This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Mavenlink. All opinions are 100% mine.

Having quite a bit of business experience on a personal level, I know exactly what it means to master efficiency and time management. We have an amazing amount of technology right at our fingertips to make our lives more manageable, and bring our levels of success to a whole new level. Although I have changed my business style, and stick to a simple method of choosing affiliates to take care of most of the business details for me, not everyone will have my own level of experience to handle all the little details and truly succeed.

I can see the tremendous value of utilizing a company whose main focus is exclusively on improving the interactions between businesses and their consultants. Mavenlink is the first company to do just this, and they have not disappointed me with their level of insight and professionalism. I am really quite impressed how they have managed to create an intuitive technological platform which embraces the consulting lifecycle, while managing all business relationships and transactions so that your projects have a greater opportunity for success.

For Businesses

From a business aspect, you can invite Colleagues to your Workspace, and the ability to invite other colleagues to a workspace gives you the option to create the following actions.

~ Collaborate with other team members to get buy in or feedback.
~ Provide immediate visibility to management, peers or direct reports as to progress or updates on a particular project.
~ Get help completing your obligations, if any, related to the project deliverables.

You will be notified of all key communications that occur within the Mavenlink system via email, so you don’t have to worry about missing something that happened on a project or live in front of your browser. Whether you’re on the road, in a meeting, or checking in from a vacation, your email will provide you with a comprehensive view of your important to-do’s and updates originating within Mavenlink.

For Consultants

Since Mavenlink provides services and a workspace for both businesses and consultants, you may be pleased to know that all client communications, project notifications, due dates, and deliverables related to your working world is captured in one place: your Mavenlink dashboard. As you begin working within the system
whether with new or existing clients, you will quickly realize the advantage of a single view of your client-facing activities.

Just imagine bringing your online resume to life with actual work samples, robust project histories, live references, and a robust feedback system. Mavenlink’s profile offers a true reputation building model for professional service providers.

Featuring Mavenlink’s Comprehensive Platform

Mavenlink’s built-in, all-inclusive system guides you, your clients, and your team down a clear path from proposal to final payment.

~ Maketing & Lead Generation
~ Proposals
~ Negotiation
~ Contracts
~ Collaborative Workspace
~ Invoicing & Payments
~ Reputation Management
~ Business Networking

It is quite obvious that we all need to be up to speed, keeping up with the times, and Mavenlink is here to deliver the innovative technologies and services that will forever change the way people work together. I really like their Free Trial on all Plans, with no credit card required, and would like to encourage you to check it out for yourself.

Okay, I have to admit my weakness to artistic diversions of various musical and colorful persuasions. In simple english, I have become throroughly addicted to Rock Band! I can honestly blame my musically inclined daughter, who loves to sing. She talked me into challenging my musical talents, and now we are totally hooked!

Yep, when I got my first ‘flawless’ on Bon Jovi’s ‘Wanted, Dead or Alive’, it was all over. Next thing we knew, we had earned a new manager, and started getting popular enough to go on tour, hire some roadies, compete for a new tour bus, and we even played our booties off for our very own jet plane! Now we were travelling in style… yeah baby!

I think I started gaining the most enjoyment once we moved out of easy mode, into medium difficulty. By then, speaking for myself, I was much more comfortable, and it seemed much easier to kick back and enjoy playing the guitar without stressing over hitting the correct keys. I was totally comfortable enough to let my fingers fly and have loads of fun with the songs. Some songs are really fun to play, and sound totally rockin’ when we hit the notes just right.

What I love most is that I can do really well singing the songs. I really like to challenge my voice to make each song my own, while keeping the essence of the song intact. Some songs kick me in the butt, and I struggle to match the tones, and I sometimes give up and just hum… LOL

But hey, I did get that ‘flawless’ score in singing ‘Wanted, Dead or Alive’ by Bon Jovi… one of my most favourite songs ever! Although ‘Orange Crush’ by R.E.M. nearly killed me… again, and again… hehehe. I really think all this singin’ action has placed a bit of stress on the mic. I am thinking the Rock Band Official Microphone (PS3, Wii, Xbox360) seems the best option, and I am certain it is the standard mic already in use. I would totally appreciate any feedback on this particular mic, or a preferable option.

Speaking of Rock Band, I think it is just about time for a rock break! Enjoy…

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Moviestorm. All opinions are 100% mine.

As I teach my daughter her academics from home, I am always on the lookout for new ways to spice up our curriculum. She is really into writing stories, taking pictures, and putting slide shows together to share with family and friends. This is an art in itself, and when I showed her Moviestorm she got pretty excited! The timing is perfect, as we were looking for a cool movie maker that carries more features than our basic windows movie maker, and we decided to check this out.

My daughter has a project planned for our Artistic Expressions class, and I am interested to see what she can do with this software. She is totally into fantasy, so I imagine she can put her talents to the test with a great plot using her imagination, with colorful characters, animation, and totally cool sets to grab the viewers attention.

We were happy to discover that it is free to download the software, create avatars, and so much more. It sounds great, even for beginners, as it takes no experience to get started. The basic setup is free, yet we do have the option to pay for additional characters, animations, and props. This can definately serve to take a persons creativity to a whole new level!

Basic Features

~ Get going quickly with our library of ready-to-use stock sets, including interiors, exteriors, and even spaceships!
~ Customise the stock sets or build your own from scratch
~ Save your sets and re-use them in other movies
~ Buy more props and sets from the Moviestorm store

Customization Options

~ Use the customisable complete buildings or assemble your own
~ Tintable textures for walls, floors and ceilings
~ Fully animated doors and transparent windows
~ Add your own images to pictures, posters, etc.
~ Resize, modify and recolour props to create unique variants
~ Place props at any angle – no square grids!
~ Add videos to TV and computer screens
~ Animated textures bring props to life
~ Multiple skies give you night, day, sunset, etc
~ Add lens flare from the sun
~ Fully controllable ambient and directional lights
~ Add extra lighting with on-set lights, including streetlights, table lamps, moving spotlights, lasers, and concert lighting rigs
~ Switch shadows on or off for different effects
~ Add background sounds and sound effects
~ Quickly create unique sets by pasting photographic images onto backdrops
~ You can change your set, even in the middle of making a movie

Advanced Features

~ Greenscreen floors and backdrops make it easy to combine Moviestorm footage with other video sources
~ Share your stock sets with other Moviestorm users
~ Import items from Google Sketchup (requires Modder’s Workshop – currently in beta)
~ Create your own props and set dressing using standard 3D modelling tools (requires Modder’s Workshop – currently in beta)

How do I feel about Facebook? I will happily admit that I find it a wondrous thing to touch upon the glimpses of my family and friends whenever I wish; to bring their worlds a bit closer to mine, as I journey through time on this beautiful planet. I think it is pretty cool to touch base with people whom I would otherwise only see upon occasion, as they live so far away. I feel it brings us all that much closer, visiting in the virtual realms.

Surely there is simply not enough time each day to catch up on everything, yet it truly does not matter. Just a little peek here and there is enough… and more than enough most days! This is just how it is with Social Networks of this type. Especially if one is divided between business and pleasure.

The only downfall that I can see at this time, is that other people can find back doors into our private lives, wall posts, and even our pictures if we do not look through every aspect of the privacy settings. Not sure why, but Facebook makes it pretty tricky for those who are unaware of how to set everything within their account to keep their privacy within each of our own personal bounds. I would suggest looking through account settings very carefully to be certain that you are very clear on which information you wish to be seen, and by whom. It is not simply cut and dry, so do not be fooled into a false sense of security. Either pay close attention, or be very careful about the information you put forth to be viewed by others on the internet. It is nearly impossible to retrieve that which may become viral, in a short amount of time.

With that said, I am still happy to visit my peeps as often as time permits. Life is simply too short, and it is really nice to catch up with friends and family, giving us less separation and more of a sense of being part of the bigger world. Speaking of which, I would like to take a few moments to hop on over to my own Facebook and see how everyone is doing today.. Enjoy!

This is a sponsored guest post written by Matt Kelland on behalf of Moviestorm. Post powered by Sponzai.

Moviestorm is enabling a new generation of amateur film-makers to realize their visions.  It offers easy, affordable animation tools that can produce sophisticated high-quality films on practically no budget. After several years in development, Moviestorm has demonstrated that home movie-making needn’t be limited to cheap hand-held cameras and clips of the kids goofing around. Its virtual movie studio allows users to break free of the limitations of the real world, and allows them to direct, film, edit and distribute 3D animated movies without any knowledge of animation techniques or 3D modelling. And best of all, it’s free, and comes without any copyright restrictions. 

Iain Friar, known as IceAxe, is one of Moviestorm’s many successful film-makers.  His short film, Clockwork, a dystopian vision of a totalitarian Britain after a Soviet invasion in the 1980s, is winning accolades and awards around the world, most recently the audience prize at the Atopic Festival in France and the Grand Prize at the Machinima Expo.  Clearly influenced by both 1984 and A Clockwork Orange, with a visual style that evokes both Communist era propaganda posters and more recent animated movies such as A Scanner Darkly, it is a stark, powerful film that belies its modest origins.

Iain, who’s 42, works in marketing, and started making movies just 18 months ago. “I’ve always been a hands-on person, in music, sport, and everything else,” he says. “I thought it would be fun to shoot a music video, but I’m not the most technical of people, and it seemed extraordinarily hard.  I remember when computer games started using in-game animation to tell the story instead of video clips, and this interested me, especially now that game technology has become so sophisticated. So I bought a book, Machinima for Dummies, which had Moviestorm on the CD, and I was hooked. I liked Moviestorm because it did what I was looking for, even though I didn’t really know what I was looking for at the time, and the Moviestorm community was very supportive.  I initially made comedies, but I could see that the movies people respected were more dramatic, so it seemed that was the direction to go in.”

He spent four months working on Clockwork, and then the same again on his next short, Cloud Angel, a steampunk thriller set on board an airship.  Apart from the voice acting, he made the entire film himself at his home in Basingstoke, England.  “I’m lucky that my friends are so willing to step up to the mike and read my silly scripts!” he laughs. His next film is Gridlock, a science fiction comedy which he is co-producing with another successful Moviestorm director, James Thorpe.  For this, they’ve stepped up the production costs a notch: they hired a recording studio and got the local amateur dramatic group to do the voice acting.

Iain is realistic about his future, though.  “Am I ambitious? Yes. Do I want to keep it as just a hobby? Well, probably yes, because I imagine that if it became a full time activity, the fun might go out of it. I make movies as escapism. That said, I think that this industry would be really interesting to work in, because it’s embryonic; I’m not sure what direction it will go in. It’s exciting!”

Moviestorm’s CEO, Jeff Zie, is hugely enthusiastic and supportive.  “Iain and the many other Moviestorm users are an inspiration to us all,” he says. “We’re really proud that we’re giving talented people like this the tools they need to unleash the creative potential they never knew they had, and to produce these wonderful films.”

Try it and see!

You can download Moviestorm for free: Windows and Mac versions are available. If you want, you can expand your virtual film studio and buy extra costumes, sets, props, and sounds in their marketplace. If you’ve ever wondered whether you might be the next Tarantino, Ang Lee, or J J Abrams, now’s the time to find out!

Tis the Season for gift giving in a big way once again. Whilst giving gift in our very large family encompasses the entire year, many in our family do celebrate Christmas. Personally, I could just as well skip the gift giving part, as the majority of my family just had birthdays!! Alas, I to will pick up the spirit of the Season and spread some joy, in spite of this.

Searching around for new ideas for gifts is fun, and it also gives me a chance to add to my own wish list as well. At the top of my list of course is the Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6″ Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation) which can be found at Amazon. This device simply has to be the coolest gift for an avid reader such as myself!

Let me give just a few examples of why I think this a virtually awesome gift for book lovers (pick me! pick me!). First of all the Kindle is 3G wireless, which lets you download books right from your Kindle; no annual contracts, no monthly fees, and no hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots. Just imagine how wonderful to be able to pull out my kindle wherever it pleases me! Oh yeah, that’s what I’m talking about.

This sweet little device reads like real paper, without glare, even in bright sunlight. Plus we can read for up to 1 week on a single charge with wireless on, a significant improvement from the previous battery life of just 4 days. Holds up to 1,500 books… not that I really need that many, but heck let’s just build a virtual library, shall we?

The Kindle Store has more than 360,000 books available, including 101 of 112 New York Times® Best Sellers, plus top newspapers, magazines, and blogs. So there are little or no worries that avid readers will find what they are looking for. Whether you prefer biographies, classics, investment guides, thrillers, or sci-fi, thousands of your favorite books are available. The ultimate vision for the Kindle Wireless Reading Deviceis to have every book ever printed, in any language, all available in under 60 seconds. Now that is a lofty goal!

I actually discovered The Kindle last spring and mentioned it in another post, which gives more details about the features, and of course more of my own thoughts. All in all, I believe this to be a Virtually cool gift!

Just what is a Kindle? Well, it is the latest in electronic technology for book lovers like me! We can actually upload our favourite books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, and more, into a super light gadget designed to carry loads of information right at our fingertips. Our personal libraries just got lighter, brighter, and totally loaded with adventure if that is what floats your boat! Personally, I love to escape this percieved reality upon occasion, and what better way than to carry such an amazing device that can fit right into my purse or backpack! And just knowing that there is a huge selection of uploadable books available make this little reader an even sweeter deal.

Just imagine the time and space saver this nifty little device truly is. Not only can we eliminate the clutter, we can also have our favourite read handy for those moments we need to fill the time waiting at appointments, or just when we need to take a break.

Holds Over 1,500 Books

The ultimate travel companion, Kindle weighs 10.2 ounces and holds more than 1,500 books. No longer pick and choose which books fit in your carry-on. Now you can always have your entire library with you.

Automatic Library Backup: Download Your Books Anytime for Free

A copy of every book you purchased is backed up online at Amazon.com in case you ever need to download it again. You can wirelessly re-download books for free anytime. This allows you to make room for new titles on your Kindle, knowing that Amazon is storing your personal library. We even back up your last page read and annotations, so you’ll never lose those, either. Think of it as a bookshelf in your attic–even though you don’t see it, you know your books are there.

Overview of New Features of Kindle 2

Slim: Just over 1/3 of an inch, as thin as most magazines

Lightweight: At 10.2 ounces, lighter than a typical paperback

Wireless: 3G wireless lets you download books right from your Kindle, anytime, anywhere; no monthly fees, service plans, or hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots

Books in Under 60 Seconds: Get books delivered in less than 60 seconds; no PC required

Improved Display: Reads like real paper; now boasts 16 shades of gray for clear text and even crisper images

Longer Battery Life: 25% longer battery life; read for days without recharging

More Storage: Take your library with you; holds over 1,500 books

Faster Page Turns: 20% faster page turns

Read-to-Me: With the new text-to-speech feature, Kindle can read every newspaper, magazine, blog, and book out loud to you, unless the book is disabled by the rights holder

Large Selection: Over 260,000 books plus U.S. and international newspapers, magazines, and blogs available

Low Book Prices: New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases $9.99, unless marked otherwise

For more Information and Detailed Features

I am really suprised I have not already gotten one of these totally cool Kindles. I am placing this item on the very top of my wish list, and sending out some pretty strong hints for Mother’s Day! If you love to read even half as much as I do, perhaps you would like to visit this link –> Kindle 2: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation) to view the amazing features this futuristic little gadget has to offer. I am pretty certain you will be just as impressed as I am! If you already have experience with this sweet little reader, please feel free to share your comments.

As the world changes, growing into a dynamic and technological force in which the internet will play a leading role, it is interesting to track the Virtual applications being employed as they develop. We are entering a phase of develpment in which virtual realities will serve many purposes from expanding our imaginations, to providing virtual productivity in the realms of commerce. The internet is creating powerful ways to connect, and the Virtual Worlds are going to change the way people do business.

So let’s take a look at one such Virtual system which caught my eye with the power it represents.

Virtual Greats is the world’s leading virtual goods sales and distribution system, connecting celebrities, artists, content creators, IP holders, and luxury brands with a new generation of fans through the online trade of likenesses, fashion, catchphrases, and other virtual representations of real-world talent. Based in Los Angeles, Virtual Greats is affiliated with Millions of Us LLC, an agency specializing in virtual worlds and large online communities.

Our three product lines of Artists/Celebrity, IP Holders, and luxury brands, create virtual world extensions of the names and brands we love in real life. By licensing well known movie stars and characters, singers, sports leagues, and consumer brands, Virtual Greats opens a new sales channel previously unavailable before. It’s our goal to bring the clothes, accessories, and likeness of our partners to the virtual world and social network user base, while generating a new and scalable revenue stream.

Are you ready to step into the future and embrace the life of living virtually? Truly I am excited with the advanced technologies that are being revealed and improved. Imagine what the future will bring, as we are still in the infant stages of Virtual applications. Although I love the great outdoors, living in a Virtual World sounds pretty cool, and is a great way to stimulate my huge imagination while giving me new ways to express myself. Welcome to the wonderful Virtual realities on planet Earth.

Business uses of virtual world technologies continues to accelerate, especially in today’s economic climate. Engage! Expo (formerly the Virtual Worlds Conference) is the event for youth and young adult brands, media and agencies to meet and learn how to combine their existing online efforts with the unparalleled engagement opportunities and new revenue streams of attention-based media.

When and Where? March 10-11, 2009 in the Javits Center, New York, NY.

The event includes three tracks with more than 80 speakers. Keynotes include executives from FremantleMedia (American Idol) and Sulake (Habbo): Teemu Huuhtanen, President, North America, Sulake Inc. and David Luner, S.V.P. Interactive & Consumer Products, FremantleMedia Enterprises, just to name a few.

If you wish to get all the details about the upcoming Virtual Worlds Conference, visit Engage! Expo. Here you will find the way a whole new advancement in modern technologies. Virtual Worlds, Social Media, Toys, Games, and Virtual Goods. Advancing technologies at their finest. This is where the action is, so don’t miss it!