all about S T O R Y B O A R D I N G

Storyboarding is becoming increasingly popular in the work place today. In case you are unaware of the storyboarding process, it is a graphic organizer in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence (wikepedia definition). It is a great way to get ideas onto paper and easily allows the artist to move sequences around and not be stuck to one specific order.

Below is an example of a storyboard I put together with a group for my Consumer Behavior class. This is an example of a finished product that is ready to present.

Storyboarding is a great way to get rough and ugly (this is good in brainstorming) ideas down on paper and visualize what is going on. It allows your mind to see what is going on and make adjustments accordingly. We also found that there were pieces missing once we looked at the story as a whole and were easily able to add another block showing what we wanted. 

Each storyboard has a different number of scenes depending on the length and detail of the story you are trying to depict. I found this technique to be very helpful, as I am a very visual person and I like seeing things in chronological order to put everything together in my mind. If you have never tried this technique of brainstorming, I highly recommend it. You never know what might come of your little story on a few pieces of paper!

Source for definition:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storyboard

reasons to ask W H Y, rather than what

As humans, we are often afraid to ask the daunting question "Why?" Asking this question can be quite vulnerable, as it implies that we do not know the answer to something. So often we believe it makes us seem unintelligent to not know the answer to something, when in reality it takes a lot of courage and intelligence to question something. Rather than accepting everything as it is, we need to beccome better about digging to find the answer to something.

The two most influential teachers I have had in my life (one in high school, one in college) both always asked me why. They did not just tell me the answer to something I did not know, they questioned everything, inluding what I was asking them about. They challenged and pushed me to dig deeper than I would have on my own and sometimes this was the last thing I wanted. I would get angry and frusturated, thinking they are the teacher and they should just tell me the answer and then I will know it. Rather than giving in to me, they always pushed me to discover the answer myself. Looking back at both of these teachers, I am so thankful for the skills they taught me, not just the information.

No influential leader whether it be a boss, teacher, role model, or parent, just gives in and tells the answer. They make you look for an answer, rather than giving you an answer. These are the kinds of leaders that truly make a difference in people's lives.


The Power of Asking 'Why?' article:
http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/18393/power-of-asking-'why'-how-it-makes-employees-think-grow

the E V O L U T I O N of buying music

To buy music one used to have to physical go to the record store, purchase a record, take it home and listen to it on their record player. The right way to listen to the record was to listen to the entire thing from front to back - similar to reading a book. Buying a single song was not even an option, you simply bought the entire album.

Next came the compact cassette in 1963. This introduced a whole new phenomenon - people could now listen to their music in the car or on the go. This also started the ever so trendy shoulder boombox fad where all of the cool kids carried their music around on their shoulder, blowing out their eardrums.

After the cassette came the compact disc. It was like a mini record that could be played anywhere at any time. It produced the most crisp clear sound anyone had heard before, and for the first time in history, you could simply skip a song. You could choose whatever song you wanted to listen to without having to guess where you were at like with records or cassettes. The CD really changed the way people listened to their music.

MP3 players were next in line to make an appearance. Now multiple albums could be stored onto one small portable musical device. This allowed people to listen to more than one artist in one outting, and be able to skip around between artists or albums as much as they wanted. MP3 players have now evolved into the ever so popular iPod.

Music nowadays is purchased mostly online, through iTunes or other similar music apps. Consumers can buy one song at a time or an entire album. Spotify, Rhapsody, and Apple Music allow people to pay a yearly fee for unlimited access to any music they want. The world of purchasing and listening music has change an increadible amount over the last century, and it is only going to continue.

S W A R M app

Swarm is a fairly new app that allows you to "check in" to any store/location you go to, and see others who have checked in at the same location. Not only does it allow you to see and manage your own check-ins, you can see where exactly your friends have checked in or are currently at right now. 

The picture above shows how the check in process works. When you walk into a store or some other location you click the check in button in the top right-hand corner of the screen and an option will pop up to leave a comment about the location - or you can choose to just click "check in" and it will move you through to the next page. Here you have the option to save the check in to refer back to it later. 

You can see who your friends are and compete with them for the highest number of check ins. You can also send messages regarding a location such as the example above. This allows you to communicate directly from the app, rather than having to send a separate message. The app also provides you with advertisements related to the places you check in, so you can see what else is out there!

What do you think, will this be the next big app for staying connected to friends? Would you personally use it?

T R A V E L G U I D E: the Lake Tahoe hit list

Most people probably have their favorite travel destination. That place where they love everything - the people, the food, the shops, the adventures to partake in, and anything else. That place for me is Lake Tahoe California.

Standing on top of Mt. Tallac, South Lake Tahoe

The following is a summer travel guide to my favorite place on earth.

Must-Do Activities:

1. Hike Mt. Tallac to get a wonderful view of the entire lake and surrounding mountain ranges. This is a 9.5 mile round trip hike with an elevation gain of 3,500 feet. It is best to start early in the morning as it can get quite hot as you climb higher in elevation.

2. Rent jet skis and/or a boat to spend a day on the water. Well worth the money and time to get out to the center of the second deepest lake in the United States at 1,645 feet in the deepest part.

3. Ride the gondola at Heavenly Ski Resort on the South shore to partake in the built in ropes course tucked away at the top of the mountain.

4. Ride bikes along the paved bike path on the South shore of the lake. It winds through the trees to provide good shade cover for an enjoyable ride the whole family can do. Don't forget to stop at the ice cream shop along the way for some of the best ice cream you have ever tasted.

5. Spend an afternoon at the beach of course. I recommend The Pines or any other beach along the South shore as they are not as crowded and touristy as the North shore beaches. Don't forget to lather up in sunscreen as the high elevation is the perfect climate for a nice sunburn. 

The North Shore - crowded beach

Must-Eats:

1. Steamers on the South shore for wonderful tacos.

2. My Thai Quisine - authentic Thai food that is to die for! Top off your meal with a Thai Iced Tea.

3. The Beacon Bar and Grill at Camp Richardson on the South shore - great lakeside view and great food.

These are my top recommendations for visit to the South shore of Lake Tahoe! Rather than reading TripAdvisor next time you plan a vacation, come to my blog to get the best recommendations of things to do and places to eat.

C O M P E L L I N G spaces

Have you ever analyzed the space in your home? What you like and don't like about it? Where you go to do work, to relax? Do you even like the feeling your home promotes or does it make you agitated or depressed? The spaces around us are so important to our everyday life, and we often don't even realize what they are.

I have done a lot to my house to make it a home - I have created spaces for work and spaces for play. I was analyzing my home and I realized I even have a certain couch I sit on when I am doing work and a different space on a different couch for watching movies or reading. I work really well at a certain spot at my kitchen table in the early hours of the day, however if I try and work there later in the day, my productivity level is next to none. I like to keep my bedroom as a place of solitude and rest. I have created a "yoga corner" for myself where I have a tapestry, unique lights, and my yoga mat. I would never even dream of doing work in this sacred space, as it is not the place I have dedicated for it.

I think it is important to make different spaces for ourselves. It personally keeps my mind clear and I know what I should be doing when I am in my various spaces. It is interesting to notice the places you have subconciously dedicated for certain activites - I think it is instinctual to do so. So next time you are in your home, give it a try - notice all of the places you have labeled without even realizing it. You probably already have some of these places and if you find you don't, give it a try!

food S A M P L E S: a love/hate relationship

I just returned from a trip to Costco - everyone's favorite shopping place. Costco actually makes grocery shopping fun! If you are a little bit hungy while you are shopping, no problem! Swing by a few sample booths. You never would have bought that pesto sauce, but since you tried it you know it is delicious and it will go with everything! With all of those tasty samples spread around the store and a great deal on everything you buy, what's not to love?

Studys have shown the Costco itself loves the samples just as much as you do; samples can boost sales as much as 2,000%. It makes total sense as to why they spend the time and resources to distribute sample food items throughout the entire store. When customers are able to try an item, they may just discover that what seemed like a really weird food and one they would not typically buy to be their new favorite dinner, snack or drink.

The chart below shoes the percentage of people that purchased the item being sampled after trying it themselves. 

I myself, and many other shoppers I see, go into a store with shopping list in hand and plan to stick to that list. However, when there are surprise items around every corner that make your tastebuds water, it is much easier to throw a couple extra items in your cart. It's pretty simple to turn something down if you have never actually tasted it and don't know what you are missing out on. But when you do get to try it and you know it's wonderful, saying yes becomes natural.

Costco plays a huge psychological role when it comes to drawing in their customers. They know just what it takes to get consumers to make a new purchase that will eventually develop into a habit. I don't know if anyone can deny it; Costco is the best. And they know it.

Statistics and information were gathered from the following website:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/10/the-psychology-behind-costcos-free-samples/380969/