Virtual Views - The View From Here

The Realtor Pledge, Code of Ethics and the Golden Rule

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 15:38:24 -0600

The Realtor Pledge, Code of Ethics and the Golden Rule.

Did you know the Golden Rule was in the Realtor Pledge?

The simple concepts expressed in this document just plain make good ethical sense on every point!

I AM A REALTOR^®

I Pledge Myself...

To protect the individual right of real estate ownership and widen the opportunity to enjoy it;
To be honorable and honest in all dealings;
To seek better to represent my clients by building my knowledge and competence;
To act fairly towards all in the spirit of the Golden Rule;
To serve well my community, and through it my country;
To observe the REALTORS^® Code of Ethics and conform my conduct to its lofty ideals.

The Golden Rule is embraced by almost every faith group, world wide in differeing ways, however the meaning is the same. "Treat others they way you would want to be treated."

I currently live in the State of Arizona and I am proud to say that we are a "Golden Rule State." The senate passed a Resolution in May of 2003 declaring the State of Arizona a Golden Rule State.

The State of Arizona sells Golden Rule License plates. Part of the funds from the license plate sales go to educate the community about the Golden Rule. There is a beautiful video going at the movies in Flagstaff, Arizona about living the Golden Rule with children from all over the world talking about their culture and the Golden Rule.

The city of Flagstaff, Arizona passed a resolution making Flagstaff a Golden Rule City in the Golden Rule State of Arizona in November of 2008.

The Realtor Pledge incorporates the Golden Rule and so does the Code of Ethics shouing the value placed on this ethical behavior.

Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice
of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ^®
Duties to Clients and Customers
Duties to the Public
Duties to REALTORS®

Where the word REALTORS^® is used in this Code and Preamble, it shall be deemed to include REALTOR-ASSOCIATE^®s.

While the Code of Ethics establishes obligations that may be higher than those mandated by law, in any instance where the Code of Ethics and the law conflict, the obligations of the law must take precedence.

Preamble
Under all is the land. Upon its wise utilization and widely allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free institutions and of our civilization. REALTORS^® should recognize that the interests of the nation and its citizens require the highest and best use of the land and the widest distribution of land ownership...........

In the interpretation of this obligation, REALTORS^® can take no safer guide than that which has been handed down through the centuries, embodied in the Golden Rule, "Whatsoever ye would that others should do to you, do ye even so to them."

Accepting this standard as their own, REALTORS^® pledge to observe its spirit in all of their activities whether conducted personally, through associates or others, or via technological means, and to conduct their business in accordance with the tenets set forth below. (Amended 1/07)

In this time of economic change there seems to be an opportunity to help live the Golden Rule.

A friend of mine recently moved from Tuscon, Arizona to Ft. Myers, Florida and she is there helping the homeless and the women veterans from Iraq with a group called Sisters of Service. She is also helping the community with a Golden Rule website www.GoldenRuleFtMyers.com This website is the 21st century way of helping mankind. Anyone interested in READING about the needs of the Ft. Myers, Florida community can subscribe by being a "helper" to get a weekly e-mail list of needs that have been gathered throughout the week. After reading the list of needs and deciding the "helper" can offer assistance, the helper contacts the coordinator via e-mail and sets a time to connect. Some of the needs which have been filled in the past were requests for: crutches, shower curtains, bike lights, tents, computers, furniture and the list goes on with very easy needs to fill. A "Helper" may have the items needed by an individual in their garage, basement or spare room so helping someone can be as easy as reading an e-mail and responding.

Living the Golden Rule in 2010 is easy by helping when you can with small steps of kindness.

If you are in the Ft. Myers, Florida area and are willing to help with the Golden Rule project you can e-mail and let the group coordinator know! There are also beta test programs in Colorado, Arizona and Hawaii if you would like to help or get information about setting up a Golden Rule program in your area.

As the new year gets underway and the planning for helping others unfolds it is great to remember the Golden Rule and the ethic of Reciprocity in all actions. The CRS twitter page @crsconnect had a great link to Golden Rule actions in Social Media.

Revisiting 10 Golden Rules of Social media

Make 2010 the year of living the Golden Rule who knows, it could help with world peace!

Does Practice Make Perfect?

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:58:14 -0600

Does Practice Make Perfect?

What did it take for Michael Jordan to be one of the most memorable basketball stars?

What did Tiger Woods do to be on his way to one of the greatest golfers ever?

What did Donny Osmond do to win Dancing With The Stars?

What is it the Olympians do to go for the Gold?

How did Chris Brogan become a Social Media Expert?

How does the top real estate producer in the area keep learning all the new techniques? Do you think the top producer needed to practice to make the techniques work?

Listen to this adorable boy explain how to get better!

Now think about everything we do in life.... no one starts knowing how to do everything well without practice. We are no different than our children... we MUST practice to get better at anything new we try.

Do you play Texas holdem? How did you play to begin with? What did it take to get better?

Do you want to understand social media better? What does it take? Jump in and Practice! Practice with your friends! Try facebook, Twitter and Linkedin, Get a fanpage and have some fun! No one gets better without practice! Let's connect all over cyberspace!

When you started to blog what were the 1st posts like? How did you get better?

Wanting to get better at activerain? Check out ActiveRain Universityand attend some of the webinars. It's a fun way to learn and Guaranteed to help you get better! Brad Andershonhas done an excellent job of setting up the perfect way to learn! With enough practice you too, can be giving webinars to your customers and clients! It just takes practice!

Friday - February 26th, 2010

8:00 - 9:00am (PST)
ActiveRain "Live" Training and Support with Q&A
Presenter: Brad Andersohn
Register

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MARCH
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Monday - March 1st, 2010

8:00 - 9:00am (PST)
ActiveRain "Live" Training and Support with Q&A
Presenter: Brad Andersohn
Register

Tuesday - March 2nd, 2010

11:00 - 12:00pm (PST)
ActiveRain RainMakers - A Community Guided Tour
The Top AR Tools and Resources
Presenter: Brad Andersohn
Register

Wednesday - March 3rd, 2010

1:00 - 2:00pm (PST)
ActiveRain "Live" Training and Support with Q&A
Presenter: Brad Andersohn
Register

Thursday - March 4th, 2010

10:00 - 11:00am (PST)
SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER/PRESENTER
Presenter: TO BE ANNOUNCED
Register

Friday - March 5th, 2010

8:00 - 9:00am (PST)
ActiveRain "Live" Training and Support with Q&A
Presenter: Brad Andersohn
Register

Practice DOES make Perfect!

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

Business Website Mistakes to Avoid

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:00:30 -0600

Your website is an extended business card that, in many cases, may be the first introduction a potential client has to you and your services. That is why it is important to make sure you have your site set up properly. Here are a few business website mistakes you should avoid:

Don't...

1. ...add video or music that automatically starts when your page loads. This can be hard on the ears if someone's speakers are set high and they aren't aware of it. Instead, set up video and audio clips so that they can be turned off and on at the visitor's request.

2. ...add flashing or flickering images. This can be hard on the eyes and can cause headaches or even seizures in some people who are sensitive. This is NOT the first impression you want to make!

3. ...use dashes in your domain name if you can help it. Many people will forget where to place the dash. If they can't find you, they aren't going to use you.

4. ...make your page go live before you are ready. "Under Construction" signs are a turn-off and will send your visitor to another web page that is ready to go.

5. ...add tons of advertising to your site. Lots of advertising makes your site look like a billboard instead of a professional website. A few well-placed ads are fine. Too many ads makes the site look too cluttered and can be confusing.

Think of your website as a home you are trying to sell. Just like a house, your site's curb appeal is important. If you don't have an appealing presence, potential clients are going to move on to the next site. By keeping these business website mistakes to avoid in mind when you set up your website, you will be one step up on the competition.

Vote for Me!

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:15:29 -0600

Yesterday I received an email from Foodista , an online cooking encyclopedia. They had found my blog post with my Spanish Rice recipe.

I have been invited to enter the Foodista Recipe Contest. If I win, my recipe will be published in the Foodista Cookbook.

Please click on the Vote For Me! icon below to place your vote.

If you would like the chance to have your recipes published in a cookbook, enter them into the Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook competition. But hurry, the deadline is February 28th, 2010!

Enter at http://www.foodista.com/blogbook?src=bo_3

If you participate in this contest, please let me know so I can vote for you! Good Luck!

Spanish Rice - It Doesn't Get Any Easier Than This!

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:06:03 -0600

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.

Pamela Cendejas, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance

Connecting the Dots with Carra Riley

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:31:53 -0600

Today's edition of "Connecting the Dots with Carra Riley". First of all, we at Second Self Virtual Assistance have to give a hearty "thank you" to Carra Riley, the Countess of the Cosmic Cow Pie. We were privileged to be intereviewed by Carra on her BlogTalkRadio program. We were flattered that she recognized the value of what a virtual assistant can do for real estate professionals. As usual, Carra was very complimentary and generous. The time just flew by. There was so much to cover in such a little time. You can hear the entire interview by clicking the play button below.

Highlights of our interview included:

SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) means adding keywords and descriptions that utilize key phrases you want to optimize for people looking for a Realtor® in your area. The keywords are what people type in the search bar of Google, Yahoo or Bing to find exactly what they are looking for (for example, kingwood real estate, homes for sale in colorado springs, etc.). After your site is optimized, we submit it to the search engines and a list of directories that Second Self has personally compiled over the years to help increase your SEO. We also link all your social networks, blogs and websites together so that you can increase your "Google Juice", sending you to the top of the search engine rankings.

SOCIAL NETWORKS
With the use of social networks simply exploding over the last couple of years, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to keep up with your social networks. Second Self Virtual Assistance can create and optimize Facebook fan pages to help you capture the attention of potential clients with a personalized landing page that links to your website, blogs, etc.

Second Self was happy to procure an exclusive deal with HousingStorm.com, a new social networking site. The purpose of HousingStorm.com is to combine the best traits of Facebook and LinkedIn, with the added benefit of a blog thrown in. For any new account set up through Second Self Virtual Assistance, HousingStorm.com will offer a free one year upgrade to a Premium account. This is a savings of $300.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
Trying to keep up with social media is an ongoing process. In an effort to stay on top of changes in social media, Second Self Virtual Assistance is currently enrolled in Social Media Marketing classes that teach the latest and greatest methods to market yourself via social media.

If you're in need of a real estate virtual assistant, feel free to contact me. For a limited time only, if you mention that you heard our interview on BlogTalkRadio, we'll give you a discount on your first month's services. I look forward to hearing from you.

Valentines Day 5 Days And Counting!

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:33:44 -0600

Valentines Day 5 Days and Counting!

The time just slips away and you could be wondering what can I do that is different?

My friend Tim Wilson was looking for posts with Valentine ideas and I haven't seen many so here you go Tim!

You can create you own slide show with pictures of you and your sweetheart or whoever you want!

It's easy and Free! Just go to www.Slide.com register and away you go!

Now buy a bundle of flowers from Safeway or the local grocery store and save money. Go to TJ Max, Ross, Pier 1 or some discount store and get a beautiful vase! Put those bright colored flowers or even the rose specials in the beautiful vase.. and you are set!

Wait there is more.. with the money you saved on the flowers... you have can purchase a wonderful fragrance.

My favorite perfumes:

Issey Miyake 3.3 ounces about $100

Chance by Chanel 3.4 ounces about $98

Private Collections by Estee Lauder 2.5 ounces about $56

Of course you dressed up in a bow is always a hit!

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day! Share the LOVE!

You Can Have It All Without Doing It All!

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:22:40 -0600

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.

You Can Have It All Without Doing It All!

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:38:13 -0600

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.

Via Carra Riley CRB, CRS, GRI (Carra Riley Inc.- Real Estate Consultant, Author, Speaker ):

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. 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. 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.

Cosmic Cow Pie

Carra Riley

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

How to Use Google Maps on Your Website or Blog

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:47:32 -0500

In a continuing effort to keep my real estate clients and others "in the know" with the latest and greatest, I have stumbled upon a fantastic tool that Google has created to help make your website and blog even more visually appealing and engage your reader. Have you ever wondered how you could use Google Maps on your website or blog? Google has made it easy as pie to add a street map, satellite map or even a street view map of single and multiple addresses to your website or blog. You can even create a widget that allows people to get detailed directions right to your office.

To create a map for one location:

Search for the location on Maps.Google.com.
Specify which type of map you want: Street Map or Satellite Map. If you want the street view map, you can click on the Pegman icon above the map scale and drag it over to the address you want the street view of.
Click on the "link" tab in the upper right corner of the map.
If you would like to customize the size, you can click the "Customize and preview embedded map" link located directly below the html code.
Copy/paste html code into blog or website.

To create a map for multiple locations (great for pointing out sites of local community interest):

Login to your Google account. If you don't have a Google account, you can create one for free.
Go to Maps.Google.com.
Click on the "My Maps" link located directly below the Google Maps icon on the left hand side of the screen.
Click the "Get Started" button located below the video tutorial.
Click on the little blue balloon icon located in the upper left section of the map.
Place blue balloon icon where address of 1st location is and click left mouse button to set it.
Name the icon and add description.
Repeat steps 5-6 for remaining locations.
When finished placing all locations, click "Save" and "Done".
Click "Link" tab at upper right hand corner of map.
Follow the rest of the steps in creating a map for one location above.

To create widget for clients to get directions to your office (or open house):

Go to Google Maps' landing page.
Click "Add gadget to your site" button.
Type in the end address (either your office address or the address of the open house) in the Gadget Settings area.
Customize display settings if necessary.
Click "Preview Changes" button to make sure it looks alright.
Click "Get the Code" button to get the html code for your blog or website.
Copy/paste html code into your blog or website.

Any of these maps can be used in a variety of ways for so many different things on your website. Use the multiple location map to show where ALL your listings are located, create a walking tour of local attractions or even list the best dining/shopping, etc. in the area so that you REALLY look like a local expert. The directions widget will help anyone be able to find your office or open house without any trouble at all. Let me know if there is anything I can help you with. Google Maps can be of great use on your website or blog.

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

Get Organized Online with OfficeZilla

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:35:00 -0600

Since January is National Get Organized Month, I found a great way to get organized online with OfficeZilla. OfficeZilla provides a private and secure online area for your company or organization to share files, calendars, forums, tasks, phone messages and more absolutely free. The unlimited space allows for any sized files that you need to be shared amongst as many people as you choose to have access. You can even assign people to "groups". Only the people assigned to the group you create can have access to the information in the group. This information is not shared to any outside source anywhere else. Also, you are in control of everything: what is seen by whom, giving permissions, etc.

Why should you use OfficeZilla? With more and more people and businesses communicating via technology: email, faxes, phone, teleconferences, etc., it can be difficult keeping up with changes to important projects or information being passed around. OfficeZilla provides a place to store all up-to-date information for any project, discussion, etc. and keep all involved parties "in the loop" at all times.

No matter how many members, no matter how large the size of the file, OfficeZilla is the perfect way to keep yourself, your staff and your company on track. Get organized online with OfficeZilla today.

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

How Google Ranks Page Speed

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:27:12 -0600

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.

Fruit with your Friday Funnies!

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:23:27 -0600

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!

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

Videos Aren't All About What You See

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:00:13 -0600

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.

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.
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.
Make sure the high or low impedence of whichever microphone you choose matches the technical aspects of your camera to avoid feedback.
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.
Monitor your video in real time. This will allow you to see exactly what the camera is seeing and avoid costly retakes when possible.
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.
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.