Practice Tip - Know When to Ask for Help

I had to deal with a flat tire recently. It started as a slow leak, needing air every three days. This week, it went down to every two days, then every day.

At that point, I decided it was time to make an appointment to get it fixed. However, Friday is the earliest I can get in. Time to break out my spare tire and jack.

I spent an two hours fiddling with the tire jack. When you don't need to do something on a regular basis, it takes a long time to remember what your next step is. Once I got to solid ground, I hit a snag when I realized that I wasn't strong enough to take the lug nuts off. Time to call for AMA Roadside Assistance.

Roadside assistance arrived within 30 minutes. I effectively wasted one-and-a-half hours of my time and inconvenienced the people I was meeting with. >_<

I bring this up for two reasons:

1. Be aware of the time: Had I watched the clock more carefully, I would have realized that I should have called for help a lot sooner, rather than stumbling through and asking my 1:00 pm appointment to adjust their schedule to accommodate my screw-up.

2. Know your limits: When the crowbar refused to budge after the first three turns, I should have stopped. Instead, I stubbornly pushed ahead for another 15 to 20 minutes.

This applies to music, homework and work. You have a limited amount of time after school to get your homework and chores completed. If your troublespot is still giving you grief after three practices, without improvement, it's time to try something different.

If the "something different" doesn't work after two or three practices, then it's time to ask for help - from your parents, musical sibling or friend, or your music teacher. Don't sit there, like me, wasting time on a tire that I am physically too small and weak to change.

My First Geek Moot

For some reason or another, I never made it to Geekmoot 1.0 or 2.0. I really didn't want to sit out this year's due to a cold/flu. Thankfully, I recovered enough to go out and play at Geekmoot 3.0. As I walked through to the front of the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Centre, my eyes bugged out. The gymnasium was filled with tables with people playing tabletop games at each one. The main area had teens playing Dance Dance Revolution, with another group on the side playing games on their laptops. Patrons were watching Lloyd the Conqueror, a locally produced film, in the far room.

After paying my $5 admission, which included food and drink, I stepped into the gym. The energy in the room was just marvellous. There were kids as young as three playing all the way up to people who have retired from their jobs. Good clean fun without any electronics. I felt like I was a kid.

Then, the vendors caught my attention. A couple of my students would have squealed upon spying the Zelda Sage Medallions with Sage Temple Plaque at Chinook Crafts' booth, while one of my friends would have had a BRONY moment at the sight of the excellent renditions of Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle and Apple Jack.

On the other side of the gym, I caught up with a gal I knew from a now defunct anime group. Their amigurumi and buttons were pretty neat (Aerel and shi-oni). And I was good - I looked at the the well-designed hoodies and cosplay caps at Canada Cosplay - and didn't break the bank. I just kept on walking.

It was really great to try out new tabletop games. That day, I tried out Robo Rally, King of Tokyo, The Resistance and Hanabi.

Robo Rally is a neat board game in which you are all robots. You program your robot to move in a certain order, working your way to the numbered flags. However, you don't know what path the other robots have. Their moves could affect your trajectory. Robo Rally is available at your local gaming or toy store. Online, you can purchase it at Amazon.ca or Amazon.com.

I really enjoyed King of Tokyo: Players are kaiju monsters fighting for supremacy in Tokyo. Who can dish the most damage and lose the least amount of health? I, um, er, rolled three to four claws at the beginning. My Cyber Bunny wreaked havoc on the other monsters. It's also available at your local gaming or toy store or online at Amazon.

In The Resistance, resistance fighters and spies team up to complete unexplained missions. Spies try not to identify themselves to the resistance. Little did I know that by not putting myself on the first mission, I didn't show that I trusted the other members. Nay, apparently, I gave away that I was a spy off the bat. I make a bad spy.

This was my least favourite game. I need to know what kind of mission we're on and what obstacles we're up against. I want to know what my special moves are (Yes, I grew up on RPG games and online adventure games).

The last game was unusual. Hanabi is a collaborative card game. Members hold their cards with the faces towards the other players. With clues from the others, you try to figure out which card to play to help the team build fireworks (the numbered cards must go up sequentially). Although I liked it, I think I need to actually write down the clues next time (If you follow any of my other blogs, you know that I am NOT an aural learner).

Another highlight of the evening was the opportunity to hear THWOMP live in concert. I interviewed Brad Stanton and Dave Marshall from the band back in 2010 for a series originally published on Suite101. It now lives on one of my blogs, The Musical Muse.

Oh how apropos! My mp3 player randomly switched to THWOMP's Zelda set. They performed many beloved themes that are on their Hey! Listen album.

All in all, my first Geekmoot was a wonderful experience. I met some new gaming buddies, heard about a few upcoming tabletop gaming events and caught up with anime and gaming friends I haven't seen in a while. Looking forward to Geekmoot 4.0!

Getting a Handle on SMM Tools - Hootsuite

In Getting a Handle on Social Media Management Tools, I shared my search criteria for "one dashboard to manage them all". I also took a look at two systems: BuzzBundle and Viralheat. My search draws to an end with Hootsuite Pro.Perhaps Hootsuite had the unfair advantage in that I've dabbled with Hootsuite Free off and on for several months. I dropped it months ago because of the limitations of the free version (five accounts only, no reports, very limited scheduling).

For $8.99 USD/month, I levelled up to Hootsuite Pro. This gave me up to 100 social network accounts, the ability to schedule posts, adjust privacy settings, the ability to have a team of up to nine people collaborating in Hootsuite and access to some reports.

My Hootsuite Pro Experience So Far

The various social media streams can be split into different tabs. For instance, I have a tab labelled "Twitter". It contains news streams for both my Twitter feed as well as Maestro's. I also have streams set up for our favourite lists, @mentions and direct messages. I did something similar with our respective Youtube channels.

For Facebook, I have streams for my news feed, my main Wall, as well as the wall for my Writer page and Studio page. One thing that has made a huge difference is that I am able to create newstreams for the teaching and Virtual Choir closed groups I am a part of.

I also have news streams for my Flickr account and all of my blogs. That makes sharing from those channels simply a matter of going from one tab to the next. Cross-posting is as easy as typing the message and then clicking on all the social network profiles I want to disseminate the information through.

The only social sharing site that I haven't worked in yet is Soundcloud. Until I set up podcasts, I do not have an RSS feed to link to Hootsuite ( #addtowishlist ). I have been using Hootsuite Pro for approximately one week. Observations worth noting are:

1 - I'm no longer Pavlov's Facebook's Dog 

How much time did I waste looking at my phone for FB notifications? How many times in a day did I jump every time my phone beeped and/or blinked blue? I shudder to think of the number. Since switching to Hootsuite, I find that I don't race to my phone or log in nearly as much as I used to.

2 - I'm more active on the other social media networks

I actually am looking at Maestro's and my Twitter News lists more regularly. "We" are also sending and replying to tweets more regularly. Ditto for Google+ and Linked In.

3 - When I do log into Facebook, I have a purpose

When I'm logged into Hootsuite, it's mainly to share information. It's all business and with the way I have it set up, it's harder to deviate from my goal.

Now, when I log into Facebook, it's with the express purpose of catching up with family and friends or participating more fully in the discussion groups. I no longer log in (multiple times) to see "What's New?" and get distracted by memes, jokes, articles and videos.

4 - I'm not on the computer as much.

Between Hootsuite's mobile app and Facebook Messenger, I get the important messages or posts. Therefore, I don't need to race to the computer like a dog in search of a new treat. Also, since Hootsuite alerts me to those important posts, I don't need to race to the phone either. It's much easier for me to "step away from the smartphone" and enjoy the sunshine.

5 - The top tools have a good support system

Like Viralheat and BuzzBundle, Hootsuite's team is really quick to contact me and offer their help at the mere mention of their name (via Twitter) or e-mail.

Social Media Management Tools Half-Time Review

I set out on this journey to find the ideal SMM Tool with the desire to have all my social networking accounts under one roof. Cross-posting certainly makes it easier to send out my posts and other information to different social networks. The ability to schedule posts to go up 30 minutes after a scheduled blog post goes live gives the sense that Musespeak Studio is busy online 24/7.

Sure, Hootsuite's user interface isn't as pretty as Viralheat's but it's pleasing enough. For this entrepreneur, Hootsuite does meet all of my SMM Tool criteria.

The unexpected bonus was the huge time savings, which I can't quantify any other means other than the number of posts that will be going out. There are less distractions (and no Facebook ads) so I am managing my time better.

Next month, I will explore the analytics and reporting end of Hootsuite Pro.

A Good Cuppa Tea

The Oxford Dictionary defines "tea" as: "a hot drink made by infusing the dried crushed leaves of the tea plant in boiling water:" Although technically correct, I feel that Oxford's definition leaves so much out. To me, tea means oh so much more.

Tea to Start the Day Right

I normally brew a pot of tea (loose green tea or black tea for the caffeine boost) at the start of my day. Ever since I was introduced to loose tea over five years ago, I tend to drink it most of the time. 

Whenever possible, I sit and watch my Bodum Assam Tea Press as the tea is steeping. I like to watch the hues change. It starts gradually and then WHAM! - it's dark.

I also try to savour that first sip. It's one thing I discovered while on a silent retreat. When you can't talk for a weekend, what are you going to do? I chose to be present in the moment.

As I cradle the mug, I savour the warmth as it seeps from the mug to my cool fingertips. As the mug nears my lips, I pause and breathe in the symphony of subtle scents. Then, as I take that first sip, I let the flavours dance on my tongue for a few seconds before swallowing. Finally, I relish the warmth as it travels from my mouth down to my tummy.

Then, it's back to the matters at hand. As I drink, I pull out my notebook and make a plan for the day.

I don't always have the time to savour that first cup of the day. However, I do notice that the days that I don't take that extra time don't go as smoothly as the days that I do savour that first cup,

Tea to Soothe the Throat

As a music educator, vocalist and collaborative musician, I use my voice a lot. I often drink tea to prevent my throat from drying up. An added bonus is that the warmth keeps my vocal cords more relaxed.

When I'm feeling run down, my go-to drink is a Hot Toddy (alcoholic or non-alcoholic). I've managed to not lose my voice completely when I'm sick, which has happened in the past.

Tea, Conversation and Camaraderie

Enjoying good conversation over a cup of hot tea with family and friends seems to be commonplace in my circles. This spirit of sharing and bonding has extended worldwide, thanks to Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir.

Virtual Choir 4.0 is comprised of singers from 101 countries. I have really connected with several of them, to the point that we send each other care packages. We call it the Tea and Treat Exchange.

I've had the immense pleasure in trying iced tea from Louisiana, numerous teas from the UK and snacks from Puerto Rico. There is still some British jam left for me to finish, along with the Creole Jambalaya mix. What you don't see are the Cadbury Eggs that were used for the UK/US/CAN Egg Taste Test because, well, they're gone. Eaten in an Google Hangout so I could share my commentary.

Maestro even cashed in on the exchange. He's enjoyed treats from Puerto Rico and the UK. My students know that if you say, "British snackies" that Maestro knows exactly what you mean.

As you can see, tea means oh so much more to me than a mere drink. It's about balance, relationships and experiences. How about you? Do you have a special drink?

Getting a Handle on Social Media Management Tools

It all started out with my smartphone. I overdid it with the apps, which I suspect was a contributing factor to it getting stuck in an endless restart loop this spring. After it was repaired, I knew I had to limit the number of apps running on it. The glitchy manga reader app had to go. Ditto for the metronome app that seemed to crash every now and again. Next on the hit-list was limiting the app size. Then, it was time to tackle the beast known as social media. Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Flickr, Soundclound, Linked In and Youtube: I know there are more out there, but these are the ones I use. It was important to have one dashboard and one mobile app to manage them all.

My criteria for social media management (SMM) tools was shorter than the one I had for my online scheduling system. I had 10 items to start with:

1. Facebook, Twitter, Linked In AND Google+, Youtube integration

2. Could handle multiple streams/sources: i.e., multiple accounts for a single social network

3. Is cheap ($15/month or less)

4. Has a logical user interface, i.e. attractive, easy to use, easy to navigate

5. Has a mobile app for Android

6. Has the ability to schedule posts and the ability to post the same item simultaneously to several social networks (cross-posting)

7. Can manage more than five streams/accounts/sources

8. Real-time monitoring

9. Reporting tools and analytics

10. Decent tech support

My initial Google search and review hunt came up with the following SMM tools for small business: Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Buffer, Viralheat and BuzzBundle.

A quick comparison of specifications took Sprout Social and Buffer out of the running. Although Sprout Social has a 30-day trial, the smallest package offered is the Standard at $39 US/month.

Buffer, on the other hand, isn't really an SMM tool. Rather it is a powerful tool to share information - posts you've read, or your own. I was contemplating using it to manage the blogs I subscribe to. However, it only has Facebook, Twitter and Linked In integration. SMM tools with Google's API is hard to find.

That left the remaining three.

BuzzBundle - Powerful Listening and Monitoring Capabilities, with a Couple of Snags

I really wanted BuzzBundle to work. A BuzzBundle video review I watched demonstrated its powerful listening and monitoring capabilities. You have the ability to monitor keywords used for SEO (in my case: "music lessons", "music and technology", "practice tips"). Once you've designated a few listening "spots" (e.g. discussion forms, Yahoo Answers, Wiki Answers), you are alerted when someone asks a question. You can hop in and join the conversation, share your information and be off to the next item.

The user interface was easy enough to use and my requests were responded to between 24 - 48 hours. Unfortunately, the free version is extremely limited: five accounts and you can't save your projects (each stream/profile and keyword search is a project). That's a huge time waster if you have to input your social network profiles and SEO keywords every single time you open the program.

I almost forked out the $199 one-time package. I liked the idea that it was a one-time fee. However, a bit more digging revealed that there is a monthly maintenance fee, which you start paying after six months.

There were other drawbacks for me: no mobile app, with no plans of offering one. BuzzBundle is a software download (versus an online application) and finally, there's no integration with Flickr and Soundcloud.

I didn't realize going in that software download versus online application would be a deal breaker, but it was. If I was only working off of one computer, then it wouldn't be so bad. However, I flit back and forth between my office computer, studio computer and netbook. Therefore, running an web-based social media management tool is ideal.

Viralheat - Slick Design, Sweet Package for Very Small Businesses

I really loved Viralheat's set-up. The layout is extremely smart - aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate. The reports and analytics were what this part-time writer wanted. Like BuzzBundle, Viralheat has the capabilities to monitor topics or keywords.

Navigation was a snap and the cross-posting and publishing tools were just what I was looking for. Then, I hit a snag in my test run.

The Pro Package ($9.99 USD/month) is good up to 15 accounts.  If I only ran a music studio with a single blog, no problem. However, with multiple Twitter and Youtube accounts, two Facebook business pages, a Google+ page, Linked In, Soundcloud, Flickr and seven blogs - 15 is not enough. Unfortunately for me, the next level up (the "Premier") is $99/month. That brought the test run to a screeching halt.

And then there was one. Stay tuned for my HootSuite Pro experience, coming up next.