Categories
BlahBlahBabble

Social Media – The Revolution is NOW.

BigPinkCookie (aka BlahBlahBlog) will turn 10 tomorrow! 10 years of blogging! Eeeeeeee!!! I sort of have dual blogiversaries for this site actually, because I launched May 8, 2000, and then didn’t use it much until September 2000. So think of this as the celebration kick-off!

It was fun watching this video while thinking of how much the internet has changed in the past 10 years, how the blogosphere has grown, how the word “blog” is now a household word instead of something you have to explain every time you say it — and to think of how much this blog has impacted my life over the past 10 years. I have friends I would have never met if I didn’t have this blog – in Houston and around the world! I probably wouldn’t have met Mike without this blog – our paths wouldn’t have otherwise crossed. The list could go on and on.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of YOU. If you’re reading this – you’ve probably touched my life in some way. I’m grateful beyond words. You guys are the BEST!

I’m whispering so I don’t jinx it … but I really do promise to start posting here more often. If I don’t, you can fuss at me. Deal?

[via Think Splendid.]

Categories
Geek Love

With my iPad, I can rule the world!

Testing out WordPress on the iPad. Yes, it is slower than my usual typing speed, but considering everything else I can do on it, I’m smitten.

More to come as I test things and figure it all out.

Categories
BlahBlahBabble

Watch out for These Common Solar Panel Problems

Solar panels are great, which is probably why you installed them. Sadly, every device may develop a problem at some point and solar panels are no different, which is why solar panel maintenance is important. The following are a couple of common issues linked to solar panels.

Hot Spot Problem

One common issue that affects some solar panel systems is the hot spot. This occurs when one of the panels overloads and becomes hotter than it should. This usually happens because the installation was done poorly. The solar cells are going to have to be inspected for a number of possible problems, like incorrectly soldered connections just to point out one possibility. The reason this issue can be problematic is because it could lead to short-circuits and may affect the performance of your system. An issue like this is sometimes ignored, which could also hurt the overall lifespan of the panel affected.

Small Cracks Appearing

Another problem that some solar panels develop are cracks. Most of these are quite small so they are often overlooked. These cracks normally do not cause much trouble at first but may cause issues later on. The cracks happen due to mishandling during shipping, or sometimes the panels were just poorly produced. After some time, thermal pressure or certain weather conditions are going to start to make these cracks worse, which will eventually affect its power production. It is important to have each panel inspected by a professional to ensure that minor damage like this does not exist in your solar panel system.

White Trail Issue

You may need solar system repairs Perth because of what some call snail trails. These are white lines that appear on your panels after some time. One of the reasons these trails show up deals with the metalization silver paste used to make the panels. Sometimes, the paste used is defective or is of poor quality. The paste ends up trapping moisture, which leads to oxidation. This process causes the snail trail problem, which may seem harmless at first but can actually hurt your panel’s production, which is going to hurt your ability to use electricity at home.

Internal Letdown

Internal rusting can happen to your panels. Now, this normally does not happen, especially when the panels were made correctly but that does not mean it is impossible. Panels are made to be airtight and water-tight. The ability to keep these elements out comes from the lamination used in the process of making each panel. The problem is that improper lamination means that the panel will get delaminated over time, which is going to allow moisture inside the panel. This is why your panels start to develop rust inside, which can lead to energy loss or worse. You should have your panels inspected from time to time just in case.

Most of these issues can be dealt with easily if you address them in time. Yes, the panel is going to function find for some time, meaning you can be tempted to ignore the problem but that is not wise. Troubleshoot the issue and figure out if you need to call a professional.

Categories
Getting Down to Business

Are You Really Breathing?

I was just reading one of the most recent posts on The Art of Non-Conformity, where Chris Guillebeau shares a super insightful quote. It made me stop and think.

“Listen—are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?”
—Mary Oliver

I don’t know about you, but so often I spend my days rushing from one task to the next to the point that I don’t take time to have a life. Earlier this week I decided I had to get more firm on the “no computer after 9pm” rule, and make myself knit at least an hour a day at a minimum. Sometimes, when you are the boss of you, it is just far too easy to forget that there is anything to your life other than your work. You’re so driven by your passion, the joy that made you launch your own business in the first place, and you were so high on the freedom of life and the fact that you’re the boss and you can dictate exactly what you do … that you forget to actually go and DO things.

My other quote of the day is this:

“The purpose of your life is not to serve your business – but the purpose of your business is to serve your life.”
—Michael Gerber

Hmm… I think the universe is trying to tell me something.

If you could do anything in the world today – any thing at all – what would it be? For all of us that are running our own businesses, didn’t we get into this so we could have the freedom to do exactly that? So, what is holding you back? When are you going to start making those plans? What are you missing out on today that you’ll truly regret tomorrow? What should you be doing today to make sure that you’re actually living the life you deserve?

Are you really breathing? Why not? What can you do to make that change and truly LIVE your life and let your business serve you? I look forward to hearing about what you think in the comments!

Categories
Getting Down to Business

Bring Your Clients Sunshine…

The Arctic Circle in the middle of winter gets no sun. So on Day 31 of no sun, Tropicana (the orange juice people) brought them the sun. Check it out. You can’t help but smile when you watch this video because of people’s reactions.

The video made me stop and think about what I can do as a wedding vendor. Tropicana took the time to think about their client’s needs. 31 Days, no sunlight. They need some sun to brighten their lives – even if it is an artificial sun. So they took the needs and addressed them. It made them heros. Do you think that if you lived there and you were walking through the grocery store and saw Tropicana orange juice, you would probably pick it up over another brand? (I’m assuming it would cost a lot – I’m sure it isn’t cheap to buy orange juice in the Arctic Circle.) How about those of us that don’t live somewhere so remote? Will hearing this story make you give Tropicana a try the next time you’re at the grocery store? Simply because they did something cool?

The other interesting thing to notice in this ad is that you don’t see the product at all until the very end, and you see them passing orange juice out to happy people – you assume for free – as they enjoy their sun for a moment. The visual lasts for a second or two, and you’re feeling really great when you see it. Then you see the Tropicana logo, which has thankfully returned to their original logo after last year’s controversy. The whole thing is barely about the product itself. They aren’t selling you on it being yummy orange juice, how delicious it is, the nutrition value. They are just showing you that they went out and did something cool for this small town without sunlight for 31 days.

It is a soft sale. It is warm and fuzzy. It quiets the lizard brain.

Now think about your clients — what are their needs? What is that one problem they might have right now that you can address, even if it isn’t in the realm of what you normally do? How can you, as a wedding vendor, bring your clients sunshine and those pure joyous smiles to their faces? How can you reach out and make the experience of working with you full of joy? What can you do that isn’t selling them on the product, but rather on the experience of working with YOU. Something that makes YOU unique?

Standing out in the crowd is key. There is only one YOU and no one else can duplicate that. Give a unique experience, and you’ll be the buzz for a long time.