The weekend read

You don't have to be a famous author to check into the hotel known as the weekend. Before you join the guest list, check my list of the best news, ideas and data I found and shared on Twitter this week:

• Room with a view: 54 percent of Internet users have shared an original photo or video, and 47 percent have done the same with visuals from others.
• Porter! Nessie, an "excellent mic for entry-level podcasters and beyond" gets an Apple-focused review, but the mic works with PCs, too.
• Hotel pool: Here's another dive into the recent Pew research on how users find, share and react to news on Facebook.
• Courtyard, anybody? Inside Facebook has a thorough case study of a small community tennis program that built a big presence on FB. Find out how.
• Two keys to the same room: The option to send direct messages to people who don't follow you begs the question: Should PR folks pitch reporters with the new DM option?
• Makeup mirror: Mashable shares more apps to beautify your quotes for sharing on Pinterest.
• Hotel staff: Want to ditch the job you have and work for a startup? Of course not. I'm just providing this for your general edification.
• First-time guest? The beginner's guide to Google+ might be a good way to catch up if you haven't been using this feature-rich social site. Better do that now, because Google+ added a hotel's worth of new features this week to give you more control over Hangouts, photo and video and more. Catch up on the updates on Mashable, Phandroid, and straight from Google's own blog.

Thanks for checking in again this week...Love having you as a frequent guest. Have a great weekend!

It's nearly the end of the year. Are you leaving professional development or training money on the table? Email me at infoATdontgetcaughtDOTbiz to schedule individual or group training in public speaking, presenting, or social media; to prep for your upcoming TED or TEDx talk; or a communications retreat.