Resolutions still there?
Okay so it has been awhile since I last wrote but I do have reasons some valid, some not so much. The holidays were very special here as we were able to share them with family and friends. Anyone who has or knows of a 3 1/2 year old knows that the time is anything but quiet and low key. Still the wonder of a child during the holidays is inspirational.
New Year’s Eve came, and we were fortunate to share with some close friends, watch the ball drop, sip champagne, eat our blackeyed peas with greens and a bit of pork, throw in rice for good measure. I don’t know all of the significance of the various parts of the whole butthen again I was born in the North, raised out West and now and have lived in Florida for over 16 years. No wonder I get confused?!
So my question to you is are you still adhering to your NewYear’s resolutions? Did you make any or did you just say the heck with it. I don’t ever get very far with them and I do write them out because it is a habit. If you are like most folks, it takes 21 days to establish a new habit. Do you realilze that is tomorrow? If you started your resolution on New Year’s Day and are still going strong with that resolution, you have more than a 50% chance of sticking with it. Congratulations! You should be proud of yourself, so give yourself the preverbial pat on the back. If you fell off the wagon, don’t give up. If it is important, there are 345 days left in 2010 to get right back on the wagon train and start your new habit.
January is National Organization month. It is inherent in us, I think from when we are really really little that on New Year’s Day we put all our new stuff away and go through the rest so we can give it to the less fortunate or even toss if it is beyond repair. As adults we still need to do this. We are getting ready for tax day. Do you have all your receipts in a place that you know where to find them? If not it may be time to start gathering unless of course you like P&P. That is panic and pressure which will rear it’s ugly head about April 13 or if you really like to push the envelope the 14th. Even if you file an extension for filing, you still have to have a good guestimate. You just get to put off filing out the forms on line or on paper. You know I just heard that if you efile your income tax, you get your refund sooner. Now that would be incentive, would it not? Now if you aren’t getting a refund this year, I can see putting off the big rush to file. If you owe, I am sorry. The fact is whether it is our receipts for tax purposes, your closet because the layer of clothes on the floor has become an added shelf(does that count as home improvement?), the cabinets that are bursting at the seams and you can’t get them closed anymore. HELLO-it’s time.
I am going to be on the charity bandwagon for just a minute and I promise you I will stick to that. There are so many of our neighbors, friends we haven’t yet met, and folks in our corner of the world, that could really use that old blanket, those clothes that don’t fit anymore for whatever reason. I make no judgement. What about the pots and pans that you don’t use anymore or the dishes? You name it someone could probably use it. If you don’t have a collection at your church or synagogue, donate the items to your favorite charity. More and more charities are using thrift stores to help them make ends meet so that they can meet the needs of your community. Some in the Tampa area are Charlie’s Treasure’s for The Children’s Home, The Spring, Goodwill, Salvation Army, League of Mercy, Kidney Foundation and the list goes on.
We are so fortunate to live where we do, no matter what your political bend, the American people will get it right. But even in our land of abundance there are those that aren’t as fortunate. We have refugees that are now going to be coming in from Hatti. How heart wrenching is that? Folks are going to need our help. Make sure that the organization you choose is legitimate. Go to their website. Just don’t go by an email sent asking for help. This can also be a time of flim flam folks. They will pull at your heart strings and your purse strings, but what you give will not go where you think.
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Favorites for the Super Bowl?
Make your day an Oscar winning performance.
Gifts for coworkers and others
Happy Saturday Afternoon to everyone!
I just had to share something that I am proud to say I know the creator and the quality of the gift.
If you are in a situation where you need or would like to get something for your co-workers,neighbors or others that are not family or just difficult., I would like to suggest a uniique gift so appropriate to the South and this time of year. The gift is “Peas for Prosperity”. How many of us personally know of someone who has been down on their luck this year and maybe even last. When December rolls around, depression starts to set in for some and especially those who ,let’s face it can’t afford much of a Christmas or Hanakkuh gift.
This gift is made of Black-eyed peas which is a very strong tradition in the South for good luck in the New Year-hence prosperity. Each one comes with cooking instructions and the history. It is a lovely and thoughtful gift and one sure to bring on some conversation. Go to the website www.peasforprosperity.com. You can order your gifts from there. For less than $10 you can’t do much better. The exciting thing is that $1 of every sale and I mean every bag of every sale goes to Second Chance. Everyone deserves a second chance on life and this will help facilitate it.
We will have them soon in Tampa where $1 of every bag will be going to a local charity as well.
So if you think you would like some more prosperity, or some prosperity, or help give a person a second chance go to www.peasforprosperity.com and let them know that OHMISS sent you.
As part of a disclaimer, I would like to state that OHMISS Concierge is not making any money or being paid anything in one form or another for this recommendation.
December 01,2009
Can you believe it? It is December 1st today. Where has the year gone? It is not like this doesn’t happen every year. It’s not that there were more days in this year-there weren’t . It wasn’t a leap year. So now the mad dash to January begins.
You survived Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Have you finished the Thanksgiving leftovers yet? Hit the food channel for ideas on that one. Did you get in enough watching of your favorite football teams? I hope that yours did better than my husbands teams. Every single one of them lost. Even when it looked like the team was going to win, they lost. He was very disappointed and not a happy camper. Thank goodness he likes the holidays and all the festivities that go along with this time of year.
Now getting back to December 01, that means 25days until Christmas if you count today. If you don’t then it is 24 days until Christmas. Hannakuh begins at sundown on December 11. You have probably received many invitations to holiday open houses and parties by now and are all ready feeling the stress of how am I going to get muy own home decorated this year, let alone gifts wrapped, that is of course if you have purchased them, Christmas and New Year cards to address and mail, not to mention the cooking, baking ,and the list goes on.
Being with family and friends during the holidays makes for memorable times. If you are caring for a parent or older relative, don’t forget to take some time for yourself. You could be doing yourself and your loved one a disservice by not doing just that. It is hard to overcome the guilt when it comes to taking some time but a little assistance now and then is not a bad thing. Holidays helpers are proabbly more affordable than you thought. Having one or two ertrands taken off the drudgery of the holiday “to do” list can be a boone to your enjoyment of the holidays. Not only will you enjoy them more, but those around you will notice how less stressed you are and enjoy the season with you.
Little things such as running to the grocery store, dry cleaners, the drug store or the mall, can save you a lot of stress not to mention the extra time you will have in the day. Maybe you will even have time to do something You want to do.
This is where a good concierge service can be a tremendous benefit. They can provide you with holiday helpers to do these errands, help you do the decorating or plan a party . OH MISS does background checks on all of their associates and preferred vendors. They are licensed, insured and bonded. This alone can provide you with an element of ease and comfort when hiring someone on a one time or regular basis. The party season is starting . Take time to enjoy it.
Friday I’ll be back with some helpful hints on how to take some stress out of your holiday. how to enjoy the parties and still fit in to your favorite Christmas outfit. Until then, live life outsource the rest.
TOO MUCH ON YOUR PLATE WEEK
Now did anyone have to tell you that you have too much on your plate? Did you really have to have a designated week of the year to realize it? Fear not my friends, it is officially “Too Much On Your Plate Week”. For purposes in writing this, the week shall be called “TMOPW”.
We all try to do so much, whether it is on the job or at home, with families, friends, and oh yes don’t forget those volunteer hours. I was given a packet of cocktail napkins not too long ago that had a picture of a woman wildly waving her hand in the air and shouting”pick me, pick me, I volunteer., let me help.” This of course was noted to be caused by one too many espressos. This however is not always the case.
We seem to need permission to slow down, take a break, read a book, take a walk, etc. For some reason our backgrounds insist that we continue to plow through to the bitter end no matter what toll it takes on our bodies, minds, families or friends. We think we are doing just fine. That we have the whole situation and life under control, then pop something happens that is not on the agenda. We are thrown for a loop and hope that somehow we can recover. Our bodies and minds ae amazing and humorous as well. They have systems that will slow us down whether we want to or not. Make no bones about it, if you do not slow down and take some things off your plate, your body will help you with that decision and you will have No choice.
I recall as a young woman in my twenties and being the overachiever that I was and also figuring that there was no life after 30, I had to do it all. I had my own retail store, sold some real estate on the side and assisted my husband with his restaurant. This of course was all the while I was moving in to a new home and did I say my parents were moving to our communiity? Needless to say, I caught what I thought was a cold. No big deal, a cold, you get some pills, cough drops a little chicken soup and you are ready to roll,only not so fast. I lost my voice and thought I just had laryngitis. After my cold appeared to have resolved, my voice did not. I had to go to an Ear Nose and Throat specialist. He sat me in the chair and asked me what was going on in my life. I know it’s a funny scenario as it is like the dentist putting one of his instruments in your mouoth and then asking a question that requires an answer. Ha! So I wrote on a note pad that he had for this type of situatioin what was going on in my life. Frankly I was quite proud of all that I was doing and still be able to stand up and function. This man looked at me straight in the eyes and said”how much do you think you can do at one time?” I shook my head. I don’t know I said. When something needs to be done, I just do it. I needed to fix it.
If you haven’t figured out where this is going, it is that we can not do it all, or at least not all at the same time. I had a condition that is referred to as frozen vocal cords. It would be months before I could even get a squeak past my lips as I would try to communicate. As I said before, our bodies do make us pay attenttion and slow down whether we want to or not. Picture this. Have you ever tried to have a telephone conversation with somone when you can’t vocalize? Have you tried to tell a contractor what you need done when you can’t speak? Or better yet, how about trying to make a sale. Nope, it isn’t going to happen. I had to learn the hard way that I can’t do it all, all the time, all at once. I have been told that I am strong willed and stubborn, but then I guess you had already figured that one out for yourself.
This week, I give you permission to sit down and read a chapter of your book, or enjoy a beverage with your friends. Take that walk,go runing if you like the runner’s high, or take the yoga class. This won’t releive your stress but it will slow you down. Now as far as the stress of everyday life is concerned, taking that yoga class will do you no good as long as that “to do” list is still hanging over your head. This is where learning to prioritize comes in to play. Put what is most important at the top even if it is the one that is the most uncomfortable. Get the uncomfortable done first, then the rest is easier.
I was at a reception just about a week ago. As I stood talking with some folks that like you are professionals and occupy the executive suites around town, the basics of everyday life came in to the conversation as we talked about how we got our things done. What is the best use of your time? Is it standing in a line at the grocery store or the post office or returning the gift that you do not like at all? Or is it getting some of that paperwork off your desk talking to a client that creates billable hours for you? If I were to be so bold, I would bet that it would be a client for billable hours and not the grocery store, post office, or mall.
This is where a service like OH MISS comes in handy, For very little, an OH MISS associate can get that list done in a flash, throw in the post office if you like, the wine shop, the dry cleaners etc. What does this do for you? The answer lies in the fact that you are billing more hours=more pay. You are clearing the “to do” list by at least a fraction and eliminating some stress from your life. After all do you want to be the one that is thrown for a big fat loop and find out you have been knocked out of the game for several days, weeks, or even months? Do the math., It will be less expensive to have someone else do the errands that for you to pay a Doctor and lose those hours at work. Get the type of down time You want not the kind that is thrown at you.
With that I will say to all of our friends and aquaintances new and old-Happy TMOYPW! Wouldn’t you love that in a crossword puzzle?
Have an awesome week.
BayBiz & OH MISS
I had the priviledge of being a guest on the Malcolm Out Loud radio show on BayBiz AM 1470 this past Tuesday. What a terrific experience! As they say in the “biz” the show is in the can. As soon as OH MISS gets the copy of the show you will find it here on our website.
For all of you in business, this is an excellent show with tips being presented daily by local well know business people on how to have a small business as well as starting one and what to look forward to in the next few years. It is a “good” news radio show as we certainly can hear enough of the negative on radio and television. I have heard from so many of you that the television news is not even on in your homes anymore. Did you know that small business owners are some of the most optimistic people you will meet? There is no greater time than the present for excellent customer service. That is what a good small business can do for you.
Which leads me to what OH MISS can do for you. We have been called “lifesavers” by so many of our clients as we assist them in crunch times, times of stress, times when they are overwhelmed with what is going on in their business or the office and what needs to still be accomplished on the home front just to “live”. Don’t allow yourself to become totally frazzled, overwrought, despondent or fearful of making a bold move. Let OH MISS give you that boost in your step so that the job of living can be less of a burden to you. The benefits, a clear head, less stress which in turn leads to a healthier you, more joy and happiness in your life and the lives of those that surround you. Let us handle the little things while you take care of the “stuff” that really matters.
August exciting news
Wow, can you believe that August is half over already? Where did the summer go? Children will soon be headed off t o school and some attending colleges have made their trek to the school of their choice. The tropics are starting to get active as we head in to the strongest part of the hurricane season. For those of you new to our area the peak of the hurricane season usually hits in September and then wanes as we get closer to December 1, the official end for the year.
Now to share some exciting news from OH MISS! Some of us we able to attend the eWomenNetwork national conference in Dallas that ended just a week ago. I must say that we have come back with great information and some fabulous contacts to assist you in whatever way we can. If you need a speaker for your organization, more shopping tips, new ideas in business and communications ,just ask. We can assist in putting you in touch with some terrific individuals. Social media is all the buzz, did we get an earful on that. Learning the do’s and don’ts. Social etiquette is not just writing thank you notes any more or as they used to say minding your p’s and q’s.
We were so lucky as we were able to meet and talk with Debbie Meyer of Green Bag fame. Be on the look out as she is not finished yet. We also had the privlege of meeting Judge Glenda Hatchett, the juvenile court judge of tv fame. If you want to meet someone passionate about the foster care system just spend 10 minutes with her and you will be on the band wagon to get involved. We met Joe Gonslaves of the Homes for Heroes organization, His charitable organization makes it possible for our seriously wounded returning vets to have homes that will accommodate their needs. These are accessible homes to keep families together. Hurray for Joe! Needless to say we are enthusiastic about the future of small business in the US and all the good that is happening that doesn’t always make the news.
Speaking of news, if you are reading this entry today August 17,2009 or tomorrow the 18th before 12:30 p.m. tune in to AM 1470 for the BayBiz program with Malcolm Out Loud. This is going to be one of the best shows in the bay area very soon. It is going to be a good news program featuring the good things that are happening in our area in the business community as well as our communities in general. Isn’t it about time we had some good news in our day? I have been privileged to be asked to join Malcolm on his radio show tomorrow as we speak to women entrepreneurs and some local charity organizations. It is going to be exciting and I look forward to sharing what I can about what it takes to succeed as a woman entrepreneur.
Come back and check us out as we are going to be announcing some news of global proportion very soon. OH MISS will not just be your little home town concierge . Stay tuned.
Give me your feedback or ask questions and I will get to them within 24 hours. We want to be there for you. What can we do to help you today?