loyal reader of the month: march

my loyal readers,

I am very honored and humbled to offer the award for our inaugural loyal reader of the month. the month of march has been a wild one, I think you will agree. it has been a little chippy and a little choppy, but here we are, on the cusp of april celebrating march for what it was.

for their engagement, encouragement, and excitement--I present to you the loyal reader of the month: natalie portman!

natalie has been an active commenter for a long time here on frank's new blog, and we are pleased that the first edition of this award can be presented to such a big supporter.

with this award, natalie will receive: a place in history on our loyal reader wall of fame, a letter of recognition and certificate of appreciation, and a "frank face" static cling (just a fun little memento). hah!

natalie, am I correct in thinking the excitement about receiving this award is right up there with your best actress Oscar for the film black swan (2010)?

kidding! it's probably surprisingly close though.

-frank

p.s. let me know where you want me to send it! same place as the random drawing win?

good invention spotlight 004

glasses. no, not the kind you wear on your face. I'm talking about the ones you use to drink liquids. (generally, room temperature or cool liquids. you might be thinking about mugs. we are not.) maybe you would call them cups. they are sometimes made out of other materials, but let's face it, the best ones are made of glass--they last longer and are easy to clean. did we mention refraction?

the good invention spotlight is a series here on frank's new blog with the humble mission of recognizing useful everyday inventions that people may take for granted. it begs the question: how did people ever make do without? we certainly couldn't.

-frank

*embedded Instagram post replaced with image file 2018/12/11*

not everything exists on the internet

an incredibly disappointing truth. I spent a few hours on the web trying to find a comprehensive list documenting the use of jumping jacks in film and television. news flash: it doesn't exist. hm. this seems like something of which someone would have record...but no, neither imdb nor wikipedia delivers.

I guess this is another responsibility that frank's new blog must shoulder: the comprehensive guide to the use of jumjax™ in film and television. (new page coming soon!)

can you think of an instance? drop us a note in the comments and we will be sure to check it out.

-frank

hindsight

I got up this morning and fired off some jumjax™. to be honest, I'm not sure how many I did. I just did them until I was too tired to do anymore. it was a lot, I know that much, but I wasn't even thinking about counting. I was thinking about how great it felt to be releasing energy into the universe. I was hooked. I simply couldn't stop. it got me thinking back to my time spent in jail a few weekends back. if I had done jumjax™ in jail, I would have been in a much better state of mind. my point is simple, and it's this: if I had a time machine, I would go back and do jumping jacks in jail.

they should be teaching you this stuff in school if you ask me. p.e. should have focused on jumping jacks (and maybe if they called them jumjax™ kids would be more interested. hello?! marketing 101).

a few of the times I think people should do jumjax™:

• first thing in the morning (or before showering)
• angry or annoyed at something
• workout regimen
• stressed out
• need to disperse energy into the universe
• for fun every once in a while
• right now

try it, you'll love it.

-frank

haven't done jumjax™ in a while

I haven't done jumjax™ (slang for jumping jacks) in a while. a long while. (as a refresher, I was doing jumjax™ to meet one of my goals for the year: 2-handed dunking a basketball on a ten foot rim by the end of 2018.) at one point I did over 100 jumjax™!

I came close to doing them today, but I realized I would have to take a second shower and decided to hold off until tomorrow morning. I can do the jumjax™ before showering and really maximize the utility of the shower and start my day in the most efficient way. this is something I think people should think about more often. there are upwards of 8 billion of us on this planet, and if we use resources on a whim--without any concern for our actions--we're going to find ourselves in an uncomfortable place in the not so distant future. it's like investing, but with much greater stakes: the survival of planet earth.

-frank

p.s. I was thinking "jumjax™" could be a cool new trend we could start. by now you guys can probably tell that I'm all about being on the ground level of creating the next big thing, and I think this definitely has the potential to take off.

some bookkeeping

wanted to take the time to address a few things now that frank's new blog is back to operating at 110%.

1. cool thing scheduling will continue as originally intended operating on a monday-to-sunday deadline. the four (4) weeks that were missed will be implemented as a series of cool thing flex weeks appearing without warning in the remaining forty (40) weeks of the calendar year. this random energy is something I know my loyal readers will absolutely love.
2. the loyal reader of the month recognition award, which started this month, will be awarding it's first award on march 31st. really excited to share what we at frank's new blog have cooked up for this one. just a reminder that without each and every one of you none of this would be possible, and this award is our simple way of saying thanks.
3. bitcoin has been fluctuating around eight thousand dollars ($8,000.00 usd). this is going to continue for the near future, but in the two (2) to three (3) week range expect a big shakeup. as you can imagine, there will be winners and losers. that's the risk of the the cryptocurrency market--and that's why we love it so much.
4. stock market analysts' predictions are all over the place: "it's going to tank." "it's going to surge." "it's a bubble." "sell sell sell." "buy buy buy." the truth is none of them have any idea what they are talking about and they should leave these sort of details to those of us with a head for this sort of thing. it's just embarrassing.

one final thought:

until tomorrow.

-frank

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cool things database

it's finally here!

if you look to your right, you will notice a new navigation tool that will take you to a page where you can easily access all the cool things, right in one place! now that's cool.

-frank (sched.)

[edit]

directions for mobile users: to access other pages on frank's new blog, click on the maroon banner at the top of the page (likely labeled "home") and select "cool things database." simple as that! enjoy!

-frank

good to be back

a new streak begins.

this feels right. things are back on track. I know I am very behind on cool things. we have to make 52 by the end of the year! don't worry, the remaining cool things will be reworked into a series of manageable deadlines. update on that soon. I am also working on a rework of the site to allow easier navigation and exploration. questions or concerns? ask away! I'm right here. and I'm not going anywhere.

stay tuned
-frank

finally some good news

dear my loyal readers,

it is with great joy I write you today to say that my legal problems are over, though not not without punishment. I hope this fact serves as a reminder to you that actions have consequences, just like on the stock market. I have been assigned 100 hours of community service and mandatory attendance at an anger management seminar (on top of the days I already served in jail). I know what you're thinking: "those 100 hours are going to be so easy! you serve the community here at frank's new blog each and every day!"

you're right. it will be very easy for me because I already serve the community, but it's still important to remember what these 100 hours mean--penance. redemption. a second chance.

I feel like this is a new lease on life and I will not waste a single moment of it.

thank you for your understanding during what has been a stressful and difficult time. excited to get back to what we here at frank's new blog do best: sharing insights, promoting creativity, and building community.

I love fridays!
-frank

communications array

hello loyal readers! fear not! even though I will not be posting during this extended break for some personal time and legal troubles, you will still have each other. this post is for you. not to interact with me, no. it's so you can continue to interact with each other.

we at frank's new blog have been happy to provide such an incredible place for community. that's what we are all about and will continue to be about. that and being funny and creative.

drop in and say "hi" below! this is your playground. get to know one another. don't be shy. I look forward to seeing all of you on my return, whenever that may be. cross your fingers for me. it doesn't look great.

-frank (sched.)

stepping away for a bit

the legal trial is taking all of my energy and giving me a lot of stress, so I will be stepping away from blogging for a while until it is resolved. I may be forced to step away for longer depending on the ruling of the courts. I am at the mercy of the judicial system. felt like I owed you an  update of current affairs.

to my loyal readers, I have a surprise coming for you tomorrow that I think you will greatly enjoy. here's to our speedy reunion.

-frank

p.s. if anyone knows any reasonably priced legal advisors please send them my direction. thank you.

I, too, know why the caged bird sings

this has been the worst weekend of my life.

I could not decide how I was going to handle this post. to be truthful, I thought about not making it at all. I thought about totally ignoring frank's new blog forever and all responsibility for it--never again posting a cool thing, a business insight, an interesting musing. but I have decided that I owe more than that to my loyal readers, who have stayed by my side through thick and thin. this is truly the thinnest. I have decided that I owe them the truth. 

you see, and this is difficult for me to share:

the truth is that I spent the past weekend in jail.

yes, 3 nights in a cold and dingy cell with restless sleep. nightmares. fractured dreams. total discomfort. simmering anger. regret.

absolute regret.

it festers on the mind when you let it. and I let it. it grew like a cage around me. I was in a physical cage (jail) and a mental/emotional cage (regret).

the worst part is this: they would not even give me access to a smart phone or a laptop (or a tablet or a desktop) so that I could make a post on my blog. since I was not planning on spending time in jail, I had not planned any scheduled posts (which would have made the weekend considerably better knowing I did not let everyone who was counting on me down). that is why I did not post the last three days. I could not despite my best efforts of persuasion.

I know I have disappointed my parents, grandparents, parents' friends, former teachers, neighbors, peers, victims, friends, loyal readers, and myself. disappointment grew around the regret like a third cage. unlike regret, it comes not entirely from within but is reinforced by those who look on. by those who feel betrayed. by those who expected better, more. now that I'm no longer in jail, I'm just trapped inside two cages. neither is physical, both are binding.

I know this: I will not waste another moment. I will move beyond these cages.

thank you for your understanding in this difficult time.

-frank

domuscoins: don't believe the hype

I personally looked into domuscoins and researched information about them from before their ico launch (and even looked at some metrics going into the future). at first, their marketing, analysis, and presentation impressed me...

I'd like to pause briefly to give a special thank you to bobody, who helped inspire this post with his question in the comments section of the 100th post here on frank's new blog. he seems particularly infatuated by domuscoins multimedia marketing campaign...

with posts like this, how can you blame him?

A post shared by Domus Coins (@domuscoins) on Mar 4, 2018 at 12:05pm PST

this is just good marketing, plain and simple. I will admit that.

however, when looking at their facebook page, I noticed this post:



this is an unacceptable comparison. here's why:

• the boys in blue of the postal industry deserve our respect, first and foremost. I think you'll agree.

another point isn't even necessary, but to be thorough...

• the postal industry is still alive and well. to be blunt, email couldn't destroy the postal industry. if anything, email enhanced the postal industry. it allowed for:

1. stronger customer-vendor interaction
2. ease of tracking parcels and logistics monitoring
3. revenue growth. yes, growth. the international post corporation (ipc), which tracks 48 operators worldwide and provides services for many times that, reports further revenue growth in the last calendar year. in particular, growing e-commerce and parcel services--which utilize email services in even their basic levels of operation--are driving this revenue increase and have been for quite some time. you see, the postal industry has adapted most admirably to form a fusion of the digital world and the real world. if I might point out, that's what domuscoins, backed by REAL estate, dreams it can achieve. domuscoins should be championing how email and the postal industry have a symbiotic relationship, digital and real, just as backing crypto currency with real estate theoretically provides more stability and revenue growth.

if this comparison is to be taken at face value, what they are saying is: domuscoins will enhance the banking industry. however, I do not think this was their intent. they are trying to say: digital currency will end banks.

oh dear. quite the mix-up.

clearly there is a lack of understanding of the business metrics and hard facts behind this comparison. that's just lazy... and that's just bad business. laugh all the way to the bank, domuscoins. consider me your teller and yourself told. you owe our boys in blue an apology.

hope this is informative for you, bobody.

-frank

100 post milestone

celebrate, my loyal readers! this is the 100th post here on frank's new blog! a most impressive milestone to be sure.

in honor of 100 posts, the comments section below will be an impromptu q&a (question and answer) session. maybe you have some questions about stocks or maybe you're curious about something else entirely, like my favorite color. just an example ha ha it can be whatever. business or pleasure.

ask away! and happy 100!

-frank

p.s. do you think we can have 100 questions for the 100th post? that's my impromptu challenge for you, my loyal readers! good luck!

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light can bend

kind of messed up, I think you'll agree.

it's one of those little things that we don't think about very much--especially in the business world--even though we encounter it in our everyday lives... just another one of life's great mysteries. maybe take the time to appreciate it the next time you drink a glass of water, ok?

-frank

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wait, what?

seriously, what?!... it's march 5th? oh my. I missed the deadline for cool thing 9! please forgive me for my insolence, my loyal readers, I simply do not know to where the time has vanished...

cool thing 9 is churning in the machine as we speak. rest assured, we at frank's new blog are working overtime to bring you cool things for your consumption. because of this terrible error, cool thing 9 and 10 will release as a double feature to cover the two week period of feb. 26th - mar. 11th. please make note of this change in scheduling.

once again I plead, forgive my foolishness. the end of february lasted so long that I completely lost track of time. it's like I went into the shimmer surrounding area x and lost all sense of time just like lena (natalie portman), dr. ventress (jennifer jason leigh), anya thorensen (gina rodriquez), josie radek (tessa thompson), cass sheppard (tuva novotny), kane (oscar isaac), and the rest of kane's unit in alex garland's science fiction feature film annihilation (2018) with cinematography by rob hardy based on the book annihilation by jeff vandermeer.

-frank

getting excited

instead of watching the oscars, I'm on the way to see natalie portman in her new movie annihilation (2018). very excited. will update this post in a few hours with what I think about it (I'm expected to be absolutely wow'd, especially by the acting performances).

-frank

update: impressive visuals, a story that feels both dreamy and nightmarish, and an incredible Oscar worthy acting performance on top of that? wow. you'll regret not seeing this one on the silver screen. I think I am going to have some strange dreams tonight, to say the least. will update this post if I do.

-frank

update 2: I definitely had 3 different really weird dreams but now I've waited way too long and I can't remember a single one of them. it's like I stepped through the shimmer and had my mind refracted... and now can't remember, ha ha! I will try thinking about it a lot tonight before sleeping and maybe I'll have them again so I can share them.

-frank

another update: just wanted to pop in to say that I didn't have the dreams again even though I tried thinking about annihilation (2018) before I went to bed. so maybe I'll just have to watch it again and see if I can have the dreams that way. or I could try watching the trailer and see if that does anything. worst case scenario I think it is going to be out on netflix pretty soon, which is an absolutely terrible way to see movies... let's just say you get what you pay for. there's a reason that studios release movies in theaters (hint: it's good for business). look at what annihilation (2018) has pulled in already: $21,146,173 - according to boxofficemojo.com (whathey keep good stats just a heads up.) it takes netflix hundreds of movies to bring in those numbers. this is actually something very worthy of a deeper look on the business side. I might write up a post on this in the near future.

-frank

by the numbers

wanted to share some numbers for the first quarter with my loyal readers. (hint: they look very good.)

december 2017: 372 page views

january 2018: 496 page views

february 2018: 641 page views

I think you'll agree that these returns are very promising.

this has been a very good quarter, to say the least. here's to hitting our future projections.

-frank

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big vs small

there's this idea that you can only be big or small. alpha or beta. winner or loser. leader or follower. what if I told you that wasn't the case, really. what if in reality, that "or" is replaced... with an "and."

yes, that's right. it's big and small. alpha and beta. winner and loser. leader and follower.

good and evil. a dichotomy.

you see, we are complex beings. we are the sum of many parts, all of us. just like cats and bugs. and together we are the sum of many more parts. it's about balance. it's about cohesion.

let's explore this further.

if we take the business world and break it down like this:

• humans are big = big business
• bugs are small = small business

...at first you (big business in this scenario) think: gross, small bugs. I'm going to squash them!

but if there were no bugs in the world the ecosystems would collapse. there would be no cats when they don't have any bugs to eat. eventually, there would be no big business without bug business. bugs are helpers. they are part of nature's garbage disposal, and they are also an important part of the food chain (for the sake of this scenario, the supply chain). there are more bugs on earth than people. if the bugs teamed up, they could become bigger than big and could crush humans. so why don't they? simple. lack of organization.

when you see small businesses growing into big businesses, sometimes they lose track of where they came from: being small. instead of existing in harmony, they turn on their own bug friends and squash them. if we take a moment to shift our perspective, we can see that it's big and small. bugs and humans--together. eat. sleep. drink. grow. change. innovate. survive. die. not so different after all, eh?

the point I'm trying to make is this: when it comes right down to it, respect is what matters. it's about respecting yourself and those around you, no matter how big or small they are. and that's good business.

just something to think about.

-frank

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what I learned

we held off march as long as we could. it's true what they say. taking a picture does make it last longer. great job, everyone. there were moments where I honestly thought february would never end. there were moments where I wished it would (hint: it wouldn't). but now, it has.

what I've learned:

1. it's ok to slow down, and to slow things down.
2. look around every once in awhile. you might like what you see.
3. it reminds me of the tortoise and the hare. I think you'll agree.
4. just because something is small doesn't mean it can't be big, like with business.
5. february doesn't have to feel short even though it's only 28, sometimes 29 days long.
6. time is what you make of it.

all good lessons, I think you'll agree...

which is why we at frank's new blog are happy to announce the creation of our instagram (username: bigbusinessinsider). this newest project here at frank's new blog will be devoted to taking the time to slow things down and enjoy the little things.

take a moment to slow things down and look around, ok?

-frank

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