Love Meerkats and Marketing?

July 1, 2009 | Comments

I’ve been talking a lot about it on Twitter and Facebook so I’m sure you’ve heard me gushing, but I’m super excited to announce my participation in the first annual Schipul Web Marketing Conference…. or as we Schipulites like to call it: SchipulCon09.

Since my bartending college days, throwing a great party has been my specialty so you can bet SchipulCon09 is going to be one. It’s this October 15 & 16 and yes…. we’re taking over the Houston Zoo!! In case you missed it yesterday, we announced that our keynote is going to be the lovely Deirdre Breakenridge but rest-assured that is not all the awesome-ness we have coming your way!! Over the next month, we’ll be making speaker announcements and rolling out some fun agenda items so watch the Schipul Blog or follow us on twitter for deets!

Who should you come to SchipulCon09?

  1. Interested in Social Media? We’ll be breaking it down.
  2. Consider yourself a super online Marketer? Let’s swap knowledge.
  3. Want to converse with your audience or members? We’ll show you how.
  4. Got a blog and don’t know what to do with it? Let’s talk.
  5. Still don’t know what this twitter thing is? Come on!
  6. Looking for a chance to Network and tell your story? Then we want you.

Right now we offering a super special registration rate that you don’t want to miss! For 49 bucks you get a two day pass to SchipulCon + all the fun we’ve got planned. Why wait?

And come on. You can’t tell this little guy no…. Can you?

Posted in Conferences, Houston Events, People I Love, Public Speaking, Schipul, Social Media |

Moonwalking with my Father

June 26, 2009 | Comments

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite things to do was stay up late and watch TV with my Dad. We would sit on the couch in companionable silence together and I reveled in playing “big girl” while Mom put my little sister to bed.

Music was a big part of my childhood and I LOVED Michael Jackson. When it was announced that MTV would be doing a “Michael Marathon” the week prior to the world premier of “Scream” I channeled my inner puppy dog eyes and BEGGED to play “big girl”…. and I got my wish. For an entire week Daddy and I sat in front of the TV and watched interview after video after interview of Michael. Dad taught me how to set up our tape recorder and with my allowance I bought enough video tapes to record the ENTIRE week, beginning to end.

The only time I was away from MTV and my dad was when I had to tear myself away to go to school in the morning (or if he caught me asleep in middle of the night and carried me upstairs). When class let out, I would get dropped off at my bus stop and RACE back inside to make sure Dad had been changing the tapes diligently throughout the day. I needn’t of worried, he always had. He’s promised right?

The evening of the “Scream” premier arrived and there we sat, him a bear of a man and me a tiny little thing, on the floor in the living room with a bowl of popcorn between us. As the video rolled, Dad and I held hands. This is one of the most colorful memories I have of my father. I was young enough then that the angry adolescent Maggie hadn’t reared her head yet and just old enough that I think for the first time I could call my Daddy “my friend” which is a special thing to a little girl.

I miss my Father every day, but some days more acutely than others. Last Sunday was Father’s Day, which always rocks me…. but the death of Michael makes this week even harder (which I didn’t think was really possible). Michael was always “Ours,” Dad and I. With this icon’s passing, I feel like I’ve lost one more of the beautiful silver threads I hold that reach to memories of my Dad. Michael was supposed to be the one of us that lived and danced forever.

No matter the noise and the controversy surrounding Michael’s death, I choose to still see him as he once was. He was a man so full of joy that it could not be contained and a man so influential the world screamed his name; but most importantly to me, Michael was the person my daddy and his little girl could boogie dance to…. Even if Dad never could get the moonwalk quite right. For this reason, Michael will always be remembered fondly and with a smile.

Life is a little quieter today…. and a little less bright, now that Michael is gone.

Posted in Family |

Memory Lane: Barstool Magazine Style

June 23, 2009 | Comments

Time flies when you’re having fun! I was going through and backing up old files on my college laptop (while listening to the music saved there and reminicing) and I stumbled across the very first article I wrote for Barstool Magazine Houston.

Can’t believe I’ve been writing for them for almost two and a half years now!!Thanks Monica :)

In commemoration, I though I would re-post my sweetly snarky, first every Barstool Magazine Column here (with a photo of the cover of course!). It’s funny to read and see what’s changed in Houston…. and what has stayed the same. ToC Bar anyone?!

2007 seems to be flying by and it’s only February. Lucky for you scenesters the bar scene hasn’t lost momentum either. With everything from a beaucoup of new wine bars to killer hotel bars, this year’s shaping up nicely.

For a little Dionysian worship, The Tasting Room’s newest edition at West Alabama and Kirby proves once again they still got it flowing on. Saturday afternoons proves to be a great time to have a glass or two… or 12 if you really want to make Bacchus proud.

Barstool can’t go anywhere without hearing about Max’s Wine Dive on Washington. This dive puts the smack down on other wine bars and proves the owners of the Tasting Room know what wine drinkers want. Where else can you order a set of the hot, steamy, succulent “Chef’s Big Balls” with a glass of bubbly? Watch out Midtown, Washington Corridor is the newest player stepping up.

Midtown may have been THE place to be scene for the last few years, but Downtown is back with a vengeance. “Can’t nobody hold me down!” ROC Bar’s leading the Bayou Place rejuvenation and Mosaic is taking their lead. But ever wonder what happened to ToC Bar? They’re about to re-launch, and this time for a younger crowd. Guys, make sure you check out “showstopper’s” ID if you’re going to buy her a drink… especially if you plan on taking her home to do some after horizontal dancing late night; they’re open 18 and up on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Barstool LOVES hotel bars; classy décor, dark little nooks everywhere… and a bed right down the hall? Sign us up! We’re hype about the new Monarch Bar opening in Hotel ZaZa, especially if it’s anything like the Dallas location. Word on the street is this massive opening has already been pushed back once, and we’re praying to our party gods that it won’t be delayed again.

And there you have it!

Posted in Barstool Magazine, Houston Events |

Can I get some Cheese with that Israeli Wine?

June 10, 2009 | Comments

IsraeliWine and MagsMac

I consider myself very lucky to have met a lot of amazing people through Social Media…. I have forged some really awesome friendships that transcend Social Networking Sites and make “real life” so much more entertaining.

One of those people is Richard Shaffer…. no one else can Direct Message twitter debates about the benefits of Boxed Wine (you can recycle the box) quite like he can.

And if you know me, you know I feel pretty passionate about how awesome box wine is: but my wine allegiance may be about to change and Angel Juice better watch it’s back!!

Why? Richard is Mr. Israeli Wine himself and he is on his way to Houston to showcase his wares. Until recently, Israel had only been able to export a few of their fine wines due to limited quantity. But that is all about to change… Join The Government of Israel’s Economic Office & Richard Monday the 15th as they take over the Reserve Room at the Tasting Room in Uptown Park to help kick off the launch of Israeli Wines in the US.

Houston restaurants have been stocking up on these wines for months in order to give you a taste of Israel and you better be ready! On Monday, it’s Richard’s job to stuff your brain with knowledge about these fine wines so when our restaurants start rolling them out, you can look like a super sommelier to all of your friends.

And did I mention Richard funny??

If that isn’t enough reason to be there, here are two more:

  1. It’s only 15 bucks and it’s a recession y’all!
  2. WWJD? (What Would Jesus Drink?)

Posted in Houston Events, People I Love, Social Media, Wine |

Channeling my Inner Army Chick

May 18, 2009 | Comments

On December 13, 2002 I joined the Army Reserves. Swearing in was one of the most amazing and important decisions I have ever made.

I often get asked why I decided to join the Army and I think my answer is fairly simple. I wanted to be a part of something greater than I am. I wanted to be pushed to my limits and I wanted to do something good for my country.

Let’s fast forward seven years….

I am now the Public Relations and Operations gal at a great company. I have some really amazing friends and random activities that further complete. But all of this has not stopped be from getting worried and often second guessing myself. Do I want to be blogging? Do I tweet to much? Crowds make me nervous…. do I have to do this speaking gig? Am I really doing everything right?

I am not really sure where this fear comes from or why it even started. Maybe the societal pressure to please everyone? I have been freelance writing for Barstool Magazine for YEARS and writing there has never made me nervous at all but for some reason starting this blog was very hard for me. Maybe it is the comments section at the end that would allow people to say to my face what they really thought about my article rather than just mentioning how much it sucked while they flipped pages.

Overcoming

Recently I was reunited with of my old friends from Basic Training and while talking to him about some of these fears, he reminded me that the most important thing in life is for me to be me.

“Maggie you are passionate and strong. People love you for who you are. You don’t need to be anything else and you don’t need to be afraid. You just need to be you. “

This is the man who picked me up when I fell, who pushed me to run harder and faster and who was not surprised when our Drill Sergeants put me in charge of a platoon. He has been on tour in Iraq not once, but twice. He is one of the strongest men I know. I greatly admire him and his respect means a lot to me, so I’ve been thinking a lot about what he had to say.

Am I really being me?

The answer is irrevocably yes. There are certain things I’ve wanted with my life, goals I have set, and I have accomplished those goals and more. So where does my fear come from? Why am I second guessing myself with every blog post? It comes from an obvious lack of confidence in myself.

Starting today, I am going to do everything in my power to channel my “Inner Army Chick” again because I know she is there. I miss the Maggie that could run for hours and who had a quiet confidence that was unwavering. I miss the girl that was terrified of change but who threw all of those fears out of the window to join the Army. I want the Maggie who would charge head first through a bayonet course screaming at the top of her lungs because a Drill Sergeant told her to and who didn’t flinch when this same Drill Sergeant took away her Herbal Essence because it was too “girly.” This girl could climb any obstacle (and did) and “fear” was not a part of her vocabulary.

So which inner “you” should you channel?

My advice is this: find that inner “Confident You” to channel when you start to feel afraid and get channeling WHOMEVER that “Inner You” happens to be. Whether she is your Inner Army chick, your Inner Ninja or your Inner Goddess, I guarantee she is there. She is strong and confident and smart and just waiting for you to tap into her beauty.

I promise that from now on, I will always Channel my Inner Army Chick and I will do so unabashedly.

But what does this look like?

  1. I’m going to blog, without fail, once a week. Like anything in life, to be good at something you have to practice. I love writing and I need to do more of it. I only get to flex my creative muscles so much writing about the new Houston “it” bar for barstool!
  2. It’s back to a 100 books a week for me! I am a voracious reader. I have been in a bit of a slump and it’s time to get back to reading every night!
  3. Army body here I come. I truly believe (and so does this guy) that your brain can only be as fit as your body. I’ve been back to running 25 miles a week for a month now and I feel great. I’m thinking really hard about doing the Peak Condition Project but we will see. I know Gwen loves it!
  4. I’m going skydiving. This is where the fearless part comes in!

Posted in Army, Awesome Books, Conferences, People I Love, Public Speaking, Schipul |

It’s the First of May which Means the Indie Biz Chicks Conference is Only a Week Away! Join me?

May 1, 2009 | Comments

Heyo! I cannot believe it is already May 1!! This year has flown by in a series of amazing events and opportunities and people. Mostly People. Yep…. Most DEFINITELY People.

And luckily I’ve got another opportunity to teach and to connect with some amazing people coming again soon!

The Indie Biz Chicks Conference is on May 6 and 7. Won’t you join me?

I’m speaking on Wednesday, May 6 at 1 pm EST. You’ll get more info on how to connect when you register!

Speakers include Gwen Bell, the Ladies of Handmade Detroit,  Jenny Hart. Topics will cover everything from Maximizing Social Media for Your Event to how to coordinate and AMAZING Craft Show. If you’re an Indie Chick (in your spare time or ALL the time) looking for a little advice and direction, this conference is the place for you.

Best part about it? Dressing to impress means attending in your yoga suit :)


Posted in Conferences, People I Love, Personal Branding, Public Speaking, Social Media |

Holly Hoyt’s Amazing Photographs…. Viewed through a Carnival Lense

April 21, 2009 | Comments

Holly Hoyt is an amazing photographer.

So when she asked one night if David and I would like to accompany her to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo so she could do a practice Carnival photo shoot, I jumped at the chance (after she promised me I could have a corn dog…. of course).

From the many amazing photos she captured that night, Holly created the following two collages. In them I see a couple of all too willing partners in crime and one very handsome prince charming. Thank you for finding us in the middle of all those amazing lights Holly.

Posted in Family, Houston Events, People I Love, Photography |

January/February in Review: Mom2 + Monica + a whole lotta Kirtsy and a little bit of Boulder

March 12, 2009 | Comments

Whew! The last two months have been crazy, wonderful and beautiful all at once. I believe the last time I sat still for any length of time was when I went to see Eurydice…. and wasn’t New Year’s Eve like ten minutes ago?! I don’t want forget a bit of the amazingness and glitter that consumed January and February so without further ado…. a couple months in review!

An open conversation between Moms & Marketers

Mid-January I realized I hadn’t seen Monica in a while as she was super busy planning the Mom 2.0 Summit (and all of the other things she does). So like any annoying, over-helpful little sister, I announced I was coming over one Saturday “to help” and that there would be no argument. Monica didn’t take my threat lightly. When I arrived she had a to-do list as long as my arm ready for me to dive into. And dive I did! I mean…. why not? Some of my favorite women in the world, the Kirtsy chicks, were involved so I was grateful and delighted to be a part of the project.

The next couple of weeks were jam packed with budgers budgets, the matrix, schwag bags and rock band. I spent far more time with Monica and with her co-planner, Amber, than I had bargained for and I absolutely loved every moment of it. I learned more from those two ladies about event planning than I ever did during my River Oaks wedding planning days! I even manged to convince one of my favorite graphic designers and SEO gurus, Matthew, to come to Houston and be a part of our SEO panel. He was the icing on my Mom2 cake!

I was the VIP/PR liaison and so it was with sleepy elation and a tummy full of butterflies (and a new dress to bolster my courage!) that I greeted the morning of the Mom2 kick off. I would be picking up Matthew and then Guy Kawasaki at the airport. Everything with Matthew went amazingly well but Guy’s pickup was a different story.

I was 15 minutes early to the airport and was able to snag a parking spot right in front of the terminal. There was no way Guy was going to slip past me! 15 minutes after Guy’s plane was supposed to land I picked up my phone to shoot him a text…. and realized the ol’ Blackberry was dead. Of course. An hour and a half later there was still no Guy. I was fully convinced that I had lost the Mom2 keynote speaker somewhere at Bush Intercontinental Airport and that the Kirtsy girls were going to strangle me. Too afraid to venture far from my big red truck (which Guy knew to look for) to find a payphone lest I miss him, I befriended a security guard with a phone. Dear Sterling (the guard) called the airport for me and we determined that Guy’s flight was WAY delayed. Thank God.

Thirty minutes later I had Guy in my possession and any nervousness I may have felt about a long truck ride with THE Guy Kawasaki was quickly replaced with a sense of calm when he climbed into my truck and said “I thought your truck was going to be way bigger! This isn’t that big!” Anyone who talks smack immediately upon meeting a Texas Gal who drives a big truck is beyond brave and okay in my book…. and they are DEFINITELY open game for return sarcasm. Next time I see Guy, my truck is going to be so jacked up, he’s going to need a ladder to get in.

Three days later…. the conference was over. The final panel was surreal; how could the conference already be over? Mom2 flew by in a series of amazing conversations, laughter filled presentations and one amazing concert. My evenings were spent with some truly amazing women and a couple of great guys. TONS of irreplaceable advice was received. In my opinion, Mom2 was beyond successful.

Have I mentioned yet how truly happy I am to have been a part of something so amazing?

work, work, #SEOchats and more work

Gwen Bell’s wedding was coming up and I swore I would not be taking my laptop, so I needed to bury myself in work…. the next week and a half flew by even faster than the conference had! Schipul was as amazing as it always is AND I got to participate in the first ever #SEOchat with the 5 Minutes for Mom ladies, Seth Jenks and Gwendolyn. I learned a ton from Seth and Susan! I don’t write about Macaroni, but SO many people stumble upon my blog by searching for Mac ‘n’ Cheese! Seth says it’s all in the URL baby. Who knew? If you missed the #SEOchat, don’t worry! You can listen to the podcast on Susan and Janice’s blog or search #SEOchat on twitter search.

The first chat was such a success, we’ve scheduled another one for March 16! This one is going to focus on Kyword Research. The whole series of chats are geared toward beginners so don’t be timid. Join us! And ask lots of questions. There are only 96 slots for the call so you better get in on the action early! Gwen is on her honeymoon so I’ll be moderating this one…. and things may get interesting. Don’t tell Seth.

Wedding bells and cheesy wonderful tweets

Last weekend I went to Boulder with Monica for Gwen and Joel’s wedding. We rented a house with Laurie, Laura and Gabby and I could not effin WAIT to land. How could a trip with the Kirtsy girls + Cosmopolitician NOT be a blast? Monica and I arrived at the house first and we quickly claimed the upstairs room (the kid’s room, as it came to be called) mostly because of the HUGE bathtub. What can I say. We find happiness in the little things.

Reuniting with Gwen at her “rehearsal dinner” was of course the highlight of the trip. Yes, I had just seen her at Mom2, but I sometimes think Gwen holds a little bit of my heart…. all the time. I miss her when we are apart! It was also awesome to finally meet this Joel I’d been hearing so much about :)

The next morning was a blast. We met at The Cup for coffee and breakfast (because Monica LOVES coffee) and then we girls were off to do girly things…. You know the drill. Hair, nails and gossip. And the nail place Gwen chose was the perfect venue for these things to take place. I mean, right on the wall at ten20 it says “A Place Where TV Gossip Is Forever Embraced. Diet Coke and M&Ms Are Always In Stock. A Place Where Havaianas Are The Dress Code. Laughing is Strictly Enforced. A Place Where Super-Sanitation is Super-Important. White Robes Stay at the Toga Party. A Place Where Hairlessness Is Fashionable.” I bed the ladies who opened the place love Perez Hilton!

The wedding was was truly truly amazing. It was warm enough in Boulder that we got to move it outside and I totally cried when Gwen and Joel read their vows. I think Jenny Slade summed it up best in her tweet “If you ever wondered whether digital and sacred could co-exist, @gwenbell + @jlongtine are proof possible.”

After Joel whisked Gwen off to Mexico for their honeymoon, Monica and I decided a trip to Estes Park was necessary. We packed it up with Gwen’s rocking wedding photographer, Holly, and her husband and headed up the mountain. What followed was beyond hilarious. We ate some steak, then visited the Stanley Hotel (THE SHINING!), I tried to convince Monica to let me pet some Elk, she said no, and then we played in some snow. I have to say; making a snow angel in minimal cold weather gear may be hilarious but is never a good idea. See this video if you don’t believe me.

Leaving Boulder was sad. I’d felt like I was in the little Kirtsy bubble in the Mountains. But is was good to be heading home. I missed my David.

So what’s next????

Tomorrow I leave for SXSW with a few other Schipulites. Brandi, David and Fayza will be riding with me so I’m sure the drive will be almost as fun as the concert itself. Besides all the rocking panels, I’m most excited about the is the “Girl/Guy” party on Sunday night…. Girls gone SXSW! It’s sponsored by my Kirtsy girls and Alltop so I’ll be getting a second chance to traumatize Guy and he’ll be getting another oppotunity to talk smack about my truck. The RSVP list is full so if you want an invite, you are going to have to hit up Monica, Laura, Amber or I for a bandana. That’s the only way in!!

And then what is Monday the 16th? The #SEOchat that you will all be on! 7 pm. I’ll “see” you there!

After re-reading this post I see two recurring themes. Monica and Kirtsy…. And I cannot think of any two themes I’d rather have.

Posted in Family, Houston Events, Kirtsy, Mom2Summit, Perez Hilton, SXSW 2009, twitter |

A tale of Love Letters, a Beautiful Girl named Eurydice, and Daddy’s Little Girl

February 13, 2009 | Comments

Once upon a time…. There was a little girl and there was her Father.

You know those memories that are locked away, you think maybe forever, somewhere deep in the back of your mind? Every so often you will be doing something mundane…. tying your shoe, picking up a sweater, running in a field…. and one of those memories will surface from their fuzzy dreamlike state with a clarity that is most shocking. But sadly, that intense clarity usually only lasts for a short while. These tiny accidental moments of clarity are something I have come to cherish because since my father passed away, because those are all I have left of him.

This post has been a week and a half in the making. I have turned it over 100 times in my mind and wondered if written words could even give my thoughts justice. But written words have prevailed because of how tricky memories can be. I do not want to forget Eurydice or the things that came with her to me with her tale.

Last week I was given a very special gift in the form of memory in the most unlikeliest of ways. Sitting in a dark theater, I was handed a love letter from my father.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Awesome Books, Family, Houston Events, Hurricane Ike, People I Love, Theatre, Thirsty Thespian Corner |

The Chron.com Gets a Little Cheesier Today

January 23, 2009 | Comments

As a Houston native and purely southern gal at heart, I was pleased totally freakin’ ecstatic to find my cheesy little blog featured on the Houston Chron.com’s opinion page this morning. So what if all the other blogs are somewhat serious and mature and my blog title includes the words “Magic Dust” and declares my love for Malcolm Gladwell in skinny jeans? I’m pumped.

I love talking about all things Public Relations and Social Media related so while you’re here, check out some of my other posts! A few of my favorites are:

  1. Personal Branding Cat Got Your Tongue?
  2. Internet Speak Parts One and Two
  3. On Social Media and Friends

So again, welcome to Mags Mac ‘n’ Cheese! I hope you enjoy it. Leave comments and suggestions but most importantly… enjoy the cheese!

Posted in Uncategorized |

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