EWC Intro test

Intro video to Elite Web Class 03/2010:

Not all socnets uploaded onto Ping.FM... yet.

Time to break away from the PC and pull out the bike. Will it support an extra hundred pounds? ;-D

Impressive star-lit night out tonight.

Going to play photog and take pics of client's storefront. Wish me luck in capturing THE ONE that sells! :)

Travel prices are so very nice right now! Great excuse to plan a trip. ;)

"Getting through the hard times". Liked this article. Simple and very 2009. http://ping.fm/KvVJf

Fighting Illini isn't showing much fight so far. Arrgghhh!

As much as I love Chicago, they can keep their rush hour traffic. Especially during "construction season"!

Beautiful day for a drive into Downtown Chicago for a business meeting! ;)

It's a busy three meeting day today. Where's my Mt.Dew?!! ;)

Caught the last couple of innings of the USA vs PR WBC baseball game tonight. Nervous drama like a seventh game. Good stuff!

Hope you're jigging with your favorite leprechaun. ;)

Green?

Still up working on powerpoint. Two presentations needed and looking for web 2.0 type themes. Any ideas? Hmmm....

Absolutely gorgeous day today. Time to take it for a spin. Hope you enjoy it too!! ;-)

esonline test 1 (from ping.fm)

Getting things off to a great start in the new year:

Don't know about you, but I am excited for 2009. Whoever said opportunities abound when the chips are down must have been talking about the present! Because 2008 was such a challenging year there must be a huge upside to 2009, right? I believe so. The business world took a beating in 2008. Investors across the board suffered record losses. Real estate performed the same as property values went down. Need I even bring up the crazy foreclosure activity? Few sectors saw any positive gains. We were left licking our wounds, vowing not to have another year like the last. I'm not one to make long lists of resolutions, mainly because Pizza, Mt.Dew, and Dark Chocolate exist. :-) But this year, the few resolutions I will make, I plan to keep! Focusing on my business priorities is one. Working on my business network is another. Not just expanding my list of contacts, but engaging and really appreciating the contacts I already have. Keeping my desk less cluttered is another one. That one will be challenging as I always have numerous ideas and projects going! Using all of the tools and training I have gained. I know that this is a key to success. It's amazing how often we sign up for or purchase a product or material that ends up not being put to full use. The time of frivolous excess is over. We see wasteful actions within our government and throughout the corporate world. To me, enough is enough. I plan on being an example by changing how things are done at home as well as in my business. It's not right to ask others to make change if I am not ready to do the same. I will keep you posted on how my progress is going. I hope you will do the same. Let me know how you plan to be an example, and make positive change in 2009.

Freedom:

Being that today is Veteran's Day here in the USA and Remembrance Day in Canada, I do want to take a moment and express my gratitude for our hard fought freedom. Recent events in our country only magnify these freedoms. The freedom to pursue education, to pursue a career, to pursue political office, to express your voice in agreement or opposition, to live where you wish, to raise your family, to pursue your dream. The list is long, yet the casualties from the struggles and battles fought in order to have this freedom is even longer. I respectfully tip my cap and offer a prayer for those who have lost their life fighting for these freedoms. I will never take these freedoms for granted. I will support our brave men and women who keep these freedoms alive and well in our country. To the members of our Armed Forces, I say... THANK YOU!

Post election thoughts:

It's November 5th. I'm sure a day of recovery from politics, especially for those that feverishly worked their precincts and counties leading up to last night's historic election. To witness an entire country so immersed in the political process was exciting. What I took away from this election was not only the passion amongst us for our candidates, but the use of the Internet in communicating this passion, as well as up to the minute news, pictures, video, even world wide reaction. Social Media played a much bigger role in this process than many anticipated. The Web 2.0 effort was a big reason for the record voter turnout. I applaud this effort! Numerous references to networks like Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, Twitter, Plurk, and the "Bloggersphere" occurred during the national media coverage of this election. Even the candidates felt it necessary in having a "2.0" presence. With this newly found voice will come what I hope is further involvement in how our country is governed and how policies are implemented and how change does indeed occur. Let's build on this platform, and passion, and continue to push for and demand change.

As a side note, thank you for reading my first blog entry. I hope as you venture upon these thoughts you will feel free to add yours as well. I open the floor for questions, suggestions, critique, etc... it's much appreciated! -es