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30 Day Blogging Challenge #8

December 1, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

Passion, heart, soul and inspiration

By Emma Palova

The cursor is blinking in front of me on a blank page. I am writing the third post today and that is Day #8 to catch up with the 30 Day Challenge.

The prompt for Nov. 24 was passion and pouring your heart and soul into everything you do. This theme is close to my heart as I never do anything without passion including my E Diary that is EW Emma’s Writings blog on WordPress.

Featured Image -- 128596 — Abstract art by Kathleen Mooney inspired by quilting.

I am passionate about writing whether you write for money or for free. I’ve done both. All fiction writing is done on speculation. You don’t know if you’re going to publish and make money or if people are going to buy your book. Blogging is a little different because you’re already creating a following that will hopefully transfer onto your other work. And you are publishing electronically. You have a sense of timelessness.

On the other hand, writing for money creates pressure, stress and the need for speed. Writing is therapeutic if not done under pressure, according to psychologists.

I am a passionate blogger as I create blogs for clients as well as my own. At times, it can be challenging finding something to write about. I am resourceful and search for inspiration wherever and whenever I can get it.

People and nature inspire me, art inspires me, jewelry and metal.

I am also a passionate entrepreneur. I use to sell real estate for Westdale. I started the company Emma Blogs, LLC in January of 2013 with the first blog and I have grown it to a portfolio of 12 blogs. With heart and soul into it, I use different themes for my blogs. I like the magazine theme and Lovecraft, Radcliff, Skylark themes and many more.

I am a firm believer that everyone should at least once during lifetime own their business. I heard this from an Internet guru Alan Teelander and from Mike Spranger, owner of Springrove Variety in Lowell, as well as other people like Pete Haefner, owner of an accounting firm.

Having a business is like growing flowers; you see it grow and flourish or wither. You take care of it, it takes care of you. During the three years, I’ve learned so much from organization and discipline to marketing and social media marketing. I’ve met so many interesting people on the Learn To Blog group and through the challenge. I feel enriched.

blog design, blogging, business, content writing, Uncategorized, WordPress, writing

30 Day Blogging Challenge #7

December 1, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

Feeling benefits of challenge

By Emma Palova

I am feeling physical and mental pain. My body is like on needles with pressure in the back of my head. The other pressure is inside my head. Here are some blogging stats.

With the challenge half way on, I reached a total of 310 posts on my WordPress blog EW Emma’s Writings over the last three years. The most favored post of the challenge seems to be Day #3 “Thoughts on fear in the wake of Paris attacks.”

Editorial calendar — Prague horloge on the Old Town Hall by “I love Czech Republic” group

However, I did manage to write post for Day #15 of the 30 Day Content Challenge by Learn to Blog “On the art of interviewing.”

Maybe that’s why I have that pressure inside my head. Now, I am playing catch up for Days #7#8#10#11 and #12. I just wanted to let go of those missed days, but then I read a post by Pittsburgh Grammy that she is catching up and today is the day to do it. I too want to reach a total of 30 daily posts. Thank you for inspiring me.

More about feelings of a writer and an artist.

Sometimes, I just plain feel numb, listless and drained. On other days I am overwhelmed by ideas, and I have to sort through them. I categorize them and organize them in my head. I don’t know if it depends on the weather, on how I slept or didn’t sleep or what I eat.

Experts and psychologists say writing is therapeutic when it’s not under pressure and when you write for yourself. Blog can serve as an electronic diary and for most of us it is an e-diary. You can freely express yourself without any censorship. You might be the only person reading your own post, but it’s still satisfying. The bonus is if others are reading as well, that is if they know about you.

The challenge bumped up my readership and following greatly to 612, and it increased the following on Facebook and twitter. Plus I wrote a Children’s Book for Josephine. I will keep adding pages to it sort of like posting.

I am very happy so far with the results writing this halfway through the challenge.

blog design, blogging, business, content writing, Uncategorized, WordPress, writing

Blogging Challenge Day #15

December 1, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

On the art of interviewing

By Emma Palova

Note to my regular readers to avoid confusion. I am participating in a 30 Content Challenge by Learn to Blog. The posts show my views on this world including my own, as well as my varied experience, so they do dovetail well with the overall purpose of the blog EW Emma’s Writings.

I must say that I find the 30 Day Content event challenging to come up with a post a day. I draw inspiration from everything around me including events that are happening in the world.

Day #3 post titled “Thoughts on Fear in the Wake of Paris Attacks” is so far my favorite to answer Bradley Will’s question. I have yet to go through other people’s posts. It’s a lot of posts. The event has great participation. It trains regularity, consistency and the mind.

This morning I pondered the questions to ask of a prospective employer at an interview tomorrow, as well as my answers to their questions. I applied for a public relations/marketing position.

I did research on the company on Glassdoor reviews. I found the website very helpful. That’s why I am sharing this. The link to it is www.glassdoor.com/job/

Then go to reviews and interviews.

Spiral staircase at the Dali in St. Petersburg, FL

You will find out things that you would never find out from carefully written company websites. Once a candidate posts a review, the company cannot take it down. Both the reviews and the interviews were honest, written from the heart as the candidates meant it. And they came from all over the world.

They called the interviews easy and the team outgoing, more like friends than bosses. For now, I’ll bypass the reviews until I write my tomorrow Blogging Day #16. I have interviewed hundreds of people for stories from all walks of life, so I am comfortable asking strangers sometimes difficult questions.

I came up with the following questions to ask:

1-What is branding awareness through interactive marketing?

2- What kind of campaigns do you conduct?

3-How do you find clients?

4-What kind of experiential marketing techniques do you use?

5-Can you explain the collaboration technique?

6-Why do you have an orange logo? That question comes from the fact that I own an orange Dart.

Why an orange Dart? Because I like different things. Maybe they are the same way.

Now, my answers to their questions:

Which of the three do you have: work ethic, student attitude, positive attitude?

After reading the reviews it became clear to me that the correct answer is work ethic.

Why do I want to work for them, if they ask? I spent a lot time pondering this one. My son Jake suggested this question based on his own three-part interview experience.

Well, our goals match. What goals? To match the consumer to the brand and to use collaboration in marketing. I like that. I’ve always been for collaboration and innovation.

Why am I the best person for the job?

Because I am unique. We each are unique and have different skills and capabilities. I have experience and I always love what I choose to do from retail, writing to blogging.

Will I continue my blogging business Emma Blogs, LLC?

Of course I will. I love everything about it: creativity, design, writing, feedback, newsletter design, the challenges and helping others to learn to blog.

So, follow us on campaign Fallasburg Today on http://fallasburgtoday.org and EW Emma’s Writings on http://emmapalova.com

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blog design, blogging, business, Christmas, content writing, history, traditions, travel, Uncategorized, WordPress, writing

30 Day Blogging Challenge #14

Image November 30, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

For the love of the Fallasburg Park.

By Emma Palova

Fallasburg, MI- I love everything about the Fallasburg Park and the village: the Covered Bridge, the Flat River, the house museums. It truly takes you back in time, away from the fear of technology, from the fear of the unknown and much more.

I live approximately three miles away from the park and I do social media marketing for the Fallasburg Historical Society. The park and the village serve as a major venue for many regional events such as the Fallasburg Festival for the Arts in the fall, the Fallasburg Bazaar and the upcoming Christmas in Fallasburg traditional party on Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. Please join us to celebrate the season.

Memories of Fallasburg Park from Connie Elsasser.

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30 Day Blogging Challenge #13

Image November 29, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

Old town Prague with clock tower from Czech Republic. Photo credit Facebook public group I love Czech Republic.

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blog design, blogging, business, content writing, outdoors, Uncategorized, WordPress, writing

Blogging challenge #6

November 22, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

Day #6, Nov. 22, Sunday

Missing Czech homeland

By Emma Palova

A note to all. I am participating in a 30 day content writing challenge by Learn to blog. All posts reflect my views on today’s world including my own.

This morning I woke up to a Facebook post that made me cry from Czech homeland. It was from Radhost mountains in Czech Republic. I’ve been to the Radhost mountains many times even though I am a bad downhill skier, but the area has grown close to my heart.

Plus we got our first snow in Michigan yesterday.

I want to share the beauty of Radhost with all my friends.

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blog design, blogging, business, celebration, content writing, ethnic, Uncategorized, WordPress, writing

30 Day Blogging Challenge #5

November 21, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

Day #5, Nov. 21, Saturday

Today is a celebration

By Emma Palova

A note to my regular readers. I am participating in a Content Writing challenge by Learn to Blog. The posts show my views on today’s world including my own. I hope you enjoy all of them as part of stepping up my blogging.

Hastings, MI- Today we celebrated my girl’s second birthday. Josephine Marie Palova was born to a multi-cultural family. My son Jakub Pala is Czech and he is married to his American sweetheart Maranda Palova.

I am in awe how much they respect each other’s cultures. Maranda took on the Slavic name Palova instead of Pala. Jakub wants to keep the Czech language for his daughter Josephine. He speaks to her in Czech every evening after work.

He asked me if I could give her a book in Czech. Now, that’s a problem here. But, I am a problem solver. I got up this morning before the birthday party and started working on a simple book in Czech for Josephine.

I firmly believe that Josephine will be fully bilingual, which is my son’s dream. I used simple sentences and clip art and I will keep adding pages to the core book and growing paragraphs as she grows.

I was most definitely inspired by the blogging challenge to do this. The group pulled me out of my depression. Thank you.

We had a great time at this multi-cultural party. Maranda and Jake were awesome hosts in their new home. I am so proud of both of them. They represent the best in the millennials.

Thank you for being great hosts and great children.

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30 Day Blogging Challenge #4

Image November 20, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

A note for my regular readers to avoid confusion: I am participating in a 30 Day Content Writing Challenge by Learn to Blog. All posts are relevant to how I feel and write about today’s world including my own.

Not afraid on day #4 of the content challenge

By Emma Palova

Lowell, MI- I wish I could say that I am scared, but I am not. It would be a lie to conform with the rest of the world. No, I didn’t go to Cabela’s to buy an AK47 known as Kalashnikov or a Beretta, and I don’t shoot deer either even though it’s the firearm hunting season in Michigan.

However, I did tell my daughter Emma Palova-Chavent, MD who lives with her family in France and loves to travel to lay low.

“Don’t go anywhere,” I said.

“Should I buy a gun,” she asked.

“No.”

Violence breads more violence.

Help, collaboration and diplomacy are the way to go in this chaotic world that honors and respects nothing. Local Michigan college Grand Valley State University wants to allow guns on the campus to show the terrorists they’re not afraid.

Well, who really is scared? The Republicans who passed a bill not to allow Syrian refugees into the most compassionate country in the world or the kids on the campus who want guns?

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30 Day Bloggigng Challenge #3

November 19, 2015 emmapalova 1 Comment

Day #3, Nov. 19, Thursday

Thoughts on fear in the wake of Paris attacks

By Emma Palova

Lowell, MI- Experts say there are two great fears in this world. And they are interchangeable: the fear of dentists and the fear of public speaking. The fear of dentists translates to fear of pain, while the public speaking fear is about our image; how we look in front of others.

But, I know of a lot more. On top of the above mentioned fears, I have a fear of open heights and time. Not of aging, but of time when it’s displayed in front of me on a clock or on a calendar. That’s why I cannot wear watches or have alarm clocks.

I recently I found out that some people are afraid of technology.

I find that very interesting, that is the fear of technology. It should take us forward, but sometimes it seems like it’s taking us backwards like with the recent violence and evil in Paris.

Now, the government wants access to our phones in the name of security.I am starting to feel like in Nazi Germany that I know from movies and stories.

How much more freedom will we have to give up in the name of security and safety? How safe can we get when everybody wants to know the location of our phones or you don’t get access to different Internet services? And the terrorists are running loose all over the world.

Some people on Facebook are suggesting that we arm ourselves with AK47s known as Kalashnikovs.

I can picture this now. All of us walking with Kalashnikovs into the theaters, operas, work, churches and stores. Wow, that’s like in the Middle East and people still get blown up in coffee shops.

We’ve taken a huge step backwards and lowered ourselves to the level of terrorists, to their tactics and way of life. Paris and NYC look like war zones.

And basically all this is over religion. When did any religion start preaching violence?

Big business likes to use scare tactics and security pretense to keep us consuming.

“Keep them scared and they will keep consuming,” goes the saying.

Modern societies have to reject violence in all its forms immediately. No one can thrive in fear and under constant threat of not enough security. That’s exactly what the terrorists want for us to be scared.

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30 Day Blogging Challenge

November 18, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

Day 2 Nov. 18, Wednesday

Progress requires peace and life without fear

Lowell, MI-It is a nasty dark November day out there and I am facing a full day of writing without knowing what I am going to write about. I usually drive to Murray Lake to regroup my thoughts.

But, today it is just not working. I am supposed to write a column for the Ionia Sentinel-Standard, and I just finished it. It’s about tweeting.

Maybe I should write about the chaos that’s happening in the world. My daughter Emma Palova-Chavent lives in a wine village in Fixin, France. They just moved from Dijon.

She often visits Paris to shop. I visited with her in 2013. It will never be the same city since the terrorist attacks.

I fear for all the European countries and the USA. We live in a world where no one can feel safe anymore; not in a theater, on a plane, at a school or at a football stadium.

Violence and evil are unacceptable in any society. Humanity and kindness must prevail along with peace.

We cannot move forward in violent times. I consider myself to be a creative person. I cannot watch all this destruction or talk about retaliation. Violence bears only more violence.

I don’t know the solution to all this, but definitely not more violence. Progress requires peace and life without fear.

We should be working on fighting against hunger and illnesses, on education, arts and not war on terror.

We should be challenging ourselves like this content challenge by Learn to Blog.

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