Solve Online Content Support Issues Professionally

Reading the post by BubblewsSupport this morning about how they're taking verbal assaults more seriously got me thinking. Bashing in posts when you're disgruntled is wrong in many ways. If you rumor-monger or bad-mouth the company in other venues online, that's even worse. Am I a company sycophant? No. I speak from eight years writing professionally online. And this is just common sense.  Solve Bubblesws Support Issues Professionally--Do Not Ruin it For Everyone

How to Use Screen Shot and Edit Images

I asked this question on Bubblews recently. "I've seen a lot of writers putting screen shots on their submissions. I know how to take selfies with the camera button. In fact, I wrote about it. But I have never figured out the screen shot thingy. And I want to. So if you have any advice or can offer tech support, please, help this gal out. Bueller? Anyone?" Tech Advice Needed

I got some easy, helpful feedback on taking screen shots, saving and editing them. Scroll past my article and down to the comments for tips. And ------>

What Not to Post on Bubblews if You Want to Earn Money

If you use Facebook, you've probably read posts with TMI Too Much Information or more specifically too much useless information. Maybe you, like me, have shared too much info. On a site geared for social interaction, TMI might fly (though it'll likely lose friends). But not on a paid site like Bubblews. Here's a rundown of what not to post on Bubblews.   What Not to Post on Bubblews if You Want to Earn Money--Too Much Information

Writer Burnout First Aid: Words of Prevention Equal Pages of Cure

I've been writing since I was old enough to form letters. I've taught English and creative writing. I've blogged and freelanced professionally since 2005. Of all writing occupational hazards, writer's block is the most challenging. A word of prevention is worth a page of cure.

* Identify feelings. Writer's block, burnout, call it what you will, that stymied feeling is nebulous and deceptive. An apparent mental clog may spring from physical issues and vice-versa. It manifests like general burnout. Help Guide says dread, anxiety, depression, apathy, emptiness, despair and exhaustion characterize it.  Writer Burnout First Aid: Words of Prevention Equal Pages of Cure

Summer Multitasking Tips for Parents: Go Minimalist

A friend and I were reminiscing about how much summer fun we had when kids were young. Lazy beach days, picnics, backyard BBQs, campfires, sleepovers-- having nothing more pressing to discuss than if those glowing insects were called lightning bugs or fireflies. Here are multitasking tips to enjoy summer, learned from the experts--kids.  Summer Multitasking Tips for Parents: Go Minimalist

Writer Burnout First Aid: Words of Prevention Equal Pages of Cure

 I've been writing since I was old enough to form letters. I've taught English and creative writing. I've blogged and freelanced professionally since 2005. Of all writing occupational hazards, writer's block is the most challenging. A word of prevention is worth a page of cure.

* Identify feelings. Writer's block, burnout, call it what you will, that stymied feeling is nebulous and deceptive. An apparent mental clog may spring from physical issues and vice-versa. It manifests like general burnout. Help Guide says dread, anxiety, depression, apathy, emptiness, despair and exhaustion characterize it. If you write for a living, burnout is frightening--will it end? Will I meet deadlines? Am I washed up as a writer? Do I need to get another job? The answers are yes, yes, no, no--IF you follow these tips. Read more Writer Burnout First Aid: Words of Prevention Equal Pages of Cure

Perk Up Work Space (and Job Mood) Easy and Cheap

The best and worst part of being a WAHM (work at home mom) is being home. As my second son quipped, "You don't work at home. You live at work." Wherever you work, environment impacts attitude about job. Here are easy, cheap, DIY ways to perk up your work space and mood!

* Take it seriously. Work-at-home folks don't succeed often because they discount their contributions. This is your work space, no less than if you left home for a job. It's where you make money. If you're a home business, you're claiming it on your taxes. Treat it like the professional office space it is. Make everyone else do likewise. Remind them it's your office first and anything else last. Ergo, arrange so it works best for you first, others if possible. Perk Up Your Work Space (and Mood) Easy and Cheap 

A Month of Money Saving Penny-Pinching Tips

Normally, articles on this blog are about ways to make money or earn more efficiently. This one's about saving, because at th
e core of making money is saving it. Like Benjamin Franklin pointed out, money saved is income. Not spending or spending less means more money for other things.

Penny pinching and saving money has been likened to building a dam. The large holes are obvious. The small crevices are less noticeable, but if left to slowly leak, will eat up funds quickly. Here's a month of easy budget repairs to prevent financial leaks.

Number 1: Stop buying beverages from restaurants or travel. Instead of stopping for a coffee or picking up a soda or bottle of water, put that money into a jar. Buy a reusable water bottle or make one with a recycled one. With a family of six,  I've saved $180 doing this (now if I could just break my husband's Biggby addiction!)  A Month of Money Saving Penny-Pinching Tips

Seven Reasons This Work at Home Mom is Logging Out of Facebook

Over a third of Facebook users are spending less time on the social network, says a recent study in Reuters. I'm not surprised. Though I still use my account for networking and sometimes specific work-oriented groups, I've been avoiding Facebook for general use. We online freelancers were particularly vulnerable when Facebook came calling. It promised networking (which we need to promote our work) and (more importantly, I think) social interaction. Working at home, most of us spend WAY too much time in our own heads. We prone to loneliness like no other group of people.  So here's why I'm cutting excessive social networking and why, speaking from nearly a decade working online, you should too.

* Unprofessional. Compared to the puerile Myspace, with its kitschy impedimenta, I liked the spartan feel of Facebook. Now I realize that despite this, Facebook can still make us look pretty silly. Granted we do it to ourselves sharing weird photos, sayings and way-too-much-information updates. Whether I personally do this, I'm tarred with the same brush if I hang out with people who do.  Seven Reasons Freelancers Should Nix Excess Facebook Interaction

Spring Weather Ushers in Allergy and Migraine Season

With temperatures rising above freezing (and waking up allergens), the barometer playing tennis and high humidity and precipitation, spring ushers in many health conditions. Barometric pressure migraines, seasonal allergies and aches and pains. Online writers, freelancers and those who work at computers or in offices--don't think you're not susceptible just because you may work indoors or at home. Now's the time to boost vitamin C and zinc and get fresh air. Stale office air breeds germs too.

* Seasonal allergies. My allergist says his office is much quieter during winter, when the ground frost and snow send plants into hibernation. Once the temperatures rise above freezing and the plants and trees start to wake up, he's a busy man. OSENTA (Ottawa Shores ENT Associates) has put together a helpful bibliography of allergy and ENT resources covering conditions, drugs, procedures and treatment options.  Spring Weather Ushers in Allergy and Migraine Season

Free Printable Passover Activities for Busy Parents

Online writer parents, WAHMs, and SAHMs, looking for activities to keep kids busy while we wait for spring to FINALLY get here? Catholics and Christians are counting down to Easter and Jews are celebrating passover or Pesach. Why not keep children busy with these free printable activities? Passover is an eight-day holiday, beginning with two days of no work, four days of limited work and ending with two days of no work. The passover celebration includes several Seder meals, with roast lamb, bitter herbs and matzo bread. And it also means Jewish moms are extra busy getting ready for the holy season. I'm Catholic and I know how busy those holiday times can be. I homeschooled our four kids and have been a go-to-work mom and a WAHM. Holidays mean anticipation for everyone else and WORK for parents. These passover activities are rabbi-approved and will help your children prepare for pesach without driving you crazy! Free Printable Passover Activities

Natural Pain Relief, Anti-Inflammatory Supplements, Muscle Relaxers

I've struggled with chronic pain all my life. I was born with congenital hip dysplasia, scoliosis and spina bifida. In adulthood, I developed bursitis, tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome--probably from my online freelance writing. Keyboard and mouse use exacerbate wrist and shoulder pain. I have sleep apnea and don't rest well. Prescribed steroid treatments make me jittery, irritable and depressed. I've taken high-dose (2400 mgs daily) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Ibuprophen, but gotten only temporary relief. NSAIDs make me tired and sluggish. I get less relief with extended use. Here are natural pain relievers, muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatory supplements that work for me.  Natural Pain Relief, Anti-Inflammatory Supplements, Muscle Relaxers

Diet Dangers--WAHM Things to Avoid to Lose Weight

Dieting is one of the most challenging behavior modification acts to perform. Unlike quitting smoking, where the smoker can give up cigarettes altogether, the dieter has to eat to live. I can't give up food but I can avoid certain pitfalls. Here's my diet danger watchlist. As a work at home parent myself, I've tailored this list to other WAHMs and SAHMs. Diet Dangers--Things to Avoid to Lose Weight 

Free Valentine Printable Lesson Plans and Activities

Does this sound familiar? You've been working all day (and most of the night) and you're still not done. It's Valentine's Day. Your kids will be home from school in 15 minutes, demanding to know "what we're doing for Valentines?" and you still have a mountain of work to do. Before you crawl in a corner and cry, listen. Here's what to do. First, dry your eyes. You're not a bad mom because you didn't plan a full-blown Valentine party. Kids don't need that. Elementary kids probably partied at school and are sugared out anyway. Next, read this article. I've linked to gobs of free printable Valentine themed activities. Print these, pop a DVD (yes, it's okay to do that), distribute crayons, make some quick heart-shaped (healthy!) sandwiches and finish what you need to do. And for goodness sakes, you busy mom you, take some and relax. Take the kids out to eat or order pizza. Free Valentine Printable Lesson Plans and Activities

How to Cope with SAD and Winter Blues

Do you feel a sort of depression after the New Year that lasts until spring? If so then you may be suffering from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Online writers and work at home parents are particularly prone to SAD. In many parts of the world, the months of November to March are long, dark and cold. As the temperature drops, more clouds form. Clouds of course block the sun. The short days keep us in darkness longer time each day. The affective component of SAD is the gloomy feeling that some may experience with lack of light. We also get less vitamin D when the sun is not visible. Some may feel eye strain or even headaches due to the extra work our eyes must do to compensate for the lack of light. When days are darker, we can rely less on natural light. Many of us spend much of our day working under fluorescent lighting which can have negative and depressing effects on us.  How to Cope with SAD and Winter Blues

Activities for Bored, Winterbound Kids: Crafts-travaganza Party

Winter is finally getting serious in our area. Kids are loving the big snow drifts! But below-zero wind chills force some parents to keep kids in the house. Schools cancel recess if it's too cold. Excess times indoors makes for restless, irritable children. Looking for cheap, indoor activities for bored, winterbound kids? How about a crafts-travaganza party?  Activities for Bored, Winterbound Kids: Crafts-travaganza Party

How to Work at Home with Sick Kids

Vacation's over; everyone's back to school; you can finally get caught up on work and wouldn't you know it--a child gets sick. Flu season 2012-2013 is shaping up nasty says ABC News, so if you've got kids, plan on them getting ill. How do you get anything done with sick kids? Let this multitasker mom of four and former homeschool parent help.  WAHM, Parenting Sick Kids 

Free Printable 2013 Calendars, Schedules, Organizers for Kids

One of the best ways to teach a child to be organized is to help them follow a daily calendar or schedule. Here are free printable 2013 calendars. There are monthly and weekly and year at-a-glance calendars, personal organizers and schedules. Many are coloring page calendars, too. Free printable coloring page calendars make great math and time lesson plans for elementary and special needs students. Keep preschoolers busy when older siblings aren't in school with free printable coloring page calendars. You might have kids color calendars and give as birthday or holiday gifts.  Free 2013 Coloring Page Calendars

Free Printable 2013 Personal Calendars

Do you keep a personal or family calendar? If you're like me, you have several going at once. Here is a tool to personalize, customize and design your calendars. Make coloring page calendars with animal, Bible, holiday, fantasy and cartoon character calendars. The calendar creator tool is free to use and customize. Make personalized free printable calendars for everyone this holiday season. Print 2013 calendars in color for older family members and make color your own calendars for children. You might also print all the calendars in black and white and ask children to color images and give colored calendars as gifts. This makes a great Advent service project or countdown to Christmas activity. Read more

Free Christmas Countdown Calendar Printables for Busy Parents

Looking for a cute Advent countdown to Christmas calendar? Here is a complete free printable advent countdown calendar activity featuring teddy bears labeled from 1-25. This Christmas countdown craft can be adapted in many ways for religious and secular advent calendars.  read more

Free Printable Chanukah Crafts for Kids (and busy Jewish Moms!)

Hanukkah or Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, begins at sundown Dec. 8, 2012. On the Hebrew calendar Hanukkah always falls on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar. For busy Jewish parents, trying to juggle work, kids and Hanukkah preparation, life can get busy around the holiday. Here are free printable crafts and activities to keep kids productively (operative word) occupied! Assign children tasks of making decorations and cards. This keeps them happy and out of mischief (for awhile anyway!) read on

How I Set Work-at-Home Boundaries

I've been a WAHM (work-at-home-mom) since 2005. There are advantages to working at home. I see more of my family, I'm readily available. I don't have to go out to work every day. Oddly, those advantages are closely related to the disadvantages. Work-at-home perks caused many problems before I learned to set boundaries. Here's how. How I Set Work-at-Home Boundaries with Myself and Family

How I Keep My Work-at-Home Job from Consuming Me

 Work-at-home jobs aren't always easy to manage. Since there's no official start or end to the work day, it's easy to overdo it. From seven years working at home, here's how I avoid that overwork tendency and balance my nebulous schedule. How I Keep My Work-at-Home Job from Consuming Me

Free Printable Halloween Word Games, Word Search, Word Scrambles, Puzzles

Little ones look forward to Halloween, but so do big kids. And sometimes it's hard to keep anxious kids, young or old, productively occupied while waiting. Got some big kids that need activities to keep them busy till trick-or-treat? Maybe you're a teacher or home school parent that needs activities to keep kids on task? Here are free printable Halloween and trick or treat word puzzles, games and word searches. Games are educational too! Use these free printable word games, word searches and puzzles for classroom lesson plans.   Free Printable Halloween Word Games, Word Search, Word Scrambles and Puzzles 

Montessori mom: At-home preschool dramatic play learning center

 As a special needs and former Montessori teacher, my classrooms have always been organized on the learning center principle. Learning centers are rotational play areas were children perform tasks related to specific content areas: math, reading, science, art, practical life, dramatic play. When I had children, I imported the learning center philosophy into my home. The play room was set up like a modified preschool classroom. Got toddler or preschool age kids? I highly recommend setting up learning centers. If you're homeschooling, learning centers are a must. Here's how this Montessori mom designed an at-home dramatic play area. Montessori mom: At-home preschool dramatic play learning center