I experienced a huge Web 2.0 surprise on December 27, 2008 delivered in my mail box: an envelope that travelled all way from North Texas to Schweich, Germany containing a greeting card from the team at LinkWorth.

I found that the Internet makes us lazier and somehow colder. I remember when I used to send 20-30 Christmas cards each season, to all my friends and family. To my disgrace, this season I sent… none. I used the StumbleUpon toolbar to send a Merry Christmas to some close friends, I commented on the blogs of others, but that’s all I’ve done. Because I didn’t bother sending any Christmas cards I was not expecting any either. You don’t expect old-fashioned greeting cards in an all electronic age, do you? Yet some people still understand traditions and their values and show due respect and consideration.

I received many cards, even gifts from friends and companies in Germany, but the one that surprised me the most was the one from LinkWorth, and here is why.

Email newsletters simply cluttered my email box this season. Most Web 2.0 companies and social networks sent email greetings, ecards and “Merry Christmas” bulk messages. Of course, these emails have their symbolic value, but LinkWorth taught me a valuable lesson: a printed card, one that you can keep and store in your box for letters and cards you’ve received during the years, one that puts a smile on your face through its simple beauty, has much more worth than an email, if nothing else.

Taking the time to buy a beautiful Christmas card, to scribble a “Thank you for a great year”, to stamp it and mail it over the ocean may appear to be just a simple thing, but aren’t the simplest things those that give the greatest glow of happiness?

When I recall the times when I sent Christmas cards, there’s a warm feeling of joy accompanying the memory: a printed Christmas card bears the warmth of the human touch. It’s like the paper captures the essence of the sender to deliver a genuine feeling to the receiver. This is especially true coming from a company that basically sells links.

I imagine mine is not the only Christmas card sent out by LinkWorth this season, as a matter of fact I am sure it is not. But it is special because I know that someone, somewhere made a genuine effort to show all their business partners, publishers and advertisers alike, that they are worth more than an email.

Judging pragmatically: think costs. How many partners outside the US does LinkWorth have? You can imagine there are many. 1000? 2000? More? I expect there are more. The cards, as you can see, are not “cheap” either. With an average of 2,50 USD per card, I can only tell you that LinkWorth spent a lot this Christmas. Was it worth it? That’s something only LinkWorth can answer. From this receiver’s perspective… yes, it was! I admire them for doing it.

I don’t know how else to say it, but Ron&Co, you are a wonderful team. This PR consultant is impressed (and it does take a lot to impress Mig). If you ever need a PR company to represent you (although you are doing a great job representing yourselves), we at Pamil Visions would be more than honored to work with professionals like you! You are the type of customers any PR dreams about.

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A Special Someone Made All My Dreams Come True

It’s not a secret: I hate lists. But somehow, at the end of the year, I mean at the end of every year, I end up making lists. You know the kind: all I’ve done right, all I’ve done wrong, accomplished dreams, dreams yet to accomplish, wishes and ideals. This year I am happy with the results, in all fields.

My life has never been more whole. I have a wonderful partner, who shares my life completely, personally and professionally. He made possible all so many dreams and gave wings to so many others… With him Pamil Visions grew, while I was watching from the shadow… It’s Phil Butler I am talking about – I’ve never met someone more kind, more generous, more honest and straightforward than him and if there is one thing I am truly thankful for this year, well… that’s him. Everything else… is a consequence of his presence.

A Thank You Note for My Guest Writers

I said I was watching from the shadows while Pamil Visions grew. Yes. Many of you already know that I’ve spent more time offline than online, due to some health issues and other personal matters I will not discuss this time. When I did find time to take care of business I only did emergency tasks and sometimes I wrote blog entries for eWritings, Rounite, TerraHermess and a few clients. I’d like to take the opportunity and thank those of you who helped me keep eWritings “fresh” by writing guest entries:

• Heather Johnson – Public Relations Through Video Blogs: 5 Tips
• Kelly Curtis – Good News About Youth Is There When We Seek It
• Lillie Ammann – Getting Published with a Little Help from My Friends and Where Did That Idea Come From?
• Sue Bride – Oh No! Not Another Social Networking Site
• Theo Veenstra – Information Overload and the Social Internet

Of course, your contributions are highly appreciated. So once again, thank you and… it was a honor to be your host.

2008 – The Year of Quality Writing

I have to admit that this year I was more critical than in 2007 – my tone changed and became more aggressive – my writing style matured, influenced by some of the great online writers I read so frequently – I’ll write a special entry about these soon. As a result, although I wrote less, the quality was higher. I am now a SitePoint author and my expertise is often required by other authority sites such as BBC News.

In the little time I did spend online this year, I managed to write a few blog entries that made a difference and triggered a change. I cannot end the year without summing up these entries – at the time they were written they meant a lot to me and by the response some of them triggered, they meant a lot to you too, my readers. So, without further delay, here they are: eWritings’ best blogs of 2008.

• MyBlogLog, What’s Wrong With You?
• Performancing Lacks Performance
• Destroying Wikipedia from the Inside Out
• How to Promote a New Search Engine the Cuil Way
• Don’t Pay for Google Sitemaps
• Email Spammers Are Stupid – I Have the Proof
• The Secret Body Language of Marilyn Monroe…
• Hakia Is Still Behind Pigeons
• The Telegraph Pushes Local Search Engines as “Google Threats”
• New Logo for Pamil Visions – Which One Would You Choose?
• The High Authority Social Network’s Drama
• The Higher You Climb, the Less That You Know
• Social Network Automation and Why You Don’t Want to Be Part of It
• The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

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Thank you for being there when I forgot to log into my online accounts to meet you. Thank you for your dedicated support in all occasions when I needed your help, be it professional and personal. Thank you for your friendship, thank you for your graciousness…

I wish you all a Merry Christmas, a blessed season with happy dreams and wishes that come to life. May Santa bring you joy and light!

Have a wonderful celebration.

I remain… your dreamcatcher!

Mig

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