Let's talk about content calendars. I know, you were hoping I'd bring that up. It's the elephant in the room for bloggers. To plan, or not to plan? Are you a spontaneous creative who chafes at the idea of doggedly scheduling out content? Or, rather, a panicked planner who breaks into a sweat at the very thought of having to come up with creative ideas on a regular basis? Here's the good news: using a content calendar can help you both. WordPress RI Meetup Details I'm excited to announce that I … [Read more...]
Blog like a Boss: Boston WordPress Meetup Video & Slides
Thanks to everyone who attended the recent Boston WordPress Meetup! It was a great group and I truly enjoyed presenting. Special thanks to Tom and Reiko Beach of TRB Designs, who kindly invited me to speak. Tom and Reiko run the Boston WordPress Meetup, which has been going on at the Microsoft NERD Center since 2008. Video and slides If you missed my blogging talk, but you still want to learn how to blog like a boss, check out the video. Sorry for the moments I slipped off-screen. I tend to … [Read more...]
Upcoming Blogging Talk at Boston WordPress Meetup
Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to talk. I especially love to talk about blogging, and I’ve been able to do that a lot this year through WordCamp RI and also through my Blog Like a Boss class at CCPE. For me, it's an honor to be asked to share info with these groups. The WordPress community is incredibly supportive, and I learn a ton of great tips whenever I attend one of these events! I am excited to announce that I will be talking about blogging as a small business owner next week. I … [Read more...]
WTF Words: Post-election Edition
Yes, I know...a few months ago, I promised you rants about misused words and phrases. And believe me, I have been ranting in my mind every time I see them. Just because it took me this long to get one up on the blog does not mean I have been ignoring it (or you, dear readers). I apologize for making you wait, from my heart and from my high school Latin class: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. To reward your patience, here is another WTF Word. This misused phrase has been driving … [Read more...]
Photo Shoot with Providence-area Interior Designer
We love to celebrate our clients by featuring them on our website and blog. You’ll see their pictures everywhere when you’re here, because they’re the reason we’re in business! We never take their trust in us for granted. Recently, I had the opportunity to work with Robin Garceau, of Robin Garceau Interiors. See that link I just included? Click it now, because honestly, the pictures of her gorgeous portfolio truly speak for themselves. From coastal homes in Newport to historic properties in … [Read more...]
Is Parenting Middle-School Kids the Hardest?
I'm a parent, in addition to being a writer, so I often write about parenting. I recently published an article for Medium! The article was inspired by an article I read in NPR, which posited that the tween years are the toughest time of parenting. I wasn't sure if I agreed--my tweens are pretty cool. (And no, I do not for one moment take their relative coolness for granted.) [Tweet "You can baby proof your house against burnt fingers and bumped heads, but you can’t child-proof the world … [Read more...]
Upcoming Blog Boot Camps at Cape Cod Community College!
At 3am Writers, we love to write, and we love to teach writing. We’ll be speaking on content at WordCampRI 2016 this year, so we hope to see you there. But if you need more in-depth information on blogging, we will once again be teaching a Blogging Boot Camp at The Center for Corporate and Professional Education at Cape Cod Community College. You can learn to “blog like a boss” on Friday 10/7/2016 at CCPE at Hyannis Center, 540 Main Street, Hyannis, MA, or on Friday 11/18/2016, at the … [Read more...]
WordCampRI 2016
Mark your calendars: WordCamp is coming! WordCampRI takes place on Friday, September 30-Saturday, October 1, 2016, at New England Tech in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. This amazing event offers 2 days of all things WordPress, and whether you’re a newbie who just started a WordPress site, or a seasoned WordPress veteran who’s contributing to WordPress Core, you WILL get something out of this event. [Tweet "Stuff your brain with #WordPress info and education at @WordCampRI! … [Read more...]
Pokémon GO gave my kids a taste of 1980s childhood
Could a video game be the key to getting kids outside, roaming the neighborhoods in packs the way they used to? It was a weekend morning. My husband and I were cleaning out closets while listening to the “West Wing Weekly” podcast and trying to gauge if we had done enough work to warrant a Starbucks break. (Try to contain your envy at our glamorous life.) Our kids were on a bike ride trying out their newly-acquired Pokémon GO game. We had just looked at the clock to see if it was time to check … [Read more...]
Taking the Time to Care for Ourselves: An Interview with Carla Hall
A couple months ago, I had an absolutely fantastic super awesome opportunity. I was asked to interview TV personality Carla Hall of ABC’s “The Chew” and to see her and several other fantastic super awesome women at the 2016 Bryant University Women’s Summit. Dude, that is seriously my job. I had such a good time talking with Carla and then listening to her wonderful keynote that I got that thing people get about celebrities where they start to think of them as their new pretend BFF. You … [Read more...]