For some reason this theme doesn't show apostrophes in the header font. I'll figure it out at some point but for now please don't assume I'm dumb. Cheers.
“We need a blog!” “We should be on Facebook!” Far too often, these are the first words that set an organization barreling down the road to participation in social media whether or not they’re actually ready. By focusing on the tools instead of the underlying strategy, many organizations have stumbled out of the social gate and ended up face-planting in full view of the curious public.
People who stepped up huge and gave to my 30-30-30 campaign. All 37 of you (which doesn’t include the dozens of people at Case Study Jam #3 who pitched in as well).
In the end we raised over $1,100, which should be more than enough to help a couple of disadvantaged kids in the Ottawa area experience the joy of minor hockey and all that participation in team sports entails. read more…
I just added a new page to the site – it’s part of my effort to do something meaningful to mark my 30th birthday in a few weeks. As many of you know, I’ve been active in minor hockey for a few years now, coaching nine and ten year olds at the house league level in Ottawa Centre. The association covers a pretty wide area, including some lower-income neighbourhoods where hockey is just too expensive to consider.
I don’t think cost should ever prevent a child from playing hockey. Beyond the obvious benefits of exercise, hockey instills a sense of pride and an understanding of the power of teamwork. I’ve watched kids come out of their shell and become leaders; I’ve seen kids grow a sense of self confidence that their scholastic life never gave them. It’s been an awesome and humbling experience and I want more kids to feel it.
The 30-30-30 campaign has a modest goal – 30 people donating 30 dollars over the next 30 days. I know it’s a big ask for some people but I really hope you’ll consider making a contribution. Details are available on the 30-30-30 page.
photo credit: kk+
Hey you, you with the iPhone and all the latest location-based apps. Yea you, guy who already thinks foursquare is obsolete. Guy who fills his blog with reviews of gadgets and services that aren’t even available yet, ready for the next big thing.
Just stop it, will you? read more…
A few months ago I wrote a post about the conference culture that seems to pervade several of my spheres of interest – namely government and social media. The post seemed to touch a nerve as it generated more comments than… well, any other post on the site, I think (especially once you factor in tweets and retweets).
The reaction was mixed. My point was that it seemed odd to charge upwards of $2,500 for a conference full of speakers who would largely give away their secrets for free at a meetup, unconference or even over coffee. Some agreed, some disagreed, and most came down somewhere in the middle.
read more…
