As I See It.... Just My 2 Cents

Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas?

2011-12-13T08:46:00.001-05:00

You know I am really sick and tired of all the people who argue this question. Let's just stop and think about this for a minute. Christmas is a holiday - an actual day of the year that some of us celebrate Christ's birth. The "holidays" are a TIME of year that people celebrate lots of things. Some celebrate Christmas, some Hanukkah, and other religions celebrate their special season. Some just celebrate the joy of giving with no religion attached to that - and all of it is OK!

People c'mon!! Get real- let people do things the way THEY want to celebrate. Who are we to dictate how someone should celebrate their special season or how we should SAY greetings? All of us are joyous, happy and in the "spirit" of the season. So whether you say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays or Happy Hanukkah or HELLO - it's the spirit that matters - not the words. I don't pretend to be religious - I do believe in God (The Universe, Higher Power whatever the word is I use - I change it from time to time because the WORD doesn't matter! It's the spirit!)

I just read a story on whether we need to say Holiday Trees now instead of Christmas trees. SERIOUSLY?? The Christmas tree is a symbol of CHRISTMAS - it's part of that religion. Hanukkah doesn't have a tree it has a menorah, "holidays" don't have a symbol except commercialism or Santa (wink wink) so Christmas Tree is the proper phrase for the tree that gets decorated with a star on top!

No matter your feelings, your religion or what you say - I want to wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Holidays. I hope you all truly enjoy the season and the SPIRIT of the season. Let's let everyone enjoy it THEIR way - ok?

Just my Two Cents!

They Just Get No Respect!

2011-10-24T09:56:00.000-04:00

What is it about RSVPs? How did they fall out of favor? What happened to common courtesy of a reply to an invitation? Why are RSVPs so scarey to all of us?

When someone gets an invitation and the invitation specifically requests an RSVP - why do people just not respond? What is hard about saying "yes" or "no"?

You know you will run into them on the street someday and it will be an awkward few seconds and then they will say "oh hey... sorry I didn't um ya know.. get back to ya" ... and while they are stammering that out - you interrupt them and say "hey yeah man, I know... no problem"... but it IS a problem! I'm confused... think how much simpler it would be to just say "sorry can't make it" --- or "I'll be there" ? It certainly helps with the planning of an event.

I too have not RSVP'd to events and I always feel bad about that. So I have made it a personal goal of mine to always RSVP even if I say "maybe"!
I think there is something fearful in sending a response - - it locks you into an action!

I mean what if you said Yes - and then...something better came along?? Oh boy, now how do you have to get out of the commitment?

But what if you said No? You may not really want to go - but you don't want to say no YET. .because either you want to keep your options open in case something better doesn't come along, or you don't want to say NO to because you think the person inviting you is going to ask you why! Or maybe you don't want to hurt their feelings. So instead of saying no for fear of hurting their feelings - you ignore them. Hmmm.....

That's just frickin crazy! Just reply - Just say NO if you don't want to go! We are all adults and if we can't handle rejection by now, well... maybe we shouldn't be inviting anyone anywhere anyway! ;)

Birthdays....

2011-10-10T08:59:00.000-04:00

I went out walking today to see some of the nice colors in the sunshine - gorgeous! The whole time I was walking I was thinking about my birthday coming up -- and how years seem to be flying by me. I thought of birthdays past when my kids were little and my Mom used to take them to buy me something so they would have a present for me. I got so many gifts from the dollar stores and thrift shops - and I think I have every one of them still!

I remember getting a coffee thermos with a pump on it one year (from a yard sale!) - my son, who was about 6 at the time, was so proud to give me that as I had said I wanted one to take coffee with me in the car when we traveled next time. We had gone to Six Flags that year in NJ - just the three of us, myself, my daughter and my son. It was a fun trip singing to the radio with my son sitting upfront while he was learning how to read a map (and I mean LEARNING!) and my daughter in the backseat trying to listen to her music and wishing she was in any other car but the one she was! We stayed in a hotel for three entire days! We watched movies, played games and ate junk food! It was the best vacation ever back then. But I digress...

Let's get back to my birthday. So -- as I said my birthday is coming up soon and as I look back on some of the my past presents and remember them fondly and smile and get all teary eyed at times reminiscing about gifts my immediate thought was "yahoo - I'm sooooo glad my kids are now all grown up now with jobs where they make more money than I do. NOWWWWW... it's payback time!" Now I can get really cool presents! Oh, I've gotten some cool things in the past too - a digital camera, spa days, pedicures, restaurant gift certificates, dinners out, movies out... and on and on - it's so great but I'm thinking bigger.. much bigger!

So.. as my birthday approaches this year I'm hoping my kids will read THIS blog --- I'm really in the market for one of these three things (I'll give them choices so they'll still have a chance to surprise me!): First - an iPad 2 that would be amazing! I want a 64 gig, 3G, Wifi version - I would love that and with people splitting up the costs and getting it while online shopping through my website it should be affordable! - If that isn't in the cards, well.... I really want to go see Lady Gaga in concert! I want to be in the first few rows WITH MY KIDS! How fun would it be for ME? And it is my birthday so it IS all about me! Think how much fun it would be to dance and sing while my kids looked on in horror at their mother at a Lady Gaga concert! wow... or if they can't stand that embarrassment then my third option would be chocolate - LOTS of chocolate. :)

Actually as I have reflected back over my so so many past birthdays I realize that what I remember the most are the circumstances, the feelings, the looks of joy and excitement on my children's faces as they gave me something. I guess as I've gotten older the material things still don't mean much to me - what I really really want for my birthday is to only make more memories.

Happy Birthday to everyone out there.

It is getting cold out there!! GRRRR

2011-08-22T18:05:00.000-04:00

OK - what is going on? This is August right? I haven't gone to sleep and slept for a month or more have I? So... if not, then WHY is it getting cold outside?? It is 5:58 pm EST - on Aug 22nd - it should be 75 degrees out there or more - and I should be on my deck with a cocktail reading a great book! But... NO, I am inside, in my FLEECE pants and a SWEATER and BIG slippers! Looking like an old lady who is ready to turn in for the night just as soon as I blow out the oil lanterns. Good grief.... I actually think our summers are shrinking - that something big is happening to our planet. I know about climate changes, and I know about what is happening with the oceans getting warmer too - but what I'm talking about is different. Like today while I was standing outside in 60 degree weather in my winterwear ;) I noticed that normally where the sun is shining at that time of day it wasn't. ? huh? I keep pretty good track of this stuff so I feel like I truly am witnessing something weird.
I have this chair that I love - it's like an Adirondack chair, but much cheaper (in quality too)- but I know the exact spots on my lawn where I put that chair to catch the last rays of sunshine each and every week throughout the summer. Now for June - it's hardly worth sitting outside this time of night as it is COLD like it is NOW! (argh), but in July there is one spot by the big tree that holds the sun a long time - then that spot moves to my right as each day/week goes on... and this time of year - the spot where the chair should be and the sun should be shining on it, is not the same spot.
I'm confused, perplexed and just a bit mystified. I'll check it tomorrow and let you know.

Technology is moving so fast!

2011-08-12T17:20:00.000-04:00

As I sit here at my computer checking emails, checking orders, basically finishing up my week and setting goals for the next one - I am also watching my grandson at his daycare - in New Jersey! Through a video streaming program I am able to log in and check to see what he is doing! Wow... I'm so glad there is this technology now or I would be missing so much of his life! We talk on skype a few times a week too - he is so darn cute! I have seen all his major growth accomplishments (beginning to crawl, to walk, first teeth etc)!
Technology has improved our lifes (and also messed it up too), it has made things faster and easier (which means we get to do MORE stuff - good? bad?), it has allowed many people (myself included) to work from home and enjoy my life (of course then I'm here to do laundry and dishes all day too)!
Every change that happens has good points and bad. Just like everything and everyone else in life. We need to EMBRACE change - we need to EMBRACE technology!
Technology and other advances are going to automate our lives - which some people fear. But think about it this way: If technology can automate so many mundane chores of our daily lives, what does this free us up to do? Certainly NOT MORE mundane chores! It has been said and science states that we only use 10% of our brains - what would happen if we could use just another 10%? What would we be able to do? What could you accomplish? Automation and technology may be forcing us to change and we are losing some stuff - but we are also gaining stuff too - just ask yourself if we as a human species had more TIME to LIVE and more BRAINS to use - what could we do?
I don't know, this is just my two cents.

I am testing my blog and my FB set up!

2011-08-11T18:51:00.003-04:00

I am just testing to see if this is going to actually post to my FB page! :)Thanks for your patience!

I Just LOVE too many things!

2011-07-06T11:55:00.000-04:00

I have been struggling over the past year with the question of what am I passionate about? It's so hard to figure that out sometimes. Some people just KNOW - others try several things before they hit on something that just boosts them and they KNOW this is it!

ME? I have that boosting feeling with everything I love to do! It's hard to pin point just ONE passion.
If I had to - I guess I would have to say that my one big passion in life is to truly HELP others. I recently found an old file of mine from back in 1995 which had my personal mission statement on it (Have you ever written one?) My mission statement said "My goal in life is that when I die at least 100 people will stand up at my funeral and say I made a difference in their life". Wow - that was 16 years ago - and it is STILL TRUE today! I do want to make a difference in at LEAST 100 people's lives. And here I am 16 years later working toward that goal still. I LOVE IT!

Iin helping others, I really want to help others with FINANCIAL issues. I'm not a broker, I understand investments, but I don't sell any mutual funds (I have my own financial advisor who is excellent) and I certainly don't sell advice (I need advice myself sometimes). I don't have a degree or any accredited financial training. What I have is LIFE skills. I was a single mom with two children that I raised on my own. I worked two jobs to make ends meet so I wouldn't have to go on welfare. I slept on a couch in the living room for 7 years so my two children could have their own bedrooms and have some space of their own in this dinky little trailer that I rented for us.I busted my butt for years to buy a house ON MY OWN. I know it can be done, I've done it. It's hard work - but I learned some lessons along the way that I now feel is my "job" to share with others.

So, I guess what I truly "sell" in HOPE. Hope for families that live paycheck to paycheck where any day their entire world could collapse if one of them loses their jobs, or a huge financial crisis hits their household. Hope for children who go to school, work hard, get into college, PAY a ton of money and come out not knowing where they will work or even IF they can find a job! Hope for people who don't understand their health insurance and therefore don't go to the Drs when they are sick as they feel they can't afford it. Hope for small businesses who want to "do the right thing" (legally and morally). Hope for individuals who want to get off the hamster wheel of back and forth to work, living to reach Friday and then complaining about how fast their weekend went. I KNOW it is possible to get off this track - I have and I want to help others do the same.

Some people out there have said to me "Brenda, why are you doing so many different businesses"? I have to respond "It's really all ONE business - the business of HOPE". I have created one big umbrella for my business called Key Concepts, LLC. Under that umbrella I have "Financial Freedom Consultants" - we can help you as a family or individually become financially free by following some basic concepts. We have a debt elimination (not consolidation) program that WILL help you succeed.

I also create and provide "Training for Human Resource and Payroll Professionals" - I did those jobs for several years and I know how hard it is to administer so many employment laws as well as internal company policies. I also know it's tough to get accurate up to date information when YOU need it. So, I do trainings for professionals that help them get up to speed and keep them up to speed on what is happening out there.

I also have an internet marketing business partnering with a company called Market America. This business brings me residual income which allows me to actually focus on my passion which is giving people HOPE!

My internet business provides services that fall under my Key Concepts business. It gives me residual income, it helps families save money by shopping online and earning cash back, it also allows me to help other people who want to become an entrepreneur and have their own residual income.
Check out my "stuff" --- let me know how I can help!

Follow Your Dreams!

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Thoughts Become Things.... Whatcha thinking about?

2011-07-03T17:30:00.000-04:00

I've been doing alot of thinking lately about us as a human race...and why we are here on this planet, how do we fit in this plan? what's our purpose? Are we evolving still? how? I've been reading alot of books lately on these very questions and I'm not sure I know the answers yet. Maybe each one of us has to come up with our own answer we can be comfortable with or live with (so to speak).

I posted a quote on FB recently - Destiny is not a matter of chance... Its a matter of choice. It got a few responses nothing big or earth shattering but there was one response that said "Choice or chance?" --- Wow - good question. Hmmm, chance? coincidences? is there really any such thing as a coincidence? I don't think so, I also don't think it's destiny - I think you are constantly creating your own personal destiny with your thoughts you have NOW, today and what you are focusing on. I also don't think we can say someone else is guiding us on this path - I believe its is US that is guiding us by what we 1) DO 2) THINK about 3) TALK about 4) FOCUS on that is creating our lives. It's not the "think positive", "smile", "cancel, cancel" programs out there that I'm talking about - of course we need to think positive and smile (the jury is still out on the cancel cancel statement..:)) but what I'm saying is that we believe in a higher power - some call that power God, and a host of other names by different religions, and I personally call that power "The Universe" (along with Mike Dooly who is a wonderful person - check out his website Tut.com)
I truly believe WE are the Universe - we CREATE things. It's crazy I know... read The Celestine Prophecy, The Tenth Insight, and The Celestine Vision. Wow.. mind blowing (and they were written in 1993 and 1997) - so many things are happening...

But after all - that's just My Two Cents....

I just have to rant and rave for a moment....

2011-06-15T08:12:00.000-04:00

Sigh... I love my girlfriends - they really are the best people in the world. I feel so blessed to have more than 10 great friends. We travel together, we celebrate each others successes and cry over our set backs. We trust each other, and although we have a few squabbles here and there - if there was anyone in the world I could count on - it would be them.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love my husband and I love the fact we are married and building a great life together - but that just doesn't replace your "girls". My husband understands that I need my friends to hang out with, that they understand me better than he does at times, and that they are genuine caring people and I want them and need them in my life.

Not all of our husbands are like that - and that pisses me off. Why are some men so threatened by their "women" enjoying themselves without them? Why are some men so concerned that if they are not the center of their "womans' lives that "something is going on". I hate that.

So at times there will be one of our husbands or significant others who starts sulking or making us feel guilty that we have "girls" only events. At times like that I'd like to have a super power that could immobilize husbands and make them forget everything that just happened! haha.. wouldn't that be fun?

Or maybe my superpower should be to get inside their minds and make them realize that when the "girls" do get together and laugh, cry, and talk smack about our lives, it only benefits them! We become better wives and lovers when allowed to express ourselves and have a world outside of "them".

So - here is to the women in my life! You ROCK!!! And here's to the man in your life who understands it's important to have your "me" time! And to those who just don't get it ---- sigh.... hopefully you will someday before "your woman" wakes up to the fact that you are a donkey in a mans clothes. ;)

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2011-06-13T14:56:00.000-04:00

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Frustrating? Or Fascinating? You be the judge!

2011-06-10T12:54:00.000-04:00

It just might be me. It might not be. But my list of pet peeves seems to have increased over the past few years of my life!
I used to only be bothered by misspelled public signs - did I tell you the story of the time I went to a 10 year anniversary party for a towns local ambulance service and when I pulled up to the event the sign read: "Celebrating 10 Years! Your XXXX Ambluance Service"
Ambluance? huh.... did they not get in their car and read the sign through their mirror??
Some of my other pet peeves are cashiers at grocery stores that don't even acknowledge you when you start putting stuff on the register... especially if they are talking to a co-worker and ignoring you! Grrr... and another one is people who yell at their children in public, c'mon! would you do that to an adult? you big meany! And how about people who drive below the speed limit when I am in a hurry! ;)
I went to a conference recently and the woman who was speaking was awesome (Jackie Blasko was her name - if you get a chance to hear her, go) - one thing she said totally caught my attention - she said "everytime I feel myself thinking "this is so frustrating" -- I change the words and I put asmile on my face and I say "isn't that fascinating?"...
We all have pet peeves that we let get under our skin a bit too much. We all are in a hurry at times, we all think we are the center of OUR world (which of course, we are!) So the next time you find yourself gritting your teeth, frowning and seething inside...just smile and say "ISN'T that FASCINATING!"

I can't tell you how much stress this has saved me (and frustration -fascinating eh?)

Working..... working .... working

2011-05-02T18:57:00.001-04:00

We all work, don't we? No matter what we do in life, there is some kind of work involved. But it doesn't have to be work that makes someone else successful - why not work for yourself? Why not have a plan for your own financial success? I'm down here in Florida on the beach right now -"working"! I do believe the secret to WORKING is to actually find something you love - and figure out a way to make money doing it. Me? I love vacationing so I needed a way to make money that was portable. I also needed flexibility in TIME... I don't want to put in 40 hours a week - I want to put in no more than 10 or 15 tops - and it needs to be FUN or at least pleasurable too. I also needed a way to earn money that came in AFTER I stopped working. I wasn't going to "work" forever no matter how FUN or pleasurable it was. I wanted money coming in whether I was doing anything or not.

I'm happy to report - I found a way to do that. So, I'm here in Florida, on a MONDAY (and I'll be here until Friday doing the same thing)- I've been on the beach, by the pool and in a pub downstreet "working" --- and when I look around I wonder where everyone is.. then I remember - oh right, they are working for someone else so they have to BE somewhere at a certain TIME and STAY there until told they can go home - UGH, I will not do that anymore.... What about you?

Need Cash? Here's some ideas to raise some fast......

2011-04-24T09:05:00.003-04:00

We all need cash at times - Cash is King! Here are a few ways you can raise some cash.
Check your wallet, your pocketbook and cards you may have received! - You may have some unused gift cards in there. I know I have received gift cards for various reasons (birthday,the holidays etc) and sometimes I just don't get around to using them- they sit wherever I happen to put them and then I find them - if they are expired - I always always always check first - your State Law (my state has rules on this!) and then I contact the place and say "I just found this, can I still use it?" You might be surprised how many places will honor expired gift cards. There are even websites out there that will BUY your old gift cards!

Check your closets, your bureau drawers and your shed! - You probably have items that have been sitting around, unused, never worn, etc that you could sell. It's amazing what sells on places like Ebay! I actually wanted a pair of Mudd boots - couldn't find the pair I wanted through my website so I went to Ebay and found them for 99Cents! Someone in California was smart enough to put their unwanted boots on Ebay. I was happy with the price, but also happy that we reused a pair of boots and they didn't toss them in a landfill somewhere! So, check around - you probably have things you don't need that could bring you some ready cash!

Find a credit card that pays you CASH BACK - not reward points - those points are nice, but you end up getting overpriced items for your points - cash is king - so cash back is best! And of course - you can earn cash back by purchasing your everyday items - things you were going to buy anyway - through a Paid to Shop website, like mine! :) Earn some cash today!
Look over to your left - see that big Cash Back widget? Search around - OR if you want to view the entire website - Click Here
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Living in a House of Cards....

2011-04-20T20:01:00.000-04:00

Debt - the worst 4 letter word out there in my opinion!

I have always known about borrowing money, paying interest and making those monthly payments. I bought a house, I've had car loans, credit card loans etc, but I guess I never really took the time to figure out just how much I was actually paying for something!

When I read that borrowing $200,000 for a mortgage, at 6% interest, for 30 years (which is typical) that I was actually going to pay back the bank $431,677 dollars! I couldn't believe it! I did the math - and it's right - Holy cow, more than double the amount I borrowed!!

Car loans are just as bad, and credit cards are worse! People paying only the minimum on their credit cards should look at how much is actually being deducted off their balance (the principal balance).

I'm so disgusted by all of this - and then the gov't bails out the banks. ???? Something is wrong with this picture!

The country is going bankrupt, the people are going bankrupt, our politicians are being bought off by corporate money - what happened to the American Dream?

Our retirement fund aren't funded, government workers are working for empty promises, corporations are going under and leaving the masses with no retirement plan - something is going to break - we are living in a house of cards folks.

Let's hope the Big Bad Wolf has had his fill of little piggies (oh wait, did he actually get them? I don't think so...) so... looks like we are on the menu for dinner soon!

Your Pets... Your Children

2011-02-24T14:47:00.000-05:00

Today for some reason I have really been missing my dog Thunder! I went out for a walk today and I got thinking about the times he would go for walks with me and I found myself smiling at the images of all his "spots" he had to mark along our trail! He was by far the best dog I have ever had in my life and I still miss him even though he has been gone for over 2 years now.

I am grateful to have had him - he really showed me unconditional love and I think it's time to start looking for another lifelong companion. I am torn between getting the same kind of dog, he was a beautiful German Shephard, or whether to go with a totally new breed.... what do you think? Would the memories of him be too much with a dog that is the same kind? Would I expect too much of the new one because he looked like Thunder?

I'm torn - but one thing I do know for sure is that when I get one he will be on these great pet products from day one! check out the banner below about pet health - go ahead and click on it -and read all about them... they are great products and although I gave the OPC to my dog Thunder it was too little too late to save him. Now I am armed with so much more information about different types of dog foods and how their immune system works - my new dog will only get the best and I have found it with these products!

Dreaming.... is that FUN?

2010-12-31T12:44:00.001-05:00

Last night I watched the WCAX news and Sharon the weather lady was talking about gardening and how we should be designing our gardens by texture, color, etc. I love the gardening sections! What got me going a bit was when the regular newslady (her name escapes me right now) says to Sharon "It's Fun to Dream isn't it"? Hmm, that got me thinking.... why do we say dreaming is fun? To me that brings it down to child's play - and most people think "acting like a child" or "childs play" is a bit crazy and stupid and not realistic. When adults "dream" they are called crazy or at the very least people think they have ADHD!

To those people I say BOOHAHAHAHA... you are so wrong! Dreams and Dreaming is for EVERYONE - and yes it can be fun, but people who dream AND THEN TAKE ACTION toward those dreams are creating their own destiny and setting their future in motion. We all know and have heard that things in motion stay in motion and things sitting still tend to stay still unless propelled by something really forceful. So take a few steps each day toward that Dream - make it your GOAL, not just fun! Goals are dreams with steps to achieve them! This World we live in more now than ever needs to dream and and we need more dreamers (aka the crazy ones!).

What is your Dream? What are you doing to reach it? Is it just "fun"? Or can it become a reality with just a few action steps each day? Get out a piece of paper and write down what you wanted to be when you grew up - think way back to when you were a kid... what propelled you to take action? What put you in motion? What moves you?
Now do something about it! The Crazy Ones!

Welcome to My Two Cents!

2010-12-30T18:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to My Two Cents!: "This page consists of my status updates for Twitter, My You Tube, My Blog: As I See It.... , my internet 'UnFranchise' business and Some funny quotes from time to time- which will be used to publish my new book :
MY TWO CENTS!
coming soon to an ONLINE bookstore!
"

WAIT! Was that an earthquake?

2010-11-27T09:57:00.000-05:00

Did you feel that? Did the earth move? Was it real?

No - that wasn't an earthquake, believe it or not that was "The Wellness Shift"! The what?
The Wellness Shift - don't you see it? feel it? are you a part of it? Finally I can see and feel the beginnings of a total paradigm shift related to health care in this country. And it's about time.

More people are beginning to take notice and pay attention to how nutrition is playing a vital role in their health, alternative health care is more acceptable and even Drs are getting on board to promote nutrition and supplements to their patients instead of prescriptions (and getting better results and healthier patients!)

I actually feel bad for Drs - in the old days they performed a service, they were paid for it and the patients felt better. Now... insurance companies are telling Drs how much they will reimburse them for treating the patients - and not covering alot of services that Drs feel patients should have. Drs also get bonus money when they have certain tests done - did you know that? Yes, that last MRI or CAT scan or XRay that the DR said you needed could have been because they needed bonus money - or had to meet a quota or were covering their butts and their malpractice insurance won't cover them unless certain tests are performed. I'm not kidding - that really is the truth.

So - Drs are having a hard time financially just like the rest of us. Remember when your parents used to pray you'd marry a Dr... wow, that was the ultimate, the gold medal and you would be set financially for life! But hold on.... those Drs... they are in massive debt from student loans and have certain re-certifications they have to do every year, two years etc. - are you sure your Dr is doing all of that?

So the insurance company puts a price on a certain service and that is what the DR gets paid... so follow this - YOU go the Dr, you have insurance and that insurance company will only pay $70 for an office visit which normally the Doc charges $100 for. (Its in the Drs contract w/ the insurance company that only $70 will paid - and the Dr can't argue that because then they will be kicked out of that insurance companies network and some of their patients would be gone because they have that insurance) - so they accept what the insurance company is willing to pay.

The Dr sends a bill to the insurance company for $100, the insurance company pays only $70 - you owe nothing. But the dr is out $30. How do they make that up? You can figure it out.

What can the Dr do? How about starting to offer some health and wellness products and not just prescriptions - how about getting back to getting the patient HEALTHY!

I'd be willing to bet that most Drs went to school to learn how to HELP people stay healthy. - I bet they didn't go to learn how to prescribe every medication that the pharmaceutical companies are pushing down their throats - and how many patients go in to the Drs because they saw a prescription commercial on TV and are thoroughly convinced they "have that disease"??

Crazy stuff.... I say we all need to step up and LEARN - get educated on what is happening with our bodies. I have been doing alot of reading lately on health and nutrition and I am appalled at our food industry. Thats another story! :)

Update on the process of becoming a CWO

2010-11-19T17:57:00.003-05:00

After several more visits to the docs with no results and doing some serious research on my own - and with the help of my fabulous acupuncturist Akhil Kaplan - Three Moons Wellness we believe it is my lymphatic system! For some reason it doesn't seem to be "moving" and getting rid of toxins like it should. So, a few solutions that have been offered up that have most definitely helped. I bought a rebounder (a mini trampoline) and I bounce on it every day for about 10 min in the morning and another 10min in the late afternoon - what a difference in my neck and shoulders! I also met an awesome massage therapist named William Wood - he is located in Stowe, VT but does house calls and wow- he is good! He did what is called an lymphatic drain massage - and it made a world of difference to me. I am having my 2nd one on Monday and cannot wait. If you are in this area (VT) you should check him out - email him William Wood I highly recommend him.
My issues are not solved but at least I feel like someone is actually listening and taking this seriously. I am not normally a hypochondriac and was beginning to think I was going nuts with all this pain that no one could figure out! Alternative medicine/therapy and preventive nutritional supplements are the way to go - and that is the way I'll be going from now on!

Are you ready to be the CWO of your OWN HEALTH?

2010-10-19T10:39:00.001-04:00

Health care doesn't exist in this country - we operate in crisis mode - "sick care" is what we have and its killing all of us.
People - seriously, wouldn't you rather prevent a disease? a pain? a problem? instead of try to solve it?

Myself - I am so darn frustrated with the doctors, the tests, the fact that someone who has a medical background can't figure out what is wrong with me! Let me ask you - if you had pains in your neck, your spine, your ears, your jaws and you had several MRIs, hearing tests, xrays, chiropractor visits, CT scans, physical therapy, and acupuncture and you still had all the same pains and problems - what would you do?

Well I have decided to be the CEO of my own health and start studying and researching my own issue.

I'll keep you posted! :) I have access to some of the worlds best nutritional supplements and health products on the market - I just had my DNA Gene SNP test done - and am reviewing my results. I need to figure this out and not rely on Drs as they don't have a vested interest in me at all - they just have a vested interest in the amount of money (which granted isn't much these days from the insurance companies)they are receiving. Every time I need another test, I have to have another Drs visit first - first that is expensive, and 2ndly it takes TIME - and its been almost a year and I'm still no further ahead now then when I was. So, I'm taking control and I will figure this out --- I'll keep you posted!

psst.... C W O stands for Chief Wellness Officer!

Wow - our PETS are getting fat!

2010-10-05T10:17:00.003-04:00

Have you read this article? click here

It's Later than you Think!

2010-09-30T12:06:00.002-04:00

From a Smart Person (Big Al Yentsch): I copied this from a group on FaceBook - and I so think its worth repeating! Please read...

Procrastination is a source of incredible suffering. When we know what to do and don't do it, we strike a blow to our worth and self-esteem. “One of these days” is none of these days. If we are to gain tomorrow, we must seize today. Where is your procrastination causing you increased pain, expense, and inconvenience? Your health? Schedule? Finances? Relationships? What about how you spend your free time and use your talents? How do you manage your stress? Be honest: At the end of a hard day, are you still reaching for a glass of wine or downing that dessert for an emotional pick-me-up? Have you promised yourself yet again that you will start making better choices tomorrow? What if there was a way to lose interest in those types of activities and choices that aren't aligned with your best life? What if, instead, you began to embrace the changes you know you need to make? Here’s a surprising truth: Action is easier than regret. Making changes is easy: It’s thinking about change that is hard. It’s even harder when we think in terms of perfection rather than progress. For example: Isn't exercising your body for 30 minutes a day easier than beating yourself up all day for not exercising? The truth is, change is a personal decision. Once the commitment to do things differently is made, the very things you have put off will ease their way into your life. Think about it: Time is the great equalizer. It passes by at the same rate for everyone. Think about it: No matter how much money, privilege, beauty, talent, or other advantages a person may have, no one gets more than 24 hours to spend in a day. But, how you spend those hours is what matters. All of us wake up in the morning and start our day with exactly as much time as everyone else. Yet the setting sun will find each of us in vastly different circumstances due to the daily choices we make. When you make a change and invest your heart, you can create a new reality. Inspiration and great ideas come from all around us and they are tools we can use to turn our dreams into plans, and those plans into something we can look at and touch. But ultimately, success comes from action, and that action is only possible through you. Act on your dreams and give yourself the gift that no one else can give you. Seize the day!!! Its later than you think!!!!!

MA Auctions! What deals!

2010-08-18T16:15:00.003-04:00

Wow! Auctions are here.... I bid on one of the travel deals and now have a 3 bedroom plus bunk room w/ 3 baths for 5 nights in Panama City Florida on the beach! Taking the entire family, spouses, other halves, and grandson to Florida in December for a Christmas treat! All for $300! There are still two more vacation deals out there on the auction site and TONS more things too!
brendasabin - Market America :: Built on Product. Powered by People.

Isotonic OPC-3

2010-08-09T20:44:00.000-04:00

Where did June and July disappear to?

2010-08-02T12:26:00.002-04:00

Unbelievable how fast time is going by. Did someone spin the Earth a bit quicker this past year? Or is it just me?
I remember being a kid - tick tock tick tock... summer was FOREVA! Now... its August. Wow.

I haven't even posted a blog recently. It seems like everyone is so busy these days - I finally went and visited my GREAT niece today, she lives about 7 miles down the road from me and I have been trying to get there for WEEKS and it seems like something has come up every single time I decide to go. Well today - I stopped what I was doing, didn't think, picked up my car keys and walked out my door. Before I know it she will be walking and talking and I want her to know me. Same with my great nephew who is now 2 1/2 (or 5 as he tells me!) - where did that time go? And my grandson - just rolled over for the first time! Almost 4 months old - thats 1/3 of a year... wow!

This entire life cycle is just hammering home to me just how important it is to spend time with your family and friends NOW - don't wait - you will NEVER have enough time - but you know we ALL have the same 24 hours in a day - we need to decide how to spend those 24 hours so it means something.

What is your purpose for being on this earth? Why are you here? Its not to trudge back and forth to work every day and complain about it and everything else in your life. Its not about making a ton of money but having no TIME to do what you want. Its about GIVING to the world, it's about doing what makes you happy! And you can't do that if you don't have some dispensable funds right?

Think... listen.... smile.... put out to the Universe what you want - and then watch for those coincidences. One of the might be reading this blog right now!

I love my life - I love owning my own business and traveling. I love spending time with those little ones that are the next generation in my family - you can do the same thing too.
call me... ;)

Earn Cashback!!!

2010-06-28T10:24:00.003-04:00

Integrity and Committment

2010-06-28T10:13:00.002-04:00

Wow - what an interesting week last week and weekend I have had! So many different things have happened that has made me question my sanity - then question other peoples sanity as well.
Hmmm --- let me ask you all something - what does integrity mean to you? Respond to this blog and let me know - to me, integrity is doing the right thing, integrity is respecting YOURSELF and being true to yourself. One motto I have tried very hard to live by is "YOU ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS YOUR WORD".... do you feel that way too? If you make a commitment do you follow through? I have had three very different experiences that has really made me question what this world is becoming. Three different experiences with three different people and three different ways of not fulfilling some obligation or commitment. Wow... I'm still just blown away by this. I guess I should let it go and move on... and I will soon, but I'm still just shaking my head!

I'm struck by how so many people have a different view of integrity - I know this by their actions, not their words. Actions do speak louder right? You can preach about things, you can state your opinions on topics, but what you DO (or not) is what speaks volumes about YOU as a person.
I'm just confused... I'm disappointed and I've decided that I need to reflect on my life and who I allow in it.
What do you think?

The 2 Last Pillars....

2010-03-11T15:57:00.002-05:00

The Four pillars – I wrote about the Social Pillar and the Economic Pillar yesterday. Lets take a look at Pillar #3 – the Health pillar.
Our healthcare in this country is non-existent! We have sick care, not health care here. We React to our symptoms but don’t try to get at the root of WHY we have these symptoms. We think we can take a pill for EVERYTHING and are now better. We aren’t “better” we have just masked the symptoms so we can ignore them and keep doing what we were doing. We aren’t fixing anything – we are fooling ourselves into believing that our Drs and health care providers know what in the hell they are doing.
Myself personally have had some not so great experiences with health care providers. The only answer I seem to get from them is “take this prescription and if it gets worse call me” – yeah of course, so I can pay for yet another Drs appointment and prescription again. We have become so damn lazy as a society we don’t bother to take care of ourselves. We are couch potatoes and want a pill to lose weight. We eat junk food and want a pill to lose weight. We eat more junk food and need a pill for heart disease due to high cholesterol and diabetes. We are KILLING ourselves and our PLANET and we aren’t doing anything about it.
Health care in Congress is not the answer – the government cannot fix this. WE need to fix this ourselves. It is time to step up and be responsible and be an adult that is aware of what is going on and be accountable for our own actions.
The 4th pillar is Education. Public schools are increasingly showing lower scores on tests that are supposed to measure how much knowledge our kids/students obtain. Hmmm…. My taxes have gone up each year to pay for public education – more money, less results. The schools are increasingly becoming the parents of our kids – gone are the basic education skills (you know those basic “R”s. Reading, Riting and Rithmatic”! --- Now we have to teach kids social skills, health habits, nutrition, and the list goes on and on…. Plus our public schools are becoming more of a daycare than an educational institution. And look at the highschools – they are no better – kids not graduating with anymore skills than they had in 6th grade – and college! The cost is astronomical for most people – and again, kids come out of college with a TON of debt and no more chance of a job than anyone else.

People – please pay attention to what is going on around us. Little by little our “pillars” are eroding and falling down….. whats the solution? What are we going to do? We keep throwing money at problems and creating more hardship for families that can’t afford anything else. We are waiting on our government to “fix” things. WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT! Wake up!

We need real solutions. Real answers - not easy fixes to these issues. Stay tuned...

Four Pillars are Crumbling! We need to wake up.

2010-02-28T09:46:00.002-05:00

Four Pillars are crumbling!

In our society we basically have four pillars that keep us all afloat and all four of them are crumbling and falling down. Folks – pay attention to this – its serious.

The four pillars I’m talking about are: the Social pillar, the Economic pillar, the Health pillar and the Education pillar.

Let’s start with the Social pillar. Years ago our social network and social life revolved around our families, our neighbors, and our community. Daycare wasn’t an issue; someone being home when the kids come home from school wasn’t an issue. Grandparents were close by to help out and be mentors to the new parents in the family and play the role of marriage counselor! Now our families are scattered – day care is costly, no mentors around to help with questions on marriage and raising children and even our close friends from high school and college are scattered throughout the world. The world has become smaller though - so we have friends all over the place – some we haven’t even met, thanks to social network sites. Why do you think they have become so popular? Why has Facebook hit millions of people? We are all looking for that connection, that old community feeling – that feeling of being a part of something bigger than ourselves. We are seeking that closeness from total strangers now and it is bringing the world closer together.
Think about this – if the people who run this country had friends in Iraq and Afghanistan through Facebook or other social networks like MA Chatterbox (click on the title of this post to see chatterbox) do you think it would be as easy to make the decision to bomb that place? It makes countries more personal to us. And it should – folks, we are ONE people – and we need to realize that sooner than later.

Now… lets look at the Economic pillar – our financial world has become disastrous. We have all learned to live on borrowed money. We have massive credit card debt, we live in houses that we can’t afford, we buy bigger and flashier cars so we can impress the world and have an “image”. The banks are crumbling, Wall Street is a joke, our 401k plans are now 101K plans and seniors aren’t asking ‘when’ they are going to retire but IF they are going to retire. People were led to believe that if they got an education, got a good job and worked hard they would have saved some money and would live out their retirement in the style they wanted to. Folks – the economic pillar is crumbling – the way we have been taught is no longer working! We have to start being responsible for ourselves – the government is not going to take care of us, your employer is not going to take care of you either. YOU have to take care of you. What is your back up plan? What is your Plan B? What if you went into work today and was told that you no longer have a job – what would you do next? How you going to pay your mortgage? Your car payments? Your credit cards that you have racked up?

What now?

Stay tuned…. For the other two pillars and some easy solutions to THINK about.

12 Children on Stage - changed my life forever

2010-02-04T11:10:00.002-05:00

I just got back from Miami on Tuesday. Went down for the Market America World Conference and I have to say that this company continues to amaze the heck out of me! Every 6 months we have a huge convention - one in Miami and the other in Greensboro, NC and each time there are NEW updates and NEW products, and NEW and exciting partner stores, and NEW ways to get the word out about this company. I don't know how they do it. They turn things around (new projects) in a wink. A company I used to work for used to take MONTHS to roll out a new idea/project and even then it wouldn't work right! This company is dedicated to its Independent Distributors and Unfranchise Owners. They are working hard for all of us to succeed and fulfill our dreams. Is your company doing that for you? Or are they working hard at fulfilling their own success dreams? Are you valued? Are you secure in that job? Do you want to continue on the hamster wheel of life? In a rut? Things change so rapidly in this world - you have to stay on top of technology and skills. You have to prepare for YOUR future and your families futures. This company is allowing me to leave a legacy to my children and future grandchildren AND great grandchildren that I may never meet, yet I will leave them a future they can depend on for years to come.
People - you need to be thinking about this. Seriously, this company has created more six figure income earners then anyone else - and will continue to do so. This company has helped NUMEROUS people with their health concerns. I sat in Miami this week and watch 12 children on stage at Market America talk about how MA has helped them lose weight (childhood obesity is rampant in this country!! wake up - our children will not outlive us much longer!!) When these children were done telling their stories there was not a dry eye in the house - over 23,000 people all overwhelmed by what MA has done for them - and countless others too. I have so many testimonials on our health products - you owe it to yourself to at least investigate them!
Time is going by - you can't stop it, but you can make each minute you have left on this earth a better one.
Please take a look at this company - http://brendasabin.com

Market America - Built on Product. Powered by People

2010-01-06T14:27:00.000-05:00

Market America - Built on Product. Powered by People

Customer Service - A Lost Art

2010-01-06T10:02:00.004-05:00

Customer Service---- where has it gone? I have really noticed lately how there is such a lack of caring in the service industries. As a consumer of goods and a customer of many stores I am appalled at how little people care about their customers. I have walked into a supermarket the other day and upon checking out the cashier didn't even bother to look at me - she had the earphones in - and her head was bobbing to some music and she rang up my groceries and as I ran my debit card through the machine she started talking to someone else. I had to remind her to push the button on her machine so I could finish my transaction. After I bagged my own groceries while she chatted she handed me my receipt and never said "thanks" or "have a good day" or even acknowledged that I was leaving. WTF!!! People - you need to wake up to the fact that your customers ARE your business - each and every one of them!
I own an online store - a "Mall without Walls" so to speak. I am a customer manager. I assure you that I am available to all my customers anytime, anywhere and always say thank you.
This wasn't the only incident of bad customer service I have had lately - there have been several. It seems like the cashiers, the service people, the ones we interact with just don't care if we come back again as a customer. The world is changing and more people are realizing that the "experience" they have is as important as the actual product or service they receive.

For example - I walked into a cafe here in my home town the other day and was greeted by NAME and asked what I needed - received my order, with a smile and a thank you and was treated like a queen. This place is a little pricier than another shop near by - but I love the way I feel going into this cafe and I am willing to pay more for the experience. They know the Lost Art of Customer Service!

If you are a business or someone who deals with the public - you need to smile, say thanks, ask about them, be SINCERE and appreciate the fact that the person you are dealing with supports your business and your job - be nice.

OK - done ranting! Have a great YEAR - set your goals high - go for it! You are in charge of your destiny and you need to step up and do it. :)

Peace

brendasabin - Market America :: Built on Product. Powered by People.

2009-12-13T13:24:00.000-05:00

brendasabin - Market America :: Built on Product. Powered by People.

Transitioning Your Life......

2009-12-03T09:09:00.003-05:00

I am going through a transformation in my life that I never thought would happen. I am on a health kick! And I'm loving it. I drink soy milk (and I thought I hated it but wow is it good!) I have been reading nutrition labels, exercising and paying attention to what is happening with my mind and body. Maybe it's getting older and I'm hanging on to every last bit of anything I have left OR maybe it's that the world is finally realizing that our overindulgence in everything we do has got to stop. We overeat, overspend and try to stay ahead of everyone else. No more - its time to relax, slow down, enjoy your life - live your life. I have been following a weight management and nutrition lifestyle plan for the past 10 weeks and it is amazing at how much I have learned. I have learned why diets don't work, I have learned about good fats,bad fats, good carbs, bad carbs, sugar and glycemic index. I have learned how to mix foods so it has a smaller impact on fat storage - I have learned that I am addicted to sugar! And that addiction is hard to break! But I have found agave syrup - yum - and REAL stevia (not the stuff in the grocery store) but at a health food store. I have found that I love vegetables and fruits that I had never tried before due to my ignorance. :) So if you too want to start learning and transitioning your life to a healthier and fitter lifestyle - click on the title of this blog and you will see a dvd/journal and cd that will teach you lots of things. :) good luck and happy new year!

OH - and PS - I have lost a total of 19.5 lbs! - I love my closet now! :)

Time Shares - Ft Lauderdale here I come!

2009-11-30T19:18:00.003-05:00

You know I have wanted to purchase a home somewhere warm for quite some time - and I'm not giving up that dream - but I've come to realize that buying a place in ONE place is kinda limiting. So I purchased two timeshares. One in WV and one in Ft Lauderdale. The one in Ft Lauderdale is at the resort that I and 4 of my close friends weathered Hurricane Wilma - she busted out our windows, totally soaked every thing we had - forced us out on the streets - and luckily, just like in those Cinderella type movies - a couple of nice guys showed up and saved our butts! Mike and Jim- you know who you are! We are forever grateful! So it was a sign when I saw that timeshare was for sale and ON sale! I bought it and its now the Girls Vacation Week - every year. We just booked our flights tonight for a week in May in 2010. (NON Hurrican Season!).
This is something I have wanted to do too - have a one week vacation every year to the same place with the same people - all women - all friends - and all just having fun. That is on my list of The Top 100 things I Want To Do Before I Die. I just checked off - own a timeshare. I have also checked off skydiving, going to Cancun,Australia, Taiwan and various other locations and driving a race car! I have 88 things left to do before I die on my original list- but I keep adding more every day!!

I believe in setting these "goals" down in writing. Writing out your goals helps you really SEE them - I put up some pictures - I created a "dreamboard". I know it seems silly - but it does set something in motion somehow! Call it God, call it The Universe, call it Manifesting - call it whatever you want - but something gets set in motion and when something sets in motion - it stays in motion and gains momentum. So - write down your top 100 things - your "Bucket List" - and watch the motion begin!

Holiday Parties Get a Free $25 gift certificate to your favorite restaurant!

2009-11-26T15:49:00.004-05:00

I love holiday parties! I love getting dressed up and socializing with people and the "eat,drink and be merry" slogan! There just is never enough time (or weekends) to do all that I want to do. I'd have a party every Friday and Saturday night if people would come! With everyone trying to gather family and friends - myself and my business partners have decided to co-host a gathering. Come join us! We would love for you to come socialize, check out our websites, catch up on the news and gossip and "eat, drink and be merry"! December 4th (Friday) 6pm - 71 North Main St in Waterbury!

We invite you to come sit, relax, enjoy some holiday munchies and cheer and let us show you how you can do your holiday shopping from the comfort of your own home and earn $ CASH BACK $ !
We just launched our Paid To Shop program where you can earn 2% cash back on your purchases and you can also earn another .5% cash on your friends purchases when you refer them to our web-portal to do their shopping. It’s a win-win!

Holiday Season is upon us and there is no doubt we are all making our Christmas lists - let us show you how you can save money, comparison shop and get discount codes for items you want and need. Bring your list and we will be your personal shoppers!

If you attend and bring a guest -we will give you $25 gift certificate to a favorite local restaurant! Arvads, The Resevoirs, Cider House to name a few…

Come join us and learn how you can save not only on your holiday shopping, but on items that you purchase on a regular basis for everyday use.
We will also be showcasing some products for you to sample. We are not looking for you to place an order (though we won't stop you if you want to!) We just want to educate people how our web-portals work and show you and your friends how you can save money, AND MAKE MONEY! Wow who wouldn't want to learn that!

Let’s get together and enjoy great company and some very exciting information. Come just for the company and good conversation!
No obligation – but there will be prizes given away – and gift certificates!

Please RSVP by December 2nd and let us know if you are bringing a guest(s).
RSVP to me at 802-496-6875 or Brenda@brendasbin.com

Check out http://brendasabin.com for more info on cashback!

Let The Games Begin!.Black Friday Mania on Thursday!

2009-11-25T21:17:00.002-05:00

We all know how Black Friday is such a mad ass dash to get the best deals before anyone else can right? I just saw a commerical where Sears.com is having a Black Friday ONLINE only sale on Thursday! How funny is that?

Watch for more of these deals- the internet is the way of the future, and retail stores are having a rough time --- the chant "No more brick and mortar - I Want Click and Order" can be heard through the land..... this is going to be an interesting holiday season. And with MY Paid to Shop program you can get those sales - get the deals - AND get 2% cash back! ...... Click on the title above... go to Shop Partners - hit S - go to Sears.com or any of the other 3000 partner stores I have! Happy happy joy joy!

Ah... The Colors of the Holiday Season.......

2009-11-13T18:23:00.005-05:00

Every season has it's colors ---- the spring with all the paisley colors and Easter colors; the summer with it's cool blues, bright pinks and hot yellows; the fall with it's burnt oranges, reds, cranberry colors, dull yellows and the winter with the cold blues, the blacks the bright reds. I love the colors of the Holiday Season - that special red color, kelly greens, bright whites, dazzling blues and lots of others in between. This time of year people are thinking about going to parties and dressing up - those little black dresses come out, the holiday sweaters and caps come out, and for some of us makeup isn't exactly a thing on our mind. We wear the same ol' same ol' - or none at all (hey this is VT I live in!) We don't think about changing our make up and OUR colors to go with the changing of the season's colors. Even animals change colors - think of the bunny rabbit - brown to white for the seasons. Maybe it's something to think about. Some of us do think to change the clothing we wear (especially those down vests and heavy hooded sweaters - again this is VT). Some of us even "put away the summer clothes" and "get out the winter ones". Maybe thinking about our makeup isn't such a bad idea. If you don't wear makeup maybe this holiday season is a time to try it out! I read a great article on lipstick recently. And the funny thing is that this article was naming the Top 10 RED lipstick of the season and low and behold the brand of lipstick and makeup that I sell is actually rated #5! Our RED is HOT HOT HOT... and perfect for the holidays --- click on the title of this blog and it will take you to the article (we are #5 out of 10). If you want some high end quality makeup that doesn't cost you an arm a leg AND an ear - then check out my website http://www.motivescosmetics.com/bsabin - Happy Holiday Colors!

Gift Certificates? Why do they expire?

2009-11-04T11:04:00.004-05:00

I was digging around the other day and came across an envelope from my daughter. I opened it up and in there was a gift certificate for $50 to a garden shop near our house. Now she gave me this last Christmas for a gift and in the middle of the hustle and bustle it got put away securely (too securely!). I was excited to find it! It's like getting a gift all over again! However.... it had an expiration date on it for one year from date of purchase- which means that is NEXT month! Holy cow - so I start making plans for what I could possibly by at a garden shop on November 1st (the day I found the envelope) - when I go to the website to look at things - I discover they closed for the season on October 31st! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR ----- so what do I do? Do I have a right to ask them to take this gift cert? The expiration date hasn't gone by and it will go by before they re-open! Man --- this stinks. I have to call them (oh but they are closed - so now what?). I think it's awful that gift certificates have expiration dates on them. I understand why some places want them - but doesn't that mean that they should refund the money? C'mon - my daughter spent 50 bucks of her hard earned money and now it's like she just threw it in the trash. It's my fault - no doubt - but I am going to try to plead with the shop to help me.

I used to think giving gift certificates for presents was a cop-out - an "easy mans" way of gift giving - but as I have grown older and seen so many gifts that were not used - not really wanted and re-gifted - I began to believe in gift certificates. I used to be bothered by the fact that someone would know how much I was willing to spend on them (after all wasn't that saying how much you thought they were worth?) - but now... now I think gift certificates are the BEST thing to do for the holidays. Why not let people get what they want? Why not show them that you want them to actually enjoy what they have - not get them something that will sit on a shelf until put out in a yard sale or given away to a thrift shop. Check out all the gift certificate options I have on my website - the Gift Certificate tab on the top of the page on my website (http://brendasabin.com - OR click on the title of this post and that will show you lots of ways to give "anything" - some gift certificate are valid for a variety of stores - even better! Have fun this holiday season - give with your heart and your head! Don't spend money on things people don't want - spend money by giving people what THEY want - the opportunity to "shop" for their own personal preferences..... And then - be nice and send them a reminder every month or so to USE IT!! And if you receive gift certificates, take my advice - put them somewhere you will SEE them all the time! http://brendasabin.com - Happy Holidays!

Ah..... Home for the Holidays

2009-10-29T18:11:00.001-04:00

I remember when I was a kid that waking up on Christmas morning had to be the absolute best day ever every year! All the gifts under the tree, candy in the stockings and smells of delicious food coming from the kitchen. My brothers and sisters and I would wait patiently for Dad to get up. Mom and Gramma (who lived with us) would be up for hours cooking and getting ready (now that I'm older I wonder if they ever went to bed!). Dad would finally get up, have his coffee and then we could tear into the stockings and the presents! We ate breakfast and had fun all day with the new toys and everyone being there. As we got older we all "came home" for the holidays - all of them - Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas - all of them. As we all started having our own families we would still all gather at Mom and Dads with all the grandchildren in tow and celebrate the same way we did when we were kids. Now that our parents have passed away we are all finding it difficult to gather all in one place for the holidays - even just one of them. I never wondered when I was a kid why my Aunts and Uncles weren' there at our house- they were at their own house with their own kids. Now that I am "the Aunt" with my own house and my own kids - it feels weird. I see my children all grown up now in different parts of the country and they are starting their own "Home for the Holidays" - this time of year makes me think of when we were all together, now we aren't - and it feels weird to me but not my kids. I'm sure it must have felt weird to my Mom when she didn't have all her brothers and sisters around on Christmas Day anymore either..... funny how life sure looks different when you are the oldest generation of your family. I hope I am here on this Earth for many holidays with my kids and grandchildren (expecting my first one in April!! YEA)but I wonder where "home for the holidays" will be. It will be an adventure!

Speaking of holidays - the crazy crazy days of shopping will soon be upon us as we all race through malls and stores looking for that perfect gift. We will spend way too much money and get stressed out like we do every year. Every year we say "next year I am going to be better prepared" - Right, hmm, it is next year folks! :) This year do yourself a favor - save your precious time to spend with those kids, grandkids and PARENTS (I miss mine)- shop online and save some money and save your sanity. This year you can EARN money too if you shop through my website. I pay you 2% cash back on your qualified purchases, beginning mid November... check it out --- http://brendasabin.com - check the HOTDEALS tab at the top of my page for last minute savings and FREE shipping! :) Happy Holidays wherever your home may be!

Wow - where has the time gone?

2009-10-26T22:15:00.001-04:00

Why is it that we all have 24 hours in a day - yet when you are young those 24 hours last a lifetime - now they go by so fast it feels like there is only 3 or 4 hours each day! When you were a kid summers were so long and FUN..... now summers come (sometimes - not this year) and go - its the end of October for petes sake! 2009 for petes sake! (who is pete anyway? why do we say that? does anyone know?) Doesn't it seem like we were just worried about a thing called the Y2K bug? Didn't we just see 2001 - where did 2002 go, and did I sleep for the past 6 years? Even worse why can't I remember all those years? Good grief - maybe it's me. Does anyone else feel like this?

How can the clock move faster the older we get? How can morning become noon, become evening and bed time before we feel like we have woke up? Why is it that our calendars are so full of things to do - yet we never get anything accomplished.

I'm going to bed - it will most likely be 2010 when I wake up - and I'll be wondering where these last few months have gone. I can't believe the holidays will be here in less than 2 months - What were you doing in late August? Doesn't it seem like last week? Where did September go?..... whew I'm exhausted just thinking about it.
G'nite.

A Buskers Festival

2009-09-28T14:00:00.000-04:00

During my travels in Australia I had a few unique experiences. One of them was attending a Buskers Festival.

The sign said “A Buskers Festival” – in the town of Morte Lake. My first thought was “doesn’t Morte mean something to do with death?” and I was unsure if this was indeed a festival or a gathering of evil forces. Either way it was something we decided we needed to attend. We drove for hours then parked our car on a grassy knoll near a huge wooden fence. The smells of delicious meats, cheeses and delectable desserts, the sounds of fiddles, banjos, drums and instruments we couldn’t name rushed at us as we opened our car doors to step into the Busker Festival World. We strolled through the festival and immediately felt like we were part of a huge family. Everyone greeted us, everyone smiled, and no one was rushed or impatient. The entire air was buzzing with the most intense wonderful feeling. We saw unicyclers, singers, dancers, comedians and a fire eater! We watched a group of carnies dance the Chicken Dance while selling their wares. We walked through mountains of clothing, jewelry, pottery and various crafts of the vendors. It was a day of celebration, although I don’t believe we ever found out exactly what was being celebrated, it was obvious that it was something important. When we left there it was sad. Driving off to the next adventure was somewhat quiet for a few hours - which was nice in a way. We were headed off to see the fairy penquins! Its a real spectator sport with bleachers on the beach and everything! We sat for what seemed like a few hours - but then I started seeing little miniature black dots being rolled over and over by the waves crashing into Phillips Island. We were there with hundreds of people to witness the little fairy penguins coming home after being out to sea looking for food. I was struck by the perseverance of these tiny creatures that would put any athlete to shame. No matter how many times they were washed back out to sea, they kept coming toward shore, to their homes and their babies.

Watching these miniature creatures in tuxedos made me feel inadequate in my attempts at being something or someone in my life. Their determination awoke in me a desire and determination to take on my own dreams and goals. Walking next to them as they hurried toward their burrows, I felt in awe; they totally ignored all the humans around them and performed the tasks at hand. Their instinct was to get home and take care of their wee ones; the intruders at hand would have to wait. I could hear the song in my head “hi ho hi ho”…. thinking of the dwarfs in that fairy tale. Those fairy penguins were a source of delight for everyone who watched them that evening. Thinking about those penquins has got me focused again on my task at hand which is to build a business to live my dreams! Watch out world..... :)

Reflections of Travels....

2009-09-25T13:33:00.000-04:00

I love to travel. I have been in almost every state in the continental U.S. I have traveled to Costa Rica, Australia, Taiwan, Mexico.... and of course Canada - I love Montreal! I plan on visiting Paris for my 55th birthday - climbin up that Eiffel Tower if it kills me! I am working toward a life where I can travel anywhere, anytime with whomever I want to. :) yea!! Traveling is good for your body, your mind and your soul. In general visiting new places stimulates you and makes you realize there is so much more to life than what is right in front of you. In thinking about what I want to do and where I want to go in the future I am so grateful for what I have now and where I have been. I wrote down some of my past traveling thoughts ---- hope you enjoy them.

Standing on the beach in Quespos in January (away from the winter in VT!), I watched the firey red waves created by the most gorgeous sunset ever, and I decided this is what makes life grand, special moments like this. I felt like I could touch the bright orange ball in the sky. As the waves crashed against the shore, the firey red waves turned into a cool, gorgeous aqua blue that rolled over my toes. The birds rose up into the glow looking larger than life, as the breeze swept them into the sun. What a perfect way to end a perfect day in Costa Rica. We were staying at a bed and breakfast where we were treated like royalty. Si Commo No is a little unknown place sitting high on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the town of Quespos. It has a pool bar, the friendliest bartenders and waiters in town, and lizards everywhere! You can get to the pool bar by walking down the stairs, or sliding down into the water on the slide. Either way you choose to arrive, you will be treated to tantalizing fruit drinks and entertainment from the staff.

I can't wait to go back there! I loved Costa Rica - and traveling there was only topped by the trip to Australia!

Driving down the Great Ocean Road you can see huge stone columns jutting out of the water – like giant sentries standing guard over the shores of southern Australia – allowing no man or beast to enter upon the golden sand from the sea. Their shadows’ move across the sands as the sun goes down – looking like a watchful eye sweeping the landscape for intruders or anything out of place. You feel so small and insignificant standing looking at these giant fixtures.

Seeing Australia by car is one of the best ways to visit little towns and site see along the way. Driving on the wrong side of the road is very interesting! The adventure begins the minute you get in the car and actually have to think about what side of the road to go on. No right hand turns on red after stop “down under”! No way, it’s a left hand turn after stop if you please. And if anyone is out for a walkabout – they do have the right of way (or is it left of way?) After a few panicking moments and only one loud scream from my traveling companion, we were on our way.

Hiking in the Grampian Mountains in Australia was like walking through a haunted forest in any good fairy tale. The trees were bent over creating little houses and hiding places for things that I am sure were watching us walk through their world – gremlins, goblins and possibly leprechauns, maybe fairies or pixies. On a trail named “Happy Forest” I found myself in an opening in the woods that looked to be a meeting spot. There were stumps and clumps of ground that resembled the seating places of mysterious visitors. I could imagine all those creatures having a meeting to decide the very fate of the travelers in their forest. As I moved further into the forest, I saw a sign – a real sign “please stay on the path, unexploded land minds around” ---- was this another warning for us to get out of the forest? Needless to say my feet walked one in front of the other on the path -like a sobriety test -the remainder of the way! The plants, the trees, the flowers, the rocks – all were beautiful, almost intensified, like someone had thrown glitter and happy dust all over. At the very top of the place we were hiking to – we found a massive rock – we climbed on top and sat watching the forest – the birds were everywhere, beautiful white and colored cockatiels and cockatoos. We were so high up that we had to look down to watch them flying around. The sounds of the forest came to life as we sat and listened. While sitting there with my daughter watching this world go by I decided this really was fairyland indeed, and Happy Forest was the appropriate name for this magical place. Now if we only make it back down the trail with no land mines exploding!

More adventures of Australia to follow ---- ever been to a Buskers Festival?

So many things are getting me STEAMED!!

2009-09-24T10:39:00.000-04:00

Man - I don't know if it's the stage of the moons cycle, or the air, or the water - but everything I am reading about in the past 24 hours has me steamed! Ticked off, pissed off, and ready to do something about it. I saw a commercial this morning on TV - a man and woman in a nice home talking about having a mouse problem - she whips out this new trap by ortho - that is comes in multilevel wrapping and is plastic and is DISPOSABLE so you don't have to see a dead mouse --- good grief! Give me a break -what do you think would happen to them if they actually saw a dead mouse? So now we have a ton of extra stuff getting THROWN away instead of recycled --- this is ridiculous. The problem is they will sell a ton of them. I am boycotting this company! Get a cat for petes sake! And then I see a Youtube video on aspartame. We always knew that stuff was bad - but all I can say now is RUN, RUN as fast as you can to get away from that stuff. It's in so many products though - be careful - read about it - watch the youtube video http://bit.ly/2e1NVX (copy and paste that in a browser window). If I read or listen to one more thing that puts me over the edge today I may go on a rampage -- on my blog of course, not out in the world! LOL.... so... fall is here - leaves have changed and are dropping off the trees, the air is crisp, the sun is almost shimmering in the air and it WILL be a better day as time goes on! Keep smiling people - and do something good for the world today.

Passions and Dreams

2009-09-18T08:57:00.000-04:00

I have been listening to alot of motivational type audios and videos lately. I am pumped up about so many things in my life that I feel like I will explode with excitement!
Even a few short months ago if someone asked me "What is your Dream?" "What do you want to do with your life?" "Whats your passion?" - I would have had to really think about it and it would change as rapidly as I spoke about it. I didn't know what I really wanted to do, I had no idea what my dreams were - I had forgot how to dream BIG - really big. I am learning how to do that again and I am soooooo excited about it I can't even begin to tell you. I listened to a guy named Sam Crowley - he has a website called Everyday is Saturday and he is so motivating and exciting to listen to. He has me FIRED UP on my life! So stay tuned as I am going to be posting lots of things about my dreams, my passion and what I am going to DO with my life. I also am glad I have a vehicle to allow me to live those really BIG dreams I have now ---- I am grateful for that. I am grateful that this was introduced to me at the time it was - so many great things going on. Can't wait to share it - but not all at once! :) Stop worrying about the economy and start thinking and being positive about what you HAVE already - this isn't a foo-foo idea and I'm not off my rocker - but I swear that when you put what you want out into the Universe - and then PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU NOTICE - the Universe if helping you get to those dreams - so don't walk through life feeling sorry for yourself, think BIG, dream BIG - and watch for the path to show up to get there! Have a great day, a great week - and DREAM BIG and have a GREAT LIFE!

Time flies...

2009-09-09T14:45:00.000-04:00

Can you believe it's fall? Sept 9th already? WOW -- we didn't have much of a summer here in VT so I'm hoping that fall is going to be OUTSTANDING! If you have read any of my blog posts you know that fall really is my favorite time of year. Sitting on my back deck soaking up the late afternoon sun is definitely one of my fav things to do. Right now I'm on the deck watching two chipmunks chase each other back and forth and back and forth across the lawn. Angry? or trying to get friendly? LOL - who knows it's comical though.
I think we are in for a tough cold winter - I have been watching the squirrels and chipmunks for some weeks now and they have been busy busy busy building up their food supply. The chipmunks have even dug out (and I mean a huge pile of dirt) the stone wall - I think they have built a condo in there or something. Wow - better there than under my house I guess.
Fall really is a time to start storing things and cleaning up and buttoning up for winter. We should pay attention to the animals and act accordingly. Me? I'm stocking up on my supplements and vitamins for a cold hard winter. I thought about a H1N1 flu shot this year but they scare me! Man - have you noticed the stuff in it? The side effects that could happen? etc? shudder.... maybe some extra Vitamin C and D - Vitamin D is the new C this year. Many drs have stated that we aren't getting enough Vitamin D --- we use alot of sunscreen (that's good - but not so good too as the sun is where we get alot of our vitamin D) and we aren't outside as much as we used to be back in the olden days - alot of office jobs - alot of driving - lot less sunshine (and with the way this summer was in VT - ALOT less sunshine!). So get your vitamins, get your supplements, grab a fuzzy ol' blanket and make like a chipmunk and hibernate! http://brendasabin.com (search for Vitamin D - Isotonix is awesome)

Ah... The Life of a Hunter's Wife!

2009-09-01T15:27:00.000-04:00

The Hunting Wife’s Life!
When you are a young teenager and you have grown up with a family of hunters all your life it’s normal to date a hunter. You want someone who will fit in with your family as well as someone to be proud of when they get their first big buck, especially their first legal buck!
Where I grew up boys were shooting their first bucks illegally by the time they were 10 and wives were getting deer shot and tagged in their names while they were still settled in with their curled up hair on their pillows. So dating a hunter is kind of a status thing when you are young and grew up where I did. When I was 14 I dated a boy who was from a family of serious hunters so I learned that boys will hunt and the women folk will hang out together all secretly harboring resentment that it’s assumed they will hang out because their men folk are hunting together. But…as it went it wasn’t all that bad to hang out with the women while my “man” was hunting.

Then as I got into my twenties I married a hunter (a different one, but still a hunter). In the beginning those assumed rules of my teens carried over – and by then I had 2 kids and those rules became more a part of my life – hanging with the women folks and our babies now that the men were off “killing sumpin”. Of course the resentment building up now was not from the fact that I was hanging with the other women bitching about our hunting men, but the fact that HE was not doing anything to help in the house or helping with the kids. But that’s the way it was. After all he got up early to truck out into the woods in the snow and cold to bring home some meat for the family. He was entitled to come home, strip off his hunting gear down to his long johns, eat dinner that I made and then kick back in the recliner with food all over his shirt, mouth wide open and a sound coming out of his nose that sounded like a chainsaw running next door.

Going into my thirties this entire hunting thing was becoming an annoyance. I looked at it now as something that was just plain stupid and a total waste of time. Now married to another hunter (when am I going to learn?) this man was still acting like twenty year old playing those hunting games with the other men he hung out with. Be assured that hunting season is not just the dates you can actually HUNT – it involves months of pre-talk and planning and rehashing old stories from years gone by – and of course it involved post-hunt talks and long drawn out stories of each step and movement they took in their quest to “kill sumpin” along with the rehashing of those old stories AGAIN. So as the kids got older and I got tired of hanging with the women folk I was beginning to view hunting as a deadly enemy of mine.

Once I turned 40 things got even uglier with my view of hunting. What is the big draw? Why do men get up early, dress up in camouflage clothing, grab a gun and go out into the woods to shoot an animal that did nothing to tick them off when there is perfectly good hamburger, steaks and roasts at the supermarket? It’s not like we were going to starve if a deer was not killed. However, being 40 with the kids out of the house mostly and plenty of time on my hands I was resentful of not having time to spend with my husband so I basically hated hunting and let him know all the time that is exactly how I felt. Poor man – he was as passionate about his hobby as he was in his teens, his wife was just not as passionate with him anymore! But as the sign in his den says “Honey AFTER hunting season, you are #1” I figured a few months out of the year being #2 wasn’t all that bad. Hmmph, his den, that’s the room my daughter affectionately calls the “DEATH ROOM”. Some say it’s a man’s cave – or some crap like that.

Well I’m now in my 50’s…. my husband (same one!)still loves hunting and I am beginning to see just how beautiful hunting season really is! Those glorious days and weeks of being alone in the house, watching what I want on TV, cooking what I want for dinner or just getting take out, watching old love story movies (Red Box and I became quite intimate) while he is gone on a hunting trip. Today you won’t hear me complaining about hunting at all - now you will hear me saying things like “Aren’t you going to NY too this year?” “Why not?” – “Oh honey you should go to NH, NY AND Idaho this year”…. My how times have changed.

What is it about hunting that strikes something in the hearts of men? What is it about the actual hunt, the stalking, the winning over the animal and the kill? I guess as a woman they only thing I can equate that with is shopping! It’s like going on a hunt right? Let’s say you know you want a black skirt and purple sweater to wear to that special dinner – so you set off on foot or car and go from store to store searching for the right color, the right size and when you find it – bam! You have won! You succeeded in your quest to “get” that skirt and sweater (hopefully no other woman has the other end of it as a tug of war will ensue).

I hate driving or walking to the store. I hate the in and out the back and forth the waste of my time. I shop online where I can hunt in my underwear and even though I don’t use a gun - I use a bag of tricks I have up my sleeve – like coupon codes for special deals and my hot deals tab – AND my search feature! No skirt, sweater or any other item I want can hide from THAT search engine– it’s powered by Microsoft FAST – and it is!

It not only finds you what you want – it does all the comparison shopping for you –giving you a list of the stores and prices right then and there so you get the best deal! WOW – this would be like my husband having a gun that can shoot around corners – think how excited he would be!

The way my husband hunts is by spending hours and hours searching, looking and calculating how to best get what he wants, the elusive big buck. I spend minutes doing the same thing. My husband gets up early, has to dress warm, leaves the warm house out into the cold and has to DRIVE somewhere where he then will subject himself to the elements to seek out his treasure. ME? I get up, grab some hot coffee, walk 45 feet to my computer, put on my bunny slippers, stretch, yawn and go after my quarry.
Check my site out http://brendasabin.com

OCA - Organic Consumers Association -Swine Flu

2009-08-31T10:24:00.000-04:00

Time to buck up on those vitamins and supplments folks and eat healthy. Flu season is coming (UGH - winter too - argh...). I have been following alot of discussions on the health care debate and other interesting things on the OCA site. This is a good article - thought you would enjoy it http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18879.cfm

Scary Stuff....

2009-08-24T12:11:00.000-04:00

Watch this video from YouTube (there is no audio, just visual)

Click Here

Take your vitamins folks! Take your supplements! Exercise and eat better!

What will "be" after all this upheaval?

2009-08-20T19:27:00.000-04:00

Ever wonder what is going to come out of this economy upheaval? Or the health care reform debate? I have been thinking about this alot lately --- I'm excited! What will be the new reality when things calm down?

I think all good things happen after a crisis. You know ..that whole silver lining and cloud thing.... so with all that is happening with the economy (and we know that what is and has been is not working) what will the new economy look like?

If you think back to the "old days" what really got this country going was individuals working toward their own success and helping others. Hmmm..... maybe that would work again ?? Who knows..... is it worth a try? I think so. I think that people as individuals will get this country back on track - not the Congress or the President - although if they actually listened to the people things might turn around a little sooner.

What about health care? Remember the old family doc that made house calls? Remember when you could pay that family doc with jam or jelly preserves you made? Or a chicken? how did we get so darn complicated? Things are turning around - people are paying attention to where their food is coming from now, people are buying local and people are helping their neighbors more and more...... keep it going folks - keep it going.....

There are so many things I wish I could just fix. There are so many worthy organizations I wish I could donate money to - or volunteer for - or even START my own organization to help others ---- I can't do it all myself - but one person at a time, one idea at a time and one step at a time will get us out of this mess.

Stay positive - do one positive thing today for YOURSELF, your family and Mother Earth!

I am soooo Sick of the Lies

2009-08-11T17:35:00.000-04:00

Why is it that people have to pick apart everyone elses ideas on what is right and what is wrong in this country. You all know I am sick of this health care reform circus act happening. I am sick of lies - I want to say that this organization is trying to get to the truth - check this article out: http://bit.lyBncs5

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2009-08-04T10:27:00.000-04:00

Facebook Home: "Brenda JM Sabin Building my Mountain Condo and my Beach House - on my chatterbox www.machatterbox.com/BSabin"

Health Care Reform

2009-08-04T10:08:00.000-04:00

Have you been listening and following what is happening in Congress with healthcare reform? Unbelievable stupidity in my opinion. I understand the need for a "government run" option - but c'mon... why are we not talking about PREVENTIVE CARE? Why are we not concerned with taking care of ourselves - taking more individual responsibility? Congress and our government are not the solution to health care. Insurance companies are not the solution - low cost plans are not the solution - the solution is for every American to stand up and start taking care of themselves and their families. Eat better, exercise - get back to the basics. The reason health care is so damn expensive is because of drug advertisements on tv and doctors ordering every test they can to prevent them from getting sued. What is going on? Why can't people take the responsibility to help themselves? Maybe it really is "All I Ever Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten" - good grief people - wake up - any plan that the government comes up with is going to COST US MONEY no matter what they say. Pay attention to what is happening - get involved. Start taking care of you and your families. I myself have been taking vitamins and nutritional supplements for just over 2 years and I have seen a dramatic decrease in my drs visits. My husband too does not visit the Dr anywhere near as much as in the past. Read, learn, eat better, exercise and investigate what supplements can do for you.

Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall

2009-07-08T12:03:00.000-04:00

What is your favorite time of year? We have been getting so much rain here in VT lately that it feels like summer will never come this year! UGH....
I love late summer and early fall - that seems like the best time here in VT to sit back and really relax while contemplating your life. The economy is stinking so they say -of course our media here in the US loves to make things much more of a crisis than they really are. I haven't really noticed a down turn in my economy much. I'm one of the lucky ones (although luck doesn't have much to do with it - it's all about being at the right place at the right time). I have multiple income streams so when one is down the other seems to be up! I also hear so much about health care on the news too - but my philosophy is to be PRO active - not RE active with health. Take your vitamins, take antioxidants, give your body a fighting chance against all the crap in our environment and your health care bills won't be as bad. Try some alternate forms of medicine - I have an acupuncturist that has helped me tremendously with an issue that has had my primary dr, a cardiologists, a neurologist and an endocrinologist stumped for over 5 years!! Man... think of money I wasted there..... some herbs and I'm doing great! Plus I do take vitamins and my antioxidants as well. My favorite antioxidant is called OPC-3. It's in isotonic form which means I drink it - not take a pill - it absorbs better and works FAST.... :)
So - turn off the TV and start looking inward for solutions instead of at our government - they have enough problems to deal with - we can help by dealing with our own health and our own economy. I love helping people make money and be healthy. http://brendasabin.com - go to my site and go to Contact US on the bottom of the page - it will send you directly to me. Have a great day and a fantastic healthy and wealthy life!