1 more day!

Live from Paris. I travelled here to spend new year's under the eiffel tower with my boyfriend. I am inspired!! I am also getting cold feet about the first word. eek! I want to set the right tone for this. This project is about identity - who we are. I don't want this first word to be too easy, but not too hard either. Because I don't want anyone to run away! And yet this is also supposed to be a challenge. VOILA! Let's see what happens!!

Counting down to January 1st!

Let the countdown begin! It looks like both the flickr site and facebook are up and running for posting photos! This will be a tremendous learning experience for me. I have learned a heckuva lot about flickr! I noticed that in many flickr groups--people submit many, many photos. In that process, something is lost. The value of one individual photo.

The first word will be announced on January 1st ---I think I know what the word will be. But please let me know if anyone out there has suggestions for words. Can 52words make an attempt to define us as individuals, human, groups, races, cultures, religions, children, adults??

There are now over 200 fans on facebook and 80 test photos on flickr. I will still work towards getting the message out. I also have the goal of creating one lesson plan per week for teachers to use across the globe. I will keep you all posted!

Now on Flickr !

Hi all 52words fans. Facebook says I have 79 fans! Yippeee! Well, I have decided to now launch this project on Flickr. Flickr is designed to reach out globally and host project such as 52words. It is also incredibly easy to manage. So! This experiment goes on! Check out 52words on Flickr!!!

A test word is also announced today so everyone can test this out and get this thing up and running! In honor of the somewhat failed climate change conference in Copenhangen, the TEST WORD is: "TREE".

Check it out and let me know how it goes. My dad posted a hilarious photo from Puerto Rico. Ha!

Starting up - IT and outreach

Well! This idea has already gathered more momentum than I thought. This is freakin fantastic. As I mentioned in my earlier post - this can go far and wide. My mind is running away with thousands of ideas. One of the ideas that I mentioned in an earlier post- to create a panel of judges to pick-out the most powerful photos and offer prizes to the photographers may not work for 52words. Or maybe it would. As a very bright student of art pointed out to me...there are no winners with 52words. So, that idea is definitely on hold until it is further investigated! I originally thought of this because I want to spur people on to PARTICIPATE. What I can promise right now...is that if this movement takes off and momentum gathers. I can try to raise funding to do more outreach - to make sure that after the project is over...that the world can see the RESULTS. Whether its an exhibition, or several exhibitions or a book. I am hoping that this potential - where EVERYONE will be noticed and accredited for their input will be enough to gain many, many participants. But right now, 52words has no funding whatsoever. I will try - but I need content first!

 So, how do I gain content? As the most beloved person in my life has pointed out---I need to make it very easy for everyone to post their photo. I am devastated to hear that you cannot tag photos on facebook to a fan club (which 52words is listed as). The email option is always there - but this will be a huge amount of work for me. It will allow me to screen everyone's entry--which is a good thing because I do fear the p.0.r.n factor. THAT is not allowed in 52words! Another option is a group flickr page...but I may run into the aforementioned problem if anyone can upload anything. Am I too cynical? Finally - and the BEST idea..is to build a real webpage. This is what I would REALLY like to do. This blog could be part of that webpage. It is my current big dream to build a central site that can serve as the go-to place where anyone, anywhere can upload their entries onto the webpage as well as give me their relevant contact information. All photos must be attributed to the people who took that photo and be associated with a country, a city, a village...

I am looking for people to help in both IT and outreach. If you are interested...please contact me. 52words2010(at)gmail.com. Best case scenario - is that this idea works and I can gain enough attention to find donors! At that point - the sky is the limit with this!! But first things first! I need the photo posting process to WORK. And I need a central go-to place. And then--I need to launch and pitch this idea everywhere--- to schools, sister city programs, international NGO's, local NGO's in Cameroon, Mali, Peru, Indonesia....and on and on!!!

FUN!!

looking for feedback!

As of this moment, I have only sent this idea to five people. The feedback so far has been GREAT! Very positive...and this has already caused my heart to skip beats. Now I just need to control my brain from losing focus. NOW! I need more feedback! So, this is where I broadcast the IDEA to one and all and hear from everyone, everywhere...who has interest.

I will start this out as very grassroots.  A facebook page and a blog. I can post the photos that come in on both the blog and the facebook page! Of course - I would like to register this idea as a non-profit movement. Create a panel of judges, mail people disposable digital cameras for those who don't have enough money to buy their own camera, give out prizes for outstanding photographic entries, have an exhibition at the end, print a book! My mind is going wild. But right now I don't have any content.

And I don't have any expertise on creating facebook momentum. So, if anyone anywhere out there wants to volunteer their assistance...let me know!!!

You can reach me at 52words2010(at)gmail.com