Online Branding and Photos

I always thought that getting professional photos or headshots were for actors or well-known, famous people. After attempting to get a nice, decent photo taken of me by others, I finally made the decision to get professional headshots and avator pics taken.

I posted on Twitter for suggestions of a Phoenix photographer and Erica Lucci sent me Tyson Crosbie. I am grateful to both of my Twitter friends as the photo session went wonderful and Tyson is an artist! He made me feel comfortable and the shots came out amazing!

Here are some of the shots:







Although I tell our clients how online branding is important, I wasn't following my own advice. With Tyson's pics, I now can go forth and continue with online branding PearlyWrites as the woman who likes to make funny faces and Shirley Temple curls!

New Book Contract

So I received a new book contract, woohoo!!!

Originally I was signed on to write a book about ghosts in Phoenix but that didn't pan out mainly because I needed to work on projects which paid money and I couldn't devote enough time to it.

After a few months went by after canceling the first book contract, I asked the publisher if they have any other books that they needed completed. The publisher sent back an email with a response and now I am signed on to write a new book.

The cool thing about this book is it is more pictures than writing which I am very excited about. I actually just ordered a new digital camera just for the book and can't wait to get started.

I am waiting to receive confirmation that the publisher received my contracts and then will share some of my experiences while "writing" the new book. With this book, I won't only be known as Lisa the author but as a photographer also which is just too cool for me to put into words.

10,000 Page Views!!!

In this world we call the Internet, does 10,000 page views mean anything? As of last night, the new PearlyWrites Website received 10,195 page views for the month of August. If I am not getting the conversion to new clients, then what do page views do for my business?

With all of the page views, does it mean I will see my page ranking increase?

PearlyWrites is now a virtual marketing and copywriting company. This means we work with clients everywhere in the world, not just locally to promote their business offline and online but everywhere! We still offer copywriting services of course!

So what does 10,000 page views do for business in the overall picture?

My Week and Walking

To read about the exciting and tiring week I had, check out PearlyWrites other blog. I forgot to mention getting up at 5am every morning, walking four miles and coming back to begin my work day.

Where am I walking to? Where my legs and feet will take me!

The ultimate goal would be to walk in the Breast Cancer three day walk, 20 miles a day or the Avon Breast Cancer walk which is 20 miles less but also its two days, not three. But I am up to four miles, five days a week. Not sure if I will ever get the stamina to walk 60 miles in three days, but I will keep trying.

Yes, of course I shower and eat some breakfast before I begin my work day. Arizona may be dry heat but not after exercising for two hours!

Enjoy...

What an Interesting World We Live In

While taking my morning walk with my friend, we usually see lots of jack rabbits hopping around the desert landscape. I try and take my dog Marley with us as but as it gets harder for me to get up at 5am and go walking, the harder it is for me to have the energy to walk Marley. I do try and take her 3-4x a week with us but some mornings I feel I just need "ME" time.

Anyway, while my friend and I were walking this morning, she spotted a coyote. The first thing she said was, "Of course now that we don't have Marley with us to protect us, we finally see real wildlife!"

If you are familiar with the Valley of the Sun, we have trails called greenways which are located around the canals. They are off the street, in between housing and shopping complexes. The canals were built as a place for the water to go from the downpours of the monsoons. The length of the trails go for miles but we usually walk four to five miles each morning.

It is very peaceful waking up before sunrise to spend two hours in the outdoors; especially early in the summer time due to the 100 degree desert heat. As the weather cools down, we may be able to wake up a little later but having the chance to see the world before the hustle of the day is very enjoyable.

So maybe next week we'll start hiking again and begin to see more wildlife but its hard enough getting up and walking ;)

Ignorant and Nasty People

Usually in between my two classes I stay on campus and do some work. Today the weather was so nice out that I took a drive and picked up a salad from Safeway down the road from Scottsdale Community College.

Enjoying my hour break and the lovely weather, I step out of my SUV to hear, "You F***ing K*****." At first I thought this abrupt guy with his iPod was screaming at me. I observe the situation and its an elderly woman driving a Cadillac and most likely not seeing this wacko guy running in the parking lot (because that is what normal people do, right?). This guy was acting as if this woman was trying to hunt him down with her car when in fact, I would have hit him also.

Who the hell runs in the middle of a busy parking lot?

So I step out of my SUV fuming with my husband on the cell phone, "That guy just screamed F***ing K*****. I am going to hunt him down in Safeway." The husband was saying, "You didn't hear him right." OH NO I heard his ass right.(With the Jersey accent and tude and all.)

Hung up the phone and ran into Safeway to try and find this ignorant and nasty person but he was nowhere to be found! My adrenaline pumping and all and couldn't find him.

I don't condone any form of disgusting anti-semiticism BUT HELLO if you are going to live in Scottsdale, Arizona (with easily 15 synagogues) and you don't like Jews then you better find your way out of there and come out to good old Peoria, Arizona (0 synagogues and 5 Mega Churches)! (Yes, who are the token Jews?)

What was this guy thinking screaming such hateful words! Obviously myself and the other 15 people staring made him realize he better get out of there quicker than he thought. Maybe I'll run into him (literally) again and take my H3 and run over his nasty mouth of hate! Ignorant people!

Happy 1 Year in AZ or Not

Today, Feb. 22, 2007 is our one year anniversary in Arizona. The year has flown by and how life has changed for everyone.

With celebration of this gorgeous 80 degree day, my body has decided to not be happy. I usually don't like to write about personal issues on this blog but feel the need to. Over 12 years, out of nowhere, I became sick with the Epstein-Barr Virus and had jauntus. Not knowing what this was, it was scary to go through. It is the adult form of Mono and NO I didn't catch it from kissing anyone. ( I may have given it to an ex-bf as revenge...)

For those who understand what an immune disorder can to do your body, you understand without me having to explain. Basically I went from being a very active athlete and dancer to bedridden for 2 months straight and not being able to eat. The blood tests (easily 50) did not show what was happening and the doctor thought I had Liver Disease. Sure enough 6 weeks later the test finally showed EBV.

I slowly began to get better but after a few months, I would be sick again. Then it became a cycle. Some times I would feel "normal" and then at a drop of a hat, I would just "crash." I was told I have CFS and Fibromyalgia which honestly, I laugh at. I am not saying these aren't real diagnosis but have you looked at the symptoms of these illnesses? Everything is included and the way doctors treat it is with anti-depressants which I refuse to take. I am NOT DEPRESSED; I am angry for not knowing how come this occurs in my body.

On a side note, I take vitamins and supplements and am on a Gluten-Free diet and have been for years.

Well, Happy 1 year in AZ, I crashed today and can barely walk.

80 degrees in Feb!

This weekend and today was a reminder of why we moved to Central Arizona; 80 degrees in Feb! I came home from work, threw off my clothes and changed into shorts and a tank top. Played with the dogs in the backyard for a while, did some work outside on my laptop and just enjoyed the gorgeous warmth of the sun.

How can anyone have SAD when living in the Valley of the Sun?

Phoenix Gets Snow!

Moving from the Northeast, the last thing we would have ever see is snow in the Valley of the Sun. Well, Sunday evening brought a snow shower to Northern Scottsdale, Glendale and the surrounding areas.

Yes, the desert had snow and YES, we also have different seasons.

On Feb. 21 will mark our one year anniversary of living in Arizona and WOW has the year flew by! We would have never experienced this type of life or enviornment. Hiking at Thunderbird Park and looking out to Phoenix on a clear, sunny day to see the entire valley with its enormous mountains. Breathing in the clean, crisp air (and as Ralph has said) feeling F****** AMAZING MAN!

SEDONA, the amazing natural Red Rock Canyon...

I still have to take my drive up to Vegas and plan to in the next few months and my drive down to Mexico to experience the "West" coast after many years of living on the East coast of the US.

We are still waiting for more visitors to come and know our sudden decision to move out West took some time to get use to.

Hope to see you in 2007!