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Last week I mentioned that I spoke to a group in Anderson Township about effective networking, or, as I preferred to call it, building better relationships. A couple of other public appearances I’d like to tell you about – one this past Saturday and one this evening.

Cincinnati SPJ Podcasting Workshop

On Saturday I had the privilege to help with a podcasting workshop at Northern Kentucky University, sponsored by the Cincinnati Society of Professional Journalists. Cleve Callison had asked me to be a part of it since I’ve had almost 5 years of experience in podcasting. He and John Hingsbergen come from a radio background and talked about recording and producing audio. It was great to see it come together. The goal of the workshop was to show people who may have never had any experience podcasting how to plan, record, and publish audio to be released as a podcast.

I fell in love with the Zoom H2 Handy Portable Stereo Recorder (affiliate link).

Not only did we have an interesting debate over the Cincinnati Streetcar project with John Schneider and Tom Luken, but we also had a discussion about pizza and subs, and got to learn a bit more about one another.  Check out the audio at the workshop’s blog site.

How I Got My Job – LIVE tonight!

Prior to me getting my current job, many people online and offline asked if I would interview myself for How I Got My Job, once I finally landed. I have shared about how I’d gotten previous jobs two other times, here and here.

Over the past year I’ve been involved with a number of networking groups in the Greater Cincinnati area, and one of them, the $timulus Book Networking Group, is held on Tuesdays at 7 PM at the Barnes and Noble in West Chester. You might remember we brought best-selling author Mitch Joel in via Skype one evening to talk about his book Six Pixels of Separation (affiliate link)  (read the post - Six Pixels of Separation – In Action!).

Monte Washburn, the facilitator for the group, asked me to come in to share my recent job search success story. I asked if I could record it and release it as a special interview for my program, and he enthusiastically agreed.

Tonight is the night.

Tonight, instead of me interviewing myself (which would just be weird), the attendees will ask the questions I typically ask.

I have a bit more of an understanding of what my guests on How I Got My Job feel like as they approach being interviewed by me. Even though I’m very familiar with these questions, I haven’t really thought about how I will answer them. I think this is a good thing, in order to keep things fresh.

If you’d like to join us, feel free. By the way, we hop over to Steak and Shake afterward.

Directions:

Barnes & Noble in the Streets of West Chester
(I-75 Exit 19 Union Centre Blvd., Past The Rave Theater)
9455 Civic Centre Boulevard, West Chester, OH 45069 (map)

Make it a great day!

Daniel Johnson, Jr.

If everyone got along, the world would be a pretty boring place, wouldn’t it?

One of the great things I love about having a blog and using social networking tools is that they enable discussions to happen, so that I and other readers are able to see multiple points of view. I have often asked questions and set up open-ended discussions, just to see what others have to say.

It would be nice if everyone got along and viewed their comments as a way to add to the conversation. Yet, human nature being what it is, and the perceived anonymity of the internet being what it is, people can be downright nasty, not only to blog authors but also to others who comment.

Recent events have made it clear that it’s time for a Comments Policy on my websites. At the moment you’ll find a direct link via the top navigation of this blog, but you will also find it here. I’ll reprint it here, in this post, just so that you’ll read it at least once:—

Comments Policy

By commenting, you agree to the following:

• Keep comments on topic – any comment that appears to be off-topic will be edited or deleted.
• Own your comments – have the courage to put your real name with what you say.
• No keywords in author names – if I suspect you’re using an author name to simply include targeted keywords, I’ll either edit or delete your comment.
• External linking – external links are ok, if they are relevant to the original post and your comment. Simply linking to your own site will be frowned upon.
• Profanity – PG13 here. Moderate language is allowed, but I reserve the right to edit out anything offensive.
• Personal attacks – personal attacks on me or other commentors will result in an immediate ban. You’re in my house over here and I will kick you out.
• Editor’s right – While I encourage comments that challenge or offer constructed criticism, I reserve the right to edit or remove any post, for any reason.

I appreciate you reading and thank you for adding to the discussion. I hope the above will help you to add value to this blog, find value in the comments of others, and continue enjoying the site.

—

If you think you want to have a Comments Policy on your website, you’re free to copy or adapt what I’ve put here, or you can search like I did for other examples and adapt them to make your own. I believe having this in place will promote better community engagement.

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Close your eyes for a moment and listen to the world around you.

What do you hear? Music playing your computer? The TV? The hustle and bustle from the cafe you’re in, maybe. If your room is really quiet, you might even be able to hear the sound from the lights or the ticking of a clock. If you’re in class, you probably hear your teachers and fellow students. Maybe there are birds outside your window, and you’re able to hear them singing.

Now imagine if that has been taken away. Quite a different experience, for sure.

Our daughter, Keisha Johnson, was born with hearing loss in both of her ears. She describes this loss as experiencing life in black and white: no color, drab, and dismal.

With hearing aids, however, she says her life is in every color. The change in her personality and demeanor is completely different. She’s able to enjoy music, watch TV, listen to her classmates and teachers in school.  To hear her Mom and Dad’s voices.

We recently learned that the hearing aids Keisha has worn over the past five years are no longer able to help her. The new aids she needs will cost about $4000, and we are looking at many ways of coming up with the money.

On January 23, 2010, we are having a Premiere Premier Designs Jewelry Party, at the Panera Bread Company on Winton Road in Finneytown (map). A portion of the money from that event will go toward Keisha’s new hearing aids.

We’re holding this event in the Cincinnati area, but even if you cannot come to the event, we would still appreciate your support. You can donate (not tax deductible) via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=11116185

$4000 is a lot for one person to come up with. Or even two. Imagine, however, if 400 people were able to come up with $10 each. Or 200 people with $20. It seems more manageable and not as overwhelming, doesn’t it? What we are asking for is not just money. We are asking for you to help a child, our child, to hear again.

Would you?

UPDATE: Since we first launched this effort a few weeks ago, we have already raised $300.

1/26 UPDATE: Thanks to the generous support from people offline, money from other sources, and amount already donated online, I have updated the ChipIn widget to show that we only need to raise $800. Thank you so much!!!

02/09 UPDATE: Wow! Through resources made available offline, and the support you have given online, we are excited to share that Keisha is getting her new hearing aids today!

We cannot thank you enough for your generosity.

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This week has been rather tiring, but I admit, it’s been exhilarating at the same time. Here’s an opportunity for me to “come up for air” somewhat, and provide a recap, highlighting some milestones and other media-related items.

NaPodPoMo: 1 video every day for 30 days

Learning how to answer job interview questions and producing daily videos with the answers is a daunting task. I’m glad I don’t do this every day. I might consider doing it for money and am considering ways to reuse the work I’m doing to make it count for something more.

The National Podcast Post Month community is a group of weird folks like me who are podcasting every day this month.

Lights, sound, and media at church

Tomorrow our church is having its Women’s Day, and I and another guy will be in the soundbooth, helping with some things behind the scenes.  This past Wednesday I got a crash course in programming the lighting mixing board (I think I know enough to be dangerous!). It’s all good, and it’s amazing what we’ve been able to accomplish, even on such a short notice.

50th interview for How I Got My Job

One week from this coming Sunday, I will be releasing the 50th interview I’ve done for How I Got My Job.  I recorded that interview this afternoon and didn’t realize it until later this evening.  I don’t number the interviews on purpose because they are meant to stand alone and remain evergreen. Even so, this is something I’m very proud of.

Last New Media Cincinnati Second Saturday for 2009

On November 14, 2009 I will be running the last New Media Cincinnati Second Saturday for 2009. I am so inspired by the depth and breadth of talent and accomplishment in this group, and I look forward to hearing some great stories of how individuals have grown and changed this year.

We are planning a simulcasted meetup with the folks from New Media Dayton, and it was great to have many of them on last night’s planning conference call. Be sure to check out the recorded audio, if only to hear the interaction in the community and some great music from Rich Palmer mixed in during post-production.

On the search for gainful work

Next week marks 5 months since I was laid off from my previous employer.  It’s been an interesting journey, and I remain hopeful to find something soon.  There are a lot of things going on that I’m not able to talk about just yet, but if and when they come to fruition, you can bet I’ll be talking about it.  There are opportunities for work for someone else, and I’m also seeking opportunities to get things done on my own.

Speaking in Cincinnati next week

Next Thursday, November 12, 2009, I will be speaking to a group of job seekers at IHM in Anderson about the Emotional Side of Job Search. I gave a talk like this to some other job seekers back in April, and it will be great to revisit this talk, now from the perspective of being a job seeker again.

photo credit: “Coming up for air”

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Visit National Podcast Post Month

I know.

Let me start by saying, I know I need another project like I need a hole in my head.  I struggled with this one all the way up to the last minute. Well, actually the second day. I wasn’t even going to do this. Where might I post a podcast every day, for 30 days? I already have my mostly music podcast. I do a monthly conference call with the New Media Cincinnati folks.  I already have a production schedule for How I Got My Job.

Last week I came to the conviction that I wanted to start blogging more. I probably posted more on all my blogs last week than I had in quite some time. The key has been coming up with interesting, compelling content.

This past Monday, at the Job Search Focus Group of Hyde Park in Cincinnati, I came to a realization.  There was a woman named Paula Frank, who shared her job search success with the group.  One of the keys for her was practicing how to answer interview questions.  I remembered interviewing Brent Hosier for How I Got My Job, and he said the same thing.

I could practice answering job interview questions every day in November as part of NaPodPoMo at getthatjobonline.com

Over the weekend I’d started playing more with Windows Movie Maker again, having been inspired by some of the SummitUp videos Kevin Dugan recently produced. As with the start of my other new media works, there has been a lot of work up front to get theme, titles, etc., and the entire work process together to make it as efficient and (hopefully) take the least amount of extra time.

Here is the intro episode, from Day 1. Find it and all the others over at getthatjobonline.com

GTJTV NaPodPoMo Series: Job Interviewing Questions, Day 01: Intro.

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Over the past couple years, I have had the privilege of being interviewed for my thoughts on domestic violence awareness, social media, and searching for a job in the 21st century.  In one case, I was asked to contribute an article to a newsletter.  I have put links to all of these, where available, on the Media page.

[photo credit: photoFunia]

I have updated the New Media Cincinnati page on this blog with the February 2009 meetup information: http://danieljohnsonjr.com/main/new-media-cincinnati/

EVENT DETAILS

The next meetup will be this coming Saturday, November 15, 2008, from 2-4 PM EST at the University of Cincinnati. Please RSVP via the Eventbrite page.

PECHA WHAT?

Pecha Kucha setup with MacBook and projector

What is Pecha Kucha, you ask? Simply stated, it’s a presentation style in which the presenter has 20 slides and talks for 20 seconds per slide, so that you wind up with a punchier presentation. Read these two articles (the second one has an embedded YouTube video that illustrates the point nicely):

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecha Kucha
• Pecha Kucha: Get to the PowerPoint in 20 slides and then sit down

KEEP THIS IN MIND

Sound like fun? Wanna take a stab at this format and share something with the rest of the group? Here’s what you need to do/keep in mind, should you decide to present:

• The topic should be something related to New/Social Media
• You will need to come up with your own 20 slides
• You can put the presentation onto your own laptop or bring a thumb drive with it (I believe UC’s computers run MS Office, so think PowerPoint if you’re going to use that option.)
• We will set up the presentation so that it will automatically advance to the next slide after 20 seconds
• Sign up at the New Media Cincinnati wiki page: http://newmediacincinnati.wetpaint.com/page/Our+Next+Meetup

PARKING

Since we are having the meetup on a weekend, parking may be available on the streets. Paid parking is also available in various garages. Please check out

• UC’s Visitor Information page: http://www.uc.edu/visitors/
• University of Cincinnati on Google Maps

LAST-MINUTE UPDATES

As always, late-breaking announcements will be announced via Twitter:

• http://twitter.com/newmediacincy
• http://twitter.com/danieljohnsonjr

If you have any questions, please contact me by phone: 513-373-4442 or via email at daniel AT newmediacincinnati.com

I’m so looking forward to meeting up with everyone again.

Daniel Johnson, Jr.,
daniel AT newmediacincinnati.com
Cincinnati, Ohio
513-373-4442

http://danieljohnsonjr.com

photo credit: For Inspiration Only

This blog post originates from http://danieljohnsonjr.com