The Truth About Twitter

Alternate title: I Was Wrong.
When Twitter first started to gain buzz I dismissed it as just another Internet fad, another platform for the narcissist amongst us (I was somewhat right about that).
But the truth is... to Tweet, is to connect like never before.

Twitter does feel somewhat "insider". There are nuances that I am still learning. Sometimes it feels like you're back in P.E. class and you're one of the last kids waiting to be picked for a team. Sort of like you're in a John Hughes movie but you have 160 characters or less to prove your coolness.

However the insider-ness of Twitter is why it is successful. It's the great equalizer. Twitter lets us (mere mortals, celebrities, companies and brands) have the one-to-one relationship that we have all been dreaming of since we first became a fan of anyone or anything.

The Five Reasons Why I Love Twitter (reserve the right to update at anytime)

1. I met Tony Hawk in 1987 at a Cult concert and we (read, "I") have been trying to reconnect ever since. Via Twitter, he sends me (and his 2 million followers) messages every day, it seriously feels personal.
   
2. I have NEVER been so informed on general news, business news, industry happenings, etc. By knowing things first, you can feel superior to anyone you'd like. The speed at which information is being shared is BEYOND awesome (and totally overwhelming).
   
3. Thomas L. Friedman was right; the World is (totally) Flat. Witnessing the response to Haiti, was like having a front row seat to major social change… Twitter has the ability to (quickly) move the world to take action (it is an incredible weapon for good or evil).
   
4. I LOVE that Karl Lagerfeld has 183,000+ followers but he follows no one. I am Karl Lagerfeld, listen to me, I am all knowing (imagine this being said in a deep voice with strong accent). His Tweets are like haikus for the fashionistas. "Like poetry fashion does not state anything. It merely suggests." Find him @Karl_Lagerfeld
   
5. In many ways Twitter is still in its infancy. Participation ='s influencing its evolution. That feels POWERFUL.
   

If you're interested in getting started, this tutorial is very helpful… (found it by following @Mashable) http://bit.ly/cqlFpo

It can be scary to broadcast a proclamation across the wide, wide, world of the web… to help you feel more confident check out this glorious article "Zen and the Art of Twitter" http://bit.ly/9GvOoX

Dolly Parton is on Twitter… come on people! Hope to see you there.

Picks of The Week: 1

Given the economic climate in our country, and in my bank account, I am adhering to a "need" not "want" policy when it comes to consumerism. Do I "want" these awesomely gorgeous boots or do I "need" to pay my bills? The answer may be obvious to some but prior to being responsible for feeding, clothing and sheltering a child, I could rationalize the boot purchase. Come on, I need new boots—I'm job searching in the fashion/beauty sector, I can't wear last season's boots … (see, it can be rationalized!).

Quick digression, once when Matt (my generous and kind husband) and I were dating, I brought home a new pair of silver flats that I bought (on sale!) at Saks. He said "they're cute but do you really need a new pair of shoes?" [long—very long—pause]. In the spirit of love and compromise, he hasn't asked me a question like that since and in turn, I've learned to check myself prior to a want vs. a need purchase.

On that note, welcome to my virtual picks of the week! Like most of you, I receive an unreadable amount of promotional email. Not all of them are garbage. I love the Guilt Groupe, Apartment Therapy, Lancome, Etsy (oh how I love Etsy!) and lots more. Below are my choices for the first edition of my Picks of The Week… a posting that reviews things I may have purchased if it was 2006 and we were back in the economic boom (remember those days?).

Christian Lacroix Dress [so well tailored, sophisticated and classic.]
Retail: $700
Guilt Groupe: $278

M Missoni Wrap Sweater [love it! Can't you just see it with jeans and cowboy boots, great weekend look!]
Retail: $745
Guilt Groupe: $268

That little voice in my head, I call her Oprah, keeps reminding me, "Your home is a reflection of who you are…" ergo, I am currently a cluttered and undecorated soul.

And for inspiration…. From Apartment Therapy
I need to hang pictures, I have them all over the house but haven't put them on the walls yet… go forth and be strong, commit to your home by putting a nail in the wall!

From Apartment Therapy
How gorgeous is this kitchen? I vow to treat my kitchen as well as it treats me. I love you kitchen, I will accessorize you with more than a toaster.

Hey Depleters, Listen Up!

From little things to big things, life can be depleting. Through years of observation (read: therapy), I've come to recognize who or what might be depleting my precious energy at any given time. Once the culprit has been identified, I can craft a strategy to replete myself! [Note to the grammar police: I have researched the word replete and found that it is rarely used as a verb and favors the status of adjective but since this is my blog, I choose to freely use replete as a verb! Mostly because it sounds good next to deplete.] Replete means to feel full, satiated, sated (check my source: http://ow.ly/UPnS )... so it's not a huge leap to say that when situations feel draining, I feel the opposite of replete, I feel not full, I feel depleted. Some might say why not use the word complete to describe a cure for feeling depleted. And I reply, to me completeness is akin to enlightenment. Something mere mortals can only strive to achieve. Feeling depleted could be compared to having seasonal allergies, which are recurring, have no cure but can be treated.

For example…
I interviewed for four months with a HUGE—to remain unnamed—media company. I really went for it. I met with eight different people, brought examples of past work, left leave behinds, sent handwritten thank you notes and believed that I had it in the bag when I was given a tour of the TWO employee cafeterias! I was one of five semi-finalists, then one of two finalists and then… silence for two weeks. Finally a call "we went with an internal candidate, you are great and you could not have done anything different but, blah blah blah".
Hey, HUGE—to remain unnamed—media company, YOU DEPLETE ME.

Is the concept more clear now? Second example, separate situation: I show up for a scheduled, and confirmed, interview only to be turned away because the interviewer had canceled my appointment but neglected to let me know.
Excuse me, yes you, interviewer lady… YOU DEPLETE ME.

I've developed some techniques to replete myself when situations call for it. Below are some examples of everyday depleting situations and techniques I employ to replete myself.

Deplete	Replete Technique
Morning time (never been a morning person)	Starbucks Grande Americano
Work, work, work (and depleters encountered through work, work, work)	Indulge in guilty pleasures such as Gossip Girl, The Twilight Saga (don't judge me!), Project Runway
20 month-old daughter's energy	White wine, sleep

For larger depletions like the aforementioned job search debacles, customized repletion strategies are required. Most include a motivating song list, white wine, great food, exercise (though not lately), browsing Gilt Group (although can also be depleting if not careful), walking around NYC, playing with Layla (the 20 month-old who has a talent for being both a depleter and repleter)… you get the idea.
Lately I've been getting filled up by listening to Ryan Adams and the Cardinals Cardinology, particularly a song called Born Into a Light… there is a lyric within that says,
I wish you faith and hope, strength to cope. To be your own best friend. Have confidence and keep the faith.
Aaawwww, that is so nice! Be your own best friend, what a concept!

Other music on my replete song list includes Thom Yorke's Hearing Damage from the Twilight Saga New Moon soundtrack, it has a badass beat that makes me feel tough. We're in a judgment free zone here, right? When bubble-gumish type repletion is called for, I'm enjoying Miley Cyrus's Party in the USA… Seriously, I discovered its powers as it was showering me with its I-dare-you-not-to-dance beat over the speakers at my local H&M. I ran home to download my very own piece of sunshine!

So depleter's listen up! You might get to me sometimes but you will never own me!
Need a little treat today?? Join Miley as she Parties in The USA… 69+ million views on YouTube… if it's wrong to enjoy this, I don't want to be right. (I promise to learn how to embed the video very soon).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M11SvDtPBhA

Late to the game but I am in it!

I have enrolled myself in social media boot camp! My new mantra? "Be Curious"! (not "bi-curious" but BE CURIOUS... when you say it out loud people sometimes mishear you. Sort of like when you tell someone you went to a "tapas bar", and they ask... you went to a "topless bar?").

I recognize that my current status as a "consultant" allows me more time to be curious but I vow that I will try to maintain the mantra no matter how busy things might get! I work in the beauty and fashion industry but my specialty is Internet Marketing within those industries. When I look back at the past 5-6 years I can recognize that there were times when I was so focused on the products we were marketing, that I became less involved in what was happening within the Internet industry. I would concede that I had a top line awareness of trends, what was "hot", etc. but not enough knowledge to really make strategic decisions on incorporating the newest new media tools within our new media strategy. Basically I was so busy trying to launch websites and maintain them that I didn't reserve any energy to remain curious except if something could specifically help me immediately! And when I say "help me", I mean make my job easier, not more complicated.

I realize now that what at first might feel "complicated" is really an initial (and common) reaction to change. I have a phobia of math. I cannot remember ever being good at math or feeling like I understood anything beyond basic algebra. Even now if something looks math related, like managing my 401K, I feel anxious and unable to comprehend the information. But if I approach the info with an attitude of curiosity, I bet that I would learn at least one new thing that might help the performance of my plan. The same goes for how some people react to using new media, social media, etc... it does seem complicated at first because it's new and different, it's easier to dismiss it than to actually learn about it.
Today I am a tweeter, a blogger, a facebooker, I am linkedin, etc. Tomorrow who knows what I might be... 

I want to share this great article I found through following Mashable's Twitter feed, it's going to help me look like an "expert" at a very important meeting I have on Tuesday! Social Media and Fashion