How to Add a Retweet Button to your WordPress.com Blog

NOTE: These tips only work for WordPress.com blogs, not WordPress.org.  Watch this space for the WordPress.org solution!

WordPress.com offers a really simple method to add a retweet button to your posts.  This will enable your blog visitors to share your posts on Twitter.  Simply add the following text to your post (visual or HTML tab, it doesn’t matter), wherever you want the button to appear.

[tweetmeme source= "<Your Twitter username>" only_single=false]

Replace the text in red with your own username but keep the quotation marks.  By default, the button will be right-justified.

You Know You’re a Mum When…

Thanks to Christine Mosler for posing this meme on her blog.  

You know you’re a mum when:

Brad Pitt - Still working, apparently. Photo: Thomas Peter Schulz (click for licensing info)

1. The attic is full of reminders of your former life – ornaments, skinny tops and books.
2. The 10 o’clock news is on too late to watch.
3. A night out with the one you love feels weird.
4. The common cold fills you with terror and you are fascinated by poo.
5. The last time you went to the cinema was to watch Brad Pitt… in 12 Monkeys.
6. You can catch vomit in your hands without gagging.
7. You no longer have a flat tummy and big, bouncy boobs… it’s the other way round now.
8. You frown on smokers…
9. …but not on people who let their kids run riot in the supermarket.
10. You no longer see pink clothes as being representative of the continued subjugation of women in a patriarchal society… just cute.

 

New Blog Site – Culinary Capers

I’ve just launched a brand new blog, Culinary Capers for the Suddenly Single, for people who find themselves alone, for whatever reason, and are not quite sure what to do in the kitchen!  It is inspired by my lovely dad, who has coped so amazingly since losing Mum earlier this year.

I want to keep this blog updated at least twice a week so I’m relying on all you lovely people to keep it updated with recipes, stories and ideas.  Please do take a look and, if you like what you see, sign up via the subscribe button on the top right and pass the word on to your friends!

Thank you.

My Recipe for Success!

This article was originally published on the Success Network blog, a great resource for women in business!

My Greatest Success in Business

I measure my success on an ongoing basis by the amount of repeat business I get.  There are individual achievements that stand out though and one was when the BBC published a press release of mine unchanged on its website.

My Greatest Challenge in Business

When you run your own business or work as a sole trader, you take on everything and become MD, employee, PA, IT Consultant, Sales and Marketing Director and HR Manager all at once!  Sometimes it can be frustrating when all you want to do is focus on what you do best, whilst keeping your overheads down. However, it has given me a greater understanding of the challenges that my clients face and, if I’m honest, I took a lot of these support services for granted when I was an employee.

Just over a year ago, I joined one of Success Network’s Inner Circles and when I’m really stuck, I look to my fellow members for ideas and support. I’m also considering hiring a virtual PA.

What I do Outside of Work

When I’m not working, I am looking after my children, aged 4 and 2, and ferrying them to and from swimming and music lessons – I never realised that the taxi days would start so soon!  I try to get out in the garden when I can; my grandfather was a professional gardener and I like to think I have inherited his enthusiasm, if not all of the talent!

After writing, music is a real passion for me.  It’s not so easy to spend time playing the piano with two `helpers’ at my side but I am a member of the Elentone Singers, based in Cox Green, and this means I can indulge myself with a bit of `me time’ every Thursday.

I also enjoy photography.  I have an entry-level digital SLR, which produces great results, but I still go to my friend and fellow IC member, photographer Alison Crown, for the really clever stuff.

How I Achieve Work-Life Balance

It’s hard!  When I first started out in business, I was working evenings so that I could look after my son during the day.  It was stressful because my husband couldn’t always be home early, so I would sometimes be working into the night.  We also missed out on valuable time together.  Now that I have part-time childcare, the pressure has eased.  It’s not easy with small children though and you really do need to feel passionate about what you are doing to make the sacrifices worthwhile.

Words of Advice for Women in Business

1. Working from home can be great, but you need to be careful not to be distracted by domestic pressures.  Even when you plan your day really well, you can be knocked off track by appliances breaking down, unexpected visitors and calls, sick children or building projects.  Yes, all of these things have happened to me!
2. Don’t count on being able to work and watch your children at the same time – you can’t. Try to arrange childcare and/or work in the evenings when they are asleep.  The biggest mistake I ever made was to take on a project on the basis that my son had two naps a day.  On the first day, he decided to switch to one!
3. Try to switch off when you have finished.  If you can work in a spare room and shut the door at the end of the day, so much the better.
4. Value yourself and your work – it is important, not just a hobby.
5. Seek support from other businesswomen who will all be facing similar issues and challenges.

Catherine Osborn is a freelance writer who helps to take the pain out of creating well-written, compelling copy.  Find out more at catherineosborn.wordpress.com.

Deerton Natural Burial Ground

Last week, I took a day-trip to Kent to sort out Mum’s probate and, after a lovely lunch in Hernhill, paid a visit to Deerton Natural Burial Ground with my dad and brother.  

It was a really pleasant surprise to see how much it has changed in the few weeks since we were last there – now there are poppies, thistles, wild flowers, knee-high grass, butterflies and insects.  

The only downside is that the rabbits no longer consider Mum’s grave to be a high enough vantage point; judging by the lack of fresh droppings, clearly haven’t paid a visit for a while!  

  

 
    

When I got back home, I decided to make my first attempt at a panorama (click on the photo to see it full-sized). After trying to stitch the photos together myself, I discovered that Windows Live Photo Gallery does it all for you and it is already installed on my PC! It even smooths out the changes in colour that you see in the separate pictures.  

  

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Originally, I just posted the panorama to my blog so that my friends and family can see it but it has generated quite a lot of interest, hence the addition of extra photos! Natural burial is such a good idea, if you are interested in finding out more, please take a look at the following links:  

• Deerton Natural Burial Ground
• Native Woodland
• The Natural Death Centre

Please feel free to suggest more.

Elentone Singers – A Summer Concert of Fun and Frivolity!

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAIDENHEAD, UK

A Summer Concert of Fun and Frivolity!

The Elentone Singers, Cox Green Community Choir, announces its second performance

Cox Green Community Choir, The Elentone Singers, will be holding its summer concert on 15^th July, 8-10pm, at its new home, Cox Green School.

The choir, formed in October 2009, will offer a varied programme of traditional music from around the world, which will include an English mining song, North American spirituals, foreign language lullabies and there will be one huge surprise!

The concert is open to all and there is no entrance fee.  There will be a collection and raffle for the Slough branch of Women’s Aid, a charity that helps all victims of domestic violence.

People who are interested in joining for the Autumn term are invited to come along, see what the choir is about and chat to its members during the interval.  The choir is open to people of all abilities and locations, not just Cox Green, and there are no auditions or waiting lists.

Musical Director, Lyn Thomson, says, “The Elentone Singers is a relatively new choir and I’m delighted with the progress we’ve made in such a short time.  People who claimed not to be able to sing a note soon found their voices and the resulting sound is amazing.”

For further information, please call Lyn on 01628 622651 or visit www.elentonesingers.com.

ENDS

About The Elentone Singers

The Elentone Singers was founded by Maidenhead-based music teacher, Lyn Thomson, in October 2009.  The choir is named after the ancient settlement of Elentone that was located in the North Town area of Maidenhead.  In January 2010, the choir moved to its new home in Cox Green School to the west of the town. 

The ethos of the choir is that given the right encouragement, anybody can sing.  There are, therefore, no auditions or waiting lists.

Contact

Lyn Thomson     01628 622651
Rebecca Bond   01628 820069
www.elentonesingers.com

Photographs attached, please acknowledge Ana Taylor.

  

Why We Need a Cure for Cancer

I’m lucky to come from a family where longevity is the norm but every so often, once in a generation in fact, something happens to shock us out of our complacency.   In 1941, great uncle Jim was killed, probably executed, in the Siege of Crete at the tender age of 23.  Just over 40 years later, my dad’s brother Brian succumbed to liver cancer at the age of 39, dying just six weeks after he was diagnosed.  Fast-forward to this year and my apparently healthy mum was struck down by a massive brain haemorhage just one month short of her 70th birthday.

Although Mum obviously lived longer than my uncles, we still felt that she died too soon – we were robbed of her 70s and 80s and she was robbed of precious time with her grandchildren.  In the midst of our shock, however, we comforted ourselves with the knowledge that she didn’t suffer for long – 30 seconds at the most.  And, although it is difficult to look at the positives in situations like these, we are truly grateful that she never had cancer.

The weekend before Mum died, I remarked to her and Dad that I was really lucky to have both parents – all but two of my close friends don’t.  In the last ten years, the toll stands as follows:

• One mother lost to breast cancer
• One mother lost to a brain tumour
• A mother and a father lost to lung cancer
• Two mothers lost to ovarian cancer
• Three parents lost to other causes (stroke  x 2 and Alzheimer’s)
• One friend about to lose her good friend to cancer – a young mother in her 30s

Against that grim backdrop:

• One friend is in remission from leukaemia
• One friend’s husband is free of kidney cancer after it was caught early.
• The sister-in-law of another friend has been clear of breast cancer for 5+ years
• My father-in-law is a survivor of bowel cancer (10+ years)

In 2009, we learned that the Queen Mother was successfully treated for bowel cancer in her 60s.  She escaped a painful, lingering death to die peacefully in her sleep in her favourite armchair, at the age of 101.  Who wouldn’t want that kind of exit for themselves or their loved ones?

Finding a cure for cancer isn’t about cheating death, it’s about seeing our children to adulthood, watching our grandchildren growing up and possibly even meeting our great grandchildren.  It’s about dying peacefully, without pain and, we hope, without fear.   There will always be people who leave us too young but by eliminating cancer we can slash the number of premature and painful deaths.

In July, I will be running the Race for Life to remember Uncle Brian and raise money for Cancer Research.  If you would like to help me reach my target of £250, please take a look at my sponsorship page.

Thank you!

The Buzz that is Social Networking

It’s really exciting to have been able to watch the digital revolution unfolding and bringing with it new ways of working and interacting with people.  As someone who has always relished the idea of working from home as a writer, social networking offers the opportunity to do exactly that, without losing touch with my clients, family and friends.  And increasingly, I’m finding myself helping people with their social networking while they focus on what they do best.

I was delighted, therefore, to be invited to assist with a series of workshops run by Success Network.  Not only did I meet some really interesting people and extend my “real-life” network, I also got the chance to pop in and visit some old colleagues at the Regus building in Slough!

There are various reasons why people shy away from social networking; for some it’s the fear of the unknown, some find it difficult to find the time and some people just haven’t had the chance to assess the business benefits.  The workshop covered all of these areas along with a whole lot more and the feedback was really positive.  I’d thoroughly recommend them to anyone who likes the idea of using social media as a networking tool, without overselling and becoming a marketing bore (yes, that’s covered too).

I was also more than happy to help out with the PR.  You can read the press release below or in today’s Business Monthly in the Maidenhead Advertiser (copy here).

Photo: Andrew Sansom

 

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BERKSHIRE, UK

New Training Initiative Takes the Fear out of Social Media

Success Network has just run a series of highly-successful “Social Media in Practice” courses at Regus in Slough, two of which were exclusively for micro businesses run by women. These highly-practical, hands on courses were an overriding success and the funding organisation praised its innovative format and design and the great results.

The participants found using social media much easier than they thought and said the course was really easy to follow due to the simple step-by-step instruction. Attendees said that they now feel much more comfortable with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, with Caroline Shaw, of Shaw Styling, adding, “it really takes the fear out of social media!”

The sessions were run by Success Network founder and networking expert, Ute Wieczorek-King, with other experienced colleagues. Ute says, “Understanding how social networking works can bring huge benefits to a small business. It is much more than a free marketing tool and small businesses who get on board now will secure a huge advantage over their competitors.”

The delegates were all owners of micro businesses who wanted to tap into the power of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to enable them to promote their businesses more effectively.  Ute added, “Unlike any other tool, social media can help you to keep up with the competition and understand your target audiences better.”

Attendees had been asked to bring their own laptops so that they could work online in small groups, with the assistance of experienced facilitators. 

The delegates left the course with new contacts – each other!  More importantly, however, the course taught them the skills necessary to find, connect and communicate with the right people online. Trisha Mentzel from B2B Event Management, who attended one of the courses  says, “The workshop was excellent at giving the basics for starting to use social media and it gave me the confidence to start writing comments, posts and tweeting. Now I just need to stick to my goals! Thanks for a very practical and enjoyable workshop.”

Success Network’s next hands-on workshops run during May and June, in Maidenhead and Marlow.  More information can be found on the Success Network website at www.successnetwork.org.uk/workshops.htm

#ENDS

Secrets of a Millionaire

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Businesswomen Find Fun and Inspiration at Thames Valley’s Annual Celebration of International Women’s Day

Liz Jackson, MBE (Photo: Alison Crown)

120 Thames Valley businesswomen attended an event to celebrate International Women’s Day, “Essential Business Secrets for Success” at Reading’s Hilton Hotel on Monday 8th March.  A successful first joint venture by Success Network, Business Link and the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, the highlight of the evening was a keynote speech by Secret Millionaire, Liz Jackson, MBE.

Liz gave a humorous account of how she built up her marketing business from scratch at the age of 25, despite having rapidly-failing sight and no money.  A key component of her success, she told the audience, was to embrace set-backs, as these represent “the best learning curve” that a person can experience.  She went on to warn that traditional goal-setting, which focuses on achievability, can stifle potential.

Guest Diksha Chakravati, of Fixme, said, “‘Meeting so many like-minded dynamic women in business, listening to Liz Jackson and tucking into the delicious food was a truly heart-warming and inspirational experience. I’d like to thank the organisers for this splendid event and I’m looking forward to the centenary event next year!’”

Success Network founders, Ute Wieczorek-King and Mary Fraser, offered their customary blend of focused mini-workshops and speed-networking events, whilst a roulette table and more traditional raffle raised funds for children’s hospice Naomi House. Ute said “We really appreciate Business Link’s support this year and were also bowled over by the generosity of all our sponsors when donating prizes and in particular Champneys, Kinnarps and Menzies Accountants.”

Shemila Therani, representing the evening’s key sponsor, Business Link, said, “This first joint venture has proved a resounding success.  By taking part in this three-way collaboration, we were able to create something that was greater than the sum of its parts and initial feedback shows that the attendees found the evening both entertaining and inspirational.”  

Lorna Cummings, from Business Link, gave a very informative introduction to the support that the organisation offers to women in business, and other inspirational speakers included Beth Rogers, a leading sales management thinker as well as Helen Krag and Hélène Cooper.   

Ginette Gower, of Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, said, “’The event had something for all ladies present whether they are at a career crossroads, looking to start or grow a business, or just to take some time out. Along with the other sponsors, the Chamber is committed to support women in business”

#ENDS

About:

International Women’s Day:

This event has been celebrated annually for nearly a century. The day unites thousands of women all across the world in a global celebration of the economic, political and social achievements of women. 2010 is Success Network’s fifth International Women’s Day celebration.  http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

Success Network:

The Success Network is a not-for-profit organisation which runs informal networking sessions and mutual support programmes for women members across the Thames Valley. Members work in all sectors, both as business owners and as employed professionals. http://www.successnetwork.org.uk

Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce:

Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Group works with businesses across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire to help them achieve their full business potential through: meeting new customers; cutting costs; developing their workforce; influencing local decision makers; and arming them with business intelligence.  Membership is available to all businesses.  http://www.thamesvalleychamber.co.uk/.

Business Link:

Business Link helps entrepreneurs to start up new enterprises and maintain and grow established businesses.  This is done by ensuring that business owners and senior managers can quickly and easily locate and benefit from the broadest range of public, private and voluntary business support services.  Business Link’s information and advice services are available through the website http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/southeast or by phoning 0845 600 9 006.

My Second Poem, a Ghostly Tale

One night in 2006, when my son was small, I was lying on his bedroom floor waiting for the little monkey to go to sleep! Feeling a certain chill in the air I let my mind wander and before long, I had the beginnings of a poem complete with rhyming pairs and a clickety-clack railway rhythm. I sent it to my Dad, he said, “Good” (I’m tempted to send him something dire to see what he says then) and then I filed it away. Until last October. Writing Magazine had a poetry competition with a ghostly theme and I decided to send it in.

The rules stated that winners would be notified by February 15th and if we hadn’t heard by then, we could safely submit our work to other competitions/publications. February 15th came and went and I heard nothing. I also knew that runners up would get a mention in the magazine but I assumed that they would be informed and I still didn’t hear anything. So I resigned myself to the fact that my clickety-clack hadn’t impressed.

A few days ago, the April edition of the magazine plopped onto the mat. I ripped it open and went straight to the results page to see who/what had won and there, on the bottom left-hand-corner, was my name! It felt really good! I have decided to try it somewhere else and, due to the “previously unpublished” requirements of many competitions, I can’t publish it here but I will just share my little bit of joy with you.