Memorial Day 2012

This morning on NPR, I was stunned to hear that in the history of the United States we have suffered the loss of approximately 1.6 million military men and women. 1.6 million. Difficult to absorb and nearly impossible to comprehend.

Being a Generation Xer, the only active wars I can recall firsthand are those in Iraq and Afghanistan. This conflict, however, didn’t become real to me until friends of mine were deployed. Suddenly, I was glued to the TV, radio and Internet, searching for news of our troops and praying my friends were safe.

The more I followed the troops’ activities, the more terrified I became for them. A young man in my neighborhood was killed in action. I sat through most of his honor-guarded funeral feeling completely surreal and jolted back to reality only with the firing of his 21-gun salute. Watching the faces of this brave young man’s family, I knew I couldn’t fully understand or appreciate his sacrifice.

A close friend of mine survived a bloody attack in Afghanistan and now suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I can only imagine the horrors he has witnessed and that he continues to live with. I can see them buried deep beneath his big brown eyes. He is no longer the same childhood friend I grew up with.

Whether you believe in the politics behind this decade-old war or not, there can be no doubt that our country’s soldiers have sacrificed everything to protect us.

This Memorial Day, in addition to remembering my loved ones who have passed away, I will take a few minutes to reflect on the extraordinary and selfless service our military provides. It is their sacrifice that provides us a blanket of freedom and shield of security each day. We owe these courageous men and women our gratitude, respect and allegiance.

Why all the Pinterest?

As you have surely noticed by now, there is a new player in the social media game: Pinterest. It's fast becoming the newest big thing in social media ... for individuals and for businesses.

If you know anything about the site, you won't be surprised to learn that 87% of Pinterest users are women!

But get this ... Pinterest launched in 2010 and has grown from 1.6 million visitors in September 2011 to an unbelievable 11.1 million visitors in February 2012!

Mashable reports that Pinterest is "the fastest standalone site in history to pass the 10 million users mark," which happened in January
 
A little surprising because it's outside the norm for other social networks, is the fact that the site has a significant age range, with 80% of users fairly evenly distributed between 25 to 54.

So what is it? Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard that lets you organize and share all your favorite things on the Internet in one place. For example, people use pinboards to plan weddings and events, plan to decorate their homes, keep all their favorite recipes or photos in one place, even make a "Wish List," of all the places they'd like to travel some day.

As with most other social media networks, Pinterest allows you to browse pinboards created by other people. It's a great way to find fun new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.

You must first request an invite from Pinterest, but you generally receive that invite within 24 hours. Signing up is fairly easy and you can access Pinterest from your Twitter of Facebook accounts if you'd like. Again, like most other social media networks, you set up a public profile (careful not to give out too much personal information!) and then you create your own boards with whatever topics you are interested in. For example, on my personal account, I have boards such as, "Photos," "Humor," "My Wall," "Recipes," "Travel," etc.

You can choose which friends you want to follow simply by logging into Facebook from Pinterest - it will give you a list of your friends who are already on Pinterest (I was stunned at how many of them are already signed up!). And, you can invite those Facebook friends who aren't already on Pinterest.

Once you've created a few "boards" to Pin items on and found friends to follow, the best thing to do is to start browsing through other's boards. When you come across a photo or "Pin" that you like, you can "Like" it, comment on it, and/or repin it to one of your boards. It's just that easy.

You can also add a "Pin It" button to your favorites bar so that when you see an image or article on the web that you'd like to Pin, all you have to do is click it!

Businesses are also using Pinterest to show off their sleek new inventory, entice you to travel or to grab their mouth-watering recipes. Pinterest is not a good fit for every company (or person ... it drives my husband batty!), so you'll have to decide if it's right for you and/or your business. If you do decide to use it, you can add a “Pin It” button to your website.

I've had a great time pulling together groups of articles on the web and pinning them all in one place. For instance, I've created pinboards for "Artwork/Photography," "Social Media," "Public Relations," "Marketing," "ROI / Analytics," etc. Now when I can't remember where I read that great article on how fast Pinterest is growing, instead of searching Google (and all over the Internet), I can simply go to my "Social Media" board and find the Pin that serves as a bookmark for the article! It's a fantastic resource and I love how Pinterest makes everything visual, and therefore, more memorable. 

My "Write On! Public Relations" account can be found at http://pinterest.com/writeonpr/ and I'd love for you to follow me and "Like" or comment on any of my postings - just click here!

If you and/or your business have a Pinterest account, please put the URL in a comment on this blog and I'll be sure to follow you!


The following infographic explains the ins and outs of Pinterest, was created by MDGadvertising and was found on Mashable's website. I hope you find it instructive and easy to follow.

Happy pinning!




Infographic by MDG Advertising

Social media in a nutshell ... or donut hole

I ran across this photo on Facebook a few days ago. I believe it's the best explanation of social media I've seen in a very long time ... perfect for teaching a client (or husband) the basics of social media.

I did a little research and traced the photo back to a post on February 7, 2012 by Alice on www.mymodernmet.com - @mymodernmet on Twitter.

You can view the original photo and read the accompanying article at http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/social-media-explained-with-donuts  

"Social Media Explained" from www.mymodernmet.com.



Remembering Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs

1955 — 2011

Image: Apple

Like the rest of the world, I was deeply saddened this week when I learned that Steve Jobs had passed away. The creativity and innovation he has introduced to our lives is immeasurable. There is nothing I can write about Steve Jobs that hasn’t already been said, so I won't attempt to. The world has lost a giant, a visionary and an inspiration. Rest in peace Steve.

Image: Jonathan Mak Long http://jmak.tumblr.com/post/9377189056

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and
better as the years roll on." —Steve Jobs

Image: CBS News

From http://www.apple.com/stevejobs:  "If you would like to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences, please email rememberingsteve@apple.com"

Remembering 9/11 A Decade Later

Ten years ago, on the evening of September 11, 2001, I wrote the following in my journal: 

“What a desperate, horrific day. … I watched as the Twin Towers smoked and flames consumed the buildings. I tried to understand what was happening and all of the sudden, all of the little things that had bothered me when I went to bed the night before were gone. Things were suddenly and shockingly jolted into perspective – what really mattered now was family, friends and the well-being of strangers across the country.” 

Ten years ago. Ten years since terrorists attacked America, killing more than 3,000 people in New York, Washingon, D.C. and Pennsylvania. Ten years since America lost its innocence.

It seems a lifetime ago, yet I can relive the disbelief and horror at the mere mention of 9/11 or upon seeing a single photo of the crash sites.

Like many westerners, I learned of the terrorist attacks as I was getting ready for work, around 7:30 a.m., MT. I flipped on the TV to check the traffic conditions and stood on the spot, frozen, watching the Twin Towers burn in front of my eyes. Panicked and praying it was only an action-movie preview, I clumsily flipped through all the channels. Each channel showed exactly the same petrifying scene. Slowly, my denial and shock gave way to horror and fear. Soon, I was hearing news that the Pentagon had also been hit.

Too numb to shed tears, I watched as people jumped to their deaths from the towers, choosing to end their own lives rather than face the 3,000-degree fire. I was so numb, in fact, that it took several minutes to remember that my sister had moved from Chicago to D.C. the day before. Then real panic set in as I dialed and redialed her cell phone. It would be several hours before our family found out that she was safe and sound at a hotel only a mile from the Pentagon.

I don’t remember much else about that day, aside from the horrific photos and news reports that continued on through the night. It would be more than a week before I could sleep through the night and with the television off. I lived in fear that more attacks would occur, at any time. With family and friends on both coasts and near large cities, I feared for them all, and I feared for those I didn’t know.

It was my sister in Washington who, after a long talk on the phone one evening, finally changed my frame of mind. She told me to let go of the fear, to put it in God’s hands and not to let the terrorists win by letting fear control me. If she could do it, being in the heart of things, I decided I could too.

And so, with a lot of trepidation, I very slowly let go and began to replace my fright with prayers and empathy for the victims’ families, with love and pride for my country, and with the determination to not take for granted the freedoms and blessings I had.

I hate to admit that it took the dreadful events of 9/11 to awaken my patriotism and appreciation for the rights and freedoms our forefathers handed down to us and that brought my ancestors to this country. But it’s true.

One of the images I saw that day 10 years ago, was of a young woman, living abroad, who, unable to do anything else, had wrapped herself in the U.S. flag and sobbed. The act of literally draping her country around her touched my heart and has remained with me. Over the years, I have replaced all the horror-filled images in my head of that day with this young woman and the flag. And each time I do, I whisper to myself, “God bless America.”

QRCs: What are they good for?



How often do you see a magazine advertisement or direct-mail postcard announcing a company’s new product, service or contest and run directly to the computer to type in their URL? If you're like me, the answer is pretty much never. So, how do you motivate your target audience to jump from your traditional print advertising to your digital and online content? How do you entice readers to check out your website, opt into your e-newsletter, download your app, enter your online contest, view your upcoming events, and even store your company's contact information on their smartphone?

Forms / form letters



QRCs?

The answer lies in those cryptic, black-square “bar codes.” What are they? Quick Response Codes (QRCs) or “tags,” and they can be read just like a bar code by smartphones. QR codes have been around for several years, but most of us haven’t paid attention to them until recently. They are often used on forms, materials and products for internal use.

So How do They Work?

QR codes are used to digitally embed pretty much any information that you choose. The idea is to get the user to convert print (i.e., hard-copy) marketing, PR or promotional information, instantaneously to electronic data that will be at their fingertips.

Business card via TEC-IT

What are They Good For?

Thanks to the world of marketing, QRCs now seem to be popping up everywhere I look: magazine articles, advertisements, editorials, websites, direct mailers, business cards, collateral materials (one-sheets, brochures, tri-folds, media kits, etc.), stickers, posters, envelopes, forms, grocery labels, medicine bottles, and even in the windows of shops and restaurants.

With QR codes, you don't need to cross your fingers and hope that when your audience sees your advertisement they will remember to check out your website the next time they sit down at a computer. QRCs provide marketers a quick and easy tool to give smartphone users a call to action which motivates them to access your electronic information and message on the spot. Further, when your QRC is scanned, the information is stored on the user's smartphone, allowing them immediate and future access.

Examples?
When it comes to Quick Response Codes, the possibilities for sharing information are endless. Here are just a few examples of how QR codes are being used to disseminate information and convert audiences from passive readers to interactive users. QR codes can contain or link to:

• Your personal and/or business contact information (which can be stored on the user's smartphone)
• Your website
• Text or email messages
• Videos
• Contests
• Advertising products and/or services
• Sales and promotions
• Downloadable applications
• Trade shows
• Special events/activities
• Product information

The Downside?

There are a few challenges, however.

• Obviously, not everyone owns a smartphone.
• Although QRCs are all the rage in Japan, it seems U.S. mobile phone owners are a bit more naive, smartphone users included. While a recent study found that 40 percent of U.S. mobile users over age 18 own smartphones, a separate study reports that a mere 6.2 percent of those 40 percent use QRCs.
• Not all QR code scanners were created equal. You may have to try a few of them before you find one that works well with your phone and likes working with you (Google, "QR readers" to find one compatible with your smartphone).
• If lighting is dim, the scan isn't centered properly, or there are shadows or a glare near your code, it may be difficult or impossible for some scanners to read it.

Tips

• If you plan to use QR codes for smartphone users, make certain that in addition to the code, you include an explanation of what the code does (e.g., “Scan this code and visit our website,” “… download our new app,” “… enter our contest,” etc.).
• Ensure that the code is large enough and printed clearly enough for scanners to read (very small codes and poorly printed codes are difficult to capture)
• You can also find dozens of unique QRC ideas and items at http://www.stickerscan.com such as QR codes for: Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, YouTube, and LinkedIn; stickers and decals; magnets; business cards; T-shirts; signage; key chains; and, lots of other great swag!
• You can find a list of QR code generators at http://2d-code.co.uk/qr-code-generators.
• Do some careful research about where you want to use a QR code. Market-research firm Comscore found that, "... People are more likely to scan QR codes at home than at a retail store, and magazines and newspapers edge out websites or product packaging when it comes to the top source of the QR code being scanned."

The following are just a few examples of where I found QRCs and/or the information they contain. Happy scanning!

Sticker linking to website

Direct-mailer linking to online shopping



Ads linking to special events

Ad linking to specific real estate

 

Magazine linking to list of
available healthcare providers




Link to download smartphone application

 



Ad linking to services discounts

Ad linking to expositions / exhibits

Online contests

Special offers

Newspaper article linking to video

Website linking to further information

Craziness!

Alice’s Bucket List

Like millions of others on Twitter yesterday, I repeatedly saw posts mentioning a girl named Alice and her Bucket List. About 10 p.m., I noticed that the hash tag #alicebucketlist was in the top trending terms.

Knowing what a bucket list is (if you don’t, check out “The Bucket List”), but not knowing who Alice is, I tracked down the source of the hash tag and spent most of the night reading the blog of an amazing 15-year-old, Alice Pyne from Ulverston, U.K. (http://alicepyne.blogspot.com/):

Alice's Bucket List

I'm 15 and I have terminal cancer. I've created a bucket list because there are so many things I still want to do in my life ... some are possible, some will remain a dream. My blog is to document this precious time with my family and friends, doing the things I want to do. You only have one life ... live it!

Alice began her blog on Monday, only four days ago. Her first post received 1,705 comments, and her second, third and fourth posts garnered nearly as many. #alicebucketlist reached the top trending term Thursday morning, as thousands tweeted, blogged and Facebooked about her and the media rushed to cover her story. As of this evening, Blogger shows she has approximately 202,414 profile views!

Why is Alice’s blog so popular? This brave girl has touched countless lives with her sweet, courageous, raw, genuine, soul-bearing words. There’s a complete lack of self-pity in her writing, although she understands her cancer is terminal. Her perspective is hopeful, looking forward to what few things she may be able to do in the remainder of her short life. She has turned down all offers of money/donations for herself and instead asks her readers to donate to charity and to sign up for their local bone marrow donor registries. I couldn't help feeling touched by her warmth, her honesty and her determination to stay optimistic. I felt as if I were reading a modern-day diary of Anne Frank.

Most of you know that my scan at Alder Hey wasn't very good and that the cancer is now spreading through my body. It's a pain because there's so much stuff that I still want to do. I guess that my particular cancer is made of strong stuff (which is hard because I know I gave it my all and I'm strong and determined too).

Anyway, mum always tells me that life is what we make of it and so I'm going to make the best of what I have and because there were so many things I still wanted to do, mum suggested that I turn my ideas into a bucket list.

Her bucket list contains manythings you would expect from a teenager: to have a private cinema party with her best friends, to have a purple Apple iPad, to be a dolphin trainer, to go to Cadbury World and “eat loads of chocolate” (my kinda gal!). But other wishes like “to make everyone sign up to be a bone marrow donor, to design an Emma Bridgewater Mug to sell for charity, to enter Mabel [her dog] in a regional Labrador show and to have my hair done if they can do anything with it,” are so selfless and simple and altruistic that I couldn't help loving her and feeling a little ashamed of all the things in my life that I take for granted.

People from all over the world wrote to tell Alice what an inspiration she was to them and how they are pulling for her, praying for her and, most of all, how they want to help tick items off her bucket list. Hundreds offered photo shoots, massages, parties, caravans, beauty-shop trips. Even Cadbury wrote to invite her to visit for free. Others, unable to provide help with anything else on the list, vowed to sign up on their local bone-marrow registries and to pass word of Alice’s Bucket List on to friends and families.

On Wednesday, during Prime Minister Cameron’s questions, Parliament member John Woodcock spotlighted Alice’s situation, as well as her bequest that people sign up to be bone marrow donors:

"At the top of [her wish] list is a call to make everyone sign up to be a bone marrow donor, so will he [Cameron] work with the leader of the opposition and I to address why too few people are currently on this life-saving register?"

Cameron said he "will certainly do that.”

"I am sorry to hear about the situation facing Alice and what she's going through, and our thoughts go out to her and her family," he said.*

This young girl kept me up all night, reading, choking back tears, smiling, mentally jotting down my own bucket list and wondering if I could face death with such hopefulness and courage. I don’t know. But this much is certain; I will contact my local bone marrow donation center and add my name to the list. And I will often think of a girl named Alice and her bucket list.

To see Alice’s entire Bucket list, visit her blog at http://alicepyne.blogspot.com/. Alice has also posted a list of her suggested charities on her website. I have listed the primary bone marrow donor programs below:
• U.S. National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) http://www.marrow.org/index.html
• British Bone Marrow Registry: http://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/bonemarrow
• Bone Marrow Registries Around the World http://www.givemarrow.net/OtherCountriesRegistry.asp

*Gabbatt, Adam. The Guardian. “Alice's Bucket List: dying girl's blog is internet hit.” June 9, 2011. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jun/09/alices-bucket-list-blog-internet

Remembering, Honoring, Cherishing, Thanking

And they who for their country die shall fill an honored grave, for glory lights the soldier's tomb, and beauty weeps the brave. ~Joseph Drake

At 6:30 a.m. today, I peeked out my bedroom window hoping to see cloudless blue skies and the sun's rays beating down on my rain-drenched tomato plants. Instead, I saw an unwelcome layer of crunchy, white snow. Not the way I had envisioned starting off Memorial Day 2011, the unofficial start of summer. Although the weather was a disappointment, in a way, I was glad. Rather than attending barbecues or swim parties, shopping for bargains or working in the yard, this year, I spent Memorial Day sitting and thinking ... and watching the local Boy Scouts plant American flags in soggy neighborhood lawns.

Jorgen Nielsen

 What is this day truly about? Certainly not hamburgers or homemade ice cream, mega sales on TVs and bed linens, or that first nasty sunburn of the year. It's about remembering, honoring, cherishing and giving thanks.

Over the years, my friends and family have teased me for being an "equal-opportunity" dater of servicemen. I started at the ripe old age of 15 with a handsome young sailor and by the time I got to college, I had also crossed the Army and Marines off my list. All kidding aside, I have dated many members of the military and have met even more service women and men in my life and I have nothing but praise and respect for them all.

I'm also proud to have a strong family tradition of military service, which started with my rebellious 15-year-old great, great, great grandfather. Determined to fight in the American Revolution, he ran off to join the Army and lied about his age in order to serve his country.

Corporal Arlen Jenkins

My paternal grandmother worked as a nurse during the First World War, and my father, whom we still jokingly refer to as a James Bond-type spy, served in the Army's Military Intelligence division in Germany.

I grew up knowing of this history of service, but, as a child of the 1980s, I always took my freedom and autonomy for granted. The first Gulf War was a shot across my bow. On September 11, 2001, I, along with millions of other Americans, was shaken to my core as I watched the horrific terrorist attacks taking place in the east. It seemed I prayed for a solid week for the safety and peace of family, friends and even those I did not know. I prayed and cried and sent emails and care packages to friends who shipped off to Iraq and Afghanistan and I breathed a sigh of relief when they returned safely.

Throughout the past 10 years, I have become more mindful, more grateful for the many rights and privileges given to us as United States citizens. And, I have become more aware and in awe of the terrible price paid for them.

With this understanding in mind, I sat helplessly by, not knowing what to do, when one of my oldest and dearest friends, Major Stuart Devlin returned from Afghanistan, corporeally intact, but with severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I had no words to either describe my humility or voice my gratitude as I watched our neighbors bury their 22-year-old son, Sergeant Aaron Kramer, last September. Through my own tears, I recognized in their eyes unimaginable grief and the impending days of suffering to come. How could I ever thank them adequately for their son's "last, full measure of devotion"?

Soldiers carry the casket of Sergeant Aaron Kramer

Last night I watched the annual Memorial Day Concert broadcast from the nation's capital and a few tiny answers came to me. I realized that simply saying "thank you," is a good start; that supporting service people and their families can be as simple as bringing them a meal or driving them to a doctor's appointment. Some need only an ear to bend or a shoulder to cry on. (You can visit http://www.pbs.org/ for other ideas to support our armed forces and their families or if you are seeking help for a veteran and need further resources.)

But perhaps the most important thing I have learned over the past 10 years is that we can best honor those who have served our country and sacrificed for each of us, by undertaking our civil duty and commitment of embracing, nurturing and protecting those hard-won opportunities and freedoms which were passed down to us.

Utah's Patriot Guard Riders

They fell, but o'er their glorious grave

 Floats free the banner of the cause they died to save.

~Francis Marion Crawford

Random Images

Would You Quit if Facebook Were Off Limits?

 

Graphic stolen from "dreamhost" blog. Thanks!

Over the years, I have quit jobs for many reasons ... but none was because I was denied access to social media. Although this article by Ann All is nearly three years old, I could not resist posting a link to it.

Is this what the world is in for with the newest generation of employees? Let's hope not! 

Lack of Facebook Access Makes You Want to Quit? Grow up, Punks

What would make you quit your job? Lack of insurance or other benefits? A lengthy and expensive commute? Limited advancement opportunities? No Facebook access?

A recent survey by IT services provider Telindus found that a whopping 39 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds would consider leaving their jobs if a Facebook ban was imposed, reports vnunet.com. Another 21 percent said they'd feel "annoyed" by such a ban. I assume Telindus did the survey before the latest dismal jobs report.

This is one of those items guaranteed to make me feel like a crone, because my initial reaction is "Grow up, punks." In fact, that's still my reaction, even after mulling it over.

You can read the article in its entirety at http://www.itbusinessedge.com/cm/blogs/all/lack-of-facebook-access-makes-you-want-to-quit-grow-up-punks/?cs=11630