Dear reader,

I have just very recently started to really put some serious hours into this blog. I have learned a lot, since I first started with 0 knowledge about blogging. I have to tell you that when I wake up I go straight to my computer to check my blog, and I feel great joy when I see even one person having left me a comment, a link, or simply having visited my blog.

So this letter is for you. If you’ve read one post, thank you. If you’ve been brave enough to comment, thank you.  If you mentioned me in your blog, thank you.

Every person counts. +1 is 10 times better than 0 and 100 times better than -1! So for being that plus one, that person who visited my blog today, thank you!

I am trying to post at least an article every single day. I love to check my favorite blogs every morning and see if they have anything new posted!

I live in Las Vegas, so with it being a very popular tourist destination I know many people could use the info posted here. But I have other interests besides posting about Vegas, and I’m trying to include those too. Like blogging and marketing. To top it off, I love being funny (I don’t always pull it off), so I post my own weird stories and other stuff to bring a smile to your face.

I plan to invest more in this blog as time goes by, and also monetize it a bit. Not to worry, I hate ads, and I’ll try to stay away from them as much as possible. I don’t like visiting sites with tons of ads, even if the articles are interesting. It just annoys me, makes it difficult to follow the site’s natural “flow”, and I end up clicking the X at the top of the page. I’m currently not making ANY money with my blog, but spending money and lots of hours. The most important thing right now is quality, traffic and marketing, not for me to make money (it would be nice though, just for the fun of it, a great feeling to wake up and see you made a dollar!).

I appreciate ANY comment, advice or critique that will help me improve this blog. Please tell me what you think about my posts, my categories, my design, my options for monetizing this blog…anything. You are more than welcomed here.

If you want to contribute in any way, feel free to contact me! Maybe write a post here, or have me write one for you. Tell me something interesting you wrote at your blog, or share something with everybody. You’re a photographer and you want to give me a picture to post it in one of my articles, with a reference to your work/blog. You have some questions for me. You have an idea you want to share with me. Anything at all, feel free to express it.

Thank you, my dear reader

Don’t forget you’re always welcomed here, and please make yourself “heard”! 

I made this new category, BLOGGER LOVE, because I was thinking I really want to show my appreciation for other bloggers that I read, visit, love. Also for bloggers that just started (like me), are struggling, learning, making the world a better place

Let’s get to it then. This is a list I’ve put together, to show my interest and appreciation for just a few bloggers out there (there will be more coming soon).

• Tom Ross at pushstandards. com. Most recent article: Quick Update. Blogs about blogging, marketing, design, photoshop and more. His blog is very new, but he’s managed to drive considerable traffic already! He’s doing a great design job, you can even hire him. Offers great, free tutorials and advice on improving your blog. Make sure to check it out!
• Tish at blogginggal.com. Most recent article: An Unsuspecting Notebook: Taking You Back to the Basics of Blogging.Blogs about blogging, making money online, networking and more. Has a blog design I just love! Definetly a blog you have to visit, maybe you’ll fall in love with it!
• Connor Wilson at connorwilson.com. Most recent article: Last Chance for a Free Design Review. He is also a web designer, blogs about blogging, design, apple, site development and more. Take a look, you can learn a lot!
• Nate at natespost.com. Most recent article: 5 Wordpress Plugins You Can’t Live Without  .Nate’s blog is funny, he has a great sense of humor, plus the most interesting thing about his blog is that it documents his road from currently being unemployed to online wealth. Something we all aspire to… He offers great blogging tips, and a unique opportunity to see if a person can make a full time living from blogging, and how long it takes.
• Matthew Henrickson from blogaboutyourblog.com. Most recent article: Contest Roundup. Matthew’s blog is doing very well, his articles are very interesting and a pleasure to read. He posts about blog contests, making money, marketing and a lot more. A very good source of info !

That’s all for now, love you all, thanks for being there and making this easier!

I LOVE YOU PEOPLE!

As you all probably know, there are a lot of South Americans in Las Vegas. Most of them are Mexicans. And of course, not everybody is extremely nice to them, as a minority, and not everybody loves their neighbours.

I for one love them! The fact that I speak Spanish definitely helps, I also love the language and I like to practice talking Spanish when I get a chance. Many of them don’t know English very good, or at all, and are very glad when they hear you talk in their language. Then you will see how open , caring, enthusiastic and happy they can be!

Another thing I like about them is that they really know how to have fun and be happy, even if they are poor or have hardships in their lives.

They are very tight communities, like their neighbours, and will have a neighbourhood party where they’ll invite everyone, even if they don’t know you that well. And of course, at the party they’ll drink pina coladas, margaritas, cerveza, and they’ll cook tacos, quesadillas, and burritos.

Talking about food, I love Mexican food! My all-time-favourites are the chicken quesadillas.

I think they have wonderful traditions, wonderful and unique cuisine, a rich musical culture, and a warm heart.

So please don’t judge them before learning more about what they represent as a people. I heard many talk badly about Mexicans, and I have no respect for those kind of people. They are ignorant.

Dear Mexican, South American, welcome, prove to everybody you can make it, you’re smart, sensitive, and better than those that try to put you down!

It is very important to wake up in a happy mood that will last all day and help you face the stressful world.        

What you can do before you go to sleep:
1.  Pretend you are in a “spa” for 30 minutes; take a hot bath with salts, put some lotion on your feet, hands, body, a mask on your face, even give yourself a massage (you can do your feet, your face); it will relax you and your skin will thank you as well;
2.  Read a book that will transport you to a different world, and make you forget about your problems and stress;

                   
3.  Read blogs about personal development; there are a few good ones out there that are updated frequently, and will help you feel good about yourself, about life, will teach you how you can cope with stress and finally will give you a positive attitude;

                       
4.  Don’t eat anything greasy or heavy on your stomach; the digestion will be difficult and you won’t get a restful sleep; if you feel hungry, eat something light, like a soup, a salad, a sandwich; also try to avoid chocolate, anything with caffeine, or citrus fruits (will keep you up and you will have a hard time falling asleep);

                             
5.  Drink hot cocoa with milk, tea that’s soothing and relaxing (Chamomile, Linden, Valerian, etc.), use honey instead of sugar;

                  
6.  Play with your pet a little bit; I have a cat and that’s what I do; it helps you relax, feel like a kid again, and your friend will appreciate it too;

                         
7.  Try not to do anything stressful, like talking on the phone, working, watching the news, looking at your bills, or any activity that might worry you;

                       
8.  If you have a hobby like writing, drawing, painting, knitting, practice it for a few minutes, it will relax you and give you the satisfaction that you haven’t neglected your favorite activity;

                        
9.  I like to make a list of the good things that happened during the day and what I accomplished; and also put down things that I could do the following day, like something that I always wanted to do and never did, or something fun that I will be part of tomorrow; this makes you feel happy and excited about the day ahead;

               
10. Make sure your bed is clean, warm, and smells nice; you could even put some aromatic oils by the bed, or lavender in your pillow; no distractions should be in the bedroom (work space, TV, computer); do everything you can to ensure the space used for resting is inviting and stimulating,sleep inducing; you will feel the difference in the morning;

 What you can do when you wake up:
1.  Right after you wake up you can open your window for some fresh air, and exercise a little; some sit-ups, abs, some stretching, 10 minutes is enough to invigorate your body and mind;

              
2.  Take a short shower, not too hot, and end it with cold water to stimulate your body;

           
3.  Eat a healthy breakfast, lots of fruits, fruit juices, vegetables, some eggs, not too much meat;

                   
4.  If you have plants around the house (or a garden), water them, touch them, smell them, the contact with nature will help you focus and give you energy; try to meditate a few minutes on how beautiful and precious life is, and try to visualize your day from a different perspective; just because sometimes we lose track of what’s important and why we do things;

               
5.  Maybe you always take care of everybody else in the morning (the spouse, the kids) but you forget about yourself; take 5 minutes to put on some perfume, lotion, gel in your hair, earrings, fake nails, whatever it takes to make you look and feel good;

                      
6.  Try something new this morning; a little change is good; for example, change the color of your tie/hat/nail polish/shirt: try a bold yellow, a chic fuchsia, a fresh green…it will make your day more interesting and make you feel good about yourself;

                          
7.  Many people think they need energy drinks/pills and lots of coffee to get them through the busy day; try to stay away from those (will make you jumpy and anxious, after the effect is gone you will feel worse than before); if you feel like you need some extra energy, drink natural fruit juices, a few cups of green tea (very healthy and a natural energizer), and take your vitamins (the B’s help the body produce energy); if you had a good night’s sleep and woke up happy, you are perfectly able to face the day;

                       
8.  Read some jokes in a magazine/online; that’s what I do and there’s nothing like waking up and having a few good laughs! Plus, you will have some funny jokes for your colleagues at work today;

                      
9.  Learn something new before you get out the door and start your day; it can either be a new word (in English or another language you might be studying),a historic fact that is celebrated today, or any piece of information that teaches you something new (like the articles on Associated Content); this will give you a sense of achievement, will be useful to you, and will only take a couple of minutes;

                            
10. Now you are all dressed up and ready to get out into the world. Remember what your long term goals are, that you are a unique person, powerful, capable of doing the things you set your mind to, and no matter what happens around you today you will stay happy and focused.

Waking up happy is not easy, of course, but is a goal to pursue. All the little things described will not take long to accomplish, bad habits take longer. It’s all about getting used to thinking positive every single day and not let other people’s unhappiness get to you. Maybe your boss is not a very good, or happy person and takes it out on you today. Maybe even fires you. Always look at the big picture and think a temporary and minor setback is nothing  for you, a strong, determined person. There are a lot of bad people out there, that make themselves and others miserable. If you woke up happy today I think  you can make the world a better place.

I’ve also published this article on AC:  http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/528293/how_to_wake_up_happy.html

I thought I hated cats for a long time. Many people don’t ever come in close contact with cats, and think they could not own one as a pet. The reasons are many: maybe you had a bad experience with a cat when you were little (we all know cats defend themselves when they are “attacked” by little boys that want to pull their tails), maybe you never even touched one just because all your neighbor’s cats were always so elusive, hiding under the furniture or God knows where (you cannot find a cat when she doesn’t want to be found). Maybe you grew up with dogs and, to be loyal, you started to hate cats as well (the two just can’t get along).Or you just grew up with Tom and Jerry, and were in the Jerry fan club.
Here are 8 good reasons to get a cat, or at least to become a cat lover:

1.  Give them a break, they had it rough since the Middle Ages. We still fear black cats for no reason! So get a black cat just to show you are not afraid of superstitions; you can train the cat to walk in a leash, like a dog, and it would be funny to walk it in your neighborhood to see who is scared. And on Halloween, when you open the door for trick-or-treating, do it with the cat in your arms or in a leash (and put some small red horns on it’s head, for the effect);

                      
2.  When cats get to know you they will acknowledge you as their owner, and won’t be as loyal to possibly anyone else. They are independent, and unlike dogs, don’t comply much. A dog might show affection to anyone that gives him a hug, a bone, a treat, a ball…Cats will run away and hide if they don’t know you. And even if they do know you, they won’t show you the affection they have for their master;

                 
3.  Cats are smart and entertaining. You won’t get bored, like with a pet fish. Buy them toys and catnip to keep them happy and they’ll play until they fall asleep with their favorite toy in their mouth. And you’ll be more than welcomed to take part in the game!

                    
4.  Cats are so cute! Especially when they are babies, but they stay cute even grown-ups. I like to take pictures of my cat, she takes the cutest pictures, because she makes “faces”, looks adorable when she sleeps, when she plays with her toys, and twists her body in the weirdest positions (they are very flexible);

    
5.  If you have a farm, you can depend on cats to do the outside job of catching mice. That is their instinct, and even if you don’t feed them a lot or take care of them much, they will be loyal to the farm and do their job. I know my grandfather had a cat that he kept for catching mice; he would hardly ever even take care of it (it was self-sufficient), but still he would find dead mice that it caught in front of the yard; the cat would stay there and “show” him what it caught, he would pet it and say “good job”, and I guess that’s all the cat wanted. Oh, and some milk;

         
6.  If you’re into fashion, you can easily dress up your cat. Or make some clothes for it yourself. Plus you can buy a whole range of accessories for your cat, like collars, bracelets, tiaras, and then walk it outside and parade;

    
7.  Cats are low maintenance: all you need is a littler box (that you can clean every day or so), a food container (you can feed the cat twice or three times a day), and some toys. You don’t need to bath a cat very often, some people do only every few months. A dog is a lot more expensive to maintain, requires a lot of attention, walking out a few times a day, regular baths. If you are so busy that you don’t even pet your cat for days (but you remember to feed it), it will be just fine;

           
8.  Cats give you love too, despite what they say. A lot, in fact. They like to fall asleep in your lap, to cuddle in bed with you, to be petted, and they show it by purring. The purr of a cat is very relaxing, if you get to keep a cat in your arms and she starts to purr you might think cats are not so bad after all;I hope you see cats with a little more sympathy now; either way, they are here to stay, and even if you are a dog person, I know a piece of you  doesn’t want to admit that you might actually enjoy the company of a cat.

I’ve also published this article on AC:  http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/532173/8_good_reasons_to_love_cats.html

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Have you been good this year?

I have!!!! And I want many many many presents! My Christmas list:

• a brand-new convertible
• the deed to a platinum mine
• a diamond ring
• an iPhone :)))

What’s your Christmas list?

Oh, I forgot to put SNOW on the list!!! Little chances of that in Vegas…

Why is Christmas my favorite? Here:

• it marks the birth of Christ - what better time to be good, generous, appreciative ?
• it makes kids so happy - and you can’t keep a grumpy face on when you see all those happy children!
• it resurfaces the kid in you - opening the presents, putting up the Christmas tree…takes you way back to when you used to believe in Santa, doesn’t it?
• it’s full of lights - which makes your town and your home look like a magical place where anything can happen
• it’s the holiday with most presents, candy and good stuff 
• it’s the only time of the year when you can listen to (and sing) carols without people thinking you’re nuts

And the list could go on and on….

Enjoy Christmas, remember to be good for goodness sake, leave the mean stuff out, the daily stress, and be like the powerpuff girls: sugar and spice and everything nice!!!! Or Santa will leave you a coal.