Sunday, September 6, 2009

Day 22 - Here comes the rain


It's been a particularly glorious day, despite torrential rains. I am sad to report that the Battle of the Bands Blowout last night was rained out, at least for me. I arrived at the amphitheatre just as the deluge hit. As one of our local newscasters reported "It was raining cats, dogs, and toasters in Murray last night." (Don't you love local TV newscasters?) I returned home only to find that it was also raining inside my house! It seems a hole in my roof was not repaired, after all. So, for the better part of 24 hours, I've been emptying buckets as they are filled. But, I'm no worse for the wear, and the flood is contained to my master bath. Surely the week ahead will bring dry weather and a crew of roofers headed my way.


After an early workout and meditation this morning, I made serious headway in the weekend study plan, completing the initial outline for my historical essay and a portion of all three text books I need to finish by tomorrow. I thoroughly enjoyed today's first book about one of my heroes - Gene Roddenberry. I made it through Yvonne Fern's The Last Conversation which chronicles the author's conversations with the Star Trek creator during the last months of his life. It's a fascinating look at Roddenberry's work, philosophy and the vision he had for our future - a world in which countries (even planets) co-exist in peaceful harmony. I love the way this guy's mind worked and I share so many of his beliefs.

To my delight, I received an invitation to a dinner party this evening. I was privileged to spend a few hours sharing stories (and an outstanding meal) with four brilliant MSU faculty members. A good home cooked meal is a rare treat since most of my meals come straight from the microwave. I am blessed in many ways this weekend.

News to note -
Nature Withdrawal
The absence of biophilia may cause nature-deficit disorder, a theory proposed in a book by Richard Louv, who says that a lack of physical contact with nature harms children. He argues that technology has pushed children too far away from nature.

Louv's book, "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder," also maintains that children who are exposed to nature, particularly from a young age, do better than their peers on many levels. They're less stressed and learn to think creatively. Playing in nature allows them to be active and may represent an important tool in fighting childhood obesity. (You think?)

What I'm learning about the Blogosphere
Is information the currency of the Internet? If it's the lubricant that makes the engine go, then blogs are the content that it runs on. After three chapters in the marketing text today, I am feeling energized. There's a saying that on the Internet, "everything moves twice as fast but lasts only half as long." This presents a challenge for anyone in marketing today. Nobody wants to be in business for only six weeks (the average life span of a web article). As business changes around the globe - the look of it, the scope of it - the way we market it is changing so fast that we writers can barely keep pace. One tip to companies: If the information you post in a blog or ezine article is good, solid, and actionable... if it's accurate...if it is information that helps anyone do more in their life or in their business, then you can develop credibility and engender trust.

One of the most important things I learned about selling (about 30 years ago), is that people buy from those they trust. This is a very fine line to walk on the Internet with its inherently impersonal nature. Yet, I see this changing every day. While many of us work in more solitary
environments, we are also more connected with people we would never have had access to in a traditional business setting. I believe the future of marketing lies in the successful use of social media.

What are your thoughts on using social networks to join, follow, collaborate and partner with successful brands or corporations?


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