Continuing my little expose on how I’m doing in wally world as a WAHM, I’m going to further expound on my adventures in Twitterville.

First, I’m going to say this work-at-home Gram from Dysfunction Junction, CT is finding it’s a ton of fun ~ I enjoy getting the little pop-ups on Twitterfox, and getting to know the personalities of all my Tweeps.  While working late at night, I haven’t had the opportunity to watch the Olympics.  However, there’s one gal who updates regularly, every 10 minutes or so, on what exactly has been going on!  She’s so entertaining (besides being the author of a terrific blog, Send Chocolate, that I suggested last night that she bottle all the commentary on the Olympics into an eBook!

But I digress.  Seriously, Twitter is an excellent platform for micro-blogging and marketing your product, be it a blog, service, eBay store or mission.

If you find yourself in a position that you need to understand your target customer as well as keep up with various ways of marketing to those potential customers, Twitter is one of the most powerful and popular tools out there right now!  This new type of network communication has been taken up by companies and individuals alike in recent months and for good reason.

To get a better understanding of Twitter, let’s first take a look at the format.  Essentially, Twitter is a program that allows you to make very small, public posts.  Because these posts are so limited (they max out at 140 characters) they can easily be sent to a number of different locations all at once.  When you have written a Twitter, it can appear on the twitter website, on short message services, instant messaging sites or even on third-party applications like Facebook or Twitterific.  Folks can even add a script to their blog or website to show their most recent posts and the posts of others!   I have a blue widget box on my right sidebar.   Your Twitter messages, also known tweets, will appear to anyone who has chosen to follow your updates.

There are several advantages to this type of communication.  The first thing that you’ll discover is that it allows for a much more immediate relay of information.  The shortness of the message forces you to be very brief, and this alone can create interest in those reading.  Because tweets are so short, they often lead to frequent posting, which is excellent when you’re looking to communicate with people and to get to know them.  While Twitter is, by default, public, you can restrict the people who see your material with the ease of checking a box in your profile.

Actually, although I rarely have to do this, last night and so far tonight have been the exception.  I believe it’s a full-moon this week, and true to form, the crazies are coming out of the walls.  I, along with a few of  my fellow Tweeps, have had to block several people.  If these folks have a trillion people that they’re following, and only 1 or 2 followers of their own and no website listed - that’s a sure sign of a Spammer or bored teen, and an instant BLOCK.  But don’t let that discourage you.  It happens in e-mail programs too.

You’ll find that not only can you post tweets, you can also receive them.  Once again, the immediate nature of this service lends greatly to its appeal.  Want to follow someone’s updates and see what they are up to with their business or life in general? Simply sign into your Twitter account, type in their Twitter address or username and click the “Follow” button.  That’s all there is to it!

The amount of time that’s spent reading the messages is very short, and you can be in contact with people a great deal more than you otherwise might be. In essence, you can get to know each other much more quickly than if you were just reading each others blogs or profiles.  The look and feel of an instant messaging service helps add to this ability.  Think about it for a minute, do you feel more connected to those on your messenger list than the blogs you read? Twitter is the same way.

I used Twitter extensively this week with my website designer for my Virtual Assistant website.  We both are on Twitter and when I sent her an e-mail either responding to her design questions, or making suggestions on the site design myself, I sent her a Tweet to let her know that ‘you’ve got e-mail.’  Simple!

For many, whether they’re looking for friends, clients, or someone to help them out with a problem or workload, getting in touch with others is important.  With Twitter it’s never been easier!

Don’t forget to Follow Me!

Entrecarders!
WHO DID YOU FIND WHILE DROPPING THIS WEEK?!

It’s time for us to give out some linky love to our favorite Entrecarder of the week!
COPY THE BANNER AND BLOG ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE THIS WEEK.
—————————–

EntreCard Find of the Week is now a collaborative effort between Moomettesgram’s Musings and
The Mom With Brownies.

I luv participating in Entre-Find of the Week!’ What a cool way to share the newest blogs you’ve EC dropped in on!

Yes, I know today is Sunday, and as usual, I’m always a day late & dollar short.  Since Slugger’s arrival about 10 days ago, I’ve found myself helping DD out with ‘Lil Moomette.  It seems that since Charming Son-In-Law went back to work after a short “family time leave,” DD has had a meltdown of sorts and is finding out that….geez, being a mommy of 2 isn’t a piece of cake!  So who does she call?  Her own mama!

Anyways, I’m here today, ableit late, about my friend Kim’s new website, JA Blog Grapics.

Long before JA Blog Graphics was born, I had Kim do a few 125 x 125 banners for me. You wouldn’t believe how talented she is, it just blows me away!  See, Kim is an architect by profession ~ and that just amazes me too.  Kim has a natural talent and eye for presentation.  Kim also writes a mean blog at What’s That Smell, and is also one of my award winners of Moomette’s Best WAHM/Blog Site Award.

While I’m at it ~ What’s That Smell is sponsoring a Virtual Baby Shower ~ and Moomette’s Magnificents Olde Towne Shoppes is one of the sponsor/donors ~ you have to see the cool Baby Blankets that I’ll be donating!

Besides banners of all sizes, Kim also does Headers & Sets.

Like my new Banners?  Kim did the WAHM Guru one for me, matching Plug Buttons & a non-static Avatar, as well as the “Been Around the Block” one promoting my Product Reviews.

Now I’m all gussied up for all the WAHM and eBiz forums that I belong too.  No longer is anyone looking at my Maxine Avatar!

So if you’re in the market for some unique artistic talent to promote your WAHM blog, site or eBay store, go check out JA Blog Graphics, and let Kim know Moomettesgram sent you!

Who was your favorite EntreFind this week? Click here to learn how to play. Don’t forget to come back after you blog about your weekly favorite to leave the link to your post below. We want to read your favorites too!

Are you looking for more traffic to your Blog, online e-Store or eBay Store?  Have you jumped on the Twitter bandwagon yet? If not, read on!

I signed up just recently and I’m having so much fun! Not only have I met new friends, but I find that it’s the perfect medium to stay on top of things. It’s also really easy to communicate with my fellow bloggers that I’ve met through Entrecard.  Hey ~ even this Baby Boomer tries to stay ahead of the curve on all the latest technology!  Here’s why I think it’s great for WAHMs to use to promote your online businesses, blogs or eBay business.

Whether you are just getting started with an online business or you have been around for a while and looking for a new way to network, have a look at Twitter. Part chat program and part tiny blog, you will find that the Twitter interface is one that can change the way you interact with your current customers and potential customers worldwide.

Here’s 5 reasons why Twitter’s a powerful marketing tool for online WAHM business owners like you.

1. It’s Short, Sweet & To the Point
Have you ever heard the phrase, less is more? You’ll find that one of the best things about Twitter is that it keeps all messages very short and sweet. You’ll have to give your customers and clients the gist of what is going on in short tweets (messages similar to instant messages) that allow their interest to be piqued in such a way as to make them investigate further. You won’t bother them with long-winded messages that make them yawn and move on. Instead, you’ll be able to catch their attention quickly and make them want to know more.

2. Immediacy
Much like a blog or an RSS feed, you can get access to the people that use Twitter regularly. In some ways, this is like making sure that you can reach them no matter where they are, and you’ll find that this is very important when you want to make marketing one of your biggest priorities. You’re making sure that they have all of the latest updates to what you are doing and what’s going on by simply sending a tweet their way.

3. Everyone’s Doing It
In many ways, Twitter is a social program more than it is a marketing one, and you’ll find that using Twitter can help you feel a great deal closer to your client base and other’s in your online community. If you are looking to make sure that they see you as a person rather than as simply a company or service, you’ll find that Twitter encourages them to think of you as someone they can get to know. This can be very important when it comes to establishing a customer base and customer loyalty.

4. You Get to Hear a Lot
Remember that it goes both ways; you can put information out on Twitter and you can also learn a lot too. By following other’s Twitter accounts, especially if it looks like they have a lot to offer, you can keep in the know about various products, services, and other happenings online. This can be a great way to keep an eye on what is going on in order to keep yourself in the know of your industry.

5. Make Them Laugh
You can also use Twitter to tease people a little bit, in a fun way, of course! When you use Twitter, you have to keep your messages short, and in many ways, a little mysterious. Pique their interest, joke around, and you’ll find that you gain a lot more followers and hopefully website traffic and customers as a result.

Be warned, just as with any other social networking site, Twitter can quickly become addicting if you let it. Don’t go overboard and get so involved in all the tweeting that it takes away from your intended purpose. Used wisely Twitter can be a great and powerful marketing tool to help create online business success.

Sign up for my Newsletter for more updates about Twitter.

Want to know what I’m doing now?  Just read my Twitter Box on my right-hand sidebar!  Follow Me!

Many of my Twitter followers and friends on the various eBiz forums I belong to know that I frequently stay up until the wee hours of the morning working on my websites. Additionally, I still work a full-time job and of course, have responsibilities at home.

Obviously that combination is not ideal for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, I’m a Baby Boomer, so my energy level is not exactly that of a 20-something year old anymore. (Although in my mind, I feel as if nothing’s changed!) The aging process, as well as lack of sleep can often result in mood changes that ultimately can affect all aspects of one’s life. Just click on my ‘Rantings’ tab for some excellent examples of late night posts!

Recently I had the opportunity to review SAM-e Complete, formerly MoodPlus, by Nature Made. SAM-e is a naturally occurring compound that is found in all living things. It’s distributed throughout the human body and it contributes to maintaining mood levels and promoting joint comfort.

SAM-e levels tend to decline as people get older and certain groups of people, including those with low mood, tend to have lower levels of SAM-e in their bodies.

I received one box of SAM-e Complete, which contained 36 Enteric Coated Dietary Supplement tablets. Each Serving Size is one tablet, 400 mg and comes in foil blister packs to ensure safety and freshness.

The suggested use is to take one tablet per day, preferably on an empty stomach at lest 30 minutes before a meal. Taken as directed, SAM-e indicates that it has been proven to restore a healthy mood in as little as 7-14 days when taken daily.

How does SAM-e work, you may ask? Simply put, according to the website ~

SAM-e helps other molecules in the brain do their jobs making you feel like your normal self. When SAM-e levels run low, those other molecules can’t do their jobs as effectively, and you can feel out of sorts from a mood standpoint.

Although there is a Good Housekeeping Seal prominently displayed on the box, I would highly suggest consulting your Doctor before deciding whether or not SAM-e is something that would be beneficial to you.

People with bipolar (manic) depression should not take this or any other product containing SAM-e except under a doctor’s supervision.

If you are pregnant or nursing, or taking prescription antidepressant medications, consult your doctor before using this product.

For a limited time, Nature Made is offering a $3-off coupon when you try SAM-e. Click here to get yours.

SAM-e is also available online at most of your favorite retailers.

The Banana Splits, a hugely popular costumed rock band from the ’60s is back! The Banana Splits are fondly remembered by Baby Boomers for their unique combination of kid-style comedy and contemporary music!

Now share the excitement with your own children or even grandchildren!

The Classic ’60s TV and Music Icons Return With New Comedy Shorts on Cartoon Network, Music Videos, Website and Live Entertainment.

Starting September 2nd, The Banana Splits will star in a brand new comedy shorts and music videos on the Cartoon Network.  This Fab Four - Fleegle (a dog), Drooper (a lion), Bingo (a gorilla) and Snorky (an elephant) are ready to introduce their unique style of humor and catchy music to a whole new generation of young fans!

Also debuting in August is the all new Banana splits website, where kids ages 4-7 can watch comedy shorts and music videos, play games and join the Banana Splits club at http://www.bananasplits.com

Want to know 5 Cool Things About BananaSplits.com?

1)  Phone-A-Joke: Does your kid love jokes (hearing them, telling them, making them up?) Why not have them phone in their favorite joke using the toll free number listed in the “Jokes” section.  If the ‘Splits think its top notch, it’ll be incorporated into the website!

2) Great Music (seriously):  Tired of listening to sugary sweet, repetitive, less-than-incredible kids’ music?  Get your groove on with the oh-so-adult-friendly tunes available on the site.

3) Secret Codes:  What kid doesn’t love a good secret code?  On BananaSplits.com, kids can check in daily to decipher a code, then solve a word puzzle to reveal - what else - a silly, groan-inducing, ‘Splits style joke.

4) Fan Mail: Does your youngster have questions for the Furry Four?  Help them send an email in the “Fan Mail” section, and check back often to see if Fleegle, Snorky, Drooper or Bingo answers the email in a Fan Mail video.

5) The Banana Splits Club:  Much like secret codes, special clubs are kid nirvana.  Join the official Banana Splits Club to receive a downloadable membership certificate and Club Card (the best part is, no email addresses, phone numbers, or other personal info is requested - these ‘Splits are a low key bunch!).

Your kids will really be enthralled with this colorful, action-packed and entertaining web site.  This is the perfect parent/child activity to encourage early computer use for your child while stimulating their senses.

Soon the Banana Splits will also be seen in concert tours, live appearances, as well as a wide range of exclusive merchandise including toys, games, books and apparel!

Warner Bros. Consumer Products

Check it out at http://www.bananasplits.com

Baby Go Green features Natural Parenting Products,
Made Easy and Affordable!

The new luv of my life arrived on August 5, 2008.  I now have a new Grandson!

This is going to be quite an experience for me, after having 2 daughters, and one granddaughter.  Not only do I not really know how to shop for anything remotely connected to entertaining toddler boys, but I’m not great at picking out clothes for them either!

To my rescue comes Baby Go Green ~ Natural Parenting Made Easy & Affordable!

I did a Product Review for Lori, a WAHM of 3 girls earlier this summer highlighting the wonderful Fuzzy Farm Puzzle.

Now that Slugger’s on deck, I’d like to take this opportunity to tell you about the 100% Organic Baby Clothes that Baby Go Green has to offer.

The UTN Union Suit HIPPO is a  cozy suit that is  great for outings or just around the house.  Made with the finest 100% Organic Egyptian Cotton, Slugger will be comfortable and cozy in this super-soft outfit that is suitable for wearing through the rest of the Summer through Fall, here in New England.  It has plenty of thin snaps for comfort and easy changing.  And do I need to mention how breathable natural cotton is?

Available in Sizes Newborn ~ 3 Months & Sizes 6 ~ 9 Months

USD $24.00

Check out Baby Go Green for Cloth Diapers, Diaper Covers, Baby Care items & More.

Have a Baby Shower coming up?  How about starting your Holiday Shopping early  ~ Lori is kind enough to offer readers of Moomettesgram’s Musings  Free Shipping! Use Code FREESHIP50

Being a Grandmother is just way too much fun! Not only did I not have to give birth to the little darlings who bring me so much joy, I also get to chuckle when listening to my oldest Darling Daughter tell me how much work it is! And she’s 10 years younger than I was when I had my two girls!

I recently had the opportunity to review Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry’s Big River Rescue ~ A Lesson in Helping Others in DVD format, from Big Idea.

Big Idea, Inc., an Entertainment Rights group company, is the leading faith-based studio and producer of children’s and family programming, characters and brands.

As the storyline goes ~

Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry’s life on the lazy river takes a turn for adventure when they help a stranger in need. With unexpected twists around every bend, they discover that while helping others may not be the easiest thing to do, it’s always the right thing to do!

The Biscuit of Zazzamarandabo is the new Silly Song Feature, along with The Mighty Mississippi and She’s My Friend.  Dolby Digital enhanced.

‘Lil Moomette is 21 months old and has been watching educational videos since she was an infant. Unlike the educational programing that my own daughters had to endure during the 1980s and 90s, when Cable TV was in it’s infancy or VHS tapes were just introduced marketed towards children, the Veggie Tales Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry’s Big River Rescue ~ A Lesson in Helping Others is an action-packed video and held ‘Lil Momette’s attention span.

Viewed on a 47-inch Hi Definition TV the characters are colorful and animated. While Moomette, at 21 months, may not yet quite appreciate the story line, she was able to identify and repeat the names of the Veggies through their colors, and animations.

The lively story and music prompted Moomette to gleefully dance around the Living Room while watching, trying to emulate the characters. It was a hoot to watch her! This video will continue to grab her attention for quite some time.  As she gets older and more cognizant of situations,  Moomette will understand the storyline in greater detail,  much as reading a book over and over.

Approx. View Time ~ 50 Minutes

USD $14.99

As a Baby Boomer, I’m trying to get my “ducks in a row” and develop a supplemental source of income for my pending retirement.

As a professional Paralegal for over 30 years, I established CT Paralegal Virtual Assistant Services.

This week I was interviewed by the Connecticut Law Tribune, and I’m very excited and would like to share that interview with you. You can read the entire article HERE.

Currently I’m in the process of having a new web-site makeover, and switching to a new host for my Virtual Assistant site, so stay tuned!

If you think being a Work At Home Mom is something you’d like to do and and are looking for information on starting a  Virtual Assistant Business; are looking for a Guide to Writing for Pay, or perhaps a Proofreading Guide, check out these links or visit Moms Talk Network for more information on how to get going.

I have a friend who recently became a widow within the last several years. During the first year or so after her mate passed, we would have a ‘girls night out’ and joined adult education classes at the local high school, signing up for fun topics such as ‘gourmet cooking.’  Other times we would sign up for evening craft classes, such as bow-making or calligraphy at the local craft store.

After a night of these fun events, we Baby Boomers did what any group of hard-partying gals would do ~ we’d go out to grab a bite to eat and engage in ‘girl talk.’  Inevitably, we’d end up discussing the subject nearest and dearest to us ~ ourselves!

After several attempts and failures at online dating services, my friend decided to go on a mission of self-improvement.  I, being still married to the same fella for over 30 years, was umm, not so motivated.  As she ate a late-night dinner of salad, while washing it down with a glass of water with lemon, my friend spoke of changing her hairstyle by having a cut and highlights done ~ I listened intently while drinking my chocolate milkshake and enjoying my Pastrami Reuben with melted cheese.  My friend spoke of how she joined a weight watching group, and was now exercising at a local health club.  I responded that I exercise by taking a 5-minute walk across the street for errands during my lunch to the corner drugstore to pick up a candy bar.

My friend then dropped the bomb that as a coup de grace, she decided to invest in having porcelain veneers cosmetic dental work done to enhance her appearance.  I remarked I just usually like to floss.

After sufficient mourning time had passed, my friend re-entered the social scene and began to date again.

Porcelain veneers are a common cosmetic dentistry procedure used to improve the appearance of your teeth.

Porcelain veneers can improve the appearance of :

• Uneven teeth
• Chipped teeth
• Severely stained teeth.

A porcelain veneer is a thin shell of porcelain that fits over a damaged or discolored tooth. Porcelain veneers have many benefits over other teeth restoration techniques. Some common benefits of porcelain veneers are:

• Durable
• Color and translucent similar to a natural tooth
• Not susceptible to decay
• Resists staining
• Natural appearance
• Can effectively reshape teeth

Once veneers are permanently placed they will feel like a natural part of your teeth.

My friend is smiling once again and introduced me to her new “significant other” at a wedding we were at recently! Now those are results that give her something to smile about.

I’m going to make a few interesting observations on Social Networking Forums and Web 2.0 here.

While I don’t purport to be an expert, I have seen a change in direction from when I first started blogging.

Recently I’ve received several e-mails from some of the forums I belong to asking me to stop back & show my face.  Since I’ve been online, I’ve joined countless WAHM and Business forums.  While I still belong to all of the original ones I’ve joined, (outside of the ones I’ve gotten kicked out of, including Facebook ~ read about it here too) I only actually keep up with just a few.

Here’s where I’m going with this.

The newer forums I’ve joined, such as Mom Bloggers Club, Posh Momma, Hip Mama’s Place, MomDot, Moms United in Business, Cafe Mom and others, have all the bells & whistles where you can add your own “About Me” pages; put up your banner logos; website information; links to your blogs; article bases, Wow!  You can comment on other peoples pages ~ join groups, start discussions and more! There is just sooo much social interaction, it’s mind boggling!  There’s Twitter Groups; Entrecard groups; Digg Groups; Regional Groups; and on and on.

Some of the original forums ~ the ones that are sending emails saying “Please come back ~ visit us again ~ we’ve added new Contests to get you to come back ~ they just.don’t.get.it.

The format is older ~ just a list of topics, and you get to add a verrrrry limited siggy.  That’s it.  It’s so hard to keep in contact.   One particular forum, the bloggers mentioned they don’t use Entrecard (now, if you have a Blog, Entrecard is really a “Must-Have” for traffic.)  See my previous post HERE.

Also, hardly anyone knows about, much less uses Twitter.  I can’t even begin to tell you how much traffic I’m now receiving since I started “Twittering.” For those of you who don’t Twitter ~ it’s considered a form of micro-blogging, and there is definiately an audience for it that you need to capture.

Now what’s ironic about my observations, is all this is coming from me, a Baby Boomer Gram.  I’ve made light of the fact in the past how as a Boomer I’m struggling (well, not really, I’m a Geek at heart) to keep up with technology, and always have to stay one step ahead of the curve & my kiddos.  (Read THIS POST.) Now I’m not fresh out of High School, College or anywhere even close.

The difference between the new Web 2.0 forums and older forums is like night and day; analog and digital; VHS & DVD; Tape Decks and CDs.

Forum Administrators have to keep ahead of technology if you’re going to retain your membership.  Members are going to flock to where there are bells, whistles & graphics nowadays.

We are all spread so thin today and only have a limited amount of time to spend online, and obviously want to maximize that time to our fullest potential.

Why does it take Gram here to point this out?  What do you think?

Do you find yourself drawn to the newer forums?  Are you still frequenting the older ones?  Hmmm?