Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Important Announcements

Good morning, Blogistan! Hope you all had a great weekend. I have several exciting announcements to make, in no particular order.

Let's see, I'll start with the grand opening of the Deep Inferno Trading Post. I have joined the Amazon.com Associates affiliate marketing program. This means that if you click over to my little emporium and buy something I recommend from Amazon.com, I can earn up to 10% in referral fees. My brilliant geeky son helped me set it up, built me a lovely front end, and voila: Ye Olde Book & DVD & Music Shoppe is ready to go!

There are many books, including a few cancer books, some juicy Louisiana fiction, and other good stuff that was fascinating enough to hold my microscopic attention span over the course of the last grueling year. Also a bunch of my favorite movies, and an entire section of Louisiana music. So check it out, browse around, and if you find something that intrigues you enough to make a purchase, you will be my best friend for life.

And then taking another baby step into the wonderful world of generating some income, I have started writing for a new web site called As We Are Magazine. So go check that out. The founder of As We Are, Trudi Evans, is a regular reader here, and she kindly invited me to start a new blog over there. I like her philosophy: "This magazine is dedicated to providing women with a forum to speak out and speak up. It is founded on the belief that we are good enough, as we are. Our hips don't need to shrink, our clothes don't need to look better, and we don't need a tan to improve the world. Here, we can analyze, empathize, and inspire true change in our societies."

So I decided to restart my old Granny Gets A Vibrator blog, running with the theme of "Middle-Aged Woman Bumbles Outside Her Comfort Zone; Hilarity Ensues." I'll be posting at least twice a week, running some old stuff, adding some new stuff, and seeing where it takes me. I'm suddenly really looking forward to writing that has nothing to do with cancer. Moving on!

I've also sold a few blog pieces to a health care web site, and I've been interviewed by a magazine that's doing a feature on cancer blogging, which might bring me some more helpful publishing contacts.

And I'm in the process of setting up an online personal trainer business, which will be called "Granny Gets A Six-Pack." I'll let you all know the very minute it's ready to go, probably in the next week or two.

Finally, there's a second tentative offer on the house. This one could fall through too, of course, but this time the buyers are fully aware of the wiring and roofing issues and insurance-fu right up front, and they made the offer "as is." So please keep your fingers crossed.

In other news, I got the key to my new shack over the weekend, and I've already planted a new garden. I'll be moving in a couple of weeks. It's been empty for several years, and it's filthy. I spent all day yesterday cleaning the kitchen: sweeping out truckloads of dead roaches, spider webs, and mouse droppings, then getting down on my lily white knees to scrub the floor with disinfectant. If I have time today, I'll start tackling the bathroom.

But in spite of the funk & filth, the place has a very cheery feel to it. The neighborhood is fabulous, and yesterday four people dropped by to welcome me to the hood. I love the sounds: rain on the tin roof, kids playing basketball in the vacant lot next door, and of course the trains. Every time a train goes roaring by I get all excited and run outside to watch, though I suppose that will probably wear off soon. But I don't know, I'm thinking I might become a serious train watcher. (One of my favorite movies ever, which you too can own, is The Station Agent.) I've been a circus train fanatic for 15 years, and the circus is coming to this neck of the woods in June, so I'm gearing up for some passion in that department. All in all, the new shack is looking very promising.


I think my desk is going to go in this corner, because I love to stare out the window when I'm supposed to be working.

Anyway. Between all these exciting new developments and the very kind generous donations readers made through my PayPal button, I'm feeling extremely optimistic for the first time in ages. Optimistic and happy. Wow, happiness: something I'd completely forgotten the meaning of. Finally, it's back! Thank you all!

20 Comments:

Blogger Ya Looblue said...

i definately needed to read someone's good news today. you're really inspiring Liz. best of luck with all these new developments.
*~Sarah

10:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Liz, it's so fantastic to hear about the wonderful things going on in your life now!

You have such an indomitable spirit, I have such admiration for your strength and your spunk. So glad to hear you're feeling better this morning.

It's a beautiful morning here, and I think I'll follow your example and go buy some annuals to plant in the front flower beds. Cheers!

10:46 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Wonderful news! Got 3 books off your list already, can't wait! THANKS!

11:54 AM  
Blogger Sknitfit said...

I'm SO, SO happy for you! Sounds like you are on track!

12:27 PM  
Blogger Keiko said...

BTW, as long as someone enters through the storefront, you get a cut of anything they buy even if it's not on your list. Do all your amazon buying through Granny's storefront!

1:05 PM  
Blogger Christina said...

Oh my gosh!! So much stuff and I don't even know wherer to start! Yay you!! Thanks for giving us even more reading! Can't wait! One more exclamation point!

4:17 PM  
Blogger Bob said...

WOOT! I have missed grannyvibe, and I well remember laughing at that post the first time I read it!

4:36 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I am your fan. Right from when you were posting from your 'vibrator' blog :o)

Well, you are such an inspiration. Things are bound to get tough at some points of your life and yours is difficult but you set us an example of how to be strong.

Your fighting spirit is infectious - one of my role models.

My thoughts are with you.

8:43 PM  
Blogger Trasi said...

FANDAMNTASTIC! That is so great to hear. I hope everything continues to go only up, and from now on I buy things from Amazon only via your storefront. :-)
Yay!

10:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Excellent. Mazeltov. :)

8:02 AM  
Blogger Betsys said...

I went to books, found one I liked but - where's the link to Amazon? I'd have expected to see it on the book page. Hope to buy soon and glad things are looking up!. thanks Betsy

2:21 PM  
Blogger johnieb said...

Whooo! Boyhowdy Babuhs! I finally tamed the Paypal beast, and it's only taken months. Good thing Liz has more go than that in her, huh? Aint much from the Ole Soldiers' "Rest n Recreation" (R n R) home in Hartford, but WTF: mah ante's in, who's dealin'? Mofo bank changed the date and I didn't know/ couldn't figure out how to inform my lil Paypal friends in PDT whassup.

Madder musick and stranger wine would be nice: dancin' in the street and yard and all over: yeah.

3:49 PM  
Blogger johnieb said...

"stronger wine" in the Authorised Version (KJV); it's Aldous Huxley from *Antic Hay*: "stranger" may be revised PRN.

3:53 PM  
Blogger KC said...

Hurray! Granny & her Vibrator are coming back! I'm so happy for you, and for us!

(fittingly, my weird wiggly word today would be pronounced: excel & high ha!)

10:48 PM  
Blogger Betsys said...

Just to follow up - I checked and the problem is your Amazon links are invisible in Firefox! I'm running Firefox 2.0.0.3 on Windows XP

It would be great if there was at least some sign on the page that you need IE (and even greater if it were fixed). Using firefox there's just absolutely no Amazon stuff anywhere.

7:29 AM  
Blogger Lymphopo said...

Hey Betsy!

I apologize for the problem. I can't figure out what's up with that. I have no problem seeing the links myself, using Firefox or Safari. Is anybody else unable to see the links? Anyway, I'll get Geekboy right on it, to see if he can figure out what the heck is going on. Stay tuned.

7:42 AM  
Blogger momo said...

It's so great to hear that your writing is part of your plans because you are a gifted writer. I'm so happy for you!

9:50 AM  
Blogger Grace said...

I have finally found you, dear little sister. (thanks, Google) I must have your address wrong, also your phone number and your email address! Let me let you know that I have read and reread this entire Blog over and over this week (so have your nieces and nephews) and it breaks my heart that you have gone through this horrible year and your family didn't even know! You are so brave, and funny, and creative, and strong, and gifted, and, I am so proud of you! And in awe of you! For now, I am off to PayPal and Amazon. I will be in Louisiana soon. Please get in touch with me. I love you very much!

12:11 AM  
Blogger Amanda said...

Betsy - it happened to me too in Firefox. Turns out it's the Adblock plug-in.

In the bottom righthand corner of your browser, right click on the Adblock link and click 'disable'.

Refresh the book page and you should be all set.

(Remember to re-enable it or you'll be as cranky as I was when you go to another site!)

2:19 PM  
Blogger Sock Girl said...

So much good news! Whoohoo!! Congratulations on all your projects!

3:26 PM  

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