasondouglas; it’s my job, and I’m good at it. Also, my Klout score is 64, which has to mean something, right? 🙂 If you thought I wasn’t putting myself here, you are silly!
• Erica Mayer @ericamayer; raising over $11K for charity water mostly through using her social media connections gets you here by default. Obvious choice.
• Maikel van de Mortel @maikelvdm; this guy is incredibly intelligent, and is also a co-founder of the Java Meetup Minneapolis #jmu612. Get to know this guy.
• Arik Hanson @arikhanson; another incredibly intelligent guy, and a leader in the PR world. He writes and shares many informative articles, which help keep me up to speed in the online world.
• Joel Carlson @JoelECarlson; one word: twitterviews.
• Keith Privette @keithprivette; here’s a guy who ranks as one of the top conversationalists in the area. Ask him about ‘cross pollenating verticals’ 🙂
• Nathan Eide @nathaneide; another well known conversationalist who will tell you what he thinks. Never shy, and always engaging.
• Lisa Grimm @lulugrimm and Kasey Skala @kmskala; indiviually, they are well known PR Pros, but why are they nominated together? Did I miss something? I’m counting them individually.
• David Ostlund @tcfoodfinds; almost every day, David holds a trivia contest for a gift card to a local restaurant, and he’s been doing it for a long time. People like free stuff, but he gets a large number of people to participate on a daily basis. Also, I have never won a contest, which is garbage 🙂

There’s my top ten list. It will be interesting to see how many of those ten actually make the real top ten list. One thing cool about both lists: despite only listing ten of the over 40 people, it is difficult to say that anyone listed should not be in it, as all the nominees deserve to be in a top ten list. See you there tonight!

 

~J

‘Tis The Season of…

During the past weekend, I was in the middle of a discussion with my Mom, and we were not seeing eye-to-eye. This prompted her to say “Please consider the season, Jason.’

Why does the season need to be considered? Is this the season where you cannot have disagreements, be angry, mad, or sad?

That’s right. This is the season where you try to make up for not being a good person to your family, friends, loved ones, and strangers for the whole year by participating in the competition known as gift giving. That’ll cure all the karma built against you, right?

I know that’s a very dry outlook on the holiday season. It has been a while since I have fully appreciated the season of giving. It all stems back to high school, when a few people told me ‘You are so spoiled; you get everything you want. Like you deserve it all.’

It made me think about if I was spoiled or not. I was seventeen with a great group of friends. I was on the popular side. I was low maintenance, but had (at the time) everything I needed or wanted. I had too much. I was too blessed. My seventeen year old self thought they were right.

I began to sour on the idea of holiday’s, birthday’s, or any celebration for that matter. I observed how others acted before, during, and after holidays. What I saw was a bunch of fake people posturing an attitude an aura that likely did not exist. It was all about the present, and not the person, or meaning behind it. That was not a world I wanted to be a part of.

Being sad; having a bad day; any negative feelings that may have existed did not have a place during the holiday season. Neither did being real.

Since, I have been slowly warming up to the holiday season. I’m just older to see through more than I was as a seventeen year old. I am in a good spot. I know of others not as fortunate.

The holidays are not a happy time for everyone.  Many people do not recognize that, or respect that.

This goes back to my original thought. Are we supposed to consider the season? If someone close to you is having a bad day in the middle of August, do you tell them ‘please consider the summer season, it’s warm outside!’?

Maybe those people who I saw as being fake were trying to hide their sadness just for my pleasure. I wish they had not done that. I wish I had recognized it.

While the holiday season is better if happiness is everywhere, please respect those who are having a difficult time. Please listen to them. Please help them. Please consider them first, and not the season.

~J