Purple Wren

Restoration of Flood-Damaged Photos

Now that the flood waters are beginning to recede, people are able to get in and assess damage. One of the most heart-wrenching things is the loss of precious photos. They cannot be replaced. However, they may be able to be restored. There is an organization called Operation Photo Rescue that was started after Katrina and they are open to helping where they can in Iowa. They are a network of volunteers who can repair photographs damaged by natural disasters - at no cost to the owner.

And, there is a local photographer who is involved - Kevin Barber of Barber Photography. He is gathering other volunteers who may be able to help. Contact him today if you can help, or if you have damaged photos and need help.

Here's tips for salvaging flood and water damaged photos. It's important to take immediate action - and the right steps.

The Big Dream Gathering is Tonight!

It's here! The Big Dream Gathering is tonight from 6:30 - 10 p.m.

Polk County Convention Center

501 Grand Avenue, Des Moines

The I List is Growing

This is a fun way to end the year - with an "I" list. For all the Iowa bloggers. Several of us have been posting lists of Iowa bloggers during the past year, but Drew McLellan (and Mike Sansone) turned it into The I List. What a great idea!

I've added a few links to sites that you might be interested in checking out: SmartPestSolutions | Around Des Moines | Association for Women in Communications DSM Alliance | Enroute365 | Essential Estrogen | This Ain't No Spin Class

Go ahead, add any Iowa blogger links that are missing, grab the code and post it on your blog.

Here's the list with my additions.

The I list:

Adam Carroll
Andy Drish
Around Des Moines
Art Dinkin, CFP, CLU, ChFC
Association of Business & Industry
Association for Women in Communications DSM Alliance
Babich, Goldman, Cashatt & Renzo
Barry Pace
BeatCanvas
Bill Grell
Blue Frog Arts
Brett Trout
Bridges Financial
Broom Wizards
C Wenger Group
Carpe Factum
Claire Celsi
Cloud Nine Diamonds
Compass Financial Services
Conference Calls Unlimited
ConverStations
Dave Dreeszen
Des Moines Families
Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen
DMWebLife
Do You Q?
Dr U Fantasy Football
DSM Buzz
Dwebware
Employer Ease
Enroute365
Eric Peterson
Essential Estrogen
Focal Point Multimedia
George Davison
Gift Idea Help
Home Know-it-All
Insight Advertising & Marketing
Iowa Bed & Breakfast Association
Iowa Biz
J. Erik Potter
Jann Freed
Jennifer Jaskolka-Brown
Josh More
Kyle's Cove
Maiers Educational Services
McKee, Vorhees & Sease
McLellan Marketing Group
NCMIC Insurance
Purple Wren
Radio Iowa
REL Productions
Rental Metrics
Rita Perea Consulting
Roth & Company
RSM McGladrey
Ruby's Pub
Runners' Lounge
Rush Nigut
Ryan Rossinick
Simplifive
SmartPestSolutions
Snap! Creative Works
Studio 24 Design
Sullivan & Ward's Iowa Law Blog
Swing Station
The Members Group
The Mitchell Group
The Simple Dollar
The Yin Blog
This Ain't No Spin Class
Transition Capital Management
US Rodeo Supply
Victoria Herring
Wade Den Hartog
Wealth With Mortgage
When Words Matter
White Rabbit Group

Related posts:

Recognizing Outstanding Bloggers
Z-Listers are now Pic Shots
Sharing the Z-List Collage
Z-List goes Interactive and Mobile on Wiffiti
Have you seen the Iowa Blogga Nostra?
Using Photo Flicks to Share Memories

Don't Forget to Set Your Clock!

Love this image from Three Squirrels in a Pressure Cooker

Don't forget to re-set your clocks tonight! Here's a little history about the event.

Visit Iowa: AroundDesMoines.com

There's another blog in town... and it's called AroundDesMoines.com. I chose that name because we’re talking about life and events around Des Moines, around the greater metro area, and really around the city (which is pretty much in the middle of the state).

All the cities, large and small, and the rural areas (anything Iowa) are included.

You'll find me there, as well as several guest authors. I’m recruiting guest authors and contributors so that we represent different voices, interests and activities. There’s a lot going on in the Midwest.

It's my vision to have a place where we can talk about "anything Iowa" and especially people who are making a difference. Let’s showcase the diversity in our state and make Around Des Moines a gathering place - a home for all things Iowa.

You will find lots of photos there because visuals are important to me and make a site interesting.

Please let me know if you have any ideas about topics to cover, photos and stories you would like to share, or questions you might have about Iowa. This site is for you - whether you live or visit here or you are considering it. Help us make this site valuable for you.

What's happening in your neck o' the woods? Send me an article and we'll post it there (submission guidelines). What's in it for you? A little link love and publicity for your favorite topic, event, place, etc.

We're all looking forward to hearing from you!

Backyard Wildlife in Iowa

Sharing some of my backyard images with you on Picturetrail - one of my favorite tools. There are so many neat gadgets and tools to make sharing photos easy. I used another design to share photos at AroundDesMoines.

Cool Slideshows!

Business Conference 2007: Secrets of Successful Professionals Revealed

UPDATE: This business conference has been postponed until later in the year. Stay tuned for further information.

Calling all business people!  There's a local business conference on the horizon that you don't want to miss.

Topics include:

• Brand Strategy
• New Networking
• Blogging for Business
• Managing Office Politics
• Business Mobility
• Leveraging Technology
• Making Work Fun Again

The lineup includes presenters from Seattle, WA, as well as Iowa.

• Kevin O'Keefe
• Drew McLellan
• Mike Sansone
• Adam Steen
• Jim Goodman
• Shirley Poertner
• Tre Critelli
• Victoria Herring
• Timothy Johnson
• Mitch Matthews

What are you waiting for? Check out the detailed speaker info and conference updates.

Academic Achievement Award from DMACC

It's the end of the school year and time for graduations and celebrations. I've been attending classes at DMACC (Des Moines Area Community College) for several years. Urban Campus is my favorite because of the diversity of the student body and faculty.

This past year I wrote for the Urban Vibe  newspaper. This spring, I was privileged to be nominated and win an academic achievement award for my technology articles. Some of the topics I covered recently were:

• Let Them Feed You . . .  (about RSS feeds)
• Why Would I Want a Blog?

This is shameless self-promotion. Here I am with my favorite English teacher, Michael Bryant.

We had a great meal with wonderful company. I received a nice plaque, and had the opportunity to hear about the impact students are making in our community.

It's nice to know that my writing is appreciated, and when putting in late hours at the computer, it reminds me that I can make a difference. Pretty good for a gal who used to hate to write!

Big Dream Gathering May 15

Don't miss the Big Dream Gathering - tonight. It may physically be in Des Moines, but with technology you can participate no matter where you are.

No catch. No sales pitch.

There will be coffee for sale.

Here's the story behind the gathering.

Hero of the Week - First Ten

On Hero of the Week, Reg Adkins from Elemental Truths honors a person who makes a contribution to the community, and asks each hero to nominate another person. You can nominate someone, too.

Check out both of these great sites! It's another way to meet fellow bloggers.

Not long ago I got this neat new badge to put on my sidebar - that's always fun! (I was "hero" for week #3, and tickled when Reg "got" the meaning of my business name.)

3rd Edition: Sandy Renshaw (Hey! I just got that "Purple Wren thing... Renshaw...Wren...cool.)

Here's a list of the first ten heroes:

Hero Row Thus Far:
1^st Edition: Ted Demopoulos of Blogging for Business
2^nd Edition: Phil Gerbyshak of Make it Great!
* 3^rd Edition: Sandy Renshaw of the Purple Wren
4^th Edition: Kirsten Harrell of ipopin
5^th Edition: Kammie Kobyleski of Passion Meets Purpose
* 6^th Edition: Mike Sansone of  Converstations
7^th Edition: Lisa Haneberg of Management Craft
8^th Edition: Rosa Say of Say Leadership
9^th Edition: MT of Mind Tweaks
* 10^th Edition: Kyle Eslick of Kyle’s Cove

* I noticed that 3 are from Iowa! That's fun.