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30: Not Just An Age, But a Milestone
Today marks the 30th anniversary of when I was birthed. 30 years in the books and hopefully decades more to follow.
The remarkable thing: I made it to 30.
Very few people know anything about what I will be sharing below.
Something that started when I was 17 recently came back in full force over the last few months as my 30th birthday was fast approaching.
When I was a mature 17 year old, I was reflecting on how life was currently going and where I was headed. I was incredibly active and had a desire to never sleep, thinking that something major would happen and it would be missed. I was always moving, anxious, and never able to relax. That lifestyle wore on me. It would wear on most anyone. While at home one evening, I remember telling myself “if I keep this pace up, there is no way I will make it to 30.”
Since, I have had the thought of dying before I reached age 30 in the back of my mind. For 13 years, this thought has followed me around.
That thought became a perceived fate, a foregone conclusion for many years. I do think it impacted some decision I have made in my twenties, believing if I only had so much time left, I may as well experience all I can.
I was careless at times, thinking my fate was soon approaching. But I never went off the deep end doing absolutely anything and everything, breaking all possible rules, engaging in illicit drug use (yuck), among other non-optimal lifestyle choices. I was willing to consider the chance I was wrong and would make it not only to my 30th birthday, but beyond.
At times, thoughts of an early death would subside. Frequently, a new life event would have me back on the early death bandwagon quickly. Add that thought to some serious anxiety issues since turning 29 and that makes for a fun life.
Imagine having that thought in the back and sometimes front of your mind as you go through life. I cannot count how many times I have gone to bed thinking “is this it? Was today my last day alive? Did I accomplish everything I needed and wanted to?” No wonder I have sleep issues.
As my 30th birthday has approached, those thoughts of dying before reaching 30 have crept into my mind one last time.
30 is not just an age. 30 is a milestone that for years, was assumed to be something considered impossible.
It’s 11:21pm in Minneapolis, and I will be staying up past midnight solely to prove myself wrong.
12:01am: I have never been so happy to be wrong. I made it to June 1. Thanks for the conversation, Mr. Nash.
7:02am: Officially, I am 30. And 30 is going to be amazing.
With malice toward none; with charity for all.
Jason
Skating at the Xcel Energy Center
Those of you who know me well are well aware of my ice skating ability. That ability is non-existent. Born and bred in Minnesota, also known as the State of Hockey, I have only skated four times in my life.
Until January 26th.
First, a big shout-out to Garon Rowland for hooking me up with this amazing opportunity. It was an open skate for staff, family and friends at the Xcel Energy Center and Garon was kind enough to invite me.
I must note: while skating, I did not fall once! However, I did fall while on the ice. The story will be accompanied with a photo below.
Because seeing me skate is such a rare happening, pictures were taken.
I am close to the boards so my laps would cover more distance, never for balance. 🙂
I’m starting to feel confident about my skating ability. I’m cruising behind one of the goals here.
Now I am going too fast. If the picture is blurry, I apologize. That is what happens when you are going so fast the camera could not keep up.
I ended up in the penalty box for skating too fast.
Again, seeing me on the ice above is not a result of me wiping out while skating. After my speedy laps on the ice, I stopped to rest. However, I felt compelled to try the running man in skates. Note: I cannot do the running man in shoes on normal ground. Why I attempted such a difficult dance move on ice is beyond me. Clearly, it did not work out well.
Standing at center ice. The view of the Xcel Energy Center from the ice is amazing and completely different than from any seat in the stadium.
Again, thank you to Garon for the opportunity. I know there are people more deserving to be out there and people who are much better skaters. Rest assured, I enjoyed this as much as possible. It was an experience I will never forget.
Jason
How To Get the New Facebook Timeline
On September 22, Facebook announced their latest revisions which include integration with Spotify, Netflix and an overhaul on the user timeline. Access for all will be rolled out on September 30th. I am not patient enough to wait nine days for the latest and greatest version of Facebook. I thought “how would someone get access to the new  Facebook?”
Here is an idea: Google “how to get access to new Facebook.” Or, keep reading below.
I found an article from the Huffington Post which includes a video and a list of what to do. Below are the steps I followed to get access:
- On Facebook’s search bar, type in “Developer.” Click on the first result. Then click “Allow” to give the Facebook app access. In the next few steps, you will become a developer for a minute. Check that off the bucket list!
- When in the Facebook Developer App, click on “+ Create New App” button. Fill out the App display name and description. While nothing will be made public, be safe and name the app after yourself.
- Agree to the Developer privacy agreement. Don’t take the time to read it. You are only delaying and depriving yourself out of new Facebook.
- On the left side, click on “Open Graph” and type in a test verb and noun for your new app.
- Run through a few pages of new app information. There is no need to enter anything here. Keep on saving changes and continuing. The quicker you do this, the quicker you have new Facebook!
- Once completed, go back to your profile. It may take up to ten minutes, but you should have a prompt at the top of your old timeline to view the new Facebook! Hooray!
The above process is what worked for me. For those who do not want to play developer for a few minutes, there is another, yet slower way to get access: sign up for beta access where there is no guarantee on how long it will take to gain access.
Note: when you publish your timeline, only others who have followed the above steps to launch the new timeline for themselves will be able to see your new timeline. Everyone else will see the old profile.
Thanks to the Huffington Post for clearly documenting the process.
After you gain access, take the quick tour, play around and share your thoughts on Facebook’s latest and greatest version of itself.
Jason
Confidence In The Frames
On Sunday night, a tweet from Jennifer Hartley ended up being the inspiration for my latest post. Jennifer’s tweet reads “Seeing the cast of #entourage just reminded me how much I’ll miss them. And guys in specs… total weakness of mine.” We engaged in a conversation around how glasses are awesome. It seemed like a perfect time to share my history with glasses.
As a wearer of glasses, I always love to hear about people finding glasses attractive. However, that has not always been the perception.
I have worn glasses since third grade, which I will not quantify in actual years. Just know that it has been a while. The styles of glasses I have worn have changed over the years. I have worn anything from thick frames to tortoise frames (which stuck around for a while, for better or worse) to my current half-jacket style.
There was a long period where I would not wear glasses because the feeling and look of them made me dislike my appearance. I have been called four-eyes more times than I care to count or remember. Among insults that people used at me, four-eyes is one that always hurt more than it should. It was a cause of my instant disdain for glasses.
Disliking how you feel and look in glasses is a common experience among glasses wearers. Many people switch to contacts. Thousands have undergone lasik. Currently, I mix in contact and glasses, depending on my computer usage in a day. This is due to my growing confidence in wearing glasses in public.
Throughout my junior high, high school and college years, I would rarely wear my glasses. This included playing basketball, football golf and rugby. Yes, I played all sports without glasses. It was not until three years ago when I decided to try contacts which changed my life. I could finally wear sunglasses and see clearly. I could finally play sports and see the ball clearly. Imagine if I had the ability to see clearly during my competitive sports days?
But, due to a lack of confidence, I never was playing at 100%. Confidence in most every other aspect in life is something I had never struggled with. Why do glasses, something that improves your way of life, whittle people down?
Fortunately, my confidence in wearing glasses has changed. Below is a picture I took on an #ArgyleFriday. I tend to wear them in office settings as I think it makes me look older and more experienced. They are also a fantastic accessory for men and women.
Thanks to Jennifer Hartley for being the inspiration to write this post. I am happy to report that Jennifer and I are #foureyefriends 🙂
I would love to hear stories from former or current glasses wearers. Post pictures of yourself in glasses as well!
Jason
Where Was I When 9/11 Happened?
This past week was a time for reflection and remembering those who gave and lost their lives as it was the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
A common question during this week: “Where were you when 9/11 happened?” This was also asked in last night’s #tweetnmeet chat led by Erica Mayer. It’s tough to explain in 140 characters the whole experience. As promised, here is my 9/11 story.
I was a student at St. Cloud State University. It was a Tuesday and I was sound asleep when I got a phone call from my Mom. She was emotional and borderline frantic and kept saying “America is under attack!” She told me to turn on the TV and then quickly let me go. I did so and had it on NBC when I saw one of the World Trade Center towers was in smoke. I woke up my roommate Josh who had recently told me he visited New York and saw the Twin Towers. We got ready for the day and watched the coverage as it was unfolding. Minutes later, we both saw the South Tower be hit with a plane. NBC had no idea it was coming, despite it being so clear on the camera angle they had. I can only imagine what the rest of the world was thinking as they saw that plane hook around the corner.
Class time was fast approaching. I was headed to Criminal Justice, which is arguably the most interesting class to have during such a historic and unfortunate event. Oddly enough, Professor Barry Schreiber had a terrorism expert in to speak to the class. The coverage was on the big screen in the auditorium. 15-20 minutes into the class, we saw the South Tower fall. There was a sudden silence followed by the ooh’s, ahh’s, and astonishment at what we had seen. Immediately after that, the terrorism expert began discussing what would come next. She was rather spot on in predicting who was responsible, air travel would be forever changed and that we would see germ warfare including anthrax become part of the mix.
29 minutes later, the North Tower collapsed.
Rumors around gas prices increasing and additional attacks began to run rampant. Even in St. Cloud, MN, people feared being attacked. I lived in Sherburne Hall, the tallest building north of Minneapolis in Minnesota. People had a fear that a plane would hit our dorm building. I immediately found that preposterous. It shows the fears and panic this event created even 1,261 miles away. Some people criticized me about my thoughts on a terrorist attack happening in St. Cloud as Zacarias Moussauri, who was later rumored as a replacement for one of the 9/11 hijackers or an attacker in a future terrorist attack, was arrested in St. Cloud in August, weeks before the attack.
Classes were cancelled after 5pm, which did not impact me. However, my freshman english teacher allowed class to leave rather quickly. I went back to my dorm and was glued to the TV. We then found out about Flight 93 and the attack on the Pentagon. I am a junkie for news. Events such as this, I was constantly flipping between NBC, CBS, CNN, and ABC. Just imagine how things would be so different if Twitter and Facebook were around along with smart phones. I truly believe that fewer people would have died had people been able to communicate at the speed we do in 2011.
Later in the day, I started getting calls from friends wondering if I was available to go with them to fill up on gas. I did this a few times and was stunned by the lines that existed throughout the city.
Many people still say that 10 years later, the enjoyment in air travel is diminished and more stressful than ever. I never flew before 9/11. All I know is the post-9/11 way of flying. Post-9/11, there is little different in the way I live and how I conduct myself. This generation and each one that follows knows this way of life as the norm.
Ten years later, I appreciate the magnitude of the event more than I did as a college student. I understood how big it was then, but likely did not fully comprehend the fall out that would and still is coming.
That’s my 9/11 experience. Care to share yours?
Jason
Favorite Photo of Myself
Here you go, #tweetnmeet friends 🙂
Jason
Well Timed Marketing by CrowdCut? Marketing and Selling Around Tragedy.
Considering the events that transpired yesterday, I found the CrowdCut email I received interesting. Is the timing intentional or lucky? See the deals for today below. 
I did see some tweets with reports of contractors, insurance people and remodelers posting signs on every house to gain new customers throughout North Minneapolis. Some would call that aggressive. One used the term “vultures.” Others consider it opportunistic. There’s a need and someone can satisfy that need. It would be mutually beneficial.
What are your thoughts on marketing and selling around tragedy?
Update: CrowdCut just tweeted me and said the six deals shown in the screen shot were planed two weeks in advance. Just a coincidence.Â
~J
Twitter: @jasondouglas
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Welcome Back, Hellos and Goodbyes from Jason Douglas
Welcome back, hello and goodbye, all in the same sentence? Yes. Everything in that sentence and title applies to everything that’s been happening in my life. Let me explain:
Welcome back refers to my tenth return to the blogosphere. It has come to my attention that when I posted new content on here, people actually read it. Add that knowledge to my passion for writing, and that equals me promising to make more time for writing. It makes sense to spend more time doing things you love and are passionate about. If you read it, I will write it. I thank you all who have, will and continue to read my content.
Hello refers to a few new additions and changes in my life. First: I have a new phone. I switched from the iPhone 3gs to the HTC Inspire. With the relationship I and many others have with their phone, this was a big move to make. I am enjoying the android network and have already sold my iPhone on Craigslist for a significant profit.
Hello, new apartment! I am very happy to report a move that is long overdue. At the end of this month, I will be moving to Golden Valley to a newly renovated apartment. Highlights include new laminate wood flooring, new stainless steel appliances, an incredible amount of closet space, a third floor view of the pool, and no roommates 🙂 With my new place located under a mile away from the West End area, I expect to become a regular at Crave, Cooper and Pei Wei. An apartment warming party is already in the works.
Goodbye is something you say when you are leaving. With that said, I am very proud to report a move that came out of the blue. Today marks an end of an era, as I am leaving my role as the Online Marketing Manager at Spyder Trap Online Marketing.
Hello is what you say when you start something new. I will be joining the team at Nina Hale as their Search Marketing Manager starting April 25.
I am extremely proud of my time at Spyder Trap, spanning over the last two years. I have been able to work with great clients, including Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Shock Doctor, UnitedHealth Group, among others. I am very lucky to have led the search marketing and social media marketing groups to where it stands today.
When I started at Spyder Trap in March 2009, I was the second salaried employee in the history of the company. Two years later, Spyder Trap has 14 employees. 700% growth speaks for itself. I am very proud to have been a major player in the company’s growth. It is something I will be able to look back on and always be proud of.
I am extremely proud of the work I completed at Spyder Trap. Despite some individuals beliefs, the quality of work I completed was goodvery good great. Fortunately for myself and the clients, the numbers support the claim and make that statement indisputable. It is one of the main reasons why I love the online marketing industry: the numbers do not lie.
I will miss the relationships and the clients at Spyder Trap. However, there are opportunities that come around that are too good to pass up. Spyder Trap was that opportunity in March 2009. Nina Hale is that opportunity in April 2011. I am very excited to start at Nina Hale on April 25. There is no limit to the success I will have at Nina Hale.
I want to thank Mike Rynchek and Spyder Trap for giving me the opportunity. Looking back, I consider this to be a rare relationship where both parties won. I wish Spyder Trap nothing but the best in the future.
New phone. New living space. New job. There’s a saying that bad things happen in threes. So do good great things.
We’ll talk soon, friends. I promise.
Jason
20 Questions From Saturday’s #tweetnmeet
For those who are not familiar, #tweetnmeet is a live chat moderated by Erica Mayer designed to connect people on twitter by answering questions about themselves and generating conversation around the responses.
#tweetnmeet’s are relatively new, and have gained a large following in a short amount of time. This Saturday, Erica moderated another #tweetnmeet. I was unable to participate, but tracked down all 20 questions. Here are my answers (in bold):
Question 1:Â who are you, where do you live, what do you do? Jason Douglas; Minneapolis/Hopkins; Online Marketing Manager at Spyder Trap Online Marketing.
Question 2:Â U R snowed in: choose 1 person, 1 thing, and 1 food to get you through. My lady; a large blanket; pizza from Umbria.
Question 3: what is your favorite song right now? Sadly, I do not have a working radio in my car. I have no idea what’s hot or what’s not. 😦
Question 4:Â what is the story behind your profile pic? Where, who took it, special meaning? I was at a friends’ wedding last October, and there was a photographer who was taking group photos. I assembled a group, and we were on our way up until the rest of the group decided to ditch me. Awkwardly, I asked if I could still have a picture taken. The photographer said: ‘Sure… act like you just got a DWI.’ I was instantly confused, and SNAP, the moment was captured.
Note: question 5 was skipped. #tweetnmeet’s get exciting 🙂
Question 6:Â favorite TV show? Tie between The Office and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Question 7:Â 1st KISS! I have no idea.
Question 7 (there were two question 7’s): favorite part of your job? Being able to show people exactly what I do, and show what impact it had for the client.
Question 9:Â if you could be an animal…what would you be/why? I would enjoy being a wolf; always thought they were a pretty animal, but they can be feisty, and you don’t want to mess with them.
Question 10: favorite dessert? Who makes it best? I do not have a big sweet tooth, but I do enjoy some red velvet cake on occasion. Whoever cooks it at that time makes it the best 🙂
Question 11:Â siblings? I am an only child.
Question 12:Â what astrological sign are you? Do the “traits” match your personality? I am a gemini. I think it fits well enough, but I’ll let you be the judge of that.
Question 13: do you blog? and what is your favorite blog to follow? Funny you ask that, since I’m blogging now 🙂 I don’t follow many blogs; it’s something I need to work on.
Question 14:Â one thing surprising thing about yourself NOT in your twitter bio. I used to be a huge nerd about U.S. Presidential history, once knowing all presidents in order, terms/years served, policies championed, family members, and more.
Question 15:Â if you could change your 1st name-what would you want it to be? I wouldn’t.
Question 16:Â 1st thing you notice in a sig. other? Physically, and personality. Well, first things I noticed with my current lady would include her blue eyes, her laugh, and her figure. I could tell that she was a very personable girl. I liked all of the mentioned traits.
Question 17:Â your life is a movie…who plays you? No idea… who’s a famous bald person: Howie Mandell (minus the soul patch)? Vin Diesel?
Question 18:Â favorite cheap munchie food. Think: college. lol. Chips and salsa; and if I am living the good life, I’ll melt cheese on the chips.
Question 19:Â sport you are the best at….and sport you wish you were better at? I was a jack-of-all-trades athlete, playing baseball, basketball, football, golf, tennis, and rugby in my life. I feel I was good to very good at all of them. I wish I was better at baseball or golf. If I had committed more time to just those sports, or just one of them, I would have gone far.
Question 20: in 140 characters tell an alien why they should let you live. 😉 I have too much unfinished business to deal with in my life. I’m just getting started.
If you can, join in on the next #tweetnmeet. I’ve been able to connect with a few new people, and always enjoy seeing the responses to the questions. You quickly learn about the people in and outside of your community.
#tweetnmeet with you soon!
~J
Jason Douglas's Life Blog 