Day 22 Writing Goals

Day 22: Blog writing = 0 words. Book writing = 0 words. 
#my500words challenge with @JeffGoins #2014Goals

personality test: What Kind of Drink Are You?

Do you like Personality Tests?  
I do.  Everyone I take, I learn something more about myself.  Are all of them accurate 100%?  No.  Does what you are facing in life affect them?  Of course.  If you want to do this one, you can do so here.

My Results:

You are a Fine Glass of Wine. 
You are sophisticated and refined, but also complicated and hard to deal with. Not everyone loves you, but those who do swear that you're the coolest thing since sliced bread. One of these days the people that matter will understand you. Until then, you will be sitting on your throne as the distinguished product that not everyone has the taste to appreciate.

Day 21 Writing Goals

Day 21: Blog writing = 0 words. Book writing = 0 words. 
#my500words challenge with @JeffGoins #2014Goals

reasons why interviewing is a beating

One of the duties I do for my clients that have hired me as a Practice Administrator or Medical Practice Consultant is to screen the applicants resumes that are submitted and for those qualified do phone interviews.

I can't say that I overly enjoy the process because dealing with a people who say they want a job, desperately, say they are personable, want to learn, are kind and efficient, etc.  

The process is exhausting.

• Do you know how many people answer when I call them?  1 in 100.
• Do you know how many have a voicemail that has not yet been set up?  Nearly all of them.  If they have one, it is a generic message, "the wireless customer you are calling is not available at this time, please leave a message."
• Do you know how many of them return my voicemails?  1/3 of them, if it is a good week.
• Do you know how many of them expect a high salary without having the skills for one? 99% of them.
• Do you know how many of them always tell me on the phone that they can work the schedule that includes weekends and evenings?  100% {if they don't, they don't even get considered...and if they hesitate, they get ditched}

I review their qualifications, job expectations, and set up those who meet the bare minimum of requirements in at least 3 categories an onsite working interview.  I send them email confirmation of the date & time of the interview, the names of who they will be interviewing with, the address of the location, let them know to look the address up before coming as online maps may or may not be accurate, and provide them my contact number if anything comes up and they can't make the interview.

• Do you know how many of them no show their interview?  90%.
• Do you know how many of them that no show actually call to let me know they won't be coming?  0%
• Do you know how many of them when offered a job actually start the first day?  50%
• Do you know how many of them call to tell you that they have changed their mind on the position?  0%
• Do you know how many will quit the first day?  25%
• Do you know how many will quit within 3 months?  75%

This is why I say it is exhausting.

• Does that change what I look for in an applicant?  No.
• Does it make my job easy? No.
• Does this mean I should screen harder than I do?  Maybe.  Though everyone says I am pretty tough, some days, I wonder.

Day 20 Writing Goals

Day 20: Blog writing = 451 words. Book writing = 481 words {grand total to book 18,960}. 
#my500words challenge with @JeffGoins #2014Goals

Quotes

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. 
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Quotes

some things show up just when you need them most...

Quotes

Yes I am turning into a Jesus freak. He is indestructible. 
-Jase Robertson, Duck Dynasty

Day 19 Writing Goals

Day 19: Blog writing = 659 words. Book writing = 0 words. 
#my500words challenge with @JeffGoins #2014Goals

mistake cost 3 hours

Ever make one of those mistakes that cost you a lot?  I made one like that last Thursday night.  I was working late at a clients office, against my 2014 Goals, against everything I told my client, against my wishes, against my body screaming out for my bed, against everything, I worked until I heard the rest of the team leaving the office at 10pmCST and then realized that I was upstairs and they might not know that I was here and they would be setting the alarm on me.  Ugh.  That can't happen. Since I am not an employee, I don't have a code.  The last thing I need is the alarm going off. I rapidly made work to gather my things and head right behind then.  I got home at 11.30pmCST grabbing some Arby's right before getting home.  I knew I needed to eat, even if it wasn't food on my diet and I really just wanted to crawl in bed.  

I woke up two hours later.  No more sleep to happen.  I had pushed past that internal body clock telling me when to go to bed.  When that happens, I pay the consequences, my adrenal fatigue will hit me with pay back that brings you to tears.  

As I lay there beating myself up, I jerked.  No.  Don't tell me.  I left the files on my desk!  No God, No!!!  I jumped up, I dug through the stuff I had left in my car and not taken the time to unload.  Nope.  It wasn't there.  Dug through my leather messenger bag to see if had the files. Nope.  Not there either.  

At this point, I was even more stressed out and frustrated with myself then I had been with working late.  This was a big mistake to make!!!  I didn't have the allotted time in my schedule it was going to take to retrieve the files, its a 75-90 minute drive one way to this clients office.  The files left were ones that were supposed to be worked on this weekend to finish a project and return it when I went back for onsite this next week.  The reason it was so critical is that I am only scheduled to be working one day this next week, instead of two like normal, due to heading out of town to my conference out of state.

I tell myself there is nothing I can do now. I will have to deal with the cost this was to me of 3 hours lost.

You see I have a conference to attend this week (Thursday - Saturday).  Being gone for a few days with the number of deadlines stacked up against January 31st, particularly W2s and 1099s and a project for a local church whose accounting is anything but orderly, is not the best timing for me.  However, I have been working steadily at trying to complete the tasks in bite size junks and plan some dinner dates with friends so that I get a bit of down time.  However, I knew that if I didn't work today, I would be stressed returning from my conference and that would make the days up until the January 31st Deadline really hard.

So, today, I decided it was best to not take a day off and head back to my clients office and do the work I would have brought home with me.  Therefore I opted to get up at a decent hour today, deal with the mistake I made and the cost of time, gas and working on a Sunday for my mistake and bite the bullet and get the work done.  I arrived at 10.30am and worked until 4.30pm.

In reflecting, God still loves me though I made a mistake that cost me 3 hours.  If God can give me grace, I need to give myself grace.

Awwwhhhhh, lessons sometimes are hard.  But if learned, they are worth the pain.

Day 18 Writing Goals

Day 18: Blog writing = 529 words. Book writing = 0 words. 
#my500words challenge with @JeffGoins #2014Goals

How do you learn to say: No {?}

How do you learn to say No?  

For you, this might be easy. 

For me. Not so much.  

Oh yah...
I can say NO to spending money when its not in the budget.  
I can say NO to buying something I don't need when its just a want. {Doesn't mean I want to, but I do know how to do this and can carry it out.}
I can say NO to eating more food when one serving was enough.  Even when I want more.  I can say NO because I don't want to gain more pounds.
I can say NO to getting up early when I want to sleep in.  
I can say NO to a dinner date when I am out of town and realistically can't do it.
I can say NO to something when I am already booked, literally booked, with something else and there is on way to rearrange something and make it work.
I can say NO to eating sugar or wheat because I know how it makes me feel.
I can say NO when I see the end in sight.
I can say NO when I want to being ugly when I want to when I think about how it will hurt someones feelings with what I want to say.
I can say NO I don't want to be sick, but that doesn't mean I won't be anyways.
I can say NO you didn't ask permission.
I can say NO you are incorrect, here is the proof with the documentation to support the case.
I can say NO to many things...but

You might not understand but there are some things I have a hard time saying no to.  Some things that you would think by now I have mastered the ability to say NO to.

I cannot seem to say NO to work, even if it is not paying work.  
I cannot seem to tell clients or friends NO.
I cannot seem to say NO to things that don't let me stop long enough to tare of me.
I cannot seem to say NO when I am tired, utterly exhausted and ready for bed.  
I cannot say NO when I feel obligated to do something that I feel someone requires or expects of me.
I cannot say NO when I know you need the help.
I cannot seem to learn the balance of saying YES and NO.

I ask, because I want to learn.  I ask, because I want to be different.  I ask, because I need help...how do you learn to say NO???  How do you work at doing this when you know you have a problem with doing so?  How do you achieve a balance at saying YES and NO?  How do you say NO when not enough people say YES?  How do you say NO when you heart longs to say NO?  How do you say NO when you need to say NO because its best for you and not feel like you are being selfish?  How do you say NO when you know it will hurt someones feelings?  How do you simplify the thought process behind learning to say NO?

Quotes

I believe the Universe is designed to force us to heal our childhood wounds, because our childhood wounds and our childhood victim story keep us asleep. And so everything in our life is calculated to drive us to situations that re-trigger the childhood wounds until we finally get to this place where we just have to let go of it. We have to shift it. And in that, we wake up to the truth of who we are. I believe that we are attracted to relationships that will cause us to do that. 
- Tony Litster

Day 17 Writing Goals

Day 17: Blog writing = 324 words. Book writing = 224 words {grand total of book 18,479}. 
#my500words challenge with @JeffGoins #2014Goals

learning to grin and bear it

What does it mean to grin and bear it?  

I was told as a child many times, "Just grin and bear it."

The context was always either implied or with the following previous statements made:

• "Someone else has it worse then you, just get over it."
• "Life was never meant to be fair, just deal with it."
• "Quit being a big baby, just grin and bear it."
• "You are complaining and you know better than to do that, just grin and bear it."

As I continue to work through things I was told and have learned in life, I have wondered what would be a good way to think about "just grin and bear it" instead of the negativity those above comments reflect.

I think grin and bear it means:

Your situation may not be something you can change.  It may not be something that is the way you like it.  It may not be circumstances you asked for.  It may not be a plan you had in mind. It may be making your life nearly unbearable.  It may be creating havoc on your schedule, your body, your health, your finances, your outlook on life.  It may be devastating.  

But in the midst of this you can smile.  You can take it.  You can ask God for more grace.  You can be patient.  You can consider the times you have had that have been good.  You can remember that this too shall pass.  You can review and change what is within your power to change, even if it only makes a difference of 1%, it is a difference that will count and will add up.  You can not complain because nobody wants to hear it and nobody cares what your problems are, their own are enough.  You can find something, maybe something small, but something to be thankful for.  

This I consider a reasonable way to grin and bear it.

{miss june}

remember the sweater I got done and mailed off this last week?  

here it is being modeled by the princess herself...yes with one sleeve rolled up and one sleeve rolled down!!! adorable little sweet pea.

Awwwhhhhh! The sweater looks so cute on little sweet pea, Miss June.

Day 16 Writing Goals

Day 16: Blog writing = 505 words. Book writing = 0 words. 
#my500words challenge with @JeffGoins #2014Goals

why I no longer follow you on Facebook

I love Facebook!!!!!!!

Some days I think maybe I am addicted to it, just slightly addicted to it.  My love for it is pretty strong. 

I check it when I am stopped at a red light.  I check it when I am waiting on hold to speak with someone.  I check it when I get up and onto my laptop to wish my friends who have birthdays that day a great birthday.  I follow a few friends closely and have my settings to be alerted to get notifications when they post something.  I check out my friends walls frequently to see what is going on in their world.  

I see pictures of friends children that I would never see if Facebook didn't exist.  I get information about great articles, sales, events, and more by friends.  I see motivational quotes, a verse of the day, a bible study, a book, a #my500words challenge, and more. 

I see ways to brighten someone's day.  I see ways to encourage.  I see ways to support.  I see ways to help.  I see groups to participate in, fundraisers to support, charity donations needed, jobs to be had, and more.  

Facebook is a tool I love.

But there are days Facebook creates havoc in my soul.  I hate Facebook for the following:

I hate people who never like a post.

I hate people who never interact on a public forum for fear of "writing something on the internet".

I hate people who never comment.

I hate people who are snoopers.

I hate people who don't engage in a relationship.

I hate people who only share food recipes and everything else everybody else is sharing.

I hate people who can't create their own content.  

I hate people who are continually negative.  Yes, we all have bad days and we all have times of posting something negative, but if that is all you post, I don't want to see it.

I hate people who will only send private messages and not ever communicate on your wall or your post.

Yah, these people don't need Facebook.  They don't get it is a relationship.  They don't get that communication goes two ways.  They don't get that to get you must give.   They don't get the basics.  

Facebook continually makes changes to their settings and the layout.  As of the first week of December 2013, you no longer can follow friends post by all posts, most posts, only important posts or not at all.  You can follow or unfollow.

So I am making changes to my Facebook News Feed for 2014.  

If you only post junk, I will  not follow you.  You will be unfollowed.

If you do not like or comment or engage with me and never post, you will be unfollowed.

I have Facebook to interact with you.  Period.  Join in or you won't be in my inner circle.  Pretty simple.  I choose positive attitude.  I choose people who want to be in my life.  I choose this over junk.

Facebook overhaul in process.

Day 15 Writing Goals

Day 15: Blog writing = 500 words. Book writing = 0 words. 
#my500words challenge with @JeffGoins #2014Goals

blogging followers that comment

Dear Blogging Followers that Comment,

I wanted to write you a letter to let you know the fact that when I get an email that says I have a comment that needs to be approved, just how much I anticipate reading that comment to see what someone had to say about what I wrote. 

You don't know that it is nice to know the fact that what I write is encouraging you to comment and share your thoughts, how this makes me smile.  

You don't know, but sometimes I question how my writing is received and if my thoughts conveyed were understood.  

You don't know, but I doubt my writing is good enough.  

You don't know that I wonder if my writing bores you or if it inspires you.

You don't know that sometimes I feel I am writing to myself.

You don't know that even if I am writing to just me, I will still write.

You don't know that I wonder if my blog posts have encouraged you to start a blog or a journal, maybe simply write an email to a friend or send a note through the mail.

You don't know that I wonder if my blog posts have sparked conversation with your husband, your sister, your children, your girlfriends, your bible study group, your journal.

You don't know that I wonder if there is something I could write more than I have to share more of my life, which is why I feel I need to write a book to share my story.

You don't know that writing has helped me move past some issues in my personal life.

You don't know that I never dreamed I would love writing.

You don't know how becoming an author actually truly does scare me.

You don't know the amount of criticism I have received for what I write about, for having a blog, for posting things online, and for the disapproval that has been expressed and I have received for years over all this with my blog.

You don't know how much this 31 Day Challenge to write 500 words a day has truly inspired me in my blog writing and book writing.

You don't know what lessons I have learned from learning to write 500 words daily.

You don't know what benefits writing has until you do it.

You don't know that words can actually help heal a hurt until you write them, speak them or see them.  

You don't know that I have no expectations out of anyone to follow or not follow my blog.  I don't write to create a following, I write to encourage you.

You don't know this, but you bless me.  Particularly the blogging follower and commentor logged as Lana M. because you have commented the most and since we live states apart, this gives me a feeling of connection with you.

Or maybe you did know these things.   Either way, you know now.

May I encourage you?  Go write.  Today.

another set of baby booties

This is my first time to make this pattern of booties.  

I had helped a friend a month or so ago with the "recipe" as she calls it and thought they turned out cute, and so I made a set for a friend that had a baby the first week of November 2013.  

I just crocheted the ties instead of using ribbon or leaving it plain.  I think it turned out cute, if I say so myself!

Cream Baby Booties
for April Meekers little baby girl