Can you have a work life and write a best seller?

Working on a book. Any advice from writers? How do you manage to find time to write your book AND live your life with your day job?

Working on my best seller, book turned movie, but I feel like there's not enough time in a day. Advice? Suggestions?

Adventures in time management - It's 10 am already?

With work picking up, getting deeper into married life and (the latest update) my brother living with us, it doesn't seem to get much busier than this. I find myself waking up at 5:30 am working all day until about 6 -7 pm and heading home to get ready to start it all again. On good days, I will force myself to quit around 6 and go to the gym. The good part of all this is that I'm losing weight because I don't have time to eat AND I am forcing myself to workout. Go figure!

I've always known that I work much better under pressure, but the whole time management thing comes up again in my life. A friend and I have recently hired an Assistant Account Executive, which immediately lessened some of the smaller tasks at work, however, I struggle with not giving her 'assistant'-type tasks just to cross off things on my to-do list.

Slowly but surely I am learning how to reorganize my time and making sure that I am taking time for myself. I stay away from the computer as much as possible on the weekends, that doesn't actually seem too hard for me.

After all is said and done, I have to remember that I am a human and can't work like a machine....or can I?????? What do you do to take time out for yourself and enjoy life a little?

I am 30.

So, this is now my reality. I am 30. I have hit the third decade of my life. Everyone insists that this one is the best one that I'll have. I have an inkling that its true.

This birthday, I was pretty overwhelmed with emotion, stress and even relief. I remember when I was 25, thinking of what I would accomplish in the next five years and my plans have not gone the way I thought. I had plans for my career, my personal life, my recreation, my self. Things did not turn out that way.

In the overall scheme of things, it all turned out much better. Maybe because it's reality. At the same time, there are so many things that have happened that I didn't expect and didn't want. The truth is, 30 makes me nervous. With this new business and my pending nuptials, the real responsibility and adulthood begins. I am nervous and excited. In a way this feels like the beginning of my life. I'm hoping for the best, but who knows what's gonna happen. Here's to the next three decades. Cheers!

Busy, busy, busy...

As you can see, I've always been somewhat of a busy bee...

It's more true now than ever. Alongside the launch of my new website and business, I've been doing a lot of re-organizing. I've been spending way too much time with Cupcake's and Cashmere's Home Improvement blogs. I have cleaned up the junk in our place and reorganized my office space, to be a more conducive work environment.

Along side reorganizing, I've been doing a lot of traveling for new business (and of course, recreation) and lining up networking events to go to. I almost forgot the most important thing...maintaining my new diet and workout regimen, which actually can be accomplished with my 'new' life.

In fact I have been so busy, I let this blog slip by for way too many days. I've lost myself in running and work. I guess that just happens when making new life changes, but I was caught off guard about how much work and time it eats up. The best thing of all is that...it's all for me. The changes I wanted to make in my career and life are slowly becoming reality and its all very tiring, but so exciting at the same time.

I can't wait to see what happens next. I gotta start working on that book of mine.

The good life - TheSilverTelegram.com

The week before last, I launched my new business, TheSilverTelegram.com a public relations consultancy, focused on brand building and good PR. This is a huge change in my life, along with helping to build another business as well (to be announced later).

It's so much hard work, but also completely rewarding. It's funny that being on your own work schedule can be so much more physically demanding, but the mentality is so different when you're working for yourself. It is definitely only for certain types of people. For so long I have wondered why my focus and interest wasn't quite right at agencies I've been at, now I know.

With my persistent ADD, running my own business feeds all aspects of my mental hunger. Now I just need to stay organized, which isn't very hard for me anyway. I am so excited to pursue my business and hopefully maintain successful relationships in the coming years. This way I can continue to travel regularly, enjoy life at home, cook more and be in better physical shape among other things.

I have also considered getting a small loft in Downtown LA, which would be nice. That may be coming soon, depending on the next few weeks. Anyway...I am officially an entrepreneur and hope to continue expanding my portfolio to the other two businesses (now three) that I hope to pursue throughout my life.

Bossypants

I haven't written in a week and I feel like its been months. While I'm restructuring my life and getting ready to present my new self to you I decided to read a book! Yes, amazing, I actually FINISHED a book. It wasn't hard.

What was it?

Bossypants, by Tina Fey of course. My interest in Tina Fey was first born when I watched 'Mean Girls', a classic coming of age story for girls in the 21st century (please note the sarcastic tone), and damn hilarious. Soon after, I generated an addiction for 30 Rock. If you haven't seen it, I encourage you to catch up. Her style of comedy (sarcasm, truth, everyday quips) was exactly what my friends and I did, so henceforthwithto, I thought Bossypants would be a good choice for my reading attempt.

Now, I'm not generally a fan of books and don't get sucked in easy, but this book feels like Tina Fey is talking to you about her hysterically busy and successful progression in life. And aside from the disturbing cover art, I have come to feel like I know her and would be disgustingly disappointed, that if we met, she wouldn't treat me as an old friend and give me a hug (I smell just as good as Oprah Tina Fey).

It's an entertaining book to read and talks about her career, comedy, life as a mother, life as a (bad) wife and life as a boss, all while being very funny and telling a great story! It inspires me to stay up later, write more and work harder...well at least for today...to get what I want out of life. It is nice to see that there are people out there, that still pursue what they love to do, instead of what is convenient, conventional and expected of them. (Yes, I got all that out of this book).

Good work Tina Fey, I applaud you and good luck!

Who are you?

There are times in your life where you have to make life decisions. That's what I have done. After such a long time of not really feeling the 'right' feeling, I believe I have finally figured out what is 'right' for me.

Immediately after I made the most recent decision about my life, despite a little nervousness, I felt happy and realized that good decisions always feel...well...good! There are people that follow or believe in other people's paths and there are others that create a world of their own. I have never been a kid to follow what others were doing, sometimes by force. My mother always wanted to be different, do different things and set a tone to be an example and was NEVER someone that followed others; I think I get it from her.

With my parents being fathoms opposite; my mother totally out there, creative and whimsical and my dad, precise, on-schedule and conservative; I think I turned out to be an interesting and smart combination of the both of them. (Is it ok to call yourself smart, without sounding totally vein?)

So although, I'm being really vague right now and can't reveal more at the moment, announcements will come (no, I'm not pregnant). This new chapter of my life, I can feel, will be the best one by far. With the wedding, work, life as I know it is about to change and I have a great feeling!

The 'Spark'...

What makes someone want to be better than they already are? Is that something hereditary? Is it something you're taught when growing up, that you should be the best you should be?

Why is it that some people have it and others don't? Sometimes I think I'm too ambitious, and its true that I often put too many things on my plate of to-do's, which means only half of it gets done (Which is truly more than the average Joe anyhow).

Sometimes I really think I should have take some type of sociology or philosophy major that would have kept me in school for 20 years of my life getting masters' and phd's, but then I can spend my time thinking freely about inane ideologies that no one will ever really have the answers to.

I'm looking for the right 'spark' right now, the one that makes everything else make sense. It may just be adding something to my life that wasn't there, getting into a good routine or eliminating something completely. Who knows? Sometimes I think I may just need a little more Vitamin D intake and then all my energy would be well cooked and 'out there'...whatever that means.

See you when I see you!

Life is full of surprises.

I guess 'they' were right when they said to 'expect the unexpected'. Nothing in life really turns out how you think and I have come to believe that everything works out in mysterious ways. The first two months of 2011 has been more than an interesting journey. In just 39 days of the new year. My fiance and I are planning to move into a great new house (rented, not bought), I have an amazing job opportunity in front of me, we've chosen a wedding date and venue, and there is so much more to come.

I can't wait to see what other great things are in store for us this year. We are planning to run our 3rd Chinatown Firecracker together this Sunday to celebrate. The year is already off to very quick start and before you know it our sweet pup will have a little puppy brother. I guess it is time to make the last year of my 20's as great as possible. How quickly time escapes after you join the 'real world'.

I think about all that I have already experienced and realize that it is not even half of what I will experience in my lifetime (assuming that I live to a nice ripe old age). I'm going to go with the thought that 'life begins at 30', so I better get ready for it now.

I have never been so excited to see what's next. Stand by for housewarming details.

Like Nina Simone sang...

"Its a new dawn, its a new day, its a new life...And I'm feelin' good!"

Riddle me this: Why, all of a sudden, is everyone else singing this song (by everyone I mean Michael Buble and Jennifer Hudson). It turns me off a bit that Jennifer Hudson is singing it on a Weight Watchers commercial but I guess that's a different topic, so I digress.

What I always loved about the new year is that it feels like a new opportunity, but the truth is that new opportunities are always around the corner anytime of the year. What makes the Julian Calendar so special that I follow it so precisely in everything I do or plan? I think planning this way is limited and has limited my thinking for a good 20 years of my life.

Moreover henceforth therewithto (that's some of that fancy old English for you), I will no longer be a slave to standard calendar practices. I will make resolutions all year round and celebrate the only REAL holiday...my birthday, with gusto and a jovial attitude every year no matter how old my government ID tells me I am. I will play tennis in the Winter and drink hot cocoa in the Summer. I will wear hot pink in the Fall and eat pumpkin pie in the Spring. I will punctuate my slang properly and I will write in complete sentences (I don't know that this last one has anything to do with the calendar).

All I'm saying is every day is a playground. Enjoy what you do, how you live and who you are around as much as possible; and if you don't like it, don't wait until January 1 or the next Monday or the first of the month to change what you don't like. Maybe one day you can be as happy as this guy:

5-hour energy

I feel like one of those people on the 5-hour energy commercial before they take 5-hour energy. However, I feel like that regularly lately. So much work to be done and so little time. I wish I didn't have so many hobbies and ambitions. Damn me for being so productive :).

I don't think that drinking these will get me through. It is tiring to keep up with myself and I don't feel like I'm finding enough time in the day to accomplish all that I want to. I'll have to figure something out soon!

Inspiration or fact?

I found this quote this morning and I'm not sure if it inspired me or brought thoughts to the light.

“Be yourself. Follow your instincts. Success depends, at least in part, on the ability to "carry it off."” - Donald Rumsfeld

Whether in business, in life or in relationships this quote holds true. Maybe it's because I live in California, or become people are becoming less in touch with themselves with the forward movement of technology; but I think a lot of people have trouble pulling this off.

I find this quote resonating with the way I pursue life and have even felt the success that he describes. You cannot gain anything but success when you're being yourself (which includes being honest with yourself and ethical). I guess I thought I would share this to remind people that success is partly instinctual and staying true to your values. If, in what you do, you are not pursuing those two things, success will be difficult to get to.

If you don't feel it with your whole heart, try something else!

Adventures of a Chronic Dieter - entry XXX???

So my plan this week was to workout in the morning before I go to work. Morning - 2; Ronjini - 0. I did so good last week and don't know what happened, but with every exhale and piece of clothing I try on...FROM MY OWN CLOSET, my desperation for going to the gym gets worse.

I realize it takes a certain motivation and balance of time in life, but my energy has waded with this new puppy and the amount of work I do. Once I'm back on a schedule, I should be good. Maybe I'll set some short-term goals to kick start my momentum.

Goals for this week:
- Drink WATER, no soda (or minimal soda)
- Workout everyday for the rest of the week (Tuesday - Sunday)
- No eating lunch out (that's what kills me most of the time)
- sleep by 11, awake by 5
- no carbs after 7

This is aside from the dozen other personal things I should take care of, yay! Its Tuesday.

Allright folks, here I go again!

Return to planet normal...

So I have been back home for a little over a week now and have started new routines and gotten used to the time. I feel like I wake up, workout, work, go home and pass out. My energy has been a little low, however it's possibly because I thought it was a good idea to give up caffeine (I've resolved that problem today).

My new wake-up and workout schedule has been working really well for me, but it's difficult for me to stay up at night after I get home. I feel like I just make dinner and plop on the couch...and there is no return from that. My productive self has slowly been pushing me to wake up earlier to get things done, but I'd really like to stay up longer and see more of the day. I need regain control of my schedule so that I can fight the good fight against time.

Managing yourself as a business is so difficult. There are way too many things that I need to get done in a day. I feel like I over-promise and under-deliver, something that I have always vowed never to do to clients, but keep doing to myself.

Lists are beginning to mean nothing to me. There are no consequences to my personal laziness and if there are, I have already lived with them and they aren't bad enough company where I care. I guess it boils down to the fact that I'm not really a patient person and generally want everything to be done and dealt with yesterday and if it takes longer than that, I feel I have no control. Ah well...we are home, happy, healthy and ready to move forward. Maybe now that I got this out on screen, I can make myself accountable.

I did bribe myself with shopping, which may just work!

The road to home (Istanbul, Cologne, Frankfurt)...

The past week has been a crazy busy one, mostly with work. We closed out our trip to Istanbul by getting a lot of souveneirs, heading to a fancy nightclub called Reina, an extensive carpet showing at a Turkish rug showroom, eating lunch & smoking Hookah (for my first time) on the Bosphorous and wandering around the Grand Bazaar...and when we were just getting used to life at Taksim Square it was time to head to Cologne, not without purchasing another piece of luggage to haul all of our new treasures home. It makes you wonder a little when the guy at the bazaar asks you" "Would you like to purchase something you don't need?" Regardless, we got out souveneirs our new USSARO luggage and headed back to Ataturk airport.

Now it was off to Cologne (or Koln), where Gamescom was waiting for me.

On Sunday evening getting to Cologne, we got on a train headed in the wrong direction and finally got to the Marriott Cologne at about 11:00 p.m. Cologne is a nice city, heading out to grab some food, the first thing we noticed was the Dom. Half of the building was covered in fog and just gave out this increadibly creepy vibe. Eat your heart out Notre Dame, these gargoyles were scary in the fog or in the sun, as it finally cleared up on Friday. The whole week consisted of light rain and overcast weather and me with very little warm clothing. Crossing the bridge to head over to a Gamescom event on Thursday, we noticed the love locks on the bridge. Naturally, we decided to give 'love lockdown' a new meaning and get our own locks for the bridge, throwing the keys in the river to seal the deal. Then the one day (Friday) I decide to wear the one pair of pants I brought...it is blazing hot and I am profusely sweating from transporting boxes to the convention center.

Gamescom itself was a whole different beast. Days were filled with media interviews, marketing meetings, networking and checking out the main halls. I must say, those media interviews are tiring. I had my first run at being 'on camera' (3 times in one day), definitely not my forte, and talking about the Free2Play video game business. I was surprised how much I knew. Once I started it just started flowing out of me. Good experience, but I'll leave the interviews for the producers, the networking is much easier. Gamescom had a huge event on Thursday night with 3000 in attendance (still only a fraction of the attendees). With live performances and buffet's of food set out all over the venue, there were some still there until 4 am. Being the smart one, I headed in at 12.

The biggest success at Gamescom though? Seeding out more little GamersFirst green bags out into the planet (4000 to be exact)! Those obnoxiously colored bags should be our staple, a different neon color for each year.
"Oh you got that green one? That was back in 2010. No, no, I have the orange one, 2012."

Finally, we dispersed Cologne and got on a train to Frankfurt. Unfortunately (like in Paris), the rain pretty much took over the last day there and the morning (right now). It was nice to have a festival near our hotel, where there was International food. Even nicer was the Irish bar we went to, where I could finally get some Guiness and Cider in my system. Now it is POURING. With the extra baggage we bought in Istanbul and that heavy 19" Alienware computer we're trekking home, getting to the airport will be no picnic, but it's a nice feeling to be heading somewhere that we won't have to leave in a week.

After 14,961 miles, 42 days, 13 cities, 10 airports, 7 hotels, 6 countries, 3 suitcases, 2 train rides, and 1 pandemic we are finally going back to the comforts of home. Still together, healthy and ready for whatever comes next!

Sometimes the stars align.

If you're curious to know what that picture is, it's of Scorpio of course. That's what I am, a Scorpio and last night the stars must have aligned perfectly. This morning, I woke up refreshed and everything seems to be coordinating perfectly for this upcoming trip.

I rose at 6:30 a.m. to find out that the summer camp that I will be at in Spain, does in fact have Wi-Fi...sadly that was my biggest concern. My love went to collect some drycleaning and coffee was ready when I finally got out of bed.

Part of my morning happiness could very possibly be because after about a month of being stressed and having no time to workout; last night I took a 6 mile run that left me, surprisingly refreshed. I miss being fit. I woke up with no soreness and ready to workout again. No..I'm not crazy, I didn't work out at 6:00 a.m. this morning, but I will again tonight. Apparently, this past month has not been so kind, there's a lot of toning to do.

The tide feels like it's turning towards a summer of wonderfulness. I'm incrementally more and more excited to go on this excursion and I am proud to say that I feel like I'm finally getting some progress at work. PR is not the easiest road to go down and validation comes few and far between. Even when people say you're doing well, you need that real affirmation that what you're doing is working for the company. This morning I got the validation I needed to know that we are moving in the right direction and are 'taking the bull by the horns'.

I hope that everyone has a fabulous and special weekend and finds their own renewed spirit. It is very likely the next time I post it will be sitting at the airport waiting to lift off..or it may be about beer tomorrow. Whichever comes first :).

Ciao!

p.s.: Congrats to you know who you are!

Wide Open Spaces.

There's something about enjoying the sun and working on your computer. The past several weeks I have continuously complained that I don't have a patio, where I can sit and type. This morning, I decided to go to my neighborhood Coffee Bean to work, so that I can feel the inspiration and focus to work.

I realize now that whatever new place I live in next, I will need to have a large floor to ceiling window in the office room, or set up my desk next to the front porch. There is just something about being blocked in that blocks my productive thinking. I'm hoping that next week, when work is really stressful, I can take my laptop outside and work for a bit to open up the space around me (as well as in my mind).

Sitting her I just feel like I can type and work all day. I have been more productive in the past hour and a half than I have been (at least in my personal life) in the past 2 weeks. Sad but true. Until I move, I guess I'm just going to have to head to Coffee Bean for a combo of work and relaxation.

Endless Summer 2010? - So it begins.

It was a beautiful Memorial Day weekend and no doubt the beginning of another summer. I was outside most of the weekend, which is what I expected anyway. It was beautiful. The commencement of summer 2010 included; beach workout, beach walk, cuban food, Sex and The City 2, lunch with a friend, tasty dinners at home, playing tennis, a round of golf, a closet clean out, cleaning the house, laundry and desperately wanting a patio to relax on and enjoy the weather and work simultaneously.

It's time for me to check in with those resolutions before I wander off for the remainder of the summer to Europe. E3 is in 14 days, so 14 more days of that madness and 43 days until I'm off to Europe for 42 days.

There's a lot of excitement and a lot of things to get ready for my trip and for the next 14 days. Plus I can't forget that Deven's pirate party will be the weekend immediately after E3.

sigh..............

Here I go as I jump into the madness that is Summer 2010, how exciting and tiring all in one. :)

If anyone has some great tips for Spain, France, Turkey or Germany, please feel free to comment. Our time in Spain will be mostly working but I'm always open into squeezing something worthwhile in there. Although, last time I went to Spain, I didn't feel like I got enough time at the beach. And...I think we're going to get a chance to go to Portugal with the summer camp. Should be fun!

Ahhhh summer! SATC 2 review will be posted soon, stay tuned!

Adventures of a Chronic Dieter #3 - no pain no gain

As you may have noticed, I'm on another mission. My goals in life are conducted by endless missions that lead to more missions that will continue until I die, I'm sure.


Goal - minus 22 lbs.
Target date - June 15th (the date of my next big work event)
Current Status - very tired with a crick in my neck, ouch! And way to overweight to mention.

Current supportive activities - running, tennis (3-4 times a week), 24 hour fitness hell and counting calories.

This week has been quite a serious one for my goal achieving. Not only have I done really well with the eating and working out; but I've also completed a lot of important work tasks that I had on my list. I have finalized my summer plans in Europe and we are headed on our way to Spain, Turkey and Germany for 42 days. WOW that's a long time! By then I will be on my next mission of craziness.

Anyway, I made a great effort this week to workout at least once a day if not twice. I introduced myself to a new 24 hour fitness at the Irvine Spectrum, which makes me want to workout even more, because of its fantastic facilities. In result, I have been the most tired that I have been in weeks and far less social than I normally am.

In addition, as a pre-achievement gift I bought myself of very expensive shoes. Result: too small for my big ol' feet :(...boo! They are going back, but I can use that money for something more important...like bills. I didn't deserve them anyway, I stalled on my taxes and still have not filed.

Anyway, this quest continues. However, Sunday at Disneyland is not going to make it easy to continue this mission. I've done really well in removing the whole soda thing from my diet so far. The only problem is that I really want a Snakebite (or Black and Tan, whatever you wanna call it). I love the weekends, more time to workout and enjoy it.

The boyfriend probably isn't getting as much loving attention as normal, I figure I will make him dinner tonight to make up for some of it; a healthy one of course.

Forward I march....sigh...

Becoming Recluse...

That's right you heard it here first. I'm going into hiding for the next few months. My social activities will basically be work and tennis and even then on the same strict regimen that I have been on for the past month or so. However, this time I'm going to be organized.

I realize now that the only way to get all the things I need done by June, I will have to put all my attention into work and working out (tennis). Then I will be out of the country for a little more than a month. I have definitely been slackin' on the org skills, so I'm going to make like a caterpillar and cocoon myself.



If we're friends, don't take it personally, I still love you all. I just really need to put some high focus on certain things for the time being. I need to put my priorities in check and return to the place where I was before. So unless you play tennis or work with me, you probably won't see me and if you do play tennis and work with me; you'll probably be sick of me when this is over.

Thanks B ahead of time for being there for me :)...Updates to come...on 'adventures of a chronic dieter'. Next time you all will see me you will all see me outside my larval stage and I will be better than evah and hopefully less stressed.