Heart Healthy Business

Often times we hear about how to make healthy food choices and exercise right so we can protect our hearts. A major problem here in America and around the world, heart disease affects millions and decreases your life span. Many people call it the silent killer, slowly choking your heart until a major event like atrial fibrillation. It can happen through body changes or it lies lurking in your DNA, taking advantage of circumstances like poor food intake and dehydration.

This is a deeply personal issue to me, it has cut short the lifespan of four of my relatives and leaves many more still closely monitored by medicines and doctor visits. As of this weekend, heart disease has struck another family member taking him and his pysicians by surprise.  That's why I would like to reach out to everyone and warn about the levels of your personal stress. Whether its a small business owner/partner or a writer, a single parent or a student...everyone has to worry about something. It's human nature. 

There are many things to do about stress, check out my older post called Funny Business, dealing with ways to be creative and stress less. Finding things to do about stress is how you manage it, but you have to know about stress to treat it. Women tend to recognize they are stressed waaaaaay before men do. (That's not just my opinion btw) That is, I am sure, at least a small contributing factor as to why men struggle with heart disease more than women. That doean't leave women off the hook, we all have to watch out for stress.

Running a heart healthy small business practice is the best way to ensure you can minimize stress for you. Heart healthy business should be mindful of many stressors including:

1. Admit you have stress (everyone experiences stress, even Jesus, so don't try and tell me you're good or ok!)  Identify what punches your buttons and deal with managing that first.

2. Overworking- if you work for "the man" you have a time card. Don't be chained to a format, but if you're putting in lots of overtime, find a way to give yourself a real break. Make time for it!

3. You're in charge- being "the man" is a great stress relief, but it comes with the burden of well, being in charge. You are the person who gets the credit and the accountability. It's tough how to treat this type of stress, but my best advice is talk to other business savy individuals. This small business community on google + is great. Ask advice, so if in the sad event you experience disappointment, you won't experience regret. You will know that the best informed choice was made at the time.

4. Connectivity- staying constantly connected to the world of your business is stressful on you and your family. If a date, vacation, or meal is on the table don't talk about business or engross yourself in your mobile devices. Disconnect and increase your endorphins (which lower stress) by enjoying special time with special people.

5. Deadlines- as the big cheese you can set and expand your expectations at will. Don't add stress to you business and your life by letting you expectations run wild. Learn to manage your deadlines, priorities and expectations.

These are just my thoughts and my ideas that I have seen work for friends, family, and myself. Don't end up on the "overly stressed and under medicated" list. If you can manage your stress you are one step closer to a healthy heart and a happier you.

This does not replace talking to your PCP and getting screened for heart disease and other heart related issues. Know where you stand and move forward informed. 

Bob's Your Uncle...Intelectual Property Up For Grabs

The ultimate in colloquial speech. Entomologists are baffled, people have supposed...but no one knows the truth about the funny little phrase: "Bob's your uncle." I would love to survey all 90's babies and see if they heard that phrase for the first time in the animate 101 Dalmatians. Trust me, as a little kid, that was funny stuff. Because I actually had an uncle, named Bob. Except he demanded to be called, "The Great and Wonderful Uncle Bob..." Again, narcissism doesn't run in my family...right.  
So, a little bit of education now. This phase can mean many things, listen up all you internet surfing softies born in the golden age of brutish slang; as opposed to the iconic slang of my time ;-) I digress. The proper use of this 3 word combo is to evoke a sense of mystic ease while doing a chore, job, or explaining steps.
Example: "Look; run in, grab the loot, and bob's your uncle; we're living like kings!" Notice the many pitfalls if the plan are neatly summed up with Bob's Your Uncle?
While everyone is puzzled about the phrase, what I want to know is not who is Bob or who was his nephew or niece...but what impossible circumstance did Uncle Bob overcome? It must have been pretty stinking impressive. Considering it was 1880s time frame possibly earlier I wonder what it could have been? Puzzling, no?
Either way I feel like there could be a book written about the crazy impossible things Uncle Bob did, and no, I am not referring to my Uncle Bob. But it would be a great idea for a children's story book. Do you know how many little boys would laugh if every weird situation in the book was solved by some mysterious power of "Bob's Your Uncle?" How about all the Uncle Bobs that would buy the book and be like, "Yes, I am magical." Its a golden idea right? I should publish the book myself.

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So, now we get to the meat of the article and talk about the BIG mistake I made with this post. Most people worry about their intellectual property when signing contracts to turn over or release their art. It is a valid concern. But few think of their intellectual property before contracts. What does this mean? Well consider this.
If I did want to publish a book for children, using this idea (and trust me the thought crossed my mind) I made a huge mistake by sharing that idea with the world before I developed it further. The intellectual property I own, you own, and everybody owns is idiosyncratic ideas and projections. Once you share your intellectual property freely, people are free to take the ball and run with it as they like.
Continuing the notion that I wanted to publish this book. Telling the world my idea leaves anyone in the world free to write/draw the book and market it as their own. Imagine my dismay as I finish the cute little manuscript, only to find out a book with the same core thought is released. A publisher would be crazy to agree to print my work. And I could say all I wanted: "that's my idea!" But, legally next to nothing could be done because the idea came from my public blog, and the story gendered from a private source.
The moral of this story is that your ideas and future projects should have a certain anonymity to them if you want to receive credit and/or compensation. Your ideas are your property, intellectual property to be exact, but if you spread them someone can take your metaphysical idea, make it physical, and they own it. Not you. Unless it's irrelevant that the public know what you are up to and what you are working on as an artist, please keep in mind that the first two w's in www, stands for world wide. Don't get hurt as an artist and protect your intellectual property in and out of contracts.   

PS: I will not be mad, insulted, or upset if anyone uses this idea to publish a good book for children with little cartoon pictures. All I ask is for you to let me know, because seriously, I would love to do review on that! 

Bloggables and Swashbuckling

My life as an author basically consists of lots of sleep, writing, and a little odd jobs here and there. Since I started this blog I have had the time of my life building up my fan base and just finding interesting things to say to engage an audience. One thing that never works, math titles. Don't try it. It kills views.
So today, as I was rummaging through my office (fancy word for any place I have cluttered to death) I found all sorts of old poems and stack of papers that are ages old. And my first two thoughts were: I wonder if this would make a good blog and this page looks like a pirate beard, hahaha arrrrrg! You can guess which one I had more fun with off the bat.

 

(This is totally what I saw in my mind

check out the original at DeviantArt)

So going through your old writings can be a horror storm of emotions, but ultimately its like watching a child grow. You can see how you have evolved and honed your skills, maybe even realize your old self had a purity to it that you would like to regain. Whether is looking at pictures of your youth or seeing something your wrote in third grade, those things are priceless treasures. (And no I am not an narcissist...maybe)

(My reaction... "A pirate cross dressing princess...next story!")

So now for the informational section:
Would any of you believe that the posts on a blog that generate the most views are the nonsensical ones? I totally was taken by surprise on that one. Apparently according to feedback and viewer trends, not many people are interested in step by step instructions and clear cut plans, but would rather be distracted by an amusing post with once central lesson. So as you go about creating your blog or even having conversations about your business, keep it interesting.

As many of you are aware the goal of this blog is to help people get to know me, and perhaps even learn a few things themselves about marketing, authorship, writing and such, but by popular demand I am changing things up. So look forward to more fun posts and a lot less technicalities.  

Funny Business...seriously

Writers (may also appear as writer's) block, its the deadpan, dreaded monotone voice in your head denying your creative juices to flow through your pen! So today let's take it deep... (sings in Phantom of the Opera voice) "down we plunge to the prison of my mind!" *tosses aside mask and cape.* Are you laughing yet? Well that's all I had for theatrics for this post, but it ties nicely into what I am about to talk on.

Everyone touts their proven methods to cure this mental anguish. Chances are if you are reading this, you googled a cure because you have suffered or are currently suffering from this malady. Now here is the good news, I have the cure. In two words and three steps I will have your writer's block cleared, no problem. Unless you're manic depress, then get help...I know, I've been there; no one's judging.
First the two words: Funny Business.

Author definition: Funny Business (n. or v.): specifically meaning, but is not limited to, the act of having fun on the job particularly when one is drained, fatigued, stressed, or bored. Or has writers block.

If you are writing newspaper articles, scientific articles, business articles, scholarly articles, that boring term paper then you need funny business. All other articles will benefit from funny business, but its extremely beneficial to the serious type. Now for the three steps to clear your mind and refresh the little grey cells.

1. Sing
Think of the most happy childhood song you remember and start singing it. (If you are currently in childhood, you're too young to suffer from these problems, have a lollipop and play hopscotch, you have precious years left to enjoy.) Where was I, ahh yes, sing your song. This will prep your mind for the advent of renewal. Keep singing as you switch from writing to a different task to clear your mind of the problem.

2. Doodle
Try to draw your frustration out in a little meme. Mine usually makes me think of an angry rice ball...soon after that I get hungry and forget I had a problem to start with. You're doodle should be as simple as possible, make it comical and then sit back and laugh. You should be able to feel much better and happier.

If the singing didn't help you feel all that refreshed and the doodling left much to be desired, then you are in for a heavy hitter.

3. Google
This next step cannot be avoided if the first two haven't helped. You are to google "shocked anime face". That's right those three words in your search engine, right now. Or get creative and look for angry, mad, expressive anime faces. Scroll down and look at the expressions. Connect with them...see how they typify how you feel? Don't think 'ohh this is childish', please, politicians are childish; this is just plain necessity and its good clean fun. If you cant laugh at the emotion drawn maybe you should lighten up a bit. Just because you are looking at a freaked out animation style you didn't grow up with doesn't mean it can't help you. (Scroll down to see my writers block pictures)

So that's it. Seriously the best cure I have found so far and I have written everything. Journalism, fiction, poetry, term papers, business reports, press releases, scientific journal articles, fan fiction...I know that your writing project is sacred, and most likely serious...but you have to relax and get those endorphins swimming about your brain chemical again. Endorphins are what help you create and enjoy writing. So if all else fails, just have some funny business.

 When I realize I have a writer's block.

Me trying to empty my mind.

 

 
Staring at my project wishing it would write
itself.
 

 Me once I sign my child hood song. I normally don't have to go any further because it's such a conditioned response.