The never-ending challenge to be fresh, relevant and memorable on twitter can drive even the best school public relations professional crazy. Here are some timely tips on what to tweet.
1. Help your parents, teachers, or students solve problems. “Here’s Help” tweets about homework, parenting, bullying, etc. show you care and position you as an authority.
2. “Schoolpons” can generate interest in a wider variety of school events.
3. “Tip It” You are reading this tip list. People seem to really like short tips lists.
4. “Did You Know?” tweets about people, facts and places seem to work.
5. “Need Help Tweet” Seriously!…Ask for suggestions! They really do want to help out there.
6. Re-enforce MESSAGES with “Reminder Tweets”
7. “Be There Tweet” Where kids or teachers will be speaking or performing in the community.
8. “Notes; Quotes; Jokes of Folks Tweets” -be clever, entertaining and brief.
9. “Tweet Trivia” about upcoming sports events, debates, etc. Your audience will like those little know nuggets of information.
10. “New Announcement Tweets” are memorable because people like to be the first to know.
11. “Tease Tweet” your upcoming events and projects.
12. “News Tweet” the latest news about education in general.
13. “Ooohps” tweets are effective if something happens like the website went down.
14. “Ouch Tweet” for medium mistakes. “Urgent Message” the big stuff.
15. Invite publics to share a good moment with your schools.
16. Suggest school related hashtags.
17. Try “Tweet Chats” based school-related hashtags.
18. “Shout Out” to the people who follow you via tweets.
19. “Welcome and Thank” recent followers.
20. Post updates from your blog along with the link.
21. Drive folk to your other school social media with tweets.
22. Respond to tweets about your district.
23. Education success “Story Tweets” never get old.
24. “School Up” Tweets about sales on hats, t-shirts, etc. will increase traffic.
25. “Job Tweets” get read and passed on.
26. Create “Supporter” lists and give them a shout out. Sports, debate, elementary reading, youth friend lists, etc.
27. “Rope In” trendy topics and hashtags with a cool comment related to your schools good reputation.
28. “Tweet-Greet” hellos, and enjoy-your-day are nice starts to good days.
29. “Tweet and Tag” great teachers.
30. “Good News Friday” sweet tweet your school heroes once a week.
EXTRA: “Lunch Tweets” for some bizarre reason, never get old.
Be fun, timely and interesting on Twitter! Get people talking-and-telling stories about your district, schools and students. Don’t overdo it, but be consistent and upbeat. Clever and positive never go out of style. Remember:
1.) drive your brand,
2.) and advertise what you are selling!
Most important, get people connect to your district through social media.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Crisis Response: Basic Information School Public Relations Professionals Need to Now
The property damage, injuries and personal loss caused by natural disasters can be devastating for a community and rock the foundation of our schools. In the face of such destruction, people desperately want three things that school communicators are uniquely positioned to deliver:
Timely, practical, accurate and accessible information to help them get their lives back together;
A sense of security and confidence that the worst is over and the rebuilding can begin with the help of an organized and competent school staff behind a well thought out recovery plan; and
A meaningful way to share feelings, grief, resources, and networking with others to build a sense of connection to the broader community and let them know that they are not in this alone and others care about what has happened.
The following helpful tips were prepared by NSPRA Past President Jim Dunn, APR, president of Jim Dunn & Associates in Liberty, Mo., with help from past South Central Region Vice President Nicole Kirby, director of communication services for Park Hill School District in Kansas City, Mo., and NSPRA member Zac Rantz, communication coordinator for Nixa (Mo.) Public Schools, who have all spent countless hours assisting Joplin (Mo.) Schools in the aftermath of the tornado that devastated the city last May. Our special thanks to them for sharing their lessons learned with NSPRA.
Crisis Communication Nuts and Bolts:
Equipment and Communication Tools
Have a pair of waterproof boots in your car. You will be in the mud and walking on nails.
Have flashlights and rain gear in your car and maybe a hard hat.
Carry two phones: your business phone and your personal phone.
All administrators need to have all emergency numbers in their phones and a paper copy in their office and in their car.
All teachers should have a paper copy of a class roster with phone numbers. They may need to call them to see if students are alive.
Prepare now to have some wireless hot spots ready to go with different phone providers.
Having access to copy machines was a real problem in Joplin. With servers down they had to improvise in a hurry. Make sure your technology department understands how major their role will be in a crisis!
Principals in the Public
Think about warehouse space before the storm. Where could you store truckloads of water? You will need water and supplies as well as a place to house donations.
Identify now other websites you might be able to use if your website goes down (PTA, Facebook, government agencies, etc.).
Facebook saved the day in Joplin! It was the only way to communicate until the servers came back on line. Have social media tolls in place before the storm.
Keep a record of EVERYTHING that goes out of your office.
Leadership
Have a crisis supervisory team in mind that will know to meet daily until the worst of the crisis is over. (The best minds, town movers and shakers, and school and kid loving people should be on this team).
Get your superintendent ready!!! People will want to hear from him/her and this first impression will mean everything.
Leaders will want to run around helping people, but they need to stop at some point and get together to think strategically and make decisions.
The Role of Staff, Students & Parents
Principals are invaluable in a crisis. They know the kids and parents. Usually they are unbelievably dedicated. Make sure you train them and then rely on them to get key messages out and think on their feet.
Cross-train. You do not know who will be incapacitated by a storm; who will freak out; or who will be searching for their own family members. More than one person needs to be able to fill a critical role or perform a critical task.
Find somebody who can still proofread. Check everything that goes out. Speed is essential but wrong information can ruin your credibility. Trust is your most valuable asset.
Make sure counselors and psychologists know how to contact each other, where to go, and have practiced their response.
Teachers and support staff who know a lot of kids by name and face (PE and music teachers, lunch ladies, attendance secretaries, etc.) should be aware they will be needed if you have to find your people.
Bus drivers need to know that you will try to open the bus barn and they should go to the bus barn in an emergency. Buses used as ambulances saved lives in Joplin.
Parents are your best avenue for sharing information. Build trust now, and get them in the habit of turning to you for the truth.
Your students, with some training and lots of support, will be your BEST spokespeople. It is worth the risk.
Dealing with outside support/first response agencies/volunteers
Talk with surrounding districts and have mutual aide agreements in place before the storm.
You need to work with emergency officials now and develop a pass ID that will admit administrators and bus drivers past police check points in an emergency. In Joplin, people who really needed to be in the emergency areas were stuck outside of town.
Identify some different places that volunteers can go to in an emergency to lend their help.
Get ready for FEMA! They will drive you crazy with all their rules, but they are the people you must use to get the help you need.
Managing people with compassion
Nobody cares what you have to say until they know that you care.
You will deal with people who are out of control with grief. They will be rude and even scary. Respond with love. Be kind to everyone, even reporters.
People of all kinds will want to tell you their tornado story. Take the time to listen.
If somebody dies, a crisis becomes an explosion of emotion. Do not underestimate the consequence of a death in the family.
JOB ONE after a big storm is to find your people. Joplin Schools won the hearts of its community because it moved heaven and earth to find every student and employee.
Managing the media and high-profile visitors
Sit down with your local media before a storm and tell them you will count on them to help you get your messages out to the public.
The more you plan for the media, the better chance you have of getting your messages out.
Create a disaster response room with computers, phones and giant strips of paper on the wall. Make media grids; systematize the requests for information and get them properly assigned; make sure your website has all the basic information about your district that will be requested.
Call for help! You will not be able to handle the media onslaught by yourself.
Remember what people want to know: What happened? What does it mean? What are you going to do about it?
Only tell the media what you know! You will want to say all kinds of things but unless you have confirmed information; keep your mouth shut.
Let teachers and staff know who the spokesperson for the district will be and that they are expected to refer all question to that person.
Start training spokespersons for your district today. The media is going to find somebody to talk, so you might as well help them find somebody who at least knows what they are talking about.
The media will demand a villain, a victim and a hero in any crisis. Your job is to make sure the school district is the hero. This is important! Heroes will get support for years to come.
Your local media is more important than the national media in getting your message to your families and community. The national media can help share your volunteer and money needs with a larger audience. Balance their needs.
Media trucks are noisy and obnoxious. You tell them where to park!!! National media have their own agenda and will do what they want. Your best hope is to provide them with the stories and people they need. Hammer them nicely with your messages and then outwork them. They will respect that. Tip: get all their cell phone numbers and check in with them as much as possible. The may get sick of you, but they will call you first when they need something.
Presidents, Governors, Senators and Representatives will come to your siet. You need to get messages ready and overwhelm them with your kindness and willingness to help.
Every crisis has a political side. You better take that into consideration. Alienating your Board of Education, local politicians, and/or influential bloggers is a big no-no.
Remember, you can never put toothpaste back in the tube. Be extremely careful what you say.
Tips for PR Practitioners:
Practice keeping your cool! Learn to not get upset (practice this at stoplights; when you get a bill for car repair, or whenever you get scared or worried). You can actually teach yourself to get calmer as things get more chaotic. Cool heads rule in a crisis.
Balance is a good word for dealing with lawyers. Remember, you are an expert in the court of public opinion.
If you come to help others in a crisis, make do with what you have! Bring your own computer, wireless connection, water, boots, hat and sunglasses, sunscreen, paper and pens, media lists, etc. Don’t expect people at the crisis scene to coddle your needs. Find the work that you can do, be positive, and help. Come in early and stay late — the crisis never ends. If you go to a crisis scene thinking it is all about you and what a wonderful person you are — GO HOME!
Four Simple Tips to Remember:
In a crisis: Single voice, simple message.
In a crisis: To talk with reporters practice CPR — Calm Prepared Relaxed.
In a crisis: People will most likely do what they have repeatedly been trained to do. It does no good to have a crisis plan that has never been practiced.
Be an active member of NSPRA! (Before there’s a crisis). No other source of help can match the crisis response capabilities of our collegial network. Be a member of your state chapter as well.
As school communicators across the country rise to meet the challenge during crises like floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and fires, good communication is always one of the most powerful first responders. The Chinese symbol for “crisis” aptly refers to the pivotal role the PR pro plays in these situations. It is a blend of two symbols: “Danger” and “Crucial Point” (or opportunity). An emergency full of danger, threats and heart-wrenching damage may be a crucial point where we as chief communication officers can make the difference. A crisis is a test of us, our plans and our instincts. Victims and responders are counting on us at this crucial point.
Timely, practical, accurate and accessible information to help them get their lives back together;
A sense of security and confidence that the worst is over and the rebuilding can begin with the help of an organized and competent school staff behind a well thought out recovery plan; and
A meaningful way to share feelings, grief, resources, and networking with others to build a sense of connection to the broader community and let them know that they are not in this alone and others care about what has happened.
The following helpful tips were prepared by NSPRA Past President Jim Dunn, APR, president of Jim Dunn & Associates in Liberty, Mo., with help from past South Central Region Vice President Nicole Kirby, director of communication services for Park Hill School District in Kansas City, Mo., and NSPRA member Zac Rantz, communication coordinator for Nixa (Mo.) Public Schools, who have all spent countless hours assisting Joplin (Mo.) Schools in the aftermath of the tornado that devastated the city last May. Our special thanks to them for sharing their lessons learned with NSPRA.
Crisis Communication Nuts and Bolts:
Equipment and Communication Tools
Have a pair of waterproof boots in your car. You will be in the mud and walking on nails.
Have flashlights and rain gear in your car and maybe a hard hat.
Carry two phones: your business phone and your personal phone.
All administrators need to have all emergency numbers in their phones and a paper copy in their office and in their car.
All teachers should have a paper copy of a class roster with phone numbers. They may need to call them to see if students are alive.
Prepare now to have some wireless hot spots ready to go with different phone providers.
Having access to copy machines was a real problem in Joplin. With servers down they had to improvise in a hurry. Make sure your technology department understands how major their role will be in a crisis!
Principals in the Public
Think about warehouse space before the storm. Where could you store truckloads of water? You will need water and supplies as well as a place to house donations.
Identify now other websites you might be able to use if your website goes down (PTA, Facebook, government agencies, etc.).
Facebook saved the day in Joplin! It was the only way to communicate until the servers came back on line. Have social media tolls in place before the storm.
Keep a record of EVERYTHING that goes out of your office.
Leadership
Have a crisis supervisory team in mind that will know to meet daily until the worst of the crisis is over. (The best minds, town movers and shakers, and school and kid loving people should be on this team).
Get your superintendent ready!!! People will want to hear from him/her and this first impression will mean everything.
Leaders will want to run around helping people, but they need to stop at some point and get together to think strategically and make decisions.
The Role of Staff, Students & Parents
Principals are invaluable in a crisis. They know the kids and parents. Usually they are unbelievably dedicated. Make sure you train them and then rely on them to get key messages out and think on their feet.
Cross-train. You do not know who will be incapacitated by a storm; who will freak out; or who will be searching for their own family members. More than one person needs to be able to fill a critical role or perform a critical task.
Find somebody who can still proofread. Check everything that goes out. Speed is essential but wrong information can ruin your credibility. Trust is your most valuable asset.
Make sure counselors and psychologists know how to contact each other, where to go, and have practiced their response.
Teachers and support staff who know a lot of kids by name and face (PE and music teachers, lunch ladies, attendance secretaries, etc.) should be aware they will be needed if you have to find your people.
Bus drivers need to know that you will try to open the bus barn and they should go to the bus barn in an emergency. Buses used as ambulances saved lives in Joplin.
Parents are your best avenue for sharing information. Build trust now, and get them in the habit of turning to you for the truth.
Your students, with some training and lots of support, will be your BEST spokespeople. It is worth the risk.
Dealing with outside support/first response agencies/volunteers
Talk with surrounding districts and have mutual aide agreements in place before the storm.
You need to work with emergency officials now and develop a pass ID that will admit administrators and bus drivers past police check points in an emergency. In Joplin, people who really needed to be in the emergency areas were stuck outside of town.
Identify some different places that volunteers can go to in an emergency to lend their help.
Get ready for FEMA! They will drive you crazy with all their rules, but they are the people you must use to get the help you need.
Managing people with compassion
Nobody cares what you have to say until they know that you care.
You will deal with people who are out of control with grief. They will be rude and even scary. Respond with love. Be kind to everyone, even reporters.
People of all kinds will want to tell you their tornado story. Take the time to listen.
If somebody dies, a crisis becomes an explosion of emotion. Do not underestimate the consequence of a death in the family.
JOB ONE after a big storm is to find your people. Joplin Schools won the hearts of its community because it moved heaven and earth to find every student and employee.
Managing the media and high-profile visitors
Sit down with your local media before a storm and tell them you will count on them to help you get your messages out to the public.
The more you plan for the media, the better chance you have of getting your messages out.
Create a disaster response room with computers, phones and giant strips of paper on the wall. Make media grids; systematize the requests for information and get them properly assigned; make sure your website has all the basic information about your district that will be requested.
Call for help! You will not be able to handle the media onslaught by yourself.
Remember what people want to know: What happened? What does it mean? What are you going to do about it?
Only tell the media what you know! You will want to say all kinds of things but unless you have confirmed information; keep your mouth shut.
Let teachers and staff know who the spokesperson for the district will be and that they are expected to refer all question to that person.
Start training spokespersons for your district today. The media is going to find somebody to talk, so you might as well help them find somebody who at least knows what they are talking about.
The media will demand a villain, a victim and a hero in any crisis. Your job is to make sure the school district is the hero. This is important! Heroes will get support for years to come.
Your local media is more important than the national media in getting your message to your families and community. The national media can help share your volunteer and money needs with a larger audience. Balance their needs.
Media trucks are noisy and obnoxious. You tell them where to park!!! National media have their own agenda and will do what they want. Your best hope is to provide them with the stories and people they need. Hammer them nicely with your messages and then outwork them. They will respect that. Tip: get all their cell phone numbers and check in with them as much as possible. The may get sick of you, but they will call you first when they need something.
Presidents, Governors, Senators and Representatives will come to your siet. You need to get messages ready and overwhelm them with your kindness and willingness to help.
Every crisis has a political side. You better take that into consideration. Alienating your Board of Education, local politicians, and/or influential bloggers is a big no-no.
Remember, you can never put toothpaste back in the tube. Be extremely careful what you say.
Tips for PR Practitioners:
Practice keeping your cool! Learn to not get upset (practice this at stoplights; when you get a bill for car repair, or whenever you get scared or worried). You can actually teach yourself to get calmer as things get more chaotic. Cool heads rule in a crisis.
Balance is a good word for dealing with lawyers. Remember, you are an expert in the court of public opinion.
If you come to help others in a crisis, make do with what you have! Bring your own computer, wireless connection, water, boots, hat and sunglasses, sunscreen, paper and pens, media lists, etc. Don’t expect people at the crisis scene to coddle your needs. Find the work that you can do, be positive, and help. Come in early and stay late — the crisis never ends. If you go to a crisis scene thinking it is all about you and what a wonderful person you are — GO HOME!
Four Simple Tips to Remember:
In a crisis: Single voice, simple message.
In a crisis: To talk with reporters practice CPR — Calm Prepared Relaxed.
In a crisis: People will most likely do what they have repeatedly been trained to do. It does no good to have a crisis plan that has never been practiced.
Be an active member of NSPRA! (Before there’s a crisis). No other source of help can match the crisis response capabilities of our collegial network. Be a member of your state chapter as well.
As school communicators across the country rise to meet the challenge during crises like floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and fires, good communication is always one of the most powerful first responders. The Chinese symbol for “crisis” aptly refers to the pivotal role the PR pro plays in these situations. It is a blend of two symbols: “Danger” and “Crucial Point” (or opportunity). An emergency full of danger, threats and heart-wrenching damage may be a crucial point where we as chief communication officers can make the difference. A crisis is a test of us, our plans and our instincts. Victims and responders are counting on us at this crucial point.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Time Passages
February 7
You can watch the shadows come up the cliffs when the sun sets in Sedona. All the cliffs have lines created by layers of rock and form a timeline stretching back thousands and hundreds of thousands of years. The shadows climb this wall of time and the observer can get lost between the meanings of time’s passage just how much time is there when it is endless? Albert Einstein famously said we have time so that everything doesn’t happen at once. He said time was really a function of speed and that in dark holes time does not exist.
The shadows just claimed another few 100,000 years on its way up the cliff. I’m figuring the cliff has about 20 minutes left before the earth spins it entirely into the dark. Speed is a function of light, or at least that is how we measure according to the famous E=mc2 equation. That speeds has profound effect on mass, and at this point I get totally confused. So does time exist or did we make it up and everything is really happening all at once..... Ooohps, I’m wrong. The cliff has lost its sunlight. That was fast.
So this cliff will be here another 500,000 years after I have gone. Each day is less than a flash in that time frame.
If I am to become a better person I better get cracking. There is not much time for anything it seems. Or, better yet, maybe I am already a better person because.....
You can watch the shadows come up the cliffs when the sun sets in Sedona. All the cliffs have lines created by layers of rock and form a timeline stretching back thousands and hundreds of thousands of years. The shadows climb this wall of time and the observer can get lost between the meanings of time’s passage just how much time is there when it is endless? Albert Einstein famously said we have time so that everything doesn’t happen at once. He said time was really a function of speed and that in dark holes time does not exist.
The shadows just claimed another few 100,000 years on its way up the cliff. I’m figuring the cliff has about 20 minutes left before the earth spins it entirely into the dark. Speed is a function of light, or at least that is how we measure according to the famous E=mc2 equation. That speeds has profound effect on mass, and at this point I get totally confused. So does time exist or did we make it up and everything is really happening all at once..... Ooohps, I’m wrong. The cliff has lost its sunlight. That was fast.
So this cliff will be here another 500,000 years after I have gone. Each day is less than a flash in that time frame.
If I am to become a better person I better get cracking. There is not much time for anything it seems. Or, better yet, maybe I am already a better person because.....
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Sedona Votex Strikes again
February 6
A young man named Lalo Esquer is putting in dish TV at the house where I am staying.
We talked, and he told me this story.
He was driving his daughter Mirabel to Cottonwood AZ when something broke on his truck. The truck rolled and his daughter was thrown from the truck. Everything in her upper body was hurt or broken. She damaged her lungs, heart and brain. For 28 days she was in a coma. Three times the doctors came to Lalo to tell him his daughter was about to die. Twice they told him she would be blind for life.
Lalo is a long time Sedona resident; his extended family is well-know. When his daughter was in the hospital in Flagstaff the resorts took turns sending food to the people who had gathered at the hospital to pray. Lalo learned over five thousand people gathered in South America to pray for his daughter. Because of the Internet, Mirabel’s story is known to many and so they pray.
Lalo tells this story calmly and with a compelling sense of purpose. It is now six years, and he cannot count the times he was told Mirabel would not walk, would not see, not regain mental acuity, would not reclaim her old self. Lalo gestures with both hands in front of his chest, and his brown eyes water when he talks of his daughter’s amazing journey, the prayers, and community support.
He never said, “miracle” but he did say the doctors have no explanations for her living and then recovering. “God is big,” he says. “We don’t know how big until something happens.”
We shake hands and then hold hands. He has honored me with his story; simply told and packed with unsaid meaning. We wipe our tears and he goes back to work.
I look up from my writing to a solid red rock cliff with the markings of a million years. “The doctors only know science,” Lalo told me. “They did not really see my daughter. They do not know Maribel.” That explanation works for me.
I’m claiming the famous Sedona vortex. I don’t understand it, can’t do the science, but here in the Sedona swirl, I find myself joining in prayer for Mirabel, thankful for all I do not know, and a big God. Sometimes when you add it all up, the score is larger than the sum.
That is the lesson I was offered today in my effort to be a better person.
A young man named Lalo Esquer is putting in dish TV at the house where I am staying.
We talked, and he told me this story.
He was driving his daughter Mirabel to Cottonwood AZ when something broke on his truck. The truck rolled and his daughter was thrown from the truck. Everything in her upper body was hurt or broken. She damaged her lungs, heart and brain. For 28 days she was in a coma. Three times the doctors came to Lalo to tell him his daughter was about to die. Twice they told him she would be blind for life.
Lalo is a long time Sedona resident; his extended family is well-know. When his daughter was in the hospital in Flagstaff the resorts took turns sending food to the people who had gathered at the hospital to pray. Lalo learned over five thousand people gathered in South America to pray for his daughter. Because of the Internet, Mirabel’s story is known to many and so they pray.
Lalo tells this story calmly and with a compelling sense of purpose. It is now six years, and he cannot count the times he was told Mirabel would not walk, would not see, not regain mental acuity, would not reclaim her old self. Lalo gestures with both hands in front of his chest, and his brown eyes water when he talks of his daughter’s amazing journey, the prayers, and community support.
He never said, “miracle” but he did say the doctors have no explanations for her living and then recovering. “God is big,” he says. “We don’t know how big until something happens.”
We shake hands and then hold hands. He has honored me with his story; simply told and packed with unsaid meaning. We wipe our tears and he goes back to work.
I look up from my writing to a solid red rock cliff with the markings of a million years. “The doctors only know science,” Lalo told me. “They did not really see my daughter. They do not know Maribel.” That explanation works for me.
I’m claiming the famous Sedona vortex. I don’t understand it, can’t do the science, but here in the Sedona swirl, I find myself joining in prayer for Mirabel, thankful for all I do not know, and a big God. Sometimes when you add it all up, the score is larger than the sum.
That is the lesson I was offered today in my effort to be a better person.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Sedona Super Bowl
February 5, 2012
First night alone in Sedona.
I am amazed at how much stuff I leave around on counters, floors and any flat surface (as Kathy likes to say). My “better person” list now also includes shutting cabinet doors, the microwave,door, garage door and putting chairs back under the table.
Went to the local bar to watch the Superbowl. I was hoping for a blow-out so I could get home early. No, It ended up coming down to the last play. The good news – I sat at the bar with a couple who had just moved to Sedona. We ate chicken wings and told each other our stories. They have invited me over supper later this week. Turns out they are at hole 16 on the golf course. He goes up to flag each day on a construction project. Some people I know from Facebook also saw from a FB post that I was in town and invited me over for dinner. Just saying about Facebook.
Yes, Pache slept in the bedroom last night, not in the kennel. She barked at me twice for twitching around in my sleep. Seems the dog expects me to settle quietly into sleep and not disturb her.
Today on the 7:30 am walk around the golf course Pache and I happened on the doggy party tee. People who regularly walk their dog gather at a place on the golf course to let their animals play. Pache loved it. I felt like a young parent again at the park watching my kindergarten child play on the toys. I worried the whole time that Pache would start humping another dog, however.
Watching the Superbowl in a bar makes hearing the game impossible. The crowd noise muffles the sound. I could not hear the game, commercials or the half-time show. Here is my take. Clint Eastwood seemed serious about something and did his old trick of putting half his face in a shadow. It was the best visual of the night.
Madonna does not prance like she used to and her show looked like a Las Vegas interpretation of an Olympics opening ceremony. She still rocked my world. I did see the “finger” from that nice young girl. Mostly, I felt like it was 1990 again – everyone searching for a happier time. The ad visuals now are edited so tight it is like ice skating on content contest. You must learn to speed skate even before you can watch a commercial. Our brains are on an emotional slip and slide. And yes, they work much better when we don’t know what is going on.
Football is still compelling with only intermittent commentary. The bar ended up being a great setting for watching without really hearing. No wonder a sports bar is so much fun. A whole new commentary emerges that is more visceral and community. Ain’t it grand that people no longer can smoke in so many bars. I actually had a good time again in a bar.
First night alone in Sedona.
I am amazed at how much stuff I leave around on counters, floors and any flat surface (as Kathy likes to say). My “better person” list now also includes shutting cabinet doors, the microwave,door, garage door and putting chairs back under the table.
Went to the local bar to watch the Superbowl. I was hoping for a blow-out so I could get home early. No, It ended up coming down to the last play. The good news – I sat at the bar with a couple who had just moved to Sedona. We ate chicken wings and told each other our stories. They have invited me over supper later this week. Turns out they are at hole 16 on the golf course. He goes up to flag each day on a construction project. Some people I know from Facebook also saw from a FB post that I was in town and invited me over for dinner. Just saying about Facebook.
Yes, Pache slept in the bedroom last night, not in the kennel. She barked at me twice for twitching around in my sleep. Seems the dog expects me to settle quietly into sleep and not disturb her.
Today on the 7:30 am walk around the golf course Pache and I happened on the doggy party tee. People who regularly walk their dog gather at a place on the golf course to let their animals play. Pache loved it. I felt like a young parent again at the park watching my kindergarten child play on the toys. I worried the whole time that Pache would start humping another dog, however.
Watching the Superbowl in a bar makes hearing the game impossible. The crowd noise muffles the sound. I could not hear the game, commercials or the half-time show. Here is my take. Clint Eastwood seemed serious about something and did his old trick of putting half his face in a shadow. It was the best visual of the night.
Madonna does not prance like she used to and her show looked like a Las Vegas interpretation of an Olympics opening ceremony. She still rocked my world. I did see the “finger” from that nice young girl. Mostly, I felt like it was 1990 again – everyone searching for a happier time. The ad visuals now are edited so tight it is like ice skating on content contest. You must learn to speed skate even before you can watch a commercial. Our brains are on an emotional slip and slide. And yes, they work much better when we don’t know what is going on.
Football is still compelling with only intermittent commentary. The bar ended up being a great setting for watching without really hearing. No wonder a sports bar is so much fun. A whole new commentary emerges that is more visceral and community. Ain’t it grand that people no longer can smoke in so many bars. I actually had a good time again in a bar.
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