• John Ploetz Livin Life
    • Author Page
    • Testimonials
    • Portfolio
  • Johnploetzbloggin
  • Shortypman
  • Oak Eternal
  • New Releases

Informational Blog Posts, Books, Short Stories, Poetry, Photos, and More!

john@johnploetz.com
John Ploetz Livin LifeJohn Ploetz Livin Life
  • John Ploetz Livin Life
    • Author Page
    • Testimonials
    • Portfolio
  • Johnploetzbloggin
  • Shortypman
  • Oak Eternal
  • New Releases




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Hi! This website, John Ploetz Livin Life, is all about a journey; livin life through writing. Hope you enjoy my two blogs, Johnploetzbloggin – business and personal improvement topics and Shortypman – poetry and photos. Oh, and feel free to purchase any of my books that look interesting.

“Life is a journey that leads you along many paths. Livin life is a marathon, not a sprint or a short race. So if you can’t take time out to laugh along the way, get a bite to eat, and do a little reading, you aren’t going to have much fun living it.”

Oak Eternal

Oak Eternal: A House Concealed

An ancient oak, the shrouded history of an old Minnesota farm, and the oldest house in the neighborhood, weave together as pieces of a hundred year old murder mystery uncovered by an amateur sleuth. Sometimes a simple path to get to the truth is anything but.  Paperback version (eBook version also available).

Words and Photos of Shortypman Paperback

The Words and Photos of Shortypman: A Collection of Poems and Photographs

A book of poetry and photographs by John Ploetz through the eyes of Shortypman. It is simply a mix of thoughts and images that capture the emotions and ideas of the author. Enjoy! Paperback version (eBook version also available).

Mind of Darkness 1 and 2

Mind of Darkness I and II: 12 Tales of Dark Mystery

Do you enjoy dark mystery and horror? 12 stories make you rethink what is real and what is imagined. Then this series is for you. Paperback version (eBook version also available).

Discussed on John Ploetz Bloggin

05Nov
Grief: Sharing a Personal Experience

As human beings, we are all interconnected to some extent. Yet, many times we’re not sure how…

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24Nov
Make Holiday Stress Disappear

Historically holidays tend to stress me out. Likewise, I’m sure that they stress out many of you…

Read More
08Aug
SEO – Search Engine Optimization

Everyone keeps saying “Just when I figured out how to work the SEO system, the big search…

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23Nov
The Trouble with Beignets

We all have those special treats that we just can’t resist. No matter how much we try…

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30Jul
Who’s Keeping Time Anyway?

Everyone has their own perception of what is timely. Maybe it’s because we all have a unique…

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22Jun
Take Time To Challenge Your Life

Many times we allow ourselves to settle into the simplicity of our day to day lives or…

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18Feb
Stop Fixing Start Enjoying

We all can recall something that we attempted to fix at one time or another in our…

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23May
Finesse Equals Success

No one likes a bull in their china shop. But, everyone likes a person that makes them…

Read More
02May
A Good Employee – The Right Fit at the Right Time

What makes individuals good employees? There are numerous answers to this question. Both employees and employers have…

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02Oct
Do You Remember Me?

There are certain people that we remember. They come to mind for good and bad reasons. What…

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21Jul
Why Should I Answer a Survey?

I’ve always wondered why should I answer a survey. These days it seems surveys are consistently popping…

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27Dec
So it’s the New Year – Now What?

The New Year arrives and suddenly everything is supposed to be different. All the old problems, whether…

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30Dec
Be Realistic for the New Year

I published this blog last year, but I still think it is relevant as we head into…

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10Apr
Am I Still Relevant?

It doesn’t matter if you just started your career or if you have been in your career…

Read More
29Jan
Wading Through the Pitfalls of Office Politics – Top Ten Pitfalls to Avoid

Some people would love to star in a TV reality show.  But the workplace isn’t the proper…

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09May
What’s to Worry About

We all worry about different things in our lives. For most of us worry is just a…

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06Aug
What’s It Like Being Lucky?

I never thought of myself as being lucky. Some people say that they’re inherently lucky; others just…

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10Apr
Mistakes Happen – How You Deal With Those Mistakes Makes the Difference

Yes, mistakes happen in our business and personal lives; none of us is perfect. How we respond…

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12Jun
Marketing Campaigns – the specifics

1. Define your target market. Specific campaigns need to be directed to specific demographics. You can create…

Read More
16Mar
Ritual of Writing

How do writers come up with what they eventually create? There definitely is a process. You might…

Read More
30Sep
Rituals Need Moderation and Understanding

  I previously discussed the importance of rituals in our lives. After thinking about it a little…

Read More
02Sep
Don’t Let Fall Drag You Down

Fall is usually a tough time for a lot of us. We realize all too late that…

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18Dec
6 Tips On Discussing Difficult Personal Topics During the Holiday Season

Discussing difficult personal topics is all about understanding boundaries and addressing those topics in a way that…

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14Jun
Where’s Your Moral Compass

It’s easy to get lost in the quagmire of day to day business dealings. We’re all struggling…

Read More
01Aug
Ethical Sales

Ethical Sales Some people say sales is all about finding someone to buy your products or services…

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26Aug
Is Sales Just Selling?

Some people do well just selling basketballs to basketball players.  But if you’re selling basketballs why wouldn’t…

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14Nov
Why Worry About Being Politically Correct?

The words “politically correct” pop up frequently these days. Many people say the term was created by…

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06Mar
Are Expectations Controlling Your Life or Guiding Your Life?

Our lives are built on expectations.  Everything we do on a day to day basis is in…

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16Sep
Is It Failure or Is It a Learning Experience

How do you decide whether something that you’ve undertaken in your life that hasn’t worked out, is…

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03Dec
Communication – The Lost Art

Now with all the electronic gadgets taking up our time and distracting us we need to give…

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27Oct
Keeping Your Work Ethic Fine Tuned

Why are people afraid to talk about work ethic these days?   You still need to tell a…

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22Jul
Let Laughter Rule Your Day

As the Joker said, “Why so serious?” When he says that phrase we wonder what sinister thoughts…

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22Oct
What Me Worry About Fear?

A great statesman, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, once said, “All we have to fear is fear itself”. When…

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21Dec
When Opportunity Knocks

There’s the old saying that a new door opens when another door closes. But how do you…

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06Nov
Letting Go

Letting go is never easy. What happens when we experience those instances when we get so caught…

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04Feb
Handling Loss: How Do I Grieve?

Throughout our lives unplanned events occur. Events that we are forced to face. The loss of a…

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01Dec
Writing: Is It All About the Message?

For some people writing is a natural, necessary outlet. For others the act of writing is worse…

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03Apr
Staying Current in a World of Change

We all refer to today as the information age. More correctly it should be called the age…

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01Jan
2014 Marketing Trends in the Social Media Age

Everyone looks in their crystal ball to try to figure out where things are headed when a…

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14Jan
Why Do Good Things Always Happen In Threes?

Where did we ever come up with the idea that good things and bad things all happen…

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08Dec
God Gives Us More Than We Can Handle

What happens when God gives us more than we can handle? We all admire people that have…

Read More
26Jun
New Marketing Platforms

There is always the need to seek out new marketing platforms. New technology is appearing daily and…

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13Feb
What’s Your Flavor?

What’s your flavor? Just like everyone has a favorite flavor they enjoy eating, each person at any…

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20Oct
Staying Positive – It Is All About You

Recently some articles have come out that suggest that negative people might just be wired differently, that…

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26Feb
Selling Is All About Educating

An old coworker I knew used to say you have to be a good enough salesman to…

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25Jul
Data Data Everywhere

Data can really say anything you want it to say.  It is up to us to interpret…

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03Aug
How to Introduce Personalities

We all have different personalities. That is what makes the world interesting and annoying at the same…

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13Jul
I am an Expert Because I Say So

What makes someone an expert in their field? Why should you believe someone when they say, “I…

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05Feb
Use Your Day Wisely

You only have so many hours in the day.  You want to make sure you get time…

Read More
11Feb
Become You 2.0

Attitude is the key ingredient to create a consistent ability to succeed.  You need to strive to…

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11Dec
So How Do I Discuss a Difficult Topic at Work?

We’ve all been there.  How do we begin to discuss a difficult topic?    To make it more…

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19Mar
Can You Predict What Information Goes Viral on the Internet?

Every day thousands of pieces of information get put out on the internet.  In fact it’s difficult…

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22May
Employee Value

Creating employee value for your employer is important.  Eight tips I’ve learned over the years. 1.       Scalability…

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13Mar
Putting the Value in Value Added Selling

People talk about “Value Added” selling.  Isn’t it common sense?  Any good salesperson needs to add as…

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18Jun
Marketing Campaigns – getting to the specifics part 2

Previously I touched on the general overview of setting up marketing campaigns. Today I would like to…

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24Apr
Do Rituals Rule Our Lives?

We all have our rituals that we stick to on a daily, weekly or other set basis.…

Read More
15Oct
Time To Find a New Job?

How do you know when it’s the right time for an employment change. Is there a right…

Read More
06Jun
Ever Try Some “People Centric” Behavior?

You can expand the world around you by becoming “people centric” instead of “me centric”; and you…

Read More
29May
Did Dinosaurs Have Souls?

It only seems we think outside the box when we are faced with a unique problem; one…

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03Sep
I Need to Volunteer

What is it about volunteering. Yes it’s on everyone’s to do list. Actually doing it though, that’s…

Read More
13Aug
Business Etiquette in the Technology Age

Sure, staying connected through technology is important. However, many times we find ourselves a slave to our…

Read More
05Nov
Focusing Your Social Media

How do you use and focus social media for marketing?  Do you use it like a shot…

Read More
18Jan
New Year New Outlook

What is different with the coming of the New Year? The weather hasn’t changed. In fact, it’s…

Read More
09Sep
How Do You Build a Dream?

When you close your eyes where do you picture yourself sitting, at your desk in the office…

Read More
24Apr
Am I Lost?

Maybe one morning you look in the mirror and you’re not sure where you are in life;…

Read More
10Oct
The Glass Can Always Be Full

As we age it is only human nature to look back and review, critique our life and…

Read More
13May
Consistency

Developing personal consistency in the workplace will allow you to be more efficient and make you a…

Read More
05Jun
Implementing a Marketing Campaign (the overview)

Over the years, I’ve come up with some basic thoughts on implementing a marketing campaign. Following are…

Read More
10Dec
Change Your Mood Control Your Life

Some days we wake up in a bad mood. It could of been the dream we had…

Read More
24Aug
If It Isn’t Customer Service, What Does Keep Customers Coming Back?

I recently went into my favorite sandwich shop for a carry out. As I was waiting for…

Read More
18Aug
SEM – search engine marketing

SEM is defined differently by different people.  For many the term SEM refers to the broader steps…

Read More
01Jul
Spend a Weekend Reaching for Relaxation

Today there are so many things that keep our lives busy and stressful. Continually we are moving…

Read More
17Dec
I’m Speechless

What if you couldn’t talk for a day. No sounds out of your mouth; no verbal interaction;…

Read More
11Oct
What My Daughter Taught Me

There are many people in our lives that teach us a thing or two about living. Sometimes…

Read More
08Jan
Staying Connected to Your Network Through LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great way to stay connected with your business network.  The nice thing about it…

Read More
12Jan
Are You Ready to Embrace Change?

All of us dream about how our lives could change in some way. We’re always looking for…

Read More
27Oct
What’s Your Persona?

We all think we have a sense of who we are; what our personality is; our likes…

Read More
19Mar
Giving before Getting

As the weather warms, and the days get longer, the doorbell rings more frequently around dinner time.…

Read More
15Jul
Social Media Marketing Alone May Not Be the Answer

Marketing professionals know that putting together marketing isn’t an easy simple process. There is no one size…

Read More
24Jun
Do You Connect or Communicate through Social Media?

How should you communicate through social media? You’re on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter; you have Instagram, about.me,…

Read More
20Nov
Do I Need To Be Concerned About Big Data?

Established companies already have a pool of customers they market to on a regular basis or at…

Read More

What Readers Say

  • Once I started reading this book (Oak Eternal), I couldn’t put it down. It is a fascinating read and has the great addition of interwoven stories within stories. The writing is excellent with believable, well described characters who are brought to life through exquisite detail.
    I cannot recommend this book enough.

    Lois Wood
    Reader
  • Memories from My Mind – You know we have all these memories in our mind. John is uniquely able to capture the memories we all have into words on paper. He recognizes the humor and the irony in life and helps us to see our memories in a more thought-provoking manner. His stories will make you re-think your current habits and find peace in old memories.

    Ken Plaski
    Reader
  • Oak Eternal is a beautifully crafted tale of the oldest house in the neighborhood and it’s dark history back to the days of pioneers settling St. Paul, Minnesota. John Ploetz is a clever writer, creating flawed characters mired in their human flaws and the difficulties of their worlds.  Oak Eternal will give you pause to re-think what you believe to be real. You’ll never look at that old house down the block in the same way again. You may also watch that neighbor a little more closely as he walks the neighborhood in the evening.

    Ken Plaski
    Reader
  • Oak Eternal is a quirky read, weaving together the history of a strange house and a strange neighbor. The narrator weaves an alternate reality of the old house, his neighbors and the history of the neighborhood. He is the neighbor you wonder about as he walks the neighborhood in the evenings.

    Mary Plaski
    Reader
  • Mind of Darkness – The stories are a good length for grabbing your attention quickly and giving a good ending without the reading getting tedious at all. The writing is very smooth and easy to understand. The endings to the stories are the best part; they’re not outright shocking, but are eerie and make you think back over what you just read because all of it now has a different meaning. Kind of a psychological twist. Would definitely read more!!

    Emily Plaski
    Reader
  • As a college student, I rarely have time to read anything other than textbooks…which are often very dry. I was suggested this set of short stories (Memories from My Mind) and enjoyed all of them! There are a good variety of stories, some happy, sad, funny (in my opinion), and others to think more deeply about. I can tell that this writer has a great vocabulary and is able to describe things so well just from reading this set. I look forward to reading more. Great work!

    Kelsey Hanson
  • Oak Eternal is beautifully woven. An historic record from the time Minnesota was settled and the Native Americans clashed with the farmers. The narrator adds to the fabric will his off-center perceptions and modern struggles of a man without a focus in life, craving direction unsure of which reality to grasp.

    Mary Plaski
    Editor
Mind of Darkness III and IV: 10 Tales of Dark Mystery
A collection of 10 stories of dark mystery including New Orleans and The Gambler.  eBook version.Order Today
Be the New 2.0 You!
Improve your personal life and how you handle the workplace.  eBook version.Order Today
Oak Eternal
Oak Eternal: A House Concealed

An ancient oak, the shrouded history of an old Minnesota farm, and the oldest house in the neighborhood, weave together as pieces of a hundred year old murder mystery uncovered by an amateur sleuth. Sometimes a simple path to get to the truth is anything but. eBook version.

Order Today
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Oak Eternal Now Available in Paperback! Buy Today!

Contact Info

  • John Ploetz
  • St Paul, MN
  • john@johnploetz.com
  • https://johnploetz.com

Fresh from John Ploetz Bloggin

  • God Gives Us More Than We Can Handle
  • Letting Go
  • Am I Still Relevant?
  • What’s Your Flavor?
  • Ritual of Writing
  • Stop Fixing Start Enjoying

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