Liz, Author at Successful Blog Page

A 4-Part Series: An Interview with the Amazing Glenda Watson.Hyatt

February 25, 2007 by Liz

Glenda Watson Hyatt’s Virtual Book Tour

Wendy Piersall wrote to me that I must meet this amazing woman, Glenda Watson Hyatt. Wendy was about to interview Glenda for eMoms at Home as part of Glenda’s Virtual Book Tour for her new book, I’ll Do It Myself.

Glenda’s new book I’ll Do It Myself chronicles her story of growing up with cerebral palsy. This beautiful, bright woman with the engaging smile and intelligent eyes was a pleasure to interview, and I missed her when it was over.

You really must meet her.

I’ll be sharing Glenda this week in a four-part conversation.

Monday, February 26 — Who iis this author and why is she smiling? 13.1 Meet Glenda Watson Hyatt

Tuesday, February 27 — What surprises happened while writing the book? 13.2 Glenda Watson Hyatt, published author

Wednesday, February 28 — How did Glenda learn to be a writer and find her wonderful writing voice? 13.3 Glenda Watson Hyatt, Learning to Write

Thursday, March 1 — What message would this author like to give the world? 13.4 Glenda Watson Hyatt, the person I met

Thanks, Glenda! It was wonderful that you let it be such a two-way conversation. I hope you really will come to Chicago so that we can meet person to person.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Bloggy Question 38: You’ve Just Won a New Design!

February 25, 2007 by Liz

And You Said You Never Win Anything

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week. I offer this bloggy life hypothetical question. . . .

At the grand opening of a social network, they gave away prizes. By some stroke of luck you won the grandest prize of all. It’s a $10K blog vacation on an island in a luxury private home for two weeks while your blog gets a $10K makeover by a famous blog designer.

You were excited, bought the sunscreen, made the plans. Then you met with the famous designer. He didn’t listen to a thought you had. Even worse, his favors a color — one that you absolutely cannot stand.

You’re getting a bad feeling.

The rules are that the vacation and blog design are one package. As part of the prize you get to live with new blog design for one year or you happily get to pay the designer.

It’s time for you to accept the prize by signing your permission and releases.

How do you respond?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Business of Design Online is LIVE!!

February 25, 2007 by Liz

Bravo! Cat, nt, and Jay!

I have the pleasure of announcing an important new entry in the blogosphere. Ladies and Gentlemen,

Go meet BoDo! The Business of Design Online. It’s the genius brainchild of the team of Catherine (cat) Wentworth, Neil (nt) Tortorella, and Jeanette (jay) Wickham. It’s been months in the making and boasts series and services, resources, and a list of guest authors that outflank anything I’ve seen.

Click the screenshot and see for yourself! It’s downright amazing!

So much all in one place. Do you think you have to be a designer to get value from this site. Heck, you’ll even find me there.

Congratulations BoDo Team!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Sandy’s Great Graphic Find: IconArt

February 25, 2007 by Liz

Compact Program for Creating Icons and Cursors

Great Find: IconArt

Permalink: http://www.conware-pro.com/products/ia/

Target Audience: All Computer Users

Content: This Windows-based utility allows you to create your own icon or cursor from scratch or by uploading a graphic. You can create static or animated versions. It’s an easy-to-use, paint style tool that supports text, rotation, color palette options, and gradient fills.

Here’s three things I like about IconArt:

It’s free (only $9.95 for commercial use)
It’s easy to use
You can design from scratch or import art to convert

Let me know how you use it!

–Sandy, Purple Wren Communications

Change the World: Positively Surprise a Grownup

February 25, 2007 by Liz

A Good Surprise Is So Long in Coming Sometimes

Most children love surprises. Most adults wish they did. The reason adults don’t like surprises is that too many are negative surprises that we weren’t prepared for — had we been prepared, they wouldn’t qualify as surprises. . . .

The sad thing is one or two negative surprises can teach a person to live defensively, always preparing for the possible negative outcomes, imagining every worst case scenario, never to be caught off guard again.

We worry about negatives because positive things don’t hurt us.

Ellen Weber, Ph.D, told us new research shows that worrying shrinks our gray matter. So we’re really hurting ourselves and our ability to contribute when we worry defensively that way.

What if we could show folks that good surprises do still happen?

I remember research that showed it takes 5 positive statements to overcome 1 negative statement that we take to heart. But then, how hard is it to say a nice thing?

What if we passed along every kind word that we heard about someone? What if we added a few ourselves? What if we went first to find a way to show folks that we’re glad they’re on the planet, that we value their contribution, that some small thing about them is worth a positive remark or comment?

The smiles alone would be worth every word and bit of energy that we invested. Some of those smiles would even make a difference in our own lives and our businesses. Can’t beat an ROI like that.

There just aren’t enough good grownup surprises. Positively surprise a grownup, it’s surprising how wonderful it feels.

We can change the world — just like that.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
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If you’re ready to change the world, send me your thoughts in a guest post. Feel free to take the gorgeous Change the World image up there that Sandy designed back to your blog. Or help yourself to this one.

Email me about what you’re doing or what we might do. Let’s change the world one bit at a time together. Together it can’t take forever.

Thanks to Week 70 SOBs

February 24, 2007 by Liz

Successful and Outstanding Bloggers

Let me introduce the bloggers
who have earned this official badge of achievement,

and the right to call themselves
Successful Blog SOBs.

I invite them to take a badge home to display on their blogs.

They take the conversation to their readers,
contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better, and make our businesses stronger.

I thank every one of our SOBs for thinking what we say is worth passing on.
Good conversation shared can only improve the blogging community.

Should anyone question this SOB button’s validity, send him or her directly to me. This award comes with a full “Liz said so” guarantee. It is endorsed by Kings of the Hemispheres, Martin and Michael, and backed by my brothers, Angelo and Pasquale.

Want to become an SOB?

If you’re an SO-Wanna-B, you can see the whole list of SOBs and learn how to be one by visiting the SOB Hall of Fame. Click the link or visit the What IS an SOB?! page in the sidebar.

–ME “Liz” Strauss