The other day, I caught the end of a news report on Somalia, and then later in the day came across the same topic in an interview asking the following questions:  “Will giving money to Somalia really help? Or, is that just the easy way for us to wash our hands of the situation?”

Since I regrettably hadn’t been following the issues of the Somali Crisis, I decided it was time to do some link jumping to see what I could find out about this Crisis.

As usual the first headline I came across was criticism about how the crisis was being addressed.  The headline read:  ”Aid Groups are misleading the public on Somalia” along with a  later statement that  “greater honesty about human blame is slowing the response“.

I could have easily stopped there and been satisfied with that, but for some reason I dug deeper.  I do enjoy seeing where the clues unexpectedly take me sometimes.  Here, I wasn’t disappointed and I’m truly glad that I looked beyond the headlines.

In my sleuthing around, I finally starting catching up on what I should have already known,  that Somalia was just one part of the Famine in the Horn of Africa.  I also realized three things about the different articles and commentaries I found about the Crisis:

1. As much as the internet empowers and spreads messages quickly, we need for people to be listening and seeking out those messages.   What a helpless feeling it must be to be empowered, yet to still feel that your voice isn’t able to take flight.  We’ve got the humanitarian and superstar performer, Bono, of U2 fame, being interviewed by CNN’s Anderson Cooper.  Both are humanitarians of immense integrity and aren’t asking for money, but instead  merely requesting 180,000 signatures to petition World Leaders to act on creating a safe passageway for aid to reach those in need.  The Interview was posted on August 10^th, and as of Sept 11^th, the petition goal was still not not quite reached, though respectably at 98%. A sobering situation. (Update:  I see now that they keep up-ing the goal.)
2. Next I realized, that even when we do get that opportunity to communicate our message, what message will we choose to put out there? Are we informed enough to hit the right priorities?  Are we addressing the real problem(s) and solution(s)?  Are we debating the right issue(s)?  Are we helping or hurting the cause?  What point are we trying to make?  Can we effectively change the message as priorities evolve with the situation?
3. As I “googled” for more information on the Somalia Crisis, I started piecing together a more complete story.  It wasn’t hard to find, I just needed to make the effort to look for it.  I found that just as money is only part of the solution, I realized how soundbites and headlines only communicate certain part of the messages about a situation, too.  To see the entire picture, we need to assemble all of the puzzle’s pieces.

For those of you not in the know, here are some of the facts that give a more complete picture of the Famine and the needs:

• Somalia is essentially the epicenter of the Famine in the Horn of Africa, with Somolia representing about 3+ million people out of the 12+ million people in the region.
• While drought is a natural disaster, famine is man-made.  Not only is the drought exacerbating the food and water shortages, but the 20year civil war is preventing Humanitarian Aid, for which funding is available, to get through to those most in need.
• The crisis goes beyond simply providing food and water.  It also includes: providing  medical care for disease and malnutrition;  money to overcome unaffordable food price inflation; a means to earn a livelihood amid drought-stricken fields with crops and lifestock that need a season to regrow.
• The reality is that the solution isn’t based on money alone.  This has become a Humanitarian Crisis because there still isn’t a solution in place to create a safe passageway for aid to get to those most severly affected.
• The situation has gotten worse, thus increasing the need for additional aid. And, the situation will continue to worsen as time passes if left unaddressed.  Beyond addressing the immediate needs, there is also the longer term need of  risk reduction, recovery and resilience, as well as mitigation and response actions.

To briefly paraphrase the CNN Bono interview, in Bono’s words:  “We mustn’t let the complexity of the situation absolve us from responsibility to act. That’s really the message. … Create a safe passage for aid. … This is a defining moment for us and there’s lots to distract us. …”

Is there really one headline that can capture the whole picture?  Not really.  But, there is one headline that matters most.  It is the headline that catches your attention to hook you to the issue and to spur you to take action.  Above is the headline that did it for me.  Which will do it for you?

Life is short.  All lives matter.  How can I use what I have in me to do more?  That’s always the question for me.  What is it for you?

——————————————————————————————-

How to Take Action Now on the Horn of Africa Famine :

• Sign Act One Dot Org’s  Petition to World Leaders
• View Suggestions at World Humanitarian Day’s “Take Action on Horn of Africa”

Get Inspired by the following Videos:

• Watch: Anderson Cooper’s Interview with Bono and Kna’an
• View Official Video of: World Humanitarian Day 2011 – ‘If I Could Change’ ft. Ziggy Marley
• View or Download: Save The Children’s Urgent Appeal Exclusive Download of  ”I’m Gonna Be Your Friend” by Bob Marley

Today, October 15^th 2009, is Blog Action Day with the theme of Climate Change.  I hope this post is able to contribute some small part to help raise awareness about this important issue.

Whether You Believe Or Not

There are people that passionately believe global warming is real.  And there are those that just as strongly disagree with the concept entirely.

It’s actually quite interesting to consider how awareness for climate change has grown in the U.S. since the 1930s.  First, it took a considerable amount of time to reach some level of scientific agreement about the problem. Then it took even more time to build up public awareness around the issue to the point where political action was seriously being sought and demanded.

It’s actually quite amazing how far we’ve come just since Al Gore’s movie “An Inconvenient Truth” in 2006.  This year (2009), there are high hopes for some monumental outcomes arising from International talks at a United Nations meeting in Copenhagen this December.  Check out 350.org for more information on the CO2 goals for this Treaty as well as the “day of action” planned on October 24^th, 2009 to drum up even more support for a favorable CO2 Treaty Agreement.

But aside from the climate change awareness movement, the best way that I would respond to any naysayers of global warming is that we should care about our environment regardless of whether global warming or climate change will ever hit crisis levels.

Is there ever really any excuse to abuse or have a lack of appreciation for the gifts of nature around us?  Consider the simple beauty of sunsets, mountains, beaches, forests, gardens, waterfalls, fruit, vegetables, clean drinking water, etc.  How much would we miss them if they were gone?

Whether climate change is a real issue or not, I think we can agree that it makes sense to take care of the environment around us, to use materials that are bio-degradable and environmentally friendly, if even just to slow the growth of landfills and to keep our air and drinking water clean.

Even though it is quite common to recycle plastics, to use efficient light bulbs, and waste less energy, I believe there is still a lot of “low-hanging fruit” in our lives where more can be done with minimal effort and meaningful impact.

I care about the environment.  I’m not a fanatic.  I do use plastics more than I should (they are so undeniably convenient).  But I also do make an effort to recycle as much as I can, too.  I am getting more and more educated and aware about the environment and the human impact on it. Alongside the big changes that government policy can achieve, I realize that small changes add up and can make a meaningful difference, too.

While change often never happens until there is a crisis to jolt us out of our comfort zones, I’m glad to see climate change awareness growing.  I look forward to the days when appreciation for the world around us is something that we no longer have to teach, that it is something that comes second nature to us, something that we don’t need to question, something that we just do because it is the right thing for the current moment and for future generations as well.

I must admit that when I first saw the agenda for the Writer’s Digest Conference, taking place in NYC this year, I didn’t quite understand why there was such a big social media focus at the event. I wondered if the event organizers weren’t just jumping on the bandwagon of the latest online trends.

Gladly, my skepticism turned out to be quite short-lived.  Right from the very first session I attended, I immediately understood that this apparent merging of topics wasn’t any kind of a forced fit, but instead was a natural union that made perfect sense.  The book publishing environment is clearly changing — it’s not just about getting an agent and finding a publisher anymore.

I decided that since my learnings might be of interest to some of my fellow creative friends, I put together this list of 8 things I learned about “21^st Century publishing” and how social media can be used to legitimately bypass the bombarded Gatekeepers and make you a successful Gatejumper.

[Attribution Note:  I sometimes get nervous about whether or not I’ve given adequate and accurate credit where credit is due for particular ideas. Let me acknowledge that the following tips are essentially a mashup of learnings from:  @ScottSigler, @SethHarwood, @BeTheMedia, @ChrisBrogan, and @JaneFriedman. Thanks to all of these great presenters for the learnings!] [FYI:  No affiliate links are used in this post, so feel free to click through the links.]

So, let me know if these points resonate with you, too:

(1)  Your book is just one vehicle to get your message out. As pointed out by David Mathison of “Be The Media”: Your book shouldn’t be your business model or your end game. As with social media, it’s never about the tools. As Chris Brogan makes clear: Your book is a way to connect to people (as also demonstrated by the book, Trust Agents, by Chris Brogan & Julien Smith.)

(2) You are the best person to sell your book.  Successful fiction writers, Scott Sigler and Seth Harwood, are perfect examples of how, especially in the beginning, you should do it all yourself. Create your own platform.  Build your own audience.  See how Seth Harwood simplifies the process he uses in this “How He Podcasts” video clip on YouTube.

Also, consider how Writer’s Digest editorial director, Jane Friedman, clarifies how “publishers sell your book to wholesales, distributors, and booksellers – it’s up to you to reach your readers.”

 Building your own audience first (as Seth Godin also writes about in his book “Tribes“) is what makes getting published easier later (see more at point #6).  Having your own audience also gives you leverage to negotiate better contract terms when the time comes, as emphasized by David Mathison in his book “Be The Media”.

(3) In 21st Century publishing, there are no rules. (Notice how Writer’s Digest editor Jane Friedman’s blog is even entitled: “There Are No Rules”.)  Also, paraphrasing Chris Brogan: “The first one there owns the game. You set the frame. You explain why this is the solution.  Then you deliver it.  You make the game.”  Chris even had a quote that went something like this: “Don’t go where the road leads. Go where there’s no road and create your own.”

(4) “The biggest enemy isn’t piracy, it is obscurity,” that is the way Scott Sigler says it.  Chris Brogan uses the word “providence” to describe how when you “give everything away it will come back to you.”  This doesn’t seem like a logical approach on the surface.  But I believe in how fiction writers, Scott Sigler and Seth Harwood, succeeded by consistently giving away complete and “free serialized audio books” a.k.a. podcasts. (Similarly, Chris Brogan is known for how he gave away tons of free content for years before the book “Trust Agents” came out; Darren Rowse of Problogger fame did it with what became his “31 Days to  Build a Better Blog” book; and Hugh MacLeod, a.k.a. Gaping Void, did it with a full-length manifesto on Creativity which became his recent book “Ignore Everybody”.)

(5) Learn how to be human at a distance. As Chris Brogan explains:  It’s not about you, it’s about your readers. Be there before the sale. Give someone help for free rather than giving them a postcard that they don’t want and can’t use.  Do this right, and you don’t have to sell them anything, they’ll want to buy from you.  Hence, the following point #6.

(6) The easiest way to get a book published is to not try to. This one is from Chris Brogan, too, he describes it like this: The best time to find a job is when you already have one. You’ll exude a different level of confidence.  But, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to put in the hard work either (more on that later).  And, he goes on to explain that this is not “fake it till you make it”. It’s about bringing your best. (Remember the negotiating leverage from point #2).

(7) Focus on finding readers (an audience), don’t focus on finding other writers (unless that’s your business).  Scott Sigler and Seth Harwood remind us that your audience is interested in your message. In finding topics to cover in your blog, focus on your readers and your message; keep the industry stuff separate.  True readers probably aren’t that interested in industry news or the behind-the-scenes processes (other than true die-hard fans). Though, do work with your Industry Peers to cross-promote with them to leverage different audience bases.

(8) Your revenue stream will not come from the book, but from what comes next.  Books are your best $25 business card, leading to other revenue afterwards such as from: speaking; consulting; advertising; being hired for other projects; etc. Consider the progressive steps listed on the bottom scale of this: Be-The-Media’s Product-Pricing Curve.

So, overall, while there are no hard-and-fast rules to success, per se, these are some really useful guidelines to consider. 

As Chris Brogan quips, phones don’t accidentally get new followers, people don’t randomly find you.  There is work involved here.

The closest thing to a formula that I could put together from this event is the following:

• Take Chris Brogan’s advice to “listen at the point of need” by using Search and participating.  Also, market to Google as much as to people.
• Use Scott Sigler & Seth Harwoods’s process of: “Content. Consistency. Promotion.” over a 3-to-5 year timeframe.
• Put in, what Malcolm Gladwell concludes is, 10,000 hours in your area of focus to establish your expertise. 
• Target the achievable, yet still manageable, goal of finding 1,000 true fans, a concept from Wired Magazine editor Kevin Kelly and written about by Dave Mathisen in his book, “Be The Media”.

Do all that, and tell me if that doesn’t work. Either way, that’s what I’ll be trying.  What about you?

Please let me know what you think.  Are these tips and concepts use-able for you?

I know I would be remiss to pass up on the opportunity to compile some observations and reflections about my first Affiliate Summit experience, i.e., Affiliate Summit East 2009 (ASE09), NYC, August 9-11, 2009.

I’m hoping this post will serve two purposes: first, to share with others what I learned; and secondly, to thank those that made the experience so worthwhile for me.

So, without further ado, here goes …starting before the beginning….

What affiliate marketing meant to me before the event was, having high hopes that simply slapping an affiliate link with a banner ad in the sidebar of my blog would somehow automatically bring in at least a few dollars a month of income. Obviously, that strategy had never earned me a dime. While I was otherwise rather familiar with many of the names, faces and issues of online marketing and social media…it’s just that I hadn’t really figured out how to use it effectively (as a business tool), yet.

How did I hear about ASE09 and decide to go? Having followed online marketers and participated in social media for a couple years now, I had heard about these Affiliate Summits every now and again, though, admittedly, I hadn’t given them much attention. Since I had never really earned much money online, and since I didn’t really consider my blog to be a business, I didn’t think this was an event for me. Either way, that didn’t stop me from following @affiliatetip on Twitter.

And, I don’t know if this was new and/or if it will be repeated again, but I noticed that Shawn Collins of ASE09 (@affiliatetip) was giving away Gold Passes on Twitter to those quick enough to grab the occasional codes he would post there from time to time. I figured that for a free admission, I had no reason not to check it out. Plus, luckily for me, since I live in NJ, I was able to take the train into NYC without having to worry about planning for a big trip.

How did I prepare for the event? The event organizers made it easy to come to this event fully prepared about what to expect. By following @affiliatetip on Twitter along with the Twitter hashtag of #ASE09, I found out about ASE’s First-Timers Mentor Program, and this is where Shawn Collins also posted these two great Slideshare guides:

• First Timers Guide for Affiliate Summit East 2009
• Guide to Networking at Affiliate Summit East 2009

Additionally, I had first-hand advice from my pre-assigned Mentor, the friendly and helpful Trisha Lyn Fawver, via these two posts that she wrote about her experiences:

• Tips & Tricks For Affiliate Summit
• Affiliate Summit East 2009 Resolutions
• P.S. be sure to check out Trisha Lyn’s coverage of the event at: http://www.trishalyn.com/tag/ase09/

Needless to say, on the day of the event, I took their advice and before doors opened, I did the following:

• Pulled out the “Meet Market” listing of Exhibitors, read through descriptions, circled those that I wanted to be sure to stop by and visit.
• Pulled out the Quick Agenda page and circled the sessions I wanted to attend.
• Listed out a short sentence and/or a few bullet points about “what I do”; for me that turned out to be four ideas that I thought I might be able to do something with, not perfect or finely polished pitches, but something to say if I was asked.
• Browsing the material in the complimentary event tote bag, I was impressed to find that Feedfront really is a very good magazine with great info in to-the-point, no-fluff-here articles.

What I learned from the sessions: While I only was able to stay for one day of the Summit, it was the day that included several informational sessions open to Gold Pass holders. Some things I learned about include:

• Micro-niches are profitable because they are targeted and specific (e.g., Doberman training vs dog training). The more qualified and focused your audience is, the better they’ll convert to purchases. Cheaper search terms and ad costs mean better margins. Less competition means more sales. Targeted customers mean lower refunds and better payouts. (via @DushR of ClickBank)
• The FTC is currently pushing for clear disclosure of affiliate links by bloggers. Purpose is to distinguish between editorials vs advertorials so that readers are better aware of biases. (Something to keep an eye on).
• To be successful in Personal Branding (e.g., lifecasting) it is important to: frequently update; be consistent and disciplined; talk to people in real life, too; be really present in the community you are in; know what your end goal is in that community & how much time you want to spend there; know what ROI you are looking for. (via @stephagresta of Porter Novelli)
• There is also Offline Affiliate Marketing, where online efforts drive sales cross channel, from an online to a brick-and-mortar store, with money to be made not just on Cost per Action, but also and Revenue sharing. (via Jonathan Treibner of RevTrax)

First-Timers Mentor Meetup was also invaluable. At the end of the day, there was a special session for First-Timers to meet face-to-face with their mentors. (Special Thanks to Event Organizers that thought to include this!). Having already had “practice” interacting with other participants and exhibitors during the day, I was much better able to anticipate the questions of: “What do you do?”, “What sessions did you attend/like?”, “What did you learn?”. So, I felt much more at ease about what to use as conversation-starters as well as interested in hearing what other people were working on, too.

I learned from other First-Timers as well as from my Mentor. I found that my fellow newbies (especially if they didn’t consider themselves to be direct competitors) were quite open to sharing what resources and strategies worked for them. I also found that people were “new” in different ways, and each had different influences, exposures, challenges, and experiences to offer.

Meeting my mentor, Trisha Lyn Fawver, in person then at the end of the day was perfect timing, too. It was great to be able to have the day’s events to talk about and then ask more meaningful questions from more of a shared common experience of the day. I was then able to wrap up the entire experience with a relaxing dinner with @TrishaLyn and her husband @domfawver afterwards.

What affiliate marketing means to me now after the event…having experienced this friendly, helpful, informative, and well-run event, I now see “selling” quite differently, and I now hear other people’s advice about affiliate marketing in a whole new light.

To some people, this will be nothing earth-shatteringly new, but for me, the new context will definitely open new opportunities for me. For what it’s worth, here’s how I would summarize it: Successful businesses need to be focused, purposeful, and intentional, and are not about floundering around, half-heartedly dabbling, or always chasing the next new “money-making” opportunity. There is no need to be shy or afraid of “selling”, or more appropriately stated: being adequately compensated for providing quality solutions to true problems/needs.

Thanks ASE09 for the great experience, with special thanks to Shawn Collins, @affiliatetip, and my mentor Trisha Lyn Fawver, @TrishaLyn! Looking forward to seeing you, and other new faces, again next year!

Hunger probably isn’t an issue that is top-of-mind for many of us as we go about our busy lives.  We probably used to only think about “The Hungry” on occasions like holidays, or when we read about the starving children in Africa, or perhaps when some town in a far away land got hit by yet another natural disaster. 

We may respond by opening our wallets of sympathy and donating a few dollars to the cause of the moment.  But, then, as our own daily lives again absorb our full focus and attention, we don’t give much more thought to it. 

Hunger Is a Local Issue 

Yet now as U.S. unemployment levels reach new highs, we may be becoming more aware than ever before of hunger issues at home.  However, hunger in our local neighborhoods is not a new issue.  ShopRite food stores have been fighting hunger in neighborhoods across six states served by their 217 stores for more than 20 years.  

Did you know that 11 percent of U.S. households lives in a constant state of “not knowing when or what their next meal will be”?  Even though this rate is slightly lower in the states where ShopRite stores operate (i.e., which ranges from 7-8% in NJ, Delaware, Connecticut; and 9-10% in Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania), the need for food assistance is constant and year-round. 

Have You Ever Gone Hungry? 

Many of us probably have never truly experienced what it is like to go hungry, especially on a prolonged basis.  

Now I’m not talking about the kind of hunger like: the mid-afternoon munchies; or when you’ve worked through lunch and are ravenous by dinner; or when you’ve left your wallet at home and don’t have the cash to buy lunch, and you know you won’t have time run out to an ATM to get some quick cash. 

What if you didn’t have funds in an ATM, or if you became homeless, or you ran out of friends who were able to help you out on a continuous basis, then what would you do? 

Here is a listing of programs that benefit from local food charities:  Emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, child care centers, battered women’s shelters, senior programs, drug rehab centers, programs for the mentally and physically disabled, after school programs, and other organizations that support those in need. 

Support Local Food Efforts 

This year is the 10^thAnniversary of ShopRite’s “Partners In Caring” program, where ShopRite customers support manufacturers who contribute to this program by purchasing products indicated by “Partners in Caring” shelf labels.  Each of the 217 Shoprite stores (across six states) then selects qualified local food charities to benefit from the program.  Benefitting charities are then better able to acquire needed supplies from a local food bank.  So, consider purchasing ShopRite “Partners in Caring” products when you shop at ShopRite stores and help support local food charities.  

You can also find more information on how to get involved in fighting hunger locally on ShopRite’s “Partners in Caring” website.   If you live outside of this particular program area, take the time to find out about local hunger initiatives, including a local Food Bank, near you and see how you can help out there.  You can also find relevant information at http://FeedingAmerica.org/ . 

Leave a Comment To Donate a Box of Cereal

Out of ShopRite’s many “Partners in Caring” manufacturers, General Mills is one who has been a vendor partner with ShopRite since the “Partners In Caring” program’s inception. 

General Mills has now additionally partnered with ShopRite in this “Blog It Forward To Fight Hunger” campaign and will generously donate one box of cereal to a local food bank for the each of the first 30 comments on this post.  

So, donate a box of cereal by simply leaving a comment below before August 13, 2009.  Say “Hi” and share any thoughts or wishes you may have.  Thank you in advance for your kind words! 

Thanks again for your support of local hunger fighting initiatives in your home town!

 P.S.  Be sure to look for the special edition custom Honey Nut Cheerios box featuring local “Bloggers in Caring”.  I’ll be sure to post a follow-up update for you, too!   Thanks again!

Okay, time is about up!  The “100 Articles in a 100 Days” contest which I wrote about in my last post is as good as over. 

While I started off with high hopes of accomplishing what I now realize was an overly-ambitious goal of completing this contest in about 1/3 of the allotted time, not surprisingly, that didn’t happen.  But that’s okay.  I’m still glad I gave it a go. 

Surprisingly, I didn’t realize that I would learn as much as I did in such a short period of time.  If you are curious, here’s what I got out of my brief participation in this challenge: 

What I learned about Article Quantity:

• Writing one article a day (or 5-7 per weekend), and establishing that as a habit is do-able (and that was the whole point of this contest to begin with anyway).
• Writing 5-articles-a-day is not really sustainable for more than a couple days in a row, especially if you have a full time job in addition.
• Writing 10-articles-a-day is not advisable if you want to have a life, too.
• Rushing to meet a contest goal was challenging at first till I realized I didn’t want to forgo quality for quantity.
• Writing for quantity forces you to be efficient, thus eager to cut 700 word articles into two 350 word articles.  Creating bite-size reader chunks makes sense as we’re writing articles here, not books.
• Personally, while I still feel like I’m short-changing the reader if I write less than 400 words, I am gradually getting used to the idea that for article writing it is okay, and actually advisable, to just give some pointers and not try to write exhaustive articles, e.g., to leave the reading wanting more.
• Constantly coming up with new ideas and new angles that are interesting and not just rehashing what you’ve written before is a skill and an art that is worth mastering.

What I learned about Writing Topics:

• This is the first time I wrote on topics that I knew something about without doing additional research; turns out I know about: social media; success/happiness; writing/communicating; self-sufficient/do-it-yourself type of advice; among a few others.
• I have unique experiences and insights that others might benefit from reading about, or might relate to and are worthwhile sharing.
• There are things I know stuff about that I can share that I might not necessarily post on my blog, so article writing provides another writing outlet.  Yet, at the same time, if my article-writing goal is to direct traffic to my blog, not all topics I write about are what my blog will be about.  Something for me to still sort out.

What I learned about the Writing Process:

• Some articles write themselves, others are a labor in love.
• Sometimes editing and proofreading can take as long as writing a first draft, sometimes not.
• I now know better how to repurpose other things I’ve written. Re-writing can improve a piece.
• Rearranging sentences and paragraphs and/or cutting awkward phrasing can really help improve the flow of an article.
• I think I prefer to publish posts as a steady stream rather than batch bursts.
• SEO doesn’t interest me, I especially prefer more natural titles. We’ll see if I change my tune on this over time.

What I Accomplished:

• I qualified as an Ezinearticles Expert Author with Platinum Status.
• I found some good like-minded people to follow on Twitter via the #HAHD hashtag.
• At least one of my #HAHD articles got reprinted (see screen snapshot here) and was Tweeted, whereby I found a few other writing sources to follow on Twiter.
• I got more familiar with the resources available from Chris Knight at Ezinearticles and from Jeff Herring.
• 24 Articles now exist that otherwise would never have been written.  I realize that I have more to write about than I thought I did.

 
Even though I didn’t “win” this challenge, I know that if I never attempted it, I would never have learned what I learned. I even inspired myself to write an article on “Why Commit to (Seemingly) Impossible Goals”.  I, too, am curious to see what the next 25, 50, and 75 articles will be about. 

By the time I hit 100 articles, while this contest will be long over, I know I will be much closer to accomplishing my goal which is to determine the best focus for my blog.  For now, I’m content to be a bit eclectic like The World’s Strongest Librarianwho just had the high honor of writing a guest post on Problogger entitled: Better Questions Than “Do I Need a Mentor?” and “How do I get one?”.

I’ve decided to enjoy the journey.  I enjoy writing. I will continue writing.  I’m glad this contest came along since it got my juices flowing in a new way; I now feel freer and stronger in my writing; and I know of many more writing options and resources to imbibe in.

Thanks to the contest sponsors: Chris Knight, his Ezinearticles Team, and Jeff Herring!

Today over 100 New Jersey bloggers will be participating in a campaign to bring attention to the current state of  the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) which is the largest food bank in the state.  

In New Jersey, as in many states, due to the current economic crisis, food is down, funds are down, and demand is increasing.   More specifically, “requests for food have gone up 30 percent, but donations are down by 25 percent. Warehouse shelves that are typically stocked with food are bare and supplies have gotten so low that, for the first time in its 25 year history, the food bank is developing a rationing mechanism.”

It might be of interest to you to understand how the role of  the CFBNJ food bank is different from that of the local food pantries, soup kitchens, or shelters in the state.  The CFBNJ is like a wholesale distributor which provides food to these smaller locations, i.e., more than 1,700 non-profits, which serve more than 500,000 people a year throughout the state.  The food bank does not give food directly to individuals; instead, the food bank accepts large-quantity (truck-load-size) food donations, as well as monetary donations which they stretch to purchase food at wholesale prices. Keeping this food bank open is clearly a vital need!

While the need and impact of the CFBNJ food bank is large, some suggestions on what you can do to help out the hungry are not.  Please consider helping out in any of the following ways:

1. Make a monetary contribution: Visit www.njfoodbank.org.
2. Donate food: Drop off a bag of food at a local pantry directly: a listing  by county can be found here: www.sefan.org.
3. Organize a food drive: Call 908-355-FOOD for assistance on logistics of getting started. 
4. Help “Check Out Hunger:” Look for the “Check Out Hunger” coupons at  your local supermarket and donate. No donation is too small!

Please join 100 New Jersey bloggers in supporting this cause and spreading the word to your family, friends, and organizations as well!   Thank you!

(Additional Note :  This blogging campaign is part of the larger “We Can’t Let This Bank Fail” campaign that was kicked off with the support of  Bruce Springsteen in ads that first ran in mid-November of this year.)

Election Day is just one day.  One Day that has been a long time coming.  One that will soon be here and will soon be gone.  But is it an end or a beginning?  Either way, many will say that it will be another four years before they get their chance to vote again.  But, that isn’t quite true.

The General Election is no doubt a very important decision day.  Yet it need not be a once-every-four-years event.  This election period has been one of the longest and most polarizing in a long time.  Combine that with the current financial crisis and the recent bailout package, one good thing that has happened is that people have again found their voice.  Current technology is making it so much easier to get information, to organize a collective voice, and to get those voices heard.  Keeping informed on the issues and participating to our government in any way that we can (including writing to our representatives) is something we can and should continue to do, Election Year or not.

Let’s stay informed and involved in government and hold our representatives accountable, not only on the national level but also on the state and local level, too.  The more informed we are along the way, as issues are being discussed and debated, the easier it will be for us to know where we stand, when to get involved, and what the real facts are when those more difficult decisions need to be made. Cramming for the test doesn’t lead to the same level of understanding and learning that comes from being involved and engaged in the pros and cons of an issue along the way.

Regardless of who wins this election, we all must strive to respect all models-of-the-world.  How else will reaching across the aisle be achieved.   Remember that respecting another person’s point-of-view doesn’t mean that we have to agree with them.  Once we can accept that different people have come to their own conclusions based on their life experiences and exposures, only then can we sincerely attempt to communicate with each other in ways that move us towards seeking that common ground from where we can them move forward together rather than driving people away from each other.

So, voting is “making a choice.” Keep in mind that this choice is not limited to just politics.  In a way, we vote every day with the decisions we make, e.g., what we buy; where we go; who we associate with; what behaviors are acceptable to us; what rules we choose to follow and enforce; what standards we set for ourselves and others; and what kind of lifestyles we want to lead.

It might be worthwhile to look at how you make your decisions. Most likely you have different decision-making processess for different situations depending on the complexity and familiarity of the issue at hand. Some questions to ask yourself include:  How quickly do you make your decisions?  How much time do you spend gathering evidence?  Are your decisions impulsive or a result of careful deliberation?  How informed are you before making your decisions?  How committed are you to your decisions, e.g., will you stick to them or change your mind soon?   How much of your “head” versus your “heart” (your emotions) went into your decisions?  What was your decision criteria?  What are the consequences of your decisions for yourself and others?  How do other people make their decisions?  

Decisions do shape our futures.  Choose wisely. And, keep in mind that decisions are learning opportunities, too.  And, decisions and points-of-view should also be reassessed and re-evaluated whenever new evidence or experiences provide us new insights.  

Surely we will have one president for the next four years, and this isn’t something we can change.  But we can change how we interact with our government during this time.  Whether it be in our day-to-day decisions or in direct involvement with our government representatives, let’s be sure to exercise our decision-making responsibilities actively, reasonably and respectfully.

Blog Action Day 2008 has finally arrived! What a great campaign this has been. There was an appropriate amount of reminders to raise awareness, to keep the issue of Poverty top of mind, and to focus on the “Action” part of the event.

Here are three things that stood out for me in the months leading up to today’s “Blog Action Day”:

(1)  From the folks behind “Blog Action Day”, there was a steady, yet appropriate, amount of buzz, a.k.a., reminders, in various online mediums, focusing not just on the upcoming event date but also on providing easy-to-consume resources as well as telling compelling stories of what people were actually doing for the event. This really kept the issue top-of-mind over a longer period of time (several months if I recall correctly) yet without being overly intrusive or annoying.  All causes should be about more than just a one-day drive-by type of activity.

(2)  And, what great timing for this Day, too. Had you also heard the great news announced last week regarding aid for poverty-stricken countries? I was so glad to hear that amid the uncertain financial turmoil that the developing countries are now facing, and especially considering the man-made nature of this occurrence, that despite that, the World Bank and the IMF had unanimously agreed ”that as governments turn their attention to domestic matters, they do not step back from their commitment to provide billions in aid to poor countries.”  I think we can take a lesson from this, perhaps that even in bad times, we need to remember that there are always those less fortunate than ourselves.

(3) I was also amazed to find out that there are so many different ways people can really ”do” something about poverty.  You must check out the awesome list on BlogActionDay.org under their Action Blog entitled: ”88 Ways to DO Something About Poverty Right Now“.  Making a difference is about so much more than just sending in money! 

So, what will I DO!  Well, the activity that caught my eye is relatively simple yet quite effective in more than one way.  As best I can, I will cut out (or at least drastically reduce) my consumption of plastic and aluminum bottled drinks and I’ll take the money I put aside from that and donate it to a Poverty Elimination cause.   What’s really great about this idea from the list is that there are the additional side benefits of doing something good for the environment, too, (by reducing consumption of plastics/aluminum) and also a benefit to my own health (by cutting out the soft drinks.)  No doubt a big enough incentive is there for this to get done.  I’ll be doing my best to follow through!  What will you be doing?

Today is Blog Day 2008.  Today, bloggers are being encouraged to get to know other bloggers by posting five new blogs to share.  The five I’ll be listing might not all be considered “new” per se, but I chose these because each represents an authentic voice, that updates regularly, and honestly contributes to the conversation (without trying to make a quick buck like some internet marketers often do.)  I haven’t met any of these five people personally, but from what I have read, I can vouch that these are all people that I would do business with and are people that you can truly trust!  Enjoy!

1.  ChrisBrogan.com.  In my opinion, Chris is one of the best social media bloggers around.   Chris posts regularly, contributes to the conversation, and shares a ton of interesting information about social media and beyond. Chris is also active on Twitter.

2.  MaxGladwell.com.  This blog is focused on ”Social Media and Green Living” and Max Gladwell is also active on Twitter.

3.  Jim Kukral.com.  Jim is a creative, authentic, and inspirational video blogger and marketer.  I especially enjoy Jim’s “The Daily Flip” video posts.  Jim is on Twitter, too.

4.  Mom Goes Green.  This is a quality blog that might be a little less know.  It is written by Jim Kukral’s (above) wife and goes by the  tagline of: “A Mom’s Journey to Green Living”.  You don’t need to be perfect to be sincere.  This Mom is on Twitter as well.

5.  Jonathan Fields: Awake at the Wheel.  Jonathan blogs about health & fitness, life, marketing, social media and entrepreneurship.  He is another authentic voice and is also on Twitter.

Hope you have a great Blog Day 2008, too!