FACT: Hard drives generally have a lifespan of about 4 - 5 years.
FACT: Viruses still manage to get through even the best virus protection.
FACT: It’s a total pain in the ass to lose information and time when this happens.
SOLUTION: BACK UP YOUR INFORMATION
I use a couple of solutions just because I am a freak like that, but that one of them will work perfectly for you.
1. Dropbox - Not really designed as a backup, but more of a way to share files between different computers. Either way, your information is held safely in the cloud until you need it, so for my half PC and half MAC business, it’s a sweet way to work on and backup business files in both places. For a 50GB Dropbox, it is about $90 a year. That’s less that what you spend at Starbucks in year.
2. MozyPro - This one is a real backup service and is effortless to use. For businesses the cost is $3.95 + $.50 per GB. If you want to backup your personal computer, the cost for MozyHome is also insanely cheap!
There are lots more options out there, so if you don’t like the look of these, I just encourage you to find a solution that works for you.
Do it.
Implement it.
Sleep better knowing your information is safe.
10. I am totally addicted to the British soap opera EastEnders. I have been watching it for almost 20 years now. Is that bad?
9. I have ridiculously wide feet. I swear I am half human and half duck. It’s tragic, but I am a fantastic swimmer, so I have that going for me.
8. I love photography and cinematography. In some wacky alt universe, both Freddie Young & Annie Leibovitz want to grow up to be me.
7. I have 4 dogs. Want one?
6. I love George Michael with all of my heart. Seriously, I think I would lose my mind if I were ever to meet him.
5. I pretend not to pay attention to gossip but yesterday my daughter opened my Google Chrome browser and it showed Perez Hilton as my most visited site. What does Google know anyhow?
4. I know pretty much every commercial jingle and awesome tv show theme from the 70’s and 80’s. I also know all the Brady Bunch songs and way too much Pippi Longstocking dialogue.
3. Beatles or Stones? The Beatles, all day, everyday.
2. I adore people with good manners and integrity.
1. It’s my birthday in 2 weeks. I will be 40. I am totally excited! Weird, huh?
If you use WordPress and don’t follow Johnny B. Truant, I am about to do you a hugetastic and fantabulous favor. JBT’s WP site went down recently and in this post he shares the pain and the agony of the experience, but also some kick-ass ways to avoid similar drama. If you don’t want to read it all, at the very least, scroll to the bottom of his post to learn about all the WordPress plugins you SHOULD be using to back-up your blog or site.
No applause necessary, just throw money.
See that purple bar at the bottom of this post, well that’s the Wibiya Web Tool Bar. It allows you to integrate some awesome functionality to your blog in super sweet and EASY way! It literally took me less than one minute to install it on to my blog, and what is great, you get to choose which web applications you want on it! Now your readers can easily share your information on Twitter, Like it on Facebook, check out your Flickr stream, watch what you are up to on your YouTube channel, and many more options. I am using the free version, but they do offer a premium service that allows custom apps and branding options. Awesome!
One day I will attend the TED conference, I don’t quite know how it will come about just yet, but I do know it will happen because I say it will. So there.
In the meantime, in preparation for my big TED experience, I will be attending the smaller local event on September 10th in Fullerton. This is a great opportunity to share space with other inquisitive minds who are invested in making Orange County a creative community.
If this sounds like something you would be up for, or you would just like to get more information, do that clicking thing here.
Holy cow! Chris Brogan will be speaking in Orange County in October!
I’m a huge fan, I bought my ticket already.
Want to go?
All the cool kids are doing it.
Click your clicky thing here and get all the details you need.
Don’t delay, it will sell out and then you will be kicking yourself that you didn’t listen to me.
If you are a business owner, you ABSOLUTELY should be reading Chris Brogan! Heck, if you have opposable thumbs you should be reading his blog. In a nutshell, Chris shares fantastic information about marketing and social media, but it’s really so much bigger than that. Chris shares so much of himself, and he challenges his readers to take a good hard look at their thinking and their business methods, the big picture stuff that is so important for success in anything and everything we do. Chris Brogan is generous to a fault, he shows up everyday, and I for one am totally addicted and incredibly thankful for him.
If you are thinking for a moment that you don’t have time to read one more thing, at least sign up for his RSS feed, that way his posts will show up in your inbox and you can read them when you have the time.
If you don’t know what an RSS feed is, we seriously need to talk.
A number of things put a fire in my belly to start The Chic Geek, but I have to say the biggest was my experience, and the experience of friends and colleagues, with crappy web site designers. If I had a dollar for every time I heard calls and emails weren’t being returned, designers that would get angry when you didn’t like their design, exorbitant monthly “hosting” charges which really weren’t necessary or didn’t cover the changes that person wanted to that month to their site I could buy myself a first class ticket to London.
Sadly, my newest client has such a story. He had a “friend” create a site for him, which he loved, he paid and all was well until he needed to make some changes a year later. Calls and emails went unanswered for months. He knew she was still around as they shared common friends. Finally, he reached out to me to see what I could do. I started investigating and it turns out the designer actually purchased his domain and owns it. DOH! More emails were sent, lawyers were contacted, and the “friend” question even went as far to add an extra layer of security around any attempts for him to acquire the domain with the hosting company. Needless to say, his hands are tied, and no changes can be made, he is stuck with a business site that does not reflect even 10% of what he does. That, to me, is just inexcusable.
Look, I understand that we all have clients that can rub us the wrong way or a relationship can just go south, but instead of becoming an arse just to make a point, how about this, how about taking the high road, agreeing to disagree, and still doing the right thing. I know at times it’s easier said, but I can assure you, when you dig your heels in your disgruntled client is making it their life’s sole purpose to tell everyone who will listen just how totally crappy you are.
Facebook confirmed upcoming changes to my favorite function on Facebook Business pages - Static FBML. If you are wondering what the heck it is, in simpler terms, it’s how people manage to use HTML to make branded landing pages on their official Facebook business page. The big change means, instead of having 720 pixel-width to play with, you will now only have 520 pixels. That is a loss of 30%, that is a huge amount of screen real estate. Additionally, new installs of the Static FBML app will no longer permit you to place it on the Wall, located on the left side of the Wall content. Instead, the only option is to create a separate tab on the top Word on the street is previous implementations of the Static FBML “box” on the Wall remain — for now, but I have a feeling that will be temporary given they are removing boxes too in August. WHAT?!
Facebook also confirmed they will also axe profile boxes in August. Urgh. I am sure this is all a part of a grand plan to make Facebook stronger, faster, and more awesome, and the fine folks at Facebook reassure us that this is the case, but I have to say it’s really hard to see that benefit just now. Let’s all just hope the new tools they are developing will be worth the headache.
Oh Yes!
Uh huh…
It’s true!
After taking the summer off {I hope to make this a habit!}, I am ready to bring you all some great informtion, tools, and dare I say it, services to help you all navigate this wonderful digital world we are living in!
What is coming you ask? Lots! Will I give you a hint? Just a little one….
* A new Chic Geek blog. I love this blog, but it’s time to kick it into high gear!
* An awesome service that will enable businesses to get on the web for less that $100. Yes, you heard me right, less than $100!
That’s all you’re going to get for now! Isn’t it exciting!?
So stay tuned, this party is just getting started!