Don't take it personally

It's the end of the year -- a time when many are making their resolutions for the new year. Even if you don't make resolutions, you may find this post of interest. Writers everywhere share something in common -- dealing with naysayers.

Feeling hurt because a critic cut your masterpiece to shreds? You're not alone. Criticism and bruised egos are inherent in publishing, communications, and life.

Here are some tips on how to cope with critics.

• It’s natural to feel hurt about criticism, but don’t drown yourself in pity. Get over it.
  
  
• All critics are not alike. Some are just plain cranky while others consider themselves experts. If you’re lucky, you’ll run into people who offer you constructive comments – objective opinions that can help you improve your work.
  
  
• Understand that some critics will attack anyone or anything just to draw attention to themselves – to make themselves feel superior. Don’t take the remarks personally. Shake them off.
  
  
• Separate the critic from the criticism. Realize that any criticism may carry a little bit of truth. Be open to the fact that your work could use some fine-tuning, but never allow criticism to dampen your self-confidence.
  
  
• Don’t dwell so much on criticism that you allow it to drain your energy and motivation. Deal with it, and then move on.
  
  
• Understand that ALL writers have their critics. You don’t have to like it, but don’t let it overwhelm you.

Bottom Line: It’s a sure bet that the more you achieve, the more attention you’ll attract from critics. If you learn to handle criticism in a calm and positive spirit, you’ll definitely grow as a person and a writer.

Chill. It's a great way to start off the new year.

Merry Christmas

Remembering the Christmas miracle and the treasure of friendship

During this joyous season, I remember the prophesy of peace - and the reason for the season of Christmas. It is also a time to be thankful for friends.

A FRIENDSHIP PRAYER

Dear Lord,

Thank you for a special gift,

one that cannot be bought

for any amount of money.

Thank you for a gift wrapped in beauty,

that is wonderful in all seasons and times.

Thank you for a gift that is always near

in times of need

and brings great joy.

Thank you for the gift that sparkles

with freshness every day.

Thank you for my friend.

May I never take this gift for granted.

Amen.

(by John C. Maxwell)

M E R R Y

C H R I S T M A S !

Tags: Christmas, Holiday Greetings, Friendship, Media by Sistrunk

Cottage living, the great escape

A couple of months ago, my husband and I traveled to Wisconsin to spend some time with my new in-laws. It was my first trip to America’s Dairyland.

I’m a big-city girl, so I found the family farmhouse charming and cozy. My husband took me to his favorite place, a nearby family cottage that sits on a creek that empties into a series of larger lakes. The landscape is simply enchanting.

The visit opened up my eyes to different types of homes. I realized that house plans extend beyond the ranch homes and condos where I raised my children.

My trip to Wisconsin started me to thinking about an alternative home plan that would fit my new laid-back lifestyle. Also, my husband seems to be his happiest when he’s canoeing along the creeks and lakes of central Wisconsin. Should we decide to relocate, we might consider the many cottage plans featured on the new website recently launched by www.houseplansandmore.com. Several plans include a covered front porch, a must-have for me.

I can see it now: a cottage in central Wisconsin that sits along the water, surrounded by lots of trees and occasional deer. I could get used to that.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis.

Political humor

Jay Leno: "And the Golden Globe nominations came out yesterday. President Obama picked up a nomination for best Democrat acting like a Republican. So, congratulations."

Jay Leno: "And Citigroup announced it is paying taxpayers back the $20 billion in bailout money it took. Wells Fargo announced it's paying back $25 billion it borrowed. And Bank of America says they've paid back the $45 billion in taxpayer money they borrowed. So the good news is taxpayers got their money back from Wall Street. The bad news? Congress has it. ... You'll never see it again, okay? It is gone. It is gone forever."


Source: U.S. News & World Report

ABC begins to promote Diane Sawyer

Charles Gibson, the veteran ABC News anchor, signs off Friday. His easy-going style and command of the evening news anchor seat will be missed by this writer. Gibson has been covering politics for ABC for some 35 years.

Starting Monday, Diane Sawyer will take over as anchor of "World News Tonight." At the end of last night's broadcast, ABC began airing its "World News with Diane Sawyer" promo.

Driving traffic to your website

Many of the topics covered here are related to business. Today, to remain competitive, virtually every business needs a strong online presence in order to attract and retain clientele.

Ideally, companies will have someone on their team to write online content. However, many small businesses don’t have the luxury of having a staff writer. At the same time, those businesses want to provide resources to their customers.

A1 Articles works with a cadre of writers, who provide content on dozens of topics. Subjects may range from arts-and-entertainment to travel-and-leisure. If you’re a writer with expertise in a certain area, you can add your stories to the website’s database free of charge. A1 Articles describes its copywriters this way:

Our expert authors have the ability to write about any topic and produce articles between the length of 500 and 800 words. This is great for any marketing strategy as nothing is better for your website than great original content and that is exactly what you get when you use our service.

A1 Articles provides copywriting services for businesses who want to drive traffic to their website. Get 100% original content for a modest fee, and take your business to the next level.


Sponsored Post - Original Content by Media by Sistrunk

Quote of the week

I do not bring with me today a definitive solution to the problems of war. What I do know is that meeting these challenges will require the same vision, hard work, and persistence of those men and women who acted so boldly decades ago. And it will require us to think in new ways about the notions of just war and the imperatives of a just peace.

We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth: We will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes. There will be times when nations -- acting individually or in concert -- will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified.

-- remarks by President Obama as he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize

Political humor

David Letterman: "Big day for President Obama. He accepted his Nobel Prize today and then got right back to the business of running two wars."

Craig Ferguson: "The so-called public option died on the Senate floor today. It could have survived, but apparently it had a pre-existing condition."

Craig Ferguson: President Obama "accepted a Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. I don't want to say this Obama love is out of control, but his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize just won a Pulitzer Prize, and his overall performance has just won an Oscar."

Conan O'Brien: "According to a new poll that just came out, 44 percent of Americans...wish President Bush were back in office." However, "it's only 20 percent if you exclude comedy writers."


Source: U.S. News & World Report

The rise in on-demand workforce training

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Learn dot com. All opinions are 100% mine.


For as long as I can remember, I wanted to work in communications. As life would have it, my career began in radio and TV news when I was 18. Later, I use those skills in marketing, public relations, and publications.

I’m a big proponent of Elearning, career education, and lifelong learning. When I recently visited Learn.com, I was impressed with the opportunities it presented to those of us who are always looking for ways to add to our skill portfolio. Learn.com is at the forefront of workforce development.

I decided to test-drive the site, so I registered for a free account. Then I decided to do a little role-playing, pretending to be someone seeking an entry-level position in public relations. PR involves a great deal of telephone work, so it pays to know how to work the phones effectively.

I took a short course entitled “How to Leave Phone Messages that Get Returned.” The course was short but effective, and was packed with useful information for wannabe public relations professionals (or anyone else wishing to work in corporate America).

According to the video, when you place a business phone call, nine times out of ten, you’re going to get voicemail. It’s important, then, to leave a message that carries a punch – one that increases your chances of getting a return phone call. Among the tips shared:

• Keep the message short, preferably no longer than 30 seconds
• Give your name, company, and phone number
• Provide a brief, specific reason for your call
• Repeat your name, company, and phone number
• Make sure your voice is energetic, and give the impression that it’s beneficial for the listener to call you back.

These tips may sound elementary, but I know many PR professionals who still have not mastered the art of working the phones to their advantage. They wonder why their phone calls to reporters are not returned. I would recommend the tutorial for anyone wanting to get ahead in the business world.

Visitors to Learn.com will find a wealth of content areas. I have my eye on an advanced course in Microsoft Excel, which would enhance my work as a consultant.

When it comes to on-demand workforce productivity, Learn.com is an industry leader. The site has more than 50 million end users around the globe. The company assists individuals by providing a single, integrated platform for those who wish to enhance their skills for a particular job profile. Employers seeking skilled, "job-ready" workers reap the benefits of the training.

Teen video gamers acquire immunity

More and more educators are working with game developers and scientists to create new interactive experiences for students in the classroom. Teachers trying to get kids interested in microbiology or space technology find that video games can be valuable tools.

Game developer Escape Hatch Entertainment is associated with the Federation of American Scientists. Escape Hatch developers created "Immune Attack" to take 7th through 12th graders into the microscopic world of immune system proteins and cells.

The goal of the game is to save a patient suffering from a bacterial infection. Along the way, players gain an understanding of cellular biology and molecular science.

Researchers reviewing student data say that kids who played the "Immune Attack" show that they're picking up much more than just vocabulary.

Meanwhile, according to Reuters, serious games developer ARA/Virtual Heroes will soon release a free downloadable prototype game called "MoonBase Alpha," which has been designed in conjunction with NASA engineers and astronauts to teach STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education to students across the United States.

Facebook redesigns privacy settings

Facebook is introducing more options in it's user's privacy settings. The change will make it easier for users to limit who sees their status changes, photos, videos, and other personal information. Changes in the privacy settings will also make it easier for users seeking more visibility to reach a broader audience. A message explaining the options greeted Facebook users who logged into their accounts on Wednesday.

Update: Facebook Changes Privacy Settings Yet Again
(December 11, 2009)

Exploring data backup solutions

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of ARCserve. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you're an executive in any organization -- small, medium, or large -- you know the importance data plays in your day-to-day activities. Email, budget documents, and project management tools all factor into how well you produce for your clients. At any given company, data -- and its value to each business -- is growing immensely.

Most small businesses wouldn't think of betting the payroll at a casino. However, they take huge chances every day with poor or non-existent backup systems.

When it comes to IT solutions, ARCserve provides more than backup. It offers proven solutions that can keep your firm from going into a data crisis mode. Take advantage of a free trial download, and experience the software first-hand.

ARCserve specializes in:

• Built-in data deduplication
• Protection for virtualized servers
• Dashboard with Storage Resource Management (SRM)
• Centralized Management and Administration
• Advanced Backup and Data Restoration

Staying ahead of the competition is tougher than ever, especially in these challenging economic times. Still, as a manager, you can cut costs, not protection, while you're increasing capacity. At the same time, learn secure, reliable and efficient methods of protecting the information that resides on your physical and virtual servers. Protect your critical information assets and keep your company going.

Test-drive ARCserve's trial software. Seeing is believing.

Remembering that infamous day

Today is the 68th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japan.

Pearl Harbor survivors have met at the site every five years for four decades. But they're now in their 80s or 90s and are not counting on a 70th reunion. They've made every effort to report for one final roll call.

Nearly 500 survivors are expected to make the trip to Hawaii to recall the shocking air raid destroyed or heavily damaged 21 ships and 320 aircraft. The attack killed two-thousand, 390 people, wounded nearly 12-hundred others - and plunged the U.S. into World War II.


Related: Photos at About.com, Naval History Center


Tags: Pearl Harbor, World War II, Media 101, Media by Sistrunk

Political humor

George Lopez: "President Barack Obama has decided to send 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. ... Wasn't he against war at one point? I mean, it's like everybody who gets in the White House has to send troops somewhere to end a fight. For Obama, it was either Afghanistan or Tiger Woods' house, where there have been reports of a Swedish insurgent."


Source: U.S. News & World Report

Get the Online Advantage -- USC's Master of Arts in Teaching

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

It is not your environment;
It is not your history;
It is not your education or ability;
It is the quality of your mind
that predicts your future.
~ Benjamin E. Mays~

Public education is the cornerstone of democracy, and quality education is a civil right. Study after study documents how an effective teacher can positively impact students and improve classroom performance.

Good instructors do more than teach content; they "grow" young minds.

Exemplary teachers understand the importance of continuing their education beyond their baccalaureate. Those with degrees in other fields, who aspire to teaching careers, know that a master's in teaching is a good way to get your foot in the door of any school system.

I've been checking out program information on the Master of Arts in Teaching at the University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education. Utilizing technology in professional development is critical in any career field. USC's MAT program is staying a step ahead. The university now offers busy adults the convenience and flexibility of studying online. Students enjoy an innovative combination of highly interactive online learning with field-based experiences in their local areas.

The Rossier School of Education is respected nationwide. It's ranked #22 in the United States, and #9 among all private universities by US News & World Report. Students get the opportunity to learn at an internationally renowned research institution with a 100-year history of educating teachers to be agents of change.

I filled out a form requesting more information about the MAT program. In less than 10 minutes, I received an email message from an admissions counselor. The message included links to the school's website, the counselor's contact information, and an invitation for me to follow up with him. That's what I call a great first impression.

I learned a couple of other things about the program:

• Through an accelerated program, students can earn a Master's of Arts in Teaching in as little as 12 months.
• The school offers a tuition reimbursement program that can substantially reduce the cost of earning your degree.

An extra perk is that you get to become part of the elite USC Trojan family. Whether you're an aspiring teacher or someone seeking to enter the field, you can get to the next level via MAT@USC.

Media tips of the day

• It's important to have the right spokesperson. Sometimes it's the CEO. Sometimes it's someone else who has greater knowledge about the specific situation. Whenever possible, determine who the spokesperson will be before the media shows up.

• Be emotionally appropriate. If someone has died or been seriously injured, look concerned. Avoid nervous laughter. Never appear angry at a reporter or anyone else.

Offbeat news

Boy Dials 911 After Parents Take Away His Xbox

(Chicago Tribune)

A 15-year-old boy told police that his parents had taken away his video game system and asked whether they were within their rights.

Kangaroo Tries to Drown Dog, Attacks Owner

(Associated Press)

A kangaroo startled by a man walking his dog attacked the pair, pinning the pet underwater and slashing the owner in the abdomen with its hind legs.

Dog with Name Tag 'Works' Drive-Through Window

(Associated Press)

Customers at one Gulf coast gas station might be surprised at who responds to the counter when they pull up to the drive-through window: The store owner's dog.

Hamster Hotel Lets Guests Live Like Rodents

(The Telegraph)

A French hotel is offering guests the chance to live like a hamster for a day.

Amy Africa's QLOG

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Eight By Eight. All opinions are 100% mine.

The World Wide Web is full of Internet marketers. Many are big on hype but don't offer much substance. However, the minute you land on Amy Africa's QLOG at amyafrica.com, you realize why she stands out in a crowd. She's an expert in e-commerce and a phenomenal storyteller who connects with her audience.

Sometimes you wonder if this fireball of energy and passion ever sleeps. Her QLOG (sounds like "clog") is full of valuable tips. Somehow, she manages to teach you best practices in marketing while entertaining you with her sharp (and often outrageous) wit.

When Amy isn't publishing on her QLOG, she runs Eight by Eight, a firm that provides e-commerce marketing solutions. As you click through her site at http://www.amyafrica.com, you realize that she's the go-to person if you want to maximize your email program or company website.

Amy takes questions on her site about virtually anything related to Internet marketing. I think this is is one of the strongest features of her QLOG. Also, don't miss the comments section for each post.

Businesses that want to remain competitive must have a strong online presence. Few successful companies survive without a quality website and email marketing campaign. Check out Amy's QLOG to learn how to improve your online effectiveness.

While you're checking out the site's content, don't forget to sign up for free marketing tips. "Amy Africa's QLOG" identifies 18 ways you can stay ahead of the pack.

Media tip of the day

If you or your company are in a sticky situation, disclose information in a timely manner. Timely disclosure today means immediately.

The Firestone/Bridgestone tire scandal broke in late 2001 and early 2002. However, the company knew the tires involved were unreliable in 1997, and perhaps as early as 1991, according to trial lawyers.

Withholding the information - even if the company is trying to define the problem as narrowly as possible and find a solution - often gives the public the perception that the problem is serious and far-reaching. In the West Virginia tragedy at Saco Mine, not disclosing information in a timely manner caused families to believe that most of the workers' lives had been saved, when, in fact, all but one of the miners died.

GE, Vivendi reportedly reach agreement on NBC

The Associated Press is reporting that General Electric has struck a tentative deal to buy the Vivendi's stake in NBC Universal for about $5.8 million. The agreement, if finalized, would pave the way for GE to sell a 51 percent stake in the TV and movie company to Comcast Corp., the largest U.S. cable TV provider.

GE owns 80% of NBC Universal. The Comcast transaction would create one of the world's largest media companies, but part of the deal has always required that Vivendi sell its 20% stake to GE. Vivendi is a French media conglomerate.