On The Road with Dave

I've been dumped by girlfriends, had friends no longer hang with me, and horror of horrors; I have even had people "unfriend" me on Facebook and "unfollow" me on Twitter. But today, I think I have suffered the greatest indignity of all--Blogger.com has decided not to support me.

Today I read an email from the blogging service that as of March 26, it would no longer support FTP publishing. For those not hip to the jargon, it means I'll no longer be able to use the simple Blogger software to write my blog entries and then have them seamlessly upload to my www.ontheroadwithdave.com domain hosted elsewhere.

When I first started my blog, "On The Road With Dave"; its design was a Blogger template and written at Blogger and hosted by Blogger with Blogger's BlogSpot address, daveontheroad.blogspot.com.. Most Blogger-hosted blogs have the "blogspot" as part of the URL address. I was extremely proud when I purchased my own domain and was able to still write "On The Road With Dave" with the easy to use Blogger format, but have it hosted at my very own domain with no "blogspot" address. Moving the blog had it's problems, but it was worth it, to call it "My own".

So today, I read that Blogger wants to make me move my blog BACK to their site and their hosting and have me re-direct my readers via a Custom Domain hosting procedure and drop my current subscription with my hosting site, all because I'm one of the few(thousands)of their blogger population that publish to another host.

I'm faced with a host (get it? Host..web hosting...forget it) of problems. One problem for me is that they will not support a directory extension like .com/example. I created my DAVEWEAR page like that. Blogger will insist on subdomains like example(dot)mydomain.com. I hate subdomains.

Another problem is I kinda like having my files at a hosting site that I have some control over. And, if I go elsewhere I want to keep my current website look. Some of the borders and style are taken from adjusted rewritten original Blogger styles. I have no expertise on designing a new style sheet or template. Also, there'd be massive linkage breaks and images to reload. I already did that once. Most of my readers know, I'm limited in my "techy-ness". It takes me hours of looking at my template and figuring out where I insert some HTML piece that I copied from somewhere and inserting it into my design. Once it took me two hours to figure out how to change a background color.

Anyway I have until March 26 to decide what to do and complete the changes. I may go back to Blogger and use their solution, or migrate to another service such as WordPress. (Geez, another learning curve) Either way, I fear change and the probable pain and expense that will ensue.

Blogger may abandon me, but I'm not abandoning blogging or writing. Stick around and enjoy my suffering. You know you like it.

Labels: Blogs, Social Networking, Writing

The folks at The Oatmeal have a hilarious page up about the worst scenario known to humanity. A merger between MySpace and Facebook. It's not a holocaust type horror, but it'd be pretty bad for Social Media addicts. Well, maybe Social Media addicts would really think it was a good idea.

Thanks go to Dino Baskovic for alerting me to the link.

Oh yeah, make sure you click on some links while at the site. If you are a Facebook or MySpace user; you'll quickly understand after clicking the page.

I am not an addict. I am not addict. I am not addict. I just have to keep reminding myself.

Labels: Social Networking

In recent weeks, I've added a new widget and a new button in my "Links I Like" section.

The widget is the Google FriendConnect box. According to Google, "Google Friend Connect instantly awakens and strengthens the community that visits your site by enriching it with social features. Anyone can join your site and discover other members by using information from a variety of services, including Google, Yahoo, Twitter, AOL, orkut, and Plaxo, strengthening your community as visitors become members."

Although I know I have many followers/readers of "On The Road With Dave"; it'd be nice to see the box fill up with some faces, or avatars. If you got a minute, register at the widget and let me know you are out there.

The next link is a button that takes you to Blogged. Blogged is a site that lists current members' blog articles and other links that followers can comment on. It has a site feed similar to FriendFeed or Facebook.


I discovered Blogged via Chip Martin's Blog.

Blogged says, "Blogged is a place where you can get reactions to major news events. No more tired old newspapers! With Blogged, you can interact with news like never before. Start sharing interesting news clippings and events with your trusted network of friends and like-minded individuals."

You can also rate the blogs. Currently I'm awaiting a rating from the site's editors. Being needy and constantly seeking approval--I'm hoping for a good rating.



Chip Martin has an envious 7.3 rating.

If you currently are a blogger, these two sites seem to offer some additional networking opportunities. We'll see if they help me.

Labels: Blogs, Social Networking

Last week, I announced my new job at a new call center. At the time, I held off announcing the name and giving any details about the job, until I found out about the corporate policy regarding blogging about my job. I'm a big promoter of corporate transparency and as you know I have always been pretty honest about my day-to-day life, but I didn't want to break any rules the first week on the job. I also didn't want to end up like this person and create a major Social Media faux pas.

I'm happy to report that I now work for Ryla, Inc. Ryla was founded in 2001 in Georgia by Mark Wilson just a month after the "September 11" attack on the World Trade Center. In that time of uncertainty, starting a new business might not have seemed promising but Mark Wilson and the team he developed, has grown Ryla, Inc into a company with a 2009 revenue of 100 million dollars. Wilson was named a 2009 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Southeast Regional finalist. Ryla has been listed 3 consecutive years as one of the nations fastest growing companies on the Inc. 5000.

Ryla is headquartered in Kennesaw, Georgia but recently spent 8.5 million dollars to open a regional headquarters, corporate data center and regional customer contact center in Saraland, Alabama. The expansion means over 1200 jobs to the Mobile, Alabama area and was greeted by extensive press coverage, a whirlwind of job fairs, and a visit to Saraland by Governor Bob Riley.

Now, before this article starts to sound like a Public Relations press release, what's it like working there?

So far, not so bad. I'm still in the training environment preparing for a job as a customer service representative for Verizon Wireless. It's intensive training. The attitude at the company is upbeat and positive. Ryla has a corporate culture unlike any I have ever worked for. Having a positive attitude is promoted and stressed throughout the company. There are "cheers" performed in the training class and management stops by often to talk to employees and encourage their work. There is always a sense of duty for the clients that Ryla services, such as Verizon; and you are always aware that without these clients; Ryla does not not exist and neither would your job. Ryla truly wants to live up to their slogan of providing, "The Best Job You've Ever Had".

A lackadaisical attitude won't get you far. When you are at work, you must be professional, be positive, you need to do the job you were trained to do and remember rules are rules. If you can't hack that, you can't hack the job.

My training class started with 60 people and we've lost 3 or 4 in the past week who decided it wasn't for them. Overall, I'm in a class full of some pretty cool people with a diverse background. Young, old, experienced, inexperienced, traveling from all over Mobile and Baldwin Counties to work for Ryla. A few have even expressed interest in coming to see me perform at my next comedy gig and have already sent me MySpace friend requests.

Our trainer is Kate West. She has a background in pharmaceutical sales and started working for Ryla as a contractor, she has since joined the Ryla company full-time. Kate makes the 8-hour classes interesting with personal stories, motivational video clips and she has that positive attitude and a desire to make each of her class graduates ready to hit the ground running. Our class has been dubbed, "The Untouchables"(Each class has a nickname) Several times a night, she yells, "Are You Heated Up?" We reply loudly, "SMOKIN'!". (Yeah, I suggested it)

For a look at what a training class is all about--

Take The Ryla Virtual Tour and click on Training.

Ryla has one of the lowest employee turnover rates in the Teleservices industry, so I'm gonna do my best to provide them with another quality employee without breaking any disclosure rules.

"Did you hear the one about the customer who called in to the call center and asked"...wait--never mind.

Labels: Alabama, Miscellaneous, Mobile, Public Relations, Social Networking

For those wondering where in the hell I have been lately; I'm here to "esplain" it to you.

Saturday, a week ago, I did an interview with a local Mobile businessman with the intention of posting a new article later on in the week.(That article is STILL forthcoming)Sunday afternoon I started feeling a bit sick. My stomach was hurting and I had some accompanying heartburn. As the night progressed, symptoms presented themselves that are better left undescribed. Tactfully, I can say that if was not walking the floor of my living room with massive stomach cramps; I was laying in a chair watching infomercials at 3AM and running to the bathroom to take care of not one, but two vile activities.

Monday morning came, and I was in no shape for work. I stayed home all day with lessening symptoms, provided my diet consisted of tea and crackers. Monday night brought another round of previous symptoms and on more than one occasion I screamed to the guy that must live inside my toilet bowl, "WANNABUYABUICK!"

Again Tuesday, I stayed home from work.

By Wednesday morning I felt better and went to work to be greeted by two full days of work that I was behind on. Catching up on calls and paperwork and orders took me well into Friday afternoon just so I could be "still behind" by quitting time. If I'm lucky, I should be back to a normal workload by this coming Monday afternoon.

But I have to tell you, this weekend has been much better.


Saturday night I attended a "Tweetup" at Panera's Bread in Mobile, Alabama. A Tweetup is a face-to-face meeting of online members of Twitter. A group of Mobile Tweeple met for some good food, some conversation, and for meeting the people that they "follow" and are "followed by" on Twitter.com.

It was cool to see some faces behind their Twitter avatars, although I'm happy to say most Twitterers(Tweeple)use an actual photo of their face for their profiles. It was funny to see and talk to these folks who brought their laptops and iPhones to meet live people and send photos and Twitter messages(tweets) to those not in attendance. At one point some of the attendees were "tweeting" each other via computer, while talking to other attendees. Think of it as "cyber whispering".

I came home feeling good about being involved in another aspect of Social Media that allowed me to connect with real live people.

With my health intact and feeling good, I'm looking forward to a great week with much more blog entries.

Labels: Alabama, Mobile, Social Networking, Twitter

Labels: Diversions, Miscellaneous, Social Networking

If you agonize over what to write about yourself on an Internet forum or chat profile or if you can't bear to change your "Status" line on your Facebook profile; then maybe you won't like Twitter. But if you love communicating to hundreds, or if you are lucky, thousands of followers in multiple 140 typed-characters status updates and "mini-blogs" then you'll feel right at home.

And if you're not quite sure about how to get started using Twitter, then let me recommend "Twitter how-to for the digital immigrants among us" written by my good friend, Kathleen Vandervelde.

I think Kathy excels at these type articles and she gives some good advice for the would-be Tweeple out there.

"Write something meaningful about yourself, your interests and/or your work in your profile. Include your blog or organization's website url. It can make a big difference when others are deciding whether you are worth following. Remember, you're trying to build two-way relationships here. If you won't give up anything about yourself, why would others want to interact with you? I, for one, will not follow anyone who doesn't offer a clue about who they are or what they're about in their profile."

Labels: Blogs, Social Networking, Twitter

Howdy Folks.

It's been over a week since my last blog entry, and that has to stop now.

A lot has happened. My computer is fixed. It's down-time was one of the major reasons that blog entries were sparse.

My boss at my "8-5" job bought me a new cell phone. It's an LG Shine minus the MediaNet service, but still with a cool camera capable of all those "self portrait through a mirror" shots you see on the social networking sites. I miss my old circa 2003 Nokia that was built to withstand a semi-truck rolling over it, but it finally developed so many problems that it was beyond any practical use.

I've increase my usage at Twitter and have a few followers. The Twitter service and a Twitter user was the first to send photos of the recent US Airways crash on the Hudson River.

And if you didn't already know; today The United States inaugurated the 44th President.

The one thing that amazed me about today's celebrations, rhetoric, comments, commentary and news was not the history-making event in Washington D.C but the event that happened at my "8-5".

Whether my fellow employees voted for Barack Obama or not, at 10:45 CDT, we all gathered around a few computer screens and suspended work for a while and watched the Presidential Inauguration and Speech together.

As I watched the live streaming video via MSN.com, I noticed the video stop and stutter or delay several times and could only imagine the number, in the millions, of other viewers logging on and watching and the volume of data being transferred across the Internet at that time.

While the new President spoke of the future and the challenges ahead for our country, I realized just how far we have already come and how the future is now. We take pictures with our phones, we watch televison on our computers, and citizen journalists inform us of news as it happens through social networking sites and blog entries, even before traditional media outlets.

And even though, when our computers fail, we tear our hair out in frustration until they are fixed; they serve us well. They inspire creativity and produce just as much as a tractor, a steel mill, or an oil well.

Change is not coming...change is here.

Labels: Barack Obama, Blogs, Social Networking, Twitter

Many of my readers will remember when I was super-active in Multi-level Marketing; I was(and still am) a big proponent of "community building on the web"...an early form of social networking and also of blogging.

Eric Jannsen of Quixtar Blog introduced me to blogging, and for that I'll always be grateful. But, Fred Johnston taught me how to start talking to people on a personal basis online, and making friends via the Internet. Fred also was my immediate upline in a MLM company that incorporated in 1999 called Quixtar. Quixtar was to be the online version of Amway by Amway. (Yeah, that ain't exactly how it was presented, but it's close enough.)

My blog is about a lot of things. Sometimes, it's been about Quixtar and Amway; sometimes it's been about my stand-up comedy; sometimes, it's about politics, or something interesting on the Internet. And sometimes, it's strictly something personal about me or a personal opinion.

Tonight, it is personal.

I've lost contact with Fred Johnston over the past year. I know his home state suffered some flooding many months back. The email address I had for Fred has given me no response. I've lost his phone number. When I "google" his name and his old screen name that he used on many Internet forums, the "searches" just take me to entries that are several years old or sites that list his invalid email address.

So, I'm putting out an All Points Bulletin here at "On The Road With Dave" for someone that reads here might also be a mutual friend of Fred Johnston.

Maybe, Fred might even decide to "google" his own name someday and my site comes up in the search and he might decide to drop by.

"Hey Fred! I'm looking for you."

Labels: Amway, Amway Global, Multi-Level Marketing, Quixtar, Social Networking

You can find links to my various sites here at "On The Road With Dave"; but why not hit one or two of them today.

If you have a MySpace account, I'd appreciate it if you added me as a friend, if you haven't already done so. You can go to my profile, Dave Robison™, and click on "Add Me As A Friend"; after you take a look at my profile.

For those of you on FaceBook, I can be found at Dave's Face.

And if wanna see me in your city, I need to know who would be willing to pay to see me perform. You can let me know by Demanding Me in your city. You can do that by clicking now, with the DEMAND DAVE ROBISON link.

Also, if you wanna listen to the songs I like, you can visit my Project Playlist profile at Dave Robison's Playlist.

And Don't forget you can still follow me on Twitter, that link is in my sidebar and you can sign up to follow me or even those people that I'm following.

That's it. Shameless Promotion time is over. Finish enjoying your weekend.

Labels: Miscellaneous, Social Networking, Stand Up Comedy, Twitter

THE QUESTIONS AT PRAGUE


Here's the blog entry that you've all been waiting for.

WHAT WAS DISCUSSED AT THE ALTICOR GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCE?

Or at least, what did they want to know from all the bloggers invited.

Shortly after I returned from Prague, I wrote Rob Zeiger, Director of Communications with Alticor and Dino Baskovic, Alticor consultant and moderator of our panel discussion, and asked for a copy of the questions asked of the Bloggers 5.

Let me say, that at no time during the conference were we told NOT to blog about the conference. It was pretty much expected that we would. But, although I took a few notes, I was more intent on answering the questions as they were ask. So I was happy that Dino sent me a copy of the questions when I requested them. This conference really convinced me that Alticor/Amway/Quixtar really wants to be transparent in its Internet presence.

The conference session opened with Dino giving a short Powerpoint presentation on what Blogging is, What blogs can do, and how Quixtar, Amway, and Alticor are using blogs. The ease of setting up a blog was mention and different Blog platforms like WordPress and Blogger were mentioned.

The Alticor Media Blog and the Amway Media Blog were began to address questions from, who else, but the Media. At the time, Dick DeVos, son of Amway Founder Rich DeVos was running for Governor of Michigan and his connection with Amway was an issue during the campaign.

After the campaign(and DeVos' loss) the two media blogs began to address Alticor lawsuits and troubles with terminated Independent Business Owners affiliated with Alticor.

Dino then introduced the invited bloggers and briefly explained their blogging efforts.

Again, the panel consisted of Dave Robison, yours truly; "IBOFightback" (David Steadson); Bridgett, "Tex", "Big Apple". and Quixtar's own, Robin Luymes.

Although, the conference organizers knew all the attendees' real names, each blogger was introduced as their Internet personae. Their anonymity was important to the organizers.

Our audience consisted of Public Relations and Communications staff from Quixtar; Alticor Global; and Amway in Europe, including China. The China delegation had their own interpreter. (My personal nightmare was how the Interpreter might handle my Southern colloquialisms)

I will answer the questions here at "On The Road With Dave", but it's my hope that the rest of the bloggers invited will answer them as well in the comments AND ANY OTHER Quixtar/Amway blogger(critics, too) can give their answers.

I'm sure Dino and Rob Zeiger will read your answers.

1. When did you first start blogging about Amway, and why?

I began commenting at the Original Quixtar Blog back in 1983 2003. I was a frequent contributor to the blog's forum, as well. I even guest blogged at the site. I was then challenged by Eric Janssen, the site author; to start my own blog as an IBO with a positive, but objective view of the Amway/Quixtar world.


2. Many blogs have their own ground rules, and certainly the blogosphere has many rules of the road. What rules—if any—do you govern yourself by when you blog, and for what reasons?

I don't have any set rules other than I do not actively recruit potential IBOs or sell Quixtar products at my blog. I do not accept advertising at my blog, although like any blogger, I "link exchange" with other blogs I like.

As for my readers, they are welcome to leave their comments. Moderation is minimal, only to delete SPAM and illegal or libelous material. Opposing views are always welcomed, but ultimately my blog is my "show".

3. In your opinion, what do you think of our company’s approach to blogging? If you could, what would you change about the way we blog?

At first, only a few blogs like Beth Dornan's had a real "voice. A blog must have a personal voice, even if it is a corporate blog. That problem seems to be on the mend. Also, at first there seemed to be more "PR" than "blog".

Currently, the Alticor/Quixtar/Amway blogs remain "static" too long. Updates can be sporadic. If a particular blog entry elicits numerous responses from readers, then the corporate bloggers need to update with another entry addressing those responses in detail. The conversation among commenters goes on without much more response from the corporate blogger.

4. How has blogging helped you as an individual, as an advocate for the company, and as an "online citizen"? (In my notes, this question was "Has Blogging made you a better person?)

I'm not sure blogging has made me a "better" person; but it has made me a better writer and a better thinker. As an "online citizen" it has afforded me the opportunity to meet good people with diverse opinions and I have online friends and new "offline" friends that I have met as a direct result from blogging and "social networks" online.


5. Do you participate in other online venues, such as with sites like MySpace or Facebook, or do any podcasting? Do you feel that our involvement in these venues makes sense given the nature of our business? Please explain your answer.

I started my Internet life in the early 90s with AOL. I was in chatrooms, message boards, forums. When I discovered the Internet, it was like I injected the modem line directly in my vein. I am hooked.

I participate in blogging, commenting at other blogs, I have a MySpace page, A Facebook page, a Comedian's Community, I'm also LinkedIN. I have a big ego; I want people to know who I am. (This response got laughs, The Chinese people smiled)

As far as Alticor getting involved in "social networking" sites, I would say that employees or IBOs should feel free to join, if they have the inclination and time. I am already friends on Facebook with Dino, Beth Dornan, and Robin Luymes. The Corporation, itself, doesn't really need a site like MySpace.

6. Our bloggging presence – the way we blog, how we blog and what we say – is evolving over time. We are still in the learning stages. Many of the audience members here are professional communicators from our Amway affiliates all over the world. What advice can you give our audience members as they continue to embrace blogging as a tool of communication?

Be authentic. Use your name. Write what is on your mind. Be Personal. A blog reader wants to "know" the author. Don't rely on the company name "tagged" in all your posts to build your readership. If you have diverse content in your blog, readers will find you doing many different type "searches". They may find you because you did a post on "little league soccer" and then stick around to read other things you have written; including things about the company.

There was a follow-up question to this regarding other Quixtar and Amway IBOs starting a blog and if Alticor should encourage this. I stated that while many IBOs may have passion to write positive things about the company in a blog...not everybody can write a blog or even "string" three coherent sentences together. I'm a blog snob, not everybody can do it, even though anybody can start a blog in as little as 5 minutes.

7. Do You Make Any Money Blogging?

Not directly. I have gained comedy gigs from blogging and of course, a major global Direct Sales company paid me to discuss blogging. (I think the Chinese people smiled again)

8. Many of the people in this audience primarily deal with reporters and are just now beginning to deal with bloggers. There has been much debate in recent years whether bloggers carry the same rights and privileges, as do traditional journalists. Do you feel bloggers and journalists are one in the same, and should we treat bloggers with the same level of professional courtesy as we do with reporters?

This question didn't get answered at the conference by me in detail, another panelist answered it. (I forget who). But Dino, my answer would have been--Bloggers and Journalists are the same when the Blogger is covering an issue that is newsworthy. Bloggers are "influencers" if their readership is influenced by them and in turn make a decision about a company. But, a company such as Alticor should treat ANYONE online with respect and professional courtesy, simply because you don't know what the ripple effect they may have on the online community.

I am trained as a journalist; so you can treat me like one. And needless to say, I did hear a couple of "This is off the record" statements.

9. As a global company, we must cooperate with different governments and respect their laws and customs as a rule of doing business. That said, how has blogging impacted the global marketplace?

Blogging as well as the Internet itself, has made the global marketplace more open. A person in another country that might not have access to certain information about a company in a country other than their own, need only perform a "Google search" to find information, market data, profit and loss, and litigation results. Plus, word-of-mouth advertising and personal testimonies via blogs hold weight across international borders.

10. Do you think that blogging has changed the direct selling industry as a whole? Why or why not?

Yes. Information travels faster via blogs and Internet forums, than knocking on doors and doing cold calls. Therefore, a direct seller and Direct Sales companies have to alter their methods of presentation in an online society.


FINALLY, Dino said that over the past year or so; Alticor was trying to transform itself and its companies and its online reputation. In a one-word, "Yes or No" answer; Do you believe the company is already being transformed?

We all answered, YES.

And I do believe it. Not Overnight. Small Steps. But the transformation is happening.


That's it. There was "give and take" and debate among the panelists during the answers and the audience attendees submitted other questions as well. Some personal.

Dino did asked me what kind of material I did in my comedy act...and I hesitated and then told him, he needed to come see me perform; and I left the audience with my blog URL and the address to my MYSPACE page and told them I would gladly accept them as a friend. YEAH, I got an ego!

Labels: Alticor, Amway, Blogs, Public Relations, Quixtar, Social Networking, Travel

Odkud jste?

If you click the link above; you'll hear a very nice lady from the Czech Republic ask you, "Where Are You From?"

On March 18th through March 20th, I look forward to replying, "Jsem z USA" (pronounced poorly by me as something like "Semz USA"--or "I Am From The USA"

Four years ago, I began blogging at "On The Road With Dave" with the hopes of gaining a small readership of people interested in Quixtar, Multi-level Marketing, and my attempts at getting back into comedy.

For about 3 years, my blog content was directed more at my personal life, network marketing, blogs, and at interests that fulfilled my self-described status as a Renaissance man. In the past year, more things comic-related fill my entries.

Consistency in writing has proven to be the biggest benefit of blogging. I think I have grown as a writer on a wide variety of topics. This consistency has been noticed by a wide range of people.

Case in point: On March 17th, I'll be winging my way overseas to appear on a panel of bloggers for Alticor Corporation in Prague, Czech Republic. Their communications and PR staff will be picking my brain and other bloggers for ideas on increasing their "personal" factor on the "Internets" via blogging. (At least, that's my focus)

Alticor tells me, "With your experience and strong opinions about what works and what doesn't in messaging to and with bloggers, the discussion...should be lively and informative."

"Lively" may be an understatement, as I have learned the cast of panelists involved.

Consultant Dino Baskovic will introduce the discussion with short presentation on the topic of blogging. Dino is a consultant for Alticor. His firm, 36Hours is the designer for the Alticor Media Blog.

Dino also teaches at Lawrence Technological University and owns Vincena.

Leading the panel in discussion will be Quixtar's own, Robin Luymes. Robin is Manager for Quixtar Public Relations and author of the Real Quixtar Blog.

Though not directly comedy-related; I'd like to think that my "uniqueness" as a comedian had something to do with my selection by the corporation to appear among the other bloggers.

I'll be appearing with a cast of bloggers known to some "OTRD" readers and their intensity of focus may need a little levity.

First on the list is the author of The Truth About Amway and Quixtar. Known for years, by the pseudonym "Insider" Or "IBOFightBack"

"Insider" was a long-time commenter at Quixtar Blog and Quixtar Blog Forum and at other Amway and Quixtar-related Blogs. Recently he was "outed" by Quixtar-critic, Scott Larsen. "Insider" now confirms his identity as David Steadson. I must say, I'm glad.

Second on the list is known to me only as a Pseudonym, BIG APPLE. BA is a commenter on the Alticor Media Blog. I don't know much about BA, except his comments seem intelligent and helpful. I have no other links for him/her, but hope to have more after the conference.

The third panelist is known by all Quixtar and Amway related bloggers as simply, TEX. Thanks to me, Tex even has his "own" blog, "Tex's Quixtar Blog". Tex is passionate and prolific in the comments section of all the Alticor corporate blogs as well as Quixtar-critic blogs. His position is decidely "pro" for Alticor and passionately negative towards Lines of Sponsorship leaders known as "kingpins"

Finally; little ole "Dave Blogwriter", rounds out the panel. I'll be doing the same thing I've been doing the past 4 years here at "On The Road With Dave--offering my opinion, finding common ground, suggesting solutions, and listening to feedback. I think that's the ultimate importance in blogging.

My goal is to blog from Prague(that rhymes) after the conference. If that's not possible, I'll be taking notes and offering several days of review of the conference after I return home. One interesting thing comes to mind already. After this conference...more identities will be revealed. This has to mean that the panelists see this conference as so important that it negates their desire to remain anonymous. I think that says a lot about their passion.

I'm only fretting over the long plane ride without the comfort of my Marlboros and I'm a little anxious about getting ripped off by currency exchangers and cabbies; but these fears are subsided when I look at my accommodations at the Marriott Prague and the fact that the corporation as already requested my "services rendered" invoice and W-9 so they can send me my check.

And who knows, I may tell a few jokes while I'm there.

Labels: Amway, Blogs, Public Relations, Social Networking, Travel

One of the newest blogs at Quixtar's Opportunity Zone is Lynn Wendyger's; The Beta Mom In Training.

Lynn is Training Coordinator for Quixtar, Inc.

She describes herself a baby boomer mom of two millennial children. She lives in a world where "my children know more about technology than I do."

Lynn says "But I am insatiably curious about the role that technology plays in work, home and education. As a masters level Clinical Psychologist in a past life, I’m interested in how technology enhances life ... and how it can also make it more complex.

As a Performance Consultant in Training & Education, I am excited about contributing to the development of learning programs that will help Independent Business Owners make money selling products and build successful businesses."

Labels: Quixtar, Social Networking

One of my co-workers is doing it. My blogging friend, Kathy is doing it. I've been doing things just like it. So, I might as well do it, too.

I joined FACEBOOK. Somebody needs to help me.

I am totally becoming an old geek.

Labels: Social Networking

That's Right, my ventriloquism partner and all-around pain-in-the-ass; Skyler Leglantier has gone and started work on his own MySpace page.

According to Skyler at his blog,

"I'm joining Dave and the rest of the Internet Robots and joining that site that sucks your brain from your skull, called MySpace."

Labels: Diversions, Social Networking, Ventriloquism

I discovered a new blog today by Jenny Ryan. A Google alert led me to a story on her experience at a "Stand-Up" comedy workshop. But the front page of "Using My Powers for Good" was a short entry on a new social networking site for the "creative types"

Bldg98.com is for writers, artists, photographers, graphic artists, readers, critics, basically anyone who appreciates creativity created by people who share that love. You don't have to be the "artsy" type to be a member, we only ask you respect everyone's ideas and lifestyles as this is a community built on love and respect. We welcome everyone to join us.

While the site says you don't have to be "artsy" to be a member, it does have that "artsy" look and feel once you delve into it. Unfortunately, you can't browse much of the site without first, going ahead and joining.

Once you are a member of the site, you become a "tenant" and you can join groups, or read "the wall" and make new friends and maybe attend workshops. I checked--there's no sex on the elevators.

For me, it was disappointing to find out that there was no "Stand-Up Comedy"
or "Comedy" category to describe myself, or those poor souls like me. I chose "Writer" upon joining; and commented in my profile page that I was a comedian. I suppose that will have to suffice.

For writers and such, the site promotes a sidebar for members that have titles available through Amazon.

Your profile page allows sufficient space for uploading examples of your work, be it poetry, photos of sculpture, photos of whatever, and book reviews, and critiques.

There are still less than 500 members(excuse me--tenants) at the site. (I was, like, member 420-something)

If you haven't totally geeked out on every other social networking site on the Internet, and you feel you need just ONE more profile page "out there", then by all means, take a look at Bldg98.com

Labels: Comedy, Social Networking