Does my vote really matter?

Jacksonville, FL-- 

Have you ever heard the phrase "every vote counts?" I've talked to a lot of people who feel otherwise. Heck, at times I've felt the same way. Many times, especially within the last few years, it has felt like my vote has fallen to the wayside. But, with voter turnout quickly declining (especially in primary elections), that clichéd term is proving to be truer than ever.

Case in point: 

Yesterday's election results for State Representative is really too close to call. As of last night, a mere three votes separate the two candidates. That's right...three! Three, out of nearly 12,000 votes, separate the two Republicans eyeing the vacant House seat. 

The close result of the race between Jay Fant and Paul Renner  has triggered an automatic recount, so the actual victor won't be announced until later this afternoon (at the earliest). In all likelihood, the results will be reported Thursday.

If you ever feel like your vote doesn't matter, just think about this: if this count holds true then four measly votes could have changed the victor! Some people think that "voting is for suckers" but I think that this race proves that not voting is for suckers.

Not voting is for suckers!


*In my friends defense, I think she was trying to be funny

A/C guys have us hot--and not in a fun way!

Their webpage claims that they are “dedicated to client satisfaction.” Well, from what I’ve experienced, they have no clue what that even means.

Last night, our A/C stopped blowing cold air. We called Kemm Smith (President of A Comfortable EnvironmentHVAC Company), the guy who installed our A/C about a year and a half ago. It was around 8:30 p.m. and it was 83 degrees inside our home. We desperately needed to schedule an appointment!

 

The A/C may not blow, but this company does!

Kemm Said that it sounded like the system was definitely not working right (seeing as though it was hotter inside than it was out, we were inclined to agree).  He told us that he would be over the next morning (8/23/14) between 10:00 and 11:00. He advised us to turn the system off for a couple hours and then see if it works again. We were thinking “Really, the turn it of and turn it back on approach works with HVAC too? Okay, we’ll try it!” He said “If it works, call me in the morning and let me know.”

It did not work.

We lined up every fan that we own to try and keep cool. 

That didn’t work much either.

We were miserable all night; the only thing that got us through was the thought that A Comfortable Environment would be out in the morning. Well, that and the box of popsicles that we devoured!

10 O’clock came and went, as did 11. At 11:45 we decided to call Kemm to make sure he was still coming. When he answered his phone, he was rude and immediately started yelling at my wife. “Why didn’t you call me?” he asked. “Because you said to call you if it started working again…and it’s not working again.” she responded. To which he asked, “What am I supposed to call all of my customers regardless? Well, I’ll have to send someone else (thank god).

Hey Kemm, if this is how you usually treat your customers, don’t worry about calling them because you won’t be in business long enough to have any more customers.

So now I’m hot, in many aspects of the word (not all aspects because I’m not good looking). I’m upset as to how my wife was treated, I look at the thermostat which reads 86° and I get even more hot! I’m actually sticking to my chair as I write this!

There’s a knock at the door. It’s 1:40 and they’re here! I’d dance a jig if I weren’t stuck to my seat…it’s Kemm’s son, “ready” to work on our A/C.

Apparently there’s a low voltage issue so the guy bypassed the control board by wiring straight to the contactor. I asked if he planned on coming back at some point to replace the defective board (which is still under warranty) and he said, “Oh, it can work like that forever.”

That may be, but I’d rather have our system—which is still under warranty—not be rigged “forever.”

[UPDATE]

It’s now 3:30 P.M. and the temperature has actually risen. It’s now 89°!!!

We called Kemm again and surprise…his attitude has not improved. He proceeds to inform us that his son “says that it’s workin’ so it’s workin’.” He then tells us that it’s hot outside today, perhaps the hottest day of the year and that some A/C’s wont even cool to 80°. 

We don’t doubt that, it is hot! Just ask Siri:

But, why would our temp RISE to 89?

He said that he’d send his son back but he’s busy so he doesn’t know when he’d make it back.

So, know we’re waiting in the slow cooker that we call our home to see when someone gets here and what B.S. is fed to us next…

[UPDATE]

He has arrived! It’s now 91° in our home. He spends about an hour outside before even letting us know that he’s here. Then he comes to the door and tells us the he’s sorry but it won’t be fixed until Monday. “There’s a leak somewhere and we’ll be out here first thing Monday morning to find it.”

I ask how bad the leak is. He tells me it’s pretty bad and that he just filled it up. “What was the charge the first time you checked it?” I asked. His reply: “I didn’t check it.”

Wait…. it’s been a while since I worked on A/C’s but isn’t that supposed to be one of the first things you check????? Also, doesn’t that mean that it’s possible that there wasn’t a short in the board and the unit simply wasn’t running because it was low on Freon? Who knows? Although this whole situation has got me thinking: maybe I should be an A/C guy…I can not-fix things just as well as these guys!

I hope that I didn't make a mistake when I talked to the guy, but I felt that it had to be done. He apologized for not checking the Freon the first time and blamed it on the locking caps that they put on when they installed the unit. Apparently he did not have a key to unlock them. I told him that I understand mistakes happen and I'm more upset by how his father spoke to my wife. 
That is just not cool! (Pardon the pun)

So now we have to cook for another day.

It’s now 11:00 A.M. on Monday August 25^th and I’m still waiting for them to show up, call, or something. Maybe I just don’t understand what “First thing” means?

I cannot wait to see what lame excuses are to follow…

Screenshot from company homepage

Starting a Profession in Social Media

In one of my final semesters at the University of North Florida, I took a principles of PR class instructed by Dr. Chunsik Lee.
One of the assignments was to interview an industry professional. While some groups struggled with finding a professional, we knew just the person to call. Thanks to her involvement during “Media Week” at UNF, Heather Smith was immediately identified as the ideal professional to interview.

After a quick call and a promise of coffee (Heather's only weakness is free coffee, especially blueberry!), we were all set for the interview. We met Heather at Starbucks, sat at a table and began the interview.

We gained many valuable insights from Heather, the social media manager for the Dalton Agency. We covered issues like:

• How social media has influenced the PR and Advertising fields
• How to stay up to date in an ever-changing field
• How to build a tolerance for caffeine
• The significance of the dreaded analytic
• The importance of networking
• How to succeed as an intern 

A summary of the interview was presented to our class:
Now that I've completed my degree and seek employment, I know that whatever job I land will be because of Heather.

Heather is a great resource so if you're wanting to go into social media or have any questions related to Advertising/PR/Social Media you can't go wrong by reaching out to her!

Just don't forget to offer coffee!

Click on an icon contact Heather Smith:

Fail-io Weekly attacks the Jaguars

I picked up the most recent copy of Folio Weekly today. The cover of the magazine boasted "19 things we could have done instead of build Shad Kahn's scoreboards."

The article starts off by attacking Shad Kahn, the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, for being wealthy...like that's some sort of crime or something. It went on to suggest that the money should have been spent on needless & overly intrusive things like installing thousands more surveillance cameras around town! They did make mention of some worthwhile projects like the AquaJax aquarium and the USS Adams Museum but most of the article was filled with unnecessary dribble. 

Since Folio Weekly seems to like unnecessary dribble, I invite them to read:

19 Things you could have written about instead of Scoreboards 

1.  Blob Fish
2. Lost Socks
3. Why quality writing is dying
4. Competitive thumb wrestling
5.  Who else wants to punch Justin Beiber? 
6.  Reasons why you pretended to like soccer during the World Cup
7.  Ebola…is it misunderstood?
8.  Proper grass length
9. Your secret crush on Hermoine Granger
10. Is orange really the new black?
11. What’s the new orange?
12. How to start a radio station with just 7 CDs
13.  Why Folio writers want even MORE surveillance cameras in Jax!
14. Why submarine taxi cabs aren’t a viable option…yet
15. Why “helluva” is a suitable replacement for “hell of a.”
16. Why I chose not to move out of my mom’s house
17.  Why Harry Styles is so dreamy…
18.  Did you realize that Mac ‘n Cheese is even better when you put it on a hotdog?
19.  Something interesting. (Just a suggestion)

How to prepare your kids to go back-to-school

The lazy-hazy days of summer are nearing an end,

Which means it’s time for kids to start thinking again!   

Well, I just saw this years’ first back-to-school advertisement. I can’t believe that it’s already time to start talking about back-to-school! Where did the summer go?

Are your kids ready to go back? An even better question is: are they prepared to go back? There is a difference!

Parents who have an active role in their children’s education greatly influence their success, both in-class and beyond. Here are some of my insider tips on how to prepare your kids for success during the upcoming school year:

1: Develop good sleeping habits

The transition from the non-restrictive days of summer to a school-friendly sleep schedule can be quite difficult. According to the National Sleep Foundation, children ages five to twelve need 10-11 hours of sleep every night; older children and teens need 9-10 hours of shut-eye.

It’s best to start “training” for the new school-time sleep schedule about 1 week before school starts. That way your children will be prepared for their day and will be less likely to be cranky!

2:  Eat a healthy Breakfast

It’s a cliché for a reason; a quality breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day and therefore, it actually is the most important meal of the day. Preparing a healthy breakfast every morning may not be as simple as it sounds though, and for some families is downright impossible!

Families on the move still have healthy options. Check into meals that can be prepared in advance or find a healthy grab-and-go option. Whatever you do, experts say that you should never skip breakfast…ever!

3: Check those clothes!

New back-to-school clothes can give kids a much needed confidence boost, but lets be honest…some of the “slightly used” clothes will be just fine.

Go through drawers and closets at least a weak before school starts. Check for fit, wear & tear, and general appearance. Discard outgrown clothes but consider donating them if they’re still in good shape! 

If your child’s school has a dress code, make sure their wardrobe meets the school’s expectations!

4: Plan ahead

To school: Determine how your child will get to school. Will they walk, ride a bike, or take the bus? Once you’ve determined how they will get there, practice. Take a family bike ride to the school, walk to the bus stop or have them drive you to the school (obviously only if they’re old enough, or if they have a really nice ride!)  

This gives everyone an opportunity practice to-school travel at least once!

From School: Sometimes to-and-from-school travel arrangements are different. You should clearly state what will happen, and have them repeat it back to you. If you plan on meeting your child after school, it’s a good idea to meet at a pre-determined location. I always tell my kids “I’ll meet you right here by this giant tree.” Then I ask them “Where will we be meeting?”

Practicing after-school travel is also a great way to make sure everyone knows what to expect.

In an emergency: You never know what may happen, so it’s best to familiarize your child with a few “what-if” situations. Discussing how to react in a situation before it happens can help them prepare for, and react faster, should they experience any  unlikely events.

You should consider giving your kid a cell phone. I know there are a ton of negatives associated with kids and phones, and they should definitely be considered. Is your kid(s) responsible enough to have a cell phone? The truthful answer is: probably not. A lot of adults aren’t responsible enough to have a cell phone!

Thankfully, there are plenty of parental control apps that allow parents to restrict, monitor, or flat-out block certain activities. Each family will have to make this decision for themselves, but for me, I think it’s a no-brainer: If something bad happens, I want my kids to be able to get help.

5: Be honest

Your kid is probably dreading going back to school, and you probably can’t wait to send them back! You’re excited for them to clear the cobwebs out of their brains!

It’s okay to tell them that.

It’s also okay to remind them that they felt the same way at the beginning of the year last year, and by the end of the year they were sad it was over. Remind them of the fun that they’ll have and the friends that they will make.Tell them that you expect them to work hard. You expect them to represent your family well. You expect them to do their best.

And…

When they say that they don’t want to go back to school but they can’t explain why…

Be honest with them. Tell them it’s okay…

You will miss them too!