18/365

18/365, originally uploaded by jessparker.

This little girl is the reason for my marketing strategy. She's also my model for my logo. She's THE party girl.

Twittering and 'booking

I've just been to the Annual Community and Business Networking Event run by Community OnBoard and have been told to come home and get my Twitter and Facebook names 'registered'. And I can see why! The user name whitesparkphoto has gone already, and I couldn't make it any longer. So I've got 'whitesparkfoto' with a F. Which seems quite logical to me with my small understanding of Portuguese, in which photo is foto. I'm not sure who else will get it :P What do you think? Logical or not?

I also learnt about how to write press releases that get noticed, and published; how to network; and how important social/online networking is. Ben Angel and Rhondalynn Korolak especially were really interesting and engaging and had heaps of great tips.

I met a couple of people that could be helpful. One man invited me to another networking group in need of a photographer and another woman who is also an emerging photographer was keen to get together to see how we can help one another.

Most of all I've got a whole lot more confidence in going to networking events and talking to strangers about what I do. I need to work on the speil, but I'm happy with my first experience of networking.  :)

No One Cares What You Had for Lunch!

No One Cares What You Had for Lunch!, originally uploaded by jessparker.

During my cram sess this morning (see previous blog) I read through 'No One Cares What You Had for Luch : 100 ideas for your blog' by Margaret (Maggie) Mason. Although throughout most of the book I was saying "Not relevant. Good idea, but not relevant.." I was unexpectedly inspired to start a new blog. An idea that I've had on the backburner... thinking that it'd make a great website if only I knew how to do it... but I realised I can start it as a simple blog!

Her last entry; 100 - Just write. Was definitely the biggest blow to my closemindedness regarding blogging. The simple statement "You'll need to love what you're writing about." Has got me all spine-tingly inspired!

AND Maggie prompted me to try blogging straight from flickr. Which I've done with these 2 posts. I can't believe I didn't think of it earlier!

Check out Maggie's bio and sites here 

MEANWHILE... I'm finding this dark brown blog 'skin' too oppressive and moody. I want to do something new and bright and more ME. Watch this space. Oh, and stay tuned for the NEW blog which by the way is not going to impinge on this one at all... it's totally different ;)

on loan

on loan, originally uploaded by jessparker.

My library books are due back. These have all been keeping me company for the past couple of months. This morning I was wondering out loud to my boyfriend "Why do I need to take out so many books at one time?" I'm trying to do a last minute cram sess before returning them. I'm wondering how much my overdue fines will be this time.

It's a slow journey alright

Piece by piece the puzzle is coming together. As I just get on with the next thing to do, things get done. Yes, everything takes a whole lot longer than I initially thought, but then there's really no deadline I need to work to. There's no set time this  HAS TO HAPPEN by, and if it doesn't ever happen then that's ok, as long as I've put in the action that's required of me. I don't want this to not happen because I'm lazy or fearful that's all. Letting go of the result.

Meanwhile I've got a new iPhone (business phone of course :D) and I've started a 365 day project using the camera on it. I'm discovering apps that make the photos look like they're taken on plastic cameras - which I LOVE - and there's an app that takes a series of photos and combines them in a series. So much fun :)

Party pic

 

This was taken at a children's birthday party where they made body glitter and slime... I'm starting to get excited about the potential of children's parties. :)

aching eyes and back

I don't know if I'm cut out to spend a lot of time in front of the computer.  Maybe I just need a new ergonomic chair instead of the one we found on the street, and maybe I shouldn't look at 500 different fonts for a logo at time, maybe just limit it to 200 at a time.  Hmmmmmmm.

This is going to be an outpour of BS. I need to get this stuff off my chest so to speak.  If you're a potential customer... well too bad, this is the heart of my business: FEAR and PROCASTINATION!!!!  Yeah, I don't think I'll be linking this blog to my website... I mean when I actually HAVE a website.  Oh, there's that one I made straight off the bat in January but that's not gonna be a stayer.  My friends liked it, loved it in fact but now my business has turned upside down and back to front and that website is redundant.  In fact, I think it's crap and I'm glad I won't be using it.

I have gotten hardly anywhere with the mechanics of organising my business over the past couple of weeks.  Oh, I've had a few little jobs from friends and friends of friends and that's been great but I need to get my insurance sorted and talk to an accountant and sort out a friggin logo!!!

I'm probably just on edge and pissed off because today was going to be the start of my new schedule.  You know the one, get up early, preferably with time for some exercise, get showered and dressed and ready to start my days work at 9am.  Well, I managed to start work at 9am, I just hadn't exercised or showered (I'm sitting here in my PJs). So much for my 2 hours of solid work, then off to do a care shift in the city (I've gotta keep some cash flowing in after all) and then back for another 2 hours solid work from 3-5pm. Four hours of solid work in a day would definitely get me moving forwards. Too bad I couldn't drag my sorry arse from bed this morning.

So I hope you've enjoyed this little vent. This is supposed to be an honest blog and it wouldn't be that without a dose of the 'poor me's.

I better get some work done now... or maybe go have that shower...