thefutureisred

Free Webinar: Social Media for Artists and Writers

I'll be hosting a free webinar titled: What Artists & Writers Can Do With Social Media on August 27th, 2012 at 2pm and again at 9pm.

Yes, it's free. Each time slot is limited to 15 people to allow for questions and discussion. So sign up now!

You can read all the details on the new & improved The Future Is Red website.

What will the webinar cover?

We’ll start by talking about specific goals for your social media use. Then move on to discussing which of the social media platforms are best for those goals.

Finally, we’ll talk about ways to to make connections via social media. Meeting other writers, finding publishers, agents and galleries, resources for self publishing and collaborating with other people.

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You can register now online for either meeting:

REGISTER NOW FOR AUGUST 27th, 2012 at 2pm EST

or

REGISTER NOW FOR AUGUST 27th, 2012 at 9pm EST

I'm crossposting this here because I know some of you are still following on Typepad. But I have moved. You can find my site directly at http://thefutureisred.com. And yes, I know, I know, I haven't posted much on either blog in quite a while, but it's re-animated now, re-awakened.

So go there. Check it out. E-mail me if you have any questions.

 

Free Webinar: Social Media for Artists and Writers

I'll be hosting a free webinar titled: What Artists & Writers Can Do With Social Media on August 27th, 2012 at 2pm and again at 9pm.

Yes, it's free. Each time slot is limited to 15 people to allow for questions and discussion. So sign up now!

You can read all the details on the new & improved The Future Is Red website.

What will the webinar cover?

We’ll start by talking about specific goals for your social media use. Then move on to discussing which of the social media platforms are best for those goals.

Finally, we’ll talk about ways to to make connections via social media. Meeting other writers, finding publishers, agents and galleries, resources for self publishing and collaborating with other people.

---

You can register now online for either meeting:

REGISTER NOW FOR AUGUST 27th, 2012 at 2pm EST

or

REGISTER NOW FOR AUGUST 27th, 2012 at 9pm EST

I'm crossposting this here because I know some of you are still following on Typepad. But I have moved. You can find my site directly at http://thefutureisred.com. And yes, I know, I know, I haven't posted much on either blog in quite a while, but it's re-animated now, re-awakened.

So go there. Check it out. E-mail me if you have any questions.

 

UPDATED: Donate Your Extra Digital Camera To A Project For Kids In NW Argentina!

Have a digital camera you don't need? Please donate it to our new photography project with children from a small village in Northwest Argentina. DONATION DEADLINE EXTENDED!

The Project: WichiWater

We take your old cameras and put them in the hands of Wichi children from villages all around the Salta province of Northwest Argentina. They’ll take photos of their lives, themselves. They’ll have some fun and in the process learn how to use digital cameras as well as how to interact with professional photographers both in person and online. You get to see them smile!

You get to see their photos online and in gallery and museum exhibitions across Argentina and the United States.

See what good your old camera can do!

Our first exhibition was at the Casa de la Cultura in Salta, Argentina. People couldn't believe the photos were taken by children, let alone children who had never held a camera until a couple months earlier.

Who Are We?

The Wichi community of northwest Argentina, Salta and Jujuy provinces.

A group of indigenous people who live all over the region. Often their villages do not have a clean water supply. Many times they do not have enough food or even clothing. They do have a rich culture and language that is an important part of Argentina’s heritage.

Maximiliano Mura: a multi-talented Argentine photographer originally from Buenos Aires province now living in Salta.

Ana Soruco: nutritionist from Argentina’s Jujuy province. She has been working with members of the Wichi community to help bring food, water, clothing and awareness to the people there.

Elio Néstor Fernández: founder of Idioma Wichi, a group dedicated to preserving Wichi language and culture. He is our Salta city connection to the communities around the region.

What We Need?

Your functioning digital cameras. Any kind. Any age. It's ok if they don't have all their parts or are scratched and dented. They don't need all the accessories. If the camera has it's own specific battery, it's best that that be included and working.

How To Send Your Cameras?

For people living in the United States:

You can mail the cameras directly to our Atlanta mailing address. They should arrive on or before September 1, 2011.

Leigh Shulman
c/o Jane Steele
5505 Roswell Road, Ste 300
Atlanta, GA 30342

Any cameras that arrive before that day, I'll bring back with me to Argentina.

For people living in Argentina:

If you live anywhere other than Salta, you can send me a text to my Argentina cell 0387 15 539 4777 or e-mail me at leigh (at) cloudhead.org and we can figure a way to get them.

If you live in Salta, let's go for a coffee. You can bring them then.

For people living anywhere else:

Send your camera to the Atlanta address above. When I have a reliable Argentina address, we'll send them.

Let Us Know About You

We're designing a website, coming soon, soon, soon, that will provide more information about this and other projects we have happening through our new, soon-to-be-announced non-profit. I'd like to include your names on our sponsors page.

So please remember to include any personal and business information you'd like to see on the sponsors page. I'm happy to include links to any website or blog as well. And please send your e-mail address if you'd like to hear updates about this project and be the first to know when we post photos.

I promise never to send any spam. You can opt out at any time.

Any Questions? Feel free to e-mail me with any thoughts, questions or concerns at leigh (at) cloudhead.org.

How-To Pimp Your Couchsurfing Profile & Find A Place To Stay

I'm working on a series of Couchsuring Tips. To be the first to read them subscribe to my feed in your preferred reader. Or subscribe to my RSS e-mail list to have the delivered directly to your mailbox.

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Couchsurfing can be daunting. I mean, how does one navigate the process of asking a stranger for a place to sleep for the night? That's why I've decided to take a page from Kelly Diel's book and offer all readers the opportunity to ask advice, tips or any questions you might have about Couchsurfing.

I'll begin with answering a few questions that seem to come up often. Then you'll have the change the chance to ask anything you've ever wanted to know about Couchsurfing.

What's my Couchsurfing experience?

I've been an active member of Couchsurfing for the last four years. I've couchsurfed as a family and alone. I've hosted tens of people and both created and taken part in Couchsurfing meetups in Europe, the United States, Canada, Central and South America. I even partied and peeled potatoes with the Couchsurfing camp at Burning Man.

I feel comfortable rocking up in any city in any country on this planet confident in the fact I'll be able to find a place to stay, a group for a drink or simply someone to give advice about how to find a bus to the next town.

I'm happy to help you develop the same sort of resource and community in Couchsurfing as well.

How Can I Create A Profile That Makes Others Want To Host Me?

Of all the questions people ask, oddly, this one rarely comes my way. But I think it is probably the most important. The answer is relatively simple, logical and can be answered as easily as one, two, three.

One. Be yourself. Be real. The more honest you are about who you are and what you want in a host or travel experience, the more likely you are to find what you need. 

Don't be afraid to include your interests and personal opinions. A potential host is more likely to respond to a request when your profile overlaps with similar interests. That connection can lead to a fantastic surfing experience because, believe it or not,you've dispensed with all small talk by reading each others profiles and can immediately get down to the business of having fun.

Two. Begin meeting people and building up your friends and references before you send out your first couch request.

When I receive a couch request, I immediately look at how many friends a person has and then read all the references. Friends and references let me know how invested you are in the Couchsurfing community. You don't need to be an card-carrying t-shirt wearing Couchsurfing ambassador, but I do want to know you're not just popping on the site for a free place to stay.

References and friends also let me know that others have had positive experiences with you. They allow me to trust you. If we have friends in common, even better.

Three. Make sure your friends and references are real-life, real-time connections. 

Nothing sets of my No-Surfing-With-Me alarm bell faster and louder than a profile with all or mostly online-only connections. On online-only friend only tells me that you've contacted someone through an e-mail or chat. Maybe you've even sent a friend request to someone you don't know.  It tells me nothing about whether you're a good guest or if you get along with people face-to-face.

I have about 140 friends on Couchsurfing. Only two are online-only. Both of those are people I've known for well over a year and with whom I have developed an actual friendship.

How does Couchsurfing differ from other forms of social media?

Please, don't treat your Couchsurfing account the same way you would Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare or even Linked In. While you're welcome to e-mail whomever you want for advice -- of course they may not respond -- the last thing you want to do is fill your Couchsurfing profile with a bunch of people you barely know.

I already told you the first thing I do when evaluating a profile is read references. If a person has tens of references, but none of those people seem to know him beyond a couple jokes and a drink, I still know nothing about that person.

But if you've helped someone lay down a concrete floor in their basement, babysat their children and cooked a meal for them, then I know something. Now if you've had similar interactions with twenty different people, I begin to get a real sense of who you are.

I admit, when I first began Couchsurfing, I did add friends in an attempt to bulk up my profile. We all do it to some extent. And that is a fine strategy for just about any other social media forum. Not Couchsurfing.

It's the strength of my connections that matter. You're asking people to open up their homes and lives to you. Many have children. Would you trust your home and family with someone you know only through a few tweets and a short profile?

So how do you meet people prior to sending out your first couch request?

Simple. Check groups. There's a group for just about everything, too. From women traveling solo to stamp collecting to families welcome and literally everything in between.

That's where you'll find meetings, get togethers, mash-ups, people looking for a coffee, for someone to share a car rental, places to volunteer. Join one of these get togethers. Get to know people in real-time in real life.

I joined up with Los Comelones in Costa Rica a few years ago. They meet once every month or so to try new restaurants in and around San Jose.  Randall e-mailed me about it, but he couldn't go that night. Since that night a group of us met for Peruvian Japanese food, Randall visited us. We've stayed with him in San Ramon. We've gone out drinking and eating. We've cooked together. He's referred his friends to us and vice versa. I've even written an article about him.

It's amazing where one seemingly minor e-mail can lead.

What else do you want to know about Couchsurfing?

Now it's your turn to ask anything you want to know about Couchsurfing. Small or big. Complicated or simple. Just ask your question in comments below or e-mail me with your thoughts, and I'll follow up in upcoming blog posts.

Photos courtesy of DaveAustria and Mike Murrow.

16+ Twitterers of Note To Mention On Follow Friday!

Happy Follow Friday! Today, I want to take a moment to make special note of people I know on Twitter and other social media outlets to say thank you. I'm happy to know you all!

Some are old friends. Some new. Some I’ve met in person. Others I know only through various social media channels.  All are people who not only have something interesting and unique to say but say it with a positive attitude.

When I first started on Twitter, I mentioned quite a few people like @umarket, @fogandthistle, @skydiver, @travelojos, @couchsurfingori all of whom I felt then and still find to be at the heart of what the very best of Twitter and social media can be.

Since then, my Twitter following has grown from 50 people to almost 4500. What frustrates me about #followfriday is how impossible it is to mention everyone I feel should be mentioned. Even so, I’d like to take today to bring attention to just a small group of those people I see on Facebook and Twitter, not daily, not even monthly, but people who I feel fortunate to have met.

@2morrowknight aka I don't know?
His Website: http://2morrowknight.blogspot.com 

 I didn't know 2morrowknight had been reading my blog at all until one day it appeared in his Huffington Post column: 12 Awesome Twitterers Who Rock the Planet. Wow! I simply cannot tell you how touched I was to be included in that list.

Since then, we have connected more on Twitter and Facebook where his streams are always full of poignant pertinent and well written information. One of my favorite articles is his No, Not My America. You Mean Our America, where he addresses the "shameful and criminally irresponsible attacks on President Obama."

@adbert aka Adrian Bertolini
His Website: http://adbert.posterous.com

Adrian is a sweetheart. Always with his Holitas! to say hello and a wicked stream on both Twitter and Blip.fm. He always has something worthwhile to offer. I almost had the chance to meet him when we traveled to Cordoba this past July. Unfortunately, it didn't happen, but he is top of my list of many reasons to visit again.

@Journeywoman aka Evelyn Hannon
Her Website: http://journeywoman.com

Even as CEO of the largest online travel resource for women, Evelyn always makes time to say hello and chat. I feel like I've known her for years, and I can't wait to meet her, whenever that may be. When you visit her site, be sure to sign up for her free tip newsletter going to 67,600 women in 100 countries. It's always packed with unique and useful information.

@lisarogak aka Lisa Rogak
Her Website: http://lisarogak.com

I recently connected with Lisa through Help A Reporter. She was working on a story about Miami International Airport. I was happy to supply her with a list of reasons why I hate that airport. She replied with the kindest e-mail.

It impressed me how a woman who has 40 books under her belt, countless articles and an incredibly busy travel schedule took the time to write, not just a quick e-mail, but one really asking questions to get to know me.

@wildjunket aka Nellie Huang
Her Website: http://wildjunket.com

Nellie wrote to me last year when she visited Salta. Soon after meeting, we sat talking about everything from travel and travel blogging to marriage to our families and more. She is an incredibly well traveled woman who writes wonderfully about the places she's been. Nellie was also kind enough to include me in her list of favorite Latin American Blogs.

@nerdseyeview aka Pam Mandel
Her Website: Nerd's Eye View

I don’t know Pam that well, but I do know she always has something insightful and thoughtful to say on her blog, in her Blogher blogs and everywhere else.

Last year’s Passports With Purpose, put together in conjunction with Debbie Dubrow  -- @deliciousbaby, Beth Whitman -- @wanderluster --  and Michelle Duffy -- @wandermom -- represents the very best of travel writing and social media. Plus a whole host of other participating bloggers.

How's that for building community?

@Travelinggreen aka Sonya?
The Website: http://travelinggreener.com

I first heard of Traveling Green through StumbleUpon when I saw a review of one of my blog posts by her. Then found her on Twitter. There's not a lot of personal identifying information, but clearly this blogger spends a a good amount of time searching and finding the best travel and eco-information on the internet. When I see the little green trembling aspen leaf icon, I make sure to see what's going on.

Then, of course, there’s the entire Matador Team.

Explore this list to find some of the most amazing writers, photographers, videographers and travelers on the internet. A group of people who truly think and live positively and freely but with humor. They help others and all have been such inspiration for me in writing and life.

I know there are plenty people I've missed. Such is the nature of lists such as these. So please, help me fill out this list with your favorite Twitters.

Do Viral Campaigns Really Help Fight Cancer or Save the Environment?

"Going viral" has become the holy grail of the internet these days. Everyone wants to find or create the video, photo or contest that will bring millions of hits and downloads, lead to network television interviews and all in all create an overnight star sensation. But beyond attention grubbing, do they do any good?

This question has been on my mind a lot of late. With Matador Life now on my plate of daily delicacies to do, I find myself sorting through endless articles, videos and photos trying to decide what should be posted on the Life blog and what should not. Each individual thread, cause, or idea demands attention and after a while, I find it very difficult to pay attention.

Today, for example, is a day to focus on climate and our environment. The Guardian along with fifty-five other papers in addition to countless blogs, websites and general media, have banded their voices together in a call for action from world leaders for climate change.

Unless we combine to take decisive action, climate change will ravage our planet and with it our prosperity and security," begins the editorial. The dangers have been becoming apparent for a generation.

Julie Shwietert from  Matador Change urges us to take responsibility and clean up after ourselves in her editorial response to a New York Times op-ed article written by Suketa Mehta in relation to the 25th anniversary of the Bhopal gas disaster.

There are plenty other causes as well.

Last week, a fun and heartwarming video called the Pink Gloves Dance for Breast Cancer Awareness emerged from the Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, Oregon.

Mashable reported that the video had gone viral along with information of an FOX network performance with the dancers.

A sweet video of a soldier greeted by his dog Grace on his return from war caused an uproar a few weeks earlier, so much so that the soldier involved ended up begging for his privacy and to be left alone.

It begins to seem, at times, that going viral becomes the story, but what effect does such virulence have on the actual causes? Does awareness lead to action? Or does the blaring sound of media simply leave us numb?

What do you think?

Photo by HH-Michael

The Power Of Twitter: What Can You Do To Save the Sea (#followmeatsea)

With all the tumult last week over CruiseShipGate, aka #followmeatsea, I'm probably nuts to bring it up again, but it's been on my mind.

At first I found the whole thing childishly amusing then I stopped paying attention. Finally, as the ridiculous thing continued to rage on websites such as Wild Junket or Matador Change and continued appearing through backhanded snipes on Twitter, I started to get aggravated.

Whatever happened to civil debate?

Julie Shwietert questions in her Matador Change article whether or not the environmental impact of cruises would have even been raised had one particular Twitterer by the name of Jeanne Dee not brought it up and brought it up and brought it up.

But the issue had been raised prior to the cruise. Caitlin from Roaming Tales wrote two separate articles questioning cruises and the entire cruise industry. Nancy D Brown, one of the cruise participants, wrote her own article focusing on these very same issues.

It seems, though, whatever noise produced by these thoughtful articles went largely unheard, until the sturm and drang of Jeanne's repeated twittering brought out enough hostility and upset so that everyone's eyes centered on this particular drama.

Perhaps we should be thankful that someone was willing to stand up and generally point fingers and poke until it hurt, but I'd rather live in a world in which people can treat each other decently and still be heard.

“Universal responsibility,” says the Dalai Lama, “is the feeling for other people’s suffering just as we feel our own… We must recognize all beings want the same things we want. This is the way to achieve true understanding, unfettered by artificial consideration.”

The Human Side of the Debate

Kim Mance wrote in a comment to my previous post on the subject that she's been literally sick to her stomach because of the stress from all this. Many others quietly wrote me through Twitter, e-mail, the blog and Facebook to express their own frustration at the tone this environmental discussion has taken.

The bickering leaves a bad taste in many of our mouths, and you need only take a cursory look at comments on any of the posts related to this event to see all the people who have felt hurt, angry and insulted.

Then there are those living on the islands visited by cruise ships, the ones who have to put up with the crowds, the mess, the water awash in fecal coliform. The ones whose livelihood is entirely based on cruise ship traffic.

I saw firsthand the importance of tourism to these tiny islands.

We didn't have many cruises come through Bocas during the months I lived there, but when we did, relief was palpable in the air. Every boat driver in the vicinity zoomed out to the deep water where the ship docked and carried passengers to land. Restaurants, museums, tours, beaches all bloomed with life. Same thing when we had a coast guard ship stationed nearby.

By contrast, I visited Bocas just after a particularly bad storm. There were mudslides, earthquakes, food shortages, all of which meant no tourists. You could see the worry in everyone’s eyes, locals and expats alike. For some it meant tightening the belt. For others, it meant not knowing how food would get to the table and into their children’s mouths.

Then I think of my parents or Noah’s grandparents who are lifelong world travelers. Both couples started taking cruises later in life when their regular forms of travel became too rigorous.

My dad, for example, simply doesn’t have the energy to travel the way he had in the past, and so when he tells me he’s going traveling, even on a cruise, I rejoice, because I remember too many days he was too tired, too stiff and too frustrated with not feeling well to leave the house.

Aunt Jane took Grandma Ruth and Grandpa Charles on a cruise when they were no longer healthy enough to go on their long solo-treks to China, Costa Rica, New Zealand and Israel. It was the last trip of Grandma Ruth’s lifetime.

Let’s Find the Best Path Toward A Common Goal

 “Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen. Few in pursuit of the goal.
Friedrich Nietzsche,

Don’t misunderstand. I am in no way saying that the cruise ship industry is all fine-and-dandy. I’m saying the industry exists, selling large numbers of tickets, regardless of what I or anyone else personally believes.

Should I start lecturing Aunt Jane, Grandpa Charles, the people of Bocas or my parents on the evils of cruises? Do you think they’ll listen?

How many people do you think have decided never to go on another cruise because of Jeanne’s tweets? Or did they just listen quietly, think “Damn hippy” and continue on to buy their cheap winter vacation cruise to the Caribbean.

If people are still buying tickets, there's no reason for the cruise ship industry to change what they're doing.

Better To Find An Alternative

 “Wait and see what we have to say,” is the cry from those on board Princess cruise.

“But they’re just mouthpieces for the cruise industry comes the criticism.”

Really?

Does anyone truly believe that everyone on board this ship will just shill for the cruise industry? I mean really? You think every single one of these travel writers is so easily duped, tricked or just starry-eyed over a free trip that he or she will lose all objectivity?

Personally, I think people would be far more interested in their reports were they to find fault with the industry, because, as we already know, people are drawn more to conflict than confluence.

People are also drawn to causes.

It feels good to band together with others to do something worthwhile. Look at charity:water as an example. A Twitter based organization that brings people together worldwide to provide clean water and dig wells for those who do not have.

Wouldn’t it in fact, be better to gather together a group of people on Twitter who are known, followed and read because they have a strong and well developed personality through social media, then allow those people to send out a message?

Wouldn’t that have the greatest effect for the good for the most people and for the environment?

Yes, short term, you will not see the same response, but in the long run, treating people with decency and consideration leads to better, longer lasting results.

Step Up To The Opportunity

Let's all connect and contact. Get in touch with those who took part in the Twitter cruise and ask them what they think, ask them what can be done, and encourage all involved to use their information and influence to improve the situation.

A partial list of those to contact: Kim Mance of Go Galavanting, Nancy D., Brown, Brett Rounsaville from Amtrekker, Gary Arndt of Everywhere Trip and Simone de Santi, A Road Retraveled

As I said, it's only a partial list, so please feel free to add additional people, resources and best of all, your thoughts, ideas and solutions in the comments.

I’ll finish with more from the Dalai Lama, because I think most of us can meet in agreement with his words. “If we have a genuine sense of universal responsibility as our motivation, then our relations with the environment and with all our neighbors will be well balanced.”

Photos courtesy of Alice Popcorn and Ansik's Flickrstreams

The Beautiful Cordoba, Argentina: Twitter Tips For Your Visit

If Salta is compared to a beautiful woman, then Cordoba should be her sophisticated older cousin.

How happy am I that we decided to break up the 24 hour bus trip to Patagonia with a day or two stop in this beautiful city. Cordoba offers a comfortable mix of modern and old. Where else can you walk into a Belle Epoque building to enjoy Saturday night bowling under black lighting. We arrived July 9th, Argentina's Independence Day, so almost everything was closed, but this didn't stop us from wandering the cobblestone streets and peatonales -- pedestrian walkways -- in the warm winter sunshine.

As our bus pulled out of Salta, I twittered a quick message to say I was on my way to Cordoba. Soon after, I received tweets from two different Twitter friends.

The first, Angela, also know as @santelmoloft on Twitter, originally from LA who is now living in Buenos Aires and has a lovely blog on the city. Her response to my Tweet?

"I love Cordoba," she told me. "There's a little known treasure for people who like folklore music... the house of the great Atahualpa Yupanqui." 

Turns out, his house is approximately 150 kilometers outside Cordoba city in Cerro Colorado, He alternated between living here and his place in Buenos Aires.  Perfect for a jaunt into Cordoba province if you have more than a day to spend in Cordoba.

The second, Adrian Bertolini, a.k.a @adbert, Shorty Awards finalist, Posterous blogger, top Twitterer in Argentina and, what strikes me most, an unbelievably warm person. He suggested I check out the churches. We checked out Manzana Jesuitica and the Cordoba Cathedral right off the main Plaza San Martin.

He also suggested Paseo Buen Pastor, an area for drinking, going out, museums, art and more, and the Cordoba flea market or "mercardo de pulgares."

We made tentative plans to meet for happy hour in Buen Pastor, but we unfortunately ran out of time  before rushing for our overnight bus to Nuequen. But now I have far more than one reason to return to Cordoba.

How Local Information Improves Your Roadtrip: An Experiment

We're on the move again. This time, we've just packed up our place in Salta to head back to the US after a quick roadtrip down to Patagonia, some skiing and then back to Buenos Aires before heading back to Atlanta for the summer.

It just happens that as we're leaving Salta, my fellow blogger Kelly Goodman of Travellious fame will also be roadtripping her way through the United States from Seattle to Chicago to join up with the July 26th Travel Blog Exchange Convention.

Kelly and I have been chatting lately about the benefits of local information to the wary traveler. How solid, friendly local information that leads you off the tourist path not only enriches your trip, but allows you to make friends and forge relationships.

We've both met countless people through Twitter, and a few weeks ago, she asked me to write a Newbie's Guide to Couchsurfing. Through our discussions, we came up with the idea of following our respective roadtrips, showing our contacts with locals through Twitter, Couchsurfing and other sources. We'll show you how our travel experiences have been helped., improved, possible confused, hurt or completely changed through these local contacts of ours, hopefully providing ample fodder for fun, travel tips and will be a good learning experience for all involved.

And in late July/early June, I'll write a guest post for Travellious of tips, thoughts, ideas, mistakes and all else to summarize what we've learned over the summer.

Of course, feel free to e-mail, comment or tweet any thoughts or advice you may have along the way.

Our itinerary is as a follows.

July 8  Leave Salta on the overnight bus to Cordoba

July 9-10 Explore Cordoba. The churches, flea markets, peatonales.

July 10 Leave Cordoba on the overnight bus to Nuequen

July 11 Relax for the day in Nuequen. Rent a car.

July 12 Drive our rented car to San Martin de los Andes, known for being a good, local family ski place. We're renting a little cabin here for the week and will spend it by the fire, cooking meals from local produce and skiing. May I just mention, this will only be my second time skiing ever.

July 18 Return to Nuequen where we drop off the car and pick up yet another overnight bus, this time to Buenos Aires.

July 19 Arrive in Buenos Aires. We'll be staying at Hostel Colonial where I'll be writing a story about family stays at hotels.

July 21 Flight leaves for Atlanta.

Kelly and her two travelblog companions -- Peter Carey - @pwcarey on Twitter - and Pam of Nerd's Eye View --  leave Seattle July 16. Their itinerary takes them through Mount Rushmore and the South Dakota Badlands on the way -- two places that featured prominently in a roadtrip I took my senior year of college. My very first roadtrip. You can follow along with Kelly on Twitter as she travels with two other travel blog companions  on their way to the Travelblog Exchange convention.

I hope to see them all there. But I'll figure out the details of that particular trip once we're solidly back on US soil when I'll begin looking for cheap flights and places to stay in Chicago.

Why I Gladly Sully My Twitterstream With #followfriday Recommendations

So today is yet another Follow Friday on Twitter. That's #followfriday to those of you who already know.

To those who don't know, a quick lesson in Twitter hashtags. Hashtags -- twittered words preceded by the # sign -- create groupings of a particular subject. You include a hashtag in your tweet when you want to create or add information to a topic. Say #travel #writers #parenting. Then when someone does a general Twitter search including your hashtag, your tweet appears under that search. 

 Follow Friday -- and it's corresponding hashtag #followfriday -- allows you to recognize those people you follow or those who follow you in some small yet significant way. When you add a #followfriday to a tweet with someones name, you're saying, "Hey, I dig this person. You should follow them too."

What this also means is every Friday, Twitter swells with hundreds, nay thousands of recommendations. It would require amazing time, patience and diligence just to blindly follow them all. The whole thing quickly becomes overwhelming and annoying. Most people stop paying attention. I know I certainly have. And many will even unfollow you if your Friday stream simply spews out list after list of recommended people.

So really then, what is the purpose of Follow Friday?

It's A Great Way To Reconnect With Those I Haven't Talked To In A While

I currently have a following of over 3000. While not the largest on Twitter, by far, it's still huge. To stay in touch with all these people would be impossible, and it's more likely I'd have a nervous breakdown before reaching them all.

Every so often, though, perhaps once a month, I take a Friday to recognize all those who have given me a personalized #followfriday recommendation. These are people I know beyond casual Twittering. We have become involved to whatever extent in each others personal, professional or Twitter lives.

Some examples:

@fogandthistle I met Rachel through YouBeMom when I posted to ask if anyone else was on Twitter. Since then, Rachel has introduced me to many of those she follows. I bought one of her beautiful papercut nightlights for Lila, and we have plans to meet in NY this September to discuss a project we'll hopefully be doing together.

@umarket and @collazoprojects Two travel Twitterers. When they recommend someone, I follow. I read their blogs, and both have supported and helped me in numerous ways.

@worldlyjohn A web developer and winner of the Social Action's Change the Web Challenge. We met when he twittered a request for input on his Change the Web Challenge entry and have since kept in touch. Turns out we will both be at Burning Man this summer. He's also about to move to my old neighborhood in Brooklyn and start his own web development firm. I'd like to hire him to redesign my websites.

When I #followfriday this group of people, I make sure to list them separately and give a specific reason why I so much appreciate them as part of my Twitter community.

Show Appreciation To Those Who Have Recommended Me

This is perhaps the largest group of people in my #followfriday group. Most, I don't know well. Many, I may never know beyond the occasional superficial tweet. But I do very much appreciate that they've taken the time to let me know they like what I do.

I want to say thank you back, so I include them in a longer list of people with just names but no particular descriptions.

Builds Your Following. Builds Community.

Many people send out list after list of people they don't know and probably don't or won't ever know much about. At first, this annoyed me. Clearly these people have no interest in me personally. They just want a bit of attention, want me to follow them, but then afterward, I won't hear a single thing from them.

Then I realized, so what?

Whenever I'm included in a list of #followfridays, it's a good bet the others in the list will follow me or retweet the list. Thus, my name gets around. While the percentage of people who then begin to follow me or read my blog based on these recommendations is significantly smaller than with those people who have taken the time to get to know me, it still builds my following.

And you never know where a real life, real time connection is to be made.

Builds Your Twitter Ranking

When you #followfriday people, they usually thank you and then start #followfridaying you. The more mentions you have on a particular day, the higher your ranking in Twitter Grader, an online ranking tool of Twitterers worldwide. It's divided by country, city and you can even find your overall ranking among more than 2 million Twitterers.

What does that mean? Well, it's not the end-all-and-be-all, but appearing high on any of these rankings will bring more people to your Twitter page and ultimately to your website. It is also quite a thing to say in your marketing profile that you are, theoretically, one of the Top Twenty Twitterers in Argentina -- as high as #4 in the country on a busy #followfriday --  and Number One in Salta.

Perhaps by now, I've convinced you to engage in Friday mania I've grown to know and love. Here are some tips to get you involved.

So How To Know Who Endorses You?

I use Top Follow Friday. You just type in your name and out comes a listing with all the people you've recommended and those who have recommended you. I do warn, though, this list isn't complete. More than once I have noticed key people missing, but it is a good tool.

If anyone has any other tools they use, please leave your ideas in the comments and feel free to let me know how I can thank you in return.

Follow Friday Isn't the Best Method of Connecting with Big Names On Twitter

Yes, I know, Follow Friday is for making connections, but those so-called Big Names -- @guykawasaki @skydiver @kriscolvin @zaibatsu -- receive so many mentions and retweets, it's likely yours will get lost in the crowd. There are so many better ways of getting their attention -- mention them in an article and then message them directly to let them know, for example.

Unless I have a specific reason to recommend them, I save my praise for retweeting.

You Don't Have To Do It All

I never get to everyone, and I'm sure there are people I miss entirely. Like everything else with social media -- and really life in general -- you can't do it all.

Don't kill yourself over it. A solid relationship won't fall apart if you somehow forget to mention a person. By the same token, you shouldn't get all bent out of shape if someone fails to mention you. Think of #followfriday as icing. Appreciate it when you have it, but don't whine if you don't.

As time passes, you'll find you meet more and more people. You'll see your list of endorsers grow and watch as the names on your list go from just names to people you not only recognize, but with whom you've developed real, working, give-and-take relationships.

It just takes time and patience.

What's the Connection Between Burning Man and Social Media?

I recently read in one of my preferred blogs, Social Media Rock Star, how Burning Man is now the place to be. It's the cutting edge. Maybe even the bleeding edge.

Cutting and bleeding edges. Two terms that take me back about ten years to a marketing meeting we had at MTV. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss future trends of the planet, hopefully to be detected and incorporated by MTV programming just before the rest of the world caught on.

The trends talked about in that meeting were spot on. We talked about India. People would start turning to the east, traveling there. Yoga would become mainstream. We discussed body art, not just elaborate tattoos but flesh art, where you literally cut or burn a design in your skin. Sounds implausible to many, I suppose, but when you look at magazines like Body Modification E-zine or notice that Yahoo! has an entire section on body modification, suddenly what once seemed over the top and off the edge comes a little closer to home.

But we never talked about Burning Man, even though it already had a rather long history by then. At that time, the few people who heard about Burning Man called it a place for hippies to dance naked in the dessert.

This article I read, How To Stay Near the Cutting Edge, tells us Larry and Sergy of Google fame played at Burning Man right before Google became huge.  Matador Network published an article on the Thirteen Coolest Art Installations at Burning Man. And there seems to be more and more of a buzz on social media sites -- Twitter, Friendfeed, Posterous and more. Everyone wants to drop everything this summer to spend a week dancing naked in the desert.

Does this mean Burning Man has gone mainstream? Well, that all depends if you believe Social Media is now mainstream. I'm not quite sure it is. Yes, it's in the news and all over TV. Ellen and Oprah twitter, you know.

But I think for many, these things are still in the realm of trend. Until social media is used exclusively in place of other more traditional forms of media, until using the phone or turning on the television is something we quietly accept that really only Grandpa still does, because he never quite cottoned to the idea of sending a video through his phone to be simultaneously posted on a profile at each of the 50+ social media sites, until then Social Media is the new kid on the block. And the new kid on the block still has a lot to prove.

So now, why do I want to go to Burning Man? I'm curious. No, I am beyond curious. What is this thing in the desert that seems to inspire such grand creativity in so many people? What is this festival of naked hippies that so many cite as a life changing experience? 

They say you simply can't imagine what it's like until you experience it for yourself. I picture standing on the playa, a flat plane of dessert in Nevada, as the top of my head bursts open and all colors, stars and energy will flow forth. And then, then I will understand.

Yeah, something like that.

(Photos courtsey of Hartingale and PurrpleHeyse's Flickrstreams)

Is Social Media Just Another Bubble Waiting To Burst?

We live in a world of bubbles. The Dot.com Bubble.  The Housing Market Bubble. The Banking Bubble. Now, as I spend more and more of my time in the various social media spheres, I can't help but wonder if there isn't also perhaps a Social Media Bubble, rapidly expanding, thus moving every minute closer and closer to bursting.

Here's how I see it: A blogger reads other bloggers blogs and comments on them. Then, each blogger adds her favorite bloggers to her Google or whatever RSS feed reader she chooses. She follows the same people on Twitter, friends them on Friendfeed and Facebook, Stumblesupon and Diggs them and then adds a link from her own blog to theirs. They, in return, follow, friend, comment and link back.

I see the same names pop up on mailing lists, Pitch Engine and HARO -- two sources where writers, journalists, PR Pros and regular people go to ask for publicity or sources for their stories. Which means, reporters send out queries on HARO which are then picked up by the public relations people from Pitch Engine who then write articles for the blogs that are then fed and followed by Technorati, Digg, Stumbleupon, Squidoo, Ning, Twine, Icerocket and that only brushes the surface of social media outlets out there.

There's no tangible product here, so how does anyone actually make money from this.

Ok, there are eyes and clicks. How many people view your page and eventually click on your links. That counts for something. In fact, every site has a method of counting and measuring. Feedburner and other such feeds are perhaps the biggest yardstick for knowing how important your blog has become.

Then your feed serves up articles about How To Gain More Followers, How To Be A Better Twitterer and How To Optimize Your Subscribers. The posts on my own blog that recieve the most traffic -- of course, I'm counting too -- are the ones that focus on blogging, twittering and any any number of other subjects related to Social Media Success. So the circle goes around, feeding itself.

But how much can a click really mean? What is the product being sold? Who is buying? And how many articles can one really read about how to drive traffic to your site and who are the best people to follow? Maybe we should all just pack it in and go do something real and solid, something worthwhile like teaching orphans or rebuilding communities devastated by earthquakes.

Or  maybe, just maybe, this online world works because people interlink. People subscribe to HARO because they have direct access to reporters. Every day, I recieve upwards of 100 queries. At least two per day pertain to me. That one AOL article brought more than 20,000 hits in five hours. And HARO costs me nothing to join, so really, why not? When fifty thousand people say why not, you have a solid audience, one that will click on links and buy from your advertisers.

Even better, we are building real community here. We go from being the faceless consumer to having names. I recently ran a contest with a Whimsy and Spice sampler box of cookies and cake as a give-away. Since only four people entered, I decided it only made sense to send a box of goodies to each of the entrants. Thus, Whimsy and Spice has four more sales. I have four happy readers who are very likely to buy from Whimsy and Spice again. These four happy readers -- Jessica, Shannalee, Jennifer and Jodi --  will soon be featured on my website, including their blogs, and will most likely return to read my blog. Jenna, the owner of Whimsy and Spice, of course, understood whyI wasn't able to put in my order until Noah felt better, because she has a family too and knows how life slows down when someone is sick. She wished Noah a fast recovery and also offered me a price break on shipping.

We reciprocate, not just because we have to supply a product for a price, but because reciprocity and generosity have a value. Kristi Colvin recently wrote a a must read article on Twitter and the Law of Reciprocity. "We must genuinely like people to benefit from social media," she says."Because if you like someone, your intention is naturally more reciprocal and less self-serving."

So which is it? Have we created something unique, something that will transcend past business models or are we inevitably headed for the Next Big Pop?

You tell me.

A Total Newbie Answers the Question: What Good Is Twitter?

 If you aren't already, please follow me on Twitter!

* * *

I joined Twitter almost two years ago. I remember exactly where I was too. In an Etap hotel just outside of Marseilles. I was introduced to it by @arincrumley, one of the creators of Four Eyed Monsters. That was the same day I started my blog. But at that point, it was so slow and painful to twitter from a Blackberry, I didn't bother.

Since then, I've been so busy with moving, traveling and the like, that it only barely hit my radar. I figured when I was more settled and finally thought of good use for Twitter, I'd wait to get involved. Then I started receiving notices that people were following me on Twitter.

"Following what?" I wondered. Still more followed, and finally, my curiosity got the best of me. I logged onto my account.

That was about ten days ago, and now I am hooked. So what good is twitter? I'll tell you!

1. Work and Personal Benefits

It's like a huge online cocktail party with tens of thousands of people chatting 24 hours a day. You are always connected to people with similar interests, both work and personal, all over the world. I'm in touch with others interested in yoga, gardening, sustainable development, art and teaching.

So far I have learned endless amounts about the technical side of building a better blog, how to use Twitter, Wordpress and how to work public relations and social media outlets. Thanks @DaivRawks. This man, Daiv Russell-Ninja Nerd has almost 20K followers and somehow manages to keep up with them all. He offers sound advice on anything technical. I sent him a question once and was amazed to see his response within a few minutes.

There are others too: @mashable @mayhemstudios @PRsarahevans and @skydiver.

@skydiver, by the way, is Peter Shankman, founder of Help A Reporter. If you are a writer of any type, business owner, website analyst, really anything, you need to check out his site. I'd also like to mention that I met him twice. First, at the 1996 Democratic convention in Chicago. The second time, I was struggling to carry my child and her stroller down the subway stairs at the Columbus Circle station in NYC just before we left to travel. He stopped to ask if I needed help.

I've met other travelers. @collazoprojects. Julie Shwietert, a writer and traveler from NYC and Puerto Rico writes wonderfully on her blog about all topics ranging from travel to politics and more.

I met Julie through the Twitter posts of @umarket of Uncornered Market fame. Their website follows their absolutely amazing travels through tens of countries. Their thoughtful articles and striking imagery make you want to visit. If you can't, though, you have this sneaking feeling that you've been with them through China, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Latvia and so many other places I simply cannot list them here.

There's also @ARoadRetraveled. @tripwolf. @travelojos. I've chatted and compared travel notes with all these people. In addition, each has a website where you can learn more about their experiences traveling and perhaps one day, I will write for some of them or they will guest blog for me.

Sometimes, you find inspiration. @kendrathornbury, for example, is a Life Coach, Spiritual Guide, Manifest Mastermind Guide, Law of Attraction Guru, SpiritAlive Creator, Joyous Being, Free Spirit, Humanitarian, Alive Enthusiast (as her profile says). Each day, she posts wonderful statements about how to move yourself more freely through life and reach your goals.

"When you are aware and awake in the moment, you have the leverage to create whatever you want. U are not a slave to circumstances," she posted last night. And there is such a lovely picture of her smiling on the beach on her website.

I've met other parents. @fogandthistle Another NYC mom. She has a blog and Etsy shop where she sells original papercut designs. I plan to buy one of her gorgeous nightlights. Lila has been asking for one for quite a while and her room here in Salta is so unbelievably dark at night.

And finally, it's a great source of news. I'm following all sorts of news outlets such as @nytimes, @suntimes, @guardiannews. And BOOM, all headlines with links are sent directly to me.

"But why do I need all this information?" I'm sure many of you are still asking yourselves. I've already seen more visitors to my blog. And, well, I guess I may as well tell you. I have a new project brewing. It involves an expansion of the What Lila Sees section of this website. I'm aiming to launch in June.

There are other less obvious benefits to Twitter as well.

1. Improved Memory

Imagine. You are following the information threads of anywhere from 10 to 10,000 people. It's a constant stream of information. Then one day, you see a reply from someone line @CouchsurfingOri saying "Could've been that stalker! :)"

What? I had no idea what he meant. Was that message intended for someone else? I had to think back to all my interactions with him and all the things I posted in the past day or so. Then I got it! I posted something about that horrible yowling outside our casita last night. "What the hell was it?" I wondered.

2. Teaches Patience

You can't ask everything at once. And when you do make contact with some, you can't just blurt out right from the beginning: "I have the great idea. You really should help me." No, you have to start chatting, understand who the person is, what they do. You have to get to know them as you would in real life, but on Twitter, you rarely receive the immediate response you would at a real cocktail party. You have to wait for your answer.

3. Encourages Positive Thinking

There is a real culture of Pay It Forward. I've noticed the things that attract the most interest, tend to benefit as many people as possible. @twitchhiker, for example. He's a reporter for the Guardian who intends to travel for a month soley with the help of Twitter tips. All money he raises goes to charity.

People credit each other for posting solid articles and thoughts by this funny little thing called retweeting. By retweeting, you also help yourself. The person you credit is thankful and passes along your name. The people who appreciate what you've passed along thank you as well.

And since this is a site so often used for marketing, almost everyone I've encountered presents a positive, helpful face. You have to be open to people and you never know from where a good idea will arise, so most people are willing to have conversations and help. In ten days, I have yet to see anyone be anything but decent and constructive. A far cry from You Be Mom, where people remain anonymous and tend to tear each other apart.

4. It Is the DOS Version of the Future
Best yet! Twitter is it's own world with it's own rules. In it, you open yourself to a constant stream of information from so many disparate sources. It's absolutely dizzying. Hot dang if I don't feel like Johnny Mnemonic, only the yakuza aren't chasing me and presumedly my head won't explode if I don't find the key to the data stored in my head.

One day, I'm betting we'll receive this feed directly into our brains. There, we'll meet our Twitterverse Tweeples wearing brilliant 3D avatars lounging on sumptuous digital couches and sipping martinis while sorting through the latest information about some big business mogul releasing a horde of insects into a crowd or accept a request to speak to a classroom of children in the South of France or Guam. I imagine my eyelids will be quickly fluttering as I receive the information.

Yeah, Twitter. I drank the Kool Aid. I'm a true believer now.