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Archives for March 2013

The Happy Friday Series: Be The Sun And Serve

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Screen Shot 2013-03-28 at 9.37.29 AM“Mommy, you have to come with us! It’s so fun. Please!”

We lived on Shady Lane, and the shade  was profound. I was making it through the days as best I could but truth be told I was struggling.

I needed light desperately. Sunlight.

So, I dressed my tired body  and trudged to Tree Hill down the street and bordering the pond. The kids were racing ahead, and I thought about warning them that I wasn’t going to last long, so hurry up and get done with this joyful experience you’re convinced I’m going to have. But I didn’t.

We reached the top of the path and came out of the woods onto a bare hill drenched in warming sunlight. I sat down and nearly cried. I sat and sat and sat and dreaded going home to the darkness. I spent a lot of time at Tree Hill while we lived on Shady Lane, needless to say.

You might think that this post is about getting outside and basking in the sun, collecting your vitamin D for the day.

It’s not.

It’s about being the sun for someone else.

Being On Edge

Let me share with you how I felt the other day in order to explain it better.

I was on edge. The edge. All I could focus on was the sleep I wasn’t getting and I was not a happy camper.

What do you do when you feel like that?

I considered the typical options, but nothing appealed to me. I was sinking deeper into the mire of misery…in the breeding ground of boredom…that was being fueled by extreme fatigue.

“Call Lois.” That was a strange and unexpected  thought. It bordered on annoying because all I really wanted to do was sleep.

Lois is in her late eighties, early nineties. I haven’t seen her for a while. I’d thought of her at least three times in two days. But I had no reason to call her. We used to visit a lot and talk about genealogy and her dogs.

So I picked up the phone and called her. Her phone was disconnected. So, I called her daughter. Her phone was disconnected, too. All of a sudden I was concerned about Lois and her family. Where were they? How was she? Was there something they might need?

I reflected for a second on what had happened and giggled. I hadn’t even done anything more than start thinking about someone else and I’d started to feel better.

I’d sort of been like the sun.

The energy inside of me was released outward to touch someone else’s life and suddenly, somehow, I was brighter.

Showing up in life and giving what we can in the moments that we share makes us all a part of life’s warming rays for the people who show up at the same time. We choose whether or not to give our light or to withhold it.

I get it. Sometimes we’re tired. But maybe we’re not so much physically tired but emotionally fatigued because we haven’t been able to really connect with other people in meaningful ways.

Maybe we expect too much return on our investment of time and energy.

Maybe we are thinking “what’s in it for me?”

It’s About Service

There are some things I know about service:

  • A need is a need, and others’ needs come at inconvenient times.
  • People don’t wake up (typically) and plan to have an accident, lose their job, or have their house burn down, or struggle with depression, etc.
  • When we are the poorest we’ve ever been, a neighbor, a friend, or a stranger’s lack will remind us that we still have something to give.
  • The need for service doesn’t sleep. It doesn’t wait for us to feel refreshed and chipper. We are needed now. Sleep is for later.
  • Service blesses us more than the served if we do it like the sun shines its rays- with no expectation of thanks.
  • There will always be someone else that we can think of who is more able than we are at any given moment or in any situation who could do what is needed better. But they might think of someone else, too. There are no guarantees that the car behind us will stop to give aid to the person we just passed. We can at least stop to ask how we can help. Right?
  • There is no better short-cut to joy than thinking about how we can help someone else whether it be a smile, a hug, a “thank you”, an anonymous donation, or random kindness like shoveling their snowbound walkway.

I’ll leave you with a favorite quote of mine along with the hope for you to find the happiness that serving others brings.

“I slept and dreamt that life was joy.
I awoke and saw that life was service.
I acted and behold, service was joy.”
~Rabindranath Tagore

About The Author

Betsy Cross is a prolific blogger at What If Today and Remember. She is accessible all over the Interwebz on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Pinterest.

 

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Cyber Security Is The Future

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All dongles aside, the incident over remarks that included one of those (I had no idea it looked like this for real) by a perky-eared bystander who snapped and posted an image to Twitter of alleged offenders behind her and subsequently jobs were lost over the conundrum (breath), has caused all sorts of crazy cyber-bullying against the female bystander and one of my peers who wrote about the incident.dongle

Still not in the know? You can read all about it:

And, you know what really sucks? We don’t know the truth; we don’t know who is ultimately responsible — perhaps it’s Anonymous and perhaps not.

Stop Being Naive

What I do know is that we the people can no longer be naive that what we say online is protected and without recourse; that what we do in public surroundings when involving strangers is innocent. It’s not and it’s not.

The scare tactics of hacker groups are real; it is cyber-bullying extraordinaire. Reputations and businesses that don’t play according to cyber rules are being ruined; it’s survival of the fittest and who can survive a cyber attack?

As I was explaining to Amber-Lee Dibble of Pioneer Outfitters on Google+, it’s time to pick the battles, choose carefully how to tread online, know with whom you’re engaging, and throw caution into every word.

Ever wonder how to fight a cyber-attack during which a website crashes and the spam bots destroy the back end with waves of onslaught? I would not have the financial resources or time to devote to managing this type of crisis; in fact, there’s nothing I would be able to do but call in the troops and borrow from the IRA (that’s not the Irish Republican Army).

In a Facebook discussion today, Ms. Kittie Walker, Founder and President of Indigo Girl in London said, “It takes for people to stand up and stand up en masse to fight that kind of bullying. There are plenty of rival sub-culture organizations fighting against Anonymous, but they are employing the same tactics. The global security services and police are fighting Anonymous and they’ve made some inroads, but for every hacker they arrest, a new one pops up.

What’s the likelihood of the masses standing up to them – not big; they are currently seen as modern day Robin Hoods and those that don’t see them that way may take the road that you did when bullied over a review. So whom do you side with? The Government and their agencies that want to restrict the internet in ways that you can’t even imagine (crushing your business just as surely) or the anarchists. Seems to me to be a bit of a loose-loose situation. (Kittie also mentioned she respects Anonymous and I should be prepared to stand by my research.)

Pick your battles carefully – not just the ones that you can win – but where you can make a difference.”

Fighting Cyber Attacks

Pay careful attention to your passwords. The previous school of thought was to do random characters, yet none of us can remember them. The now school of thought is to take a story, the dog ate my  homework, and use it as your password e.g. DogAteHomeHah. These resources below are worth a read.

Inc. Magazine on Fighting Hacking

Wired Magazine on Passwords/Hacking

Inc. Magazine: Cyberrisk Insurance

Books on Cybersecurity You May Want To Read

Enhanced by ZemantaBy Jayme Soulati

Q & A With Journalism Professor @ProfKRG

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In this Q and A between Jayme Soulati and Assistant Professor Kenna Griffin of the Oklahoma City University Mass Communications Department,  you will see what’s changed and what hasn’t about the world of writing and reporting in today’s social engagement era:

KennaGriffinSoulati Q:   How long have you been a professor in J School (journalism school for all those not in the know)?

I began teaching in the mass communications department at Oklahoma City University in Fall 2003. I teach primarily journalism, although I also teach media law, media ethics and public relations courses. I also advise the university’s student publications staff.

Soulati Q: What are the basics in the curriculum students must have to graduate?

Because we are a pure mass communications program, all students take certain courses (introduction to mass communications, mass communications research, mass media law and ethics, and a senior capstone). The students then choose a track area—print journalism, broadcasting, advertising or public relations— to study. Most of our students study in more than one track area, which helps to make them more well-rounded in the job market.

Soulati Q: Are you seeing an influx of people entering J School or a decline in the numbers in the last five years?

Honestly, we have seen a decline. However, that has not been the experience of other journalism schools in our area. The economy has resulted in us, a private university, seeing an overall enrollment decline.

Soulati Q:  How has social media influenced how you teach journalism now?

Social media has completely changed the way I teach journalism. The Internet as a whole has leveled the playing field for journalists. We no longer have to wait for the next publication cycle to provide our audience with the information they need and want. We can report news in real time for the first time ever.

Soulati Q: Is there a social media track in J School or is it woven into courses?

Social media has become part of every course we teach, from News Reporting to Mass Media Research. I, personally, only teach one social media specific course, which is Social Media Marketing and Online Promotions. The class is cross listed between the mass communications department and the business school. The students enrolled typically are studying journalism, public relations or marketing. The course’s purpose is to teach them to create a strategic, measurable social media campaign for an organization, instead of the all too common approach to “use social media.”

Soulati Q: What’s your view of how journalism will continue to evolve based on how things stand today?

It’s interesting to hear people saying that newspapers are dying. I’m not convinced that this is the case or that it even matters. We know people are seeking out and consuming more information than ever before. Therefore, the need to give them factual information via the platform of their choice is in high demand. It’s been 30 or 40 years since there’s been a more exciting time to be a journalist!

Soulati Q: What are 3-5 tips you can offer writers seeking a career in journalism?

– Learn the fundamentals of our profession. Understand what makes someone a journalist as opposed to just another person with a keyboard.

– Focus on the basics. Recognizing news value, gathering information through interviewing sources, using AP Style and the inverted pyramid… these are basic skills of journalism that lay the foundation for your career.

– Be adaptable to change. The basic skills stay the same, but the delivery platform changes every day. Get excited about the possibilities of new, different ways to deliver information.

– Take advantage of all presented opportunities. I’m amazed by the students who don’t attend networking and training events. I know you’re busy. We’re all busy. But you have four years to fit in as much learning as you can. What you do in that time will determine to some extent your success afterward. Take advantage of every opportunity presented to learn more about journalism and to hone your craft.

– Network like it’s your full-time job. I don’t agree with the idea that it’s not “what you know, but who you know.” Success actually is a combination of both. You have to understand journalism more than you understand most things. Then, you must position yourself for career advancement. This means meeting people and helping them understand what skills you have that benefit them.

Soulati Q: Is everyone a writer?

Everyone can be a writer, but it’s more difficult for some while being intrinsic to others. Anyone can become a writer, but not every writer is a journalist. Journalism is a profession that requires training, an understanding of professional values, norms and routines, a method for practical application of the craft, and a network of others serving the profession. Simply having a platform or being able to form a sentence doesn’t make you a journalist. A journalist is more than someone who strings together words to form a sentence.

Soulati Q: Is there a career in this profession, or are you seeing it erode from the academic perspective? 

There are more jobs available in journalism than there are professional journalists to fill them. This is one of the key reasons I started posting a weekly list of media jobs. You can read more about that here.  The short answer is yes – journalism is a viable, thriving profession.

Soulati Q: Should students of today insulate their journalistic career with other skills besides news or feature writing?

Absolutely! Anyone in media that puts on their blinders to multimedia or even public relations aspects of the industry is just begging to be extinct. Being a good writer still is a critical skills, but it can’t be the only tool in your professional arsenal.

Soulati Q: Has social media broadened the scope of opportunity for students and young professionals today?

I think it has. Of course, I’m a lover of social media. I see two critical ways social has broadened opportunities for students. First, social media have created a whole new genre of exciting career opportunities in content promotion and community management. Second, social media allow students to create and maintain a professional network that will serve them well throughout their careers. This network is no longer bound by geography or professional, institutional hierarchies. You want to network with the CEO of an organization where you want to work post-graduation? Follow him/her on Twitter and start the conversation immediately.

Soulati Q: Do have any further sage counsel to share for anyone reading?

Change is frightening, but it won’t kill you. In fact, I’m pretty sure some have said it makes you stronger. What’s your purpose as a journalist? Focus on that. Everything else is just changing tools that allow you to do your job. The method is not the meaning.

About The Author

Kenna Griffin (@profkrg) is the blogger behind www.profkrg.com, which aims to create an ongoing educational dialogue between professional journalists and media students and educators. In her spare time she teaches journalism, multimedia, public relations, media law, and media ethics courses as a full-time university professor. Oh, and she is a doctoral candidate in mass communication on the side.

 

 

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The Online World Of Negative Product Reviews

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spyI got bought, and I bet you’ve been bought at some point or another, too…right there in the online product reviews of Amazon.com.  I don’t feel good about it, I actually am upset that I caved.

Let me share:

1. Kidlet wanted a new iPod case; none of them were available or appealing at Best Buy.

2. In a search on Amazon for “iPod cases” this Harry Potter SkinIt brand “case” appeared.

3. We bought as it was the most reasonable price; it arrived and to my chagrin and lament, it was a sticker.

4. Then I felt dumb; ah-hah, the “SkinIt” brand was all about skins as stickers and not skins as gel cases or what not. How was I to know? A mom trying to appease a pre-teen with what she wants with nary a look at the fine print.

5. We went to Target and found a white case; kidlet trimmed the SkinIt to fit and now she’s happy. But, Mom wasn’t.

Write A Product Review

When the request came to write a product review (it caught me at the right moment as I had ignored the request many times previously), it was the right moment. I gave it 2.5 stars and said that maybe I was a dumb mom for not knowing SkinIt meant sticker.

Wait several days and here comes the product team for SkinIt. “We have refunded the prices of your purchase, will you please now alter your product review to something more positive? After all, the fine print says explicitly that this is not a case at all, blah, blah. Here are the steps you take to change your review to a positive one.”

A Range of Emotions

From the “I got bought” trashy feeling to the “really? Are you kidding me?” and the “I’m so pissed off” emotions, I ranted and raved internally and was none too happy with this chain of events.

Options were to:

1. Oblige them with a new glowing review.

2. Do nothing.

3. Delete the comment totally.

4. Rant and rave in the comments section for all the world to see.

5. Write a blog post on the experience.

Before I share my decision, let me share one of my peer’s blog posts with you; it was so timely it was uncanny.

Mark Schaefer’s Dongle Blog Post

Mark Schaefer, blogger at {grow}, shares a scary post about the world in which we now live policed by onlookers and bystanders (no longer innocent) looking for an instant of fame (in this case negative) to influence the what-used-to-be-jokester mentality of peeps having fun in and amongst themselves.

In a gist, two guys yak together about the “big dongle;” the girl in front of them snaps a photo of them, posts it to Twitter with an “I’m offended” comment and what ensues is where nightmares are written. I want you to read Mark’s post to get all the gory details, and how this is relevant to me is the following:

1. Your fellow man is no longer trustworthy.

2. The online world is scarey and full of those wanting to take advantage.

3. Employers are caving to the online pressure of negativity by a few who have taken advantage.

4. Innocent people (who joked amongst themselves) are losing jobs as a result and fighting back via cyber attack.

5. And, me? I wrote a negative online product review because it was true and was bombarded with the appeal of a refund and strong request to alter the truth.

What did I do? Number 3 and number 5.

By Jayme Soulati

You might like Mark Schaefer’s latest book, Born To Blog:

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The Happy Friday Series: Embrace Happiness Today!

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happiness is a choice
Photo credit: heycatie

Can happiness really be yours?

The state of happiness is simply a decision usually achieved by those who got sick and tired of being robbed of living by unhappiness (a broken heart).

Our life is impressed mostly by things we don’t see or understand. That is why happiness seems so elusive.

The first thing we associate with happiness are outwardly things like fame and fortune.

Happiness cannot be bought.

Money has zero impact on whether you are truly a happy person.

There are miserable rich folks who live pathetic, unhappy lives who do the darndest things (waste) with their money.

On the other hand, there are the poorest of the poor souls around the world lifting up hands with joy and thankfulness, happy for the gift of another day.

The truth is, there are either things that are more important to you than happiness, or you’ve just simply lost your way (mind).

Happiness thrives in recognizing and being thankful for the simple things in life.

Most folks do everything they can to complicate their life by seeking to indulge pleasures they believe will bring them happiness.

Big problems get created right about here for many!

Drugs, alcohol, sex, big houses, fast cars – nothing can fill the void within you except happiness itself.

Happiness thrives in quiet time within so you can understand who you really are.

There are some folks who are just lost in the woods; they don’t have a clue as to who they are or where they’re going.

There’s nothing more unsettling or confusing than not knowing who you really are.

This usually stems from living a life that others think is right for you, or going out of your way to please others with no regard for your own happiness.

Happy people have embraced the fullness of who they are and as a result of being that “complete” person, their happiness over-flows to others.

Happiness thrives in the moment.

It’s easy to lose your moments of happiness in the busyness of life.

The mind runs a million miles a minute about the past, the future, your problems, needs, goals, and the pressures of life, which pretty much doesn’t leave much time for your moments of happiness any day.

They are moments you will never get back. Gone forever.

Have you heard the saying, “Stop and smell the roses?” There is a reason it’s such a well known phrase…

Happiness requires that you shut off your mind and open your eyes and embrace the happiness that’s right in front of you.

This is where happiness exists.

NOW is the only place you’ll ever experience it and be it.

So, why not choose to be happy today? You deserve it!

About The Author

Hi, my name is Mark Harai and I help entrepreneurs get their ideas out of their head and into the marketplace. I share real life tips, know-how, lessons I’ve learned, inspiration and insights I think might be helpful to you.

You can connect with me here: Personal Blog, Facebook Page, Twitter, LinkedIn and Mark on Google+.

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