How to...Increase Your Network of Friends

It's faster, easier and less time consuming than this:



Until next time...

peace,

Mike

Social Networking Blues

We all do it, even without realizing we do it. Some of us do it more than others, while others do it a lot more than some. We do it in the morning, sipping our caffeinated beverage of choice (you know what mine is), midday, while munching our lunch, sometimes while preparing meatless meatloaf (or any other healthy fare) for dinner, and often deep into the wee hours. In fact, most of us, or dare I say, all of us, do it throughout the day and night, as often as we can, whenever we can steal a minute here or a half-second there. Admit it, you’re doing it now! Heck, so am I! Yikes! I can’t stop doing it!

What are we all doing? You guessed it, social networking. Or more to the point: electronic, online, surfing-the-net, cyber-social networking. It’s the new sitting-around-the-coffee-shop-chatting-with-your-pals interaction, replacing face-to-face meet-and-greets with “tweets,” “shouts,” “subscribers,” and “Facebook friends.” (go ahead, add me as your friend, I dare ya!). It’s the phenomenon that is and has been sweeping the world for years, only now it appears to be multiplying faster than the national deficit.

You want to know what the ironic, funny thing of all this is? I never in a million years ever thought that I would be heavily involved in social networking, let alone writing a blog post about it. LET ALONE CREATING A MUSIC VIDEO ABOUT IT! But I am and have. More on the vid in a minute.

How did I get involved in all this electronic-interaction of the cyber kind? You’re looking at it, or, more to the point, reading it. Yup, blogging. It all started with my video website, livelife365.com. I created that site as a venue to help people improve their lives and to share that information with as many people as possible, probably one of the many reasons you created your site, right? One of the first things I did was create this blog. Blogging, I discovered, was an excellent way to reach hundreds of people, with the ultimate goal: hoping as many interested people as possible would eventually visit my vid site. Blogging is, after all, a form of social networking, as I soon found out, with commenting being a major electronic interaction between like-minded souls.

And it just kind of snowballed from there. As I visited and read more blogs, I discovered more social networking sites like Digg, Stumbleupon, and Entrecard. And tremendous sites for bloggers like MyBlogLog and BlogCatalog. As a videographer, I naturally migrated to video-sharing sites like YouTube and FunnyorDie. I went social networking crazy, and if it weren’t for healthy sites like Iowa Avenue, I might have gone nuts, or at least more nutty than I already am.

What eventually evolved from all this social networking, which so often does for me, was a seed of creativity. I mean, I don’t know about you, but I have kind of a love/hate thing going with social networking. I love visiting cool and interesting blogs and websites, learning new things and meeting a diverse group of bloggers and SoNets (my new word, just invented, for “social networkers”). But, quite frankly, it can get exhausting, overwhelming, tedious (at times), and time-consuming. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy visiting dozens of blogs and sites every day, but there are times when I wish I could hop aboard a time machine and travel back to a place where there were no computers, or even televisions, for that matter. And then I stumble upon a new site that catches my eye and I thank god that I live in this amazing technological time period. Sleep? Who needs sleep?

So, one night, I was doing my social networking thing, and my brain, while fighting fatigue and getting punchy, came up with the following song. I then got out my trusty video camera and began shooting. As always, I had help. Mostly, my good buddy and the other half of the Hungry and Poor Band, Dale from Electric Canyon Studios. Dale is the guy who makes my voice sound better than average, while adding so much to my mediocre guitar playing it is beyond words. He is also a master video editor. His magical touch and relentless patience makes our collaborative efforts effortless. You may recognize him from my I Miss My Hair video; he’s the one with hair! Thanks, Dale.

Please take a few minutes and enjoy my latest music video:

SOCIAL NETWORKING BLUES




Sure, social networking can seem like an endless chore, at times, but more often than not it is an effort of joy, a linking between souls connected, perhaps tens of thousands of miles away, through the touch of a mouse, the flicker of a finger across a keyboard, or the click of a link, like this one, which will take you to Mike‘s Lyrics, if you would like to read along while you watch:

SOCIAL NETWORKING BLUES.

And remember, please drop me a comment at my video site letting me know what you think about my latest, or any other, video.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

My Mom Makes One Mean Lasagna

During my recent visit Back East to, among other things, attend my brother‘s wedding, I also stumbled upon a serendipitous epiphany of gourmet delectability.

Huh?

Big words (just showing off) that merely mean: My Mom Makes One Mean Lasagna!

One Mean Vegetable Lasagna, that is.

I grew up in a half-Italian household, by that I mean an Italian household. If you know Italians, then you understand that they have a tendency to dominate a room…or a home. Gastronomically speaking, this is a good thing! The funny thing is, my mom is not the Italian in the family, she’s French. But by marrying an Italian man, she was bound by Sicilian and old Francis Ford Coppola Films tradition to learn, from a genuine Nana, how to make a
tomato sauce from scratch. And also how to please the garlic- and olive oil-loving palate of a gentleman with a vowel at the end of this last name. The good news: she more than passed the test; she excelled.

Have I mentioned: My Mom Makes One Mean Lasagna!

So, when I informed my mother that I would be taking that big (not that big, actually) jumbo jet in the sky back to her neck of the woods to be among family and friends to celebrate her youngest child’s nuptials, she naturally asked if she could cook something special for me. And I naturally requested her World Famous Lasagna…but with one catch.

Mike: Can you make me a vegetable lasagna?
Mom: Oh…I’ve never made one of those.
Mike: I know, that’s why I’m asking you. No meatballs.
Mom: Oh…you used to love my meatballs.
Mike: Yes, Ma, I did, but I’m a vegetarian now. Remember?
Mom: Oh…right. You can’t eat meatballs?
Mike: No meat, Ma. None. So, can you make a meatless lasagna?
Mom: Oh…I suppose. What kind of vegetables do you want?
Mike: Anything, surprise me.
Mom: Oh…
Mike: And no pork fat, please, in the sauce.
Mom: Oh…dear…what?
Mike: Mom?
Mom: Oh…but I always use pork fat.
Mike: Yes, I know. Can you use something else?
Mom: Oh…I suppose…
Mike: Mom?
Mom: Oh…
Mike: Mom?
Mom: Oh…

On and on it went until we agreed that olive oil would be a healthy and tasty alternative to the pork fat my mother usually adds to the saucepan in which to sauté the onions and garlic and whatever else she uses to start her World Famous Tomato Sauce.

During the weeks and days leading up to my trip Back East, my mother would call often, grilling me on my vegetable preferences.

Mike: Hello?
Mom: Michael, do you like mushrooms?
Mike: Huh?
Mom: For the lasagna.
Mike: Oh. Yeah, sure, love ‘em.
Mom: How about your brother?
Mike: Huh?
Mom: Do you think he’s allergic to them?
Mike: Huh?
Mom: Or his fiancée?
Mike: Huh?
Mom: How about eggplant?
Mike: Huh?
Mom: Cauliflower?
Mike: …

After numerous calls and some serious consideration of adding my mother’s phone number to my “no-call” list, we settled on what will from this point on be known as “The Masterpiece.”

I landed in my old state on a Monday and sat down to a small gathering of family and friends at mom’s house on a Tuesday. My salivary glands the only part of my body not suffering from jet lag, I watched with utter amazement as my tiny mother removed from the oven a tray of vegetable lasagna, slightly larger than some of the carry-on luggage I saw my fellow air passengers unsuccessfully trying to cram into the overhead bin.

Heaped upon a plate before me was a wedge of lasagna, roughly the size of my head while wearing a large hat. I dug in. It melted in my mouth. The veggies were cooked just right; not too crunchy or too limp. And the tomato sauce was the best ever: savory and vibrant. Without the overpowering (sorry meat-eaters) presence of the meatballs and pork fat, I could taste more of the tomato and garlic, which also brought out the succulent olio of flavor from the broccoli, mushrooms, cauliflower, and eggplant.


It was delicious!

It was “The Masterpiece.”

When I stated that my mom made one mean lasagna, I wasn’t kidding. Now I can emphatically add that:

My Mom Makes One Mean Vegetable Lasagna!

The moral of this story: For a healthier, tastier life, go veggie and hold the meatballs.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Ask Mike

Got a question for me? An observation about something I’ve written or a topic you felt needed more of an explanation? Or maybe you just need to vent or rant or release some hot air?
Bring it on! Go ahead, ask me anything you want. I will take on all questions, relating to any topic, and respond to them in upcoming posts.

Here are a few that have been hanging around for way too long, like a clueless relative in your guest bedroom.

Q: Hi Mike! Has your blog received any awards lately?

A: Wow, funny you should ask that. In fact, I have gotten a few awards, but have not had the chance to publicly give my thanks or mention them. I think I will right now.

Recently I got a Brillante Weblog Premio-2008
award from Confessions of a Fitness Diva. Thanks, Diva! I really enjoy this blog, it offers great information and advice dealing with health and fitness, written by a fitness instructor, trainer, and boxing champ. You won’t wanna mess with this diva, but will want to read her blog.

Q: Any others?

A: Keep your shirt on, I’m getting to them.

Polly over at Random Ramblings gave me an Awesome Site Award.
Pretty cool, huh? I mean, awesome! Thanks, Polly, you made my day! If you have not visited Polly’s site, I highly recommend you do so. This is an eclectic mix of interesting observations ranging from (in Polly’s words) “…a mixture of posts from wild life observations, occasional items of general interest, country recipes and my cat.” Check it out, you’ll be glad you did.

I also received a BFF Gold Card from Rayne at Thoughts. Thanks, Rayne, much appreciated.
This is an inspirational and thoughtfully written blog that offers a nice, kind, refreshing word whenever I visit.

Q: I really like your blog, Mike, but recently discovered that you also have a video site. Can you give me an update on what‘s going on there?

A: First, thanks for your kind words. My video site, livelife365.com, has new videos added all the time. In fact, this link will take you to the most recent videos page.

Q: What came first, the video site or the blog?

A: Good question. livelife365.com was originally created as a video-driven website, or vlog, designed as a format for me to discuss my views and thoughts about health, personal development, and entertainment, using videos. But while promoting and networking my video site, I soon discovered the amazing world of blogs and bloggers. Since I have been a writer for years, I decided to join the club and write a blog, in addition to creating videos. I have found, since I love performing in front of the camera and still enjoy writing, that I have the best of both worlds. Please enjoy this video to hear more about my feelings on this topic.

Q: What blogs do you enjoy?

A: Now, that is one tough question, given that I read dozens of blogs each week. I have written and talked about several of my favorite blogs in past posts and previous videos, and here are a few more:

GLCzone is the place to visit if you are seeking a complete directory of Health related blogs. There are literally hundreds of blogs here that cover fitness, nutrition, self improvement, motivation, addiction, any topic you can imagine.

Here are two great health blogs that are kind of a package deal:
Paul‘s Health Blog and A Junk-foodaholic‘s Journey to a Healthy Lifestyle. This husband and wife team both offer outstanding health and fitness advice, written with a down to earth voice that you will enjoy. And, they are two of the nicest bloggers you will ever meet.

For thought-provoking and humorous writing, visit Thinking Out Loud Blog and The Junk Drawer. I read these blogs all the time.

And if you enjoy following the fun antics of interesting cats, check out Daisy the Curly Cat and Luxor A White Cat. I always leave these blogs with a smile on my face, and that’s a good thing.

Q: I really enjoyed this “Ask Mike” segment. Where did this idea come from?

A: Actually, my video site. There are several “Ask Mike” videos that address all kinds of questions that I have been receiving over the past several months. Drop by livelife365.com and watch a few. And if you have a question for me, leave a comment at the end of this blog post or, if you prefer a video response, you can go to “contact us” or “messages” on my vid site and ask me there.

Q: Hey, are you about done? I have other things to do, you know.

A: Me too. Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Mike recommends…Social Networking!

If you are a serious blogger, or just a sociable sort who loves the Internet, then you probably know all about the large number of social networking sites out there. I am a member of dozens of them, and while some are better than others, depending on what it is you're looking for, I would like to show you a few that I visit often. Below is a list of only a handful of sites that I use regularly and highly recommend—there are lots more, and I will eventually make videos about some of them as well. Yes, videos. On my video site, I have a section called Mike Recommends…, which I use to endorse products, blogs, and websites. In this post, I would like to call attention to that section of my site, along with my favorite blogs and networking sites.

You see, I am a man torn between two worlds, that of the blogger and vlogger. I love my vid site and enjoy the process of creating videos to share with the masses. But, being a writer for years, I have discovered that writing a blog is also an incredibly satisfying experience. The solution: do both! Which I am attempting to do. But it's like being a parent with more than one child, trying to allot equal time to each—you must be careful to make sure one does not get more attention than the other. Or worse, one is not being treated better than the other. It's a juggling act of my time and creative energies, but one I thoroughly enjoy.

So, I hope while you enjoy this post, you also learn a bit more about what makes me and livelife365 tick. Just as I hope you take the time to click on the links below and enjoy a mere handful from the hundreds of videos available at livelife365.com. Also, please check out the new What's Happening box at the top of the site page.

These are some (and by no means all) of the social networking sites I use and highly recommend:

Iowa Avenue

I'm a member of this community, a wonderful site that shares lots of my ideals about health, fitness, and exercise. If you like livelife365, you will enjoy Iowa Avenue.

Healthy Lifestyle Bloggers

One site loaded with dozens of health and fitness bloggers? Yup, this is the place . I am a member and visit daily--you should too.

Good Reads

I love to read and talk about the books I have read, am reading, and want to read. You can do all that, and more, at this site.

Blog Catalog

A great site it you love blogs and blogging. As the site itself notes, "whether you are looking to search blogs, connect with bloggers, learn more about blogging, or promote your own blog, BlogCatalog is for you."

Digg

Check out this great news and entertainment sharing site. I use it just about every day. Digg it!

StumbleUpon

Another great social networking site that I visit all the time. If you enjoy websurfing and interacting with people, this is the place.

YouTube and Metacafe

Both are video sharing sites that I use extensively. One you've probably heard about, the other one is pretty good too.


Here are some websites and blogs that I recommend:

Health Nut Wannabee Mom

One of the many excellent blogs out there that focuses on healthy lifestyle and fitness. This one is one of the better ones.

Ecolive.tv

If you're looking for a great video site that is all about environmental issues, this is the place to visit.

WebXpertz

For web hosting, website development, and a great forum to answer all your coding, styling, scripting, and programming needs, this is the city to visit. Their specialty is JavaScript.

Multi Media Information

For Web design, digital Imagery, Research, Editing, Database management, and all other web-related services at reasonable rates, I rely on my good friend Eric at MMI. He can help you establish an online identity from the ground up, thoroughly copyedit an existing site with his exacting eye and strong language skills, add user-friendly and profit-generating functionality, or even completely overhaul your window on the world with a basic redesign.

Is Self-Promotion A Bad Thing?

Here I am, dedicating a blog post about something most bloggers regularly do: promote their blogs. Yet, is this a good or bad thing? Well, when it's your blog getting promoted, it's a good thing, right? I'm half-kidding here, but you get the point. I am constantly being asked for an add-for-an-add, sub-for-a-sub, rate my blog and I'll rate yours, add me to my blogroll, scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. The bottom line is this: I don't mind self-promotion, not one bit.

One of the things I enjoy about promoting my blog is the social networking. I have met hundreds of nice people out there doing the same thing I'm doing--working hard at attempting to communicate to the masses about topics dear to our hearts. And if having to toot your own horn every now and then is what it takes to get the word out, then toot away! Okay, well, here goes:

I am excited about several things happening at livelife365 these days, including a new advertisement that I am showcasing in this blog entry. I welcome any feedback, but would really welcome anyone wanting to use it to promote my blog and website on their site. Drop me a line if you would be interested in adding it to your site.

I also have just published a new book, this one is called "Mikey and the Mysterious Kite." It is a young adult fantasy novel about an eleven-year-old boy who discovers a magical kite outside his bedroom window. The kite has the power to transport its owner anywhere in the world, during any time period. Read how the mysterious kite takes Mikey and his friends on an adventure that includes wizards, kings, dragons, and much more. Click on the link to the right of this blog entry or visit my Products page at livelife365.com. By the way, you don't have to be a kid to enjoy this story.

My last self-promotion is a video that I have posted at Metacafe and YouTube (as well at the bottom of this page) titled "Lose Weight at livelife365.com." Watch it and let me know what you think. In it, I bare my chest to show how much weight I have lost over the past several months. The fact that I have the nerve, or gall, if you will, to remove my shirt in front of potentially millions (on a very good day in my fantasy world) of people is testimony to how much I want to share the secrets of my success in weight loss. I have several videos dealing with health, nutrition, exercise and weight loss that, I know, can help countless people. I hope this video helps get the word out.

So, to self-promote or not self-promote? After reading this blog post I will let you be the judge.

Until next time...

peace,

Mike