A Blog About Blogging

So, I am still having fun with the whole blogosphere thing. The only trouble I have is finding the time to write up something. I use Twitter (follow me using the link on the right hand column of this blog), and so am used to the 140 character limitation. However, I OFTEN have more information that I want to share. I just can't seem to find the time!

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to update blogs on the go? Can I do this with my cell phone? It's pretty fancy...I have NO idea what all it is capable of. But I believe that there MUST be a way for me to type up 500 or so characters so that my blog can be more fresh and up-to-date...following my stream of consciousness throughout the day.

Thanksgiving

It's right around the corner. I just want to take this opportunity to say what I am thankful for:

~My salvation, courtesy of Jesus Christ. The fact that He would die, so that I might live with Him for all eternity is staggering. Thank the Lord that He chooses to take the least and use our meager talents for His glory. Thank you!

~My family (my rocks of strength and compassion)

~My friends (in good times and bad, thank you for choosing me)

~My job. I know...I'd rather not have to work at all. But I sure am glad to be somewhere that allows me to spend more time at home, and be creative!

I hope you all find at least one extraordinary miracle to be thankful for....because my life is full of miracles!

Proud Auntie Candace

There was a day when my nephew Devyn called me "Tauntie" (pronounced tan-tea). Those days are gone and my little boy is growing up. He has turned into a great little football player. Please enjoy the highlights below.

Auntie Candace loves you Devyn!

Let this not be the end of a Nation

My good friend Mindy Dixon just sent some great words regarding the upcoming election. I would like to share some exerpts:

"We stand on the eve of a defining moment in our country’s existence. This election season offers 2 candidates bearing fundamental differences. We are choosing between excellence and mediocrity. Excellence is defined as the state of excelling or possessing good qualities in high degree. Mediocrity is the ordinariness of something as a consequence of being average and not outstanding. Which do you prefer? I am not insinuating that either candidate’s character is defined either way. I do mean that the policies and philosophies subscribed by each are defined as such. The governing compass of these candidates promotes differing ideologies. Our nation was founded on paramount principles and over time we have lead the world towards freedom and democracy. We should not be working towards blending in with the world, but leading it. Leadership is not always popular or embraced. But men and women of real leadership stand out and up for their convictions and commitments.

Personal Responsibility. The policies of the left offer crutches and band-aids for mistakes and bad judgement. Their desire is to inject government regulation and involvement in every area because their confidence in the American citizen is low and degrading.

Strength. Our military’s purpose is freedom: from England, from slave owners, from Nazis, and now from radical terrorists. We are living in times that require experience and wisdom to command our military. Our situation is too delicate and our position too important to elect someone that has neither experience at boot camp or full support of those that do.

Every one of us has a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I do not want it to be taken away under the guise of political correctness, socialization, and redistribution of wealth.

We have about 2 weeks left before this decision is final. Our conversations and convictions can open opportunities to help others understand this is more than a popularity contest. Our future is at risk."

Thanks Mindy. Remember, leadership doesn't mold, it SETS the mold. We must be in the world, but not of it!

The Lost Pencil

Let me start by saying that I am a real fan of the mechanical pencil. But recently others have gone so far as to mock the traditional pencil. Sure...it may not sharpen itself, and the eraser may wear down before the "lead" runs out...but it is still a useful tool. There is certainly no reason for cruelty toward the pencil.

Let's trace back the root of the pencil, shall we?? Sometime before 1565 a large deposit of graphite was discovered in England. The locals found that it was great for marking sheep. It could also be sawed into sticks. The value of graphite was soon realized to be enormous, and graphite had to be smuggled out for use in pencils. Graphite sticks were at first wrapped in string or in sheepskin for stability. The news of the usefulness of these early pencils spread far and wide, attracting the attentions of artists all over the "known world."

Pencil "lead" is graphite (carbon) and not the chemical element lead. Residual graphite from a pencil stick is not poisonous, and graphite is harmless if consumed.

So, while that information provides some fun facts, it is true that there are some problems with standard graphite and wood pencils. You have to sharpen them. No body likes to twist forever attempting to achieve the perfect point. But that's why we made a game of it. Remember...who can get the longest unbroken pencil shaving?!?! That is just good, clean fun.

Instead of mocking low-tech, let's remember how simple life used to be in the day of the #2 pencil. Sub-prime mortgages barely existed, the stock market was as confusing as it is today, but it certainly didn't make headline news. Life was pure. SO, maybe that's a stretch, but you see my point. Enjoy the gains of technological advancement, but honor the past!

The Holiday Season

Just from the title, you're probably thinking...isn't it a little early for a blog of this type?? My point, exactly! Why is it that Halloween somehow ushers in the entire "Holiday Season?"

Halloween is all about dressing up in completely inappropriate clothing and eating candy. From there...we go to Thanksgiving. Traditionally a time of Turkey and Football, where we aren't so concerned about the roots of the holiday, but the modern excuse for stuffing your face and falling asleep in a recliner. Then, there is Christmas...the ultimate holiday meant to honor the birth of our Lord, Savior, and Soon Coming King. However, now it's more about a giant meal and materialism.

It's interesting that ghosts and goblins flow right into snowflakes and age-old jingles. The only thing these three individual holidays have in common is FOOD! Yet, we have found a way to make an entire season out of three unique holidays!

I just hope I can stomach 3 months of Seasonal music, seasonal decorations, and heaven forbid...Seasonal Clothing!

Dream Analysis

So, it has been a very strange week in the dream world. And apparently it isn't just me! My friends have been telling me about their weird dreams as well. Is it the food we eat before we go to bed? Is it the stuff we have on our mind come bedtime? Let's explore:

Recently a friend of mind had a whopper of a dream. Let's call her Susie. Susie was on a ship with another friend (let's call her Sassy). Sassy had a newborn baby with her. Sassy and the baby jumped into the water outside the ship. Suddenly a whale (which turned out to be a killer whale) started coming toward Sassy and the baby. Susie meanwhile was screaming to Sassy to throw her the baby. Instead of throwing the baby toward the ship, she threw it on the other side of the ship in the water. Susie jumps out of the ship and starts swimming toward the baby. Meanwhile the whale proceeds to eat Sassy. Before Susie can reach the baby, the whale swims over and eats the baby too.

Now water generally symbolizes the spirit. Since so much drama is going on in the water, we can only assume that their spirits are troubled. It's also interesting that a whale ate Sassy and the baby. A whale generally represents an enormous project at work that is overwhelming. Note that Susie (who had the dream) isn't the one to get eaten by the whale, but rather the people she cares about (Sassy) and the innocent (the baby). Perhaps her current project load is tearing her away from the those she needs to devote her time to. Of course, on the other hand...it could all just be the Mexican food and Tequila she consumed that weekend. :)

Now mine...once again I dreamed that a tooth or teeth is/are falling out of my head. This one happens a lot, always with some twists. In the past, I have had a whole mouthful of teeth fall out while I'm speaking to someone. Gross! Last night was a smidge different. It was only one tooth...and there was a visitor in my dream who I haven't spoken to since I was a sophomore in college. Now of course, dreams about losing teeth generally signify a secret you are holding onto, or bad words spoken against someone (and it's coming back to haunt you). In my case, I have no real secrets, so I can only guess, that I need to start choosing my words and expressing my opinions more discretely and carefully. Given that the visitor in my dream was someone I cared for in the past, but wasn't a friend to when needed most, is most likely meant to remind me that all our actions make a difference. Our words and our actions are our testimony. No matter the circumstance, we must always be mindful of the consequences of this testimony.

Will it never end?

If you've flown for business lately, you have probably been stressed over several different factors that are unfortunately out of your control.
--Flight Delays
--"Mechanical" difficulties
--Crew absences
--Lost baggage (for those of you who opted to pay the $15 fee to check a
bag..congrats on getting your money's worth)
--Despicable customer service

None of these things seem to be getting better as airlines thrash around like fish out of water attempting to salvage their business. Now given, I do feel bad about the state of the industry. The success or failure of airline travel directly effects our nation's economy. What is so disturbing is that once again the airlines try to put a band-aid on something instead of focusing on their core values to lead them through difficult times.

Airline travel is not a retail store...it is a SERVICE. So what happened to the service? The agents and crew who were excited to be a part of the airline, who cared about their passengers, and who felt empowered to go the extra mile have been furloughed, and we are left with the most senior employees who have "seen better days" and "knew what it was like when legacy carriers were king".

In tight times like these, airlines should be spending ALL additional resources to please their customer, because without them, there is no reason to provide any service (good or otherwise).

Ironic

So, as most of you know, I have worked for the American Airlines AAdvantage department for 8 years. I recently left American in search of less stress and more input. You can imagine in a company that employees over 10,000 people, your voice is not often heard. This used to not be the case in the AAdvantage department. We were different. We were sought after. Everyone wanted to join AAdvantage Marketing. Those days are sadly over. No longer did we collaborate with other teams, or come up with innovative promotions. No longer did we set the standard for loyatly programs. We simply went along with flow, responded to other bonus offers, and moved all resources to the airline's bottom line. Expenses...no more! Fees...MORE, MORE, MORE!

Now, I am employeed by AccuConference (a tele/web/video conferencing company). This is the irony:

Where once the message was Fly, Fly, Fly. Now the message is save your money and call into your meetings instead.

Where once the message is "We Know Why You Fly(R)". Now the message is "We know why you don't".

Where once the message was "The fees aren't that bad, it's the wave of the future." Now the message is "We have no fees. This is the wave of the future."

It's quite a different world, for sure. We actually took a vote on something yesterday. The entire office got to have a say. What is THAT about?? That is the future.

Social Media

So, this is the day and age of social media in marketing. Social media is deemed as a user friendly, not threatening marketing tool to reach "the everyday person". I would agree with this statement. However, I think most companies misuse this marketing vehicle. People playing or chatting via Facebook or MySpace don't want to be inundated with ads or marketing ploys. They want real life applications, not a sales pitch. Trying to find the balance between marketing and relationship is a tricky one. Spending money on an ad in one of these social media vehicles is a waste of time. Instead, develop a widget or an application that engages the user and makes them want to find more information about your company.

Let's see...for AA, I should be able to play a trivia game that allows me to earn fake "miles" to plan my dream vacation. I could invite my friends to come along. We could do environmentally friendly challenges to earn money, which we would inturn spend at the AAdvantage eShopping mall and earn miles. How much fun (an non-threatening) would that be?? It would encourage a relationship atmosphere, and also educate the user about ways to earn and redeem miles.

Just a thought....

Texas Our Texas

I am 'awful' proud to call myself a Texan (even though I wasn't born here). I figure that since I can sing the state song, protect the state flower like it were my own child, and relate to all of the following...that makes me true blue! Who out there can understand?? :)



Things I learned living in Texas.

1. A possum is a flat animal that sleeps in the middle of the road.

2. There are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 of them live in Texas.

3. There are 10,000 types of spiders. All 10,000 of them live in Texas, plus a couple no one's seen before.

4. If it grows, it'll stick ya. If it crawls, it'll bite cha.

5. 'Onced' and 'Twiced' are words.

6. 'Jaw-P?' means 'Did y'all go to the bathroom?'

7. 'Fixinto' is one word.

8. There is no such thing as 'lunch'. There is only dinner and then there is supper.

9. Iced tea is appropriate for all meals and you start drinking it when you're two. We do like a little tea with our sugar.

10. Backwards and forwards means 'I know everything about you.'

11. The word 'jeet' is actually a phrase meaning 'Did you eat?'

12. You don't PUSH buttons, you MASH EM.

13. 'No. Jew?' is a common response to the question 'Did you bring any beer?'

14. You measure distance in minutes.

15. You switch from heat to A/C in the same day.

16. All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect or animal.

17. You carry jumper cables in your car --- for your OWN car.

18. You only own five spices: salt, pepper, TexJoy, Tabasco and Ketchup.

19. The local papers cover national and international news on one page, but require 6 pages for local high school sports and motor sports, and gossip.

20. You think that the first day of deer season is a national holiday.

21. You find 100 degrees Fahrenheit 'a bit warm'.

22. You know all four seasons: Almost summer, summer, still summer, and Christmas.

23. Going to Wal-Mart is a favorite past time know as 'goin' Wal-Martin' or 'off to Wally World'.

24. You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good chili weather.

25. Fried catfish is the other white meat.

Consistent Stranger

For those of you who may or may not know, I ride the train into work each day. I live 50 miles away from work, so this is clearly the cheapest alternative for me. Everyday, I generally see the same people with a few new ones thrown in the mix. I figure there are about 10 new faces for every cent that gas prices increase!

Today, I was sitting with a group of folks who have been riding for quite some time. We were commenting on how you have the "regulars" and the "tourists". Occasionally, there will be some kind of function that facilitates these "tourists" on the train. The trains are absolutely packed these days. This morning, it was standing room only. Our group was discussing how we're going to have to start implementing preferred seating for the regulars...because these "tourists" are strangers. We've never seen them before. We've been riding the train forever and always sit in the same place. :) Then, the guy seated with our little group, said...I guess we are all really strangers, but at least we are consistent strangers! I thought that was a great description for us. We see the same people everyday, but we are still strangers. I don't know the names of the people I sat with this morning, even though we chatted practically the whole ride. We may be strangers, but at least we are consistent. How many consistent strangers do you have in your life?

Summertime

Summer is here! Of course, for someone in the corporate world, this doesn't mean a whole lot. It certainly doesn't mean vacation. Quite the opposite...in my world it means peak travel season, more people on less flights. This of course equates to fewer standby opportunities, thus probably no vacation for my family. My niece and nephew though are off with Grammy and Poppy to enjoy a summer of road trips and fun. My brother and I used to travel with our grandparents every summer. Those are some of my most wonderful memories. I have to admit that I am just a tad jealous that the mantle has now been passed to the next generation. I certainly enjoy having responsibility and seeing the fruits of my labor...but oh to be 8 years old again. That just might be just what the doctor ordered. I propose we have an 8 year old day once a year. Work could be cancelled for the day and we could instead go swimming, eat hot dogs, set things on fire....oh wait, I think they call that the Fourth of July. Thank goodness...that is right around the corner!

Allergies

What are these strange things that doctors refer to as allergies? I think they develop whenever something you come in contact with doesn't agree with your body. Then I resolve that I am the most disagreeable person in the world. I am "allergic" to everything. Mind you, this has not always been the way. When I was a child I never had ANY allergies. So I guess, the older I get, the surlier I get. And the surlier I become, the more allergies I develop. Please, someone...anyone explain this phenomenon to me!