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The TRUTH About Motherhood

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  • Throat Punch Thursday; The “Dad, Momma’s feeding junior bugs again” edition

     Welcome to Throat Punch Thursday my friends. Well, this weeks choice was fairly easy being all the bullshit that surrounds this hot mess. YOU know what I’m referring to, come on. What would make you madder than running out of diapers in the middle of the night? Finding beetle larva in your baby’s Similac, you say? What would make you even madder than finding out live on The Bachelor that you were NOT the one he chose, after you were led to believe that you were ?( sorry, its late I couldn’t think of any other analogy)How would you feel about trying to contact Similac to see if your formula lot number was recalled and not being able to ever access a human being? Just one more reason for la Leche League to yammer on about the breast being best. There is usually not a whole lot of bug contamination in your Momma’s boobies. I tried the whole boobie thing, it worked for about 6 weeks, I never made enough milk and I had to supplement the entire time with….SIMILAC!

    I would be irate if I had a newborn and found out that they could possibly be ingesting bug parts. Imagine it being your first newborn and learning this. OMG,it would have sent me into a stark raving fit of lunacy. Seriously, they wouldn’t have had to worried about my calls. I would have had my crazy ass in the car. Oh yeah, I’d have no problem finding out where they were located or how to get there..I’m computer savvy and internet learned.

    On Wednesday, Abbott Laboratories issued a recall of about 5 million cans of certain Similac-brand powdered infant formula, due to the possible presence of beetle larva. Did you read that..5 MILLION cans!

    If ingested, the FDA said that this type of beetle could cause discomfort and irritate the gastrointestinal tract, making infants lose their appetite. Well, no shit! Umm, my second child was colicky from dairy formula..can you imagine if had beetle larva in it what it would do to a colicky kid? That’s reason enough to take their heads of with a Throat punch. This may be more serious than a Throat punch, maybe a  full on decapitation? The more I recall the days of walking in the middle of the night with no sleep due to colic, I say yes..beheading may be the way to go. Lets make that throat punch count!

    Following the recall, Abbott (ABT, Fortune 500) established a 24/7 phone hotline and directed consumers to a website for more information, including the product lot numbers affected by the recall. Repeated attempts to access both services by CNNMoney have been mostly unsuccessful. No shit, what are they going to do answer the phone,get screamed at and say, “Hi, Similac speaking. Sorry about the bugs we fed to your perfect little newborn. Hope he does’t turn into the fly.OOPS! Gotta go!”

    My Throat Punch is most certainly going to Abbot Industries for not only their beetle larva ( SKEEVE) but even more so because they are not available to give these parents some damn  counsel. So they are the lovely recipients of not 1 but 2 Throat Punches, 1 for the bugs and 1 for the awful customer service. Now come here so I can feed you a nice warm glass of beetle parts.

    Here’s the number if you need more information..You can call it but they probably won’t answer. My suggestion, if you have Similac lying around, just throw it out!EWWWW

    For information on the recall, Abbott said that parents and caregivers can go to www.similac.com/recall10 or call Abbott’s consumer hotline, (800) 986-8850, for more information.
     

  • Just the Way You Are

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjhCEhWiKXk?fs=1]

    I’m driving home from morning drop off and I hear this song on the radio for the first time. I was totally blown away. This is why…as women this is what we want long to hear the man we love say to us. This is what we dream of from the time we notice boys.To be amazing. To be seen as perfection…just the way we are. That’s the key…AS WE ARE! Problem is, we are never satisfied and constantly evolving.

    This is the irony, the Big Guy always tells me that I look pretty and that I am sexy to him. He does, however, realize by now that what he thinks is important is not nearly as important as how I feel about myself or what I believe I look like. So, we spend our lives looking for validation from the men we love and even when they earnestly mean it and freely give it; we reject it. What will it take to satisfy our souls on this subject? I KNOW the Big Guy loves me. I KNOW the Big Guy finds me attractive but if I don’t feel it myself, its almost impossible to believe it truly.

    I love this song because it gives me hope that one day I can believe and feel as amazing as the Big Guy believes me to be. By the way Big Guy, you are pretty effing amazing just the way you are too! I’m a lucky girl to have such a great man to share my life with..even if I hardly ever get to see you anymore.

    Ladies, listen to this song. Let it fall on your ears like prayer, let it marinate for awhile. Drink it all in. And in the end, KNOW in your heart that this is how the man that loves you sees you. This is why he chose you! Remember it! Write it Down! Believe it! There’s Not a thing I would change. Cause Girl You’re Amazing JUST THE WAY YOU ARE!![/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • International Delight Making Memories

    International Delight Making Memories

    When I was little, every summer my brother and I would beg our mother to let us have a lemonade stand. She would oblige and we would sit in the sun at a small, old card table with our Styrofoam cups and our not so ice-cold lemonade that we sold for ten cents a cup. That was 1979.

    Our customers were our neighborhood friends. It wasn’t a big neighborhood, mostly just the kids on our block, and we probably spent as much money on supplies as we made for the ice cream truck but it was fun. It was the late 70’s and sitting outside in the sun with our lemonade was about as big of an invitation for our friends to saunter over into our front yard and stay awhile as we could think of. This was before the times of play dates and organized play, this is when if you wanted to have friends you had to actually speak to someone, be kind and earn their friendship. It was not expected, demanded or taken for granted. Friendship was what made summer worth having. I want that for my own girls.

    Since my eldest daughter was about 3-years-old, she has always had a small lemonade stand with her little sister which they operated out of their backyard playhouse. They love helping me make the homemade Country Time lemonade and adding the ice and lemon slices for homemade authenticity. They’d open their little lemonade stand from the pass through window of their playhouse and make a sign charging their grandmother and I, $2 a cup (for the very lemonade that I had bought and made). Every year we’ve happily done this but this year, our first summer in our new house in a new neighborhood, the girls want to have a full-fledged lemonade stand in the front of the house. This time it is not to earn cash from their grandmother and I but rather as a way to meet the neighborhood kids, which makes me proud of my little girls because they are learning the value of a good friend; being one and having one.

    Then I thought about it and, I don’t really know too many of the neighbors either so why not give the moms in the neighborhood a reason to stop by my yard, as well. I can’t serve wine or cocktails without a liquor license but I can serve iced coffee. I’m pretty sure that iced coffee would bring all the moms to my yard!

    I mean, as a mom, what could make your morning better than an impromptu play date at the neighbor’s house while the mother’s sip on iced coffee and have spontaneous, easy conversation? I’m no barista but I’m sure that one of the seven International Delight Iced Coffee flavors; Vanilla, Mocha, Caramel Macchiato or Original Coffee Flavor or one of their light versions with 1/3 fewer calories would be a welcome addition to the morning routine.

    So why not let your child have a lemonade stand? Add some International Delight iced coffee for the adults and let the good times roll.

    For great ideas to make your own lemonade stand with your family visit internationaldelight.com/summer and share the fun on International Delight’s Facebook and Pinterest pages. I can’t wait to hear what kind of experience your family has and what kinds of unforgettable summer memories come of it. International Delight wants to help you this summer by giving away great prizes to their customers in their International Delight Summer Lemonade and Iced Coffee Stand: Fourth of July #IcedCoffeeLove Twitter Sweepstakes which runs from June 21st thru to July 2, 2013. The Grand Prize Winner will receive a Summer Cool Down pack with a cooler for ID, tumblers, and a $200 Visa gift card to visit the water park of their choice. Three runners up will receive free Iced Coffee. All you have to do is tweet about your experience with International Delight Iced Coffee. Simple, for example:

    Why do you love @InDelight? Tell us using #IcedCoffeeLove and win prizes to help you stay cool this summer!

    Whether it’s a lemonade or International Delight Iced Coffee stand, 1979 or 2013, it’s always been and will always be about making new friends and unforgettable memories.

    This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

    This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight.  The opinions and text are all mine.


  • Throat Punch Thursday ; Douche Bag Rommie Edition

    I came across this story while trolling CNN, my favorite source of most of my Throat Punch Thursday posts because apparently CNN has a direct line to all douche baggery in the world. You’ve probably heard this story already. If not, be sure and watch the video and stay tuned. Commentary will follow!

    https://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=us/2010/09/29/ricks.nj.clementi.suicide1.cnn

    Apparently, there was a student at Rutgers University named Tyler Clementi who had the misfortune of rooming with an asshole named Dharun Ravi. Tyler Clementi,18, freshman at Rutgers University asked his roomate Dharun, also 18, if he could have the dorm room for a period of time in the evening of September 19. He wanted to be alone with a date, another boy on campus. Dharun Ravi left the room but promptly went to his friend Molly Wei’s room and proceeded to turn on his web cam and spy on record the boy on boy action. I’d say this Dharun Ravi character is some sort of perverted psychopath. But it didn’t stop there. No, this creep actually tweeted about it. “Roommate asked for the room till midnight. I went into molly’s room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay.” OK, can you say sick bastard. First, invasion of privacy and secondly, have you nothing better to do then spy on you room mate and tweet about it, no less. Talk about social media at its best.

    To make matters worse, a couple days later , on September 21st, he did the same thing. This time tweeting “Anyone with iChat, I dare you to video chat me between the hours of 9:30 and 12. Yes it’s happening again,” and with that he live streamed the sexual encounter between the boys. I’m convinced this Dharun Ravi character should be locked away in some prison cell, just for this.

    The next day, Clementi was dead. He jumped off the  George Washington Bridge. How do we know this? For one his wallet and phone were found on the bridge, and then there is the omnious FB status update “jumping off the gw bridge sorry.”

    Didn’t anybody think to go check on this kid? Ring him on the telephone? Go over to his dorm room? In the end, his body was found in the Hudson river. The cause of death was ruled to be suicide by drowning and blunt injuries from the impact of the jump from the bridge. Blunt injuries indeed!

    Obvious choice for this weeks coveted Throat Punch Thursday goes to the fucking idiot Dharun Ravi for being the worst room mate in the history of the world. For being a creepy Lester pervert who not only spied on his room mate during an intimate encounter but then exploited it and made a mockery of him. Look, there is a lot of shit I would have killed my room mate in college for live streaming but nothing was ever as heinous as what this mental midget did. I don’t know if this Clementi kid was out to his family yet but I’m assuming not, since such drastic measures were taken to avoid the ramifications of the live stream. I hate that we live in a world where a nice kid can’t love who they want but a perfectly creepy asshole can literally get away with murder.

    Ravi and his friend Molly Wei, 18, are each charged with two counts of invasion of privacy for the September 19 broadcast, according to the prosecutor’s office. * Really, is that the best they can do? Two more counts of invasion of privacy were leveled against Ravi for a September 21 attempt to videotape another encounter involving Clementi, according to the prosecutors office. I think this is laughable. These morons played a direct part in Clementi’s suicide. They are as guilty as if they had pushed him off the GW Bridge. I, personally, think they should be thrown off the GW Bridge themselves…especially the room mate. That is a sacred relationship.At the very least, they should be charged with Manslaughter and expelled from the university. There is much more information to support my stance please read the entire story here!

  • Throat Punch Thursday:Bullshit Blogger Edition

    This week, I was all set to give the throat punch to Pastor Jerry Jones because lets face it, he is a douche bagger in a major way.Burning people’s Bibles, come on now. That is just not right. What’s next burning people at the stake?
    But alas, in the last 24 hours, incredibly enough an even bigger douche bag, ass wipe has come to my attention.Oh yes, any blogger worth their salt knows of whom I am speaking. I don’t want to speak her name ( if she really even is a she) She  He It has lied about everything else. I am not totally sure they are who or what they say they are. God knows, not one of their posts have they written themselves. That’s right. They have stolen every one of the posts on their site and had the gall to back date them.This moron even copied the about and uncut pages. Can you believe this? I highly doubt the photos of the children on the blog are even hers. Or real, for that matter. It’s probably some weirdo, no life having, living in their mama’s basement sort of douche bag.
    As bloggers,we all know how hard it is to build a community and maintain a blog.It’s a lot of work. It’s like raising a child. If you want it to grow and be strong and respected, you’ve got to put your blood, sweat, tears, heart and a whole lot of  elbow grease and time into it.That being said, it is a cardinal sin to steal someones content. That is stealing someones thoughts, experiences, feeling; their life, their talent, their passion. For that, you deserve a hell of a lot worse than my throat punch but that is all I have to give. I hate to do this but I feel its my duty to share the blog address so that you can all go check it out and see if this idiot has stolen your content. If they have, please report them to the appropriate people.I encourage all authors of original posts copied and pasted here, to fill out a copyright infringement claim at:

    https://www.google.com/blogger_dmca.html

    Here is the blog Outnumbered by Testosterone. I’m not sure what kind of racket this broad is running but she needs to be shut down.She’s like the single white female of the blogosphere and she needs to be locked up in a padded room , or at the very least locked out of the blogosphere. Yes, this weeks throat punch definitely goes to the crazy bitch that steals other people’s lives. Happy Mothering!

  • Mommy Competition or More Bullshit that I’m sick of

    This post is for my fellow Mommy bloggers. I know some of you don’t like to be pigeonholed by the term. I, myself, am pretty proud of it. I have only been writing this blog for about 2 years, but in that time I have surrounded myself with a wonderful community or women and men; mostly parents and bloggers.  I have met amazing women all over the globe. My friend and advice pool has increased exponentially. I have also learned that there is a definite pecking order in the community, as there is in any social circle. People with seniority are obviously going to know more about the field and have more experience and insight. This is nothing new. This is the way of the world.

    Last night, I was checking my Twitter stream and I saw a confusing tweet about Top Tier (more seasoned) Mommy Bloggers and it linked to a post. I won’t link that post because I don’t like to give traffic to what I think is a malicious rant. I wasn’t sure if the tweet was in agreement of the post or against it. So, my interest was piqued and I had to read it for myself.The jist was that it was a complaint rant ( a whine, if you will) about how Top Tier Mommy bloggers are aloof and “take” all the opportunities and that the only reason they have the opportunities that they have is because they were here first.She went on to insinuate that the entire “community” that they inundate themselves with is nothing more than a handful of other Top Tier Mommy bloggers. The entire post felt to me like a platform to attack. Of course, it is her blog and she is entitled to say whatever she wants about whatever she wants.It’s her opinion but it really felt like sour grapes to me.

    I am NOT a big name blogger, by any means. I fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of Mommy bloggers.But I can say this with complete authority, these women are where they are because they are talented writers, they work hard to network, they put themselves out there with their writing and most have been working hard at this for years.YEARS!The writer of the post says that the Top Tier Mommy bloggers “worm” their way into every single internet uproar referencing the Today Moms and Babble.com. These bloggers are the authority because they’ve been doing it the longest and gotten exposure for being pioneers in the field. The Today Show and Babble go to them first because the Top Tier Mommy bloggers are the ones who have been here for the longest. FYI, I know several “new” bloggers (especially int he NYC area) who have several media opportunities. So, it’s not just about being in that elite group. You have to be available and engage in social media. You can’t sit on a Mommy blogger throne and just think you are so special that the world must come to you. We are all moms. We grow babies and share our experience, have opinions..the end. Most are not independently wealthy, they are paid in prestige. They are paid in mattresses, trips and cameras.They write because they love to write. They write to maintain their sanity.They write because they have something to say. They keep writing because we are reading. I admire them for their fortitude and ambition.It’s hard to keep working so diligently on a goal that is almost impossible to reach.Mommy blogging is about as hard as actual Mommying, with much less rewards.

    I wonder if the blogger who wrote the post has even ever tried to reach out to these so called Top Tier bloggers? I have. I have networked and chit chatted with just about every single one of them via Twitter, FB, our blogs, email and various other blogging platforms. You know what? The ones I’ve interacted with are very friendly, willing to guide/mentor a new blogger, gracious and smart. They don’t shut new bloggers out. But, as a new blogger, you have to be willing to engage, introduce yourself. They don’t know you. How could they? You’ve never met. It’s common sense, just like in your real life relationships.You have to make an effort. You can’t sit on your ass and expect Mohammad to come to the mountain. Most of us are not that fucking special.In fact, no one is that fucking special. Life is about relationships. You get out what you put in.

    It’s ridiculous that I have to defend these ladies for doing nothing wrong. This post I read talks about community and the TOP TIER bloggers keeping it very elite and cliquey when she herself is the one who is attacking; shutting them out. They are not writing about keeping people out. She is. I think this is more a case of sour grapes than anything else. This is where the dysfunction comes from in this community.Not from Top Tier Mommy bloggers shutting people out but from whiny bloggers giving up and looking for someone else to blame for their own shortcomings. Work hard, persist and persevere or give up and shut up. Either way, stop complaining.

  • Nutrisystem Week 4 Update; Slow & Steady wins the race ( The VLOG)

    DISCLOSURE: Nutrisystem is providing their  program to me free of charge in exchange for my participation in the Nutrisystem Nation Blogging Program and weekly updates. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed in this post are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

    Sorry, the quality isn’t better but I just wanted to give you all an update! You rock! Thank you for the support!I couldn’t do this without all of your encouragement!Down 7.5 pounds in 28 days, YEY ME!!!! Happy Mothering!

    I’m cheezy because I lost 7.5 pounds and I get to drink my coffee out of this awesome new mug! Don’t you just love it? My bloggy diva narcissism shining through, once again! For some reason, I keep hearing that song “Don’t you wish your Mug was hot like mine! Don’t cha wish your Mug was a freak like mine?Don’t cha?” I don’t know if I’m giddy about the weight loss or just plain silly.What do you think?

  • A Journey of a Thousand Miles

    A Journey of a Thousand Miles

    Nutrisystem, weight loss, diet, #NSNationNutrisystem is keeping me focused. It’s been one of those kinds of weeks; you know the ones where you are running around like a chicken with your head cut off? The ones that start off with you trying to beat the clock on some deadlines and ends with you almost falling out of your attic. I’m telling you, some higher power yanked my by the back of my t-shirt and saved my life. Staying on course was difficult. It’s hard to plan your meals and grocery shop when you are working your tail off just trying to keep up. I know some of you know the feeling.

    Nutrisystem, weight loss, diet, #NSNation

    Thankfully, half the work is done for me with Nutrisystem. I have my entrees; I only need to add the sides, fruits and veggies, and extra protein. But even that is near impossible without planning and help. I made sure that I got in my daily 60-minute walk/jogs at least 4 times last week. I shoot for 10,000 steps because then my FitBit tells me that I’m a good girl. More importantly, my pants tell me that I am staying on point.

    Nutrisystem, weight loss, diet, #NSNation

    Monday marked the end of my 4th week on the Nutrisytem program and, even with all the chaos of life; I lost another 1.8 pounds for a grand total of 11 pounds and 22 inches lost. I’ve lost 3 inches off of my arms, 4 inches off of my chest, 6 inches off of my waist, 5 inches off of my hips and 4 inches off of my thighs. I don’t know about you, but that thrills me.  I am a long way from the my goal weight of 137 pounds but I am now under the 100 pound goal mark to lose and I am also into the 230’s, which is a HUGE accomplishment of its own. I am proud of myself.

    Nutrisystem, weight loss, diet, #NSNation

    I am totally beginning to feel more comfortable with who I am; the skin I am in. Just 11 pounds and my clothes are fitting differently. I am fitting into my life differently. The craziest part of it is that I have begun to enjoy exercising. It’s not something I dread or find myself trying to avoid. I look forward to it. Yes, you heard me correctly.

    Nutrisystem, weight loss, diet, #NSNation

    I’m not doing anything special or expensive. I am just getting up off my butt and moving; walking and kinda jogging. I am no runner and I still weigh over 200 pounds so I have to ease into it. I stretch out before my morning walk. I put on my headphones and hit the beautiful 5 miles of trails that wind throughout my neighborhood. Sometimes, I take my girls but when my husband is home, I go alone and that, my friends, is a gift all its own. I have one whole hour to just be in quiet solitude, well, except for the runners mix I listen to on Pandora every morning and then I return home winded, energized and ready to start my day off with a chocolate/banana protein shake and a chocolate chip scone. It’s that easy and I love the way I feel when I know I’m actively trying to get myself healthy.

    weight loss, Nutrisystem, diet,#NSNation, www.motherhoodthetruth.com

    And Just so you ladies know that I don’t always stay in my sweats these days…

    Nutrisystem, Weight loss, diet, #NSNation

    What’s your motivation to get healthy? Stay tuned for a update and vlog next week!

    Want to join me in losing weight and getting healthy on Nutrisystem? You can join Nutrisystem by calling 1-888-853-4689 or visiting https://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog

    Disclaimer: Nutrisystem is providing my program free of charge for my participation in the Nutrisystem Nation Blogger program but all opinions are honest and my own.

  • Vaseline Spray and Go Gets You Out the Door Freaky Fast

    Vaseline Spray and Go Gets You Out the Door Freaky Fast

     

    I love this video, it shows just how effectively the New Vaseline® Spray & Go Moisturizer absorbs instantly into your skin, so we women can put our clothes right on after moisturizing. I am not sure that I could put my clothes on quite as gracefully or in as cool a way as Emma, the dancer in the video, but it sure is fun to watch.

    Of course, Emma is a professional dancer from London who was trained as an acrobat as a child and then switched to modern dance. She should be in Cirque du Soleil with those skills. I’m a mommy whose groove thang doesn’t work like it used to.

    Can you believe the production team started by having Emma try 25 speed dressing tricks before they narrowed it down? Did you see her pull on tights while doing a back somersault across the bed? Holy moly, I would have fallen off the bed and broke my newly moisturized derriere. That was the hardest speed trick for Emma to pull off too, so I don’t feel so bad. Emma said the back walkover into a pair of heels was the easiest trick for her. Show off! I could never have looked so graceful doing those speed tricks; I would have definitely fallen and broken something. Emma was able to do every spot in a single take. Take a look at the behind the scenes video.

     

    What’s not to love about the New Vaseline® Spray & Go Moisturizer? It’s freaky fast to apply and more importantly quick to absorb into your skin. It has a convenient 360° spray that dispenses lotion quickly and evenly and you can even hold the can upside down and it still works. It absorbs in 10 seconds or less. What else can you do in 10 seconds? It sure is helpful to get out the door in the morning.  My time is precious, and I am sure yours is too. I don’t have time to wait for my lotion to dry in the morning.

    Here are some other tips I have for getting out the door fast in the morning:

    1. Wake up 20 minutes before the children. This is key to getting yourself dressed, ready and one cup of coffee in your system before the kids ever open their eyes. Not being whipped into a frenzy while trying to get little people dressed and out the door is a blessing and will make your life happier.
    2. Plan your breakfast the night before. Nothing wastes time like staring into the abyss of the pantry or refrigerator. Hey, were you raised in a barn? Sorry, I was channeling my mom for a moment.
    3. Make a packed lunch schedule and make lunches the night before and refrigerate over nights o they are ready to grab and go in the morning.
    4. Homework! Empty the kids’ backpacks the night before. Take all papers out of the folders, make sure homework is done and sign everything that needs to be signed the night before not in the morning.
    5. Give baths and showers to kids at night. Trying to get a half-asleep child to shower without consequence is not a good idea. There will be tears, probably yours.
    6. Lay you and your children’s outfits out the night before. Preparation is key to a smooth morning, believe me.
    7. If you follow these steps, you will be out the door in no time with your little ones.

    Vaseline® Spray & Go Moisturizer is a quick, continuous 360° spray lotion that moisturizes deeply and absorbs in seconds, so you can put your clothes right on and get on with your day! Available in three formulas – Total Moisture®, Aloe Fresh, and Cocoa Radiant™ – this fast to apply, quick to absorb line of lotions leaves skin instantly soft – not sticky or greasy. Find out more at www.maxthemorning.com!

    This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Vaseline. The opinions and text are all mine.

    This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Vaseline.  The opinions and text are all mine.

  • Social Media Works; You have to be Engaged to Engage Others

    Social Media Works; You have to be Engaged to Engage Others

    Social Media ~ I have noticed lately that there are a lot of big brands and companies out there who obviously do not fully comprehend the breadth and width of the social media reach. They’ve not been given the  social media handbook ( because it doesn’t exist) or they didn’t read it, at the very least they don’t understand the etiquette. It takes practice to make perfect when it comes to social media. No one, not one of us, on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Youtube, Summify, About,Technorati, Myspace, Google+, Linkedin want to be shouted, preached at or commercial-ed to death. We don’t respond well to SoapBox media. This applies to individuals and brands. It’s social media 101, you have to be engaged to engage others. Big Brands are not the almighty OZ and we, the people, already have a brain. At the epicenter of all this engagement needs to be a person (a real life person) making real life relationships and having real conversations.THAT is how social media works.

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

    Social media, twitter, flickr, facebook, social networks
    Photo Mirnabard.com

    Social Media Experiment

    This morning, my husband asked me to tweet out a simple request that people vote for Midmark Corporation to win the Dayton Journal Brand Madness competition. I’m not even sure what exactly they win aside from bragging rights but I love a challenge. When he asked me this, of course I obliged. When he asked me to do the tweet, the percentages were 6% for Midmark and 94% for the competition. Within in an hour, the odds were at 46% Midmark and 54% for the competition. Now, I’m not saying my tweets and FB requests of my followers did all of that but I think it’s too much to be called a coincidence. I think social media was working in Midmark’s favor. I did some research and on Twitter I have a little over 3200 tweeps that I tweet with on a daily basis. People that I engage and interact with and have real conversations. Each of them have anywhere from 100 followers to 200,000 followers. This increases my reach exponentially. Factor in the fact that they support me and vote or publicized the competition because I asked, it appeared on their walls and in their Twitter streams, and the reach is even larger. Midmark however has 374 people who follow on twitter. They do not engage actively every day and from what I saw, most of it is of the SoapBox variety. Tweeting out once every few weeks usually something that only other employees would be interested in reading. I have 900 total followers on Facebook  and Midmark has 180. I am by no means a giant in the social media field but I I know what I am doing. The fact is that my social media reach is greater than this multimillion dollar company. Doesn’t that seem weird? Well, it shouldn’t because it proves my point that people respond to PEOPLE not auto tweets, auto DMS, spam and certainly not Soap Box Media.

    Social Media Wins Again

    This is not Midmark’s fault. I love Midmark but it proves a point that no one teaches social media. It’s still too new and ever changing. It’s like parenting. You learn as you go and then you are able to use your wisdom to do better. I would like to demonstrate this for Midmark that they need a specifically social media savvy type person to handle their social media. They need someone who understands all that social media entails. It’s social media not Soapbox media, to get the most out of it you have to engage and be social. A publicity blast will yield no return or at least not the kind you might want. Anyone, brand or person, who just tweets one-sided and does not engage in actual conversation will not get the full benefit of social media.I don’t usually ask for votes for anything but I really want to prove that social media reach is strong and there is value in people who employ the skills to effectively navigate social media. Please help me to help Midmark win this branding competition by clicking on this link and voting for Midmark. It will only take a second. If you rally want to let the big companies know that we individuals with  social media savvy backgrounds are the way to promote their companies than add a comment after voting for Midmark letting them know that TruthfulMommy sent you. If it makes you feel any better, Midmark truly is an outstanding corporation who actually deserves to win. Voting is open until midnight tonight eastern standard time. They just don’t have the social media know how to let people know they are even in the running. Maybe I can prove the need for a Social Media guru. Thank you all so much for taking a second to vote. I promise it is a click on the link and then a click on the vote for Midmark. There are no forms to fill out. These big companies need to realize the value of social media and that it takes more than just a business degree and a few publicity blasts to grow your social media image. Help me prove that for social media to be effective, it takes people, like you and I, who sit at a computer, form relationships and hold conversations.

    Social Media Savvy Wins

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