Apparently, this Christmas was a record-breaker.
For the first time ever, Facebook was #1 on Christmas. On both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Facebook was the most visited website in the United States, beating out both Google and Yahoo, Facebook's frequent competitors. Why Facebook on Christmas? Wishing family members and longtime friends a Merry Christmas, perhaps? Sending messages to find out what kind of sweet presents your roommates got that you can use next semester? Extra time to spend chatting with your best friends? Whatever it is, we know Facebook has worked hard for this moment. Maybe they'll surprise us again in 2010.
Also for the first time ever, Amazon sold more Kindle books than printed books on Christmas. While many people may have received Kindles for Christmas and needed to stock up, it's still a milestone for the Kindle due to the sheer volume of purchases and its increased presence within our society. Much like the younger generation's tendency to flock toward online news rather than print, perhaps we really will start to see the same trend with books in the coming years.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
A gate provider's delight
On Monday, the New York City Council decided to ban the use of opaque storefront gates in favor of eliminating graffiti and beautifying city neighborhoods. However, the Council is not supplying funds for new see-through gates, laying the responsibility on store owners to carry out the legislation.The ban will officially go into effect in 2026, a whopping 17 years from now. I suppose they figure that it will take that long for some of New York City's store owners to save up for a new gate. New meshed security gates can cost thousands of dollars, which is a lot of money for inner city store owners who are already struggling to protect their money and keep their businesses afloat.
And while this is a very bad thing for business owners, it's a very good thing for local gate providers and locksmiths.
With all new storefront gate installations required to be mesh after 2011, the storefront security gate industry will certainly spike overnight. The demand for mesh gates will rise and since currently there are not a significant amount of providers, the costs of gates will skyrocket, making them even more unreachable for small business owners. In an economy as tight as it is now, this law is sending local small businesses into a downward spiral. Is the elimination of residential expression worth the demise of local economic stimuli?
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Giving newspapers my advice
When I become a publisher, my game plan will be this.
Full disclosure, readers filling in the blanks, full audience participation, community support, inventive stories - all are essential to a current successful news organ. We need to reinvent the way we deliver news at the same rate that people change the way they consume news. And right now, we're falling quite short.
Another tidbit from Journerdism: Stop giving the newspapers your advice - they don't need it.
Oops... :)
Full disclosure, readers filling in the blanks, full audience participation, community support, inventive stories - all are essential to a current successful news organ. We need to reinvent the way we deliver news at the same rate that people change the way they consume news. And right now, we're falling quite short.
Another tidbit from Journerdism: Stop giving the newspapers your advice - they don't need it.
Oops... :)
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The world according to Landy
I'm back from hiatus and ready to hit the ground running!With nearly six months of sales experience under my belt at this point, I realized today that I don't know any more now than I did when I first started. I've been flying by the seat of my pants and selling advertising, but I've been going about it all wrong. I've been performing the act but not understanding the process. Now I'm set on going back to the beginning and rebuilding myself to do my job the most efficient and satisfying way possible. I want to make what I do less of a performance and more of a service.
I heard the powerful words of Landy Chase this afternoon, and I feel compelled to share some of his groundbreaking ideas on the art of sales.
1. Your main goal should be helping your customer get desired results, not obtaining a certain amount of revenue. Don't wait until the last few days of the month to try to push for those last $300. Slow and steady wins the race, and the more your customer trusts you, the more likely he is to invest with you.
2. The word spend should be erased from every salesperson's vocabulary. If we're asking our customers to spend their money, that amount is automatically seen in a negative context. We need to focus on the customer's investment so that they can be sure to gain from the relationship, not lose. Perform a needs analysis to establish the best way to help the customer get results. In that way, the focus is taken off of a one-visit sale and made into forming a long-term relationship and marketing plan with your customer.
3. Branding and name recognition are vital to businesses, especially those offering services. Your customers shouldn't buy advertising to get the phone to ring tomorrow. They should buy advertising so that when people decide they need something, whether it's next week or next year, your customer's business is the first place they think of, again reaffirming the necessity of long-term investments.
A final thought:
Since I entered into the realm of sales, I've realized that all salespeople feel that they share a certain bond. "You're in sales? Oh, me too!" It's a product of the tough environment that we face that we feel the need to reassure each other and lend a helping hand if possible. However, I've also noticed that newspaper sales strategies vary greatly from the strategies of retail or other businesses. For many businesses, the bottom line is more important than the customer. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't. But I can tell you that I enjoy what I do much more when I do it for my customers and my community rather than for myself.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Whoa there, pardner
After a veto by Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, the Tennessee General Assembly is voting to override his decision in order to pass a law that will allow guns to be carried in restaurants (and bars) that serve alcohol, according to AP.
My question: why would you need to carry a gun into a restaurant anyway? What sort of violence or danger or threat to your safety do you expect to encounter? Maybe restaurants in Tennessee are shadier than ones in Georgia, but rarely do I ever feel endangered when I go out to get a bite at Chili's.
I picture the results of this sort of like an Old Western. Men piling into bars, pistols slung on their waists and engaging in competitions of who's got the bigger gun. I can practically see the saloon doors swinging.
Do I think people are going to die because of this law? Not necessarily. But I do think that the obvious presence of guns in public places sends out a message of paranoia and distrust in a time when we need to be joining hands.
My question: why would you need to carry a gun into a restaurant anyway? What sort of violence or danger or threat to your safety do you expect to encounter? Maybe restaurants in Tennessee are shadier than ones in Georgia, but rarely do I ever feel endangered when I go out to get a bite at Chili's.
I picture the results of this sort of like an Old Western. Men piling into bars, pistols slung on their waists and engaging in competitions of who's got the bigger gun. I can practically see the saloon doors swinging.
Do I think people are going to die because of this law? Not necessarily. But I do think that the obvious presence of guns in public places sends out a message of paranoia and distrust in a time when we need to be joining hands.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
So what's your motivation?
Meranda Writes' blog caught my eye today. Hassled by her editor to submit some of her stories for national awards, she confesses that awards or "external praise," as she calls it, serve as no motivation for her when it comes to doing her job.
Motivation is actually something that I've given quite a bit of thought to lately, yet it's a topic that doesn't seem to come up much. Motivation just exists. It just "is," like breathing or walking. Everyone is motivated by something, but we don't often take time to think about what it is that continues to push us and drive us to achieve our highest potential.
In an attempt to coax more daily progress out of my newspaper-focused coworkers (aside: remember that I'm the only magazine rep, so I'm on a completely different schedule from them), my ad director initiated the Awesomeness Board. Posted right outside her door, the Awesomeness Board consists of a piece of posterboard with our names written down the left-hand side and plenty of empty space next to them. The idea: every time one of us does something awesome, we get a sticker. The sticker then goes next to our name on the Awesomeness Board for all the world to see.
Apparently, the Awesomeness Board works wonders for my coworkers. They all have so many stickers that we'll need to add another board soon. I think have four stickers total. I was honest with my boss.
"That doesn't motivate me."
"Well, it doesn't motivate me either," she said. "Money motivates me."
Ah, money. I can think of at least two more of my coworkers who are driven by cash. Offer a $150 spiff and they'll work and work and work until they meet their goals. However, at the moment, money doesn't motivate me either. Not that I don't need it. I just don't place as high a value on it as my married coworkers with two or three kids to support.
So what does motivate me?
Expectations. Goals. I want to be the best of the best. I want to surpass everyone's expectations and then some. I want to do better than my predecessor. I want people to be amazed at what I can do at my age. I want challenges, and I want obstacles. And I want to blow it out of the water.
I think my boss has figured it out already. Two weeks ago I met my goal on one of my magazines. While I was happily rejoicing, she looked at me and said, "I want you to get $1,000 more." At first, I looked at her in astonishment. There was no spiff involved, no bonus, no extra anything. There was just the challenge. A week later, it was done. $1,700 over my goal.
So yeah, money's nice. Being awesome is nice. Winning awards is nice. But ultimately, meeting challenges and being above average is what drives me to succeed.
What motivates you?
Motivation is actually something that I've given quite a bit of thought to lately, yet it's a topic that doesn't seem to come up much. Motivation just exists. It just "is," like breathing or walking. Everyone is motivated by something, but we don't often take time to think about what it is that continues to push us and drive us to achieve our highest potential.
In an attempt to coax more daily progress out of my newspaper-focused coworkers (aside: remember that I'm the only magazine rep, so I'm on a completely different schedule from them), my ad director initiated the Awesomeness Board. Posted right outside her door, the Awesomeness Board consists of a piece of posterboard with our names written down the left-hand side and plenty of empty space next to them. The idea: every time one of us does something awesome, we get a sticker. The sticker then goes next to our name on the Awesomeness Board for all the world to see.
Apparently, the Awesomeness Board works wonders for my coworkers. They all have so many stickers that we'll need to add another board soon. I think have four stickers total. I was honest with my boss.
"That doesn't motivate me."
"Well, it doesn't motivate me either," she said. "Money motivates me."
Ah, money. I can think of at least two more of my coworkers who are driven by cash. Offer a $150 spiff and they'll work and work and work until they meet their goals. However, at the moment, money doesn't motivate me either. Not that I don't need it. I just don't place as high a value on it as my married coworkers with two or three kids to support.
So what does motivate me?
Expectations. Goals. I want to be the best of the best. I want to surpass everyone's expectations and then some. I want to do better than my predecessor. I want people to be amazed at what I can do at my age. I want challenges, and I want obstacles. And I want to blow it out of the water.
I think my boss has figured it out already. Two weeks ago I met my goal on one of my magazines. While I was happily rejoicing, she looked at me and said, "I want you to get $1,000 more." At first, I looked at her in astonishment. There was no spiff involved, no bonus, no extra anything. There was just the challenge. A week later, it was done. $1,700 over my goal.
So yeah, money's nice. Being awesome is nice. Winning awards is nice. But ultimately, meeting challenges and being above average is what drives me to succeed.
What motivates you?
Friday, June 26, 2009
Lunch Duty Rap - Week 4, Persistence Pays Off
It's amazing what three months of sales experience will do for you.
Through my own experiences as well as watching my coworkers, I've gone from thinking solely like a reporter to understanding the vital importance of the sales team and how the whole process goes down. Of course, I still have much to learn, but I can't even imagine what 15 or 30 plus years of experience would give someone.
One of the most useful things I've learned is the importance of persistence. I know it sounds a little cliché, but without it, you're not going to meet your sales goals.
I've already explained my process as far as how I go about getting in touch with my customers. I do anything from calling to emailing to dropping in for a quick chat. For most of my customers, it works fine on the first visit. However, with some, it might take weeks to track them down.
With each magazine, I end up with a list of people that I can't get on the first try. So I wait a couple days and try again. Still nothing? Wait a week, try again. Repeat. I get frustrated and agitated and want to just throw my hands up in the air in defeat. But it never fails - when I'm down to the wire and I try them that one last time and finally get a yes, it's worth all the trouble I went to to get it.
Persistence is one of the hardest skills to maintain but one of the most rewarding, as long as you:
1. Get over the frustration of not being able to reach a customer.
2. Don't forget about the customer. Write it down and make sure you try them at least one last time before your deadline.
3. Ignore the idea that you're bugging their assistant to death and she's eventually just going to hang up when she hears your voice.
4. Start calling your customers early. The longer you have before your deadline, the more time you have to track people down.
Then, I can guarantee that persistence will ultimately push you over your goal in the end.
Through my own experiences as well as watching my coworkers, I've gone from thinking solely like a reporter to understanding the vital importance of the sales team and how the whole process goes down. Of course, I still have much to learn, but I can't even imagine what 15 or 30 plus years of experience would give someone.
One of the most useful things I've learned is the importance of persistence. I know it sounds a little cliché, but without it, you're not going to meet your sales goals.
I've already explained my process as far as how I go about getting in touch with my customers. I do anything from calling to emailing to dropping in for a quick chat. For most of my customers, it works fine on the first visit. However, with some, it might take weeks to track them down.
With each magazine, I end up with a list of people that I can't get on the first try. So I wait a couple days and try again. Still nothing? Wait a week, try again. Repeat. I get frustrated and agitated and want to just throw my hands up in the air in defeat. But it never fails - when I'm down to the wire and I try them that one last time and finally get a yes, it's worth all the trouble I went to to get it.
Persistence is one of the hardest skills to maintain but one of the most rewarding, as long as you:
1. Get over the frustration of not being able to reach a customer.
2. Don't forget about the customer. Write it down and make sure you try them at least one last time before your deadline.
3. Ignore the idea that you're bugging their assistant to death and she's eventually just going to hang up when she hears your voice.
4. Start calling your customers early. The longer you have before your deadline, the more time you have to track people down.
Then, I can guarantee that persistence will ultimately push you over your goal in the end.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Lunch Duty Rap - Week 3, Longing for Photoshop
Teaching Online Journalism's post today reminded me of an issue I've been thinking a lot about lately.
It quotes Renee Barnes' question, "What skills are most important for an online journalist?"
The main skills that emerge include these:
1. Evidence of blogging and interaction with a wide range of blogs
2. An understanding and active use of social media (Twitter, RSS, social bookmarking etc.)
3. The ability to tell an engaging story using still images and audio (audio slideshow – see my previous post for great examples)
4. Ability to shoot, edit and tell stories using video.
5. Basic ability to create interactive story elements using Adobe Flash
6. Ability edit audio and produce podcasts
7. Ability to file from the field breaking news
8. Ability to moderate online discussion
Personally, I feel that all of these skills are not only important but absolutely necessary for journalists today. The speed with which we're moving toward online products and competition is fast-paced and inevitable. In order to best be able to market yourself and serve your community, you have to fully embrace technology and online journalism.
However, there is only one issue with this reality - access to resources.
Most of the technology referenced above is not free. Programs for photos, video, podcasting and web building can cost hundreds of dollars. If you work for a newspaper or online publication that is willing to foot the bill, then that's great. But what about the rest of us?
I work at a small newspaper with minimal funding and even less online use. I can barely access email, let alone any Flash programs or Photoshop. So in order to have the same opportunities as everyone else, it's up to me to fund my own education in technology.
The same goes for freelance writers, laid-off journalists, or journalists who are actively job searching. It's the Catch-22 of the journalism industry. In order to make yourself marketable, you need access to technology. But when you're unemployed or living on a very low income, it's hard to fork over hundreds of dollars in the hopes of keeping up with technology and successfully marketing yourself. In all honesty, sometimes it's a gamble that I'm not willing to make.
The solution? Who knows. Maybe a technology grant that journalists can apply for and receive. Maybe free classes or free access to some of these programs at public libraries. Maybe there are some things out there already that I don't know about yet. Luckily, blogs, social networks and story-writing are all free, so there's still hope for some of us. I do the best that I can with what I've got. While I'm constantly nervous about being so far from where I should be as far as technology is concerned, I hope that my knowledge of the industry and my love of learning will get me past any hump that may come along in my search for jobs in the future.
And as soon as I have some extra cash, it's going straight to a Photoshop fund.
It quotes Renee Barnes' question, "What skills are most important for an online journalist?"
The main skills that emerge include these:
1. Evidence of blogging and interaction with a wide range of blogs
2. An understanding and active use of social media (Twitter, RSS, social bookmarking etc.)
3. The ability to tell an engaging story using still images and audio (audio slideshow – see my previous post for great examples)
4. Ability to shoot, edit and tell stories using video.
5. Basic ability to create interactive story elements using Adobe Flash
6. Ability edit audio and produce podcasts
7. Ability to file from the field breaking news
8. Ability to moderate online discussion
Personally, I feel that all of these skills are not only important but absolutely necessary for journalists today. The speed with which we're moving toward online products and competition is fast-paced and inevitable. In order to best be able to market yourself and serve your community, you have to fully embrace technology and online journalism.
However, there is only one issue with this reality - access to resources.
Most of the technology referenced above is not free. Programs for photos, video, podcasting and web building can cost hundreds of dollars. If you work for a newspaper or online publication that is willing to foot the bill, then that's great. But what about the rest of us?
I work at a small newspaper with minimal funding and even less online use. I can barely access email, let alone any Flash programs or Photoshop. So in order to have the same opportunities as everyone else, it's up to me to fund my own education in technology.
The same goes for freelance writers, laid-off journalists, or journalists who are actively job searching. It's the Catch-22 of the journalism industry. In order to make yourself marketable, you need access to technology. But when you're unemployed or living on a very low income, it's hard to fork over hundreds of dollars in the hopes of keeping up with technology and successfully marketing yourself. In all honesty, sometimes it's a gamble that I'm not willing to make.
The solution? Who knows. Maybe a technology grant that journalists can apply for and receive. Maybe free classes or free access to some of these programs at public libraries. Maybe there are some things out there already that I don't know about yet. Luckily, blogs, social networks and story-writing are all free, so there's still hope for some of us. I do the best that I can with what I've got. While I'm constantly nervous about being so far from where I should be as far as technology is concerned, I hope that my knowledge of the industry and my love of learning will get me past any hump that may come along in my search for jobs in the future.
And as soon as I have some extra cash, it's going straight to a Photoshop fund.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Lunch Duty Rap - Week 2, War of the Gift Shops
It never fails that what ultimately saves my magazines is the ever-present and vicious competition among local consignment shops in Tifton.
It was drilled into me over and over in my economics classes that competition is good for local economies. Of course, there's all kinds of data to prove it. I've always understood it from a consumer's point of view. More competition means better prices for consumers and less chance of the formation of monopolizing and price-controlling businesses. But I never thought about how beneficial competition is for local advertising, as well.
Tifton has an abundance of small consignment stores, or gift shops, spread throughout the area. They specialize in Vera Bradley, host bridal registries and sell myriad interior decorating essentials. I can think of at least six stores off the top of my head, but I know there are many, many more. Currently, all six of those stores advertise with me and continue to advertise. Know why? They all secretly, or not-so-secretly, want to best each other.
When I started working on the magazines, only three of the shops advertised with me. As an experiment, I presented my magazines to another store and slyly mentioned the fact that some of the other shops were advertising with me. Immediately, the shop bought the back page to two of my magazines, our most expensive positions. Score one for Kelly.
Today, I visited another gift shop and the owner agreed to start advertising and get in on the action, also giving me the lowdown on all of the other shops she's in competition with, a.k.a. ammunition for future sales.
So without the graphs and microeconomic equations, I can personally vouch for the fact that competition is good not only for consumers but also for advertising. And we need all the economic stimuli we can get, even if it means getting my hands a little dirty in some small-town drama.
It was drilled into me over and over in my economics classes that competition is good for local economies. Of course, there's all kinds of data to prove it. I've always understood it from a consumer's point of view. More competition means better prices for consumers and less chance of the formation of monopolizing and price-controlling businesses. But I never thought about how beneficial competition is for local advertising, as well.
Tifton has an abundance of small consignment stores, or gift shops, spread throughout the area. They specialize in Vera Bradley, host bridal registries and sell myriad interior decorating essentials. I can think of at least six stores off the top of my head, but I know there are many, many more. Currently, all six of those stores advertise with me and continue to advertise. Know why? They all secretly, or not-so-secretly, want to best each other.
When I started working on the magazines, only three of the shops advertised with me. As an experiment, I presented my magazines to another store and slyly mentioned the fact that some of the other shops were advertising with me. Immediately, the shop bought the back page to two of my magazines, our most expensive positions. Score one for Kelly.
Today, I visited another gift shop and the owner agreed to start advertising and get in on the action, also giving me the lowdown on all of the other shops she's in competition with, a.k.a. ammunition for future sales.
So without the graphs and microeconomic equations, I can personally vouch for the fact that competition is good not only for consumers but also for advertising. And we need all the economic stimuli we can get, even if it means getting my hands a little dirty in some small-town drama.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Technology worth tinkering with
Some crazy new stuff you should check out:
Bing, Microsoft's new search engine that's being launched on June 3.
Google Wave, a marriage between Gmail and Google Talk. Its revolutionary attributes include live chat in which you can see the other person typing character by character as well as an all-in-one place for viewing documents, pictures, emails, chats and more without delving into archives or extra screens. Unfortunately, Google Wave won't be available until later this year.
Woya, a consumer's saving grace when it comes to online purchases.
Bing, Microsoft's new search engine that's being launched on June 3.
Google Wave, a marriage between Gmail and Google Talk. Its revolutionary attributes include live chat in which you can see the other person typing character by character as well as an all-in-one place for viewing documents, pictures, emails, chats and more without delving into archives or extra screens. Unfortunately, Google Wave won't be available until later this year.
Woya, a consumer's saving grace when it comes to online purchases.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Credit card calamity
Today the U.S. House passed a bill that will enact major changes in the way consumers interact with their credit cards and credit card companies.
The Credit Cardholder's Bill of Rights Act of 2009 was passed yesterday by the Senate, so now it only awaits presidential approval before becoming law.
Passage of the bill is consumer friendly in that it radically changes the way credit card companies are allowed to treat their customers, including extending the period of time between the postage of a bill and its actual due date. This will eliminate the ability of credit card companies to post a bill 10 days before its due with the goal of increasing the chance of charging customers late fees.
However, the bill also prohibits people under age 21 from obtaining a credit card without cosigning with a parent. While the idea is to nobly prevent credit card companies from bullying the college-aged crowd, it will ultimately harm young people in the future by stunting their ability to build credit.
I've been steadily building credit since I graduated from high school. I would buy something small with my credit card, pay it off, then start the cycle again the next month. Within a few years, I've built up thousands of dollars worth of credit, I have two credit cards, I've got a great credit score and I've learned to be responsible in the way that I handle credit.
Credit cards shouldn't be your enemy or your vice; they're your friends! They can get you out of a tight spot, give you a chance to treat yourself and help you become more responsible with your finances. You just have to learn to use them correctly. And the sooner young people learn to do that, the better.
The Credit Cardholder's Bill of Rights Act of 2009 was passed yesterday by the Senate, so now it only awaits presidential approval before becoming law.
Passage of the bill is consumer friendly in that it radically changes the way credit card companies are allowed to treat their customers, including extending the period of time between the postage of a bill and its actual due date. This will eliminate the ability of credit card companies to post a bill 10 days before its due with the goal of increasing the chance of charging customers late fees.
However, the bill also prohibits people under age 21 from obtaining a credit card without cosigning with a parent. While the idea is to nobly prevent credit card companies from bullying the college-aged crowd, it will ultimately harm young people in the future by stunting their ability to build credit.
I've been steadily building credit since I graduated from high school. I would buy something small with my credit card, pay it off, then start the cycle again the next month. Within a few years, I've built up thousands of dollars worth of credit, I have two credit cards, I've got a great credit score and I've learned to be responsible in the way that I handle credit.
Credit cards shouldn't be your enemy or your vice; they're your friends! They can get you out of a tight spot, give you a chance to treat yourself and help you become more responsible with your finances. You just have to learn to use them correctly. And the sooner young people learn to do that, the better.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Good news and bad news for newspapers
With real estate taking a nose dive and the automotive industry not far behind, it's no wonder newspaper advertising numbers are down more than ever.
Reflections of a Newsosaur's post on the effects of car dealerships' closings on local advertising rings eerily true with my own newspaper.
When I started at the Gazette about a month ago, there were grumblings from all the reps about being gold against such big numbers from last year's sales. But the one who grumbled the least was actually the one who'd lost the most.
This rep had been in control of all real estate advertising in addition to her local territory. When I looked at the sales sheet, I couldn't believe my eyes. She sold tens of thousands of dollars in real estate each month last year. Now, she's pulling around $1,000, or $2,000 in a good month. That means she won't be making her goals for at least a year and maybe more if real estate keeps falling. And you won't ever hear her complain about it.
Not to mention that that's hundreds of thousands of dollars lost to the newspaper itself. And if automotive dealers go the way of real estate, then we're in big trouble.
But the good news for newspapers, according to Reflections of a Newsosaur, is that broadcast news is set to take a bigger hit in automotive advertising losses than print news.
Think about all of the car dealership ads that you see on TV. Hometown ads with all kinds of graphics and children and little jingles. Most of those could disappear, and without the campaign ads that flooded TVs last year and lined the broadcast industry's pockets, broadcast news is in for a big hit this year.
While that's good news for newspapers, I'm a firm believer that we're all in this together. If it's a hit to broadcast news, it's a hit to the journalism industry itself. And whether we're newspapers, radio, broadcast or online, that means we're all going to have to work a little bit harder to make things work.
Reflections of a Newsosaur's post on the effects of car dealerships' closings on local advertising rings eerily true with my own newspaper.
When I started at the Gazette about a month ago, there were grumblings from all the reps about being gold against such big numbers from last year's sales. But the one who grumbled the least was actually the one who'd lost the most.
This rep had been in control of all real estate advertising in addition to her local territory. When I looked at the sales sheet, I couldn't believe my eyes. She sold tens of thousands of dollars in real estate each month last year. Now, she's pulling around $1,000, or $2,000 in a good month. That means she won't be making her goals for at least a year and maybe more if real estate keeps falling. And you won't ever hear her complain about it.
Not to mention that that's hundreds of thousands of dollars lost to the newspaper itself. And if automotive dealers go the way of real estate, then we're in big trouble.
But the good news for newspapers, according to Reflections of a Newsosaur, is that broadcast news is set to take a bigger hit in automotive advertising losses than print news.
Think about all of the car dealership ads that you see on TV. Hometown ads with all kinds of graphics and children and little jingles. Most of those could disappear, and without the campaign ads that flooded TVs last year and lined the broadcast industry's pockets, broadcast news is in for a big hit this year.
While that's good news for newspapers, I'm a firm believer that we're all in this together. If it's a hit to broadcast news, it's a hit to the journalism industry itself. And whether we're newspapers, radio, broadcast or online, that means we're all going to have to work a little bit harder to make things work.
Wolfram Alpha - a twisted Jeopardy?
The buzz on the street today is Wolfram Alpha, the new "computational knowledge engine."
Basically, ask a question and Wolfram Alpha can answer it faster than you can find it on Wikipedia or Google. The idea is that all it takes is one click of your mouse to find an answer versus two or three clicks and maybe some scrolling. Typical questions for Wolfram Alpha usually deal with calculations, factoids, locations, dates, stocks and formulas.
I tried my birthday:
And as with any new program, there are lots of fun little Q&A easter eggs embedded in the system.
For example, enter "To be or not to be?" and get "...that is the question."
Or, my personal favorite:
For more geeky laughs, try Mashable's Top 10 Wolfram Alpha Easter Eggs and 10 Even Better Wolfram Alpha Easter Eggs.
Basically, ask a question and Wolfram Alpha can answer it faster than you can find it on Wikipedia or Google. The idea is that all it takes is one click of your mouse to find an answer versus two or three clicks and maybe some scrolling. Typical questions for Wolfram Alpha usually deal with calculations, factoids, locations, dates, stocks and formulas.
I tried my birthday:
And as with any new program, there are lots of fun little Q&A easter eggs embedded in the system.
For example, enter "To be or not to be?" and get "...that is the question."
Or, my personal favorite:
For more geeky laughs, try Mashable's Top 10 Wolfram Alpha Easter Eggs and 10 Even Better Wolfram Alpha Easter Eggs.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Lunch Duty Rap - Week 1
Since I'm the newbie, I have "lunch duty" on Fridays. This means that every Friday, I have be in the office covering for the other reps while they're at lunch from 12 to 1. Today, all the reps are eating Mexican food, and I get to sit here for an hour to answer phones and help customers who come in. Except that in Tifton, everyone goes to lunch from 12 to 1, so no one ever calls or comes in.
Well, I've hereby decided that every Friday, I'm going to keep myself busy by posting a Lunch Duty Rap about something I've learned during the week or something I read that day or whatever I deem important at the time.
This week, I'm attacking the effectiveness of different selling tactics.
I've been actively selling advertising for three weeks, and I've officially tackled an entire magazine on my own. A feat in itself! But I've also quickly learned some valuable things about sales and the best ways to get an exuberant "yes" out of people. I've been e-mailing, phoning and visiting my customers like crazy, yet not all of these three strategies get good responses. Here's the scoop.
E-mail
Obviously the easiest option. Just plug in an email address, write out your sales pitch, suck up a little bit, attach a rate card and you're good to go, right?
Wrooong. I detest e-mailing as an option. With e-mail, people can ignore you, delete your e-mails, never e-mail you back, and then you're left with a bunch of holes in your publication that you can't fill because you've been waiting on responses from people for a month. Frustrating.
However, my ad director did introduce me to a wonderful tool to make e-mail response a little more effective. Sometimes e-mail is necessary if the customer lives outside of the immediate area or is too busy during the day to chat or visit. For those unfortunate times, a "read receipt" is your saving grace. When you know that your customer has read your email, and your customer knows that you know, you find yourself in a priceless position of power.
Phone
Also easy, as long as you don't have a phone phobia (which I'm ashamed to say I've had on occasion). So just call up your customers, give them the scoop, get the sale and move on, right?
Sometimes. Actually, the phone is a lot more effective than I thought it'd be. I've made lots of sales just by calling someone up and talking to them for a while.
However, there are times when it's not such a great option. There are two cases in particular: when you're dealing with gate keepers and the absence of face-to-face communication.
Gate Keepers
"Good morning! This is Kelly with the Gazette, how are you?"
"Err, fine..."
"Is Mr. So-and-So available?"
"Ummm no... he's... uh... he's busy right now... Can I take a message?"
Chances are, that message is never going to reach the desk of who you want to talk to. "Gate keepers" are the office managers and administrative assistants who hold the keys to the person you're trying to sweet talk. The trick? Kill them with kindness. Eventually, maybe they'll start to like you and at least give you his voicemail.
Face-to-Face Communication
Never underestimate the importance of communicating with someone in person. Whether it's in your own personal relationships or professional ones, it's always harder for people to turn you down to your face. End of story.
Sales calls
Last but not least, sales calls - the most efficient means of effectively conveying exactly what you want your customer to know and getting good results. Despite the name, a sales call isn't a "call" at all. It's simply paying a visit - in person - to your customer.
Smiling, chatting, showing them examples of products, actively listening to them - these are all things that your customers will appreciate and respect, most of the time. And sales calls are my personal favorite because they get me out of the office and out into the community to talk to people and learn new things.
Well, I've hereby decided that every Friday, I'm going to keep myself busy by posting a Lunch Duty Rap about something I've learned during the week or something I read that day or whatever I deem important at the time.
This week, I'm attacking the effectiveness of different selling tactics.
I've been actively selling advertising for three weeks, and I've officially tackled an entire magazine on my own. A feat in itself! But I've also quickly learned some valuable things about sales and the best ways to get an exuberant "yes" out of people. I've been e-mailing, phoning and visiting my customers like crazy, yet not all of these three strategies get good responses. Here's the scoop.
Obviously the easiest option. Just plug in an email address, write out your sales pitch, suck up a little bit, attach a rate card and you're good to go, right?
Wrooong. I detest e-mailing as an option. With e-mail, people can ignore you, delete your e-mails, never e-mail you back, and then you're left with a bunch of holes in your publication that you can't fill because you've been waiting on responses from people for a month. Frustrating.
However, my ad director did introduce me to a wonderful tool to make e-mail response a little more effective. Sometimes e-mail is necessary if the customer lives outside of the immediate area or is too busy during the day to chat or visit. For those unfortunate times, a "read receipt" is your saving grace. When you know that your customer has read your email, and your customer knows that you know, you find yourself in a priceless position of power.
Phone
Also easy, as long as you don't have a phone phobia (which I'm ashamed to say I've had on occasion). So just call up your customers, give them the scoop, get the sale and move on, right?
Sometimes. Actually, the phone is a lot more effective than I thought it'd be. I've made lots of sales just by calling someone up and talking to them for a while.
However, there are times when it's not such a great option. There are two cases in particular: when you're dealing with gate keepers and the absence of face-to-face communication.
Gate Keepers
"Good morning! This is Kelly with the Gazette, how are you?"
"Err, fine..."
"Is Mr. So-and-So available?"
"Ummm no... he's... uh... he's busy right now... Can I take a message?"
Chances are, that message is never going to reach the desk of who you want to talk to. "Gate keepers" are the office managers and administrative assistants who hold the keys to the person you're trying to sweet talk. The trick? Kill them with kindness. Eventually, maybe they'll start to like you and at least give you his voicemail.
Face-to-Face Communication
Never underestimate the importance of communicating with someone in person. Whether it's in your own personal relationships or professional ones, it's always harder for people to turn you down to your face. End of story.
Sales calls
Last but not least, sales calls - the most efficient means of effectively conveying exactly what you want your customer to know and getting good results. Despite the name, a sales call isn't a "call" at all. It's simply paying a visit - in person - to your customer.
Smiling, chatting, showing them examples of products, actively listening to them - these are all things that your customers will appreciate and respect, most of the time. And sales calls are my personal favorite because they get me out of the office and out into the community to talk to people and learn new things.
Friday, May 1, 2009
News of the day
News of the day:
People who read news online usually read it for 53 minutes each week. That's up from 41 minutes in 2007. Sell that one to advertisers.
Also, Disney has officially partnered up with Hulu, further influencing the future of online TV. Now, ABC shows - Lost and Grey's Anatomy, etc. - will join the lineup alongside NBC and other providers. And hopefully this means we get The Little Mermaid, too!
People who read news online usually read it for 53 minutes each week. That's up from 41 minutes in 2007. Sell that one to advertisers.
Also, Disney has officially partnered up with Hulu, further influencing the future of online TV. Now, ABC shows - Lost and Grey's Anatomy, etc. - will join the lineup alongside NBC and other providers. And hopefully this means we get The Little Mermaid, too!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Magazine meltdown
Here's some bad news.
The New York Times reports that magazine ad sales everywhere are down 26 percent in the first quarter of this year.
Good thing I just got a job in magazine ad sales...
But don't worry. I didn't go into this job blind to the stats. I know how tough it is to make good money in this industry right now. However, lucky for me I can afford to be cheap for a little while...
The New York Times reports that magazine ad sales everywhere are down 26 percent in the first quarter of this year.
Good thing I just got a job in magazine ad sales...
But don't worry. I didn't go into this job blind to the stats. I know how tough it is to make good money in this industry right now. However, lucky for me I can afford to be cheap for a little while...
Facebook.com/no-way
I cringe every time I see Facebook make a move toward becoming a Myspace copycat.
There's a reason I don't use Myspace anymore. Actually, there are many reasons, one of them being exactly what Facebook is proposing to do next.
According to Mashable, Facebook is questioning users about whether they would pay to have a "vanity URL," such as facebook.com/kelly or facebook.com/snickerdoodle89 or facebook.com/ILoveMyBF.
Well, Facebook gets a big, fat "no" from me. One of the reasons I don't like Myspace is that it seems unprofessional and young in the way people interact with each other, especially through their URLs. Now don't get me wrong. I had my own cheesy username (myspace.com/stormyhaze), but my relationship with Myspace ended the day I left for college.
Facebook encourages people to be themselves and not to exist under a superficial persona. You operate under your full name, not a fake one, and unless you want to tarnish your reputation both online and in real life, you subconsciously monitor your actions and responses in order to maintain a likeable online personality. It also easily functions professionally when you decide to leave college life behind you for the real world and a real job. The more credibility Facebook has, the more likely it is to be used for professional purposes. The minute vanity URLs are brought into the picture, personal responsibility and professionalism fly out the window.
There's a reason I don't use Myspace anymore. Actually, there are many reasons, one of them being exactly what Facebook is proposing to do next.
According to Mashable, Facebook is questioning users about whether they would pay to have a "vanity URL," such as facebook.com/kelly or facebook.com/snickerdoodle89 or facebook.com/ILoveMyBF.
Well, Facebook gets a big, fat "no" from me. One of the reasons I don't like Myspace is that it seems unprofessional and young in the way people interact with each other, especially through their URLs. Now don't get me wrong. I had my own cheesy username (myspace.com/stormyhaze), but my relationship with Myspace ended the day I left for college.
Facebook encourages people to be themselves and not to exist under a superficial persona. You operate under your full name, not a fake one, and unless you want to tarnish your reputation both online and in real life, you subconsciously monitor your actions and responses in order to maintain a likeable online personality. It also easily functions professionally when you decide to leave college life behind you for the real world and a real job. The more credibility Facebook has, the more likely it is to be used for professional purposes. The minute vanity URLs are brought into the picture, personal responsibility and professionalism fly out the window.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Through another's eyes
In line with my post from the other day, Martin Langeveld blogged about some of his ideas for the floundering industry.
My favorites:
"'Only 3 percent of newspaper reading happens online.' That’s newspaper reading, not news reading."
"...newspapers are in no position to charge for content, with the possible exception of high-value niche content in limited circumstances. The last thing an industry hard hit by disruption should be doing is raising prices, whether from zero to something, or from something to something more."
And he's an advocate of social networking! The perfect package. I hope there are a whole lot of journalists like him milling around out there.
My favorites:
"'Only 3 percent of newspaper reading happens online.' That’s newspaper reading, not news reading."
"...newspapers are in no position to charge for content, with the possible exception of high-value niche content in limited circumstances. The last thing an industry hard hit by disruption should be doing is raising prices, whether from zero to something, or from something to something more."
And he's an advocate of social networking! The perfect package. I hope there are a whole lot of journalists like him milling around out there.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Second day update
Just a quick update:
Yesterday, I started my new job as a magazine sales executive for a community newspaper.
I'm sure I've pointed out before that I had no previous sales experience before now. I knew newsrooms like the back of my hand but ad departments were totally foreign to me, and I was worried about whether I'd be able to train my mind to stop thinking like a reporter and start operating like a salesperson.
Well, that transition is underway, and it's happening much faster than I thought it would. While I've only worked two full days on the job so far, I'm learning so much and actually retaining information (something that's usually rare for me).
Today was a blur of sales calls, new faces, business cards, merchandise and shaking hands. Yet another power day for Kelly Ann Frizzell, budding journalist! Let's hope there are plenty more to follow.
Yesterday, I started my new job as a magazine sales executive for a community newspaper.
I'm sure I've pointed out before that I had no previous sales experience before now. I knew newsrooms like the back of my hand but ad departments were totally foreign to me, and I was worried about whether I'd be able to train my mind to stop thinking like a reporter and start operating like a salesperson.
Well, that transition is underway, and it's happening much faster than I thought it would. While I've only worked two full days on the job so far, I'm learning so much and actually retaining information (something that's usually rare for me).
Today was a blur of sales calls, new faces, business cards, merchandise and shaking hands. Yet another power day for Kelly Ann Frizzell, budding journalist! Let's hope there are plenty more to follow.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
The ultimate checklist
Ever wonder if you're successfully integrating and navigating the vast expanse of social networks on the Internet these days?
Well, Mashable makes you question yourself with the new Social Media Recruitment Test.
Before reading about what makes a successful social network-er, I thought I was doing a pretty good job of utilizing social networking, maybe not to its maximum potential but at least enough to be ahead of the game. Now, I just feel silly.
I don't have a resume on my blog. I don't have any recommendations on LinkedIn. I'm not a member of journalism groups on Facebook. I don't Tweet 10 times a day, and I'm only following 100 people versus 1,000.
At least now I know exactly what I have to do. So look for changes in the next few months because I'm determined to stay on top of things in this industry.
Well, Mashable makes you question yourself with the new Social Media Recruitment Test.
Before reading about what makes a successful social network-er, I thought I was doing a pretty good job of utilizing social networking, maybe not to its maximum potential but at least enough to be ahead of the game. Now, I just feel silly.
I don't have a resume on my blog. I don't have any recommendations on LinkedIn. I'm not a member of journalism groups on Facebook. I don't Tweet 10 times a day, and I'm only following 100 people versus 1,000.
At least now I know exactly what I have to do. So look for changes in the next few months because I'm determined to stay on top of things in this industry.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
100 posts!!!
It's a 100th post celebration!!
Thanks to all of you for your support! Hopefully, Kelly Talks will be up and running for another 100 posts. And another. And another...
Through a new journalist's eyes
People don't seem to understand why young journalists like me still see hope in newspapers.
There’s a lot of talk about newspaper doomsday – about why things went wrong, who’s to blame, when to get out so that you can still land a job with a decent salary. Yet I find very few people offering solutions to these problems, aside from the silly notion that consumers should pay per article online (an argument we’ll save for another day).
Here’s what I think newspapers should do:
Let go of the print version and go all in online.
And no, I’m not talking about killing the newspaper. In my eyes, a newspaper online is the same as a newspaper in print. They’re still the same newspaper with the same information, same reporters, same advertisers, same publisher, same community. How is one product more of a newspaper than another? It’s time for us to start thinking outside the box a little bit. We’re talking about letting go of a product that uses extensive and damaging amounts of paper and ink for a product that is cleaner for the environment, cheaper for readers (it’s free, people!) and still equally marketable. Take a chance, leave your comfort zone and go completely online with your newspaper.
Lay off some of your staff.
As a recent graduate currently feeling out the job market, I don’t like that idea any more than you or the journalists you’re laying off do. But unfortunately we’re in a struggling economy and industry, and newspapers are a business, and businesses have to make monetarily uncomfortable decisions sometimes. However, I’m only talking temporarily. Switching to completely online will mean that you have to initially run your product slim and tight. You should work with the minimal amount of reporters, advertisers and especially managers possible. Don’t go crazy with big projects and expensive, unnecessary investigations in order to grab readers. Focus on delivering the news, providing information and serving your community. You can reward yourself with the fun stuff later.
Don’t panic.
Though you’re not getting as much money from advertisers with online versus print, the day will come when advertisers see the value of online. The more that newspapers switch to an online model, the more advertisers will turn to online advertising, either because they’re left with no choice or they truly are starting to see where this is going. As more consumers value online news, advertisers will seek to target them, finding that online newspapers are the best environment for such a task. Just because advertising’s slow now, doesn’t mean it always will be. Do what you can to get by at the moment, and wait patiently for the market to pick up again.
Sit tight.
Eventually advertising will pick back up and you can slowly hire more and more people. Start building your new product, using your money wisely. In a few years or a decade or so, a new industry – online news – will be thriving and our generation will sit around and reminisce about the good old days when newspapers were poor.
Don’t lose hope.
Newspapers are necessary to our society. They are the voice of the people. They’re not going anywhere. They’re just changing along with the rest of us.
There’s a lot of talk about newspaper doomsday – about why things went wrong, who’s to blame, when to get out so that you can still land a job with a decent salary. Yet I find very few people offering solutions to these problems, aside from the silly notion that consumers should pay per article online (an argument we’ll save for another day).
Here’s what I think newspapers should do:
Let go of the print version and go all in online.
And no, I’m not talking about killing the newspaper. In my eyes, a newspaper online is the same as a newspaper in print. They’re still the same newspaper with the same information, same reporters, same advertisers, same publisher, same community. How is one product more of a newspaper than another? It’s time for us to start thinking outside the box a little bit. We’re talking about letting go of a product that uses extensive and damaging amounts of paper and ink for a product that is cleaner for the environment, cheaper for readers (it’s free, people!) and still equally marketable. Take a chance, leave your comfort zone and go completely online with your newspaper.
Lay off some of your staff.
As a recent graduate currently feeling out the job market, I don’t like that idea any more than you or the journalists you’re laying off do. But unfortunately we’re in a struggling economy and industry, and newspapers are a business, and businesses have to make monetarily uncomfortable decisions sometimes. However, I’m only talking temporarily. Switching to completely online will mean that you have to initially run your product slim and tight. You should work with the minimal amount of reporters, advertisers and especially managers possible. Don’t go crazy with big projects and expensive, unnecessary investigations in order to grab readers. Focus on delivering the news, providing information and serving your community. You can reward yourself with the fun stuff later.
Don’t panic.
Though you’re not getting as much money from advertisers with online versus print, the day will come when advertisers see the value of online. The more that newspapers switch to an online model, the more advertisers will turn to online advertising, either because they’re left with no choice or they truly are starting to see where this is going. As more consumers value online news, advertisers will seek to target them, finding that online newspapers are the best environment for such a task. Just because advertising’s slow now, doesn’t mean it always will be. Do what you can to get by at the moment, and wait patiently for the market to pick up again.
Sit tight.
Eventually advertising will pick back up and you can slowly hire more and more people. Start building your new product, using your money wisely. In a few years or a decade or so, a new industry – online news – will be thriving and our generation will sit around and reminisce about the good old days when newspapers were poor.
Don’t lose hope.
Newspapers are necessary to our society. They are the voice of the people. They’re not going anywhere. They’re just changing along with the rest of us.
And we're back!
Apparently, I decided to take a week-long vacation after securing a job. Sorry for the irregular posts!
I stumbled across an interesting article through a mentor of mine. I never considered the fact that social networking is ultimately leading to the likelihood that people my age will strongly value local news content. Check it out.
I stumbled across an interesting article through a mentor of mine. I never considered the fact that social networking is ultimately leading to the likelihood that people my age will strongly value local news content. Check it out.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Success!
Well, the jitters were apparently for nothing because I got the job!
You're looking at the new advertising sales rep for four magazines published by the Tifton Gazette. My job will be to sell ads for each of the bi-monthly magazines, all the while maintaining relationships with existing customers as well as finding new ones. It's a big job for one person, but I'm excited and I know that I can handle it.
It's certainly satisfying to know that I have a steady job, benefits and a salary - and all before I graduate from college. My first day in the office is April 13, four days shy of a month before graduation.
It's been a tough but invigorating past four years. Five internships and countless hours of unpaid work later, I've achieved the ultimate goal of finding a stable job. But don't worry - my work doesn't stop here. You haven't heard the last of me yet...
You're looking at the new advertising sales rep for four magazines published by the Tifton Gazette. My job will be to sell ads for each of the bi-monthly magazines, all the while maintaining relationships with existing customers as well as finding new ones. It's a big job for one person, but I'm excited and I know that I can handle it.
It's certainly satisfying to know that I have a steady job, benefits and a salary - and all before I graduate from college. My first day in the office is April 13, four days shy of a month before graduation.
It's been a tough but invigorating past four years. Five internships and countless hours of unpaid work later, I've achieved the ultimate goal of finding a stable job. But don't worry - my work doesn't stop here. You haven't heard the last of me yet...
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Post-interview jitters
Just got done with my first ever job interview. I thought I would feel more confident afterward, not less.
I did fine. I had all of my answers prepared. I was ready for any question I was asked. I had questions for my interviewer. It being my first interview, I'd say I did pretty well. And it's an even better job than I expected - innovative, changing, groundbreaking.
However, I feel like I didn't sell myself. And since we're talking about an advertising job, that's certainly not a good thing. I had plenty of opportunities to assure my interviewer that I'm the perfect person for this job because everything - all of the qualities and expectations - applied to me. I thrive in a fast-paced environment. I'm organized and efficient. I love to learn, and I learn fast.
So then why do I feel like I failed some test that I didn't even know I was taking?
I did fine. I had all of my answers prepared. I was ready for any question I was asked. I had questions for my interviewer. It being my first interview, I'd say I did pretty well. And it's an even better job than I expected - innovative, changing, groundbreaking.
However, I feel like I didn't sell myself. And since we're talking about an advertising job, that's certainly not a good thing. I had plenty of opportunities to assure my interviewer that I'm the perfect person for this job because everything - all of the qualities and expectations - applied to me. I thrive in a fast-paced environment. I'm organized and efficient. I love to learn, and I learn fast.
So then why do I feel like I failed some test that I didn't even know I was taking?
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Pop goes the weasel
I knew this would happen eventually. I think we all did.
After a long hiring freeze, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution announced today that it's going to cut 30 percent of its newsroom staff in order to save money. With a large metro paper like the AJC, that's about 90 reporters out of a job - just like that.
It's interesting to think about who within the AJC wrote the article referencing the paper's impending doom. Was it a handful of metro editors who are safe from the mounting layoffs? Or was it a reporter who has yet to discover that he's on his way out?
Now what?
After a long hiring freeze, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution announced today that it's going to cut 30 percent of its newsroom staff in order to save money. With a large metro paper like the AJC, that's about 90 reporters out of a job - just like that.
It's interesting to think about who within the AJC wrote the article referencing the paper's impending doom. Was it a handful of metro editors who are safe from the mounting layoffs? Or was it a reporter who has yet to discover that he's on his way out?
Now what?
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Day 35
The first session of the 2009-2010 legislative term is drawing to a close. With five legislative days left, there's a whole lot going on and not a lot at all. But there is cause for celebration!Three of Representative McKillip's bills have made it through the assembly and another will soon pass the Senate. HB 434, HB 449, HB 98, and HB 502 are Rep. McKillip's first bills to make it through the entire assembly since his election three years ago. Similarly, these are the first bills I've ever had a hand in, so it's a personal victory to see them go so far.
While they're all local bills and most of them uncontroversial, they still endure a long process before they can be passed by both chambers. I had to converse with county leaders and Legislative Counsel for a few weeks before all parties agreed to the language of the bills. Then, I had to obtain an affidavit, or proof of publication in the local paper, for each bill. Rep. McKillip could then sign the bills and drop them, releasing them to the House in order to be assigned bill numbers. The bills were read aloud twice in the House before heading to their appropriate committees, where changes could be made if need be.
The next step was to obtain the signatures of the other representatives within our delegation. Luckily for Athens, there are only three. Atlanta delegations can have up to 20 representatives! As soon as the representatives within our delegation signed, I sent a letter to the chairman of the Intragovernmental Coordination committee asking for the bills to be released to the local calendar, and on the next legislative day, all of the bills on the calendar were passed by the House, including our four. Then, the process was repeated in the Senate and with our delegation of senators.
Looking back, I can remember feeling so confused and overwhelmed on the first day. Rep. McKillip was full of legislative jargon and expectations, and I wasn't sure if I could keep up. In addition to tending to his bills, he wanted me to write letters to constituents, return phone calls, prepare his schedule every day, and network with other legislators and aides. My job was basically to run his office - which I did and will continue to do for the next two weeks.
Rep. McKillip knew just what to do with me. He pushed me, then gave me space to rise to his expectations. There was no hovering, no babying, no checking in on me. As soon as I figured out a rhythm, I gained confidence as well as momentum. I'm not sure where the change happened, but now I take phone calls with ease. I write his letters and sign them. I have his schedule on his desk every morning. I followed through with his bills, and now I'm beginning to feel nostalgic for the energy that I had when I was under all of that pressure in January.
Part of me is ready for this whirlwind to come to an end, but I'm going to miss it when it does. Yet I know in my soul that this isn't the end of the political road for me. I'll be back. And with this foundation, maybe one day I'll have an office of my own, a delegation of my own and constituents of my own, and I can live the adventure all over again.
Bradbury's 2009
"I remember the newspapers dying like huge moths. No one wanted them back. No one missed them."
I find it fascinating that Ray Bradbury predicted the "fall of newspapers" in 1953 with the publication of Fahrenheit 451. In his futuristic world, reading a book comes with the punishment of having your house burned. Living rooms are four-walled TVs that hold captive the mental capacities of adults and children alike. And when families aren't glued to their parlor screens, they're listening to earplugs that feed them constant entertainment in the form of music, stories and social broadcasts.
"People don't talk about anything."
"Oh, they must!"
"No, not anything. They name a lot of cars or clothes or swimming pools mostly and say how swell! But they all say the same things and nobody says anything different from anyone else."
Bradbury was a wise, wise man. If you were to talk to him today, I'm sure he would be horrified by how near-accurate his futuristic society has become. While I don't think we're headed for disaster and newspapers certainly aren't going anywhere just yet, we, as a society, should heed his warnings and take a look at the world around us every now and then.
I find it fascinating that Ray Bradbury predicted the "fall of newspapers" in 1953 with the publication of Fahrenheit 451. In his futuristic world, reading a book comes with the punishment of having your house burned. Living rooms are four-walled TVs that hold captive the mental capacities of adults and children alike. And when families aren't glued to their parlor screens, they're listening to earplugs that feed them constant entertainment in the form of music, stories and social broadcasts.
"People don't talk about anything."
"Oh, they must!"
"No, not anything. They name a lot of cars or clothes or swimming pools mostly and say how swell! But they all say the same things and nobody says anything different from anyone else."
Bradbury was a wise, wise man. If you were to talk to him today, I'm sure he would be horrified by how near-accurate his futuristic society has become. While I don't think we're headed for disaster and newspapers certainly aren't going anywhere just yet, we, as a society, should heed his warnings and take a look at the world around us every now and then.
Literally, a book of faces
If you think Facebook has been stirring up enough trouble lately, wait until you see what's in store for us next.
What better place for a facial recognition application than the Facebook?
As unbelievable as it sounds, Face.com has introduced a new application on Facebook called Photo Finder. Photo Finder takes your untagged photos on Facebook and automatically tags them for you - with surprising accuracy. It's capable of finding that crazy couple you met in the bar last week as well as finding pictures of you that you never knew existed on Facebook. And it does all of this with a picture of your face.
Creepy? Potentially. However, Face.com has its bases covered. The application poses no threat to you unless you allow it to access your account. If the idea of pictures of you on your 21st resurfacing doesn't appeal to you, don't add the application and no one will ever know.
Photo Finder also recreates your Facebook privacy settings within the application so that if you want everyone to see your pictures, they can. And if you want no one to see them, you can do that, too.
Having just re-read Fahrenheit 451 (my favorite book of all time), I have to say that we need to be cautious and aware of the things going on around us. I fully support technology and its uses today, even Face.com's new application thanks to the care they've taken to protect users' privacy. However, I also believe that there are limits to the use of technology in our lives and we should be vigilant in keeping technology in check.
What better place for a facial recognition application than the Facebook?
As unbelievable as it sounds, Face.com has introduced a new application on Facebook called Photo Finder. Photo Finder takes your untagged photos on Facebook and automatically tags them for you - with surprising accuracy. It's capable of finding that crazy couple you met in the bar last week as well as finding pictures of you that you never knew existed on Facebook. And it does all of this with a picture of your face.
Creepy? Potentially. However, Face.com has its bases covered. The application poses no threat to you unless you allow it to access your account. If the idea of pictures of you on your 21st resurfacing doesn't appeal to you, don't add the application and no one will ever know.
Photo Finder also recreates your Facebook privacy settings within the application so that if you want everyone to see your pictures, they can. And if you want no one to see them, you can do that, too.
Having just re-read Fahrenheit 451 (my favorite book of all time), I have to say that we need to be cautious and aware of the things going on around us. I fully support technology and its uses today, even Face.com's new application thanks to the care they've taken to protect users' privacy. However, I also believe that there are limits to the use of technology in our lives and we should be vigilant in keeping technology in check.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Social media, a newborn industry
Mashable asked us yesterday, "Is social media an industry?"
It's crazy to think that a new industry could just emerge out of thin air. According to Mashable's graph, the term "social media" didn't establish common usage until late 2006. I created my Facebook account in early 2005. I got into Gmail in 2007, and Twitter and blogging in 2008. Social media happened very, very fast, and it's still growing.
According to Indeed.com's Job Trends, social media jobs have been rapidly increasing since 2006. And where there's a steady increase in jobs with a common theme, there's a rising new industry.
The most likely reason that social media is growing so fast is that anyone can start a social network. Especially with the aide of sites like Ning, you don't need an PhD, MBA or even a bachelor's to get in the game. All you really need is basic knowledge of web design, Java and marketing. And as these starter sites grow, they're steadily creating jobs - a scarce phenomenon in today's economy.
While social media may not have quite reached industry status yet, it's well on its way to becoming one. If we want to benefit from social media, we shouldn't underestimate its newborn position in our society, but learn to embrace it.
It's crazy to think that a new industry could just emerge out of thin air. According to Mashable's graph, the term "social media" didn't establish common usage until late 2006. I created my Facebook account in early 2005. I got into Gmail in 2007, and Twitter and blogging in 2008. Social media happened very, very fast, and it's still growing.
According to Indeed.com's Job Trends, social media jobs have been rapidly increasing since 2006. And where there's a steady increase in jobs with a common theme, there's a rising new industry.
The most likely reason that social media is growing so fast is that anyone can start a social network. Especially with the aide of sites like Ning, you don't need an PhD, MBA or even a bachelor's to get in the game. All you really need is basic knowledge of web design, Java and marketing. And as these starter sites grow, they're steadily creating jobs - a scarce phenomenon in today's economy.
While social media may not have quite reached industry status yet, it's well on its way to becoming one. If we want to benefit from social media, we shouldn't underestimate its newborn position in our society, but learn to embrace it.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Prescription drugs, social media style
The Internet is a beautiful thing.Observe RateADrug.com.
RateADrug.com allows people to give their two cents about the overall effectiveness of the medications that they're taking or have taken in the past.
Each drug on the website contains an overall effectiveness rating. People can also rate positive and negative side effects, number of side effects and number of benefits. Then, each side effect and/or benefit is broken down into percentages of people who have experienced each effect.
This is definitely a step in the right direction. Consumer education is becoming easier and easier with the growth of the Internet and social media. Being able to see for yourself the effectiveness of a drug you're about to take based on your peers' experiences is a valuable form of education.
However, RateADrug.com also leaves room for error. Currently, not many users are contributing to the ratings, meaning the polling area is limited and results could be skewed. Also, until doctors and pharmacists get in on the action, the site lacks the credibility of sites like WebMD.
Like any source, I would use RateADrug.com as a supplement to whatever other research you're doing about a drug. The more you know, whether it's a doctor's advice or a user's personal experience, the easier and safer your decision-making process will be.
State of the media? Not so bleak, IMO.
The State of the News Media for 2009 was released today. However, I'm still reluctant to jump on the we're-headed-for-disaster bandwagon.
The results certainly were "bleak." However, in today's economy, every business is struggling. Newspapers and other media just got a head start.
Newspapers, magazines and local TV are a few of the media that took the hardest hit. Understandable, considering they're some of the oldest media with quite a history - at least compared to the Internet, cable and social networks.
In the State of the News Media there is no in-between. While most media are currently floundering, cable TV and the Internet are flourishing. Heads above the rest, these two areas show inspiring growth and potential.
The results are to be expected, in my opinion. They only confirm what we all knew to be true. Print and long-established media are suffering while new technology enables other, newer media to rise above the rest.
The solution is simple: "old" media must mold and adapt to this new media environment in order to successfully compete with "new" media, which is definitely do-able. All we need are some dedicated journalists who will take this opportunity for evolution and run with it.
The results certainly were "bleak." However, in today's economy, every business is struggling. Newspapers and other media just got a head start.
Newspapers, magazines and local TV are a few of the media that took the hardest hit. Understandable, considering they're some of the oldest media with quite a history - at least compared to the Internet, cable and social networks.
In the State of the News Media there is no in-between. While most media are currently floundering, cable TV and the Internet are flourishing. Heads above the rest, these two areas show inspiring growth and potential.
The results are to be expected, in my opinion. They only confirm what we all knew to be true. Print and long-established media are suffering while new technology enables other, newer media to rise above the rest.
The solution is simple: "old" media must mold and adapt to this new media environment in order to successfully compete with "new" media, which is definitely do-able. All we need are some dedicated journalists who will take this opportunity for evolution and run with it.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Crossover Day pride
It's going to be a long day at the Capitol. Today marks Day 30, or Crossover Day in legislative jargon.
This is the day when bills' fates are decided. After today, if a House bill doesn't pass the House or a Senate bill doesn't pass the Senate, it dies. Starting Tuesday, the House will only be debating Senate bills and the Senate will only be considering House bills. Thus, Crossover Day.
Luckily, most of our House Bills are already in the Senate - at least, the ones that matter. I've been tracking eight bills since Day 1, five of which directly affect Athens-Clarke County. Four of those are now in the Senate waiting to be put on the local calendar.
It's nice to be able to say that I've had a hand in their progress. I pushed them through the House, introduced them to the Senate, jostled them when they got stuck in Senate committees. According to Representative McKillip, this is the farthest his legislation has come in his three-year term. All along I've been sort of the invisible hand behind Rep. McKillip, and it feels good to know that this - getting four bills passed by the Georgia General Assembly - is a milestone, not just for me but also for him.
I'll give myself a quick pat on the back. Then, it's back to work.
This is the day when bills' fates are decided. After today, if a House bill doesn't pass the House or a Senate bill doesn't pass the Senate, it dies. Starting Tuesday, the House will only be debating Senate bills and the Senate will only be considering House bills. Thus, Crossover Day.
Luckily, most of our House Bills are already in the Senate - at least, the ones that matter. I've been tracking eight bills since Day 1, five of which directly affect Athens-Clarke County. Four of those are now in the Senate waiting to be put on the local calendar.
It's nice to be able to say that I've had a hand in their progress. I pushed them through the House, introduced them to the Senate, jostled them when they got stuck in Senate committees. According to Representative McKillip, this is the farthest his legislation has come in his three-year term. All along I've been sort of the invisible hand behind Rep. McKillip, and it feels good to know that this - getting four bills passed by the Georgia General Assembly - is a milestone, not just for me but also for him.
I'll give myself a quick pat on the back. Then, it's back to work.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
YouTube - giving credit where credit is due
I realized today that I have a tendency to ignore YouTube.
In my lists of social networks, I always overlook the top provider of video on the Internet along with Hulu, Akamai and other video content providers. YouTube has been around longer than most established social networks and remains a steadfast contributer of video content.
The White House had initially decided to use YouTube as its medium for Obama's "fireside chats," but now they're going with Akamai instead. The videos will still be posted to YouTube, but the videos embedded on the White House website will be using the lesser known content delivery site.
However, a professor at an Australian university still supports the value of YouTube. He is currently posting videos of his lectures on YouTube in order to allow high school students unable to commute to the university the opportunity to obtain college credit if they so wish.
YouTube is far from its last cry, and I predict that it will continue to remain one of the strongest and best marketed social networks for years to come.
In my lists of social networks, I always overlook the top provider of video on the Internet along with Hulu, Akamai and other video content providers. YouTube has been around longer than most established social networks and remains a steadfast contributer of video content.
The White House had initially decided to use YouTube as its medium for Obama's "fireside chats," but now they're going with Akamai instead. The videos will still be posted to YouTube, but the videos embedded on the White House website will be using the lesser known content delivery site.
However, a professor at an Australian university still supports the value of YouTube. He is currently posting videos of his lectures on YouTube in order to allow high school students unable to commute to the university the opportunity to obtain college credit if they so wish.
YouTube is far from its last cry, and I predict that it will continue to remain one of the strongest and best marketed social networks for years to come.
Monday, March 9, 2009
The ever elusive journalism career
I figured I'd compile the main sites that I'm conducting my job search with. They've been useful to me so far, and I'd like to share the wealth.
JournalismJobs.com - Self explanatory, I think. The best source so far.
mediabistro.com
Jobs in Social Media
A post from CyberJournalist.net
and last but not least bookjobs.com because I'm still a writer, after all
Good sites despite the fact that I've received hardly any responses back. But I'm not losing hope just yet...
JournalismJobs.com - Self explanatory, I think. The best source so far.
mediabistro.com
Jobs in Social Media
A post from CyberJournalist.net
and last but not least bookjobs.com because I'm still a writer, after all
Good sites despite the fact that I've received hardly any responses back. But I'm not losing hope just yet...
Becoming a well oiled machine
After sifting through 500 or so articles on Google Reader today, Mindy McAdam's post on the Reporter’s Guide to Multimedia Proficiency caught my eye.There's no doubt about it - the newspaper industry is changing. No longer is a print publication the only source for information. In today's world, information is available through audio clips, videos, online news, RSS feeds, social networks, blogs, microblogs and millions of other media that we have yet to even fathom.
Now, take a deep breath. You're not the only one feeling overwhelmed.
The current trend in journalists' attitudes toward this adjustment is sort of an "out with the old, in with the new" outlook on content as well as employees. However, I can attest to the fact that it's not just the "old farts" who are feeling a little behind. I'm hesitant to jump headfirst into some of this stuff myself, but it's all about forcing yourself out of your comfort zone and using your brain to its full capacity.
My advice? Start with the steps outlined in McAdams' RGMP:
"1: Read blogs and use RSS
2: Start a blog
3: Buy an audio recorder and learn to use it
4: Start editing audio
5: Listen to podcasts
6: Post an interview (or podcast) on your blog
7: Learn how to shoot decent photos
8: Learn how to crop, tone, and optimize photos
9: Add photos to your blog
10: Learn to use Soundslides"
Don't worry. I'm only on step four or so. Looks like I'm going to be taking my own advice in the next few months.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The job search (really) begins
In accordance with Lent, I've decided to apply for a job every day for the next 40 days.
So for my first job, I present:
The Gannett Talent Development Program
This one is secretly my favorite (although not so secret anymore). They're looking for graduating seniors with journalism backgrounds to come work for community newspapers around the country and learn the ropes to successfully function in today's digital journalism environment. It starts out as a full-time internship-esque experience that eventually develops into a full-time employment opportunity with a Gannett newspaper.
If you're interested, you'd better get on it. The last day to apply is Friday (February 27, 2009). There are many different areas to focus in - marketing, multimedia journalism, sales, finance - and four different regions to choose from - Northeast, South, Midwest and West. And the only real requirement you need in order to apply is a driver's license.
Sound too good to be true? To me, yes. But that didn't stop me from applying anyway!
So for my first job, I present:
The Gannett Talent Development Program
This one is secretly my favorite (although not so secret anymore). They're looking for graduating seniors with journalism backgrounds to come work for community newspapers around the country and learn the ropes to successfully function in today's digital journalism environment. It starts out as a full-time internship-esque experience that eventually develops into a full-time employment opportunity with a Gannett newspaper.
If you're interested, you'd better get on it. The last day to apply is Friday (February 27, 2009). There are many different areas to focus in - marketing, multimedia journalism, sales, finance - and four different regions to choose from - Northeast, South, Midwest and West. And the only real requirement you need in order to apply is a driver's license.
Sound too good to be true? To me, yes. But that didn't stop me from applying anyway!
Protecting you is a big job...
but somebody's gotta do it.Be careful on Google Talk this week. There's a phishing scam spreading like wildfire out there. So if someone you haven't heard from in a long, long time starts chatting with you about checking out a link, think twice before you give out any emails and passwords.
Along the lines of protecting yourself, next week is National Consumer Protection Week. I must say, they have a pretty jazzy website this year.
The folks with NCPW are focusing on seven main ways to help consumers this year:
Banking
Credit
Consumer Rights
Identity Theft and Fraud
Investments
Money
and Mortgages
Each topic has information ranging from audio clips to websites to PDFs meant to educate today's consumers in an economically insane world. If any one of these things jumps out at you as an issue you struggle with, check it out. Your bank account will thank you.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Social media = social responsibility?
Mashable posed an interesting question in a blog post yesterday: Does social media make us better people?
At first I thought it might pertain to a topic that my friends and I discussed last week. We were debating whether social media brings us closer to our friends or farther away, and whether our relationships with people become more meaningful or less due to social networking. While it's probably clear which sides I took, I can see benefits and disadvantages of each, and I certainly don't mind sending the occasional letter via snail mail whenever possible.
But the article I read yesterday was more along the lines of social responsibility. Are we becoming more responsible and aware of our actions now that social media allows for scrutiny by our peers?
I would say the answer may be yes, as in the case of "Dog Poop Girl" in South Korea.
However, it also lends for people to become tattle-tales, so it's important to know where to draw the line between being judgmental and being responsible.
At first I thought it might pertain to a topic that my friends and I discussed last week. We were debating whether social media brings us closer to our friends or farther away, and whether our relationships with people become more meaningful or less due to social networking. While it's probably clear which sides I took, I can see benefits and disadvantages of each, and I certainly don't mind sending the occasional letter via snail mail whenever possible.
But the article I read yesterday was more along the lines of social responsibility. Are we becoming more responsible and aware of our actions now that social media allows for scrutiny by our peers?
I would say the answer may be yes, as in the case of "Dog Poop Girl" in South Korea.
However, it also lends for people to become tattle-tales, so it's important to know where to draw the line between being judgmental and being responsible.
Job-hunting made easier, hopefully
Fortunately, I haven't been laid off. However, I am struggling to find a job, so I can use all the help I can get.
Mashable posted an article today about the 30+ Websites to Visit When You're Laid Off. And if there's anything I need right now, it's a guide to finding a job.
Mashable posted an article today about the 30+ Websites to Visit When You're Laid Off. And if there's anything I need right now, it's a guide to finding a job.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Switch? What switch?
Although Congress voted to postpone the DTV switch to June 12, already 40% of TV stations in the nation have made the switch to digital.
Because the bill was delayed (President Obama has yet to sign it), TV stations had the option of switching to digital on the planned February 17th date rather than wait until June, which 681 stations decided to take advantage of. The reason? The stations say they spent millions of dollars educating viewers and preparing them for the date, so they'd rather go through with the switch than put it off another few months.
Because the bill was delayed (President Obama has yet to sign it), TV stations had the option of switching to digital on the planned February 17th date rather than wait until June, which 681 stations decided to take advantage of. The reason? The stations say they spent millions of dollars educating viewers and preparing them for the date, so they'd rather go through with the switch than put it off another few months.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Hug a journalist every day
Apparently I missed Hug a Journalist Day.
February 15th was unofficially named Hug a Journalist Day on Facebook. And while I'm certainly not drowning my sorrows with a bottle of vodka or developing a cocaine addiction, like SFist seems to think most journalists are doing, I could definitely use some journalist love.
February 15th was unofficially named Hug a Journalist Day on Facebook. And while I'm certainly not drowning my sorrows with a bottle of vodka or developing a cocaine addiction, like SFist seems to think most journalists are doing, I could definitely use some journalist love.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
To Tweet or not to Tweet
Just when you thought you'd figured out Twitter's purpose in life, a group of people turns the social network into a virtual Globe Theater.
For @AmwayShakes, all the world's a stage. Literally. Beginning February 14, a 19-person Twitter cast will perform Twitter of the Shrew, a Twitter adaptation of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The group will act out one scene per day on its Twitter account until the cast takes its final bow on February 25.
Crazy? Absolutely. And although Shakespeare is probably rolling in his grave right now, I kind of like the idea. It's new. It's different. It's stretching the limits.
Every day more and more people are developing new ways to exercise their creativity online. I find it an intoxicating and inspiring atmosphere, no matter how crazy the concepts.
For @AmwayShakes, all the world's a stage. Literally. Beginning February 14, a 19-person Twitter cast will perform Twitter of the Shrew, a Twitter adaptation of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The group will act out one scene per day on its Twitter account until the cast takes its final bow on February 25.
Crazy? Absolutely. And although Shakespeare is probably rolling in his grave right now, I kind of like the idea. It's new. It's different. It's stretching the limits.
Every day more and more people are developing new ways to exercise their creativity online. I find it an intoxicating and inspiring atmosphere, no matter how crazy the concepts.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Twitchhiking the globe
Today I was overwhelmed by the amount of social networking sites and applications available worldwide right now. Seriously. I can't keep up. Just when I think I'm on top of things, I realize that there are at least three or four more social media that have popped up while my back was turned.
Unfortunately, I'm still getting used to Twitter and trying to figure out how to best use it to suit my needs. I know how it works for newspapers and for social junkies, but as far as what I can use it for - well, that answer is still eluding me.
However, it's not a challenge for Paul Smith, writer for the UK's Guardian.
Smith, known to Twitter-goers as @twitchhiker, will travel around the world in 30 days. But here's the catch: he's going to use nothing but Twitter to find lodging, food, destinations, and anything else he might need along the journey.
If it sounds like a crazy idea, that's probably because it is. It'll be worth it to keep an eye on this guy starting March 1.
Unfortunately, I'm still getting used to Twitter and trying to figure out how to best use it to suit my needs. I know how it works for newspapers and for social junkies, but as far as what I can use it for - well, that answer is still eluding me.
However, it's not a challenge for Paul Smith, writer for the UK's Guardian.
Smith, known to Twitter-goers as @twitchhiker, will travel around the world in 30 days. But here's the catch: he's going to use nothing but Twitter to find lodging, food, destinations, and anything else he might need along the journey.
If it sounds like a crazy idea, that's probably because it is. It'll be worth it to keep an eye on this guy starting March 1.
25 random ways to boost traffic
I wish I had spent this morning tribal dancing under a mango tree. Instead I was stranded in the office with a slow computer and a faulty wireless network - neither of which were conducive to getting my work done.
There's a trend on Facebook right now to participate in a meme known as 25 Random Things About Me, and then send it to everyone you know. If you've happened to log into Facebook at some point in the past two or three weeks, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.
While usually I find chain mail-type things like this rather intrusive and annoying, I read an article today about how this meme is actually helping Facebook by sending a huge increase in traffic to its "Notes" section, which had been lagging behind in popularity. It's also providing psychologists and sociologists with useful new information about today's generation.
However, Hell will freeze over before I fill one of those things out. There already aren't enough hours in the day.
There's a trend on Facebook right now to participate in a meme known as 25 Random Things About Me, and then send it to everyone you know. If you've happened to log into Facebook at some point in the past two or three weeks, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.
While usually I find chain mail-type things like this rather intrusive and annoying, I read an article today about how this meme is actually helping Facebook by sending a huge increase in traffic to its "Notes" section, which had been lagging behind in popularity. It's also providing psychologists and sociologists with useful new information about today's generation.
However, Hell will freeze over before I fill one of those things out. There already aren't enough hours in the day.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Riding the WOTY wave
Every year, the American Dialect Society chooses a Word of the Year, usually a well-known term or phrase that most Americans can instantly connect with.
GovGab brought up an interesting point: this year's word bailout has a much more serious tone than 2005's word truthiness (coined by Stephen Colbert) which led me to do a little research and comparison of my own.
Take a look at this list of Words of the Year from Wikipedia.
From 1990 to 2008, you can determine the tone and comfort of Americans from Words of the Year.
Compare 1999's Y2K and 2000's (hanging) chad to 2001's 9-11 and 2002's weapons of mass destruction. The carefree attitude of the prosperous late '90s is evident. People were excited about technology and the future. However, the year 2001 brought everyone down to a very careful, very serious level very fast.
By 2003, the jovial words return with metrosexual, and my personal favorite, 2006's plutoed. However, in 2007, subprime takes the cake, followed by last year's bailout.
Times are tough in 2009. People aren't as lighthearted or spontaneous about their habits or their lives. But the Word of the Year cycle is evidence that when things are bad, they do get better and we do learn to laugh again and appreciate the people and opportunities around us.
GovGab brought up an interesting point: this year's word bailout has a much more serious tone than 2005's word truthiness (coined by Stephen Colbert) which led me to do a little research and comparison of my own.
Take a look at this list of Words of the Year from Wikipedia.
From 1990 to 2008, you can determine the tone and comfort of Americans from Words of the Year.
Compare 1999's Y2K and 2000's (hanging) chad to 2001's 9-11 and 2002's weapons of mass destruction. The carefree attitude of the prosperous late '90s is evident. People were excited about technology and the future. However, the year 2001 brought everyone down to a very careful, very serious level very fast.
By 2003, the jovial words return with metrosexual, and my personal favorite, 2006's plutoed. However, in 2007, subprime takes the cake, followed by last year's bailout.
Times are tough in 2009. People aren't as lighthearted or spontaneous about their habits or their lives. But the Word of the Year cycle is evidence that when things are bad, they do get better and we do learn to laugh again and appreciate the people and opportunities around us.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Marketing gone sour
Contrary to what we've been told over and over again for the past two years or more, analog television will not cease to exist on February 17.
While I don't consider this a smart marketing move, I'm certainly not the U.S. Congress. Apparently the need to extend the date was greater than the need for clarification and familiarization. Now, analog will disappear June 12, 2009. A new date to memorize.
While I don't consider this a smart marketing move, I'm certainly not the U.S. Congress. Apparently the need to extend the date was greater than the need for clarification and familiarization. Now, analog will disappear June 12, 2009. A new date to memorize.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Always a newspaper-woman
As a jaded young journalist, I found this excerpt from Steven A. Smith's Still a Newspaperman comforting:
"It’s always great fun to work with young journalists. Idealism AND energy are a great combination. I am heartened to see that the angst that is so debilitating to old-fart veterans doesn’t seem to have infected young journalists, at least those with whom I have been working. They are dedicated to the craft, fully realize the old career tracks are gone or soon will be and are just looking for the new paths."
It's nice to know I'm not the only one who's overly hopeful about my future.
"It’s always great fun to work with young journalists. Idealism AND energy are a great combination. I am heartened to see that the angst that is so debilitating to old-fart veterans doesn’t seem to have infected young journalists, at least those with whom I have been working. They are dedicated to the craft, fully realize the old career tracks are gone or soon will be and are just looking for the new paths."
It's nice to know I'm not the only one who's overly hopeful about my future.
The love of the game
I'm fortunate enough to be able to say that I'm 22 years old and I've already met one of my life goals.
A group of UGA students came to visit the Capitol today, and we (the aides) had to show them around, give a tour, introduce our reps, and talk about all the wonderful experiences we're having up here. We went into the House and Senate Chambers, the Senate Mezzanine, the Coverdell Legislative Office Building (my office). We were in our element. Or at least I was.
It wasn't until I was walking down the north stairs of the Capitol with a box laden with folders and booklets and other information for the students that I realized that I made it. I did it. The one thing that I've consistently wanted to do since my senior year of high school - I'm doing it.
I am a legislative aide. I came to UGA wanting to be one, and I'm going to leave having been one. It's probably the most satisfying feeling - to have a goal and to reach it.
But I'm not just carrying around boxes and taking phone calls. Every day, I don't just check Rep. McKillip's mail and maintain his schedule. I am the head contact for his legislation. I make calls and talk to other reps about it. I talk regularly with the county clerk of commission, county attorney and superintendent. When Rep. McKillip has a question, I can usually answer it. If I can't, I can certainly find someone who can. I know his bills backwards and forwards. I know where they are. I know what they are. I know who they affect, who will be against them, who will be for them. How does a bill becomes a law? I'm living it.
I'm a pawn in the game of politics, but I'm in the game nonetheless. And while I will always have a passion for journalism, it seems that by the end of session, politics will come in at a close second.
A group of UGA students came to visit the Capitol today, and we (the aides) had to show them around, give a tour, introduce our reps, and talk about all the wonderful experiences we're having up here. We went into the House and Senate Chambers, the Senate Mezzanine, the Coverdell Legislative Office Building (my office). We were in our element. Or at least I was.
It wasn't until I was walking down the north stairs of the Capitol with a box laden with folders and booklets and other information for the students that I realized that I made it. I did it. The one thing that I've consistently wanted to do since my senior year of high school - I'm doing it.
I am a legislative aide. I came to UGA wanting to be one, and I'm going to leave having been one. It's probably the most satisfying feeling - to have a goal and to reach it.
But I'm not just carrying around boxes and taking phone calls. Every day, I don't just check Rep. McKillip's mail and maintain his schedule. I am the head contact for his legislation. I make calls and talk to other reps about it. I talk regularly with the county clerk of commission, county attorney and superintendent. When Rep. McKillip has a question, I can usually answer it. If I can't, I can certainly find someone who can. I know his bills backwards and forwards. I know where they are. I know what they are. I know who they affect, who will be against them, who will be for them. How does a bill becomes a law? I'm living it.
I'm a pawn in the game of politics, but I'm in the game nonetheless. And while I will always have a passion for journalism, it seems that by the end of session, politics will come in at a close second.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Keep your friends close...
The next medium for identity theft?Facebook.
Yes. Identity thieves are always one step ahead of us and unfortunately have already infiltrated perhaps the biggest social network of our generation.
If you don't already have a profile on Facebook, here's your excuse to make one. Identity thieves are creating profiles in the names of people who don't currently have an account with Facebook and could be adding people as friends, posting comments, and writing on people's walls under your name. Scary? Heck yeah.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
"Social experiment"
Now that I've got him addicted, too, Tait created a fascinating social media Wordle:
Thanks, man. :)
Thanks, man. :)
One step forward
Sometimes it seems that people with disabilities are almost shadows in our society. We hear about them, see them on TV or read about them in various publications, but rarely do we actually see them. Fortunately, I think that may be starting to change.
Due to advances in technology, people with disabilities will most likely have more opportunities to integrate themselves easily into society. Globalization and an increase in the value of technical proficiency mean moving from physical skills to mental ones. As long as the right tools are in place, people with physical disabilities will be able to compete in the job market.
Take T.V. Raman, for instance. Blind since he was 14, he's been working for Google developing new tools for visually impaired users that will make them more marketable and able to enjoy the fast-paced, technology-driven lifestyle of the 21st century.
On a similar note, visually disabled men and women are also currently working in the Georgia State Capitol, manning all of the refreshment rooms without a hitch. As long as you tell your cashier which president is on the bill you hand him, you're in and out with a cup of fresh coffee in mere minutes.
I think it'll be interesting to see the ways that technology will provide for people in the future. No matter your visual or hearing capabilities, your physical limits, your mental capacity, your health, your location, your age, your gender, your race - it's my hope that all people will be able to provide for themselves if they wish to do so.
Due to advances in technology, people with disabilities will most likely have more opportunities to integrate themselves easily into society. Globalization and an increase in the value of technical proficiency mean moving from physical skills to mental ones. As long as the right tools are in place, people with physical disabilities will be able to compete in the job market.
Take T.V. Raman, for instance. Blind since he was 14, he's been working for Google developing new tools for visually impaired users that will make them more marketable and able to enjoy the fast-paced, technology-driven lifestyle of the 21st century.
On a similar note, visually disabled men and women are also currently working in the Georgia State Capitol, manning all of the refreshment rooms without a hitch. As long as you tell your cashier which president is on the bill you hand him, you're in and out with a cup of fresh coffee in mere minutes.
I think it'll be interesting to see the ways that technology will provide for people in the future. No matter your visual or hearing capabilities, your physical limits, your mental capacity, your health, your location, your age, your gender, your race - it's my hope that all people will be able to provide for themselves if they wish to do so.
What's a library without people?
Maybe I've mentioned this before, but both of my parents are librarians.
(I'll wait a few seconds and let all of the jokes filter through your system. Trust me - I've probably heard all of them before...)
Anyway, as a kid I loved going to the library. I played on a carpet that had a maze woven into it. I read Goodnight Moon. I read Frog and Toad. I read Berenstain Bears. The library was fun. Yeah, maybe I was a little biased, but there were other kids there, too. The library was fun for lots of kids.
So what would your reaction be if I told you Congress is thinking about banning children from libraries?
I'm not even kidding.
(I'll wait a few seconds and let all of the jokes filter through your system. Trust me - I've probably heard all of them before...)
Anyway, as a kid I loved going to the library. I played on a carpet that had a maze woven into it. I read Goodnight Moon. I read Frog and Toad. I read Berenstain Bears. The library was fun. Yeah, maybe I was a little biased, but there were other kids there, too. The library was fun for lots of kids.
So what would your reaction be if I told you Congress is thinking about banning children from libraries?
I'm not even kidding.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Plan B: Social media
Another avenue I've decided to pursue is social media. There are so many social networking programs and applications that are steadily being woven into our society. Facebook, Twitter, Digg, LinkedIn, FriendFeed, Ning - the list goes on and on.
All of those companies need employees, right? Why not someone like me?
ReadWriteWeb came up with a list of the 10 ways social media will change in 2009. Its evolution could mean expansion which could mean jobs. And that's music to my ears.
All of those companies need employees, right? Why not someone like me?
ReadWriteWeb came up with a list of the 10 ways social media will change in 2009. Its evolution could mean expansion which could mean jobs. And that's music to my ears.
Bah humbug
There were 15,554 job cuts in newspapers last year, according to a journalist who's been slowly putting all of the pieces together on a web site cleverly coined Paper Cuts. More than 830 jobs have already been lost in 2009, and it's not even February yet.
This is certainly not good news for me and any other graduating journalism majors. Sometimes I'd like to think that I'm special. That my passion and my knowledge and my experience will trump all of those other graduates and that I'll get the one newsroom job left in the country. Unfortunately, I can't sustain that optimism for much longer.
However, I'm no longer just competing with other graduates. I'm competing with those 15,000+ journalists who've lost their jobs in the past year.
So what are they up to now? Here are some stats from Paper Cuts:
- 53% of journalists found a new job, including about 20% who turned to freelancing full-time
- 10% of those journalists took longer than a year to find a job
- only about 6% found other newspaper jobs
- 85% miss working at a newspaper
- 78% enjoy their new jobs
Allow me to be whiny for a second. It's not fair that what thousands of people have been working hard for should be stripped away so quickly and leave so many people (85%) yearning for what they used to have. Yes, I know - it's life, it's growing up, it's the real world. But this isn't what I expected when I fell in love with this industry four years ago. And sometimes it's hard to accept and be okay with that.
This is certainly not good news for me and any other graduating journalism majors. Sometimes I'd like to think that I'm special. That my passion and my knowledge and my experience will trump all of those other graduates and that I'll get the one newsroom job left in the country. Unfortunately, I can't sustain that optimism for much longer.
However, I'm no longer just competing with other graduates. I'm competing with those 15,000+ journalists who've lost their jobs in the past year.
So what are they up to now? Here are some stats from Paper Cuts:
- 53% of journalists found a new job, including about 20% who turned to freelancing full-time
- 10% of those journalists took longer than a year to find a job
- only about 6% found other newspaper jobs
- 85% miss working at a newspaper
- 78% enjoy their new jobs
Allow me to be whiny for a second. It's not fair that what thousands of people have been working hard for should be stripped away so quickly and leave so many people (85%) yearning for what they used to have. Yes, I know - it's life, it's growing up, it's the real world. But this isn't what I expected when I fell in love with this industry four years ago. And sometimes it's hard to accept and be okay with that.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Plinky to the rescue
Got writer's block? Leave it to Plinky to solve your problems.
You're prompted with stimulating questions the second you join. Wanna know what the coolest thing I saw in another country was? Check it out.
You're prompted with stimulating questions the second you join. Wanna know what the coolest thing I saw in another country was? Check it out.
Best birthday present ever! Right?
The worldwide search for the savior of print journalism continues. The newest idea?
France has decided the way to save print media is to give newly-turned 18-year-olds a subscription to a newspaper of their choice.
As for how this would go over in the U.S., I can see it now:
"Awww, you shouldn't have..."
"Gee....thanks."
"But Mom! I wanted a Hummer!"
France has decided the way to save print media is to give newly-turned 18-year-olds a subscription to a newspaper of their choice.
As for how this would go over in the U.S., I can see it now:
"Awww, you shouldn't have..."
"Gee....thanks."
"But Mom! I wanted a Hummer!"
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
What reporters are really thinking
I've been enjoying Overheard in the Newsroom gradually throughout the day.
Reporters spend hours choosing the perfect words for their stories. If you've ever wondered what they're really thinking, you should check it out...
Reporters spend hours choosing the perfect words for their stories. If you've ever wondered what they're really thinking, you should check it out...
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
State of the State in the State...Capitol
This morning at 10 a.m. Gov. Perdue gave the State of the State address, and this year I didn't watch it from the nearest television set.
I filed in to the top of the House Chamber with a few dozen other spectators to watch the governor give his address to the lawmakers who listened intently below us. All around me were journalists frantically taking notes, photographers snapping shot after shot, and aides anxiously listening to what would be in store for them in the next few months. The energy in the room was palpable.
As I realized where I was and what I was doing, I felt incredibly lucky and sort of like I was in a dream. Who would've thought I'd be listening to the governor's speech only a few hundred feet away from him instead of a few hundred miles?
There's a lot of work to be done in the next 37 days. Let's hope we can stay focused on what really matters - our state, our nation and our people.
I filed in to the top of the House Chamber with a few dozen other spectators to watch the governor give his address to the lawmakers who listened intently below us. All around me were journalists frantically taking notes, photographers snapping shot after shot, and aides anxiously listening to what would be in store for them in the next few months. The energy in the room was palpable.
As I realized where I was and what I was doing, I felt incredibly lucky and sort of like I was in a dream. Who would've thought I'd be listening to the governor's speech only a few hundred feet away from him instead of a few hundred miles?
There's a lot of work to be done in the next 37 days. Let's hope we can stay focused on what really matters - our state, our nation and our people.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The rise of interns
I just rifled through a listserve email of journalism job openings and something occurred to me: this is the age of interns.
Practically every listing was looking for an intern. Multimedia intern. Editorial intern. PR intern. Sales intern. Magazine intern. Intern, intern, intern.
Of course, this is great news for freshmen and sophomores. Where you used to have to pull teeth to get a good internship, now they're abounding in a variety of interesting areas of the country. I predict the resumes of 2012 graduates will be rockin'.
However, for soon-to-be-graduates like me, this is not-so-good news. I'm tired of free labor. As a matter of fact, I can no longer afford free labor. It was great for gaining experience during college - for beefing up my resume. Now? Now I just want a job. And unfortunately, only two of about the thirty listings that I went through today were actual paying jobs. Back to the drawing board. Again.
Practically every listing was looking for an intern. Multimedia intern. Editorial intern. PR intern. Sales intern. Magazine intern. Intern, intern, intern.
Of course, this is great news for freshmen and sophomores. Where you used to have to pull teeth to get a good internship, now they're abounding in a variety of interesting areas of the country. I predict the resumes of 2012 graduates will be rockin'.
However, for soon-to-be-graduates like me, this is not-so-good news. I'm tired of free labor. As a matter of fact, I can no longer afford free labor. It was great for gaining experience during college - for beefing up my resume. Now? Now I just want a job. And unfortunately, only two of about the thirty listings that I went through today were actual paying jobs. Back to the drawing board. Again.
iTunes : Apple :: Kindle : newspapers
Once upon a time, iTunes saved Apple and the music industry from destruction. David Carr's column in the NYT Sunday proposed that we find a similar way to save newspapers.
Some say that we already have the answer: Amazon's Kindle. With the ability to combine paid subscriptions with downloadable MP3s, books, magazines, and audio-books, the Kindle is bound to cause quite a stir. The Kindle makes it easier and more efficient to read a newspaper.
Others of us aren't so excited about a monopoly on newspaper readership. Freedom to listen to whatever music you want is one thing. Freedom of the press is something completely different. Yes, maybe something like the Kindle could help bolster newspapers for a little while, but I don't believe that it's a good idea in the long run.
Newspapers and information are supposed to be available to everyone. Our country and the journalism industry itself have consciously kept prices of newspapers low so that the majority of Americans can afford to be informed. If all Americans are eventually expected to buy a Kindle to read their newspaper, readership is going to go way, way down. People are going to be uninformed and they're going to feel alienated by the press, which is the last thing journalists want. The Kindle needs some healthy competition - other ways to read newspapers electronically that are both more affordable and less affordable, more convenient and less convenient, etc.
Let people make their own choices; don't let Amazon and newspapers make the choices for them.
Some say that we already have the answer: Amazon's Kindle. With the ability to combine paid subscriptions with downloadable MP3s, books, magazines, and audio-books, the Kindle is bound to cause quite a stir. The Kindle makes it easier and more efficient to read a newspaper.
Others of us aren't so excited about a monopoly on newspaper readership. Freedom to listen to whatever music you want is one thing. Freedom of the press is something completely different. Yes, maybe something like the Kindle could help bolster newspapers for a little while, but I don't believe that it's a good idea in the long run.
Newspapers and information are supposed to be available to everyone. Our country and the journalism industry itself have consciously kept prices of newspapers low so that the majority of Americans can afford to be informed. If all Americans are eventually expected to buy a Kindle to read their newspaper, readership is going to go way, way down. People are going to be uninformed and they're going to feel alienated by the press, which is the last thing journalists want. The Kindle needs some healthy competition - other ways to read newspapers electronically that are both more affordable and less affordable, more convenient and less convenient, etc.
Let people make their own choices; don't let Amazon and newspapers make the choices for them.
Let's play nice
I'm always talking about how we - the journalism industry - are all going to have to work together to get through this transition period. Well, here's some cooperation worth commending.
Rival newspapers, the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, have decided to work together and share sports content. Each paper will take a major team and share the coverage. Now that's teamwork. And it's very smart.
Rival newspapers, the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, have decided to work together and share sports content. Each paper will take a major team and share the coverage. Now that's teamwork. And it's very smart.
Blogs, coming soon to a newsstand near you
While most newspapers are trying to ditch their print products and go completely online, The Printed Blog is metaphorically standing in a room of seated people.
The Printed Blog is the first daily newspaper to print only user-generated content. Basically, it's a newspaper comprised completely of blogs. The creators hope to draw advertising dollars from companies or people who can't afford to spend an arm and a leg on a newspaper ad. Ads in the Printed Blog will go for about $15 each.
Unusual? Yes. Successful? We'll have to see...
The Printed Blog is the first daily newspaper to print only user-generated content. Basically, it's a newspaper comprised completely of blogs. The creators hope to draw advertising dollars from companies or people who can't afford to spend an arm and a leg on a newspaper ad. Ads in the Printed Blog will go for about $15 each.
Unusual? Yes. Successful? We'll have to see...
What it feels like to hit a home run
Yesterday was a "power day," according to my parents. Apparently, that's the term they use to describe a day when I knock one out of the park, or "kill it," as my dad put it.
Yesterday was the beginning of the 2009 Legislative Session and consequently my first day on the job. Besides accidentally locking myself out of Rep. McKillip's computer within an hour of sitting down at his desk, everything went extremely smoothly. In one day, I learned more about the legislature and how things under the gold dome really work than I have in nearly 17 years of school. Imagine how much I'm going to know after four months.
Throughout the day, Rep. McKillip didn't hesitate to put me to work, which I greatly appreciated. Adding meetings to his calendar, reorganizing his office, connecting his computer to the network, previewing the local legislation he'll be focusing on - it was enough work to keep me busy but not enough to be stressful. We got to know each other over pizza, and I flanked him at a reception at the Depot, mingling with other legislators and learning about plastics in Georgia.
I even got compliments on my suit AND coat, which pleased me more than I'd like to admit...
Until April, I'll be drafting letters and opinion articles, working with committees, getting up close and personal with legislators, and probably much more than I can fathom on the second day. Stay tuned. It'll be wild.
Yesterday was the beginning of the 2009 Legislative Session and consequently my first day on the job. Besides accidentally locking myself out of Rep. McKillip's computer within an hour of sitting down at his desk, everything went extremely smoothly. In one day, I learned more about the legislature and how things under the gold dome really work than I have in nearly 17 years of school. Imagine how much I'm going to know after four months.
Throughout the day, Rep. McKillip didn't hesitate to put me to work, which I greatly appreciated. Adding meetings to his calendar, reorganizing his office, connecting his computer to the network, previewing the local legislation he'll be focusing on - it was enough work to keep me busy but not enough to be stressful. We got to know each other over pizza, and I flanked him at a reception at the Depot, mingling with other legislators and learning about plastics in Georgia.
I even got compliments on my suit AND coat, which pleased me more than I'd like to admit...
Until April, I'll be drafting letters and opinion articles, working with committees, getting up close and personal with legislators, and probably much more than I can fathom on the second day. Stay tuned. It'll be wild.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Weekend update
Today I finally joined Wired Journalists and LinkedIn. It's about time, right? I'm graduating in four months, and I realized that I need to start networking.
I have a slew of articles that I was going to blog individually about, but it's been a long week so I think I'm just going to list them. Enjoy!
The president-elect wants to postpone the February 17th switch from analog to digital. Good idea? I don't really think so.
How the newspaper industry tried to invent the Web but failed...
Starting tomorrow, U2's Bono will write an occasional op-ed piece for the NYT. Is there anything Bono can't do?
The publisher of Consumer Reports is taking over Consumerist.com
I have a slew of articles that I was going to blog individually about, but it's been a long week so I think I'm just going to list them. Enjoy!
The president-elect wants to postpone the February 17th switch from analog to digital. Good idea? I don't really think so.
How the newspaper industry tried to invent the Web but failed...
Starting tomorrow, U2's Bono will write an occasional op-ed piece for the NYT. Is there anything Bono can't do?
The publisher of Consumer Reports is taking over Consumerist.com
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Ready, set... go!
Yesterday I moved to Atlantic Station to start a four-month adventure in the big city.
It's been so long since I've been on my own that I forgot how much I thrive in this kind of environment. For the past couple weeks, I've been pretty anxious about the internship I'll start on Friday and about leaving all of my friends and the comfort of Athens. I found myself sort of wallowing in doubt and unhappiness last night, completely ignoring my natural impulses to be optimistic and excited about something like this.
But this morning, I woke up at 7:30 determined to change my tune. I showered, put on a professional-looking outfit and my new big-city coat, and headed for Atlantic Station to walk around.
I immediately rediscovered my independence. There were hardly any people around as I made a beeline for a nearby coffee shop, and as I padded across the brick walkways, the wind was whipping around my ankles and my hair. It was so refreshing. When I got to the coffee shop, there was a man waiting in line. "Do you work around here?" he asked me with a smile. "Sort of," I found myself answering. "I work at the Capitol."
After a quick trip to Publix, I safely navigated my way back to my apartment, feeling more and more confident by the second. It looks like this isn't going to be as scary and out of my element as I originally worried it might be.
It's been so long since I've been on my own that I forgot how much I thrive in this kind of environment. For the past couple weeks, I've been pretty anxious about the internship I'll start on Friday and about leaving all of my friends and the comfort of Athens. I found myself sort of wallowing in doubt and unhappiness last night, completely ignoring my natural impulses to be optimistic and excited about something like this.
But this morning, I woke up at 7:30 determined to change my tune. I showered, put on a professional-looking outfit and my new big-city coat, and headed for Atlantic Station to walk around.
I immediately rediscovered my independence. There were hardly any people around as I made a beeline for a nearby coffee shop, and as I padded across the brick walkways, the wind was whipping around my ankles and my hair. It was so refreshing. When I got to the coffee shop, there was a man waiting in line. "Do you work around here?" he asked me with a smile. "Sort of," I found myself answering. "I work at the Capitol."
After a quick trip to Publix, I safely navigated my way back to my apartment, feeling more and more confident by the second. It looks like this isn't going to be as scary and out of my element as I originally worried it might be.
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