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An Everyday Advocate

I would like to introduce Jessica Nicole Lomelin, an everyday advocate. Jessica is more than an advocate, she in an inspirational open-minded young woman who finds passion and joy in helping others.

Jessica has been given an amazing opportunity to make a difference. In less than a month Jessica will leave her friends, family and stable job to tell the stories of the Men, Women and Children of Gulu, Uganda. Jessica will be working with the organization Invisible Children as a communications assistant.

Seeing the excitement and glow on her face as she describes the organization makes supporting my friend worth every tear and every cent I can manage to pass along. The passion Jessica has to make a difference in the world is something we should all strive for.

Jessica will be documenting the people she meets and her numerous endeavors on her blog jessicalomelin.com . I ask that you please pass along her story and read her inspiring words.

As my best friend, sister and support system leaves me for this amazing adventure, I may not be able to support her financially, but I can support her emotionally.

Jessica will do great things in her lifetime, she is an amazing young woman with an open mind and an open heart. I look up to her and can’t wait to see what she can do for the people of Uganda.

Below is a message from Jessica.

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I’m asking friends, families, strangers and kind-hearted people to donate to my trip and support the work I will be doing in Uganda. The organization is providing a discounted living situation, but I am essentially having to cover my airfare, vaccines, visas, and travel items.

• Your donation will help me help Invisible Children.

• I’m not receiving a large amount of financial support from Invisible Children given that the majority of their funding goes toward projects and initiatives. This is expected for non-profits and regardless of the financial set-backs this may cause, it is something I am still passionate about doing.

Donating even just a dollar to my trip will help me extend my stay in Africa and continue working with either Invisible Children or another similar NGO. Money permitted, I would love to stay in Africa for some time and do my best to positively impact the community and the people I meet.

Imagine if we got 500 people to donate just $1? How powerful that could be! I understand we are in the middle of numerous natural disaster’s and money is a tough situation, but consider giving up 1 latte this week and putting that money toward the work I will be doing in Uganda. If you are unable to donate, all I ask is that you  just follow me as I take this adventure. Pass my name and my story on to your family and friends, and know that anything helps. You can help me make a difference in the lives of others.

Please take some time to become familiar with Invisible Children. The more people that are familiar with Invisible Children and the crisis going on in eastern Africa, the more likely things will improve.

If you are interested in contributing to my trip and to the work I will be doing in Africa you can donate through my secure Paypal account Here: http://jessicalomelin.com/contributions

They say that people who do good things reap benefits in more ways than they can imagine. Think of this as a good deed, whether contributing, telling the story of Invisible Children or becoming inspired to take action. Simply, pay it forward.

Healthcare two-point-oh to three-point-oh

As stages of internet development are being deemed the 2.0 and 3.0 era, the state of online healthcare has jumped in head first with Healthcare2.0.

What does this look like? And what will Healthcare 3.0 look like?

As a student of the internet and a healthcare professional I have been intrigued by how the internet can help patients bring care into their own hands. Let me first define what I think Web 1.0 is to set the foundation.

Web 1.0 – information that is communicated from company to individuals (i.e. your basic web site). The web becomes one big encyclopedia of sorts.

Web 2.0 – information is communicated between company and individuals & between individuals. This is the Facebook, myspace, twitter, message board youtube web. If web 1.0 is a book, web 2.0 is a discussion.

Web 3.0– it’s not information anymore, it’s intelligence, artificial intelligence. You’d interact with it almost like another person. The web won’t just blindly do what we tell it do to, it’ll think for you.

As for Healthcare…

Healthcare 2.0- brings your healthcare questions and answers online. Do you remember all those medical books your parents used to have and they would look up your symptoms as a kid to make sure you didn’t have Rubella or some crazy illness. Well now they can look it up on sites like WebMD and Medipedia. You can join online advocacy organizations such as Patients Like Me, and ask questions to people on message boards. Healthcare has become interactive.

With Web 3.0 on the distant horizon what does this mean for healthcare 3.0?

It could mean a ton of different things. Such as online database where you can choose your Physician based on specialty, number of years practicing, number of malpractice suits, if they accept your insuarnce provider. I imagine Healthcare3.0 making it easier for the patient to find exactly the right dr. Web 3.0 will be more interactive, where your computer can diagnose you based on your symptoms. Healthcare 3.0 can help patients be more educated about their health and diseases.

There are so many possibilities as to where we can go from here. I’m excited to see what’s next for Healthcare-something-point-something.

Be a Passionate Advocate.

Every day we are affected by something; sick family members, the environment, political decisions. Every day we make choices that can change our lives forever. We also have the power and voice to persuade others to make the correct decision for themselves. When you believe in something enough to turn your passion in to action you have become an Advocate.

Find any topic that has affected you in one way or another, environment, health care, teen pregnancy, child abuse –anything that makes you so passionate you want to yell from the roof tops. To be an affective advocate you need to have first hand experience. Whether it’s being a patient with Parkinson’s Disease, or being a caregiver to an autistic child you’ve seen and experienced what it is like to see someone struggle because there is no cure or no answer to question or need. Being a passionate advocate involves a few things:

1. Know your topic from all angles. Know first hand experiences and the effects if nothing is done about it. By honing in on your personal experiences you only strengthen your case. No one can fight with what you see or feel.

2. Share your experiences. Whether it’s with a family member or friend. or a random stranger at a party. Strike up a conversation and share you knowledge and your experience. The passion from your experiences inspire others to take action.

3. Get involved. Beyond sharing your story and experiences find groups and organizations of people just like you, working toward the same goal. Together you can make larger advances to either accomplishing your goal or just making other aware of your cause.

4. Begin an online campaign. Whether it’s a twitter or facebook campaign. or a video on Youtube. Word of mouth campaigns are eye catching and very relate able. Sit back and think about what messages resonate with you. Share those with the world.  Advocates are taking over the Social Media sphere and if you want to be a part of it you’re going to have to dive in head first.

Being an advocate for something you are passionate about can help guide someone who is struggling with a life changing decision. Be compassionate, share you story. Turn your Passion into action.

Dixon- The New addition to our Family

Thought I would post some puppy pictures of my Brother’s new Labrador Puppy, Dixon!

He’s six weeks old

Word of Mouth: Scott Wayne Indiana Horse Project

Word of Mouth is one way to gather a following. When you sit down to dinner with family friends and someone mentions these plastic horses they’ve seen on the streets of downtown Portland, Oregon, and you begin to wonder what they are doing there? Why did someone tie these plastic horses on the ground? Then you tell your friend who realizes they’ve seen these horses too and they tell someone else and the cycle keeps repeating… until you have a word of mouth epidemic and Oregonians are still trying to solve the mystery of the toy plastic horses.

These rings are used to tie up horses and carriages in downtown portland. Not many people notice these rings until one local artist, Scott Wayne Indiana started a project, The Horse Project. To participate in the project you must buy a toy plastic horse locate a ring, and tie the horse to the ring. Then take a picture and send it to Scott Wayne Indiana and he will post it on his Web site  39forks.com.

Scott tied his first horse to a ring in 2005, and four years later these little horses are showing up all over town and have inspired many Oregonians and visitors to participate in the Horse Project.

By beginning somingthing as intriguing as finding toy horses tied to the sidewalk it sparks interest and begins conversations. This leads to conversations about tiny horses during coffee, dinner, and drink. And there fore we have word of mouth marketing.

Although, Scott Wayne Indiana was not trying to promote himself and his art, he was simply trying to get people to notice their surroundings, to notice small details such as rings in the sidewalk. And what a great way to do it.

Props to you SWI, thank you for opening our eyes to the small details in our world.

What I wish I would have done Before I lost my job

A month and a half ago I was laid-off from my job. Unemployment is scary for a 23-year-old who is fresh out of college, and laid-off from my first “real” job. I’m not going to lie; it has been the most confusing time in my life. Every other day my plan changes on what I’m going to do next. Should I stay in Seattle, should I move home and save money, should I go to grad school? So many decisions, I wish someone would choose the right one for me, and I’d put all my faith in them and do it. Making these choices is such a great life lesson, but man it is stressful.

I am in a decent position, unlike many others who have families to support, mortgages to pay, I was able to take a position working at my family business, although, I’ve been forced to temporarily move out of Seattle to the Podunk town of Medford, Oregon (don’t get me wrong I do hold a place in my heart for Medford) where I have zero-friends and my dad seems like a ghost that shows up every 3rd Tuesday of the months that end in “Y”.  I’m getting by with the overwhelming support of my friends and family and  I know things will be okay; I just have to trust this. And I’m also doing work that is keeping my skills fresh and helping me advance our company.

I think about the week leading up to when I was laid-off every day, and I think of the moment I was let go, and feels like a vivid nightmare that replays every night. I loved my job, I loved the agency I worked at, and I loved the people. I looked up to my supervisor and hope we can keep in touch, because she is an amazing woman.

But, I was naïve about the situation. I didn’t think it was going to happen to me.  And there are things I wish I would have done before I lost my job, that may or may not have made a difference, but If I would have done these things, maybe I wouldn’t have to place part of the blame on myself.

I wish I would have asked for extra work. I was working at a communications agency that did everything from public relations to advocacy relations to advertising. It was very well rounded. I was working in advocacy relations, which was new to me, but soon became my passion. But the week before I was laid-off thing definitely slowed down, even weeks before that my work had slowed. Now this may not have been a direct effect of me being laid-off. But I could have assisted in different areas of the company to let executives know that I can be used in other areas of the agency. I received my degree in public relations, and also have knowledge of Social Media, which was being utilized at the agency. If I had offered to help out in these other areas while I was caught up on my work, the executive team may have noticed that I could have been utilized in multiple areas.

I wish I would have networked with more people. I worked on a very small team that was tucked in a far off corner of the agency. I didn’t meet many people in my four-month stint there. I never took the time to socialize, or even take advantage of meeting people through the extracurricular activities that were set up for us, Which means I wasn’t networking with my coworkers. They didn’t fully understand my capabilities and the value I could have brought to other areas of the agency. I’m kicking myself now for not making those connections and relationships, which could be assisting in my job search.

I wish I would have kept track with my network. Finding a job is about networking. I didn’t take the time to the day I was let go to take a look at the relationships I had made and write down their contact information. I was in shock mode when I got back to my desk to pack my things, I didn’t fully think of what I needed to take with me besides my personal belongings.

I wish I had an emergency fund. As a recent graduate I was just starting to become financially independent from my parents. Like most recent grads, I had to borrow money from my parents and was just going to be able to start paying them back when this happened. I’m still learning about saving and budgeting, but I wish I would have made a large effort to put aside a large portion of my money each month, so that I would have a safety net now that I am suffering.

I wish I wouldn’t have been so naïve. Nothing is certain in this life or your career. This economy is going to be out-of-wack for at least the next five years. In history it has taken at least five years for our nation to pick itself up and dust off its shoulders from the moment we’ve hit rock bottom, I still don’t believe we’re at rock bottom yet. It is scary for everyone. And I think everyone needs to know you aren’t safe. You need to be working extra hard and taking as many precautions as you can in case something happens to you.

I wish I wouldn’t have taken my job for granted. I remember the day I had to sit down and talk finances with my roommates. As soon as we wrapped up the conversation on a Sunday evening at 10:30 pm they all said in unison, “Man I wish I didn’t have to go to work tomorrow!” I looked at them all and said, “Please just be thankful you have a job.” I think about all of the mornings I got up and complained about getting ready and riding the bus. If only you know what I’d give to be at a job and know what I was doing with my future.

These are things I wish I would have done before I lost my job. Your life can change in an instant, and I cannot change these things I wish I had done, but I can pass along the wisdom to others. Not many people are laid-off from their first job in their twenties, although unfortunately I think it will begin to be more common than not, these are things to think about if you are at your job, whether it’s your first or your tenth position. Nothing is certain.

On a Final note, Today while reading Vanity Fair there was a pullout quote that said, “your dream Job is finding something with a salary and health benefits.” and it’s so true. Currently, yes I have future goals for my life, but I am NOT thinking about them right now. I’m focusing on today and finding a job for right now that has benefits and a salary I can live off of. Not 5 years from now. But I thought this was an interesting point that a dream job now solely involves a salary, benefits and a 401k.

On a final final note, no matter how you cut back, my biggest advice is to keep your health insurance. One accident or major illness can land you thousands of dollars in debt. If COBRA, the coverage you can get from a former job, is too pricey, find deals on ehealthinsurance.com. or look into high-deductible coverage; it has cheaper premium (you’ll just pay more out of pocket if an emergency strikes) but health insurance is so important, make sure that isn’t something you sacrifice in these hard economic times.

Update: Thank you for everyones support I accepted a job offer last week! And will be sure to take my own advice!

Beautiful Office Designs

I thought I would share these beautiful, well thought, creative, and inspiring place to work. I think I’d be in heaven every day if I worked in any one of these offices! Enjoy

Flirting 2.0

In our fast pace world it has become harder and harder to meet people through a traditional courtship. And our favorite Web 2.0 sites are making it much easier to show someone you’re interested via their widgets and services. TheFrisky.com blog posted this rundown on ways to flirt online. They say, “Sure, the Web has made many aspects of our lives easier, but it’s also complicated a few things—specifically, how we date, flirt and meet potential love interests.”

Being a twenty-something I still have faith in the traditional ways of meeting people, at a bar, the grocery store, or that mix-up of drinks at Starbucks- He grabbed my triple grande soy latte, and I grabbed his grande americano- you know how it goes. I’m sure it will diminish as my career and priorities shift and I will become more dependent on the untraditional methods of finding a mate. But I find this whole process interesting as my generation has been spearheading this technology revolution.

I love Drew Barrymores line in He’s just not that into you she says, “Now you just have to go around checking all these different portals just to get rejected by seven different technologies- it’s exhausting!” And it couldn’t be more true, you have to check all of these different applications to see if you’ve been “poked” or someone sent you a gift. And the interpretation could kill you. There is no guide book to online flirting, so how are you supposed to interpret a poke? was it friendly or playful?

It is interesting to watch the trends in older generations using dating sites like Match.com increase. Definitely wasn’t somethingn I expected- I have a hard enough time teaching my mom how to turn on her computer, let alone teaching her how to upload a picture and a profile to one of these sites. I would have imagined that this phenomenon would have skipped that generation and hit mine.

It does scare me that younger generations will be more dependent on this way of life- Communicating through Web 2.0 applications more than through human interaction. And does this lead to poor grammar?

Does this form of communication work against our english and grammar teachers, because when you use text messages or twitter, you have to simplify your messages, sometimes reducing the words and removing correct punctuation confusing it’s and its, a simple, but significant differance between the two words just to fit it into the 140 characters allowed?

But then again, does it help to simplify your message. I have found that working to cram my tweets into 140 characters teaches me to be sycnt and percise with my message, like a lead in a newspaper article.

There are pros and cons to both, but what I guess my point is we’re definitely moving quickly to a 2.0 world- especially when our flirting happens online, but what will this do to future generations? Will they become dependent on technology to be the liasion between human interaction? Will children fall into the trance of the online preditors, because they are comfortable online?

How can we as the Web 2.0 crusaiders prevent future generations from using the web and its tools incorrectly? Do we begin to teach classes on online ettiquet and safety?

What do you think?

Did you Know?

@aplusk posted this video on Twitter. It is pretty amazing the facts in this short 5 minute video. Take a look.