New and interesting recipes aren’t the only things I look for when finding a new blog to follow, the wit of the writer is just as important to me.
- 101 Cookbooks
- Smitten Kitchen
No, I can’t read her mind.
No, I can’t finish her sentences.
No, I can’t tell you what she is doing at this very second.
But am I thankful for being a twin? Yes.
Asking good questions is important in life. In the public relations industry asking good questions to your client is the only way to fully understand their needs and wants. Questions are the key to communicating with anyone. If there is one thing I have learned from being a twin and a public relations major – always ask good questions!
Here are the top five most annoying questions to be asked when you are a twin:
1. Why can’t you be more like your twin?
Why would I want to be? I have had to compete my entire life with another person so obviously I want to stand out.
2. Which one is the evil twin?
You really think one would admit if they were the “evil” one? Evil is such a harsh word that is too broad to use here. Everyone has his or her rough patches in life, being difficult growing up doesn’t make you the “evil” one.
3. What’s it like to be a twin?
What’s it like being related to your best friend? Growing up under the same rooftop, talking everyday, that’s what it’s like. When people ask me this question I either say, “It’s cool” or “Do you have 4 hours to really hear what its like?” I think people expect to hear a few sentences describing everything, but that is not the case. Being a twin is something only twins understand. Jealous?
4. What is your twin thinking?
Can you tell me what I am thinking? Nope, didn’t think so. Just because we share the same birthday and happen to have similarities doesn’t mean we share a brain. It would be remarkable if I knew what she was thinking all the time, but it doesn’t work like that.
5. When is your sister’s birthday?
You’d be surprised; this question comes from people who know I only have one sister, my twin. When people ask me this question I look into their eyes and wait for them to figure it out.
There is more to being a twin than answering annoying questions. It has taught me the importance of asking intelligent questions in the public relations industry.
I have adopted the following strategies for finding original gifts for my loved ones, all of which I recommend as you brave this holiday season.
Do Your Homework!
Last year for Christmas I decided to get my dad something different. I remembered he read Batman comics as a kid, so I went down to the local comic book store and found two Batman comics from the year he was born and framed them. He was so excited to see something from his childhood he hung them up in his office.
Be Crafty and Creative
On a tight budget? You can still spread holiday cheer by making a gift.
For example, maybe you have a mirror with paint chipping on the frame. To spruce up the mirror and turn it into a gift for say, your grandparents, find photos of you and your siblings and cousins (all the grand kids) and shrink them down then super glue them to the frame of the mirror. If you don’t have a photo printer, Walgreens is a great resource and does reasonably cheap photo prints.
If you don’t think you’re crafty enough, even the simple act of baking and decorating cookies can brighten the receiver’s day, and, of course, fill their tummy with joy.
For more homemade gift ideas, check out these websites:
To speed the process, the structure was originally designed and laid out in Adobe InDesign.
Account Executive Paul Wilkie provides a glimpse of what students at Chico State believe Public Relations really is. An interesting arrangement of responses seems to lead to one cohesive definition.
Account Executive Megan Grasty films her Thanksgiving experience showing the steps necessary to create a festive and inviting event atmosphere.
By Sarah Alvarez, Account Executive
The feeling of emotions is immeasurable. Without any way to quantify emotional depth, some consider this irrelevant when calculating intelligence.
During the ‘90s, Bill Clinton’s “shortcomings” in IQ were explained by his EQ (Emotional Quotient). Emotional intelligence, which is defined as the ability to identify, assess and control one’s own emotions, as well as others and groups, was deemed a quality worth possessing in a leadership role.
Being fascinated by the study of emotions has made me equally fascinated by people’s need to express their emotion publicly in the workplace.
What happens when you let your emotions take a toll on your working relationships or even your job? Have you ever considered your
work environment to be hostile, perhaps toxic at times?Your behavior in the office is important to your employers and coworkers. It affects your relationships and your ability to be effective. Our emotions have a huge role in our performance. Remember that you control your actions and reactions to situations you enter.
Showing emotion through body language or facial expressions is a natural way we express how we feel. And although our feelings need to be expressed, it may not be appropriate to show extreme emotion in certain work situations.
The following tips from “How to Gain Control of Your Emotions,” an article on www.wikihow.com, can increase your emotional intelligence and, in turn, may create a better working environment for all.
1. Know your emotions.
By Jennifer Hoffman, Editorial Assistant
When it came time to pick my future career path, the possibilities for creative thinking are what attracted me to public relations:
Recently, in my Internet escapades, I’ve come across a few new websites that instantly inspired me. They sent me either clamoring for my box of craft supplies or running to my notebook, eager for the sweet indulgence of a fine-tipped pen and a fresh page of paper.
Deviant Art is a social-networking community for creative types of every kind with galleries galore. Amazing art, photos, prose and crafts abound, enough to make you awe-inspired and ill with envy, all at the same time. Fancy a vampire killing kit? They have that. How about an animation about animation? Well they have that, too.
Offbeat Home is a place for those of us who like taking a walk on the unordinary side to trigger alternative modes of thinking. All sorts of glee-inducing inspiration can be found. If you want to learn more about “government–sponsored zombie preparedness literature,”or how to make “un–bedside tables for book storage,” you will be pleasantly rewarded.
So often I’ve found that inspiration is contagious. The next time you feel a creativity block, take a moment to stop and smell the painted roses.