Mr. Nielsen

One odd hobby of mine is my fascination with entertainment. No, not just show content and celebrities, but how shows do in ratings and how networks market and make money. Almost every day I will check in with the Nielsen ratings system to see how shows are holding up in the ratings. I know what is an acceptable total viewer number, what is a good demo number (specifically in the 18-49 and 18-34 age range), and how shows try to make money. I understand how the internet and DVRs are measured (mostly), how once syndication kicks in shows get more expensive and usually have trouble settling contracts (a la “Bones” and “House” this year), and the most important part is, I find it all fascinating.

The thing is, measuring television viewing is a flawed system. Since DVR and online streaming, no one really knows how many people are watching the shows and what commercials are getting to the viewer. No one really knows for certain that the 18-34 demo is really the most important range to broadcast to- their reasoning is 18-34 year olds typically watch less TV so their viewing is more important because they really want commercials for their products to reach them since they are watching less. Who knows if commercials actually work- in the age of the internet and DVRs do people actually pay attention or do they zone out/fast forward through them? They only assume (and hope) that their assumptions about marketing are correct. In the age of 100+ cable channels, people watch most individual shows in less numbers than they did even ten years ago. But there are other ways to make money now- DVD’s, iTunes, Netflix, hulu, product placement (love how your favorite FOX shows plug Toyota’s all the time? Never noticed?- pay attention b/c Toyota sponsors FOX), and the big momma of SYNDICATION ($$$$$). For instance, when Friends was on in the 90’s, it normally had viewership in the 25-35 million range. That is UNHEARD of today in network TV (besides American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, and football)- most decent shows get about 10 million viewers and some even less than that if their 18-34/49 demos are good. Shows that were cancelled 10 years ago would still be on today. Execs also don’t just base their decisions on whether or not to keep a show on numbers- it has to do with fan base, critical acclaim and word of mouth (remember all the backlash about "Firefly?”)



Anyways, it is a very interesting phenomenon. Network TV doesn’t make money like it used to- cable rules because customers pay for the channels so they can have smaller numbers and still make money. That’s why network TV has been under such fire lately- how can they produce quality, ground breaking shows that make money, when they are competing against networks who can be riskier and more explicit in their content because they can survive on smaller numbers. It's why reality shows are so popular now- cheaper to make and easy to market to specific target groups. It will be interesting to see how this all changes in my lifetime considering how much about TV has changed since its inception.



So go and pay attention to ratings and television shows- it is a nice hobby that teaches you about the high-powered business world of big money making companies.

Money 101

The past nine months have been full of milestones in many ways, but the biggest is that I am living on my own and supporting myself for the first time.  The most interesting part of this has been learning how to deal with money. Now, I have always been conservative with my money- I remember saving up for Barbie Dolls in my piggy bank at 7 years old and thinking when I had enough money to buy one (a whole 7 bucks!) that I was rich. I have always had a savings account and have worked since I was old enough to- starting in the snack bar at the pool the summer I turned 14 to lifeguarding the summers I was 15-17 and then working at Great Wraps and Cold Stone my senior year. In college I worked at UVA Catering (best job ever) and while at home I waited tables at Cheeburger. In grad school I waited tables at Brio until I got my current job last August. So I have always been a good worker, a good spender, but an even better saver. I was able to chip in to my three trips abroad (Italy/France in high school, Oxford in college and Italy this past summer) and I had enough money my last year in college to buy my car in cash. I also paid for all of my graduate school, though living at home saved me a ton of mulah (thanks M & D!).

I am the first to admit that I am also lucky. I may have always worked (luckily I am one of those people who likes working) but my parents also allowed me to save- they paid for all of college undergrad and all of my food (and even gas) until I got my job last August. I owe a lot to them. But I have also been smart with my money- I pay attention to how much things cost and always save. I set goals for myself and almost always get them. I do not waste my money if I can help it, and I try not to be too stingy.

But part of growing up and learning how to deal with money is taking risks with it and enjoying it. The past few weeks I finally decided I needed to do more with my money then have it sit in a savings account with little interest. Certificates of Deposit, which I did all through college, are pointless because interest rates are so low. And I know nothing about the stock market to do my own investing (but I am working on it). So I decided to consult my big bro who is very investment-savvy. The first thing I did was put my savings into a higher interest savings acount available online. I chose ING Direct, which is offering a 1% savings account, which is the best you can find right now AND is what I would get doing a CD anyways. Then he suggested I start a Roth IRA. I had looked into IRA's and was semi-knowledgeable about them. So I asked a few questions and opened one with Vanguard. Luckily, I did it right before the tax dedline, so I was able to contribute the maximum to the 2010 year along with 2011. I also did research with my work (which has a great retirement system) and found that they do NOT have cash match plans (bummer) with a 401k or a 457. So I decided to hold out on that and just focus on the IRA and high interest savings account for now. But I am more open to investing and doing things with my money instead of saving everything and just having it sit. I did make an early mistake of checking in on my IRA frequently only to find a week in that I had already lost $100. I have not looked since!

My dilemma, though, is that I tend to save a lot and allow myself little to spend. Then if I need to spend more one month, I often feel guilty. This is not a good way to go about life, because it is about living and enjoying yourself, so I am trying to work on that. I do enjoy traveling and will allow myself money to travel, but I have a hard time spending a lot out to eat or for entertainment on a weekly basis. I am a work in progress in many areas...but I do feel more aware and smart about my money now that I am doing something with it.

L-O-V-E N-Y-C

I freakin' love New York City.

This was my 5th trip to the Big Apple and I swear I cannot get enough. The energy, the sites, the sounds, the ability to NOT have to get into a car to go everywhere (that's a big plus), the parks, the diversity, the people and of course the celebs. I love it all.

This trip was the 4th time I have gone up there with my mom and we always have a good time because we just like to experience everything. This time we did some new things and revisited some of our favorite places. Here is our trip in a nutshell:

Tuesday:

- We left Richmond on the train at 8 am and got into Penn Station at 2:20

- Walked to our hotel off of Times Square and walked around

- Dinner at Roxy Deli (it's tradition- Matzo Ball soup!!!)

- Saw Daniel Radcliffe in "How to Succeed in Business"

- Stage door for some autographs (the body guards/police were mean so we didn't get to see him well...here are two funny videos showing our dismay at the lameness of them)

Wednesday:

- The Today Show! We got on screen during the 8:30 segment and are in the background of the hour with Hoda and Kathie Lee (links are on my facebook page). Here's a video to show how close we were to them during the 8:30 segment:

- Walked from Rockefeller Plaza to the Natural History Museum. Lots of children and a wait but very cool museum.

- Walked back through Central Park and saw the movie set of "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

- Took the 'Sex and the City' 3 1/2 hour tour. AH-MAZZ-ING

-  Got half price tickets to "That Championship Season"

- Saw "That Championship Season" and got autographs from Chris Noth and Kiefer Sutherland (and even talked with them- they were awesome)!!!

Thursday:

- Up early and to the Empire State building. Very cool. We only had to wait and hour (later in the day the line was 4 hours).

- Walked to the Brooklyn Bridge, Ground Zero, Soho, Tribeca, West Villiage and did a lot of shoppping:). We literally walked 10 miles through the whole day.

- Got standing room only tickets to "Memphis"...bad idea after all the walking but very cheap!

- Saw "Memphis" 

We left Friday morning at 10:30 and got in on time to Richmond at 4:40.

*This was my first out of town trip since my Lasik, and I must say, it was amazing not having to worry about my glasses or contacts with the long days and windy conditions outside. Definitely worth it to do it.

** All the pictures from my trip are on facebook- there are too many to upload here!

** WHYYYY is spring break almost over?!?! Ugh.

A Post of Other Posts

Today I have to pay homage to the tragedy that unfolded to my dear friends, neighbors and the community at Virginia Tech four years ago on 4/16/07. I have touched on this topic before, so I won’t go into it again. If you missed that post (or want to read it again), go here.

 

Also, in keeping up with posting other posts, a blog I follow had a great post the other day that really keeps in step with my views on social media. Check that out here.

And on an unrelated note, it’s finally my SPRING BREAK (after only 14 weeks since winter break, which was a torturous long time). These breaks make my job so much more enjoyable, I tell ya. I will be heading to NYC on Tuesday with my mom, so I will be MIA for a while, but, don’t worry, I will have plenty of pictures and stories to share when I get back. Happy spring until then!

 

 

 

Also, I finally got a haircut today after 8 months. And I got bangs. Holler.

Robyn the Runner, Part 2

Training for the Monument Avenue 10k got me further “into” my running. If you had told me just 3 years ago I would turn into a runner, I would have laughed at you. Especially since my dad ran all through my growing up and I thought he was nuts. I remember in high school conditioning for soccer in the springs and dying running a mile. I always had the philosophy of “I need to be running for something…like the soccer ball… or from a robber.” Now I make my soccer team run because I like to (I’m so evil).

Anyways, in training for the 10k, I began doing long runs every weekend (after the 8k that ran through my neighborhood in February, I found a good route for long runs). Usually on Saturdays I started out run/walking 4.5 miles but found after only 2 times, I could run the whole way. Then each week I tacked on a half mile until I got to 6.2 miles and then I worked on my speed. I found out quickly that speed came naturally once my muscles could handle the distance (however, the amount you work doesn’t change- it’s just the same amount of work now makes you run faster). And after mile 2, I can basically just keep going. I now am on the mindset that the first 2 miles stink the worst, so I might as well run less days a week but longer since once I’m warmed up I can just keep going.  Even this past weekend, I ran for an hour just because I could. Yup 6.5 miles just for the heck of it, and afterward I wasn’t even that tired. It’s amazing and addicting. So much so that Sunday, instead of doing an easy short run, I still did a 4.2 mile run, and I was not sore at all.

Now, I still wouldn’t call running fun. Yes, I do it, but I’m not excited before I go out and it's hard. It is a constant mind game in getting myself going and staying going. But with endurance also comes the mindset that stopping would be pointless since I wouldn’t need much recovery time anyways. I still have to get through aches and pains while running, but they’re easier to ignore and push through now than they used to be (it also helps knowing that I can do it and have done it before). BUT once the weather really heats up, I will be running much less because I hate running in the heat.

I have noticed changes in my body from running more, too. It isn’t necessarily in the form of weight loss (though a slight one has occurred, but keep in mind I always worked out before I got into running), but an overall toning and muscle definition has occurred. I find that my abs/stomach are firmer and my legs have more definition.  I am ready for bikini season!

Now people are asking me- when are going to run a half marathon? NEVER! I still have no desire to train for a half marathon because after an hour, running gets boring. Also, I run for fitness and I don’t need to run 13.1 miles to be fit, thank you very much. Those that want to train and do it- great- but at this point in my life, I do enough.

*Random fact: I don’t sweat. Seriously- it’s always funny with my roommates, because I will come in from a 5 mile run just damp and my face its normal color. Normal people come in drenched and bright read. I think something is wrong with me. I should be studied.

Social Restlessness

I had one of those weekends where all my roommates were out of town and all my friends were busy. I enjoyed it for half a day and then panic set in…

 

I NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO!

 

Now, as you know, I am one of those people that doesn’t like to be too busy or too not-busy. Ideally, I would like half of each weekend day to myself and then half with friends/family doing something. Friday night was fine- I went happy hour bowling with my coworkers, which ended around 5:30. Then I ran some errands to the grocery store and settled in for a movie. I would have liked to go out (which is rare on a Friday- I tend to die early after a long week) if I lived closer to where I wanted to go, but I was feeling too lazy to drive. So I went to bed at 11. Holler.

 

Some 10 hours of luxurious sleep later, I woke up. It was chilly but a perfect day for a run. Since I didn’t have much to do, I ran 6.5 miles. It felt good. After a shower and lunch, I settled in for some Netflix free-trial-love to watch LOST. At about 3 pm I started to go stir crazy. I had to get out and be with civilization. I ran errands (Garden Ridge is my new happy place) and then met my parents for dinner. They were the only people I talked to all day, so we had a long meal at Panera.  After dinner I went to Target and then went home to love on my Netflix some more, this time for a movie. I was in bed again by 11.

 

Another 10 hours later, I had the same type of morning. I ran. I showered. I watched a movie on TV while doing laundry. I then went to my parent’s house for the afternoon and did a dog walk. We had dinner and watched the Masters. I got home at about 7 and then my roommates came home. Yay! People to talk to!

 

To some of you this might sound like an ideal weekend- nothing much going on, time for some good workouts and R&R. I agree- part of it was ideal. But I am the type of person who can’t be alone doing my own thing all the time. I need social outlets- I need to talk to people, meet up for a meal or an event, do SOMETHING. I don’t need to be doing doing doing all the time, but I can’t be doing nothing at all either. It’s also not necessarily what I am doing, but it’s about doing it with someone. Even if a roommate had been home to hang out with, I think I would have been ok because I would have had a social outlet. Especially when my weeks are so busy, I have a hard time winding down on the weekend.

 

So my question to you- what do you do when you’re getting socially antsy? I have friends who can be holed up in their house for days without leaving and not think twice, but I am not one of those people. Thoughts or tips? Would this have been an ideal weekend for you?

Famous Friends

I must admit, I have pretty cool friends.

I was minding my own business last Tuesday at the gym on the elliptical when I looked up from my magazine to the TV on the wall (one is always on ESPN) to find my friend in a Ford commericial! I literally screamed out (luckily, not many people were there at 3:00 in the afternoon) and then was completely confused- WHY HAD SHE NOT TOLD ME?! For a TV/Hollywood obsessed buff like me, this is a huge deal (I mean, you have to remember when I got on E! News from doing the "Talk Box" in Vegas, right? I FREAKED OUT)! Still wish that video was online...

Anyways, apparently she didn't tell really anyone, because she didn't know she would even get on, but here is her famous commercial (her part starts at 2:03):



Go Mallory!!!