funny by accident. http://shanaray.posterous.com social media, tech, food and wine in a world that takes itself too seriously. posterous.com Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:06:00 -0700 celebrities turning 30 this year. http://shanaray.posterous.com/celebrities-turning-30-this-year http://shanaray.posterous.com/celebrities-turning-30-this-year

This year has been jam packed with all my my friends turning 30, and it has made me look back on my favorite music, movies, jokes, vacations, etc.

Much of it was self inflicted hardships (yes, I remember locking myself in my room everyday after school when my boyfriend of a month moved 4 towns south and we have to break up), but it has all made me who I am today... A loud mouthed redhead who is passionate about work, friends and life.

With one week left my my 20's and surfing the interwebz, I came across this list of celbs who share the same birth year of 1981.

Justin Timberlake – January 31st – The “Sexy Back” star gets sexier with age.
Paris Hilton – February 17th – A party crasher stole her cake at her 30th birthday.
Beth Ditto – February 19th – The Gossip’s lead singer turned 30 over the weekend.
Pitbull – January 15th – “‘I Know You Want Me,’ even more now that I’m 30.”
Alicia Keys – January 25th – An “Empire State of Mind” being 30.
Elijah Wood – January 28th – This hobbit is still as sexy as ever.
Kelly Rowland – February 11th – When Love Age Takes Over.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – February 17th – Thirty Rock From The Sun
Josh Groban – February 27th – My voice is mature beyond my years anyway.
Hayden Christiansen – April 19th – “Jumper” into his thirties.
Jessica Alba – April 28th – Fantastic Four Thirty.
Anna Kournikova – June 7th – “30 Love”.
Natalie Portman – June 9th – “I will be an Oscar winning actress before I’m 30.”
Beyonce Knowles- September 4th – Her “B-Day” this year will be a big one.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas – September 8th – Come out, come out, wherever you are!
Jennifer Hudson – September 12th- Entering her 30s with a killer bod.
Keyshia Cole – October 15th – She’s gonna “Let It Go” on her big day.
Nicole Richie – September 21st – Paris’ former BFF is also turning 30 this year.
Christina Milian – September 26th – Ready to “Dip it Low” on her big day.
Serena Williams – September 26th – “30 Love” for her too.
Natasha Bedingfield – November 26th – A “Pocketful of Sunshine” at 30.
Britney Spears – December 2nd – “One, two, THREE…(ZERO)”
Sienna Miller – December 28th – Still as hot as ever entering 30

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Fri, 24 Jun 2011 19:27:00 -0700 edtech baby - the music video of #iste11 http://shanaray.posterous.com/edtech-baby-the-music-video-of-iste11 http://shanaray.posterous.com/edtech-baby-the-music-video-of-iste11

 

Please enjoy the debut of @NataliaatDS and @ShanaatDS‘ first ever music video. Collaborize Classroom solves lame classroom discussions with “Edtech Baby.”  Want to hear this song live, or even come on stage with the Collaborize Classroom team? Then make sure to come to Edtech Karaoke Tweeup @ ISTE 2011 this Tuesday at the Public House Philly.

For more info on how to sign up and get your VIP Badge, visit http://edtechkaraoke-iste2011.eventbrite.com/.>

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Sat, 30 Apr 2011 15:25:00 -0700 shakugan no shana. http://shanaray.posterous.com/shakugan-no-shana http://shanaray.posterous.com/shakugan-no-shana
Media_httpstatictvtro_nencv

Kinda cool that the Shana that is stealing my Google thunder is a bad-ass redhead! I know it is early, but I am thinking I will be her for Halloween!

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Mon, 28 Feb 2011 20:28:00 -0800 sxsw hair? http://shanaray.posterous.com/shanaraycom-blog-archive-sxsw-hair http://shanaray.posterous.com/shanaraycom-blog-archive-sxsw-hair

I am headed to SXSW for both the education and interactive conference in one week and 3 days and next Saturday I will be getting my hair colored (yes, once again) by the lovely Sara Webb from Mint Hair in downtown Santa Rosa.

I would LOVE your help in choosing a color!

{note: I have had every version of red, and they all work}

Please leave me a comment here, Twitter or Facebook with a suggestion of what type of red would be the most appropriate for me at SXSW!

Of course, it will be some type of red, but I am completely open to suggestions of what color red.

 

Thanks!

+Shana.

 

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:19:00 -0800 beets, kale, tomatoes and yuba over quiona. http://shanaray.posterous.com/beets-kale-tomatoes-and-yuba-over-quiona http://shanaray.posterous.com/beets-kale-tomatoes-and-yuba-over-quiona

My dinner for tonight. I wish I has leftovers, but I ate the whole thing! 

BTW. Yuba is tofu skin... Check it on the Hodo Soy Beanery website!

Photo

 

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:28:00 -0800 definition of shanachie. http://shanaray.posterous.com/definition-of-shanachie http://shanaray.posterous.com/definition-of-shanachie
shan·a·chie  (shn-k) also sen·na·chie (sn-)
n. Chiefly Scots
A skilled teller of tales or legends, especially Gaelic ones.

Anyone ever heard of this word? I haven't, but I think it describes me well.

Shanachie

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:03:00 -0800 top geeky fonts! http://shanaray.posterous.com/top-geeky-fonts http://shanaray.posterous.com/top-geeky-fonts

There are thousands of familiar fonts out there if you think about it. From beverages (everyone knows the Coca-Cola font) to rock bands (AC/DC, for instance), you can use a famous font for just about anything and people will instantly recognize where it’s from. This can be a lot of fun for geeks, especially if you have a project you want to customize, such as a blog entry about Lord of the Rings (Elvish script, anyone?) or a birthday invitation with a superhero theme. Listed below are 25 of the geekiest free fonts available for download.

  1. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Topping the list is the Star Trek font from the original series. It made the number one spot because geeks love Star Trek. It’s a scientfic fact. But before you segue into a “Kirk vs Picard” debate, rest assured that there are many other Trek fonts where this came from— including alien languages. So for those of you who are brushing up on your Klingon or Cardassian, you are in luck.

  2. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Star Wars fans are just as enthusiastic as Trekkies, so this font should interest a lot of geeks. The style is based on the classic 1977 logo from A New Hope that is still being used today on, well, everything. This is easily one of the most recognizable fonts in movie history and is recommended if you feel like traveling to a galaxy far, far away.

  3. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Yes, the most successful sci-fi franchises have the word “star” in the title. Originally a major motion picture, Stargate then became Stargate SG-1, the longest running sci-fi series of all time. We’re not sure what the technical term is for the circle above the “A”, but it is a cool font, nonetheless.

  4. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    This is a no-frills typewriter font that geeks everywhere should recognize. Each episode of the X-Files used this font for the credits, as well as the Law & Order-esque subtitles that accompanied major scene changes.

  5. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Harry Potter has become a multimedia phenomenon, making creator J.K. Rowling the richest woman in England. Due to popular demand, this font was created to mimic the same used for both the books and the films. Fashioned to look whimsical, the “P” appears like a lightning bolt, similar to the scar on Harry Potter’s forehead.

  6. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Like Stargate SG-1, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a wildly popular series based on a mediocre film. This font, the same used for the show’s opening title and official merchandise, looks like dripping blood. It serves as a great multi-purpose font, as it could be used for anything Halloween or horror-related.

  7. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    You can’t have a Buffy font without the Angel font. Angel, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spin-off series, respectably held its own for five seasons. This is the stylized font used in the opening title sequence of the show. It’s not as bold as the dripping blood on the Buffy font, but fans will definitely recognize it.

     

     

  8. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    For children of the 1980s, this film is still considered a favorite. In fact, its cult status has recently prompted director Richard Donner and producer Steven Spielberg to write a Broadway musical based on the movie. The Goonies’ title logo, particularly the skull above the “I”, is still recognized by people over twenty years after the film’s release.

  9. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Goth geeks will love this Crow font, based on the title logo from James O’Barr’s classic graphic novel. This is also the same font used in the Crow films, which never seem to quit returning from the dead (pun intended).

  10. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Sliders was a low-budget science fiction series that flew under the radar for five years. It must have a strong cult following, however, because this font can be found all over the Net. This design is borrowed from the show’s opening and closing credits.

  11. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Japan has made a great impact on American popular culture in recent years, thanks to a growing interest in anime and manga. However, before any of that was popular in America, we were enjoying heavy doses of Japanese monsters, or “kaiju“. This font comes from the original Godzilla (1958) film credits, making it the oldest of the geeky fonts on the list.

  12. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    If you think the Ghostbusters craze is over, then you clearly haven’t been to a sci-fi convention lately. There’s usually at least one guy walking around the place in a jumpsuit, with a homemade proton pack strapped to his back. This font is proof of the Ghostbusters’ enduring popularity, although it is only really recognizable when you use the “O”.

  13. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Galaxy Quest was a hit comedy that accurately spoofed sci-fi culture, but it did so with affection and for that reason, many geeks love it. While it may not be universally familiar to people as the font from Galaxy Quest, this is an attractive and practical font to have available on your word processor.

  14. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Matt Groening’s cartoon series Futurama is a geek favorite. In fact, the canceled series will be returning to television in 2008, largely due to public demand and high ratings that the show’s reruns consistently earn. There are several variations of the Futurama font, including the alien script used on the show.

  15. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Comic book fans will immediately recognize this Fantastic Four font. No, this has nothing to do with the Jessica Alba films. This is old school, Silver Age Fantastic Four font.

  16. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    This Blade Runner font is from the title credits of the 1982 film. Nominated for two Academy Awards, this is one of the most well-respected sci-fi films of all time. There is still a huge following, particularly on the Net, which explains why there is a need for the creation of this typeface.

  17. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Back to the Future was one of the greatest adventure films of the 1980s, even spawning two successful sequels. Make a “flux capacitor” reference in front of a geek and he/she will likely get it. Naturally, the fans demanded a downloadable version of this familiar, italicized font.

  18. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Jim Henson’s Dark Crystal was a groundbreaking and imaginative film that many geeks fondly remember from childhood. The font from the film is impressive, even if you don’t immediately recognize it. A variation on standard calligraphy, this one-of-a-kind typeface would be a nice touch to many creative writing projects.

  19. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Charmed was truly one of those shows that never seemed to end. Alas, it has finally been canceled, but many geeks pay tribute to the show by using this elaborate font. Fans will recognize the witchy design from the show’s opening credits. This one will also be useful for anything Halloween-related.

  20. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    This is a simple, bold font that may not seem branded, but any horror geek can tell you that it just screams, “Evil Dead”. While Sam Raimi may be making millions off his Spider-Man franchise, Evil Dead was the cult classic that got him where he is today.

  21. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    While there are plenty of fonts on this list to please horror and sci-fi geeks, we shouldn’t leave out the British comedy geeks. This classic design is similar to the font used in the second series of Blackadder, which is set during the Renaissance. As such, this font can be used for many projects, not just ones related to the comedy series.

  22. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    Alias was a popular action series that had enough intelligence to attract more discriminating viewers. With a strong geek fanbase, Alias’ famous title font has been beautifully translated into this downloadable typeface. This design is cutting edge and would work well on a project such as a rock band’s flyer. Concerning this font, here’s a tip: typing in the upper case will produce white lettering in a black box, while the lower case will produce black lettering in a white box.

  23. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    There is just no getting around it, Batman Forever was a terrible movie. However, this misguided film did produce a pretty cool font and, thanks to the power of merchandising, it is a recognizable font. This still won’t replace the two hours of your life spent watching Batman Forever, but it’s a start.

  24. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    This is just about the grooviest font ever designed. While this certainly isn’t practical for the office newsletter, you should be able to use this Austin Powers-inspired font for some fun projects.

  25. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


    While this typeface may not be very familiar when it isn’t spelling the word “alien”, sci-fi fans should be pleased with this subtle font. It is exactly like the font used in the original Alien trilogy, making it a popular design for over 25 years.

Yay!

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Mon, 27 Dec 2010 11:22:00 -0800 bird necklace. #iwant #cutenessoverload. http://shanaray.posterous.com/bird-necklace-iwant-cutenessoverload http://shanaray.posterous.com/bird-necklace-iwant-cutenessoverload
Media_httpwwwkurthals_jqtqd

So freaking CUTE!!!!!!!!!! Wholly CRAP!!!

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:04:00 -0800 libra horoscope for 12/14. http://shanaray.posterous.com/libra-horoscope-for-1214 http://shanaray.posterous.com/libra-horoscope-for-1214

Other people are filled with surprises today, and someone's unexpected actions could stimulate a shift in your thinking. A change of perspective enables you to see the current events in a whole new light and come up with original ideas. But it may not be wise to express every opinion you have now. Do the smart thing and think twice before saying something that you wish you could take back.

Libra-2-scales_small

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Fri, 10 Dec 2010 14:07:00 -0800 top 5 holiday gifts for #vegetarian foodies. http://shanaray.posterous.com/top-5-holiday-gifts-for-vegetarian-foodies http://shanaray.posterous.com/top-5-holiday-gifts-for-vegetarian-foodies

I just recently started writing for the Examiner.com as the official Santa Rosa Vegetarian Food Examiner. Please take a minute to visit my first article I wrote and leave a comment if you so wish!

Sonoma County is abundant with local food producers that adhere to a high standard of farming that only comes with a true passion for what they do. Local foodies, both vegetarian and meat-eaters have the opportunity to be surrounded by foods that live up to this standard and love discovering the latest products and sharing them with their friends and family.  Here is a list of holiday gifts for any of your vegetarian foodie friends:

Bread-dressing-ck-522236-l

 

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Thu, 09 Dec 2010 14:27:00 -0800 how the world googled in 2010. http://shanaray.posterous.com/how-the-world-googled-in-2010 http://shanaray.posterous.com/how-the-world-googled-in-2010

A bit saddened after watching this. More about my own year coming soon.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Sun, 07 Nov 2010 09:09:00 -0800 next weekend. http://shanaray.posterous.com/next-weekend http://shanaray.posterous.com/next-weekend

Next weekend (Nov13 & 14th) is a long weekend because of Veterans Day which automatically makes it a great one... But it also the weekend of the first 2010 Innovation Summit.  This two day event in Healdsburg is on by the great people at Partners for Growth & Innovation.  

In addition to some of my favorite wine friends (Paul Mabray, Alan Baker and Hardy Wallace), Jeremiah Owyang who moderated the Wisdom of We 2010 seminar that we threw back in September is the featured speaker.  director of marketing at my company, Democrasoft, Mark Kithcart will be there. 

Oh, and I will be there!  Details to come... But you will definitely be seeing and reading more from me! 

Screen_shot_2010-11-07_at_11

 

 

 

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Sat, 06 Nov 2010 12:12:00 -0700 jigsaw falling into place. http://shanaray.posterous.com/jigsaw-falling-into-place http://shanaray.posterous.com/jigsaw-falling-into-place

Anytime I hear this song everything seems right in the world.... Almost as everything falls into place. 

 

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:37:54 -0800 Bloggers Embrace @SoCoRestWeek! http://shanaray.posterous.com/bloggers-embrace-socorestweek http://shanaray.posterous.com/bloggers-embrace-socorestweek
Logo_large_-_high_resolution

Sonoma County Restaurant Week - San Francisco Buzz - Zagat Survey

Here's news that should make a hungry diner happy (without going broke). Sonoma County's first-ever Restaurant Week runs February 22–28 with more than 75 participants, including midpriced spots like Barndiva (see menu), ...http://www.zagat.com/Blog/EntryList.aspx?SCID=39

Veggie Queen Adventures: Sonoma County Restaurant Week February ...

Coming up in less than 2 weeks, is the first Sonoma County Restaurant Week. It's a chance to try a number of different restaurants -- certainly more than 25 of them are participating. I have a few that I'd like to revisit since it's ... http://theveggiequeen.blogspot.com/

Sonoma Restaurant Week, Sonoma, Bellwether Farms, Epicurian ...

A Lil' Sonoma Restaurant Week & Bellwether Farms Lovin. It’s Sonoma Restaurant Week in the green land of rolling hills, frolicking sheep, and tasty cheese and “It’s Not You, it’s Brie” is celebrating by hosting a giveaway. This giveaway, of course, is completely centered around cheese...  http://itsnotyouitsbrie.com/sonoma-restaurant-week-bellwether-farm

Sonoma County Restaurant Week: February 22 - 28, 2010

To celebrate our abundance of yum, participating Sonoma County restaurants will be serving 3-course prix-fixe dinners at deliciously affordable prices during our first-ever Sonoma County Restaurant Week February 22-28, 2010. ... http://www.sonomabonvivant.com/

Bodega Bay Participates in Sonoma County Restaurant Week!

Three Bodega Bay restaurants are participating in the first-ever Sonoma County Restaurant Week, February 22-28! During this seven day celebration of our county's farm fresh food and premier wine, enjoy three-course dinner menus at $19, ... http://www.bodegabaylife.com/

Sonoma County Restaurant Week Giveaway

Not to worry, I'm not done with the chocolate yet…but let's take a brief respite for some food and wine The first-ever Sonoma County Restaurant Week begins February 22nd and will run through February 28th (about time, huh?). ... http://lickmyspoon.com/

BrixChicks: Make a Date with Sonoma's Finest! It's Restaurant Week!

It's almost Sonoma Restaurant week! Open Table calls it "Sonoma County's most delicious week". Where a selection of Sonoma County venues invite you in for $19, $29 and $39 dinners. Three courses of Sonoma county ... http://www.brixchicks.com/

Sonoma County Restaurant Week: Three-Course Dinners You Can Afford ...

The first Sonoma County Restaurant Week begins Monday, February 22, 2010 and ends Sunday, February 28, 2010. For seven days over 50 of Sonoma County's best restaurants invite you to celebrate fresh, local cuisine in a ... http://pureluxury.com/blog/

Sonoma County Restaurant Week | At the Bay's Edge

Sonoma County Restaurant Week features 3 Course Meals for prices ranging from just $19 - $39. Enjoy local, organic, and delicious Sonoma meals! http://www.thebaysedge.com/

#Sonoma County #restaurant week Feb. 22-28 starting at $19 ...

#Sonoma County #restaurant week Feb. 22-28 starting at $19, including #Michelin-starred Sante. www.sonomacountyrestaurantweek.org. Read more from the original source: #Sonoma County Restaurant Week Feb. 22-28 starting at $19, ... http://boyeshotsprings.localspur.com/

Some of my previous posts on Sonoma County Restaurant Week also:

Sonoma County Restaurant Week – Calling All Bloggers

As you might know, Sonoma County Restaurant Week is Two Five Media's latest project. I have been put in charge of all social media interaction with the public and Philip has been adding all the menus and changing up the website as ... http://www.twofiveplus.com/

sonoma county restaurant week is near.

The first annual Sonoma County Restaurant Week is so close, I can almost taste it! Only two more weeks! Finally, I have something to look forward to in this translational/dreaded month of February other than it just ... http://shanaray.com/

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:39:00 -0800 shana on snl. http://shanaray.posterous.com/shana-on-snl http://shanaray.posterous.com/shana-on-snl

Finally, my likeness finally made it to snl!

There is a new character on Saturday Night Live that is named Shana (pronounced like my name, rhymes with banana) who also spells it the same.  Oh, and she has RED hair!

Unfortunately she is one of the most annoying characters from Kristin Wiigg.  As art imitates life, Charles Barkley couldn't even say her name right either....  Though, I would have to say other than the obvious sexiness, I am nothing like this character. :)

Take a look and let me know...

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:21:00 -0700 the beginning of @25digitalmedia. http://shanaray.posterous.com/the-beginning-of-25digitalmedia http://shanaray.posterous.com/the-beginning-of-25digitalmedia

It is official. Philip Wyers and I have an office. 25 Old Courthouse Square, Suite #8, Santa Rosa 95404 is the address and the inspiration for the name of our new venture - 25 Digital Media.

Some say that they do not believe in fate.  But me glancing over the Craigslist section for housing in Downtown Santa Rosa randomly while drinking tea and working from Peet's Coffee and coming across the listing for this office couldn't have any other explanation.  I just happened to come across the listing for an office in downtown Santa Rosa and mention it to Philip, almost jokingly.  He loved the idea and met me downtown to go take a look. 

As soon as we saw the outside, we knew that it would be the perfect opportunity for each of us to take our businesses to the next level….

Okay, many who are reading this know that I consult with businesses on social media marketing, run Congresswoman Woolsey’s online efforts and basically promote Sonoma County on a daily basis.  What you might not know is that Philip Wyers has been my rock over this past year.  He is a web designer, e-commerce manager and email marketing guy (yes, he designed BreathSocialMedia.com) and the person who has kept me sane over this crazy world-wind of a year.

So here we are, just moving into the office.  We currently have no internet connection or chairs, but we do have two desks and a sign that says “Happy Hour” which we decided was going to be our motto: @25digitalmedia, because everyone needs another reason to go to Happy Hour.  I think it is fitting because of my obsession with happy hour food and cocktails and Philip’s obsession with a great deal.

So, watch out for more to come from us….. And, if you ever need another reason to go to Happy Hour or discuss online promotions, you know where we are.

 

 

 

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:55:00 -0700 going food crazy in @wholefoodsatx http://shanaray.posterous.com/going-food-crazy-in-wholefoodsatx http://shanaray.posterous.com/going-food-crazy-in-wholefoodsatx

ProjectYine knew that if we were going to be in Austin, Texas that we needed to visit the Whole Foods flagship store. 

Our host and Twitter friend, @Baconator took Ashley (aka @TheBeerWench) and myself there today.

It was a three hour marathon of wine, beer and food sampling, followed by a feast inside their cafeteria upstairs.  Needless to say, it was one of the highlights of the trip.  The wine section alone is reason to go there and Ashley, of course, squealed from joy a few times in the "Beer Alley."

Then there was the food....   Oh, the food!   This particular Whole Foods is a meca of yummy treats for everyone, a place where vegans and carnivores can co-exsist. 

Here are just some of the pictures I took with my iphone.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:55:00 -0700 in response to "when blogs go bad" http://shanaray.posterous.com/in-response-to-when-blogs-go-bad http://shanaray.posterous.com/in-response-to-when-blogs-go-bad

I woke up this morning to a DM saying to take a look at Steve Heimoff's latest blog post titled When blogs go badLittle did I know that this post was on a comment I wrote on one of his other posts Holier than thou? When it comes to pay to play, blogging is looking a lot like print. 

Startled and humbled as I was to read my name in his blog, I was also a bit confused at the correlation of my comment and the meat of his blog post.  I talked about how this is a new world where everyone has a voice and he choice to write about one specific instance about a blog reciting a press release, a very good point yes.  But they seem to be two different thoughts, at least IMHO.

While I am still new to the wine world and corporate America, I have worked with wineries for a few years and loved the marketing industry and diving into consumers psyches for even longer.  I have only been a part of the social media aspect of marketing for a little over a year, but so much has changed within that year and brands are just now figuring out that they have to be online.

By no means would I ever call myself an expert on anything and my wine blog itself is just me writing about my life in Sonoma County and since wine was/is a huge part of my life, Shana the wine blogger was born.   For some reason (I do like to think it is my sense of humor and that I know about all the cool events) people read and even enjoy my blog.  I am not a wine critic, though I definitely do have an opinion about everything.

My response to Steve's post on my comment is below and I think it is just as valid as my original comment, both points being that there is room for all of us in this crazy online world. This post really got me thinking about the changing environment and the idea that social media (blogging, Twitter, Facebook, ect.) is still in its infancy.


----

As both a PR “flack” and a “wine blogger” who writes simply because I love wine, I agree that there is a difference between rewriting a press release and doing your homework, but press releases has been regurgitated for years.  This is not a new phenomenon to the wine blogging world, nor is free gifts to the mommy bloggers. 

The news (speaking generally) has always had a bias and used scare tactics or fluff stories for the sake of entertainment.  I learned at a young age to take the news with a grain of salt…  Same goes with anything I read online through a blog, a tweet, a review on Yelp, or even an article in a magazine.

Granted, I am much younger than you and many of your readers, but the youth are the wine buyers and drinkers of the future and the Internet has allowed us to personalize the way we get information and given us more choices of what we read.  And that is the way we like it.

You stated that you were going to explain the difference of good and bad blogs “for some of us.” My case was that for the rest of us, we read what we like.  I personally do not like reading a rewritten press release just as much as I dislike reading them as is, but with the adaptation of the social media press release, consumers now have easy access to press releases anyways.  

If someone reads a blog post/press release written by a “useful idiot” on Lodi wines and decides to try it based on the blog post, so be it.  That is their problem.   Hell, people still drink Franzia and swear by it.  This does not discredit true wine critics like you, but I think people should be allowed to write their opinions and make up their own minds about what makes a good blog or a bad blog.  

I am not sure why you have complex, confused emotions about where the Internet is taking us, but to not think you have to adapt to this new way of communication is absurd (in a later comment I stated I wasn't just talking about him, but talking about the industry as a whole).  In your previous post, the wine magazines are not going anywhere and they still can be relevant.  I simply think there is room for both.

As you stated in Tom Wark’s post -- "Can't we all just get along?"

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:48:00 -0700 facebook search. http://shanaray.posterous.com/facebook-search http://shanaray.posterous.com/facebook-search

Just woke up this morning here at the Napa Valley Marriott, still excited about what I had learned from the Facebook guys yesterday (look back for an actual post on this later).  I am refreshed and ready to speak at our panel on a Prescriptive Approach to Media Success for Wineries

So right in the middle of my morning routinue of checking Twitter, email and Facebook for what's going on, I noticed something new at Facebook ---  Microsoft Bing search results are on the right side of the page when I did a search for Lynn Woolsey to see what was happening on her Page.   The boys were talking about this yesterday, but they said it was coming soon.

I am very happy to announce that soon is now.  And even though I only come up once when searching "Shana Ray," I am first.

I am also happy to announce that I am a geek and get excited about this kinda stuff!

*shana.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray
Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:43:00 -0700 in case you care about what I eat while sick... http://shanaray.posterous.com/in-case-you-care-about-what-i-eat-while-sick http://shanaray.posterous.com/in-case-you-care-about-what-i-eat-while-sick

Just some of the images of the food and drinks I have eaten/drank while suffering a horrific head cold today (I didn't take a picture of my tea or toast this morning).  The tomato is the first one I ate out of my own garden (please ignore the dying leaf to its side, I cleaned that up after I took the picture). 

Any other vegitarian suggestions of what good foods I should eat while sick?

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/560682/123460598.ITSTKDJy.IMG_0172copy.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1bet9cTN11D Shana Ray sharayray Shana Ray