Category Archives: launch

Well, I DO Love to Read

Yes, I know I have a stack of books sitting by my bedside waiting for me. Yes, Robin did just send me a new book that I won from a UBP contest of hers (note to self: remove that banner). I know I’ve had a bunch of books sent to me lately to review, or interview the authors. Yes, I know I’m in the middle of about six books as I type this. And yes, I do have a book just waiting for me at the library that I need to get reading soon for book club.

*sigh*

Yes, you guessed right, I did indeed by a new book tonight…Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations by Clay Shirky. I heard him on NPR a while back and this topic ties so nicely into my upcoming workshop on social media and online communities. And of course, now that I look at the book, I see it’s a Penguin book and they sent me a slew of books to read just a while back and I could have possibly requested it. Oh well, I’ll remember that for the next time.

Oh and did I mention that I still have an article on social networking to write by the end of next week? I didn’t? What about the interview podcast that I’ve yet to edit from over a month ago? Hmm…not that one either, huh? Well, have I mentioned my plans to move this blog to it’s own domain AND merge it with my old blog, stalkers be damned? And if it won’t merge, then I’ll be cutting & pasting for a bit. And of course there are still those workshops I’m prepping for. Yeah, I’ve been a little busy. Is it any wonder that I’m too lazy to reply directly to comments or return emails with less than a 3 day turn around?

But before I get too busy (ha!), I thought my fellow book addicts might enjoy this quick meme. Fringes put it up over at 650Miles (why do they always ask about those naked pictures????). I’ll follow up and post my own answers this weekend. No need to tag anyone since only readers will feel compelled to answer anyway. But please, feel free to post this on your own blog (linky back please!) so I know to get off my ass and follow into your blog to read what you wrote. Make sense?

1. List three books you’ve always meant to read, but haven’t got around to them

2. Share the two books that changed your life

3. Recommend the one book you’ve been talking about since the very first day you read it

4. Link to this post so we can read all about them when you’re done

5. If you tag others, let them know by leaving them a comment in one of their recent posts or just leave it open like I did

Domesticated Diva? Maybe (or not)

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Maybe not. I mean, I just cleaned my keyboard and you’d be shocked to see the amount of crap that fell out – does that count? How ’bout two runs to Costco in two days? Um, what about buying curtain rods over at Ikea?

No? Well I feel domesticated. But maybe that’s just because I played a rousing game of Bunco (and won!!) last night. Then again, I’m just having a little fun spending my husband’s raise. Of course, he might see it in quite the same light. But hey, I have my first paying client today so it’s not like I don’t bring in my own money, right? It’s a start at least.

I can’t believe I missed Wordless Wednesday, again. Maybe I should just add it to my calendar so I get a reminder.

Well, I guess that’s it for me today. Happy Thursday!

The Business of Blogging

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One of the focuses of my new business is to work with newer, small businesses to help them to learn how blogging can help them to develop and establish a brand, help with SEO and page rankings, and can help to establish the blogger/company as an expert in their field. With that as my focus, you can believe that I read a lot of small business, women in business and blogging blogs.

Today I read an awesome post in Lip-Sticking about the Behemoth that Blogged. Basically it’s a simple story of how blogging can not help your business to change your public face if you’ve gone out of your way to leave a bad taste in the publics mouth. It does a little comparison between the dreaded Wal-Mart and the fantastic Target (no, there’s no need for me to be impartial here). She’s got some great, yet simple thoughts regarding blogging, Wal-Mart and Target. It’s a quick and easy read.

And in case you’re wondering, no, this blog is not any sort of business blog. I blog here purely as a personal blog, an outlet to be heard. I don’t follow any sort of rules (or SEO guidelines) that I recommend for my clients. I’d rather remain anonymous and avoid the search engines for this sort of blogging. Heck, it’s all just for fun here at My LA Blog!! 😉

Will it Blend?

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Seth Godin cracks me up. Of course, this is probably why both his books and his blog are such enjoyable reads. For anyone in the business or marketing world, Seth Godin is the genius behind finding new ways to get your message across, your product out there and explaining how things go viral and become the next big thing.

His latest book is, Meatball Sundae: Is Your Marketing Out of Sync? He explains as an”unfortunate result of mixing two good ideas.” He goes on to clarify that “the challenge most organizations face: they try to mix them. They attempt to slap new marketing onto old and end up with nothing but a failed website. ”

Here’s an interesting take on the Meatball Sundae leaving us all wondering will it blend?

PS – I gave up and just used the link. I really need to upgrade this blog to a hosted site, the challenges I have embedding Youtube videos kills me!

Yup, Still Sick (or so it would seem)

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I just finished my 10-day round of antibiotics and well, my sinuses are SO much better, but dammit if I’m not still sick. With something different, at that. I’ve been craving a latte for nearly 2 weeks now – since first getting sick. I caved last night and finally drank one. Of course, I woke up this morning with a sore throat and feeling all floaty-headed (surely it can’t be the latte, I know that much). I’ve got an appointment in a bit with my doctor.

In other news, I feel crazy busy. Mind you, that’s crazy busy in a good way. I’m still following up with ladies about the blogging workshop I did on Monday all while getting ready for my next workshop next Wednesday. The cool news, just from Monday’s workshop alone I’ve been invite to lead another workshop in Orange County and another in Santa Barbara. This is awesome!! I’m telling you, Ladies Who Launch is an awesome organization.

Also, have any of you ever purchased an ebook – downloadable, PDF book? I’ve got a couple ideas that are running around in my head and I’m considering using the ebook platform. If you have purchased one, can I ask what the topic might have been? The price? The length of the book? Did you feel it was worth the money spent? Just wondering and trying to gather as much information as possible right now.

Before I sign off…remember that there’s still time to join the Ultimate Blogging Party on the 7th – 14th. Just click on the pretty pink banner there to the right for more information. Hope to be partying with you next week! 😉

Can I Interest You in Some Yummy Bath & Body Products?

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A fellow LWLer over at Klean Bath & Body is having a Leap Year sale. Today only you can get 29% off your total purchase with LEAP29. Folks are raving about her sugar scrubs and lotions. The chocolate scent is described as incredibly delicious by many. I’m most intrigued by the shower spritzers and body oils (love my oil from Jo Malone!)

Me, I decided to go with the unscented shea butter since I’ve been on the lookout for a good unscented lotion and the ginger tea pearlized bath& body wash. She has so many choices for scents, that I just went with something simple for my first purchase. Well, that and the fact that I just spent a small fortune on stuff for my dad last week, so I’m curtailing my own shopping urges and splurges for a bit.

And check it out, she has a sugar Scrub Club membership. You can purchase 3, 6 or 12 months worth of scrubs. What an awesome gift idea! I’m also hearing good things about the Peppermint Pattie Pedi.

So go check out her stuff, it’s all quite affordable. What else do you going on on this extra day of the year? Why not shop?!?

Do You Ever Feel a Little Overwhelmed

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These past couple of weeks happens to be one of those times when I just feel a tad overwhelmed – but right now, it’s in a bit of a good way. The week leading up to GA left me working @ Herbie’s every day with a lot of running around after work and no time for cleaning. The week in GA, again, a lot of running around, phone calls and paperwork. This week, well, I’ve been too sick to do much of anything. I’m finally feeling better – sinuses are great, cough is still annoying and painful so I called the doc to ask for a ‘script.

Here it is Thursday and well, all I’ve been able to do so far is a lot of email/biz contacting and um, the laundry yesterday. I have book club this Sunday (bright and early for this gal!) and I have to figure out a way to make the house at least presentable. The hubs worked fro home all last week so things are a mess and there’s clutter just everywhere you turn. Heck, I still have Christmas stuff to put away (don’t ask), but at least I finally picked up the storage box at Target yesterday. So much for hanging my new curtains in the kitchen. I have a feeling I’ll be spending Saturday shoving everything in the office (with the hubs) for book club.

I also still have an interview to edit, our bookkeeping to finish (that should take less than 30 minutes to do if I’d only sit down and well, DO IT!), some blog stuff to edit, another interview to set up, blah, blah, blah. I also need to look into leading some non-LWL paying workshops.

Oh yeah, and I have to outline my presentation for Monday and create worksheets still. And then do it all over again, this time on SEO for my workshop on the 12th. And in between, I have to come up with a services and price sheet so I can have it ready when someone asks after the workshop.

Then we can toss in dinner with the hubster’s family on Saturday. Oh yeah, and I still have shop for bookclub food. Mind you, since our freezer died, we only have the food I bought for the hub before I left. Yeah, no time for shopping yet. Luckily, I’m doing a berry mixture, yogurt and granola – guess I’ll just pick that up at the farmer’s market instead of making it (and a mess) myself.

Wish me luck, I’m off to pick up some cough medicine and figure out what, specifically I should be focusing on today.

Workin’ For a Living: Day II

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Yep, still hanging out at Herbie’s answering the phones – and it’s pretty low key here. No, I haven’t gotten to speak with anyone famous (other than Herbie himself, that is, but that’s nothing new for me). For the most part really, I’m just answering the phone and taking messages. Good to know that my time as a telemarketer and phone sex gal has come in handy – I give good phone 😉

His computer is driving me crazy. I don’t have hot corners set up on my Mac, but he does. So anytime I’m anywhere off the Firefox window, the computer starts freaking out and wants to give me one of this hot corners. It just keeps freaking me out man (but I’m crazy like that).

Otherwise, I have nothing much to say. Oh, I forgot to say that I the other day, while working on our books (at a local restaurant) I saw Dog, the Bounty Hunter and his skanky wife. I took a picture of him, but I haven’t done anything with it yet. Which is a shame because it’s Wordless Wednesday and I miss not participating in Wordless Wednesday.

And now, I must start thinking about the roundtable sessions I’ll be leading on SEO and blogging (in two weeks) *eek* Did I mention that I’m not really trained in either, but I have experience and a little knowledge that I’ve gleaned from reading lots of blogs and biz books. Think that’s good enough?

Life Lesson: Do NOT inhale right before answering the phone or you may be struck by a coughing attack. A painful one at that…ow!

Stamp This One: Kinda Cool

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Before I decided to sign on with Ladies Who Launch, I wrote a blog post about it in my old blog. I had asked if anyone had heard of it and if they could tell me something about it. Well, I had about 20 or so responses to that post. I figured a link had to have shown up somewhere, but I didn’t know where since my stats weren’t giving me any real details about it.

Well, in speaking with another LWLer on Friday (she plans to donate a piece of her jewelry to my site for a giveaway) she mentioned how folks found me. Turns out, I made the LWL national newsletter! This is kind of interesting considering that’s usually left for, you know, gals that I have done something like been on the Today show, or gotten their product in Lucky or something. But nope, little ‘ol me made it in.

Now too bad I’m no longer using my old blog. Oh well, it’s still pretty damn cool. I’ll post their blurb about me below (editing out the previous blog information). They actually went in and did a bit of research on me as well – within the blog itself – considering they mentioned the online women’s community, where I live and the life coaching. Only bit of mis-information was that they thought my blog was my community.

A curious blogger by the name of LA Blogger Gal, who runs an online women’s community, *insert blog name here*, out of San Fernando Valley, CA, wrote about her curiosity regarding LWL. She has heard about our network a few times and is currently considering joining. But on her blog she notes she is interested in hearing form someone who has gone through the Incubator process. (She is thinking about launching a life coaching career soon.)

On her online community she says, “I’ve heard this women’s group (LWL) mentioned a time or two. The first time I heard about it, I got the impression that it was just for creative, LA-types. More recently, someone outside of LA mentioned it and I got a totally different impression … So before I sign up or ask to be contacted by someone, I’d love to hear from anyone that’s either gone through the program or maybe even knows someone that’s gone through it. Anyone?”

Anyone interested in sharing your experience as a LWL member with her, click on her blog link below and share your feedback.

I’ve Been a Very Busy Gal

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That’s not exactly a surprise, I know. Hell, I’ve been posting about my busyness for the past couple of weeks now. Thing is, I’m thrilled. Again, not a surprise, I know.

Today I met with yet another future blogger for lunch – though I think she’ll be more of an occasional topic, than an actual blogger (if that makes sense). Much like Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat, Pray Love fame, she too wrote a book about her personal journey to find answers. So I’m now the proud owner of a copy of her book and I’ve secured one to giveaway on the site to correspond with our future interview.

I also heard back from two other people interested in blogging for the site. Whew, who knew this would all come together so easily. I mean hell, when we originally set the blog up, we asked our own membership to write for us and that was like pulling teeth. This is SO much easier – and much more fun! I’ve also been in contact with yet another author to interview to discuss her current projec. At this rate, I’ll be ready to reach out to mainstream authors in no time 😉

And speaking of books, I think I might have mentioned that I’m involved with Elle magazine to read three fiction books and review them for their May Reader’s edition. I thought this would be fun. First, I’m so glad that I started with the Jennifer Weiner. Even though it had a slower start than I’d have preferred, it was good. Really good.

Now, I’m reading Wit’s End by Karen Joy Fowler (of The Jane Austin Book Club fame) and I can’t get in to it for the life of me. I’m half way through and I’m just hoping and praying that it gets better. If this was something I was reading on my own, I’d have given up already. It’s so sad, but the best parts to me, are the ones that discuss how the movie, Lost Boys was filmed in the same town (Santa Cruz) or the brief mentions of the online and blog communities. Otherwise, it so doesn’t do it for me. I’m actually thinking of leaving it and going on to our third book Meg Wolitzer’s The Ten Year Nap (since I have to have all write-ups completed by the 18th). Hopefully this one will grab me and I can have a little fun with it.

And of course, while in Borders today, I just had to poke around. They didn’t have the book I wanted on social networking (mail order only) and I needed at least a $5 purchase to cover my parking. I decided to peruse the cookbook section and yes, I came home with yet another cookbook. This time I picked up Everyday Food’s Great Food Fast. I enjoyed the recipes in the magazine so I thought the book would be fun (I’m one of those weirdos that reads cookbooks more than I cook from cookbooks). I love how it’s broken down by seasons and it tells how how long it takes to make something. Very helpful. While I pretty much have all the time in the world to cook, the hubby doesn’t quite come home at a regularly scheduled time, so I tend to still shoot for easy and quick meals. It could be a keeper – all hell, I know it’s a keeper, but it could actually be a cookbook that I cook from.

So tomorrow, believe it or not, I have the whole day to myself. Well, almost to myself. I do need to take the dog to the vet for his rabies shot. But that’s it. I’m thinking that I might run over to Kohls to see if I can find new bathroom floor mats or something fun. Oh and I’d like to pick up a chalk line leveler thingie. I’ve been meaning to hang some shelves in the bathroom for nearly a year now, but I’m the worst when it comes to using a level (even a laser one). So I figure with a chalk line level, I can make little cross-sections so I know exactly where to drill the whole. It sounds like a good idea.

Okay, enough rambling. I’ve got a cookbook and two and a half books to be reading!