Trying to find my focus group

I decided it was about time I checked in with my focus group to see how they were coming with ideas for my new business. I first looked for the person in the homeless group that lived on the sidewalks of my city. They had set up camps in many of the downtown parks and had been forced out of all of them because they were urinating, doping and sexing in front of passers by. Imagine! Now the parks are closed to everyone for cleaning and the homeless are in a "state of transition" to a space under one of our many bridges which will, supposedly, be a permanent home to the delight of their new neighbors. So I gave up on getting a good focus group person out of that bunch as they had too much going on their own to think about my little project.

So I decided to try the one who watched only Fox day and night. I quickly decided that was a bad decision on my part because I can't stand watching Fox. I do watch some shows; I think the "Mindy Project" is very funny. I've always liked Mindy Kaling as she's always a little off from everyone else which makes her so funny and attractive. I thought I would like Kevin Bacon in "The Following," but it was too violent for me and it really has to be violent for me to not watch it. One show I do watch during the day on Fox is "Shepard Smith" with the news in the afternoon. I started that when I visited a family in Louisiana that was republican, of course, which I had to put up with as I was staying with them as their guest. So I watched Shepard every day and continued after I got home. I think he is very smart, cute and a secret democrat! Maybe he's not, but I think he has left tendencies. Anyway, I crossed the focus group person for Fox off my list. Not a good fit. 

So that left the person who watches reality shows all day and into the night. I contacted one who was watching "Keeping up with the Kardashians" and "Toddlers and Tiaras" simultaneously - he had two TVs side by side in front of him. I peeked in his window so I knew he was home and then knocked very loudly on his door. He didn't move or acknowledge me, so I kicked in his door and confronted him. He barely noticed me, and when I asked him about his being a part of my focus group, he said "whaaaat?" I got no place with him so I walked out and didn't even slam the door because it was now broken. So that was it for my search for good candidates.

After giving this much thought, I have decided to use my two darling daughters as my focus group as I know a little about them and can possibly depend on them. At least I won't have to look in a homeless camp for them . . . not right now anyway. The picture of the two of them is from several years ago but they look like very good focus group material. They are looking serious and ready to work.

Focus Groups and other similar groups

Lately I've been hearing about groups that are used by people supposedly needing help with their lives or work. The first one I checked was Focus Groups, and I naturally went to my bible which is Google. Google's definition was as follows: A demographically diverse group of people assembled to participate in a guided discussion about a particular product before it is launched, or to provide ongoing feedback on a political campaign, television series, etc. No problem! I could go downtown and find a homeless person sleeping on the sidewalk with his dog. He would be very diverse. I could also ask a person who spends his waking hours watching Fox news. That's not only diverse but stupid! Another person would be the one who watches reality shows all day and has a mind like a blank slate. I'm sure I could find enough candidates with no trouble at all for my Focus Group.

I thought I should also consult with Pew Research Center. Google says they are a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. I want to know where in the hell they came up with a name like that. It's really disgusting! Do we actually need someone with that sort of name telling us about the issues facing us and the ongoing trends in the world? I don't think so. I'm dropping Pew.

I also thought I'd look into how to become a consultant.  A consultant is a person who provides expert advice professionally for a fee, and Google says becoming a consultant increases your flexibility and income. I would certainly like to increase my flexibility! And increasing my income would be an added bonus. I hear all the time about CEOs and others in the high ranks retiring. And then you hear how they aren't really retiring, they're going to be consultants for an exorbitant amount of money! That just doesn't seem fair to me. With whom do they consultant? Why are they any smarter than someone who is not getting paid millions to say a few words which is probably considered consulting? When did this all happen? Why wasn't I told?

I won't even mention Wall Street as I think the traders, hedge fund owners, brokers, etc. are all corrupt. Even Pew Research wouldn't tackle that stink. But that is not what I started out writing about. My last subject is fundraisers. Google says this:  A fundraiser is a person whose job or task it is to seek financial support for a charity, institution or other enterprise. It seems there are fundraisers going on all the time. It doesn't matter what the subject is, there are people raising money for it. It could be helping stop cancer or saving the grasshopper from extinction. Someone is out there with his hand out. In the definition of fundraisers it mentioned financial support for other enterprises. I could qualify under "other enterprises." Maybe I should get all my candidates for the Focus Group together and see what we come up with!