Social Media: How to sound cool while figuring it out
Social media may not be a good, strategic solution to your needs. Here’s how to sound cool about it if or while your still figuring out what might work for you.
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Cool, But Scary…Deepfakes Are Here
Nancy Pelosi drunkenly slurred her words in a public address. Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg gleefully asserted that whoever has the data will rule the world. Carrie Fisher finished her role as Princess Leia in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story…after she died. These are all examples of deepfake videos. Deepfake videos, created by artificial intelligence (AI), make people appear to say or…
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Being Nice as a Business Strategy
So often people say I “should” be on Facebook. I “need” to be on Instagram. And, that may be true if it matches your business strategy and you choose platforms that cater to your target demographic. But it’s reassuring to know that just being human, being nice, also can be a sound business strategy. Especially…
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If You’re Not Uncomfortable, You’re Not Learning
I was in the middle of the mosh pit at the Village People concert at Riot Fest in Chicago. Someone shouted, “DEATH WALL!” The crowd divided down the middle and then surged toward each other full-force ahead in an adult, Viking-like rendition of Red Rover. A crowd surfer flailed by overhead, leaving a bruise as…
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Starting a Blog. Is Blogging Right for You?
I saw the familiar panicked, trapped face of a party guest from across the room. She stood next to the stuffed mushrooms, across from Edgar. “I wonder what kind of mushrooms these are,” she innocently asked. That was all Edgar needed to start his monologue on genus, family and habitat for every mushroom that ever existed.…
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Shakespeare + Pop Music = WOW
Here’s a scene you wouldn’t typically associate with Shakespearean theatre: People ages 8 to 80 whoopin’ it up as they learn about the six wives of Henry VIII. That was just the scene during Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of Six. How? The historical characters were presented as pop stars, mimicking the likes of Beyoncé and…
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13 Songs for 13 Years in Business – Entrepreneur’s Playlist
Given studies that show music can enhance mental health and improve cognitive performance, and in honor of the 13th Anniversary since I founded Intercultural Talk, Inc., here are 13 songs, an entrepreneur’s playlist, to capture the joys and challenges, stress, glee, and ultimately amazing pride and satisfaction in being an entrepreneur and owning your life. What…
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Poms Good Movie Review
I almost didn’t see Poms because of the poor reviews. That alone is a good lesson, because of how fun and uplifting the movie is. Poms is about a woman, played by Diane Keaton, who moves into a retirement community knowing she is dying. She’s required to join a club, per the community center…
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Follow this One Easy Rule to Avoid a Midlife Crisis
What’s the one rule to guarantee you will avoid a midlife crisis? It’s easy! Never make a bad decision in your entire life. Midlife Empowerment Coach Bitsie Thompson says a midlife crisis is not inevitable. “Just make only good decisions every day of your life until you’re 50. That’s the best way to rest-assured that…
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Satire Writing and the Little Things that Make a Dream
In December I did an intensive Improve and Writing class at The Second City. In March I went to the first Satire and Humor Festival in New York City. For April, I’m doing Camp NaNoWriMo (the mid-year call-to-action for November’s National Novel Writing Month). All of this started with one of my goals for this…
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