I Want Outta Here!

My husband and I want to return to Southern California to live.  We both lived in or near Los Angeles most of our lives until 1995.  We moved to Southeast Arizona, but now, we want to be close to our family again.

We put our house up for sale nearly two YEARS ago.  We have a large house that is really beautiful.  I wish we could move it to California.  We are on our third real estate agent.  The first two suggested the same listing price.  In those 18 months exactly ONE person looked at our house. 

Our current agent told us our house was priced way to high.  Although we’d love more money, we want to move, so we lowered the house by $40,000!  In the few months since we reduced the price several people have looked at the house.  No offers have been made.

Early this week, an agent called and asked if she could show our house.  She was already in our sub-division, and her clients had asked if they could see our house.  The agent did NOT suggest looking at our house; the clients asked after seeing the “for sale sign.”  I asked the agent to give me five minutes.  I ran around picking up a few things, and then I left the house.  (All the agents ask us not to be home when they show the house.)

The agent and her clients came and left.  We received no offer from them.  Out of curiosity, my husband called the agent that showed our house a few days ago.  He asked her what feedback she received from her clients.   She said they loved the house, thought it was “gorgeous,” but they didn’t like the monthly homeowners association fee.  There is NO monthly association fee!  We pay $35 PER YEAR!  When my husband told her that, the agent said, “Oops!  Sorry, but the couple already put an offer on another house.”

We have learned that there are 4000 houses for sale in our city (40,000 population).  There are about a dozen for sale in our sub-division.  The competition is great. 

We may well have had an offer if an uninformed real estate agent had told her clients the correct HOA fee.  Our own agent was upset when we notified him about the situation. 

We are very frustrated.  I was hoping to be in California to celebrate the holidays with our family this year.  We have accepted the fact that it isn’t going to happen.  We are saving all our money for the move, and a trip out there for the holidays would take money from our new house fund.

Well, I feel better now that I’ve written down my frustration.  I have a home to live in, food on the table and a wonderful husband.  I am truly grateful for all that I have.  I realize that we are more fortunate than most.

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

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Do You Make These Network Marketing Mistakes?

The most common mistake I see is network marketers who don’t take advantage of the training offered by their company.  Many people assume that, since they were in network marketing before, they “know it all.”  There are two flaws in that way of thinking.  1)  If you knew so much, why did you leave your previous company(ies)?  And 2) Every company is different.  They sell different products and likely have different ways of marketing those products. I highly recommend ongoing training.  After nearly three years with my company, I am still learning!

Another serious mistake I have seen repeatedly in the network marketing industry is trying to SELL their products.  First of all, in today’s internet age, relationship marketing is more effective than selling to prospects.  (I have covered this in previous posts, so I won’t go into it now.)  In addition there is such a thing as too much information.  Virtually every company and internet marketer has a website.  If it is a good site, it will make sales for you.  After building a relationship with someone, you can tell them briefly what your product and business is about.  If they are interested in learning more, send them to your website! 

Don’t beg.  Too often reps in the industry practically plead with prospects to join or purchase their product.  If you are serious about your business, behave professionally.  Once you have introduced the opportunity, service or item you are offering, you can answer questions, but do not get pushy or sound desperate.

Anyone who has been in network marketing for any length of time has heard the often used saying, “Some will.  Some won’t.  Next!”  A mistake often made by reps is counting on a particular prospect.  Even those prospects who sound really excited about what you have to offer frequently are not truly interested.  Our industry is a “numbers game.” You will get “no’s.”  Do not take it personally.  They are not rejecting you.  They simply don’t want your product or opportunity.  Move on.

I do NOT like hype in marketing.  Don’t try to promote your business as a way to earn a “six-figure income.”  I have grown weary of hearing that!  I have no idea how much a prospect will earn if they join my team.  Maybe they will put in no effort.  Maybe they will not follow instructions.  Maybe they have poor work habits.  There is no way I can predict how much – or even IF – a prospect will succeed with my business.  No matter how well you are doing, you cannot possibly know how a new rep will do.

The worst and most foolish mistake network marketers can make is to join a company and do nothing.  I have seen so many reps sign up and then join the “witness protection program.”  They seem to disappear off the face of the earth.  They pay for their business, but never work it.  They don’t attend training; they don’t market their business; and they don’t return phone calls or emails from their sponsor.  They simply do nothing.  Eventually they quit and blame the company for their “failure.”

There certainly are other mistakes people make I network marketing.  Those included here are the ones I have witnessed repeatedly.  If you could identify with any of these, contact your upline and get help now!  Don’t wait.  With your sponsor’s help, you can start out fresh and become successful – if that is truly what you want to do.

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

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You Big Bully!

Over the past few years, we have heard more and more about bullying.  It has always been going on, but with the internet and other electronic media, it has become even more prominent.  In a few situations, it has resulted in the victims committing suicide.  It has been reported that some mass-murderers were victims of bullying in their youth. Thank heavens, these are rarities, but many adults suffer their entire lives because they were bullied as children.  The following article provides some facts about school bullies.  (Source:  http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/school-bullying.html)

School Bullying

School bullying refers to all types of bullying done on school property, whether it is peer-to-peer bullying, bullying of younger children by older children, or bullying in which a teacher is either a victim or a culprit. Keep reading for more information on school bullying.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly a third of all students aged 12 - 18 reported having been bullied at school in 2007, some almost daily. This article gives a general background on school bullying. 

Types of School Bullying 

There are different categories of school bullying, and some of the categories overlap. Here are some of the most important categories that are frequently discussed: 

How Many Bullies 

• Pack bullying is bullying undertaken by a group. The 2009 Wesley Report on bullying prepared by an Australia-based group, found that pack bullying was more prominent in high schools and characteristically lasted longer that bullying undertaken by individuals. Pack bullying may be physical bullying or emotional bullying and be perpetrated in person or in cyberspace. In person, it can take place in schoolyards, school hallways, sports fields and gymnasiums, classrooms, and on the school bus.
• Individual bullying is one-on-one bullying that may take place either in person or online, as well as being physical bullying or emotional bullying.  The Wesley Report found it to be more prevalent in elementary schools. It can take place everywhere that pack bullying can, and also in smaller areas into which a pack can't fit, such as bathrooms.

Mode of School Bullying 

• Physical bullying is bullying that takes the form of physical abuse, such as pushing, shoving, hitting, fighting, spitting, and tripping. Threats of physical harm and attempts to force people to act in ways they would prefer not to are also included.
• Emotional bullying is bullying that involves factors other than physical interaction, such as insults, derogatory remarks, name calling, and teasing. Also included are attempts to ostracize the victim, such as being left out or ignored, which is sometimes referred to as social bullying, as distinguished from verbal bullying. Emotional bullying could also take the form of purposely misplacing or hiding someone's belongings. Emotional bullying can be done in person or through cyber-bullying. 

Medium of School Bullying 

• Face-to-face bullying is bullying in which students confront each other in person.
• Cyber bullying is bullying that takes place online, through email, chat rooms, social networking services, text messages, instant messages, website postings, blogs, or a combination of means. Cyber-bullies may conceal their identity so that their victim experiences an anonymous attack. The content of cyber-bullying can consist of all of the types of content mentioned in emotional bullying above, including posting insulting and derogatory comments about someone or sending such comments to someone; sending mean or threatening messages; gossiping about someone online including posting sensitive or private information; impersonating someone in order to cast that person in a bad light; and excluding someone from an online page or group. Unwanted contact, also known as harassment, is another form of cyber-bullying. 

Specific Targets of School Bullying 

• Homophobic bullying is sometimes distinguished because it has a particular target population.
• Bullying of students with disabilities is another type of bullying with a focused target population.
• Racist bullying is a third type of focused bullying that targets people of a specific race or cultural.
• Religious bullying targets people who have specific religious beliefs. 

Facts about School Bullying 

The NCES report reveals that: 

• There is noticeably more bullying in middle school (grades 6, 7, and 8) than in senior high school
• Emotional bullying is the most prevalent type of bullying, with pushing/shoving/tripping/spitting on someone being second
• Cyber-bullying is - for the middle grade levels - the least prominent type of bullying, but it is greater in the last three years of high school than in grades 6 - 9
• Most school bullying occurs inside the school, a lesser amount on school property, and even less on the school bus. The least occurs in other areas
• Middle school students, and particularly 6^th graders, were most likely to be bullied on the bus
• Sixth graders were the most likely students to sustain an injury from bullying, with middle schoolers more likely to be injured than high school students and the percentage going down every grade from 6 to 12
• Victims of bullying display a range of responses, even many years later, such as:

1.      Low self-esteem

2.      Difficulty in trusting others

3.      Lack of assertiveness

4.      Aggression

5.      Difficulty controlling anger

6.      Isolation

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

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Are You Self-Sabotaging Your Success?

“That is too hard.” 

“Why bother trying?  You’ll just fail.”  

Are these messages you say to yourself?  Negative self-talk can prevent us from reaching our goals. Most of us have used negative self-talk at some point in our lives.  The important thing is to recognize that you are doing it.  Then you can move forward.

This damaging behavior goes beyond negative self-talk.  It can include procrastination; dreaming of a great future, but doing nothing to achieve it; worry, fear and doubt; anger or overly-assertive behavior that is out of character for you; and feeling worthless or undeserving.

If any of these behaviors sound familiar, you likely are self-sabotaging your success.  To reach your goals and dreams, you must recognize it and overcome it to move forward – and quickly!

The first step in breaking the self-sabotage cycle is to recognize it.  Does it seem that you are failing repeatedly when you know you have the skills and abilities to succeed?  Are your goals remaining far-away dreams?  Are you putting off tasks and actions that are preventing you from accomplishing what needs to be done?  Do you lack motivation or find yourself becoming frustrated?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you must act fast to stop the destructive behavior. To change your negative inner thoughts, ask yourself a few more questions.  Are these damaging thoughts based on reality?  Have you failed in the past when you truly gave a task your best effort?  Why do you believe you are thinking so poorly of yourself? 

Your responses to these questions will likely help you clarify the reason(s) behind your behavior. You can then move forward to begin changing your self-talk from negative to positive.  You ARE capable of reaching your goals, attaining success, if you leave your past in the past, and recognize your fears and face them as challenges that you can overcome. 

Start by setting a few small goals that are fairly easy to reach in a short period of time.  Put a deadline on each one, and slowly increase the difficulty and time it will take to achieve them.  As you complete each of these mini-goals, it will motivate you and build your self-confidence. 

When you look at others who are attempting the same or similar goals, are they achieving them?  Do you truly believe they are smarter, more talented or skilled than you are?  If you are honest with yourself, you will likely realize that if they can do it, so can you!

Think of how much stress you have been putting on yourself with your negativity.  Once you push yourself, use your skills and let go of your self-doubt, you will be able to release the anxiety and stress you have had for so long.

None of this will happen overnight, and I will not pretend that it will be easy; but once you begin to believe you can do whatever it is you strive to do, you will be able to accomplish all tasks before you.  You will, in fact, reach each of your small goals and set new more challenging goals and overcome them as well.  Finally, in time, you will put a plan in place that will help you to accomplish all your goals and dreams. 

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

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Tips on Creating a Productive Home Office

Some of us are fortunate to have a great home office, but not all home business owners have that luxury.

The comfort, freedom, and convenience can be amazing, and certainly being your own boss is a dream come true for many. 

A large part of whether or not you are successful working from home depends on the environment in which you work.  If you work in a healthy, productive situation, you have a much better chance of succeeding with your internet marketing business. 

Distinguishing between our home life and our work life can be a major problem for those with home businesses.  Because of this, if you have not yet done so, select an area in your home where you will work.  If you have a separate room to use specifically as an office, that’s great.  If you do not, however, choose an area where you will work your business all the time, even if it is a small desk in the corner of your bedroom.  This is psychologically important.  When you sit down to work at the same place each day, you are telling yourself that it is time to work. 

Physically separating yourself from your home life is important, but mentally creating that separation is equally important.  One part of the mental separation is creating a specific work schedule, the hours that you will be working, which should not include the rest of the time that you are simply “at home.”  

Everyone is different, but I have found that getting dressed, fixing my hair and makeup puts me into “work mode.”  People talk about working in their pajamas.  I could not be productive that way.  Even though I am in my own home, I am “going to work,” and I must dress appropriately. 

If your family and professional life is not clearly separated, you may find that you’ll be less productive when you work, and you may not feel as relaxed during your family or leisure time. 

Regarding family life, this is an area that can be challenging for work-at-home parents.  Unless you have very young children, I suggest you discuss your plans for your home business.  Make it clear when you will be working and should not be disturbed.  If you are working in a “communal” area of your home, be sure everyone understands that your work hours are quiet times.  If you do not establish specific rules about what you expect from your family when you work, you will find it next to impossible to accomplish the work required to be successful. 

To prevent headaches and eye strain, whenever possible, use natural light in your work area.  If it is not possible to have natural light, studies have shown that “full-spectrum” light bulbs offer the best light for a work environment.  Although primarily a marketing term, full-spectrum bulbs generally have brightness similar to daylight, and the bulbs have the best color rendering capability. 

If your work chair is uncomfortable, it will become a distraction and you will likely work fewer hours.  The right chair helps keep us be more focused and improves our sitting posture.  Your chair should provide lumbar support and offer height adjustment. I have had a great experience with my own office chair, which was much less expensive than the many other options I found in my local office supply chair.  You are going for comfort, not expensive features that some stores offer.  My chair was less than $100. 

Research has shown that having one or more plants near your work area or office can help you be more productive, lower blood pressure and stress.  So, you may want to consider a plant or two. 

My final tip is to remember to take breaks!  It is easy to become so involved in our work that we sit at our desks too long.  Every three hours or so, take a break.  A 15 to 30 minute, even an hour break once a day can sharpen your mind and give you more energy.  If possible, go outside for some fresh air.  Take a walk.  We need a change of scenery when we work at home to keep us alert and to avoid “cabin fever.” 

Having a comfortable environment in which to work, with no distractions can greatly improve your productivity and frame of mind.  I hope these suggestions help you enjoy “going to work.”

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

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Pets are Family Too

We love our pets.  For many of us, our pets are considered family members.  The unfortunate thing about those particular family members is that Americans are spending billions of dollars on their pets, and spending is at an historic high.  I’m not just referring to dogs and cats, but also reptiles and tanks of fish.  Of course, Americans are not the only ones spending their hard-earned money on their pets.  But in America alone, The American Pet Products Association estimates that more than 50 billion dollars was spent on pets in 2011, and that number is increasing each year.

How is that money spent?  The biggest expense is food, which is about half of all the money spent on our animals.  Veterinary bills are next, with supplies and over-the-counter medications being in third place.  And, there’s also grooming and boarding, which can add up to huge sums as well.

I worked for four years in a veterinary hospital as their collections agent.  I was the one who sent out all the past-due bills and letters.  I learned that pet owners will spend almost any amount to be sure their pets are healthy and happy.  Even when they can’t afford it, people will go into debt to care for their four-legged family members.  I remember one woman who brought her elderly dog to a Veterinary Cardiologist for open-heart surgery.  She spent tens of thousands of dollars.   When it comes to cutting back during a poor economy, pets are one of the last expenses to be reduced. 

There are pet insurance policies which, like human health insurance, may cover a percentage of their veterinary expenses.  Prices vary greatly on pet insurance, and if a pet doesn’t need any expensive treatment for years, the insurance premiums certainly can add up.

Fortunately, there is an alternative to reduce pet care expenses other than paying expensive insurance premiums.  Pet Care Savings Programs are now available in most large cities and in some small to medium sized cities.  Xpress Healthcare® offers one of best and its features include:

• 25% savings on network veterinary services.  (Not available in all cities.)

• 10% to 35% savings at participating providers on pet services such as boarding, doggie day care, training, pet sitting and grooming.

• 10% to 35% at participating merchants on pet supplies such as food, beds, toys, treats and vitamins
• Free pet ID tag(s) and 24-hour location service for lost pets
• These programs can be used for nearly all animals, from companion animals such as dogs and cats to exotic animals such as birds and reptiles
• Our savings plan is NOT insurance.

Pet Care Savings Program is only part of Xpress Healthcare’s® Lifestyle Select Discount Package.  For only $19.95 per month, all the pets in the household are covered by these discounts, plus you and your immediate family will receive Roadside Assistance, Legal Services discounts, and LifeLock® Identity Theft Protection.

We’ll never stop loving and pampering our pets so it is good to know that we can greatly reduce the cost of their care.  (Only available in the United States),

Visit http://PetCareDiscounts.info/ for details.

Please Note… Discounts on the following are at the veterinarian’s discretion:

• Food and flea products.
• Low margin medications.
• Non-medical boarding and grooming. 
• Any outside services, such as lab work or outside specialists. When products are not discounted, members may still find discounts from our participating merchants.

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·        For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

·        For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

·        Please visit my Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/XpressHealthcareTheWinnersCircle 

Charges Possible for Toppled Ancient Utah Rock

I saw this report on the news today and just read this article.  Remember as you read this article, it is about Boy Scout "Leaders!" http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/charges-toppled-ancient-utah-rock-20612183 SALT LAKE CITY October 18, 2013 (AP) By MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press Utah authorities are mulling whether to press charges against a Boy Scouts leader who purposely knocked over an ancient Utah desert rock formation and the two men who cheered him on after they posted video of the incident online. Two of the men, who were leading a group of 14 to 16-year-old Boy Scouts on a trip, said the top of the rock formation was loose and they feared it was dangerous. "This is about saving lives," Dave Hall, who shot the video, told The Associated Press on Friday. "One rock at a time." The rock formation at Goblin Valley State Park is about 170 million years old, Utah State Parks spokesman Eugene Swalberg said. The park in central Utah is dotted with thousands of the eerie, mushroom shaped sandstone formations. In a video posted on Facebook, Glenn Taylor of Highland, Utah, can be seen last Friday wedging himself between one formation and a boulder to knock a large rock off the formation's top. Taylor and his two companions can then be seen cheering, high-fiving and dancing. "This is highly, highly inappropriate," Swalberg told the Salt Lake Tribune. "This is not what you do at state parks. It's disturbing and upsetting." Hall, who is also a scoutmaster from Highland, said some of their Scouts were jumping on the structures and they noticed a large boulder on top of one structure was loose. "My conscience won't let me walk away knowing that kids could die," Hall said. Taylor told Salt Lake City news organizations on Thursday that he felt the rock move when he put his hand on it. He said after he knocked the formation over, he wished he hadn't and he realized he should have contacted a park ranger. But he also said he feels he did the right thing. "As it is, I feel guilty because I have a conscience," he told the Deseret News. "But my conscience also says I did the right thing." Hall, too, said he wished they had contacted a park ranger, but did not wish they hadn't knocked it over. Boy Scouts of America spokesman Deron Smith confirmed the men are members of the organization, saying in a statement that the organization is "shocked and disappointed by this reprehensible behavior." Boy Scout troops spend countless hours in state and national parks, guided by the principle of leaving nature the way they find it, Smith said. "The isolated actions of these individuals are absolutely counter to our beliefs and what we teach," Smith said. "We are reviewing this matter and will take appropriate action." Swalberg said State Parks authorities are conducting a criminal investigation. Brent Langston with the Emery County Attorney's Office said his agency is aware of the incident has not yet started evaluating whether they'll file charges. The men involved could face a misdemeanor or a felony depending on how much officials determine the formation was worth, Langston told the Tribune. "Some things can't be replaced, like photographs in a family album, but they have great sentimental value," he said. Hall said he and Taylor were both "immensely sorry for any damage that we may have caused," or any embarrassment they brought to the Boy Scouts or anyone else. But he also said, "One more rock falling to the ground is not going to destroy the beauty of the park. Eventually, the erosion brings all of them down." ======================== For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance).   Please visit my Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/XpressHealthcareTheWinnersCircle