Let’s Take It Up A Notch #7

After a brief hiatus, the watercooler is back in full swing.  While I know this may have hurt my Google search ranking, yours truly is going to ride the trending wave that separates the men from the boys.  And what better time to “seize the day” than during NCAA March Madness time!  While there have been a myraid of topics to choose from in March, there is none bigger than the NCAA Tournament – in my humble opinion. 

Being a DC native, I am a huge Georgetown Hoyas fan.  Since the ripe age of two I have been going to games watching the “Hoya Paranoia” (also the name a great blog by the way) rise to prominence during the 1980s and they haven’t lost that momentum since.  Hopefully, this same momentum will push them past VCU, the first opponent standing in their way of the National Championship.  Like Charlie Sheen, I look forward to the Hoyas #winning.  As much as I would like to say I am a leader in this Georgetown blog community, I would not be writing this post if not my loyal compatriots over at Casual Hoya who keep me cackling, informed and most importantly in tune with the trends of Hoya sports fans everywhere.

Another practice I will be putting into place for watercooler enthusiasts in addition to trending is a hastag #watercooleradvice that will keep people abreast of the comings and goings of sports, food and big events in Washington.  One example of an event that occured during my hiatus was the annual Washington DC Leprechaun Lap that brought out the best and brightest of the Nation’s Capital to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. It was a good time had by all!  With that said, with spring weather nipping at our heels, I look forward to sharing and attending future events with my watercooler community bretheren, Hoya faithful and loyal readers.  Go Hoyas!

Big DC, Little World #6

This past weekend I took in a number of events: a college basketball game, a work gala and a birthday party.  Of course, I am trying to suggest to friends being the local boy places to eat, celebrate, mingle before going out on the town – sounds pretty easy right?  Well all of the go-to blogs I frequent gave me the same venues that everyone already goes to – a sportsbar for the games, a cigar/martini bar for drinks after the gala and bars with lines around the corner for the birthday party.  Now one might think, “well these blogs are merely keeping you in the loop, duh, why wouldn’t you take their advice?”  Well when the weather is nice in DC, everyone comes out to play. 

Thankfully friends of mine who contribute to a smaller known blogs called Eat.Drink.DC and DC Gastronome – a blog that in my opinion defies gravity in my opinion, came to the rescue.  They kept it simple with the suggestions, and the next thing you know, 12 content guys who had just witnessed Georgetown’s loss to rival Syracuse at the Verizon Center were happy as clams.  And of course we had our friend who works at CasualHoya breaking down how this heartbreaking loss would impact where we would go out to drink without having to wait in line or put up with the “orange crush” fans. 

Enter DiveBar DC to save the day.  By being off the beaten path, we beat DC at its own game and held court at the karoke machine and the big buck hunter video game console.  Suffice to say it was a good weekend, in part due to the hard work of the little world of bloggers who make our lives a little bit easier by keep us away from the “greater good” for a change.

Social Media, the WaterCooler is at your Mercy! #5

Let’s face it.  The WaterCooler certainly serves it purpose as a hydrating lifesaver during the rigors of a work day but it might not get as much attention if not for the material that comes with visiting it.  After all, nothing says “You won’t believe this” or “Guess what I just heard” like a tweet, post or “rumor mill.”  Gone are the days of word of mouth outside of an office (by then half the world knows) or planning a week ahead to talk to someone about the “now.” It just isn’t feasible.  Well the same can be said for my dedication and diligence to use social media sites/blogs for my daily content. 

TV works wonders; so does the cell phone, but at the end of the day by the time you click the remote or dial someone you like to chat casually with, chances are tweets heard round the world are being dissected, dispersed and directed at audiences across countless covnersation mediums.  Albert Haynesworth recent brushes with the law have been broadcast on facebook, twitter, sports blogs and other newswires – and for that I thank them.  And not just one side of the story – I might as well be playing the game The Sims.  While there is little control over the amount of content sent around, there is certainly no lack of contact being generated. 

My blog prides itself on being characteristically original but it would not survive without the blood, sweat and tears of the people who slave over getting the exclusive.  Am I going to discriminate on where I get it from? No. But will I go with a source who I know is looking out for watercoolers around the country? Yes. Because at the end of the day, it is always nice to say at the beginning of the workday, “You won’t believe what I just read.” I mean that’s what keeps people coming back, right?

A Passion for Rabble-Rousing and Pithy Banter #4

People that know me know that I am not a quiet person, I don’t have quiet beliefs and I don’t go quietly into the night – unless there is no alternative or I have found something that is worthy of pressing the human mute button.  Yes, that sounds aggressive but behind the clean shaven, suit dominated appearance I show on most weekdays, is a mind working at ludicrious speed to consume as much information to stay ahead of the game – whether that be in the sports, food or culture whirlwind of the DC Metropolitan Area.  I would say I try to stay ahead of trends but I am not an overly trendy person.  I am just a comfortable person who lets his passion for food, sports and culture shine through.  This so-called jekyll and hyde comparison is not based on ego or even an inkling that I think I know about a subject better than someone else.  Because I don’t.  But I also recognize that most people don’t have a blogroll that they cover literally from cover-to-cover on a daily basis. 

It may seem monotonous, but in fact,  it is quite the contrary.  Everyone has their go-to authors, mentors, bloggers, experts, grand pumbas that they listen to or follow very carefully.  These people are the established thinkers.  They lead by example.  What am I? I am an ETIT – established thinker in training – or watercooler enthusiast.  The watercooler is technically an off-the-record discussion.  However, that’s where the best conversations/debates take place.  Some of the best stories I have ever read on DCist, the Sports Bog and Metrocurean come from “the watercooler,” and for that I am forever thankful because they help get me through the long hours that consume my days at work and nights at school.  But I’m not complaining.  I’m thankful for the opportunity to be where I am and fine tune the passions that define my writing style and my pithy watercooler banter. 

After all, isn’t blogging about the sharing of passions or watercooler discussions with the greater good?  Granted not all watercooler discussions are for public consumption, but isn’t discovering a new perspective or a new skill that will set you apart define our purpose for sharing with the greater good? That’s my goal, anyway, and I am sticking to it.

What Determines My World of Content #3

After a week filled with sports, snacks and endless celebration of the Green Bay Packers Super Bowl win over the Pittsburgh Steelers (thank you Aaron Rodgers for helping to pay my rent), life in the nation’s capital has finally shrunk back to normal. But that isn’t to say there isn’t new low hanging fruit to pick from when it comes to a new post.  That’s what makes this city so special.  Never a dull moment and never a moment where things remain at a standstill. 

When people ask me where I go for the local beat around town, I ask what they care about…and then give them three sites: DCist, DC Sports Bog and Metrocurean. Yes, I follow many more blogs and to be quite honest my sources may change depending on the time of year (some thrive in the summer months more than others) but these three are my mainstays.  If something is going on in the city, DCist has the 411. If a sports team is playing or if someone called someone else’s mom a bad name, it is in the DC Sports Bog. If there is a new restaurant or a special menu somewhere hot and trendy, Metrocurean has it.  And I don’t mean to say these sites have one track minds either.  They are just that current and they are that helpful when in a bind. Plus did I forget to mention they are entertaining?

So back to why I care about these sites. The people writing these aren’t just DC advertisers looking for a buck or a head nod of approval for their reporting on what matters to them. These bloggers are DC tourguides.  They tell you what you need to know and they tell you until you can’t refuse to not go check it out or read further.  Being an avid DC sports fan who loves food and going out to new places around town to check out a band, party or extravaganza, I trust my tourguides.  I mean after all don’t they want their work talked about at the watercooler the next day?  I know the DCist’s Daniel Snyder article made it into the content basket, as did the DC Sports Bog’s piece on the bottom’s up beer dispenser.  And who could not want to talk about the best tailgate food they had over the weekend!! I know my jalepeno piggies in a blanket made front page watercooler at the office on Monday – Metrocurean, you’re next!

Starting Off On The Right Foot – #2

Welcome to the DC Watercooler.  This blog is the culimation of many years of witty, pithy banter with family, friends, work colleagues and people I ride the metro with everyday.  Everyone has a watercooler in their office; it serves as an outlet or security blanket, if you will, from all of the duties and “honey-do” lists that people have on their minds day in and day out.  It allows for people to talk about WHAT they want to talk about WHEN they want to talk about it with the hopes of insighting a response, a chuckle or just a simple “I feel you.”  

Growing up in the DC area has taught me a number of things:

First, people always have something on their minds that they want to share with someone else – whether it is a story, or an article they read, or an amazing exhibit, dinner or game they just attended. It’s human nature to want to interact. 

Second, people love reading expert opinions/pundit blogs (whether they are experts or not is up to the person).  It may be to learn about a new topic or to hear another side of the story. Maybe to get some material for the watercooler the next day!!  Regardless, Americans have A.D.D. and these expert opinions feed our appetite to be on top of what’s going on and DC is a hub for this way of thinking. 

Third, people need an “escape” from their daily lives from time to time.  And I don’t mean running away from what they have on their proverbial plates but more something to ease the pain of the upcoming or incoming traffic that is their work.  These “escapes” can range from sports to food to culture.

My hope is to incite a riot in the minds of my readers by giving them a perspective of the DC I interact with, read about, rave about and judge on a regular basis.  And there is never a lack of material: from DCist to Deadspin to the D.C. Sports Bog to DC365 to Metrocurean.  A conglomerate of culture at my fingertips.  Should be entertaining if nothing else.  Until then, stay tuned!

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