A Mama's Rant

Writer mamas need to back up that data!

For you writers out there - do you have a portable hard drive or another way to back up your writing? No? Shame on you!

There's no excuses since backing up your work is easy with an online backup service. Here's the scoop on one online backup option from Data Deposit Box.

You really need to back up your work at least once a week, if not every day. One such service for online data backup that's secure and reliable is Data Deposit Box. For only $2 per month for 1 GB of storage space (that's a lot of space folks), you get all your hard work backed up online.

Data Deposit Box is offering a 14 day unlimted free trial to customers who sign up for their online backup software. You can install the online secure data backup software on as many PCs as you like and back up as much data as you like. Once the trial is over, you will only pay for the online data storage space you use.

Simple Pricing Plan

• Unlimited users
• Unlimited computers
• Unlimited 14 day trial
• Only $2/GB per month

Don't wait to have your computer crash before you realize, hmmmm, maybe I should have backed up my novel, clips, resume, poems, photographs, etc. Check out Data Deposit Box today!

Journal Ideas from Lessons from the Scrapbook Page

I attended the Northern Colorado Writer's conference this weekend in Ft. Collins and took a few workshops on travel and magazine writing. One of the best "from the trenches" information on travel writing was to bring lots of gallon-sized Ziploc baggies to store those receipts, business cards, pamplets, and miscellaneous scraps of paper you pick up everytime you visit a restaurant, site or museum. Not only does the baggie collect everything, but it's water proof - you never know when you'll spill something all over your stuff.

Another "waterproof" ideas was to write only in permanent or ball point pen. If it gets wet, the ink won't run. Then use a notebook with a thick cover, like a composition notebook, instead of a legal pad. Again if it gets wet, the thick cover will protect the pages inside.

So this got me thinking about notebooks, since the whole family is going to visit my sister in Switzerland in May. Not only do I want to take good notes so I can write up some travel pieces for magazines and newspapers, but I want to have a permanent momento of the trip for the kids.

Now I'm not a scapbooker. I blog instead. But Tasra Dawson's Lessons from the Scrapbook had a terrific idea for dressing up a plain notebook into a fabulous journal
(see the bottom half of her post).

So instead of buying some boring journal at the book store, I'm inspired to get a school notebook (with lots of pockets) and decorating it with contact paper, keeping in mind the "waterproof" idea. I love the ribbons on the side, too. Possibly adding a little pocket for a pen on the outside or having a pen on a string hanging from the spine or the ribbons would be fun as well.

You can find directions on how to do this in her book, Real Women Scrap: Create the Life and Layouts You've Always Wanted.

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MyLiveSignature - a neat little service for your blog or website

MyLiveSignature offers the services of creating and animating personal signatures. You can use it to easily create your own signature using a set of templates or allow their designers to create your signature based on a scanned image. If you have a personal or business blog that gives advice or shows off your written work or artwork, this would be a fun touch.

If you create a signature imitation using their online wizard it's free. Otherwise to order a realistic signature from scanned image is $9.95. To Order signature animation is $19.95. However, if you place an order for creating and animating a handwritten signature right now you'll get a 20% discount!

There were a lot of font, size, and color choices to customize your signature. Here's my free signature using the wizard:

 

Get Your Live Signature Now

The National Day Diary Project

Back in 2003 I particpated in the This Day in the Life: Diaries from Women Across America project. I had a teeny little excerpt, but was happy to be included. The book's a terrific read and makes a great gift for any woman or girl in your life.

This year, This Day is trying something new - a partnership with Colgate's Lady Speed Stick 24/7 and the launch of the National Day Diary Project. The diary project is now available online for women from around the country to post and read day diaries.

There is no limit to the number of participants who can post to the website, and women can submit day diaries for any 24-hour period (unlike the book project, which requires participants to create a day diary on Tuesday, March 27 only!).

To help launch the National Day Diary Project, editor Joni B. Cole will be doing a media blitz from El Paso to Greensboro, from Charleston to Las Vegas. Joni will be on TV and radio stations across the country (via satellite) inviting women to visit the website and celebrate their 24/7 lifestyles. See the This Day Appearances page for details.

Your Chance to Get Published
Any diary submissions with a March 27, 2007 date may also qualify for a chance to be published in Joni's upcoming book, This Day in the Life of Working Women. Joni's new book will celebrate the lives of working women, whether that work comes with a paycheck or not. (Submissions for the March 27 diary date can be entered online from March 27-April 6, 2007 to qualify for a chance at publication.)

The website looks easy to use. However, I'd write your monthly post by hand or in a word processing program, so you can clean it up. Then you can cut and paste it on to the National Day Diary Project site to enter it.

I'm lacking a creative writing goal this month, so I'm thinking of participating. Wanna join me? Leave a comment and let me know.

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Remodel, Blog and WIN!

If you're a blogger or just someone who's undergoing a home remodel, you may want to check out RemodelingMySpace.com. They're running a contest - blog about your home improvement project and you could win $5000 (grand prize) or $1000 (people's choice award).

Besides the obvious benefits of cold, hard cash, entering the contest can provide other incentives for bloggers like:

Increased Exposure for Your Blog - RemodelingMySpace.com will be doing a lot of marketing for the contest. This in turn will create lots of attention and traffic to their site...and then to YOUR site.

Increased Traffic for Your Blog:
Since they're having the public to vote on which blog they like for the "People's Choice Award", many registered voters AND regular non-registered users will be visiting your site.

Linky Love:
As a contestant, RemodelingMySpace.com will be linking back to your blog. In turn, their website will be getting lots of links. Think highter Technorati ratings here folks!

Network with Other Bloggers:
Great way to meet other bloggers and find new ones.

Valuable Content for Your Blog:
If $$$ doesn't give you incentive to blog, I don't know what will. The more you write, the better you'll blog will be.

Elevate Your Creative Mojo:
RemodelingMySpace.com will be giving you lots of online tools to elevate your creative mojo for both your remodeling project and your blog. They have all sorts of pictures and remodeling tools to help you realize your dreams, and you will see many great examples of blogs and how they creatively present their message and monetize their sites.

Learn New Stuff:
Both on your blog and your remodeling project

Inspiration to Get Much Needed Work Done Around the House:
Finally, the kick in the pants you need.

REGISTER NOW!

Happy 4th Birthday, Boo Girl

The cutest girl in the world - at least to us - was born on a warm day just like the one we're having today. (It's in the 70s, unusual for Colorado). Four weeks early, she was impatient to meet her big brother and mom and dad.

She's the joy of our life, even when's she being a drama princess. We're grateful that you're here, Miss Boo. (And yes, those eye lashes are for real. Her brother has 'em, too.)

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Love Books? Participate in the Online Women and Books 2007 National Study

My name is Anne-Marie and I'm a book addict.... Did you know that fewer than 15% of the books on the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list were authored by women? Yet nearly 70% of non-fiction books are purchased by women.

Content Connections and eWomenPublishingNetwork are looking at the reading, recommending and book buying habits of women and how these factors can help more women become successful, published authors. The Women and Books 2007 National Study is available online from March 8, International Women's Day through Mother's Day on May 13.

The survey focuses on non-fiction books that female readers buy for themselves, give to others, and receive from family, friends and professional associates. It also explores the factors that influence women's decisions to buy, give or read a book.

Every participant will receive a complimentary copy of the Women and Books 2007 Report, and will be entered into a drawing to win one of 20 $100 specialty retail gift certificates to be awarded after the close of the survey. Study results will be announced during Book Expo America, held in New York City from May 31 to June 3, 2007.

The survey took about 10 minutes to do and was very interesting, so check it out!

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The Ultimate Blog Party - Everyone's Invited

5 Minutes for Mom is hosting The Ultimate Blog Party! This will be the place get your blog noticed, and win some prizes, too! Everyone is invited, regardless of parental status, gender, or religious affiliations. This party is about having fun and meeting new bloggers.

Here is how it works:

1. Put the code for their Invitation Button on your sidebar. The week of the party you need to put up ONE party post. The rest of the week you blog as you normally would. But please link the URL of your party post in the Mr. Linky so that others can find it - or put it as a sticky at the top of your home page. (I'll be doing the sticky thing.)
2. Come on over to the party starting March 2, 2007. It will end on March 9 with a the prize giveaway. All party guests who sign the Mr. Linky by 12pm Eastern on March 8, 2007 and who invited readers via a post and have an Invitation Button on their blog are eligible for their random draw prizes. Note: Please use only the central Mr. Linky at 5 Minutes for Mom. Since only bloggers listed on this Linky will be eligible for prizes, they don’t want anyone to miss out by adding their name to another Linky.
3. Please link directly to your Ultimate Blog Party post or have your Ultimate Blog Party post as a sticky at the top of your home page. Don’t forget you are hosting too! This Blog Party is all about meeting people – so put out some food, turn up the music and tell us a bit about yourself. Be as funny, creative or straight forward as you like. Include a recipe or two, stream some music or videos, add a voice post or video of yourself, decorate your blog, etc. Be creative and have fun!
4. Submit a prize (optional). Our prize page will be generating a lot of traffic and attention. So if your blog or store wants to submit a prize let us know. Everyone is welcome to host a prize, and will be listed on our Ultimate Blog Party Prize Page. Note: Prizes must be for something FREE. Prize hosts will be responsible for sending their prize to their winner. If a prize host wins their own prize, their name will be put back and a new name will be drawn.
5. Get out there and MINGLE! Search the Linky and look for names you don’t recognize and head on over to their place to meet some new people. And the week after the Blog Party, write a post to introduce some of the new bloggers you met at the party to your readers.

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