My Virtual Blog

OK, I just had to write this.  Kind of a rant.  I just couldn’t help myself.  I have been seeing tweets about Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore and David Letterman being on Twitter.  So, what’s the deal anyway?  How do you know if you are REALLY following a celebrity?  Do they really use Twitter?  And, if they do, why?  I can imagine that perhaps a celebrity might want to check out social networking for curiosity, but what are they seeking in the way of relationships?  Other celebrity friendships?  Nothing to do?  Time between takes?  Goods and services? Fans?

I’m actually following “David Letterman” (because I think he’s hilarious and because everybody says my brother looks like him) although I suspect that it’s not really him at all, but a “Twannabe” David Letterman. There seem to be some tweets that are perhaps the inspiration of his comedy writer.  But maybe it is him because shortly after I started following him, his updates became private.  Perhaps he was getting “twalked”.  

I think it would be pretty cool if you did have a celebrity following you – I mean, maybe they thought you really had something valuable to say and that’s the cool part.  I’d also follow a celebrity if I thought I could provide value for them, but chances are, they have everything they need.  Except perhaps, virtual assistance??

Really though – I have no interest in becoming a “twoupie” because, well honestly, at my age, I’m just done with that.  In my younger days, I worked at a few fine dining establishments that catered to the stars.  I embarrassed myself to the point of total shame in front of Kenny Loggins while he ate dinner with his wife and producer (so not my fault – I was dragged), waited on Cher and Kiss (when they were dating) in a famous disco on Rush Street in Chicago, and got to either meet or see many other famous people including Fred Astaire, my hero. And I loved it (maybe not the embarrassing thing) and it was fun, and it was cool to tell your friends, but it’s so over.

What bugs me is that these “Twackers” posing as “Twannabes” might do this for the wrong reasons and end up disappointing some that don’t see through it.  Just like hackers that put nasty things out there to see if they can bring down networks for the sheer sport of it.  And if you celebrities are really out there tweeting – COOL!  Join the networks!  Tell me about your day – I’d love to hear it!  And if you’re not, are you watching to see who might be representing you?  Don’t give the tabloids any more fodder.

So, Question 1:  Are these people that act like celebrities doing this for fun to see how many tweeple they can spoof into to following them because they think they are the real thing?  If so, does that mean they are “twacking” your Twitter stream? And…

Question 2:  Do you think there should be a way to verify identity on Twitter?  Or is that part of its appeal – the ability to remain anonymous?  I can see how an assistant might tweet and answer questions based on their knowledge of a person or a company, but I can’t see someone doing this for sport.

What do you think?

 My friend and colleague, Rachel Rasmussen from Rescue Desk Virtual Assistant Services just tagged me in her blog and asked me to write 7 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Me. This is a fun sport so I’m happy to oblige! Without further ado, here they are:
 

1. I’m a Chicago transplant to Wisconsin. I moved here 4-1/2 years ago. I think this little town called Lisbon it’s actually Wisconsin’s best kept secret. I lived in Schaumburg when I was in Illinois – home of the great Woodfield Shopping Mall and IKEA. One thing I should have realized before the move – IT’S EVEN COLDER AND SNOWIER HERE. What was I thinking?? Truth be told, however, I’m actually more at home here than I think I’ve ever been in my life.
2. I’m a newlywed. OK, so it’s the second time – it still counts. I was married on July 11, 2008 to the man I should have met 30 years ago. We had a formal wedding with the works – dress, flowers, rock band and all! I planned every little detail to perfection (See #6) because it was my first “real” wedding (eloped first time) and because it is definitely my LAST wedding. My husband and best friend, Chuck, is also my business partner!
3. I love to draw – and paint – and play a little piano.  I won’t call myself an artist, but I sure give it the old college try. I have done several pencil sketches and recently took up painting. I did my first acrylic painting a couple of weeks ago and we’ll just let that be a secret.
4. In the 70s, I briefly taught Ballroom Dance. I think I would have kept this up had it not been for the smarmy sales tactics this dance studio wanted me to use to entice new students. But I have loved and enjoyed dance for years. My husband and I actually hooked up with some dance lessons to choreograph a Foxtrot to “Just In Time” for our first dance at our wedding. That was fun! As an even more amazing note – I even won a DISCO contest in the 70s – Whoa! You SO want to hang with me now.
5. I LOVE BIG DOGS. (Maybe that’s why my favorite saying is “If you’re gonna’ run with the big dogs, you have to get off the porch!”)  About a year and a half ago, I had to put my beloved golden/lab mix down at the tender age of 14. If you’ve read the book Marley & Me, you know my dog. She was his clone with the exception of gender. I’m still not over it. But, the upside is that we still have Samantha, our 13-year-old small black lab who thinks she’s 2, is exceptionally obedient but certainly is a BOR (box of rocks).
6. I am a perfectionist. It’s sometimes a bad thing and sometimes a great thing. When I’m locked into a project, it’s great because the end result will be great. When I’m attempting to get my hair and makeup and outfit to coordinate for that special occasion – well, let’s just say – How much time do you have? Or if I have to get the last harness painted on the last reindeer cookie at 2 a.m., NOT TOO PRETTY.
7. My 7th thing – let’s see – vacations – I LOVE VACATIONS. My favorite, hands-down, undeniably, the bomb vacation is anywhere on a beach, but most notably, JAMAICA. Been there twice and can absolutely hear the ocean crashing against the beach at night, picture dancing reggae style to the steel band, feel the warm sun, taste the “bang” sauce and sing out loud to “One Love” by Bob Marley. What’s not to love?

I bet there’s a lot more you probably don’t know about me, but that’s OK. A little glimpse into someone’s life gets the ball rolling anyway. So, to Carrie Anderson and Lauren McMullen, TAG – you’re it! Won’t you please give us a little peak into your life?

They say that one of the best ways to get business is through networking.  So what is business networking all about, what makes it so invaluable to its supporters and how can you maximize your networking time?

My wife and I joined BNI, a local chapter of the largest business referral network in the world.   I was a bit skeptical at first, thinking “how could this possibly help our business?”  It didn’t take long for me to see that there actually can be value in meeting with other business owners and discussing what they do and how we can help each other grow our businesses.

We believe that in our networking meetings, if we focus on other people’s business, other people’s interests and engage them in conversation; it will make for a much more enjoyable experience.  We ask ourselves, how can I help this person?  Can I introduce a member to a possible partner or business opportunity?  Do I have some great resource that they could benefit from?  What one piece of information, advice or one contact could I give to this person?”  Sooner or later most people do say, “So what exactly do you do and how can I help you?” which comfortably let’s you talk about what you offer without it appearing as a “sales pitch”.

All the effort you invest in helping others will come back to you as a positive impact on your business.

Our BNI group also schedules a 10 minute presentation each week that rotates from member to member, providing the opportunity to describe, in greater detail, what the member does and how the organization can help them achieve their goals.  We also have the option of scheduling a one hour 1-on-1 meeting with a member to exchange information on each other’s business.  We have had one meeting thus far and have three more scheduled for the upcoming weeks.

We have a referral process as a standard agenda item each meeting where referrals are given back and forth.  These referrals are recorded, tracked and the results are shared with the group each week as part of the referral update agenda item.  It is amazing how many referrals are passed each month and the dollar impact it has on the businesses.

Maximizing your networking time can be summarized in the following points.

1.      Dress appropriately for the meeting so you feel comfortable but also think about how you can be noticed and remembered. You are marketing yourself and representing your company – how do you want to be perceived?

2.      Make time before the meeting to really think about the message you want to deliver.  It will serve you well once you “get into” the meeting itself.

3.      Try to speak with at least one new member each week to get better acquainted.  You could even take the opportunity to set up a 1-on-1 meeting with that person.

4.      Listen, Listen, Listen… spend time really hearing what other people are saying. Get them talking about themselves, their business and what challenges they are facing.  Great networkers create relationships first.  Time spent listening and gathering information will enable you to really understand how you can help someone. This is always the primary activity – give first.

In my short-lived experience with Business Networking, these are my observations.  Thus far, I would say Business Networking DOES make a positive impact.  This is FACT not Fiction.

Opinions anyone?

If you are like me, trying to keep a regular fitness routine going is difficult when the first thing you do when you get up in the morning is head to the computer. I try to carve out a half hour to stop and work out, but many times, I end up getting involved with work, forum posts or emails and I tend to shrug off the workout.

So, here are a few things that you can do to at least try to keep yourself on track:

1) Make sure you get up and take a quick walk around the house every half hour or so.

2) Sign up for www.myfitnesspal.com. This is a great FREE site that allows you to manage not only your food intake, but also your fitness routine and how many calories, carbs, etc. are burned. You can set goals and this really has helped me stick to them!

3) Drink LOTS of water.

4) Don’t eat the same food for lunch every day – your body gets used to the same foods and if you mix it up, you will fire your metabolism.

5) Make a list of foods that you can eat large quantities of without guilt (plain air popcorn, raw veggies, etc.). Stick to those and stay away from sweets and carbs like white bread which tend to spike blood sugar and lead to water retention and puffiness. (This one is VERY hard for me – I’m a sweet freak and I do tend to get puffy!)

6) If you’re on a webinar, and your headset will allow it, stand for the bulk of the webinar!

I’m sure there are other tips out there, but these are things I try to do when I’m having one of those “oops too late to work out” days.

What kinds of things help you?

Enjoy!

Making time for both work goals and personal goals is not as easy as one would think. You may feel fragmented or overwhelmed if you are not achieving a sense of balance between the two.  Your work and personal life will both suffer if you are not managing to meet your needs and responsibilities.  We can’t do everything, we know that, but if you ask yourself; “Am I doing things that are the most important to me? Am I spending time wisely? Am I making time for both work and play?” and your answer is NO, you may want to step back and examine your life.  Remember, we have to plan for tomorrow but LIVE for today.

At one time, I was married with a small child and a full time job.  Being a musician, I had a hard time balancing work, home, rehearsal and gigging time.  I would get up at 4:30am every morning so that I could practice for 2 hours before going to work (of course I used headphones so as not to wake the family).  This way I could prepare for band rehearsal without impacting my family responsibilities as well as still being able to work full time.  Although not fun, and I don’t necessarily recommend it, it was a solution that worked for me.  Having balance in your life is easier if you:

·        Identify your priorities

·        Reduce unnecessary activities

·        Set goals and make a plan

·        Revisit priorities and goals occasionally

Also, get a handle on the stress in your life.  This can help you make time for work and play and feel good about your general well-being. 

·        Locate the sources of stress and work to reduce or eliminate them

·        Work off the effects of stress physically

·        Accept the things that you cannot change

·        Organize what you can, without being a perfectionist

·        Realize that you do not control the emotions or behavior of others

·        Take one thing at a time

·        Compromise. You don’t always have to have it done your way. Agree to disagree

·        Get away from it for a while

Finally, you should ask yourself, “Is my work and personal life in balance?  Do I feel good about the balance”?  Remember:  LIFE IS NOT A DRESS REHEARSAL.

I am not normally a person who engages in many political discussions and can usually sort out the issues and arrive at a solid decision on my preferred candidate.  This year has been a lot tougher.  There is really quite a bit at stake in this election, much more than in previous years.  I won’t go on a soapbox, but I would encourage everyone to check this article out:

http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/31191709.html

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ran this article entitled Score the Candidates in their Crossroads section on October 19. 

I sat down with my husband and a friend yesterday and we spent 2 hours going through each and every issue, debating each other, and adding up points to help with our voting decision.  We found this “scorecard” invaluable to our ability to assess the candidates. 

My Virtual Project - Let Us Be Your MVP

And hello to the blogging world!  This is a pretty new area for me, but I’m going to give it my best shot!  We could start with a few thoughts on virtual assistance and what I feel is proper etiquette, whether it’s virtual or face-to-face.  This is a technical world – like it or not – computers are here and here to stay.  I am now pursuing opportunities to do what I love via remote access the majority of the time and I am held captive to my computer.  Although I am providing services virtually, there still has to be a commitment to personal customer service and respect for the customer.  Too often these days, I find myself appalled at the lack of customer service in the real world as well as the virtual world.  Please, thank you, you’re welcome, may I help you, good afternoon, have a good day – these are all phrases that too often are missing from a business transaction.  We need to make it more about service, the customer always being right again, and providing solutions with a smile rather than making everything about the money and the need for instant gratification.  Look at where that has Wall Street right now.  I’d love to hear feedback from others on their thoughts of customer service these days.  Are you feeling the same as I am?