S.M. Bjarnson's Blog, page 17

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!@!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE MOST AMAZING HANDSOME HUSBAND!!!! [image error]
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Self-Marketing, by Janet Choi

I found this article on the 99u.com website and it caught my attention. Here is a article written by Janet Choi. Click on the link for the entire article. I merely copy and pasted specific paragraphs for the wisdom Wednesdays. http://99u.com/articles/20882/you-were-born-to-sell-dismantling-the-myths-of-self-promotion

You Were Born to Sell: Dismantling the Myths of Self-Promotion
by Janet ChoiWorking hard at making something isn't a guarantee of success. In fact, when you ship your project or work, your job has only just begun.



Many people take the brave steps of making and creating, only to hit a wall because they’ve fallen into the trap of thinking that marketing their work isn’t for them.As best-selling author Dan Pink points out in his book To Sell is Human, we’re all in sales now. “We’re persuading, convincing, and influencing others to give up something they’ve got in exchange for what we’ve got,” he writes. Selling is becoming increasingly necessary and a real competitive advantage in a world of growing entrepreneurship and striking out on your own, because chances are you won’t have a sales team to do your pitching and promotion for you.It’s easy for us to think that quality alone will be enough to promote our work. Yet we need to open the door to the outside world for our ideas and creations, because if we make something and nobody’s there to see, why did we create in the first place?If we make something and nobody’s there to see, why did we create in the first place?Maybe you feel like the act of selling is too alien or even dishonest when your disposition is so far from the enduring tropes of the sleazy car dealer, the mercenary huckster. But selling doesn’t require you to be someone who you’re not. In fact, it demands the opposite, that you be true to yourself and your passions — and then reach out to connect from that core.Do you still have a mental block against selling? Here are two ways to help you rethink your approach.

There’s an element of “fake it ‘til you make it” in turning on pseudo-qualities, but consider the saying in reverse. Let what you’re making provide fuel for faking it, as Little does when he performs his lectures.Your character traits are more malleable than you think. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi found thatcreative personalities are complex and versatile, “remarkable for their ability to adapt to almost any situation and to make do with whatever is at hand to reach their goals.”You can’t expect your work to speak for itself when you haven’t made an effort to reach out to people who will listen. That can be just as tone-deaf an attitude as the pushy promoter’s. Turn selling into an act of being yourself. Your work will thank you.—


S.M. Bjarnson's Thoughts:Exactly what I had in mind. I solemnly believe that there is a variable that states if you do not believe in your work who will? If you see no promise in the writing you have done that why promote it any longer. You are your biggest self promoter and you need to honestly believe that you have the best selling product, even if you are not the best seller. My father was a salesman all my life and I looked at that lifestyle and I could never see myself as one to convince people to purchase an item that I didn't really feel they needed too. It was dishonest and I am the person to persuade the customer to another booth if I feel mine is not what they are looking for. We are the salesman and we are the motivator. We have to give the best performance to be entitled for the win. 

Hula: A Love Story

Love Story-Hula
            Fuji, the mountain of Hula covered most of the land in Japan. Hula was a dream to me, it was like a religion when you danced its way. Great and wondrous she would cloud over the people in japan. Leaving the world to Aw in her amazement to glaze the nation of Japan. Fuji is the place where the world seemed to be at peace it seemed to be calm and one with everything around it. Hula is that feeling when you wake up and you know and believe it will be a wonderful day. The feeling of hope. Hope, it lies in the movements of the dance. Day came and waved its sun beams unto my face. Today was a new and yesterday didn’t matter. I arose to the mirror where I found myself staring back. Black mid-length hair, brown eyes as almost black, Asian was feature that 1/4 of the had in genes. Smiled and walked away from the person I saw in the mirror, but did not remember I pulled on another grassed skirt and take a breath of cleansed air. Hula again today, Hula again tomorrow.             I hula right, I hula left. I can hula all around.              There's something about' my hula, that I love.            It’s an amazing feeling that the world has forgotten."Let's go swim with the mermaids, Lakea". "Trip, come on the mermaids have gone away from the islands". "No they are still here waiting for the people to come back again, do you remember the story of the mermaids Lakea?” "How they would lead the sailors with their beautiful singing, their words sweet and humble". Trip takes a couple steps beyond her, he begins to sing a song; a mermaid song. "The cherry blossoms seem to be embraced with a fire, the sailors hum the mermaid song. As we dance around. The mermaids come and whisper in the cold ears of sailors, they fall into a deep spell of enchantment overboard. The mermaids sweep them under into their depths of underwater gardens. Sing oh sing that sweet toxic rhythm. Turn around, turn around, and see the secret melody. Hear its words, feel the beat. Seek its individuality. You knew once, you knew twice you saw it all across the day.            There was a certain love that encircled me when I danced the hula. It toke on a whole new meaning by love. I fell in love it was like a whole other meaning of my love hula. Dreams are meant to be dreams to make us believe in something greater than our own realities. When LOVE seeped into my heart, the world came to a slow. He saw me, he looked into my eyes and say my heart filling up with joy. Then he spoke so sweetly in his daring voice "I feel the same way, I always have since that day you danced the hula for me". He kissed my lips with such a precious kiss it was tender like just when the perfect ray of sun and you see your first love. It seemed that many times I glanced inside my locket of love and found that it echoed more than ever. I know pain too well. It comes and lingers around my heart. Mocking the temptations that are hidden in it. The love that is needed to be seen.
S.M. Bjarnson
P.S. I wrote this a while ago. I apologize for grammatical errors ans such. 



Photo Credit:https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&r... 

Finding the Passion that Drives you to the Core, Getting through the nasty blues of Writers block!

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You've gone down every alley to try and devise a plan every turn remains empty and still you are craving inspiration. Your mind is on a pathway and all the streetlamps are burnt out around you. There you are rummaging through old garbage plans going over notes of once loved ideas, they fall flat and you still are strained for words. The music has stopped playing and there is no end to this devastating time insight. You remove all the curtains and go for a walk any swift movement of fresh air is a grasp at something new, the experience you try to overcome is just staggering behind you, laughing at the dying corpse you call a story.

Well that was surely a nightmare!

In a day or two it may fade away and the really weary condition of writers blocks are sometimes only solved with time and patience. I have the worst overwhelming feeling of writers block sometimes, it drains me leaves me out in the rain with and umbrella with holes in it. My head aches as the empty thoughts begin to flow. There you are stuck in a flood with a hole in your boat; you are going down sailor! Sayonara world! My dreams and hopes for a bright authorship life are fading quickly.

!!!!STOP!!!!

Back up?!? Writer's block may not have the means to drown you in your sorrows, but it surely has the means to poison the ideas floating around in that imaginative cranium of yours. So here we are at the round table of hopeful knowledge awaiting the remarks if not insight for our next legion of stories. So here are my helpful hints to getting the wheels working again. The fingers typing/writing again, let's get back to where we find we have truly lost ourselves. :) Enjoy the ride

Tip 1
Go to a heavily populated place.
Watch people, create their life stories.
Breathe some fresh air and take a walk by yourself.

Tip 2
Seclude yourself
Turn on the music
Put on the Headphones
CLOSE YOUR EYES and just TYPE!
Write every phrase and feeling that you see fit.
Just WRITE!!!

Tip 3
READ
READ
READ
I personally start having a drought if my imagination has not been diving into the literary fiction I so love. Besides the more you read the better writer you become and the more you learn and understand about the craft of writing and character descriptions. Believe that your fellow author;s written word could inspire you indefinitely! You can change the world with your words! Hope all the tips help you on your way out of the funk or pit of doom. Hope to be hearing from you soon in the written world of words!



Photo Credit:http://www.google.com/imgres?sa=X&amp...

Be a Author Today! S.M. Bjarnson

Today I'm going to write like I have never done before.
Awaken my soul it is ready to explore and endure.
Words will be filtered and my wish to become with be known.
My chances of survival rely merely on that of what I hope to scribble.
You are sure of yourself, the story line spectacular.
You deserve this win.
Wanting nothing more than to become and be known.
Sentences begin to come at you in all directions.
Pausing the chaos you organize the thoughts.
Your a performer for those in the imagination field.
The writer inside you tells a story not one could hope to write.
I am brilliance. I am the beauty in reading and writing.
There are such times when I doubt my plot, doubt my livelihood of being just an imaginary believer.
Am I worthy of the AUTHOR title?
Is it mine and do I necessarily belong to it?
Fears fade away and there is always that warm feeling reminding me that I am more than worthy, that this is my chosen destiny, that this is my birthright.
Words are printed onto pages but first written wildly upon my soul.
I emerge from the blessed waters of renewal.
Today, is a new day.
Live on.


S.M. Bjarnson

Mint Chocolate Chip Popcorn

Mint Chocolate Chip Glazed PopcornIngredients:4 c popped popcorn (see Note*)3 Tbsp honey (should be able to use agave or maple syrup for strict vegan)2 Tbsp unsalted butter or coconut oil1/8 tsp vanilla1/2 tsp mint extracta few drops green food coloring (optional)1 Tbsp (or more, if desired) mini chocolate chipsInstructions:Preheat oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Place popcorn in a large bowl.In a small pot, combine honey and butter or coconut oil over low heat, and stir until melted and smooth.Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, mint extract and food coloring (if using)Drizzle mixture over popped popcorn and gently stir until evenly coated. This may take a couple of minutes to ensure the glaze is evenly distributed.Spread popcorn into a single layer on prepared baking sheet.Bake for 5 minutes, remove from the oven and stir, then spread back out into a single layer.Return to the oven and bake in 3 minute intervals, stirring each time until the popcorn is nearly dry. You will probably need two or three more 3 minute intervals. Be careful to avoid burning the popcorn.Remove from the oven, let cool for a couple minutes, then use a spatula to push the popcorn pieces close together. Carefully sprinkle the chocolate chips over the popcorn, trying to keep most of it on the popcorn and not falling through and landing on the baking sheet (some will, which is okay). The chips will slightly melt and adhere to the popcorn.Allow to cool completely, until the chocolate chips have resolidified. Popcorn will continue to harden as it cools. Store in an airtight container, if it lasts that long.Notes:*You can pop your own in the microwave or air popper without any oil or butter, or if you use microwave popcorn, use the plainest kind you can find, usually labeled “Natural”. I like this technique.http://thenymelrosefamily.com/2014/02...

Circus in Me: Sneak Peek 1

How we had gotten ourselves into this mess, I was already planning for the escape. My parents had not come by; they had no intention in supporting a defiant son, let alone loving one. His movements were none existence, twirling my brown hair around my index finger. Who knew what a calamity this would provide my unwilling guardians, it was what they were, were they not? Guarding us from harm, pain, from life.       The execution was confirmed and we had no verdict to object to it. My father signed and declared his first born son as mythical as his mistakes. They didn't stick around long after that; he was already deceased in their images.       The town would not forgive the patrons involved; his best friend was a cast away as he would have been. Drinking and driving in a community that had no tolerance for the first one, let alone the second. Remembering that night only brought up anger and frustration towards the victim that became my brother. Did he somehow realize he was alone to blame for this? Were we all flashing guilty cards with the victims’ names?       I turned back to what the weather had caused for us today. She seemed to roam over the individual county lines, making promises of better wishing times and novelty practices of where we could go from there; no promise was ever kept. I remark on the notion of this delicate place, the times we’ve spent here wishing the cuffs would be loosened or dissolve altogether. We were prisoners of our own time. Not the time they stamped into these metal bracelets they called love.
       My hand print comforted his; he had been estranged for a week now, his hand already tingling to the beneficiary of its fate. I pressed firmly into his palm, imprinting on it more than love. The radiance of the moon quickened by his window as the machine took he's last breath for him. I sat gallantly among the stars as the white sheet covered his mercenary head. Tears trickled down my white cheeks as if for some reason, I had been the one claimed for death's plate. I questioned myself what the point of this was, why the long trial had run dry and I was sitting alone in a room with a corpse who had been my brother.

S.M. Bjarnson

Kiss Me Hard, by Yuliya Vladkovska

Saatchi Art Artist: Yuliya Vladkovska
http://www.saatchiart.com/art/Paintin...

Tim Ferriss: On The Creative Process and Getting Your Work Noticed

Books




Tim Ferriss: On The Creative Process And Getting Your Work Noticedby Ariston Anderson



It’s not an easy feat to stay on the New York TimesBestsellers List for four-and-a-half years straight, but Tim Ferriss is used to pushing limits.In 2007, Ferriss transformed the world of book marketing with a grassroots campaign that gave his first book, The 4-Hour Work Week, mass appeal — all while detailing his adventures as a champion kickboxer, world record holder, entrepreneur, and more.But there was one mountain that Ferriss still hadn’t climbed: how to find his way around a kitchen. The author couldn’t tell his basil from his parsley when he began writing his latest book,  The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life .  But in typical Ferriss fashion, he traversed the globe interviewing top chefs. In the process he found a new model for efficient learning: pinpointing the best, copying their craft, and skipping all the unnecessary filler lessons that most courses begin with.Your first book was about escaping the workaholic lifestyle to “find your muse.” Do you think it’s better making a living doing what you love, or to make a living that allows you to spend time doing what you love?If you wake up on Saturday morning and go surfing to decompress for the week, that is different from having to wake up at six every morning Monday to Friday and take investment bankers out to surf. One is elective and one is mandatory.  Adults and three-years-olds are very similar, in that as soon as we have to do something, we start to resent it.For instance with me, I don’t like to do a lot of speaking engagements like a lot of authors do. I just find it really boring.  I now only do two types: it’s either top price or free. If you realize that income is intended to ultimately improve your quality of life in some fashion, then it makes it easier to forgo some the fleeting, high-maintenance opportunities.Adults and three-years-olds are very similar, in that as soon as we have to do something, we start to resent it.How much real world experience do you need before you kind of go off on your own and create your own lifestyle?I don’t think you need any real world experience. It’s a question of whether you want to learn the trial and error lessons on someone else’s dime or on your own dime. If you get used to a cushy corporate job and automatic money, it’s pretty tough to say: “I have to sell the car and get a smaller apartment because I’m going off on my own.”How would you describe your writing process?I do my best writing between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.. Almost every friend I have who is a consistently productive writer, does their best writing between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. My quota is two crappy pages per day. I keep it really low so I’m not so intimidated that I never get started. I will do the gathering of interviews and research throughout the day. I’ll get all my notes and materials together and then I’ll do the synthesis between 10 p.m. to bed, which is usually 4 or 5 a.m.I will have a station on Pandora, and I will put a movie on and mute it in the background so I don’t feel like I’m in isolation. Then I jam. It takes me an hour and a half to get my brain into the flow of doing anything writing related. So once I’m in that flow, I will bleed the stone for as long as I can. If things are going well, I’m not going to stop until I nose dive. But if it goes for an hour-and-a-half and it’s like pulling teeth, then it might be time to go to bed.My quota is two crappy pages per day.It’s easy to say “don’t read a million blogs, don’t do this don’t do that” but it’s often really difficult to shut off and focus. What have you found that actually works?Use RescueTime and trial it for a week, and try a low-information diet. Get a really cheap laptop that doesn’t have Internet connectivity and do as much work on that as possible. As odd as it sounds, go back to pen and paper. Because once you’re on the computer and distraction is a click away, you’re just like a rat with a cocaine dispenser. You’re going to get toasted.You’re known for your grassroots marketing style. Do artists today have a responsibility to market themselves?It’s 100% their responsibility. If you want to be a tremendous artist, and then expect people to beat a path to your door, you can try that. The fact of the matter is, it’s not going to happen unless you meet someone who makes that happen.So you can make it accidental or you can grease the wheels of the universe and try to encourage those things to happen. In that case, guess what? You’re marketing. When people think marketing, they think of a cheesy sales guy. Marketing is knowing exactly who your customers are, and trying to get your product, your art to them. If you are creating art for yourself, well great, go live in a cave and do it. But if you’re doing it commercially and you have bills to pay, it’s not selling out to get your work to the people who most appreciate it.
http://99u.com/articles/7252/tim-ferr... 

Running as Father-S.M. Bjarnson

Running as Father            He calms his breathing as he slows to a stop; watching the world run by him, in his green sea water swimming shorts. His hair has aged to gray and blackish, he tries to keep strong in such a hating world. He moves and moves and steps further and further, running and jogging farther away from the abyss. Searching for comfort and help with raising teenagers who seem to despise him. They intended no harm or hurt.             Suit and a tie is what he lived in for days and years as a grown up, trying to make an impact in society. As he ran past a merry-go-round he found himself having a flashback, of when the teens were little and innocently loving; he smiled at the memory. Passing stores and houses in a small town where he had grown up and where he had raised his own five dollar family.  He was quaint and a little man sturdy and strong-minded. He was selfless in others eyes, he waved and they waved as he swept on by down the road. While he rushed through abandoned streets and alley ways, he began to wonder his purpose among others and himself.             Stopping to breathe in the fresh night air, agitated he took a slow walk around a red brick house. He stops and stares across at the snowed on pine trees and faded yellow garage door. So many memories, so many happy and sad times, all seemed to flow out at him all at once. A prideful tear drops onto his white bland shirt, he whips it away as he drops to his knees, frustrated wondering where he had gone wrong with them all. Exhausted and hopeful he gained courage and rose from his brandished kneeling, he sprinted giving way to lost and useless questions that were unimportant to a day. 

-S.M. Bjarnson