Archive for 'Jim’s Adventures'

Aileen O’Donoghue – Astrophysicist

Posted on 19. Dec, 2011 by admin.

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This is a post primarily filled with pictures of my long time friend Aileen O’Donoghue who ventured all the way to Bowdoinham, Maine from the far off land of Potsdam, New York just to spend Thanksgiving 2011 with me. I was honored.

She also did a spectacular job of cleaning my house, eating oodles of fabulous fish chowder from the Dolphin Marina in Harpswell, Maine and then cooking a fabulous and hearty pea soup when we entertained several of my other friends on the day after thanksgiving.

So here we have the lovely Aileen O’Donoghue:

Look it's a family portrait

For the best fish chowder anywhere get to the Dophin Marina

Dolphin Marina Dock

I first found the Dolphin Marina, well after getting lost several times. The way there is not well marked but once you do arrive and have a bowl of their fabulous fish chowder with a home made blueberry muffin you won’t soon lose your way.

Grandmas Dishes in the Dining Room

Aileen & Barb - Two dear friends

Professor Party Animal

Sunset in Bowdoinham

Poor Pace Puppy

Pre Bed-time Photo Shoot

Goodnight Ladies

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Journeying the streets of San Francisco- Part I

Posted on 14. Aug, 2011 by admin.

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San Francisco, California July 19, 2011

During the middle of July, almost exactly a month ago today I had to opportunity to travel to San Francisco, California. The real purpose of the trip was to attend a Professional Mental Health conference. But of course we arrived a day early and left a day after the conference. And it was really interesting but we managed to get the most perfect weather when we were there. The first day we had glorious sunshine and a cool day. The two days of the conference were overcast, foggy and a little damp. And the final day we were there we again had fabulous sunshine with a lovely cool crisp breeze. It couldn’t have been any better or more appropriate than that.

San Francisco in Bloom

We arrived in the wee hours of the night. I think we actually made it to the hotel at 12:59. But the Sheraton in the Fisherman’s Wharf area of San Francisco has the most comfortable beds and these awesome fluffy pillows. I often have trouble sleeping for any one of a number of different reasons but as soon as I hit the bed I think I was fast asleep and woke refreshed and ready to go the next morning.

Fisherman's Wharf area of San Francisco

We got a great package deal through Cheapo Air. And we specifically chose to stay in the Fisherman’s Wharf area of the city because while we were really there to attend the conference, the conference wasn’t an all encompassing affair. The would be and was plenty of time for exploring the city and seeing the sights.

I wanted to be as cognizant of money as possible because I am also traveling to Greece this year and just need to be as frugal as possible. So that first morning after a bit of breakfast and a wee chat with the concierge about a tour of  Alcatraz Prison we headed off journeying the streets of San Francisco for a test run to get to the downtown hotel where we would be attending the conference.

Journeying the streets of San Francisco

We walked from the Sheraton to downtown San Francisco where all the big hotels live. And on the way we explored some of the sights. If it wasn’t for the fact that I need to work and have a good job in Maine, I could easily move to San Francisco. Maybe if I could win the powerball then I would do that. That might afford me one of the many really gorgeous homes there.

Fabulous San Francisco Victorian

Since I was but a child I have been interested in Architecture. I just love the creative forms and putting all that together with a structure that is functional as well as attractive. My Aunt Joan, a fabulous interior designer in Florida would say that a certain house  might have good bones. Perhaps it was from her that I got my attention to the finer things in life including Architecture and culture.

I can’t say that every building or house in San Francisco met my standards for incredible and attractive architecture. But often nestled hither and thither there was a house, a doorway, even a colossal building that caught my eye and caused me to pause just long enough to take another picture.

San Fran Victorian

San Fran Victorian-2

Photography is another one of those things that I really get into. Very early on in my childhood my father has one of his colleagues introduce me to the wonderful world of photography. While I can’t recall specifically I believe the man was a physician who worked in the Radiology Department at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado. I was born there in 1957. In one of my last trips to Denver I was taken aback that what once was the place where I was born and subsequently worked as an orderly is not just another parking lot in a sea of parking lots in the downtown area of Denver, Colorado.

Washington Park-Denver, Colorado July 2009

But I digress. Walking the streets of San Francisco is both visually stimulating as well as great exercise. My traveling partner is as yet still twenty-nine. But by the time we actually got back on the airplane to head back to Maine the poor boy was exhausted from all the walking. I was delighted to discover on my return home that I had lost an additional six pounds. Last year I finally managed to find a diet program that works quite well for me and lost 104 pounds altogether.

San Fran -1

Nifty homes San Francisco

This year as I prepare to get to Greece I am wanting to actually get to my goal weight. Just another sixteen pounds and I will be there. It seems like the closer I get to that goal the harder it is to shed those unwanted pounds. When I started the program at the Center for Weight Management in Portland, Maine I was wicked skeptical about their program actually working. I think I had tried everything under the sun and yet I just kept getting bigger and bigger. Yet, I was delighted when in my first month I shed thirty pounds. Now if I can just lose that sixteen more I think I can manage to stay there.

Top of Mason Street, San Francisco

So journeying the streets of San Francisco while I was there was perfect. I have to admit though that there is this one street, I think it was Mason street where we discovered was essentially a straight shot from the hotel where we stayed to the hotel for the conference which was pretty brutal at one point. As I am sure you may know, San Francisco is a series of hills. And generally as well left the hotel we would be walking up towards anything that wasn’t already at the wharf area level.

Fairmont Hotel-San Francisco, California

At some point Mason street goes from a steady slant upwards to an almost vertical slant to the crest of the hill where we then found the Fairmont hotel in all it’s resplendent glory. Interestingly it was the only street where I had to slow my pace and catch my breath before I could make it all the way to the top. I noticed and commented to Alex both on the way up one side and down the other that the pavement was scored so that people walking could get adequate traction. I surely wouldn’t want to have to haul anything with wheels up that street. One little mishap and whatever was on wheels would gain considerable speed rolling to the bottom.

Precarious Parking in San Francisco

We also noted that while on many streets cars were parked parallel to the curbs with their tires turned toward the curb if facing downward that cars on Mason street and other similarly steep hills were parked perpendicular to the curb. There was one small jeep at the bottom of such a hill that looked as though one could roll it over with just a little push.

Penthouse San Francisco

It’s a really good thing that San Francisco never gets weather that would cause the streets to be coated with freezing rain or snow. The result would be nothing short of catastrophic.

In Part II we will continue to explore the sights in San Francisco. Stay tuned.

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Sean Davis: Candle Entrepreneur

Posted on 09. Jan, 2011 by admin.

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My friend Sean Davis in Sydney Australia has just this past week started a new endeavor into the candle making industry. For some time Sean has known that he wanted to form his own entity and after working for another company marketing and selling candles and associated items he has now taken the initiative to create his own company and website marketing and selling candles.

Have a look at what he’s doing and if you like them send him some business.  He calls his business Davis Eco Candles. Best of luck in your new business Sean.

Here is the website address

www.davisecocandles.com

Earn Extra Money & Travel the World

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Ten Diet Tips from a 100 Pound Loser

Posted on 15. Aug, 2010 by admin.

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Are you tired of diet tips handed out by someone with apparently unlimited income and time? Don’t you find it frustrating to get diet tips from someone who’s never been there? While I’m not sure the program I have used is national or not, I was pleased to find this in Maine. I have lost 100 pounds in the past seven months. Believe it or not I still have about twenty pounds to go. I’m not doing any powders, or packaged foods or shakes or any of that sort of non-sense. It’s just real food and a lot of common sense. Well it is also Doctor supervised and it does work. Here are ten real life diet tips for the rest of us.

1. Eating out? Restaurant portions tend to be enormous, and if it’s on the plate, we tend to eat it. But this seems to be an American thing. If you travel outside the US portion sizes are more in keeping with what you really NEED to eat and not the supersize it mentality. But if you live in the USA, and it’s possible, order from the kid’s menu, where portions are more reasonably sized. Or you can always slpit a meal between two people. And stay away from the salad bar if you intend on drenching your veggies in salad dressings.

2. Keep healthy snacks around and easily accessible. If you’re really serious about dropping the extra weight try keeping a bowl of fruit on the kitchen table, or a container of celery or carrot sticks in the refrigerator. Try to stay away from junk food, extra sodium and sugar in and/or on anything is an absolute no no. In other words, you’ll be more likely to grab something low-calorie and good for you if it’s easy to eat.

3. If you can’t get fresh vegetables then it’s acceptable to substitute frozen vegetables for canned. Canned veggies tend to be high in sodium, which you don’t need, and low in real nutrition, which you do. And you want to steer clear of the vegetables that are high in starch. Yeah yeah, I love them too, but I’ve really loved buying smaller clothes and hearing people tell me how fabulous and young I look a whole lot better.

4. If you must cook your vegetables invest in a vegetable steamer. Steaming is much healthier than boiling anything…and stay away from the microwave. Steamed food retains nearly all of its natural nutrients. An added benefit is always that steaming also retains more flavor which then makes it easier to consume vegetables as opposed to junk food. But I advocate for raw fresh vegetables the most. Have you ever had asparagus that was merely chopped and not cooked? Try it.

5. Lots of those of us who are or have been overweight have also not given eating the sort of time and respect it needs. So, try not to eat standing up and do dry to have a sit down meal, and definitely not in front of the TV. You really want to get out of the habit of just popping food into your mouth, which is something we do in fast food joints, when we’re flying from one point to another and almost always when we are sitting in front of the boob tube.

6. Now this next is somewhat hard to gauge. Some say graze as with six or more smaller meals a day and some say not to. I think I’d read up about the theory, ask your physician or dietary expert first and then make an informed decision that works best for you. I’ve tried both and the three meals a day works fine for me. Grazing just made me fatter.

7. As difficult as it may sound you’re going to have to give up the soda. Soda is essentially oodles of empty calories and lots of sugar. Even the fake sugar is bad for you. So either grab a fruit juice or flavored water instead of soda. You might even try unflavored water. It can be quite tasty.

8. Drink water. Even the FDA recommends at least 8 full 8 ounce glasses of water a day to keep your body working right. My food plan calls for a gallon of water a day. I have often been drinking more than that. Of course that means a lot of extra trips up and down the stairs, but that’s not all that bad for me either. And all that water does wash out a lot of excess fat. When you’re dieting, you should drink even more. It’s not just that full feeling – water helps your body digest foods properly and cleans out your system.

9. For the first several months of my diet program I was advised not to exercise as muscle tends to weigh more than fat, and they didn’t want me bulking up with a lot of muscle initially. And while I do belong to a local gym I often just do the minimal sorts of exercise I can do out of the gym. I also enjoy walking and to walk around my block takes me two miles. The funny thing is that without that 100 pounds it seems to go faster and easier.

10. One of the things that really helped me the best is accepting that I had had all of those fattening foods before and realizing that I could have them again just not in the sheer quantities that I had had them before.

Losing 100 pounds has been awesome. Keeping it off will be more of a challenge because there are so many good things out there to enjoy. And I have succumb to some cravings along the way. But nothing is insurmountable and getting back to the program is a good feeling too.

I was wearing a men’s size 40 pants. Now I am wearing a size 30 and they are loose and comfortable. Another really fabulous result is that I no longer have sleep apnea, and I also feel great.

If you live in Maine and are interested in knowing the program drop me an email or a comment on the blog and I will be happy to send them to you.

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How to Find Work as a Copywriter

Posted on 19. Apr, 2009 by admin.

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Copywriters have been hired for on staff jobs at newspapers, radios, advertising agencies, and in business marketing departments for years and those types of jobs are still available. However, the most common place to find copywriting work today is right on your computer. 95% of all copywriting online is done in a freelance capacity which means you do not work for the companies or clients themselves, but rather for yourself doing jobs for many different companies and clients.

There are tax implications of freelancing. You are completely responsible for reporting your income, although clients you do a large amount of work for during the year will provide you with a 1099 form for income tax purposes. It is up to you to save enough money to pay your income tax when you file.

Save all of your receipts related to business expense from the purchase of a new computer to any software you buy, and even website fees if you keep your own business site to attract clients. You can deduct all business expenses on your income tax report, although suffice it to say you will no longer be filing the short form for that purpose.

For most people it is a wise idea to seek the help of a reputable income tax preparer in order to be sure you are getting the proper deductions, it can save you a lot of money in the long run.

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Storytelling & Copywriting

Posted on 16. Apr, 2009 by admin.

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As I read and explore the ins and outs of what really good copywriting is made up of one of the methods that I have stumbled across several times now is the notion of storytelling.

As I was putting this all together I received an email from a friend who was seeking my input on his next blog post. I was pleased to see that he was essentially relating a story about a bamboo raft traveling down the Mae Tang river, and how that ties into his present endeavor with baby clothing. His most recent blog post at  www.allaboutbabyshop.com is an excellent representation of copy in the form of an engaging story.

Shortly thereafter, I was listening to a Yanik Silver presentation where he was talking about Storytelling as a way to connect with your customers. The idea is that through the telling of a story your prospect is able to identify with you and the process of that story. You create that personal connection as you weave a tale that tells the story of how you benefitted from the product that you are selling. Before you know it the prospect has so identified with you and your story that they are ready to buy into your offer.

And then again I had the opportunity to hear a Rich Schefren presentation also on the art of storytelling as it relates to the current trends in good copywriting. I think I was getting a message today. So my message to you is to create a compelling story that will enthrall your customers in such a way that they will be compelled to take action.

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4 More Ways to Turbocharge Your Writing

Posted on 10. Apr, 2009 by admin.

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by Yanik Silver (02/20/2009)

Sales copy can make or break your marketing campaign. That’s why it’s so important to ensure that it is as strong and persuasive as possible.

The first step, of course, is to get the first draft of the copy down on paper (or computer screen) as quickly as possible. I always tell copywriters not to worry about getting every word right. Just “let it all hang out.”

Then, the real work begins: the editing. That’s when you transform your copy from decent to good – or even great. As copywriting expert Clayton Makepeace says, “The more compelling you make each section of your sales letter, the greater your response and average order will be.”

In my last article for ETR – “4 Simple Ways to Turbocharge Your Writing” – I said that the best way to do the editing is to focus on one thing at a time. And I walked you through the first four phases of the process.

There are four more steps to take in order to polish your copy to perfection. Put them to work for you, and you’re sure to end up with sales letters that blow past your competition.

1. Call Out the Bucket Brigade

In this phase of the editing process, you smooth out and “stitch” everything together by using “bucket brigade” copy transitions. Like the old-time firefighters who transferred buckets of water from hand to hand, these phrases keep propelling the reader forward. Phrases like these:

• And that’s just the beginning…

• As you read on, I’ll tell you more about how…

• But before we go into that…

• But better still…

• But don’t take my word for it…

• But I’m jumping ahead. Let me tell you how this all came about…

• Here’s more…

• Fact is…

• Here’s the deal…

• Here’s the scary part:

• Listen, there’s more. Lots more…

• My strong hunch is…

• Needless to say…

• What this all boils down to is…

• What’s more…

• What’s the catch?

• Then it hit me…

Anytime you can use a copy transition, you will improve the readability of your copy and move the reader closer to the sale. (I have compiled 226 copy transitions that I use on a regular basis.)

2. Read It Out Loud

I don’t know what it is about reading sales copy out loud, but it gives you lots and lots of insight into how good (or bad) it really is. All the bumps and rough spots jump out at you.

Even better than reading it out loud yourself is to have someone else read it to you while you take notes on a printout of the copy. One big advantage of this is that he is completely impartial. He won’t stress certain words to make the meaning clearer. And if he stumbles over a phrase or sentence or paragraph, you know that’s an area you need to rework.

Another thing I do during this editing phase is make sure the copy is geared to the prospect’s benefit. I do it by changing some of the “I’s,” “We’s,” and “Me’s” to “You’s” – e.g., changing “We are giving you 6 must-have bonuses”to “You’ll get 6 must-have bonuses.”

Much stronger that way.

3. Sleep On It

At this point, let your copy sit for at least a day. If you don’t have the luxury of an extra day, even a few hours will help. When you come back to it, it will be with new eyes and a fresh perspective. You’ll find errors that weren’t apparent before, and better ways of saying what you want to say.

Every sales letter is significantly improved with rewriting. I will often do three, four, or even five rewrites before I’m satisfied.

4. Grammar and Spelling – the Final Phase of the Edit

On my final pass-through, I check the grammar and spelling. Often, I will have someone who is better at “proper English” take a look, too. I take their suggestions with a grain of salt, because sales copy is more “conversational” than formal writing. Still, I definitely want to make sure I don’t make stupid mistakes like confusing “their” and “there.”

Despite the importance of the editing process, most copywriters don’t bother with it – or, at best, give their copy one or two quick “final” reads. But if you take the time to do a thorough job – going through all eight phases, one by one – you will see a guaranteed improvement in the selling power of your writing!

[Ed. Note: As master Internet marketer Yanik Silver (www.MaverickBusinessInsider.com) says, careful editing can make the difference between mediocre and blockbuster sales copy. Learn how you can spend two days with one of the best copywriters in the world and get all his most powerful secrets to writing copy for the Web right here.]

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This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, a free newsletter dedicated to making money, improving health and secrets to success. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.

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Understanding Who, What, Where and Why in Copywriting

Posted on 08. Mar, 2009 by admin.

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To attempt good copy without having some insight about who, what, where, and why is asking for trouble. If you don’t have a really good idea about what your audience is interested then your attempts to create good copy will fail. Your audience will be able to discern that you have not done your homework and therefore are not really speaking their language.

Successful copywriters talk the talk of their customers. You really have to have a better than average understanding of the product. You want to be able to identify with and capture the attention of your audience. It’s therefore of imminent importance to understand everything there is to know about your target audience. Some things to consider might be, a.) Generation, what is the age of the target group and what is it that this group is going to get excited and interested in. b.) Class and/or income group. If you’re talking on a street level to a professional you might very well lose their attention and thus the sale. c.) Profession and level of employment. In most cases you will be writing to attract a certain group of people. It certainly doesn’t hurt to really know who it is that you are speaking to and what their interests and concerns are.

Ask all the questions you can think of. Ask questions that might seem silly. There is no bad question. Every question you can think of may be the same question that a potential customer may be asking. So if you can answer that question before they ask it then you have a better chance at gaining their attention

What does the product or service accomplish for the client? This is important when you are researching the product and the client population. You want to know how the product is either going to increase the value of the customer’s life or prevent something. Generally good copy aims at the positive side of increasing sex appeal, health, youth and wealth. Does your product make life easier for your customer? And how is your product better than other products that may be similar? What can this product offer that others can’t or don’t?

There are varying degrees of importance when it comes to informing your audience about a product or service. First there are the basic qualities found in just about any other similar product. Then there is a middle range that includes the ability to save money, increase health benefits, promote youth and youthful appearance and increase wealth. Finally there are the really powerful selling points, such as a money back guarantee, free mentoring for a specified amount of time, a toll free number to get questions answered by a live person, and other special features not found with other products and/or services.

In the end remember to take what you have learned from your investigations and write your copy in layman’s terms. Whether a professional or a laborer most people reading copy are looking for something that’s easy to read and catches their interests as well as speaks to their heart. But if you have done your homework you will most likely be able to speak to their hearts.

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Beware the unethical

Posted on 01. Mar, 2009 by admin.

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I think it’s a wee bit funny that since I have essentially turned off the TV  that I have found and been sucked into another addiction of sorts. Back in August, I think, I joined a group called the Global Alliance. I paid $1,000.00 for a life time membership. And the hype was that I would learn all the internet skills that I needed to become successful. The reality was far different. I paid all that money for a chat, and mostly a social chat.

Recently I have asked for a refund from the group leader of the Global Alliance because  she has essentially left the group without any notice to the membership. She told me in a chat conversation that she was disappointed that I was a quitter. So I said that I was disappointed that she too was a quitter because she had essentially left the Global Alliance Group without any explanation, despite the fact that she had created the group. Immediately she informed me that just because she was leaving a group did not make her a quitter. Ergo the hypocrisy.

I’ve chosen to leave the Global Alliance because there is no alliance, global or otherwise. There is only control and anger and an overall feeling that one should submit to thier will. Thier rhetoric is that it is YOUR group not THEIR group but that is never the case. Beware. There is no integrity in the administration of The Global Alliance and I vanquish all affiliatition with such an organization. I will only and ever forth operate in an ethical and supportive fashion.

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Where in the World Have I Been

Posted on 18. Jan, 2009 by admin.

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It’s been awhile since my last post and so much has happened and changed or advanced.

For as long as I can remember I have had numbness in my right arm and especially in my fingers and hand as a whole. During this past fall the incidence of such numbness increased. There were several nights where I would awaken to an entirely dead arm that ached something fierce. So during my annual doctors appointment I mentioned to him that this was becoming more of an issue and a problem.

The first appointment was with a neurologist. He tested the the nerve responses in my  right hand  and arm by inserting a really thin needle and then applying an electrical current to that muscle. I know I am a little odd in that I really like to watch these sorts of things(especially when they are happening to me). And as I watched I got to ask a myriad of questions. He was really good about answering my questions and then explaining the results that appeared in graph form on the computer.

My next appointment was with Dr. Rosquetti at Coastal Orthopaedics in Brunswick. He was very good about explaining the pros and cons of such a procedure, although he did say that there was a 97% success rate. I’m not entirely sure where I derailed but I decided not to have the carpal tunnel surgery. But then after returning to my office and speaking to some of my staff I changed my mind.

On Monday December 8th i had my surgery. It’s a good thing they told me to get someone to drive me home afterwards. I quite frankly don’t remember getting home. I do recall that the nurses and anesthesiologist and all were really nice and it was certainly not a bad experience. It was more a necessary experience that I had put off for just a little too long.

So that’s why I have been out of commission for so long. My hand gets better each day and even at my last doctors appointment he suggested that I do more and more. It’s kind of funny that as I tell people that I have had this surgery they share their experiences with the same surgery and what I can expect in my recovery. While the post-op appointments should be over in March, I understand that the recovery will last a little longer.

In mid December I embarked on a 30 day challenge. The site was put together by Antony Askew and has originally been for members of the Global alliance. My challenges have been 1.) to exercise for a minimum of 35 minutes a day, 2.) to spend an hour a day cleaning the house and 3.) spend an hour a day reading.

I actually started riding a stationary cycle before my surgery but after the surgery the older cycle died. I had had it for some 10+ years. Still it was dreadfully inconvenient for it to expire, especially when I had limited ability to move it or fix it. But I managed to get a new one and also managed to get the young man next door, Matt, home for the holiday to come put it all together for me.

I’ve been most consistent with the exercise. The cleaning and reading continue to be a challenge although I am working at it all.

My next adventure, related to the exercise is a desire to lose weight. So, I discovered accidentally that one of my Global Alliance Buddies is an authority on EFT and is involved in a weight loss program. So I have connected with her and have embarked on this program. It’s a shift, but in just the first four days I have dropped Six pounds and have more energy than I really know what to do with. An unexpected incentive to losing the weight is that the Cinch Program is doing a promotion where the winner can win $25,000.00 for losing the most amount of weight. I am going to lose 90 pounds altogether.

So, while the initial 30 day challenge with the Global Alliance is coming to a close, I am yet inspired to lose weight with a rather nice Grand Prize awaiting me at the finish line. Tomorrow, among other things I need to finish taking my measurements and then submit my information so that Cinch can just write out that $25,000. check now. I’m going to win it!

In addition tomorrow I embark on another adventure where I will be earning an income online.

See you on the next post.

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