Tag Archives: twitter

How We Survived the Blizzard of 2015

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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!

 


My Top 5 Favorite Moments from the 2014 Oscars

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What can I say?

I always LOVE live-tweeting an event, and the Oscars last night did NOT disappoint!

While all social media sites were on fire with commentary, Oscar Host Ellen Degeneres really brought Twitter to the forefront by posting pics and updates live from the stage and the audience.

There were so many wonderful moments, but these ones made my Top 5.

MOST. EPIC. SELFIE. EVER.
Ellen Degeneres made history with possibly the best selfie EVER! Why? Because this celeb-jampacked selfie included Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Brad Pitt, Lupita Nyong, Jared Leto (well, part of him), and several others. Ellen hoped she would beat the record for the most retweets ever, and she succeeded! (Even if she did crash Twitter for a couple minutes…) Over 2,500,000 retweets and still going!

 

And yes, everyone online is getting in on the fun. Even yours truly.

 

AND NOW, INTRODUCING…
John Travolta was supposed to introduce Idina Menzel to sing “Let It Go” from Frozen. I say “supposed to” because he actually introduced her as “Adele Dazim”. Fortunately, though… Adele Dazim is on Twitter. (No… really… an account was created within minutes of the flub!)

 

POOR LEO
Last night marked the fourth time that Leonardo DiCaprio lost at the Oscars. And this time to Matthew McConaughey… (what? seriously?) While this is sad for Leo, the memes that have come out of this have been deliciously evil!

 

PIZZA ANYONE?
Ellen had pizza delivered to the Oscars. I swear! She mentioned that the stars must be hungry in one segment, and in the next she ushered in a delivery man from Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria. The delivery man was NOT an actor (lucky guy!), and the local pizza chain quickly jumped on Twitter to join in the fun.

 

INTERACTION
OK. So this one isn’t one you’ll see in the tabloids, but it’s just as important. The interaction of live-tweeting an event is EVERYTHING. Not only did I have lots of favorites, retweets, and some new followers. I had fun! And isn’t that what it’s all about? I always remind people that Social Media should always be SOCIAL! And it really was last night!

In fact, I can’t wait for the Tony Awards to do it all again!

 

So… what was your favorite moment from the 2014 Academy Awards?

SOUND OFF in the comments below!

 

 


Facebook is CHARGING! Membership Packages Introduced.

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First of all, thank you for taking the time to visit my blog! Mondays are always SO busy (especially Mondays after a holiday weekend), so I wanted to take a moment just to thank you for stopping by.

Especially on a Monday.

April 1st.

Some call it April Fools Day.

(See where I”m going with this?)

So PLEASE tell me that you didn’t believe the headline that Facebook is charging?

(You didn’t believe me, right?)

Good. Because that is one of the oldest online hoaxes out there!

But there are some great new April Fools pranks out there online today. Here are some of my faves:

Google Nose

 

YouTube is shutting down!

 

Twitter

 

So… did YOU fall for any of these?

What other April Fools pranks have you loved today?

SOUND OFF IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

 

 

Nemo is coming! Four Tips for Today’s Snowstorm

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Ready or not, here comes NEMO!


No, really… that’s the name of the big blizzard that is slated to hit the Northeast US today. (Seriously… Nemo? Who names these? OK. I’m over it.)

So if you are like me and live in an area where the snow forecast is in feet instead of inches, you may end up stuck inside with a whole lot of time on your hands. Here are some suggestions to keep you busy:

1.) Review your Facebook Privacy Settings

After so many changes to Facebook’s Privacy Settings over the years, it looks like they finally may have got it right. They are now broken down to answer three basic questions:

  • Who can see my stuff?
  • Who can contact me?
  • How do I stop someone from bothering me?

It’s pretty intuitive, actually. Take a minute and click through these options by clicking on this image on the top right corner of Facebook (desktop of laptop) after you log in.

 

 

Mobile device users should scroll in the app menu to find “Privacy Settings” and go from there.

Trust me… you’ll be glad you checked this out. Why wonder what people can see? Go find out!

 

2.) Join in a conversation on Twitter

So many people on Twitter, just watch… and that’s OK, but you’re missing out! If you’re going to the party, why cling to the wall? Dive on in and be part of the fun!

If you know me, then you’ll know that I am absolutely clueless when it comes to sports. But tweeting during the Super Bowl was a blast! Seriously… I couldn’t stop laughing with all of the witty commentaries on Beyonce and the commercials. (Apparently there was a game, too, but I wasn’t following that.)

Find a topic that interests you (perhaps in the Trends list), or do a search for a hashtag.

How do you do that?

Once logged in to Twitter, go to the search bar and enter the number sign in front of a word or group of words. But don’t use any spaces or punctuation.

When a hashtag is used in a tweet, it creates a hyperlink where you can search for others commenting on the same topic.

For example, today people are talking about the storm using many hashtags such as:

#Nemo     #blizzard     #findingnemo     #snowfail

You get the idea. Search, click, read, retweet, and REPLY! Keep the conversation going!

 

3.) Photo Time

Whether you’re a fan or Pinterest, Instagram, or anything else, take some pics of the snow! Get creative! You know there will be a TON of snow pics out there today, so yours better be special if you want it to stand out.

I absolutely LOVE snow, so if you’ve got a good pic from Nemo, be sure to post it HERE on my Facebook page.

 

4.) Disconnect and Reboot

No, I’m not talking about your phone. I’m talking about YOU!

Sure, we all live in this virtual world in Social Media. And I LOVE it!

But chances are you may be stuck inside with friends and family, so take a few minutes to put down the phone, tablet, or keyboard away for a little while. Make some hot chocolate, light a fire in the fireplace, and have a good conversation.

After all, it will probably give you something to post about in a status update or tweet later anyhow. Whatever you do, stay safe, stay warm, and have fun!

So what will YOU do during the storm today?

Let me know in the comments below!

 

Is THIS on your Frankenstorm emergency checklist?

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Bottled Water? Check.

Food? Check.

Batteries? Check.

First aid kit? Check.

Facebook and Twitter… wait… what?

 

 

Last year the Northeastern US was surprised by a Halloween blizzard, and this year we have a festive little hurricane dubbed “Frankenstorm” on the way to pay us a visit.  As with any type of severe weather, it’s always a good idea to be prepared. (For a complete emercency list, click HERE.) But how often do you see “Social Media” on this emergency preparedness list?

If this storm is as bad as currently predicted, there is a significant chance of power outages. (Remember last year when some areas were without electricity for over a week?) The aftermath of fallen trees may not only affect power lines, but also phone and internet service as well. If nothing else in your home is working, your mobile device may be your saving grace! After all, we’ve seen the power of social media shine through in Hurricane Irene, earthquakes, and other natural disasters.

SO – If you have a smartphone, iPad, or other mobile device, remember to harness the power of social media to keep you connected. You may not have enough battery life to call all of your family and friends, but you can post periodic updates on your safety to Facebook or Twitter to share with everyone in one easy post. (Note: If you don’t have one, you may want to pick up a car charging kit for your mobile device for an alternative way to recharge that battery!)

In addition to posting your own updates, you may want to follow these accounts prior to and during the storm:

 

 

 

NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER

Facebook / Twitter

 

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

Facebook / Twitter

 

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA)

Facebook / Twitter

 

AMERICAN RED CROSS

Facebook / Twitter

 

Use these as a starter to your “Social Media Hurricane Kit”, and keep looking for others. For example, does your city have a Facebook page or Twitter account? How about your power company or other utilities? Take some time and check today so getting these updates during the storm will be as easy as seeing multiple pics of your friend’s baby and/or their lunch online.

So… if you are in the path of Frankenstorm, what are YOU doing to prepare? Feel free to share your emergency preparedness tips in the comments!

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Spirit Day!

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I know that on Fridays, most of our thoughts are on the upcoming weekend. But today I’d like to bring your attention to a very serious topic… bullying.

Today is Spirit Day. So if you’re wondering why everyone on Facebook has made their profile pic purple and you keep seeing #spiritday on Twitter, now you know. But what IS Spirit Day?

Spirit Day is an annual day in October when millions of Americans wear purple to speak out against bullying and to show their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth.

All of us likely experienced some form of bullying when we were younger. But many years ago that bullying often ended when you got off of the bus and arrived at home. Today, that is no longer the case.

While social media is a wonderful way to easily keep in touch with friends and family, it never “shuts off”. That kid who called a child names on the bus might now post those names online publicly, where others may see and join in on the harassment.

So what can you do to help?

If you are a parent who thinks your child is being bullied online, I can understand that you may not feel comfortable enough with social media to know exactly where to start. Don’t worry. Facebook and Twitter have some excellent resources for you! Check them out below:

FACEBOOK: BULLYING

TWITTER: SAFETY TIPS FOR PARENTS

 

If you see someone being bullied, SAY SOMETHING! We’ve all been there. It hurts. So if you witness bullying online or in person, speak up. You might just save a life.

 

If you are being bullied, I urge you to stay strong. If you are not already familiar with the privacy settings on social media sites, take some time and get to know them. Additionally, Facebook has some great Q&A that might just be of assistance HERE.

But most importantly, surround yourself with a caring and positive group of friends and family. Speak to them openly about what you are experiencing, how it makes you feel, and what you can do to make it better.

If you don’t feel like you have someone to talk to, The Trevor Project is always there.  From the Trevor Space community to the Ask Trevor Q&A, to Trevor Chat, or the Trevor Lifeline, they understand what you’re going through and offer outstanding support.

 

So whether you are being bullied, or you know or see someone who is, I encourage you to take some time today to stand up and do something about it. It’s important to know that you are NOT alone, and like they say, IT GETS BETTER!

 

I leave you with one of my favorite quotes.

“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one”s definition of your life; define yourself.”

-Harvey Fierstein

 

So do you feel ready to take a stand against bullying? Good!

Leave a comment and share what YOU will do today to make a difference!

Have a great Spirit Day, everyone!