Feeling Small

I recently made a conscious decision to form a new habit: to connect with more people both online and offline. I’ve always known that connections, social media and content production were important to my success. But, like many, I’ve always struggled with these things.

As is typical in many stories you read about when someone begins down the path of content development and social media interactions, I held/hold onto fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of what people will think. Fear of my own success. Fear of looking like an idiot – or worse, not even being noticed.

I know in my mind that these fears are misplaced. I know in my mind that I should be focusing on the fact that everyone (that reads it) seems to like my writing. I should be focusing on the fact that I want my writing to drive my future success. This is a challenge. I suspect this challenge is one that even the big-name writers deal with on a regular basis. Granted, they’ve obviously gained a better grasp on the appropriate “things” that help move past these fears more readily than most, including myself.

If you follow the marketing and social media space in any capacity, you’re being reminded daily that those that produce content regularly are more likely to achieve success. Somewhat of an afterthought is the point about ensuring the content is of any kind of quality, but that’s a topic for another post.

The Harsh Truth of Reality

My wife loves me. My son loves me. My mom loves me. My dad even loves me – though we only acknowledge it through man/bro-hugs. It took a simple Twitter application for me to realize I’m not as special as I used to think I was. Sure, I have pretty high self-esteem, but I’ve realized, I think, a more realistic awareness of my current place in the world.

I logged into Justunfollow.com tonight – really out of curiosity – and realized a harsh truth: I’m nowhere near the level of the likes of @chrisbrogan, @lisabarone, @petershankman, @heidicohen, @sugarrae, @stevegarfield, or @ramit (and those are just the ones I could think of right off the top of my head). I’ve followed each of these people, admittedly off-and-on, for several years now.

The harsh truth: I wasn’t important enough for these people to follow me back. Or they only follow people they know, which is also upsetting in it’s own way, since it makes me realize I don’t make opportunities to meet these people in person a priority. Justunfollow.com, like Data from Star Trek TNG, enlightened me of the news in a non-emotional, factual way. I could actually see him in my mind, with his robotic head-tilt, and heard him say, “I am curious. Why do you care so much about whether these people follow you or not?”

When I stop and think about it, I’m faced with the harsh truth of the matter: I’ve done nothing deserving of being noticed – not online anyway, not yet. Sure, I’ve written a bundle of blog posts. A few have even gotten me some search traffic. But nothing that makes me (or anyone else, for that matter) say, “Wow, this is awesome!”

Alan Weiss (@BentleyGTCSpeed) once tweeted:

Use Google Alerts: Who’s talking about you? No one? Then do things to be talked about.

It really is simple, good advice. Though following it is not necessarily easy. I personally believe, when I self-diagnose, that I get in my own way, like so many others.

Here’s the thing: I completely agree with Alan’s advice. It is actually pretty common advice, just said in different ways by different people. The problem, at least for me, is figuring out what to do that will be worthy of being talked about. I don’t want to be an echo, constantly regurgitating and essentially copying the aforementioned “stars” of the online marketing and social media space. And I don’t want to produce crap that no one really cares about.

This is where I usually get stuck. I open a place to write, go into full-screen mode, and stare at a blinking cursor on a blank screen, unable to force my figures to just type. I’ve noticed something, though, and that is the fact that the people that make it big in this space are the ones that are constantly putting themselves out there.

Sure, I don’t read every post that any of the people I mentioned above post. As a matter of fact, I’m probably not even close to being their favorite fan, I don’t obsess over their every word. I do, however, gain tremendous value from them all, and so I continue to “check in” and see what they’re up to. It was when I realized this about my own actions that I realized my fears and petty disappointment about not being followed back by some of my favorites in this space were misguided.

The exciting thing here is that when we realize we aren’t ever going to be everything to everyone, all the time, it becomes easier to just be ourselves and be passionate about the stuff we want to be passionate about. It allows us to produce, and ship, and get to that level.

A Pact. Or Vow. Whichever.

I decided to make a pact, with my future self, and my current self, and well, my past self, too. I know that I have value locked away in the vault to provide to someone. Actually, I know that some of my thoughts and ideas will help a lot of people, as they already help people on a micro level now (amongst family, friends, and colleagues). I know I’m doing society a dis-service by not sharing what I know. Sounds arrogant, sure, but what I mean is that someone, somewhere could surely benefit from what I know after so many years in the marketing arena.

I will produce 5 pieces of content each week that provides value to at least one person.

I’ll need help. I will be modifying my blog to better match this objective. Specifically, I’ll be adding a quick 2-part question to the end of my posts: 1) Was this useful/valuable to you, and 2) Why?

I’m also asking you to help me stay on track with my goal. If I don’t produce something when I said I was going to, ping me on Twitter and call me out. You’ll seriously be doing me a huge favor. One simple Tweet can change everything.

Whatdya say, will you help me out? If you struggle to get thoughts on a page, will you take the same pact with me?

Image Credit: Jodi

Image Credit: Amir Jina

I wake up early. I stay up late. On an average night, I sleep for about 5 or 6 hours. It is usually plenty for me. Though my recent run-in with Shingles might make some people believe otherwise. I normally wake up refreshed, energized, and ready to enjoy the day and its many adventures. Every once and a while, though, too many 5-hour nights in a row, combined with a starchy lunch, creates for a slow-paced afternoon.

You know the feeling. That “2:30 feeling”. 5-hour Energy has made millions of dollars on that slogan. Interestingly enough, I’ve experienced this feeling even on days where I have had multiple 7-hour nights of sleep in a row. The cause: starch. I’m not a nutritionist, so I’ll let you do your own research on why starch causes the post-lunch crashes. In brief, it has to do with starch turning into sugar in the body, and the body’s blood-sugar levels and insulin levels being altered.

The problem with a groggy afternoon is a huge dip in productivity. It’s why other countries, like Spain, take siestas. Our circadian rhythms tend to cycle in such a way that the afternoons create a bout of drowsiness. Some people even experience it regardless of whether they have had a large or starchy lunch or not.

Over-Worked, Stressed, Tired, But Productive?

So why don’t we take siestas? Americans (and other countries around the globe) have developed a very competitive, over-loaded mindset that makes many of us believe that we can’t take a break or we won’t get anything done. Manual labor jobs seem more likely to have this mindset. Thinking back to every manual labor position I had, there wasn’t a single one that valued giving employees a chance to rest and regenerate over a break. We were lucky to get a 15 minute break before and after lunch; and lunch was only 30 minutes (the required minimum for an 8-hour workday in Texas).

It is the workplace culture here, it seems, that to take a break is counter-productive. If we take a 15 minute break, that’s 15 minutes of lost time for the company. Customers will have to wait, and they might get impatient, and we might lose the business. If we take an hour for lunch, the same thing might happen. No argument that this is a valid concern; but it’s the wrong mindset.

Longer Work Days, Longer Breaks, More Productive Employees

Companies have perfected the dance that is coordinating multiple people’s schedules to accommodate working shifts. There is no reason that same methodology and process couldn’t be applied to providing workers with the ability to take a longer break during the work day. Ideally, the way to achieve this would be through a longer work day. If the typical work day is eight hours with an hour for lunch, then maybe it makes sense to make the work day nine hours long but with the ability to take a two-hour lunch.

A Nine-Hour Work Day Provides Several Benefits

Longer lunches allow employees to run their personal errands during the day. Things like going to the bank, the post office, the DMV, and other similar places that are notorious for long waits and not being open during after-work hours. A longer lunch would let employees take care of personal issues during the day, which leads to happier employees.

Happier Employees Produce More

You’ve probably experienced this. When employees are happy with their jobs, their employers, and their managers, they tend to be more inclined to work harder and produce more. Combine this extra drive with increased rest and alertness, and companies have a powerful combination for success. Employers and managers should also take note that some employees (not all, mind you) are also willing to be paid less when they are happy where they work. Money isn’t everything to all employees. Many just want enough to get by, leave a comfortable life, spend time with their families, and do the things in life they want to do.

Afternoon Naps Boost Productivity

20 minutes. I know people that spend 6-10 times that just browsing around on Facebook during the work day – from work! It gives them a way to look like they are busy, without actually doing anything. Facebook isn’t the only culprit. Some people might sit  and read “relevant” articles (which of course means they are watching YouTube, or something else). The point is, instead of forcing employees to be in a situation where they have to force themselves to do something active so they can stay awake, why not encourage a 20 minute nap. Instead of killing braincells on mindless activities on the Internet, employees will be able to take an energizing nap. When they wake up, they will be rested, more alert, and more productive.

For More:

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/naps/

I’ve heard a lot of people around me complaining about the “ridiculous” luxury car commercials that are currently being flooded into the market. Most of the complaints I’ve heard have been in reference to the fact that they are simply unbelievable. Like this one:

It seems a bit far-fetched that such a young couple, in this economy, can afford such an elaborate Christmas present. Sure, there are the outliers that would disprove this consensus. But the fact remains, most people don’t “buy” it.

The other comments I often hear are similar to, “If I could afford to buy such an expensive car for a Christmas present, I’d spend the money on something else.” Or, “Who buys a $50,000 car as a Christmas present?” Admittedly, I tend to agree with both sentiments. But I also am not currently in a position to make such a decision, eliminating my ability to speak for the target demographic.

That said, though, I find myself defending the ads. Christmas is a perfect time for the people that can afford to buy a luxury car to do so. This is for a couple of reasons: 1) it’s the end of the year, those that are trying to include as many expenses as possible for tax deduction purposes have much to gain from such a large purchase (regardless of the political, moral, or ethical implication of doing so), and 2) most affluent people have learned the ever-important skill of saving their money, and many do so through the course of the year, and use the end-of-the-year aspect of Christmas to spend some of that money.

So are the ads a bit cheesy? Sure, to many of us. To those in the target market, though, I’d venture a guess that this is not the sentiment. Besides, I’m looking forward to the day that I’ll be able to buy my wife a $50k car as a Christmas present, it’s gonna be awesome to see the look on her face.

So, I can see both sides. Which side are you on? Do you like the ads? Do they make you want to buy a luxury car as a Christmas present? Or do you think they are cheesy/silly and out-of-touch?

Image Credit: chelseagirl

Just start typing.

That’s what I often read when I search for ways to overcome writer’s block. Writer’s block. Such an interesting phrase, really. Could it be that there is really a double meaning to the use of “block”? Why not call it “writer’s constipation”? It’s really a better description, in my opinion.

Maybe it’s because I grew up playing football (and I’m coaching it now, too) but when I think of “blocking” I think of an outside force intentionally stopping you from achieving an objective. The reality, though, is that writer’s block is nothing more than us getting in our own way. Kind of like tripping on our own feet when we are trying to perform a physical movement that requires a bit of agility.

But maybe we don’t call it writer’s constipation because we don’t want to think about what constipation really (normally) references. That’s fair, I don’t really like to think about it either, so I can see that side of it, too. But let’s, for a moment, pretend it is called writer’s constipation. If we’re using the comparison to the physiological reference, then the solution is usually fiber.

What would qualify as “writer’s fiber”?

Honestly, I haven’t the slightest idea where to begin to determine what would qualify. I’ll give a shot, though. I’ll be right back, let’s see what Google has to say on the subject…

Okay, I’m back. Didn’t yield much. I did find this guy who feels similarly about the concept.

The real problem.

I had an enlightened moment as I started to write this, and as I was reading Stuart’s post about writer’s constipation. I realized that a large part of my issue is a lack of confidence in my own writing. I worry that what I have to say isn’t interesting to anyone, or worse, that people will read what I’ve written and think I’m silly, stupid, weird, etc. I’ve also discovered that many of the people that have written remarkable work all have one similar thing in common: they believe that one of the keys to being a good writer is actually to be a good reader.

So, I believe the best “writer’s fiber” is actually a formula:

6 parts practicing + 4 parts reading + 3 parts confidence + 1 part hint of arrogance

Let’s break that down.

6 Parts Practicing

Without practice, no one gets any better at anything, regardless of the activity. Even the best athletes practice, a lot. Jordan, Gretsky, Woods, Ali, Rice. All spoke about relentless practice. So the first part of my formula is to practice writing, a lot, daily preferably, multiple times per day if possible. Here’s the key, I think: even if what is produced is total crap, that’s the point, get the junk out, refine, and eventually you work toward the masterpiece.

4 Parts Reading

Emulation is one of the greatest training tools for the brain. We learn by example. If someone else has already done something, and we copy them, we find it to be drastically easier to complete a task than if we have no example to follow. Reading other great written works is a great way to train the brain on how words should flow on a page/screen. This is also why athletes watch film of past performances and performances of their upcoming competition.

3 Parts Confidence

I’ve discovered that many of the great writers and content producers I’ve come to admire have this in common: confidence. They know that they have the ability to produce great material, and they aren’t worried about what people think. Sure, deep down, they may still have elements of concern for their audience, but they aren’t fearful of being crushed by a lackluster performance. They accept the reality of (life really) things in that we will always experience ups and downs. Sometimes we’ll deliver with impact and pizazz. Others we’ll simply get through it. It’s accepted by even the greats that sometimes, we produce shit. Accepting it, and moving past it, is the key to building and maintaining confidence in the ability to produce gold.

1 Part Hint of Arrogance

Just to carry forward with the concept of having confidence. We have to realize that it is truly impossible to please everyone. This is especially true if we have passion. Passion is a one-sided focus on a given thought process. The “opposite” side is of little concern to the passionate, unless of course it is to passionately proclaim how wrong it is. The point, though, is that we have to produce, constantly, without letting anyone slow us down.

I suffered from this for a long time. I try to please people. This is partially because I have a tendency to “know I’m right” in a lot of situations, which has, in the past, given me a bit of a reputation for being an asshole. Just ask Lynne, she’s the one that brought it to my attention when we were first dating. I didn’t want to be considered an asshole, so I tried to compensate by trying to please everyone. This doesn’t work either.

So to deliver with impact, the content we produce must be something we believe in with passion. We have to be willing to burn the ships, knowing we will make it out on the other side.

The Quick Writer’s Block Fix

Under a deadline? This is my suggestion for this situation:

Ignore everything else, lock yourself in a closet or small room (seriously), close your eyes, and write anything. It doesn’t have to relate to your deadline piece. Actually, it’s probably better if it doesn’t. The idea is to get your brain to wake up, to get the connection from your brain to your fingers to work. Write a stupid short story about what you ate for breakfast, it doesn’t matter. Just write.

Eventually, you’ll naturally transition from writing about nothing, to writing about something powerful.

Image Credit: Me

I love everything about Starbucks (except maybe their prices). I’ve always been impressed by their customer experience and branding. It’s all so cohesive. Even this gift card holder matches the brand and provides an small but elegant engagement with their brand.

Nerd alert: The holder stock is a recycled paper stock with a simple spot UV coating.

Image Credit: Nicholas Hill

It’s 3:43 in the morning. What am I doing up? I’ve been struggling lately. I am not really on the path that I want to be on, though everything should be fine. Business is good, I’ve consolidated and/or dissolved most of the numerous “ventures” I started over the last few years. My office is clean and organized, things are coming together. So why do I feel like doing absolutely nothing?

I overcomplicate the hell out of everything, and I am terrible about lacking focus. It drives Lynne crazy. It drives me crazy. I’ve had this problem for a long time, too. Some people like to claim perfectionism. I don’t know if I agree with that being the true cause of my lack of motivation, though. Sometimes I feel like Peter on Office Space: “I’d sit around all day, and do absolutely nothing.” Of course, I can’t even settle on that plan, either, I’d get bored with it and shift into something else.

My mom tried to help me out years ago, and bought Jack Canfield’s book, The Power of Focus. Really a thoughtful gesture. Only one problem, I can’t seem to focus long enough to actually read it!

It probably doesn’t help that it’s almost 4:00 am, but I can’t really think straight, and I’m going to publish this post without really thinking about it (like I normally do). Maybe this is how I should operate on a normal basis? Hey, Gary Larson supposedly did incredibly well following this plan…

I’m just going to go to bed, and hope that I wake up tomorrow (well, later today) with a clearer picture of my next steps.

What do you do when you’re feeling distracted and unmotivated?

It appears Amazon has begun testing a redesign of its retail site — and it could foreshadow the launch of Amazon’s own tablet, according to reports on Mashable.com. I’m not sure I see the foreshadowing… but the design, I did see when I first jumped onto the site this morning.

According to Mashable:

The testing began last week and will continue to be rolled out to additional customers, but a full launch date is unknown, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The new design is cleaner and less cluttered, with more white space and a larger search box. Mashable staff with access to the new version noticed that the wish list and shopping cart were easier to get to and more intuitive. Amazon says the redesign will feature apps, digital games, ebooks and MP3s — all products suited for tablet visitors, according to TechCrunch.

I took a screenshot of the updated design:

Here are some other articles talking about the redesign:

• http://www.technewsworld.com/story/73245.html
• http://www.alexanderinteractive.com/blog/2011/09/amazon-redesign-a-small-step-towards-t-commerce/
• http://www.investorplace.com/2011/09/amazon-page-redesign-tablet-amzn/

What do you think of the new design? It seems cleaner and a bit easier to navigate, though it also seems a bit “half-done” to me.

Eye-opening. Catch this talk here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QleRgTBMX88

How often are we able to admit when we’re wrong? To ourselves? To others? When it hurts? When it could create permanent damage?

I’ve got a nightly ritual.

After I get done with finishing whatever it is I’m working on for the night, I go to the kitchen, open the pantry, look around, find nothing I really want, grab a glass from the cabinet, fill it with water, drink it down, head to the bathroom, brush my teeth, do the deed, then climb in bed with Lynne (usually already asleep at this point) and my iPad. When I know there is a show waiting for me, I’ll open the Hulu app, find what I’m looking for, and watch. Other times, I’ll open Netflix and find a movie to watch.

Lynne decided to watch a movie on Netflix last night. When I climbed into bed, she was halfway through The Joneses (aff link) with Demi Moore and David Duchovny. It didn’t take me long to be confused since I came in right in the middle of everything. Instead of starting it over, though, I watched it through to the end – not the most recommended way to watch a movie, I might add. At the end, I was intrigued, soI started the movie over so I could catch the beginning.

So what? Well, the movie is a dark twist on the concept of keeping up with the Joneses. And it plays right into the psyche of a marketing nerd such as myself. The basic premise: a marketing firm (not a traditional one in the least) promises its clients to increase sales through “self-marketing”. In essence, the firm hires people to act as the “perfect family” and puts them in a nice house, with all the nice things you can conjure up – big screen LCD TVs, the latest handheld devices, Audi Roadsters, jewelry, high-end perfumes and cosmetics, and on it goes. The objective? Make your neighbors envious enough to buy the things you have. I won’t spoil the end, but it gets pretty grim.

The concept is actually pretty smart from a business standpoint. What better way to get people to buy your product than to have someone that is the epitome of status conspicuously wearing, driving, or using your product and talking about how wonderful it is to their “friends”. The guards are down, people have no idea they are actually being “sold”. The walls that we all have when we’re dealing with salespeople are virtually eliminated.

A Marketer’s Dilema

Having grown up in suburbia, the concept of keeping up with the Joneses is no mystery to me. I actually took advantage of this very concept myself when I was selling kitchen cutlery in college. I would walk into one neighbor’s house – 7 out of 10 which I had babysat their kids at least once or twice – and give my “presentation”. To seal the deal, simple, I just mentioned how the Joneses (yes, we actually had a family with last name Jones on our street) just bought the top-of-the-line set and they are stoked! I sold $15,000 in kitchen cutlery in 3 days – to give you some relation, that made me the top performing salesperson for the company in the entire nation.

As a marketing consultant, I’m in a position of awareness that many people can only pretend they are in. Many people believe they know when they are being sold or coerced. Everyone thinks they know how to deal with that retail sales associate or the car salesperson. See, the difference is, I have been professionally trained and educated to actually teach marketers and salespeople how to get in your head and convince you to buy their product – without you knowing it.

Watching The Joneses, however, I was re-awakened to the danger of being too good at my job as a marketer. Our society has been built on the premise that we are to spend, spend, spend. The concept of saving our money is, at times, unpatriotic. Whenever anyone talks about the economy, the only thing they really reference is spending. Is spending up or down. If spending is up, we are in a positive economy. If spending is down, times are bad and we have to go out and spend more to “turn the economy around”.

Consumerism, fueled by greedy corporate executives in a capitalist society, has the potential to destroy each and every one of us.

The trouble I face, is that I believe there are companies out there, with products that are truly useful, that deserve to get their message out. Weeding through all the companies out there, to find the ones that deserve getting help, can be a challenge, to say the least. The world of high-fashion and luxury cars makes sense to me. I get it. I used to want to live it – terribly. Growing up in suburbia will do that to most people. Even those of us that think we don’t want all those things still find ourselves struggling to feel as though we fit in when we don’t have all those niceties.

Responsible Marketing vs. Buyer Beware

Companies that offer genuinely useful products that serve a purpose should be doing everything they can to educate and inform their buyers. Companies that are simply trying to make a buck should be squashed. Marketing responsibly should be a function of the companies performing the act. Unfortunately, the concept of self-regulation in a greed-driven society is naive, at best.

The responsibility then falls to the consumer, to you. My job, as a marketer, is to get you to buy the things I’m selling. And make no mistake, I’m very good at my job. My clients wouldn’t keep me around if I wasn’t – that’s just reality. I know how to get in your head. I know how to make you turn that simple want for a product into a need in your mind without breaking a sweat. And when you need something, naturally the course of action is to buy it.

So, next time you’re thinking of buying something, don’t ignore your own conscious telling you that you don’t really need to buy that product. It’s probably telling you the truth. Think about me, whispering in your ear, convincing you that you need this product, or you won’t know what to do with yourself. You don’t really need it, I’m actually full of it.

Okay, that last part isn’t really always true, especially because I only work with clients that actually have products worth buying – when it makes sense to buy them. I will never condone your purchasing a product if you can’t afford it. Everyone’s definition is different, but mine is this: if you don’t have the money (not the credit, credit truly is evil), then you can’t afford it. And if you can’t afford it, don’t buy it. The responsibility is yours. Don’t rely on “truth in advertising” laws – they suck, and they don’t really protect you from anything.

Now, go out and spend. Wait, that’s not what I meant, or was it? Hmm…

Our lives changed for the better when we bought our Roku. We have eliminated cable, and now enjoy the freedom of watching shows only when we really want to. No more distractions from an always on TV.

She has been a TV-holic since I’ve known her, though it was never something she would readily admit – not that I blame her, no one likes to admit they are obsessed or addicted to anything (at least not when it is being discussed in a negative light).

When she decided to try not turning the TV on for a full week, I was excited, though not convinced, that this would be a life-changing event, for all of us. The first few days were an obvious challenge, and not just for Wifey; Caden was struggling a bit with the transition, too. Of course, his struggle might have had something to do with the fact that he was also grounded from his new Xbox 360 on the same week.

Benefits of Not Watching TV

As we quickly learned, not constantly turning the TV on has many side effects (most of them positive).

As we didn’t have the TV on to distract us, the time we normally spent watching meaningless shows was reallocated to reading books. As Lynne just recently enrolled with Integrative Nutrition, this focus shift to reading and studying will make the transition to an education environment that much easier to manage.

I’ve also noticed a significant shift in Wifey’s mindset and attitude as well. She doesn’t seem to be nearly as irritable as she used to be after a day with the TV on constantly. It probably has to do with the fact that she has noticed a difference in her sleeping ability as well. She used to not feel well-rested when she woke up in the mornings, even if she slept for 9 or more hours. Now, even with 8 or fewer hours of sleep, she feels well-rested; she has concluded that this is because she no longer has the TV on when she is falling asleep or while she is sleeping.

Caden reads more, and was more motivated to start and establish his new blog, something he started talking about loosely months ago. Now he is excited to begin writing about the sports world. We are also encouraging him to write about his actions that he takes to move closer to his dream of becoming a professional football player. Since he is only 10, the stories that he shares by the time he achieves his dream will be many.

I have been less distracted with the TV off as well. Though I seldom intentionally turned the TV on to watch something, I found that it was very easy to be distracted by the shows that Lynne or Caden would be watching. I don’t like The Real Housewives, but for some reason, when it was on, I couldn’t help but stop and watch it for 15-20 minutes when I took a break from writing or working to get a drink (I have to pass through the living room on my way to the kitchen from my office and vice versa).

We all seem to be more focused, have better attitudes, and are in general better off than we seemed to be before we stopped watching TV. It was this realization that lead us to the discussion about whether or not we should even have cable at all.

Canceling Cable

When we were able to survive a week without the TV being on, we began to wonder whether we should even have cable. We knew we were happier, more positive, more productive, and more focused without the TV on. So it made logical sense to us that if we simply cancelled cable, the temptation would be gone altogether.

We pay for high-speed Internet services that make watching Netflix movies, Hulu TV (aff link) shows, and listening to Pandora Radio an enjoyable experience. With these as a way to watch things on an as-needed basis, we came to the conclusion that paying for cable TV services simply didn’t make sense.

It was quite liberating to call the cable company and determine that we would be cutting our bill in half by canceling the television services. Afterwards, Lynne and I began to discuss how we would watch the few shows that we wanted to keep up with. Initially, as I had done this previously, we discussed setting up a computer in the living room and using a wireless keyboard. After determining that a computer sitting on top of our new modern entertainment shelf (it’s a floating shelf that I built) would ruin the look we were going for with the new shelf, we opted to do some quick research for a device that would be a better solution. After remembering a friend’s experience with Roku, we decided to look at the device a bit.

Buying the Roku

After figuring out that we could get a Roku (aff link) for much less than I remember it costing in the past (I think I was just remembering wrong) we made a fairly quick decision to go ahead and get one. Since we are saving $60 per month on cable services, the cost of a Roku at $80 (we got the XD) is more than paid for after 2 months. We already pay for Netflix ($8/month) and Pandora ($36/year). We hadn’t splurged on Hulu Plus ($8/month) just yet, but we will be now. So the total cost of premium services, at this point will be $19/month, still saving us $41/month or $492/year.

We’ll get the Roku in a few days, but I’m certain we’ll enjoy the experience of owning one. With the Roku, we’ll be able to watch the shows we like to watch without having to remember to record them. The few negative reviews I’ve found seemed to be user-driven issues, or just bad luck. No product can be perfect, so for something to have so many positive reviews, and only a few negative ones, the odds are in our favor. I’ll report back after using it for a few months.