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Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Songs for Meetings
Which songs will you use this year for your annual sales meeting or for your corporate pep rally?
Songs for Meetings. Last year, I blogged about a colleague who said you could never go wrong with picking a current Country Music Album title as the theme for your corporate meeting. Well, I think this year's nominees for the 40th annual CMA Awards (Country Music Association) may very well prove him wrong. Here are the nominees for best albums:
Which songs will you use this year for your annual sales meeting or for your corporate pep rally?
Songs for Meetings. Last year, I blogged about a colleague who said you could never go wrong with picking a current Country Music Album title as the theme for your corporate meeting. Well, I think this year's nominees for the 40th annual CMA Awards (Country Music Association) may very well prove him wrong. Here are the nominees for best albums:
- Hillbilly Deluxe
- Me and My Gang
- Precious Memories
- The Road and the Radio
- Time Well Wasted
While a few of these might work for a specific industry (Hillbilly Deluxe for a bread company? The Road and the Radio for a satellite network? Precious Memories for a card company?), I think that corporations might want to pass on the whole country music album theme this year.
"Time Well Wasted" -- it doesn't sound too terribly uplifting or motivational.
However, the 2006 CMS nominees for best singles have some definite possibilities as inspirational songs for meetings. Here are the 2006 nominees:
- Believe
- Better Life
- Jesus Take the Wheel
- Summertime
- When I Get Where I'm Going
Now that's more like it! Believe, Better Life, and When I Get Where I'm Going have definite possibilities.
Caveat: I am not a big country music fan, so I have no idea if the lyrics or tunes are even remotely appropriate. I'm definitely judging theses song by title alone!
¶ 10/31/2006 10:36:00 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Monday, October 30, 2006
DST Ends. Nuts.
DST ended yesterday. I remembered to set most of my clocks back an hour.
And while I have not been early or late for anything (yet), I am pretty outraged about Daylight Saving Time today.
Seems nuts to end DST, just as we all start craving more daylight. Wouldn't autumn be a better time to START DST, instead of ending it?
In summer, we have plenty of daylight. No need to save it in the summer. It's not like we can store it up for winter.
And with people working three shifts, 'round the clock -- who are we kidding? We are not saving a darn thing.
On the bright side, my dad was thrilled with the satellite clock I gave him for Father's Day. He got up at 2 a.m. to watch it automatically go back an hour at the appointed time.
"Like magic," he exclaimed.
Of course, the whole point of getting him the clock was to ease the spring / autumn hassle of clock-setting. But Dad felt compelled to get up at 2 a.m. to witness the magic of technology.
At age 87, I hope I can retain a sense of wonder for small miracles, like my dad has. And hopefully, by the time I am 87, we will have found a better solution for managing our time than implementing the nutty on-again, off-again DST system. ¶ 10/30/2006 10:55:00 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
DST ended yesterday. I remembered to set most of my clocks back an hour.
And while I have not been early or late for anything (yet), I am pretty outraged about Daylight Saving Time today.
Seems nuts to end DST, just as we all start craving more daylight. Wouldn't autumn be a better time to START DST, instead of ending it?
In summer, we have plenty of daylight. No need to save it in the summer. It's not like we can store it up for winter.
And with people working three shifts, 'round the clock -- who are we kidding? We are not saving a darn thing.
On the bright side, my dad was thrilled with the satellite clock I gave him for Father's Day. He got up at 2 a.m. to watch it automatically go back an hour at the appointed time.
"Like magic," he exclaimed.
Of course, the whole point of getting him the clock was to ease the spring / autumn hassle of clock-setting. But Dad felt compelled to get up at 2 a.m. to witness the magic of technology.
At age 87, I hope I can retain a sense of wonder for small miracles, like my dad has. And hopefully, by the time I am 87, we will have found a better solution for managing our time than implementing the nutty on-again, off-again DST system. ¶ 10/30/2006 10:55:00 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Friday, October 27, 2006
PowerPoint animates Halloween!
Ghosts float. Bats flutter.
And with PowerPoint animation and Microsoft clip art, teachers can create a short, silly, and not-too-scary PowerPoint holiday greetings for impressionable little goblins.
Here is a 3-slide, 17-second Halloween PowerPoint greeting featuring a grinning skeleton, fluttering bats, flying ghosts, an anxious pumpkin, a grinning witch -- and a jazzy soundtrack. How can you edit this animated PowerPoint file to make your own unique Halloween greeting?
Will you make the skeleton wave? The witch cackle? The ghouls moan?
Even if you are not presenting to tots, how else do you plan to dress up your October 31 presentations? What will you wear? And what special treats will you bring for your audience? ¶ 10/27/2006 03:51:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Ghosts float. Bats flutter.
And with PowerPoint animation and Microsoft clip art, teachers can create a short, silly, and not-too-scary PowerPoint holiday greetings for impressionable little goblins.
Here is a 3-slide, 17-second Halloween PowerPoint greeting featuring a grinning skeleton, fluttering bats, flying ghosts, an anxious pumpkin, a grinning witch -- and a jazzy soundtrack. How can you edit this animated PowerPoint file to make your own unique Halloween greeting?
Will you make the skeleton wave? The witch cackle? The ghouls moan?
Even if you are not presenting to tots, how else do you plan to dress up your October 31 presentations? What will you wear? And what special treats will you bring for your audience? ¶ 10/27/2006 03:51:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Presentation Horror Stories
When a seasoned pro like Kelsey Grammar fell off the stage during a presentation at Disney last year, you know that presentation nightmares can happen in real life to anybody, at any time.
And sometimes, I do not know if it is scarier for the presenter or for the audience! Who gets more horrified?
As an audience member, I watched as an impeccably-dressed, petite presenter had a problem with her microphone cutting out.
She turned red, and asked for tech support to help. A gigantic, goth young man lumbered on stage, twirled her around to audience profile, flipped up her blazer, bent over and intently gazed at her mike's fanny pack.
The audience fiddled uncomfortably for what seemed like ages while this oaf poked at the tiny woman's rear end.
The nightmare should have been over when the teen bobbed to an upright position and muttered, "I had to flip your fanny pack on." And yes, the mike picked up his words so that the entire audience of 200+ could hear.
I do not think the flustered lady ever really quite recovered from this false start. She had earned our pity right away, and did not put it to rest with a joke. She went on with the show, beet-red, stammering, and seemingly mortified.
I had empathy for her. I have been less than poised on many occasions: when I was introduced with the wrong name and bio, when I had five too many cups of coffee before I started my presentation and started talking WAY too fast, quaking and shaking like a meth addict...oh, the horror!
But hey - we all have presentation horror stories to tell.
What's yours? ¶ 10/19/2006 01:20:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
When a seasoned pro like Kelsey Grammar fell off the stage during a presentation at Disney last year, you know that presentation nightmares can happen in real life to anybody, at any time.
And sometimes, I do not know if it is scarier for the presenter or for the audience! Who gets more horrified?
As an audience member, I watched as an impeccably-dressed, petite presenter had a problem with her microphone cutting out.
She turned red, and asked for tech support to help. A gigantic, goth young man lumbered on stage, twirled her around to audience profile, flipped up her blazer, bent over and intently gazed at her mike's fanny pack.
The audience fiddled uncomfortably for what seemed like ages while this oaf poked at the tiny woman's rear end.
The nightmare should have been over when the teen bobbed to an upright position and muttered, "I had to flip your fanny pack on." And yes, the mike picked up his words so that the entire audience of 200+ could hear.
I do not think the flustered lady ever really quite recovered from this false start. She had earned our pity right away, and did not put it to rest with a joke. She went on with the show, beet-red, stammering, and seemingly mortified.
I had empathy for her. I have been less than poised on many occasions: when I was introduced with the wrong name and bio, when I had five too many cups of coffee before I started my presentation and started talking WAY too fast, quaking and shaking like a meth addict...oh, the horror!
But hey - we all have presentation horror stories to tell.
What's yours? ¶ 10/19/2006 01:20:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Ten Tools for Teachers - Free
Witness Google Apps for Educators. They are all free, which is great for a school or teacher's budget.
But these free online tools are not just for teachers. They are available for everyone.
Yet Google has created a landing page just for educators. In its quest to dominate the world (without being evil), Google wants to woo the young, and persuade teachers to spread the "use Google" message. For free.
If you are an educator, how many of these tools do you use regularly? How many times have you said "Google" in front of your class, or encouraged students to sign up and use Google apps?
Why, that is powerful advertising! It is not just branding, it's direct marketing, too!
And if you are not in education, you probably use at least one or two of these Google Apps. (Probably many more. They ARE good apps, after all. And you cannot beat the price.)
So watch for more free productivity, learning, and communication applications from Google over the next year. Why buy a TV ad for millions of dollars, when you can buy a teacher (or a blogger!) with a handful of free apps?
Don't worry. It only seems evil.
If we had more competition...and more public resources available for education and teachers: it wouldn't even seem evil at all.
Witness Google Apps for Educators. They are all free, which is great for a school or teacher's budget.
But these free online tools are not just for teachers. They are available for everyone.
Yet Google has created a landing page just for educators. In its quest to dominate the world (without being evil), Google wants to woo the young, and persuade teachers to spread the "use Google" message. For free.
If you are an educator, how many of these tools do you use regularly? How many times have you said "Google" in front of your class, or encouraged students to sign up and use Google apps?
Why, that is powerful advertising! It is not just branding, it's direct marketing, too!
And if you are not in education, you probably use at least one or two of these Google Apps. (Probably many more. They ARE good apps, after all. And you cannot beat the price.)
So watch for more free productivity, learning, and communication applications from Google over the next year. Why buy a TV ad for millions of dollars, when you can buy a teacher (or a blogger!) with a handful of free apps?
Don't worry. It only seems evil.
If we had more competition...and more public resources available for education and teachers: it wouldn't even seem evil at all.
Labels: Presentation Applications
¶ 10/19/2006 10:34:00 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Pink PowerPoint accents for fall?
Because October is breast cancer awareness month, I have seen a lot of pink accents over the past ten days.
Pink is an unusual fashion choice for fall. We usually associate pink with spring and baby girls. Yet I see small pink ribbons on many dark lapels this year. Pink accents look fresh and hopeful amid darker fall suit colors like black, brown, and dark grey.
The pink ribbons designed to bring awareness to breast cancer are definitely standing out. I also have been enjoying pink refreshments -- a pink grapefruit juice punch at a fall show was particularly refreshing.
Why is pink the color of hope? Is it because it is the color of a healthy flush on the cheek?
And how might you be using pink accents in your PowerPoint presentations this month?
Pink accents really get noticed in autumn. Small, but effective. ¶ 10/11/2006 03:40:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Because October is breast cancer awareness month, I have seen a lot of pink accents over the past ten days.
Pink is an unusual fashion choice for fall. We usually associate pink with spring and baby girls. Yet I see small pink ribbons on many dark lapels this year. Pink accents look fresh and hopeful amid darker fall suit colors like black, brown, and dark grey.
The pink ribbons designed to bring awareness to breast cancer are definitely standing out. I also have been enjoying pink refreshments -- a pink grapefruit juice punch at a fall show was particularly refreshing.
Why is pink the color of hope? Is it because it is the color of a healthy flush on the cheek?
And how might you be using pink accents in your PowerPoint presentations this month?
Pink accents really get noticed in autumn. Small, but effective. ¶ 10/11/2006 03:40:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
The Colors of Halloween: PowerPoint Background
Why are black and orange the colors of Halloween?
Because black implies the growing darkness of October? (and Daylight Saving Time ends only a few days before Halloween this year, making our autumn evenings even darker?)
Because orange implies the color of harvest? (Think of golden leaves and fat orange winter squashes like pumpkins and hubbards?)
For an abstract PowerPoint background that uses the colors of Halloween without knocking you over with graphic, scary images of cobwebs and bats and haunted houses and ghosts (oh my!), you can apply simple colors and shapes to make your October PowerPoint presentations more seasonal.
Try the abstract pumpkin PowerPoint background, for example.
Here's how: Click on the above link, then right click on the image, and then Save Image As... Next, apply the background image in PowerPoint by clicking Format>Background>Fill Effects>Picture -- then select the picture and click Insert>OK>Apply.)
Happy Halloween, Pumpkin! ¶ 10/11/2006 03:23:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Why are black and orange the colors of Halloween?
Because black implies the growing darkness of October? (and Daylight Saving Time ends only a few days before Halloween this year, making our autumn evenings even darker?)
Because orange implies the color of harvest? (Think of golden leaves and fat orange winter squashes like pumpkins and hubbards?)
For an abstract PowerPoint background that uses the colors of Halloween without knocking you over with graphic, scary images of cobwebs and bats and haunted houses and ghosts (oh my!), you can apply simple colors and shapes to make your October PowerPoint presentations more seasonal.
Try the abstract pumpkin PowerPoint background, for example.
Here's how: Click on the above link, then right click on the image, and then Save Image As... Next, apply the background image in PowerPoint by clicking Format>Background>Fill Effects>Picture -- then select the picture and click Insert>OK>Apply.)
Happy Halloween, Pumpkin! ¶ 10/11/2006 03:23:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Monday, October 09, 2006
Christopher Columbus PowerPoint Hallucination
Am I hallucinating - or did an early version of PowerPoint once ship (no pun intended) with a sample presentation of a slide show that Christopher Columbus might have shown King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain?
It might have been just a weird dream. I am not sure. Anybody know?
And do you suppose that an expert pitchman like Columbus would have used the Guy Kawasaki 10/20/30 method of presentation? :)
And would that be a sales pitch...or a sails pitch?
(Pun intended. Groan.)
Happy Columbus Day! ¶ 10/09/2006 11:50:00 AM 3 Comments Links to this post
Am I hallucinating - or did an early version of PowerPoint once ship (no pun intended) with a sample presentation of a slide show that Christopher Columbus might have shown King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain?It might have been just a weird dream. I am not sure. Anybody know?
And do you suppose that an expert pitchman like Columbus would have used the Guy Kawasaki 10/20/30 method of presentation? :)
And would that be a sales pitch...or a sails pitch?
(Pun intended. Groan.)
Happy Columbus Day! ¶ 10/09/2006 11:50:00 AM 3 Comments Links to this post
