Do You Write Blog?

Creating a blog is not difficult, but it can be frustrating. I suppose I have been writing this blog as a form a creating some cathartic energy to keep me functioning in life. Maybe that's a bit of exaggeration. However, writing herein has certainly been a means for me to write as I please and not be daunted by worries of making it 'work'.
 

When I was asked the other day, "Do you write blog?" I immediately said yes. At first I thought it was a poor choice of grammar, but the term 'blog' can be used interchangeably with 'blog posts'. Just as if asked, "Do you write poetry?" or short stories or music.

Do I write blog? Do I speak blog? Yes. So I thought that maybe I shouldn't limit my online endeavors to other-than-personal blogs. Why not go ahead and monetize my personal bloggings and add to the building funds of non-traditional works?

Many may feel that a blog should not be monetized if the site is not specific to a product or sellable feature.Even so, there is no reason at all that a good site can't monetize. My intention to stay true to myself within Visually Verbal will remain, but it can be done with the addition of specialized reviews, links, etc. Therefore, my blog-speak will begin utilizing relevant links that may be helpful to others while helping myself.

Trust me, there will be no overloading so as to offend my readers. I absolutely abhor sites that keyword stuff or hyperlink words in every paragraph. It's very distracting for one thing. Mostly, I think it's just plain rude and should be avoided at all cost.

Mostly, I write here to release the Krackan, but also to share bytes of life. In essence, I want to create a more interesting, thought-provoking and interactive site that welcomes readers to comment and share. That being said, I've just committed to creating more work for myself...

<sigh>

This is the next logical step to pursuing a living online. I've eeked out a few hundred dollars a month thus far, but one of my goals is to create a 4-figure/month income within the next 6 months. So, do I write blog? Yep, and I will work towards being the best knowing I will probably never make that status.

It's only with effort that we progress and having set a goal I must now work to achieve it. Do you write blog? If so, how goes it? Do you monetize or write for fun?

No matter if you use blogger or wordpress, you can monetize your blog. One of the best places to walk you through the process is at a site called Wealthy Affiliate. Check them out. I've been with them for years and never stop learning as the site is currently adding new content information.

Let me know how it goes! I'm really interested in hearing your story;)

Peace out,
Lisa

Who I am now is not who I was nor who I will be.

To be honest, I am an observer and prefer it over participating most times. It generally comes from being a private person and not wanting to share to much of myself with anyone. Even so, there's nothing wrong with staying closed as I've dealt with alot of pain in the past. All because I was open, sharing and caring.

These days it takes quite some time before I will open my heart and bleed my soul to another human. Sad, but it's this way with my husband too. Don't get me wrong. I love Frank and we have a great relationship. We laugh, we cry, we love, we share.

But it could be better.

As I reflect over the next 5 days, I hope to gain insight into some of the causal issues in hopes of returning to the self of old. I liked her. However, I am completely aware that I may never be able to retrieve what was once a more amicable persona. And I'm okay with that. It's more about understanding and perhaps moving forward by truly closing past hurts.

Having one, and only one, close friend at present gives me opportunity to keep my life private. Even this one true friend doesn't get all of me, but she's the only one with whom I will open up at all. It's a shame at the same time because she is not good for my physical health. Her habits/addictions draw me to imbibe along side her at times.

Alas, no matter that I am well into the autumn of my life, I know that change is still on the horizon. While we change our permanent residence to Florida, it's a fresh start that's needed within so I will be changing as well. 

My journey over this next week is in preparation of a new life, a new home, a new beginning. During this process I will be opening up more in my writing and thus, hope to affect my reflection in a positive way.

This song is perfect for me at this point. Besides, anything by Christina A. is fabulous! Enjoy;)

Darkness Falls, Show Me the Light!

Light, open spaces are what stirs my soul and keeps my mind clear. Surrounding elements of light, color, space, temperature and sound allow me to be creative, to thrive. When one of these is missing it's not that big of a deal. However, when more than one or all of these elements are missing then I literally sink into a funk, a sort of depression that can last for days or weeks.

Living on our boat for most of the last year and a half, Frank and I are definitely on different wavelengths when it comes to how we feel about these arrangements. As I was responding to a friend's post just this morning, I stated that it was like a light bulb coming on in my brain. Feeling mostly depressed over these last couple weeks, I thought that my problem was simply that boat living was wearing heavily. It's not.

Yes, when the weather is perfect I don't feel such heaviness, but even though my funk is partly weather driven (windy, rainy and chilly, ugh!), However, I realized it's my elements of content that are missing. This old, okay, very old boat is quite dark and cramped for everyday living. It's beautiful dark teak wood and small ports, or windows, give it a very foreboding feel. There are 3 hatches that can be opened to let in the light and fresh air, but if it's rainy they must be kept closed and covered or they will leak.

Speaking of leaks, there are several internal leaks that have caused mold to accumulate heavily. I have cleaned most of these areas, but there is one place in particular that the leak has caused serious damage that results in constant growth of this mold. This ceiling area is in need of replacing, but Frank is so busy with work and the actual job to fix this issue will be very dirty...we would have to move off the boat for about a week. I'm fine with this!

But as it is, I must leave the boat to work on my computer. If I continue to stay confined to the bowels of our boat on a daily basis I might have to commit harry carry! Other sure fire ways to keep me afloat until Frank and I can make other arrangements is to go to my group fitness sessions on a more regular basis. They are VERY exhilarating and mood lifting! Also, days that allow for Abby and I to do some exploring are perfect for keeping the bad mojo at bay!

Keeping to the light and following my needed elemental surrounding is a mode of survival. For some, as is for Frank, it’s comfortable being in surrounding that are less than enhancing for myself. Together as husband and wife, we will find a compromise that will be suitable for both our needs!

Isn’t it interesting how, at times, it’s another’s words or situation that allows for self-realization and clarity?

Thanks fellow blogger, Roy at contemplativefitness.me for getting the light bulb to turn on!

As it goes, so I flow...still following my Goals

Creating goals, devising a plan, and executing the steps necessary to reach the end goal are 3 pieces to a puzzle that many don't understand have to be linked together in order to achieve success. It is overemphasized, but necessary to write everything down. Did you get that? WRITE IT DOWN! Whether on paper or in a text document, if it's not written, the odds are against it coming to fruition. Trust me on this!

Taking the lead, I have two main goals for 2014, 1. Build a Butt! Yes, I'm lucky enough to have my father's ass so I will be lifting and shaping my ass (think Beyonce) over the next several months,  while building more muscle in all areas. However, the main focus is my ass. 2. Reach my specific monthly income as a freelance writer by the end of the summer.

To achieve these goals I am using the tried and true method of S.M.A.R.T. If you're not familiar, click the highlighted link or do your own Google search. I will be posting in Bubblews what each of these steps are for both of my goals. Hopefully, you will see them as useful and inspiring to get you to YOUR goals.

As for the rest of this post, I just thought I would tell you a bit about my journey so far towards goal #1:

Just before the end of last year I joined the local gym. It's been quite sometime since I've worked out in a formal setting with real equipment, but the price was right and it's literally a 10 minute walk or a 5 minute drive away. There's no going most places around South Pasadena without going by the gym, so I can't use the lame excuse of proximity.

Body Dynamics is a relatively small gym, but it packs alot into it's moderately sized building unit. There's an open room for classes or self workouts on various equipment, such as the stability or bosu balls and mats for stretching. The other enclosed room is strictly for cycling classes.

What's most impressive about this gym is the main, open room. It's full of treadmills, stair steps and other cardio machines to one corner. Throughout the rest of this large area are a complete set of Nautilus machines, regular machines such as the Smith and the leg press and free weights.

Now I know this doesn't sound that great to some of you fitness moguls, but there's alot, ALOT, of shit packed in here! And they pack in the crowds too, but I've learned the best time of day to go is between 2 and 4 in the afternoon.

During the first month I took it slow, did a bunch of classes and some strength training, but nothing with much consistency. This month however, I have created my plan with the end goal in sight and find it comforting knowing that I have gained great knowledge over the years to achieve any fitness level that my body will accept.

I have created a strength training program to emphasize the work on the lower body. In only 2 sessions I have found that leg extensions and leg curls are not conducive to my back at this point (lumbar problems). So, instead, I have moved into glute lifts, leg presses and assorted lunge movements.

Overall, these last 6 weeks or so, body strength is being built working on pushups and planks, etc., while yoga is done for increasing flexibility and balance. This last is eye opening as I didn't realize how much balance I was lacking, but it comes back quickly with a bit of effort.

It's easy once you have a plan...go with the flow set out, be diligent and you will hit your target goal.

Live And Let Live? Maybe...

It is my believe that all forms of life have an inherent right to exist, but I do not follow, as some, in the hierarchy of value. All creatures have a purpose in the environment whether I understand or even know what that purpose is and I have strong beliefs that each has a definite role.

Some forms of life may seem ‘scary’ and I have a strong fear of these and don’t always live according to the ‘right to exist’ ethic. 

For example, I have killed the spiders crawling in my bathroom or set out bait to kill the sweet ants in my kitchen—with this said it leads me to a retraction:  I tend to put a value on certain life forms that are invading my personal space therefore I do follow a hierarchy of value when it comes to my fears or needs.

Acknowledging this hierarchy of value put on life, does this mean I will review my beliefs and not kill a snake that is threatening me outside of my personal space? No. I feel that I have a right to self-preservation, but my lack of knowledge as to actually what creatures (snakes?) are threatening my well-being may be a cause of unnecessary harm.

Possibly with more knowledge of my surrounding environment and its inhabitants I can learn to co-exist without so much fear and diminish my need to put a hierarchy of value on life. I definitely don’t want to do harm to any life and have actually tried to remove the ‘daddy-long-leg’ from my sink and place it outside and remove the spider from my car antenna by swiping it to the ground. Sometimes my fear overcomes, though, and I jump to step on the spider that crawls across my floor without trying to remove it first.

I consider myself a conservationist, though I have not been my whole life. In younger years I was more of a preservationist; believing that nature should be left minimally disturbed, providing only basic human influence by way of living with instead of destroying for comfort or wants.

Now that I have several decades behind me I see the conservation ethic is the more appropriate approach. By balancing resource use with its availability we can grow and develop within the environment while continually being conscious of and maintaining a balanced living environment for all life.

The preservation ethic goes hand in hand with a biocentric view on nature and life. With all life forms having a right to exist it is important to maintain the balance while allowing room for growth. This would be then expected that humans, with the ability to think and reason, should take continuous steps to ensure this balanced environment as other forms of life can not utilize this skill.

This could be as simple as leaving space for nature to exist undisturbed such as preserves and national parks and living within nature without disturbing the environment or natural habitats by invasion and overbuilding. Population is a major concern for with too much growth too fast will cause a need for survival of the fittest.

Being raised in a religious family, I believe in a Supreme Being as having created nature and all life forms. I have come to believe that evolution and creation are intertwined and as I stated in the beginning paragraph, every life form has a purpose and has survived or evolved as was intended from the origins of life on earth.

Population will eventually be controlled by natural events such as disasters and disease. (Was Katrina possibly meant as a cleansing tool? Aren’t new forms of viruses evolving to resist drug each new drug?)

 I will continue to learn and grow within my environment and strive to do what my beliefs lead me to as far as conserving and respecting all life and the environment. A more compassionate and conscientious attitude to do more is my responsibility as a thinking, reasoning being coexisting with other species.