04.30.10

How You Use HUMOR in Your Job-Search?

Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Health & Goals at 3:05 pm by Dr. Trina Hess

If you’re out of work—that’s no fun! Not much to laugh about. But if you embrace the Holy Grail of Humor, you can control your current environment. For example, take a look at these characteristics of humor:

Acceptance
Are you frustrated? Afraid? Jealous, angry, pessimistic? That’s great! You don’t have to be happy all the time. In fact, lots of humor starts from these negative emotions. The trick is knowing what to DO with those emotions to make them funny.

Expression
The comedy stage is one of the last vestiges of free speech in our world today. You can create your own enclave of expression by making what you think, say, and feel—FUNNY! When you express your individual thoughts, you can’t help but create something new. And that will get you noticed!

Connection
We’ve all heard it before: It’s not what you know, it’s who. Lucky for us, humor is great at weaving together diverse people. We can find common ground on unlikely topics through laughter. You never know when those connections will be useful for finding your next career.

How do you put all these together and get started today?
My advice is to start blogging. Today. Send me your link and I will be the first to comment on your blog. I read a fascinating article on http://www.globalcopywriting.com/9-tips-that-improved-my-blog/ that told me employers can look at your blog and see your personality and know whether you’d fit into their work culture.

Blogging every day, Scott the Nametag Guy says, focuses in on what your thoughts, dreams, goals, and intentions are. It clarifies you in a way nothing else can. You don’t know what you think until you write it. You don’t know what you stand for until you think about it.
What do YOU think?

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04.29.10

Crypto-Effectology: Does anyone remember laughter?

Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Health & Goals at 6:27 pm by Dr. Trina Hess

In an effort to get people to read this blog, I have invited guest bloggers to contribute. And one reader did! Here’s a guest post from my friend Matt Tomsho. You can check out his blog here:
http://mjtomsho.com/blog/index.php?itemid=296

Matt writes:
“I ran across a statistic this past weekend: The average child laughs 113 times a day, the average adult laughs 11 times a day. I have heard an even greater number for children, but no matter whether it is 100 or 400 the fact is as we grow older we don’t laugh nearly enough.

“Some years ago, I was responsible for a team supporting a line of software products. The company had just been acquired and even though the workload was increasing, top management imposed a hiring freeze. It was a very stressful time.

“One morning I came into a staff meeting with the department. Everyone looked very somber and serious. When I turned around from closing the conference room door I was greeted with a most unusual sight. My staff had all made paper mustaches and beards, stuck them on popsicle sticks, and were holding them up to their faces; kind of a “we are all Matt now” moment. Two things about this little joke. First, they were pretty good facsimiles of my beard and mustache, second, the department was mostly women; I burst into laughter. I actually laughed so hard I slid down the door and sat there gasping for breath. The department joined in, and we all had a really, really good laugh for about 5 or 10 minutes. Eventually we got back to business, but the tension and pressure that had been in the room at the beginning was gone.

“Few situations are so desperate that we cannot find some humor in them. Few presentations are so serious that we cannot inject some fun into them. All of us, at one time or another, have found ourselves in situations that are so utterly absurd we should be rolling on the floor laughing at the ridiculousness of it all instead of fretting and cursing our bad luck.

“You may not be able to laugh yourself out of issues, but it can clear your mind and put you on a path to find a creative solution. Give it a shot; try and remember laughter!”

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04.28.10

8 ways humor could help you survive a zombie outbreak

Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Health & Goals, Humor~Inspirational at 6:27 pm by Dr. Trina Hess

1. You’d already be conditioned to think quickly
2. You are already on the look-out for the new and unusual, so you could see them coming
3. You have the health benefits of humor and so you could run away faster
4. You can come back with a quip because you are thinking on your toes
5. Your humor skills connect you with people–you could get along with the helicopter pilot and fly to safety
6. You think in innovative ways and may be able to convert them to your religion, recruit them to your army, or make them a member of your sales team
7. You believe you could survive because humor puts you in a positive mind-set
8. You are crazy enough to believe it could happen because you are open to new ideas

How would YOU survive?

P.S. Thanks to Joan Stewart, who mentioned LinkBaitGenerator in her
e-newsletter! “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” is an ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email the handy cheat sheet “89 Reasons to Send a Press Release.”

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04.27.10

Tags

Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Health & Goals at 4:54 pm by Dr. Trina Hess

What TAGS are you using? Those are the keywords you type in when you post your video. Or when blogging. The words you google when you’re looking for something. They are just that–the KEY.

They lead us to the goal.

Humor is our human “tag.” It points others to what we’re all about. What we’re selling. The features of our services. Without a long drawn-out story.

Because the tag is the relationship. It’s the shortened version of our long story.

We can have all the knowledge. Sure, we look the part. But the details are the main thing: THEY are what makes people able to FIND us. To HEAR us.

If we’re not tagging right, we’re not speaking their language. They can’t even hear us if they can’t search for us and find us in the search.

Humor that is relevant and offers something new and surprising–that is your perfect tag.

What tags are YOU using throughout your day? How are people finding YOU?

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04.26.10

Got Any Gum?

Posted in Humor~Health & Goals, Humor~Inspirational at 3:28 pm by Dr. Trina Hess

“Do you want some gum? Even though we don’t know each other, I always ask strangers that.” After asking myself, “Who IS this weirdo?” I said, “Yes–and when strangers offer me gum, I always take it.”

I was in the waiting room area of a doctor’s office. We were in our “small group”. The group of random names that was called from the larger outside waiting room. Now we were sitting together in a little corner outside the hi-power x-ray room. Maybe it was the radiation. Or maybe it was designed that way. For us to get to know each other.

This office feels different than other professional offices. It has a friendly personality. I don’t know the names of many of the employees. But they know mine. They are in a good mood. And then, so are we. The doctor I see is always in a good mood. Shakes my hand every time I’m there. And we’ve already met.

Did he design his office to refelct an atmosphere of good-will? Or was I just dreaming? If he had purposely designed this feel, this is what I think went on:

1. Focus on the goal of creating a fun environment led to…

2. Efficiency. In the way appointments are scheduled. In moving patients from outside to the inner waiting room. Keeping the flow of time short and purposeful for the patients, which….

3. Keeps patients calm. In a good mood. Friendly toward each other. Open.

Humor doesn’t just happen. It has to have the environment created around it. For example, the room has to be set up correctly. Chairs near the microphone. No one scattered throughout the audience. Keep the flow of the material moving. Make it easy for the audience to stay interested. Let them get to know each other by first interacting with them yourself.

Have you ever considered what kind of environment YOU are creating at your workplace? How do you make your customers feel? Welcome? Frustrated? Angry? Tired? Involved? Or maybe even– Happy?

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Where Can You Run To?

Posted in Comedy Around The World, Humor~Health & Goals, Humor~Inspirational at 2:56 pm by Dr. Trina Hess

This week’s Comedy Around the World goes to Central Park in New York City. Every time I’m in New York, I run. Not from muggers or cars, but for fun. But sometimes it’s not very fun running in the city. Especially if you’re from the country (yes, I am from THIS country).

Think about it. If you are in New York and you want to run, you go to the best place to run. You go to Central Park. But if you don’t live near there, you have to take a cab. Or a bus. Or subway. Pay tokens. Get change. Have small bills. Did you go to the bathroom before you left? How much time do you have before you have to head back? Do you work late? Will the park be dark? Do you feel lucky?

Running in the woods is a whole different animal. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t go to the bathroom before you left the house. You can go in the woods. Don’t even need to look for a port-a-potty. Sure there may be wild animals there, but none of them has weapons. You can drive your car to get there if you have to. Or you could ride your bike.

The point is, there is very little effort involved. You kind of just flow with and into the woods. The dirt. The branches and the bugs. And afterward you feel refreshed. Renewed. Clear.

There are two ways to be funny.
One: you can let yourself be funny = unleash your humor
Two: you can painstakingly try to be funny = force your humor

Forcing humor is like running in Central Park. It’s like pounding the pavement.
Unleashing your humor is the cushioned path through the woods.

Forcing humor is dodging traffic.
Unleashing humor is stepping over a branch or root and continuing calmly.

Forcing humor is being afraid of muggers–what others will say about or do to you.
Unleashing humor means it doesn’t matter–you’re having too much fun enjoying the environment.

Where will YOU run today? And how funny is THAT?

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04.24.10

How To Makes Sales FOREVER

Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Events, Humor~Health & Goals at 5:02 pm by Dr. Trina Hess

Humor creates a positive environment. “Humor opens minds.” That’s what sales guru Jeffrey Gitomer says. When people are having fun, they learn. This is the most important component of any training program.

He adds that if you give him a person with the following qualities:

* ready & prepared
* friendly
* engaging
* different
* perceived as valuable & relevant
* compelling
* believable
* self-confident
* relate-able
* perceived to be trustworthy

“I’ll give you a sale. Every single time. No close needed.”

Interestingly enough, those are the qualities that humor brings out of us. When we are in our humor element, those qualities S.H.I.N.E.!

Are you using YOUR sense of humor in every area of your life, including work & career? What’s stopping you?

Start today!

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04.23.10

Tweet-Up

Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Events, Humor~Social Media, Humor~Technology at 7:49 pm by Dr. Trina Hess

Hope to see many of you at tonight’s Tweet-Up at the Venango Works Trade Show.

I’ll be speaking at 7 p.m. as part of the Twitter meet-up. Find out how technology is changing our world and changing us. Find out how you can take the fear out of technology. And replace it with FUN!

* Bring your questions and comments about technology. We’ll answer them—or at least we can laugh about them.

* Tell us about the frustrations and successes you’ve had with technology. Encourage others to join the digital jungle even if they have to hack their way through it.

Be sure to visit the exhibitors’ booths, they’ll be there from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. Come out and say, “Hi,” and let’s follow each other on Twitter.

The digital world is waiting for YOU to play your music. No matter HOW funny it sounds!

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Humor Heroes

Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Health & Goals at 1:13 am by Dr. Trina Hess

I’m always on the look-out for humor resources. One of my favorites is Craig Valentine, one of the World Champions of Public Speaking. Here’s an excerpt from Craig’s Nuts and Bolts of Public Speaking Newsletter. In it, he offers tips on how to add humor to your next speech. Click the link to find out about the “2 Delivery Tools to Uncover Humor in Your Speech.”

http://bit.ly/cB3Kh4

www.craigvalentine.com

The Communication Factory, LLC.
8775 Centre Park Drive
Columbia, Maryland 21045
Phone: 800-682-5063

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04.21.10

‘Dodo the Docu/Comedy’

Posted in Humor~Events at 3:22 pm by Dr. Trina Hess

Western Pennsylvania is a dark horse. Looks like nothing’s happening here. We’re in the middle of nowhere. Equally inacessible from all parts of the civilized world.

But our area has produced and continues to churn out some of the most talented, innovative, and creative stars. (Did I mention that I am from there, too?)

Kurt Angle, Jerome Bettis, Johnny Unitas, Roberto Clemente, Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Joe Namath, Willie Stargell, Martha Graham, Don Knotts, Fred Rogers, Jimmy Stewart, Rachel Carson, Jonas Salk, Thomas Starzl, August Wilson, Barbara Feldon (”99″), Jeff Goldblum, Shirley Jones, Michael Keaton, Gene Kelly, Perry Como, Henry Mancini, Donnie Iris, and who could forget Sharon Stone? Not me.
Those are just a few of the many accomplished superstars from our little area.

The latest in this list of achievers is my friend Bob Golub who hails from Sharon, PA. His film “Dodo the Docu/Comedy” has just been released. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette describes the movie as “darkly comic, disturbing and bracingly honest about everything from funeral-home fisticuffs after their mother’s death to the size of the Steelers logo on their father’s headstone and how Roberto Clemente’s death moved their dad to rare tears.

“Mr. Golub, 52, is bringing his docu-comedy to Pittsburgh Saturday for a show at the Rex Theatre on the South Side that will include a half-hour of stand-up comedy along with the movie and a question-and-answer session afterward. Doors open at 8 p.m., show starts at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance (call 412-381-6811) or $12 at the door.”

Golub says, “It’s a way for people to see the film and then see some stand-up, so they’ll get a feel of me and the family and what I’m trying to achieve. I did break the cycle.”

Read more about it here:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10106/1050815-60.stm

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