Category Archives: biz

I Hate Feeling Groggy Like This

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Turns out my migraine didn’t exactly leave the other day.  After getting back from the dreaded dentist (where my Xanax didn’t work nearly as well as it should have!) I basically crashed for like three hours. And you have no idea just how much I’ve slept this weekend.  Really, I’m not sleepy at all.  I’m feeling crappy and groggy and achey, but not sleepy.

Even now I kind of feel like I’m in a bit of a daze.  I have no desire to do my pile of dishes (we’re out of forks and cat bowls) or to write my work articles for tomorrow’s newsletter (guess I’ll be taking advantage of some stuff that others have written and made available).

I also have to figure out a little business prioritizing here.  I had this brilliant idea to pitch for some giveaway product via HARO.  My goal was to do a giveaway a day on my site for the entire month of November.  On top of that, I’ve been pitching individually to some of my favorite products. And well, it worked.  Some might say it worked a little too well (if that were even possible).  It now looks like I’ll be able to start my giveaway a day in October and probably run straight through to some time in December.  And while this will be coller than cool, I dread the future post office trips and the post office costs to fulfill the sweepstakes.

Now on top of all that, I’m also going to be taking on a newsletter for my new site highlighting blog posts, contest and giveaways (all while still writing my regular business blog and newsletter).  Which means that for the next three months, my main focus will be on my site and not on my business.  Such a switch for me.

And on top of it all, of course, is our so awesome trip to Ireland in a couple weeks.  The paperwork is in it’s totally 100% booked and official.  I just need to finish shopping, prep and then pack for that.  I have a feeling things might get a little busy and slightly frazzling in a couple of weeks.

Wonder if I can talk the hubs into picking up dinner tonight….hmmmmmmm

Looking For Some of Your Favorite Things

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I’m all a’twitter here. My husband has finally gotten around to creating our brand new sweepstakes page for my site.  Originally, I had planned to give away one item a day for the entire month of November, in preparation for the holiday season.  I actually had such a good response to my Haro pitch and the few other companies that I’ve reached out to on my own, that I’d like to make this even bigger still.

So this got me thinking how every so often I like to share some of my favorite things here on my blog (as seen here, here, and here).  I enjoy this so much, I also have it run on my site’s blog from time to time.  I think it’s a cool way to share cool gadgets and fun things.

In light of that, I’d like to ask you to share some of your favorite things (either the comments below, or write up your own post and leave me a link).  Basically, I’m looking for cool, fun things that can be given as gifts.  In particular:

  • anything green or eco-friendly (for the home or the body)
  • anything gadgety or techy for the guys (or those tech-inclined gals amongst us)
  • foodstuffs
  • kitchen gadgets
  • must-read authors
  • kid-friendly products
  • make-up, skin or body care products

So what are some of your favorite things?

Do You Work From Home?

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What’s your secret?  How do you stay focused?

I’ve been working from home, on and off now for the past 8 or so years.  Basically, since I left teaching and started getting clients while in grad school.  Back then, my working from home consisted of a lot of writing.  Come to think of it, it still does. Only difference, I went from writing client reports and treatment plans to writing articles and blog posts.  Not all that different when you get down to it.

Some days are more challenging than others.  Today for instance…here it is, nearly 1:00pm and all I’ve managed to do is make my todo list, write two blog posts (including this one) and mail out some of the winning CBTL gift cards.  All I can seem to focus on is the fact that the apartment needs a serious vacuuming and I realy, really, really want to get that damn couch taken care of.  But while it’s cooler today, it’s still too hot for me to vacuum.  I’m just not really up for a sweat-fest right now.  Especially when I need to finish my newsletter for tomorrow (and the corresponding biz blog posts for the week) and get my biz autoresponders up and running.

So I ask those of you that work from home, how do you do it? How do you stay focuses and on task when you can see 1001 other things that you could be attending to?

I’ll Cry At Darn Near Anything

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La Brea Tar Pits

Originally uploaded by YoNoSoyTu

No really. I’ll cry while reading a good book, watching a good movie (I Am Sam leaves me crying my eyes out), and well, embarrassingly enough, I’ll even tear up during some commercials (did you ever see those old Mastercard commercials where the dog, Badger gets lost on vacation? I rest my case).

I have to say though, one thing that will get me crying without even trying is this statue at the La Brea Tar Pits. No really, even just talking about it makes me start. Heck, looking for this picture makes me start tearing up. I mean look at that image…the mama is stuck in the tar pits and she’s crying out to the dad and the baby. The baby is freaking out. It’s just so sad, it kills me.

Last night, over dinner with the girls, I was talking about the statue and yes, you guessed it I started crying. Not just tearing, but crying. The ladies just sat there and stared while I laughed through my tears. Then again, once I got home to tell the hubs about the tears, I started tearing up again.

Of course, he finds it all amusing. I mean so amusing that he’ll go out of his way to drive me by this statue. Luckily, the Tar Pits stink, so I know well in advance what he’s up to and avert my eyes. To which he chuckles. Glad to know I can amuse him.

And here’s Badger finally on his way to his family. Tell me that doesn’t just break your heart…

So what makes you cry?

Special Report or Blogging Tip of the Day?

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So I finally got around to writing my “special report” to use on my biz site.  I love how I fought myself for hours days weeks months, yet when it comes down to it, I was able to write it up in under an hour (if you rule out twitter and blogging breaks and well, all sorts of procrastination shenanigans in general).

I even managed to avoid writing it to take a break from writing this up to actually write and submit an article on some things I learned about being a solopreneur in response to a pitch.  Go figure.  I’m actually avoiding writing, by well, writing – did I mention that this is a pre-dated post that I wrote while avoiding writing my other stuff?

Anyway (or as they say in Jersey, anyways…).  The more that I think of it, the more I think that it (the first, original article I was writing this post about) might work better as a tip of the day or audio clip sort of thing.  I have seven tips, so I can easily break it out over 7 days.  Or I could add three more tips and it could be a two week e-course sort of thing.

Which would you be more interested in receiving a bonus…a 3-5 page “special report” on x# of ways to improve your blogging, a 5-7day, tip-of-the-day sort of email (audio? email?), or a 10 day e-course in either audio or email format?

And just because I think it bears repeating…please keep in mind, this is my personal blog and I do not practice what I preach.  It’s just for me, not for business.

Sometimes You Just Need to Know When to Call it Quits

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I’ve been focusing so much on expanding my business and taking it to the next level, that I’ve just been devouring every ebook and teleseminar that I’ve come across.  At the same time, a couple of folks have decided that the Aug/Sept time frame is the PERFECT time for back to back to back teleseminars.

Enough is enough. While I appreciate all the information, I think it’s time that I take a break and just focus on the tools that I already have.  There’s such a thing as information overload and it seems to be coming up my path.  I don’t want to fizzle out before I completely get going.

So as amazing as these many, many teleseminars, books and ebooks are, I think I just need to walk away for a bit.  Maybe that’s the message behind overbooking myself with three teleseminars all scheduled for the same time, same day and then falling asleep in the middle of the one I chose to listen to.

I have no doubt that I’ll continue to get the right information for me, as it’s needed – and I’ll continue to share this info with my friends. But for now…I’m on a break.  If I need a little procrastination help, there’s always the upcoming Ireland trip 😉

Help, I Need Ideas…

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I’ve decided that I want to hold off on doing giveaways on my site for a while.  Or at least until I make some final decisions on our new design and whatnot.  Until then, I need something fun to write about.

Basically, it’s a site for women, about women.  I typically tell people that we talk about anything that women talk about when they get together.  And I don’t know about you guys, but when my friends get together for book club, the topics cover everything from parenting to porn, to recipes, vacation and fashion.  You name it.

Thing is, I’m just stuck for topics to write about.  Mind you, I could come up with a gazillion ideas for YOU to write about.  But for me, yeah, not so much.

So any topic ideas?  Or anything you might want to share?

What in the World Was I Thinking?

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Why did I think that writing up a newsletter on a Monday would be a good idea? Honestly, I seem to have no desire to do much of anything on Mondays.  But nope, I’ve got to finish updating our books, write this blog, a newsletter, a biz blog post and prep this week’s blog posts for my site…today.  Yeah, that’s some motivating stuff.  I’ll work on it all though, that’s for sure.  I’m all about the forward motion lately.

I’ve been participating daily in the 29 Days of Giving (this is the third, different link I’ve used for this event) and I’ve had some very interesting things happen as a result.  I’ve also been focusing more and more on setting my intentions and asking for what I want.  Needless to say, yesterday was an interesting day and brought me some interesting ideas and people.

Yesterday was a local LWL event.  It was held at the Equinox Spa & Gym over in Century City.  Let me just say, this place has an amazing set up.  It’s a perfect party location.  Very cool.  It was a fun event, tons of women, many great ideas, fun nibbles, interesting drinks (mine was just way too strong for me to enjoy, so I stuck to the Her energy drinks and water), and a goody bag to boot!  Aside from the hour or so when the sun was directly upon us, all was good.

I think my favorite part of the event though, was the networking, the mingling about and the catching up with folks.  With many networking groups it’s all about “hi, this is what I do, how can you help me?”  But with LWL, it’s such a casual event.  One minute you’re chatting with someone, the next, they’re introducing you to someone that might be able to help you…but it’s all natural and organic.  It’s not about what’s in it for them, it’s about genuinely wanting to help out your fellow LWLers.  It’s funny how you can just casually say something to someone in this group and the idea just explodes.

Case in point…I mentioned that I have a book idea and a friend referred me to her sister who works in publishing (who I had already been talking to and wanted to hook me up with some authors she knows).  Next think I know, they’re talking agents.  Wow, this could will really happen.

Second example…I was mentioning my upcoming workshop to a few gals and they got me to not only raise my price for the event, but to offer up a test-run class for a half the price (still more than I was originally planning to charge) in just two weeks.  I mean this went from casual mention to actual planned event in the course of an hour!  Absolutely amazing.

Now it’s an hour after I had to step away from this post to take a call, so I’m going to get to work.

Do You Use Affiliate Programs?

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I use them for my business, but outside of some amazon action on my website, I can’t say I’ve used them much.  I was poking around the web asking my good friend, Google for some advice on how to create a landing page (I’m SO not a web designer!) and stumbled upon these guys…Storestacker.com.

I can’t tell for sure since their site is closed (only testimonials up right now) until the 28th, but it seems like it’s a way to set up your own superstore.  So instead of struggling with Amazon (and boy howdy do I seem to struggle with that site) or eBay, you can use them to set up your own storefront.  Could definitely be interesting, especially if you tend to promote some bigger ticketed items or run a niche community or blog.  I’m very interested to learn more once they relaunch on the 28th.

So I ask you, do you use any sort of affiliate program to make a little pocket change off of your blog or your business?

Linkie Love – Looking to Pay it Forward

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Well, I wasn’t quite ready to come out with it, but for the past couple of days I’ve been taking part in the 29 Days of Giving. I had something planned today, but never got around to getting out to the post office. Then I thought maybe just cooking dinner would be my gift for today – until I decided that I had no desire to cook.

Well, they say the road is paved with good intentions, blah, blah.  So instead I’ve decided to show a little linkie love…

Let me introduce you to the ladies at The Party Goddess. They not only share party planning tips and tricks, but they also love to talk about new products and other things they think you might find useful.   And because they’re also some business savvy gals, they’ve got some great tip, advice and years of experience to share with you all.