Why I learned this photo editing technique

Until last week, this was the image for the Personal Change blog:

 

Recently, I decided to "jazz up" the banner by using photos, including an image of me.  I was inspired from other business-related blogs that I read.  As you can see, this is now the header:

In today's post, I thought I would share the technique used to overlay the picture of me over the background.  Although the video and examples below use a different background picture, the technique is the same.

Step 1:  Select pictures to combine.

Step 2: Open the Pixlr photo editor.

Other photo editors that have similar capabilities to Adobe Photoshop will will also work.  For some of my banner editing, I used the PS Touch app (Adobe) on my iPad.

Step 3: Insert the background as Layer 1.  

Because I store images on Flickr, I selected Open Layer from URL and pasted online location of the image.

Step 4: Add a second layer.

This is where you will add the second (foreground) picture - where erasing the background occurs.

Step 5: Select the wand tool.

Click on the area you want to make transparent (in my example, the white part of the image).

Step 6: Click on Edit and Cut.

This should delete the background of the top image.

Step 7: Adjust the foreground image.

Step 8: Save your new image!

If you found this post helpful, please comment below and share on Facebook.  Douglas G Pratt

Tips from a Blogging Master

I received an invitation to join a webinar on blogging from a "master blogger."  Ray Higdon has been blogging for several years and has millions of hits to his blog each month.  One of the reasons Ray blogs is to generate interest in his network marketing business.  People find value from the blog and inquire about his business.

OBSTACLES

For many people, blogging presents some challenges or roadblocks that they cannot overcome.

1. Technology.  If you are not comfortable with the technology, outsource the work.  However, if you can send an e-mail, you have the day-to-day skills necessary for blogging.
2. No voice.  Many ask, "Why would someone listen to me?"  The answer is that every voice contributes a perspective, and in your sphere of influence, you may impact others.
3. Content.  This was Ray's aha moment for me.  Take notes whenever you attend a webinar or seminar, read a book, or watch an instruction video.  Transfer these notes into a blog post.  As I am doing here, you can give credit where credit is due:  "Last night, I was on a call with _____, and he said ...."  How easy is that?

TIPS

Ray provided four tips to start blogging.

1. Blog what you learn.
2. Focus on the problem that your audience may have.  If you have a solution, someone will be interested.
3. Keep it simple.
4. Continue other types of business outreach.  Blogging may eventually be the best way to find prospects, but it can take a while for your influence to spread via social media and Internet searches.

 PROCESS

• Attend training, take notes, create a blog post.
• Paste the link on social media and ask others to do the same.
• Build a following, a little at a time.

If you found this post helpful, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented below and shared on Facebook.

Shortest Saint Patrick's Day Parade

Recently, my wife and I relocated to Hot Springs, Arkansas.  Hot Springs has a storied history that includes gangsters (including Al Capone) from Chicago, one of the oldest race track in the United States, and beautiful scenic lakes.  We are still exploring the city and learning about the variety of entertainment and outdoor possibilities that now surround us.

Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade
As St. Patrick's Day approached two days ago, my wife and I did not have any plans.  However, early in the day, I spoke with an associate in Little Rock, Arkansas who told me the annual Hot Springs St. Patrick's Day parade.  "It is the shortest parade in the United States," she said.  Curious, I did a quick Internet search and found the official website for the World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Two roads converge in the downtown area of Hot Springs.  The connector between the roads, Bridge Avenue, is only about 100 feet in length.  This bridge is considered the official parade route.  Of course, parade floats have to enter and exit the bridge, so in reality, the parade route is longer than 100 feet.

I told my wife, "We've got to go to this!"  While she did not share my excitement - partly because parades in our previous small town were usually not impressive - she consented to go.  The official parade starter was Mountain Man from the Duck Dynasty television show. 

Shortest ... and slowest
Rather than a continuous stream of parade floats, marching bands, and kilt-wearing "Irishmen," the floats paraded in fits and starts.  One float would come by followed by 5-10 minutes of delay before the next float.  After about 30 minutes, we departed, having satisfied my curiosity.

After we returned home, I thought about the parade and how it could have been improved.  I am not a parade organizer, but I know what I like and those around me - who complained that last year's parade was so much better - like.

1. Keep a steady pace.  The reason that circuses typically feature three rings is so that there is always action.  While Ring 1 is performing, Ring 2 is getting ready.  While we were at the end of the parade route, I'm pretty sure that the staging on the front end must have been confused for the delays we encountered. 
2. Stay true to the requirements.  In my opinion, the most successful parades (Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Rose Bowl Parade) have several marching bands from high schools and colleges (actually playing, not just holding their instruments), baton twirlers, and performers providing entertainment.  These "requirements" for a successful parade would have greatly improved the success of the Hot Springs St. Patrick's Day Parade.
3. Stay consistent from year to year.  The ability to reproduce a successful experience is key.  Several people around me complained that the pace was much slower than last year.  If people know that an entertainment experience will be good (think Broadway play) there is a great chance they'll return.

Parades and presentations
As I thought about these tips for a better parade, I realized that these also apply to conducting business presentations.

• If a presentation lags, attendees will quickly reach for their cell phones.  
• Understanding the purpose of the presentation will help keep you focused.
• Continually improving your ability to present will create a reputation - whether you are presenting to office workers, virtually, or to thousands of people.

I hope that you will keep these tips in mind, whether you are planning a parade or a presentation.

Noah's Flood - Bible vs Hollywood

BIBLICAL NARRATIVE
The Biblical story of Noah and the flood can be found in Genesis, chapters 6-8.  An inspired account with more detail can be viewed at the site of Ellen White, the author of Patriarchs & Prophets, which includes two chapters on Noah and the flood. 

HOLLYWOOD NARRATIVE
These are in contrast to the upcoming movie by Paramount entitled Noah.  The trailer is below.

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CONTROVERSY
The movie is scheduled for release in the United States at the end of March, 2014.  Already, Noah has been banned in several Islamic countries because of the portrayal of a prophet, something apparently forbidden in Islamic law.

In Mexico, where the movie has already been released, crowds who attended did not heartily embrace the film.  According to news reports, many viewers did not appreciate the artistic license taken by the movie's production team.

PERSPECTIVE
One thing to keep in mind is that Hollywood movies are designed for only one purpose:  to entertain.  Any facts not contributing to entertainment are simply ignored or rewritten.  Hollywood studios have a long history of "tweaking" Biblical narrative.  Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Ten Commandments (all versions), and even the more recent History channel series on the Bible, made artistic decisions clearly not aligned with the source material.

If you choose to see Noah, remember that it is only based on the "essence" of the story of Noah.  Paramount even released a statement addressing concerns of some Christian groups.  Before attending the movie, visit the two links in the "Biblical Narrative" section of this post.

Travel tips from a frequent flyer

San Francisco, Ft. Lauderdale, Phoenix, Orlando, Albuquerque, Tampa, Minneapolis. These are among the many U.S. cities I have traveled to in the past couple of years. Additionally, I traveled to South Korea with my family. When I began traveling I was truly a novice and stumbled my way through all of the various activities related to flying: checking in, getting through security, and flying. However, after logging thousands of miles to a variety of locations, I have learned how to travel as efficiently as possible.

In this post, you will find my tips for checking in and preparation on your day of travel.

Check in online 24-hours in advance. Most airlines permit you to log on to the respective airline website and use your flight identification number to check in 24-hours in advance of your flight. The websites are exact on the time, so that if you check in 24 hours and one minute before your flight you won't be able to check in. Checking in T-24 hours is essential if you are using Southwest Airlines as your carrier because seat assignments are prioritized based on when you check in.

Get your boarding passes. After checking in online, you can choose to print your boarding passes, have them e-mailed to you for printing, or use an electronic boarding pass (e-boarding pass) using your smart phone. Showing a PDF or e-mail version of the boarding pass is different than an e-boarding pass. The e-boarding pass looks similar to a QR code, the square code with three smaller squares in the corners.

Look for the baggage-only line. Frequently, airlines have a waiting line for people to check in, people who need to make changes, and a line for those who already have boarding passes and just need to drop off bags. If you are not taking your luggage as carry on, be sure to look for the baggage drop line. There won't always be one - every airport is different - but if there is, it can save you some time.


Verify the gate and time of your flight. Once, when I was traveling from Washington, DC to my home city, an Israeli diplomat also happened to be leaving at the same time. He was so politically connected that the Presidential limo and connected security vehicles transported him to his plane. As a result, no other planes could leave the terminal until his plane had taxied to the runway. A delay, weather event, or even a medical emergency can affect airline travel across the country.

Download the airline travel app. Most airlines offer a smart phone app that can be downloaded from the app store for your device. These apps are extremely convenient because you can check for flight delays, gate changes, and, possibly, even change seat assignments. On one trip, while waiting at the airport, my smart phone app was updated to show a delay before the display at the gate. If you are changing planes at an airport, you can also use the app to check for changes as soon as your plane lands.

Douglas G Pratt, 2013

Quotes from 2013

As I wrote about in a previous post, I utilize a paper planner (a Moleskine squared).  One of my goals, as I begin each year, is to note quotes or inspirational thoughts.

Below are some of my favorites from 2013.

"Don't postpone joy."  Joyce Mills

If you were given 3-6 months of paid vacation from work, how would you utilize the time?

"No civilization has ever been destroyed because citizens got too much truth."  Robert McKee

Is it the mountain that needs to move or you?

"Logic is the instrument of demonstration, intuition is that of invention."  Henri Poincaré

"Most people, in fact, will not take the trouble in finding out the truth, but are much more inclined to accept the first story they hear"  Thucydides

Don't take anything personally.

"Create a vision that inspires the team to work as if the fate of civilization rests on getting its project out the door."  Amy Fries, Daydreams At Work

"The writer's object should be to hold the reader's attention.  I want the reader to turn the page and keep on turning until the end.  This is accomplished only when the narrative moves steadily ahead, not when it comes to a weary standstill, overloaded with every item uncovered in the research."  Barbara Tuchman, historian

Whether on paper or electronically, I encourage you to save quotes you come across during your journeys.

Seth Godin - All Marketers are Liars (Visual Book Review)

While browsing in the marketing section of my favorite local bookstore, I came across All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin.  On the front cover, "Are Liars" is crossed out and "Tell Stories" is written in.



The book is a fairly quick read and provides many helpful points when crafting a message, from promoting your yard saleto planning multinational marketing campaigns.

Below is a visual summary of the book.  A PDF of the summary is available for download.