On the Importance of Research

Adequate research is very important for any public relations campaign.  Doing your research makes your final product far more credible.  I am not a PR professional yet, or an expert, but I feel as if research should be a huge part of your job if you work in PR.  Also, research ensures that your work is complete and relevant.  For example, if you are doing a PR campaign for an animal shelter, you must do a huge amount of research before even starting anything else, so that you  can do your job well.  You would have to immerse yourself in the environment of the organisation to begin with.  You could talk to employees, customers, volunteers, and the public.  You would also have to research the organisation's past attempts at PR so that you can see how improvements can be made.  Researching what other similar organisations do about their own PR campaigns can also be useful. 

Luckily for me, I really enjoy doing research, and I am good at it.  For me, it's like solving an exciting mystery.  I have lots of experience with doing research because I majored in modern history when I did my Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Manitoba.   I feel like I have a good handle on how to do good research, but I am also excited to improve on my skills.  When I wrote history essays for my bachelors degree, I spent more time researching the subject than actually writing the essay itself.  I think that I would employ a similar strategy if I were doing a PR campaign. 

Doing this writing piece reminded me of a conversation that I had with one of my history professors when I was a student at the U of M.  Most of us know about the difference between primary and secondary sources.  A primary source is an original document or artifact.  A secondary source is anything, such as a piece of writing, that builds upon the primary source.  Actually, one could argue that there is no such thing as a primary source!   My professor was saying that it's important to be wary of secondary sources, even those created by other professionals that you know and respect.  This is because one person will interpret a primary source differently than another person.  

Do set designers have inside jokes or is my lamp just a coincidence?

I have a random thought.  I noticed that a lamp in my house frequently turns up in crime dramas!  Weird.  It's usually on someones office desk, and used for soft, dramatic lighting.  I have seen it in the Mentalist, Criminal Minds, CSI New York, and so fourth.   I know it's the same model of lamp because it's a fairly distinctive lamp made of chrome with holes on the shade.  Maybe the set designers have some sort of inside joke going. Or perhaps it's normal to re-use set props and I just haven't noticed.   You know what detectives always say: "there's no such thing as a coincidence.".  My lamp is a glamorous movie star!! Ok so it isn't that exciting. 

Today I learned how to apply lipstick that stays on for a long time...and that it might cause cancer

Did you know that five percent of lipstick (or whatever else you apply to your lips) ends up in your stomach?  Good thing there aren't any harmful chemicals in  it such as lead, D4 and D5 siloxanes, Methylparabens, and other ingredients that have been known to cause health problems and even Cancer.  Oh wait, those ingredients ARE in lipstick and other cosmetics!!   Scientists and cosmetic companies are still debating whether or not the chemicals in cosmetics are in high enough amounts to cause harm.  Apparently we're making progress though; in the middle ages, people used to slather a paste rich in lead on their skin to cover blemishes.  Others slowly poisoned themselves with the high levels of Mercury compound in their lip stains, or blinded themselves by using Belladonna extract to dilate their pupils. 

In this day and age, lipstick is far too much trouble for people to bother with it on a regular basis.  Even so, it's fun to wear every once in a while or on special occasions, particularly a bright and saturated shade.  Ladies (and gentlemen), I have found the secret of long lasting lipstick (from the lady at the cosmetics counter)!  Here is what you will need: 

1. A tube of red lipstick.  I used the very popular Russian Red by MAC.  It's a good colour because it is flattering on many different skin tones and is a true red.
2.  A red lip liner.  I used Brick by MAC.
3. A lipstick brush
4.  Baby powder
5. Kleenex for blotting
6. Petroleum jelly, which is one of the best moisturisers, or your favourite lip balm

The process, goes thusly:  First you need to properly exfoliate your lips.  There are many different ways to do this.  For example you could simply rub your lips with a damp toothbrush.  After that, apply the lip balm so that your lips are very moisturised.  Wait until it sinks into your lips, but don't wait until your lips are dry all over again!  The goal here is to have moisturised lips that aren't slippery with lip balm.  The lip colour must stick to your lip.  Begin by filling in your ENTIRE lip using the sharpened lip pencil.  This prevents bleeding and helps the lipstick adhere to your lip for a longer period of time.  It also defines the edges of your lip.  Refrain from trying to make your lips appear fuller by colouring outside the lines; it will look obvious. 

The next step is to use the lipstick brush to apply your red lipstick of choice.  The key is to use the brush to really press the lipstick onto your lip.  After that, blot with the Kleenex, and then re-apply the lipstick straight from the tube rather than using the lip brush.  Blot again lightly.  This should keep your lipstick on for a long time!!  If you want your lipstick to stay on for an even longer period of time, you should also apply some baby powder onto your lips before adding the final coat of lipstick.  Warning: only apply a TINY bit of baby powder, or it will eliminate any of the moisture on your lips.  If that happens, your lipstick will look terrible, and your lips will feel dry and uncomfortable.

The end result should look something like the following:



If you're still worried about the ingredients in your cosmetics, mosey on over to the following cosmetic database.  It lists all the ingredients for thousands of cosmetics and other toiletries.  Unfortunately Canada doesn't have very good laws regarding ingredient lists or contents for cosmetics, and it's hard to know if the harmful ingredients in them are actually harmful because they are present in small amounts.  Here is the link:  http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ .  I just found out that Baby Powder (talcum powder) is a known carcinogen.  Does one ingest enough of it in a lifetime to get cancer from it?  Scientists are still debating it so we don't know yet.

More Things That I Think are Fabulous

My Flawlessly Crafted Blanket!  It was crocheted by my friend Adrian Farysey.  It is very cozy, and expertly done!  AAAND fashionable!  The picture doesn't really do it justice because the piece is very hard to photograph.  I love it!



Gogol Bordello:  A band that calls their genre 'Gypsy Punk'...I think the music is so bad that it's good!



Traditional Aboriginal Bead work Art:  Here is my attempt at it.  I took a Canadian Aboriginal History course once, and the professor had an artist come to class and teach everyone the craft for a bit. Mine isn't very good, but experienced artists can create amazingly beautiful pieces!! The craft is very relaxing to do, and the history of Aboriginal bead work art is very interesting to read about.

Mickey Mouse Plush Toy from the 1930's!  My parents got me this for Christmas last year because I have always been a fan of Mickey since childhood.  They found it at Nerman's Books and Collectibles on Osborne.  I love that store!  Mickey is seen here sitting on top of my mother's guilty pleasure; her vast collection of The Cat Who... mystery book series lol!
 

Yummy Puffed Pastry Thingies!!!  OMG YOUR FRIENDS WILL LOVE YOU.  This is one of those recipes that is very easy to do, but the final product is so impressive, that it makes it appear as if you were trained as a pastry chef in some sort of exclusive but not too pretentious small town in France or something.  On a horse. Because isn't that kind of what we all want?  To be loved for superficial attributes, so that our fragile egos stay well fed and our minds stay distracted from the inevitable outcome of life, which is .... death? Anywho, while you ponder the subtle complexities of existential philosophy, you can also make this recipe at the same time.  The process goes thusly:  By the way, you can fill the pastries with anything, but here are some suggestions:  Any type of pie filling (blueberry, strawberry, pumpkin, homemade or store bought), chocolate, lemon custard, whipped cream, ice cream, or any other fillings you can imagine.  I filled mine with lemon custard as well as blueberry pie filling and chocolate. 

As a result, I found that chocolate tastes amazing with blueberries!!  Anyway,I have taken the time to paraphrase the recipe for you.  It's from Freaking Fabulous, by Clinton Kelly.  The method is very easy:  In a sauce pan, boil 1 cup of water and 1 stick of butter.  It will not turn out if you use margarine instead of butter.  Come on now, do you really think that you're being healthier by switching up the butter and margarine in this case?  It's like eating a hamburger at McDonald's, accompanied by a Diet Coke; you're fooling yourself.  Besides, everyone knows that butter makes your baking taste amazing!  Moving right along, when it is simmering, add 1 cup of flour.  Once you are done stirring it, the mixture should form a kind of strange looking blob.    After said blob is cooled to room temperature, add 4 eggs.  Blend everything with an electric mixer until it's all smooth and velvety.  Now use some cooking spray to coat a cookie sheet.  Place the batter onto the cookie sheet in 8 equal sized blobs.  Place the blobs into a 400 degree (Fahrenheit) oven for 45 mins.  You really have to watch that they don't burn, but if they are undercooked, they will just sort of deflate once you try to stuff them afterwards.  The puffs should be kind of hard on the outside.  Anyway, after the puffs are done cooking, stuff them with your chosen stuffing and enjoy being showered with compliments from your friends who now think that you are some sort of closet culinary genius!  These things taste a bit like filled doughnuts.  Here are some pics I managed to take before they got eaten. 

I Can Has Democracy?

Power is a really interesting phenomenon to learn about.  They say that excessive power tends to breed corruption.  One of the most interesting studies on power relations was done in the 1960's by Stanley Milgram, a Yale psychologist.  You can watch a short documentary about the famous Milgram experiments on youtube, below.  Stanley Milgram discovered that people will perform violent acts in obedience to a believable authority figure.  The results are stunning and worrying. 



Also fascinating is the famous Stanford Prison experiment.   The experiment was done by psychologist Philip Zimbardo in 1971.  It was meant to explore power relations between pretend prison guards and their prisoners.  Unexpectedly, the prisoners and guards adopted their roles to such an extent that the experiment had to be stopped after six days.  This experiment has some very interesting and revealing implications regarding power and influence.  Youtube also has a good documentary on the Stanford Prison experiments with some original footage, below.

What about when people use their authority to abuse power and influence?  Do you think that your government, or some governments around the world or throughout history have done this?  I was merrily going about my business this weekend, when I bumped into a friend at the Espresso Junction, at the Forks.  We began chatting and she alerted me of a new piece of legislation that is currently being processed within the Canadian government as well as within various governments worldwide.  She heard about it on the news and it is called ACTA (the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement.)  Apparently it’s been in the works for some time.  I’m a critically thinking kind of gal, so did a little research of my own, and discovered that ACTA appears to be a piece of legislation designed to control the flow of information, particularly on the Internet.  Sound familiar?  It’s pretty easy to feel helpless when your own government seems to want to limit your personal freedoms. 

If you disagree with something your government is doing, whether it is ACTA, or something else, please let them know, and let those around you know as well.   I didn't know how to go about this either, so I looked it up.  I learnt that you should write a handwritten letter to your Member of Parliament, and ask them what their stance on the issue that you are concerned about. Alternatively, you can start an official petition or participate in a peaceful protest.  The following link is a list of the current members of parlament.  You should write to the one who represents your riding. http://www.parl.gc.ca/membersofparliament/MainMPsCompleteList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E

According to my research, the most effective way to have an effect on a member of parlament, is to make sure your letter is brief and to the point.  Also, you will stand out by handwriting the letter instead of typing it.  If you are really passionate about the issue you are writing about, you should make a follow up phone call to the person you wrote to. 

By the way, you can read a recent PDF of ACTA here:   http://www.international.gc.ca/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/assets/pdfs/acta-crc_apr15-2011_eng.pdf

For extra reading regarding the dynamics of power, I recommend the works of Michel Focault.

The Importance of Being Creative

Being creative has become an increasingly crucial skill in today's world.   Here are some of the things we have already learnt in class about being creative, as well as some additional information:

• If you have writers block, you should practise free writing.  The way to do free writing is to keep typing continuously for 10 minutes without stopping.  It doesn't matter what you write about, as long as you don't stop for 10 minutes.  If you can't think of anything to write at first, then type 'I don't know what to write' repeatedly, until something comes to mind.  Doodling can have a similar application.  If you are trying to think of ideas or solve a problem, you can brainstorm and then  create a word web.
• Make sure that you are healthy:  get enough sleep, eat well, reduce stress.  If you need to refresh your brain, take a walk outside for a change of scenery, take a break from the problem and then come back to it later, or even try working out the problem in a different room. 
• Nurture some creative hobbies such as:  drawing or painting, crafting, learning a new instrument, or learning a new language.
• Experiment, don't discount 'stupid' ideas, and don't be afraid to fail or make mistakes.  Ask others for input.
• Try some brain exercise.  For example, in class, we tried a fun game called  Tanagrams.  Tanagrams is a puzzle used to increase spatial awareness.  The player receives blocks shaped like triangles and squares, and tries to arrange the shapes in such as way that they look just like a picture that has been provided.  Other such games include Sudoku, crossword puzzles, problem solving scenario games, and other logic games or puzzles. 
• Another game that we tried in class is to look at a paperclip and try to think of as many alternative uses for it as you can.  This is effective if you want to practise innovation.  If you want more practise with innovation, you should try to think of alternative view points, instead of just your own, when reading or listening to a problem or issue.  It is important to expose yourself to a variety of viewpoints on different issues.
• Find out what your strengths are, and how you receive and interpret information, using the Theory of Multiple Intelligences.  There are eight categories: Spatial, Linguistic, Logical-mathematical, Bodily-kinesthetic, Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, and Naturalistic.  Knowing how you interpret the world around you will help you process information better.  There are many different type of intelligence, not just one, as we previously thought.
• To be creative and stimulate your mind, it is important to try all sorts of new experiences,  expose yourself to all sorts of different viewpoints, and look at different angles for a given problem.   Novel experiences or thoughts create a chemical reactions in your brain that ultimately act to increase your cognitive potential.  Contrary to popular belief, all types of intelligence, including creative intelligence, are at least to some extent, fluid and learnable.  So challenge yourself in all aspects of life.

There are lots more ideas  at http://www.mycoted.com/Category:Creativity_Techniques
There are lots of free brain and creativity games that are available on on the Internet as well. 

Random things that I think are fabulous...

And they're all mine!  Go and get your own!  Just kidding, I can share.   

The Bill Evans Trio

My Glasses

The reigning king of our castle, Harold the cat

Apple and cranberry tea ... it's like a hug in a cup!!

HOMEMADE COFFEE FLAVOURED ICECREAM!!

This recipe is from Linda's Low Carb Menus and Recipes

Easy Coffee Icecream

1/2 a cup of brewed coffee
1 cup heavy cream
Liquid Splenda equal to 3/4 of a cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients into a 2 cup glass measuring cup and then freeze into an ice cube tray.  When the ice cubes are frozen, mix in a food processor until smooth and creamy. 

Note: you might need to add a bit of water if the ice cubes are frozen very solid.  It's much easier to process the ice cream cube thingies if you have a good quality blender with a strong motor. 

Here are all the ingredients.  As you can see, I used powdered Splenda instead of Liquid Splenda. 

Below, you can see the type of blade that is in my food processor.  It is very effective for making this recipe. 

The end result

Enjoy!