Just Do It!

It is Friday and there is much to get done before the weekend.   I don't know about you, but for me it will be a busy day.   I plan to get everything on my "to do" list crossed off before I head home.

Check out my tip on how you can get much accomplished today as well.



How about you.....do you have lots to complete? What stops you from accomplishing your goals? Do you have any tips to share about how you "Get it done!"

Are You A Musician?

Are you a musician?   Do you sing or play an instrument? I used to sing in the school chorus, and with the Agape Singers and Players.   I used to play the piano, organ, clarinet, and tenor sax. 

Somehow when I graduated, I must have thought I graduated from having musical abilities as well.  I haven’t played the organ, clarinet or tenor sax since graduation day 30+ years ago.  I have on occasion played a song or two on the piano, but nothing to write home about.   I do occasionally sing with our church choir.  But that is about it as far as music goes.

I wonder why this is?   I know it is the same for many of my friends and family?   Why do we work so hard to learn a skill or cultivate a talent and then just walk away from it?  Has this ever happened to you?

Happy Anniversary Michael

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband.   Twenty six years ago today, I married my best friend, the love of my life and the man of my dreams.   I feel so very blessed to be married to him.  He is my rock, my touchstone, my friend, my support, my strength.   Many people ask and comment about “How I can manage to do everything I do, work long hours, be a mom, and wife, volunteer with various local and state organizations, and now intend to start a business?”   I always answer the same way.  I couldn’t do it if I were married to someone else.  Michael makes it all possible because he is there to support my endeavors and pick up the slack at home.  I am spoiled.  I come home to gourmet meals, clean clothes, and Neal’s chauffeuring needs are all handled.  Sometimes the house is clean as well.   His willingness to do these things, frees my evenings to relax, spend time with family, volunteer with band boosters, or work on my business, and spend some weekends scrapbooking, at PA PTA Board Meetings or do other things I enjoy.   Yes, I do about half the laundry and I still have to clean some things…cause I’m picky.   Yes, my house gets cluttered when I’m away a lot, but I do not have to spend my every waking minute worrying about meals, laundry, the house, etc.

On top of that….he is a wonderful, dedicated, and involved father. 

 When we were first married, and we would talk about 25^th wedding anniversaries…it seemed like that was a lifetime away.  And now here we are celebrating our 26^th anniversary.  Time flies by and over the years we have had happy times, and sad times.   We have had family members and animals that we loved pass away.  We have had ideas and dreams of things that didn’t pan out.   We have had household appliances break down, and things need to be replaced. We have arguments and disagree like all couples and we have had the routine married life most people have.  But through it all we have always been devoted to each other and been there when the other person needed them to be.   Our love is stronger now than when we said “I do.”  I am so grateful God helped me to make the right choice in selecting a mate for life.  I have much to be thankful for.

There are many times when I feel like I’m living a wonderful fairy tale…..the best thing is it is real life!

25th Wedding Anniversary Trip to the Bahamas

He Changed the World

We all heard the news last evening that Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc. passed away from a rare form of pancreatic cancer. Many of us learned about his death on a device he created.

I did not know Steve personally, I am not a raving Apple fan, the only thing Apple that I own is an iPod, yet I feel like I have lost a friend.

Everyone thinks of Steve as the wealthy guy who made lots of money from computers.  But are you aware of his start?  Are you aware of how he became the person known around the world?

His mother was an unwed teenager who gave him up for adoption.  His adopted parents did not have much money.  He dropped out of college after six months.  He was homeless and walked several miles for a free meal after dropping out.   He crashed on friends floors and attended some classes he wasn't enrolled in and then moved back home and started tinkering with computers in his dad's garage.   After 10 years and he had reached a high level of success he was publicly humiliated and fired from his own company.   He created several other companies including Pixar.   He eventually was rehired by Apple and the rest is history, but he never tried to hide his roots or his background.  He was smart enough to realize it was what helped to shape him into the inspirational person he was.

Steve Jobs lived each day like it would be his last.  By doing so, he taught each of us that the inspired person who believes he can make a difference in the world, truly can bring about change.
 
Steve Jobs changed the world.  He transformed each of our lives.  He changed the way we view and communicate with the world.  He changed my life and inspired me.  Technology as we know it, is possible because of Steve Jobs.

In 2005, Jobs gave the commencement address at Stanford.  He talks about life and death.  If you have a few minutes, watch the video.  It is very moving.

The world lost a visionary leader last night.  But the world also lost someone who exemplified living in the public eye, up until he said good-bye.

Take Action, Get Profits

Our Hotel in Orlando

Last weekend I traveled to Orlando, Florida to attend a conference on Social Networking.   Anyone who knows me, knows how interested I am in Social Media.   I love reading blogs, I enjoy blogging myself, I find facebook to be a great way to communicate, Google+ looks promising, YouTube is most entertaining and I’m still trying to figure Twitter out.  I post to Twitter on a routine basis, but still don’t have the hang of it.   There are hundreds of other sites that can be included in Social Networking.   It is a big, broad field and it is still in its infancy.  I expect it to continue growing for years to come.

About six months ago, I started thinking about what I want to retire to when I leave my current job.   The first thing that came to mind was something with social media.   I could get lost reading blogs all day and post to facebook all night….but thought I needed something a little more substantial.  



Michele Scism and Robin Smith



 So I did some research and I followed a few people online that I felt were doing things that I would like to do.  People like Michele Scism,  Martha Giffin, Michelle Shaeffer, and Jo Barnes. After a few months I decided I wanted to start an online business helping people and small businesses get themselves online and be successful.   You see there is one thing to just using social media for fun and posting what you think today….it is another to be using it as a business and try to drive traffic to your business and make a profit.   Not only do they need a fan page, they need a welcome page, a squeeze page, and they need to use facebook, blogs, and other social media in a strategic manner.  I learned how to help businesses do that at Take Action, Get Profits in Orlando.

I’m starting to build my own business and business pages.  Then I hope to help entrepreneurs and small businesses with their pages.  Social Media Management is a growing field and I’m thrilled to be part of it.



Some of Our Presenters

While in Orlando, I met many people who are in various stages of their business.  It was great to meet with people who have already gone where I want to go an those just getting started, like me.  It was also wonderful to meet so many people with the same interest in social media.   Many people were there for different reasons from different types of businesses, but we all were learning how social media could contribute to our success.

I’ll be sharing a bit more about my experiences and things I learned on this trip in the future.

So tell me, what do you feel is most interesting about social networking and how it can impact businesses?  Leave me a comment and share your thoughts.

Facebook Basics

Are you new to Facebook?  Still having trouble figuring out what is what and how you do things?  I think I can help.  Tomorrow evening at 7:30 PM, I will be offering a FREE webinar going over facebook basics and how you do a number of things on facebook.   I would love for you and your friends to join me. 

 All you have to do is go to Facebook Basics and register with your email address.  On Monday you will receive an email reminder of the session.  The email will include the links you will need to log on to the webinar.  Log onto the site prior to 7:30 and you will be able to see and hear the webinar and watch the steps to do many things on Facebook.

Perhaps you have never attended an online webinar and are wondering what all is involved.  You need to have a computer with internet access, speakers or headphones to listen and the link to access the webinar.   Once you log in you will be able to view my screen and the various things I will be showing you as well as hear my voice.    If you have questions there will be an area for you to type them and I will be able to answer during the webinar.   You do NOT need a phone or a microphone.  All questions will be asked through the chat system on AnyMeeting.  It is FREE, easy and a fun way to learn new things!

So, take a minute and register today.  Also, if you know of questions you want to be sure and have answered, please enter your questions in the comments below and I include them in the webinar.

Register now……..FREE Facebook Basics Webinar, Monday, Oct. 3 at 7:30 PM.

New Beginnings

Today is October 1^st and a beginning of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.    It is a challenge to create 31 blog posts during the month of October.   I don’t have to post every day, can skip a day or two and do multiples on other days, but the goal is to create 31 different posts during the month. This is a real challenge for me since I have been lazy in regard to my blogging habits of late.   I have made a few other things my priority and since mid-July haven’t been posting much.   But I plan to make up for lost time.

If you are interested in participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge, you can sign up at www.ultimateblogchallenge.com. 

I like challenges.  They help to motivate me and propel me forward.   I participated in a similar challenge earlier this year and did great the first half of the month and then didn’t do so well the end of the month.  Hope to do better this time.

This is a new beginning.  A chance to improve and let my creativity flow.  It is also a chance to help some other people and maybe even inspire someone else to try the challenge.  I like beginnings, they give me hope and a fresh outlook.

Change is something many people dislike.   I read the many posts of people complaining about recent facebook changes.  Even the smallest change was met with complaints.   I must be a strange one…because I sort of like change.    I like figuring it out and unraveling the mystery.   I guess that is why I’m in a job that deals with a lot of change and often I’m the person pushing the change.   When things are constantly changing, life is never boring.  Tiring, but never boring!

How do you feel about challenges?  How about new beginnings?   What are you feeling on change?

Please take a minute to respond and share your thoughts.