Book Review: David Meerman Scott’s “The New Rules of PR”

Here it is in the middle of the night and I cannot sleep.  Maybe it is the excitement of waiting for the big snowstorm that is knocking on our door.  Since I could not sleep, I decided to read a book.  I selected “The New Rules of PR” by one of my favorite authors David Meerman Scott.

I should have known reading one of Scott’s books would not help me fall to sleep.  His book “World Wide Rave” is one of my all time favorite books and one I suggest to my friends.  I think I read it in a weekend.

Tonight’s reading was a little shorter, but just as thought provoking.  While Scott wrote “The New Rules of PR: How to create a press release strategy or reaching buyers directly” back in 2006, the information and ideas are still relevant today.  That is why I am recommending it to all of my friends and anyone that wants to promote themselves or their business.

“The New Rules of PR” is a short free e-book packed with ideas I will be implementing to help market my own business.  It is also sort of a precursor to another book by David Meerman Scott “The New Rules of Marketing and PR” which is now on my I must read list. 

5K Challenge

Here it is New Year's Day 2011.  I have never been big on making New Year's resolutions, but this year I have one and I would like for you to join me.

In April, I will be participating in my very first 5k.  Fortunately for me it is a walk/run 5k, so I will be walking it.  This is a special 5k and I need to give you some of the background on it.

On Christmas Eve morning I received a call from my mom with news that still is sinking in.  My cousin, Robin Rockett Bowen, was hit while out during her morning run with the running group she ran with.  Robin was killed instantly and another runner was severely injured.  The driver was later charged with a DWI and from what I understand that was not her first.  Read the newspaper article here.

Robin and I are the same age and we grew up together going to school and playing ball together.  Like I said, it is still hard to believe she is not here any more. 

Robin was an avid runner.  She had ran in numerous race of all distances.  The running group that she ran with is working on organizing a 5k in her honor in April.  I will be walking it with Robin's sister Kathy.

So, I am now training to be prepared for the 5k to honor my dear cousin.  It is a great way to show our love for her and to get back in shape.

I would love for all of you to join me on this journey.  If you can join me for the actual 5k, AWESOME!  If not then train with me, either in person (would love to have some walking buddies) or train where you are and keep me informed.  Of course I would love to receive some encouragement with your comments here.

I'll be posting on a regular basis here on my progress and my thoughts.  So, please keep checking back and don't forget those words of encouragement.

Maybe at the 2012 5k for Robin I can run it.  Robin, we love and miss you.

Denise

Appreciating teachers

Teachers are pretty awesome.  Okay, I'll admit I didn't think that so much when I was in school either; especially when they assigned all that homework.  But as a parent and an adult that lives in the real world now, I see that they were and are still pretty awesome.

This morning I learned about something the retail chain, Big Lots is doing to show their appreciation to teachers.  They are having their Teacher Appreciation Day.  Teachers can receive 10% off during their special day at Big Lots.  Here are more details on how you can save at Big Lots today if you are a teacher

The unwelcomed guest

Back in July, we took a family camping trip to Mt Pisgah.  It was the first time we had camped at the campground up there.  It is a really nice campground and we will be camping there again.

When we go camping we like to go hiking and enjoy the beautiful world that the Lord has given us. Time out in nature is a true pleasure for me.  I could easily live deep in the woods.  Of course you would have to come visit me to hear these stories rather than just read them on this blog.

One afternoon we decided to stop in at the Cradle of Forestry just north of Looking Glass Falls.  We had went by there many times in the past, but had never stopped to see what all was there.

The kitchen inside the ranger's house.

In 1898, the Biltmore Forestry School was opened and in 1968 it became a historical site.   The site is impressive.  Being true to their history, there is an informative and fun educational building that is designed to teach not only about trees and animals that live in the forests, but also about the products that we use every day that come from the woods.  Did you know that crayons come from the forest?

The Cradle of Forestry also has two trails you can take.  The site closes at 5 and we got there later in the afternoon, so we only had time to take one of the trails.  We selected the Biltmore Campus trail that shows how life at the school was back in the late 1800's.

We do a lot of hiking and have hiked many trails, but I will tell you this was a very nice, easy paved trail that would be a wonderful journey into the woods and back in time for anyone.  Just plan on getting there earlier in the day than we did so you can enjoy both of the trails.  In fact hats off to the Forestry Service and the Cradle of Forestry Interpretive Association for how well maintained the whole site was.

We had just really started on the trail and was enjoying the old buildings and learning more about life back when the forestry school was in session.  We made it to the second stop and went through the old ranger's house.

After we left the ranger's house we headed up the slight incline towards the next stop.  There was a steep drop off to our left and a rock wall to our right.  The width of the path was all there was between them.

As we made our way up the hill, Dwayne was a step ahead closest to the drop off.  Sarah was in the middle and I was right at the wall.  Dwayne got slightly ahead of us, because I was actually touching the wall and commenting on how much I would love to have it.  It came about chest high on me and would be awesome to use in portrait sessions.

Just as I finished saying that I wanted that wall, the whole woods erupted into the most distinct noise.  Dwayne reached back and started pushing us back.  I grabbed for Sarah to pull her back and started back tracking myself.

This is the full frame of the snake.  Sorry, I wasn't getting any closer.

We had came up a gate keeper and he was not a happy camper.  We knew it was a rattlesnake, but I had no clue where he was.  I have been attacked by a wild turkey and a raccoon an have came across wild boar before while out in the woods, but not knowing where this snake was made me a little uncomfortable.

Dwayne said when he heard him start rattling that he saw something black on top of the rock wall (yeah the one I was wanting so bad - still do, just without the snake) go up the hill.  The snake stopped rattling.  We took another step closer and he started right back instantly.

I finally saw his rattle, but he was so dark to the eye that I could not see his head at all.  I finally did when he stuck his tongue out.

Being the photographer I really wanted to get an image of this snake.  BUT as luck would have it I only had my widest angle lens with me. Call me chicken all you want, but I was not going to get as close as I needed to in order to get the image I really wanted.  If I would have had my long lens.... yeah I know starting to sound like a fishing tell.

I titled this post The unwelcomed guest, but the snake was not the unwelcomed guest.  We were.  We were visitors in his home.  Now I don't care for snakes, but I have learned to respect them and understand their importance.  I still don't like them.  But we were intruding on his property and we were the one that did not belong.

Crop in of the image above of the timber rattler.  His head is on his tale.

During the whole experience, we kept our distance.  We did not harass him in any manner; well other than actually walking up on him and disturbing his nap on the rock wall.  We weren't real happy about that either. 


We did not stay long; letting him have his territory.  We turned around and went the other way on the loop for a little while talking about how big he was and the warning signs posted about rattlesnakes being in the campground.  We also talked about of all the trails we have been on, we come across our first rattlesnake in the wild on probably the best maintained one we have ever been on.

We will have to finish the loop another day.  Hopefully without meeting the gatekeeper again.

Help our school

I'll have to be honest and say, I don't have $500,000 to give to Sarah's school.  As bad as the school needs it and I would like to give it to them, I don't have it.  Do any of you?

Fortunately, there is something we can do.  We can all vote on Kohl's Cares for George Hildebrand Elementary School.  Each of us can give up to 5 votes for Sarah's school. 

We have an up-hill battle against much larger schools, but I know we can do it.  I am not asking for GH to be #1 in votes, 20th will be just fine.  I wrote an article on how this works and it includes a link to be able to vote for GH.

GH does need your help.  Many of the families in the community do not even have computers in their home.  Many more have no internet access.  Since this is an online voting contest, that makes it hard for many of the parents to vote for their kid's school.

Kohl's is a favorite store of mine to shop.  They have the clothes I like in the size I can wear.  Plus, the staff is usually very friendly.  Thanks Kohl's for doing this.  And no I am not getting anything from them for saying that.

I appreciate your help with this.

Charlotte got beat bad

Some will blame Mathis for this defeat, but it ultimately boiled down to those in Charlotte not voting.  Thanks to McAlister's, ten cities are winners.  

Longview defeats Charlotte to become Tea Town USA

The 2010 McAlister's Deli Tea Town USA challenge s over and the winner is Longview, Texas.  Longiew defeatedthe second place vote getter Charlotte, North Carolina in what turned out to be a heated contest.

Find out how Charlotte is still a winner in this contest.

Vote for your favorite park

Upper Falls at Linville Falls off of the Blue Ridge Parkway

  I love the national and state parks we have around here and as a family we spend a lot of time in them.  Over the decades I have seen them struggle to maintain the maintenance and improvements due to the lack of funding.  Thank you Coca-Cola for giving this grant.  I  just wish all of the parks could receive it, because every one of them could truly use it.


Parks in running for $100,000 grant from Coca-Cola

     Almost 50 parks in North Carolina are in the running to win a $100,000 grant from Coca-Cola.  The Coca-Cola Live Positively "Vote for Your Favorite Park" contest allows Americans to support their favorite park and help the park win the money at the same time.

Read more of the article about the contest and how you can participate to help out your favorite park.