Showing posts with label Literature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Literature. Show all posts

Saturday, August 27, 2016

PIECES OF EIGHT

Have you heard the expression, "pieces of eight"? Here is an excerpt from The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's site, History.org:

The Spanish influence on the American monetary system is still evident today. The one ounce silver coin was eight reales. This "piece of eight" could be fractioned into halves (four reales) or quarters (two reales) much as we do with modern dollars. The modern stock market also operates in eighths of dollars. 

The crowdfunding campaign for my forthcoming first book on tea, has now reached 1/8 of the goal. From my update, Pieces of Eight:

This evening I had a talk on Matcha green tea, together with a tea tasting. My fourth book is planned to be on this kind of green tea in powder form. After the talk and tea tasting, the event organizer passed around a tip jar for donations of my first book on tea with illustrations by John Cox. ... I have now reached the "pieces of eight" ($250 donated so far) milestone... ;) The goal is to get $2000 in total, so I can back John, with enough funds, for the creation of the illustrations for the first book on black tea.

Fundraising with GoGetFunding

Thursday, January 7, 2016

3 WORDS FOR 2016

I haven't updated my first blog since my 13th annual blog report. I will continue with EGO blog, here on Blogger / Blogspot, but I will not write so often in the future. My main focus will be to update my forthcoming "umbrella" site, TeaParty.Media, for my social media activities and tea hobby business.


Please, check out my crowdfunding campaign for my first book on tea, over at GoGetFunding.com.




On this blog, I will publish cat photos, philosophical ideas and retro blogging stuff, e.g., blog carnivals, memes, etc.

My three words for 2016:


  1. Tea
  2. Win
  3. Book


Do you have 3 words (or more / less) for this year?

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

GONE FISHING

I started my summer blog break with bacon chips and a Margarita drink!

Fredagsmys på en måndag. Baconchips & Margarita drink. #fredagsmysare #goodthing

I will be "away" during this month and August, more or less...

What will I do during the summer months, do you ask? ;) Good question. Here are some stuff that I will be busy with:




I will not go fishing in the murky waters of Almedalen...


Photo Credit: Angelina Cupcake via Compfight cc

As a "Personal Jesus," I will reach out to my guest bloggers and ask them to write posts on EGO blog.



Do you want to "touch" my readers? Reach out to me on the social web and I will send you an invitation to become a contributor of EGO blog.

Cheerio and so long! :)

Sunday, May 26, 2013

POWER FRIENDING IRL AND CYBERSPACE

During my birthday on May 25 I got 99 mentions on Facebook.


Is this an example of the power of new media? If you are interested in this topic, I recommend you to read Amber Mac's book, Power Friending: Demystifying Social Media to Grow Your Business. [Nota Bene: Amazon affiliate link. If you want to support my blogging and read a great book at the same time, please click the link and purchase Amber Mac's book.]

How many friends do you have on Facebook? I am getting close to 1,000 (power) friends... What's your take on the Dunbar's number and the social media tool called, Path?

In the evening, I got social and had dinner at a Mexican restaurant together with three of my friends that I am doing business (according to the trader principle) with:




After the dinner I went to Café Hammock, listening to Elecro Swing (jazz) music.

Electro swing jazz Music party.
Electro swing jazz Music party.

Here is my birthday thank-you note:

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Must-Read Social Media Books

By the time I finish writing this guest post, there will be 100 new books published about social media. At least, that’s how it feels. It’s hard to keep up with books on the subject, simply because it’s hard to keep up with changes in social media period!
But at Martin’s request, I want to share some of the better books I’ve read about social media, blogging and internet marketing.

What I Look for 
I review business books, so for a book to stand out, I want it to:
  • Teach me something
  • Be easily digestible
  • Let me walk away ready to do something, not just give me theories
There are many books I won’t put on this list simply because they don’t meet my requirements. Likewise, there are many books I haven’t yet read that would likely provide you benefit, no matter what level of social media understanding you’re currently at. Let’s dive in.

World Wide Rave: Creating Triggers that Get Millions of People to Spread Your Ideas and Share Your Stories
Truly, I recommend any of David Meerman Scott’s book. This is one of his more recent books. World Wide Rave does a fantastic job of cutting through the BS when it comes to trying to get people to talk about your brand. If you’ve ever been told by a marketing agency that they could “create a viral video” for you, please read this book. You can’t plan to create something that is guaranteed to go viral, but Scott does provide tips to nudge it in that direction.

What’s Great About this Book: You can use Scott’s techniques, no matter the size of your company or your marketing budget.

Social Media Marketing eLearning Kit For Dummies 
Phyllis Khare is the author of this book, which is accompanied by a CD-ROM for extra learning. What I love about this book is that it’s got something for every level of learner, from those who haven’t yet created a Twitter account, to those like me, that have been using marketing for years, but who always like learning new tactics. Khare delves into LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and geolocation services, and provides tips for using all.

What’s Great About this Book: It’s an easy reference book. Focusing on YouTube today? Immerse yourself in that chapter and you’ll be an expert by the end.

Inbound Marketing: Get Found Using Google, Social Media, and Blogs
This book may be an oldie (published in 2009), but it’s definitely a goodie. Inbound Marketing is written by the two founders of HubSpot, the very company that coined the term “inbound marketing.”
The book centers around the concept that customers are no longer willing to allow companies to cram their messaging down their throats. Smart brands now find ways to draw customers to them, through channels like social media and blogs.

What’s Great About this Book: This book is the perfect combination of theory and application. You learn the concept of what inbound marketing is all about, but you also get great tips for executing it for your brand.

Books on My List
I’ll never get around to reading all the great social media books, but these are on my list to read soon:

I like the idea of setting a goal to see results with social media within 30 days.
I think many businesses--small and large--could use a few ground rules for using social media.
Since the verdict is still out on how to measure the results of social media, I’d love to check this book out. Plus, my author crush David Meerman Scott is co-author!

What books have you read and recommend?

Susan Payton is the President of Egg Marketing & Communications, an internet marketing firm specializing in marketing communications, copywriting and blog posts. She’s written two books: 101 Entrepreneur Tips and Internet Marketing Strategies for Entrepreneurs, and has blogged for several sites, including The Marketing Eggspert Blog, as well as Mashable, Small Business Trends, FutureSimple, BizLaunch and Lead411. Follow her on Twitter @eggmarketing.

Monday, April 9, 2012

GOOGLE PLUS ONE FEATURES

I have added two Google+ gadgets to the blog. Scroll down to the About section and you will see a gadget saying: "I'm on g+ - Add to circles". You could recommend my blog on Google if you scroll down to the bottom of the page and look under PayPayl's Tip Jar button and then click on the "g +1" button.

Are you on Google+? At the moment, I am reading Chris Brogan's book, Google+ for Business: How Google's Social Network Changes Everything, and I will download Guy Kawasaki's e-book, What the Plus! Google+ for the Rest of Us.

Google+ Lean Startup Business Model Books
Google+ Lean Startup Business Model Books

Monday, January 10, 2011

BOOK OF THE MOMENT

What are you reading at the moment? How many books do you read per year? Do you listen to audio books or read books on an e-reader? Do you participate in any social network for readers, e.g. Goodreads? We (TeaParty.nu) will start a study circle on tea in the near future. January is National Hot Tea month. Have you watched the situation comedy, The Book Group?

Book Apps
Book Apps
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Friday, January 7, 2011

T.G.I.F WITH CAT BLOGGING

This year I will publish cat blogging posts on a regular basis. It is a fun thing to do! Say hi to the host of Friday Ark, @slathe, who is traveling in Europe at the moment. We have to wait and see if Morris will be able to get on (card)board of the carnival "boat"...

"Before picture" from my post, READING IN DIFFERENT WAYS:

Reading Material
Reading Material.

"After pictures":

Morris in a Box
Morris in a box from the online book store, Adlibris.com.

Morris in a Carton
Morris is relaxing in a carton from the online book store, Adlibris.com.

How do you celebrate that it is Friday? How about training for the World Bartender Championship? Do you have a favorite drink?

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

100 VOICES BY SCOTT MCCONNELL

I have read the first interview (Eleanora Drobysheva) in Scott McConnell's book, 100 Voices: An Oral History of Ayn Rand. The interviews are organized in chronological order, from 1910s - 1980s. I look forward to read the rest of the interviews. It will be interesting to hear what Patricia Neal (1940s), Mike Wallace (1950s), Mickey Spillane (1960s), John Malcolm Fraser (1970s) and Louis Rukeyser (1980s) had to say about Ayn Rand.

With the book, it was enclosed a PR document from New American Library with an excerpt from Kirkus Reviews. [Editor's note: I want to thank Heidi Richter, publicist, Penguin Group (USA), Inc., for the book.]

Here is an excerpt from Scott Holleran's post, 100 Voices: An Oral History of Ayn Rand:

100 Voices is an ambitious work about a literary and philosophical genius but it is a collection of interviews about Rand and the content should not be taken as fact or biography. Here, we read that Rand sided with Gen. Douglas MacArthur over President Harry Truman, thought Walt Disney’s animated features were too cute, met Senator Joseph McCarthy, found something to like about former Treasury Secretary William E. Simon, visited the Playboy Club, and entertained Barbara Stanwyck and Clark Gable at her home. There is more, both from those who did not like her and (mostly) those who admire her. The 600-page-plus edition covers her early Hollywood years through her last days in New York City, when she apparently considered going back to Hollywood to finish a script for Atlas Shrugged. (ScottHolleran.com, November 10, 2010.)

I have asked for an interview with Scott McConnell sometime in the near future. What do you want to know about his book and the interviews?

UPDATE 01/09/11: Check out Objectivist Round Up.

Monday, January 3, 2011

READING IN DIFFERENT WAYS

I have received a new batch of reading material from Adlibris.

Reading Material











I am thinking of signing up for an account on Audible.com. I still like to read real books, but it could be enjoyable to start to "read" some books in audio format in the future. Do you listen to books?

I recently listened to iPad Today podcast #26 (E-Readers Galore, Skype Video, Risk, ToonCamera, A Microfiber Miracle!) with Sarah Lane and Tom Merritt. Which kind of e-reader to you use on your iPad?



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Thursday, July 29, 2010

NEWSY GONE FISHING

After getting spam charged by SMS.ac / FanBox on my latest mobile phone bill, I am not a happy camper... I am also having major computer problems at the moment. It took "forever" to upload the following photos (Morris the cat and Spider-Man iPhone wallpaper) to Flickr.

IPHONE WALLPAPER
Spider-Man cartoon magazine cover. Iphone wallpaper by GelaSkins.

Maybe I should "go fishing"? Talking about fishing, have you heard about a dating site called Plenty of Fish? I have written a guest post (Heavy Duty, PACE and Kettlebell) on Fitness Date Club's blog.

MORRIS

I need a cup of tea...

Check out Ego Sole Trader on August 1. I will publish a new post every day for circa one month, describing the process of creating a business plan. Reading material: 3 Weeks to Startup and The Plan-As-You-Go Business Plan.

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Monday, May 10, 2010

MAKE A REFERRAL MONDAY

After reading Ivana Taylor's post, The Referral Engine: Teaching Your Business to Market Itself, I decided to start a new open thread meme post on Mondays. From John Jantsch's The Referral Engine book site:

The idea made it into The Referral Engine and is explained in the excerpt below.

To drive the message of referral marketing home in your business, designate Referral Mondays. On Mondays, every member of the organization’s stated and charted goal is to refer someone to another business. These referrals can go to strategic partners or to your uncle Louie’s catering business, as long as you can match someone in need with a best-of-class solution. You can take your efforts out into the world and advertise and recruit others to join in. Post your Make-a-Referral Monday initiative in your newsletter, on your blog, and through social networks such as Twitter. (ReferralEngineBook.com)

I joined a BNI (Business Network International) chapter in Gothenburg called Quality Hotel Panorama team on April 30. At the meeting I referred Egestam Marketing to Paula Widén of Wideum Garden. During our future breakfast meetings, I will make referrals to my fellow BNI members:


Please give your referrals in the comment section.

Listen to Anita Campbell's interview and Wayne Hurlbert's interview with John Jantsch.

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Sunday, April 18, 2010

PUTTING THINGS OFF

I am struggling with my spring cleaning. I have now archived all my email messages in order to start from scratch with an empty inbox.



Next step is to take care of my in-basket. I will get inspiration and energy from reading Nick Cernis's post, The Importance of Abandoning Crap and his e-book, Todoodlist. [Editor's note & full disclosure: This is an affiliate link.]


I have added "Put Things Off" application on my iPhone.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

BENEVOLENT SOCIAL MEDIA UNIVERSE

Do you want to see an example of the Benevolent Universe Premise in action?

Jennifer Iannolo's (@foodphilosophy) message on Twitter:

Sometimes when bad things happen, a hero like @shlevy steps in. I am so incredibly honored by this post. Thank you. http://bit.ly/bpOW6c (04/13/10)

From  Shea Levy's post, A Truly Worthy Cause:

Through her tweets at @foodphilosophy, her blog posts at Food Philosophy, her work with the Culinary Media Network, and her efforts to make Sex On a Plate revolutionize the way we experience food, Jennifer is an inspiration and an amazing example of a woman who loves life on a visceral, emotional, and intellectual level and who works to make life even better. Unfortunately, her apartment was broken into recently and, among other things, her laptop was stolen. If ever there was a person who deserved assistance in facing a crisis that occurred through no fault of her own, it's Jenn. Whether you want to consider it a payment for her past work or an investment to allow her to continue producing amazing things, please consider donating to the fund I've set up to help her replace her laptop. The donation is through Paypal, and you can get to the donation page by clicking this link, clicking the button below, or clicking the button on the sidebar. (Cogito's Thoughts, 04/12/10.)

Click on the Donate button (powered by PayPal):











If you want to support her work, buy her & Mark Tafoya's book, The Gilded Fork - Entertaining At Home: A Year of Dinner Parties.

I want to create a "sassfully delicious" drink for Jennifer Iannolo... Do you have any suggestions? Maybe I should make a Margarita with a twist?

Related: My post, FOOD TRIP.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

SPRING CLEANING

It is time to spring forward, jumping on the springboard and start getting busy with spring cleaning... I have as a goal to get everything in the right buckets and to have a clean working space within four weeks.
On May 7 is my 8th blogiversary and time for the annual blog report.

Morris in the washing-up sink
Morris will help me with the cleaning!

I have had my iPhone for about a month now and I am slowly getting used to it. I see it more as a multi-tool than a regular mobile phone. [Editor's note: Do you use MobileMe? I got a free trial for 60 days. I am not sure that I will continue with this service.]

I have to take some time and explore iTunes and update the iPhone to the 3.1.3 software version, so I could use Tod's iPhone application called Goal Meter.


In order to get back on track with my workflow, I really have to take time for my weekly review. I recently joined the "OProducers @ OList.com" and I look forward to get tips and suggestions on worklife productivity.

I have to take care of my email inbox in the near future. I look forward to read Merlin Mann's forthcoming book, Inbox Zero. Have you read Inbox Detox by Marsha Egan?


I have "lent" time for introspection and I have to invest more time on this in the future. I will sit down and draw a mind map. I will get inspiration by reading Unfolding the Napkin: The Hands-On Method for Solving Complex Problems with Simple Pictures by Dan Roam.

Do you want to see a sign of the spring season? Check out my post, SARIT GAT, on my other blog...


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