Public Relations Princess

Why Iowa? It's the People, Silly.

I'm often asked why I love to live in Iowa. After all, we don't have a mountain view, nor an ocean. We only have medium-sized cities and small towns. Our "claims to fame" are modest and our accomplishments sometimes not immediately recognized by the rest of the world. Once every four years, the media descends on us to document the first steps on the road to the White House, writes some nice stories, takes pictures of some hay bales, and then WHOOSH! are gone as quickly as they came.

So, what is it about this place that makes it so special? Plain and simple, it's the people. Our people are special. And it's an experience to feel it. People in Iowa are optimists, altruists, hard workers, smart and accomplished.

Sometimes our trust is misplaced. Due to our gentle nature, we tend to suffer fools well, but in the end, don't allow them to ruin our state. We "calls 'em as we sees 'em!" Sometimes our sense of trust and the belief that all people are good leads to scandal, but eventually we sniff those bad apples out and throw 'em out. If you are a bad person and try to screw people over, you will be found out and you will be exposed.

I believe Iowa is the best-kept secret in the world. Here are some of my favorite Iowa attributes that are ever-present in the great people of our state.

1. Altruism: Altruism is not just doing the right thing. It's doing the right thing at a personal loss. That is what the people of Iowa are known for. They will stop what they are doing to help, spending their own money to make you right.
2. Honesty: Iowans are honest as the day is long. Honestly.
3. Work Ethic: I've heard some of my students say that anyone from Iowa automatically gets a boost in interviews with companies on the coasts. The Iowa work ethic is legendary. We have this old fashioned notion that we should put in a full day's work and earn our keep. Quaint concept!
4. Welcoming: Iowans embrace newcomers and make them feel welcome. Now, in some small towns you will always be "the newbie" for 25 years...but that's just a quirk of small town living. Don't believe me? Read the story of Elkader, Iowa.
5. Accepting: I did not use the PC word "tolerant" here, because that implies that "we" have to tolerate people who are not like "us." I prefer accepting, because even though the political rhetoric gets heated, Iowans are known for striving towards justice and equality for all people.

There is speculation that Iowa is also the social media capital of the world. It can't be proven, though I'm willing to put our community of social media aficionados up against any other! Speaking of that, have you joined the Social Media Club Des Moines? Do it now!

Iowa is in my heart. I love living here and would never leave. What are your favorite things about living in Iowa? Care to share?

Facebook Birthday Friend Deletes: Managing My Friend List

While geeking out with my good buddy Josh over at Lessing Flynn this morning, we were giving each other solicited -- and unsolicited -- advice on assorted social media topics.

We compared Facebook friend numbers, critiqued each other's blogs, and  philosophically discussed the issues of the day. Both of us consider this to be great fun and entertainment. This morning, Josh wrote about bloggers linking to each other more frequently, which I often forget to do! So I am heeding that call! Word!

I casually mentioned that I delete people from my Facebook friends list on their birthdays. Before you get the idea that I am some kind of birthday hater, hear me out. There is actually a method to my madness.

I recently surpassed the 1,000 friend mark and would like to keep my Facebook friend list at a manageable level. I genuinely enjoy interacting with people on Facebook and am not a "people collector." So as part of my Facebook "pruning" routine, I check out the list of birthdays on my profile every day. If I don't know the person well enough to issue a routine "Happy Birthday" greeting on their wall, I delete them. If I can't figure out who they are after 5 seconds, then they are toast.

Don't get me wrong, I've deleted a few for being stupid and annoying too, but those people are usually the exception. Sometimes, I think people just friend me to collect my name on their friend list. And that is not a strong enough connection for me.

Birthday deletes are just my way of managing my friends on an ongoing basis, two or three decisions per day. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who is struggling with the task of managing their friends and occasionally banishing those who add little or no value to your experience.

Are you a ruthless friend deleter? Share your best stories here.