Chapter 9

Measuring your relationships with your communities and neighbors

1.      Agree upon solid measurable goals that are tied to the bottom line

This means you must make a list of goals that are achievable. If the goals set are not reachable they are then worthless to the company.

2.      Define your publics

You must know who all effects your business. Who you need to reach to build your business and maintain success.

3.      Who or what are your benchmarks

This is where you compare yourself to others within the industry. How big of a player do you want to be? What do you have to do to reach these goals.

What do Snapchay Emoji's Mean?

1.      Smiley Face Emoji on Snapchat

What it means: This user is one of your best friends on Snapchat. You frequently send Snaps back and forth to each other.

2.       Yellow Heart Emoji on Snapchat

What it means: This user is your #1 best friend. You send the most Snaps to this user, and they send the most Snaps to you.

3.       Smirking Face Emoji on Snapchat

What it means: You're one of this user's best friends, but they aren't one of your best friends. They send you more Snaps than you send them.

4.      Grimacing Face Emoji on Snapchat

What it means: Your #1 best friend is their #1 best friend, too. You both send lots of Snaps to the same user.

5.       Sunglasses Face Emoji on Snapchat

What it means: One of your best friends is one of their best friends. You send a lot of Snaps to someone they also send a lot of Snaps to. 

6.       Red Heart Emoji on Snapchat

What it means: You've been #1 best friends (yellow heart status) with this user for two weeks in a row.

7.       Pink Hearts Emoji on Snapchat

What it means: You've been #1 best friends with this user for two months in a row.

8.       Fire Emoji on Snapchat

What it means: You and this user are on a Snapstreak -- you've been sending each other Snaps for several days in a row. The number of days you've been on a Snapstreak will appear next to the fire emoji.

9.      100 Emoji on Snapchat

What it means: You've been on a Snapstreak with this user for 100 days in a row.

10.   Hourglass Emoji on Snapchat

What it means: Your Snapstreak with this user will end if you don't send them a Snap very soon. You can send them a Snap or a Chat to keep it going.

11.   Baby Emoji on Snapchat

What it means: You and this user have recently added each other as Snapchat friends.

12.   Gold Star Emoji on Snapchat

What it means: Someone has replayed this user's Snap within the past 24 hours.

13.  Gold Sparkles Emoji on Snapchat

What it means: You're in a Snapchat Group Chat with this user.

14.  Birthday Cake Emoji on Snapchat

What it means: Today is this user's birthday. This emoji will only appear if the user indicated their date of birth in their Account information.

Staying Motivated in the last couple weeks of the semester

I don’t know about you, but at this point in the semester I’m running on empty. Actually, I’m beyond empty. I’m so low on motivation that just getting out of bed to go to grab breakfast  is becoming a struggle. It seems like everyone I talk to is in the same emotional place. I’ve witnessed more meltdowns in the last week than I have in the rest of Spring Semester and Fall Semester combined.  It’s just that point in the year where the warm weather is teasing everyone, the pressure of upcoming finals is overwhelming, and tensions are overall running high.

On top of that, professors are throwing everything they’ve got at us. A month ago we were coasting along doing small assignments here and there, but nothing that would make or break a grade. Now, suddenly, every project, paper, and test assigned is worth at least 20% of the final grade, and we’re left drowning in a pile of homework wondering how this could have happened.

It’s easy amidst all the chaos to throw motivation and drive to the wind, fall into an “I don’t care” attitude for the rest of the year, and allow your brain to check into summer mode a few weeks early. Trust me, you’re not the only one. I’m struggling with the temptation every day.

But y’all... We’re almost there. We have less than three weeks until Spring Semester 2017 will be nothing but a memory, and we’ll be soaking up the glory that is summer vacation. We’re so close! Why let yourself abandon hope? Here are some tips on how to keep hold of what little motivation you have left and end your 2015 academic year as strong as you started!

1. Wake up

We constantly complain about having to pull all-nighters, but, in reality, we all know that the only reason we have to stay up late is because we refuse to get up any more than a half hour before our first class of the day. Imagine how much less stressed you’ll be if you don’t have the pressure of knowing you’ll be up till 3 a.m. writing a paper hanging over your head. Especially as finals approach, give yourself that extra time! Pour a cup of coffee or 3 and get started before noon! 

2. Schedule breaks in your study sessions

When it’s nice out, the library or a dorm room can start to feel like a jail cell. Rather than fighting the urge to be in the sunshine, intentionally give yourself time to get outside and walk the Tundra. It will give your brain a chance to breathe, and you’ll be so much more productive in the long run if you give yourself the chance to actually do what you want and get out of your stuffy homework dungeon.

3. Turn off your phone

You’ve heard this 1001 times, but seriously, do it. Turn it off. Give it to your roommate and tell them to hide it if you have to. Do whatever you have to do to hide the temptation of Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. You can live without social media for long enough to complete your to-do list for the day.

4. Reward yourself for your progress

Giving yourself an incentive to get work done quickly will make you so much more productive. For every couple hours of studying, give yourself a quick break. Watch an episode of your favorite show,  go to the gym, or eat a snack. If you finish a chapter of Economics or a page of your English paper, you deserve that incentive!

5. Spend time with your friends

School is going to start to feel like it’s taking over your life as the days in the semester continue to dwindle, but don’t forget to save some time for your friends! Too soon, everyone is going to head home for the summer, and you’re going to miss having all of your friends in one central location. Carve some time out of your schedule and enjoy your last few days with your buds.

6. Keep reminding yourself that eventually all of this will be over

There is absolutely nothing you can do to speed up or slow down time. Finals are going to happen, and then they’ll be done. These last two weeks are going to be difficult, but, no matter how impossible that last paper seems or how lost you feel while studying for your Stats exam, don’t forget that you are going to make it to the other side. So just take Dory's advice and... JUST KEEP SWIMMING!

Chapter 5: The New Rules for PR and Social Media

Rule #1: You’re not in control. On social media, you are unable to predict what the millions of people are going to say. It’s out of your control.  Do not try to control the conversation it will only make the situation worse.

Rule #2: There is no market for your message. People now a days only listen to speak not to hear the actual message. So, it doesn’t matter how many people you reach with your message it matters how many actually listen and take action.

Rule #3: It’s about reaching the right eyeballs not all the eyeballs. This follows rule 2 you want to reach people that will interact and actually use your business paying for people to see your post that won’t use it is wasted money. Target the people that will use your services.

Rule #4: Its worse to not be talked about at all. Whether they are negative comments it is best to be mentioned than not at all. This draws attention to your name and more than likely will step up and defend your business based on their experience. This often will lead to people looking into your business to find out more for themselves.

Facebook Live Shooting

On Easter, Steve Stephens drove around downtown Cleveland on what he said was a mission to commit murder and soon he had an audience of millions for his shooting of Robert Godwin Sr., 74, which he recorded and posted on Facebook, the police in Cleveland said.

On Monday, the authorities nationwide were looking for Mr. Stephens, 37, with the police as far away as Philadelphia saying they had received calls about sightings of him in that area.

Now Facebook is facing a backlash over the shooting video, as it grapples with its role in policing content on its global platform.

It is an issue that Facebook, the world’s largest social network, has had to contend with more frequently as it has bet big on new forms of media like live video, which give it a venue for more lucrative advertising. The criticism of Facebook over Mr. Stephens’s video built swiftly Monday, with critics calling it a dark time for the company and outrage spreading on social media over how long it had taken more than two hours for the video to be pulled down. Ryan A. Godwin, the victim’s grandson, pleaded with other users on social media to stop sharing the video online.

The situation is increasingly fraught for Facebook. Even as it has become a forum for more sensational events, live and otherwise, it has said it does not want to be a media company that overly arbitrates what is posted on its site. But the more reluctant it is to intervene or the slower it is to respond, the more it may open itself to the posting of killings, sexual assaults and other crimes.

A Letter to the guy I thought I couldn’t Live without

Hi there,

I know we haven't talked in a while, and I am okay with that. For the last four years, I would have pictured myself here with you today, but that isn't how things worked out. You probably will never read this, as I know you don't read anything, much less something I wrote. This letter is more for myself than for you, but if you do ever come across this, there are a few things I would like to tell you.

I am happy. I know you thought you broke me and left me in a million pieces, but surprise, you didn't. I am happier than ever and surrounded by people who love and care for me, unlike you ever did. Being with you I constantly felt like I wasn't good enough, but I now see I was more than good enough. I have found people who never fail to make me smile and lift me up. People who don't lie to me and hurt me constantly. I can finally see what I deserve. Being with you I thought I was the happiest girl in the world, but I now see that was all a lie, as was our whole relationship. Without you, I have found happiness I never thought I would, and I don't think I would have had I stayed in our toxic relationship.

I am not bitter. Although our relationship tore me apart constantly, I am not bitter. I wanted to hate and honestly sometimes I still do, but I see now that makes no difference and will only bring me down. You are not worth it. Instead of filling my heart with hatred for you, I have learned to forgive and my heart is now filled with love for others who deserve it. I wish you the best in what life has to offer you, although I am more than happy that is not with me.

Thank you. Thank you for the few memories I enjoyed. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life. Thank you for introducing me to some amazing people. Lastly, thank you for showing me what I deserve, which is so much more than you gave me. You really opened my eyes.

While I thought I would never be able to live without you, I have. Through the constant heartbreak, endless nights of crying, and days I thought I would never get through, I was able to come out a stronger person. Since we broke up, I have been able to see things in a new perspective. I see things brighter than I ever did with you. I can finally smile and be happy with who I am. I am more confident, because I am not being constantly tore down anymore. I never thought I would in a million years say this, but thank you for ending things. I am a better person because of it, and I hope you are too.

I do not completely regret our relationship, because it did show me things I don't think I would have seen without the hell you put me through. I do regret spending all my time on you instead of the others who deserved my time and love. I have learned that when people show their true colors, you have to believe them. I am no longer than naive little girl you once knew me as. I now have a backbone, and I have grown wiser thanks to you. While you put me through absolute hell, there is one last thing I would like for you to know, I forgive you.

The best Snapchat filters

Think of Snapchat filters as the ultimate in selfie-enhancing technology. To find filters, simply tap on your face before you shoot and select one of the options that pops up. Once you've captured a photo or video, swipe left or right to see other filter options. While you can't search for specific filters  like Snapchat messages, they come and go. However, we have a few favorites you should keep an eye out for.

Hip Glasses

Snapchat has been very into this idea of combining cool, reflective glasses with added background music if you use the filter on a video. Augmented reality perk: convincing your pals you're spending a wild night out instead of what you're actually doing, sending snaps from the couch.

Puppy

People who say this is not their favorite filter are kidding themselves. With cute puppy ears and an interactive tongue feature, it serves every purpose we want in our filters you look cute but also show off your clear appreciation of dogs. You can take a snap with a friend and they'll be similarly pup-ified.

Face Swap

Ah, trying on our friends' faces. Though the results are disturbing 99 percent of the time, it's important to appreciate the technology behind this terrifying Snapchat classic.

Flower Crown

We'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the most basic of Snapchat filters that also miraculously makes everybody's skin look flawless and adds that crucial eye highlight that we never knew we were missing.

Voice changing filters

Not only are these video filters adorable, they also come with a voice changing feature in case you wanted to sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks for a while.

Chapter 3

The seven steps

1.       Define your goals and objectives:  Here we are looking at why are we making these actions? What are you seeking to measure? Overall, what do you want to get out of this.

2.       Define your environment, your audiences, and your role in influencing them. In order to receive the most accurate return you need to know what people you are reaching and what is going on in the surrounding area.

3.       Define your investment: what will it cost? What is the “I” in ROI? In this aspect, I think you get what you pay for. Although the costs are high it might be worth it in order to have a better outcome.

4.       Determine your standards. You must have a base to measure from. One can look at the industry as a whole and determine where you stand. Then look at the other businesses that are currently excelling and determine what you need to do to meet the base measurements.  

5.       Define your key performance indicators: what are the metrics you will report with? Some can be determined with output measure.

6.       Select the right measurement tool and vendors and collect data. Pick the tool that will be most beneficial in answering your questions correctly and for your business.   

7.       Turn data into action: examine data, draw actionable conclusions, and make commendations. The data you collect is impractical unless you do something with it. Now that you have your answer you can alter your work.

15 Summer date night ideas

1.  Fill Out Your Summer Bucket List–   Why not make a whole fun date night out of it?  Sit down to write your Summer Bucket List together! You could even take turns choosing something to put on the list.

2.  Pool Party–  Hot summer weather plus a refreshing swimming pool equals the setting for a great date!  Your boyfriend is going to love this one.  What could be better than splashing around with his girlfriend in a swimsuit?  Not too many things.

3.  Campout for Two–  A cheap, fun and totally romantic date is waiting right in your backyard.  Set up a tent, make foil dinners, and play some games in your tent for two.  

 4.  S’more Lovin-  Show your honey S’more Lovin’ with a quick and easy marshmallow roasting date on the back porch.

5.  Road Trip Date–  Summer is the perfect time of year for a Road Trip! Look up road trip games and questionnaires to keep you laughing the entire time.

6.  Fishing Date–  When’s the last time you went fishing?  Whether you’re a seasoned fishermen or just beginners, you’re sure to have some fun with this fishing-themed date

7.  The “Fate Burger” Date–  If you love yummy food and have an adventurous streak- this is the date for you!  Invite a bunch of your couple friends over for some burgers on the grill.  But here’s the catch- you’ll be throwing darts to determine your burger toppings.  

 8.  Summer Picnic and Games–  Invite some of your favorite couples over for the perfect group date- a summer potluck picnic and party games.  Make a friendly competition out of Watermelon-Seed-Spitting, a Pie-Eating Contest, Bubble Gum Blowing, Ring Toss, Squirt Gun Shoot Out, or an Ice Cream Station.

9. “Soak Up The Sun” Water Fight–  Water fights are always fun during the summer.

10. Discover a New Town Together–  Why not try exploring somewhere new together when date night rolls around?  Even if you’ve lived in the same place for your whole life, I guarantee there are cities and neighborhoods nearby that you have not discovered yet.  So pull out a map and go on a spontaneous adventure!

11.  Wild About You Zoo Date–  A trip to the zoo is sure to bring out the kid in you with this creative date idea!  

12. Garage Sale Scavenger Hunt–  Go on a scavenger hunt and hit up all of your local garage sales on this fun and cheap date idea!

13.  Star Gazing–  Enjoy a romantic date night snuggling under a starry summer sky!

14.  Nerf Wars Date–  Pull out the Nerf guns and invite some of your married friends over for a fun Nerf Wars Battle!  

15.  At-Home Drive-In–  Check out this fun 1950’s Blast from the Past date!  Enjoy a little roller skating then come back home to set-up your own Drive-In movie in your drive way!   My favorite part is the fun diner-style menu.

Measure What matters

Question 1: What are your objectives

As it says many businesses cannot answer this question. From my experience, I couldn’t either. As many of you know my family owns a small business. At times, it’s not ran as efficiently as I would like due to the fact my father is the most unorganized person in the world. Also, our personalities clash so bad at times it makes it impossible for us to communicate important things. I really wouldn’t have considered this question until reading and knowing its importance. In the future, I would like to sit down and consider what goals and objectives I want to achieve each year to continue growing our business. We have recently entered the catering business and I would really like to expand upon this in the future. Catering is very profitable and I love attending all of the large scale events and weddings.

Why is Instagram so Great?

Simplicity

There are a plethora of different photography apps, but none quite as great as Instagram.  With its on-the-go disposition, Instagram makes it extremely easy to share your life one moment at a time and keep updated with everything you enjoy. Along with a simplicity, have you ever noticed that not until recently, Instagram has never had annoying advertisements roaming around? With a straightforward and very uncomplicated feed, it’s no wonder why Instagram has gained so much success. It's effortless, yet, embellished. 

Ordinary turned Extraordinary

This app allows you to take a photo and turn it into something magnificent. Instagram makes you feel like a design guru. You have the ability to put your own personal taste of filters, tilt shifts, crop jobs,  and more into the mix. It is unique to you. With the click of a few buttons, your masterpiece is created and you feel like Picasso. Creativity at its finest. 

Instantaneous

Finally, Instagram is a quick form of communication to your public. Having #hashtags readily available make finding what you’re interested in and what’s trending at the moment as easy as ever. In turn, this means followers are easily gained which makes it a great outlet for bloggers and businesses as well. The fashion industry especially has shown a growing interest in using Instagram as one of their main platforms to speak to their audience. Why? It allows an account to showcase themselves, be creative and receive instant feedback, all while having the “show not tell” mentality. 

How to Fail Well

At this point in our life we have made plenty of mistakes, but are going to make many more. Sometimes failure comes into our life when we least expect and its never part of our plan. However, I have learned over my many failures to accept the failure, learn by it and to do better the next time. Here are my tips handle failure.

1. Respond immediately. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, “own it” with those involved as soon as possible. Delaying only tempts you to put it off and rationalize why it’s not that big of a deal to share. If others don’t see you owning your mistakes they will question your credibility.
2. Be crystal clear. Be direct and clear about the mistakes you make. If avoiding accountability is bad, half-owning a mistake wrapped in excuses is pathetic. Don’t beat around the bush or sugar coat the issue. Clearly identify the mistake and its implications. This will help bring people up to speed on the issue and enlist their support in what should be done next.
3. Share the lesson learned. Failure is a wasted experience if nothing is learned. Learning a personal lesson is good, but teaching others from your mistakes is even better. It will take some humility on your part, but great leaders know that it’s much more effective to lead out of vulnerability with all of our imperfections than seeking to manage a façade of leadership perfection.
4. Be ready for feedback. Just because you’ve taken responsibility doesn’t mean that people will not want to further process what has transpired. Be prepared for people to share their feedback. Resist the urge to be defensive. A wonderful proverb states that “a soft answer turns away wrath.” It is difficult for people to pour out their wrath on someone that takes feedback with humility. Remember, if you’re committed to “owning it,” this is part of the process.
5. Move forward. You are going to fail, period. It’s part of the job description. Pick yourself up and move on. Earlier in my life I would be paralyzed by my mistakes. It would take me 48 hours or so to stop thinking about the failure. High capacity people don’t have that kind of time to be wasting by kicking themselves. Keep in mind you’re modeling that you can fail, learn, and move forward.

The sad reality is that many people run from owning their mistakes because they don’t want to look weak. The irony is that this very avoidance of accountability screams weakness. Strength in individuals comes from integrated character at every level. Next time something doesn’t go as planned remember these five tips and help better yourself by owning your failure.