There is a new face in the Austin Personal Training scene, and he happens to be my brother. Brian Morris just finished his certification from PFTA here in Austin. He will soon be starting as a personal trainer on some lucky gym’s staff, but is also looking for clients.

Most personal trainers are all about finding the young people looking to prepare for bikini season, but Brian is hoping to reach people of all levels of life and fitness. We come from a family with a history of obesity, so Brian and I both know adversity when it comes to weight loss. He is even working with our mom right now. She has gone through a gastric bypass and thyroid cancer, making for an interesting combination of fitness and nutritional needs. No situation is too difficult with someone this dedicated to a healthier life for everyone.

For example, he wants to reach the baby boomers that want a better quality of life, not a beach body. Keeping up with grandchildren and traveling the world (that hike up St. Paul’s Cathedral in London is 1000+ steps!) are their goals.

I am very excited about this new part of Brian’s life because I can not only aide in this new venture, but it’s awesome to see him this excited about his career. Brian really does love helping people with their fitness goals. He has been telling me every week for the past 9 weeks about what he is learning in class and helping me change my habits for the better. (yes Brian, intervals are what I need to do, I’m working on it)

So as promised, if you are in Austin, and always wanted to work with a personal trainer, let me know. I’ll get you the hook up. *wink wink, nudge nudge*

A New Austin Personal Trainer is a post from: Kate Morris

What is the hunt? Raven started this game in which they hide clues across the interwebs. The clues are on their site and other Search Marketing blogs. They did one hunt last month (I was lame and didn’t participate that time), and the newest one just started yesterday.

The Second Clue is being released today at 1pm CDT.

Don’t think you can’t participate because you’re a day or two behind though. The other clues are still out there for you to find. And it ain’t over until the Raven is Found! This contest is open to everyone, not just search marketers, and you can join in any day. Oh, wanna know what you can win?An Apple iPad.

RavenHunt Quick Facts:

• RavenHunt is free for anyone and you can start playing at any time
• There are two RavenHunt clues released each day (Be Sure to Get Both!!)
• The object of RavenHunt is to collect the secret letters you find when you solve riddles
• On Friday, the second RavenHunt clue will include a form for you to input the unscrambled secret word
• You need to follow Raven’s Facebook and Twitter accounts to be updated on when clues are released

RavenHunt Prizes

First Place:

• Apple iPad
• 1 year Pro subscription to Raven
• Premium Membership to Search Engine Land
• Copy of The New Community Rules by Tamar Weinberg
• Copy of Web Analytics 2.0 by Avinash Kaushik
• Official RavenHunt t-shirt

Second Place:

• 6 month Pro subscription to Raven
• Official RavenHunt t-shirt

3rd-10th Places:

• Official RavenHunt t-shirt

Join The RavenHunt is a post from: Kate Morris

Taylor Pratt asked if cereal was allowed as a mid-afternoon snack today. A resounding yes was heard from what I saw, and that sparked my interest. What do search marketers (and any of my other followers) eat? Specifically, what is an SEO’s favorite cereal?

Winner: Lucky Charms

Voted on By:
Christa Watson, Joshua Sciarrino, Lyndsay Walker, Dan Perry

Seems like everyone loves the marshmallows. Forget the sugar covered oats, we want the marshmallows!

Runner Ups

Voted on By: Matt Siltala, Dan Perry	Voted on By: Casey Yandle, Andrew Woods	Voted on By: Taylor Pratt, Casey Yandle
Voted on By: Alan Bleweiss, Chiropractic	Voted on By: William Attwood	Voted on By: Ruth Burr
Voted on By: Matt Pellerin	Voted on By: Robert Brady	Voted on By: Jason Harrison
Voted on By: Clint Zink

Snack Time Cereal – SEM Edition is a post from: Kate Morris

Raven Team

A few weeks before PubCon, Jon Henshaw sent me the coolest shirt ever. I had the honor of getting a limited edition PubCon shirt before everyone else. I was stoked. Raven shirts are awesome. This one was much more so. They are always really comfortable and well designed.

Raven PubCon Design

Note the name of the designer. None other than Jon’s wife, Kathryn (awesome name spelling btw).

The issue with these shirts is that Raven didn’t make many. They ran out fast once they started giving them away, but I have a surprise. I have an extra one.

How to Win a Limited Edition Raven Tools PubCon Shirt

So it’s the guys shirt (read: Green) in XL. Sorry you don’t get to choose the size. This was a bonus shirt that was magically left over.

So to win the shirt, you need to comment on this post or write a blog post about what about Raven Tools is your favorite. Anything. My favorite comment or blog post will win. Don’t have a favorite because you aren’t using Raven? Umm, free 30 day trial much?

I’ll mail you the shirt and if you send me a pic, I’ll post it here. You have until Thanksgiving, November 26, 2009.

Raven PubCon Shirt Giveaway is a post from: Kate Morris

Thanks to Kristy Bolsinger for her help!

You are an SEO’s Parent If … is a post from: Kate Morris

The Seven Year Itch is by Kate Morris, but another wonderful lady that lives in England. She has a blog hosted on blogspot, and her book is available through Amazon UK only (sigh, I’ll have to bug someone to get it for me). I have not read it yet, but plan on it.

It seems like my kind of book — I go for the girly novels that I can just read for the story. Don’t get me wrong, though provoking novels like The Kite Runner and Middlesex are big favorites of mine. But sometimes it’s best to just have a good story you don’t have to think about.

What’s the point of all of this? Nothing. I just want to give some love to another Kate Morris in this world, especially one that has accomplished something that I want to do someday.

The Seven Year Itch is a post from: Kate Morris

I’m in New York at SMX East 2008, my first speaking gig. I’m at dinner with some awesome people (including Brandy Eddings, Manda Otto, Scott Polk, Tony Adam, Carol Adam, Todd Friesen, Brent Payne, and Jonathan Dingman), and I look around when we are waiting for a table. Lo and behold, I am the only one without an iPhone. Seriously.

That was a year ago and the time has come to get one. I have been a loyal AT&T customer for almost 10 years. Yes. I’ve been through the AT&T –> Cingular –> AT&T (really SWBell) changes. I’ve gone through everything, and a year and a half ago, my car was stolen, phone in car. So I got a new one … extending my contract. The next year I went to SMX East. Been needing one ever since.

So August 20th is the first time I can update. I’m going into Apple THAT day.

So why do you care??

Hehe. I need your help. What apps do I need. Please comment and let me know. I have 3 days to prepare my list. Tell me what and why. Thanks in advance!!

New iPhone – What Apps? is a post from: Kate Morris

Invitation to the Game

This was the first one I wanted to find but couldn’t. A very nice librarian online looked up the plot for me and found it. It has a great story line that I think would make an awesome movie someday.

Running Before the Wind

I used portions of this book for my Prose Interpretation competitions in high school. An uplifting story about surviving the tough things in life using things that you love.

What was your favorite book as a kid? I’d would love to hear of more!

Favorite Childhood Books is a post from: Kate Morris

He did order them, and in fact got me one too. (He mentioned where he got them here.) And here is the evidence. Needless to say, there will be much fun with this stamp when doing thesis research.

FAIL Stamp is a post from: Kate Morris

From Making Bread Magazine

Many people ask how I can possibly work from home. Don’t I just do everything but work? Well, kinda, but here is how working from home works for me. I love my job. Not kidding. Like I live my job. If I am not working on clients, I am working on personal sites and blogs. It just makes for one continuous day for me. I leave to go do yoga, pay bills, have lunch, client meetings and the like. But the freedom is that if I am having an off day, I make up for it on the weekend. Everything I do is to further the work of my sites or those of my clients, so in essence I am always working.

In that light, here are a few of my tricks for staying on task.

1. Have a good workspace.
I have a few to be truthful, I have a few of them and working on one in particular.Right now, the kitchen table and my bed.The bed is always fun, but can be … too restful.

The idea here is to have a space that is free from clutter, away from the TV, etc. Be sure you have a comfy chair. My current favorite helps me multitask with workouts. It’s the Gaiam Balance Ball Chair. Weird looking huh? It’s a balance ball and a chair with wheels. Srsly awesome. The last workplace I was in, it got passed around everyone loved it so much. No kidding.

2. Keep a List of Projects
No matter how sidetracked you get (we all have off days), having a list of projects to be completed helps. Keep it updated and cross off what you have done. I utilize a paper system (blasphemy I know) and my email inbox. If I haven’t done it, it stays in the inbox. When I am done, it’s filed. Keeps me up to date.

3. Group Outtings
Grocery shopping, working out, car service, client meetings. What’s the similarity? They are all done best in the middle of the day. Think about it, everyone else is working. (Giggle) Just be sure to do all your items at once, saves gas and time.

4. Bluetooth
I hate using them normally (I should when driving, but …) but when I am doing client calls, they are a god send. Since most of us don’t have hands-free sets at home, a bluetooth is a necessity when working from home. I realized this recently when trying to take notes during client calls. Yes, I am slow sometimes. It needed a new battery, but works wonders now!

So don’t think you can’t work from home. You can. Especially as an SEO, we can work from anywhere. Just keep on task and you are solid. Makes work more fun and “errands” easier to do.

4 Tips When Working from Home is a post from: Kate Morris