Archive for 'Miscellany'

PageRank Update, TechCocktail 6, Omaha

Posted on 07. Nov, 2007 by Carolyn Shelby.

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I apologize (yet again) for my extended absence from blogging. I’ve been in Omaha for the past two weeks to make the final push to finish an enormously large project and I’ve also been beside myself with grief over my PR losses from the most recent toolbar update. Nothing a lot of little Ketel One couldn’t fix though.

Regarding the PageRank update: No loss in traffic, doesn’t seem to be anything hurt but my pride. I strongly suspect I’ll survive.

Regarding TechCocktail 6: I hear it’s sold out now, so yay that I remembered to r.s.v.p. early this time. It’s scheduled for Thursday, November 15th at John Barleycorn in Wrigleyville (where it was the last time it was in the city… was lots of fun). Sadly, I may not be able to go if I end up being sent back to Omaha (again) next week. If that happens, I’ll be happy to give my “confirmation for 2″ thingy to someone who is able to attend but didn’t sign up in time. If I am going back to Omaha, I’ll post something to the blog to see if anyone is interested in the tickets… please don’t email me about it til then. :)

Regarding Omaha: *sigh* I only wish I could tell you about the festivities, because this project is really the poster child for “What is a tragic comedy?”. On the upside, I’m racking up the frequent flier miles and I’m on a first name basis with the hotel staff, the starbucks drive-up girls, and the car rental people.

On the downside, I think my kids have forgotten what I look like.

With luck (crosses fingers), this insane travel will be done by the end of the year for sure and life will settle back down. Until then I will be more vigilant about posting. My biggest fear has just been that my posts will start to look much like my Twitters (e.g. me whining about the travel and the project and generally venting to prevent insanity).

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8 Random Things About Me

Posted on 27. Aug, 2007 by Carolyn Shelby.

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I was tagged by David Dalka to write 8 Random Things About Me from Paul Ruppert’s original meme. I’m fairly sure that there are people who know these things already (because I talk a lot, so there’s a real good chance I’ve blathered about at least one of these things to someone someplace…) but anyway, let’s get on with it, shall we?

1. I was a band geek. I’m sure that surprises no one, actually. I played the cello in third grade, but switched from orchestra to band (with the kewl kids) in fourth grade. Because I like to be number one, and there’s really zero competition for first chair when you play an instrument no one else in the universe plays, I played the oboe. (I can feel whatever cool points I might have had just draining away right now….) In high school, because you can’t march with a double reeded instrument, I played mallet percussion in the marching band… what does that mean? That means I stood on the sidelines and played the xylophone. <channel Glenn_Quagmire>Oh yeah</channel>.

2. I drive a Jetta that has 135,000 miles on it. It’s navy blue (to match my clothes, because when I got the car 8 of the 9 suits I owned were navy blue), and I used to recreationally yell “Fahrvergnugen!” whilst driving because I love my car so much and because it’s just such a fun word to say.

Jack and Lola3. I have two blue point Siamese cats that I got from the Siamese Rescue. Their names are Jack and Lola (those are the names they came with) and they’re littermates. The adoption process was incredibly lengthy (essay questions, references from friends, neighbors, vets, employment verification, etc… seriously, it should be so hard to have a human baby), but despite the approval process, we’re very happy we got the moo-cats because them is super kewt and we wuv them lots (which is actually how I talk to them… because they only understand babytalk, you know). [...]

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San Francisco SEO Meet-Up Recap

Posted on 19. Aug, 2007 by Carolyn Shelby.

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My roomie for SES San Jose Rhea Drysdale, my friend (who is a SysAdmin for ATI and not an SEO, but lives in San Jose and graciously offered to be our chauffeur/sober driver to San Francisco and back) John Clear, and I showed up fashionably late to the San Francisco SEO Meet-Up at the Liberties (I think?) bar on 22nd and Guerrero. It seemed like the party might be winding down a smidge, but there were still a good 8-10 people there. We hung out until 1ish I think? Anyway, I’m not entirely sure about the time because my time zone shifting is all screwy and I was pretty exhausted… the point is, there were a lot of nice people there and it was a fun time :) Definitely worth attending if you’re in the area for the next one.

(Let the linklove begin…)

People whom I already knew were:

People whom I just met last night (and gave me business cards so I’d remember their names and sites):

  • David Mihm, a design marketing consultant in SF who is also from Illinois (like me) and recognized my Chicago accent (which, btw, I don’t think I actually have one, but if you say so).
  • Laura Lippay, a Yahoo-er (is that what they’re called?) and fellow Gemini, who also identified my (non-existant) accent as that of a Chicagoan.
  • Lorna Li, search marketer, blogger and green activist (as per her kewt wee little business card)
  • Natasha Robinson, aka That Girl From Marketing. While last night was the first night I’ve actually met Natasha, I’ve seen/chatted with her in the WMR chatroom several times (and she also has a kewt wee little business card — I think it’s a Bay Area thing, but dammit, now I want one!).

There were other people I remember talking to; however, being as it was at a bar, and I had been up since 5:00am Central and was incredibly sleepy, my memory just isn’t what it usually is… so if I’ve left anyone off the list that should be here, drop me an email :)

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