Monday, August 25, 2008

Bend, Stretch, Reach for the Stars!


"Bend, Stretch, Reach for the Stars"

Some of you may recognize the line - if I remember correctly it's from Romper Room. Yah, you'd need to be old enough to remember the kids morning show that was popular in the 50's and 60's in the Rhode Island and Southern, MA area. But that isn't the point. What I get out of it, more than a simple little stretching exercise for the kiddies, is a great way to attack every day of your life. Strategic and tactical actions for great living!

Bend

Be flexible. Physically because you don't want to get as achy. Mentally because life changes minute to minute. Yes, have goals, but be willing to bend and take new avenues of opportunity as they come along. Flex when heavy winds (adversity of any kind from you blowhard boss to a call saying you didn't get a new job, contract or whatever) blow your way.

Stretch

Exapand! Lengthen! Physically because it promotes blood flow and flexibility. Mentally? Don't stay inside your current boundaries! Move outside what you currently deal with, work on , read of. Get outside of your head, get into other people's points of view, learn more, dream more, go BIG!

Reach for the Stars

Aim high! Physically it lengthens you. Really! Well, not like you're going to grow, but it's still good. Mentally: Sure, you're not working in NASA on the space program but reaching for the stars is something that starts mentally and moves physically! Aim high, set big goals. If you shoot for the stars and miss you still end up in the sky. If you aim low and miss, you end up in the ant hills.

So, for this Monday and any day. Bend, Stretch, Reach for the stars! You'll be surprised what happens when you do!

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

It's not Social Media - it's SPAM.

@JPTrenn and @ckieff have been having this great discussion about flogging and astroturfing. According to a focus group (of one) the decision was reached that we shouldn't be upset because it's just advertising or marketing (depending on if you choose JP's or Chris' side of the argument).

From there Chris arrived at the conclusion that because we - the digerati - are purists about our social media - we get offended at these marketers and advertisers but really we need to just get acclimated and learn how to recognize them. All (including the first part of the argument) to which I say

BOLDERDASH!

What a steaming pile of spare parts that is! (of course, I don't mean that in a *bad* way*) And to think, they almost had me taken in too. HA!

So, why are they wrong? What is the fatal premise? Simple. It's the premise that these floggers are advertisements. They are not, they are SPAM.

I know, you may be saying that I'm a purist so I don't want these marketing and advertising type people on. WRONG. I know a LOT of people on twitter that are on there *AS* their brand. I'm grateful for it, I appreciate their contribution. Yes, everything they say comes through a filter - which is OK because in reality we have a filter on everything that everyone says to us anyway.

BUT these floggers, these so called advertisers are not those things. They are simply SPAM. I've already decoded which accounts these people have. There are several tells that give it away. And for those lucky people that make the mistake of following me - I block them. I know - I'm a cold hearted SOB ain't I? I mean, I'm blocking these people even though they're just trying to make a living right? They're just trying to drive traffic to their site in hope of getting sales, or ad-clicks or whatever. You can't blame them, they're just trying to make a digital buck!

WRONG people. WRONG! They're spammers! And in fact they are such annoying damn spammers that I think they have as a group done something that Seth Godin never anticipated - they abused his permission marketing platform so thoroughly they've have permanently associated his Squiddo brand with SPAM in my mind. Way to go!

Wait though. I've made an assertion and I've ranted about it, but I haven't provided the reason *why* I think these people are spammers. And the answer is... Because they are NOT permission marketing, because they certainly are not part of the social media discussion. What they are is a bunch of accounts that do nothing but follow thousands of people in the hope that the people who follow the link back to their page to see who they are will click on their sole tweet to whatever their product is. Sure, some people create a feed to their twitter page that tweet every link they put up on their sites creating a mini link-farm. Again, they follow thousands of people (with next to no followers) and they only thing they're doing by following you is hoping that you'll click on their link.

THAT boys and girls is spam. Mass quantities of unwilling participants being hit with a message that they do NOT want. Bingo! We have Bingo!

So, with respect to my friends JP and Chris, it's not advertising or marketing. I *don't* need to get used to it. I need to block as many of these annoying twits (and I don't mean that in a twitter sense) as possible, not give them access to have my content draw people to their streams, and hopefully have them shrivel up and die as soon as possible (was that harsh?).

Hey, I may be The Most Enthusiastic Person on Earth (tm) but that doesn't mean that I have to allow these booger-heads to waste my time with their spam. I am however looking forward with great enthusiasm and delight to the solution of being rid of them while other people with brand integrity continue to tweet, blog, ping, plurk, pownce and friendfeed about their services and create the village square of the internet.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Seven Spectacular Ways to Make Monday ROCK!

Hey tweeps, phritters, phriends and all others :-) Here are seven *spectacular* ways to make your Monday rock - and I bet they get you off to such a great start the whole week will rock too!

1. Take time to set your mind. A little time in prayer, meditation or just reflecting on all the amazing blessings you have does *marvelous* things for setting your mind and spirit in a great state to start the week.

2. Stretch! Stretching does *great* stuff for body. It promotes blood flow, it works out kinks and aches and it makes you feel more flexible. And really, when we're more flexible and we feel good our minds are more flexible too!

3. Do a bit of exercise. You bet. Strong bodies help build strong minds. Get those endorphins flowing, build muscle, feel buff.

4. Picture your week. Create the image of the week that you're starting - and see it all going GREAT! See it just the way it should be. Don't worry, even if things come up, you'd be amazed at how easily you can adapt those surprises in and help make them part of how great the week is!

5. Make today's to do list. If you haven't already done it the night before, do one now. Don't make it exhaustive and don't make it for the rest of the month. Today's list is fine. Then find one thing you can get done straight away and get your first check mark!

6. Smile and say hello to everyone (yes, even "them") that you work with on the way into your desk/office/cube/work station. You'd be surprised at how much starting with a smile will make both their week and yours better!

7. Be *positive*! For realz. This is pithy, but true. Look at things with a glass half full - heck - even go 3/4 full! - mentality. Sure, stuff happens, but look at it as an opportunity! Yes, I hear some of you thinking that you're a "realist" or " too pragmatic" for that. Well, guess what! The most pragmatic thing you can do is to change the reality by going after those opportunities by unleashing your creative mind with a positive outlook for creative solutions with enthusiasm!

There you go, seven spectacular, sure fire ways to make your Mondays (and your week) ROCK. Have more? Let me know in the comments!