General

From the ashes (well actually, puddles) of a disaster…

By Sandra Clitter  |  2011/01/28 18:19 Posted in (Mostly) Free Tools, General, Tech Tips  |  Comments (6)

Backups…one of ‘those’ words that no one wants to think about/deal with/contemplate. I know, it should qualify as a 4-letter word. Alas, it’s a lonely, 6-letter word (or 7-letter if its plural). I’ve ‘learned the hard way’ often enough (meaning I’ve lost data when a hard-drive fried or whatever) to be pretty good (Note: pretty good is NOT great, nor is it an acceptable plan) about backing up. Well, I learned recently that pretty good just doesn’t cut it – and I’m changing my habits.

The lesson goes like this: I’m sitting in my office and the phone rings. Before I even get out the “Good morning, this is Sandy”, a semi-hysterical voice on the other end says, “Sandy, please tell me that you have our data!” Not a good opening sentence – no matter the scenario.

Needless to say, the person was a client of mine. Now typically, I don’t keep client data in my office. There are times, however, when I have a copy for development purposes. It’s not a backup, it’s usually not even current…but it is (or was) an accurate representation of their data at some point in time. “Well, I may, but if I do it’s at least a few months old – WHY!?!? Don’t you have backups?”

The short version of the story is that ‘yes’, my client diligently backed up their data every night to an external hard-drive (one of those hard drives that plugs into a USB port in your computer onto which you can copy however much of the data from your main computer(s) you consider important). Here’s the rub…

The external hard-drive sat right next to the server in the closet that houses the computer equipment. Well, during the night, a pipe burst DIRECTLY OVER THAT CLOSET and drowned not only the main server, but also the external hard drive. They were both, to use a highly technical term, kaput. The main computer was dead and the backup wasn’t any good, either. They were in deep doo-doo (another technical term!).

We don’t need to recount the painful recovery here. What we want to realize is that a ‘disaster’ – including, but not limited to, your computer crashing – can happen to ANY of us. Buildings can burn, floods can happen (seen that one up close and in person), robberies can occur, etc. So, in order to have a LEGITIMATE backup plan – for your personal information OR your business records, you need to have OFF-SITE BACKUP!!

Off-Site backup simply means having a copy of your important files somewhere besides the primary location. So, if you have an office, keep a copy of your backup at your house. If you work out of your house, keep a copy of your backup at your mom’s house, or in a safe deposit box. There are all kinds of ‘off-site’ storage facilities available that don’t cost anything. With the cost of external hard drives so low (a 4GB flash drive is under $10.00 while a 500GB external hard-drive can cost under $75.00), you can buy several, and rotate them out…always keeping the most recent copy in a DIFFERENT LOCATION than the computer.

If, however, you find it difficult to be disciplined about making those backups and moving them off-site, then perhaps you should consider one of the many on-line backup services which are very affordable nowadays. These backups go to the ‘cloud’. In other words, your computer backs up over your internet connection, and the data is stored in a server far, far away from you. If disaster ever strikes, your data is safe…just download it when you have a computer set up again.

Personally, I have used the ‘keep a copy in the safe deposit box’ method for a number of years. I’ll admit, sometimes I’m better at remembering to refresh that copy than others. After this client’s ‘near death’ experience, they went with a ‘cloud’ solution, and I found their experience so positive that I tried it as well. Now, I back up to the ‘cloud’ virtually continuously. For under $50.00/year (I use mozy.com, but there are a bunch of reputable companies out there who provide this type of service for a very reasonable cost), all my files – both personal and professional (don’t forget all those digital photos that are so precious, or your family tree research that live on your personal computer) are backed up to the cloud.

I have tested recovering files, and it works just fine (an online backup isn’t any good if you can’t recover a file that you’ve lost for some reason). I was very skeptical about ‘losing control’ of my data, but based upon research I’ve done and discussions I’ve had with people who have far more experience than I have with online backup/storage solutions, I believe that my data is safe. [If you want to read about a bunch of people’s opinions on the subject check out this CNET Forum discussion: “What’s your take on online backup services?”]

So, there are a BUNCH of alternatives to help you avoid a disaster like my client had to deal with. The only alternative that is NOT acceptable is doing NOTHING. Create a backup plan. Make sure that it includes keeping a copy of your important data somewhere else. Follow the plan! Regularly test the recovery process by recovering a file that is on the backup to verify that the backup plan is working. WHEN trouble strikes (and it is just a matter of ‘when’ and to what degree, not ‘if’), you’ll be prepared. Annoyed that you have to deal with it, but not devastated by the event itself.

Dealing with Technophobia (fear of technology)

By Sandra Clitter  |  2011/01/22 17:09 Posted in General, Social Media, Tech Tips  |  Comments (7)

As some of you may have picked up during these discussions, while I am often considered a ‘techie’ by people who are intimidated by technology, I’m really not an early adopter (typically) of technology. I tend to take my time, allow other people to ‘take the lumps’, and then, when the technology (whatever it is) gains a little bit of traction (or ‘a-lot-a-bit’ of traction), I’ll consider including it into my technology portfolio. I consider my approach prudent. You can argue with that, but that tends to be my approach.

That said, there are certain people who are really technophobes. Wikipedia defines ‘technophobia’ as:
The fear or dislike of advanced technology or complex devices, especially computers. The term is generally used in the sense of an irrational fear, but others contend fears are justified. (Wikipedia definition)

I do NOT consider myself a technophobe, but I can be resistant to adopting new technologies.

Currently, I am being resistant to several things:
1. Office 2007/2010 (Office 2003 is just so darned comfortable)
2. Trying a Mac (I don’t know why…I tell myself I don’t want to pay the premium for the Apple product, yet I have an iPod)
3. Digital Book Readers (I like the ‘feel’ of a book in my hand)

Here’s what I’ve found helps when I’m feeling overwhelmed by all the technology around me:

1. Find someone else who has/uses that technology and try it out – or get them to show you the BASICS (note: the BASICS, not all the fancy stuff). It’s far less scary when you try it with someone who already uses it.

2. See if there is a portion of the technology that you can try before you fully commit. A couple of examples are: a. Test out the ‘trial period’ version of software. Oftentimes, you can get a 30 day peek at a software without shelling out the dollars. Then, at the end of the 30 days, if you like it, you can purchase it. b. Sign up for a service and just lurk. Watch what happens. Social Media is a prime example of this. Just because you sign up for a Facebook account doesn’t mean that you HAVE to actively participate. ‘Friend’ a couple of people (or accept one or two friend requests that you already have out there). ‘Like’ a merchant or organization that you want information from. Sit back and watch…you’ll get the feel for it without a huge time investment.

3. Determine whether its something that you’ve ‘gotta have’ or whether you’re doing it ‘because everyone else is’. In this day and age, you probably HAVE TO HAVE a computer, but you don’t NEED TO HAVE the biggest/fastest one.

4. Wait a bit – until the initial adoption phase is over. Let someone else work out the big kinks. Just don’t kid yourself that 2-3 years is the ‘breaking in period’…in that amount of time, the technology has changed totally.

5. Don’t worry about ‘everyone else’ using it/doing it. If the technology that you have does what you need it to do, stick with it until it breaks. THEN invest in the more modern technology. Not only will you have fewer issues because other people have shaken the kinks out, but it will probably cost less because you won’t be paying for that ‘latest gadget’ premium.

Lessons from my 83-year-old Uncle

By Sandra Clitter  |  2011/01/15 16:59 Posted in General, Tech Tips  |  Comments (12)

Do you ever have those moments of total clarity? Moments when you step back, look at something, and say ‘why didn’t I see that before’, or ‘why didn’t I think of that’, or whatever? Some people call them ‘Aha’ moments. Well, I recently had a two MAJOR ‘aha’ moments.

Let me set the stage. My uncle LOVES technology. Yup. You read correctly. He’s 83, but he never hesitates to try out something new gizmo or gadget. In fact, he dives in with both feet, so to speak.

This past fall, he decided that the DVR provided by the cable company didn’t really do all the things that he wanted it to do, so he went online, researched Tivo, called them up and ordered a Tivo box. When it arrived, he dismantled the existing configuration and inserted the Tivo box. His TV setup now allows him to record four different shows at one time – two on the Tivo, one on an old DVR, and one on an old VCR. All of them are set up with the gorgeous flat-screen TV that he purchased some five years ago – before most people had flat-screen TVs. Last year, he bought, and installed, a sound bar, so that he got stereo quality sound, rather than the weaselly sound that comes out of the TV speakers.

My uncle doesn’t call other people to do the installations. He doesn’t wait until someone shows up in the house who can do the installation. He just jumps right in and tries it. If it works, great. If it doesn’t, then he’ll begin researching from the point of the breakdown and try any suggestions that he comes across. Most of the time, he solves any issues himself.

His love of technology doesn’t stop with the A/V stuff. He has a computer network (which he installed) in his house, and 3 computers on which he works (one is a Netbook, one is a laptop, and one is a desktop). He has a proper backup system installed, so that he doesn’t lose his work.

He set up a website locally on his laptop to ‘try it out’. This wasn’t just static web-pages either, but a SQL driven website! Really!

He subscribes to PC World magazine, and reads it cover-to-cover the day it arrives. He saves them, so that if he needs to research something later, he’ll have the issues handy. If he can’t find it in the magazine, he’ll try online at pcworld.com or cnet.com.

OK, Sandy…get back to the ‘moment of clarity’. Actually, there were TWO moments of clarity.

The first: He asked me what I thought about digital book readers (e.g. Kindle, Nook, etc.). I told him that I wasn’t all that jazzed about them because I like the feel of a book in my hands. ‘Why are you asking?’, says I. ‘Oh, I’ve been researching them [this time Consumer Reports was the backbone of the research], and I’ve decided to get a Kindle’. WHAT!?!?! I don’t want to give up my paper books, and my 83-year-old Uncle is going to? Yikes.

The second: Before he starts any project, he READS THE DIRECTIONS!! What a concept! If the directions don’t come with the product, he’ll find them online and print them out. It’s amazing what reading the directions will do to make a project run smoothly. (I’m more of a ‘jump right in with both feet’ kind of person, and often have to backtrack to clear up issues I’ve created for myself).

My ‘aha’ moments?

1. That maybe I should be more willing to try out new technology before it becomes ‘old’ technology.
2. The next project I begin (regardless of what it is), I vow to actually READ the DIRECTIONS!!!

Take it from an 83-year-old…technology is something to be embraced!

Does a sluggish or slow computer mean I need to buy a new one?

By Sandra Clitter  |  2010/12/29 13:46 Posted in General, Tech Tips  |  Comments (13)

I don’t know about you, but I get very annoyed by the concept of ‘disposable technology’. What you ask, is that? “Disposable technology” implies that there is a planned obsolescence in the gadgets and gizmos that we buy. In truth, that’s correct. Technology is being developed so quickly, that before you even unpackage that brand new thingamajig, it’s replacement is already in the pipeline. That said, just because something is available for sale doesn’t mean that YOU need to purchase it!

Case in point: My 3-year-old laptop. My laptop is getting cranky. It takes a longggg time to boot. Programs crash for no apparent reason. Searches require a trip to Starbucks to get coffee to stay awake while the process is running. Sounding like I need a new laptop, right? I could very well justify the purchase, as I typically tell people that a laptop is only designed for 2-3 years of use (desktops for 3-4 years). Once you’ve gotten that much out of the machine, it doesn’t owe you a thing! OK, but I don’t WANT to purchase a new laptop right now!!! The computer works fine (thank you Lenovo for building a fairly rugged piece of equipment)…its just terribly, slowwwwwww.

Why is it slow? Well, every time you install/uninstall software, little bits and pieces of debris are left along the way. Over time, those bits of debris accumulate into a pile of junk that gets in the way of the computer operating efficiently. No different than your tool bench getting disorganized after a while because you fail to hang every item back in its place. Eventually, you need to do a major housecleaning.

So, what are the alternatives with a computer? A virtual ‘housecleaning’.

Once I’ve tried all of the typical diagnostics (scan disk, defrag, anti-virus scan, anti-malware scan), and the speed is still not what I remember, it’s time for more radical steps – but steps that most people can do themselves if they have a little patience (oh yes, and some time). How do you do a ‘virtual housecleaning’? Reinstall the operating system (in my case, Windows XP), and then reinstall all of the programs. While this is a time-consuming process, it’s not as scary as it sounds – as long as you FOLLOW A PLAN!!!!

This article in PC World gives a terrific step-by-step guide to revitalizing an older computer:
How to reinstall Windows without losing your data

MOST IMPORTANT TIP: HAVE ALL OF YOUR DATA BACKED UP BEFORE YOU BEGIN!!! If you’ve done that, then it’s just a question of time…and all of your critical information will still be available after you resurrect your machine.

Maybe this is one of your New Year’s Resolutions! I know that it is one of mine :-).

Happy Holidays! The Nativity seen through 2010 eyes

By Sandra Clitter  |  2010/12/23 10:30 Posted in General, Social Media  |  Comments (2)

OK…so I hadn’t intended on posting again before next week, but this link just landed in my Inbox and had me laughing so hard that I just had to share it.

Those who really feel that Social Media is intrusive will laugh, as will people who see the value in it. I have no idea who thought of this, but they were certainly creative!!

The Nativity seen through 2010 eyes.

I hope someone else finds this as humorous (and yes, ridiculous) as I do!!

I wish everyone safe, happy and healthy holidays.

Does your computer have alot of programs you never use?

By Sandra Clitter  |  2010/12/21 20:49 Posted in (Mostly) Free Tools, General  |  Comments (7)

It’s almost the New Year (well, 10 days away), and close enough to start thinking about my New Year’s resolutions. Every year, my first resolution (after ‘taking more time for myself’) is to clear off my desk and clean up my computer. I do NOT want to admit how I fare on any of the three categories (miserably, most of the time). I might get my desk clear for a day or two, but it quickly returns to it’s former, cluttered self (I don’t know HOW that happens!?!?!?). I do better some times than others at taking time for myself. The last resolution – cleaning up my computer – rarely gets attacked…or, if it does, half-heartedly.

Why? Well, because its a pain to identify the ‘junk’ on my computer and then uninstall everything. There just never seems to be time in the day to attack this particular issue. I’d rather work on the ‘take more time for myself’ than ‘clean up my computer’ (or my desk, for that matter).

All these reasons for procrastination, or re-prioritization, were rendered moot by an article I happened upon in PC World (one of my very favorite resources for tips and tricks). “How to Remove Crapware and other Unwanted Software from your Computer” offers two great step-by-step sets of instructions (with screenshots) for cleaning up your computer. Honestly, the first approach (going into the Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs) is the approach that I avoid because I’m not always sure what I need and don’t need. The second approach recommended in the article really appeals to me. PC Decrapifier is designed to ‘clean’ new computers of all the extra ‘junk’ that comes pre-installed on them – not the stuff that you install, then decide you don’t want.

I’m going to give this program a try (honestly, I haven’t tried it yet – it’s in my New Year’s resolution list!), and see how it works. I never did that when I initially set up my computer, so there may be a bunch of things just clogging the system. We’ll see. Wish me luck, and let me know how you make out on your New Year’s resolutions – particularly the technology ones!!

Happy Holidays, Everyone!!!!

Is your Firefox Browser getting slow? Quick tip that may help…

By Sandra Clitter  |  2010/12/10 12:05 Posted in General, Web Tips  |  Comments (8)

This is just a really quick, down-and-dirty tip for Firefox users (if you don’t know what it is, Firefox is an Internet Browser that’s NOT Internet Explorer, but IS really good)…

If you find your Firefox (Mozilla) seems to run terribly slow after you download something from the internet, try this:

Open up your Browser
Press CTRL+J (that means “press the ‘control’ key on your keyboard at the same time that you press the letter ‘J’ on your keyboard – press the ‘control’ key first, then press the ‘J’ key). That will open up a list of downloads you’ve gotten via Firefox:

See that little ‘Clear List’ button on the lower-left side. Click it. That will clear the list of downloads (not the downloads themselves, but the list of the downloads). Close/re-open your browser. See if it starts behaving better when you download your next file.

Even better for some of us that get off on discovering silly things…let’s say you want to preserve a portion of the list of downloads, but want to delete a bunch of others. Simply highlight the files that you want to eliminate from the list and right-click the group when you’re done:

Select the ‘Remove From List’ choice at the bottom of the list. Only those downloads that you’ve highlighted will be removed. Remember, the files remain on the computer, only the record in Firefox that they’ve been deleted are removed.

Give it a whirl. See if it gets your browser running a bit smoother after your next download.

(Thanks to PCWorld for this reminder…it’s one of those things that I know, but I wouldn’t remember when I needed to remember)

THANK YOU and Happy Thanksgiving!

By Sandra Clitter  |  2010/11/24 18:15 Posted in General  |  Comments (0)

Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to drop a quick note of thanks to everyone who has helped to make the launch of this blog so wonderful and rewarding. Readership is growing every day, thanks to you ‘getting the word out’ and being so supportive.

For those of us in the United States (for readers outside the US who might not know, Thanksgiving is actually only one day, Thursday, but we manage to make it into a four day celebration, an eating marathon, a shopping extravaganza and holiday kick-off party, all rolled into one), the Thanksgiving holiday is a time to sit back and take stock of our lives and those who are a part of it. It is a time to get off of the merry-go-round for a brief time, take a deep breath, and realize all that we have to be grateful for.

I am grateful for more things and more people than I can even begin to name (so I won’t), but rest assured, those of you who have supported me in this endeavor are among those for whom I am grateful! For that, I can simply say ‘thank you’.

I hope that each and every one of you has a safe and joyful holiday. Take time to say ‘thank you’ to those people in your life who matter to you and make a difference to you. You will make their day by doing so.

Now it is time to go bake some Apple Pies and be grateful that my mother passed her recipe on to me when I was 11 years old, so that the pies would forever be a part of my holiday dinners.

P.S. The calories don’t count at the Thanksgiving table, nor in the leftovers :-). Honest (fingers crossed figuratively behind my back).

Getting the word out: Economical e-mail blasting

By Sandra Clitter  |  2010/11/23 13:27 Posted in Business Processes, Email Management, General  |  Comments (37)

Whew!!! First, I want to thank everyone who has given me such phenomenal feedback on this nascent blog. You have been wonderful in your reception. Your enthusiasm encourages me to make sure that I keep doing what I thought you wanted me to do – share my experiences and tidbits that I come across as I go through my days with the ‘rest’ of the world. Well, OK…you all may not exactly be the entire ‘rest’ of the world, but you’re a mighty bunch, and you’re ‘my bunch’!

For many of you, this blog is one of the first that you’ve subscribed to. For others, it seems to sit apart in your mind from others for the style and simplicity. Yeah! That’s what we’re trying to accomplish.

Naturally, a lot of questions have resulted from the how’s and why’s of getting this blog off the ground. I’ve addressed much of that in the last three posts, but now, I’m getting questions about ‘how much did the initial e-mail blast cost’, or ‘how did you do the initial e-mail blast’, or ‘can I use something like this in my business?’

The answer: IT WAS FREE and EASY and FUN TO DO!!! Don’t believe me? Just go to http://www.mailchimp.com to find out. As to the question ‘Can you use it?’ the answer is: If you want an easy, inexpensive (‘free’ counts as ‘inexpensive’ to me) way to communicate on a regular basis with your customers, then ‘yes’, you can use it. There aren’t too many people who do NOT want an effective way to communicate with their clients and prospects.

MailChimp is a tool that I found when trying to find an e-mail blast system for a volunteer organization to which I belong. We were looking for a way to reach small groups of people (100 or so people in a bunch of different lists). Somewhere along the way, I stumbled upon MailChimp. MailChimp allows up to 1,000 subscribers in your list for FREE. You can send up to 6,000 e-mails per month for FREE. There is a little MailChimp logo at the bottom of the e-mail, but even the paid e-mail blasting systems put their logo in the footer. It’s not intrusive, and informs recipients that the e-mail is not ‘spam’, but part of an organized email campaign or delivery system, and allows the users the appropriate subscribe and opt-out alternatives.

What does all that mean? First, tools like this allow you to compose an e-mail once, then send it to a longgggg list of recipients of your choosing. E-mail services tend to view these e-mails as ‘good’ e-mails (not spam). You need to allow mass e-mail blast recipients to ‘opt out’ (i.e. not receive) e-mails from you any more, and services such as MailChimp offer that opportunity to the recipients, making you a ‘good’ e-mail blaster (rather than a ‘spammer’).

Within the 1,000 person, 6,000 e-mail limits of your free account (you can pay for larger lists, or for more e-mails per month), you can send 6 e-mails to 1,000 people, or 12 e-mails to 500 people, etc. The two counts are the maximums, but you can break it down in whatever fashion you want. I have a few clients who each send blasts to about 500 people, once a week or so. The ‘free’ version of MailChimp accommodates those needs perfectly!

Once you get by the cost (or lack thereof), comes the question: But how hard is it to use? I find it easier to use than other contact management systems with which I have worked. First, there is the little monkey dude (I’ve named him ‘George’ in my mind after ‘Curious George’ from the books by the same title) who is always helping you out. He’s a friendly sort! Corny, but friendly. Second, there are great tutorials available. Third, the screens are relatively uncluttered, so working your way through the steps is pretty easy.

If you have a format you want to use, you can copy/paste the HTML code into the screens, and create your e-mails from there. If you don’t have a pre-designed format (or you don’t have access/knowledge of HTML code), MailChimp has templates that you can use and customize to suit your needs. You can even set up e-mail blasts for your RSS feed. I haven’t tried that one yet, but I might sometime down the road…just to see how it functions.

The reports are beyond belief!! You can track the growth of your list, and you can track the activity of your campaigns (e-mail blasts). Yes, you can even see exactly WHO read your e-mail (and how many times). You can push your e-mail to the Social Sites, if that’s part of your marketing plan. You can ‘set it and forget it’. What?!?! Create the campaign/e-mail blast when you have time to do it, then set the time that it is to be sent. Whenever you set the ‘send’ time, the e-mail will go, allowing you to work ahead without bunching up the e-mails and annoying the recipients.

I’ve found that the free MailChimp has very few restrictions over the paid version – only the quantities of number of e-mails sent and size of list determine if you should/can remain on the free version. If your business supports more e-mails or a larger list, then you can pay by EITHER the number of e-mails sent OR the size of the list. Your pick. The charges, based upon my experience, seem very reasonable.

At any rate, MailChimp is a marvelous way to gain experience with managing your e-mail blasts without having to spend a fortune. Check it out! Give it a whirl! E-mail lists are ‘importable’ from any number of programs, so you don’t even have to key/re-key the contact information.

When you sign up, just tell ‘George’ hello for me…you’ll soon be ready for a banana break (you’ll know what I mean once you’ve tried it)!

Buddy’s Big Adventure

By Sandra Clitter  |  2010/10/31 20:13 Posted in General, Social Media  |  Comments (0)

Monday was a beautiful day for a walk…really, it was. In fact, one of my house cats, Buddy, decided that it was a good day for a walk, as well, and headed out the front door as I headed into the house loaded down with laptops and shopping bags and no free arms. Not a big deal in many households, but it was in mine (don’t worry, this isn’t a scary story). You see, Buddy is 16 years old and is a house cat in the literal sense…he’s never been allowed outside (he grew up in Manhattan – the closest he’s ever gotten to the outside is the walk from the house to the car while he’s in his carrier). I dropped everything I was carrying on the walk (literally), and scurried around to the other side of the shrubbery, trying to get him before he darted off. What I didn’t realize is that Buddy wasn’t really trying to get away, he was just putting his paw in the proverbial pond and sniffing around to see what was outside his normal realm. I scooped him up (he did look rakish with branches clinging to his coat), hugged him tight and dropped him unceremoniously in the foyer in my house with admonitions to ‘stay where he belonged’. He looked at me, sniffed, and headed to his food bowl. Apparently the ‘great outdoors’ wasn’t all that fearsome or great.

Why on earth is she telling this story, you’re asking? Using a trick that a wonderful newsletter writer (Ellen Fisher, Editor of the Women’s Yellow Pages of Greater Philadelphia http://www.philawyp.com) has demonstrated to me via her eZines (if you want a good laugh at the beginning of every month, I highly recommend that you subscribe), I want to take it back to a business lesson. Really…just bear with me a moment more.

Buddy is 16 in calendar years. He’s an old man. He does NOT like change. When I inherited him upon my father’s death five years ago, he hid under the bed for six months – literally. If I move his food dish to the other side of the kitchen, he wails until it moves back. Change is NOT his friend. Yet…on this one sunny afternoon, he chose to investigate, go outside to a ‘brave new world’, and try something different.

This week, I was at a wonderful program put on by NAWBO Philadelphia (http://www.gonawbophilly.org) on Social Networking. A panel of esteemed bloggers was present to give their thoughts on what Social Media can mean to our businesses. Many of the attendees were (how do I put this politely?) on the north side of 40. There was much fidgeting (literally) and gnashing of teeth (figuratively) as terms such as tweets, Facebook, LinkedIn, blogosphere, tweetdeck, microblogging, etc. rang out around the room. Why? Because it’s uncomfortable, and unknown, and yes, overwhelming. Yes, it’s ‘new stuff’. At a time when most of us are experts in our fields and successfully run our own companies, we have to go back to a virtual kindergarten and learn something totally foreign. Those guys even speak a different language!

I started thinking about the best way to approach this for those of us who are “mature” in years and/or in experience. The answer…just like anything else…don’t try to do it all at once…just like Buddy – take a short stroll, test the waters. You can always go back for more (though that option will NOT be offered to Buddy). Maybe it’s not that bad. It will get less scary the more familiar you get. Take a bite…don’t eat the whole thing at one time. The analogies are endless…its no different with this ‘stuff’…one baby step at a time.

My first step: Set up a Twitter account (eeekkk!!!!). I think that the only way I’ll understand it is to ‘lurk’ for a while and see what it’s all about. Apparently, my name is @sandraclitter…can someone verify that that works?

Be brave…take that first step! You’ve gotten this far…you’re reading this blog…now you can stretch a little further!