Apartment Therapy has some of the best “living small” resources around. I particularly like their contests. The Small Cool 2008 contest just ended (this is the fourth annual event for tiny spaces that rock). If you want to check out the winners for some ideas on ways to decorate your own smaller spaces, visit the page dedicated to the “living small” contestants.
My favorite scent, my “signature” scent is Satsuma. It’s a perfume oil from the same-named fruit (mixed with goodness knows what to make it sell). It’s not expensive, it’s not flowery, it’s just simply perfect.
I’ve tried more “grown up” scents over the years and, honestly, most of the “designer” fragrances give me a headache. I always come back to Satsuma.
Tonight, on a whim, while I was ordering more of my favorite oil, I Googled the term and found a couple of pretty interesting sites. One, Satsuma Press Designs looks like a great little stationery designer. I’m going to have to look more into that the next time I need custom work done. I also really like the simple satsuma blog of the business owner, Lynn.
On her Etsy page, I noticed a great take on the mini business card that really turned my head. I think I need something like that for my wicked blog cards. They are so simple and pretty!
I also found a great little renewable bamboo baby blanket and accessories site called Satsuma Designs. And a sushi place that made my mouth water on site… too bad they are located in California.
My father offered me the following story yesterday. I found it both shocking and worth sharing:
A man and his faithful hunting dog get lost in the woods. They travel for several days trying to find their way home, without success. They are getting really hungry and are in danger of starving. So, this hunter lops the tail off his best friend and roasts it over a campfire, eating one part and throwing the other part to the dog.
The dog eats the tail, and then enthusiastically licks the face of the hunter.
He told me that is how our government works. He said that the dog is the people, the hunter is our government. ‘Nuff said.
Ok, I should give credit to someone for this information — and I really WOULD if only I could remember where I found it originally.
The issue: HP 1020 printers have a known problem with Ubuntu and Kubuntu. It makes me crazy. Now back when I did my first Kubuntu system, I dug in (or begged help from someone) and managed to get it installed. Now, on Ubuntu (and my third Linux system rebuild) I had managed to forget that little “note” I’d made.
I’ve been trying for TWO WEEKS to get my printer to work. Heck, I even swapped out for three older printers I had lying around. (I really need to clean out my gadgets!) And, I was still without a working printer.
Then, this weekend, as I swapped all my notes over from BasKet Notes to Tomboy Notes, I found the little unassuming note. The process is listed here, and it works like a CHARM (although you should remember to remove any previous attempts in CUPS, reboot your system and reinstall via CUPS).
$ sudo apt-get install build-essential
$ wget -O foo2zjs.tar.gz http://foo2zjs.rkkda.com/foo2zjs.tar.gz
$ tar -zxvf foo2zjs.tar.gz
$ cd foo2zjs
$ sudo make uninstall
$ make
$ ./getweb 1020
$ sudo make install install-hotplug cups
Hope this helps someone else as much as it has helped me!
I love iFrogz cases… love them so much that I’ve purchased them for myself and for other members of my family. My daughter loves her purple metal one. I only wish I’d been able to do so while they were on sale like this!
If you haven’t checked them out, visit iFrogz today for some of the coolest silicone and leather cases around. You can also find the metrobag (gee, I just LOVE bags) and some other accessories, like an uber-small (and bright green) compact speaker (it looks like a tiny yo-yo) that will work on any MP3 player you may have. And 40% off is always nice (but it only lasts until Wednesday).
“I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. . . . In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness.” – Thoreau
Want excellent local media coverage? Want to get your business name spread across the Internet? Want to do it all for free? It’s possible!
There is no such thing as a free lunch, but it is possible to secure free media coverage if you plan ahead. Maintain a strong interest in your niche industry and stay flexible enough to jump quickly at any opportunity, and you can bask in the glow of free publicity.
Media professionals rush for a living. They are constantly under impossible deadlines. They get assignments, have news that breaks, and sometimes they just need to fill space. They always have to do these things five minutes ago. So, if you become a dependable resource for them, they will call.
If you want to get the “breaks” with the media, if you want the inside track with the local, regional and national outlets you have to become a great media resource.
It’s difficult to be always available when you are juggling multiple projects. Don’t let a nervousness about being interviewed turn into a hesitation. Make sure your primary number forwards to your cell phone and always return calls promptly. Not all media folks will identify their industry when they call. Even if you are overwhelmed with work, call back every lead – potential customer, referral or media professional and do it immediately.
Often, media workers will gather a list of potential interviews and will begin by calling the list from top to bottom. They will stop when they reach someone they can interview. You need to be that someone.
If they call (or email) and can’t reach you — they move on to the next person. They don’t have time to wait.
Media professionals like having an “insider” in the industries they cover. If you send them updates, press releases and statistics regularly with the statement “I’m available for interviews” in each one, you may become one of those insiders. Become a “go to” resource for the media in the same way you are that resource for your clients.
How can you do that?
If a you read an article in a local paper and it’s missing an aspect or a bit of information that you can provide, take that opportunity to email the reporter. Let them know (in a non-threatening, helpful way) that you are willing to serve as a resource for future articles.
Dear Jane -
I really enjoyed your article on the impact of the housing crunch on the local market printed in today’s paper. I work with real estate agents across the nation and try to stay on top of the local, regional and national trends to better serve my own clients.
I noticed that you mentioned the increase in the inventory this year over this time last year. The increase is pretty dramatic and the local figures in the databases I use indicate a 47% increase over this time last year in the $200-400K homes. However, the inventory has actually dropped 7% in the $800K+ homes, so there is some light in that segment of the market.
If you plan to do similar articles in the future and need figures or another resource to quote, I would love the opportunity to help. You can call me at 800-123-4567 anytime.
Thanks again for the great articles, I love reading your work!
Jan B. Smith
TheOutsourcingPro.com
When news is happening, like a new company coming to the area, stay on top of the news as it develops. Use Google email alerts to flag topics related to your area of expertise, so you know the moment something happens. When the announcements roll in, email the reporters you are courting with the fact that it’s just been announced and tell them you are available if they have any questions.
Press releases by themselves are not a marketing plan. They are, however, an important piece of a good plan. Press releases shouldn’t be self-serving, “look-at-me” pieces of fluff. They should provide actual information about what’s going on in your target industry and why it’s important to media readership and your clients. Make sure your information lends itself to use in an article, a feature, or another media format.
Three free PR venues I like:
When you send out your free online press releases, don’t forget to send those same releases into the business editor of your local paper and other papers in your region.
Look for magazines and other publications that serve the same industries you serve. Know the editorial schedules of publications that will help you (these are usually available on their website). Email the editors and offer to write an article in your area of expertise.
If you don’t feel confident in your ability to write an article, call in some help. Many industry experts have personal writers that help them to look good. Find someone you like who will work with you to provide you the presentation polish your knowledge needs.
I have one client that gets a call from the media and immediately calls me. He calls and says things like, “I need to write an article on the use of routers for wireless networks in real estate offices and have it to an editor in 48 hours, can we do it?” And, of course the answer is always “Sure!” So while he’s driving back to his office, we are talking on the cell phone and I’m “pulling” the information from him and typing it up as we chat. By the time he reaches his office, I’ve polished up a first draft for his review.
A good media “helper” can also help you prepare for upcoming live interviews and help you write up exceptional responses to email interviews.
If you manage to “click” with a good writer, you can get this type of help on the fly. It will give you the polish and the confidence you need to shine when you are in the spotlight. And if you are just getting started in your business, you may be able to trade off your services with a writer who needs help in other areas.
Always treat members of the media with the same dedication and service you offer clients. After all, they ARE a client. Make arrangements to be able to offer them what they need to meet their deadline – even if you have to juggle to do so. Like your other clients, they will come back if you make their lives easier – and will recommend you to their peers.
Good media coverage is a self-propagating process. If you are featured in an article, a TV station may pick you up as a resource, industry magazines may ask you to write an article, local event coordinators may ask you to host a session or sit on a round-table.
The more you do in the public spotlight, and the more you work with the media, the more you will be asked to do.
This interesting little tiny home is built on the top of a billboard support. I find it interesting, since just the other day (being the alternative housing nut that I am)… I looked at a billboard with the surrounding platform and thought to myself, that would be a cool place to put a tiny house… as long as you didn’t have to climb to the top with an armload of groceries.
And voila! Someone else has already developed that idea into this cocoon-shaped house. Kinda cool. See a larger version of this house on Flickr.com.
I’ve been in the middle of a redesign over the past two days… and just about the time I got it looking the way I wanted it to look, I learn about CSS Naked Day.
To know more about why styles are disabled on this website visit the Annual CSS Naked Day website for more information.
After checking my validation a blue-zillion times lately, I thought it was a great idea to encourage “naked” pages without CSS issues all across the web.
So, I stripped my pretty new “look” to walk naked among all the other participants on the web. Kinda like a geeky nudist camp day, eh?
If you want to learn more — and have your own blog go “au naturale” — check it out! It’s for one day only, April 9th, 2008. Have fun… and don’t catch cold!
GrassRoads.Blogspot.com recently published some great shots of Pakistani “Magic Buses” (including the one to the left). I’ve always thought that the gypsy look with wagon homes was a cool, overdone look, but this style is even MORE ornate and creative!
There was a book I read back in 1989 — I actually got it from the public library in Lexington Park, Maryland — that had tons of photos of gypsy and alternative mobile homes. Most were hand-built and all were amazing.
I think I can trace my fascination with tiny homes in general and mobile homes (non-traditional) to that book, way back when. I only wish I could remember the NAME of the book.
I’d love to have it in my own personal library now.
I write down everything I want to remember. That way, instead of spending a lot of time trying to remember what it is I wrote down, I spend the time looking for the paper I wrote it down on. — Beryl Pfizer
My perfect OneNote replacement will go above and beyond. It will:
Launch almost immediately – When I have a thought, an epiphany, a note, a grabbed reference from the web, a blog idea or a quote worthy of saving… I don’t want my creativity and my flow interrupted by having to wait for an application to launch.
Require Few System Resources - It would be nice if I could automatically launch my “everything” PIM on boot – and if it would sit quietly in the background (and in my systray) without sucking up all my CPU and await my commands.
Be Easy to Backup and Transport – It should backup quickly and easily on a thumbdrive and be able to be used on any computer anywhere.
Offer Web Access - It should allow me to install it or access it from my web server so I can “carry” it with me on my iPhone. It should be password protected and secure.
Be Open Source – Of course I’d want to be able to use it on my current Windows OS and on my upcoming Linux machine.
If anyone has found this type of program — without it being horribly complex — please let me know. In the meantime, I’ve downloaded and am testing Chandler to see if it will fit the bill.
(Note: Hats off to Matt’s Idea Blog for sharing the poignant quote!)
A recent NYT article chronicles the stress of being a full-time blogger, entrepreneur and participant in the Internet information industry. So, after staying up until nearly 3 a.m. last night working on my “new look” for WickedBlog — with proper validation, a new layout and a WordPress update (that I did all by my lonesome!)… I have to wonder if I’m not part of this craziness.
I’ve noticed the weight gain, the failure to eat properly and the lack of exercise — especially lately. But I keep telling myself that my life will calm down soon, that it will get better, that I’m “investing” in my future. I’m serving clients, dealing with children and family issues, maintaining my websites, blogging and doing constant research.
Hmm… maybe I’m merely continuing my life-long habit of “burning-the-candle-at-both-ends” and I’m just CALLING it something new. Food for thought. Definitely!
Ok, I don’t know about you, but I think this is just creepy. I like my technology, but this brings to light all my upbringing during the age of Battlestar G and Terminator movies: Nexi on YouTube
I found a cool “tiny house” RV online today — a 1978 31′ Airstream on eBay that is simply too pretty not to go and ogle. This classic Airstream has been taken down to the ribs and built back beautifully — and better than it was originally. (The owners took the 6-Million Dollar Man approach… “We can make him stronger, faster, better…”) And better he is.
The pricetag is a bit higher than your average Airstream, at $170K, but it’s oh-so-nice. Look at all the custom Airstream photos here.
Need another bonus? This particular Airstream was featured on Wonderfalls (a great little TV series — and one I enjoy on DVD at my house). So it’s not just pretty and cool — it’s also FAMOUS! *grin*
Download a PDF of interior Airstream renderings here.
Although all the houses (and features) aren’t directly related to Tiny Homes, I just love this website, aptly named “Off Beat Homes” which displays unusual homes, details and treatments. I particularly like the idea of a tiny house with a fairytale styled roof. (Isn’t that sweet?!?!)
You may also enjoy looking at these unusual home and building photos, courtesy of HotHomesOfUtah.com (now this is an interesting way for a real estate group to draw in traffic to their website, bump up their rankings and amuse the general public, all at the same time!) Or, you may want to look through these pages of strange houses and these oddities.
I saw one of these several years ago and salivated ALOT! You can have one on eBay (if you bid quickly) today for (as of this moment, just over $12K). When I looked at them they were over $30K.
Quick! Go look before it’s gone!
Be sure to look at the interior shots (the prettiest thing about these is the wooden walls). Loft is great play and sleeping place for kids (that’s what I was thinking when I looked at them).
This one also comes with the decking. If I had the extra cash, I’d be saying “Look what I just bought!” instead of “Look what you could buy!”
It’s spring time on the farm! And Daffodil Hill is in full glory (pictures courtesy of my mother):
Beautiful, aren’t they?
I recently added a new hard drive to my little emachines T5230 (a low-cost, high value desktop that runs Kubuntu and Ubuntu like a CHARM).
The reason for the new drive? I have a client that still needs work done on Publisher (of all things) and I cannot find an appropriate substitute for Linux-based systems. I’ll keep looking, but for now, I’m going to have a secondary Hard Drive that boots Windows XP.
I refuse to use the Windows Vista that came on the machine. In fact, I never booted the Vista. Not even once. I immediately wiped the drive and loaded up Linux. It never burped — so if you want a cool, low priced machine with lots of power for your favorite flavor of Ubuntu … this one works.
Of course, if I’m going to have XP on a hard drive, I also want to run Sims and keep my iTunes library (connected to my multi-media external drive) on the machine as well. :O)
I dread all the extra upkeep, Linux has spoiled me in the security arena.
If you have loaded up a version of XP and find that several of the drivers are missing (note the large yellow question marks when you right click on “My computer” and select “Manage” and look at the hardware devices).
Under “Other Devices” I had non-functioning status for the following:
And, since I couldn’t get on the Internet to find the drivers I need (network needs a driver too), I had to reboot over to Linux to find the solution. (surprise, surprise)
The emachines download/support page was no help (they only offer the Vista versions).
I found the following drivers to fix the problems.
Now, my Windows hard drive is booting properly, has all the updates and all drivers are working. I’ll be doing a bit more tweaking on this dual system in the near future, but I’m much closer now!
Hope this helps others looking to solve these issues all in one place.
My Discoveries on StumbleUpon
