Twitter

Motherhood

#NotGoingToBlogHer Twitter Party 2010

August 7, 2010

by Maria Lianos

On Thursday night, I (amotherworld) hosted a #NotGoingToBlogHer party on Twitter for those of us who could not attend BlogHer 2010 in New York City. The response was overwhelming! So overwhelming in fact that we trended in Canada!

The questions received so many responses! The most replies to the question was 75, which didn’t include all the comments and RTs! Originally planned to last an hour between 9pm and 10pm, the party went on for 2 hours!

The mutual vote was… “What happens at #NotGoingToBlogHer STAYS at #NotGoingToBlogHer!!!”

Many interesting (and I mean, shocking!) responses… it was truly AMAZING to see so many women come together and let loose!

Thanks to TweetChat, I was able to sort of keep up but not enough to give prizes that night. Winners were announced throughout the day on Friday, August 6th. Bonus prize winners were announced on Saturday, August 8th.

Here are the questions and winners for the various prizes:

Q1: What is something people don’t know about you?

Prize: Digital CDs or apps for kids courtesy of @Kiboomu Kiboomu.com

Winners: @miacupcake @ElaineOrrMorgan and @SomewhatCrunchy

Q2: Which 3 celebrities would you most like to have sex with?

Prize: “Libations of Life: a girl’s guide to life one cocktail at a time” written by Dee Brun aka @CocktailDeeva

Winner: @moeturner

Q3: What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

Prize: Mabel’s Labels offered an Ultimate Back-to-School Combo!

Winner: @amy_boughner

Q4: What is the worst piece of advice you have ever received?

Prize: $50 credit to use on www.clippo.ca thanks to @Clippopotamus

Winner: @nugglemama

Q5: One thing you would change about yourself?

Prize: A pair of dichroic glass earrings with sterling silver posts courtesy of @AnnBac9 and Teenzillas

Winner: @smilenwaven

Q6: One thing you love about yourself?

Prize: A package of 30 4″x6″ Photo Cards (perfect for the holidays) and a set of 140 return address labels courtesy of Grace Announcements @graceannounce

GraceAnnouncecards — Grace Announcements

Winner: @ottawamom

BONUS PRIZES

Prize 1: Starbucks gift – Winner: @kellidaisy

Prize 2: Avon products – Winner: @pattysullivan

Prize 3: Copy of Kathy Buckworth’s “Shut Up and Eat: a Tale of Chicken, Children and Chardonnay”

Winner: @InfoSara

THANK YOU for participating in my first Twitter party! and

THANK YOU to Grace Announcements, Mabel’s Labels, Clippopotamus, Dee Brun, Kiboomu, Kathy Buckworth and Teenzillas for the fabulous prizes!

Entertainment

Tweet Me

July 27, 2010

by Rebecca S.

It’s been over a year since I started Tweeting and I can certainly say it’s been well integrated into my life. Speaking in 140 characters is a perfect way for a busy mom to keep in touch, keep in the know and make some wonderful new friends.

I know that dipping your toe into Twitter’s water can seem daunting, but trust me, it’s mostly shallow so you can walk a long way in before sinking.

I am far from a Twitter expert, but I can offer some lessons that I’ve learned over time that help me make the most out of this unique social tool.

1. Follow, follow, follow

At first, you won’t have much more than the few local news outlets, some companies and maybe a few friends in your twitter stream. Start following to build up your feed. The more people you follow, the more information you are getting. When I started, I went through the follow list of other like-minded people and started following based on profiles and similar interests.

2. Write your own profile

While you’re reading the profiles of others to see if you want to follow them, the same goes for others of you. Have a profile that gives a bit about yourself but don’t feel you have to give too much information. Whatever you are comfortable with.

3. Engage!

Okay, that’s not supposed to be a Star Trek statement, it really does apply to Twitter. Reply to tweets, jump into conversations (there’s no interrupting on Twitter!) or ask questions. A simple ‘well done!’ or ‘congrats’ or ‘I have so been there!’ reply to someone can start a conversation and new friendship. Don’t have anything to add to a link or statement? Simply ReTweet (RT) it and pass it along to others who may enjoy it.

4. Be Yourself

Some people on Twitter are insightful. Some are hilarious. Some are political. Some are goofy. Some are friendly and sweet. Some are a combination. The most successful people are often the ones who are themselves. Don’t try to fit into a certain type of tweeter. Be yourself and chat with anyone and everyone – that’s when you’ll find it the most rewarding.

Go ahead. Sign up and start following. Then start communicating and see how quickly you get hooked. Don’t focus on the numbers. Don’t focus on fitting in. Focus on the great people you will meet on Twitter.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that Twitter is only successful when it’s a two-way street.

Rebecca is a stay at home mom of a rock-star preschooler and animated toddler who remind her how special life can be. In between diaper changes and silly games, she writes her own blog , is the Community Engagement Manager for Best Tools For Schools and periodically contributes to other websites.

Entertainment

Love Loss and What I Wore Giveaway

June 25, 2010

Love, Loss and What I Wore is already a smash hit in NYC and is having its Canadian Premiere in Toronto this Summer!

A collection of intimate stories by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron, the show has been described as “The Vagina Monologues without the vaginas” and uses clothing and accessories and the memories they trigger to tell stories all women can relate to. The NYC production won the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Best Unique Theatrical Experience.

The Toronto production features an all star cast including Andrea Martin, Louise Pitre and Cynthia Dale.

amotherworld has teamed up with Love, Loss and What I Wore Toronto to offer our readers a chance to win a pair of tickets to see the show in Toronto! The show opens on July 16th and will play at Toronto’s Panasonic Theatre through September 4th, 2010.

Enter to win! Here’s how:

To enter via TWITTER:

1) You must be a follower of @amotherworld

2) You will need to re-tweet the following message:

RT and Follow @LoveLossCanada and @amotherworld to win tickets to http://lovelossonstage.ca in Toronto! Time to dress up! #LLaWiW

3) Make sure you are a follower of @LoveLossCanada, it’s the final step for your chance to win!

To enter via FACEBOOK:

1) You must “Like”/Be a member of Love, Loss, and What I Wore Toronto fanpage and amotherworld group on FB

2) Post this status message on your personal account (that when done properly, will link to L,LaWiWT page and show up on its wall):

I love reading @amotherworld and I want to get dressed up to go see @Love, Loss, and What I Wore Toronto

1 lucky winner from all entries will be chosen in 8 days! (you may enter both ways to increase your chances).

Contest Closes July 2, 2010. Good luck!

Winner will be chosen at random from all qualified entries. Tickets will be held at Will Call for the winners. Prize includes 2 tickets to the show, dates (from July 16-24th 2010). Prize does not include transportation to the Panasonic Theatre in Toronto. Prize has no cash value. The winner must answer a skill testing question correctly. Winners must be over the age of consent as per province or have parental/guardian consent.

Entertainment

Multitasking Techies

June 18, 2010

By Maria Lianos

The other day, I wrote a post about suffering internet withdrawal while on vacation.

Upon my return, I read this article: “Hooked on Gadgets, and Paying a Mental Price”

As soon as I started reading, it hit me: “that’s me.”

“Scientists say juggling e-mail, phone calls and other incoming information can change how people think and behave. They say our ability to focus is being undermined by bursts of information…

While many people say multitasking makes them more productive, research shows otherwise. Heavy multitaskers actually have more trouble focusing and shutting out irrelevant information, scientists say, and they experience more stress.”

I consider myself to be a pretty good multitasker. Most moms are… they have to be. We can make dinner, Tweet, talk on the phone and deal with our kids all at the same time.

At times under stress, I am more productive. Even though the stress may be apparent (when I’m heard yelling, “Go to your room, NOW!!!” and when noon can’t come soon enough), I thrive on it.

But then there are those days when I am completely overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done. The endless list of things-to-do stares me in the face. Not knowing where to begin, the multitasking expert I usually am becomes counter-productive and I end up doing nothing at all.

Blogging, Facebook, Twitter, online forums… do you often feel overwhelmed trying to stay on top of everything? Do you feel like if you’re away for a few days with no internet access, you’d miss something?

Do you think that multitasking is making you counter-productive and causing you more harm than good?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Books & Music

Cookbook Heaven

June 11, 2010

by Maria Stanley

I’m a bit of a cookbook fan – an OBSESSED cookbook fan.

I love them.

It is a crazy addiction – I buy new ones all the time. I tend to gravitate toward the ones with great photos and food that I would actually eat (nothing “weird”, thanks), but I will admit I have many different ones. I think I just surpassed 150 at last count, but don’t tell my wallet (or my husband) – it may choose to revolt against me.

I thought I would share a few of my favourite recent cookbook purchases with you.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond

I picked this up after hearing about it continuously on Twitter and the web, and I’m so glad I did. This cookbook is fantastic – gorgeous photos, fantastic recipes combined with these delicious stories of her rural life. Familiar recipes such as potato skins, cowboy calzone and rosemary potatoes, will have you salivating, and believing that you too can make each successfully. Each recipe is written in a step-by-step format that includes a photo within each step – a revelation for anyone who is a touch hesitant in the kitchen (this may or may not include yours truly).

The Food You Crave – Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life by Ellie Krieger

Ellie Krieger is a registered dietician and as such, is all about healthy eating and lifestyle. Each recipe includes the usual nutritional information included, as well as which nutrient sources are found in each. Each recipe is informative, detailed and easy to follow. It is beautifully created, and includes notes throughout the book that provide great information about calories, food safety and cholesterol. If you are health conscious, this cookbook is for you.

Cake Love – How to Bake Cakes from Scratch by Warren Brown

I just bought this book last weekend, and I’m so glad I did. I love a good baking cookbook – you may not know this tidbit, but I love me some cake. There are so many things that I love about this cookbook – I love the photos, the graphics and its detailed recipe instructions. Towards the end of the book, he also has a Cake Assembly section that details how to put your cake together. The cake is divided into Pound Cakes, Butter Cakes, Foam Cakes, Frostings and Glazes and Meringues – It is a cake lover’s dream cookbook.

Light of Lucia – A Celebration of Italian Life, Love & Food by Luciana Sampogna

This is also a recent addition to my collection, and a newly released cookbook that came out just this year. I must admit that the sheer beauty of this book compelled me to purchase it right away. It is a gorgeous book, from cover to cover, rich with beautiful photos of life in an Italian family. I love Italian food, and this book does not disappoint in any way. You will want to read it cover to cover. I absolutely love that you experience her love of food and cooking, while flipping through the pages. It is a fantastic addition to any cookbook collection.

by Maria Lianos

by Rebecca S.

By Maria Lianos

by Maria Stanley

Maria Stanley, known as Bored Mommy, is a mom of two adorable kids. Visit her blog at http://mommymaria.wordpress.com and follow her on Twitter.