Lip-Sticking

Want It Done? Give to A Woman.

By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter

When Toby Bloomberg, Yvonne and I had our first con call with Jeff Power, of Global Hope Network Int'l, re our Adopt-A-Village project, at one point, I said, "No offense, but if you want it done, give to a woman."  Jeff's reply: "No argument from me!" 

And, here's yet another example of woman power, from GHNI's web site (posted by Jeff).  A peace walk near GHNI's Kenyan villages.   From Jeff's post: 

"Isiolo town is our GHNI base in central Kenya, as our staff diligently help the surrounding poor villages.

Violence between tribal groups escalated again in recent months, ebbing and flowing. Deaths have occurred sometimes weekly. Our staff are wisely limiting their movement to and from our villages, as they daily monitor and evaluate safety conditions.

There is hope, and our staff are among those contributing to it. Many people are passionately working toward lasting peace and a change of mentalities.

Just this week for instance, hundreds of women in Isiolo formed a Peace Walk to urge everyone toward reconciliation and peaceful cooperation."

Hundreds.  Yes, hundreds.  I think the sign sums it up better than I ever could.  "We belong to each other."  

Indeed. They may be all the way over in Kenya, but it's a very, very small world.  We belong to each other.   

More on GHNI (my All The Single Girlfriends posts)  

Good News From GHNI

By Guest Blogger Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter

Following on my post of last week, "Teach us," is the cry of the women  where we introduced the Adopt-A-Village project we're working on with Global Hope Network International (GHNI).

We all get so much bad news; it's great to read the good.  And, Global Hope Network International shares much good news.  No matter how dire the situation, things are improving here and there.  People can accomplish incredible things with just a little help.  

For example, a group of women have formed a sewing enterprise in Indonesia.  From the news report: 

These women are amazing! Their sewing enterprises have taken off, and they’re so proud of the progress they’re making in their TCD Income Generation program.

There are two sewing groups: the beginners group and the advanced group. The beginners group is using this month to practice sewing on old rags and pieces of clothes, and the advanced group has already begun to make beautiful aprons to sell. The money generated from the sales of these aprons will help the women pay back the investment for the new sewing machines. Once they have made a certain amount of aprons, they will own their own machine.

That's the "new" machine there. I think my grandmother had one just like it.  

And, here's Tiffany, one of GHNI's trainers with some of the women.  

Like I've said before. It doesn't take much to make a big difference.  

P.S. I'll find out where we can get some aprons. :)

“Teach us,” is the cry of the women

By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

This is a quote from the Global Hope Network International's web site about a village in Afghanistan the group is helping become self-sustaining.  

Qala e Nadar is a small village framed by rugged mountains on one side and less than fifteen kilometers from Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan on the other.

Overlooked and forgotten, Qala e Nadar is small and too close to the city to merit help. Thirty years ago, the traditionally nomadic community settled on this dry, arid and barren plain. There is no accessible school, no local bazaar, no immediate health care, no electricity, no running water, and no literate adult. The community is sustained by some of the men and teenage boys who get periodic work in nearby brickworks...

“Teach us,” is the cry of the women of Qala e Nadar. A start has been made.

Of course, there are many women who need help - throughout the world.  So many, in fact, it's totally overwhelming.  And, in a google search there were about 191,000 results for "adopt a village."  What's so special about GHNI's program?  

Michele Bachmann's "Female Problem"

By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter 

From Christian Science Monitor: Why did Michele Bachmann's campaign crater? 

Gaffes...defections...and - ta-da!

Women. You would think the only female candidate in the GOP race might attract a disproportionate share of woman voters. But Bachmann didn’t. According to an Iowa State University poll taken in late December, her vote share was about 7.2 percent with both genders.

Well, duh.  Really?  It shouldn't have surprised anyone.  Anyone who knows anything about women, that is. But, gee, it's so gosh darn perplexing, say the shallow pundits and lazy marketers. After all, she's a mom! She's raised 23 foster kids! She looks good (but not too good.) Many women do like her...and (what they perceive as) her good Christian values.  

Surely, what's not to like about any of that?   

No. Really. You Shouldn't Have!

By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

We all love getting gifts, especially if they're unexpected.  However - unless you're some hideously spoiled rotten socialite - it really is the thought that counts. And, according to the NYT, gift giving doesn't have to be expensive or painful.  

Traditionalists and etiquette mavens are complaining, but the rest of us can thank social scientists this season. They have come up with experimental evidence to support three revolutionary rules for people who hate shopping for holiday gifts:

1. You don’t have to spend any time looking for “thoughtful” gifts.

2. You don’t have to spend much money, either.

3. Actually, you may not have to spend any money.

Try telling that to my mother.  She's a bit down that she "can't do anything for Christmas this year."  Her being here in Albuquerque is more than enough for me...but she can't give me an actual thing, however small.  

I'm Becoming Addicted to Gratitude

By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter

People talk a lot about giving thanks, being grateful, giving back, mellowing out and such during the holiday season. We write feel-good blog posts. Tweel uplifting quotes. Post heart-warming FB links. Stuff dollars into the Salvation Army kettle...hug our grandmas... 

Then January rolls around...and not so much...then drab, nothin-doin' February.  Before you know it, we're back to snarky, snippy "real life."   And, I freely admit, I can be amongst the snarkiest and snippiest. After all, there's so much material!  Politicians. Trolls. Big Clueless Companies. The (gag) Kardashians (oops, went snarky there for a sec)...etc. etc. etc. Ah, well, the holiday season was nice while it lasted.

2011 was a hard year for me and mine and I'm more than ready for a bright, shiny new year of possibilities. That said, there was a lot of good in 2011, including my developing gratitude habit (addiction?) There are about a billion self-help books out there (for only $25.95!) that will "teach" you how to be grateful.  But, here, I'll save you $25.95.  

So Little Time; So Much To Waste

By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter 

It's that time of year again...

When the Trader Joe's parking lot (and store) resemble a war zone (I actually saw a fist fight last year, complete with bloody noses, over a parking space.)  

When I take my life into my hands to walk by the Christmas tree sales lot (Hurry! Hurry! We've got to get home and get into the spirit!)  

When I avoid all big box stores and malls.  I don't go there much anyway, but this time of year, it's at best unpleasant, at worst downright dangerous.  (Cue all the stories of Black Friday shopper fights and arrests.) Rush, rush, push, push, SHOVE, SHOVE! Gotta get that! (Of course, this time in 2012, will anyone remember what was so absolutely critical for 2011 Xmas? My bet is no...yet, they may well still be paying for it.)  

And, as I (reluctantly) drive one of the major interstates or streets here in town, I wonder, just where are all these people going? In such a rush? With phones to their ears and scowls on their faces?  

Why I don't buy online.

By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter

Note I didn't say I don't shop online.  But, buying? Well, that can be difficult.  Way too often it seems that companies don't want to sell you anything, based on their web site designs.  In my grumpier moments I think this must be because most web sites are designed and planned by - grump, grump - men. You know, the same ones who design kitchens with cabinets way up there and sports arenas with way too few facilities for women.  Way annoying. 

Most men don't see shopping as a recreation or sport.  Most women do. (I don't shop big boxes or mass market stuff much, but I love to find that extra-special unique "thing" in that cool little shop or thrift store.)  Thus, men design web sites so they make perfect sense to them, and actually "work" functionally.  "Hey, you can buy it, what's your problem?"  But, then just try to buy something easily and quickly.  Ah, then the "fun" begins.

Here are just three recent examples of why I didn't buy (and wanted to, really. Had the credit card all ready to roll): 

1. Asking me to create an account when all I wanted to do was check out. No thanks.  I really don't want to be added to junk email blasts or spend the time filling in a lot of fields.  Please.  Just let me buy the damned thing. 

2. Waiting until I've gone through the whole process, including providing shipping and credit card info  only to tell me "Sorry, out=of-stock."  Grrrrr....

3. Requiring me to create an account before giving me any pricing or availability info.  Great way to never sell anything there, folks.  

...then there are the sites that force you to buy.one.thing.at.time, expecting you to go through the whole process for each single item. Um, why have a "shopping cart?" Hello?    

So, sure, the sites probably "work" for the male techie...just not for customers.

(P.S. To be fair, some of the worst sites I've ever seen were planned by women biz owners and implemented by women techies.  Ouch.)   

No, I really, really, really don't want to buy the bra.

By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter, LLC

As regular readers know, I don't own a television, so I watch shows online.  Of course, there are still commercials.  And, really, I don't have a problem with that.  I understand that the networks/show producers need to make money.  I even enjoy some of the ads, including the Mayhem spots (the raccoon in the attic is a favorite.)

Some of the commercials such as the Hail to the V! series are at best annoying; at worst, insulting.  My latest peeve is the bra ad which runs seemingly incessantly with CW shows.  I actually got up and left the room last night; I was that sick and tired of it.  (Yes, now I can have a bra that makes me look two cup sizes larger!) However, it's just a commercial...so why do I so utterly loathe it?  

Because it depicts what we would - um - call a "skank" back in the day.  You know, the one the guys could always "depend" on if nothing better came along. Ratty hair, drug-addled look on her face, dancin' around the campfire in her scanty underwear.  Yeah. Real class act; I wanta be her! *Sigh* Irritating, insulting, demeaning to women. 

And, here's the real kicker - I can't remember the company's name.  Atria? Avia? Avian? Huh?  Please just go away and take the skank with you.   

My New Obsession: The Vampire Diaries

By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

Hey, it's Friday - let's talk a little mindless fun. 

Yes, me and about a million teenagers.  So, here I am. A woman of a certain age blowing the viewer demographics once again. Or am I?  Now that I've TOTALLY blown my cred as a responsible, mature biz woman... 

In asking around, I find any number of "grown-up" women watch the show (as well my other not-so-guilty CW pleasure, Supernatural.)  I don't, however, have ANY interest in "joining us" on Facebook (as a TVD character urges on the site)...or to buy any of the TVD junk merchandise pitched (if for no other reason than I'd look ridiculous in it.) I also have no urge to follow, like or otherwise share my viewing habit. Hey, guess there's some age difference kicking in after all.  

The show, if you've not seen it, is rather like Twilight for grown-ups. Sure, it's mind candy, junk food for the brain, silliness in a slick, fun package. (Vampirism in TVD's world isn't much more bothersome than acne - you just gotta wear a ring and refrain from eating your history teacher and you're fine. Plus, the sex is stellar!)

ANYWAY, how did I get hooked?