The Inner Thinking of a Drunken Troubled Mind (Solitude Challenge)

I am annoyed that I hear my roommate and her boyfriend talking in the hall. Don’t they know I am trying to have a moment of solitude? Makes me mad. They seem so wrong for each other is all I think yet I don’t pity either one of them they are both idiots.

I can hear the wind outside my window and the creaking of a heat panel trying to turn on yet my room is freezing.  I can see two girls talking in their living room across the court yard, not trying to creep on them, but what else do I do for 30 minutes? I find myself trying to tune out the noise and find something meaningful to do with my time. As humans in America at least we are never allowed or at least it is frowned upon to just sit and do nothing, this makes this all the more a challenge. I however am a huge fan of the Greek style of life. Wake up in the afternoon, get some work done for a few hours, then party all night, go to sleep and do it all over again. At the same time I love something the Italians call ‘Dolce far Niente’ it means the sweetness of nothing and in a moto for life, I love the sweetness of doing nothing.

The flickering of my candle indicates there is a draft coming through my window…

I remember things from the smell of my candle. Smells of flowers fill the air, reminding me of my office in Tilton summer 2012. After my mom and I had painted over princesses on the walls we used the same candle to get rid of the scent. I miss Jesse.

I hear my roommate tell her boyfriend she hates him, beyond closed doors. It is not the first time I have heard her say that before. Again I think of how I miss Jesse. It’s only been 10 minutes into solitude.

My phone just buzzed, I am tempted but I won’t look. Whatever it is the world can wait….it buzzed again.

There is snow on the ground and two weeks till Christmas. I couldn’t be less excited…for the first time in my almost 23 years I couldn’t care less about Christmas or my birthday just two days later.

I wonder who will read this blog…that I am scribbling onto a notebook page.

I wish I could time travel. I don’t regret many things in my life because it’s all a part o the learning process, however, there are things I would change to correct these immense and overbearing feelings wrapped inside me.

I think if it were possible I may turn off my emotions all together. The ones that keep me awake at night. The ones that make it so impossible to move on. The ones that hold me here guarded behind gates and a mediocre attempt of a smile. A fake persona, that I am truly happy. Although, it is very easy to hide behind the social media world, a person everyone has believed me to be.

My phones buzzed again. 12 minutes left. Come to think of it, I can probably guess who it is that is texting me because for certain, I am not that popular. Or should I say, I have intentionally secluded myself this semester so it gives me an advantage of observation and accuracy in guessing. It’s probably Alex and I hope we can go shooting. I like redneck things I must say. I like being and seeming tough although on the inside, I am rather fragile. Not my bones because I have never broken one, but emotionally I am one sip, one lyric,  or one comment away from shutting down on a regular bases. I have become frail. I very much dislike this version of myself.

I wonder how many likes my status has gotten so far. As it says, “Sitting with a candle in the dark. 30 min solitude challenge go!” in reality, who cares. It’s Facebook and the first like will probably come from one of the many people who I don’t really speak to in the real world. Or maybe the first will be my other roommates’ boyfriend, who seems to like a lot of my things.

I see an airplane. Wish I was on it. Take me anywhere but here. I find it funny, that the things you think you want are often not at all what you actually want in life. We never take enough time to think of what we really want until we have lost something we didn’t know we really wanted.

Wonder if that text could be from Jesse? Unlikely. Like bleeding water from a stone, more than a few word response is asking too much. One of these days I will allow myself to stop suffering and being miserable. One of these days, I will feel warmth and care and know that it is forever. One of these days, I will be able to show who I have always been and be accepted for just that. That day is not today.

Wonder if my dad will ever invite me over to dinner. He keeps saying I should come around more often and I keep saying invite me over. We are at a standstill.

“Don’t go chasing waterfalls!” that’s what my roommates boyfriend is singing in the hall way. Laugh out load. They need to stop interrupting my solitude. Now they are arguing that they are so different. Anyone with a brain could tell them that. I think they should break up and get it over with. I’m tired of hearing them time and time again. Her bickering at his every move and him wishing he didn’t love a homebody is the same old same.

I cannot wait for this semester to be over. Maybe then I can experience real solitude.

Times up, and my lights go on. Sadly, I like my room better with the lights out. And as I check my phone and my Facebook, neither is the least bit surprising. Alex texted and a kid I haven’t talked to in forever was the first to like my status. This world…predictable.

What the future holds , for social media that is.

What does the future hold for social media? A lot can change in a short amount of time. In the next three years social media will be drastically different and we know this with certainty by looking at what has happened in the last few years. In the last few years sites such as MySpace have drastically declined in users and other sites such as Facebook and Twitter have built up usage.  Also in the last several years, social media sites have been cleverly used in marketing and today it is nearly impossible to find any site on the web without some form of marketing ads across the page. To know the direction we are headed in social media, we can watch analyze the past and only assume that in the future there will be no more MySpace and one day no Facebook, or Twitter because in an industry of social media it is ever changing, expanding, and something better will always become the next big thing. In the future Twitter will outlive many of these social media networking sites because of its current use, application, and how it doesn’t overload with advertising. According to statistics, 76% of Twitter users post status updates. And this is a large percentage in the Twittersphere. However, Facebook is the most addicting according to a statistic conducted by Jay Baer, if this is accurate then most users are checking their page 5 to 6 times every day. This create opportunity for marketers and a long lived Facebook media. 

Best Influencers in the Twittersphere

Influencers in the holistic industry that are really getting it done on Twitter do a number of things. In some instances, it is through a catchy title or connection the content has to the viewer. In other cases, it is because the audience wants to know what is causing a buzz and is really retweet-worthy.  The following two influencers have a connection with their audience and know how to engage them. through hard work and a strong branding and strategy they have many followers eager to see what they have to share.

1. @NaturalCuresInc a With almost 10,000 followers, Natural Cures is making a big impact. Average about two tweets a day, although some days have no tweets and other days have several they typically don’t go more than a few days without providing some new content to the viewers. Through their consistency they are able to build a large following and maintain them. They direct tweets to other influencers or just fans and also enable themselves to have a personable quality to their account.  

2. @DrOz a Is another influencer in the holistic industry although he does not directly deal with holistic alternatives he does influence the industry by suggesting a healthy lifestyle. He provides a lot of content on cures and healing. Many of his tweets engage the viewer through their titles and links that drive traffic of viewers to other sites as well. Although traffic is directed elsewhere, DrOz combats this with providing numerous tweets a day for viewers to engage in. Through his success in providing the audience what they want he has currently over 3,225,000 followers which is an outstanding number in the Twittersphere. 

Geotagging is Not as Cool as Hashtagging

That’s right; geotagging is not as cool as hashtagging. As quick as this feature is becoming more popular there are things that users should know about it.

In the holistic industry, geotagging is a great way for people to share and tag places to enjoy a healthy meal, shop for holistic materials, or participate in events. In sharing this information, people can bring awareness to local businesses and encourage consumers to swap out their normal products for more holistic friendly options. Geotagging can be used to make an easier transition into holistic practices by knowing the right places to go and purchase goods. By sharing and tagging the location on videos and photos, consumers can know where to go to have a similar experience.

Although geotagging can be used to positively affect local businesses and bring awareness to ease of living a holistic life, there are safety and security issues that can become a problem to users. In geotagging people share their exact locations which if done enough and not carefully can give away personal information such as where they live, work, and their extracurricular activity locations as well.  

 

Here are some safety tips:

1. Understand how geotagging works. The first step to protecting yourself is to know how properly use the feature. The best form of protection against threats is knowledge.

2. Understand the risks. If geotagging is not done properly or is done carelessly, the threat of potential stalkers or thieves can easily be accomplished. By understanding the risk, you will see the importance of monitoring and taking care in who can see your geotagged information.

3. Know when geotagging is appropriate. This goes along with understanding how it works and understanding the risk, however, it is especially crucial to know when not to geotag. For instance, it is not appropriate to geotag photos of a private residence. A rule of thumb on this is, if it reveals something personal or private about your life, do not geotag it.

4. Know the geotagging capabilities of your devises. This goes beyond just using sites such as Flickr, Foursquare, and Facebook Place’s, this applies to most cameras that capture and store information about where, when, and what settings, as well as longitude and latitudinal location.

5. Know how to disable your devises geotagging feature. This is important and can be found and adjusted through the settings menu.

 

Holistically Holly’s Family Detox Vegetable Soup is a MUST!

This recipe is a Parker family specialty. My mom made this soup often as a meal during her detox diet. Let’s just say that this detox soup did not taste anything like normal detox foods. This soup is so delicious and addictive that I had to share. Try it!

 

Ingredients Needed:

–       2 carrots sliced into bit size slices or half slices

–       3 celery chopped

–       1 large onion diced

–       1 small eggplant peeled and cubed

–       1 medium zucchini sliced and half slices

–       1 small summer squash sliced and half slices

–       1 Tomato peeled and cubed  

–       2 tablespoons of olive oil & 2 tablespoons water

How to:

Sauté (onions, celery, and carrots) in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 table spoons of water until tender. Then add all remaining ingredients (eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, and tomato) steer ingredients and cover. Cook until content reaches desired consistency. 

How to Network in Social Media (Holistic)

Since WWW (world wide web) was created by Tim Berners back in 1991, it has become much more than he or internet creator Vint Cerf ever would have ever expected. The use of the internet and world wide web has expanded greatly since its first introduction and has become a means of communication, marketing, and networking.

In the holistic industry, experts use social media networks to do just that: social network. They use many site such as Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, blog sites and more to communicate. They most commonly share information with others that are likeminded and admire the holistic practice field. They share information on tips and other health facts that can be used. The more information they know and share, the more knowledgeable they appear to have. The more information they appear to have the more credibility they seem to have and the more people then follow them. These sites are used by those in the holistic industry to create a greater following and network as well as build their information base.

Besides social media sites being used for networking, there are sites designated just for social networking in the holistic industry. One of these sites is HolisticLocal which is a site for people interested in the holistic field who want to change the world’s way of thinking. This site helps businesses share products or seek out products that they want for their business. The site also is meant to help people locally buy and sell their items. HolisticLocal provides information on local events and activities to help others network in the field and come together.

Video Sharing in the Holistic World

Sharing videos? Let’s face it, with today’s high technology focus people are looking to get up-to-date information quicker and easier. With information easily shared throughout the internet through social media sites it is easy for information to get out there, but just as easy for information to get lost in the vast amount of information available. Here are a few tips for effective video sharing and an example of how to effectively share information from your industry to your audience.

Step 1. Establish Credibility. If you are going to give your audience information, first establish why they are going to want to listen to you. In holistic practices, there are many skeptics on the effectiveness of the industry and in order to be listened to and heard, the audience must first believe the person they are listening to is credible.

Step 2. Know Your Audience. It is important to know what the audience wants and find an appropriate way to deliver that to them. If they want flashy and exciting music to captivate them, give it to them. If they want just the facts, then give them just that.

Step 3. Make The Information Easy To Understand. In some industries there are complex terms and concepts which to the average person could sound like gibberish. If these more complex terms are necessary then give examples or a further explanation to help comprehension. It is important to not over complicate the content of the video so that even beginners can understand how to get the most out of holistic practices.

Step 4. Call to action. After providing content, invite them to return or inform them of another location that they can get more information from you.

Video Connection to Tips:

Establish Credibility: Sara Ouellette introduces herself as the founder of Beyond Vitality and a Registered Holistic Nutritionist & Fitness Consultant

Know Your Audience: People who click on a ‘Top 10 Holistic “Fat” Loss Tips’ blog and video are more likely than not looking for quick information, which she gives them in ten tips.

Make The Information Easy To Understand: Bullet points and an easy to listen to video, makes the channel of information more quickly received by the audience.

Call To Action: At the end of the video Sara Ouellette invited the audience to subscribe to her channel and visit her website to get more information and tips.

Tips for Improvement:

*Overall pronunciation and pace of the information is too quick.

*Do not just read in the same tone to the audience. Fluctuation of tone will connect and engage the audience better as if having a conversation with them.

*Music in the end should not drown out the speaker giving call to action information. Although it is a nice effect it should be softer till she is done speaking.

First Steps to Share-Worthy Photos

‘The Cure is in your hands’

Photo credit to Allison Rapp

Holistic practices often use photos as a way to shock and wow or other forms of drawing attention to important facts consumers want to know. Photo Sharing, a way to say a thousand words in one image, or at least you hope so. Here are some photo sharing mistakes to watch out for when sharing photos. The first steps to make sure that they are share-worthy.

Tips:

1. Consider your lighting: Avoid low resolution or scanned photos because they never transfer over well and take away credibility of the sharer.  Too much lighting takes away unless done right. Too much light washes out photos and offsets the tone of the photo. Not enough light is just as bad as too much light. Setting the mood is important for some photos but the best time to shoot photos is right before or after sunrise and sunset. Avoid Odd Hues and avoid oddly filtered photos that come off unreal, in a bad way.

2. Be aware of the background: Poor framing of the photos have no distinct edges. Make sure framing is not awkward or an eye sore. Do not have a lack of staging in photos even when trying to capture a moment. There may not be time to stage the background or things that just don’t look right, such as dirty laundry or dishes. Try to remove them! Also sometimes people end up in the photo, depending on the intention of the photo avoid close ups unless photographing an actually model or someone who adds value to the photo.

3. Don’t misuse the wide angle lens: Take a picture of something worth showing.

4. Don’t have misleading of unclear views: Quickest way to upset the viewer is to make them believe they are looking at one thing and then it’s something completely different. Be honest. This includes bland nature photos. Unless there is something interesting about a photo or it adds value to a message, avoid using a plain photo with no redeeming qualities.

 5. Final thoughts: Although you are trying to convey a message, make sure the photo adds to that message and adds value to the person who is viewing it.

Bulls Eye on the Target

Target market is a term generally coined as a group of consumers who a business focuses marketing efforts towards in hopes that they will in turn purchase a product or service.

In the industry there are many people who are involved in holistic practices; however, the target logically would be the most influential in the market: moms. Moms are consumers then when they speak they roar. Women in general influence 85% of all purchases of products and services and make a prime target market.

According to Groundswell tool, female consumers above the ages of 18 have a major presence in social technology. As the demographic age increase the less active they are concurrently.

Groundswell too suggests that 24% of women are Creators. They create blogs, videos, and posts for all to see. Critics are those who comment and critic others content on the internet and they make up 36% of females in the market. Collectors are those who organize material for others on the web and they make up 19% of females. Groundswell tool suggests that Joiners are 54% of the market and are those who use social media networks to connect with others. The largest group of females is Spectators at 72%, who watch blogs, videos, and review but typically sit back and do not engage as much. Smallest group of females, 18%, is Inactives who do not associate or connect though social technology.

Spectators being the largest group are natural Consumers according to COBRA typologies. Consumers have low engagement and are motivated by information, entertainment, and remuneration. The second largest group of females are Joiners which are very different from Spectators. Joiners are very much Contributors who are motivated by personal identity, entertainment, integration and social interactions.  By knowing this information in the industry marketers can more closely target and get the attention of their intended audience.

Target Markets in the holistic industry can be defined by the VALS II psychographics. In VALS, which is an identification and classification system, consumer values and lifestyles can be revealed. Thinkers are a segment of VALS that are described as being mature, satisfied, comfortable, and reflective people who value order, knowledge, and responsibility. This group most importantly is actively seeking information about their decision making processes, which makes them great and adopting holistic remedies that are backed by facts.

What the Micro Blog Is That All About?!?!

What is micro blogging? Micro blogging is a complex term for a not so complex concept. Micro blogging is using a form of media or some other channel to publish short messages. Twitter is the perfect example of a micro blog. In 140 characters or less, the writer must convey their message to the audience. This idea is not only enticing but challenging, especially for bloggers. It’s a challenge for those who are bloggers and are used to going on tangents to get a message across. Bloggers are accustomed to using full sentences to create the right mood, tone, and meaning behind their words. In micro blogging that must be achieved in fewer words. Micro blogging can be used in many ways to post ideas, thoughts, or timely information to the audience.

How can micro blogging be used in the holistic practice industry? How it can be best used is (1)by posting short facts that the audience would want to know and (2)by posting links to other mediums where users can find in depth information on the topics presented.

Best tips to micro blogging:

–          Engage the Followers

• Meaning keep them interested. Do not allow them to lose interest by lack of providing information. Also direct tweets to them to help their engagement in your industry.

–          Be Personal and Interesting

• Nobody likes to follow someone that is boring. Keep them interested with content. Do not be afraid to push the edge on types of information they may or may not want to know.
• For example: posting about the health benefits to being vegan and also post a link to a video or blog about how animals are slaughtered. It is this content that not ever follower wants to know but they will appreciate your credibility and honesty.

–          Use Hashtags

• Hashtag a lot! #HashtagALot

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