I have a new book in the works.
I am trying to get three panels into SXSW. You can see them and vote on them with these links and descriptions over here. Voting ends tomorrow.
I now have someone helping me behind the scenes at Uptown Uncorked, Michelle Wolverton, and I’m really excited about it.
I haven’t had time to read a non-work book in months (and I’m REALLY looking forward to the first one I get to read, whatever it may be).
What are your “did you know”s for today?
So lately I’ve been head down and working. It’s been a busy, busy summer, and I’m so happy about that. The release of the book I co-wrote with Laura Fitton and Michael Gruen, Twitter for Dummies, has also had an impact on my free time. I’ve been doing a lot of book signings and speaking gigs because of it, and I love it.
I hope that I stay this busy for the foreseeable future. Maybe I’m a workaholic, but I just love what I do. Everything about my job, from the writing aspect of it to the social media and speaking aspect of it, keeps me on my toes. I get to help someone and do something different every. single. day. I’m so lucky.
I’ve got a few things coming up that are fun. I’m planning a big BBQ on the lake in August for my colleagues in SMB, and I’m a sponsor for TechAdventure DC at the end of the month as well. So I’ll be down in Washington, DC at the end of August for a few days meeting friends and colleagues that I feel I already know, thanks to social media. I’m even staying on one of their couches. I may also get to see my family on a working trip to SC, depending on client approval. That would be nice. 
I get to be a “judge” for a comedy night in Portsmouth this weekend run by my friend John Herman, which will be fun. I’ll be on a NH children’s radio show tomorrow morning with Uncle Phil. I was on Brand New Show on WPXT Portland last month in Maine, I’m getting interviewed by the NH Telegraph tonight and by Channel 9 WMUR on Monday. I’ll also be on internet radio show Word on the Tweet this Sunday night, and I’ll be one of the judges for the Rails Rumble run by my friend Nick Plante as well coming up.
Add in my clients for Uptown Uncorked and Film Pop!, projects with friends, another new book with Jim Keenan and finishing my speculative fiction novel, and you can see why I haven’t been around much! I’m having so much fun though – I wouldn’t change a thing. I need to work in some down time each week, or I run the risk of being all work and no play (even though to me my work often is my play). I also need to get back into a walking routine – I fell off the wagon.
I fell off the smoking wagon too, having a cigarette here and there, starting after the wrap party for Crooked Lane (client) during which I felt the inebriated need to smoke many, many cigarettes from other people. I’d forgotten what a headache mixing cigarette brands could cause. And no Mom, no lectures, I’ll be quitting (again) soon. Meanwhile, does anyone have a light? 
So, as many of you know I work in social media strategy and training for the most part, with some speaking, writing and business development thrown in the mix (it pays to be well rounded). I really love what I do! The printed word come to life, in a way. However, one of the trends in the social media world is photos and video. Metric tons of photos of all types and reams and reams of video.
I don’t understand where the phrase “generate interesting and compelling content people might want to seek out online” became “take nine million photos and videos no one cares about of you and your friends at events to prove that you were there”. Whenever that happened, whoever started that trend, well… no offense but I’d kind of like to punch you in the neck. Figuratively, of course. *cough*
Let’s put it this way – I have never been a fan of the camera. Ever. I spent 31 years of my life attractive, thin and camera-ready. I still ran from the camera (much to my photographer step-father’s chagrin). I. Hate. Photos. In spite of my aversion to the camera, I used to be able to attend events, to have a little fun, to cut a rug, to learn things, to share my knowledge – all with no pressure.
Oh, not anymore. Now there is no way to just go to an event and learn things, meet new people, share what I know and make connections without the underlying annoyance of the citizen paparazzi. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I love your enamoration with your own visages, your need to prove you attended an event with hundreds of photographs of yourself with people you just met. I just don’t share that obsession, and what’s more, I know I’m not alone.
I am sick of hearing the “make it ok” yet super-selfish reasoning: “you have no reasonable expectation of privacy on the internet”. Of course you do! We all do! I may need to understand that words I type can stick around on Google, or exercise kindergarten levels of precaution by not giving away all of my personal details to strangers, or accept that when I’m presenting for work I’ll be filmed, like that, but there is NOTHING that says I HAVE to allow every person with a flip cam access to my mug or person in photos or videos.
I am making it my mission to untag, take down, remove, delete and otherwise control my own visage online. I highly recommend you don’t be shy, either. Tell those amateur photogs and citizen journo wannabes “no” if you don’t want to be on camera, or have your mug grace their Flickr, FaceBook, or other social site. Just say “take it down”. It’s ok. Your face – it’s one of the few things you really DO own online. Stand firm.
I have so much to say about politics, the web, social media, my new company, my freelance work, life events, my newly hectic schedule, and all of the current events going on in recent weeks, but I haven’t had time! It’s for a good reason – the company I started, Uptown Uncorked, is growing by leaps and bounds, and we have to focus on that to keep up with it. We don’t want to encounter any Fail Whales of our own because we didn’t pay close attention to scalability, now do we? Meanwhile, here a few drive by comments that will have to tide all of us over for a bit – it is so hard to have so much to say and no time to blog!
First, did you hear about Daily Kos banning Lee Stranahan? What makes this news, and has me fuming (as well as other prominent bloggers, ezines and internet friends like Erin Koteki Vest), is that censorship of this kind is so not a fit with the politics supposedly behind Daily Kos. It almost doesn’t even matter why the ban occurred (he talked about the John Edwards brouhaha) – it’s the fact that they banned him at all that needs addressing. What do you think? Should a site like Daily Kos ban someone who is a very active member, like Lee, for talking about a prominent politician’s rumored affair? Are they angry that he discussed it or angry at the timing in relation to Edward’s wife’s illness – a sensitivity issue rare in politics? Let me know what you think in the comments.
Obama. You all know I am a Libertarian who switched from being a Ron Paul supporter to being an Obama supporter. At first this was going to be an “I’m so angry at Obama” paragraph due to his massive switch on the FISA bill. I am still mad about that, but… then he unveiled his energy plan in Lansing, MI at a speech yesterday. If he can do even half of what he says in it he could stem the tide of economic crisis with millions of new jobs and slow the global warming issue as well. That I can get behind. I still haven’t forgiven him for FISA, but we need a candidate who can get the energy plan done so much that I’m willing to let it go for now. (I m watching the speech in its entirety, embedded below) Meanwhile, bloggers like Erin note that McCain’s staff still doesn’t get it.
Changes in my freelance work have kept me busy also, most notably that I (and the rest of the writing staff) departed Profy last week. I’m sure Profy’s editor in chief will have no trouble finding quality bloggers to replace myself, Triston and Cyndy as we each pursue our own projects, and I wish Profy well as it moves through some significant changes both out front and behind the scenes.
Life has kept me on my toes over the last few weeks with one curve ball after another. I ended up having to refocus my writing business altogether to handle it, saying goodbye to two long term off line writing clients in the process. In tandem with all of these life changes, blogging for sites like Blorge and the new business, I am focusing mainly on web writing for now. In future I may find the time to get back into ebooks and ghostwriting but right now I can’t give it my full attention, and every client deserves a freelancer who can bring their full creativity and attention to a project. If you came here seeking ghostwriting help for online writing such as blogs and web copy, I am still doing that – for offline writing like ebooks and articles I have several writers I can recommend to you – just email me.
In addition to ranting about politics offline, which is nothing new, I’ve been hosting a new Podcast dealing with hot topics in the politics, social media and technology space. It is called Topics on Fire, hosted by TalkShoe and available for download and subscription via iTunes. You can listen periodically on Sundays at 11:00 PM Eastern. Our last two episodes covered the poverty gap as it relates to the internet and social media – there is a recap of Episode 1 here, and you can go to the episode page or iTunes to listen to Episode 2. All future episodes will be recorded, now that I have figured out how and gotten assistance from Erik L. and others. (Hey, everyone has to start somewhere)
That’s all I have time for right now, work is screaming my name. I’ll be back to post more this week – there is much more left to say, and I’ve been keeping it all in while I put nose to grindstone.
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