By now you have been bombarded with “Top 10 [fill in the blank] of 2011” or “Biggest Moments that Changed the World.” I know I am guilty of writing about it. You will probably also read just as many discussions on New Year’s resolutions and how to keep them. While we are sucked into reading, why not take a different twist on the resolutions, and best of’s. Tweet about.

Coming from a Social Media Specialist, this may be my attempt at an answer for everything, but it is an idea that is catching on. Recently, Hewlett-Packard, HP, announced they will be placing tweets of New Year wishes on helium balloons and releasing them near their headquarters in Dubai. A user can even track their balloon’s path on a map. The main goal of the project, called TwitterWisher, is to connect users.

Whether it is a rainbow connection or symbol of unity, its message is clear; it is about our bond with others in the world. On a personal level, it reminded me of a tradition my family does during birthdays, weddings, and other life events. You receive a bouquet of balloons, make a wish or two, and let go. We then stand and watch as the balloons fly away. Where they land, we are never sure, but we like to think it is a fun surprise to whoever finds it.  The same can be said about HP’s project.

While it may not be as personal, virtually documenting your wish or resolution could connect you with your neighbor here or even Australia. It may also be a wish or resolution you keep. So whether you put in a balloon, Tweet it, or put it in a bottle. It is ok to shot out what you want. It is how we connect. Maybe John Lennon’s vision was right, the world living as one. He probably didn’t have Twitter in mind as he wrote those lyrics, but you get the point.

So the question becomes, what is your wish for 2012?

My Wish: Not waiting around anymore. To discover more, whether it is online, at work, or in my personal life. Just fly. #2012wish (For those of you keeping track at home that is 120 characters)

What is your wish for 2012? #2012wish

The year 2011 will go down in GannettLocal history as one of great passion and growth! In a single year, we saw our team almost triple in size, our client base more than double and our products and performance improve by leaps and bounds.

I’d like to personally thank each of our clients who have given us their faith and trust to take their brand and deliver excellent marketing services including persona advertising, social media management, search engine optimization, pay-per-click and so much more. We love the passion of our clients and truly draw our energy from your success – so thank you for your continued support!

With the year coming to a close, I begin to reflect on all the amazing talent that has joined our team in the last 12 months. Sometimes, I’m surprised by how lucky we’ve been in finding individuals passionate about success, thirsty for new knowledge and never afraid to take-on a challenge! Thank you, team, for always exceeding my wildest expectations, stepping up to help each other and generally making GannettLocal an awesome place to work!

As we look forward to 2012, we’re excited for continued growth, the opportunity to expand and all the challenges that come with that. Our GannettLocal family will finally be under the same roof in 2012, and we look forward to Nerf wars and sing-offs (which, based on the holiday video (also below), we all know the operations team will win!) To ensure we continue to develop our products and improve on already great performance, we are hard at work on various operational tools, reporting improvements and product upgrades.

With that said, I’d like to wish everyone a happy and healthy Holiday Season and a New Year filled with family, friends and lots of revenue! Thanks again for your continued support; we’ll see you in the New Year!

What are you a geek about?

During my interview for GannettLocal, I was asked that very question.

What are you a geek about?

It threw me for a loop because to be honest, I thought I was pretty normal excluding my need to sing off key and dance in public. But this is not something you tell your possible future employer. I had no idea what I was geek about.  I don’t remember what I said, but it must have been something to get me hired.

A few weeks later, I was asked the same question in my bio for this blog.

What are you geek about?

I literally had to go home, and think about. To me, when I hear the word geek, it brings to mind a Steve Urkel type – someone only into science with awkward social skills. If you were to dig up my high school science grades and superlatives of most sociable you would know that is far from the truth. But when I actually thought about it, I was like Urkel. I’ve been a geek this whole time. From my love of Social Media, shoes and bad sports teams, I was uber excited – I mean geek – about these subjects.

The next day at GannettLocal, I looked around, and realized I worked with a bunch a geeks, and I was alright with that. It is something we have bonded over. We even decided to make
every Friday “Geek Shirt Friday.” What is our defintion of Geek?

Geek- anything you are passionate about as long as you love it.

It can be your family, apple products, or the go-to Star Wars. A lot of people may not understand you, but trust me someone will, and maybe even the people you work with. Hey, the whole premise of Glee is dedicated to geeks – anyone who can carry a tune – and they are a number-one show. Geeks are everywhere!

How do you celebrate Geek Shirt Friday? Simply wear your favorite geek shirt from Superman to Like me on Facebook. If you can’t wear it to because your job requires a tie, wear it as an undershirt. And know there are others out there rocking their shirts too.

What are you geek out about?

Related articles

• Finally. We have the definitive evolution of the geek [Infographic] (winextra.com)
• Geeks and Nerds Go To War: Jonathan Ross Comes Out for Team Geek (prweb.com)
• 100 Think Geek Creations – From Star Wars Bedding to Gamer Book Holders (TrendHunter.com) (trendhunter.com)