It's been 2 years since I last featured my favorite bit of Internet text. So it's about time. I came across this on the site Epinions.com just after it launched. It was so amazing to me that I've kept it all these years. Something about it really draws me in and makes me feel. It's a review of an Aprilia scooter by a user named "lacie".

Being 30-something, you can imagine how much I actively try to avoid most of the inner city type of music being played on the radio these days. Don't get me wrong, occasionally something extraordinarily good will rise to the surface and make it onto my playlist.

Long ago there was 2Pac's "California Love", more recently there was Black Eyed Peas "Where is the Love". And yesterday, for the first time, I heard Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls".

Beautiful Girls

It's not something you'd want to listen to again and again, but it's not bad at all. I know nothing about this guy other than my impressions from this song. And those are:

1) That he's a smart guy in that he successfully merges three unique music forms: hip hop, reggae, and rockabilly. He evokes 50s era melodies while remaining firmly rooted in the here and now.

2) He's probably a one-hit wonder.

3) But it's a pretty good hit.

*** update ***

Looks like I'm giving him more credit than he deserves. I just listened to the song again more closely and realize now that he's simply singing over "Stand By Me". How cheap.

Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't... but it ALWAYS smacks of cheapness and flash-in-the-pan popularity. Too bad.

Now this is what I'm talking about.  I love interacting with companies that "get it".  They recognize that experience is key.  Pure, sterile functionality works, but experience makes an impression.  If you've read below, you will know that I recently placed an order for some small pieces of craft wood from an unknown (to me) website: Woodworkers Source.  I figured it would be the standard order process that you would go through anywhere else.  I was pleasantly surprised to receive this wacky email after placing my order:

As promised, this is a happy little automated email to say thank you for your order.  Within 5 business days, my specialized team of intensely trained employees will carefully select, package, and ship your order.  To keep up morale, they take the weekends off; so only the days between Monday and Friday count, but I'll bet you already knew that.  When the order ships, you will receive an email with the UPS Tracking Number and we will have a big celebration.  If I have some questions about the order (such as size requirements, availability, etc.), I will either email or call.

And if you have any questions, reply to this email or call 800-423-2450.  We'll be happy talk with you.  You can also log into your account at our website to view the status of your order.

You'll be pleased to know that all of our UPS lumber shipments get fully wrapped in corrugated cardboard and shrink-wrap for maximum protection.  I suggest having a sharp utility knife ready when the order arrives; it might take some time to unwrap it.

Have a nice day,
Craig Haggarton
Awesome.

Most companies would realize along the way, after building their application... "oh... we need an 'order received' email."  Then they would have someone type up the standard, functional crap.  Woodworkers Source realizes that each email is an actual chance to make an impression with their customer!  Nobody reads newsletters and "specials" emails, but I would bet that everyone reads their order emails.  They want to see that everything is on track.  And then they want their tracking number.

Speaking of tracking numbers, I just received this follow-up email:

Good news, Steven!  Our highly trained and skilled team of 50 employees has - with great care and attention - selected, packaged and shipped your order ##### on this beautiful day, 4/30/2007.

We had a lively celebration afterwards and the whole party marched down the street where the entire city of Phoenix came out, waved 'Bon Voyage!' to your package, and patted the UPS driver on the back.

Local TV stations sent in cameras and reporters who asked, "What does Steven intend to make with this?"  We offered no comment so we wouldn't spoil your surprise.  We do hope to see pictures of what you make so we can have another city-wide celebration.

I hope you had a wonderful time shopping at Woodworkers Source.  We enjoyed every minute of it, and
your picture is on our wall as "Customer of the Year".  We're all
exhausted but can't wait for you to come back to Woodworkers Source!

Your UPS tracking number is: ###
You can track it here: http://link.to.my.tracking.number
Or you can also view your order by logging into your at account at our website.

After you receive your order, we'd love to know what you think:
http://www.woodworkerssource.net/myorder/

Thanks again,

Craig Haggarton and Crew
Woodworkers Source
orders@woodworkerssource.net
800-423-2450
They made such an impression with these emails that I wouldn't hesitate to order again or recommend them.  And I haven't even seen the product yet!  And here I am blogging about customer service emails.  See what a little creativity and a sense of fun can get you?

 

And it's true too.  Awesome place that no longer exists.  I found a match box the other day though and decided to scan it for posterity.  Kahiki was in Columbus, OH and you can find out more about it by clicking here <-- old skool link!

View the video tour!

I'm not a fruit eater.  It's not that I don't like fruit because I do.  But there are a couple of compounded reasons why I don't prefer to eat fruit:

• I tend to avoid foods that require removal of sections that you can't consume.  Example: skinless chicken breasts instead of chicken on the bone.  Obviously, fruits fit this category.  I'll eat grapes and bananas because it's easy to remove the inedible parts.  Oranges though, are a pain.
  
• I appear to be allergic to certain fruits.  My throat will itch like crazy.  Not sure if it's the skin or what.  Fresh peaches are a killer.  Cherries can hurt.  Even apples will often cause irritation.
• I like food that is fairly uniform.  Fruit always tends to have areas that are bruised, broken, or whatever.  This ultimately refers back to the point about separating edible from inedible.

Holy crap!  LogMeIn rules the planet.  If you ever need to gain remote access to a computer, look no further.  LogMeIn offers FREE remote access that simply works.  And I mean WORKS!  It powers through routers and firewalls like Ripley through a legion of aliens.  Game over, man.

When big P first introduced me to LogMeIn, I didn't pay much attention.  I have a number of computers to maintain remotely, and I had previously set them up with not only Windows built in Remote Desktop, but also Ultr@VNC as a remote access failsafe.  I didn't need another remote access option.  But then I realized that LogMeIn is giving away remote access account for FREE.  Hmmm... I'll check it out.

Check it out I did!  Not only does it work beyond all expectations, but it is pretty fast as well.  And, of course, it is accessible from any computer on the planet.  Ultr@VNC and Remote Desktop both require client software.

So now I don't know what to do.  Should I uninstall VNC from all of my computers?  I'm not sure.  LogMeIn Free offers remote access only... no file transfer or other options.  The Pro version gives you File Transfer plus a host of other options.  From what I've seen so far, the Pro version is well worth the annual fee.

There is another option in the form of GoToMyPC.com.  These guys have been marketing HEAVILY in order to gain market share before LogMeIn completely destroys them.  If I had to buy stock in one company or the other, I would purchase boat-loads for LogMeIn.  They will easily win the web-based remote access wars.

Woot.com continues to amaze.  Today's Ironman GPS watch song takes the sole position that I have reserved in my heart for "My Favorite Woot Podcast Song".

If you can't find the Podcast on Woot, you can try clicking here, though I don't recommend it.

This just popped up on Ooine.com today as a Google Ad.

Is there no end to Woot.com's incredible sense of humor?  This company needs to get recognized as the freshest, most unique experiment at marketing and selling on the Internet.

And I haven't even yet reported on the awesome daily MP3 that accompanies each new item.  A full-length, funny, cleverly constructed ode to that day's Woot product.  Can a greatest hits album be in the works?  Surely there is already enough material for a multi-volume set.  (My favorite so far is the ode to the Teeny Lamborghini)

Each Woot-day requires an incredible outpouring of creativity.  Will they eventually dry up?  I hope not.

The SNL Digital Shorts are quickly becoming the best part of that show.  Big E pointed me towards the new Natalie Portman digital short.  While it's no Lazy Sunday, it is still far superior than the usual SNL crap.

The only way Natalie could have pulled this off (which she did) was to go at it with full force... not to hold back at all.  If it were me, I'd have to admit that it would scare me a little.  Taken the wrong way, it seems like something like this could easily become a career blemish.  It's got to be so over-the-top and realistic that it can't possibly be taken seriously.  She's brave for tackling this project and I think she did a great job.


[Update]

NBC is being completely idiotic when it comes their SNL Digital Shorts.  They have created what some people call "the most virulent videos to hit the Internet in a long, long time", yet they are doing all they can to stop the spread.  Absolutely nuts.  These videos are generating huge buzz around Saturday Night Live, a show that we all know mostly sucks.  And NBC is actively trying to stop this.  Retarded.

Apparently anyone who hosts these videos gets a nasty email from NBC.  They are gone from YouTube.com and Google Videos.  The only place you can see these videos now is on iTunes ($2) or the NBC.com Screening Room.

Cheapskates go here to watch these videos:

NBC Screening Room > Late Night > Saturday Night Live

Way to go NBC!  You are actively spending money to kill Internet buzz... something that other companies would pay dearly for.

This video (external link) is making the Internet rounds... which apparently is not sitting well with the creators.  Anywho, it is an extremely well done comedy video surrounding the tradition and technique for eating sushi.  If you have an interest in Japanese humor/culture, it will be even funnier.

Thanks to [BillServo] for this one.

Here's another link in case the one above is no longer valid.