Digital photos…from 1970s and 80s

I recently received my life on DVD. No, not a made-for-TV movie, although I think Ashley Judd would portray me quite well. I sent my photos from the 1970s, 80s and early 90s to scanmyphotos.com. Lots of people worried that these precious moments caught on camera would get lost in the mail, or somehow get destroyed. it was possible, but I decided to risk it.

I found out about scanmyphotos.com from my dad, who sent me a link to a New York Times article more than a year ago. Scanmyphotos.com touted they can scan 1,000 photographs for $50+tax and shipping. I originally thought that I might have a hard time coming up with 1,000 photos. Not exactly. I am now up to more than 4,000 photographs (of course, this includes about 1,000 from Scott’s stash) and I’m not done yet.

The company does provide a unlimited photos box (fits up to 2,000 standard size photos), that includes priority mail shipping, for $125. I realized I needed three boxes, which is pricey. Upon visiting their website, I noticed they were on twitter, so I decided to follow them. They are very active on the micro-blogging service, and even answered some of my questions I asked them directly. I also found out they were running two promotions, saving me $150.

What started out as a $50+tax+shipping purchase became a more than $300 dent on our credit card. But the alternative (me scanning 4,000+ picture by hand) was not an option, and I wanted all of my pre-digital memories available with just a mouse click.

Memories like these…my sister and I with Grandma and Grandpa Hatteberg, sometime between 1975-1977. Both my grandma and grandpa in this picture have since past away, but I will always remember them as they looked in the late 1970s.

Actual photographs will fade over time and become unrecognizable, but my will live on digitally as a one of the more than 6,000 jpegs stored on our external hard drive.

Scanmyphotos.com provides precise instructions on how to prepare your photos, even a video. I won’t go through them, but it was one of the most difficult parts of the process. There was an additional cost for optional services like photos that were scanned in groups, rotated right side up, and if you wanted a signature verification.

Another time consuming part of this was removing the photos from albums. The worst culprits were photos from the 1970s and early 1980s. Some of the photos were stuck like super glue in the albums, and despite my desperate attempts, would not budge.

I had two boxes ready to mail, but at the last minute decided to send only one, just in case. It was returned to me with all the original photos neatly packed and a DVD with 1,800 scanned photos in less than seven days.

Needless to say, I have already mailed my second box.

What we can learn about branding from Mad Men

An article titled “What Real Mad Men and Women can Learn from the TV show was posted on Forbes.com, and it’s a good reminder that brands who are authentic are the ones that survive. With all the conflicting messages, cluttered internet ads and our need to have instant gratification, we can’t help but change our minds every minute and have the attention span of a gnat. And as communications professionals, we are going against the grain, trying to keep messages and visuals consistent. But it pays off in a big way.

Brands that are consistent, thrive. There’s a certain comfort in that Kraft macaroni and cheese box, because I know exactly how to fix it and what it’s going to taste like.

Although our green 1998 Toyota Camry has more than 100,000 miles on it, we know we still have a few more good years because Camry’s are good, safe and reliable cars.

When I shop at Ann Taylor, I know how the clothes will fit, and that the high quality and classic look will garner a prime spot in my closet for years to come.

And it’s not just about products. I know what to expect when I shop at Target, Dillons or Wal-Mart, and the experience varies greatly between each one. But each experience is an extension of the companies branding efforts.

And Mad Men, now in it’s third season, has lived up to their promise. I know what to expect every Sunday night: a quality show with suprising plot twists, accurate 1960s era fashion and props, and an hour long peek into the high profile advertising industry from 40 years ago.

Joining the masses…voluntarily

I resigned from my job today. This is probably the worst time in the history of the world to voluntarily leave a job, given millions of people have been laid off in the last year. And maybe it was. But I just wasn’t being true to myself…I wasn’t happy. I see you rolling your eyes now. Go ahead, say it…“lots of people aren’t happy in their current job situation. Lots of people wish they could be doing something totally different, but that doesn’t mean you should leave without something else lined up.”

My situation is a little bit different. I don’t have to work. There, I said it. I know a lot of people (moms especially) wish they were in my position. I was a stay at home mom for four years before going back to the public relations field part-time. Don’t get me wrong, I liked having a job. I liked being part of the work force again. Adult conversation. Learning new skills. Contributing. Meeting new friends and like minded professionals in my field. And my part-time hours were great…in fact, they were flexible in that I would change my hours every year, depending on what the boys’ schedule would allow. But…it’s just not something I want to be doing for the rest of my life. I feel a little selfish…it seems it’s all about me. But why shouldn’t it be? You know the old saying, “If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”

So what am I going to do, you ask? I don’t know. I know I am very lucky to have the luxury of time, to figure out what it is that I do want to do. Maybe another pr opportunity will come along, or maybe something totally different will spark my interest. Maybe I’ll take a class or two. Or volunteer. Or just hang out with my five year old, who is in half day kindergarten. I have a clean slate. A fresh start. It’s just a matter of finding something to decorate it with.