emtnester

#The6QuestionsProject

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 17:07:00 +0000

A FB friend asked the question, “Wonder why?”, as it relates to the recent uptick in gun violence in the US.....a hard one to answer in a reply comment!

My answer: It’s because we haven’t tackled #The6QuestionsProject! (I love that so many are fed up after this last episode of senseless violence; over the centuries and even decades, we are becoming so much less tolerant of violence...and that gives me hope for the future!)

To tackle #The6QuestionsProject, everyone is going to have work together...put down our shields and our divisive behavior. It’s going to be messy and no one is going to like it all. Look, we are the 2nd largest democracy and in the top 10 wealthiest nations in the world, which complicates and exasperates the project. But I believe, in the end, we will do the right thing and be happier for it. All 6 questions must be answered throughly and comprehensively, too.

Here goes....#The6QuestionsProject:
1) WHY do the (primarily boys/men, aged 15-40 or so) want to hurt others?

2) HOW do we keep the TOOLS (guns, knives, bombs, chemicals) out of the hands of the people who want to hurt others?

3) WHAT are the best methods (social control technologies)to identify who wants to hurt others?

4) HOW QUICKLY can we put in place the policies, and the community- and faith-based on-going programs, to address questions #2 and #3?

5) WHAT is America’s END GOAL, in terms of humanitarian and economic benefits, for an improved and less violent lifestyle?

6) DO WE CARE ENOUGH, to put aside our differences in policy and beliefs to create a comprehensive program that we have designed together as one great nation?

I hope we are ready....I pray we are ready.....ARE YOU? Then SHARE this project and get involved now!!

In a Perfect World........# 1

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 13:28:00 +0000

Could the thoughts of a 60-year old woman actually help out the troubled areas in today’s society? Maybe. Why not? With age, comes wisdom. And sometimes a clarity that seems blocked to so many others. So, here goes with the first topic that kept me up last night. I don’t pretend to know all the facts to each complex issue, nor will I have the perfect answers. The approach is to pose a “what if” scenario and allow each person to stop and think about the “what if”. I hope no one has the perfect answer right away, (probably the same thought they had before they read this or any other post), and feel compelled to share their perfect answer in the comment section. Or to cut down others who share their opinions. We don’t need any more rants and finger-pointing and curse words shoved in our faces, do we?!

Problem # 1:

NFL players are taking a knee during the National Anthem to protest a topic that is near and dear to their hearts: Police brutality, especially to the African-Americans/black members of society. But, standing with your hand over your heart during the National Anthem, whether at a football game or anywhere else it its played, symbolizes the freedom our brave soldiers have fought and died for us to have. It is considered disrespectful to them and to our country, if you don’t stand in silence and quietly remember and think about this freedom we enjoy.

So, there is a disconnect with the two issues and really all we need is smart people to stand up and address both issues...equally, with respect for both topics. “What if” the President of the US (and all others that are in front of a camera, for that matter), held a press conference and stated that he hears both topics loud and clear and will do what it takes to understand and try to correct any wrong-doings. Because, it doesn’t matter whether you personally believe there is a problem with the policing the black community or not.....or if our freedom is something we should respect and value or not......the fact that the emotions are so strong with both issues, it is worth addressing in a large and important way......as a nation of civility and respect.

Thank you for reading this post. Stay tuned for the next topic. A 60-year old woman wakes up in the middle of the night a lot, worrying about this wonderful/special nation of ours! We are smarter and stronger when we work together. Together, let’s create a world we are proud to introduce to our grandchildren!

My Grand Plan of Life

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 16:03:00 +0000

I am experiencing that old familiar feeling again.......I know you know this feeling, too. A major life change has occurred where you are trying to adjust and understand how its all going to work out. The swirl of emotions are churning like the peaches, milk and cream in an ice cream maker. You know you are in control of your own destiny, but with so many directions available to you, it can be a bit overwhelming. So, what's a gal to do? My first inclination is to sit and do nothing. To think and to study the situation and eat whatever is in front of me.

I started this blog on the day after I dropped my last child off at college. I wanted to write down all the thoughts and feelings I had in this major life change from active Mother with kids at home, to an empty nester parent. The posts were all over the board....some sad, some depressing and others funny. I think my Mom called it "my verbal vomit", but nonetheless, the writing was very therapeutic!

I am not going to lie, it was a turbulent period in my life. Of course, I was so happy the kids were off at school, and starting their first real jobs. But, my daily routine was thrown out the window and there needed to be some real changes to fill in the voids of time and experiences. Did I create the life I wanted to live, or did I simply let whatever came my way to become important to me? To be honest, I think the latter was the case. I tend to do the best I can with whatever comes my way, instead of strategically planning and implementing my grand plan. In my case, my sister had started working as an independent stylist for Worth New York. She asked if I would fly out four times a year and help her with her seasonal trunk shows. There is not another person in the world I would rather spend time with than my sister, so it was a no-brainer. I fly out and we had a ball, selling this beautiful line of clothes to her small group of clients.

Through the suggestion of others, I was asked if I wanted to apply to be the Director of Business Development for Worth New York, in my home state of Arizona. It was never a career plan to do business development or work in the apparel industry, but I loved the line and loved working with women, so for the next two years, I worked hard and grew our state of stylists who did extremely well. I was surrounded by happy, successful business women and that was rewarding to me.

Always wanting to move up and to make a difference, for the next three years, I became the Regional Director (RD) for a blare western state area, then became the RD for the ten states of the west, then became the RD of sales for the same area. Lots of managerial changes, that I let wash over me, as I tried to do my best work for the company.

During this whole time at Worth, my husband's career had been flipped upside down by the financial crisis and the housing bubble. He was working seven days a week, trying to stay afloat and keep his company alive and well. At one point, he thought to apply for a different line of work, but it wasn't in the cards. The people he was speaking to, all said they wanted him to stay in his line of work, as circumstances have changed.

Together, we felt the time was right to move to the East Coast. After an exhausting 400+ days, we sold our house and drove to New Hampshire to stay in a family member's extra home. The offer fell into our laps, so we took it. (I see a pattern here.........). It's been exactly a year ago that we made the 6 day trek across this wonderful nation. We spent 4 months experiencing the fall and winter seasons, then moved to another family home in Cape Cod. During this time, I was still working for Worth as the RD of Sales for the west. It was so difficult to do the job well, due to the time zone differences and the extensive travel. I released myself of the job I loved because I knew in my heart I could not do the best job in this new location. Afterwards, we tried a two-month period of regional recruiting, too. But, it was time to plan my son's wedding and to move to our final destination, and again I could not do the best job possible under these circumstances.

Why did we move to Annapolis? I must answer this question about twenty times a day....and I still don't have a convincing asnswer to share. Brooklyn Heights was too expensive and would stress Bill out? Maybe. I was afraid of living in a dump where Wrigley could live "stair-free"? Maybe. Because the Baltimore airport could easily allow Bill to
fly all the places he will need to go for his work...and my fantastic sister lives here? That's the answer that seems to ring the truest!

So, now I sit and think; what shall my next chapter be like? What is my grand plan? Do I have a grand plan or am I going to let whatever comes my way, become my grand plan? There are so many things I would like to spend my time doing, again I am overwhelmed at the possibilities! Blogging helped me get through the changing time before and just maybe, with your help and comments ....it will help again!!

The Leopard's Spots are Here To Stay

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Sun, 01 Sep 2013 01:07:00 +0000

Why do some trends for woman's clothing come and go before a season's over and others last for years? I think it has to do with how a woman feels when she's wearing the trend that matters. Take for example, the leopard print. It's been around forever and once again is one of this year's hottest, most delightful trends. In today's Wall Street Journal....Off Duty....a whole page spread is devoted to the ongoing love of the leopard print:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323324904579041020031819690.html?mod=ITP_offduty_3

The company I work for, Worth New York, has designed some of the best leopard pieces I have seen anywhere in their fall collection. This Leopard Cocoon coat is so soft and comfy, it's any girl's dream coat. Worth also gives us choices to wear a little or a lot of the leopard trend as shown here:

And, don't get me started with all the leopard shoe options out there! So many wonderful selections to choose from.....

So, why are we so enamored with the leopard print? I think it makes the woman wearing it feel powerful..........like the animal itself; it makes a women feel glamorous; it makes a woman feel a bit on the wild side; in short.............the leopard print instantly gives us a big dose of ATTITUDE!

In the WSJ article, note the expression on Natalie Wood's face. She's totally relaxed sitting as a leopard might sit in the jungle. Notice also, her perfect shade of red lipstick.....the perfect compliment for the leopard print. She looks powerful but wonderfully feminine at the same time.

Jackie Kennedy, shown stepping out in her leopard coat and sensible shoes, looks like she could be attending a statewide function or maybe just a day of antique furniture shopping. She wears this coat as if it's her everyday driving coat, and I like that. When clients suggest that they wouldn't wear this coat enough to justify the purchase, I say NONSENSE! Wear it often...wear it with red pants, wear it over your LBD, wear it over a Lapis blue color, wear it dressy, wear it casual.......but for goodness sakes, wear it often!

However you decide to embrace the leopard trend in today's apparel, be sure to embrace all the wonderful feelings that comes with this trend. In a nod to Helen Reddy: "You are strong (ROAR), you are invincible, you are Woman"!

Why Shopping at Trunk Shows Saves You Time and Money

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 13:36:00 +0000

As the Director of Business Development for Worth New York, I am often asked, "Why would I want to schedule an appointment to shop at a trunk show, when I can just head to a mall down the street and purchase what I need?"

"Well, that's easy!", I say. "Because you like being efficient, and you are not the type of person who enjoys throwing money around".

Buying your wardrobe ahead of the time when you can actually wear it, makes for smart purchases and what I like to call strategic buying. And once you start shopping this way on a regular basis, it's hard to revert back to the haphazard mall shopping habits you used to do!

Let me take you back to the year 2000. I was a senior level project manager for a Real Estate Development company.........working long hours, in addition to being very active in my children's lives at school and club- level sport teams. I get tired just thinking about those days! My work attire was diverse depending on the type of activity: owner and investor meetings required business suits, meetings with inspectors in the field called for pants and closed-toed shoes and days on a construction site called for jeans and conservative top and sweater selections. I enjoyed the variety and the creative possibilities. But I had zero quality time to shop. And, I never took inventory of what was hanging in my closet. If an event was coming up the next week, I would race to the mall, searching for that perfect dress, hopefully in a color that makes me look less tired than I actually was! Sometimes I lucked out.......sometimes I found the least offensive alternative! I bought quickly and also rarely had pieces altered to actually fit my body ( a whole other topic we will want to discuss in another post!). I never wear those poor alternative outfits but I cannot bring myself to throw them away, either. Instead, they take up room in my closet to serve as a reminder of what a waste of money I used to spend before I discovered the Worth New York trunk show shopping experience.www.worthnewyork.com

If you have never been to a Worth trunk show, this is how it works: a sales associate holds 4 seasonal trunk shows a year. She sets a one-on-one appointment to come and see the line. You pick an hour that fits best for your schedule. She asks you important questions like, what events are in your future, what items in your closet do you love but need pairings and what is your clothing budget. She understands the importance of each of these inquiries and then proceeds to strategically build your wardrobe! Because she hopes to see you 4 times a year, she won't let you walk out with pieces that don't look good on your body or fall out of your planned clothing budget. She keeps a detailed history of what you've bought from her in the past and shows you how to use those pieces in an updated fashion. Over time, she teaches you what necklines to look for......or avoid. She takes this process seriously, so you don't have to. You get to relax and enjoy being pampered and taken care of. Nothing's better than quality customer service!

You strategically plan your career moves......getting your children into the good summer camps and then colleges.......you plan your vacations with care, too. So, why not strategically build your wardrobe with the same smart, laser focused attention? Well, now you can! Reach out to me at esouthworth@worthltd.com and I will help you locate the best Worth agency sales associate that is convenient to your Home or workplace.

Columbus, Ohio - A Favorite Destination Spot

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 22:04:00 +0000

As many empty nest Moms do......I am plotting my trip to visit one of my grown children. It's not really a vacation. Hard to call Columbus, Ohio a big vacation destination spot, but to me, it's the only vacation destination I want to visit.

My husband cannot get away from his growing business and I am busy with work, too. But I miss Jonathan so much. And, I'd like to help him move into his new living quarters. So, the plotting and planning begins.

Flights? Too expensive. No frequent flyer miles to you. Darn it. A couple of weeks eating dirt cheap meals and I am there. Done.

Time? Probably a long weekend is all most kids really want to spend with dear old Mom, so I will go midday on a Thursday and return late Sunday evening. It's a lot of money for such a short visit, but I just have to get over it. Plus, I need to be working hard at my job, too!

The Reveal? I do not know why this is so hard for me, but telling my husband that I am going to go visit my son, is hard! Spending the money, going away, etc. I would love it if he would join me, but since that's not an option........I will go by myself! I think I will spill the beans/plans tonight, after dinner and a glass of wine or two!

The plans? You cares. We will decorate his place, eat out, he'll show me his favorite sites. And we will laugh and sing......why is it that I never sing except when I am around JB? And I will fill up the missing child void. At least until the holidays...................

Recruiting Assistance Needed!

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 23:54:00 +0000

C123_inv_V5x7_V1.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Freezing on the Hottest Day in NYC

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 20:29:00 +0000

Park Avenue (west) elevation of the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel, New York City. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ah, a week in New York City, and I am exhausted but exhilarated at the same! Is there really any other place in America that requires so much energy? I doubt it.

This week was the Fall Preview and Fashion Runway Show for Worth New York and W By Worth. Over 500 beautiful and astute business woman literally take over the Waldorf Astoria! The lobby has never looked so fabulous. The rooftop bees could not be heard over the buzz of the Worth women! A couple of interesting facts I bet you haven't heard on the hotel's website:

a) This is the coldest hotel in America! Each conference room is colder than the other. Wear your warmest clothes, even if there is a heat wave outside, like there was this past week!

b) There is absolutely no phone reception in the lobby area. Consequently, the lobby is filled with angry people texting message away like mad! Do you think they have done this intentionally?

c) When making your hotel reservation, be sure to ask for the most uniquely-shaped rooms, because....boy, do they have them. Ours had this most awesome dressing and make-up area and yet the bathroom itself, was quite small.

The company I work for, Worth New York, went above and beyond, for the Fall Preview 2012! We had the all-company cocktail reception, we had regional dinners, and Leadership Award meetings, and breakfasts and seminars on fit and how to grow your business and some of us even had midnight lobby bar champagne parties.......and the very best part............a full Fashion Runway Show! It was definately WORTHwhile! Thanks to the Worth staff/employees who worked so hard to make sure we had a valuable and enjoyable event...........you all are the very best in the apparel industry!

I know you are dying to see the Fall line, so here you go:
Worth New York Fall 2012 Fashion Video

Tomorrow, I will tell you about the hilarious times (crazy Indian cab drivers, being 50+ at 2 am in the Big Apple and the true definition for the "Meatpacking District") I had over the weekend in NYC with my son and daughter-in-law, but like I said, I am exhausted, so this is all you get for now!

Time for a nap...................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

The Full Circle of Life

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 01:38:00 +0000

And so it happened.....Exactly four years after I dropped her off on the granite steps of Dickinson College and began writing posts for this Emtnester blog of what life would be like as an empty nest Mom..........she graduates. My baby became a college graduate, wearing a smile from ear to ear, surrounded by a wonderful boyfriend, a delightful group of girlfriends and sorority sisters. Could it have really gone by so fast? Much has happened since then, as many of you know through my rantings and my tears and my exhaustion and my fears. And yet, I can remember hugging her goodbye four years ago like it was yesterday. We waived goodbye as she drove off in her little Honda, packed to the gills, off to her first job as a research fellow in Alabama!

I am a proud Mom. My children are all wonderful human beings, despite having spent their formative years with me. They are funny. They are polite. They are close without living close to each other. They understand me. They appreciate the good things about me and giggle together about the silly things about me. They are a joy to be around. But alas, they are spread out all over this country. I am glad they are experiencing different cultures, different environments, but that doesn't mean I selfishly want to go hang out and live with each one of them. I think they secretly think I just might do that some year....You know, hang with one, then spend the next week with the other and then the other....then repeat! But there's no need to worry, I have my place in life. It is with my husband and my golden retriever in Scottsdale, AZ. And, I have a lovely job with Worth New York and I enjoy the women I am working with in this company. It is fulfilling and can be great fun.

And I will always have my sister....my strength....my buddy.....my confidant. And I have my Mom....my constant.....my guide. So, lest you think I am complaining, I am not. But I will be the first to admit that there still isn't a day go by that I don't swell up inside...missing my kids! Not. one. day!

And life goes on,.......I am getting older. I may be getting wiser. There could be stories to tell still. I hope there are. I hope they are funny. I hope if I share them with you, you can laugh or cry or feel something worth feeling.

I Pulled A Muscle Running Errands

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 21:41:00 +0000

I am more than a little embarrassed to share with you this very sad and very true story...........

I pulled a muscle while running errands in my car!

The Facts:

I spent three hours driving from store to store, running errands. Dropping pants off to be altered at the tailors, picking up beautiful wrapping paper from my favorite paper store in old town Scottsdale, searching for the perfect gold/cream-colored poinsettias for the front entry pots and finishing with a stop at the grocery store for fresh fish and vegetables for dinner.
I exercise every day.......hour-long early morning walk with Wrigley and friends plus I go to the Village Club and workout at least three times a week.
I despise running errands and always have, but I also like supporting local shops and feel the need to touch and feel items myself.

So, one minute I am a busy little bee, hopping out of my car in rapid fashion and the next minute, I cannot maneuver the car door and my legs at the same time! Is this one of those "special empty nest moments?!" I refuse to accept it! So, the next day, I head out for more shopping, a run to the hardware store and back to the grocery store. Only this time, I can hardly move. Flinging the first leg out was so hard. I am pretty sure people around me heard the grunts coming out of my mouth. And while I am not much of a swearer, my vocabulary choices were guttural at best.

Well, I am here to tell you that while Congress is studying whether a ban on all telephone use in the car because of it's inherent dangers, they should also research the dangers of running errands! Maybe a ban of running errands is just as valid......

Now, here's the part where YOU come in.......Tell me I am not alone: please tell me that you have done something like this before. I beg of you to share your stories of pulling your muscles while doing mundane, everyday activities. And if none of you have never had such a ridiculous experience in your life, will you at least appease me with a wonderful little white lie? Thanks, I love you, too!

3:33 AM Thoughts By The Christmas Tree

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 10:33:00 +0000

3:33 am, sitting in front of the Christmas tree in the den, wondering just how many of my empty nest friends are also awake, staring at a Christmas tree.............................

Insomnia, that terrible four-letter word. Just imagine what all of us 50+ women could do with a week's worth of sleeping through the night! It would be downright amazing......

And as much as I love my followers, I will end this post in a New York minute if I feel a "sleepy storm" coming on. I have my priorities..........

That didn't come out very nice, so I apologize for my middle of the night snarkiness....which isn't a word (my spell check suggests my kinkiness). I can honestly tell you I feel nothing kinky at this moment, so it's Beth-1, spell check 0!

So, why are YOU awake at this ungodly hour? I hope it's for good happy reasons. Part of the reason I sit typing by the Christmas tree is due to a lot of new, exciting news for Bill and me. Pretty soon I can share with you what's going on around here, but suffice it to say, there are some big changes for the better for both of us. With a little luck, things will be really looking up. But the moments in our lives just before big changes, can be filled with anticipation....sometimes anxiety....sometimes prayer. Me? I just wake up in the middle of the night and think.....and think, and think, and think. Oh, and waste a bunch of time tweeting, reading online stuff, and blogging!

Well, whatever is keeping you awake this evening, I wish I could help you. I wish I could tell you that everything is going to be just fine. No need to worry. Go back to bed; the doctors all say, we will lose more weight and have better general health if we can sleep more often and for longer periods of time. That's easier said then done, isn't it? I will try to take my own medicine and head back to the bedroom. I will turn off the glowing lights on the Christmas tree now. I will try to shut down my mind and all the thoughts still rumbling around up there.

Nighty night.........................

Phantom Way and Our Bedrock Clan

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:59:00 +0000

It was a Yabadabado kind of Halloween for the Southworth clan. It starts with one person saying they are going to be Fred and Wilma and then moves into full Bedrock territory.

Getting Bill to get dressed included a bit of trickery and the promise of possible later evening "treats"......all well worth it. I have never seen a more adorable Barney in my life! He said it was like wearing two bathroom mats, that smelled almost as bad.

Then, the youngest in our clan, Jackson, was some kind of warrior or Jedi.....(when your kids are grown up, you no longer have to know the characters). But he looked great and watching him enjoy the festivities was the best. At age 5, he could care less about the candy and had the best time actually giving out the candy to the kids after he was done trick-or-treating himself.

I should tell you a little about D. and K.'s neighborhood. The road is called Phantom Way and its residences take this name and Halloween very, very seriously!

Halloween decorations start sometime in August, I think, and everyone sets up outdoors in front of the house. There are fog machines and music. There are spider webs all over everyone's homes. Almost everyone is dressed up.

It also happens to be one huge adult cocktail party which brings a whole new aspect to the evening.............beware of the neighbor offering a "brains" shot, it's nasty!

The street has gained somewhat of a reputation and we went through 15 pounds of candy! 1000s of kids visited Bedrock! People from everywhere drive over to trick-or-treat here. We did not see as many truckloads of families who don't speak a lick of English this year. (hmmmmm!)

There were so many cute costumes to share, like Leiloni's group of mustard, ketchup and a hot dog (relish was nowhere to be found!). There were many all neon green outfits that I have no idea what they were supposed to be. There were many kids dressed like the actors in the Harry Potter movies. There were stars and celebrities and one real celebrity (Tom Chambers....ex-NBA superstar). He seemed to be enjoying the night. And, he was probably equally excited to meet Betty Rubble as I was meeting him!

Perhaps my favorite costume of the evening my our niece, Heather, who was dressed as a mime. Cute, clever, creative, homemade.....just like Heather!

The only two sane people in the neighborhood? It's Fred and Barney's Mom and Dad. They came up for the festivities, eat some of Fred's unbelievable smoked chicken enchiladas, then go back home.

It just takes one person enthused with the holiday to start a crazy family tradition. We have Wilma to thank for that.

It takes one City planner to name a street 'Phantom Way' and the start of a neighborhood tradition takes off in full fashion. I wonder if this employee has any idea what he or she started.........Happy Halloween, everyone. See you next year...............

I am participating in the November NaBloPoMo:

Empty Nest Party-Pooper or Betty Rubble? You Decide!

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:34:00 +0000

Back again! I am here to share with you my Halloween dilemma and to ask for your advise.

For an empty nest parent living in a neighborhood that only has a few children of trick-or-treat age, Halloween has become somewhat of a non-event. It's hard to get too excited when the door bell rings three times in the whole evening. A few years ago, we only had one lonely child..........

The door bell rang and I opened the door and looked down at this 4 foot child. His parents were standing proudly on the street watching their son. His head was drooped and he was sort of flapping his arms up and down. He was covered in a head-to-toe old brown sheet. He flapped his arms a little harder for about 30 seconds then he lifted his head and gave me this desperate look. I said, "Well now, what are we?" "I'm a moth"................. he flaps his arms quietly, without a smile on his adorable face. I gave him the whole bowl of candy.

Image via Wikipedia Just two neighborhoods away, Halloween is hugely celebrated, second only to Christmas. People decorate their homes, starting sometime in August. They make haunted homes in their garages. They have spooky music playing outside. The adults drink adult-like witches brew and the kids are filled with little kids, teenagers, a truckloads of illegal immigrants. Seriously, truckloads! And the Moms and Dads and kids dress up for candy. Perhaps a few loaves of bread should be given out. Each house needs more than 10 pounds of candy to handle the volume of trick-or-treaters. But no one cares about that, they are all having a blast! This also happens to be the neighborhood where my husband's brother and his family live..................

Image via Wikipedia

They have invited us to partake in this very festive night. Their family is taking on "The Flintstones" theme for the house and the costumes. Here's my problem:

My husband is sort of the Halloween Scrooge. He doesn't want to go. If we must go, he doesn't want to dress up and he wants to stay for just a few moments. I could go either way. Part of me wants to put together Barney and Betty costumes and dress Wrigley like Deno, the dinosaur. (I've been told that Betty was the hot one!) But, the other part of me agrees with Bill....it's a Monday night, we don't need to spend the time or money in getting costumes together, the traffic getting over there will be mad....the list of negatives is a mile long.

So, what should I do? I have about 3 hours to figure this out. Are we getting to be old party-poopers? Or are we just mature people? You be the deciders......................................HELP!

Guilted Into Writing This Post

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

It's a busy, blogging day to complete my commitment to the Ultimate Blog Challenge of writing 31 posts in October. I would start celebrating, but tomorrow, I am right back at it for NaBloPoMo in November! But I do believe that "practice makes perfect", or in the very least....makes better, so I will continue to write and write.......

Commitment can be a very hard concept for me. Take dieting.....I want to lose this extra five pounds that have settled in my mid-section. I am committed to losing in theory. But, I don't necessarily want to go to the gym today and this Klondike ice cream bar makes for a delicious breakfast treat! (Except it melts too quickly!) I AM committed to at least trying to commit to my commitments...

Once I say that I am going to do something if I drop the ball, I start to feel very guilty. I have this internal fight with my self.....that goes a little like this:

Good Beth: Remember, you have 2 posts to catch up to your UBC commitment.

Bad Beth: I will, don't worry.....I just want to finish reading the paper first.

Good Beth: Two hours have past. Isn't now the perfect time to sit down and write?

Bad Beth: But, it's pretty outside.....I am going to enjoy this perfect weather and trim some branches.

(And this is when Good Beth kicks in and starts layering me with guilt)

Good Beth: Okay, but you'll probably lose your audience. And you'll be letting down the sponsors. And once you start to fall behind, it's so much harder to catch up. You probably more important than this silly little commitment. And besides you don't really have an "audience", do you?

(OUCH!)

Bad Beth: All right, I will sit down and write my stupid post, BUT it's NOT going to be good!

(Boo-YA......I told her!)

Take Someone Else's Advice on Dating

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 12:15:00 +0000

Day 29 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge asks us to find an article and post it on our site....with a note from us on the bottom:

Tips for Finding Love in Your Middle Ages
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Lori_Abela]Lori Abela

Whether you are single after 40 or dating in your middle ages, most of us at this stage of our lives think that finding a soulmate is the most essential thing. You begin to ask questions like how can I find love? Or how do I find love? And sometimes you even doubt that you will ever find love again. Here are some useful tips for finding love in your middle ages:

Look for someone you can understand. If you want someone who is older than you or about the same age as you, they would most likely be someone who has never been married or who has been previously married. In the process of finding a soulmate, you should be able to accept that this person is already set in their ways. The soulmate secret is in learning how to understand your partner. You have to be able to understand that each of you have different traits that need to complement each other rather than go against each other.

Know what you want. There are many people in this age category who go from one relationship to another not knowing what it is they want and what it is they are willing to be part of. If the person you are dating has been married and have children, you need to figure out if you are willing to be a parent. You also need to understand that his or her ex will always be present as long as the kids are being raised. Finding a soulmate when you are single after 40 or dating in your middle ages means having to accept that sometimes the one you love comes with a package deal. Are you willing to entertain someone with children if you your self have children? Know that it's another different story when families are merged.

On the other hand, if both of you have no children and are at this age, you have to find out where each of you stand on whether to have kids or not. If you do, would it be through surrogacy, artificial insemination, or adoption? Even though this might be too early in the relationship, you have to at least be mentally prepared to answer such questions. Both of you are not getting any younger and shouldn't waste much time dwelling on petty stuff. This is the reality of middle age dating and the soulmate secret is knowing what you want so that things are clearer and out in the open.

Be open and comfortable with the criticism of others. When you've reached this age and you are asking yourself the questions how can I find love? Or how do I find love? The last thing you should worry about is the criticism of others. So what if you are dating someone younger or older? As long as you think that this person is your one true love and he or she keeps you happy, criticisms should just go in and out of your head. Before getting on with someone who is younger or older, ask yourself if you are ready for some criticism because definitely, there will be one or two who will not be happy to see this union.

Dating in your middle ages can also be quite tough and different since the dating practices and trends have already developed through the years. What you know about finding a soulmate then might not be of use today. You know that bars won't be a good place to start with in terms of looking for real love so you have to be open to whatever opportunities that may come your way. At times you may even need to adapt to current trends such as online dating.

Be prepared. When you are dating in your middle ages and you have custody of your children, you need to have a reliable babysitter or family member to take care of your kid(s) whenever you are on a date. Once you find your match, figure out when you would be able to introduce him or her to your children. Set proper and realistic expectations with the children since they might expect you to get back together with your ex. Remember to choose your timing wisely and choose the right person before doing this exercise. You are now on the lookout for someone who would also be capable of being a parent to your children. Dating in your middle ages and finding a soulmate entails that you look out not just for yourself but also for your kids as well.

Dating in your middle ages can be quite daunting and scary for some but this stage can also bring much excitement to your life. By this time, you would have mustered enough confidence in attracting the love of others. Stop asking yourself questions like how can I find love? Or how do I find love? And start believing that finding a soulmate can be as adventurous as it was when you were twenty years younger.

Try these dating tips for finding love in your middle ages. You can get more information on finding a soulmate by visiting [http://www.manifestingmydestiny.com/]http://www.manifestingmydestiny.com Be sure to take advantage of the 6 Day Free E-mail Mini-Course and submit your name to be advised of the release of the mini e-book "Help! How Can I Find True Love?"

Lori Abela is an expert on finding true love for expats. She has finally found the love of her life in her 40s. She shares her secrets to finding true love with the readers of http://www.manifestingmydestiny.com Lori is available for coaching, speaking engagements and consultancy.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Tips-for-Finding-Love-in-Your-Middle-Ages&id=6508509] Tips for Finding Love in Your Middle Ages

NOTE TO MY READERS: Or rather, a warning to my readers: I am not nor have never been an
"expert on finding true love". Never take my advise on love or dating issues. But, I would have a ball writing a post about dating. And I just might. But I am fearful some lonely person might actually try and USE my advice and then be sorely disappointed in the results. I do have some scruples.

A Texan Start to Life

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:31:00 +0000

It's Friday afternoon and I have the St. Louis Cardinals to thank for ruining my plans of sitting outside at our favorite wine bar and restaurant, sipping on wine and quietly enjoying the company of my husband. In the 11th inning, a stinger of a home run placed my romantic evening on hold. Let's just say I'll have to "Freese" my plans for another night! Instead, my butt will be plopped on the couch watching Game 7 of the World Series. I will be routing for the Texas Rangers but not just because the Cardinals rather rudely interrupted my evening's soiree. It is because my humble start in life began deep in the heart of Texas.....flat out in the middle of this vast state.......in beautiful Killeen, Texas.

My parents were just newly married when they moved to Killeen, Texas so my Dad could "do his time" in the US Army. I came into this world as a "BIG SURPRISE" to this young couple because...........well, that's just how I roll..................

As the story goes, my Father tried to ship enough Virginia soil to the Army hospital so that my birth certificate would hail from his hometown, but I was destined to be a Texan. I learned patience at an early age, too, as I was born at 12:51 pm when the whole medical staff was off for lunch, somewhere in town. I probably wanted to make a bigger statement by arriving at exactly NOON, but the staff told my Mom to "hold it up a bit" until the doctors and nurses returned from their lunch. I don't think she has ever forgiven me for this predicament I put her in!

We lived in Army-provided housing with our Beagle named Gertrude. I do not believe my Father's Mom ever really appreciated the gesture of having the family dog named in her honor. In fact, I am not sure there was anything honorable in the gesture, but he sounded like he was a wonderful pet. There are pictures of her sitting next to me smiling and always being my protector from the other family pet....the scorpion! Apparently very large scorpions were located all over the military base and a nuisance to all young babies and scared Mommies.

Our family lived in Killeen for about 18 months. I love seeing the pictures of my Mom in her Peter Pan-collared shirts and Bermuda shorts and my Dad looking thin and trim as he served his country deep in the heart of Texas. It sounded like a peaceful beginning to my wonderful life. Elvis Presley did come and perform on the Army barracks one evening in 1957, which after my birth was probably the most notable of events that year.

My absolute favorite story involved our miserable washing machine. Mom described the machine as a sort of monster that when running, caused loud, abrupt noises that often woke me up. (This probably explains my inherent dislike for doing laundry). Towards the end of its cleaning cycle, the monster would bounce across the floor edging its way into thew living room. Gertrude would bark loudly warning me of this dangerous machine approaching.

My family moved back to Virginia and my tiny Texan cowboy boots were placed on the shelf. It's a small part of my personal history but no less important than other parts. I have always had a little place in my heart for all things Texan. Tonight is no exception.....GO RANGERS!

As The World Turns: Doggy Style

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:25:00 +0000

You are in luck, because I speak dog and I am fluent in golden retriever, I will be able to interpret this Wordless Wednesday story for you today..........................I am also participating in the daily posting for the Ultimate Blog Challenge:

The storyline is an all-time classic, two best friends living life to the fullest.....with not a care in the world. In this story, the two boys names are Wrigley and Tucker.

Just two months apart, they play ball and take daily walks together........................

And yet, their interests differ greatly. One lives for a tennis ball, the other.....it's all about food!

"Say, Tucker.....did your Mum bring out the Charlie Bears tonight?"

""Who the heck cares, I've got my tennis ball".

"Stop smiling like a Cheshire cat", Wrigley groans as his stomach growls.

"Whatever, dude". Tucker steps away slightly annoyed that his best friend cannot understand his love for the sport of running after tennis balls and wearing grass on your tongue.

"Sometimes, I just don't understand old Wriggs"...Tucker mumbles as he begs his Mum to stop gabbing and throw the ball.

All of sudden a new face appears at the evening affair. Enter Rosebud.........

She's different...............she's a bitch! And she likes chasing the ball. She immediately takes to Tucker and his speed and agility has her all in a fit.

"Why, Tucker is just dreamy!" At first, Tucker finds her to be fun and rather cute. He enjoys her affections. Her "body bumps" were fun....at first.

But, Tucker is a serious guy and nothing could ever really get between his tennis ball playing in the evenings. By three years old, he was rather set in his ways.

Rosie was younger and just simply would not give up. At first, she just nibbled at his ears. But when he ignored her she was left with no choice than to bite hard and hang on tight.

Then, one night, Tucker was AT HIS WITS END!

"Rosie girl", Tucker started out saying, "Don't take this wrong, but I am just not that into you. I have my priorities and they are always yellow and round-shaped, of which you are neither!"

Rosebud's world was shattered. Her heart pounded so hard she could hardly think. Her world seemed dark and lonely as she scanned the golf course, looking for answers to her life's struggles.

Out of the corner of her eye, she notices Tucker's best friend. He's bigger and reminds her of a rugby player. "Why, he's dreamy! Why didn't I notice Wrigley before?"

She sounders over and gives him a sniff. Wrigley is oblivious. He has watched Rosie drive Tucker crazy and is leery to her advances. Still, she seems nice....not like his best buddy, who often smells like freshly cut grass.

He ignores her in his childish ways.

"I know he sees me, why does he simply stare into space.....like some simpleton?!", Rosie says more frustrated than usual. But Wrigley is determined his simple plan will work. "Just keep acting like she's not standing right by you and maybe she will go away", Wrigley thinks to himself.

Finally, she gives up.

"I will never capture the attention of Wrigley unless I bathe in bacon!"

Stayed tuned for more 'As The World Turns: Doggy Style' when Rosie asks:

"Is Rocco too old for me?"

"Is this neighborhood too boring for me?"

and, "What's a girl like me to do????"

A Sidewalk Chalk Story

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:14:00 +0000

It's 4:20 am and like any respectable empty nest parent, I am WIDE awake and looking for things to do. Yes, unfortunately I have fallen back into the 3-5 am wake up pattern my body seems to love so much. So, tonight, I have stumbled into one of my children empty rooms to organize............there's always a corner or closet that needs help. Laura's room is no exception.

The corner behind her guest day bed is a treasure trove worth of items to organize........I discover a new purse she's never, ever going to use.......I will take it to Goodwill. There are Christmas balls left over from when she decorated her room from last Christmas...............I will move them into the garage with all the other holiday decorations. And then I see an odd looking white plastic bag. It holds a collection of sidewalk chalk. The bag is tattered from all the years she would drag the bag out to the driveway to create her masterpieces. Her sidewalk chalk was probably her favorite playtime activity from ages 4-8. She's now 21, so who knows why this bag is sitting lodged in the corner of her room now. I open it up and discover there are at least 12 different pieces in a variety of colors and lengths. I can see that blue was her favorite because they are the most worn. She loved the ocean even back then and many a night I would come home from work only to find waves and a beach welcoming me.

I was fortunate enough to have a fantastic nanny who was artistically talented. Being artistically challenged (remind me to tell you about this weekend's craft project and the kitchen chairs.....), I really appreciated Darcy covering me in the arts projects! The sidewalk chalk was used to create whole villages or beach scenes and once I arrived home to find the whole Phoenix Suns team laying on my driveway. But my most favorite sidewalk chalk story came on a weekend some 16 years ago......................

I was dating Bill #2....(now husband) and he was extremely helpful around my house. I lived in a wonderful neighborhood called Arcadia and I had a charming house. And when I say charming, I mean falling apart. The windows needed to be replaced. The carpet was getting dingy and the cedar roof was leaking and would soon need replacing....(hence, the move to North Scottsdale). It was a beautiful Fall day, and we were all busy doing projects outside around the house. The boys were playing next door as was often the case when work outdoors was being done. But Laura was tagging along "helping" us with the weekend chores. I had decided to tackle the gigantic oleander bush along the side of the house and along the street. I suggested that during this task it would be best if Laura followed Bill around for awhile. Bill decided that he needed to do some work on the roof along the edges. It was a one story home but the roof was filled with branches and debris from the large trees on the property. Laura followed him along the grass and talked to him as he worked....sidewalk chalk in hand.

Now, as the story goes, somehow Bill managed to fall off the roof and knocked the wind out of himself. He landed about 3 feet from where Laura was playing. She ran over to him and said, "Hey, Bill, what are you doing"......no answer......"are you okay?"........no answer..........."are you dead?".......Bill attempt to muster an answer, but he is in pain and cannot seem to speak........."because if you are dead, I will write your name on the wall with my sidewalk chalk!" She proceeds to get up and start writing 'BILL' on the brick siding of the house. Bill looks up and with a grin on his face, says, "I'm not dead Laura, come help me up!"

If you are a parent of young children, I highly recommend you go get some sidewalk chalk. Sure your driveway will be a mess 90% of the time, but it is so worth it! And I am ready to go back to bed now, but I decide I should take this chalk down to our great nephew's house so he can make a mess of his Mom's or Grandmom's driveway. I also think I will save the largest blue piece of chalk to keep in Laura's room.............

(I am participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge this month)

A Look Ten Years From Now

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 23:35:00 +0000

Day 21 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge asks us where might we be 5, 10 years from now....and what would our lives and our blog look like............................

There's a very important saying, "Be careful what you ask for....you just might get it". Everyday, I hope and pray for better economic times. I work everyday with that goal in mind. But perhaps I should be careful......as we look into my Emtnester future............................

October 21, 2021

"Kisses, kisses my darlings! I cannot believe it's been almost 10 years since I posted here on my little blog. I've missed you so, but darlings, my life has been a whirlwind! I only have a few moments to spare, so let me share the highlights......

Bill's work took off in a hurry. And once I finally convinced him to shed his Levis, khakis and button downs, he went a teensy bit crazy with the couture clothes. Why, his Chinese tailor moved in with us in 2013! Some habits were harder to correct....he still wears the same Washington & Lee sweatshirt every evening, but now he owns 45 of them.

We decided to move into a mega-mansion once we paid off our house that was underwater and it really is quite divine. Only, we don't know any of our new neighbors and there is no place for Wrigley to run free in the mornings and at night. We bought him a treadmill which he doesn't seem to enjoy very much.

Bill has taken to playing this ridiculous game of hid-and-seek after dinner. The house is so enormous I can never find him. Lately, I think he's not even trying to find me.

Now that I have very little time constraints and all the money in the world, I can finally go visit my Mom in Florida, any time I want. Only now, she doesn't recognize who I am!

I have had just the perfect amount of plastic work done and I look much younger than I did back in my blogging days. Nothing moves. Anywhere. Seriously. Except for the tragic little experiment with my lips. Why, I went from Angelina Jolie and her lush lip look to a no-lip Mitt Romney look in one month's time. Quite painful, really darlings!

My children are spread around the globe and I've filled their flats and apartments to the brim with furniture and possessions and now there's little room for me to visit. They are all happy as can be, which is comforting in itself, I guess you could say.

You may be asking why did I stop writing my Emtnester blog? Well, sometimes the pain and strain of all this success has made me to sad to think about....much less write about. It's all terribly exhausting to ponder now, so I really must scoot. Ciao!"

Will Today's Blog Post Be Funny or Sad?

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:06:00 +0000

It's Day 20 in the Ultimate Blog Challenge and I'd like to say "thank you" to all the new blogs/writers I have been introduced to through this group. You have enriched my last 20 days with your inspired posts!

Today's Topic:

1)What topics or posts have worked to get your readers talking?

2)Write about the 3 or 4 blog posts that you have received the most comments on. Were those comments positive or negative? Were the posts controversial? Is there a theme of some sort? Will you be writing more on that subject?

My website is a personal site presented from my point of view as an empty nest parent (yep, that's me sitting in a gigantic nest at the Phoenix Zoo!). I started it the day after my youngest daughter went to college and the house was officially empty of children. I wanted to explore my feelings not just about this new status but also write about all the ideas that fill this head of mind, with the hopes that I might possibly be able to sleep through the night once my thoughts were spilled out on the site! It's been an emotional roller coaster and the words that have followed have also had their ups and downs.....................

In the end, there are two distinctly different types of posts that have gotten my readers talking and sharing:

The heart-wrenching posts about missing my children and trying to fill their void brings my audience of other empty nest people to my rescue. Or they are experiencing the same feelings and are looking for camaraderie and/or advice. I have no control when these lonely days will occur and they cannot be forced into my foreground, therefore, the posts come out naturally and in rhythm with my heart. I almost feel obligated to write on these days but its also quite therapeutic for me. (I recommend writing either in a blog or diary to many of my readers). But, I am also glad that after three years of being an empty nester, I don't have these emotional days as often as I once did, because they are exhausting. I wish you could see me.....I am typing and crying and usually want to nap afterwards. Or have a big glass of wine!
The second category are when I am feeling a little whacky. A little wicked. A little sarcastic. The topics are all over the place....maybe my husband doesn't read my blog, maybe I am heavy and my pants have split in the middle of a meeting or maybe I am laughing about our political system. The common denominator is they all are humorous and many other people in my "shoes" can relate or have had the same thing happen to them. Laughing at ourselves and common occurrences bonds the writer/reader and we laugh together...through the internet. Everyone needs a good laugh. I cannot always write these types of posts; the ideas seem to come out of thin air or......they don't. It's best not to try to be funny when you're not thinking funny. (Of course, I cannot seem to find one single example of me trying...unsuccessfully....to be funny. That's funny, isn't it!)
Finally, sometimes I just feel like writing on a serious matter or about politics. This is dangerous territory because, really, no one reads posts that have opposing views with an open mind. So, I am just writing for myself. Which, in itself, is not a bad exercise in itself. Just don't expect to learn anything from the process. Negative comments can be hurtful, too. They just aren't my cup of tea. (Warning, never write a guest post for the Cubs on a Cardinal's fan page......you will learn 4000 new ways to say go f**k yourself!)
Today's writing exercise was interesting....it was fun to think about my blog and why and what I write about. Thanks for suggesting it!

Understanding the Defining Points to Relationship Builidng

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:40:00 +0000

Image via WikipediaToday's Ultimate Blog Challenge asks us: "What is something that many people assume about your business, industry, geographical area, family/heritage, or religion?"

As a marketing and business development consultant, I am often struck how a company, a campaign or even an individual misunderstands the value of relationship building to their end goals and mission. To the hedge fund manager, it sounds too touchy-feely, the small business owner wants to follow a set procedure that will automatically lead to sales or gain clients and politicians think people will trust them because they say so in a speech or written on their website...They all ASSUME that the relationship begins with them and their service/product/message. And they ASSUME once they present their service/product/message the relationship is built. To understand better, let's approach the two words separately:

Relationship

Webster's Dictionary definition includes three sections: the state of being related or interrelated; a specific instance or type of kinship; or a romantic or passionate attachment.

Are you related or interrelated to your customer/voter just because you think you have what they need? (For example, the client needs a clean carpet and you offer carpet cleaning services) The simple answer is yes, you and about two thousand other carpet cleaning services in town are related/interrelated with your customer to this degree.

Does your carpet cleaning services bring a specific instance or kinship to the customer, say, you use only safe, organic products and the end user is concerned with bringing dangerous chemicals into their homes? To establish this more defined kinship, your message must be clear and concise and you must be truthful in your message. You must also back up your claims in simple, easy-to-understand research. While most of us have schooling beyond the 6th grade, you should be able to explain your products/message at this level for all to really comprehend your message.

This last part of the definition is what quality marketing and advertising is all about. Without the heart, the sizzle, there is no real reason for the customer to pick up the phone and ask for your company's service. Your message is, WE are going to get your carpets cleaned using products that will keep your family healthy....and WE are going to do this wonderful thing TOGETHER because we both care deeply about this sentiment. Without passion, you are relying on luck that the customer found you first on the internet or some other way.

So, you can create a relationship by presenting a format that is easy to understand by a 6th grader and then you must show why you are passionate about that format. Good first step! At this point, many of my clients, say, "What, there is more we have to do?" Which brings us to the second word:

2. BUILDING

Using Webster's 'Student Dictionary' definition of this verb, there are two parts:to produce or create gradually; to move or grow toward a peak.

To build...building......is a verb......an action word, and that is exactly what this new and/or improved business relationship needs. ACTION. The first part of the definition calls for a gradual motion. It's funny, because this is the point where several clients like to joke with me saying that perhaps I am just looking for job security here. But the notion of building a relationship gradually has nothing to do with my monthly retainer fee! Human beings are more comfortable with ideas when they are presented in a comfortable, relaxing manner....in a gradual manner. We do not like to have something or someone slammed down our throat. A very good relationship can be destroyed or damaged when the actions are pushed on us in a hastened pace. This is the delicate part to the creation of a strong business relationship. And it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with the customer/voter/end user. I always suggest to my clients to get into their customers shoes and feel what its like "from over there". My example here is from a politician I have high regard for and yet, I can see clearly the mistakes he is making while building new relationships with potential voters. Mr. Cain has developed a bold plan to improve the economy, and you've probably heard it 1000 times already, because it has a catchy title...his 9-9-9 tax plan. And as far as I can tell, it could be a fantastic way to increase jobs and grow this economy. But our relationship with Mr. Cain and his 9-9-9 plan are very new. Unfortunately, our political system rarely allows anything to unfold gradually, but Herman needs to stay focused on this approach. Last night in the debate, he told the public to just go to his website and do the math! Well, I did, and here's how it explained the 9% National Sales Tax which is the part everyone seems to be most concerned about:
Unlike a state sales tax, which is an add-on tax that increases the price of goods and services, this is a replacement tax. It replaces taxes that are already embedded in selling prices. By replacing higher marginal rates in the production process with lower marginal rates, marginal production costs actually decline, which will lead to prices being the same or lower, not higher.
These are not words or a math equation a 6th grader can understand!. Most of his audience are not mathematicians like he is. Mr. Cain has forgotten that he needs to gradually build this relationship with the clear understanding of who his constituency includes and to teach us gradually about the system and why it will be good for us.

This gradual movement also needs to be moving up...forward...with the end goal of reaching a peak, as it is defined. To the business client, the peak is often defined as a specific sales goal, such as $10,000 new business with this new relationship. Or maybe it's a following of 500 Facebook fans or Twitter followers who will continually learn about a business' services or products. To a politician, it is getting enough votes to win an election or to have a certain agenda passed. Well, in order to continually move in an upwards direction, you must change it up. What do I mean by that? We are a restless nation, with very short attention spans. We like to be entertained....inspired.....challenged...at a crazy pace. So, our message, our format, our supporting marketing and advertising efforts must continue to evolve. I know, I know, my job security thing again. But speaking to you seriously, a company must embrace change if they want to reach the peak in today's environment.

The best advise I can give is to ASSUME the customer/voter/end user will need continual, easy to understand, exciting information before they will become passionate enough to have a true, long-lasting relationship with you!

The Sport of People Watching

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:53:00 +0000

People watching has got to be one of the most guilty pleasures out there. Everyone does it to some extent. And the people being watched are such givers. Put me in an airport and I can sit and be "entertained" for hours at a time. I used to embarrass my kids terribly by what they called 'direct staring' and "the making of unnecessary comments'....a double bonus! Large events where people from all walks of life are gathered together make for the most interesting people watching opportunities. Last night's Herman Cain/ AZGOP dinner event was a feast, and I am not talking about the meal that was served....................although it wasn't half bad for this kind of event. Koo-dos to the Phoenix Convention Center for handling such a large group of people at the last minute. (The event was originally scheduled for a much smaller venue, but due to his rising popularity, it was moved about 5 days ahead of the event.) All the more pleasure for those of us partaking in the sport of people watching. No, there won't be pictures....that would be cruel. "That woman" with the purple dress and shiny belt is somebody's Mother! And everyone is fair game, why, I imagine someone was eying our table and saying, "Wow, look at the stylish woman in her WORTH Collection dark suit with her wine-colored shoes, earrings and coordinated handbag!" You never know who's looking and who's being looked at, it's part of the fun of the sport. Our first victim......a woman with long, blond hair styled with a low-slinging ponytail. Was that her real hair or a wig? Our group seemed to think it didn't fit her head size and the sides seemed unnatural. Maybe she was having a bad hair day...... We counted 4 shirts made from material with the print of the American flag, all deemed ugly by our astute group. It seemed like the youngest people and the very oldest people in the crowd were the best dressed for the occasion. Simple sheath dresses, solid suits and cardigan sweaters draped over the shoulders helped dress up the majority of uninteresting outfits. Then , there were the group of men that looked like they just stepped out of the backroom where wheeling and dealing takes place. I suspect they all smoke cigars. Every single one of them had large bellies and jowls on their faces. Maybe they are the AZ mafia....... my imagination can run wild when I am people watching! One man had shoulder length silver hair that hung very straight, which was odd in itself, but adding his 6'-7" height, you could not miss him! His partner was a stout woman reaching about 5'3" in a tulip-patterned dress. Mr. Cain looked very nice at least as far as I could tell, sitting about halfway back in a room filled with about 900 people! I could tell he had a suit on with a tie...that's about it. You see, my people watching skills are somewhat diminished due to my inability to see well beyond about 10 feet. Which brings me to THE MOST WEIRD THING THAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT!! Our table of ten was talking and generally enjoying each others company, when I man in his 40s or 50s walks up to my husband and asks if he is here with me (then he points his finger at me.....a big No No....my Mom would have definitely scolded him for that type of behavior). Bill says yes, then the intruder says well, she's got this huge smile on her face and she's been staring at me. WTF??!! I said, sorry, didn't notice you at all.....and at that, he let's out a belly laugh to rival any Macy's Santa Claus and proceeded to walk away. The thing that got me so mad....I had nothing! No snarky comeback, no witty statement about our narcissistic society or pitiful men in a midlife crisis! He caught me so off guard. And he ruined the rest of my evening with the people watching activities. I was fearful he or some other nasty dude would think I was lusting after them, too! I felt robbed. Are you a people watcher? I hope you can enjoy the sport today, but we very aware of lurking idiots who can ruin your game in a nano-second!

New Freedom That Comes With The Empty Nest

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:57:00 +0000

Image via WikipediaOne of the great aspects of being an empty nester is the greater amount of flexibility you have in your daily schedule. Owning my own small business allows me even greater freedom than most. If Herman Cain called me up this morning and said, "Beth, can you work for me for the next month, traveling to whatever city I need you to be in, and work at whatever function and role I need you for.?...", I could pack my little bag like the PanAm stewardess do in that cute new show and say, "Why, of course, I'd love to help you....where do you need me first?!"

My husband and dog would probably enjoy my absence for a little while. Let's face it, when you are relatively young and healthy like Bill and me (except for this little candy corn addiction of mine), you know you are probably going to be together for possibly 40 more years. So, running off to help the citizens of new Orleans after the hurricane or to a war-torn country that needs help is not out of the question.

Life is such an adventure.................

I remember when my life was centered around a soccer team schedule. Every day of the week was different and like a good working Mom, I had a ironclad schedule system that the Pentagon would have been proud to use. I had very little "me" time. And, I couldn't of cared less. I was happy playing the role of Mom and Wife in my family. My role has changed drastically now that the kids do not live at home anymore. Over the past 3 years, I have spoken to so many empty nest people who have trouble with this particular transition. My advise? I have told them to embrace the freedom that comes with an empty house and not to focus on the loss of the children's presence. That's what I am doing and it's working quite well. So, Mr. Cain....it's beth@emtnester.com or beth@anythingbutbs.com......I am ready for service!

Take 100% of My Money, Please!

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 22:09:00 +0000

Today seems as good a day as any to head up to San Francisco and give this guy and his buddies all 100% of my money. He says he cannot live with 99%, so it's all or nothing.

I am pretty sure the "stuff" he'll get with my hard earned money will be awesome, so I shouldn't have to worry about all those days I worked 10-12 hour days going to waste..........

My question is when are all of us hard working stiffs going to get really frustrated and start protesting? Oh, that's right, we have to support the country and a zillion government programs with our taxes now. No day off planned for us........

And while I'm up giving this guy 100% of my money, maybe I could stimulate the country by doing a little sightseeing, maybe take in a dinner or two. Oops, that's right, I won't have any money, because he needs 100%, he can't make it on 99%. Darn it, I love San Francisco and would enjoy a nice meal..................

Please wake me up, I am having this ridiculous, stupid, idiotic nightmare! I just want to go back to 2005 and maybe put a group of smart regulations in place......and maybe some strict legislation curbing Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae activities.......and give some guidance to the mortgage and banking businesses. And then, wake up and continue to live a prosperous life again!

The Day Before You Could Get Sick

noreply@blogger.com (beth) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:20:00 +0000

Yesterday was the day before I could have been sick today. That's my excuse why I missed writing the daily blog post with the Ultimate Blog Challenge. But, don't worry, because I know what to do on the day before I could get sick, I feel great today.....well, at least good enough to write two posts today!

My first husband, named Bill, is a doctor......a very good one at that. I could have been a doctor, too, for the following all-important reasons:

I have terrible handwriting;
I have a complete wellness program that I devised years ago that has kept me well for 20+ years;
I look good in long, white coats and teal-colored scrubs.

Yesterday, I put my wellness program in full gear, because I had that feeling that something all powerful was coming and that I could get sick. You know that feeling, right?! Moms everywhere kick into high gear when they see that glossy-eyed look in their children's eyes.....

Being an empty nest parent now, I CAN get sick if I want to. For so many years, when I was a divorced, single Mom, there was no way that I could even dream of being sick. There was no time and who would make dinner and do the dishes and give everyone their baths? So, I was well because I did not have a choice in the matter for many years.

But along came Bill #2 and he whooshed me off my feet and married me, right on the beaches of Kauai, six years ago. I thought I might be vulnerable to getting sick, but realized that I had been willing away colds and fevers for years, so why stop now?

Of course, my kids think I am crazy. They see that I am never sick but when they start to feel lousy, they run to their Dad. Who could blame them. It's out of my hands. And they have been less sick than most kids, over the years.

It's funny because my husband is the complete opposite to me of how he keeps colds away. He holes up in the bedroom, dark and cool with no sound at all, except for an occasional baseball game on TV. I ask him, "Would you like me to make you some homemade chicken noodle soup?" and he mutters, "No, I will be fine in a day or two", and then he just rolls over to suffer in the darkness!
Image via Wikipedia

For me, it's listening to my body in a laser-like manner. Most important, the foods I choose are very important. And ice cream and homemade soups have sent many a cold out of my house. Yesterday, a lemon meringue pie did the trick. It's something I rarely eat, so it was a treat. And I drink a ton (literally) of water. It's all about treating your body to pleasurable things......like the massage Bill gave me. I was cured in a instant! Finally, sleep and comfy clothes round out my wellness program. Sounds simple....and it is! Like Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan, not all things that are good and actually work have to be complex in nature.