Eight months ago – I was in one of the best shapes I have ever been in.  Health, fitness, etc. were top notch and my doctor would have been proud.  How did I do that?  I walked … I walked for hours a day – seriously.  Two to three – sometimes even four hours – daily.  My average walk was between six to eight miles, done in about 2.5 hours.  Every now and then I would walk twice a day.  My walks took me to places I wrote about on Walkation.com

And then I got a phone call.  Being as TarponRiverWatch.com is one of my babies …

Lorri Helfand Staff Writer for the St. Pete Times … called me early April 2009 and asked if I knew of a certain person and why yes I did – she told me he threatened to kill a board member if the case he pursued for many years did not go his way.  This caused me alarm – and I became more vigilant, but I continued to walk.

Then Lorri called me to see  if I had seen the Inside Edition segment this same man went on.  I had not seen it, but I read this article online and I also read Lorri’s piece she followed up with.  After this time I was able to view the piece Inside Edition did – and I was terrified.  I am terrified … A terrorist lives in my neighborhood.

My neighborhood is a wonderful community filled with friendly people, beautiful homes, in a lovely setting (gosh I am waxing poetic) and we have a terrorist among us.  Who needs to go half way around the world to fight terrorism, when it is in our own communities.  And then Lorri did another follow up to her original story.  And still the story waits for more follow up.

So – what does any of this have to do with a treadmill desk and blogging.  A LOT – In the past eight months I have gained over 30 pounds, all because I stopped walking … the last time I walked a large man was walking toward me – the sun was behind him … I almost pooped my drawers … seriously … I have not walked since.

Yesterday I began using my treadmill desk – I will get video uploaded soon   Yesterday’s working walk was 95 minutes at 2.5 mph – zero incline.

Today I am doing 2.5 mph at a 3.5 incline.  I am currently at 48 minutes and counting for the day.  Goals for today’s working walkation include Farmville – keep it moving along and get it decorated for the holidays.  So far, so good.  Write AND POST three blogs.  This one.  GoalBuzz and one other one that I have been sadly neglecting.  Probably Walkation.com  Gosh I miss that blog.  Or is it the activity that goes along with it?  The walking.

Ok – I am beginning to slack – so will post this and continue.

With this blog posting I am announcing I am aware we all have choice no matter the economy or domain name used, with a good GoalBuzz and a quickrant on twitter, our thoughts begin to create new partnerships for thankful YES we CAN!!!  Win – win – win’s

As more people are exiting the traditional “job” market – through their choice or the economy more are turning to the Internet as a source of income.  No matter the way in which others are encouraged to give you their cash – the one thing ALL Internet presences need is traffic.  What I mean by that is, an Internet presence with the best “product” in the world is no good if no one is buying it … AND even MORE important is that your product be good enough that your “customers” recommend to others about it.

When I say “product” what do I mean?  By “product” (This paragraph is the last one parens will be used to discuss products or customers) anything that you make, create, give of, do, {fill in the blank} of yourself that others (your “customers”) feel worth value enough to trade something for which YOU value (and that something does not necessarily mean cash – i.e. barter ROCKS IS “product”

So – how does one get that almighty traffic from the best targeted customers in the most efficient manner?

1 Focus –  2 Goal Setting – 3 Action Steps – 4 Follow Thru – 5 Follow Up – 6 Lessons Learned –  7 Rinse and Repeat.

… and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 and 6 and 7 … Starting at one we will build it, then work backwards if needs be:

1)    Focus:  Would you rather have some random surgery done with a machete or a precision surgical procedure done with best tool that would mend you completely once the surgery was complete?

2)    Goal Setting:  Another name for this is Mile Stones – what are the things that need to happen to reach the precision surgical procedure?  All things are possible – what is it that is the #1 Focus of this Procedure?  What needs to happen to make it so?

3)    Action Steps:  To meet the mile stones that have been set – what are the action steps that need to occur?  If you do not know the order – no problem.  Write each of the steps of 3×5 cards and they can be reordered as needed – PLUS the cards can be used for further break down of BIG jobs.   (-: This can be used for any *Focus* no matter how tiny or huge

4)    Follow Thru:  The action steps must actually be done.  When are each of the steps needing to be completed by to get the final *Count Down*?  This is a way you will be able to come up with what needs to happen when.  For each focus one will complete the time table of follow thru to the completion of that focus – BUT – that does not mean we are done …

5)    Follow Up:  Once the *Focus* has been completed – it is time to measure how it is doing.  All those best products in the world are doing no one any good if they are not doing what you had intended for them to do.  Measure – Measure – Measure … we cannot improve upon what we do not measure and one way or another everything can be measured.

6)    Lessons Learned:  This is where the measurements come to play.  If you move this dial what happens?  If I flip that switch what happens?  In the virtual world of web 2.0 it means things such as:  Sending a Tweet on Twitter, or updating your status on Facebook, are your Facebook and Twitter connected to your MySpace?  And if so what did what, where? How long did it take?  How about Forums?  Does your focus have any forums dedicated to that niche?

7)    Rinse and Repeat: Using the lessons learned we have no matter where we are or what we’ve done … you are where you are and that is a fact. Even if you do not like where you are at this time, enjoy each moment as it is and the fact you ARE in total control and can change everything … In An Instant. No Matter What.  What is your focus?  What do you want?  Decide.  Repeat is then not a rehashing of the same old same old – but rather returning to step 1 with what my focus is then.

It is ALL so very easy and I feel that is why we have made it so very hard.

You can focus and be all over the board. Let’s take me as an example oh boy … I have been on the Internet over 10 years – but I haven’t *done* anything of note (other than branding myself ~ some say as a nutcase ~ but that is fine … I love who I am and I am thankful to be so blessed … but we all are – and I digress … because I did not focus … BUT … using my lessons learned I can Rinse (make my corrections) and Repeat.  I know I have the focus factor of fairy dust … so how can I use that to my advantage?  Start at the bottom and work around to the top. {{{rinse, rinse, rinse}}}

… and …

Step One Focus:

I have taken the liberty of copying Joe Biden’s e-mail about the fight and using it as if he is my Guest Blogger today. The lobbyists have billions of dollars backing their agenda.  We have us. The ads we see are not from those who have our best interest at heart.  The ads we see are from those who want the way it’s always been to be the way it will always be … I don’t know if you have noticed – BUT – things are changing.  Let’s make them good changes.

And now on to BlogZup Guest blogger of the day – Joe Biden:

We’ve got a fight on our hands. Powerful insurance companies are pulling out all the stops to defeat the President’s plan for health reform. They’re spending seven million bucks a week on lobbyists, blanketing the country with deceptive TV ads, and just funded two high-profile “reports” to distort what reform would mean for you.

I know their game. I was in the Senate the last time health reform came around, and I saw the special interests savage our efforts. Frankly, under the old rules of Washington they were nearly impossible to beat. But now, thanks to you, the rules are changing. All the lies, scare tactics and lobbyist shake-downs in the world are no match for the incredible work of Organizing for America supporters like you. That’s exactly what frightens them so much — and it’s what Barack and I are counting on.

After decades of false starts, we’re now just a short time from finally passing real reform. Every member of Congress will soon have to cast their vote. As real change draws near, you can bet the insurance companies will hold nothing back. That means OFA will need the extra resources to beat back whatever attack they can dream up next. Here’s the bottom line: it’s not time to let up — it’s time to double down.

Please donate $5 or more to power OFA’s fight for change as we head into the final round.

When I talk about you changing the rules in Washington, here’s what I mean: This week, crucial negotiations on Capitol Hill are shaping a comprehensive reform proposal. At the same time, the insurance companies’ phony reports are grabbing headlines and their lobbyists are twisting arms. But your work is keeping them from setting us back.

On Tuesday, OFA supporters around the country organized more than 1,000 local outreach events and generated an astounding 330,000 calls to Congress from constituents telling their representatives that “it’s time to deliver.” From my years in Congress and my conversations with Senate colleagues this week, I can tell you with confidence that your message broke through and you helped keep us on track.

If this fight were only about guaranteeing the choice of secure, quality, affordable care for every American, it would be worth everything we could throw at it. But as Barack reminded us this week, this fight for change is now about something even bigger: a test of whether or not “we as a nation are capable of tackling our toughest challenges, if we can serve the national interest despite the unrelenting efforts of the special interests; if we can still do big things in America.”

I believe we can. And Barack believes we can. But what really matters is whether you believe we can. If you do, now is the moment to make it happen. Please contribute today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/FinalRound

Thank you,

Vice President Joe Biden

Back to Evie’s view point.

If you can not afford to donate money (what is money – paper we say is worth something) donate your TIME and resources to help spreading the word.  In my opinion this is so very much more important than 5, 10, 50 dollars.

Help spread the word that the lobbyists and the ads side for the insurance company who want to remain in control.  Tweet this, FaceBook it, MySpace It, GET THE WORD OUT … WE do make a difference.

Think of this – even the BEST insurance around is subject to no money – no insurance, lost your job?  Is it tied to insurance?  Got a disease or have a bad accident – you ARE at the mercy of the insurance company in which you have placed your faith and the premiums you have paid (how ever they have been paid).

More information about the health care issue may be found here.

Thank You,

Evie Conner

Great and Awesome Day,

http://www.youtube.com/user/BarackObamadotcom

AV has been something past Presidents did not use to it’s fullest potential, but our 44th President is different.  Not only has he opened to the media, he is making himself available to you when you are able to truly hear his message.  http://www.youtube.com/user/BarackObamadotcom is President Obama’s YouTube.