Yes, I am going to become an SEO expert, yes, that's right.  I have just updated my meta tag thingies and my keywords and am feeling pretty darn good about myself.  I now plan to spend the next two hours going over an excellent Webinar put together by Bernadette Schwerdt and Meri Harli (who is a real SEO expert).  I am a sponge, sucking up information.  Look out world. 

Nothing like a deadline to get those creative juices working.  After pulling out all stops last week to meet several deadlines. Not to mention all the house trading I was doing on the side, I have discovered that I work much better under pressure.  So today I set myself the task of much admin, including my much put off opening letter to my database of understanding friends and contacts.  So, if you are reading this as a result of getting my email, thanks for coming this far.  Please come back occasionally, it's nice to have you here.  I think that I will set myself a target or deadline every week even if there is no real one to work towards, just to keep a flow of activity going and reduce the visits to the fridge or folding pile.  Now that the house is sold and the new one is bought, I have so much headspace I'm almost rattling around in here.  Amazing, but totally sure it will not last!

The next best thing to putting out a cd is being able to edit the liner notes of a friend who is putting one out.   That's what I think anyway.  I will simply bask in the reflected glory of being the friend of someone who is talented enough to write fine music and record it and put out a cd that is full of it.  I will do my little bit of editing and go along for a glass of wine at the launch.  And seeing as the launch is in Melbourne and I am in Sydney, it will entail a weekend away with the girls (and no kids).  Yes, no kids. Am I excited?  You betcha.  On another more serious note, I am keen to get started on some work that is coming in this afternoon.  Copywriting.  Mmmmm.  Love it.  Love being busy.  And finally, less than 24 hours until my house goes to auction.  Now that is something I will continue to deny until the last minute. 

That'll teach me to make a lunch date for Sushi at 9am.  Now all I can think about is lunch!  No, really I have accomplished some good article writing and am feeling like I am not completely wasting my life away but my goodness, that soft shelled crab is calling.  I have also been carefully refining my notes and trying to be very systematic in my toolkeeping so that I use the right tools and mindset for every copywriting job.  Common sense you would think.  Not so much for this little Wordsmith.  Perhaps it is the habit of dealing with the differing (often conflicting) needs of three small children that means my brain would prefer to focus poorly on three things at once rather than focussing well on just one thing.  I am busy writing away and soft shelled crab creeps into my psyche.  That and the unfolded washing I can see out of the corner of my eye.   Maybe our new house will have an office so at least I won't see the washing.  I can only dream.... 

This has got to be one of the great mysteries of the world. BUT not one I had to deal with this afternoon because I was in the incredibly rare position of not having to collect ANY of my three kids at the usual time.  Oh all praise for play dates and alternate gymnastic duties and long day care!  This meant that I have sat and written my little backside off for nearly four hours straight (give or take a few distracting moments with the washing and cups of tea).  I am treasuring these extra couple of hours.  I also completed a project on Wednesday that has really given me a quantum leap in my skills.  Took buckets of notes. Feel ready for anything.  Except for taking three kids on a plane which is tomorrow's mission.  Heavy sigh. 

Not that I don't love spending time with the kids.   I had just spent 2 weeks with them, one of those weeks in Fiji (hello hair braids-them not me).  But what can you do?  I sat at the laptop and tapped away in a distracted manner, and they lay about and watched TV (all TV rules went completely out the door) and looked at me with big sad eyes.  It is a real relief to see them bright and cheerful and annoying again.  On the whole not my best week productivity wise.  Luckily I had a Dream Team call on Thursday night which filled me with much needed energy and resolve. For 1.5 hours I felt like a copywriter again.  To top it all off we also have the house on the market so need to keep it like a mausoleum most of the time.  Not particularly kid friendly.  Or copywriter friendly.   

Well in between swimming, gymnastics and tennis I have successfully made a cake that looks not unlike a swimming pool, and been told by more people than I can count, that I am mad to try to take 11 little girls to the movies.  Time will only tell, but I am very glad that it will all be over in a few hours cause then I can stop worrying about it.  Lolly bags are packed, drop off and pick ups are organised.  I have a kind, helpful posse of parents, and am feeling pretty good about myself. 

Also feeling excellent about my new look website and the fact that I am on page one of google for the keyword "a copywriter".  Now just have to hope that someone actually looks for "a copywriter" in google! 

I was also very pleased to hear that my excellent friend Claudia is one of the top fundraisers on Cantoo at the moment.  Seeing as I wrote her cover email and web copy for her fundraising website, I am pretty chuffed too!  And it means heaps of money is going to brain cancer research which is what their family need more than anything. 


Right, nuff said, 2 hours til Shrek Forever After...I can't wait. 

I have had a pretty exciting week all round but the part I value most has been where I have helped
my most excellent friends and neighbours Roger and Claudia, set up a website to raise funds for CanToo.  Roger has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour and to help raise funds for cancer research Claudia is going to run the Blackmores Marathon in September. 


Now, our Claudi is ultra fit and does this sort of stuff all the time, but this time she is doing it for a cause very close to her heart.   She is adding a sponsorship link through CanToo and selling (in fact auctioning) off Roger's ties to raise funds to help find a cure for this disease that is changed their lives so terribly and irrevocably. 


Anyone can help by going to www.cantie.weebly.com and selecting a tie to bid on, or cut to the chase and go directly to www.Cantoo.org.au and select Claudia to sponsor (her surname is Oliveira).  Naturally all the online copywriting is by The Wordsmith :-). 




All this plus my second Dream Team conference call (which I actually attended this time) and a few paid jobs.  It is a most exciting time and rewarding time.