My continuing tribute to mom’s everywhere (and sent to me by my sister):

A woman, renewing her driver’s license at the County Clerk ‘s office, was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.

She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.

‘What I mean is, ‘ explained the recorder, ‘do you have a job or are you just a ..?’

‘Of course I have a job,’ snapped the woman.

‘I’m a Mom.’

‘We don’t list ‘Mom’ as an occupation, ‘housewife’ covers it,’ said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall.

The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, ‘Official Interrogator’ or ‘Town Registrar.’

‘What is your occupation?’ she probed.

What made me say it? I do not know. The words simply popped out. ‘I’m a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.’

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right.

I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words.

Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

‘Might I ask,’ said the clerk with new interest, ‘just what you do in your field?’

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply:

‘I have a continuing program of research,
(what mother doesn’t)
In the laboratory and in the field,
(normally I would have said indoors and out).
I’m working for my Masters,
(first the Lord and then the whole family)
and already have four credits
(all daughters).

Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities
(any mother care to disagree?)
and I often work 14 hours a day,
(24 is more like it).

But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers
and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.’

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants — ages 13, 7, and 3.

Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.

I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!

And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than ‘just another Mom.’

Motherhood!

What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door.

Does this make grandmothers ‘Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations’

And great grandmothers ‘Executive Senior Research Associates?’

I think so!

I also think it makes Aunts ‘ Associate Research Assistants.’

Please send this post to another Mom, Grandmother, Aunt, and other friends you know. May your troubles be less, your blessing be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door!

Living in Las Vegas, snow is a rare commodity. It gets cold, and snow up on Mt. Charleston, but generally it’s once in a blue moon for it to snow in the Valley and stick. However, as I type we are getting flurries. Who knows, we might be making snowmen in a little bit (they did on the other side of the valley day before yesterday).

And… in my continuing odd post for the day, I read something interesting in the Las Vegas Review Journal. A commentary written by Gail Collins, a columnist for The New York Times.

I’m not going to replicate the entire article, but the section that caught my eye about dogs:

“Folks at the University of Vienna conducted a test in which dogs were asked to shake hands over and over and over again. If you have any experience with dogs, you will not be surprised to hear that they were absolutely delighted. And they didn’t care about being paid! The opportunity to perform the same trick endlessly with a stranger in a white coat was reward enough.

Then the researchers brought in new dogs that were given a piece of bread as a reward for every handshake. The uncompensated dogs watched, lost their innate love of mindless repetition and grew sullen.

“They get so mad that they look at you and just don’t give you the paw anymore,” said Friederike Range, one of the scientists.

So OK. Dogs are secretly obsessed with fairness. (And bread. Who knew?)”

Strangely enough, as I read that portion it reminds me of so many individuals I’ve “met” online. They work their little buns off for nothing, yet some “bigger dog” comes along, steals all the thunder, and gets all the bread.

This might sound familiar to anyone who’s joined an affiliate program, promoted it with real heart, and gotten squat (or peanuts) for their efforts. While the “big dog” made tons of money from your efforts.

But there is hope… and a way around this… Start your own thing!

However, you must be picky! By that we mean, so specifically “niche” picky that you’ve taken a big old umbrella of a website (or blog) down to its finest points.

“Health” is not a niche, it is an umbrella. However, “colon cleansing” is a specific niche under the umbrella of Health.

“Home business” is not a niche. However, joining a specific home business (or starting your own service or product oriented website narrowed to a single product or service) IS a niche.

This particular blog you are reading right now is NOT a niche. It is an umbrella, encompassing all sorts of niche-like features to internet marketing and social media – from monetizing blogs, to social bookmarking, to freelance writing… and so much more (hang out a while and read the archives there’s tons of help and direction in this here blog!).

Get the idea?

Another valuable thing to keep in mind is choosing something you are passionate about. If you sign up for something that just sounds like a money maker, with no real understanding of what it is or how to run it, what’s the point? You’ll merely be out the money it took to join (and maybe maintain) because you lack passion.

So snow, dogs, umbrellas, niche markets, passion… and that wraps up today’s post

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We love comments! So please do!

By now you know how much we harp on commenting on blogs. Not only is it easy to do, but it’s absolutely, positively the best free form of marketing for yourself and your website – and a great way to gain a backlink (in most cases) in the search engines to your website link.

And now, especially for bloggers, there’s no reason not to… if you’re a member of Entrecard.

Entrecard and SezWho (a comment rating system) have joined forces to not only encourage your comments, but reward you for your efforts.

Here’s an excellent post that outlines the details (why reinvent the wheel?):
Top 10 Reasons Why Entrecard-SezWho Partnership Is Important For Bloggers

Frankly, we love comments and we love commenting – and we love free marketing!

And, for all you affiliate marketers and website owners without a blog, don’t think that commenting isn’t for you, too! Commenting can be incredibly lucrative – both in short and long term internet marketing and search engine linking… (and did we mention it’s free!).

Let’s face it, people pay big bucks to purchase a spot on websites and blogs. But commenting is FREE and gets you the same – actually even better – results! You get to pick and choose. Your comment remains on the blog forever. And no one will disconnect your link at a whim (or if you stop paying).

Of course the idea is to provide insight or feedback or a pat on the back to the blogger. Or to (kindly) dissent when appropriate. Your quality comments get you visitors to your website.

People are curious animals and a good comment always makes me click through to see what’s on the other end. Visitors that didn’t cost you a dime, just a bit of time.

And, if you use Firefox (we’re partial to Firefox), and have the Alexa addon, you’ve got the perfect tool to check for traffic ranks on the blogs you stop on and comment on (keep in mind it’s just a tool, who’s to say where your next client or customer might come from?).

So… Why purchase them, when commenting provides a natural (organic!) link for yourself on quality blogs?

It really is a no brainer.

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Your Turn! Have your say right now! Comments welcomed!

Or When Do You Stop “Learning” and Start Doing?!

Unless you are in a position to inherit money, get continuous cash gifts from relatives, or win by chance in Las Vegas (after parting with your own money first on that chance), nothing comes to mind where a person can sit still and rake in money (okay nothing legal that is).

Not offline. Not online.

Even the money making programs out there that tell you “no this” or “no that” don’t really mean it at all. The fine print, if they even bother to put fine print on the page, would read, “But the more effort, time, and money you put into this, the more successful you might be.”

End of story.

Same goes for the ever popular “guru following.” Now I am not slamming gurus, they are actually some of the smartest people on the internet. They know. They share some. They anticipate you will return to get the next piece. And the next, and the next, and the… well you get the picture. Granted, information. But will you ever really get going doing what you need to be doing or will you fear you need more pieces and do nothing (and nothing could be further from the truth).

Very few people on the internet say, “Here you go!” and give you everything you need. Very few people will continue to give you even more information to learn more or stay current with rapidly changing online techniques without some expectation from you.

Some would tell you that it is because one person cannot possibly want (or need) to “know it all at once.” (Pure fabrication)

Others will never tell you outright, but the truth is if “it” is given to you in bulk, will there be any reason for you to return? They fear your fickleness.

And, to be perfectly honest, people are fickle.

Witness the statement made at the top of this article. Where else in the world would you really think to yourself, “Oh good, I’m gonna get rich by not doing a thing!” Go ahead, re-read that. Sounds ridiculous because it is ridiculous.

That’s not to say there are not great programs out there to work. The emphasis, of course, lies on your willingness to become active and engage in the process to make it happen.

[A word of caution: If you are lazy and broke, do not exacerbate that condition thinking the internet will solve your problems.]

If you are able and willing, the internet can bring you wonders you never dreamed possible. No where else is it possible to meet and make friends with others from around the world. Friendships just as solid as if they were your next door neighbor (and maybe even more so in some cases).

There also are numerous methods to use when you’ve chosen a project to work diligently. Advertising and marketing online abounds, but again caution is in order. Throwing money at something, without a passion for that something, is no better than walking into a casino and handing your money to the doorman (if they had them), turning around, and leaving.

As you study your options online, all sorts of traffic-driving techniques may intrigue you. Many with (false) promises of the ease and viability with which it can happen. After a decade online, and in the marketing arena itself, I can with all honesty say there is nothing that does not require effort on your part – physically and economically – to make it happen. In particular – time and money.

Money is obvious, some services and methods are going to cost the green stuff. Time, however, and the concept of “I want it (or expect it) now” can be mind boggling. Ask yourself, do you get every job you apply for in the real world? Didn’t you have to prepare for the interview, dress the part, interact with others, and then wait for the phone call that might mean you got it? Time does not mean something else online, it’s just that… time. And being online means alloting proper amounts of it from all angles.

Okay, if you’ve made it this far (and I thank you!), then you deserve a reward. The key is to combine what you love with what you join and use both traditional and web 2.0 techniques to tell the world, “Hey here I am! Come visit me!”

Ah, there’s the rub. But it can be done in an amazingly short period of time – like visitors arriving today if you do it right.

Will they buy from you? Ask yourself instead, “Should they.” If you are willing to engage your visitor and give them a reason to come to you, really care that they do come, referencing to “time” above and the answer is yes.

Visitors arriving immediately. Staying and returning to talk with you. Yes the adage, people buy from people they feel they know is very true. You just need to help them discover who you are.

Yes, it really can be done and there are honest people out there willing to help you on the right road to doing something you love – now and forever.

Change fickle to “finally!” and learn the skills to get your job done.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Theresa Cahill and her partner Jeff Greer publish their OIMS blog under the pen name Diane Scott. They cordially invite you to see for yourself how to increase website traffic using a combination of how to strategies and you. Visit today, stay for life.