Yesterday on Twitter, the hashtag #101HispanicWaystoDie was trending and full of tweets poking fun at Latino culture. My friend Tracy alerted me to the hashtag and also wrote about it, and how she contributed with her own light-hearted tweets. Her Vicks VapoRub tweet brought back memories and had me laughing.

But, something I noticed as I initially took a peek at the hashtag and scrolled through the tweets, was the abundant commentary about Black people. It was something Tracy and I discussed a bit after reading various tweets. As Tracy mentioned in her post, one girl wrote “say you’re going out with a moreno” and countless more retweeted and favorited her tweet. Other similar tweets included, “Bringing a Black boyfriend home,” and “Changing your parents music in the car to ‘musica de negros’.” It seems that whether in English, Spanish, or even Spanglish, and regardless of the terminology (Black, moreno, negro), the sentiment of many was the same: their parents were not accepting of Black people or culture – or at least they felt this was true.

Now admittedly, many of the tweets came from young people (teens even?), judging solely by the tiny Twitter avatar. I know young kids can be overly dramatic, but were their words a sign of something bigger in Latino culture – something we should really discuss as a community?

I’ll be super honest and share that growing up, I did observe some of this behavior. Sadly, I heard comments similar to those tweeted and that included phrases like “esos morenos,” always from the older generation. It never sat right with me, even at a young age when I didn’t truly understand.

I’ve always wondered why comments and feelings like that existed, but then I would be called “negra linda” and complimented on my beautiful trigueño skin color. It didn’t, and still doesn’t, make sense. Of course, this was all part of my personal experience growing up. I cannot say this is a general occurrence in Latino culture, but do feel it’s worth exploring. Clearly, many in the newer generation still feel it’s a problem, even if they were jokingly tweeting out their feelings of #101HispanicWaystoDie.

Photo: John Steven Fernandez/Flickr

When I was asked to join the Check-in for Checkups program as a social activist, I was highly intrigued by the mission of the campaign. The goal of Check-in for Checkups is to help the Children’s Health Fund provide health checkups to children in need. This is being accomplished through a partnership with Clorox where for every healthy habit shared on checkinforcheckups.com by folks across the U.S., Clorox is donating $.10 to the Children’s Health Fund, up to $100,000. This means that if they reach their goal of 1 million check-ins this summer (that’s $100,000 donated), then half a million checkups can be provided to children who need them. How very cool, don’t you think?

To help raise awareness of the Check-in for Checkups campaign, I’ll be hosting a Twitter Party next week, along with Clorox and the Children’s Health Fund. Our discussion will focus on healthy habits and you’ll have a chance to learn more about how you can help the Check-in for Checkups program just by sharing your healthy habits. During the chat, we’ll also be debuting the first Check-in for Checkups video from Bethenny Frankel, “Random Acts of Wellness.” Plus, there will be giveaways, including autographed copies of Bethenny’s book A Place of Yes and Clorox prize packs.

I hope you’ll be able to join me next week for this Twitter party as I think it’s such a great cause and I’m excited to be a part of it. Here are the details so you can make sure to add it to your calendar.

What: Clorox “Check-in for Checkups” Twitter Party
Date: Thursday, August 11, 2010
Time: 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
Where: On Twitter via #checkinforcheckups
RSVP on Facebook (not required to attend)

See you there!

Disclosure: I am currently working on a compensated campaign with The Clorox Company for the Check-in for Checkups program that benefits the Children’s Health Fund.

If you’re a blogger and user of other social media applications, you know that it can sometimes be hard to keep up with everything. You’ve got blog posts to write, PR emails to answer, comments to keep up with, and a social media presence that needs to be constantly updated. Add all that to your day job or freelance/client work, plus your family and household responsibilities, and it’s a wonder you’re able to do anything!

In order to try to alleviate some aspects of this busy life, I use my smart phone. Of course, my phone can’t clean the house or cook dinner, but it can help me organize some details of our household and allows me to stay up to date with various social media accounts. Let’s dive right into how this works for me.

Image from Volker on Mobile

How to Use your Smart Phone to Increase Productivity

Using the Memos or Notes Feature

I use this feature to jot down quick notes as I’m out and about. For example, I could be in the store or in the car and get an idea for a blog post, so I’ll quickly note it in my “blog post ideas” memo. Some other memos that I constantly have in my phone and update as needed:

• Grocery List – If I notice we’re out of something, I add it to the list so I can later reference it when planning a weekly dinner menu or preparing to go to the store.
• Music to Download – Sometimes I hear a new song on the radio that I like, but know that I won’t remember it later. I write down the name and artist for downloading on iTunes later.

Calendar

Unfortunately, my Palm Treo does not have the capability of syncing its calendar with the Google calendar. However, if I’m not in front of my computer or not at home, I can quickly add an item to my phone’s calendar and later add it to my Google calendar. I also use the reminder feature on my Google calendar to send myself text message reminders of important events.

Those of you who have phones that allow for syncing these calendars, can constantly keep up to date with your agendas since you’ll always have your calendar on either your phone or on the computer. I’m a little jealous. {ahem} Moving on…

Tasks/To-do List

There are actual to-do list applications for some phones; others simply call it a task list. You can add an item you remembered you have to do and even assign a due date and set a reminder. Sometimes, though, I just use my memos function to write up a quick list of things I want to achieve on a particular day. It’s a bit old-school, but it works for me.

Image from Artillery Unit Blog

Email on your Mobile Phone

Of course, email is one of those features that allows you to easily stay connected. You can quickly send out an email to a friend if you’re at the doctor’s office or waiting in the car. Or you can easily respond to a PR email to let them know you’re interested in the opportunity – or not. Sometimes, I just go through and clear out the “junk” type emails so that when I sit down at a computer to actually answer my emails, there are less to go through in my inbox.

Social Media Maintenance

This is probably what I use my smart phone for the most. I’ve found that I can keep up with my social media presence much better by using the phone throughout the day to fill in those gaps when I’m not near a computer. I’ve often received comments from others about how I manage to “be everywhere” and regularly update my social media profiles. How do I do this?

• Text Messages – I can easily send a text message to update my Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn status. I use other tools as well to update multiple accounts at the same time – all via one text message. It keeps my profiles up to date and maintains a live social media presence.

• Web Browser – I check in on Twitter and Facebook by using their mobile sites. This is another area where my Palm Treo lacks in functionality, since I cannot easily respond to replies on Twitter. It’s not impossible, but it’s a little annoying as there are a few steps I have to take. That said, I can still respond to comments on both sites if I feel it’s time-sensitive and can’t wait until later.

If you don’t already have a smart phone, I suggest you buy one. Some people feel it complicates their lives even more. But, I think if you use it effectively and in moderation, it can actually enhance some aspects of your life and help keep you organized.

If you have one, what are some of your favorite ways to use your smart phone? Do you use one feature more than others?

After posting 21 People You Should Follow on Twitter, I’ve connected with many more people in the last two months. A lot of them are moms.

That got me thinking that there are people out there who specifically want to connect with moms.

Moms are great to connect with on twitter. They often provide really useful tips and retweet information they find interesting. Moms can be great advocates for you, your product, or service.

So, how do you find moms on twitter?

I know of five quick and easy ways:

1. Look through Wendy Piersall’s (@emom) Ultimate List of Moms on Twitter. The list started off innocently enough and includes many more moms listed in the comments section.
2. Join the twitter moms social network and connect with plenty of moms who have already joined. Myself included.
3. Search for the keyword mom on twitter. Or any other mami-related keyword(s) you want to use.
4. Join the Moms on Twitter group at the Mom Bloggers Club social network. The group currently has almost 700 members. That’s a lot of moms!
5. Participate in twitter parties that are often attended by moms on twitter. You will connect with plenty of party participants in a short amount of time. I know of two popular party groups:
   • Site warming parties hosted by Resourceful Mommy
   • Girl’s Night Out (GNO) hosted by Mom It Forward

How else have you connected with moms on twitter? I’d love to hear your tips in the comments.

P.S. Follow me on twitter! I’m a mom too.

I’ve been on twitter for about a year now and have made connections with some pretty cool, but more importantly, very knowledgeable folks.

Here is my personal list of people I think you should definitely follow on twitter. They offer great information, tips, and support. A lot of these folks can be found re-tweeting information from others, including promoting blog posts, contests, or just people in general. Some are willing to help you out if you have a question. But, the best part is, that they’re really nice.

In no particular order:

1. @JessicaKnows of jessicaknows.com
2. @KatjaPresnal of skimbacolifestyle.com
3. @raelee of rtvwonline.com
4. @problogger of problogger.net
5. @ResourcefulMom of resourcefulmommy.com
6. @twittermoms founder of twittermoms.com
7. @emom of sparkplugging.com
8. @simplemom of simplemom.net
9. @geekmommy of geekmommy.net
10. @chrisbrogan of chrisbrogan.com
11. @ForeverAlways of faevent.com

Latinos on Twitter

I have to set aside a special little section for my fellow Latino twitter users. I haven’t found many of us on there.

1. @lymari of besitosdecoco.com – she also manages PR for her sons’ perfume company via @maolilove
2. @mamitamala of mamitamala.com
3. @FashionGrail of fashiongrail.com
4. @gabopagan of gabopagan.blogspot.com
5. @JaiMami of mamistimeout.com
6. @JamiMiami of jamireyesco.com
7. @urbanjibaro of sofritoforyoursoul.com
8. @MamaHeartsBaby of mamaheartsbaby.wordpress.com
9. @DrMommy of drmommywrites.com
10. @lazybreeze of lazybreezejewelry.etsy.com
11. Bonus: I may be biased, but I think you should follow me too! @modernmami of modernmami.com

Who would you add to the list? Feel free to add their twitter IDs in the comments below.

I was honored and surprised to find myself on the Top 20 Twitterers List in Orlando posted by Etan Horowitz of the Orlando Sentinel. When posted, I was in the Top 10 and believe I still am as of today. The list was not created by Etan, but is done by Twitterholic.com.

I also was included in the Top 10 Twitter Elite in Orlando, FL list created by Twitter Grader.

What does this all mean?

Well, it means that ModernMami.com is getting some publicity. As Susan Payton, the Marketing Eggspert, explains in her post, “First of all, it is GREAT when you can make any list at all…It’s free publicity.”

Just like Susan, I’m planning on going through the lists to find more local folks to connect with. As I build my network, others will find me either by reciprocating my follow or by finding me through the lists themselves.

I guess all that time spent on Twitter is actually paying off.

Have you found Twitter to be an useful tool for building your network?

I hope to hear all about it in the comments. And, don’t forget to connect with me on Twitter!

I went to my first tweet-up on Friday night. I was hesitant to go since it was at 10:30 pm and though I’d like to think I’m still a partying, clubbing kinda girl, truth is, that being a mami makes 10:30 my bed-time. Plus you know, there’s the whole I have a daughter thing.

But, there were some big names attending. I saw a tweet late Thursday night (can’t remember from who) that there was a tweet-up scheduled and that Chris Brogan, Wendy Piersall, Brian Clark, Ted Murphy, and Jeremy Shoemaker were all going to be in Orlando. That would be @chrisbrogan, @emom, @copyblogger, @tedmurphy, and @shoemoney in twitter-speak.

Why where they all in Orlando on the same night?

After asking around a bit on Twitter, I found out they were here for an IZEA Blogger Advisory Board Meeting.

So I start thinking…

I want to meet eMom!

I’ve never really seen a tweet-up in Orlando been done.

How often would all these folks be together at the same time and ummm around the corner from me?

I put all my hesitation aside and decided to go.

The result?

Wendy, Susan, and me
Photo via Wendy

I ended up meeting Susan Payton, who was super nice and offered for us to ride together. She already knew Wendy from writing on her Sparkplugging network. Wendy greeted me with a hug, not a handshake. Great, isn’t it?

I also got a chance to talk with Chris Brogan who made me laugh when he said that Orlando is “a cultural vacuum cleaner.” I told him I am Puerto Rican, so I guess I proved his point. He later asked me on twitter if that was rude.

All in all, it was a great time and I’m glad I went. I know I could have done better in talking about ModernMami.com, but I guess I was a little nervous. But, hopefully my face/name will be remembered a bit.

Do you have any tweet-up experiences to share? I’d love to hear about them in the comments.