Catherine Lawson

The Assholes, The Bus Driver & The Awesome

2009-11-09T05:11:24Z

As some of you know, my son - Josh was hit by a bus 4 weeks ago. Lots of people have asked me for an update, so here goes.

Josh is recovering and managing to get out and about a bit. But the consultant says it’s too soon for him to go back to school, because of the head injury. He still has significant hearing loss in one ear, which makes life a bit difficult for him. But at least his other ear is working perfectly fine.

The Assholes

Unless you live in some weird Stepford like place, you probably have your fair share of assholes living around you. This is the only place I’ve lived where folk I’ve never had a conversation with, beyond hello, seem to think it’s ok to slander me and gossip about me.

And I usually ignore it, because I don’t care for the opinions of people who think with their tongues. But when the gossip involves my children, I tend to get more than a bit pissed off.

After the accident, some idiot decided to start a rumour that Josh was dead. And that “innocent little lie” got back to some members of my family.

And while Josh lay in his hospital bed, a small minded woman decided it was ok to talk crap about him to other folk and refer to his poor upbringing. Now I would never claim to be the perfect parent and Josh has had his fair share of problems like any teenager. But he’s polite, considerate, he doesn’t smoke crack, steal, or mug old ladies.

And I’m confident that he’ll pass his exams and go on to Uni, despite his time off school and loss of hearing. But most importantly, he never gossips, or slags folk off behind their back.

The Bus Driver

Last week, the police came to speak to Josh and they said the bus driver wasn’t at fault. He was sticking to the speed limit of 40mph and the accident has shaken him up a lot. I feel bad for him and I’m hoping that if we get in touch with him and let him know how well Josh is progressing, he will feel a bit better about the whole thing.

The police also said that the paramedics at the scene of the accident told them that Josh had a 50/50 chance of living, so he was very lucky. As it was his sister’s bike (too small) he was standing up to ride it, so he hit the windscreen of the bus, which probably saved him. If he’d hit metal, I doubt whether he’d have fared so well.

Awesome People

We have been overwhelmed by the kindness of people, both locally and online, who have sent kind words and prayers our way. It really has made a huge difference. Josh says that some folk he doesn’t know that well, or kids he’s had differences in the past, have been kind and compassionate too and it cheered him up a lot.

It has been a difficult time but it’s much easier to cope when you don’t feel as though you’re alone. Thank you.

Be Smart Like An Animal

2009-10-13T17:55:43Z

“It will be weird going back to school tomorrow,” my son Josh told me yesterday. A bloody miracle more like - he only just got out of hospital yesterday, after being knocked off his bicycle by a bus.

I know he’s getting tired of hearing all the one liners like, “You’re supposed to get on the bus through the door.” And, “Didn’t you know you’re not allowed to take your bicycle on the bus.” But the doctor said it will be six weeks to six months until he’s well enough to go back to school.

If you’ve ever recovered from a traumatic accident, you’ll know how difficult it is. Your animal instinct tells you to rest but your human stupidity is saying, “get off your ass and party - you’re lucky to be alive.”

I know we’re supposed to be the superior race but when it comes to recovering from illness, animals are smarter. They just curl up and sleep, for as long as it takes to get well.

Sixteen years ago, I persuaded the hospital to release me before Christmas, to avoid the rubber turkey. And I promised that I would stay in bed and get plenty of rest but I had my fingers crossed behind my back.

Yes, I felt like shit - but I thought if I acted well and positive, I would make a fast recovery. And of course I would be back at work at the start of the new year; why wouldn’t I be? But all the running round and pretending my head didn’t feel like I’d been hit with a mallet just made me feel worse and worse. My wound got infected and it took a long long time to heal.

So, I know Josh thinks it’s great to be alive - I just want to make sure he’s going to take things slowly, so he feels well enough to enjoy it. And if you find yourself in the same situation - be smart, like an animal and get plenty of rest.

Image Credit: Photos8.com

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Is God Bigger Than A Bus?

2009-10-07T14:32:39Z

My son Josh was an atheist, before he was knocked over by a coach. I’ve always believed that it’s best to let him make his own mind up. And after all, atheist is better than satanist, or whatever it is that Marilyn Manson is trying to influence teenagers to be nowadays.

But he does go to church once a month, so he’s allowed to go to BB club. So, he dragged himself out of bed early for the church service, the day before the bus hit him.

And when the nurse asked him what religion he was yesterday - he admitted he was confused. He just can’t believe a bus hit him and he survived - not just a little bus but a bloody big coach. So someone must have been looking out for him.

Yes, he is in a lot of pain and it’s early days but Joshua is just grateful he is alive and so are we. The base of his skull is fractured, the front of his brain is bruised, he has damage to his lung, two broken ribs and lots of gravel rash, cuts and bruises. But he is alive and that is all that matters.

I told him that lots of people have been sending good wishes and praying for him and he is so grateful, because he knows that all that praying must have worked. How else could he have survived a collision with a bloody big bus?

And there is one more thing he is certain about - he will never ride a bicycle without a helmet again. It was only a quick journey, to return something he’d borrowed from a friend. But even on a short journey, accidents can happen.

So, if you have kids, I hope you share Josh’s story. He was very lucky but the damage to his skull and brain could have been avoided, if he’d been wearing a helmet. And I know wearing a helmet might not seem cool - but neither is being in hospital, or worse.

I’m off to the hospital again now but I’d like to say a really big thank you to everyone who helped at the scene of the accident and those who have sent prayers and good wishes - it really is appreciated.

Sometimes It Doesn’t Seem Right To Write

2009-10-06T02:29:58Z

My son Joshua was knocked off his bicycle by a bus yesterday evening. He has head injuries and he’s in the Intensive Care Unit but he’s stable. I’m just hoping and praying that he will be ok.

I have a couple of articles in draft and ready to publish - but now doesn’t seem like the right time. Hopefully Josh will make a good recovery and come home in a few days and things will be back to normal. But until then, I’m taking time out.

Are You Too Flash For Your Business?

2009-10-01T14:23:20Z

Some folk say that buying expensive toys will make you feel successful, so you’ll wind up being successful. And it’s a load of shit.

Yes, the idea has worked for folk like Donald Trump. But he already knew how to make millions, when he persuaded the banks to let him keep his flash lifestyle, while he got out of the financial toilet. I’m betting you’re not in the same position and the bank isn’t willing to sub your jetsetting ways, in the hope of recovering the millions you owe them.

In the Mail on Sunday - Simon Cowell, of X Factor fame, gave a brutally honest description of his slavery to eighties excess. His lavish spending led to him losing his business and with no income to pay his £500,000 debts, he had to move back in with his parents.

Simon quickly realised that it feels better to be poor and owe nothing, than live like a rock star and have mega debts . And since he went bust, he’s never taken out a mortgage, or car loan - he pays cash for everything instead. Of course, he now has plenty of money to pay for whatever he wants and that’s because he learned from his mistakes.

1) In the early days of your small business (read the first two or three years) avoid spending on stuff that won’t contribute to the growth of your business. That includes cars, boats, cocaine, a bigger house and any other personal extravagences.

2) Don’t waste your spare cash on the same money sucking items - your business might need that cash someday soon and chances are you won’t be able to liquidate any assets, or liabilities fast enough.

3) You don’t need to rent expensive office space - impressive looks don’t pay the bills. I always rented a small, cheap office with flexible terms. Folk tried to persuade me into getting a bigger, flasher place for four times the rent. And I’ve never regretted not signing that 3 year lease. And working from home is cheaper still.

4) Expensive office equipment won’t make you work harder and unless it prints money, it won’t make more cash for your small business. Check out Ebay and Craig’s list - you’ll probably be able to pick up most things you need for next to nothing. And be frugal about what you need - only buy the essentials, not items that may come in useful later.

5) Don’t ever feel obliged to pick up the tab when you go to business meetings, or when you’re out with friends. Too many people assume you’re earning a fortune if you have a small business and you don’t need to spend cash to prove you’re doing well - especially if you’re not.

6) If you have staff, do anything you can to avoid giving them the means to spend money. That means no company vehicles for personal use, credit cards, or mobile phones. Even if they want to buy a pack of post-it notes, make sure they get your signature first. You’d be amazed at how careless some folk can be with other people’s cash.

Do you know small business owners who spend excessively? Have you done so yourself? Did you regret it?

How To Build A Passionate Online Retirement Income

2009-09-29T06:40:03Z

Are you worried that you can’t afford to retire? If so, you’re not alone. Thousands of people are looking for way to supplement their retirement income, because they just won’t have enough money to meet their needs.

So where do you start? Well taking what you do in your current job, into your retirement is one idea. But, if you don’t love your current job, it may be smarter to supplement your retirement income with something you’re passionate about.

And to discover what that “something” might be, try making a list containing:

1) Everything you have experience in that you could do to earn money. Include everything. You’ve probably done a whole bunch of things earlier in life that you’ve forgotten about. Even jobs like dog walking and baby sitting have a place on your list.

2) Things you enjoy that you want to learn more about. This list will probably include hobbies and interests that you have.

3) Things you have no experience in that you’re keen to learn about. Many people want to retire so they can have the time to do things they’ve always wanted to do. And these are the things you’ll probably want to include in this part of the list.

Next, go through your list and cross out anything that you wouldn’t want to do to make money in your retirement. Next cross out anything that you would enjoy doing, but not enough to turn it into a part-time job or business.

Now, examine your list carefully and circle four remaining items that appeal to you most. And start thinking about ways you could turn them into a part-time job or business.

If you’re struggling to do this, browse the Internet to see how others are earning money from their passions. Look for Internet sites and blogs where the owner is passionate about their topic. Also, look for sites that contain a personal element as opposed to the anonymous, “who the hell owns this anyway” type website.

Also, look for websites that draw you deeply into their niche content, rather than those that are merely a sales pitch for their product.

Here’s a gem of a website I found recently that ticks all these boxes: Frugal RV Travel.

Webmasters Marianne and Randy target a niche market of folk who want to take long trips in an RV on a tight budget. And here’s a few reasons their niche website is so successful.

1) Credibility: On their first page, the words “As Seen In The New York Times” jumps out at you, with links to Marianne’s interview with the New York Times. So right away, you know that if the New York Times has taken the time to interview a webmaster, she must know her stuff.

2) Proof That It Can Be Done: Page after page chronicles their many RVing ventures. And for anyone who doubts that they can do it too, Marianne breaks down the costs of each trip, including a 12 month journey which cost them a total of $7175 dollars. Amazingly, that total included gas, food and health insurance - cheaper than living at home.

3) Great Products: If you want to make money, you need to sell something and they are definitely selling products that people in their niche are looking for. In fact, after folk have browsed their awesome content - they will be desperate to buy from them.

The main products they sell are a series of e-books - the Frugal Shunpiker’s Boondocking Guides. The books show readers how to camp for free, save money on groceries, attractions etc, maps and detailed itineraries of each location.

Writing this type of guide may sound like hard work but it really isn’t. In fact, resources like the 7 Day E-book show you how to write this type of guide in only one week.

I’ve written guides like this myself and there are two things you should know:

If you’re passionate about your topic, the guide almost writes itself.

The guide doesn’t need to be long. Your customers want to know how to do something quickly - they don’t want to spend a whole year reading about it.

In fact, Marianne’s Texas guide is only 74 pages long. And when you consider it also includes maps, that isn’t too much writing. I have even sold information products as short as 23 pages. They sold well and my customers loved them.

4) Lots of pictures and personal stories: You’ll notice the site has lots of pictures and personal stories. This helps customers identify with Marianne and Randy - customers who want to do what they do; customers who are desperate to buy what they are selling.

How Can You Do All This Too?

I won’t pretend building an online retirement income like this is easy. In fact, if you haven’t retired yet - I would recommend starting now.

A lot of work has gone into Marianne and Randy’s website. But what I did notice is that they used Site Build It to build their website and that didn’t surprise me. Many of the high quality websites I stumble upon online are built by Site Build It users.

And if you don’t know where to start, Site Build It may be for you. It’s an online business system, which helps folk who don’t have a clue what they want to do, to build a website from scratch. It includes everything from brainstorming, to SEO, to building and marketing the actual site. You can discover how other business owners are using Site Build It here.

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I’ve Been Hacked

2009-09-24T00:26:40Z

Sorry if you’ve been trying to check out links, or leave comments on this blog. I’ve been hacked, so they’re not functioning properly right now.

This is only the second time this blog has been hacked in about 30 months. The first time, I was hacked by total losers who couldn’t even cover their own tracks (it took me about 2 minutes to work out who did it), so I thought I was pretty secure and I probably became too complacent.

A few days ago, my Facebook account was hacked. I know this because a friend I’d never heard of just appeared in my friends list. So do check to make sure you don’t have any unwanted friends on yours and if you have a guy named Ripon Saha, you might want to remove him from your account immediately.

I don’t know if there’s a connection between the two hacks - I haven’t checked yet. But apparently, if someone gets into your Facebook account, there’s a possibility that they can get into your email account, scam a heap of cash out of your friends etc.

You can find out about Facebook scams and how to avoid bad shit happening to your account here: 5 Facebook Scams And How To Avoid Them.

If you think your blog isn’t important enough to be hacked, you need to check out Wordpress Security - The First Thing You Should Understand. And if you don’t have time to protect your blog from hackers, or you’re too lazy, John Hoff is happy to secure your blog for you.

My blog may be down for a few days while I fix it. I needed to do some maintenance work on it anyway, so this has given me the push I needed to get started.

Has your blog been hacked before? Did you realise your social networking accounts could also be hacked?

Should You Talk Dirty To Your Customers?

2009-09-20T09:27:25Z

Getting to know potential customers is important. But just how upclose, dirty and personal are you supposed to get? And how much sharing of information is too much?

An Internet business doesn’t often have the advantage of getting to know potential customers in person. But blogs, forums and social networking sites are great places to interact with folk who might want to do business with you in the future, or recommend you to their friends.

And this type of interaction is awesome, because not only do you have the opportunity to tell them about you and your business; you are also able to get to know potential customers and discover what makes them tick.

Now, they say you can never know too much about your customers but I’m inclined to disagree. Asking a customer where she went on her last vacation is perfectly acceptable. But asking her how many sexual partners she’s had in the last year, may be just a bit too personal, unless you’re a sex therapist.

Once you begin to get to know potential customers, you usually get a feel of what’s ok to discuss and what you should leave out. And if you’re unsure about whether a particular question is alright, it probably isn’t.

As for what is acceptable to disclose about yourself - I think it depends on what you’re selling. People buy from people - and they tend to prefer to buy from people like them. They want to know that you understand them and their particular situation or problem. And even if you’re not exactly like them - they want to know you can empathise with them.

For example, I write about business and life here on this blog. That can cover a lot of topics but one thing I’ve always tried to do on here is share my mistakes. Nobody wants some clever shite perfectionist preaching to them and if they do, they won’t find one here.

Recently, I wrote that I suffered from severe depression. I wanted to share because I know it’s something that affects many of my readers. If I blogged about gardening or weightlifting, I probably wouldn’t have written about it at all.

Some people say that you shouldn’t give much personal information away to your customers. And even on your blog, a simple photo and brief paragraph about yourself will suffice. But I’m inclined to disagree.

People buy from people they know and remember. For example, I’m not great with Wordpress. And if something goes drastically wrong, I will be stuck. But I know that I won’t need to Google for help. I’ll simply email Kim Woodbridge.

I know Kim knows her stuff about Wordpress - she writes about wordpress tips and tricks on her blog. But I don’t just read Kim’s blog - she reads my blogs and my friends blogs and I’ve interacted with her on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.

And because of that, Kim isn’t just a picture and a paragraph on her blog. I know she likes British football - especially Aston Villa, she’s divorced and she has a daughter. She also went on holiday to Vermont this year and she recently gave up her job to go freelance.

I don’t think I’m the only one who would use a service provider I’d got to know on the Internet, instead of choosing someone from a picture and a brief paragraph. Wouldn’t you do the same too?

But it shouldn’t come as a surprise that folk will use and recommend businesses they’ve got to know, through social networking and blogging. People have been doing the same thing for years offline.

What about you, would you, or have you used the services of a business you’ve got to know through blogging or social networking? Do you think it’s important to share information with your customers, in order to get to know them?

Image Credits

Social Media Dirty Talk by jeffisageek

Are You Too Lazy To Live In Canada?

2009-09-17T11:30:43Z

My grandfather came over from Ireland to find work, when he was about 14 years old. Ireland wasn’t a million miles away from England but moving to another country was different then.

You couldn’t hop on a plane, if you felt like going home to visit and snail mail was the only way to stay in touch with family and friends.

Would be immigrants have it much easier now. We can use the Internet to research any country we fancy moving to. Staying in touch with people back home is easy, using social networking and Skype. And a plane ticket home isn’t too expensive, from most parts of the world.

Canada Could Be Cool

Ok - we all know Canada is cool. In fact, for several months a year, most of the country is bloody freezing. But that doesn’t stop around half a million people a year from immigrating to Canada.

In 2008 alone, Canada accepted 247,202 permanent residents, 193,061 temporary workers and 79,459 students. But will all those people stick it out, or are some of them too lazy to live in Canada?

If Madonna Says We’re Lazy We Must Be Right?

Many Canadian workers get as little as two weeks annual leave and ten public holidays. I’m betting most European immigrants would collapse from exhaustion if they got so little time off. Madonna didn’t call the British lazy for nothing - I’m guessing she was pissed off because she had to pay her staff over here a minimum of 20 days holiday per year.

And she probably won’t be moving to Portugal, or Austria anytime soon, as she’d have to fork out for 35 days paid holiday a year.

The average US worker would cope well in Canada. According to this report, America is the “no vacation nation”, with the average employee receiving 9 days paid leave and six days public holiday per year.

Of course nobody wants to be the average anything and if you want your Canadian employer to give you more paid leave, you negotiate, like you’d do for anything else in life.

Just Make Sure You’ve Got A Decent Shovel

Snow shovelling is another bit of hard graft that you’ll need to get used to in Canada. Most parts of Canada get more than their fair share of snow.

So you can expect to spend a lot of time shovelling snow, to get your car our of the drive each morning. But did you know that by law, you also have to clear the snow from the pavement outside your house?

If you’re too lazy to do all that - don’t let it put you off immigrating to Canada. Either live in an apartment and take public transport to work, or move to Vancouver, where the winters are mild.

Working In Canada Might Make You Feel Like A Teenager Again

You may not land the type of job you’re accustomed to, as soon as you land in Canada. Many employers want you to gain “Canadian Experience” before they’ll take you on. So, if you waited on tables, or did some other crummy job while you were in school, you might find yourself feeling like a teenager again.

I think the key is to be prepared. If you’re happy to do this type of job initially and you see it as part of your new Canadian adventure, you’ll probably do fine. Most folk I’ve spoken to, who had to get Canadian experience wound up getting great jobs within a year.

What are the working conditions like where you live? Would you be tempted to move to another country to improve your life, or do some places sound too much like hard work?

Image Credits

Banff National Park by Mark Woodbury
Snow Shovelling In Canada by Mike Babcock

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If You’re Broken Too Long - It’s Hard To Fix Yourself

2009-09-14T17:13:28Z

Hearing that someone wrote their first novel in only 3 months, could be a great motivator for a writer - unless that writer happens to be depressed. And when you feel so bad that you can barely even write your own name; you really don’t want to hear that Stephanie Meyer dreamed, wrote and published Twilight in only six months.

As depressed as I was, I prayed that I might also dream an awesome story. And I thought my prayer had been answered. But it turned out that it was only the new wonder drug my GP had prescribed causing me to hallucinate.

Well, I’ve never taken LSD, so the hallucinations were kind of fun. But I don’t think I can base a novel on polar bears playing football with a giant orange.

Anyway, the hallucinations have stopped and the miracle pill is beginning to work well enough for me to tell you one thing and it’s this: If you’re broken too long, it’s hard to fix yourself. And I should know - I tried for long enough. It’s not that I didn’t want to get well - I simply wanted to fix myself, without medication.

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ll know that I tried a whole bunch of things from self hypnosis to herbal remedies, the Silva Life System and a Light Box. And don’t get me wrong, some of those products helped me a lot. But they didn’t give me the the miracle cure I was looking for.

Also, as great as products like the Silva Life System are - it’s virtually impossible to force yourself to use them when you’ve hit rock bottom.

So for me, I think the best bet for now is to keep on taking my new medication and hope that it takes full effect soon and start using things like the Silva System again when I feel well enough.

As for Stephanie Meyer, you can read about how she wrote and published her first novel here: The Story Behind Twilight. I haven’t read her books yet but they’ve turned my daughter into an avid reader. I just hope that she’ll eventually come round to the idea that vampires don’t really exist and it wouldn’t be a great idea to become one.

I can’t write when I’m really depressed and I don’t read much either but yesterday, I began looking at some pictures and reading a few blog posts and here’s a few things that made me feel a lot better:

I loved reading Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes by Dot Hage at Deeper Issues. Dot has had a rough year, so it was inspiring to read about the positive changes she’s made recently, including a whole new image and a new design for her blog.

Even when Davina Haisell says she’s struggling to write, I love reading her words. And I enjoyed reading about her trip to a small island off the coast of West Vancouver in At The End Of The Day and Island Thyme Bed & Breakfast.

Mike Goad and his wife Karen travel round the American National Parks in their RV and take the most amazing pictures. You’ve got to see this awesome pic of a bull elk and these beautiful pics of Rocky Mountain National Park.

I love bears and this beautiful picture of a mother bear and her cub and CG Walter’s story about a bear encounter - Into The Mist, lifted my spirits.