We filmed a video update yesterday to keep everyone in the loop.

I’m really proud of the book. I’m so happy that I Ann and I both wanted to take the same approach. Share case studies that are not the same ones everyone else is sharing constantly and to give direct tactics and strategies that people can use rather than skirting around the hard work that needs to be done as many authors tend to do.

Is the book good? That will be up for all of you to decide, but I know I’m damn proud of it.

Pre-order a copy of Content Rules today. It’ll make the perfect holiday present around the office this year. *grin*

But, as I watched the school buses roll away, I began to think a lot about the year ahead for them and at a higher level the entire state of education in America.

If you haven’t noticed, it is completely broken. Sure, our kids are passing tests, going to college and doing ok for themselves. Not all of them and not nearly as many as I’d like to see, but you know what I mean.

I look at my kids and see how different they are and yet I know they are being taught the exact same way. Dylan is logical and direct. He excels at math and science and is on the fast track to some sort of engineering job if I were to guess. Emily on the flipside is overly creative. She excels at all subjects, but is a very free thinker and goes way outside of the box whenever she can. I don’t know what she will end up being, but it is going to be fun to watch.

But, our schools are teaching the same way they have for the past several decades. Same subjects, same approaches and all of it leading up towards passing standardized tests.

A couple of years ago we got called in to talk about Dylan being disruptive in class. When we talked to the teacher she told us that he was always getting his math work done before the rest of the class and then would try helping other kids finish theirs. That is disruptive? Come on now! We asked if he could bring a book in to read while he waited and she said sure. Why couldn’t she have thought of this? It isn’t exactly rocket science.

We need to challenge our kids. They are growing up in a world that moves at a super fast pace. Technology must play an active role in the classroom and teachers at all grade levels must understand and embrace it.

I don’t have all the answers, but I know that the way it is being done right now isn’t the right way. I’ve seen glimmers of hope out there and success stories happening and I pray those continue. We need to value and pay our teachers more. We need to insure that our kids are learning to think on their own and not just memorizing words and facts from ancient textbooks.

I know I’m not the only one worried about this. I also know that I’m going to see what I can do to help change it.

I’ve got to say that I never thought in all my years I’d be on stage at Carolines talking to a room full of people I know and respect. Plus, when you add the fact that it is in a comedy club, it instantly makes everything more casual. Because of this there are a few bad words in the video.

The Audience Conference has become a must attend in my book and is something that I’ll schedule around every year to make sure I’m there. If you missed it this year, 1938 Media has posted videos of most of the performers. Watch them and enjoy.

Sunday nights are usually a weird time as I think about the week ahead. I think about all the meetings I have scheduled, tasks I have to get done and different headaches that await me.

But, this Sunday night was different because today when I woke up I no longer worked for anyone. I didn’t have any client obligations. I didn’t have any meetings that I had to slug my brain to and try to care about. For the first time in my life I am a freelancer.

This is a new life for me and one that I’ve never actually been through. I’m excited by it and what the road ahead means. What is even more crazy is that I’ve already done some client work that came out of the blue over the weekend and it was exactly the sort of stuff I want to do more of. I was glad to hear that the involved individuals were happy with the work I produced.

So, now what?

Of course I’ve got to find clients, change up the site here with a whole new set of information and finalize my speaking page. I get to focus more on Content Rules and on Digital Dads in a way that I’ve never had the freedom to. I also get to do FUN new projects like Digital Dads TV which launched today and will be airing live every Monday from 2-3 pm ET.

After knee surgery and months of recovery, I also started back at the trainers today and while I’m big time sore I’m psyched to be back on the track to healthier living. I’ve missed the sweat, work and satisfaction that it gives me. After all these months, I’m SO happy to be back at this.

Today marks the start of a new month for a lot of people and for me it marks the start of a whole new adventure as a freelancer. There are some fun things in the work, but if you and your company need some creative, strategic or business consulting drop me a line. I’m also going to be working on producing branded content for companies as well. Plus, I hope to do more speaking and already have a gig booked that is so far outside of the fishbowl that it makes me smile just thinking about it.

I’m taking the first steps on a new adventure and I couldn’t be happier or more positive about where I’m headed. How is your August going so far?

If you are not already on the Gaping Void mailing list, you really should sign up because little bits of inspiration will show up in your inbox like this which got me all sorts of giggly this morning.

I fought the urge to buy the print for multiple reasons (I have a mini gallery already in my house), but I love everything this says.

If you’ve been listening to Managing the Gray lately, you know I’ve been really getting on people for standing in their own ways. Combine that with the fact that I’ve always believed in asking for forgiveness rather than permission and you can start to see where I’m coming from.

I think this is why I have a entrepreneur mindset. I want to control my destiny. I want to be the one making decisions because whenever I’m not, I’m a whole lot less happy with things. I’ve watched this happen over and over in my life and it is why I was joking with friends the other night that I just might be unemployable because I do want to be the one driving the ship surrounded by an awesome crew to help me succeed.

If you resemble this remark then maybe it is time to think about a change. To put yourself in a position where you are the one making the approvals, because just like Hugh is saying it feels great when you don’t need it to do it.

People ask me all the time how I got to where I am and the answer is always the same, I’ve worked hard every day and it hasn’t been easy.

This usually gets a laugh or some other strange reaction that I have never understand. The concept of working hard to be successful seems foreign to so many people.

Why is it that in a world where the news breaks faster then lightning and anyone can publish and share anything they create, do people not appreciate the fact that it takes a lot of work and years of experience to be successful?

Sure, there are overnight hits and lucky breaks. Luck plays a lot into everyone’s career when you look back at decisions you’ve made and directions you’ve gone in. But, the most successful people in the world are the ones that work the hardest.

When I wrote my first blog post, I did it because it was the latest technology I wanted to check out. Before that I was active on Usenet and discussion forums. I had taught myself HTML while “on the beach” at my first job. I had been online since the first moment I found out about it and was always trying to figure out what more I could do.

What is the point of this post?

It is just to remind you that hard work is your best chance for success. Most of us who find any level of success are never satisfied and want the challenge of something new and we’ll work even harder to make it happen.

Don’t assume that anything will get handed to you or that someone had it handed to them. If you have dreams, goals and success that you want in your life then buckle down, plan it out and work your tail off trying to make it happen. Don’t ever wait for success to find you. If you do, you’ll be standing there for quite some time all alone.

That is what I wanted to share with you this morning.

Discovery Channel wanted something to raise awareness and interest in Season 2 of The Colony, so we thought we’d play up the fictional viral outbreak leading up to the premiere on Tuesday, July 27th at 10 pm.

Of course we wanted to do this in a way that was logical and realistically how we believe something like this would play out if it were to happen in today’s connected world.

Watch the video below and then Join The Colony.

If you’d like to read a bit more about the project, head writer J.C. Hutchins shares them. I’m sure glad he is #StillHere

My good buddy Jason was getting married and there was no way I was going to miss that. We checked into our room at 2 am on Saturday morning and had the wedding at 4pm. We slept for a bit, got up and then found breakfast at this awesome restaurant called The Egg and I. After a post-breakfast walk I saw a sign for Rocky Mountain National Park and we had to head that way.

A National Park Ranger suggested we take the Old Fall River Road up through the park and then come back down the Trail Ridge Road. He said it should take us a couple of hours and we couldn’t think of a better way to spend the day.

Being a big outdoors guy, this was mind blowing amazing. After a few minutes of this, anyone can appreciate why we have National Parks. I thankfully took some pictures and you can see the whole set here.

I can’t wait to get back and spend more time there. Laura and I both are already making plans for a return trip.

Three years ago when I set out on my own and ended up launching a marketing agency with good friend Steve Coulson, I had no idea that I’d be here today writing this note. I’ve certainly been taking my own advice and following the road less traveled throughout my career, so why stop now? *grin*

It has been twelve months since The Advance Guard was acquired by Campfire and I’m writing this note to announce that I’m moving on to my next adventure at the end of this month.

I’ve enjoyed my time with Campfire and I’ll remain on as a silent partner and look forward to all their future success.

We continue to do amazing work for a variety of clients (including one that will launch shortly and I can’t wait for you to see), but I’ve decided to pursue new and exciting opportunities. I’ve learned a lot working with the team here and I know we’ll be doing more great work together in the future.

So what will I be doing?

I’ve got some new things brewing that I’ll talk about soon, but I can say that I’ll be focusing on finishing and promoting my first book Content Rules, pursuing more speaking engagements and turning Digital Dads into the media property I always wanted it to be.

Finally, I’m available for specialist freelance jobs as they come in and am excited to work with agencies and brands who are truly ready to embrace change and take things to the next level.

I’m very excited about the road ahead and continuing to blaze my own path. It is the only way I know how to live and am surrounded by friends and family who support me fully.

Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you! I’m only an e-mail away.

If you want to know what I’m up to subscribe to my newsletter or connect on Facebook. That is where things will be shared first.

I never knew if it would be fiction, business or something else, but I’ve always wanted to have a printed stack of binded paper on a shelf with my name on it. I’m happy to announce that in the very near future this is going to be a reality.

Slated for release in December, Content Rules, is the book I’m co-writing with the amazingly talented Ann Handley. It will be coming out from the good folks at Wiley and will have a forward from my buddy David Meerman Scott.

I could ramble on about what the book is about, but how I boil it down is that no matter what the latest and greatest shiny new online tool is that comes out, at the end of the day you need to have quality content of all types to be successful. We not only lay out our rules for successful content, but also tell you how to create it, what to think about and how to integrate it into all of your initiatives.

This isn’t a book about blogging, Facebook or Twitter, but they are all in there for sure. We wanted to write this book for the preacher who wants to grow their congregation, the small shop owner down the street or the Fortune 500 CMO who really wants to take their online marketing to the next level. The goal was to provide an educational, but also entertaining read that won’t bore you to sleep.

You can pre-order the book now and really make me smile or wait until it hits shelves and pick up a copy then.

If you need a final giggle before you order the book watch this little video announcement we made. We decided after this one, off the cuff take, that it was too much fun NOT to use. Plus, it illustrates one of our rules about having fun with the content you create.

Now that I run Digital Dads, it is interesting because I find myself creating a lot of content surrounding being a dad on a regular basis. Add in recording and publishing Cast of Dads every week and that is even more. Don’t get me wrong, I love all this content around fathers and it is a lot of fun, but I stopped and looked at it all and went wow for a moment.

So what have I been creating? Here are some links to the latest.

• Cast of Dads 23 – Talking about what we think would make great Father’s Day gifts
• Books for Father’s Day
• Technology for Father’s Day
• Something different for Father’s Day
• Father’s Day Nookie (isn’t this really what a guy wants?)

So, the idea of getting a kayak is both awesome and confusing to me.

You have to understand that when it comes to the world of paddling there are canoe people and there are kayak people. Sort of like dogs vs. cats or Nikon vs. Canon. Having always been a canoe guy, it felt very weird walking into L.L. Bean and buying my first kayak.

I was determined to get it into the water as soon as possible and I brought along my camera to capture the moment.

Many people have asked me which kayak I bought and the model I purchased was the Pungo 140 GEN2 Kayak by Wilderness Systems®. So far I love it and I can’t wait to take it out a bunch more.

What is Kinnernet you ask?

I was asking the same thing for a couple of months from the time I got the invite until the time I showed up and found out. I had looked online for the answers ahead of time and found nothing. Now, I understand why. It is an event that can’t fully be summarized in words and that you must experience to fully appreciate.

At the most basic of basic levels, Kinnernet is an unconference that brings together a group of people from around the world to inspire each other. While there are some planned activities, the meat of the days are spent with open discussions on a variety of topics that anyone can lead.

With such an open ended description it is inspiring the variety of topics that occur. Personally I know some of the more powerful ones I took part in were on what education could look like in 2020, the power of programmable cities and game mechanics in business. See what I’m talking about? Big topics, with big thinking discussions. No fluff here.

I was excited as I looked at the participant list leading up to the weekend because I only recognized 3 names on it. While that might scare most people, I viewed it as a chance to make all new friends and spend time getting to know people I might never cross paths with otherwise. So much of the weekend was spent talking, debating and having fun together.

I need to give a deep, heart felt thank you to both Jeff Pulver and Yossi Vardi for allowing me to be part of this weekend. Being invited to take part of something so special and inspiring means more to me then I can fully express and you made it possible.

Don’t fear the unknown. Embrace it and experience it. I promise you’ll grow a bit and come out a better person.

On one side it describes what most businesses fail to realize about social media and how it all really works.

On the other it describes what way to many people who want to “make it” online seem to forget about and only do half of it.

Finally, it sums up the way I like to approach work relationships and the balance that is needed.

Thanks again Hugh for doing what you do. Sitting at the kitchen table every day sure is a hell of a way to make a living! Way to go.

This weekend we finally put our canoe back in the water and I got to see one of my favorite views.

You might need to be into canoeing to fully appreciate, but it is hard to top this view as a Dad and a lover of the outdoors.

Hope your weekend was good as well.

Saw this video on CNN today and the photographer and the human in me was touched by it.

1. Cast of Dads #20 covered a variety of topics from shopping for a lunch bag to what it feels like to have a son graduate from college.
2. I was also a guest on BeanCast #105 where we talked about all the latest news in the marketing world.

I had a great weekend spent with my family doing tourist stuff in Boston and then two lacrosse games yesterday with Dylan.

Make it a great week everyone.

Every day I interact with a variety of gadgets, web sites, new tools and more technology then a lot of people. You’d think that I’d be use to it all and that I would rarely get the thrill from something new.

While it isn’t ground breaking, last night I had one of those moments.

It was time to cook dinner and it was also time for an Aperture 3 Class being taught on creativeLive with Scott Bourne. I knew I couldn’t watch the whole class and planned on purchasing it, but I still really wanted to check this out live. In the e-mail they sent out reminding about the class I noticed there was a link to watch on the iPhone/iPad. I had to try it.

What this picture shows is the class live streaming from the west coast onto the iPad on my back deck. Here I was sitting on the deck, grilling pork chops and mostly listening (I was too busy to watch) to someone teach a class on the other side of the country.

Live streaming is nothing new, but this was seamless, it was smooth, and I forgot that I wasn’t watching a television. Ustream was providing me access to something that even a few months ago I couldn’t fully experience. It is the combination of the screen size, the connectivity, mobility and quality that got me thrilled.

I want to be able to consume, create and connect with content no matter where I am. I don’t care about what screen it is on as long as it is the screen I have access to at that moment.

It was one little moment, but it was a big one for me. Plus, the pork chops turned out awesome!

Say what you want about the team at 1938 Media, but they put on a hell of a show. No laptops. No twitter. Just top quality speakers and face-to-face conversations over good food, good drink and good times.

When Loren gave me a call a few months back and asked me to speak at this years conference I was shocked and honored at the same time. It means a lot to be part of this and I can’t wait to see who else he lines up to speak. I am happy to see my close friend Dan Patterson has been added as a speaker. No one rips apart a stage quite like he does.

Watch this video to learn more about what to expect.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Then buy a ticket because there is only a limited number of them and they will sell out.

Come spend the day in New York with me and some of the funnest people you can hang with. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

If you are? We’ll just blame the puppets. *grin*

1. Cast of Dads #19 covers a variety of topics including the question of if we need to teach kids cursive anymore, the power of a hand written letter and the investment in a good grill. Do you subscribe to Cast of Dads already? If not, today might be a good time to start.
2. Managing the Gray #96 is all about time and how since you are not going to find the time for everything in your life, you must make the time if you want it. Subscribing to Managing the Gray has been found to make your mornings a little easier (or so I’m told).

Hope that this week is starting off well for everyone.

What is crazy is that while I knew it would get feedback, I guess I wasn’t ready for it to totally go nuts. It has got more interaction then anything I’ve ever written before. I’m glad to hear that I’m not alone in being upset by this. I had hoped to sit down and show Emily the video and see what she thought about it, but now that it has been pulled down I’m sure there will be something else like it soon enough to discuss.

The lack of good judgment from parents is something that worries me more and more. While I certainly don’t want to see us turn into a society of hyper protective helicopter parents, I do want to be sure that our children are being taught good manners, self confidence and respect. I want them to grow up with a sense of wonder and imagination rather then entitlement and an anything goes attitude.

I certainly don’t have the answers and every day I’m challenged with what is the right way to raise my kids. You can read all the books you want. Listen to all the so called experts. But, at the end of the day it is just you and your children and the hope that you are doing it right.

Being a parent is the single most rewarding and challenging role any of us can play while on this crazy blue marble known as Earth.

I love it. I’m scared of it. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

I’m trying to read a variety of books. Fiction hasn’t sneaked in there for a while now, but I don’t want to read the same old same old so I try to mix it up a bit.

After a trip to Thomas Nelson , where I spoke to their marketing department about the changes in the market place, my friend Jeff Loper who works there gave me his copy of A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller after I commented on the cover catching my eye in the lobby. Then the other day I was determined to finally get around to reading Linchpin since I’m a big fan of Seth Godin and the book has been sitting on my shelf calling to me for weeks.

Yes, even with my love for reading books on other devices, I actually read both of these books in the good old fashion way. Paper and glue binded together in the classic form of a book. Go figure. *grin*

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years is the sort of feel good reality book that everyone can read and appreciate. From the cover you might think it is a book about biking (and that is a small part of it), but it is about so much more. I had never heard of Donald Miller before, but after reading this book I certainly am curious to read more. He talks about the importance story plays in one’s life and how each of us should try to have our lives tell the best possible story.

He is a natural story teller and the casual, honest way he writes invites you in and won’t let go. There is more then one story in the book that will pull at your heartstrings and make you a bit misty eyed for sure. Of course, by the time I finished, I was filled with the urge to go on a canoe trip and to pass the book along to someone else immediately. My mother-in-law currently has the book and I can’t wait to hear what she thinks.

Linchpin arrived when it came out and my first thoughts were, “well this is awfully big for a Godin book.”

I think that is why I didn’t dive right in like I usually do with anything he writes. It is longer then it needs to be and you’ll find yourself reading similar things over and over again, but this will just make the ideas stick even more then if they were said just once.

Seth Godin writes with a fist full of passion and that is why I am such a big fan. He defines a Linchpin as somebody in an organization who is indispensable, who cannot be replaced and has a completely unique job. We all know that sort of person. Some of us are that person. But, he takes it a step further and talks a lot about being an artist. But, he is not talking about someone who paints and does sketches, he is talking about people who do emotional work. I loved that concept and it hit home for me in a big way since a punching the clock sort of job has never been the right one for me.

Be sure to check out the Linchpin Prints from Hugh MacLeod after you read the book. I bought them even before I read the book because I loved what they said and I’m a huge fan of Hugh’s work as well. If anyone I know personifies someone being an artist and a Linchpin, it is Hugh.

Both of these books are the type that we all should read. With graduation time happening right now I also think that either of them would make a great gift for someone leaving high school or college. I know I’m planning on giving some of each as gifts in the near future.

One warning though about both of these books. They are written in such an honest, passionate way that you will be effected by reading them. Where that takes you, I can’t tell, but I promise you will be thinking different about things when you close the book and put it back on the shelf.

Not a big deal, but also not something I do just for the sake of doing it very often. Days off usually have a purpose, a goal, some reason for taking them, but I wanted a day to catch up on a million little things and nothing at all.

After having breakfast with Ann Handley, I noticed a little nature preserve on the road home and decided to go and check it out. It was there that I found this bench and ended up just sitting on it and thinking about a million different things while I listened to the birds and wind all around me.

When I got home, instead of attacking the task list I took Linchpin by Seth Godin off my shelf and sat outside on the deck reading it. Hours passed, the music kept playing and I finished the book.

I may not have completed any of the things I set out to do, but what I did do was find inspiration and motivation in the quiet moments of the day. The book may be longer then it needs to be and the bench not as comfortable as it could have been, but both gave me rewards that I needed on my day off.

When was the last time you took a day for yourself? Did you spend it chasing your tail or chasing the future?

As part of the Marine Week Boston festivities, they had a media day at Hanscom Air Force Base and I was one of the lucky few allowed to take a flight. A special thanks to Eric Schwartzman for the invitation to be part of the fun.

The Osprey is a beautiful piece of machinery that we got a full briefing on. It is currently being used in both combat and humanitarian missions. Able to carry over 20 fully armed Marines, be decked out as a flying emergency room or to transport cargo and supplies to anywhere in the world, this is not your typical airplane. The one stat I remember being amazed by was that it could take off from Boston and be in Chicago in 3 hours and not need to refuel. That is impressive when you need to get some place fast.

I took a bunch of photos or you can watch the video slide show of them below. I didn’t film any video, but Eric posted a video of the whole adventure.

Click here to view the embedded video.

In addition to the awesome time aboard the Osprey flying over Boston with the back door open, we also got to learn more about what today’s Marines are doing and even why they have something called Marine Week. David Meerman Scott posted this video that includes an interview with just one of the great Marines we met.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I’ve always been a big supporter of our troops and being able to spend even a few hours with some of them and chat a little made this extra special for me. A couple of the young Marines I spoke to are headed over and into combat later this year. I told them to stay safe and thanked them for everything they do. Not enough people thank all of our armed forces for keeping us safe and protecting the freedoms we love so much.

Marine Week goes until this weekend and on Saturday they have got a bunch of great events to check out!

But, this weekend I needed a break and I got it.

Dylan had waived having a birthday party earlier this year so that he could wait until Spring and have a paintball party. With my knee not being 100% yet I couldn’t play, but I did get to throw on a ref vest and watch the action unfold which gave a whole new angle of fun to the game. Watching boys and dads play war in the woods is something very cool for sure and I know Dylan had a blast which is the most important thing.

Then yesterday we went to our first Red Sox game as a family. It was a day filled with too much food, souvenirs and screaming along with the crowd. Everything a baseball game should be.

At some point during the game Dylan turned to me and asks, “Can I be one of the kids that runs the bases? They were just talking about it.” I politely told him that it must be something special you have to sign up ahead of time for, but a few innings later he pointed to the scoreboard where they showed that after the game any kid could do it in celebration of Kids Opening Weekend.

We waited with hundreds of other families after the game and it quickly moved. I had never been on the field before and even though I’m not a die hard baseball fan, it was still something amazingly cool to be down there and walking around. The kids got to run the bases and of course they did it so fast that I didn’t even get a good shot except for one of Emily almost touching home. Dylan in true Chapman fashion decided to slide into home and get in a little trouble for it. No one told him he couldn’t so he went for it. *grin*

I can’t think of a better way to end a very long, sucky for the most part, week. High quality family time always kicks the ass of anything that bogs you down.

Thank you everyone who tried to help me.

While I still love the products that Google puts out, I’ve lost all faith in them as a company. I don’t care how big you are or what business you are in. When you completely ignore, forget about and beat up the users you have lost your way.

“Do no evil” is in fact an empty and hollow statement from them in my opinion. It’ll take a lot for them to earn my trust back. Not that I think they care one bit. They don’t need my trust obviously.

Because people are asking me what I’ve done so far here is a quick run down. I have tried all the following.

• Using their SMS code verification to reset the account. I got the code, but every time I tried to put it in, I was told I had the incorrect code.
• Filling in the support form, waiting 24 hours for a response and then sending another one when I heard nothing.
• Calling 650-253-0000 and pressing 5 for Tech Support (they told me to go to the web)

I’ve gone through all the official channels and I’m out of options.

Thank you to each of you who has cheered me on, tried to help or just given a word of support. I love you all and can’t thank you enough.

Each of you are the rock stars of the Internet. *grin*

Tuesday night was the last time I was able to get into anything Google. Since then I’ve been completely locked out of all services.

• gMail is my primary e-mail account. I’ve been using it since the days when you had to nearly give a blood sample to get an account.
• Calendar keeps me and my family in sync and allows me to keep everything organized from meetings to lacrosse games.
• Reader is what keeps me tapped into what is going on in the world and what my friends are writing.
• Buzz filters up the best stuff on the web and allows me an outlet to share with others.
• Wave allows me to work on projects with people around the world and in the past few weeks has become a critical part of my life.

In a world where I advocate for the web, the cloud and everyone embracing technology, this has made me question all of it.

I guess I never thought about how the tentacles of Google had wrapped around every corner of my life. How much I depend on the services to make it through the day. Plain and simple is that Google makes my life easier.

But, the fact that an account (and I wasn’t the only one so I know something must have happened) can be completely turned off and no matter what I try to do, I can’t get a hold of a human to get it fixed is wrong. I tried the SMS verification and the codes were denied ever time. I filled out the proper support form. After 24 hours with no response I filled out another one. I’ve been polite and patient because I do know that they are a huge company and I’m just one random guy with a problem. But, I also know that to fix this is just a click of a few buttons and a password reset.

To everyone that says, “You are C.C. Chapman, don’t they know who you are?” That is NOT the point. I am no one. I am one guy out of millions who use their services. I don’t deserve any special treatment or attention. But, looking at this now I see just how bad they treat everyone. I’ve read so many posts from people who have had similar things happen to them and every time the common thread is that Google never pays attention to them.

I don’t care how big or small a business is. You must pay attention to the customers. To those who would scream about it being free, then start charging me because I’d pay for it. I already pay for extra mail server space and would pay gladly more if I knew I’d get customer support when I needed it. Plus, when a brand builds it’s billions on the back of the free platform, that no longer becomes an excuse for poor service. Google is not some garage based start-up where hiccups are expected, but one of the largest companies in the world.

I hope to use Google again sometime. Even after all this I know there is not a better option out there right now and I know I want to continue to use Google. But, in my heart I want to hate them. I want to hate them in the most vile of ways because this is piss poor business.

Part of every day is checking my e-mail, calendar and other things. I do almost all of this using Google products.

My phone kept saying that I had the wrong password for my e-mail which was confusing, but I just sort of shrugged and told myself that I’d check my e-mail later in the day.

But, it kept doing it and it wasn’t until I got to the train station that I was able to get on a computer and was then told by Google that my account had been temporarily disabled due to a “perceived violation of either the Google Terms of Service or product-specific Terms of Service.”

I tried going through their SMS code verification as well as every other way I could go and still nothing.

This morning I asked about this on Twitter and someone showed me that Chris Brogan is going through the EXACT same thing.

A hack? Something bigger broken at Google? I don’t know what it is, but I just want my stuff to work. I forgot how much I rely on Google. Time to make backup plans because I’m realizing that up until now I haven’t had any and that is a bad thing!

Any help that you might have is GREATLY appreciated.

Yes, you can measure the number views, posts and hits and all of that is important and more measurable then most any other medium out there. But, the power of a social medium like the web, where every minute people are interacting with the thoughts of others means that you can’t track it all.

Case in point,this morning when I bought myself new bag from Eagle Creek. (affiliate link)

I do a lot of traveling and have a feeling that I’m going to be doing a lot more of it in the future. On a recent trip I saw how two of my friends were packed and was shocked at how little their bags were compared to mine for the same trip. It is one of those rare times in life when smaller is better and I wanted it.

I looked online at a variety of bags, read reviews and scanned through piles of photos. But, I knew that I’d want to actually have hands on with something before buying it, but getting out to a luggage store has not fit in my schedule this past week so I never got around to it. But, as I’m gearing up to head to the NYC 140 Conference this week and while watching Up In The Air last night I got the itch really bad for a new bag.

This morning I woke up and just like most mornings I started surfing through my Google Reader to see what people were talking about. I saw this post from my buddy Chris reviewing a bag. I usually would have skipped right over this and not watched it, but because of what was on my mind I took the time to watch the review. I also noticed that in the text he mentioned that another close friend Mitch recommended the bag to him originally. I know how much Mitch travels and know how picky he is about bags so I paid extra attention.

Click here to view the embedded video.

After all this, I went out online and bought the bag. But, there is absolutely no way that Eagle Creek would be able to track this sale back to what inspired me to buy it. By writing this post it is the ONLY way they’d ever know and that is why I’m sharing it so that you, them and everyone else can look at this at just one of the many examples of why you can’t track everything. Especially when it is good, old fashioned, true word of mouth.

Some other important points to keep in mind.

• This sale has nothing to do with any marketing efforts. I bought the bag based on two friends recommendations.
• I already had a connection with the brand from owning some of their products in the past.
• It is a good product first and foremost. If you do not start with a good product or service then marketing online won’t help you.
• Luggage companies should use video a lot more. Because Chris walked through all the compartments and showed how he is actually using them, I could see that it was the right bag for me without ever touching one. Every luggage site I looked at online only had photos and they are not enough to sell in this case.
• Trust in a Friends thought’s on products is critical. If I only saw Chris’ review I might not have bought it. For me it was the second trusted friend Mitch being involved that sold it for me.

I hope this helps businesses further understand how things work online. Each of us has our own voice, ways of sharing and approach to what we will and won’t talk about. No business has control over this and you need to embrace it and help make it work for you.

If when the bag arrives I’m not happy with it I’m going to look at Chris & Mitch first because they sold the bag to me, not the company. But, because I trust in them and know them I doubt that will happen.

Think about it.

The theme of the day was community and I wanted to really drive home the fact that the first thing needed to do this right is to forget the tools and focus on the people. It was easy to drive this point home since I know the area so well and could explain how if an outsider looks at that area they see The Upper Valley, but I know that within that big community there are smaller ones with distinct personalities. Someone that is from West Lebanon is very different then someone from Hanover. I could see the nods in the room so I knew they got it.

What was awesome about this speaking opportunity is that my father and in-laws were in the room which was very cool for me as they’ve never seen me speak. I hope sometime my mom can come and see me speak because that would be cool as well.

A job well done to the whole team who made this event happen. It was a perfect location that I look forward to them outgrowing soon as more events are planned in the future. PodCamp NH should also help raise the profile. Great to see awesome activities happening in my home state.

Even though the Boston Globe didn’t label me a local alpha adopter, everyone I know keeps asking me what I think of the iPad and the short and simple answer is that I love it. For all the detail freaks, I got her the 16GB Wi-Fi only model.

I was stuck laying on the couch all weekend. Using a laptop in this position is not possible, but the iPad was made to be used this way. Not having to position a keyboard or worrying about a mouse means that you can use it from any angle. I laughed thinking about how this must be the type of computer that Astronauts use as they are floating around in space. I’ve found myself feeling like an artist as I hold it in one hand and touch it with the other just like I’ve seen many artists when painting something.

The device is currently made to consume more than to create. This is the perfect device to leave laying on the coffee table to allow anyone to quickly check their e-mail, watch some video or interact in one form or another with other people. I’ve dubbed it Couch Computing. *grin*

While I’m not much of a gamer, Laura and the kids have been having a blast tilting and tapping it to play a bunch of games. I even fired it up to play some racing in which the iPad turns into your steering wheel on a high performance car and the graphics were top notch without any blips or bumps (except when I crashed into a building). There is a lot of money to be made in the game space for this device and I’m eager to see what comes out.

I’m excited by this device for a lot of reasons:

• It has a nice large screen that is sharp, crisp and video looks great on it. While I’d love for stereo speakers, the sounds is more then good enough and with headphones plugged in you miss nothing.
• It felt strange at first in my hand, but instantly I got used to it and realized just how comfortable it fits in one hand. I’m curious if the 3G or the 64GB models are thicker or feel different then this.
• The team that came up with the UI was extremely smart. Once you start using it, you naturally fall into the groove of just figuring everything out without having to be told how to do something. I watched as Dylan and Emily instantly figured it all out without any questions.
• The variety of news outlets and magazines publishing content is good and is only going to get better. There are no usability standards yet so each one is an exercise in learning a new navigation. Right now USA Today has my personal favorite with the AP News doing a great job as well. GQ and Men’s Health both are trying so hard, but have yet to get it right yet. They are close though and all these kinks will work out in time so I’m not worried and am very excited about consuming more publications on the device.
• I grew up loving comics and Marvel Comics has completely embraced this medium. After seeing how natural it was to read a comic, I can’t wait to see what companies like Panelfly do on the iPad for indie publishers and children picture books.
• Netflix & ABC streaming of high quality video directly to the device is amazing. I just want to be able to get all my DVR content or all channels right on the iPad so that if I’m laying in bed or just chilling somewhere that I don’t have to actually go into the living room and turn on the television.
• These are the early days and if I’m this excited now it is only going to get better.

I’m not a delusional Apple Fan Boy that thinks this is the best thing since slice bread because of course there are lots of improvements that I’d like to see get made. But, any of you who don’t think this changes everything is not thinking nearly big picture enough.

The concept of a completely touch screen device that has constant Internet connection changes everything from how people shop, interact and do business. This is the ultimate device for anyone not into computers but wanting to stay in touch with the world around them. One opening of the Weather Channel and I instantly laughed about how this is going to end up on every grandparent’s kitchen counter.

I’m eager for a future version that has a camera in it and will allow me to do an iChat video call with another person directly from the device. That can’t be that far away and as a photographer I now have a mini editing tablet to do post production on my photos in the field. Plus, it needs to be able to write on so that it can replace my paper notebook which I have yet to see anything come close to replacing yet, but this is getting there.

I may not personally own an iPad yet, but the Chapman Family does and we love it.

I went into surgery knowing that there was several different options that could happen, but that they wouldn’t know until they got in there which would be done. Thankfully it turned out to be the least damaging which makes me very happy. I had some frayed cartilage under the knee cap and they just had to clean it up.

I’m stuck on the couch with my leg elevated for most of the weekend and this is the first time I’ve touched a laptop so that I could post this quick update to let you all know how I was doing.

So I’m in very good spirits but in a lot of pain so you won’t find me online much this weekend.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out in one way or another to send me well wishes. They are all appreciated!

There is a Facebook equation that most people will never need to know or pay attention to until it becomes a problem for them like it did for me this week.

Number of friends + Number of Fan Pages you are a fan of = Must be less then 5,000 total

Now, I never thought I’d have to worry about this equation. I had seen people like Robert Scoble and Jeff Pulver openly complain about this in the past and I didn’t get it. But, now I do. I really do, and I’m not liking it.

I am an open connector on Facebook as well as most other sites. I have a lot of people who want to connect with me because they listen to my podcasts, like my photos, have seen me speak or just because we share a lot of similar buddies. But, the problem is that I can’t add anyone more on Facebook right now.

I set up the C.C. Chapman Fan Page months ago, but never really did much with it. The word “fan” is a strange one to me, so it feels very weird to use that page in the way Facebook intended it. But, now I almost have to send people there rather then to my profile unless we are truly Friends or have more then just a passing connection.

But, where do I draw that line without hurting anyone’s feelings? It is a sucky thing based on a number that Facebook has set and doesn’t seem to want to change. I certainly don’t have 5,000 close Friends, but I do have a community of people that I like to stay in contact with and right now Facebook allows me to do that better then most.

I’m doing my best to figure it out right now. Earlier today I openly said that I wished Facebook would require some message along with each friend request so I can actually know who someone is. I always look at our mutual friends and a person’s profile to get information, but sometimes I just don’t know who they are and have to hit ignore now and I hate that. In the past I’d accept almost any request and then start getting to know them through their Facebook postings.

I also went through and “un-fanned” (is that a word?) a bunch of pages that at some point I had joined, but didn’t make the cut for one reason or another. Now I’ve got to be really selective on what I become a fan of. Show me where that makes sense to Facebook?

It is obvious to me that I have to use my fan page more now. But, I refuse to use it in the shilling nature that it instantly gives me in my stomach as I type this out. I want it to remain personable and ME or else why do it? So please bear with me while I figure this all out and try to find a nice balance that works for me and for you.

Facebook makes the rules and I get that, but I don’t understand this one at all. Then again I never was much of a fan of math. *grin*

While I’m not a fan of lists and really not a fan of list blog posts, I still felt that the points I left them with were worth sharing because perhaps they could help you or someone you know better understand what is important in this space. These are taken directly from the slides I used in class.

1. 99% of Social Media Success is Common Sense & Good Manners
2. It Takes Time & Planning for a Successful Campaign
3. Just Because YOU Know an Approach, Solution or Tactic is the Right One. 
Convincing a Client of this is Not Always Possible.
4. You Can’t Just Talk About Toys. You Must Play With the Toys!
5. Strategy THEN Execution
6. Influencers come in every shape, size, color and readership. They are not a number.
7. Never forget the power of a passionate story.
8. Find the business solution and clients will always respond better
9. Learn everything you can. Share everything you know.
10. Have fun

Of course the list could be longer. What would you add?

It is not about the panels for me, but about the hallway magic where you get to meet and talk with some of the most amazing people in the industry. Friendships are formed and business relationships are made. THAT is where the power of SXSW lies for me.

This was my third year, so I went in knowing what to expect and what I wanted to get out of it. Because of the shear size of it and the amount of people that are there you have to do this or else it sort of swallows you up whole. It is why I made my SXSW Advice video for all the newbies (and seasoned veterans) who I wanted to make sure at least knew a little bit of what they were getting into.

Here are some thoughts and highlights for me from this year:

• I knew that I wouldn’t be able to see everyone I wanted to, but I still ran around like a maniac trying to. I had a lot of meetings the whole time so I didn’t spend much time in the Blogger Lounge. As several of us said, “Get out there and meet the Internet.”
• Most people knew about Campfire and what we do, so instead of “tell me what you do” conversations we got to have “tell me how we can do something together” conversations. Those ones are always more fun. *grin*
• I’m still not a massive party guy, but the All Hat 2 gathering and the Powered Party were both perfect day time events in great locations. Don’t under value the importance of a well shaded spot, cold drinks and a small enough crowd that you can actually talk to the other attendees.
• Chevy showed up in a big way and really showcased that they knew how to work directly with this community. I had the chance to test drive a Volt and they even fed me and a bunch of others with a great dinner at the Salt Lick BBQ. I got to meet a lot of their team and their excitement and genuine interest in hearing feedback on everything was refreshing. If a brand that size can do it, anyone can. Extra kudos for them on knowing that there is more then just Interactive going on. They are still there through all of film and music. Smart move.
• PBS Kids held a informal brunch at The Driskill Hotel that was one of the best mornings of the whole event. I met some amazingly talented women including Rachel from A Southern Fairytale and Karen from Chookooloonks that I might not have met other wise. Plus it isn’t that often that I get asked if someone can take MY portrait and I was excited to be part of the 1000 Faces Project.
• My travel light goal was achieved. I left my 50D in the room and after taking the S90 out the first day I left that in the hotel room also. Nokia gave me a cool little N97 Mini to play with and the camera on that was more then enough for me. My SXSW Flickr Set doesn’t have much in it yet, but I’ve got more pictures to put up soon. I did sneak in a photo walk with Jane Quigley and Melissa Pierce which was an awesome way to start the day.
• Gingerbread Chocolate Chip pancakes from Magnolia Cafe. Need I say more?
• I got to catch up with some close friends which I wasn’t sure if we were going to be able to pull off or not. Whether it was sharing a late night bottle of wine in a hotel room or sneaking away into a corner of the Hilton to chat, those moments are always cherished.
• Peter Shankman and Jess Berlin co-hosted a great little dinner that I’ll be giggling about for years to come.
• Checking out the Dad Labs studio was cool. They’ve got a great set up and are truly chasing their dreams. We recorded our first video Cast of Dads which I can’t wait to see how it turns out.

I’m sure I’m forgetting something else, but those are the things that pop out at me. I’ve got some reactions on the tech and marketing side that I’m going to save to talk about on today’s Media Hacks rather then rambling on here. You’ll have to listen to see what discovered in that arena.

I returned home with my tank full. While it is an exhausting time, I really came back recharged and ready to attack. Each of you that I met and talked with helped with that so thank you for being who you are.

Photo credits: Greg Verdino & Jason Jarrett

It was fun to get surprise mentions in both The Bangkok Post and Wired. Although the Wired interview made me laugh because the reporter and everyone else seemed more into the game piece of FourSquare then I ever will be, but it was still fun.

One of the cooler things I got to do was to test drive a Chevy Volt. It is a sweet little car that would certainly be fun to own. I had more then one person jealous that I got to give it a drive.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Zadi Diaz is someone who I really respect and am happy to call a friend. When I got a note asking to do an interview, how could I say no? Part of the Pepsico Speakeasy series, it was a lot of fun. Plus it was being filmed by The Bui Brothers so how cool is that?

I was sitting in the lobby of the Hilton when someone asked me if I was C.C. and then asked if I could give my advice for small business looking to use Social Media. I was not awake and not totally with it.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I’m sure a few more will creep up. I seemed to talk to more cameras then usual this year. I’ve also got a few pictures up, but I wasn’t out with the camera that much. I did get in a photowalk one morning which I promise to get around to posting sometime soon.

I want to meet you. I want to shake your hand, give you a hug and then talk about whatever it is that your passionate about. I want to talk to you about Campfire and how we can help your business do better. I want to meet parents and talk about Digital Dads, show them Emily Explains It and let them listen to Cast of Dads.

I took this picture moments ago so you know what I look like and can keep an eye out for me. I’ll be the big guy smiling and hugging people.

PLEASE come up and say hello. I hate hearing stories about “well you looked busy” or “I was too shy.” If I look busy then it is possible I might be, but I’ve always got time for a hello. Just be respectful and if I’m in the middle of a conversation wait a moment and then say hello. Old fashion respect and manners go a long way with me (and most people).

I plan on doing plenty of checking in on Gowalla & Foursquare. I’m really open with friendship requests on 4sq, but not so much on Gowalla. My personal choice of how I’ve found both services useful.

If you are reading this AFTER meeting up, I’m an easy guy to find online. Feel free to drop me an e-mail, become a friend or fan on Facebook or follow me on Twitter. If I took your picture then you’ll find it here and yes you can use it for your headshot, avatar or whatever so long as you give me attribution.

I’m excited for Austin. I don’t plan on hitting most of the insanely insane parties, but I will be out and about. Can’t wait to see you there.

For me it filters out a lot of the noise and allows me to get the content from the people I really want to get it from. I’ve also had a lot of reward from using it as a publishing platform as well. While there are still plenty of tweaks I’d love to see them make to it, I’m enjoying it and getting more out of it then I expected.

But, twice I’ve had a little something go wrong like this morning when I saw this in my inbox because someone replied to it.

Now, this is no big deal, it looks like I shared a photo from someone’s Flickr stream. In this case it is my buddy Nico’s picture.

The problem is that I’ve never even seen this picture, let alone shared it on Buzz.

This is the second time it has happened. Thankfully it hasn’t been anything inappropriate or bad in any way, but there is something wrong out there that could lead to some uncomfortable positions for people if stuff gets shared that they didn’t want to.

I’m not overly worried at the minute, but I’m curious if others have had this happen or not.

During the show, I discussed how we’ve all grown use to consuming as much content as we can get online for free. Sure, free is always better than having to pay for something. But, with that being said, the content creators have got to start getting paid or else that content is not going to be around at all.

Passion can fuel anything, but is impossible to maintain on passion alone.

We all have bills to pay, mouths to feed and roofs that we’d like to keep over our heads. There is the cost of time to create content. Heck, the technology we use to create the content isn’t free either.

There is a shift happening. There will always be plenty of quality free content, but the shift is towards making new layers of paid content. Things like The Third Tribe are just the beginnings of seeing this happen. 1938 Media has had a paid level for premium videos and now is producing The Audience Conference. I’m a paying member of both.

Others are going to follow suit. Many have tried and plenty have failed. We are all figuring this out together, but it is happening.

I’ll be going up to the buffet daily, but I’m also going to be digging into my wallet to enjoy some higher end establishments as well.

Thoughts?

Of course, you know my opinion of these people is to let them keep on thinking that while I’m over here making money and working with clients who realize that everything is changing and that online, social and the Internet at large are all critical pieces for success.

For anyone who reads this and agrees with the subject line please watch this video from my buddy JESS3.

Click here to view the embedded video.

That knock at the door? That is me coming by to smack you up side the head.

Today instead of their usual e-mail they published a series of videos and this one title Who Cares? popped out at me because it is directly in line with what I try to tell every client I work with. Plays right into my Passion is Contagious philosophy. It is 5 minutes long, but watch it. Pay attention.

Click here to view the embedded video.

When I think about the last question of which brands care about me, it is a very short list. Which brands care about you?

I hate to break the news to you, but I’ve got the power in this relationship and you have NONE.

I can write about anything I want. I can say whatever I want. No one but myself chooses when and what I write about or how I do it.

As much as you’d like to influence me and my community, at the end of the day unless you are hiring me in some fashion, then you don’t have permission to nag, pester or bug me in any way since this is a one sided relationship and I can dump you at anytime without so much as caring.

Most of you still need a pitching lesson, but today I want you to realize that after the pitch has got my attention and we are moving on that you can’t turn into a nag or it won’t work out.

Recently I was reached out to by an agency about a new television show. They sent me a USB thumb drive with a copy of the show on it. I get a lot of things like this in the mail so I hadn’t had a chance to watch it yet. I got a polite nudge from the agency asking if I planned to write a review and letting me know that the premiere was upcoming so they hoped I could write it before then.

Totally cool and I wrote them back thanking them (since they had never told me about the date so I wasn’t in any hurry to write it until then) and had every plan of watching it this weekend and writing a review and told them so. There is nothing wrong with a polite nudge and in many cases it is needed and in this case was perfect since I didn’t know there was a time table involved.

But, then for the past two days I got not so polite notes from them asking where the review was and why I hadn’t sent them a link yet.

This is where they blew it. This is where they treated me like cattle that owed them something and I politely wrote them back letting them know that because of their nagging I would no longer be posting a review.

I’ve got a lot of things on my plate. I have a full time job, run several websites, produce lots of content and am an active dad. While getting to see something before the rest of the world is cool and I appreciate it. It doesn’t rock my socks so much that I’m going to put up with a lack of good old fashion common courtesies.

I want you to reach out to me. I want to be part of your campaigns and review your products. I would love to have some sort of professional or casual relationship with you and your brand(s). But, you can’t abandon straight up good manners if you want that too. Pestering will not get you any coverage from me now or in the future. Be polite please?

Even as I sit here in my living room with my feet up on the coffee table, laptop typing away it still isn’t really quiet. I can hear the wind blowing against the chimney and the chatter of the kids out in my office watching TV. But, there is little else and for that I am thankful.

I love moments like this. They are few and far between, but I try to make sure to take a least a little bit of this every day. Some time when my mind can really wander (and wonder). I don’t think enough people go looking for quiet often enough. With the constant barrage of media from every direction and device it is harder then ever and probably more important then ever.

As I write this, I’ve got to wonder if it is even possible to find true quiet in the world today. I think the closest I’ve been was when Dad and I went to the Boundary Waters. Sitting there just looking out over the water, not saying a word, I think THAT was about as quiet as I’ve ever experienced. Talk about the perfect place to idle well and let your mind wander in every direction imaginable.

Quiet for me equals reflection. The relaxed setting allows the mind to work. To churn through the things it needs to and perhaps come up with some new things that have been hidden in the corners.

Does quiet help you guys in that way? Or am I just a sleep deprived and under caffeinated this morning?

I needed to take a self portrait for a Kickstarter project I backed. I got the idea for a serious shot in black and white and before heading to bead I decided to take the shot.

I had also planned on setting up my lights and doing a full studio session, but just didn’t have the time so I grabbed my S90 and headed into the bathroom to shoot into the mirror there.

While this isn’t the shot that I chose for the book, I really liked how it came out. You’ll almost never see me in a hoodie and even more rare with the hood up. But, I had worn this to the gym and thought it would make for something different. Especially for me.

The conversation got started around what age was the right age for kids to get online. As we talked more and more what cracked me up was that the skills, values and common sense that we all agreed have to be taught to kids before they go online really apply to adults as well. You’d think that most adults would dive in with this knowledge but every day we see proof that they don’t.

I’ve got death on my mind this morning. Not in an ominous, oh my god, sort of way, but rather about it as a whole. Mostly due to playing a promo for The Boom Effect at the opening of the show today. Tee is a buddy and the fact that he suddenly has to raise his daughter alone after the sudden death of his wife really hits home. Thinking about what would happen if I died or if Laura did is a pretty scary thing to think about. Not exactly chipper Tuesday morning fare.

My dance card for SXSW is starting to fill up. While there will be tons of packed insane parties, I prefer to opt for the smaller gatherings and I’m happy to say that there are plenty of those this year. Plus, I’ve got some direct stuff going on with a couple of brands so that makes it extra filled.

Outside of everyone else, I’m extra psyched to have breakfast scheduled with the world famous Chuck South who I haven’t seen in years. Those of you still around from the Random Foo days will know that name well. Yeah, he grew up and yes I’m going to order him pancakes even if he doesn’t eat them. *grin*

I’m thankful to be surrounded by so many awesome people. Waking up to friends and the conversations we have this morning kicked the day in the right direction.

Rambles? Yup, but that is how I role some days.

So last year while driving down the road, I saw an old diner sitting in the middle of a huge parking lot next to a car dealership. When I asked about it I was told that it was an old diner car that had been purchased and moved from Vermont and that it would be opening in the new year.

Fast forward to an article in the local paper announcing that it was open and I had to go. Of course the first night we went it was insanely busy and we were on a time table so we couldn’t wait. As with any good diner, you seat yourself and you wait your turn and that night we didn’t have the luxury of waiting.

Thankfully when we returned for lunch a few weeks later we DID have the time, but didn’t need it as we beat the rush and sat down in a booth right away.

The Miss Mendon Diner is exactly what you’d expect. Little booths, a counter, jukeboxes and the clientele that you always find in a diner.

One other thing you need to know about me is that I’m a bit of a fanatic about homemade corned beef hash and if I go to any place that has it on the menu I have to try it. When I show up at a diner and their hash is out of a can I am instantly sad. Thankfully in this case it was highlighted on the menu and I didn’t need to look any further. Of course I did look and they have a bunch of diner staples including pot roast, meatloaf and burgers. I can’t wait to go back and try them all.

The kids were with us and Dylan got the chocolate chip pancakes. I snuck a bite before he drowned them in maple syrup and I’ve got to admit that they were awesome.

Emily opted for a bowl of clam chowder. It was the weirdest chowder I’ve ever seen. Not thick at all and full of veggies. That being said it was tasty and we all enjoyed it. If you are a traditionalist and need it thick and creamy then this is not for you. But, try a cup. You won’t be disappointed.

So, how was the hash? While I’m more of a chopped rather then shredded guy when it comes to the corned beef, this was shredded to perfection. Plus, they cooked it right by leaving it on the griddle until a nice crunchy crust formed. The poached eggs that came with it were also perfect. It didn’t beat out my favorite at Lou’s in Hanover, NH but it certainly is in my top 5. I’m still trying to figure out what the mystery spice that was included. Maybe I’ll have to go back a few more times to figure it out!

One final tip if you go is don’t opt for the biscuits. The bread they use for toast is amazingly thick, yummy and much better then the biscuits I got. Thankfully Laura let me steal a piece of her toast!

We’ve already talked about going back and I can’t wait for it. Awesome to have another great Diner in the area!!

The Miss Mendon Diner can be found at 16 Uxbridge Road in Mendon, MA.

So instead of writing up my advice for newbies and veterans I thought I’d film another video. Enjoy.

Click here to view the embedded video.

One thing I forgot to answer that I keep getting asked about is no I’m not currently speaking this year. The panels I was asked to be on didn’t get chosen so as of right now I’m not speaking. If you need of someone for your panel let me know. I’d love to help you out.

What other advice would you add to this?