K.C. Lauer's Blog, page 19

Windows Live Writer attempt

Today I am attempting to use Windows Live Writer to update my blog. I've never used it before and have no idea what it will do, or how it will interface with Word press. 

 

The beauty of this program is that it allows writers to write their blogs in a setting that is familiar. It also provides the ability to easily add pictures, video, headings, and to modify text much more easily than the Word press interface does.

 

I'm going to press send and see what happens….

Wish me luck.

No representation without taxation – Congress debt ceiling talks only postpone the inevitable

Last night, I watched as President Obama announced at his press conference that the Democrats and the GOP had finally come to a consensus.

As reported on Reuters, via Yahoo News on 8/1/2011:

Votes were expected later in the day in the House of Representatives and Senate on a plan to cut at least $2.4 trillion over 10 years, form a new congressional committee to recommend a deficit-reduction package by late November, and raise the borrowing limit through 2013.

Barack did not take any questions at the end of his speech and walked out of the room with his head low.

Big business versus the American People



The way I see it, big business has taken over the US government. The little people have lost their influence, and without banding together, they have no say. There have been attempts for people to ban together, such as the Tea Party and the Coffee Party movement. These groups however, have been ineffective at branding themselves in a way that is appealing to the masses. Instead of engaging their potential audience, they have managed to alienate themselves from the average American – only radicals have remained.

States dictate taxation of corporations – close the loophole



"In the case of Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad, the Supreme Court decided that only the state that charters a corporation can tax it. This decision upheld the long-standing custom in America of state governance of corporations. It's the state that grants a corporation its charter – its license to do business – and it's up to the state to tax and regulate the corporation." (How stuff works)

According to the state of Delaware's website: "More than 900,000 business entities have their legal home in Delaware including more than 50% of all U.S. publicly-traded companies and 63% of the Fortune 500. Businesses choose Delaware because of …[SIC} flexible corporate laws, our highly-respected Court of Chancery, a business-friendly State Government, and the customer service oriented Staff of the Delaware Division of Corporations."

No representation without taxation



The original tea partiers' were fighting England and chanting things like "no taxation without representation."

I ask you, shouldn't we as Americans be espousing a similar but reverse chant to the effect of "No federal representation without taxation"?

More sales through customer service than cold-calling

One of my writer friends created an article on how to earn six figures writing as a freelancer. Sabah says that keeping her existing customers happy is her primary role. She delivers quality work, on time at the right price, and her business continues to grow.

Reading her article made me appreciate that customer service is something that is required in every profession. When customers are happy, they give you more work and they refer you to others who are looking for the services that you provide.

As a business management consultant, I often try and ask customers for more work, believing in my heart, that I can help them do even better with another service that I offer. Of course, there are times when I cannot help them directly. These are the times I refer other people to help them, those that I know will do a good job and give them what they want.

When I work with companies to help them set their strategic plan, one of the things that I will want to know right away is, what are your existing customers saying about you. This is because I firmly believe if you cannot keep your current customers happy, you shouldn't be out looking for more.

In reality, it is easier to keep an existing customer happy than it is to try and find new customers. This is why companies like Coca Colo offer new products. They have a customer base that is happy with their products. To get deeper penetration they offer new products. Sometimes they acquire new customers but the main push is to sell something else to the existing customer base, and continue to keep them happy.

It is kind of funny when you step back and think about it, but all those people that say money can't make you happy, don't look at business the way I do. Happy businesses make happy customers, that bring in more money. If you focus on making customers happy, your business will grow, and it will bring you happiness (and more money) in return. So the bottom line is to focus on making people happy with the services you provide.

As a freelancer, we have to manage our time wisely. Investing in conversation to define our customer objectives and expectations is time well spent. We can improve the delivery of this discussion using templates and forms, but it is never wise to skip this important step. Payment terms are also things we must discuss to ensure both parties are in agreement with the deliverables.

Providing up front customer service by defining these expectations can help ensure that both you and your customer are thrilled with the end result.

Blogging Tips

Some of you have commented on how you like my blog. I would just like to say thank you for stopping by and leaving comments. I have no idea what I am doing but I am learning as I go. I bought my domain name through GoDaddy.com and then I used a WordPress template to help me set it up. I have used the default option with two columns. I started with an Alexa rating of about 5 million almost a year ago. Since then, I have added some web content that I wrote for various on-line web publishers, as well as links to various resources that I think my readers will enjoy.

I have added some advertising options to make some money off this site but so far, I have not made one dime. I have learned a little bit about SEO, mainly using keywords throughout content to help search engines index your content more easily. However, because my website is disjointed, and contains some adult content, it is not fit for many situations in which I might get paid for advertising. The solution would be for me to separate my blogs but I fear I couldn't manage multiple blogs at this time.

I am still getting pretty good traffic though. The thing that has helped me build the most traffic so far for me has been my RSS feed. If you would like to subscribe to my content, you can add it to your favorite home page by linking to it: http://kbalbify.com/feed. My feed goes to my amazon page, my goodread's page and a few other places that my reader's have linked me to. I post a couple of times a week most weeks and I always appreciate interaction from my readers.

Today I am ranked at #299,755 in the world on Alexa. Not bad for little ole me.

M.R.K.H. Support and new Facebook Page

A year ago I wouldn't have believed it were possible, but as of today, there are about 130 other girls in the world, that I have learned were born with similar conditions, just like me.

When I was 13, I was told I would most likely never meet anyone else in the world that was born like me. That was isolating and it led to years of depression for me. As I check today, there are about 130 ladies or family/friends of ladies that have been diagnosed with vaginal agenesis or what is professionally termed M.R.K.H.

What is M.R.K.H?



As found on the Genetics Home Page,

What is Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome?

Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is a disorder that occurs in females and mainly affects the reproductive system. This condition causes the vagina and uterus to be underdeveloped or absent. Affected women usually do not have menstrual periods due to the absent uterus. Often, the first noticeable sign of MRKH syndrome is that menstruation does not begin by age 16 (primary amenorrhea). Women with MRKH syndrome have a female chromosome pattern (46,XX) and normally functioning ovaries. They also have normal female external genitalia and normal breast and pubic hair development. Although women with this condition are usually unable to carry a pregnancy, they may be able to have children through assisted reproduction.

Women with MRKH syndrome may also have abnormalities in other parts of the body. The kidneys may be abnormally formed or positioned, or one kidney may fail to develop (unilateral renal agenesis). Affected individuals commonly develop skeletal abnormalities, particularly of the spinal bones (vertebrae). Females with MRKH syndrome may also have hearing loss or heart defects.

How common is Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome?

MRKH syndrome affects approximately 1 in 4,500 newborn girls.

For more info: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/maye...

About a year ago, I was set to undergo vaginal reconstructive surgery, and I began wondering if there were other women out there on the internet who might be able to help me understand my condition, and any other problems I might have, as I age.

I stumbled upon Esther Morris' Missing Vagina Monologues, and I realized I had finally met the first person in the world that was like me. It began a healing process. Then August of 2010, Tyler Clementi took his life because of his sexuality, and I thought, maybe if there are other girls out there struggling with sexual development and identity issues, they might benefit from my story. I wanted to let other girls know that no matter how bad it is, no matter how many situations they struggle with, it can get better.

I sat down and penned Bad Girl Gone Mom in about three months, and then edited it several times to publication in December. Since then, I have met women all around the world that know what I am talking about. It has been invigorating, uplifting and I cherish every one of these women who are left wondering, what is my purpose on this earth if I cannot do the one thing that men cannot do, bare children.

The fact of the matter is, there are so many things women with M.R.K.H. can do it is a shame they even question themselves, but they do. I have learned I am not the only who has dealt with depression, and suicidal thoughts. I am not the only one who became self-destructive. I am not the only one that wants a better life. I am not alone.

130 and counting

As of today, there are 130 of us on the Facebook MRKH Suport and Awareness Page. To me, that is simply thrilling.

If you know of someone who has not been able to bear children, they might be someone who is affected by M.R.K.H. (although there are many reasons why a woman might not be able to bear children).

Please let them know about this group. It is a very positive place to be for those who feel all alone and have been identified as not having a uterus, a cervix, a vagina

Also, many of us have experienced doctors who are not aware of this syndrome. If a girl is in her teens and doesn't get her period, this is a first sign that there might be a problem. Some girls can go through menses but have a blockage which can be deadly if not discovered in time. Others do not have a menstruation period because there is no uterus. Anyway, please help us get the word out to those that might need to know this. Thank you once again, for your continued support.

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An attitude of gratitude

Saying thank you isn't that hard to do, even if it requires a quick note, card or call. Sometimes when I am busy, I let those niceties fall off the radar screen because I am so focused on my objectives I forget that building relationships is part of the foundations for success.

I was in a meeting the other day and was reminded that sales people typically do follow up with thank you cards after they meet with a client. One great method to say thank you is using e-cards. If you have a customer or client list, www.SendOutCards.com/Winiarski is something you should check out.

I am the type of person that always wants more. It doesn't mean that I am not happy with what I have – because I am grateful. I am in a good spot and life could be so much worse than it is. However, I need to be doing something, feeling like I am accomplishing something – for me to be happy.

The difference for me in the last few years, however, has been that I am not striving for my own personal success. Today, I am working to help others be successful. And you know what? That is even more rewarding than feeling my own personal successes.

Without teachers and mentors, where would we be? I am always grateful when someone else takes the time to show me how to do something or provides me with knowledge that I need to accomplish a task.

Today I would like to thank all those who have gone to the trouble to help me. Have you had someone go out of their way to help you too? Have you gone out of your way to help someone else? How did it make you feel. Please share your thoughts in the comments section and let me know that you have stopped by.

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Another glorious morning

Today is July 5th. The fireworks were going off like battle bombs for the last three days and I couldn't help but wonder if those recently back from War get unsettled by the noise. I know I do and I've never been in a war zone.

Right now, it is 8:00 am and I am sitting outside by my Goldfish pond. It is a place that brings me peace and tranquility. I watch the frogs and fish live their simple lives, fishing and swimming and wonder if they aren't smarter than we are. I should be working by now but I don't have the motivation to write on a specific topic lately. My head is splintered and wants to go in different directions at the same time.

I checked my Alexa ranking this morning and it seems I have dropped below 300,000 for the world. That is a great achievement for me, considering I started somewhere around 5,000,000 less than a year ago. In Hartford, CT, I have achieved a noble ranking of 1040. Woo hoo. Somebody out there is coming to my blog and reading my content. Thank you!

I can't believe June went so quickly. I planted my garden and am awaiting eagerly the time for harvesting. I have about 30 green tomatoes, from Sun Gold variety, to plums, to beefsteaks. I've got two peppers that will be ripe for picking in about a week. I have one somewhat red strawberry and two cucumbers that will be ready in about a week. The timing will work out nicely as my folks are scheduled to arrive in about 4 days. They will be here for several weeks, and will help eat the tomatoes since my husband doesn't like them.

Yesterday, we (my husband, a friend, and I) spent the day taping the ceilings and bagging the rooms so my husband could spray the ceilings with new paint. It has been a couple of years since we repainted and because we smoke in the house, it was time to do it again.

Well even though I don't want to do it, it is probably time for me to go to work. Here is hoping you have a great day, and thanks for stopping by. I'll be loading up some pictures of my Koi pond and garden in the near future so feel free to stop back and check them out.

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Blogging with Word Press and Go Daddy

It has been several days since I updated my website. This morning I went through and approved several comments on the blog but some people are reporting having problems with my RSS feed. To access the feed for this site, please use http://kbalbify.com/feed/.

For those of you who have been requesting information about the set up of this site, I use a Word Press blog with the Graphene Theme by Syahir Khairul. You can find more information about it here: http://www.khairul-syahir.com/wordpre.... I have used GoDaddy as my hosting site and am happy with their service although they cost a little more than some of the other options at there. When I call them for help, they are there to help and that makes it worth while.

Speaking of getting help, I know there is a pop up problem with this site, and calling GoDaddy to fix it is on my list of things to do. Thank you for reporting it to me. I appreciate that.

For those of you who would like to link to kbalbify.com, please do so but if you want to use my content, please only post a paragraph or two of a specific article or post on your site, and then provide a back link to my page for the rest of the post.

About a year ago, I began trying to learn how to blog. I set up several sites and then became frustrated quickly. I didn't know how to drive traffic, I didn't know what my target market was, nor did I have any products or services to sell. I got some great advice and abandoned my efforts. I wasn't ready. Instead, I wrote articles learning SEO and then I wrote my book, worked on my CD, Paths, and began doing some consulting work.

Now, my days fly by I am so busy doing so many things. I am happy to make connections on the web, and in person. I am also content sharing what I have learned so far, with anyone who is interested in learning more. For those of you who are interested in a more personal look into my world, please elect to follow my site as a member. Join

Emotions and emotional baggage

This week has been a tough one, not necessarily for me so much, as for the people I love.

On Monday, my daughter informed me that one of the kids she had gone to school with had died over the weekend while he was boating, and then attempting to swim in the Congamond Lake, in Southwick, MA.

Yesterday my mom shared with me that this week was the anniversary of the death of her mother almost thirty years ago. I will never forget the day that the phone rang to tell us the news and hearing my mother's anguished wails coming from the kitchen. She loved her mom, she was close to her, and she was devastated.

Today my sister called, and her ex-mother in law (her kids' grandma) passed away at home unexpectedly this morning. Although the relations are strained, Patty was good to my sister, and there are tears of sorrow, not only for her, but for the kids that will grow up without their gram.

There are times when I just want to pull on an emotional suit of armor, staving off negative thoughts, negative energy and sad news. I feel as if I am not capable of handling one more thing and yet I have no control over what happens, not only to me, but to those that I love.

The only thing I can do is love those that I love while they are alive. It doesn't seem to be enough, and yet it has to be, because it is all that I have to give.

When death comes, it forces us to look at our own mortality. In some cases, it may cause us to examine our lives, and influence us to change our path. I know when my mom said she felt like losing her mom was still a fresh wound, I became profoundly grateful that I still have her in my life. I am looking forward to spending some time with her and my dad when they come visiting in a few weeks.

Someday, when I am gone from this earth, I hope I have left a legacy of love, caring and some spontaneous laughter. I hope those that I have hurt in my selfishness or thoughtlessness, forgive me.

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Experience as a book club guest

Last night I attended my first book club as a guest author and I had an absolute blast.

One of the ladies that I know is in a book club with several ladies in her neighborhood. Jennifer asked me two months ago if I would consider visiting her group and I said I would love it.

I thought we were going to read my book at the meeting but when I arrived, I discovered that the women had already read it and wanted to discuss it with me. Five ladies asked me all kinds of questions like why did I write this one as my first book, what made me want to do it, how did I do it, and what has response been from my family and friends.

They gave me feedback that they enjoyed the book, but that it was hard to read because of the content. They thought it was inspirational and even though they said they were not my target audience, it impacted them.

One of the ladies shared that she was looking at troubled kids differently. Before she thought of a kid who was troubled as a loser but now she was wondering what could she do to try and help that kid turn their life into something positive. That made my night.

She also shared with me that she had gone to her daughter's high school to pick her up, and noticed another mother was reading my book. When she told the mother she knew me and that I was going to attend her book club, the other mother shared with her that she had gotten the book from the Simsbury Public Library, and that it was on reserve meaning there was a list of readers who had requested to read it. The mother shared with Jennifer that her own history was similar to mine, with the exception of the medical conditions. She said to Jen, "I was that wild too."

That was another special moment in the evening.

It is hard to believe so much good has happened to me in the last year. I started writing the book in August 2010, and since then, doors have opened. I have re-acquainted myself with old family and friends. I have met some awesome people along the way and have learned an incredible amount. I am now self employed and the future looks bright. I am a lucky girl and grateful for the love and support.

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