It’s that time again to wish everyone Happy Holidays and all Season’s Greetings.

I’ll say it in Hawaiian — “Mele Kalikimaka”, since I am currently home for the holidays visiting my 92 year old mother in her rural village, and my 27 year old son who lives on the same island. I have lots of other relatives here in Hawaii and may be seeing some of them as well.

May your holidays be filled with fun, family fellowship, and friendship.

Thanks to our Tucsoncitizen.com loyal readers who keep coming back to our website for “news, information, commentary, opinion & perspective”.

Looking forward to 2013 as a new year filled with hope, peace and love. Happy New Year next week, and keep spreading that “aloha spirit” into the new year. And if you’re unsure what exactly qualifies as “aloha spirit”, read one of my previous posts “Do you Practice Aloha?” (click here).

On October 5th I wrote about a Fall/Winter seminar series “Knowledge is Power” at the Pima County Tucson Women’s Commission (click here). Let me provide more specific information on the media seminar which includes me.

October 18: “How to Get Your Regional News in Print or Online” (yours truly is one of the panelists, along with editors of the Arizona Jewish Post (bi-weekly newspaper) – Executive Editor Phyllis Braun; Arizona Daily Star – Regional Editor Tiffany Kjos; and Desert Leaf (monthly magazine) – Editor Karen Nystedt.

Local newspaper and media representatives will discuss “how they select topics for stories, interviews, and publication”. Maxine Goodman, PCTWC Commissioner will facilitate this seminar.

I’m included on this panel, as an online blogger for our Tucsoncitizen.com news source, having written formerly as a “My Tucson” guest columnist for the Tucson Citizen newspaper. More about us:

TucsonCitizen.com is a compendium of blogs that serves as The Voice of Tucson, written by Tucsonans for Tucsonans. The bloggers and citizen journalists here provide news, information, opinion, commentary and perspective on the issues, interests and events that affect daily life in the Old Pueblo.

So this is my small attempt at shameless self promotion, but I have no journalism degree (only a law degree and a bachelor’s in Psychology & Anthropology). I have worked one year at the Tucson Citizen newspaper (guest columnist), and now almost three and half years blogging online at Tucsoncitizen.com (1118 posts to date) as a “citizen journalist”. I was also a Commissioner (twice) on the Pima County Tucson Women’s Commission back in the 1990′s.

The seminar is at the Women’s Commission, 240 N. Court Ave. (SE corner of Council St.), 7 to 8 p.m. on October 18. Deadline to sign up online or by mail is October 16. Hope you can attend to learn media/news insights from 3 journalists/editors and me.

Six free seminars offered at the Pima County/Tucson Women’s Commission this fall/winter on Thursdays starting October 11 to December 6, each at 7 to 8 p.m. The Women’s Commission is at 240 N. Court Ave (SE corner of Council St.) in downtown Tucson. And yours truly has been asked to participate in the October 18 seminar!

The first seminar, “Desperately Seeking Capital,” slated for Oct. 11 is a complete review of funding options for start-up and early stage women-owned firms in Southern Arizona. It will feature Nova Sipes, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and representatives from various local funding sources for small women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs. Women’s commissioner Lucy Howell, president of MOVE Media and Move Business Solutions will be the facilitator.

The Oct. 18 seminar, “How to Get Your News in Print and Online,” will give participants insight into how local newspaper, online, and magazine editors select topics for stories for publication. The seminar will feature Carolyn Classen, JD, an online blogger for “Carolyn’s Community” at Tucsoncitizen.com; Tiffany Kjos, regional editor, Arizona Daily Star; Karen Nystedt, editor, Desert Leaf and Phyllis Braun, executive editor, Arizona Jewish Post. Commissioner Maxine Goodman, MS, a former San Jose, CA weekly newspaper publisher and freelance writer will be the facilitator.

The November 1 seminar, “Bullying and Harassment – What It Is and What You Can Do About It,” will be presented by Margaret Dykinga, MEd., the regional manager for Holman Frazier Behavioral Health. She has managed mental health centers and provided services to over 50 local companies. Commissioner Lucinda Hughes-Juan, MBA, a business instructor at Tohono O’odham Community College, will be the facilitator.

The November 8 seminar, “Basic Intellectual Property for Women Artists and Entrepreneurs,” will focus on how to advance and protect your ideas, and how not to infringe on the protected works of others. Commissioner Kathleen Williamson, JD, LLM, PhD, Intellectual Property Attorney will present.

On Nov 15 – “Our Founding Documents – Our First Words,” will be presented by Bunny Davis, JD, MEdD Read and discuss selected portions of the actual words in the Declaration of independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, and a selected Article of the Constitution. Commission Chair Alison Hughes, former University of Arizona health educator will facilitate.

On Dec. 6, “How to Start Your Own Small Business – Pathways to Success and Challenge Faced” will be presented by Commissioner Lucinda Hughes-Juan.
She has been teaching and training for over 25 years in business and workforce development, specializing in business development, cultural dynamics of business management and leadership theory. She will discuss information needed to get started and focus on the planning process as well as insight on overcoming some of the challenges in entrepreneurship.

Please register online (click here), by mail if you have one of the brochures, or call 520-624-5559 or (520) 881-0917.
Registration limited to 15 participants in each seminar.Reservations are on a first-first-served basis at least three days before seminar date.