Disqus - Latest Comments for Vicki Brown

Re: Twitter Is A Game of Follow the Leader(s)

Vicki Brown — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:24:30 -0000

Nicely put.

I'd say it goes a step farther for some of us. I wouldn't call myself a "leader". I'm not an influencer in the Social Media space.

I treat Twitter as a microblogging and storytelling community as well as a place to read news and get interesting links. If I'm interested in the stories you tell and the stories you like, I'll follow you.

The way I put it in my Twitter "Follow policy" is: If I don't follow you, that doesn't mean you're not an interesting person. It just means your way of using Twitter doesn't match mine.

Re: We Double Checked Your Order

Vicki Brown — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 21:36:28 -0000

It's not just the drive-throoughs. Our local KFC/Long John Silvers is now 3 for 3 in leaving something out of an order. I really need to learn to check before leaving the store. Last time I did check - and saw that they'd missed on "fries instead of hush puppies" -- but in the confusion of fixing that, I did NOT notice that they'd forgotten to give me the extra (paid for) chicken plank I had ordered.

And then there's Burger King, where "Have It Your Way" seems to come with the invisible disclaimer "unless your way involves more than two changes and then, it's whatever we felt like doing..."

Re: Loyalty

Vicki Brown — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:38:24 -0000

I worked for a 40 person company that became an 80 person company and "lost their way" in terms of caring about the employees.

I worked for a 150 person company that became a 250 person company and then summarily fired 40 of us with no reason because they were negotiating a merger.

I worked for a 400 person company that really cared and currently work for a 14000 person company that is trying to balance caring (they do) with te very real need to do a reduction in force and clamp down on projects that aren't going anywhere.

In all of these cases, my loyalty was to my co-workers and my job. The Company (in the person of its execs) may try to do well by employees but, fundamentally, a corporation isn't human and it will ultimately do whatever it needs to do to stay afloat and please the VCs and the stockholders.

Stay true to your own work, do well by your co-workers, and keep your eyes open.

Re: Twitter Author List!

Vicki Brown — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:18:49 -0000

I usually hate t be a "me too" commenter but I'm going to be one and say THANK YOU Felicia! This is such a great idea. Especially because we like many of the same authors. Not only can I check out the tweets I can check out the BOOKS for the ones I don't recognize. Wow.

Re: Highland Hunk-Fantasy

Vicki Brown — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 14:36:57 -0000

I also read a bunch of ANita Blake books. When they got totally X-rated, I stopped reading.

Speaking of Vampire romance fantasy, have you tried Tate Halloway's series? Three (so far?) First book is "Tall, Dark, & Dead". Good characters.

Re: Literary Detox

Vicki Brown — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 21:44:55 -0000

I'm currently 2/3 of the way through "Naked in Death" at your recommendation and I have a sneaking suspicion I'm about to acquire a shelf full of books just like yours Very Soon. If I didn't live 400 miles away I'd ask to borrow (lol). Well, this is why we have used bookstores on the Internet. We can support the independents and save a pre-read book all from the comfort of the couch.

Thanks for the review!

Re: Finding People to Follow on Twitter

Vicki Brown — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:27:07 -0000

Very nicely done Felicia. Thank you for this.

> But the main way I find people is through other people I follow.

I've been using Twitter since Sept 2007 (joined in July but didn't really start using till Sept.) Finding through others was the way I started building my Twitter network.

I first followed @rands (because I was reading his weblog at the time and he mentioned Twitter). Then I looked at the people he was following - it's great that Twitter shows who follows and who is followed by each non-private person! Just click a few, open some tabs in your browser, read a page or two of tweets. Do you like what this person talks about? If so, add them. You can change your mind later.

One thing Felicia didn;t mention - not so much about finding people as following - is you need to get a Twitter Reader you like! There are many choices of desktop applications, web-based, iPhone or Blackberry, ... but if you don't like the interface you won't have as much fun.

And finally, engage. Twitter is what you make of it. And don't worry if you're not sure at the beginning. The weblogs are full (surprisingly full!) of people who say "I didn't get it at first" or "I thought it was stupid". And then they used it for a while, found some interesting people, had a few conversations... and it clicked.

Finally, if it still doesn't click, maybe it's just not for you. But there are as many ways to use Twitter as there are people using it. Try to stay open to the possibilities and you may be surprised how much fun you have.

Re: Finding People to Follow on Twitter

Vicki Brown — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:50:20 -0000

One more thing. :-)

A number of people in TWWitter are participating in a "meme" called #followfriday. Use search.twitter.com:
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23followfriday

The idea is to recommend people to follow (usually done on Friday) and tag the post with #followfriday. This is a good way to see who other people recommend!

Re: Secrets: Managing those hidden settings.

Vicki Brown — Wed, 07 May 2008 01:05:06 -0000

we've had this for a long time. Take a look at TinkerTool (bresink.com). whichever UI you use, it's a must have.

Re: I Am Not A Woman Blogger

Vicki Brown — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:54:21 -0000

Agreed! I feel the same way. Thanks for saying it.

Especially
> I want to see a list of favorite redheaded bloggers, and I better be on it!

( me too :-)

Re: The Meaning of Friend

Vicki Brown — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:12:08 -0000

I'm happy that Twitter uses the terms "follower" and "following" instead of friend. I've always been cautious with the unqualified word "friend". I refer to "net friends" or "work friends" or "someone I follow in Twitter".

We may not be "friends". But we can be acquaintances. Just as we were before Twitter when we "knew" each other from blogs ad mailing lists. Just as I "knew my three penpals in elementary school and high school.

I know my sister better through IM, Twitter, and her blog than I did when we were living in the same house!

I'm confused when I read "Twitter forces you to follow anyone who you’ve allowed to follow you". It doesn't. It certainly hasn't at any time since Sept 2007. Why do you think it does? (Dan - you don't have to follow anyone you don't want to follow and you can block anyone you don't want following you.)

I'm so sorry when I see people lock their Twitter streams. I guess if you're tweeting Very Private Things but then... why are you using Twitter?

Re: Lorem Ipsum

Vicki Brown — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 21:51:15 -0000

I put Lorem Ipsum on a t-shirt. It's fun to explain to co-workers...

Re: Dunbar Numbers, Myers Briggs Type Indicators and Social Media | Uptown Uncorked

Vicki Brown — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:47:30 -0000

INTJ

295 following / 296 followers (not sure which you mean as my "follower count" - shouldn't it be people I follow? - but in any case they've been balanced for some time.)

@vlb

<abbr>Vickis last blog post..vlb: Sharing the recipe for Sand Tarts, the Xmas cookies we always had when I was growing up. Roll thin! http://tinyurl.com/7b6fwp #cookierecipe</abbr>

Re: Youth On Twitter

Vicki Brown — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:37:39 -0000

On Twitter, and elsewhere online, I try to follow the "rule" to never say anything you wouldn't want your grandmother to read in the local paper. I think I'm "safe for children".

But that doesn't mean we need to try to childproof the web. The world is not a safe place. Don't get in a car with a stranger. Look both ways before you cross the street. Some books should wait to be read when you're a little older.

I tend to believe that kids know a lot more than many adults give them credit for. A lot of middle-schoolers swear more than many adults I know. Kids hear thing son the bus (listen to some of the cell phone conversations they're overhearing) and they'd learn things from their peers.

Better that the actual parents are open, watch and share and be willing to answer questions. As Leslie says, it's not up to us (the Web, the State, the other users) to parent your children - or to try to pretend that the world is a different place than it really is.

<abbr>Vickis last blog post..vlb: Caught part of a commercial tonight for "Romancing the 70's" (10 CD set). Reminded that in the 70's, ads were for "Love Songs of the 50's".</abbr>

Re: marinelli's miscellany

Vicki Brown — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 01:23:07 -0000

woof

Re: Conservative Columnist Calls For Palin To Withdraw From Race

Vicki Brown — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:47:42 -0000

I'm not convinced McCain chose Palin. I don't like McCain. I fear for the result if he is lucky enough to be elected. But I also belleve that Palin was foist upon him by his advisors and others in the party.

Re: Updated: Why Use Twitter When You Can Make Your Own Microblogging Network With Wordpress Prologue?

Vicki Brown — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 21:02:02 -0000

Interesting idea... and I might be willing to use it. But I can't figure out how to install it.

I admit to being a very casual Wordpress user, but I downloaded and installed my current theme pretty easily. THis looks.. complicated.

Re: Magpie Tries To Make Twitter An Ad Network, Fails

Vicki Brown — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 02:47:49 -0000

karllong - magpie is *not* an attempt to monetize Twitter. It's an attempt to monetize *magpie* with a few euros for a handful of individuals and an increase in spam for the rest of us.

Re: What to Do if Your Name URL on Facebook is Gone - And Why You Don’t Want One

Vicki Brown — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:20:33 -0000

I'm beginning to realize just how happy I am that I don't use Facebook.

Re: 2008/07/18/twitter-not-a-microblogging-tool/

Vicki Brown — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 23:57:08 -0000

Twitter is a communication tool. It can be a microblogging tool, a news-aggregation tool, a location-sharing tool, an IM tool, or a tool for twaddle.

According to the man who claims to have invented the term "weblog" our current "blogging" isn't "weblogging". Things change when people get involved.

WordPress is a "blogging tool" but I don't use it for a blog. I use Word Press to run a meme. For me, WP is not a blogging tool.

Twitter is just another way to write on the Web. It's a way to share information. Whether it's a "microblogging" tool depends entirely upon who is doing the writing (and the reading)... and the defining. :)

Re: 2008/11/26/mr-tweet/

Vicki Brown — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:24:39 -0000

Although I use a Tweet Reader that filters out and discards magpie tweets, I'm afraid I can't follow anyone who proudly admits to using it. (Death to robots injecting unconfirmed spam into the stream!)

But thank you for the info on MrTweet all the same. :)

Re: 2008/12/12/twitter-brands/

Vicki Brown — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 15:57:59 -0000

We're arguing semantics here. These days, you are a "brand". Your (personal) reputation, who you are, what you've done, what you say... it's on the web and it is (whether or not you like the word) your "brand".

Re: 2008/12/12/twitter-brands/

Vicki Brown — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:06:23 -0000

> So, does anyone really want to talk to @DunkinDonuts?

I do.When I call or email Customer Service for a company, I am contacting a Company representative who speaks for the Company. Whether it's "Hi I'm Nancy" at 8am on Monday or "This is Bob" at 5pm on Friday, it doesn't matter which representative I reach. I am contacting the Company. I have absolutely no interest in talking to a "disgruntled but funny summer employee". When you punch in and answer that phone (email, Twitter comment) you aren't an individual at that moment. You ARE the company.

Brands (companies) belong on the web. They belong on Twitter.

Re: 60% of Twitter Users Quit Within the First Month

Vicki Brown — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:03:54 -0000

Are they asking who comes back? I joined Twitter in July 2007, walked away for a few months, came back in September, posted sporadically, and really got connected in early 2008. Now I'm here to stay.

I wonder how many of the 60% who don't return the next month DO come back a few months later... vs how many never come back.

Re: Increase Your Traffic with the Blog Virus Part Four

Vicki Brown — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 16:10:36 -0000

Does anyone else cringe like I do when you see the word "virus" used in this way. Viruses are Bad Things. Medically, or on the computer, they have up-to-now always been Bad Things.

It's not at all surprising that Brandon was confused. I expect a LOT of people to be confused.

This is as bad as deciding that we're going to come up with some nifty new email tool and name it "Spam".

Shudder.

Re: Shut Up- You're Helping the Customer!

Vicki Brown — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 14:31:51 -0000

I keep reading "Bob disobeyed a direct order." I'm sorry. I don't see anything here that indicates that Bob is in the Military. Bob works at a Company.

A manager _in another division_, someone who has no direct influence over Bob's reviews and pay increases, complained and Bob's manager caved. Bob's manager is a fool. Bob needs a new job.

Command and Control works in the military, where your life and the lives of your group depend on following orders without question (unless the orders are bad and then, well,...)

This is not the military and, as Lucretia says, these people need to wake up and smell the 21st century.

Go Bob. You don't want to work here. And after you leave and the customers find out why? Maybe your boss will realize he wasn't doing His Job - which is to protect you and let you do Your Job.

Bob's manager screwed up here.

Re: Social Media is No Place for Robot Behavior

Vicki Brown — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:30:57 -0000

Oh, Chris, I do so enjoy the way you write!

Re: Guest Post - Handling Negative Comments On Your Blog Post

Vicki Brown — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:05:59 -0000

I'm pretty sure that "you are the negative comment” meant that as a joke.

My spouse and I try to remember: when the screen starts flashing red and black (metaphorically) back away from the keyboard. We also use the idea of writing the reply (without addressing it) and then waiting 12-24 hours.

My comment policy on my blog is a pointer to LifeHacker: http://lifehacker.com/software/top/special-life...
and I moderate all comments.

Now, if I could only figure out a good way to follow all of these ideas in Real Life as well. It's more difficult to just walk away from an in-person "discussion", especialy if the other person is yelling "Get Back Here! Where are You going!"

Re: Halfway through my blog vacation (change in comment policy)

Vicki Brown — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 16:29:35 -0000

I figure if you've decided to moderate comments, ragain ballance, and stop hanging around unhappy people (more power to you; stress kills) and you STILL have 93 comments (plus 1) on this posting alone, you're doing something right.

Re: The MacMini HDTV revolution

Vicki Brown — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 17:42:06 -0000

Our Sharp Aquos (LC-46D62U) has a 1024 x 768 "narrow" resolution that actually allows us to read the screen fonts from across the room without zoom. Way cool.

Re: Thanks Mike Arrington for taking us off the rails into Twitter idiot land

Vicki Brown — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 15:07:45 -0000

Adi - If you've been paying attention you'd realize that Robert is saying it doesn't matter "why should anyone follow" him. The point is who he follows, who he reads, what he learns from that. If you don't give a damn... why are you reading this?

Follower count might correlate to authority on some subjects. But the subjects will vary with the person. Some people will have high follower count simply because they are "famous" already, some because they are fun to read, some because they are seen as an authority in a given area. MarsPhoenix has 40,300 followers and is The Authority on... a square meter or so of the surface of Mars. Large following, narrow authority area.

Authority is the wrong word. Yes, if you have many followers, more people will see something you say. However, that doesn't mean they will automatically take your word for it, accept your opinion, or rush out and by whatever you mentioned. Authority requires more than just eyeballs.

Re: Twitter spam, effective or idiotic?

Vicki Brown — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:13:06 -0000

If by "effective" you mean it succeeded in ensuring that a) I won;t use it and b) I've installed a new Tweet filter so I stop seeing these, then yes, it's "effective".

Probably not the effect they had in mind.

Re: If you are laid off, here’s how to socially network

Vicki Brown — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:30:06 -0000

This is why I have two blogs - one personal and one of more thoughtful essays - and two websites - again, one personal and the other professional.

If you want to know who I am when I'm home, read the personal. If you want to know what I think and who I am at work, read the other.

Although, come to think of it, even the personal blog doesn't include any LOLCats. (My cats have their own blog.)

Re: Seth Godin Thinks Twitter is Worthless

Vicki Brown — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:10:52 -0000

I guess I don't follow the same people you do Chuck. I can't imagine that I have "misunderstood" any of the tweets I've read in the past year.

True, occasionally, I don't get one. Usually that's because I'm missing context (e.g. I don't get tweet replies to people I don't follow.)

As a technical writer by profession, I've more often found that shorter is more preferable to a lot of people. The longer something is, the more my readers complain that they don't have time to read it. And when they don't finish, they miss a lot.

I don't think the length, per se, is really the issue. I think it's what's being said. To pull out an old chestnut (and add to it) - does the medium fit the message? And do the medium and message fit the audience?

Re: Twitter and me

Vicki Brown — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 12:55:59 -0000

Jim - I understand your desire to reset the number YOU follow. But I think it's terribly sad that you also reset the number who were following you. This wasn't their mistake.

Re: Twitter Statistics Script

Vicki Brown — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:05:42 -0000

Will you share the code, so others can learn?