3 reasons why I deleted Periscope -- and it felt GREAT!

Just on the off-chance that you haven't heard of Periscope, it's an app owned by Twitter that lets you broadcast live to the world through your cell phone. I had heard about the app earlier this year, while I was crossing my fingers that it was not one more social media tool I would have to master for my previous job as the Media Relations Manager at the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society. Since I handled all their social media, it really put a damper on my desire to do my OWN social media, and the thought of another platform was just TOO MUCH for me at the time.

 

Broadcast live from your phone on Periscope

 

I remembered hearing that Lion Country Safari's Marketing Director was broadcasting a lot of their animals live. My previous boss at the Zoo was like, "You would enjoy promoting the Zoo through Periscope, because you have experience reporting live." I immediately responded with a firm, "No thanks! I have too much to do, keeping up with and creating all the content for Twitter, Facebook and Instagram." 

Photo from Periscope

 

But here's the thing-- I DO have a lot of experience reporting live from back in my news days. I enjoyed liveshots, even when it had me out in less-than-desirable spots...

 

Got a lot of sympathy for this one -- and it was one of my final live shots!

 

So when I finally tried Periscoping (or "Scoping"), I was HOOKED. I mean, really hooked -- so much so, that my battery drained down to 15% every time I would broadcast, LOL! Note: the app really does drain your juice quickly, so I recommend a Mophie or a portable juicepack so your phone doesn't die mid-Scope.

 



 

Within 20 days, I did 80 Periscope broadcasts and garnered more than 50,000 hearts. Those are kinda like "likes," and you can get unlimited hearts from viewers of your Scopes.

 

I even bought a Joto Universal waterproof case... yep, this link to the product is my Amazon affiliate link...

 



...just so I could Scope live while I was snorkeling my favorite place, the snorkel trail at Phil Foster Park in Riviera Beach. That got a ton of positive reactions!

 

 

 

I also bought a cool set of clip-on lenses...
 

 ...that give you a wider perspective. I only used them in one scope at Palm Beach, but I have had fun taking photos with them.

My Palm Beach photo! This, and Singer Island, were my favorite places to Scope



So, you may be wondering WHY did I delete the app from my phone? Let me count the ways:

1. I was getting notifications like crazy from people that I follow who would Scope. After your phone buzzes 6 times in 10 minutes during a business meeting, people start giving you the "eye." It got annoying, especially when it was a Scope labeled "Test" (from when someone would be doing their first Scope). *Update -- see below comments -- yes, you can turn off notifications, but even if I had known that (because I did NOT know that) I doubt I would have turned them off. I actually enjoyed scopes from Lion Country Safari and PenguinSix and wouldn't have wanted to miss them.

2. It felt like I couldn't find my footing. I did have my largest amount of hearts broadcasting from a beach sunrise on Miami Beach, because the Miami name gets automatic recognition. I don't live in Miami, and most people (unfortunately) don't recognize Palm Beach as quickly as they would Miami. I am working to change that now in my current role as PR Manager for Discover The Palm Beaches, the official tourism marketing organization for Palm Beach County... but I also wanted to try doing more than beach Scoping.

I tried doing a makeup tutorial, because I love doing those on my YouTube channel and they are well-received, but that flopped (and a Hater/Troll called me "ugly!" I told him his spirit was ugly, and he actually agreed with me, bless his heart-- he needs prayer). I tried doing a Scope after a church service where I play, and the singer sang "Ave Maria" while I accompanied her-- that actually had a crazy-high retention rate, but only 11 total live viewers. Well, come on, now, we're giving you a concert experience! A little bit frustrating trying to figure out a niche.

3. The main reason is because it started becoming WORK. It was fun at first, but after a few days, I realized I was broadcasting just to broadcast and get hearts. Felt like I was losing my soul, haha! Ok, that's overdramatic, and not really -- but I did feel like I was not paying attention to the location where I was actually standing, because I was staring at my screen and responding to comments and questions. It took away my enjoyment of what I was doing.

When I was Scoping, I felt like I was reporting live, even if it was on the beach. For perspective --the first time I did a beach liveshot at Bathtub Beach on Hutchinson Island, I felt so thrilled. Then when the night wore on, I was like, "I'm WORKING at the beach. Who am I kidding? This ain't fun." That's how I started feeling about Periscope.

When I was snorkeling and doing those broadcasts, my friends with me were having good times, admiring the sealife. But there I was, chugging along, holding my phone up and down, above and below the water... trying to squint to read the screen in the bright sunlight... there in body, but not in spirit. So it was like a huge wakeup call, and one of the last Periscopes that I have done.

Well, at least THEY were having fun that day...



I realize that it's a hot trend right now to Scope, and some of my blogger friends like Nicole at One Picky Chick and Lauren at Working Mom Magic are doing a #SeptemberScopers challenge. I am all about supporting them, and if you want to watch some cool ladies do their thing broadcasting, this is the group to follow.

But having written all of that, let me just say that I do not regret deleting the app from my phone. I re-installed it temporarily, just for this blogpost so I could screenshot some of the images on my profile, and my phone started crazy buzzing again with all the people Scoping. It was a reminder of why I was just DONE with it... at least for now. Will I ever Scope again? Maybe! Only time will tell... and you will have to stay tuned and follow me on Twitter to find out!





Farewell to the Palm Beach Zoo -- hello to a new career adventure!

Two years ago today, I began my journey in a field I never thought I would work in-- at a zoological society! Since then, I've been called "the Zoo Lady" by people who know that I work at the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society. I have loved being the Media Relations Manager, AKA the public spokesperson for the Zoo.

My first day on the job! We've changed our logo since then-- actually, a lot has changed

I remember how confused I felt when I would wander around the Zoo-- and how I actually got lost with a reporter my first week on the job when I was trying to take her to the Wildlife Carousel! Obviously I have memorized the Zoo map since then.

My job duties range from writing press releases and pitching media to taking photos of special events. Since we are a non-profit organization, we all wear many hats. 

One of my most fun duties is taking photos and video of our animals. If you see an animal photo on the Zoo's Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, I took it (unless I give a photo courtesy, then obviously it was taken by someone else). Here are some of my favorite animal photos I have taken below...

I'm partial to the primates like the capuchins, because they're so fun and active

Russell the peacock was named after the son in the Pixar movie "Up"

You can meet Oz the Queensland koala in the Zoo's Koala Experience

The Zoo has four adult Malayan tigers on grounds-- they are highly endangered, with only an estimated 250 left in the wild

The four ring-tailed lemur brothers, Herbie, Avery, Milo and Otis are always leaping around because they're so young and energetic! This type of lemur is like King Julian from the Dreamworks movie Madagascar

There are tons of perks of working at a zoo, such as getting to hang out with awesome zookeepers who are way more knowledgeable about animals than I am. For instance, this past weekend I worked with local media as they covered our howler monkey habitat renovation. At one point, the mother howler monkey was bouncing up and down on her branch as a Palm Beach Post photographer was trying to take her picture. I was like, "Awe, she likes you," and the associate curator was like, "Nope, that's some serious aggression." This is why I am not a zookeeper!

I may not be an animal expert, but I sure do love them critters! ;) Like Wilbur here, one of our Hoffman's two-toed sloths!

"Oh, ya know, just FEEDING A BEAR is all! How's YOUR workday coming along?!"

It took me a month to pass the tests and get certified to be able to hold this turtle. This is not a joke. The Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which means we hold to the highest standards of animal well-being and safety. We don't play, even with a turtle!

It's been a fun part of my job that I still get to hang out with my former WPTV coworker and friend Ashleigh Walters plus meteorologist Tyler Mauldin. Animal Trainer Sara Travis brings a cool animal (like Goose the scarlet macaw, pictured here) on television once a month and I stand there and smile :) 'Cuz I'm not cool since I'm not holding an animal, LOL!

I love love love love Noto, the allegedly 88-year-old giant Aldabra tortoise! You can meet him and his big ol' friends in the Aldabra Tortoise Experience

The Zoo earns more than a million dollars in one night during our annual gala-- I had to do tons of publicity leading up to it, and that was a BEAST (although not in the animal sense) learning how to do society PR!

There have been some high points in media, like this May we were featured on the National Geographic channel and TLC. We've also been in the Women's World magazine twice, and the Associated Press has picked us up a bunch of times. We have had a surprising amount of national and international publicity! I am so grateful for all the amazing media hits in the past two years, and I am both proud and humbled that I had some small part in that.

I was proud to represent the Zoo on the national SmartCar website for our Carbon Fuel Reduction Initiative! We encourage employees to carpool or take alternative transportation like biking or a bus to work to save fuel emissions. We are all about conservation and saving the planet, y'all.  :)  This photo was taken in our Cornell Tropics of the Americas section! Yes, I totally drove my car inside the Zoo. It fit easily, as you can see.

I try not to "toot my own horn," because my role is to gain coverage for the Zoo -- not myself. Although I'm the go-to person for media coverage, I know that I am the last person a news reporter wants to interview-- they want the zookeeper who worked directly with the animal we are covering! So I have tried to shine the spotlight on the hardworking and deserving staff members who make the magic happen. That means I don't courtesy those photos I take, because my philosophy is that they belong to the Zoo.

It ain't about me, it's about the Zoo!

Since I'm leaving, though, I'm like, "Hey! I did that!" I do feel pride that I have seen the fruits of my labors get the Zoo positive publicity.  :)  It's a good thing!

Now, as I embark on a new journey, it is with mixed emotions that I begin my last days and say farewell to the Palm Beach Zoo. The good news is that I will still have the opportunity to promote the Zoo on an even larger scale-- because I will be the new Public Relations Manager for Discover the Palm Beaches!!! It is the official tourism marketing organization for Palm Beach County. Tourism is the county's number one industry, and I already consider myself as part of their team-- because I have been promoting Florida since I first moved here four years ago!

So be prepared to see even more beach photos on my personal Instagram and Twitter because I'll be ALL about letting everyone know why Palm Beach County is the best place on earth to live, work and play! The slogan is "The Best of Everything," and I truly, 100% believe that.

But there is a small part of me that will be sad that I won't get to hear the distinctive siamang calls anymore-- that always made me feel like I was working in a jungle. The best part of my job was feeling like I was truly helping the animals. Even though I may not be the one directly training them, by being able to tell their unique stories, I was bringing their issues to light!

 Nabalam, the 20-year-old matriarch jaguar -- it took me a very hot hour of waiting for her to walk in order to get this photo!

When I interviewed at DTPB, I was asked, "Why are you looking to leave the Zoo? You light up when you speak about it," because I had been bragging about how our Kimelman tiger habitat doubled in size and how our flamingo pathway expanded, etc. etc. etc. If you haven't been to the Zoo in the past six months, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much it has improved and upgraded!

"Why you wanna leave me?!"  #FennecFox #GuiltTrip

The main reason why I am choosing to leave the Zoo is because this new role is an opportunity I just couldn't overlook. These jobs are rare, and it is definitely a professional step up for me. 

So I am only sharing these next facts because I predict I am going to get a lot of "Can I have your job?" messages from news friends (because I have been getting those messages for two years now, LOL!) -- and keep in mind this is not a bad thing, it just "is what it is" when you work in PR-- another reason I am choosing to leave is because I work a lot of weekends. I mean, a LOT. 

It's not like this is some big secret, because if you saw my monkey video on TV or read my name in print in that article, then you could tell I worked those days to make it happen.  :)  Sorry if you were hoping this article would be a "tell all" type of blog-- not gonna happen, I love the Zoo too much, haha!

That howler monkey story? I shot and edited a VOSOT for it on Saturday, which took a couple of hours. Then on Sunday, I'm playing organ for the prelude of a church service in Boynton Beach where I'm currently substituting, and my phone starts blowing up with texts from the Palm Beach Post reporter who suddenly got assigned to cover the howlers! Guess what? I had to go back in to the Zoo. And I have to work again this weekend to take fresh photos of our Food Truck Safari. So as of this Saturday, I will have worked 13 days in a row. Par for the course in this role-- you do what you have to do to make sure you get media coverage. I literally sleep with my phone by my head in case Wilma the mama gator ever decides to go for a midnight stroll again.

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..."

I do not say all of this to complain. It is a labor of love, and a true PRIVILEGE to do what I have been able to do for the Zoo-- tell its stories to entice the public to visit and support animal care and conservation. Although I am leaving, I still intend to be an advocate for the Zoo "from the outside in" and continue to fight to gain it more publicity and attention.  :)  It's a bittersweet feeling, but I am optimistic that I will still be helping the Zoo-- this time, on a global scale!

Thanks for the #ZooLove

Tips and tricks: all about LASHES! #Throwback to my first anchoring days

I'm turning today into a #TBT #ThrowbackThursday because I found this photo from my first anchoring gig, back when I was the morning anchor at KTVE/KARD in my hometown of Monroe, Louisiana.

Maybe it doesn't show in this poor quality picture... but when I see this, the first thing I think of is, "I LOVE eyelashes extensions!" LOL! Standout eyelashes make your eyes really pop, especially on air or in photos.

I have tried sooo many different types of lashes, and I have my favorite styles and looks. If you have the money, I recommend that you go for a professional eyelash extension application. That's what I was wearing in this photo from a salon-- the lashes were individually applied, so they looked PHENOMENAL and they lasted for WEEKS. Worth it if you can afford it!

But if you're like me now, you're all about saving $$$, so you want the cheaper, easier and quicker version of great lashes. So here are some tips and tricks that could help you in your quest for amazing lashes:

1. Choose your preference of which lash enhancement you want to try. Whether it's cluster lashes (my personal favorites for at-home, easy application and a natural look), or even the more challenging but more dramatic and effective strip lashes,  don't be intimidated-- practice until you feel comfortable applying them. Also don't forget that you can do fiber mascara, which are not really false eyelashes but are a great "bridge" between regular mascara and false lashes.

2. Get a glue that matches-- I recommend Duo, the brand I linked to here: if you are blonde, you can get away with clear adhesive, but if you are brunette like I am, go with the dark adhesive. 

3. Instead of attempting to apply the glue directly on the lashes themselves, try putting a glob on the back of your hand or on a piece of foil on your countertop. Then drag the base of the lashes through the glue to achieve a thin, even line of adhesive. 

4. Here is the MAGIC TIP: wait at least 30 seconds for the glue to become tacky! I wish I had known that years ago. All that wasted time trying to manipulate it to stick on my lashes, haha.

5. When the glue is sufficiently sticky, use your fingers (or tweezers or an eyelash applicator if you have a steady hand) and gently rest the base of the false lashes on the base of your natural eyelashes. Try not to blink, and let it set.

6. Repeat on your other eye, and then let the glue dry completely for at least 3 minutes. The glue will disappear when it's completely dry.

7. I recommend going over the base of the false lashes (where you applied the glue) with some dark liquid eyeliner to kind of "hide" the blobs of glue. I just think it looks better.  :) 

Viola! LOVELY LASHES! 

In the below photo from one of my recent videos, I was wearing strip eyelashes. I haven't been wearing them lately in any other videos, and I think this look makes my eyes stand out WAY MORE. The difference is noticeable!

Hopefully these tips can help you-- comment below with your favorite types of lashes to wear, and why! 

Some of the benefits of working at a zoo... or, Why I Love My Job

You read it in the above "About Me" section atop this blog-- I'm currently the Media Relations Manager for the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society. Yep, we're all about animals and conserving wildlife. It's a good thing. 

I am privileged to enjoy benefits of working at a zoo, like participating in behind-the-scenes encounters, including a preview to our upcoming Capybara Encounter. I was a guinea pig to an animal that can be compared to a guinea pig! Although, technically, it's the world's largest rodent. ;) Don't be skurred, they're really cute and sweet!

Feeding the happy capy

Watch your fingers!

This Capybara Experience is likely to be offered to the public in April. I've also fed our North American black bears, stroked the fur of a sedated jaguar undergoing a teeth-cleaning, and taken a Christmas photo with an 80-year-old giant Aldabra tortoise who is missing a foot. Find out how YOU can get up-close and personal with our Zoo's animals at this link on our website.

One aspect of the job that I enjoy is working with local media, including my own former coworkers/friends from WPTV NewsChannel 5 in West Palm Beach, Florida. I got to be "Crash the Cardinal" this past weekend at the Roger Dean Stadium Zoo Day... This time, I had the fun of helping Ashley Porter with The List TV Show learn how to be a Zoo mascot! Watch the segment HERE, and yes, I have an unintentional cameo, LOL!

The List/former WPTV photographer Cody Jackson films Ashley Porter getting some love from kids

I also like giving Zoo tours to animal lovers, including the sweetest news anchor around, Ashleigh Walters. The Zoo partners with WPTV to feature a live animal in-studio every month, and Ashleigh is always so enthusiastic about the animals! Last month, she featured Wilbur the sloth, and Wilbur was a big hit! Watch the segment HERE on WPTV's website. 

With Ashleigh and the Zoo's black bear brothers, Lewis and Clark

Ashleigh also did a special report in November 2013 going behind-the-scenes with zookeepers... that was an amazing sweeps piece. You can still watch it online HERE-- it's worth the view!

Ashleigh was there tonight, as our Zoo held its sixth Food Truck Safari. We both had a yummy Cuban quesadilla from Crazydilla! It was a flavor explosion. 

My husband in the peach shirt, waiting in line to buy us some Crazydillas

Why is this photo from Crazydilla's Facebook page, and not one I snapped myself? Because I ATE IT TOO FAST! So much for my Lenten resolutions of no starches...

I admit it's hard to mess up a quesadilla, but they know how to do it RIGHT.

Check out the Food Truck Safari event photos I snapped on our Facebook album HERE. While you're at it, follow us on social media! One part of my work day is maintaining the Zoo's Palm Beach Zoo Facebook, Palm Beach Zoo Twitter, and Palm Beach Zoo Instagram. We even started a Zoo blog HERE, to which zookeepers and other staff members have been contributing.


At the Food Truck Safari, I also got to hang out with my friend Carli Segelson, who works for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. We're snorkeling buddies-- she's about the only person I know who is as addicted as I am to snorkeling. Almost every time we go, Carli is with us. Hey, somebody's gotta bring the snorkel flag! ;) 

My husband Nathan, me, and Carli at the Food Truck Safari

Last, but not least, I'll leave you with this photo that proves: You don't need to take a selfie, you just need to teach a stranger how to use your camera... but beware the awkward photos which come from the learning curve.