Jenny McCarthy Blogs On Oprah
Filed under: Archives, At Home, At Work, Blogging, Food Items, For Women, Helping Others, Parenting, Weight Issues, decluttering
On Monday, May 4, 2009, Jenny McCarthy will begin blogging on Oprah.com. Jenny is calling it her “give it up before summer” blog.
She’ll be blogging about how to give up such things as sugar and/or chocolate. If you have anything you want to give up, you can sign into the blog, join in the conversation and share with Jenny McCarthy what it is you’re struggling with.
Like Jenny, is it chocolate? Is it gossiping? Or how about white foods or caffeine?
It’s easy. Just log into Oprah.com. Look for the link to Jenny McCarthy’s blog and leave a comment.
It sounds like a fun endeavor. We all get to weigh in and have our say and read what others are saying, too.
For more information on Jenny McCarthy and her crusade on autism, check out Children With Autism – Help For Parents
Or, you can find some of Jenny McCarthy’s books here:
- Healing and Preventing Autism: A Complete Guide
- Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth about Pregnancy and Childbirth
- Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism
- Mother Warriors: A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds
According to Oprah.com it appears Jenny McCarthy’s blog will last for thirty days. If it’s a hit, maybe Oprah will keep Jenny as a permanent blogger on Oprah.com.
Tags: addicts, blog, Blogging, blogs, caffeine, chocolate, comments, giving up, jenny mccarthy, oprah, oprah.com, sugar, weigh in, white foods10 Blog Traffic Tips
In every bloggers life comes a special day – the day they first launch a new blog. Now unless you went out and purchased someone else’’s blog chances are your blog launched with only one very loyal reader – you. Maybe a few days later you received a few hits when you told your sister, father, girlfriend and best friend about your new blog but that’’s about as far you went when it comes to finding readers.
Here are the top 10 techniques new bloggers can use to find readers. These are tips specifically for new bloggers, those people who have next-to-no audience at the moment and want to get the ball rolling.
It helps if you work on this list from top to bottom as each technique builds on the previous step to help you create momentum. Eventually once you establish enough momentum you gain what is called “traction”, which is a large enough audience base (about 500 readers a day is good) that you no longer have to work too hard on finding new readers. Instead your current loyal readers do the work for you through word of mouth.
Top 10 Tips
10. Write at least five major “pillar” articles. A pillar article is a tutorial style article aimed to teach your audience something. Generally they are longer than 500 words and have lots of very practical tips or advice. This article you are currently reading could be considered a pillar article since it is very practical and a good “how-to” lesson. This style of article has long term appeal, stays current (it isn’t news or time dependent) and offers real value and insight. The more pillars you have on your blog the better.
9. Write one new blog post per day minimum. Not every post has to be a pillar, but you should work on getting those five pillars done at the same time as you keep your blog fresh with a daily news or short article style post. The important thing here is to demonstrate to first time visitors that your blog is updated all the time so they feel that if they come back tomorrow they will likely find something new. This causes them to bookmark your site or subscribe to your blog feed.
You don”t have to produce one post per day all the time but it is important you do when your blog is brand new. Once you get traction you still need to keep the fresh content coming but your loyal audience will be more forgiving if you slow down to a few per week instead. The first few months are critical so the more content you can produce at this time the better.
8. Use a proper domain name. If you are serious about blogging be serious about what you call your blog. In order for people to easily spread the word about your blog you need a easily rememberable domain name. People often talk about blogs they like when they are speaking to friends in the real world (that’’s the offline world, you remember that place right?) so you need to make it easy for them to spread the word and pass on your URL. Try and get a .com if you can and focus on small easy to remember domains rather than worry about having the correct keywords (of course if you can get great keywords and easy to remember then you’ve done a good job!).
7. Start commenting on other blogs. Once you have your pillar articles and your daily fresh smaller articles your blog is ready to be exposed to the world. One of the best ways to find the right type of reader for your blog is to comment on other people’s blogs. You should aim to comment on blogs focused on a similar niche topic to yours since the readers there will be more likely to be interested in your blog.
Most blog commenting systems allow you to have your name/title linked to your blog when you leave a comment. This is how people find your blog. If you are a prolific commentor and always have something valuable to say then people will be interested to read more of your work and hence click through to visit your blog.
6. Trackback and link to other blogs in your blog posts. A trackback is sort of like a blog conversation. When you write a new article to your blog and it links or references another blogger’’s article you can do a trackback to their entry. What this does is leave a truncated summary of your blog post on their blog entry – it’’s sort of like your blog telling someone else’s blog that you wrote an article mentioning them. Trackbacks often appear like comments.
This is a good technique because like leaving comments a trackback leaves a link from another blog back to yours for readers to follow, but it also does something very important – it gets the attention of another blogger. The other blogger will likely come and read your post eager to see what you wrote about them. They may then become a loyal reader of yours or at least monitor you and if you are lucky some time down the road they may do a post linking to your blog bringing in more new readers.
5. Encourage comments on your own blog. One of the most powerful ways to convince someone to become a loyal reader is to show there are other loyal readers already following your work. If they see people commenting on your blog then they infer that your content must be good since you have readers so they should stick around and see what all the fuss is about. To encourage comments you can simply pose a question in a blog post. Be sure to always respond to comments as well so you can keep the conversation going.
4. Submit your latest pillar article to a blog carnival. A blog carnival is a post in a blog that summarizes a collection of articles from many different blogs on a specific topic. The idea is to collect some of the best content on a topic in a given week. Often many other blogs link back to a carnival host and as such the people that have articles featured in the carnival often enjoy a spike in new readers.
To find the right blog carnival for your blog, do a search at blogcarnival.com.
3. Submit your blog to blogtopsites.com. To be honest this tip is not going to bring in a flood of new readers but it’’s so easy to do and only takes five minutes so it’’s worth the effort. Go to Blog Top Sites, find the appropriate category for your blog and submit it. You have to copy and paste a couple of lines of code on to your blog so you can rank and then sit back and watch the traffic come in. You will probably only get 1-10 incoming readers per day with this technique but over time it can build up as you climb the rankings. It all helps!
2. Submit your articles to EzineArticles.com. This is another tip that doesn’t bring in hundreds of new visitors immediately (although it can if you keep doing it) but it’’s worthwhile because you simply leverage what you already have – your pillar articles. Once a week or so take one of your pillar articles and submit it to Ezine Articles. Your article then becomes available to other people who can republish your article on their website or in their newsletter.
How you benefit is through what is called your “Resource Box”. You create your own resource box which is like a signature file where you include one to two sentences and link back to your website (or blog in this case). Anyone who publishes your article has to include your resource box so you get incoming links. If someone with a large newsletter publishes your article you can get a lot of new readers at once.
1. Write more pillar articles. Everything you do above will help you to find blog readers however all of the techniques I’ve listed only work when you have strong pillars in place. Without them if you do everything above you may bring in readers but they won’t stay or bother to come back. Aim for one solid pillar article per week and by the end of the year you will have a database of over 50 fantastic feature articles that will work hard for you to bring in more and more readers.
I hope you enjoyed my list of traffic tips. Everything listed above are techniques I’ve put into place myself for my blogs and have worked for me, however it’’s certainly not a comprehensive list. There are many more things you can do. Finding readers is all about testing to see what works best for you and your audience and I have no doubt if you put your mind to it you will find a balance that works for you.
This article was by Yaro Starak, a professional blogger and my blog mentor. He is the leader of the Blog Mastermind mentoring program designed to teach bloggers how to earn a full time income blogging part time.
To get more information about Blog Mastermind click this link: Click Here!
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=2438efed-151c-4f7e-a8ff-e3c6fb6a73a0 "photo")
How To Save Money During A Recession
Filed under: Archives, At Home, At Work, Finances, Saving Money
Saving money during an economic slow down, or recession, often becomes a topmost priority for many.
Until a stimulus kicks in, or the economy turns around on its own, we are left struggling to pay our bills, put food on the table, survive from day to day, while looking for ways to save money until the recession passes.
Listed below are a number of small ways to save. Utilizing more than one method, will increase your overall savings. Whether in a recession or not, these are all great ways to save money on a day to day basis.
For Your Vehicle and Driving
1) With gas prices at an all time high, drive only when necessary. Take time to plan your trips. Combine trips to the grocery store, with dropping the kids off at school, or with another set appointment.
2) Keep your tires properly inflated. Most tire stores will check your tires for free if that’s where you purchased your tires from.
3) If you always get your tank filled, start filling your tank when it reaches half. Although this won’t save you money, you can spread the cost to fill your tank over several days or weeks.
4) Remove any “car carriers” you may have on the top of your car.. Keep your vehicle as aerodynamic as possible. Car carrier can reduce your miles per gallon.
5) Keep your car tuned up. An improperly running car may cause an excessive use of gas.
6). Carpool If possible carpool with others thus sharing the expense. Or, if you are running errands, ask friends and/or family if they need you to pick up something for them, or vice versa.
7) Use public transportation Instead of driving, take the bus or train. Use this time to listen to music, read, write, journal, etc.
Walk Walking is one of the best exercises. Instead of driving to the corner store, put on your sneakers and enjoy the fresh air.
At Home or Work
1) Buy generic brands. The taste difference for most generics is minimal.
2) Buy in bulk. If the packages contain too many, share the cost for friends or family
3) Stretch hamburger recipes with grated potatoes. By adding grated potatoes to hamburgers or hamburger dishes, less meat can me used, thus saving money on groceries.
4) Click and use coupons. Coupons can often be doubled, saving you even more. Check the local newspaper for the “double up” coupons.
5) Search online for low cost recipes. Many websites have classifications of low cost recipes. Soups are often low cost to make. Add a salad and some bread for a great and filling meal
6) Order off the $1.00 menu at fast food restaurants. With most fast food being high in fat and calories, you’ll not only save money, but may save a few extra calories as well.
7) Buy take and bake pizzas. Papa Murphy’s offers a wide selection of choices. Check for others in your area. Remember to check their weekly specials. By calling in your order, you will also save time. Refrigerate the pizza until you are ready to bake it.
8.) When eating out, consider sharing a meal. Some restaurants may add a “plate charge” for a shared meal, however this will be much less than the cost of two separate meals. Desserts can usually be shared at no additional expense.
10) Change out your light bulbs. Use the compact fluorescent light bulbs in as many fixtures as possible. Start by replacing the light bulbs in the fixtures which are used most often. There are also compact fluorescent light bulbs available for appliances such as refrigerators and vent hoods. I bought mine at WalMart.
11) Do comparison shopping via the telephone. Most businesses will tell you what a product costs over the telephone. Comparison shopping is also easy to do online. Look for sites that offer free or low cost shipping.
12) Recycle By recycling paper products, cans, and bottles, you may be able to reduce the size of your curbside garbage container. Also, ask your garbage company if you can save by only having your garbage picked up every other week (instead of weekly). Most garbage companies also have a “vacation” plan if you are going to be gone for any length of time.
13) Stop or reduce newspaper deliveries. If you only read the Sunday paper, stop subscribing to the daily ones.
14) Visit the library Instead of buying new books, get a library card and check out books from your local library for free.
15) Keep your receipts. If you buy an item and find it doesn’t serve it’s purpose, return it. Often impulse buying can cost us hundreds of dollars, only to have items hanging in the closet with price tags still on them. Do not remove price tags until you are certain the item will be used.
16) Be a smart shopper. When shopping, ask yourself, “Do I really, really, really love this?”, “Does it fit?”, “Do I have a spot in my house for it?”, “Do I really, really need this?”. Often you’ll realize you have one at home just like it, or you don’t have a spot for “it”.
17) Close the doors/vents. If you have rooms in your home that are not being used, close the heating vents, and close the door. It doesn’t make sense to heat a room that is not being used.
18) Install ceiling fans. Remember, heat rises. Use ceiling fans to push the heat back down.
19) Make and pack your lunch for work. Bringing your own lunch to work, can save thousands of dollars over the course of a year.
20) Decrease your purchases of daily lattes/mochas/specialty coffees. Paying $3-$4 for a cup of coffee adds up fast. One cup, every day of the month is will cost over $90 a month/$1000+ a year. Over a five year period, you can easily spend $5000. For more information on “the latte factor”, here’s a great article titled: Where Have All The Dollars Gone, which includes tips on how to chart your expenses, and curb spending.
21) Stop buying bottled water. Buying bottled water at $1.00 a piece can add up just like purchasing specialty coffee drinks. Filter your own and store in reusable water bottles. For more information on the actual cost of bottled water, read this eye opening article, titled Are You Paying Too Much For Water?, which details how the cost of bottled water can surpass the price of a gallon of gas.
Save on energy costs – 30 ways.. Click on the link and learn an additional 30 ways to save on your energy costs.
Save Money – 16 Ways. More great ways to save money.
Another 16 great ways to save money. Here’s another list to save you a few coins.
Uses for Baking Soda. This great article plus the links included, will show your hundreds of uses for baking soda, a very cheap alternative to cleaning chemicals.
22 Cheap Holiday Gift Ideas. Save money on gifts by checking out this list of 22 ideas. It may spur your creativity for more great ideas.
Disclaimer: Some of the above links may include duplicate information, however, that does not reduce the effectiveness of the money saving tips.
Photo Credit annia316 ?’s photos
Tags: blog, car carrier, car carriers, food on the table, generic brands, Gift Idea, photo credit, saving money on groceries, taste difference, tire stores, topmost priorityOnline Business Mentors
Filed under: Archives, At Work, For Entrepreneurs, Web Surfing
Photo courtesy of MRk. Cool
If you have a business, or are planning to start one, it’s often difficult to find a mentor who understands the dilemmas you may encounter.
Just as there may be numerous places to turn to within your own community, often business owners forget to look online for mentors.
The latest “craze” is to turn to blogs, which are web logs. Blogs differ from typical websites, in that they provide a comment section, where you can “have your say”, and also communicate directly with the author.
As a business owner, I try to utilize all sources. Many of my mentors have been in the same situation, and it is from them I gain expert advice.
When researching online mentors, I landed on a fabulous website/blog. The name of it is Catherine Lawson’s Business Advice Blog. Granted, Catherine is in the UK, but when it comes to business, we all face similar challenges.
What I like about Catherine’s blog, is that she teaches others, and willingly shares mistakes she made in business. Since she tells her readers how she corrected the problem, others can often apply her techniques to their situation, as well. Catherine likes to engage her readers, by encouraging them to comment, therefore, the comment section that follows each article, often has more enlightening ideas. By scouring through her past articles (archives), you’re likely to find an article (post), that may address your concern.
Never underestimate the power of a blog. Although you may have heard a blog is “just an online journal”, the authors of thousands of blogs are experts in their field, and freely share what they have learned, with anyone who cares to listen.
Search the internet. Chances are, you’ll find a blog author, who will gladly become your online business mentor.
How To Get In The Spirit Of Christmas
Filed under: Archives, At Home, At Work, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Parenting
Getting into the Christmas spirit can be difficult, especially when life happens, and time is a rare commodity.
With Christmas becoming so commercialized, it’s no wonder, some become disheartened, at this time of the year.
Catherine, a cyberspace friend of mine, asked me how I get into the Christmas spirit, so I’m answering her question, with this article.
First of all, let’s look at what Christmas is.
Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
It’s a time to worship His birth, and rejoice.
The spirit of Christmas means to share love and to give of yourself. It is not about, what you get.
To get into the Christmas spirit, try the following:
1) Listen to Christmas music. The traditional songs are beautiful. However, there are other Christmas songs that are joyful as well. For children, the Chipmunks sing silly, happy, sing-along songs. Many radio stations play Christmas music, and Christmas CDs are always available during the holidays.
Play Christmas music at home, in your car, or in your MP3 or Ipod. Learn the words, and sing along.
2) Watch Christmas movies. Currently “Deck The Halls” was recently released on video. There are many others that will get you into the Christmas spirit.
3) Christmas often means gift giving. However, a lot of people have forgotten those less fortunate. Pick a name off of the local “tree of joy”, or Ronald McDonald house, and get your children involved in picking out gifts for elders, families or other children who may otherwise be forgotten about during the holidays.
Many shelters need volunteers to serve Christmas dinner to the homeless. If you cannot give of your time, consider making a donation to your local shelters.
4) Christmas may also entail decorating the outside of your home with lights and/or lawn decor. Some people are nuts about Christmas lights, and go all out, whereas others, keep it simple and hang a star, or some garland around their front door.
Make it a family event to drive around and look at the lights.
5) Christmas trees are traditional. Some families have more than one tree, whereas others make cutting down a tree, a family affair. Decorating them with pretty ornaments or home made ones, can become a tradition for any family. Putting on the tree top, can also become a celebration.
6) Christmas stockings are often a tradition for families. Stockings can be filled with candy, small toys, games, etc. Use your imagination. Decorating or making Christmas stockings can be a fun family event.
7) Wrapping Christmas presents, to some, is a real chore. But if you get family members involved, your burden can be lessened. Put on Christmas tunes, and get children involved. Let them decorate the packages for other family members. Let their creativity emerge.
8.) Go to church on Christmas Eve. Most churches have special services, and the message usually enforces the true meaning of Christmas.
9) Display nativity scenes. Currently there is yard decor for outdoors, and indoor scenes can range from small sets to large, impressive ones.
10) Often many people bake during the holidays. Pick a few of your favorite recipes, or try new ones. Share your baked goods with neighbors, friends and relatives.
Plan a cookie exchange party, and have each person bring 6-12 cookies for each of the other guests. By the time the evening is over, you will have had a fun time, and you will leave with several dozen cookies of different varieties.
11) Take time to see Christmas through the eyes of a young child. They don’t understand how commercialized it’s become. They get excited about little things like Santa, Christmas trees, lights, and sugar cookies. Their innocence is magical.
12) Make it your goal to give meaningful gifts. Let the older children know you have a budget. Have them make a “wish list” and pick one or two items off of their list. Let them be surprised by what’s under the tree on Christmas morning.
As parents, it is our responsibility to teach children that they don’t always get everything they want, when they want it. Some things have to be earned.
13) A sure fire way to get into the Christmas spirit, is to spend time with others who have Christmas spirit. Before long, you will find it’s rubbing off on you.
To avoid getting so over whelmed during the holidays, make it your goal to shop and/or make gifts all year long. After Christmas, great buys can be found on winter items, that can easily be stored until the following year. During the year when you are in your favorite stores, take time to find a gift of two to put away until the following Christmas. This method not only spreads the expense of the holiday, but will alleviate some of the stress of last minute shopping.
Want some inexpensive gift and wrapping paper ideas, check out the following articles:
1) Last Minute Cheap Christmas Gift Ideas
2) 22 Cheap Holiday Gift Ideas
Hopefully I have answered Catherine’s question, and have helped others to find the true spirit of Christmas.
Tags: blog, Gift IdeaAmber Alert Ticker
I just added the Amber Alert Ticker to both of my blogs.
I’m encouraging all webmasters and bloggers to add the Amber Alert Ticker to your websites and blogs. It could help to save a child.
Since Amber Alerts are normally only posted on TV and the radio, this will give more exposure for the abducted child, and hopefully bring them home safely.
If you need more information on the Amber Alert Ticker, go to http://codeamber.org. If you would like to learn more about Amber Alert.gov, go to www.amberalert.gov. (They provide a free “wireless alert” – to your cell phone.)
If you don’t have a website or blog, you can add the Amber Alert Ticker to your desktop.
Let’s join together, and help to save abducted children.
BTW: There is also an Amber Alert Ticker for Canada
Tags: blog, blogsPhilips Universal Remote Control – Lost Code
When the remote control for our RCA TV, wore out. I replaced it with a Philips Universal Remote Control, which I purchased at Walmart.
At the time, I couldn’t find our original instruction manual, so I began searching online for a RCA code. What I found were dozens of “codes” to try. I tried some of them, but got impatient, and went back to searching.
As luck would have it, I found a site which I now have bookmarked. The author tells you how to program a Philips Universal Remote Control, without a code. The directions are super easy, and they work perfectly.
The name of the site is, “David Yin’s Blog”. The page on his site with the instructions is, Philips Universal Remote Control.
If the alternative method works for you, be sure to leave him a comment, and thank him for his efforts.
Toshiba Satellite® A135-S4727 15.4″ Widescreen Notebook Computer With Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Processor T2080 $599.99 After $50 Instant & $200 Mail-in Savings! (online price $849.99) Tags: blog
Take Your Idea & Make Millions
Filed under: Archives, Business Opportunity, Life, Making Money
I’m amazed at how average people are making millions with simple ideas.
Last week, I watched two episodes of “The Big Idea” with Donny Deutsch. One show was how entrepreneurs started a business with less than $500.00, and the second show were entrepreneurs, who wanted to take their existing businesses, to the next level. They all have the capability of making millions in a short period of time.
Take a look at Donny Deutsch, the renowned advertising guru. To quote his bio,
he implemented his “leaner, meaner, faster, smarter” philosophy to transform a small advertising shop into one of the nation’s top 10 agencies. The $2.8 billion full-service agency has provided clients with strategic marketing programs that are intrusive, effective and talked about. Prestigious clients include GM, Johnson & Johnson, DirecTV, Novartis Worldwide, and IKEA.
Reread that, his advertising agency is worth $2.8 billion.
On the show (7/19/07), Donny Deutsch, spent the hour promoting struggling entrepreneurs. These individuals have great ideas, have done their business plans, have done marketing and sales on a small scale, but now want to get national and worldwide recognition. He offered advice to each person, and gave them hints as to what to do next. How cool is that? Donny Deutsch, giving you free advice, plus letting you promote your product on national tv.
“The Bid Idea” concluded the show with Kim Lavine, President and Founder of Green Daisy Inc. She has been nicknamed, “the Mommy Millionaire”. Kim provided the audience with links to six websites that are paramount to up and coming entrepreneurs.
Included in the list are:
SCORE, “Counselors to America’s Small Business”
The US Patent Office
Thomasnet.com, A resource for industrial information, etc.
PR Web Press Release Newswire- for press releases
TradeShowToday. Information on trade shows
.
It was suggested that you build a website. How ironic. I “technically” have a website, with this blog. If you don’t have a blog, it’s easy and inexpensive to set one up. If you want to follow how I learned how to set up a blog, go to my other blog, Blogging Without A Blog.com
To add to the above lists, other websites that have great resources, either printed, or online, are:
SBA Small Business Association-for funding options
IRS Internal Revenue Service
US Department of Labor
Business.gov
USA.gov
International Trade Association
FDA.gov Starting a food business
Womenbiz.govWomen selling to the Federal Government
Export.gov Helping US companies export
You’ll also need a great accounting software program. For that, I would recommend Quickbooks Pro. Click on the following link and Get 15 % Off QuickBooks Pro Small Business Accounting Software + Free Shipping
Remember to also check with your state and local governments, for required licenses and/or permits.
Most states require that you register your business name, and type of entity, i.e. sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, etc.
If you have a great idea, go for it. For starters, check out “The Big Idea” website. For motivation, read the stories of the entrepreneurs who have succeeded, as well as these new entrepreneurs, who are destined to be the next millionaires. Their stories are filled great tips. Learn from them. Take your idea to the next level.
If you’re blogging, you already have exposure. If you’re not blogging, get a blog/website. Get a business plan. Get a patent (if needed). Promote your product on your blog. Do what’s needed to get your product on the market. Do your homework. None of these individuals said it was easy. Most of them literally went door to door, or sold their product, out of the trunk of their car.
The show that aired on 7/19/07, highlighted six new ideas. They were:
Eve Alexander A manufacturer of maternity lingerie.
Chilly Jilly A shawl/sarong in a bag
iHearSafe earbuds To protect children’s ears from load music
Klip-Flops A “design your own” flip-flop
Send A Ball A gift and greeting all in one (a ball)
Vroom An “energy” candy
These are all great ideas. Each product has a large target market. These entrepreneurs will soon all be millionaires.
If you have an idea, and have the belief, persistence, and passion; you, too, can succeed.
My question to you is, “Are you ready to follow your dream?”
It’s all up to you.
Not sure what your passion is? Read another article of mine, titled How To Find Your Passion and Make Money.
Update: Could your business be illegible for a Federal government grant? Check out the article I wrote on that subject. It also provides a free link to the Federal government’s grant website. Just click on: Free Information For Government Grants
Tags: blogAbout
Hello World!
My name if Barbara Swafford.
Is what I write credible? You decide.
Who am I? I’m a female baby boomer who has always believed in living life. I remember when President John F Kennedy was shot, and when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. I remember black and white television sets, and “45″ records that were played on a phonograph, and later, 8 track tapes. I remember when the first instamatic camera came out, and learning typing on an old Royal manual typewriter (IBM later came out with an electric one). I remember watching the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. I remember the twist, and the limbo. Bandstand was a favorite music/dance show on TV, as was, Where the Action Is. I remember the Vietnam War, and the hippies in Haight-Ashbury . I remember when computers had a room of their own, and the only thing you stuck in your ear, was a Q-Tip. I remember when swearing was taboo, and nudity in any type of media, was unheard of. I remember when playing games meant a game of Tag, Hide and Go Seek or ice skating on our grandparent’s frozen pond (which we first had to shovel the snow off of). I remember not having a car when I turned 16, and not even getting one, until I had a job of my own and could afford the payment, insurance and gas. I remember when gas was $0.29 a gallon, and there was penny candy.
I also remember when it was safe to leave your doors unlocked, or walk by yourself, miles down a country road any time of the day or night. I remember when it was safe to hitch hike, and it was safe to leave your car unlocked, and even running. I remember neighbors helping neighbors, whether it was to help build a house, watching each other’s children, or to borrow a cup of sugar. I remember when it was safe for young girls to travel by themselves, and to ask a stranger for help. I remember when you trusted and respected your teachers, policemen, clergy, doctors, and anyone else in authority, and they were addressed by Mr. or Mrs. or Sir or Madam.
I”ve always loved to listen, learn, think, analyze, and expand my knowledge base. I have lots of common sense, and some “book smarts”. After spending many years working for large corporations, mostly in the roles of an Administrative Assistant/Manager, and in purchasing/procurement, and busting through that “glass ceiling”, I became a non traditional age student, and went back to college to earn my Associates degree in Business. My husband and I are self employed, and I now manage our home office.
I’ve learned lots from others, am self taught is some areas, and have also learned from what my Mother called “the school of hard knocks”. (i.e. learning from your mistakes)
I’m a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and a friend to many. I believe in God, and the power of Prayer.
I’m a kind and giving person, who tries not to be judgmental. I’m a hard worker, and have always been a good employee. I am honest and have high ethics. I’m independent, but try not to be too stubborn. I like routine, but can also be spontaneous, at times. I like things to be tidy, and am constantly finding ways to be more organized. I have lots of compassion and empathy for others, and enjoy lending a helping hand. I love old people, children and animals.
My hobbies and interests, include photography, faux painting, interior decorating, sewing, reading, gardening, road trips, and now, blogging
I prefer to work in a quiet environment, and could be described as an introvert; however, I do enjoy spending time with family and friends. I prefer listening to talking, and prefer “to serve” rather than “being served”.
I’m frugal to a degree, however, I also believe, “you get what you pay for”. I love bargains, but do buy a few things that I won’t scrimp on, i.e. Nestle’s Chocolate Chips and Starbuck’s Coffee Ice Cream.
I blog, to share with others what I’ve learned. During the process of learning how to blog (or create a web log), I journaled my experience, and what I was learning. It’s documented in my other blog www.bloggingwithoutablog.com.
In this uncertain world, my hope is to leave a small piece of what I’ve learned, on this “medium” called the “world wide web”, and hopefully benefit others for years to come.
Tags: blogWhat Is A Blog? Can I Have A Blog?
What exactly is a blog? A blog is a web log. What you’re seeing as you read this page, is a blog.
Just a short time ago, I wrote an article on my other blog, or website, about the same issue. I give a short explanation of what a blog is, and the different types of blogs you’ll encounter as you “surf the web”. If you would like to read it, go to Bloggingwithoutablog.com.
Can you have a blog? Absolutely.
Do you like to write?
Do you like to spend time on the computer?
Do you have some extra time in your day when you could sit at your computer and write short articles about issues that affect your life, and how you deal with them? Or, are you an expert in a specific field?
Are you willing to share what you’ve learned with others, for free?
Do you know the basics of computers, but are willing to learn more?
Would you like to make extra money by blogging (writing)?
If you answered yes to these questions, you may be a future blogger.
To “blog” is actually quite simple. The difficulty in blogging comes from issues other than actual “writing”. Blogging has a language of it’s own, and learning that and all that goes with it, is what can be time consuming.
To make a decent living, or even additional income that will amount to something, with blogging, takes tenacity. Most professional bloggers spend 50 or more hours a week on their blogs. Some claim to make six figure incomes, but, most of them have been blogging for many years. As for me, I won’t be quitting my day job, anytime soon. 
Can a new (“newbie”) blogger get recognition, when there’s already over 70 million blogs? I think so. If you’re reading this, you found me, and this blog was “born” on March 29, 2007.
With that being said, if you’re interested in blogging, a great website to get started at is a favorite of mine: Problogger.net. You can also check out my other blog at Bloggingwithoutablog.com. where I’ve been documenting what I’ve learned since I started blogging.
If you get a blog started, drop me a comment, and I’ll visit your site. We all love lots of visitors, i.e. high traffic numbers.
Tags: blog, blogsLife Saving Tips
Free E-Book
Sponsors