Did you participate in the Ultimate Blog Challenge?

I have been participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge during the month of October.  This has been a great challenge and has motivated me to write more often.   I’m happy I participated and I’m also very grateful to Michelle Shaeffer and Michele Scism for hosting this event.

 The goal was to post 30 blog posts during the month.   I didn’t meet the goal.  I only had 18, between two different blogs.  But that is OK.  I put forth an effort and with all the other things I had going on this month.  I’m amazed I was able to post 18 times.    

Last night I was feeling sad that I didn’t meet the goal of 30, and then I got to thinking about how much the challenge has helped me to grow and blog more often and how many other great blogs I have read because of this challenge.   It is the experience and the journey that makes it fun and worthwhile, not always the destination!  

These challenges are a great way to kick your blogging into gear and get you moving.   They take place every couple months and they send you an email every day of a blog idea.   I only used one of their ideas but hope to use many more in the future.

I hope to continue to blog in November and December with a twice a week consistency and then participate in the next blog challenge in January. 

So how about you?    Do you need something to motivate you to blog on a more consistent basis?  How do you motivate yourself?  Are you interested in participating in the next blog challenge?  Leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts.

Gratitude...do you show it?

During the month of November, I hope to encourage all my family and friends on facebook to post what they are thankful for as we lead up to Thanksgiving.  If we could all remember to count our blessings every day…we would complain a lot less.   We would smile a lot more.  We would wish for a lot less. Most importantly, we would be the type of person people would want to be around.  We would be the bright spot in their day.  The happy face they need to see.  

No matter how terrible things might seem in any given moment, we have much to be grateful for.   There is always something in our life we can be thankful for.  Gratitude also gives you a number of unexpected personal results.  You start feeling a little different, your outlook on life is better, and your resiliency when things go wrong is better.

During the month of November from now till Thanksgiving….join me in posting what you are thankful for.  You will be surprised how many things you can find.

So what are you thankful for?  Who are you thankful for?   Why not leave a comment or post on your facebook status, what you are thankful for?

Check Out These Rainbow Pictures

Several weeks ago on my way home from work, It was raining and the sun was shining.  I looked up and ahead of me was the most beautiful rainbow. 

I was driving and wondered how I was going to capture this rainbow on camera before it disappeared.

I took one with my phone but I was in a small town and the picture didn’t look too great.

I drove a little further and kept taking pictures through my windshield as I drove.  I found another camera in my purse and tried to take some pictures with it too.

Finally I found a place to pull off and I was able to get out and take a few more shots.

Rainbows are so beautiful and they remind me of God’s promise to never destroy the earth.  I always feel very comforted when I see a rainbow.

So what about you, have you ever taken pictures of rainbows?   What do rainbows mean to you?

Are you a PTA member?

Last weekend I traveled to Harrisburg to participate in committee meetings and a Board of Managers meeting for Pennsylvania PTA.

I got involved with PTA about ten years ago when Neal started kindergarten.  Research indicates that students who have parents actively involved in their child’s school have better grades, less absenteeism, and fewer problems in school.  That was one of the reasons I first became involved in PTA.  I wanted to do everything I could to make the school a safe and happy place for my child and to help him to succeed in whatever way possible.



I attended meetings and participated in some of the events they held at the school.  As he went through elementary school I became more involved and served as president for several years.  When he was in fourth grade I was elected to the state Board of Managers.

During the board meeting.

This is my third term on the Board of Managers.  I previously served as Region VP and then as Technology Specialist.  I took a two year break and now serve as the Social Media and Technology Specialist.

The thing I like most about PTA is that it serves all the children.  Their motto is, Every Child, One Voice.   Regardless of whether people are rich or poor, are in PTA or not, have one or multiple children, the PTA serves them all.   We speak up for children who basically would not have a voice if someone didn’t work on their behalf.    We are advocates and help to make sure our elected officials pay attention to bills and laws that affect children. 



PA PTA Board of Managers
VP Debbie Dunstone and I are missing from the photo.



I’m a very busy person, juggling a lot of roles and responsibilities.  My free time is very limited, but I feel PTA is a worthy cause and one that deserves my time. You can learn more about PTA by visiting the National PTA page at http://www.pta.org/ or by visiting Pennsylvania PTA page at http://www.papta.org/.

So how about you?  Do you belong to your school’s PTA?   Are you involved as a volunteer at your child’s school?  Do you attend the state PTA conferences that provide leadership training and help you be a better volunteer?



Do you like "change?"

Are you someone who thrives on change?  Or do you resist change no matter what?  I wonder why we all have different feelings about change?   Due to my job, I have had to learn to not only like change but to welcome it.  Change is the only constant we have in life.

Check out my "On My Way To Work" video about change.



How do you feel about change?  Any advice or tips for people dealing with change?

Change

A week or so ago I wrote about New Beginnings.  Today I am going to talk about change.   How do you feel about change?  Is it something you welcome or something you dread?

From the recent posts online complaining about the changes facebook made the other week, I think most people dread change of any kind.   Why is this?

When the only constant we have in life is change, why do most people dread it so?  What do they fear?  Is it the unknown or just knowing they will have to move out of their comfort zone for a little while?

Jane Knaub

I have two friends who seem to have found a way to not only deal with change but embrace change.  My friend Jane Knaub, used to live in York, PA with her husband and grandson.  She had always dreamed of a beach home.  A year ago they purchased their dream in the Mytle Beach area for their summer pleasure.  Less than a year later, Jane moved her family to Myrtle Beach, quit her teaching job in PA and secured a job in South Carolina.  Talk about lots of changes…..Jane seems to have handled them all with grace and a smile.  Jane has been recording the changes in her life in a blog, MyLife in M.B. 



Brenda Huston Fortna



My friend Brenda Huston Fortna, also seems to enjoy change.  She recently decided to sell her home in Allentown that she had lived in for 10 years and downsize into a rented cottage.  She decided to make the move on sight when she first visited the cottage. She made the decision and moved in a matter of weeks. Brenda also owns another home in Cooks, PA. which is her get-away retreat for weekends and whenever she can throw a few things in a bag and steal away from her real estate business.   Her youngest son also started college this fall.  She loves to travel and seems to relish change and just go with the flow.  She records her travels on her blog, People, Places and Books.

I admire both of these women for their adaptability to whatever their surroundings might be and their willingness to put themselves out there and take some risks and have their own little adventures.   They view change as a positive experience and make the most of any situation.

So many people live a so-so life because they don’t want to rock the boat.  They don’t want to step out of the routine.  They fear even changing their cereal brand.  A friend of mine told me she has been eating the same cereal for breakfast every single day since she was 13.  No special occasions when she eats something else, no variety, just the same bowl of cereal every day.   While to many this may seem quite normal, to me I thought, “What a boring life.”  I guess it is great we are all different.

Please leave me a comment and tell me which type of person you are.    Are you someone who thrives on change or someone who would do anything to avoid change?   Either way, how do you deal with change when it happens?

Facebook Happenings

Today, Facebook is scheduled to begin the public release of Timeline.  Which will feature user's individual posts, photos and information to create a personal "timeline."  It may take a couple weeks for this to be rolled out to everyone.  Like with all Facebook changes, you should check your security and privacy settings after each change in case they are automatically set to public.

So how about you....do you have the timeline yet?  If so, do you like it?  If not, are you looking forward to getting the facebook timeline?