Some of you may already know that I am a big fan of Eckhart Tolle’s book “A New Earth”. I am completely aware that it’s not for everyone, but for me, personally, it has given me a new perspective on things, and taught me some valuable things that I have put to work in my own life. I’ve recently been thinking a lot about Twitter, and why I am so attracted to this way of communicating. And it just hit me – Twitter asks a very simple, yet profound question – “What are you doing?”. Well, the fact is, in order to figure out what I am doing, right at that moment, I have to take a step back from my cluttered thinking mind and step into my conscious mind. That’s the only way I can understand what I’m actually doing at that moment – without all the filters our cluttered thoughts impose on us. The more I get used to stepping out of my thoughts and into my conscious self, the easier it becomes, or so I’ve discovered over the past several weeks. And in a strange way, I think that part of my affection for Twitter has to do with how it plays into my ability to stay present. I’m not only focused on my own present, but the timeline of Twitter helps me to see that everyone’s days and nights are really just made up of individual moments in time. What are you doing? Tweet me at twitter.com/suzemuse and let me know.
Twitter in a Nutshell (for my Facebook friends)
I was twittering with @GinnyK today, and she is in a similar predicament to myself. We both have many Facebook friends who have no idea what Twitter is. At least 3 times a week, one of my FB friends asks me “What the heck is Twitter?” This is because I am a complete geek, so that means that my Twitter posts automatically update my Facebook status as “Sue is twittering….”. @martin_english just posted on his blog about a boilerplate explanation of Twitter that has been posted at Smart Mobs. So I’ve decided, for the benefit of all of my FB friends who read my blog (which is also automatically linked on my FB page every time I update) to copy the boilerplate message here, so now I can just point people to this post whenever they want to know what the heck Twittering is. Hopefully some of them will join the fun, too! What Twitter Can Do For You Hey Facebook Friend, I was thinking it would be great if you had a presence in Twitter [ http://twitter.com ]. In a nutshell, Twitter is sort of like the Facebook status update and IRC chat rolled into a single social application where people write, read and respond in real time. The result is a kind of live collective unconscious of all those you follow. Twitter posts, AKA “tweets,” are 140 characters in length including links. Think of online news headlines and you get the picture. I think of Twitter as a [your metaphor here] “sensibility subscription” because it allows me to subscribe to other people’s ongoing thoughts and activities and share my own. Here’s a great animated video by Common Craft that explains it all much better than I can. It’s called “Twitter in plain English:” http://www.commoncraft.com/Twitter One of the most popular uses of Twitter is as a micro content delivery system. Tools like Twitterfeed allow you to configure an RSS of your latest blog posts, magazine articles, website content, news, social bookmarks, flickr photos, etc. to your Twitter profile: http://twitterfeed.com BBC, WIRED, Boing Boing, NYT and many other publications use Twitter as a means of extending their reach and expanding their audience. Here’s the BBC feed: http://twitter.com/bbc Many educators have done interesting things with Twitter as well. University of Texas media professor David Parry is a Twitter-teaching pioneer: http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/twitter-for-academia/ And Howard Rheingold has the most extensive collection of Twitter links I’ve seen: http://del.icio.us/hrheingold/twitter Last but not least, here’s my Twitter … twitter.com/suzemuse If you were in Twitter, this is where you’d be: Twitter.com/[your handle here] Let me know if you’d like to Twitter. I’d be happy to help get you started. Sincerely, Suzemuse
I Think I am Writing a Novel
It all started on Thursday night. Hubby was at work, I was hanging around Twitter and some blogs, and suddenly, the first line of my novel entered my head. I tried to push it aside, as I REALLY wanted to finish reading the post I was on, but it kept pushing its way back into my head. I got up, poured a glass of wine. Sat back down, checked my email. The line was still there. I wandered into the livingroom, sat down, strummed my guitar a bit. Still there. I sighed, walked back into the office, sat down, opened a Word document, and typed the line. Then another line. And another. I don’t know if I even want to do this, but I feel like I don’t have any choice. I wrote 800 words on Thursday night, and now I can’t stop thinking about it. The story is floating around in my head, and I think my only option is to get it down on paper. Of course, I’m procrastinating. It’s a big commitment, writing a whole novel. I’m not even sure if I’m going to be any good at it. I write for a living, sure, but that’s proposals, creative treatments, TV shows, web sites. Not NOVELS. I might completely suck at writing a NOVEL. And the subject matter isn’t even something I know much about! But it’s here, in my head, and I don’t have a choice. Well there, it’s out. Now that I’ve shared this with the blogoverse, I guess I really have to do it. If anyone has any tips or advice I’m wide open for suggestions. Because as I said, I have no freaking idea what I’m doing.
Jester Creative's New Web Site is Live
We’ve redesigned our company web site at Jester Creative Inc. It now includes clips of our television series, The House Healers, and some of the fun video and web projects we’ve been working on lately. You can get to know our great team and also check out and subscribe to the company blog. Check it all out at www.jestercreative.com.
Why Today's Students are Primed For the Conceptual Age
I’m reading Daniel H. Pink’s book “A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future”. In it, Pink presents some really compelling reasons why we are moving out of the Information Age of the last half of the 20th century and into the Conceptual Age, where success is going to be less based on “book smarts” or left-brained thinking and more based on high concept, high touch right-brained skills like design and creative writing. This excellent book ties in nicely to some recent observations I’ve made. We have three co-op students working with us right now, they attend Algonquin College’s Interactive Multimedia Developer program. In addition, we have a video editor/shooter freelancing with us, he is a recent grad of the Television Broadcasting Program at Loyalist College. Coincidentally, I am a graduate of both programs. I graduated in 1990 from the TV Broadcasting Program and 1997 from the Multimedia Program. Aside from tremendously dating myself with that claim, the comparison between where I was at upon graduation from these courses and where these guys are at is quite remarkable. The work that these recent grads are able to produce is impressive, to say the least. They design, shoot and edit like people who have been in the business for years, and their work ethic is terrific. They take initiative and are excellent problem solvers. I would have no issue with leaving them in a room full of clients to represent us. I’ve been wondering what is so different about these guys. Why did I seem so unprepared when I graduated from college? And the other day it dawned on me. These young guys were born in the late 1980s. When computers and the internet started to get popular in 1996-98, these kids were only about 10 years old. That means that they have been using computers and the Internet for a large portion of their lives. They are of the generation that learned about web site design in high school. And, they have probably always had access to some sort of video recording equipment, be it their parents’ Handycam or a camera at their high school. By comparison, my first computer course was offered when I was in 10th grade, and it was pretty useless (BASIC programming and WordPerfect version 1.2). Personal video cameras in those days cost about $2000 and weren’t really marketed to the average consumer. Serious hobbyists like my Dad were the only ones that bought them, which was fortunate for me as a budding TV producer at the ripe old age of 15. My brother first showed me the Internet in 1996, when I was 26 years old and had already had 1 career under my belt. My point is, young people today are FAR more experienced with technology by the time they hit college because they have been dealing with it their whole lives. These days, college really only serves to streamline their knowledge, give them some practice and issue them a piece of paper – still good things to have, but definitely a different spin than when I was in college. What does this mean as an employer? When I graduated from TV school there was NO WAY I would have gotten any more than a gofer job at a network TV station. Nowadays, students are graduating from college and jumping right in to decent entry level jobs at good agencies doing real design, development and production work. Why? Because the average college graduate, at 22 years of age, probably already has 10 or 12 years of experience working with computers, designing their own web sites and making their own videos. As time goes on, this trend will become even more obvious. Why? because I expect my 7 year old nephew to start making his own web site any day – and he’s already a better cameraperson than me. It’s not just the Conceptual Age, people…it’s the Conceptual Generation.
My Good People List
Today is Gary Vaynerchuk’s Good People Day, and I know that there will be a lot of people blogging about good people that everyone knows about. I’m going to talk about some that maybe not everyone knows about. If you are not on the list, it’s not because I don’t think you are good. Anyone who is part of my life right now is in my life because they are good people. I weeded out the un-good ones long ago. So, here’s my list, in no particular order, and why I think they are good people. My parents, Joe and Evelyn – They’re good people because I wouldn’t be here without them, and because they are sweet, kind, generous and loving. And they don’t care when I mess up. My brother, Mike – He’s good people because he’s the only guy I would ever want for a big brother. And cuz he doesn’t care either when I mess up. And because he’s a good Dad to my nephews. My husband, @G_reg – He’s good people because he married me. And he puts up with my crazy ideas. And he loves dogs and cats. My friends Cheryl and Andre and Caroline – They’re good people because I’ve known them longer than almost anyone, and they are really really good at being good friends. My friend Joanne – She’s good people because she is wise and giving and loves people for who they are. My friend and business partner Jen – She’s good people because she is one of the most generous people I know and she lives from the heart. All of the Web friends I’ve made over the past year or so – guys like Jay Moonah, Mark Blevis, Bob Goyetche, and Chris Brogan – They’re good people because they are the very definition of good people – positive, friendly, caring, and generous. You know that the minute you meet them. The friends I’ve reunited with via the Web, like Stacerella, Stew, and Lexie – They’re good people because they are the real deal, the kinds of friends that you have forever that will be there no matter where your lives take you. And, Gary Vaynerchuk – whom I have never met in person, but who has proven himself to be one of those very very good people. Who are your good people? Feel free to comment and let the world know!
Techniques for Giving a Good Interview
This is a great article from mediacollege.com containing tips and techniques on how to interview people well. A good resource for anyone doing interviews for podcasts, documentaries or other media projects. If there’s anything I’ve learned after 18 years of producing media in various forms, it’s that a good interview can make or break a piece. I’ve worked with some super-talented on-air people over the years and I learned almost everything I know about interviewing from them. Why? Because they were able to quickly establish a rapport with their subjects and draw out precisely the information that was needed for the piece. These techniques are not difficult to learn, but they are crucial to the success of your projects. Anyone have a great interviewing tip they want to share? Please comment!
Twitter vs. Facebook – The WIIFM Wars
Hubby and I were having a great conversation over breakfast for dinner tonight. It all started with Gary Vay-ner-chuk, and his chime in the other day about Twitter vs. Facebook. In his video post, he talks about how apps like Facebook need to become more immediate and instantaneous or they are going to be eclipsed by the Twitters of the world. These are great ideas and I think Gary has it bang on. But he really got me thinking about why this shift needs to occur. And what I think it comes down to is WIIFM (pronounced “Wiff-umm”). What’s In It For Me? Here’s my theory. When I first started using Facebook about 6 months or so ago (that’s like 3 years in Interweb time), I thought it was just the greatest, most fantastic use of the Internet I’d ever seen. I reconnected with elementary and highschool friends whom I had not spoken to in 22 years. I found former colleagues, and discovered what they had been doing with their time since we’d last spoken. It really was as if a whole new world had opened up for me. I mean, who ever thought I would get to (or want to!) talk to my first boyfriend ever again? I certainly didn’t. The fact is, at that time, I was getting something out of it. It was entertaining, like a virtual highschool reunion that never stopped. Every day someone else would come to the party and that would make it even more fun. But you know what? Eventually, I found every old friend and acquaintance I would ever want to be reconnected with. And the novelty, frankly, has started to wear off. And I’m not alone. I’ve noticed lately that of my 200-and some friends, only about 15% of them actually still post regular updates. You know what? Facebook…I’m just not that into you anymore. WIIFM, after I find all my old friends? Not a whole lot, I’m afraid. In terms of actual networking, well, I’ve never really used Facebook for that. Sure, some of my social media pals are also my FB friends, but it’s almost like it’s just common courtesy…well, I’m subscribed to your blog, I follow you on Twitter, so I may as well be your FB friend too, right? So what is the WIIFM factor with Twitter? Well, as @garyvee says, it’s immediate, instantaneous. All Twitter wants to know is what I am doing RIGHT NOW. (Hmmm, Eckhart Tolle would be impressed!). The social network is shifting. People are becoming interested only in who is at the party now, not who was there yesterday or last week. They don’t want to see that video you made last weekend, they want to see the Qik interview you are doing with Robert Scoble in an elevator right now. They want to get your latest Utterz that you recorded on your subway ride home. In a sense, they want to be in your life as it happens. The value of Twitter over Facebook is clear. Twitter has the ability to stand the test of time, because by its very nature, it is changing and adapting to its environment all the time, but it’s the community who is doing it, not the developers. @zefrank’s Color Wars and @bedtime stories are clear indications of that, as are the power of the Twitterverse when it comes ruling events like SXSW and Podcamp Toronto. I think the question really is, is Facebook ready to adapt on the same level as Twitter?
Looking for photos for your blog? Try MorgueFile.
The other day Chris Brogan wrote a post about easy ways to improve your blog. One of his tips was to use photos to break up the text on your posts. A great tip, images can really add a lot of visual interest and help to drive a point home, too. These days, most people have access to a digital camera and a Flickr account, so adding photos to your page is easy. But what about those times when you need a certain type of photo? For instance, right now here in Ottawa we are buried in about 6 feet of snow (still!), but I’m dreaming of Spring flowers. What if I want to add a nice picture of some daffodils to my post, but my own daffodils are buried in snow? Enter MorgueFile. MorgueFile is a photo sharing site where amateur and semi-professional (and sometimes professional) photographers share their photos for anyone to use. Most of the time all they want in return is an email saying where you have used their photo. You can search on various topics and there are thousands of great photos to choose from. Using MorgueFile to find a particular type of photo has more benefits than just prettying up your web pages, I’ve learned. It can also help to drive traffic to your blog. The other day I posted about a special community I was once part of, and I went to MorgueFile to find the perfect photo. I found exactly what I was looking for in a photo by mindexpansi0n. Not only did I credit the photographer and provide a link to his MorgueFile pages, but I also dropped him a quick email to let him know I’d used his photo in my post. A few hours later, mindexpansi0n wrote me back and let me know that not only did he appreciate the credit, but he’d also subscribed to my blog! Next time you are looking for that perfect photo, check out MorgueFile and support budding photographers by helping them to get their work out there. And you just may get some new blog visitors too! Photo by ren from MorgueFile.
Brother Gets a Haircut
This is my brother Mike’s latest video production, documenting his recent, much needed hair cut.