Blogging

Technological Deucing!

July 21, 2011 By Nicole 11 Comments

Techno what? Yep! All week I’ve been breaking it off with unhealthy tech relationships. Starting with webhost, website platforms & the last casualty was my blackberry.

This is my first blog post from my new phone. A bit challenging, but like any other new relationship it’s going to tale some time getting use to. So bare with me I’m in the process of adding all of your blogs into my new feed app. Hopefully, i’ll have everyone listed and on the blogroll again.

Ttyl

By the way look at that crisp pic. It was already loaded on my phone. Sweet!

Nicole

Nicole is a wife, mother of 3, hairstylist, CEO & Jewelry designer, living in South Suburban Illinois, near Downtown Chicagoland. Nicole wishes there was a remote control to control her multifaceted life. Nevertheless, she’s enjoying every moment. CEO/Founder of Splitcybernality, Inc. Nicole noticed in 2008 how social networking users created multiple accounts for the different interest in their life. Therefore she trademarked SPLITCYBERNALITY® & created the website SPLITCYBERNALITY.COM ~Embracing The Intricate Woman Online. Also, designer of her own jewelry line Coco Essential.

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Filed Under: Blogging, New Post, Technology

Midwest Moms Media – Brands & Bloggers Summit 2011 #BBSUMMIT11 (Motivational Monday)

July 18, 2011 By Nicole 13 Comments

Last week was an exceptionally busy week! My daughter had tournaments everyday so, preparation was key to keep my sanity. And! I thought ice was suppose to last more than a day in the cooler?! I had to purchase a bag of ice everyday to keep her sports drinks and water cool.

Saturday I went to my FIRST blog conference! WooHoo!!!!!!(dancing, doing the Dougie) I attended Midwest Moms Media – Brands & Bloggers Summit 2011 here in Chicago(2011 means there will be more I’ve been blogging since 2009 and haven’t attended any conferences because traveling doesn’t fit in my schedule when the kids are in school. Let’s not forget budget! My kids are ripping us off!!!! Well, the oldest with AAU fees and her travel schedule. Gee-sh Louise! However, it was worth the sacrifice! Any who, attending a conference in my city fit perfectly. Find babysitter and go!

The conference was more of an intimate setting which had wonderful advantages since it was my first conference. I’m not the social butterfly type, an intimate setting is less intimidating and if we’re honest, many of us are the same way. You know how I know? How many times have you went somewhere walked by someone and neither of you said a word to one another? Before the conference I had to have a social skills talk with myself. I said to myself, “Self. When you pass someone at the conference or are in the restroom, be sure to speak, um kay?.” Did self listen? For the most part lol.

Midwest Moms Media was hosted by City Connect Media, Inc. / Chicagonista, created by @MJTAM. The event was packed with a wealth of info and I’ve been trying to simmer my brain because I’m in think mode and when I’m in think mode I can’t sleep. Hopefully by Wednesday I’ll be a little better. I do want to share with you 5 2 things that I took away from the conference. I’m only doing 2 because I don’t want you to scroll to the comment section before you read them all lol. I have a lot of notes that I’ll sift through over the next weeks.

1. Be Ready!

“What do you do when Google calls,” MJ said when she gave the welcome intro and as she shared some history about her blogging career. She was contacted by Google to speak on a panel. Sweet!!!!! That’s like the Oprah for bloggers! Very inspiring for bloggers that may be taking blogging as a career path. So what do you do when Google calls? GO! We have to be ready at all times! I know everything my not always go as planned, things can get rough and throwing in the towel seems easier than taking the next blow. I’m not speaking of blogging only. It can be our relationship with our spouse, rebellious child or job. If, we give up to soon we will not be available or ready mentally because we have given up. Be ready!

2. Don’t Give Up!

There was a representative there for the brand Flat Out Bread and she spoke on how they’ve been in business for 10 years and over the past 5 years their business has exploded. We can’t give up! Sometimes we reach a plateau in life and it can be down right boring and unsatisfying! Especially if your vision is bigger than the place you’re in at the moment. Have you ever had one of those “Its got to be better than this moments?” Sometimes I have them more than I would like. I remember going through a very rough patch in my life. I said, “God! Its got to be better than this?!” He spoke to my heart and said, “For I know the plans I have toward you. Plans that are good and not of evil to bring you to an expected end. Jer 29:11″ . I’ve never felt peace like that before.

We have to be ready and not give up. If we give up too soon we won’t be ready when Google calls. What’s your Google? You don’t have to answer it in the comment section, you can answer it to yourself

Nicole

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Filed Under: Blog Conference, Blogging, Mama Blogging In Real Life, Mom Bloggers, New Post, PR Events, PR Events In Chicago

6 Things Dora The Explorer Has Taught Me About Blogging and Life

July 7, 2011 By Nicole 17 Comments

Don’t think for a second that I’ll watch every episode of Dora Explorer with a remote held to my head and not get anything out of it! Honesty, If Dora was my teacher growing up Sistah Girl probably would have went to college. Don’t quote me!LOL

If you don’t know who Dora is you’re either a mom with older children or an empty nester with no grandchildren. Put it this way, Dora is the modern day Barney. Or. The new age Elmo that walks with no strings attached. Let’s take it back a little further. She’s the female Jerry of Tom & Jerry without the cunning ways. Everybody loves Jerry!

Without further ado

6 Things Dora The Explorer Has Taught Me About Blogging & Life

1. Rock a mad theme song that’ll make your enemies sing. Haven’t you heard a song that you hate, but later catch yourself singing it? Of course our blogs don’t play music after they load, but we’re all rocking a Niche. If your enemy likes it or not, because of you being you, they’ll find them self thinking of you later.

2. Build a network. You’re network doesn’t have to be the size of a village! Hey! If you’re rolling with a monkey(Boots) you can stop any swiper that attempts to steal your joy! Some days having another person to give us some encouragement goes a long way.

3.Explore. One thing for sure at the age of 8,9,10 or however old this unaccompanied minor is pioneering through the gist of the wilderness or supplying abstruse passwords to cross a bridge. She’s gonna explore if her Mama is coming or not!

4. Find your way, through research, resources, friends, fellow bloggers, social media and any other tool available. When Dora & her friends are on an expedition, the first thing they reach for is The Map! We don’t have to get lost unless we enjoy taking the long route.

5. Watch out for the sneaky fox! There’s always someone unhappy, miserable & looking for company. It may be through our blog, family, career & by any other necessary means to make our lives unhappy & to hinder us from doing what we’re suppose to do. Beware! I can’t tell you how many times I’m going about my day & the dumbest thing will attempt to throw me off!

6. Engage. At the end of every episode Dora asks her enthralled blossoming audience, “What was the best part of the show you liked?” It never fails my daughter screams at the top of her lungs the part she considered the best. Dora replies, “I liked that too.” Taking it a bit further. Sometimes we have to agree to disagree. We’re all from different backgrounds, cultures, locations & the list can go on. However, listening to each others point of view can give us insight on things and situations we wouldn’t have known had we not been willing to see another’s point of view.

Since you’ve been blogging or throughout your life have you learned a lesson from an unusual source?

Nicole

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Filed Under: Blogging, New Post Tagged With: Blogging, Dora Explorer, Social Media

Life is a Choreography

June 29, 2011 By Nicole 18 Comments

Life begins at conception

Similar to

Dancing with the stars supernaturally on one leg

Competing to impregnate her

Like the eagle protects her egg.

OH!

The labor pain!

Your parents

Have already called you by name

Cuz

You’re a perfect 10

10 centimeters, that is

You pass through the canal reaching the end

You cry

Your claim to fame

So you think you can dance?

You fall.

She runs to make sure you’re OK

Regaining your balance she’s reassured

As you prove your stance

She knew.

This day would come.

It came so fast!

The day you’d enter your very first class.

Reminiscing

When it began…

Oh!

The labor pain!

The day they called you by name

Then

You learned to dance.

Today it’s sociology

Still reminds her of

Dancing with the stars supernaturally

Because

Life is

a Choreography

Today I’m linking up for One Shot Wednesday at One Stop Poetry I’ve been following Brian’s blog at Way Station One and was inspired to take my first shot at poetry. Let’s see were this leads me. Also, today is One Stop Poetry’s 1st Birthday. Congrats to them and way to go on helping inspire the arts.

Nicole

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Filed Under: New Post, One Shot Wednesday, Poetry Tagged With: Life, Mothering, Parenting, Poetry

Blogging Truth or Dare – My Take On Blog Commenting

June 28, 2011 By Nicole 11 Comments

I was reading a post by Alicia at Eco Friendly Homemaking last week and she mentioned a post she read of another blogger who was having a hard time getting blog comments. The blogger didn’t understand because she knew people were visiting based on her stats but was considering giving up blogging. I’ve been blogging since August 2009 and I know first hand how discouraging it can be if you feel you don’t belong to the community. I’m not sure if this blogger has put in the work (because sometimes it can feel like work) at commenting and reaching out. I’m assuming she has done something if her stats are showing visitors.

Lately, I haven’t visited many new blogs as I did when I first began blogging. I really had to put things into perspective. The beginning of this year I decided to commit to bloggers that I felt supported me and my blog. Does that mean I comment everyday? Of course not! When I have down time I check my Blackberry Feed, read post,comment and/or share it on Twitter or Facebook. In order to connect with new visitors I add them right away to my Blackberry Feed too. Unless I totally forget. When I get their updates I read their post and comment. Now, If I feel absolutely no connection to the blogger/blog I’ll comment and keep moving. More like throwing the ball back in their court.

I think there are times we lack consistency when building blogger relationships or we’re consistent with those we want to connect with. Before I used my Blackberry Feed I would use my list of comments in my dashboard to stay connected. The only problem with that was, the further the comments were pushed down in my feed I didn’t get to go check their blog and they didn’t come back to mine. If I visit a blog and comment a few times and they don’t come back to visit mine, I move on. Most likely they’ve came to my blog and don’t feel a connection or hoping I’d just go away. LOL I’m OK with that.

Being a woman and many of us are ~~nosey~~curious. I can’t possibly see a blogger receiving a comment from someone who has never been to their blog, left adequate URL info and that blogger does not go see who has visited their blog. Do I expect bloggers to comment on every commenter every single day? Of course not! It should be a relationship and not a duty. However, If you read 90.00% of bloggers bios we consider ourselves social media gurus and we know how to connect with moms or whoever is in our so called niche! Bull! If we don’t visit for nothing else, besides to say thanks for visiting, we should visit to find out who our audience is. We automatically assume they’re just like us. That’s not always the case.

Some Bloggers want fans and that’s fine and dandy. However, I’m not the fan type. I don’t have a favorite singer, actor and/or color. I do have a favorite purse . I’m sure many of us are at different stages of our blogging journey and have diverse opinions about blog commenting. How do you feel about this subject? Were you ever at the place of wanting to give up your blog or discouraged due to the lack of interaction on your blog? If so, what did you do about it and how do you feel about it now?