Blogs I Ignore

It is the latter part of a blog challenge month. It has had me reading a bunch of new blogs. It has had me running across the same old issues.

I have not seen any in funky script that was hard to read lately but I have had a few auto play music for me. YUCK 

I thought we had banned this horrible practice especially now that YouTube videos can be imbedded.

If a blog is only photos or less than 300 words I usually get bored and feel jipped for stopping by. 

Pictures are nice but I am a word girl. I still do not really get the appeal and allure of Pineterest okay?

The other extreme however is just as bad. 3000 words is an essay folks way longer than any blog post I have ever needed to read. 

Once in a while a great story will be shared on a blog and not lose me with too much fluff in 1200 words or more.

That is very rare.

 

Maybe I am picky. That is okay. It suits me. I would rather know what I like and seek after it than keep returning to blogs that have disappointed me hoping the authors will change.

No one likes a critic. You try to mention that something they are doing does not work for you they can’t even hear it. 

So it is your blog. Go ahead. I just won’t read it. If I like a blog I share. If I like a blog I want to get to know the blogger.

As I mentioned yesterday in one group: if people read my blog and that is all they do they are missing the point.

I am not in it for the comments. I am here as part of my over all online presence. 

It has been a while since I visited a blog that clearly needed spell check. 

Many blogs get avoided because they are advertised badly. "New post" or "Check out my new post" is a sure way to have me ignore a link.

If people can't give me the title of the post and a little more to go on I am probably not going to like what I see when I get there.

Successful bloggers come in all types. Be who you are. Just understand that not everyone appeals to everyone.

If you wonder why stats are low and you are sharing and have gotten yourself out there a bit could it be something you are doing or not doing?

Have you heard any criticism that you chose to ignore?

Password Hell

I live in password hell. 

Do I have any neighbors? 

You know what I am talking about. 

Please log in here. 

Please validate there. 

For security purposes please verify your...

 AAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHRRRRR

It all makes logical sense in the abstract. In the every day, day to day, it just feels like torture. 

Some sites store eternal cookies and you are always logged in. 

Others will accept you if you are logged in to one of the major social networking sites.

Some sites log you out of the sites they are connected to, thus ensuring you are really you when you have to re log in there and then log in to the original site you are trying to access.

We all have 1) email. Most of us are on 2) Facebook and 3) Twitter.

Now there is 4) Google plus. Many of us have more than one 6) email. Anyone else have another random lesser known 7) site they like to visit and have to log in for? Mine involves fiber, sheep, wool and pointy sticks.

Before there was 8) Instagram there was 9) Pinterest. You can map everywhere you are going and everywhere you have been with 10) Yelp and 11) Foursquare.

All these sites require passwords. I am job searching so that means 12) LinkedIn.

The irony is that I am a great password maker. 

Even before there was the mantra:

Please use letters, numbers, special characters at least six to eight digits and don't forget caps vs non caps.

My problem is when I am sitting online busy doing things and I am asked to create a password there is not usually a handy paper and pen set. 

Even if there is, where will that be in a day, six weeks or four months when I need to use that site again???

We don't even have time to talk about the 13) FAFSA three day hold when you forget your password and have to have it reset. 

You only need that once a year. 


It would seem writing that down in a handy place would make sense. The problem again is what was handy last year this time is buried this year if it is even still around at all. 

This is password hell.

Before you suggest "Oh let your browser store your passwords" please remember that people have Iphones and day jobs. 

The only thing worse than forgetting a password you thought you knew is being away from where ever your password is stored with out access to a site you use because you never memorized the password the device just always knows it for you!!!

Your Dream Job Bid

I am on this speaking vein right now.

Here is a prompt for you to dream on. 

I am job hunting so that is also part of how I ended up with today's post.

If you were job seeking or if an opportunity just presented itself to get in front of someone who could propel you forward in that kind of way what could you say in the elevator, on the phone, with little more than a tweet to get their attention and a sit down?

That is the question or the prompt.

I will leave the outline here and if you come up with your own answer please share.

Hi, my name is _________

I work (with, in, for or at)..._________

I am interested in ___(doing what at this dream job?)

What do you love to do?

What are you good at?

Who knows this?

Give a gracious closing:

"Thank you."  

"It's been great running into you."

"It has been a pleasure speaking with you."

"Thank you for the opportunity to pitch my idea."

Repeat your name. Repeat how they might be able to get a hold of you or close by asking for the next step if they do not get to that first.

Hopefully if they are engaged in your sharing moment they will react with interest and invite you along towards the next encounter.

Maybe we are dreaming here but when preparation meets opportunity great things happen. I like to think I would make the best of any random connection or conversation I might have. 

That is how my life has seemed. Still my current situation leaves me with a lot of time to work on polishing some of my random ideas.

In this day and age everyone is using social media. Your dream employer or next great connection probably has a Facebook and a Twitter. Are you following them and connected. Are you engaging with them? Are you aware of their business or public activity?

If you have a very long elevator ride in this day and age before you go to closing your pitch you have time to share why you are so excited to pour your dream out to a stranger you have never met before. 

I do not mean more of your hearts desires. I mean if you know personal things that the individual has been connected to you can interject those things now. 

It can help establish and further the conversation. It will differentiate you from others who are just fans but not really tracking for the next level of engagement. 

"I see what your company has been (doing)..."

"I really enjoyed that blog post about..."

"Your interview (with so and so) was informative..."

Do you have a great story to share about running into your dream employer, financier, mentor, publisher etc.? 

Do you have an elevator moment story where you capitalized on the opportunity and propelled yourself forward?

I would love to hear it and maybe even feature it as a guest posting to this blog. Let me know.

Fun Annoying Songs

Ok I can no longer resist. It is Friday and ever since this song came out it will come into my head on Fridays.

I did not hate, hate, hate it but it is a little sing song bubble gum.

So in honor of such things here are a few of those annoying songs you just can't get out of your head.







Bubble Gum anyone?

Can you think of any more that swept the nation? Feel free to add the song that gets stuck in your head most often in a comment. This is the annoying kinda fun.

To get your head back on track you can go read some work emails or turn on the news later. Of course you could always look around YouTube for something darker to cleanse your audio pallet.

I might switch over to me Eminem or at least P!nk for sanity's sake.

New Challenge Accepted

The challenge is a speaking activity.

Present a two minute talk. (GULP)

I am not nervous because the goal is to present this to a group.

The challenge makes me nervous because I can talk as fast as an auctioneer especially when I am excited and I love to talk. I am a chatter box full of stories and tales.

Two minutes is like a spoonful of the ocean. What can I parse down to share that fast that will be complete? That is the nerve wracking question.

I could practice it live if my video camera was not so lame.

I have slowed down my chattering but it still can't keep up. Plus I do not want to do hair and make up just to practice but not be able to show anyone.

Greeting & Intro

Body

Closing

The fact that I have two other blogs leads me into talking about why I Twitter or what it is like to be raising a teenaged girl.

Either of those topics can easily cover five minutes of talk time.

There are some non Toastmasters speakers groups I am finally discovering. I have known about Toastmasters for a while now but I think these other groups I am seeing on Facebook are mostly rather new.

"Motivational Speaking" has been my dream job since the last time I sat down to dream about my life. I know to many others it sounds like a nerve wracking crazy dream. 

That is how you know you love a thing. When no one else might ever understand and other people are all but literally running in the opposite direction.

When I face crowds to speak I channel the nervous energy and hone in on the love. 

I know I am an effective communicator. I know people want to hear something enriching or humorous and I can deliver both. It is win win.

So now I just need to work on my timing and get some dates on the calendar. Next stop, paying gigs! The house needs things...

Sac Pin Party Success

What’s a Pinterest party? That was the question and now I know the answer! It’s fun.

Even if you are not a Pinterest junkie.

There was just the right energy about this event. We first stood around talking and then we settled in chairs to eat and continue getting to know each other.

I went not knowing who I would meet or what to expect.

Thankfully I am an extrovert with an adventurous side.

It was a great chance for local bloggers, pinners, artists, businesses, entrepreneurs and other interested folks to hang out and interact.

There were lovely conversations about everything under the sun I am sure. I know the questions I fielded ran the gambit and I did not even get to talk with everyone.

We shared stories and then there were raffle prizes! A handful of bottles of wines, a day trip, a massage experience, tickets to the zoo, and other things.

I did not win but I did not have my heart set on anything.

 

Our location for this event was another previously unknown to me. 

Swabbies.....

 

Right on the water of the Sacramento river it is a casual place carved out in the dirt. My daughter gave me the run down and told me the place usually has live music. 

There was a nice sized stage on the premises.

We did not stay too late. We had fun without getting too wild. It will be interesting to continue connecting with all the new faces and entities I encountered.

The mix and the overlap of who we are and how we are connected fascinates me.

Yesterday on Twitter someone asked who was coming to the party and I replied, Me! 

I met her while we were socializing.  It took me coming home to realize that is who she was.

 

Recently an idea came to me to make a Twitter list of people I tweet with that I have met.

Yup, it is time now!