Flaco Da Great is a music producer who owns Fiya House Productions. Here is a link to his blog:

http://www.fiyahouseproductions.com/

Q:  What made you want to start your own production company?

A: Hearing what was out there. I kind of wanted to make a one stop shop and give people good quality music and video.

Q:  What has been the most difficult thing about starting a production company?

A: Since I move a lot. I have to get clients from different cities and states to trust my work. What person wants to spent thousands on some one they don’t know well. My resume speaks for itsself and that’s what gets me in the door.

Q:  Who are some of the artist you represent and why should my readers listen to them?

A: Some of the artist I work with are Chris Brown, Tyga, Trey Songz, Lil Wayne and Fabolous to name a few. There names are already out there. Sometimes you may not hear the song we did cause its not spinning on radio but might be on a mixtape, album or on the net to hear.

Q:  What is your wildest show biz story?

A: Just getting a big record on the radio and getting to tour. A lot of things I can’t really release out there but you can imagine.

Q:  What song inspires you the most and why?

A: There’s not just one. Good music really gets me. So how ever I’m feeling at that moment I go for what I like, I am a real fan of R&B.

Q: . What do you like about the music industry?

A: I like how you can start out with nothing and change your life and your family just by working hard and getting your music out there.

Q:  What don’t you like about it?

A: This industry is not meant for everyone. Some people want to get in by being the next gimmick. It became about politics more and not about raw talent.

Q:  How did you get your first job in the music industry?

A: I always was in music. I went to a performing arts school and played in bands. I just took a liking to the production side of more.

Q:  What is the biggest change you have seen in the industry?

A: The independent side of it. If you have your own fans you can call your own shots. Interested to see where it will go from here.

Q:  Are looks or talent more important in the music industry?

A: I wish it was talent that was more important but you do have to have a look that works for the audience. People are always looking for something different.

Please note; Eliza’s interviews are done by email. All answers are unedited and come right from the lovely fingertips of her subjects:)

This is a week of many Thanks and lots of Black Friday Shopping for the masses in the USA and Canada. We had our first Black Friday excursion yesterday although it was more to pick up dog food and a bag of bird feed.  Once inside TSC store we were nearly trampled on by hungry deal shoppers who lined up well before 6 am the cashier told us. She also went on to say they sold out of many items right away and that this particular day each year they will do one weeks worth of sales. I was in awe but not shocked after seeing so many customers with their shopping trolleys filled to the top, some pulling two carts ( I know). Hey if shopping is what you have to do to get the best deals and best prices then head out and shop til you drop!

Mr.CBB’s Top “whatever I want” Blog Post Picks of the Week

I know I said it would be the Top 20 but I realized I truly read alot of blog posts each week. All these lovely Bloggers read my Blog and link their favourite posts for their fans that it was so hard. Keep in mind this is only a snap shot of the Blogs I read so there are many more amazing posts. If I don’t mention you it doesn’t mean I’m not reading your posts and enjoying them.

So I realized that I’m going to do what I want (after all it’s my blog) and if one week there is 10 there is 10 if there is 20 there is 20. What matters is that I bring the best for my fans and that’s what I do, help to educate my fans about personal finance and more. As I continue to reach out to other Blogs that are new to me I will start to add them to my list. As always thanks to all of you who share my posts with your fans.

In no particular order, sit back, go ahead grab a hot beverage and a piece of egg-less chocolate coffee cake (so good by the way) then enjoy these good weekend reads.

1. A Guide to Consumerism Weekend – Femme Frugality
2. How Far Does $300,000 of Retirement Savings Go?- Oblivious Investor
3. Be an Advocate For Your Own Health Care – Frugal Rules
4. How Do You Prepare A Budget With Irregular Income? – Eyes on the Dollar
5. Is travel insurance essential? – Making Sense of Cents
6. Are You For Or Against Labor Unions?- Financial Samurai
7. Reconciling Consumerism with Minimalism-My Alternate Life
8. The Most Popular Financial Mistakes You Should Avoid – Work Save Live
9. Saving Money With DIY – One Smart Dollar
10. Spotting Scams On Craigslist- Master The Art of Saving
11. Life is What You Make Of It-Living Debt Free Rocks!
12. What Would You Do For Money…If You Had To?-Club Thrifty
13. How to Juggle it All – Tips from an Overachiever-Add Vodka
14. How To Fake A More Expensive Christmas Gift – Plunged in Debt
15. Preparing Financially for a Baby – Reach Financial Independence
16. 6 Things You Should be Spending Money on – Monster Piggy Bank
17. Christmas for Less- The Family Finances
18. Balancing Our Family Budget Anew – Broke-Ass Mommy
19. Bite-Size Your Finances – Money Crush
20. Change Your Life – Step 7 Improve Your Social Life-Savvy Scot
21. 7 Habits of Wealthy People – Well Kept Wallet
    
22. Our Cultural Split-Personality: Frugality and Consumerism-Young Adult Money
23. Google PageRank, Not Just About Links-Modest Money
24. Five Steps To Get Your House Ready To Rent-Fix em Up and Rent em Out
25. Making Money From Home – Is It Possible?-Pelican on Money
26. Frugal Lifestyle: Why Bother?- The Frugal Path
27. An Introduction Into the World of Freegans- My Canuck Buck
28. Should You Have A Prenuptial Agreement? Finance Fox
29. Note to CRA-Foreign Income Doesn’t Need To Be A Foreign Concept-My Own Advisor
30. Are Children’s Extracurricular Activities Worth it? Boomer and Echo
31. Thanksgiving- I Heart Budgets
32. Dividend Income-The Passive Income Earner
33. Humility, The Quiet Trait Everyone will Notice-Fearless Men
34. Being Evil to Save Money-The Outlier Model
35. Debt Collector Worries, Don’t Panic Inform Yourself-Money Bulldog
36. I’m Going To New York- Blonde On A Budget
37. My Best Financial Tip- Get Organized -Vix Money
38. 6 Wacky Ways To Sell Your Home Fast- The Free Financial Advisor
39. Twinkies A Hot Commodity- Freedom Thirty Five Blog
40. When Did Banks Stop Accepting Coin Deposits- Debt Round Up
41. The Pros and Cons of a No Contract Cell Phone-Edward Antrobus
42. Our First Every Spending Cleanse- Planting Our Pennies
43. How To Manage And Pay Off Debts- Budget Snob
44. Proper Gift Etiquette Is There Such A Thing?- Nurse Frugal
45. The View Nov, 19,2012- The Daily Dig
46. Being On A Budget Doesn’t Mean You Are Poor- Budget Blonde
47. Have Fun at The Mall I’ll Be at The Thrift Store- Money Master Mom
48. Don’t Be an Asshole Ask L.Bee- L Bee and The Money Tree
49. Money Pit #2 New Houses- Vanessa’s Money

Recipes of the Week:

1. 40 Frugal Freezer Meals- Financial Highway
2. Leftover Turkey Recipe- Eyes On The Dollar
3. Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with Egg Noodles- Work Save Live
4. Roast Beef Dutch Oven Style-Lil Suburban Homestead
5. Cheese Grits With Spinach, Roasted Tomatoes and Poached Eggs-Aunt B on a Budget

Twitter  Personal Finance #PF  and Other Peeps to Check Out!

This is a list of the Twitter Peeps That I Follow that Tweeted 2 times or more from Friday to Friday Canadian Budget Binder Blog Posts according to the Follow Friday Helper App.  If I miss you, blame the app and let me know please. Cheers!

• Modest Money- Twitter 
• Finance Fox- Twitter
• One Smart Dollar – Twitter
• Work Save Live – Twitter  
• Eyes On The Dollar – Twitter 
• The Outlier Model – Twitter 
• Frugal Rules – Twitter 
• Money Bulldog – Twitter 
• David Smith PBC - Twitter
• The Savvy Scot- Twitter
• My Alternate Life- Twitter
• My Own Advisor – Twitter
• The Frugal Path- Twitter
• Square Pennies- Twitter
• Club Thrifty – Twitter
• Vix Money – Twitter
• My Canuck Buck – Twitter
• Lil Suburban Homestead- Twitter
• The Outlier Model – Twitter
• Terry Sprouse- Twitter (fix em up rent em out)
• Thrifty Dad- Twitter
• Unique Gifter- Twitter
• Freedom Thirty Five- Twitter
• Living Debt Free Rocks- Twitter
• Broke Ass Mommy- Twitter

Here are a few awesome Facebook Pages to Check out! These page owners came around, chatted and shared my posts with their Facebook Fans! If I miss you..tell me as I can’t always see the posts you share on Facebook so just PM me to let me know.

• Frugal Rules
• The Flying Couponer
• The Frugal Path
• Monster Piggy Bank
• Save Big Live Better
• Eyes On The Dollar

Are you NEW to Canadian Budget Binder?

If you are new Start here!

Do you have a Question for Mr.CBB please click HERE to ask him!

Are you on Mr.CBB’s Blog Roll? Check HERE… if not and you want me to check out your blog and add you to my ever-growing blog roll simply click here and fill out the form. Introduce yourself and lets LINK UP!

If you are new to Canadian Budget Binder LIKE or Follow Mr.CBB on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest or you can also sign up for email notifications here

Ernest Dempsey is a writer/editor who lives in Pakistan. He primarily writes about animal rights issues. Here is a link to his blog:

http://catchingstraw.blogspot.com/

Q: What made you interested in writing about animal rights?

A: I always was empathetic toward animals. Scenes of animals slaughtered were unbearable to me and the worst place in the market to visit was going to the butcher’ shop with someone from the family to buy meat. Some of my earliest stories that I wrote in my school-going days were about friendship and belongingness to animals—one I can remember was called Horses, in which two young women embark on an adventure to save their horses taken away by some outlaws. TV shows for kids like, The Littlest Hobo and Danger Bay, were also early influences in developing respect for animal life. However, I started regularly writing about animal issues last year after learning about (reading and seeing) the cruelty to which homeless dogs are subjected by people. I started my blog http://catchingstraw.blogspot.com/ and later, I started doing journalistic writing and opinion columns on animal abuse and cruelty cases. Now, I have a voice for my animal friends and am heard and followed increasingly on the web.

Q: How did you become an Editor?

A: It was in 2008 that I first got into editing. I edited a New York magazine Audience Review while also editing a newsletter for the same press—the World Audience  Publishers (http://www.worldaudiencepublishers.com/). A year later, Victor Volkman of the Loving Healing Press (http://www.lovinghealing.com/) discovered that I had good proofreading skills and would qualify for professional editing work. By that time, I already had an idea for a magazine about recovering and healing from loss, abuse, and trauma. So I became the editor of Recovering the Self – a journal of hope and healing (http://www.recoveringself.com/). Since then, I have found continuing success with editing work and keep getting exciting projects.

Q: What is the main difference between working for an online publication and a print publication?

A:  My regular work has been mostly online and only a few of my projects have been for print magazines. I can say that working online is notably more interactive and dynamic than working for print publications. Very often, you find yourself looking for the latest updates on a topic, comments pointing to conflicting views, and accordingly contacting your own sources for more explanation or details. To me, working online as a writer/editor requires a lot of energy and patience. A print publication, on the other hand, has a more fixed schedule on most of its content, and updpates take longer to hit the public view than online sources. I believe that this difference between the two main kind of publications require more meticulous editing work for print media because there, once out in print, you’ll have little chance of correcting an error which in case of online publications can be done in a minute.

Q: Why do you think the major networks are so hesitant to run animal rights public service announcements?

A: That is because major media outlets are still very much into stuff that can create gossip – things like politics, crime, sports, or celebrities. Animal rescue and protection in not a topic to ensure public entertainment, controversy, or sensationalism. Some media sources do make room for stories of inspiring incidents or cases of animals proving loyal, friendly, or helpful to humans; but majority of the most followed media sources are still into the “buzz” stuff, like animal abuse or cruelty – probably that sells better. Thanks to social media and blogs, rescues and other animals related issues do get noticed by a lot of people online and many lives are saved by online animal-friendly groups daily.

Q: Do you agree with PETA’s tactics?

A: I don’t want to be judgmental toward PETA or any other organization for that since I have not been following the work they do. Apparently, they did do well at least at the start. But then we have all these reports (http://www.nathanwinograd.com/?cat=10) of their shift in policies and position on saving animals and keeping it all clean. So I may say that their record has been stained by reports of killing animals and advocating for kill shelters. I feel that people who are into life-saving work need to do every bit possible to keep up the value of life above other interests. If you take a detour, it may show your deep-seated disbelief in the cause to which you claim commitment

Q: What is the weirdest story you have ever covered?

A:  Let’s think. At the moment, I don’t remember doing any weird stories as such. But I can say that several stories of animal abuse or cruelty or victimization of human children have been tragic cases that I wrote about. The judicial killing of pet dog Tony in Arizona (http://greenheritagenews.com/judicial-murder-petition-against-judge-grace-nabor-for-executing-tony/) this year in June is one story that haunts me and my animal rights activist friends. Now there is a book just published about Tony and we hope it will inspire pet owners to come together and do something about cases of pets sentenced to execution without enough reason or evidence by the very judges who get to the seat of authority by their very votes.

Q: What is the best advice you can give someone who is transitioning into vegetarianism?

A: Vegetarianism has two main sides – compassion for animal life and improved health. To me the former takes precedence. It’s more about saving life, having mercy on animals than only caring for eating what is good for you (which I think is a good but still selfish approach). So my advice is, spend as much time in company of animals around you as you can; observe them, feel them as voiceless yet sensitive life forms; and make friends with them. You will see that they are not for slaughter or even for hurting in any way. They love you back; they feel your respect for them; and that is the strongest reason to turn to vegetarianism – accepting that animals are friends, not food. Given that, the health aspect is also important. Since growing in a culture where slaughter is acceptable we have been made habituated to getting our some of our nutritional needs from animals, we need to learn more about the right kind of food for us. I highly recommend that all who are conscious to their health should read Janice Stanger’s book The Perfect Formula Diet, particularly those who are struggling to give up meat for good. This book will help them with issues relating food and attitude toward animal life.

Q: What do you like about living in Pakistan?

A: I have a relationship with the places here where I grew up and live, and my family and memories of growing up. These are peculiar to the places in Pakistan where I have lived. It is always a luxury to go home and stay there when I want to. I personally am an advocate of individual freedom and there come times when I don’t want to work but just fall back on my family. I am glad that they are there for me when I need them and similarly I am there for them when they need me. This is the best thing about being in Pakistan.

Q: What don’t you like about it?

A: Well, this can be a long list. While pollution, a general servility in attitude among people, and failure of education to take hold here are all undesirable, I find myself frustrated due to constant power shortage and poor internet connectivity etc. The services are really bad here. As an online editor and writer, I have over the years become kind of addicted to the Internet. When I don’t get power or internet for hours in a row daily – which is quite often the case here – it drives me crazy. Recently I tossed the term “shiternet” (http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981707050) to get some load off my chest in reaction to Internet’s ever-increasing hide-and-seek here. So you can imagine what it feels like to cope with these things daily.

Q: What was the most challenging story you ever had to write?

A: For years I had wanted to write my pet story, something as a tribute to my pet dog Kaloo who died in 1999. It was a real challenge. I could not muster the courage for years to relive his departure after more than a decade of loyalty and respect and love that I found in his company with us. Then one evening, last year, I sat and did it. Words were writing themselves out of me and I finally had the cathartic experience of telling Kaloo’s story. It was published in the online magazine Thrive in Life (http://www.thriveinlife.ca/thrive/index.php/kaloo-the-black-one-endless-loyalty-and-love/). After writing that story, I felt that I could pretty much write any story.

Please note; Eliza’s interviews are done by email. All answers are unedited and come right from the lovely fingertips of her subjects:)

Frederick Mensch runs the web-site Moviebytes which offers a  list of contests and resources for screenwriters. Here is a link to the site:

http://www.moviebytes.com

Q: What inspired you to start Moviebytes?

A: I’ve got an entrepreneurial nature, and a background in both screenwriting and programming. I wanted to start a website, so I looked around for a market that wasn’t being particularly well served. Screenwriting contests looked like a good fit.

Q: What is your own background in film?

A: I studied screenwriting at NYU. I’ve sold a couple of scripts, including an indie satire titled Supreme Ruler with Marcia Gay Harden and Vincent D’Onofrio attached to start. That’ll start shooting next year, hopefully.

Q: What are some of the qualities that make a good screenplay?

A: Characters in conflict. That’s pretty much it, I think. I’m partial to character-driven stories, so I’m a stickler for honesty and a distinctive point-of-view, as well. I like my heroes to have flaws, and my villains to have virtues.

Q: What makes for a really bad screenplay?

A: For me, the worse screenplays are the ones that are primarily regurgitations of movies that have already been made. Needless to say, I don’t go to studio movies very often!

Q: What is the most prestigious contest out there? (and what makes it so?)

A: The Nicholl Fellowships. In terms of prestige, the Nicholl is pretty much the beginning and the end of the conversation. There are a number of other great contests out there, but none of them are sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. If you look at the credits of their previous winners you’ll get a pretty good sense of what a Fellowship can mean to a writer’s career.

Q: What was the most unusual request you have ever had from a writer or contest judge/owner.

A: Every couple of months I’ll get an off-the-wall email from someone who wants me “write up” a great idea they have for a movie. They’ll describe the plot in mind-numbing, incoherent detail (I remember one about flying dinosaurs), and generously offer to share the profits if I’ll just write up the screenplay. Sweet deal!

Q: What is the most realistic film you have ever seen about Hollywood?

A: Day of the Locust. It’s a dark, apocalyptic depiction of folks on the fringes of the film industry in the 1930s. I’m not sure I’d describe it as realistic, but that movie (and book) has always struck an emotion chord with me.

Q: What film do you think has the best dialog ?

A: The Social Network. Aaron Sorkin tends to write about hyper-verbal overachievers, which means he can reveal character and show off his dialogue skills at the same time. Less articulate characters don’t lend themselves to that kind of treatment.

Q: What do you think is the most overrated screenplay ever?

A: 500 Days of Summer. I doubt it necessarily qualifies as the most overrated screenplay ever, but it did win an Indie Spirit Award, and a WGA Award nomination, and I just hated the gimmicky nature of the screenplay. If the story isn’t compelling, jumbling the narrative just makes it worse.

Q: Are you more of a Charlie or Donald Kaufman ?

A: I have a full complement of neuroses, so I think probably puts me in Charlie’s camp. He’s a genius and I’m not, though, so there is one small difference.

Please note; Eliza’s interviews are done by email. All answers are unedited and come right from the lovely fingertips of her subjects:)

Jackie Pomeroy runs the blog Fun Over Fifty. Here is a link to the website:

http://funafterfifty.com/

Q:  What inspired you to start your blog?

A: I have met so many people that are turning fifty years of age and don’t know how to handle it. My friends and acquaintances kept telling me I needed to write a book about life after fifty. I decided to start with a blog instead, perhaps to be followed by a book.

Q:  What is the most common misconception about life after fifty?

A: For some people, they feel that their life is over. They may have lost a significant other through death or divorce, and don’t really want to start again. Many people also feel overwhelmed and tired and possibly financially stressed due to the economic impact on their retirement funds.

Q:  What are some of the particular challenges someone over fifty has when it comes to dating?

A: Many people over fifty have no idea how and where to meet people to date. Many turn to online dating sites. Some are fearful, perhaps because they were previously married to or living with the same person for many years and the dating game has really changed. Often people feel inadequate, out of shape and out of touch.

Q:  What are some of the challenges presented to job seekers over fifty?

A: Job seekers over fifty may have old skills. They may also have poor health. Some even have very low energy. Age discrimination is alive and well. Some workers may require too much in salary. If they apply for a job for which they are overqualified, they may not be hired because the employer feels like they will not stay long-term. The current economy has really magnified these challenges.

Q:  What are some of the ways you have tried to promote your blog?

A: I hand out my business cards to everyone because we all know someone over fifty, even if it isn’t us! I wear a t-shirt and/or hat with www.funafterfifty.comon it. I sign my emails with a link to the blog. I do group presentations and public speaking. I attend or volunteer at places where there are people over fifty. I comment on other related blogs and include a link to my blog if allowed.

Q:  Who are some of your favorite bloggers?

A: www.stevepavlina.com
http://www.smartpassiveincome.com
www.michaelhyatt.com
www.austinot.com

Q:  Do you do any other kinds of writing?

A: I have done some technical writing, mostly computer software courses and software documentation. I have done some content writing for websites. I plan to write a book or two in the future.

Q:  What are some of the positive things about being over fifty?

A: Kids are grown and out of the house. You get senior citizen discounts. There is more time to volunteer and/or travel. You can now try all those things you have always wanted to do but something else got in the way. You may be single and like it that way.

Q:  What are some of the negative things about it?

A: You just can’t do all the physical things at the same pace that you could do when you were younger. The body may be wearing out. You may not be earning as high of an income as when you were younger. There may be a loss of energy. You may have health challenges. You may be alone due to death or divorce. You may be depressed.

Q:  What are some of the jobs you’ve had and how have they inspired your writing?

A: I have been a softball umpire, a mathematician for the federal government, a self-employed software trainer and consultant, and a high school math teacher. I have always felt like I learned something from every occupation I’ve held. Some of the main things I’ve learned and used in my writing are:

You never know that you can’t do something until you try.

You are never too old to learn something new.

Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.

Surround yourself by people who are doing what you want to do.

Please note; Eliza’s interviews are done by email. All answers are unedited and come right from the lovely fingertips of her subjects:)

Melanie Chrystn is an  aspiring  stage actress who lives in NYC and attended The Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton, OH.

Q: What made you interested in acting?

A: I became interested in performing at a very young age. I was very shy when I was younger, but when given the opportunity to act or sing, I realized I could express myself in a way that was usually very hard for me to do. I completely fell in love with the release of that energy and the confidence that it helped me build.

Q: What role that you have played was the closest to your own personality?

A: I once did a character study and portrayal of “Norah” from A Doll’s House. Norah began the show as a soft spoken and sweet girl with a lot of compassion for those around her, even for those who did not have the same respect for her. But throughout the story, Norah grows to embrace her independence and becomes a strong woman who is capable of making choices that will benefit who she truly is. I think every woman can relate to finding the balance between the commitment to yourself and the commitment to the people or things you care about.

Q:  What role was the furthest from your own personality and how did you prepare for it?

A: I portrayed “Lucy” in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. Her character was very fun to work with, but while studying the original Peanuts comic strips, I noticed that she was a much more aggressive and outspoken young girl than I ever was. I studied the comics and Peanuts movies to help build my confidence in a role that required me to be very bossy. I had so much fun playing a character that was so opposite of my own demeanor.

Q:  What is the difference between acting for the stage and acting for the theater?

A: When acting for the stage, you are using your energy to express yourself and your character. When performing for the theater, you are conveying the same energy of expression for the many individuals in your audience. You give all of your energy into the stage, so it may extend from there and into the hearts of the people watching.

Q:  What is your weirdest back stage story?

A: In a show I was doing, as a prop, I had a scooter with a bell on it. I was originally supposed to ride the scooter on stage and ring the bell, however, moments before I needed to go on, a castmate backstage was mocking my character and broke the bell by accident! I had to ride the scooter out and verbally make the “ding ding” sound. It turned out to be a hit with the audience!

Q:  Who are your acting influences?

A: I admire the work of Audrey Hepburn, Lucille Ball, and Debbie Reynolds; each individually talented and incredibly humble.

Q:  What do you like about NYC?

Whether you are an artist or just an adventurer, New York is an incredible place to be. I wake up inspired ever day knowing that there is diversity, consistent change, and endless opportunities here. The city has no limits, and has shown me that neither do I!

Q:  What don’t you like about it?

A: Everything is harder in New York, and sometimes I yearn for the simplicity of my home in the Midwest. But I am grateful to be here and even though the city can be challenging, I am growing as a person and as a performer because of it. There is no place quite like it, and there is no place I would rather be.

Q:  What is your dream role and why?

A: I am a children’s entertainment enthusiast and would love the opportunity to portray the role of “Marry” in Disney’s Marry Poppins. The story of the show is so elegant and charming, and Mary is such a beautiful, independent, and inspiring lady who teaches many valuable lessons and has exquisite humor.

Q:  Marry, kiss or kill? Edward Albee, Neil Lebute or Arthur Miller?

A: Marry – I respect that tradition. I admire Edward Albee because he is not only a motivating writer, but a motivating person. He has allowed himself to take challenges and accept the outcomes after doing so and believes every individual, artist or not, has the ability to accomplish great things if they allow themselves to and I think he portrays that mentality in his work.

Please note; Eliza’s interviews are done by email. All answers are unedited and come right from the lovely fingertips of her subjects:)

1. Nette Nestea – I absolutely love her style! For me she’s the ultimative fashion blogger. Would die for her wardrobe!
http://nettenestea.com/

2. Kenza – Swedish blogger no. 1. She’s stunning – her style is also to die for! No wonder she’s working as a model. She got the sweetest bf who happily takes pictures of her. Besides that – she’s accomplished so many things considering she’s only 21. LOVE HER.
http://kenzas.se/

3. Ulrikke Lund – Norwegian chick with an amazing edgy persona. She’s unique and her own character.
http://ulrikkelund.com/

4. Blondinbella – Swedish darling: Isabella Löwengrip. She challenges the stereotype blogger, which I dare to say is a skinny person. I love following her life – she just moved in with her sweet boyfriend. She’s wonderful, ambitious and confident. Lovely role model!
http://blondinbella.se/

5. Peyre Blogg – Natacha Peyre, swedish girl living out her dream in L.A. She’s beautiful – love her sexy exclusive style. Wish she was better at taking photos – because she’s stunning. Can’t have it all I guess lol.
http://peyreblogg.se/

(6. Kissies) - okay the only reason I’m mentioning Alexandra Nilsson is because she’s a circus. She’s outrageous – she’s had multiple plastic surgeries – I don’t really like her personality nor her sense of style – she’s a popular reality show you have to attend! Quite entertaining.
http://www.kissies.se/

Jimmy Choo- J.C brought out the futuristic vibe with these ‘Tokyo Suede and Metallic Leather Sneakers’ (375 euros, available at mytheresa.com):

Yves Saint Laurent- These ‘Malibu Suede Sneakers’ (345 euros, available at mytheresa.com) have me head over heels, and they are the newest thing I need in my life.

Gucci- These ‘New Praga Logo Sneakers’ are enough to send anyway to another planet. With a price of 435 euros (available at mytheresa.com) they look like a million bucks.

Miu Miu- These hard core ‘Glitter High-Top Sneakers’ with a price of 350 euros (available at mytheresa.com) bring a rock and roll vibe to your outfit. Ready to shine?

Marc Jacobs- These babies aren’t everyone’s style. But designers like Stella McCartney, Marc Jacobs and Proenza Schouler have been rocking the sporty vibe. Jacobs celebrated this fact by starting a new trend and adding a little oomph to your traditional sneakers. Yes I’m talking about the 320 euros (available at mytheresa.com and marcjacobs.com) ‘Calf Dorada Leather Wedge Sneakers’:

Thank you for reading today’s Foot Costumes, hoped you liked it.

SHOUTOUTS TO 3 OF MY FAVORITE BLOGGERS AND BEST SUPPORTERS:

1. JeannieRichard- http://jeannierichard.wordpress.com/

2. mrusakov: http://boldmode.wordpress.com

3. thetruefashion: http://thetruefashion.wordpress.com/

I LOVE YOU GUYS!

Spread the word Spread The Love- XX J.M

(all images are from google.com and information is from my research and “knowledge”)

The rules for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award and One Lovely Blog Award are:

*Thank the person who nominated you and link back to them in your post.
*Share 7 things about yourself
*Nominate 15 bloggers you admire
*Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they’ve been nominated.

Seven things about me!

*Im 27 yrs old
*Im a mommy of a 4yr old daughter and a 4 month old son.
*I studied Modern Languages and Foreign Language Education.
*Im doing my M.A in Linguistics.
*I started teaching abroad since I was 18yrs old.
*My fave books are ‘The picture of Dorian Grey’ by Oscar Wilde & the ‘Alexandros’ trilogy by Valerio Massimo Manfredi.
*I’m a bit of a sucker for humanitarian causes! anything that I can help with Im in!

Here are my 15 blogs, I wish I could have nominated more, but gotta follow the rules!
Remember: It’s Always a Matter of Class Not Cash!!

♥Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Bloglovin’ & Tumblr: Hautefrugalista♥

Enjoy & Share!!

Xoxo,
DTHF♥

The LOOKes
Sorelle In Style
Novelle Vogue
Beilovebei by Beibei Wu
As Time Goes Buy
The Adorable Two
Jeannie Richard
Reverse Commuter
Over My Styled Body
In Style With Stylebabe
Love Lemon Lace
Flawless Drama
Kukkuk.me
Twins Fab Lane
The Sapphire Bee

Here are the rules of this blog award:
1. Thank the person who nominated you.
I was nominated for the Most Inspiring Blogger award by Cadence at Search 4 a Soul Mate. If you are unfamiliar with her honest and insightful dating blog, please pay it a visit! Anyone who has ever navigated the lousy dating scene after 30 will relate. Especially this post about changing your Facebook Relationship Status post-breakup. Been there!

2. Share seven things about yourself
1. I can never find anything. It takes me an extra 20 minutes to leave the house because I can’t find my keys, wallet, etc. I get frustrated if those around me don’t join in the search.
2. I struggle to walk in heels. I’ve practiced and practiced but cannot master the technique. I think I’m missing a girl gene somewhere.
3. I’m convinced everything is better if you add goat cheese.
4. When stuck with groups of people I don’t care for, I will deliberately say things to make everyone uncomfortable. It amuses me.
5. I have ADHD. When nervous, I become extremely hyper and talk non-stop at unimaginable speeds to where people can’t keep up or understand. This can prove embarrassing.
6. My drink of choice is Bacardi and Diet.
7. I can’t dance.

3. Pass the award to seven inspiring bloggers
I’m sure the bloggers and dating bloggers I’ve nominated have received numerous awards, so don’t feel obligated to do the whole blog award song and dance if you don’t have time. Just know your blogs are awesome and totally worth the Inspiring Blogger Award:

Story of Alice
Snarky Snatch
Old Black Magic.CLE
Sips of Jen and Tonic
Really?
AwkwardList
Word Play

Let me tell you how we got here: not too long ago my role in the company was changed and now I am responsable for the marketing – especially online marketing – strategy.

We’ve started by reading New Rules of Marketing and PR. We then took the conscious decision to make this book will be the cornerstone of our strategy. Any questions, tips or hurdles I might have, this book should have the answer. The author David Meerman Scott came highly recommended and this is alway a bonus when you choose who’s advise you follow.

We chose a couple of online platforms to develop and grow. We’re on Facebook, LinkedIn and experimenting with Twitter, but we find it hard to say yes or no to the blog. We understand why a person would have a blog. But when it comes to Corporate Blog I don’t think it’s the same.

On Friday as I was expressing my reservation toward the blog and my lack of comprehension how this will work for us, my colleague who is blogging now for a while, said that if I want to understand this (the blog) I should try it myself.

So here I am starting a blog about how to blog and trying to decide if a corporate blog is right for a company (any company) or not and, if it is, how would one find/identify the right strategy for their’s company’s blog?

I read articles like this and this to see who has the best corporate blog. I also read about online strategies, blogging strategies, tips from best bloggers about how to become a better blogger etc.

I need your expertise to make this right. Please join me in this learning  jurney.

CG

http://www.bowerpowerblog.com/2012/01/my-kin-folk/

…and it was all over.  I think I peed my pants laughing over.  Called my mother at 11:45 pm to read it over.  Posted the link here and trashed my post over.

Perfection Katie Bower!  Perfection!

Although I enjoy all of the blogs I read (or I wouldn’t read them), there are a few blogs about writing that are so lovely I get excited every time I see a new post from them pop-up in my inbox. Here are 5 more blogs that fit that bill (in random order):

5 (More) Favourite Blogs About Writing

1. Catherine, Caffeinated:

I’m not sure how Catherine Ryan Howard manages to pack so much fun into her blog, but I’m sure glad she does. Catherine’s posts are helpful and humourous, and there’s something so inviting about her casual, witty tone. Catherine has published several books, and posts about self publishing and being a writer. Check out her recent posts Catherine’s X-Mas Gift Guide 2011: 5 Gifts for Writers and Catherine’s X-Mas Gift Guide 2011: 5 Gifts for Book Lovers to get started.

2. Carly Watters – Literary Agent Blog

I’m not looking for a publishing deal just yet, but I still love reading Carly Watters’ blog about life as a literary agent. Carly gives frank commentary about the publishing industry, including reality checks for writers, advice on getting published, and writing tips.

3. The Hack Novelist:

The Hack Novelist is sharing his journey from writing a novel to publication and beyond. I enjoyed reading Hack’s adventures in editing over the summer, and now I look forward to each Friday morning when Hack posts an excerpt from his novel, Remnant. Another really cool thing about Hack: he’s raising money so he can self-publish his novel. You can read all about his Kick Starter campaign here.

4. C. Hope Clark:

I stumbled across C. Hope Clark’s blog quite recently, thanks to a tip from another fantastic blogger, Susan M. Toy. C. Hope Clark writes posts about the writing life, from worrying about your own writing (as opposed to anyone else’s) to adding purpose to your life. I’m just getting to know C. Hope’s blog myself, so I hope to share more about her in the future.

5. Sarah Selecky:

Sarah isn’t a blogger in the traditional sense: she only posts once a month or so, and I think officially her articles are posted to her website, rather than a blog. Nonetheless, her posts are so good I felt she needed to be added to my list. A few of my recent favourites include Your Writing Doesn’t Take Time, It Makes Time and Six Ways to Look at an Abandoned Story.

Of course there are a ton of other bloggers out there who deserve shout-outs, but I limited myself to 5 for the sake of brevity.

Who are your favourite bloggers of 2011?

Image source: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/lolamix

Now I believe I need to reveal 7 things about myself.

1. My food adventures would be less fun without Anne, my wife and best friend to share them with.
2. I love the aroma of freshly brewed coffee pervading the kitchen.
3. I don’t eat to live, I live to eat.
4. In the process of cooking one meal, I am thinking about the next meal.
5. I believe that a house without books is like a person without a soul.
6. I follow the mantra “Live peaceably and enjoy today because the future is uncertain”.
7. Sharing a meal is one of my life’s greatest pleasures.

10 bloggers I wish to nominate for the Versatile Blogger Award are:

BLOG PLANE

DIVA REFLECTIONS

GODSPACE

LAKIA GORDON

Rickshaw Diaries

david lebovitz

 Burning it off

the lives and loves of sheweevil

willbriantreviews

THE AWESOME SISTERS

The writing of each of these bloggers is first class.

For those interested catch my other blog Honest to God, which is reflective- looking at the bigger questions of life.

I wanted to write this post to share insights from an ongoing partnership that I am beginning to enjoy. Also, share some ideas to make your internal leader’s blog leap ahead.

Two reasons that make it a pleasure to work with such a leader:

• This leader owns his communication. He thinks about what is relevant to his blog every day, learns how the technology works, asks the right questions, seeks data to know how the blog is faring and is open to suggestions.
• He knows what his blog can achieve. Before he began blogging he listed out his expectations and how it corresponded with the vision of the organization. Also, given his position in the organization the blog was a double-edged sword; while he had a point of view it could always be mistaken of that of the organization.
  

  Smiling ice-cream

This means as an internal communicator I get to focus on what’s important – strategically positioning the blog in various forums, thinking of ideas that will improve reach, and identifying themes that will resonate with disparate audiences. With a young workforce distributed across three locations in India the blog is a great way to connect on a personal level.

In just about a month his blog ranks among the most read in the company and the readership is growing leaps and bounds.

What makes his blog tick?

• His ability to decode what employees want to hear
• The focus on generating a dialogue
• His fluid style of writing
• His promptness in appreciating feedback
• His ability to convert a chance corridor conversation into a discussion on hot topics that is on everyone’s mind
• His sense of humor
• The clarity on how often he can blog and calling it out upfront
• His willingness to listen

A couple of days ago I walked him through ideas to promote his blog and what struck me most is his focus on what he believes will make his channel credible, believable and relevant.

For instance, he insisted that his blog would remain focused at a high level while seeding current themes to help employees change their mind-sets and not a channel to ‘push’ communication.

That made a whole lot of sense.

Here are other ideas that I shared and you may find useful to initiative a conversation with your leader.

1. Crowd source ideas from your employees on company-wide initiatives. Ask them for example, to complete a sentence with words they felt most suited the response.
2. Interview employees on current topics and use extracts in the blog
3. Feature a team that is delivering great work. Nothing has more impact that storytelling from the trenches.
4. Include a ‘day in the life’ of the leader that shows what goes on behind the scenes. Everyone loves to know what a leader is going through and what it takes to be one.

Have other suggestions to get your internal leader blogger in the sweet spot? Share them here.

Tracy (aka The Dinner Belle) awarded my grumpy self The Sunshine Award either because she likes me or because she has a wickedly refined Irony Detector. Like most blog awards, the winners are meant to list things about themselves (namely boring things that readers must then use to drum up witty comment responses) before passing the award to more unsuspecting victims winners and demanding that they share their life facts, too! I try to follow the rules, Tracy. I mostly sometimes do. But I couldn’t bring myself to list my favorite time of day to eat tomatoes or my shoe size or if push came to desperate, my favorite way to pass the time while stuck mid-poop. It seems I’ve covered just about all the big stuff like unwed parenthood, insulting strangers, and even burning one’s kitchen down while preparing a bowl of cold fruit. So, I’m changing the rules a bit.

There are no rules. I think a world in which Memes are without boundaries sounds one step short of heavenly. How about a blog award that forces winners to shovel cupcakes into their mouths at break-jaw speed? Or one that comes with an elaborate and funky dance routine that must be performed and vlogged for the appreciation of the masses? Or maybe one in which all you really have to do is say “Thanks so much, Tracy. I like you, too!”?

Sounds like a plan. I’m off to beat my personal best in the Chocolate Cupcake Without Chewing category, but before I go I’ll leave you with some bloggers who light up my day on a constant basis. Sunshine winners, know that you make me happy and I love you like almost as much as a fat kid loves cake.

Sunshine from Sunshine In London (Clearly she was asking for it.)

Leah from A Girl & A Boy  (Recently planned a sweet, crafty wedding that just makes you want to dance and smile.)

Kaela at Live. Love. Inspire ( Pregnant & Cheerful. It don’t make no sense.)

Katelyn at Elephant Ears (She’s always happy. Always. Even with The Crusty Pink Eye of Death, she’s smiling.)

C. at Small Dog Syndrome (Think Paul Blart, Mall Cop but girly and petite and with a fabulously British snip to her writing.)

Casey at Running Out Of Me  (Skinny AND likable. Lucky.)

Amy at Amalah (The only girl who can flip you the bird and still make you want to be her friend.)

Kat at Withywindle (Seriously, her headline is “Finding cheer and art in everyday”. Seriously)

Pegoleg at Ramblings ( I have a worried feeling that  I jacked her blog name and added a The to the front of it, and STILL she’s nice to me.)

Yuliya at She Suggests ( I’ve just never laughed so hard in my life. If I ever have one-pack abs, I’ll send the girl a picture and a note that says “Thanks for making me pee my pants. Crunches.”)

Which blogger makes your day a little brighter?

These are rules I could follow.

 No points for saying  that I do. I ain’t sharing these cupcakes with no body.

XOXO,

Hickish Double Negative

I thought there would be more gentleman... and less boobage.

     As I approached the swinging door to the ladies room, the tension faded. My shoulders unlocked from my chin and resumed the relaxed position. Almost home….until I wasn’t. The bathroom doubled as the dancers’ dressing room, rehearsal and girl talk room, and I found myself smack dab in the middle of a thong sandwich. I squeezed past Candy Apple as she practiced a preliminary jump-n-wiggle to gauge the perky bounce of her mostly out-there bosom. I offered a shy “Pardon me” as I tip-toed around Princess and Double D-Vine. I wept a little bit in the privacy of a stall without a door.

     I’ve often marvelled at the success and popularity of the Gentleman’s Club. I’ve often listed my life’s great accomplishments in order of how they stack up to the grand feat of avoiding the Man’s dingy lounge. But after a remark by my mother who will be mortified to be mentioned in the same post as The Dollar Bill Dancers, I had a change of heart. I want to be a dancer of exotic proportions.

    Ahhhh, calm down. I kid…unless they’re in the market for a turtleneck-sporting chub who was once pretty good at classical ballet. Who says assemblé’s not sexy? I digress. My mother mentioned her surprise at the number of male readers of my very whiny-girl blog. All the talk of menstrual cycles and  a vagina ravaged by birthing a man-sized baby and still, still the boys endure. My only response at the time was ”They’re just that brave”, but after further thought I realized the truth. Male bloggers who read and share the comment love on this here site or even male writer’s whose sites I follow but do not know I exist  have one thing in common: They are balls to the wall, unabashedly and openly themselves. Reading their funny, honest and wordy posts is enough to leave a crowd of ladies curled up in arm chairs shouting “SHOW ME YOUR BLOG!”. In an odd twist of logic and alongside my mother who doesn’t want to be here, appreciating the self-confident musings of some of today’s best boy bloggers provided me a new appreciation for those dirty dancing divas. So in the creepiest analogy ever typed onto post, I present to you some fabulous male writers. The NEW kind of Gentleman’s Club:

Ha-Ha Gabor aka Paul from The Good Greatsby. He’s funny. He wears hipster glasses. He create robots meant to do nothing and plots heinous pranks and life-shattering jokes on folks that make you laugh while simultaneously asking for forgiveness for said laugh. I also have a sneaking suspicion that he would be the dude to choreograph an elaborate dance number to New Kids On The Block and perform it with a seriously serious face to a very confused crowd.

Roxy Recouping aka Todd from Functionally ReTodded (just got the name of his blog and I’m all “oh, that makes me feel like praying”). He is an unemployed father with a sassy mouth. I would pay a stack of singles to read his blog, but he’s just so generous he lets us read it for free like that Russian lady arrested for giving impromptu pole-dancing performances on various light poles, poles in subway cars, flag poles, and the grand finale, gate posts that looked like poles outside the royal palace, giving away all that talent for free should be a crime.

Porsche Purple Rain aka Mark from Mark My Words digs purple, Groupons, kids (only when they’re his), and interrupting people’s freedom by blaring Cee Lo Green’s “Eff You” from his high-tech phone in a silent movie theatre. In addition to awwing audiences with his hilarious posts and killer dance moves, he’s dedicated his life (ok, or three whole blog posts) to researching the elusive complisults.

   Tiny Dancers, know that no matter what your mamas told you, dancing blogging is a perfectly respectable lifestyle. Should I see you typing, twirking, or some variation of both I promise to judge you only minimally. Sure you could’ve gone to Nursing School, become a cleaning lady, or settled down with that neighbor boy, but then the world would never have known your true stiletto-pumping, stat-shattering potential.

He works hard for the comments.

Who are your favorite “dudes dat blog”? What should their stage names be?

  This week’s Sunday Paper features posts that make a sister feel better. I’m not alone in my ridiculous injuries (although I suspect not too many folks have broken a face trying to get off the toilet), my almost constant confusion (although this post refers to the hilarious cluelessness of a simple dog), and my long history of weird entertainment (although mine consisted of experimenting with fire next to a dry field of pine trees, and I’m pretty sure the following post pertains to innocent game of sibling jousting).

 ”All the balance of an egg and as much coordination as cooked pasta”… Shannon, also known as Mr. Lady, from Whiskey In My Sippy Cup is a girl after my own fall. Her hilarious post “Safe Kids, Unicorns, and Other Mythical Creatures” made me scared for my kid to grow up and move and live in a world with sharp edges and invisible hazards. It also made me cry in fits of laughter, saying to myself all too often “Oh! Me too! Me too!”.  In my house, and perhaps in Mr. Lady’s, too, it is the clumsy leading the clumsy, and we have the bumps and bruises to prove it.

“What was our war cry again?”… I’ve often told the stories of my wild childhood games only to be met with worried stares that I might be THAT girl who is now THAT woman who hides dead pets in deep freezers. I thought speaking to trees and occasionally performing elaborate dances in the front yard (for maximum crowd viewing potential) was just the American way. C from Small Dog Syndrome shares a conversation between siblings about Ball Jousting (which sounds more sinister than it is). Just like play-camping with a “petite bonfire” sounds much more sinister when the neighbors call it “arson”. Check out “A History, Told Through E-mails”. You might’ve been one of THOSE kids, too!

“ Because the simple dog is so very simple, her adventure was alarming and horrible for everyone involved.”…  In an odd twist that everyone saw coming but me, I related most closely this week to an easily confused and always nervous pooch. Allie from Hyperbole And A Half told the harrowing experience of a dog unfit to handle the most basic aspects of life. Insert Tori for the word dog, and…wait… yes, that sounds about right. I believe the point of her post, “Wild Animal”, was to make the audience feel a sense of sympathy for the poor thing. Of course, I read the whole post with the aforementioned response of “Me too! Me too! I is scared of horse statues all. the. time!”. To Allie’s very simple dog, I feel you. I suggest buying night lights and security blankets in bulk.

While I still don’t understand the harm in taking rides from strangers, I’ve matured enough to stock up on Band-Aids, and always, always, contain bonfires.

Link to your favorite posts of the week! What post did you read that made you say “Me too! Me too!”?

Even before I started blogging, I read and followed a lot of blogs. However, since 29 May 2008, I have found many more bloggers who write incredible stuff, and have to a certain degree acted as inspiration to me during those times  when I have struggled to write anything, or when I have been trying to pull through in difficult times in life. So to celebrate this 100th post, I have picked 10 of my favourite blogs out of the 70 or so blogs which I try and follow.

These are the Cookie Monster top 10 blogs of the year (in no particular order)…. (as adjudicated by the cast of Sesame Street).

Auburn Kat

Going fishing without my GPS

Chances are I’m going to hell for this

Jess Writes

Starting over at 24

The Inner Workings of a Media Junkie

Random acts of reality

Stranger in this Dunya

From the “Stupidest” corner of my mind

iMuslim

Commiserations to who were not in the list this time round. Do let me know if you should have been in my top ten; maybe I am not currently following your blog, and this the opportunity to increase your readership too!

The “winning” blogs were chosen because not only are they entertaining, but also because I find at home in these blogs – as if these folks were my closest friends. For the winners, the award for each of you is one of these…. Enjoy the cookie, have a great 2009, and keep blogging!!

Olive Riley, the world’s oldest blogger, died on July 12 at the age of 108. I really have to give it up to Olive. She had to be like, what, in her 80′s when computers were first being introduced to the public? I hope I’m up with the technology like she was IF I make it that far. PLEASE BELIEVE I’ma have like 50 computers by then.

I think having a social blogger network which rates blogger based on content and endorsement/appreciation from fellow bloggers and other aspects will solve the problem of searching top bloggers. For instance I found Helen’s Musings of a mobile marketer blog via Ewan’s blog SMStextNews, Beers & Innovation blog and Marketing Nirvana via Roger’s  Technological Winter Blog.

I instantly liked all the above blog, their contents are excellent and they have fellow blogger appreciation.

But can we apply the same parameter to create a bloggers rating system? There are already such mechanism in place like http://www.top100bloggers.com/ but I don’t think they work as there is no way they let me know who wrote an excellent article on innovation on mobile recently, whose article has been read across many part of the world, etc etc.

Suggest if you know such rating systems.