Variety is the Spice of Life (or, "Why You Should Check Out #blogchat")

Because I spend my days as a technology consultant helping association teams with their social media efforts - and my weekends and evenings as a freelance makeup artist - my online world primarily revolves around a few things: associations, social media, and makeup. So how I came to participate in an engaging, creative, and inspiring online chat on a Monday night at 9 pm ET about musical artists using social media is not a huge stretch, but still not my usual routine.

Blog Chat (#blogchat) is a regular chat happening on Sunday nights from 9-10 pm ET (although, I caught it on a rare, rescheduled Monday night because of the Super Bowl over the weekend). Mack Collier (@MackCollier on Twitter) founded the chat "to discuss blogs and best practices" and had a well-educated and spirited group of participants on the chat last night, including Chris Brogan (author of Trust Agents) and Curt Smith (founder of Tears for Fears).

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from the chat and usually find other things to keep me occupied at 9 pm at night. However, I thought I would check it out for a bit and vary up my online activity. That decision helped me to stumble across a dynamic conversation that will have me coming back for more next Sunday at nine o'clock.

Why was this such a discovery? Because it has inspired me! Because we are creatures of habit.

I am hard pressed for time and keep myself pretty busy at all moments of the day. Did I mention I have a two-year-old? Did I mention I am studying for an important exam? Right. We're ALL busy, so it is super easy to skip what we don't know or what we are not already involved in. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't still explore occasionally. Check out a chat we don't usually participate in...listen to a podcast that is new and different...crack open a book (or Kindle) for something a little different. We should look for opportunities to get inspired!

Other things I've done that are not the norm this week:

• Played with my daughter in an enormous amount of snow
• Participated in #blogchat
• Filed my old docs that have been waiting for organization since I introduced my new filing system to my office
• I tried bacon bits in my omelette (NOT a good choice for inspiration)
• I listened to 2 BlogTalkRadio broadcasts that I've never listened to before

What do you do to "fill the well" and get inspired?

Snow kidding - I'm still indoors!

Feeling a bit like a shut-in, I am posting this on my 7th straight day of not leaving the house. I have been reading a writing quite a bit, so all of my blogs are about to look a lot fresher. Yippee!

Posted via web from kikilitalien's posterous

The Chat with the Funny Name

"Come for the ass and stay for the chat," or something like that.

Maggie McGary, author of the mizz information blog and regular contributor to the weekly Association Chat on Twitter, shared her favorite funny comment someone had made about the chat's hashtag #assnchat (regularly (mis)pronounced "ass n' chat").

With a name so regularly commented on by those out- and inside of the association world, one might assume the group would want to rename it - to avoid such salty comments. However, knowing the regular personalities in the chats, I believe "ass-n-chat" is even more beloved by its participants because of its easy-to-pick-on name.

Is that indicative of the creative and carefully rebellious association people I see in the online community? I'm not sure, but I'd love it if that were the case.

I've been listening to Seth Godin's Linchpin book (usually while I'm trying to review other things...) and his argument about the importance of the indispensable talent versus the old-fashioned workhorse cog fits in well with what I've been seeing. Happily, I see amazing, talented people all around me online and in the association community - people who are bucking ordinary job constraints and paving the way to do work that is not only inspired, but necessary for their organizations to evolve.

That's it. that's all I have to share today. Just that I know a bunch of really smart and talented people who aren't afraid of silly names - as long as the content is good.

(Not) Testing ChipIn to see if I Can Do the CAE Immersion Study

Okay, I had wanted to test ChipIn to see how it worked and I thought of trying to raise money for the CAE Immersion Course. The Course is $745 and too pricey for me to swing right now...especially with it taking place February 24-26...in a few weeks.

But, it didn't feel right. I'm guessing I will test ChipIn when it comes time to try and raise money for my alma mater's International Fund, but for now I just feel a little ridiculous putting my virtual hand out for money. Sure, women pay for breast jobs and all kinds of stuff by putting their request for funding out there, but where does it end? I would never pay for someone else's boob job and although I probably would donate to help someone take the CAE Immersion Course, I just feel a little...uncomfortable with this idea.

What do you think? At any rate, I think ChipIn looks like a great way to coordinate funds...whether for a group gift or for a charity.

A Poken of My Affection

I will be at ASAE & The Center's #Tech10 Conference live blogging and meeting people at the DelCor booth (#226) on February 11 and 12. The booth babes (Dave, Bill, and I) will have a Poken gathering with an "Activation Station" and photo ops with a large Poken who will stand as the guardian for our team. What do you call that? A PokeUp? Um, no that doesn't seem right...


Not sure what a Poken is? It is a small little device that allows you to share business information (like an electronic business card) by holding it next to another Poken. Super convenient and it updates when you update your own information...if you change jobs, you can update your Poken info and everyone else who has a Poken will see your updated information when they check it.

See you at #tech 10!

XOXO,

@kikilitalien

Certified Association Executive - Bring It

I am a lucky person. I've had my share of ups and downs, but in general I'd say most of the time things go my way.

This week, people who sat for the Certified Association Executive exam in the last part of 2009 are receiving their results. The letter comes marked "confidential" from ASAE & the Center and the amount of anticipation and fear one feels when opening the letter is similar to receiving the final word from a chosen university on whether or not you'll be soon dining in their halls.

Yesterday I opened my letter and discovered I had not passed.

My good friends, Deirdre and Sandra, who took the test at the same time I did, both passed (hooray!) and the hardest part about failing the test now is not being able to celebrate with them.  The second hardest part is realizing that since I live so much of my life online, these results are something I think I have to share, as well.

Patti Digh (@pattidigh) is the author of Life is a Verb and is a fun, inspirational force in the community I run around in online. For me, and the friends others refer to as "social media gurus," Patti's book is like a Bible of sorts and you will likely find it on all of our bookshelves.  I even gave several copies away as Christmas presents this year.  I am thankful for Life is a Verb this morning when I am feeling a bit down about my results from the CAE exam.

What I've decided to do is go ahead and reapply to take the exam in May (while I am still in the CAE system). This time I will start studying earlier, avoid any attempts to study during holidays (like last time), and be more deliberate about my preparation. Patti says, "Every Day is Day One: Do It for 37 Days," so I will study and track my progress for 37 Days in a row on a separate blog, CAE 37: From Failure to Fabulous, starting today.

On a positive note, I think living online as much as I do allows me to have a bigger support network and also prohibits one from hiding away for too long...which in turn is helping me to deal with things quickly and honestly.

Also, I can honestly give the advice to people taking the exam in the future: do not think you can cram at last minute and pass. It takes more than three intense nights of studying. I'm usually a smart cookie, but this takes more than that.

Thanks to everyone who sent their words of support leading up to and following the exam. I won't let you - or myself - down (again). Also, Patti, thanks for writing your book and giving me a manual for how to pick myself up, dust myself off, and turn failure into a new WordPress blog.

If you wish to follow my progress, please feel free. I'll be posting my study habits, tips, and process along the way. Bring it on!

Weekly Social Media Sweet Spot Show

The DelCor Social Media Sweet Spot

Today is the first webcast for the DelCor Social Media Sweet Spot - a quick online discussion about the week's best and worst in association social media. We'll discuss new blogs, associations who are doing neat things with social media, and I'll be giving away the Sweet Spot prize to an association that is finding the "sweet spot" in social media.

The tone is irreverent and I will be looking at the online discussion and answering your questions. This is not a show focused on production style...this is a way to chat together and laugh together each week while we talk about the latest happenings in the association world.

Join me every Friday starting today on our USTREAM Channel at http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/3832751 at 12 ET. Hashtag: #sweetspot.

Technology Detox for the Seriously Wired

Could it be that a day will come when destinations will actually promote their "no Wi-Fi" status? 

As so many hotels have scrambled not to lose their business clientele and as more and more workers are expected to be in touch during non-working hours, the American vacation has gone the way of the Dodo bird and the planet is increasingly wired. It is very difficult to locate a place that doesn’t have some kind of ability to tap into the internet.

Dropping out of the world's many cell phone networks requires finding a very remote vacation spot. Over ninety percent of the world's population currently has cellular coverage of some type, according to Wireless Intelligence, a data research service provided by the GSM Association, a trade organization of mobile operators. 

Seeing as my job has me connected more hours than not, the idea of unplugging seems both frightening and healthy to me. I can also see how there is an emerging need for a special detox from technology. Are you hearing me, California? Spa owners? I am suggesting you repackage your “relaxation getaways” into technology detox treatments for the chronically online. 

What I see:

• A tranquil spa-like atmosphere with kindly people who go through your bags when you arrive to store away all electronic and communicative devices
• Special herbs and fresh vegetable grown on locally owned organic farms
• Treatments for eyes, wrists, arms, hands, backs for everyone who can’t help but push buttons all the time
• A choice of yoga, meditation, spiritual walks, communing with nature, etc
• “Working sessions” for creative online workers who are forced to use pen and paper to come up with technology and communication ideas for when they leave…blog posts drafted in pencil, etc
•  A track for presentation skills without the use of any technology

What do you think? What else would a Tech Detox have? How long would it be? What would the desired outcome be? 

Personally, I think it would be refreshing for us all to remind each other of how interesting it can be to do things in a different manner than we are used to...to plan presentations with paper rather than PowerPoint...to be forced to use other slower forms of communication...

Om.

Building Trust: Chapters Take the Stand

Today at noon ET! "Building Trust: Chapters Take the Stand" call 1-218-936-7979; access code 189780 #CRPLunch

More info at http://www.asaecenter.org/ProgramsEvents/EventDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=46471.

This Month's Topic: Building Trust: Chapters Take the Stand
Guest Facilitators: Cynthia D'Amour, President, People Power Unlimited
Nancy Toombs, Executive Director North Carolina Chapter Appraisal Institute