Author Archives: Issa

For the Book Lover In You

October 4 12:05 am ,
Keep the Mind...

Keep the Mind...

You love books.  And isn’t it just perfect that they are readily available anywhere now more than ever?

I myself was a voracious reader when I was a kid.  Moving from mom’s Mills & Boon to the thicker, more seductive books, all hand-me-downs from I don’t know where (or did mom buy…?).  I was hooked. But there was not enough books.  And buying more, well, was certainly not in the stars for the young me.  There were other priorities.  So I did not have a book budget then, like I try to have now, but I think it was okay because I would have been lost with so much to select from (i still find myself lost now – sometimes, books/authors do not meet expectations)

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Posted in: Advocacies, Book Review , Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sharing With You Some (Seminar) Insider Info

September 19 12:32 am ,
All the Help You Need

All the Help You Need

I love seminars.  Don’t you?

And it’s not just because of the insider information that you get from it, but the people that you meet and re-meet who may just clinch the next deal for you.

Really, you don’t know what you’ll get in those – sometimes it is the education (which is the reason that you go anyway), other times it is the perks (like a password to the next big thing that will get you a discount, or will get you in for free), most times, it is meeting the network – that can be your network – people who can do your work for you (this is a wonderful bonus).

What do you do with what you get, though, is a different thing entirely.

Because the ability to see opportunity in information and in people is an art but I think it is an ability that can be cultivated.

What I want to do with what I got from the most recent one I attended, the MoneySummit, is to share them with you.  The speakers shared some valuable resources that can, maybe, hopefully help you if you have an online business (who doesn’t – and if you don’t, isn’t it about time you start thinking about owning a piece of that getting-to-be-scarce-and-crowded-and-valuable real estate?).

Here are some website-tools that can help take your business to the next level:

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Posted in: Advocacies, Financial Education, Online Marketing , Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Why Are You Not Doubling Your Traffic?

September 10 10:17 pm ,
Try to See Through

Try to See Through

Sometimes I panic.

I get an email from Copyblogger or Problogger, asking me why in heaven’s name am I not doubling my traffic?  What am I doing wrong, and I am doing something wrong – when I have lived in the blogosphere for 2 years and have nothing to show for it – have not engaged my readers, have not sold a product, have not made a name for myself out there.  And that I should think, and think deeply, reflect on the things, the ineffective things, that I am doing, delve on the whys, delve deeper.

So the red alert goes on and I find myself on a mad scramble to go on Tweeter or Facebook promoting, and then reluctantly promoting, because I did not want to inundate my Facebook friends’ walls with (self-serving) articles that promote my blog. I know that yes, they may be enriched by it, but I also do not want to be a pest (because I am not a pest).

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Posted in: Minimalism , Tagged: , , , , ,

Analysis Paralysis: Are You Guilty?

September 6 1:40 am ,
See the Picture, Ignore the Clouds

See the Picture, Ignore the Clouds

Really?  Have you thought about it?

A well-meaning friend (who is looking incredulous) let this question hang in the air, and my mind suddenly started a discourse.

Miffed, it said: Of course I thought about it.  If I haven’t…  this train of thought led me to thinking that “thinking” is actually the problem of most people.  They overthink and end up not doing anything.

It’s as if the thinking itself paralyzes them.  Makes them panic.

Of course one hundred and one things can go wrong, of course it might not go according to plan.  Of course.

Of course people will say mean things, and some will even say I told you so.  Of course.

But then some people’s roles are just that – irritants, devil’s advocates, thought provokers.

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Posted in: The Beginning

How to Develop a Product (Yes You Can)

August 24 10:43 pm ,
No Day Like Today

No Day Like Today

You start with a problem, or an inconvenience.

It could be the weather, or something you are used to but (by gosh) is really painful (like high heels), or something that you cannot control (like your weight, or the bulging of your tummy).

That’s right.  Start with you.

Then you search for an available solution online (information literally is at the tip of your fingers).

But there is none.

There’s your opening.  You have a need for a product.  And chances are, there are a lot of people like you searching for the exact same thing, or if they don’t know it yet, they will recognize their need once you get your product out into the market.

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Posted in: Rescue72 Disaster Preparedness, The Beginning, Video , Tagged: , , , ,

Sharing, Swapping and Being Ecologically Responsible

August 19 7:36 pm ,
Yearning

Yearning

I do not usually reprint what has been sent to me via press release, but when I saw the word “share” in this release from Andrea Woroch, I was suddenly reminded of the book Everything I Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. 

What fragile memories we have, author  Robert Fulghum intimated, that we only need to think of the basic, of what we used to do – being good and doing good – and the world would be a better place.

That advise still holds true and that is why this release appealed to me. The swapping and sharing websites featured in the article are just what we need in this materially-possessed world.

And I like the idea of being ecologically responsible.

I personally checked out the websites and was intrigued by BookMooch (book swapping), Home Exchange (travel) and Zwaggle (for baby stuff).  I have not actually shared or swapped, because I am located in Asia (which makes me wish for a similar service here – and why don’t I start one?).  But do let me know how it goes for you.

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Posted in: Consumer Protection, Financial Education, Green Products , Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

So You Like to Sing

August 13 8:43 pm ,
Sing!

Sing!

Many want to go this route – using the pipes to have a go at their wildest dreams.

And some have seen their wildest dream come true too, if the batting average of American Idol – or other singing contests – are anything to go by.

Before my memory goes to oblivion, let me share with you some tips from professional singers I had the great fortune to brush shoulders with:

1.  Practice.

And practice some more.  Like any other skill, practice makes perfect in singing.  And if you can afford it (or someone offers), hire a voice coach.  But know that not all voice coaches will do wonders for you.  Find one who will boost your ego and transform your voice to the most amazing instrument known on earth.  You will know this after a few days with teacher – if teacher makes you feel small, makes your voice squeak (like you don’t want to sing anymore), fire her.  She is not right for you.  Of course, there’s the truth too – you might not really have what it takes.  Careful balance and an open mind are needed.  And luck.  If this is what you were born to do, you will find the right voice teacher for you.

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Posted in: Advocacies, Life Stories, Talent Development , Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Making a Video? Nothing is Impossible

August 2 10:44 pm ,

Two storms flew in and work was suspended.  The stars seemed to be aligned.

I could edit a video!

Okay.  Maybe it seems silly, but editing and featuring a video on this website is something I obsessed about since I started.  I even bought a video camera, and confidently told my internet mentor that my site would have video blogs.  But that was about two years ago so I already relegated it to the category of the maybe never.

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Posted in: Videos , Tagged: , , , , ,