A Freelance Web Designer’s Blog

It’s the third time that I noticed my website is down and I’m sure this is not the third time it’s been down. So I went to Google and see if I could find something that would allow me to track a website uptime.

This is what I found – Hosttracker.com. The service is free, once you signed up it can track your website as often as every 10 minutes, and if you want more.. you can also get a monthly report by email!

http://host-tracker.com/

Link

Designing a blog is easy. Whatever engine you are using and whatever style you prefer, you’ll always find a number of templates you can apply to your weblog in seconds. No styling is necessary, no playing with colors is needed and no mind jogging about content presentation is required. However, not every weblog should look like a typical blog. After all, not every blogger wants his or her site to look exactly like hundreds of other ones. In fact, there is a small bunch of creative, outstanding and individually designed from scratch blogs. Read more

Today I bought a huge collection of ebooks, PLR articles, scripts, adsense sites and more. There are over 100,000 items in total, most of the materials are 2-4 years old but the information can be still be used today… I hope! And the cost for all that? – £2, now that’s truly a bargain.

So am I going to go through all those materials? Of course not, I bought them mainly because 99.9% of those items have resale rights or no copyrights at all, which means I can use them to crank up the Google ranking of my upcoming (money-making) site, or I could use them to build a list. This “little” investment will save me hours of work, and not to mention that they can be reused over and over again!

Click here for screenshot

I got so much ideas from looking at other people’s blog, it’s another channel of getting all kind of inspirations

http://www.blogcatalog.com/

The reason that most people prefer having a 9 till 5 job is because of the “steady and secure income”, they don’t like taking risk; that’s human nature, we always seek for security and ease, we want to do things the easy/common way,why? because it’s “comfortable”.

There’s nothing wrong with getting a 9 till 5 job, but don’t do it just for the money, do it for the knowledge that you would gain from it or do it for certain benefits you want get after, that way the time you invested on this job will be worth much more than the x amount per hour.

One thing I discovered is that most people “thinks” getting a job is the ONLY way to make money. It might be the most common way but certainly not the only way, nor it’s the best way to make money. We got this mis-believe from people around us – school teachers, parents, friends.. etc We’ve always been taught that way, ever since we stepped into the place called school – work hard, get good education so you can get a good job when you older. I used to think like that myself because no one, I mean not one person (from what I can remember) has told me another way of playing this game called life. I’m not going to get into new “blueprint” I discovered because I will have another post just on that.

I have some bad news for the people who thinks a 9 till 5 job is more secure than business owners: –

• Risk 1 – You would lose your job if the company is not making enough money to cover your wages
• Risk 2 – You could lose your job if the boss can find someone else that can do a better job than you.
• Risk 3 – You would most likely lose your job if you made a tiny mistake that resulted a huge lost in profit
• Risk 4 – You could lose your job if your boss sold the company to someone else and that person has different way of doing things. (depending on how adaptive you are)
• Risk 5 – Your circumstances, the condition of your health and other unexpected events can easily result losing your job.

I’m sure there’s more but you get the idea (if you think of one please let me know). I think the REAL disadvantage of doing the 9 till 5 job, for me at least, is the fact that you’re “limited” by the hours you can work in a day, and also your growth is (and will always be) depending on the company you work for. The sad thing is that you, as a employee, will have no control over these two things, which means the quality of your life, your family and your next generation are on the hands of someone else. Ok.. maybe I’ve exaggerated a bit, hope I’ve made my point here. The truth is that knowing I’m in control of my life is important to me, because that way even I failed I have no one else to blame but me. =]

Specialized Online Business Resource: A Better Alternative to Search Engines

(ARA) – As a small business consultant, Terrie Wheeler, president of Professional Services Marketing Inc., of St. Paul, Minn., is always looking for new ways to explain and clarify the concepts her clients need to understand in order to be successful.

“We provide outsourced marketing planning and implementation to clients in the service industry,” she explains, “and while our clients are very good at what they do, they don’t always have the best of plans when it comes to running their businesses.” Among the concepts her company helps them understand, business and strategic planning, marketing and the importance of financial analysis as it relates to generating new business.

Wheeler, like many of her clients, used to rely on Web sites like Yahoo! and Google to locate business information, but a query would often bring back thousands or even millions of results. “Who has time to go through all of them to find what they need?” she asks. “Even if you find something that seems useful, how do you know it’s credible?”

Like no other time in history, accurate, timely and credible information is the key to making sound business decisions and ultimately achieving business success. That’s why smart business people are turning to specialized online resources like the nonprofit James J. Hill Reference Library, a trusted source of practical business information. The organization recently premiered BizToolkit (www.biztoolkit.org) and the Biz Info Library (www.bizinfolibrary.org). Both programs organize the business Internet and provide access to information, some of which is not available via search engines. Best of all, both programs are free.

They provide instant access to tools and resources for planning, marketing, managing and growing a business. Need a business plan? Download one from the Planning Your Business section. Looking for forms and templates? You’ll find them in the Managing Your Business section.

“As a small business owner, you’re expected to be an expert on everything from your product or service to human resources, marketing and finance,” says Harvey Mackay, a New York Times number one best selling business author, world-famous speaker and Biz Info Library content contributor. “The Biz Info Library and BizToolkit are the go-to resources for practical solutions and applicable strategies for individuals and organizations seeking to be winners in an ever-changing, always competitive marketplace.”

BizToolkit has thousands of great resources, all neatly organized and easy to find. And the Hill Library continually adds new resources, such as the Virtual Advisory Board where participants can ask business questions of and receive answers from business owners and experts from across the nation and around the world.

Those wanting an even higher level of business information service can become a BizToolkit Pro member at www.biztoolkit.org/pro. Members gain access to premium information resources, including additional downloadable plans, educational Podcasts and more.

When a Pro member needs help locating information, they just click the “Live Help” button and enter into an instant message chat session with a Hill information specialist. “I use this feature a lot,” says Wheeler. “It’s wonderful to have access to a highly experienced research librarian who can help you find exactly what you need.”

The specialist “takes hold” of the member’s browser and shows how to search and navigate the wealth of resources available in BizToolkit. An e-mail transcript of the interaction, with links to sites visited, is then sent to the member.

Also included in BizToolkit Pro is BizRewards, which allows members to receive discounts on popular small business products and services. Members even receive free one-year complimentary subscriptions to both “Inc.” and “Fast Company” magazines.

A collaborative effort of the Hill Library, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and the Edward Lowe Foundation, — three of the nation’s top organizations devoted to small business success — the Biz Info Library eliminates frustrating online searches that produce thousands and sometimes millions of results. Users can quickly find relevant information by using a keyword search, an advanced search, or by browsing all articles in a particular category and subcategory.

book: Instant Startup Guide, A Supplement to Entrepreneur Magazine

Description: What’s the Big Idea? Getting an idea for your business: It’s not as hard as you think.

MANY PEOPLE think it’s “oh so mysterious” to start a business. As the editorial director of Entrepreneur magazine, I often hear “I can’t do it” or “I have no idea what to do.” Nonsense!

Most people are overwhelmed by the belief they have to start from scratch. They think “What can I do that no one has ever done before?” In other words, they think they have to reinvent the wheel.

But unless you are a technological genius, trying to reinvent the wheel is a big waste of time. If you are another Bill Gates or Steve Jobs, then this is the way to go. But for most people starting a business, they simply need to answer the question: “How can I do something better?” or “How can I do it differently from the other guy doing it over there?”

Links: Download | Official Website

At your job, you are always looking for ways to perform better and more efficiently while you work. But did you know there are some people who may not be performing at their best because they are mildly dehydrated? For these people to avoid dehydration it can be as simple as knowing their proper hydration level and paying attention to their thirst.

The scientific evidence between cognitive performance and dehydration, although limited, is strong, and continues to grow. A recent survey conducted by GfK Roper on behalf of The Coca-Cola Company, indicated that employed Americans are informed about the merits of staying hydrated, yet many are not putting this knowledge into practice.

About three in four, or 73 percent of those surveyed, said that drinking sufficient fluids throughout the day to maintain proper hydration is essential to being able to concentrate during the day — as many as who said getting a good night’s sleep is essential. Yet surprisingly, 31 percent of those surveyed, especially those who work outdoors, also admitted to deliberately drinking less than they would like while at work to avoid having to take bathroom breaks, therefore overriding thirst signals.

“In a world where many people are consistently trying to juggle a hectic work schedule, people may sometimes override thirst signals and, thus, become mildly dehydrated, which can affect a person’s ability to perform at his or her best,” says Maxime Buyckx, M.D, director of nutrition and health sciences for The Coca-Cola Beverage Institute for Health and Wellness.

Dr. Buyckx notes that such common things as feeling fatigued, lack of focus or concentration, headaches, sleepiness and infrequent bathroom breaks could be signs of mild dehydration, but may be overlooked or attributed to other daily factors in a person’s life. It is unknown what percentage of people in the workplace in fact become dehydrated to this extent, but people who have a pronounced feeling of thirst are likely to be mildly dehydrated. “It’s easy to ignore these signs or attribute them to a busy working environment or personal life. But if people paid just a little bit more attention to these signals their bodies are giving them and made sure to maintain proper hydration, it may help them to be at their best during the day.”

“Your body is constantly losing water through simple acts such as breathing, perspiration and going to the bathroom,” adds Dr. Buyckx. “More is lost through daily activities, especially strenuous exercise or working in high temperatures. So it’s important that it be replaced.”

Many types of liquids help keep the body hydrated. The myth that caffeine causes dehydration is just that, a myth. According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, all beverages, including those with caffeine, contribute to hydration needs. One example is the popular soda Diet Coke, which is made of 99 percent water.

By visiting www.MakeEveryDropCount.com, you can learn more about hydration and tips that will help you stay healthy. Consider these ideas:

* Determine your daily hydration needs. Consider factors like age, gender, weight, environmental conditions and activities. On the site there is a Hydration Calculator to help you determine how much you need to drink each day to feel and perform at your best.

* Choose beverages that you enjoy. Several studies show that adults consume about 45 to 50 percent more liquid when it’s flavored. Be sure to incorporate no- and low-calorie options to control calorie intake.

* Eat more fruits and vegetables. They tend to have a high water content, which makes them a great option for helping to meet individual hydration needs.

* Don’t exclusively rely on thirst. By the time you are thirsty, chances are mild dehydration has already set in. Hydrate throughout the day. Try keeping a water bottle or beverage in your vehicle, at your desk, in a cooler or wherever you will be reminded to drink. Take regularly scheduled beverage breaks; ideally at least one break per hour.

* If your job involves traveling, pay special attention to fluid intake on the airplane. High altitudes tend to have low humidity, which increases water loss through the skin and decreases the sensation of thirst.

Proper hydration can help you be at your best throughout the day. Make sure to select the right beverages for your dietary needs and lifestyle.

Magazine: Media Business Magazine November 2007

Description: BtoB Media Business, the magazine for business publishing executives. Because it's the only publication focused exclusively on business-to-business publishing, more than 5,000 industry leaders subscribe to Media Business for the latest trends and insightful analysis. BtoB Magazine, the magazine for marketing strategists, delivers timely editorial on all disciplines of business-to-business marketing. Published monthly by Crain Communications Inc, BtoB provides more than 45,000 subscribers with the information and analysis they need to develop a winning integrated marketing strategy for their companies.

Links: Download | Official Website