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I’m sitting here in the middle of the room in Orlando’s Sea World Ports of Call conference room listening to all the great speakers of IzeaFest.
If you couldn’t make it, don’t worry, you can join in on the conference too. Here’s the live stream from IzeaFest:
This live stream is only available between October 2, 2009 and October 3, 2009.
I live in what seems like one of the least technologically savvy places in the world. Western Kentucky. While there are many that are technologically savvy, there are just as many, if not more, that probably don’t even own a computer. And if they do it’s only to send and receive email.
So it’s no surprise that when I tell others I’m a professional blogger, they ask me, “What’s a blog?” I think I get asked this at least once or twice a day. But I find myself stumbling for an answer each and every time.
When you start blogging and interacting with the blogging community, you tend to not really worry about the basics, like what blogging even is, so when you’re asked, it may be a little hard to give a good answer.
I often go back to the answer that blogging is basically an online journal, except it’s not anymore, it can be whatever you want it to be. But this only serves to confuse those who ask me that much more.
Some of them actually stop listening and start looking around, trying to get out of the conversation just as quickly as they got into it.
To put it simply, blogging is nothing more than a website where you write articles and they display in a reverse chronological order. It’s a new form of news media that is controlled by anyone that has something to say, rather than a college educated journalist.
The next time you find yourself stammering for an answer about what blogging really is, send those asking the question to this post. Tell them to watch this video by the Common Craft Show, then if they have further questions, feel free to make an attempt at answering them.
Does your small business need a makeover? Mine sure does, and if you want a chance at winning a makeover, all you have to do is visit the new AT&T Small Business InSite.
Here’s my entry into the contest:
AT&T’s Small Business Insite is a fresh, new Web destination designed by and for small business owners.
AT&T realizes that as more and more small business owners begin their own businesses, not having the money or know-how for the technology needed to run them can be a major setback. So they’ve started a place where business owners can come to get information on running their business successfully and collaborate with each other on the best ways to run things.
The AT&T Small Business InSite portal provides small business owners practical “how to” articles, podcasts and video resources to help them use technology in their business. Additional site features include the ability to personalize their experience by choosing key areas of interest. AT&T will also sponsor free online seminars through AT&T Small Business InSite which will feature the ability to submit questions to experts, discuss topics in real-time with other small business owners and receive one-on-one advice.
The lucky business winner will in a prize package consisting of:
All you need to do to participate is complete an online form and send in a short video explaining why you should win the small business technology makeover. Contest details can be found by visiting AT&T’s Small Business InSite.
What do you think about the new AT&T Small Business InSite?
This is a post sponsored by AT&T. All opinions are my own and are in no way influenced by AT&T. You can view my own disclosure policy here.
Most of you know that my wife is pregnant with our second child, and while many people look at this as an exciting time, myself included, there are some expecting mothers who aren’t so happy with having gotten pregnant in the first place.
These expecting mothers often-times turn to abortion. Some get depressed about being pregnant and turn toward drugs or even suicide. And even some who are excited about having a new baby, may be in a tough financial situation.
I love kids, and I want to see every child have the chance to be something in this world.
So my wife and I decided after all this time that I’ve been blogging, that I need to give back. I want to give back. So… it’s charity time.
Please feel free to help me give back, and you could win $100.
I chose a local cause that helps support Pregnant women in crisis situations. Whether it’s underage pregnancy, pregnancy from rape, pregnancy during a tough financial situation, etc., Hope Unlimited is that local beacon of hope to expecting mothers.
Hope Unlimited Pregnancy Crisis Center is actually comprised of three parts:
The Crisis Center
Being the main piece of Hope Unlimited, the Crisis Center is where expecting mothers facing tough decisions take their first steps toward getting help.
In the words of Hope Unlimited:
“Through these services; education on sexual health, education on life style and relationships, abstinence, support groups to teen and single adults, we are telling the truth to a generation who has been ripped off by being told that sex is no big deal.”
The House of Hope
The House of Hope is a place where expecting mothers in tough situations can go and live to get help. The House teaches those expecting mothers how to deal with being a single mom, how to deal with the fears of having a baby, and that no matter how tough they think it is, there is always hope.
The House also gives these mothers the following opportunites:
The Mobile Medical Unit (RV)
The Hope Unlimited Mobile Medical Unit, built right into an RV is used to go to expecting mothers in their own neighborhood. It’s also used at events sponsored by Hope Unlimited so that mothers-to-be can get ultrasounds, or other medical checkups that are needed.
The Mobile Medical Unit offers many of the same services as the Crisis Center, only on wheels.
Hope Unlimited does a lot of things that touch so many lives. But they do it all through donations from churches, groups, businesses, and other members of the local community.
I want to give Hope Unlimited the chance to be supported outside of the community. I want them to know that everyone in the world supports their non-stop giving.
So I’m helping to raise money so that Hope Unlimited can continue providing it’s services free of charge to those that really need it.
In addition to simply raising money, we are having a supply drive. Hope Unlimited is in constant need of supplies and we will have some drop-off points for the local community to contribute those supplies.
There is nothing really extravagant about how we are helping, but every little thing counts.
If you’ve ever seen Liberty Mutuals, “The Responsibility Project” commercials where one person does a small, good deed, followed by one more and so on; that is how we seen this fund-raising project going.
And that is where you come in.
You too can help in our mission to give the gift of hope to those who need it.
All you have to do is donate a little money to support their cause by using the “ChipIn” donation button below.
For every person that donates at least $10, you will be entered in a drawing to win $100. Although, please feel free to donate more if you feel lead to do so.
Every little bit helps and while our minimum goal is $2,000, if we only raise $10, then we still helped out.
If you cannot afford to give money, but still want to contribute, please leave a comment encouraging the good work that Hope Unlimited is doing.
If you do contribute financially, please also leave a comment with words of encouragement or support.
My goal is to show Hope Unlimited that we all appreciate what they are doing, and we think the best way to do this is to let them see all of your comments. Combined with the financial donations, this will let Hope Unlimited and many others realize that there is hope.
* All donations are tax deductible.
** Liberty Mutual is proud to sponsor the discussion around responsibility as it relates to this blog post, however, they do not endorse the topic/cause referenced in this blog post.
*** The fund-raising event ends April 27, but please don’t let that stop you from continuing to give if you feel the need. The $100 contest ends on April 27th as well.
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