The Floating Nut

Updated the Frugal Affiliate

2005-11-10T04:32:00.000Z

I have just revamped the Frugal Affiliate site. Though right now it is only the front page, there will be changes coming every day. Check it out!

Get Rich Quick? Let's Find Out!

2005-11-10T04:24:00.000Z

Is it possible to get rich quick on the internet? What if you had to have a certain amount of income coming in, and you decide you are going to do it with the internet?

For one week, I'm going to try one method. It is to see if I can meet my goals using traffic generators. To do this, I'm choosing what I feel are the two best internet affiliate programs to market this way... Empowerism and Money King. Each day I'm setting a goal of achieving 500 unique visits to each site for one week. I found a site that listed the current most popular traffic generators as of right now.

To begin, I'll be using: TrafficG, Trafficswarm, HitSense, and HitSafari. Through the week, I'll add a few more traffic generators to increase the hits.

To aid in surfing multiple manual click sites, I downloaded the Firefox browser for its tab feature.

Goals: 3 new Empowerism affiliates and 2 Money King sign-ups within a 1 week period.

Free Subscription to Revenue Magazine

2005-11-04T04:57:00.000Z

TrafficSwarm is offering all of its members a free subscription to Revenue Magazine. The first 5000 people to sign up for the magazine get it in print. After that, all free subscribers will get digital copies.

TrafficSwarm is a free service, so this deal won't cost you a thing.

The Money King - Undisputed King of Cash

2005-11-02T05:54:00.000Z

You are the first to hear about the launch of a truly ground-breaking site that has been kept closely under wraps during it's construction... I've just been told it's launching!

I'm genuinely thrilled to introduce you to The Money King - Undisputed King of Cash!

This is one MOTHER of a programme. Here's what The Money King has to say:

Cash, Cash, Cash, Cash, Cash!

I've Got Loads of it and You Want it Too... Don't You?

I am the Undisputed King of Cash... $$$s, £££s and Euros, I've Got it All

When I walk in a room people ask "what's that smell?"

I'll tell you, it's the heady scent of money and I positively reek of it...
I AM FILTHY, STINKING RICH

"Yea, so what" you're saying aren't you?

I'll tell you "so what".

The "so what" is because I'm going to show you in all it’s Technicolor glory, right here, right now, how you too can have a great, fat, juicy chunk of the action!

Yes that's right... I don't care if you're black, white, yellow, pink or blue, I don't care if you're a young whippersnapper or an ageing silver fox; I don't care if you live in London, New York or Uzbekistan...

Within literally minutes from now your first stream of cash could be flowing... HONESTLY!

I'll reveal how YOU can go on to get your very own keys to your very own Super-car, your own big house, your very own Super-yacht…

In fact, you know what? Over the next 12 months I am personally going to drag you kicking and screaming along your very own journey towards TOTAL PERSONAL AND FINANCIAL FREEDOM.

I am the Money King - And the good news is that I AM A MILLIONAIRE many times over… More good news is that I’ve made it using precisely the systems, methods and techniques I’m going to share with you now:

You've simply got to promote this - You've got lifetime, monthly, repeat commissions.

You can create an account here http://www.Iamthemoneyking.com/amember/go.php?r=1097 and can start marketing as soon as you are ready.

Soon I will be notifying all members in my databases so...

Reserve your affiliate position here NO COST:
http://www.Iamthemoneyking.com/amember/go.php?r=1097

Being a genuine contact of mine I am giving you 48 hours notice before i launch this to the entire Internet, so I urge you to create your account today here:
http://www.Iamthemoneyking.com/amember/go.php?r=1097

When done get the word out to your contacts and every other on-line marketer you know, because this is going to rock the Internet...

Wishing you all the success you deserve.

Is a Home Business Right For You?

2005-11-01T05:42:00.000Z

Is a Home Business Right for You?
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168

Every morning as people wake up and make the
commute to work, many dream of the day when they
will finally work for themselves. Every time the
boss lets someone know that they must give up
their weekend plans for the good of the company,
people contemplate the benefits of being the
owner of their own business.

Are you one of these people?

If you are, it is important to ask yourself some
very important questions before you make the
uncertain leap into self-employment.

Many dream of the benefits of home business
ownership, but few take into account the
sacrifices that must be made to bring the dream
to fruition. Please don't make this mistake
yourself.

You must approach home business ownership with
your eyes wide open. Ask yourself the important
questions, and more importantly, answer your own
questions openly and honestly.

AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION

Are you the type of person who relishes every
chance to gather around the water cooler for
social interaction?

If so, then home business ownership may not be
the right decision for you.

Instead, if you feel that you can be quite
content sitting alone at your desk; speaking only
to clients and really minding your own home
business, then you might have what it takes to
succeed as a home business entrepreneur.

If you feel at ease with your own company and
don't need a dozen coworkers milling around your
desk, then you, too, could savor the freedoms
that will allow you and your family, to live the
lifestyle you know you want and deserve.

THE KEY TO HOME BUSINESS SUCCESS

Self-motivation is the key to success when you
start a home-based business. You need to possess
the ability to push yourself ahead. Your drive
and determination will be reinforced with every
new sale.

The level of success that you will achieve
greatly depends on the time and effort you are
willing to plow into your new home business. Your
organization, planning and marketing skills, will
all be put into practice when you embark on your
liberating journey from employee, to being your
own boss. In fact, you will be the wearer of many
hats and gain a wealth of business experience
along the way, when you finally make that
commitment to work at home.

YOUR SUCCESS RESTS ENTIRELY UPON YOUR OWN
SHOULDERS

You will now be the boss. Are you truly able to
work independently? Do you have the drive; the
tenacity, to persevere with your home based
business? Will you be able to invest the
necessary time to nurture it, to watch it grow
and see it through, from germination to full,
glorious bloom? When you're the boss, you are
responsible for the success of your home
business, from A to Z, from disappointments to
victory.

When you work at home, it will empower you to
achieve many things you were unable to do when
you were stuck working for that tyrant boss.
Remember him? He's the guy that wouldn't let
you take time off when your baby was sick...the
same guy that called you in to work on
Thanksgiving Day.

A home business means that you can take good care
of your family and make money from home,
simultaneously. You will have the best of both
worlds! Just think--no more dirty laundry piling
up--you can do it while you work. No more
scurrying around at the last minute searching for
a babysitter either. And no more worrying about
getting fired; you'll be the boss!

IN CONCLUSION...

Stay positive and focused on your home based
business, even if, when sales aren't up to par,
you get occasional negative remarks or derogatory
comments from people with stuffy, dead-end jobs.
Ignore their cutting words and bear in mind that
success is the best revenge! Keep your admirable,
positive attitude at the forefront and show them
what you're made of!

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

How to Win the Advertising and Promotion Game

2005-11-01T05:36:00.000Z

How to Win the Advertising and Promotion Game
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168

I am certain that, as a business owner, you have
often entertained the question as to how much to
spend and where to spend your advertising
dollars. For most small business owners, these
questions can add to the headaches suffered in
the course of normal everyday operations of their
business.

THERE ARE NO SIMPLE ANSWERS

The how much to spend and where to spend it
questions have no easy answers.

Depending on your type of business, many people
suggest that the *how much* should be equal to
anywhere from 4% to 10% of your gross receipts.

The quandary is that a business cannot survive
without a fresh flow of incoming customers. But,
a business can seldom generate a fresh stream of
customers without spending money to get the word
out about their business.

THE CHALLENGE OF DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING

Have you ever paid for advertising and sat back
to await the fresh flow of customers, only to
find yourself sitting and sitting and then
sitting some more?

Don’t feel bad about that. It has happened to
many of us before.

See, knowing where to spend the advertising money
is not enough to get the job done.

Where to spend the money only begins to highlight
the other issues connected with advertising:

· Marketing Plan
· Advertising Strategy
· Headlines, Ad Copy and Visual Presentation
· Tracking the Success of Your Advertising
Campaigns

THE MARKETING PLAN

The Marketing Plan is used primarily to identify
your own products and services, costs, strengths,
weaknesses and the strengths and weaknesses of
your competitors.

To learn more about constructing your own
marketing plan, visit the Small Business
Administration website for a comprehensive
study of the elements of a Marketing Plan:
http://www.sba.gov

ADVERTISING STRATEGY

It is important to understand what you expect to
gain from your advertising.

Do you simply wish to get your name known so that
when your customer will need you, they will think
of you first? Or, do you wish to get your
customers in your front door on Saturday?

Do you want your customers to come in and take a
look around to discover the next object that they
cannot live without? Or, do you want them to come
in and buy a specific widget?

Do you hope that enough people will come in to
buy enough products or services to pay for your
single ad? Or, do you expect to gain a lifelong
customer who will help pay for your advertising
over the course of several years?

When you know what you want, then you will better
understand just how to do it.

HEADLINES, AD COPY AND VISUAL PRESENTATION

You might be surprised how many business owners
put out advertising without regard for the
quality of the sales pitch or presentation. The
quality of your distribution outlet or the amount
of money you spent to get there will do little
for you if the advertising vehicle is a junker.

Test all of your advertising materials in smaller
markets before blowing your advertising bank roll
on it. You must absolutely know the value of your
advertising before putting large sums of money
behind it.

TRACKING THE SUCCESS OF YOUR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS

Tell your customers to save another 10% when they
tell you they heard or saw your ad in
such-and-such location. Suggest that they can
register to win a free widget if they fill out a
form and have them to tell you how they heard of
your business. Advertise a specific widget in
your ad and track the sales of that widget.

It does not matter how you track your advertising
--- just make sure you do it!

IN SUMMARY

The ideal way to spend your advertising budget is
to buy a rifle with a high-powered scope and to
only shoot your targets in the light of day.

If you are not tracking your advertising, then
you are shooting a pellet gun without an attached
scope, with blinders on, and shooting in the dead
darkness of night.

Even with a bigger gun, the blinders in the dark
constitute the single largest mistake made by
advertisers. If you are unable to track your
advertising to learn what is working well, what is
working somewhat, and what is a money pit, then
you are condemned to repeat your mistakes over
and again.

By relying only on gut instinct, you may be
choosing to spend more money in the money pit and
to lose all of your money in the process.

When you get down to the nuts and bolts of making
money from your advertising, you should plan,
prepare, track and study your results. You must
have factual information on which to base your
advertising decisions. When you are making the
right advertising decisions, then making money
from your business might just come easy.

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

How to Stay Focused on Your Home Business Goals

2005-11-01T05:30:00.000Z

How to Stay Focused on Your Home Business Goals
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168

When you are the owner of a home business, you
will find hundreds of distractions that vie for
your time, energy and focus.

Common distractions include: children, family,
friends, neighbors, pets, phone calls, mail,
household chores, video games, television,
neighborhood children, visitors, and so many more.

As an owner of a home based business, you must
always remember your purpose in bringing your
profession home. What was your reason for wanting
to own a home business? Was your goal to work
from home so that you can share in the lives of
your children? Was your goal to be out from under
the rule of a tyrannical boss? Was your goal to
have the freedom to work when it is convenient
for you? Was your goal to make tons of money
working for yourself?

Here's a few good tips that will help you stay
focused on your home business:

TIP #1:

Whatever your reason for going out on your own,
you must keep your reason in the forefront of
your mind. If you forget your reason for starting
your own home business, you will not be working
for yourself for long. It is far too easy to let
circumstance drive your activities --- and when
circumstance is in the driver's seat, you are
more likely to crash and burn.

TIP #2:

Remember --- your own business is a lot like a
real job. Some people go to work to play, some go
to socialize, and others --- most often those who
are paid in a commission or tip environment
--- go to work to work and to make money. When
you work for yourself, your salary is directly
proportional to your productivity. Therefore,
wouldn't it make sense to stay focused on getting
as much done in as short of a period as possible?

Go to work to work and to make money. Leave
playtime and recreation for when your workday has
ended.

TIP #3:

When you are dealing with family in the course of
your workday, it is important to schedule your
activities as much as possible. With small
children, you must take time when you must, but
you should also work hard to make sure you
dedicate a specific number of hours to your
workday.

With older children, it is much easier to tell
them that you will be working between the hours
of x and y. Your children and your friends must
understand that certain hours of your day are
devoted to the activities of your business.

TIP #4:

Don't permit your friends and extended family to
run over you. Many people get the blind idea that
if one works from home then they are not actually
working.

Well-meaning people may try to fill your doorway
to bring advice about getting a real job. Others
may simply believe that if you are at home, then
you are fair game for chitchat and socialization.

You must stand firm. You must make certain your
friends and family understands that when you are
working, then you ARE working! If they wish to
socialize with you, then they need to do it
during the hours that are not dedicated to your
home business.

You are the only one who can stand up for you.
Your friends and family will seldom be able to
appreciate your dedication to your home business,
unless you make the effort to make sure that they
have the same respect for your business that you
do.

TIP #5:

You should allot a certain portion of your day to
email and to regular mail. For example, allot one
hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon
to handling your written communications.

Unless you dedicate certain times to the handling
of these communications, you will soon find
yourself on the downward slope of decreased
productivity.

TIP #6:

When you find yourself spending too much time
doing non-productive activities, then you should
seriously consider finding a third-party service
provider who will assist you in those
non-profitable business activities.

As an example, you might be in the mail-order
business. You might believe that your time is
best spent writing ad copy and setting up your
advertising, but you find yourself spending far
too much time taking care of your books to take
care of your advertising in the manner that you
should. In this event, it might make more sense
to hire a bookkeeper to handle your financial
records for you.

CONCLUSION:

In the end, the success of your home business is
entirely and completely reliant upon you and the
decisions that you make.

You had your reasons for deciding to start your
own home based business. You must always keep
your reasons in the forefront of your mind. You
must always be able to rely upon your own self
and your dedication to the success of your
business.

Your friends and family might be annoyed that
they cannot come visit upon their own whim, but
when success comes to you and your business, they
will better appreciate you for putting your foot
down when necessary.

Success is within your reach, if only you can
stay focused on your goals. You must decide to
reach for your goals, and then, you must have the
discipline necessary to reach them.

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

How to Measure Advertising Success Online

2005-11-01T05:24:00.000Z

How to Measure Advertising Success Online
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168

It is easy for me to tell you that you need to
track the success of your online advertising. It
is also easy for me to tell you that you must do
so in order to know which of your advertising
is helping you to make a profit, to break even,
or to break the bank. Far too many advertisers
get caught in the online money pits in an effort
to develop their online business.

DON’T BE AFRAID

I also know that when I say these things, some
people get spooked. People get spooked because
although they might run an online business, they
may not understand the technology that keeps
their business running.

Let’s face it.

More people are learning how to design and
develop their own web pages. In fact, software has
been created to help them do so rather easily.

But when it comes down to the more complex
technologies such as web logs, database
technology, and web programming, most people
just freeze up and fail to make an informed
decision.

Some will turn to a programmer with hopes that a
programmer could save their online business, and
many will get burned by their personal
programmers. When a programmer burns a webmaster,
the cost can be very high. And at the end of the
day, the programmer may leave the webmaster with
a broken web site.

The only real choices left to most webmasters is
to learn how to install pre-made scripts on their
own, or to keep their websites technologically
simple. *Technologically simple* often fails to
help the webmaster find the success that he or
she so fervently desires.

UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF PRE-MADE SCRIPTS

Web software is often very simple in its
installation, so the webmaster really should not
fear it.

All one needs to install their own pre-made web
scripts (software) is an online web site file
manager or optional FTP software. They will also
need the ability to change the *permissions* on
the files on their web server.

When downloading scripts for installation on your
server, the file may come in .zip, .tar, or .gz
format. Each of these are variations on the
compressed / zipped file format. There are
many utilities available for unzipping files. One
such utility is WinZip which can be found at:
http://www.winzip.com

Most scripts, once downloaded and unzipped, may
appear in text format with extensions such as
.php, .cgi, .pl or .cfg.

Most of these files can be read as plain text in
an application like NotePad. Occasionally, the
file will be in a binary format which cannot be
read with a text editor.

The files which can be read in a text editor are
often written in the Perl or PHP programming
languages.

While most of the scripting will seem like
Chinese to you, you will be able to pick out
certain sections that can be read and understood
easily.

If the application also contains a .cfg file,
this is your configuration file that can usually
be changed to reflect your own personal needs or
desires for the operation of the software.

NEXT STEP, UPLOAD THE FILES TO YOUR SERVER

Most of these web applications will have a
readme.txt file included with it. If it does,
please read it. If it does not, don’t worry, this
section is for you.

You must upload the files to your server as plain
text. If you are using FTP to upload the files,
then you must tell your software to upload the
files in ASCII format. If you are using your web
file manager, then the files will automatically
upload correctly.

Once the file is on your server, then you must
change the file permissions.

Files with the extensions .php, .cgi, or .pl are
executable files and there permissions must be
set to 755. Files with the extensions .cfg, .txt,
or .html must have their permissions set to 644.
Files and folders that will be written to must
have their permissions set to 777. Files with no
extensions can be classified as any of the above,
so check the readme.txt file.

755 defines an executable file. 644 defines a
read-only file. And 777 defines a writable file.

Once the files are on your server and the
permissions are set correctly, the application
you have placed on your server should work for
you just fine.

LOCATING PRE-MADE SITE TRACKING SCRIPTS

Probably one of the best resources for locating
pre-made scripts is: http://www.cgi-resources.com

If after reading this article you still fear the
task of installing a pre-made script on your
server, then you might seriously consider
remotely hosted site tracking software. If
you opt for this route, be sure to buy the pro
version of the software offered. If you don’t
choose the paid version, you might find your own
competitors having access to your site tracking
data! That should not be an acceptable option to
you.

THE PURPOSE OF SITE TRACKING

With site tracking software running on your
server, you can review how many people came to
your website and what URL’s they might have used
to find your website. You can also see where your
visitors have come from, when they came, how long
they were on your site, at what page they entered
and left your site, and much more.

This is the kind of information that will help
you to determine with some certainty how
effective your advertising is and how profitable
your advertising can be.

Operating without tracking data is tantamount to
operating a business with the intent purpose of
failing.

I truly want you to succeed with your online
business. I know deep down in my heart that the
more people who find success online, the greater
my own chances for remaining profitable over
the long haul. *A rising tide floats all ships.*

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Now Today At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

How to Maximize the Value of Your Time

2005-11-01T05:18:00.000Z

How to Maximize the Value of Your Time
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168

How is your business doing? Is it growing,
stagnating or losing ground? If your business is
not growing, it could be the result of a poor
business idea or plan, a lack of advertising, or
the mismanagement of your business’ resources.

Let’s face it. Running a successful business
enterprise is not the easiest thing to accomplish.

Your struggles could be the result of factors
beyond your own control or factors within your
control --- your own actions and decisions.

FACTORS OUTSIDE YOUR OWN CURRENT CONTROL

If your business is stagnating or dying, there
are several factors that could be the cause of
your current financial discomfort:

· Your local economy could be suffering
stagnation or negative growth.
· Your competition might be fiercely competing
for your customer base.
· The building, into which you have signed a
lease, might be seen by local residents as the
home of businesses that fail, so they will not
support you until you have proven your long term
viability.
· You could be in a terrible location and trapped
by your lease.

FACTORS WITHIN YOUR OWN CONTROL

On the other side of the coin, there are several
more factors that could be causing you pain that
are well within your control:

· You are not spending enough time planning for
the future of your business.
· You are not spending enough time or resources on
developing and distributing good advertising.
· You do not have enough staff available to fill
incoming orders or to serve interested customers.
· You are simply mismanaging your financial or
human resources.

THE MOST ABUSED HUMAN RESOURCE IN MOST BUSINESSES

By watching the activities of many small business
owners, one has to ask themselves if the business
owners are masochistic?

Source: www.dictionary.reference.com
MASOCHISTIC - adj : 2. The deriving of pleasure,
or the tendency to derive pleasure, from being
humiliated or mistreated, either by another or by
oneself.
3. A willingness or tendency to subject oneself
to unpleasant or trying experiences.

How is it that I can even venture to suggest this
definition fits the behavior of many small
business owners?

Simple. Small business owners often submit
themselves and their families to the demands of
their business. Sometimes to the detriment of
those involved in their lives.

Of course, one could argue that the small
business owner is sacrificing his or herself for
the long-term benefit of their families and
themselves.

Well, one could argue that. And in some cases,
the argument would be true. In other cases, the
argument would not even remotely be true.

THE DANGER IN FAILING TO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF
YOUR OWN TIME

The deadliest consequence in any business is the
owner’s failure to understand the value of his or
her own time. Even a thriving business can die
under the weight of an owner who does not place
the proper value on his or her own time.

Some owners work long hours for little return
because they do not understand their own value.
Some of these owners will eventually quit their
business for a job that could provide a higher
living wage. Others, while thriving, may keep
themselves doing tasks that can be and should be
done by others. Sometimes, the business owner
wants to believe that he or she alone can do
the task, or they want to do the things they most
enjoy.

In the end, these folks fail because the
important tasks that should have been done for
the purpose of growing the business or meeting
the demands of the business have gone undone. The
business collapses because they did not take care
of the most important facets of their business.

PLANNING, GOAL SETTING AND MEASURING COULD CHANGE
YOUR FUTURE

PLANNING will permit you to see where you want to
go and how you hope to get there.

GOAL SETTING permits you to make certain specific
determinations about your business. One such goal
that should be set early and regularly is the
level of income that you want to derive from
your business.

MEASURING lets you see the true state of your
business at any one point in time. Measuring at
regular intervals lets you see a moving slide
show that will deliver an honest picture of the
continuing state of your business.

Additional measuring will permit you to see how
much your time could be worth and how much you
are really paying yourself. Your measurements
should also permit you to put a cost on the
specific tasks and functions that are required in
the operation of your business.

MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS

If the amount that you want to be paid and could
be paid is higher than the cost of doing the task
that you are doing, then you should wisely
consider having someone in your employment handle
the task.

Properly managing tasks and delegating the work
at hand can make or break your business. Make the
correct decisions and you will be treating
yourself better than the average small
businessperson.

I wish you and your business the very best.

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

How to Calculate ROI (Return on Investment)

2005-11-01T05:16:00.000Z

How to Calculate ROI (Return on Investment)
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168

ROI (Return on Investment) is probably the most
important calculation one needs to make to ensure
the long-term viability of their business. It is
not enough to build in a profit margin on the
product or service being offered. One must track
with proficiency the amount of dollars being
invested into attracting sales and how much ROI
those dollars put back into the business. If the
investment meets too little return, a product
line is doomed to fail in the long-term.

THE BASIC ROI PERCENTAGE CALCULATION

Many experts seem to agree, “calculating an
accurate return on investment (ROI) is not an
easy thing to do.”

I do not intend to give you a thorough analysis
of the ROI calculation process. Calculating an
accurate ROI is hard to do, but explaining the
full scope of ROI calculations in less than
1000 words is far more difficult.

As such, this article is only intended to
introduce you to the basic concepts behind ROI
calculations. Here is a very basic equation for
calculating the ROI:

ROI = [(Payback - Investment)/Investment)]*100

Your payback is actually the total amount of
money earned from your investment in your
company. Investment relates to the amount of
resources put into generating the given payback.

You should run ROI calculations on both monthly
and yearly timelines.

IMPROPER CALCULATIONS BY MANY SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS

The actual amount of investment into a business
is often misunderstood by the business owner. As
a result, true ROI calculations for most small
businesses are skewed.

Most small business owners make their mistake in
this most necessary calculation, because they do
not properly value their own time. Please note
that when I previously defined “investment”, I
stated that it relates to the “amount of
resources put into generating the payback.”

Indeed, “resources” includes cash money. But, it
also includes “human resources” or “time”.

If most small business owners would value their
hours at the minimum wage, and calculate their
time into the investment equation, they would
soon realize that their small business is
running in the red!

Some small business owners will finally run ROI
calculations including the human resources, and
suddenly realize that they could make more money
working a job. If the small business owner has
been running their business for a really long
time, struggling to make ends meet, they might
see this calculation and close their doors once
and for all.

PLEASE DON’T LET ME DISCOURAGE YOU

I do not share this revelation with you so that
you will close your business down. Quite to the
contrary. I share this with you so that you can
see the big picture and start running your
business in a way that will actually generate a
real profit for you and your business.

If you are within the first two years or five
years of the start of your business, then running
in the red should not be thought of as a bad
thing. However, if you are ten years into your
business and earning less than minimum wage from
your business, there is a serious problem afoot
that needs to be addressed immediately.

STARTING OUT

When you are just beginning your own business,
you have plenty of time on your hands. This is
the reason why most small business owners do not
properly count their time in the ROI equation.
They just look at cash expenditures and incoming
monies, and they are satisfied with that
calculation.

It is often said that people generate the kind of
results that they believe they can achieve or the
kind that they want to achieve. Seeing the goal
is the first step to achieving the goal.
Expectations will always bring results equal to
the expectation.

Having been down the business startup path before
myself, I too understand the desire to calculate
ROI without consideration to the time invested in
the enterprise.

However, I also understand the importance of
placing a value on my time and working that into
my final numbers.

In the beginning, I ran two types of ROI
calculations: all resources exempting my time,
AND all resources including my time.

Of course, I actually set a higher expectation
for my own income level. First, I had decided on
ten dollars an hour for my time. Later, I
adjusted that amount upward.

Starting out, even though I ran two versions of
my ROI calculations, I relied first on my
resource excluding my own time. Once I had
achieved this goal, then I refocused my attention
to reaching the ROI which took into account my own
time.

Now, that time has passed, I can go back and look
at my yearly ROI and see that I have earned
enough cash to pay for those early days of famine.

THE SECRET OF TURNING ROI CALCULATIONS INTO
SUCCESS

Every step in your business startup is a
calculated guess as to what you believe you can
achieve.

Measuring your results is essential to making
your business profitable. ROI measurements are
imperative to measuring and understanding the
results you are achieving with your new or
existing business.

Take into account all factors relating to the
profitability of your business and don’t smudge
on the facts to make it seem more profitable than
it really is. It is important to approach your
business and your business results with absolute
honesty. Be honest with yourself and face the
facts of your task.

An honest examination of your business at regular
intervals will help you get on and stay on track
to keep the doors of your business open. You will
thank yourself later.

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

Finding Your Home Business Niche

2005-11-01T05:13:00.000Z

Finding Your Home Business Niche
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168

When some folks begin to think about a business
of their own, they know in that very moment what
kind they are going to start. Then, there are the
rest of us...

Knowing that we want to have a business of our
own is not enough. Many of us have struggled with
the important question of what type of enterprise
we would like to start.

Franchises offer a simple pre-packaged money
making idea, but the cost of a franchise often
makes it a prohibitive option to most folks who
contemplate going out on their own.

For those who do not have a million dollars to
buy a McDonalds franchise, we must look to other
ideas for our own business.

There are literally hundreds of lucrative home
business ideas for you to choose from, which will
suit every type of personality and all levels of
financing. From selling information on the
Internet as a infopreneur, to growing delicious
gourmet mushrooms for sale to restaurants and
catering companies; there is a pile of money to
be made by filling a need, for these and a host
of other necessary services.

Of course, actually liking what you do, will have
a lot to do with the success of your new venture,
so be sure to pick a home business that you'll
enjoy running and that will keep you motivated.

For example, if you're a math whiz, an accounting
or income tax service might be the ideal home
business for you to start. Perhaps writing is
your forte and you'd like to start your own
home based copywriting service or advertising
agency. Each of these businesses can be run
successfully--and profitably from the comfort of
your own home.

Academia might not be your cup of tea, but maybe
you are good with your hands --- having a
creative genius where crafts are concerned. Craft
items are red-hot sellers at swap meets, country
fairs and world wide over the Internet, and they
can provide you with solid profits. If crafts
don't interest you, then why not start a laundry
service with pick-up and delivery, or a shopping
service for shut-in's--even a companion service or
granny sitter or a doctor shuttle service; any of
which, could be much in demand, in and around
your neighborhood or community.

When brainstorming new ideas for your future home
business, keep in mind the soul of any successful
endeavor is providing a product or service that
others will actually purchase in quantities.
Satisfy the needs of your target market, and your
target market will keep you and your home based
business healthy, happy and profitable.

Below are some suggestions for home business
ideas that might help you decide on a suitable
venture in which to invest.

Multi-level-marketing (mlm), floral/plant service
for offices and hospitals, pooper-scooper
service, dog walking service, answering service,
vending machine service, gift basket service,
homemade soap maker, mobile windshield repair
service, mobile tire repair service, income tax
specialist, researcher, freelance writer,
business card and letterhead designer, courier,
shut-in/shuttle service, landscaping service, tree
trimming service, wood crafter, carpenter, crafts
and crafting supplies, pool cleaning service,
plants/nursery starts, growing herbs, growing
mushrooms, garage sale and swap meet vendor,
proofreader, private investigator, typing
service, interior decorator/designer, website
design, wedding consultant, hot lunch/snack
vendor at local courthouses, pet sitting service,
pet grooming service, Internet entrepreneur,
paralegal, gourmet catering service, new media
production, mobile cosmetic technician, mobile
nail technician, mobile hair stylist, aerobics
instructor, personal fitness trainer, advertising
consultant, companion service, small printing
service.

Ideas, ideas; hopefully the above ideas will give
you some fresh ideas of your own to mull over. A
spring board if you will, on which to dive into
your own chosen home business.

When you work from home, any business you start
has the potential to explode into a perpetual
gold mine! It just depends on how much your home
business is in demand around your community or on
the Internet. Your home business might start
slow and steady, regularly picking up clients as
you become more established. On the other hand,
your chosen home business may take off like
wildfire, quickly becoming too hot for you to
handle by yourself (well done!). This is the time
to enlist the help of willing family members to
help you out in your time of need, which will
make your business into a friendly, family
concern. This will also help family members
better understand your business and get a grasp
on the mechanics of profit.

Good luck in all your decisions and have fun with
your home business, which ever one you choose,
and don't forget to enjoy your newfound freedom!

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

Fast-Track Your Journey To Online Success

2005-11-01T05:10:00.000Z

Fast-Track Your Journey To Online Success
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168

No one has ever logged onto the Internet for the
first time and started pocketing dollars in a
really short period of time. As with all things
in life, there is a learning curve.

SOME PERSONAL HISTORY

Just a few short years ago, I was a working stiff
just like you.

One day, I bought and read a book called
"Multiple Streams of Income" by bestselling
author, Robert Allen. Immediately, I began my
journey.

Every night after work and after my wife and
children went to sleep, I would get online and
explore different ways of using the Internet to
make money.

In the 2 years that followed, I spent over
$10,000.00 racking up credit card debt buying
eBooks, membership sites, special reports, opt-in
leads, and joining every "guru" recommended
business opportunity that flew into my email
inbox...

I stayed up learning, working and drinking coffee
until 5:00 in the morning month after month
filled with the hope of making money online.

In my 3rd year of working part-time to build an
home based income, I finally broke through and
earned over $100,000.00 in just 12 months from
the Internet.

BECOME THE MASTER OF YOUR LEARNING CURVE

Research the lives of all of the guru's. The one
thing that you will learn is that my own
experience is not unique. Most of the high
earners on the Internet experienced a learning
curve very similar to my own.

Chances are that your curve will also be similar
to mine, but it is my hope that you can get to
the top faster than even I did. Three years was a
long time to struggle, but every ounce of
struggle was worth the reward I have finally
received.

In order to shorten your own learning curve, you
must do a few things differently than the rest of
us did. You must become themaster of your
learning curve.

THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS IS A
STRAIGHT LINE

There is only one way to shorten the curve on the
Internet, "you must plan to succeed."

Here is the deal. Most people put up a freebie
website and select a few affiliate programs to
add to their website. Right out of the gate, most
people are running for the finish line without
any real plan in mind.

After a few short weeks, people begin to see the
writing on the wall that says, "This is going to
be a long hard road."

People check their hit counters daily for six
weeks before they realize that getting traffic to
their free site is going to be tough.

At this point, they begin developing their first
batch of advertising. Then they spend countless
months finding places to show their
advertisements for free. Some make an even more
drastic mistake by blowing thousands of hard
earned dollars on their new and untested ads.

These are the people who will learn the facts of
life the hard way.

In time, they will learn how to make their
advertising work for them. But most will earn
very little money from their affiliate programs.

At this point in the learning curve, most people
throw up their hands and walk away from their
dreams in utter disgust. Instead of a walking
away point, this should have convinced the
struggling online entrepreneur that they were
simply traveling the wrong road.

YOU MUST PLAN TO SUCCEED

From day one, you must begin to learn about the
nuances of web promotion. Read everything you can
get your hands on. Don't just read the hype, back
it up with the opinions of others who have
reviewed the same programs before you came along.
Learn from their mistakes and successes.

As you begin to learn, you must also look to make
a decision. Do you want to step into a pre-built
program that is designed to help you to succeed,
OR do you want to create a completely new program
of which you are the sole owner?

If you decide to step into a pre-designed and
complete turn-key online money making venture,
then you must select the right venture to step
into. If this is your decision, then please
examine my program along with the others. You can
review my Plug In Profit Site program at:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168

If you decide to go the journey on your own, then
do all of the necessary research, planning and
preparation that is needed for your success.

PREPARE TO SUCCEED

Decide upon what you think you would want to do,
and then figure out how your planned site will
generate a real income.

Internet old-timers know about hundreds of
corporation domains that existed with IPO
millions, but did not have an actual money
plan that could sustain their business model.
Most of these companies were among the hundreds
of companies that bellied up in the 2000 dot bomb
experience.

Don't blindly believe in your plan. Research
others on the web who have undertaken similar
business models and see if they have survived.
Study your competitors in depth to learn what is
working for them and what did not work for them.
To better understand what has or has not worked
for competitor websites, check out their time
lapsed progressions using the Wayback Machine:
http://www.archive.org

Once you have determined your money plan, then
you should undertake the development of a
business plan and a marketing plan. Utilize
professional assistance if you need to do so.
While creating your plans, make a determination
as to which domain name you think would be best,
then use the domain name wizard at Host4Profit to
find the perfect domain for your business:
http://www.host4profit.com/cgi-bin/home.cgi?63451

Once you have developed your business plan and
marketing plan and have run them through several
revisions, then it will be time to buy your
domain name and to begin work with a site
designer and developer. You may need to have your
domain sitting on a web host for your site
developer, but this is not always necessary.
While they are doing their work, enlist a
copywriter to help you with your site sales copy.

When your site designer and developer have your
site working, you should then undertake
significant testing to make sure everything works
as planned. It is much harder to fix problems
on a operational site than it is to fix problems
on a site that is yet to be launched.

When testing is done, then you should fill in
your sales copy and then shoot for launch. Of
course, you already have a marketing plan in
place, so your preparation here will be simply
a matter of putting the pieces of the puzzle into
place.

You are finally ready to open for business. Don't
be afraid to spend the money to bring your dream
alive. Time can replace money in the goal of
starting a profitable online business, but money
invested can shave years off of your company's
growth.

If you want to save a lot of time and get your
very own money making website setup within the
next 24 hours, review and sign up for my Plug-In
Profit Site service today at:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

Children in the Home Business Environment

2005-11-01T05:08:00.000Z

Children in the Home Business Environment
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168

Operating a home business is seldom easy and
interruptions come in all shapes, sizes and forms.

Between the family, friends and neighbors who
call or come by, and the telemarketers who insist
on ringing your number off the hook, getting
through the workday can be a real challenge.

When you introduce children into the home office
environment, your productivity and patience can
be seriously tested.

For example, right now my three-year old daughter
is pulling on my shirt and begging me to read her
a story. Clearly, Im in the middle of something
important here, but how can I say no to those
eyes? I'll be right back...

Ok, that wasn't so bad was it? She's happy, Im
happy (having bonded with my daughter) and now
I'm back to continue my conversation with you! :-)

What's the lesson here? Flexibility is a major
key to balancing your home business priorities
with your family's needs.

I can tell you from first-hand experience that
maintaining a deep level of concentration on work
in a home business for long periods of time is
next to impossible. Naptime does offer some
reprieve, but any break from the kids is usually
short lived.

Even with older children, summertime introduces
new challenges with kids running in and out of
the house all throughout the day.

I would like to share with you some of the tips I
have discovered to help manage your home office
with children in your midst. Since children of
different ages pose different challenges, I will
present my tips in terms of age groups.

OLDER CHILDREN AND TEENS

We will look at older children first since they
pose the least challenge to our work productivity.

Children, who are old enough to understand the
idea of schedules and chores, are old enough to
understand the needs of your home business.
Explain to your children that you do your work at
home so that you can be near them when they need
you. But also be sure they understand that you
must do your work so that you will have the money
necessary to keep your house, feed the family and
to provide them with money for entertainment.

Once your children understand the necessity of
your work, then outline a work schedule and
explain it to them. Do make sure they understand
that emergencies are definitely an acceptable
reason to interrupt your work. Then make sure
they understand that between hours x and y, you
will be doing work --- and then hold them to
respecting your schedule.

INFANTS

Infants will never understand your needs for
work. But fortunately, babies do well under a
schedule or routine. Instead of expecting your
child to work around your schedule, schedule
your work around the needs of your baby.

It is simple. Babies eat, sleep and poop.
Sometimes they play. Fortunately, babies sleep
more than they do anything else.

Naptime offers the best advantage for getting
your work done. Get your baby into a routine of
eat, sleep and play, and you will experience
unexpected levels of productivity.

TODDLERS

If you have a toddler running around the house
while you are operating your home business, then
you may find that your hair turning gray or
disappearing altogether. But, gray hair is a
sign of character, right. ;-)

I am venturing to guess that the person who
devised the door lock for the inside of the house
did so because he had toddlers in his own home.
Inside door locks should only be utilized when
you are making that important phone call and your
toddler is screaming for your attention. At all
other times, your door should remain unlocked
with your door open.

Develop a routine with your children for meal
times, naptimes, and play times. Work these times
into your work schedule and adhere to them. If
you fail to keep appointments with your children,
your children will have less respect for your
work and do more to prevent you from the
completion of your work.

Don't be afraid to let your children sit in your
lap while you are working. It helps them to feel
wanted and it helps them to be a part of your
daily life. There are times when it is okay
for them to be sitting in your lap while you
work, and at other times you need them out of
your lap. Don't be afraid to tell them to get
down and go play or read a book so that you can
resume your work.

Permit your children to have their toys in your
office. Often they will sit contently and play
while you work. Just knowing you are near is
enough to keep them happy.

Be prepared to take an hourly break to deal with
your toddler. Try to do potty breaks at your
hourly break and to do drink refills. This can
help your child grow into a routine that will
work well with your home business. At each break,
spend a few minutes with your child giving hugs
and kisses and talking with your child about what
he or she wants to talk about.

Toddlers don't always do well with the routine,
so be prepared to take a few minutes when needed
to give the attention that your child so
desperately needs in the moment.

IN CONCLUSION

I hope these tips serve to help you in the
challenge of operating a successful home business.

My home business permits me to fulfill my
financial obligations *AND* see my children grow
up. I would never contemplate trading my home
business for another kind of business. Even with
the added challenges of dealing with toddlers in
my home office, the upsides far outweigh the
downsides.

Growing my own home business with children around
has definitely given me a new respect for all
people who successfully run a home business with
kids in the work environment. I tip my hat to
you... You deserve it!

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

Advertising Your Home Business on a Budget

2005-11-01T05:06:00.000Z

Advertising Your Home Business on a Budget
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168

When you are starting out in a new home business
and no one knows who you are, one of the greatest
challenges you will face is how to drum up new
business.

If there were not people in your community or
marketplace that you knew who needed your
products or services, you probably would not have
started your business to begin with. But, once
you have talked to those who you personally knew
who needed your what you offer, then your next
task is to find others who will help keep your
doors open.

Many people know that they must turn to
advertising at some point in the future, but they
hope that day will be long down the road. For
some, this utopian concept will come to fruition.
But for the rest of us in the real world, we must
come up with creative solutions for meeting our
home business advertising needs while working
within our budget.

Most people have a misconception about having to
spend lots of money in order to advertise their
home business. When you start out, you honestly
will not have much money available for
advertising, and if you do, you should still
spend it wisely.

Before you jump headfirst into the world of
advertising, let me share some of the lessons I
have learned concerning this most important topic.

LESSON #1

It does not have to cost an arm and a leg to
advertise your home business, unless you fail to
plan and fail to test.

As much as is possible, you should always test
your advertising. If you jump in and start
dumping tons of money in to advertising without
first testing your advertising, you might find
yourself broke and without sales at the end of
the road. Most people who commit this error write
off their failure on the home business they chose
or the economy or any of a hundred other excuses.
But, if they are unwilling to take responsibility
for their mistake, they will never learn from
their mistake. Don't let this be you.

LESSON #2

All testing should be done in blocks. If you
begin to advertise simultaneously in newspapers,
radio and television, how will you know which
advertising is bringing people to your cash
register? You won't. All you will know that
something might be working, but you will not know
what is actually doing the trick.

Even if you tell people in your advertising to
tell you how they found you, my experience shows
that fewer than 10% of the people ever will tell
you anything --- and those people who do may not
even get the facts straight! You cannot rely on
your customers to tell you what advertising is
working for your home business. You must put in
the extra effort to know for yourself.

LESSON #3

Only when you have a proven and solid advertising
portfolio should you venture to drop big bucks in
an advertising campaign. Even then, you should be
careful to keep further measurements to determine
how much the maximum advantage of an ad would be.
Sometimes you might be able to reach ten times as
many people, but depending on the kind of media
and other factors, the additional exposure will
only generate twice as many sales. Keep your eye
attuned to situations like this to get the most
from your advertising dollars.

LESSON #4

As Lesson #3 illustrates, sometimes your best
advertising investment may actually cost you less
money. When you are first starting out, whether
you are running a home business or a business
outside of your home, you need to be able to get
people talking and thinking about your business.

If you are busy testing ads in media's such as
the newspaper, magazines, radio, and television,
you need to learn ways of promoting your business
that do not require large cash expenditures. A
few examples are:

· Word of Mouth
· Business Cards
· Press Releases
· Non-Primetime Ads on Radio and Television

Here is more information about each type of
low-cost advertising:

WORD OF MOUTH

This of course is the cheapest kind of
advertising on the planet --- it does not cost
you anything. Ask your customers if they know
anyone who could also use your products or
services. When they are happy with your offerings
and service, they will be willing to tell you
whom you can contact, and they will pass the
word for you.

BUSINESS CARDS

You can usually pick up 500 business cards for
about $20. When you do, hand them out. Do not
give more than a couple of cards to each person.
If they need more cards from you, they will ask.

Some people are known to network with others on a
regular basis. Some of these people are also
known to be always looking for an extra few
bucks. With these people, you can suggest to them
that if they write their name on the back of one
of your business cards and the card is presented
to you, then you will pay a referral fee to them.
You do not have to offer much --- sometimes one
dollar is enough. Look at your home business and
your offerings and decide how much would be a
good referral fee.

PRESS RELEASES

Press Releases are a good source for generating
news about your home business. The business
editor at your local newspaper is always on the
lookout for a good business story to fill the
business news section of the newspaper.

Of course, the business editor understands the
economics of running a paper and is more inclined
to run your story if you buy advertising in
his/her publication, but will still print
stories for special events and openings.

The important thing to remember about Press
Releases is that it must be constructed in the
form of a news story. Even if you are a sole
proprietorship, quotes from you should be written
in a third person format: John Doe said, "Your
quote here."

A Press Release should pack the most important
information at the beginning of the copy, and
leave extra details towards the end.

You should always provide the reporter who gets
the task a simple and easy way for him/her to
contact you directly. Often the reporter will
want to contact you to get details that will
enhance their take on your story.

NON-PRIMETIME ADS ON RADIO AND TELEVISION

Believe it or not, some of the best rates for
radio and television are on the overnight and
non-primetime venues. These target times are not
a total waste as they can easily keep the
infomercial people in business.

These off-hours are just less populated than the
primetime hours.

Don't be afraid to check your local radio and
television rates for non-primetime hours to see
what bargains may exist. With television,
primetime is 7pm to 10pm. With radio, primetime is
8am to 5pm. This sure leaves a whole lot of hours
available to advertise your home business at
discount rates!

IN CONCLUSION

When it comes down to it, there is a lot to
understand about advertising, but when you have
the basic knowledge down pat, everything will
fall into place and bring more dollars to your
bank account.

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-7168
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

They Did The Monster Match...

2005-10-30T05:09:00.000Z

I just completed my first non-d20 game book. In it you fight monster against monster. Need a game for Halloween? Check out Monster Match.

Today is Tristan's Birthday

2005-10-27T05:35:00.000Z

Happy Birthday, Tristan!!! (Age 4 today.)

Free Copy of White Wolf's New World of Darkness

2005-10-27T05:32:00.000Z

Yep, you heard right! DriveThruRPG is giving away a free copy of their World of Darkness Rule Book from now through November 14, 2005. Yes, its the PDF version. :)

10 Reasons to Make your Own T-shirts

2005-10-26T06:00:00.000Z

1. Everyone loves t-shirts!
2. Money! T-shirts will make you money! If you have a selection of shirts to choose from, you can’t NOT sell them.
3. It’s easy. Almost too easy… You can have a t-shirt designed in minutes through companies that have lots of t-shirt traffic!
4. Sponsor Yourself! Tired of sponsoring sneaker companies or bands you don’t listen to anymore? You are always in the business of You!
5. Your ideas are better!
6. Tell people your opinion without talking! T-shirts express your personality and allow you to convey your attitude to the world!
7. It’s something new to do on the internet!8. Everyone needs a hobby.
9. Shirts are required in most restaurants.
10. There’s just something cool about others wearing your designs.

Want to make your own t-shirts or looking to find some new creative ones? Try these links:

CafePress.com
Zazzle.com
My Zazzle Store

Religion - God's Fruit Basket

2005-07-28T12:32:00.000Z

On Tuesday, I was discussing God, Jesus, Christianity, Mormonism, etc. in the lab at work, when the lab tech said that she didn't believe in anything.

I told her that she should become a Buddhist. I said, "Since you don't believe in a religion, you're denying yourself, and therefore can seek the union of self with everything, without having ego or beliefs get in your way."

She replied that all religions were the same, and it didn't matter. Every religion has a messiah...

I interrupted her and said that she was comparing Messiahs to fruit. I like apples, someone else likes oranges, and that she was telling me that I could have an orange when I wanted an apple, because they're both fruit.

Nothing For July?

2005-07-28T12:30:00.000Z

Things aren't looking good for a July release.

At this point, I'll be lucky to have an ENGuilds book out this month. For Khan's Press, I was hoping to release Fringe Races: Elves, but I've got my schedule on it full through August 1st.

I may and try to pull off releasing the next Abigot's Catalog instead. Its a bigger book than I anticipated. Originally, I thought I'd be happy to just come up with 20 weapons, but it looks like its going to be quite a bit bigger. I think that I'll try and just wrap it up and release it on Friday.

Flipping

2005-07-26T12:01:00.001Z

I taught my 8-year old son to do flips on the trampoline this weekend.

He's better at it than I am, and willing to go much higher. I still get a touch of fear when I'm flipping, and neither of us are landing on our feet yet. However, both of us are fliping without using our hands, which is our big milestone.

Printing PDF's

2005-07-26T12:01:00.000Z

For my printed pdf's I use the program Fine Print, allowing me to print them at a size (both sides of the sheet) that's more manageable for storing, and for taking to work.

I have a cheap binder that I bought used that allows me to bind them with the spiral comb, which allows the books to lay open flat.

For awhile I was printing them on a laser printer, but the laser printer is dead. Now I'm using an ink jet, which has driven my printing costs up with over-priced ink cartridges. Plus, the damned thing sometimes multi-feeds sheets of paper, which sucks if I'm not paying attention. I'll be getting a new inkjet printer through Dell very soon, but I haven't compared the cost of cartridges.

Still, my method of purchase is far cheaper than investing in a hardcover book.

Overpriced and Hardcover

2005-07-26T12:00:00.000Z

My friend Kent buys every Wizards of the Coast Dungeons and Dragons book there is, and looking through his collection, I'm inclined not to buy their books anymore.

The new DMG 2 looks promising, but their new NPC stat blocks are a complete waste of space, as is the prestige class npc's in their books. I don't care about examples, I'll never use them, and I think WotC is just trying to raise their page count to justify being over-priced, and to put the books out in hardcover.

I'm not sure I agree with the core publishers of the game industry (WotC and White Wolf) going hardcover. As someone who used to buy a lot of game books, I feel it makes it harder for younger collectors (or my old 32-year-old self, for that matter) to even come close to buying even the books that grab my attention.

I'm sure they have market studies that told them to release everything in hardcover, and maybe the collectors aren't supporting families and can buy everything. Still, I see it removing selling more books. It must be the perceived value of hardcovers, making the random book more desirable.

I am becoming more and more fond of buying pdf's. They allow me to print the books much smaller (using the program Fine Print), in almost mass-market size, and they are cheaper.

Wood Elves

2005-07-26T11:59:00.000Z

I flipped through the Wizards of the Coast book called Races of the Wild.

I'm not impressed, at first glance. My current Dungeons and Dragons character is a Wood Elf. I was hoping for more info on them, but the book still seems general, concerning subraces. I haven't read much of it yet, so I could be jumping the gun.

I think Green Ronin has a book specifically on Wood Elves, and I think I'll go flip through it, if the local game store has it.

Fringe Races: Elves Development

2005-07-26T11:57:00.000Z

I am pushing closer to the release of Fringe Races: Elves.

Yesterday I plugged in miscellaneous cultural stuff into the society section and mostly wrapped up the elven sorcerer.

The elven sorcerer is like a sorcerer in that her spells are spontaneous and are affected by the elf's Charisma. However, she leans more toward being a druid. Many of the druid's special abilities are removed, and replaced with additional variant wild shapes, such as a merfolk form, and a winged form (that improves as she gains more levels).

Today I finished a few more spells, and added four new mounts... reindeer, flying reindeer, faerie horses and faerie ponies.

Power Surge

2005-07-24T11:20:00.000Z

When I arrived home Friday night, my computer was unplugged.

We'd been having power surges a lot over the last couple of days. We thought it was because everyone was using their air conditioning. While I was at work, my wife blew a fuse by starting the washing machine (and sent a power surge through the house). She called Idaho Power, and found that the power line to our house had a broken wire.

The surge, mentioned above, blew the surge protector to my computer. Fortunately, it did its job. Otherwise, instead of writing, I'd be crying.

Predestination of Life's Purpose

2005-07-24T11:19:00.000Z

I'm reading a book called A Prayer for Owen Meany.

It's one of those books that make you stop and think about destiny, coincidence (there's no such thing), and spirituality (Christianity). For me, it currently draws my thoughts to coincidences.

What if there is a path we're all following, toward one grand design we might never understand? What does that say? I feel my life is now lived for my kids, regardless of my own selfishness and ideals, because it's their future that's important now, and I have a responsibility to guide them as best I can while I can. However, this is but part of me. I say that because of my own motivations and interests. Will I eventually find out what I'm supposed to be doing? Am I already doing it? Is life that easy?

I have friends that spend many hours playing online games such as World of Warcraft. I tried it for 4 hours and decided it was to life consuming. Are players taking away from their own destinies by playing games, or is it part of the grand design?

Maybe it comes sown to earning a destiny, and not just being someone being swept through their lives until they succeed at dying. Everyone has hopes and dreams, but I don't believe most of us really pursue it past the comfort level. If life is good, why try harder? I'm not talking about being motivated by greed and money, but by finding what your purpose is, and putting your entire heart into it. Hopefully, our purpose will help us succeed financially, support the family, and stay happy and stress-free.

That all is funny, because I love to write. But I'm not really pursuing it in such a way that I'm making anything. I feel that everything needs to be looked at from multiple ways, and maybe my current vision is too narrow. Its like those mind twisters. You can't get the right answer until you look at the problem differently.

New Sci-Fi Book Idea

2005-07-24T11:18:00.000Z

Thursday night at work I came up with a new campaign setting for a sci-fi role-playing game.

It involves personal spaceships, robots, frequent planet-hopping, and blowing up a lot of stuff with insane weapons. As I mentioned the other day, I've been playing Ratchet and Clank, and it eventually inspired me. I really don't play games much anymore, no more than 2 to 3 hours a week now, usually in one late night day.

I've got so many books to complete now, I don't know when I'll get to this one. Maybe I'll see if I can publish it through ENPublishing. They sell better than through my smaller press. Still, my vanity will more than likely demand I do everything myself. We'll see.

Lingering Debt

2005-07-24T11:17:00.000Z

On Friday I got a letter from a lawyer for a credit card debt from years ago, when I was running an online business.

The letter is for $4800. When the biz failed back then, I didn't have the money, and I don't have it now. So I've got 30 days to contact the lawyer before I get sued. :( Life sure throws out a lot of hurdles.

The debt was written off by the credit card company, as my credit report shows. However, they also sold it. Man, that's really depressing. If anyone has any suggestions about quickly raising money, please add a comment.

Free (De)Range

2005-07-22T10:32:00.000Z

The cafeteria was serving pork.

One of the lab tech girls was getting a plate of it, and I told her I couldn't eat it. When she asked why, I told her it was because I had just read that pigs eat their own shit.

She was very defensive, and said that in 4-H she raised pigs, and they shit in a single corner, far away from their food, and they are very clean animals. The cafeteria lady agreed too, leaping into the conversation.

I asked if they were free range pigs. Free range. What a great excuse not to eat anything. Is that free range chicken? Is that beef from a free range cow? They never know. Is there any free range for animals to be free range upon? Here in Idaho perhaps, but even that is sometimes questionable.

Actually, I think you define free range by letting the animal walk around the yard for twenty minutes before you return it to confinement. I've never been in prison, but I wonder if inmates get so little?

In some ways, we're kind of the same secluded type of creature. We have institutions that most of us confine ourselves. First school and churches, then work and churches. You can't escape any of it easily. Not if you have a family. Not if you have responsibilities. We all have our roles, and society likes that. Maybe we all have to have our place, regardless of what you dream of being or hope to become. Our roles allow some to be reality, but not everything. And its pounded into our heads the need for money, an abstract concept of value that works as a reward to keep us working... Even though it all goes to the debt our society creates to encourage us from becoming too complacent. And thus we continue to go back to work.

Atta Boy!

2005-07-22T10:31:00.000Z

I asked my supervisor about my disciplinary paperwork yesterday, and he took me in the office and tore it up.

This was exactly at mid-shift, so my day got immediately better.

I decided before work that everything happens for a reason, and whether that had to do with me having to deal with consequences, or to move on with my life, or whatever, I was ready for it.

Then I get out of it, and the boss tells me I'm his best operator. Instead, I got an "Atta Boy", and told it won't happen again.

And yes, I thoroughly appreciated it.

Wasteful Morning

2005-07-21T13:27:00.000Z

I woke up late this morning (11 am) because I stayed up until 4 am playing the second Ratchet and Clank game.

My son actually got me hooked on the game, and now he spends his time asking me if I beat certain planets or found secret places. He's going through the game for his third time now. I guess its about time I got him a new game.

I spent my morning writing on Abigot's Catalog of Fiendish Weapons, but only for a few hours. All of the special properties are completed. Unfortunately, I have to go back to work tonight. My write-up (from the previous blog) is in a drawer at work, because it has to go to one of the bigger bosses. My supervisor told me he didn't want to do it, but the company would want blood. Does that make them corporate blood suckers?

I dreamt last night that we had two temporary employees that kept playing in the belts of the fryer, coming very close to injury, and they wouldn't listen to me. I called a supervisor over, and they ran off.

Work Bites

2005-07-21T13:26:00.000Z

Sometimes I think destiny tries to give me a push in a new direction.

(note: This was actually written last night at work...)

Today at work I had wide cuts, which means I created double-sized fries. Needless to say, we threw away a lot of BK fries (since that's not what they're buying). As for me? I was in trouble. I just affected the corporation for 45 minutes or so, because I was too blind to notice really wide french fries.

So back to destiny. Do I feel good about working for this company? No. I make junk food, which gives me some guilt. Sometimes I feel like I work for a tobacco company. I made a stupid mistake, one that shouldn't have happened. I'm actually writing this at work, so the trouble hasn't started yet. I'm in the process of waiting. Soon I'll be called into the office, and reprimanded thoroughly, and receive a second write-up. One step closer to getting out of here. I'll sit through their disappointed (fake) voices, and sign the paper that says I promise not to do it again. So it is possibly important to get fired, to do something else, something I believe in. Unfortunately, its such a painful wait.

Online businesses, writing, etc. They're not making me enough to replace this job. I don't enjoy getting in trouble, but it seems I have to go through the process to get somewhere. I've been here 8 years, and I can't say I believe in the place. I'm creating a cause of obesity. I can't, after 8 years, think of anything beneficial about fries. I should research, just to comfort my guilt. I realize potatoes are more beneficial, but I think I kill most of that.

So today I get another bump toward my own goals. My own goals don't depress me so much, and make me feel 2 inches tall. The feelings of fear are mixed between being set free and getting to do my own thing full time, and not having this dependable job. Still, there's a small zone of comfort, its called living on my meager savings until something works out.

So is this blog positive or negative? I don't know. Its just a recording of another day, a stepping stone until tomorrow.

Writing Update

2005-07-21T13:24:00.000Z

I have been ignoring my blog.

Way too much time has past from me posting any updates, announcing new books, or just gabbing. So... Here's what's up.

I just turned in my manuscript to ENPublishing for ENAdventurer: Larceny. Here is everything you need to acquire money by stealing from others - from a d20 game standpoint. You'll need more than this book to perform the crimes in reality. Kind of like how the 700 club claims Dungeons and Dragons summons demons. I've yet to see that happen in any of my gaming groups, nor have I witnessed anyone turn to witchcraft because of the game. If they were witches, they were so before playing the game. Short ramble. I'm done. :)

Anyway, Larceny contains everything you need to play a burglar, charlatan, impostor, and pickpocket.

But speaking of evil, I'm pushing to complete a book for Khan's Press called Abigot's Catalog of Fiendish Weapons. It's a follow-up to the catalog of armor released last month. My goal is to get one Abigot's catalog out per month until I feel I'm out of ideas (by February of 2006, currently).

Other stuff: I had an artist bail on ENGuild: Adventurers' Guild, creating a short delay. I often wonder if maybe something happened (alien abduction maybe).

Fringe Races: Elves is almost complete. It should be available on RPGNow in a week or so.

New Khan's Press Book unleashing Predators of the Pit

2005-05-31T01:12:00.000Z

I released a new book through Khan's Press this weekend called Fringe Monsters: Predators of the Pit. This book features 10 predatory demons. Here's the blurb below:

Planning your next trip into the Abyss and don’t know what to expect? Is the wilderness overrun with demons? Looking for mindless carnage against new, challenging foes? Well, look no further! Demon predators presents 10 new bestial fiends straight from the Abyss with no other purpose than to eat your characters. These demons are ready to invade your game, and are also completely compatible with Fringe Campaigns: Soul Harvest.

Predators of the Pit has 15 pages (of 21) of predatory demons for your campaign of CRs 2 thru 20, and also comes with a b&w printer friendly copy. You’ve dealt with dangerous predators before — but are you ready to face predators of the Pit?

Astral Projection from Regular Dream

2005-05-18T09:24:00.000Z

I had my first astral projection from a non-lucid dream. The dream was still an important requirement of the projection, so I've included it.

I was dreaming that I could change my color perception of a single color by closing my eyes and focusing on the color I wanted to change. When I opened my eyes, all perceived things of that color changed to the new color. I was amazed at this ability, and believed it was real, due to the fact when colors had changed my face would hurt as though my eyes were out of place.

So I told myself, if this ability is so easy, so should astral projection. When I thought this, I immediately found myself in my astral form, sitting up out of my body. I stood up easily, and walked away from my body and through the wall.

When I walked through the wall, I was no longer in my house, but standing outside of my parents' house where I grew up. The sky was dark overhead, and stars shot across the night sky (which at the time I would've astral projected, the sky should've been light. I imagine my subconscious was now trying to get back control). I decided to hop off the balcony and fly, but the pull of gravity felt too strong. Instead, I walked around the house. As I did so, the night became day.

The street before the house was full of people walking down the street, a sign to me that my subconscious interference was getting stronger. I don't believe they were people in the astral, but a subconscious supporting cast of my own mind's interference. In the street, I decided to fly from the ground by launching myself straight forward like superman. I did this, zooming past the people. I gained speed rapidly and couldn't process information fast enough to see where I was going and flew into a building (the school down the street from my parents' house). Hitting the building immediately threw me back to my body and I woke up.

My biggest disappointment upon waking was that my color-changing ability wasn't real. However, I was thrilled that it had triggered astral projection without ever entering a lucid dream.

Trophy T-Shirts and Diagnosis

2005-05-18T09:02:00.000Z

If you are incredibly good-looking and in a relationship, you'll want one of these t-shirts! Right now they are posted on the front page of my Zazzle Store.

I have: Trophy Husband, Trophy Wife, Trophy Boyfriend, and Trophy Girlfriend. I also posted one additional shirt that says "Diagnosis: Nucking Futz".

Nightmare-Induced OBE

2005-03-28T11:51:00.000Z

In my dream, I rode in the back of an SUV, driven by a woman named Amanda. In the rear-view mirror, I caught the reflection of her eyes. They were completely black, similar to an alien's from the X-Files show. Amanda was a pretty girl I worked with about eight years ago, but she didn't seem so pretty now. It made her frightening, and this was all it took to make me realize that this wasn't real.

I said out loud, and excitedly, "I'm dreaming!"

Unfortunately, I should only have thought it, because she turned in her seat, catching me in her empty black stare. Her look was malevolent, and she said to me, "I heard that."

Since I had become lucid, I quickly took myself from the SUV, reappearing in a park. Unfortunately, her black eyes had disturbed me more than I expected - I felt creeped out. I decided to astral project instead of lucid dream.

Instantly I found myself in my astral body, but unable to travel. I could move my arms and head, but that was it. I could actually feel my hands gripping the bed sheets trying to pull myself along (which is the first time I've ever physically felt anything out-of-body).

As part of my struggle, I repeated as a mantra, "I'm dreaming!", as I still had those darned black eyes as a frozen image in my memory. My voice came out as a distant croak, and I struggled to scream it repeatedly to find my voice, as though it would give me more control.

Unfortunately, the struggle and stress caused me to awaken. I found myself laying on my back. The sheets were not clutched in my physical hands, and my body felt very relaxed, as opposed to the flailing struggle I'd been doing astrally. My wife slept easily beside me, enforcing the fact that my physical body had not mimicked my astral turmoil.

I lay in bed after that staring at the ceiling, almost afraid to close my eyes again, still feeling those black eyes as though she had been an actual evil entity. Finally, I became angry. I wouldn't let some dream entity ruin my dream and astral playground. With that, I rolled over and determinedly went back to sleep. Unfortunately, no lucid or astral experiences followed the rest of the night.

I have Invites for InstantBuzz

2005-03-21T09:09:00.000Z

...And I'll give them out to people who email me. You'll have to send me your name and email address, but I'll send you the free invite. My email address is astralpwka@gmail.com. Put instantbuzz i your subject line.

ANGER MANAGEMENT 101

2005-03-12T01:11:00.000Z

This is a funny email I received from my sister. :)

--------------------------------------------------------

When you occasionally have a really bad day, and you just need to take it out on someone, don't take it out on someone you know -- take it out on someone you don't know.

I was sitting at my desk when I remembered a phone call I had forgotten to make. I found the number and dialed it. A man answered, saying, "Hello."

I politely said, "Could I please speak with Robin Carter?" Suddenly, the phone was slammed down on me. I couldn't believe that anyone could be so rude. I realized I had called the wrong number. I tracked down Robin's correct number and called her. I had accidentally transposed the last two digits of her phone number. After hanging up with her, I decided to call the 'wrong' number again.

When the same guy answered the phone, I yelled, "You're an asshole!" and hung up.

I wrote his number down with the word 'asshole' next to it, and put it in my desk drawer. Every couple of weeks, when I was paying bills or had a really bad day, I'd call him up and yell, "You're an asshole!" It always cheered me up.

When Caller ID came to our area, I thought my therapeutic 'asshole' calling would have to stop. So, I called his number and said, "Hi, this is John Smith from the Telephone Company. I'm just calling to see if you're familiar with the Caller ID program?"

He yelled, "NO!" and slammed the phone down.

I quickly called him back and said, "That's because you're an asshole!"

One day I was at the store, getting ready to pull into a parking spot. Some guy in a black BMW cut me off and pulled into the spot I had patiently waited for. I hit the horn and yelled that I had been waiting for that spot. The idiot ignored me. I noticed a "For Sale" sign in his car window. so, I wrote down his number.

A couple of days later, right after calling the first asshole ( I had his number on speed dial), I thought I had better call the BMW asshole, too. I said, "Is this the man with the black BMW for sale?"

"Yes, it is."

"Can you tell me where I can see it?"

"Yes, I live at 1802 West 34th Street. It's a yellow house, and the car's parked right out in front."

"What's your name?" I asked.

"My name is Don Hansen," he said.

"When's a good time to catch you, Don?"

"I'm home every evening after five."

"Listen, Don, can I tell you something?"

"Yes?"

"Don, you're an asshole."

Then I hung up, and added his number to my speed dial, too. Now, when I had a problem, I had two assholes to call. But after several months of calling them, it wasn't as enjoyable as it used to be. So, I came up with an idea. I called Asshole #1.

"Hello."

"You're an asshole!" (But I didn't hang up.)

"Are you still there?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"Stop calling me," he screamed.

"Make me," I said.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Don Hansen."

"Yeah? Where do you live?"

"Asshole, I live at 1802 West 34th Street, a yellow house, with my black Beamer parked in front."

He said, "I'm coming over right now, Don. And you had better start saying your prayers."

I said, "Yeah, like I'm really scared, asshole."

Then I called Asshole #2.

"Hello?" he said.

"Hello, asshole," I said.

He yelled, "If I ever find out who you are...!"

"You'll what?" I said.

"I'll kick your ass," he exclaimed.

I answered, "Well, asshole, here's your chance. I'm coming over right now."

Then I hung up and immediately called the police, saying that I lived at 1802 West 34th Street, and that I was on my way over there to kill my gay lover.

Then I called Channel 13 News about the gang war going down on West 34th Street. I quickly got into my car and headed over to 34th street.
When I got there, I saw two assholes beating the crap out of each other in front of six squad cars, a police helicopter, and the channel 13 news crew.
NOW, I feel better - This is "Anger Management" at its very best.

Plug-In Profit Site

2005-03-11T13:14:00.000Z

Plug-In Profit Site™ - Complete Money Making Site Setup FREE!
Launch your very own money making website today that's 100% ready to take orders and pull in massive profits for you right now...guaranteed! I will get you setup and ready to start making money from the comfort of your own home by this time tomorrow.
http://www.frugalaffiliate.net/pips

Cost: Free, but you must join 5 affiliate programs, including Empowerism and Host4Profit (which both have costs).

What it Is:
The Plug-In Profit site gives you your own money-making website using 5 affiliate programs to give you five streams of income. It also comes with the very powerful, fully-automated auto-responder with over 400 emails ready to go to work for you just build your subscriber base!

How it Works:
Sign up for the 5 affiliate programs (listed in this blog, and the link above), and go to the Plug-in Profit link above. By following this link, you can sign up for all of the affiliate programs immediately. You will want to sign up with Host4Profit to host your website through the link on this page. All instructions to get started (takes up to 48 hours) are available at this web page. All you have to do is promote!

You can already be signed up with all of the affiliate programs in this book to get going, with the exception of Host4Profit. You’ll need to sign up for it through the link above.

Affiliate Benefit:
5 streams of income!
Auto-responder, promoting your programs, ready to go!
Uses all of the affiliate programs presented in this blog!

Not a Member? Click here: http://www.frugalaffiliate.net/pips

Host4Profit

2005-03-10T10:29:00.000Z

A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN WEB HOSTING!
300 Meg Business Hosting Package - Only $24.95 Per Month!
Your Own Plug In Cash Machine Sites Ready To Take Orders!
Incredible Archive Of Marketing Secrets, Reports And eBooks!
The #1 Direct Marketing Support Forum On The Internet!
$10 Per Month For Each Account You Refer!
Free Bahama Vacations!
http://www.host4profit.com/cgi-bin/home.cgi?63451

Cost: Set up: $24.95 (Domain Name an additional $30). Monthly fee of $24.95. Potentially Free!

What it Is:
Host4Profit is a web site hosting company that pays you back for referrals… month after month after month. Plus, it provides you with money-making wep sites.

How it Works:
You get a web host for your website.

Affiliate Benefit:
Make $10 Per Month From Every Account You Refer!
Refer 50 Customers - Profit $500 Per Month
Refer 100 Customers - Profit $1000 Per Month
Refer 1000 Customers - Profit $10,000 Per Month

Note: You can refer Host4Profit through WarriorPro at: http://resellers.warriorpro.com/signup.htm?63451

Not a Member? Click here: http://www.host4profit.com/cgi-bin/home.cgi?63451

I am a d20

2005-03-10T01:06:00.000Z

Take the quiz at dicepool.com

If I Were a Dungeons & Dragons Character

2005-03-10T00:15:00.000Z

If I were a D&D character:
Str: 10. With the d20 rules, that would place my maximum heavy load at 100 lb, and my maximum lift at 200 lb. That might be a bit generous. This is based on my current weight lifting.
Dex: 12. Since I can juggle, can catch and throw great, and have good balance, I figure a 12 is reasonable.
Con: 10. I have average health.
Int: 14. This is based on internet IQ tests. If I have an IQ around 146, a 14 should be comparable.
Wis: 10. I'm as gullible as the next guy.
Cha: 12. Because I like me. :)

Empowerism

2005-03-09T09:48:00.000Z

Turn $25 Into $2,000.00
Do you know anyone in the world who wouldn't find it desirable, if not downright exciting, to walk into a store, make a $25 purchase, then get a $2,000.00 check several months later as a result of that purchase? Keep reading because that's exactly what we've been doing...
Click Here To Invest In Your Success: http://www.empowerism.com/e/98556/join.cfm

Cost: $24.95. Monthly fee of $19.95.

What it Is:
Empowerism is an mlm program that provides leads with a fast payout.

How it Works:
With a subscription to Empowerism, your monthly subscription of $19.95 buys 50 leads. You also receive a free auto-responder that turns these leads into affiliates. The site also provides a free gateway webpage to bring in potential affiliates.

Affiliate Benefit:
Once you have three affiliates signed up through you, you no longer have to pay the monthly subscription fee. Plus, each new affiliate earns you a $20 fast start bonus paid weekly!

An incredible, proven system to turn $25 into $2000!

Lots of free internet tools and training available through the Empowerism site.

Not a Member? Click here: http://www.empowerism.com/e/98556/join.cfm

ENGuild - Banking Guild

2005-03-02T12:14:00.000Z

The first book I've developed for ENPublishing is now available. E.N. Guild - Banking Guild is written by Robert Sullivan and artwork by Joe Minns. I'm excited to see how the book does. The Merchants' Guild book should be available in two or three weeks.

Join the Revolution!

2005-02-23T12:10:00.000Z

Strong Future International Marketing Group (SFI)

Join The Revolution!
Retired? Unemployed? Laid-Off, or Insufficient Income? Start your own Internet business from home. Build residual income to create real wealth. World Wide Income System that REALLY WORKS! FREE Training and support, websites and products all provided! - ZERO RISK! http://www.moreinfo247.com/8813254.3/FREE

Cost: Free!

What it Is:
SFI is a free multi-level marketing program that provides many ways to make money, and provides a many free tools to market their affiliate program and store.

How it Works:
SFI provides you with everything you need to market their items and program. You receive free gateway websites that earn you a commission on every sale. You can also receive commission checks earned from sales by your affiliates, and from the affiliates of your upline.

Affiliate Benefit:
When you first sign up with SFI, you are placed on the T-Network. If you upgrade to Executive Affiliate, you will earn a commission from everyone below you who is also an Executive Affiliate, based on their purchases or sales. The T-Network uses dynamic compression, meaning anyone not upgraded to Executive Affiliate status drops off, leaving only affiliates who will make you money. Even better, your upline will continually place people in your T-Net downline. Your personally sponsored Executive Affiliates will enable you to earn even more money.

Even if you don’t sponsor anyone, as long as you keep your Executive Affiliate status you will eventually earn a check as your T-Net downline grows all by itself!

Not a Member? Click here: http://www.moreinfo247.com/8813254.3/FREE

Free Newsletter

2005-02-23T11:36:00.000Z

Want to make money on the internet and looking for expert advice? I have collected hundreds of tips and secrets that show you how to make money on the internet.

Subscribe to my FREE Internet home business tips and website marketing secrets newsletter with hundreds of money making tips and tricks.

Lucid Dreaming and the Art of Flying

2005-02-22T13:16:00.000Z

Ever since the first time I lucid dreamed, I have attempted to fly. Many of my attempts were doomed to failure, some worked, though nothing made it easy. Through six years of practice, I could not find an easy way. That is, until now.

My first attempts were similar to an astronaut hopping on the moon. Even within a lucid dream, gravity held me tightly. My mind too denied that I could leave the ground. With practice, I was able to leap high enough to clear telephone wires, but could not remain airborne.

Limited success came from changing my location to the top of a tall building or a cliff. From there, I would fling myself into the open sky, and I could fly. Despite having a success, this did not allow me to leave the earth. I could fly, but I had dream-training wheels.

What finally worked (on February 22nd, 2005) was throwing myself head-first into a superman position of flight. It seems simple enough. However, I have always tried to rise straight up from the ground. By traveling headfirst, with feet behind me, I was able to have close proximity to the ground without feeling the tug of gravity. I tested it a few times, landing, and then trying to fly again, and found it easy.

What might make this easier for someone trying to fly in a lucid dream is to run first, before flying. The momentum will give you the sensation of traveling. Dive forward and fly.

Even when astral projecting, the same problem has plagued me. I hope to be able to have another out-of-body experience soon to test out flying, and see if the same technique works.

I would be very interested to hear if this helps anyone, or if you have similar experiences overcoming mental limitations whether in a lucid dream or astral.

Warrior Pro Home-Based Business

2005-02-12T12:23:00.000Z

Warrior Pro

If you have been looking for a way to make money on the Internet from home, you can stop looking ... you just found it. We are the ONLY home-based marketing group on the Internet that has actually helped thousands of people start making money from their homes! What are YOU waiting for?
http://www.warriorpro.com/cgi-bin/w.cgi?63451

Cost: Free Reseller Program (with link below)!

What it Is:
Warrior Pro creates for you a home-based business with your own domain, pre-made sales letters, tracking accounts, ideas, and more!

How it Works:
You sell a package worth $24.95 a month. You earn $10 a month on every package you sell.

Affiliate Benefit:
You sell just three of these packages, you’re making $30 a month. The Host4Profit site is something I encourage you to have for yourself, and is listed within this book. If you have a Host4Profit site, this package will help you start getting your web hosting for free.

Not a Member? Click here: http://resellers.warriorpro.com/signup.htm?63451

Targeted Traffic to Your Blog or Web Site

2005-02-12T00:34:00.000Z

=====> Psst! ... Have you Heard the Buzz? <=====
There's a new, fully automated traffic-generation system that can send 1000s of targeted prospects to your website, every single day, for FREE! It takes just 5 minutes to set it up, and it's totally "viral" ... Check it out and create a FREE account at http://www.trafficswarm.com/go.cgi?288153
======================================
Traffic Swarm

Cost: Free!

What it Is:
Traffic Swarm is a surf-for-credits traffic generation system.

How it Works:
Each web site you visit earns you credits. When you open up your Traffic Swarm start page, you automatically begin earning credits for others to visit your web site.

The traffic that Traffic Swarm sends to you is targeted. The people visiting your site are interested. This is a great way to get your web site valuable exposure, or to grow a mailing list fast for your ezine!

Affiliate Benefit:
Each time you refer a new affiliate, you receive 100 bonus credits. In addition, each time one of your affiliates opens up the Traffic Swarm start page, you earn one free credit. This is free traffic to your web site!

There is also a PRO version available. The monthly fee gets you many more additional credits, plus commissions when your downline upgrades to PRO.

Not a Member? Click here: http://www.trafficswarm.com/go.cgi?288153

Debbie Gibson Update

2005-02-11T02:31:00.000Z

Debbie Gibson is mentioned on the Playboy site now, and the March issue is listed. There will be pictures of her in the Cyber Club as well. Could this be a ploy to bring back some popularity?

Whatever the deal, here's their free preview (no nudity, it's covered): http://www.playboy.com/magazine/dgibson.html?source=magfront0305_dgibson

I'm sure Playboy will be changing these links, so if you go to them after March of 05, they'll probably not show any of this. Whatever. The joy of blogging with links. :)

I'd put the pic here, but I still haven't reinstalled Photoshop. Maybe later. Go to the link.

If you are even interested in Debbie Gibson. :) I don't care. I'm still a fan.

The Great Computer Crash of 2005

2005-02-11T02:24:00.000Z

Yes, it's that time of year again, and this time I'm crashing my computer in a different manner. I'm destroying my registry on Windows. Yes, it sounds bold, crazy even. Yet it is done.

But that's just a simple crash. I'm taking it even further. I'm destroying my nvidia graphics card. Yup, we're talking total graphic corruption, blinking screen, and all around video distortion.

So that's out of the way now. I have Windows re-installed, and I'm using an onboard graphic card that doesn't like to display above 400 x 600. Everything has a nice soft, I'm going blind, look to it.

Anyway, I've got some setbacks and lots of reinstalling to do. I didn't lose anything, this year. :) All of the books and material are backed up this time.

"Blogging" For Fun & Profits

2005-02-09T11:42:00.000Z

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Blogging" For Fun & Profits

- by Jim Edwards

© Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
http://www.thenetreporter.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Unless you've been under a rock for the last year, you've heard the term "blog" once or twice.

To most people, a "blog" simply represents a glorified online "diary" where geeks, computer nerds, and lonely teenagers record their thoughts in cyber-space.

However, many people don't realize that "blogs" are quietly revolutionizing the way companies and customers interact about everything from existing products to new ideas and improvements in customer service.

In short, "blog" style communication has come of age and anyone with an online business better sit up and take notice fast!

In the beginning, "blogs" were basically an online diary to record your thoughts; but "blogs" have now evolved into dynamic websites that non-technical people can update immediately without html editors or ftp programs.

Blogs allow their authors to make instant website updates through a computer anywhere in the world with a Web browser and Internet connection.

Blogs also allow readers to respond to the author's posts, provide additional information, links, expanded opinions, and more.

In short, an active "blog" creates an interactive community with the author as the hub and the readers as the spokes of the wheel that keep the whole cycle turning round.

Unlike traditional "static" web pages where content rarely (if ever) changes, an active blog evolves in a state of constant and never-ending renewal.

With blogs, smart online businesses re-discovered a principal that small "mom and pop" stores understood for years: know your customers and stay in close tune with their wants, needs, and desires.

Large companies throw billions of dollars down a black hole every year to literally "guess" what people want to buy. Most call it the "Marketing Department."

On the flipside, smart online businesses understand that blogs allow you to avoid guessing what's on your customers' minds and provide an active and up-to-the-minute means for them to tell you exactly what they do and don't like about your services, products, and virtually any other aspect of the market.

This lightning fast communication makes it possible for small companies to literally snatch huge market share away from more traditional companies.

Blogging also has a distinct advantage over traditional email newsletters in that subscribers can get updates without having to receive an email message. Through the power of RSS (real simple syndication), subscribers get notified of updated content though an rss news reader.

Bottom Line: publishing a blog with an RSS feed that your readers can subscribe to means your content NEVER gets blocked by a SPAM filter.

Blog software basically comes in 2 flavors: hosted and stand-alone. Hosted blogging solutions make it extremely easy to get set up with a blog, often in just a couple of minutes.

If you know how to type, you can create a blog. Log on to Blogger.com and you can set up a blog free of charge and start posting in just a few minutes.

Blogger.com (owned by search giant, Google) will even host your blog on their servers.

Typepad.com, which charges as little as $4.95 per month, is also an excellent hosted service offering additional features that enable you to quickly get your own blog up and running.

The alternative is stand-alone blogging software installed on your own website.

A very popular solution is Moveable Type, available from moveabletype.org, which provides a very versatile and powerful suite of tools for creating a full-featured blog to rival that of any size company in the world.

<-- Side Note -->

Moveable Type is the solution I've chosen for my blog at http://www.IGottaTellYou.com/blog/

<-- End Side Note -->

Whichever blogging solution you choose, if you plan to successfully conduct any form of business online, understand that a "blog" must form an integral part of your overall plan for customer communication and interaction.

--
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to use free articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website or affiliate links...

-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Need MORE TRAFFIC to your website or affiliate links? "Turn Words Into Traffic" reveals the secrets for driving Thousands of NEW visitors to your website or affiliate links... without spending a dime on advertising!
Click Here> http://www.turnwordsintotraffic.com
-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Much Ado About... About

2005-02-08T13:04:00.000Z

I finally got the final review from About and I did not get the job. I walk away, frustrated, relieved, maybe disappointed. I don't know. I think it was too much work. And it was an eye-opener. I wasn't really that interested in writing the material, like I am for my own personal books. Then again, it could also be the enormous heap of responsibility. I am going to stay focused on Khan's Press and ENPublishing. :)

March Issue of Playboy...

2005-02-08T02:12:00.000Z

Here's an interesting bit of news from my email...

Debbie Gibson... err... Deborah Gibson... is appearing (nude?!?) in the March 2005 issue of Playboy (on sale Feb 11th). I remember when this was a rumor back in the early '90's, and she was very clear that she would never pose for the magazine.

Times have changed, I guess.

Okay, I've been a fan of hers since her first album, and I have most of them since then. And... yes... I'll probably pick up this magazine.

Looking over the Playboy site, the next month blurb does not mention her.

Here's the pic from the email:

Of Calories and Protein

2005-02-08T01:26:00.000Z

Today I received the new issue of Men's Fitness in the mail. In it it has an article about getting a beach body in four months. Though this article, in itself, is irrelevant as a subject of interest for me to share, what was interesting was calculating my daily needed calories with my current workout. With my current workout, I need 3000 to maintain my current body weight. I need well over that to gain weight (because I'm a skinny 160 lb, 6'3").

So I showed my wife the article. I'm sure she was cringing as I went over my needed menu of extra protein and calories. Grocery shopping is gonna get a lot more expensive. Not that we shouldn't be eating well, its just that I've been more of a bird when it comes to eating. I've never needed that much, and my metabolism prevents me from getting fat when I gorge. It's like I was meant to always be a certain weight.

This month I'll also be ordering some whey protein to make up for whenever I fall short of achieving the desired grams of protein necessary to build muscle (which I imagine will be every day).

About... What?!?

2005-02-07T03:38:00.000Z

Well.. here it is... almost 4 am... and I'm not really happy with my two weeks of work for About. Tomorrow I'll know if its for me or not. I'm trying to take a double positive approach here. If they say "You're hired!", I'll be happy, because I'm that much closer to writing for a living. If they say, "YOU SUCK!!!", I'll be happy, because I can go back to focussing on my own work. :)

So that's the double-positive. Rejection bites, however. If they do reject me, I'll probably post my magic stuff I wrote here.

Get Your Own Money-Making Website!

2005-02-04T10:14:00.000Z

Follow the 3 easy steps listed in the link below and you will have a personally built money making website just for you that's 100% ready to take orders and pull in massive residual profits! Join now and you can start raking in cash within 24 hours... Guaranteed! Start Now: http://www.FrugalAffiliate.net/pips.html

The New Way to Buy Leads and Make Money!

2005-02-01T13:36:00.000Z

In Internet Marketing, it`s not who you know...it`s who you contact. To get the QUALITY website traffic that will result in a QUANTITY of sales, you need to know EMPOWERISM and RSVP - The NEW Way to Buy Leads. Their subscribers are making money hand over fist and are getting back DOUBLE THEIR MONEY on EVERY Leads Order!http://www.FrugalAffiliate.net/pluginpower.html

Get back $50 on every $25 leads order, and have FUN doing it!
http://www.FrugalAffiliate.net/pluginpower.html

After you join EMPOWERISM, turn around and sign up for the Plug-In Profit Site service at: http://www.FrugalAffiliate.net/pips.html

The Plug-In Profit Site is the turn-key marketing system our team is using to build an extraordinary residual income working from home with EMPOWERISM! Let me know if you need any help!

Writing in 2005

2005-01-20T13:56:00.000Z

I received a surprise email today. It was from about.com. They finally replied to a submission for one of their about sites. I'll be spending the next month developing a site for them to see if I will be one of their about.com guides. This is the equivalent of another job. So.. let's rehash...

Khan's Press. In hibernation, despite me planning to wake it up. I still want to have Animal Fief out before the end of this month.

EN Adventurer: Larceny. This book, being written for ENPublishing is almost completed. Then I planned to offer them another title.

EN Guilds: I am the line developer of this line of books for ENPublishing. I've have some very promising writers working on this project, and will have the first book released next month.

ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston: My day job. If all of this writing is as good as it sounds, I'll be soooooooo gone. I'd like for this to be a reality by the end of March. We shall see.... The problem is, everyone else is either quitting or relocating, and including last night, it looks like a bunch of overtime is being dumped on me. Sigh.

Online Marketing: The other big promise to myself. Check out www.frugalaffiliate.net. This is my newest site, which I placed a small investment. If this were to grow at a happy rate, I could focus on the above jobs exclusively.

E.N. Guilds

2005-01-17T18:01:00.000Z

Yesterday I announced on ENWorld the line development of EN Guilds, a new product line I'm developing through ENPublishing. If you are a d20 writer and are interested in writing a fairly short book, head over to their messageboards and look through the ENPublishing threads for EN Guilds for details. I'd post the link to the thread, but ENWorld is crawling right now. :p

I'm excited about the product line, and I've commited to releasing one guild book a month. Most of the writers submitting ideas so far have submitted their own guild ideas, instead of using the stereotypical guilds of a traditional fantasy setting.

Also, today I'm spending my day finishing Larceny, an EN Adventurer book for ENPublishing. This one I'm writing. Maybe we'll see it in a month or two. :)

SFI's Changes and My First Real Downline

2005-01-04T01:04:00.000Z

On January 1st, SFI rolled out a new structure for its MLM. January 3rd has just come to an end, and in the last 3 days, I now have a downline of 5 people. This doesn't reflect my efforts at all. If you are interested in joining SFI for FREE (!!!!), please do so using this link:

http://www.moreinfo247.com/8813254/FREE

SFI also got some new products in that I am interested in. They even have creatine!!!!! Check it out through this link:

http://www.moreinfo247.com/8813254/VNU

Dream Journal Online

2005-01-03T01:44:00.000Z

Tonight I'm starting an online dream journal. You can check it out here: http://astralpwka.dreamjournal.net/. This will cover non-lucid dreams, which I don't share here.

Another Holiday Another Coal

2004-12-27T01:58:00.000Z

Well, Christmas has come and gone, and in my stocking, hung by my fake chimney, is another piece of coal.

So what's the problem here? I'm an adult. I'm male. Do I not have a right to be naughty? Isn't this a bit judgmental? How many years has it been now since I got my first lump of coal? Too freaking long, Santa!!!! I'm not a freakin' coal collector!

Who does Santa have working in his coal mines? I'm sure he needs workers there just as much as he needs toy makers. We all know who Santa hired. Elves. Unfortunately, it's tough to find kobolds or dwarves willing to work in arctic regions. Not that I want to take the job away from an elven coal miner, but that same elf could apply his skills to making a toy instead of coal (assuming he has the education and hasn't pissed off Mr. Jolly up there). Maybe, just once, he could bring me something besides coal, even if it broke on the same day.

Dream, Ghosts, and a Bungled Projection

2004-12-23T11:27:00.000Z

Last night I was visited by two ghosts in my dreams, though they were strangers. Their presence both helped me go lucid and possibly hindered my projecting.

The first ghost was an oriental woman. She looked either Japanese or Chinese. Her throat was bloody, but not in the damp theatrical sense, but more like something had bit her or she was in a very horrible accident. Obviously she couldn't talk, but she was a very good starer. My dream wasn't lucid, and I was in several different rooms. Everywhere I went, she would walk in shortly after, stand in front of me, and stare. I tried to communicate with her. She nodded when I asked if she had a family to go to, but that was it.

Then another person appeared, this time a white male, a little on the stout side, and looking in his late 20's. He was able to talk. At this point in my dream, I was playing a video game, so when he appeared, I asked him if he could play games as a ghost. He said no, the buttons wouldn't respond for him.

So then I realized I was dreaming and immediately tried to astral project. I left the dream easily and quickly and went directly to my astral body. The thoughts of the ghosts were fresh in my mind, and I fleetingly thought of possession. I brushed the fear aside, choosing the desire to astral project over remaining in my body beaten by fears. I raised my head and torso out, and flailed around a bit to get the rest of me out as well. The room was dark, but my astral site picked up blurry movements from my attempting to roll. Perhaps the areas of dim light were the ghosts waiting for me, or just my astral site detecting objects. I don't know because the projection ended there. It lasted only a few seconds.

Because I woke up a little freaked out, I think the emotion must've been there strongly enough to ruin the experience. I'm still considering it another success, because even though it didn't last as long as previous ones, I still got out of body.

I have no way of knowing at this time if the two ghosts were real or a dream cast. If they were real, this throws my theory of just being visited by dead family out the window. However, my fear of ghosts, even gory ones, has diminished quite a bit, maybe making it easier for them to visit. However, the communication is rather poor, and if they don't look dead, I'd never know.

2005 Resolutions

2004-12-21T00:31:00.000Z

Hey everyone! Now's the time to write your new year' resolutions! Why now, you ask? Because that way you'll have time to decide what they are before the stress of coming up with them on January 1st hits.

I'm not someone who believes in just one resolution either. There's a lot I want to accomplish every year. It's about continuing my drive to become who I want to be. For me, it's not about quitting something, or changing who I am. It's about drive and ambition and setting a destination for myself for the next 12 months.

I began writing my 2005 resolutions in October. I didn't meet all of my 2004 resolutions, but I think I made it half way. This year there are a few changes, and a lot of the same stuff. This year I tried to write 2000 words a day. I'll leave that alone. This year I wanted to submit a short story a month. I submitted stories during only four of those months. I also wanted to self-publish an ebook every month. The first part of the year was close, but by July Khan's Press slipped into vacation mode.

I started my goals in October so when January hits I'll be ready. I'll already be on the ground and running. That's why I'll have a book ready to go right on the first day of the year.

Household Hazardous Waste

2004-12-20T01:21:00.000Z

Household hazardous waste presents a danger to both people and the environment. It is created from leftover household products. The EPA breaks the waste down into four major types, corrosive, toxic, ignitable, and reactive. Awareness is necessary for all consumers of what they handle, and the proper method to dispose of it.

Many common household items contain potentially hazardous ingredients. These items fill garages and storage sheds in many homes, such as cleaners, pesticides, automotive products, paints, and batteries.

Improper disposal of household hazard waste threatens lives, as well as the environment. Pouring the waste down drains, on the ground, in storm sewers, and in some cases, in the trash, pollutes the environment. It can poison humans and animals, and in worst-case scenarios, cause death.

The Environmental Protection Agency provides a hierarchy of options for household hazardous waste, reduce, reuse, recycle, disposal. Americans generate 1.6 million tons of this waste every year. Reducing and reusing limits the need to over-produce potentially harmful products. Many communities now have special collection days and drop-off programs. By using and storing material properly and carefully, and by participating in recycling programs, or disposing of the product as directed on the labels, the waste poses less of a threat to our health and happiness.

Astral Projecting with a Supporting Cast

2004-12-19T00:52:00.000Z

Something that causes confusion when astral projecting from a lucid dream is the appearance of people. This has happened a couple of times to me, and for a while, it made me doubt the validity of the astral experience, despite the differences of an AP from a lucid dream. I have developed a theory concerning this astral supporting cast.

When you project from a lucid dream, you're going from a state of dreaming to an out of body experience. In the astral body, we have the power to create things with our mind. Normally we control what we create. This is from conscious effort. However, anyone who astral projects knows how easy it is to lose focus when you aren't focusing on a goal. If the process of drifting comes about fast, we lose the experience with our consciousness falling asleep, usually drifting into a dream.

Now it’s when you begin to lose focus slowly on your projection that your subconscious kicks in. You are no longer creating things with your consciousness, but with your subconscious, similar a dream state. You might see people you know (and even communicate with them), maybe even creating some of the astral wildlife as well.

Preventing yourself from losing focus is the first step to avoiding the supporting cast. Set goals for when you are out of body. Don't wait for things to happen, make things happen. Focus on drawing more energy from your ethereal body (which is hanging out with your physical body) to fuel your out-of-body experience.

The Re-Return of the King and Rambling

2004-12-15T02:28:00.000Z

This morning I picked up my copy of the extended version of Return of the King (Got it at BestBuy for $22.99!!!). Unfortunately with my work schedule I will not be able to watch it until Thursday when we will have a movie party to break it in properly. Actually we'll be breaking in a friend's copy (Hi Kent!!!). Mine is going under the Christmas tree. :)

So after work tonight I watched Blade II. Now I am ready to go see Blade Trinity over the upcoming Christmas holiday. It reminds me that I haven't done any vampire writing lately, since I've become immersed back into d20 fantasy. Which also reminds me that I submitted a story to a magazine a few months ago and haven't heard a reply yet, damnit!

I spent at least two of my eight hours at work tonight writing game material. I should have at least one new book for sale by January 1st. And for a change I'm going to illustrate it with cartoons. No hired writers, just my own crazy stuff. It's gonna be a total vanity thing. Imagine "Animal Farm" meets Dungeons & Dragons. Yup, tyrant Pig King and martial arts cattle. I imagine it will be one of the weirder books to haunt the d20 community.

Lucid Dreaming, Astral Projecting, and Walking Through Walls

2004-12-13T13:37:00.000Z

Yesterday morning I found myself able to repeatedly either lucid dream or astral project. I couldn't keep either one going for long, but as soon as I woke up from one I was able to slip back.

The lucid dreaming was triggered when in my dream I walked past a group of girls who ignored me. I decided I wanted them to notice me, and this act of will allowed me to become lucid. (I was dreaming that I was in Salt Lake City visiting all of the comic book and gaming stores... I'm such a geek...).

The lucid dreaming parts were mainly influenced by my libido. Once I got my mind past that, I was able to focus on astral projecting. My focus might have come about as well by repeatedly waking up while dreaming.

For the very short time I was astral projecting, I tried walking through a wall. I'd never tried passing through anything before. I actually projected to my parents' house where I grew up. This is the first time I've found myself projecting over a distance. I did not focus on the location either. It's just where I ended up. It was as good a place as any to experiment, however, so I decided to try to walk through the kitchen wall. I had to really focus to get my hand to pass through. The sensation was different. It felt very grainy. I don't know how else to describe it. Once most of my arm was in, I stepped forward, which brought my face in contact. That was far more interesting, as my astral vision moved through the material of the wall, and being able to see everything I was passing through up close. I ended up back in my body shortly thereafter, however.

I found that by laying very still each time I woke up and by trying to move the astral body (imagining it spinning within) each time I drifted back to sleep I was able to maintain lucidity in the dreams to be able to attempt to astral project.

Ghosts in Dreams

2004-12-08T01:33:00.000Z

I have believed in ghosts visiting me in my dreams for a very long time. When my great grandmother died when I was six (or seven?), she appeared in a dream to say goodbye. When my grandfather died, he started to visit me in my dreams. Then when my grandmother passed away, she too started visiting me in my dreams. When I am lucid, I can talk with them easier.

I'm not talking about ghostly manifestations. That's something altogether different. Sort of related, but I'm not going into that here. I'm not one of these so-called psychics like John Edwards or anything, and if I see a manifested ghost it tends to scare me.

So my mother stopped by today to drop off presents for my kids for Christmas. I decided I to quiz her if she had ever seen ghosts. She had a bunch of sories about seeing spirits, but the exciting part was that she had dream visitations as well. She's had visitations from her parents, plus her brother who died awhile back.

This begins to back up some of my theories about ghosts and dreams. I'm starting to believe we have an ancestral family spirit-thing going on. We aren't native american or oriental or any other culture that puts any faith into ancestors watching over us, just the average caucasian family that wouldn't have any foundation in ancestral spirits. Yet to me, I think a few of us in our family are able to keep a connection.

As a side note, neither of my sisters believe in this, and there are a few cousins I have yet to talk to. My aunt (mother's sister) believes strongly in ghosts, but doesn't dream about them. She's told me she feels she has offended her parents in some way. That is why she can't dream of them.

Reality Checks Suck

2004-12-03T13:04:00.000Z

The most preached way to have a lucid dream is to do reality checks. This amounts to spending as much time of your day asking yourself if you're dreaming, checking your watch twice all the time, trying to stretch your fingers, levitate, walk through walls, read signs twice, try to look at the same book twice on a shelf, or any other habit that will carry into your dreams.

How many of you guys out there have been successful with it? I haven't. Ever. What has worked for me are things like: I haven't seen my friend in over a year, but he appears occassionally in my dreams. Therefore if I see him, I'm dreaming (Hi Denny!). Or like the other day: "I didn't do that, I must be dreaming!" Also, any nightmare automatically tells me I'm dreaming as well, and allows me to go lucid.

But here's another approach to reality checks - Do a search on Google about Tibetian Dream Yoga. If you're into zen, it'll hit closer to home. The idea is that reality is an illusion, and you should view it as such, all of the time. Keep in mind I'm putting my western-slanted ideas into interpretting this for myself. Anyway, if you are viewing reality as an illusion, you will also view your dreams as illusion, and recognize the fact you're dreaming much easier. By viewing reality as an illusion, you can more easily treat your dreams as an illusion. Maybe then someday we'll reach a point where we can treat the real world as an illusion equal to our dreams, and do the impossible.

Am I Dreaming, Or Are You?

2004-12-03T01:08:00.000Z

I had a slightly different induction into a lucid dream this morning, and couldn't tell immediately if I was dreaming or if the other person in my dream (my wife) was the dreamer.

I was in my kitchen talking with Aimee. She was scolding me because her brother told her I'd done something I shouldn't have (which I can't remember). I told her I didn't do it. Then I realized that this situation could only be a dream, because it never happened. I didn't know which one of us was dreaming, so I told her that either she was dreaming or I was. I then realized it would have to be me, and entered into a lucid dream. I didn't do anything experimental, it broke down from there into a libido-controlled dream. :)

I'm in the Strange Lands

2004-12-01T12:27:00.000Z

Today in the mail I received my complimentary copies of Strange Lands: Lost Tribes of the Scarred Lands. Yes, that's my name on the credits page. :) What is my contribution? Turn to page 171. See the Ashwyrm? :) Yup, that's my creation.

The Horror!

2004-12-01T00:51:00.000Z

Tonight we had friends over and played the new World of Darkness storytelling game by White Wolf. For those of you who don't know, it's a role-playing game. Anyway, this is the third time we've played it since it was released in September. It has a great horror feel, and makes it very easy to role-play horror stories and actually achieve the effect of freaking out your friends.

But I didn't intend to make this post a review of the World of Darkness game, but I'm liking it a lot more right now than Dungeons & Dragons. I like the more realistic feel of character creation and development. If White Wolf would use their system to make a generic fantasy setting, I'd be a happy camper. Also I wish I could openly self-publish books for their system like the d20 system allows. Oh well. :(

So anyway, tonight's story. After the first two sessions, the characters are now haunted by two different ghosts (inspired by the movie The Grudge), and the ghosts once more find an opportunity to strike at the whole group when they go to see a mysterious person who claims info about four hours of their lives that has gone missing. They find the person dead, their chaffeur is killed (they were given a ride in a limo there), and it ended with a bloodthirsty dog stalking them through the house.

The characters suffered from possession (while wielding an axe), untimely ghost manifestations, and people being killed. Our next game day is a week from today. Eventually I'll post the first adventure I wrote here on the blog, if I ever make my notes pretty, and this one as well, once it's completed. No spoilers for my friends here. :)

Finding the Time to Write

2004-11-30T02:22:00.000Z

When I talk to others about writing, the most common excuse is that they don’t have the time to write. The fact of the matter is, if you want to write an ebook, short story, or anything else, you’ll find the time. Chances are you’ve got the time right in front of you, but haven’t identified it. Let’s take a look at some possible ways to find the time to write.

Most of us don’t sit in front of the computer every day. How many thoughts are you letting slip away? We aren’t much of a handwriting culture anymore. One practice above all others will help you keep those thoughts, phrases, and imagery from escaping. Carry a notebook.

Most department stores have small pocket notebooks that will easily fit into your back pocket or purse. The notebook can be used for everything, from shopping lists to writing ideas. By recording your thoughts in the notebook, you can bring them home with you when you have a chance to write more.

Most of us can find 30 seconds to stop and make a note. It won’t look weird to anyone around you, and as long as you aren’t driving, there should be a way to quickly jot down at least a few notes.

Another option is to look into Pocket PC’s. After awhile, I was writing so much that I grew frustrated that I didn’t have the time to write at home. The answer was in the form of a Pocket PC. I picked up an optional thumb keyboard which allows me to type almost as quickly as a home keyboard. My number one goal was to be able to transfer my writings between my portable device and my home computer. I couldn’t take a laptop into where I worked, and needed something tiny enough to hide in a pouch. A Pocket PC did all of this. Maybe the price tag puts you off with this, but I’ve had mine for almost three years now, and still use it every day.

Goals are important to encourage yourself to write. If you find the time to write only 500 words a day, set this as a goal, even if it’s only writing down your dreams when you wake in the morning. I have a personal goal of 2000 words a day. This often amounts to at the very least an hour of time. If you really want to write, write often. As with anything, you’ll get better the more you do it. Practice is important. It helps you master the written language. You’ll become more comfortable with spelling, grammar, story elements, or whatever.

Regardless of how many words you write, as long as you write every day, they’ll begin to add up. If it’s a short story you’re writing, it may be a day to a week, but eventually you’ll get to the end of it. Articles are the same way. Jot down everything you want to write about, tackle each part of it. Eventually, you’ll cover it all.

But now back to finding time. Where do you find yourself with nothing to do but wait? If you smoke, consider swapping out cigarette time for writing time? That’s at least five minutes, and you’re keeping your hands busy. I start my writing time over coffee in the morning while I wake up, on my breaks at work, while waiting for my son to get out of school, and I watch very little television. Throughout your day, make a note, at least mentally, of every little bit of spare time you have to slip out that notebook.

Sometimes you’ll have to make sacrifices to find time to work. Smoke breaks and television time were just mentioned, and I’m sure you can think of more. How do you waste time? One of the hardest time wasters for me to give up was video games. Yet I could (and still can) find an hour or two to sit and play games. Now, unless it’s family time with my wife and/or kids, I try to use that time for what I want.

When I look at wasting time, I consider where I want my life to be in the future. It doesn’t matter if it’s one week to ten years from now. I can look back ten years and I can see I’m not where I saw myself back then. Life is short and it goes by very rapidly. It’s always easy to make excuses or to give in to any easy paths that lie before you. Life is a full-time job, and though its rewards are not always monetary, we decide what the rewards will be.

This article is available as a free ebook pdf download at my Frugal Affiliate website.

Free Traffic Increasing

2004-11-29T15:32:00.000Z

Here's a way to get some free targeted traffic to your blog. It's called TrafficSwarm. TrafficSwarm is a traffic generator site that drives people to your site based upon interests. It's free, but requires a short time investment. You earn traffic by viewing web pages based upon your interests. Every visit to a web page, for 20 seconds, earns you clicks, from 1 click on up. I've received up to 50 clicks from one web site, but it’s rare to find such pages. On the average, I see between 1 to 5 clicks per visit.

TrafficSwarm is better than many of their competitors because your audience chooses what they want to see. That way, you are only receiving visitors who are interested in your blog. I spend about half-an-hour browsing sites, about every other day, and keep my click total around 200, so there’s always a chance I have potential viewers. I don’t go through all of my clicks earned every day, but it does happen. I use it to promote three web sites right now.

TrafficSwarm can also earn you free clicks by refering others. I couldn't get my referal link to work above, so I'm placing it here, if you want to give me free clicks. :) http://www.trafficswarm.com/go.cgi?288153

Open House

2004-11-29T02:11:00.000Z

Hey everyone! Tonight is moving in night. I haven't even given it time to gather cobwebs before I move in. I tend to ramble when I write, and I intend for this to be no different. There's a lot in store for visitors, and here's a hint.

I am a co-owner of Khan's Press. Khan's Press is a small d20 publishing company. Some people like what we do, others don't. Thus the nature of the world. We are currently only publishing electronic books through rpgnow.com. I do much of the writing.

As far as writing, I have a few credits to my name now. My first published short story appeared in a short-lived magazine called the Reaper, way back in 1999. Then I self-published a bunch of material for d20 from 2002-2004, and much more to come. My first d20 work published by someone else appeared in Rooms With a View, at the beginning of this month, by Vanishing Goblin (currenlty only electronic). My second d20 work appears in Lost Tribes of the Scarred Lands by Sword & Sorcery (White Wolf). It is being released this week. This is the final book in the Scarred Lands Campaign Setting.

Besides writing, self-publishing and gaming, I have a few weird hobbies. They are lucid dreaming and astral projection. Many people don't believe in one or either of them, but I don't really care. It's one of those things that you get more out of once you've experienced them. This blog will probably expose you to them eventually.

Besides publishing, I also try to make the internet pay me back, mainly through affiliate programs, and I've found some good ones. The main one is SFI. My support for it is at The Frugal Affiliate, where I explore ways to make money without spending any.

I have a horrible day job. I work in a potato factory. I have a great wife who stays home to raise our two boys.

That's me in a nut shell. In the future, you'll be seeing all of the above and more come up from time to time.

Your Name:
Your E-Mail: