Hey you, twit.

I am officially a Twit.

Or am I a Tweeter?

Okay, so I don't know all the lingo and I am still in the process of figuring out when to put at signs (@), the pound sign (#) and the like to direct messages to people.

I have been on Twitter for a while now under the alias of Afauch (not very discreet, I know). I am still very skeptical on the whole thing but I believe it really does have a place in business, especially PR.

Twitter has the ability to reach a mass audience and already has sub-categories and lists according to certain topics and interests. This makes it easier to find and follow target audiences and to tailor messages.

It also allows for you to see what people are talking about. A business can find out if their product, ad or whatever is being talked about, without the cost of focus groups and surveys etc. It allows for candid discussion, giving real feedback.

The world is definitely changing. I remember when all I did on the computer was Number Munchers. C'est la vie.

Happy tweeting, twitting, or whatever you call it.

Help, please?

They say a survey a day keeps the doctor away.

Okay, so maybe that's not true. But you should still fill out my survey for PR anyway!

Go to: http://bit.ly/3z51UU

Thanks :)

Often times, people fail to notice the importance of the 'little' things. There are good things that happen in each day, no matter how horrible you think your day is going.

Our lives are made up of small parts. There are more small things and gestures that happen in the span of our lives than big defining moments. So why don't we appreciate those, for they are a larger part of our lives?

Whoever comments on this blog post, I want you to say two 'little' things that happened to you that day that made you feel good about yourself. Show some love.

Today's 'little' things for me:
Today, my class gave me a CreComm round of applause (although I shouldn't be TOO flattered, since they clap for everything) for my Nana's Sugar Cookies and gave me rave reviews! I really appreciated that guys.

Stacia, today was the first day I have been in a car with you driving. You are a really good driver. I usually feel car sick, I did not feel car sick at all. So, kudos.

Right now I'm sitting beside Zach and Renée, two people from my class that I don't really hang out with too much. It's awesome to feel really accepted with my class, knowing I can hang out with whoever.

When I was waiting for the bus today, I was the first person at my bus stop. Two other women came to the stop, and were standing closer to the road than I was. But when the bus came, they recognized I was there first and told me to go ahead of them so I would have first dibs on seats. Thank you people who recognize Winnipeg Transit courtesies.

I also didn't have to wait to use the microwave today.

What are you 'little' things for today? Did someone make you smile, laugh or just generally feel good about yourself? Let them know.


Here are some other 'little' things that make me smile:

1. When the bus driver tells you to have a nice day. This always makes me feel good. Even if he says it to everyone.

2. On the bus, there is just enough people that no one has to sit beside one another.

3. When it's like that, and the 'overflow' person that comes on the bus decides to sit beside you. Although I don't like sitting beside people on the bus, I find it weirdly flattering.

4. When you put on shoes that were sitting on top of a heating vent before you leave the house. Clothes that just came out of the dryer are good too. And a warm towel right after a shower.

5. When you wake up two minutes before your alarm goes off, so you can shut it off instead off of waking up to BEEEP BEEEP BEEPP

6. Finding a parking spot at Walmart close to the doors.

7. Having a good packed lunch.

8. When someone says they like what you are wearing.

9. When you go to jay-walk, and the coast is clear.

10. When you hit the right 5-minute increment in Winnipeg rush-hour.

11. Getting a call,text or Facebook comment from someone you used to talk to a lot.

12. When someone keeps the door open for you.

13. When someone trusts you enough to ask you to look after their stuff while they go to the bathroom, smoke etc.

14. When someone asks you for help, because they think you know what you're doing.

15. Falling asleep on the couch.

I leave you with the song "My Favourite Things" from the Sound of Music. Enjoy :)

Land of the wacky and the weird

Last weekend I went on a typical Winnipeg holiday: Grand Forks, North Dakota. I did the usually things: packed my bag with only the bare essentials, making sure to leave enough room for my purchases, I filled my tank to half full (because that's how much it takes to get there, and gas is 2.69 a gallon there; translating to about 71 cents a litre!) and went on my way with my boyfriend, Taylor.

It's funny, Grand Forks is only two hours away, but things are so different in the states. When shopping at Hugo's Grocery store, I found the most hilarious things. One of the things that stood out were these instant brownies,cookies and cake. You just add water and microwave for 30 seconds and you have an insant baked goods. Gotta admit, I had one, and it was great.

Here are some of the other weird, wacky and beautiful things I found:


Diet Coke sweetened with Splenda. I love this idea and wonder when we will be getting it in Canada! A lot of people are apprehensive about Diet Coke because it is loaded with Aspartame, which some say causes Cancer (but really, what doesn't these days?) I wonder though..in regular Coke there is 26 grams of sugar. Is there 26 grams of Splenda in this? That can't be good for you.

This is an ad I came across when I was at Happy Joe's for their delicious lunch buffet (oh how I love buffets..). It was in the bathroom and it made me stop and laugh. The girl that is posing looks like she is some kind of adult-star. Her picture really doesn't contribute anything to the gymnastics program. The funniest though, is the kid in bottom right-hand corner. At a glance he looks like he is crying and flipping the bird. Again, not having anything to do with gymnastics.

This is a poster ad that was in Hugo's Grocery store. Someone is selling their Elvis Suit. It comes with belt, cape, wig, side burns, gloves, scarf and lies. It's $400.

Talk about a niche market.

Cherry 7-up with antioxidants! Really? Healthy pop?

Yes, there is MORE healthy pop! Coke Plus, enriched with Vitamins and Minerals. I don't know if this is absolutely insane or genius!

While I was in RRC, a 'cowboy' store in Columbia Mall, there was a radio ad for anti drinking and smoking. Only in America.

I'll share more pictures later!!

Dear Abby

When I was in high school, I was a member of MB4Youth, an advisory committee providing feedback on services to the Minister of Education, Citizenship and Youth (Peter Bjornson, at the time). It was a great experience and I got to do some really fun things. One of the projects I worked on suicide prevention for Aboriginal youth. With that, I had a lot of training on Aboriginal issues and history. We went to sweat lodges, Aboriginal Acheivement Awards, pow wows and talked to lots of elders. I learnt a lot about the past and about current issues facing Aboriginal peoples. It was a very valuable experience.

Since then, I have been very intrigued by Aboriginal culture. My mom used to work at APTN and it was really interesting to see all the stuff she was involved in. When she worked there, we went to Manito Ahbee and it was absolutely amazing, especially the chicken dancing - it gave me tingles up and down my spine. The costumes are all made by hand with great colourful beading. No two are the same.

Aboriginal culture is one that encourage kindness, selflessness, brotherhood, peace and a sense of purpose and meaning in this world. It also means a sense of pride, but also a broken past.

I was talking to a friend of mine, Thomas Edwards, about Aboriginal issues. Thomas is an awesome Aboriginal Role Model and has done great things in his community. We were talking about residential schools and the inequalities Aboriginal people have faced in the past, and he said something that really struck a chord with me. He said "It takes seven generations to heal, i'm only the second". A lot of people think that people really dwell on the past. But it's not really that far in the past. Aboriginal peoples only were granted voting priviledges in the 1960s, so a lot of people that are alive today still remember a time when they weren't allowed to cast a ballot. The last residential school to close was in 1996. These things aren't the past because it happened in our lifetime. So it can't just be forgotten that easily.

This weekend is the Manito Ahbee Festival for All Nations in Winnipeg. It is a GREAT weekend with SO many fun events! Last night I went to the First Night Awards at the McPhillips Street Station Casino and dipped my feet in to Media Relations working with RoseAnna Schick. It was absolutely amazing. Tonight is the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards at the MTS Centre with people like George Canyon, Charlie Major, Sierra Noble, Crystal Shawanda and is hosted by Lorne Cardinal (From Corner Gas). Saturday and Sunday is the International Competition Pow Wow with lots of crafts and art for sale on the main concourse.

I strongly urge everyone to go to a Manito Ahbee event this weekend. It's a great time!

Walk the walk, talk the talk, but can you blog the blog?

My first week as a Creative Communications ("CreComm") student at Red River College was a hectic one. As true Communications specialists, our teachers described the results that CreComm will give us, and not too much about the process. At the end of our two years we'd have so much momentum from all of our relentless networking, we'd be able to produce our own radio and TV shows, have no trouble writing a 30 second radio-ad in only an hour and streeters wouldn't make us want to vomit (don't think that'll ever change). Sounds great, but it seemed a long way from where my abilities stood on that first day.

Among the many assignments that were thrown at me, we received the on-going task of maintaining a blog. Not only that, they wanted it to be interesting!

I wasn't very familiar with blogs, their uses and how they could be beneficial to this program. To me, the blog replaced Livejournal and online diaries of the like. It wasn't a way to get noticed for a job or market a brand, it was just a way to vent and talk about your life. Boy, was I wrong!
One Thursday in our seminar slot, a few famous bloggers, like Colin Fast, came to talk to us. I was very surprised that some blogs stood out from the rest and that you could actually establish yourself through this.

Blogging is a way for people to see how you write. It's a way for people to learn about you, your personality and the types of things that interest you. This is valuable to employers, especially in the Communications world. It's another way of social networking, like Facebook and Twitter. This just actually involves effort.

We are required to post one blog by 6pm Friday every week. Like true students, most of us put it off and post Thursday or Friday. None of us are opposed to writing earlier though if a moment of genius came to us. As for me, CreComm has slapped most of the creative right out of me, so I'm usually the Friday-at-noon poster. My blog doesn't really have a central focus; I don't really have one thing I can count on every week to give me enough substance to talk about it weekly. So far it's just a wish-wash of things I see.

My Favorites
Some of my fellow Section 2 classmates (insert applause here, because that's how we do) have really found their niche though. One that I most enjoy is Stacia Franz's blog about her terrors of customers while being a server at Earl's St.Vital. It is always thoughtfully written, quirky and hilarious. It has opened my eyes a lot, because I'm a non-tipper. Now I just feel guilty.

I also look forward to Kiran Dhillon's blog every week, because it always makes me smile and renews my faith in love and kind people. I really like the pick-me-up.

Blogging can also be pretty negative if you aren't careful what you say. Whatever you put out on the internet is there for anyone to see, take, and critisize. It can destroy you reputation and turn employers off, burn bridges and break ties. You have to be careful.

I love getting comments on my blogs, so don't hesitate to comment about anything! Happy blogging!

mediocrity killed the CreCommer

"You must not let your life run in the ordinary way; do something nobody else has done, something that will dazzle the world. Show that God's creative principle works in you"

Paramahansa Yogananda

I've always been one that strives to break from the pack; to establish myself as an individual and do things that nobody else dares to do. I was the one who took initiative and was the over achiever. I was known as "that" person.

Now, i'm in a program that hosts 75 of these people. At first I was so excited to be among people of the like, but now I am finding it hard to break from the pack. Marty from the movie Madagascar, knows exactly how I feel.

Coming in to this program, I felt really creative and good at what I do. I did very well in University but now i'm the dreaded AVERAGE! But now, everyone is like me. I don't know how to raise the bar. How can I break from the pack? How can I prove to be (sorry Kenton), unique?

I guess it's just about finding my own way. I love it here and I love what we do! Just the mediocrity is eating me alive!