Confessions of a Graphic Designer

A Hummel figurine that belonged to my mother A friend, Annegret, and I were talking on Twitter about memories and our belongings, and it reminded me of a story. Thirty years ago I had a friend named Kathy. She was such a happy person. She had two rambunctious nephews. One day they came over to visit while she was unpacking some very old and precious Christmas ornaments that belonged to her grandmother. Kathy and her grandmother had a special bond. I had the pleasure of meeting her one summer when I visited her family in Atwater, Minnesota. Kathy's nephews, who were maybe 8 and 10 years old at the time, were admiring the ornaments, and she said, “Here, why don’t you choose some to keep?!” I remember feeling shocked. Giving some very old and irreplaceable heirlooms to two little boys? How insane! I'm sentimental and like to keep things that are dear, nearby. The idea of giving such special things to children who, God forbid, could destroy them, seemed crazy. Annegret...

"INVU4URAQT" used to be an autograph saying kids would write in yearbooks at the end of the school year. A wealthy friend travels the world but spends most of her time alone. Another is successful but waited too long to have a baby. Another has everything except her life mate who died too young. And another goes on a dozen cruises a year to every corner of the world—sometimes taking the same exact cruise twice—for what reason? It seems like he is searching for something he'll never find. It so happens my husband and I are surrounded by people who have made a ton of money throughout their careers. Many people believe "if only I were wealthy—it would solve all of life's problems." But wealth and resources are not panaceas. Despite the resources a person has, it doesn't guarantee life will be wonderful. Once critical issues like having food, clothing and shelter are answered, everything beyond that speaks to enhanced quality of life. But it ...

Fern tree across from the hotel Okay so some of you guys know I went to Los Angeles last week. There are more details about the gathering I attended on my other blog American Express made it easy to get my flight using miles, but booking a hotel was an adventure. I looked and looked, using many of the usual sites and didn't feel like there was a significant difference between them. It's not as simple as it should be. Basically, I know nothing about LA, so didn't feel like I could find a place on AirBNB and confidently know it would be convenient in terms of getting to the W Hotel in Westwood—the venue of the #140confLA event. So I tried to find a reasonably priced room in the W Hotel, which is across from the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden at UCLA. (BTW, there wasn't a reasonably priced room, but I bit the bullet and booked it anyway since the event was taking place there.) Being a little bit nervous traveling by myself because I usually have my trusty...

Why We Need to Digital Detox Our Irrepressible Need to Be Connected From the moment we adopted the smart phone—a tiny, life-altering portable computer—the need to stay connected intensified. Our devices provided us with instant connectivity. And with the introduction of social media, the time we spent connecting practically doubled as we kept up with daily news of not just real life, but also virtual friends. It’s extraordinary how technology enables us to have our family and friends as close as our pockets. But our devices can be like a spoiled pet—needy and demanding. Digital Day-cation In September I posted a tweet about Jake Knapp's year, free of digital distraction from the iPhone. A Twitter friend, Adrian Lee, saw it and tweeted me to say he was going to give it a try for 24 hours. I didn’t think about it too much until he wrote about it. He did it! I was so impressed! Social media relationships, as those in real life, thrive when you are present an...

Why I think Empire Avenue is a legitimate tool. More than two years ago I began playing Empire Avenue. Created in 2010, there was a great deal of excitement when Empire Avenue made its splash into the social media mainstream in the spring of 2011. Well-known people in social media jumped in, and many are still active players. Last year some of them stopped. One player told me he thought it took too much time. And certainly in the beginning, it could be time-consuming. Others could never really figure out how to play, and although they are still there, their accounts are dormant. As Empire Avenue has continued to evolve from strictly a social media stock market game to a social media tool, some perceived Empire Avenue in a negative way. This new perception came about with the advent of "missions," which offers rewards to players who complete tasks. Some people perceive missions as "buying influence." But some of these same people are also buying fo...

When you're in your twenties, you'll live forever. You're the center of the universe. You are invincible! But for some strange reason, one day shortly after I’d started my design business, something in the obituaries caught my eye and I began to read. As a young adult in my early 20s, it occurred to me these people were now gone, and reading about them in the obits was undoubtedly the last chance I would have to ever cross that person’s path. I was “meeting” them shortly after they'd departed. A social media friend once told me she'd asked her niece to contact me in case anything ever happened to her. And it made me think about my own relationships with friends on Twitter and other social media channels. Some are people I regard fondly, and I would want to know if something happened to them. And in turn, I would want them to know if something happened to me. Do most of us have some sort of plan in place? Local notices include the people in our own back ...

Common sense says you should follow whomever you want. But recently I read a post by a blogger who felt everyone on Twitter—especially those in "leadership" positions—should follow everyone back. It might sound good in theory, but here are some thoughts to ponder: Some followers may not be worthy of a follow back. If you check before you click the "follow" button, you might find: • Accounts that have posted no tweets. Maybe their abandoned accounts have been taken over by squatters, or they could be fake accounts created for people who buy followers. • Questionable content — X-Rated timelines; "Tweeps" (Twitter peeps) who use a lot of foul language; Businesses that tweet exclusively about their products and services; Tweeps who post spam or tweet the same message over and over • Accounts that broadcast one-way outgoing feeds with no interaction with anyone • Those who use TrueTwit validation to weed out "bots....

The customer may not always be right, but will they always be a customer? How can a business convert a customer into a brand evangelist? One way is to be methodical. When I was designing projects for Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) one approach was based on the notion that employees can become emissaries who spread good buzz, as well as become extensions of the sales force. If someone isn't fully aware of all its company does or produces, it means an opportunity to provide a recommendation could be lost. By arming employees with knowledge, it increased chances for potential customers to learn about a company through an enthusiastic, trusted source. AC devised fun and rewarding ways to familiarize employees with the capabilities of their companies. Social media echoes a time when companies actually cared. Recently I had two very different, but equally vexing problems. Instead of going through the normal channels, I tweeted. Then I waited. In bot...

Following up on my previous post about transparency , I'd like to share a list of 30 people who fit the bill. Beside being "authentic" and nice, their timelines include a mixture of content and conversation. I've come to know most via email, Skype, phone or in real life. They've trusted me and shared their lives, and I look forward to seeing them whenever our paths cross. I think you'll find most to be kind, funny, smart, or have a fascinating story—or all of the above. All have fewer than 10,000 "organically* acquired followers." And in my book, all are worth knowing. I hope you'll check them out! They are listed in reverse alphabetical order, including their follower numbers (in parenthesis) at the time this post was written: NOTE: When you follow someone new, it's good to post a friendly shout to say hello and let them know you're a new follower. It increases the chances they'll follow you back. @zaharoff (5,...

Why transparency matters What if you didn't know the real names of your doctor, lawyer or accountant? Most social media acquaintances aren't exactly on a parallel plane with professional or collegial relationships — but how about your friends? In 2008, when I began on Twitter, it wasn't unusual to see people using descriptive monikers instead of their real names. Only early adopters might remember @TrendTracker or @TrendyDC. Today we know them as  @GlenGilmore and @AnnTran_ . They recognized their Twitter identities were going to be significant and went public at a point where their major growth was ahead of them. It enabled them to start positioning themselves as brands, and I believe they helped others feel comfortable about following suit. It's about trust I think most of us appreciate it when their connections on social media are transparent about who they are.    If I'm being honest with someone, I hope they'll afford me the same courtesy. ...

Jack Dorsey on the cover of - Fast Company - Our new hero-archetype? When I was a kid, it was pretty easy to identify heroes. They were policemen and firemen, soldiers and astronauts. They were President John F. Kennedy, Miss America, doctors, teachers and others who showed courage or strength. They were people who were, in some way, extraordinary. Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter and founder of Square, is on the March 2012 cover of Fast Company , and seeing him made me wonder — who do people admire today and why? Are entrepreneurs the new heroes? The fortunes made by innovators today might make a 20-something MBA's heart beat a bit faster because they have realized the American dream — using brains and hard work to achieve success and enormous wealth. But is the ability to turn ideas into money what we should admire or strive to emulate? Having aspirational goals propel us to achieve. And the ability to innovate, and at times create a need for things ...

Real-life Meetups Make the World a Better Place When I first heard about " Meetup ," I had no idea why or how it started, but it sounded like a neat idea. Then a few days before the tenth anniversary of 9/11, an email arrived from Meetup co-founder and CEO, Scott Heiferman. I was so impressed, I asked if I could share it — but in order for it to not get lost in a sea of 9/11 posts and reflections, I wanted to let some time elapse. His message reminded me of two things: the tragedy of 9/11 changed life forever in the United States, but some goodness resulted; and the importance of real-life, or as my friend, Jake, likes to say — "tangible," connections need nurturing in order for each of us to thrive. Scott's message: Scott Heiferman, CEO and co-founder, Meetup Fellow Meetuppers, I don't write to our whole community often, but this week is special because it's the tenth anniversary of 9/11 and many people don...