A Blog Breakup with Yahoo

Basically, I given up. I have been defeated by the craptacular piece of junk blog-thingie that came along with our Geocities site. I think Yahoo has given up on it too. They don't even seem to be supporting it at this point.

So if you found me from JohnandBonnie.us and are looking for those fascinating few entries from the original J&BLog, they are supposedly archived at 360.yahoo.com/woody_74075. If you are looking for John's blog, it's on his MySpace page.

Drumroll, here it is: There's Only Ever One Bonnie.

Enjoy

All A-Twitter

I'm a twitter-pusher. If you talk with me personally on a regular basis you already know this. In the last few days I've started to push my Twitter goodies on young unsuspectings. I decided it'd be easier to do in mass.

So here's the why: Mostly I'm talking to young PR/communicators or young soon-to-be PR/communicators. Social media is the "it" thing in our industry, right? It goes without saying (except that I just did say it). Everyone is looking for a new hire that can help with "social media efforts." So how are you going to convince anyone that you are in-the-know if you are not already part of the conversation when you walk in the door.

Sure, you can Facebook and MySpace. You can blog, YouTube, and Flickr (you can do all this, right?!). People complain about social media taking over our lives for a reason: it's never-ending. Prepare to meet your newest obsession.

The How: go to twitter.com, create an account. Simple, right? Now don't sit in Twitter all alone and go "this sucks." You have to follow people and be followed. It's simple, just play for a few minutes and you can figure out the basics.

Still want me to draw you a picture? Someone else already did: http://www.commoncraft.com/Twitter.

Ok, so who should you follow? Well, for starters, me, of course! Just type FOLLOW BonnieAnn or go to www.twitter.com/BonnieAnn and click the follow button.

Who else? Here are some PR/communicators I follow. Following people in your industry is great. Twitter becomes a professional community where you can get feedback 24/7.

@samsims @kamichat @eschipul @lindsaylaird @dpkpr @publicityhound @jenniferds1127 @knhalvorsonapr @holleym @vtrammell @muddypebbles @cluster_funk @ncoggins @okprdustin @daniwalker76 (these are just a few mind you!)

Just fun: @okstatelibrary @okc @cnn @twitter @thebloggess @pickensplan

And folks I love: @sarahelaine @vbaeza @andrea862

You might be surprised who tweets. Maybe your congressman? http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Members_of_Congress_who_Twitter

Don't stop there. These folks will lead you to other folks. If someone interests you, teaches you, or entertains you, follow them.

Alas the madness won't stop here. If you want to establish and maintain a reputation as an innovator or even an early adopter you'll have stay on top what's new, and that seems to be changing daily.

I'm not saying you have to like it all (I hate RSS!! Just for example). I'm not even saying you have to use it—for long. But you have to understand it enough to explain why it is or isn't appropriate for a project, client, etc. and when if ever it would be.

Skydiving: Bonnie's Story

I feel like every morning for the rest of my life I'm going to wake up and think, "I jumped out of an airplane."

This feeling will surely pass in a week or so, but our sky diving adventure will definitely remain as one of the most surreal experiences I've ever had. Stepping out onto the wing of plane, clinging to the strut with your feet dangling 4000 feet above the ground and then just letting go is not the kind of thing you have any context to understand. My brain does not know what to do with these sensations.

I thought I'd be scared. I actually wondered if I might chicken out. As it got closer and closer to go time, I couldn't believe I was actually doing this. This is crazy; normal people do not jump out of planes. They only do this in movies, right?

Surprisingly, it really wasn't scary. In fact, watching John jump was 10 times scarier than doing it myself. As the plane rose into the air, I ran through the protocols in my head. I kept waiting for the terror to come, but it never did. We'd drilled and drilled all day, I found that I really did feel ready. I knew what expect, I knew what I needed to do, and remarkably I had complete trust in my instructor (who would be pulling my shute for me).

As prepared as I felt when Waz asked "Are you ready to skydive?" I was, not in fact, prepared when he opened the door and shouted "Feet out and stop!!"

Waz told us it was windy. He did not stress that it is, in fact, so incredibly windy that a 140 pound woman will need her instructor to hold her down lest she blow away. When I tried to place my second foot on the step, I couldn't put it down. The wind was that strong. Waz grabbed my leg and pressed it to the step. I leaned close to the strut and grabbed hold as I'd practiced.

If it hadn't been for Waz's firm grip on my pack, I'm sure I'd have been straight out, flying alongside the plane like superman. Waz let go and my feet flew off the step. I hung from the strut for moment, enjoying the ride. I thought one last time about my body position and let go. That was when things really deviated from the plan.

I thought I was arching, I really did. But the wind hit me and I started to tumble through the air. I did a complete backflip before my shute opened. I was convinced my lines would be tangled, and I stared for a few seconds in disbelief trying to locate the line twist that was sure to be there. It was good.

I started navigating my shute, spinning 360's and generally enjoying the ride to the ground. It seems like you're barely moving. That is until you're about 20 feet from the ground, then you realize you're actually coming in at a pretty good clip. I was ready to put on the brakes, though, and my landing was perfect. I was so excited by the perfect landing that I forgot to collapse my shute and it promptly knocked me to the ground, but that part was fun, too.

Taking the Plunge

John's birthday is coming up and after much prodding, he has decided on a birthday present. We're going skydiving!

On July 27, we take the plunge. We'll both be doing our very first solo dive after 4 short hours of training. If you happen to be in the Cushing area midday that Sunday. Look skyward. You may just see two redheads plummeting towards Earth.

In which I am very very humble...

As requested, here is my self nomination for the Outstanding Employee Award. I know, I know, it's pretty cheesy to nominate yourself, but come on! It's $1500, don't say you wouldn't do the same. Besides I really am pretty outstanding.

Cain Nominated for 2008 Outstanding Library Staff Award

For Immediate Release

STILLWATER— The OSU Library administration recently revamped the Library’s award structure and unveiled the Outstanding Library Staff Award. Bonnie Ann Cain, one the Library’s most outstanding employees is taking full advantage by self-nominating for the new honor.

“There are so many individuals who come together to make the OSU Library a great institution. It’s really an honor to just be nominated for the Outstanding Staff Award,” said Cain.

Cain’s noteworthy library career began in October 1995 when she joined the OSU Library family as a student in the Circulation Department. Her exceptional work led to an official promotion to Student Assistant II for the Billing/Fines Unit and unofficial promotion to Library Princess.

Upon graduation in May 1999, Cain joined the Library Dean’s Office where she has devoted her career to the promotion of the OSU Library. In 2001, she stepped into the role of Coordinator of Communications and Publications (now Senior Communication Specialist). In this position, Cain has worked consistently to expand the scope of the Library’s publicity efforts.

“I am so fortunate to have a forward thinking leadership team that fosters my creative genius and innovative spirit. We are Edmon Low, 2.0!”

Always on the cutting edge, Cain has incorporated many new media technologies into the Library’s promotions efforts. The Edmon Low Library has its own profile on Facebook; over 900 invitations to a recent collection opening were sent through the social networking site. Social media is even creeping into the Library’s web site. Every online press release offers six different social bookmarking options, and the news site was recently expanded to include an online pressroom.

One of Cain’s inspired projects actually bears her name.

“I hope that long after I’m gone Bonnievision will still be in use. No one may know why it’s called that, but it will be just one of the many legacies I have left the OSU Library,” Cain mused.

Her illustrious career of nearly a decade is bedazzled with accomplishments. Cain has held leadership positions in both the University Staff Association and the Edmon Low Library Staff Association. She now serves on the boards for the Guthrie Public Library, Public Relations of America Oklahoma City Chapter, and the Friends of the OSU Library.

Cain’s work on the Edmon Low Library’s 50^th Anniversary garnered a John Cotton Dana, the second such award for the OSU Library. While juggling her work duties, Cain also managed to complete both a master’s degree in mass communications and the arduous Accreditation in Public Relations.

Cain will humbly tell you, “My APR is one of my greatest accomplishments. It is truly a mark of distinction for me personally as a professional, as well as the institution I represent.”

For more information contact (405) [removed] or email at [removed].

###

What is a Duckmaster?

As I mentioned, The Peabody is most definitely all about the ducks. There were duck shaped soaps and butter pats. Ducks on the bath mats and ducks on the shampoo bottles. There was a bar called the Mallard and a gift shop full of duck this and that. The building itself was branded with huge ducks that could be seen from the street or from the air. The elevator floors were tiled with duck mosaics.

And yes, the ducks do actually swim in the fountain, not 20 yard from the entrance to the restaurant.

Ruth, my graphic designer, challenged me to seek out and document the Duck Palace. I did that and one better. I befriended the Duckmaster, Lloyd and he made me Honorary Duckmaster. I was officially proclaimated in front of the audience for the evening duck march, I got my own cane and Lloyd and I marched the ducks!

Check out the photo gallery for the full photo essay: www.johnandbonnie.us.

Evidently, Honorary Duckmaster duties are bestowed on special guests of the Peabody. Oprah, Lou Dobbs, and most Arkansas First Ladies have been Honorary Duckmaster, just to name a few. It's kind of a big deal.

Overall the PRSA Regional Conference in Little Rock was great. I met some great and really interesting folks. I had a blast hanging out with old friends and new.

You can also check me out as Duckmaster on Ed Schipul's Flickr photostream.

The Deal with the Ducks

I'm posting it here, because next week I'm off to cosmopolitan Little Rock, and evidently at the Peabody (where I am staying) they are nuts about these ducks.

The ducks are prominently featured in the hotel's logo, decor, gift catalog, etc.

To set this up, you must understand that the Peabody touts itself as totally fancy-schamcy. A highlight of it's fanciness is a daily "duck march" where the ducks walk a red carpet through the lobby (yes, the lobby!) of the hotel and into the fountain. Get the whole story here: http://www.peabodymemphis.com/peabody_hotels/the_peabody_ducks.cfm.

I am so amused by the whole concept, that I have decided to blog the ducks from the conference. I'm sure you are eagerly awaiting more!

With any luck I will make it to the "duck palace." I'm bringing the camera and will document everything for the amusement of all.