Writing...Just because!

When you’re looking for a home they always say it’s location, location, location.  Well, for me it is the same for writing. Do your surroundings help or hinder your writing? I don’t know how reporters at big city newspapers do it.  They usually sit in a wide-open space ( the bullpen ) surrounded by other reporters typing away trying to make deadline (thankfully the tapping isn’t as loud as it used to be on the typewriters of bygone days)!  Inevitably, there are those who are still hunting down the perfect quote and are talking loudly on their phones attempting to be heard above the cacophony of computer keyboard tapping, conversations and various and assorted ring tones going off throughout the newsroom.  Oh, and the five or six TVs mounted on the wall all on different stations so everyone can see the news that’s being covered elsewhere that they may be missing.  Is Silence Golden? I could never be a reporter, as I have always needed a quiet place to write....

I've just discovered DotComDiva and really like what she has to say.  A recent article she wrote called The Five Biggest Mistakes Business Owners Make on Facebook beautifully outlined some of my biggest bugaboos. At the end of the article, she invited any and all to re-post her article so, with her permission, here goes: The Five Biggest Mistakes Business Owners Make on Facebook by Elizabeth Southall, April 14, 2011   Million+ active users and more traffic than Google, savvy entrepreneurs are recognizing that Facebook is now the #1 best place to find new, untapped customers for your business. If you know what you’re doing, you can quickly generate a large, loyal fan base to market your products and services to. But violate the unspoken rules Facebook etiquette and not only will you find it tough to retain fans, you could also end up generating a massive amount of negative buzz for your biz on the world’s largest social network (OUCH!). To help you get the mo...

For those of us who are already expats, the memories of making that first move may have faded but Paul Allen’s book, Should I Stay or Should I Go? is a gentle reminder of the sometimes anxiety producing moments that culminate in the decision to make the leap.  Often times the opportunity comes as a result of a job offer (as it did with my husband) but sometimes you might just be yearning for a change but don’t know where to begin.  Allens’ book is the perfect place to start for those with the spark that hasn’t quite been ignited yet.  Or, even if you have selected your first expat destination, it helps you step back, take a deep breath and think about all the details of planning your move, taking advantage of those who have gone before you.  Should I Stay or Should I Go? gives a broad overview of some of the most popular expat destinations to fan the flames of your imagination.  Allen is a freelance writer and journalist from England who moved to New York an...