Virgil Winston:Marketing Guru
Anyone who has read my blog for a while knows that I am a word aficionado and am always on the look out for a new word game to tickle my brain. This week, I found two! It’s like Christmas, my birthday and my anniversary all rolled into one. In an effort to strengthen the filial bond with my eldest daughter, I decided to open a facebook account so I could stay in touch (spy on her) while she is away at tennis camp this summer. For those of you who don’t know, either because you don’t have kids, have an important job or are too dignified, facebook is one of the social networking sites that all the kids are on these days. They trade pictures, comments, check out music and cyber flirt but one of the best features on the site is access to games. You can play everything from poker to scrabble against fellow facebookers and I have to tell you, it’s addicting. Last night I played Scramble for three straight hours. Before you raise your eyebrows at me, let me assure you that, while fun, playing word games is also good for your brain—a type of mental callesthetics if you will. I played with a particularly tough teen from Duluth, each of us vying for first place. I am happy report that my way with words helped me put a very brainy thirteen year old in her place.
Earlier in the week, I was introduced to a website called, “Free Rice” by a long time reader who goes by the name of “Wordsworth”. It’s a sort of do-gooder site for vocabulary fanatics and is a great way to increase your brain mass while helping the less fortunate. You play by identifying, or in some cases guessing, the correct definition of a particular word out of four possible answers. If you get one wrong, the computer gives you the right answer and retests you later in the game. As you play, the site’s sponsors donate grains of rice so you feed others while feeding your brain. I donated 1240 grains of rice just this morning. So not only do I feel good about myself, I’m smarter too.
And speaking of being smart, nothing says more about high intellect (and class and style) than a really great pen. I don’t mean a garden variety pen you can find at your local office supply store, I’m talking about a quality writing instrument that lets the world know you care about words more than the next guy. Today’s featured product is such a writing implement, the Century II Medalist Selectip Rolling Ball Pen is fashioned using a striking combination of polished chrome and 23 karat gold plate and the roller ball tip guarantees a smooth writing experience. Add your logo and you have the prefect promotional piece for your most polished clients.
I’ve got to go prepare for a rematch with “Duluth Dynamo, ” and if you want to play, my facebook handle is “Mad Marketing Man.” Remember, the English language is like a diamond, polish it and it sparkles, otherwise it’s just coal.”