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Hi all…as you’ve noticed, I’ve gone “walkabout”. Yes, I’m on a writing hiatus.
My business commitments are heavy (entrepreneur, growing service business) and my focus is on my business at the moment rather than blogging. I still consult on social media, however my main focus is on my daily business.
As for writing, I’m waiting to see what the latest and greatest new iteration of online communication holds. I have my own ideas of what I want to generate, but I’m not ready to launch yet. You’ll still find me on Facebook and Twitter from time to time, although I have to admit to FB fatigue at the moment.
I’ll be back online writing away in whatever the new format will be and I’ll let you know via this blog as well. Feel free to leave comments with issues you’d like me to look at down the road. The Gen Plus blog will stay posted and active. The thousands of articles from over the years are filled with some great goodies and strategies for challenging job seeking issues.
Thanks for being a great readership. It’s been a pleasure getting to virtually know so many of you over the years. Ciao for now!
One of the challenges with using open source websites (Gen Plus is created on WordPress.org) is that you are a bit more open to hackers. And hacked I was. For that past couple of days my site carried a site advisory, that malware was resident on the site. No more….it’s been cleaned, but it was quite the effort.
For those of you who run your own websites, here is what I did to get clean. First, Google is fantastic…you receive a notification that your site has been hacked and on the webmaster tools are all sorts of tips and tools to clean it yourself. I could have hired a specialist for $200, plus another $150 to hard code the site, but it turns out that I was able to clean the site myself, with a little help from WordPress plugins, a very helpful tech at my host (Bluehost.com), and customer support at SiteLock (you’ll now see the little SiteLock certificate of security on the bottom right of the home page.
There are two issues to address when your security is breached.
1) Get rid of the malware
2) Get your site reviewed by Google once it is clean so that you are again considered a “safe” site.
For issue #1:
I immediately changed all my passwords — both on email and on the entry port to WordPress. Then I ran reports on Google webmaster tools to find out what the malware files were. As soon as I had that info, I went into WordPress and made sure all my files, plugins and upgrades were taken care of — this got rid of the malware files pretty quickly.
SiteLock and WordFence (a WordPress security plug-in) both identified all the corrupt files, which I removed…basically deleted the posts or just deleted all the links so that no hidden malware could be lurking around. I had to run scans several times to ensure all the posts were clean. I also removed all the links from my Gen Plus List. Sadly, I’ll keep the list off the site for now, since those links were hacked.
It does take a few hours to clean up all your files, so it might be worth it to spend the few hundred dollars and have a specialist do all the work for you.
For issue#2:
After the malware and flagged files were taken care of, I ran a final scan and got a “clean” report from WordFence and SiteLock. Once I had the clean reports, I posted the certificate on my site and then (again in Google Webmaster Tools) did a site index and requested a site review.
Happily (as of today), the review worked and my site is back up and running. I’m hopeful I was able to resolve all the issues. If not, I’ll be plugging away, again, at finding and removing malware before I know it.
Thank you, also, to the fine folks out there who let me know about faulty links and bounced email.
There is an as-yet unconfirmed report that about 6.5 million LinkedIn passwords have been breached. If you are a LinkedIn user, it’s a good idea to head over to your LinkedIn account and change your password. Even if the report turns out to be unsubstantiated, there is no point in taking a risk of having your account (and your online rolodex) hacked. Here’s the article: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57448079-83/millions-of-linkedin-passwords-reportedly-leaked-online/
Every year a week or so before Mother’s Day my daughter asks me what I’d like for my special day. Usually I tell her that every day is Mother’s Day. That I’d like a beautiful card & maybe breakfast in bed.
This year my kidlet headed me off at the pass. “Mom, don’t tell me that my love for you its good enough. I want to buy you a GIFT!”
So, now just days before Mother’s Day, I have to think of what my daughter can get me that won’t break her little bank. I’ve received tons of press releases with suggestions/promos but none personally float my boat (I’ll post them later).
I’m taking her to La Boheme the following week, so I thought about suggesting she treat for our lunch. Or perhaps a joint mani-pedi, but I think I may want to go back to our earlier years & ask her to make me a coffee mug. The one she made me 4 years ago is a bit cracked & definitely worse for the wear, but I’ve enjoyed every sip of coffee I’ve ever taken from that mug.
Did you see the moon tonight? If you didn’t realize that the moon was brighter than normal, perhaps you heard more dogs barking or howling well into the night. Impossible to capture the magic on a smartphone camera, but it took my breath away on this crystal clear night.
We owe it to ourselves to marvel at the beauty of our little part of the universe from time to time…no?
It’s been an interesting year in electronic evolution. Blogging to micro-blogging. Google+ vs. Facebook. Twitter vs. the world. PC to iPad to PDA and iPhone4S…
All in all, the world of communication continues to change and amaze. I’ve been blogging since 2004, when who even knew about blogs? I certainly didn’t have a clue. Started on Blogger, evolved to WordPress, then WP pro with customizability that allowed me, who knew nothing about coding, to be able to function in the world of website creators. Now, 8 years later, with literally millions of bloggers, the amount of work to stay ahead of the competition is daunting. Whereas I used to be just one of a few writers who opined on careers for the 50 plussers and the white elephant in the room…yup…ageism, I am now one of many who talk, blog, lecture and critique any and all things that affect us (those with grey roots showing or even fully white-haired!…not forgetting my balding male readers either.)
It’s been wonderful building up an audience of readers. About 10,000 of you have access to what I write on what used to be a daily post, and now less frequent, basis. For a few months I’ve been asking myself why I blog less now than I did a year ago? There are a few big reasons. None of them have to do with readership…because, you, my readers, who email rather than comment, who Facebook message me rather than post on the wall, are who keep me motivated to talk about whatever hits me on any given day. Here are the big reasons I’ve posted less in the past year than in any other year:
- My business is very busy (in addition to social media, I run a successful pet services business in the central San Fernando Valley, call Pooch Buddies!). Yes, it’s a really rough economy and to stay ahead and afloat, I really do work 365/24/7. Not only do I, a single woman, support a family of 3 (plus dog), but I’m responsible for livelihoods of 4-6 staff at any given time of the year, and the comfort of hundreds of people’s loved pets…a responsibility I don’t take lightly. If I can’t keep a full schedule for some of the best people who have ever worked for me, then I fail them. They are willing and eager to take as much work as they can get and I do my darnedest to keep their days full so they can keep their apartments, cars and fill their bellies.
- I lecture on online networking for career challenged 50 plussers, and so I do my part to stay abreast of changes to how the economic outlook affects career networking and how to overcome the significant challenges of finding work when you may have been unemployed now anywhere from 2 – 5 years. That takes up a bit of my time.
- I moved in September. The home I bought was not supposed to be a fixer…but yes, it has needed a lot of work, and I’m really tight with my money, so taking on the challenges of being my own contractor has been overwhelming (but I’ve saved a ton of money that I didn’t have to spend in the first place!)
- My DroidX. I have a smartphone. When I bought my DroidX, I was torn between the ubercool iPhone and the new Google-based android technology. I bought my DroidX because of the screen size (honking big) and because I use Google platforms for every aspect of my business (yes…the BEST there is and all for free…for ANY small business owner, Google is the way to go.) I can do almost anything that I can do on my PC on my smartphone, out in the field. Transfer money? In a snap. Send out PayPal invoices? Less than a minute. Keep track of all my staff, field schedules and be reachable in a millisecond? Yup. Internet, apps, you name it, I can do it. The ONLY thing I hate doing on my smartphone is trying to type a blog post. I can easily write a Facebook or Twitter microblog, but writing a lengthy post is not fun. I’m a fast thinker and a fast typist and I can type as fast as I think…on a PC. So trying to write a post on my droid is torture, even with the fab WordPress app. Even worse, is that I catch all the breaking news as I want it on my phone and get a million ideas for posts every day, but by the time I’m sitting at my desk at 8 or 9 or 10 or 11 pm, I’m just too darn tired to muster the energy to write about what (only 5 hours later) is now OLD news.
So, once again, I’m looking at ways to get out my thoughts, quickly, timely to the breaking news and moments of introspection that you like to read…but I’m not certain that blogging will continue to be it. Blogging is now considered almost mainstream media. I get scores of press releases every day on who wants to plug what for what occasion..but I’m not that kind of blogger. Every now and then you’ve seen me review or mention something cool on the Gen Plus list (like Sony music releases…which are generally fantastic and relevant to our age demographic and deserve any and all attention), but I’d rather review movies and the theater and music and the arts, than the latest invention to help someone who’s fallen down get up off the floor, or plug a pharmaceutical. We are not a geriatric demographic and I’m not the source you are going to for help with your aging parent or siblings when you do start looking for those resources. I adore my advertisers and welcome them, but a plugging blogger I am not.
I believe I’ll be heading a bit more toward the micro-blogging arena (I think…not sure…still ootzing over what and how). I haven’t worked it out yet, and I’ll continue to blog as I figure it out, but in the meantime, make sure to go to my Facebook link on the Gen Plus website and hit LIKE to become a fan (that’s how you’ll get my posts) or follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/genplus).
I’m not a political pundit or an economic analyst…there are tons of those…
I’m still exceedingly frustrated and heartbroken over the millions of 50plussers (and a lot of late 40-somethings) who literally can’t get a door to open to them.
I’d like to find the right way to help extend network, so I’m thinking it might a combo of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, but the wheels are still turning looking for the next best thing.
If you have thoughts, opinions, feel free to share. If you prefer to read blog posts rather than micro-posts, feel free to let me know. If you’ve come up with the next best thing, I want to know about that, too.
Gotta run. Gotta check out what my staff are up to via my very, very smartphone. Love you all.
It’s not even halfway through Janury yet and almost everyone I know has already started losing their steam on their resolutions. So, here is some cool stuff to get you all remotivated and tickled pink about getting to your goals. Yup…there’s an APP for that!
Top resolutions? (Totally unscientific…just looking at all the ones that I’ve tried and lost my will on over the years. )
Lose weight. Check.
Exercise more. (OK…did that one.)
Make more money. Check.
Spend less. Check.
Save more money. Check.
Quit smoking. (Did that one.)
Etc, etc.
There is a company, Tecca , which is a gadget site for women (love that!) and they’ve actually come up with a selection of their favorite resolution apps. Here you go:
1. Save time and your waist-line by eating at home- Answer: Ziplist (free for iPhone and Android)
Make meal planning and shopping a breeze by saving your favorite recipes from the web or even TV to your iPhone or Android. The best part is that with a click, the ingredients to any recipes can be added to your mobile shopping list, guaranteeing you never forget your list when you hit your grocer. Shoppers save time by not having to back-track through the store, or forget those little impactful ingredients like a pinch of parsley. And by eating at home, you are more likely to save money and eat healthier because you know all the ingredients.
2. Succeed at Weight Loss- Answer: MyFitnessPal
Lose weight with MyFitnessPal, the fastest and easiest to use calorie counter for Android. With the largest food database of any Android calorie counter (over 1,100,000 foods), and amazingly fast food and exercise entry, we’ll help you take those extra pounds off!
3. Keep Track of Personal Finance and Budget- Answer: Mint [Note: I use Mint and I love it. A great service although they try to solicit upgrades. JS]
This personal finance app puts all your bank, credit card, investment and loan accounts in one place, making it easy to stay on top of your budgets and spending. You can add cash transactions – a handy on-the-go feature that will help you track where your money goes at all times.
4. Quit Bad Habits- Answer: MyQuit Coach
MyQuit Coach application allows you to design a personalized plan to help you quit smoking. Through this intuitive iPhone app, you’ll evaluate your current status, set attainable goals and adjust preferences according to your needs. You’ll have the option to choose to quit smoking right away or gradually decrease your daily nicotine intake. Personalized inspirational photos, motivational tips and progress charts will keep you on track while achievement badges will reward you for progress. And you’re not alone with a
built in social support circle and the ability to update your Facebook and Twitter as friends cheer you on. [Note: I think this one is a good idea now that it looks like Nicotine gum and patches aren't doing the trick. JS]
5. Get Organized and Improve Time Management- Answer: Action Complete
Action Complete app is a task manager allowing you to create Projects, which are the larger goals comprised of individual Actions, Waits and Pending items that may come with completing a project. Every task and project can be tagged and associated with specific people and places, and the app offers several sorting options to sort by tag, people, places, urgency, or project. [Note: I'm a big fan of Google applications -- and I use Google Tasks relentlessly. Takes time to transition to a paperless to-do list, but it really works well. JS]
Let me know how you are doing on your resolutions and if any apps you have found are doing the trick for you!
January 31st is my daughter’s birthday and I always seek something special on that day. And I think I’ve just found it. Due to the technology that allows it, on Tuesday, January 31st, my daughter and I will attend a virtual concert of The Goat Rodeo Sessions LIVE featuring Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer, Stuart Duncan and guest vocalist Aoife O’Donovan.
 NCM Fathom and Sony Masterworks have brought the four string virtuosos together to perform songs off their collaborative album, The Goat Rodeo Sessions, at the House of Blues® in Boston, which will be broadcast live to theaters nationwide.
Tickets for The Goat Rodeo Sessions LIVE are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom website (theaters and participants are subject to change). The event will be broadcast to more than 430 select movie theaters across the country, which I think is extremely cool on many levels. It is rare for most people to afford to go to a live concert with artists of this calibre. It is even rarer for mainstream population to have access to these artists unless they are in a city where a tour is taking place. This brings the power of live to 430 different venues across the US and the chance to see such talent in this type of collaborative effort is stunning. The music is not for everyone’s tastes. The combination is like a blue-grass, jazz, structured jam session. It is exciting music, with unexpected and intense twists, jumps, and turns. From Sony:
While each artist is a prominent figure in his own music sphere, the group came together as a unified ensemble on a most remarkable and organic cross-genre project. The Goat Rodeo Sessions is an 11-song recording of original compositions that has been dubbed “genre proof” by the group. The music feels both new and familiar – it’s composed and improvised, uptown and down home, funky and pastoral, and above all, uniquely American.
I agree. For a partial sound sample of the released album, here you go. “Attaboy” will have your heart racing, your feet tapping and your head bobbing in about 5 seconds. And “No One But You” will have just have your heart. Great talent and great music. LIVE. Enjoy. At $15/ticket, I know my daughter and I will!
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