March 5th Massacre

The following is an email from my sister we received this morning. Britta is looking after her two dogs by herself while her husband, who's also a pilot in the Navy, is abroad... enjoy...


Monroe (left) carried on and ended all at once a long standing Bengtson dog tradition this morning.

He, as had dogs past, sunk his teeth into my childhood teddy bear. But instead of tearing off an eye, or single limb and leaving the remains for dogs to come, he de-bowled my sweet teddy.

His innards were strewn throughout the house requiring me to vacuum prior to leaving for work. The bear was almost unrecognizable except for the 3 different pieces of the bear's fur that lay lifeless on opposite sides of the room. Unfortunately that wasn't enough...

After the horrid massacre I returned upstairs to finish getting ready for work and he somehow found another smaller bear. I found Monroe throwing said bear's head in the air and chasing it around. Betty (right) had the body and was very proud to show me that she, too, could de-bowl an innocent bear.

These monsters should be caged! (really!!)

Partnership Activation: Sports Marketing "Think Tank"

Anyone who is interested in sports marketing & promotions needs to know about Partnership Activation. Founded by avid sports marketer Brian Gainor of GMR Marketing the site has been used as a means to provide sports business professionals with consultation of industry best practices and innovative sponsorship/marketing concepts.

I got to know Brian through a mutual connection at the Carolina Panthers and it has certainly been a blessing having him as a resource and friend. Brian was nice enough to share his Charlotte network with me and is directly responsible for the success I have had thus far at Davidson College in the athletics department.

Although I was sad to see him leave the QC I am pleased to share that he is quickly climbing up the ladder at GMR. A little over a week ago he was offered a more prominent role in the company and relocated to their headquarters in Milwaukee, WI.

Brian is one of those rare people in life who will go the extra mile to help. Brian and others like him offer us "under-employed" a shred of sanity that is becoming harder and harder to sustain. It is a daily battle for us recent grads that do not have a full time position and thanks to Brian's encouragement I have been able to keep doing the right things and maintain a positive attitude.

A very special thank you goes out to Brian for his help, advice and genuine desire to help. I wish you all the success in the world and hope to see you soon.

Cheers BG!

Soundtrack to Our Lives

I just finished reading this article that has the Top 10 Most Downloaded Songs on iTunes of All Time list and was a bit bewildered to find out that The Black Eyed Peas had two in the top three and Lady GaGa had two in the top six... Since 2001... Really?

It makes sense because the songs "I Got a Feeling", "Poker Face" and others on the list were more recent releases. Obviously more people are using iTunes now than when Kelly Clarkson sang "Since You've Been Gone." It's clear that tomorrow there will be more iTunes users than today downloading and itching to "Just Dance." Naturally, that means more ipods and other peripheral purchases per person- much to Mr. Mac's delight.

A topic I have meant to blog about for some time now arises from this "Podenomenon"...



A few years back I thought about pitching an advertising campaign to Apple along the lines of "iPod: The Soundtrack to Your Life." I thought of a few different variations of commercials where people from all walks of life entering various "defining life moments" listening to their iPod -- a Coldplay or U2 song most likely-- and being successful... only because they had their iPod to get them ready for the moment (similar this Amp commercial)

Seems almost too obvious now... Go to any public place and I bet you cant go more than five minutes without seeing someone with white stings swinging from their bobbing head.

What was Shaun White doing right before he dropped in on one of his Olympic runs? Yup, he was plugged into his iPod probably listening to AC/DC or Guns N' Roses.

For pregame warmups in sports the iPod presence remains permanent- And why not? I know I take mine everywhere.

Hell, I am writing this right now with my iTunes on the background
(Nowplaying: Tea Leaf Green u Nosey Nancy!)

I certainly work out harder when I have my gym playist on w/Eminem calling me a bitch and beats that make reps and controlled breathing easier from Lil Wayne. I always seem to fall asleep quicker when my "Sleepin" playlist shuffles selections from Slightly Stoopid & Jack Johnson. The work day never seems to be over until "It's 5 O'clock Somewhere" starts. Shoot, would even know what we were working for if it weren't for Loverboy?

Music is great! It always has been and will never feel like I have had enough. New music is like having the hottest toy of the year... and the iPod allows everyday to be show and tell.

(Citizen Cope- Salvation)

But back to the the public place part of the "Podenomenon" and the part that concerns me... If everyone is plugged in does that reduce the need to reach out and talk to our fellow man? Are we going to miss out on organic opportunities for love, friendship, etc?

Now I know you choose listening to Taylor Swift's "Our Song" for the 400th time over trying to manufacture your own "meet-cute" with the goodlooking guy you see on the bus every morning because it's the safe choice for your self esteem versus being told he already has a girlfriend or isn't interested. But is that really what you want or is it just another excuse?

I wonder what those people who believe in "Fate" think of iPods... You missed your window of opportunity with the guy because you needed to "turn it up, it's my fav part!"

So much for your happy ending... But he had his iPod on too...
And there's always tomorrow, right?

(Dave Matthews Band-Pig)

The term "My Music" is taken very literally now... You don't even have to buy the whole album now which makes making a mixtape for a girl even more daunting a task, but really who does that anymore? You don't even have to put it on a CD anymore... just gift your gal one!

You can create a playlist for just about every activity in life and it doesn't even take that long. Drag, Drop and Dip as you DJ your day...

Again, I am one of many enjoying another modern luxury we didn't use to have. I swear I cook better when I have Pavarotti playing.

Base it on whatever you like- weather, mood, activity whatever you want. Sooner or later you begin to associate the song more with your life's events than the artist who creates it.

Now it's really "My Music"

(Kanye West-Livin' in a Movie) <-- haha iRonic... FYI shuffle on 41 GBs of music

Ok so maybe the demise of human interaction due to the iPod isn't something we need to worry about...I know it's not that tough to yank an earplug outta your head and jump into whatever situation that presents itself but there has to be a trade off. Kind of like that if a tree falls and no one hears it riddle there are things that are going to go unnoticed.

As much as I love to talk to everyone and anyone pretty much at any time anywhere, I do love "My Music." Honestly, some activities are borderline enhanced by music! I definitely make more shots when I ball to Public Enemy-He Got Game. I get a better all around workout when I have Jay-Z- On to the Next One playing. I certainly run farther when all I hear is Jackson Browne signing Running on Emptyyyyyyy....

So I guess I'm torn...I suppose I run the risk of missing things here and there if I am plugged in.

Then again, I've never been much of a "it happened because of fate" guy anyway. If I'm in the right place at the right time, I know it... and most of the time it's because I planned on being there.

I suppose I will just try to remain opportunistic... with a soundtrack.

(The Helio Sequence- Can't Say No)