7 Random Things About Me

Thanks to Leah McChesney (who I was very happy to meet at the HUGE Novi Tweetup this past week) for tagging me in her 7 Random Things post. I actually did a 6 Random Things post awhile back, so I really had to think hard about this one because frankly...I'm not that random! I cheated and asked MAL for some help with this, but here are 7 random things not mentioned in my previous post:

1. My pinkie fingers and baby toe on my right foot are quite unique. The tops of my pinkie fingers curve inward. Basically, they are obviously crooked. It's really funny when people notice them for the first time. They always assume I broke my pinkie fingers, but I was told this happened because I curled my fingers a lot when I was in the womb. Who knows? My baby toe on my right foot is double jointed, so I can stick it out far away from the rest of my toes. Talented, I know. 

2. I haven't seen many of the classic movies (It's a Wonderful Life, Sixteen Candles, The Godfather, Top Gun, Goonies...the list goes on). There's no good explanation for this. I love watching movies, but never got around to these ones for some reason.

3. I beat out a bunch of kids to win my school's Spelling Bee in 5th grade. I also came in second place in the District Spelling Bee competition. I swear I wasn't a nerd in school...just a good speller :)

4. I'm obsessed with English bulldogs. I think they are cutest darn pups on the face of this planet. I begged MAL to get one until I learned about their health problems and short lives. That doesn't change my obsession, but I'm thinking twice about getting one now. 

5. I have really straight teeth, but I've never had braces. 

6. I'm right-handed, but I hold a golf club and hockey stick as if I were left-handed. My brother is the exact same way. It makes absolutely no sense.

7. I climbed a volcano when I studied abroad in Chile. My group and I couldn't make it to the top because it was too windy, but it was just about the coolest thing I've ever done. 

Brandon Chesnutt, Jeff Maj and Megs Tuss -- TAG YOU'RE IT! :)

My Love For American Idol Runs Deep

*Photo obtained from The Detroit News Web site

I'm not a huge fan of TV. I'd rather unwind at the gym or with a book (that includes Facebook!) than flip through the TV channels searching for something interesting to watch. I do have my select fav shows that I religiously watch and absolutely love...one of those being American Idol.

I was reading The Detroit News a few weeks back and saw a call for American Idol fans interested in blogging for Det News during Season 8. I debated about it for a few days (do I really want my face on the News' Web site, do I have enough time, etc.). But in the end, I decided I had nothing to lose and should go for it. Long story short, I am now an American Idol blogger for The Detroit News! Yes I'm a huge nerd, but hey I'm having fun AND flexing my writing muscles. So there! :)

I'll be blogging weekly through the entire season (except during my much-anticipated first trip to Europe next month!). You can check out my rants here. Don't click under my face in the right-hand column because there's a glitch. Scroll down through the blogs until you find mine. Feel free to comment like my dear friend Andrea Pecs and show me some love!

A Message from Detroit to the World

If you live anywhere near Detroit and haven't read Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom's ode to the city, you must be living under a rock. 

Mitch's article was originally published in Sports Illustrated and then republished on the front page of this past Sunday's Free Press. When Sports Illustrated questioned the Detroiter about whether or not people still cared about this city, Mitch answered loud and clear. "And yet..." chronicles the ups and downs of the city of Detroit stating loud and clear that we are not "the gum on the bottom of America's shoe." 

There are many references to past and present sports teams because, well, Mitch IS a sports writer. But his underlying message is insanely powerful. The message he wants to drill into every American's head is this: Detroit is resilient. 

If you don't live here, you just don't get it. I don't have enough fingers and toes to list the reasons why Detroit stinks right now, yet pride still shines brightly throughout the city. It's true -- people are HAPPY to live and work in Detroit. And I'm one of them. 

The article is lengthy, but take 10 minutes to let Mitch's words soak in. If someone were picking on someone you love, you'd defend them in heartbeat, right? Why not do the same for your city? I won't claim to have always believed in Detroit, because before I started working here, I never had a true appreciation for it. But I'll be the first one to speak up now when someone criticizes the city. I've met so many talented and creative people from in and around Detroit in the past two years who have taught me what it means to be a proud Detroiter. 

Yes 2008 was rough, and the forecast looks just as dark and gloomy for this year. But have a little faith people. I think Mitch sums it up nicely. "To hell with Depression. We're gonna have a good year."

A Very Merry Christmas

Ohhh the holidays! Christmas has come and gone and now it's time to look forward to champagne popping and hugs and kisses to ring in 2009. I hope everyone has had an amazing Christmas/Hanukkah. I look forward to Christmas every year and the feelings of happiness and nostalgia that come attached with the holiday. However, this year was a bit different. For a variety of reasons, I wasn't as excited as I normally am for the holiday season. It didn't seem right to splurge on holiday gifts when so many people in Michigan are suffering. So, I drastically cut down on the amount I spent on gifts this year. After talking with friends and family, I realized I wasn't the only one who felt this way.

I do want to share a story that reignited my Christmas spark and reminded me that happiness during the holidays equates to so much more then spending gobs of money on gifts for people who already have so much. Each year, my PR agency adopts a family for the holidays. For the second consecutive year, we enlisted the help of our client, The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit, to find a local family in need. TSA found us a family from Roseville and those of us who could afford to do so went shopping for the mom and her four children. I decided that I wanted to take part in the gift delivery this year, so me and four of my other colleagues played the role of Santa's Elves and delivered the wrapped gifts to the family's home. I can't explain how happy it made me feel to see the kiddies (who were beyond adorable with their curly, white blonde hair) beaming as we walked through the door with armloads of gifts. Isabelle showed us how she dances like a ballerina, Zach told us how he wants to be an architect when he grows up and the youngest ones, Chloe and Logan, watched us with shy but intriguing eyes as we chatted with their other family members. The kids' mom, Beth, and grandma thanked us up and down for giving their family a very merry Christmas. Beth also gave us a card from the whole family that again thanked us and told us before we decided to help their family, they didn't think the kids would have a Christmas this year. Beth promised to send us photos of the kids opening their presents on Christmas morning.

So even though I took it down a notch this holiday season and didn't go all out with present purchasing or decorating, I can honestly say I had a merry Christmas. I can't wait to see the photos of the kids from Christmas morning. I have read so many stories in the past few weeks about selfless individuals, families and organizations going out of their way to help those less fortunate this holiday season. Maybe Michigan and its residents greatly suffered in 2008, but there are angels among us who offered a helping hand and brought happiness and smiles to many. So here's to 2009 and hoping that more people continue to brighten the lives of others.

What Every Woman Should Have and Know Before Turning 30

**Image from Glamour Magazine's Web site

I usually tend to ignore forward e-mails because I refuse to partake in the "pass this along to six people in the next hour and you'll marry the person of your dreams." However, thanks to Beckels, I actually paid attention to one that included a list detailing what every woman should have and know. The e-mail attributes the compilation to the great Maya Angelou. But thanks to Google, I found that the true author is Pamela Redmond Satran. And let me tell you, she is a bit peeved that Ms. Angelou tends to more often than not get the credit for this creative list. Rightfully so!

Anyway, Satran's advice touches on relationships, love, physical objects, work issues and life in general. She created the list for a 1997 Glamour article in light of recently turning 30. Satran wanted to share her words of wisdom with younger women, thus creating the "30 things every woman should have and should know by the time she's 30" list. The wrongly-attributed Maya Angelou forward is a bit different from the list on Glamour's Web site, so I'm including the list from the magazine instead. See if you agree with Satran's advice.

By 30, you should have:

1. One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you’ve come.
2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.
3. Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour.
4. A purse, a suitcase and an umbrella you’re not ashamed to be seen carrying.
5. A youth you’re content to move beyond.
6. A past juicy enough that you’re looking forward to retelling it in your old age.
7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age—and some money set aside to help fund it.
8. An e-mail address, a voice mailbox and a bank account—all of which nobody has access to but you.
9. A résumé that is not even the slightest bit padded.
10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.
11. A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill and a black lace bra.
12. Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it.
13. The belief that you deserve it.
14. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don’t get better after 30.
15. A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship and all those other facets of life that do get better.

By 30, you should know:

1. How to fall in love without losing yourself.
2. How you feel about having kids.
3. How to quit a job, break up with a man and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.
4. When to try harder and when to walk away.
5. How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn’t like to happen next.
6. The names of: the secretary of state, your great-grandmother and the best tailor in town.
7. How to live alone, even if you don’t like to.
8. How to take control of your own birthday.
9. That you can’t change the length of your calves, the width of your hips or the nature of your parents.
10. That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over.
11. What you would and wouldn’t do for money or love.
12. That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs or not flossing for very long.
13. Who you can trust, who you can’t and why you shouldn’t take it personally.
14. Not to apologize for something that isn’t your fault.
15. Why they say life begins at 30.

I find Satran's list to be very clever and comical. I can't honestly say I'll have a set of screwdrivers and a cordless drill by the time I'm 30, but I'd like to put a checkmark next to most of the items on this list when I reach that milestone.

Technology Rules the World

Everyone knows technology has taken over the world and has forever changed the way we communicate, connect, share information, make purchases....the list goes on and on. Technology has helped professionals, students and every-day people develop and foster a whole new level of creativity. It's even drastically changing entire industries...some for the better, others for the worse.

I have to give a shout out and thanks to Lauren W. for finding and sharing the video Did You Know 3.0. The video (credited to Karl Fisch, Scott McLeod and Jeff Brenman) is brimming with stats about how technology has revolutionized the world. The video also forecasts some future cause and effects of technology. It repeatedly asks the question "did you know?" followed by stats and facts related to technology from countries like the United States, India and China. WARNING: The music may cause waves of nausea and force you to believe you are at a rave with 100 strobe lights beaming around you. Check it out, perhaps on mute!



Here's the YouTube link.

I was amazed by this video, but what I found to be the most mind-blowing is:

• The top 10 in-demand jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004.
• 1 out of 8 couples married in the U.S. last year met online.
  
• The number of texts sent and received each day exceeds the total population of the planet.

The video concludes with a thought-provoking question: "So what does it all mean?" It simply means that technology is changing the way we live our lives so rapidly that once we get accustomed to one thing, it's outdated and we're moving on to the next phase. So is true for professionals working in creative industries such as PR, marketing, journalism and anything Web-based. The way I started doing my job nearly two years ago is definitely NOT the way I do my job today. And...I'll probably say the same thing six months from now.

So how we do handle all this? My two cents: Embrace (don't fear) new knowledge and learn as much as possible about how to utilize these technology-evoked changes to advance your personal and professional life. Simple, right ;)

A Scene from The Notebook in the City of Milan

Looking back at recent posts, I realized that I've been neglecting the second-in-line theme of my blog - love. I've focused my writing efforts quite a bit on creativity, so now I've found the perfect story to bring me back to el amor. I've actually had the link to this article saved in my e-mail inbox for a few weeks, so I've finally found some time to share this tear-jerking story.

I'm a huge fan of The Notebook (I know, typical girl). So if you're familiar with the flick, you know that Noah and Allie move on to the afterlife together wrapped in each others arms in bed. Ideally, that's the way to go...simultaneous with your soul mate so neither person has to bear the pain of living alone. This near exact phenomenon occurred in a teensy town called Milan, Mich. Jo Mathis from The Ann Arbor News wrote this touching article about Emil and Genevieve Schultz, who passed away within hours of each other two months after celebrating their 73rd anniversary.

To sum the story up, the couple met and fell in love at the tender ages of 12 and 14. Emil and Genevieve were extremely close with their family members and placed a high importance on setting a good example for their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Fast forward 70 some years, and Emil is lying in a hospital bed with no hope of recovery. On the other hand, Genevieve is perfectly healthy at the age of 92. So it was a shock when the couple's son found Genevieve dead of a heart attack. Their children believe she simply couldn't cope with the thought of losing her husband, who peacefully died the next night at the hospital at the age of 94. Emil and Genevieve's caskets were separated by two heart-shaped wreaths and they are buried right next to each other at a Milan cemetery.

Now, maybe it's grim that I'm writing about death, but this story is a beautiful testament to the unexplainable powers of love. I wish every person on the face of this earth could find a love as real and rare as Emil and Genevieve's. This story really affected me because it's not like I was reading about it in a typical Nicholas Spark book. It's a true tale from a city not far from my own. And while fictional stories about love make readers sigh and think "I want this in my life," stories like the one about Emil and Genevieve prove that blissful love truly is attainable.

And with that, I've just secured my place on the "Biggest Sap" list. :)

How the Circus Explains PR

I was tweeting earlier today about how the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Bellobration train was rolling into town and how busy the show is keeping me this week. The circus tweet reminded Ari B. Adler (a fellow Tweeter, blogger, PR/social media pro...and client!) about a creative definition of public relations that he shares with his students. I remember hearing this way back when in IPR 101 at CMU and I'm sure the majority of PR pros have come across this analogy at some point. I think it's fantastic and helps break down the distinction between various aspects of communications.

If the circus is coming to town and you paint a sign saying 'Circus Coming to the Fairground Saturday', that's advertising. If you put the sign on the back of an elephant and walk it into town, that's promotion. If the elephant walks through the mayor's flower bed, that's publicity. And if you get the mayor to laugh about it on the evening news, that's public relations."

I wrote a similar post awhile back about a creative and humorous way to explain the differences between advertising, PR, marketing, etc. No matter which way you look at it, there's no denying that differences DO exist within these related fields!

Make an Impact - Volunteer!

As citizens of the state of Michigan, we are inundated by sorrowful and negative news on a daily basis. From the Big 3 woes, home foreclosures and homelessness, many families and individuals in the mitten state feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

There are so many amazing organizations throughout southeast Michigan that work diligently to help those in need. With the holidays sneaking up on us at lightning speed, many people will be seeking assistance. So what can you, as one single person, do to make a difference? Volunteer.

I, along with my gal pals Lauren (@metrogal84), Sarah (@sarshie) and Kendall participated in Panera Bread and United Way for Southeastern Michigan's Impact Your Neighborhood program on Saturday at Gleaners Food Bank in Warren, Mich.

DISCLAIMER: If you read my blog or know me well, you know that Panera is my client. I am not writing this to promote or publicize Panera. I am writing about this because volunteering and giving back to my community makes me happy :)

Impact Your Neighborhood is a regional initiative aiming to build stronger communities in metro Detroit. The program offered one-time volunteer projects on select Saturdays in September, October and November. The Gleaners volunteer day was the last project this year, but due to overwhelming interest in the program, we're hoping to expand it next year...so be on the lookout for more details in the future!

So what did we do to make an impact? We helped sort a variety of goods into boxes, then packaged individual boxes for families to take back home with them. Simple, right? All it took was a few short hours and what we did will give happiness to people who are suffering. It was so great to see how many volunteers got up early on a Saturday and took time out of their precious weekend to make a difference.

As I previously mentioned, there are a TON of organizations throughout metro Detroit aiming to help struggling families and individuals that I'm sure are in need of volunteers now and throughout the holidays. Here are a few:

• The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division and The Salvation Army of Washtenaw County
• Food Gatherers
• Lighthouse of Oakland County
• Food Bank of Eastern Michigan
• Spaulding for Children
• Vista Maria
  

That's just a snippet, so feel free to comment about different organizations that you feel passionate about or ones that need volunteers.

Next up on the volunteer schedule -- ringing bells for The Salvation Army. More to come on that...

Spreading the Social Media Wealth

In the past week, I've attended two great events that centered on social media and how its changing the public relations profession. I learned some great tips about social media in general and how to utilize it to advance my career and benefit my clients. So, I'm taking this opportunity to spread the wealth and share my newly-acquired knowledge. Chris Brogan preaches the importance of sharing what you learn...because why keep it all inside when you can teach it to someone else? I concur :)

The first event I attended was hosted by the Detroit chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators at Automation Alley in Troy and was titled "Social Media: Can You Digg It?" Love the creative title! The panel consisted of Lisa Platt, director of interactive media at Skidmore Studio, Tonja Deegan, social media specialist at Airfoil Public Relations and Chasen Cunitz, a recent communications grad of Hillsdale College and current employee at Toyota.

The three panelists were very knowledgeable on the topic of social media and how to integrate it into any communications outreach. I felt like I knew and understood the majority of what they were discussing and was hoping to get a bit more out of the session, but unfortunately many people in the audience didn't even know what Twitter was. Therefore, a lot of time was spent explaining the different sites that are creating such a social media firestorm nowadays. I did of course find the discussion to be valuable, so here's what I feel is most important to share:

• People are always watching what you're saying online and online content lives forever, so be careful!
• Three-fourths of U.S. consumes are online.
• A company can't just make a Facebook page and expect results. It's imperative to pay attention to your audience, participate and encourage conversations and watch the behavior of your target audience.
  
• Don't immediately pitch a product via social media sites like Twitter. Start with general conversation, build trust and open the line of dialogue with journalists or your intended audience.
• I asked the panelists if the recent article on Wired's Web site by a Silicon Valley correspondent was true and if blogs truly are "so 2004." Answer: Absolutely not. Blogs are more niche and concise now, but they definitely aren't dead. Valuable content is core, so blogging for the sake of blogging may be dead, but blogs themselves still drive search engine optimization.
  
• Responding to comments (both positive and negative) about your company or brand on social media networks is the best word of mouth and something you can't buy in advertisements.
  
• Social media can be overwhelming (ya, you think?!?), so invest as much time as you can, but target what you're doing and be strategic about what social media networks you dabble in. Don't just join 30 forums for bragging rights.
  

Social media session numero dos was part of the PRSA International Conference that Detroit so proudly hosted for the past few days at the Ren Cen Marriott. This session was titled "The Changed PR Landscape - What Works and What Doesn't." Panelists included Rob Key, founder and CEO of Converseon, David Bradfield, senior vice president and partner at FH Digital and Lee Odden, CEO of TopRank Online Marketing. The moderator was Peter Himler (ironically, he writes a blog called The Flack), president of Flatiron Communications, LLC. This session rocked and I was furiously trying to write down everything these social media gurus were discussing, so here's what I managed to capture:

• Brands don't communicate, people do.
• 91 percent of journalists use search engines to find experts for stories and to research people they are including in stories.
• PR people need to become publishers in order for content to be found by journalists.
• PR people also need to optimize content and make it visible to their clients' audiences.
• The dynamic of pitching journalists is changing because more are finding story ideas and experts via social media networks.
• Become a native in social media communities and figure out what these communities are all about (what's the language, cultural need, etc).
• Listening is a marketing discipline - communications centers on the ability to listen.
• If you find positive sentiment about your client, energize it. Also engage with people who talk negatively about your client or client's brand.
• The once hailed social media release isn't as broadly used as when it was first introduced.
• Turn your releases into something more engaging and speak the language of your customers.
• Communication tools will constantly change, so don't lose sight of the bare bones of communicating.
• You can engage bloggers first to reach mainstream media versus going the opposite route and trying to reach bloggers via mainstream media coverage.
• We're still in the early days of social media ROI -- no one has it all figured out yet.
• The heart of communicating and making your voice heard is simple: Say something interesting and people will listen, care and respond.

WHEW! So I know people have itty-bitty attention spans and this post is uber long, but I learned so much this past week and truly felt compelled to share it all. These social media sessions were fantastic and I thank those who participated because they planted quite a few creative seeds in my head!