Category Archives: writing

blogging, business, content writing, WordPress, writing

30 Day Blogging Challenge #29

December 15, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

Living creatively

By Emma Palova

Lowell, MI- I love number 29. I was 29 when I came to the USA and got creative. I grabbed the first money I had, and took off to buy a word processor. I still remember that day.

I returned victoriously from the store and started writing for Czechoslovak Biweekly newspaper based in NYC under the editorship of Peter Bisek.

Unlike what my parents wanted to continue in my civil engineer career and go work for an asphalt company, I knew that’s not what I wanted.

To be happy, I had to go my own way.

Going my own way means living creatively, not in conformity. Living creatively hasn’t always been easy. Ask Vincent Van Gogh. No, I haven’t cut my ear off and I am not living off of my brother.

You endure hardship and most of the time you have no or little money. You’re criticized by other people to get a real job.

But, you get the satisfaction of expressing yourself at a time when people are silent in this violent world.

You get the satisfaction of maybe helping someone out there to do the same thing.

Once we all regroup, we have won. If we all live creatively, there will be no violence left.

By living creatively, we’re moving forward not backwards.

I took my creativity to the next level in 2013 when I learned to blog on the WordPress platform. I enjoyed it from the get go: the challenge of learning something new and being a part of a group of progressive people.

My brother Vas is also creative. He paints and builds model trains.

I also love entrepreneurship. I take that after my grandpa Joseph. He had his own business in communist Czechoslovakia, which he went to jail for. You were not allowed to have a business in communism.

Grandpa wasn’t afraid, he would not conform. Neither will I.

I will always stand up for what I believe. I always have.

My personal hero is late Czech president Vaclav Havel. He went to jail many times for standing for what he believed in. But, he kept writing against the regime. Havel signed the Charta document that started a movement that eventually brought communism down.

It all starts with one person who is not afraid to speak up.

Set your tone. Speak up. Join in.

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blogging, business, consulting, content writing, WordPress, writing

30 Day Blogging Challenge #28

December 14, 2015 emmapalova 1 Comment

It takes a lifetime to get to 13 seconds of winning a battle

By Emma Palova

Lowell, MI- This one rings close to home because it is such a strong theme for the challenge. It took me a lifetime to get to where I am now. I am doing what I love and hopefully other people appreciate it.

Throughout the process, I reinvented myself several times. I went from being a civil engineer by default of returning to Czech Republic to a writer on the WordPress platform.

In between, I did many different things. These included English instructor for French executives in Montreal, a factory worker packaging health aid boxes, a clerk in Women’s Department, a journalist for print media, a journalist for digital media, a journalist for Czech media and a social media marketer for Fallasburg Historical Society.

Then, I taught myself WordPress. Last year, I started my online business Emma Blogs, LLC. Now, I am doing the 30 Day Content Challenge.

What’s next? I don’t know. That’s the beauty of life.

I will definitely continue to write and run the business. But, I am thinking about going back into the regular work process. Whatever that means at the time of the Internet.

Any change is a good thing for all of us. I do love change. That’s why I like to watch water outdoors. It keeps constantly changing with light and motion.

I am glad that I took on the challenge. I’ve learned a lot about myself. On some days I did great, on other days not so well.

Some themes were inspiring, other ones not so much. So, on those not inspired theme days, I went on my own. As I always do.

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blogging, business, content writing, WordPress, writing

30 Day Blogging Challenge #27

December 14, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

Don’t be afraid of a challenge

By Emma Palova

Lowell, MI- Who doesn’t like a good challenge? Writing is not challenging for me. Writing is a way to express myself, my feelings, my thoughts and to deliver a message.

It doesn’t always have to be writing for the sake of information.

Spiral staircase at the Dali in St. Petersburg, FL

I started writing in grade school. Later, in prep school we had to write compositions in Latin. I remember the one about the Cyclops. I got a C on it and rightfully so, I didn’t know what they were talking about. I only know that they had one eye in the middle of the forehead.

But, it taught me a lesson that writing in any language is good for you. You let go of your feelings and take part in life.

Imagine what the world would be without books. I lost focus long time ago, because it all goes into my writing. I can manage to read blogs and short stories, but no books. That’s the price you pay after years of writing. I’ve written in English and in my native Czech language. I’ve written in French as well and in Latin.

I have no regrets. Writing challenges have taught me the discipline of every day writing. The challenges also prove to you that you can write on any topic presented and at any time of the day.

It doesn’t have to be a long piece either to deliver the message. I prefer to the point writing and not beating around the bush.

Who has the time to contemplate a 100-page paper?

My advice to anyone who is afraid of a challenge is to stand up to it and say, “Hello what can I do to help out?”

I feel that by writing every day I am helping someone else achieve the same goal.

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blogging, business, consulting, content writing, psychology, relationships, Uncategorized, WordPress, writing

30 Day Bloggging Challenge #26

December 14, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

The destructive habit of comparing ourselves to others

By Emma Palova

Lowell, MI- I must admit I don’t have this problem. I don’t know who I would compare myself to? And mainly I don’t know why I would want to do that in the ever-changing world of trends. Today on twitter trending could be Justin Bieber, Billy Bush or whoever.

Thai wind 1 by Kacey Cornwell, Art Prize entry

But, I know most people do. They want to so desperately fit into whatever just flies at the moment. So, then they have to refit to a new trend. And they’re never themselves.

They’re so afraid what other people are going to say about them. It’s called insecurity or conformity.

You don’t have to compare yourself to others to feel confident and secure. It’s your own set of values that matters. You stand behind them and defend them, not other people’s values.

Establish a set of values that matters to you and stick behind them. Don’t sway away or wander off on a tangent only to imitate others.

List your values today on a piece of paper and carry it with you no matter where you go.

My set of values:

1-family

2-friends

3-writing

4-entrepreneurship

5-country

6-freedom

Your values will carry you forward in good and bad times, just like in marriage.

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Christmas, community, traditions, Uncategorized, WordPress, writing

Prague Christmas markets

Image December 13, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

Happy holiday season to all from Emma Blogs, LLC. A Czech tradition, the three Sundays of Christmas. They are bronze, silver and gold Sundays prior to Christmas Eve. People head out and shop in outdoors Christmas markets.

blogging, business, psychology, Uncategorized, WordPress, writing

30 Day Blogging Challenge #25

December 11, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

You are not here merely to make a living

By Emma Palova

Lowell, MI- How appropriate theme. I just had this conversation with my son Jake. It’s time to do something about the violent situation and fear we are all living in. That means to do something peacefully like Mahatma Gandhi, Vaclav Havel, Mother Teresa or Gorbachev.

Violence breads more violence. Going to war or buying weapons is not the answer. Increased consumerism is not the answer.

The following paragraph is from an interview with Marilyn Manson used by Michael Moore in the film Bowling for Columbine.

“Because then you’re watching television, you’re watching the news, you’re being pumped full of fear, there’s floods, there’s AIDS, there’s murder, cut to commercial buy the Acura, buy the Colgate, if you have bad breath, they’re not going to talk to you if you have pimples, and it’s just this campaign of fear and consumption and that’s what I think it’s all based on, the whole idea of keep everyone afraid, and they will consume.”

Within two minutes apart we’re watching how Xarelto is good for you and then how you should join the lawsuit against Xarelto that can even cause death. Really? A drug approved by the FDA can even cause death.

Since the Paris attacks we see Opdiva advertised on the NYC buildings.

We’re living worse than animals. They wouldn’t put up with this.

A strong leader has to emerge amongst us and do something about all the mess in the world.

I know it probably should be each one of us. And collectively, we should start dialogues to spread the message. Let’s start in coffee shops and by writing about this.

I lived through the Velvet Revolution in 1989 in former Czechoslovakia. i participated in the demonstrations on the plazas and squares. I rang my keys and lit candles into the night. It did make a difference.

It’s our moral responsibility to take action, otherwise we’re a part of the problem.

To hear JB’s response to Trump’s speech against the Muslims is unacceptable to humanity. Trump shouldn’t have said it, and JB should have kept silent because he gave us the answer.

“We cannot offend our Saudi allies,” he said.

So here we go again. Big money and friends.

First of all I did not know that Saudi was our ally. I just know that they have oil that we want, And second, you always offend someone out there by any action you take.

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blogging, business, content writing, WordPress, writing

30 Day Blogging Challenge #24

December 10, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

The power of art

By Emma Palova

The power of art is having tea with Vincent VanGogh or Jaconda, French for Mona Lisa. See Instagram photo.

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blogging, business, consulting, content writing, psychology, relationships, WordPress, writing

30 Day Blogging Challenge #23

December 9, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

How different nationalities use Facebook to express themselves

By Emma Palova

I’ve always wanted to write about this. Now, I can. It took some time to analyze it. And that is how different nationalities use Facebook to express themselves.

I consider myself privileged that I am both on American and Czech public and private groups on Facebook. I am on Michigan Authors on the Grand, Learn to Blog, 30 Day Content Challenge & WordPress support group. I created my own Writers Loop and Fallasburg Today public groups.

I am on Czech groups I love Czech Republic and Czechs & Slovaks on Facebook.

I speak and write both languages fluently which is very important because a lot gets lost in translation. It doesn’t matter which translating service you’re using, it is not accurate.

You have to know the culture of that particular country to know what they are talking about on Facebook.

I grew up in former Czechoslovakia and got my university education there.

On the other hand, I went to middle school in Hawkins, Texas and mom Eliska homeschooled my brother Vas and I in Sudan, Africa. I also lived in Saskatoon and Montreal in Canada.

There is a striking difference between the usages by both nations that reflects the difference in cultures.

A Czech person uses Facebook to vent their feelings, anger and to fight. You can easily find 250 comments on one post. If they don’t agree with something they will swear at you and call you names. These threads turn into long pointless discussions.

An American person uses Facebook to show daily experiences followed by at the most 20 comments, if it is a heated subject.

A Czech person is funny and shares jokes on Facebook. We laugh out loud with my husband Ludek, as he reads the jokes to me in the evening from his IPhone.

An American person is inquisitive and functional, so he or she uses riddles or questions to find out how smart you are.

“Where was this photo taken,” posted local photographer Bruce Doll.

The photo looked like a Kiss concert all in blue and smoke, but I know Bruce.

“At the Impact church,” I posted.

“Yes.”

A Czech person turns emotional on Facebook and shares four Advent candles a thousand times.

An American person asks for prayers when needed.

A Czech person sometimes turns to sex to see how you react.

An American person uses Facebook for business to see how you react.

A Czech person doesn’t do selfies.

Americans love selfies.

Neither one in particular partakes in sharing tragedies until the recent Paris attacks.

Both cultures share the same love for photography.

I will continue to explore this interesting theme into the future. Watch for more observations.

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blog design, content writing, Uncategorized, WordPress, writing

Pull quote Day #22

Quote December 8, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

“Today is unique. Be careful what you do with it. It will never repeat itself no matter who we are. I like to think that by writing every day, I can help someone accomplish the same goal.”

Emma Palova

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

30 Day Blogging Challenge #22

December 8, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

The way we do anything is the way we do everything

By Emma Palova

This statement is true. I either do everything 100 percent or not at all. It doesn’t matter what it is; writing, blogging, posting, laundry, gardening or cooking. I don’t believe in halfway work.

Yes, sometimes I do wander off on a tangent, but I get back on the track. I wrote about excellence #21 yesterday.

Once, I decide I am not going to do something, I don’t do it. Today I have a lot of work ahead of me. I have to post to a client’s blog, while another one has pulled a fast one on me. It’s the nature of the business.

You explain the purpose of a WordPress blog to someone in a sales pitch, and they go and have someone else do it for them.

I am a good spirited person, I don’t mind. I can handle just about anything except for stupidity and violence.

Every day we make conscious choices based on the best information we have.

Today is unique, it will never repeat itself no matter who we are. I like to think that by writing every day, I am helping also someone else accomplish the same goal.

That’s the knowledge I’ve gained in this 30 Day Content challenge by Learn to Blog (L2B).

By helping others, you’re helping yourself as well.

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