I’ve learned two valuable lessons recently: Don’t be lazy. Don’t be a brat. More specifically: add a subject line to your e-mails. It’s not that hard and it makes everyone’s life easier.

When I first started at Imulus, I was not accustomed to inter-office exchanges of e-mails. Most of the time if someone wanted me to complete a task, I would attach the completed item to an e-mail and send away. Naturally I would ignore the prompt asking me if I still wanted to send the e-mail without a subject line. After a while, my mail application would give up on me and stop the alerts.

Eventually, I was diplomatically informed by some of my co-workers that my neglect of subject lines may be a tad annoying. “Annoying?” I thought in my most indignant mental voice. “I’ll show them annoying.” After this cerebral conversation with myself, I proceed to add subject lines that had nothing to do with the actual e-mail. Subjects such as “sweet cuppin cakes” or “I like turtles” would crop up in my co-workers’s inbox giving them something to chuckle at or be irritated at.

My shenanigans ensued for around a year and a half until the day that cruel irony bit me square in the ass. During a dark day in Imulus’s history when we lost some information, I was doing my best as the diligent designer to help recover all that I could. This meant I had to look though old e-mails with my trusty search to help me. Side note: I am not a good organizer when it comes to my e-mail and I am a digital pack rat – bad combination. Anyway, back to our flustered heroine. As I was sorting through my old e-mails becoming increasingly murderous towards my past self I came to a harsh revelation – it’s not worth it. It’s not worth the inconvenience for maybe a couple of seconds of giggling at the silly subject line.

These days I have learned my lesson… Although occasionally I do like to slip in the old silliness, but only if it applies to the real subject line.

Well, what a surprise, AT&T is now behind on MMS messages for the iPhone again. This time the delay is said to be keeping the service out of our hands until September. Not to mention rumors of a $55 upgrade fee for tethering ability with your iPhone.

The delays are frustrating, yes, but compared to the bullshit I deal with daily on AT&T’s network a two month delay for MMS is laughable. In fact, I’d go as far as to say I would sacrifice MMS altogether just to get some decent service from the company.

Let me recap briefly some of the issues I have daily while using AT&T as my wireless provider:

• Appalling 3g coverage – AT&T’s 3g network is horribly inconstant. It frequently drops in and out of reach, even in heavily populated areas. And, when it does work, the speeds are mediocre at best. I’ve used it on three different iPhones and a Sony Ericsson w600i. In comparison to Verizon or Sprint the 3g AT&T offers feels childish.
• Weird network restrictions – AT&T has a ton of network restrictions, some applications on iTunes can’t be used unless on wifi, iTunes store downloads over 10megs are disallowed, yet we as users pay a fee for 5gigs of data per month. Why should I be limited to 10megs per download if I pay $30+ dollars a month for 5gigs of bandwidth?
• Regular plain old cellphone coverage – It’s one thing not to get wicked fast 3g speed all over the city, but it’s another to simply not get cell coverage at all. I live in the middle of Downtown Denver, yet, I at this moment I have no service on my phone. In fact, if I want service I would need to walk over to my window in the other room and sit within a 10 foot radius. This isn’t just limited to my apartment though, it happened at my previous house, and still happens to this day at the Imulus workplace in Boulder.
• Dro…
• Dropped c…
• D…
• Dropped calls!!! – I’m not kidding, everyone I know on AT&T has calls dropped so frequently it’s literally become a joke. I recognize this would most likely be tied to cell service area, but I get dropped calls even at full bars. I swear if AT&T offered a land line it would still drop my call. I get at least 7 dropped calls daily. Daily!

The point is that AT&T is terrible when it comes to wireless cell service. It’s a travesty that the iPhone, which is an amazing piece of technology, is limited to such a terrible network. It’s like having a Formula-1 racer and only being able to use it on dirt roads.

The truth is if Apple doesn’t bring the iPhone to another network in the next year, I’ll honestly consider switching phones. Simply to get away from AT&T.

As the internet landscape has evolved at a blistering pace, universities have been left behind and often teaching skills and concepts that are years out of date. I was excited to read about The University of Colorado’s Boulder Digital Work program. Their stated mission is, “developing today and tomorrow’s digital leaders and entrepreneurs.”

This sounds like a very forward thinking program and hopefully it will produce a lot of local talent with a much better understanding of the digital realm than most schools offer today. Courses include Interaction Design, Experience Design, Digital Branding, Social Networks, and Software Development.

I hope this program is successful and that it will help to continue the growth of Boulder as a hub for innovation.

Ok, I know the world is inundated with Michael Jackson news right now, but I am quite ok jumping on the bandwagon. Although you can bring up all the controversy that surrounded his life, I don’t think anyone can discount the amazing talent in this guy. He is a legend the world will likely never see again.

The artists influenced by MJ can’t even be counted. He was by far one of my favorite musicians and dancers. Although he lost it in his late years, there are still several hits that are popular for all generations living today. In fact, some of my friends and I still have a pretty rockin’ Billie Jean dance on tape somewhere.

He will be missed, and I hope everyone remembers and realizes what a true genius Michael was. My thoughts are with family, friends, and fans right now.

Obviously, this was a difficult week for many celebrities and their families. I would also like to express my condolences to Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon, and Billy Mays.

What would you saaay. . .you do here?
I make sure the TPS reports have covers on them. Aside from that important job, I am also a Project Manager. I have all the day-to-day contact with clients. They tell me what they need, and I make sure it gets done on time and within the budget. I task out all of the work to my glorious team. In short, I stack bomb.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
Oh boy. Do I only get to chose one? Alright, as a college Freshman, I was playing in a soccer game. My teammate, Kealy, got very badly hacked in the ankle, but kept playing and limping around. In soccer, in order to stop for injury time, you have to sit on the ground, the ref blows the whistle, and the person can leave. Well, everyone was telling Kealy to sit down, and she wouldn’t. She was playing defense and I was in the midfield. My coach yelled, “Hoffman, drop for her!” Well, I assumed he meant “drop to the ground to stop play” rather than drop back to defense to give her a break. Well, like the dutiful minion I was, I plopped on the ground. The ref, my teammates, and the entire sideline were laughing at the blonde dumbass sitting in the middle of the field. I, unfortunately, was the one who had to leave the field, since I was the one sitting. Yep. Good times. Idiot. Never lived that one down all 4 years of college soccer.

If money were no object, what would you do with your life?
I’d be a stand-up comedian. I’d probably dance, play soccer daily, and travel the world while telling my jokes.

Dogs or Cats?
Daawwwwggggss!!! I have puppy fever. Bad.

What is the funniest thing a client has ever said to you?
At my old company, we put together a postcard mailer design. We presented the design with Lorum Ipsem in the copy as a text place holder to show the overall concept (like we had done 50 other times for this client). He said he really liked the design, but was concerned that most of his audience wouldn’t be able to understand Latin. Oh boy.

So we’re all jealous of your trip to Europe. What was the best part?
There were so many amazing parts. I loved my day in Toledo. Amalfi was the most beautiful town too. Pompeii was just unbelievable. I have to say my favorite was probably Rome. The architecture, art, and history are just so amazing. Our hotel was in the perfect location to walk to all of the amazing sites: The Pantheon, The Coliseum, and The Sistine Chapel. Doesn’t get much better than that!

What Office character are you?
I don’t actually watch the show. I would say Pam is a safe bet, but I am certainly not as shy or awkward (I hope). Unfortunately, I think I may just be the crazy one…

Creed Bratton
The most eccentric office employee, Creed keeps a blog called Creed Thoughts filled with musings like “If I ever go[t] the chance, I’d take a bath in a giant fondue pot. No lie.”
http://television.aol.com/insidetv/2007/09/21/the-office-character-guide/

What is your favorite movie of all time?
Boy, this is tough to narrow down without a specific category. I prefer comedy, so that’s what you shall get.

I think I’m going with Office Space. Although, Wedding Crashers and Van Wilder are both up there. I’m also going to put Singing in the Rain and The Little Mermaid out there, too. Yep.

Eagles or Broncos?
Yes.

Who would you most like to meet?
Well, you’ll probably mock me for this, but I would have loved to have met Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. I have never seen someone get so much joy out of everything he did and truly live his life to the fullest every day. I would think 5 minutes in a room with him, and you’d have a totally different appreciation for everything big and small.

However, I assume this question refers to the living, so I would have to go with Ronaldinho. I can’t imagine I’d have a whole lot to say to him, but it’d be the coolest thing ever to stand 10 feet away from him with a soccer ball. Now, there’s a guy who’s loving life and is awesome at what he does.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
I think I’d fly because then I could travel anywhere I wanted to for free.

Of course, if I had ESP, I could guess what clients wanted before they even asked for it. Talk about best Project Manager ever.

What website can you not live without?
I’m going to be an ass and say Google. I was going to say The Denver Egotist, Digg, or Fark, but really I couldn’t survive without Google. I’d be like a lost little puppy.

Best “That’s what she said” heard at Imulus.
Mario: “I used to have massive forearms from stick handling.” #TWSS
Taylor: “When it’s early in the morning and I want to grab a pair.” #TWSS
Steph: “Can you just fake it for the time-being to get it done quickly on the site?”
Mario: “I can fake anything.” (PS That was on a client call) #TWSS