Filed under: Happy News | Tags: Fairness Doctrine, Good News, Happy, Happy News
Just saw this article that talks about a new law that’s working its way through the legislation in Romania. It requires all TV Newscasts to balance out their dark and negative news with positive and happy news.
Is this different “fairness doctrine” something that would help here in the USA?
I know I get frustrated, tired, and discouraged from watching the news. Most of the time the local news focuses on all the robberies, murders (if there are any to discuss – either current or past), trials, and suspect-activity by governmental or business entities.
The only difficulty would be in forcing them to present news that was happy for everyone. Our mainstream media has done such a good job of indoctrinating us in divisiveness, that what’s good news for one group would undoubtedly be bad news for another. So, much like the old “fairness doctrine” (that some are wanting to be reinstated), we’d wind up with either more division or stations that followed the letter of the law without so much as a tip of the hat to the spirit of the law. In other words, they’d present the happy news, but in such a negative light that it would bring no peace, joy, or relief to anyone… kind of like singing “Happy Birthday” in the style and to the tune of a dirge, depressing all those who hear it – especially the person who’s now 1 more year older.
On the other hand, despite the bad actors, maybe it would be worth a try. I’d sure like to get some regular happy news! Wouldn’t you?
Filed under: victory journal | Tags: marketing, mortgage, success, victory, victory journal
Another small victory! I received 2 more calls on the sign I left for Lori’s listed home with which I helped her put on an Open House last Saturday. That’s two more people that were curious enough about the sale of the home to call and listen most of the way through my free recording to learn a bit about the home, about mortgage options, and to get contact information for Lori or both Lori and me. Still no messages left or phone calls. But people making the effort to listen and then self-filter is a good thing. (The goal is to find qualified Buyers without having to waste a lot of time, effort, and gas money working with people who have no chance of (or interest in) affording the home. And the free recording seems to be working GREAT!)
I’m looking forward to see what tomorrow holds in store. For now, I’m going to spend some time with my wife.
I also finished listening through a training CD on Synergistic Marketing. Most of it was old stuff, or just teasers. (One teaser: “You really should have an outgoing voicemail message that’s different from what everyone else has.” But the trainer never bothered to say how to effectively make it different in a way that’s going to be an improvement rather than just different.) But I did get a couple of unique ideas from it, so it was worth the time to listen.
One of those ideas, which at first just seemed nuts, is to talk with clients who are getting refinanced about who their Realtor was that sold them the house. Then call that Realtor to a) let them know you’re working with their former Client – and got the Client to remember the Realtor and b( let the Realtor know what’s happening with current home appraised values in that neighborhood. Realtors rely on people keeping them in front-of-mind position and they also should value accurate, current information about current home values in their respective neighborhoods.
I was just doing a little alert-review (I’ve set up some Google-Alerts to try to keep abreast of current stuff in my areas of interest) and saw a heading for someone’s blog that was “(a particular neighborhood) United For Change.”
What a cool thought – they want to collect a bunch of Change. I just wonder… are they more interested in dollars, quarters, dimes, nickles, or cents (we don’t really have pennies… despite what most people say… just look at the coins.)
Oh, that’s right, they don’t really care about uniting for Change, at least, not that kind of change. They really just want to replace George Bush, because they’ve been so fixated on hating him for the past 7 1/2 years that they can’t see any of the good things he has done, but instead blame him for virtually every single thing that has negatively impacted anyone anywhere in the world. So without paying any attention to hear any (much less demanding) policy proposals for change or looking at the record of accomplishments (or more appropriately – lack thereof), they’ll hold meetings to get hyped up about uniting for the meaningless concept of undefined “change.” They’re not so much trying to get people excited about voting FOR something as voting AGAINST something… and in favor of “anything but…”
I suggest the time would be better spent collecting all their nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollars, to give their change to those who really need it: people who are working yet still facing an income-crisis.
Filed under: victory journal | Tags: anniversary, celebration, encouragement, mortgage, success, victory, victory journal, work
Just got back from “celebrating” our 19th wedding anniversary. It hardly seems like it could have been that long!
We went out for dinner and a movie. Dinner at Hong Kong Buffet. And the movie was Iron Man.
Today’s victories included spending some time after this morning’s Networking meeting encouraging a UCF student who’s working on an internship and worried about the job market and what Dad has to say about the company’s policy of having interns prove themselves without pay. (I reminded her that the way the marketplace normally works is: Do the work, then you’ll get paid. Do GOOD work, and then you might get a promotion. it’s NOT get them to pay you and then you work. Nor get them to give you a promotion, then you’ll do better (or more) work. Even Dad, who owns his own corporation, doesn’t treat his employees that way. They have to prove themselves first. Unfortunately, some companies abuse their employees, and may never give a raise or a promotion. But those are the companies that typically lose all the good workers – due to lack of rewards.)
Secondly, I met with someone from my exclusive referral group. I was hoping to get him started on a loan. But it turned out he just wanted to understand how the loan I was proposing would enable him to save money and pay off his home faster. He left saying he was going to talk it over with his wife. But at least I got an appointment. He showed for the appointment. And I was able to bless him with good (useful) information.
Not too bad, even if I do say so myself!
And Happy Anniversary, Joule!
Filed under: victory journal | Tags: blessings, counting blessings, success, victory, victory journal
A while back one of my coaches suggested I start a “Victory Journal” – that is, a record of victories both large and small, with the goal of being an encouragement and to help get me out, and keep me out of my depressed state of mind.
I love that thought. In part, because it reminds me of a fun chorus to the hymn (yes, hymns can be fun!): “Count Your Blessings”
Count your blessings Name them one by one.
Count your blessings See what God has done.
Count your blessings Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings See what God has done.
The rest of the hymn isn’t bad, just not as memorable.
Anyway, I thought I’d try Journaling my victories here.
So….
Today, I followed through with sending along some important information to one of my business associates: Contact information for a couple of potential clients (people who’d called my free message hotline but hadn’t listened all the way through to the end of their message.) And also a link to another one of my websites… one where I sell gift-albums that are GREAT as incentives for staff, or rewards for clients, or just great gifts for family, friends, neighbors for virtually any special occasion, or “just because.”
I also finished my blog entry on Basics of Weight Loss that I’ve been meaning to get to for several days.
And finally, I spent some time reading and finishing evaluations from a book I’ve been loaned: The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance. (I’ll have to blog a bit about that later… it’s really good and helpful so far.)
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Awaiting Your Reply, faith, music, Resurrection Band, thunder
I saw this post that included a couple of videos and the comment that the song was thundering in her head. It reminded me of when I’d just gotten out of high school, “run away” (with my parents consent) to the furthest place I could go where there was family who were willing to take me in (all the way across the country), and was listening to the radio late into the night. At the time, my idea of Christian “hard rock” was the 2nd Chapter of Acts singing “The Devil’s Lost Again.”
Suddenly, a song came on the radio that blew my mind. For several days it just thundered in my head – non-stop. Here it is (nothing really to watch, just listen):
It’s weird. An hour or two ago I (finally!) finished sending out about 100 emails to friends, family, and a few acquaintances I’d been keeping in touch with – until about 4 months ago when we ran out of money to mail letters.
I’d already gotten back a few very nice, encouraging, and positive responses. So I should be feeling up. Right?
Well, it just ain’t so.
I’ve been feeling very lonely. And on-my-own.
My wife has been here all day. But because I shared a struggle with her with her (yes, I meant to say that! Just re-read it if you don’t get it), she’s been avoiding me and feeling all hurt. So we went out for a walk around the block to get some exercise and get the mail. We talked a bit while we were walking, but I could tell anything I’d say would just cause more pain for her. So I shut up.
We had dinner. Mostly in silence.
She said she’s been trying to show me… I don’t remember what… Love? Compassion? Caring? Interest?… whatever it was, it certainly wasn’t the message I was getting. I was getting the message that she was hurt and avoiding me. So I felt shunned.
It sucks to be alone. Especially when you’re with someone and feeling alone.
I think Larry Norman expressed some of the emptiness in his song “Lonely By Myself”:
if i could find someone who really cared for me
someone to share my love and keep me company
if could find someone i’d let them take control
and in exchange for love i’d give my very soul
it’s such a lonely life
i almost cry each night
cause faith has put me on the shelf
i get so lonely, so lonely by my self
if i could find someone who’d really love me right
they’d make my life complete they’d make my soul shine bright
i’ve looked around the world i’ve walked down every street
still i can’t find no one to give me what i need
it’s such a lonely life
i almost cry each night
cause faith has put me, faith has put me on the shelf
i get so lonely so lonely by my self
i get so lonely, so lonely, so lonely by my self
who can i turn to
is there anybody there
doesn’t anybody care
oooohhh doesn’t anybody listen
doesn’t anybody care
(Wouldn’t you know it. I tried to get that all to be centered, but the preview changes it all after the first paragraph.)
But for me it’s a little different. More like being alone in a crowd. Or alone on a stage in front of a crowd. They’re all watching, and cheering you on, but none of them are really reaching out to touch you personally, just grabbing for a piece of you – if they’re reaching out at all – and they really only know your persona or stage caricature, not the real you.
It doesn’t help that we’re essentially broke.
We don’t have enough money to pay all our bills AND the mortgage this month. It’s only due to a series of quiet miracles that we’ve made it this far without missing a payment. And in the mail today came a notice that our 3 years on pest control is up, so now we have to come up with another (almost) $30 each month to pay for that.
and the fridge is almost bare
and the pantry’s getting there
at dinner I was asked if I wanted more chicken
I said no.
what I didn’t say was that I wanted to have enough money to be able to go out to eat
it wouldn’t have to be fancy, I’d just like the freedom to do that.
for now we have gas in the car & truck
but if I don’t hear back soon from the school on the piano loan agreement
we’ll be out of luck
we need to sell the house
but we can’t put it on the market until it’s staged
and we can’t stage it until the piano’s out of the living room
(it takes up more than half the space, making the room seem downright tiny)
and we can’t get the piano out until we know where it’s going
and the best shot we have of having a place for it is to loan it to the school
but the school is dragging it through their bureaucracy to get consensus
all the while my sense is
they’re looking a gift horse in the mouth.
they want nice pianos, but they can’t decide where to put one
they fought over how much to insure it for – both how much value
and against what problems
and they discussed at length the ability of their buildings to withstand their normal, common natural disasters, and whether they would get insurance to cover that kind of damage
all the while, ignoring my suggestion of the one insurance company that specializes in musical instruments, and covers them (rather cheaply) for everything except:
-
Normal wear & tear
-
Vermin
-
War
-
Nuclear War
(They’ve even recently added a clause to cover the instruments against Terrorist Attack!)
Finally… the VP who’s in charge of Finance stepped in and said forget all the discussion, the school will pay the freaking small amount to just get the instrument insured properly.
So NOW they need to go into lengthy discussions about my loan agreement.
Let’s see, what’s there to discuss?
I’ve proposed:
- I make all the moving arrangements, and pay for moving it there, covering it with insurance the whole way.
- I leave it with them for 5 years.
- They need to insure it properly while it’s there.
- They must take reasonable care of it (making sure, to the best of their ability, that only piano students and/or pianists play it; those playing it won’t be putting their mugs and/or glasses with liquid in them on it; it’s protected from damage from the elements and any construction/renovation they might do.)
- They must tune it at least once a year (they normally tune all their pianos twice a year)
- They must have any moves around the campus handled by professionals so it’s not damaged and those moving it are not hurt, or if they are – they’ve got their own insurance.
- If they want me to take it back early, they’ll pay for the final move.
I think that’s pretty reasonable. And they’ve already had the agreement for a week. But they need to look it over longer.
It seems like in the worst way, that old cutesy line applies:
“If it is to be, it’s up to me.”
We need more money – it’s up to me to earn it.
We need the piano out – it’s up to me to make all the arrangements and get everyone to agree.
We need to get the house staged – it’s up to me to figure out what to sell, how much to sell it all for, what to give away, where to give it, and how to get it there, what to fix, how to fix it, and provide the labor and know-how (even if I’ve never done it before) to do the fixing.
And the list goes on and on and on. Blech!!!
This pit is getting deep. I’ll stop digging now.
Maybe some sleep will help a little.
After all, I have to be at the theater by 6am to help set up.
Filed under: Health and Fitness | Tags: exercise, fitness, health, HealthPointe, nutrition, South Beach Diet, SouthBeach Diet, sports, supplementation, weight loss
From time to time I hope to write a bit about health and/or fitness issues.
Having been diagnosed with NASH at one time, and subsequently beating it by losing weight, I know a thing or two about weight loss. (Certainly not everything – but enough to have beat that disease and surprise my Gastroenterologist. He was asking me about what I did to get my weight and liver back in shape so quickly and perfectly. And declared my program to be the “perfect” thing – just what they had been talking about a few months previously in some big gathering of Gastroenterologists. It was, according to him, better than the best they’d come up with – which had been the SouthBeach Diet.)
I’ve also studied supplementation, and firmly believe in the value of it… mostly from my own experience, but also backed up by my research.
And I also have interests in bicycling, swimming, hiking, cross-country skiing, and playing basketball and golf. Although in recent years I’ve had neither the time nor the finances to regularly do any of those things. And, particularly with golf, I’m far from being good, much less an expert.
