This is a cool puzzle that will make your mind boggle. I got a bunch of ping-pong balls and hot-glued them together in these pieces:

If you do it right it should look like this:

Just a fun craft I thought I'd share since I was working on it. Hope someone will pin it on PINTEREST!

Some might wonder why business is slow? Why are sales lagging? How come no one responds to the ads in the paper anymore? Marketing is a waste, right?

I remember this quote from somewhere:

"I'm absolutely sure at least half go my marketing budget is wasted...I'm just not sure which half."

This is what I understand about why marketing to the masses is a complete waste of time and money:

Over time, we as consumers have become so inundated with Choices that we don't have the Time to pay attention to everything. There is not enough time in the day to pay attention to all the mass ads vying for my attention. They are everywhere and they are generic so I tune out, everyone else does too...that is, unless they don't have enough going on in their lives.

If you want people to pay attention to what you have to offer then you need to be remarkable...OR get their permission. Instead of marketing by interrupting people, try marketing to people who are listening.

Recently, a company called Neenah Paper, a high-end paper manufacturer, discovered it was becoming increasingly difficult to attract new customers. Marketers at the company realized that conventional mediums like face-to-face meetings and phone conversations were not as prosperous as they used to be and they felt like potential customers were ignoring their efforts to attract new business. Sound familiar?

In this case, the marketing manager at Neenah decided to engage customers through social media. This was a good path to follow since it was observed that a majority of the company’s prospects were spending most of their day in front of a computer. Under his direction, the marketing department at Neenah began finding prospects by searching for keywords in Twitter and joining in on the conversations. They learned that social media is simply a more effective way of engaging with their prospects and one sales person expressed, “It’s an invitation to have a conversation. You’re getting permission to have a conversation—a conversation that used to only happen in person.”    

Some of the best advice I ever read about public speaking is PEP and EPE, but treats are another concept I've found to be helpful too. 

Last month I spoke about "Image Matters" (get the pun?) in front of my bosses and 30+ new colleagues who'd been doing their jobs longer than I've been alive. 

I wanted my ideas to stick so I told stories and made cinnamon roasted almonds to share with them. It's a good idea to tie the treat into what you are teaching and to make the packaging cute - women appreciate thoughtful stuff like that. 

It was my first impression to people I plan on working with for many years and the feedback I received at the lunch following seemed positive. Even if no one agreed with that I was presenting, at least they laughed at a few jokes and enjoyed the treat. 

As you set your New Year's resolution to lose weight, here's a motivating story.
It was my 2011 resolution to drop 30 lbs. Being immersed in my MBA program at SUU for over a year took all my spare time that I would have used for exercise. I was up to 185 and I needed to get down to a healthy and comfortable 155 (160 would even do).

I'm a fan of Tim Ferriss so of course I was planning to read The 4-Hour Body any way. The moment I downloaded the book on my Kindle for iPad app in January of this year, I noticed the Slow Carb Diet and the promise of dropping 20 lbs in 30 days without any exercise. Sounded good to me!

Basically, here's what I did: 

• I cut out all sweets, no candy, no soda (pop), juice etc.
  
• I said no to my favorite pastries, banana bread or bread of any kind. It was hard giving up the white carbs but I avoided them like the plague.
  
• I gave up potatoes and any potato products completely.
• My only exception was wheat tortillas.
  
• I only drank water, I cut my intake of milk down to a cup every 3 days or so.
  
• For Breakfast at 5-6am I ate 1/2 cup of spinach, 3-5 eggs, and 1/2 cup of black or refried beans with salsa along with 32oz of ice water.
  
• For Lunch around 1-2pm I'd eat a bowl of beans and whatever vegetables I had, usually green beans. Some days I would eat White Chicken Chili. Throughout the day I would drink at least another 32oz of water.
  
• For Dinner around 6-7pm I would eat grilled chicken breasts like they were going out of style. I'd include more water and 1-2 cups of vegetables and salad. Instead of dressing I'd supplement cottage cheese.
• After every meal I would do 30 squats and 30 tricep extensions...even at restaurants..
• Most nights and mornings I do 30 pushups, pull-ups and sit-ups. Just a habit from my late teens.

Through this diet change I fell in love with the eggs, spinach and beans combo and learned how to make the meal in several different forms. I had to add the cheese for flavor. Tim said it was Ok if it was just a pinch (I have pretty big pinches). Here's a picture of an omelet version:

This is how it usually looked before adding salsa, I prefer Jack's Salsa or the Kirkland Signature brand.

End Result:

• I dropped down 30 lbs and was down to 155 by the end of March.
  
• I could have down it faster, but I was in no rush and some days I just needed to down a loaf of my wife's banana bread (binge days are Ok, I took one once every couple weeks).
  
• I could only do it with the support of my wonderful wife, she adjusted her cooking a lot for me. She even lost weight, not that she needed to.
  
• I fell in love with the breakfast and now it has become my morning tradition. Sure, some days I just want some crapes or waffles. But this is my staple. 
  
• I've eased off the Lunch and Dinner meals but I weight myself everyday and if I notice I've gained some pounds from the big Sunday dinner the night before I just go back onto the Slow Carb Diet and the weight just sheds off.
  
• I've maintained a weight of 155-160 since March and I haven't even started running again...and I don't think I will, I prefer intense games of Dodgeball and hiking.

My friends and coworkers thought I was nuts but they all know it works. I know the breakfast looks gross, but it only works with spinach. I didn't like the idea at first but I would just tell people to try it for a week and see what happens. Everyone who tried it out lost weight. Whether they stuck with it or not, well that was up to their level of discipline.

I'm pretty much an expert on the Slow Carb Diet. If you ever have any questions about it, like Do's and Don't's etc. just ask me and I'd be ha ppy to advise you.

I absolutely loved this inc.com article about David Sacks, PayPal alumnus and the founder of Yammer. It’s good to know that I’m not the only one who has a difficult time disconnecting from my work. For me, in my new role as an Extension Professor, it seems like I’m always thinking about work. I guess it’s frequently on my mind because I must find it enjoyable to think about. I was like this before, it has just become amplified because I’m trying so hard to take a lot in and be as effective as possible for the people I serve.

I’m not sure if I ever really deactivate from “work-mode.” Sure, I unplug from time to time, but my idea radar always seems to be on. The only time it’s not is when I’m intensely involved in something that requires my full concentration. So for me that’s when I’m rappelling in a slot canyon or playing with my son at the park.

I think about work constantly. I wish I had an On/Off switch. My wife is good at bringing it to my attention. We'll be at dinner or spending time with the kids, and she'll notice me drifting off, she has a way of bringing me back to Earth. I'm trying to be better, but I’m happy I have found something I’m passionate about. I’ve found I shift gears easier when I feel in control of my work, like I actually have a handle on things and am accomplishing above average feats.