Giving back

Good morning, time to review #the5

The Winners of The Now Revolution Blogger Program http://bit.ly/dMg2LY me: now here's a listing to subscribe to and read! #the5

75 bloggers won a couple of copies of the new book "Now Revolution" with the commitment to do a review and give away at least one copy. The listing of bloggers involved is one good way to find some good reading and people you might like to know. Oh, and yes, the book itself is going to be good too! That's a bonus.

How Networked Nonprofits Visualize Their Networks http://bit.ly/hfzEom me: good ideas on how to leverage your network #the5 @kanter

I started playing with my LinkedIn network and the new visualization tool they just revealed. Beth Kanter goes further and shows how a non-profit can build a visualization of their own network with simple sticky notes. This may be something the Franklin Food Pantry should do in the near future.

Evil Plans http://bit.ly/f7ivZI @CC_Chapman recommending @gapingvoid who has a book, a must read on both counts! #the5

I read Hugh before I met CC but both events occurred some time ago. To have them together is a good thing. Can't wait to read Hugh's book.

Your Places http://bit.ly/gxTaGe me: @chrisbrogan shares about your place and how to make it better! #the5

What is you place? How do you make it better? I always try to learn something everyday and Chris is usually a big part of that learning experience. What are you doing to make your place better?

Job Search Jam Sessions: First Scholarship to PodCamp WesternMA http://t.co/rp2xzRK three remain - will one be yours? #pcwm #the5

PodCamp WesternMA is coming up this Saturday. I plan on being there to work the Welcome/Registration Desk and participate in the track for those job seeking. There are three free tickets still available if you are looking for work and can get to Westfield, MA. The rest of the process is easy. Follow the link above!

So how do we summarize today? You need to know who you are, where your network is (who it is), be bold about your planning and give back. Giving back helps to make those around you better!

Data - the devil's in the details

Good day! Catching up to schedule I think after a computer crash last week and more snow this week. What can #the5 show us? Let's take a look

Visualize your LinkedIn network with InMaps http://bit.ly/dPKNDw"Just like snowflakes, no two networks are the same" #the5

I tried this out and while I have published mine yet, I do think it is quite interesting to see and explore the relationships. Have you tried out yours yet?

Level Up! How Millennials are Changing the Promotion Gamehttp://bit.ly/ghru0l Me: I think timing is skewed based upon updates I see #the5

The timing of updates to LinkedIn is off so I am curious how they are pulling the dates. If anything, the numbers are understated as not everyone who is on LinkedIn in updating their info in a timely fashion.

How To Enable A Positive Attitude In Life http://bit.ly/gSvV0F me: spend the bulk of your day creating value! #the5

Being positive is the single best thing you can do for yourself, especially on your job search. If you can't be positive, it will take more time to find the proper opportunity.

The Three Key Relationships Found in Great Workplaces http://bit.ly/ec9bWX "provide opportunities for employees to collaborate" #the5

I highlighted one with the quote, the remainder are well worth reviewing.

#the5 #evergreen5: A simple Google Reader heuristic for finding important stuff: http://ar.gy/80d

Good buddy Christopher S Penn, the father of #the5, has this one on how to go into your archives and go mining for gold. I am putting it here as something I need to do. Have you done this?


So how do we summarize this set of links for today? Three of these are directly based upon data. Whether in the network, or the LinkedIn updates or the archives - data matters. The other two could be stretched to tie to data without much effort. So we'll go with data and "the devil in the details" to summarize it all.

What can you share?

how Irish dancing originated

Some fun for Friday! This is how Irish dancing originated.



And this makes perfect sense, after all aren't they noted for being drinkers!


(And yes, I have Irish heritage, at least half! Although there is usually a discussion with the French on which is the better half, but we'll leave that for another day.)

Marking our mark!

With plenty of snow around us and more coming, one thing the snow is good for is finding out what else lives in our world.

When animals or birds move in the snow they leave tracks. Their tracks are generally not as deep as ours. They are lighter, smaller footprint, claw print, whatever.

The snow makes it easy to see something has moved by. Something has been here.

Now, have they come out just because there is snow? I don't think so. Most of these tracks are likely also made in warmer weather. The tracks are not as visible to the eye as in the snow.

Beware then, every step you make, you leave your mark!
Some are more visible than others.

What kind of mark do you leave?

Dark buttons

The garage door opener gave out last week. We had the old unit replaced with a new one and it opens nicely now.

The opener comes with two remote units, one for each car to use it. I gave Dolores the one with the single button. Makes it easy to use although the unit is all black. On the prior unit, the button was white the unit was black. The contrast enough to see the button in the dark and operate it properly.

On my remote unit, shown above, there are three buttons. What two do, I really haven't figured out yet. The middle one, now covered with the smiley face is the key one to use to operate the door. The smiley face is bright enough to find in the dark.

So the question is, as this is an update model from the same manufacturer: Why go from the white button to the black button? Maybe to save money but you defeat the usability of the unit by doing so? Had I a choice, I would not have picked this unit. I would have preferred one with a white or at least a button that would be more visible in the dark than this is.

I want my Maypo!

Flowers on the table at McDonald's? What is this?

Part of the new emphasis on becoming a stop for casual dining and a shift from 'fast food' I guess.

Dad wanted to stop there as he had tried the new oatmeal. I tried it too. It is good. Reminds me of Maypo. Does anyone remember Maypo?


Maypo (1960)
Uploaded by Bibi. - Sitcom, sketch, and standup comedy videos.

I guess this really ages me. No problem, thinking of Maypo, I definitely feel young again!

Time to thaw the freezer

What? Thaw the freezer?

Yes, this is a great time. When you thaw the freezer, you either have to have worked down to have almost nothing in there or if you have stuff, you need to put it somewhere cold to keep while the freezer thaws. During the middle of the summer is not a good time with the high heat and humidity. But the current New England weather is a great time.

We have a three-season porch. This is the time of year we don't use it, the temp out there is about 10-15 degrees above what ever the outside temperature is. So most days recently, it was as cold as the freezer!

What we did have in the freezer went into some coolers (more to help with the handling than to keep cold) and then to the porch. Some items in plastic bags actually went outside the door into the snow on the porch.

The freezer door was left open, the light on. Some trays to collect the water and ice chunks as the melt occurred were positioned strategically.

This morning, the freezer shelves are clear and clean. There are chunks in the trays! Nice catch! and the towels are soaked so they ended up in the dryer. (I suppose to be more green, I could have hung them to air dry but that would take some time in this weather.)

Now we can put all the frozen goods back in and take inventory as we go.

Why don't you thaw your freezer one of these nice New England winter weekends?

Putting the social in social media

The PodCamp WesternMass organizers (Morriss Partee, Jacklyn Stevens and Kelly Galanis) appeared on MassAppeal to discuss the event coming up on Saturday, Feb 5, 2011.

Yours truly is mentioned as organizing the track (a set of sessions) focused on how to use social media for your job search.

PodCamp in western Mass.: wwlp.com

If you can make it to the PodCamp WesternMA in Westfield St Univ, you should see if you can go for free. The details can be found here

The truth about free

Good morning, time for a review of #the5

Are Fee-Based Career Sites Worth It? http://bit.ly/eMuDgd "I can’t think of a single instance — not one " #the5

I am glad Matt Youngquist says this. I have had trouble coming up with a justification for paying for a job site. There is so much information freely available, to pay for something is throwing money away. Or do you have a different take on this?

To tell the truth http://bit.ly/fmZLRk “My life began the day you were born” @leanneclc has her 2 cents on this, worthy of #the5

What you say, and what you don't say matters. Are you true to the spirit of the words as well as the words?

Encouraging Job Seekers http://bit.ly/em95VS "we all have encouragement to give others" don't be bashful! #the5

Encouragement is important. You need it, I need it. Anyone looking for work needs it. Make it positive. Make it worthwhile.

Top 10 Social Media Blogs: The 2011 Winners! http://bit.ly/dUhiDzme: congrats to @mitchjoel for making this list - #the5

Mitch Joel's Six Pixels of Separation  made this listing. I have referenced and recommended his work before, this gives an other opportunity to do so!

Five tips no one ever teaches job seekers http://bit.ly/enE6Qy "Your job interview begins in the parking lot" #the5

One of the reasons you don't need to pay for job search services is TweetMyJobs. This is one of many free resources. Many of them are referenced here as I cruise and find good things to share.

So how do we summarize today's findings? Truth is free and comes at a price if you aren't fully truthful. Encouragement is easily made and should be freely made often and appropriately to those around you. Paying for advice is a waste of money when there are so many free alternatives. Free sounds like it will carry the day.

What have you learned that you can share?

tortoise time

Good morning, time for #the5

The High Cost of Instant Success http://bit.ly/h3ZveK "BIGG success demands a price even if you are an instant success" #the5

TANSTAAFL comes through again!

The Fallacy of Social Media Reciprocation http://bit.ly/eEPU8J "There is no inherent value in a superficial connection" #the5

Quality not quantity!

PingTags Adds QR Code Access to Your LinkedIn Profile http://bit.ly/g6UbIE good idea shared by @chrisbrogan #the5 #pcwm

Catchy, useful - yes. Instant recognition, no. Should we use these or spend time on a good brand logo?

Shopping around, social style http://bit.ly/dIoLlv - me: a test of web hosting co's support responses via Twitter, interesting! #the5

Valid, depending upon what your expectations are. But for those companies who may advertise a quick response, this is a good test.

Pan-Mass Challenge 2011: This Time it’s Personal http://bit.ly/fM3wFA @dougH starts his fund raising this the ride #the5 #pmc

No, this is not Rex Ryan talking. Doug Haslam is doing the Pan Mass Challenge again this year and has started his fund raising campaign. Follow the link above to his site and then to his personal fund raising page to contribute.

For all the 'instant', 'now', 'have to be on' moments that much of media touts, it really is quality and longevity that will win! Didn't the tortoise beat the hare?

dominoes of consequence

Good morning, time for #the5 on this MLK Monday.

Risk Management and Open Community: More Similar than You Think http://bit.ly/gSN0WF "understand how your actions affect the rest" #the5

Thoughtful approach to the connections, the dominoes of consequences.

Dream to be Free http://bit.ly/hoPxSQ "Dreams require action. Otherwise, they’re just fantasies" #the5 from @gkrue @marylynn3 #sobcon

Speaking of consequences, if you dream it, it is possible but only if you take action to implement!

What do Shakespeare and The Matrix Share? http://bit.ly/g6RhgJ "Can you live with yourself if you make this decision?" #the5 #sobcon

Continuing with consequences and thoughtfulness, can you live with yourself if you make this decision. Great question!

Leader Beware: The Perils Of The Ignorance Strategy http://bit.ly/fnxign "something went wrong because I willfully ignored it" #the5

Ignorance may be bliss, but will it pay the bills? Doubt it!

Job Search and Football – Lessons Learned http://bit.ly/eTWa9V"Football is a game where no single player can do much of anything"#the5

There are lessons all around us, if we can to look. If we can to think. If we care to act upon those thoughts, the lessons can lead us to success. Isn't that where you'd like to be?

What have you learned that you can share today?

"I have a dream"

Take a few minutes today to refresh the words of Dr Martin Luther King:

Amaryllis series - 1/14-15/11 AM

The amaryllis is continuing to grow but gave me a pause for concern yesterday when I found it like this:

I found a plastic letter opener and propped it up. When I came home at night it was upright, no longer needing support. This morning, it was also straight again and strong.

And life goes on, one day at a time!

Consistency is the key

Good morning, just about enough time for #the5 before I really have to get my run in and then head to work.

"Be proactive about bringing out your strengths" http://bit.ly/fh0zqLPodCamp WesternMA is a good place to start! #the5 #pcwm


snow bound in the house, no worries, @lisajohnson has 5 Fast and Easy Cardio Ideas at Home http://bit.ly/hHLy7y #the5


PodCamp WesternMA, 2/5/11 my proposed session will be "I’m on LinkedIn, now what?" #pcwm #the5 http://bit.ly/gD4Kxb


The Power Of Comments http://bit.ly/fUyJlD @mitchjoel nails it "we do judge the content based on comments " #the5


Trust, Violence and Congresswoman Giffords http://bit.ly/hklpQJ "a society that seeks trust in self-defined groups" #the5

Because I need to run (physical health is a good base for the rest!), I'll get right to the summary. What I think links these today is the sense of "content within context", presenting a complete and wholesome image whether personal or brand. It matters either way. Being open, i.e. transparent, and then consistently operating within that framework is hard. Consistency is key. Life provides so many opportunities to deviate. One deviation leads to another, then the slippery slope arrives and you end up somewhere else - wondering how and why?

Questions that matter

Good morning, time for #the5 before I head off to work.

Job Search Jam Sessions: A whole lot of bull! http://t.co/Cl9j1wx #the5

Scott McKain who wrote the book, Collapse of Distinction, would like this crocheting effort. What can you do to be distinct within your realm?

Zoetica Salon: A Couple of Good Resources http://bit.ly/hdi0rh me: a couple is an understatement! @kanter shares #the5

 Definitely an understatement. A couple? It will take some time to go through those links, one of them (a Randy Pauch speech on time management) is in and of itself an hour long. Lots of goodness there.

4 Questions For Happiness and Success http://bit.ly/iePzYU "start immediately rebuilding your momentum towards the results you want" #the5

Progress doesn't have to be immediate, it should be consistent. It takes a step at a time. @cspenn has these four questions to ask yourself to ensure that you are doing what you need to do.

Common Craft Cut-Outs as Wall Art http://bit.ly/eRcau7 me: talk about re-purposing your content, this is a good one! #the5

Not much more to say about the simple idea for re-purposing content? It is so simple. What can you re-purpose?

The Dramatic Photos That Show The Haitian Crisis Is Far From Over http://read.bi/dP2dzg me: pictures do tell the story #the5

The earthquake is a year old. The disaster continues.

What kind of impact do you want?
How can you be distinct?
How can you manage your time to do it all?

What have you learned that you can share?

Entrance transformed

By the time I got to shovel the front steps on Wednesday, nature had transformed the front doorway.

Quality not quantity

Good morning, time to fit #the5 in amongst the snow flakes and driving wind

Bill Russell, and job searches http://bit.ly/faPZiT "My ambition as your friend is ... a positive influence on your quality of life" #the5

The full quote has been added to my quote collection. The sentiment summarizes the quantity vs. quality discussion that seems to never end. I won't ignore quantity but I come down clearly on the quality side. What about you?

Deep Dive Into The Federal Government's Budget And The History Of US National Debt http://read.bi/hxUGhw me: yowza, a must see! #the5

Speaking of quantity (i.e. national debt) and quality, the presentation here is one of high quality - that is definitely readable and easy to follow.

26 Tips to Enhance Your Experience on LinkedIn http://bit.ly/htBqpQ me: new to LinkedIn, this is a good summary to start with - #the5

Back to the quantity side, especially for those still either new to LinkedIn or not sure how to make it work for them, this is a good summary of things to do. As above, the quality of what you do with these actions will matter. At the upcoming PodCamp WesternMA, I will be prepared to talk about "I'm on LinkedIn, now what?" and answer any questions you might have.

20 Ways to Manage Your Boss - some golden rules everyone should know http://bit.ly/i8DrVv me: these apply to your job search also #the5

Similar to the link above but focused on the relationship with your boss, or from a job search perspective, your future employer!

"investors who think they bought mortgage- backed securities bought securities that aren’t backed by anything" http://bit.ly/g74IRw #the5

An insight into the recent MA Supreme Judicial Court decision on mortgages and the implications thereof.

Overall, the theme for today - quality not quantity!

What have you learned that you can share?

PodCamp Western Mass - Scholarships Available

There will be a Job Search Jam Sessions track at PodCamp Western MA!


When:  Saturday, February 5, 2011 – 9:30 am to 4:00 pm
Where: Westfield State University, Horace Mann Center, 333 Western Ave, Westfield MA 01085

What does it mean to have a 'track'?
Amongst the sessions during the day, there will be a series of them focused on the job search with an emphasis on social media.

What is a PodCamp?
PodCamp is an un-conference about social media and online networking. It is an open and collaborative event with discussions and interaction from attendees. Anyone with something to contribute or with the desire to learn is welcome and invited to join. Some sessions will be planned ahead of the event, but plenty of spaces will be open for the topics YOU want to discuss and learn.

Why should I go?
PodCamp is NOT just about podcasting, but about all social media/networking, and its relevance and usefulness to community, business and otherwise. This PodCamp is all about blogging, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, podcasting, videocasting/YouTube, and any other online community tools.

What does it cost?

Tickets are $25 ($10 for students), but all are expected to participate and/or present. You can participate by giving a presentation, demo, or joining into another cooperative event, being on a panel/roundtable, or in other ways helping out on event day.

And there is a special deal for those who want to go but are un-employed or under-employed! Steve Sherlock has arranged to provide four (4) tickets to help you save some money.

How do I get one of those tickets?
Send an email to Steve (shersteve at gmail dot com) and state your case:

Clearly and concisely, explain what you have been doing as part of your job search and how participating in PodCamp would help your effort.

This was cross-posted on the Job Search Jam Session page today

Amaryllis series - Jan 2011

My birthday present was an amaryllis bulb kit. I have been patiently taking a photo a day to monitor its growth and a slideshow of the highlights can be viewed here:




While I took a photo almost everyday, in some cases there was so little difference that I left those photos out of this summary.

Enjoy!

Note - this slideshow will continue to grow in size as additional photos are added to the Flickr group.

Print extras in today's Milford Daily News

The viability of print whether newspapers or magazines is being questioned everyday. I think the local paper is doing something strange here. They are putting exclusives in the print edition and using social media to advertise that fact.

What's so odd about this?
I have seen more print publications advertise exclusives that can be found online behind their firewall. and how successful are they? Not very, folks don't like the firewalls.

So maybe it would be better to use the print edition for the exclusives. What is strange about this is that the advertisement about the exclusives in print appears in the social media channels (as in this RSS feed) after the normal working folks would have had a chance to stop for the paper on their way to work. If they waited until after, the odds are they may not get one on the way home.

The paper has been doing this for several weeks now, how successful they are remains to be seen.

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Print extras in today's Milford Daily News

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by Staff reports on 1/9/11

Every day, The Milford Daily News prints stories you will not find anywhere else. In today's print edition, find out which fields are the stablest forms of employment in Wicked Local Jobs; celebrate 60 years of marriage with a Framingham couple in Jenifer Lipson's Family Line; learn why the state fire marshal is asking residents to adopt fire hydrants in Safety Matters and get to know two friends from Framingham and Wayland spending their retirements 'doing nothing' in The Buddy System.

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to The Milford Daily News News RSS using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

when you sit and stink, it is time to sit and think!

Good morning, time for #the5

Time Management for Nonprofit Social Media Professionals: What’s Your Best Tip? http://bit.ly/gLBF6t

@Kanter provides a good summary on time management for social media folks and opens the door for additional ideas. How do you manage your time?

11 Free Resources About Creativity http://bit.ly/hMmgEB me: free is a great start to good ROI #the5

@Chrisbrogan provides some free resources on creativity. Free is a great start to obtain a good return on investment. Expecially if it is just you time that is involved, you can manage that right?

I see what you did there http://bit.ly/g8ybmb "Life is always teaching, whether or not we’re paying attention" #the5

@CSPenn provides a good story on how to learn by recognizing what someone has done. Life provides multiple opportunities for this. The question is are we present enough to stop and recognize it at the time.

My beliefs about autism, research and more.. http://bit.ly/f6IbXP "there is room in this world for many different points of view" #the5

@johnrobison shares his ideas and beliefs about speaking for something. I had the pleasure of meeting him initially at PodCamp WesternMA and again a couple of times at other events.

Has social media stalled? Literally. http://bit.ly/e9yhmF "let’s plumb the depths of this idea" @leschaef inside the #1 SocMed place #the5

Mark Shaeffer's daughter, Lauren (a senior at Indiana University) has a creative piece on the origins of social media. I can recall a number of rhymes (not all safe for work) that I saw and read in the stall over the years.

When you sit and stink

It is time to sit and think!