My Twitter Logic

Unless you've been under a rock for the past year, you probably know that all the world seems to be a-tweet these days. And chances are you've signed up just so you can feel like you're actually part of @aplusk's, @britneyspears's or @johncmayer's lives, even though you are just one in a million (or two million) to these celebrities. Maybe you don't get it. Or, what's even worse... you think you do but are really pretty far from the point. Here are a few examples:

If this is your only update and your following to followers ratio is 15 to 1, chances are I'm not going to follow you back. I'm also going to judge you, and maybe even block you. I completely understand that your job might involve tweeting, mine does too. But if the company you work for claims to be on top of this whole "social media thing" and thinks that shamelessly plugging their product in every update is effectively communicating their brand... then they missed the point.

Yeah. No. Everyone in the Twitterverse hates you. Just because you used one of those automatic-follower sites like My Tweet Followers to force other desperate people to scroll past your meaningless dribble, doesn't mean I want to. My tweeps don't wanna see your ass either.

Unfortunately, Twitter, like every other next big thing in communication, has acquired a slew of spammers. That's why Myspace is thinking about cutting jobs. I'm considering dropping my account because every friend request is either spam, from someone with a username like "*|_|oommoo|_|*", or a band that I have no interest in. Once the spammers move in, actual contributors move on to the next big thing... They're on Facebook and Twitter right now. But time will tell where they'll be next.

But back to the point at hand... I believe that social media can be a great tool for communication for individuals, business, customer service and many others. However, your message needs to be important. Your voice has to stick out of all the spam, or your time is wasted. If you're going to participate then you have to contribute. It doesn't matter how many followers, friends or fans you have if the content doesn't stick. There's a handful of people I follow on all my accounts that I consistently ignore because I've never really seen anything of value. Why am I still following them? I really don't know... I guess I'm just too nice to unfollow.

Here's some advice to those that might be unsure:

• Don't update unless something slightly interesting happened, you have something to share (article, song, video), you're helping someone or sharing knowledge, or for emergency purposes.
• Don't send a batch of tweets every hour. I've seen people that update 5 times on the hour. That's just annoying. Don't force it. Things like TwitterFeed are cool when they're not over used and obvious. I want to feel like there's a person behind your tweets.
• Get a picture. I hate seeing that little brown icon on a profile that claims to specialize in any sort of online business.
• Follow others in your field. If you're using Twitter and have a profession then you need to know what the competition is saying, reading and doing. Just because you're an "expert" doesn't mean you may not learn a thing or two from your peers. Oh, and networking... It's kind of a big deal.
• I absolutely hate it when I start following someone and I get a canned DM telling me to buy their product, go to their site or ask them questions. Thanks for the effort, but it doesn't make me want to do any of those things any more than I did when I started following you.
• Make conversation. If someone says something that interests you, reply or DM. Everyone loves to know someone is listening. With that said, don't clog up your other followers page with an hour long conversation about something that only you two or three think is absolutely fabulous. Remember, inside jokes aren't very funny to those on the outside.

I try to stay conscious of the things I say or do because I'm never sure who might be watching. That job you just interviewed for my have an eye on your profiles to make sure you'll represent them in a good light. (I feel like signing the Geico commercial song "it always feels like... somebody's watching me") And I also don't want to bore my followers with "lunchtime." or "getting gas" as my deepest tweets. The best advice anyone can give, in any realm of communication and life in general, is just be genuine.

My company tweets here @businessways
I tweet here @aleafalls

Great Expectations

Expectations are a funny thing. We all have them and nearly every interaction and relationship is filled with them. But what do they do for us? More than usual we're let down. We create a certain story in our heads and hope others can live up to them... maybe it's the only way we can really lose control. We can't make others do what we hope, so maybe that let down is the only way for us to let go. More than those we have for others, what's worse are the expectations we put on ourselves. Get this job, have this house, drive that car... We continue to work towards something we (or someone else) has set for us. Who decided what was best for us? Is it the commercials we watch? The ads in glossy magazines saying we need to dress a certain way? It's taken over our lives... success is no longer based on merit, but by who you know and well you can act like you like them. So we put these expectations on ourself and tell ourselves it's alright to break our backs to get to where we assume we should be. Talk about pressure. We are our own worst critic and it will always be our expectations that are hardest to live up to.

Where do we find peace amongst all this searching and working? Is the goal to find that peace through your work? Does anybody really end up doing that? We go to school and we study something that drives us but when it comes down to it and we finally cross that bridge to adulthood, none of that matters. You do what you must to live up to those expectations. Happiness sits on the back-burner of our proverbial stove. You put money on the big eye and try to bring it to a boil... if you're lucky it boils over, but for the majority of us the pilot light goes out just as it starts to simmer. Where is the microwave of life? The quick power-boil... Or maybe an induction cooktop, boiling water in minutes... you know, the way Kelly Rippa likes her kitchen.

Anyways, I got off on a sexy appliance tangent and now I really don't know where I was. The bottom line is that expectations are tough. Life is tough. How do you get your peace?

Miss(ed) California

So, it's often that I find myself catching wind of things a few days after they unfold... but I'm just now really noticing the whole Miss California/anti-gay/Perez Hilton fiasco. If you're like me and are behind... here's an update:

First, can I just say how appalled I am at how someone that hopes to become Miss USA, to represent our country as an ambassador for "world peace" and whatever else it is that she would've done can be so narrow-minded. How can you hope to represent your country when you don't have respect for everyone in it? I am a strong believer in "to each their own" and what not, but when you have a woman on-stage representing her state (which happens to be quite liberal and full of LGBT's) and young girls watching and idolizing these women... then she puts on this display of unequality and quite possibly ignorance, it is a shame.

Now, I am not one to judge or dislike someone based on their beliefs, but if I were California, I would be ashamed. This could be quite the case of ignorance to the whole situation... maybe she has no homosexual friends or family and doesn't quite understand the fight. I am not necessarily pro gay marriage, but I want to be treated and given the same rights that every other person has. I have no problem with her or anyone else believing that a marriage (something that many people don't take very seriously if you look at the divorce rate, but that's a subject for another day) should stay between a man and woman, I don't really want your marriage. I just want the rights to see the woman I love in the hospital... or by some strange twist of all my reasoning, I want to have children, I want to be able to adopt and provide a loving home to a child in need. My life is not a sin to me. If you believe it is, then don't step in my shoes. Take your beliefs and believe them, but don't try and make me or anyone else follow your lead.

And as for Miss California, I'd really hate to be her publicist.

The End Is Near

Well, the collegiate end is near. I have slightly good news though... I have acquired a second part-time job to keep the bills paid while I continue my search for a career. After sending tons of resumes and emails to job postings all about town, getting a few scam replies and mostly nothing... I got an interview with Clearwire. And, lucky for me, I got the gig. I'll be selling the service in a Best Buy when that gets going, but I won't really get started until after graduation. 

On a different tangent, I wanted to relish on how important communication is... I have recently gotten myself (actually, I was just in the middle of it) in a situation that spiraled into an abyss of anger and gossip via lack of communication. I think this is why I'm interested in public relations... Communicating is the most effective and lasting way to reach anyone. With the way we use new media these days to "stay connected" it is my wonder why we can't communicate with one another properly. We're constantly letting people know what we're up to, what we're reading or listening to... but when do we stop and really care to ask what our friends are feeling or thinking. It is easy to get caught in me, myself and I... I hope to lose myself in others more often.

Woe is me.

Alas, this job search is bleek. In the past ten days, I've sent at least ten emails, resumes, applications to places that have posted positions available and have received nothing back. Absolutely nothing. Not even a "Sorry, the job's been filled" or a "You're not not qualified". I'm convinced that my gmail is plotting my demise and not sending them out. Either way, it blows. Maybe they're just taking forever to get to it... or are waiting to get other applicants before contacting me. Oh well, crap I say.

And recently I've needed a new gig more than ever. Since Sears is trying to fire me I had zero ours this week. Then I got scheduled for a day I'm not even available and when I said something my boss got defensive with me about his mistake. I guess I should be happy since I do have some hours this week... but I hate being there so much that any happiness over the possibility of making money is drowned by the overwhelming urge to burn the place down.

However, at our SAI community service yesterday Nicole helped me realize the possibilities of other career ideas.

• Become a psychic lady. This profession can be quite promising in these economic times. Many people are seeking "answers" and I am more than willing to make up these things. However, I think that if I were to do the next thing, that I could even have a better chance at making it in the psychic lady business.
• Find a really big tree and inhabit it. I will live off of the land around my tree home. After spending years absorbing the knowledge of its woodiness, I would then start my psychic lady business and people would come from miles away to hear the "Psychic Tree Lady".
• Next, would be to figure out how to power everything with water. Cars, Electricity, Twitter, you know... the important stuff. Luckily, with global warming there's an abundance of water, so no biggie there. And viola, world=solved. After this monumental discovery, The Discovery channel will create a show about me... called "Erica Solves the World".
• Another good idea would be to become a super hero that saves puppies that have been kicked and rightfully punish all puppy-kickers. Of course, the Animal Planet would then create a show and I'd have a sidekick and a big van to carry around the criminals.

Those were the highlights and I plan on researching then and writing up a business plan on what will become the most profitable. Until then, good day to you.

Let The Blogging Begin

It has come to my attention that as a student of the Public Relations and Music Business that it is time for me to keep a blog. And no, not just a baby blog like those I seemed to let fizzle away into the blog oblivion of pointless rantings of a young adult. I'm talking a real person blog. Up to date with current events, the effects of social media marketing, the sorrows of retail life, and my thoughts and hopes for my professional life. (and most likely some pointless drivel along the way)

Here's the brief intro:

Today, I am 86 days from graduating with a Bachelors of Science in the Recording Industry. As I get closer and closer the realization that I'm getting a BS degree becomes more evident, as does the grim prospects for obtaining a career in a field that I actually enjoy. I am currently an intern at a publicity firm on Music Row. Although I am learning things, I'm learning more at how behind the majority of the world is. The tools available today in terms of social media networks, bookmarks, and what-have-you tend to give you a severe impact. So why is it that a publicity firm for Nashville's elite can't utilize something as easy as Twitter? I hope to find out. 

In addition to a student of communications, I've spent the last four and a half years working for a retail giant selling electronics and home appliances. Soon... I can barely count the days until I no longer have to put up with the day to day of retail bliss. The more than lacking in intelligence management, the ignorant consumers, and the bitchy co-workers that try and eat away at the very fibers of you soul. (you see how much I love it)

In terms of a personal life, I am practically complete. A beautiful girlfriend (yes, I am a lesbian... and no, not just because it's cool). She's become the best part of my day. I am a part of a sisterhood, a music fraternity for women, that I am the President of. I have a puppy that is one part Shih-zu, one part poodle, and one part crazy. Other than that, I'm a typical techy college student and soon-to-be human in the real world.

Cheers, to what may be a beginning of a beautiful relationship.