Damn the Torpedoes, time to make some waves.

Between Zappa and R.E.M. I was torn for this title - neither tune has nothing to do with the picture. This shot is the aftermath of yet another heavy dumping we got here in MD this past week BUT it does tie nicely in with a theme I wish to share - presenting to an audience is all about being on the same frequency.

This past week I got my speaker feedback from a conference I did back in November. I scored an overall 3.9 which when I round up is actually a 4 out of 5 rating - I like the 4 better then the 3.9 part but what really got my attention was a participant comment which I take real serious.

"I felt like Mike assumed we knew what he was talking about . . . " - ouch, I thought I did a good job at translating techenese into english, maybe I'm missing something.

Recently at a day workshop where I co-presented for a room full of EPA folks who focus on the Chesapeake Bay region I was again reminded of the importance in breaking down the terminology of the tools we sometimes take for granted. Seeing the review brought it all together for me.

I recently saw the following analogy on a tweet and it seemed to fit so well in breaking down what these social networking tools do to an action. We assume everybody now knows what Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare, Quora, YouTube and LinkedIn are used for - but what I was reminded of is that these tools still remain foreign enough that many just don't get WHAT they are. They've heard of them, but if pressed to put them into action or define their purpose in the proverbial tool shed . . . well now we got problems in Rivercity.

Let me use this example and tell me if it makes sense - this is where the yellow snow part comes in - here goes:

Twitter = I need to pee.
FaceBook = I peed!
FourSquare = I'm peeing here.
Quora = Why am I peeing?
YouTube = Watch me pee!
LinkedIn = I pee well.

So now that we got that going for us it's still a good rule of thumb to NOT eat the yellow snow and I'm hoping for my next conference speaking engagement I will be more understanding and appreciative of the silent majority who don't wish to acknowledge their gap in understanding what the new tools of engagement are used for. I now have a new analogy in my tool box, as do you.

I have this sudden urge to tinkle . . . .

Conference Technology . . . it's not just fishing and magic, notes from the front lines

2011-01-23T21:41:00.001-07:00

via choosecleanwater.org

The 2nd Annual Choose Clean Water Conference is over but still on my mind as we recap, document and provide feed back for what future NWF conferences could be like. This is my second conference with the NWF Mid Atlantic Regional office staff who work at bringing together 160 coalition members and the Chesapeake Bay regions movers and shakers who fight for clean water and a Saved Bay.

These events don't happen easy and a lot of planning and prep occurs prior and during to make them successful. Implementing tech in a fashion that helps promote and keep connected those who could not make the event a powerful motivator to continue the effort. Even more important those who attend but want more - more video, more pictures, more presentation material to bring back and share with their respective members.

What we were able to provide for the team was seen by others in our organization as a model for our other regional offices that are planning similar conferences. In fact the Great Lakes region is our next similar project happening in October and as we did for the Chesapeake here is just a taste of what to expect:

UStream Services - paid for service that at $99 provides an ad free service for up to 100 hours of broadcasting and video capturing - a decent cam that can focus and zoom from the back of the room is key. Also a very tall tri-pod.

YouTube - being able to have an account that exceeds the 10 min limit makes posting videos captured from FlipCams much easier, provided you edit and can easily compress your captured files. Also being able to convert captured UStream videos and converting them to YouStream keeps all your clips in one spot.

Flickr - having an account to quickly post images captured of speakers and guests. The trick is having more volunteers capturing images. Reducing those images is also critical as we learned that the free Flickr accounts has a space limit. Having card readers at your upload systems is a time saver.

SlideShare - getting the presentations posted prior to or during the speakers time slot was key to being able to link to them during tweets

Twitter - the power is always in the retweet and we had at one point 4 of the team tweeting various sessions always being sure to retweet each other or asking others in our network to share the posts.

FlipCams - spare cams is critical so you don't miss a session due to battery or space issues.

PowerPoint clickers - sounds simple but oh so important as you can't always predict where you can place the laptop to allow for advancement of slides.

Visible Tweets - http://visibletweets.com/ awesome program that takes a Twitter Hashtag and provides a display of all the tweets from the conference. Joined with a projector makes a great display in the lobby or during down times in the main conference ball room.

What The HashTag - monitors the Twitter Traffic and captures the twitter posts for documentation purposes

Laptops, Netbooks, iPads - what ever it takes to connect to a projector, we had them, and spares as you never know. This actually saved the group tremendous rental fees by providing this equipment.

Table Top video tripods - perfect for placing FlipCams in very small unobtrusive places.

Cabled access to Internet - most conferences you can arrange for WiFi, which can be costly FYI depending on how you negotiate with the conference or hotel. But having a cabled land line to ISP service is key to broadcasting or quick uploads as your files could be large.

Video conversion / compression software - I'm hooked on XiLisoft Video Converter http://www.xilisoft.com/ For $60 it's a no brainer and provides so many options my fingers would get tired from typing.

WiFi and Cell Service - being able to access the net or cell towers means mobile applications become very very useful. This makes the Droids and iPhones a powerful communications tools.

Well thought out organization is key, many meetings and prep goes into the planning but so does being able to roll with the punches and make do with what you have. We had audio issues the first day and a half with our streaming - video is nothing without good audio, alway keep that in mind if video is going to factor in to your engagement strategy. This is why paying for an audio service or good Public Address services might be worth the costs.

If you don't have WiFi service or good cell service consider an alternate location - people attending these conferences expect to get connected. Boosters may work but I've had mixed luck with these services.

I know I'm forgetting a whole bunch of details but I don't want to end up writing War and Peace. If you want to know more, comment or message me or send me a tweet. I'm game to share . . . look, nothing up my sleeve.

Why Facebook Newsfeed is the new and improved in-box

2011-01-22T04:20:00.001-07:00

via johnhaydon.com

John Haydon is without a doubt one of the most insightful and respected social media non profit guru's on the net. Hands down - great stuff comes from John.

This piece http://bit.ly/eXRzSW about why collecting email addresses on Facebook fan page won't work is a perfect case in point. Why would you even try?

So much of the news feed on Facebook has already replaced much of the notifications email alerts I use to subscribe to, there isn't much appeal to want a duplicate of the same content hitting my overloaded in-box. I would agree with one of John's comment contributors, the news feed is fast becoming very noisy and hard to filter what friends vs organizations you have "liked" or become a fan of. But that's on me, these are organizations or interests I've asked to be part of. Seeing those posts is part of the deal.

In a sense the Facebook Newsfeed is my very large in-box.

That's not to say there isn't a place for both tools being used with the intent to engage me but my hope would be to see different content in the two mediums. It doesn't take much effort to block emails anymore - now on the other hand the news feeds . . . I've asked for that info so unless you spam my wall too often keep the posts coming, it's not like there's an inbox limit on the wall!

Mastering the FlipCam for Conferences and Tweets

2011-01-17T18:06:00.001-07:00

CleanWaterConf Tweets Report.pdf (81 KB)
View this on posterous

Last week I attended the 2nd Clean Water Conference that focused on the Chesapeake Bay - the coalition gathered by National Wildlife Federation MidAtlantic Regional field office successfully brought together experts and members to share how to best engage and collaborate in promoting clean water initiatives that could impact all of the countries watershed environments.

Happy New Years . . . or rather Welcome more fatigue

2011-01-02T08:11:00.001-07:00

I was reminded that I had not indicated what my New Years Resolution would be . . . Besides living beachside, I only get to have one? That's typically my standard answer. I can never wrap my head around this concept of resolutions as it sounds a lot like goals.

As fictional character and Dodgeball hero Peter La Fleur once said about goals: "I found that if you have a goal, that you might not reach it. But if you don't have one, then you are never disappointed. And I gotta tell ya... it feels phenomenal"

So of course I jest on the topic, it's important we all strive for something that we feel passionate about. This new year is no different, I see a lot of changes on the horizon - hopefully for the better but not all will be without sacrifice or hard work.

Last week I saw posted on a DC NPTech fan page a question that made me think of what the new year has in store for the world of social media: Is social media going to die in the next two years? has social media fatigue set in making the medium not as "social" or "community" anymore? How will people force it to evolve and make it more social?

One of the responses I got from a friend who's opinion I value a great deal stated the following:

Perhaps the Peter Principle in a way... Social media has taken social media as far as it can go and beyond that it's not within Social Media's ability? I think it has become generic in a way, to the point where people will stop paying attention to it and move on to something else? What that something else is, I don't know. Oh only if I did.....

There is an experiment underway here, perhaps we could be mice in a very complex maze but a fun maze of connections, story telling and sharing to be sure. I do feel a fatigue of sorts happening, or maybe it's burnout of trying to stay excited about the services that are out there. I see many of the early adopters of this medium are constantly looking for that NEXT BIG THING perhaps that's what I feel - or am I looking for that integration of all this noise happening, maybe another part of the fatigue is simply filtering out the noise.

Is there a solution? Perhaps service like Rockmelt would be an example or even Paper.li that formats a great many sources into something that almost looks and feels like an old fashion newspaper can help bring the fatigue factor in check. But let's be honest, there are a LOT of people who have been given a megaphone, the noise will become even more deafening.

Let me look into my magic eight ball and see what the new year has in store . . . . ooooo, Zombies - I'll be right back.

Technology at the Margins: also the place I tend to scribble

2010-12-27T07:36:00.001-07:00

via wiley.com

I recently was part of this three day intense, mind numbing, exhausting, thought provoking, (I'm running out adjectives ) Innovative Engineering session provided by Eureka Ranch very own Doug Hall. If you ever caught the series of American Inventor Doug was one of the judges, he put Simon Cowel to shame if you want a picture of this dude.

I mention this because several times during Doug's presentation he would site how several of the "death treats" to various projects which would have caused derailment of the project was IT. The observation was vague and the venue didn't provide for a chance to drill down on the details of why as I'm sure every IT obstacle has it's roots that could be explored. But what scared me from his statements was how he insinuated that it was OK to proceed without IT. That the big bad wolf for innovation were the block heads running IT - grrrrrr.

For any successful venture to compete in today's market you need tech - it's that simple. And in some organizations the tech NEEDS to be as integrated with the strategies of the organization more now than ever before, not less and no doing an end run of IT, as Doug had suggested in the training, is ever going to help organizations especially NPO's run successful programs. Communications is key, sharing success and failures keeps us moving forward and thinking, dialoging and collaboration happens via tech solutions all the time.

I've always been a believer of breaking down the barriers between tech and non tech - bending the rules is key, being flexible in solutions is key, meeting the needs and partnering on the mission . . . . key. Yes we have to have standards, but built into those standards has to be a means to listen and adapt. IT is not The Borg - assimilation was never the plan.

What drew me to this title and several of the concepts the authors are promoting is how IT doesn't have to be the driver but instead is the glue that holds the book together. IT driven projects have a tendency to fail more often than program sponsored projects - I know this, I have lived this. Partnering with the opps programs is key to a successful tech program, I get that - always have but something has to be sure the programs are in sync with each other . . . could that something be IT?

So Doug Hall - next time you mention IT as being a "Death Threat" to innovative thinking all I have to say is . . . hey nice pad stylus attached to your Mac which was connected to the WiFi along with3 very different projectors - guess all that tech was just laying around. Anybody want fries with their tech?

Does Twitter Retweets and Replies Infographic Support Gladwell's Argument?

2010-12-11T10:48:00.001-07:00

Oct
26
2010

Photo by twenty_questions

My colleagues recently passed around the infographic below from Gizmodo, In Twitter No One Can Hear You Scream, that questions whether people are really paying attention to what you say on Twitter. It shows that 71% of tweets get no reaction (retweets or replies) at all, while 23% get an @reply, and a tiny 6% actually get retweeted. Of that 6% sliver, 92% of the retweets happen in the first hour, suggesting that the window for you to be heard via your tweet is quite short.

This made me think about the article that Malcolm Gladwell wrote for the New Yorker, Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted, published a few weeks ago, that elicited a firestorm of debate online. In short, he asserts that Twitter and Facebook activism doesn't have the power to create real social change due to the "weak ties" between "friends" and "followers" on these social networking sites. As you can imagine, this set bloggers, social media gurus, and especially the social media for social good-ers, a-blaze. The Dragonfly Effect blog, based on the book, which discusses how to use social media to drive social change, has a roundup of just some of the many reactions to Gladwell's article.

As I summarized the slactivism argument in my post, Has Do-Gooding Gone Mainstream, the internet and social media has made it so much easier for people to raise their virtual hands online to support a cause, but as the information depicted in the chart below questions, are those virtual hands really being noticed? Could Gladwell be right?

Tags |
infographic

malcolm gladwell

Social Media

twitter

500x_retweets-replies-v2.jpg

Comments

via casefoundation.org

I found this very interesting . . . or perhaps the coffee hadn't kicked in so my brain wasn't able to form it's own thoughts, but it does seem there's a LOT of noise on Twitter - trying to filter it all is becoming a time challenge for me.

Am I imagining this or has the latest trend on Twitter reporting and blocking spammers? I have seen some of the most hateful and idiotic items tagged to my account recently and I have no idea why or how. I just know I seem to be hitting "block and report as spam" a lot more than ever before.

Bottom line for me is that I find Twitter useful for various functions: conferences, sharing what I am learning at an event, following entertainment - you can always find me tweeting during Top Chef for instance - it's at these moments you further the experience and make connections. Twitter does have it's purpose and can be a useful tool but perhaps the questions we all have to remember to ask is: "Are people really paying attention to what you say on Twitter?" and "Has our ability to share been drowned out by all the noise?"

Gladwell is wrong, there is good if not GREAT stuff happening out in the cloud - we just have to have the patience and tools to find it.

Social Networking Action - Qik Video Droid Apps feeds to Livestream to Facebook

2010-12-05T17:06:00.001-07:00

Qik Video Camera

Posted by droidapps

May 6, 2010

Qik is an online live video streaming service that draws live video from thousands of smartphones equipped with the Qik app. It lets you take live video from your Droid and have the video be visible on the Qik website for the world to see. You can also enable privacy controls that enable to confine the viewers to just friends and family. The app is very simple, launch Qik and start shooting live video.

The app has been updated since its early release to support high-resolution video. Qik works best over Wi-Fi, and until 4G hits the airways this is probably going to remain the case. Over 3G, the service works pretty well, but can throw up unexpected disconnects and skipping frames every now and then. The app makes it very easy to share live videos, and you can send out links to Twitter and Facebook from within the app itself. If you enjoy broadcasting live video, you’ll love this Droid app.

Tags: streaming, video
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Entertainment

via droidapplications.org

I started playing with the Qik app last year when I still had my Berry - I got back into the app when I was looking at something unique for the Droid, streaming a mobile video back to a Facebook page.

Last Friday I had the opportunity to sit in on a planning meeting that would have some of our outreach folks engage various government officials to address higher education groups anxious to interact with their representatives. NWF has a plethora of Facebook fan pages such as the Choose Clean Water that helps connect many to our programs, I thought this may be an opportunity to drive some traffic back to the pages, engage and use the social media tools for something really fun especially as the DC Clean Water conference is fast approaching. http://www.facebook.com/choosecleanwater?v=app_142371818162&ref=ts

Last week I had placed the Livestream connector to the Clean Water page in Facebook, it's a cool interface that will feed your Livestream account and when you broadcast feed that content to the Facebook page under a unique tab.

The tools on Qik allow me to register my mobile to the Qik account which I created. Qik allows me to set up feeds to multiple services, which I used to link with Twitter and announce the available media I have collected from the tool. AND the feed I really like . . . . say it with me: Livestream!

So Qik extends the method in which Livestream collects video, Livestream allows an interactive component to Facebook, Facebook becomes the portal with which to engage an already active community of fans and potential new constituents on a different level. Did I mention this was all free?

This could be fun: lights, camera . . . . social networking action!

Why Entertainment Will Drive the Next Checkin Craze

2010-08-08T18:01:00.001-06:00

I can see this happening, geo-tagging where you are while out and about like Foursquare services provides is certainly a marketing and sharing tool but the idea of tracking, commenting and providing insight into viewing habits takes those little Nielson services to a whole new level.

I was surprised to see that 3 out 4 viewers are already online while watching their fave episode of Mad Men or what ever they are into. What I like about the concept is being able to not only share what you are watching but also comment or even better have a conversation with those that are doing the same.

The worry I have is do I have to build a separate network or can I just tap my existing ones? I find the Foursquare network building to be more self serving then actually something you can celebrate or build on. Perhaps the culture of entertainment as the Mashable piece http://bit.ly/aRweGA suggests will better engage the social networking environment especially with the iPad and mobile options.

It's just a matter of time before it all merges into one big melting pot - I'm just hoping my smart remote can control the new world.

- Michael Sola heads up the IT Dept at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

No Fear, Google Wave Decision Shows Strong Innovation and Balls!

2010-08-07T10:48:00.001-06:00

via blogs.hbr.org

I remember when I first saw the Wave promotion, the 90 min video demo'ing the product, it even showed the technical meltdown that happened during the demo which I thought was ballsy - but in the back of my head I kept saying "huh" like Tom Hanks in Big said during board room - "I don't get it" and I didn't get it and I had a few years on the "child like" approach Hanks portrayed in Big.

I tried for about a month to get into Wave but it just didn't click. Evidently I wasn't alone but I'm not commenting about that today, what I am thinking about is how Google, as discussed in this Harvard Business Review, had the gumption to pull the plug and move on.

Innovation is good, failure is part of the formula - we all trip and fall before we walk so why don't we celebrate our failures more often in the tech world? Isn't that how we learn and grow? How many of us have tried to implement or move tech in a direction that utterly failed and we tried to forget or bury it rather then celebrate the attempt and learn from it?

As the Matrix Group http://www.matrixgroup.net so eloquently said on a recent Facebook post: " . . . they ( Google ) have the courage to shut down initiatives that don't quit succeed, without punishing the project owners and learning a lot from the efforts! Impressive, indeed! Is your organization holding on to any dead horses?"

Admitting you have a lame duck software solution in place is a hard pill to swallow, stepping up or rather standing up for change that may go against the culture . . . now that takes balls!

- Michael Sola heads up the IT Dept at NWF, blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

HOW do you Promote Video Through Email? or Avoiding the RED X Box of Death

2010-07-31T10:18:00.001-06:00

via netwitsthinktank.com

NetWits Think Tank has a very informative piece here related to management and placement of video for email distribution - I recall having this conversation years ago. In fact every so often we run into this same problem today even with something as simple as images and how they get deployed within emails.

In a recent discussion one of our staff members in Montana was trying to distribute a vanity plate image for the state that would help promote the 'No Child Left Inside" legislation. NCLI would put environmental sciences back front and center in our education system as there is a "Nature deficit" that is a real concern to many of us with kids. www.nwf.org/kidsoutside

Getting back to the issue of emailing the image reminded me of the steps NetWits promotes for sharing video. How many times have you waited for a simple image to process because the sender didn't bother to reduce the size? I don't need a 3MB JPG file, I get the same results with a 70KB file. And then the annoying "RED X Box of Death" that Outlook will put out there when trying to protect me from seeing Allysa Milano in a towel . . . stepping out of a shower no less - I think the towel is moist but again I digress.

Sharing video and images via email is a tried and true method of promoting. It polishes up the message and gives that "wow" factor. And while social networking provides even greater means to distribute such material, email still remains as a viable tool. Knowing how to properly use these tools is key to effective messaging.

So let's be careful out there . . . did I mention the towel was moist?

Resources for this post:

- Keith Power / Milano Real Man Challenge: http://bit.ly/awqkdd
- Outlook management of images: http://bit.ly/9RJtqS
- National Wildlife Federation - Reversing Nature Deficit: http://bit.ly/9NikQq
- My brain . . . there isn't a link for that, it's way big

Has Facebook Fatigue Set In?

2010-07-11T05:20:00.001-06:00

via wired.com

Numbers always speak volumes in my world but sometimes it's whats behind the numbers which intrigues me.

While some will look at the May / June new accounts in social networking behemoth Facebook user base as modest you have to factor in the change of seasons, school and graduations, holiday and vacations. But then again as this article from Wired suggests: have we become Facebook fatigued?

With over 41 percent of Americans already using Facebook in some capacity I do see a decline in the interactions and frequency of use. This could translate into less "hype" from those already on it or perhaps it's translated into a "blah" syndrome that isn't exciting newbies from joining.

I don't know if as a culture we have reached a saturation point, certainly you can't seem to escape the media attention, the groups and individuals who are capitalizing on the "fan" and "like" aspects. Calls to action remain specific to what tugs at the heart strings - giving for causes still remains a challenge but that's not surprising given the demographics and generational expectations of how this medium is being used.

Let's not kid ourselves, Facebook / Twitter - none of that is going away as it's now part of the everyday medium, but I do see more niche services using the same approach. Take the UK based service: SkinBook. I'm not kidding, social networking for people who accept nudist as the norm . . . don't worry the link is the Time Magazine article, you can click and be safe! http://bit.ly/cBdSoj

Hey I'm no prude and to each his own as they say but it shows to what levels of connecting we are looking to go when services of this type are popping up all over the net. And here's something else to consider, Full Emersion in the Cyberworld is Coming http://shar.es/mFRJK meaning within 10 years so much of what we do will be virtual that Facebook and Twitter will become folklore.

I wonder who my avatar will be in 10 years?

Gulf Could be Saved by Oil-Eating Microbes

2010-07-04T06:40:00.001-06:00

via care2.com

I've been on a rant lately between my Tweets along with my Facebook posts on what is or rather what ISN'T happening in the Gulf. It breaks my heart when I hear the plight of the families, the waterman, the Americans who on this 4th of July don't have a lot to celebrate as their way of life - their culture has for the most part fallen apart due to greed, mismanagement and a total disregard for the very lives these bastards are making a fortune on.

I originally saw a video from another story about Microbes and how in Texas many many years ago this Gutsy Solution could restore the environment in Just 6 Weeks. Cleaning and saving wildlife is just a small piece, we have to control and destroy what is in the water before the dead zone kills it all. This microbe solution looks promising but here's the kicker, it's NOT being used! http://bit.ly/9yOPJB

I sometimes go back to the premise "what if I was King" - what would I do if I was in charge. For one thing I would put into action every tool, every resource and try anything and everything. I watched the Presidents address a few weeks back about the spill and he mentioned the bringing together of the best minds and I sarcastically said: "you're doing that now? how many weeks has it been and you're bringing great minds together now?"

How about loosening restrictions that allow foreign boats designed for oil extraction to come closer to US coast lines for help or don't restrict access of the press as the Coast Guard is now doing http://bit.ly/9pCbcf or tell BP they can't muzzle the volunteers and groups doing the work as they try with their "non disclosure" agreements forced upon all who work for them and if you don't believe me take a listen to Kindra Arnesen of Venice LA http://bit.ly/c0N06z

You remember the movie Dazed and Confused? There was a line said by a teacher just as school was letting out which in a sense applies: "Okay guys, one more thing, this summer when you're being inundated with all this
American bicentennial Fourth Of July brouhaha, don't forget what you're celebrating: that a bunch of slave-owning, aristocratic, white males didn't want to pay their taxes."

Let's not kid ourselves, this is all about greed. It's not about slavery and not necessarily about taxes but what I'm seeing as the obstacles in making things right and changing our dependency is very much connected to greed. When is that going to change?

Crude Awakening: BP Oil Spill/NWF Spec PSA

2010-06-30T06:19:00.001-06:00

This video, while highlighting the tragedy in the gulf in a very creative and different way, is a pure example of what happens when a supporter takes the power and creativity of social networking into their own hands. It also shows when organizations like NWF can embrace and promote messaging from outside.

I'm reminded of something I read in the new book Network NonProfits from Beth Kanter and Allison Fine http://amzn.to/c0GrI7 - non profits who branch out and can embrace the messaging tools both from inside and outside are doing it right.

Right on "screamvid" or who ever you are that posted this very engaging PSA, your actions are a shining example of how this can work!

- Michael Sola heads up the IT department at NWF, contributing writer to Internet Management for NonProfits http://amzn.to/b3yxvN, blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola

How is this year's FIFA World Cup a victory for the Amazon Rainforest?

2010-06-12T07:33:00.001-06:00

via nwf.org

I'm constantly blown away by how NWF engages at so many levels and so quickly. I have been working with a team at our National Advocacy Center in DC who have been focusing on international efforts, Brazil deforestation is one area in particular as it's impact on Global Climate Change is a critical point.

Now before I start on how Soccer or as they call it abroad "football" is playing a role I have to go on record and say I've never been a soccer enthusiast. Perhaps it was the days of watching my kids play what we called "bunch ball" where they would surround the ball in a bunch and move with the ball. Of course seeing the precision of pros placing the ball from one end to another is a skill I certainly don't have but I can appreciate the intensity they play the game at.

It was about a year ago a friend of mine was trying to convince me Soccer was a sport worth following, that the excitement in the stands makes an American Football game look like a tea party - well maybe a Baseball audience, I've some real fever antics happening at a Ravens game. I guess seeing initiatives like Team Amazon bring attention to deforestation in this way reinforces my appreciation of the sport. Now if I can figure out how this "bunching" thing works and who to root for . . .

So follow along NWF's World Cup web page http://www.nwf.org/worldcup on opening day of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, to raise awareness of the connection between leather products (including soccer balls, cleats, and apparel) and deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.

Jonathan Spector, Defender on the U.S. National Team, is showing his support for NWF by "rooting for the Amazon rainforest!" Will you?

Posted via web from Michael's Ramblings

NonProfits need Technology like hotdogs need mustard . . . or is it ketchup?

2010-05-15T07:51:00.001-06:00

In my first year now with the National Wildlife Federation as their lead technologist my charge is to manage a rather complex infrastructure while providing a level of service that meets the mission of the organization. I'm a 20 plus year vet in the tech world and I've seen the industry from the start grow and change sometimes at staggering rates. What I really dig about the NWF gig is how this organization utilizes and isn't afraid of embracing technology. When you look at our web and social networking presence it's hard to find any other NPO that do it as well. NWF is refreshing but not without it's challenges, for instance . . .

When I began a year ago the group was struggling with the implementation of an internal SharePoint platform - this is a software system that was intended to better share, collaborate and document our workflow within and between departments. But it became clear to me we had some cultural and software challenges before this system could be embraced by staff to better their outreach and program work in bringing wildlife along with climate causes to the public and to our members.

Complicating matters, our email platform was just a tad behind the times, this needed to be upgraded if we were going to make SharePoint work. While there was a desire to migrate the email platform before I came on board the cost and cultural change was daunting, but being the new guy on the block I wasn't afraid to try. Knowing the in's and out's of how to manage something as core to any organization as email was, is as natural to me as breathing, it was time to put my geek hat with the little propeller on it aside and start to really listen. The culture change for some was going to be the biggest obstacle as we have some long term staff who hadn't worked with any other email platform. All they knew was GroupWise their entire professional career so moving this core group and doing it well I saw as an opportunity but not without it's perils.

One of my peers, Peter Campbell from Earth Justice, likes to say "It's not that people are afraid of change, they fear disruption" and he's right but changing how an organization functions with using email is as big a disruption as you can imagine.

Addressing the quantity of email and the storage implications was one of the biggest challenges, who to partner with while factoring in a cost effective solution was the other. We identified 10 different NWF location of mail servers holding a staggering 4 terabytes of mail. Terabyte is 10 to the 12th power or if you look at the US Library of Congress they have 100 TB of electronic files - our single organization had 4. We had some serious pack rats in our midst and for an organization that numbered just under 400 that quantity of mail was staggering.

To combat this problem we held our own "Biggest eMail Loser" contest - complete with prizes and "weigh ins" and as a result we trimmed that number down to around 2.5 TB but still large enough to make the migration a painful and time consuming process. Plus it meant we would have to add to the infrastructure, more servers, more hardware, more systems to manage and that included the need to archive our mail, more time and internal resources. And let's not forget all of that meant more energy, more cooling, more impact to the climate.

From an implementation perspective I turned to the regions power house tech group System Source based on Hunt Valley MD who for years and years had a positive history in migrating email platforms. These guys and gals were great to partner with. They kept the consulting time to a minimum, got my tech team on track and we began to implement a well thought out industry standard plan. To complement and save us from spending a small fortune on archiving and storage hardware we turned to another juggernaut of the industry, Google.

Google provided an option for us that will be one of the biggest cultural obstacles the organization will face, storing old mail in the cloud and not in your client. I had repeatedly stated that email was never intended to be a file storage system and yet that is what it became for a great many of us. Statistically there are a plethora of formulas that documents how much time we all spend on email. That number I hope is going to fall as more lines of communications like Twitter and Yammer takes messaging in a different direction but for now email is still that "enterprise app" that we all live on and we as technologist take very seriously.

Moving to Google for both mail filtering and archive services was no easy process. Speaking of taking email serious, Google leads that charge. Our testing process was extreme, the search functions while robust still has staff yearning for category tags or some folder structure, which Google doesn't provide.

The other challenge was coming to terms with the "green" impact. While moving mail storage to Google meant NWF would lessen our own power and cooling needs, what about Google's green commitment. We effectively would be removing servers and storage from 10 locations, we would NOT have to add more hardware infrastructure to our headquarters, less energy to cool our server rooms - our Carbon Footprint reduction would be considerable.

Now it was up to Google to maintain, store, cool and power these systems. How green was Google? There is a lot of talk about that question but the video below below shows a desire and an intent to indeed practice what they preach. Getting them to make that same commitment at their data centers will be critical to taking that last step towards green tech.

Leading the charge for my nonprofit to streamline our carbon footprint is a win win in my book. To lessen our impact on climate and better connect our infrastructure which in turn means better ways for us to engage and have a positive impact to wildlife, education of children and fight for a climate that we can pass on to the next generation makes my pocket protector glow with pride. I'm proud of my team and happy with my partners.

Yes, I like to rock the boat a bit, after all I like mustard and ketchup on my hotdogs.

- Michael Sola heads up the IT department at NWF, contributing writer to Internet Management for NonProfits http://amzn.to/b3yxvN, blogger, invited presenter and speaker. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola

Posted via web from Michael's Ramblings

Keeping Your Nonprofit Safe from Spam

2010-05-12T05:49:00.001-06:00

via wildapricot.com

It's not a new topic but I am always surprised when I have staff come to me and complain about how they get hit with new waves of Spam. I've been a fan of the "filter at the gate" approach, long time user of the Google filtering services called Postini provides both enterprise controls while allowing staff to manage their own mail.

And isn't that the point? We should each of us be responsible for our own mail and take responsbility for that influx of mail but so many of us just don't think it through.

My friends at Wild Apricot posted a nice piece about some simple steps you can take to reduce the chance of being labeled a "Spammer" which can cause a lot of grief. http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/archive/2010/05/10/keep-your-nonpro...

We are in the midst of migrating from GroupWise email platform to Outlook / Exchange environment. Out cut over happens the end of the month, lots of moving parts, but the end is in sight and the planning, testing and training is paying off. Part of the process was to solicit feedback from staff via focus groups in order to gauge how staff use the current system.

One of the uses I am well aware of is staff who select the local / internal email client to circumvent the normal bulk email web distribution process and instead contact their lists via internal channels. This is a concern for many reasons, one of which is you can't put measurements on open rates, click thru or tie that interaction back to a constituents record.

But here is a concern you may not have thought of: what happens if something you send via your client side system like Outlook ends up being flagged as Spam and the organization internal email servers gets flagged as a Spammer? How is that going to fly getting blacklisted?

So while it's an old Hillstreet Blues line to use, it's relevant: "Let's be careful out there." Think, for the love all things digital please think.

Posted via web from Michael's Ramblings

Podcasting: Intimidating? Yesterdays medium? or are you plain scared?

2010-04-18T08:05:00.001-06:00

http://www.wearemedia.org/page/diff/NTC+Podcasting/72286737

For the record, yes - those are actual turntables behind me, I'm wearing a Blue Oyster Cult T-Shirt that is still in my closet and that production board I have my hands on had actual dials. It's retro all right and it was on the top 10 list of things I did and had a blast doing!

Radio 64, WDTU Delhi - or as we called it "Delaware Counties Leading College Radio Station" The secret was, we were the ONLY SUNY college radio station in Delaware County so that was the joke! Why am I sharing this? For one thing almost ANYBODY could have joined the station (and they did) but all you needed to be successful was have a willingness to be yourself, enjoy your style of music, and have fun.

Not a far stretch for the same requirements to host a podcast!

In Atlanta GA at the 10th annual NonProfit Technology Conference I was extremely fortunate to sit in on an awesome "We Are Media Podcasting Workshop" — As part of the We Are Media Project, my bud and co-presenter Chad Norman, Blackbaud’s Internet marketing manager and host of The Baudcast, let me crash the workshop on podcasting basics for nonprofit.

I found the session to be one of the best hands on experiences at a conference such as NTC - we actually broke into teams of two and using simple, free tools set off to create a pod cast. My co-podcasting partner was Leah Hazard marketing/social media for Mercy Corps, she can be found at http://twitter.com/lhazardous Leah was a natural at conversation, even though she complained of being jet lagged. Having a conversation is half the effort. This concept may scare off some of you but here is the secret: it's easier then you think AND all you have to remember is to be yourself.

One of the DJ training concepts I used while managing the WDTU radio station was to tell potential DJ's to relax and just think of the microphone as a friend you are having a conversation with. I believe people see a microphone and they naturally tense up. I have a friend who says I have an Al Michaels style - not sure I buy that and apologies to Al but if you listen to Michaels style, he's just talking, there is nothing forced when the man speaks and that my friends is the key.

One of the many fine points Chad made during the workshop was to be prepared. If you are taking this medium serious and keep in mind, audio pod casting has an audience and should be one of the many tools you keep in your "how you market / message your brand" toolbox. Know some background of the folks you're talking with, have an outline of talking points related to the topic in order to keep the conversation moving - you want to be able to interject if you feel the person you are interviewing starts rambling and more importantly you want some sort of flow. You are the moderator or Chevy Chase said in Caddyshack, BE the ball!

Conversation is great but in the end, where is the conversation going? Sticking to a theme is typical of what one expects of this medium, you don't want to drone on for too long but don't be afraid to go off message if the talk is engaging or entertaining. Part of this should be fun but for goodness sake don't read a script and keep in mind, the attention span of your listener is SHORT. Play to that concept. The worst thing you can do is have a podcast where it sounds like you're reading prepared script.

The We Are Media wiki has some good talking points and simple directions for getting started.

Software tools to create, edit and publish are plentiful. Audacity is an awesome free tool for the capturing and editing process and we all know how iTunes can distribute, hosting services is key if you want to make the files available and stored for your program. Skype is another service to use if you plan on doing your interview in different locations. And don't worry about Mac vs PC, there is a solution for everybody.

http://skypetips.internetvisitation.org/articles/record_skype_calls.html

Do you need to spend a small fortune on equipment? NO I'll say that again: NO. Using Amazon you can find M-Audio options along with some very inexpensive microphones to start your audio integration kit and for under $300 I was able to set up a two mic stand system and mixer that connected via USB either for the Mac or Windows platform. Piece of cake. If you want even simpler, just pickup a $40 headset with a mic and earphone jack - now we're talking on the cheap!

So here it is: the tips, suggestions, strategy of the workshop. Hope you have fun and stay tuned, I'm looking forward to saying: "Do you believe in miracles?" or was that Al - I should try something original . . .

Notes from Audio Podcasting at the NTC 2010

Schedule - how often should you do a podcast? bi-weekly may have higher hit rate then weekly, gives them time to catch up

Setting up the software to bit rate of 128 is fine - LAME is the plugin for Audacity that creates the standard MP3 file format. mp3 encoder is necessary for Audacity - search for the right platform of LAME on audacity web site

In the settings of Audacity you can adjust the dynamic range if your recording sounds too tiny - ratio 6:1 threshold -22 db - will change how people sound, play with the settings

Plan on an hour for every 10 min for editing

Do you want to add music to your Podcast? Lots of music requires royalty fees but if you want "safe / free music" - musicalley.com

Recording in Mono allows for smaller file sizes

Using Effects in Audacity - can slow down a fast talker, Noise removal can also be useful if where you are recording has background noise that is distracting but be careful using this as you need a noice sample first,

Fade in and out is your friend

Save your file and save often, Audacity has bad habit of crashing - keep in mind, it's free and you get what you pay for!

Using Export as MP3 starts a dialog box, this where you put in a title for tagging purposes, metadata is stored at this level - descriptions feeds into the iTunes library

Once the file is opened in iTunes - right click and select Get Info
144 x 144 are safe deminsions for artwork logo

Keep in mind, iTunes points to files, they don't host it, you still need a hosting service. Libsyn for $5 a month great source for holding the files. They will also produce the RSS feeds automatically. RSS drives every podcast and used for subcription -

If you go for your own hosting this is where a little know how comes into play as tweaking the XML file is what will drive subscriptions and notify your followers of new additions to your podcast library.

Measuring the success of your listeners will be important for showing that all important metrics or ROI. Using Feedburner to get Metrics or Google reader is another option, you won't get metrics with just iTunes

Another hosting service http://archive.org/details/audio is a free hosting service

Know the audiance - ask questions based on knowledge, do homework - don't be afraid to let control go - moderate, sometimes you can prep your guests and ask questions ahead of time, as a moderator keep the flow going

Have permission that you are going to post / publish before the interview - remind those on the show you will be recording the session and make sure you capture that in your original raw MP3 file. Your finished product should always have a different name then the raw file you capture during your "conversation".

Have FUN - relax, it's not brain surgery - it's Podcasting.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Yes #10NTC, I do blog, is there a support group for that?

2010-04-10T09:41:00.001-06:00

The official opening day of the 10th Nonprofit Technical Conference coordinated by NTEN was an amazing experience. The connections you make, the friends you reconnect with, extending the friendships from digital to personal all makes for a rousing experience. Sharing, StoryTelling, Learning and Teaching - it all happens in small places and under one roof and I am so greatful to be part of this group - NTEN is like family.

Ok - Now let me tell you my impression of the sessions of the official Day 1.

First session I attended I was actualy part of a panel that focused on pure tech, these were my peeps. Organizations struggling with mobile device proliferation, security of data, policy enforcement, culture adoption and how to manage the gadget overload. My bud Peter who leads the tech for Earth Justice in San Fran spearheaded the team who put the T back in Technical and my hats off to him. He's an innovator and has an awesome network which I am proud to be part of. In this session I was glad to see I wasn't alone in my struggles and feel better now that I can bring back some of the inspiring and shared solutions.

The other speakers I was able to see was the opening session from Andrew Sullivan. Andrew had a story to tell, the buzz though from my tech peeps was they didn't learn anything new. And in fact Andrew focused soley on his rise from author to blogger.

What I found so gratifying from Andrew was he reaffirmed why we in the industry connect and build our tribes. We learn from each other, we share with each other, we make change happen with each other. Yes, it wasn't the next new widget but he was still an well gifted speaker and I grabbed some great quotes from him AND he managed to quote Cartman from South Park - instant points in my book.

The next speaker session was the dynamid duo Beth Kantler and Allison Fine - seeing these two social networking diva's together was like an old Abbott and Costello act - they played off each other to a standing room only audience and talked about what their new book "the Networked Nonprofit" was about and how it got to print
.

Again, not necessarily teaching the eager crowd anything new but reaffirned what and how to engage. Using social media to drive change was the clear message and I managed to actually put a face to Allison and Beth who before that I only knew online - and I snagged an autograph plus NWF's diva @starfocus got a nice shout out as an example of who's doing it right.

My main take away was simple - as all my tech peers and I have had to do these past few years, we make do with what we have - we harness the tools we got and make the most of them to help our front line do their thing. We are in a place right now where the "tackle box" is overflowing with bait, lures, hooks - none of us should be woried about where we fish, but OMGeeeeee get out there and fish!

If you're not following my tweets - and why aren't you? here are a few highlights from Andrew Sullivan. One more day and looking forward to some rack time back home. Till then . . . Peace out!

The human experience can & does happen live and all the time even via blogs. the emotions can change you Andrew Sullivan
Manning up, owning up to posting a mistake which happens over 10 yrs of blogs is a morale building moment Andrew Sullivan
People are more grown up then you think - not every post has to be on message. Far more rewards being personal Andrew Sullivan #10NTC
Andrew Sullivan quietly quoted Eric Cartman of South Park - I caught it, who else did? #10NTC.AS #10NTC
Moving from writer w/ distance w/ followers to having a conversation meant letting go barriers, welcome the challenge Andrew Sullivan #10NTC
The human experience can & does happen live and all the time even via blogs. the emotions can change you Andrew Sullivan #10NTC.AS #10NTC

It's Day 2 of 10NTC in PollenLanta - can't call it HOT

2010-04-08T05:49:00.001-06:00

Arrived in Atlanta for the 10th NTEN sponsored Nonprofit Technology Conference 2010 yesterday where the Delta airline pilot indicated the haze we saw in the sky was all Pollen, yes, green pollen, it was nasty but soon forgotten as we made our way to the conference session at CNN Omni.

Nice diggs, although the $6 bottle of water seemed pricy and who puts a scale in the bathroom anymore? Really, you want me to weigh myself? I think not, save your scale money, lower the water costs.

Moving on the first order of biz was to pop over to the NWF Atlanta office - riding the MARTA we had an awesome afternoon meeting with the staff and checking out their work space. 10th floor view of a very nice section of the town, minus the pollen fog of course. Sharing how the tech program at NWF was playing out first hand went over very well. There is something for making that personal touch, the face to face that I think goes a long way. Even did a little troubleshooting and expedited some help desk issues. So yes, NWF Atlanta visit - huge success.

Now it's early morning Day 2 - I'm off to crash a Podcasting workshop my good friend Chad Norman from Blackbaud is hosting. The morning workshops were special ordered for members which I somehow missed but Chad was most accommodating as always. Hope to soak it all in and learn, share and learn - it's what makes #10NTC such a success.

More to come . . .

National Wildlife Photo Contest 2009 Winners

2010-04-05T18:49:00.001-06:00

via slideshare.net

and the NWF photo contest winners are . . . .

Being part of the staff I know the painstaking time my fellow work-mates go through selecting the pics. Enjoy, some awesome pics.

The contest link can be found at http://www.nwf.org/photocontest

damaged wing . . .

2010-03-27T04:04:00.001-06:00

it's true, typing with one hand is worst then the "executive typing" method.

Early March I ended up having rotator cup surgery, it's a long story but I tried to be Andre Agassi but with more hair and a far worst overhead lob, and tear was the result. Recoup has been difficult - in the process they pinched a nerve in my back during the procedure and now my sciatic is acting up making sitting or sleeping near impossible, fun ( not )

So in conclusion, limited typing and little time to collect my thoughts but pondering is all I seem to do.

April will be a busy month for me so expect more posts in case you were having withdrawal . . . I'm looking forward to traveling to Hotlanta for the annual NTEN conference http://www.nten.org/ - I'm also on a panel because I opened up my big mouth and said yes, but I'm happy to share as that is what this conference is all about, sharing our stories.

April will also see the release of Internet for NonProfits where I was a chapter contributor, before the loss of my right wing. I don't make any money but will be happy to sign autographs!

Till next time . . .

Drawing a Facebook line - this far no further

2010-02-28T05:13:00.001-07:00

Call me loco but am I getting more Facebook friend requests from total strangers then ever before? Not talking about "friend recommendations" or a "friends in common" request but total strangers. I am, I'm not crazy.

I've been writing recently about how email clients and the act of emailing has evolved thanks to social networking tools. Earlier this year it was reported that texting, IMing, Tweets and social networking has outpaced the actual "phone call" or voice interactions we once had with each other. It's far more efficient to send out blast messages and inform dozens or hundreds at a time rather then making one phone call to one person at a time. Yes, I agree we loose that personal touch unless of course the blast can relay our creative or our persona. We all know how well our emotions and charisma can be translated into the digital stream - or not.

I recently had a conversation with my good friend and co-worker Danielle aka @starfocus about the increased number of friend requests I have seen since opening up my Gmail profile and the Buzz bizz. I think we are in two different camps on this one. Where Danielle sees Facebook as a tool to connect to as many people who relate or respond to her passionate love for wildlife, I have struggled over the years as to who I should be friending in Facebook and why.

Originally it was connecting to folks I had met or interacted with on a professional level before I had gotten started with LinkeIn. The professional people I wanted to stay connected with on a personal level who went beyond LinkedIn made the FaceBook list. Then of course co-workers started to jump on the list - this was good and bad. Of course came the eventual class mates, old friends, distant friends requests. Eventually family who ventured into the Digital Immigrant land, but even that was met with resistance. Do I really want to mix this menagerie of friends in one place? I know folks who actually keep separate Facebook accounts for this very reason - talk about going Loco, I would be bonkers keeping it all straight.

But it's too late, Facebook has become the mechanism to communicate for everything. I have seen spouses sitting in the same room having conversations on their mobiles . . . with each other! It's cute and it's bizarre all at the same time.

Recently my wife who teaches high school students overheard her kids stating to each other at various times in the day: "oh just Facebook me" or "no, don't email me, send it my face". Is this possibly why Google has transposed it's Gmail client to be more socially interactive? Why Microsoft Outlook will be placing Social network gadgets into the mix like the OSC? ( Outlook Social Connector - yes, another acronym to learn ) They already have some plug-in's like with Yammer and LinkedIn - Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are logical next step progressions, yet I have to ask: Where is the line now?

For those of us charged with infrastructure and security concerns of our respective organizations the hair on the back of your neck should be standing at attention, mine is. That line in the sand is quickly fading and that English chick who I don't know but wants to be my Facebook friend is looking awfully tempting . . .

Google Buzz, the biz is buzzin

2010-02-20T08:09:00.001-07:00

via fastcompany.com

Pardon the pun but there has been a lot of buzz about Buzz. I know, it's not original but what do you want for nothing? :)

I see a lot of potential in this little add-on as Google makes another attempt at bringing the social networking concepts more integrated and more intertwined. They took a page right out of my very own playbook on a recent SharePoint project - people manage and live via their email client.

When I started at NWF my first project was launching an upgrade to the SharePoint platform that had been put in place but had slow adoption by the staff. I made the case that unless our organization was on Outlook and using Exchange as opposed to Groupwise we would never fully harness the integration services that the SharePoint platform has to offer. This sounds familiar, yes?

It was agreed, the application for email management was the key to bringing these tools together and hence I started an Exchange / Outlook migration because I wanted integration beyond plain email.

So no surprise at all to see the Google designed gadgets and new Buzz features which totally integrate with Gmail. But it has not been without some worry and pain.

I can't say that their claim to privacy and notification restraints are there yet, in fact when I was getting flooded with updates from total strangers tweet feeds via Buzz, my patience wore thin. To complicate matters I have my Gmail set up to notify me on my Blackberry when new mail arrives - - - that now includes Buzz whether I want it or not and I can't seem to stop it.

And another pet peeve I have is there seems to be no rhyme or reason when the updates to Buzz are delivered. I see them hitting the account in waves, not in real time.

And then of course lets not forget how Google totally forgot that eMail services has a perception of privacy - that went out the door with Buzz, oops. ZDNet goes into the legal aspects of this little flub but it says a lot about the maturity of the interface. http://government.zdnet.com/?p=7216

There are a lot of folks already jumping on the Buzz-wagon and rightfully so, it has tremendous potential and could become yet another easy tool and stomping ground for people in the Non Profit world to collaborate and share their causes.

My concern is centered around the time aspects - do I have time to scroll through yet another tool that collects and distributes observations, thoughts, comments, pictures, links . . . isn't that what Twitter is for? Is Buzz the new Twitter, the new light at the end of the tunnel? Or is the light yet another on coming train?

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/02/facebookistan.html

Facebook - aka the new Pen Pal, self expression optional

2010-02-15T07:04:00.001-07:00

via andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com

This past week I was introduced to a piece from Andrew Sullivan titled "Facebookistan" where he shared a contributors comments on what I will tag as the "evils of Facebook" Katja Grace opened the first paragraph, and I quote:

. . . while Katja Grace considers Facebook social conventions:

People who talk about themselves a lot are generally disliked. A likable person will instead subtly direct conversation to where others request the information they want to reveal. Revealing good news about yourself is a good sign, but wanting to reveal good news about yourself is a bad sign.

Best to do it without wanting to. This appears true of most human interaction, but apparently not of that on Facebook.

There is a sense of truth to this, I have in the past taken shots at how people use Facebook. My exception to this line of thinking is, I think the bigger point is being missed. Now before I state my point I want to go on record as I do have this yen to not only being likable but as factual as possible: I have no scientific proof or any case studies to make this claim, only observations, conversations and actual participation.

People can get lost in the genre if they let themselves, they tend to feel empowered by the keyboard and expectation of having an audience, they want to express themselves in an area that reaches a far greater range then their network could ever reach face to face. They connect with people they would never ever normally have reached without the platforms social networking offers.

I think Grace's comments miss the mark. People who talk about themselves are NOT disliked, some of the most outgoing, charismatic people I know break the very rule Grace seems to think is bad about Facebook which I find to be not only endearing but expected of the personalities.

We are looking at the change our next generations is in the process of - there will soon be no more "pen pal" experience. Our means of connecting is now digital and if I WANT to reveal news about myself or talk about myself and what I'm doing with myself ( in a PG family way of course ) then I will as that's what we now can do.

Get your head out of your butt Katja and tell us what you had for breakfast - I had a bowl of oatmeal topped with blueberries a sprinkling of organic cinnamon and a touch of honey . . . . mmmmm

http://michaelsola.posterous.com/time-drain-or-time-savings-your-call-but-face

http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/Media-Center/News-by-Topic/Global-Warming/2010/01-28-10-Global-Warming-Bringing-More-Oddball-Winter-Weather.aspx

The Daily Show takes "Unusually Large Snow" and "Global Warming" to new heights

2010-02-11T08:33:00.001-07:00

via thedailyshow.com

Love this piece from Jon Stewart - I often get mocked about Global Warming every time it snows but this cracks me up. Global darkening and Dingos - how else to you make the point that "oddball winter weather" is a result of global warming.

NWF recently posted a piece called "Global Warming Bringing More Oddball Winter Weather" There's a lot of truth to this and the reality is there may not be enough snow blowers to go around - especially electric ones!

Time drain or Time savings - your call but Facebook is here to stay

2010-02-08T08:25:00.001-07:00

I have been seeing some friends and family start turning off of Facebook and justifiably so.

My 17 year old son for the longest time has been avoiding it, he keeps calling it evil. A few weeks back he announces he joined but would keep a very limited friend list, limited family and more importantly a very guarded account. All that came crashing down when a family member asked to be friends, he graciously declined trying to explain his desire for NOT using Facebook as an open door into his life and he then got blasted for his action. He got so frustrated that he quit the program as it did exactly what he expected, caused friction and drama within the family.

It reminded me of the dinner table during a holiday meal where all members of the family are present and when conversations can get heated or combative but in this case it was with a keyboard and those pesky unemotional words.

We all know how our words without the one on one facial and tonal delivery can have different meaning. For some it's a challenge to be "PC" with what they write and for others there is little filtering between brain and keyboard. Others get so wrapped up in the social aspects they get lost in the games, the posts or just can't NOT comment on everything they see. Now before anybody I know get's their panties in a knot, I'm not judging nor am I being critical.

I am as many of you know a big fan of self expression. I celebrate how easy it is for all of us to share our opinions and have a voice. It's the story telling I am most interested in and whether it's Facebook or Twitter or any of the social networking genres it's the writing, listening, reading of the stories that enriches us all. At least that's my opinion and I'm sticking with it.

I know how this can be a time drain, I know how frustrated and hurt people can get and I know how much time being online can take away from the day to day living that many of us did before this Web 2.0 world took off. I have strict rules about using Facebook during the day - never on my work PC or during work hours. Occasionally on the Berry but only in the "reading room" will I reply or contribute to FB. Twitter on the other hand . . . all bets are off. It's a huge time saving tool for me as I use it for research and getting fast and accurate news about the industry I work in. But here too, the urge to get personable and comment is strong, I find myself falling into that "relationship" mode way to easy.

It's the personality aspect that I think drives how we use these tools. I like to think I'm outgoing even though I spend a lot more time behind the keyboard then in front. But than again, I have so little time to get out and mingle or engage that the keyboard saves me time. Plus I like how when I do actually get face time I feel like all the small talk or catch up is over as I've been online and stalked your profile.

Multitasking has a whole new meaning when it comes to Web 2.0 . . . now if I could just master those little symbols for laughing, winking and sticking my tongue out without it looking like I'm giving the bird. That was a joke, in case you didn't hear my tone! :-0

Signs, the dashboard of life . . .

2010-01-31T11:44:00.001-07:00

Ok, that title is a bit reaching but let me first off start with observations of my "hot chocolate cup smiley face light dusting miracle" : after finishing a hard afternoon of shoveling of what was suppose to be light dusting of snow I was amused at this as it made me smile and totally changed my mood. I mean who's happy at chipping away at packed snow in 20 degree cold wind and with crisp white snow blinding you in the face?

But this isn't what was on my mind, what I really want to talk about is my Toyota Hybrid Camry - I think it's on the recall list but not sure now. Either way the whole pedal think is scaring the crap out of me. But it's not the gas pedal issue that pisses me off - I mean this happens from time to time, kudos to Toyota for taking the high road and doing what's right except for the maintenance light . . .

About 3K miles ago my maintenance light came on and wouldn't go off. When I finally got to taking it in thinking this was important, it's a hybrid after all, I was told what was part of this process: I got the typical Oil change, top off of fluids, replaced filters, tire rotation which didn't include the alignment, PVC valve and some additive put in that is suppose to coat the fuel injection system which you can't buy in an auto store. All this for the low low price of $300.

But wait, I'm suppose to be getting free oil changes for the life of my car - I said this. Oh, we can knock off $20. Serious? I thought the normal cost of that service was closer to $35? It took 3 more phone calls to 3 different people before I finally had the price down to $200 all because of this stupid dashboard light. I really need a light to tell me it's time to rotate my tires? I mean hello? I'm getting signs in my hot chocolate cup I don't need Toyota dashboard warning lights to give up more dough.

I hate warning lights that really don't have anything to do with something that's wrong but instead are a means to get me to pay the dealership for overpriced items I could get for half price at Track Auto. But this is what I did get for my money . . . the process to turn off the warning light.

After repeated requests one of the techs came out and showed me how to deal with the warning light. So here is the process if you own a Toyota Camry Hybrid to turn off the maintenance light and it won't cost you a dime:

Hit the power on button once without starting the car
Press the odometer stick on the dash until it says Odo A
Hit the power button again until the cars electrical accessories are off
Press and hold the odometer stick while pressing the power button twice and wait till you see the screen say "resetting maint mode"
When the flashing indicator lights finish let go and now start the car as normal.

Ahh yes, the dashboard of life - did I ever tell you how much I miss a tachometer? The gauge they have on the Hybrids that show my fuel efficiency doesn't do it for me. It's the most useless gauge I have ever seen, bring back my tach, let me know how hard those chipmunks are turning in there before I inadvertently accelerate into the poor schmuck in front of me on the DC beltway!

It's not easy being green . . . NTEN proves it

2010-01-19T11:28:00.001-07:00

via techcafeteria.com

Right before I headed off for vacation I had worked a solid 10 days straight. So when I was asked to present a 20 min session on how NWF was implementing green technology into the program I must have been giddy or high when I said yes.

Now I have to actually put something relevant together. My friend Peter Campbell, http://techcafeteria.com/blog/ who dreams this stuff up and can do this in his sleep - see his blog for proof, amazes me with how he speaks to the level of detail and scope that the "green IT" movement plays with the NPO's we all support.

My challenge is that no matter where you look these days there is an onslaught of material and experts talking about Green IT, originality is out the proverbial window. The game is now trying to make sense of it all and find a niche that works for you.

Perhaps that will be my approach during my 20 min of fame, explaining how we are trying to use what we have and be smart when it comes to being green. I may be out in left field as I don't consider what we do to be groundbreaking - don't get me wrong, I love the opportunity to be part of NTEN in any way possible and to share what we are doing, I'm all for sharing our stories as it's how we learn.

What NTEN provides is a pool of some of the most inspiring folks who give their life blood to help promote the use of technology in our non profit world. They in fact are the ones that inspired me many many years ago to realize when it comes to tech there is more to just keeping the lights on or the concept of having the most toys wins. What "wins" is how we use the toys, selecting the right "toys". While we do have to keep the lights we also need to once in a while get into the sandbox and play.

Has anybody seen my rake or shovel?

Purple Cow - I've seen one, have you?

2010-01-17T09:33:00.001-07:00

via sethgodin.com

As I wrap up the last few days in a very relaxing setting aka Palm Springs, CA we took the opportunity to visit Joshua Tree National Park - first time for that. If you've never been there before as you first drive in one can't help but be wow'ed by all the rocks.

ROCKS - all shapes, sizes, formations - even people climbing rocks. After the first twenty minutes of being enamored by the rocks we quickly started to mock the rocks. "oh look, rocks" one of my kids would say and I quickly thought back to Seth Godin's Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable. In this case I was looking for that remarkable rock, the stand out, the one that makes me stop, get out and want to climb. The one thing that struck me about Godin's book was how it's all been done before, to be noticed, even for a short time, you have to stand out.

It's like having that one awesome or stand on its' edge idea that can take your organization to new places. I had this very same discussion last week at the Choose Clean Water conference where I had engaged with folks who were asking about my former organizations attempt to run the Captain John Smith for President campaign. It was out attempt at resurrecting a 400 years old dead guy and bring attention to clean water, hence the connection. When asked what I thought had failed the campaign a slew of thoughts went thru my head but the primary one was front and center in Godin's Purple Cow, and I quote:

I don't think there's a shortage of remarkable ideas. I thing your business has plenty of great opportunities to do great things. Nope, what's missing isn't the ideas. Its the will to execute them.

At this stage in my career I feel hopeful in knowing the leadership at NWF is open to the execution of new ideas, it's what keeps us at the leading edge of our industry. Next week we send representation of the organization to Doug Halls Eureka Ranch: www.eurekaranch.com The idea, learn how to think and execute that Purple cow and prepare us for the changes we expect as the culture changes in how we connect and communicate.

So transforming business or rocks - I think there's a correlation, don't you?

You are the army!

2010-01-14T13:19:00.001-07:00

www.choosecleanwater.org
www.nclicoalition.org/
www.beoutthere.org/

I'm slowly recovering from what was for me an exhausting yet rewarding couple of days. I had the opportunity, actually the privilege of being a member of the team that put together the very first Annual Clean Water Coalition Conference. This was over 250 people, which I swear peaked at one point to close to 350 when EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson addressed the crowd, of like minded groups and individuals who wanted to make a difference for clean water and a clean bay in our region.

For me it was a bitter sweet moment - at times it reminded me of an "alumni reunion" as so many of the folks in attendance I had worked with in some capacity while I was with my former NPO the CBF. In fact, as I was reminded on more then one occasion, they were also in the same "alumni club" being as many of them were also ex-CBF, sort of like a breeding ground of sorts! What touched me the most though, besides the reconnecting and the long hours committed to support of my new NWF team, who BTW were amazing to work, had to have been the opening keynote address by Congressman Elijah Cummings.

I had never heard the Congressman speak before and while he passionately addressed the crowded ballroom at the Renaissance M Street Hotel for almost 40 min, what I share with you here is just a small part of what he said that touched and reached me. In this video at the 1min 40 second part his passion and intonation sent shivers down my spine - here are just a few of the quotes which got me, I hope they do the same for you.

The hopelessness that exists, expectations are so low they don't expect to accomplish anything
That's why we are so important . . . making the world a better place
Do not be distracted, we are about effectiveness and efficiency
I've got too much to do and so little time to do it
Make a difference for children
We can do better
You are the army

Till next time . . . peace out.

See all of Congressman Cummings address at http://www.youtube.com/choosecleanwater

Clean Water - it's more then a passion

2010-01-08T08:18:00.001-07:00

Starting on Saturday I'll be part of a team that will embark on a mission to bring together a coalition of organizations and individuals for 3 days to focus on the issues of the Chesapeake Bay and how we will keep or rather restore it to the point that it's clean.

The agenda is packed and I mean packed - lot's of amazing speakers with tremendous stories to share. All of which I get an opportunity to participate in. I'm indeed fortunate to indulge my passion for the Bay in a unique way, in this sense of providing technology to support the messaging, ideas to engage an audience, and keep the folks I'm charged to support connected and in constant communications with their peers and supporters.

I'm so excited to be once again working, dare I say playing in this arena again. Being able to introduce streaming video services, VoIP in the mobile office, video blogs - yes, I'm very geeked to be part of this. What I really love about my gig at NWF was how much I was encouraged to participate. There was no questions asked and that for me was indeed the icing on the cake.

If you get a chance, please follow along - make sure you check out the twitter hashtag: CleanH2O or CleanH20 - some folks have used a Zero and not an Oh. Of course there's the web page http://www.choosecleanwater.org/cms/conference - maybe you'll see or hear me online!

A little about the conference:

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Coalition is excited to announce the first annual Choose Clean Water Conference! Join several hundred key leaders of non- governmental organizations, the philanthropic community, elected officials, federal and state partners and green industry in three days of discussion about policy strategies to restore the hundreds of streams and rivers that flow into the Chesapeake Bay.

Visiting family, friends and don't forget the snow

2010-01-02T11:35:00.001-07:00

It's the "palindrome" day - where the day and month in reverse is the same as the year: 0102, 2010 I didn't actually know that I had to read about that in my brand spankin new Kindle. It's also the last day of our trek upstate NY to visit friends and family. I love upstate NY after a light snow, it's so picturesque.

Besides misplacing a few brain cells along the way ( if you find them, please send back pronto ) it was fun catching up with friends and family that we have seen in years. I think what made it went so well was how we now keep up via social networking platforms. Because are so connected in the digital age we didn't have to spend a lot of time rehashing any back stories. Instead it was as if the conversation had been continuing all this time.

I was surprised in a recent study that found our culture is actually using texting, IM, email, Facebook, Twitter more then actual phone calls. Looking back at this past year I would agree with that study, which just reinforces my commitment this year to do more face to face.

So here's to a new year!

Ten Minutes from Annapolis . . . @jlalo Rocks!

2009-12-23T08:36:00.001-07:00

I work with some amazing folks and Julie Lalo happens to be one of them. It's a blessing and a stroke of luck that in two very unique professional roles for me I surround myself with individuals who have so much to contribute, share and impact so many in such a positive way.

I am committing my space to Jule who shares a piece she calls "Ten Minues from Annapolis" - she is so passionate in promoting nature and the outdoors in and around the Chesapeake region. Here is a taste of what Jule shares with staff at NWF - You ROCK Jule. Happy Holidays to you as well!

Happy holidays, everyone!

I think it should be mandatory that you make at least one snow angel in your lifetime. It's a perspective-changing experience that you can do anywhere, I can attest! And now, my anecdotal research is verified. National Wildlife Federation has launched our national "Be Out There" initiative for the express purpose of reminding all of us of the gifts we can give ourselves and our families every day. Take an extra ten minutes sometime soon to check out the new Be Out There website. I'll warn you that you'll need more than ten if you spend any time looking through the photo-sharing site, or plugging options into the NatureFind tool. I gave that link as a free gift to my nephew. He's just come back from a posting in South Korea, and is now ready to explore Maryland with his six-year-old. (Spoiler: I am not getting her the puppy she asked me for. The craft kits, books and princess tiara will have to suffice.)

And in the new year, consider sending the links below to a teacher you know, with the following introductory note:

Be Out There™ is National Wildlife Federation's initiative to inspire families across America to open the door and get outside! A daily dose of the outdoors improves children’s physical, mental and emotional well-being. Join the Be Out There movement to get children outside, connecting to nature.

The benefits of outdoor play are real: healthier kids with a life-long appreciation of wildlife and nature.

www.nwf.org/beoutthere

www.nwf.org/campusecology

www.nwf.org/ecoschools

www.greenhour.org

It's been my pleasure to get to know each of you this year. You have all been a great gift to me. May your travels be safe, your days be joyful, and your burdens be light.

Julie Lalo

Regional Representative (DE, DC, MD, NC, PA, VA, WV)

National Wildlife Federation

Chesapeake Mid-Atlantic Office

Annapolis, MD 21401

The games are afoot - so is your cell phone bill

2009-12-13T08:34:00.001-07:00

via time.com

Happened to catch this piece in Time a few weeks back and part of me was elated to see such a successful use of the social networking environment, not to mention the boom of gaming that I always knew had the potential to explode in so many new ways - while at the same time all these flares went up both good and bad.

I'm excited to see this explosion as more and more people start getting the urge to explore the social networking use of games as Zynga has offered. From Farmville to Mafia Wars those who out there know what I'm talking about, the addictive rates appear to be staggering.

I'm not going to get into the revenue aspects of this world, in fact I applaud how they are using various resources the Time article touches upon. Caution on the part of us who dabble is always rule number one, or like this unsuspecting parent found out an extra $170 was tacked on to the cell phone bill. But still consider how easy it was for these guys to harness that integration of technology and revenue? As a technologist looking for that simple means to help raise money and awareness for good is always on the top of my task list.

On a pod cast I recently heard from The Chronicle of Philanthropy Social Good they spoke about the amazing growth of the business and how widely accepted it was becoming. Games for Change is creating interactive game systems that raise awareness and revenue for causes which for me is a really exciting opportunity. No longer is online gaming just geared towards teenage boys, in fact over 68% of all American homes are engaged with some sort of digital gaming and half of them according to the pod cast are women.

With the demographics quickly changing and people spending between 30 min to hours per day "playing" the opportunity to be harnessing this fast growing market is tempting. Which is great news as I see my oldest who has such a creative streak, tremendous programming skills and an uncanny ability to understand games will one day make his mark on the industry.

Mobility like the iPhone apps and easier access to game development are just the start. Interactions with others "playing" via Twitter and Facebook as Zynga demonstrated is only a natural expansion of this genre. Just keep an eye on your phone bill.

To LED or NOT to LED - who else is on the fence?

2009-12-11T08:47:00.001-07:00

Couldn't help but notice how few homes I see this year that are not switching to LED and in fact haven't put up ANY decorations on the outside this year? I'm wondering if it's the R reason or just people not feeling festive. Not sure.

I was on the fence about even replacing my decades worth of antiquated lights, in fact there was a recent poll from Frugal Living that seemed to indicate I wasn't alone. Almost 50% of those participating hadn't done so either but were considering.

Either way I'm still putting up my Festivus Pole, if I can only find my tinsel.

Before you choose below are some really good points made by the Home ImprovementDepot you may find of value.

enjoy and Happy Holidays!

The Home Depot’s Christmas Light Trade-In offer is being advertised as a “green” and environmentally friendly gesture, but truth behind that claim may be arguable. Last year we did an to see if they really could save you money and energy. Some of the things we found:

LED Christmas lights are still much more expensive than regular incandescent Christmas lights. Saving $3 per strand of lights is good, but the LED lights will almost definitely still be more expensive than regular Christmas lights if you compare cord length or even number of bulbs to light sources per strand.

LED Christmas lights do use much less energy and they are much less expensive to run through a holiday season. But you probably need to use those LED lights for lots of seasons to even begin to get back the money you initially spent in purchasing them. Unless energy prices skyrocket in the next few years your LED Christmas lights will still have a “higher cost of ownership” when you consider energy cost as well as purchase price.

LED Christmas lights are made of plastic and all those old Christmas lights you turn in are just going to end up in a landfill. Even those new LED lights will one day end up in a landfill, so the more Christmas lights you buy, the more trash you’re generating (that can be said about most things, though).

http://www.imdb.com/video/hulu/vi1047461913/

"it’s only on the brink that people find the will to change" - Basil Fawlty has the answers . . .

2009-12-06T21:29:00.001-07:00

If you haven't seen the "The Day The Earth Stood Still" remake don't worry, you're not missing much - well except for what was an anti war movie now has an environmental twist. In a nut shell the Earth is visited by an alien who has decided the planet needs to be saved and the one species who have fraked it up needs to go - that would be us. But reasoning with the alien ( Keanu Reeves ) on a scientific level is none other then . . . Basil Fawlty or rather in a very serious role, Monty Pythons very own John Cleese.

In what was one of the few if not only standout moments in this rather odd remake caused for me what can only be called an "ah ha" moment when it came to Cleese and Keanu.

Cleese plays a Nobel Prize-winning scientist ( I'm not joking ) – the dialogue which I painstakingly had to use the pause, rewind, play and pause button several times went something like this:

Cleese: Well, there must be alternatives. You must have some technology that could solve the problem.

Keanu: The problem is not technology. The problem is you. You lack the will to change.

Cleese: Then help us change.

Keanu: I cannot change your nature. You treat the world as you treat each other.

Cleese: But every civilisation reaches a crisis point eventually.

Keanu: Most of them don’t make it.

Cleese: Yours did. How?

Keanu: Our sun was dying. We had to evolve in order to survive.

Cleese: So it was only when your world was threatened with destruction that you became what you are now.

Keanu: Yes.

Cleese: Well, that’s where we are. You say we’re on the brink of destruction, and you’re right. But it’s only on the brink that people find the will to change; only on the precipice that we evolve. This is our moment – don’t take it from us. We are close to an answer.

This past week I've heard the term "political will" along with "being on the brink" then comes this flick and it all makes sense. Seemed poetic to see this nicely summed up in a random viewing of a movie I never had pegged as a call to action to protect the planet.

When we are at the brink of Copenhagen and global climate change this coming week I hope they play this movie on the airplanes of all those who are going because we are close to that answer and we are on the brink. This is our moment otherwise the ending of this movie may become a reality where we pay the ultimate price: no electricity, no cars, no trains, no oil, no man made pollution - wait a minute I'm waiting for the bad part.

Derreck Kayongo - proof that you can make a difference

2009-11-22T16:46:00.001-07:00

Meeting inspiring people like Derreck Kayongo who began The Global Soap Project which recovers and recycles soap from American hotels and facilitates a process by which it is sanitized, melted and remolded into new bars, then distributed to refugee camps in Africa.

Uplifting and inspiring - proof positive that behind every revolution there is someone with a vision and in this case Derreck is putting that vision into action! http://www.globalsoap.org/

On the last train to Charleston

2009-11-21T07:11:00.001-07:00

via flickr.com

This marked my 8th year attending the Blackbaud Conference in Charleston SC. They have been doing this now for 10 years and I swear each time they reinvent the process.

When you see tweets like: "Best NPO Conferences I've been to. Great speakers, networking, idea sharing. Technology/ people rock!" You know you're part of something a little bit magical. It's like almost coming home and much of that is the relationships that are formed from within Blackbaud and the amazing, inspiring people you meet and continue to connect with.

The market place is a reminder of just how innovative the planning team gets in keeping the attendees engaged, relaxed and well fed. I was also watching the flow and process which maximized how the vendors interacted, the options for breaks even the chair massage - oh I would have killed to have sat in one of those chairs!

Of course there was the gestapo afternoon break folks who worked for the convention center. They refused to allow anyone access to the soda pail until 3:15 sharp. Didn't they know who I was? I actually had the bottle of soda in my hand and was told to put it back - should have licked the bottle as my Navy Alumni buds suggested, that would have been fun.

For me this year was a very different experience. I got to stretch the old noodle a bit and presented on a topic I was not all that comfortable with. I actually think I pulled it off even though I couldn't remember NWF's mission statement. Got ribbed for that one! I don't know my scores but as my "life twin" Kate who is sitting next to me said, I was "very animated, engaging and fun to listen and watch." Of course she told me this at the evenings reception hour so maybe I need to factor in the "tipsy" aspect of the review!

I attended a series of events I don't normally follow and I have to say it was liberating in a way to learn more about topics that I don't have to directly support. I find the learning to be invaluable as a technologist because you never know when I have to apply something I encountered to the job. I was also impressed that how in just a short time frame, folks attending many of the social networking sessions, were no longer questioning the terminology - they got it! So not the case last year.

I had the dubious honor of being listed at the conference as a top tweeter - http://wthashtag.com/Bbcon not sure I can include that in my resume but I understand I will have an ASP named after me. What I did get from all the tweets . . . is how by highlighting the session points during the engagement I can now go back and reference those comments, it's better then note taking! AND - connecting with other Tweets who were in the same or different sessions, priceless.

I FINALLY got to meet Holly Ross from NTEN http://twitter.com/ntenhross who used the geographical search feature on Twitter and found me at the session. For about 2 hours I was looking for a gal wearing a pair or Red Shoes and a Navy Blue blouse. We hooked up at her session where I publicly professed my love for her, she was as engaging in person as she has been online and spoke to the very point of what being a technologist means to me and how we use those skills to support those and provide service to do good in todays world. http://www.youtube.com/user/blackbaudinc#p/u/7/NhW4WCAfejI

I'm looking forward to sharing more about this awesome event http://twitter.com/#search?q=bbcon and to nurture the relationships both new and old as a result of my latest Charleston trip. Until next time.

We are of Peace. Always.

Trekking to Charleston, again

2009-11-08T07:59:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year. Ahhh yes, November when the leaves begin to turn and fall, holiday preparations and family plans are being discussed, breaking out the warm attire begins and of course it's the annual Blackbaud Conference for Non Profits - this is either my 7th or perhaps 8th time that I am making this visit. I think after 10 years they name a DLL or a process after you, so like Bill Murray in Caddyshack when discussing his reward from the Dalai Lama, I got that to look forward to. Of course I'm looking forward to seeing some great friends I have had the good fortune to make over the years and then there is the PACKING challenge. In all the time I've traveled to Charleston I try to see how little I can get away with packing for the 3 days, which hasn't always worked out.

One year I had to purchase some Blackbaud shirts as I miscalculated or did I slurp one too many oysters and stain a shirt? Last year I made the tactical mistake of not bringing a coat and it ended up being the coldest week ever. I swear I saw snow falling in the morning - but then again there were many mornings I was a bit bleary eyed thanks to the engaging and non stop energy attending a Blackbaud session such as this can provide.

This year however will be a little different for me, this year besides looking at the forecast, I will be attending the conference as a representative of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and NOT the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF). Why is this different? and I should be clear, different does not mean bad different or good different, different in this case is related to the scope of service which the two organization has chosen Blackbaud to partner with. CBF followed the same rule of thumb my friends at Navy Alumni used, if Blackbaud made it we bought it. NWF on the hand only has a limited engagement with their Raiser's Edge (RE) product. RE is the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) component both organizations use to manage key members and it's only used for a small segment of NWF 4 million membership.

I was fortunate during my 10 years at CBF to not only witness the Blackbaud product line grow and take off as it has to encompass a great many needs of non-profits but also help guide and be part of that development by taking an active role in various early adopter programs and review panels on first versioning of Blackbaud's software solutions.

NWF is much different in that there are already well placed teams and high capacity systems in place that have established the collection of data and the flow which in turn created partnerships with other competitors in the direct marketing field like Merkel. My level of influence along with my understanding of the work flow on this front is still at it's early stages. The history of the process and and what makes up the volume is also at its infancy as it's only been 6 months being in the role of lead Technologist. Was I surprised that Blackbaud had reached out and asked me to participate in a Direct Marketing Panel discussion titled: The Challenges and Successes of Managing an Advanced, Integrated Marketing Strategy and in this case representing NWF? Oh, yes I most certainly was - while I was happy to have the opportunity it was clear I was not treading in unfamiliar territory.

Back in April I had the good fortune to do something similar in Boston at the Target Analytics session as part of CBF and Amelia Koch the CBF Director of Membership was with me answering the tough Marketing questions. I won't have that safety net this time even though Amelia was also invited to be on this current panel along with Misty Thornton from Heifer International I have to admit I'm a bit nervous now, before I could speak to a great many topics as I knew the CBF organization inside and out. Not the case with NWF.

So now that I have the panel questions in hand I have two tacts to take: take the opportunity to spend the next week trying to immerse myself in all things Direct Marketing related to the NWF organization or . . . and it's a gamble but here it is: focus instead on where I see the organization moving forward on the Direct Marketing front and not worry about stats and what NWF has done in the past.

So to recap -

November, good month, leaves, turkey, family.
Charleston, look at the forecast, pack accordingly this time, try to save brain cells and liver.
Blackbaud conference, excited to see many friends and partners, maybe even a Baudcast.
Direct Marketing Panel, speaker, pray, shoot from the hip - ask questions later.

I pitched them the idea of me participating in a more technical track but noooooo. It's OK, really. But fair warning - I'm bringing all my product flair. Can't be seen only wearing the RE and Speaker flair on my name badge, I have a reputation to protect. Chucktown, here I trek!

Chicago bound, time to SEE3

2009-11-01T06:24:00.001-07:00

via see3.net

This week I am fortunate to attend a CIO NPO symposiums of sorts sponsored by one of our tech providers, CDW - these guys not only sell everything tech related thing under the sun and are well underway to servicing the non profit sector in more areas which this conference is geared towards. More on the CDW experience later, for now I want to talk about see3.

I had mentioned about my trip to Chicago sort of in passing a week ago via Twitter when one of my followers, http://twitter.com/Michael_Hoffman replied and was hoping to hook up when I arrived in Chi-Town.

Michael is President and CEO of see3 communications http://www.see3.net/ based in Chicago - a group I had the pleasure of being introduced to several years ago at an NTEN session in DC. I was impressed with their technology and services back then, even more now. As this incredible interactive video marketing piece from the American Cancer Society will attest to http://bit.ly/ZDew0

When talking with some of my program folks at National Wildlife Federation, in particular Julie Lalo who's the Regional Representative of the Chesapeake Mid Atlantic affiliate group, we had a lively discussion about the challenges of the affiliates in sharing each others experiences and stories. How video could be such a powerful tool and how they each have so many stories to tell and more importantly to share. Not only would the general public have a far richer experience, they could easily learn from one another, if . . . and that that's a big word - IF they had the means to easily access, post and follow a video oriented system.

The tools are out there, "see3" is a perfect example - the trick is bringing all the ingredients into the one pot.

When it all comes together the stew has the potential for tasting delish, but to follow the analogy one more step, if you put too many chefs in the kitchen who knows what the results will be. I'm hoping that I can swing a hook up with Michael - I mean we have the same name, that's one of the rules of Michael's we're drawn to one another by name alone - but seriously, I'm not sure at this point if I have the right the ingredients not to mention a big enough pot to promote these amazing tools and services. NWF is one of those groups with a lot of moving parts, trying to understand and follow it all is daunting.

It would take a concerted effort to pull not only the affiliates together but also the staff. I like the concept of giving them a pot to share their ideas in while contributing to the stirring and blending to come up with a unified message.

Aren't cooking analogies the best? Maybe I shouldn't be blogging before I eat?

Specialization without integration is fragmentation - Peter Forbes

Michael Sola is the Director of IT and lead technologist at the National Wildlife Federation. NWF is the United States' largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization, with over 4 million members and supporters in 48 state-affiliated organizations

Chamber Of Commerce Strong-Arms Service Provider Into Shutting Down Spoof Site? Seriously?

2009-10-24T16:59:00.001-06:00

via huffingtonpost.com

Ok, here's the deal: The Internet Service Provider "Hurricane Electric" which hosts the web site for The Yes Men, who are trying to fix the world one huge prank after another, was forced to bar them off their service or face a lawsuit.

I guess Chamber President Tom Donohue here can't take the joke, well it's not really a joke. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/23/chamber-of-commerce-stron_n_332087.html

In the process of adhering to the "letter" Hurricane Electric had to shut down, for what ended up being several hours, hundreds of other legitimate client web sites. All because the US Chamber of Commerce threatened legal action against the ISP provider.

I wonder, what about the Service Level Agreement the hundreds of other clients signed into agreement with and expected from the ISP provider? If I was one of their clients who were shut down for no cause I would be talking to a lawyer about compensation and lost business!

You would think there could have been other ways to fix this. For instance: they could have told The Yes Men to shut down voluntarily or be forced off per their normal contract agreements due to violations as cited by the US Chamber. They could have limited their bandwidth - instead they hard shut the circuit and forced hundreds of client to be in the dark.

Nice customer service!

Here is the video

http://www.nwf.org/beoutthere/

It's not "climate change" . . . it's "climate revolution"

2009-10-15T14:29:00.001-06:00

I was recently reminded how simple yet how hard it is going to be to rethink climate change. I'm not even sure I like that word: change.

It became clearer after seeing an old Star Trek episode titled Mirror Mirror when the "good" Captain Kirk was telling the alternate universe "evil" Mr. Spock that if he wanted to affect change he not only needed the power but had to have the will and desire. James T. Kirk eloquently responded before departing that: "In every revolution, there's one man with a vision." I like to think we have more then one man these days who now has that vision of what climate change means but instead of thinking of it as change perhaps we need to think more in terms of a revolution.

We see the revolution in so many walks of life now that it's almost impossible to keep it all straight. I get easily confused with all the "green actions" to take or way to help and yet I want to do SOMETHING. What I don't want is to be lumped into this "green box" and labeled a "tree hugger" just because I desire clean air and clean water. HELLO - basics of life, without it we all stop living.

But like the "alternate universe Mr. Spock" stated. at times I feel like I lack the power. Marching on government offices, signing petitions, sending e-alerts to congress - it's all good but is it real power? What is power in a movement such as this one?

I see power these days in all sorts of ways, and perhaps this is me being bias because I am part of the National Wildlife Federation staff but I will say that the "Be Out There" campaign is going to provide parents and children with some real powerful tools to help fight for climate revolution in a very different and progressive way - through our children!

Offering smart interactive tools and ways start a new generation of revolutionaries is the goal of so many and the NWF Be-Out-There web site is just one of them.

Another revolutionary is "the playoutdoors lady" Bethe Almeras who pens The Grass Stain Guru which not only promotes ideas and ways to introduce kids to climate and the great outdoors but provides a place to share stories, experiences and outdoor passion that is required if our climate revolution will have success.

Like I said, there are so many wonderful resources it can get confusing, yet if you've come this far I trust you will go a little further. Take action, be heard but more importantly - get out - see and feel that vision, we need you! www.blogactionday.org for Climate Revolution is just step in the process.

Warp Speed, arm the Photon Torpedo's - and full speed ahead!

http://grassstainguru.com/

To Blog or Not to Blog . . .

2009-10-10T09:22:00.001-06:00

There was a discussion recently that started with fellow tweet http://twitter.com/askdebra Debra Askanase where she posed the challenge: Why Uncensored Blogging is the Future of Corp Communications | Community Organizer 2.0 http://bit.ly/w2gub

I liked the piece and re-tweeted it with a comment about how I had some misgivings related to uncensored blogging, mostly because of personal experience related to organizational strategy. There needs to be a strategy, guidelines, flexibility - yes? and better yet does the blogger have to fear what they write?

I think my feelings stem from my last gig where I blogged on the "no strategy" side of the fence. My tech blog was not in line with the environmental or educational aspects of the organization. I'd hear about the messages back and forth from management questioning why I was even permitted to blog. Especially related to Debra's piece I was always in fear of what I had posted even though in my gut I felt I was trying to share a story, an experience related to how my technology program was impacting the community and the organization work being done.

Writing is as much about style as it is content and having a personality come out of the written word I think connects the reader. However if the "powers that be" don't buy into that concept of how blogging is a means of self expression and can be a great tool to message and share, then the blogger will quickly find themselves in a room with bright lights with a guy in a white coat and plyers. It's one of the reasons it was time to move on as I felt the hierarchy didn't "get it" and being placed in the dog house was a shining example of how old school thinking still exists in this genre where there is no strategy.

Uncensored "corporate blogs" only works if the mentality and culture allows it to work. Also it goes to trust, does the organization trust the staffer who will be blogging even if they go "off message" - which I whole heartedly support as I like a good ramble, it shows character and personality.

Ramble on, and if possible try to ramble in 140 characters or less please.

Specialization without integration is fragmentation - Peter Forbes

What it means to be a citizen . . .

2009-09-20T09:16:00.001-06:00

via time.com

I recently shared a commentary on my Facebook profile regarding an observation when seeing the movie 'Taking Woodstock' - I had found the word of mouth sharing of the event fascinating given the timeframe: the lack of Internet, email, Twitter, no social networking tools of any kind. Yet the sheer numbers and passion of the people who gathered for Woodstock was a sight to behold.

I had asked the question "why is it so hard in today's world to garner that same type of mobilization and passion?" We have as many passionate people today as back then and God knows there are a ton of heart wrenching causes. A friend of mine answered that questions in a few simple words:

"It's because we no longer have a sense of community." and she is right.

This piece I saw in the Sept 21 issue of Time hit a nerve, while the focus of the article speaks towards consumerism it would seem that this particular action of consumerism has brought people together. When the Time poll concluded that 68% of Americans "think they do not live up to their responsibilities as citizens" - I had to wonder, what does that mean?

Perhaps we are not passionate about our responsibilities or is it we are afraid to speak out for fear we won't be perceived well or not "politically correct". I'm not sure what that means anymore and maybe that's part of the problem, what is bringing us together? What is galvanizing us? What is keeping us from being stronger?

I recently saw Gallagher on his "Stuck in the 60's" tour http://www.gallaghersmash.com/ at 63 he is as witty and bright as ever and exercising freedom of speech to a brand new generation. So in the words of the "smartest man alive" : Freedom of speech includes volume.

That's right my bald headed friend: Crank it up, and let's get responsible in style!

HOW TO: Celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day

2009-09-19T09:43:00.001-06:00

Talk Like a Pirate Day is today - Sept 19, 2009 - learn how to talk Pirate.
So Yo-Ho matey, aye!

Cap'n Mike signing off

The National Parks: America's Best Idea | PBS

2009-09-13T05:59:00.001-06:00

via pbs.org

I love the tag line ". . . as Americans we're not only connected to this land, we're connected by it." How simple an idea is that?

I know where I'll be on Sept 27 at 8pm EST - where will you be?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Where%20can%20I%20see%20michaelsola's%20official%20website

Be Careful what you Tweet

2009-09-12T10:51:00.001-06:00

I was playing with this Google auto search feature - how many of us Google our name? I swear it's not vanity, the results may surprise you.

So some of the results I expected, but then I started seeing some listings that looked, well - odd. Thanks to the searching and API tools that have integrated Twitter posts into organizations web sites my name was showing up in some odd places.

While I try and I'll say that again - TRY to be mindful of what I always say, I don't always think where it will end up.

A few weeks back I did a post related to the obstacles I had using my insurance companies searching tools to find a Physical Therapist - after the first 4 attempts of dialing disconnected numbers I had my doubts of finding anybody in the Reston VA area. Simply using the word Reston with NO hashtag or anything related to a web site or follower got me listed in a Reston web site.

So regardless of where you contribute your thoughts or comments keep in mind, the online world is more integrated than you think.

Specialization without integration is fragmentation - Peter Forbes

FernyBlog.net » Ellen DeGeneres: New judge of American Idol!

2009-09-09T19:54:00.001-06:00

via fernyblog.net

So - Ellen D, next judge on American Idol - you go girl! I've always like Ellen going way back. Should be a whole new twist!

Nike and Lance Armstrong Unite to Inspire and Mobilize

2009-07-19T07:55:00.001-06:00

I love this message - Lance Armstrong no matter the hype no matter the critics is an inspiration. So many count on him.

As he states in this very simple yet hard hitting piece, when he says he's "not back on this bike for them . . . " the message is clear who he's riding for, it's for those that can't - at least not yet.

I have this urge to go out and pedal.

www.livestrong.org/

#1 Twitter Songs on YouTube

2009-07-19T05:54:00.001-06:00

Ben Walker actually has a nice voice and captured the Twitter universe very nicely. "we're validating each others insecurities" has to be my favorite line!

When I get the "look" as I pull out my Berry I will think of Ben's song and use some of the lyrics.

I'm excited to spread some "twitter love" in the near future - one of the internal surveys I did at work indicated staff wanted training on the use of Twitter. In a week I'm heading out to the NWF Great Lakes, Boulder and Seattle offices for the "Good Tech Tour 09" along with the diva of Social Media "@starfocus". I may have play this song as an intro!

Happy Sunday and TWEET On!

Not for the faint of heart . . .

2009-07-13T19:15:00.001-06:00

O.M.G.I.G.P (Oh My God, I’m Gonna Puke)

The Microsoft ad for their browser IE 8 has certainly made an impression on our household. Loved the SNL feel, almost like when Dan Akroyd would step in to bring balance to the commercial.

Would love to know what the web page was, of course I would never need a private browser service . . . I use the clear history, that seems to work for me!

Now where do I pick up New Shimmer, the desert topping or is it a floor wax?!

United Breaks Guitars

2009-07-12T17:37:00.001-06:00

I don't know who out there hasn't been victim to travel woes, I've had my share of luggage come back beat up but this story if quite amusing. I think the best part of this is how an artist took the incident viral!

Goes to show what a few million hits will do when you get creative and Dave Carroll did just that, got creative. http://bit.ly/DrLsl This link is his follow up statement on the incident. We should all be this lucky!

The power of the pen, or in this case the zeros and ones!

Tormented Squirrel

2009-07-12T08:29:00.001-06:00

In a sense this has to be poetic justice, I've had squirrels torment my bird feeders, rip holes in my screened in deck to get at the bird feed - it could be worst, this could have been the video for the Squirrel Ball of Death as invented by my good friend Chuck Epps.

I can't go into details but picture this:

- a bird feeder hung by a long wire
- the wire is greased with a lubricant
- midway on the wire . . . an embedded nail ball
- smart squirrels work their way down the wire, hit the grease, pick up speed, hit the nail ball with their tiny heads, they then fall to the ground with a thump, dazed and confused.
- bird feeder remains in tact
- birds are happy
- humans are entertained

I didn't create the contraption, I'm just relaying the concept! Happy Squirrel watching!

Who's a spammer and who's for real

2009-07-11T09:45:00.001-06:00

I am a believer of collecting followers that matter - not using these services that advertises "get thousands of tweets in a single click" is not what I'm trying to accomplish building my twitter network. I've had this conversation many times, it's the quality not the quantity that counts.

But there are times I get "followed" and I have to wonder . . . are they real or is it just another scam?

Last week I attended this awesome session at USA Today about Cause Marketing. The timing was perfect as it led into some amazing discussions I had with colleagues, co-workers and friends looking for advise and guidance in this area. Since the conference which I tweeted about http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23u2MAD , I have had a slew of new "followers" - I have a rule about "followers" -

I don't follow in return unless I like what I see posted by the follower,
they have an actual avatar and not John Cussacks face - only Joe Meehan can get away with that, and preferably the avatar should not be wearing a bikini - not that there is anything wrong with that . . .
and they have to have something written in their bio - anything

I came across a recent follower I almost decided to follow until I saw their tweets. Here is a sampling:

Deleting a few hundred spam followers. When will they ever learn?
6:09 PM Jul 4th from web
Make a living on twitter, check it out http://bit.ly/tjUUL
4:42 PM Jul 4th from web
Noticed there is not much swearing on Twitter... how does that work?
4:01 PM Jul 4th from web
Getting ready to celebrate the Lakers wining the NBA Championship!
3:58 PM Jul 4th from web
Make a living on twitter, check it out http://bit.ly/tjUUL
1:03 PM Jul 4th from web
Been sat working in McDonalds all day, like a lonely loner...
12:31 PM Jul 4th from web
I got laid off, making money on twitter saved my lifehttp://bit.ly/tjUUL
11:50 AM Jul 4th from web
too much to do so little time
9:25 AM Jul 4th from web
Taking the day off today
7:11 AM Jul 4th from web
Jobless, but now I am even making more money on twitterhttp://bit.ly/tjUUL
7:11 AM Jul 4th from web
Make a living on twitter, check it out http://bit.ly/tjUUL
3:49 AM Jul 4th from web
Thanks to all the people following me! Looking forward to your Tweets!
3:34 AM Jul 4th from web
I want a sexy business man with a brain, who's single
3:09 AM Jul 4th from web
Let twitter pay your bills http://bit.ly/tjUUL
2:58 AM Jul 4th from web
Want something stronger than tea to drink.
2:52 AM Jul 4th from web
Jobless, but now I am even making more money on twitterhttp://bit.ly/tjUUL
2:22 AM Jul 4th from

Call me crazy but why do I think this is nothing but a spammer trying to sell or promote how to make a living on Twitter? I don't believe the in between posts. I think they are trying too hard to do the "balance" thing of sharing "personal" and mixing in professional.

I think there should be balance on the twitter front, it's how we build and earn relationships but this . . . maybe I'm getting too suspicious in my middle age but I just don't know anymore who's real and who isn't.
In the kingdome of blind men the one ey'd is king. [1640 G. Herbert Outlandish Proverbs no. 469]

Making the Digital Switch - Hello FiOS

2009-07-02T07:41:00.001-06:00

We made the switch this week from Comcast to Verizon FiOS mostly to avoid the rate increase after the promotional period ended and the need for increased web speeds. So besides getting use to the new menu options I have to say so far I don't miss the tiling that would occur on the digital channels and there are certainly more channels in High Def offered by Verizon. On the Internet front, I don't miss my old wireless router and this one has more range bringing the hammock and laptop together again. Up-speeds are in the 20mb range where as download speeds are in the 4 - 5 not great when you consider all the gaming happening, not by me of course but by the boys - yeah that's it, the boys. on the down side, Verizon didn't make it easy to access the router, in fact they don't even allow you to access the admin menu, at least they never shared the password. . . . here's what else I don't like, and in no particular order: - the guide menu is way to crowded, too many words - it takes much longer to figure out what channel I'm on. - no FX On-Demand. How the frak am I suppose to catch up on Rescue Me, Always Sunny - all the other twisted shows? and am I crazy, but FX is not available in High Def!!! - a week later I had to reset the Internet router - like in turn it off, press and hold the reset button. It just stopped working for no reason, that better NOT become a normal occurrence. - and now comes the worst infraction: Both AMC and WE owned by Cablevision - like Fx not only are neither of these stations on-demand but they are NOT available in High Def. Evidently the Dolans who own Cablevision hate Verizon. Hey Dolans, the hate goes both ways, as they say on Southpark "you bastards" bottom line - I can't finish catching up on Mad Men previous seasons and if I miss an episode life as I know it may end. I could care less about WE. - it was also noted that the little interface cable box that each TV HAS to have, requires an AC adaptor, more electricity AND it included ALL the subscription channels except the High Def. no wonder the 16 year old started camping out in his room late at night - Max at Nite was available as was HBO's Cathouse and Real Sex . . . not that I watched those shows, noooo, well at least he doesn't have access to them. Many more channels but surprisingly the same "there's nothing on" has been uttered more then once.

Go figure.

Building a front porch, before it's too late

2009-05-30T10:05:00.001-06:00

This past week I was at my first NWF retreat where an amazing group of leaders from within the organization gathered to evaluate and take a hard look at community building and the act of making connections via conversation. I was thrilled to attend and being only my 4th week on the job it was an honor being included. I'm guessing my reputation and background played into getting the invite.

The concept of a World Cafe was the forum we worked from and at first I was skeptical but seeing how we were given markers and were allowed to write and draw on the table I got excited. It's why I'm a fan of Macaroni Grill, I get to doodle and draw little starships and Pandas on the table. The conversations and ideas that got captured exceeded expectations and I learned more in that one day then the past month.

One of the more interesting concepts we focused on was how community and converstation has changed over the decades.

Our homes is a perfect example of that change. My house does NOT have a front porch. In fact most in my community do not. Think about it, the front porch played a major part in how families talked. How "back in the day" everybody would gather on their front porch and converse with not just themselves but their neighbors.

Over time this simple home structure has disappeared, over time it became the back deck which facilitated the seperation from our neighbors which further lessened conversing with them. Because of air conditioning we've gone indoors in the "great / family room" or for many of us we're hunkered down in separate corners of the house to where the computer happens to be.

Maybe I need to change gears, break the AC and build a front porch! Wonder if that dead tree in my back yard will fall on the deck? Hello, is this State Farm home insurance . . .

What's wrong with this face?

2009-05-27T19:10:00.001-06:00

This weekend I had to submit my bio and picture for the chapter which I'm contributing for the Person to Person Fundraising project -

the good news is I actually have some text written, like 8 pages and 2788 words. I used "the" and "and" a lot . . . . dots too. Unfortunately they don't like any of the pics I submitted, which is a problem as I don't know if I have any serious head shots that don't include a bottle of wine or a glass in my hand . . . kidding ( no, he's not ).

I bring it up because I like busting one of my co-contributors and fellow work mate / queen of the Baudcast and voice of NWF's social networking endeavors : Danielle Brigida ( who's name I can now spell ). We have a standing coffee meeting every other week which I look forward to and is one of the reasons I drive 3 hours a day! We typically trade geeky stuff back and forth. Today we were on the topic of "tribes" as a prep for a retreat we both are attending this week. I was telling her about Seth Godin's book Tribes and how I thought it played nicely into the session. She hadn't seen or read it.

As luck would have it we were sitting outside a book store where I promptly got up and bought it for her - happy early birthday / house warming / Kwanzaa Danielle I have no idea what that has to do with anything except it happened and I felt good doing that!

But then of course as I stated on my Facebook status yesterday: I'm thinking that no one wants to read every moment of my life . . . Oh I should twitter that

Now where's my digital camera?

new this, new that - when isn't it new?

2009-05-10T08:18:00.001-06:00

I'm reminded when ever I see this Red Cross T shirt that life is indeed good, also - I need to schedule an apt, I'm way over due to give blood. I actually had the good fortune to sit next to the CIO for the American Red Cross this past week at the annual CIO for Non Profits Summit, lovely chap - talk about a big operation!

There is always change and always something new coming around the corner. A friend of mine gave this audio book from Ariane De Bonvoisin about dealing with change in the first 30 days, it's interesting. Many of the concepts I knew a bit about but hearing them and trying to recognize my own hesitations when dealing with change or something new has been . . . well, illuminating.

The only way I'm even finding time to listen is while commuting, well that's an understatement as commuting infers movement and far too many days, there is NO moving on the top side of the Capital Beltway.

2 hours and 30 minutes to go 42 miles at the end of a long day is criminal, but then again it's new and a change - something I just need to adjust to, embrace and get over. Unless someone loans me a helicopter or comes up with a Transporter device - where is Scotty when you need him?

No complaints, after all it could be worst . . . . it could be raining.

Peace!

Totally off the hook . . .

2009-05-03T06:41:00.001-06:00

I just thought this was a moment to share, hope I can do this story justice and at the same time protect the innocent - names have been changed and all that Dragnet stuff.

Last night I went to a birthday party for a dear friend, I'll call her "Annmarie" - she's someone who could be categorized as a "work spouse" but in this case an "ex-work spouse" since she and I roughly at the same time left our former place of employment where we had connected and became friends. In any event it was a fun gathering of about 30 or so people along with a good showing of folks we had worked with while still at our former place of employment. One in particular is the sweetest guys you would ever want as a friend - I'll call him "Guy" - who's specialty is always showing up with this awesome sausage loaf bread, a "Guy" family tradition!

Well being a birthday gathering, the topic of age had come up. "Annmarie" had been careful to hide her birth year for quite sometime until our other close and dear friend ( I'll call her Red ) well "Red" spilled the beans on Facebook, of all things about "Annmarie's" birthyear being 1971 which fed into the table talk happening with the group - still with me?

So not quite 40 yet and honestly would think "Annmarie" was in her late 20's maybe early 30 as she has done a good job at the looking young thing. Anyways, "Guy" all of a sudden got all antsy and started whispering to some our mutual friend, I'll call her "Joni" and then bee lined it to the where the birthday cards had been piled - he then sheepishly tried to take away and hide his card, we all knew at this point someone was in trouble - in typical "friend pack" mentality we ganged up on him and he reluctantly and apologetically opened the "Happy 40th" birthday card. He was 2 years early - not something you do to a woman before it's time . . . the horror! He was of course forgiven and we laughed our collective asses off.

It was all in good fun and we razzed the hell out of "Guy" who confessed he wasn't sure when he picked it out but assumed because "Annmarie's" husband had just turned 40 this past summer he assumed she was 40 as well. At this point I chimed in and I'm paraphrasing . . . "Guy, if you weren't sure then why the frak didn't you just buy a generic card?" his reply: "I don't know" - he was totally off the hook and we loved every minute of it!

Good times, good friends, good stories - makes life good!

Exploring

2009-04-30T14:44:00.001-06:00

What I like about being someplace new . . . exploring!

Last week had a fun little nature walk during lunch. There are some trails on the grounds behind National Wildlife Federations headquarters in Reston and was introduced to quite a few oddities including Skunk Cabbage! don't let the name fool you, it's named that way for a reason.

Then this week did a few off site lunch's at two new locations, Champs and Cafesano. Exploring places to eat I think is more fun, less exercise of course! But it has helped in learning the streets of Reston which can be a challenge even without the GPS!

Social Networking . . . is it like my phone?

2009-04-26T10:31:00.001-06:00

It was a year ago I was fortunate to attend an Non Profit CIO Summit held at The Nature Conservancy in Arlington Va. which meets annually for 3 days and holds a series of workshops that focuses on the sharing of ideas, issues we face as a group, common ground solutions and act as a resource. I love this group, the focus the camaraderie - it's all there.

Chuck Longfield, the founder of Target and now Chief Scientist at Blackbaud has been organizing this group for over 10 years. He plays a very neutral role and the group really polices itself closely to keep it totally vendor neutral and that's key in all the discussions and sharing of information.

One of the topics we had discussed last year and still rears it's head every so often as it did this week during a budget discussion was the risk of letting ALL staff have access to Social Network sites and tools.

The risks: Staff who don't understand the consequences of clicking on untrusted links or advertisements and the time they could potentially waste doing non productive "networking".

The discussion we had at the last years session summed up nicely the role of IT in how it should address this concern and the level of protection to the infrastructure we should be tasked with while balancing the access of such time intensive tools.

So here goes the summary of the discussion:

Back in the day when we first got a phone on our desk we were told, ". . . the phone is only for business - no personal calls." Remember those days? Well maybe you don't - I do. How long did that last?

Then along came e-mail and Internet access, almost an exact repeat of expectations - " . . . don't be using email for personal stuff and don't be surfing for anything non business related." Was the mantra and shouldn't we be monitoring this? See where this is going?

"Social Networking is that original phone on your desk" - as one my colleagues so eloquently stated. It's simply another tool to reach out with.

It's not up to IT to be setting the expectations or monitoring or limiting access, it's the role of management or supervisors to insure their staff are using their time efficiently and productively. The same person who goofs off and spends all day Social Networking with friends is most likely going to find some other way to goof off or waste their time if that's their nature or what they are allowed to get away with.

As more and more business applications are optimizing API calls to feed information between front end and back of house apps it's important to be diligent and have a united front on the strategies. But let's not forget, the phone is still the phone.

Besides, I don't want to be the traffic cop, those uniforms and the tight collars? - I like the night stick and the badge, maybe I can replace the .45 with a water pistol?