Being away for a week on vacation is bad enough, but then they expect you to come back in on Monday morning and jump right back in to the fray? Oh, and Raelyn started Kindergarten today (pics & video soon), so I’ve been up since 5:45.

Any more bitching? No? On to blogging:

The best way to combat the stress (both real and repetitive-stress-injuries related to keyboard disuse) is to watch a video. In this case a clever YouTube video, The Process, that satirizes the interaction of Marketing/Advertising clients and their agency.

I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been woefully ensconced within both camps, though my work now is adjunct and more visceral (more on that later). I’d also be lying if I failed to mention the fact that I was in tears by the end. Joy or pain; you decide.

Now that the laughter is out of the way, I wanted to bring folks up-to-speed on some of my professional projects, both ongoing and upcoming.

First, if you’re on Facebook and you watch TBS or TNT, please become a fan of our programming. Appropriate linkage below:

My Boys
The Bill Engvall Show
Tyler Perry’s House of Payne
The Closer
Saving Grace

Second, I’ve been doing a bunch of professional research. Turns out I get a ton of email on Mondays and most are related to word-of-mouth and social network marketing.

Here are the highlights:

• 50 Ways Marketers Can use Social Media to Improve Their Marketing

Strictly as a scorecard, we’re doing quite well.

• How to Create a Social Media Monitoring Strategy

This is where we need some help. Summize, Technorati, Google Alerts and some other ad hoc tools aren’t the answer anymore.

• Word of Mouth Geniuses of the Week

Spending some time following all the links tonight, but this seems like a fairly good blog to read.

• Social Networks Don’t Work [PDF]

A whitepaper that I’ve actually printed. Good for convincing a boss or executive that you’ve thought of the basics and/or that this is all nothing new. YMMV.

• Word of Mouth – Monopoly Edition

Another bit of funny.

• What Traits Define a Social Media Marketer?

It might take me weeks to sift through all those opinions, but I want to try. Great stuff.

I’ve also joined a Digital Word-of-Mouth community on LinkedIn, so my work day has been pretty link-riffic.

Hope your Monday is as social as mine.