Category Archives: Music

What is "Great Social Media Content"?

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This is a great question. I was only able to answer it once I figured out what kind of online persona I wanted. I opted for a Twitter feed and Facebook page that reflected who I am: a person with diverse interests and who believes in connecting and engaging people.

Like my friend Paul Steele, I am not in the business of telling people what kind of things people should post on their account. But since I get questions about how I find the content I post, I figured I would share a few things. I would divide my content up in 5 parts:

(1) Quotes and Affirmations – People like to feel good. Myself included. I will post quotes from the people I profiled in my piece 16 People on Twitter Who Inspire the World. But I also look for Cindy Ashton, Paul Harris, Elisa All, Aine Belton and so many others on my Twitter list called Daily Inspiration. Spreading positivity can never be oversold. Never.

(2) Random Facts – I love brain teasers, and information about things that make you say what?, really?, no way!, and just challenge your beliefs about topics. The OMGFacts feed does this better than most.
(3) Links – My first 4 months on Twitter were interesting. I posted a lot of articles from one feed, and most of it was on one topic. That was fine. But when I decided to post on various subjects and from various feeds, I felt that I had truly defined myself online. I started posting about food, the environment, technology, business, health and fitness, photography, charity and nonprofits, travel, etc. I look for dynamic feeds – whether 100 followers or 100,000 followers – that can enhance what I like to post.
(4) Music – I have some of the most diverse music taste out of anyone I know. I grew up listening to everything: rock, hip hop, jazz, classical, etc. So the music I post reflects that. I use Blip, though friends of mine like Lotay Yang and Emily Bratkovich use Grooveshark. There are many sites to choose from. The two I mentioned here are among the most popular.
(5) Engaging – This is probably my favorite part of social networking: being social, and actively engaging people. I say thank you. I recommend people in a particular person’s field or city of residence. I provide more links if someone needs more understanding on something I tweeted. And of course, I retweet.
This is how my Twitter feed, and to some extent, my Facebook page, are put together. “Great Social Media Content” is not one style. Don’t let anyone tell you that it is. Just figure out what you want to do in social media (positively speaking), and be the best at it. Make it happen!

Carla Moreno Rocks (and Tweets) to the Beat of the World

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This is cross-posted in the Huffingtonpost Impact Section.

Carla Moreno is one fascinating woman. A prolific writer, videographer, and humanitarian, she has traveled the world on a continuous quest for cross-cultural exchange. This has provided an amazing opportunity to document and enrich her understanding of musical traditions from every corner of the world.

When you talk with her, you can tell she has an unshakable passion for world music. Not simply because music often does bring us together. That’s only part of it. For Moreno, it’s about digging deeper, and looking at how music serves different functions, saves lives, and effects social change. Not to mention the interesting stories behind the music makers themselves.

As a resident of Seattle, she is keenly aware of the area’s rich musical heritage. From Native Americans to Jimi Hendrix to the infectious energy of the grunge era, she understands the many genres — rock, jazz, hip-hop, classical — that connect powerfully with international sounds and styles. This is part of what she teaches in music classes to homeless and immigrant families — an amazing job made possible through the nonprofit youth organization Arts Corp and the Low Income Housing Institute.

With Jordan’s Queen Rania
(Photo Courtesy of Queen Rania’s Media Dept.)

In an African Fishing Village
(Photo Courtesy of Sherri)

In the Brazilian Rainforest with the Satare Maue Tribe
(Photo Courtesy of Augusto Queiroz)

In fact, her love of music, culture and education won her a one-week trip to the country of Jordan last Fall. It was made possible through Queen Rania‘s popular and well-publicized Twisit Jordan Contest. Visiting the country was an eye-opening experience that shattered some stereotypes, inspired greater curiosity, and deepened her love of humanity even more.

I know this because I talked with her before and after she came back from Jordan. I have never traveled internationally, so I look forward to her stories about kayaking, hiking, and soaking up the eye-popping geography on continent after continent. She is never without her camera and her megawatt smile. Indeed, I know what Marcel Proust meant when he said, “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy. They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

Yes, Carla Moreno rocks, and makes an impact wherever she goes. Her stories are written with a great respect for the culture she’s documenting, and her actions give rhythm to her rich, expansive worldview. This is an immensely creative person living an extraordinary story, and the world is a great place because of it.

Moreno and her students
(Photo Courtesy of Zahara)

To find out more about Carla Moreno, follow her on her Twitter feed and connect with her through her website.

Awesome Remake of "Smooth Criminal"

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This is amazing. Stjepan Hauser and Luka Sulic have teamed up on an awe-inspiring remake of the Michael Jackson classic Smooth Criminal. Even if you’re not a fan of the cello, you will love the rhythm and energy the song delivers. Someone described it as “Yo-Yo Ma meets Trans Siberian Orchestra.” I like that description, but its even better than that! Traditional enough for Masterpiece Theatre yet contemporary enough for MTV.
This rocks…big time!
WATCH: