I’m back!

Okay, I’m sorry for the absence…although I’m sure no one is actually reading this….  LOL I have to admit though, that it doesn’t really bother me. This blog is for me, a way to un-clutter my head. If that’s possible! If I could just get the voices to shut up for a little while! Anyway, if there is someone out there, HI!  LOL

Anyway!  So, I’m one of those people who skip from subject to subject. I easily confuse people (and myself, I might add). I’m also one of those people that get something stuck in my head and I just can’t get it out. I’m also antisocial, a hoarder, and a few other things that might boggle a psychiatrist. Oh yeah, I get sidetracked easily too. In fact, that just happened and I have no idea what my point was!  LOL Oh well!

I guess everybody has issues, right?

So, I was just thinking about the craziest thing. I guess I’ve spent a little bit of the day reminiscing. I listened to some old music, look through some old pictures. I do that ever once in a while, not to the point that I’m living in the past, just when the mood strikes me. So, I’m 31. I graduated from high school in ‘95. I have family members (cousins) that are in high school and college now, and damn, I feel old sometimes. Anyway, it is so funny to see them do certain things; like they think they are so cool…that they are the first to discover these things. It’s also funny that they look so young. Did we look that young?? I mean, I know we must have, but it is just funny.

So, back to my point! LOL I was thinking about how all of my younger cousins are so addicted to their cell phones and texting. The funny thing is we texted back in the day; the old school way, before they had texting. Back in the day, before you could actually carry a cell phone, you know, when mobile phones were those huge bag phones, you know…the type that had to stay in the car…yeah, those days we all carried a pager. Is that not hilarious. Oh, we just though we were so cool with our different colored pagers. We changed our cases all the time. LMAO Anyway, we used our pagers to text…of course you had to have a phone to do it. The * symbol would separate words, and we pretty much did it the same way you do now, with the numbers. Although it was a little more challenging because it showed up as numbers, and you had to decipher it. Actually, it could be quite challenging at times! Of course there were some that everyone knew, that were used a lot: like “I love you,” was “4*5683*968.” Oh yeah, and “911,” which is pretty obvious…meaning bitch you better hurry up and call me back!

Also…It was funny, of course since there was no phone attached, like HELLO, it was a pager only…we all had codes to identify ourselves. We would do this by putting in a code after the phone number. Some people used their initials, others used different things. Like one guy we knew used 1215, he had a SUV with twelve 15″ speakers in it. LOL Anyway, I just thought this was kinda funny, so I thought I would share!

So, I’m I the only idiot, or did any of you do this “OLD SCHOOL Texting?” LMAO

By the way, I did have a cell phone you could carry by the time I graduated! It was one of those Nokia’s that you could change the faceplate on. I loved that thing. You know, I think it worked better that any I have had since. I have a Mint Chocolate now. So, like “can you hear me now?” LOL Boy, what an annoying commercial! Marketing genius, but annoying! LOL Talking about phones…it’s about time for me to get a new one. My 2-year contract expired. Isn’t it funny how phones are almost disposable (meaning, it’s cheaply made and has a short lifespan) these days? Why is it that so many things are like that today? Stuff is just total crap, furniture, appliances, light bulbs…and don’t even get me started on electronics. It may not all be crap, but the day you buy it is the day after it became obsolete. Which is a good thing, I guess?!? …or at least it is in the grand scheme of things.

It’s really sad though, that so many things are disposable, especially because it effects our environment. Now I’m not a tree-hugger per say, but I have started taking small steps toward being “greener.” We have started recycling. I remind myself to turn off the lights when I leave a room. I turn off the water while I’m brushing my teeth. We have started replacing regular light bulbs with energy saving fluorescent bulbs (we haven’t replaced them all, but we are replacing them as the regular ones burn out). Also, being a hermit, I don’t drive as much, so, I’m using less gas and emitting less harmful exhaust! LOL …AND most of all, I have refrained from buying a Tahoe/Yukon, which I REALLY want, because I know it’s bad for the environment. So, I guess baby steps help too, right? Now if only corporations would be more eco-friendly, like if they would stop selling us disposable crap! I know, I know….I know all about corporations and there “social responsibility” programs…I studied that in college…I’m referring to the fact that I think they intentionally make stuff out of cheap materials so it will limit the life of the product. I would rather pay more and get good quality, than spend less and get cheaply made products. The problem now though, is that even the more expensive products made by companies we perceive as the “good” companies, that are suppose to sell quality products, are now, for the most part selling crap! If companies would sell better products we wouldn’t have to throw out as much, this would not only decrease the amount of resources used (namely natural resources), but it would also decrease the amount of waste we produce that essentially pollutes the earth.

…but wait…I guess that would hurt the economy, right??? …because people wouldn’t have to replace the items so often. Decreasing demand, lowering needed supply, decreasing the number of employees needed to make the supply that meets the demand.  That would increase unemployment rate…drop the amount of cash flowing… 

Hey, maybe the excess income would be spent in other industries…create other jobs???

Ah hell, we’re screwed, aren’t we? LOL

Oh well! So, I guess you are thinking probably thinking I’m a pretty pessimistic person right now, right? Well, I can without doubt tell you, that is not the case…I’m one of the most optimistic people you will ever meet! I’m just bored and rambling tonight! It’s just like the title of my blog says…”the strange ramblings of MY mind!” LOL

Guess I’ll go for now!

Promoting your wares….

Last week, one of my ads came out in a magazine. This is not the first time I have had ads run in print or online, but it is still exciting! Even if I did have to pay for it! LOL Honestly though, I haven’t seen much evidence that these ads are resulting in sales. Which brings me to a question for all of you…I don’t know if anyone is reading this, but how do you promote your wares? Have you found anything that is really successful in creating sales? You know what I’ve always wondered…how do people get their stuff featured in magazines without paying for the ad? Like for example in a style section, how do you get your jewelry on the models? …or do you pay for that too? How do you make get celebrities to wear your stuff? …and how do you get your stuff in the movies and on television?

You know, the funny thing is I’m not an idoit when it comes to business and marketing…at least not a total idiot — lol–the fact is, I graduated Magna Cum Laude, with a minor in marketing…..so, why is promoting myself so hard?????????????

Have any of you tried advertising through blogs like Stylebakery or IndieShopping.com??? Both of these have a “Designer on the Rise” seasonal section, and some other advertising options, like direct emails and a few others. Here’s a link to one of them….

Another thing I’m curious about is: has blogging been a successful tool in promoting yourself? How about joining forums? How about joining online directories? …or joining Etsy teams, or other guilds? Did you know that there are over 250 Etsy Teams??? How cool, crafters coming together to help promote themselves and educate the public on what goes in to their work. One of my favorite is the WireArtisansGuild. They also have a blog on Blogger….

They sure do have some talented members! If you are ever in need of a special piece…you are sure to find one there! Here are a few of my favorites:

by julidadesigns

 

by lilithu

 

by jennlyn54

 

by SuzyQJewelry

 

Anyway….that’s all folks! Just a day of pondering my options! LOL

-xoxo