MamaBlogga

Today was Hayden’s nine month doctor appointment. Here are his latest vital stats:

• 18 pounds, 4 ounces (15th percentile)
• 29 inches long (75th percentile)
• 46 centimeter head circumference (75th percentile)

So, as the doctor (or was it a nurse?) said, “He’s never been a big guy,” and this time’s no different. He’s long and skinny, and everything seems to be going very well—except for sleeping and eating solids. The doctor gave us some advice, but so far Hayden’s been stubborn (yes, just tonight).

Other news:

• I did not win the grand prize in the SEM Scholarship Contest. I did tie for second with two judges’ votes which is more than I’d expected! Here’s what one of them said: “Jordan’s is instructive and focused on where SEO techniques can be expanded on to bring long term value by becoming more intimately involved with the design of a site itself.”
• Today at my work meeting, we learned that November is “NaNoWriMo“: National Novel Writing Month. One of the writers challenged the writing team to each churn out a 50,000 word novel in the 20 remaining days in the month. That’s 2500 words a day now. I’ve taken the challenge. I have 281 words so far, including about 25 of a plot sketch. Check my progress. No guarantees, though, since we’re going to be on a trip (not a vacation; moms don’t get those!) to my parents’ for two weeks, we’ll just have to see. I’ll give it a shot. Eesh…

Onward, ever onward, to the next nightwaking we go.

Hooray! I won! Thank you for all your help! I win two books (well, three if you count the one that I won from eComXpo) and am entered into the final four to be judged on merit. I don’t expect to win (I think week one’s winner was very good and there are a few good entries this week), but I’m just excited. I got 633 unique views—I think that’s my lucky number. It was the time that Ryan was born (PM) and it was my house number when I met Ryan. Plus, I only won by 3, so thanks to everyone that visited my article. I’ll get those links all over the page down ASAP.

Hayden’s excited for me, too (you need to watch this more than once to get it to work right):

Yesterday he learned to clap! I was able to catch the tail end of his third attempt. He seems to like it—it’s making noise!

Finally, I think you should go to Google if you’re “White & Nerdy” and a fan of Weird Al. He’s back—with a vengeance. Sadly, my conscience says I can’t link to it since there are like 1 or 2 inappropriate parts. But you can find it yourself.

It’s a parody of “Ridin’” by Chamillionaire. Reminds me of the time I asked Hayden how he wanted to ride (ie backpack or frontpack). I looked at my pasty white baby and immediately knew the right answer, “Mama, I wanna ride till I die.”

Maybe that part’s only funny to people who really did grow up (in but not of the) gangsta.

Last week I had a great work week. Here are some of the kind things people said to me:

• I have to be honest and say that this article is amazing.  From start to finish it read clear as crystal and was entertaining to boot!  You also demonstrated your insights without confusing the reader which to me is worth its “weight” in gold. Jordan, you really should look into writing freelance style for ClickZ or other SEO “informationals.”  Send them this article and see what they think.  Anyways, you’ve definitely got my O.K.

• Nice job, Jordan.  It's about time someone highlighted this concept to the rest of the industry.
  

• Thanks for the heads up, I know that you keep up to date on the SEO world, your opinion is valued.

• I'd really like to know what [RSS] feeds you subscribe to and what aggregator you use or just how you manage to scan all those things. I heard you telling someone here at [work] one time that you subscribe to like a bazillion of them? :o)  Anyhow, thanks a bunch you're a big help to me and the process that we're always looking to keep up to date.

And I broke the news of Google’s Website Optimizer to my team and the head of our division—a day before the guy in charge of that aspect of our business found out about it.

I felt so well connected and cool. I’m also having fun at the eComXpo this week and getting a lot of hours in.

I’d feel cooler if you read my article.

This Slate article shows how the medical profession lies with statistics by using qualifiers that virtually no one understands, like “relative risk.” How big of a difference is it? Read to find out.

I also like eMarketer Daily’s usual habit of overinterpreting differences. I still remember nearly a year ago they published a report on how different ethnicities use cell phone technologies differently. The “findings” talked about how 28% one group (African Americans or Hispanics, I forget which) used text messaging or the Internet on their cell phones as if it were a big difference from the second group, wherein “only” 26% did. There was no mention of the margin of error for the study.

I especially liked eMarketer Daily’s report a few months later that ClickZ lies with statistics. As I e-mailed to a coworker, that’s really the pot calling the kettle black.

Don’t worry, I promise to post about Hayden later today. I know it’s what you really want to see. AND I promise to post about the quest for the I<3L&O mug tomorrow.

I went in to work on Friday for our weekly meeting. We talked about an upcoming (HUGE) project for a little while. Then my supervisor told me that after we finish the big project, she’ll turn me loose to do whatever I want.

Whatever I want? And get paid?! I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I mean, I’m guessing she means that my projects should be at least vaguely work-related, but still—pretty wide open.

Whatever will I do with myself? This project can’t be over fast enough!

My supervisor also talked about having me attend Omniture University. I love web analytics, so that would be awesome! Not sure what I’d do with Hayden for those few days, though. . . .

Just when I thought I’d hate my job forever. . . .

I got a couple articles in my inbox today for work that I really liked, which isn’t a very common occurrence. At least not 2 in one day.

• MarketingSherpa’s SherpaBlog: What’s not to love about SEO/Internet marketing analogized to matchmaking? Or maybe I’m just as silly as Anne Holland is here because my anniversary’s coming up.
• ClickZ: Search Results. I prefer to call this one SEO Doesn’t Exist in a Vacuum. Lots of SEO people, clients, prospective clients, etc. seem to think SEO is a magic pill. Mike Grehan’s point here is not only that “the sandbox” probably doesn’t exist (or at least not how a lot of people think it does) but that SEO campaigns need to be part of an overall marketing campaign. Too many companies (are you listening, employer of my husband?) have no unified marketing strategy. “Oh, yeah, we’ll do some SEO here and we’ll do a magazine ad there and I’ll throw a dart at this dartboard to determine our next move and hope everything falls into place. Any exposure is good, right?” Not exactly.

Disfruten.