Month: November 2009

Snail Mail Delivers

I don’t like federal holidays. Don’t get me wrong — I want the day off. But I also want my mail.

Yes, I know what I just wrote. And I know that in the day of instantaneous mail via e-mail, that sounds strange. But ever since I was a little girl, the mail carrier delivered. It began with my copies of “Highlights” magazine and then “Ranger Rick.” I graduated to the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew mystery book club.

And, of course, there were the pen pals I had around the world. I wrote to a few in Africa for a summer or two. But Andrew, who lived in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia, and I corresponded for more than 10 years. Ironically, we lost touch soon after we both got email. His letters opened a whole new world to me. And I had fun sharing my life and culture through newspaper I created for him and through letters.

In college, my mother and I began a correspondence that continues to this day. There is nothing I enjoy more than coming home to find a letter waiting from her. She shares the daily stories of what she and dad had for dinner, when they walked the dog and what score she got in Pinchocle. Mundane, perhaps, but it’s the stuff of life.

Many of my friends send short little notes. I guess we’re still a bit old-fashioned that way.

And now I write to my sponsored child in Brazil. It’s part of sponsorship through ChildFund International. I enjoy hearing how Fabia is growing and what she is doing. Our correspondence reminds me of my childhood pen pals.

So while I love the ease and speed of email, I truly enjoy the deliveries to my mailbox. For me, snail mail delivers.

To Join Or Not To Join

In the past year I’ve become quite active on Facebook and LinkedIn. I have a blog, but I still don’t tweet. I’ve been part of conversations with NPFW members — young and old — about whether they should join and whether it’s a time waster.

At the least, any one in the communiations field needs to be familiar with the platforms. The only way to truly understand them is to participate, even if it’s only for a short time.

At the NFPW conference in San Antonio, Texas, blogger Nettie Hartsock described LinkedIn “as your corporate boardroom” and Facebook “as your playground.” It’s the distinction I’ve chosen to make, too. So if we networked professionally, please join me on LinkedIn. If you and I meet for dinner or talk on the phone in the evenings, please friend me.

The problem, though, is when co-workers ask you to be their friend on Facebook. It seems almost rude or antisocial to say no. Instead, I send a message and ask them to connect with me on LinkedIn.

When that didn’t work so well, I simply created a second Facebook account — this one for co-workers. I don’t post often to that one, but it does come in handy because I and my co-workers are able to share photos and videos. I work for ChildFund International, and employees travel frequently worldwide and capture video and photos of the children we serve. Facebook provides us with an easy-to-use platform to share what we’ve captured.

And ultimately, that’s the reason to join. If the platform offers you a benefit then join. If it doesn’t and is only hindering or aggravating you, then it’s okay not to join. There is another platform just waiting around the corner, and it may be exactly what you were looking for.

The Power of 3

Did you know that in 30 minutes you can address all of your social media commitments?

That was the message during one of the workshops at the 2009 NFPW Conference in San Antonio, Texas. The idea is that in those 30 minutes, you can write and post a blog, tweet, and update your LinkedIn profile.

It works. I’ve been doing it since the NFPW conference. Tonight was one of those nights that I fell behind so I was worried about getting a post up by my self-imposed deadline. In my 30 minutes, though, I did everything I needed to do.

Another session from the same workshop by Nettie Hartsock and Jennifer Hill Robenalt was to review your blog and blog roll every month. A blog roll should contain no more than 10-15 blogs, they said. So after three months check that the roll hasn’t grown out of control.

As for how often to post, yep, their recommendation was three times per week. I decided since I had a full-time job that almost always exceeds an eight-hour day that I would commit to twice a week, not three times. When I start posting three times a week, you’ll know I have the job well managed.

Suggestions for developing blog content included asking seven questions (or just three) of someone and posting the answers as an interview. Lists are always good especially when you include three tips or five hints.

So in just 30 minutes I’ve completed my blog, updated my LinkedIn profile and answered some emails. I still don’t tweet. And I’ll probably go over 30 minutes because I’ll go to Facebook, but I promise I’ll only play Bejeweled for 30 minutes!

Stamps Continue To Make History

As a child I had a stamp collection. Collecting didn’t last terribly long but I’ve always been fascinated by the stories behind the stamps. Today the USPS even prints details about the stamps on the sheets.

The National History Women’s Museum has unveiled its new cyberexhibit, “Leaving Their Stamp On History.” It features the first 26 stamps highlighting women that were issued by the U.S. Post Office.  The first stamp issued for a woman is of Spain’s Queen Isabella, who sponsored Christopher Columbus’ voyage to America. The exhibit ends with Lucy Stone, who led the First National Women’s Rights Convention in 1850.

The stamps follow in order of the US Post Office’s issuance, from 1893 to 1968, and depicts authors, educators, reformers, and organizations that shaped history. 

It wouldn’t surprise me if one day an NFPW member had her own stamp!

To view the exhibit, please go to http://www.nwhm.org/exhibits/stamps/index.html.