Surfin' With Stan

     First of all, this title is for a class assignment.  I'm taking Chris Brogan's Blog Master Class  (affiliate link) and we are testing titles. This post test two things. One concerns using an image for a title. The other concerning a book that's quite popular in the class. Everyone in the class is all gooey over the book. At this point, I'm not.      But I haven't finished it. Which is the point in my title for this assignment. Why buy the book if you're not going to finish it?  Why buy the book if you're not going to hear the whole concept?  Why not just go fishing, golfing, shopping. or play guitar for 10 hours?  Whatever it is that you enjoy.  Go do that. In the end it will be more productive for you anyway.  It'll even reduce your stress level and improve your health.

     It's been proven we reach the goals we track. And we attract those who are similar to us. You do this by telling the universe who you are. That is the goal of this blog. Any articles with the image similar to the one on the left involves fitness and health.      I experimented with the rest loop by changing the minute intervals in Runkeeper to 3-1-4-1-5-1-3-1-4-1-5-1 etc. It looks like it was slower than yesterday, but I'm not positive of that. I do feel like the workout was harder and I sweated more. Probably a difference in calories too. I can't see it from this screen on my phone. #middlegeorgiasparks.com While doing this run, I am listening to The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. It's a great listen if you are working on trying to establish new habits. He discusses how running becomes easier over time, as it becomes a habit.  I can't wait for that to kick in! Even if it does, I'm sure it will be the easiest habit I will ever break!      If you have a

     I've only been running for 20 months now.  I've been committed to it and have enjoyed the benefits. Having never been a runner before, I looked for help.  I started using Jeff Galloway's phone app on Day One. Walk breaks seemed to help, especially with distance.  They helped me complete my first half marathon. I will complete my first marathon in November 2012.  Jeff's application is written by LOLO.  The have other health related apps as well.

     You faced the challenge and have written your first article. You gave consideration concerning what makes content interesting. The article you wrote speaks to the heart of the matter. Everyone that reads it is moved by it's subject. You're a shoe in for the New York Times Best Seller list. And it's likely that you'll be nominated for the Pulitzer. All that has to happen is for others to read it. So how's that going to happen? Get ready for some new challenges.

      If you aren't going to use it?  I don't know how many times I have done this.  Not only for me, but for my clients. I spend time setting up technology that never gets used. Applications, website, blogs, and ezines..just sitting there.      A perfect example of this is BlogPress on my Iphone.  I purchased BlogPress to create 5 Minute Blogs easily.  And it does that fairly well.  The problem is that I don't use it!  Why not?   Do I enjoy wasting my time?  Certainly not.  Was the plan thought out?  Absolutely.  I created a list of requirements.  I created a list of applications.  I installed the applications and tested them. I can produce the documentation comparing various applications. So what happened?       Let's take a look at the requirements, applications and hardware.  This will help identify the problem.  Maybe there is still a chance for the concept. Maybe my logic, work, and plan will come to fruition.  Here's the Fifty One on the project: Create two b

       Charging for services rendered is a necessity of business. With Technology services there may be questions concerning what is billable.  As knowledge bank availability has increased, cost of access has decreased.  Some mistake Google results for professional expertise.  Just because you can Google "expert" doesn't mean you are one.  There is no substitute for experience.        I love what I do.  I study my profession 24 hours a day.  I have done this for over 20 years.  I am a giver who enjoys helping others.  In my services, I provide all the expertise I have.  I always attempt to provide services above what is required.  If I don't know the answer, I find someone who does.   You can't Google the knowledge base in my head (yet).      Here is an easy to read guide of my charges:  Here's what's free:  Everything I send out on a one to many email.  Anything I can answer in a quick email.  Here's what's not free:  Detailed questions about a p

     Blogger can now be associated with your Google+ Profile!  If you're already using Google Apps, Google+ and Blogger, you're profile is probably already associated with your blogger account.  If not, maybe it's time you looked at it.  I use the paid Google Apps account, and I lean towards using as many of the Google Apps Suite as possible.  There are many reasons for it, and without further ado here is the "Fifty One" on why you should do this.

 Ok.  I admit it.  I gave my smoker away too soon. My son moved out and I thought it would be a good thing for him to have it. A smoker back in the day was as much a social tool as say…an X Box, WII, or whatever the newest digital hotbox happens to be right now. I don't know, and I don't care.      What I care about is cooking good food. I care about cooking food that doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure out.  Something guys can make. Something that can lead to better things once the female we are trying to impress figures out that we can provide them with sustenance.  I’m the alpha male.  This is me doing ‘hunter and gatherer” sans a rock or spear.  This my personal version of burnt offerings.       So without further ado, this is how I cook great ribs, without a smoker. 1. Buy some ribs and rub. 2. Use a knife to remove the membrane from the ribs. 3. Fill your hands with the rub, and rub into the meat. (This is why it’s called RUB). 4. Set the rub coated ribs in a

     Are you feeling the crunch to come up with topics every week for your blogging and newsletter efforts? Are you worried that you're stuck in the same rut, and haven't really created anything breakthrough lately? What if I knew about a product that could help with that?       Yes, I'm about to sell you something, but it's something I believe in, and I believe it will be helpful to you.            Blog Topics is a 45-week long writing and blogging education sent to you via email. In each letter, you get writing advice, tips, resources, and over 10 complete writing prompt ideas per message. Every week, you get something new, with different themes, different areas of interest, and different angles to help you connect with your readers and deliver business value.       This program was created by Chris Brogan, a New York Times bestselling author and someone whose blog is in the Top 5 of the Advertising Age Power150. I subscribe to Chris's newsletter and really enjoy

     I've been doing this type of work for a long time. Newsletters/Ezines aren't groundbreaking news to me.  I had a newsletter back in 1996 that I abandoned when the list got unmanageable. We simply didn't have the same level of tools or user comprehension. Nobody really knew what they were looking at.      So why start now considering the impact social media is having on all forms of publishing. Aren't Newsletters dead?  It all depends on what you're doing. Here's the Readers Digest Ben Franklin on that. If you're going to make something that I can read, comprehend, file away and be useful. I'm all in.   If you're planning on invading ANY part of my existence with anything about pharmacies, enhancers and replicas I'm not interested.      I haven't sent out a lot of newsletters, but my first test of this resulted in over 70% opens and over 50% clicks to get more information. I don't know if those numbers are high, low, or average. What

        One of the things that I think is important is organization.  Since I'm in IT, that means 'across the platforms".  There is nothing more useless to me than an application that sits in it's own little omnipotent corner of the screen and doesn't play well with others.        That being said I want to introduce you to the phone app from SparkPeople.com. You can find them here   .  Here's the Fifty One on what I like about SparkPeople's Suite of applications for diet, exercise and being more healthy in general.  They have versions for Iphone, Android, IPad and Blackberry.  The online version at http://sparkpeople.com integrates with the phone apps. You enter it in on the phone, and it's entered in on the site.  Enter it at the site, the results are on your phone.  They have a mobile SITE at  http://mobile.sparkpeople.com/  for those that don't want to download the app.  They are easy to understand apps, but there are videos that show you how to

     One of my goals with MiddleGeorgiaSparks  is to introduce people who have motivated me, and helped me in some way to reach for my goals. Coach Krystie is one of those people. Just read her story and you'll understand why.      I first met Krystie at the Georgia Public Television Interview done in 2011.  Both of use are member of SparkPeople and had been invited to tell our story for an upcoming GPTV Special about overcoming health issues.   Krystie was the star.      Since I met her Krystie has continued on and become one of the coaches at SparkPeople.com . She holds online classes and has a very large following on all her social site. Here is the Fifty One on Krystie: Her Personal Site -  http://coachkrystie.com/ Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/coachkrystie2 SparkPeople Live Mind -   Online Support and Motivational Meetings Twitter - Coach Krystie Spark People - Krystie If you need a motivator... Krystie is one of the best "The Sparkpeople Cookbook Love Your Food,

Five Little Bigs Plus One is based on the idea that it's easier to keep up with five things on one hand than any other method. There are five areas of Focus in my life. Faith, Family, Fitness, Finance, and Fun. Everything falls into those areas. In order to write, I use the Who, What, When, Where, Why and HOW method. Most of the blogs here are done via my phone and take five minutes to write, and one minute to read.

     I don't consider myself much of a runner. I didn't start until December 5th 2010. That was the day after I received a diagnosis of Diabetes II and realized I could lose a limb if I wasn't careful.  I started working on it immediately.  On June 9th, 2012 the same doctor reversed the diagnosis.  I never took medication after the first week.  It was all diet and exercise.     To say I don't consider myself much of a runner is not to say that I don't run.  I completed my first half marathon on July 14th, 2012 and am planning on running a full marathon in November.      But I just don't like it that much, most of the time.  I don't experience very much of the highs that other runners talk about.  Unless I trick myself into running, sometimes I just won't do it. Destination running is one of those tricks.      Basically, it's exactly what it says.  Rather than running on a treadmill, or in a circle somewhere...I run to places.  Like grocery shopping t