How I Build Residual Income, Writing to Enigin

Being a stay at home mom has it's advantages. I also get to work at home and bring in some extra money into the household. Currently, I work on several different projects that bring in a natural flow of passive residual income. These projects include, my own business, writing and affiliate marketing.

My Home Based Business

I have been an Entrepreneur for over 7 years now. I quit my job back in 2003 and have not looked back. I can't say that I have been successful the whole time. It did take a lot of failures, trial and error and the ability to stay consistent regardless of the results. I have always had a dream to own my own business and retire financially free. I am still working on this to this day and have built my residual income up nicely.

Writing

I also am a freelance writer to generate some extra income. I mostly write for myself as a form of promoting my business, however, I also write for other clients. I enjoy writing whether it be for myself or for other people and it generates a passive residual income for me as well.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate Marketing is another source of income for me. I have a few affiliate networks that I am involved with and I promote their products (such as a anti aging cosmetic) and get a percentage of the sale (commission). This works really well for me as I do not like to keep inventory and have to deal with the hassle of shipping out products. I promote my affiliate links mainly through article marketing and through my blog. This works well as I enjoy writing. People read my articles or blog posts and click on my affiliate links. If it is something they are interested in, they buy and I make a commission on the sale. I target my traffic through keywords which only brings in people who are interested in what I am writing or blogging about and the affiliate product I am selling is relevant as well.

Enigin's Energy

This is a relatively new field to be working in, and I mention it because it is in its infancy still. There is a really good blog that you can read here by Enigin on the industry and how it works, but this is potentially a real money maker. I don't know too much about it, so I'll just point you in the direction of the enigin twitter for those of you who micro blog, and the enigin review.

Making an income from home has never been easier for me as my husband also works so I can take my time building my residual income. I really enjoy the free time I have to spend with my kids and having the ability to make money too.

Help! I Found A Pimple On My Face

I have never been one to have a problem with acne or have ever had to use an oily skin cream on my face before. I guess I have always been blessed with that. I do, however, deal with dry skin occasionally, but that was more or less when I lived up in Massachusetts where the winters would get cold and the winds would get blustery.

It came to my surprise one day as I was looking into the mirror following my regular skin care regimen, that I looked on my face and on my cheek just below my eye was a big fat pimple laughing at me. This shocked me actually as it took me off guard to actually see one so big. Where did this awful thing come from?

It is not like I am a big chocolate or sweets eater. On the contrary, I would prefer some carrot sticks over that Hershey's bar. So I know the pimple did not come from that. Maybe it was stress? I have been under a little stress lately with my son completing the school year and things that need to be prepared for the following year.

No matter what the cause of this horrible looking thing that is clinging on for dear life on my face, it must go and it must go NOW! I began searching my local drug and grocery store for any kind of oily skin cream that would do the job. I didn't need long term results, as this is a one time offender, just something that would zap the life out of this little creature so I can get on with my life.

I finally found something, I don't recall exactly what it was. It might have been a clearasil product of some sort. Anyway, I applied it a couple of times and to my delight, within a few short days, that uninvited little pimple no longer sought residence on my face. It was such a relief.

Now, I joyfully look into the mirror each day to begin my daily skin care regimen as always and search for this obtrusive little fellow to only see a blemish free spot where he resided. I smile to myself as I realize that I won the war. I tuck away my little clearasil bottle for a possible future visit knowing that I am now equipped to blast away even the smallest sign of a pimple that might pay a visit to my face.

Next up, tales of my attempts to find good laser har removal.

Comedy Shows - What Are They Really About?

Comedy is about making people laugh – whether it’s a sitcom giving you a look into the absurdity of someone’s supposed life, or a stand up performer that strikes you as funny, both aim to make you laugh, smile, be entertained and to come back for more. The name of the game is that – come back for more.

A Comedy show like Seinfeld or The Big Bang Theory don’t just give you slapstick, they give you a commentary on how modern life is, and what aspects of it are impacted by how people in general view them. The points brought up are usually relevant to today, but in such a way as to entertain you, not to make you feel unknowing. A comic episode about someone desperately trying to loose weight, going and having vaser lipo in order to do so with hiarious results - this could also be making an important point about our obsession with the way we look.

Hit shows like Two and a Half Men strike a chord with us as we all know at least someone one of the characters, bringing it that closer to home for us, the viewers. Yet all this fun and appeal leads to one thing and one thing only – come back. Watch us next week, when – we’ve all seen it. The ‘Why” is a little more complicated than just entertainment.

All these shows are products, simply put, used to drive up the value of the airtime of the show so the TV companies can charge others with higher costs for their advertising and product placement. Without these ads and sponsors none of the shows as we know them would be possible. Even more, during the show there is product placement. Whether that is obvious like them drinking cans of coke, or more subtle like them buying a certain companys caravan insurance during one of the episodes they are getting paid to use that particular brand/company.

So when we talk about entertainment, about comedy, we’re really talking about money, in its strictest sense. A writer’s strike for more royalties on digital products sold brought the industry to its knees not so long ago, and what would all these studios do if there was an actor’s strike? Well, we know what we would be watching more of – reality TV. Let’s hope it doesn’t ever happen.

Comedian George Lopez

When it comes to finding a comedian who can do when heck of a Comedy show, then you are in luck as there is the one and only George Lopez. As a Mexican American actor and comedian, Lopez has become one of the most recognized Mexican-Americans within the popular American culture. From standup to his own hit television sitcom, this comedian has quickly become a household name. From ten year olds to eighty year olds, there probably is not a person out there who has not at least heard of George Lopez if they have not already found themselves addicted to his television show.

One thing that audiences must watch out for is the difference in his behavior on screen for his sitcom and the way he is in person for a stand up comedian show. When he is on the stage the George Lopez that his friends and family probably know the best comes out. Not afraid to use fowl language or push the envelope on racial issues, Lopez will let it all out and get a ton of laughs doing it. He will comment on everything from the latest cosmetic surgery someone has had, right through to the colour of your skin. While this is certainly not the entertainment you would want to share with your ten year old, his sitcom is a favorite among families everywhere.

This just goes to show how in tune with what the world wants in a comedian. George Lopez is able to go from raunchy to cute humor within minutes. This ability to be flexible is what has made Lopez a star and what will continue to keep him on the map. If we are all lucky enough we will be able to watch his career take off even more then it already has. From what can be seen from Lopez's career, there seems to be no stopping him and he will continue to raise to the top until he has conquered the comedic world.

Marcus Valerius Martialis: The Insult Comic of the Ancient World

An Insult Comedy show is a relatively new phenomenon. It involves a comic making jokes about the audience and/or other comics, (usually during a roasting session). They don't have to focus on the other comics (lack of) talent, the scope of taking the mickey can be anything from what they've been doing in their personal life to the alegations in the local gossip rag about them having had plastic surgery. The genre may also cause the comic to take on an alternate persona, which ends up defining their career in general. Yucko the Clown and Triumph the Insult Dog are a couple of examples.

Yet, did you know that the ancient Romans actually had an insult comic of their own? His name was Marcus Valerius Martialis, and he was a poet who specialized in creating satirical epigrams.

Of course, don’t get me wrong. Martialis never went on stage and started insulting people. That type of insult comedy wouldn’t happen until our time. But he’s still considered the first insult comic because he was the only poet at that time who directed jokes at people directly.

In fact, if you look at one of his epigrams, you’ll see that he addresses his subjects by name. The poem then continues by Martialias insulting the person. And, even though the humor within the epigram isn’t very crass, it’s witty enough to draw a smile even now, thousands of years later.

One of my favorites is Epigram No. 43, (Book III). In this epigram, Laetinus is the subject of interest. Martialis tells him that he’s feigning youth because he recently dyed his hair. And now, he’s a raven, (despite being a swan before). Martialis warns that Prosperina, (probably the subject’s wife), knows the real truth and will eventually remove his mask.

Another epigram appears to address an issue that continues even today: whether or not a person who has oral sex before vaginal sex is a virgin. In this one Chiona is the subject of interest, as Martialis explains that the public believes she’s a virgin. However, to him, it’s her mouth that isn’t pure. That’s why he suggests putting panties over her face when she bathes.

The rest of his epigrams follow this same pattern, though there are some that get even cruder, (depending on how you translate the poem). Either way, if you have any interest in comedy, or literature in general, consider looking into Martialis’s works. Not only will you get a couple of chuckles here and there, but you’ll realize that ultimately the ancients weren’t much different from us.

D.L. Hughley - From Comedy to News

D.L. Hughley is now displaying his comedic talents in a different format. Instead of the typical Comedy show, the comedian turned actor is the host of "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News". The new show airs Saturday nights at 10 p.m. on CNN. During the one hour program, Hughley offers his takes on various political hot topics. Most of what he covers are issues related to current events. So far, he's addressed the debate over whether gay marriages should be legalized, and presidential politics. Hughley uses his comedic skills to loosen up his studio audience, and viewers at home. The guests on his programs represent both sides of the issue at hand.



The show gives Hughley a platform to go in depth on controversial issues. And it gives Hughley's fans the opportunity to see the comedian in a new light. Hughley appears to be comfortable in this format. He has a segment in which he goes out and randomly interviews people, in a "man on the street fashion", for their opinions on the subject at hand. The management at CNN apparently thinks that Hughley is doing a good job. He was a correspondent for the special inaugural presentation of "Larry King Live."

D.L. Hughley first rose to national prominence when he landed the job as the original host of "Comic View", which aired on Black Entertainment Television. After that, he had numerous shows on HBO, which featured him doing adult themed stand-up comedy routines. Most of his routines were based on his experiences growing up in the South Central section of Los Angeles. He later had his own television show called "The Hughleys". Before he became a famous comic, D.L. Hughley worked as a telemarketer for the Los Angeles times. He was eventually promoted to a management position. That's when he met Ladonna, his wife. She was the one who encouraged him to take his humor to the stage.

The Simpsons - the simpsons never changed age, just stay the same! (review)

There is one comedy show that stands out above all others and that is The Simpsons. Some are funny and some aren’t depending on your taste of course. But the one show I watched when I was younger and is still running would be The Simpsons. Everybody has heard of it at one point or another. It has been around for twenty seasons, which is very impressive and something I never thought would happen. Can you believe what has happened over the years with this ageless show? It’s like every season they never get a year older and that’s probably what works for it. Granted, there have been a few episodes where you have seen what would look like if they got older but they are mostly just stuck at the same age whilst kept up to date in terms of comic comentary to some degree.

You have probably seen and probably still are some games being made using The Simpsons. The ones I remember the most were on the good old Nintendo Entertainment System. There were actually three games in particular that I remember the most and they are as follows: Bart vs. The Space Mutants, Bart vs. The World, and Bartman Meets Radioactive Man. Granted, there was a PC game called Krusty’s Fun House, which was more based around Krusty the Clown, but it still counts as a Simpsons game. I’ve played them all as a young kid and they were very difficult, which can be a good thing if you like to have a challenge.

The show has run and has seen some highs and lows. From Season 13 to 17 I believe personally were some of the worst seasons for the show and I had to wonder if time was running out on this once great show. I guess for myself it had to do with interest and maybe that is what knocked it down a notch. Personally, up to Season 13 I had watched the show on a regular basis and always found some enjoyment out of it. I believe the last three seasons have seen it improve and has made a turn around.