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- Hill Robertson

I am a Mac and Linux geek. I primarily use Macs or Linux servers to connect to my linux web servers that I have scattered all over the internet. I love using the almighty command line (we’re not talking old DOS here, we are talking real linux command line). It is very powerful if you know how. It is actually faster in many cases than using a GUI (graphical user interface). For instance, when I modify the underlying code of this blog or I update MySQL tables, I open up a terminal session on my Mac and ssh (secure shell) into my linux servers.

Am I confusing you yet with all of this geek talk? Well, this blog is suppose to be a bit geeky. I like to give some geeky blog posts occasionally. So keep reading and enjoy it. You just might learn something….

When I connect to my linux servers, I edit the PHP files directly on the server using a text based editor called vi (actually it is vim which is the improved version). This allows me to quickly update files without having to update a local copy and the FTP it to my server.

A little about FTP…..
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. It is probably the most commonly used way to send files from one computer to another. It is usually the method to upload files from your PC to your web server. One thing to keep in mind about FTP is the fact that it is clear text. This means that the data is NOT encrypted when you send it from your PC to your web server. So, if someone was sniffing (or monitoring) the network traffic somewhere between you and your web server, they can see your FTP login and password. If this concerns you, you may want to use SFTP (secure file transfer protocol) which encrypts the data as it is sent so it can’t be easily seen by someone sniffing the network.

In the same manner as SFTP, SSH also encrypts the data as it is sent. I use SSH all the time from my Mac and Linux boxes. If you are a PC person and you want to use SSH, there is a free client call Putty available. If you want to use SFTP or SSH to connect to your web server, your server will have to support it. Many web hosting accounts only support FTP.

Get a little geeky if you haven’t already. You just might like it. One of the goals of this blog is to help geeks and want-to-be geeks learn how to run a successful internet business. I had to learn the hard way before there were good resources like this blog to learn from. As I geek, I wasn’t too comfortable with the marketing side of things and especially the “dealing with people” aspect of it. Now, I understand internet business a lot better and understand how important it is to have a great relationship with your customers.

If you want to keep learning more about how to build a successful internet business, subscribe to this blog by sending your name and email in the subscribe form at the top right of this page.

Geeks can make money online too…..

- Hill Robertson

So, you are spending a lot of your time writing blog posts, submitting articles, posting in forums, optimizing your site, and everything else under the sun as you attempt to get more people visiting your blog. You feverishly watch your analytics and other stats. You watch your web server access log as visitors hit your site. You pray that the next visitor will sign subscribe to your blog. You keep tweaking your opt in form. You make it pop up from every possible direction and you throw in every type of buzz word you can as you watch and wait for the next subscriber.

Dreams of 100,000 subscribers spin in your head. Maybe 10,000 is enough for you. You think to yourself that if you could sell something for $100 and just 2% buy it, you would make a cool $20,000 and could pay off your credit cards or buy a car. Or, you just want 1,000 subscribers or would be happy with 100. Whatever your subscriber goals are, you just want subscribers, right? Not so fast…….

While you do want subscribers, you want quality subscribers that are specifically interested in your products. It wouldn’t do any good to have 1000 subscribers that just signed up to get your free report on the top 5 ways to chew bubble gum if your products are all about shoes. You would make more sales to a subscriber list of 30 that were interested in shoes than 1000 that were interested in bubble gum.

The next time you start to get upset or depressed when someone cancels their subscription, you should be thankful. It is simply their way of telling you that they really aren’t interested in your information. It actually improves the quality of your remaining list. The longer the rest of your subscribers stay subscribed, the more likely they are to purchase your products somewhere down the road.

When the next subscriber cancels their subscription to your blog, it is not a bad thing. Your list just got better. Be thankful when they leave.

- Hill Robertson

While my kids were out of school
I took them out one day
I took them to the local park
so they could run and play.

We swung in swings and spun on things
I’d never seen before
We climbed up ropes and slid down slides
and played a little more

My kids were just so happy
to have their daddy by their side
The love shined in their faces,
their smiles were full of pride

I couldn’t help but notice
other children that were there
did not seem quite so happy
their demeanor only fair

Then I noticed what was different
with the other children there,
Not one of them had their daddy
at the park with them to share

All the other daddies
were missing all the fun
of watching their own kids grow up
as they frolicked in the sun

Other dads were busy working
at their jobs you see
they traded time for money
instead of time with family

I’m glad that I was able
to play with them that day
A day that I will never forget
and cherish in every way

I did not have to go to work
and trade my time away
In fact I’ll have more days just like it
to run and jump and play

That’s what it’s all about
to have a business of your own
that you can do when YOU want to
instead of always being on the phone

As time ticks by it’s over
forever gone the time will be
So use it on important things
Like God and family

What can be done to get more time
to spend with family?
To do the things you need to do
and have responsibility?

Just set some goals and break them down
to ones you can achieve
Then take the action to get them done
and then you will believe

A business of your own
is not so hard you see
with some action and persistence
it soon can set you free

You’ll gain the time for important things
in life that are so dear
Even simple things you missed each day
soon all will be made clear

You owe it to your family
and your Father up above
To do what is important
and do it all with love

So don’t wait any longer
the time to start is now
decide that you will do it
and then just find out how

HillRobertson.com
is a blog about success;
In business and in family
and life and happiness

Start by signing up for this blog
and follow it day by day
you’ll learn about all kinds of things
to help along the way

Were all in this together
like a loving family
that helps each other to succeed
just do it and you’ll see

- Hill Robertson

I’ve found that one of the best times to really get to know your kids is when they are snuggled in bed with the lights out. I like to listen to their prayers each night. You can tell a lot about their heart and what is important to them. You can also learn a lot about yourself and how you are raising them by the little things they say in their prayers.

Take the time to listen to your children. They are your responsibility and they are watching your every move and picking up on every little thing you do - both the good and the bad. Whether you like it or not, they will follow in your footsteps. Be sure the footsteps they are following are paving the way of truth, morals, and Godliness. Train them in the ways they shall go in their youth and when they are old they shall not depart from them.

You only have a few fleeting years to really mold their hearts and minds. They will learn from someone whether it is you, a daycare worker, a babysitter, a schoolteacher, a peer, or anyone else you choose to allow them to spend time with. Choose your relationships wisely. Set a good example and spend as much quality and quantity time with them as you can.

Be the best example you can to them. If you are doing the right things and living a wholesome life, that is what they will learn. If you are not living a wholesome life, then that is what they will learn. How do you want your children to turn out when they are older? The way you live today is the way they will live when they grow up. Think about it. Change your ways if necessary.

Even when the kids are fussing, screaming, and getting on your nerves, you should realize that they are a blessing. Just think about it. In 20 years or so when they are out of the house, all of the little fussing and screaming will not matter. You will be wishing they were little children again running around the house in their pajamas or underwear fussing and screaming again. You’ll actually miss those moments. You will be sitting in your quiet lonely house wishing you could do it all over again. So, enjoy it today. Enjoy all of the little times that seem so annoying… You will cherish them for the rest of your life.

- Hill Robertson

I wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Merry Christmas!

May you and your family have a blessed and safe Christmas. Spend some time with your loved ones and let them know how special they are to you and how much you appreciate them. Focus on the positive things and think of others first. Count your many blessings. Don’t worry about what gifts or how many you receive for Christmas, focus on all of the many blessings you already have and be a blessing to others.

Now go enjoy some turkey with stuffing and gravy… Have a little sweet potatoes and top it off with some pumpkin pie and whipped cream! But most importantly, spend some quality time with your family, friends, and loved ones.

Merry Christmas!

- Hill Robertson

This evening I was at the local mall doing some Christmas shopping with my kids. While they were looking at the different toys, I noticed a mother with her two children. (I love to observe people - especially during the Christmas season). One of her kids was asking about one of the toys she was looking at. The mother quickly snapped at the child and with a fairly loud tone exclaimed, “I heard you the first 5 times you asked me.” She then followed it up with, “This is miserable!” as she stomped off with her children in the shopping cart.

I was quite surprised at how she acted to her children. She must have been having a frustrating day and was probably not happy dealing with the Christmas shopping traffic and crowded stores but there was no reason for her to treat her children that way. Sure, they may have been getting on her nerves, but to yell at them and say how miserable she was does not help the kids in any way.

We must realize that we are an example in all that we do to everyone around us. I’m sure she didn’t realize that I saw what had happened but she was being an example and I knew I would not want to be around someone with an attitude like that. She was also being a horrible example for those kids.

I always try to look at the good side of things. The good side of this incident was that it made me appreciate my family more and to even more realize that our every action is closely watched by our children and they will follow in our footsteps when they get older.

Are you setting a good example for those around you? Are you doing positive things that lead to success in all areas of life or are you focusing on negative things and bringing people down? Think about your attitude and actions and what impact you have on others. You will have an impact whether it is positive or negative. You are the only one that can control your attitude and actions. Focus on the positive for your own sake and for the sake of everyone around you.

- Hill Robertson

Whether writing an article for your blog or writing an article for other ezines, you can write unique articles that people will want to read. It is not as difficult as you might think. When I first started thinking about writing articles, I thought I didn’t have enough to say (although my wife will tell you I talk too much). I kept thinking that I was not a writer and I don’t know all of the big fancy words that make you sound intelligent. But the truth of the matter is, many of your readers won’t know those “fancy” words either and they really aren’t needed for a good article.

It is all about the content. If you know more about something than someone else, you are an expert. All you need to do is write an article about it. Write some of the details about what you know and explain the details as if your reader was sitting right in front of you and you were having a conversation.

Don’t worry about it being perfect. If you do, you will rewrite your article to death and you will never be happy with it. You will probably never publish it either. So, just write what you have to say and publish it. Don’t think about it too much. You will never be perfect. I’m still not a professional author by any means but I keep getting better each article I write. As long as the information is interesting for your readers, they will enjoy it and come back for more.

People are constantly searching for information. They are not looking for a perfectly written manuscript with flawless grammar and punctuation, they just want to find out about information they are looking for. Give it to them in a way they can understand and relate to.

- Hill Robertson

As I walk out my front door each morning, a fresh crisp nip is in the air. My nose catches subtle scents of nearby chimneys quietly permeating the air as families are nestled in their cozy homes to the warmth of a relaxing, crackling fire. There is a stronger sense of love and compassion with everyone you meet. You can hear an extra special excitement in the laughter of children as they play all around the neighborhood.

The warm glow of a fireplace with yummy toasted marshmallows and roasted chestnuts brings back memories of many youthful past Christmas seasons with many loved ones gathered around. Some of those precious people are still with us and remind us of the “good ol’ days” while others have already passed on leaving us with their memories and stories to pass on to our young ones.It is a time of joy, sharing, caring, tradition, and fond memories.

It is a time of smores and hot chocolate. It is a time of bells, bows, and mistletoe. It is a time of playing mall tag team with your spouse as one of you handles the kids while the other buys their gifts and hides them somewhere hoping that the kids will not find the gifts before Christmas. It is a time when your children make cardboard ornaments for the tree and finger paintings for the fridge. It is a time for receiving Christmas cards from every one you know and forgetting to get your Christmas cards done in time to send out.

It is a time for focusing on what is really important in your life and maybe getting a glimpse of your purpose in life. Even though it is an extremely busy time, you somehow find a way to enjoy the peace and serenity of the season and you get to spend quality time with your family and make some special memories to last a lifetime. You will see the innocent excitement in your children’s eyes and you will feel the need and love in the touch of their little hands. Your heart will melt as you want to be a better parent and you want to spend more time with them.

You will renew your love for your spouse all over again and you will remember why you love them so much and why you fall in love with them over and over again. You will realize you need to spend more time with your family.

As you think about these things and get caught up in the moment, think about what you can do to spend more time with the ones you love most. Make the necessary changes to do what is most important. It is your family and your life. It is your choice.

- Hill Robertson

Well, I’ve been a little bit behind updating this blog over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. My wife’s mom was not able to make it over for our planned Thanksgiving lunch because she thought she ate something bad. She had a lot of stomach pain and was in no shape to be eating turkey. So, we were going to go over to her place that evening for a Thanksgiving dinner if she felt better which she did. We went to her house and had some great turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, and of course, pumpkin pie (with a lot of whipped cream…. Yum…..) We had a great visit and went home and went to bed. We had planned taking the kids and having a family day together on Friday (away from the mad shopping rush at the stores). But our plans changed.

We got a call that my wife’s mother did not do well through the night and was taken to the hospital. It turned out that she had appendicitis (and the hospital staff was slim due to the holiday). By the time she got into surgery, her appendix had ruptured. Fortunately, the doctors caught it in time. She had to stay in the hospital an extended amount of time (she should be out tomorrow). We are blessed that it wasn’t worse.

So, we are especially thankful during this time of Thanksgiving. Take time to think about your loved ones and be thankful for them. I know holidays can sometime be stressful and some of your relatives may be ones you don’t necessarily get along with. But, they too probably have something positive you can be thankful for. Focus on the positive and the good in people…… At least during this holiday season…….

- Hill Robertson