Ultimate East Memphis Mom – Suzanne Johnston

Blog post I did for Miles Mason Family Law Group, PLC 

Suzanne Johnston, founder of EastMemphisMoms.com, is a New England born-and-raised mom of two sons who has lived in Memphis since 2010. EastMemphisMoms.com offers parents in the area a guide to events, food, sales, schools, clubs, activities, sports, and more to keep kids busy and parents sane.

Suzanne and her family outside enjoying the woods.

What led Suzanne to create this popular and resourceful site? “Today I’m like most moms – a bit of everything – wife, mom, handyman, accountant, nurse, teacher, personal shopper, and more,” Suzanne said. Suzanne lived in Charlotte, NC, before moving to Memphis. There, she turned to the Internet for help when she was overwhelmed. She found an events-focused group in Charlotte that she later ended up managing. Under her management, the group grew from 500 to over 2,000 members. She then began to help run the non-profit organization that founded that site in Charlotte, and she helped start approximately 100 local-mom support sites around the country.

“I’m a communicator and very information driven, and wasn’t finding the type of online resource I wanted in Memphis, so I figured I’d just start one on my own” Suzanne said.

Since April 26, 2011, over 87,000 people have visited the site. Over 28,000 of those visited in the last 30 days. The EastMemphisMoms.com Facebook site has received over 2,500 “likes,” and over 500 people follow EastMemphisMoms.com on Twitter.

Sharon Mason, a mother living in East Memphis and a member of the Miles Mason Family Law Group team, has lived in East Memphis for over 40 years. Sharon visits EastMemphisMoms.com, viewing comments and responding to questions, at least once a week. Even though Sharon has over 30 more years experience living in East Memphis than does Suzanne, she still finds things on EastMemphisMoms.com that she never knew existed.

Not being from Memphis originally, Suzanne started EastMemphisMoms.com for admittedly selfish reasons. “I was tired of not having a large group of moms I could ask about schools, places to shop, activities, etc. I also bring a different perspective to things since I’m looking at everything from the view of an outsider. It’s all new and exciting to me!”

Now, if Suzanne’s 3-year-old needs a pair of sunglasses but Suzanne doesn’t know where to go, all she has to do is post a question on Facebook, and one of the many East Memphis moms will tell her where to go. Check.

If Suzanne’s husband is out playing golf, what is she going to do with her boys to keep them entertained? Once again, all she has to do is check the calendar on EastMemphisMoms.com to see what activities are going on. Check.

“I love it when I get an e-mail and someone tells me how much the site helped her. Grandparents are e-mailing too, which is great, “Suzanne said. “And I love being in the position where I can help spread the word about things that might get missed – like that Lifeblood is in dire need of blood donations, that it’s time to check out the Optional Programs at Memphis City Schools, or that it’s time to vote and here are links to the candidates that will be on your ballot. Being informed is important, especially as a parent.”

Why make the site EastMemphisMoms.com and not MemphisMoms.com? “I had to draw a line, for myself really,” Suzanne said. With all of Memphis, Suzanne would have to compile much larger lists, which would include additional communities, like some in Mississippi and Arkansas. East Memphis is more specific and topical.

Suzanne views social media as the best way to gather and spread information. She finds her website much more organized than her old way of using discussion forums, in which she would see the same questions over and over again. “With my blog, I compile the answers from lots of smart local moms and update as necessary. So the questions asked on Facebook are always fresh, and with over a year’s worth of posts, my blog is now a really great resource for parents,” Suzanne said. “Facebook is a fantastic way to have a conversation with a bunch of customers in one place and to reach out to their connections as well, but it’s just one way to reach people.” Suzanne has also dipped into Pinterest, Instagram and Google+, but she has not seen an immediate benefit.  As a result, she does not use them with her site.

Suzanne enjoying relaxing at home with her children.

Social-media marketing has not been a real difficult task for Suzanne, a woman who before motherhood worked in technology marketing, product management, and project management. “I work to reach my [users] where they are, not where I want them to be. You can’t just set up a website and then disconnect your phone, or create a Facebook page and then stop checking your e-mail. You have to do it all,” Suzanne said. Through Facebook, blogs, email, and Twitter, EastMemphisMoms.com, sees over 7,900 unique visitors a month. Undoubtedly, that will continue to grow rapidly over time. 

What does the future look like for EastMemphisMoms.com? That’s not certain. Some of Suzanne’s goals go beyond her technical skills, and she would need to make some investments. EastMemphisMoms.com, however, is a quickly growing website with room to expand in the new era of social media. “I cannot predict the future, but I do know that moms will always be looking for things to do with their kids, recommendations on doctors and household services, advice on schools, and more, and I hope to be the one meeting those needs.”

 

Taylor Oaks

mtoaks@memphis.edu

Two Jobs Coming to and End — What have I learned?

The end of this month marks the end of two jobs for me.  This Thursday will be my last day as an after-school counselor at OLPH (Our Lady of Perpetual Help).  Then, next Monday marks the end of my internship at Miles Mason Family Law Group, PLC. 

Every job, and really anything you do, you be a learning experience, and both of these job opportunities have certainly been that. 

I started my job at OLPH in the fall, working with a friend.  We worked as a team on Tuesdays, Thursdays and every other Friday.  The other days, another team replaced us.  OLPH teaches pre-kindergarten to 8^th grade.  The after-school department saw about 30-40 kids a day. 

In a day’s work, the team would come in, get the snacks and seats ready, and then wait for the little kids (pre-K to 4^th grade) to come in.  We would sign them in, and then one of the teammates would go up to the big kids room (5^th to 8^th grade).  If you stayed in the little kid’s room, after snack, the kids split from homework room to playtime room.  In the big kid’s room, it was homework room until 4:30.   After 4:30, all the kids that were left would be formed into one group, and either color and play with Legos and other of those sorts of activities, or go outside or to the gym.

I personally enjoyed the homework room more.  It gave me a chance to help the children if they needed it, as well as get some of my own things done if I needed to.  It was much more relaxing. 

What did I learn from this job?  I learned that I am not as patient with kids as I thought I was.  I thought I was really good with kids, but I learned that 1 or 2 kids is much…much (much, much, much, much) different than 30-40 of them (even 10-20).  I have learned that kids snacks are still so good.  I have learned that kids are smarter than me when I was their age (I got beat by a 2^nd grader in chess).  I have learned that kids are the symbol of a Sour Patch Kid (sour then sweet).  I have learned that kids make you so frustrated and so angry, and can then turn right around the make you say “awwww, he’s so cute.”  Kids are very manipulative, going back to the whole smarter thing.   I have learned that working with kids will give you something different everyday. 

In February, I began a 3-month internship with Miles Mason Family Law Group, PLC, serving as the Marketing and Social Media intern.  Miles Mason is the founder of Miles Mason Family Law Group, and was my direct boss, along with his wife, Sharon Mason, who heads up the finances and every day operation of the firm.  There were also 3 other main employees who worked there.  It is a small and quaint office on the 32^nd floor of Clark Tower, making it a cool experience for a young guy entering his first office job.   

Miles gave me a plethora of projects to finish.  My first project was really cool for me and got me excited for the duration of my internship.  On the first day of the job, Miles gave me his full text of his e-book, and told me to design it.  At first, I was nervous.  I didn’t know what to do.  The only restrictions he gave me was to make the color scheme the same as his website, which is a bluish green color.  What was I going to do?  Once I started the project, and he approved my progress, it was very enjoyable. 

I used Adobe InDesign for this project, right after I learned how to use it in my Visual Journalism class.  It was great timing, although it is not very hard to use if you just sit down and experiment with it – that’s the best way to learn most things. 

The e-book, which was titled Your First Steps: 7 Steps Planning Your Tennessee Divorce, ended up being about 35 pages, pictures and design in all.  When I saw it posted front page on Miles’ website, MemphisDivorce.com, it gave me a warm feeling, a feeling of accomplishment.  That was my first big boy work that was actually being used by a company (unless you include making sandwiches for customers). 

I have done other projects for Miles, including client reviews, social media marketing research, e-mail marketing protocols, blog and newsletters postings, etc.

What have I learned working at Miles Mason Family Law Group?  I have learned to cater the wants of your boss, especially if you are doing writing assignments.  I have learned how to work on a deadline.  I have learned how to work in an office.  I have learned how to integrate and communicate with co-workers by finding a common interest.  I have learned that although the no socks with loafer look are acceptable, it is kind of frowned upon in the professional world.  I have learned to stay clean-shaven and not to chew gum when you are talking to the boss.  I have learned how to take constructive criticism. 

 

Taylor Oaks, mtoaks@memphis.edu

Rich Harris: Colorado Family Lawyer, Business Leader, and Humanitarian

Blog post for my internship.  You can find it here:

http://memphisdivorce.com/home/rich-harris-colorado-family-lawyer-the-road-to-hope-in-haiti/ 

Rich Harris: Colorado Family Lawyer, Business Leader, and Humanitarian

By M. Taylor Oaks

Rich Harris, President of The Harris Law Firm is a family lawyer practicing in Denver, Colorado.  Rich is a business leader and humanitarian.  Rich founded The Road to Hope to assist the children of Haiti. The Road to Hope envisions a Haiti where children can grow up strong, healthy, and free from the trauma of abandonment. 

Rich, his wife Lisa, and eight board members manage The Road to Hope.  The organization raises money to help fund sustainable projects improving the lives of the children of Haiti.

Rich Harris at the Mathone School, Haiti

My wife, Lisa and I, first visited Haiti in the summer of 2009,” Rich said.  “We were there to meet our future kids, Davinson and Guimara, who were stuck at an orphanage in the capital city, Port-au-Prince.   It was not our first adoption.  We also have kids we have adopted from China and from the U.S. We made a point to try to get to know the country, its people, and its poverty.  We were incredibly moved by what we saw.  Haiti is a country of extremes,” Rich continued.   “Extreme beauty and extreme ugliness and misery.   We were moved by its people. They are a people of humor, of optimism, and of generosity.   The nation has glorious beginnings – it was the first and to this day, the only country where black slaves successfully revolted to form their own country.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.  Out of the nine million people living there, only 28% have access to sufficient sanitation.  The life expectancy of a healthy-born male is 44 years old.  Over  200,000 children reside in orphanages around the country, with thousands more roaming the streets, or forced into slavery or prostitution. Rich and Lisa regularly visit Haiti, focusing on the children and how they can benefit their present and future lives.

A current project of the The Road to Hope is the Mathone School project. The town of Mathone does not even show up on Google Earth.  Students in this town worry about getting to school safely.  The Road to Hope is helping to rebuild the Mathone School, from a ramshackle building with a floor of thick, deep mud, to a complete school with a level cement floor, secure walls, and a durable roof.  The Mathone School is progressing, but there is still more to be done. 

The Road to Hope hosts fundraising events, such as the Arvada Sunrise Rotary’s Annual Food and Wine Caper, which allows guests to enjoy a large selection of wines, appetizers, and a silent auction. 

I travel to Haiti three to four times per year, on average, and it is truly a labor of love,” Harris said.  “I have been fortunate enough to travel quite a bit.   But, I find my travel to Haiti both the most physically demanding and the most emotionally uplifting travel I have ever done.  There is a Creole saying that I am about to butcher, but it is about the sands of Haiti getting into your toes and then infusing your soul,” Harris continued.   “I feel that way.”

Rich is originally from New York City, on the East Coast, but he attended college at the University of Southern California, on the West Coast.  He then relocated to Denver to receive his Juris Doctor degree from Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver.  Since then, he has made Colorado his home.  Rich’s law firm, The Harris Law Firm, provides superior representation in Colorado family law.

Rich Harris, The Harris Law Firm

Rich received Denver’s Top “40 Under 40″ award for business leadership and community involvement. Colorado’s Super Lawyers selected him for membership and Colorado’s Barrister’s Best Issue voted him the “Best Family Law Attorney.”  Law Week voted The Harris Law Firm Best Family Law Firm in Denver by people’s choice. The Colorado Bar Association Family Law Section invited Rich to speak at their annual meeting.  The Colorado Lawyer Committee nominated the The Harris Law Firm for “Law Firm of the Year.”  Harris also ranks “AV,” the highest rating from peers through the Martindale-Hubbell survey.

You can donate to the The Road to Hope online.  You can give a one-time gift, or sign up for monthly support. Donations may also be mailed to The Road to Hope, P.O. Box 210, Littleton, CO 80160-0210. Please make checks payable to “The Road to Hope.”

Working Your Way Through School

It has become the norm for students to hold a job in college.  Tuition is high, and so is the cost of living.  Students have to make a living while receiving an education. 

Is it tough?  Is it beneficial?  Will it hurt your grades?

“Honestly, I think working helps my schoolwork,” says Jason Smith, senior majoring in Sports and Leisure Management at the University of Memphis.  “It has taught me that I can not procrastinate because the free time I get should be put to good use. If I use all my free time for play or relaxing, I would never be able to get schoolwork done on time. This has helped me with taking school more seriously and actually increased my grades an incredible amount over the past few years.”

Smith is a full-time student and working 36-42 hours a week at GNC. He also serves as vice president of  the Sigma Chi Fraternity at the University of Memphis. He is forced to work increasing hours because of increasing tuition rates and the lack of financial aid. Instead of turning his busy schedule into a negative experience, he sheds positive light on it. 

There are many other U of M students navigating the same waters as Smith.  Some fight to stay afloat, while others sink.  A degree is one aspect of a successful career, but preparation for the workforce should include some kind of work.

U of M Provost Ralph Faudree, Jr. has a slightly different outlook on working your way through college than Smith. 

“Heavy work schedules have a negative impact on grades,” Faudree said.  “One of the best work arrangements is to have a ‘work study’ position on campus.”

Faudree is not completely against working your way through college. He knows sometimes it is necessary.  However, students who do not have to work have a higher probability of not only graduating, but also graduating on time. 

“Work experience is useful as one enters the workforce, and one of the best ways to get the most valuable work experience is with an internship,” Faudree said. “As a University we are committed to providing an internship experience for all interested students.”

What about students who do not work their way through school, but instead, volunteer.  Is that not the same principle, just more accepted? Katie Boyd, a senior at the University of Memphis who has volunteered more than 125 hours each semester since her freshman year. 

“I have gained a lot from my volunteer and work experience,” Boyd said. “Volunteering comprises who I am. It is my passion. I would not quit even if it negatively affected my grades. However, when reflecting back on my academic semesters, I do believe the amount of work and volunteering I have done has made my grades suffer more than someone who is not committed to outside involvements on campus and volunteer experiences, in addition to working.

Katie has volunteered at Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home, Baptist Memorial Hospital, Orange Mound Cleanup and Memphis arts, just to name a few.

“My grades have not suffered severely because of my experience, however, they could be higher if I had more time in the day for both my love for my majors (Biology and Chemistry) and volunteering.” Boyd added.

 Kim Clark, writer of the article “7 Reasons to Work Your Way Through College” in U.S. News and World Report is supportive of students working their way through college. 

“New research confirms what parents and counselors have been saying for years: Part-time jobs not only raise cash but can help raise student’s grade-point averages,” Clark said. 

Clark’s seven reasons that students should work through college: earn bucks, learn to budget, time-manage, improve learning, career experiment, build résumé and connect with professors and students.

“Working while in school really does help with preparing individuals for the future,” Smith said. “Especially if you are working in a team environment and your job is dependent on the efforts of everyone equally, instead of all the responsibility relying on one person. This will help to prepare students for to be a better asset in their jobs in the future and not be the dead weight that brings the organization as a whole down.”

 

             

           

           

 

             

 

 

 

Grizzlies Force Game 7 — Clippers Flop it Away

Lastnight, the Grizzlies and Clippers played Game 6 of the series in LA.

All you heard about all day were the injuries of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, and then it was confirmed in the late afternoon that they would both start.  Surprise, surprise.  Everyone saw that coming the moment Game 5 was over.

I don’t feel bad about the injuries, and it is sad about how much attention they are getting.  ESPN has been extremely biased towards the Clippers and the injuries.  If you did not watch the game, but caught ESPN highlights and analysis, you would think that the Clips gave the game away because of injuries, but that’s not the case.  The Grizzlies out-hustled and out-willed the Clips, on their home court, for their first win in LA this year.  They fed the beast down low.  Gasol and Z-Bo came up big and were the focal points of the offense.  That’s how Memphis wins.  That’s how they need to win Game 7.

If Gasol is in the game, he needs to touch the ball 90% of the possessions.  He’s a true point forward.  He can score and pass.  Feed him the ball.  Let him be the decision-maker.  That is nothing against Conley.  I love Conley.  He is the best point guard in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies.  No, I did not say he is the best point guard in the NBA, but he is the best for Memphis.  He fits into the system perfectly.  He is a genius on the court, and he is consistent. He knows when to feed it to his weapons when they are on, and when to score himself when they are not on.  He’s fast, a great finisher, and a great free throw shooter.  What else do you want from your PG who you do not need to be a primary scorer?  Plus, you have to still love him after his big shot against OKC last year to force OT in Game 4.

Anyway.  It is good to see the refs are finally not awarding the ridiculous flopping of the Clippers.  At least not as much as they were.

And to all the Clippers fan saying that Memphis won because Paul and Griffin are not 100%, well this series would have been a Grizzlies sweep if Z-Bo was 100%.

Z-Bo is playing great now though.  He needed his back on the wall.  He is ready to carry this team, I think at least.

Let’s win Game 7 Grizz.  The Grindhouse will surely be out of control.  I can’t wait.

Taylor Oaks, mtoaks@memphis.edu

Big Brother Big Sister of Greater Memphis

Blog: Big Brother Big Sister

Big Brother Big Sister of Greater Memphis is an outstanding program.  It gives children in need of a mentor to get that mentor, spend time with him/her, and succeed.

Well, I have the chance to be that mentor, and I could not be more happy about it. 

Last year, I signed up to be a big brother/mentor.  It has been a long process that has involved screening and matching me with the right little brother.  And a few weeks ago I got the email that I had been paired with a young boy.

Last Saturday, I finally met Matthew, a 9^th grader, as well as his mom, and we talked for a little bit.  We will be hanging out hopefully once a week, unless something comes up.  I am excited to make an impact on this young guy’s life, as well as be a part of such a great organization. 

“Each time Big Brothers Big Sisters pairs a child with a role model, we start something incredible: a one-to-one relationship built on trust and friendship that can blossom into a future of unlimited potential. And thanks to the first-ever nationwide impact study of a mentoring organization, we have the facts to prove it,” a quote from the website of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Memphis. 

Studies done on Big Brother’s Big Sister’s success showed some very positive results:

Researchers found that after 18 months of spending time with their Bigs, the Little Brothers and Little Sisters, compared to those children not in our program, were:

 

• 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs
• 27% less likely to begin using alcohol
• 52% less likely to skip school
• 37% less likely to skip a class
• 33% less likely to hit someone

Those stats were found on the Big Brother Big Sister of Greater Memphis.

Big Brother Big Sister carefully pairs their big and littles (In a much different aspect that the fraternity big brother and little brother pairings).  Their mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change lives for the better. 

Keep up the good work.

 

Taylor Oaks, mtoaks@memphis.edu

Memphis – the underdog

Memphis is many things to many people.  Memphis is where barbecue is great, where summers are smoking hot, and where winters are ice cold. Memphis is where Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot, and where the grit and grind of the Memphis Grizzlies was born.  Memphis has great water, but not such great crime rates.  Memphis is the home of many different faiths, cultural events and artistic themes.  Memphis is always the underdog, and the city always thrives on that.

Memphis, Tennessee is the largest city in the state of Tennessee and the third largest in the Southeast.  It has come a long way from its founding in 1819 by John Overton, James Winchester and Andrew Jackson.  With its location along the Mississippi River, Memphis was named after the ancient capital of Egypt, which is located along the Nile River.

In the 1870s, the yellow fever epidemic spread through Memphis, reducing the population of the city by nearly 75%.  The city went into debt as property tax revenues collapsed and the city temporarily lost its city charter.  The city regained its charter in 1893.

In the 20^th century, Memphis grew among the world’s largest cotton, hardwood lumber and mule markets.  And into the 1960s, the city was set right in the center of the Civil Rights movements, most notably the Memphis Sanitation Strike in 1968.

The Memphis Sanitation Strike happened when approximately 1,300 black sanitation workers protested their job after years of discrimination, dangerous work conditions, bitter treatment and work-related deaths.

Martin Luther King, Jr. took an active role in these sanitation strikes, landing him in Memphis.  King Jr. was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel on April 4, 1968 after giving his I’ve Been to the Mountaintop speech.  This was one of, if not the most horrific historical event in the city of Memphis.

Jimmy Ogle of Jimmy Ogle’s Talks and Tours is 60 years old and has lived in Memphis his entire life.  Ogle is a Memphis historian who teaches Memphis history and gives tours, all free of charge with no registration required.

On a scale of 1-10, Ogle rates the city of Memphis at 7, but rates Memphis history at a 10+.

“Memphis is ‘The American Story’ (good and bad) and represents America as good as any city in America,” Ogle said.  “Any way that one slices Memphis – Civil War, Civil Rights, agriculture, river, music, medicine, entrepreneurs, etc. – Memphis is America”

“Memphis has given the world American musical art forms like the blues, rock ‘n’ roll and soul,” Ogle continues. “Memphis has given the world the self-service grocery store, roadside lodging chains, overnight package delivery by air and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – the true miracle of Memphis – and many other firsts.”

To many people who live and do not live in Memphis, there is negativity toward the city, whether it is crime or corrupt politics.

Taylor Smith, 22 year old intern at the FDIC Bank in Little Rock, Ark., has lived in Memphis for 8 years, but drove back and forth from Marion, Ark. to Memphis with his parents his entire life.

“My least favorite thing about Memphis is crime and the national perception it gives Memphis,” Smith said.  “While travelling outside of Memphis, I’ve noticed that everyone I talk to has a negative image of the city due to the high crime rates.  It’s unfortunate because there is a lot of good in Memphis, but the nation only hears about the bad.”

According to Smith though, what the city lacks in high crime rates and split politics, Memphis makes up for it in sports.  What is Smith’s favorite thing about the city of Memphis?

“The ability of the community to come together for a cause,” Smith answered. “The best example of this is in the sports realm.  Be it the Grizzlies, or the Tigers, everyone from Orange Mound to Germantown comes together to support our city, together.”

“My favorite moment in Memphis history is the Tigers’ Final Four run in the 2007-2008 basketball season,” Smith continued.  “I’ve never seen such unity in a city as diverse as ours.  Everywhere you went, you saw Tiger blue.  For once, Memphis was in the national spotlight for something other than crime and corruption.  It’s amazing how a basketball team can bring everyone together.  That was a very exciting time for Memphians, and the memories will last a lifetime.”

Sports definitely brings the city of Memphis together.  This is evident by the playoff berth of the Memphis Grizzlies this season for the second season in a row.  Tony Allen, Grizzlies guard, brought the “grit and grind” attitude to Memphis when he came from Boston.  Not only has the team and franchise bought into this theme, but the entire city, community and fan base has.  It is the perfect theme for the city of Memphis, which is a grit and grind, underdog type of city.

Caleb Henshaw, University of Memphis graduate, likes Memphis for a different reason.

“My favorite thing about Memphis is the people and the history,” Henshaw said. “I love the people that I have connected with and I love how this city seems to be a living breathing entity. It’s so alive and simmering and a lot of that has historical basis, whether that be from our music background or a political one.”

“My favorite Memphis history moments all come from a musical perspective as I love rock n roll, blues, and country,” Henshaw continued. “It has to be Ike Turner, Jackie Brenston and the Kings of Rhythm, first recording distorted guitar.”

“The biggest two would be The Blues stars that have come through here and the ‘Memphis’ Sound created by the STAX musicians such as Duck Dunn, Steve Cropper, Booker T., and Otis Redding among others,” Henshaw said.

There is another staple in Memphis, besides music, that attracts many people from around the world, and represents Memphis to the bone.

“I really love the work that St. Jude does,” D.J. Wilemon, 20 year old University of Memphis junior Marketing major said.  “It’s such an impactful organization that changes lives across the country and the world as well.  Also, the donations from Memphians (which makes it all possible) says a lot about the people of the city, another thing I love about Memphis.”

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis is a non-profit hospital that treats and researches children’s catastrophic diseases.  The families of the patients do not pay a dime for treatment.  All of the money comes from donations and fundraising events. St. Jude was founded by entertainer Danny Thomas in 1957 and has impacted many lives since.

Memphis is many things.  Memphis is history, civil rights, music, great barbecue, corrupt politics, and high crime rates.  There are many aspects to Memphis, but what does Memphis mean?  Can you look that up in a dictionary?  Probably not, but every citizen has their own meaning of “Memphis.”

“Memphis means quite a lot to me now,” Henshaw said. “It is my home and I love it and all its good and bad parts. It’s not perfect but it has accepted me so I accept it.”

According to Smith, Memphis has shaped him in more ways that one.  No matter where he lives going forward, he will always call Memphis his home, his love.

“Memphis is not like most cities,” Smith said.  “It’s not fake or superficial, it’s not flashy or glamorous, and it’s real.  It’s full of real people who work hard and give back.  The motto for the Grizzlies embodies this perfectly: Grit and Grind.  That’s Memphis.  It’s what this city does, through good times and bad.”

Wilemon sees the city of Memphis being painted in a bad light around the nation.  Some of it is the fault of Memphis, but there is a great deal of good in the city.

“Memphis is my hometown,” Wilemon said.  “It’s provided me with opportunities to better my future through education and employment.  I take great pride in where I am from and I think it’s a great place to call home.”

Charles Crawford, University of Memphis history professor, has lived in Memphis since 1962, and it was his favorite city even before he moved to Memphis.

“To me, Memphis means the city, despite all its problems and difficulties, where I am most happy to live,” Crawford said.

 

Taylor Oaks, mtoaks@memphis.edu

Social Media’s Impact on Careers

Even though I used to do it, I laugh when I see college students posting Facebook statuses and tweeting about partying, drinking, doing drugs, and cussing and just overall acting very inappropriate on social media sites where their future employers are looking.

Well, maybe I should be happy.  I guess they are making it easier for me to get a job?

In 2009, a study was done that showed 80% of companies use social media as a screening process for prospective employees.  Social media has a huge presence in everything.  You can potentially make or break your career with social media.

It’s used as a screening process, it’s used for marketing, it’s used for many different things.  You can have fun and enjoy social media, as that is one aspect of it, but people need to get with the times nowadays and use social media to better their position for a career.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogging — all of these should be used in the business world these days.  It’s becoming a necessity.

Here are 29 cool social media facts I found on Ragan’s PR Daily

1. More than 50 percent of the world’s population is under 30 years old. (source)

2. In 10 years more than 40 percent of the Fortune 500 will no longer be here. (source)

3. Social media has overtaken porn as the No. 1 activity on the Web. (source)

4. Facebook tops Google for weekly traffic in the U.S. (source)

5. One in 5 couples meet online; 3 in 5 gay couples meet online. (source)

6. One in 5 divorces are blamed on Facebook. (source)

7. A 2009 U.S. Department of Education study revealed that on average, online students out performed those receiving face-to-face instruction. (source)

8. If Facebook was a country, it would be the world’s third largest and twice the size of the U.S. population. (source)

9. 80 percent of companies use social media for recruitment; 95 percent of those companies use LinkedIn. (source)

10. Roughly two new member joins LinkedIn every second. (source)

11. Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Britney Spears have more Twitter followers than the entire populations of North Korea, Australia, Chile, Israel, Sweden, Greece … (source)

12. More than 48 million have watched the Volkswagen Darth Vader Kid advertisement on YouTube. (source)

13. Ford Explorer launch on Facebook was more effective than a Super Bowl ad. (source)

14. 50 percent of the mobile Internet traffic in the U.K. is for Facebook. (source)

15. 69 percent of parents are “friends” with their children on social media. (source)

16. E-readers have surpassed traditional book sales. (source)

17. Groupon will reach $1 billion in sales faster than any company in history. (source)

18. There were more than 75 million more people playing Farmville than there were real farmers. (source and source)

19. Social gamers are projected to buy $6 billion in virtual goods by 2013; movie goers only buy $2.5 million in concessions. (source)

20. The second-largest search engine in the world is YouTube. (source)

21. While you watch the Social Media Evolution 3 video, 100-plus hours of video will be uploaded to YouTube. (source)

22. If Wikipedia was made into a book, it would be 2.25 million pages long. (source)

23. 25 percent of search results for the world’s top 20 largest brands are links to user-generated content. (source)

24. 34 percent of bloggers post opinions about products and brands. (source)

25. 90 percent of consumers trust peer recommendations. (source)

26. Only 14 percent of consumers trust advertisements. (source)

27. Only 18 percent of traditional TV campaigns generate a positive return on investments. (source)

28. 93 percent of marketers use social media for business. (source)

29. An Egyptian couple named his daughter Facebook thanks to the social network’s role in the spring revolution. (source)

Get with the times folks.

 

Taylor Oaks, mtoaks@memphis.edu

Flopping in the NBA

I never really realized how  bad flopping was until the Grizzlies/Clipper series.  Blake Griffin is by far the worst, but Chris Paul is not far behind.  It seems with every piece of contact, big or small, Griffin hits the floor.  Search YouTube “Blake Griffin Flop” and you will find some extremely funny/sad/pititul/pathetic videos of his antics.

I really do not feel bad for the Clippers if Griffin and Paul are hurt and miss games in this series.  They had it coming.  If you fall on the floor all the time trying to act out a foul that either wasn’t there, or was not nearly as bad you made it, then you leave yourself vulnerable to be hurt.

I think NBA refs need to treat flopping as “cry wolf.”  In Griffin’s case, if you fall every time you get fouled, and the refs are seeing that flopping is becoming a problem, then after a while, no matter how hard you are fouled, the refs won’t call it.  Now, I know this will not happen, mostly for safety reasons, but something needs to be done.

The Memphis fans had no right to be called “classless” by Chris Webber on TNT last night when they booed Griffin after he was hurt.  Geoff Calkins said it best.  The fans were not booing the injury, they were booing the dramatist Griffin.  When you flop so much, of course your credibility is damaged and fans never believe you were actually fouled.

Heck, even Reggie Evans is starting to flop.  I loved in Game 3 when Rudy Gay flopped on Paul, and laughed when Paul was called with the offensive foul.  He knew what he was going, though I hope he does not do it again, I don’t want to win in that kind of way.

Be tough.  Play ball.

 

Taylor Oaks, mtoaks@memphis.edu