Beer With Branson
January 1st, 2010My New Year’s resolution is to have a beer with Richard Branson by the end of 2010.
Check out the Web site at www.beerwithbranson.com.
Please, no Christmas presents
November 27th, 2009
Photo by Yours Truly, taken at Diamond Lake, Oregon
After my 50-state tour I have been inspired by the generosity I received across this country and especially here in Michigan, in my hometown of Baraga and the MSU community. But I haven’t acted on it. Since Christmas of 2007 I have wanted to say no to Christmas presents and do something more. It’s time to stop talking and start doing.
This year I’m asking people not to get me any Christmas gifts
However, if you would like to get me something this year, this is what I ask…
Pay it forward. If you know a family in need help them out and buy them some groceries, help them with some housework, and I know you have even better ideas. If you have room in your budget don’t spend it on me.
For anyone who’s interested in joining my efforts I will accept donations to pass on, and take the responsibility that it ends up in the hands of someone with much greater needs. At this point I’m especially looking for a family in need in Baraga County, my home, which is the 3rd highest unemployed county in the nation.
I haven’t decided exactly what I’ll do what, but I want to spread it out. Much like ePIFany Now I hope to do little tasks that can make a huge difference for families in great need. I remember seeing a woman nearly cry when paying for her laundry when I participated. Some potential things…
- Provide a family a nice meal
- Bring hot chocolate to people who are working on Christmas day, such as nurses and to retirement homes
There are people with far greater needs
I’m very fortunate to have all the things I do and have found it increasingly difficult the last few years to ask for more stuff. By no means am I rich, but I’ve got it pretty darn good, and there are people with much greater needs than I have.
Last, but not least, if you know any families in need or having a particularly difficult holiday season please contact me today and let me know.
Bacon bits or croutons?
October 16th, 2009Bugsy’s Gotta Know: Round I
I often ponder deep questions, which got me to thinking of a new category for my blog called “Bugsy’s Gotta Know”. I love me some cobb salad and in a perfect world I would have the pleasure of topping it with both croutons and bacon bits. But what if there was a world where only one of them existed, which would you prefer?
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And chew bubblegum
September 27th, 2009I moved to Lansing May 16, just over four months ago. There are plenty of things I have been missing about living in Marquette, but I knew there were all sorts of things to look forward to while moving to Lansing. And though I have yet to find the best chicken nachos in Lansing, I feel that I’ve done pretty well in the last four months.
Ignite Lansing
Photo courtesy of CaptAngryPants on Flickr
Friday night I had the opportunity speak at Ignite Lansing at the Temple Building in Old Town. It was the best night of my life in two years, hands down. The night that was so great two years ago was the night of September 8, in Chicago, which was my last night outside of Michigan before finishing up my Hometown Invasion Tour.
Think about this, 450 people packed into an old run down club, but the club is now full of production lights, a stage, and the most innovative, creative, and progressive people in Lansing. They all gathered on Friday night to hear ideas, share ideas, give encouragement, and take place in what I thought was the greatest event I’ve ever participated in.
My topic was titled, “How to kick ass and chew bubblegum”. The line was made popular in a 1988 alien thrille movie titled They Live, and then further popularized in the video game Duke Nukem 3d. Basically, all I mean by this is life is about doing.
If you want to do a squirrel blog, go take photos and post them online starting tomorrow. If you want to drink a Guinness in seven continents in seven days, find out who their marketing director is today and I’m sure there is a beer-loving scientist stationed in Antarctica.
Just do it. Make it happen.
That’s no different to how I submitted a topic for Ignite. It was on a whim, I knew nothing about the event. Turns out that it all came together and worked out pretty well.
To have 450 people gathered in a room in that context is what’s going to move this city forward. Every town in the country should be having events like this.
For some guy who’s new to town it was a pretty good way to accomplish some things I have long strived for. Now, hopefully my talk was good enough that they’ll let me speak again, because I just came up with my next one. But I can’t spill the beans yet, so you’ll have to be patient.
Photo courtesy of slaytercreative on Flickr
Photo courtesy of slaytercreative on Flickr
Lansing Breakfast Club
It all started on a whim. A couple of e-mails were shared with Julie, and then Lansing Breakfast Club (the unofficial and unenforced rules, the twitter feed) was started. We had six people the first time and ten weeks later we had 43 people at 7 a.m. on a Wednesday morning. I don’t know what other people think, but that blows my mind.
For some reason I never found the social life I had long desired before moving to Lansing. Since my trip finished it was hard to get established, but it all came together back here in Lansing.
Now nearly 100 different people have showed up, over 200 breakfasts have been served, and low and behold we even got some news coverage from the State News as well…
It just goes along to back up my point that life is about doing. Start a club, start a project, call some friends, and amazing things will happen.
And having my second cousin call me from Oregon to say that he heard me on NPR this morning isn’t so bad either. It was for a piece on the Upper Peninsula that was recorded a few weeks ago. All in all, this was a good weekend.
100+ Lansing Twitter accounts to consider following
August 13th, 2009
I’ve been living in Lansing for three months now. It’s been fantastic. Every day I’m blown away by the people I work with, the people I’ve met, the clients I’ve worked with, and the list goes on. From the Lansing Breakfast Club to the tweetups, it’s been a fantastic experience. Twitter has played a big role with many of the people I’ve met.
Here are my top accounts to follow in the Lansing area. If you have additional ones or don’t see your name, just leave a comment and let me know. And if you don’t know who the heck I am, come say hello, you can always find me on twitter @bugsyrocker.
P.S. Just holla’ at me if you want to be on the list. There’s no formal rules or anything bogus like that. :)
Individual Accounts
@amandabendrey
@ambermshinn
@Andrea_Fischer
@andrea_ness
@aribadler
@beckyjohns
@bendingoutward
@betsyweber
@biggbybob
@BrettKopf
@brockter
@Carlamcw
@courtneycurran
@danieljhogan
@davemccollom
@daveisbell
@designdreams
@elizbattiste
@EmilyWenstrom
@gnaeyaert
@govgranholm
@ideagal
@jeepguymike
@JenniferLHodges
@jjrain
@jlknott
@jmcw
@jmiddlin
@johncherry
@josannasutka
@joshhovey
@jpalnau
@julieburtch
@julielyn
@justnic
@JVan2go
@kaseyincharge
@keeleykerrins
@kinthehouse
@laroncarter
@lauramarie222
@LiaSimcina
@lindseyla
@ljlynch
@mattfrendewey
@michellefink
@MidMichTweetUp
@mieshelimage
@Minicuci
@MiniJ
@monfineis
@msuaajohn
@mwygnal
@nagibenny
@natalie_joy
@NathanTriplett
@nealthea
@nicklucido
@nortman
@p2dahi
@palm1891
@pdonahue
@plumbley
@Probyn
@PureMichigan
@quetwo
@ReinckeN
@robmacomber
@ryandoom
@ryanknott
@sanuzis
@schrinerj
@sdkramer76
@shindiginator
@Spartan_FB
@SpeedCoaching
@ssiewert
@sternerg
@stevepurchase
@SubanNurCooley
@tbarszcz
@tcarah
@teamconcierge
@tshepard
@tstoliker
@vanessamichelle
@vbernero
Businesses & Organizations
@beverlybates
@BWLChiliCookOff
@CityofEL
@CookiesMSU
@fuzzyizmit
@GLFF
@GreaterLansing
@GreatLakesEcho
@HollaAtLansing
@Impression5
@KresgeArtMuseum
@lansingchamber
@LansingPSD
@LEPFA
@liquidweb
@lsjnews
@m3_group
@meijer
@mnaonline
@msu_surplus
@msucatalyst
@msufcu
@msuprssa
@MSUUnion
@OldTownLansing
@paramountcoffee
@RePowerMidMI
@SoupSpoonCafe
@SparrowHealth
@SpartanTweetUp
@thesnews
@The_Watershed
@wilxTV