Virtual Views - The View From Here

Many thanks to Carra Riley of Cosmic Cowpie fame for allowing us the opportunity to participate on her Blog Talk Radio series. 

Please see details below.

    
 

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You Can Have It All Without Doing It All!

If keeping up with social media seems like a monkey you do not want on your back, you will want to listen to the Blogtalkradio show coming up.

Our next guests on the Blogtalkradio "ActiveRain member series" will be Pamela Cendejas ,  Heather Chavez  and Crystal Morris of Second Self Virtual Assistance. The show will be airing on February 11, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. MST We hope you can join us by listening and chatting online or by calling in to (347) 994-1903.

Second Self Virtual Assistance offers excellent support services for real estate agents including website design, contact management, blog marketing, social media marketing, online property syndication and many other administrative services.  One of the most important benefits of working with Second Self Virtual Assistance is the fact they offer a vast array of helpful and convenient services based on your individual needs. Their primary goal is to help make your business run smoothly. Pamela Cendejas, CEO of Second Self Virtual Assistance says, "You're great at selling real estate and really enjoy working closely with your buyers and sellers.  It brings you great joy to help them find their little piece of paradise.  Doing the job right can take up a lot of your time and energy.  However, the rewards are immeasurable and you can't imagine doing anything else.  At the end of the day, you have a feeling of great satisfaction for a job well done."

In today's highly competitive real estate world, it takes more than simply selling real estate to be successful. You must constantly promote yourself and your services. "When will I find the time?" you ask.  Sit back, close your eyes and imagine:

• More Time for Yourself
• A 24/7 Assistant
• Someone to Do What You Can't
• Auto-Pilot Marketing
• Someone to Do What You Don't Like to Do
• More Productivity
• Less Stress
• Peace of Mind
• Maintaining Your Privacy
• Complete Confidence & Confidentiality
• To Time-Consuming Training
• Tasks That Get Done on Time
• More Time for Your Family
• No Payroll Taxes or Insurance to Pay

Your dreams can become a reality with Pam, Heather and Crystal at Second Self Virtual Assistant!

It is the smart choice for maximizing your time and talent.  At less than the cost of temps or employees, you can take advantage of their skills and knowledge.  You can use their extensive training and expertise to help you stay on top of the everyday tasks that get in the way of what you do best - selling real estate.

Technology and the Internet are constantly changing.  They keep up so you don't have to.  Experience the freedom of a Second Self Virtual Assistant the next time there just isn't enough of you to go around.

On a personal level, I cannot say enough good things about Pamela, Heather and Crystal.  If you take the time to read their blogs you will see first hand what they can help you with.  Their presentation of ANY posts are impeccable and the content is ALWAYS informative.  Pamela, Heather and Crystal are perfectionists with the technical end of social media.  As the authority in your field, you can be the one who gives them the content ideas which will help bring customers to your blog.  Don't have the time?  Second Self Virtual Assistance offers ghostwriting services.  They can take the ball and run - doing all the work for you.

Set your reminder on the Blogtalkradio to hear the "ActiveRain member series" with Pamela Cendejas, Heather Chavez and Crystal Morris of Second Self Virtual Assistance.  The show is Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. MST  We hope you can join us by listening and chatting online or by calling in to (347) 994-1903.

For more information about services or if you have any questions, you can visit Pamela's ActiveRain blog, Heather's ActiveRain blog, Crystal's WordPress blog, email them at info@thinksecondself.com, give them a call at (928) 692-3235, or connect with them on Facebook.

We all know that content is king.  That will never change.  However, it is interesting to learn how Google ranks page speed when considering the value of a website.  While a higher loading page with little to no content will never outrank a page that is full of great info that happens to load at a slower speed, Google can give a little more weight to a page that loads faster than one with similar content but a lower load speed.

So, how do you keep good content without sacrificing page speed?  Don't overdo it.  You want to keep your site easy-to-use and not hard on the eyes.  Using too many widgets, videos, slideshows, etc. bogs down the load time.  Not everyone has high speed internet access.  And even those that do can find some pages taking a long time to load because of all the info the program has to read first.  Focus on the key elements you want your viewers to see and direct them to another interior page to get more details.  If a person gets antsy waiting for your page to finish loading, they will head on over to the competition that won't make them wait.

Google's goal is to rank the most relevant information highest in their search engines.  How quickly or slowly a page loads doesn't affect that at all.  However, making your website both user-friendly and quicker will not only keep your audience engaged, it will also help you stay above your slower competition in Google.

In the end, how does Google rank page speed?  It's not more of a priority than relevant content.  But, it is something that should be considered in your website's overall design.

Pamela Cendejas, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

    
 

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I used to be able to find great Spanish Rice in package made by Knorr. I don't know if they quit making it or my grocery store just stopped carrying it.

I came up with this Spanish Rice recipe out of desperation. It's so simple and only takes a few minutes and even fewer ingredients. I am not real big on measurements when I make this, so use your own judgement and taste.

Mexican Cooking Spanish Rice Doesn't Get Any Easier Than This

• Cooking Oil 1 cups white rice
  
• 1/2 cup bottled salsa - your favorite brand
  
• 1 1/2 cup water
  
• 1 tsp. salt
  
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
  

Barely cover the bottom of a large frying pan with cooking oil. Heat oil. Add rice, salt and garlic salt and brown slightly. Add water and salsa. Bring to boil. Cover frying pan with lid. Turn heat to low temperature and simmer for approximately 15 - 20 minutes. Do not stir until completely cooked.

Everyone's taste is different. So, try it this way and then adjust, if needed.

    
 

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Fruit with your Friday Funnies !

                                                        SOME LINES MIGHT MAKE YOU SMILE

1..Out of my mind. Back in five minutes.

2..I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.

3..Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them.

4..I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

5..Don't take life too seriously; No one gets out alive.

6..You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me

7..Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

8..Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.

9..I'm not a complete idiot -- Some parts are just missing.

10..I smile because I don't know what the hell is going on. 

11..NyQuil, the stuffy, sneezy, why-the-heck-is-the-room-spinning 
       medicine.

12..God must love stupid people; He made so many.

13..The gene pool could use a little chlorine.

14..Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.

15..Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?

16..Being 'over the hill' is much better than being under it!

17..Wrinkled Was Not One of the Things I Wanted to Be When I Grew up.

18..Procrastinate Now!

19..I Have a Degree in Liberal Arts; Do You Want Fries With That?

20..A hangover is the wrath of grapes.

21..A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance.

22.. Stupidity is not a handicap. Park elsewhere!

23..They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken.

24..The original point and click interface was a Smith & Wesson. 

25..A picture is worth a thousand words, but it uses up three
      thousand times the memory.

26..Ham and eggs...A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment
      for a pig. 

HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!


                                             

Videos aren't all about what you see.  With the popularity of video positively exploding in the last few years, people tend to focus only on the visual aspect of the video and almost completely forget about the audio part.  This is funny, considering the bulk of information provided on a video is through what you hear, not what you see.  If what is being said can't clearly be understood, what is the point of making the video, right?  Following a few basic rules will help you make a more professional sounding video and make sure that your message gets across clearly and concisely.

1. Don't rely on the built-in microphone on your camera for your sound.  This basic microphone is not meant for higher-quality sound.  Instead, look for a camcorder that includes a jack for an external microphone.  Most of the more professional cameras have an XLR connector while others utilize 1/8" or mini-jacks for their external microphone feeds.
2. Cheaper isn't better when it comes to sound.  While you don't have to spend thousands on a high end external mic, don't go for the $35 low end either.  They aren't much better than your built-in camera microphones and will usually pick up all the sound around you, drowning out whatever you are trying to say.  Lavalier mics (similar to the small mics used on the lapels of newscasters) are excellent so long as you place them near the face (on the lapel or collar of a shirt) and away from anything that can rub up against it, causing disruption in the audio.  If there will be several people being recorded on camera, you may want to consider several microphones with a mixer or a boom mic.
3. Make sure the high or low impedence of whichever microphone you choose matches the technical aspects of your camera to avoid feedback.
4. Use headphones to monitor audio sounds when recording.  These will help pick up any outside noises that you may not be able to hear while you are videotaping but sounds that the microphone will pick up easily, such as traffic, phones, etc.
5. Monitor your video in real time.  This will allow you to see exactly what the camera is seeing and avoid costly retakes when possible.
6. Check the microphone levels.  If the level is too high, it can create distortion.  If the level is too low, you may not be able to hear what is being said.
7. If necessary, rent professional equipment.  If you find that you will only need the higher end camera and audio equipment once or twice, it is more cost effective to rent the equipment.  However, if you are looking to make professional style videos more often, it is well worth making the investment.

If you plan on creating and utilizing videos for your online marketing, you need to remember that videos aren't all about what you see.  Invest in proper audio equipment so that your message can be heard.

Pamela Cendejas, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

    
 

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Feeling a little stressed?  Who isn't?

Today has been one of those days - the Internet was out, the phone lines were down and I was just fed up.

A very good friend of mine, Billy Ethridge, emailed the following YouTube video.  I was instantly transformed.  I think you will be, too.

Whether you're having a stressful day or not, please do yourself a favor and take a listen.

    
 

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Wondering what's for lunch?

According to the National Restaurant Association, here's some interesting statistics about how we eat lunch:

• Over 27 percent of full-time employees frequently spend their lunch break doing things other than eating.
• 45 percent of employed adults feel that they have less time for lunch than they used to.
• In a typical week, 29 percent of male workers eat in a sit-down restaurant at least once; 26 percent of women do.
• Almost 65 percent of employed workers eat a meal that can be held in the hand, such as a burger or sandwich.
• 50 percent of working adults bring lunch to work at least one time per week.
  

Where do you fall in these statistics?

Please share any statistics you know of.

    
 

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Is linking considered a copyright infringement?  Some news organizations want you to think so.  Now, to be clear, I am not talking about plagiarism or using copyrighted photos as your own.  I'm actually talking about simply linking to an outside source, whether on your site, in a blog post or even through an email.  News Corp, one of the largest media corporations in the world, is considering blocking search engines and feeds from utilizing its content.  It considers all of its content copyrighted intellectual property, including links.  While the content itself is, indeed, the property of the person who originally wrote it (and rightfully so), why would they consider a simple link to the article an infringement on their copyright?  And why would they want to block their content from being linked?

As you know, SEO is partly dependent on good links.  Linking to a good site, article, etc. that carries weight in the search engine algorithms can help increase the weight of your site, bringing your site up in the rankings.  If search engines don't have access to these reputable sites, will that have an affect on your site?  It might.

Some people who are against News Corp's stance (primarily journalists) say that this is a way to control what people read instead of allowing freedom to see differing viewpoints.  They believe that this opens the door for online news media to negotiate with corporate search engines, giving them "exclusive" access to only their online media that includes only their opinions and blocking out others that don't agree.  Since journalists are relying more and more on digital media for source material, limiting access to information hurts them.  Other opponents believe that, if the information in question is freely available to some members of the public, it should be available to all.

Not all news organizations agree with News Corp's argument, however.  Many media companies understand that links drive traffic to their sites, increasing their audience and adding value to their contributors and content.  And, the whole point of creating online content is to drive traffic to your business, isn't it?  So, do you consider linking to be a copyright infringement?  Please let me know.  I'm very curious to see what you think.

Pamela Cendejas, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

    
 

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Breadsticks for Two sounds perfect! Since our kids all grown up and have families of their own, it's sometimes difficult to find recipes that are suitable for two people. It's okay to freeze the extra but somehow it doesn't always taste as good. So, here's the perfect recipe that serves two and can always be eaten in one sitting.

Breadsticks for Two

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 egg white

1 teaspoon water

4 frozen bread dough dinner rolls, thawed

1. In a shallow bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, basil and garlic powder. In another bowl, whisk egg white and water. Roll each dough ball into an 8" rope. Dip in egg white mixture, then roll in cheese mixture. Twist each rope three or four times.

2. Place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 20 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-16 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

By the way. . . I think heaven must smell like fresh baked bread.

    
 

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