{Week 4 of Wonderment}

This week we drove to Adelaide – around 700km away (440 miles) -  and back for quick holiday. Just now, looking through my photos and deciding which photo to select for a weekly wonderment challenge,  I noticed something.

The sky. Our big, beautiful blue sky.

Why did I notice it? Surely I was taking a photo of the train which seemed to be racing us, the road which went on forever, the golden fields or the red, red earth which graced our path.

Because without space – which may not seem to speak volumes on its own -  it’s more difficult to notice the things which tell a story.

It reminds me that when you want to imagine, when you want to wonder and discover fascinating things – you need to begin by getting rid of the distractions. By scaling back. And allowing the weight of space, the sheer volume of the seemingly unimportant, to grant you a little perspective.

x 365

24 to live
24 to give
24 to sleep
24 to keep
24 to smile
24 in style
24 to laugh
24 so fast
24 to love
24 to love
24 to love
24 to love

Submitted for week 3 of the Wonderment Challenge #wonderment52 . Some wonderful submissions on the theme of wonderment so far.

Communing with Ducklife by @hwakelam

Bike Wall by @dwinter

Signs of life
Signs of hunger
Signs of a path, beaten past my door,
Signs of living creatures
For whom this is home
Signs of a world beyond my ken
Living, breathing, scratching, searching
Scouring the cold hard ground
Of the yard outside my door

Signs by @eventfulpoet

Once upon a time, when you wanted to raise some funds for a good cause you would ask your friends, neighbours and your local community. Nowadays when you raise funds, thanks to social media there’s a chance that anybody, anywhere might notice that you are raising funds. Which raises the question of whether or not you are raising funds to be seen raising funds.

It takes me back to a childhood memory of fame and the less fortunate. Every year when the annual Christmas Children’s Hosptal Appeal was on TV, my father would ring up and donate a small amount of money in our names. And every year we would eat lolly gobble bliss bombs and sit through the bad variety acts, watching the fundraising tally rise higher and higher.

Image originally uploaded by Hellebardius

We watched that screen very, very closely because at some point, one of our names would be read out or displayed on telly “Thanks Jasmin for donating 50 cents” (hey, that was a lot of money to a kid in the 70′s!)  To us it may have been three seconds of fame, but we also realised we had made a difference to sick children, along with thousands of others. It all added up.

Recently Darren Rowse aka Problogger shared a dilemma on Twitter about the issue of public vs private giving . He stated that bloggers are in a position to help others in situations,  like the current devastating situation in Haiti.  However this could create an appearance of “being seen” to be helping. He shared on this occasion, he would be following his heart. A sentiment echoed by many others in response.

I’m not sure there is any right or wrong in using your influence to blog about a good cause. So how do you wear your heart on your sleeve, without shoving your avatar around in the faces of ….well, anyone and everyone.

Here are some of my thoughts. I’d love to hear yours.

1. Relax – It’s OK when I know where you’re coming from.
   After all, it’s for a good cause, isn’t it? If I feel like I know you, if I trust you and believe you have integrity and credibility, it won’t bother me when you blog about a cause. Not one bit. I might even donate more to you than the guy who just knocked on my door (seriously, somebody just came around doorknocking for Epilepsy.)
2. Respect Your Community.
   Sure, use your influence to help somebody else get attention for a good cause. Just be respectful with your choice of words and the amount of resources  (time, skills, creativity, money etc) you may demand. T’aint what you do...
   [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjD7zD0a4I0]
3. Know Thyself.
   “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”– Dr. Seuss. What is your definition of success? If you ended up raising funds but losing “followers” would it really matter to you? Why do you want to help out? What do you have to lose? What do you hope to gain?
4. Be Part of Something. Contribute to a greater project. You don’t have to start your own fundraiser or creative challenge. Do a Twitter search or blog search. Find out what others are doing about the things that matter to you, and join them.
5. Thank Someone. Thank Everyone.
   It should go without saying, but it’s very, very important. Remember to thank the people who help you out. Make a list if you have to, so you don’t forget.

What do you think? Have you had any positive or negative experiences using your blog to raise funds?

Update: some points from @JoannaYoung in the comments below included:

6) think about how you’re adding value (helping to raise awareness / spread the word as well as fundraise / donate)
7) keep the focus on easy ways other people can get involved and contribute… if they want to
8) bear in mind if it’s a major catastrophe your readers don’t need awareness raising… they might want to know simple ways to give

I was looking around for things to capture my imagination today, so I could whip out the iPhone and snap a photo for the Wonderment52 Challenge. Nothing jumped out at me. I even looked around my yard to find something. All I found were things that didn’t belong where they were found, thanks to my three monkeys.

This year my second boy starts school (prep) and we bought a plain art smock along with his uniform today. A pretty momentous occasion!

I asked if he would like to decorate it. A big YES. We quickly grabbed some fabric paint out of the cupboard. What started out as neat lines including a little orange house turned into bright silver and red swirls. Once I used my finger to wipe off a big dollop of paint from his smock, he realised that fingers were a much better way to play with the paint than squeezing it from the fine tipped tube :)

He caught my imagination with his random, fun approach and I *only just* remembered to grab my phone to grab a few snaps of those fun, colourful moments. It was difficult to select just one but this is the house smudging moment, so I’m keeping it for posterity. Yes, it’s another ShakeItPhoto app picture, even though I planned to post a regular photo this week.

There have been some really lovely contributions to week 1 of the challenge. Thanks Jo for sharing the wonderment of your daughter floating in an imaginary world created by three generations.

It’s not too late to join in this weekly challenge, looking for wonderment. Just leave your Flickr handle in the comments.  The challenge will conclude on December 31st 2010.

What captured your imagination this week?

“You mean, there’s a face-to-face side of this whole Twitter thing?” a colleague asked me recently.

Yes. If you like.

So why bother attending a Tweetup? Many moons ago (back in ’96 or so) I used to hop along to different new media meetups. In fact, at one point I even  found myself coordinating a few for artists wanting to learn more about new media. People swapped ideas and business cards while they discovered new ways to turn multimedia projects into something remarkable.

These days, Tweetups are another good way to swap ideas and business cards. But this time, you get to meet people you have already met…through Twitter. People from all walks of life. Business connections. Personal connections. And a chance to talk about social media and the things you would like to learn from/do business using/create art with new technologies.

These days I don’t get along to as many events as I used to. And while social networking helps to fill the gap between working part time, caring for my family and pursuing my passions, I still enjoy meeting and hearing what people have to say at these tweetups.

So, as someone who doesn’t make it along to every social media shindig, I was thankful for the number of people who supported a fundraising party for Epic Change at Tweetsgiving in Melbourne last November. Stacey Monk dreamed it up and Avi Kaplan coordinated events globally. Regular monthly evening tweetup TweetupMellers offered to host the event (hat tip Sam Mutimer), and weekly city tweetup Social Melbourne promoted it on their Facebook page (hat tip Kate Kendall).  Even Brent Masters from Change The World came along and took some videos of gratitude on the night, featuring @sammutimer, @drwarwick, @digitalkulcha, @howard61, @georgiawatson, @mattimck, @geehall1 and some girl who rants and rambles on a bit at the end.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn-8_xSHQnI]

After meeting so many locals using social media to make a difference, it only seems right to continue the conversation (and to swap more ideas, and more business cards.) Announcing…<drumroll>…. a Melbourne Netsquared local group for those of you wanting to talk about using social media for social good.  At this stage we are looking at a venue in the east as many interested parties find it difficult to get into the city. The first meetup/tweetup is planned for Tuesday April 13th and we already have a number of RSVPs.

You can join and read more about the Melbourne NetSquared meetup group. We will only be meeting every quarter, but to keep the momentum going you can attend a weekly eastern Tweetup #mescm at the same place and time which Patricia Dodd and David Warwick are starting up. Once we can find a suitable venue for coffee and breakfast around Blackburn-ish, with wifi that is.

There are Net Tuesday events all around the worldincluding Canberra and Sydney, thanks to Amy Sample Ward at NetSquared. Thanks Amy for making it so simple to get one started over here! I think it’s a great reason, with a purpose, to Tweetup.

While you might not be able to make every tweetup, you might discover some interesting people if you hop along to SocialMelb (Friday mornings, City) or TweetupMellers (monthly Thursday nights, Windsor) or #mescm (Tuesday mornings, eastern burbs TBD).

There are plenty of tweetups to choose around Australia and the world. You never know what creative projects you might dream up or join in as a result. Personally, meeting people from Twitter has helped me to raise funds for different nonprofits, given me speaking engagement opportunities and introduced me to some wonderful creative do-gooders and resources. It is “social” networking after all :)

What’s your experience? Have Tweetups been useful for you?

There are some people who have an extraordinary legacy of giving. It always inspires me when you see somebody with a reslience and heart that keeps on giving – and giving – and giving. One of these special people, Beth Kanter is celebrating her birthday. I’ve mentioned Beth here before:

“One of the things that really stands out about Beth is her absolute dedication to arts and community based organisations. She is a trainer, coach, blogger and social media strategy consultant to nonprofits. She shares information on her blog about effective ways of using social media with others. She finds ways to involve her kids in making a difference. Beth even takes time out of her incredibly busy schedule to help out with other nonprofit projects on the other side of the world, like my Women’s Investment project for Opportunity International” (See slide 13)

[slideshare id=712326&doc=womens-opportunity-1225543994135543-9]

Beth has a birthday wish this year, to send 53 Cambodian Children to school. To participate read more on her blog http://bit.ly/beth53

So far over 60 bloggers have shared blog posts and tweets in honour of Beth and the great work she does  (I’m a little delayed number 63 thanks to the heatwave that hit Melbourne yesterday!)

Stacey Monk , Amy Sample Ward .Christine Egger & Peter Deitz, Allison Fine, Steve Bridger ,Edward Harran , Debra Askanase , David J. Neff, Nick Booth, Kami Huyse ,Geoff Livingston, Alyssa Gardina, Steve Jennings, Jean Russell, Janet Fouts, Donna Arriaga , Paul Lamb ,Jordan Viator, Avi Kaplan, Evonne Heyning , Qui Diaz , Scotty Hendo, Michael Hoffman, Frank Barry, John Haydon , Mark Horvath , Tom Dawkins, Morgan Sully , Kivi Leroux Miller, Kari Saratovsky, Sloane Berrent,  Britt Bravo, Christina Jordan, Allyson Kapin, Laura Norvig,  Michelle Murrain, Manny Hernandez , Spencer Brodsky , Nathaniel WHittemore, Marc A. Pitman, JD Lasica , John Brennan,  Cathryn Hrudicka , Sean Power , Alex Bornkessel ,Chris Noble , Calandra Cruickshank , Brian Reich, Ehon Chan, Tresha Thorsen , Andre Blackman, Chad Norman , Tom Watson, Claire Rollinson, Pamela Grow , Nancy Schwartz , Ben Hess , Danielle Brigida ,  Rebecca Krause-Hardie , Rosetta Thurman , Marie Deatherage and Morra Aarons-Mele

It’s a surprise online birthday party! Will you spread the word or simply chip in $10, or $53 -  or whatever you can afford towards the education of a child in Cambodia?

Also please take some time to check out some of the blogs above. I need to update my blogroll and feedreeder to include some of these passionate people who keep on giving!

I think it’s important to include ways to give in your plans for 2010. If you can’t do much, start with something small. It all makes a big difference.

How to you plan to celebrate the year ahead in acts of kindness?

The Framed Ones

Tucked away
Rows of rusted parts
Stacked away
Fragments of yesteryear

Hanging high
Above the crowded curios
Several frames perched in tandem
Skeletons of stories past

Landscapes, abstracts
Memory’s signature
Once held
Within your wooden splints

But for now
You hang askew
Now – in this photo
The framed ones

Jasmin Tragas @wonderwebby for the Wonderment Creative Challenge
Photo taken at Montsalvat

This is my contribution to a new weekly creative challenge callled Wonderment. Harriet Wakelam and I were chatting on Twitter about how we were seeking a weekly creative challenge this year.  Something fun and inspiring, but not time consuming. Something easy enough to do on an iPhone.

And so, Wonderment was born. If you are interested in participating, just leave a comment with your Flickr ID and I’ll invite you. There is just one theme for the year: Wonderment “From illusion, to making a wish. Finding wonder and imagination in the everyday.” It’s up to you to submit a photo each week by Friday-ish (the last day of 2010 is on a Friday.)  At the end of the year you’ll have 52 photos to remind you of the things that made you wonder. You don’t need to write a poem. This one just sprung out at me from the image.

Happy imagining!

As any mother will attest, parenthood is full of all kinds of interruptions.

Something like this…

So, I’m making a concerted effort to count on interruptions this year. Yes, I’m planning on being unfocused. At home with my hubby and these three amigos, and at work. Totally. Distracted. Interrupted.

It seems we spend so much time figuring out ways to getting things done, that we try to find ways to avoid distractions. But I’m embracing the good distractions as a way to limit the more unpleasant distractions.

Setting up some interruptions for 2010.

So here are some things I have done to count on interruptions this year. It’s my “Distraction a-la-mode”.

1. I have stacked up several particular books I plan to read or re-read (You might be interested in this post on reading a book per week this year) along with my notebook for ideas. I’m reminding myself to read them – even if only 20 minutes at a time – when I want some time out. It’s easy to get distracted with other things, games, TV etc and before you know it you’ve spent 20 minutes doing nothing. Which becomes an hour or two per week when you could be doing something.

2. Setting up my columns in Tweetdeck so I am “interrupted” with useful information on Twitter from some wonderful people. Last year I used a loan laptop for a while. I missed my Tweetdeck terribly and dipping into a conversation of 2000 people every day was too much for this Wonderwebby. Now that I have my own laptop again, I still dip into the general conversation as there is lots of interestingness to be found. But I need to use Twitter lists and Tweetdeck to serve up the most useful information and to stay connected to the lives of some lovely peeps.

3. Setting up snail mail reminders. Putting cards and stamps in my glovebox so that I can write cards before school pick-up. I have one friend in particular who has reminded me how special it is to receive a handwritten note.

Of course there are a gazillion ways to count on interrupting yourself. Like turning the wifi off your computer so that you can get through the work you need to (you will still find other interruptions I’m sure!)

This week however, before I go back to work, I plan to be interrupted by family, distracted with new ideas, and completely preoccupied with noticing the people around me :)

What kind of distractions do you hope to set up for yourself this year?

As an aside: I’m thinking of finding a weekly Flickr challenge to stir my imagination this year. Any suggestions?

Thank you for being part of such a special year. I’m grateful for the journey and for meeting such amazing people who invest in good things.

I’ve had a lovely Christmas day with my family. Perhaps because we collaborated on nonprofit projects this year, and because you extended kindness to those in need this year, I felt particularly thankful today. The kids were so excited this morning when they discovered (early!) that Santa visited. We enjoyed sunshine, loads of Greek food – and all the best health and comfort anyone could hope for.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year :)

I know, I know, you’ve seen it tweeted and blogged about everywhere. But there are a several things I like about What matters now: the crowdsourced eBook from seventy “big thinkers”curated by Seth Godin.

1.  It’s easy to scan through, easy to find things, and easy to read.

2. You can link to stuff. Like the contributing authors. “Share me” links. And Room to Read.

3. It’s consistent.

4. It’s interesting (it took months for the team to put together, so I’m not surprised!)

5. Seth Godin “curated” it. I like this concept of a digital content curator. It’s something that we can all easily do using social media. Some people are particular good at it, and it’s a skill I would like to practice some more.

6. It’s a call to action. From the first sentence “big thoughts and small actions make a difference” to invitations to share the ebook and expand upon it.

7. It’s often serious content, but it’s a playful concept. Have you ever joined in a group blogging or ebook project? It’s a great way to sharpen your creative thinking and your communication skills.

“What Matters Now” really is worth a look-see.

Now here’s my very simple creative challenge to you based on this eBook. Which five words briefly sum up what matters to you the most right now, for 2010? Nouns, verbs, adjectives…just five words about what matters now.  Mine (at least some things I have been thinking about) are:

Refresh. Attention. People. Experience. Intention.

What are your five words? Please leave a comment or write a post to share what matters most to you.