Look for links to my new articles on my writing samples page and on my Twitter account as soon as they are published!

Some days I find it hard not to repeatedly check my Palm Pre for emails, texts, and facebook messages– I even have a mini-freakout everytime I reach out to grab it and it’s not there. I think more than ever, it’s important for us to realize that technology is there to help us connect with people, not to help us avoid ever physically talking to them on the phone or (god-forbid), in person. Every time I make plans via text with my best friend and I don’t actually speak to her until I’m at her apartment, I think about how technology is truly changing our lives.

I love technology- I wouldn’t have the job that I do without it. But it seems to me that there are definitely moments when I should be putting down my Palm and focusing on my friend (who’s actually in the same room as me).

In other news, I was voted 86th most influential marketer of 2009 by Invesp, a semi-significant honor that I’m hell-bent on improving for next year. I was also featured as a social media expert on the ‘Collective Wisdom’ annual report on the website Who’s Blogging What. Jeff Ente, Director of the site, asked experts questions like How do we separate hype from reality in social media as we enter 2010? To see my answers, visit my individual social media expert profile. Additionally, here is the complete Collective Wisdom report with all the experts’ answers.

In more other news, I am trying to plan H and I’s wedding for September, which we will be paying for a significant portion of ourselves. As a result, I’ve taken on a lot more freelancing clients in order to meet my freelance income goals. I’m lucky enough to have found a great group of clients (especially Stefan at Brosix), but I’m always looking for more! It’s a long-term dream of mine to freelance full-time again, but next time hopefully from a private office overlooking either a) the desert in New Mexico, b) the ocean in San Francisco, or c) the mountains in Colorado. I’ll be working hard to make that happen!

Glee 1.03: “Acafellas” Clip – “I Wanna Sex You Up” from Amber Ying on Vimeo.

Glee 1.03: “Acafellas” Clip – “Poison” from Amber Ying on Vimeo.

I’m doing ‘Cans for Comments’ (www.cansforcomments.com) this year, where bloggers post an entry on their blog promising a can of food for every comment on their blog they get during a certain time period (Dec. 8-22 for me). However, instead of cans, I’m going to be donating food and money to Wayside Waifs, Kansas City’s largest no-kill animal shelter (commenters can also specify they want to do cans of food instead). Please view my blog post below for more information (and to comment!) and feel free to forward this post on!

http://thesocialrobot.com/2009/12/doing-good-cans-for-comments/

Thanks!
Kelsey

The cheapest one I could find was $160/person, but I suppose when it comes to being up in the air suspended only by a balloon, maybe going the cheapest route isn’t the best way to think of it. Furthermore, I can’t really think of a single one of my friends that is as obsessed with hot air balloons enough to actually also pay $160+ to go with me. Will this be another adventure I’ll have to go at alone? Unlike the Cirque Di Soliel LOVE show that I went to solo, That encounter might be more embarrassing to do alone, because I’d say it’s definitely a couple/group activity. I don’t want to be that weird single person that everyone is wondering where their friends are. I might even accidentally make it more weird or awkward if I start talking to myself. At first, I’ll start with observational comments like, “Oh! Pretty!” but then it may or may not escalate to “That’s where we live!” (We being me and myself.)

See, I wouldn’t have to be this weird if my friends and loved ones would do cool stuff, like want to sail in hot air balloons.

If you want to go to the KISS ‘Alive 35′ tour, you can get KISS tickets from RazorGator, the parent company of the EventChaser blog. Another great tour that I wish I go to to is AC/DC- RazorGator also sells AC/DC tickets as well.

One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2009 was to go to any concert or event that comes into Kansas City that I really want to go to– no matter the cost. Thankfully for me, EventChaser helped me go to Daniel Tosh and David Sedaris this year already, and now KISS! I am so lucky!

To see what other types of concert tickets RazorGator offers, be sure to visit their website.

Anyway, just wanted to share the good news. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving! I’ll be relaxing down in Las Vegas.