Insight

 Take a gander at my digital magazine. I must say issuu.com is a great personal branding tool, as well as a great venue for any up-and-coming publications. Let me know what you think--I always dig that feedback.

A Wrap Up

A Wrap Up: What I've Learned in My First Months of  Blogging

Only starting my blogging venture a few months ago, you could say I'm still in the novice area of the blogisphere. However, I have learned--and gotten down pat--a few key things to keep in mind when blogging. My top five tips are below.

1. Stay Relevant.
Your readers want to know what you're saying, of course. But if you post and pride yourself as a "Chef Blogger," don't go ranting about the last political letdown--except if you can somehow tie in that red-and-blue chicken cutlet recipe. Relevant? Of course. Tasty? Not so sure.

2. Keep Your Audience in Mind.
See tip number one, for starters. Secondly, it's important to understand who your readers are and what information they might be missing from your posts. An easy way to figure this is by responding to feedback. Encourage notes and comments from readers and make sure to respond rather quickly. If you want to bump it up a notch, check out your readers' blogs or web pages--I'm sure you would find not only interesting tidbits about them, but also a little more information about what they'd like to see/read. Give it a shot, give 'em a shout out.
 
3. Opinions Are Respected.
Let me emphasize, educated opinions will be (or at least should be) respected. If you can back up what you type up, all should be good n' well. Keep it researched, easy on the ears and if at all possible--kid friendly. Everyone has an opinion and is entitled to it, just make sure to respect others' when expressing yours. 

4. Short is Sweet, Long Can be da Bomb.
So I like to rhyme. Depending on subject, the depth of your post can be at just about any given length. Just make sure to stay on track and please, no rambling. Long or short, just make sure to stay on point.

5.Linking, Linking, Linking.
Can't stress this point enough. Whether it is a video, photo or related website, linking adds credibility and depth, and creates added interest, to any post.

Well, there you have it my Top 5 Tips for Newbie Bloggers. What have you learned as a blog reader and author? Let me know below or tweet me here.

My Top Pick for 2011: It Might be a Good Bet

A mezcla of late-night television and E!’s the Soup, meet Tosh O. Tosh.O is a social-media driven improv laughhouse that premiered in June of 2009, placing a screeching halt on modest humor in America’s television sets. With a taboo sense of humor and swagger to match, Tosh O. presents a topic-to-topic weekly series that challenges the Internet’s viral videos.

The first season was more than good—it was a smash hit, averaging more than a million viewers per episode. But the show’s success has only grown from there. The show was originally scheduled for just 10 episodes, but proving to be such a good'n in a dry market, Comedy Central extended the first season to 16 episodes. The second season has just recently wrapped up. And yes, Comedy Central has confirmed that the show has been renewed for a third season, beginning on Jan. 12, 2011.

So you might want to ask, “If the show is so popular, so ‘in-demand’ then why in the world is it your ‘Top Pick for 2011’?”

Glad you asked. I’ll let Wikipedia battle that out:

- Within 10 weeks of its premiere, Tosh.O became the second most watched cable network show in its time slot among 18–34-year-old males.

- In June 2010, the summer season premiere of the show was the No.1 show on its timeslot among men within the ages of 18-24.

- The July 7, 2010 episode held the attention of 2.4 million viewers

- The July 28 episode attracted 2.7 million viewers, winning the time slot and also being the most-watched show on television that day among men 18-24, 18-34 and 25-34.

- The July 28 episode was also the top cable show that night for adults 18-49.

So what does this tell us? It tells us that Tosh.O’s market is growing—and that 2011 will be Tosh’s year. If 2010 allowed for such an expansion in the adult market, it shouldn’t take long for those numbers to start affecting younger viewers and a more female-friendly audience. What’s next? A doll? Lunch pail, maybe?

According to on-camera-audiences.com, Daniel (Tosh) is one of the most requested headliners in the country. He has also quickly evolved into one of the most popular and successful college acts, having performed at more than 700 campuses in his career.

OK, so I’ll be honest: I’ve never seen the show. Just hold it! While perusing through Facebook, I came across a friend’s “Pages” and found Tosh.O’s. Twenty-five of my friends “Liked” the page—a small number compared to the show's overall “Likers,” which was at 3.291.929.

I want you to do my homework, I want you—the reader—to be the guinea pig *figuratively speaking. Watch this show, or a plain Bing clip *there are pleanty and let me know what you think. I’m not
at fault if you don’t care much for Daniel or Tosh O. – I’ve never seen the show, remember?

Social media, I believe, has a lot to do with this show’s success. Not only is it premised on online videos, but also interacts with a live audience. According to the Web, on the live broadcasts of the show, Host Daniel Tosh invites viewers on the East Coast to join him in "live tweeting.” He tweets-it-up with many of the viewers through his Twitter account, @danieltosh. And I’m sure this method works—he has more than  850,792 followers, with 12,646 listed, on Twitter alone.

This show is ahead of the trends, in fact, I may be brazen, but I believe this is the future of reality television. Tosh keeps enlarging his presence on Twitter and Facebook, and the show just released its free iPhone app. Google? About 3,320,000 results.

Improv, bathroom humor and social media have led to Tosh O’s success. Check out the show here.

Vlogging.

So, to show you guys just how easy it is to make your own vlog, I made one myself.

It's short, to the point---just a few good tips on how to make a vlog of your own. Hope it helps.

VIDEO



*Sorry, guys, my allergies are going nuts in this video. I hadn't been crying--I promise! * 


Please share your vlogging experiences with me right here! Comment below!

It's a ... Shog? Wait, isn't that a Mog? No, it's the Vlog!

As described by Urban Dictionary, a vlog is well, as it might seem, a video log.  

*Really? When you first heard vlog, that's so not what you thought of.

To me, it's much more simple to call it a blog in video form.

A vlog is its own platform, sure, but it shares the same basic characteristics as the blog, as you can cover whatever topic you wish and it carries that same level of freedom to create, innovate, rant or praise.

Now, I believe there's something too easy, yet under appreciated about these vlogs.I'm saying they're almost too easy to make; your fingers never get tired from typing, you have the advantage of exposing who you are and what you stand for--and all at that next level. Yet, strangely enough (or not), these things are arguably the most important pieces to the blog: you get to say it all without putting it all on the line.

You see, the wonderful thing about the blog (not vlog, but blog ... come on, folks, you gotta keep up here) is the freedom of expression, without divulging too much. Things such as who you are or where you come from really don't have to count in the blog. The extra bit of mysteriousness is where the intrigue lays for many. For those of us who don't mind a closeup, however, what are the points to know before making your own blog? *ahhemm, vlog.

After researching vlogs (yes, of course I'm using slightly more reliable sources than Urban Dictionary), I believe the most prominent attribute of the vlog is its ability to get on that next level with the viewers--taking that next step to being *tres personal. It's also more likely the story is told in real time than in past tense.

It's not to say you have to choose one or the other, but I must say, variety is the spice of life. *Oh, my.

Check out this vlog, Shimmy Makes Pasta, (Shout out to YouTube channel ShimmyHearts You, one of my favorites) and try to spot the many differences between the more traditional blog vs. its hipster cousin, the vlog.

Want to share your vlog with me? Send to me here.

7 Social Media Tips for Creating an Online Presence

The Seven Social Media Tips are Finally Here!

I had a chance to sit down with some of my classmates and discuss social media and how to actually create an online presence. Pretty cool stuff--and don't worry, we kept it pretty simple. Take seven minutes for seven tips, you'll be glad you did.

   Check out the podcast here.
  
  Don't feel like listening? Watch it.

OK, guys. Working on the.vid quality, should have a higher res copy up by tomorrow. Enjoy this one for now! 

                                       

Wanna keep it straight-bloggin' style? Read it below. 

1. Keep it separate

2. Research

3. Reach out

4. Quality over quantity

5. Link it

6. Keep it relevant

and finally ...

7. Keep it up

 

1. Keep it separate—but don’t lose your personality!

There are many ways to help keep your personal and private social media life separate:

-update your privacy settings on a consistent basis so that they may fit your specific needs and control your own content, if you would be embarrassed for someone to see what you are advertising, don’t put it up in the first place

However!  Don’t be hesitant to let people get to know the real you, don’t try to hide who you really are because your uniqueness is what will distinguish you from everyone else. 

Jennifer Fong, author of the direct sales and social media blogs, explains how People get to know us when we share a little of our personal lives with them.  And we also get to see into the personal lives of others.  That’s how you build a relationship with people.

And according the Inbound Internet Marketing Blog, "Social media is all about people connecting with people, and so your true personality is bound to come out -- no real point in trying to hide who you are as a person."

2. Research

In any PR class a student takes, research is a topic that is stressed from the beginning to the end. Research acts as the first step many PR practitioners use when it comes to client engagement. Research can make or break a PR campaign, but it can also make or break your reputation in the “online world”. In regards to social media, research can help you know what to write about, who your audience is and where to find them, what key words or tags you should use and which emerging trends you should follow, according to Bill Handys blog over research in social media. If you don’t contruct the proper amount of research, you ultimately know nothing about the topic and sound ignorant in the long run.

3. Reach Out

Now on to tip number three:  Reach Out to Truly connect.

Just putting up a blog or a facebook fan page won’t do much good if visitors sense the flow of conversation goes one way.

Start a conversation on twitter or on facebook, or ask for feedback on your blog. Not to mention, making comments on other blogs.

Matt Mullenweg, founder of blogging platform wordpress, lists not partipating in comments is a surefire way to kill community, so make sure to actively participate in 2-way communication.

Now on to Taylor with tips four and five.

Tip number six is relevance. Relevance is extremely important when it comes to PR. Consumers are bombarded every day with an infinite number of blogs, news stories, etc. Because of this, if something is not relevant, especially in the “online world”, it will be immediately discarded. Irrelevant topics are unimportant, uninteresting and the people that discuss irrelevant topics will eventually have a reputation for doing it and will be forgotten about. Keep up to date with what is going on in the world and with what is important in social media.

And for our final tip for today : Lucky number 7. Keep it up!

Be sure to keep current and relevant on your social media outlets. The popular social media website, Mashable, released a report that discusses how the average internet user spends more than a fifth of their time on social networks and that is on the rise, so there are plenty of people on the net to network with. 

To help with that, try to follow only relevant people. I know its hard not to follow some ridiculous characters like Rob Dyrdek and Drama from MTV’s Fantasy Factory and the Taylor’s favorite: Dunkin' Donuts, but do your best to limit irrelevant tweeple.

Shout me loud dot com offers 101 tips on how to become a social media rock star and number 76 is: Always make sure your tweets offer great value & information. People will me more apt to follow you if you have relevant information.

 Thanks guys!



Did we leave anything off the list? What do you think should have made the cut? Let us know by commenting below! 

.

When the World is on the 'Right' Side

Ever have those days where you feel like the world is on your side? I sure do. My best feelings come from my best days; my most worthy experiences, the good times.

But I sometimes wonder: How far 'right' could my quality-of-life meter push if I could treat every experience, whether good or bad, funny or sad, enlightening or demeaning, as if it were a part of something better -- as a part of my 'best days.'

I want to tear down that threshold of having a bad experience equal a bad day, tear it down with a gnawing force that even Team Jacob would have a hard time competing with. *Ggggrrrrrrr, ruff, snaarrllll ... yummm, pigs' ears! 

How much more productive would I be if I could prove that one minute couldn't, and wouldn't, ruin my day? These are necessary questions to ask ourselves -- especially if, like me, you're on the hunt for that *big job, a.k.a.: career.  

*It's my pledge to start-up this thinking process, and more importantly, stick to it. R-E-P-E-T-I-T-I-O-N is key. Repetition is key. *Repe. ..

How though, how in the world is this possible, the weary may ask?

It's keeping a simple reminder of your goals and ambitions on your person at all times. I have a few *favoritas. I keep a special paper clip in my right pocket *like always. If I'm wearing a dress/pocket-less pants, I find the clip a comfy corner in my handbag. Details I won't reveal, but I will say the paperclip and I have an inside joke that keeps me upbeat to a fault -- no matter what 'bad thing' happens, the joy behind that paperclip overwhelms it, and I survive. However, you will never see me singing, "I'm a Survivor" by Destiny's Child; it's just not my style. 

Other thoughts? Photos. What visual stimuli can keep you on your A-game?

Take a look at my some of my favorites that lift my spirit when I'm feelin' blue.

My lovely home in Spain

I actually found this picture online. It's a symbolism of Chilean culture, the colors and architecture. I hope to live here one day soon. I also love doors, to a fault.

Family says it all.

Mi familia espanola.

Mis memorias de Madrid. 

One day soon I hope to see the results of my positively positive actions.





Let's connect on Twitter.

Social Media Killed the Radio/Newspaper/Magazine Star

Social media. These two words are ruling the world. There is nothing we can do to stop it, so the question is, what's next? Social media is affecting many forces, including the public relations, advertising and marketing realms. There are so many ways to describe this process, but until recently, it had never been expressed quite like this.

Oklahoma State University's School of Journalism and Broadcasting recently changed its name and programming. The School of Media and Strategic Communications is what has emerged from this process.

Groundbreaking research and thoughtful planning have resulted in a program that is blatantly refreshing. It's not a trend; it's a sure sign the world is a changin', folks. It really can't get any better than this. This semester's course work encases an Advanced PR Media course, in which we had the opportunity to roll call the strength-in-numbers that is social media.

In Old English, we devised a plan to prove the powers of social media.

Flashmob. That's right. To promote the school and program change, our class utilized the interactive world to prove just how strategically powerful the social community really is.

Here's the breakdown.

Facebook. Gmail. Twitter. Viemo. YouTube.

We were there. You better believe we called in the hairy, older step brother, too.

Traditional media.

Pitch letters. Media releases. Pitch and followup phone calls.

What's left?

Oh, yes, the flashmob itself. Boy, a journey it was: the road winding, the results self-explanatory.

Want more?

Social Media/PR Impact on my Generation

I don't want to get into a psychotic rant about how social media has changed the world. *Duh. You're here, reading my blog. Obviously, that factor I won't bore you with. *Zzzzz.

Instead, I want to discuss the impact of these changes. Readwriteweb.com  let me know that the number of social media job postings on the job site Indeed.com has increased by more than 600 percent since 2005, according to a report by SocialMediaInfluence.com, which tracks social media trends.

*No me digas

This should prompt any upcoming grad to take a few courses in social media before hitting the streets. I am taking a social media course and an advanced public relations media class that require me to utilize social media, practically, all day, every day. Besides lovin’ the social media scene, I’m learning the importance of various social media platforms – beyond Twitter and Facebook.

Queried social media, and just how many Google results? 640,000,000. And the top website? Wikipedia. If you weren't aware, Wikipedia can be edited by anyone with computer access *Although this is not advisable,* as one of the world's largest sharing platforms.*Provin' my point.

Just don’t expect this knowledge to be a shoe-in for that fantasy job. Rather, as a supplement to your public relations expertise.

If you want a specifically tailored social media job, be wary: Social media jobs don't pay as well as similar positions in public relations, according to SocialMediaInfluence.com. *Thanks, again, readwriteweb.com.

In 140 characters or less, social media is a must and a plus, just not the bottom line. Now get to tweetin’.

There's Still Time!

So I just got the news that there's a national museum day today, with more than 1,300 museums, planetariums and zoos that are offering free admission to anyone with a voucher.

*That's pretty great.

Smithsonian magazine is the entity behind the idea, and they're hoping to turn some heads. This is a great opportunity to experience culture, history and have a good time without spending a dime.

The truth is, there needs to be more opportunities like this in the U.S.: No one should miss out on an education, a lesson, discovering a self-heightening interest because of their financial situation or background.

Yes, I respect we are the great Nation that offers free school from K-12, however, for a country of this caliber, we can always do more. I like seeing Smithsonian's efforts, and I applaud them.

Last year, more than 300,000 people took advantage of the offer and this year they're expecting to top that number by 20 percent. *Wowzers.

I've picked a few museums that I'd like to check out, especially on National Museum Day.

Museum of Science, Boston, Mass.

Particularly, there's an interactive presentation I've heard about and would *love, love, love to see.

Here’s a description from its website:

"Behind our seemingly steadfast Sun is a violent nuclear explosion with ever-changing magnetic fields that twist and erupt to produce solar storms. These storms can send charged particles hurtling toward Earth, where they bombard the planet's protective magnetic field and can damage essential technologies like power grids and satellites. Are we ready?"

"Behind the Headline is a rotating presentation that explores an exciting science and technology story that's in the news."

 A traveling exhibit in Dallas is also on the top of my list. *History lesson included, not to mention it's National Hispanic Heritage month ...

A snippet from the Dallas Museum of Nature & Science's website:

“MNS is proud to host Crozier Tech High: The Mexican-American Experience, 1940s-1970s, a photographic retrospective of the Mexican-American experience in Dallas during these formative years.”  

*Que fabuloso!

I might just have to catch a four-hour road trip to Dallas and catch this one. Point being, people, we need to take advantage of these wonderful opportunities to see the world, all from our own backyard.

If you have seen one of these or related exhibits, I'm begging you -- fill me in!

In fact, if you have any museum/exhibit/zoo/etc. suggestions *at all, send them my way because, as I like to say, Life is for Sharing. 

Young Words of Wisdom

There's a plethora of PR and advertising pros, no doubt, but I had the opportunity to sit down and have friendly chatter with one of Oklahoma City's best.

I'm on my to becoming a recent grad, a.k.a. I graduate way too soon, so I decided I needed to get some savvy professional advise from someone who has been there (Heck, who's there right now!). I had an enlightening, informative dialogue with the lovely Cicero International CEO and Owner Kari Snider. I learned way too much, in fact, I might just try snagging her topnotch position. *Kidding. 

Here's what I found out.

Cicero was a great senator of the Roman time period. His speeches and letters ignited thought, obedience and bravery in many of men. The powerful orator embodied ingenious thinking and spawned organization among the masses. He propelled the era to be remembered as one that encompassed practicality yet exuded a fiery will to succeed. 

Just as the name suggests, Cicero International of Oklahoma City fully embodies these traits. The company has grown from one woman from Corn, Okla. to a team of seven and exists as one of the state’s most respected strategic communications firms, including full-service advertising, marketing and public relations departments.

Cicero International Owner and CEO Kari Snider, the woman who started it all, gave a full exclusive into the world of advertising and what it takes to get to the top.

As the Romans, her company adopts fresh ideas from within the industry and gives them a solid foundation to grow in the Cicero community. And this is how you constantly improve any empire.

“In Roman times, orators told people what to say, when to say it and how to say it to help them get into power, and that’s essentially what we do for our clients,” Kari said. 

Kari started the corporation six years ago with a strong, strategic vision and more drive than most. However, every story needs its true start. The ambitious CEO received her Bachelors of Business Administration in Marketing and Management from Oklahoma Baptist University in 2003. She interned, and later worked full time for Express Services of Oklahoma City for two years where she collaborated with more than 450 Express franchisees on three continents.  

While talking about her college and recent-graduate years, Kari repeatedly expressed the importance of education – even though it might be nothing like the real world.

“The main thing is you learn the principles behind marketing, or whatever it is that you’re studying,” Kari said. “The principles never change.”

One of her classroom highlights was learning how to be comfortable while giving a presentation. 

“It’s just standing up in front of classmates,” Kari said. “Learning how to overcome nervousness and do a great presentation will take you far in the business world.”

These details have worked for Kari, but she also understands success in the advertising/PR world goes beyond presentations and practicality.

As a young practitioner, Kari relishes the value of networking. She is involved in several professional organizations, such as the Downtown Rotary Club of Oklahoma City and PRSA. Kari says she has learned a lot from the senior members involved in the Downtown Rotary Club.

The Downtown Rotary Club is the most respected Rotary affiliate because it’s the biggest and oldest in the city. There are more than 500 members, with 300 active. Kari says there are few women, as well as fewer younger participants. However, establishing a presence in this environment builds respect because it exposes her to professionals of the past.

“The seasoned professionals of the community are those who can give you the most insight and get you connected the quickest,” Kari said. 

Kari said these connections are a great asset to have in the advertising/PR industry.

However, connecting with other up-and-coming professionals is just as vital – it’s all about the balance. Tomorrow’s leaders tend to have a more similar outlook on the “next step forward,” as well as providing a strong sense of community support.  

But that’s not to say that every event will be a priority – and these are the experiences that you can’t miss.

“The networking events that I was going to skip, the after-hours party or the 6 a.m. breakfast, are the ones that I meet the people I get the most from,” Kari said. “Learn to appreciate these events because they can equal creditability and give you the best options to make things happen. They definitely pay off in the long run.”

One of Kari’s artful networking tips is to seek out professionals in related industries. They are great contacts to, let’s say, have coffee with once a month. It’s an easy way to sit down, chat and keep each other in the loop of the other’s industry. Kari vows success is all about collaboration, and it’s hard to have one without the other.

However, networking, or communicating within the workplace is just as important to achieving your goals.                     

        Cicero has a staff meeting every Monday to keep employees informed on  

        “where their teammates are” and for everyone to “get on the same page.” 

         Kari makes certain they keep the “fun side of the office up,” as well. There’s a 

         lot of internal communication, as well as plenty of communication with 

         clients.

“If it’s not fun, then you don’t want to keep doing it,” Kari said. “If you keep in touch, stay on the  same page with employees, it will ensure your success.”

It’s also vital for Kari and her staff to manage their time well. There are usually one-to-two client meetings per day for Kari, with at least one other potential client meeting. So, yes, it’s really all about time management. If running your own business, Kari advises to realize what you’re best at, focus on that and hire someone to do the rest. 

 When working with clients, Kari says establishing a positive, trusting relationship is key. If you can get the client on your side, then you can keep them on your side. It’s important to think about your client relations as a “lifetime team.” Let them in on the details, and don’t be afraid to be honest.

  

One of Cicero’s most noticeable clients is Pops on Route 66. Pops was on the right track, but needed a few fresh and clean, kid friendly renovations. The business is, hence the name, all about soda pops. There are more than 600 flavors, with more than 12 variations of the strawberry flavor alone.

Gracias a Pops and Cicero International for use of the photos. 

  When they set down as a team of agency and client, they realized there were many questions to be asked. What are the company’s goals? Who is the target market, demographic set, competition? Are there other companies that resemble the client? What sets them apart and lets them stand above the rest? These are typical questions for new and/or potential Cicero clients.

An obviously awesome business card Cicero designed for Pops as part of the grand overhaul.

The beginning phases of branding, or revamping a client include writers, creative and – well heck, the whole team. There are no bad ideas in creative or the creative life cycle. Kari encourages her team to be as open as possible with their ideas because thoughts and ideas can be linked to collect the best end product.

“If you stifle creative, your end product is not going to be its best,” Kari said. “It’s all about working together to create one cool idea. For example, using blind feedback to pick the best logo, you can use that (information) to get perception of the new and existing logo.” 

You've seriously got to check this place out. Can you say *crazy amazing?

Kari says when branding a client, getting the client “on board” with the concept is not only a preference, but a necessity. To really be branded well, consistency should be the agency’s and the client’s first priority.

Pops is just one example of how a company can be refreshed through dedication and teamwork in the advertising field.

Kari understands not everyone will start their own business fresh out of college, so she provided a few great tips on what she looks for when hiring new members of the Cicero team. When Kari reviews a potential employee’s resume and portfolio, she wants to see experience from either an internship or field-related courses. She also adds a particularly interesting facet to her interview process: a time management and skills task. She asks the applicant to sit down and write or design something for her in a timely manner.

“Time is of the essence,” Kari said. “This is quick, in-your-face environment.”

However, Kari said for Cicero, having a personality that flows with the teams’ is more important than just the skills.

“You can teach skills – you can’t teach a high-powered, team connection.”  

    

As an eight-year-old dreamer in a business suit, Kari said she always knew she was meant for the business world and knew that one day she would have something special of her own. But realistically, her experiences have been “trial by fire.”

      

“Everything is challenging upfront, so being prepared is a great asset,” Kari 

said. “Determination and follow-through is what builds-in the drive. The rest is 

faking it until you make it.”   

Here's to you, Photoshop.

I'm taking a great course that teaches all the wonderful wonders of Adobe Creative Suite. InDesign, Photoshop, Dreamweaver. All of it. It's been a great experience so far, but I can't decide if some of their applications are necessarily ethical. Let's face it, we've all seen the face of an over-shopped *chica or two. For our last assignment, we were asked to "liquify" a photo. I'll show you.

This is me:

Gorgeous, I know. Let's not get too excited.

So, I'm looking at this photo, and of course I notice a few areas I would like to magically disappear. Oh yeah, I could definitely give those cheeks a slim down. But, really, what's the point? It's me! I'm beautiful the way I am. For curiosity's sake, as well as the 25-point assignment, I took this bad boy (or girl) to Photoshop. I played around with this for an hour or so. Now keep in mind I am a novice at Photoshopping, if you will, so the final product does look somewhat altered.

But what about those who do this for a living?

Do they ethically struggle with changing the appearance of women on magazine covers, book shelves and websites? Is it just another part of the job? What would go through your mind? If you're not familiar with photoshopping and what it does, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photoshop_%28verb%29. I didn't shorten this link because I want you to see this information comes from Wikipedia. (Just sayin', not everyone respects the Wiki ... )

OK, so here's the after. 

*Totally not me

OK, so maybe that's a bigger shock than you were expecting. Here's what really happened.

That's quite different, folks. Here's a look side-by-side.

It might look like the same girl, but it sure doesn't look like me.

It's like the game on the Kid's Menu: Pick 10 differences between these two photos.

Let's talk about the situations in which I could use these photos. Would it be of mal intent if I put the "updated" photo on eHarmony or Match.com? What about a passport photo?

What does it do to the girls of the next generation when they see these "updated" photos? I would really like to know.

I could never do this for a living, day in, day out, without putting a Surgeon General's warning on every photo.

It disappoints me that beauty has to equal perfection for so many.

But I know I'm not alone! Take Dove, for example. How awesome is it's Campaign for Real Beauty? This video pretty much explains what you need to know. http://tinyurl.com/yfaled9.  Here's another http://www.dove.us/#/cfrb/.

I want our next generation of girls to be happy, healthy and have a positive body image. How can we give this much-deserved love when we're so critical of ourselves? I can't say I've never fallen to peer pressure or wished my thighs didn't jiggle so ... blatantly (I mean, it's just not natural). But what I can say is that I try my hardest every day to love and accept myself the way I am. It's just a thought. Love yourself, love others and let's be honest about who we are -- in every way we can.

Hello, world.

So, this is another milestone in my young life: my first blog. Wow, kind of nice to *finalmente  be able to say. I don't understand "blogger's etiquette" quite yet, but I'm guessing I should at least introduce myself.

My name is Taylor Nixon, and I am studying public relations and Spanish at Oklahoma State University.¡Ole! I graduate December 2010, and I am jumping through all the hoops/dodging all the bullets that upcoming grads have to oh-so pleasantly do. I am not really sure what my passion in life is, but I sure am having a fun time finding it — and that is the way it should be.

I’d like to share my quirky life with you, which includes my successes and my fiascoes. Don't worry, you'll hear a lot about those fiascoes -- and I won't give you the watered down version, either. It might turn out like that cheesy made-for-tv movie that's way to addicting ... If I spill spaghetti sauce down the front of my date's white shirt, I'll tell you ... "So, my 'friend' went on this date ..." Hey, it'll be just as juicy as this week's issue of People, which I'm guessing is on stands now if you'd like to start taking notes for comparison. *Nice. 
I've just been looking for the perfect platform to share my feelings, ideas, thoughts and sometimes jibberish. I'm pretty sure I've found a good friend in blogging. Transparency with my readers and a few lecciones de Espanol in my writing are all I'm trying to accomplish. Persuade, convince along the way? I somehow knew that debate class in sixth grade would pay off. *Miss you, Mrs. Broughton! 

It’s going to be a heck of a good time, so stick around. I welcome an open dialogue. I encourage conversation, tips and wake-up calls. You might not learn anything, but I promise I won’t fill you with stupid. ¡No soy aburrida tampoco – te prometo! I pledge to post an updated/new blog about once a week. I'm excited, guys. This is going to be a good time. I'll see you then! 



In the meantime, catch up with me on Twitter at http://tinyurl.com/24nmj97 or e-mail me at ltaylornixon@ltaylornixon.com