Cafe Elsewhere

Even Stop Lights

2011-12-22T10:16:00.001-06:00

Sometimes I think thoughts that are kinda kooky. You may know the types of thoughts I mean. Thoughts that, if you were to share, you just know those you love would roll their eyes and come up with something like "there she goes again".

So I think these thoughts but rarely allow myself the priveledge of sharing. I know it's taking a risk to share, and most of the time, I just don't do it. One example has to do with Christmas and stop lights. I suppose it's because daylight savings time goes back to "normal time" not long before the Holiday Season starts which makes this work, but it occures to me, that during the Holidays, the green and red (and gold even) of traffic lights, coupled with the red of tail lights if sitting in traffic, make for quite a Christmas-y show. So, does that sound kinda kooky to you? I figured as much.

But, here's the fun part: While preparing the music for a Christmas Party and reviewing the words to some favorite carols, I noticed something. It has been shared before. Yep. By Ray Evans, two-time Acadamy Award winning songwriter. In.... you ready for this? Silver Bells !

Strings of street lights, even stop lights

Blink a bright red and green

And the shoppers run home with their treasures

That's the beginning of the second verse! So if a big time composer can share a funky thought, why can't I?

In fact, I should!

What about you?

photo by Yopizza

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

The Hole in the Y'all

2011-12-03T08:42:00.001-06:00

For real - it's true. Y'all has a big ole hole in it. I guess most people think "Y'all" is a contraction of sorts - combining "You" and "all". But I beg to differ. It's not even slang. You see, "Y'all" when said correctly (Yawl) and in the right circumstance - to those for whom we hold endearment, the word has a much bigger meaning.

"You", yes. "All", not really. It's inclusive with the use of the "aw" - those for whom we feel "awe" for. Our beloved friends, family, and others perhaps in the near vicinity who get the vibe just for being there.

It's a big ole hole because it represents the place in our hearts for which "Y'all" as our dear ones fill. It's a big ole hole because we have to make a big one with our mouth to say it right. (try saying it without making a hole) - the general feeling about the use of "Y'all" is that it's simply a lazy Southern way to say a greeting.

Oh, Y'all. There is nothing lazy about saying it. Not only is it packed with emotion, but it's not easy to say at all, at least in the physical sense. It's certainly much easier to say "you all" or "you'ns" (or however that'n goes) than it is to use every muscle in the mouth to make that big ole hole in "Y'all".

We just can't help it. If you're part of "Y'all", then you're being awed. In a way it is a short cut.... "You? .....awe"

Thanks Y'all!

Image: Hey Y'all Italian Charms

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

Color Intervention

2011-10-13T09:46:00.001-05:00

The area between San Diego and Tijuana hosts a biannual "Interzone Festival" or "Festival Tijuana Interzona". This year's festival included an Urban Renewal project, where artists from all over were invited to spruce up outside walls of buildings scattered all over the poorest parts of the area.

The resulting art is fascinating, healing and humourous, yet it has a sense of realness to it. The placement of the art is art in itself. The randomness of bright colors and brush strokes of living a grande life juxtaposed against dilapidated trailers sliding down a filthy hillside is like a cry from within the souls of those who live and have lived her. See me! I am here! I feel and thrive in this environment every day all day.

The art serves a dual purpose. To bring awareness of the plight of poverty, and to bring light to an otherwise dank and unforgiving place.

I cannot deny any human's right to rise from poverty.

My family has it pretty tough right now. But I live like a king compared to these folks. Rise on up, Y'all. In Love.

see full interview with curator Carmen Zella

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

Cafe Elsewhere won an Award!

2011-09-08T15:30:00.008-05:00

How about this! I won an award as one of Mike Shippey's choice of 15 "Most Versatile Bloggers". I'm honored! I think this is the first one ever for Cafe Elsewhere! Thanks Mike!

Here is how it works: Anyone who accepts this fine award, as a Versatile Blogger, is asked for nothing. Just bask in your glory! (or you can do these three things:)

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.

2. Share 7 things about yourself

3. Pass this Award along to 15 recently discovered blogs and let them know about it!

O-Kay? (heh heh)
Here we go!

SEVEN THINGS ABOUT ME

1. I did not get married until I was 42 years old.
2. Both Stan Lee and Tom Wolfe came to our house when I was a kid.
3. I love Lions. It started with the Cowardly Lion and grew from there.
4. My 9 year old son is the greatest miracle of my life.
5. My favorite movie of all time is Out of Africa
6. I am not much of a vegetable eater, but veggie lasagna is my favorite food.
7. I like to write poetry based on awesome photographs.

And here they are!

THE 15 BLOGS THAT I CHOOSE TO PASS
THE “VERSATILE BLOGGER AWARD” to:

...... drum roll please! (in no particular order!)

I would like to ditto some of Mike's but will play nice and keep them unique!

1. Healing Art by Julia K Harwood
2. The Pound a Week Blog Challenge by Steve Mancini
3. Fairness by Ray Beckerman
4. Bouncing Back Now by Donna Thompson
5. Aiming Low by Sugar Jones
6. Cori Padgett's Big Girl Branding
7. Shift your Life with DocMarion Ross
8. Leadership for Good by Mike Cassidy
9. Linette Daniels' Empowering Youth for Success
10. Karen Keller
11. The WAH Wife - Angie Nelson
12. Live your Destiny with BrightMichelle Casto
13. Quick Good Fortune by Cheryl Janecky
14. Daily Prayer for Healing by Kate Loving
15. The Bridgemaker by Alex Blackwell

Not all of these are necessarily new, but all are ones I have enjoyed over the past few months. It was kinda hard to narrow it down to 15, even leaving out the ones I would have put on the list that Mike already had on his.... so really I just stopped at 15. There are a lot of great bloggers out there! That's a good thing!
I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have!

6 Tips for Giving in Tough Economic Times

2011-08-29T13:05:00.000-05:00

2011 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Hinds-Jackson MS Making Strides

For many of us, barely scraping by, it is difficult to come up with extra money to contribute to our favorite charities.

Here are a 6 easy and fun ways to come up with extra money for giving:

1. Organize an aluminum can drive in your workplace or neighborhood, and contribute the money you make.

2. Hold a multi-family rummage sale for the cause. Make sure you let people know it is for your cause.

3. Have a potluck meal together with your co-workers or at your church or other community group, and ask everyone who comes to give a dollar (or more)

4. Decrease your gas budget for the month by carpooling or combining trips, and donate the money saved.

5. Invite kids in your neighborhood to help you with a penny drive.

6. Hold a bake sale. Brownies and Choc Chip cookies are easy and always sell well!

There are plenty more ways, but these should get you started!

Now that there are no excuses, I thank you in advance for your contribution!

Please Sponsor me in "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" Walk with the American Cancer Society

#NoMoreRecession ~ A Hashtag for Good

2011-08-24T12:58:00.002-05:00

It's a simple idea, really. Think of one thing people can do to help someone hurting because of the Recession, and tweet it with the hashtag #NoMoreRecession .

You know how sometimes you get that "lightbulb" in your head? Maybe it was a great idea that could help us dig ourselves out of this Recession mess! But instead of acting on it, we moved on to something else, and it was forgotten by the end of the day...

Take a second and tweet it next time, with the #NoMoreRecession hashtag. Let's see what we can do about it together!

I don't know the answers. But I do know that if a lot of us do a bunch of little things, it will add up. A tweet for good is a little thing. An idea can be a big or a little thing, depending on the action we take. Start with the easy stuff. I've tweeted a few to help you get started.

I'm tracking it on my lens on Tent Cities.... So you can check there or on tweetchat, or wherever you want. Just share your ideas (don't forget the #NoMoreRecession hashtag) and retweet some others you see that look doable.

You in?

Let's do it!

Photo: Gray's Papaya, New York City - by Aturkus

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Summer's End

2011-08-15T14:43:00.001-05:00

The first sign that Summer is ending is the increase in activity in 'Special Offer' events. I have two awesome such events to share with you today, plus, I'm including my new creation "Deep Water Mind Triip" Download link.

The end of summer marks many things for me. I'm a summer person, (but not a hot weather person. That creates a bit of a conflict... lol.) Seriously though, it means change. For the most part, in a good way. I love the Back-to-School, here comes fall, Halloween, the Holidays, all that good stuff, every year. Let's celebrate it with a couple of cool things for you!

The first is the end of summer giveaway called "Summer Rain". This one is a bit smaller than the usual giveaway I might normally share, but I like it because it's intimate. It's a nice way to "ease" into the goodness coming, and I have created a brand new gift for it (which is what I'm sharing with you today!)

http://successfulentrepreneursnichemarketingsolutions.com/display.aspx?page=110

I've given it a lookover and here's a head's up on a few of the gifts I'm most exited about:

•Master Class with John Thornhill

•Discover Your Life Passion

•How to Become Your Best Self

•The Mind Weapon Video

•Review on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

•The Primal You Report

•And of course my new gift "Deep Water Mind Trip"

But you don't need to worry about finding that last one, because you're already an awesome reader and I'm sharing with you now!

http://successconcentration.com/deepwatermindtrip

The Summer Rain Giveaway event starts tomorrow, August 16. But, you can go ahead and sign up now if you have a gift you'd like to submit.

Now for the 2nd Exciting event~! Launching Today!

I've just finished reading one of the most amazingly enjoyable books on "Success" to come
along in a long time: "An Invitation to Your Financial Success and Freedom"

It's already being hailed as an instant classic, and compared with "Who Moved My Cheese?" by Spencer Johnson ... and even "The Dream Giver" by Bruce Wilkinson.

Written by Dr. Mary Ozegovich - known affectionately as Dr. Mary Oz,"An Invitation To Your Financial Success And Freedom" packs an incredible amount
of helpful strategies into its pages.

It's a light, fun, highly entertaining read, in a style that puts the readers right in the story. Because it's written in "allegory" style - it never gets ponderous or confusing, the way so many "Success", "Business", or "Self-Help" books do.

Instead, this is a book you can easily read in an evening - even if you come home exhausted
from a grueling day at work - and immediately absorb its lessons without having to think about
it.

In fact, although it's not a "kids' book", I'd be willing to bet you could read "An Invitation To
Your Financial Success And Freedom" to your older children, and they would totally "get it".

It really is that simple, that entertaining, and that clearly written.
If your business or private life isn't where you want to be, then "something" might be missing
... and I'm willing to bet you can find it in "An Invitation To Your Financial Success And
Freedom".

While you're there, have a look at all the bonus gifts she's giving you with your copy of the book.

http://www.mcssl.com/app/?Clk=4414193

All those gifts she's offering you are available on a "limited time" basis.

That link again is:

http://www.mcssl.com/app/?Clk=4414193

Mary's mentor is one of my favorite authors - Og Mandino. The book is written in an even simpler style, but I like the message.

Y'all have a great beginning of the end of Summer, and I look forward to hearing from you soon~!

All my best to you always,

KK

Same Sauce

2011-08-09T15:55:00.002-05:00

Sometimes my poor hearing is beneficial. I was listening to a speech by the Dalia Lama on my earbuds today, and he said “We are all made by God. We all come from the same source”. I was trying to multitask, however and mis-heard it as “same sauce”.

So, I decided to ponder that a bit. If we do come from the same source, then that would also be the same sauce, would it not? How is it, then that we are all so unique? If we all have the same exact ingredients, i.e., the “same sauce”, then we should be clones of each other, correct? All men would look and act like Adam, all women would look and act like Eve, done deal.

But no. That is not the case.

Down in New Orleans (N’Awlins), the Cajuns have their own style of cooking, which almost always starts with a roux. (per Wikipedia, “Roux” is the thickening agent of three of the mother sauces of classical French cooking”) So yeah, we may all come from the same “roux”, and start out with the same sauce, but there are gazillions of factors, both genetic and environmental that get thrown into the sauce and make us unique, not “same sauce” but individuals. If you’ve ever had Cajun Gumbo, you know that it’s never the same twice, no matter how much you try to follow the recipe. So even though we may all have the same ingredients, we can celebrate the fact that our individual footprint on the universe is ours alone.

My sauce would have quite a bit of salt, honey, brown sugar….. but with a little kick. Kind of like Sweet and Sour sauce, but not pink. More earth tones. Yeah.

So, what about you? What’s in your sauce?

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

Why it Doesn’t Have to be so Hard

2011-08-03T09:58:00.003-05:00

So many times in my life and work, I come across people who seem to be shrouded in misery. Everything they say is something about a horrible thing that happened to them, or to someone else, or is happening somewhere in the world. Everything they do revolves around something painful or miserable. It’s almost like we seek out the biggest award for being the most miserable person still living. The end game, being death, is the apparent goal here.

I get it. Misery sells… Misery loves company… and all that other (not so happy) crap. Why though? Why do we humans so often want to focus on bad things? Especially now, that we are in a more enlightened age, and we know that “money flows where attention goes”. If we’re focusing on the toilet, or things that are equally disgusting, that’s where our life goes. So why do we keep doing this? How can we break the pattern of constant negative talk and negative thinking?

It’s kind of scary to some. In fact, it’s downright frightening. But it doesn’t have to be. According to Dr Hu Len, whom I’ve studied through Dr. Joe Vitale for the past few years, it all boils down to the relationship with our inner child. I remember back several years (maybe decades?) ago when the inner child was all the rage… healing the inner child was seen then as a sort of ultimate traumatic drama – raw and painful, the trophy of the day for martyrs of pain. If someone needed to “heal” their inner child, then they must have been through something horrifying at a tender young age. People started “blaming” all their problems on early childhood trauma. This became something of a badge of honor for negativity hounds…. The big excuse. The reason for every bad thing that ever happened in the history of the universe.

But that’s not what Dr. Len’s teaching is about. Healing does not necessarily mean going back and dredging up some horrible nightmare of a memory and reliving it. Healing the inner child is just that. A healing process. A loving, healing, nurturing and simple exercise he calls “cleaning”.

Dr. Joe Vitales Inner Child Meditation

Dr. Vitale has teamed up with awesome musician Mathew Dixon in a new meditation that guides you through healing your inner child relationship. This is a beautiful “core” guided process that combines the healing power of music and inner love to bring you in tune with most true self: the one untarnished by negative thinking; the little girl or boy filled with wonder and trust and genuine hopeful expectations. This is the relationship most important in your life, according to Dr. Len, and it deserves to be nurtured, loved, and free to express itself as you whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Dr. Joe Vitales Inner Child Meditation

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Neshoba County Fair - Real Life Social Networking: Southern Style

2011-07-20T09:48:00.002-05:00

Neshoba County Fair Harness Races - Philadelphia, Mississippi, a photo by visitmississippi on Flickr.

It's comin' up, Y'all! There's something about a bunch of southerners willin' to embrace the heat of the Dog Days of Summer just to get out and hang with friends that's just plain, well, nuts! But by the time you get a few belly bustin' meals in you and sit a spell on a cabin porch, you're ready to chill no matter what the weather.

Sweet Iced Tea has nothin' on the 600 plus families who come and stay for the week year after year, generation after generation. Good Southern homemade cookin' is an understatement. Kids grow up with crazy memories of this place, and romances brew anew with every passing year.

From seat grabbin' for the Miss Neshoba County beauty pageant, to slinging mud on the race track, and politicians slingin' more from the stump, you're gonna get your money's worth plus some, no matter what day you come.

But don't expect to see the locals emerge from their air conditioned cabins until later in the evenin, when it cools down a little. Mississippi's Giant House Party people do party... with plenty of pickin' and grinnin' - usually until the wee hours, and sleep it off most of the mornin'. Reminds me a bit of the Big Easy... especially during Mardi Gras. Not the costumes or cajun-ness (who could wear a costume in this heat?) but the extreme parties at night and the laid back easiness of the days.

I've only been once, and that was just for the day. I went for the flea market/ craft show held in the square every first Saturday of the fair. It's been probably 10 years ago now, and I still have some of the stuff I bought that day sitting right here on my desk. I have friends who go for the week every year. They don't talk about it much. It's like it's a different life, for a while, and it seems to want to stay that way... separated from the real world.

We can learn a little something from these avid annual southern partiers. When in good company, and around people you trust, it's okay to let your hair down a little.

Mapping Trees - Working Beyond Passion

2011-07-07T15:26:00.002-05:00

“Do what you love and the money will follow.”

That is the best and worst advice I've ever gotten. There is a grain of truth in it, no doubt. But mostly I think it’s bunk. I don’t mean that in a negative way either. It’s just not a complete sentence in a real-world kind of meaning. Money doesn’t “follow”. Money is not mobile. Money is a thing, not a person. People follow.

“Follow your bliss” is a little better, though still lacking in completion. It may not roll of the tongue quite as nicely, but the real thing should go something like this:

“Figure out what it is about the thing you love to do the most that can bring in an income that is enough to satisfy you, and go and do that, then do it some more, then more after that. At some point you might start getting sick of it and not feel the love for it like you once did. Keep doing it anyway. The more you work through the pain and stretch yourself, the more you grow. Then when it’s all done, you can look back and see yourself in your work and smile.”

What’s really magical about art “work” is that it never turns out the way we originally plan. We have an idea, we start to hash it out, give it shape, and by the time it’s done, it’s often something else entirely. I love feel-good stories about how things come about that way.

Edward Barnard loves trees and he loves New York City. So, he decided to write a book called “New York City Trees”. That’s special in and of itself… but watch the magic here. He needed help covering the vast area that is Central Park, so he teamed up with Ken Chaya, who knew little about trees but is an avid Central Park birder. Together they created a map of every tree in Central Park. It’s fresh, it’s unique, original, creative, and…. It’s a hit!

I’ve been following someone new lately, a fellow by the name of Brian Johnson, who writes what he calls “Philosopher’s Notes”. Really it’s not just notes, but audio and pdf versions of his musings on different books, mostly in the self help genre but many that touch on every aspect of our lives. He’s indeed quite the philosopher, but what he’s doing for me is help me look at things in a new way. Kind of like what Mr. Chaya said after working with Bernard for a while on the Central Park Map:

“The park never looked the same again, once I began to discover the many many different species of trees.”

"Every creative journey is marked by passion. Pressure Comes along for the creative ride"... Brian Johnson, from Philosopher's Notes on The Creativity Book by Eric Maisel, Ph. D

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Inspired Within:Letting Out Our Light

2011-07-01T08:35:00.002-05:00

We already know this, but most of the time we ignore it.

If we hear it, or feel it, or see it, it is sometimes just a fleeting moment, and we miss the opportunity to acknowledge it.

Are you inspired at this moment?

Don't say no. Because I challenge you - you are.

Every second we are inspired. Every action we take is inspired.

We call ourselves looking for inspiration, when in fact we are choosing which inspired action to take in any given moment all the time, every day, in every single thing we do.

Why do you get out of bed? Why do you go to bed? Why do you eat or yawn or laugh or cry?

If you do any of those things, you are inspired.

Not poetic enough for you? Okay, then listen to the part of you, the light in you, that is begging to be set free.

Your gifts are unique to you. You cannot be anyone else but the beautiful, inspired person you are already.

There is no trick to finding your light. It is a simple matter, really, of allowing the clutter to dissipate, for a few minutes, once or twice a day, so that you can listen to your light.

Shhhhhh.

Be still.

Allow your light to glow a little brighter. Feel your warmth.

Breathe in, Breathe out.

You realize the universe needs your gift, and you are willing to share it.

Take time to get to know your gift(s).

You are gifted. Let us see!

Photo by Mikhail Nekrasov

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

I am a Lioness

2011-06-09T09:55:00.003-05:00

{EAV_BLOG_VER:d61b7bf78b8568c8}
I hunt all day while my husband grows his hair long

and lies around at home with the cub, and lets out an occasional "Roar"!

I am a lioness:
I care not what happens to me,

but you mess with my family,

and you will be very sorry!

I am a lioness:
See my battle scars?

These are my trophies.
I have done it, been there, and I've had it.

I am a lioness:
See the intensity in my eyes?
It's here all the time, and I'm looking at you!

I am a lioness:
Plain Jane, yes. But more passionate than
all the beauty one can possibly possess.

photo by Crouchy69

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

What's wrong with this picture?

2011-06-08T09:29:00.002-05:00

Maybe it's because I'm in Mississippi and am overly sensitive about this,

but really! What were they thinking?

This is a good example of knowing your customer.

Yes, I get it. That's not really what they mean, but

I immediately caught the blatant blunder of the term

"matches" mixed with "family tree" in the same

sentence.

Too many dating site advertisements out there for me not to.

Have you seen something that's rediculously wrong out there

lately? In this climate, there is really no reason to

muck it up.

I have no idea about this service or if they are doing

good things, so please do not misunderstand this as

a criticism of the company. The ad is what got me

on the tangent.

I want to see your examples - bring it!

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

Speaking My Language

2011-06-01T20:51:00.001-05:00

My father was a professor of literature and philosophy. Needless to say he liked to speak with big words and metaphors almost all the time. My best friend and I used to get tickled sometimes when he would go off on a rant, and just look at each other with that knowing look... "what the heck is he talking about?"

I like to watch a show in CNBC late night called "American Greed", which is like a forensic fraud detective show. The accountant in me loves to see how they catch these guys. I often fall asleep while its on however, only to wake up in the morning to sophisticated stock talk about swaps and shorts and things I cannot wrap my head around. To me they might as well be speaking in another language.

My point is, I tend to look for people in the online world who speak the same "language" I do. Not everyone appeals to everybody else. There are those who just seem to "click" with me and they are the ones I consider my real people. Some of them are people who know me, and others are simply people I admire because when they write, they seem to be speaking to me in my language.

Honestly, I have to admit, the list is fairly short, of people whom I religiously follow, for that reason. The rest of the dozens of lists I belong to are friends I care about or people who have information I want and need. The ones I crave, the ones I really like to read, though, are the ones who talk to my heart. That is a rare gift to me, and I am always searching for others. When I find one, it is like Christmas morning all over again.

Want to see my short list?

Okay, but there is a disclaimer. If you are not on it, that does not mean you won't be soon or never have been, or if you were there and are not now, you won't be again. My heart grows and changes and the short list does too.

Here goes:

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

Social Media Body Language

2011-05-25T11:11:00.002-05:00

I wonder sometimes why I am better at “socializing” online than I am in person. I’m sure it has a great deal to do with several physical factors, such as poor hearing, being self concious about my weight, and the lack of wanting to interrupt a conversation. However, I think there are a lot of ways that we can interact online that put your presence out there in hugely different ways. Words made public on a screen have a much different meaning than words in a closed and unread notebook. Here are a few examples of a comparible action between social interaction in the real world and online using social media.

The Handshake

This takes much longer in social media than in person. In fact, it is a much more awkward process. One person has to put his hand out to the other, then wait. The other person may never respond. That is not something to lose sleep over. If they do respond, you have an initial contact and can go to the next step.

The Introduction

When meeting someone in person, we generally say our name and ask a couple of very general questions. The online world tends to expect a tagline with an intro. That’s fine, as long as the tagline is very short (I mean tiny, folks) and not a scream (screeeeaaammmm) or a shout (SHOUT!). Just something like this: Karen Kay, blogger.

Eye contact

Take a look at your new acquaintance. Google ‘em, look at their picture (no avatar? Shame on you – I generally lose interest if you don’t have your mug out there). Then make a comment about them. Anything nice will do. Let them know you are interested. If you are not interested, don’t waste their time or yours and move on.

Lean Forward

Make sure they know you are listening. Repeat back something they say in different words, or ask a leading question that requires them to further clarify who they are and what they do. Do not fake this. It may seem easy to fake when hiding behind a screen, but it is still a delicate walk and spam smells even worse on the internet than it does in the can.

Personal space

If you’re asking questions that have anything to do with personal information, such as “where exactly do you live” or, “what are your kids’ names”, you’re invading space. Personal information on the web is a taboo subject, unlike the general “your people may know my people” kind of thing you get into in person. Yes share your friends and contacts who may be able to help if you know someone, but ask both parties first and then don’t shove them together like a blind date. Be careful about whose information you share with whom.

Shyness

This would equate to lurkers. Those who read everything you write but never reply or leave comments. There are plenty of shy people in the world. Don’t worry about it. If you can help them with your content, so be it. It’s kind of a non-issue really, but to those of you who are lurkers, just know it’s okay. You might not get a ton of folks in your network, but if that's okay with you, it's fine with me too.

Physical contact

The best subsitute for subtle nudges and pats on the shoulder is smiley central. I do not use them much, because I think they tend to be annoying. But they do have their place. I use them more often with good friends or people I know well. They may annoy me initially the same way someone I barely know who touches me does. I don’t mind you touching me if you know me, but when you have no idea whether I like to be touched (or smiley’d) it is rude to assume I do. That being said, I love hugs. Nearly every message to my friends ends with “Hugs, KK”. That’s okay too – as long as you are close enough friends.

I am feeling the urge to move into other territory here, such as forum personality disorders and writing under the influence – but I think I will save those for another day.

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

Being Social on the Web and Making the Most of it

2011-05-19T17:08:00.001-05:00

I am celebrating the success of a dear friend today!

Martha Giffen's book is already up to #4 on Amazon.com in her category!

This is so exciting! I hope you'll celebrate with me too!

Her book teaches how to master social media and get free stuff ,

plus earn money at the same time!

There are several good reasons for you to get your copy today.

Here's the story:

My good friend, Martha Giffen, a social diva whose middle name is "networking," has been building
her online business consistently since 2008. With results. From social networking.

She's a master at it.

And, she's written a book so you can do it too.

It's called Be Social Be Rich and is being launched on Amazon today!

Martha's amazing book spells out everything you need to put your social networking

into high gear and increase your bottom line at the same time.

I have to tell you, she's also a walking-talking example of exactly what having a responsive social
network is all about. I met her the same year she started. We learned together.

She passed me up in the money making arena though - big time!

Here's what I mean:

She has accumulated a pretty powerful network of entrepreneurs into her own sphere

and is willing to share that network with you today.

Well, maybe I should say her network will share with YOU today!

With your purchase of Be Social Be Rich, her own network of internet superstars is gladly going
to give you a mountain of gifts and bonuses. (I'm honored to be one of those offering a bonus! -

my product "Get in the Zone - Focus Praxis Audio Pack" is there too! I usually charge for it, but today,

for the launch of Martha's book, folks who buy the book get it free,

along with a bunch of other awesome digital gifts.

Why?

Because, that's the power of a well-connected social network.

Martha's entrepreneur friends want her to succeed,

so they are throwing in everything except the kitchen sink to make that happen!

They want you to have her book and be successful too, so they decided to sweeten the pie.

It's a win/win.

Need some name-dropping? There's bonuses from: Warren Whitlock, Connie Regan Green,
Pat O'Bryan, Christina Hills, Nicole Dean, Michele Scism, (and yours truly) to name a few.

You see, we all want you to have your own copy of Martha's book because they know it
will help you in your business, help you make more money, and just plain help you be happier!

One more thing - no optin required for ANY of the gifts!

Each link takes you directly to the download page!

Go here:

Be Social Be Rich

Check out for yourself this bag (or truckload!) of treasures.

Guaranteed to make you happy :)

To your success,

p.s. It's a ONE TIME ONLY deal. Hurry!

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

Selling Toys or Selling Fun?

2011-04-26T11:02:00.005-05:00

I realize not all my readers are sales people. I don't really consider myself one either.

In some sense, though, we are all selling something to somebody.

We sell ourselves to employers, spouses, clients, and even our kids.

Yep I said kids. How do we convince them to mind?

We have to sell them on the fact that we will make their lives very uncomfortable if they don't.

On the flip side, we are the buyers of our kids' toys. We buy their stuff, not them. The can beg us all day for a particular toy, but the bottom line is, if there is not something we like about it, some benefit we can conceive of for ourselves or our kid, we ain't buyin it. Right?

So, do we buy toys for our kids or do we buy them "fun"?

This is a concept that the very successful salesman Joe Sugarman (remember "Blue Block" Sunglasses?) taught me in a series of recordings I picked up from the godfather of Internet Marketing himself, Mark Joyner for nothing.

They are so cool! These 29 audios are really fun "life lessons" from a salesman's perspective.

I feel like I have the inside scoop. It's awesome.

I'm happy to share this with you - Grab it here

(According to Joe, they are only available for a few days at this zero price)

I'd listen to him. He's a genius!

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

Good Earth Friday

2011-04-21T14:18:00.002-05:00

I am so lucky to be in a place where I can share stuff I love so easily! I came across this incredible design from Dreamstime for Earth Day, and decided it had to go on a shirt! (In case you don't already know, I love to wear T-shirts)
Something about the earth in this guy's mind really struck me. Reminds me that it's not just about dirt and air and water, but our conciousness about these things that brings about positive change.
The design looks best on yellow, which makes the blue "green" lol. I toyed with adding text, but decided the graphic says it all. Let me know if you think I should change it. Way easy to do!
Earth Day is tomorrow, and with it also being Easter weekend, and Good Friday, I fear it may get a bit neglected. Perhaps we could think of it as "Good Earth Friday". See more about Earth Day.
A little side note about the Cafe Press store. It's called "Love Mastermind" because it was initially set up to support a Ning network that never really materialized... I left it up anyway, because I liked the concept. Love Mastermind on Cafe Press
One more note: I am only allowed a limited number of "impressions" for this particular design.... so it won't be up forever.

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

How to spell "Free"

2011-04-15T08:45:00.002-05:00

fre.e

freeeeeee

fre (e)

Why do I see so many different spelling of this word in my inbox?

Maybe because spam checkers weed out the correct spelling. I get that.

I think, though, that since it is so over used, and we could easily use

words such as "no cost" "for nothing" "you don't pay a dime" etc -

that the gimmicky spellings are a more powerful call to action than the

real one.

like spelling with the hiccups

You notice when someone has the hiccups, right?

Maybe you try harder to listen to them?

photo credit: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/153952

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

Green Photography Wordpress Music Mom Blogging

2011-03-22T13:54:00.001-05:00

Apparently, according to Klout, these are my most influential topics.

I would not have guessed that. But, looking back, it's true. These are all things I enjoy or

am passionate about.

Makes sense.

Me being the one who is always touting "do what you love" and all that jazz, I think I might better take it seriously. The algorythms don't lie, right?

So for an experiment I put all those words together in google and kept coming back to the same blog.

Rude Cactus by Chris Cactus

He's been blogging for several years, and seems to have developed a unique and loyal following.

Chris writes about many of the items listed above, and often.

Photo above is from the same blog, which, by the way, has several awesome photos. He and his wife Beth have a precious little girl, and though I was tempted to showcase one of her, the essence of the blog is not just about their daughter.

I loves this one of paint samples against a blue wall.

Great photography, cute kid, music lover, and funny!

read this quote:

This week isn't a Twinkie. It's one of those day-glow SnoBalls.

You know by looking at it that it's going to be terrible but it's

the only think left on the convenience store shelf

and you've got to eat something.

I know just what you mean, Chris!

So..... why don't you try it? Go check your Klout "content analysis" and get back to me.

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

Welcome Spring!

2011-03-21T11:13:00.001-05:00

Sometimes the smallest things can bring us joy.
In this case, it's really the potential of a small
thing that can bring us joy.

A seed, for example, is small. By itself, it
is not usually very appealling. Knowing what
the seed has the potential to be, though,
changes the equation a little bit.
Now we are intrigued, knowing that it might be
a lovely flower, or food for our table.

The resource I share with you today is a collection
of "seeds" of sorts. Small gifts, creations
by some fellow contributors to a joint venture
project called the Gift Explosion Giveaway.

Just as seeds spring into life, these small
gifts can explode your own success if you
use them in the manner they are intended...

Some of my favorites so far are

Royalty free music package

Graphics Wiz

Article re-write software

Social Media Report

Make your own software kit

Membership site system

A report on Blogging for beginners

Hypnotherapy basics

There are plenty more to choose from too!

But really it is not just about the gifts. It
is about the potential in the relationships
with the people who are giving these gifts, too!

I look forward to meeting you there -

Come see what it's all about!

http://sevendollargiveaway.com/GEXPLOSION/go/137

Happy Spring!

photo: "Poppy Seeds" by St Stev

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

Finding Your Inner Song - A New Download Gift From KK

2011-03-16T09:43:00.001-05:00

Meditation can be more effective if you hum. What to hum, generally means an 'Ohm” on the same pitch. I have come up with a different hum, which I call “inner song”.

What makes this more effective for me, is that it comes from my natural voice. The pitch is based on the way I say certain words. I decide on a word or a phrase that works for me in meditation, such as “I love you”. Actually, what ended up working for me was the whole sequence from
Ho’oponopono

Choosing your phrase

The phrase or words you choose need to resonate with you. Think of things you might say to your pet or your small child. These often come from our inner sense of innocence and purity. Say these and other phrases you think of out loud until something seems to fit you personally. Discovering your phrase or words may mean needing to choose between several. It is okay to do this exercise with more than one phrase, but it needs to be only one at a time. Once you master one phrase and feel the need to try a different one, feel free to go through the process again.

If you have trouble deciding on a phrase, it may help to try using an affirmation. There are plenty on You Tube to choose from.

Finding your song

This is the tricky part, especially if you do not feel you have a musical ear. I believe it can be done by anybody, but if you feel you are tone deaf or cannot do this process on your own, I am offering a 20 minute coaching session to walk you through the process.

Begin by saying your phrase several times. Say it fast, say it slow, say it loud and soft. Say it with meaning and say it as if the words are meaningless. Say it many different ways. Even recording yourself saying it can help. As you move through the various tones of your voice while you speak your phrase, pay attention to the change in pitch of your voice. When you notice you seem to be talking in a set of pitches which feels right, choose that particular way of saying the phrase as your “song”.

Say this version of your phrase the same way several times very slowly, and see if you can discern a tune within your phrase. This is a transcription process of sorts, in that you can turn your phrase into a sort of “chant” based on how you say it. If you have a keyboard or musical instrument handy, it might help you to try to find the tune of your phrase by playing it. Even if not, however, you can try recording your “chant” and playing it back to hear yourself more effectively.

Sing it without the words. Now that you are coming close to getting your inner song set, begin to hum the tune without actually saying the words. Do this several times, then practice switching back and forth from saying the phrase, singing the phrase, then humming the tune. This will help you remember the song the next time you practice it.

Meditation using your inner song

My method is to sit comfortably, breathe in slowly, and as I breathe out, hum my song. I start out at a normal speaking pace, and gradually slow down as I slow down my breathing. I hum as long as I am conciously seeking a meditative state. I cannot say if or when I stop, because it seems to taper off naturally. It may work differently for you.

I have created a set of audios for download if you feel you need to hear more instruction on how to discover your inner song. The first is descriptive, and the second is an actual walk through of an example.

Click Here to Download "Finding Your Inner Song" Audio Set (Free)

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

The Act of Being Heroic

2011-03-14T10:35:00.001-05:00

It is a touching thing to see the many wonderful stories about people helping people through this latest crisis. There is a certain synchronicity which seems to happen in times like this among journalists and victims and men, that makes the positive stories shine a little more and get a little more time in the sun than during a normal news day.

Here’s my question. Does it really take a crisis to be a hero? Do we need starving children or an oil spill or an earthquake/tsunami two-punch to see the incredibly beautiful things people do every day?

What about a smile to a sad looking kid while standing in the grocery line? Or a nice big thank you to the dude who bags your groceries? There are so many who are heroes on a daily basis and never get recognized. It is, truthfully, not about the recognition, is it? But still the effect is the same inner goodness as the more extreme acts of heroism which come with a major catastrophe such as we are now witnessing in Japan. The pictures are not taken, the stories are not written, but the heroic act is still there, with the full effect (and beauty) intact.

You made somebody feel good. You helped somebody get to a better place. You don’t have to run a soup kitchen to be my hero. You don’t even have to smile at me. All I ask is that you take a second, every day, to ask yourself this question: “Am I giving the world the person I know I am?” It does not need to be witnessed or appreciated or validated. You know in your heart who you are and what you are capable of.

You do have a gift, or you would not be here. It is up to you to foster and develop it, to use it to continuously evolve into your highest good. I believe in you. Do you?

Photo by Mehan (An American Werewolf [Hero] in Japan)

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

Angels at the Pump? Why not?

2011-03-12T11:11:00.004-06:00

Remember the guardian angels who volunteered to fill up people's tanks during the DC Sniper scare? They actually had a hard time convincing people that they would do this for them for free. It took real coaxing and selling, at least until it caught on and people realized they were providing a real service. People just don't believe you can get good service at the pump anymore.
Maybe we can change that.

What if we could end the pain at the pump today by offering a different sort of angel service?
It would not be free, but it could be fun, and it might bring back the old feeling of real full service.
(Anybody remember those days?)

Pump Angels
A pampering service for both the car and the car owner. A group of 5 or so "angels" , probably teenagers (this is a summertime business) would pump your gas while escorting you up a red carpet (laid out just for you) to a nice little pampering area for yourself nearby- under an awning in the shade, with fans blowing and soothing music playing, and..... a massage chair!
Your angels would serve you iced green tea or mineral water and you could take a couple of minutes to relax while your tank is filled, your windows washed, and an extra perk, a little bit of extra rub down for your car. A sort of synchronized dance around your car as you listen to your music, sip your tea, and get your massage from the chair, under a cool fan.
And schwag! Gotta get the schwag! You keep the cute plastic cup the tea comes in (with the Pump Angel logo on it of course). You get an ice cold towel (again with the logo) to pat yourself with as you're being pampered, (I can just see you carrying it around with you at they gym) and, we give you a bumper sticker (20% off if you let us put it on your car).
One more perk: Your angels will pose with you in your massage chair and/ or at your car while we take your picture with your phone, so you can brag about it to everyone, (and of course post it on the Fan Page... for "angel points")
No it is not cheap. It's about 25 bucks. But hey, you're paying so much for gas, what's another 25 bucks? It's way worth it for all that service!
Naw, it's not real. Just a crazy (according to my husband) idea I had today.
By the way, I checked at Go Daddy. PumpAngels.com is available!

Think of the slogans you could use...they're endless!
"Get serviced by Pump Angels"
"Pump Angels fill you up with Love"
"Pumped and Pampered by an Angel"
"Get gas with pleasure"
"Have fun at the pump"
"Have you been pumped by your Angels today?"

Photo inset: Red Jaguar XK140

by pedrosimoes7 on Flickr

Posted via email from "Do" Dreaming

Let's get Twisted! (Big Time Bonuses for those who Do!)

2011-01-25T08:59:00.001-06:00

I’ve noticed there are three types of folks in the online business world. There are those who dream (I’m in this boat, are you?), there are those who dream and believe (yep, still on board! How bout you?) and then there are those who dream, believe, and do (still with me?)

I’m not actually a ‘doer’ in the capacity I want to be (yet) but I have some great news for anyone in my boat (doing some but could be doing a whole lot more). What happens when you take all three of these types and twist them together? Something that works together to stay strong, with just enough variation to keep things interesting!

My Mentor, Pat O’Bryan, along with a bunch of doers in my tribe, are launching a new book today - Money From Anywhere. Dr. Joe Vitale, a big time hero of mine, and Marlon Sanders, a hoot (and a genius) collaborated, as did a few others from Pat’s Unseminars, even one of my peers, my “Southern Soul” sister Martha Giffen!

Here is what Martha has to say about the book:

It's a valuable book full of great ways to make money so you can experience the freedom that comes from operating your biz from your computer. Did you know there are actually secrets to attracting money?

And Dr. Vitale says this:

Look. You need money for yourself and

the people you care about. Learn how

to get money from anywhere by going to --

http://www.moneyfromanywhere.com

PS -- I don't make a dime when you get

the book. I'm trying to help you. I'm directing you to a resource that CAN help you. But it's up to you to go there. Here's the link --

http://www.moneyfromanywhere.com

(Dr. Vitale doesn’t play around, does he?)

Only thing left to say is ….. oh yeah! Two Thousand bucks worth of bonuses ? Heck fire, sign me up!

Dreamers and doers all: Let’s get twisted!

http://www.moneyfromanywhere.com

(Hurry… bonuses come down after today!)

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

What if?

2011-01-08T18:38:00.001-06:00

What if somewhere deep inside your soul lay a tiny speck of light whose only purpose is to observe your life from the inside. It is responsible for your inner beauty, but cannot speak to you or through you. The only function it has is to add feeling to your thoughts whenever you are in a place of total love.

It is a place reserved for your most high good. All human beings possess this little gift, and all make it shine at one time or another. It is what makes us feel most alive. Picture yourself in a place where you feel the most alive. It could be a mountain top experience, or something as simple as holding your child's hand. Maybe it is when your favorite team wins a championship game. Or maybe it is a triumph of your own inner game. These ecstatic feelings are when this little pinpoint of light within you glows the brightest.

What if this speck of light, in this time of increasing enlightenment, was given permission, just once, to speak to you directly? What do you think it might say?

Would it give you advice? Would it simply say "well done"? Would it reassure you in a time of crisis? Remember this little speck of light lies within you and you only. It has no existence outside of your body. It only glows brightly when you are living fully. Therefore, the message it would convey would be to you and you alone.

With these thoughts in mind, I invite you to ponder.

What might your inner light say to you?

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

I'm your Sugar Cookie

2010-12-28T09:24:00.001-06:00

I notice every year, that the last holiday treat left after all the flashy stuff is gone, are plain sugar cookies. No more fancy popcorn, specialty chocolate, interesting looking (and tasting) candies and cakes and baked goodies of all kinds, just sugar cookies.

And you know what? They are good!

The passionate marketer who is full of nothing but love, without all the fancy wrappings and requests for recipes and bragging rights, with plenty to go around and who is there for you long after all the flash is gone. That's me.

Luv ya!

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

Thank you Paul - I love you "Here Today"

2010-12-11T08:44:00.002-06:00

The message is: be with me now. The sentiment is so overwhelming I cannot do it justice.
It has to do with grief - in this case, Paul for John. But it applies everywhere.
Let's be together, shall we? Now?

Be here today "I love you...... oooh ooooh oooh.... here today"

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

Digging a Little Deeper Before Forming an Opinion

2010-12-08T12:30:00.001-06:00

I have been working on discovering exactly who my "tribe" is, by tweaking one of my Twitter lists every day. I keep the list at around 100 people, and publish the list's daily tweets to a Paper.li paper called "The Friends of KK Daily"

This has been an interesting and enjoyable process. There is always something I missed in the regular twitter stream. Today, the process taught me a lesson.

I am notoriously bad about skimming. I don't know if it's because I try to read too much or do too much, or have ADD or whatever, I rarely read an entire article/sales page, etc. This makes videos a bit of a problem. If it doesn't get me in the first few seconds, I'm at least going to look elsewhere, even though I may still listen. One of the videos in today's paper.li was posted by a recently discovered friend/tribe member Eleesha. I have come to expect wonderfully inspiring things from her, so I watched it just because it was from her. It was a close up of someone's groceries, coupled with commentary on the great deal the narrator got on the food from the dollar tree. Whaaa? I didn't get it. Why would Eleesha want me to watch this? It took some research. First of all, the paper.li does not show the original tweet unless you mouse over the person who posted it. That would have helped, but instead I turned to youtube for answers. The video was by someone who had a couple of cute little girls, but that's all I could get from youtube. Back to Eleesha's tweet. Still not making sense, it was a retweet, with a link, which I finally clicked on, and ......oh. My. What an awesome story indeed!

Here is the full story of the lady with the groceries

I was so impressed I added her to one of my lenses

I love it when stuff like this happens. This, tribe, is what social networking for a better world is all about!

Peace!

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

Giving Green

2010-11-29T11:22:00.002-06:00

It is a great year for giving "green". Not dollars, but real "green", as in back to nature, and trees! Whatever the reason (and I am not sure if it has a connection to a poor economy or not) people are thinking good thoughts about our ecology as the economy continues to struggle out of this mess.
Maybe it is because green giving is more lasting gift. One that helps not only the one who "recieves" the gift (or, gift in their honor) but it also helps the planet. The planet, it seems, is rather like Scarlet O'Hara in gone with the wind..... "The only thing that matters, the only thing that lasts... Land"
But does it/will it last? When we ask ourselves this question, it may be that we are not so sure about that anymore. Foreclosures, so many of which tore families from their homesteads (their "Land", their "Tara" )took a heavy toil on many a soul - but what if you could know a little happiness in a green gift? Knowing that someone had a tree planted in your name, somewhere on public land. What if you could take comfort in that? It is not only victims of foreclosure who may appreciate it though. It might also be those with a genuine concern for the environment, and our delicate ecosystem. Will it really last?

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

New and Old, Silver and Gold: Two Social Networks especially for Marketers

2010-11-22T10:22:00.002-06:00

These are not Facebook or My Space or anything like them really, except that they do function much the same way. They have similar features, but with one big difference. Almost everyone who uses these two social networks are there to network in order to grow their online business.

The first is older and quite frankly I have been a member for a long time, but since there is so much junk out there I basically set up my profile for the backlink then forgot about it. I get notices from time to time and usually delete them without paying much attention, but today I opened one (mainly because I am really getting involved in the second one and wanted to compare apples to apples) - I'm really quite impressed. First of all, it has survived for a while and has one "hook" in that it pays it's members. Without doing anything at all I have a little moolah in there, so there is that. I think the fact that it pays you makes the clientele fit into a bit narrower niche. You know they are wanting to make money online, so that is a given. If nothing else it is a nice way to find highly active "leads" if that is your thing. Take a few minutes to set yourself up, and enjoy the community there while you're at it! The most active, I think are the ones you want to connect with. It seems this community, perhaps because of the money involved, has had it's share of spammers come through. That gives them a bit of a bad rap, and it's a shame because they have a really nice setup. Join me in teaching them how those of us who are legitimate and ethical can do this without giving IM a bad name.

http://www.apsense.com/invite/lifeteambuilders

The second is my true baby these days. My friend Ken McArthur and his partner Chris Moos set it up. Ken is such a kind person, I was really excited to see that he is working in this realm. Ken even runs a training call every Wednesday night with some incredible tips on how to help us make the best of it. The network is still in Beta. Tobri is different for a couple of reasons. One is that a lot of work has gone in the front end to use the platform in many many different ways. There are some really helpful apps to help you visualize your social reach. This is important in marketing with today's social media. Think about all the twitter tools out there to help you use twitter more efficiently. These things are worked into the fabric of Tobri so that you can know from the start what is working best for you. The people, however, are the real story. If you know Ken McArthur at all, you know he is probably one of the nicest people out there in the world of internet marketing. He has built a following of people who do just what he does: Help people. Imagine a whole network of friendly, helpful people and you begin to get an idea what Tobri is.

Join me at Tobri, and let's get something good started together!

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

The Spelling Bee

2010-11-19T14:32:00.000-06:00

My son came home yesterday with a notice that he has been “selected” to participate in the 3rd grade’s Spelling Bee in two weeks. I have no idea whether this is a big deal or not (to be selected, I mean). But I did share this information with my Mom, who in turn emailed everyone she knows about it.

We are all excited for him and hope he does well. He is pretty smart and a pretty decent speller, so we expect he will do well. The kid, however, could really care less. Whether or not he gets an extra brownie before bed and “tickle time” with me are both items weighing much heavier on his mind than spelling words in front of an audience.

This makes me wonder. Does the pressure to perform we place on our children damage their psyche? It is not a new dilemma, but it is new to me. I am wanting, inside, to really encourage him to go for it - to be the best. To spell with great finesse and be the big star. To win-win-win! But since I am not feeling the excitement from him, I wonder. How far should I go? If he gets up there and loses, I want him to be glad he played anyway. I suppose parents of children who participate in sports have similar dilemmas.

I think the best thing I can do for him is to give him gentle encouragement, and to above all else press upon him that participation is the gift. I need to make sure to remind him that he is my wonderful, shining boy always, no matter what, and if a talent in spelling is one of the ways he can share his gifts with the world, we will celebrate. If not, we will keep having fun together and move on to the next thing.

There must be something in us, that as parents we somehow expect our children to magically overcome all of the hurdles we faced growing up and to be the big star we never were. I do want him to be a big star. But to the only person who really matters, who needs to see his star shine: himself. As far as what the world thinks, I hope, like the spelling bee, he could care less.

Will You Celebrate World Kindness Day With me Tomorrow?

2010-11-12T14:12:00.001-06:00

Girl Helping Cat at Cat Fountain, Positano, Campania, Italy Photographic Print
Smith, Philip &... Buy at AllPosters.com

It does not take much, really, to be kind. A lingering smile and a second's delay can lift even the saddest mood. I know because I have experienced it, many many times.

What would really make you feel nice? What could someone do for you that would warm your heart? I don't mean people you know well, but strangers, or perhaps acquaintances. Let's make a list, then see if we can turn it around.

Let someone in front of you in line (Driving or at grocery, wherever)
If at a place where you wait in line to pay (coffee shop, fast food drive through, making purchase at a store, etc), give the cashier $5.00 (or whatever you wish) toward the next person in line's bill.
Make a couple of batches of cookies or brownies, (or for something a little healthier, try Honey Milk Balls) and separate into plastic bags with several in each. Leave at front doors where you know people are home, knock and run! (or don't run, just give them to them and smile, and walk away)
Write a letter to someone and mail it.
Send someone flowers
Visit someone in prison, or in a nursing home.
Call in to a radio station and ask them to broadcast your offer to do whatever you can do for someone for free (cut their hair, photograph them, change their oil, give them a ride somewhere, babysit, backup their computer, organize their closet, etc)
Think of your two favorite single guy and girl friends, and play matchmaker
Adopt a new pet from a local animal shelter
Have a yard sale and give everything away free

That's my top ten. Do you have more ideas? Feel free to add to the list in your comments. You might also check out the main link for World Kindness Day for more ideas. I plan to tweet it out tomorrow. Will update this post during the day, then report on how it went afterward.

Thanks everyone for joining in!

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

My Kid's Letter to Santa

2010-11-10T11:22:00.001-06:00

verbatim:

-----------------------------

Dear Santa,

I wanted to show you my Christmas list, so here you go.

Oh! and the ones that have the checks on them are the ones that I really want.

(The actual "list" is omitted, but I should point out that there are 9 things

on the list - and they are ALL checked!)

It's a lot of stuff, but just get it. Oh! And I forgot one more (another thing added here)

Your Friend,

(My Kid)

................................................

A while back I posted an article on E-How on How to make sure Santa reads your letter. I think I need to have the kid read it now, especially #3.

"Just get it" ? ? ?

Oh boy. Good thing the letter's not to me!

Let's work together: Improve Persuasion Skills, Overcome Fear, And Keep a Positive Attitude

2010-11-05T10:03:00.007-05:00

Friendly Persuasion Giclee Print Ong, Diana Buy at AllPosters.com

It's a simple formula, really (To say, anyway) but life is not always as easy as these few little words is it? We have our own fears and obstacles to overcome and get past every day, sometimes hundreds of times in a day.

Sometimes I feel like I need a whole aresenal of invisible protective gear just to get through my morning without blowing up! Reality, sometimes, does bite. For some of us, it bites harder than others. The same scenario can even be more difficult for one person to cope with than another. I know it is not as simple as telling you just to "think positive" and wonderful things will come your way. In fact, when I am in the thick of a bad attitude attack, that kind of syrupy sweet talk just makes me even more frustrated. Getting past the muck is a skill, a talent (a tough one at that) for some of us to master. Even then, we need to constantly practice and improve on it. It seems the more we learn to cope with, the more we are given to cope with.

I say let's burn down that whole word "cope" and work on conquering these demons that create the barriers in the first place, one by one. If I had no fear of failure, for example, then failure would not be an obstacle, would it? If I could keep a positive attitude most of the time, then the things that create chaos for me now would be but a mere molehill - wouldn't they? And If I were confident that I could get everything I need simply by changing the way I ask for it, my needs would dwindle too, right?

Okay then. I know you may be skeptical, I am a little nervous too, frankly, but I'm willing to give it a shot. New things are always a little scary. Let's try these tools out together. I have found one tool for overcoming each of these issues: Persuasion, Fear, and Positive Attitude. Each one is a download, and if you purchase them, I get a commission (thanks!) - but don't click away just yet if you are turned off by that. Each of these gurus offer a gift for you, even if you do not choose to buy now. That is why I feel comfortable sharing them with you. What we can do is check them out, and share with each other what we like, what we like, what we are trying out, and what is working best for each of us. We could become a micro community in overcoming these three common obstacles - Fear, Persuasion, and Positive Attitude.

Tool #1: 20 Day Persuasion Secrets by Michael Lee, persuasion expert and certified life coach. Without reverting to cheezy claims of magic, Michael helps us understand some basics about how we think and process thoughts, and how to tap into the subtle cues we sometimes miss. By breaking his tips into a few at a time, we are not bombarded with too much at once. This way we develop the skill of persuasion, rather than simply educating ourselves on the topic.

Tool #2: MindSurge: The Conciousness Revolution - (for conquering fear) This giveaway is part of the Super Mind Evolution System created by a team of 4 experts in brainwave entrainment, NLP, hypnosis and energy healing. I have really enjoyed their website/blog. There is a lot of interaction with readers and they offer a lot of additional resources.

Tool #3: Subliminal MP3's "Find Harmony" - (for positive thinking) this page actually offers a TON of Subliminal MP3 downloads, but the one they send you free is called "find harmony" and comes with a script (so you know what you're feeding your brain) and is perfect for quieting the mind and creating a positive energy flow. The gift is at the very top of the page. They give you actually 3 different mp3's, one per week. The first and the last deal specifically with positive thinking.

Are you ready to get started? I know I am! Depending on the response, we can decide whether to start an official group or just comment here. I look forward to working with you!

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

Weeding out the "No's"

2010-11-04T10:24:00.001-05:00

Years ago I was involved in a home based Multi-Level Marketing business. It was a decent company with decent products, some of them really good products, and a phenomenal group of leaders. I stayed in way longer than I should have simply because I loved the people so much. They became like family to me.

I have noticed a lot of MLM-type business come on and off the market in the years since, and am still oddly fascinated how well the whole idea seems to work, at least for some of the businesses. What I am seeing really trend is a move toward products we use and buy anyway: A shift, of sorts, during tougher economic times to allow the consumer to keep some of the profits. I kind of like that idea. Although I am not ready to jump back onto the MLM bandwagon any time soon, I see a huge potential here: Groceries. Gas. Phone Service. Utilities. More than a small chunk of my monthly budget goes toward all these things. Would it not be cool to rake in some of that “profit” by owning my own piece of that pie?

It depends on the business, and we have to do our homework. If you have the right personality for MLM (and although everyone is unique, there are some things you just have to be ready to do, and sales, people, is most definitely part of it) it might be a good move for you.

Why am I writing this post today? Because my friend, MJ Schrader, has just gotten started with a program that sells electricity and asked for my help. I did a little research (even though I had already heard good things about this company) and decided to help her by writing this post. One thing she has to do is weed through a ton of prospects every single day. What I hope to do is weed out some of the “no’s” for her, and find her a few “maybes”. So, if you don’t run like the wind when you hear the word “MLM” and you have a knack for selling, please check out her link: http://mjschrader.igniteinc.biz/

And/or if you live in Texas, Georgia or Pennsylvania, consider switching to a more affordable and clean energy alternative! http://mjschrader.mystreamenergy.biz/

MJ is a kind person and will be a gem to work with. I have no doubt that she will bend over backwards to help her team in every way possible. If you do join, you will be blessed for being a part of her network.

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

I Didn't Know You Were Watching

2010-11-02T10:38:00.005-05:00

Excellent Set in Clarksville During Spring with Kids Playing Photographic Print

Joel, Yale Buy at AllPosters.com

The Kid's gradually gaining freedom, growing up, and I am having to loosen the strings, a little knotch, every few months or so. It is both fascinating and terrifying, raising a child. A couple of days ago, he was on his own at the playground near us, which is coincidentally very close to a drainage ditch. (Not smart planning, but what're ya gonna do? It is where it is)

So he's been told many times the ditch is off limits. Stay out of the ditch. What kids aren't going to be tempted though? Especially boys with bikes! I know this, and have no doubt he gets in that ditch more often than I want to admit. I had to go find him and let him know I would be away from the house for a few minutes. So he knows I'm right there, walking away, and as I turn back, the little scoundrel is in that ditch! When he knows I'm right there!

Later I ask him about it. "Why did you get in that ditch? Especially when you knew I was watching! Sheez! Grounded!"

His response? "I didn't know you were watching"

Hysterical, this little person is. So brazen. Does he have any idea how much he teaches me? I am so lucky to be given the opportunity to be in this little boy's life. He is a gift every second.

For those of you whom I may have offended, for those of you who perhaps did not understand - If you stopped by and I did not notice, or if you took the time to acknowledge me and I did not return the favor, or if something I said made you feel negative in any way, please, please, accept my sincerest apology and know this: I didn't know you were watching.

I have the responsiblity to write, as I feel, with love, kindness, and respect. Trust me, now.... now that my 8 year old has taught me this valuable lesson - I know you are watching, and I am thankful. I am safe. You are treasured.

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

Celebrating Peers around me in the Tobri Top 100 - A 'Thoughtful Thursday' Blogpost

2010-10-28T11:35:00.002-05:00

It's really exciting to be listed among this bunch of awesome people! I am hovering around #80 in the Tobri Top 100 right now. I hope it lasts, you never know! So I decided to take a few minutes on this "Thoughtful Thursday" to celebrate some of the folks who are listed near me.

Bronwyn Wilson, (Tobri rank #81) posted "A Website Versus A Blog" and started a bit of a debate about cloning wordpress. While the convo is a bit over my head "techie wise" I get the drift and am thankful, because it sounds like I am doing something right by using Wordpress for my main blog

Xavier Nelson , (Tobri rank #79) started "Quotes to make you think", an ongoing list of quotes which he plans to add to, to help get us going when we might be stuck for inspiration. Example" "Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions"... Albert Einstein. Well that's pretty cool! Einstein's own version of the Law of Attraction in action! I love it!

Martin Boyle (Tobri rank #82) is simply a dear person, who lifts up other Tobri users like it's his second nature. Complimenting others and giving great positive feedback seems to be his forte. ["shy bairns get nowt".....That's a bit of Geordie slang. Translated it means "Shy Children get nothing"]- A MartinBoyle ism

Rebekah TheConnector (Tobri rank #75) Is exactly what she says she is! Rebekah connects with all types of people and is a member of probably more groups than anyone else in the Tobri 100! She offers classes on how to make your star shine, and has a significant following both on Facebook and Sokule. The integration of Facebook and Tobri is a powerful way to connect.

Kevin Puls (Tobri rank #83) Is an active member of the JV Alert family. His enthusiasm is a natural carryover into the Tobri community. He is also an Editor for Ken McArthur's blog and a great interviewer!

Byron Welch (Tobri Rank: #73) Is quite an interesting person! He wrote a really creepy short story which he shared with us for Halloween, and he regularly posts thoughtful comments on others' blogs and walls. It is a nice breath of fresh air to read his posts. He keeps things real, and really interesting at Tobri!

You! (Tobri Rank: #XX?) Come join us and see how simple it is to make meaningful connections at Tobri! (yeah.... it's free!) Being ranked in the Tobri 100 is easy! (Hey, I did it!) and it's a gas too! And for those of you with cash to spend for advertising, the Tobri Business Premiere membership can get your game in front of me and a whole slew of peeps - these showcased are just a few great examples of the active folks you'll find at Tobri!

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Bras for a Cause - Hurry ladies! One Week Left!

2010-10-21T15:21:00.003-05:00

The "Bras for Breast Cancer" event is now in its 3rd year. Jackson MS area radio stations put on the event, which is sponsored by Riverwalk Hotel Casino in Vicksburg. Riverwalk donates $1 to the American Cancer Society's Fight Against Breast Cancer for every bra collected during the month of October.

The Deadline is October 29th! Get your bras in quickly!

I found out about the event late in the game from Jill Conner Browne. She leads the Sweet Potato Queens in a ton of philanthropic activities. Although famous for their St Paddy's day Shenanigans, The queens are good-doers all year long! One of my favorites is their participation in the "Bras for Breast Cancer" event held by local radio stations in Jackson every year.
They have bras donated from everywhere and take them to the Mississippi River in Vicksburg, where they are strung all across the Old Mississippi bridge. The gently used bras go to Mississippi Women's shelters. But the best part is that The Riverwalk Casino donates a buck a bra to the American Cancer Society!
Believe it or not, they add up fast!
This year (2010) you have until Friday, October 29th to get your bras to one of the drop off locations or mail to JAN MICHAELS, CLEAR CHANNEL RADIO, 1375 BEASLEY ROAD, JACKSON, MS. 39206

There are so many!

It takes a lot of work and is a huge labor of love

But those dollar bills add up and plenty of women benefit - Send in your bras, ladies!

Bras are Perfect for Breast Cancer Awareness

There is even a contest for the most decorated bras! What a blast!

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Collective Energy in a Group: Lesson from a Childhood Game

2010-10-21T08:40:00.001-05:00

In doing research for a Squidoo lens just published on a game I used to play at Slumber parties growing up, I realized the game is still popular today. I found several variations of the game on you tube. It is not really a "game" per se, but more of a trance inducement exercise, though we would never have thought of it as any thing of the sort at the time.

Basically, the game, which we called "light as a feather, stiff as a board", involves one person who agrees to let us "levitate" them by sitting around her as she lays flat on the floor with arms crossed on her chest. The person at the head of the body tells a story to get us centered and focused on the task. In our case it was usually about a girl our age who was met with an untimely death. We then begin to softly chant "light as a feather, stiff as a board", and with only two fingers from each hand under the girl, she begins to rise up.

This worked sometimes better than others, but it absolutely did work. Looking back now, knowing what I know, I think I know why it worked. The energy in the room created by our collective focused attention on one task actually shifted enough to "help" us lightly lift the girl with very little touch. We were probably not channeling any dead spirits, but we were channeling energy.

I have seen that same group energy many times as an adult, At retreats, conferences, and other group gatherings where the colllective attention is focused on the same thing. It is always beautiful. I have seen rooms turn an almost golden color with energy, which some do call spirit. I have seen auras around groups of people during some of these events.Whether the spirit of the dead, the spirit of God or the spirit of our collective vibrating souls, I can attest to the fact that it is possible to create a positive energy when a group gathers for a central purpose and is able to focus all of their energy into one common purpose.

Ultimately, I would like to be part of a mastermind group that does this. So far, all of my mastermind groups have been online, either via skype or chat or other group meeting. I am not sure the collective spirit can work unless we are in the same room, but I am certainly always open to the possibility!

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How I found @BigGirlBranding and Rockin' the Shite

2010-10-15T11:38:00.002-05:00

I love it when I find someone new to follow who is full of fresh ideas and keeps it real! This was an (almost) random find. I had not really thought about this when I signed up to be part of the launch of the new CocoSearch engine, but this is a really nice byproduct I must say!

I clicked on her ad, the one we all get free when we sign up. It is really nice to only see ads when searching that are from my fellow marketers. We are all in that same boat together, so when we search, we help each other out. It's a huge pool and we will never run out of new people to connect with. But it is not a social network. It's just a search engine. I love that! A friendly nod. A smaller world to peer through.

Okay now about who Cori is - the Diva behind "A Smart Chick's Biz Shenanigans". A young Mom with a lot lot lot of gumption! I love to see kids grab life in a big way, and BGB is a great example!

Her Mission Statement:

To bring forth quality info to readers, who can then use said info and apply it to their own biz, branding, and marketing shenanigans.

May contain info unsuitable for overly sensitive people. Dork label required.

(I think it's the Dork label required thing that really drew me in)

She has a Ginormous post of interviews from 61 entrepreneurs on ONE POST! This could be a money maker ebook but she's just got it right there out in the open for all of us - with videos pictures and all kinds of good content from awesome people, including Yanik Silver and Erica.Biz, tons of others, many of whom I had not yet heard of. Come to think of it, I cannot believe I did not already know about BGB herself! She's so rockin' awesome!

I am playing catchup now, and it may take me all weekend to get through her stuff. Bummer. (NOT!)

Okay y'all have fun! Go check out http://biggirlbranding.com/

And if you call yourself an entrepreneur, get your free ad on the CocoSearch Engine and join the party!

- I had so much fun "finding" Cori, I think I will look for more awesome Entrepreneurs to highlight. Was I lucky to find her? You bet! Are there more where she came from? We will see! Stay Tuned!

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Herding Kays

2010-10-11T07:23:00.002-05:00

I attended a cousin's wedding recently. It was mid September and it was outside in South Mississippi, and it was HOT. I was surprised that so many of my extended family members were there. Not that I did not expect them, just that I had not realized they would all be coming. It was really nice to see them and catch up, even if for just a few moments.

As usually happens at weddings, the picture taking went on for quite a long time. Toward the end, they decided rather last minute to get a photo of all the Kays. This is all the aunts and uncles and cousins, etc, on my side. The mother of the bride is my Aunt, my Father's sister. So the photo included all of the cousins present, Aunts, Uncles, third cousins, etc.

Well that sounded like a good idea at the time, but it turns out the Kays would rather not be outside in the boiling heat watching the picture taking festivities (imagine that!). Instead we were inside feasting, visiting, catching up, getting hugs, taking our own pictures, whatever else you normally do at a wedding reception except wait to get your picture taken.

So we are told to come out, and we slowly trickle out to the picture taking place, and take our spots alongside the bride and groom and the bride's mother's side of the family. Seems we are missing a couple of uncles, so one uncle goes to get the other two uncles. That's how it started, anyway. We are mostly gathered and ready to shoot the pic, just waiting for these, now three, uncles. They take way too long, so Aunt, wife of the uncle who went to get the other two Uncles, peels off the line to retrieve all three. Two seconds later here come the original two uncles. Good grief. Now someone has to go get the third uncle to tell him to get his wife and we're all waiting on them now.

This goes on like this for a good twenty minutes. Bride is hungry. Groom is sweating bullets. Plus he is the newest "Kay", so he's a bit shy around all this extended family he does not yet know. This is getting to be a bit of a joke. My aunt, mother of the bride, says something like, "it's just impossible to get this family all together at one time!" Meanwhile the photographer is focusing on the other newest Kays, my third cousins, an infant and her three year old sister who are both adorable!

Finally, we are ready. Smile everyone.... then it hits me. Where is Margaret? Um... "Hold up"! Where is Margaret, Y'all?

Margaret happens to be the Sister of the bride. The only one in this whole tableu who was "in" the wedding other than the bride and groom. The 4th member of the immediate family of the bride. Named after my Grandmother Margaret Kay, she is most definitely a "Kay". Hello?

What's wrong with this "Picture?" The Mom and Dad of the Bride, the Bride, the Groom, Three Uncles and Aunts and more cousins, even second cousins..... nobody noticed that the Bride's own sister was missing? Honestly I can see how it happened. So much confusion, we just automatically assumed the core family was all there. The fact that the bride and Mom and Dad did not notice is also excusable since they've been in a hundred photo combinations by now and cannot really remember who belongs where at this point. But what if we had taken that picture without Margaret? What in the world made me think of her at the last minute. I mean we were on "Say ch...." before I noticed.

We humans, I think, take a whole lot for granted. In this case it was that little Margaret would read our minds and psychically know we were taking a picture that required her presence. How many other things, maybe things that seem incidental even, could be near misses like that in our day to day lives? Somehow just the fact that we make it from point A to point B without major catastrophe seems like a near miracle when you think about it.

Might be a good idea to do a self check every now and then. Not that anyone is expected to be perfect, but at least make sure you've got your kid sister before you head out the driveway. Stuff like that. Never know when she might come in handy.

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

How Close is Too Close?

2010-10-07T09:19:00.001-05:00

It's a tough question. A sensitive issue. Something to consider carefully.

Whether in personal or business relationships, or in this case, admiring geese, close enough is good. Get too close, and you scare them away.

How do you know you are close enough?

Don't crowd their space, don't intimidate, or act in an aggressive or needy manner.

Be kind, loving, but not intrusive or nosy. If you step closer (literally or figuratively), and they stiffen, look away, clear their throat, check their watch, or give you any one of a hundred different nonverbal cues that says back off, then back off. People communicate so much more than with mere words. Words are probably only a nth. yes that's not even one percent of the communication process. Pay attention closely.

Of course each situation is different.

But is it really?

Listen to your senses. I could see the head goose getting a little fidgety. I could tell I was close enough. But I just had to push the envelope to see how close I could get.

In the end, it was my loss. They flew away.

How many times could we have had a little more quality time in that space, but we moved in too close and scared them away?

When you sense it, hold up. The quality of your relationship will improve, and your friend, kid, parent, lover, business associate, partner, or goose... will be more at ease.

When in doubt, try a role play with the family dog. They don't seem to mind it so much.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Accidental Attraction

2010-10-06T08:20:00.002-05:00

Intentions are a funny thing. We do not always realize the message we convey. A significant amount of positive (or even negative) attention can bring results your way whether you specifically request it or not. This can be good, bad, or neutral. My point is, no matter what we "intend", our attention is noted.

I have an interesting example of this. The company I work for used to be in a more cramped space than where we are now. There was a nice watercolor print by a local artist hanging on a wall between a couple of the partners I do quite a bit of work for. There was no better place at the time the print could hang because we simply did not have the space. This particular print was of Old Agency Road, a historical area outside of town that used to be a part of the Old Natchez Trace.

"Old Agency Road" by Will Hinds

As I frequently needed to interrupt one or the other of these partners, I found myself often standing in front of the print while waiting on them to get off the phone or for someone else to finish up their business with them. I would stare into the picture, sometimes for a couple of minutes, in a sort of daze as I waited. I thought about what it must have been like for the travelers who used that old path. I wondered what the artist must have been thinking as he created the piece. I admired the colors. In general, I appreciated it. In retrospect, I suspect others had the same experience from time to time as they found themselves waiting on Bill or Bob outside their office. So the print likely got a good bit of attention from people other than me as well.

The print hung on this wall for several years this way, providing a brief aesthetic break from our regular workdays, until some months back when the company announced we were moving to a new location. Great opportunity, nice area, and even more importantly, more space!

Now, on my way to work, I get off the interstate at this exit: "Old Agency Road"

and pass by this view of Old Agency Road on my way to work,
which is a few blocks away, every day.

Kinda neat, huh?

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A Different Perspective

2010-10-04T15:53:00.003-05:00

So once we've read all the right books and listened to the right audios and learned everything we can possibly learn about how to get good at whatever it is we do, give yourself a break, and take a look at things from a different perspective.

Here are some good reasons to do that:

Do you think you look the same to everyone else as you do to yourself?

Have you ever found out that someone else had your same idea and did it first?

Have you ever been interrupted?

Have you ever had no idea where to start?

Do you worry about doing something the same way someone else did it?

If you answered "yes" to one of these questions, then a new perspective sure couldn't hurt!

Get out of your neat little box and see what things look like from the outside looking in.

Need help with that? Ask for feedback. Opinions are aplenty in the world of social media.

Have a little fun with that!

Do not come back to the table until you can really see the whole picture from a truly different perspective.

(yes....even though it's Monday. Go ahead and do it. It's okay!)

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Animoto - Unlaunch 3

2010-09-15T11:49:00.001-05:00

via animoto.com

http://ironedoutdiva.com/Unlaunch3

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Let's do us up a Life Map!

2010-09-14T14:08:00.003-05:00

Forget "Mind Maps". We can think about it till we're blue in the face. It's time to take some fun action, Y'all!
I have just discovered Stever Robbins' Book: 9 Steps to Work Less and Do More and am having so much fun with it! Turns out Stever Robbins knows me, because in some weird way,he is me. Here is what I mean. All those times when you're in the room with someone in an awkward situation, and you seem to be having a conversation, but no one is actually saying anything... there was a ton of chatter in your head. Am I right? Stever knows that chatter too. He has figured out a way to yank the bad chatter out of your brain and get you thinking more in line with the good stuff (the little voice). Simple, organized, methodical (sounds yucky I know but trust me....he is really funny and the exercises will make you feel great!), Stever seems to have a gentle hand on my shoulder as I work through the book, laughing with me, cheering me on. He's like a life coach in your pocket.
Positive inner talk is only a smidgen of what he teaches in the book though (and I'm only on chapter two). This whole biz about making a Life Map - in so many ways, is simple common sense. So why didn't I just do it already? Because I thought I did not know it was possible, so simply. I am, I admit, lazy. Stever's got a new design for lazy people with goals. He shows us how to get more done by doing less, and to feel better about doing it in the process.
I am really bad about setting goals, but after reading just a little bit of the book, I am getting really clear on what I want to achieve already. Not just the end result, either, but the "sub goals" in my "ladder" as well.

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The Uns Latest Project Unveiling

2010-09-13T14:03:00.001-05:00

We're doing a new launch

(we being the "Uns"..... of Pat O'Bryan's Portable Empire Coaching Class)

The page is up!

http://ironedoutdiva.com/UnMarketingProject/

Everyone participating has a free product offer for you.

It is still a work in progress.....slowly evolving,

but here is a brief summary of what we've got for you so far:

Overcome wine list intimidation and learn how to easily navigate a wine list

(could be a great way to impress a date... I, for instance, would really be impressed)

.....my favorite line on the whole site "Hint: what not to do with the cork"!

I laughed so hard. That's by Geoff Hoff. He is a great writer and a funny guy!

Next is a collection of products (this is a package for sale) from Chuck Pennington

It's kind of a "cloud nine" maintenance project. Tools for when you're coming

down from a mountain top experience and how to stay up there in the clouds

for a little longer (or forever if you really do it right!).....

anyway, Chuck's freebie is there too, on the right side of his sales page.

it's a meditation to "change programming at the core of your human operating system"

This is a fitting title because Chuck is a "systems" guy, but also he's very spiritual

and smart, and has a huge heart. You'll like his stuff a lot!

Mine is the report I did on developing a "Sense of Infusion" - Law of Attraction

for Women.

My friend Martha Giffen did an ebook on "Twitter Tweet Tips" - we all call her

the Twitter Queen... (mainly cuz she's such a Southern Belle... she has got

to be the Queen of something!).... no really - I love the way Martha writes.

She will inspire you to get moving and quickly!

Mountain Jim, who would rather pull out his eye teeth than do a lot of the stuff

required to run an online business, has figured out some neat outsourcing tricks

which he freely shares in his "quick start guide to outsourcing online".

I hung out with Jim a little at UnSeminar 7. He's really down to earth and

laid back. If he can get it done while on not "doing", he shows you how to

as well.

There is another one from someone I don't know called "Facebook Marketing"

(Actually I think I do know her, but I don't know her by the name on her

site, so I'm not sure if it's who I think it is or not....) - anyway if it is her,

she's great. If it's not her, I'm sure she's still great. (All the Uns are Great!)

The headliner for today is from Connie Ragen Green (who is big time now

with her own book! see my post from a few days ago about it. We're so proud!)

Connie, a former teacher, is giving away an ebook that teaches you how to

teach internet marketing. (wouldn't that be like being a professor?)

So..... go get your fun free stuff from some really dedicated people, and

don't forget to keep checking back - more stuff will be added!

http://ironedoutdiva.com/UnMarketingProject/

photo: Unseminar 7, October 2009, San Antonio

Left to Right: KK, Mtn Jim, Martha Giffen, Elaine Wilson

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Could things Get any Better?

2010-09-10T14:00:00.001-05:00

This might be a good time for a good brain washing.

(no....not that kind of brain washing........ )

I mean it might be a good time to clean out some of the cobwebs.

http://velmarketing.com/cmd.php?af=1241976

Get rid of any negativity you might have in there that could

be holding you back. You may not even realize it. That's okay.

You don't have to spend 5 years on a therapist couch to figure

out all the reasons why.

You don't need to be some kind of super fragilistic mystic guru

either.

The big "negativity purge" is easy, and it's actually quite pleasant.

You see, my friend Trapper Sherwood is a certified hypnotist.... but not the

kind who dangles a locket in front of you and tries to make you

do dumb things in front of an audience. He's the kind who, with

his calming and kind voice, helps improve your life.

One of his specialties

is helping you get a good night's sleep.

One of the things that may make it hard to sleep sometimes is

all the junk you keep hanging around in your mind. So he and

his friends got together to work on the perfect project to help

us get rid of all that junk and do an easy mind reboot.

They call it a "Total Life Solution in a Box".... and the name

of the set of audios is called "Mantra Life".

http://velmarketing.com/cmd.php?af=1241976

(yep that's an affiliate link.....)

You do not have to get all scientificky or any of that mumbo jumbo.

All you have to know is the audios are pleasant, and they work.

Thanks and all my best to you!

Oh - and one more thing. They made it super affordable for us.

Not some big pricey dicey thing for people who already have

it all anyway, but something we can get and use right away.

Plus, if that weren't enough, they have a money back guarantee -

45 days! You love it or you get a refund. You'll definitely love

it by then.... you'll be a whole new and better person!

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

One of my sponsors hits the big time!

2010-09-02T11:02:00.001-05:00

One of the people who sponsored the Ironed Out Diva (me) for Unseminar 7 just published her new book! Connie Ragen Green's "Huge Profits With a Tiny List" is moving up the charts at Amazon.com as I write this.

Connie is a really funny and down to earth person, but she is serious about her work. I know several successful marketers, but probably none who are as dedicated to her clients, her customers and her products as she is.

I ordered my copy this morning and absolutely cannot wait to read it! She is very detailed and organized, and I expect this book to be no different. Way to go Connie!

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

He said he got distracted.

2010-09-01T11:18:00.001-05:00

I have a manipulative 8 year old. He also has ADHD, and he is very smart. Yesterday he got in trouble on the bus for getting off at the wrong stop. It just so happens that was same stop where his girlfriend gets off (whatever “girlfriend” means at 8 years old… This is the same kid who has posters of Justin Bieber up in his room). So I ask him why he didn’t get off the bus at his stop and he says “I got distracted”. I am not sure how to respond to that. He is “distracted” easily with ADHD, and he well knows I am aware of this. Is he using his “label” as an excuse? Is he lying? Because I am thinking he wanted to sneak over to visit with Little Miss “girlfriend” for a few minutes before snarking home. Does he really think I am buying this? And what if there was a slim chance he is telling the truth?

Not a huge offense I guess, so I am letting that slide, but not the fact that he is using “I got distracted” as an excuse, nor the fact that I think he is not telling me the truth. Yet I do not want to not trust him. So this is how I handle it.

“Just because you get distracted easily does not give you the green light to get out of trouble when you make a mistake”.

“And do not ever let me catch you telling me a lie, ever.”

……… Was I wrong or was I right? In my own critique I should not have said “don’t let me catch you”… because I think that just encourages him to get better at lying, and he is good at it already. He looks at me dead in the face with those big blue eyes tells a boldface lie without blinking once, fully expecting me to believe it wholeheartedly. It’s a good thing I love him so much. I think I’m going to have a lie-o-meter installed on his forehead.

That was a relatively low key issue, but what about adults who lie? I have a problem with a couple of friends who lie constantly (or at the very least they stretch the truth as far as possible) in order to get people (me) to feel sorry for them. I have one friend who has “cancer” again, for like the 4^th time. If she were telling the truth about each of them she would be a walking miracle. Another friend is always complaining of being mistreated, but never wants to give me the details. Yet another likes to make a mountain out of every little issue, painting herself to be a perpetual victim. This type of deception is very tough to deal with, because I feel obligated to at least pretend to be concerned, just in case they are telling the truth “this time”. I have to admit, I find myself avoiding these “friends” some of the time, just because of this very issue. I do care about and enjoy being around them, except for this constant deception and overblown victim-ness. Does that make me a bad person?

Then there is this: My family is on a very tight budget, but our income is just over the threshold to qualify for state assisted medical insurance for my son. So I pay twice as much to insure my kid as people who make a couple hundred dollars a year less than me. I was discussing this with a fellow Cub Scout mom a few months back and she said she had the same problem, so she “just fudged a little” on her income. I was so livid I wanted to scream! Then the other day I heard about how this “fudging” is very common, even encouraged by government workers in some programs. Encouraged! What have we come to, people?

…… and now I see my own error in full blown billboard size - haunting me, shaming me --- ”don’t ever let me catch you telling me a lie, ever”

Son, we need to talk!

How to tell if they are lying…

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

They said I would cry, and I said I would not...... But I did... big ole sobbin' cry too!

2010-08-27T09:22:00.001-05:00

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

Tobri Timing and Ning Changes

2010-08-24T10:27:00.002-05:00

I gotta say,the new social network Tobri's coming on at this particular time, when most of our Ning networks are going away, is kismet! (I wonder if the developers knew?)

Either way it's a good thing. I am still learning the ropes, but so far I really like it! I like that you can help yourself remember how you know folks, (although, it's kinda weird to me. I am not really good at categorizing people, especially my friends).... however, as I grow more gray hairs and get closer to (gasp!) having to color it, I seem to lose brain cells which control memory, so it's a good thing.

I only have one Ning site (http://lovemastermind.com) - and I am still not sure if I want to keep it. I did put some work into it and hate to lose it, but on the other hand, it takes work to keep bringing people to it. Even at under 3 bucks a month, is it worth it? I guess it's not really the money, but the fact that I have to decide to make the commitment.

I seem to be babbling here, but I do have a valid inner argument going. If no one stops to look at a piece of art hanging in the museum, do the curators take it down? How much foot traffic and eyeball time makes the piece worth keeping? The Love Mastermind site is a dream I have long had but have given little attention to. There are other fires burning brighter which need my attention. As I fashion myself to be somewhat of an expert on focused attention (see http://learntoconcentrate.com ) I know that too much is too much and at some point we need to let things go.

Ah. So I have my answer. Sadly, my dear Ning, I bid you adieu~

An onward, Tobri: How can I move my passion for building mastermind groups based on love to your bright and shiny new arena?

Are you already a part of the Tobri Network? I'd love to connect! http://www.tobri.com/karenlkay/

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

Hoarders: Your Stuff Might Save You a Bundle in Taxes

2010-08-23T16:45:00.001-05:00

Hoarders: your stuff might save you a bundle in taxes (if you’re willing to give it away that is)

Are you a late filer? Dreading October 15^th? Has your accountant given you some bad news lately? Are you getting sick of paying taxes?

If you’ve got too much stuff and are willing to give some of it to charity, you can deduct fair market value of the items you donate to qualified charities. There are plenty of limitations but the basics are this: if you make an average income and you itemize, it will probably work in your favor to make non cash contributions, as long as the value of these contributions is not more than 20% of your adjusted gross income.

Take a moment to think about all the stuff you have that you need to get rid of. Instead of dumping it on trash day, take some time next weekend to sort it. If anyone at all could use it, chances are there is a charitable organization who needs it. Even if it is not in mint condition, it might be worth something to somebody. Isn’t that why you had trouble getting rid of it in the first place? Why not consider giving some of it away, knowing it will go to good use, and get a nice deduction on your taxes in the process.

Why this is a win-win: We are still in a recession, and a lot of people are struggling, perhaps many who have never struggled before. Your old coffee table with that stain on it might be the only table newlyweds can afford, if you were to take the time to donate it, that is. You’re pocketbook might be a bit stressed as well, and that contribution you made is 25 bucks you don’t have to pay in taxes next year.

Here is a nice guide to value of common items from the Salvation Army

http://www.salvationarmysouth.org/valueguide.htm

Do it now. Do not put this off. If you are still reading, you have something to give. Put it on your to do list at the very least. You will thank yourself come tax time (can you say, ‘refund’?) plus you’ll feel good for giving as well!

It’s not just thrift stores who can benefit from your stuff either. Do you have any artwork, or strange artifacts, hand-me downs from an elderly uncle that are just collecting dust? Consider contributing these items to an appropriate museum. There is a museum for just about everything. My quick search came up with a couple of museums that are pretty out there:

Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco

http://cartoonart.org/join-support/in-kind-donations/art-donation-guidelines/

American Banjo Museum in Oklahoma City

http://www.americanbanjomuseum.com/become-a-member/donating-banjos/

Due to economic downturn, some museums are not currently accepting contributions. Budget cuts force layoff of museum staff that might normally take care of contributed artifacts. Here is one example:

http://www.greeleygov.com/museums/collections.aspx

Here are some general contribution guidelines from the IRS: (http://irs.gov)

For any contribution of $250 or more, you must have written acknowledgment from the organization to substantiate your donation. This written proof must include the amount of cash and a description and good faith estimate of value of any property you contributed, and whether the organization provided any goods or services in exchange for the gift.
To deduct charitable contributions of items valued at $500 or more you must complete a Form 8283, Noncash Charitable Contributions, and attached the form to your return.
An appraisal generally must be obtained if you claim a deduction for a contribution of noncash property worth more than $5,000. In that case, you must also fill out Section B of Form 8283 and attach the form to your return.

2009 deduction limit was 166,800 AGI for married filing jointly, $83,400 if filing separately. If your adjusted gross income is above this, there is a worksheet which will help you figure the percentage of contributions you can deduct. In addition, if your contributions are more than 20% of your AGI, your contribution may be limited according to the type of property you give and the type of organization you give it to.

Keep in mind this only matters if you are itemizing deductions on your 1040 (Schedule A). If your total deductions are not more than your standard deduction, you do not need to itemize (in 2009 the standard deduction was $11,400 before personal property for married couples filing jointly). In this case it makes more sense (and dollars for you) to go ahead sell your items.

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

Wondering if anyone can make a habit of "Victory"? I know some people can...

2010-08-05T16:51:00.001-05:00

My friend Mike Shippey has a new book out called "Habitual Victory". I love his writing and his "make it look easy" style. One of the things he does well is make what you have to do seem very simple. I have a terrific knack for complicating everything, so I can appreciate the fact that, according to Mike Shippey anyway, we can make victory come simply.

How in the world does he propose to do that? I wondered the same thing. He has some real power hitters contributing to the book, for one thing. I know Pat O'Bryan, having been a student of his for several years now, and he is one person who most definitely has a habit of winning.

What's even cooler about Mike's book though is he came at the whole process with one goal in mind.... how to help us get to where we need to be despite all of our genuine, yet failed attempts to succeed. So he's really yankin' back the curtains to let us look at these minds from a place no one has ever tapped before...... not "how do you succeed" but "how do you not fail"?

Since failure is what we do not want, and the gurus in this book have been through their own share of failure, Mike, in his ever so laid back and gentle persuasion, gets the keys to unlock the victory treasure chest for all of us... once and for all!

Mike doesn’t write a lot of fluffy stuff. He’s just a brass-tacks, get it done kind of person, yet he will inspire you to get moving and get your life going in the right direction. Something else about Mike is that he is someone who really cares. If he did not sincerely think this book will help you and me, then he would not put it out there. It is a code I share and appreciate. That’s why I am so happy to share his work with you.

I can't wait to see how you react after you've read the book and done what Mike says. I just can't wait. Hurry up and let me know, okay?

click here to get "Habitual Victory"

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The Passion into Cash Project

2010-07-29T13:29:00.001-05:00

Several months ago I had an idea… an inspired idea, which I took action on immediately. I managed to get several of my peers involved in what we call the “Passion into Cash Project”. Each of us has found at least one niche (sometimes more than one) which we can market successfully in the online world of marketing. Internet marketing is very similar to real world marketing, but the biggest hurdle for most of us is figuring out which niche works best for us. There are millions of niches and some are great markets to sell online in, while others are best left to the brick and mortar arena.

Having gotten past this hurdle, and with some of us finding new niches we can ‘branch’ into on a regular basis faster than a kid can choose a cotton candy flavor, we put our heads together and decided on a plan for this collaborative project. Each one of us participated in an interview on how we learned how to find our best niches to work in and what it took for us to be in the right place at the right time to be “in the flow”. The interviews were transcribed, and the first big edit is done. We are very close to being ready to put the product out there!

I am excited to offer my interview to you now, at no cost, as a way of saying “thanks” to the universe for unending inspiration and abundance. You are all invited to go grab a copy of my interview for the Passion into Cash project here: http://ironedoutdiva.com/passioncash

If you would like for us to let you know when the full product is ready, sign up to be notified here:

http://mypassionintocash.com

Thanks!

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Choose Success (Special Guest Post from Barbara Hofmeister)

2010-07-19T09:43:00.002-05:00

Barbara Hofmeister's new book "To Be or Not to Be. The Choice is Yours" is
available now.

Order through this link to get 47 SUCCCESS gifts:

http://MegaSuccessDay.com

"The little girl was standing tiptoe on the old brown sofa that served as her
bed at night. She pressed her cheek against the window pane trying to look
down the five stories to the busy street below. But as much as she craned
her head, their little attic room was too high up and the window too small to
see what was going on below. She signed and slipped down again behind
the kitchen table. She really wished her mother would be home to keep her
company and help her with her homework. But Mom was still at work and
when she finally came home she would be much too tired to be any fun.
Since they had fled East Germany life had changed dramatically. Nobody
had time for her anymore and she had left all her friends behind. No more
roaming the countryside with her German Sheppard, no more feeding and
teasing the chickens with her best friend Christine, no more climbing fences
and trees with her cousins. No more beautiful pink little girls room, no more
warm kitchen with Mummy cooking her favorite dinner, no more laughter
with Grandma who could tell such lovely stories. There seemed to be
nothing anymore...
"Not even Sunday morning tickling sessions with Dad.
Tears started running down her cheeks. She didn't understand - WHY?
Why did they have to leave??? They had everything before - their own
house, a car, even a TV and a telephone - the only one in the village. They
had it ALL and loads of friends and a loving family. Why change this for
nothing?
"Now they only had this small, ugly attic room which served as home to all 3
of them. Not even a bathroom, just a sink and the toilet was 2 floors down.
Her Dad said it had to do. Maybe he didn't mind so much. He was away all
week. He worked as a truck driver and only came home Friday night or
even Saturday morning and left again on Sunday. Maybe for him it was ok
but somehow she didn't think so because there was no laughter when he
was at home and his nerves seemed frayed. And almost every Saturday he
took Mummy to the cinema. He said it was to let his little girl sleep. Why
couldn't he understand that she would rather not sleep then be alone -
once again.
"Sometimes, she thought he did not love her anymore. How else could she
explain the harassed look on his face, their continuous arguments about her
education and about money. That definitely was a problem. There never
seemed to be enough of it. She knew it was the reason why they both
worked so much but she didn't care. She wanted her life back, she wanted
her family and friends back.
"Today the little girl is an 'big' girl. Her name is Barbara and in this book you
will get to know her because the little girl was me. My parents escaped from
East Germany when I was 8. My father in the trunk of a car, my mother and
I through Berlin. We arrived in the West with just a small case and the
equivalent of 400 Dollars.
"In those days there was plenty of work but no housing. All large cities, were
the work was, had been bombed out during the war. It took my parents
almost 20 years of hard labor before they had again what we left behind in
Communist Germany but my father was convinced that it had been worth it.
"Why? Because it had given him what was most precious to him - the
freedom to live his dream, the dream of becoming a successful
entrepreneur.
"When you are a little girl, you cannot understand that but when you are a big
girl like me today, you know how important the freedom to choose is. Today
I am very grateful that my father made this painful decision - also for me -
and through it gave me the opportunity to live my own dream, and part of my
dream is to empower you to live yours. If you let me, I will help you transform
your life into the life of your dreams - taking one step at the time."
Barbara Hofmeister's new book "To Be or Not to Be. The Choice is Yours" is
available now. Order through this link to get 47 SUCCCESS gifts

http://MegaSuccessDay.com

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

To Be or Not To Be - The Choice is YOURS!

2010-07-13T15:04:00.001-05:00

This Cheerful and adorable lady, Barbara Hofmeister, is offering a huge bundle of bonuses with her book launch later this month:

To Be or Not To Be - The Choice is YOURS!

I am fortunate enough to be one of those offering a bonus, and want to let you know that you can too!

If you have a product you would like to use as a bonus in the the self growth, personal development and/or inspiration arena's, then go to

http://BestSellerAuthors.com/tobe

and sign up (it's free). I am launching a new free product, "How I turned my passion into cash" on that same day. The page is up and the download link is ready, but I am not sharing it until after that book is launched - those who pick it up as part of their bonus get first dibs!

The only promoting you do if you decide to participate in the launch is for the common good: in other words, this is not like a normal giveaway where you are given your own link. We are all interested in sharing this event evenly. (interesting concept...no?)

Anyway, take a look at the page and see if it feels right for you. I look forward to working with some of you!

Toodles for now!

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

How to Transcend any Problem

2010-07-06T11:53:00.001-05:00

My friend Dr. Joe Vitale says “the only way to make all your problems disappear is to transcend them”. That is profound, and wise. But what if we aren’t sure how to do that? Problems, by their very nature, tend to get blown way out of proportion by our psyche. We tend to place a much larger emphasis on things that go wrong than we do on things that go right. When things go right, it feels more “normal”.

Ever get that “let down” feeling on Christmas morning, after all the gifts are opened and the kids are quietly playing with their new toys… knowing the excitement is over (so fast, too!) and now things are back to “normal”? When something incredibly good happens, we do a happy dance or jump for joy or exclaim excitement with a yell or two, then the excitement is over and it is pretty quickly back to normal. But if something goes wrong, it is common for us to brood over it, sometimes for days at a time.

The thing we need to learn to do to overcome any problem is to transcend it by forcing our emotions to get through it. The problem will not go away if we keep giving it all this attention. Even negative attention still pulls you toward the problem. Dr. Vitale says to acknowledge the situation, and take responsibility for your part in creating it. After that, we can move on and begin to see other opportunities we could not see before, because we were cluttering up our mind with all that negative energy.

Have you ever heard of the pattern of abuse that happens sometimes with couples? One partner is abuses the other, and often seconds later is apologetic and loving. Somehow, people who abuse are more able to express negative feelings than positive feelings. They have a hard time expressing positive feelings without first having a reason to be “sorry”.

On the other hand, why are cheerleaders typically so popular? Perhaps it might have something to do with the fact that they spend hours a week shouting positive things in the air and jumping up and down with joy. That excitement is in a sense “forced”, yet they cannot help but feel the excitement nonetheless. They are happy because they practice being joyful every day. People are naturally attracted to happy people.

It may seem silly, but in essence, you must become your own cheerleader. Positive self talk can be a tough habit to get into, but it will create a new energy in you that will propel you forward and way past the problem.

I recently went through Dr. Vitale’s Awakening Course! It really helped me to see some of the things in my life that were getting way too much attention, and to find new ways to build up to allowing a more positive focus. I still work on it every day. I have gone through the course a couple of times now, and each time it takes me onto a new path. I can appreciate mistakes for what they are and move toward improving my life in good ways now.

I hope you find your own way to get past problems, whether it be through the Awakening Course or some other way. Problems which cannot be solved are a waste of my time now. I acknowledge, take responsibility, and move on to the next great challenge with a clear and hopeful heart.

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

Law of Attraction for Women: Grab my new free report!

2010-06-28T12:52:00.006-05:00

Today I finally decided to release this free report to the general public. Up until now, the only way to get it was to participate in the self help giveaway, but now I am allowing you to have it too. I really feel strongly about this simple but powerful message, and I do not want to keep anyone from being able to access it.

We can live the law of attraction every second of every day, not matter where we are, or what we are doing. This easy technique is what I call developing a whole new sense, just like hearing or seeing or tasting or smelling. I call it "The sense of infusion". That is, we "infuse" our daily routine with the law of attraction so that we never have to "remember" to ask the universe what we want. We simply live it all the time.

Take a second to grab your copy of my free report by clicking Here.

http://ironedoutdiva.com/loa

I hope to hear back from you - if you like it, if it helps you, or if you have any general feedback at all.

Guys.... I am pretty sure you can rework the report so that it will work for you too. Some things will not apply, but others will, and as you get the idea, you can add your own. You'll see what I mean.

This is my gift to you, to the universe. I pray it will help us all to attract the beautiful lives we desire and deserve!

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

The STRANGEST (but coolest) job Ever ~

2010-06-25T15:29:00.002-05:00

Did y'all hear about Kate from Texas?
She makes $300-$500 a day doing something I'll bet
you already do every day.

Check it out...
https://touchstone.infusionsoft.com/go/lgs/a18995

This is a brief video and the big secret

Ryan Deiss vouches for the girl's
numbers. She is 100% legit.

This is wild! Enjoy
Go watch this now...

https://touchstone.infusionsoft.com/go/lgs/a18995

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

Miracles in my Inbox

2010-06-22T09:35:00.004-05:00

I check my email fairly frequently throughout the day, and am usually pretty good about keeping it cleaned out. But each morning, having been away for several hours I generally have tons to go through. The first thing I do is look for miracles. This is so much fun! I know they are there every single day!

It might be a comment from a friend on a Facebook post, or a comment from someone on my list about an email I sent them. It could be that I have made a couple of sales and have Money! (Always miraculous!) Or it could be that someone has "found" me from out of the blue and just wants more info or to talk.

Sometimes the "miracle" is that I do not have tons of junk. (My email addy is fairly public, so I do get a lot of it)

It might be that someone made a comment on a blog I also commented on, and it has an impact on me.

It might be an email from someone whose list I belong to really resonates with me today.

Maybe a faraway relative has news. (My Mom makes sure I get all of these... lol)

Maybe it is something hysterical someone had to share. A laugh, indeed, is a miracle.

There is ALWAYS a miracle or two in my morning inbox. I LOVE to check my email.

Will the next one have something to do with you?

I wish you many miracles and hope to hear about them soon!

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

Joint Venture Opportunity for Self Help Niche

2010-06-11T14:57:00.003-05:00

Hi Y'all

I just heard about a massive Self Help Giveaway
event from my friend Warren Whitlock.

If you are in the self help niche, you may also want to

participate in this gifts giveaway event too.

This is a great way to find new subscribers, and grab a

whole slew of ebooks and software from the self improvement niches at no
cost to you at all - perks of being a contributor!

The event itself could get us anywhere from
a few hundred to a couple of thousand new subscribers
within just a few days.

Given that the event will be promoted probably more
than 1,000,000 existing list subscribers I am confident
that this is one event that is worth spending a few
minutes to check out.

The promoters, Carolyn Hansen and Dr. Joe Rubino
have asked us to get the word out to anyone who would
like to participate in this giveaway venture...

To get your "By Invite Only" private JV details,
just go here:

http://snipurl.com/xbjaf

I should also point out that these guys appear to
have gone to a lot of trouble to present an event
that looks completely unique, so your prospects
should really enjoy this one.

Also, they have a couple of great one time offers
they will be presenting to the prospects - so you
will be able to earn a very decent commission on
the sales!

Note that there is less than 24 hours remaining
to get involved. This will be one of the BIG ones
this year, so go check it out. You will be glad
you did. Here's that link again:

http://selfhelpgiftsgiveaway.com/giveawayevent/go/655/jv

Cheers,
Karen Kay

P.S.
Adding your gift to the event is very easy.
It's all dynamic. You set the text and gift image
yourself it it is automatically and instantly
added to the list of gifts..

Posted via email from karenlkay's posterous

24 Businesses You Can Start from Home for Under $5,000

2010-06-10T15:46:00.002-05:00

In doing a report for the Wholesale/Retail team at the accounting firm where I work, I discovered that Mississippi (where I live) is using some of its stimulus package dollars to help fund new start up businesses for entrepreneurs. The new business owner gets a grant of as much as $5,000 to help get his or her start-up off the ground.

That got me to wondering just how many businesses there are that can be launched for $5,000 or less. Aside from a couple obvious ones, like an eBay store or lawn care service, or joining one of the gazillion "get rich quick" networking marketing companies, I was pretty much stumped. So I did some research and found some interesting ideas.

In no particular order, here they are:

Mobile pet grooming service
Tutoring service
Sitting/ companion services for the elderly
Concierge service (run errands, etc for others)
Fitness class instructor (offer churches & community centers cut of fee for use of building)
Cleaning service (Janitorial)
Power washing
Carpet and rug cleaning
Roof / Gutter cleaning
Travel Services
Painting
Junk-Removal
Eco-Consulting (help people to live more "green")
Cookie Grams
First Aid Kit Supply (this one floored me, but I see the light!)
Telephone answering service
Mediation service (know any divorce lawyers?)
Day Care provider
Herb Gardening (provide local restaurants with the freshest ingredients!)
Catering
Landscaping
Courier service
Sewing business
Bridal Consultant

In many cases, the primary cost is equipment involved. Since most of these are "services" and not products for sale, the operating costs go way down. Even the ones involving products are not pricey. I really like the idea of restocking first aid kits for people. Who thinks of that? Nobody. Who needs it? Everybody!

Other costs: Advertising will be a biggie, though you can create a buzz yourself by telling everyone you know and hitting the pavement. Word of mouth will go a long way for most of these.

Legal costs: Depending on the degree of liability you are willing to incur, I would probably do an S-Corp for the majority of the list, but many can be done in the beginning as a sole proprieter. At the very least, get bonded if you will be in other people's homes or dealing with other people's property.

Unless you plan to hire employees or work out of rented or purchased space, your other business start up costs will be fairly minimal.

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Good Stuff Rising from a Troubled Sea: #Blog30 Post #8

2010-06-09T16:24:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I allowed myself to get emotionally tangled up in the plight of our beloved Brown Pelicans caught in the oil.

Today, thanks to some good people who remind me of the immense wonder in the world, I focus on healing, and new beginnings.

First, Joe Vitale and Pat O'Bryan, two of my favorite people on the planet, have teamed up to give away a beautiful audio with clearing music and statements to help us bring the change of healing to our troubled waters. I have listened to the audio several times already and can attest to its healing, calming, hopeful properties.

http://clearthegulf.com/

Later, on the news I overheard John Tesh talking about a project he has started on Facebook: A program called "Adopt a Fisherman" to provide immediate assistance to families whose livelihood is in jeapardy due to the oil spill

http://www.facebook.com/IntelligentKindness?

There are people sending help from all corners of the earth. Not just cleaning my precious pelicans but sending real relief to real people who really need it.

I have known a few Cajuns in my lifetime, and they are not typically ones to let much get them down. However, this is a travesty most of them have never seen, and they can do very little about it.

Vanity Fair has some good suggestions on how we can help:

• Visit Lousiana: Go to New Orleans and support Louisiana tourism.
• Buy Lousiana seafood: The Louisiana Departments of Health, Fisheries, and Environmental Quality are continuously testing the waters and fishing supplies, and there has been no evidence that contaminated products have made their way to the market.
• Support Catholic Charities’ direct-assistance work: They are helping people now and your dollars will go directly to those in need. Click here.
• Support Seedco Financial’s work: The nonprofit provides guidance and resources to help small businesses recover their financial strength. Click here.
• If you’re on the Gulf Coast: Report oil on land to N.O.A.A. by calling 866-448-5816, and report oiled or injured wildlife to N.O.A.A. by calling 866-557-1401.

Drew Brees Talks about how he is stepping up:

TriState Bird and Rescue is organizing Volunteer efforts. If you want to help physically, this is who you need to call.

Click here to submit your suggestion to Deepwater Horizon Response Unified Command for "stopping the flow of oil into the Gulf, containing or recovering it, or cleaning it up.", or alternatively, call 281-366-5511.

Got a boat and want to help? Contact the The Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board

This is just a start, Y'all, but everybody should find some way here to get involved in healing our beautiful Gulf Waters.

Peace to all and Thank you~

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I am Brown Pelican

2010-06-08T15:06:00.003-05:00

I am Brown Pelican.

I live peacefully in southern coastal waters.

I hunt fish with my piercing eagle eyes and large bowl of a bill.

I can sit, stoic, on dock posts for hours. I am Digesting. I am Observing. I see quite a lot.

I see ships and boats and dolphins and planes.

I see storms and heat and magnanimous sunsets.

I am Brown Pelican.

I am key chains and T shirts and vacation packed memories.

I soar as I hunt, my great feathered wings hovering inches from water.

I feel the foam of the sea. I feel the mist in my face. I see my pray.

I dive.

I am Brown Pelican.

... I feel so heavy.

I sting. I sting!

I can barely move or breathe.

I am caught in something thick.

Now I cannot move.

I am hungry.

I am weak.

I am Brown Pelican.

I am Brown.

I am.

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Yellow Hippos - #blog30 challenge post 6

2010-06-07T23:36:00.002-05:00

What a chaotic scene! Organized chaos though it was, we still had a time trying to figure out where we were supposed to be. Although we are not members there, I decided to let my kid participate in vacation bible school at the humongous church near our home this week. Being an only child, he craves any chance he can get to be around other kids. I know several people who attend this particular church and feel pretty comfortable leaving my kid there.

Now imagine 700 kids and parents and volunteers (who were as clueless as we were) trying to find their right spot, and you will have some idea of our predicament. Thankfully I had registered him online and overheard someone directing another person to "the list".

Are we on the list? Let's check the list! We rush to the board with the list. I have forgotten my reading glasses. I am an old mom of a young kid. (it has its challenges) "Look for the K's, Hunny... Do you see your name?"

"Here I am Mom!" my redheaded wonder exclaims. I stick my eyeball to the board and confirm he is on the list! Whoosh! One less hurdle! Okay, so the "list" determined that he is classified as a "Yellow Hippo". I'm getting cracked up. Now we must find all the other Yellow Hippos, then we know we're in the right spot.

Takes a few minutes dragging the poor boy around a sanctuary bigger than my college football stadium to find some Yellow Hippos. The ones who have figured out where they are supposed to be already are holding up signs. What a scene! Alas, these yellow hippos were third graders. We need 2nd grade yellow hippos. Onward.

Nope, the hippos are not seated together, neither are the yellows, or the 2nd graders for that matter. It is a huge, yet somehow beautiful, mosaic of children and excitement and expectation and noise.

"Maaaaahhhuuuummm, quit pulling on me!"

"Sorry, Son. We need to find the 2nd Grade Yellow Hippos"

Finally we find them way up in the far corner, nosebleed section. The noise is so loud he doesn't hear me tell him goodbye. He's already hangin' with his new friends. I sigh and walk away. Have a good time, Baby.

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Loving through Anger - Post 5, #Blog30 Challenge

2010-06-06T14:06:00.001-05:00

I love to give advice, but do not always take my own. I am not always easy to live with and have a tendency to be quick to anger in some situations. My husband is not immune to this behavior. He has his own issues, which usually, (thankfully actually) have little to do with mine.

So the other evening we were both angry at each other. I think for completely different reasons. Words were said, feelings were hurt, and we stopped speaking for the night.

I have found that I can generally get over my angry stuff in a few minutes, but he takes a little longer sometimes. Waiting for him to get over it is usually the hard part for me, and if he takes too long about it, I have been known to get angry with him all over again. This is pretty much where we were the other night. Me over it, him not, me wanting to get frustrated with him for not getting over it fast enough.

Then I just made up my mind to let him be mad, and muster up all the love I could feel for him at that very moment. It was not easy, and it did not happen until I stood up, walked up behind him, wrapped my arms around his neck and planted my lips on his cheek. When he didn't brush me off, I let out a big sigh, gave him a kiss, then went on to bed. Neither of us spoke, and I slept just fine. Next morning we were fine.

Sometimes loving doesn't need to be much, but can mean a lot.

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A Game to Sharpen your Senses: Love this, Hate that

2010-06-05T12:19:00.001-05:00

Let's play this game I just made up. I call it "Love this, Hate that". It's actually an exercise to hone your writing skills, but don't tell my good friends Geoff Hoff and Steve Mancini that. They are master writers who really teach how to write. I'm just having fun and trying to help myself and those of you who like to write get a little bit more descriptive.

Here is how you play. Pick a sense. It is probably best to start with the one you feel you are sharpest at. I am hard of hearing, so I won't pick that one. However, I think being hard of hearing makes me have a heightened sense of smell. I am definitely a good smeller. (I smell good? or ....I smell well?)

Then you make a list of stuff you love to smell, see, taste, hear or feel and stuff you hate to smell, see, taste, hear or feel. One "Love" always followed by one "Hate". When you run out of stuff you love and hate, you're done. Number your love/hate pairs. Post your entries as replies.

Do not do this:

I love to taste chocolate
I hate to taste sauerkraut

Do do this:

I love the way dark chocolate scoots around on my tongue until it finds the perfect tasting place, then lingers long after it is gone.

I hate the way sauerkraut squenches up my lips and makes me want to cement my mouth shut.

My list of stuff I love to smell and stuff I hate to smell.

1. I love way the smell of baby powder reminds me of innocence.

I hate to drive by the Hercules paper plant in Hattiesburg, MS. The smell is so rancid I can taste it in my ears.

2. I love the way the smell of fresh baked brownies makes me feel. Even though I salivate like Pavlov's dog when I smell them, the smell has a place all its own. They seem to smell even better than they taste.

I hate to get behind a deisel powered vehicle at a stoplight, especially on a hot day. Even with the windows rolled up, the fumes give me an instant headache. Being stuck in such a predicament with no escape tends to create a mild panic in me.

3. I love the smell of fresh laundry. When I buy laundry detergent I always open the cap and give it a good smell test. If it makes me think of running through a grassy field on a hilltop and singing like Julie Andrews, it's a winner!

image by cherrycoke

I hate the way those huge hot dryers smell in a laundromat when they have not been cleaned in a while. Mystery gunk, having seeped through the holes in the sides, is constantly reheated, creating a sickening death-like stench. Where's the bleach?

Your turn!

Not for the sexually squeamish: End cap warning in Rite Aid

2010-06-04T10:53:00.001-05:00

Disclaimer: I like Rite Aid just fine so please do not get me wrong. I am merely questioning their choice of product placement.

I'm having several new prescriptions filled at a Rite Aid, which is not my regular pharmacy but I am sick and just want to feel better and it is very close to home, so here I am.

The "tech" something guy (can't read his whole title under lab coat lapel) seems like a regular guy, perhaps even a little mature for his age. Young yet poised and educated. I hand him my scripts and fold my arms to wait, gazing at the first products on the shelf next to the window thingie. This is likely where most would begin the wait process, I would think, before moving on to browse in other places. Tech guy is on the other side of plexiglass now, processing something, about a foot from my face, when I realized the products I am looking at are various types and flavors and even degrees of sexual lubricant.

First thought? Where is Alan Funt?

Taking a closer look, I am shocked at the names of these things:

Astroglide (strange image of the Jetson's dog comes to mind)

Wet (well I guess that's pretty open and honest anyway)

Doc Johnson..... (I cannot even print the rest of the name of this one)

Swiss Navy (really?)

Quiver freezable lubricant cubes (I have surely seen it all now)

and the most curious: "Platinum Premium".... I just can't even go there

So I look up from my sex education class to see Mr Tech guy still standing face to face behind the plexiglass. Embarassed, I wonder how many times he sees this happen. Must get him a chuckle or two. But since I really do feel like crap and have had enough I sit to wait, and watch for how other customers react. My wait was short and there were only two other customers. A thin 60 ish woman in tennish shorts and vericose veins who took forever to pay. She was so enthralled in the process she never even looked up. Darn. Next victim, a fairly young woman with a small child walks by, shopping, not getting an rx. She glances in the general direction and slows, but does not inspect any further. They must sell this stuff if they have it so prominently displayed. I am dying to know who buys it.

I Can't wait to go for a refill!

this makes me think of a neat couple I met last year at Unseminar 7, who have gone on through Pat O'Bryan's coaching program to create a recipe for what they call "Sexploration Cream". At least you don't have to buy while the tech guy at Rite Aid watches you shop! (yes, I joined their affiliate program.... If you buy it, I get a commission. Cool!)

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Dumb Blonde Stuff I Did the Other Day #Blog30

2010-06-03T15:48:00.001-05:00

Almost everyday I do something stupid. Don't know why. I'm not stupid or blonde. I guess you could say I'm easily distracted. Or something. Surely there is a plausible explanation.

Why write about my own stupidity? First of all, it's kind of funny. Secondly, I can't think of anything else to write about at the moment. This is the 2nd post in my 30 day blog challenge and I'm gonna do this!

Anyway so the first is this. Company I work for moved to a new building. Both the old building and the new building have entry keys (little white plastic cards that hold some kind of electronic chip thingy). I had just been to a meeting where they tell us to take note of all things not right in the new building and let management know. So I march into the building with my new key card and it makes the light green, but when you push the elevator button nothing happens. I try this 3 or 4 times, then march myself up the stairs to the receptionist desk, waiving my shiny new card and proudly exclaiming "My Key Card Doesn't Work!".

Sweet Madeline at the desk doesn't miss a beat. "Guess you'll be getting a lot of exercise going up those stairs then!". As she looks up she laughs and notices.... "that's the key to the old building".

wups.

Now the other thing is a tad bit worse. I run out in the afternoon to get my boss and me a Coke (remember, "Coke" in my part of the country means anything carbonated and non-alcoholic). Vending machines aren't installed yet. It's hot, it's coke time. I am in an unfamiliar area. The road is 4 lanes, and shortly becomes a bit sparse. Just trees and road and ground. I come to a stop sign. I wait. No traffic. I wait more. After about 15 seconds it dawns on me that I'm waiting for the light to change at a stop sign. No wonder nothing is happening.

Forward.

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Testing @mrfire 's "Write From the Heart" approach from Zen & the Art of Writing

2010-06-02T09:11:00.001-05:00

There is a breath across time carring me - a forward movement instead of a viral undertow. Is this hope? Or is it false hope?

Where shall I go next in my search for the quill? Do I search only for the sanity that accompanies the satisfaction of having written, having "done"?

Might I also enjoy the doing? Perhaps I might? "Spirits Having Flown" was the title of a song and album from my youth. I always wondered why it (the title) bothered me so much. It was, I think now, the past tense of it. It seemed to grieve. "Spirits Flying" seems much more powerful - and "having flown" so tragic. It is Done.

Please forgive us for things we have Done and left Undone - the Lord's Prayer.

Un anything - Pat O'Bryan

To do - never ends

Get to do - Craig Perrine

Just do it - Nike

Let's do this - somebody said that I think.

Hey.... how about this? Would rather leave something undone than have to do the undoing.

nah. That's the safe route.

Being is doing.

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How To Speed Up Your Results with the Law of Attraction

2010-05-26T16:33:00.000-05:00

How To Speed Up Your Results with the Law of Attraction

Bruce Music's post on putting the pedal to the gas and taking in the wealth of the Universe with full throttle speed ahead.

I love the fire this lights in me. Can you not react to the thought that every thing you do to move closer to your goal is a bit of momentum which propels you to take a little more action, until you're flying?

Let's go, Baby!

Ignoring the Obvious

2010-04-28T16:53:00.001-05:00

There is a huge oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The search for power below the ocean has costs millions, maybe billions of lives, dollars, energy for naught. It really is sad and I cannot bear to see the destruction it may cause in coming days and months.... years even.

Up near Cape Cod there is a big plan underway to harvest the wind in the form of a wind farm over the ocean. This is pretty cool to me, but there are grumblings about it messing up the ecosystem and burial grounds, rituals, safety concerns and other stuff not so cool.

Now, sometimes I am a little slow, but really I don't get it. Why do we try so hard to get around this vast body of water we call the ocean to try to find power? We're digging below, pulling the wind from above, when the real power is in between. Water is way more powerful than wind. Ask the victims of Katrina. The whole thing just baffles me. Why not a nice watermill on every block? If we can pour sewage down a drain, why can't we pour clean, re-usable water through a watermill? Maybe we should quit fighting the ocean and let it do what it's supposed to do.... flow!

Now I do not claim to know all the facts or to have a clue what I'm talking about, but am simply stating what seems to me to be the obvious. Have you ever noticed how annoying it is to argue with someone who ignores the facts? Do we really need to hem and haw and try our best to create havoc just for the sake of argument and go 50 miles out of our way to get to a point? Why do we do that? Do we love the sound of our own voice? Is it attention we crave? I vow right now to simply tell it like it is from now on. And I'm going to look into a watermill too.

Why not?

Fight at the Bus Stop

2010-04-21T15:39:00.001-05:00

It’s a big deal to my 7 year old that he gets to ride the bus now that we live further away from his school. I try to hang back while the kids wait for the bus, so that, in my husband’s words, I don’t seem like “one of those Moms”. But today my son and another boy were running and playing, and somehow they got too rough and ended up in a fight. Of course I went to stop it but at about that time the bus showed up, so I put my crying kid with a scratched up face on the school bus. Woe is me. That was absolutely no fun!

Just before I head out the door to work I get a call from the school principal with her version of the events (which sounded nothing like what I had witnessed). Anyway so everything’s cool and nobody’s hurt, but a little bit of a bruised ego or two.

So here is my question: How much rope do we actually give our kids before we try to stop them from hanging themselves? I could see the play was getting rough, but I held back, not wanting to intervene. Is the fact that he ended up in a fight a good thing? Did it teach him a lesson? I have adopted the “let them get their hands dirty” approach to parenting, but as I see it in action, I wonder. Am I doing the right thing?

To answer this, I take myself out of the equation. My kid is somebody else’s kid. Somebody else is his mom. It does not take but a second for me to decide “Heck yeah I’m doing the right thing!” No way should I run up there and tell him he’s “playing too rough and somebody might get hurt” in front of 8 other kids. Perhaps, if I were a teacher or other adult, intervening would be appropriate, but as his mother? No way!

Here’s my bottom line (whether you are a parent or not). Never second guess your instincts. Trust yourself to do the right thing when things happen. (Things will happen, for sure). Unless you live in a cave, you will face dilemmas in this world which require your quick and decisive action vs. inaction. Do not hesitate to do what is right. You have within you the ability to make the right judgment. That is you. That power belongs to you. Use it. Use it well.

Now the kids can play tag with a high-tech (and safer) twist.

Spy Laser Chase

What is a "Setback"?

2010-04-15T16:16:00.002-05:00

As I seemingly mull through an endless chain of setbacks recently, I wonder what it is I am doing to somehow bring them on. I am a student of positive thinking and the law of attraction; therefore I keep thinking that whatever this is, it is merely a temporary and necessary stepping stone to the more positive goals I have set for myself.

Then today as I receive yet another blow, I decide I have had enough and I now declare war on setbacks. The first step to defeating an enemy, I think, is to learn all about it. So I did a little digging. The results were quite surprising, and that nasty word has become much smaller and less significant now, thanks mostly to Webster’s.

So did you know that the word “setback” actually has several meanings? In addition to the horrid “double whammy” or “problem” or “unexpected delay” or any of the other dozen or so words in the synonym list for the word which seems to keep reoccurring in my circumstances, a “setback” is also an architectural term which means, according to dictionary.reference.com:

a recession of the upper part of a building from the building line, as to lighten the structure or to permit a desired amount of light and air to reach ground level at the foot of the building.

Well now! This certainly puts things in a whole new perspective for me. Instead of waging war on this unseen but gruesome enemy, I should be thanking it. Thank you, Mr. Setback, for bringing the right amount of “light and air” down to the ground, so it might reach me at this particular point in my life. I do not know yet the why’s or the what-for’s, but I am happy and thankful to know that this experience is helping me grow toward the very goal which before seemed so evasive and far from reach. I can even feel the energy of my goal growing stronger, as I release the negativity surrounding this setback and embrace all associated in this situation with love and gratitude.

One of the words with similar meaning is an “eddy”, which is a current of air or water running back, or in an opposite direction to the main current, especially a circular current. Now I love thinking of it this way too. I imagine the tornado from the Wizard of Oz, how it blew Dorothy’s whole world around in circles, yet everyone landed safely. If a setback is really just a whirl around, and I get “set back” down in a perhaps wiser place, then.....

Let’s dance!

Wood sculpture, 'Let's Dance'

Building 17

2010-04-13T10:30:00.000-05:00

The complex where I just moved to is so big, I keep having to ask my neighbors where things are. These brief conversations all seem to have a pattern:

“Can you tell me where the dumpster is?”

“Sure. It’s in the corner of the lot in back of building 17”.

“Do you know where the kids get on the bus?”

“Down by the gate at the end of the row from building 17”

After hitting several dead ends and gates, I ask “How do I drive to the other side of the complex?”

“Turn left at building 17. That takes you all the way around”

Know where the playground is? It’s up the hill from building 17.

From reading this you might guess that building 17 is the “Hub” of the complex, dead center, middle of it all, but it is not. It is a regular looking building that does not seem any different from any of the others: Yet somehow it has become the reference point for most of the landmarks in the complex by the community who lives here.

It is interesting how people gravitate to certain habits when in a community setting. Someone emerges as a leader, and perhaps begins to use building 17 as a point of reference, and others naturally fall in to place. The originator of the building 17 reference may not even live in the complex anymore. Regardless, the pattern is set and will likely continue as long as the apartment buildings remain standing.

Perhaps there is something within you which acts as your reference point. It might have to do with a physical feeling, a certain part of your body, a particular emotion, or a simple thought. Think for a minute what it might be. What is the one thing from which you reference everything else? Does it seem to shift from one thing to another depending on circumstances, or is it stable and constant?

If you meditate, you may already be keenly aware of the things which “center” you. These are things which might be helpful to use as a good reference point. Rather than letting emotions ball up and a fit of rage be our (boiling) point of reference, it might be a good thing to move toward your center at all times, no matter what. No matter how hungry or angry or tired or frustrated or sad or whatever you might feel, move toward your centering thing: Your building 17.

Re-frame your reference point with custom mind movies!

The Passion into Cash Project : The Kickstarter Campaign

2010-04-07T10:27:00.008-05:00

I applied for funding to educate myself on a project I am working on with friends called "the Passion into Cash Project". Below is a copy of the application I sent to Kickstarter, which is a website that merges backers with people with ideas.

I have been working with some friends on this for a few months now. We each have found a niche we are passion about working in and have seen varying degrees of success within a fairly short amount of time. What we would like to do is teach others how to make a real living by doing something they love to do. We are not quite to this point ourselves, however, and this is where you come in. I am embarking on a journey to find the absolute best teachers out there to help us reach our goal (of making an honest living doing what we love) and teaching others how to do the same. I have a couple of mentors and am making progress, but believe there is a better and more efficient way to get this project rolling and bringing in enough cash to support ourselves in a shorter amount of time. Most of us involved in the project have either a day job or a secondary source of income, so we are not solely supported (yet) by doing what we love to do. There is a way to make it happen: we all believe this. What I am searching for is the best and most efficient path to make that happen, and then to share it with the world~!

Last year I managed to get funding to attend two workshops by getting sponsored for the events. I wore links on my clothing and held promotions for the sponsors prior to each event. I am willing to do this on a larger scale for those who support my journey for the remainder of 2010. I would like to attend at least 3 different seminars and take at least 3 courses which support our passion into cash theme. While at the events I will again wear links and provide other attendees with any schwag or freebies my sponsors (funders) would like to offer.

To reference my previously sponsored events, please see The Ironed Out Diva

To see my little blog, which is one of my passions and my main “hub” site, please see Cafe Elsewhere

To see the project I started for the Passion into Cash project, please see Learn to Concentrate

The passion into cash project has not launched our first product yet, but there is a domain and brief signup page, if you would like to see proof that it is coming, see My Passion, into Cash

The Bunny Clause JV

2010-04-05T13:06:00.000-05:00

My 7 year old gets it. It makes perfect sense to me, too. Yesterday (Easter Sunday) he says to me “I think Santa Claus must’ve told the Easter Bunny I like Star Wars Lego’s”. Well of course he did! They are in cahoots, you know (in a good way, of course)! Santa works the whole Christmas angle, passes his list of kids and what they like to the Easter Bunny for the spring holiday, then vice versa come December again! The arrangement takes a load off both!

How can you make your life easier the same way Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny do? Some might say, well, Santa Clause is much bigger than the Easter Bunny. He gives out more stuff, and he has all those elves working for him. Seems kind of lopsided. Well, maybe so. However, EB’s help is still helpful, is it not? He probably does the work of about 50 or so elves (at least!) who are now free to do other stuff for Santa.

Do not think that just because your “list” is small, or because you are not yet making boatloads of cash every month, or because your product is new, or whatever other excuse you may use not to step up to the Joint Venture plate, that what you have to offer is not valuable to someone else. If you are honestly working in your business, whatever it may be, then you have a lot to offer. Everything you do adds to your experience and your expertise. Every bit of progress you make, no matter how small, represents something else you bring to the table in a joint venture situation. Are you clueless what your skills, talents, gifts might be? Ask around. You might be surprised how much your friends, family, co workers or fellow business owners think about what you do, or know, or produce. Make a list of these things, and then look around to see where you can offer help.

The old song “you’ve got a line and I’ve got a pole, Honey” comes to mind. What is one without the other? They are pretty useless actually. Neither will catch much without the other. Think of what you have to offer as the “line” and then find someone with a “pole”. Here are some ideas off the top of my head: you like to write and you are confident you are good? Offer exclusive copywriting for someone whose work you admire for their next product in exchange for a small cut of the profits. You are good with numbers? Offer to do some analytics for someone with some degree of success. If they like what you do, ask them to exchange your work for an emailing to their list offering your services. To sweeten the deal, perhaps offer a cut of your earnings to them. Do you love to work with graphics? Do some for a friend for free in exchange for a recommendation of your work (if they like it of course). Are you a social networking queen? Offer an “introduction” to your network to someone with a nice product but not much of a following in exchange for a nice commission. It can be done and it does not have to be difficult.

One word of caution: Create a written and signed agreement, preferably witnessed by a third party. Always get a recommendation from someone before going into a joint venture with someone you do not know well. Be careful, but have fun and do not let fear stop you!

Joint Venture Toolbox for Success

My Childhood world, Upside Down

2010-03-27T17:53:00.001-05:00

My family is in the process of getting ready to move. One of the things which has come down from its place is an old painting my Mother did of my brother and I with our aunt, who was our age, playing on the fence at my Paw Paw's old farm.

The painting was a gift to my grandparents from my Mom many years ago, and given to me after they died. I took a break from packing and as I paused to reflect, I noticed the painting leaning against the house, upside down. It looks so much different from that angle - like a whole different world. I noticed how much more detail she paid to painting us, (which was a tiny portion of the space on the canvas) than she did in the rest of the picture. She managed to make us the focal point in an otherwise unbalanced setting. I suppose that is pretty much how she took care of us, too. Keeping her mind focused on her kids, not worrying, or even thinking, about much else. We used to call her "Super-Mom".

Now that I have a kid of my own, I realize I can never be that kind of parent. As much as I do truly adore my son, I have to let him find his own soul, rather than filling it up for him. I do not know if allowing him room to fall is the best path, but I would rather let him fall now, when I can be there to help him up. My mother, though she does not have a lot, is one of the most giving people I know, and even now, in her 70's, she is still giving all she can to her children and grandchildren. She frequently denies herself so that her children might have what they need. It bothers me that at 46, I need her still.

Perhaps giving my son room to fall as he grows will help him to grow into a more strong and confident adult than I was when I first set out on my own. On the other hand, maybe I need to give him my full and undivided attention as much as possible. My hope is to find the right balance.

Do you know the secrets to raising super kids? No more yelling. Your children will listen to you. Become a super parent today.

Box Hunting

2010-03-25T14:18:00.001-05:00

I’ve been dumpster diving three times this week. (For real!) I have discovered that hunting for the perfect boxes to move my stuff in is a real hoot! Yesterday I was pulling around behind a liquor store (they have the absolute best boxes ever you know) and saw a guy pulling up to a dumpster for the business across the street. To myself, I thought “don’t you get my boxes!” but I am so freaking shy around strangers, I said nothing. I then realized he was not looking for boxes, he was throwing boxes away! Oh and get this: his business sells boxes! How ironic to catch the box man throwing his box boxes away. Of course I waited until he was gone and snatched those box boxes for myself, I sure did!

This morning I stopped traffic twice trying to peek behind shopping centers as a I passed. I thought I had struck out until I pulled in to my destination and saw an overflowing dumpster 50 feet away at the building next door... Home Run, Baby! Now my car is full again with that awkward box-glue smell!

I have always been a little bit weird about boxes anyway. I hate throwing boxes away, especially pretty ones. When I got married, the store where I was registered sent gifts in these wonderful square boxes with ribbons built in. I wanted to keep every one of them! I did keep a few and have them still.

Right now the boxes I search for will hold our possessions as we move next week. Most boxes simply hold merchandise for a while, and then go on to the recycling plant to become a box again. Some lucky few, however, live forever, holding somebody’s long lost treasures, in hopes to spark a memory of loved ones, good times, and to perhaps teach the next generation something about the last. I wonder how many of these boxes I am pulling from dumpsters will remain in our household. Which ones will become flimsy and half disintegrated as they hold treasure for my son’s grandchildren to behold? Which one might not be unpacked for months - holding that “thing we could never find”, taunting us from inside the unopened dumpster/liquor store boxiness that it is?

So I tread carefully and secretly on my box hunt. They must be perfect. No tears or flaws. A truly unblemished box is a real find, like striking gold. But this is a lone journey. I do not allow partnering in my box hunt. There is a certain zen to it, and I revel in my catch!

Create Cute Gift Boxes!

Not the first time

2010-03-12T09:44:00.001-06:00

While peacefully enjoying my morning commute, as I normally do, driving at or below the speed limit, in the right lane, and zoning into the only 20 minutes of my day that is uninterrupted bliss, I notice in my peripheral vision something approaching from the right in my rear view mirror.

photo courtesy Clix

What the what is that? A guy (I think… actually he zooms by so quickly I honestly do not notice gender) in a blue Mazda scoots by me on the median. I suppose the cars passing me on my left are not doing it quickly enough. My first thought is to follow the car with my eyes, for he is sure to wreck. I do for a few seconds, and then he is gone. I hope to myself he gets caught, but know he probably will get away with his reckless behavior.

As I notice him pulling off the interstate at the next exit, it occurs to me that this is likely not the first time he has pulled this off and gotten away with it. I wonder what makes someone engage in such risky behavior in the first place. Is he that worried about being late? Worried enough to risk his and several other lives by driving like there are precious few seconds left before the road explodes? Does he have no fear?

That is when it hits me. He absolutely has no fear. Perhaps no conscience either, but that is a different matter. I am actually thankful this happened because it helped me to learn this: If you do something once, no matter how afraid you are, it will be much easier the next time, and even easier the next and the next. It will become so simple, that you can do it simply, and without a passing thought. It is not a matter of conquering fear at all. Do it once, then the next time you have to do the thing that used to seem so frightening before, you can say to yourself “I’ve done this before. I can do it again”.

From Fear to Love

The Lylas Syndrome

2010-02-25T19:25:00.000-06:00

A dear friend of mine took a not so flattering photo of me at an event we both attended last fall, and posted it to Facebook, "tagging" me in it.

Now I should be angry with her but I am not, and here's why.

I think she suffers from the Lylas Syndrome, and that is a good thing. In fact, I am flattered.

What exactly is the Lylas Syndrome, you ask?

When I was a kid, and I am sure many of you experienced this as well, my friends and I used to sign our notes to each other with L.Y.L.A.S. which stood for "Love you like a sister".

Back then it was just a fun thing to do, but as the years go by, I have learned to seek out and notice when I have a friend who treats me like a sister. If my friend indeed suffers from the Lylas Syndrome, then she does not see my bad side. She does not notice what an awful picture that is of me. She just sees a photo of her friend/sister.... her Lylas.

That means the world to me.

How to set up perfect photograph poses

Melting Snowmen

2010-02-16T19:51:00.000-06:00

We get a good hearty snow in Jackson Mississippi about once every 30 years. So when we got 4 inches last weekend, most of our kids had never experienced such wonder and delight! We built a snowman in our yard. He was a little lopsided and he had a funny shaped head. I named him King-Lee Grant Jackson, in honor of the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation, and called him Kingly for short. We had to add snow to Kingly’s bottom several times so he wouldn’t tip himself over. But he had a nice disposition and we enjoyed him for the afternoon.

By the afternoon of the next day, I was brave enough to venture out into the streets. I do not think, on a regular “snow day” up north, there would be quite so many snowmen per street as I saw that day. I saw big ones, tiny ones, and some only partially done. One had an American Flag stuck in his chest. There was a 10 foot snowball that must have been the start of something huge on the campus of Millsap’s College. The Broad Street Bakery sent out tweets that they were having a snowman contest. Nearly every house on every street displayed some remnant of fun in the snow.

Driving around admiring these chaps of snow as they began to melt, I was struck by the simplicity of their joy. We can spend all day cooking a meal that we enjoy for only a few minutes. We may prepare for weeks for a presentation that lasts only an hour. We study all night for an exam. Kingly took us about 10 minutes to create, but he lasted a whole day. That was pretty cool!

Unleash the Creative Child Within You!

Death of an Apple Tree

2010-02-16T07:30:00.005-06:00

I moved in to my first little house just over a decade ago, you see.
My mother purchased an Apple Tree for me.

We planted it outside the kitchen window.
The perfect view of my new tree.

It was a Granny Smith Tree but we called it a Nana Tree.

It grew quite well and flourished. It came to be a friend to me.

Life is funny. Sometimes things happen. Things happened to me.

I had a child. I got married. I still loved the tree.

But it grew too big to be a tree so close to a house for me.
One day it fell and died. The Nana tree a memory.

Though it never bore fruit, it was lovely to me.
I look out the same window, and I still see the tree.

Now in tough financial times, it's a comfort to me
To think about the tree.

Please, Mr foreclosure man. Don't you see?

No one will remember the tree, but me.

I am the only one who can see

Please don't make me leave the memory

of our Nana tree

The Bag Lady Papers: The Priceless Experience of Losing It All

The Panic Button

2010-02-10T20:11:00.001-06:00

Growing up during the Cold War, I was ever mindful that at any time, our President could authorize someone to press a red button somewhere and effectively start Armageddon. Not that it was a constant worry, but it was there, looming, in the back of my “panic brain”, that there were maybe only a few degrees of separation between the comfort that was my life and the end of the world as we know it.

Times now are different, and an all out nuclear war does not seem to be so much of a threat. Somehow, though, I have held on to the panic button in my mind. As long as I know it is there, it seems, I can function normally no matter what. If I never hit the panic button, so be it. The thing is, it’s there for me if I need it. Just in case I cannot take another minute –another second of whatever it is causing me so much “stress du jour”, I know it is there.

So what would happen if I did push my panic button? I have no clue!! It would not necessarily be a good thing, only different…. A scrambling of circumstances – yet somehow it protects me. I feel safe knowing it is there.

Think about your own ways of coping with stress. If you had a panic button, what might it look like? What would happen if you pushed it? How close have you been to feeling the need to push your own panic button in your lifetime? I know I have had my thumb on mine a time or two (or three or four…) yet I have never actually pushed it. I allow my greater consciousness to take over, and I am reminded of the good stuff. Then I am okay.

If your life gets to the point where all you see is gloom and doom, remember your panic button. Allow your higher power to take control, and don’t push it.

Panic Attack: Understanding And Taking Control

Knowing When to Stop

2010-01-28T20:13:00.000-06:00

The Getty Museum in L.A. is showing an exhibit of Rembrandt's sketches called "Telling the Difference" . It is a study in understanding the difference between a master and his students. Between confidence and tentative, careful attention to detail. Some are true Rembrandts, the others, works of his students. The way to discern the difference is in that very scarcity... the confidence in a single stroke to emit an emotion. That is all.

I remember my junior high art teacher scolding me for using every bit of space on the canvas. I did not understand the whole "less is more" theory at the time, and am not sure I fully follow that lesson still. What is intriguing to me about Rembrandt's sketches is the way he uses the blankness. The white space represents something - most often, light.

(Rembrandt's Study of Hendrickje Sleeping: The British Museum)

In this sketch of his sleeping mistress, the whole of the ink is less than the sum of her parts. She, for all practical purposes, in Rembrandt's eyes, is mostly light: The absence of color: beautiful space. Space used to bother me. Now I see space as hopeful. Possibility. Love. I think perhaps his love for Hendrickje made this point more poignant in his study of her in her most vulnerable state: sleep. Look at her hair. Her gown. Her face. So much light. Blank space on the canvas. It seems to represent the glory of his love for her in some way. No doubt the real sunlight reflected in this way, but why not see it through his eyes. He loves this woman. He loves that she loves him. He loves her "light".

How much light do you and I radiate to those who love us? In my mind, I picture my loved ones, and see some light, yes. I venture to make the claim that I will look for more "light" in them.

Painting and Drawing Secrets

Inspiration from Kid Filmmakers

2010-01-22T19:11:00.005-06:00

Have you ever meet a teenage boy who was willing to put aside his pride for the sake of art? These three boys were willing to skip in slow motion down the school hallway to the tune of an old Broadway Classic.

Did they retain their coolness? Yes they most definitely did!

Watch This!

There is only one way to feel after watching this: Good!

That my friends, is inspired action to the Nth degree. Good on them for the idea, the follow through, and especially for their adorable smiles! They totally make my day.

I hope they make yours too!

Think Happy Now!

An Inspired project: A gift from the Heart.

2010-01-19T15:48:00.005-06:00

One of my good friends, MJ Schrader of Rockstar Guide

Books, has followed her inner voice and created a truly inspired project that I am proud to be a part of.

At http://365OnlineTips.com , MJ provides a success related article and includes a quote and inspirational note for every day. The articles are written by sponsors of the day, who are promoted on the website, a fan page and a couple other places. Sponsors also get an ebook at the beginning of the month that we can give to our readers.

Since the site was “just born” and I was a founding sponsor, I have an ebook already. Volume 1a includes some great tips,advice and guidance to help you reach success. I am sending the ebook to my list in a couple of days. It is really impressive!

Sign up with the newsletter at http://365OnlineTips.com to get a daily dose of inspiration. Stop by the site anytime for success tips.

The site is ready and waiting for sponsors, which is really great

advertising. You can visit http://365onlinetips.com/buy-spot/ to

read more about it.(I just checked and Feb 14ths is still available!)
What a great day to inspire someone!

As a founding sponsor I have a coupon for my readers! You get 50% off any

of sponsor package you decide to get if you mention that I

referred you!

If you buy a day you pay for the value of the day, however if you

get the 4 Day package, you get 4 days for $400. Of course after

the 50% off that's only $200! That's an awesome deal of only

$50 a day. You get a lot of promotion each day plus the ebook

at the end of the month!

But sponsor or not, there is a lot of inspiration each day. Sign up

at http://365OnlineTips.com and see what all you get!