Tag Archives: twitter

Is your blog bloggalicious?

Posted on February 21, 2012 | 26 Comments
The wind longs to blow in your hair.

If someone is meant to be in your life, they will make sure they are. It is really that simple.

I saw a friend the other day. She asked me how I was. As a joke I said,

Haven’t you read my status update? Ba du dum.

We know we are in trouble when every real conversation we have ends with I’ll send you a link.

Are bloggers the new journalists?

Now that I’m a blogger, I approach life a little bit differently. When I go out and about I notice more details. I started to talk to people and I’ve started to listen to them as well. I’m thinking I’m just basically scouting for stories so I don’t run out of things to write about.

Lord knows it’s hard to get me to be quiet so I don’t know why I would run out of ideas. The point is it’s time for me to zip the gab smacker known as my mouth and start listening.

I’m learning this from a blogger friend of mine. The way it works is this. You offer your story and then you ask to hear their story. So, letting caution to the wind, I say, hey, why not? I’ll give it a shot.

Is your blog bloggalicious? Is your life life—alicous? Is your booty bootilicous?

Do you start every real conversation lately with I read your blog post or I saw your video on line?

Here’s a good one. When someone says they read your blog, do you sort of smile inwardly and think yeah, but did you leave a comment?

What do you think? People are reacting to me as if I were a writer. Now because I’m publishing a blog all of the sudden I’m a writer?

I’ll whip out some stories in the garage that I’ve kept for the last twenty years if you want to know that every day I’m a writer. The difference is that I’m now ready to share.

Did she just write what I think she just wrote?

Where’d I put the darn answer?

Joy. us.

Let your heart sing. Smile with your eyes.

I’m thinking Oscar buzz peeps.

I’m thinking Oprah’s on the phone spectacular.

I’m thinking out of control spectacular.

Did any of this make sense? Beuller? Beuller? Am I writing to myself again? Where’s my editor? Where’s my teacher? Anyone checking this for factual information?

Can I let this go? Will I let this go? When? Now. .•*¨`*•♫

Can I let this go? Will I let this go? When? Now. .•*¨`*•♫

If any of you are returning visitors here to my site I’ve been working hard updating it. If you are new here, well then *welcome*.

I’ve learnt a ton doing this blog about peer to peer marketing and overcoming fears. It’s actually increased my confidence as a writer. What do you think? Leave me a comment.

My friends have texted me that they find my blog and what I’m doing over here inspiring. If I had a dollar for every time.. ha ha ha.  That’s a good one.

I keep thinking about my blogger friend in Singapore who told me in a comment she thinks I’m technically gifted. It just makes me laugh.

I don’t know what happens but sometimes I am blogging and I get in a total programming zone where I have to get from point A to Z and until it’s there I don’t stop.

I’m super satisfied that I linked to five awesome charities in my right column. The one I hold dearest to me is for my high school friend Kelli, Living in Grace. I also made myself laugh in my Services tab up above. You’ll like it if you click on it. Want a link? ;)


As always hope this post finds you lovely, lucky and in love.

Julie

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Posted in happiness, Inspiration, Italy, journal, writing

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I don’t know about you but I don’t take criticism too well. ✿◕ ‿ ◕✿

Posted on February 15, 2012 | 34 Comments
Clear your heart. Let it go.

Clear your heart. Let it go.

Hi mom!

People who read this—God bless you—know that I had to overcome a lot of fears to set up this blog. Would you like to know why?

Love God. Love others. Love yourself.

Because writing for the public is similar to public speaking. You talk to people and they can smile, judge, laugh, agree or disagree. Sometimes they throw tomatoes right at the computer screen. I don’t suggest it.

Believe in yourself. I do.

Believe in yourself. I do, believe in you.

I like to to emphasize is a learning by doing aspect. For example, if any of you have ever travelled, I bet that what you saw first hand is different than what you read in books. It’s like a thousand reflections in a mirror. Until you go and experience something first hand, they are all just stories on a page.

Writing a blog is an ongoing learning experience. Please don’t think I know what I’m doing. I’m rather new to this @$#% blgng bznss.

almost late summer colors! Cheer up lovely Julie. You are smart, talented, beautiful and have an awesome family. You are more blessed then MANY so stop sulking and snap out of it...ha! xoxo

Beautiful happy, bright, Spring. My vase is over flowing. :)

When I put up my art work last week, it was the exact same feeling. Sure, some people have no problems writing and talking and showing off their work. I do. I have enormous insecurity problems.That is EXACTLY why I feel like this blog is growing steadily. It’s because I’m so darn afraid of failing, I putting every ounce of myself into making succeed.

I am willing to take a risk and show you my work. Put DOWN that tomato. If you want to succeed in today’s market, I believe you must be willing to talk about your work.

Newbie blogger tip ~ See how you can read words when you roll over my pictures? In your html code after the word title, change the text to what you see between the quotes. It’s really cool. Don’t forget that all of your pictures click through to links YOU choose, so you should do that too. {back to reading}

I don’t see what is wrong with it. Like I told my blogger friend, it’s fat free. Unless, of course, you are eating a lot of food while writing.

I also love reading and studying and learning from other people. That’s why I spend a lot of time on other people’s blogs to see how they approach the same question as mine.

How do you, as a blogger or website owner, reach an audience, connect with them, share information, and grow as an individual?

Give and ye shall receive. No, it’s ask and ye shall receive, isn’t it?

I’m willing to try. I’m willing to learn. In the meantime, I hope this post finds you happy, lovely, lucky and in love.

♥ Your encouragement is what pushes me forward. Leave your comments below where it says *comments*.

God bless.

Julie

She’s got gumption up the wazoo!

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Posted in happiness, Italy, learning, relationships, travel

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9 killer blog buzz words that add extra value to your writing. It’s chill.

Posted on February 11, 2012 | 16 Comments

I remember one day sitting at a trade show booth in Las Vegas with my awesomely successful and lovely sister. Clients would come up to us and ask if we had any number of objects from Velco to copies, to faxes to signs.

We’d look at each other with a knowing smile, pretend to bend down and change hats.

One hat said Designer, one said Electrician, on said Copy Girl. Today my hat says Blog Writer.

i shall be calm in this moment. ♡

i shall be calm in this moment. ♡

I think that flexibility in skills in today’s marketplace is absolutely key to being successful.

If you are wondering what any of that story has to do with the nine blogging buzz words is that I think using cool words can add value to whatever you are writing.

That is why I’m giving you nine FREE words that you can use with certainty to spice up your blog titles or just have some fun. Can you think of any?

By the way, the above example is ONLY a story. We didn’t actually change our hats.

Here are 9 rockstar blog words for dummies smart people.

1) Barbra Streisand She’s amazing. She’s everywhere. If you don’t quite get it, neither do I. I am almost sure it’s just playing around. I love people just like to say it. If you know why they do, please tell me. :)

2) Life Hacks I’ve noticed a lot of the seriously smart blogging blogs are using Life Hacks in a positive way. Life Hacks offer simple solutions to every day problems.

3) Wicked As old as this seems I’m still coming across Wicked in in well written headlines. It’s still works. At least on East Coast it was big when I was a wee tot. On the west coast we used a little bit more surf slang. You tell me, do people still use this? I try to use words that I say. I’d never say killer buzz words. It sure looks good in a title though, doesn’t it?

So I heard you been jammin’ down some gnarly tunes on your guitar?

That is just so wrong on so many levels. This gem was offered up last summer at a barbeque.

Be a free thinker.

4) Zen Whether it’s Zen Motorcycles or Zen Journey or Zen Habits people love anything that will make their lives more zen like. It’s an art. It conjurs up images of peace. Oaahhhhhmmmmmmm.

5) Simplicity I like any website that promises a simpler better life. I remember reading one day less is more. Or was it every day one thing less? My goal in my life is to get everything put away before I die. One thing less. Simple Life, Simple Pleasures, Simple simpleness. Simplify your life. It’s simple.

6) Social Media I don’t truly love this term. I bought a book at a garage sale in Pacific Palisades, California from a nice lady. I wanted to keep in touch with her so I asked her if she was on facebook. She said, no I don’t like social media. It was the first time I heard the word. Now it seems to be everywhere and growing. I still can’t use it in a sentence though.

Take the road less travelled.

7) Non Conformity If we are living parallel lives as avatars in another planet, I think we’d all be driving Prius’s and living in solar powered houses. The idea of non conformity offers you the possibility of changing your life for the better by choosing to do what you love.

Be a non conformist. Be a free thinker. Turn off the news. Get informed. Read. Stay informed. Make up your own mind.

~8)  Trending It seems like people say Trending and then whatever new thing is out. I don’t know because I’m not trending anything!

*9) Boomz Thanks to one of my super cool blog writer friends like Tiny Island who shares with us some Singaporean coolness from their beauty girl Ris Low. I love they they just have fun and play with language. I used to do this when I was a little girl. I wonder why I no longer do. That’s just Boomz {hands out}.

It’s time for reader input ~ what are your thoughts?

What do you think? I think these words are on their way out: Dude, Alternative, Rad, Stoked, Factoid, Gnarly, Social Media and SEO. Those are lame in my opinion.

I think these words are up and coming: Blog, Boomz, Fluffy, My Bad, Hiney, Smile and Nod, Shiny, happiness, writing and Talk to the Hand.

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Posted in happiness, Inspiration, lists, writing

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46 Ways to be a Better Person.

Posted on February 8, 2012 | 48 Comments
It almost always seems impossible until it's done. ♡

It almost always seems impossible until it's done.x♡o

Thank you for stopping by my blog. Here’s a quick list that will get your started on having a nicer day now. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

1. Take a deep breath now, hold it as long as you can. count to 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, release, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ~ and now another.

2. OK, two more deep breaths. Relax.

3. Concentrate on this word <<oooaahhhhmmm>> and close your eyes and take another two deep breaths, in through your nose out through your mouth.

4. Meditate. Concentrate on your third eye and just be peaceful. You can stop reading this! It’s okay!

5. Slow down. Try moving slowly.

6. Start each day as Gandhi did: Be the change you want to see.

7. Look for ways to help people.

8. Treat yourself great.

9. Be your own friend.

10. Go to the mirror and make funny faces.

11. Make yourself and/or a friend a nice cup of tea or coffee.

12. Take a long walk without music or distractions.

13. Clean. Go left to right, it works.

14. Be young in your heart.

15. Hug a tree.

16. Jump on one leg. Now the other. Do this in your mind’s eye. Or for real.

17. Spin like a child with your eyes closed. Do this in your mind’s eye. Or for real.

18. Hug someone. Even yourself.

19. Next time you see someone on facebook that’s down, get involved. Try sending links, messages.  Or, how about a phone call?

20. Believe in miracles. :) I do.

21. Be inspirational.

6 Simple Rules to live by: Be happy, be nice, be a leader, be organized, be a lifelong learner and be healthy. Listen to the next sound you hear.

23. Push yourself to be a little bit better.

24. Count to ten before reacting. {or better yet, just let it slide.}

25. Pet an animal.

26. Turn off the tv.

27. Sell something on ebay.

28. Give something away to charity.

29. Treat yourself to a day spa.

30. Take a nice long relaxing bath or shower.

31. Bake.

32. Organize your files.

33. Make a list of three things you don’t want to do and then do them.

34. Eat well. How’s a salad sound for your next meal? A big one!

35. Exercise.

36. Take a risk with love.

37. Write a message on someone’s facebook wall saying thank you for being there.

38. Enjoy this moment.

39. You can reprogram your mind to believe anything you want it to.

40. Shine the light that God has given you.

40. Shine On!

40. Shine the light that God has given you.

41. Tell someone you love them.

42. No matter what your age, dream ~ even big if you’d like.

43. Remember a moment when you were blissful. Hold on to it.

44. Accept yourself for exactly who you are.

45. Send a REAL letter in the mail.

46. Give yourself a little break.

Thanks for reading and have a great day. I believe in you. I do.

In the comment section, I’d like to know what you can hear, smell and feel in this exact moment. What is around you? I can hear  boys playing, the washing machine spinning and a distant car passing.

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Posted in happiness, Inspiration, journal, learning, lists, motivation

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My Amazing Students Success Stories also known as #MASSS presents Elena Tommesani | Sculpture Artist

Posted on February 1, 2012 | 2 Comments
Anna Maria and Elena
Anna Maria and Elena

I’m sitting down next to my student Elena reading through her résumé when two little words catch my eye: Sculpture Artist.

If you guys didn’t know, my mom is a sculpture artist and has her work shown in a museum in Los Angeles, AMOCA.

I ask Elena, Do you make sculptures? Can I see a picture?

She tells me sure. Then, she hits a few keystrokes and I’m looking at the picture I’m sharing with you here.

Tape Person on the Bus by Elena Tommesani

Tape Person on the Bus by Elena Tommesani

I told her about my mom and my blog and I asked her if it was okay to do an article on her. She was happy to share her work with me and granted an exclusive interview.

I thought, gosh, this girl is so creative.

She later emailed me higher quality pictures. So here you are. Here’s our interview.

Meet Elena Tommesani | Sculpture Artist.

Elena has recently graduated Accademia delle Belle Arte in Bologna.  She started making sculptures together with a friend when she enrolled at University five years ago here in Bologna.

Her idea to make people out of scotch tape came after she and her friend made a recording of the actual sound tape makes when ripping it.

They asked themselves what it would be like to make a person out of tape and so the idea was formed.

After completing her thesis, she walked through town with her friends and her life size people and took some pictures in various settings — a fountain, a bus, laying down. She told me people would ask her if they could take pictures. I could only imagine!

Two Tape People on a Swingset by E. Tommesani

Two Tape People on a swings by E. Tommesani

What inspires you? I’ve always liked drawing ever since I was a young kid.

Why tape? My friend and I started and we were fascinated by the sounds tape makes when you pull it off. We even made an audio recording.

We were so impressed, we asked ourselves if we could take it a step further. We then decided to make the tape into a person with muscles. The structure was formed including the person with all of its defects.

Tape person lying down.

Tape person lying down. Perhaps this is Ophelia?

So it’s a collaboration? Yes, I made some of these together with my good friend Anna Maria Muscaridola.

How many have sculptures have you made? About 15.

Where are they?  Some are stored in my basement and a couple of them are at my father’s store.

Have you sold any? Yes. We have.

Are they hard or soft? Hard but you can also move them. I’d say they are structured.

Tape Person Swimming by Elena Tommesani

Tape Person Swimming by Elena Tommesani

I saw there was one in the water. Don’t they ruin? Only the foot is submerged in the water.

After the picture, we hung the tape person out to dry without any problems.

Is your friend the one in your facebook page? Yes.We have been friends since the first year of University. We are so different but we enjoy working together.

Now she is attending the Erasmus program in Barcelona. When she comes back, we look forward to working again together.

What are you working on? For now, we are just taking a break. We are celebrating the fact that we have received our degrees!

Do you name your sculptures? Yes. Actually. I’ve called one of them Ophelia. Here Elena tells me a funny story about Shakespeare’s Ophelia who dies yet, luckily, her Ophelia lives.

Talk to me about color. You wrote that color is very important to you. Yes. Only the last sculpture is about color. In my thesis I wanted to represent how color effects man in everything, not only aesthetically. For example, yellow can mean joy.

Other sculptures are based on transparency so you can see inside.

Breaking Through.

Breaking Through.

What I find interesting is that you talk about color but your work is transparent. Why is that? I don’t know why but all of my work has always been transparent.
Here we both smile because of how funny that seems, the contradiction of it all.

Maybe you have seen my man who was laying down lit by blue light? He is peaceful, she tells me.

Calming Blue Light

Calming Blue Light

My favorite is the one on the bus. Yes. Thank you. He’s thinking.

What was your response to the attention? My face went read and I was blushing.

Why did you bring him around with you? He’s not static. He’s travels.

I say goodbye telling her I think she has incredible talent and I that she will have enormous success as a sculpture artist.

She thanks me and I say goodbye to a very sweet, charming talented artist whose hair matches her eyes. She blushes and says,

Thank you. I’m happy.

If you would like more information on Elena’s sculptures, to see what she has available for sale or to commission a sculpture, please write e.tommesani@gmail.com

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Updating My Status #blog #blogging @jbuliesblog

Posted on January 25, 2012 | 2 Comments

Hi friends. How are you?

Nice to see you.

I’ve been working hard and hardly working. Ha ha!

Such a beautiful building. The Istituto Salesiani a Bologna

Such a beautiful building. The Istituto Salesiani | Bologna

Basically, I have been taking care of myself best I know how. I’ve gotten back to work as a teacher and lecturer. I miss my school kids from last year although I’m happy to see them on facebook.

I’ve been teaching a super cool Adult Educational Graphics Course at the Salesiano School in Bologna and it’s going well. We are working on CVs and Resumes and a newsletter.

It’s been challenging and I keep pushing my students to their best, suggesting new ways of doing things. I’m really working hard on pushing the third dimension trying to get their designs to pop off the page. I like shades. That is shadows.

Little League Baseball treat when we were growing up.

Little League Baseball treat when we were growing up. Go Mike!

As we near towards the end of the course, I think of all the things I wish I could have taught them. We are really down to the wire. I’ve given them deadlines. What we did was first write a CV following European Educational Community Guidelines then I asked the students to find a cool graphics platform and tweak it into their own style.

Hope I’m making sense here.

One of the students found a site online that had some super cool resumes. BTW we call Résumés CVs in Europe. They also write Stage instead of Internship and it drives me mad. I also find that they were writing Mother Tongue Italian instead of Native Language is Italian.

I think we got some good results though and when I see them I am going to ask their permission to link them here to my blog so you guys can see them too.

I think this student did an exceptional job at coordinating her cover letter and resume in a professional way. It really shows off her talents.

I think this student did an excellent job at coordinating her cover letter and résumé in a professional way. It really shows off her talents.

What really surprised me as I got to know this class better was their hidden talents while reading their resumes. I discovered that one of my talented graphic design students has been featured twice in the Resto del Carlino, one of Italy’s national newspapers, for designs she has done.

Another girl made an amazing sculpture of a guy sitting on a train made completely out of scotch tape!

She showed me a picture. I was shocked that she didn’t have a website or publisher. I’m going to get the picture and share it for her here so you guys can see it too.

As far as my personal life goes, I’ve been working on a Little League Baseball Website for my sons in Italian and its store too.  It’s challenging to figure out statistics, times, classifications, and stats and all.

Luckily I grew up watching my brother play with my mom in the score box and a microphone shouting, Go Mike! I remember most of all growing up on the little league field that was once an onion field and now a McDonalds, that we always had the best snacks, like Red Licorice and Abba Zabbas.

I’m super sad that I wont be able to make it to my high school reunion as the cost of the tickets for my family is exhorbatant from Italy to California. It’s a shame.

On a good note, I have a great vacation planned here. I cannot fathom complaining about vacationing in Italy.

ha ha.

For my loyal blog readers who have followed my regardless of if I post or not, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Blogging continues to be a muse to me as well as you do too.

Thank you for following and have a nice day.

Julie

I loved words. I love to sing them and speak them and even now, I must admit, I have fallen into the joy of writing them.— Anne Rice

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13 things I wish I knew before I started a blog.

Posted on January 14, 2012 | 19 Comments

1. That I would be so visible in all of the world wherever there is internet. For some reason I thought I was still speaking to my immediate friends.

Have a blessed day.

Have a blessed day.

2. That people could laugh at me if they wanted. Sometimes they do but I mostly get compliments, thank goodness.

3. That everyone uses their blogs however they want in different ways to represent their own style. Some blogs have comments, some have books, some have lists, some have videos. Each person can make their blog completely personalized.

4. That the blogger community is extremely supportive. If you need help with anything there are endless forums to help you answer your questions. Or, you can post a new one. I did and got tons of quick answers.

5. That words are important. And can save lives. Take for example:

Let’s eat Grandma! versus Let’s eat, Grandma!

Believe it or not, a lot of people find my blog by typing those words into google.

6. That some people make money with their blogs,

Smile. You're beautiful.

7. That it takes more time and dedication that I thought. But like most projects the more you put into it the more you get out of it.

8. That I ♥ blogging.

9. That 97 percent of people want to write a book.

10. What’s a widget. I thought a widget was that wooden triangle piece you slip under a door to hold it open. Boy was a surprised. I have since discovered that widgets are the spice of life. You can see all my widgets on my right column. They are things like being able to see your categories, most popular posts and facebook links.

Bike today. Yes please.

11. What’s a theme? Believe it or not, you get FREE themes. Themes are the overall looks of your site and you can choose whichever one suits you, just like a jacket.

You can even change as often as you want. I like mine for now but you never know. People love new looks. And it’s free.

12. That blogging would bring me increased confidence just like overcoming a fear.

14. That you would be reading this.

and just for fun, I’ll add another one. What would you add? What’s your number 14?

14. I wish I knew what social media was and how incredibly far reaching it is. I had seriously only heard the term social media at a garage sale buying a book.  Things you should look into are twitter, facebook and now pinterest.

I’m seriously in awe of the amount of times I see people in real life who have read my latest posts.

What about you? What are your favorite widgets? Why do you blog? Why don’t you blog? What are your favorite blogs and why?

As always, thanks for visiting and commenting. Nice to see you.

  1. Write down my goal in very specific terms.
  2. Practise visualisations daily.
  3. Stay positive and have an attitude of gratitude.
  4. Tell people about my goal repeatedly and publicly.
  5. Act as if I had already achieved it.
  6. Take massive action to make it happen.

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How to increase blog traffic – 10 tips and tricks from jbulie’s blog.

Posted on January 12, 2012 | 27 Comments
ㄥ❀∨モ

ㄥ❀∨モ these great gift ideas.

If you want your blog or website to succeed, just love doing it. Easy.

I’m sharing with you what I’ve been doing over here to attract visitors and increase blog traffic.

Don’t believe the guys who say they get a million visitors a day. They are like kids in a candy shop, typing in numbers. Learn from doing first hand, and ask a blogger friend.

Here are the steps you can take to make your site grow.

1. Get to know your readers. Share.

Spend a lot of time looking at your stats feature and try to understand where your readers are coming from. A lot of my readers have become friends because I hound them on facebook. Thanks guys. A lot are new, welcome. I’ve also found having a stats counter installed helps.

I’ve learned that they come from all over the world and different backgrounds and ages.

2. Participate in comments and conversations.

One of the best ways of inviting visitors to your site participate in conversations in the comment sections of blogs you like reading. Ever since I started my blog, I’ve learned a great deal in the comments section of articles.

3. Write good content.

Wishing you flowers today.

Wishing you flowers today.

My highest ranked day was when I wrote a piece about motivation. You can read it by clicking here.

4. Write from the heart.

Talk as if you were speaking to a few good friends. Write about what you care about people are going to be supportive.

5. Make it a goal.

I have also made it a goal of mine to have a lot of visitors so in my free time, I look read as many articles I can on the subject.

6. Use your real voice.

When I write, I like to picture I’m either standing infront of my peers and explaining things simply. Or, I try to imagine I’m writing my sister or mom and telling them how simple it is to make a blog grow.

7. Enjoy

You guys might have noticed how much I love to play around with my readers. I don’t think anything is more boring then being serious. I don’t take myself so seriously. In fact, I like to find aspects of life that are a little bit off, and hone in on them.

8. Add extra value, go the extra mile.

The more you give, the more you receive. It’s so easy to get great feedback ~ just give of yourself.

You are one person writing, right? Well, there are lots of people reading so the ratio is just immense. Give of yourself and you get back so much from some many people.

9. Be inspiring

You can be inspiring, funny wonderful, full of life. If you don’t believe in yourself, well then I do! You can do it.

We all have the ability to push ourselves to learn and make our lives better. You can do it. I believe in you.

10. Pay it forward.

Without my visitors, I’d just be here talking to my cat. She’s a good listener, however. To pay it forward it’s super simple. Just hit the tweet button if you have twitter, or share on facebook by clicking the link below.

Thanks for visiting. I appreciate your comments.

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Posted in happiness, motivation, lists, writing, learning, Inspiration

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Twitter Facebook Faceoff ► Which one do you prefer? #ff @jbuliesblog

Posted on December 30, 2011 | 15 Comments 
Hello!

I’m thinking about my friends clicking in here from all over the world. How awesome is the world wide web?

Today I’m talking about twitter and how hard it is to understand as least for someone like me.

Please tweet or pin. Thanks!

Please tweet or pin. Thanks!

I’ve had some great great comments in my facebook. Facebook rules by the way ~ twitter, well, it’s new all new to me. ~ Go facebook, go!

I got comments about how to use twitter since it’s such an enigma for me. David Letterman figured it out by getting a laptop and one of his techies to turn on his twitter page so he can update it during the show.

If David Letterman can do use twitter, certainly I can do it too, right?

Are you like me? Curious about new technology?

Keep a journal. Really. It's lovely.

Keep a journal. Really. It's lovely.

First step. I tried to google twitter tips. You know what you get? More questionable information.

Here are jbulie’s blogs, that’s me, @jbuliesblog. Please follow me on twitter.

Top ten reasons why I prefer facebook to twitter.

1) Because I can’t figure twitter out.

2) Because one of my favorite artists, Nev, has about 22,000 twitter followers, so obviously, he rules.

3) I added a ‘twitter’ expert to my friends list and tried to follow his instructions. He’s on my facebook account, check him out, 21 year old millionaire. Really. ;)

4) Need to fork out cash to automatically to add friends.

5) Nearly all articles I have read about twitter say how people don’t like twitter.

6) Celebrities are thriving on twitter. I love celebrities. I’m following them all. I can’t figure out twitter. I’m not a celebrity. Let’s do the math A + B = C No twitter followers over here, yet!

Yes. Please.

Inspired choices. Yes. Please.

7) Writer fell asleep. No number seven. Shout out to Apple and the ipad.

*8) The boy genius expert advised me to use his software to add all followers of a famous person, well, there is no add all followers button. I can’t even believe I spent time looking for it. Can I have my two minutes back?

9) Someone out there knows how it works. Now I am back to square one. I know my friends on facebook say leave it alone, but I cannot deny it is a big presence in social media.

I’m no social media expert, and in fact, I’m going back to being a mom and wife. It’s much more satisfying. Lots of hugs and kisses, and unexpected words.

Your turn. Going the extra mile here kids.

11) What is your take? Do you like twitter? Do you use twitter? Is it basically another social media network? Is it a cell phone application? The people who are bloggers with lots of twitter followers, do you think they did it by using automatic applications that tweet for them?

As always, thanks for following. I ♥ my readers. You guys are awesome. Hope your day is beautiful and filled with love.

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Posted in happiness, Italy, learning, motivation, teaching, writing

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On why I stopped writing.

Posted on November 29, 2011 | 2 Comments

I was reading through my archives this morning and getting a bit nostalgic. I was looking over the people who I have met through blogging and how blogging has changed my life.

I was thinking how thankful I made that decision to blog a couple of years ago. I mean, through my blog not only did I get a little creative outlet, I set up my little shop. I’m not sure how it is going to go. Sometimes, I feel as if it is a little self defeating. Other days I feel like it’s going great.

I don’t know where this post is going to go. That’s okay. I’m going with it. I’m going to let the thoughts just flow here now and I’m in the mood to share. I have so many thoughts. Is it possible I can just stop them? Organize them? Make sense of them?

Write them?

I’m trying. I’m trying to make sense of the world we live in. The world the includes social media. I am trying to understand how the 500+ people who I have on my fb friends’ list have entered into my life, if I know them at all.

Of course, some of them yes. But when I started sharing on facebook it was really just to show my sister and mom who live half way around the world, pictures.

Then I had problems with privacy. I don’t mind sharing photos sometimes but not all of the time. The ones that are up are up. But, lately, I just don’t know.

It’s all about being public. And private.

Maybe that’s why I sometimes just recycle old posts or put favorite posts on my front page. I just take an old post that’s good and change the date. That’s fair, right? It is my blog after all, right? Can I just write on one date and publish it on another date? Is that lying if the post says one date and I wrote it on another? Like my about page says, my goal in life is to be honest.

Not always easy. Good goal though.

Prayed last night with my family about my work situation.

It’s dramatic and depressing. I lost my job in May and I’m not at all okay with that. All of my posts, all of my life has been dedicated toward teaching. Yes, I found a small teaching job at four hours per week, but that’s not enough to live on, to get by on and frankly my savings is dwindling.

Crying. Laughing. Such an emotional git I am. So darn human and vulnerable.

I look at my pretty paintings and they cheer me up and they tell me a story. I think of your comments that just play in my head over and over much like a song you can’t get out of your head. I think about the girl who says look at her, look at her, she’s got it, the art, the house, the husband the kids.

I try to live in a state of blessings a state of grace.

I try.

I’m no where near there. I call on my parents. I call on my family. I call on my best friend. I call but no one seems to have the answers for me. Only me of course. And God.

What makes me happy is my children. I wish and I’m saying it here loud and clear, I wish someone told me that motherhood would be what it is! They try, don’t they? What it means to make Christmas happen. What it means to add the sunshine into the day, to be a a guide when you don’t know how, to give of yourself completely to try to find words for something you cannot possibly explain with words, but only with glances.

My readership.

My readership has grown and changed and slowly evolved into something I can’t understand or make heads or tails of. It’s a strange thing, it is. There are the people who I started blogging with who have stopped reading and stopped commenting and stopped blogging. Then there are the lovely ones who I’ve met along the way who have entered into my heart.

Then there are the people who I care most about who send me love and encouragement. Then there are lately the non commentors who quite frankly just I don’t know how to say it, I don’t want to say freak me out, I just want to say, I wish they would just say hello. Maybe they are shy. Maybe they are just reading. Maybe they are just observing. Who knows.

Maybe that’s why I stopped writing. Because I see person after person stop in read what I say and then move on. Why? Why read? Why even visit?

I know, I like to read and visit too. I’ll give you a concrete example. One of my favorite bloggers, actually two of them, don’t have facebook accounts. When they write a post, it’s not unusual for them to receive up to ten comments on the same day.

I’m not saying I’m comment deprived, I’m just saying, I don’t post regularly, I have way too many friends on facebook, and I can’t make sense of this social networking, so I’m not writing. Just recycling.

Does it really matter if someone comments here or on facebook?

That should keep away any visitors, huh? Also, like I’ve said before, I cannot stand email. I just don’t like it. So now that people get my posts by email, it really bothers me. It’s as if I’m writing straight to you. I’m not trying to do that! I’m just trying to get my thoughts on my journal and make them public. I didn’t mean to send you an email. I know you opted for it, but it’s just not my thing. I delete upwards of 30 emails a day. I can’t stand it!

So there you have it. My view on why I stopped writing. At least for now. You never know though. People are strange. They can change their minds at a whim.

On a happy note, my shops are doing well. I appreciate that. You are welcome to visit my stores and see my art work here and here.

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Posted in journal

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