Month: February 2014

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3 Ways Linked In Can Aim Higher

Recently, Linked In announced that they will make all shareable content from their top business influencers on the professional social networking site available to all members.  Realizing that page views continue to slip this social networking site for professionals is looking to be more like Facebook.  Personally, I would aim higher.

Since LinkedIn’s “influencers” program has shown increasing popularity with guest blogs from the likes of Billionaire Richard Branson and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, it’s hard to argue their logic.   Each post generates on average 80 comments and 250 likes. Its goal to increase advertising revenue by identifying articles with the higher number of reader views to distribute to a broader audience.

So here is my quick list on how Linked In can remain a professional social networking site before it becomes another Facebook:

  •         Keep sponsored ads to a minimum.  Recently this has increased on Linked In and yes, I’ve noticed it.  If I get 1 more advertisement for online graduate programs, I too will think about pulling the plug.  On the plus side, I like the idea of receiving relevant news articles in my industry and regarding business in general.

  •         Unlike Facebook, Linked In seems to have consistency when it comes to their privacy settings.  I’m hoping it keeps the sharing of my personal information to a minimum.  Of course, that being said, the influence of the fickle market could change this strategy. 

  •         Remain a professional social networking site for professionals.  Time and again, the media is full of stories about people whose personal and professional lives were ruined because of individual using a social networking site for malicious purposes.  I’ve yet to read about a suicide or a court case that directly references Linked In as a major contributor.

If you’re on Linked In maybe you noticed these changes, what do you think about their strategy towards similarities with Twitter and Facebook? How can they remain relevant and still give stock holders their due?

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3 Things Your True Love Really Wants for Valentine’s Day

3 Things Your True Love Really Wants for Valentine’s Day

Many would be surprised to know that although a woman might appreciate the box of chocolates, flowers and spa gift cards, there’s something else your better half could truly use:  the gift of more time.

Think about it for one second.  A young mother with 2 or 3 small children, the mom that works full-time plus keeps the house in order or the executive who spends days, night and weekends with an eye on the corner office; they all want what is literally impossible to receive.  Or is it? 

Here’s Some Ideas

  • Hire a service to come in and clean for a week or month or even a day.  Now, that is what I call true love. If your significant other is housekeeping-averse, as I am, this is the gift he or she will remember.  It gives them more time to spend with family, friends and the gift giver as well. 

  • Have a D-I-Y home improvement project that you’ve both been talking about forever.   Whether it’s for the house or the yard, consider hiring a professional to come in and do it for you.  Really, I’m not kidding here.  I’ve been trying to find time to redo my kitchen island.  It’s not a big job, it just bugs me.  Hiring a carpenter to come in, would be a great present.  It doesn’t have to stop at the house, landscaping would be nice.  You know those 9 feet tall shrubs the builder put in which now cover the front windows?  Wouldn’t it be nice if we could hire someone to remove and replace those, honey? 

  • Sign them up for a class on a hobby they always wanted to do.  One year my SO surprised me by buying himself a guitar because he really wanted to learn how to play.  So what I did was buy him guitar lessons as a Valentine’s Day gift.  He loved it, and best of all I can now listen to some great music. (Not that his version of Smoke on the Water was bad;)

Well it may be a little late to get these gifts for today.  Don’t forget about birthdays or Christmas .    In this over-scheduled, and stressed world we live in, more time is what we could all use a little more of.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

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2 Hateful Things People Do on FaceBook

After having spent some time on FaceBook, I have narrowed down my reasons for why I waited soooooooo long to create a profile to ONE specific reason.  It’s feels like Junior High.

If you’re using this tool to reconnect with people from your school days, you may be more than disappointed for the following reasons:

  • Remember the movie “Mean Girls”, well those people still exist but they’re adults now.  Just not mature adults.  While it may be obvious to some, others, like myself included, like to believe that there is still some good to be found in some people. Don’t believe for a second that because they have a marriage or children that they have grown up.  Big Mistake.  
  • If you refuse to play games with anyone, you are immediately unfriended.  This, above any other act on Facebook, is perhaps the most vile.  Maybe I’m on a deadline at work and I can’t drop everything because my boss has demanded my attention for an indefinite amount of time.  Maybe I don’t feel like giving even more personal identifying information to an app or company that will use this information for other purposes.  Or maybe its because I find games online to be a real time suck.  If someone refuses to play, its not personal, so why go to the trouble of making it so.

On some level I know my expectations in reconnecting with people  may be a little high, so I am practicing forgiveness.  Because, as they say, living in the past results in anger, worrying about the future makes you anxious, but to live in the present is the best gift you can give yourself. 

What’s been your experience?

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My Backyard Visitors

Every one in awhile I receive some visitors of the four-legged variety.

Here they are….

doe_small.jpg

This doe is a repeat visitor.  As her family grows, her children return every Spring.

 

 

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Live Free or Die

Lately, I’ve been questioning my professional/life choices.  It seems if I were to chart my life going back to birth, I might see some consistencies. ( Forgive me if this all sounds too cold or formal or technical; I can’t help it.  I’m a trained technical writer.) 

But this proposed chart, which is all in my mind anyway, would note that every few years I seem to have an epiphany.  This epiphany pretty much equates to “what the hell are you doing?”  Meaning where am I going. I’ve since gone freelance with my occupation with mediocre results and wonder if I shouldn’t just go back to being a desk jockey, just embrace the corporate servitude, which reminds me of this…..

Sometimes I question the choice I made 3 years. The choice to do what I love, what I do best rather than live a somewhat comfortable life with a consistent paycheck.  I can’t even remember when I exactly made the conscious decision to go “freelance” or independent as others call it.  The stars aligned, the moon was full and the life altering decision (although at the time it didn’t seem so life-altering) was made.

It seemed normal and natural to pursue what comes naturally .  Double-digit unemployment, outsourcing and automation in my area made it an easy choice, perhaps.  If you add the daily grind of relentless marathon meetings, phone calls and other interruptions that usually pushed the agile writing (deliverables) off until after 5 pm, the choice seemed obvious.

So here I am stuck at GO.  Do not pass and do not collect $ 200.

Have you ever wondered how different your life would be if you had made a different decision?  Whether it was between two jobs, two cities or two life partners?  What’s your story? And how do you feel about he decision now?

 

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Greetings & Salutations

In how many languages can you say Welcome?  What can I say, but I’m really happy to be here.  I am a writer, editor and create copy like web content, flyers, brochures, white papers etc. for businesses and professionals from around the world. 

 

I’m a budding photographer and naturalist whose looking forward to reading blog posts from people of all ages from all around the world.  Just connecting, conversing and creating in my little area of this great planet.  Hope to share more soon.

 

Ciao, Cheers & God Bless,

 

SylviaWrites