Webinar Alert! Simplified Identity Theft: Child Identity Theft Awareness

 Since the very first case reported, (yes, really in the bible), identity theft has  been a fairly common crime, likely to happen to anyone. There are many instances of identity theft throughout history.

Now, it's gone digital.
Global.

For those who aren't aware, my very first website got hacked. I was livid. I immediately did a straight nuclear on my Facebook account and deleted everything I had on that website for the past ten years. Shortly after that, the Cambridge Analytica Data Facebook debacle happened and I have never been so happy to have scrubbed all of my stuff off of a website! I do have a page right here 

I saved everything I wanted to and then just deleted it. It was weird to see it in real data. 

It is disconcerting how easy it is to have your identity stolen in our digital world today. 

I know because my husband had his stolen.
Twice.

I am going to attend a webinar, because who are we kidding? I never leave my house, and thought I would share it with you since they are talking about the new, fun things criminals are doing. 

They are stealing children's identity. 

Hi, my name is Tim Green. I have $95,000 in debt and I'm only 4 years old. 

JM Paul of SimplifiedIdentityTheft.com is holding the webinar on Friday, August 15, 2018 and is giving away a free copy of his Ebook: Simplified Identity Theft: Cyber Security Solutions Made Simple! I am definitely going to be there. It's going to be like watching true crime, the prequel. You can find more information about it on his website! See you there 💓

The Freedom Of Freelance

I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I thoroughly enjoy what I do. I have been writing since I learned how to and there isn't anything else in this world that I would rather do. 

I am living my best life every single day, these days.

Not to say that it has been easy. I have always had the ability to stubbornly take the long way down the wrong path on a few occasions. It's something that I have learned to watch out for as I've grown older. 

The ability to be able to work anywhere, whenever I want, and write about whatever I want always had the most appeal to me. I never thought that I would ever be a published author, but now I am. I never thought I would go back to blogging, yet here I am writing and writing and writing and loving every second of it!

Freelance may not work for everyone, but it certainly works for me!

While I have the writing down, sometimes I am not so good with design. I like to think that I am, but luckily I know my limits.

To the freelance designers I fly!

I found an excellent freelance design service through AskLorem.com! AskLorem is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and instantly connects you to a developer whether it is 3 in the morning or 3 in the afternoon. This especially works for me because I am often plagued with insomnia. There have been more than a few times that I have been up late, late at night and decided to just get up and work since I obviously wasn't going to sleep. I would note the questions I had to ask someone the next day, only to finally collapse with exhaustion and miss the best time to contact them!

Insomnia always wins.

With AskLorem, I can immediately chat with a designer and get a quote for the work I am looking for, whether it be website design, theme design, site growth, or help with an ecommerce shop! All of these are right at my fingertips at any time of the day. The prices aren't bad either, and with my code Influencer10 that I am able to share with you for an extra 10% off, it's definitely in my budget! 

Now, that I have finally found a way to do what I love by being a freelancer, I try to use other freelancers as often as possible. It can be tough. It can be competitive. But, it's worth it. 

So very, very worth it. 

Are you living your best life today?

How Making Videos Can Change Your Outlook

Whether it be creating original music, beautiful designs or even writing and self-publishing your debut novel, having creative talents is what sets you apart in life. However, if you want to make money from these artistic endeavours, then you need to to find an audience that you connect with. Modern marketing for creative types is all about bonding - creating a connection with people who appreciate and see the value in what you are creating, and who will literally buy into the same vision. No matter what you create, there will definitely be like-minded people out there who will connect with it. The only issue is finding them! 

There are lots of ways to market yourself, for example Bidvine.com is awesome, but for small creatives, video remains one of the most enduringly powerful. You may have never thought about this platform before, but it’s a create way to forge a bond with your audience, while also being quite simple to get started.

Building a Bond of Trust

Getting to know your audience is all about trust - that’s what has the power to make your creative output a commercial success. And luckily for anyone who is more about the art than the business side, the hard sell approach is most definitely not welcome here. Modern creative marketing is all about exchange of information rather than pushing a product, and video is the ideal medium for that process. You provide interesting, relevant information, create connections, join in conversations - and the selling follows on from that. Video is a shortcut to making someone feel like they know you -  you only have to look at the monumental success of a new generation of ‘vlogging’ YouTube superstars to see how it can create money, without being sales-focused. They key is adopting a personal, conversational tone that shows your audience something new  - and as a creative individual, it's extremely good news that that process comes naturally to you.

Getting Started

The other amazing thing about video content marketing is that there’s such a low barrier to entry - getting started couldn’t be easier. Got a smartphone? Then you have everything you need, right there in your pocket. Don’t worry about fancy set ups with cameras and lighting - research shows that what video audiences are looking for first and foremost is ‘authenticity’. It works in your favor that shaky, slightly imperfect video comes across as more real than some polished production - as long as your message is strong and interesting, people will still connect with what you are doing. Simply download some video editing software onto your phone - most are simple to use - and cut your footage into something that really represents your passion for your subject. Once you get more comfortable, you can find sites where there are royalty free beats to add an extra musical dimension to your output.

Engage the Right People

If you’re still not convinced, the stats are all there to show that people really do respond better to video than almost any other marketing medium. Studies show that 68% of people would prefer watching a video about a product to any other marketing form.- and 76% would also share the video with their friends if it was entertaining! Social shares will increase traffic and boost sales - so you really have nothing to lose. Get experimenting with video today!

Image via

Have you or do you vlog? What has been your experience with it? 

3 Reasons To Write Your Novel Quickly

Many aspiring novelists spend literal years just creating the first draft of their first manuscript. The struggling, aspiring artist, who hates his day-job and has been working on his masterpiece for 20 years, is a recurring trope in film and television.

But there are a lot of good reasons to not spend 20 years working on your “masterpiece”, not least of all because most authors have to do a fair bit of throat-clearing before they become good at their craft, and sitting on one book for a huge chunk of your life is a poor way of achieving this.

The author Joseph Conrad, originally Polish, wrote one of the great classics of the English language without even being a native English speaker. Resources like Effortless English Club could help you to do the same. But the point is, you need to get started, rather than procrastinating endlessly.

Great authors from Jack London to Stephen King have advocated a prolific no-holds-barred writing schedule. Here are some reasons why you should follow their example and write your novel quickly.

                                     Image via

It will help you to get into a “flow” state

Often, writers can become their own worst enemies, by obsessively over-analysing every single word they’ve put down on the page.

While this kind of analysis is useful, to a point, you should generally save it until after you’ve completed your first draft, at which point you can worry about ironing out some of the untidy bits, and polishing your novel into the masterpiece you want it to be.

Your first job, however, is to get the basic bones of the story assembled, and to put everything down in written form so that you have the “clay” that you can then fashion into a masterpiece.

Writing fast helps you to enter a flow-state where you’re not constantly second-guessing yourself, but are, rather, getting the words out.

It will help you to summon up your “muse” on a regular basis

Jack London is frequently quoted as having said that “you can’t wait inspiration, you have to go after it with a club”. 

There’s an idea among many creative types that you need to wait around for inspiration to strike, at which point you produce great art in a haze of mystical fervour.

While there is such a thing as a “muse”, however, it’s not the kind of thing you can wait for. You have to go after it, and the way you do that is by forcing yourself to write, regularly.

Before long, you’ll find that “inspiration” starts to find you more and more often.

It will allow you to learn in accelerated time

As mentioned above, writing is a skill that has to be developed. It’s developed partly by doing a lot of reading, but also through doing a lot of writing.

In all likelihood, you will have to churn out a substantial amount of written work before you’ve refined your craft sufficiently to be a success at it.

Writing fast allows you to speed through this process, adjusting and learning as you go.

Behind Every Great Musician, There's A Great Team

When it comes to our favorite musicians, we’re often blinded by the person in front of the camera. After all, personality is often as important as voice. Blame shows like X Factor, which have shown us that a great character can make up for a multitude of sins. On top of which, the general public now knows that talent isn’t everything. You could even go as far as to say that musicians nowadays are brands. 

But, as with any enterprise, the musicians are the face of a larger operation. You may only see Taylor Swift up on that stage. But, a whole load of other people have gone into the making of her. Which begs the question of just who is behind our favorite musicians?

Picture Credit

Music teachers

If you want to go right back to basics, we should start with music teachers. Often, our teachers are the people who spark the interests we pursue in life. After all, they’re the first people who actually lead us in the direction they think we should go. And, music teachers often play a huge part in making a musician. Whether they spent years at university, or honed their craft with online courses like those offered by Kent State, you could argue that teachers are the most important people in the music industry today. After all, we wouldn’t have musicians without them. And, much to our satisfaction, many stars still credit their high school music teachers. Pop babe Ella Henderson even went as far as to say ‘I guess Mr Smith always has credit for why I’m here now.’. Well done Mr Smith!

Vocal coaches

Let us not forget that any singer also likely has a voice coach to thank for their well-oiled pipes. While you do need raw talent, most stars only reach the vocal heights they do through the help of coaches. In fact, those killer notes and varied tones wouldn’t be possible without this. Stars like Christina Aguilera have so much to thank their coach for that they’ve taken the mantel themselves. In fact, it’s only thanks to masters like Ron Anderson that we can still enjoy the dulcet tones of Adele. She's suffered severe voice injuries through her career. She got through it though. All because of her vocal coach!

The band

Debates have always been rife in music about whether the band deserve more credit. Whatever your stance, though, our musicians wouldn’t be the same without them. Florence would just be Florence if she didn’t have her machine behind her. And, the same stands for near enough any ‘solo’ singer you see. Just because they have good voices doesn’t mean your favorite musicians can play instruments. While many can (think Ed Sheeran with his killer guitar), this is by no means a given. And, no matter how good their voices might be, no artist could kill it without a little something to back them. So, you might want to search out the band before giving away all the credit.

Source

A Personal SafetyPIN

This is a sponsored post in partnership with BraVoMark and SafetyPin Technologies. All opinions are my own.

We live in a virtual world. It's quite different from the world I grew up in, considering the online world didn't exist until I was in my twenties. 

We do everything online these days! From dating to shopping to finding child/elder/pet care to paying bills, there is nothing we can't do online.

I am a serious bargain hunter. I cannot stand paying too much for something if I can find it cheaper somewhere else. Craigslist, Ebay, and all of the other various garage sale type apps are my best friend. I have gotten so many things for next to nothing from these places! 

Some people would say I'm cheap, I say I am frugal.

Eventually, the online world can spill over into the offline world. If you find a massive deal on say Craigslist or Let Go, you have to meet up with the person to get your item. With so many care services available, you can easily find someone with just a few clicks. And, of course, there is the dating world. A lot of people meet their life partners, like both of my children, online. 

As you can imagine, safety is paramount in these situations. How do you know you are going to greet a new friend, potential partner, or someone qualified to care for your pet or child?

Well, there is a new safety officer in town....uh, online...you know what I meant.

SafetyPIN is a new service that is like a virtual badge of trust. It is the perfect way to know if the person you meet online is safe. 

SafetyPIN offers an array of checks and balances, so to speak, for anyone who is looking online for a specific service. SafetyPIN offers a 4 part screening including criminal background check, financial background check, identity verification, and a behavioral questionnaire developed by criminal profilers and clinical psychologists to weed out dangerous people who may not even have a criminal record. SafetyPIN holders are regularly rescreened to make sure they continuously meet all of the requirements.

All of your information is encrypted and your private information is never shared with another party. YOU control who can verify your SafetyPIN that you share through messaging or on your profile. It is quick and easy to sign up and most applications are approved within 24 hours. It costs $1 to apply, $6 for the first 6 months, and it is less than $5 a month thereafter. You can cancel your membership at any time.

It's a wonderful service, in my opinion, for our digital world. You already know before you venture out that the person is trustworthy and that your safety is guaranteed.

For more information, go here to watch this video by CEO/Founder Jenny Thompson.

The silence surrounds me
The storm has
faded

The Kraken has released its
grip
upon my very soul

The blanket of years
things left unsaid
This silence
has become

comfortable

as I watch the ripples in the sea
it leaves
grow
still.

Source

Data Collection And How It Can Be Used

There are a lot of people on the internet. A LOT.

As you can probably imagine, a lot of people means a surplus of data. Meta data, hierachial data, reference data, it goes on and on. There are social media sites, blogs, vlogs, and various other websites that are collecting data every single second of every single day.

That's a lot of data.

I was wandering in my brain the other day and got to wondering how all of that data is just swirling around out there in the ocean of the internet and the internet, for the most part, hasn't collapsed upon itself because of all of the information it carries. 

Basically, I imagined mountains of humming, whirring servers plotting to take over the world.

My brain is a weird place, always.

So, to The Google I went to find out how exactly that works. What I found is that there are quite a few data management tools out there that offer solutions for companies with all of this data. 

I'm never going to be able to invent ANYTHING because people think of these things before I do.

Anyway, I fell way down that rabbit hole and kept on digging.  Data and how companies handle it has been in the news quite a bit recently. Many companies are trying very hard to not make the mistakes of Facebook. It was a mistake no one wants to make again. It was a huge event in history with a gargantuan effect on how data is handled, NOT shared, and managed. The impact of that catastrophe has shockwaves that are still spreading throughout the internet and will continue to spread for many years to come. I'm not sure what that means for the future of Facebook but I've always been partial to Twitter, anyway.

The way data is influencing AI is another interesting topic I came across. Microsoft recently announced that they are learning how data, advanced analytics, machine learning, and AI are able to optimize operations and drive innovation. In this case, the collection of data is being used in a positive way to bring better products to customers while keeping the internet speedily winding through its tubes as we are used to. In a sense, the internet is evolving with us.

I came to the conclusion that data collection can be used in a positive way or negative way. Obviously, we would prefer the positive way, as we all learned the hard way. If the *positive* collection of data means better and faster response to health concerns, smarter computers, and better ways to facillitate solutions to problems generally handled by computers, it would be the best thing for the internet and us as a whole. 

As long as it does not begin the mass overtaking of humans by machines, I'm alright with it.

What do you think about data collection? Has it personally affected you? I would love to hear about your experiences in the comments!

Sweet Find - Wyldlife Pungent Pet Products!

My son is visiting for my birthday, so I had bought some new treats and toys for his dogs to try.  

I could not believe Cooper's reaction when I first opened these Bully sticks! He started jumping and hollering until I gave him a stick. These dog treats are pretty fragrant (read pungent) but I have never seen him so excited! Let this video serve as a warning to you: 



Grab them for your dog(s) by clicking below!

affiliate link

Fashion + Dating? Yes, Now It Exists!

As a creative introvert, I can understand the struggle people go through to find their perfect person. When inspiration hits, your attention is focused on your work and dating or relationships can take a hit. Not to mention, it is incredibly difficult to find someone who understands what it's like or is in a similar field.

It can be especially lonely.

Malaka Pickens has found a solution.

Style-Mate.com is a brand new fashion entrepreneurship and dating platform. The website offers a place where you can set up your own shops, cross promote with your fellow designers, customers, and social media followers all while providing fresh content. Your customer base can register and interact with you directly. In the process, you can meet and find your perfect partner.

I, personally, think it's brilliant.

While I am not in the market for a partner (I'm married to the most patient man in the universe), I did spend some time perusing the new and creative fashion on the site. The prices are absolutely competitive and the designs are fresh, new, and exciting! I love that I was able to find one of a kind fashion designs to try and fall in love with! 

The site is still building so luckily you can get in on the ground floor! Some of the two hardest things as a creative person, in my opinion, are being able to get your creative enterprise out to the public and find that perfect person, just for you. Style-Mate is a fun and original concept that has you covered! It's free to set up a shop and there are no commission or fees off your sales. Style-Mate is for designers by designers!

After you sign up, I'd love to hear about your experience. I'm always rooting for people finding love in this crazy world and, of course, awesome and interesting new fashion designs! 

The Wifey Box: A Special Subscription Box

My husband and I have been together a long time. 

Over twenty years. 

We were very young when we began our life together and started our family right away.

What can I say? The man is hot.

As you can imagine, I am constantly looking for ways to keep our marriage fun. I found the neatest new subscription box and I had to tell all of you other wifeys about it!

The Wifey Box comes in two sizes, Petite and Grand. I subscribed to the Petite because I'm cheap (lol) but I'm thinking I might switch over to the Grand. I am so in love with everything in this box!

First, I received the Freematic Eyeshadow Quad (Doucce) in Sweet Dreams, which is like a $35 eye shadow palette! I don't think I have ever spent that much money on all of my makeup combined, much less just eye shadow! I wore it out with the hubs the other night and I felt so elegant. It was a little thing, but it made me feel like one million and thirty five dollars. 

Thoughtfulls are adorable little pop open cards. Each one has an inspirational message of love to remind you of its power or to give as gifts to your loved ones. I put them under my husband's pillow when he's had a bad day because I'm a nerd.

The Iris Beilin Mis Amores Beauty clutch was a surprise! It's a pretty pink leather bag that is bigger than normal beauty bags. I have way too many brushes, so it's perfect to keep those in! Of course, it's great for travel as well.

Last but not least, is my absolute FAVORITE thing that came in my box! A mini Pineapple Mint Whipped Soap Sugar Scrub by Naiad Soap Arts. I.LOVE.THIS.STUFF. It's different from other sugar scrubs I have tried before. It starts out grainy, obviously, but it immediately gets SO SOFT. I could hear my skin singing with joy. It's a cleanser and moisturizer in one and I am going to buy out their entire inventory, I swear! I never would have known about it either if it wasn't for my wifey box!

You get a few more items with the Grand subscription, but the petite size works out great for my needs. It's just a monthly little gift for myself and my husband because if I'm happy, he's definitely happy. I can't wait to see what comes next month!

Consulting The Stars: A Reading With Tori

Since I learned what astrology was, I have been fascinated by it. It's clearly because I'm a Gemini.

I have been incredibly apprehensive about our future now that the Navy isn't telling us where to move, what to do, when to do it. 

It was my life for twenty years, so I got pretty complacent with the nomadic lifestyle, but I have never felt so much freedom as I do now.

In searching for answers, I was lucky to meet astrologist and psychic, Tori Sheridan and get my very own birth chart reading!

Tori Sheridan is a second generation astrologer, following in her mother's footsteps, based in Chicago. She picked up her first book on astrology at 8 years old and began studying exclusively at 14.

Many, many years ago, I had a friend do my chart and it was pretty interesting but unfortunately because of moves and well, life in general, I misplaced it. So, I was crazy excited to get a new one!

After a few scheduling conflicts (did I mention Geminis can be a little disorganized? Yeah, it's a problem), I was finally able to get on the phone with the lovely Miss Tori and have my reading.

It was so amazing and interesting.

I like to pretend that I know all about astrology, but truth be told, I have negative zero idea what the position of the planets mean in relation to my sign or trines or anything like that. The only thing I'm sure of is Mercury in retrograde is a bad thing...I think. Mercury is my ruling planet so you do you, Mercury!

Source

Some interesting things I found out from my reading:

• For those of you who aren't aware, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at 32. Come to find out, SATURN is the culprit! I rarely talk about my chronic pain issues online or with people so I was really surprised that came up!
• Jupiter squaring Mars in my chart means I have a little bit of a temper. Heh. I'm a slow burn, but once it's ignited, BOOM.
• The Moon in Pisces means I am extremely empathetic and sensitive and it causes a conflict between my intellect and emotions. TRUE.
• Jupiter in opposition means I am lucky. 
• And, to summarize, I lose myself in work and can get overwhelmed but will eventually learn to say no. I can often feel nostalgic and indulge in music and little luxuries. I'm a big baby, but I'm smart and see both sides of a situation always, almost to the point of indecisiveness (SO TRUE). All in all, things look pretty favorable and I am thankful for that!

But, here's where it got weird:

In the middle of the reading, she suddenly stopped and blurted out, "Why did you quit law?"

I was gobsmacked. Speechless. Shocked.

I hadn't mentioned ANYTHING about my law background with her. I hardly mention it ever to anyone. It's something I have put away on a little shelf that has gotten quite dusty with time.

When I was young, I wanted to be one of two things: a writer or an attorney. Life took some twists and turns, as it often does, and I wasn't able to begin college until I was in my twenties...and I started with paralegal studies in hopes that I would eventually go through law school. That didn't pan out for reasons I don't like to go into, but I did continue writing. According to Miss Tori, I am absolutely in the right career.

It was just so jarring (not in a bad way) that she knew that without me mentioning a word about it and it was all because it showed up in my chart!

All in all, a lot of my worries were put to rest and I learned a lot of new things about myself! I really enjoyed it!

If you would like your own reading with Tori Sheridan, right now she is offering a special! Just send an email to tori@astrologywithtori.com with "Stephanie" in the subject line and she will give you a reading for $1 a minute (20 minute minimum). You do have to be 18+ and know your exact time of birth.

Have you ever had a birth chart reading? What do you think about astrology?

8 Ways A Writing Career Benefits Your Kids

Today, I am honored to bring you a guest post from Samara over at TinyFry! Samara Kamenecka is a Virtual Assistant specializing in SEO and writing, based in Madrid. When she’s not chained to her computer, she likes to explore the city with her boyfriend, their two kids, and their dog. You can find her blogging about everything from pregnancy tips to parenting hacks over at Tiny Fry. 

8 Ways A Writing Career Benefits Your Kids

Some people think that writing is an easy way to make a living working from home, but if it was easy everyone would do it. The truth is that making a living from writing can be challenging, but if you’re good at it, many rewards come along with writing as a career. My favorite part of being able to work from home is how it benefits my kids.

       No Daycare

Not having to pay a daycare provider is two benefits in one. First of all, daycare is not cheap, and many parents seem to work just to pay for someone else to care for their kid(s). Secondly, you know exactly who is raising your child, and you never have to worry about what the daycare provider may or may not be teaching them.

 Flexible Schedule

Having a flexible schedule is the best benefit for you and your kids. There are not many people in this world who have the flexibility to pick up and drop off their kids from school, attend mid-day school events, and still be around to have family dinner and help with homework at night. It also doesn’t force you into a panic whenever your kid has a sick day, or the daycare cancels out of nowhere.

      

Grow Together

Working as a writer takes a lot of hard work and growth which can get a bit  frustrating at times, especially when there are little ones tugging at your pant legs while you’re trying to focus. Though some days can be tough, it allows you and your kids to grow together and understand each other better. You will both probably learn lessons in patience and time management while building a stronger bond.

       They See a Role Model

A lot of kids don’t understand the importance of work because they simply don’t see it. By seeing you working to provide for your family you are setting a good example for work ethic and helping them understand an important part of life as an adult. As a work from home mom, you are also setting the example that women are an equally important part of the workforce as men.

      No Commute

Some people spend two hours or more of their day commuting to and from work. Not having to commute is a benefit for anyone who works from home, but especially parents who get to spend that extra time with their kids. It also saves money and the environment, which is yet another benefit to your children.

       Financial Contributions

Some parents decide to start writing after they have decided to stay at home. So hopefully, that income can be used in surplus to the budget to do things like save for a child’s education or enroll them in enrichment classes. The money could even be used for a vacation potentially, and since you’re a writer, you won’t have to worry about taking time off!

       A Safe and Clean Home

One of my favorite benefits of being a writing mom is that I can take a break from work to clean a room or throw in a load of laundry. Being able to care for the home while working helps keep a strong work/life balance and also keeps my home cleaner and safer for my kids to play.

      Mental Wellbeing

This is perhaps the subtlest benefit for children with work at home parents. Just knowing that there is going to be someone home to talk to when they need it offers confidence and lowers stress. Being around all the time to offer a hug for a scraped knee or an emotional bruise goes a long way in the happiness of a kid. I can’t tell you how many times my kids have come and sat by me in silence while I worked just to be around me. Being this available builds an unbreakable bond between parent and child that not every parent gets to experience.

If you are choosing to pull double duty as a parent and a writer, make sure you are prepared with everything you’ll need to keep your babies and kids safe and occupied. Writing from home benefits your kids in many ways, but it is still a job and one that can get a little tricky to balance if you’re not careful. At the end of the day, it is one of the best careers in the world to have when it comes to the perfect balance between finance and family.

I took my
serenity
back

Quietly

I claimed my
peace
back from

Eternity.

A song to light
In the distance calling me

I am holding
my life hostage
from
me.