Fascinating article about Dennis Crowley, co-founder of FourSquare - the popular location sharing iPhone/smartphone app.

“Crowley sees these video-game-style rewards as reason enough for Foursquare users to make more effort to explore the real world — and, in the process, to have more fun with their daily lives.”

CNN does a great job explaining the app for those who are unfamiliar, and provides a fascinating profile of Crowley, using FourSquare lingo to propel the article. Check it out, and sign up today! :)

(Thanks, Allison, for sharing!)

I became a FourSquare user on September 11, 2009, while visiting Austin for my interview for my current fantastic job at The University of Texas at Austin. My friend Tim had integrated his Twitter account with FourSquare, and introduced me virally to the location-sharing concept, which didn’t seem to have a large following at the time. Miami and Austin happened to be two of the fifteen cities allowing check-ins, so I continued the ‘game’ upon returning home - but it didn’t get interesting until I moved to Austin.

In March, FourSquare introduced an enhanced (and MUCH better) iPhone App during SXSWi in Austin, and the game exploded as thousands of people converged in Austin for the conference. This (older) article from Mashable highlights the reasons why I support location-sharing (within reason, and with considerable consideration for safety and privacy). I particularly like number five, as it relates to higher education.

Enjoy!

This post is part of the Blog Tour for Richard Dedor’s new book, Anything is Possible. Want to learn more about Richard?  Visit his blog, Finding Focus & follow him on Twitter to keep in touch!

Writing this book, Anything is Possible has been an inspiring trek for myself and those who worked on this project with me. My three wonderful editors have (at least I hope they have) been inspired by not only my work and vision, but by their involvement in shaping the final product. The journey was long and even painful at times, but in the end, we arrived at something I believe can change your life. But first… what does it mean to be inspired?

I sat down for coffee with one of my editors about a month ago in Des Moines, Iowa. Karith was my tenth grade English teacher, and the woman who first got me involved in competitive speech. She will always be Mrs. Humpal to me. It was Karith who pushed me to join the team, and ultimately earn All-State honors my first year out. I tend to believe she saw something in me, and through my success, my classmates saw something as well. The following year our team nearly doubled in size. Did I inspire that? Maybe.

As I pulled out a proof copy of the book, I saw Karith holding back her tears. She was so excited. I am sure it is how I looked when I got my first copy in the mail. A year of my life in 170 pages. My heart and soul on the pages; words that I hope will inspire change in your life, just as they have mine.

A recent inspirational quote from JBrady’s Qwotable Twitter feed reads, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” -John Quincy Adams

Holding the book in one hand, Karith reached over and patted my knee, and I could see the pride in her eyes. What was once one of her students is now a published author. I guess that means that anything is possible!

Certainly you have it in you to do one of the four tasks Adams mentioned. Dream. Learn. Do. Become.

This journey of writing and publishing this book has shown me that anything really is possible. It has proven that if you dream, if you are honest and hard-working, good things can happen.

To be inspired means to be moved by something so you take action. You do something. You work to achieve something – anything. It’s simple, but life changing. Each and every one of you has it. I believe it to my very core.

If you dream, if you learn, if you do, if you become, you will inspire.

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Want to win a FREE copy of Richard Dedor’s book, Anything is Possible? Send your name, email address, and favorite motivational quote my way via email. Two lucky winners will receive one copy of Anything is Possible!

UPDATE: Congratulations Carly Wells and Kyle Matthews, recipients of the Critically Acclaimed Anything is Possible book giveaway!

Celebritweets Theatre: The Stories Behind the Tweets

WonderWall recently started hosting a fantastic series of animated shorts by KCSCougar that create mini-stories based on individual celebrity Twitter posts - and they are hysterical!

After reviewing a handful of videos, this Lady Gaga video is my current favorite. Enjoy!

Mashable is one of my favorite sites, and I often find fantastic articles on social media by following their Twitter feed.

In this article, Mashable breaks down the top 700+ iPhone Apps reviewed on their site over the past year into several categories. I will definitely be checking out many of these apps over the next month!

Check out this article about the various diverse Greek-letter organizations at Florida International University (my former employer), and others around South Florida! Great press for some good student groups!

Thanks to my friend, Steve Rothaus, for sharing this positive news on his Gay South Florida Miami Herald blog.

“We have nothing to fear from commitment and love.”

New York State Senator Diane Savino speaks out in support of marriage equality on December 2, 2009. Thanks to Jason Mraz for posting this intelligent, inspiring, and thoughtful video on Twitter this afternoon!

I love Twitter. I find all sorts of fantastic people to follow by browsing through friends’ followers, and I end up stumbling across a handful of fantastic bloggers, authors, and all-around inspiring people.

In my efforts to find something inspirational about goal setting (after a fabulous catch-up conversation with one of my best friends, @JLively), I found this fantastic blog from back home discussing the power excuses play in preventing us from achieving our goals. Blogger and Certified Fitness Trainer Dennis Blair writes about the 55 IFs as identified by author Napoleon Hill in his book, Think and Grow Rich - statements that all-too-often are used as excuses. A few notable IFs, include:

IF I only had time…
IF conditions around me were different…
IF I could meet “the right people”…
IF I only knew how…

Check out the rest of the list at Core Fitness and Nutrition’s website. As I read through the list, I noticed a few I could relate to. Do you relate to any of the IFs listed? What’s preventing you from reaching your goals?

Whether you’re setting resolutions for 2010, or simply struggling with finding the motivation you need to succeed, I hope reflecting on these IFs helps you identify and remove any road blocks as you get started!

Please read this compelling argument supporting gay marriage, and consider the five reasons the author claims the Constitution supports marriage equality. Definitely worth your time!

Thanks to my friend Richard Dedor for tweeting a link to this outstanding article in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

October 30, 2009 - Starbucks announced via Twitter a plan to consolidate their customer rewards programs, eliminating the annual fee component of the Starbucks Gold Card and providing what appears to be stronger loyalty rewards through their new three-tiered program.

Original Gold Card members will continue to receive their membership benefits until December 31, 2009 or until the membership expires - whichever lasts longer. This means I will continue to get my 10 percent discount off of every Starbucks purchase for a month-and-a-half after my card was originally set to expire. Thanks, Starbucks!

During the Fall 2008 semester, I discussed my addiction to Starbucks with my First Year Experience classes, giving them a tangible (and personal) example of an area where I could improve my finances. In the lesson about financial health, I shared that I learned from mint.com that my all-too-regular lattes made Starbucks my most frequented business. I had three outstanding students with whom I became close in my First Year Experience course, who purchased a Gold Card in my name as a fantastically fitting gesture of their appreciation, telling me that the use of the card would let me continue my trips and help ease some of my guilt. (Thank you Darien, Kelley, and Monica!)

Come to think of it, I don’t really know of the three of them even realize how much more money I’ve probably spent because of the rewards I’m getting, but I’m sure Starbucks is thrilled. At least now I don’t have to renew the membership. :o)

Full details about the program here: Starbucks Consolidates Card Programs for Easier, More Rewarding Loyalty Program

(Photo courtesy of Words About Things)

About Starbucks
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at www.starbucks.com. (from article)