Author: drewmillikin

Choose Responsibility

I got going on the beer topic and kinda left it hangin’ (thanks Rob for reminding me).

A day or so after writing that post, I received a mailing from ChooseResponsibility.org

It’s an organization founded by former Middlebury College President, John McCardell. Their mission is to lower the drinking age from 21 to 18. They have some unique ideas like a “learner’s permit” for consuming alcohol.

I really believe in this cause and think our entire approach to alcohol is misguided. I really recommend checking out their site. www.chooseresponsibility.org

Old enough to serve (go to war), but not enough to get served (a beer).

How does that make sense?

I’m going to post and read all at the same time.

I’m into Part II of the Media Society book. I knew that there was consolidation going on in the media industry, but I have to say that I didn’t realize how huge these companies are until I saw the flow charts on pp 41- 43. The section on Integration and Self-Promotion is also eyeopening when describing the release of the Harry Potter movies.

Came to the section about the BBC. It immediately brought to mind a NPR segment I heard this morning. Britons have to pay a TV tax if they own one. It amounts to about $260 pounds a year. in order to prevent people from skipping out on paying the tax, the BBC just released a really creepy Orwellian ad campaign. It essentially says that we know where you live. All of your information is in our database, and we will come get you. The article is here. I’m not sure how I feel about state run media. What’s worse: state run media or conglomerated media?

Onto the article:
Have you ever ordered a burger that looked like it does in the photo? NO. You know, I hate that we have to look at this as skeptics. It seems like we should be able to take in and not have to worry about what messages advertisers are sending us. I find myself wanting to believe that a story is just a story, but I know better. Kids don’t though. Media literacy education needs to happen. I’m not sure it will happen at home so it should happen in schools.

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Now playing: Rustic Overtones – Rock Like War
via FoxyTunes

About Me

What’s A Little Spunk ?

Well, when I started this thing I had planned on writing mostly about higher education and marketing, Web 2.0 and technology. My plan was to essentially be one of those New Media D— (see this May post).

I discovered that I didn’t want to write about that stuff. I wanted to write about other topics – family vacations, neat things I found on the internet, making beer, and other stuff that just popped into my head.

So that’s why I decided to redesign. And toss out everything – url, title, etc. The only thing I’m saving is the layout (I like the simple design) and the photo of that special place of mine in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

If you ever see a car with a NEK euro sticker, guaranteed they’re not originally from the Kingdom. They’re either from Connecticut or Massachusetts.

So why “A Little Spunk”?

Well, this blog idea has been through a couple of different redesigns. It has been Drew In VT, Millin’ in VT, Millie in VT, and in its latest installation, edu-Mill. Those were all pretty lame. I liked the edu-Mill the best out of all of them, but it stopped making sense when I stopped writing about higher ed.

So, I came upon “A Little Spunk”.

My Dad’s nickname is Spunk. He comes from a family where they were all given nicknames in addition to their Christian names. My mom, in her good sense, put an end to this with our generation.

My grandfather from time to time would call me Little Spunk or Spunky Jr., but otherwise, there were no quirky names for us.

So when pondering a quirky and witty title for his blog, I thought back to my grandfather calling me Little Spunk, and thought it would be a neat title. There’s a nice play on words in there too.

Like: It will add a little spunk to your day.

Now there is some sexual innuendo there. We’ve learned not to call my dad “Spunk” in say, England where it means something inappropriate. But I’ll live with it. Who knows, maybe it will drive more traffic to the site?

Now on to me.

I live in Northern Vermont outside Burlington where I work in the admission office in one of our many private colleges. My focus is mostly on social media and e-communications. I know a little html and css, but just enough really to get by, adjusting size, changing colors, etc.

My wife and I have two stupid pugs. You’ll see photos of them from time to time. I love traveling, skiing, beer, and my family’s camp in the NEK.

Writing for me is therapy. I write about what’s on my mind. I’ll try not to censure too much, but knowing who some of my readers are, I have to be smart. I clearly can’t write something like, “I hate my job and am desperate to GET OUT!” That could get me in trouble.

I hope you enjoy this.
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Now playing: Grateful Dead – Big River
via FoxyTunes

Is it me or is Facebook getting noisy?

Maybe it’s because I’ve got more junk on my profile, but I’m starting to get annoyed by all of the notifications and the messages in my inbox. It’s all junk that I can only blame myself for I guess.

I get a lot messages because I became of a fan of DJ Craig Mitchell. He’s a SMC alum who owned a club here in Burlington. He’s moved onto bigger things and is a regular on the techno scene in Boston and NYC. I became a “fan” because he’s a really nice guy and I want him to be successful. I don’t think I’ll ever go to one of his shows in Boston or NYC so I find the notifications and updates more annoying then helpful.

A certain alumni office sends out notices often too. Especially when it’s the end of the fiscal year and they are revving up their fund raising for one last push.

I took one of those movie compatibility tests. It’s constantly telling me that someone else took that same test and I should check out how we match up. I’m trying to figure out why I care.

One of my friends from high school sends me a Lil’ Green Patch thing every day. Maybe I’m too cynical, but I don’t really believe that 1 acre of rain forest is saved each time I accept a Lil’ Green Patch request.

So I guess my question is, is it me? Am I too much of a curmudgeon to appreciate these little notes? Should I care that someone matched me on the perfect match personality test?

Or is Facebook heading the way of the email? Too much spam and too much junk has turned a once efficient communication device into annoying time waster.

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Now playing: Toots & The Maytals – Freedom Train
via FoxyTunes

Beer.

I love beer. I really love beer.

Now when you read that, what was your first reaction? Was it negative?

It’s my belief that American culture towards alcohol is primarily a negative. When I say I love beer, I often wonder if I’m perceived as an alcoholic or a beer swilling frat boy.

I don’t think I’m either. I just love beer.

I like the taste of beer. Sure it was an acquired taste at first, but now it’s an appreciative taste. Depending greatly on my mood, I may thirst for a Labatt Blue, or a Budweiser. If I’m feeling eclectic, perhaps a PBR tall boy.

Hot summer day, something hoppy like a Magic Hat H.I.P.A. And nothing tastes better than a fresh Switchback after a day of skiing.

So what brings this up? Well, I was on a business trip with some colleagues last week. We had been delayed in Richmond, VA for a couple of hours and we were had a couple of drinks at a bar there. Finally we took off and landed in JFK (most disgusting airport I’ve ever been in) where we were delayed for another couple of hours. By then it was after nine o’clock and I was sick of being in an airport.

The others grabbed a table at a restaurant while I stayed outside to answer a phone call. I got back and they were all drinking waters. I ordered a Yuengling (they don’t distribute to the VT so I try to order it hen I can) and maybe it was me, but I felt like I got looks from the group.

This could have been a total paranoid observation on my part, but I think it did spark something in my mind re: alcohol and it’s perception in the U.S.

When I think of alcohol and it’s effects, I think back to my high school French teacher and his description of the French devotion to wine. He said essentially that the French don’t drink to get drunk, it is instead a side effect tot he experience of drinking alcohol. They drink wine in an appreciative way – appreciating the taste, fell and smell of the drink and conversations and experiences while drinking.

I’ve tried to think of drinking in that way too. I won’t apologize for my love of beer. Like I said before, I love the taste of beer. I love tasting new and different varieties of beer and returning to old favorites as well. Beer varieties can be like tags for the memory. Certain beers will bring up specific memories.

I will always associate a recent trip out west with Fat Tire Ale. College: Labatt Blue, the first summer out of college: Harpoon Summer, a NEACAC conference in Boston: Samuel Adams Summer Ale, a trip to Paris: Heineken, St.Patrick’s Day my freshman year of college: Magic Hat #9, and there are many more.

So where does the problem begin? At what point are we taught that alcohol is bad and people who enjoy alcohol (without taking it to excess) have a vice?

I need to think about a little more. This post is already much longer than I had anticipated.

Messing around with some of the page elements. I’m looking to switch blog services this year. I think Typepad is way to rigid and not nearly Web 2.0 enough. WordPress seems to be a popular one, but I just like Google’s products better. Although I know it isn’t as hot, I like Picasa better the Flickr and I’m liking Blogger better than WordPress.

Google’s stuff just seems to be more intuitive and easy to use. Plus, you can customize it more. I like that I can throw a Facebook badge up there and a Picasa (Flickr too actually) sideshow right in you blog page. It’s also easy to use the Foxy Tunes thing.

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Now playing: Kenny Chesney – When the Sun Goes Down
via FoxyTunes