Krist Eclectic

I’ve found my happy medium in the often narcissistic world of social media.

I liken it to cars.
I love travel. For me, a car is always going to be a tool that gets me from Point A to Point B. There are cars I like more than others. Some are pleasing to look at, some are comfortable to settle in for a long drive, some are economical, some have features that are cool and useful, but essentially it’s just a tool that helps me get done what I want to get done.
There are people who are WAY into cars and can tell you every last minute detail of them. Turning a car into a kind of science. There’s those who mod cars and make them an art, a way to express themselves. There are people who use them as a… substitute. For areas in which they are lacking. A flashy car will vicariously make them cool. If they get the brightest or loudest or most expensive, they are better than the rest. But they’re really only impressing the other people who are shallow enough to think the same way. The rest bite their tongue in politeness.

I love people. I love talking and interacting and listening and learning. All of these social media sites are tools in my box to help me get that done. I CAN’T use these sites to be me Me ME. It’s not who I am. I can’t be one of those people who is evangelizing themselves. I would be a fake. But I love helping others. And some of these sites are darned handy. I *get* Twitter now. I hate writing cover letters, they’re about me. But I love to talk about Stuff and GoingOns.
I’ve moved beyond the compensating-for-their-shortcomings people who brought me into the field of social media. Being surrounded by “flashy car people” made me hate cars! With some breathing room, my own research and growth, I know I’m capable of being personable and friendly and evangelize a product or service without turning it into in your face Me-ness. “Product brought to you by Krist Eclectic’s Personal Brand!” I’m sorry. I’m just not that amazing.
And I’m sure there’s others like me out there. Others who love the information sharing but are turned off by the Look How Awesome I Am. I think The MBTI Blog is a great example. Breanne is awesome and friendly and likable. Her blog is about what she’s passionate about. And it’s not herself! You get to know her without it being shoved down your throat. I love reading it. If she recommends something, I’m going to check it out. I think she’s awesome despite her not constantly telling me how awesome she is.

In the same vein, I can’t be an Evangelist for Hire. If I don’t believe in your product and ideas, I’m not good enough of an actress to fake it.
I haven’t been plastering my resume as much as a laid off person possibly should. There’s quite a few Community Management jobs out there right now and I’ve selected just a few.
Whether they hire me or not, I’m excited about Blellow. Networking and Coworking for freelancers. Check out their design in their blog. Organized, simple, easy on the eyes without being boring. A design that makes sense. I’ll see you on their forums in February.
Also applied for a position with the Army. Social media for the troops. How cool is that? You know they have some interesting things to say. They already feel such a connection to each other it only makes sense. I’d just have to learn to rein in my mouth.
I got a very nice and unexpected offer from a blog on my Smarter Than Me list. I love reading them, but I’m sooo not qualified to write for them. I’d rather turn it down than try to fake it and eventually flake out.

In personal projects, I’m just waiting on my wireless adapter to get here and then I’ll have some How To vbull videos in the works. Their control panel can be confusing to navigate. I want to show new mods a KISS way to get stuff done.
Please forgive me that it will be a ‘How To’ and not a ‘Krist Eclectic Shows You How To!’

Tags: personal growth, social media