podcast

The Return of the Communication Comedy Network

June 9, 2010 by Art of Eloquence

After a few years, an addition and subtraction of a co host and a change in the programming, last December was the final edition of my weekly internet radio show, The Communication Comedy Network. The show was sooo much fun both for me and for my audience. I had so many people email in that they were sorry I had to shut it down because it made them laugh and it made them think more about the communication skills they need on a daily basis.

The CCN was my opportunity to fulfill my now famous Facebook quote: “All my life I wanted to be a stand up comedian, but I’m getting older now so I’m doing it sitting down. -JoJo Tabares” What could be more fun? I got to put on a new persona and be goofy with a fun accent while talking about things that really matter to me. The only challenge was the time it took to plan and execute a one hour weekly show and the fact that I was tied down to a time slot that my audience expected me to keep.

While I am not saying that I can now commit to 3-4 hours a week to return to a weekly show, I am resurrecting the show in a new form. I’m going to put on the personalities of Nancy Newsome, New Yorker and News Anchor for the 12 1/2 Minute News Hour; Bobbi Blogsalot, roving southern reporter on all things techie; and Professor Wordsmith, British Professor of Words in order to create 2-3 minute YouTube videos. I will be creating a YouTube channel called The Communication Comedy Network where I’ll get to dress up as my favorite communication personalities who will entertain and educate on all things communication!

After securing a webcam and or video recorder, I’ll start working on the details for some of the videos. Since these are for YOU, I thought I’d ask you for ideas. What would you all like to see? Be as creative as possible with the situations and any new characters I could become.

Nancy Newsome will be reporting on any news items illustrating either poor or excellent communication skills.

Bobbi Blogsalot will be reporting on communication in the blogosphere and any technological advances that either allow us to communicate better or hinder our abilities to communicate effectively.

Professor Wordsmith will be doing various segments on grammar, words, spelling and anything else having to do with words.

Got any other characters I could play? Any funny situations I could work out on film? Share them with me!

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Filed Under: Art of Eloquence News Tagged With: Bobbi Blogsalot, Communication Comedy Network, internet radio, Nancy Newsome, podcast, professor wordsmith, vidoes

Join me tomorrow morning for a preview!

December 30, 2009 by Art of Eloquence

You all just HAVE to listen in to this! Tomorrow morning 8am PST/11am EST is a very special preview of the 5th Annual Say What You Mean Convention coming on February 3rd, 2010! If you are not familiar with the convention, you can check out last year’s here!

The convention is an annual online event celebrating and teaching the fine Art of Eloquence in the style of the Great Communicator, Ronald Reagan! Art of Eloquence finds, as Reagan did, that communicating in a godly way using humor goes a long way! We celebrate communication around The Great Communicator’s birthday each year with an all day series of live and recorded events, contests, prizes, prayer chat, workshops and seminars.

This year our Keynote Speakers are Christian Comedian, Michael Jr and Cindy Rushton of Talk A Latte!

The preview show will introduce you to the convention, share with you what you can expect to find at the convention this year and give you a brief education about the Three Flavors of Communication: Writing, Speech and Conversation, this year’s convention theme! You will also meet myself and my two moderators: Kim Kautzer of WriteShop and Joan Rudder Ward of Girl Nurture who will be sharing their expertise along with me at the convention in February.

As a very special part of the preview show, we will be joined by Cindy Rushton and perhaps even Michael Jr too, if time permits him to call in!

Here’s how you can tune in to the show:

You can either call in:

Phone Number: (724) 444-7444
Call ID: 19736

Or you can log on using your computer:

http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736

You can also sign up for your own TalkShoe account (It’s free and takes only a few minutes) so that you can not only listen in, but join the chatroom as well!

Don’t miss out on this live show! It’s my FINAL PODCAST and you will want to be there to join the fun and even ask questions of my guests either about the Say What You Mean Convention or their expertise in their fields. Join us and be blessed!!!

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Filed Under: Art of Eloquence News, Contests Tagged With: communication, Contests, final podcast, Girl Nurture, podcast, Prizes, Ronald Reagan, Say What You Mean Convention, Subscribe Here!, talkshoe, WriteShop

Homeschool Group Leaders: How to motivate your members

November 11, 2009 by Art of Eloquence

CCN Logo2 My guests this week are Kristen Fagala and Denise Hyde of HSGroupLeader.com who are just about to release a new book: One by One: Homeschool Group Leaders Guide to Motivating Your Members. We’ll be talking about why leadership is important, how we can communicate in leadership and tips for motivating homeschool group members!

Join us tomorrow Thursday, 8am PST/11am EST

Join us live via your computer: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736

Or join us live via phone: (724) 444-7444 Call ID: 19736

Or listen to the audio available immediately following the broadcast: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736

Remember: I will not be podcasting after this year and all audios will come down in 2010 to make room for our new line up of 10-12 full length seminars! So listen live if you can!

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Homeschool group leaders, leadership, podcast, Talk Shoe, Talk Talk Show

From my heart…changes for 2010

November 9, 2009 by Art of Eloquence

This month marks our 7th birthday! Art of Eloquence has now been in business for over 7 years. I’m one of those “if one is good, 10 thousand MUST be better” kind of gals! I love helping folks and I love to give. Each year I began by asking myself how much more I could give my customers, blog readers, newsletter subscribers, etc. Unfortunately, in order to support my habit, I’m afraid I had backed myself into a busy corner.

Earlier this year, my dh asked me to slow down the ministry portion of Art of Eloquence. It was hard for me, but I went from sending out three newsletters a week to just one and writing a weekly Foot in Mouth Man episodes to once a month. When my good friend and podcast co host had to leave the show, my dh asked me to re evaluate my time. I love giving, entertaining and teaching so much that I didn’t want to give it up. It was almost like a high. I’ve never done drugs, but I hear tell it feels kind of like that. So I took on the weekly show all by myself saying I’ll just teach a little each week and that way it won’t take up too much of my time to prepare.

You all probably can guess what happened next. Yup! I went nutz! I just can’t do anything half way. I can’t. I spent time each week preparing and researching to bring my listeners all the latest and greatest information on that week’s topic. I brought on guests and solicited experts and spent time sending out email questionnaires in order to get all the information to you that I possibly could.

Now don’t get me wrong. I didn’t neglect my family, but I did have to sacrifice a great deal to get this done. You see, I have insomnia. Which, if you look at the positive, means you have more time to get stuff done! So at 3am when most other normal human beings are having visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, I was on my computer doing research and writing. All this extra work, left very little time to write new studies for Art of Eloquence or to revamp our website to reflect all the new studies and events we had to offer. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had to tell a customer that the study they were anxiously waiting for was STILL not done. In fact, I had a perpetual “To Do” list that never quite seemed to get “To Done”!

Simplification is the word for 2010 and we believe it will not only allow me to have more time to create the products our customers have asked for, but it will also allow me more time to make our website and newsletter easier to navigate and more in tune with our customers’ needs.

To that end beginning this month, “What’s New at Art of Eloquence?” newsletter will go out once a month instead of weekly. I will continue to give subscribers exclusive offers, freebies and advanced notice of all things Art of Eloquence, but the newsletters will be short and sweet. Additionally, you may have already noticed that I have gone from daily blogging to three times a week. Since I will not have to plan out 7 posts a week, it will allow me time to post links to articles and news events as they occur so that this blog will be even more informative. So the blog may end up having almost as many posts.

Effective January of 2010, I will no longer be podcasting. I have some great shows planned for the rest of the year with guests I’ve made commitments to on topics I feel are important. However, time constraint and sheer amount of work involved in hosting a weekly show is just too much for me at this time. Instead, I will be offering about 10-12 live seminars during the year on various topics. Do mark your calendar to attend the Communication Comedy Network’s final podcasts. The audios will come down after the end of the year to make room for the new seminar format.

My heart is to give all I can, but my dh and the Lord have shown me that I cannot keep up this pace without sacrificing other vital things. I pray that these changes will help Art of Eloquence to be a larger blessing to you in 2010!

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Filed Under: Art of Eloquence News Tagged With: 2010, End of an Era, Newsletter, podcast, Subscribe Here!

Classic Baby Babble Video!

October 28, 2009 by Art of Eloquence

It’s preschool week here at Communiation FUNdamentals as we get ready for our weekly podcast on the Communication Comedy Network! This week we are asking the question if it’s too early to begin teaching our preschoolers to communicate effectively.

Preschoolers have a natural curiosity and a hankering for learning. Preschoolers are the most teachable students and it can be a blessing to begin teaching them these vital skills. To illustrate just how much young children feel the need to communicate with us, I give you this video:

Tune in to tomorrow’s Talk Talk Show: The Talk Show About Talking on the Communication Comedy Network and find out how and what we should teach our preschoolers about communication skills! Each Thursday morning: 8am PST/ 11am EST!

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: communication, podcast, Preschoolers, Subscribe Here!, Talk Talk Show

Oct. Mailbag-Teaching Preschoolers

October 26, 2009 by Art of Eloquence

We received some interesting comments and questions this month and I wanted to share them with you. First here is a small sampling of the comments we received this month:

“Your communication article in TOS made me laugh. I am a talker. The first thing the Lord told me to do while I was just hours old in the faith was silence…That silence intrigued my hubby who followed me to church and was soon saved himself. LOL You are right on keep up the good work!” -Heather W.

“Hi, JoJo! Loved your article in The Old Schoolhouse magazine!:) Good stuff!” -Kimberly E.

“I can’t wait to listen to this week’s show!” -Leslie V.

“This issue with the different type of conversationalists was an absolute SCREAM! I laughed so much! Thank you for this, JoJo!” -Beth J.

Thanks ladies! I am always excited to hear from our customers and subscribers with feedback on what we offer. Thanks for taking the time to write in!

Two questions that were asked this month were things I thought many of our customers may be wondering so I chose them as the questions I would answer this month on Mailbag Monday. Here they are:

1. “I just ordered and received the Teen Bonus Pack and Defending The Faith. Do you recommend completing them in any specific order? Thank you!” -Judy K.

TeenBonusPk

The Teen Bonus Pack was designed to be done in the order it is listed on the product page: Say What You Mean for Teens, Know Your Audience and Say What You Mean: A Creative Speech Course. SWM for Teens is a general communication study that will teach basic communication skills as well as a speech that is done in small bites which is perfect for beginners or shy students. Know Your Audience is a listening and persuasion course teaching students to tailor their message to different audiences. SWM: A Creative Speech Course is an actual speech course that makes it fun and easy for students to learn both impromptu and prepared speeches.

However, Art of Eloquence eStudies are designed to be flexible. Each study is a complete and separate course and may be used on their own and in any order. Further, most of our studies are easily adaptable to a co op setting where you may not have a full 18 week (semester) to deliver your class. I have personally done co op classes using Art of Eloquence studies that were 8 or 10 or 16 weeks. Most lessons are also complete and may be used separately. If you look at the makeup of your class (or the needs of the individual student), you can pick and choose which lessons to include in your abbreviated class.

If you would like more information for your particular student or class, I am always available via email for a short consult.

2. I received a call from a customer asking what age to start teaching her children communication skills. It’s funny she should ask this month as one of my podcasts on the Communication Comedy Network is this week’s show on how early we should begin to teach our children communication skills.

Art of Eloquence has several studies and fun things for kids as young as preschool to enjoy and learn these vital skills. We do so not just to capture a larger market, but because in my experience with my own children, it is far better for them to begin their study of communication skills at this age than to wait until fear or bad habits or rejection sets in.

You see, I was an incredibly shy child and grew up without the benefit of having these social skills. It hindered almost everything I did until I learned that my shyness wasn’t a personality trait. It was a lack of social communication skills. And once that issue was address, I became the outgoing gregarious goofball God intended me to be. The problem? It took MANY years to undo all I had learned with respect to how I related and communicated with others. I made a vow that I would not allow that to happen to my children and so I began their communication skills training when they were quite young because that’s when they have fun learning and soak it up as a sponge!

The result? My dd never went through that awkward age in latter elementary school where she was afraid to voice her ideas. She went on to learn to express herself so well that she was able to successfully debate her learned grandfather on creation vs evolution. She is now a sophomore at Vanderbilt University involved in ministry and just recently came back from a missions trip during her Fall Break from school.

CCN Logo2 I’ll be sharing much more on this topic on Thursday’s show. Join me for the Talk Talk Show: The Talk Show about Talking on the Communication Comedy Network live or listen in to the audio recording that will be available just after the live show.

The Communication Comedy Network airs Thursdays at 8am PST /11am EST!

http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736

It’s free, it’s fun and it’s informative!

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Filed Under: Mailbag Tagged With: Communication Comedy Network, communication skills, Mailbag, podcast, preschool, Speech, Subscribe Here!, Talk Talk Show

What are Your Facebook Pet Peeves?

October 12, 2009 by Art of Eloquence

This week’s Talk Talk Show topic on the Communication Comedy Network is about Facebook Faux Pas. In preparation for the show, I’m asking Facebook users to relate their pet peeves. Not your problems with Facebook but rather your issues with other Facebook users.

For example, does it bug you when someone whose name you don’t recognize asks you to be their Facebook friend, but gives you absolutely NO information about themselves whatsoever? No picture, no bio, nothing on their info screen????

Does it bother you when someone asks you to become a fan of Air or… BUBBLE WRAP?

Wha’ts your Facebook Pet Peeve? Post a comment and/or come share your thoughts on the live show!

The Communication Comedy Network airs each Thursday at 8am PST/11am EST.

Join us via your computer: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736

Or Join us via your phone: Phone Number: (724) 444-7444 Call ID: 19736

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Filed Under: Ask JoJo Tagged With: Communication Comedy Network, Facebook, Facebook Faux Pas, pet peeves, podcast, Talk Show

If communication is so important, why isn’t everyone studying it?

October 5, 2009 by Art of Eloquence

“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Proverbs 25:11

This week on The Talk Talk Show on the Communication Comedy Network, I’m asking the question, “If communication is so important, why isn’t everyone studying it?” In my seminars I ask how many think communication skills are important for every day life. Just about everyone in the audience will raise their hand. However, when I ask my next question, I get puzzled looks: How many of you have studied communication skills or are teaching them to your children?

“The wise in heart accepts commands, but the chattering fool comes to ruin.” Proverbs 10:8

Usually about three hands go up. One says she took a speech class once, another says she’ll have her son take a speech class when he’s a senior in high school and another who says she already taught her daughter a writing class. The rest say they don’t intend to make a speech in their lifetime so they don’t need communication skills. But they just said they were important in every day life! Why the disconnect? Because though most people think communication skills are important, they ONLY think of communication as speech or writing! However, this erroneous assumption can hold them back or damage their relationships in life. Let me explain…

1. Taking one speech class doesn’t make one an expert speech maker any more than taking one golf lesson makes one Tiger Woods.

“He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.” Proverbs 22:11

2. I know it sounds simplistic, but speech and writing courses teach speech and writing. They do not teach the specific skills needed in order to interview well, convince your boss you are worthy of a promotion, help dissuade your neighbor’s son from trampling your begonias, work out an issue in your marriage, discipline your 15 year old, effectively resolve a conflict with a co worker or family member, lead a group of people for a church project or share/defend your faith. Each of these require very different communication skills.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” 1Peter 3:15

3. Though many have a fear of speaking in public (but are comfortable one on one), speaking to hundreds of people is not the same as speaking to one. I know many great speech makers who are too intimidating one on one to be effective.

4. Being comfortable speaking is not the same as being effective. I’m comfortable playing basket ball, but as someone who’s 5′ nuthin’, I’m not proficient at it!

“An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of the citadel.” Proverbs 18:19

5. Practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect! Many people tell me that they are comfortable with social communication because they have been doing it all their lives. However, some of those comfortable communicators don’t realize that they are communicating in a way that hurts people’s feelings or intimidates others or makes others uncomfortable or doesn’t persuade others to follow where they lead. I’ve been a student of communication for over 25 years and each year I make it a point to learn even MORE!

“Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:6

87% of what you and I do all day long is communication related. The Bible has HUNDREDS of scriptures that tell us of the importance of mastering these skills and gives us some tips for doing so as well as some consequences if we don’t! Studies show that effective communicators are better students, have deeper relationships, better marriages, more successful careers and make more money than their less articulate counterparts. In fact, studies show that effective communicators are even HAPPIER!

“-So is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Issaiah 55:11

I’ll be discussing this topic in depth on Thursday’s podcast and I invite you to join me so please mark it down on your calendar to attend live! (Thursdays 8am PST /11am EST) We’ll be discussing the top reasons given for not studying communication skills including fear and boredom and the solution for each issue!

All this week I’ll be sharing some of my articles on communication skills. I invite you to come back each day and share these with your friends and family.

Communication is probably THE most important skill in life to master! Until then, I leave you with this question, “If communication skills are so important, why aren’t YOU studying them?

Visit Art of Eloquence’s Online Catalog today!

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Filed Under: Communication Articles Tagged With: communication, Communication Comedy Network, communication skills, conflict, podcast, Speech, Subscribe Here!, Talk Talk Show, writing

Win some free advertising for your business/ministry on Grace Talk Soup!

June 3, 2009 by Art of Eloquence

Would you like some help promoting your business, mission, blog, website or cause? Help us promote Grace Talk Soup and win some free air time advertising on the show! Post our link to your newsletter, website, Yahoo groups, Facebook account, Twitter account or blog and then email us gts@artofeloquence.com to tell us where you did! The one who promotes us the most that week will have his/her blog link, site URL, business or cause mentioned on the show!

Don’t know what to post? Cut and paste this in!
Tune in to the Grace Talk Soup Weekly Podcast featuring Lucy Linguist & Ethel the Editor, starring in “I LOVE LANGUAGE!” each Thursday morning 8am PST/11am EST where these two crazy compadres share tips for more effective communication and boldly serve up God’s Word with a side order of grace and humor! Join in via your computer: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736 or via phone: (724) 444-7444 Call ID: 19736 for one hour of creative speech communication fun!

Grace Talk Soup NEWS!

* GTS Fans Join Us On Facebook!
It’s a new month here at Grace Talk Soup! Come hear all the new shows we have lined up for you to help your family, your business and your ministry. Do you think communication is important? Want to have some fun with language? Love to laugh? Join the Grace Talk Soup Fan Club and be the first to learn about our newest show topics and contests! Chat with the hosts and fellowship with other members! Come learn how to share that more effectively…as always with a generous helping of grace and a dash of humor!

* Mark Your Calendar!
06/04: 21 Days to More Godly Communication Preview
The say it takes 21 days to make a habit. 21 Days to More Godly Communication is an upcoming study by Art of Eloquence. This show is a preview sharing what God says about how we should communicate with each other. Let’s share how learning to speak in grace as God shares with us in His Word can help us minister and relate to others better. Do you have stories of how grace has helped you communicate with someone? Come share!

06/11: Cultural Differences in Communication
Are you from another country? Culture? Do you have a different way of communicating because of that cultural difference? Come join us as we talk about how the very same words or gestures may mean something totally different in another culture or country!

06/18: How to talk to someone who is grieving
Do you know someone who just lost a child? Mother? Was diagnosed with cancer? Has a wayward child? Are your unsure of what to say to them or how to comfort them? Join us this week and find out!

06/25: Editing Tips for Do It Yourselfers!
Ethel the Editor shares her expertise so you can better self edit your letters, emails, papers, essays and reports.

07/02: Humor: A Powerful Communication Tool!
Did you ever want to include humor in your speech? Conversation? To break the ice? Do you know when it’s appropriate or inappropriate to use humor? Have you ever pulled a FIMM (Foot in Mouth Man) and stuck your foot in your mouth trying to make a joke? Then this show is for YOU! Besides, it’ll be FUN!

07/09: Has Technology Ruined Our Communication or Helped It?
What effect has technology had on our communication skills as a nation? Have our skills deteriorated due to texting? Or have we increased our influence in the world through the internet? Come share your thoughts! Open discussion time on Grace Talk Soup.

07/16: Consequences of Vs Rights of Freedom of Speech
Americans know they have the right to free speech, but what many don’t understand is that there are consequences that come with those rights. You may have the right to disagree with someone, but do you have the right to yell at him? You may have the right to state your beliefs, but don’t others have the right to be offended by what you say? Let’s discuss this fine line between what we have the right to say and the natural consequences of that right.

07/23: “But you don’t LOOK sick!
Do you or someone you know have a “Silent Illness?” Do people say, “But you don’t LOOK sick!” and therefore they treat you as if you are lying or complaining about nothing? How do you communicate your needs and your illness to those who don’t understand? Come join us as we discuss this frustrating issue.

07/30: Frequently Misused Words
Grab your kids too for this one! Our own Ethel the Editor takes us through a list of frequently misused words and explains the proper usage, why they are commonly misused. In her creatively unique and amusing style, Ethel will share her expertise in this area so prepared to have some fun!

* Testimonials:
“This show always has such good information and interesting guest speakers. The format is excellent, and I find out things here (particularly things that affect the speech rights of Christians) that the ‘regular’ news won’t cover. Keep up the good work!” –Joan

“I love Jojo’s sweet spirit. She is helping us to speak with grace and eloquence and showing us how to glorify God in our relationships. She has a wonderful ministry. I enjoyed her Birthday Bash and the last interview with the author of The Love Dare. We Christians need to hear what Jojo has to say!” –PennyMarie

“I am really enjoying listening to this newly found talk show. I added their widget on my sidebard. I really recommend it. It has been such an encouragement to me in my Christian walk. I am listening to the current one right now in the Defending the Faith Mini Series: “I’m a good person, why do I need God?” SOoooooo good.” –Natalie

If you missed any of our shows…

you can listen to the archives. May was Mini Series Month where we shared practical tips on Defending the Faith from my eBook, Say What You Mean Defending the Faith. Comprehensive information and tips on 4 of the most common questions and misconceptions the world has about Jesus! Scroll down to Past Episodes and click the orange “listen” button next to any show you want to hear! http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736

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Filed Under: Art of Eloquence News, Contests Tagged With: blogs, contest, editing, Facebook, free advertising, free spech rights, frequently misused workds, godly communication, Grace Talk Soup, grieving, humor, illness, podcast, technology, Twitter

The Return of the Communication Comedy Network

Join me tomorrow morning for a preview!

Homeschool Group Leaders: How to motivate your members

Classic Baby Babble Video!

Oct. Mailbag-Teaching Preschoolers

What are Your Facebook Pet Peeves?

If communication is so important, why isn’t everyone studying it?

Win some free advertising for your business/ministry on Grace Talk Soup!

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