Check me out now at http://www.marissasweazy.com - the new site will have all the old content along with all the new content too! You’ll be getting your daily dose of me in a much better place!

Yesterday LinkedIn announced their partnership with Twitter via a blog post. The blog was super informative. At first, I was a little skeptical. Do I really want to mix my linkedin and Twitter accounts?? I was a little unsure. I am not a fan of the linking of Facebook and Twitter accounts because I find it confusing. Folks that are on FB but not twitter will see my status update as, “Hitting up Legal’s with @asweazy” and might be confused as to what I’m talking about. This might also throw FB users, like my mom, for a real loop,”RT @asweazy did you enter the #riovegas contest?” So, I’ve never been a fan of linking per say. I do have the Twitter box on my Facebook..but it is not linked to my status.

As I was reading through the blog post, something caught my eye that I liked a lot!

2. On Twitter

As a professional online and in the real world, you’ll often find articles or think of ideas that would be useful to share with your Twitter followers and your LinkedIn connections. It’s about sparking interesting conversations. Now you can share from anywhere. As part of the setup process, you can choose to either send all your tweets or select tweets from Twitter back to LinkedIn as a status update.

Share tweets as your LinkedIn status

If you pick the latter, don’t forget to add the #li or #in hashtag to every relevant tweet you’d like to send back to LinkedIn. Here’s a good example:

Include #in with any tweet to post as your LinkedIn status

You can tell LinkedIn/Twitter to just pull certain tweets. I thought this was awesome! Now, if I actually remember to include the hashtag #in it will be a miracle but I like having the option and will I link my accounts now, yes! Now, some social media expert or facebook guru could be reading this post going, “hey idiot, you can do the same thing with Facebook/Twitter..” this maybe the case but I’m not aware of it. Feel free to leave a comment correcting me if I’ve got the facts wrong somewhere along the line. I always like hearing from people.  And if you have thoughts on the new relationship with Twitter and LinkedIn feel free to post those as well!

So last week, Facebook unveiled their new terms in regards to contests, promotions, and sweepstakes. To sum up the changes in a few words — the little guys are screwed. While I strongly suggest that everyone read over the new rules carefully, Facebook is basically saying unless you have a huge marketing budget don’t even think of using facebook for your contest.

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Direct from the new terms:

“Below we have provided a few examples to help you understand how to apply Section 3 of the Promotion Guidelines.

You cannot: Condition entry in the promotion upon a user providing content on Facebook, such as making a post on a profile or Page, status comment or photo upload.

You can: Use a third party application to condition entry to the promotion upon a user providing content. For example, you may administer a photo contest whereby a user uploads a photo through a third-party application to enter the contest.

You cannot: Administer a promotion that users automatically enter by becoming a fan of your Page.

You can: Only allow fans of your Page to access the tab that contains the third-party application for the promotion.

You cannot: Notify winners through Facebook, such as through Facebook messages, chat, or posts on profiles or Pages.

You can: Collect an address or email through the third-party application for the promotion in order to contact the winner by email or standard mail.

You cannot: Instruct people (in the rules or elsewhere) to sign up for a Facebook account before they enter the promotion.

You can: Instruct users to visit the third-party application to enter the promotion (as described in Section 3.4(i)). Since users must have a Facebook account in order to access an application on the Facebook Platform, if you give this instruction, they will be prompted to sign up for a Facebook account if they do not already have one.”

Also from the terms, here is more on the approval:

“You may not administer any promotion through Facebook, except that you may administer a promotion through the Facebook Platform with our prior written approval. Such written approval may be obtained only through an account representative at Facebook. If you are already working with an account representative, please contact that representative to begin the approval process. If you do not work with an account representative, you can use this contact form to inquire about working with an account representative. If we provide you such approval, you agree to the following:

3.4 You will not mention “Facebook” in the promotion’s rules except in the following ways: (i) “You can enter the Promotion through the [application name] application on the Facebook Platform. You can also find the application on the [tab name] tab on the [Page name] Page on Facebook.”; (ii) to fulfill your obligations under Section 3.7.

3.6 You must submit materials for any promotion you plan on administering through the Facebook Platform to your account representative for our review and approval at least 7 days prior to the start date of such promotion. Promotions not approved in writing within such time period will be deemed unapproved.”

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To break this down even further, there are a few additional points I would like to make.

First, if you click through to the “contact us” form in the new terms it takes you to the advertising page. Once there if you select that you will be spending less than $10,000 it basically says you are better off to do it yourself. Which means you aren’t getting an account rep. So in the occurance that a small biz or non-profit can write their own application for the contest you will never be able to use it because you’ll never be able to get approval. What are you going to pick up the phone, “hello, Facebook, I’d like to get approval for a contest. Um, no, I don’t plan on advertising. hello? hello??”

Second, I’ve heard that certain third-party application companies like Wildfire and Votigo are pre-approved. Meaning any contest they run for a client is pre-approved. Now, if you take a look at either of these businesses websites you will see they have clients such as Pepsi, Sony, At&T, Victoria’s Secret, Kohls, etc. These big box businesses are spending millions of dollars on their marketing budgets. Small businesses, mom & pop’s, non-profits don’t have these resources. What is going to be done to help the little guy? and what cut of the profits is Facebook making from Votigo and Wildfire. I know that promotions with these application companies start at $5,000. Who wants to spend $5,000 to giveaway a $100 gift card??

While I understand that the free ride had to come to end sometime, it just sucks. I’ll just have to find another way to get around this.

I went for my weigh-in today at the Brigham with the good Dr. Robinson. I lost 7 more lbs…but in 2 months. That brings my grand total to 56 lbs in just under 6 months. I knew it was time for my first fill. I’ve been able to tell over the last couple of weeks that I am able to eat much much more than I first was. While, I’m not necessarily eating bad food, I’m just eating larger quantities. Dr. Robinson wasn’t convinced I needed a fill since I did loose another 7 lbs..but I felt that it really was time. I mean who gets lap-band surgery and never gets a fill?? So, I got it AND I have the video to show just how easy it really was…see below.

Where does the time go? Every Tuesday I take my measurements and every Tuesday I’m supposed to check in here with my progress and yet, some how I haven’t gotten to do it in 3 weeks – but I have been taking my measurements. Some how the numbers are still going down..but I’m not quite sure how. I have been so bad with my eating. Mainly, because I have no food at the house – when I don’t get home until 9pm every night it’s difficult to get to the grocery story but then Austin made a good point last night, why don’t we get Peapod anymore?? It was such a valuable service for us and it helped us to eat healthy and save money by eating at home. I ate out three meals yesterday! Horrible!

So the last time I checked in with the measurements was Sep. 23. They were the following:

Bust 36

Waist 37

Hips 43

Thigh 24

Arm 12.5

As of Tuesday, October 13 they are:

Bust 35 (down 1)

Waist 36 (down 1)

Hips 42 (down 1)

Thigh 23 (down 1)

Arm 12 (down. 5)

That is a total of 4.5 inches in three weeks! I guess this is good. I’m still nervous about the scale. I go back to see Dr. Robinson on Nov. 4.

I do not understand this concept at all. The Boston Business Journal published an article on their website today about a survey by Robert Half International discussing employers prohibiting social media. The article can be read here: http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2009/10/05/daily21.html

The article states that “54 percent of companies prohibit the use of social networking Web sites during work hours, including popular sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn” WHY??? There are a couple of points I want to make about this.

1. Why are these companies banning the sites? I wish they would have given some examples of companies that have banned it because that might help explain the rationale. However, most companies can use these sites and lead generation tools. That translates to $$$. Dear employers, notice the term for what you are banning “Networking” – this means meeting people and building contacts that might lead to business. Why wouldn’t you want your employees to get out there and network and make a better name for your company.

2. Educational reasons – there are so many free resources on these sites. Countless articles are posted on Twitter these days that could prove profitable and helpful to employees. Why wouldn’t you want to participate in a free webinar to learn how to improve yourself (back to point 1) to make more $$$.

3. Your customers are talking about you whether or not your online – so why not participate?? This is one of my favs. People are talking about your company, no doubt. If you can’t access the sites how are you going to monitor and respond to what is being said..helllllloooooo???

4. Employee Morale – instead of pissing off your employees and making them continuously unhappy why don’t you give them access and let them spend 15 minutes on facebook checking in on their friends. Is 15 minutes really going to kill you?? No, you would rather piss them off by telling them they can’t use it therefore making them unproductive disgruntled employees. Believe me, if you give them access they will still get their work done because you are giving them the access. It’s like telling a 20 yr old they can’t drink – they only want to do it because they can’t.

As someone who spends 8 hrs a day on facebook (for my job), I don’t understand this concept. Again, if I new what industry some of the companies are in that might help explain it a bit more..

There was a great article in yesterday’s Sunday Boston Globe Magazine, titled Will He Hold Your Purse. The article by, Robin Schoenthaler was just awesome. It really made me stop and think about my relationship with my husband, Austin. Even though we go through are ups and downs and I might think he is the laziest person alive – he always holds my purse when I ask him to. He really loves me!

This should be the new way that you determine if this is the man for you. After a couple months of dating, ask him to hold your precious Marc Jacobs satchel. Will he do it??

When I was reading the article, it made me smile because as Schoenthaler described the devoted husbands in the waiting room of the chemotherapy center it reminded me of all the times Austin sat and waited for me. For my first colonoscopy at 23 and just last May when I had my lap-band. He is always there with my purse.

I think we might be onto something here. From now on when a friend tells me she has met the man of her dreams..I’m going to ask “Do you think he will hold your purse if you ask him to?”

I thought this was a great article -  be sure to tell your spouse or significant other the next time he holds your purse how much you love him. If your with someone who won’t hold your purse…it’s time to move on!

Oh, how I love this show. The Amazing Race is one of the best shows on television..just ask the Emmy’s. It just gets better and better. Phil, the host, seems to be even better this season. So, in a rundown of the contestants [spoiler alert], I’ll go over who I like and dislike.

Meghan and Cheyne – Not bad..they seem very fit and fun. But, not my favorites.

Maria and Tiffany – LIARS! These two are professional poker players who are telling everyone that they work for a non-profit. They get outted in the second half of the season premiere because someone recognizes them in the airport. They are super shady.

Marcy and Ron – um..not sure what to say about these two. A little spacey.I don’t give them long.

Lance and Keri – From Boston so I should have an affinity toward them..do I? NO. This guy is a big meat head (although he is a lawyer) who is mean to his girlfriend.

Flight Time and Big Easy – from the Harlem Globetrotters. LOVE these guys. They keep everything light and fun.

Gary and Matt – Interesting father/son team. They kind of remind me of the stunt little guys from last season.

Garrett and Jessica – already got booted in the second half of the season premiere

Brian and Ericka – She is a former miss USA. They are the only interracial couple not that that matters to me – but they seemed to be hyping it up a lot when giving interviews. I don’t think they will last long.

Eric and Lisa – Didn’t even make it passed the backpacks! In this season premiere the teams had to perform a challenge before they got to go on the first leg. They had to find the license plate associated with where they were going in Japan in this sea of plates. However, the hint was right at the top of the clue card and these two missed the boat. So they didn’t even get to race. How sad.

Sam and Dan – Gay brothers – pretty funny. Seem like they might be a team to beat.

Zev and Justin – friends. Zev has asperger’s but they are doing awesome. They have such a positive outlook on things.

Mike and Canaan – christian virgins. Although, they way they scream at each other isn’t very christian. I don’t give them long either.

There it is! I love the Amazing Race. I can’t wait for this season!

Sorry, forgot to post last week’s inches update probably because there wasn’t anything to update! Everything has been the same for three weeks Although I have fallen off the bandwagon a bit. Austin and I went to Sonic last night. Granted I had a grilled chicken wrap, I did have fries. I looked up the calories in the wrap only 380 – not to shabby.

I’ve also been feeling like I can eat a lot more than I should be able to. Maybe it’s time for my first fill – 5 months later! I think it’s because the good Dr. R screwed up my karma by making me come back in 8 weeks instead of 4. The scale will tell.

I did sign up to meet with a personal trainer at the YMCA – if someone would ever return my phone call! I’ll keep you posted on that!

So for anyone that knows me..you know I’m obsessed with social media. I’m a huge self educator and I wish that I could spend the entire day reading blogs,  twitter updates and facebook posts, etc. Right now, I have 21 blogs on my blog reader I wish I had 121! So, I decided to make a new category on my blog for “social media.” I’m always looking for things to talk about and all the lap-band stuff can’t provide a daily post, so here it goes.

My inaugural “social media” category post is on an article posted by Matt Singley on his blog. The post titled, “3 rules for social media” offers sound advice for the common person. You don’t have to be a techie to understand what Matt is saying – it’s pretty much common sense but it’s amazing how many people typically forget it.

Read the post http://mattsingley.com/blog/2009/09/3-rules-for-social-media/ before continuing to read my post.

My comments on his post:

- Cursing. So true, although I think it is okay to say “wtf?” occasionally. If you are really fired up about something it is better than saying the actual “f-word”.

- Public Life/Private Life. This is hard for me – because everyone knows what a blabber mouth I am. I think when I do have kids I, like Matt, will be cautious in what I broadcast about my children. Right now, I am cautious in what I put online about clients (do we need to revisit the Ketchum Incident, business associates, etc. But, in terms of my personal like (i.e. mostly my lap-band journey) I tell everyone.

- Stay Positive – Like Matt, I have had some trouble with this. I get in these moods and just can’t shake’em.

I really appreciated Matt’s post, sometimes it’s the not so complicated things that you learn so much from.