Izea is having a pilot program to help them spread the word about IZEA sites, products and services, create a stronger bond within our existing community, and provide provide product insight and assist in continuing innovation. They are looking for some people to give them a hand and want to know why we think we are a great fit for this position.  What do you get for doing all this for them?  Well, there is no hourly rate (darn!).  However, you will get a $1500 travel fee, Ted Murphy’s phone number with access to him, a blog makeover, the ability to try out new products before anyone else, recruiting bonuses, Postie Packs, etc.  As you can see, there are a ton of fringe benefits.

I wish I could say that I was one of the first members.  However, PPP started in July of 2006 and I joined up in September.  I had started my blog to keep in touch with my parents and friends in Green Bay, Wisconsin (I live in Illinois now).  In 2006, I only had my daughter, and she was growing up so fast.  However, as a stay at home mom, we really did need me to make some extra money.  Since 2004, I had been doing freelance work for various companies (creating websites and such).  That extra money paid for satellite TV, daily newspaper, internet access, etc.  It also allowed me to step out of my mommy roll and allowed me to be an adult again.  However, as anyone who works freelance will tell you, sometimes there is a lot of work out there — sometimes there isn’t.  I came across PPP on somebody’s blog (I don’t even know who) and signed up.  That was the beginning of this fantastic journey I have taken over the last 2 years with them.  My blog has went through my ups and downs of my family (there is a miscarriage and my son’s birth involved in there).  Currently, I am a work at home mom.  I still freelance, and now that I have 5 blogs under my belt, I consider myself a professional blogger.  I am lucky.  I make enough money to pay for the extras we need and want (see basement remodel), so I must be doing something right!

What do I know about marketing?  Well, one of the places I freelance for considers me their social media manager.  I have accounts at places like StumbleUpon, Digg, Mixx, Reddit, Yahoo Buzz, Kirtsy, Blogging Zoom, etc to name a few.  I even have joined a new bookmarking service called tagfoot that is still in beta and requires an invite to join.  I promote all of my blogs using social media.   I belong to several social networking sites such as Facebook, Namyz, Ryze, LinkdIn, Twitter, SocialSpark, Entrecard, and several forums.  I even was a moderator for six months on the Izea forums!  I also belong to MyBlogLog and BlogCatalog.  I also moderate over at Chicago Moms Like Me (which is a social networking site for Chicagoland moms).  Here are my stats for this blog for since October 1st:

I was able to achieve these numbers due to social media.  I think I would be extremely helpful in recruiting a crew for several reasons.  I know a lot of posties just due to being here so long.  When my son was born, Amy ran a baby pool on the forums for me ( I can’t find the link due to the boards not letting me search that far back).   As a moderator, I had several posties tell Izea not to get rid of me as a moderator, so I get along great with the posties on the forums.  I know several of the posties personally like Robyn, Elizabeth, Corrin, Christine, Julie, Breezie, Drew — just to name a few.  I know I am missing a lot of people in that list, but it’s just a start.  I try to help when possible too — check out this thread on the forums about bluehost and hostgator for hosting.  I often get emails and tweets from people with questions, so I think I am considered a very approachable person which definitely makes recruiting much easier.

What events have I attended?  I was at Blogworld last year:

I also attended PostieCon and did a cake plow (that alone should score me some bonus points):

In January of this year, I attended the Social Networking Conference in Miami.  I actually ran into Ted there.  However, I didn’t bring my camera, so no pictures for that conference.  I worked a booth here also, so I do know how to do that.

In April, I attended the Sony Mommy Bloggers Event with Laura and Heather who also are posties:

In May, I went to Agency Bootcamp here in Chicago:

In August, I was invited to the Pampers Mommy Blogger Event:

I also attended Izeafest this year:

Also, I have been invited on October 23rd to attend the Epson and Sparkplugging Girls Night Out (pictures to come).  As you can see, I’ve attend several blogging events and conferences this year.

Three conference I would have loved to attend are SNSX, Blog World Expo, and BlogHer.  However, travel expenses for these three events were not in our budget this year (especially with the downturned economy).  I own a  laptop that follows me everywhere.  I actually use my laptop so much that many of the keys have the letter rubbed off them!  I do not have an aircard.  However, my husband tells me when my cell phone contract is up at the end of the month, he’d like to get an iphone (so any iphone advice is appreciated).  I have heard that you can use your iphone as a modem of sorts, so does that count?

I would love to have Ted’s ear.  There are several things that drive me completely insane with Izea, and I would love to hear what he has to say about them.  I have to be honest, I don’t think my actual resume is this long!

What do you think?  Should I be picked as an Izea Insider?

EDIT:  Here’s a pic from the Epson/Sparkplugging Event:

I was also asked to join the Social Media Club here in Chicago.  I missed last night’s meeting due to not having a babysitter, but will try attend other ones.

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Cpl. Lance M. Thompson
21 years old from Upland, Indiana
2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
November 15, 2004

The father of Cpl. Lance Thompson said his son would be proud knowing he fought and died to help Iraqis vote in an election.

Cpl. Lance Thompson died in during fighting in Ramadi by a truck bomb. His father, Greg Thompson, said his son sent him a letter in September of ’04 which said, “Freedom is not free. It requires sacrifice.”

Greg Thompson said the millions turning out to vote in Iraq was “fantastic” and said it was a “momentous day in the Middle East.”

“Are you asking me was it worth Lance losing his life?” he asked a reporter. “Being the gung-ho Marine that he was, he would say yes. So I’ll say yes. That is a tough, bitter pill to swallow. It hurts. God, I didn’t want to give up my son.”

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

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Of all our modern conveniences that we have, what can’t you live without?  In my house, it would have to be disposable diapers and cell phones.  My son, aka the pooping machine, has so many dirty diapers a day that I would seriously go insane if I had to wash all those.  Seriously, the kid poops a minimum of four times daily.  My other convenience has to be cell phones.  I remember a time when you only used your cell phone for an emergency because otherwise, it was sooooo expensive.  However, in time, prices have come down, and people actually get rid of their landlines for these.  I can’t imagine not being able to get ahold of my husband at the drop of hat like I can now.  He is often driving from job site to job site, so without this convenience, I wouldn’t know where he was or if he got stuck in traffic on the way home.  I couldn’t call him to pick up a gallon of needed milk either.

When Madison had to get stitches (this is when she was 2), it was a day that Bill forgot his cell phone at home.  I can’t tell you what a pain it was to try and get ahold of him.  I had her at an Urgent Care, and my mother in law called my father in law who called the office that Bill was at to let him know to come home.  It is almost scary how much we rely on cell phones.

Speaking of convenience, you should check out the coupons here to get yourself some Yoplait yogurt.  Can you imagine life without the convenience of plastic?  I know, me neither!  Thank you PBN for this great coupon!

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If you have children in your house, you have dealt with diaper rash one time or another. I have never met a mom who hasn’t dealt with this issue before. Most diaper rash issues can be dealt with over the counter products like Desitin. However,no matter how much you change your child, they can still get diaper rash and get it bad.

My son is literally a pooping machine. Normally, this is not an issue. We is changed (almost constantly) and this isn’t an issue. However, when he is teething, we have a completely different story. His butt gets so red. I feel so bad for the little man. It has gotten to the point that he has gotten sores on his little behind due to the diaper rash (even though I am doing everything I should). We have had prescriptions written out for this very problem.

I just recently found out that there is a new product on the market called Vusion. It is for diaper rash that is caused by a yeast infection (not too sure how you tell that but that’s the doctor’s job. That’s what we pay them for. However, I do know that yeast is part of Will’s severe diaper rash.). It can be used on babies as little as 4 weeks and is only available by prescription. It is only to be used for 7 days and not for preventative care. I know this is something that I will bring up to my son’s doctor the next time he gets severe diaper rash to see if this will work for him. Check it out if you have a little one with diaper rash, so you can discuss it with your doctor.

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Pvt. Nathan Z. Thacker
18 years old from Greenbrier, Arkansas
2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
October 12, 2007

Pvt. Nathan Z. Thacker had only been in the country for two weeks before his death, according to the soldier’s father, Stephen Thacker.

Thacker’s father said his son felt a duty to enlist. “He said it was his job. Even after he got his orders that he was going over there, he said it’s his job.”

Thacker had attended Guy-Perkins High School in Guy, Arkansas. He earned his GED in 2006, his father said. Thacker enlisted in the Army in April 2007 and completed his training at Fort Benning, Ga. He arrived at Fort Drum in August 2007. His honors include the Purple Heart.

“Nathan was an excellent man,” sister Sabrina Black said. “He loved me, I loved him, and I’d give anything to have him back.”

Pvt. Thacker was killed when an IED was detonated near his vehicle near Kirkuk. Three other soldiers were injured in the attack.

Pvt. Thacker is survived by his parents, siblings and his grandfather.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Copyright © 2011 My Thoughts, Ideas, and Ramblings. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact mythoughtsideasandramblings.com @ gmail.com so we can take legal action immediately.