ToughSledding’s Holiday Was Way Too Short

I warned you I was taking two weeks off. This picture might explain why. It’s the view from our cabin at Ti Kaye Village in St. Lucia — a place I’d recommend for anyone seeking a romantic getaway. I don’t know much about romance, but I know a great beach resort when I see one! And the local beer is to die for.

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If you’ve ever run your own business, you know it doesn’t come with paid vacation. My job does — lots of it. And for the last two weeks I’ve been using some of it. It feels good. But in the process I’ve been neglecting my “customers.”

Finals week! For some, it’s a time to recast dreams

This is my last post until May 29. Look for me on a beach in St. Lucia where Sharon and I will be celebrating a belated 30th anniversary, sans laptop. I won’t be moderating comments, either. So be patient.

Maybe I’ll have some fresh ideas when I return. Right now, I’m a burned out and blogged out — and I need one of those umbrella drinks.

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You know, teaching may be the greatest job on earth. It’s a real kick to watch students grow — to see them overcome obstacles and develop new skills. I didn’t find those rewards in the “real world,” which is why I moved to Ohio and took a big pay cut.

After 15 years in academe, I still enjoy going to work most days — even during finals week, when I’m sometimes the bearer of bad news. It’s the time of year when most PR students celebrate, but when others must recast their dreams and find a new major.

Among the courses I teach at Kent State is PR Case Studies, the “knock out” class for the PR major. Between 25 and 30% of the class either drop the course or fail to reach the required “C.” A few fail because they don’t apply themselves, but more often it’s because PR doesn’t fit with their skills or aptitudes.

It’s not the end of the world, I tell them. When you think about it, learning your weaknesses at the age of 19 or 20 can be liberating. It leaves all that time to strike a new course. But it still means starting over. And that’s no way to kick off a promising summer break.

I think we all need a vacation. It’s been a long year.

Kent State PR bloggers are immersed in social media

Aside from showing students how to use WordPress, I can’t take much credit for this semester’s PRKent bloggers. Professor Michele Ewing created and taught the class, “Online Public Relations Tactics.” I just persuaded her to make blogging a required activity. Decide for yourself if it worked.

To know a blogger, you must be a blogger. That’s my view. But not everyone has the constitution for it. You gotta be thick skinned to blog, and you need to be a little bit full of yourself, too. You won’t find many modest bloggers, as most of us love to show off.

So it’s not surprising that student bloggers have reservations about putting themselves “out there.” Yet for eight weeks this semester, they did it. We asked students to create blogs focused on some aspect of public relations so they could promote their careers, showcase their PR savvy and enhance their portfolios while learning a bit about social media.

Check ‘em out when you have minute. I think you’ll like what you see. And yeah, I’ve begged ‘em to fix the typos and usage errors. Here’s hoping they do it before this post goes up!

Old white guys in power ties — Images speak volumes

OK, only half of the old white guys in the GOP presidential debate last night wore red power ties. John McCain went with power stripes. But all 10 wore blue or grey suits, the uniform of the corporate boardroom.

I’m not surprised. Back when I prepared clients to step before the TV cameras, I cautioned them to dress conservatively. Make sure YOU are the message, not your clothing or your jewelry. Blue suits work. Bling doesn’t.

I believe the old saw that a picture is worth a thousand words. But in this AP photo, borrowed from a collection I found here, I can only think of one word: Boring.