Abrupt Change of Direction

As of June 1 2009, I started a new job. I'm still doing basically the same thing - Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing - but for a local Atlanta company this time!

So, don't be surprised to see links regarding cars, trucks and automotive transportation cropping up from time to time on my blog. I am even considering writing a few articles about some of the more buzz-worthy models (like the new Porsche Panamera? Mmmmmm.....)

I've been quite upfront with everyone at my new workplace that I don't own a car. In fact, I frequently commute via bicycle and wheel her through the dealership to park her in my cubicle. The other day, someone asked me if that was a new energy-efficient 2010 Chevy.

In fact, I had a bleak reminder just the other day as to why I don't drive very often, when I erroneously parked, and now have an insurance claim to deal with for Brett's headlight....*sigh*

No, I haven't yet asked about employee discounts on cars, but I suppose I should, eventually.

At any rate, there are almost 20 websites that I have to keep up with for Jim Ellis, including stores ITP and OTP (in Marietta).

Insulin Resistance / Prediabetes

Because I write about everything I have to look up for myself, I've written a few articles about insulin resistance, and the things I've learned about it from research, endocrinologists, and nutritionists thus far:

• What Insulin Resistance or Prediabetes is
• Treating insulin resistance naturally
• Eating a balanced diet to help with insulin resistance
• Insulin Resistant folks ought to avoid Caffeine

And, because I'm supposed to get 300 minutes of exercise a week, I even wrote an article about the Silver Comet!

Food Allergy Series of Articles - Part 2

Sorry I've been away so long! I've been very busy recently, another blog post will update you on those events shortly.

First to finish linking to the food allergy articles I've written for Suite 101:

• Hidden Ingredients for Yeast, Egg and Dairy Food Allergies
• Hidden words for ingredients including CORN
• Sneaky Wheat - ingredients that could include gluten

Now, all of the "big six" allergies have been covered and their secret identities revealed!

Case Studies Online

There is not much of the Tescom website I can claim as my own. Most of the stuff out there is collaborative, including the design and layout of the site. I'm in charge of marketing collateral and the site's search engine rankings, not the overall messaging. Got it?

Anyway, there is one page on the new and improved site that I'm particularly proud of: the software testing and quality assurance case study page. Again, I didn't design the template, but I did write the copy. (Oh, and one other editorial comment.... as much as I harangue project managers for hard data to support great case studies, we work with what we have, right?)

Now Atlanta Gluten Free Food Examiner!

I'm now officially the Atlanta Gluten Free Food Examiner for Examiner.com - be sure to check back regularly for new articles.

My first two articles there are:

• Italian Dining Gluten Free
• The Atlanta Gluten Free Dinner Club

Bon apetit! ;)

Food Allergy Series of Articles

It's been a while since I've posted anything, let alone a blog or articles for Suite 101.

Among other things going on in my life right now, I've discovered that I'm sensitive to soy. So, because I keep answering questions about my weird eating habits, I've decided to create a series of articles around them:

• Conducting Food Allergy Tests at Home
• Differentiating Food Allergy, Sensitivity, and Intolerance
• Food Allergy to Soy Ingredients

I will be sure to edit this post and add links to the other articles I have in draft, including avoiding wheat and gluten ingredients, corn, yeast, eggs and dairy.

Pizza Party Reading challenge

One of my resolutions is designed specifically to placate my inner twelve year old. Because her favorite escape is to curl up with a good book, I thought "reading for fun" would be a silly and fun way to treat her.

And, because resolutions are best when finite, measurable, easy to track and clearly rewarded, I've decided that I get a big Pizza Party at Pizza Fusion if I meet my reading for fun goals. (This is the same program we used in class when I was 12, so it's totally appropriate.)

Since these "pie charts" will be colored and posted on the fridge, we are going to have print one for Ethan too (maybe he can set an annual goal for a trip to Chuck E Cheese instead of the "too healthy and weird" Pizza Fusion?)

Hilariously, my inner 12 year old is friends with a lot of people's inner 12 year olds, because I've already gotten at least 8 responses of people who will participate!

What do you think? Want to take the Pizza challenge?

Here are the "rules":

• What if I just finished reading a book? All books finished between January 1, and December 31, 2009 count.
• What about books I have to read for my book club? It all depends. The focus here is about having fun and enjoying reading. If you hated every minute of a required novel, it doesn't count. If you enjoyed it, it counts. Yes, it's subjective. But it's pizza on the line, people, not world peace.
• Does it have to be fiction? Another subjective answer: if you truly enjoy informative non-fiction, it counts. I get a lot out of reading books about Marketing, but my inner 12-year-old doesn't derive pleasure from it (she gets squirmy and bored). If it relates directly to what you do for a living, that's considered "homework", and doesn't count.
• What about listening to audio books or reading with someone else? Audio books are still fun, and they still stimulate the imagination. They count toward books read, but not toward page counts. Reading with someone else scores you both the points toward your goals, hours and page numbers, so team up!
• Do magazines count? I'm going to have to draw the line somewhere…. Isn't that scanning and skimming more than reading anyway? Same goes for reading online. ... However, a caveat: short stories and essays DO count - regardless of where / how they are printed - just specify that as your goal!!! (oh, and moms & dads: reading to the kids totally counts)
• So what should I be keeping track of? Qualifications for the Pizza party are (1) having set your personal goal for the month & reporting it in advance and (2) meeting the goal. We all read at different speeds & capacities. We all have different amounts of free time. {e.g. Ethan might try to read "Hop on Pop" and "1 fish, 2 fish" by himself in January, and finish reading "Superfudge" with his dad. That's a very laudable goal for a 1st grader. (We are also going to do shorter goals for monthly ones with him - such as a "pick the activity" evening where the person who meets all his / her reading goals first gets to pick what we do one evening together.) As for me, I'm going to try to read 8 schlocky fiction novels in January 2009, which is a sort of low number for me, basically because I've got relatively little free time this month.}

Final year-end prizes will also be awarded for:

• Most Pages Read (so track your # pages read to be eligible – audio books don't count, and e-reader pages must be normalized to the paperback page count to be eligible!
• Most Hours Spent Reading (audio books do count. keep track if you want to qualify!)
• Most Books Read (for the speed readers....)
• Most Reviews / Recommendations written (50 word minimum. Book club reviews count, as do Amazon, Facebook or informal email recommendations)
• Widest Variety (Have you read everything from petroglyphs to science fiction just for the heck of it this year? This award goes to those who stretch their horizons the most. Note your genres to be eligible.)
• Other suggested prizes include: Least Books Read, Most Rules Bent, Most Children's Books read, most creative book-related activity ... Suffice to say, we could have quite a few prizes.... :-)

• What if I don't live in Atlanta? If you're unable to travel to Atlanta for the celebration(s), alternate dates may be arranged. (e.g. I'm tentatively planning a trip to Ohio in Late spring / early summer this year. Perhaps we can schedule our mid-year pizza party then?) ..... Also, the reward doesn't have to be pizza. For me, it was reminiscent of the Pizza Hut days in grade school, and there's a special joy in having found pizza I can eat. What does your inner 12-year-old want?
• How do I report my reading? Er... email? Blog comments? Facebook? (thoughts? suggestions?)