TNNW UPDATES! July, 2009, Week 2

JULY, 2009, Week 2
UPDATE ISSUE 3 (New Format)

Coming in August:

• High-Utility Killer Content


• Sharp New Look and Super-Simplified Navigation and Access


• The World's Best Suite of Member Services*


• Some Brilliant New Writers


• Direct Professional Introductions


• The Ultimate Intelligence Source - THE NATIONAL NEWSPICKER**


• TNNW BUZZWORKS - Our SWAT Team Becomes Available to YOU***

*Imagine These MEMBER SERVICES, Bundled for Optimal Efficiency:

• Complete Public Relations, Publicity and Press Releases;


• Financing! - For Ventures, Acquisitions, Development Projects, Operations, Purchase Orders, International Trade and Growth...Credit Insurance;


• International Agent/ Distributor Service - Go Global Instantly and Inexpensively;


• Targeted Multimedia Advertising for You, Your Organization and Your Services, Publications and Products;


• Custom Surveys and Market Research Packages.

Q: How did you live without this stuff?

**Imagine This One, Amazing, Time-Saving Resource: THE NATIONAL NEWSPICKER. One source of distilled business intelligence from over 25 of the world's most credible and authoritative sources. Twenty minutes of reading. Knowing it all. Being informed. Sounding lethally intelligent. Being more efficient, effective, powerful and valuable. Increase your Relationship Capital (Adam J. Kovitz is the Avatar of Relationship Capital, by the way). Also: We invite our Subscribers and Members to rename this thing. Please.

Q: How did you live without this stuff?

***Imagine This Kind of Artillery, Working for You: TNNW BUZZWORKS, giving you visibility, credibility, image, identity and a constant presence across all e-media. Full saturation marketing.

KNOWLEDGE + APPLICATION = POWER.

We will make you glad that you joined us and became a part of our growing, interactive international community. And of course, they'll be plenty of buttons...




With Great Things to Come,

Adam J. Kovitz and Douglas Castle (who is not quite as important as Adam J. Kovitz)




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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW). All rights reserved.

To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

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TNNW UPDATES! July, 2009, Week 2

A NOTE FROM THE CHAIRMAN: New Writers Join the TNNW Family

This week I am pleased to announce the addition of two new writers and a returning fan favorite.

First up is Leanne Hoagland-Smith. I have known Leanne for several years now...you can say she's a friend of the family. Leanne hails from northwestern Indiana and consults to top executives of major Fortune 500 companies. Leanne brings a world of experience to TNNW as she will be bring you Working Within every month, a column about the internal networking that takes place (or, at least, should take place) within the most effective organizations.

Some long-time TNNW fans might remember our first Hawaiian Bureau Chief, Sandy McKee. This week I am delighted to have my long-time friend return to grace us with her insight on the many networking opportunities of the U.S.'s 50th state. Read her (re)debut article here.

Lastly, but not leastly (is "leastly" a word?) is Wendy Kovitz (yes...we are related, and have been for nearly 17 years!). They say "opposites attract", and with Wendy and I, that couldn't be more true. I have always been the extrovert, leading discussion groups, lecturing, training, networking, while Wendy has always been a more behind-the-scenes person, working to make TNNW (and myself) look as good as possible. Wendy refers to herself as the "Cyberian of Networking" as she handles the research responsibilities for TNNW. Just recently, Wendy requested her own time in the spotlight as a columnist with Networking Fun for the Introverted.

Still more to come in the next few weeks - stay tuned!

As always, I look forward to Networking with you,

Adam

For more about Adam J. Kovitz, please click here.

Hire Adam to speak at your next conference or event by emailing info@thenationalnetworker.com.

Follow Adam on Twitter!

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To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

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A NOTE FROM THE CHAIRMAN: New Writers Join the TNNW Family

U.S., ALASKA: Wild Women & Wild Alaska Salmon

By Stefanie Gorder, CTP, DS

Alaska Bureau Chief

Seafood Fanatics Unite!
Special free product offer to TNNW subscribers!

By: Stefanie Gorder, ctp, ds

Alaska attracts interesting characters from all walks of life that are looking to strike it rich in one way or another. For instance, in 1996 Floridian senior sisters Annette King and Jane Davis left the sunshine state for the wilds of Alaska. Their intention was to complete a consulting project and return back to the comfort of their life in the south. Now thirteen years into their northern trek and on the verge of retirement, they still live in Alaska and have struck it rich in friendships and a unique business opportunity started a short two years ago.

Annette did attempt to re-locate south several times, but the call of the north kept her coming back. She spent years working in the hospitality & fishing industries and began to dream of fulfilling a long-time desire to create a dynamic company promoting her love for Alaska and seafood. Jane on the other hand, did leave Alaska but was captivated enough to continually return during Alaska’s harshest season – winter. During family vacations to warmer climates, Annette and Jane began to make plans to create their own seafood packaging business, a company that would focus on family values and fresh Alaska treats. 2 Sisters Alaska Seafood opened their doors for business in 2007 and have grown quickly. Owned and operated by two over-energetic women, they hope to be an example to everyone that it is never too late to follow a dream.

Located in the heart of Alaska’s prime fishing area puts 2 Sisters Alaska Seafood at the front of their nationwide competitors. At every given chance, they work with local Alaska commercial fisherman and small regional businesses. The adorable intricate company logo was designed by Cindy Pendleton, a local Alaska artist and features two senior sisters in kuspuks pulling opposite sides of a bountiful fishing net. A kuspuk is a long sleeved hooded slip over shirt with large pockets traditionally worn by Alaska Native elders. They can be used for everyday wear and usually are made from a patterned fabric with short gathered skirts at the bottom.

The 2 Sisters logo is placed on all products, custom designed attire, bags and even ulus. An Ulu (pronounced – “ooloo”) knife is the most renowned knife in Alaska. Native people of northern Alaska invented it centuries ago and it was used for hunting, fishing, skinning, filleting and every other imaginable cutting need by the Inuit people. Aside from their incredible array of fishing products, the Ulu is one of the top selling gifts in their collection of offerings. Consumers from all over the world work with the 2 Sisters team to create custom packages meeting their needs. The big rush falls two weeks prior to any major holiday and Christmas and New Years packages are requested as early as September to avoid the rush. Even corporations are ordering major quantities for client holiday gifts!




Unlike most foods, seafood must be handled in a very particular way as it is extremely perishable. The fewer the hands, the better the fish! 2 Sisters Alaska Seafood is located at the wharf where boats come in to drop products off for processing. Due to their unique location, they not only get the best pick from the incoming batches but have the advantage of getting the product to doorsteps and dinner tables long before the handlers step in. Most seafood travels a grueling supply chain – going from warehouse to warehouse; thawing and refreezing; and being passed around a dozen times before it is sold to consumers. 2 Sisters strives to have the very best products which are superior to grocery store and price club offerings. Their Alaska trade secret is to take seafood fresh from the waters and ship overnight to consumers worldwide. Scrumptious!


Another advantage to direct orders from Alaska docks is the guarantee the seafood is WILD product. Caught in the icy cold waters of Alaska, consumers have the best quality and the healthiest options. Research shows that food rich in Omega 3 oils is beneficial to the heart and brain. Furthermore, studies show that wild Alaska salmon has the highest naturally occurring Omega 3 oil content of any fish. Combine two sweet and sassy seniors with WILD ALASKA SEAFOOD and this winning combination delivers every time!

Speaking of delivery, 2 Sisters Alaska Seafood is extending a special offer to the TTNW distinguished readership! Order from the website and receive a sample of other Alaskan gift items (i.e. wild jam, jellies, mustards, etc.). Be sure to reference this article (TTNW) when checking out under “how did you hear about us?”, and they will include a treat at NO CHARGE! Another terrific offering from The National Networker! YES! Expand your seafood horizons further by signing up for their email specials and receive notices twice a week featuring specials. Every order also receives glossy recipe cards for fresh preparation ideas. Order 8 pounds or more and receive FREE Overnight Shipping. 2 Sisters Alaska Seafood offers the best possible seafood at the best possible prices.

As a connoisseur of their products since the beginning, here are a few personal favorites to get your taste buds moving. Be sure to check out their website for additional options.

Wild Salmon
Caught just miles from processing, wild salmon is bled and iced before being cut into convenient one pound portions. Vacuum sealed and flash frozen to lock in all the delicious and healthy juices; this is the best wild salmon available anywhere in the world.

Wild Halibut
Only medium sized halibut produce the sweet, tender white meat that halibut fans enjoy. Skinless and boneless, their halibut provides a light, healthy alternative for seafood dieters. Halibut also provides customers with a true Alaskan treat - halibut cheeks! About the size of a jumbo scallop, the halibut cheek is cut from just behind the neck of the fish, giving you the sweetest, most tender whitefish available. It’s absolutely heavenly!

King Crab Legs
The Grand Daddy of Alaska seafood! They only sell Jumbo King Crab Legs, each weighing around a pound. High in protein and low in fat, king crab is harvested in the deepest, most remote waters in the world. These are what you see on "Alaska's Deadliest Catch", and are best when flown direct to you from the docks in wild Alaska. Don't be fooled, King Crab flown direct from Alaska is an experience every seafood lover should enjoy!

Local Alaskans traditionally head into the waters to find their own catch of the day; however, when it comes to smoked salmon, 2 Sister’s smoked product cannot be beat! All smoked product is naturally alder smoked over a wood fire the old fashioned way – no chemicals, no chips, and no preservatives. They have alder smoked, lemon pepper and my personal favorite, honey smoked salmon. Each is packaged and vacuum sealed in approximately 1/2 pound packages. They also offer whole alder smoked fillets and smoked black cod. It’s a perfect snack by itself or serve with crackers and brie for a decadent treat!

With the business off the ground, Annette and Jane now take time to balance their lives through living an adventurous lifestyle. Each summer they hike the mountainous terrain of the Kenai Peninsula and in winter trade hiking boots for snow shoes. Annette still hops on motorcoaches full of visitors to entertain with stories of the north. Jane took up ice skating and knits to fill the long winter months. While fish is their business, they discovered early on they enjoy sportsfishing on the peaceful rivers and lakes. During their first “combat” fishing trip to the Russian River, they were shoulder to shoulder with fishermen. That is, until the others figured out these two ladies had no clue what to do and the crowd quickly parted to allow full access. Their lives are a far cry from the Innkeeper and EEG Technician status of their past.

Annette and Jane. Two sisters that arrived in the north as cheechakos, an endearing Alaskan term for newcomers; and now are sourdoughs, two old-time Alaskans who can survive the harsh elements that captivated them years ago.

For more information on 2 Sisters Alaska Seafood including products and free recipes, please see http://www.northwest-seafood.com and follow them on Twitter @2AlaskaSeafood. Stay tuned next month as Stefanie breaks away from the north and showcases an American treasure.

______________________________________

Stefanie Gorder, ctp, ds
Owner, marketing Cents

E:mail: stefanie@marketing-Cents.com
Twitter: @StefanieGorder

For more information, please visit Stephanie's TNNW Bio.
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To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

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U.S., ALASKA: Wild Women & Wild Alaska Salmon

THE REHUMANIZATION OF NETWORKING: Respect My Time

The Rehumanization of Networking
with Douglas Castle

Dear Friends (and I occasionally use that term patronizingly, as some of the alternatives which come immediately to mind are unprintable):

Have you experienced any of the following "counterintuitive" phenomena in your relationship-building efforts? [No need to answer out loud -- the people nearby will think that you are crazy]:
1. The persons who want something from you for free are a great deal more persistent than those who pay you for your time and effort.

2. The persons who want something from you for free tend to be far less patient with you than those who pay for your time and effort.

3. The persons who want something from you for free tend to shirk your needs (no matter how minor) aside when they are "working" for "money", or with a "paying" "client".

4. The persons who tend to ceaselessly demand the most of you tend to return the least.

5. That persons who flatter you with the biggest trowelful of adoration tend to follow that flattery with a demand that you do some "homework" for them...usually a great deal of work requiring a great amount of your time.

6. That persons frequently use the leverage of friendship or partnership as a ruse or excuse to make you work harder, faster and for less compensation.

7. That you find yourself afraid to ask for the compensation which you deserve because you feel that you will either lose friends or clients.

8. That you get far fewer business or professional referrals from persons when you do things for them gratis than when you have billed for your time or achievements.

9. That when people say "we" they often mean just "you."

10. That those people who court you, solicit you, corner you and "pick your brain" without ever getting down to the part of the discussion where they ask, "And what, brilliant sir, might you require in compensation for your services? Please let me know. When can we commence? Do you require a cheque or a wire transfer? May I pick up this tab for lunch?" are the ones who will unhesitatingly tell third parties behind your back..."I have a hard time working with/ getting a hold of/ understanding that guy."

If you have experienced these phenomena, you are not alone. You are in good company. Don't be cynical -- it isn't that people are mistreating you deliberately. It is actually of a function of two things:

1. People's hard-wired and societally-reinforced behaviors and responses to certain subtle signals;

2. Your failure to acknowledge and deal with #1, immediately above.

You set a bad precedent when you don't forewarn or pre-advise people of each of the following cold realities. Do this early on in the game:

• You are an expert;
• Your time is scarce, and that it is worth money;
• Your priorities, of necessity, will go toward those persons who pay for your services;
• There are limits to your time and availability;
• You must insist upon their cooperation or they will have contributed to your failure.

If you meet with too much resistence, move on politely. If they start to offer you other forms of compensation in lieu of your fee, move on politely (with a few exceptions -- see below). If they tell you of their lamentable poverty, refer them to Social Services and then move on.

If someone asks me, "Douglas...if you really believe in my project so much why don't you just work on a percentage, or be a junior partner?" I must question their motives, as well as their likelihood of winning at what they are at work on, lest I gamble away my chance at certain profits through guaranteed compensation per hour or per engagement. Choose speculative opportunities carefully -- only the very best should be the exceptions to the "I get paid a fee" principle.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Be certain that people respect your time, and that you respect your own time by bringing this TIME IS MONEY subject up early on in the realtionship. Then, invest your time very wisely, and make good decisions.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

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THE REHUMANIZATION OF NETWORKING: Respect My Time

U.S., SOUTHERN PLAINS: Still Remembering The Alamo

By Peter Biadasz, U.S., Southern Plains Bureau Chief

(Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico)

In the February, 2007 edition of The National Networker I had the honor of introducing to you The Alamo Executives Association (AEA) in San Antonio, Texas. Just before I called its Executive Director, Diane Nichols, to write this update, I perused through their website to see what changes may have occurred since I last visited with them. I was both surprised and please when I saw my own smiling face looking back at me from the “About Us” section of their website. You see, they proudly posted the article from the February, 2007 edition and have utilized it as a method to promote their group. Very wise use of publicity! I don’t want to say that the article can be credited with their recent successes, but not many networking groups in this country can boast having as a member an individual who has owned both an NBA and NFL franchise, but AEA can boast of this success, as well as many others,.

AEA, started in 1989, is still noted to be impressive, honest, close, fantastic, brilliant, and fun while still meeting every Tuesday morning from 7:00 – 8:30. Passing leads as well as information is still the group’s forte. In addition, members have experienced an increased growth in sales through member recommendations of products and services. AEA is an exclusive organization of business owners and executives from non-competing businesses in the San Antonio area. AEA’s exclusivity provides a non-competing atmosphere that allows for open discussion and exchanges to occur.

The group’s stated purpose is to increase its members’ sales of goods and services through the exchange of information and leads. It seems to be working well. According to Ms. Nichols, the group has transacted now over $73,000,000 since its inception and has grown to 48 members. These numbers are the result of lead passing standards set by AEA. At each weekly meeting members are required to submit an average of at least one business lead or referral to another member.

Total business to date in 2009 stands at $953,310.00

One of the biggest notes within the group is how many of the members are nationally ranked within their industries. It is understood that each member is responsible for and credited with the success of the membership. Besides the weekly meetings, the group still enjoys outside activities together. Most involve food as well as going to area attractions. There are quarterly mixers, a big bowling night, the annual Retama Park Party and the annual trek to Austin on board a luxury motor coach to enjoy the hilarious Esther's Follies (which offers hilarious satire on all the news makers and events fit to parody). Delicious potluck parties are also held periodically at various members’ homes.

This seems like a very balanced and successful networking group. In fact, it has been called the “premier group in San Antonio” in which the members truly “believe in each other”. Membership is by invitation only.
To learn more about AEA, feel free to visit alamoexecutives.com

Peter Biadasz, author of such book as More Leads as well as Increase Your Sales And Lower Your Golf Score,and the newly released Write Your First Book, is President of Total Publishing And Media. To contact Peter about getting your book published feel free to contact him at Peter@TotalPublishingAndMedia.com

For more information, please visit Peter's TNNW Bio.

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To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

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U.S., SOUTHERN PLAINS: Still Remembering The Alamo

A NOTE FROM THE CHAIRMAN: TNNW Continues to Evolve

In past issues of The National Networker (TNNW) Newsletter and in our Bulletins (re-named "Updates") we have promised change in the upcoming months and I am here to make good on that promise.

Why change?

Because the face of networking is constantly changing and therefore the needs of our subscribers and members are changing. The demand for unparalleled content in a world where there is a continual barrage of re-posted, re-hashed, and plainly uninteresting information out there is at an all time high - our readers want information that they can use today, material that is thought-provoking and, at times, edgy.

One of those changes happens this week. You have spoken and we have listened.

I have been writing an article since the second issue of TNNW (March, 2005) and I have named it (for my own lack of imagination) Headline. This changes today with my new column entitled Because I Can. Additionally, it will be appearing in the Week 1 issue of every month. For those of my loyal readers/followers, you can expect my usual rantings and ravings about global economics, Relationship Capital theory, religion, politics, Newtonian physics, and the occasional small, furry woodland creature. I hope you enjoy my "first" submission to you under the new name, entitled Why Givers Don't Always Gain and Why the "Law" of Reciprocity is Bullsh!t. Why call it that?

Because I can.

Oh...and I changed my (what Douglas Castle loves to refer to as my "Bar Mitzvah") picture too.

In the next few weeks, expect more writers, more topicality and more interesting stuff. We're changing faster than you can connect with a Nigerian heiress, buy Canadian prescription drugs and become an Internet Millionaire in just 5 easy steps!

As always, I look forward to Networking with you,

Adam

For more about Adam J. Kovitz, please click here.

Hire Adam to speak at your next conference or event by emailing info@thenationalnetworker.com.

Follow Adam on Twitter!

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To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

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A NOTE FROM THE CHAIRMAN: TNNW Continues to Evolve

THE REHUMANIZATION OF NETWORKING: Walking On Eggshells

The Rehumanization of Networking with Douglas Castle

Whoever You Are:

This is my newly-featured column. Adam J. Kovitz (who loves to see his name in print) appeared to me in a vision and said, "Son, I believe it is time for you to write about whatever you want to write about, instead of the usual insipid, prosaic pap that I force you write about. Go off and build a life for yourself. Make me proud. Try not to be too graphic or use too much profanity."

WALKING ON EGGSHELLS

I have done it. So have you. It feels degrading. It feels like enslavement. It feels embarrassing. It is emotionally exhausting. It robs you of your self-respect. It makes you look foolish to everyone who actually knows you. It takes so much of your time. And what's so very sad about it -- IT ALMOST NEVER WORKS!

Yes. I am speaking (and very quietly, so you have to listen very, very closely and carefully) about walking on eggshells. This is a social ritual where we perceive someone as being so valuable to us that we are prepared to compromise virtually everything, including our time, our opinions, our principles. We meet someone with something we'd like (i.e., investment capital, important contacts, personal fame, a wonderful body for our exploration, a great job opportunity), and we put him/her on a pedestal. We are afraid to ask for anything "prematurely," for fear that it will become obvious to this person that we are "after something." So we begin the dance.

We are inoffensive. We laugh at jokes that we don't think are funny. We "suck up". We stop being who we truly are, are try to become the person we thank that our targeted person would want us to be. We turn into Hoke, and the target person becomes Miss Daisy. Worst...we invest an incredible amount of time "romancing" the target person with absolutely no certainty that we will get that special something we are after. We always have the unsettling feeling that that person might lose interest in us, or stop noticing us, or become disenchanted with us, or think that we are too aggressive -- or, when we finally work up the courage to ask something of them --turn us down.

Here are some unsettling facts:

1. Our target person, no matter how seemingly stupid, invariably senses what we are doing;

2. Our target person actually resents our sycophantic, simpering, cloying conduct, but indulges us out of a sense of pity, entertainment, egomania or good manners;

3. Our target person is absolutely waiting for us to ask for something, or to make some request;

4. Our target person has been through this ritual as many times as we have;

5. Our target person has actually made up his or her mind as to whether or not he or she would like to engage us within the first hour of our acquaintance. With every minute after this, we are wasting time.

My suggestion: Don't ever prostitute yourself unless 1) you know that the other person wants what YOU have to offer and 2) can pay for it. Otherwise...

Do a flamenco on the eggshells at your soonest moment. Treat your targeted hotshot as you would another Human being. If you want something of that person, ASK. And ask soon. You can spend six months kissing up to someone who thinks that you are the quintessential numbskull, and be rejected in six months. Think of the wasted time. Think of all of those lunch and dinner tabs.

Learn to listen to and to trust your instincts about people. If your connection feels good, it is at least a 60% - 40% proposition that you can ask for something reasonable and get it in relatively short order. If your connection feels bad (when the person to whom you are trying to ingratiate yourself is not even making eye contact with you, and is looking around the room for other persons, or is smiling for the camera, or is obviously preoccupied or distracted) it is a 99% - 1% proposition that he or she has no interest in you, or in accommodating you. This is not to say that you should not use your best efforts (and charm, if you've got any) in order to get your target person's undivided attention for long enough to establish a brief Human-to-Human, one-on-one connection. Persistence pays. Ask Madonna, Stallone, Ted Turner, Donald Trump, Oprah, Bill Gates...

But bear in mind that persistence is very different than just "cozying up" (except possibly in the case of Madonna, who was a legendary innovator when it came to actually combining the two). Sometimes you can ask repeatedly, and the target person eventually relents. Be persistent in asking -- not in merely "getting close to greatness." Expedite the trial and error process by breaking the eggshells.

Don't walk on eggshells. Ask for what you want, and ask early on. Life is far too short and far to uncertain to waste a second of it away from the things that actually work. Ask for what you want. Ask early on. If someone says no, ask again. But understand that the game isn't on until you've actually asked.

Thank you, one and all.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

*Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/douglascastle http://twitter.com/TNNW_BUZZWORKS
*Check me out: http://aboutDouglasCastle.blogspot.com http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/douglascastle
*My Blog: http://aboutDouglasCastle.blogspot.com

For more about Douglas, please click here.

Special thanks to Cooltext (http://www.cooltext.com/) for their excellent graphics and design effects.

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THE REHUMANIZATION OF NETWORKING: Walking On Eggshells

NETWORKING FUN FOR THE INTROVERTED: By Their Tweets Ye Shall Know Them

Networking Fun For The Introverted
with Wendy Kovitz, Cyberian of Networking*

I've spent the past few weeks enjoying the fast and often furious world of Twitter, engaging in banter with hardly more words than a fortune cookie with mostly complete and total strangers. Why?

Some mother's helper article once touted how much can be accomplished in only 15 minutes around the home if you just put your mind to it. Make small and achievable goals and just "GET IT DONE!" Fifteen minutes may get some socks folded or vanquish a sink of dirty dishes, but try to do Access programming with only 15 minutes of "alone brain time" and see what happens in a house with three young boys.


KISS (keep it simple, stupid)

Talk about an uphill struggle for a creative writer of soap opera epics who has never been able to come up with a title or one sentence synopsis for anything to save my life. But I persevere, because I seem to be in very good cyber company. How annoying is it to try to read the most recent Update and work down the list to where the sentence or thought started in the first place? I'm 40 years old and so frugal that I've had the messaging service turned off on my cell phone, perhaps that's why I'm perplexed by abbreviations of words, thoughts and even, dare I say it, logic.

For a really great article (written in Tweet style, no less), please see Paul Constant Reviews Twitter. Just one of his points:

"And the arguments are delightfully public, for anyone to see. Twitterfighting isn't a verb yet, but I hope it soon will be."

"Doctor Facebook and Mrs. Twitter"

I was not entirely happy with the Chairman's appraisal of my online networking escapades thus far, but it does smack of truth. Though I love Facebook for re-connecting me with long-lost friends and relatives, there is much to be said for the freedom of expression one can find among strangers on Twitter. Twitter is so deceptively duplicitous in its intent - you only have 14o characters to make a point! Surely even the busiest person can whip out a few keystrokes and be connected in Twittertopia! The other difference I discovered was that while networking with roughly the same amount of people on each site Facebook is completely filled with people I know (at least fairly well) and Twitter is almost completely the opposite. The irony here is that my Twitter strangers probably know me better than most face-to-face friends and acquaintances.

There is something to be said for face-to-face networking, and most of it good. What is it about its absence that allows us to so quickly disintegrate into virtual chaos? I read a great article in this month's Scientific American by Michael Tennesen called "Avatar Acts". In it he talks about the virtual evils such as rape, theft and murder perpetrated by predators on the unsuspecting and discusses what if anything should be done to protect the estimated $1 billion annual in virtual commerce along with our virtual health and well-being.


Liberal Libra at Large

How then can a serene, open-minded soccer mom manage to provoke the wrath of not one but two gay, gun-toting, Republican neo-cons? Perhaps if I had gotten the recommendation to read some very sound advice regarding what to share and with whom from a college friend of mine I wouldn't have entered the realm of politics, religion and other such taboo items so quickly.

From the Ultimate Facebook Guide by Kevin Eklund:

Reconsider Sharing Controversial Content

"Just remember however, that not everyone is interested in discussing such controversial issues in an attempt to find solutions."

Take my seemingly innocuous statement regarding the President's address a couple of weeks ago:

"Good to hear #Obama talking about #relationshipCapital and fostering partnerships with other countries instead of forcing US agenda."

Yes, I tagged him with #relationshipcapital even though he didn't say it, because he meant it. Obama gets it.

It later was re-tweeted by a man I shall refer to as Angry2:

"tlking is for weenie commie symps".

In all fairness, I had accused the Republican party of defecating on the equality agenda, a point to which my Twitter pals vehemently objected. But in equal fairness to accuracy, I had been reacting to Angry1 when he said (in reference to the President):

"BHO sez he is 95% cured of smoking. Was Ted Bundy 95% cured of murder if he took a day off? Just askin."

So, they blocked me because Angry2 decided that I was trying to "bait them into a rant. " Is a healthy discussion of differing beliefs really such a bad thing? Of all people, I wasn't expecting this from members of a community that I've defended over Thanksgiving meals and other such intimate social forums since college. Perhaps I may not be as savvy as the next person when it comes to politics, but is there no common ground in the world or in our own backyards?

Lest anyone think I'm using this for a purely pro-Democratic agenda, I must say that I do respond to eye-catching Tweets about the socialist (i.e. Democratic) plot to take over the world, as long as I don't feel that my intelligence or my beliefs are being personally attacked. It's Twitter, for goodness sake, not exasperated kitchen table politics with family members of differing persuasions. There's the sense that we can "speak" our mind and someone, somewhere is "listening".

I'm determined to keep on looking with rose colored glasses, not of the world as it is, but the world as it could be. Anyone with me?


Next Month...

I'll be interviewing Wyatt from Pan Historia "a community for collaborative fiction and role play writing. "


Wendy Kovitz
Cyberian of Networking
http://EpicInABottle.blogspot.com

*Views expressed are solely those of the writer and in no way reflect the overall mission of The National Networker.


For more information, please visit Wendy's TNNW Blog or connect on Twitter.




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NETWORKING FUN FOR THE INTROVERTED: By Their Tweets Ye Shall Know Them