A small excerpt:

I came across a pretty good blog post this morning looking for permalink do’s and don’ts from my pal Vicky over at PrairieHarpy. The title is “10 Mistakes Made by Social Media Newbies” and it was written not too long ago (December 2009) by Shari Weiss and is an exceptional list for people just getting into Social Media Marketing.

It made me think about some things that have been rolling around in my head awhile and inspired me to get some of these thoughts out in writing to share with y’all….

Make sure you get over to her blog to read the rest of it. You won’t regret it.

Social Media Kick in the Pants by Erika L Rich

“Digg! Digg.com that is. I love this bookmarking site. They have a great community and this is the first site I choose to use now when I see an item on the internet that begs “digging”. I decided to wax eloquent on Digg.com because Larry Brauner wanted to know what all his Facebook friends’ favorite service was. Digg is mine.”

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The 2010 Olympics were great. I really got involved in sports that I have never watched before such as the Skeleton and Curling. Since I have begun my internet marketing business, I have been blogging like crazy and that has pushed me to research and read about new and exciting things. I never thought I would have anything to say about the Norwegians and their crazy pants , but I found myself writing about them and then joining their Facebook fanpage!

One thing I have always wondered about but never had the motivation to look up is how the host city is chosen for the Olympics. Of all the cities around the world, how do they choose one? So, I started researching and this is what I found.

Any city that feels they have what it takes to host the Olympics can apply to the International Olympic commission (IOC).  The IOC will then investigate that city over the next ten months.  They will look for things such as:

1. The city must prove that it is big enough to handle Olymp ic games and the huge number of tourists, athletes, journalists and politicians. They must be able to host the games in new stadiums and must be able to house all the people in hotels and provide transportation. They must also be able to provide adequate security.

2. The residents of that city must be convinced that the expenses of covering the Olympics are worth it. The city may raise taxes in order to  cover this endeavor.

3. The media coverage in that city must be highly positive.

If the IOC decides that the city has fulfilled all three points above, it is considered a “Candidate City” and it will move on to the second phase. In this phase, the city sends in an application and fee which can cost up to $150,000. If a city is chosen to host the Olympics, it is a great honor. The city not only is able to show pride for their city and country, they are in the international spotlight and they have the opportunity to bring new jobs to the community and build up tourism.

The 2012 Summer Olympics will be held in London from July 27 through August 12, 2012.  They will be the first city to host the Olympic games three times (it was previously held there in 1908 and 1948).   Applications were submitted in July of 2003 and there were nine cities that submitted bids. These cities were Havana, Istanbul, Leipzig, London, Madrid, Moscow, New York, Paris and Rio de Janeiro.

By July of 2005 it was narrowed down to Paris and London. At the end of the fourth round of voting, London won the right to host the 2012 Games with 54 votes, defeating Paris’s 52. Various French publications blamed the Paris loss on French President Jacques Chirac‘s statements before the vote that “We can’t trust people [the British] who have such bad food. After Finland, it’s the country with the worst food.” Two current members of the IOC are from Finland!

My problem lies here, I love to read and learn.  However, you can see by my schedule that there just isn’t time for me to sneak away into my room and read a chapter!! I have tried so many times to pull out my favorite book at bedtime and get a few pages in. But, by the time I have read about two paragraphs, I wake up to find the book on my chest and I don’t remember anything of what I just read.

My discouragement has forced me to find a solution. I came across a company called Simply Audiobooks. It is awesome because now I can listen to my favorite books while driving, or I can download them onto my Ipod and listen to them while doing dishes, cleaning house or whatever. The program runs much like NetFlix does with movies.  I set up a list of titles I want and they send them to me free of shipping. When I finish one I send it back and they send the next title.

Don’t let time steal away your love for reading. Try Simply Audiobooks and you will be glad you did, I sure am!

I have a lot of experience in working with computers and the various types of software, but I knew nothing about social networking, marketing,or blogging. To be honest, it was overwhelming to start, but my friends Erika and JoAnn Guida have taken me under their wings and have guided me through the process. There is a lot to learn!

Little by little I am getting the feel for it and am learning the ropes. I can see the big picture of what they are teaching me and how it all fits together. Now, instead of being confused and overwhelmed, I am getting excited.  The opportunities are endless.

Being a single mom of two teenagers, it is my dream to work and make a living from the comfort of my home. That dream will become a reality with a lot of hard work and determination. I have great expectations for my future and can’t wait to see the results of my efforts!

 Through this journey, I have learned that everyone comes into our lives for a reason.  If we take the time to listen and enjoy conversations with those in our paths, we will find just what they have to offer us and how their lives relate to ours.

Sometimes they offer an encouraging word spoken at just the right time or sometimes they offer an opportunity that allows us to change the situation we are in.  Sometimes they are with us for a short while; some are in it for the long haul.  

We must travel through life with open minds, soaking up all that is around us and allow ourselves to live the life that is before us with excitement and expectation.

 Because I am open to new experiences and had the courage to talk with my friend Erika Rich, a new window has opened up for me in the arena of Internet Marketing. With new outlook and zest for life, I have great expectations for my future!

 And to think, what seemed to be the end of the road, with the right attitude and open-mindedness, has turned into the beginning of a whole new adventure for me.