If a town crier sounds like something straight out of an historical novel, you may be surprised to know your town or city may have one!  The American Guild of Town Criers is spreading the word about this ‘honorable position’.

The Annapolis, MD town crier (Squire Frederick) even made an appearance at HSMAI’s MEET National show earlier this month!

Katherine Markham, CHME, ConventionPlanit.com's Co-Founder, poses with Squire Frederick at HSMAI's MEET National

Historically, the role of the town crier was to spread the news of the day.  The job has changed a little – according to Squire Frederick’s website, town criers celebrate a city’s rich history, achievements and struggles for liberty and civil rights for citizens.

Town criers across the country are available to make appearances at events.  They’ll pose for photos, too.  Check out Squire Frederick’s website for more information.

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This photo was snapped by our friends at the Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort in Utah…

…who know Utah had British foxes?  This little guy is walking on the wrong side of the road!

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…comes to you in the form of a new office vocabulary word!

consul•to•babble n: the often indecipherable language of consultants, rich with technical jargon, and cliches.

Would someone kindly translate that last statement? I’m not fluent in consultobabble.

We all know someone guilty of this, whether it is your office IT guru or a know-it-all coworker.  So tell us, who is it?

Word and definition courtesy of The Little Hiptionary by Ruth Cullen

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This post welcomes the second installment of a new weekly series to share interesting and useful lingo with our dear readers for their corporate lives.

blame•storm n: a common corporate activity in which people sit around and discuss why something failed and who is responsible.

When the dust settled after the blamestorm, only three people remained seated in the conference room.

Have you encountered a blamestorm in your office?

Word and definition courtesy of The Little Hiptionary by Ruth Cullen

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Do you remember what the meetings industry was like 25 years ago?

Can you imagine an industry without iPads and virtual meetings?

Let us take you on a journey back to the 1980s with this just-released music video, which pokes fun at some of the challenges of meeting planning before the invention of time-saving tools like online search directories.

At the end of the video, meeting professionals are invited to predict what the meetings industry will look like 25 years from now.

The winner will receive a deluxe three-night stay for two at the Five-Diamond J.W. Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa, including a $400 resort credit to be used during the stay.  Continental Airlines will provide roundtrip air for two.

We also want to hear what you have to say about the video – add your comments to our YouTube Channel, or comment on this post below!

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If you’d like to wow your colleagues with knowledge of the latest office slang terms, or if you just want a good laugh, be sure to stay tuned for this reoccurring blog segment.

We’ll feature a new word each week.

Al•desko adv: at the desk; usually refers to eating while sitting at one’s desk.

I’d love to join you for lunch today, but I’l be dining al desko. This report can’t wait.

Have you sprinkled this word into your vocabulary?  If so, leave a comment and tell us what the reaction was!

Word definition courtesy of The Little Hiptionary by Ruth Cullen

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This holiday season, you can make a charitable difference at no financial cost – and you’ll clean out your closet at the same time. Consider donating your gently used shoes to Step Up for Haiti.

Download a prepaid, self-addressed mailing label from their website and take the box to an authorized FedEx location.  There is no limit to the number of children’s, women’s, and men’s shoes you may donate.  Visit www.stepupforhaiti.org for more information.

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Simply invite five meeting planners to your office for a breakfast, lunch or a cocktail hour featuring an online demonstration of ConventionPlanit.com. We’ll deliver the presentation and the cuisine.

As a sponsor of the presentation, you’ll receive a $50 American Express Reward Card for your efforts. You can also spread the word about this offer to your guests – they can host their own presentation and take advantage of this great offer.

For more information, please contact Katherine Markham, CHME, at 301-975-9462, or katherinem@conventionplanit.com.

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Check out the changes to the ConventionPlanit.com Homepage – you’ll see some new colors, and a different banner, but all of your favorite content is in the exact same places.

The new look and feel of the homepage came directly from feedback from the Advisory Council last month!

What do you think? If you have an idea, let us know – it just might be put into action!

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If you didn’t receive the ConventionPlanit.com newsletter yesterday, you missed out on an interview with Bethenny Frankel from Bravo’s Real Housewives of NYC.

Bethenny dishes out smart menu and eating habits for on-the-road meeting planners.

Check out what Bethenny has to say – and be sure to sign up for our newsletter for more great tips and meeting ideas!

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