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March 30, 2009

The Monday Muse - No Excuses, Just Show Up


Just showing up and doing something, making something is the first step.
What have you have started today? What excuses did you have to get past to get started?

March 26, 2009

Writing Lessons Learned from the Community

Joanna at Confident Writing has a writing project going on. The topic is writing lessons learned from your blogging community. Unfortunately I couldn't send in the post by the deadline but I wanted to write about lesson learned so far in my recent blogging career.

Here's what I've learned:
  1. Blog posts can be short and crisp and deliver the message succintly.

  2. Blog posts can be long and lengthy and be a joy to read and digest.

  3. You cannot make money by blogging.

  4. You can make a ton of money by blogging.

  5. Commenting on posts helps build relationships especially if it's motivated by adding value to the discussion instead of using it to increase viewership.

  6. Commenting adds value whether it's in agreement with the post or not and is not done as deliberate link-baiting.

  7. I've learned that being yourself is the key to writing even if that inner critic is making vicious comments on your writing style.

  8. Analytics and stats are not the driving force behind blogs but you can't help but feel encouraged or discouraged depending on the numbers.

  9. It's amazing to see the connections you can make with people from all parts of the globe through your blog and learn so much from them.

  10. New bloggers have a wonderful support system. We're not in this alone and the journey is exciting only when we develop long-lasting relationships that we can learn and imbibe from and grow in the process.
{Image credit: Chris Campbell}

March 23, 2009

The Monday Muse - Something New and Different

I've been fortunate to be a SAHM the last several years and I enjoyed every minute of it. The kids are still in school but getting older. So it seems about the right time for me to venture into the world of working outside the home. I start work today, Monday, March 23rd. It seemed apt to ponder over this quote on a new start in life.



What are your thoughts on new beginnings? Are you comfortable with change? Do you crave for it or do you prefer status quo?

March 20, 2009

Uncomplicate Life by Staying Organized


Staying organized is crucial for me. Organizers, calendars, to-do lists, check lists on whiteboards, miscellaneous pieces of paper to jot down notes, etc are some of the tools that I use. Trying to store all that information and reminders in my head stopped working a long time ago.

As I start a new job that will take me outside of the home, I want to be able to communicate with my family and have all our calendars and tasks in sync. Since we spend a lot of our time on the computer, I've been looking for something that has many different features and can be accessed online as well.

There are several such free software as well as web-based resources to help organize and manage our numerous activities. Here's a list that I've found useful:

  1. Famundo - This online resource is a tool for the entire family. Several different members can add to the calendar, t0-do lists can be created and assigned to specisic members, list for particular events. It even has a blog and photo feature which I don't acccess but could be useful if you want everything in one place.

  2. Cozi - This is somewhat similar to famundo. It has all the features of famundo with the added benefit of mobile access and synchronization with MS Outlook. I may switch to this one since the interface seems very user-friendly.

  3. Hott notes - This software helps you place little sticky notes on your desktop. There are three choices: a note, a checklist, and a scribble pad. If you work on a laptop and tend to move around, you can take your sticky notes with you on your display screen.

  4. Doitdoitdone - If you don't like signing up and creating yet another user id and password, this is an efficient tool. It acts like a little yellow pad where you can add tasks, you could send the url to other members of your family who can add to it and cross out as and when tasks are completed. It doesn't have a calendar but is a simple and easy notepad for online use.

  5. Remember the Milk - This is a simple web tool to add, manage, and share tasks via email, sms, and instant messenger. It can be used with igoogle and Google calendar as well.
If you're looking for more GTD (Getting Things Done) productivity and management tools, Mashable has a comprehensive list of more than 100 such tools. Here's another list from Zen Habits.

What tools do you use? If you are currently using a GTD tool that has worked successfully for you, please share them in the comment section.

March 16, 2009

The Monday Muse

I enjoy reading inspiring quotes. It starts a chain of thinking that keeps resonating and helps to examine my actions. I thought of extending it as a blog post to reflect, resound, and resonate during the course of the week. So every Monday I plan to post a quote to mull over called the Monday Muse. I know there are a lot of motivation Monday sites but for me, the act of putting down something in writing helps keep my actions aligned to the goal.


If you have any thoughts about the quote or if it's something that you're applying in your life, please share your knowledge in the comment section.

March 10, 2009

One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure

One of my favorite past times is going to estate sales. It's like going on a treasure hunt, you never know what wonderful objects you might find. I'm particularly drawn to mid-century furniture, lamps, and objects with a clean and classical structure . I love the uncomplicated lines and the organic simplicity of these pieces.

Most estate sales are usually
held when someone has passed away and the family that has inherited the property are trying to get rid of all possessions. Sometimes you see possessions that give you a glimpse into the recent life of the owner-- an adjustable bed, a walker, maybe some medical equipment.

The sight of these
makes a part of me feel like I'm some sort of a vulture, hovering over to get a good bargain. But the other practical part reminds me that, I will cherish and value those pieces just like their owners did and it won't end up, forlorn and lost, in a dumpster.

The pieces may not be in the best condition,
but with a little bit of elbow grease, they can be restored and treasured for generations. Be aware that very old furniture may have been painted with lead-based paint and refinishing these will require extensive safety precautions.

I believe, estate sales are the ultimate in recycling. With so much emphasis being placed on going green and reducing our carbon footprint, shopping at estate sales is an ecologically sound way to recycle old treasures and breathe new life into them with the added benefit of designing a living space that is unique and created with one-of-a-kind pieces.

The pictures, above, are some of the the neat finds that I acquired over several years of being an estate sale junkie.

March 3, 2009

Could brevity be the soul of blogging?


It is said that brevity is the soul of wit. I believe it's particularly true with reference to blogging, especially in this digital age of microblogging. Blog posts should be brief, concise, and say what needs to be said succinctly. These are the reasons why:


  • There are more than 108 million blogs and most blog authors are also avid readers. Between researching, writing, running businesses and families,and updating their twitter status, there's hardly any time left for reading and responding to blogs.
  • An integral part of being a blogger is commenting and adding value through discussion. Short, crisp posts are easier to read in entirety and allows for meaningful responses.
  • Most people subscribe to a number of blogs through RSS feeds. Catching up on reading all the interesting blog posts, takes a lot of time-- time that we end up borrowing from the next day by staying up late to read. Your readers may not have much time to go through all of your lengthy posts.
One of my favorite reads is Seth Godin's blog. While his writing is geared towards marketing and social media, many of his thoughts can be applied to enriching whatever field you may be working in. His writing is short, crisp,and absolutely hits the spot. In most instances, you don't have to use the scrollbar even once to read his entire piece. But he manages to convey his ideas very well without expansive posts.

As a new blogger, I have a tendency to ramble on, like I'm doing right now. It's because I play devil's advocate in my mind, anticipate arguments and defend those, and write counterarguments and rebuttals, with the result the post ends up being lengthy and long-winded.

I remind myself constantly that there is a comment section which can be put to good use - a place where readers can voice their views and where the stimulating discussion can continue.

Do you think short posts can engage readers better? How do you manage your time to read all of your favorite blogs?

{photo credit: Martin Bravenboer}