This rocks!

I've moved!

2010-05-09T01:25:00.001-07:00

Please join me at my new blog home: http://prakky.wordpress.com/

You'll find all of my old articles, as well as many more new interesting posts on current social media topics.

See you there!

Mama, don’t let your kids grow up on Facebook ...

2010-04-29T22:57:00.000-07:00

There’s been a lot of media attention on the subject of cyber bullying and sexting. And some great resources like Cybersmart have been developed to help families and young people manage their presence online.

What I want to blog about today, is the pain of being a teenager in the Facebook generation.

I am so grateful Facebook wasn’t around when I was in my teens.

I was a diary-keeping gal. And a photo-taking gal. I have hundreds of photos of my girlfriends and I, in very bad acid wash jeans, perms and knitted jumpers. Wearing braces, sporting spots, holding up Midnight Oil tickets, reading Dolly magazine, drinking cask wine, and all the things you generally want to forget now ...

If Facebook had been around, I would have undoubtedly been growing up online, sharing every painful experience and gauche thought, stumbling through relationships and avowing to the world that I wanted to dedicate myself to saving the seals.

Instead, I’m 40 years old and have reluctantly accepted the friend requests of a few teenagers. And their status updates make me squirm. It’s natural for teenagers to struggle along through puberty, to feel hyper sensitive at times, or like they can’t do anything right. But somebody needs to guide them and advise them: YOU DON’T HAVE TO SHARE IT ALL ON FACEBOOK.

Let’s put together a 101 for teens. A 101 that will save them pain later on. Just as we do with career advice, or relationship advice. My top 3?

1.Less is more. Don’t give us a blow by blow – the highlights will do. Don’t post every photo, just the best one.
2.It CAN happen if it doesn’t happen on Facebook. Make sure you enjoy your time in the real world. Don’t get hung up on recording everything for your Facebook friends. Keep some things to yourself – it makes it more special. And you’ll look cooler. Not desperate.
3.Think of your Page in 10 years time. This is a digital record of your life that your future husband/wife/children/employers might read. Don’t argue with people online. Don’t wail at the world when your boyfriend dumps you. What seems like a disaster today will only be a blip in a few months time. Take a breath before you post. Write it down somewhere else if that makes you feel better.

What do you think? What would you say to the Teenage You?

To Tweet or Not to Tweet? The Journalist's Dilemma.

2010-04-10T23:48:00.001-07:00

I’d find it hard to be a journalist today.

Journalism is a fantastic career. I’ve got a BA in Journalism and played around in a role with the Rural Press for a wee while. Good journalists are inquisitive and energetic, and can be cynical and circumspect (which helps). Quite often, they’re eloquent writers who are passionate about communicating.

In other words, they like to be heard.

The reason I’d find it hard to be a journo, today? I don’t know if I could juggle the tug of social media with the demands of my media managers.

The world is changing for journalists.

In the traditional world of journalism, you get a story, write it up, submit to your editor, and if it’s good enough it’s published or broadcast. There’s a variety of means to distribute the news, and above all you always want to beat the competition.

But now we’ve got Twitter, right? It’s an instant broadcast medium. I’ve written on this blog before, that I’ve often received my newsbreaks on Twitter. Heck, people are taking it into their own hands now: this week Malcolm Turnbull announced his resignation on Twitter and Jim Carrey announced his divorce (not from Turnbull, but from Jenny McCarthey).

How do journalists feel about that?

Pretty darn frustrated and conflicted, is my guess.

How does it feel to sit on a ‘scoop’ while your story is edited, prepared for print or broadcast? You could easily share the news instantly on Twitter. But you have an obligation to your company, right? You need to follow their content model. Even if you have an online presence – say, an AdelaideNow – your story still takes more time to write up and post than a 140 character tweet.

This is just one of many issues facing journalism today – other vexing issues include paid/unpaid content, copyright, relevance and interactivity – all too complex for me to go into today! I don’t know what the answer is, but it seems to me that journalists need more forbearance and nouse than ever before.

Do You Touch Your Tweeps?

2010-04-09T20:36:00.000-07:00

What do you do, when you meet a ‘tweet’ pal for the first time In Real Life?

It’s a question that I wrestle with, because I regularly meet people face-to-face after first making a connection with them through Twitter. They’re not blind dates, but they’re pretty close in terms of how awkward you can feel.

In my experience, tweet-ups have been fantastic and I’ve not been disappointed with anyone yet (it’s true!) However I’ve come to recognise a few ‘dance steps’ and wonder if you have, too:

• Nervously wait at assigned meeting point
• Crane your neck, keep look-out for person who will resemble the thumbnail you’ve been communicating with for past weeks/months/years
• See someone vaguely resembling the thumbnail
• Wonder if it’s them
• Realise it IS them
• Wonder if it’s too late to pretend you’re not there
• Awkwardly start moving toward each other
• Think to yourself: do we shake hands? Hug? Cry and hold onto each other like reunited siblings?
• Go for an awkward hand shake
• Settle into warm and relaxed conversation

It’s the physical contact that I find most problematic. @Problogger recounted a story at the recent #cnow social media conference, about a follower who rushed toward him, embraced him fully, and cried onto his neck! She had been following him online for so long, she felt such a strong connection, that she was moved to make physical contact with someone who would ordinarily be a stranger.

I have been tweeting @Jadecraven for quite some time, she’s a fantastic Twitter pal. We met at #cnow for the first time and – knowing we live in separate cities and may not come face to face ever again – I rubbed her arm as we laughed and sighed with relief at finding each other. Later, we hugged goodbye, but when we first met IRL it still felt too forward to hug. (Though I reckon we should have, Jade!)

In many cases, your Twitter pals are your emotional crutches. They listen to you when you vent. They provide helpful information when you tweet a question. They LOL at your mishaps. They endorse your TGIFs. When other friends, or family, are absent or asleep or disinterested, there’s always a tweep available to fill the void.

So it makes sense that they’re pals IRL, right?

Or does it?

Photo by @idrewthis , with @markgamtcheff @missbiancab and @ashsimmonds at a #socadl tweetup.

Goodness & Light of Facebook II - Charities

2010-04-04T18:54:00.001-07:00

This is my second blog about the positive power of Facebook.

To me, Facebook isn’t a ‘place of evil’ or ‘destroyer of young minds’ as some traditional media would have us believe. It connects people, resurrects friendships, reminds you of great times and helps you look forward to new ones.

Today I’m blogging about charities on Facebook.

Charities use all sorts of communications channels to tell us about their causes. For years, their efforts have been supported by direct mail, telemarketing, fundraising events, sponsorship and so on.

But Facebook has allowed charities to set up shop in a community environment, where people can connect with them and easily share their favourite charity with their social circle. When was the last time you deliberately set out to visit a charity’s official website? Then consider how often you come across a charity (or cause) on Facebook.

Here’s some good examples:

Australian Red Cross

UNICEF

World Vision Australia

McGrath Foundation

Of course, Facebook application 'Causes' has enabled many not-for-profits to share their cause on Facebook. It's an app specifically designed for mobilising the power of Facebook to support worthy causes, and is used by millions of people around the EVERY MONTH.

Do you have a favourite charity or cause on Facebook? Has Facebook enabled you to learn more about that cause and get involved? Tell me about it – see the Comments link above.

The Goodness & Light of Facebook

2010-03-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read it right.

This is a pro-Facebook article.

It's not something you'll see every day. Nowadays, we’re used to media coverage blaming Facebook for most of society's ills: it's been blamed for everything from teenagers being distracted from their homework, through to increasing the incidence of syphilis. (Note: everything distracts teens from their homework - Facebook, TV, snacks in the fridge, a fly buzzing past the desk .. don’t we remember what it’s like to be a teenager? It’s hardly news).
I’m sick of it. This is the Facebook Fightback.

I’m going to start regularly featuring alternative examples of the world of Facebook. I’m going to publish a Facebook ‘happy story’ to remind us that it’s not all bad. And I hope you’ll contribute your examples too.

Here’s my first one:

March 2010 Facebook-is-Awesome-Example
I grew up in Whyalla, South Australia. There’s a Facebook group for current and former residents that allows us to share stories. Many of the posts are lengthy, with eloquent and colourful details that bring the town to life and even make readers emotional.

For those with a connection to Whyalla, this group – with its recall of local characters, the streets we grew up in, the schools we went to, the trouble we got into - broadcasts some powerful stuff.

There’s a Discussion called “The street you grew up in” which is nothing if not poignant. Here, you have people recounting their movements from house to house in Whyalla, and then coming across old neighbours. They can ask each other questions, sing out ‘I remember you!’ and piece together their funny stories.

Here’s some examples posts:
I remember Loring Street the most. I used to walk to school at Scott Street Primary and my brother and sister went to Stuart High. I remember walking to One Stop to get an icy pole in 40° heat and getting fish and chips on a Friday night.

I too remember walking to the corner shop ... with my empty coke bottle to get a big bag of 20 cent lollies ... and at the end of the street in those days was the bush, endless days out looking for sleepy lizards and bearded dragons and building cubby houses......sigh.....

I must certainly say that just the mere mentioning of Whyalla brings a lot of memories and feelings back. Whyalla, for me, was the entrance door to Australia, it was the first place/city I resided in, and also the place where I got married (Ada Ryan Gardens)... Now I have jumped to and lived in so many cities and countries that is hard to keep track of all the places, but Whyalla will always have a special place in my heart...

It's great reading these posts. My mum is in Adelaide too and she always runs into someone from Whyalla ... The town doesn't make the people, it's the people that make the town.

Omg Allison, reading your post is like reading verbatim my childhood and teenage years!!!
Jeez, weren't we so carefree, safe and happy in them days, as poor as we were.

I have had the best time reading all these memories.

Click 'Comments' above to post links to any Facebook groups or page that have made you feel warm inside. If you’re a Facebook fan, join the Fightback!

#SAElection Day Tweeting

2010-03-19T21:10:00.001-07:00

On election day in South Australia, I take a last-minute look at what political candidates have been doing on Twitter.

This is a follow up to my ‘Politicians and Twitter’ blog a few weeks ago ...

Premier Mike Rann hasn’t tweeted for past two days. Too much to do, to tweet? I would’ve thought using your own direct broadcast channel and conversing with the electorate was more important now, than it ever was. Would have loved to see tweets from the Premier sharing insights like:

• What’s it like, the night before the election?
• How does he feel, going into the polling booth?
• Is he glad election day has finally come?
• What’s his message to the electorate today?
• What party does he have planned tonight? What happens if he loses?

The Premier’s Twitter account did contain a few Twitpics recently – not terribly insightful – and he also attempted to start a #premiermikerann hashtag that didn’t turn out to be too popular.

Opposition Leader and Premier-hopeful Isobel Redmond hasn’t tweeted for the past three days, and the last tweet seems to be clarifying a policy. In fact, her last few tweets are attempting to clear up what’s she’s called “incorrect” media reports. Not a good look to leave on your Twitter page. Why not some positive announcements and tweet interaction with your voters, going into election day?

On the plus side, Ms Redmond did respond to some tweet queries from others, and used the #saelection hashtag – fantastic way to be part of the community stream on the topic. (I’d love to see her team load a branded Twitter background for her, though. You’ve got to use every opportunity to brand yourself, people!)

Michael Wright continues to be largely a conduit for the Premier’s tweets (why bother – I guess he’s playing it safe?); Mark Parnell hadn’t tweeted for the past four days.

Jamie Briggs has been tweeting regularly throughout the election period, including today, commenting on a “great feeling”. He’s had a consistent tweet theme : “rann's time is up and redmond is ready” .. did you notice?

Best examples include Kat Nicholson for Gamers4Croydon regularly tweets, replies, uses hashtags and posts twitpics. And Dr Jane Lomax-Smith continues to communicate to a high standard, today sending out a few tweets about what she’s doing on election morning and feeling “buoyed by level of support today” .

What I’d like to see happen on Day 1 of the new government:
The communications team sits down and starts to work out how to best use social media to engage with the people who put them there.

What have you seen happening on Twitter during the #SAelection?

2010-03-14T23:44:00.001-07:00

Businesses and not-for-profits are increasingly adopting social media as part of their communications programs.

This isn’t a blog about how ‘social media has become mainstream’. What I do want to ponder is: who’s best suited to manage these social media strategies?

Is it an organisation’s:
• marketing department
• public relations team
• advertising team or
• (if an organisation is lucky enough to have it) its digital marketing department
• a multi-disciplinary team?

I tweeted the question recently and received a variety of responses, but little agreement. It reminds me a little of the great website debate of 10 years ago: who owns the company website? Corporate? IT? Marketing? [Sadly, some companies still haven’t resolved this.]

So where does social media sit? This is a real issue for me.

I work within the public relations field, and the social media campaigns I help manage often delve into the world of marketing. I’ve got a BA in Journalism and Masters in Communication Management ... I don’t have the energy to become a marketer, too. But I know the marketing discipline would add definite strengths to some social media projects.

But do marketers care enough about regular two-way conversations with stakeholders? Probably not as much as PR bods, who are charged with caring about what all audiences say about their clients, wherever they say it.

Social media and PR work well together.

A PR professional can see where social media fits within a business’s overall communications strategy. Good PR bods recognise the need for two-way communication within an organisation, and social media is today’s key to two-way communication tool. PR professionals are also focused on outcomes, on reaching the right audiences in the right place, with the right message. We won’t play with social media just for the sake of it.

As Lee Hopkins has said (and said often), it’s about strategy. Who’s best able to steer your social media strategy for you? It’s not just about opening a Facebook page, boosting membership numbers, and blasting followers with regular marketing messages. There’s got to be a rhyme and reason to all this. If you’re not asking that question yet .. believe me, your followers soon will. Consumers are becoming more savvy and selective: they won’t follow everyone forever.

There needs to be a long term view. What’s going to happen to that Facebook page in a year, in two years? What does the organisation want to achieve? What does it believe in? What type of relationship does it want with its stakeholders?

New ‘Social media specialists’ who are setting up shop specifically to push organisations onto platforms like Facebook need to take a chill pill. They’re membership factories ... with a finite membership. It’s a recipe for disaster.

IN SUMMARY: social media is turning into a specialist role for people with multi-disciplinary skills. The ones who rise to the top will be those who respect other specialities, ask for advice, and follow a STRATEGY.

Who Gives a Hoot? What happens when sites go down?

2010-03-02T21:56:00.000-08:00

I was staring at my PC screen recently.

Staring at an owl wearing a hard hat. Hootsuite was down for maintenance and it was darn annoying.

It brought home the fact that I rely on Hootsuite a great deal to manage multiple social media accounts. Many of us do it now – we’re using Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, Seesmic, Facebook, YouTube, FlickR, YouTube, Blogger – for business.

When our telephone line goes down, we call our phone provider. If the electricity fizzles out, we call the building manager. If the newspaper doesn’t get delivered to the office on time, we can call the newsagent and ask what’s going on. They’re all being paid by us. They’ve got service agreements with us. And there are consequences to those services being unavailable.

But when happens when our free online tools fall over?

Not much.

Services like Hootsuite, quite rightly, do not promise they’ll always be there for you. In its terms, owner Invoke Media states in part:

“Your use of the Service is at your sole risk. The service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis ... Invoke Media does not warrant that (i) the service will meet your specific requirements, (ii) the service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free, (iii) the results that may be obtained from the use of the service will be accurate or reliable, (iv) the quality of any products, services, information, or other material purchased or obtained by you through the service will meet your expectations ...” http://hootsuite.com/terms

But it’s no fickle matter if these services are unavailable. Increasingly, we’re relying on free social platforms as main communication channels. We’ve all read about major companies like Pepsi, Coca Cola, Ford and Holden devoting more resources to sites like Facebook, rather than official sites. When these online tools are gone, it’s an interruption to our services.

Imagine a world where social media is ‘taken away’ (hideous, isn’t it?) The Social Media God decides the experiment is over, and we all need to go back and play on our standard dotcoms.

Boom! In an instant, you’ve lost your thousands of Fans – their names, locations, likes and dislikes. You’ve lost all the comments you’ve been gathering, all the interaction you’ve built up. You’ve lost photos and videos. Not to mention search engine listings.

That’s why it’s important to back up that information. How many of us do that? When was the last time you archived a social media account? (I’m making a mental note ...)

Politicians and Twitter

2010-02-20T02:43:00.001-08:00

What better time to take a look at state politicians’ tweets than now - at the official beginning of the South Australian election period?

It’s fantastic that some pollies have delved into social media, using platforms like Twitter. This means they get it – right?

Er ... maybe not.

Taking a cursory look at some SA politicians tweets, it appears they use Twitter as a broadcasting platform rather than as an opportunity for conversation. They broadcast messages about themselves and only seldom do they publicly reply to followers, or retweet others.

Now, I’m not sure whether the pollies are only direct replying (DM) to their constituents. So I can’t categorically say they’re using one-way communication on Twitter. But to the general public, that’s how it appears.

This means most SA politicians haven’t really grasped what Twitter is about – that it’s a conversation. It’s not an opportunity for them to spout their views / tell us where they are / have a go at the opposition and then log off.

Let’s look at a few examples:
http://twitter.com/premiermikerann
There’s very little two-way interaction from South Australia’s current Premier. His Twitter account is full of paragraphs about what he’s doing, but you have to trawl thoroughly to see a single Reply to anyone else.

If you use search.twitter.com and look for @premiermikerann you will see that others are tweeting the Premier, asking him questions and sharing their opinion. Does he respond directly and privately? Or not at all? Who knows?

http://twitter.com/isobelredmond
The would-be Premier and Leader of the SA Liberal Party appears to be relatively new to Twitter. Similarly to Mike Rann, there is little interaction and conversation with followers on her Twitter account. And again, if you go to search.twitter.com it’s easy to see that people are asking her questions and trying to interact.

The following MPs have scant public interaction with followers on Twitter (at least over past few days .. I have not done an exhaustive search over the week):

http://twitter.com/MichaelWrightMP
Few replies – he does retweet the Premier quite often.

http://twitter.com/MarkParnellMLC
I had to travel past 23 tweets before I saw a reply – and that was to a Senator.

http://twitter.com/DavidWinderlich
At least he’s trying to start a hashtag - #davidteam . This MP interacts at least within every 10 tweets, but doesn’t always appear to be David tweeting, as it’s been written in the third person, ie

"... thanks mate, check out David's website at www.davidwinderlich.com thanks for your support #DavidTeam"

Michael Pengilly has protected his tweets. http://twitter.com/MichaelPengilly What’s up with that? Is he following only? Why use Twitter if you don’t want to chat with others in a public forum? (ps Michael, change your colour design! Ouch).

And now we come to the exception to the rule – Dr Jane Lomax Smith, tourism and education minister, who’s been using Twitter for quite some time. http://twitter.com/DrJaneLS

Dr Lomax-Smith often responds and interacts with followers, shares more personal information, (such as what she’s looking forward to for dinner tonight), funny anecdotes and blunders and shows personality:

“ Can't stand reading tweets from fitness fanatics about rides runs and swims while bothered by calf injury and sulking around house”.

Of course, she also talks politics and spruiks what her government is doing. But she gets points for replying to followers and being real. Dr Lomax-Smith needs to grab her colleagues and run a Twitter workshop.

What have you noticed from SA pollies on Twitter? I’m especially interested to know if they’re direct-replying rather than publicly replying.

If they are DM-ing, why? If they have something to say to a constituent, surely they want to share that information with all of us?

Note: since publishing this blog, I've received numerous tweets to say Premier Mike Rann used to interact and reply to followers, but this appears to have dropped off during recent weeks. [23 Feb 2010.]

Twitter encourages live TV viewing

2010-02-17T03:09:00.000-08:00

On the back of all commentary about “the internet killing mainstream media ...”

.. consider how Twitter encourages live TV viewing.

Have you ever sat back in front of the tele, relaxing in your favourite armchair, with your mobile phone open to Twitter?

If you answered Yes, you’re not the only one.

I’m increasingly enjoying watching live TV with a gang of friends – on Twitter.

While some people may have been doing this for some time, it only recently kicked in for me during My Kitchen Rules, the Channel 7 ‘reality’ series pitting passionate cooking couples against each other. I’ve been enjoying tweeting comments about the show and sharing views with others. We tweet about what the Kitchen couples are like, how the food looks, and how hot the celebrity chefs are. All brought together under a hash tag (one of the superior evolutions of Twitter).

On any given night of the week, you’ll find similar hash tag debates bringing Australian lounge rooms together: #spicksandspecks #cougartown #lost and much more. Longer show titles get a shortened version, such as #mkr for My Kitchen Rules or #sytycd (So You Think You Can Dance).

So, what are TV stations doing to capitalise on this?

I must admit I was surprised to see Daryl Somers gloating about Hey Hey It’s Saturday being a trending topic on Twitter some months ago, when Hey Hey had a comeback special. Still not sure he knows what Twitter is ... but besides this, have you seen many TV corporation references to Twitter?

Free to air television is finding its environment increasingly competitive, with audiences being pulled toward downloading content, DVDs, and viewing on demand without commercials in general.

Now, its strength just may be in encouraging audiences to watch alongside pals online as the show airs in real time, enjoying the show in an interactive forum they’ve never been able to experience before.

Last night, I tweeted about My Kitchen Rules for the entire program. And you know what’s really interesting for TV channels – and their advertisers? I tweeted about the commercials during the show. So did my tweet pals. We critiqued the commercials, the advocates featured in them, the creative used and how we felt about them.

There’s some real audience connection, market research and advocacy going on.
Let me know if you’ve seen TV stations encouraging social media take up anywhere.

Interesting articles:

Live TV's Alive as Ever, Boosted by Social Media

TV and Social Media Engagement

Seconds to impact

2010-02-09T22:46:00.000-08:00

We’ve all heard this maxim about websites: you’ve got less than 10 seconds to impress (or is that 6 seconds, or 3? It all depends on which blog you read). But have you ever stopped to think that websites aren’t alone in this?

First impressions count. We all have seconds to make an impact before a) interest wanes b) a person makes assumptions about you or c) a person falls in love with you(according to Hollywood).

This maxim occurred to me again recently, as I wandered in and out of clothing stores. It took only seconds for me to recognise whether a store had any merchandise that appealed to me.

Sure, I might politely wander around for a few more seconds, say hello to the shop assistant, touch some fabric - but I would know almost immediately whether I was going to spend any money there.

On websites, when visitors leave quickly it’s often called your site’s “bounce rate”. How long they stay can be referred to as a site’s “stickiness”.
I haven’t worked in the retail sector, but I’d love to know if there is research on their stores’ stickiness. I’m sure there is.

In supermarkets, they do try to influence this. They stock the essentials right at the back of the store, ensuring you spend more time there as you traverse your way down the aisles. (Think about where the milk, eggs and bread is stored in your local supermarket).

Websites clearly shouldn’t be burying their useful information. But what lessons can websites take from supermarkets – if any? “Dressing your storefront” to appeal to customers is an obvious one.

Websites have one clear advantage over the physical stores. Website analytics. It’s easy to show how many users leave after a few seconds. I wonder if shop assistants are taking any notes?

Have you ever worked in retail? Any stories to share?

The 5 great myths of the Censor SA debate

2010-02-06T16:19:00.000-08:00

This is a blog about South Australia’s new internet commentary laws. For background, you might want to read this article on AdelaideNow .

Myth 1:If you’ve got something to say, you should be brave enough to put your name to it

Guess what. We’re not all brave, chest-beating types prepared for the wrath of family, friends and colleagues based on what we’re written.

There are legitimate reasons for people to want to blog anonymously. Take these scenarios:

· Government is proposing new laws on child abuse. A woman has been abused as a child; she wants to take part in the debate but doesn’t want to let her partner know of her past just yet. She writes an anonymous blog. Outlawed under SA censorship law.

· Government proposes new immigration laws. Man wants to support them, but is afraid to share his name and address because of the ethnicity of the community he lives in, where there is high sensitivity to the issue. He outlines his well-thought out comments in a blog without using his real address. Outlawed under SA censorship law.

· Married couple decides to write a story (let’s face it, that’s what forms many blogs) about their experience living in the same street as a bikie gang, also debating anti-bikie laws. They decide not to publish their name and address because they don’t want a Molotov cocktail thrown onto their front lawn or Harley Davison’s riding past at all hours. Outlawed.

· A man’s employer has made it clear where he stands on the subject of a new local development. The employer is overbearing and petty. The man feels differently – he wants to protect his local park. He writes a blog to share with other community members, but doesn’t sign his name in case his employer can identify him ... outlawed.

It’s okay for journalists to use confidential sources. And anonymous columns (particularly political) have been a media stalwart for centuries. How so? We need to recall the reasons for this, to understand what is so wrong with the new SA censorship laws.

Journalists use confidential sources so that source can speak without fear. Anonymous columns are published for great debate to be shared rather than hidden. Which brings me to my next myth ...

Myth 2:Bloggers only want to share outrageous, defamatory comments

Mr Atkinson has said he wants people to stop calling him outrageous names. In an email to me, he said it’d be nice if people refrained from calling him a ‘kiddy-fiddler, paedophile, douche bag ..’
I can’t begin to outline how paranoid and self centred the laws are.

I’m a blogger. I’m not interested in calling Mr Atkinson any names. And yet the new laws would have affected me.

Many bloggers are eloquent, cautious people who take time to think through debate. They may or may not like to use curious pseudonyms. They have their own readers and followers. They usually allow comment on their blogs, and are ready to debate on their blogs. They are also governed by the same defamation laws as the rest of the public.

Believe it or not, there are bloggers who like to write about issues; their world doesn’t revolve around anonymously defaming politicians.

Myth 3: “I’m not interested in what you have to say unless you put your name to it"

Really? Content is king – and for my money, I reckon you’ll read great content whether it’s signed or not. It’s human nature.

‘Anonymous’ is one of the most prolific, funny, sarcastic, witty and pertinent writers of our time.
If we didn’t like to read comments unless they had the name and address of the author, the many ‘Diary of a ...’ publications would never be read.

In election periods, I would have thought the veracity of the debate, the genius behind the ideas, were always more compelling than whether or not it’s signed.

The most boring pieces you’ll ever read? Those signed by a politician, with their profile picture published alongside. And why is that? They’ve got their name attached, so they’re scared to say anything of substance ...

Myth 4: Bloggers are the 17-year-old ‘net generation’

Attorney General Michael Atkinson – and some mainstream media commentators – has contributed to the myth that the censorship laws were overturned to meet the needs of the ‘blogger generation’. Mr Atkinson even went so far as to say he consulted his own children, who helped attune him to the expectations of ‘young bloggers’.

Young people aren’t bloggers. They aren’t even microbloggers (that is Twitter by the way).
By and large, they focus on Facebook, SMS and email. They want to talk to their friends, not debate policy with strangers. This has been backed up by published research this week.

The people up in arms about the censorship laws and most active are 30+ and, dare I say 40+.
Anyone with a real interest in public debate should hook into Twitter, the ultimate debating forum. In my Twitter stream over the past week, it’s been people in the 30+ age bracket who have been up in arms over Michael Atkinson’s actions.

I’m 39. I have ethical standards. I am sensitive to others. People opposing the censorship laws were most decidedly not young ‘net gens who imagine they can get away with anything online, in some abstract new brutal netiquette age.

Myth 5: The new laws are all about honesty

The new laws are all about protecting politicians.

If they were about honesty, they’d exist outside the election period.

The laws are completely politician-centric. Mr Atkinson’s comments about the names he’s been called confirm this. Some people want to debate policy and social change and guess what –sometimes this can be achieved without mentioning a single politician’s name!

The new laws are about making it more difficult for party stooges to enter debate anonymously. But in trying to protect pollies and make political hacks more accountable, they’re reducing safety for the general public. We need to err on the side of safety for the rest of us; politicians have entered the political fray, they’re protected by defamation laws, and need to ‘take their lumps’ as Mr Atkinson would say.

Why do I blog?
Please don't debate about blogs or social media if you don’t understand them.

Why did I choose to write this as a blog?
· This text wouldn’t fit in a Letter to the Editor
· I can publish my own blog – maybe other publishers wouldn’t consider it fit to print
· I can share my views with my connections
· It helps me think through my views – and indeed, debate myself

As always, I’d be glad to read your comments.

Twitter iPad Frenzy: Did it Last As Long As You Expected?

2010-01-30T22:06:00.000-08:00

It's no surprise what was hot on Twitter this week: the official launch of Apple's new iPad.

When I woke the morning after Steve Jobs had shown the world his new baby, my Twitter feed was full of iPad references and little else. What happened to Haiti? Or everyone whining about a new work day?

While on Twitter, I bemoaned the fact that nobody seemed to want to engage in any other topics. But miraculously, by that afternoon, the iPad buzz had worn off. In my friend list of some 300 tweeters anyway.

That surprised me. While there are still occasional tweets about the iPad as more people muse on what it might do for us, it seemed to quickly die down.

Is this a symptom of the new communications world? We'd already been talking about Apple's imminent new tablet. Then, we were treated to plentiful analysis, following the launch. So much information was available: were we simply sated? And would this have occurred, say, three or five years ago?

I'm not sure if it's a symptom of social media communications, or the iPad device itself. But over coming weeks, I'll be looking at this and also the phenomenon of 'early adopters'. Because I suspect that there are more early adopters out there these days, spurred on by the interactions and encouragement they receive online. There's less privileged information, and people are sharing their expertise with the masses. For marketers, it's a dream come true.

Here's some more reading about the iPad online frenzy:

Mashable: Haiti, iPad and Obama (who incidentally think people will still be buzzing about the iPad a week from now ... but as I've said, I think this will peter out until they're in store and we get our hands on them).

Yahoo News: Cyber Crooks Cash in on iPad frenzy

Look at me when I'm talkin' to you!

2010-01-22T20:36:00.000-08:00

Mobile phone etiquette used to be all about whether to take a phone call during a meeting or restaurant meal.

It was good fodder for late night comics and ammunition for disgruntled spouses at the dinner table. We debated when you should ignore a call, whether to turn your phone off or onto silent mode, how loud you should speak while on the phone in a public place and more.

Now, as we use our mobile phones in more ways, putting them away is like holding your breath for 2 minutes. Tricky and uncomfortable.

Today's mobile phone offers you a window onto the world and it can be tricky to shut that window down. Our phones are our media portals, networking spaces, event listings, maps and more.

And when we’re socialising at nightclubs or restaurants, we’re so used to being ‘social’ via our phones that it’s doubly hard to turn our back on them. What if a friend is trying to find you? What if they’ve sent a tweet and you missed it? Did you remember to check in on Foursquare? Has someone sent you a text?

Then of course, your phone is a powerful camera. You need to take it out, to record the fun you’re having. And you may as well share it instantly, so you visit your favourite app to upload that fresh image to your favourite social media space …

In the end, there may seem to be more reasons TO use the mobile phone than not to.

My thoughts? It depends on the company you’re keeping. If I’m dining with my husband, I know he wants me to look at him, not my Nokia screen. But if I’m with some girlfriends, it’s acceptable for us to have our phones in our palms, to share what’s in our tweet stream, to check in on Foursquare, and to upload ridiculous pictures of each other.

Our mobile phones are part of a fun, easy atmosphere where we share tips for social media alongside gossip about acquaintances. It’s all interconnected. And while we may be having a drink with four or five gal pals, we know there are plenty of other friends on the other end of our phones, tweeting from wherever they are, able to arrange to meet us, or discuss recommendations for our next pit stop.

Judge your audience and have respect for them. It’s simple.

Speaking of audiences: who can forget the episode when Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig had their theatre performance interrupted by a mobile phone in the audience?

It’s essential to turn phones off in cinemas and theatres. I’m also in favour of enjoying a rock concert without filming the whole thing on your mobile. Mosh pits are for dancing and absorbing the moment, not for viewing hardworking musos via a tiny screen. Get real!

Best Twitter bios

2010-01-17T01:10:00.000-08:00

I'm constantly impressed by some of the pithy, droll and sarcastic bios people write for their Twitter profiles. I thought it was worth sharing a few of my favourites:

@derekandkong: Born at a very young age I realised almost immediately that I knew very little.

@keithpitt: web developer (Ruby on Rails), geek, gamer and robot from the year 2143

@TheBloggess: I have friends in spite of myself.

@Cathie_Tranent: I am a wife I am a mother I work I blog I photograph I design tshirts I'm tired

@Wang_Wang (panda) : Black and white bear. Omnivore. Likes travel, eating bamboo and origami. I'm endangered, but I party like a rock star.

@bludgingwriter: Trying to finish writing a book while the TV brings up the three kids

@teedubya: ... SEO Jedi. Uber bullshittapotomous. Social Shaman. Pompous Windbag. I'm kind of a Medium Deal.

Unfortunately, we don't always notice these bios, as we visit Twitter.com less, instead using tweet tools such as Hootsuite. These tend to disconnect you from the bios, background images and other individual touches that people use to represent themselves. It's worth checking in to Twitter.com now and then to take a good look at your tweet pals.

Does spelling matter when you're Social?

2010-01-08T20:32:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed that on social networks the spelling can become, well, a little sloppy?

What does this mean to you? Does it tick you off? Or do you believe that it’s part of the fast-paced, casual atmosphere of the social media environment?

With tweets, I can forgive a typo – particulary if it’s from a mobile application. Those tiny keys on your mobile aren’t always your friend, are they?

But it’s absolutely unforgivable if somebody creates a Facebook group and has mistakes in the group name. So I’ve very happily joined the Facebook group: I’d join your group but there are spelling errors in the title.

Now, I’m no grammar queen. I’ll leave that to my good friends at Leviathancomms. Heck, I know I shouldn’t have started a sentence with ‘but’ (as I did earlier in this blog).

But spelling when you’re creating something, when you’re promoting a business online, when you’re writing about yourself and building your own personal brand? Come on!

I’ve noticed that age makes no difference. I looked up a former colleague on Facebook and read her profile. She had listed her children’s names without capitalising them. She’s in her 50s. What had possessed her? She wouldn’t have let happen in an office document. Why let it slip through on the internet, where people search for you and, frankly, judge you?

It gets worse when texting lingo and shortcuts enter the fray. A family member’s status updates are barely decipherable. Take these examples:

Wld lyk 2 know wtf....happend 2 my hotmail n facebook accounts, it said username/p-w unknown..lyk wtf...so i had 2 reset em both

OMFG..Im getting SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO frustrated, trying 2 load a pic bt its taking 4 eva cuz everytym I load a pic frm my dig. Camera its huge..YYYYYYYYYYYYYY????????

One final thought: social media is about sharing. You’ve joined in because you’ve got something to say. If you want people to read your message, slow down and get the spelling right.

Foursquare: a new game

2010-01-07T21:42:00.001-08:00

I’m getting a kick out of using Foursquare, a social network newly available in Adelaide. Foursquare has been another phenomenon in the US, but only recently added Adelaide to its list of cities (read Foursquare Goes Global).

Foursquare is so new, when you Google it, the first page of search results contain references to the old schoolground game.

Foursquare is for mobile phone users who like to get out a lot. Every time you visit your favourite coffee house / restaurant / shopping centre or other venue, you can ‘check in’ there on Foursquare. It gives you points for your check ins, and you can become ‘Mayor’ of the spots you frequent the most.

Your friends on Foursquare (who you find like you did when starting out with Twitter or Facebook), can see where you are. If they’re at that same spot, you’ll both know via Foursquare.

You can add tips about your favourite places, building up a wealth of shared information. (For example, I let people know that Kwiksticks in North Adelaide has ‘kids eat free’ nights every Tuesday).

So it’s part game, part locator, part status update, part venue review.

It launched in the US last year and had an estimated 100,000 users in November 2009.

It’s been called “addictive and slightly creepy”...

Using Foursquare
Here’s some good advice from Jason Moffatt, in a recent review of Foursquare vs Gowalla: if you want to avoid ‘stalkers’, check in on Foursquare as you’re leaving a location. (And remember – when you check in, you don’t have to share with friends at all. You can gain points by checking in, but untick the normal friend feeds that disseminate the updates).

What’s in it for me?
Personally, it’s only week one on Foursquare for me, so with these fresh eyes it’s too soon to judge whether a) I will quickly grow tired of it and let it lapse or b) I become so addicted my family arranges an intervention.

For the application itself, people are really talking up its potential. And why wouldn’t you – for an application that encourages people to get out and about, invite their friends and write reviews? If user numbers grow, it will be of obvious interest to countless industries.

“So far, about 200 venues, as diverse as bars and frames shops, have promotions offering discounts and other perks to Foursquare users in the system … “ read more.

Get on board, give it a go. Oh, and apparently it’s already overtaken Gowalla in terms of user numbers. Available in iPhone app, Blackberry app and on m.foursquare.com

More good Foursquare articles:

Why Foursquare Might Matter

Now you can play Foursquare anywhere

The next 26 stages of Twitter ...

2009-12-28T18:59:00.000-08:00

Shane Nickerson wrote an awesome blog titled The 46 Stages of Twitter. It's a must read!

I recognised myself in a lot of that list - as did my tweeps. But we also recognised that we'd gone beyond the list. So I'm going to attempt to extend it below. Perhaps not as funny as you Shane, but it's worth a try!

Only trouble is, I couldn't get beyond an additional 26. So here goes, starting on from Shane's 46th stage:

47: Read the 46 Stages of Twitter and chuckle to yourself.
48: email 46 Stages of Twitter to your pals. (Especially newbie Twitter pals still at Stage 6).
49: discover newbie Twitter pals now tweeting more
50: provide helpful advice to newbie Twitter pals
51: watch newbie Twitter pals' follower lists grow
52: decide to more actively grow your own followers
53: read blog posts about how to grow number of followers
54: start following more strangers and butting into their conversations
55: start following 'social media experts'
56: bookmark Twitter metric tools
57: use Twitter tools to measure your tweet status
58: find out that Twitter tools suck anyway
59: decide it's more about quality, not quantity
60: unfollow all those weirdos from Russia
61: unfollow those teen gangasta types from the US (you never understood what they were saying anyway)
62: discover Twitter Lists
63: categorise Friends into list by geographical location. Become bored halfway through.
64: categorise other Friends into list by 'social media expert' or 'non social media expert'
65: notice that 'social media expert' list is pretty freakin' long
66: create a silly list: Meglomaniacal nose pickers
67: realise you can make Lists private
68: delete your silly list
69: Google yourself
70: see Thursday night's tweet has been indexed
71: it's the one where you said "I love you Charmaine and I don't care what happened backstage with Rob Thomas; sorry about wiping my ...."
72: decide to take a break from Twitter

Your key words into Heaven

2009-12-19T23:18:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been pondering .. all this hoo-ha about our Twitter and Facebook feeds being indexed by Google and Bing.

This means our status updates can be seen on search engine pages. It has the potential for embarassment. (Like the time I Googled myself, only to see my Twitter ranting about 'earwigs' was on page 1 of the results).

However, on the flipside: it's possible to write glowing things about yourself on Twitter and Facebook, in the hopes of seeing this reflected in search engines. Right?

So what would happen if I tweeted things like:

Having fun being a model citizen. And gosh gee, I love my job!
Children are precious. I love my boys. Spending time with them is the highlight of my day.
Working extremely long hours for a client. I'm committed. I'm doing my best!
Was tempted to water the garden. But then I remembered our water restrictions. And I didn't turn on the hose. No sirree.

Or even:

Michelle Prak is the very model of a modern Major Social Mediarist ...

So I'm feeling like Google's eyes (the Eye of the Spider?) are watching my every move. I need to behave. And this is where we move into science fiction mode ...

How does God assess us? When we reach the pearly gates, what key words are important? What will get us through?

God surely doesn't need to watch over us any more. He can just Google us. If the right words match our names, we're in. So if he Googles 'Michelle Prak' how will weigh up words like 'bourbon, Buffy, hangover, marshmallows, Bruce Willis' against words like 'swimming, typing, grammar, early night, parent teach interview"?

Does this mean then, that Google spiders are the new Gabriel? They're God's angels?

Mind you, I don't believe in God. Just musing. Unless of course he IS real and indexing this page. In which case, can I add these key words quickly: hard working, striving, clean, made beds every day, loved my children, cherished my friends ... and fed the fish.

Ha ha. That's a good one.

2009-12-14T20:34:00.000-08:00

What's with the pressure to be funny on Twitter?

I thought it was just me. And then I Googled it just in case (as you do). And I found I'm not the only one .. it's a big topic out there.

Apparently those 140 characters aren't simply about being clear and succinct. They need to be funny, pithy, whimsical ... or at the very least, sarcastic. If you don't get a few LOLs, LMFAO or Hee Hees a day, you're #failing.

This applies to tweets from journalists, social media commentators, web developers, retailers, the ordinary Joe in the street.

I once saw this tweet posted: "I'm not following X Company any more. They're just not funny". What the?

Sure, there's plenty of other themes on Twitter. Many of them far from funny.

There's the soapbox brigade lobbying for something or railing against something. There's earnest awareness raising, fundraising and cause-promoting tweets. But hotdamn, those funny Twitterers are the best aren't they? Even better: the fake accounts that tweet in character.

Sure, fake Twitter accounts are 'naughty' but hell they're creative. (But can be so disappointing when they stop tweeting. I enjoyed JackFknBauer while it lasted. And BrosLife just doesn't tweet enough!)

If you want to succumb and sign up to more 'funny tweets', see Mashable's recommendations, this Twibe's list, and this one from PC World.

The fave topic on Google Wave?

2009-12-05T13:31:00.000-08:00

What else would you talk about when you land on Wave but ... Wave?

I'm in about 20 Waves now (posted discussions where lots of people contribute) and the main topic is How to Use This Darn Google Wave.

Second topic of note: Social Media.

And third: Adelaide's new social media grouping, #socadl, and what its objectives are.

Wave is quite difficult to read right now. Waves tend to become very lengthy, and it's not obvious how to dive in and head straight to the updates only. I tend to re-read posts and become lost. (@theskullcave recently gave me the hot tip: using your PgDown key to get to the end. Ooops. Thanks. See what an expert I am, peeps).

Everyone's new to Wave. So very few of us know how to organise it yet. Discussions go off on tangents and the Wave just gets longer and longer.

In time, I guess we'll learn how to focus. To post on one very clear topic (or document) and stick to it. (Or how to use our keyboard to greater effect).

As one Twitter friend put it: Wave seems too much like work. (@derekandkong). True, so far. But I'm going to stick with it to see how it evolves. Same as I did with Twitter.

Drowning not waving

2009-12-05T12:48:00.000-08:00

Okay, part II of my thoughts on Google Wave ...

I've been on Wave every day of the past week now. So I have more to share on its usability. This is by no means a thorough evaluation of all features - just some observations, including some shared with me by others.

When you first sign up to Wave, adding contacts is a priority. No contacts=no waving=why am I here? Right? And it's not immediately apparent HOW you add contacts. If you do manage to spot the lower left Manage Contacts area, and click +, then you should feel very satisfied with yourself.

But then Wave asks you to input your contacts. What do you type in? Which email address? Well, it needs to be a signed-up user of Wave. It needs to contain their @googlewave address. Cause it's the new centre of the world, right? Ahem.

So that's been the first stumbling block for some people: typing in other email addresses and desperately trying to find their networks. They've even been using gmail addresses, thinking that would work. But no cigar.

Considering that a lot of new Wave users have just been sending Wave invites to friends (using their standard email addresses), it does get confusing. One little line of instruction there, or alt text, would help.

Okay : once you're in Wave and want to 'see what it does', you need to Create a Wave or, if you're very lucky, one will show up because somebody has added you there.

You can Add Contacts to your Wave to get some discussion going.

What topic? Well, what topic do you think?

More to come soon ....

The satisfaction of .. stationery

2009-11-18T15:33:00.000-08:00

Warning to all readers: this blog is about being a Working Mum. If that topic bores you, please leave now.

I've had a week off work. Thus, time to do things I can't normally do. Very important things, like:

walk with my sons INTO their classrooms rather than dropping them off at the school fence and madly driving away

saying 'hello' to my sons' teachers (and er, introducing myself in one case)

being available to other mothers in the schoolyard. (One screamed out 'Michelle! Michelle!' and ran me down on the asphalt, to report that she had one of Sam's socks at her house and did I want it back? It was a grey sock, with a green grid pattern over it, and skull and cross bones picture on top. Obviously I never wanted to see it again.)

I also had the chance to see my son Able's pencil case, as he dutifully prepared his desk for the day's work. The pencil case was a SHREDDED MESS! It looked like something a dinosaur had chewed up and spat out.

"Able," I said, "Is that your pencil case? How long have you had that?"

He shrugged his shoulders, as any 10 year old will. "Would you like a new one?" I asked. He nodded his head eagerly.

The poor mite! The poor, poor mite with his worn, torn pencil case. Aaaaaaaaaaargh. What's the use of two working parents if they can't outfit you with the latest greatest pencil case? [Insert Working Mothers' Guilt here].

Needless to say, I was at the mall just 15 minutes later. Able now has a brand new, squeaky clean (and very cool black) pencil case.

Adequate stationery is important. So very important. And so is taking the time to explore your child's school life. Some children are just 'too cool' to tell you everything: I'm vowing to poke my nose in more often (and check how that pencil case is going).

It's a lonely (social) life

2009-11-15T18:40:00.000-08:00

I'm still to play with Google Wave ...

... but one thing I am hearing from Google Wave newbies, is that they're 'lonely' there.

At least, that's my interpretation.

I've seen tweets and comments like: 'Why is nobody waving at me?' 'I'm here .. now what?' and 'Um, I have Google Wave. Anyone want invites? Maybe I can finally make it a fun thing if I have contacts".

Like any online social or collaboration tool, it doesn't make sense unless you have your peeps there with you.

It reminds me of when I started out on Twitter. Landed there, set my profile, wrote my first tweet .. and, then what? It took me a while to follow people who tweeted anything meaningful with me. To build up contacts (and understand the context).

But after a few lonely forays, where I felt like I was butting into people's conversations, Twitter became a lively meeting place for me, full of knowledge-sharing and new (crazy) online friends.

Today, I'm still hearing Twitter newbies complain that they "don't get it". I always remind them: you need to stay on; reply to people; interact. It's not all about posting your own thoughts or links. It must be two-way.

I'm convinced this will happen with Google Wave. When it reaches its critical mass, it will take off. It's built around interactions - and that's pretty darn hard when you've only got a few mates there. It may be lonely now, but watch and see it evolve.

(Oh, and invite your friends, help them learn with you along the way .. and wave at me!)

Damn my Pessimism!

2009-11-15T18:30:00.000-08:00

I'm on holiday.

I wish my brain could be on holiday with me.

I've got one week's leave before beginning a new job. One week - seven days. Nice, right?

Not really. See, in my mind I've reduced that count to five days - cause you don't count the weekend. I already have weekends. And then, I'm a mother with two sons. They're not on holiday: but they do return from school at 3.30pm each day. And I drop them at school at about 8.30am every morning. So I'm only on holiday from 9am to 3.30pm, for five days.

That's a smaller window of time. What with lunch, playing around on my social networks, doing the odd bit of housework, trying to exercise, going to the dentist, doing some long overdue gardening and getting lost in online banking ... that leaves me precious little time to do Holiday Things.

What are Holiday Things?

Why, that would be: walking on the beach. Reading a novel. Sipping cocktails. Going outlet mall shopping. Having a massage. Going out for a latte. Rolling over in the morning and going back to sleep. Visiting little antique stores or bookshops I've never seen before ...

How am I supposed to squeeze that in?

My brain leapt to this pessimistic calculation almost immediately on deciding to have a week off. The joy was shaved in two (or five, or ten, or whatever the calculation is).

Why can't I just let good enough alone? Why can't a week .. be A Week?

The real tourists

2009-10-04T20:18:00.000-07:00

The past few days, I've been a tourist in my own town.

Everyone should try it ...

My family and I strolled into the city centre, walked along the riverbank, took photos of some paper lanterns being prepared for that night's Moon Lantern Festival, and enjoyed a mandatory coffee 'n cake. Then my son Able and I hopped into one of those darn paddleboats and pedalled ourselves around on the lake for a while. Sweet.

The next day, we all piled into the car and headed to a well known seaside destination, the haunt of tourists and graduation parties. We crossed a bridge to Granite Island which lived up to its name and provided plenty of stunning rocks, lookouts and coastline to explore.

We even got down on our haunches and discovered a Little Penguin holed up in its nest. [We were quiet and gently retreated .. don't worry].

The only thing to mar the experience was, well ... the real tourists.

There were large groups of overseas visitors, clearly very excited by the experience, all speaking at the top of their voices and loudly directing the numerous photographs they were snapping. Lots of shouted commands, squealing and barking at each other. It was really irritating!

Which got me to thinking about tourism and travellers in general.

How do the people of hotspot like Paris or Hawaii feel? How do they cope with the influx of people who trample over their homes, voraciously taking pictures, picking apart the location, voicing their opinions? It must be hard. But I guess that's the price they pay for having a piece of the tourism industry.

So what would you prefer - a piece of the tourism industry, or peace of mind?

Guess where my newsbreaks are coming from ...

2009-09-15T03:49:00.001-07:00

... if you guessed Twitter, you're brilliant!

In the past 12 hours, Twitter has brought me this news first:

local fire at a plastic factory (I wondered what that strange smell was ...)

Australian Rules Football player leaving MY team and moving on to another state (sob sob)

death of Patrick Swayze (RIP. And that surname is really hard to type).

Hours later, these stories were broadcast by TV stations and discussed on other social media forums like Facebook.

That's part of my respect for Twitter. I bump into many people who still poo-poo it. But hey, 140 characters is all you need to let me know there's a fire in my neighbourhood, or that a former heart throb is no longer with us ...

I can't even LOOK at the rollercoaster!

2009-09-04T03:45:00.000-07:00

Just when did I get scared of the show rides?

... as a teen, I thought roller coasters, the mad mouse, gravitron and all the other crazy rides were FUN! I liked being fooled into thinking I was going off the rails / being held against the side of a wall by gravity like a glob of cake mix / having the bejesus scared out of me.

I'd fall out of the ride, walk around dizzily, and have a breathless giggle with friends. Then queue up for more.

But I can't take it anymore.

I clutch onto metal bars so hard my hands freeze up. I don't think it's funny when the ride controller decides to speed things up, or give us 'another round'. I think about all the reported ride accidents I've seen in the newspapers (granted, over many years ..) I always seem to smell smoke ...

When did it change?

When did I become Ms Cautious, the person not-able-to-understand-that-rides-were-made-this-way and it's all just good fun?

It's show time in Adelaide. My family goes every year, and increasingly it's a case of me standing around, nervously watching my kids whizzing around on rides.

But they have smiles on their faces. They have goofy laughs. They swap war stories about how they were sure they were going off the edge!

Maybe .. when I'm 70 ... I'll get my crazy groove back? I'll say: to hell with it, and raise my hands in the air on a rollercoaster.

Maybe not.

Play it again, iPod. And again ...

2009-08-23T02:01:00.000-07:00

I love my iPod, but ...

... it's ruining music for me!

Well, maybe that's a bit melodramatic. My gripe is this: now that I've got all my favourite songs on my iPod, and I can listen to them any time, anywhere, my songs are kinda losing their shine.

I remember the good old days. [Cue mistiness and violins]. As a 10 year old, my music conduit was a little white clock radio in my bedroom. [Not even a digital clock. It was the type with numbers that would click over to reveal the next number].

I'd stay by the radio for hours, waiting for my favourite song to come on. When the DJ announced it, it was soooo exciting. I couldn't be interrupted by anyone else in the house. I'd sing and dance along. Every second of the song was to be cherished.

Later, as a teen when I graduated to a 'boom box' [hideous clunky stereo with a tape recorder that looked so modern at the time], I'd still wait by the radio. Only this time, I could tape the song and listen to it later. [Usually with the DJ talking over the end or beginning of the song. Curses].

And now?

My iPod has hundreds of songs - from all eras. Every song I've loved as a child, teen and adult. And I can play them again and again and again.

And I do. That's the problem.

My favourite songs are on tap. One little movement of my thumb on the iPod pad, and my current-favourite-song is played back. Instantly.

Maybe I should exercise more self control. But I find myself playing a favourite song perhaps 10 times in a row .. and getting tired of them. I wear them to pieces.

I look at the long list of loved tunes in my iPod ... and it's like a millionaire choosing where to sail his yacht today. It's lost its shine.

Am I the only one that feels like this?

What's in a name?

2009-08-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

A woman close to me is getting married soon.

And it occurred to me, she'll have another big decision to make ... Will she adopt her husband's surname, after the big event?

When I married back in the dark ages (1998), I decided to keep my name. Taking my husband's name never occured to me as a sensible option. What a silly idea!

After all, for the past 20-something years, people knew me as Michelle Prak. To the girls I'd been to school with: Michelle Prak. To the teachers who'd proudly watched my progress: Michelle Prak. My university lecturers, my employers: Michelle Prak. And also: I had been published under the name "Michelle Prak" countless times.

Why would I want to disconnect myself from that, and start all over again?

My husband David was fine with the decision. He always understood. But I was stunned to see my friends - same era as me - opt to take their husband's surnames when they married. I couldn't see the sense (and couldn't abide the paperwork).

The reason often cited? It was "for the children". They wanted to have the same surname. But having been raised in a step-family, with at least three different surnames in the house, I knew in the end that didn't matter. Anyone important to you, soon sorts out the different names in your household.

I also had another compelling reason: there aren't many Praks in the world. At least, not in my Dutch branch of the family. I had to keep the name going, if only for my lifetime ...

It's taken stamina. The name 'Prak' isn't easy. I've been called 'Pratt', 'Prik' and even 'Duck'. [Duck? What the?]

But it's a nice and easy signature ....

What are your thoughts?

To stand, or not to stand?

2009-08-11T03:49:00.000-07:00

What is music concert etiquette?

... last night I saw 'The White Album' concert. This seminal Beatles album was performed by a bunch [well, four] of talented Australian rockers, performing the entire album, with the backing of a killer band including strings and brass section.

It was Fab, just like the original Four. But [there's always a but ...] the concert was in a theatre, and the whole audience was seated.

Seats are nice. Seats are comfy. Yet they're awfully constraining when you just feel like grooving to the music.

I wanted to stand. To me, it can be the only way to truly enjoy the tunes - especially when it's Back in the USSR for example! The thing holding me back was: the other patrons.

Sure, there was clapping and tapping of feet. There was enthusiastic cheering between songs. But if everyone else is sitting (and has many feel they pay for the privilege), you need to be pretty darn brave to stretch your legs.

I wasn't so shy during the Foo Fighters concert last year. Now, that was an out-n-out rock show and I had [sadly] only snaffled tickets for the seated area, not general admin, where I could have happily moshed along with the crowd. And when the Fooeys hit the stage, I stood up. I danced and had my arms in the air and yelled [and tried to get Dave Grohl's attention, like any sane girl would do].

And you know what happened? The hip young things seated behind me, asked me to sit down! You'd have been proud of me though ... I refused. I pointed out to them:

it's an insult to the Foo Fighters to sit down
if they wanted to sit down the whole time, they should sit at home and watch their Fooeys DVD
I am a huge Fooeys fan and there was no way they were going to dictate my concert experience for me!

p.s. There's a long list of people's gripes about other concert goers in an MSNBC forum here. Hilarious.

Okay Kyle, I forgive you

2009-08-09T04:26:00.000-07:00

Another Sunday night in August ...

.. another season of Australian Idol.

This time around: the audition process didn't appear so harsh. Did Channel 10 sanitise it, post the Kyle Sandilands debacle?

There were fewer weird contestants - those ones that make you cringe.

Sure, there were a few squeaky voices, horrendous dance moves and karaoke queens. [That guy playing Imagine on the guitar? He was from outer space, dude]. But overall, Idol showed us a solid group of singers who I'm looking forward to following.

The big thing for me? Kyle. It was actually, er, good to see him again.

I can't stand the Kyle and Jackie O show. But Kyle is okay on Idol. He listens, he looks people in the eye, he has funny comments, he asks the questions we all want to ask ['What's in your pockets?']

Sure, he stuffed up on radio the other week .. that lie detector test was sick. But the whole Austereo station is to blame.

Kyle and Idol? It's a different product. And I'm willing to buy it.

There's a 'save Kyle' petition starting up on the Idol forums. And check out the BringBackKyle on Twitter. I'm following .. because I want to see what happens!

FYI, the Adelaide teacher was singing a Radiohead song. Nice rendition.

And p.s. Is it just me, or is Kyle really hard to type? I keep typing 'Kylie'.

Will Victoria Beckham smile?

2009-08-08T22:16:00.000-07:00

So, Posh Spice has been officially named a new judge on American Idol.

Interesting choice. People will either 1) love her and tune in to American Idol 2) hate her and tune in to American Idol.

Mrs Beckham's new job raises obvious questions:

will she smile?
what the heck does she sound like?
can she give any credible tips on singing and dancing, given .. The Spice Girls?

Back in February, Simon Cowell rubbished reports that Victoria Beckham would join the judging panel on the X Factor. Perhaps he did indeed offer it to her .. but it wasn't quite the label that Posh was after?

I'll be interested to see how it works: Posh is excited, but how will she show it?

F**k you too!

2009-08-08T20:35:00.000-07:00

Status updates ...

... they're a touchy subject. Some people think status updates in social media are childish timewasters (the Twitter naysayers), others think they're a valuable and fun way to keep our networks updated.

I like them.

But I don't like swearing in status updates.

I'm getting a growing number of Facebook friends who feel the need to vent, using every expletive, on their Facebook status updates. And frankly, it's leaving me feeling kind of soiled. I'm reading updates like:

f*#k sick of people f*#kn jerking me around. say what you mean!

i hate fat f#*k bitches throwing their weight around trying to tell me what the f#$k to do with my life. get outta my face!!

why is life always so F#$kn hard? i need a f#$kn holiday now

You get my drift ... [and yes, I am as offended by double exclamation marks as I am by the cussing].

Now, many of you will begin wondering about my friends. I have to put it on record: the majority are fab, wholesome go-getters who - although occasionally drinking themselves into oblivion on a Friday night after a hard week at the office - wouldn't swear on their status updates and are altogether 'clean cut and law abiding'. They know the thin line between having a Facebook profile that your buddies see, and having a Facebook profile that's visible to 1) your potential future employers and 2) your dear sweet old granny.

However, I've connected with a small amount of old, old friends ... the ones I went to primary school and high school with for example. And some have gone in weird and wonderful directions, with divorces, mid life crises and so on. And they DO like to say f#$k the world.

I'm no prude. I say f##k it all the time. When something surprises me, I say f##k me! But I don't feel a need to use the ol qwerty keyboard and share it with Facebook friends young and old.

There's a Facebook forum on this topic. [Of course there is, I hear you say]. I think popular opinion swings my way ...

Recently, I had to ditch an old acquaintance. I couldn't take her angry, cursing status updates anymore. It was clear her life had turned sour and she was using Facebook as a forum for a continuing argument with people unknown ... But for me, this friend was yelling at me. She was swearing at me. I couldn't take it anymore. And I clicked on the ol' 'Remove Friend" button. Adios.

And f##k you, too.

Art guilt

2009-08-08T19:47:00.001-07:00

Right now, I could walk out my front door ...

... meander down a few blocks and hit a quaint little street in my neighbourhood that's showcasing great local artists.

I could ponder some brilliant paintings, examine funky handcrafted jewellery, and rub shoulders with eager art types enthusing over local talent.

Instead, I'm sitting here at my PC. With a backache.

It's South Australian Living Artists (SALA) time. For weeks, there'll be hundreds of artists exhibiting over Adelaide. Their work will adorn the walls and shelves of local pubs, hairdressers, businesses and galleries big and small.

So I should be taking a look, right? I know it's big. I know it's wonderful. But I can't do it ...

I have art-guilt again. [Closely related to exercise-guilt. ]

I know art is 'good for me'. It's easily accessible, it's free to look and I'd enjoy it - if only I could drag myself to the nearest exhibition. It's just too darn easy to say 'no, I'll go next time'.

In the meantime, there are some fabulous artists out there, eagerly waiting for people to browse the work they've devoted so many hours to. [Right: I'm at an actual art exhibition, a few years back. Yep, that was one gigantic cube of STUFF. I was afraid it'd fall on me.]

There must be many people like me - who like the idea of art - but just can't seem to weave it into their lives.

A few years back, Pam Gaulin wrote a great article with tips on visiting an art gallery. She had helpful advice like:

don't feel the need to talk (sigh of relief ..)

don't get too close (oh, feeling slightly chastised ..)

And WikiHow has a nifty article on How to Visit an Art Gallery, where you need to figure out pesky little details like determining what mediums you're most interested in, grabbing a map and having a visitation plan. Mmm.

A few years back, my husband [David] and I were backpacking around Europe. The great galleries were on our to-do list, and we dutifully saw the Mona Lisa, Park Guell, Salvador Dali's museum and more. It was wonderful .. and exhausting. We lined up for hours to see Michelangelos' statue of David, whereas the replica out in the sunny square nearby would have done just the trick.

Our European art journeys were illuminating and tiring. And competitive. It's hard to stand in front of a world famous piece of art, among crowds offering learned comments, without feeling some pressure to find something new to offer!

But maybe it's time to get back on the horse. SALA is taking place around me. It ends soon. Perhaps I should put one foot in front of the other and venture outside ... and long as I make sure not to touch.

New kid on the blog

2009-08-08T18:46:00.000-07:00

They said childbirth was painful. And scary.

Starting a blog, after pondering one for years, is a scary new beginning too.

I'm considering this Blog my new baby. And, just like I did with my two sons when they were babes in arms, I'm concerned about doing this right. [Son #1 pictured, right!]

I know there's a lot of experience out there. Thousands of women have done it. I've got a lot to learn.

So, I'll do what I did when I embarked on motherhood:

I won't think I know it all

I will read wise words from people who've been there before

I won't feel crushed if I make a mistake

I'll pay my Blog lots of attention!

But won't necessarily be getting out of bed every 2 hours to tend to it ...

I read a Mom blog recently, which said "You hold your baby for the first time, and it’s beautiful, but when you look back at pictures from that day years later you will realize that your baby was puffy, wrinkled, and not quite the right color."

Now, I know that's how I'm going to look back on this first post, right? It will seem trite and ugly.

But right now, it's fun.

Christina Aguilera said motherhood made her feel sexy. [Man alert: next phrase may embarrass]. The only thing that made me feel more womanly was during pregnancy, when I had breasts for the first time! Apart from that, the sexy factor didn't receive a huge boost. [Son #2 pictured right]

And again, I'm not expecting that to happen with my Blog. I don't see myself becoming more cool, more scintillating or intriguing. Just maybe, it will make me more interesting? If nothing else, it will keep my brain ticking over ...

My young sons aren't working out too badly. In fact, they're quite happy, healthy and bobbing along just fine. So, provided I care for this Blog in the same way .. how hard can it be?