Disqus - Latest Comments for tomokeefe1

Re: The Monday Handful – The 1st Wave of Black Friday 2013

Tom — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 10:13:49 -0000

I bought the Ernst Alexander flask last year for my brother for Christmas. Be warned: It looks pretty good, but it's pretty big in size, the leather is tough to put on if/once taken off, and it feels cheap. I was pretty disappointed (however, my brother was happy with it!).

Re: The Playlist – July 2013

Tom — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 09:31:55 -0000

Great pick with Lorde. Up and comer right there, folks.

Re: Reacting to Federal Hill tempest, Liquor Board denies bar’s application

Tom — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 10:42:31 -0000

Voting this down is not the answer to the problems that the FHNA cites and will not change a single thing in Federal Hill.

Re: Latest mega-bar plan has Federal Hill residents saying “enough!”

Tom — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 15:20:57 -0000

Thanks for your response, Eric. Where was the FHNA's voice while McComas let those properties sit for so long? Now that they're actually moving forward with a business, you speak up?

As far as 5000 patrons, can you work with Baltimore City to step up ticketing in Area 9, 19, and 30 parking areas to drive these folks to the garages in the area?

Re: Latest mega-bar plan has Federal Hill residents saying “enough!”

Tom — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 14:13:10 -0000

This is horrible.

1. Baltimore Brew: if you're going to take an opinion piece from someone who volunteers for the organization who most actively working against this bar (in this case, the FHNA), tell the reader up front. As a regular reader of this blog, that's insulting.

1a. Allowing videos of the post-Super Bowl victory is wrong and misleading. This is not representative of a typical night in Federal Hill. I'm disappointed in Baltimore Brew here, too.

2. If you're going to report the cons, talk about the pros, too. The three rowhomes that Crossbar will replace have been vacants for the last 4+ years, some of the only vacants in Federal Hill.

3. McComas has said repeatedly that this will be a bar for good food and craft beers. This opinion piece fails to mention that.

4. "Courtney McConnell, a 23-year-old who bought her first home in Federal Hill six months ago, before she realized that the bar scene here was so out of control." - You interviewed a woman who didn't do enough research before BUYING a house to know what a neighborhood is like? Not a good source (or a smart one).

5. Zelda Zen, a "gem", moved because they couldn't attract business. I'm glad to hear they have found success in Fells Point. The Italian spot obviously couldn't compete with the other excellent lunch options in the immediate area (Cross St. Market, Elvis', Kabob House).

6. The reason why parking is difficult in the neighborhood is because people with jobs and cars move to the neighborhood. Parking is difficult on Monday nights AND weekend nights. Shutting down Cross St. on the weekend eliminates about 20 spaces.

7. Saying that some of your 20-something neighbors and friends that live in Federal Hill go to Fell's Point instead is anecdotal at best. This is from a Pulitzer Prize winner?

I expect better from a blog like the Baltimore Brew.

Re: Closest to the Pin Round 4: St. Joe’s (Rivalry Game with Bonus Points)

Tom — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 07:27:26 -0000

Nova- 73
St. Joseph's (PA)- 70

Re: Closest to the Pin Round 3: Temple

Tom — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:50:39 -0000

Nova 78
Temple 75

Re: Closest to the Pin Round 2: Penn

Tom — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:42:34 -0000

VU- 72
Penn- 62

Re: Closest to the Pin Round 1: LaSalle

Tom — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 08:19:53 -0000

Nova- 82
LaSalle- 69

Re: {Life} People in Glass Houses Sink Ships

Tom — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:55:17 -0000

I agree with you re: fame, but I think that can only be argued for Humphries (and only to an extent, since he's a B-level NBA player, but it's not like he's had his own show filming his family the last several years!), but it's not like the Kardashians haven't had experience being famous! They would know "fame" better than most, IMO!

Re: {Life} People in Glass Houses Sink Ships

Tom — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 08:35:22 -0000

I agree with you in principle, Meg: We should not judge others when we don't know everything.

Here's the difference, though: They put it out there for us TO judge. Live and let live? Sure, I'm happy to do that with most everybody (even the majority of celebrities!), but these Kardashian folks put it all out there to make money. If they were concerned about judging they wouldn't be on national TV.

Re: Lessons from a 7 Year Old Cancer Patient: Live in the Moment

Tom — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:03:56 -0000

Lauren- I just want to thank you for sharing this. It's so easy to go through the motions and play "the game" every day, but life is so much better when we can stop and truly appreciate how fortunate we are and the great things happening around us all the time.

Thanks.

Re: Is the sky really falling?

Tom — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 09:29:25 -0000

Great stuff- thanks!

Re: Baltimore Agency Takes Out Full-Page Ad to Boast Social Skills - AgencySpy

Tom — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:21:28 -0000

It does make sense. The people reading the newspaper are less likely to know anything about social media.

Re: Apparently, Men Don’t Notice When You Wear Heels. Who Cares?

Tom — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:58:32 -0000

As a "fella", I notice when women wear heals, especially when I see from a distance. They can definitely make a difference.

And, really, your C-Shuff skills are lacking. May want to work on that before you try to impress more men with it...

Re: Defining yourself: Unfiltered.

Tom — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:27:39 -0000

Awesome, awesome post, Sydney. I can totally identify with you, here. I kind of had the same thought process recently in my job search. What do I REALLY care about? I was set before this year: college overachiever, PR internships, social media presence, year of service experience. It was all culminating to one thing: a job in PR or social media. It was all pretty assumed. Then, in the middle of the year of service, a job opened up at the high school where I work. It's a communications/customer service type of role, but there's little writing and certainly no social media involved.

It rocked my world that I may not go into PR/social media (that's when the eleventy-billion thoughts raced through my head- What about all I've learned before this!?), but I went on a silent retreat, blocked out outer influences, cleared my head, prayed about it and talked about it with a spiritual director who I had never met, and I realized that I was passionate about the kids I was working with and the mission of the school (get underprivileged kids a college prep education). I went for the job and I got it, and I couldn't be happier with the decision.

Thanks for a great post, Sydney. I always enjoy how candid you are with this stuff!

Re: What Odd-Job Has Helped You Professionally?

Tom — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:22:15 -0000

Love this, Jackie.

I used to umpire baseball. It was fun, but high-stress at times because of parents who took things way too seriously. Anyway, I learned about dealing with people, and standing by my "calls". If there were arguments, I'd say, "Sir/Ma'm, you may be right, but that's not the way I saw it." (I love that quote). It's actually helped me a great deal working with high schoolers now.

Another AWESOME experience was working in a restaurant off and on for 6 years as a busser, barback, and waiter. I learned about customer service, what goes into running a business, and about dealing with people and their wacky requests/hangups. It was so integral to my professional development as a high schooler.

Re: Second Annual PR Reader’s Choice Blog Awards

Tom — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:58:47 -0000

Blog of the Year: PR Breakfast Club (#PRBC). http://prbreakfastclub.com/

Re: I’m joining Radian6!

Tom — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:40:29 -0000

Really well, thanks! Big announcement on my end coming soon!

Re: I’m joining Radian6!

Tom — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 07:41:20 -0000

So awesome, Lauren. Congratulations!

Re: Back to Square One

Tom — Mon, 24 May 2010 09:52:53 -0000

Kate,

I couldn't agree with you more. Great post.

I've had a similar experience this year, and it's good to know that even someone as successful as you had a tough time when they started.

Thanks,

Tom

Re: Who’s in Your Proverbial Corner?

Tom — Mon, 24 May 2010 09:40:06 -0000

Definitely agree with Jason, here. Your parents and friends are your biggest fans. They can give you the straight-talk without compromising your relationship because you both know that they're simply looking out for your best interests, and that's very, very valuable.

Re: 48 Hour Obsolescence

Tom — Wed, 19 May 2010 08:38:11 -0000

Good advice, Danielle.

My two scents: I don't see every relevant news story and blog post as it's published. For that reason, I sometimes very much appreciate when someone tweets an "in case you missed it" article or post. Plus, by then, if comments are allowed, there's usually some good thoughts and conversation below the post or article itself, adding value to the read that I may not have gotten had I read it first thing.

Re: Understanding Communications Breakdowns

Tom — Mon, 17 May 2010 11:19:13 -0000

Great advice, Jason. Changing your perspective does so much for communication and understanding.

I agree with Norcross. So often, people just don't adequately articulate what their expectations are, leading to letdowns and breakdowns. Hash it out before you start anything, ask questions, and give clear answers. Obviously, you can't cover everything, but if you make an effort to begin with, both parties will be more willing to understand "mistakes" because you've already given each other a window into your perspective through discourse.

In other words, make your perspective as available as possible.

Re: Technology in the Classroom: Teaching Weapon or Class Distraction?

Tom — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:17:06 -0000

A well thought out comment, Rich. Thanks.

I work in the Computer Lab of a high school, and it's a constant challenge to keep students on task. Luckily, I sit in the back of the classroom while they work, and can see their screens. It's a huge plus for me, but, when I teach, I like to face them, so when that happens, it's a lot harder to keep their attention. I guess my point is that classroom set-up is definitely a factor!

I think the two-way street point is a really good one. I think the consensus in the comments is that teachers can incorporate technology, but students also hold responsibility to limit their own distractions when it comes to using technology in class.

Thanks again, Rich!