Community 4:12

The Foreign World of Tweets & Twitters

I have been dabbling in the social networking world, and spent far too much time yesterday trying to get all my various networks communicating with each other.  Then last night I went to the East Aurora Board of Education meeting where the Parent Mentors were being honored for their work.  While we were waiting for the meeting to start, one of the women asked me in her broken English what I had done that day.  How on earth do you explain tweets and twitters and twitterberries in Spanish and to someone who doesn't even use email or the Web?  I actually felt rather embarrassed that I had spent much of my day trying to figure out how to indirectly connect with large numbers of people.  I had a momentary longing to go back to Tuis in Costa Rica where there was no pressure to connect in any way other than walking down the street to sit on someone's porch and shell beans together.  My husband has always accused me of being anti-progress, because I can be so "technology resistant (or stubborn)."  You would think my introverted nature that much prefers to be alone than with people would love this new way of communicating--staying in touch without ever having to actually see or talk to anyone.  But it is also a huge distraction, and my efficient, get stuff done nature rebels against that.  But, clearly something about it has motivated me to set aside my technology resistance and venture into this world that even my husband hasn't entered.  So, for now I will tweet & twitter (or "píe & gorjeo" as my on-line Spanish dictionary says).      

Social Marketing Challenge

I attended a terrific non-profit seminar today sponsored by the Aurora Chamber of Commerce.  Great practical stuff for building a solid Board and doing affordable marketing.  I have resisted a lot of the "social networking" craze (except for dabbling on Facebook), but they made a pretty compelling case for not avoiding that cyber world any longer.  AND, there is a perfect "social networking for dummies" type tool to help people like me learn the basics about Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and Sqiudoo.  It's called the 5-Day Super Social Marketing Challenge.  If you are virtually challenged like I am, check it out!  And if you've mastered this virtual world, leave me a comment with any helpful tips you've learned!

World on Fire

Check it out . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzoNInZ2ClQ

Cool Way to Support Community 4:12!

Someone turned me on to a really easy way to raise money for Community 4:12, and you can help—without changing a thing you do except changing your internet search engine.

I'm now using GoodSearch.com to search the Internet. Every time I do, money goes to Community 4:12!

The site is powered by Yahoo!, so you'll get the same quality search results that you're used to. What's unique is that they have developed a way to direct money to charities with every click.

The more people who use this site, the more money will go to helping us transform communities! So please check it out and spread the word!

Just click here and in the “Who do You GoodSearch For?” box type Community and then scroll down to Community 4:12.

What do you think?

How Does This Thing Work?

Today at our weekly Parent Mentor training at Brady Elementary, we set all of the ladies up with a Hotmail email account.  Most of them explained ahead of time that their children know how to use computers, but they have never used one, but really want to learn.  So today some of them worked at a computer for the first time.  I had forgotten how awkward it is to use a mouse the first time you try.  And typing on a keyboard?  It makes no sense that the letters are where they are.  And then there's all the unfamiliar lingo . . .enter, delete, internet explorer, username, password, contacts.  And they were doing it all in English (for most, Spanish is their native and preferred language).  But these women were so persistent and determined to learn!  After an hour and a half, everyone had an email address, had sent, received, and replied to a message, built a contact list, and written down the steps so that when they sit down at the school library computer next week, they will have a clue how to log on to their Hotmail account.  I have sent them all a message (in my broken Spanish, so hopefully I didn't mistakenly say something I shouldn't have), and can't wait to see who responds!