Techie Learning

I've decided to learn all I can about Social Media so I've immersed myself into it. I'm reading books, articles, trying out things, tracking things, etc. There is sooooo much out there! I'm loving learning it. Sometimes when you embark on something like this it can either feel like a drag or feel invigorating...this feels energizing and fun! No matter what age you are you need to keep learning and improving yourself. It's easier if you pick things that match who you are! It's hard to get motivated at times and get out of your comfort zone but when you do...the payoffs can be huge.

Oh and while I'm at it, I finally bought an iPhone! That's kept me busy as well! So cool!

What Is Talent?

I taught adult education advanced watercolor classes at one time. We would meet twice a week in a middle school science lab room. My students were three times plus older than Iwas. I was such a wet behind the ears teacher to them I'm sure. As it goes, I learned more from them than they from me. What was cool was that they'd sign up semester after semester and most of my core group stayed in tack unless there was a family emergency or trip or something.

We all got to know each other quite well. There was Joe who was such a good painter that he could teach the class. And his friend, Bill who painted and drew little postcard sketches each day that were just lovely studies and very precise because he was an engineer and payed attention to everything! There was Annette who had a son that now lived with her because he had brain damage from falling off a roof while working on a house. She came to class for stress relief. There was a few Moms with children in elementary and middle school that were great friends and my class was their night out from the family.

I taught them how to paint skies and trees and oceans and brooks. They taught me patience and trying. I taught them the color wheel, and as I listened to their chatting as they painted i learned that life is all the colors of the wheel and more!

There was one particular lady who tried so hard to get the watercolor technique down but she was just always tight and her watercolors didn't flow. She would get frustrated but she came back each week and each semester. One night I came in and I walked around the classroom and her watercolor was perfect. I remember saying, "Geraldine, your technique is great tonight! How did you do this?" And she replied, "I just went to be a few nights ago and got up the next day and it all just clicked in my brain and I could do it."

The students would sometimes say, I'm never going to learn to do this and I'd always encourage them to keep on trying as sometimes you have to practice. In the back of my head, I wondered though if some people just had talent and others would never have talent. What I learned from Geraldine was that if you have the passion to want something and you keep trying at it, then eventually you will get there.

Busy is as Busy Does

Somehow I've gotten myself busy and having fun doing it.

Sometimes people complain about being too busy. My goal is to create a good work life balance this year. I'm doing it but I've gotten busy! You see just because I'm not working all the time didn't mean I could go home and sit on my can. I just keep being busy but have transferred it to other things...fun things!

So, the crane project is going - fold 3 cranes a day to achieve the project in 333 days! Then I still have my breast cast to finish painting - it's been hanging around the kitchen for a few weeks! Somehow sewing grabbed hold of me as my furniture cushions in the screened room needed replaced! And I enjoyed planting my flowers and little vegetable seeds (except for the poison ivy.) I'm waiting for them to pop through the dirt! Exciting! Then planting them in the garden and babying them to grow more!

I have several books I'm reading and several waiting for me to read. I've been self-learning about social media so that I can apply it to work eventually. I go to the gym several times a week!

And then there's just the daily stuff. Being busy is fun to me....so long as there is work life balance I advise everyone to do it!

And when I find my list of all the blog topics I want to write about, which was getting quite long, then I'll try to fit in more Blogging too!

1,000 Cranes

I love oragimi. There is something fun about folding paper into shapes and I love the colorful paper used in this art form. I ran across an article about it a few weeks ago when reading about unique social media efforts being used to raise money for the Japan tsunami victims. There is a Japanese legend where anyone that folds 1,000 origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane such as recovery from an illness. A Japanese social media site began selling electronic cranes to raise money. Very appropriate marketing for a good cause! I was wondering if I folded 1,000 cranes would anyone pay $1 each to raise money for cancer. My wish for the crane to grant is a cure for cancer. What do you think? It takes a little practice to fold a crane. http://www.savingcranes.org/origami-cranes.html I've been mulling this idea around for a few weeks now. This morning, driving to work, I looked up in the sky because I caught site of a large flock of white birds flying overhead in front of me. There they were, wings glittering away in the sky forming ever changing shapes before breaking into multiple classic v formations to carry on thier journey. I think it was a sign to do it! Want to help?

Walking With Survivors

Last night I walked with a courageous group of people...cancer survivors. I was happy to see so many purple shirts but, I it also made me realize how many people battle this awful disease.

As we got ready to walk, I was in the front line holding the banner beside, ten year cancer survivor, and co-worker, Joan Billheimer. I took a few minutes to turn around and look behind me at the old, young and children survivors. It's that moment that tugged at my heart because we were all still there, happy to be alive, celebrating, and creating awareness for this cause.

My other moment was seeing 75 year old Joan, carrying the torch and doing the rememberance lap at the beginning of the luminary ceremony. She has such strength and passion for this cause. She BELIEVES, in supporting her cause and it's such a passion of hers that eminates from her core. Most of you that followed my own experience may remember how supportive Joan was when I was sick. She is truly an amazing woman. Joan knows everyone and how to navigate around a room or an event like the most famous person there ever was.

We were all cold, and didn't she know about a tent, with walls and even a heater in it. So we all followed her over to this secret place and warmed up! We joked with her that she could make more money for cancer by letting people pay $5 to take turns coming into that tent to warm up a little!

I talked to a young black women beside me on the survivor walk. That's something I've found people do more of if they are survivors. They take time to talk and learn about each other. That is a side-effect of the focus you get as to what is important now in life when you have cancer or after surviving it. She was from Jacksonville, FL but was in Florence visiting family here. She had breast cancer and was on her second round of chemo and radiation. I told her I was a 6 month cancer survivor and she quickly said but why do you still have your hair? I explained my cancer was contained and hadn't spread so I hadn't needed chemotherapy. She was surprised only because we mostly know only our own experiences with cancer. She didn't know some breast cancer didn't require it. We all learn from each other. I wished her well but today am wishing I would've given her a hug as she has a hard road.

My husband, Matt and daughter Michelle and her boyfriend Beckham were all there to support the cause with me as they were my fabulous caregiver team! Michelle and I made luminaries for our loved ones to remember them by or to honor them as they continue their battle. My co-worker Reuben was there to support the cause because he saw his mom go through cancer twice and he was there to support me and our boss who is recovering from her cancer.

The night was cold but it was the warmest place to be! Celebrate! Remember! Fightback! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNPC2nEz3QY

Good day to PAINT!

Today, I'm starting to painting the bust I made before I had cancer. The magnolia over the cancer tumor will be black and white and the other ones full color as the painting progresses. The idea is to depict the feeling of CHANGE.

What Is Your Personal Brand Essence?

When you develop a brand for a company you have a step where you develop your brand essence. This is the core proposition of everything you do and say. It's the one word that describes what's at the heart of who you are. I have been known to create family get together discussions around this. Everyone in the discussion ends up trying to figure out their one word that is their personal brand essence word.

Sometimes people ask me what I think theirs is.

Adrienne (team member) I know your brand word now finally! SPIRIT
Both the in the Christian based sense and the human essence which is what I say I always miss when you’re not here! I don’t know why it took me so long to figure it out!

I also figured out my daughter Michelle’s core proposition. Hers is HEART
She always puts her heart into most everything she believes in. Sometimes she loses heart but overall it’s the one word that describes who she is best.

And while I was on a role thinking of this driving into work today I thought about my husband’s which has also been hard for me to figure out. His is Truth but I keep wanting to make it SIMPLE-TRUTH as that is closer to what he represents.

My Mom’s is STRONG as in she’s a strong woman but not physically, in the sense of bettering herself, being tough when you have to be; overcoming challenges.

I have moments of clarity when things aren’t cluttering my brain when I can see these things well. What pops in your head when you have those moments? Do you know your one word?