The real goal of 5 Things blog posts is to help people find new connections. With that in mind, here’s a new 5 Things You Might Not Know About Me (the sales edition):

1. I’ve been a superhero fan since five years of age. My grandfather, a candy salesman, used to take me along on his beat to meet customers. He was the easygoing kind of salesman. He never pushed, and always made more than his quota. I improved my reading skills at an early age poring over Batman, Spider-Man, and a lot of other comics. I still pick up the occasional comic book. Batman is my favorite, though I don’t read him regularly.
2. I tried selling cars. I lasted exactly one week. I couldn’t handle the whole fake “ask the manager” thing, and the “sell them the most car you can, even if they can’t afford it” thing. I was 18, and could’ve cared less.
3. I tried selling water purification systems. I lasted exactly two weeks. I had this huge book with a script in it, and I had to read directly from the book, so I’d go to people’s houses who’d answered some phone call, and I’d sit on their table, and read to them about water systems, and neither of us were all that interested in being there. All three places I was sent smelled a bit like pee.
4. The last five cars I’ve purchased are Saturns. The reason? There’s no negotiation. The price is the price. I go in there, find the car I want, and buy it. Why don’t other car companies adopt this? Not sure, but I’m pretty happy with Saturn. Their sales folks are more like helpers than wheeler-dealers.
5. I can sell the heck out of books. I’m an avid reader, and I can talk passionately about books, even if I’ve never read a certain title. I usually know about the reviews, the space where it competes, and about the buyer. For several holiday seasons, I used to sell in a little independent bookstore in northern Massachusetts, and was paid only in books for my work.

That’s how meme games work. You come up with an idea, share your payload, and then pass it on. Here’s where I’m supposed to pass it on and spread the love with others, and then they’ll write a post, that has a link to mine, and etc, etc.

Instead of passing on that I tagged you, how about giving all the love to Dominick instead?

Tags go to: Jon Swanson, Becky McCray, Britt Raybould, Megin, and Glenda Watson Hyatt. Remember, pass on the love to Dominick. : )

Memes show connection points. They show Peter that I’ll answer his request. They show that I will reach out to others, and who I reach out to, and how these things tie together.

Memes provide context. Both in the way I choose to answer, and then again in the way the answers stack together with other people’s thoughts and ideas.

Sure, they’re often kind of silly, but that’s not the point. The point is that they actually serve a function. They thread together people, the web, and how people see each other out there.

(For the record, don’t tag me in memes. I often don’t play. What’s that say about me?)

Four jobs I’ve had in my life:

1. Library page. First paid job ever.
2. Directory Assistance (411) operator.
3. Car Salesman. For one week. I chewed at it. Also kind of wrecked some gears on one of their cars. Shhh.
4. Bookstore clerk. (Did this around the holidays at an independent bookstore for years.)

Four TV shows I DVR:
None, but I watch lots of Internet TV.
1. The Clip Show
2. Something to be Desired
3. Epic Fu
4. Jeff Pulver’s TV Channel

Four places I’ve Been:
1. St John’s Newfoundland. First place I ever got off the plane and instantly wanted to live there.
2. Stockholm, Sweden. PodCamp Europe/VON Europe, and fun with Jeff Pulver.
3. Bermuda. Man, did it RAIN there!
4. San Marcos, Texas. Swell place to do a Blogtoberfest.

Four favorite foods:
1. Leftovers. I say this all the time, but it’s true.
2. Steak from Nine in Las Vegas. (Any steak, but that one rocked!)
3. Blue cheese burger, medium, with sweet potato fries.
4. Beef stew.

And now, the handoff

The point of doing memes is to keep them rolling. So here I am, tagging four people whose answers I want to hear, and people who are in some way connected to my thoughts and ideas. Here’s who I tag:

• Mitch Joel – thoughtful and wonderful and participatory.
• Travell Perkins – recently launched a new blog, and could use some visitors.
• David Armano- who celebrated his 2nd blogging anniversary.
• Len Devanna- who just relaunched a new EMC.com site.

There you go. Hop to it. : ) And thanks, Peter, for having me along.

Photo credit, Zimpenfish.