Post brought to you by my Kindle

I recently received a Kindle for Christmas and it has been a gift from God. I mean that quite literally. Not only am I reading more, I'm finding that I'm watching less television. (This means less Jersey Shore and more Wall Street Journal, which we can all agree is a better thing!)

The first book I downloaded was "The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work and Life" by the fabulous Ivanka Trump (@ivankatrump).

Here is a synopsis:

"INSPIRATION. SUCCESS.
CONFIDENCE. PASSION.

No one is born with these qualities, but they are the key ingredients for reaching goals, building careers, or taking a blueprint and turning it into a breathtaking skyscraper. In The Trump Card, Ivanka Trump recounts the compelling story of her upbringing as the ultimate Apprentice, the daughter of Donald and Ivana Trump, and shares the life lessons and hardwon insights that have made her a rising star in the business world.

From her office in the Trump Organization, where she is a vice president of development and acquisitions and co-founder of The Trump Hotel Collection, to her career as an international model to the launch of her successful jewelry collection, Ivanka offers valuable, practical advice for young women. Whether it's landing that first job, navigating the workplace, or making a lasting impact, Ivanka shows how to:

• Use uncertainty to your advantage: thrive in any environment.
• Step up and get noticed at work: focus and efficiency will open doors.
• Create a strong and consistent identity: your name and reputation are your best assets.
• Know what you want: get the most out of any negotiation.

The Trump Card also features "Bulletins" from Ivanka's BlackBerry that tap into the wisdom of today's leaders, including Arianna Huffington, Tory Burch, and Cathie Black. "We've all been dealt a winning hand," Ivanka writes, "and it is up to each of us to play it right and smart."

I was a little skeptical at first. How hard of a life can you have with the last name Trump? I'm happy to say that I really learned a lot from her book. It was very motivating and her advice is practical yet unique.

Ivanka uses her own life experiences but doesn't present them in a snooty way. I feel like most auto-biographies can be a little "look at me," but Ivanka presented her story in a relatable fashion. I flew threw the book and found myself wanting more. Most of all, it was refreshing to see a young woman rise above prejudices (she was a formal model) and expectations (set by herself, the public, and her family) and ultimately pave her own road to success. Basically, Ivanka rocks.

I highly recommend "The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work in Life" to all young professionals out there. Especially you, ladies!

Tweet with care....

I wrote this post a few months ago on the Iowa PRSSA blog and I think it still rings true.

Twitter is a great tool for connecting with friends and others about topics of interest. Needless to say, Twitter is becoming more and more integrated into our lives and the media.

While Twitter is terrific, it is important to remember that what you post is public- don’t tweet inappropriate things, especially about your employers. It is one thing to be yourself on Twitter but posting comments about how much you hate your boss isn't something you want to vent about. Get ice cream with a friend, don't rag on your boss on Twitter.

We are told over and over again to "clean up our Facebooks" but Twitter can come back to haunt you. Check out this article from MSNBC.com- "Twitter gets you fired in 140 characters or less"

A former Cisco employee was a little too truthful on Twitter stating:

""Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work.”

It wasn’t long before Tim Levad, a "channel partner advocate" for Cisco Alert, shared this open response:

"Who is the hiring manager. I’m sure they would love to know that you will hate the work. We here at Cisco are versed in the web."

Ouch.

While it is awesome living a more digital lifestyle than our parents, don’t let it come back to haunt you.

I don't want to discourage anyone from tweeting, Twitter is a great way to connect with others and learn. Trust me, I have a newly admitted love affair with the site, but be smart. You know if something is inappropriate.

Happy smart tweeting!