Introducing "Mr. Bonnie"

At Oklahoma State University, faculty leading a study abroad course have the option to bring a “support companion.” They must pay for their airfare, any hotel differential, food, any activities they plan to join, and OSU’s approved travel insurance for the trip. For our course in Milan, we had three official faculty leaders each with their companion, our on the ground liaison and 23 students. 

Not only is it great to be able to share these experiences with someone you care about but also they really do provide valuable support. While a fun experience for everyone, these are work trips for the faculty. We are managing a large group made up of many first-time travelers, navigating a foreign city and teaching a university course along the way. 

It’s nice to decompress with your person and have someone to keep you company during the students’ free time. It’s also great to have a few extra chaperones, even if they are serving in an unofficial capacity. With a group of 23 students, we tended to keep one couple in front leading the way, a second couple midway to keep the group together, and the last couple at the back to ensure no one got separated. We were navigating busy streets, hopping metros and making train changes. We needed all hands on deck. 

This was John’s second time to join me on a study abroad, and he really found his groove and enjoyed his role. I describe his job as being open to chats and an occasional question and standing by being vaguely dad-shaped when needed. With 23 young women in a foreign country, it is surprisingly handy to simply have a couple large men stand with you. 

Around the second day, we were breaking up into groups and some of the students announced, “We’re going with Bonnie and… um… Mr. Bonnie.” We had a chuckle, I introduced John to the group, but the nickname stuck and honestly it seemed to be a term of endearment. Even students who knew him called him Mr. Bonnie and by the end of the day he was answering to it without even thinking.

It’s Tuesday, it must be Switzerland: Epic views and life-changing fondue in Lugano

While Milan is an amazing and beautiful city, and there are still lots of things we hope to see the next time we visit, it’s also a great hub. Throughout this visit we took three day trips. For our first, we hopped a train to Switzerland and spent the day in Lugano. 

The town of Lugano sits on a lake nestled in the mountainside of the Alps. We stepped out of the train station to some stunning views. We began the trek downhill to the Old Town, which was filled with boutiques and vintage luxury shops. After a quick orientation, we set the students loose for the morning and began our own stroll through the cobblestone streets. 

The timing was perfect for us to grab an hour-long ferry ride of the lake. If we thought the views from the hillside were awesome, the views from the center of the lake were stupendous. Snowcapped mountains stretched in every direction and adorable villages dotted the shores. It was just a commuter ferry, no tour or guide, but we were wowed. It was definitely a great way to spend the morning. 

Upon our return, we stopped at a nice cafe that touted a fondue menu on their sidewalk chalkboard. This was another great spur of the moment decision. It’s no exaggeration to say this fondue is in the running for one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever had. My co-faculty, Lori, and I split a fondue pot and by the end of the meal, we were only half joking as we planned our next study abroad to Switzerland so we could eat fondue this good for a solid week. 

We sent the husbands off to explore the casino while we did some window shopping. Lori was seriously tempted by some vintage handbags, and I was pulled in by some handmade pieces at the local boutiques. 

After a guided walking tour, the group began the trek back to the train station. Half took the funicular, and I took the brave cohort that decided to walk. It was much, much further than I had remembered from the way down. We turned a corner that I thought was nearly the end only to discover we were less than halfway. After 6-8 blocks of steep stairs, we reached the station a bit winded but proud of our efforts. Our guide was astounded by how quickly we made the walk. He said he’d planned an hour to get us back; we’d made it in less than 20 minutes. 

One thing that surprises and tickles me on these trips is how tired the students get in comparison to the faculty. This day was a perfect example as nearly every student passed out on the train ride back to Milan. 

To guide learning, I gave the student a few framing questions each morning. On this day, I asked: 

• Lugano blends Italian language and lifestyle with Swiss order and affluence. How could influencers use that duality to position Lugano as a distinct kind of luxury lifestyle, different from both Milan and classic Switzerland?
• Unlike Venice or Lake Como, Lugano’s luxury shows up in more subtle ways like the lakeside promenades, arcades on Via Nassa, parks like Parco Ciani, and café culture. As you walk, consider what small, everyday moments here could be framed as “quiet luxury” in influencer content?

The Duomo welcomes us to Milan

We landed in Milan two days late and 46 miles from our original destination (a story for a later post). Somehow, we sped to the hotel just in time to drop our bags, smear on some sunscreen and run to catch my students as they embarked on the first major activity of the trip, a climb to the roof of the Duomo. 

If you are looking for pictures of Milan, chances are good that the Duomo will dominate the results. The Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Nativity of Saint Mary is the largest church in Italy and one of the largest in the world. It took about 600 years to complete and features 135 spires, more than 3,400 statues, 135 gargoyles and 700 figures.

What a welcome to Milan. The cathedral is nothing short of breathtaking. The view from the plaza is impressive, but the climb to the roof brings you face-to-face with the intricate architecture. 

A short elevator ride brought us halfway, then the series of staircases began. I quickly found an opening the students overlooked in a narrow passageway. No gates, ropes or signs indicated it was closed to the public and with that we found ourselves standing on the literal roof. Needless to say we were all immediately thrilled with the detour. 

We took our time climbing the stairs and exploring every nook and cranny we could fit ourselves into. From the roof, we had panoramic views of Milan. The day was so clear, we could see the Alps from our perch on top of the city. 

John and I have an inside joke that we have to visit the tallest structure in any city we visit, so that trip requirement was checked off quickly this time. The Duomo did not disappoint, and it was clear why this is a must-see stop for any trip to Milan. 

To guide learning, I gave the student a few framing questions each morning. On this day, I asked: 

• After walking the fashion district and standing on the Duomo terraces, how has your sense of where luxury influence comes from in Milan shifted? Do you see it more in specific brands, in the city’s overall atmosphere, or in the way visitors and locals express style in these spaces?
• If you were guiding an influencer through this same day, what three content moments would you insist they capture to tell a richer story about Milanese luxury?
• How does moving between commercial/luxury space (Quadrilatero della Moda) and sacred/historic space (the Duomo) affect your thinking about the line between cultural experience and branded experience in influencer communication?

More than a field trip, less than a semester abroad: Faculty-led study abroad, the Goldilocks of education travel

Rooftop stop on the Duomo.

When I was a college student, “study abroad” meant you spent one to two semesters living and taking courses in another country. It was a big, costly undertaking and honestly something that never seemed accessible to me. Today, Oklahoma State University (and many more I’m sure) have added another option that has opened global experiential learning to a wider audience. Enter the faculty-led study abroad course.

I recently returned from leading my second such class where two fellow professors and I took 23 students on a week-long spring break trip to Milan, Italy. The trip, of course, is the foundation of the course, which also includes both pre- and post-departure class meetings, presentations by the students, on-the-ground assignments throughout the week, and a final paper. Our students are earning three credit hours for “Influencer Communications in Luxury Spaces.”

Students enroll in the course, pay the associated tuition and fees, and purchase their own airfare. The fees are naturally higher than your average college course because they include the hotel, some meals and all the activities the faculty have planned around the learning objectives of the course.

These study abroad experiences have two big appeals for both students and their parents. First, I’ve found both the students and their parents feel much safer knowing students will be accompanied by professors who serve as instructors, guides and support throughout the week. For many of our students, this class is their first time leaving the country. Having access to faculty, especially ones you have a relationship with from prior courses, feels like a safety net (and it is).

The second draw is the financial support. Students can apply their existing financial aid, and OSU offers a number of scholarships designated specifically to study abroad. The Provost, College, OSU Global and our home department all have scholarships, and I’ve seen students awarded over $2,000 specifically toward their study abroad.

I’ve been incredibly lucky to have great student groups and wonderful faculty collaborators. So far, teaching these courses has been fun and enriching. I’m already making mental plans for the next learning adventure.

A quick street lecture before we begin our day's adventure. 

SxSW, I'm Back

After taking a year off from my annual SxSW trek, I decided to give the festival another shot. This year, I brought Nina, my trusty producer along with me, and we hit the road! This was my sixth SxSW and Nina's first.

In my typical Sx-fashion, I'll be sprinkling in some posts about my favorite sessions over the next few months. Until then, I want to share a few of the themes I picked up on this year. This is one of my favorite parts of SxSW, and I feel like you really have to be there going to sessions to have this experience. Some themes are obvious (like VR/AR having its very own track in the programming), other themes are more of reoccurring ideas that resonated with me personally.

Theme 1: Disruptions that will impact the future of information literacy
There was no one session that addressed this, but I was surprised how many different sessions left me thinking about the future of libraries and role in information literacy education. Here are a few of my take aways.

• We don't have an information overload, we have a noise overload. We aren't just teaching people how to find the best information anymore. In a post-truth world, we need to teach people how to filter out the trash. We can't even begin to talk about the "best" information, until we get people to care about accuracy.  
• Which is difficult because Gen Z doesn't care about source. They care about validation. I hear faculty and librarians lament the fact that "kids these days" can't tell the difference between ads and real content. That's not the problem. They can tell the difference, they just don't care. 
• The under-rated fear of AI is over trust. As virtual assistants and other AIs become more ubiquitous and we grow more dependent on them how does this impact the way we teach information literacy? GPS comes with a warning to not drive your car into a lake if it tells you to. What could a trusted AI get you to do?

Theme 2: The now and future of media consumption
I think this will always be a key theme for me at SxSW. But the things I learn surprise me every year.

• Video is still king... for now. 
• We're all about VR/AR, but the future is still unclear. Platforms are still developing. Access is still a big issue. The laws are fuzzy and just  starting to look at the space. There is a dark side and the ethics of the space are also still evolving. 
• Audio. Who knew? I feel like several years ago many were looking down on audio as a bit quaint. Thanks to AI, audio is back in a big way and it poised to become a major part of our future media offerings. While we have a big leap in knowledge and equipment needed to really enter the VR/AR/AI world, we are ready to create high-quality and engaging audio now. Thinking creatively about audio could help us bridge the gap between where we are and AI and VR. 

Watch for upcoming posts on these related sessions:

• Seven Nonobvious Trends
• Mo Reality, Mo Problems? AR/VR and the Law
• Brave New World: The Future of Theater and Tech
• Elmo's World: Updating a Classic Property for a New Generation

Theme 3: Biohacking
This theme really surprised me. The schedule had several sessions specifically about biohacking. While I didn't attend those, biohacking still crept into the sessions I attended, and it was really interesting. Daniel Pink's session on timing was quite possibly my favorite of the week. More on that later.

Watch for upcoming posts on these related sessions:

• Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing
• Active Meditation to Shift Your S*** and Increase Your EQ

Theme 4: Gen Z
I've been very interested in Gen Z research ever since I attended a really bad session about the new youth generation last summer. I've had a difficult time finding much solid research on the topic, so at SxSW I attended every session I could on Z. There are a bunch of people who are positioning themselves as experts, but they are just making stuff up. One of the absolute worst SxSW sessions I have ever seen was on Gen Z (and it was actually an encore session). Fortunately, there are people doing real research. They will readily admit that it is evolving because Z is still so young, but trends are emerging.

Watch for an upcoming post on the related session: How Gen Z will Change the Workplace

Theme 5: Innovation is the buzzword
It might seem obvious to list innovation as a SxSW theme, but this year seemed to tackle the subject with more intention than previous years. Nina and I are offering our co-workers a share session on our SxSW experience, and we opted to focus solely on the innovation sessions. There is so much to say on these, it will need to wait for future posts.

Watch for upcoming posts on these related sessions:

• Culture Shock: How Company Policy Hinders Innovation
• Innovating the Future with Culture Track
• How NASA and LEGO Embrace Open Innovation
• Three Innovation Superpowers
• Leading for a Culture of Innovation and Creativity

Rise of the Social Employee with Sarah Pedersen

Presenter: Sarah Pedersen, Director of Customer Success for the Americas, Hearsay Social

I was interested in this talk because for years I've been hoping to tap into the ambassador potential of my organization's employees. I honestly think there are a lot of employees who are passionate about our organization, would love to be ambassadors in any way they can, but they don't quite make the connection in the social media space. 

Social listening is great and certainly gives us useful information, but how to do I get my coworkers to understand the power and influence they have and encourage them (and teach them how) to leverage that on our behalf?

Here are a few of my key take-aways from Pedersen's talk:

In your company you have:

• Brand Advocates-they are out there talking about you already
• Social Listeners-how do we let them share their knowledge internally
• Detractors-how you listen/deal with these employees is important
• Opt-Outs- we can't force people to have social media, that's ok, they do other important jobs.

This idea really clicked with me. I can totally see this at play in our organization. I think I had internalized this to a point, but how can we take this frame and make it a more formalized part of both our internal and external communications?

Pedersen also talked about the History of Social Media using the premise that social actually began with the launch of the postage service. Long before the technology, we had a longing to connect with others and this is the root of all social media. 

See all my SxSW recaps on the tag SxSW.

SxSW 2015: the sessions that got away

SxSW is always crammed pack with so much great stuff, I have a hard time deciding what to attend. Sometimes, the crowds decide for me. I was locked out of more than one session at the last festival.

I'm looking forward to sharing some the take-aways from the sessions I did attend, but for perspective on the scope of SxSW, here a list of the session I wanted to see, but didn't get to...

• Simple Ways to Massively Increase Your Content #content123
• Neuroplasticity and Tech: Why Brands Have to Change #neurobrand
• New Media Ethics: Journalism in the Age of GIFs #newethics
• The Art and Science of Shareability #shareable
• Do You Know the ROI of WOM? Do You Want To? #ROIofWOM
• The Emperor’s New Wearables #SXstyle
• How to Rock SXSW in 4 Hours #sxsw #timferriss
  
  
• NASA New Initiatives in Imagery for Public Use
• Content Marketing vs Don Draper: The End Of Ads #MPost
• Visual Storytelling: The Power of Design + Data #TDSXSW
• UX and The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle #Heisenberg
• Behind the Social at PBS' Largest Content Provider #WGBHSocial
• How SciFi Drives Marketing In the Exponential Age #sxsw #innovate
• Brand and Deliver: Creating Custom Branded Content #sxsw #branded
• Beyond BFFs: Using Texting to Promote Empathy #T2C
• Picturing Your Big Ideas
  
  
• The Quantified Us
• How the Google App Finds Answers Before You Search
• Digital Disruption: Do or Die
• Paid Editing of Wikipedia: Getting Past "Gotcha"
• Storytelling For Dummies: Create a Lasting Brand
• The Road to Character
  
  
• Art and Experience: A Future for Creativity
• Are You in a Social Media Experiment?
• Mobile Beyond Marketing: The Era of UnAdvertising
• Personalization for the People
• Harvard Business Review On: How to Hire Superstars
• I Made 180 Websites in 180 Days
• Wearable Drones: High-Flying Fashion
• This Is Your Brain On Visual Data
• Identity In the Future Of Embeddables and Wearables
• Think Outside the Font: How Typefaces Influence
• How CNN and The New York Times Moderate Comments
• Facebook, Twitter and The Future of Free Speech
• Image Creation and Sharing: Practice vs Policy
• The Medium Is the Deliverable
• Princess Reema’s Mission to Empower Saudi Women
  
  
• Are Brands Sabotaging Their Own Content?
• Managing a Shit Storm and Restoring Your Brand
• Beyond Marketing: How Curation Will Work for You

APR Tuesday Tip: Quota Sample

Many people confuse this for a random sample, but it's not. It may be representative of your total population, but it's not random and can't be projected onto the entire group.

Front: Quota Sample

Back: A nonprobability sample. Ex. In a school, find 10 elementary teachers, 10 middle school teachers, and 10 high school teachers. Any 10 of each kind.

APR Tuesday Tip: Convenience Sample

Hint: it's called a convenience sample for a reason.

Front: Convenience/Accidental Sample

Back: Informal selection process. Provides nonprobability sample. Ex. Drop by the company cafeteria and ask questions of whomever you find there.

APR Tuesday Tip: Probability Samples

Front: Probability Sample

Back: A scientific sample drawn in such a way that the probability of being chosen is equal or is known. A random sample is a good example.

With random samples, I find people struggle not with providing the definition, but with really understanding it. Random samples can be hard to create. If you stop every third person to walk through your door, that is not a random sample. Those people are preselected by entering that building on that day.

You have to think about the total population that interests you. Do every single one of them have the same chance to participate? 

APR Tuesday Tip: Census

I'm on a research roll with the APR tips. For the next few weeks, I'll highlight different kinds of samples.

Front: Census

Back: A 100 percent sample. Identify all the people in your universe and give each one an opportunity to respond. Especially useful with small well-defined populations. If your universe is under 300, consider a census.

I remember this one by thinking of the most notable census, the US Census. Its goal is to survey every single person in the US. 

APR Tuesday Tip: Formal vs. Informal Research

On the APR exam, there will be questions regarding a number of research methods we use in PR. You'll need to know the relative strengths and weaknesses of each and you'll need to know if it is an example of formal or informal research. Informal research is not bad, or inaccurate, or less valuable than formal research. It's just different.

Front: Formal vs. Informal Research

Back: Formal research uses the scientific method. The easiest way to distinguish is to ask does it have a random sample? And can it be reproduced?

APR Tuesday Tip: Research

From my visits with many APR candidates, I find that research tends to be the most feared topic on the exam. It is a large portion of the questions, but once you start digging into the material I think most PR pros will find this is all things you know. You just have to learn how to talk about them in the right way.

For starters...

Front: Research

Back: Research is the systematic gathering of information to describe and understand a situation; check assumptions about publics and perceptions, and check the public relations consequences. Research helps define the problem and publics.

APR Tuesday Tip: 4 Defenses of Libel

Hopefully, this topic won't give anyone bad "Media Law" flashbacks.

I tackled defamation and libel in previous flash card posts. Today's flash card covers the four legal defenses against accusations of libel.

Front: 4 Defenses of Libel

Back:
1. Truth: the burden of proof is with the plaintiff
2. Privilege: fair and accurate reports of public official proceedings
3. Fair Comment: on public figure
4. Retraction: a full and prompt apology 

APR Tuesday Tip: 5 Elements of Libel

Slander, defamation and libel are all terms we here people throw around a lot. If you are studying for the APR exam, or if you are a recent survivor of a media law course, you probably find yourself thinking "I do not think that word means what you think that word means."

Way back at the beginning of my little APR flash card experiment, I covered the definitions for defamation, slander and libel. Here's a belated follow up.

Front: 5 Elements of Libel

Back:
1. Defamation
2. Identification
3. Communication (Publication/Broadcast)
4. Fault (malice or negligence)
5. Damage (in absence of fault, provable damage or injury)

A Brand Fights Back through Social Media

Part 2: Example

2 pm, Friday, March 09, 2012
#authenticbrands

The focus of Branding without Bullshit was how to social media proof your brand. How do you maintain your brand reputation and identity when anyone can launch a social media attack on you. Well, sometimes the tables turn and brands fight back using those same social media tools.

When the Alamo Drafthouse kicked out a movie theater texter, the outraged patron called to rip into them. Instead of apologizing or explaining or getting defensive, the Drafthouse took her voicemail rant and turned it into a PSA that runs prior to their screenings. The video went viral and garnered significant traditional media attention, as well.

This video is uncensored and NSFW. You've been warned.

What do you think of this move? Brave? Stupid? Awesome? All of the above?

Branding without Bullshit: Building Social Media Proof Brands

Part 1: Take Aways

SxSW: 2 pm, Friday, March 9, 2012
#authenticbrands

From the start I was skeptical. The moderator opened by claiming “Austin is the home of authentic.” I actually laughed out loud. Austin is certainly the home of bullshit, but it is without a doubt the most un-authentic place I’ve ever visited.

Then she proceeded to open the panel with the question: how do you define authentic? Not surprisingly the answers were pretty straightforward. I have a dictionary thanks.

Moderator aside, the session was actually really great. We heard from four panelists who represented Yeti Coolers, the Alamo Drafthouse, Shiner and more. The panelists discussed the brands they represented and how they work to both listen and respond to social feedback while remaining true to their brands and the brands’ stories.

Panelist Bobby Johns, made the excellent point: “Don’t talk about how cool you are. Just be cool. Once you talk about it, you’re not cool anymore.” (Take note, Austin.) That’s not to say of course, that you don’t want other people talking about how cool you are. That’s awesome, but leave that work to your fans.

But what about when they aren’t fans? Johns also advised, “Weed out the bullshit that comes at you through social media. Don’t pander to the customer if it is not true to your brand.” The group talked about acknowledging negative comments and off-brand suggestions, but knowing your brand and resisting a public push to be something you’re not. That’s one way brands lose their authenticity.

The session focused on maintaining your authenticity. It can be easy to lose it, especially in today’s social media world. The panel ended on this question: “Can you bring it back once a brand has lost authenticity?” What brands do you think are “unauthentic” and have you ever seen a brand come back from it?

Biggest User 8-Week Challenge Begins

I've blogged about OSU's Healthy Campus Initiative before. Well, they are back with another fun PR stunt. This time the goal seems to be to increase use of the various campus recreation services. The project is called Biggest User and registrants have 8 weeks to sample a number of services (most typically have a cost) for free.

Here's what we get:

• 2 Fitness assessments ($30 value)
• Goal-Planning Session ($20 value)
• 3 Personal Training Sessions ($115 value)
• Nutritional Counseling ($30 value)
• Monthly Seminars
• Outdoor Adventure Challenge Course ($23 value)
• T-shirt
• 10% discount on follow up personal training or massage therapy appointments
• Support from fellow participants
• Encouragement from the staff

The catch? You must participate in both fitness assessments, a minimum of 2 fitness classes per week and at least 12 more activities during the 8-week period or you will be charge $50. I'm fine with that. I'm most interested in the goal-planning, personal training, nutritionist and fitness assessments. If I only do those activities and nothing else, $50 is a deal! (Of course, my competitive streak will force me to do my best to "win")

You might have noticed, I called this a "stunt." You know I love a good (i.e. strategic) PR stunt, and I think this qualifies. Why? Because I'm pretty sure there are a few goals at play here:

• Educate the campus about the variety of services offered (I didn't know we had all this and I've been on campus 17 years)
• Increase use of services (increased use=job security & funding security)
• Gather data on the impact of services (remember those required fitness assessments? they are going to have a nice little study on our beginning fitness levels, the level of participation for 8 weeks, and the results)

The best part: all three of these directly tie in to our goal of being the Healthiest Campus in America. Good on you Campus Recreation.

Professor Bonnie, Doesn't Get Nerdier Than That

No blog posts in two and a half months? Yeah, that's what happens when you take a second job and get cast in a theater production at the same time.

Beginning this fall, I am an adjunct lecturer in OSU's School of Media and Strategic Communications. So in addition to my normal job, I'm teaching two lectures and one writing lab each week.

It's kind of awesome and kind of terrifying a the same time. My co-teacher and I didn't have a lot of time before the semester to prep (hence the terrifying), but it is all kinds of nerdy fun to teach a college class.

Here are just a few of the totally awesome things about my new job:

• Even though I told them they could call me Bonnie, some of the students call me Professor Cain-Wood. It's all I can do to not laugh at them.
• I'm going to be a complete prezi.com pro by the end of the semester.
• I wrote a syllabus. It was so much fun, nerdy, nerdy fun.
• They are actually paying me to do this. (I would have done it for free. Shh, don't tell)
• They are letting me do it again. I'm already scheduled to teach the class again next semester, and it's going to be so much easier the second time.

My Mixed Reaction to UK PR Stunt

If the blog decides to hate this embed, you can view it via YouTube

I love a good PR stunt, a fact I occasionally document here on the blog. It's difficult to plan a good one, one that goes far enough to get attention and not be lame, but not so far that you damage your reputation by being unprofessional. To make matters more complicated, everyone draws that line in a different place.

That brings me to the mixed reaction I have over the PR stunt above. I read about this in PR Daily. Basically, PR pro, Charlotte Horsfall, posted a video to the company's YouTube channel begging a reporter to feature her client MyVoucherCodes Mobile App. The media didn't seem impressed, tweeting things such as "Clearly only one way I can respond to @charlotteyeti's plea. Video camera is out..." and "@KieranAlger Whatever you do don't feature @CharlotteYeti's client."

My initial reaction: Posting a video plea seems really unprofessional, and if you aren't getting coverage, the better tactic seems to be to ask yourself why. Then I watched the video, and maybe I was wrong about it. She is obviously poking fun at herself, it's not a serious grovel. And I'm left wondering if the fuss over her actions will actually land her client considerable coverage (I certainly opted to give them plenty of linky-love in my description).

Some are applauding the stunt, the first comment on the YouTube video suggests this is award-worthy. Still, was it worth it? When this little stunt blows over, she is going to be left trying to pitch to same the reporters who were slamming her actions on twitter. I think the real test of success lies in whether she burnt any bridges with the media she depends on to get her job done.

What do you think, thumbs up, thumbs down? Charlotte, if you're reading, I'd love to hear your personal take on it.