7 short stories. Available sometime tomorrow in digital format. I'll announce it here of course. Sign up for my newsletter to get a coupon code. If you're already on my list then you're already set. I'll be sending you the code along with some other news tomorrow.

In case you didn't know - Bad Juju means: Bad aura, bad vibe, bad karma.
A colleague of mine used to always say: "I'm staying out of that, it's got bad juju."
I like the way it sounds and I actually say it quite a bit. So there

P.S.  Volume 2 is already in the works. There are plans for  a limited edition (print) and collected volumes version. Each version will have something different to offer.

You don't have to declare yourself as a guru or an expert. I should already have a sense of that based on your words and actions.

You don't have to throw out your TV or own only 100 things or less in order to have a minimalist way of life.

You don't have to quit your 9-5 to be liberated. If you like your job, that's wonderful. If you LOVE your job, then you are one blessed son of a bitch. If you absolutely dread it then it's time to reassess your situation and do something about it AKA Plan B.

You don't have to write an essay and call it a manifesto to get me to read it. A nice regular title will do.

You don't have to have a trailer to promote your book. Unless it's a really amazing one, that is.

You don't need to spend a lot of money to start building a platform for whatever it is you do. You just have to be resourceful. Later on, if you can afford to turn your game up a notch then do it.

You don't have to sign up for every social media site under the sun. Just master the ones you like and enjoy. Mine? Twitter first. Facebook second. I actually use Hootsuite so I can tackle both with one app. Even better.

You don't have to multitask. Seriously. Doing one thing at a time is perfectly fine. You'd probably get more done.

You shouldn't feel obligated to write a blog post or feel guilty when you miss one.

Try not paying attention to your word count. Instead, just write until you feel like you're done for the day.

Your inbox doesn't have to be zero. Mine isn't. It never is. I just keep it down to a manageable amount. I do an occasional review and trash - kinda like email spring cleaning.

You don't have to have a moleskin notebook to jot down ideas. A cheap composition notebook is just as effective. Or a pack of index cards. Or post-its on the wall. Or a web app.

Don't be a carbon-copy of the bloggers you admire. I came to your blog to see the headliner (You!) not a cover band. 

You don't have to start a revolution, be a freedom fighter, be epic unless it's something you feel strongly about.

You don't have to plan and schedule everything. Sometimes the best things/experiences come from winging it and being spontaneous.

You don't have to take my word if you don't believe in it. I wouldn't want you to. Create your own rules and let me know how it works for you.

Rrrrrriiing. Rrrriiiinnngg.

"Top Notch Auto, this is Steve speaking."

"Uh, hello, hey Steve, it's me. Is, Carl around?"

"Yeah, just a sec."

"Wait, anybody else show up today?"

"Yeah, the whole crew's here. Kate. Jim. We just let Sally in a minute ago."

"Ah, shit. Really? Have you been outside Steve? It's a mess out there."

"I know. I need this job."

"But what good is a job if you're..."

"Lemme get Carl for you."

A click then hold music plays.

"This is Carl."

"Hey Carl, just letting you know I'm calling in sick today."

"It's Saturday, you get double points for this."

"I know."

"That means you've only got one point left before you get canned."

"I know."

"Don't you think you should just close the shop with the way things are?"

"The district manager got me up at 4am to tell me to get my ass up to work or I'm gone so here I am and you should be too."

"I won't be doing that Carl. It's flat out stupid."

"We've taken precautions and everything's holding up fine. Top Notch Auto sent us supplies for this occasion. They wouldn 't put us in harm's way."

"The only thing that Top Notch Auto cares about is having a warm body by the counter to peddle auto parts. Do you really think anyone will be buying spark plugs and wipers with the way things are right now?"

"You saw how much we made yesterday? Best ever. Plus, it's the holidays. People spend money and travel this time of the year."

"But yesterday, we also lost..."

"I was advised by the legal department not to speak about that matter. Besides, he should've been more careful."

"Have you got the TV on Carl? Turn it on for fuck's sake. It's real bad out there and it keeps getting worse! Even Metro Mart is closed today."

"Those Metro Mart employees are a bunch of pussies. Get your ass here today or you'll be canned. We've got inventory to do."

"I'm afraid I can't do that Carl." I walk over to the closet and grab my rifle behind the door.

"When this whole thing blows over I'm up for an interview for a district manager position. It's salaried and I get a company car."

"Good for you Carl. It doesn't change my decision." I turn the TV on at half mute. The emergency news ticker flashes a bright orange as it scrolls below the pallid-faced anchorman.

"I'm not really surprised, you've never been a team player. You don't value what Top Notch Auto stands for."

I walk towards the window and carefully brush past the curtains to get a quick glimpse outside.

"That's the problem with you, no ambition."

I open the window slightly and position my rifle as I tilt my head to hang on to the phone.

"There's something more important right now than all of that..."

"This seals the deal. You're done for."

"....Survival."  Click. Boom. One down. I'm getting better at this. There's three more zombies wandering this street.
"Carl, I gotta let you go. I just wanted to call in sick."

"I'm gonna put you down as no call no show."

"Fuck you Carl. By the way, there's a high concentration of this epidemic in your area. If I were you, I'd lock everything down and get ready because they're coming."

"If you think you're gonna get any recommendations from me, forget about it. Don't put me down as a referral because I ain't helping your ass out."

"Goodbye Carl." I toss the phone to the side and aim for zombie number two with the red plaid shirt on. Two more after that. Then time to get out of dodge.

Be an action figure. Do something. -  Comment. Share with others. Tweet, FB, Email it. Sign up for my newsletter. Subscribe to my RSS.

This post is a mash-up of things floating around my head. I sometimes have to dump info to get my mind decluttered (yes, I'm taking neat freak to another level), otherwise I'm stuck with all of it in my head all striving to get equal attention from me. That's just not gonna fly so here goes.

1. Why aren't there frets or markers on violins? I tried fiddling (no, that was not a cheesy pun) with it and it sounded like a wailing sick cat. Sure, part of it is because I haven't got a clue what I'm doing. I was basically playing by ear. Fun, but very challenging.

2. My brother sort of suggested an idea for a site. I think I need to look into it. Or at least put it in my idea file.

3. I just interrupted this post to play a quick round of Guitar Hero.

4. I really enjoy cooking but hate the clean-up.

5. I have websites to work on.

6. That collection of short stories will be released by Christmas. Somehow.

7. As of today I have 43 readers/subscribers for this blog - 35 from newsletter, 8 from RSS. This is not groundbreaking by any means, but for me it is. This makes me ridiculously goofy-happy.

8. Reality TV shows make me want to bash my TV sometimes.

9. Commercials on TV during the holidays make me feel numb. No, I don't want that cashmere sweater. And please don't use the word "Santabulous" as part of your ad campaign. Better yet, just don't say that word anymore.

10. I think I'm gonna write a post about indie writing.

11. My skills on playing guitar is now back at beginner level. That's what you get for not practicing. Oh well.

12. I read so many blogs but most are kind of saying the same thing. Only a select few really resonate with me. Time to whittle down my subscriptions.

13. I sure missed winters here in the East Coast while I was away but Fuck! It's cold outside and I can't feel my toes.

14. My writing area is bare bones. In the middle of a sparsely furnished room. I sit on the floor on a bamboo floor mat, an internet-less old laptop sits atop a vintage fancy food tray. My iPod next to it on a dock with speakers. A pen and notebook. I love it. We actually have a small computer desk which is where I'm typing this but all the fiction writing happens in aforementioned room.

15. I'm still annoyed that the cable guy sent to hook up our cable box failed to
  a) actually hook up the box
  b) color code
  c) have appropriate wires to hook up said box to TV
  d) have the HD box - told us we'd have to pick it up ourselves

(this was actually resolved after a phone call - reimbursed fee, new box, and upgrade at no charge)
 
16. Speaking of, I'm about a paragraph or two away from finishing my latest story and have another one I want to write.

17. But first, a nap.

This post is for the Hooligan subscribers, the RSS readers, my Twitter buddies, and my Facebook pals...

By the way, much thanks to new subscribers, it gives me the warm and fuzzies when new people join in and check up on what I'm up to. Nobody wants to broadcast to an empty room so having a small but growing circle of compadres is amazing. I promise as soon as I get settled I'll catch up on all of you even if it's just a quick howdy or a comment on your lovely blogs.

The road trip from Austin, TX to NYC was as expected - physically exhausting but we passed some beautiful landscape on the way which more than made up for the long stretches of interstate highways. I do get that nomadic bug every so often and I'd like to do a cross country RV trip one of these days. One good thing is that our cars didn't crap out on us which was definitely a plus. We ended up leaving some things behind in a storage room which made me realize how very little I really need.

We hit Holland Tunnel and had to drive through Manhattan traffic which is about as pleasant as a zombie bite (I would imagine).

Made it here around midnight and crashed at mom's place. I've missed my family dearly even as much as they drive me nuts sometimes, and it wouldn't be my family if there wasn't any kind of drama going on with someone (which in this case there was, is...I don't keep up with it really). All I know is I enjoy what I have right now whatever that may be with whoever happens to be around me. Just don't be a Debbie Downer - or I will cut you off my life. Period. I have absolutely no time or patience for negative bullshit. Not anymore. As far as school, I've been vague but all you need to know is that I'm going into the medical field.

I still love new media, technology, graphic arts - but this feels right and has been pulling me to this direction for a while now. I will continue to write, make art, and everything else that drives me. I'm just adding more experience points to my repertoire.

So by the end of this week, we move to the new place for a month or two then move a couple of houses down to our permanent place which my family owns where we are to stay until graduation (I couldn't move there right now, the tenant still has a couple of months on the lease but after that - mine, all mine).
We're basically starting from scratch. I think the pets have more furniture than we do right now so that's gonna be fun trying to furnish the place with basic things. Like I've said, I don't need very much at all.

So once again this is where I'll be hanging my hat. After a few years of being away I'm back...slightly older (32 - I'm not one of those women who flip out if you ask me what my age is), more mature, now with a little bit of gray hair (I've always had gray hair since I was a wee bit, genetic trait from dad's side), new goals, a little more insight, a different person from what I used to be but still somewhat the same, driven as hell and more focused than ever. I feel like a visitor in my own town, everything looks slightly different and smaller. It's been a whirlwind trip so far.

I predict things will remain chaotic for yet another month -already my internet connection is wonky, I'm living out of boxes and bags, my internal clock and sleep schedule is way off, so I'm pretty much winging it.

I will get back to the normal schedule shortly with the following:
Blogging here at Zero to Rockstar.
Running Apocalypse Hub.
Writing fiction - Sid Valentine series, Degeneration serialized fiction, and flash fiction pieces. (I have a short story volume that needs to be assembled and released.)

I have a lot of new blog post ideas brewing and on standby so I'll be working on those in the interim.

So, I realize I'm all over the place with this post but just writing how it is. Right now, Muse is playing on the radio. I'm still in my pajamas, earlier I cooked my family french toast for breakfast, I'm getting ready to head out and get a few things done, and I'm typing one word after another...

my head is spinning. Have a wonderful day.

What next? Feel free to read some past entries:
How to make a monster
Fall like a thunderbolt
Death by slow kill
Chasing Tornadoes
Minimalism is Gangster
And of course...recommend to others. =)

It's a beautiful Sunday afternoon and everyone's taking a nap. Figured it's the perfect time to write.

This morning I just finished loading my truck with boxes of toys, clothing and variety of household items. Tomorrow we're headed out first thing in the morning to donate it.

It makes the process of downsizing a lot easier knowing that the things we had is going straight to the hands of people who need it.

The actual act of paring everything down has been an eye-opener. It's not as easy as I thought it was going to be. I never realized I can get so attached to something I barely used. We actually have had a couple of fights because of it. I'm talking about temper tantrums, like taking something away from a child.

The baby steps towards a minimalist mindset is:

Emotional. Like I said, we get attached to things. We become very sentimental about stuff that hold no sentimental value whatsoever. Toughest things for me to get rid of? My game table and my 3 piece entertainment bar set. (It was one of the first things we purchased when we bought our first house.) I decided to get rid of both because it's silly to put the game table in storage when some kid can be enjoying it instead. The bar has no place in our smaller NYC apartment.

There's no shame in owning up around my blog so here goes...

You know what really ate me up? I was pretty pissed off that people were buying great pieces of furniture from us for a great price when I paid full sticker price for it. That's my fault for paying $$$.  So I'm really pissed off at myself. Do you smell a sucker? Then it must be me! Zing! Never again though. Live and learn.
 
Enlightening. It forces you to think about things you usually don't have to deal with. Like, "How the hell did I end up with this much shit?" I swear I didn't get them wet & didn't feed them after midnight so I don't see how they could've multiplied  and turned evil on me (I always insert random movie references whenever I get a chance) And it's not over yet kids!

Exhausting. Uh, yes, yes. Actually I should be taking a nap but I had to get this post off my chest. Between last week's yard sale, putting stuff up on craigslist, boxing things up for the move and donation - we're both pretty wiped out.

I just realized each one of those points started with E. That was completely unintentional.


What I learned.

This is the beginning of a process. Not just of eliminating unnecessary objects either acquired or given to us, but understanding how we ended up having so much but only using and needing very little.

It takes a lot of work and effort to make conscious and wise decisions as a consumer. Do I really need this or do I just want it? How is this going to help me/us with our current goals?

How to be a better consumer. We won't have any large furniture when we get to NY which means we'll end up purchasing some basics. We're looking for multifunctional pieces and going for more of a utilitarian route. Space is limited so it needs to have a purpose for being there.

It gets easier as you go along, or it feels like it anyway. You know the term "unloading the baggage?" It literally feels like you're doing that. It's easier to think that someone else is enjoying that guitar that you barely play, that shirt that still had it's tags on, etc.

This doesn't mean I'm giving up everything and just living with 100 things (Amazon Affiliate link).

We're just creating new habits that in the long run will enable us to save money, appreciate the things we do have, concentrate on the stuff that matters, be smarter consumers and focus on building and creating our ideal reality which will hopefully lead to making a lasting difference.

Update: Dropped off all the goods at SafePlace today. It was a longer drive than anticipated but it was completely worth it.

About the title? For me, minimalism is gangster because it's a full-on hard core commitment to undoing the way you live, the way you consume (or not consume) and becoming a more conscious human. It's not just about getting rid of stuff, it's about dealing with lifelong habits and inner demons. So yeah. That's my answer and I'm sticking to it.

P.S. I was torn as to which photo I was gonna use for this post so here's the alternate one.

Be an action figure. Do something.
1. I'm opening comments for this post just because. So feel free to leave a message.
2. Subscribe to my RSS then join the Hooligans.
3. Share - Tweet, FB, Stumble, Digg, Email, or link to your site.
4. Follow me on Twitter if you haven't already - I love chatting with people there.

I covered a lot of bases on my last post and there's some very important points there that deserve its own dedicated post. So today I'll be chatting a bit about why choosing a topic is detrimental to not only your site but also keeping your own sanity.

So let's flip this around. Say you're wasting time surfing the web, cruising the Twitter highway. A Tweet buddy puts up a link and you click on it. It takes you to the destination page - a landing page. You quickly give it a once over, scanning it like most people do. After a few seconds you realize you have absolutely no idea what kind of site it is you're looking at. If you're a patient kind of person you'd probably look around for some kind of clue as to what the site is about but most people would probably exit the site, never to return again.

Why choosing a "unique badge" will help people remember you and keep your brain from exploding.

Choosing a topic or a focus for your blog doesn't mean that's all you'll ever talk about. But your audience needs to be able to identify what your site is about without having them hunt down for it.

Areas you can place your unique badge
Banner.
For example -
 - Author of YA zombie novels
 - The funny chef: cooking and telling jokes since 1995
 - The beer brigade: We drink beer. Then we review it.

If you can't decide what your "thing" is just yet or if you can't peg it down to one, you can whittle it down to a select few  Kinda like what I did.

Sidebar.
In your about me or Welcome section. Just a few words to describe your site. Don't be vague, be as specific as you can.
For example -
 - Welcome to my blog. This is where I write about what I'm doing to get back in shape. I'll be sharing my recipes, work-out regimen and daily progress.
 - Hello and welcome. This site will chronicle my life as I build an urban homestead.

Title tags.
Keep his short and to the point. Try to use keywords that will help you be found. These are things that get you indexed in search engines. Don't just put your URL either. And you shouldn't leave it blank at all.

*******

Benefits from selecting your unique badge:
It helps people identify and associate you with it. Retention improves with repetition.

You want them to say "Hey, you're that guy who blogs about cupcakes." or "You're the B-movie blogger", or "You run that site about being an urban minimalist." You get the point.

It helps you keep your focus on the content.

If you're like me you get to be scatterbrained and want to blog about everything under the sun that strikes your fancy. Brain explosion!!! But trying to be everything all at once will make you an expert at nothing. Concentrate on a few things you're really excited about and build on your strengths.

 *******

Questions to ask when you're trying to decide what your blog focus should be about.
 - What is the one thing you want this site to be known for?
 - Who are you trying to reach?
 - How do you plan on getting people to notice?
 - What topics get you excited enough that you can talk about the subject and keep the level of intensity up?

*******
Be an action figure. Do something. (Comments are closed for now instead you can do the following)
1. If you like this post, please share/recommend with others - email, Twitter, FB, Stumble, Digg, link from your site.
2. Or you can give me the warm and fuzzies by joining The Hooligans and subscribing to RSS.
3. Send me a quickie e-mail to say hello - let me know what your unique badge is for your site. Would love to check it out.

is something I don't do. It just happens to be on TV right now. Not Twister (with the flying cows) but a reality show with storm chasers. I know, lame intro to a blog post but I'm trying to be all spontaneous here.

The topic for this post is not tornadoes but transitions (stress, how it relates to new media and blogging, and a few tips for noobs).

Living life in transition is a bitch. Anytime there's some kind of major change going on - the daily routine falls by the wayside and you're left kinda winging it from one thing to another. On top of that the anxiety levels skyrocket. As I'm typing this I've got a tight knot on my shoulder.

My transition? The final push to get rid of stuff and move to NYC for about a year/year and a half, going back to school, elevate my blogging goals, starting a business.

But hey, life's all about transitions right? Some are more significant than others but the point is to adapt and embrace change. Learn from it - good and bad. Keep striving and trying until you get things just the way you like it.

Like Tom Petty's song says - The waiting is the hardest part.

During this "in-between" stage everything's awkward and you sometimes question decisions, second-guess yourself, maybe even start back-pedaling.

New job? Moving? Starting over? New relationship? New project?

Scary? Hell Yeah.

The first instinct when dealing with something that forces you outside of your comfort zone is to resist. You fight against it  because you're afraid - what if you look like a complete ass, what if you're rejected, what if you get a bad review, afraid that nobody will visit you blog, afraid to let people in.

Give perfection the middle finger.
Let that illusion go because it'll get you nowhere. All you'll end up doing is make excuses. Before you know it, you would have talked yourself out of doing something new.

The thing about transitions is the unpredictability factor. Sure, we're all creatures of habit but not all habits are good.

I say screw all that. Once you've committed to doing something, just get it done. Try it out. Launch that site, try a new design, a new style of writing, record that demo...whatever it is. Then quantify the results later.
Great ideas without execution is nothing but pipe dreams.

I can cover all the bases here but since one of my missions is to help you build sites/blogs that don't hate you - I'll deal with that today.

Making a transition from non-blogger to noob blogger or elevate your noob blogger status to something more is tricky.
I've put my noob goggles on to break down the basics for a smoother transition. So here goes.

Where's your focus, man? Pick a topic any topic.
Choose a main topic that you want to be known for and write content around that. You like juggling? Then your blog should be mainly about that and not about pancakes. Unless you can find a link between the two that is. I kinda cheat on this - look at the title - it says "dark fiction writer, new media tips, elevate your passion." Those three are actually interconnected for me and is very relevant to what I'm doing here so at the moment those are my key topics. There's also more to the selection process but I think I'm gonna explain that in a future blog post.

You need some discipline.
No, not like some weird kinky bondage thing. More like a work-flow thing. Set an editorial calendar. Decide how many posts you want and can do in a week and when you want it posted. Then as you brainstorm topics you can assign it to specific days. Before you know it, you'll have a month's worth of content roughly assigned. You can even break each weekly post down to specific topics (i.e., Monday - is movie review, Wednesday - spotlight on gadget, Thursday - fav website, Friday - weekly roundup)

I've actually experimented with the themed post - it's fun but feels forced. I'm on a schedule right now and I just recently started the monthly pre-planning of posts, and it's reduced the amount of chaos and anxiety that comes with writing a consistent stream of content.

You can use Google Calendar.

Me? I have a techy-crush on Teux Deux.

Deadlines. Stick to it.
I hate to say this but be brutal about this part. Do your best to stick to a schedule. Pretend you have a boss and your boss is an asshole, you better get it done or else he'll eat your lunch, pour honey all over your keyboard or slash your tires. If for some reason you know you'll be MIA then let your audience know (even if you have a very small audience). It's like missing a dinner date, you gotta let 'em know somehow why you you can't make it. Don't leave them hanging. It's just the nice and classy thing to do.


Write the way you would talk to someone.
Seriously, show off your personality. This is like a pet peeve for me - I'm always looking for new blogs to read and sometimes I come across one that has a gorgeous visual layout, everything's perfect and shiny, until I start reading the posts...then what a let-down. Nothing is more of a buzz kill  than reading stuff that sounds generic, boring, and using words that sounds like it came from a refrigerator manual or a prescription label.


Don't delay. Put the darn thing up and tweak later.
Remember what I said earlier about executing an idea?
There's a lot of elements that can be improved on but just get your idea out there and take action. You can worry about SEO, SERP, social media, keywords, design, functionality, marketing, etc. as you go along. Start bare-bones and learn as you go. Also, you don't need to wear all the hats in your operation. Again that's another post in itself.


Very important. Once you're comfortable with the technology and how it works you can turn around and make it work for you. Then you can actually reverse the process - research, test then launch.
And it's ok if you don't know anything about half the stuff I just mentioned because it's overwhelming.

As Joss Whedon said - There are no rules, so let's all get out there and play.

P.S. - As I was finishing up this post I just realized there's a lot of info that I can further elaborate on so I'll be taking it apart and breaking it down so I can get to the specifics. That should be fun.

So this Thursday - I'll be talking about your blog's focal point and choosing your topics. See ya then. Same bat time. Same bat channel.


Be an action figure. Do something.
1. Share this post and site with others - email, tweet, FB, stumble, digg. (I've turned off comments for now so you can focus on sharing)
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Way to go Van Saint. You just called your readers a candy-ass.

Not true. NOT all the readers. JUST the candy-asses.

Truth is, I should've posted this like several hours ago but decided to play hooky instead and hang out with the family this morning. Gorgeous weather, nice breeze, no stinking allergies, strong coffee - perfect morning for a walk and actually using that patio furniture outside. How can I pass that up?

So anyway, back to the current topic. Being stuck in a rut. What kind of rut? You name it - creative, personal, business, financial, mental, career, relationship. But for the sake of this post, I'm talking about career/financial/creative rut.

In choosing the direction for this blog, I've reflected quite a bit on my situation as well as the people around me (coworkers, family, friends, acquaintances). I would say there's 2 distinct patterns that emerged, better yet, 2 groups of people.

1) Those who currently live in a fulfilled and satisfied state and 2) those who are stuck in their comfort zone - in perpetual routine mode - not really going forward but not exactly falling back either. They're just there. In limbo land. Something's missing in their life which they've figured out but now they're unsure about what to do about it.

A quick side story to set up my point.
So I have this friend who's not happy with her job, her pay, misses doing creative stuff. She desperately wants to get back to making art and trying to make money on the side doing just that and knowing that I've spent a few years freelancing she asked me what I thought.

So I told her what I thought, probably not what she wanted to hear but it's the truth. Working at home had its perks especially doing something you enjoy and love, but that love turned into a chore I dreaded to do with very tight deadlines, extremely long hours, a few very unreasonably demanding clients and an income stream that was feast or famine at times. In saying that, I told her she can absolutely pull it off and I'm willing to lend her a hand with setting up online stuff, marketing, web and print graphics, etc. But it's gonna be a lot of long hours and she has to fully commit to it or not bother at all. Best time to start is while she has a job so there's no stress in creating income. Right now, she's keeping the job and making some noise on her down time. But she's doing something about it.

I think that's a main ingredient (if not THE main ingredient)  for any budding entrepreneurs. You better go all in and fully commit.

Sure, doing what you love is fine and dandy but guess what? That love dwindles after a client delays payment or you've been working 14 hours straight or your significant other is hating your guts cos he or she has seen you less since you've worked at home than when you worked a 9-5. Do what you love turns into what the fuck am I doing?

I'm all for doing what you love but be prepared because it's on!!!

Them's fighting words Van Saint. Step off before you get jacked up.

Settle down. I'm getting to the good stuff.

Death by slow kill -
is a phrase I use in describing that state of mind where a person just goes about their business because it's easy regardless of how much they would rather be doing something else. You can postpone it, deny it, make excuses for it, drown it with your TV - but if you'd rather be somewhere else, doing something else...there's no shaking that away. It's gonna stay there and keep you up at night and pester you throughout the day and the day after that and the day after that.

Don't be a placeholder for the person you really want to be.

There's a lot of self-evaluation involved in making difficult choices and that part is up to you really.

A few things to keep in mind when you make a career switch or decide to start your own business AKA lessons I've learned in the last couple of months.

Identify what's holding you back.  Can't remedy something if you don't know what the problem is.

You better go all in. That unwavering vision of your end goal and beyond will help fuel you during those difficult times when you start questioning your love for the game. Because at that point your love becomes a business and you have to treat it as such.

Plan of attack. You need to map out the necessary steps you need to take to get to the level you want to be in. For example - Keep your day job but dedicate an hour or two before and after work for your pursuit. Keep it simple, specific and give yourself a realistic deadline.

Know how much you can handle. Don't spread yourself thin. If you know you can only handle this much workload then don't take on twice as much your capacity. Just cos you're an amazing cook and a master of propaganda doesn't mean you should start that catering side hustle and go solo as a marketing consultant. Pick one and follow through. If you're some kind of genetically altered freak and/or have superhuman powers with the ability to get by on only 3 hours of sleep and juggle tasks like nobody's business then by all means, do it.

Create a work schedule. Yep, have a system that works. You may have to feel it out in the beginning but determine when and where you're most productive and work during those peak hours. (For me, it's very early in the morning or very late at night)

Get used to failing. It's trial and error. Learn as much as you can, test it out for yourself, and reassess your game plan. Chances are, you will fail. So fail and cope with it. Curl up in a corner and cry. Eat a pint of ice cream. Throw a bitch fit on the interwebs. Whatever. Learn to adapt, let it go and move on.

Have fun for fuck's sake. I choose to do things that are fun and enjoyable to me. If it's not fun, I just drop it. What's the point of creating sites or blogging or starting an online business if you're not getting any enjoyment out of it? I mean seriously, if you're gonna bitch and moan about it then just keep your current job and relax at night or weekends.

So there. My lessons learned, I'm passing it on to you. Apply and remix as needed.
Unless you want to be a candy-ass, that is.

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Nerd lair check-up
Things I've changed:
Banner - I've changed the banner for the site with my main focus included. It's something I've had trouble identifying in the past but is now in full-focus. Elevate your passion. In doing so, I've decided to place all my other posts (fiction, doodles, etc.) in The Hooligans section only. That way, my main blog (the one viewable by non-Hooligan members) is not cluttered and focused on my current goals. Any previous posts will stay there though. =)
Tags - This was a major pain the ass. And I'm still whittling it down.
Closed comments - If you like what you read, I'd much rather have you share it with others for now.

Be an action figure. Do something.
1. Share this post via Tweet, FB, Stumble.
2. Link to it in your blog.
3. Add me on Twitter and FB. Always looking for more people to chat with.
4. Sign up for The Hooligans.
5. Subscribe via RSS.

Your site/blog is there for a reason (or it should) whether you like it or not. You either set it up yourself or paid someone to have it up and running for you - either way, it's there.

Showing up for class just isn't gonna cut it anymore. so you have to do your homework.

You should do a routine website audit to see what you can improve on.

A site should grow and evolve according to your present goals and reflect your current pursuits and identity.
If you choose to put ads and affiliates on your blog then be sure to do a trial run and reassess if it's really working out for you or not. If not, get rid of it. Don't just slap it up there if you haven't put any thought to it.

I'm sure you've heard about your site as being your virtual real estate, everything you place there should have a clear purpose. Otherwise, it's all just clutter that distract away from your content. You ever bought a CD or downloaded an album and there's one or two good songs and the rest is crap. Yeah, You don't wanna be that guy. You want your site to be all killer no filler (and no I'm not a SUM 41 fangirl)

From the color scheme, the overall tone, font, banner design, writing style, navigation, positioning of content - it all matters. It's all overwhelming if you try to attack all the individual components. So stick to the basics first then build up as needed.

A few basic tips:

• Simplify navigation. You don't need a ridiculous amount of tabs with tons of subcategories. Really, don't. 
• Limit the widget. We all like cool looking buttons, icons and apps but don't hoard it. You don't have to join every single social media site that gets invented. Stick to what you like to use the most and brings the most audience to your content. The next time you want to install a new widget or script on your site, ask yourself if you really need it.
  
• I really shouldn't even have to say this but....Don't use flash intros. I'm begging you. It was cool for a little while back in the day but not so much anymore. Would you believe I still come across sites with crappy flash intros and matching crappy animated gifs? Let it go, it's ok.
  

Sometimes simple is the best way to go when you're just starting out. There are essential components that I think every site needs.

At the very least you should have:

• An RSS subscribe button somewhere in your page.
• A place to capture email (newsletter sign-up)
• A way for people to share content (Stuble, Digg, e-mail, Twitter, Facebook)
• Social media links where they can follow you (I prefer Twitter)
• Proper title tags (you know, those seemingly random words on top of your site)
• Contact info (seems like common-sense but I've been to sites where not even my basset hound could've sniffed the contact info location out)
• Traffic analyzer. I use Google Analytics.  Stat Counter is pretty good too.
  

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I practice what I preach - so this is how I've recently applied the website audit thingy to my very own nerd lair.

Things I've eliminated:
- I had a Network Blog (facebook badge) over to the lower right side of the page. It was useless, so I took it off.
-Same deal with Blog Catalog badge, didn't really help out much so I killed it.
-I removed podcast page - it took entirely way too much time to put together an episode and right now, it doesn' contribute to my overall shift of focus.
- Got rid of Facebook Fan page and left the profile page - I don't need two links to my Facebook. Hell, I don't even really like using Facebook.

Things I've added:
- Media page - I need a place to post interviews and written articles for guest blogs. I just did this a few days ago and is still in disarray but it's there for viewing/listening. Just needs to be better organized.
- Created icons/links for www.apocalypsehub.com and Low-down Dirty Geek
- Very important: I've added more of myself in the mix. Letting my personality, my humor, the way I talk. what excites me, my passion, my interest, what bugs the shit out of me. It's not easy. But if I'm to make something out of this, I have to make the first step.

Be an action figure. Do something.
1. Leave a comment - tell me what you would do if you gave your nerd lair a makeover. What would you change?
2. If you enjoyed this post - share it with others.
3. Subscribe to my RSS and give it a test ride.
4. Join The Hooligans