Disqus - Latest Comments for Susan Murphy

Re: WOOHOO! Someone finally gets it

Susan Murphy — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:53:57 -0000

And you made my day by continuing the conversation here, Stephen! It's interesting...I'm actually re-reading the book for the 2nd (I read it the first time back in 2000 when I bought it). The first time, I found it to be an interesting story, and one that had some interesting concepts about what the future of the Web would hold. Reading it now that the future is here, I see it with entirely new eyes.

The book (I think it's a newer edition) is available on Amazon in paperback now. I would lend you mine but it's all dog-eared and highlighted and scribbled on. :-)

Re: Finding A Path

Susan Murphy — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:48:56 -0000

Hey Rick, I share many of your same sentiments. I just recently did a purge of my Google Reader feeds, and eliminated those blogs that were not serving any real purpose for me any longer. Some of them were the blogs of the so-called "A-listers", whom I had perhaps been following only because everyone else was.

There is still a lot of valid, positive information to be found out there, and you're right - it's hard to find the time. Hope you are able to find what you're seeking!

<abbr>Susan Murphy´s last blog post..To Vote or Not To Vote</abbr>

Re: Love It Or Hate It? - TWiT 134

Susan Murphy — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:34:46 -0000

I thought the show was thought provoking and I actually liked the dynamic that having Dave Winer in the group created. He's an incredibly knowledgeable person and continues to be a trailblazer in this industry. He's totally "outside the box" and that makes him interesting. I hope you have him back.

You really got me thinking about the Twitter/Pownce thing...when I first came across Pownce, my first impression was - "Well, I'm already on Twitter, why should I switch?" Maybe it's the whole VHS/Betamax debate all over again - the best technology is not always the most popular. I think the reason that people are drawn to Twitter is because it's a little voyeuristic - like peeking in people's windows except they don't mind if you look.

Loved the show - keep 'em coming!

Re: The Next Chapter

Susan Murphy — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:47:14 -0000

Congratulations Leo on your new space and looking forward to seeing TWIT Live.

I worked with Tom Green back in the mid-90s at our local cable station (Rogers, in fact), where he first broke new ground and he's a terrific model to follow.

He understands new media and content delivery, as do you, and I envision only wild success for both of you!

Best of luck. I'll be watching!

Re: Top 10 Reasons Why There’s No TWiT Live Today

Susan Murphy — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 08:19:34 -0000

Thanks to your day off, Leo, we'll all be able to get a lot more accomplished. Enjoy it - but we will miss you!

Re: The Geek Nation - Who Are We?

Susan Murphy — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:57:27 -0000

Hey Jeff

Follow you on Twitter. @suzemuse
Significant other of @G_reg.
http://suzemuse.wordpress.com

Re: New life - Phase one

Susan Murphy — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:59:11 -0000

Hi Kris,

It's not weird or strange or crazy to have any of these thoughts about the loss of a pet. I lost my cat Lewis nearly three years ago and I still think about him nearly every day. We have other pets (2 dogs and 2 cats) and I love them very much but Lewis and I had a very special bond. He came into my life when I was going through a dramatic transition. I had just ended a long term relationship, was moving and going back to school full time to make a significant career transition. I felt very alone until one day this little orange kitten showed up in my life. Lewis and I were best pals - he was the only stable thing in my life at that time. No matter how hard my day was, I'd come home and he'd be waiting. I never had to feel alone.

I had 7 great years with Lewis. In that time I became successful in my new career, found a great guy, bought a house, and got married. Things were finally getting on the right track for me.

Lewis died very suddenly of kidney failure, one week after my wedding. I was completely devastated. He was only 7 years old. But now as I reflect on what his life meant to me, I realize that he was here for a reason. He helped me get through one of the most difficult times in my life. Once he saw that I was going to be okay, he moved on.

I believe that our pets come into our lives for a reason. They leave when their work is done. As painful as that is, know that your Crystal accomplished what she set out to do being your pet. Now it's time for her to move on and be there for someone else.

Re: Social media and new media are not the same

Susan Murphy — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:47:00 -0000

I agree, Chris, but there is an important distinction to make, in my opinion.

I see "new media" as the whole, encompassing all forms of content delivery via the Web. I actually see social media as more a subset of new media, a form of content delivery not unlike audio or video. It's true that social media is inherently two-way, but then again video and audio have that capacity as well. So does that make video and audio social media, or new media (In the case of your blog, perhaps, yes, because I can leave a video comment!)?

In the end, it's a real grey area, I think. We are all in this space, inventing it as we go along. I guess it's up to us to some how define it too.

Posts like yours are great because they get people thinking. I'm going off to ponder now. Thanks!

Re: Why do we take unnecessary risks?

Susan Murphy — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 09:48:49 -0000

It's that sense that so many people have that they are invincible, the "it can't happen to me", that boggles my mind. I

Yesterday, my husband and I were discussing the "rationale" behind staying. He made an excellent point - people are so attached to their belongings that they are afraid to leave and come back to nothing. I agree, the prospect of leaving my home and coming back to a pile of rubble is heart-wrenching - but not so heart wrenching that I'd be willing to put my family's lives at risk to try and "protect" my stuff. It's just stuff, things, belongings. Stuff can be replaced. Lives cannot.

If people were less attached to their material lives, perhaps they would think twice before throwing their 6 month old baby in the path of a hurricane.

Re: Enduring darkness

Susan Murphy — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:27:31 -0000

Chris - thank you for writing this. It seems that so many people are mired in negativity about the economic situation, and we all know that negativity gets us nowhere. Your positive attitude is a welcome contribution - I wish more people would take your lead.

Yes, the financial crisis is worrisome. Yes, the reality is some people may not make it. There are times in life when things are simply out of our control - this is one of them. However, there are certain things one CAN control about this economic situation. No matter what, I can control my REACTION to this crisis. I can choose to hide my head in the sand, or I can choose to hold my head up high, keep my eyes open, and look for the opportunities to continue on, build my support network and move through it.

Re: PodCamp in 2009: Thoughts for organizers

Susan Murphy — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 09:23:01 -0000

And now, for something completely different.

Podcamp Ottawa 2 was held this weekend and here's what I liked about the format.

Small: Registration was limited to 80 people, in part I think, due to time, space and manageability constraints. In the end, we had about 30 people, which is about a third more than last year.

Short: PC Ott is a 1 day, six hour event. There were 5 sessions in all. Originally there were two tracks but we ended up all participating in one conversation. They were focused, not too long, and Mark kept his eye on the time so we could keep the day moving.

Informal: We sat on the floor in a circle (as you see in Julien's photo http://tinyurl.com/6zr2sa) and it was very casual and lent itself well to conversation and participation.

Don't get me wrong, I love the bigger PC events. I'm all for organization and for participant-paid models. My point is, there is something to be said for keeping it super small and simple. We all got a lot out of the day and nobody was stressed by months of planning. This is a great way to run a PC event for anyone living in a smaller community or who just wants to get up and running without massive expense or time.

Re: 8,000 Twitter Tweets - a video celebration

Susan Murphy — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:51:58 -0000

Congratulations Dave! The best part are the looks of confusion on their faces when they say "Tweets". :-)

Here's to 8000 more!

Re: Why Video Will Be So Important in 2009

Susan Murphy — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:40:05 -0000

Being a video person myself , I wholeheartedly agree that online video is set to come of age in 2009. As both a producer of video and a consumer, I for one can't wait!

What will be important is for companies to ensure that the videos they produce work to effectively convey their messages. It's a visual medium...I hope companies are able to use it to its fullest potential.

Re: Contest and Giveaway: Squirrel

Susan Murphy — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 23:44:14 -0000

Mac is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Which is defined, according to Wikipedia anyway, as: "Atoning for educatability through delicate beauty" or simply "Fantastic" as Merriam Webster says. Fitting, methinks. :-)

Re: Bill Gates and Seinfield must have a higher IQ than me.

Susan Murphy — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 12:10:00 -0000

I think I get what they are going for. By putting Gates in a typically human situation (shopping for discount shoes, eating a tasty snack) he's being reintroduced to the public, not as a corporate mogul but as a regular dude. Brings him and his brand back down to earth a bit.

How does Jerry Seinfeld play into this? Well, Gates isn't really too interesting on his own, as we've seen in some of his previous works. So throw in a superstar comedian and make Billy the straight man. Classic comedy formula, works every time.

I'm sure there will be follow up ads - this is only the beginning of the campaign. I am interested to see what else they come up with. It's hard to beat "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC", but looks like that's what they might be attempting to do.

Re: Arrest that man, his iPod is naked!

Susan Murphy — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:46:45 -0000

I'd rather run the risk of not looking so cool than go to grab my iPhone out of my purse and have it go flying out of my hand, landing 10 feet away with a crash. Phone condoms are definitely the way to go - play it safe!

Re: How To Win Buy In For Social Media | Social Media Explorer

Susan Murphy — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 08:57:20 -0000

Hallelujah, Jason!
I too had this realization a short time ago and have been blogging and talking to people about it a lot in the past little while. We are too mired in the buzzwords and lingo. I'd love to stop using the words "social media" altogether.

I think that the way people are using the Web is evolving before our eyes, and what we are trying to communicate to our clients is that there are strategies and techniques they can employ that will enable them to be successful within this new medium.

As you say, we need to figure out what it's like to "live in someone's world". That means getting to know how our clients communicate and build relationships currently, and helping them to find the right solutions for them.

Re: The Future of Social Media | Social Media Explorer

Susan Murphy — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:40:22 -0000

Well said, Jason! I love these "predictions" kind of posts, because it give hope for the future and gives us takeaways we can start using now.

One area that I think is relatively untapped as yet is the ability for online communities to rally together in one way or another for the better good of humanity. It may seem like an idealistic attitude, but I do believe that we have laid out in front of us the tools we need to make connections that will be helpful to the whole world, from saving the environment to banishing poverty and ending wars.

No longer do we live in isolation from one another. At the click of a button I can start a revolution. That is proven on a smaller scale every time someone does an event like this http://tweetsgiving.org/ and raises tens of thousands of dollars in 48 hours. Imagine the possibilities if we scale this up over time.

As with any revolution, there will be detractors of all kinds. This is part of the natural progression of this type of fundamental shift in how we communicate. The world will never be the same now that the Internet is here. And it will only continue to evolve before our eyes.

Re: My glibness in the Globe and Mail

Susan Murphy — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 07:59:02 -0000

Maybe you could set up a daily conference call with that guy. :-)
Great article, Ryan, and excellent quote! Congrats.

Re: In a Past Life, Social Media Turned Me Into a People Hater (But Now I Love People Again :-)

Susan Murphy — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:27:44 -0000

Glad you are back, Clay!

Re: It IS Your Fault

Susan Murphy — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 07:00:11 -0000

Just when I am about to start wondering why I jumped off the cliff and out on my own, just when I'm about to hit the panic button and retreat to the cozy confines of security and safety, you come along and kick my ass.

Thank you!

Re: What’s Ailing Me: A Raging Case of Blogger’s Envy

Susan Murphy — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 20:00:11 -0000

What I love about this space is how people are able to get connected in the strangest ways. You said on Twitter last night that you're not sure how you ended up on my profile page, but you did, then you reached out to me, and now here I am! Love your blog, look forward to reading more!

Susan Murphy's Recent post...How Small Towns Are Social Networks

Re: http://gary.tumblr.com/post/78884559

Susan Murphy — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:16:29 -0000

Hmmm...some pretty compelling reasons to be green. But, I feel just as strongly about blue...so alas I must stay where I am.

Go Blue! :-)

Re: http://gary.tumblr.com/post/78887084

Susan Murphy — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 06:58:28 -0000

I agree 100% with what you are saying here. Facebook (and maybe some other apps too) need to evolve or they risk becoming obsolete.

The apps in Facebook are good, most of them are useless to me, and I find FB all a bit boring these days. I mostly only go it it because someone has sent me a message.

Funny though I post my Twitter feed updates to FB now and I've had several of my FB friends inquire about what "Twittering" is. Some have even started to use it - people who I'd consider "mainstream" and would otherwise have never come across Twitter.

Re: http://gary.tumblr.com/post/78889856

Susan Murphy — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:48:36 -0000

100% absolutely yes!!!

The same notion holds true in any business - the customer/user/friend is always first. They call the shots - as business owners our job is to listen.

Keep doing these posts! They rock my world.

Re: How Social Media is Teaching Us to Give Again | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:46:40 -0000

Excellent observation. Whereas in times of financial crisis, the world seems to adopt an "every man for himself" attitude, social media seems to come together in spite of adversity. The more the stock market tumbles, the more information, advice and expertise is being shared among communities online.

As you say, the ultimate question is getting the ones with the deep pockets to realize what's happening and take advantage of the wisdom of these communities.

(And yes, we had Yuppies on this side of the pond, too! :)

<abbr>Susan Murphy´s last blog post..Let It Be</abbr>

Re: Why Closed Comments Discourage Social Media, Not Encourage | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:38:14 -0000

Bloggers that don't allow comments on their blogs are not bloggers. They are people with static web sites. I don't even bother subscribing...not because I feel the urge to comment on everything I see, but because the comments are often as interesting (or in the case of my blog, MORE interesting :) than what the blogger wrote in the first place!

<abbr>Susan Murphy´s last blog post..To Vote or Not To Vote</abbr>

Re: Social Media, Twitter and the Quest for Superiority Amongst Friends | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 08:59:32 -0000

I don't think there's anything wrong with having lots of followers if that's what you want to do. I also don't have a problem with people tweeting about how many followers they have (I've done it myself) - but it's really about the intention with which they do it. I tweeted about my 5000th tweet the other day because, as Amber pointed out, it's something of a milestone. I did the whole thing rather jokingly (had a Twitter party, goofed around about being poetic) and it was a fun little interaction to break up the day. No harm done, and I don't think I was perceived as being elitist. At least I hope not!

You have a very good point, though. There are people lurking about Twitter who are there to only serve their own purposes all the time. The ones who ONLY post links to their blog or their company's web site yet don't make any other contribution to the community. Sure, everyone is there to promote something and I see nothing wrong with that. But in addition to shilling their wares, people should make an effort promote others, say something genuine, and just interact. Isn't that really what it's all about?

<abbr>Susan Murphy´s last blog post..Why I Blog</abbr>

Re: Understanding Social Media and Why Your Business Needs a Presence | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:29:56 -0000

Danny - awesome post! By breaking it down into defined steps like this, you are giving people some tools so they can go about making the right decisions for their business. I like that you never cite social media as the be all and end all of a business marketing plan. There's too much of that going around the Web these days.

This practical approach is one that I'm using with my clients and one that I intend to teach my students about next semester.

Thanks!

<abbr>Susan Murphy´s last blog post..And I’ll Tell Two Friends…</abbr>

Re: You Know You're NOT a Social Media Guru When... | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:47:17 -0000

I love the analogies you guys are striking with this - snakeoil and the Emperor's New Clothes are two of my favourites.

Thanks for your comments - they are very insightful!

Really what it comes down to is we should all take the word of these self-proclaimed gurus at face value. By doing some research, and by listening to what people are saying, we can definitely filter out the snake oil sellers from the genuine experts.

<abbr>Susan Murphy´s last blog post..In Case You Were Wondering…</abbr>

Re: Writing versus Blogging - Is There a Difference | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:22:42 -0000

@worldofhiglet I have to disagree on this one - not all blogs are written - in other words, blogs take on different forms - video blogs and photo blogs and art blogs and so on.

Certainly many blogs use the written word, mine included. Is that writing? Well of course it is!

I am a writer. I don't write novels (although I have at least 3 beginnings of novels to date!), I don't write poetry. I write about my thoughts on things. What people do in the comments is also writing.

So blogs and writing - they are the same and different at the same time!

<abbr>Susan Murphy´s last blog post..Surviving the Topsy Turvy Job Market</abbr>

Re: Is Social Media a Language of Its Own | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 07:57:02 -0000

Jacki you rock. Thanks for shedding a new perspective on this. Us social media fans do tend to live in a bubble sometimes. It's perspectives like yours that help us to balance our self-centred views and see that indeed, there's more than one way to do things.

I do agree with what Lucretia says about the community building aspect of social media. Social media tools help to create a one-to-many relationship as opposed to a one on one. That kind of communication is not necessary for everyone, but there is value in it for many people.

At the end of the day, it's definitely not essential that people use or even know what these tools are about. They do have their place, but it's up to each individual what they use and how they use it.

Thanks for sharing your perspective, I look forward to you taking over Danny's blog more often! :-)

<abbr>Susan Murphy´s last blog post..On Thankfulness</abbr>

Re: Why the Black Friday Madness Has to Stop | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 18:21:44 -0000

My brother told me an even more tragic story about this today. He said that he saw a cell phone video someone was taking of paramedics trying to revive the trampled man. The people taking the video could be heard laughing and joking about the incident.

There is no place in our world for ignorance such as this. What has our society come to if we can't conduct ourselves like civilized human beings.

Lives were lost in this incident, and over what? Saving a few bucks so someone's spoiled kid can have yet another gadget they probably don't need in the first place. It's pathetic and disgusting.

Christmas is supposed to be a time of peace, sharing and being close to one's family and friends. I'm frankly appalled that we've gone down such a path, to a lifestyle of consumerism and excess and consumption.

I think we should all take a step back this holiday season. Away from the busy stores and the overspending and the gluttony. Maybe it's time to think about relaxing a little more this Christmas. Maybe, instead of spending $800 on a new laptop for your kid, consider donating some of that money to a local homeless shelter. Maybe spend a little more time making some gifts for people. Maybe just spend a bit more time with the people you love, and count your blessings that you don't have to face the kind of tragedy that these poor families now have to face.

Re: Why We ALL Need To Be Chris Brogan's Rockstars | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:05:36 -0000

Well said, my friend. There is a tendency for people to take advantage of the vast networks that the leaders of our communities have worked so hard to build. It's kind of unfair to expect one person to take on the responsibility of promoting, tweeting or shouting out the interests of all the others.

The true meaning of a Rockstar, in my understanding, is someone who is a participant and a contributor in a community, not someone who expects the world of others and provides little or nothing in return.

We should all be a little more respectful of the time and influence of those who are leading and teaching us in this space, and as Danny says, focus on spreading the good word of others a little more often instead of just worrying about ourselves.

<abbr>Susan Murphy´s last blog post..Social Media is NOT an Innovation</abbr>

Re: Turning Towns Into Cities | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 18:19:32 -0000

The point you hit on here, Danny is profound. Make social media relevant to the average person by using it for real world benefits. It's time we all went beyond the bubble.

Taking social media to the next level requires going back to basics...find the fundamental usefulness of the medium by finding out what people really need.

They don't need more shilling. They don't need more blatant advertising. They do need real information that makes sense to their needs.

Find the ways to do that in your communities...and the real benefits will become blatantly clear.

<abbr>Susan Murphy´s last blog post..How Small Towns Are Social Networks</abbr>

Re: When Does Embellishing End and Lying Begin | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:43:13 -0000

Interesting that they've posted an apology on the site now, but have not removed the post itself. Disgusting, is right.

Re: Acorns and Oak Trees | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:22:18 -0000

What this guy fails to realize is that small companies grow into big companies all the time. Wouldn't it be better to be in on the ground floor of someone who is growing their business than to ride on the coattails of a giant corporation whose stream of cash may be fleeting? Case in point - Nortel Networks.

Buddy can have his big corps and their deep pockets. But when the well runs dry it will be the small guys who win.

Great post!

Re: Acorns and Oak Trees | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:30:28 -0000

oh, and not that he'll listen or anything, but you may want to direct your acquaintance to this post by Julien - http://inoveryourhead.net/how-to-improve-your-bus...

:-)

Re: Rocks and Foundations | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 15:36:34 -0000

My rock is most definitely my husband. What I love best is that no matter how crazy my life gets (and it gets pretty crazy), home is my soft spot to land, and he is the one who makes it that way.

For a foundation I couldn't ask for better than my family. They made me who I am today, and it's with their love and support that I continue my journey forward.

Thanks for the reminder that the foundation upon which you sit and the rocks that are your support are worthy of our acknowledgment as often as possible.

Re: Are We Listening | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:41:39 -0000

Like so many other things, listening is a skill that must be developed. The best advice I've heard about how to listen effectively comes from spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle, who says that the way to ensure that you are really, really listening is to remain focused in the now. If all other distractions are cleared away, then you are able to clearly set your intention on listening to the person who is talking to you and absorbing their message.

It's much, much easier said than done - but try it next time you are at an event, in a room full of people. Try to let everything else go, and focus all your attention on the person who is talking to you. Not only will you get more out of the conversation, but the person will respond to your focused energy in a positive way and you'll make an even stronger connection. It works! Try it! :)

Re: My Gift to You - Hurry, Offer Ends Soon | danny brown

Susan Murphy — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:21:18 -0000

you, my friend, are a funny, funny man. Please sign me up and a course for all my friends too. You forgot to mention the first 50 applicants get a free Sham-Wow.

Re: When Was The Last Time...

Susan Murphy — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 07:57:59 -0000

The line has blurred for me personally when it comes to in person connections vs. online ones. Perhaps it's because I try at every opportunity to actually meet face to face with people I've met online. Perhaps it's because, once I do meet them, I feel as if the connection has gotten deeper. You're right..there's nothing that compares to in-person human interaction. You can't get that same connection through Skype, or Twitter, or even video chat.

I met my friend Jon Swanson face to face for the first time last week, after about a year of only knowing each other online. Until I spoke to him on the phone about 1/2 hour before our meeting, we'd only ever communicated in TEXT. That's right - our ENTIRE friendship was based on text conversations. You and I were the same way, Danny, for about 6 months, remember? This small fact has not made us any less friends.

Jon summed it up brilliantly. He said that when you finally meet someone face to face, the conversation just continues in the physical world. Then once you move back to the online space, it just continues again. Same conversation. Different realms.

So I guess what I've learned is both types of relationships are equally meaningful and valuable. And I no longer categorize people into "online friends" and "in-person friends". They're all friends.

Re: Does Twitter Monitor Its Brand? Fake-Twitter.com Suggests No

Susan Murphy — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:07:28 -0000

Something I've been saying for a while is, social media is not about the tools. Unfortunately, our perceived utter dependance on things like Twitter, Facebook and even our own blogs is so ingrained in the way we do things that when the tools don't function like they should or, inevitably, malicious uses begin to come about, we do nothing more than throw up the red flags, panic, and talk about it ad nauseum - without even considering other alternatives.

At what point are we going to stop being so dependant on the creators of online tools for our success in this medium? Whether it's Twitter buckling under it's own weight, or Facebook continuing to be marred by poor design and bad privacy, perhaps it's time for us to start to focus more on relationships - not only between each other but between all of the information we have made available online.

Re: Community Spirit: The Book (and How To Be a Part of It)

Susan Murphy — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:51:58 -0000

Community is the reason many of us get up in the morning. The sense of camaraderie, sharing, and friendship that one feels when one is part of a strong community is unmatched by just about any other type of relationship.

Tools are tools. In the "old" days (15 years ago), communities were built using tools such as the telephone, handwritten correspondence, or with face to face interactions. Communities of old were unshakable and capable of changing lives on a daily basis.

Now, we have tools that provide us access to a worldwide and instantaneous network of like-minded people. The power I, as an individual, now have to listen, learn, share, create and collaborate with people from anywhere, at any moment, is vast and awe-inspiring.

This IS the next big thing. We are living in an era of great change, great challenges and great expectations. It's by virtue of these strong community ties that we are able to meet our planet's most serious issues head on. Community is the great connector, the great equalizer, and quite possibly the thing that will mean our ultimate success in overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds.

Thank you, Danny, for leading the charge - for without great leaders, great communities will never flourish.

Re: Death of a Blogger

Susan Murphy — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:46:48 -0000

Nicely done, dude. Just made my Dr.'s appointment. :)

Re: The Best (and Worst?) Autoresponders of 2007

Susan Murphy — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 07:55:23 -0000

All of this makes me wonder what we did BEFORE email? Did we get more accomplished, or just try to do less in a day?

I do not have an auto-responder on my email but I have removed the automatic email check function from my software and keep my Blackberry on "phone only" so I am not notified every time someone sends me a message. I tend to check email about every 2 or 3 hours now during the day and that works well for me. Not once has a client complained because it's taken me more time to get back to them. It's been life-altering!

My own pet peeve is when someone sends me an email and then calls immediately after to notify me that they have sent me an email.

Re: Beating the Morning Rush: The 3-Minute “Slow-Carb” Breakfast

Susan Murphy — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 06:59:26 -0000

I just had this for breakfast (minus the flax seed oil but I added some light feta cheese). It was delicious and I feel ready to face the day!

Unfortunately I didn't have any wine on hand so the swig was out, but next time...:-)

Thanks for the great recipe, would love to see more.

Sue

Re: SNACK- Goodbye to NEW Media

Susan Murphy — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 09:51:54 -0000

Effective immediately, I am eliminating the term "new media" from my vocabulary. eMedia it is!

(Does this mean your "New Media School" is going to be re-branded as the "eMedia School"?

Re: Presentations As Relationships

Susan Murphy — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 12:14:40 -0000

A presentation with no slides? I'd be terrified. To me that is like walking a tightrope without a safety net. But I will heed your advice about making a presentation like a conversation. Really connecting with the audience. I have a ginormous presentation to give in a little over 2 weeks from now. This post couldn't have come at a better time!

Re: Community Site in a Box

Susan Murphy — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 20:26:56 -0000

I would do all of the above. Too often the organizations that are doing all of this wonderful work for great causes get caught up in their own politics and administration. They forget why they are there in the first place - to help people in need.

It's all about giving a voice to those people...for when they have a voice, they have the power to change things for the better.

This gives me a brilliant idea for the next big project I am working on. I'm off to create....

Re: Small Boxes 19- PodCamp Toronto

Susan Murphy — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 07:48:40 -0000

Thanks for the memories :-)

Re: One Thing To do Different Today

Susan Murphy — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 10:25:55 -0000

I guess it would be storytelling, then. And I have many to tell. Important ones. Life-altering, in fact.

Re: Leading a Community

Susan Murphy — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 12:55:38 -0000

Communities only work when everyone contributes. It's like being in a band, or a choir. If one person doesn't practice enough, or focus enough, the whole group suffers. A community is not just its leaders, it is the sum of all its parts, good, bad and ugly. That's what keeps it interesting. Like anything that takes effort, there will be challenges, and celebrations. In the end everyone will grow, and will have been part of something that is important to them.

Re: Play Your Own Music

Susan Murphy — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 12:21:06 -0000

I used to sing in an a capella quartet. The most important quality in a good quartet is the way the voices blend with one another. All of our voices had different qualities; bright and high, dark and low, etc. But when they came together they made something really beautiful.

I strive to surround myself with people who have different qualities that they can bring to the relationship. But when it all comes together, it blends into something amazing.

Re: Personal Branding

Susan Murphy — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 10:58:49 -0000

"I spent my entire 20s thinking that I was a writer. When I threw away that label, I started writing like there was no tomorrow. Go figure."

Brilliant.

Re: The Importance of Collaborative Creativity

Susan Murphy — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 09:02:39 -0000

The most fun I ever have is when I am creating something with other people. One person alone can create great things, of course. But two or more heads together make magic.

Re: David Lynch on Product Placement

Susan Murphy — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 08:04:22 -0000

Brilliant - totally F$%*in brilliant.

Re: Small Boxes 22- The Gray Place

Susan Murphy — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 08:10:08 -0000

Great clip! So I can hire you to edit our videos, right? :-)

Re: Announcing the PodCamp Foundation

Susan Murphy — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 20:59:52 -0000

Fantastic idea! Organizing like this is a very good thing. If there is any way I can help out just let me know!

Re: Why Do New Media Types Like Multiples

Susan Murphy — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 07:42:44 -0000

I've always been involved in a hundred things at the same time, it seems. I think I get the trait from my parents, who, when I was growing up, were always on the go with this community group or that charity, organizing events, attending events, all while working full time jobs and raising two kids. Even in their retirement, they have barely slowed down. They just take more vacations now.

For me, it's more than just "keeping busy". My business partner and I were just joking yesterday, that between the two of us, it seems as if we know just about everybody in our city. Or at least we know someone who knows someone. We are well connected because we have worked on so much stuff. It's critical to be involved in order to build your network. And now that we are doing our many projects for a living, it's even more important to have a lot on the go.

Re: Chris Brogan One Year Later

Susan Murphy — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 11:15:16 -0000

I think you will be doing the same type of work you are doing now, only on a much larger scale, to a much larger audience. I see you as the go-to guy for all things new media. Look for Chris writing books, touring with his books, making shows, and appearing on shows (mainstream and otherwise) as the preeminent expert on new media and the online community.

Oh, and you'll be paid huge sums of money to do all of that too. No more lemony Saturns for you, my friend! :-)

Re: Presentation or Conversation

Susan Murphy — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 08:11:27 -0000

I had someone say to me a few weeks ago that "I don't really prepare much for presentations, I just get up there and ramble on". I'm all for the "free flowing" approach you speak of here, but I saw this person's presentation - and it wasn't all that great. It lacked focus, people lost interest, and they walked away confused.

I have given tons of presentations and the most successful I've done are when the audience feels as if they are a part of it (like you say, it's a conversation). But no matter whether I am pointing at a rectangle or sitting in the middle of a group, I am always prepared.

Just because someone wants to perform a "managed conversation" doesn't mean they can just get up and ramble. It is the facilitator's responsibility to keep the conversation flowing and to ensure that people are going to walk away with the knowledge and information they came for. Otherwise the presenter may waste their audience's money and time.

Re: Jon Glassett Opens a Time Capsule

Susan Murphy — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 22:05:04 -0000

You are a brave, brave man.

My high school photos are long buried, along with my stirrup pants, high cut sneakers and "Thriller" album.

Re: In Praise of Jesters

Susan Murphy — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 08:25:22 -0000

People often ask us how we came up with our company name, Jester Creative. To be honest, it was originally just a mish mash of our initials (my partner's, JR, and my former initials, ST).

But as time went on, we realized what our name really means. And you have hit the nail on the head here. We thrive on original thought, not taking "no" for an answer, and creating unique solutions to people's problems. And we're funny, too.

Re: Wake Up

Susan Murphy — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 07:48:56 -0000

Chris I think one of the key things you point out here is that the list is never going to be empty (and that's not necessarily a bad thing!). Sometimes I think "Someday I'll be so rich and successful that I can just lay on a warm sunny beach all day long and have not a care in the world!" But it's not true, because even once I make it to that sunny beach, there will always be something to do...I'll have to remember to call my mom, or do my laundry (or at least call someone to come do it for me!) and yes, I'll still have to pay taxes. I think if my list was actually empty, I'd get bored.

But the point is, that's life! And it really is what one makes of it. It's alll about maintenance. Do that maintenance consistently, and don't let those little tasks pile up, and you'll be amazed how much time there is to pursue all that needs pursuing.

Live every moment, and don't spend so much time worrying about the little things that need to get done. Write it on a list, then forget about it until it's your scheduled "maintenance" time. Like an oil change - you dont' drive your car around continuously thinking about its next oil change. So don't live your life focused on the maintenance. Just live it for what it is at this moment.

Re: When Points Get Missed

Susan Murphy — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 14:18:56 -0000

Chris Brogan, once again you've hit the nail right on the head. There are definitely two camps out there right now, the audio and the video. The same is true in traditional broadcast media. Arguments can be made for the effectiveness of both.

The truth is, nobody knows how this will really play out. But my guess is that once Internet video can be easily consumed using a regular TV (and isn't a luxury for those who want to shell out for an Apple TV or XBox, etc.) people will start to see the true value in video over audio.

Currently most of my video watching occurs on my TV set, not on my computer screen. Let's say I watch, oh, 4 hours a day of TV (I don't, really, but lets say I do). The TV I watch is what is offered through my cable box, nothing more. But throw podcasts up on my TV screen and things change. No more reruns of "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "CSI" for me. Now all the content I want is right where I want it. Sitting in a box in front of my sofa.

Chris, you make a very valid point and definitely are showing the big picture possibilities that exist here. I can't wait to see how it all plays out!

Re: Twitter Literati

Susan Murphy — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:18:34 -0000

You-gle! I love it! This post has made me want to get back onto Twitter.:-)

Re: Google Releases Social Graph API

Susan Murphy — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:50:40 -0000

That is friggin' cool.

Re: Screencast of Google Reader

Susan Murphy — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 16:55:35 -0000

I now see Google Reader in a whole new way. Thanks! What did you use to create your screencast? Very smooth!

Re: Succeeding in Independent Online Media

Susan Murphy — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:32:59 -0000

Trying to break into a new market like Internet television is tough, mostly because nobody else has come up with a proven model for success yet. There is no real model to follow at all, so everyone who wants to be in it is out there messing around with it in the off hours from their real job/life and trying to figure out how to get the most bang for the buck.

Coming from traditional broadcast television, I am learning that even on the web, creating good quality, watchable shows can be expensive and time consuming. That may be part of the reason the content is so slow to get up there.

Maybe it's about shaking up the model of conventional TV a bit..finding some clever ways to build your audience without having to sell the farm to get the darn thing on the air.

I think the bottom line is, it's about having a good idea for a show in the first place, then getting out there and just 'pressing record' as you say, Chris. Otherwise it's just a bunch of us sitting around on our duffs waiting for someone else to do it first.

I for one intend to make it on your list, Chris...and soon. Stay tuned!

Re: Facebook Could Get Really Creepy

Susan Murphy — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:14:38 -0000

Ok I'm going to play devil's advocate too.

Firstly, Facebook selling information to companies shouldn't come as a complete shock to anyone. If some company is going to find out about my habits via my Facebook page then advertise to me accordingly, they can go right ahead. In the end, I have the choice to open my wallet to those advertisers or not. It's the same as if I see a commercial on TV.

Secondly, governments have always been able to get information about their citizens. OK, having it all in one centralized location is convenient, but it's really nothing new. If anyone is truly paranoid about the government knowing about their habits, they should shut down their bank accounts, cancel their credit cards, stop traveling, and sell their houses.

This presentation, although well done (reminds me of Michael Moore a bit in the delivery) serves only to make people more paranoid. "Big Brother" exists, and frankly, I'd rather they knew a bit about my innocent, boring, average life. Because that means they know about the bad people too, and hopefully can work to protect me, my loved ones, and, yes, even my Facebook friends from them.

Re: Alltop of My Game

Susan Murphy — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:08:33 -0000

I like the layout, not sure it would be of use to me, unless I could customize a similar page to read sites I want to read, maybe with suggestions for content based on what the AllTop aggregator is spewing forth.

Re: Why PodCamp Toronto Will Be Cool

Susan Murphy — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 08:42:30 -0000

Unfortunately I did not get my you-know-what together in time to make the trip down. It's a sorry excuse, I know. But I will be in virtual attendance! Have a great time!

Re: Ads or No

Susan Murphy — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:16:23 -0000

Figure out why you really want to put ads on your site in the first place. Is it only about the money? (Somehow, from what I know about you, I don't think so.) Or is it also about adding value for your readers by providing ads relevant to what you are talking about.

As a business owner, I can tell you that every decision we make with our company revolves around two things - value for the client and potential for making money. If it leans too much towards the client, we don't make any money and the business fails. If it leans too much towards making money, we lose all our clients and the business fails. It's fine balance, and one that we need to continually revisit.

Take the same tactic when it comes to running your web site and you can't lose. Good luck!

Re: Facebook Apps And Me

Susan Murphy — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:51:06 -0000

thank you thank you thank you thank you
for showing me the "Ignore All" button!

(thank you! :-)

Re: Reaching Inbox Zero

Susan Murphy — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 06:35:54 -0000

Congratulations on reaching "inbox 0"! I've always been a bit obsessive-compulsive about keeping the messages in my inbox streamlined as much as possible, mostly because I'm a bit of a chronic worrier so if messages are burning a hole in my inbox it makes me very uncomfortable.

The inbox does get away from me sometimes, but when that happens I'll just set aside some time to file everything and then I feel better.

My secret has always been when I check email (and I'm trying REALLY hard to adopt the Timothy Ferriss method of once or twice a day at the most!) I deal with each email immediately. I respond, or forward to the appropriate person for processing, or I make a phone call, or whatever. If I need more information before I can respond, I leave it in the inbox until I am able to respond. And all those chain letters, slideshows and cute puppy pictures are immediately deleted, without a second glance.

This system works pretty well for me, and I don't tend to miss important stuff.

I think there is no one right or wrong way to achieve "inbox 0"...everyone organizes their work differently. This is just what works for me.

Re: New Site Design Launched

Susan Murphy — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:17:19 -0000

It's fantastic. Love the colours.

Re: 10 Ways To Make Your Next Conference Better

Susan Murphy — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 07:00:23 -0000

Pack some high protein snacks (yogurt, nuts, cheese) in your bag or purse. Networking burns lots of energy and you don't want to be hungry and grumpy, or distracted about what's for lunch.

Don't have too many cocktails in the evenings, tempting as it might be. It will wreck your day if you have a headache.

Stay in the moment and pay attention to what's going on around you. Don't worry about what people think about you - suck it up, and just get out there and yak with people.

Follow up, follow up, follow up...follow up.

And I think the most important tip for attending a conference...HAVE FUN.

Re: What it Felt Like to Have No Blog for 8 Days

Susan Murphy — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:56:08 -0000

Glad you are back online!

Further to what Justin Rasmussen said, I think people are still working on figuring out the best way for companies to maintain a blog.

First, there's the content of the blog. Companies should have a definite focus for their blog content before they start rambling endlessly about this product or that. As Justin said, no sales-schlepping! That just turns people off. A company should set some guidelines for blog content at the outset.

Also, how do you keep people motivated to keep contributing to a company blog? Usually they start off really keen, but other commitments start to push in on posting time, and it trails off quickly.

I think designating who are the best people in the company to blog, and giving them guidance as to the most effective topics and methods are keys to a corporate blog's success.

I appreciate what Rick Wolff says too about the "outside the fishbowl" audience. Some valuable info to be gathered here for sure.

Re: Off Topic- This Robot Scares the Christmas Out of Me

Susan Murphy — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 08:13:12 -0000

cool! I want one. I'm thinking I could send it out to get my groceries, walk my dogs, mow the lawn....

Re: Seven Blog Improvements You Can Make Today

Susan Murphy — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:10:01 -0000

Thanks for this post. I just re-read the bio on my blog, and it was horrendous! I just re-wrote it and added a picture. I may re-write it again after some more caffeine.

These are some great points to consider, a good checklist!

Re: Social Media Starter Moves for Freelancers

Susan Murphy — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 06:45:49 -0000

What you say about "Don’t be so eager to get paid for every little thing you do." is very true. Of course, being careful about what you don't get paid for is the key. Here's an example of how it can work well for you, though.

Let's say you have a friend/acquaintance who is starting up a small business. You know they don't have much money, but they need a web site. Rather than turning down an opportunity because they don't have the cash, negotiate a small fee (that maybe can be paid partly in gift certificates or in exchange for some of their services). Do a fabulous job on their site, and they will not only tell everyone they know (like their friends who HAVE money to spend!) but down the road when they are successful they will come back to you to build that online shopping cart or reservation system or hire you to help them make a podcast, etc.)

Offering something for free is fine, but ensure that the recipient of your free services or advice is aware that you are a professional and that your time and skills are worth something, even if its not monetary. They will always come back for more.

Re: My Only April Fools Joke

Susan Murphy — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 06:14:15 -0000

You're just trying to get two sets of birthday wishes, aren't you. Well we'll just see about THAT! :-P

Re: Making Business Sense of Social Media

Susan Murphy — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 06:45:10 -0000

This post is very much in line with a book I am reading right now called "A Whole New Mind - Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future" by Daniel Pink.

http://tinyurl.com/5ud6td

A great read for anyone interested in new ways of doing business.

Re: Who Am I Really

Susan Murphy — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:12:26 -0000

Happy actual birthday, Chris. Thanks for being such an inspiration!

Re: Alert Thingy Helps Make FriendFeed Indispensible

Susan Murphy — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:56:16 -0000

hmm. this might just bring me back to FriendFeed.

Love Adobe AIR apps!

Re: Why PodCamp Boston 3 Costs 50 Bucks

Susan Murphy — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:25:02 -0000

Frankly, I'm impressed that you guys can pull this off for just $35K.

I don't think a charging $50 discredits the concept of an un-conference in any way.

I think the fee is absolutely reasonable. In fact, had there been a similar fee for Toronto's Podcamp this year, I may not have been so quick to sign up without first checking my schedule properly, ensuring I wasn't double booked, etc. Instead, I was one of those who had to cancel at the last minute (sorry). Hopefully the fee will help to avoid some of that (and at the same time cover off some of the expenses).

The value I got from just attending one Podcamp FAR outweighs a $50 registration fee.

Keep up the good work - I am seriously considering attending!

Re: Subscription Drive

Susan Murphy — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:41:16 -0000

We the readers might be interesting, but you are the reason people keep coming back! :-)

Re: Thinking About Magazines

Susan Murphy — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:07:21 -0000

It comes down to whether these companies can actually see the business value to social media.

Why should National Geographic care if I can upload my own video? They spend millions of dollars a year to send the best photographers and videographers all over the world to capture the images that they say reflect our planet.

How is my amateur video going to benefit their advertisers and help them sell magazines(which is really what all print media cares most about)? How are my photo, video and text submissions going to contribute to their bottom line?

I'm not saying that there ISN'T value in these big magazines adopting social media. Maybe they need to see it as a way to increase their reader base, tap into an audience that is ready to be an active participant, instead of a passive reader. More subscribers equals more sales equals happy advertisers equals success.

It's a challenge, for sure.

Re: Starting Points for Online Presence

Susan Murphy — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 07:49:19 -0000

This is a great starter kit. I'll be sure to pass it around to my friends who are looking to develop their presence.

I might also recommend for PC users looking to do quick and easy screen capture/sharing, Techsmith's Jing http://www.jingproject.com/ as Skitch is only available for Mac.

Re: Share Hope

Susan Murphy — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:03:36 -0000

Chris - great post. Thanks for sharing this link. Very inspiring.

David - you are a rock star and this site is amazing. Best of luck with it!

Re: Some Differences Between Pitching Mainstream Press and Bloggers

Susan Murphy — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:40:37 -0000

Oooo this is one of my favourite topics these days!

Having been involved in both mainstream and not-so-mainstream media over the years, I have to say that one of the key differences between mainstream media and bloggers is that mainstream media's bottom line always has been, and always will be dictated by advertisers.

How does this affect the way media captures and covers events? Simple. They cover the stories that will get them the most readers/listeners/viewers and that makes their advertisers happy. The boilerplate press release is their friend because there is no filtering required, they just cover the stories that are sure to be most popular (read: what everyone else is covering).

Bloggers and not-so-mainstream media (like community access stations) are not held by the same rules at all, and that means the approach HAS to be different. When I worked in community access TV, I was boilerplate press release pitched continuously (20 - 30 a day), and I rarely responded to any of them. What I did respond to was personal contact (phone, email) and someone telling me why their story was unique.

In light of the emerging "blogger media" empire, mainstream media has some serious adjustments to make over the next little while if they hope to compete.

Re: What Were Your First Steps

Susan Murphy — Fri, 02 May 2008 09:59:27 -0000

My first step/introduction to social media was at Podcamp Toronto 2007. It was life altering. That's no joke.

You, Mark Blevis, Bob Goyetche and Jay Moonah were the people that were so open to sharing your insights and experience with me. And you all continue to share and answer my silly questions. Thanks!

After the event I was completely hooked. I went home and started reading and experimenting and asking questions and exploring. Then I started blogging myself and now I am planning to start a podcast. Social media has also started to influence the web projects I'm working on in a big way.

The advice that I give now to people who are starting out is be curious. Read a lot and discover and play. Ask the community for help/advice if you need it. And, perhaps most importantly, be a CONTRIBUTOR.

In the next few months, on a personal level I will be starting a podcast. Professionally I will be working with our clients to help them start to take advantage of all that this space has to offer.

Re: A Day Without Twitter

Susan Murphy — Wed, 14 May 2008 08:07:39 -0000

Funny - I actually tried this last week to see what would happen. Although I did Tweet once or twice during the day from my phone (it's a hard habit to break!) I didn't go to the site at all.

One of the things I noticed right away is that I felt "out of the loop". I went back on the next day and I felt like I had to play catch up, to get reintegrated to the conversation. Just shows how much information is flying around in there.

I too, don't find Twitter to be labour intensive or a time-sucker. In fact it's a valuable resource to me now and if I really do need to bring my Twitterscope down to focus on something I do it. Chuck Smith above said it - we have the choice of whether we want to be connected or not.

You are a braver person than me if you try the "no email or Blackberry for a day". I don't know if I have the strength for that :-)

Re: Jumping Over a Mountain

Susan Murphy — Thu, 22 May 2008 12:45:18 -0000

What you say here about integrity, reputation, skills, and personality trumping professional qualifications and ability is a great observation and if you've read Dan Pink's book "A Whole New Mind - Why Right Brainers Will Rule The Future" you'll see why it makes perfect sense.

As Pink says, the Conceptual Age is upon us, and those who will be successful in this Age will be those who can develop the attributes of which you speak. Your future thinking is right on the money, figuratively and literally for those of us who are willing to embrace it.

Great post, as always!

Re: How I Do It

Susan Murphy — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:00:12 -0000

You're right - thinking about how HP acquired EDS is much more productive than getting frustrated by the guy that can't run the automatic checkout! Imagine how many more hours we'd all have in the day if we just accepted whatever situation we're in and then used the time we'd normally spend fussing about it actually accomplishing something.

As for not sleeping late, that's totally true and for those people, like myself, who don't have kids I recommend dogs. They work the same way.

Writing is all about practice, but it also takes passion. I HAVE to write every day. I don't have a choice. If I miss a day I feel awful. Kind of ironic for someone who flunked out of English in Grade 10. :-)

Re: How Mass Email Works

Susan Murphy — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:57:26 -0000

So let me get this straight...people are giving you their email address, and then they are COMPLAINING about you sending them email? Seems kinda backwards to me.

Perhaps it comes down to the non-personal nature of mass emails (Although it was nifty that the email greeting had MY name on it). People feel that if you send out a broadcast email that they are just part of the masses and feel that they are just another on your growing list of people being marketed to. In some cases, with other bloggers/communicators/marketers, that is possibly true. From what I know of you, Chris, that's not likely your motivation.

I've got news for the nay-sayers..if you don't want anyone to send you email, don't give out your email address. It's that simple.

Unfortunately, Chris, you can't please all the people all the time - but that's kind of what makes it fun, eh? :-)

Re: The Real Power of Personal Branding

Susan Murphy — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:08:12 -0000

Enjoyed this series very much.

We are all storytellers, which is perhaps what draws the lot of us to social media in the first place. Defining one's own story is essential, not just in this space but in all aspects of life (business, relationships, family).

I too have learned to focus on my strengths. Perhaps that is why my business partner and I work so well. We balance out each other's weaknesses. And we each have our own stories, which, when combined, creates our brand.

You should do more of these types of series, it's an excellent format.

Re: Chocolate Lovers Take Note

Susan Murphy — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:39:37 -0000

Great post. I am having heart palpitations dreaming about my two favourite things...Chex Mix and dark chocolate. (heavy sigh)

Re: Be Sexier in Person

Susan Murphy — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:21:19 -0000

Great post - I am an inherently shy person, and although I've busted out of my shell in my adult years and now have much less issue with talking to "strangers", speaking or performing in front of large groups, it's always good to hear these litte reminders.

I'd also add that listening is just as important as talking. Be interested in the person you are talking to and make eye contact. Body language is important and if you are fidgeting or scanning the room for your next conversation then you are not making a connection with the person you are with.

Also, include others in the conversation. I go to a lot of networking events where the most popular or famous person in the room gets "cornered" by one or two people who monopolize his/her time for half the night. I call them "clingers". Not fun for the famous person, and not fun for anyone else either. It's okay to get into a good conversation with someone, but be sure to widen your circle and include others. Don't be a "clinger".

Oh - and good call on the breath. Can't stress THAT enough!!!

Re: Corporate Takeover - Web Style

Susan Murphy — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 12:05:09 -0000

I hadn't heard about Twingly until just now (thanks for pointing it out!) but upon first glance I find it a much more user friendly site than Technorati. I find Technorati to be cluttered and busy. I like being able to see only information I want to see.

As for the takeover? Maybe Twingly just needs some better marketing and some day they can take over Technorati! :-)

Re: Three Photo Editing Tools to Check Out

Susan Murphy — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 07:06:01 -0000

I attended the Third Tuesday Ottawa meetup last night where Saul Colt and Mike McDerment of Freshbooks http://www.freshbooks.com. Mark Blevis did a great write up on the event over at http://www.markblevis.com/karma-marketing/, check it out.

Freshbooks is a "software as a service" for doing invoicing an d time tracking. I haven't tried it out yet (but plan to), but in addition to a great online tool, they have a really unique approach to their business that impressed me.

Worth checking out.

Re: Five Things You Could Learn From Bob LeDrew

Susan Murphy — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 08:37:06 -0000

Bobcat House Concerts and everyone should go. :-)
http://bobcathouseconcerts.com/

Re: Five Things You Could Learn From Bob LeDrew

Susan Murphy — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 08:58:30 -0000

I think what you are addressing here is how people get outside their comfort zone. I'm an inherently shy person (really, I am!) and when I was younger (ok, let's say "less experienced") and I was faced with doing something where my first reaction was to run away and hide in the corner, I would just say to myself "suck it up and get over yourself" and just do it. The experience was never as bad as what I made up in my head.

Ironically, teaching, giving presentations, speaking in front of large groups, and even singing on stage - are all things I used to dread but love doing now. Even though that shy little girl inside would have never dreamed of it.

I have found that humour is definitely the best policy when dealing with inevitable goof ups. Make the crowd laugh and they'll soon forget you screwed anything up at all. Make them think it's part of your "schtick".

Great post! I will definitely be requesting a song from Bob next time I see him!

Re: Social Media Strategy- The Planning Stage

Susan Murphy — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:43:21 -0000

Further to what Dana Young is saying about "buy-in": Change management would be a critical step in my strategy. All the new technology and useful tools in world won't help if people don't understand what's in it for them. Whether it's the people who will administer the system or the external audience, building in training, communication and feedback loops are essential to the success of any strategy.

Unfortunately for many organizations, change management is an after-thought, an extra expense for which they do not see the value. Multi-million dollar projects fail all the time because of this.

Some important questions to ask:

At what point in the process will I start to get buy-in of internal/external audiences?

How am I going to ensure a closed feedback loop (in other words, who is going to be accountable for handling comments, concerns, questions in a TIMELY fashion?)

How will I measure success?

"Leading Change" by John P. Kotter is a great book on the subject of change management.

Re: Writing Email That Gets Answered

Susan Murphy — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:08:01 -0000

Since I'm one of the bosses at my company, I find that sometimes I get a lot of "middle man" types of emails - emails from my developer to me asking if my designer can do such and such. This is a people management issue on my part more than an email management issue, but my point is, if you are managing at team, make sure you draw clear lines of communication with them. My partner and I encourage them to collaborate and solve problems together, and if they have a specific question or issue to then approach us.

Since I've started guiding my freelancers in this way, I've cut down the number of emails I have to deal with and remarkably things are getting done much faster when I'm not bottlenecking the process.

Re: Identi.ca Is More About What Comes Next

Susan Murphy — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:54:29 -0000

Ahh. The lightbulb just went off for me when I read your post. The value of Indent.ca is all about taking something with the same features of Twitter and throwing it into an internal network, or integrating it to a web site so sales people can communicate with clients in their own space. Now that's something to talk about.

Forget that it's not working too well yet. Forget that everyone's still using Twitter. This just screams with potential.

Thanks for clearning that up for me!

Re: Threading Some Trends Together

Susan Murphy — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 06:49:53 -0000

Thank you for writing this and for pointing out the other links To Shel and Steve's sites. This really hits home for me as my partner and I have recently decided to close our office and work with our staff as a remote team.

We realized that having an office is not necessary for the type of business we have, that the money can be much better spent elsewhere. We have two graphic designers, a cameraman/video editor and a web developer all working remotely now and and we actually have found them to be MORE productive overall. My partner and I each have home offices and live in close proximity to each other so getting together is not an issue.

With places like The Code Factory http://thecodefactory.ca opening up, it's now feasible for us to be totally remote and also have a space on an as-needed basis for client meetings.

This is definitely a trend worth watching.

Re: What Social Media Does Best

Susan Murphy — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:28:26 -0000

Not only are social networks a great way for people to feel heard, they are a great way to listen to people.

Re: You Need to Be Easy

Susan Murphy — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:42:29 -0000

As far as business cards go - don't be too kitschy (sp?) with shapes and sizes. It's hard to fit an octagon in my wallet (which is where most of the cards I get end up), and if it doesn't fit, it ends up at the bottom of my purse....a place no one wants to be.

Also do two-sided if you can afford it, even if you just put a watermark or logo and slogan on the back. that way in the shuffle of cards I can easily find yours even if it's flipped over.

Re: My Word of Mouth Saves You Over Two Hundred Bucks

Susan Murphy — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 09:17:57 -0000

I think word of mouth marketing has become more popular BECAUSE of the social networks and tools available to me. My clients 10 years ago would have been almost entirely based in Ottawa and maybe the surrounding areas (stretching as far as Kingston if I'm lucky).

But using the Internet, my client base stretches much farther now. For example, I have a client in Arizona that I literally met in a chat room. We were both listening to the same interview that YOU were doing and now we are working on an amazing project together. My husband and I are shooting a documentary in Cincinnati in a couple of weeks because of people he met online. I have other clients in Southern Ontario and Belleville, Ontario that came to us entirely through word of mouth, and via the Internet.

What's important is to know HOW to engage people across these channels. How to solicit word of mouth marketing without coming across as desperate or annoying. That's key.

Strategies like the ones Andy Sernowitz passes on are tremendously important to helping us learn how to create opportunites. Thanks for sharing this!

Re: Musicians Play for Tips- The Importance of Comments

Susan Murphy — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:17:12 -0000

In my opinion, comments aren't just about the blogger. Sure, it's a great boost to the writer of the post if it generates a lot of comments, but for me as a blog reader, it's usually the conversations within the comments that are of most value to me.

In fact, comments on other peoples' blogs are one of the most common ways for me to discover new people and new blogs.

For me, as a blogger, it's not about how MANY comments I get - it's about what people say.

Re: Am I Too Naked

Susan Murphy — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:51:02 -0000

There's a fine balance between taking it all off and revealing just enough to pique one's imagination.

I think you do an excellent job of giving away just enough tantalizing and useful bits of information to keep people interested and leave them wanting more. If you keep on with that tactic, people will always want more of what there is to offer. It's all about where you draw the line.

As JP Micek says above, providing the information to people is one thing - implementation is something totally different.

Re: The Vital Importance of Your Network

Susan Murphy — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:27:06 -0000

It's not just about your own network, it's about other people's networks as well. I have a very strong and varied network, but my business partner has an amazing, but entirely different network from me. Combined, our network is outstanding.

Sometimes it's not about who you know - it's about who the people you know know.

Of course, connecting to someone else's network is not without risks. I ONLY recommend people from my network who I have personal, professional experience with - people I know whose work, reputation and integrity will stand up.

Re: Support Teams

Susan Murphy — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:14:09 -0000

Beautiful post! I share that sentiment. One of the reasons I married my husband is because he puts up with my crazy ideas and supports me 100% in my big dreams. I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing without him.

It's easy to get caught up in the madness and the busyness. It's so very important to take time to appreciate the people that love you and support you.

I, too have recently started to introduce my husband to the friends in my online community. It's a wonderful experience to have him share in this, and helps him to understand a little more where I'm coming from.

Excellent!

Re: Do What Works for You

Susan Murphy — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 08:36:37 -0000

I have a couple of thoughts on this. First, I find that I don't really make a conscious decision whether I'm going to keep using a tool or not. I check it out, and I either keep going back or I don't. I learn from my own behaviour in this case - if I find myself not using a tool, I tend to analyze it - what is keeping me away? Why am I not finding value in this? What is the value that other people see?

Second, some of the tools are winning because of marketing and awareness, not because they are the best. It's the VHS/Betamax thing all over again. VHS won out even thought Betamax technically was a better quality format. Why? Users adopted the VHS format more readily. The players were marketed better.

Twitter is not the most technically sound tool out there, as we all know. It is not even the most functional, from a user interface standpoint. Neither is Facebook. Don't even get me started about all the things that are wrong with MySpace. But they win because they have won over their user base. Just shows you don't always have to be the best to win.

Re: Does Size Matter

Susan Murphy — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 09:02:55 -0000

Not at all. First, I'd like to know the basis of the study. Who did they ask? Entrepreneurs, accountants, housewives...each of those audiences has very different needs.

Second, content is king (or, if you are Jeff Parks, "conversation is king".

If your newsletter is well written, contains great content and is formatted nicely, then people will read the sections they want and skip over anything they aren't interested in.

I'm not saying an email newsletter should read like a book or magazine - it should still be fairly brief and link people to more information if they want to dig deeper.

I think your newsletter is terrific. Don't err on the side of brevity if it's not what your audience wants.

My two cents for a Saturday morning. :-)

Re: No- I Dont Sleep

Susan Murphy — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:55:04 -0000

Sleep is about quality, not quantity. If you work hard and play hard, you will sleep hard. I find I am at my best when my work life and my play life are things I love. Then my down time is deserved, appreciated and rejuvenating.

I can't imagine how my life would be if I DIDN'T have a million things happening at once. The secret, I've learned is to take each moment as it comes and enjoy the ride. Cliche as it may sound, life IS a journey - not a destination.

Excellent post!

Re: Etiquette in the Age of Social Media

Susan Murphy — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:22:08 -0000

I love talking about netiquette. The only caveat I have to your lists above is that one person's definition of "urgent" may not be another person's definition of "urgent". So asking people to leave a voicemail if it's urgent can be a set up for trouble.

I have a client that often calls me and leaves a voicemail that says "Hi, it's [client]. Please call me back immediately. It's fairly urgent." And when I do call her back, it's usually just to ask me if I got her email. Sigh.

Re: Sky News Interviews Me

Susan Murphy — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:07:58 -0000

In the "biz" this style of TV interview is called a "double-ender". This is the first Skype-based double ender I've seen - gives me some great ideas! :-)

Good interview.

Re: What the Barenaked Ladies Know

Susan Murphy — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:04:26 -0000

Fantastic! This reminds me of the first time I met/heard BNL, back in 1991 (pre-"Gordon", and fame, and fortune) at a seedy little bar in Ottawa. They were ecstatic just to have a gig at that point. I did one of their first TV interviews, which they were also thrilled about.

What impresses me about these guys is that despite their world fame and recognition, they are pretty much the same guys as they were back before they were famous...they haven't lost touch with their roots and their love of just making music.

They are also brilliant marketers - because you're damn right, after hearing that song, I'm off to download the album.

Re: How to Do More With Less Time

Susan Murphy — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:51:18 -0000

These are all great tips. I use Evernote to jot down just about everything - from travel details to project outlines to blog ideas to podcast runsheets. It's a great little tool.

One tip that I think is really important to mention is to delegate tasks when you can. Don't try to take everything on yourself. Even if you work alone, there are always ways to share the load. This can be anything from asking an employee to help you find information, to using a travel agent to make your travel arrangements for you, to having your teenager run to the store to get milk. It's something I struggle with, but I have to say I'm getting better at it.

Delegate delegate delegate!

Re: Be a Better Interviewer

Susan Murphy — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 07:53:16 -0000

Agree with all of these tips - they are excellent and I'll be sure to share them with my students.

The best advice I have is to keep it conversational - being a book interview and not a live, TV interview, you'll have lots of opportunity to edit, so that's a bonus.

Have in your mind ahead of time what you want to get from the person you are interviewing. You've already done your research on them (I'm assuming) so you will have a good idea of the answers you want from them. This will help you forumulate good questions and have good follow-up questions.

On the list of don'ts? If it's someone who gets interviewed a lot, don't ask them the same questions everyone else does. (Example: Don't ask the Barenaked Ladies how they got the name for their band.) Memorable interviewers are ones who challenge their subjects to cover new ground.

Canada's best inteviewer, in my opinion, is George Stroumboulopoulis, of CBC's "The Hour". You can download some of his podcasts here or on iTunes. http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/allvideos.php

Re: Video- From Cowpaths to Mastadons

Susan Murphy — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 11:02:46 -0000

Chris - you need to stop sleeping and just do video posts all night long. :-) Terrific! I like that you talk the way you write (or vice versa) - that's a hard thing to do, and you do it well.

Two points - first, I like what Whitney says about marketers who focus on solving customers' problems - even the ones they don't know they have. As a business owner, my entire existence is based on my being able to find ways to solve people's problems. That's why they pay me. To me, marketing is taking those successfully solved problems and using them as examples to other potential clients with similar
problems.

Second, regarding companies using Twitter as a marketing vehicle. I am not inclined to follow someone with a handle such as @ComcastCares, because I don't get the sense that there is a real person behind the tweets. To me, I get the sense that it's merely a team of marketing/salespeople, doing Twitter searches for someone talking about Comcast, then interjecting their sales/marketing shpeils (sp?) at appropriate moments. I'm not saying that is what Comcast in particular is doing, but I've seen other companies do it - therefore I don't trust it.

What DOES work, is when you know that there is a REAL person, with a REAL personality behind the handle. @RichardatDell comes to mind. As does @flourish (she is a producer at CNN). These are real people. Do they have the interest of marketing their business? Absolutely. But, they are interested in building a relationship with me first. Therefore, I am more inclined to trust them and listen to what they say - and maybe, just maybe, allow them to help me solve my problems.

Re: Can we Bitch Our Way to Change

Susan Murphy — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:11:26 -0000

I think the idea is terrific and I love the name. It makes people look twice, to be sure. Identifying a problem isn't negative, it's the first step to identifying the possible solutions. It's great to have a forum for this.

Keep up the good work @Aronado! And thanks Chris for providing the vehicle by which this interesting conversation was able to unfold!

Re: Thinking About Trust Agents

Susan Murphy — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:47:41 -0000

As I read your post I realized that teachers (good ones) are probably some of the most powerful trust agents we have.

Re: Thinking About Trust Agents

Susan Murphy — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:17:09 -0000

@Julien - there were some really fantastic artists at this event I attended in Indianapolis a couple of weeks ago.

http://www.horrorhoundweekend.com/shows/200808/...

If you really were interested in pursuing I could probably get you some contacts.

Re: Share Share Share Share Share

Susan Murphy — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:33:48 -0000

I don't think that it's appropriate for businesses to share everything. I do something I like to call "strategic sharing".

There's a time and a place for confidentiality in business - especially with projects in development. However, knowing when to share and with whom to share is key. Before sharing with the world, one must know who they can trust and how much to share.

I do agree that sharing is a two-way street. My company's best partnerships are those where we share opportunities and ideas amongst ourselves evenly - sometimes we come to the table, sometimes our partners do. It works well.

Finally, strategic sharing means finding that balance between giving away the world and holding back everything. It's a bit different for everyone, but worth paying attention to.

Thanks for sharing!

Re: Personal Branding Audio File

Susan Murphy — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 08:59:13 -0000

Terrific! Great idea, Rob. I haven't had time to read the e-Book yet (though it's been sitting on my desktop for a week), but I will definitely be able to listen on my next dog walk.

So, Chris - will your publisher let you and @julien release your book as an audiobook too? :)

Re: Video- Word of iPod

Susan Murphy — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:09:31 -0000

yup...that pretty much sums up my marriage. :-)

Re: The Me Game

Susan Murphy — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 06:47:40 -0000

Great post! I wanted to add a piece of advice for the shy people. Believe it or not, I an inherently shy person, and have had to work hard to overcome this. Part of me still finds it difficult to walk right up to someone in a social or business setting and introduce myself. My technique is "mind over matter". When I feel that shy little girl creeping up from inside, I catch it, and then start to talk myself out of the behaviour. Really, there is no other way around it than to suck it up and just go for it, stick that hand out and say hello. In my experience, it has never once been as bad as what I make up in my head. You are right, Chris: practice makes perfect so all you shy people, get out there and start shaking some hands!

Re: Social Media Tools Are Like Phones

Susan Murphy — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:47:12 -0000

Love this telephone analogy. What I find fascinating about the evolution of the Web is that not since the invention of the telephone has there been such a fundamental shift in the way people communicate. Before telephones, you had to send letters or telegrams, or actually travel to go speak to someone in person. It took time to get a message to someone.

The invention of the telephone changed all that. Suddenly, communication was instantaneous. It had a significant impact not only on business, but on personal relationships as well - not unlike the impact of social media.

These days we can instantly access people across the world via a variety of mediums. Even so, the basics of how we filter and disperse information with one other has stayed the same. Like you say, it's not about the tools. It's about how we use them. Operators might be standing by, but if they aren't communicating effectively, nobody wins.

Re: More Advice for the Shy

Susan Murphy — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:27:18 -0000

Great comments, everyone! I really like what you've said, Philip, about fear of rejection. Absolutely shyness is about fear of being rejected - and actually I think most people have that on some level, even the non-shy types.

"Fake it till you make it" and "acting" like an extrovert are definitely up there, as Rebeca and KatFrench have pointed out, and are key - the more you do it, the more you just get used to it.

As for "acting brave", as Mike's Dad puts it - well, just so happens that Mike's Dad is my Dad too - so of course that makes him a pretty smart man. :)

Would love to hear from a couple of extroverts on this topic...

Re: Citizen Journalists Arent Evil

Susan Murphy — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 12:36:20 -0000

I have to play devil's advocate on this one. Speaking from the mainstream media side of things, there is cause to be alarmed when the words of citizen journalists are being taken as fact without accurate research and fact-checking.

I can't speak for other countries, but in my own country we have a whole bunch of regulatory bodies that develop standards and laws (Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, to name just a couple) that cover things such as authenticity, privacy, integrity, conflict of interest and much, much more. These standards exist to protect the interests of the public and to ensure the accuracy and validity of information that is dispersed via mainstream media. Citizen journalists do not fall under these guidelines.

However, because anyone can claim to be a journalist these days, it means we as consumers of media have to scrutinize even further, and find the line between what is authentic news reporting and what is editorial/opinion.

How do we deal with this new kind of news? Should people who claim to be citizen journalists be subject to the same guidelines as mainstream media? And who would regulate it? Is it up to standards councils to do this? Media outlets? Or individuals? That is the ultimate question.

Re: Picnics

Susan Murphy — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:25:32 -0000

Bingo! You nailed it. It's not about selling your content. What's the point in selling something that already exists? It's about having rock solid, consistent, and valuable content and then building a framework around that which allows you to make money.

It's definitely the hard way to do things, and it sure as heck isn't a get rich quick scheme - after all, you've got to come up with all this amazing content, then get people to read it, and find enough value in what you have to say to then spread it to their friends, colleagues, employers etc. Only then will you be able to profit from it - be it book deals, speaking gigs, consulting jobs, teaching, what have you.

Re: How Small Boxes Help You Succeed

Susan Murphy — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:43:13 -0000

The good thing about taking on only what you can and passing the rest on to other people is that a) it's not really saying "no"; it's being helpful, and b) it's a good karma move.

I've passed work on to others (only people I absolutely trust!), and I've found that usually it ends up coming back in another way (be it a more developed project or new connections, etc.). Usually by the time it comes back around to me, it's a better fit and I have the time, and the project becomes more beneficial not only to me but to the people I'm helping.

Re: The Beauty of Pirate Ships

Susan Murphy — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:38:52 -0000

Arrr matey that's a good blog post! :-)

On the same theme, I offer a quote:

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” -- Andre Gide

In a time when everyone is cautioning safety - be a risk taker.

Re: Magazine Designers Are Very Creative And Unique

Susan Murphy — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 08:20:18 -0000

That's like the FedEx logo and it's secret arrow that I can't help but see now. Now I'll never look at a magazine stand the same way again.

Re: Guest Post- Twitter- To Converse or to Broadcast-THAT is the Question

Susan Murphy — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:21:42 -0000

I personally don't see anything wrong with putting a link to my blog or my company, on Twitter occasionally. I certainly don't think it's bad "twittequette" to do so. HOWEVER...

There is a fine line between what I like to call "the art of shameless self promotion" and "blurting". I post on my blog a few times a week. When I post, am I going to throw a link up on Twitter? Absolutely. Am I going to throw a link in Facebook? Why not? But, one has to strike a balance.

In addition to those links, I'm also throwing up all kinds of other information and links to other stuff I find interesting. I'm also having conversations with people on Twitter about many topics, I'm commenting on blogs, I'm collaborating on posts with other people, and occasionally doing a guest post like you.

The secret is, don't try too hard. I don't do this solely because I'm trying to promote my business or my blog or anything else. I do this because I enjoy the process of connecting with other people. I enjoy sharing ideas. And I think the Internet is an amazing place. If I'm making a contribution that others appreciate, that's a side effect - it's certainly not the entire point.

Excellent post - I enjoy your tweets too!

Re: How Corporates Should View Comment Policies

Susan Murphy — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:17:45 -0000

These are great tips, but I wonder how many businesses (particularly smaller ones where resourcing can be an issue) will be turned off by how much perceived work it is to do all of these things? How do we convince businesses of the value of allowing this kind of feedback, knowing that it's going to create (potentially) a lot more work?

Re: Target Marketing

Susan Murphy — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:58:55 -0000

It's time people started treating people like people instead of wallets.

It's time people started thinking about their business in terms of people and not in terms of the next big cash in.

It's time people started listening and stopped shouting.

Great post!

Re: A Hotel Built For Media Makers

Susan Murphy — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 07:54:32 -0000

It's always a great thing to be in a hotel that just screams luxury and comfort. Makes being away from home much more bearable.

But seriously, I really want to know what the binoculars were for.

Re: If I Owned BrightKite

Susan Murphy — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:00:08 -0000

@Freddy looks like Brightkite's already listening (see response from Martin May). The power of the blogosphere!

I have been a fan of Brightkite from the beginning but until I started using the iPhone app I didn't really "get it".

My timeline is a bit boring too, but such is the plight of the early adopter. Imagine Twitter with only 100 users - wouldn't be all that exciting either.

If BK plays it smart and listens to their customers I think that they have the potential to turn this application into something very worthwhile.

My gut says they are going to do it.

Re: Stuck in the Trenches

Susan Murphy — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:02:41 -0000

Usually we see articles like this closer to New Year's Eve. I like that you chose to write about this now, while we still have 6 or so weeks to go in this year. Yep - just 6 short weeks. Seems longer, eh?

As much as I'm a firm believer in living in the moment, it's vitally important to have the future in one's sights at all times. The message I get from this post is, don't wait until 2009 is here to figure out what you are going to do. Sit down today, map out some goals, and figure out how to get there.

Guess I know what I'm doing this weekend! :)

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

Susan Murphy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:55:29 -0000

Having worked in communications for large corporations in the past, I know that the tough reality is that your average publicly traded company will get its back up the minute employees start having un-vetted communications with anyone outside the company. Corporations are paranoid that one false move will send shareholders into a tizzy and the damage control on that makes it much too risky for the comfort and satisfaction of the execs.

I too, hope that things begin to change, but I'm afraid it's going to be an uphill battle. The best thing we can do as the advocates of this medium is to try to educate our colleagues and management as best we can. It's a delicate balance between rocking the boat too hard and tipping it, but ultimately Bob has a choice here - stay on and fight the fight or find an opportunity that better fits with his strengths.

Love these case studies - more, more! :)

Re: Five Things Meme- It Never Gets Old

Susan Murphy — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 08:33:06 -0000

Your grandfather was a candy salesman???? That might make him the coolest Grandpa EVER.

Dominick is an awesome guy, he and I just started chatting on Twitter recently. He's smart too - this is a really great way to get to know a bunch of new people at once, and to find out some little known facts about others you already do know.

I've been tagged by @barbchamberlain, so I'm off to start my list - problem is, I'm a pretty open book, I'm trying to think of some things that people don't already know (I mean, the stuff I can actually say in public :-)

Now...who to tag....who to tag....

Re: The Right Numbers

Susan Murphy — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 08:53:08 -0000

When considering numbers, I have to go back to my days working in community access TV. Back then, we didn't care if 1 person or 1000 saw our show. If that 1 person cared enough to call us up or send us a letter (we're talking pre-Internet, here)to tell us they had enjoyed our show, then we'd done our job.

However, it was easy to do this because community access TV (at least in Canada) doesn't have to make a profit. We didn't need numbers, we needed to provide access and help to people from the community who wanted to put a TV show on the air. Commercial TV networks don't have that same luxury, unfortunately.

In my business, would it be great to have more clients than we know what to do with? For sure! But I'd rather have 5 excellent clients than 10 lousy ones. In my social networks, I'd rather have 100 people I really connect with than 5,000 that I don't.

The other thing that comes along with huge numbers is huge growth and huge responsibility. In my business, I have no problem with larger (good quality) numbers, as long as I'm prepared and have the time to scale to meet the demand. In my social networks, I am already finding it hard to keep up and my numbers aren't even that high. I do what I can to keep connecting, but I feel bad when I can't do it all. More numbers certainly isn't going to help that.

I guess I'm a quality over quantity kind of person. Do I think I can still be successful if I don't have huge numbers? In my personal definition of success, I think yes.

Re: Three Books to Check Out

Susan Murphy — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:36:59 -0000

I'm re-reading Tim Berners-Lee's "Weaving the Web", 9 years later. The man had amazing foresight. It's fascinating to read about what was going on in his head back then and how things have played out so close to his vision. I feel like the book could have been written last month. Highly recommend!

Re: Four Books About Changing the World- Videoblog

Susan Murphy — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:53:09 -0000

Yes. You're good at it. :)

Re: Do You Have To Touch Every Conversation

Susan Murphy — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:13:01 -0000

I think this line of thinking really has to do with one's "popularity". Mega readerships and followers would be a lot to manage for someone like Seth, a best selling author, world-renowned in his space. If he set up a Twitter account he'd be bombarded by requests and follows and the maintenance would be steep, for sure. You've talked about similar experiences with managing your own followers and fans here on your blog, Chris.

However, for someone like myself, I'm a smaller fish swimming in a much smaller pond. It doesn't mean that I have a less valuable contribution to make. I simply am able to manage my inputs and outputs better because my audience is that much smaller.

For me personally, my participation in social networks is not an all or nothing thing, because at this point in my social networking journey, it doesn't have to be. In my opinion, it's a matter of scale.

Re: The Myth About Batman

Susan Murphy — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 10:19:29 -0000

Since I'm a "regular" around here :) I thought I'd drop in and say thanks to YOU for making such a valuable contribution to the conversation (and for leading many of our conversations too!)

I feel very Thanksgiving-y today, even though I'm not having turkey, and it's because of people like yourself who give so much back.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Re: 40 Ways to Deliver Killer Blog Content

Susan Murphy — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:31:26 -0000

Nice!
I would add that not only should you write from your passion, but use your blog as a place to explore your passion(s) as well. Often times the best stuff happens in the comments. Write your posts in such a way that you encourage people to talk. In my opinion, conversation is king. :-)

Re: How to Start Speaking at Events

Susan Murphy — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:37:44 -0000

Hmm this is a timely post - it's something I've been thinking about expanding on for a while. As a college professor, I speak and give presentations all the time, and years ago I did the circuit around town speaking at tech events and such. It's a pile of fun and what I love about it is that every time I give a talk, I learn 10 times more than if I was the one sitting in the audience.

A couple of things I would add to your tips -

Learn how to give an mind-blowing presentation. It's one thing to know your subject matter...it's entirely another to be able to present it well. A good way to learn this is to watch other mind-blowing presenters - TED Talks is an invaluable resource. Watch talks by Christopher Penn - he's fantastic - and of course Chris Brogan too!

Another speaking opportunity that often goes overlooked is speaking to classes at community colleges. I often invite 2 or 3 guest speakers to talk to my classes every semester. Schools don't usually have the budget to pay speakers, (you might get a a nice coffee mug or gift card, or even lunch!), but it's great experience, and the audience is usually pretty forgiving.

Re: Advertising and Trust

Susan Murphy — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 11:06:05 -0000

I think this post should pretty much clear up any misunderstanding about how much integrity you have - this is one of the best posts I've ever read from you.

Frankly, I'm getting pretty tired of people confusing journalism with blogging.
There's no reason why we as bloggers should ever feel uncertain about giving our opinion about things. We aren't owned by giant media conglomerates - therefore we have every right to say and do what we want in our own spaces, even if that means doing things that are not necessarily going to please all the people all the time. EVEN if that means doing the occasional, sponsored, fully disclosed post that has a benefit not only to the company for whom you are advertising, but also benefits others. (Wait a minute - what EXACTLY is the issue here?)

We all benefit and learn from your presence here. Keep doing your thing, Chris!

Re: What's In a Name?

Susan Murphy — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 07:23:45 -0000

The question I get asked most often by people is "what do you do?". It's such a hard question to answer, because, like you, and most everyone, I think, I fill many roles. It's hard to sum up all the stuff I do in one or two words.

So I usually say "I'm a storyteller".

What I've done my whole career, whether I've been a TV producer, a technical writer, a web designer, or a teacher...is tell stories. I also help other people to tell their stories. Telling people I make my living as a storyteller sometimes gets some weird looks - but after a bit they tend to get it.

Now that I think about it...aren't we all just here telling stories?

Re: You are the President of Your Career

Susan Murphy — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:04:40 -0000

tWhile I agree that going back to school is something that should be very seriously considered, I'm not sure it's accurate to make a blanket statement that what one can learn in school is not current or relevant.

Having been a student a few times, and now as a college professor, I'm all too aware that college courses have a reputation for being outdated. However, I think in some cases, that is starting to change.

I can't speak for all post-secondary education, but In the School of Media and Design at Algonquin College in Ottawa, where I teach, much is being done to keep on the cutting edge of the industry. This is done by inviting professionals working in the industry to sit on advisory boards, to help structure the curriculum and content to be more timely and relevant. It's also done by ensuring that the college professors are actively working in their industry, and bringing forth their own real experience for the benefit of their students. As a result I'm happy to be teaching a Web media course this semester that is focusing on social media - teaching students to understand the world of online communication and collaboration and particularly how it applies to business and their own careers.

Sorry if this sounds defensive - that's not my intent. I just want to ensure that people know that higher learning CAN be a positive, rewarding and useful experience when approached in the right way.

Re: Be Wary of Creating Pedestals

Susan Murphy — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:07:16 -0000

Excellent excellent excellent! I wish more people would be this frank when talking about popularity and fame.

I learned the lesson about people just being people a long time ago. Working in television, even on a local level, one gets to meet and work with all kinds of people, including people who have a certain "notoriety" or "fame". Over the years I got to meet got to meet plenty of famous folks, mostly bands, and meet and work with plenty of folks who weren't even famous yet (Barenaked Ladies and Tom Green come to mind).

Sure, when you first meet someone who is popular or famous, it can be exciting. But almost immediately, the novelty of that experience starts to wear off. Especially if you just look them in the eye, smile, and - ready for it - be yourself.

People are people are people. No matter how famous they are, mostly they just want to be treated like people. And you know what - the "welebrities" that you are itching to meet at the next conference, or trying to get the attention of on Twitter, are going to be MUCH more approachable if you don't suck up and just be yourself.

Re: Be Realistic About Time

Susan Murphy — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:52:33 -0000

Though I do agree that there is a price to pay for "putting yourself out there" as it were, I also think that there's a certain amount of common courtesy that is going unchecked these days.

Providing ways for people to connect is an essential part of social media. Those who are willing to be open to receiving phone calls, texts, emails, Twitter DMs, and who are actively responding to those who reach out are living proof of how this medium is supposed to work.

HOWEVER.

You wouldn't hand your card out to someone at an event, then walk back up to them 10 minutes later and ask them why they haven't called you yet. What makes this medium any different?

The expectation that ANYONE, no matter how popular they are or aren't, is going to a) acknowledge you immediately b) acknowledge you EVERY single time you contact them or c) reply immediately with solutions to all your problems is not only unrealistic, it's also just plain rude.

Do we set the expectation for how people demand of our time? Certainly, we have some control over that. But my rule of thumb is, give people the benefit of the doubt. Everyone is busy. Everyone must prioritize. Just because what you are connecting about is important to you, doesn't mean it's at the top of everyone else's list. My advice is to back off. The things that are supposed to happen will happen in time. But honestly ain't going to happen any faster (if at all) if you are continually beating down the door.

Re: The Plastic Human Problem

Susan Murphy — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:45:33 -0000

Man, how do you ever shut that mind of yours down - with all this stuff floating around in it?

Here's the funny thing about the perception of people hiding behind their online personas. I've often found that those who do so are equally as "plastic" when I have occasion to meet them in person. Perhaps the difference between the so-called "real" world and cyberspace isn't so far apart after all.

Thinking....

Re: Velocity vs Depth

Susan Murphy — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 08:44:30 -0000

I think it's all about balance. If I spent all day long just blogging, then people would definitely have a sense of what's going on inside my head at any given moment (since that's pretty much what my blog is - random thoughts).

However, if I wasn't able to balance that with writing media content for my clients, business proposals, presentations, lectures, etc. my business wouldn't be very profitable.

You choose the medium based on the message. Not to get all McLuhan-ey on you or anything, but the method you use to communicate something is as important as the message itself, if you want your message to be effective. (McLuhan would have said it's more important). These days, with so many channels, that holds true more than anything else.

Re: Not Just The Web

Susan Murphy — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 10:16:15 -0000

I suppose it's a sort of "if you build it, they will come" approach but with a good twist. Anderson did not start this business because he wanted to make a quick buck. The business grew out of his passion for this type of technology. Therefore, everything he put into it had genuine intention behind it. The community grew out of a shared passion - he had the ability to seek out those people who wanted to be involved with this stuff.

This is a good lesson for those of us who are out here trying to build successful businesses and an excellent reminder of where our intentions should lie. Thanks for sharing this.

Re: Build Blog Posts Like Building Blocks

Susan Murphy — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:54:25 -0000

Hmm, this is interesting. My blog tends to be a bit of a "brain dump" of what I'm thinking about at that present moment. As a result, it's kind of "a bit of everything" (what Amber Naslund called it). I guess I decided early on that I didn't want to talk about JUST social media or JUST video or JUST what my dog did to the carpet last night. I don't have 10 drafts in the can and I often write my posts in my head at 3am or in the car. Usually my grammar and spelling is okay so I've got that going for me.

Perhaps I'm doing it wrong?

Re: 10 Things You Could Do Better Today

Susan Murphy — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 07:36:15 -0000

#9 is my favourite. And the one I most often forget to do. Thanks for the reminder. :)

Re: That Neighborhood Feel

Susan Murphy — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 07:37:30 -0000

Sure, I think we would love to have that personalized feeling with every interaction we undertake. However I think that peoples' expectations have grown along with the reach. They expect to be treated like individuals and have that warm and fuzzy "neighbourhood" feel with every interaction they have, and companies are being forced to try and find ways to make this happen. Unfortunately, many companies go about it entirely wrong. Simply putting my name in the greeting line of a letter or email isn't going to do it. But I see this all too often as companies try to "personalize" communications.

What it comes down to is people. Human interaction. Want me to feel warm and fuzzy? Then make sure I'm not on permahold for 45 minutes before I get to your customer service trainee who is having a bad day and doesn't understand my question. Make sure the person behind the cash is connecting with every customer - looking them in the eye, smiling, being helpful. Like Becky said above, neighbourhoods are intensely personal. And intensely human.

Re: The Beauty in Simple Stories

Susan Murphy — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 07:44:45 -0000

140 characters, a blog post, a television show, a book, a podcast, a keynote presentation, a business meeting.

We're all just telling stories, aren't we?

Re: Say What You Want

Susan Murphy — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 08:42:57 -0000

A timely post because I was just thinking about this yesterday when I was there. Here's what McDonalds does right in my opinion. I have little-to-no experience entertaining young children for long periods of time. However, yesterday I was tasked with entertaining my 8 and 5 year old nephews for an afternoon.

McDonalds for lunch was the obvious choice. Why? Well it's like they made the place for people like me who have limited skills at child wrangling. They get you up to the counter and fast, don't give you a million options to choose from, get you to the table quickly with toys in hand, then they give you a place for the kids to run around in and burn off the calories they just consumed. Plus, my nephews don't get to eat there very often so it's a big treat for them and I look like the superstar Aunt.

Win win win.

Although I'd argue that there is a community of sorts going on there - as evidenced by the small conversations I was able to strike up with other parents while the kids were off battling dragons in the Playland.

Re: Why Bookstores Are My Office

Susan Murphy — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 07:30:05 -0000

We had an office last year. It was a nice space, in a really funky neighbourhood. We gave it up last year for a few reasons.

Our team now works remotely, and to be honest we don't miss the office. If we need to meet in person or with clients, we are fortunate to have access to meeting room space at one of our partner companies.

I rotate my office from home to coffee shop depending on what I'm working on, and I love the flexibility of being able to work when I need to. I especially love not having to commute. I especially especially love not having to run to the office to check video renders in the middle of the night.

The more time goes on, the more widely accepted the "digital nomad" will be, I think. Places like the Code Factory here in Ottawa http://www.thecodefactory.ca/ are making it even more accessible and acceptable. My next office will not be an office at all. It will be a functional video studio, and it will only be elsewhere because it won't fit in my basement. :)

Re: Look for the Signs- They are Everywhere

Susan Murphy — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:40:43 -0000

I think it's fine and well and important to analyze the trends in one's industry and to keep one's finger on the pulse, as it were.

However I do think that often, people spend far too much time analyzing and far too little time actually doing any real work with what they've discovered.

Talk is cheap...but hard work is where the real payoff comes.

Oh great, now you've got me all ranty too. :-)

Re: A Hundred Twitters- A Thousand

Susan Murphy — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:34:56 -0000

I think some of these things can work (perhaps in the area of prayer, sporting events) but frankly, I would be pretty hesitant to get medical advice from a social network or even travel information for that matter. The accuracy of the information could not possibly be reliable via this method and could hinder more than it helps.

There are times when crowdsourcing works great. There are other times when it's just noise.

Re: Presentation from Module09

Susan Murphy — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 14:54:03 -0000

It's shocking how much sense these slides do make without the live talk to go along with...oh, wait a minute. Not it's not. :)

Good stuff.

Re: I Support the Future of Sponsored Posts

Susan Murphy — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 06:55:40 -0000

I produce a television show that airs on a local, non-commercial broadcaster. We have sponsors who pay us money to advertise on the show via product placements, still graphics, 15 second live motion ads, and us talking nice about them on camera. There are rules that govern specifically what we can and can't do. These rules are set out by the CRTC (governing body for broadcasting in Canada) about what we can and can't say/do, but generally speaking they are pretty flexible.

Our sponsors pay for the production of the show. If that money wasn't there, the show would not exist. Simple.

I am having trouble understanding what's different in terms of paid blog posts. In non-commercial television and radio (think PBS, community television and radio), sponsorship has been around forever and nobody seems to have an issue with it. But for some reason bloggers (also considered non-commercial) are being punished for getting paid to do the occasional post? Seems like a bit of a double standard to me.

I like money too. :)

Re: Shaving My Head for Charity

Susan Murphy — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:18:57 -0000

This should be good. I'm sorry I'm going to miss it. Gave some money anyway. Have fun!
:-)

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Susan Murphy — Sun, 03 May 2009 08:57:16 -0000

Though I think this is true in some ways - these tools facilitate the connections that can result in close friendships, new opportunities, and such...I do think that there's a tendency for us to over analyze what's really going on in this space, and sometimes to "try too hard" to make friends with everyone all the time. There's often an expectation that just because I reach out to someone or they reach out to me that we must then become good friends. People simply don't have the bandwidth to manage that many REAL friendships, let alone add new ones all the time.

Really, what it comes down to, is we either make a connection with someone or we don't. We become friends or we don't. We do business together or we don't. It's not really THAT much different than the offline world, come to think of it.

:)

Re: How Many Chores Does It All Add

Susan Murphy — Tue, 05 May 2009 07:47:40 -0000

Kind of ironic how the internet is supposed to make everything faster, but in the end, it takes up so much of our time.

I like the comment from @jonknight - you get out of it what you put into it. And you only have to put into it what you want. Nobody's forcing anyone to read 700 blogs. There are no rules, just techniques based upon desired personal (or professional) outcomes. That's the beauty. The choice is ours.

:)

Re: Shup The Hell Up You Self-Promoting Turd

Susan Murphy — Tue, 12 May 2009 07:45:04 -0000

I only have one small point to make today (for a change). This is all just as true for individuals as it is for companies.

:)

Re: Backwards Work

Susan Murphy — Wed, 13 May 2009 11:55:57 -0000

The thing about being a trailblazer is there's no one in front of you to fight the tigers (or mammoths) along the way.

But that's the best part.

:)

Re: Happy Birthday Jon Swanson

Susan Murphy — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:40:35 -0000

Simply wonderful. I too, consider Jon and Nancy to be good friends and was thrilled when Greg and I had the chance to meet them for lunch earlier this year while on a road trip to the States. Genuine, warm, loving and kind...that's our friend Jon. Thank you, Chris, for connecting us.

Re: Domestic Blitz

Susan Murphy — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:54:39 -0000

Just the fact that you are even thinking about what you need to do will win you huge points! There's nothing a girl likes better than for things to be in order when she gets home.

Ditto everything that Ifamous said. Get some food in that fridge, and not just diet coke and chinese leftovers either, mister! :) The last thing I would want to do when I get home from a trip is have to go to the grocery store. So get the staples, yes - but make sure everything else is stocked up too.

The only other thing I'd add is, have a meal of some sort ready to go for when everyone arrives. If you really want to impress your wife...cook it yourself. Just don't burn the house down and if you use every dish in the house when you cook, like my darling hubby tends to do, then definitely get those dishes washed before she gets home!

Good luck! There's nothing better than the feeling of having everyone home safe and sound.

Re: Obsolete skills

Susan Murphy — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:41:32 -0000

I actually tried to dial a rotary phone the other day, just for fun. There are obsolete skills, and then there are things you just forget how to do. It took me at least 4 attempts to dial the right number.

I never did really learn how to do long division properly so I'm not sad to see that go.

Re: Audience of Twittering Assholes

Susan Murphy — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 13:27:30 -0000

I wasn't at SXSW but just watched the interview. This young lady broke two big rules of interviewing.

The first is she obviously wasn't prepared. Even if you want an interview to be "a conversation" as she puts it, you need to have a structure to it or it's just not going to be interesting. She looked as if she was just sitting down to chit chat and aside from the first question she asked, there was no real structure or focus to her questioning. Next time, she needs to make a few notes ahead of time, and try to stay on topic.

The second is, never interview your friends or family. You know too much on a personal level and that doesn't translate well to an audience. Your conversation becomes filled with innuendo and inside jokes and frankly, nobody cares. The audience will tune out because they are not getting it.

Mark is not the most charismatic guy in the world, and Facebook could definitely benefit from hiring a spokesperson to handle their media, however he is the main dude and a good interviewer can make anyone look articulate and interesting.

Lacy's comment about "try doing what I do for a living and you'll see how hard it is" is kind of insulting. I do appreciate how hard it is to be an interviewer, I've been in the media business for 18 years, and I'm not alone. If she is the "professional" she claims to be, then she should probably work on her interviewing skills a bit more, because professional journalists are always prepared and know how to draw out the best information from their subjects, no matter how seemingly "boring" they come across. Hopefully she can learn from the feedback people are giving her and move on from this in a positive way.

Re: So, you need a job? Man, do resumes suck

Susan Murphy — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:54:41 -0000

Just one. Be yourself. Don't try to impress people with your wit if you aren't witty. Don't provide links to stuff that isn't relevant to you and why you should get the job. Do show me that you are passionate, willing to learn and open. Give me a sense of who you are and why I should hire you.

Re: Barack Obama vs. Hillary Clinton March 4 Primary Early Call

Susan Murphy — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:01:04 -0000

What I think is cool about your theory, Chris, is that you are using freely accessible information to make your case. As tools become more sophisticated, will we really need CNN to "make the call" in situations like this?

A few years ago here in Canada, we had some issues with our federal election in that people in the Maritimes were posting their election results when their polls closed, when it was still 2 1/2 hours till the West Coast's polls closed. This was despite a ban from Elections Canada forbidding anyone to post this information. Of course people found ways around it. How can this kind of information be controlled, really. Not easy.

I think your research is very interesting, and it will be interesting to see how it plays into the overall results...good work!

Re: Your Turn

Susan Murphy — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:07:31 -0000

Susan Murphy - Ottawa, ON
@SuzeMuse

Glad to be involved in this wonderful project!

<abbr>Susan Murphy’s last blog post..What Music Can Teach Us About Building Relationships</abbr>

Re: When Crazy Isn’t Crazy Anymore: Life Balance and Insanity

Susan Murphy — Mon, 26 May 2008 07:26:07 -0000

Brilliant observation here, Clay. I think one of the reasons that people don't live by this philosophy is that they are not tuned in with themselves. They either depend on outside influences (i.e. the media preaching to them what they "should" be doing to live a balanced life) or they don't pay attention to the needs of their body and mind(so they consistently overeat, undersleep, or work too much, and fall out of balance).

I find that a spiritual practice (meditation, prayer, living in the moment, whatever one chooses) greatly helps me to achieve a heightened state of awareness that allows the natural ebb and flow of balance to come into my life. It's not so much about choosing what needs to happen in my life, but allowing life to flow through me, guiding my choices and helping me to achieve that balance.
-----------------------
Response

Hi Susan,

I think you're right about lack of "tuning" (into one's self) being a problem. Also, the logistics of life can be a huge issue. Most jobs just don't allow for much flexibility and it can be hard to coordinate family schedules etc. with the varying seasons of so many lives (it's difficult, but it can be done). It also varies so much from person to person.

--Clay

Re: I ALMOST Shut Down The Growing Life Forever . . .

Susan Murphy — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:45:21 -0000

Glad you decided against it for two reasons 1) 12K is not enough and 2) You ARE The Growing Life! Without you it just becomes another in the mass of personal productivity blogs out there. YOU make it unique.

Glad you are sticking around!

Re: In a Past Life, Social Media Turned Me Into a People Hater (But Now I Love People Again :-)

Susan Murphy — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:27:44 -0000

Glad you are back, Clay!

Re: It IS Your Fault

Susan Murphy — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 04:00:11 -0000

Re: Pink Divide Credo

Susan Murphy — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 22:16:37 -0000

Great to hear that there are women out there like you, Leesa, being proactive, embracing your profession as a professional first, not as a woman first. I too am tired of hearing the so-called "bum rap" women get in IT. I have spent my entire career in technical, male-dominated industries, and you know what? By doing a good job, showing my talent, and not being afraid to learn new things I have succeeded.

I cannot tolerate women who are afraid to learn something new about technology. Women who want to be spoon-fed all of the information because they are too afraid to go out there and figure it out for themselves, ask the questions and then share their knowledge with others.

The world needs more proactive-minded women such as yourself. Keep up the good work.

Re: When Crazy Isn’t Crazy Anymore: Life Balance and Insanity

Susan Murphy — Mon, 26 May 2008 07:26:07 -0000

Re: I ALMOST Shut Down The Growing Life Forever . . .

Susan Murphy — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:45:21 -0000

Re: In a Past Life, Social Media Turned Me Into a People Hater (But Now I Love People Again :-)

Susan Murphy — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:27:44 -0000

Glad you are back, Clay!

Re: It IS Your Fault

Susan Murphy — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 04:00:11 -0000

Re: Pink Divide Credo

Susan Murphy — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 22:16:37 -0000