#bloggerconfl2g and goodie bags

Tags

#bloggerconfl2g, Anne-Marie Tomchak, blogging, gift box, goodie bags, Irish Blogger conference, Johnny Ward, Mashable, Meaghers, Meaghers Pharmacy, Oonagh O'Hagen, seo, twitter

Yesterday was the Irish Blogger conference and as I sit here munching my Mars bar (courtesy of the Meaghers Pharmacy to remind us how to pronounce their name) I can’t help but contemplate all that was said.

With a long list of speakers it was clear that no everyone was going to be to my taste, especially those who spent most of their time self-promoting their wonderfulness, I was surprised how impressed I was with others.

The #TwitterForBloggers and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) masterclasses were extremely informative, helpful and well presented in easy to follow language. Even the Legal Guide for Blogging was succinct and useful.

But the two speakers that stood out for me were Oonagh O’Hagen, MD Meaghers Pharmacy, and Anne-Marie Tomchak, UK Editor Mashable. Both of these women spoke with passion and enthusiasm, were authentic and clearly are both very hard-workers. Their words were inspiring, proof that having a vision, a goal is a good thing and even if  it takes a few risks and a lot of guts, hard work will pay off. They weren’t afraid to admit to making mistakes and showed that it’s what you learn from them that makes you succeed. It was just refreshing to listen to women who ‘had made it’ in their own rights and not because they were beautiful (which they were) or because they had somehow achieved some vague celebrity for the sake of just being known, but because they believed in themselves and in what they were doing and were willing to put in the hard graft.

The biggest let down was Johnny Ward, the creator of blog OneStep4Ward. I enjoyed his unpolished presence, his enthusiastic presentation and obvious enjoyment of what he does (how can one not when traveling the world and making money doing so?). But somehow I found it distasteful the way he was just blatantly making money for the sake of making money. He said he had given up working for others, that 9-5 grind,  as he found it soul destroying and encouraged everyone to do the same, but he now owns 200 blogs and employs people to write for them. He basically has become the CEO at the top of the pyramid he claims to hate.He even admitted to breaking copy right laws in the past and didn’t seem to find it a bad thing, and now he told me he relies on ‘free stock images’.  And when I asked him if those who write for him know what they are writing about he said ‘they write what they are paid to write’ going against the grain of authenticity, personality and strong content. It just made me wonder if his success isn’t, at least partially built, on the backs of others.

However I thoroughly enjoyed the day, met wonderful people, lernt lots of things and enjoyed being in the company of so many others, who like me, enjoy the world of blogging. And when I got hope I unpacked my wonderful goodie bags (yes plural) and was thrilled with what I found inside. I was most excited about the transportable phone-charger from Snap Printing and a JustEat coupon. I even won a pretty travel electric toothbrush by Sonic Chic (courtesy of Life2good).

But it was the Meaghers Pharmacy‘s generous gift-box that was the highlight for me. Filled with beautifully wrapped goodies it was a little bit like an early birthday surprise. And while I may not be big into make-up I am really looking forwrad to trying out some of the lotions I found. Especially the Chocolate Whip body lotion looks like it is perfect for my delicate skin.

Meaghers gift-box – an unexpected and generous gift

everything wrapped with care in the Meaghers colours

handpicked goodies from Meaghers, can’t wait to try them out

back to blogging

Tags

blogging, forming habits, habit loop, habits, pic, quotes, Reward, routine, three Rs, writing

After a month of internet exile and one filled with finishing up my masters it is now time to get back to blogging. The only problem is: where to start?

After all after months of absence and my days filled with mundane tasks and the usual daily grind it seems I have fallen out of the habit of coming up with ideas. But then new habits are hard to form and take about 21 days to actually stick (they also take three weeks to dissolve).

For the next month my goal is to create a new ‘habit loop’ by reminding myself of what I want to do and following the three Rs, allow the routine to take and then reward myself for following through – a cup of tea or a 15minute break or maybe even just a pat on my shoulder.

Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken

Warren Buffett

 

lost post

Tags

blogging, lost, lost post, words

I just lost a post … I spent a while typing, reworking and editing a post about inspirational books  … I have no idea what happened … WORDPRESS where did it go?

So if anyone see’s a lone post wandering the fields of blogs please let me know … it could be mine … point in in my direction and maybe tomorrow it will appear!

blog-astic

Tags

blogging, blogs, feelings, friends, miscellaneous, personal column, quarter of a year, random, thoughts, virtual friends, writing

I can’t believe that it has already been three months since I started my blog, 90plus days, a quarter of a year. When I started blogging I really wasn’t aware what I was getting myself into.

I had never read a blog before, let alone followed one, I wasn’t aware of the whole world of blogs that were out there and I really didn’t know that this entire community existed. I had no idea what I was going to write about, I hadn’t a clue about stats and linking up to other blogs, inserting images, awards and leaving comments.

With very little idea of what to do about content, my blog has turned into my own personal column, a sort of diary of my thoughts, feelings and ideas. I never really know what I am going to write about until my fingers start typing and words appear on the screen in front of me. And while I love my little outbursts of posts filled with venting, thanking and thinking I am still amazed at the fact that people actually read, and some even follow, what I have to say.

Now I have to admit that I have become a little bit to addicted to my stats and what colourful nationalities have clicked on my page. I feel a little bit like a collector when I spy a new flag, especially when it is one I have never seen before. I mean who knew that people in Malaysia, Belize, Nepal and even Bahrain were interested in what I have to say?

And who knew that the little orange icon in the corner of my screen letting me know someone has liked or commented on my offerings and sometimes has even decided to follow my blog would make me smile so much . It is odd how the lovely remarks and kind words can lift my spirits and make me feel better about myself even if I don’t know the people who left them. And yes some of you have become virtual friends and I am very grateful for that.

So while I have been a little bit lazy last week and blogging was put on the back-burner I will keep blogging and trying to entertain my readers, old new and the yet to join. As a convert to blogging I hope my blog becomes as fantastic as others already are, blog-astic if you will.

accolade a day

Tags

awards, blogging, blogs, entertainment, friends, inspiration, ups and downs, writing

It’s Friday again and this week has been a little bit all over the place for me. I didn’t get half of what I wanted to done and I have been battling against sleepless nights, tingly skin and lots of lost cause thoughts. BUT two wonderful co-bloggers haven’t seemed to notice my ups and downs this week and have bestowed me with two wonderful awards: The One Lovely Blog award and The Very Inspirational Blogger Award. Now I know there are always rules attached to such accolades but I will be the lovely me I am and I feel inspired to break a few of them.

The funny Jim Chapman gave me the The Very Inspirational Blogger Award. His lovely blog  And that makes two is full of quotes, poems, pics and descriptions of his day to day life with his small kids. It’s very funny and always a good read so check it out.

The lovely TheForgottenWife nominated me for The One Lovely Blog Award. Her very personal blog  TheForgottenWife talks about her divorce, her hopes dreams and the ups and downs when starting over. It is a great little find and I always enjoy our “online” chats.

Both these awards require you to share 7 facts about yourself and nominate 15 co-bloggers you love and want to make happy with a well deserved token of gratitude. BUT I am really not that interesting so 14 facts seems somewhat excessive and 30 nominees is , well to be honest, just so much work. So I have decided to give you 7 facts in total and nominate seven for one award and seven for  the other and one very special blogger gets both … muwhahaha (evil laugh).

Okay my 7 facts are: I love getting awards (1) but hate nominating bloggers as I always feel I forget someone (2). I love spending time with friends (3) but sometimes staying home alone is all I want to do (4). I have been telling stories all my life (5) but there was a time when I found it hard to differentiate between tales and tall tales (6). I think I may have become a little too attached to my stats and am astounded that they can make me happy and sad in equal measure. (7)

My Nominees for The One Lovely Blog Award are:  AsTimeGoesBuy, TheSubterraneanWorld , TheGoodOldGirl, TinRoofPress, TalkToDiana, Hawkhru, Amusingdays

My Nominees for The Very Inspirational Blogger Award are: AdverseUniverse, Seapunk2, JotsFromASmallApt, ReallityInProgress, BrigittesBanter, NewsOfTheTimes, TheWitContiuum

And for both (insert drum-roll here): LillandJill
So have a wonderful weekend, browse all these lovely blogs and maybe I will have some more inspiration over the weekend and my blogs will be better again 😉

invading Germany

Tags

blogging, boomerang, family, flights, flying, Germany, holiday, invading, miscellaneous, random, thoughts, travel, work

Since my flight leaves tomorrow morning even before the first birds take off into the skies I decided to write a quick post now.

Originally I was meant to invade Germany on Wednesday and I had this whole plan of action mapped out, who was I going to overrun first and how would I make them all do what i want to do. Sadly work had other ideas and with surprisingly little kicking and screaming on my part I was a true jet-setter and just changed my flights with a click of my mouse.

Obviously it now means my invasion plans have all evaporated and I am now stuck with only a  few days to see, do and buy everything I need, want and have to. I will have to dig deep into my German, efficient side and do a quick strike.

For all of those of you who may miss reading my whimsical thoughts and random ideas I will be back on Thursday and hopefully a new nest of weirdness will have settled in the recesses of my mind and I will have lots of posts just waiting to erupt from my fingertips.

So it’s up, up and away for me but worry not like a boomerang I will return!

 

For those who need a bit of random reading here are some of my older posts:

PJs and DJs (19/03/2012)

past, present and future (23/03/2012)

weather rain or shine (05/042012)

no fashionista (06/04/2012)

point of views (07/04/2012)

weather rain or shine (05/042012)

 

apparently I’m it

Tags

blog, blogging, fun, humor, miscellaneous, questions, random, Tag, thoughts, writing

In this chase of blogs I got caught and am now It … so stilishbabe asked me a question, I have to answer and then ask 11 other people a question, too.  Now I know we all want to know how to solve world hunger and spread peace but what we really want to know is what your sock drawer is hiding and what do you do when you’re alone, or am I the only one who is nosey?

stilishbabe asked me this: How do you manage to be so good at all these ?Designer,lecturer ,writer?? HOOOW?

I actually am quite surprised by the question as I am not really especially good  at any of the three. Yes, I think I do a good job, no better or worse than others, but am I a stand out talent, not really. But I will take the compliment and just say … when you do something you like, have fun with and challenges you I think you strive to get better at it. And as the saying goes, practice makes perfect and I have been at it for a while so am on a road toward getting good, perfect is something I don’t want to be as flaws make things special just like a stamp, the ones that are rare due to misprint or imperfections are the ones everyone wants.

Now to my questions:

morezennow: when selling drugs from your basement, do you ever switch them just to see what happens?

kate: how many cups of coffee does your cat drink a day and does it have to be starbucks … also do you share and is it a latte?

Lil and Jil: who steals whose clothes the most and does it go as far as underwear … and is there something you don’t know about each other, common cough it up!

realityinprogress: as a wandering soul what kind of shoes do you wear and what do you always carry with you?

notlostjustweird: as a Shakespearean what character out of which play would you be and why ….and how many alter-egos do you have?

Anna: what hat is it you wear, is it a thinking one and what is the story behind it?

Jots: what is your favourite artist or piece of art and why?

astimegoesbuy: as a fashionista bloganista what is your take on the LBD … and favourite vintage find?

spookysister: as a girl who is woeing and being woed what impact has it had on your nails and working live? Are you getting any work done or just daydreaming and have you chewed those nails off yet?

blameitondisney: which Disney character do you want to be like and which one are you most like (can be other cartoons too)

goodoldgirl: as a puzzler how do feel about labyrinths, how long does it take you to do a crossword  and have you ever gotten lost in a maze?