UPWARD and ONWARD

OMG I don't follow my own advice!!

I tell ya, having a Blog can lasso you 

and whip you back around or narrow the road

back to a more manageable life.

As usual, I start writing about one thing and then 

veer off into a completely new direction.

I'm like that in person often and it can get

on your nerves because I could start one conversation

and swipe over to sidebars where you then have to

swerve back to the original tale when inhale before:

 "well, anyway....."

when I finally exhale to catch my breath, 

like a scuba driver without a tank.

There's been a jiggle and a jaggle of activity 

on OPTIONEERJM and

MEANDERINGSabout (LINK:  right side bar)

That's pretty reflective of what's going on in real life.

Then, like a nudge in the elbow to take a look.

There's been a jump in Word Press reader activity.

Alot of activity to my Blogs comes from Facebook.

Most of my Facebook Friends are those whom I engaged with on Twitter LIKE:

Calvin Lee​   Marcia Colliers    Grazy       and so many others I could go on and on

.... so I will, LOL, Libby first showed me how art therapy really works, complimented by a blog

she writes about mental health matters, and truly one of

 the first to pioneer mental health awareness on social 

media.

I realize I owe my blog about  just blogging and integrating social media and potentially valuable insights to this downsize and right size mentality

 that filters into personal lives as our twilight years unfold.

Maybe I'll segue into Career Advice on my blog.

  Who knows.

I do know that I want a semblance of order, 

actually crave it, since we're in the middle of packing boxes for movers who will be here in 36 hours or so.

Maybe I can help others, young men or women, veterans or leaders by giving a 

few pointers -- can't hurt.  I mean, I'm selling social

 media like my life depends on it these days.

Encouraging everyone, as an evangelist often narrates

 beautifully, to get on board.

Once I'm back to painting and writing and developing 

my ETSY store to sell my art, see right, I may have a 

few brain cells left and still a reign on sanity.

Create content on social media that sticks

The power of creative visuals

Most of us learn by reading blogs like this or observing a great example by someone else and then adopting the idea.

Google Plus (G+)

In my opinion, Google Plus (G+) displays images the best.  I was fortunate to be one of the initial adopters of G+.  What I like about G+ also is that the stream is not crowded unless you are following bazillions of people.

Guy Kawasaki

Guy is the first person I first initially noticed always had a strong visual to compliment his posts to emphasize his posts on G+ and whom I adopted this idea from his lead.

I've written about it, and walk the walk all the time by including strong visuals.  I do like powerful photo images and keep a folder on my PC desktop to host some of my favorites.

Art

Creates strong visuals also and artists can always use the boost when you credit them for their creation.

When I'm in a certain mood, I will pull them out, look for a quote from a Google search that I feel compliments the image.  Then I have it for posting on Twitter, Facebook or Google Plus mostly.

You can do a Google Search on anything.  I will do the search and then pop into the images tab across the top of the page (not just the answers Google has supplied) to see what goodies I will find.  It's not always foolproof and sometimes I have to hunt a little harder.

Google search result for "Best of Pinterest Images"

PINTEREST

Is like my file cabinet that I want to keep to reference later on.  You can sort things by topic or categorize however you are inspired.  When you pin anything, it is displayed on Pinterest's main page, so it can filter across the screen of unknown Pinners who can like or rePIN it themselves.  It can attract new followers.

FIND ME ON PINTEREST

QUORA

Asked me this question to answer:  "How do you create content on social media that gets noticed?" and this was my answer, unedited, fresh from the source:

1. Include powerful images. Visual creativity can be another talent that is rewarded by using images in posts.
2. I like to find images around the web and use them for my blogs. Along the way, when I find an image that appeals to me, I will adopt it, add either my own quote or one that resonates with the message I’m trying to convey.

• HOW TO ADD TEXT TO IMAGES: I’m not an elaborate user, have had to experiment a fair bit, and apply trial and error to get it right. I use MicroSoft PAINT. Lately, I’ve experimented with adding borders to include my quote so as to avoid ruining the image or if I don’t want to have text running across it.
• PEOPLE LOVE QUOTES: I can be inspired to create a quote while I’m blogging and extend it to share across social media.
• IDENTIFY yourself on your creations so that if your quote/image is shared, your name is carried.
• IMAGE SOURCE: I try to include the photographer or artist to give them credit and recognition as often as possible.

By invitation

What I have found to be cool is that after creating these quotes with art or photos for a while, you may find yourself invited to groups to add or share content.  That is a nice reward for being prepared to do trial and error. This can increase awareness tenfold because the likelihood is that others who share the same interest, are likely to LIKE or SHARE your stuff.  If you customize it, then it should stand out.

Gratitude

Using your manners and going out of your way to thank people, attracts notice.  As with KARMA, you attract what you send out.  Never underestimate the powerful attraction of being polite.

How to use Paint to add text:

I will show you how I create the right atmosphere to 

share a quote.  Here are a few tips when using Paint:

  

You can get a pretty close match to your text 

color by using the dropper 

Just add text:

1) Select TEXT icon

2) Create Text Box

3)  Select color (click on dropper icon {the color you selected before for the border should still be saved} then choose the font, text size, boldness, you want.

and VOILA!

Give it a try

Certainly, there are apps and software out there to help you create your unique masterpiece like CANVA, etc.  However, since I started using PAINT, after trial and error, I've become more adept at using it.  I may not be a graphic designer, but I know what I like when I see it.  PAINT allows me to fiddle around and be creative.

Experiment

Sometimes, I admit, I don't always find what I am looking for, so I just create it.  I use my mouse as my drawing tool, whether to create or enhance an image.   Obviously, I need more practice.

I certainly have fun fooling around on PAINT.

3 CHEERS to fans everyWHERE

Thank you to whomever shared this article:

 "Do or die, master the art of public speaking." 

It has received 131 clicks based on your recom-

mendation.  That is awesome support and 

endorsement and I want YOU to know I noticed,

 and gip heaps of praise to your online influence:

  people are paying attention to what you share,

 demonstrating a quality of followers you have.

  :::: READ MORE on Blog (lol, making my own

 comment a Blog ::: only a Canadian can do that

 eh? Gotta love it!)  


Three cheers to:

Chrome's "Spell Check" behind the master 


minds of Google ::: only the richest billionairest 

corporations in the UNIVERSE (now renamed, 

and fall under the umbrella of "Alphabet") They

definitely earns props  for dethroning Apple ::: 

We knew you could do it.  Who's we?  The early

 adopters of G+ and your Blogspot blogging 

platform, and Reader, of  course.  


We certainly know who we are.  I even

know who make it hip ::: Guy Kawasaki :: who

cares what his original claim to fame was?  He is

now one of the most revered, admired Social

Media superstars.  


Why do I love Chrome's "Spell Check" (will fact

check later and insert name and link later).  I 

don't really think I even subscribed to it.  I think 

that the whiz kids at Google (now Alphabet) just

have gotten soooooooooooooooooooooo clever 

at intuitively knowing what I want before I even 

know I need it.


If you are not using Chrome as your web brow-

ser, you are sorely missing out.  


FACEBOOK:  Not to be ignored.  I have often 

said, along with so many others before me:  

trust your instincts and follow your passions, 

that are fueled by your reading to accumulate 

more knowledge.  


I have been known to say, that you have to pick

your priorities, which really are ladders to your

goals, your Everest.  ( I highly recommend this

movie under the #bestofeverything must see

right now before the Oscars take over and dom-

inate what you will watch in the very near future).


I admit that I have worked a fair bit, but still

manage to write more frequently (when you 

factor in my Meanderings or inBETWEENers 

blogs).  


I am the perpetual procrastinator, which recently

was said to indicate strong creativity.  What I

want to find out is how Facebook picked me?


I see a lot of folks trying to befriend me.  Now it 

is well over a hundred a day.  I can't keep up 

with the private messages.  I had to turn off 

notifications for Facebook off of my phone 

because I have texts set to vibrate and calls to 

theme of "Game of Thrones".


Thank you, Mr. Zuckerberg for your support.  I

am humbled.  Then again, perhaps there is

some sort of contest going on that the rest of

the world was aware of:  who can gather more

intelligence from its users??  Right now, it 

appears that Alphabet's Google is running the 

lead spot.


But wait, while we watch the traditional players 

in the computer space like HP, IBM, Microsoft, 

Apple try to dominate the cloud!  Stay awake 

boys because who is going to own the data?  

I can hint:  it isn't going to be any one of you!!


Hark, it's a two horse raise like the American

Democratic Party's Hillary Clinton and Bernie 

Sanders :: who have now rephrased the term for

hair's breath or sliver with HilBerPhenom.  



Alphabet will own the data that Google uncovers.

If you thought the emergence of MicroSoft was

bad or too swift, you haven't seen anything yet. 

Facebook, too, is getting more intimate with its

users.  Wouldn't I love a crack at creating a 

company for Mark's backing to market and sell

Facebook intelligence while protecting and

proprietary and personal information.   The only

big weakness I see in Facebook over the 

upstart Twitter has is you can't report abusers.  I

did hear or read somewhere  (sorry information

travels thru me faster than North Korea's arms

race) ::: a lady or gals are taking the guys dick

and posting it on his timeline so his wife, family,

friends, boss, or clients can see ::: not such a 

bad idea, except not something I want to risk 

my credibility with having porn pass thru my

computer or end up on my online photo album.

Yikes!  Mamma Mia!!  Shudders.


MicroSoft's Paint props to  Xerox 


invention :: the mouse (which Apple stole to

introduce The MAC).  I am fiddling around

and creating some computer art.  Idea farm

::: create an attachment for a stylus on a lap-

top for artists, amateurs, creators like me!!