Elves

Elves, the mythological crafters of toys and trinkets. building toys in a hidden away workshop isn’t too far from blogging in your kitchen. Okay, maybe you don’t toss your blog posts in a bag to be delivered, RSS and email works as well though.

Toy crafting and wrapping is skill, and every good elf learns a few lessons on her way to Chief Toy Painter.

• Target
• there isn’t just one truck or doll, there are hundreds. Each though is built with a specific child (or adult) in mind. Little Susie digs pink trucks, and Johnny needs that zombie dolls. Likewise blog posts need to have a target audience.  Creating a post is powerful but needs an audience that will appreciate it. Writing about compost on your photo blog won’t likely go over well.
• Looks
• elves color and trick out the toys. Ever seen a grey plastic truck? A faceless doll? A makeup kit with just black and white? No. Blog posts need a good look and feel as well. Bloggers can use photos to dress things up. Good use of headings, bullet points, and color choices are important as well. Black on white text still rules but a bright picture and easy to read text are keepers.
• Playability
• the doll that doesn’t bend, the truck with wheels that don’t move, and the train with no track – we’d never see a elf send those to kids. Likewise, a blog post needs to be interactive. Let us play with them. Share buttons is a good start and I love being able to comment. Bonus interaction can include videos, recordings, and other downloads.
• Timing
• Toys arrive on time, if sadly only one day a year. Blog posts can go out night or day, holiday or not. Timeliness though isn’t easy. An article you write at midnight on Tuesday and posted then might get zero views. Sent out at 6:30 Wednesday it’s instantly more visible and possibly at the top of readers emails or RSS feed. Heck, this extends well to Twitter and Facebook.
• Delivery
• Finally, delivery, what elves out source to the guy in the red suit. We bloggers do the same thing. Posts go out via RSS feed, email, and automatic postings to Twitter, Facebook and more. The sleigh was fast, our methods are faster, and yet not as classy. You’ve taken the time to get all the rest right, and your RSS feed is plain text, part of the article, or just a picture. The email might be all there but an ad fills the bottom or worse the whole left side. Guess what gets ignored, sleigh or Flash ad?

Maybe you don’t believe in elves or flying sleighs but they are the gold standard. Creative, solid, and delivered with style.

What have you learned from elves, reindeer or spinning a dreidel? Send me your tips or photos of those pesky elves.

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It’s a sketch.

That’s it really. Sketching. It started out as a fluke. A test of the iPad. Then I was drawn in. No pun intended.

How it grew.

Chalk.

I drew with the Chalk app from 37signals. Simple. Easy. Fun. Capturing interpretations of Twitter friends was joyous, for me and them.

But why.

My soul was languishing.

I have a great job, wonderful wife, blessed with children and grandchildren. I know now I suffer from depression.

Sketching, drawing, creating has moved me from the rock. It’s a rock you sit on, feeling alone and shunned. Motion helps, both physical and mental.

How did it continue.

Feedback and Support.

They say once you commit, the world lines up. Not the whole world mind you, but some will come alongside.

One man chose to reach out, an artist, thinker, and all around creative – Roy Blumenthal.

Roy connected with me on Flickr quite a while ago. I’d share photography; he’d share art. We occasionally chatted.

I confessed to him my desire to draw and sketch. Roy reached out; he said ‘go for it.’

And then more.

And more.

I sketched. I found pencils, paper, and some killer iPad apps. Roy pushed ideas, tips, feedback and resources.

They liked them. Others besides Roy. Yes; it mattered.

Folks on Twitter were surprised and pleased. Not everyone comments or replies but the views went up more than even my photos. Tweets got favorited and shared.

And then Flickr came a knocking. Not the company but other artists.

I was asked to join groups new to me. A sketching party group is my favorite. Folks join the group, share photos of themselves, and everyone gets to create art based on the photos. Mine are now up there, both as artist and subject.

How it helps.

Movement. Connection.

The mental motion. Absorption at times. Flow is achieved, if so so briefly.

Connections now with other sketchers.

Both elements are key I believe. I’m a loner by nature. It’s tough to make deep friendships. Struggles with anxiety and worry over acceptance get in the way. Sharing though, in a group where it’s not about the grade but about connecting and giving, there’s less anxiety, and little barrier to acceptance.

The sketch party group was scary at first. I worried no one would sketch me. It happened. And some of them pop!

Others are glad I’m sketching them.

Best of all though is being out of my head space. I actually want to draw now. It’s less of a chore and worry, and more about improving. You know you’re progressing when you think about it even without pencil in hand.

What about you?

How are you moving?

Locked in? Feeling trapped? Sitting on that rock alone?

Tell me what you’re doing? Or better yet, Go.Do.Move.

—

Notes: Primary sketch app – SketchClub for iPad, on paper – #2 and #6 pencils on various papers. If only I could find a good box of crowns…

Sketch Journal on Flickr

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Chris Brogan gives a quick look around on Google+, the new social networking site by Google.

In this video, Chris touches on Circles, sharing, and a bit more.

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Google Plus is new and wonky, but here’s a few notes to help you bring it big.

1. Sign up even if you don’t have gmail. Not required. A Google account works with any email account.

2. Start fresh. Follow people you trust and know. If you must bring your Facebook friends along, create a Circle just for them.

3. Learn to share. Choose the intended audience. Defaults to Public; any Circle can be selected, or none, and any email typed in.

4. Share pictures directly.  Open a post and drag a photo in. Poof. Just works.

5. Start a Hangout. Talk to people. Leave if you get bored.

6. Ask questions to the public. See what shakes out. You’ll find great people that way, and it allows you to quickly find like minds for circles.

7. What for notifications. They mean people have commented, shared, or given something a +1 on something you posted, shared, or participated in.

8. Re-share other peoples posts!

9. Send private messages.  Remove out Circles when sharing and use @Chris Brogan in the body of the post. Google+ automatically shares to him.

10. Comment your tail off and don’t be shy about using the +1 button.

Bonus: On the website, each post can be Muted. Once you mute something, it disappears from your stream. Currently I’m using this to mute posts in languages I have no hope of reading.

Bonus humor: “My humble suggestion, via discussion with Michael Grosheim, is to add a Facebook-like “poke” feature to Google Plus. It will be called PROBE.Who wants to be probed?”

You can find me on Google+.

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Google+ assaults Facebook and Twitter

Google introduced Google+ on June 28th with private invites and tons of hype. Does it live up?

There are three main components to Google+:

1. Circles
2. Hangout
3. Sparks

Circles is relationship control

This isn’t Facebook controls or Twitter lists. Circles is drag and drop.

It isn’t just about categories either. Circles let’s you control sharing as well. Sharing allows selecting which Circles to include.

Bonus: it’s easy to select and drag multiple contacts into an existing or new folder. Show in this image is ad hoc creation of ‘Noisy Sharers’ Circle.

Hangout is video chat

Hangout will be a Skype and Facetime replacement. Hangout is Google’s answer to the video chat room.

Up to 10 (may be more now) users can jump in. Standard use of web cams and microphones is included. Chat room members can share YouTube vides inside the chat window.

Video of a Hangout Session

Sparks is custom news

Click on Sparks and topic images fill the screen. Each ‘interest’ is a selection of news. Clearly taking a page from Google News here.

A ‘Add Interest’ button saves a Spark to a user’s private list. Essentially bookmarking that Interest.

Bonus feature: any article can be shared back to Circles. Bonus bonus: article titles are direct links to the original article.

Is Google+ For You

Invitations aside, it is YASN, Yet Another Social Network. It’s already more fun for me than Facebook, but will it replace Twitter for me? For you?

There’s no games…yet. So folks into *ville games or quick hit social games won’t be happy I’d wager.

What’s your take?

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Marriage is about sharing, but should we share a mic? What would you do if you’re asked to present with your spouse? Got love?

Marriage Came First

Sharon and I met almost three decades ago. She was an experienced restaurant worker, and I was the new guy in the back.

Jack-in-the-Box was my first fast food job, I was going to college, and discovering all night parties. My future wife was the unforgiving lady who threatened to fire me when I tried to call in hung over.

Somehow we moved into being movie buddies, then official dates, and what do you know, love. Don’t ask me. I was surprised as anyone.

We married in 1984 and the Navy whisked us away from the greater St. Louis area.

Couple Runs BBS

It was 1992, we’d landed in New Orleans, and I’d become a BBS addict. Of course I had to have my own, and our phone line became my conduit to the world. Too bad you miss a few phone calls that way.

Sharon didn’t get it at first. It wasn’t until the networking events kicked in, and the people on the screen became real. We attended local BBS events but with Sharon on board, it lead to several Assassin’s Lair BBS meetups. I’d been happy networking already and she’d taken it up a notch.

Photography Brings Us Back To Social

Leaving the Navy had left us where we started, back in the greater St. Louis area. Exiting the service in late 1995 brought an income drop, moving in with the in-laws, and no spare phone line. By 2006 though, I’d been back online with gaming, blogging, and some loose networking.

Bulletin boards were a thing of the past, replaced by online forums, blog commenting, and videos. Then along came health problems.

Finding I was in a worsening situation physically brought home I wasn’t enjoying life to the fullest, and not learning new things. Enter photography and Flickr. This was my way back into a real online community.

Sharon quietly observed, and even took the occasional photo with my camera. It wasn’t long till she had her own Flickr account and began posting. My wife got involved and suddenly we’re traveling to meet our Flickr friends, doing photography walks, and becoming that too cute couple.

Now Comes Speaking

Twitter and Facebook, the world lives there, and now my wife and I as well. I admit that Sharon joined these because I created the accounts and dropped them in her lap. She’s now become that photo happy lady on Facebook to just about everyone.

Sharon doesn’t just sit on the sidelines, she’s involved. Connecting with my friends at first, her presence has grown respectably. So much so that the two invitations to me came with a request that we both come.

Show Me The Blog photography workshop organizer contacted not just me, but Sharon and I both. Not to attend, but to present together. We’re going to talk about photography, Flickr, and sharing on networks and blogs.

Same day as that invitation comes one to attend an event because we’re that couple that photographs the food, the people and the fun, and shares it everywhere. I’ve lost my identity as a networker to become part of Us!

What’s Next?

I see the future for us, business partners. Could be wrong though we started by working together….

What would you do if asked to present with your significant other?

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Fox 2 News in St. Louis has a Web World segment. This clip is courtesy of Fox2News.

Jill shows off her Twitter rank on StLIndex.com, and compares it to Kevin Steincross, long time anchor and local St. Louis personality.

Also shown are local top ranking tweeps (twitter users): @RizzoTees and @Tojosan <- that would be me.

My take upon watching this is that Kevin does not see a lot of value to Twitter. He even voices that top Twitter users must tweet everything, such as getting out of bed.

True enough is that part of the Twitter community’s routine is to welcome old friends and new each day. Caffeine is a trending topic in the morning across the world.  Folks do mention the daily grind.

Most heavy Twitter users though are engaging in conversation as much or more than they are broadcasting their lives. Personally, I share articles, videos, and photos both in conversation and out.

Close friends on Twitter for me include authors, radio and TV hosts, musicians, chefs, and social media consultants. My connections aren’t just local to St. Louis.

Australia, South Africa, France, Japan, Canada, and Egypt are a handful of countries where I have daily connections.

Business gets done here as well. Restaurants local to St. Louis are active online, both chatting with existing customers and fans, as well as listening for conversation about the restaurant or perhaps even a food speciality, such as beers or pizzas. Twitter is a top place I find new restaurants to try.

So Kevin, and those not in the know, maybe Twitter isn’t your favorite thing or you don’t understand it, but it isn’t to be dismissed, nor online social networking in general. Social networking at the bar isn’t gone, but it’s grown to allow you to belly up with folks of all walks off life, all over the world.

Get with the program!

You can find Jill at @JillStl. She can be found sharing breaking news for St. Louis and beyond, as well as hot topics on the web.

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Exercise

– even 15 minutes each day makes a difference. The same holds true for Twitter.

When can I do Twitter

I’m frequently asked where small organizations can make time to ‘do twitter’. These are the same folks that do have time for a bit of exercise each evening. Their trick for that? Scheduling.

Twitter myth 14: you must tweet in real time and be always on.

It’s patently false.

Schedule Twitter Time

Where to start? I recommend setting aside 15 minutes each day to begin with. At first, I recommend early morning and midday if possible.

But what if I get a mention or reply? Deal with it like email. Answer all of these during your scheduled time online.

How do I make that Twitter time effective

Prioritize!

It’s about dealing with important things first. Let’s start with a simple Twitter checklist. In a follow up article, I’ll fill out other steps and actions that can be added to your daily Twitter routine.

Twitter Action Check List:

• Answer all direct messages
  • Customers – answer these first.
  • Friends – only answer these if customers are deal with first.
  • Random – requests from Twitter connections that don’t add value to your business or relationships.
• Answer all mentions/replies
  • Same as before – Customers, friends, random.
  • Don’t ignore haters.
• Reach out
  • Tweet to customers that are regularly in conversation.
  • Tweet to business partners, and coworkers.
  • Tweet out cool news, updates, etc about your organization – limit this to a few at a time.

Doesn’t sound like much? It isn’t supposed to be. This is to be worked through in those 15 minutes set aside for Twitter.

Twitter Don’t Do This List

Yep. There’s a ton of do and don’t items but keeping in the short interval theme, here are just a handful.

• Don’t police Twitter – focus on the organization’s goals.
• Don’t attack anyone – focus on drawing people in, not being a bully.
• Don’t carry out involved discussions – take these to the phone, in person, or at least to direct messages.
• Don’t spread gossip – seems obvious, but if it’s not helping the organization, why bother.
• Don’t talk about the organization out of turn – this is the one that the lawyers love to harp on. If a Twitter account isn’t about the organizations policies, procedures, and such, then that account shouldn’t have any tweets along those lines. In other words, don’t behave here any different than you would in public regarding the company.

But I still have Twitter questions

That’s okay!  We all have things we can learn.

The key to Twitter isn’t that it’s new methods to marketing and communication, it’s that it’s just another medium.

What questions do you have?  Drop them in the comments or tweet them to me, @tojosan or @toddrjordan.

Got your own 15 minute tips for Twitter? Love to hear them.

Found Words: Question Marks by rosefirerising, on Flickr

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Robert Scoble interviews Eric Kim of Twylah.com.

Eric demonstrates Twylah, and how it aggregates a Twitter stream into buckets.

Here’s a taste of how it turned my Tweets as Tojosan on the word ‘app’:

Twylah.com Screenshot

The links within a tweet are previewed on the right of the page. Embedding works with photos, videos and more.

Twylah is in beta with more features yet to be rolled out. Coming are statistics and custom design of Twylah pages.

You can follow @twylah and @kabaim on Twitter for updates, and chatting them about about features, bugs, and getting your account going.

What would you do with your Twylah page? Curate your business’ Tweets? Highlight haiku you’ve shared or retweeted? Perhaps you’ll see what your Twitter followers really love you to share?!

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Tojosan’s FAQs That Won’t Be Answered

Been on Twitter a while? Introduced people to life online with Twitter?

What questions are they asking you that you tire of answering or not answering?

I’d like to share this and a few other frequently asked questions that I won’t be answering.

1. How do I get more followers?
2. How do I auto-follow?
3. How do I set up auto-DMs?
4. How do I make money on Twitter?
5. How come you don’t have 30K followers; what makes you an expert?

If I have to tell you why those are the wrong questions, perhaps you need more guidance.

The Fluent Self has Twitter demystified and debunked.

I’ve written some on Twitter basics. Go. Read. Share.Similar Posts:

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