Top 10 Lessons Learned from nearly 14 years as a Soccer Mom

Posted on 22. Feb, 2010 by kchristieh in life lessons, parenting, sports

When I registered my preschoolers for soccer in the Fall of 1996, I never imagined that I’d be a soccer mom until 2010. My soccer-viewing days ended last Friday when my daughter’s high school team lost in the first round of CIF playoffs. Our soccer experience was sometimes rewarding, and sometimes frustrating, but always an adventure.

Along the way, I learned or confirmed the following lessons:

1. Don’t become the frog in boiling water. If someone had told us how much club soccer would impact our family, we may not have chosen to do it. Instead, the warm water just got hotter and hotter.
2. Find your niche. I had no interest in being a referee, but I loved making AYSO team banners.
3. Even though it’s hard to make a banner of a hyena, whatever you design will be ok since no one’s sure what a hyena looks like. Use lots of fur. Best mascot ever.
4. Don’t question the refs. They’re trying hard, and they’re no more perfect than anyone else. Complaining won’t change the call, and it’ll just make things stressful.
5. Expect little, so you won’t be disappointed.
6. Get a chair with a built-in umbrella.
7. Kids don’t need snacks at the end of the game. But they like them as long as they’re not healthy.
8. Always carry a blanket, extra water and a first-aid kit in the car.
9. Bad coaches don’t get better.
10. Sports aren’t as enjoyable when winning becomes more important than having a good time.

My daughter says that she learned:

1. You should always work really hard, but
2. Hard work won’t always pay off, but
3. It’s worth it when you love the sport.
4. How to get along with all sorts of people.
5. How to deal with all sorts of coaches, which has helped her to adapt to different teachers, and some day, bosses.
6. How to be a team player.

Those are good lessons.

Would I do it over again? Only if the kids wanted to. They probably would.

How to create a great business blog

Posted on 16. Feb, 2010 by kchristieh in work

What’s worse than not having a blog for your business? Having a bad one, or not updating the one you have. I’ve designed blogs for many clients, but very few of them have developed those blogs into high-quality vehicles for conveying information about their organization or industry. That’s why I’ve decided that from now on, when I create a blog for a business, I’m going to make sure they know what they’re getting into, and how to make blogging worth their while.

I recently gave such a presentation to a law firm that’s starting a blog. They’re very enthusiastic about blogging (or “blawgging”), and I’m confident that once they start posting, they’ll have a great law blog. Here are some of the points that I brought up in my presentation that can also be applied to other businesses:

Does your business need a blog?

I don’t think that every business needs a blog. There may be better ways to communicate with customers, and you may not have the time or the content to maintain a blog. But if you’re an enthusiastic writer with lots to say, here are some reasons you may want to blog:

• An impressive blog may help you:
  • Attract new clients or customers
  • Attract referrals
  • Retain existing clients or customers
• To create dialogue about your product or services. Just as I blogged about in my post about “Undercover Boss” yesterday, it’s important to get many different perspectives when running a business.
• To create writing opportunities that push employees to be better communicators.
• To influence others.

A good business blog should do as many of the following as possible:

• Inform: People will look for information about your company, its products, and your industry on your business blog. Cabana Mobile blog does a great job of informing people about trends in mobile entertainment via well-written, frequent, appropriately-sized posts.
• Inspire: I love it when a business blog inspires me to learn about a new product or technique that will help me to be more efficient or effective. An example of a blog that successfully does this is The Mac Lawyer, which shows law firms why they should incorporate Macs into their practices.
• Entertain: I’d rather read something that makes me laugh instead of boring me to tears. The law firm of Harrison & Ford has a fun blog about “The Office” called That’s What She Said, which details the legal ramifications of each Office episode. Even though I’m not a lawyer, I enjoy reading it and sharing it with my kids.
• Engage: Get a good discussion going. If people feel like you care enough to respond, they’ll be more likely to hire you or shop with you. SocialEdge fosters great discussions about micro-lending.
• Have a voice: Don’t be dull. No one wants to read a blog full of press releases. If you show the personality of the writer behind each post, your company will start to feel like a place with real people the reader can trust.
• Have a purpose: Don’t meander too much. If you’re a law firm, don’t write about donuts unless it’s somehow relevant. The Thin Pink Line blog is a great example of a blog with a purpose, which in their case is to advise women professionals.
• Take risks: Show that you’re willing to do what you need to to get something done. Be careful, however, that you don’t reveal sensitive information, and that your views align with the company or firm mission.
• Be unique: There are tens of thousands of blogs out there. Be different and get noticed.
• Post frequently: You don’t have to post every day, but post frequently enough that people will return, and won’t think that you’re lazy.

Characteristics of a good blog post:

• Enthusiasm: Don’t write boring posts. If you wouldn’t want to read your post, then no one else either.
• Fits the blog’s mission: If people are coming to learn about your company or industry, don’t distract them with an irrelevant post.
• Good headline: It should be succinct, engaging and informative. It’s the first thing that people see, and they’ll either decide to read or abandon your blog based on it. It will also help you with search engines.
• Engaging writing: People are more likely to come back if they enjoy and respect your writing style.
• Appropriate length: People have short attention spans, especially on the web. Don’t make your post too long, and be sure to use bullet-points where possible.
• Analysis: If you’re going to talk about a news item that’s been published elsewhere, provide your analysis of it. Otherwise, people might as well just read the original article.
• New idea: Don’t just regurgitate old ideas; write about new ones. Become an influencer.
• Well-researched: Write bulletproof posts. If you’re referring to outside information, refer to it by name and link to it.
• Appropriate graphics: People are drawn to pictures. Include a graphic with each post, if possible, but make sure they’re appropriate and aesthetically-pleasing. And legal. I love iStockphoto.com for photos and graphics, and they usually cost $1 apiece.
• Categorizing, tags: Put your post in the correct categories, and create appropriate tags for the post. Google will search on the post content and on the tags. You may write a post about a Supreme Court decision, but not have the phrase “Supreme Court decision” in the post. Make that a tag, as someone might type “supreme court decision” into Google and find you.

Potential business blogging pitfalls:

Business blogging isn’t for the faint of heart. Be armed and ready for the following potential minefields:

• Burnout: According to a 2008 Technorati survey, over 95% of blogs that have been started have been abandoned. Don’t join that statistic, or you’ll be worse off than when you didn’t have a blog because you’ll look lazy.
• Infrequent posts: Don’t bother blogging if you blog so infrequently that people check out your blog only to see the same “recent” post they saw last month.
• Patience: It takes time to build readership. Don’t be discouraged.
• Comments: Be willing to publish dissenting comments. If you respond well, you’ll build loyalty.
• Be 150% sure before you hit “publish”: You may be quoted from your blog some day. Make sure you’re willing to stand by what you say for a long time. Also, be sure it’s well-written and reflects your company or firm’s high standards.
• Graphics: Make sure you’re legally able to include the graphics that you do.
• Attribute sources: Don’t steal content from others, and be sure to attribute quotes and statistics.
• Don’t send people away: If you link to another site, be sure it opens in a new window.

How to get the word out about your blog and specific posts:

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? The same holds true for blogging.

• Tell people about the blog and new posts via email, Facebook (including via Networked Blogs), Twitter, LinkedIn, your company or firm website
• Ask other sites to link to it
• Technorati, other blog aggregators
• “Favorite” posts on Digg, Delicious, Reddit, Metafilter, StumbleUpon, etc.
• Comment on other blogs and leave your blog URL. Not only will that provide a valuable link back to you, but someone might think that your comment is so insightful that they’ll be eager to read what you write on your blog.
• Tags, categories (see above)
• Encourage people to add you to their RSS feed

Hopefully these tips help you to enter the world of business blogging with your eyes wide open.

Evernote keeps me sane

Posted on 04. Jan, 2010 by kchristieh in productivity tools

I hate chaos. I’m like a deer in the headlights if there’s too much chaos, and as a result my productivity plummets. Thank goodness for Evernote. It allows me to put the random information that formerly resided on Post-its and extra Firefox tabs into one program, thereby letting me juggle more balls without letting them all crash to the floor. I can type, paste, or scan notes, images, documents and screenshots into Evernote, and then categorize and tag them for future reference. Even though I don’t have a “smart” phone, I can send messages and images from my phone to Evernote. I can choose which of my “notebooks” are synchronized to the Evernote website, thereby allowing me to have backup and access when I’m not at my home computer. It’s free, but I choose to pay $45 per year for the premium service to have extra storage capacity.

Here’s a screenshot of what the Evernote software looks like on my computer. The note that’s showing in the screen on the right is a reminder to learn more about Google Wave when I get a chance. It includes a screenshot and a link to Google Wave.

Here are some things I’ve chosen to put on Evernote:

• Instructions to clients on how to use certain computer programs
• Meeting notes
• News for my next PTSA email and my next class notes column
• Recipes, tagged by ingredient
• A list of thank you notes my kids need to write
• Screenshots of websites I need to check out when I have a chance
• A list of programs to Tivo or add to my Netflix queue
• Topics I might blog about in the future
• Scans of cool business card designs in case I get around to creating a new business card
• The confirmation email from when I ordered a new vacuum filter, to remind me of which part number it was

Every week I think of more things I can use Evernote for. I’m so grateful that this program helps me manage my complicated life and stay sane.

Kogi Truck mixes Korean & Mexican food perfectly

Posted on 02. Jan, 2010 by kchristieh in food

I finally found the time to visit LA’s latest culinary sensation: the Kogi truck. It was amazing, and I can’t wait to eat there again.

We knew that the truck would be parked at the corner of Brand and Chevy Chase in Glendale because we saw it on the Kogi blog. It’s a great blog, not only because it tells us where to find the excellent Korean-Mexican food they serve but because it has tips about other Los Angeles resources and clearly reflects that Kogi is about FUN!

You can find out about more food trucks on the Mobile Cravings blog.

The Kogi truck is pictured behind this awesome Scion. The Shave Ice truck was a few vehicles behind the Kogi truck. We were too excited for dinner to have shave ice, but I bet that was wonderful, too.

Soon after we showed up, this Scion arrived. All of a sudden, the car transformed into a total tailgating machine. The driver said it’s the next generation of Kogi cooking on wheels. Note the sink on the right, and the grill and speakers in the back. We all took pictures.

Here’s the Kogi menu. I got the Korean Chicken tacos and the Kogi Kimchi Quesadilla. It was amazing, and too much food for me. My husband ate the rest of the quesadillas when he got back from the airport, and agreed that they were wonderful. I was sad that he took me up on my offer to share them, but maybe this will convince him to visit the Kogi truck with us sometime.

The line moved quickly. Then again, our party was second in line, so we were biased.

My food. Just seeing it again makes my mouth water.

I must find more excuses to eat Kogi!!!

Lessons I never thought I’d need to teach my teens

Posted on 16. Dec, 2009 by kchristieh in life lessons, parenting

When I became a parent, I knew we’d have talks about s*x, drugs, working hard, etc. But here are a few things I’ve felt compelled to teach my teens that I never expected we’d discuss, or discuss so soon. Most have come up either because of stories we’ve heard, movies we’ve seen or articles I’ve read. I’ve repeated each of the following many times to my kids, and hope that they don’t have to experience these situations to realize the wisdom of my words.

Parties & Drinking:

• If someone passes out at a party, they’re asleep if you can rouse them and they can talk, but they’re unconscious if they can’t talk.
  • If they’re asleep, summon an adult and keep making sure you can wake them and that they’re sleeping on their side in case they throw up.
  • If they’re unconscious, call 911. (or this might happen)
• Don’t attend parties that don’t have adult supervision.
• If you’re at a party and your intuition is telling you that things are going downhill, get out fast.
• Always respectfully do what a police officer or Sheriff’s deputy asks.

Drugs:

• Marijuana can be laced with more deadly drugs.
• You can become addicted to meth the first time you use it. So don’t.

S*x:

• Besides potential pregnancy and emotional and reputation fallout, a big reason to avoid s*x outside of marriage is STDs.
• Condoms don’t always work, and oral contraceptives won’t prevent STDs.

Technology:

• Don’t let any pictures be taken of yourself that you’d be ashamed of showing up in public.
• Don’t join a Facebook group or friend someone just because all your friends have.
• Don’t let kids you don’t completely trust handle your cellphone.

Media:

• Can you imagine discussing Viagra or Monica Lewinsky with an elementary schooler? If your kids watch tv, you’ll have discussions about topics such as these. Just wait until you’re sitting on the couch next to them when a love scene in a movie comes on. Awkward!

P**n: (note: using ** so I don’t get banned by search engines)

• Even one look at p**n can embed an image you’ll always remember, so don’t look at it.
• Figure out what you’ll say if you’re at someone’s house and they start looking at or watching p**n.
• Today’s p**n is often much skankier than the stuff that was in magazines many years ago since pictures and videos don’t usually pass through editors before they’re posted on the internet.

Driving:

• Always look up Angeles Crest Highway before you turn onto it or cross it.
• If you don’t come to such a complete stop that the body of the car doesn’t back up a little bit, the local Sheriff’s deputies may give you a ticket. Better to do it and avoid traffic school.
• It doesn’t matter if “everyone else” is driving other kids before their first year of California driving is up: it’s illegal, there’s a good reason it’s illegal, and you’ll lose many privileges if you either drive someone else when you’re too young or you drive with someone else who isn’t old enough to drive you.
• Don’t let anyone into your car whom you think might have drugs on them, since they could leave the drugs in your car and you could get into trouble.
• Motorcycles are dangerous. Even if you are the safest driver with the safest bike, you’ve only got two wheels and can skid out if someone else cuts you off. Then, you’re completely vulnerable.

Weapons:

• If a kid shows you a gun and you’re not under competent adult supervision, get away as quickly as possible and tell an adult.
• If someone even jokes about shooting someone, take it seriously and report it.

Emotions:

• Any time someone talks about suicide, take it seriously.
• If someone breaks up with you, then they don’t value you enough, so you shouldn’t pine over them. (That’s a tough one.)

Forgiveness:

• Gossip hurts.
• It’s better if you come to me and let me know you messed up than for me to find out later or for the mess to get bigger.
• “Sorry” means you’re never going to do it again.
• Don’t follow “sorry” with “But.”
• Forgive others just as you wish to be forgiven.

I’m sure I’m missing some, and I welcome your suggestions.

The best Red Ribbon Week posters

Posted on 18. Nov, 2009 by kchristieh in education, life lessons, parenting

One of my goals this year as PTSA President is to make Red Ribbon Week more meaningful. It’s tough to communicate an anti-drug, anti-drinking message to cynical high school kids, especially when so many of them have already experimented with these substances.

Anne Tryba saved the day. She volunteered to be the Red Ribbon Week Chair about a month before it took place, and not only managed to stage an essay contest that garnered nearly 200 entries, but she created the following four posters. These aren’t of the mere “Just say no” variety. I think they’re very effective at shocking kids to take a second look at the consequences of their decisions.

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Women are the solution, not the problem

Posted on 26. Oct, 2009 by kchristieh in economy, education, feminism, health, inspirational people, international, startling statistics

Tonight I met one of my heroes: NY Times journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas Kristof. I heard him address an alumni group about his work and his new book, Half the Sky. Other than my family and our president, there’s probably no one I’ve blogged about more. I have immense respect for how eloquently he tells the stories of people who are unfairly treated, and for how deeply he cares about what happens to them.

Here’s a quiz based on what I learned this evening:

1. Which do you think there are more of in the world: males or females?
2. If the 19th century was defined by slavery, and the 20th by totalitarianism, what is likely to define the 21st century?
3. True or false: As many American women died in childbirth during World War I as men died on the battlefield.
4. A female sex slave in Cambodia can be purchased for several hundred dollars. Approximately how much in today’s dollars would a 19th century American slave be worth?
5. Which of the following concerns Kristof the least when he visits an African warlord: car accident, banditry, or dying at the hand of the warlord?
6. In some developing countries, families spend 2% of their income on education. What do they often spend 20% on?

Answers:

1. Males. Even though statistically there should be more females, so many females are aborted and such a low priority is placed on the health of women that in many parts of the world, boys outnumber girls by an outsize margin.
2. Gender inequity. It’s a huge problem in much of the world, and holds many societies back. Also, see question 1.
3. True. American maternal mortality improved when women got the right to vote, and politicians thought the electorate demanded adequate medical care.
4. $40,000. As poorly as American slaves were treated, their masters had more of a financial interest in keeping them healthy and productive. A female sex slave is worth so little that if she causes problems, she’s expendable. In some instances, her fellow slaves are made to beat her to death if she’s a troublemaker.
5. Dying at the hand of the warlord. Caveat: that holds true when he’s in the territory of the warlord. The warlord doesn’t want to be known for being responsible for killing an American journalist. I agree about the car accidents; one of my fellow writers from The Stanford Daily recently died in a car accident in Africa.  :(
6. Tobacco, alcohol, prostitution and elaborate celebrations. Kristof argued that this is why women should be empowered to make more financial decisions. He said he’s seen families whose children have died of malaria for lack of a $5 net, and yet the father spends $1.50 on alcohol 3x a week.

Kristof doesn’t want to just make people feel sorry for the people he writes about: he wants to spur them to action. Here were some areas where he said improvement would make a drastic different not only in the lives of the women they affect, but would have a ripple effect in helping the societies in which they live:

• End sexual slavery. Nearly 1 million women and girls a year are trafficked as sex slaves, and at least one reputable group estimates that there are 27 million people in bondage worldwide at this time.
• Improve female education. He said that when he’s talking to leaders of poor nations, he makes more headway on this issue by explaining that females are their country’s biggest untapped resource than by appealing to moral arguments.
• Improve maternal health. Today, a woman in Niger has a 1 in 7 lifetime chance of dying in childbirth. Women in many other countries don’t fare much better. A poor woman in a rural setting has two strikes against her, but there are techniques and practices which could be used to serve even these women better.
• Empower women financially. Micro-loans have been particularly successful in allowing women to not only provide for their family’s livelihood and education, but it’s allowed them to have more of a say in how the family money is spent.

If I were a journalist, I’d want to be like Kristof. But I’ve chosen a path where I can be around my family more, so I try to do my part by volunteering, creating websites for non-profits, and blogging.

Kristof was correct when he said that what makes us happiest is when we help others. It’s immensely satisfying to have a positive impact on the world. And Kristof definitely does.

If you’re interested in hearing Nicholas Kristof speak, he’ll be in Southern California for a bit longer. Here’s his schedule of events.

One in six adults has mental illness

Posted on 21. Oct, 2009 by kchristieh in health, startling statistics, videos

According to BringChange2Mind.org,

1 in 6 adults and almost 1 in 10 children suffer from a diagnosable mental illness.

It sounds high, but when I think about it, it rings true. Think of how many adults you know who take anti-depressants, and how many children you know who have ADD or autism. It’s very sad that so many people suffer from mental illness.

The goal of BringChange2Mind is to destigmatize mental illness. They’ve made a great series of ads that shows teams of people who care about each other, where one person has mental illness and the other doesn’t. Some are famous, like BringChange2Mind co-founder Glenn Close, who’s featured with her sister, who has a bipolar disorder. BringChange2Mind is also a resource for people with mental illness to find resources and support.

I hope these videos get lots of airplay. There are lots of misconceptions about and biases against people with mental illness. Everyone deserves love and respect.