Beautiful garden

My daughter was at this park today and shared this photo with me. Thank you Allyson.  Enjoy everyone!

I’m Making Homemade Buiscuits!

I found a receipe in the issue for southern living magazine that reminded me of my mothers receipe. I am making the biscuits for breakfast this morning. Pictures to follow.

A Brand New Start

“Today is the first day of the rest of your life”

That was a very popular quote in the past that still rings true today. Do not allow let downs, lay offs, down sizing, or shutdowns by Corporations stop you from living the life of your dreams.

There are people who can share with you how they are thriving in this economy! Have you ever felt like you were in a “poverty prison”? Well guess what, you are not. You are free! All that is needed for you to be a thriving person as well is the knowledge that there are industries who are waiting to partner with you and help you, Today!

It is no secret. Tonight millions of people worldwide will tune into a NBA finals game and be exposed to one of these companies. How you may ask? Well this particular company bought the naming rights to the stadium that the game is being played in. Yes, they purchased the naming rights! So this could be called a clue of what industry is thriving in today’s economy.

One more point this industry is driven by ordinary, everyday people like you and me. I would love to introduce you to this industry, today. Just reply below.

Memorial Day Tribute

23 Musical Video tributes to share with family, friends and followers this Memorial Day Weekend.
Thanks to all of the millions of service men and women who serve to keep us free. To the families of the fallen, your loved one is appreciated beyond measure. God bless our troops!

Until Then

Please Remember Me – British…We are not in this alone

10,000 miles away

Last Goodbye: US Soldiers from Iraq War Soundtrack by Moby

Because of You – Military Tribute Soundtrack by Kelly Clarkson

How to Save a Life – Military Tribute Soundtrack by The Fray

Coming Home – Tribute & Memoriam Music by John Legend
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DIyDOaQ-dI Angel By My Side

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nJAz6qQ9sE Fallen Soldier

We Will Remember. Memorial Day Tribute. Written and performed by Jeanie JaeCie Cunningham

A Tribute to Our Soldiers by Casting Crowns

This is Just a Dream Tribute to Our Soldiers from Carrie Underwood

Willing by Brian McRae

Ultimate Sacrifice by Soldiers Soundtrack by Moby

Tribute to the Troops from a Soldier’s Wife with Nickleback Soundtrack

“If I Die Before You Wake” Tribute to Armed Forces by Dustin Evans

When I’m Gone by 3 Doors Down

Son of a Soldier Composed by Brian Hollett

Who Am I (Tears of War) by Casting Crowns

I’m Going Home

American Soldiers…You’ll Never Walk Alone, Poem

Memorial Day Tribute, In a Mother;s Eyes, Poem

Military Tribute. “When you Come Back to Me Again” by Garth Brooks

My “Plan B”

As I made coffee this morning I glanced at the monitor and saw this article on http://usatoday.com

Direct sales (like Avon, Mary Kay) offer recession-proof jobs http://tinyurl.com/od9h3e

I joined the ranks of direct sales a few years ago and have found a great company just like the people featured in this article.

It works if you work it!

And I am relieved that it does work, coming off the events of last week and my letter that I am no longer needed at my job.

Do you have a plan B?

Expect the Unexpected

It was a typical day at work for me, Thursday May 7, 2009.

I punched the time clock at my typical time 8:30 am.

Went about my typical work day, delivering the mail to P O Box customers when I came across a letter addressed to me at my P O Box address from my employer.

So this typical day became atypical. You see I had just delivered to myself my termination notice. I went numb for 2 days and am just now able to write about the experience.

I am still in shock! I read the letter. I reread the letter. I read it again, and again, and again. All I can say is “Is this for real?”

I have worked for the postal service for 23 years. August 2, will be 24 years. Now I am a statistic. I am one of the millions of Americans being affected by this upheaval in our economy. And it feels bad.

Thursday at work I shared my horrific news with a few co-workers. You see they were yet to get the news of their phlight. Since their mail was delivered to their home (vs mine to my P O Box), we had the entire day to await their outcome.

On Wednesday, there was a memo sent to our Manager that over 343 positions were being cut in the Dallas district. This announcemento comes on the heels of previous announcements make earlier about the industry I work in Now I had concrete proof that I was one of them.

I am so glad I had a plan B

to be continued…

Twitter: how I got started.

I must admit, I am fascinated with Twitter. Twitter has become my virtual homepage. Not really, but it feels that way.
I all started during the Christmas holidays of 2008. Most of my blog readers know that I work full time for the U. S. Postal Service, and part time as a home based entrepreneur. So this this last holiday season was unlike no other due to the cutbacks at the Postal Service. Where they always hired seasonal help in the past, that was not the case in 2008. We were extremely busy working 10 to 12 hour days, so I just came home, ate dinner, showered, and unapologetic-ally went to bed to rest my body. It turns out that while in bed I was too tense to sleep so I used my Blackberry to access Twitter.
I found the most fascinating conversations occurring and was instantly hooked. Twitter became my bedtime story book. And the characters a never ending rainbow. My husband was amazed to find me with a Blackberry in my face all the time. When he would ask “What are you doing” (which is the same question Twitter asks)? I would reply “Twittering”. His next question: what is that? Well, I did not even have to answer his question, because he is a avid “CNN” viewer, and all of a sudden my favorite (former) CNN anchor/host Miles O’Brien, came on the TV screen and said “follow me on Twitter”. Wow, instant credibility. So each morning I would wake up, grab my Blackberry, and see what Miles had tweeted as I started my work day.
Twitter became a great resource for me during the holidays. Now I take a “twitter break” instead as a “coffee break”. Twitter is like a global “water cooler” for working professionals.
This was the beginning of my Twitter experience.
How did you first get started on Twitter? Feel free to leave your comments below.

Randy Pausch… more using your time wisely

Here is the incredible “Last Lecture” from Randy Pausch a PHD from Carnegie-Mellon. Randy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had only months to live. The professors at Carnegie-Mellon have a tradition of giving a “Last Lecture” to their students. Something to think about from this courageous man are.

Tribes

“Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.” Jane Howard

I love this quote. Have you read the book “Tribes” by Squidoo.com founder Seth Godin? I highly recommend this book. I first heard about Squidoo when I saw a interview of Seth on the Today Show. Seth Godin is a author of numerous business books and a popular speaker with appearances at Google, TED and everywhere in the world. Seth Godin popularized the topic of permission marketing. He is a pioneer, a heretic, and a leader.

When I saw the above quote I instantly thought of Seth. In his book he speaks to the leader of the tribe as he educates the reader on how to build, maintain, and lead. You can learn from Seth on his blog

Yes whatever you call it, you need one.

Today I am adding the word team to the list. If you want to reach your goals a team is essential.

Retweets

Some days I get carried away on Twitter. I guess you could say I have “Twitter guilt”, I know I should be doing more productive work during my limited computer time but, here I am tweeting. So, as proof (to myself) that I worked today I am posting my favorite tweets by my friends on Twitter.
@RicRaftis How to create stunning ebook, cd & DVD covers in Photoshop http://bit.ly/kmL9

@stevepavlina If you start conversations with people by complaining about stuff you don’t like about your life, you are marketing yourself as a whiner.about 8 hours ago from web

@TweetTex Today’s Mama- Twitter for Moms – TECH.BLORGE.com http://bit.ly/XSR8N12:34 AM Mar 29th from twitterfeed