Have You Been to Griffith Park?

I read an interesting article today that brought many wonderful memories to mind.  In the heart of Los Angeles, Griffith Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States.  At more than 3000 acres, it is five times larger than New York’s Central Park.

Griffith J. Griffith purchased what remained of Rancho Los Feliz in 1882.  When he bought the land, it was chaparral-covered slopes, deep canyons shaded by trees and shrubs, and a wide array of wild animals.  It has not changed much in the intervening years.

In 1896, Griffith donated 3,015 acres of land to the City of Los Angeles.  It was a charitable thing for him to do, but he was not known for his kind, generous nature.  Beyond charity, Griffith was ridding himself of what was land that could not be developed at the time for which he had to pay taxes.  In 1903, Griffith shot his wife while in a drunken rage. He served two years in San Quentin Prison for attempted murder. 

Over the years since, Griffith Park has become a recreation area that includes a variety of family attractions.  This is where my memories kick in.  I went to Griffith Park many times as a child.  The Griffith Park Observatory, built in 1935, sits atop a mountain overlooking the city.  The Observatory has fun things for children and fascinating science displays.  I loved going there, and in fact visited there a couple years ago with my grandchildren.

 Many additions were made in the park over the years.  The Greek Theater opened in 1929, and I attended several concerts at the beautiful outdoor theater.    

The Los Angeles Zoo is fun and exciting.  Travel Town is a great place for children to play, but it is also loved by train “buffs.”  I remember climbing inside the old train cars when I was a child, and they remain there today.  There is also a miniature train ride in the Park that I always loved.  It is about a 15-minute ride going through lovely terrain.  I rode it again a couple years ago when we visited the Observatory. 

The Park’s old carousel is a popular attraction along with the live pony rides.  I was an adult when the Autry Museum of the American West opened in 1989.  Those who watched old “cowboy” movies will remember Gene Autry, one of the “singing cowboys.” Sports fans may remember that he also owned the California Angels baseball team at one time.

One of my favorite places in Griffith Park is Fern Del.  Many Angelino’s are not aware it even exists.  Even in the summer, it is cool, shaded and beautiful!  It is a park within the park with a running stream with small fish, beautiful ferns growing all around, walking and hiking trails, and swings for the kids – all this in the middle of Los Angeles. 

Many miles of hiking and walking trails remain, along with picnic tables and grills.  Griffith Park is a treasure.  If you are ever in Los Angeles, I recommend you add a visit to the Park to your itinerary.

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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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To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often. Winston Churchill

To make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of something different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone.

“There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction” Winston Churchill quotes (British Orator, Author and Prime Minister during World War II. 1874-1965)

Most of us are at least somewhat resistant to change.  We are comfortable with the status quo.  It is easy to continue doing what we have been doing in the same way.  However, change is inevitable.  If we look at change positively, we realize that change can be exciting, keeping life – or our businesses – ever evolving and improving.

The transformation in today’s workplace is ever-accelerating.  If it does not come naturally, it is an ability we must learn quickly in order to successfully adapt to the adjustments made in our company’s operation, management, compensation and/or products. 

When we learn of an upcoming change, we may focus on what we might lose rather than on what we may gain from it.  Whether we personally like or dislike it, we must adapt productively and positively to modifications that arise around us.

There may be times when we would like to just get the change over with and move on.  Unfortunately, it does not always work that way, and the cycle of change may take longer than you hoped or expected.  The company must announce the upcoming change to everyone; it must be integrated into an existing system; and it may take time to adjust to the many things that the change may affect. 

When we learn about an upcoming change, we should consider it a challenge!  Learn as much as possible about it; think about the new and exciting possibilities that may result from the change. Face it head on.

Instead of clinging to the status quo, why not ask ourselves, “How will this change improve my business?  How will it make our entire company better?”  Instead of resisting it, let’s seek out ways that the change will provide us with an opportunity to grow our businesses. 

Ask others – your team leader or other team members – for their opinion.  Perhaps they have more of an understanding about how the change will affect each of us individually and as a company.  They may have an entirely different perspective from ours, so we can ask for their feedback on how they are adjusting to the change.  When we have a solid support system surrounding us, it will ease the effect of the change. 

Eventually the adjustment to the change, or to several changes, will become easier.  I’ll admit that early on with Xpress Healthcare® business, before I knew the business well, changes frightened me a bit.  I wondered whether I could learn a new way of working, new products, new skills. 

My company is only a few years old, so I have since learned that I must expect changes and embrace them.  If we can all do this, we can improve, evolve, and grow with our company and contribute to our company’s growth as well.

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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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The Good Stuff!

It seems that all we see in newspapers, in online news reports and on television these days is someone getting murdered, a terrible storm that devastated a town or a mass killing.  There are so many wonderful things happening every day, and nearly everyone in the world is good and kind.   So today, during this joyous season, I want to share “The Good Stuff!” 

I won’t take credit for this title or the stories I am about to share with you.  I watch “New Day” on CNN early each morning, and every day they share a great story that they call “The Good Stuff.”  You can see the video stories here:  http://newday.blogs.cnn.com/category/headlines/the-good-stuff/.  I am happy to pass along these true stories that highlight the good news happening around us every day!

A five-year-old kindergartner named Claire Koch was part of her class’s holiday concert.  Both of Claire’s parents are deaf.  This wonderful little girl decided to surprise her parents by singing along in sign language so her parents could enjoy the songs too!  What a fantastic gift she gave to her parents.

A young Rabbi and his wife purchased a desk on craiglist.  It turned out that the desk wouldn’t fit through the door of their office.  So, they had to take the desk apart to get it into the office.  When they disassembled it, they found $98,000 inside.  They contacted the original owner and learned that she had hidden her entire inheritance in the desk and forgot about it!  (I do not understand that either.)  After receiving the money back from the buyers, the woman sent them a thank you card along with the money they had paid for the desk.

Darnell Barton, a bus driver in Buffalo, was driving along a busy highway when he noticed a woman who had climbed over the railing above a freeway overpass.  Many cars were just driving by, but Darnell stopped his bus, walked slowly toward the woman while speaking softly with her.  He gently pulled her down, all the while giving her words of comfort.  He sat with her on the sidewalk until others stopped to help.  He then returned to his bus and continued his shift for the day and did not even report the incident to his employer.

A struggling single dad, Anthony Garfallo, found a fake Christmas tree in a box a few years ago.  He didn’t open the box until recently.  When he did, he discovered $50,000 in bearer bonds inside.  He was able to determine the name of the owner of the bonds, but all the contact information that he found was invalid.  Mr. Garfallo said, “What’s right is right.”  On the “New Day” show they announced the name of the owner and said he could contact them to retrieve his bonds.

Upon the passing of Nelson Mandela, the news coverage has reported all his accomplishments and the many years he was imprisoned.  They give details of the various memorials and events planned to honor him.  “New Day” aired a phenomenal photo of two fathers standing side-by-side at a gathering to honor Mandela.  Each man had a child mounted on his shoulders.  One man and his child were black while the others were white.  That photo alone tells the whole story of Nelson Mandel’s accomplishments and contribution to South Africa.

At this time of year when Good Will is on our minds, I hope that you will visit http://newday.blogs.cnn.com/category/headlines/the-good-stuff/ to see the videos of these stories and more.  I am sure they will brighten your day as they have mine.

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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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It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I have been in the network marketing industry for nearly a decade.  Still, it never ceases to amaze me that so many network marketers do not work during the holiday season.  They usually say that people do not buy products or joining businesses during this time of the year. 

This is the second time in about a week that I am writing about this topic.  I feel so strongly about it that I feel the need to get my message to more people!

·        On Thanksgiving Day, a new rep joined my team online.  I had no prior contact with her.  This is the third time in my network marketing career that someone joined my team on Thanksgiving.

·        More people than ever use social media.  Do they stop during the holiday season?  Of course not!  So, why would you stop trying to build relationships and promoting your home business?

·        Various events and parties we attend in December are filled with prospects!  No, it isn’t a good time to try “selling” someone, but how about if you give a two sentence explanation of what you do and then say something like, “I don’t want to take up your time.  We are here to join in the party.  I would be happy to speak with you later this week to tell you more.  Let me just jot down your phone number an email address.”

·        While standing in the inevitable lines at a store, strike up a conversation with someone near you.  Try to slip in, “I am so much more relaxed this year since I didn’t have to ask anyone for time off.”  There are many simple ways to hint toward your career without jumping into a presentation.  Very often if we say something like this, the other person may ask you, “Oh, you don’t work anymore?”   The door is open for a VERY brief mention of your business.  Then give them a business card or brochure and/or ask for their contact info.

Opportunities are all around you to promote your business during the holidays, both online and off.  Keep your eyes open to recognize these occasions, and you can grow your team and increase your product sales by the New Year.

Who would like to take on the holiday challenge to build your income by January 1^st?

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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 

Who Are the Buffalo Soldiers?

Fort Huachuca (wa-choo-ka) is an army post in Southeast Arizona.  It is one of the oldest military bases in the United States.  It is a product of the Indian Wars of the 1870s and 1880s and was established as Camp Huachuca in 1877.  At that time, it offered protection to settlers travelling through the area or living in what was then Apache territory. 

As part of its long and proud history, Fort Huachuca has served as one of the homes of “B” Troop, often referred to as the Buffalo Soldiers, for many years. The Buffalo Soldiers at one time consisted only of African Americans.     African-Americans have served and with distinction in all U.S. military engagements. They made the greatest sacrifices and contributions during the Civil War when more than 180,000 African Americans were in the Union Army.  Over 33,000 of these soldiers sacrificed their lives for their country. 

In 1866, Congress established a peacetime army, reducing the size of armed forces dramatically and abolishing all the African-American units created during the Civil War. Of the new cavalry regiments and infantry units established at that time, four of the cavalry and two of the infantry units consisted of “colored men.”  These troops remained in the West until the Spanish-American War.  At that time one if five cavalry soldiers and one in eight infantry soldiers were black.  They were nicknamed Buffalo Soldiers.  There are different stories regarding the origin of the name, but the most widely accepted is that the Indians saw a similarity between the black soldiers’ hair and buffalos.  The Buffalo Soldiers were former slaves, freemen and Black Civil War soldiers, and they were the first African Americans to serve during peacetime.

The Buffalo Soldiers escorted settlers and railroad crews and even cattle herds. Throughout the western States, they conducted campaigns against American Indian tribes.  They participated in the Spanish American War, The Philippine Insurrection, The Mexican Expedition, World War I, World War II, and the Korean Police Action.  Their contribution subduing Mexican revolutionaries, hostile Native Americans, outlaws, Comancheros, and rustlers was largely unrecognized, but invaluable. Their adversaries included Geronimo, Sitting Bull, Billy the Kid, and Pancho Villa.  

In addition, the Buffalo Soldiers explored and mapped vast areas of the southwestern states and strung hundreds of miles of telegraph lines and much more. Their assignments were considered the worst the Army had to offer. The Buffalo Soldiers became one of the most distinguished Army fighting units, in spite of the fact that they faced extreme by those living in the post-war frontier towns.

Today's Buffalo Soldiers represent a wide variety of occupations: attorney, doctor, fireman, computer technician, police officer and more.  They are active duty soldiers, retired military or someone who simply believes it is an honor to be part of this historic group.

The mission of today’s Buffalo Soldiers is to promote the heritage and traditions of the U.S. Army in the Southwest during the period of the Indian Wars and support recruiting, community relations, and official/ nonofficial ceremonial functions. Through appearances at social, cultural, and other activities, B Troop advances the interests of the U.S. Army, military horsemanship of the 1880's, and the history of Fort Huachuca.  They participate in ceremonies on the 4^th of July and in parades.   I really enjoy their

Fort Huachuca today is a major military installation and one of prominence throughout the Southwest.  Today it is the home of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM).  In 1976 it was declared a National Landmark. 

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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. 

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Do You Remember When...

Memory is a difficult thing to define. Before I began writing this post, I looked online for a definition.  I found a few:

·        “The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information.”

·        “Something remembered from the past; a recollection.”

·        “Memories that are not consciously remembered can exert control through the subconscious” was a theory put forth by Sigmund Freud.

·        Another interesting definition I found was, “a past that becomes a part of me.”

Whatever definition we find best describes “memory,” it is fascinating to think of all the memories we must have stored in our brain.

We all have memories of sad or extraordinary occurrences in our lives.  For those of us who were around in 1963, a memory to which many of us refer is exactly where we were when we heard that John Kennedy was killed.  I was in high school when the announcement came over the public address system.  I remember that right after the announcement, a male student said loudly, “Now I’ll bet they will cancel the dance tonight!”  I was already stunned by the announcement, but I was shocked that was the first thing that came out of that kid’s mouth.  Having just experiencing the 50^th “anniversary” of that terrible day, it is especially sharp in many of our minds. 

Many of our strongest memories are about where we were when certain things happened.  An odd memory came to my mind a couple days ago.  I distinctly remember that, as a college student, I had just driven up to my home when I heard on the radio that Walt Disney had died.  He was an amazing man, but it surprised me that I had been storing that event in my mind since 1966.

I also remember exactly where I was when I learned that Elvis Presley died.  It was one week to the day after my younger son was born.  Again, I was in my car when the announcement was made on the radio.  I loved Elvis’ music, and I had seen him in concert, so I was upset with the news.

Until I put these memories in writing, I did not realize that these three major memories were all about someone dying.

When I was a young woman, I was sitting at home watching TV when I received a phone call from a local radio station asking me when I learned that my father was missing.  Until that phone call, I did not know that he was missing!  It turned out they had gone hiking in the mountains and were found the following day by rangers.  It made TV news and the newspapers!

A much happier, rather amusing memory I have is the first time I saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show.  I was watching it with my family.  I was sitting on the edge of the couch closest to the TV watching the program.  We were all laughing at them with their funny haircuts.  In fact, I remember I laughed so hard I had tears running down my face.

We do not remember days; we remember moments.  ~Cesare Pavese, The Burning Brand

Some of our memories are painful, while we enjoy reliving others over and over again.

I would love it if some of you reading this blog would share some of your own memories.

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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 

Best of Show

I have been struggling this year getting into the holiday “spirit.”  The ads and decorations started SO early, and I found it annoying.  Finally, today my husband and I visited our local mall where each year they have the Festival of Trees.  I think many malls have a similar event.

Individuals, non-profits and businesses decorate a Christmas tree and enter it into the “competition.”  There are also decorated wreaths and centerpieces entered.  Community leaders judge the trees and award them first, second and third place ribbons.  The trees then go on sale to the highest bidder, and the money from the auction goes to charity.

More trees than ever were displayed this year, and the mall was decorated more beautifully than ever before.  We are located in the “the old west” in a city that would not exist without the huge military base.  Because of our location, several cowboy themed trees are displayed in addition to patriotic and military related trees.

As we walked down the rows of trees, every one beautiful in its own way, I felt the holiday spirit seeping into my brain.  By the time we left the mall, I was looking forward to the holiday season.

We took a few pictures of our favorite trees.  I’ll share a few below.

 Best of Show

                 Cowboy Christmas

   Dr. Seuss Christmas                

 Patriotic Christmas

Happy Thanksgiving!  I wish you all a safe, warm and wonderful holiday.

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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