Giving Weight Watchers a chance

I went to my Weight Watchers meeting on Saturday. I adore, love, admire, respect and practically worship my Weight Watcher leader. Every time I go to one of her meetings I learn something new, and in the process, I get entertained because she's really funny (and smart and sweet). I'm very fortunate to have such a wonderful Weight Watcher leader.<br /><br />A little history about me and Weight Watchers. I joined in February 2008. I'd joined before, a few times over the years, but I never stuck with it for more than a week. This time, I was on fire. My first blog post was May 13, 2008 (in my "<a href="http://diana1359.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Old Diana's Journey</a>"...long story on what happened and why I had to create a new one). I followed Weight Watchers to the letter. I did exactly what they said to do and guess what? It worked!<br /><br />It's weird to go back and look at those old posts. I kept writing posts, almost every day, putting my heart and soul into each post. Back then, no one read my blog and no one ever commented. It's pretty funny to go back almost four years ago and read how I was struggling and working so hard when I started out. No one ever commented for several months, and I didn't care. I was dead set on losing weight and keeping a record of it.<br /><br />I really believed in Weight Watchers, even though I stumbled and fell many times. Gained back a few pounds, lost a few, gained a lot, lost a lot. Back and forth over the years. This year has been particularly difficult. I even completely quit Weight Watchers last August. I decided the <a href="http://www.bodymedia.com/%20b" target="_blank">BodyMedia</a> was the way to go. <br /><br />I've missed the meetings and the support. I've really missed my leader. I've missed the accountability. So why did I quit? This is so stupid that I hate to even write it. I didn't like the zero-Point fruit. Pretty silly in hindsight. I wonder if I'd followed the program faithfully and eaten the free fruit without worrying about it, where would I be right now? Probably at goal.<br /><br />Instead, I made a big stinking deal about the fruit. "Oh my gosh! I can't eat all the fruit I want! I'll gain weight!" That is my lame excuse for wasting an entire year. <br /><br />So I'm back. Back on plan, back to following the <a href="http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=2071&sc=3010" target="_blank">Healthy Eating Guidelines</a>. Back to loving my meetings and my leader. Back to following Weight Watchers as perfectly as life will allow. Back to being on fire.<br /><br />My weigh in wasn't great, but it could have been much worse. In the four weeks since my last meeting I lost one pound. Saturday's weighin:  183.4. No excuses because really, I don't have any worth talking about.<br /><br />One other really important, at least for me, is blogging. I feel like I've been so wrapped up in my sister's mess, that I forgot about me. I forgot about my life and what I like and what I want to do. I love blogging and reading other blogs. It's fun and something I've enjoyed for almost four years. I don't want to quit and go off and drown myself in my sister's troubles. That's her life, not mine. It's horrible and sad and I wish to God I could change her situation, but I can't. I can only live my life the best I can, and enjoy whatever pleasure and happiness I can find in it.<br /><br />In other words, I'm really back.<br /><br />

Giving Weight Watchers a chance

I went to my Weight Watchers meeting on Saturday. I adore, love, admire, respect and practically worship my Weight Watcher leader. Every tim...

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Merry Christmas + Week Recap!

I'll get the sad parts out of the way first.<br /><br />I've been doing a LOT of eating over the last several days, and I can feel the affects.  Next year I will have to come up with a better game plan if I'm going to do <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/12/giveaway-winner-weekend-recap.html">all that baking</a>.  Not only that, but I will have to institute a better strategy for all of the <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/12/one-day-at-time.html">Christmas-related</a> <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/12/one-day-at-time.html">parties</a> I've attended.  I talked with my WW leader, Sharon, about it this last Wednesday.  She suggested that I only pick 1-2 holiday parties to "indulge" and the rest need to involve conscientious eating.  Let's just say I'm glad to be home the rest of this week so I can detox and get myself back to a better way of eating.<br /><br />How did you do with Christmas/Hanukkah/whatever you celebrate?  I'm already planning the NYE menu so there are no slip ups there.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: purple;">****** </span></b></div>On to better things...<br /><br />As usual, God blessed me in many ways this Christmas.  For one, I got to spend time with my own family (and my parents are arriving today from Pennsylvania for the rest of the week) AND Joel's family for Christmas.  We did a lot of driving between PA, MD and VA, but it was worth it.  Additionally, I received some awesome gifts and was able to give some pretty great gifts as well.  Each year I strive for the "gift of the year" (a phrase I started giving to what I thought was the best gift I was able to give someone each year), and this year is no different.  Let's just say I'm looking forward to seeing my father's reaction when he opens his brand new Wii :).<br /><br />For now, I'm only going to share one of my favorite Christmas gifts so far.<br /><br />I got this beauty from Joel...<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_wua8JzrwB_NSFWczKu36sXsdEb_wRRYqXZxW3JGYQJ8umGZQMFDH3NylyJqwqugyD9RwEmzt8p7owkFHlglvjOWp9mJXXyZebjDMyw2ezF6dazcN_oDNv02WW1zGg7PYseAjKl0ws8/s1600/nikon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_wua8JzrwB_NSFWczKu36sXsdEb_wRRYqXZxW3JGYQJ8umGZQMFDH3NylyJqwqugyD9RwEmzt8p7owkFHlglvjOWp9mJXXyZebjDMyw2ezF6dazcN_oDNv02WW1zGg7PYseAjKl0ws8/s400/nikon.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nikon D3100</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Two years ago for Christmas, Joel got me the Nikon Coolpix L100 (below) as a transitional camera from the point and shoot to the DSLR.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.photoxels.com/images/Nikon/l100/nikon-l100-800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://www.photoxels.com/images/Nikon/l100/nikon-l100-800.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I loved that camera but there were limitations, and as one of my <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/p/goals.html">goals</a>, I planned to buy the D3100 as a reward.  I was VERY surprised when I unwrapped this gem of a gift... I cannot wait to learn all about it!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I'm going to leave you all with this picture of my work outfit from last Wednesday.  I call this my "<a href="http://fatfatalefashion.blogspot.com/">Ariana</a> outfit" :).  <a href="http://fatfatalefashion.blogspot.com/">Ariana</a> - if you're reading this, notice how I'm also utilizing the work restroom to snap the pic ;).  I will admit that I wasn't initially feeling the look of this outfit at all - I was slightly uncomfortable in the belt (not because it was too tight, I just felt like it didn't look right).  I must have been wrong though because all day long people complimented me on the "awesome outfit".  Thanks for the inspiration <a href="http://fatfatalefashion.blogspot.com/">Ariana</a>!  If you don't read <a href="http://fatfatalefashion.blogspot.com/">Fatale Fashion</a> already, go over there right away and see what fashion finds Ariana has on display - she's so cute and has such a great fashion sense for gals like us :).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxr5Q5RQjNfHvp__NtxeE6zHCr5surKiFIl_OdS8oVFgYbLtGdou-VNl2TD6NzRVPe0f7mcvI8oAJj8Xx_ZbyMZB6CfiVa1lrpNoUE4oL7XFRzRnDd37FsrB9nRNvgLFpCnDltctQMH7s/s1600/ariana+outfit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxr5Q5RQjNfHvp__NtxeE6zHCr5surKiFIl_OdS8oVFgYbLtGdou-VNl2TD6NzRVPe0f7mcvI8oAJj8Xx_ZbyMZB6CfiVa1lrpNoUE4oL7XFRzRnDd37FsrB9nRNvgLFpCnDltctQMH7s/s400/ariana+outfit.JPG" width="297" /></a></div><br />Just like Ariana does, I'll post where I got the items I'm wearing... though keep in mind I do not have current prices on any of the stuff because it was purchased so long ago.<br /><br /><ul><li>Sweater - White Stag - Walmart</li><li>Black and White Polka Dot Shirt - Lane Bryant Outlet</li><li>Belt - Walmart</li><li>Silver Necklace - Ten Thousand Villages</li><li>Black Dress Pants - Lane Bryant</li></ul>Are you still off from work this week, or are you back to the grind already?  I'm working at home 2 days this week and spending time with my parents the other 2.

Christmas Holidays Weekend Recap Merry Christmas + Week Recap!

I'll get the sad parts out of the way first. I've been doing a LOT of eating over the last several days, and I can feel the affects....

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A Month of VERTIGO: the Bloggers...

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUl_9vJNmX4bZnXCB3BIftS-0a0CuPuyAb4NtcJ6_S0ppAKFtCdwF0UTT22_GPDM1YF0r_0uGiabxHyCn51OW56eroCv4lyISuAa3Vf_cwD_L4IzzSIaaJ3HUhS9p2rJapQuQPI2S2zMk/s1600/Vertigo+gfx+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUl_9vJNmX4bZnXCB3BIftS-0a0CuPuyAb4NtcJ6_S0ppAKFtCdwF0UTT22_GPDM1YF0r_0uGiabxHyCn51OW56eroCv4lyISuAa3Vf_cwD_L4IzzSIaaJ3HUhS9p2rJapQuQPI2S2zMk/s400/Vertigo+gfx+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Arriving with 2012 will be this blog’s first major event, <i>A Month of VERTIG</i>O. The month will feature <strike>10</strike> 11 bloggers and one ‘vlogger' reflecting on facets of Alfred Hitchcock’s <i>Vertigo</i> (1958).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJQmHXKTHcFXsLev6pAT6S4xOws0gZfDYzG1QGZyRWAPjompJmQiqA8PynCQn-i5IBg2mPGG0TlYZhnJPnAqfVIhlt1dXWpoTZHRQ1hTEWNy78YYMKAQd4MGDB4TnuSl3X5WQAUmFNz8/s1600/hitchcock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJQmHXKTHcFXsLev6pAT6S4xOws0gZfDYzG1QGZyRWAPjompJmQiqA8PynCQn-i5IBg2mPGG0TlYZhnJPnAqfVIhlt1dXWpoTZHRQ1hTEWNy78YYMKAQd4MGDB4TnuSl3X5WQAUmFNz8/s1600/hitchcock.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;">Unpopular with critics and audiences when it was released, <i>Vertigo</i> has endured. Today it is generally considered the great auteur's masterpiece of masterpieces and is one of the most highly regarded films in movie history. <i>Vertigo </i>is an ambitious work of grand scale and reputation - a staggering review subject for the lone blogger. And so, we <strike>eleven</strike> twelve have joined together to contemplate this masterwork from many angles.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"> Here's what to expect at <i>The Lady Eve's Reel Life </i>during January 2012:</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br /><a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">January 1, R.D. Finch of <i>The Movie Projector </i>offers <i>Deadly Obsession: Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">January 4, Whistlingypsy of <i>Distant Voices and Flickering Shadows</i> muses on <i>Bernard Herrmann ~ Composer of Haunting Music and Treacherous Dreams</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">January 7, Christian Esquevin of <i>Silver Screen Modiste</i> and author of <u>Adrian: Silver Screen to Custom Label</u> takes a look at the costumes and the characters who wore them with <i>The Costumes of Vertigo</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6IVwhBFDmgFO7XCgASK0ozl12nJaaIn83_fxsCqxcj7c5eY95ROVQNbu5V5BiTvcFbBQV8kp79W41J5XnXDtJ8SzzHTfF8MW6G7K1gB1rG_tZbxNLpfoQoXkbR7q2cWqLk-pDsZsxgY/s1600/kim_novak_spiral-french_twist_vertigo_1958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6IVwhBFDmgFO7XCgASK0ozl12nJaaIn83_fxsCqxcj7c5eY95ROVQNbu5V5BiTvcFbBQV8kp79W41J5XnXDtJ8SzzHTfF8MW6G7K1gB1rG_tZbxNLpfoQoXkbR7q2cWqLk-pDsZsxgY/s200/kim_novak_spiral-french_twist_vertigo_1958.jpg" width="146" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;">January 10, Brandie Ashe of <i>True Classics</i> considers <i>Kim Novak in Vertigo: A Hypnotic Presence</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">January 13, Michael Nazarewycz of <i>Filmoria.com</i>, <i>ManILoveFilms.com </i>and <i>ScribeHard on Film</i> contemplates the setting of <i>Vertigo</i>, that "jewel of American cities," with <i>More Than Just the Streets of San Francisco</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">January 16, Steven DeRosa, author of <u>Writing With Hitchcock,</u> looks at <i>Vertigo</i> from the perspective of  screenwriter Samuel A. Taylor with <i>An Inconsequential Yarn</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">January 19, John Greco of <i>Twenty Four Frames</i> offers his recent interview with preeminent Hitchcock biographer Patrick McGilligan (<u>Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light</u>) on the subject of <i>Vertigo </i>and the filmmaker who conceived it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">January 22, Allen Hefner of <i>Bit Part Actors</i> honors those with roles small and momentary in <i>Vertigo’s </i>supporting cast with <i>Vertigo, the Bit Players</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ24KT53Z5aQw_JwDD__RI4YfIBJCPCjC131D3g95C0n5M3vIJcXe5belGhjlis4Sq9JxrAVUldD-1DZFJnoq8Owqu5cdtbq1_EIMJB8Kz19CKOR24QJEX2f_kEkg1b2LdEbWsvwf2O5E/s1600/vertigo+steps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ24KT53Z5aQw_JwDD__RI4YfIBJCPCjC131D3g95C0n5M3vIJcXe5belGhjlis4Sq9JxrAVUldD-1DZFJnoq8Owqu5cdtbq1_EIMJB8Kz19CKOR24QJEX2f_kEkg1b2LdEbWsvwf2O5E/s320/vertigo+steps.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;">January 25, Classic Film Boy of <i>Classic Film Boy’s Movie Paradise</i> assesses James Stewart's iconic and complex performance as ‘Scottie Ferguson’ in <i>Vertigo</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">January 28, Brandon Kyle Goco of TCM’s Classic Film Union, <i>Brandon Kyle the Cinephile</i> and guest host of TCM’s October podcast series will ‘vlog’ (video blog) about his passion for <i>Vertigo</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">January 31 - Dan Auiler, author of the most essential book on <i>Vertigo </i>out there, <u>VERTIGO: The Making of a Hitchcock Classic</u>. A late addition to the guest contributor group, Dan offers <i>Marking Vertigo</i>, which he describes as "understanding <i>Vertigo </i>as Madeleine with Chris Marker as guide. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">February 3 - I'll ponder <i>Vertigo</i> in relation to the the French noir novel it was adapted from, <u>D'Entre Les Morts</u> by</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Boileau-Thomas Narcejac.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Each post will include a bit of background on its author plus links to the contributor’s blog or site. Please join us for what promises to be a month of wide-ranging commentary on the Hitchcock film that critic David Thomson called "a masterpiece and an endless mystery," and about which he wrote, "It's a test case: If you are moved by this film, you are a creature of cinema..."</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/epclrhxLJJ4" width="420"></iframe></div></div>

A Month of Vertigo Allen Hefner Brandie Ashe Brandon Goco Christian Esquevin Classic Film boy John Greco Michael Nazarewycz R.D. Finch Steven DeRosa The Lady Eve (author) Whistlingypsy A Month of VERTIGO: the Bloggers...

Arriving with 2012 will be this blog’s first major event, A Month of VERTIG O. The month will feature 10 11 bloggers and one ‘vlogger' ...

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<br /><div class="ArticleHeadline" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-top: -30px;"><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Mary Lorenz, CareerBuilder Writer</span></b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/3r/ar5m50d798vqwx9hw43r.gif?time=12/2/2011%201:22:59%20pm" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/3r/ar5m50d798vqwx9hw43r.gif?time=12/2/2011%201:22:59%20pm" /></a></div><div class="cbmsnArticleImage"><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Mary Lorenz, CareerBuilder Writer</span></b></div><div class="cbmsnArticleImage"><br /></div><div class="cbmsnArticleImage">New surveys released through three of CareerBuilder's niche sites -- <a href="http://www.miracleworkers.com/WM/Default.aspx" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">MiracleWorkers</a>(which caters to health care workers),<a href="http://www.workinretail.com/WR/Default.aspx" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">WorkinRetail</a> (serving the retail industry) and<a href="http://www.sologig.com/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Sologig</a> (focused on contract and freelance positions) -- reveal the information workers value most on an organization's social media pages (and which social media moves they despise).</div></div><div class="ArticleContent" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">More than 500 workers nationwide in each of the above industries participated. Here's a look at the results:</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/health+care/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"><b>Health care</b></a><b></b></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Fifty-three percent of health care workers who use social media are interested in seeing information on company social media pages, according to the survey from MiracleWorkers.com.</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">What health care employers should post...</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Job listings on company pages (wanted by 40 percent of health-care workers)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Fact sheets or Q&A about the company (26 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Career paths within the organization (26 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Employee testimonials (22 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Something that conveys fun about working for the organization (19 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">...and what they should avoid:</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Company communication that reads like an ad (a peeve for 35 percent of health-care workers)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Failure to respond to submitted questions (33 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Failure to regularly post information on social media or blog entries (23 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Filtering or removing social media comments (20 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/retail/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"><b>Retail</b></a><b></b></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Fifty percent of retail workers who use social media are interested in seeing information on company social media pages, according to the survey from WorkInRetail.com.</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Job listings on company pages (wanted by 33 percent of retail workers)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Fact sheets or Q&A about the company (27 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Employee testimonials (18 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Something that conveys fun about working for the organization (18 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Pictures of company events (13 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Video of a day on the job (13 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Video of new products and services (13 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">...and what they should avoid:</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Company communication that reads like an ad (a peeve for 43 percent of retail workers)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Failure to respond to submitted questions (38 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Filtering or removing social media comments (27 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Failure to regularly post information on social media or blog entries (24 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/information+technology/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"><b>Information technology</b></a><b></b></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Fifty-one percent of IT workers who use social media are interested in seeing information on company social media pages, according to a new survey from Sologig.com.</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">What IT employers should post...</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Job listings on company pages (wanted by 39 percent of IT workers)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Fact sheets or Q&A about the company (32 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Career paths within the organization (24 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Something that conveys fun about working for the organization (21 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Video of new products and services (17 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Employee testimonials (16 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">...and what they should avoid:</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Company communication that reads like an ad (a peeve for 53 percent of health-care workers)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Failure to respond to submitted questions (32 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Inconsistency in company messaging in different social media venues (26 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-- Failure to regularly post information or blog entries (25 percent)</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Employers must lead the social media pack</b></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Despite this interest, very few workers on social media (18 percent of IT workers, 12 percent of health-care workers, and only 9 percent of retail workers) currently use it as a means to research jobs. Representatives from each site say social media users are waiting for companies to take the lead.</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"Social media <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/communications/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">communication</a> is a two-way street," says Bill Meidell, product director of WorkinRetail.com. "Retailers need to keep their pages active and respond to as many fans and commenters as possible in order to see a positive return on their efforts."</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"IT workers are not only interested in learning about new career opportunities, but willing to refer jobs to friends or people in their professional networks, as well," adds Jamie Carney, senior<a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/product+director/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">product director</a> of Sologig.com. "Forty-one percent will pass job leads along to others, according to the survey, making social media the perfect vehicle for improving a job listing's reach."</div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Rob Morris, product director of MiracleWorkers.com, echoes this sentiment, saying, "The referral process makes social media a great avenue for career information. We found that 30 percent of health-care workers on social media pass job opportunities to friends or people in their professional networks."</div></div>

Mary Lorenz, CareerBuilder Writer Mary Lorenz, CareerBuilder Writer New surveys released through three of CareerBuilder's niche sites --...

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