Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Freedom (2) Cyberbullying and its Consequences




The answer in this situation is easy:  No.  What is difficult, though, is finding answers on to how to stop cyberbullying.  It requires patience and fortitude to do so, that is, in our working to get a better grip on the problem and what underlies it and on the perpetrators and what drives them.  It requires empathic understanding:  not to be confused with sympathy or compassion, but with the ability and willingness to probe into emotional, psychological layers.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Freedom (1) Artistic Expression Online




At first I took umbrage at the idea of anyone petitioning to get artistic work taken offline.  But perhaps in this case, it makes sense, especially as we don't quite know who might be viewing sensitive (albeit artistic) photos online and having whatever unsavory, obnoxious thoughts about them.   

Perhaps

Friday, April 17, 2015

Audrey Dimola poet behind Gillette Venus


Audrey Dimola (right)

Audrey Dimola is the poet behind the inspiring Gillette Venus ad campaign*.  Unlike some poetry slam, hers is loud and clear without having to be strident and hers is impassioned without having to be melodramatic.
there are no words to say how grateful i am to be part of a campaign that hones in on something i believe in SO strongly: being bold and multi-faceted in the face of labels – overcoming all those gatekeepers that are CONSTANTLY trying to hold us back or pin us down. it’s all about making people FEEL something.. and reading the comments from friends and strangers alike is truly heart-stirring. this is what it’s about – reminding each other why we’re here and who we truly are. that there is no box, no cage, no boundary that can contain us. we are limitless. wild AND smart AND bold AND… :)
*by the way, just in case anyone lands here from elsewhere – gillette venus wrote the fantastic words (not me), then found a real poet to perform it (me!). :)
Reference: grateful for AND's.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Behind Gillette Venus #UseYourAnd campaign


You are too beautifully complex for a simple label. Venus is on a mission to put an end to one-dimensional labels that limit your potential. Because you can rock an outfit & the stage. Win the race & the crown. Climb mountains & corporate ladders. You are beauty & brains. Grace & guts. Time to show “or” the door and believe in the power of &.Venus invites women everywhere to take a stand against one-dimensional labels and #UseYourAnd.
Gillette Venus joins a growing effort to eye business on what matters for women and girls and see commercial as a viable platform for doing a social good.
 

Monday, April 13, 2015

Gillette Venus #UseYourAnd campaign


Show “or” the door-this is the story of “&”. The story of realizing your true potential.

Put an end to the one-dimensional labels that limit your potential. Because you are beautiful AND smart. You can be an astronaut AND a soccer player AND a ballerina. Your life is composed of many ANDs – an empowering sum of all of the things you are, and all you want to be. Venus invites you and women everywhere to take a stand against one-dimensional labels. #UseYourAnd.
Another ad campaign that I love, for its empowering and inspiring message for girls.  This one, from Gillette Venus.
 

Friday, April 3, 2015

Pet blogging rules!



At first, I was, like, a pet blogging conference... are you kidding me? But then I thought the pet industry must be a multimillion dollar business.  I was wrong.  It's a multibillion dollar business, and it has been for at least two decades:
Year                 Billion

2015                 $60.59
2014                 $58.04
2013                 $55.72 
2012                 $53.33 
2011                 $50.96 
2010                 $48.35
2009                 $45.53
2008                 $43.2
2007                 $41.2
2006                 $38.5
2005                 $36.3
2004                 $34.4
2003                 $32.4
2002                 $29.6
2001                 $28.5
1998                 $23
1996                 $21
1994                 $17

Reference:  Pet Industry Market Size & Pet Owners Statistics.

So maybe I should go into pet blogging.  No, I'm just not a pet guy, to begin with.  Oh, well.
 

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

High school students should blog!


(image credit)

The question is Should High School Students Be Blogging?  Uh, yes (no duh)!  There are such opportunities for them to write their thoughts, work through feelings, and find their voices, that their teachers ought to encourage blogging actively.  In fact, much of social media and mobile devices are near constant opportunities for writing, so teachers can make learning how to write well very relevant and enjoyable.  Imagine having a classroom of high school students pulling out their mobiles and texting each other, say, on a certain class topic, giving each other feedback, and offering suggestions for better writing.  That's essentially what I imagine a teacher can do, specifically in relation to blogging:  They create their blog in class, use class and home time to write on designated topics, and get feedback and suggestions from the teacher and their classmates right there in the comment section of their blog.