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Art and animals. Please help this mixed media artist who runs a shelter in TN to win desperately needed money to help these adorable dogs. Her blog has info on how to vote and how to help in other ways. It’s just a vote, so go do.
http://aplacetobark.blogspot.com/2009/08/please-help-place-to-bark-win-check-for.html
Most of our animals were adopted or they adopted us, so we have a great affinity for no-kill shelters. Milo, our oldest furbaby thanks you for adopting shelter animals and spaying and neutering your pets.
For years I have struggled to find the “right” craft for me, one which retains my interest and is somewhat easy to learn and accomplish. Criteria was that it had to be somewhat portable if I chose (I’ll explain in another post that will involve RVs), be fairly clean as I hate having dirty hands (no throwing clay for me) and include tons of color, preferably bright and glitzy. Beads certainly fulfill those requirements, but I was always drawn away from them to try something else and that became expensive, so what to do?
Yep, you got it! Add beads to everything else. What hadn’t I thought of that before? I stifled their beady energy by keeping them contained to bead weaving or stringing when they craved the variety of other playmates: glass tiles in bead mosaics; fabric and thread in beaded art quilts, bead embroidery or beaded jewelry; paint, paper and clay in mixed-media. So many possibilities in mixed media beading. Ok, calming now, I’m getting carried away.
Once I accepted that what I used to call my craft ADD was something that could benefit my artwork, I began to overflow with ideas and filled page after page of my idea journal. Of course, no ill intent is intended to people actually challenged with ADD. My husband calls it my “Oh look, there’s a butterfly, what was I saying?” syndrome. Usually he’s laughing, but not always. Hmm?
So, as I investigate this new realization and creativity, I invite you to peek in on the journey and see where it leads.
To make those UTEE tiles I melted clear in the melting pot and poured it over some rubber stamp sheets, removed when still warm and trimmed some down with scissors. Some I left just as they solidified. Then, when cool, I embellished some with PearlEx powders or a transparent acrylics and then poured more UTEE over the color, one in a set of three. That makes for a two-sided shine and tiles that can be used in many ways, from mosaics to pendants. So many ideas and I want to make then all NOW, lol.
My DD and I went to check out a college a few hours away and while she was hanging out with friends who are doing a summer program there and getting an insiders view of the campus, I went shopping…alone. Oh the joy!
I had two intended targets: books and crafts, but being as it wasn’t a huge city we were in, I had limited choices. I did in fact manage though, lol.
I found a book by Laurie Mika called Mixed Media Mosaics which I had wanted for a long time. Totally up my alley in the way of crafts as it combines several techniques: mosaics, polymer clay and embellishment. Of course, I figured that if poly clay tiles work, then UTEE tiles would work too, so I made a few.
The other great find of the day, though I didn’t realize it at the time, was a Chain Maille Kit I bought for DD to try. I have been attempting to bring her over to the crafting dark side for years and while she shows a mild interest, nothing has captured her attention till now. She sat up making a Byzantine chain bracelet until it was done and looked around wanting more. We’ll handle that on our next back to school shopping trip. Living in the boonies requires restraint, no spur of the moment retail therapy for us. Sigh!
Without enough jump rings to finish another maille project, she dug in my jewelry making stash for inspiration and found things to make 2 necklaces, also accomplished that same evening and with great looking results. Can we say addicted? LOL. Mom wins!
I should have named this blog Dealing with Craft ADD because seriously, nothing has yet to hold my attention for more than one project and that’s no way to become skilled. Sigh.
So, we are still working on DD’s dorm room rug, but a re-invented version. Turns out the huge ball of yarn we bought had an ugly interior. Must have been an odd dye lot because it morphed into this yucky green, goldy yellow maroon mix half way thru the unravelling and was declared unsuitable. Now, we are using a beautiful icy mix of pastel purple, green, blue and pink. Sort of shiny Easter colors mixed with white. Naturally, Mom is thinking…oh, that’s gonna show dorm floor grunge quickly…how will she (I) wash it?
Oh yeah, Friendly Plastic…love it. Do you remember Friendly Plastic from the 80′s? Was it the 80′s? I adore the shiny, vibrant colors and have been following a new blog on the subject, http://friendlyplastic.blogspot.com Go look at the amazing eye candy they have there, while I get my first funny attempts photographed.
Between glass, beads and textiles, fiber crafts seem to be winning my attention lately. I guess that’s going back to my roots, as I learned to knit when I was 5 and was sewing my own clothes as a teenager.
My daughter and I have started a project for her dorm room to cover up the horrible, cold vinyl floor. Her residential high school used to be a hospital 100 years ago and while future students will benefit from the new campus that is in the planning and fund raising stages, for now, they make do.
The project is a latch hooked rug, about 5 ft. x 6 ft., so kinda big for a craft neither of us have done in years. She chose warm, soft caramel and maroon chunky acrylic yarn and we are cutting our own 2 1/2″ strips to hook. I’m winding the yarn around a slim spatula that has a convenient slit in the middle which fits scissors perfectly, to cut multiple strips at once. We split the backing in half so we could each work on it at the same time without getting in each other’s way. Here’s a photo:
 Dorm Room Rug That’s Charlie, a stray who found us last November in the engine compartment of our truck after we had driven 10 highway miles. We heard his tiny scared little mews when we got out of the truck and I was so afraid that he was injured, but apart from being understandably terrified, he was fine. He now lives a safe, pampered, inside life and I bang on the hoods of our vehicles before we start them up in winter.
This project, borne out of the necessity to not spend $300 on “the perfect rug” she found has sparked an interest in traditional rug hooking, the kind where you pull wool loops up through linen, rug warp or monk’s cloth with a simple hook (not a latch) to create a painterly images. Most of the artists doing this work lean toward the primitive style that originated on the eastern seaboard, but there are some doing more comtemporary work and this is the direction in which I would go.
The last month has been hectic and unpredictable. My step-mom went home to be with the Lord, which is a good thing as she was 90 years old and had been in considerable uncontrolled pain for several years, but still it of course, leaves a void in life.
School ended and that meant dorm move-out for my high schooler and subsequent activities related to school events. All of this occurs several hours drive away so each thing takes up at least a day.
Add in a wedding and assorted family dramas and then, there’s work and catch up, sigh. Crafting has taken a back seat, just like my new blog.
So, here I am, wondering exactly what was my focus, purpose and plan? Oh yeah, to figure out how to make a living out of what I love to do and detail it for those who have the same desire.
I’ll start with describing the crafts that I’m playing with to make this happen. Yes, that was crafts, the plural, because I’ve already mentioned I enjoy, like many others, a craft a.d.d syndrome.
The interest and skill (that may be subjective) list at this point:
Beading of course, as that’s my mainstay craft
Glass Fusing
Mosaics
Punchneedle…what? I know, that’s what I said. It is pretty much unknown outside fiber circles.
Encaustic Painting
Lampwork
Polymer Clay
Resin
Felting
Rug Hooking
Latch Rug Hoooking – an old one that most of you did as a child, but which is experiencing a come-back in a newer, cooler design form.
In figuring out this crafty life stuff, I’ve researched and read and analyzed to the point of inaction. Analysis paralysis is not unusual for me in the least and I suspect I may have missed my natural calling – some form of research compilation – to pass on to someone else to actually do something with, of course. Continue reading New Thinking
I have a certain picture in my head of what a crafty life might entail and certainly, things I would like it to be. How to achieve it though, is is a bit of a mystery, sort of like a maze, I guess. I can see part of the path, but then it turns and gets fuzzy. Have you created a life you would call crafty? Tell me about it and how you got there.
Continue reading What Is a Crafty Life and How Do I Make One?
Recently, TriVita announced a special MAP Promotion:
* Only available for new Business Affiliates that enroll from January 1st 2009 to February 28th 2009.
* This allows a new Business Affiliate to get up to 50 free MAP contacts each month in January and February totaling 100 free MAP contacts for the promotion period.
* Members or Affiliate Members who upgrade to Business Affiliates are eligible for the special promotion.
* Buy 2 Get One Free special applies to the Steadfast Packs as well regular MAP reservations. Premier, Pro, and Basic Packs only!
Premier Pack comes with 25 MAP – get 13 FREE!
Pro Pack comes with 15 MAP – get 8 FREE!
Basic Pack comes with 5 MAP – get 3 FREE!
If a Business Affiliate joins with one of the above Steadfast Packs, and would like to earn the maximum 50 FREE MAP contacts per month, they can place a reservation for the remaining amount by clicking the MAP tab in their Back Office. The Buy 2 Get One Free format will apply. See below.
Example: If a Business Affiliate would like to earn the maximum 50 FREE MAP contacts and joins with a:
o Premier Pack (comes with 13 FREE MAP contacts) and would like to earn the remaining 37 FREE MAP contacts, they would need to place a MAP reservation for 74 MAP contacts.
o Pro Pack with 8 FREE MAP contacts, and would like to earn the remaining 42 FREE MAP contacts, they would need to place a MAP reservation for 84 MAP contacts.
o Basic Pack with 3 FREE MAP contacts, and would like to earn the remaining 47 FREE MAP contacts, they would need to place a MAP reservation for 94 MAP contacts.
So, if you have been thinking about joining this awesome company which enables us to buy the rights to the customers they generate, thus making a very passive income opportunity, do it NOW. There will be no better time.
Over 2 weeks since I posted and it has been an eventful two weeks. The highlights have been my daughter being home from school for the holidays and celebrating our Savior’s birth.
Following on those, was finding a tiny, feral kitten loudly complaining about being in our truck engine compartment after we had just traveled 10 highway miles. The little guy was unhurt and sits on my arm as I write this in complete trust that he’s found his forever home with our other two rescued kitties. One day, I am going to have to change my blog name to That Crazy Cat Lady, lol.
The point of this post, though, is to share with you a most interesting health experience I had. My daughter regularly comes home from her academically challenging school sleep-deprived, under-nourished (her fault, not their’s), stressed to the breaking point and sick and sometimes she shares it. Ugh!! So, I ran out of one of my daily products, TriVita’s Nutrafruits a few days after she arrived this time, but knew I had more on order. After 2 days without it, I could feel myself getting sick and did everything else to boost my immune system. Nothing worked well until my Nutrafruits were in my body for 2 days and I felt energized and healthy again. I never really got sick, just had that I’m trying to come down with something feeling.
I love my TriVita NutraFruits and recommend them to everyone. Help your body stay healthy this winter with the fruit you know you aren’t going to actually eat.
Usually a rainy day reminds me of my adopted hometown Seattle where I no longer live, and makes me want to snuggle inside and work on some bead or glass projects, but sometimes, in the middle of winter, or fall that is acting like winter (blah!), it just plain makes me depressed. So, what to do about it?
Here are my mood busting ideas:
Exercise…yep, I know, but it sets off happy endorphins in your brain.
Spend time in spiritual pursuits, for me, that means reading my Bible or listening to praise music. Prayerfully going over things I am thankful for is a great way to lift your spirits.
Eat… no, wait, not just anything, it needs to be happy food, energizing food and while chocolate fits that description, often the ensuing low after a candy binge is just not worth it. Better choices would be a good hearty soup, beef barley is a childhood favorite for days like this; a multi-colored fruit salad, or a special tea.
Nutritionally, there’s B-12, Adaptogen 10 Plus,Nutri-Fruits and Leanology shakes, which all give your brain happy nutrients.
Call a upbeat friend and laugh about silly times you had together.
Give yourself permission to take you time and do your favorite activity with no guilt.
Sleep, the antidote for almost everything that ails you and things that will if you don’t get enough sleep, lol.
Get some sun as soon as you can see it again. The vitamin D it helps your body produce is hard to attain elsewhere and we have a shortage of sun exposure in the winter months. Forget the sunscreen for 15 minutes a day…really, your body wants some sun on that skin.
Finally, remember, this too shall pass and change is assured.
I don’t usually post about beading or glass fusing, which are my primary craft endevours, but as I just finished a piece, I thought I might share it today. It started out looking sort of like a Koala face, but morphed into a more Christmas-y looking bead embroidered piece. LOL, I guess the Thanksgiving splurge of Christmas ads that I saw while working on it last weekend caused that.
Sorry about the picture quality, I really need a steadier hand and a better camera…hint, hint, Santa. Anyway, it is a fused piece attached to Lacey’s Stiff Stuff and embriodered around with mostly seed beads. Yes, it is hanging from Christmas ribbon and yes, I’m going to wear it that way, lol. If you can’t be tacky and colorful at Christmas, just exactly, when can you?
Deb
NOW is the very best time to build your TriVita business!
If you’re in a Home Business, there’s good news, and there’s bad news – and the great news is that, for you, they’re both good news.
In good economic times, people are less interested in career alternatives but they can easily afford to buy more consumer goods. In bad times, they crave new business opportunities. Today, we could soon be facing global recession – and tremendous worldwide opportunities for you.
The U.S. economy is cracking apart due to mortgage meltdowns and rising fuel costs (energy) that are causing great concern worldwide. Fears are that an American economic dive will hurt the entire world economy.
U.S. and worldwide, people are beginning to worry. Once they start worrying, they quit spending money. This “psychology of fear” fuels bigger recessions. I’m not saying there is going to be a depression, which is much worse than a recession. What I am predicting, based on surveys conducted by our company (which have proved exceedingly accurate over the past 20 years), is higher unemployment and underemployment – good people forced to work for less money than their qualifications would warrant. Translated: pushed to work for trashcan wages.
Home Businesses are a Countercyclical Business
General economic theory holds that there tends to be a recession about every eight years. The entire history of the modern United States reflects this boom-and-bust cycle. Consistently, Network Marketing has grown during the “down” periods. PER CNBC CURRENT VIDEO click here
The oldest Network Marketing company we can track is the marine-vegetable (seaweed) supplement company, Wachter’s, which started in 1937 near the bottom of the Great Depression. Nutrilite took off in 1945 during the economic decline immediately following World War II. Shaklee and Neolife fared well in the post-Korean War slump. Amway got a good start building with the slump in 1958. Mary Kay started with the downturn in the 1960s. This theory held true in 1992 when Alliance, Kaire, Life Plus, and a number of other companies started up and boomed (then later failed due to legal problems, partnership disputes, and mismanagement after the recession). Others like Hearbalife (see chart below) went into hyper growth due to the same recession and became billion dollar companies.
In the chart below note that during the depth of the recession indicated by the blue dotted line retail sales by major retail outlets took a dive. Direct sales (90% are MLM) shown by the solid yellow line jumped as store front retailing dropped like a rock! Today history repeats itself!
When recession hits, those with any intelligence are going to scramble to find alternative sources of income. In their frantic searches, they are going to find that the best of all alternatives is Network Marketing.
Understanding the relationship between low-cost entrepreneurship and economics is important. During the past few years, the world economic boom has made people complacent. In the U.S., the jobless rate dropped to all-time lows of less than five percent. People had to be sick, lame, or lazy not to get a job. Hamburger flippers got higher-paying jobs, such as assembling computers, and their incomes rose. Rather than looking for an alternative to a job or seeking extra income, these folks sat around and watched television.
When recession hits, those with any intelligence are going to scramble to find alternative sources of income. In their frantic searches, they are going to find that the best alternative is MLM also known as Network Marketing.
We followed the increase in growth of several major Network Marketing companies operating during the recession of 1973-75. Companies that were not doing badly when the recession started, they had a fair amount of growth. However, when the recession came, they took off like rockets!
During the early 2000′s recession (officially starting in November 2001), MLM company growth rates jumped higher than they were before the recession. See the chart below (November 2001 was the benchmark) and look at the following growth. This was due to two reasons: (1) Fear leads people to new income sources and they WORK the opportunity, not watch TV. (2) The doubt of the recession lingers in the minds of people so there is an “aftereffect”. (3) During the recession the company grew a “freverant” distributor base, recruiting more new people that lead to exponential growth.
Another factor that fueling the growth in Network Marketing is that many Baby Boomers have put their life savings into the stock market. With the market’s shaky up and down spirals, many Baby Boomers are slowing their high-flying, fast-spending ways due to meager savings except for shaky stocks. With the inevitable, cyclical decline of the stock market, they will see their retirement plan funds lose 25 to 50 percent in value. Will panic will follow? We hope not! But, Baby Boomers with good sense will be looking for secondary ways to build a secondary residual retirement income. A common phrase today is, “multiple streams of income.”
Grab your hat and prepare for the next boom in Network Marketing. If you are a newcomer, study the industry closely (and quickly). If you are an old-timer, get out your contact lists for the last two to ten years. In a recession, they will be solid gold! All you have to do is get out there and help people out of their economic duress.
Now is the best time to grow your Network Marketing individual business or start your company! Whether you are a veteran or a beginning network marketer, the future is bright. Soon consumers will be looking for the best quality at the best prices. Where do they find it? In the quality products offered by your Network Marketing company .
Recession causes people to open their minds to gaining alternative sources of income. If they are still employed, they are worrying about the possibility of losing their jobs or having them downgraded. If they are unemployed, they are seeking ways to build their income without spending large amounts of money to start another business.
Listen to Bryan Wirth (first Presidential Director in TriVita) and how it has changed his life: http://www.byoaudio.com/play/WZwtTbw4
Article not original to me and I apologize for not knowing the author. I received it in an email this week.
You don’t have to be a Business Affiliate to earm rewards and commission with TriVita. Of course, I believe it is the best home business model available anywhere, but not everyone sees that right off and that’s okay. I mean, it took me 5 years to try every other thing out there and finally get the value of TriVita and hey, most people will be a way quicker study than that, lol.
So, let me suggest you try a product as an affiliate member, no business strings attached. Why buy your health supplements from TriVita rather than any other place? Well, the products are phenomenal, the pricing is fair, not overblown and the benefits of being a member are unmatched.
Benefits? Yep, affiliate member benefits. If you join as an affiliate member and you refer a few friends to just try the products – at a 10% discount to them – then you would earn the commission from that product sale, as well as a $25 gift card when your referral orders for the first time. That way you can be rewarded without joining the business right away.
http://www.trivita.com/11541810 Click on Affiliate Members to read the full list of benefits
Are you trying to lose a few pounds before the holidays? Maybe, planning on starting 2009 all ready to change your way of eating? If you order the Leanology package now, you can get a FREE bag of chews. That’s a $39 savings!
Click here for the Leanology Chews Special Offer
Buying customers through TriVita’s MAP is already paying off for a couple of newbies. We have started to see re-orders from customers and even referrals from those customers to new people. Lovin’ this!
Just to be really clear, this is not at all based upon anything we’ve done…it happens because the customers love the products and TriVita sends out regular mailings, often with specials to entice re-orders.
Here’s a call schedule that will explain exactly what I’m talking about:
Hear what TriVita is all about
Please join us on one of our live information calls to learn more about how many people just like yourself are making real money from the comfort of their home every month in their spare time. Learn more about why many of these people are choosing TriVita. Evaluate why successful professionals are attracted to this industry now more than ever.
Join us as we address the following questions:
- What does TriVita offer that no other business does
- Learn how to profit from the power of TV & Radio Advertising with NO selling
- Why TriVita has been called “Recession-Proof”
- Much More
Click this link to hear more NOW: http://www.byoaudio.com/play/WcXj4VJ4
Listen to one of our live information calls in which we will describe everything in detail and answer your questions.
MONDAY 9pm EST / 6pm PST - 212-461-5860 – Pin 7878#
TUESDAY 12pm Noon EST / 9am PST - 212-461-5860 – Pin 7878#
TUESDAY 9pm EST / 6pm PST - 212-461-5860 – Pin 0752#
WEDNESDAY 9pm EST / 6pm PST - 212-461-5860 – Pin 7878#
THURSDAY 9pm EST / 6pm PST - 212-461-5860 – Pin 7878#
FRIDAY 12pm Noon EST / 9am PST - 212-461-5860 – Pin 7878#
SATURDAY 11am EST / 8am PST - 212-461-5860 – Pin 7878#
For more info, go to www.trivita.net/11541810 and click on the “Home” tab to view a video interview which you’ll find interesting.
Request more info:
http://www.whatsyourfreedomplan.com
Meet the Team:
http://www.moneymakergroup.com/Trivita-join-Fastest-Gro-t209557.html
Have questions? Contact me and I’ll be happy to answer any questions that you may have about how TriVita can be a residual income source for you and your family.
Deb
For years I have been recommending a wonderful product that helped my body heal from carpal tunnel syndrome in my dominant wrist. More on that later.
For someone who works at a computer all day, carpal can be career ending pain. After hearing many stories of people who had endured the surgery for it and had the condition return years later compounded by scar tissue, I declined that joyous experience. So, of course, I researched natural options.
Once I found Sublingual B12 by TriVita, it took several months for my body to use the added nutrient and for the nerves to come back to full function, but they did, as evidenced by the fact that I have no trouble pumping out too many words via keyboard. My husband would say the same thing happens verbally, but don’t listen to him.
Well, like I said, I recommended that product for years after getting my results to anyone I saw wearing the tell-tale wrist braces. I was just a customer of TriVita, not an affiliate or business affiliate, so of course, it is true that people do recommend good products all the time with no personal gain. It was pointed out to me that as I had given up on MLM, I should get paid as as affiliate for what I was doing anyway, recommending Sublingual B12. Yep, another of my infamous Duh! moments.
Well, as it turns out, things have changed a bit since my product experience. For 5 years, I hadn’t used the product, as my wrist no longer hurt and now there are two B12s, the original one and a Super B12 product and several options for sharing TriVita’s products with others.
I chose to be a Business Affiliate for several reasons. I didn’t have a current business to work and I missed doing that. After checking out the way TriVita works, I found that while it is an mlm format, it has some key differences and defines itself as Cooperative Marketing.
Cooperative Marketing in TriVita’s case, means that they, the company, advertise through various media formats and gather the customers – yes, real buying customers, not leads. Then, they allow us, the BAs (Business Affiliates) to buy the customers and make commission on any further purchases by those customers. Wow, real product customers, not just distributors who buy the product to qualify for pay. Good plan.
Beyond that, they do enable you to build a team by sponsoring other BAs and helping them build their businesses. In that regard, they are mlm, of course. The sponsor I joined under is part of a Team Build, so we all work together to help everyone grow their businesses. Another cool aspect for me.
The over-riding deciding factor, though, for me, was that I could, conceivably, earn an income by just buying customers, rather than recruiting. Of course, there’s no guarantee that the customers you buy will ever purchase again, but TriVita even helps with that by staying in touch with the customers up to 18 times a year through the printed Vita Journal and catalogs and announcements of special sales. That’s follow way better than I would ever do.
The day before an election, do we remember what honor, bravery and loyalty to your country mean? The end is the part I most want you to read.
The Sack Lunches
I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. ‘I’m glad I have a good book to read Perhaps I will get a short nap,’ I thought.
Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation. ‘Where are you headed?’ I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.
‘Chicago – to Great Lakes Base. We’ll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we’re being deployed to Iraq’
After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reachedChicago, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time.&n bsp;
As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. ‘No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn’t be worth five bucks. I’ll wait till we get to Chicago ‘
His friend agreed.
I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. ‘Take a lunch to all those soldiers.’ She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. ‘My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it’s almost like you are doing it for him.’
Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, ‘Which do you like best – beef or chicken?’
‘Chicken,’ I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. ‘This is your thanks.’< /FONT>
After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. ‘I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.’ He handed me twenty-five dollars.
Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, an said, ‘I want to shake your hand.’
Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain’s hand. With a booming voice he said, ‘I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.’ I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.
Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.
When we landed in Chicago I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!
Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. ‘It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.’
Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals.
It seemed so little…
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life,
Wrote a blank check made payable to ‘The United States of America’
For an amount of ‘up to and including my life.’
That is Honor, and there are way too many people
In this country who no longer understand it.’
Whoa! Fun word, huh? I know, I hate it too, but I have to do it, which means I have to talk about it. Things are just out of control. Can you relate? That sort of explains the long absence between posts…I’ve been working more.
I have an Excel spreadsheet that I created a long time ago to do the deed, but it just doesn’t do enough. I don’t think like an accountant and thus, am happy to pay one to do my taxes every year since they got way more complicated by being self-employed. So, off i went to my favorite research vehicle and found a website that claims to be my solution. I found a lot of really dry, eye-crossing ones too, but that’s not ever going work for me.
So, I am currently inputting the necessary numbers and will post as the saga continues. The first rule is to figure out a way to live on last month’s salary. LOLOLOLOLOOLLOLLLLLOOOOROFL and even more hysterical laughter. Uh, yeah, right!!! I am still figuring out how to live on this month’s, rather than next month’s.
Sigh! What a time of year to contemplate this fiasco. Wish me luck.
I finally reached it…traditional mlm burnout. Tired of all the sure things, tired of stories of successful mlmers and most of all, tired of deluding myself that I love recruiting. I love talking to people, but recruiting them…not at all. Are you there, too?
If I never again pick up the phone to call one more “hot” lead who denies ever filling out a form online requesting home business information, despite the fact I have details about them that only their monther should know, it will be too soon. That’s the worst part of traditional mlm and, as I can talk to anyone, about almost anything, that’s surprising. For many years, I made my living sourcing and coercing hard to locate products from people all over the world and always got what I needed. But (I know, never start a sentence with But…), enroll people into a simple business and get them to stick and grow…that’s not so easy.
I’m calling it traditional mlm burnout because I’m referring to the kind of business where you make a list of unsuspecting victims, or approach anyone within whispering, or phone distance and FORM them. What’s with FORM them anyway? Sounds kind of rude. I don’t really care what they do for recreation, unless they are crafty and then the conversation takes a wide detour around mlm and lands wherever it may, sort of like that sentence, lol. Recruiting this way feels too much like manipulation or sales to me and I’m not good at it, nor do I want to be. If I have to learn a technique to get people to do what I want then, that’s manipulation.
I’m definately an entrepreneur and am great at being part of a team, sometimes leading, but lately, more just contributing. Somewhere around my mid-40′s I lost my competitive, control freak streak and now prefer to let things happen as they will. My husband and daughter would say I never had one, but they are poster children for that particular Type A “in charge” personality.
So, where is all this leading? Not really anywhere. Ha! More Type A frustration, lol. I would ask if anyone else feels that way about mlm, but I already know that you’re out there because I’ve talked to many of you. Some are just laid back types like I seem to be becoming and some refuse to even look at a good product if it is sold through an mlm business model.
I’m always interested in a good product and that’s what gets me in trouble. Now, don’t go spamming my comments with your elevator speech or why your product is the latest, greatest, cutting edge thing. I’m burned out, remember? Do feel free to commment if you are feeling the same burnout though.
I recently come across a group who describe themselves as mlm survivors. I don’t feel like a victim, because every mlm action was of my own free will, so survivor is a bit strong. More like a leaf, blown through a storm and a bit worse for wear from the experience.
Do I believe the mlm model can work? Absolutely. Do I think it is for everyone, as so many claim? No way! Do I think there’s something better out there. You betcha! Will I find it? Yep, you can count on that. Will I tell you about it? Also affirmative. Will I try to recruit you, lol? Nope, you are on your own for future traditional mlm adventures.
Here’s to laid back conversations with no agenda!
Do you have years of office administration experience. Looking for ways to work from home? You could look into being a Virtual Assistant. I recently found a couple of companies and I’m sure there are more, who connect home workers with info on administrative assistant type work.
The two I found are: VA Networking and LifeBushido
A quote from VA Networking’s site, “A Virtual Assistant (VA) is a highly-trained independent entrepreneur who provides a myriad of business support services virtually via phone, fax and Internet based technology to support and meet the growing needs of businesses worldwide.”
If you have an MBA, the 2 year old company, Lifebushido, needs you now.
Tawnya Sutherland, the founder of VANetworking.com, has set up a site that takes you from complete ignorance of the VA possibilities through training, networking and competence in the field. This is a very complete site with tons of information available before you commit to anything, including access to the forum.
Might have to look into this more myself.
Have a great weekend everyone,
Debra
A while back I wrote about re-inventing oneself at mid-life and ironically, I got side-tracked by obligations before doing anything more than thinking about it.
Over a weekend visit, my daughter and I talked about this a bit, so today, I actually surfed to see what reading resources are out there for this transition period. These are not about menopause, but about the psychological changes that accur and the positive actions we can take to develop a different 2nd half of life.
Here’s the short list, so far:
Awakening at Midlife by Kathleen A. Brehony
The Next Fifty Years: A Guide for Women at Mid-Life And Beyond by Pamela D. Blair
For My Next Act. . . : Women Scripting Life after 50 by Karen Baar
Navigating Midlife; women becoming themselves by Robyn Vickers-Willis
Well, reading those should keep me busy for a while and provide multiple opportunities for husband eye-rolling. I keep telling him they’ll stay that way, lol.
Now there’s a headline that normally reminds you of stuffing envelopes and screams scam, but I’ve been doing some research and there are a few, very few, companies who actually do employ people at home (in the US) to hand make crafts for which the company will pay, as long as they meet their quality standards.
You might think, well, there’s the catch, “their quality standards”, which probably means that will never happen, but that’s not the case. In my research, I’ve found a couple of communities of wah crafters who are being paid for their efforts, even though it may take 3 or 4 attempts to conquer the new craft and have their sample accepted. That’s perfectly understandable, very few of us are instantly good at something and no company should be expected to pay for shoddy work. You are given multiple chances to get it right, they want you to succeed.
Oh, now there’s a rant, but I’ll squelch it. Hubby is in manufacturing and that is one of his pet peeves. Do it right the first time and take pride in your work. Ok, a small comment, not a full on rant. : )
The legitimate companies I’ve found are NEC and Easy Mark by Rets/SonRise Greeting Cards and you can read about them at one of my sources for all things WAH related, WAHM.com
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