Happy Friday Blog! Who are you?

There are so many of us that are doing every little thing for our business. These different task can take up so much of your time especially when you have a family or loved ones that you are taking care of. If we add more than that, life can get out of control if we don't pace ourselves. So who are we? I have heard some others saying that who we are is reflected in our work. So let’s put that in writing. We are who we are but how do you tell others. It is one thing to do amazing works but how do we describe you?

 

Prepare an Author Biography (Bio)

 

A bio is a written account of your life. This will be included in most articles you write or products you produce. It drives traffic to your blog or other specific works that you accomplish. It can help promote who you are to your readers and potential clients. So take a peek at others blogs to help you see what makes a person good as an author of a bio. Check out one of your favorite books or websites. After that look try the next few steps.

Open up to that Butterfly that you are!

Here are a few tips that may help.

Start with your name because first things first. It is great to see your name on your own creations. For me it is always fun to brainstorm ideas about who you are. Write down all the words that describe you and if you can think of any go to a dictionary or thesaurus and look at some words. Everyone needs help once in a while and why not pick up a book for ideas. Maybe look at the books on your shelf what kind of titles or information did you buy them for. Ideas are everywhere

 

Identify what your purpose to promote your blog. What is the important part of what you are doing or promoting? If your are writing about something specific tell a little about it. The challenge here is to be short, sweet and to the point. Nobody likes wordy, long information that is dry and boring. 

 

Make sure to have the important information first so if you have to modify your bio for any reason you have a good base to work from.

 

A bio should be using a Third Person Perspective is needed and would be written objectively. This means to writing it as you are narrating for yourself. 

 

The long or short of it for your bio is to understand what the requirements are for each place it is going. If it is for your own blog do what you can to not bore the reader but use it to inform. If you need to put it out there on your twitter account to promote your blog you do not need so much information. Just a few main points and a redirection can make your blog get the traffic you like to see. 

 

Throw in that extra something-something that is uniquely you. Remember the word list you did earlier go back to that. What kind of specialties only comes from you. It could be a word, a phrase, a stands you took, or any other idea that you have an uncommon twist on. For me it is quilting or knitting. There are not many people in my age bracket that quilts or knits so spine some ideas out of that.

You don't have to be this chicken

How are your followers going to contact you? Get those details out there on everything that produce. You want to have people know you are reliable and if they like what they read in one area they could venture into other avenues of you blog/business to find out more so they can enjoy more.

 

At the end of it all read and reread your bio. Check for spelling errors, grammar problems, and/or sentences that don't make sense. Read it out loud and see if if flows the way you want. Have someone close to you listen to the bio and get their feedback. When you do this alone you may only have a one sided opinion.

 

What you are doing in your business and in your blog can only be successful if you get people interested in it. You need to be able to connect with your readers so give them the goods to read about.

Don’t be that praying mantis on the wall.

Thanks all for your continued support!

My writing reaches multifaceted avenues in my life. It has been fun and I am continuing to look forward to more excitement in other areas of my business life.

 

You can catch me at silverwineadditions.blogger.com and soon on my own website at silverwineadditions.com (not in service yet)

 

References:

The Art of Freelance Blogging

Kevin Mulldoon

8 Steps to Writing a Bio Like a Pro (Chris Brogan in Fact)

Personal Branding, Undercover Recruiter

theundercoverrecruiter.com/8steps-writing-bio-pro-chris-brogan-fact/

long road home

While driving on the long road home
the car was standing still.

Wyoming Road to. . .

Only the was road moving,
right underneath the seat.
Like an escalator,
or a moving sidewalk in an airport.
It dawned on me,
we can not veer from that path.
For it has been predestined to travel.
We are meant to learn,
that something uniquely to our spirit.
Yes, we do have free will
but Our higher power wants to see,
if we make the right choices.

No matter who or what that is,
in our life

Michigan fall road to . . . .

until we learn what we are suppose to,
we will keep repeating the same pattern.
Only He knows what we need do.
So the road is always moving
while we stand still.

We are just a pawn to His will.
We are being challenged,
to make the right choice.
The road continues to move on
even if we think we are doing it differently.
Your time is already planned,
for each individual event.
So we can change, learn and make a difference.

George Washington bridge to . . .

Do what you should,
live while you can,
and love with all your heart.
Be the best person you can be
to everyone you meet,
and learn the lesson,
you need to learn,
Continue on that road,
so you can ultimately,
rest in peace without,
unfinished business,
that brings you back.
To that repeated road of
learning.

Manic Monday, Positive thoughts

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  Don't ever just let things happen take control of the situation making you feel blue or sad.  Try to find a way to flip that negative into a positive! We all have that ability so take the reins and run with it.

There is sunshine some where

There is life giving water rain or snow

And a silver lining in every cloud!

Enjoy your Monday!

When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will know peace.

- Jimi Hendrix

The best & most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.

- Helen Keller

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no help at all

- Dale Carnegie

People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously.  This is how character is built.

-Eleanor Roosevelt

The light has gone our of my life

-Theodore Roosevelt

We must laugh at man to avoid crying for him.

-Napolean Bonaparte

There is no greater sorrow than to recall happiness in times of misery.

-Dante

Great grief does not of itself put an end to itself 

- Seneca

Life is a dream walking, death is a going home

- Chinese proverb

Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine.

-Thomas Aquinas

What does love look like?  It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That's what love looks like.

-St. Augustine

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Kick Back Sunday

Beauty can be in anything you look at, from the flowers in the garden.

Sweet Williams

It can be a butterfly on the off the road stop

It can be the Pacific Ocean 

on any Hawaiian shore

or the simple snowy road of Michigan.

(even a bag of chocolates!)

worry all better squares

You can find beauty anywhere you look you just have to be open to it.

We are so lucky to have camera phones, at least to

a point, because we can take a picture anytime at any
moment that is right.  When I was younger, I did not
have a camera so readily.  So recently,
when I wanted to find pictures of memories
that I had with a friend whom recently
passed away, all I could find were my yearbooks.

So, take a chance to see the beauty
in anything and everything!
From the praying mantis on a wall

To a cray fish on the rocks

because when you look back on those

memories, then and only then, will 

you see the full picture!

Enjoy your Sunday!

Supernatural Saturday- A ghost story part 1

Now everyone enjoys a good ghost story and I once heard this amazing ghost story and well I have never been able to find where it came from and it's been awhile but here I'll go off of memory. Enjoy!

Going to an all girls school was always a bit mundane and Cheryl wanted to shake things up and cause a bit of a stir so she and her roommate, Sarah, went exploring in the basement of their dorms, where it was rumored to be haunted. They were definitely dark and musty and a tad creepy but it was nothing but a basement. It was full of old furniture covered in white sheets and dust.
"There is nothing interesting down here Cheryl, lets go. My allergies aren't very fond of the dust." Sarah whined and glanced back to the steps. When she looked back to where Cheryl was she had disappeared. "Cheryl?" Sarah hesitantly stepped forward, a little bit further into the darkness. Her hands were clenched together as she took another step and managed to stutter out, "Cheryl, this isn't funny?" A lump began to form in her throat as she tensed and side-stepped and hit something solid. She jumped only to find it was a small table under a very grey sheet. On top of that table was a brown box not nearly as coated in dust as the rest of the furniture. Sarah stepped forward to get a closer only to get a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. She flailed her arms and screamed. Her butt ended up on the very grey sheet and slapping at Cheryl who was giggling with glee. "You jerk! UGH" Sarah put her hand to her chest and slowed her breathing. Cheryl was still giggling and holding her stomach.
"So what did you find?" Cheryl asked still giggling a bit and looking around Sarah to the table. " A mysterious box, ooooh." She wiggled her eyebrows and picked it up. "Let's get out of here, I need some serious tissues."
Once they got to their room they set the box on the floor and changed for bedtime then sat upon their beds looking at it, Sarah being hesitant and Cheryl being her usual inquisitive self.
"Well, its not gonna bite so let's open it and take a peak." Cheryl said, speaking with her eyebrows. she jumped off her bed and open the box only to find a board with letters sprawled all over and on the top it read "Ouija Board".
"Okay, well we know what it is... now can we just put it back?" Sarah whispered and only glancing at the board.
"NO? Oh my god, this is going to be so fun." Cheryl laughed and stood up and ran out the door. She knocked on all the girls door in her hall and returned with three other girls, Liz, Anne, and Lisa. "Okay girls, gather round." Cheryl gestured around the newfound board. The four girls sat, Cheryl looked up at Sarah, "You gonna join?" Sarah just puffed out her breath and sat beside Lisa. "Okay, now girls no cheating. Gently place your fingers on the glass thing and I'll ask the questions." Cheryl smiled with delight and wiggled her but excitedly. All the girls placed two fingers gently on the eye and took a few deep breaths with smiles touching there lips.
"Is anyone here with us?" Cheryl asked, her smile still on her lips. She looked at the eye expectantly as it sat still. "Can you hear me?" Her smile fading just a tinge. Just as Cheryl took a deep breath to ask another question the eye twitched towards the top corner which read yes but didn't quite touch it. "You can hear me?" Her smile was back completely. This time it pulled all the girls to the yes and all the girls gave a sharp inhale and were looking at each other and Cheryl was eyeing all the other girls.
"This isn't funny Cheryl," Sarah whispered like there was someone listening and all the other girls were looking at Cheryl, agreeing with Sarah.
"Fine, we're done then." Cheryl snapped and stood, leaving all the others on the ground, fingers still on the eye. They all pulled away at the same time quickly, like the board was diseased and exhaled like they had all been holding their breath.
"Well good night then." Liz said over her shoulder on her way out and the other two girls waved and left just as quickly.
"Was that you? Please say it was you?" Sarah asked pleading Cheryl to say yes.
"Maybe it was maybe it wasn't?" Cheryl folded her shaking hands behind her knowing damn well it hadn't been her. "Shut off the light, I'm tired" Cheryl jumped into her bed with her back turned to her roommate and curled under her blankets. It had gotten so cold in there room all of a sudden.
Sarah had turned out the light and went to her bed. They both sat awake, swearing there was shuffling going on through out their room like someone was pacing back and forth. Cheryl quickly jumped out of bed and turned on the light to only find Sarah in her bed with her blanket up to her nose.
"Okay, well that wasn't funny Sarah!" Cheryl exclaimed with a shaky voice.
"What?" Sarah turned with tears welling up in her eyes, "I was hoping to god it was you." She sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve.
Cheryl then looked to the board. She threw it in the box and then into her bag. She stepped away from it and looked back at Sarah. Cheryl didn't say anything. She just turned out the light and curled into bed with Sarah. They both fell asleep that night but there was still that same shuffling through their room and they could even feel someone sit on the bed they were both laying on...

To be continued...

P.H.

Blogger Friday on a Saturday? Why? What are Plug ins, are you plugged in?

So I was not on my game this week and didn't share why to other that follow the topic of blogging on our group site.  How did it make you feel?  Were you upset that there was nothing?  Did you keep checking the site to see if anything was there?  or worse yet did you give up on the writer and figure you have better things to do or follow?

Your time is valuable and to be a successful person on any site you need consistancy and if at all else give the readers a heads up about what is going on if you cannot produce what is needed for the blog on specific days when needed.

You have deadlines and commitments just like your readers.  If you were at a job could you miss your deadline without probable cause?

Here is the deal the universe pulled me into a different direction than I had planned for.  A friend tragically died this week losing her battle to cancer.  That was not the biggest problem.  Back in early November, I think it was, I went to visit he and she was sitting on her chair with her dog(s).  She had fleece blankets, which are great but they there can be quite a bit of dog hair on them.  So I told her I would make her a warm quilt to keep warm with that would be made out of cotton material and not hold so much dog hair. 
At the end of November I was doing a few squares here and there with my new machine not really rushing because I really thought I would have more time.  Needless to say, after Christmas she was back in the hospital.  I was out of town during that time so I was not working on the quilt like I had hoped but what are you going to do.  Roll with it!  That Saturday, January 16th, I went up to the hospital to see her and it was not good. That next day she was gone and I did not fulfill my promise to her.  I do not like to do that so that is what I have been doing, quilting.  I, off course bit off more than I could chew.  When I do quilts I try to really personalize my work to fit that persons life.

idea 1?

What can you, the writer of a blog, do?

• Tell your readers as soon as you know what is going on.  You do not have to give full details but tastefully accept that stuff happens.  Many people do understand that so they will be thankful for the heads up.

•  Be prepared.   When you are done with the last post start on the next one or at least part of it.  Try to be about a week in advance of your schedule and set the date in your post settings for what day it needs to be out.   

• If you don't have anything, maybe have a post revisiting something you have already written or if you know of other team members of your group or friends of your post something on that topic ask if you can repost in your blog. 

• Get help.  If you can ask for some help in advance just in case you can't get anything done but post something.  Never let your site go if you have a date that something will be posted

I did make mistakes this week and should really follow my own advise but I had gotten so overwhelmed I shut down.  This is never a good deal for either you or your site.  Buddy up and have someone call you to double check what is going on. Sometimes just talking to a friend can get you motivated back into whack!

What kind of plug is it?  Will it hurt? Is it messy and/or do I have to do something special so I don't get zapped? 

A plugin is what can give your site more functionality.  When you set up a site on either WordPress or Blogger they have them available to insert into your page.  For the computer savoy Plugins are bits of code that perform specific functions on your site. 

For blogger on Google the ones that can and have helped me has been the stat counter.  This helps track the people coming to see what article.  It can show me what country a person is looking at my site, the time of day my site is most active, which day or article has the most activity.  Recently, my site was visited 1,000 times in the past month.  It may not sound like much but for me, the visits to my site have tripled since October.  I love to look at what is going on with my site so I can tweak it as necessary to keep the traffic flowing.

Other plugins that can be helpful for WordPress are:

Yoast SEO – this plugin helps you with your content on your site.  The technical side of what your are saying such as keywords when writing your article.

Akismet – is a feature that can weed out the spam coming into your site.  It will automatically filter out any yuck comments.  There can be comments that come in with URL’s having misleading links.  This helps save your disk space and speed up your site.

IMsanity – This helps to resize huge image uploads.  This can fix the size of the upload and replace that original image so it works better for your site.  This can convert BMP files to JPG so that the image can get scaled.  WordPress does have one built in so just double check that capacity.

WP Smush – This helps to resize video by compressing it.  It can save up to a 32MP and the quality is not lost because of this process.

Social Medial Widget – This is in both Blogger and WordPress.  This helps you get your message to other people in different circles.  Where ever your audience is that is where you need to go.  You can customize it to what you need to have it out there.

Now I have given you links to WordPress site because I hope to be switching over my blog but I am not sure. So next week, I will attempt to find the differences between the two sites and give you an update.  Then I will work on sharing information on what I am doing to set up the site.

As you know many things cost money, so look around and see what best works for you but make sure you own your own material.  From previous reading Google keeps what ever I do and it is theirs.  I am going to look into why and how I can own what I do free and clear.

Thanks for your understanding all!  Have a great week!

Manic Monday, Postitive Thoughts and Quotes

This Monday leaves me sad with a hole in my heart from the passing of high school friend.  Leisa was a beautiful person who could see passes the mess I was and still wanted to get to know me. We recently reconnected back in 2012 through Facebook. Even though many have issues with social media there are some perks too.  So find comfort in the quote as I found comfort today.  

For she is now not suffering and has been healed.  Hugging and holding her family that has gone before her.  She is the one who is lucky to be able to not suffer any longer and sits in the green pastures of Heaven with her Lord!
- Shelley Silverwine Hitch

Roman 8:18
For I consider that the suffering of the present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that is to be revealed to us.

John 14:6
Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life.  No man comes to the Father but by me.

Isaiah 57:2
1 The righteous perishes and no one ponders it in his heart; devout people are taken away and no one understands that the righteous is taken away to be spared from evil. 2 Those who walk uprightly enters into place: they find rest as they lie in death.

2Corinthians 4:17-18
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal gray that far out weights them all. 18 So we fix our eyes on what is seen but not on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 5:8
We are confident, I say and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Philippians 4:13
I can do everything through Him who gives me strength,

Psalm 119:28
My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.

Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength; and ever present help in trouble.

Psalm 118:14
The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

Isaiah 33:2
O Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you.  Be our strength every morning, our salvation in times of distress.

*********************************************************************************************
Through sympathy alone cant alter facts; it can help to make them more bearable
          -Bram Stoker

That though the radiance, which was once so right be now forever taken from my sight,
Through nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass,
glory in the flowers.
We will grieve not, but find strength in what remains behind.
         -William Wordsworth

What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls a butterfly.
         -Richard Bach (Illusions)

We meet but briefly in life, if we touch each other with stardust
 -that is everything.
        -Unknown

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
         -Unknown

Strive not my soul, for an immortal life, but make the most of what is possible.
         - Pythian Odes (519-438 B.C.)

Death - the last sleep?  No, it is the final awakening!
          - Sir Walter Scott

A death is not the extinguishing of a light, but the putting out of the lamp because the dawn has come.
         - Unknown

The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our own suffering.
         - Ben Okri (1959 -  ) Nigerian Poet & novelist

today, before & the tomorrow's

Still feel like,

I have before.

Can I handle, what is next,

that, what is in store.

Empty inside, so willing to hide

the shame of being broken,

 without an even stride.

Off keel, of what it seems,

between life and diseases 

of the brain.

Thoughts of that should be

ones self, adored,

but hatred to me,

blinded vision,

 seems like

eternity.

 Wish to feel, no more.

my mom is gone

 so alone, I can't conceive

in a crowd 

anywhere,

 large or small,

few or many,

 faceless and shapeless

next to many.

 knowing or seeing

this beaten down, walked over 

someone

Now my friend is leaving

So long, yet not long enough
Staying busy 
Numb the pain,
Holding on to more than,
Those playing games.
Memories I will always have
My heart filled with
Love & laughter
Pictures from the past will help
To always keep their memories alive 
The love they gave me,
I will always give to others,
I am better because of them!

Napkin notes

Pills to swallow
Rules to follow
Where do we go for fun
Rules in the way
Pills to go astray
Life
It is all alone

Conflicting words
Done what you could
So to be heard.
Only to be,
Pushed into silence away.
From what you thought,
Was right
And never so alone,
When always seeming like,
Forever.

Seeing the signs,
The overs and dones,
The ones ignoring 

Since fitting in

Never served it well.
To not rock the boat
off some distant shore.

Try to survive,
The wickedness,
That's on the inside.
Those eyes show nothing,
The blank, maybe in,
Once in a while.
All to be blown away
By anger,
That goes forth into space,

Green pastures of the dark,

Emptiness space of gray.

Supernatural Saturday

To kick off my first Supernatural Saturday I plan on speaking about the feline. All through history cats have been believed to possess some supernatural powers and were once worshiped (they obviously haven't forgotten that). In Ancient Egypt cats were known as Mau and they were first domesticated there. They were used as hunters and helped rid them of their rodents. They were actually protected by law and after death were mummified and buried in a special burial cemetery. The feline goddess you'll see represented most was Bast, the goddess of protection, the moon, fertility, and the protect of all cats.

In Celtic Lore they were also considered sacred (other than the black cat) for they were sacred to the goddess and were considered potent totem animals for several clans. Cats were believed to gaurd the gates to the other world, guardians of their treasure and a spiritual link between humans and the universe.







In Norse legends Freya, the goddess of love and beauty and one of the first fertility goddess's was believed to hold cats as sacred. Farmers would even leave out milk for the cats hoping this goddess would bless their harvest. There was also the belief that if a woman's wedding day had good weather the goddess also blessed her. If a cat was to be seen on that day that was a sign tht the marriage was to be a very very happy one.




This information came from www.mustlovecats.net.

Cats really always have been mysterious and a bit mystical.
P.H

Foodie Friday! - Soups, Cheesy Goo of triple stuffed Potato Soup

Soups

Cheesy Goo of triple stuffed Potato Soup

For you my friends, you will love to enjoy a quick easy soup that will make you feel like you are eating a whole dinner in one spoonful.  It is a crock pot meal you can cook on low all day while you work.  Come home at the end of the day warm up some meat to go with it and you are having dinner.

Get the crock pot ready!

(Be wary all crock pots cook differently and for certain lengths of time so please try this recipe on day when you are home first before you leave the crock pot at home on all day long).

  

Ingredients you will need:

2 cans of cheese soup

3 cups of milk

1 Tablespoon of butter

1 cup of shredded carrots

1 cup of thinly sliced celery

1 cup of diced onions

6 medium potatoes

Salt & pepper to season

1 - 16 oz. sour cream

1 cup of heavy cream

1 cup of Sharp shredded cheese

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Chives

Bacon bit (optional)

Shredded pulled pork (optional)

  

Steps:

1.     Take your two cans of cheese soup along with 3 cups of milk and put it in the crock pot.

2.     Using a fry pan with a tablespoon of butter and sauté the carrots, celery and onions until tender.  When done, take the contents of the fry pan and put it into the crock pot.

3.     Peel the potatoes and put them into the crock pot.  For this step you can use left over roasted, broasted or baked potatoes.  Left overs are so tasty and can give your soup your unique flavor.

4.     Add some salt and pepper to taste.  I do not use too much salt but have used pepper.  So get creative and find your sensation.

5.     Put the lid on the crock pot and cook for about 5 to 6 hours until the potatoes are tender.

6.     After the potatoes are soft, add your sour cream, heavy cream, and cheeses.  Cook for at a higher level to have the cheese melt.  Depending on the crock pot it could take about 2 hours.  This might seem long but you are the boss of your soup.  The cheese just needs to make sure that it does not break down too much that it gets clumpy.

7.     When done embellish!  Put in meat, bacon bits and some chives.  Make it your own and eat like royalty. 

The best thing that works is that it is all in one bowl!