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Sending Emails to Multiple Recipients

Have you ever received an email, and your name and email are listed among several hundred others? I have and it seems that I just automatically hit delete in disgust.

Some just don’t know that it is bad email etiquette to do that.  Etiquette is not about doing things right or wrong but positively affecting the others they impact.

I strongly suggest that the habit of using the BCC field when sending out an email to a mass audience. Below is the text from a website about this very issue.

Another reason for doing this is if you are trying to read the email on a mobile device it is very frustrating on such a little screen, one has to scroll past all the email names to the meat & potatoes of the emails intended message.

If you find yourself sending group emails often you need to invest in services like Constant Contact or Mail Chimp. Both services specialize in sending mass emails and are very inexpensive and give recipients the ability to remove their email address from the various list.

Let me know if you have any questions about this. We all want to present ourselves well when we send emails – especially to large groups.

This blog is for you Sarah A Courtney, you asked yesterday on Facebook what our pet peeves were.

——————The Website advice———————

How to Send an Email to Undisclosed Recipients

I’m sure you know these emails that were obviously sent to a group of people: everybody’s email address is in the To: (or the Cc:) field, forming a long, long list.  This not only looks odd and unprofessional, it also exposes the email addresses of people who may have wanted to keep them private.

Bcc Means Privacy and Efficiency with Group Email

Fortunately, you don’t have to send individual emails to avoid this embarrassing exposure of email addresses. In addition to To: and Cc: recipients that show up in the email’s headers, you can insert Bcc: recipients.  Bcc: recipients get a copy of the email, but their email address is automatically deleted at delivery. Nobody except you and the Bcc: recipient will know that they got a copy, and their email address will not be exposed.

Send an Email to Undisclosed Recipients

To send an email to undisclosed recipients, select your email program or service, or follow the general instructions below.

  • Create a new message in your email client.
  • Insert “Undisclosed Recipients” in the To: field, followed by your email address in “<,>” braces.
  • The To: field should look like: “Undisclosed Recipients <me@example.com>“.
  • If you send emails to undisclosed recipients frequently, you can add your own email address to your address book with “Undisclosed” as the first and “recipients” as the last name. Instead of filling in the To: field manually, you can then use the address book entry.
  • Put all the recipients’ email addresses in the Bcc: field, separated by commas.
  • The Bcc: field could look something like: “my.first.friend@example.net, my_second_friend@example.net, stillanotherfriend@example.com”.
  • Compose your message.
  • Send it.

How do you send a Text from your PC or Outlook?

hangupanddrive

If you have your contacts mobile number and provider, you can send an email that will be a text message.

For example to send a text via email to a customer on AT&T, you would send to 1112223333@txt.att.net. See below for a known list of companies.

AT&T – cellnumber@txt.att.net
Verizon – cellnumber@vtext.com
T-Mobile – cellnumber@tmomail.net
Sprint PCS – cellnumber@messaging.sprintpcs.com
Virgin Mobile – cellnumber@vmobl.com
US Cellular – cellnumber@email.uscc.net
Nextel – cellnumber@messaging.nextel.com
Boost – cellnumber@myboostmobile.com
Alltel – cellnumber@message.alltel.com

Of course you should ask permission before you send someone a text message via email since the receiver is responsible for the cost.

 

My 2011 Person of The Year- Dr. Bill Shiell

One of my favorite things to do is watch church services online. <I know you are thinking weird, but I have always enjoyed church and worship>.    Most ever week I not only attend my church where I am staff organist but also attending a few other churches virtually.

A new church that I picked up watching over the past year has been First Baptist Church Knoxville Tennessee.   My connection to that church started as a rather simple tweet from their senior pastor, Dr. William “Bill” Shiell, that recognized my affection for gospel singer Cynthia Clawson.

He responded to a tweet of mine in early Spring 2010 that said she (Cynthia) was going to be a part of worship at his church in August of 2010.  I started watching their services online and quickly became fond of his preaching  and found the seasoned organist Mrs. Pickle a pure delight.  She retired after playing the FBC organ for over 43 years this past August.

Bill preaches from memory.  He has the scripture memorized as well.   His ability to convey a message is a well-honed form of storytelling.   His messages are captivating and give you something to think about and many times an action to follow during the week.   One of his Advent messages encouraged me to go in a closet and verbally confess to God my wrongdoings.  Try that one- it’s harder than you think.  Many times we have our standard words  in prayers “Lord, please forgive me where I have failed thee. ” That type of approach, through his sermon, encourage me to do more.

Bill is remarkable in that he is young (39 year old-2011) and has led an old (1843) downtown First Baptist Church in a very technological way preserving the connectivity of many generational age groups.

They stream their services on Ustream; each service is on Vimeo, and they broadcast on the local Knoxville TV station.  They have had a television ministry since 1959. They have a website that is stellar and constantly being updated.  They email their congregation and keep them informed via Facebook and Twitter.

His accomplishments during his pastorate at FBCKnox are astounding.  Read about them on the FBCKnox page about Dr. Shiell.  In 2010, he successfully led the congregation in retiring a large debt and at the same time saw an increase in overall budget giving.

Bill has encouraged me in many ways one particular is to be more focused and to work on memorizing things that you are passionate about.  Bill published a book this year  Delivering from Memory: The Effect of Performance on the Early Christian Audience.

Bill has put together a staff at FBCKnox that encompasses all genders and generational groups.  His staff all exhibit a work together type of attitude.

I think if Bill wasn’t a preacher, he would be a darn good lawyer.

Thank you Bill Shiell for being an inspiration to me and many others –especially to those that do not sit in the physical building each week and worship with you.  I’m a better person after I consume a FBCKnox service on Vimeo.

Below is a Sunday Morning Worship Service  (August 29, 2010) from First Baptist Church Knoxville Tennessee where Dr. Shiell and Cynthia Clawson created a unique traditional worship experience.

Who is your person of the year?

Other blogs that share their person of the year and were an inspiration to this post:

 

Amazon Kindle Fire

This is an electronic gadget that any book lover should have.  I highly recommend. Buy one today! My recommended choice for buying them is direct from Amazon.  The Amazon Kindle Fire sells for $199. There are no monthly fees associated with this product.

Video Blogger Jeff McCord does a great job in the video below explaining the differences between the iPad2, Kindle Fire and the Nook.  I watch is show weekly. Keep up on everything tech via his online Moxie Mo Show.

Below is a popular YouTube video that compares the Kindle Fire to the iPad 2.

Nib’s Christmas Gift Idea List 2011

Nibby’s favorite things list might not be as exclusive as Oprah’s but I think you will enjoy reviewing them.  All the items listed, I own or have used and recommend.   Maybe this list will give you some gift giving ideas for this Christmas 2011 gift giving season.  I sure would enjoy and appreciate your comments.

Apples iPad -I have owned both a first-generation  iPad and presently use a iPad2.  This blog was actually created using a iPad2 and its Bluetooth keyboard. The iPad2 is the ultimate push media device.  This one device can take the place of so many other devices its almost silly not to own one.  I no longer need to carry a camera, music player, video camera or a TV set.  This device does it all.  This is truly a marvelous invention.  See an interesting review on the Moxiemoshow.com comparing the iPad to other tablet computers.

Food Steamer –an underutilized and often forgotten gadget for the kitchen.  Cook healthy meals fast without stove or microwave.  A great way to warm leftover food too. If you have leftover rolls or biscuits- the steamer will make them fresh again. I’m finding myself using the microwave less and less.

Roku Media Streaming Player –dish the cable TV and get this device.  I find it better than Apple TV.  One box that allows you to view on your main house TV NetFlix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, Twitter, Facebook and many other services.  Their channel store has something for everyone.  If you want to stream your iTunes library the Apple TV might be your choice since Roku does not do this well. Don’t waste your money buying another DVD or Blu-ray player.  This small device does it all without discs.  Besides DVD’s and Blu-ray are going to be where 8-Tracks and VHS players are today and really quick.

Amazon Prime Membership -if you enjoy shopping with Amazon.com as much as I do you need to buy this $79 per annum membership.  This gives you free two-day shipping on many Amazon items (if an item is not Amazon Prime eligible I usually do not buy it).  The membership also gives you streaming of movies and TV Shows. If you own a Kindle device you get access to thousands of Kindle Books free.

Mobile Hotspot -ever been somewhere and needed internet access?  This device is great for traveling.  You can pay for the service as you go.  You can even get refill cards from Wal-Mart for as low as $20.  If you are with others you can share this internet connection with five other users.  I have used the device in the car with kids and iPad’s and even used it on a boat vacation one summer on Kentucky Lake.  It is not a substitute for your home or work internet connection but does get the job done.  I also have is as a disaster-recovery tool we can use at GoVaughn.com Insurance, in case we are without the internet.

Smartwool Socks -OK this is the ultimate gift.  Everyone can appreciate socks. The first time I saw and wore these socks I thought they would be hot and uncomfortable.  I was wrong. I have been wearing them for over three years and have completely removed all socks from my collection that are not Smartwool’s.  They are great year-round and they have styles for women.  Simon’s shoes in downtown Henderson KY have them.

Cusinart Brew and Grindcoolness of this gadget is yet decided.  I purchased this just a few weeks ago and already returned it once.  The base warming element clicks loudly while it is keeping the brewed coffee warm, and it is annoying while you are reading the iPad in the mornings.  However, I do like the ability to add whole beans to the top and the pot grinds and brews all at the same time.  As you can imagine there are more parts to clean on this newfangled coffee pot than just the filter basket.

Starbucks Christmas Blend is my favorite blend of coffee that Starbucks produces and only available during the Christmas Season.  The VIA version of the Christmas Blend is good as well.  Buy them direct from a Starbucks store and my favorite store is Starbucks #8345 Green River Rd, Evansville Indiana.

AVEDA Rosemary Mint Hand and Body Wash -best smelling nondrying body wash and hand soap I have ever found.  This is perfect anytime of the year but especially nice around the holidays with the scent of Rosemary and Mint. There are no alcohol or petroleum products in the wash – it is all natural.  There is a AVEDA store in Evansville IN – Solaris AVEDA -they are a full service salon offering spa like services.  I have used their services in the past but really like their products the best.  Next Saturday -December 3, 2011 they are having a 15% off AVEDA product sale. If you go over there try the  AVEDA comforting tea -steep yourself with a naturally sweet tea with no caffeine, sugar or added flavors a must-have for a winter evening and a great gift idea for tea lovers.

Yankee Flipper Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder a must for any bird lover who has problems with pesky squirrels eating the birds’ food.  I blogged about this fun gadget a few years ago. If you want a laugh be sure to watch the video on that blog. A very well made product.  I have owned one since 2009 and is still holding up quite well even with many Audubon Park Squirrel’s trying to break into the feeding compartment.

OXO Good Grips Kitchen Tool Set – our kitchens are full of mismatched kitchen tools but none I have found to be as functional as these. From the can opener to the carrot peeler they all function well and last a long time and just have a smooth feeling in your hands. This is a nice gift to a new homeowner or one who has a bunch of mismatched nonfunctioning kitchen tools. If you need a way to give an old drawer a new look this OXO Good Grips Kitchen Tool Set will do it. You can see all the OXO Tools available.

What are some of your favorite gift giving ideas?

Have you used some of these products?  What did you think of them? 

Henderson KY Twitter Accounts to Follow

Updated 04/24/2012

Tonight (10/27/2011), I am volunteering at the Henderson County Public Library by giving a class called Twitter Basics.

A common question is: “Who should we follow on Twitter that live/work in Henderson KY?”  I have created a Twitter List of several and have explained some of the accounts on the list below.

Favorite Organizations and Businesses

Tourhendersonky-Tourism Office

DHPHenderson-Downtown Henderson Project

HendersonArts-Henderson Area Arts Alliance (Fine Arts Center Programs)

Hendersoncc  Henderson Community College

HendersonSchool Henderson County School District  (new 1/2012)

HendersonKY Official City of Henderson KY Government (new 1/2012)

Memoriespandp-Memories Past and Present (a unique Antique Gift shop in downtown)

860WSON-Henderson Radio 860 AM or 96.5 FM

TheGleanerNews-Gleaner Newspaper

RubyMoonWinery-Winery in Henderson KY

VaughnInsurance-Vaughn Insurance Agency Co.

Unfortunately, our County government along with the Hospital  do not have Twitter accounts.  It would be nice if the public library did too.  (This is as of 04/24/2012-please update me if these change).

Favorite People

Beckydurham-Youth/Children’s Pastor at The Presbyterian Church of Henderson

Djhein70-Retired but really not  school speech pathology person and she is funny too

JoeyDDavenport- A local stockbroker that gives some great morning motivational tweets

CamGlover-Writer for the Henderson KY Newspaper the Gleaner

DarrinPhegley-Photographer for Henderson KY Newspaper the Gleaner

toddlinn-Pastor of First Baptist Church

Leethebarber-Local barber in Henderson KY

Johnlmathias-Advocate for those with disabilities in Henderson KY

KeeganODaniel-Director of Transportation Henderson County Schools

kathyjacksonky-Kathy Jackson local real estate agent

Now some of you dear twitter friends are probably saying, “Why am I not on the list?”. Well this is a listing of Henderson KY Twitter Accounts. Be sure to see the online real-time listing my Henderson KY related twitter accounts.

Here is a great handout called “Mom, This is How Twitter Works” that we used in class. Thank you Susie Thurman for sharing this with us all.

Who are some Twitter accounts in Henderson KY that I should be following? 

Fujitsu ScanSnap- The Best Desktop Scanner

Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 Instant PDF Sheet-Fed Scanner for PC

The very best desktop scanner you can buy for every day scanning.

Works quite well with many applications.  We use it at GoVaughn.com Insurance extensively in scanning information into our Vertafore based client management system AMS360.

Amazon just recently reduced the price on the ‘Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 Instant PDF Sheet-Fed Scanner for PC’ by Fujitsu Imaging.

I have been working with it recently in the integration of Evernote into my daily workflow.

Tell me about your experience using a Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500!

Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 Instant PDF Sheet-Fed Scanner for PC

Camera Photo Explosion

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Everywhere you look people are posting a photograph or a video to a public website.  A favorite past time of many people is just to look at the various picture post on Facebook.  Often times it is better than the past time of watching TV or other things we used to do before the proliferation  of photographs.

Photographs used to be housed in big books and when you went over to a friend’s house sometimes you were invited to view the photo albums.  Many of which have been handed down over the years.

Going to Hagg Drug store to get your film developed was expensive.  Therefore, we didn’t waste precious film taking trial photographs.  Now that has all has changed.  We take phone camera pictures of everything.

Hardly ever we are without a camera in hand.  Most all mobile devices have cams.  We take pictures of everything from the food we eat to what we are buying at the local big box store.

Photographs are a great way to capture a moment in time.  Many amateur camera phone photographers take some really good pictures just because they were at the right place at the right time.

What you do with the photographs that we take are another issue.

There is a lot of talk about bullying in schools.  However, a lot bullying is taking place with adults.  The crazy website that depicts people shopping at a big box department store  showing them dressed sometimes weirdly or different. The whole purpose of this site is for a laugh.  Isn’t that bullying?  What the person is doing that took the picture is saying is that they are better than the person who is wearing that tacky outfit.  Then they post it so it makes them even feel more superior.  However, does it really? Aren’t we to bring people up in life and not try to be showing that we are better?

Here are some tips that work for me on the camera phone pictures that I take:

  1. Private places to me are where people expect privacy. (Bathrooms, changing rooms-enough said!)
  2. Anytime I take a picture of someone. I ask before if it is ok to take.
  3. Make sure that if the picture was of me. I would approve.
  4. Anytime anyone expresses any concern about the picture do not post it anywhere.
  5. If you are taking pictures where groups of children are present ask the adult in charge if any children are on the no picture list.  Many schools and children’s organizations have children in their programs that parents/guardians request no pictures be made of their children.

A recent USA Today article gave some insight into this issue.  The article talks about a new cell phone photography class at a suburban Philadelphia university that focuses on both the quality of the images and the ethical responsibilities that come with taking and publishing them.

What are some rules you have for the camera phone pictures you take and post?

 

 

 

What is generation Y ?

- The Silent generation, people born before 1946.
- The Baby Boomers, people born between 1946 and 1959.
- Generation X, people born between 1960 and 1979.
- Generation Y, people born between 1980 and 2009

Why do we call the last one generation Y? I did not know, but a cartoonist explains it eloquently below…Learned something new today!

Generation Y

(This was shared with me by one of my co-workers via an email.  I do not know who to credit this to but it is NOT my original work.  I found it very cute though.)

What are you doing in your non-profit or business to market or be appealing to the generation Y?

The World is Obsessed with Facebook

Are you?

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