• smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel
Sisters?
Thursday 31 May 2012
Thursday 17 May 2012
Your Friends Are Influencing Your Wallet
Old news.
We all have that friend who is our 'enabler'. The one who you don't go shopping with because they tell you all the nice things you want to hear that is GREAT for you, but bad for your wallet.
My friend Nunu, undoubtedly has great taste. I love going shopping with her. She won't buy a single thing but she loves stuff on you. My last trip visiting her, I purposely packed tightly a small suitcase but my suitcase damn overflowed when I returned.
Social Media Marketing
This was my first thought when I read this article about friends being marketers. Basically the article points out that marketers realize the power of influence that friends have over each other. We choose our friends for a reason. We like them. We admire them. We trust them. Everything that is a marketer's dream for a brand.
Word-of-mouth selling is nothing new. Plus, we sell and market lots of immaterial things on a day-to-day basis: ideas, religion, philosophy, political views.
As a Yelper, I am constantly marketing to people, and because Yelp also has a social-networking component or otherwise linked to Facebook and Twitter, I'm also marketing to my friends.
But unlike the blogger-marketing described in the aforementioned GRS article, I don't get paid to write reviews. Or do I?? Yelp members are assigned with badges and stars if they 'check-in', or if they participate in events. The more active you are, the higher you get on the totem pole. Somehow one day I got my Elite badge without really knowing what it was. Now I get tons of freebies and invites to events, sponsored by local businesses. I'm quite aware of this, and I rarely write reviews for freebies other than to refer to Yelp or just the event itself... But, yes, this is an example of marketing outreach through social media.
Dreams For Sale
We surround ourselves with people who inspire us, people we respect, people we admire and would like to emulate. Sometimes we live vicariously through others, and let others live vicariously through us. We like to use our imaginations.
By far the most successful influence my friends have had on me is the dream to travel. The idea of this wide-eyed wanderer. I am aware of it, and aware that - even between hostels, Airbnb, couchsurfing - traveling is still a big ticket item and a huge industry. It appeals to many, young and old, rich and poor.
The more I travel, the more friends I make around the world, and the more travelers I meet, the more my wanderlust grows. The list of places I want to go to keeps growing longer and longer with no end in sight. Fortunately, I don't want it to end. I am a voluntary victim, blissfully aware.
Blissfully Aware
I am fully aware that there numerous giant ideologies and movements out there trying to use my friends to influence me to get me to buy things that aren't.. ME. No, I don't want to buy like, organic yams or a $200 goat leg dish at a fancy restaurant, nor cupcakes nor a gym membership (if I don't eat cupcakes I don't need to go to the gym). I don't need/want a car or a Marc Jacobs Hillier hobo bag.
But these are also the same friends who sold me on the Kindle (which I really really love beyond anything I have purchased in this decade), the same friends who roped me into salsa dancing, encouraged me to travel, do kettlebell training, and sadly I am now hooked on 5-Hour Energy (energy drinks) whenever I go out on the weekends.
I like them anyway.
Anyway, it's better to spend some money on some things while doing things you like with people that you like than to not spending any money sitting at home by yourself with no friends.
We all have that friend who is our 'enabler'. The one who you don't go shopping with because they tell you all the nice things you want to hear that is GREAT for you, but bad for your wallet.
My friend Nunu, undoubtedly has great taste. I love going shopping with her. She won't buy a single thing but she loves stuff on you. My last trip visiting her, I purposely packed tightly a small suitcase but my suitcase damn overflowed when I returned.
Social Media Marketing
This was my first thought when I read this article about friends being marketers. Basically the article points out that marketers realize the power of influence that friends have over each other. We choose our friends for a reason. We like them. We admire them. We trust them. Everything that is a marketer's dream for a brand.
Word-of-mouth selling is nothing new. Plus, we sell and market lots of immaterial things on a day-to-day basis: ideas, religion, philosophy, political views.
As a Yelper, I am constantly marketing to people, and because Yelp also has a social-networking component or otherwise linked to Facebook and Twitter, I'm also marketing to my friends.
But unlike the blogger-marketing described in the aforementioned GRS article, I don't get paid to write reviews. Or do I?? Yelp members are assigned with badges and stars if they 'check-in', or if they participate in events. The more active you are, the higher you get on the totem pole. Somehow one day I got my Elite badge without really knowing what it was. Now I get tons of freebies and invites to events, sponsored by local businesses. I'm quite aware of this, and I rarely write reviews for freebies other than to refer to Yelp or just the event itself... But, yes, this is an example of marketing outreach through social media.
Dreams For Sale
We surround ourselves with people who inspire us, people we respect, people we admire and would like to emulate. Sometimes we live vicariously through others, and let others live vicariously through us. We like to use our imaginations.
By far the most successful influence my friends have had on me is the dream to travel. The idea of this wide-eyed wanderer. I am aware of it, and aware that - even between hostels, Airbnb, couchsurfing - traveling is still a big ticket item and a huge industry. It appeals to many, young and old, rich and poor.
The more I travel, the more friends I make around the world, and the more travelers I meet, the more my wanderlust grows. The list of places I want to go to keeps growing longer and longer with no end in sight. Fortunately, I don't want it to end. I am a voluntary victim, blissfully aware.
Blissfully Aware
I am fully aware that there numerous giant ideologies and movements out there trying to use my friends to influence me to get me to buy things that aren't.. ME. No, I don't want to buy like, organic yams or a $200 goat leg dish at a fancy restaurant, nor cupcakes nor a gym membership (if I don't eat cupcakes I don't need to go to the gym). I don't need/want a car or a Marc Jacobs Hillier hobo bag.
But these are also the same friends who sold me on the Kindle (which I really really love beyond anything I have purchased in this decade), the same friends who roped me into salsa dancing, encouraged me to travel, do kettlebell training, and sadly I am now hooked on 5-Hour Energy (energy drinks) whenever I go out on the weekends.
I like them anyway.
Anyway, it's better to spend some money on some things while doing things you like with people that you like than to not spending any money sitting at home by yourself with no friends.
Wednesday 16 May 2012
Couchsurfing: Introduction to New Way of Traveling
The first time I heard about Couchsurfing was way back in 2005 or something. I had this crazy friend, who told us about his trip to Morocco and Greece and Egypt and staying in, well, other people's homes.
Are you flippin' nuts? I dismissed it as a crazy idea for people with no common sense and risk their lives to becoming targets for serial rapists and killers.
Fast forward to 2008, in my self-rediscovery phase, I had always wanted to travel but my excuse was always the same: I didn't have anybody to go travel with, I suddenly decided that I was just going to do it with or without people. I signed up for a work-travel volunteer vacation program with CADIP to go to Greece. I love ruins.
I joined Couchsurfing in August 2008, taking this opportunity, with the intention to make new friends and network with local people and to opt for their less creepy option: To meet people at events or for coffee and/or tours (without the sleepover part). This was also a popular option in places where culturally people stayed with their parents or lived in small quarters and could not host guests at their homes.
I was surprised to find this whole new world open up to me with open arms. Not only did I meet amazing people through Couchsurfing, but also made me look at strangers in a different way.
We are not strangers in the world but we are friends who don't know each other yet.
99% of the time, this is true.
I'm not going to say that it is completely safe to trust strangers on the internet, but with a little practice and common sense, you will be able to quickly discern what kind of situation you're in and what kind of person you're talking to.
So far I have only surfed officially 3 times, once in Athens, once in Recife Brazil and once in my own country in Langkawi, Malaysia.
I have hosted 20 official Couchsurfing guests in my home and a few other friends of friends, from all over the world. Germany, France, Canada, Spain, San Francisco, Washington DC. I think I like hosting more than surfing :)
Other times I have used this network to meet up with locals when I have a long layover such as in Amsterdam and Istanbul.
So far I have had the chance to visit my Couchsurfers home, and also hosted one of my previous host in Chicago... and made some great friends around the world.
Ever since Couchsurfing has become more and more popular, I have become more wary about the new members. It used to be an alternative means of travel, and works on the basis of trust and vouching system, like nomads and bedouins do. Now that it is in the mainstream news, I am concerned that it might attract the creepy people and people with less than good intentions. But at the same time, I am still open about it and I hope my sensible rationality and instinct serves me well.
If you are too lazy to learn or read about Couchsurfing, here is a good comic about it.
Recently a bedouin from the southern part of Jordan was featured on CNN for his 'cave' surfing
More about safety can be found on Couchsurfing.org and on their Safety FAQ page
My Couchsurfing philosophy:
- My home is not a free hotel or free guesthouse
- My home and couch is a place of cultural exchange and learning
- I want to spend quality time with my guests
Couchsurfing is not a dating site - New members are encouraged to participate in hosting or local activities to familiarize with the community
*Happy camper*
More upcoming posts on how to write requests and how to host. But for now I will say that I highly recommend Couchsurfing as a way to see the world!
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| Sebastian and Matthias on their cross-America road trip |
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| Maryanne visited for 20 hours we had jam packed activities |
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| Erick giving me a special historical, cultural and gastronomical tour of Amsterdam |
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| Chris and Kuno cooking dinner in my kitchen! And did the dishes too! |
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| I hosted Celine in Chicago so when I had a long layover in Amsterdam she sent me so much information and guides and sent me off at the airport |
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| Anya and Steffi from Germany at Chicago Gay Pride Parade. We watched the World Cup together and went to Summerdance Salsa! |
Apartment Moving: The Grown Up Edition
I'm a veteran mover. I've moved apartments over 10 times in the past 10 years. I know all the ins and outs and pains and sufferings of packing, moving, unpacking by yourself.
During undergrad, the Malaysian student community was tight knit and it just goes without saying that you would help each other move apartments. Post-college was a bit tricky, but Adam was always there to help. If that wasn't tricky enough, post-relationship-dependent-stage was more difficult to move. I had managed with the help of good friends (bribing them with pizza and beer). This year, I called it quits. I've been a grown-up for a while now, it's time I do it the grown-up way, which is called paying-someone-else-to-do-it-for-you. I hired professional movers.
Although the real grown-up way is to buy-a-condo-and-never-look-back-at-rentals... I'm not ready for that yet.
Moving can be a crazy ordeal. Here are some measures you can take to maintain your sanity.
Step 1: Planning
Avoid confusion, tears, hair-pulling scenarios by thinking ahead:
http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult.html
This is the cleanest my apartment has EVER been
Step 5: Moving Day
Step 6: Making yourself comfortable
During undergrad, the Malaysian student community was tight knit and it just goes without saying that you would help each other move apartments. Post-college was a bit tricky, but Adam was always there to help. If that wasn't tricky enough, post-relationship-dependent-stage was more difficult to move. I had managed with the help of good friends (bribing them with pizza and beer). This year, I called it quits. I've been a grown-up for a while now, it's time I do it the grown-up way, which is called paying-someone-else-to-do-it-for-you. I hired professional movers.
Although the real grown-up way is to buy-a-condo-and-never-look-back-at-rentals... I'm not ready for that yet.
Moving can be a crazy ordeal. Here are some measures you can take to maintain your sanity.
Step 1: Planning
Avoid confusion, tears, hair-pulling scenarios by thinking ahead:
- Make an inventory of your possessions. Do this by rooms and categories. Makes it easier to pack/unpack and for movers to estimate.
- Find out the cost of movers. I looked up reviews on yelp (or similar online reviews) of movers and advertisements on craigslist, sent a few emails, called them and gave them my inventory and made a comparison. Shop around
- Check that your movers are legit business not just a couple of inexperienced college kids looking to make a quick buck. That is okay too if you're on a budget. But expect the unexpected. Make sure they have a record of showing up on time.
- Have a backup plan. Can you call friends? Do you know if you can get a truck rental at last minute if you had to move yourself.
- Cleansing is good for you
- Anything that has not seen the light of day for the last 8-12 months must GO.
- Sell your gently used clothing or things on craigslist or thrift stores. Donate the rest to Salvation Army or Goodwill.
- Moving objects from point A to point B consumes energy, time and money.
- Downsizing makes your moving more efficient and cheaper, and will help cover some of the costs of moving. Hey kill 2 birds.
- Pack heavy things in smaller boxes (books, canned food, weights)
- Start with things you need the least: Books, waffle maker, decorations, extra towels and linens
- Label each box with the room names and short descriptive note of what is inside
- For multiple people moving, label personal boxes with your initials
- Plastic bags make awesome cushions for fragile items like dishes and mugs. I save a drawerfull of shopping bags and I use these crushed together to give extra padding to my dinnerware.
- Things not to pack: extra tape, plastic bags, scissors, screwdrivers and hammer in case you need to dismantle things AND to reassemble things when you get to your new place.
- Pack a full week of regular work clothes and living essentials in one suitcase. Pretend you're packing for a week's business trip.
- Put important documents and last minute things in one place, preferably a backpack that is ON you all the time during the move.
http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult.html
This is the cleanest my apartment has EVER been
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| I miss this bathroom |
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| Spotless! |
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| Got my security deposit back 100% |
- Get enough sleep
- Eat something in the morning
- Take the day off
- Call the movers
- Help carry small items and give directions
- Get children/pets out of the way
- DON'T PANIC
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| Disaster zone |
Step 6: Making yourself comfortable
- aka $500 later (between 2 people)
- unpack your box of tea, mattress, towel, and a set of clothes for the next morning.
- Set up electricity, heat, cable, internet at your new place (make this step 1)
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| Thank you neighbor's free unsecured Wi-Fi! |
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