Temporary Hiatus

Tweet This!

I am going to be taking a break from this blog for awhile. I'll try to pick it back up after the New Year, so stick around.

Hope everyone has a great holiday!

Google Wave

Tweet This!

So the wave is out. You can now "stream" content in one wave that can be edited by any person involved. I was gifted the wave today by my lovley little sister and I thought I would do a quick write up of my initial impressions.

1. After my inital play session with the wave I feel as thought it's a cross between Google Docs and Gchat. Only bigger like you're gchatting in a conference room and you can't video chat, which is annoying. 
   
2. Google Wave is only fun if everyone you know is on it. There is no point in having Google Wave if you only know one person. 
3. I haven't delved that deep into it, but it feels more like an advanced IM system right now then it does a place to edit documents and things of that nature, which I think would be it's biggest appeal. I don't know how I feel about all the "comments" and how your name pops up next to your edits. I think it would be difficult to turn a wave into a formal presentation or report, which is what I thought it's purpose was.
4. I see the point of the wave and I see the relevance. But I'm not sure it's all quite there yet. I'm interested to see where it goes. 

Happy Thanksgiving Friends!!

What? You don't have a kidnap code?

Tweet This!

Every family has their moments, their conversations that will go down in history as being unforgettable moments of hilarity. For my family, that conversation happened last night.

It all began with a text message. Innocent enough the text came from my mother. It said: "I love you 2 much 4 ever. I can't wait to see you at Thanksgiving."

Seeing as how I live 40 minutes from my parents and see them more or less on a weekly basis, I texted my mom back with: "Thanks, but I'm sure I'll see you well before Thanksgiving."

Mom immediately responds with, "I sent this to all of my wonderful children."

Now my mom can be emotional, she loves us all a ton. But even for her, this pushes it to a little bit odd. So I called her - Here's a conversation recap:

Me: Mom what was up with those crazy texts?

Mom: Well, I was watching this show and this woman had a kidnap code, and when her daughter got kidnapped she was able to do 1,2,4 on her hands on tv. You know I (1) will always love you 2 much (2) 4ever (4). 1,2,4. That way you'll know I will always love you.

...... long pause (I'm contemplating how to respond) .......

Me: Mom. If I EVER get kidnapped (how old am I 5?) I am banking on you loving me and finding me. I'm pretty sure that's what would get me through the ordeal. Wouldn't it be more practical to have a kidnap code that when I make the call for the ransom money I say something like "Mom we tried to go to Walmart today." Which means I am still in the state of Georgia, localize your search?

Mom: Well Michelle, I watch a lot of CSI so I know that the chances on me ever seeing you again are slim to none. So I need to concentrate on sending you my love.

Me: So I see the kidnap code and I am supposed to think you've given up hope and you think I am DEAD????

Mom: You should email your brothers and sister to tell them about the kidnap code so that they know what to do if they are ever kidnapped.

Me:..... long pause..... Mom I cannot participate in this craziness.

The best part was - when I called to tell her I was blogging this (out of fairness). She tells me that she is dead serious and still thinks this is a great idea.

You have to love mothers.

If I ever get kidnapped America, you now all know my kidnap code.

So Sidewiki... still debating

Tweet This!

While I was driving from my morning meeting to work today I plotted a super cute, super informative blog post. It was about SEO or SERP or Social Media or LinkedIn or possibly something else. But it was informative and it was good and I remember being really excited to finally blog something of interest.

This is just another reason why I think I should have an assistant. Someone who can just follow me around and write down all of my really good ideas. But alas, y'all will have to deal with a post about Sidewiki. What is Sidewiki you ask?

Well here goes. It is one of the 'advanced' features on the new Google toolbar. How does it work? Sidewiki allows you to comment on any website on the Internet. You can write whatever you want and let the website owner, or future visitors of the website how you felt about their site. In addition to commenting on other people's sites, Sidewiki encourages you to comment on your own site. As the owner of a site, you're comment moves to the top of the list.

Sidewiki comments cannot be moderated by the website owner. They are unfiltered content and allow people to express how they feel. Which is good... and bad. While everyone is entitled to his or her opinion and I fully support freedom of speech. I am very against the idea that people could get slandered and have no way to get rid of the information.

So as of now my opinion is still out on Sidewiki. I don't know really know how I feel about the newest Google product, but feel free to check it out and please let me know what you think.

Dear Bills,

Please stop coming.

Thanks bunches,

P.S. I know this is micro blogging and all the hard core bloggers are shaking their heads in shame

I also know that I just taught a class about blogging at a college and told the students to save microblogging for twitter.

But hey - rules are meant to be broken.

Are you up to date on your interview etiquette?

So my company has begun the hunt for spring and summer interns (if you're interested let me know). This hunt naturally led to a discussion about job hunting, resumes, and of course job interview etiquette. One of my newly delegated jobs is finding good interns, weeding out the good from the bad, etc. I figured I would share a couple of the lessons I've learned with y'all so you don't make the same mistakes these applicants did.

• CARE about your resume - I can't tell you how many resumes I've seen that are ugly, boring, or hard to read. As a communications major I expect to see a well written, well designed resume. Your resume should stand out from the pack and catch my eye. It should say - I am a communications major who knows what I am doing.
• ALWAYS send a cover letter. I don't care if you think it would be "neat" to work with us, or that you're still in college and simply looking for an internship. If you don't take the time to write a cover letter explaining how your skills will benefit our company, why should we take the time to bring you in for an interview? Your resume doesn't tell me anything about your writing style or skills and resumes are really easy to glance over and miss the details. Especially when looking over them comes between your real job.
• That brings us to the interview portion of the process. If you are asked to come in for an interview. MAKE SURE you send a thank you note. It doesn't have to be a handwritten note you send in the mail, in fact - with today's need for speed and reliance on technology it should be via email and either the same day or the next. If you want the personal touch of snail mail (it is nice) do both. This way you know that the interviewer head from you.

All in all I think these things can be summed up in one simple phrase. Take pride and believe in yourself. If you are applying for jobs and internships make sure you know what you have to offer. Be confident and make sure that every letter, every email, every resume represents the best you that you can be. Don't send out sloppy work because it's easy. In the end it will only hurt you.

Dear Girl Who Lives Above Me,

Dear Girl who Lives Above Me,

I feel over the course of the past month as neighbors we have had a good relationship. I have tolerated you clunking around in heels knowing that I am probably doing the same to whomever lives below me. Plus lets be serious as far as clunking goes, you could be a lot worse.

You have also been reasonably quiet regarding your 'friends' which led me to believe that you didn't have a 'friend.' Until last night that is. Last night at 4:30 a.m. you decided to show me just how 'friendly' you could be.

You were friendly for a full hour, you were friendly at the top of your lungs and you were friendly to the point that I could hear the bed moving across your floor as you were being so friendly.

Were you possibly overcompensating?

Regardless - I just have one request for the sake of my sanity please please please will you be 'friendly' at more reasonable hours, preferably when I am at work between the hours of 7 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. give or take.

Good luck with all your future friends,

Michelle