Social Media, I Presume

Guest post by Matt Baier, owner of Matt Baier Organizing, team clutter relief.

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As a professional organizer, a big part of what I help people with is being more effective in their home offices, but when it comes to being more effective with my social media, I rely on the expertise of Social Media Architect, Brian Bish. I don’t know what’s effective with social media, but I know what’s NOT effective.

What’s not effective is when people get overly presumptuous.

I get so turned off by the serial political posts. You can’t presume that everybody is agreeing with your extremist nonsense, just because only a few people ever challenge you. People generally try to avoid a fight, especially when they’re your friends! It’s presumptuous to confuse silence with agreement. AND it’s not effective. You’re not changing anyone’s minds. In fact, you may be gradually losing friends.

There is, however, no greater example of presumption on Facebook than the “99% don’t care” post. You know the one. It always goes something like this:

SHARE if you will say a prayer for angels to protect bunnys with cancer. Probably only 1% of will share this and the other 99% of you wont. Share if you care.

At the heart of these offerings is always something you do actually care about. Sure, I think bunnies are cute and I hate to think of any living thing suffering with cancer.

Then they have to gussy it up with some other presumptions, like only religious people are capable of caring.

Finally, there’s the pathetic plea for sympathy, like a passive aggressive child. “Most people don’t care and won’t like me, I mean, won’t like bunnies with cancer.”

They presume that if you don’t SHARE their full silly package, they have the right to dismiss you as uncaring.

Here’s how I see the actual breakdown of the responses.

1% clicked SHARE, because they actually accepted the whole premise and didn’t want to appear uncaring

33% love bunnies, but had doubts that sharing on Facebook will help summon angels.

33% love bunnies, but think that sad little efforts like this will make things WORSE for the bunnies-with-cancer cause.

33% love bunnies, but disregard posts with 99% in it, out of hand

Perhaps I’M being presumptuous, but I don’t believe you will see 100% involvement with the “99% don’t care” post until Facebook invents a DISLIKE button.

Am I wrong? Have you ever seen a good cause advanced with the 99%-dont-careapproach?

 

photo credit: Pippin 2010 via photopin (license)

How We Survived the Blizzard of 2015

Wow! It was a rough night, but we all survived it.

Even the most calm and organized person wasn’t truly prepared for the events that transpired in the wee hours of the morning. We all sat clutching our cell phones in fear as we watched the inevitable happen, and we were powerless to do anything about it. It just happened.

Facebook and Instagram were BOTH down simultaneously for approximately one hour.

What?

Oh yeah. There was a blizzard, too.

But did you miss what I said?

Facebook and Instagram were BOTH down simultaneously for approximately one hour.

I even heard that the popular dating site Tinder was down as well. I mean, it felt like we were seeing the End of Days here, people!

Oh yeah. And there was a snowstorm, too.

But alas, Twitter was up and functioning, so we all had a place to go and vent…

… about Facebook and Twitter being down.

Here are some of my favorite tweets from the night:

 

TODAY’S QUESTION: Be honest. Were you having a little bit of withdrawal when Facebook and Instagram went down? Or did you even notice?

What are you doing to pass the time as we recover from this storm. No… the real one. With snow and wind? Yeah. That one.

SOUND OFF IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

 


Oh, Facebook. Has Messenger Killed Our Relationship?

So Facebook… I think it’s time we had a little talk.

By now you know that I LOVE change. When you changed to the Timeline, I enthusiastically embraced the new format. When you added the ticker that shows my friends every step I take on the desktop version? Sure, I was annoyed. But you’re a free social network; It wasn’t worth complaining.

 

But now you’re forcing all of your users to get not one, but TWO apps on their smartphones to enjoy the complete Facebook experience? WHY do we need the Facebook Messenger app to see our private messages now? I’m sorry, but this time I just have to say something.

 

NO! Don’t be fooled by the cute little animal!

 

I mean, how did that even happen? Who made that pitch at the development meetings?

“Hey guys! You know what would be REALLY cool? You know how Facebook users can currently do everything in one app on their smartphones? What if we made a second app just for messages, and we forced everyone to download this app if they want to see their private messages on their smartphones? Pretty cool, right?”

WHAT?!

No. It’s not cool. It’s not cool at all!


 

You know I love you, Facebook, but let’s be honest. There have been some problems in our relationship. You’re just too nosy!

No. I don’t want you to have access to all of my phone”s contacts.

No. I don’t want to get a text message on my phone every time a Facebook friend wants to talk about something.

I already have a solution for this, and I think it’s pretty basic but brilliant! If I want someone to be to text me, I simply give them my phone number.

That’s it. Pretty cool, huh? I made the choice NOT to make my cell phone number public on my personal profile. So WHY would I want all of my Facebook friends to be able to text me anytime on that number that I chose not to post?

I hate to say it, Facebook, but I think you need to hear it. You’re slipping. For quite some time, you have been copying from the other networks instead of innovating. And if this is your idea of innovation, you’re going to keep losing fans at an alarming rate.

You’re no longer my favorite social network and that’s because you keep making poor decision after poor decision. You know who else did that? Yeah. MySpace. And how did that work out for them?

TODAY’S QUESTION: Smartphone users: Have you downloaded the Facebook Messenger app yet? What do you think of this mess?

SOUND OFF IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!


Attention Online Shoppers: eBay was HACKED!

If you haven’t heard, eBay was hacked… and it was a BIG hack.

More details are expected to be released later today. As a precaution, eBay is resetting everyone’s passwords.

Unfortunately, hacking is real and we’ve seen several big cases of it over the years. And yet, many people still have weak or even worse… only ONE password.

Yes, it’s annoying that some websites will not let you re-use old passwords. And yes, the list of required password elements on some websites can be overwhelming. But all of this is for your protection!

Here are some password tips:

If you can find parts of your password online, so can someone else.
Think about it. People can often find your address, anniversary, birthday, etc. online. Under no circumstances should these items be part of your passwords.

Create a unique password for each individual site.
You only have one password? Really? So if someone hacks your eBay, then they can access every other account you have online!

Avoid obvious naming conventions.
If your Facebook password is “Facebook123”, it’s not going to be very hard for me to guess your Twitter, LinkedIn, eBay, etc. Stop it.

Change your password several times a year.
I know. Passwords can be a pain. But change them regularly. A moving target is harder to catch.

Keep your passwords in a secure location.
If you can memorize your passeords, that’s great! But not all of us can. So keep them somewhere locked away where you would lock up other vital documents. And no. A notepad on your desk is NOT OK.

TODAY’S QUESTION: How secure are your passwords? Do you have any other password tips to share?

SOUND OFF IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

5 Life Lessons from the Theatre

Um… remember me?

Yes, I admit it. I haven”t been here much lately, but I am so pleased to say that everything has been great! You already know how much I love social media, but lately I have been spending my evenings with one of my other great loves… the theatre! More specifically, I have been in rehearsal for SHREK THE MUSICAL with the Bridgeport Theatre Company where I will be playing the role of the Big Bad Wolf.

Becoming the Big Bad Wolf

It”s so much fun to play a fairytale character! And just like a good fairy tale, working in the theatre is full of valuable life lessons. Here are my favorites:

  • Great results come from hard work. I think mobile casino it”s safe to say that most people love a good shortcut. But if you want to achieve excellence, it does not come without hard work and dedication.
  • Organization is everything. You may have heard the quote “Failing to plan is planning to fail” and it”s true! Whether you are getting ready for opening night or to launch a big project, be sure that you have a plan in place to reach your goals.
  • Don”t be afraid to put yourself out there. It doesn”t necessarily have to be on the stage, but you will never get anywhere in life without taking some risks.
  • Do what you love. Whether it is professionally or personally, find a way to do something that you enjoy and care about. Life is too short. So enjoy it!
  • Spend quality time with your friends. OK. So this one is a shameless plug. What can I say? The show opens on Friday, and I would love to see you all there! Gather your friends, pack a picnic, and get your tickets now for performances from April 25 through May 11! I hope to see you there!

 

Rehearsal photo by Kevin McNair Photography

 

TODAY”S QUESTION: Do any of these lessons speak to you? What choice can you make today to tackle one of these in your life?

SOUND OFF IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

 

 

Isn’t it time for you to LET IT GO?

I’m sure this isn’t surprising to anyone, but I am absolutely addicted to Disney’s FROZEN. Like… a lot!

Why?

Well, of course I love that there’s finally a Disney story that is more about family than it is about the Princess finding her Prince. And YES, this one comes with a powerful cast, many of whom come from Broadway. I mean, Idina Menzel is pretty much required listening in my Diva Book!

Speaking of Adele Dazeem…. Ooops. I mean, Idina Menzel… is there anyone out there who doesn’t love “Let It Go”?

Well, maybe my partner doesn’t appreciate it as much lately since I’ve pretty much been playing it on loop since the movie came out in November. But anyhow, I’m getting sidetracked…

I love everything about this song, but today, specifically these lyrics mean more to me than anything:

“It’s time to see what I can do,
to test the limits and break through.
No right, no wrong, no rules for me.
I’m free!”

Like any of us, I get stuck sometimes. I might second-guess an idea or hesitate to step out of my comfort zone. Well all do it, right? But WHY?

So today I am breaking through my own limits to LET IT GO! I have lots of exciting things coming soon to share with you, and nothing will stop me!

Here I stand. And here I’ll stay.


TODAY’S QUESTION: Name an obstacle that might be holding you back, personally or professionally? What one thing can you do right now to start to move past it?

SOUND OFF IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

 

Resolutions? Not for me!

I don”t believe in New Year”s resolutions.

There. I said it.

Now I don”t mean “don”t believe in” like don”t believe in the Tooth Fairy or Santa Claus or GOOD country music (Oops! Who said that?). I just mean that I don”t believe in them because they never work for me.

So, no… I did not make a resolution to lose weight in 2014. Nor did I resolve to get more sleep, make more money, or be a better person. Nope. These are all goals of mine that I will always strive for in my life, but they are not resolutions, because the moment I label it as a “resolution” is the same moment that I guarantee it will never happen.

But today, on this first day of January, I will take this moment to reflect on the past year and to refocus my thoughts and my energy.

Thank you to all of you who made 2013 a wonderful year. I truly believe that all of us have a responsibility to do our part to put more positivity out in the world. For me, social media has been a wonderful platform to do just that. While it is easy to get caught up in negative posts listing the failures of the past year, I prefer to look at the opportunity of the endless possibilities of the coming year. With that said, I challenge each of you to join me in sharing at least one positive thing on social media every day.

In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

So let”s do it! Share this blog on your Facebook, Twitter, or other social network and let”s make 2014 the most positive and special year yet!

With gratitude,
-Brian

 

TODAY”S QUESTION: What will YOU do to make bring positivity to the world via social media?

SOUND OFF in the comments below!

 

Forty, Fierce, and Fabulous!

Last month, I celebrated my 40th birthday. I know… 40. It”s a big one, right?

So while some expected me to be depressed, nervous, or frightened, all I could think was:

“How can I enter my 40″s with a bang?”

I”ve never been one to stick to “normal” birthday traditions. I mean, cake and balloons are just fine, but I wanted to create something fun to remember! So…

My birthday party was actually a music video shoot, and my friends became the cast and crew. I realize that not everyone likes to be in front of the camera, but I love how everyone was living in the moment in creating something I will always treasure.

So what has 40 taught me?

Life is short. Embrace it and savor every moment. Love yourself, surround yourself with positivity and light, and share this love with others!

I laughed all through my party, and hopefully this will bring a smile to your face, too.

THIS is how you make memories, people… Enjoy the video below!

Internet Trolls Sued for Defamation

A typically cheerful group of troll dolls banded together to file a defamation lawsuit against online trolls. Astrid Hansen, spokeswoman of the new-formed Brotherhood of United Trolls (B.U.T.), hopes that this symbolic legal action will raise public awareness of troll dolls and combat animosity towards trolls. “When this generation of Americans know the facts about trolls, they will cease to think of the word troll as synonymous with monster”.

A Danish woodcutter named Thomas Dam created the original troll dolls in 1959. Mr. Dam was short on cash and made a wooden doll with a wild tuff of sheep’s hair & big glass eyes as a Christmas present for his young daughter. Once other children saw the impossibly cute imp, Dam began carving more. “Good Luck Trolls” quickly became popular throughout Europe. Trolls came to the United States in the early 60’s and were a huge fad during the mid 1960’s.

The word “troll” became part of Internet slang sometime during the 1990’s.

Online trolls are individuals who delight in posting provocative or inflammatory messages in online chat rooms, forums, blog comments sections and elsewhere on the interment. It must be noted that trolls were often maligned in Scandinavian folklore as well.

B.U.T. hopes to educate a today’s children about the troll dolls’ happy origins and foster tolerance & acceptance. Head of B.U.T.’s PR initiative, Casper Eriksen, mentioned that it would be darn nice to start another troll doll craze. The soft economy has also affected their people.

 

Thank you Wikipedia for the info on Troll Dolls and Internet Trolls!

And thanks to Gay Gasser of Mirth in a Box for writing this super fun blog post!

Gay Gasser is the owner of the Mirth in a Box. Mirth in a Box is the fun place to shop for camp, college and boarding school care packages and cheery get well gifts. Check her out on Facebook, Twitter, and also on Mirth in a Blog!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Can 10 Minutes Change Your Blog?

Earlier this month, my friend Matt Baier posted an inspirational blog on “The Secret to the 10 Minute Purge”.  Matt is a Professional Organizer, and this blog gives some excellent guidance to breaking through your organizing barriers to achieve results. This really spoke to me as I sometimes fall in the trap of feeling overwhelmed with my own To Do List.

But would this same concept work when applied to blogging? Could I write an actual blog in 10 minutes by focusing my energy and working within specific time constraints?

Well, so far today… 5 minutes and 37 seconds have passed, so it’s looking good so far.

Seriously. One of the biggest obstacles bloggers face is simply sitting down and writing. We often have ideas in our heads, but if we play the role of a perfectionist too much, our message may never get out there.

So today, I encourage all of you who blog to try these steps.

1. Select your blog topic.
Don’t overthink this. What topics are relevant to your field today? What have you been speaking about to your friends?

2. Set a timer.
I know, it may sound intimidating… maybe even counterproductive, but setting a timer for 10 minutes does help to break the barrier of “I don’t have time to do this.” We’re all busy, but don’t we ALL have 10 minutes to spare at some point in the day? This makes writing a blog completely manageable in your schedule.

3. Imperfect is OK.
Yes, I borrowed almost all three of Matt’s points from his blog, but that’s because they work here, too! Don’t get caught up with the details of perfection. You can always tweak the blog later.

But you’ll be surprised to find that you can write a blog in less than 10 minutes. And you can break through another obstacle that allows your voice to stay out there for your readers!

How do I know?

9 minutes and 26 seconds.

Done.

DO YOU BLOG? If you do, try this and SOUND OFF IN THE COMMENTS BELOW to let me know how this worked for you!