I found this quote on a ribbon-typed scroll in with some family things recently, which was written by Sir Ralph Richardson (1902-1983) who was an English stage and film actor:

“If you’re a writer or a painter, you write or paint whenever you want to. But we have to do this task at a precise moment. At three minutes past eight, the curtain goes up, and you’ve got to pretend to believe because no one else will believe you unless you believe it yourself. A great deal of our work is simply making ourselves dream. That is the task at three minutes past eight–you must dream.”

Are you keeping your dreams and passions alive? Do you believe in yourself? I find that sometimes my dreams get put aside while I deal with life’s responsibilities. I like the idea of setting a time each day to allow myself to dream. It may be three minutes past eight as an actor would do during a scheduled performance, it may be noon each day, or late in the evening when reflecting on one’s day. As an artist, I need to keep dreaming and creating. I need to tap into my ‘source’ for vision and inspiration.

Instagram, www.instagr.am, is a free iPhone app (powered by Tumblr photo sharing service) with increasing popularity and a recent version 2.0 rollout. It allows you to turn your smartphone photos into visually appealing chromatic-like color-altered images through the use of live filters, instant tilt-shift and high resolution abilities.

According to Mashable Tech, it was announced this month that they are developing an Instagram Android (smartphone operating system) app. See Mashable’s “Meet the Top 15 Photographers on Instagram [PICS]“.

Instagram's blog archive

Their web site offers a link to the free iPhone app download. Instagram’s robust blog offers weekly featured “Instagrammers” (photographers), tips, InstaMeets links on Meetup.com (there are currently 745 Instagram communities with 3 in the Cleveland area), social media links to Instagram on Facebook where you can see hundreds of images, and Instagram on Twitter, who I follow are receive notices of news and featured image postings.

Twitter giants, Jack Dorsey and Biz Stone, are avid Instagram users, with Jack posting random travelscapes like in “Found object“, and Biz enjoying his new baby son subject like in “He has my eyes“.

I am a fan even though I am awaiting the Android release to use it myself. Once on Instagram’s blog page, click on the clock icon to see the archive and spend some time acquainting yourself with the interviews, evolving news, user tips, and featured images by its established fan base.

Don't Fear The Forward, book by Marc A. Majers

Marc Majers has published a book on a simple step-by-step process for building and launching websites, called Don’t Fear The Forward.

He recently presented his perspective on the subject at CDPUG/GCPCUG Web SIG, which I attended. Marc used music (he also works as a music emcee), humor, and actual statistical data to back his information on usability and other measurable website criteria. Those who attended were lucky enough to receive a free ‘checklist’ which Marc stated is in the book, and is also a free download online.

“It is important”, Marc said, “to show people thoughts, ideas, and the (proposed) process, early on, and to get feedback.” In his overview he pulled stat reports from eMarketer, PEW Internet’s research on desktop to tablet to mobile browser comparisons, and offered resource links to information by web champions like Jakob Nielson, and other industry-relevant educational and government sites on usability, CSS, and HTML 5, and recommended the use of surveys, which are all important for support in building a website.

The checklist had steps for planning a website project, and each step was a separate category with tasks to do. Necessaries covered included defining your site goals and determining your audience, mapping out your site in a wireframe and finding logical places for things on the site and a way to navigate to them.

It is a good idea to put together a web committee to assist in the process from concept to completion. The content for the site comes later on in the process. How are you going to engage your users once they reach your site?

Marc spoke from a wealth of experience, with expertise in usability testing, working within the high selling environment of an online insurance company, and in a creatively-demanding arts institution with a diverse audience.

As with most web related topics presented today, he touched upon the use of focused searched engine keywords, SEO (optimization), SEM (marketing), SMS (messaging). Have you thought of acquiring an email source provider for managing and sending professional, scheduled email campaigns, as a next phase?

It is key that once a site is built following guidelines, like those outlined in Marc Majer’s book, it must be continually optimized for relevance and performance. This may be the website building manual you have been waiting for.

The book is available at:

Don’t Fear The Forward
http://www.dontfeartheforward.com

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Fear-Forward-Building-Successful/dp/1257087711/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322954267&sr=8-1

Book image source: Dontfeartheforward.com

In attendance at The Web Association’s “What is up at Google? Panda? Google + ?” November 4, 2011 meeting, industry-knowlegeable speakers brought up thought-provoking issues like Google’s May 2011 blog post “More guidance on building high-quality sites” which, in addition to discussing the Panda algorithm search rankings release, lists questions for criteria for, according to Google, what counts as a high-quality site . Can the material be considered trusted, and is the material the sort of thing you would bookmark or share with a friend? Is the content original or does it offer insight on the topic? Would you expect to see the information printed in a publication? These rules may be in attempt to help to reduce ranking importance put on web content farms (sites with redundant article topics and content) created by web scrapers who repurpose article content and create links from web pages and sites not their own. Also discussed at the presentation was, when you write an article it is helpful to target your keywords on each given web page (instead of loading it with too many unrelated keywords), and then to post it to the web and submit it to one article site (a few include: Ezine Articles, Ski Doo, A1 Article, HubPages, etc.).

Are you utilizing the Google “+ 1″ button feature on your sites and in your profiles when available?

Do you use the Google Chrome browser (now more popular than Firefox), or Google Analytics for web stats? They are both evolving with added social sharing tools.

Are you sharing all you can across all your sites? Today’s web is fed by user visibility. Google is ever-improving its search engine speed, as it increases its awareness of its users, and strives to define users on the web to better improve their web products.

On Google +? This may be the next large social platform to encompass our multiple lines of web communications, according to one speaker.

Want a fun break-up to your day? Mashable recently posted 10 hidden Google tricks which are revealed in their article Beyond Barrel Roll: 10 Hidden Google Tricks and include some entertaining surprises.

Coca-Cola crate and Coke glasses.

Have the antiques and collectibles bug? You are not alone. With the downturn of the economy and people looking for extra income, it has become more common for people to try to sell their possessions on Craigslist, eBay, and by auction house. I have been brought up with an appreciation for antiques since many items have been passed down generations in our family, and I have collections going back to my childhood, being told that one day they might be valuable. The average person is becoming more educated on the subject, and many have become amateur ‘pickers’, going to garage sales, flea markets, and antique stores and finding items to add value to their collections or to resell for a profit. With a computer and time on your hands, it is not difficult to perform basic research on an item and discover its current worth.

According to Kovels’ Antiques Inc., information publishing firm and local authority on antiques and collectibles, there are currently more than 20 antiques-related realty TV shows (that can be watched on network TV, cable, and some online at their web sites and on Netflix streaming). They’ve listed them in their free weekly Ezine, Kovels Komments, September 28, 2011 issue, and they are:

American Pickers, Mondays 9 p.m., History
American Restoration, Fridays 10 p.m., History
American Treasures, Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Discovery
Antiques Roadshow, Mondays 8 p.m. (check local listings), PBS
Antiques Roadshow UK, day varies, 11 p.m. (reruns), BBC
Antique Warriors, in production, Network TBD
Auctioneer$, Saturdays 10 p.m., TLC
Auction Hunters, Tuesdays 10 p.m., Spike
Auction Kings, Tuesdays 10 p.m., Discovery

Auction Packed, Tuesdays 8 p.m., National Geographic
Buried Treasure, Wednesdays 8 p.m., Fox
Cash & Cari, Sundays 7:30 p.m., HGTV

Cash in the Attic, Wednesdays 8 p.m., HGTV
Hardcore Pawn, Tuesdays 9 p.m., Tru TV
History Detectives, Tuesdays 8 p.m. (check local listings), PBS
Hollywood Treasure, Wednesdays 10 p.m., Syfy
It’s Worth What?! Tuesdays 8 p.m., NBC
My Collection Obsession, in production, TLC
Oddities, Thursdays 10:30 p.m., Discovery

Pawn Stars, Mondays 10 p.m., History
Picker Sisters, Tuesdays 10 p.m., Lifetime
Storage Wars, Wednesdays 10 p.m., A & E
The Great Big American Auction, in production, ABC

I personally, have enjoyed watching Antiques Roadshow on network TV and online, American Pickers via Netflix streaming, Pawn Stars online, Auction Hunters online, and Buried Treasure on network TV and online. Additionally, I learn things on the subject by subscribing to Kovels’ enewsletter, which anyone can sign-up for at Kovels.com.

Kovels has also just begun informal YouTube segments on collecting advice and tips, with Terry Kovel at Youtube.com/KovelsAntiques. You can subscribe, and be informed of new videos published to this online channel. Keep collecting!

Someday soon I would like an iPad or tablet, however I do not want to pay for another data plan. I pay for one for my computer internet service, I pay for one for my smart phone, and am looking at paying for one with a tablet. I would like to take the tablet traveling and have access anywhere, hence I would need more than a wireless capability. The computer DSL, smartphone, and potential iPad could currently not be combined by one carrier. Does anyone else suffer from this dilemma?

Amazon is releasing a new tablet, Kindle Fire, available this fall. It is said to be half the size and less than have the price of an Apple iPad [read the Kindle Fire article]. It’s cute [see the Kindle Fire product]. It has web, and the capacity for movies, apps, games and reading (Does it really need a camera?).

What are the ways people justify it as a business expense? I know it would make a great traveling portfolio for any graphic designer or web designer.

See some of the gorgeous wall mural art designs from my great-grandfather’s (Hugo Max Schmitz) wallpaper and art mural manufacturing company www.archive.org/details/San-kro-muraWallDecorations online at Internet Archive.

See my April 2011 post.

Are you doing everything you can to grow a successful business? By being self-employed, doing some things could put you in a better position to get work, grow your business, and acquire and retain the right employees. Katherine Miracle of Miracle Resources gave an inspiring presentation tonight to CDPUG members at Virginia Marti College of Art & Design on Cleveland’s west side. Her best advice is to read the book, “The Successful Business Plan”, by Rhonda Abrams.

A few things covered were, that, as business owners, we need: money to start the business, a good networking source, self-confidence, and a role model/mentor. Also, we need an accountant and attorney to stay legal. When selling our company and services, we need to inform what sets us apart from the competition and state how the potential customer could benefit by using us. Do we have an operations plan for the business, in case we are away, so things can run as usual? What criteria do we have for hiring, and are we prepared to resolve internal employee-related problems, as well as client-related problems?

How much profit are we making on projects and are we tracking our income and expenses monthly? Do we have money set aside for a business emergency, and are we always asking for a deposit on projects, and/or receiving progress payments?

It may be a good idea to communicate regularly with your client to give them a project status, even if it is in a short email. Build alliances with other designers in the event of overflow work to subcontract out or accept in.

Review projects well to avoid mistakes and to keep costs in check.

Stay flexible with this economy and be prepared to reinvent yourself and your offerings to stay appealing and relevant. Get opinions and feedback.

Most importantly, be good to yourself and get what you need each day, and each week. This will help you to be the best you can.

Do you belong to a computer users group or attend relevant training presentations or seminars? It is a great way to meet other industry professionals and keep your skills sharp. I attend regularly, and have made strong contacts in the local graphic design and publishing field. Plus, I enjoy the diversity of people and topics. This month I learned about producing digital sound recordings on a laptop using Garage Band and about other recording applications and equipment. Next month I will see an Adobe Creative Suite presentation with 4 Adobe speakers, and gain tips on running a successful business at another upcoming event. Some of my favorite groups include:

Cleveland Digital Publishing Users Group (CDPUG) www.cdpug.org

Greater Cleveland PC Users Group (GCPCUG) www.gcpcug.org

CDPUG/GCPCUG Web SIG www.clevelandwebsig.org

The Web Association www.webassociation.org

Simplex-IT Lucheanars www.simplex-it.com

Check the calendar for area meetings at Cleveland Tech Events www.clevelandtechevents.com

Craigslist Helper is a free browser extension.

A powerful browser extension is available for Firefox, Chrome, and Safari, called Craigslist Helper.

I have been using it regularly in Firefox for a few months and absolutely enjoy using it, and want it on every computer I use!

For ads that post images, the images are viewable without clicking on each ad. Also, you can preview the ads without clicking on and opening them. This means you can skim the ads much quicker and save time.

Other features of the product include the ability to add notes to an ad, and bookmarking adds to see them all together. Designate which ads to remove from view to keep your search results lean. Get alerts when something matching your recent search term is posted. Fine tune your look and feel!

Above all the good things about it, is that it’s FREE. See other features, sample screens, and download it at www.ziink.com.