Wordizm Blog

2012-01-26T10:45:00.000-06:00

No More Passwords

2010-08-25T10:57:00.007-05:00

What if you could do away with passwords forever? Seriously.

The average person has to remember as many as 10 passwords, often for accounts that require periodic resets. No wonder people complain that passwords are annoying and too hard to remember. In fact, many IT professionals cite lost passwords as the number one complaint they hear.

So what's the solution?

Don't use a password. Instead, create a complex Pass Phrase, something easy for you to remember but meaningless to anyone else.

If your password is made up of common words it is easily guessed. Even if it is random, a password that is only 8 characters long can crumble under a brute force attack in 16 minutes. Make your Pass Phrase a variety of characters both in upper and lower case and extend it to at least 12 characters in length and the results are astonishing - it takes the same hack millions of years to get past it. Even better, you can create a Pass Phrase for multiple accounts that will be unique to each even though it is the same phrase.

4intrY2G2axceS combines numbers with upper and lower case letters, is 14 characters in length, isn't made of words easily guessed or in a dictionary (note entry and access are misspelled). Best of all, it is something easy to remember. Read it as "for entry to Google to access." The G stands for Google. If using such a Pass Phrase for multiple accounts, it would look like this for Twitter: 4intrY2T2axceS.

Admittedly, there are drawbacks to using the same Pass Phrase for multiple accounts. If one account is compromised that jeopardizes all of your accounts, so you must be diligent about security. Don't give your Pass Phrase to anyone - EVER. Make certain the URL at the top of the screen matches the page you are viewing. Don't surf with your email account open and always use an up to date anti-virus and firewall.

Key points:

make the Pass Phrase at least 12 characters
use both upper and lower case
combine letters and numbers
use alternate spellings (misspell)
security tactics need to be maintained

If you have any questions about Pass Phrases please feel free to leave a comment. I'm always happy to hear from you.

Bibliography:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passphrase
http://kb.iu.edu/data/acpu.html

The Word on Internet Privacy

2010-05-19T17:13:00.002-05:00

You know, the other day I was talking to my mom in line at Walmart. She's going to be ordering some things from a catalog for us and I told her my credit card number and gave her that funny number from the back of it. She wrote it all down with my billing address and read it back to me out loud to make sure we got it right. The cashier suddenly told me that we should be more careful with our personal information. I can't believe she was so rude! Mom and I were having a private conversation and this complete stranger just butted into our business. Walmart really needs to retrain their employees..

That's a pretty ludicrous scenario, isn't it? Nobody in their right mind would read their credit card info outloud to another person in line at Walmart or any other public place. Not unless they were looking to be ripped off.

We've been taught to guard our personal information and most of us think we're good at protecting our privacy. But every day people share personal details in their status updates on Facebook and Twitter, allowing the whole world to read about who we're dating, how upset we are with our boss and when we are going to be away from home.

The media is full of stories about social media invading our privacy, but the real problem is people not protecting their personal information. The internet is a web of connections. Information posted in one spot is accessible from many different pathways. Just as we know better than to write down our PIN number and store it in our wallet with our debit card, we should all be wary of posting any information online that could be exploited and cause us harm.

True privacy controls are not settings on our social media accounts. They are the discretion and caution we should all exercise when in any public forum whether it be real or virtual.

Twittering to Tempt Twollowers - 3 Simple Rules

2010-04-15T14:57:00.002-05:00

Twollowers. Those elusive creatures that spell success for any Twitter marketing campaign aren't as mysterious as you might think. People are naturally curious, and you can play this to your advantage.

Here are three simple rules to remember when trying to attract followers for your Twitter account.

Bio:
Your bio should tell people who you are, what you do and why they should be interested. Limited to only 160 characters, you have to be creative in what you say. Remember, though, you have a completely customizable background at your disposal.

Communicate:
Remember that nothing is so boring as someone who only talks about themselves. In the world of Twitter it is a quick way to get yourself unfollowed, or worse, labeled as a spammer. The best way to get people talking about you is to have people talking to you. Find people you'd like to attract as followers, follow them and respond to their Tweets. Also, be creative and work current events into your conversations to attract more attention

Hashtags:
Those little # that people use in their Tweets are called hashtags and they are used to label and track trending topics. Twemes.com has a list of trending hashtags that will help you find relevant Tweets and conversations you can respond to. Don't forget to Tweet hashtags, too.

Keep in mind, Twitter followings grown over time -organically- will create the sort of communication that Twitter excels at.

Social Media Dictionary: CGM, SMO, SMM & ORM

2010-04-08T13:10:00.006-05:00

If you run a business, chances are you understand the acronym ROI. "Return On Investment" is the ratio of money spent to the gains achieved. A smaller percentage of business owners know the acronym SEO refers to tweaking your website for "Search Engine Optimization". Fewer people know the acronyms CGM, SMO, SMM, & ORM.

That's where I come in. I'm a social media connoisseur and SMM, ORM, CGM & SMO are what I do; I definitely understand what they mean and how they work. As your social media coach, it's not my job to talk over your head in crazy acronyms and geekspeak, so I don't make a habit of brandishing these terms about. However, I'm seeing these three letter gems in more and more news reports these days, so here's the word on what they mean.

CGM- Consumer Generated Media This is social media. It's all the neat ways people connect online including the current biggest news-makers, Facebook and Twitter.

SMM - Social Media Marketing Viral video and email chains fit in this definition. SMM is the process of creating content and releasing it onto the internet for the purpose of selling a product, service or idea. It also is a component of publicity campaigns. SMM played a big part in our last presidential election and the Haitian Relief efforts.

SMO - Social Media Optimization This is similar to SMM in that you are using the internet to spread the word about your business, but this is focused on how your website is linked into social media. Adding content to your website that will be spread through various social networks is SMO. This dictionary is an example of how that works.

ORM - Online Reputation Managment The internet is a vast sea of opinions and like it or not, opinions about your business can be broadcast by any user who wants to voice them. Refusal to participate in online marketing leaves businesses at the mercy of what everyone else is saying about them. Remember, ignoring social media only makes you mute, not invisible.

So, what I do for a living is focus on ORM, with SMO strategies that include creating a SMM campaign through CGM. Easy enough to understand?

Spike Jonze teaches us 3 keys to Viral Video

2010-04-05T12:51:00.004-05:00

In 1999, YouTube, flash mobs and viral video didn't exist. The vehicle for visual music was MTV. In this pre-dawn of modern reality television, the technology we take for granted today were bare wisps of thought.

Spike Jonze, armed with a boom box, a few camcorders and accompanied by the "Torrance Community Dance Group," set up outside a movie theater in Westwood, California. With very little pre-production, these six actors, playing people who couldn't dance, and Spike, portraying a choreographer who couldn't choreograph, produced an award winning video that is still praised for its genius.

Fatboy Slim - New Music - More Music Videos

So what's the secret and is it possible to recreate this sort of success? Viral marketing can promote your work like nothing else if you do it right. There are three key elements Spike Jonze tapped into when he created the video for Fatboy Slim's song, "Praise You."

First, remember that people are naturally curious and voyeuristic. We like looking at other people. Especially when other people are doing nutty and unexpected things that make us laugh. The old saying, "it's like a train wreck, you can't look away" is very true.

Second, the video has a simple premise, if you want to call it that. Ground breaking in its execution and different, yes, the video has a very basic concept. It isn't visually overwhelming. As much as people love special effects, they love a story they can follow.

And most importantly, people really dig the underdog. Spike Jonze's video was up against major productions at the MTV Awards that year. These videos had cost thousands of dollars and took weeks to shoot. "Praise You" was shot in 10 minutes with a budget of $800.00. And fans loved it. The Torrance Community Dance Group was made up of normal looking people, people like you and me. Though I'd like to think I can dance better than that.

In the end, you want to create a video that fans can identify with. Remember to encourage comments and allow them to share it with their friends and your video is ready to take off.

By the way, this is me, encouraging comments here. I'm always interested in your thoughts and opinions so please, drop me a comment.

Thanks for reading,

"It is long accepted by the missionaries that morality is inversely proportional to the amount of clothing people wore” ~A Carey

2010-03-31T15:36:00.004-05:00

Working as a serving wench at Doc McGilly's Sasparilly stand during the medieval fair means long hours and hard work. By the end of a ten hour shift my hands are stained a lovely brown from the rootbeer and sore beyond belief from corking and uncorking and recorking bottles. The tips make it worth the time. And then there's the wenching...

I'm normally a pretty conservative gal, so the chance to play a character who is reprobate and scandalous is a lot of fun. Despite my cheesy fake-British accent, I'm pretty good at being a bad girl too. (Hey, don't just ask my husband - a university film crew did a feature on my character so I have a little proof to back the statement up.)

This year I knew what to expect from the beginning, plus had an idea of the sort of things that would get more tips. Low cut blouse. Absolutely. Heckling the pirates. Yehar. Bawdy innuendo. Maybe the accent is more Irish than British but who cares when I say such sweet things...

I was sad to discover that my gong was not available this time. Last year I'd had our pirate, Jerry, give it a good whack for me when I received a tip. (Cries of "bang me Jerry, bang me" were a real crowd pleaser.) But I made do, reminding our customers that tipping a wench is the guaranteed way to get a woman to scream for you.

Being a parent, I did limit the more adult themed comments during most of the first day as there were many many kids around. Saturday though, I set out from the beginning with shouts to the passing lords to begin their day with a bit of wench tipping. I huzzah'd for all my tippers, loudly proclaiming to everyone how m'lord or m'lady had warmed me wenchy heart with their tip. To amuse myself, I would from time to time take my customer's name so I could not only scream for them but scream their name too. By the middle of the afternoon the other wenches were often asking me to huzzah for their tippers. I became known as the "noisy wench" which suited my character just fine.

Midway through shouting a huzzah and reminding our customers to tip the sticky wenches, I looked up to observe the approach of a man wearing a cowl with a cross dangling from around his neck. Most of my tip baiting is extemporaneous, based on the customer and situation at hand and this was no exception.

Leaning forward over the counter, I smiled my most wicked smile and said, "Ooooh Padre, are y'here to take me confession? Because I've been a very naughty wench."

With a beatific smile, he shook his head. "I'm not a father. I'm a monk."

I laughed, replying, "Ohhh good. That means I can still be a wick....uhhh." Suddenly it dawned on me. Accent abandoned, I blinked. "That's not a costume, is it?"

"No." The monk tilted his head. "I'm from St. Gregory's Abbey."

I can't remember the last time I blushed so hard.

I swear I thought it was a costume.

WordWednesday is brought to you today by the word reprobate 1 : a person foreordained to damnation 2 : a depraved person : scoundrel. WordWednesday is a writing challenge based on The Free Dictionary's Word of the Day. Start your own challenge and better your writing skills.

Time keeps on ticking ticking ticking...

2010-02-25T22:42:00.004-06:00

TechThursday has come and gone. Oh, but I had plans for today. In the end, I can only click one thing from my list, or maybe two. Yes, we'll say two and count my beta testing the Teux Deux as an accomplishment. ( http://post.ly/PaYR )

I'm tired, my eyes ache - is it too dramatic to say they are bleeding from code burn? Whining and hand wringing aside, my website is done. (Go on, click the link and check it out.) It's not perfect, I don't believe in such a thing; but it is something I'm proud enough to do a little geeky happy dance over.

Tomorrow is coming up fast so I shall happy dance myself to my nest now.

Sweet dreams,

Arcanum: noun; a secret or mystery

2010-02-24T09:06:00.004-06:00

It's a Wednesday and I feel some compulsion to put words to paper. Muses buzz around my brain, energy to be harnessed, churned into something worthwhile. Today, I'm working on establishing a brand through social media for a new client. There's no arcanum to what I do, though perhaps it is something slighty more intuitive than formulaic. I find it interesting work and I enjoy it which is a huge blessing, I know. I'm also revamping my website today, something which has become more excitement than frustration now that I know what I'm doing.

Be a blessing to someone today,

100 Words is a writing challenge based on The Free Dictionary's Word of the Day. Start your own challenge and better your writing skills.

Do you text in the shower?

2009-11-19T18:34:00.001-06:00

“I can't stand to be disconnected long enough to wash my hair.” That comment spurred an entire conversation with my students while I was a substitute teacher this week. I found the statement a little surprising in itself, but more so when it was echoed by other students.

I'm not mocking. Rather, I'm looking at the diverse ways social media affects people. This afternoon I had a similar conversation with a business woman who is getting rid of her Blackberry because she is TOO connected. “I can't seem to get anything done because I'm always getting emails.”

Facebook, Twitter, Ning, Youtube. They're all valuable tools for both personal and business social-interaction, and technology is only making them easier to access on the go. The trick is finding a balance that works.

Whether you use technology in the office, at home or on the road, a schedule is the most important part of this balance. Set times for checking in with the electronic world, and times to dedicate to other things, like washing your hair. Your friends will understand, believe me.

#TechThursday

2009-10-29T11:27:00.006-05:00

Happy #TechThursday to everyone! I'm focusing on Twitter today because in several conversations I've had recently, people have questioned its application. In Twitter, I use the # sign frequently. It shows up in other media where I've linked Twitter, which has led to some curiosity about what it is. It's a Twitter code called a hashtag and it allows your posts to be searched through Twitter and its applications.

This is a really neat feature because Twitter users to can market their accounts and connect with each other. Best of all, it's easy for businesses and groups to use.

Hashtags in 3 and a half steps

1- Define your keyword
This isn't so hard as most people make it. Think about what you're wanting people to notice. It needs to be one word or a short word phrase. Once you have a key word in mind, research it. Your Twitter page has a search bar on the right side. Type in your word or word phrase with the hashtag preceding it, and see how many people, if any, are using it.

My preference is to find a term that is definitely used but not so heavily that you'll get lost in the flood. Remember, if a tag is trendy, people are not only Twittering it, they're also searching it.

As an example, I'm searching for twitters about prayer for a spiritual group. If I type in #pleasepray I only find a few posts each day. The term #pray is much more popular, and quite possibly too much for what I have in mind. But the term #prayer is used only a few times each hour and is more likely to allow my own Tweets to get some notice.

2- Using the hashtag
In my example spiritual group, I'll be using #prayer tags when I send out positive quotes and messages. This is good for my group and will appear on our website and in our Facebook and MySpace status updates. It has an additional benefit though, because I put the hashtag on it, my Tweets will also be picked up by anyone searching for #prayer on Twitter. A percentage of those searchers will “follow” my account on Twitter. From there, conversions to membership on our website can take place.

3- Interaction
Another way to encourage conversion is to reply and reTweet other people using your hashtag. Sometimes this gets a reply and can lead to a follow from the person you're conversing with, as well as others who follow them.
3.5- Thou shall not spam
Nothing is quite so annoying as spammers who attempt to hijack trendy hashtags for their own purposes. Twitter has an easy way for users to block other users and a link to label spammers. Posting a trendy hashtag and a link to your unrelated website is a quick way to be reported.

Hashtags can also be used to turn Twitter into a chat client of sorts. Take part in a community conversation simply by following a group using a particular hashtag and using it in your own responses. There's a list of groups that use Twitter for this purpose here.

Please comment and let me know how you use hashtags.

And as always,thanks for reading!

How Web 2.0 works

2009-09-22T21:44:00.008-05:00

Yes, it's thankful Tuesday and am I ever grateful to be able to work doing something I love. Educating people about the potential of Web 2.0 is just plain exciting!

Everything you do online needs to have the same look - whether it is on a site you control or a public site, there are ways to accomplish this. The more places your brand appears online, the better your exposure. By utilizing opportunities to post on many different sites, you can establish your brand as an expert in your market:

In turn, every additional site you post on is a sales pitch in miniature and offers an opportunity for you to link back to your website:

Upwards of 60 percent of your market will use the internet to do research before they commit to a purchase. The larger your internet presence is, the greater your credibility:

There are a lot of factors involved in search engine rankings, but the number of sites that link back to your website is a huge influence. Social media is a fantastic way to improve your page rankings with a fairly high ROI:

Of course, there is a lot of depth to each of these facets of Web 2.0 but now you have your very own outline of how the plan works.

Hope this was helpful. If you have any questions let me know!

Tech Thursday - Plan B?

2009-09-03T18:44:00.002-05:00

My internet went offnet for a few hours this morning. Because of my schedule today it wasn't a huge deal, so I was able to work around it. Inconvenience, yes, disaster no, because I have a plan B. B, as in backup.

Technology is the core of my business, but I can operate at least part of my business sans technology. All of my contacts are in a rolodex of sorts, so if the profiles I've collected and stored online aren't available, I can use the hard copy. I keep sketchbooks with my notes, and I store the outlines and the rest of my writing offsite.

If the very worst happened, I'd lose a little bit of my work, but not enough to leave me dead in the water. Now if I could just be as diligent with my digital photos and music collection...

Thanks for reading,

The Word on Blog Carnivals

2009-08-19T14:29:00.004-05:00

I'm stubborn today. Word Wednesday's challenge is writing a 100 word drabble around the word of the day. Furbelow means a ruffle, frill or ornamentation. The word is archaic word and orally awkward and I refuse to write it. Instead I'm promoting a piece I've written for the OKC eXaminer.

Jessica Miller-Merrel is a local social media expert who has organized a Blog Carnival - a collection of themed blog entries from various bloggers - promoting a fundraiser for Heartline. It's an awesome organization and you can read more about how social networking is helping them in my eXaminer article.

I'm paid by the click by the way, so sharing my writing around is always appreciated. And for the record, the 2 paragraphs above are exactly 100 words, so happy Word Wednesday to you!

Thanks for reading,

Music Monday

2009-08-17T19:10:00.002-05:00

I began using Music Monday as a trial of the hashtags on Twitter and as an offshoot of the work I do promoting my musician family at emPower Music & Arts. I really enjoy it now, as I get some fantastic music recommendations and have the joy of sharing some great music around too.

It's interesting how much the internet has changed the arts industry. You don't have to get signed or have an agent to get promoted anymore because the resources are available for you to do it yourself. If you're an artist and you're not using the 'net to promote your work you need to get with the program.

Six ways to promote your work online are:

Social Networking

Although I generally prefer Facebook, Myspace is really brilliant at this. You can add your music, blog about the lyrics, publish concert or gallery dates and more.

YouTube

If you don't have a video, make one. Even quick clips done with a cell phone can get attention if done cleverly. Be sure to put a link to your website.

Website

You do have a website, right? Right? You'll want a blog as part of this, too. I'll tell you why in another post.

Upload

Make your work accessible and the fans will come. Stream your music on a site such as LastFm, load your art onto DeviantArt.

Twitter

Don't ask why, just do it. Twitter gives people one more place to find out about you.

LINK

Everywhere you are online should be linked back to everything else you have online. This helps the bots on the search engines find you so they can point the fans your direction.

Getting fans talking and sharing is the best promotion in the world, so make it easy on them. Help people find your work and give them a way to talk about it and they will introduce fans to you in markets you'd never reach on your own.

For more information or help with any of this you're welcome to email me: carpescribo @ gmail. com

Consultations and advice are always free,

Tech Thursday -Technology for Peace

2009-08-06T12:32:00.005-05:00

Starting off this post on a less optimistic note, I'd like to call attention to the date. August 6, 1945, Hiroshima was leveled by a never before used technology. 3 days later, a 2nd atomic bomb would be dropped on the city of Nagasaki; the combined devastation resulting in Japan's surrender. The end of the war saved the lives of soldiers on both sides of the conflict, but at the steep price of the hundreds of thousands killed in two fiery blasts.

Today, ground zero in Hiroshima is home to a museum dedicated to world peace, a wall inside bearing the inscription, “Let all souls here rest in peace, for this mistake shall not be repeated.”

The world during the great wars was a very different place than the one we live in today . Distance then created a gap larger than culture, multiplying differences until common ground was often impossible to achieve. Our planet is now smaller, the lines of our cultures blurred and blended as technology allows us to communicate world over in the blink of an eye.

Today, social networkers enjoy an easy means to contact people in cities and even countries beyond their own. Current events are no longer edited and biased by the media before being headlined to the public. People still have differences, wars still rage. But today, the voice of reason is louder, the call for peace impossible to silence, ringing from mobile phones in every corner of the planet.

Structured Musage

2009-08-05T07:50:00.002-05:00

Happy Word Wednesday to everyone!

I'm still working on jump-starting my errant muses' juju by writing in a style I wouldn't normally choose. Thus far my efforts have resulted in a lot of overthinking and a little bit of poetry, a great start since I've not written anything of the overtly poetic nature in a few years. I'm usurping quite the dry spell with this exercise whether the muses like it or not! The biggest hindrance to my writing is organization – or lack thereof – so I've turned my focus to structure and schedule. Believe it or not, that inspires the flow of words.

Today's email from Pro-blogger is entirely relevant, then: 37 Ways to Make Blogging Easier by guest blogger David Turnbull.

Plan out content with pen and paper.
Dedicate time each week to think of ideas.
Make it easy to record ideas.
Build a life of unique experiences.
Use WriteRoom for typing.
Set limits on the time allowed for writing.
Always have a large backlog of content.
Follow a lower frequency of posts.
Capture interesting tid bits you find with Evernote.
Be passionate.
Write about a broader niche.
Take extended breaks.
Don’t write till you drop – stop writing when you’re on a roll.
Follow clear structures in your content (headings, sub-headings, bullet points etc).
Pick a predominant medium.
Ask visitors what they want.
Make every piece of content count.
Never stop reading and learning.
Set higher standards for yourself as motivation.
Forget word count – say more with less.
Identify the time when brainstorming for you is most effective and stick with that.
The moment it’s not fun: STOP! (and come back to it later)
Experiment with different mediums.
Clear your head with exercise, good food and a glass of water.
Write down EVERY idea, no matter how silly it may seem.
Clear off other items from your to-do list.
Ask visitors to help with research – have them send in quotes etc.
Believe in what you’re saying.
Be both topical and non-topical.
Don’t overthink it – your content is not set in stone.
Think in lists.
Always be creating content (if only in your mind).
Trust that what you have to say is important.
Plug your niche(s) into the Adwords keyword tool.
Monitor what related blogs are saying.
Add variety to your workflow.
Be ruthless. If you’re not feeling an article, delete it.

I use quite a few practices on the list already, but I tend to immerse until I run dry. I'm focusing on number 6 and 12 today. My family will appreciate hearing that.

On that note, I'm off for my morning break. Have a good Wednesday everyone!

This post brought to you by the 100 Words (check out the word count on the first paragraph - oh yeah, baby!) and the word of the day: usurp.

Random Twitter chatter

2009-08-04T09:54:00.003-05:00

Okay, on Tech Thursday you got a post about writing. Today, on Thankful Tuesday, we'll discuss Technology.

Mashable has an interesting article on the 10 Most Extraordinary Twitter Updates - it's an older article, but still a very good read.

This is what catches my attention most:

It can take hours to write a good news article or blog post, 30 minutes to write a breaking news article, and even 5 minutes to write a couple lines to break the story. With status updates, it takes a matter of seconds. This has enabled Twitter to break news even before the news stations.

It's not just Twitter, but technology in general that has and is changing the nature of journalism. The face of the modern journalist is Everyman, and in his reporting he steps beyond the narrow viewpoint offered by the titans who have controlled the media from the inception of publishing. Technology has created a broadcast that is flawed by opinions and culture and infinitely more alive. There is a beauty in the information exchange we've never before experienced - a wonder in the communication process that the world is a small place full of people just like us.

Be good to each other,

Writing Mojo - yeah baby.

2009-07-30T09:11:00.007-05:00

It's summer and with camp, the funeral and my friend visiting, my writing mojo has suffered. Though I have been keeping up with the micro-blogging, I've still had more than one person say they've been missing the posts I do here. That's a great thing for my ego, you know.

I know it's Tech Thursday, and maybe I'll find a techy something to squee about later, but I think today's email from PROBLOGGER is more pertinent, given the circumstance.

Here's the homework they've assigned:

Today’s homework task is to pick a style of blog post that you don’t normally write. For example:

If you always write in the 1st person why not try writing in the 3rd person for a post?
If your posts are always deadpan serious why not attempt something a little more light hearted and humorous.
Try writing a post from the perspective of another person?
Throw an opinion piece into your blog that is normally just covering ‘news’.
Write a list post if your blog is usually more ‘essay’ like.

If you’re unsure what to write check out my list of 20 Types of Blog Posts - hopefully one of them will fit with where you’re at. There’s also a few of these types of writing posts in the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog workbook.

The benefit of mixing things up from time to time is that you grow as a writer and you might just stumble upon a type of post that connects with your readers. Even if the post falls flat on it’s face and fails you’ve learned what not to do on your blog.

Pretty interesting stuff, yes? I'm still doing family vacation type stuff, so I'm not totally ready to immerse myself in the writing, but I'm holding onto that thought and carrying it around with me today. I'll let you know what I come up with.

I'll be back tomorrow with a Fortune Cookie Friday post. Until then, be good to each other.

Thanks for missing me,

Thankful Tuesday

2009-06-30T23:26:00.002-05:00

I've been a busy bee and that has kept me away from the blogging so much. Let me just pop in here to say that I'm thankful I'm a geek.

Just saying.

Tech Thursday

2009-06-25T22:20:00.000-05:00

Where were you when Iran dissolved into civil war, when Michael Jackson died, when Oprah sent out her first Tweet? If you're like millions of people world over, you were on Twitter.

Technology has always fascinated me, but nothing so much as the modern age of information. For an info junkie like me, it's so gratifying to be in the know anywhere I go. Not only is Twitter accessible, but it is fast.

Email has dropped in popularity, and I know exactly why. Twitter is faster, better, smarter and... I have to check my updates. It seems Harrison Ford has joined the ranks of the undead. I need to retweet this, so I'll catch you later.

Thankful Tuesday - Schedule for tomorrow what you can't accomplish today.

2009-06-23T23:01:00.005-05:00

I have gotten so much accomplished this week already. But even better, I have begun taking tasks and delegating them to "later". Better to schedule them for tomorrow than to promise today and apologize when it hits tomorrow's schedule anyway, eh? Things are clicking along at such a fast pace that I need to remind myself to be ever grateful for where I am now, in the moment, even if the calendar is a wee bit full.

Tech Thursday -It's all in the way that you use it.

2009-06-18T12:06:00.002-05:00

I was asked recently how much impact the use of social media can have on a business marketing plan. As much as I'd like to rave about my services, I have to be honest and say that mileage may vary. It really depends on the individual business, the goals of the networking and the application of the media.

There are so many great things available now that it would be easy – and for the geek, fun – to get caught up in them. This month I'm testing out:

http://browsershots.org/
http://hashtags.org/
http://hootsuite.com
http://tweetdeck.com/beta/
http://flock.com/
and Astra from http://www.trillian.im/

Ask me later, and I'll let you know how it goes. The point I'm making, though, is that great as these applications are, they're not going to have a positive impact on your business unless they are used appropriately. In some cases, that means not using them at all.

Browsershots is a great application, giving you a visual of how your website is going to look in any given browser. Since I'm working on my website -still- it's a handy gadget. However, once I'm done with the design phase I really can't say that it will be something I need. It's usefulness is heavily dependent on the project I'm working on.

The same goes for Flock. It's my new favorite sparkly, and I have a feeling it's going to make my work at Wordizm even more fun. Yes, I said fun. I'm strange like that. However, setting up multiple networks and managing them through Flock would be a big 'ol honking waste of time if I didn't have a purpose for it.

The end goal needs to be considered when any technology is concerned. Just because a widget or gizmo does something better and looks great doing it doesn't mean it's going to make sense to use it

Thanks for reading today,

Thankful Tuesday - Lofty thoughts

2009-06-09T22:59:00.003-05:00

Today has been a hugely busy day. I have a ton of things that didn't get crossed off the calendar; instead of a line through them, there's a line to tomorrow's block. But I'm not complaining. Far from. The seeds I have sown are cropping up in the most unexpected places. Isn't it beautiful the way life works?

William Blake said, "The man who never in his mind and thoughts travel'd to heaven is no artist. " I feel like an artist today, indeed, as my mind has scampered from lofty thought to lofty thought. I am truly blessed.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read!

Menagerie Monday - Mrs. Z is everywhere!

2009-06-08T21:11:00.006-05:00

I am now the proud owner of a slice of Examiner territory and how wonderful is that! It does mean that we'll be getting a little bit of crossposting going on here, but that's not a bad thing, I promise.

My latest article went live today, so stop by and say hello!

The heart of a servant

As always, THANK YOU for taking the time to read.

Many blessings,

TGIFcF - fortune cookie FRIDAY!!!!

2009-06-05T22:48:00.003-05:00

Today was most especially awesome. We went on a bike run Southern Cruisers Riding Club as a fundraiser for St. Jude's. It's a history run, themed around Pretty Boy Floyd.

Needless to say. I am a tired Mrs. Z - and I was only in the chase vehicle. Can't imagine what Mr. Z's tail must feel like.

So, tonight's fortune cookie is dedicated to all those drivers who have no idea what to do when they encounter a motorcycle group with a police escort...

"Don't hurry, don't worry. You're only here for a short visit. So be sure to stop and ~~smell the flowers~~ enjoy the sight of the motorcyles driving by." --adapted from a quote by Walter Hagen

Good night and God bless,

Word Wednesday - June 3rd 2009

2009-06-03T22:34:00.003-05:00

Well, I didn't get my 100 words done today but a few other more pressing deadlines were met. In other news, a friend was involved in a motorcycle wreck in his driveway this evening. He's okay, but his BMW took the impact and didn't make it. RIP Ralph's bike, you will be missed.

Tomorrow is my son's birthday. We are celebrating with cake and pizza and the Firefly series. Shhh. It's a secret.

Good night and God bless,

Thankful Tuesday - Muses and Readers

2009-06-02T21:46:00.003-05:00

Creativity is a gift. It can be taught; I've learned how to write without muses. But it isn't the same as the pure energy that flows from the spirit. I am ever so thankful for that spark within me which allows me to do what I do.

And I'm thankful for the people who take the time to read what I write.

Welcome to Menagerie Monday - Symbols of Faith

2009-06-01T22:06:00.003-05:00

I'm rather proud of myself for this piece. I had a writing sample to submit on spirituality in Oklahoma City and as I was researching for information to beef up an article I'd previously written, I ran across a blurb about an exhibit at the Oklahoma City National Memorial. The muses were inspired and I let them run with it. This was the result in less than an hour.

--------------------
Faith. We claim it, preach it, sing it. We wear it. Symbols of faith are naturally interwoven into culture as an expression of belief, hope and spirituality. Artistic symbology has long been a way to share our personal ideals with each other, as a way to connect and to identify ourselves within a community. Spiritually, we use symbols of faith to send a message about who we are and what we believe.

From April through late September, the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum is hosting a Symbols of Faith exhibit. The exhibit focuses on symbols of faith worn by or left behind in memory of victims killed in the 1999 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.

In the days following the bombing, people began leaving tributes on the chain-link fence surrounding the ragged remains of the building. As a response to a violent act of hate, grief stricken members of the community and visitors from around the world left tokens of love. Woven in with the flowers and ribbons were crosses, written scriptures, Stars of David, prayers penned in crayon, a Quaran...

Oklahoma photographer Ann E. Clark has portrayed this struggle to deal with tragedy through the power of faith. Her photographs of the bombing site and personal objects tell the story of humanity's dependence on spirituality and faith as part of the healing process. Symbols of Faith tenderly highlights the strength we draw from our faith, on both the personal and spiritual level. The exhibit is a tribute not only to those bright souls who we mourn, but also the human heart and the faith that sustains it.
---------

Thanks for reading today. Be good to each other!

Thank God it's Fortune Cookie Friday!

2009-05-29T18:26:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I get cruddy fortunes in my cookies, but today I got one that I just have to share.

"You will be a great success - both in business and socially."

Well hot diggity dawg. Sounds like I'm doing the right thing here, huh?

Bless your weekend y'all. See you in June!

Word Wednesday - Sagacious

2009-05-27T22:59:00.002-05:00

For those of you who don't write, muses are those creative little voices that an artist's world revolves around. Muses are fickle beasties that come and go at whim, so I've taught myself to write without them. That's part of what writing exercises are, after all; it's learning the how of writing. I've trained myself into a methodical, one-foot-in-front-of-the-other writing process that works well for me. But when the muses are chatty, my writing is more “on”. The process falls away into pure creativity. Sometimes I'll have things pop into my head already written. It's something that defies scientific definition.

More maddening than writer's block is the muse that won't shut up. Plot bunny is a term stolen from fanfiction. It is essentially an idea that gnaws at a writer's soul until it gets written. Feeding a plot bunny by writing it out will help quiet its rabid gnawing, though, believe me, nothing encourages the little buggers to go away if they're determined to hole up in your brain.

So tonight, for word Wednesday I have a demonstration of this phenomenon, if you will. The word of the day is sagacious and the instant I read it this scrap of a story popped into my head. I tried to write something else, something that had a beginning and an ending that wrapped around each other. I kept coming back to this piece out of the middle of nothing instead. I don't know who the characters are, I don't know where this is going but I'm certain that a jump down the rabbit hole and feeding of the little plot bunny gnawing around down there will give me more of the story. I have other things demanding my attention right now so I'll see if I can get away with writing this much and leaving it to dangle.

As always, thanks for reading,

~~~

That smile makes her want to scream. Scream and smack the teeth right out of his skull. Sharp white teeth he's showing entirely too much of. The saccharine smile ends before it reaches his eyes, mocking her. Worse, he needn't say a word to do it. Smug, self-serving, sagacious son-of-a...

“You know,” he drawls, winking. “You're really beautiful when you're angry.”

Rage sizzles through her veins, white hot. She does scream, then, hands smacking wildly at him. At.

At, certainly, because nothing connects. Stupidly, she's allowed him to maneuver her into the cunning trap he's laid for her.

100 Words is a writing challenge based on The Free Dictionary's Word of the Day. Start your own challenge and better your writing skills.

Thankful Tuesday - Summertime

2009-05-26T22:24:00.005-05:00

Thank God for summer vacation. Time to reconnect with my kids. After all of the running we did over the last six months and me checking out so often to work on...well, to work, we need this time. I pray that I don't ever get so wrapped up in working for myself and building up Wordizm that I forget the biggest advantage of working for myself - the ability to just be with my family. Because when the sun sets on my life, my kids won't look back and say, "Wow, she was great at running a business." Well, they might... but the point is, what they will really cherish is the memories of those things we did together.

Many blessings to you and yours,

Decoration Day

2009-05-25T11:20:00.006-05:00

Remember today those who dream forever under the banner they believed in to their last breath.

Thankful Tuesday

2009-05-19T21:34:00.001-05:00

I have so many blessings - so much to be grateful for - above all I thank God for, having a family that gets along.

TGIFcF - fortune cookie FRIDAY!!!!

2009-05-15T22:40:00.000-05:00

Well and good. One’s an adverb, the other an adjective. Never confuse the two.

Have a great weekend y'all,

Tech Thursday : Star Trek

2009-05-14T17:09:00.004-05:00

Tech Thursday has officially been hijacked. Today it is Trek Thursday and if you've not seen the movie yet, you should. I worked hard to stay away from spoilers and I will do you the courtesy of not spoiling it for you either, but I do have to make some comment because the movie is simply brilliant.

Will Wheaton (Wesley Crusher from STtNG) has written a very good article about why Star Trek is absolutely awesome, and I couldn't agree with him more. He has many great points but the most important one, I think, is his discussion on how the movie pays attention to what has made Star Trek so successful for so long

Remakes and sequels are notorious for their stinkieness, and to have a movie that is a takeoff come out well is something to take notice of. For examples on how to do it badly, look at what Lucas did with Star Wars. Unlike Lucas, what Abrams has done is make a movie for the fans, and he hasn't done it subtly either. There are blatant nods to fandom throughout the movie – something I celebrated with the delighted fans in the theater around me. All in all, the movie comes across as a tribute to the Trek universe, as a way to keep the Enterprise's continuing mission bold and alive for fans old and new.

May Star Trek live long and prosper,

Word Wednesday - Outre

2009-05-13T21:14:00.000-05:00

I've pondered away the afternoon over “outre”, our word of the day. Can you say outre (ooo-tray)? I knew you could! But do you know what it means?

Interestingly enough the definition of the word fits it well, as it is an adjective used to define the outrageously unconventional. I think Jim Carey's onscreen antics in most of his comedies is a very apt visual, as he's often outre and over the top. Ironically enough, the very fact that outre is something we would absolutely not use in normal conversation makes it, in itself, outre. I do love irony.

100 Words is a writing challenge based on The Free Dictionary's Word of the Day. Start your own challenge and better your writing skills.

Thankful Tuesday - Good friends.

2009-05-12T21:34:00.002-05:00

“A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.”

Bernard Meltzer quote

Be good to each other.

Menagerie Monday - Networking

2009-05-11T21:21:00.004-05:00

Today's business world is a very different place from the world our grandfathers operated in, but human nature is still the same. We are social creatures. The good old boy network meeting at the coffee shop is a fading memory. But we still look for those connections to bind us, that sense of community. Networking is simply the process of building relationships with people who would be helpful to your business - whether it be individual customers or other businesses.

With all of the network marketing schemes out there, it is no surprise that networking has picked up a negative image, something I've been increasingly aware of as Wordizm has grown. Instead of trying to explain what I offer in traditional language, I've embraced more modern definitions and in the process can offer a clearer picture of the services Wordizm can offer.

In the end, it's all about community. Think about it and it makes sense. Working with other businesses toward a common goal will conserve resources. Redefining your relationship with your customers or fans will give them a vested interest in your success. Build a society of people around you who want to be part of what you do, and give them a way to feel involved in your business, and there's no limit to what you can achieve.

Just ask President Obama.

As always, thanks for reading,

Tech Thursday - Let your fingers do the walking?

2009-05-07T09:46:00.000-05:00

USA Today reported last week that phone books have become a thing of the past. In fact, most phone companies and publishers only put out residential white pages now, because states' public utilities commissions require it of them. It is a rule that is changing as the industry gets permission to offer the white pages by request only. In cities where the change has been implemented already, less than 3 percent of the residents have put in a request for the printed books. It's a trend that can be expected to continue as the tech savvy population will only increase.

100 Words is a writing challenge based on The Free Dictionary's Word of the Day. Start your own challenge and better your writing skills.

Word Wednesday - Purlieu

2009-05-06T23:00:00.000-05:00

100 words is not some silly writing game. In this age where everyone is always on the run, a concise blog entry is far more favorable than a meandering and lengthy diatribe. Studies demonstrate that it is easier for most readers to follow a daily series of brief entries than to wade through one long weekly synopsis. The ability to consistently produce brief, yet, colorful content is a talent I continue to nurture. 100 words is a purlieu, a place I visit frequently, as an opportunity to exercise my writing within the constriction of rules designed to sharpen my skills.

100 Words is a writing challenge based on The Free Dictionary's Word of the Day. Start your own challenge and better your writing skills.

Thankful Tuesday - For my kids.

2009-05-05T22:49:00.003-05:00

I thank God for my kids. They're smart, funny and best of all, they're good people.

I am a blessed mother,

Menagerie Monday - Two-hundred Tweets

2009-05-04T18:46:00.002-05:00

Happy Monday, and to the Star Wars fans out there, May the 4th be with you!

I think my life has settled down again, so I'll be following the posting "schedule" more closely. One of the reasons that working for myself is a huge blessing is that my family can and does come first. I've made a vow to never take on more clients than will allow me to live by that maxim.

Since I've returned to Wordizm I've been keeping myself busy with the set up of the new website, lots of blogging and Twittering away. In fact, I just sent out my 200^th Twitter, and I still stand by my opinion that it is a fabulous tool with much potential. As a client that started out as mobile mini-IM/blog, Twitter has grown far beyond the initial scope. For microblogging, e-advertising, and building a bridge with your clients or peers, Twitter's ease of use can't be beat. I think the three most compelling “features”, if you will, of the Twitterverse are the immediacy of interaction, the accessibility to users in many different fields and the ability to tie Twitter into many other networks.

I've experimented over the last week with the FutureTweets application and with a few tweaks I think I will find many uses for it. I love how easy it makes setting up a series of scheduled tweets. Twitter on Facebook had been acting up but I think it has settled down and is running as smoothly as the MySpace application. The Twitter feed to my blog has cross-posted without fail since set up and I am looking at linking the Twitter for my friends at emPower to their emPower blog.

But is anyone listening or are we just tweeting in the dark? Time will tell, but I'd be willing to bet that marketing through twollowers re-tweeting me is just the tip of the iceberg. The use of Twitter will grow as more people realize that the potential of Twitter extends far beyond gossipmongering and celebrity-Twitter-mania, and as the Twitterverse grows in its diversity, so will its usage.

As always, thanks for reading. Be good to each other,

Fortune Cookie Friday - Global Love Day

2009-05-01T14:33:00.002-05:00

Never miss an opportunity to tell someone you love them.

Many blessings,

Thankful Tuesday - A lesson in gratitude.

2009-04-21T20:21:00.003-05:00

I've been substitute teaching at school and the route I'd normally use to connect online from there is not working. So I've had 2 days without net, and then by the time I get home am so zonked that I can't do much beyond basic maintenance on the essential accounts. More of the same tomorrow.

There is a gratitude message in this. I love networking with people and helping others to grow their business. The joy in my job is more evident now that I've been on this enforced hiatus.

The other side of this is that being around the kids at school is refreshing and always gives me a different perspective on the world. Never a bad thing.

Well, until I return, be good to each other.

Many blessings,

Fortune Cookie Friday: We're All Mad Here

2009-04-17T23:31:00.003-05:00

I bet you thought I'd forgotten. Sorry for the delay.

This time, I'm not starting with a fortune cookie, instead giving you a quote from a very good book:

"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.
"Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat: "we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad."
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."

Lewis Carol was making a point in that conversation between Alice and the Cheshire Cat that there is a certain amount of lunacy to be expected in Wonderland.

It's rather interesting to contrast that to my experience at emPower. I've had the best week talking to some of the best people on the planet. One of those conversations happened on a day I was feeling just a little bit overwhelmed, but by the time I was through with the conversation I was feeling inspired, enthused and... well, emPowered.

What if I don't want to go among emPowered people?

Oh... you can't help that, Mrs. Z, we're all emPowered around here... and you must be too, or you wouldn't have come here.

Have a good weekend, and be good to each other.

Tech Thursday

2009-04-16T10:00:00.003-05:00

On Twitter this morning I found a link to this article: Can Facebook Save the World

It's the perfect topic for Tech Thursday because it addresses a very valid point. I've made it my business to promote technology - but technology is only a tool.

On its own, technology can accomplish nothing. Worse, using technology poorly is more reckless than not using it at all.

Without a plan, networking on Facebook is useless and Twitter is simply e-gossip.

We've come such a long way in such a short time that the potentials for e-marketing are only now being explored.

So, can Facebook save the world? The article points out flaws in the execution, not the technology. Joining networks to stop violence or show your support for victims is all well and good, but if all you do is click the "join group" button you're spinning your wheels. What is the point in joining if you aren't going to participate actively, and I don't mean only by adding comments to the group board.

Earth Hour was a huge success this year largely because the amount of people who talked about it through social networking. But they didn't just talk. Talk turned to plans. Plans became action.

Action is what gets results.

As always, thank you for reading,

Word Wednesday - 100 words Peck

2009-04-15T14:11:00.003-05:00

Well, it's happening. Constantly I peck away at the list and there is less to be done today than there was yesterday. I found this fantastic graphic artist in Oklahoma City through Craigslist. Stephen Christensen is a wonderful talent just starting out in the business. See my new logo for a sample of his work. Now I can order business cards.

I have my elevator speech done, profiles on the freelance sites up, bids on jobs, and an updated agenda for emPower. Things are starting to click and the gears of Wordizm are grinding away. Today is a good day!

100 Words is a writing challenge based on The Free Dictionary's Word of the Day. Start your own challenge and better your writing skills.

Thankful Tuesday

2009-04-14T21:03:00.002-05:00

Five things I am thankful for.
1) My family.
2) My friends
3) My muses
4) Laughter
5) Synchronicity

The first 3 sound selfish, but isn't that what gratitude is about? It's replacing the negative self talk with the positive, and where your mind is concerned first with me, myself and I to focus on the wonderful blessings.

Abundance is mine.

As always, thank you for reading. Be good to each other!

Menagerie Monday - Counting Crows

2009-04-13T22:00:00.001-05:00

This crow family talks to me every morning on the way back from walking the kids to the bus stop. After months of trying to take a picture of them, only to have them fly off mocking me, they finally posed for this picture on the day of the largest full moon of the year. It's been a few months now, but I'm still taken with the tranquility of that moment in time.

Thank you for reading,

Ability to find silly in the serious will take you far.

2009-04-10T08:17:00.002-05:00

I've decided that Fridays shall henceforth be Fortune Cookie Fridays.

Today I remind all of us to not take life too seriously. If you look at the journals I follow, Greg Tamblyn is a master humorist and a big inspiration for me. Gentle humor can disarm the tension even in the most horrid of circumstances, and sharing a laugh with someone is a gift.

To be able to go forward with joy in your heart, to look for the humor and spread the laughter is a blessing, and one I claim for myself. I am truly fortunate to have found work doing what I love, and to love my work. Writing is the most fun job I can imagine... well, almost. The most fun I've ever had at a job was as a serving wench at the Medieval Faire, but that's another story.

Anyway, I hope it was a good week for everyone. Mine certainly was busy. Go out and have fun, laugh a little and share that joy with someone else.

It will take you far.

Thank you for reading,

Tech Thursday: iGoogle makes me smile

2009-04-09T11:37:00.003-05:00

I'm writing this post from iGoogle, and I must say it has to be my new favorite thing, kids. If you haven't checked out iGoogle out lately, you're in for a treat. The applications available are seemingly endless. For anyone who writes it's an amazing tool. My Gmail, Gdocs, Blogspot, Twitter, Facebook and Myspace are all conveniently on one page with the latest news and entertainment updates. That shortens my list of open Firefox tabs by 6. There's also a sticky note app that lets me take notes as I go, which is really great when I'm dealing with embedding links in my writing.

Maybe Google is trying to take over the world, but if they are, they've certainly made me smile today.

Thanks for reading,

Word Wednesday - 100 words Unswerving

2009-04-08T20:33:00.002-05:00

I work with unswerving faith, for this is what I was meant to do. Wordizm is the dream I could never remember upon waking, but forever there in my soul - unspoken. To find my true calling is still such an amazing thing. It didn't happen at once or suddenly, there was no singular epiphany; rather so many small moments that individually could have meant nothing. Coincidence is something I don't believe in, however. This is the path I was meant to follow and each day I am grateful for the God given talents allowing me to do what I love.

100 Words is a writing challenge based on The Free Dictionary's Word of the Day. Start your own challenge and better your writing skills.

Thank you for reading,

Momma, I've Run Off WIth the Gypsies

2009-04-03T05:46:00.002-05:00

On more than one occasion as a little girl, I'd get mad at Mom and yell at her that I was going to run away from home. There were variations on this threat, joining the circus ect. I've made good on the threat finally and taken up with a troupe at Norman's Medieval Faire. I'm a serving wench. Mom, surprisingly enough, wasn't surprised.

Word Wednesday - 100 words, Snooty

2009-04-01T20:45:00.003-05:00

Americans are often stereotyped by the rest of the world as snooty jerks with superior attitudes. Henry Rollins urges his listeners to get their passports and see some of the world. He's not calling for us to abandon the country, but rather to venture beyond the borders of the USA and get some perspective. America was born of immigrants seeking a better life and the opportunities freedom offers. Diversity is a huge part of our national identity; sadly, we have lost the sense of where we came from in this push to prove who we are.

100 Words is a writing challenge based on The Free Dictionary's Word of the Day. Start your own challenge and better your writing skills.

Thank you for reading,

Counting Down to April Fool's Day

2009-03-31T21:02:00.002-05:00

And the joke is on me this year. I've been so busy I've not had any time to prepare anything fun. Pooh.

The good news is that I'm working and making money. Great news, really, since the economy can't seem to get its panties untwisted. I have so many people I know who are suffering job losses and set backs. The prayer list is getting longer every day.

bad Englishes at wurk

2009-03-25T20:37:00.006-05:00

"You need to be able to state what that service dog can do for you. It has to serve a functions for you and that's all you have to have in order to be a service animal," said Turner.

If you serve a functions, then you too can be a service animal!!

From this article at KFOR

the joys of country living

2009-03-24T21:34:00.002-05:00

In Oklahoma, they refer to houses way out in the country as “in the sticks”. Yes, directions to my place include the phrase, “turn off the paved road”. We're 20 miles from the nearest city, unless you count the small shopping center to our north, 15 miles from here.

There are some major disadvantages to living where we do. Emergency personal can take 45 minutes to get to us, assuming they can find us at all. When gas prices were at their highest, we were spending over $200.00 a month to do just the basic driving. And the dirt roads mean my vehicles are always grungy.

In my opinion, the benefits of country living more than make up for the downfalls. There aren't neighbors living on top of us. It is peaceful here. At night, the sky lights up with stars horizon to horizon. Then there is the wildlife.

We have deer, and coyotes and rabbits and opossums, and, yes, some skunks too. In the thicker parts of the woods we also have raccoons, but we don't see them very often. Tonight at dusk, though, my daughter and I had the rare privilege of a raccoon sighting. It was a real treat to come around the corner and spy the adolescent 'coon waddling along. A treat until I realized he was waddling toward the crawl space under my house.

I'm sure he'd come out of his home in the woods to get a little exotic food by way of the cats' dish. Which is great. I don't mind sharing with the critters. But I don't run a bed and breakfast, a fact I pointed out to the little guy very quickly. He hissed back at me and started to waddle faster. I shouted to my daughter and she ran around the side to cut him off, which set the fuzzbutt to grumbling.

It took us several minutes of strategic poking with a stick and quite a bit of yelling at my dog (who wanted some exotic food of her own) to convince him to turn around and go home. My daughter, who is 8, enjoyed the whole experience. We talked about him as we nudged him along, about what raccoons eat, where they live and why it would be cruel to put him in a cage and keep him as a pet.

I guess maybe some of you read this and think of it as another draw-back to living in the sticks, and you can keep that opinion if you want it. I'll just go out with the flashlight now and make sure he's not bringing his brothers back for dessert.

100 Words - Cesky Krumlov at Dusk

2009-03-23T11:52:00.017-05:00

The still water was a perfect mirror, reflecting everything he had ever known and loved. Everything he had ever hated, he reminded himself, turning to walk away. A stagnation had crept into every corner of his life, rooted deeply in a history miring him in expectations grown heavier with each passing day. Perhaps he was a coward for abandoning his destiny; he preferred to think of himself in different terms. All the same, he was no fool. The family would see his courage as pride, dreams as foolish, and the new path he forged for himself as the ultimate betrayal.

100 Words is a writing challenge based on Lukas Novak's image of the day.

Introducing myself....

2009-03-22T18:33:00.004-05:00

There are in life many defining moments. Some that set the pace for the rest of your days, some that rename you, and some that just shine a light of clarity on something you may not have realized about yourself.

Last week my husband came home from an outing with the kids and said that he'd seen what he thought was a Blackberry at the store. He held his fingers apart, the distance too tiny to have been a Blackberry, so I said no. I'm not an uber geek but I know that Blackberry technology hasn't made that leap yet. Perhaps, I suggested, it could have been an iPod Shuffle. They are small enough.

My husband gave me a baffled look, so I asked if someone were talking on this device. Maybe it was a variation on Bluetooth. If it was only a music player, though, chances are it was the Shuffle.

Would you believe I got a laugh for all of my patient and non-demeaning explanations?

Oh yes. He laughed at me. And then said, “Blackberry. The fruit.”

Ladies and gentlemen. I would like to introduce myself. I am Lori. And I am an uber geek.

Step Away from the Keyboard

2009-03-20T08:16:00.001-05:00

Writing is more often than not a solitary art. Most of my writing is done in seclusion, despite my love to talk (in various formats) with my family and friends... okay even complete strangers. When I get on a roll and the writing is really happening, I have to remind myself to step away from the keyboard. It's a difficult thing. My brain rails against what it sees as anti-productivity. Especially when I'm in that groove where everything is just flowing.

Time away from the writing is a good thing. I told myself that as I didn't write on Wednesday. I reminded myself more on Thursday as I got in the car with my friend and took off on a spontaneous trip to Texas. And you know what? I wasn't wrong.

I woke up this morning on my own, no alarm, feeling SHARP. The hint of mundane and purpose driven prose is gone. Hello muses and good morning!

AIG = American Institute of Greed

2009-03-17T11:26:00.003-05:00

I am very blessed to have a husband who makes good money. His hard work has allowed me to be a stay at home mom, and now has given me the financial stability to start my own business. As times have gotten tough, we've also been blessed that he was high enough up on the list to be unaffected by the layoffs that took out a large portion of his company's work force. But making good money doesn't mean a thing when the PTB start cutting hours.

This month, he works 15 days. Next month, 14. That's an entire house payment gone and then some. We'll make it; tighten our belts and cut what we can. All of America is doing it as we struggle collectively through this economic depression. Or... at least most of us are.

If you're on AIG's payroll that may not be the case. As you get your bonus check in the mail, I want you to take a good hard look at it. It's America's money you're holding in your hand - our dreams that AIG has stolen and written off in what they claim is a contractual obligation. The stimulus package wasn't perfect, but we held out hope that it would make a change, turn some things around and get our country moving the right direction again. What we've gotten is more deceit and thievery. Shame on you AIG.

Some things in this world are black and white. Thou shalt not steal. Cheaters never prosper. He who is greedy lives always in want.

Gone are the days were we turn a blind eye. We are looking for accountability, integrity, for fidelity and moral uprightness. America is demanding a change.

100 Words - Astray

2009-03-16T21:06:00.003-05:00

Fueled by anger too long pent up, his good nature falls astray. He strikes, hateful words uncensored. Hurt blossoms in her eyes, bright tears pooling before she ducks her head. “If you feel that way, you should go.”

Truth be told, he does feel that way. And worse. But there's other things. Good things. Love and laughter that outweigh the bad.

“I'm sorry,” he offers. “I didn't mean it.”

She accepts both apology and hug. Too easily. And simple as that, he pushes the anger away with no thought that it will only fester into another boilover.

100 Words is a writing challenge based on The Free Dictionary's Word of the Day.

Mystery Statue

2009-03-15T21:44:00.000-05:00

Part way between Shawnee and Sulphur it rises from the roadside landscape, a surreal statue - abstract and beautiful. I have no clue what it is, or why it's there. The mystery is part of the beauty. Someday, I've told myself, I'm going to research the story behind this oddity.

Does anyone else out there name their computer?

2009-03-12T12:57:00.004-05:00

I know I've neglected updating this week, but in my defense I've been very busy. I now have the computers all networked -thank you Jon- the Hal, the laptop, is all shiny and clean. I've done a lot of work on Dori, the new desktop, added Blogger to my Facebook, my emPower blog to Blogger, Twitter to Blogger and Facebook and have my Linked profile nearly completed - not to mention the green article I'm working on for two diferent markets, and the emPower blogs I'm working on for Rirchard. I'm looking forward to some down time this weekend.

Karate tonight and I'm not really looking forward to that. Yuh. Dread. I've not been active enough this week and it's going to kill me.

100 Words - Inauguration

2009-03-07T23:24:00.001-06:00

What a fortuitous word and so fitting for this week. I'd mentioned the inauguration of my new business in my last posting; how it wasn't something I'd wanted. I should clarify that statement. I have no second thoughts about where I am today, or having started Wordizm. But running my own business wasn't a long-standing dream. I wanted to be an author, sure, but I never dreamed my writing would morph into a company of my own design.

The last 14 months have been a whirlwind. As I look back, I see many things falling into place according to the outline of my business plan, but a greater portion of Wordizm's development is due to the grace of God's business plan. Some of the things that have clicked into place over the last six months, God set into motion years ago.

Through it all, I have to say that I've been incredibly blessed and I'm excited to be planning the future of my company. My company. What a statement that is! It struck me as I applied on a writing gig mid-way through the week. I'm moving on to the next level in a continuing series of fortunate events.

100 Words is a writing challenge based on The Free Dictionary's Word of the Day.

Okay, so it was 200 words this time but I figure I owe you guys after all of the radio silence.

I'm not AWOL, I promise!

2009-03-04T22:00:00.000-06:00

Every day I swear I'll get my 100 word challenge done, and an update posted and it's still not happening.

A lot has been going on, though, so I have good reason.

I finally got my act together (and cash in hand) and went to the Sect. of State office to register my business as an LLC. Scary stuff, man. I mean, not really. It was a simple sheet of paper, and filing fee. Any idiot can do it. But actually having that certificate in hand after - everything is real.

I never wanted to have my own business. Just saying. It scared the heck out of me. But I think some things are meant to be. At every turn over the last year, I've found the path leads the same direction in the end.

So, I guess this is announcing the birth of Wordizm LLC.

Pray for us now and at the hour of our birth. -TS Eliot

100 Words - Protagonist

2009-02-20T21:21:00.001-06:00

Nothing loses a reader faster than a weak protagonist. That is not to say your protagonist cannot be characterized by a weak spirit or shady morals. Personality flaws actually tend to make a character more dimensional. The problem comes when a character acts out of character. Even if it is justified, the seeds of doubt are planted as your audience tries to decide if they can accept your reasoning for the behavior. Don't view time spent writing background material as wasted, because even though they will never see it, your readers appreciate the depth of personality created by the exercise.

100 Words is a writing challenge based on The Free Dictionary's Word of the Day.

Greetings... whovever you are.

2009-02-20T13:43:00.000-06:00

So here we are. New blog. Shiny. I write stuff all the time, this should be great. Yeah? Yeah?

Okay. So we have a lot of blank space. And staring at it does not make it go away. This isn't like commentary for a living or creative writing exercise stuff. This is for fun, for me. And I have no idea what to write.

Well, that's not true. I have a lot of ideas. Too many, really. So let's narrow this down.

Hopefully, someday there will be people reading this thing. I mean, other than the friends I spam with blog links begging for their praise over what I've written. (It sounds way more pathetic than it is... besides, I do it for them.) So who would be my target audience? Well, ideally, some guy with a writing gig would stumble across wordizm and decide that I have exactly the writing style he's looking for. (Sir, if you're reading this, might I point out my work at emPower Music&Arts? It's much better put together and a better example of how very professional I can be.)

There's another thought too. What if my kids read this. Or my mom. (Hi mom.) So I don't want to put anything in it that might come back to bite me.

I do know one thing I'll be doing here and that's this word of the day challenge I've set for myself. Free Dictionary has this word of the day widget on igoogle and I'm writing a 100 word essay (known in the writing communities as a drabble) each day of the week. Maybe weekends too if I have time and the word is good. Yesterday's word nearly killed me though. Festal. *cue retching noises* Today is much better. You'll see a post about that next.

I guess I can also use this to point you toward my blog at empower. Mrs. Z. Yeah. Clever name, don't you think? Today's post was especially fun. Happy Hoodie Hoo Day to you!