Buying cough syrup would be simpler, but Terra said this will probably cure me in about 12 hours.

Terra’s site is Time and Truffles

Hit play, sit back, enjoy, and of course, leave a comment to let me know what you thought.

The thing is that the organizer doesn’t have the footage for the event for another week… and when she does get it, she’ll have to slice it up, and then upload it… Having worked with other events, I know that she’s probably going to get hammered with requests for “Can I get my video so I can put it on my public speaker page?”

Since I’m a fan of the 140Conf and everything they do (Google Jeff Pulver – the dude is amazing!), I made a tutorial on how to cut your individual clip out of the live-stream, so you can have it and use it right now… that’s where the above clip came from. You can also use this method to record a live-stream (this particular example is using a playback… but you can use this for a one-time event.. like you would use a VCR / DVR).

So, here’s the stream: http://www.livestream.com/dsmamplifiedevents

And here’s my tutorial:

Now.. just a side note– this stream was donated by the company… You should consider if the event you are capturing from is copyrighted… so.. just watch out with that.

While I speak at conferences, seminars, schools, and even lunches, one of my favorite events is the 140Conf. Perhaps I am just utterly fascinated by the founder, Jeff Pulver (A coFounder of Vonage, and the guy who went to fight for us regular people, so that Telecoms can’t charge us for calls made over VOIP), who is just so multi-faceted, and so caring.

The 140conf is an event with the slogan “Characters Wanted” — the format is 10 minutes per speaker. You are not supposed to rely on power points… generally it’s about people with cool stories that revolve around innovative use of technology that connects… Social Media is a de-facto technology of course.

I always meet such fascinating individuals at his events, but the interesting thing is not just the speakers… the audience that Jeff attracts tends to be extremely smart! Speaking to them is always a refreshing blast… that, and Jeff always throws a great cocktail mixer.

Get your tickets here.

Not only will you get to see many amazing speakers, and be inspired, and get to meet many people that are definitely worth meeting…. but since I am passionate about how Jeff Pulver is changing the world, I always make sure to answer all the questions that everyone has (no matter how long it takes) at the 140conf.  So… if you want access to this brain, I recommend you go to the 140 Conf Des Moines.

One person you must meet is Deb Brown –  she specializes at social media strategies for businesses in small towns.  I met her at the 140Conf Small Town in Huthinson, KS, where we both spoke.  Since the theme of that particular 140conf was to help small towns, and we were both passionate about our topics, we got along.  She just has a great energy… makes you smile.   Serious about business.  A no BS person.  Check out her amazing story about volunteering (may make you change your mind about that you can’t make a difference)

I am speaking, but so are all of these amazing people:

Aaron Steinmann -Communication and Marketing Manager for Silos and Smokestacks. Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area is one of 49 federally designated heritage areas in the nation and is an Affiliated Area of the National Park Service. Through the development of a network of sites, programs and events, SSNHA’s mission is to interpret farm life, agribusiness and rural communities-past and present.

Alexander Grgurich -Alexander Grgurich is a young entrepreneur who is passionate about Des Moines. As a college student, Alexander was able to juggle studies and his small business while also getting elected to City Council his senior year. His passion for technology and politics has spurred him to develop a volunteer management application for political campaigns and advocacy groups.

Angela Maiers – Twitter has changed my life; and now I spend a portion of that life trying to help individuals and organization understand the power of this amazing platform. Even more importantly, the power of their voice and place in the world.  When I began my Twitter journey, the farthest thing from my mind was having a global voice. It was a nice place to connect with friends; nothing more or less. Never could I have imagined it would change my life in such profound and prolific ways.  I want to speak at this conference because we have world changing work to do; work that requires human being to do it. If we underestimate our gifts, talents, and contributions, this world can not change in the way we need to to.  If I can help those participating in the conference believe their voice matters, then I have become a part of the solution. I will do what ever needs to be done to make that happen!

Ben Stone -There is a gaping hole in the social media conversation. Nobody is talking about how social tools can be used INSIDE organizations to help organizations leverage the social capital of its members. I want to fill that gap. By 2014, half of our workforce will be Gen Y and they will not be leaving their social selves at the door. From Employee Engagement to Competitive Intelligence, social tools will be the difference makers in the new economy.

Bridget Wagoner – High quality educational systems are fundamental to our progress as a society. Flipping our educational system is an effort that requires collective will and widespread input and commitment. The diversity and progressive nature of audiences at #140 conferences make this an ideal forum in which to challenge fundamental beliefs about education and engender support for and committed action for educational transformation.

Cassie Boorn -Technology has opened up the ability to reach your customers in an entire new way. Small businesses are built on small budgets and limited resources and it is essential that they tap into the opportunities available to them. Cassie Boorn is a Social Media Coordinator at a mid-size PR firm based in New York and works on some of the largest brands in the world helping them reaching consumers online. Cassie currently lives in a small town in Illinois and has had a passion for small businesses, entrepreneurs and teaching people about the social web.

Claire Celsi – Claire Celsi is a public relations professional and Des Moines native. Her consulting firm, The Public Relations Project, assists businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, associations, and educational institutions in developing and implementing social media and public relations programs.  A Drake University alumna, she is a lecturer and adjunct professor at her alma mater, teaching PR and social media courses. Claire also serves on Drake’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications National Advisory Board.

David Murray is Director of Social Web Communications for re:group, an Ann Arbor-based integrated marketing and communications firm. Murray helps clients communicate and navigate their brands through the digital landscape. He is the founder of the Social Media Club Detroit Chapter, he is a member of Detroit’s food blogging team, The Hungry Dudes, and also serves asDirector of Communications for the FutureMidwest Technology Knowledge Conference in Detroit, Michigan.

Aside from being involved in various projects, David is an advocate for education and best practices when it comes to digital and social web communications. He has presented and lead discussions at events across the country including Tedx Lansing, #unGeeked Chicago, SocialBiz World, Social Media Breakfast Toledo, #140Conf Detroit, Ignite events, and more.

David can be found blogging at The Way of theMurr. You can also connect with him on Linkedin, Twitter, and Facebook. Currently he lives in Troy, MI with his wife Jenni, and their two cats, Bree and Boo.

Derek Balsey – Derek is the Marketing Specialist / Social Media Manager at Kreg Tool Company and a Board Member of the Des Moines Social Media Club.  Derek’s experience in marketing covers a wide gamut including new-product brand development, print-ad creative, web banner and search advertising, product packaging, point-of-purchase, direct marketing, in-package advertising, direct response TV, and of course social media. Derek has helped Kreg develop an impressive social media presence online including a monthly newsletter being received by over 100,000 Kreg Fans around the globe, a Ning Community with over 30,000 members, and a YouTube Channel with over 2 million views.

Derek is an enthusiastic advocate for integrated marketing plans designed to enrich the customer experience and social media platforms which add measurable value to a company’s bottom line.  You can find Derek tweeting @derekbalsley, on LinkedIn, or helping out his wife Jessica with technical/marketing support over at www.theartofed.com.

Deron Durflinger is the Secondary Principal at Van Meter Schools. This is his 7th year as a principal, and 2nd year at Van Meter.  He is author of the #Vanmeter- Leading the Educational Transformation Blog, and he started the #vanmeter hashtag for Van Meter Schools, which today has thousands of followers and users. Deron is an active member of School Administrators of Iowa, serving on various state level education committees including Iowa’s ARRA EdTech Grant and the Competency Based Learning Advisory Committee. He has spoken at various Iowa school districts and state and national conferences about using social media, in particular Twitter to connect, learn, and lead in the 21st century.

Drew McLellan - Drew McLellan’s a 25+ year marketing agency veteran who lives for creating “a ha” moments for his clients, clients’ customers, peers and audiences across the land. Sadly, for his daughter, he attempts to do the same thing at home. Drew’s favorite tools for creating these moments are vivid story telling, Italian heritage inspired hand gestures and the occasional tipping of a sacred cow. Over the years, Drew has lent his expertise to clients like Nabisco, IAMS pet foods, Kraft Foods, Meredith Publishing, John Deere, Iowa Health System, Make-A-Wish, and a wide array of others. Drew is also one of the world’s top marketing and branding bloggers. He’s written the book 99.3 Random Acts of Marketing, co-editing the Age of Conversation series of books and in 1995, he launched his own firm McLellan Marketing Group. Recently he has appeared in the New York Times, Entrepreneur Magazine, Business Week and Fortune’s Small Business. The Wall Street Journal calls him one of 10 bloggers that every entrepreneur should read.

Grant Griffiths – n February of 2005 my first blog was born. This blog was used to market and promote my business. Soon blogging became my only form of written advertising because of its reach and effectiveness. What I also discovered was blogging is one of the most powerful marketing tools available for the small business, home business and professional service firm. In fact, I am so sold on the effectiveness of blogging, it is the reason I am co-founder of G2WebMedia.

Gus Wagner -@RocketGroup is my twitter handle and Improving Relationship, Graphic, and Communication Strategies for Clients in Business, Politics, and Government is what I do. In short, we create original, affordable and effective communication tools for the real world, print and web applications. My talk in Des Moines is going to focus on #AstroTurfNetRoots – the process of engaging your audience to the point you will be able to call them to real action when you need it. This is something we do in our government relations activities but the process can work  for business too. Our website is RocketGroupLLC.com and we are based in the capitol of Missouri: Jefferson City. I am really looking forward to returning to the #140Conf and Des Moines!

Jeff Caldwell – Multimedia Editor for Agriculture.com at Meredith Corporation in Des Moines, Iowa. Responsible for mobile and social extensions of and outreach for our brand as well as our main website and its community. Enjoy cool music, good books and listening to my 3-year-old daughter yell “Rock and roll, dadda!” Life’s good.

Jeff Pulver is the Chairman and Founder of pulver.com, and one of the true pioneers of the VoIP industry and a leader in the emerging TV on the Net industry. Leveraging well over a decade of hands-on experience in Internet/IP communications and innovation, Mr. Pulver is a globally renowned thought leader, author and entrepreneur. His blog is well read within the IP Communications Industry and in high-tech communities around the world. He is the publisher of The Pulver Report and and creator of the industry standard Voice on the Net (VON) events. Additionally, Mr. Pulver is the founder of FWD, the VON Coalition, PrimeTimeRewind.TV, Vivox and is the co-founder of VoIP provider, Vonage.

Jessica O’Riley – Jessica O’Riley has been involved in the Iowa tourism industry for 14 years, starting with a marketing internship at the Iowa State Fair. After graduating from Iowa State University, she joined the Fair’s full-time staff as a Marketing Coordinator. Four years ago, Jessica joined the Iowa Tourism Office as Communications Manager. She works with travel writers, reporters and bloggers on Iowa-related stories by pitching ideas, fact checking and providing photos. She also coordinates the Tourism Office’s social media efforts including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and blog.

Jim Boyd -Is this not the first one in Iowa? Even if it is not, I am always one who looks for opportunities to speak about the message for not only my employer, WHO, but also the organization I feel passionate about, the Optimist Club.

Jody Halsted – Social media is the most powerful tool I use to share my travel stories and connect with destinations to partner with on upcoming adventures. I want to share the useful applications of social media in terms of travel. I think the results of my experiment will be exciting; I can’t wait to have the experience and share it!

Joe Gerstandt - am blessed to do work that I love and be surrounded by good people. I live in Omaha with my wife and our two beautiful and wise girls. My parents still live on the small farm next to the small town in Northwest Iowa and one of our favorite things to do is to visit the farm for a weekend (especially in the summer!). My sister and her beautiful family live in Sioux Falls, SD and we have great fun visiting them as well

Jo Cheray – Joe Cheray is a 39 year old single mom to an 11 year old son with special needs. She spends her time taking care of him, volunteering in the community and running her company Wildheart Social Media out of her home in Topeka Kansas. She caters to small business owners, home based business, and the solopreneur.

John Carver is Van Meter’s Superintendent of Schools and is committed to transforming education. By providing laptop computers to students in grades 6-12, and computer labs for students in K -5 learning now looks different at Van Meter.  John has shared Van Meter’s experiences at both the state and national level and with Twitter he has connected and learned with educators globally.  John is a member of the School Administrators of Iowa and is serves on the State Competency-based Education Design Team.

Jon Thompson - is the owner of Evolve, an IT Support company focused on the under-supported niche of Mac-based businesses in the Silicon Prairie. He arrived in the social media world in the fall of 2009 with his re-entry in entrepreneurship and, while he describes his social media skills as mediocre at best, has seen results.

Karen Smith is a recognized leader in social media at Verizon Wireless. In 2008 she received a mid-year leadership award from the Midwest Area for her initiatives in social media from Verizon Wireless. Karen works within the guidelines of a geographic corporate structure and looks for ways to build local and regional relationships using social media.   As PR manager for Verizon Wireless Great Plains region, Smith is responsible for media coverage about Verizon Wireless in traditional and non-traditional channels.  Smith has been instrumental in Verizon Wireless sponsoring social media communities including Social Media Breakfast Des Moines, iBlogger Conference, Social Media Breakfast Minneapolis St. Paul, and Mobile March Twin Cities.

Karen is an Iowa native, from Waterloo and a letter winner in field hockey at the University of Iowa. She has been spotted on many occasion at Hawkeye football games with her mom who is 86.  Smith began her career with a passion for promoting women’s athletics first in sports information and than in marketing with positions at the College of William and Mary in Virginia and the University of Minnesota where she served as assistant athletics director for external relations.  She joined the wireless industry in 1998, first as marketing communications manager and than as public relations manager.  Her responsibilities also include employee communications and community relations around Verizon’s corporate cause of domestic violence awareness and prevention.

Keri Holmes and Judy Wrolson – Judy started with a home business and transitioned into a store several years later.  Not sure what she wanted to do with social media, she started with baby steps.  Keri Holmes is her designer, gifted sales person and right hand girl.  Together they are utilizing the power of community, years in retail experience and a commitment to keep it fun!

Lindsey Smith – Lindsey is a freelance exhibit developer and curator at Exhibitsmith, specializing in content development and collections management. In addition to her consulting work, Lindsey is the archivist at Des Moines University and the collections manager at the Iowa Jewish Historical Society. Lindsey is co-chair of the Iowa Museum Association Exhibits and Collections Committee and is a TAN advisor for the State Historical Society of Iowa’s Historical Research Development Program (HRDP). She also leads preservation and exhibit development workshops for professional and community organizations, and manages the blog Museum Minute.   Lindsey received a BA in History from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MA in Historical Administration from Eastern Illinois University, focusing on collections care and management, material culture, and local history. She is currently pursuing a Certificate of Advanced Study in Archives & Records Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Lyz Lenz – I’d love the chance to share how Twitter is connecting Iowa to the greater media landscape and I want to encourage Iowans and the internet to embrace technology in one long awkward smooch.

Melynda DeCarlo – The Meyvn Group is committed to growing individuals, teams and organizations. Persoanlly? My goal is to inspire, learn, share and grow.

Michael Libbie - is the president of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications a full service advertising agency with clients in the United States and Europe.  Insight advertising goes beyond creating great print ads, websites, television and radio commercials…we help our clients better understand consumer trends and then create products and services that match the public demand.  Much of that is done by merging traditional and new media.  Our job is to not only be creative but to listen to buyers, consumers and the market.  In addition to the advertising agency Michael is responsible for the Insight on Business News Hour with Michael Libbie seen Monday – Thursday at Noon Central on the Webcast One LIVE Network.

Ori Bengal -Ori Bengal is an author, an award winning photographer and a business consultant.  While seeing the world from various couches, seeking the next adventure, he encounters amazing people and tells “groaner” jokes to all those he meets.  He has trained with UFC fighters, jumped out of airplanes, played bull poker and met many of his own heroes!! Amidst all of his adventures, he has made great friends, helped change lives and consulted with top business leaders.

Patrick Palmer - Owner and Technician at “The Computer Guy” in downtown Hampton, Iowa.  Since the age of 14, Pat has been working with computers, until starting his own small business in 1995 in his basement.  In 2009 he moved from the basement to a retail location.  Pat’s special brand of humor will gently poke fun at his wife Becky for her 2004 “That’ll Never Work” approach to Social Media — but now admits she may have been a been a bit mistaken.  Pat will also give examples of how he has taken ownership of the computer repair market in North Iowa via Social Media and why his wife still won’t let him use the “F” word in front of his mother-in-law.

Rebecca Grunewald – Twitter offered me the opportunity to branch out on my own, outside of my husband’s shadow and beyond my roles of wife and mother. Twitter has been a godsend to me. I have met so many great people, some in real life.   Twitter is great for so many things from opining directly to politicians or journalists, getting breaking news alerts at lightning speed to getting movie and music reviews from your Twitter family to of course, building your own brand through the magic of the Twitterverse. I hope to inspire others to do the same

Ryan Johnson – As info-markers pollute the world of social media with claims of “Twitter Riches” they’ve done a tremendous job misconstruing what Twitter’s real value is in the minds of business owners.  Those of us who really “get” Twitter take it for granted, but the reality is that traditional small business owners don’t need a whole lot to fall into a catatonic state of confusion.  In a tale of two twitter accounts (one a big fat juicy failure) under two drastically different approaches I will illustrate how I came to identify the most undeniable fundamental truth about social media.

Sam Schill – Everyday: Sam currently works in downtown Ames for Innova Ideas and Services , which is one of the three Sigler Companies based in Ames.   Play: Since recently becoming a Dad his hobbies have changed a bit, but when time allows he enjoys golfing, fishing, Cyclones athletics, singing, reading, and grilling in the backyard.   What are you reading?: Thinker Toys by Michael Michalko  What are you listening to?: Flogging Molly

Sandy Renshaw – Social media has changed my life. I think it must be similar to how people felt when the printing press was invented and the average person finally had access to books. I can fully see the impact use of social media has to help people find and grow a network. When I started blogging, Facebook andTwitter were new. Every year my appreciation and understanding of these powerful communication tools grows. It’s been exciting to see how technology that was new and different – and touted by only the early adopters – has evolved, and now has been embraced by so many. I want to share my experience with others so they can understand ways that Facebook and Twitter can help them connect with other business people they would never meet without these tools. It can have an impact on their bottom line. It’s not just for socializing.

Sara Broers – I want to let people know that it is possible to enjoy social media and even get paid while partaking in the experience. You CAN find a job on twitter.  Growing up in Iowa is an adventure that many people never get to experience. A two time cancer survivor, and having to learn how to walk again at the age of 40, Sara’s story is an inspiration for anyone that has struggled in their life. Iowa is where her feet were planted at a young age and remain there today. Through her faith, family, and friends she has learned to pull up those bootstraps and move on!

Shannon Latham – Shannon earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Ag Journalism/Public Service and Administration in Agriculture from Iowa State University, as well as an MBA from the University of Iowa. Prior to joining Latham Hi-Tech Hybrids, Shannon owned and operated her own communications business. She also worked as an account executive and public relations specialist for The Meyocks Group in West Des Moines, Iowa, and served as president of the Iowa Chapter of National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA).

Shannon McClintock Miller is the district teacher librarian and technology specialist at Van Meter Community School in Van Meter, Iowa.  Shannon is the author of the award winning Van Meter Library Voice blog and enjoys writing for ISTE’s Leading & Learning journal, various blogs, and in other forums. She has had the opportunity to speak in Iowa and around the country about advocacy, technology, social networking, and making a difference in education and the lives of others. She is a member of ISTE, SIGMS, ALA, AASL, and ILA (Iowa Library Association). Shannon serves as the advocacy chair on the Iowa Association of School Librarians and on the Iowa Center for the Book Advisory Council as the public school students and libraries representation. In 2010, she was also chosen to be part of the Cengage Learning/School Library Journal New Leaders Program

Shawn Mullen - I’m a relative newbie to this Web 2.0, Social Media gig. But at 50 years of age, I’ll be darned if I’m gonna miss getting with this program. I’ll admit it…I’m just getting started and am not as widely “linked”, “faced” “blogged” or “tweeted” as others, but I can share my beginner’s experiences in a fast paced, clear and concise presentation. I can also share why, from a business perspective, leveraging LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter is a no-brainer.I’m certainly no expert on the technologies, but I am an expert on my experiences.

Tara Litzenberger – Tara Saylor Litzenberger has always believed in knowing the rules before you try to break them. As part of the communications team for a Great Big Company, she gets a unique view of the concerns and opportunities of using Social Media on an global scale. Tara shares a behind-the-scenes look at company life on her blog, AdventuresInAg.com. She regularly spends time in 3 different states and still brags about the “Best Bale” award she won at company training.

Jason  is funny, and fearless, and smart (He has experience in selling magic tricks at bars, he was a PI, he is a marketer and copywriter… many of these things combined let him be confident, and know how to read people, and know what to say…. plus he has more street smart than most people I know– and that’s a lot of people), so he was a natural at this. Here is his first show!

I was lucky enough to get to be there in person to show support for a friend. There’s not much better than being able to show support for your friends in their big dreams. Jason is also the only other person I’ve ever met who’s taken shrooms and gone to a stripper club (his experience sounded way more painful than mine).

Anyways….not only was he funny, but his marketing superpowers are able to help these comedians– Louie Anderson and Kyle Cease. Jason has been out to Vegas a few times since to hang with Louie. How cool is that?

So… as I started this post with, Jason gave up the peace, quiet, and beauty of La Jolla to go to LA to work on comedy with Kyle Cease. I know he’s going to crush it!

The other day Jmo posts “Check out this spoof that we just filmed for Rebecca Black’s Music Video, Friday” –And he posted this video.

Ok… cute… funny…. but I didn’t see the original, so… I googled it, and here’s what I found…. Good luck watching the whole thing- *shiver*

I couldn’t watch the whole thing.. But heck, I’m not her demographic, right? I think it’s intended for teenagers. This girl is in 8th grade after all.
Well, at the time of writing this blog post (Saturday the 19th, 11AM CST), she is approaching 22 million views!

I watched it all the way through at a later attempt. Now, I’d tell you what I thought, but someone already said it word for word, so I’ll embed that! (Language warning)

I think Kingsley said it all, but how did I find his video? Well… People on facebook were commenting about Jmo & Kyle’s spoof, “have you seen this guy?”

His video – at the time of this writing – has over 2 million views!

So, here’s the point of my article:
We all know by now what a Meme is. An idea that explodes into popularity and takes on a life of its own, being adopted into popular culture…. for example, the Budweiser Wazzzzup (which actually didn’t do that much for selling beer… it is considered a failed campaign), currently Charlie Sheen is a meme, Starwars Kid, Double Rainbow (And I can never get enough of the Double Rainbow Autotune remix)….

Oh heck… speaking of Charlie Sheen being a meme, I just posted this video the other day on Facebook, ’cause my friend Espree Devora gave me a bag of Tiger’s Blood. – which goes right with the point of this article.

Rebecca Black has become an instant Meme. Her song begot spoofs, covers, and spoof images. This took the 80′s/90′s bands years to do…. The technology just wasn’t there to spread ideas like wildfire.

So now because of all the infrastructure that got laid down due to the dot com boom, everyone has wireless and broadband internet. Because of the human desire for the latest and greatest, and corporation’s desires to capitalize on that, we now have broadband internet on our cell phones, and tablet devices. This is what makes it possible for people to take a photo, video, or soundbite and turn it into a worldwide sensation…. while we’re sitting on the crapper!

Additionally, there is a braid made of multiple threads that is what really amazes me. Computers have gotten so small, fast, and efficient… information can spread so fast…. this combination has allowed for massive growth in education and jobs for programmers of all sorts. So now a booming market is in programs to do anything you can think of. Notable here – record, remix, and edit music and video.

Also, since the internet now gives us such a massive selection in any product that we want, user interface and elegant design are now standard parts of a product’s design… or at least are largely responsible for a product’s success or demise. You can learn a lot about this trend in Daniel Pink’s book “A Whole New Mind”

Just look at Apple for example. Everything they do is so elegant. I just got to unbox an Imac… it was sleek, only had 1 cable, barely took up any room…. There’s a reason that people wait in line for 8 hours to get the latest iPhone or iPad.

As much as I like to bash Apple, the more I study them, the more I realize that they are absolutely brilliant, and they already have changed the course of humanity, and will continue to do so. I can bitch and moan about them, but they deserve every penny they get.

Daniel Burrus’s must read book, Flash Foresight talks about trends – dematerialization, advances in speed, product intelligence, and more… So, that’s why smart phones these days can do more than a computer could do 10 years ago, but cost less, and can fit in our pocket.

So, now you have tiny devices (iPad) that have massive computing power, a massive selection of software that is designed to be easy and elegant to use, and you can now sit by a lake, edit a video, and post it on to the web. And when I say edit a video, I mean, create a broadcast-quality masterpiece.

Add to that mix that the younger generation take to new technology (Did you know that 80% of children under 5 years old are already using the internet?), and the fact that all these kids are growing up on shows that make singing and dancing a part of their lives (Hanna Montana, iCarly, VicTORIous, and countless others) and you have this incredible tsunami of content creation…. that Rebecca Black was just hit by.

The new generation is ready to express themselves… and unlike any previous generation, today’s teens were raised with the easy-to use technology to let them create, and remix content, and put it out there for the world to see. Justin Bieber is a perfect example… but today’s culture is about remixing.

It’s not just kids… they just help spark fires faster. Kyle Cease and Jason Moffatt are an example of grownups (if you want to call them that) that jumped onto the viral train.

You have to be quick if you want to catch a train. Another week, and nobody’s going to care about Rebecca Black’s song “Friday”. Notice we haven’t heard anything in a while about Baloon Boy (I jumped on that one, and made some Baloon Boy shirts, and even a “top 5 Baloon Boy Tattoos” spoof) — some people do it for fun, some people do it for their grasp at fame.

All in all, it’s just what people do these days…. Is it mean? Well…. she made the song to be famous, and it worked. She’s got her world-wide fame… even if it’s for sucking… and she’s quickly moving up on the charts. On the Itunes top 100, she’s already at 19 (at the time of this writing— I predict #1 in another day or 2) — passing up songs by Katy Perry, Usher, Cee-Lo, Enrique Iglesias, Ke$ha, Bruno Mars, Black Eyed Peas, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Pink.

In Rebecca Black’s Good Morning America Interview (posted at the bottom of this article), she says hat the hurtful comments did make her cry some…. but I predict she’s going to cry all the way to the bank.

Rebecca has talent… this particular song is just auto-tuned, and the lyrics are practically insulting:
Kickin’ in the front seat
Sittin’ in the back seat
Gotta make my mind up
Which seat can I take?
—-
Yesterday was Thursday, Thursday
Today i-is Friday, Friday (Partyin’)
We-we-we so excited
We so excited
We gonna have a ball today
Tomorrow is Saturday
And Sunday comes after…wards

So…. I think she has a bright future if she leverages it.

I think this Ted.com talk really explains what’s going on:

I do think that copyright law is going to have to change, otherwise you will not see remixes that have Rebbeca and Ice Cube together, along with clips from the Friday movie. And this is how people express themselves now.

I recently spoke at SXSW (South By South West- a massive event in Austin, TX) and I gave my 7 keys to happiness… I’m not saying what they all are in this post, ’cause I’m sharing my presentation in a few days…. but, I will reveal that point number 5 was to share. Share everything with the world! If you don’t want to share the going-ons in your life, then share your talent or hobby.

I said that what’s the worst that could happen? You get one ass-hat who says you suck? So what? What about all the people that think you’re awesome? What about all the people that wish they had the balls to post as you did? And let’s say you’re epically bad….. and everyone shares it in a viral fashion, like the Double Rainbow guy, or the Sunny D and Rum, Yum Yum lady…. Then you’re famous. You can leverage that and get a book deal, or a recording contract…

While I poke fun at this horrible song, I don’t poke fun at Rebecca… whom I see having a very very bright future. Kudos to her for having the balls to post it, and for keeping it up despite all the nay-sayers…

He who laughs last…. thinks slowest.

Every person that tries to bring her down, is only letting more people know about her song, and thus is growing her notoriety. It’s like back when I was working at One Model Place and we’d have photographer contests. Many photographers would go and vote “1″ on other photographers’ images… thinking that they are bringing down their scores.

In actuality, the contest was not based on average score… but rather the overall score. So every single point helped, and all these guys that were trying to hurt their competitors were actually helping them.

So… in summary….. Share your talent with the world. You’re likely to get remixed and laughed at…. but who the hell hasn’t been mocked when trying to do a great thing? The Wright Brothers were certainly mocked, as was Thomas Edison…

You survived yesterday, you survived today, chances are good you’ll be around tomorrow. Shit happens, and there is often a price to pay to get to greatness.

That aside, here’s some more awesome Rebecca Black spoofs and covers, and her interview…. But I bet by the time this posts, new ones will have already arrived on the web.

Here’s an amazing cover that makes the song not be annoying…. Epic Mullet Guy covers Rebbeca Black’s Friday-

Wow! That’s talent! Poor guy has that much talent, and only 162,000 views in 3 days. Poor thing.

This one was a blast Mashup with Friday the movie AND a mix with Ice Cube

I used to go to Raves– so this Dubstep version caught my attention…. it’s pretty well executed-

Bob Dylan version-

This kid did a cover, and got 146,000 views so far– ’cause RyanSeacrest.com posted his video.

Fried Eggs (more original than many of the others)

Emo-

Heavy Metal-

Using Video editing to make a dance video to match-

BeatBox

One of the better spoofs (audio and video wise) “Saturday”

This guy’s cover is pretty decent– makes it sound like a mix of Pink Floyd, The Cure, and some other bands

Friday– an acting masterclass

Pop Rock- (not bad… think Dashboard Confessional) –

Accoustic and Banjo cover!

This Meatloaf Version is awesome

Another dramatic, but talented cover-

Hitler finds out it’s Friday (This friggin clip gets spoofed for every meme! The one they did of Hitler Finds Out Baloon Boy Is A Hoax was the best!)

This kid deserves to be made fun of even more than Rebecca does:

These guys did a decent acoustic set- and had fun with the video:

Rebecca’s interview on Good Morning America:

If you want to kill time, go look up Rebecca Black Friday on YouTube…. hint– you’ll find a whole other set if you try things like Rebecca Black Friday Piano Cover / Rebecca Black Drum Cover / Rebecca Black Dance Party / Rebecca Black Spoken Word—- each one of these has dozens of covers in that genre.

This girl has started an entire industry! I think it’s amazing. If nothing else, you can make a drinking game out of it

Originally I recorded it for my consulting clients only… but screw it.. I want EVERYONE to have more sales and more fun! So… enjoy, take action, and share the wealth!


No matter what industry you are in, there is always competition. Your clients or audience knows it, and you need to give them a reason to choose you.

One reason may be because you spent much more time preparing, so you must care more about them.  Another is because you understand them better, and relate to their brand, so you will most likely do what is best for them.  Another is that you stand out from the rest of the people that are trying to sell them on the same product or service, so at the end of the day they will remember you, but not the competition.

This presentation ties in with many other aspects of Ideas On Retainer… Presentation, marketing, tools, technology, psychology, and fun.  These all boil down to leverage. Creating a badass presentation that makes the client forget about the other vendors (this applies in non-business as well, say your reader will forget about the other bloggers) takes some work, but not as much as you think, and not as much as the client will think you spent.

Take some notes, and leave any questions you may have in the comments section. This is a high resolution video, and should play just fine in full screen mode.

Future videos will show you many ways to present the video you create to the client in a way that leaves them wanting to do business with you before even seeing your presentation.

Resources:

(The links are provided in the resource section- Most of these will be listed in much more detail in future articles, as each has so many uses)

Skype – A free calling, text, file transfer, video conferencing software for PC/Mac[hr]
Camtasia Studio – Screen recording/editing software for PC/Mac[hr]
Screenflow – Screen recording/editing software for the Mac[hr]
Personal Brain – Mind Mapping software for PC/Mac[hr]
Jing – Free screen recording (and sharing of that recording) software for the PC/Mac[hr]
Camstudio – Free screen recording software for the PC[hr]
Google – Free research tool[hr]
After Effects – Motion graphics and compositing software for PC/Mac[hr]
Livescribe – A pen that records audio, and digitally transfers all audio as well as what you write/draw to your computer.[hr]

720×480 Reference Images:

720x480 in red

720x480 White

720x480 Black

720x480 White with Black border

It’s 37 degrees out in Austin, so don’t expect that I’m going to go Streaking or anything like that.

If you missed yesterday’s blog post about Working Naked Day, you should read it ’cause I went in depth about the holiday.  What I say in this video that I didn’t say yesterday was that there are over 30,000,000 Americans that work from home. That’s not the population of Facebook or anything, but that’s a pretty formidable crowd!

Now, picture 30,000,000 million people naked.  Yeah, that is pretty gross.  But then consider that Naked just means free from the corporate structure, and then it’s not gross!  It’s 30,000,000 people that have chosen to go pursue their own dreams, or spend quality time with their families, or maybe just travel all over the world while working on a laptop from anywhere (that sounds familiar).  It’s an easy decision… all you have to do is make it, and take the first step.

If you’re not working from home, then spend a few minutes today imagining what it would be like if you could work from home. How would you spend your time? What would it feel like?  How much would you work?  Whom would you hang out with?  What kind of schedule would you keep?

If you are working from home, then spend some time reflecting on the freedoms that you do have, that you would not have if you were not working from home.  Then call some friends who are stuck at an office, and see how they are doing.  You get extra points if you’re calling them on video skype

I guess my friends and family are used to hearing what new goal I am going to go after now, “I’m going to be a 3D animator!  I’m going to be a photographer!  Now I”m running a printshop!  I’m going to design jewelry!  I’m a marketer!  I’m a video editor!  I’m going to play the guitar! I’m writing a book!”  So… Breakdancing may not be a big stretch for them, especially after stunts like Bull Poker, or Cliff Jumping, or Skydiving, or all these other things that I’ve done.  But… this is different, and I’m telling you why so maybe you can find that thing that brings you alive.

My good buddy Craig Allen and I were on a Skype video call, and my good friend, his roommate at the time, Katie Brown jumped in as well.  Apparently, they had just seen a movie on NetFlix called LXD.  Here is part of the call (with some Tiesto music added by me for good measure)

Have I mentioned how much I love my friends

Ok… here’s the official trailer, now that you’ve seen Craig & Katie’s version:

I watched it, and I was on the edge of my seat with that “Holy shit! How do they do that?!” feeling. I watched it, and Jason Sherfey (whom I was couchsurfing with at the time) and I had break-danced our way to breakfast.

It’s not like every movie affects me like that. Sure, you watch Indiana Jones (the original ones) and you want to get a whip. You watch Superman, and you want to get a cape, and fly. But you forget about it after a while. I noticed that after watching that, despite usually being mild on the dance-floor, I would start improvising some breaks… and contrary to my expectations, nobody laughed — except that time in downtown San Diego with Mitch Sanders and Jaime Mintun, when I accidentally kicked some poor girl in the head… but that’s another blog post to be written, about mastery being built up over time… incrementally, and with practice.

I watched The LXD a few times, never tiring of it. But it wasn’t until 2 months ago, when I was in Austin, staying with Craig, and working on a project day and night that I realized I need to learn to breakdance.

Between writing, making the appropriate web design, creating mobile phone ads, facebook ads, and all those fun split testing thingies that we needed to do, we were up and working most of the day… and I would be up at night, since I’m nocturnal. Craig likes to have movies on, though, he’s not even paying attention to which one is on… just that they are on. My attention span is not as forgiving… I pay attention to what movie is on, and what’s going on, despite that I get the work done.

One night Craig was out, and I was in charge of movies for myself. I didn’t care for what Mr. Allen had lined up on the Netflix Que, so I started flipping through, and on a whim I found Planet B-Boy.

This time I noticed that I had dropped all the work I was doing, and watched intently.  I even felt that my pupils were focused, and my heart was beating faster. I was having an adrenaline rush without having to jump out of a plane, wait for a bull to hit me, or travel 140MPH on a motorcycle.  I was doing it out o the comfort of the living room, and the instigator was this movie.

I realized that I can watch this stuff all day long.  I used to study Capoeira (A Brazilian martial art that resembles dancing, with lots of flips, kicks, and is performed to music), but while I wasn’t that great at it, I loved to show up to class, because I could watch those that were great do their thing. Every place I’ve seen breakdancing or Capoeira demos, I’d stop to watch.

So… if just watching it gives me a rush, what would being good at it do?  What would it be like to clear out a swatch of dance floor, and do something like this with some friends:

Now, I have my little nagging voices in my head…. I mean, these guys that are competing are all younger than me, way more flexible, and it seems they all have a 6-pack… which I’m sure is a side-effect of dancing so damn much.  But, I’m not looking to compete, I’m looking to have fun, have a new way to play with others, challenge myself, express myself, and like drawing and telling jokes, this is something that comes from the inside… I just want to do it.  Reason need not apply.

So… what is it that when you watch it, you get amped up?  If there is such a thing, maybe you should get involved in it. Yes, people may judge you… but would you rather be unhappy and not judged, or would you rather be free, happy, and have some people think you’re an idiot because they are too scared to chase their own dreams?

Do it!