Glass is half-full, now drink it
In an effort to maintain a positive attitude, I’ve decided to become somewhat of a mini-Tony Robbins. I post motivational quotes on my FB page, I tweet and retweet inspiration all day long like a yogi locked into a downward facing dog pose.
I’m growing weary my friends, but I think it is working. The time of self-doubt has passed and all that sweet as pie happy-go-luckiness is beginning to take hold.
There comes a time when you just have to believe and have faith in yourself, know that you have the Man Upstairs looking out for you and you will go places. I’m proof. Nobody can claim success for you. They may be able to give you the tools, the chance, the luck, but it is your hard work, talent and dedication to all-out success that will carry you over the finish line.
Set the goal, say your are going to do it, drink the Kool-Aid, make it happen.
Help Ben Brewer
A few months ago, my mother met a wonderful woman with a son that has been battling cancer most of his young life. The mother is a customer of my mother and frequents the grocery store bank where my mother works.
I have never met or his mother, yet I know them both. Hearing their story and knowing that as a mother myself, to remain strong and to remain faithful is an arduous task that sometimes can test the will of any man or woman. With tears in her eyes, my mother relates the latest treatment and most current status on Ben Brewer and his fight. I too get choked up and in a phone call to his mother to see if I could somehow let the world know what they are going through, I too could not fight back the tears. So, I sit here and write about him.
For him and all the children who for some reason, by some chance, are truly the strongest among us.
Please consider helping Ben and his family. Every child deserves to live a full and happy life. Keep on fighting Ben! Visit www.benbrewer.org for his mom’s blog and his site.
Women’s Veterans Memorial In Jeopardy
I read this morning that the national memorial honoring women who have served in the military is in financial turmoil. It is located right at the gates of Arlington National Cemetery. Funding and donations have dropped off. Let’s work to help our honor all of America’s heroes!
Learn more at this link: http://www.womensmemorial.org
God Bless America! 
Can you really catch “enthusiasm?”
“Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm.” Read this quote today by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. To be honest, it was a quote I lifted from Honest Tea (I “Like” them on Facebook), I know, say what you want, but it caught my eye and got me thinking, can enthusiasm really be contagious? Can we all just be “so happy” that it catches on like a Santa Ana-wind-fueled wildfire in July?
Hmmmmm. I tend to think yes! As Seth Godin puts it, the Lizard Brains are less than enthusiastic about anything. The ones that really make things happen and jumpstart ideas are the ones that *aghast* are passionate about what they believe in, go after and make change happen and not let change happen to them.
It all boils down to this: If you don’t like your current situation, make it better. Be an instrument of change as they say. It may not be a move, but a shift in your thinking. This is something that has taken me a while to finally figure out. There is an old saying that goes something like this, “You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails.” And no, I didn’t get that from Facebook.
Top 3 Reasons We “Reboot” Our Lives
I know the economy is lame right now. I know that people are working harder for less, just so that they can have a steady paycheck, some of us have even had our paychecks cut to “save” the company. Do we really have the time to hit the reboot button? YES! Here’s why I think we all need to reboot sometimes.
1. There is just so much the body can take. Numerous studies have pointed out the negative effects on stress on our bodies. You must find a release. No time to find your passion you say? I’m not talking about a drastic overhaul in your daily schedule. Just get up out of your office chair, unhook the ball and chain that is at your feet and walk around for 5 or 10 minutes. You will feel better, you will be more creative and you will get to see the sun for at least a little bit today.
2. This one goes along with #1…Kiss your kids, dog, hamster, neighbor. I don’t care who you are, we all need and want to be loved. Love the ones who live with you, give them a big squeeze, a rub on their belly and melt your tension away. Except of course if you are driving through the drive-thru on your way to baseball practice, then hug the kids when you stop the car.
3. Take stock of what is really important. I guess there really is just one reason to reboot. Remember a job is just a job. Your life is yours forever. Your job won’t be there forever (trust me, it won’t). Thank God for your blessings. Take a deep breath, close your eyes and remember, you are the one that can make a difference in your life. If you want to change, you can do it. Ask for help when you need it. The village doesn’t go away when you turn 18, you still need a village to live your life to its fullest potential.
The Importance of Being One With Yourself
Oftentimes the collective “we” try to look to “them” to offer a new perspective on how we view ourselves. It isn’t enough that we are bombarded with the misadventures of pseudo-celebrities like “Jon and Kate” and their multitude of children. In fact, I find it difficult to understand what happened to our culture so that we view reality television as the way it is in the world, when in fact it is another edited and directed snippet of someone’s life passed off as real.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a big fan of reality TV, the Bachelor and others, but I remember “the good old days” when MTV’s The Real World actually had something to say and we cared. We watched intellectual conversations, of course some must have been directed, but still offering a glimpse that there were young people who actually cared about their life and the lives of their fellow man. Now it is one big hook up scene after another of drunken kids in hot tubs. Great television no doubt and so real! OMG!
So back to my point, don’t look to the images of reality from TV and magazines look to yourself. Have faith in yourself and know that there is a higher calling for you. Take time to be with yourself and get to know the details. You don’t have to give birth to eight kids and have a custom chopper in your garage to be happy. Explore your inner self and let the rest take care of itself.
Sports Drinks Good for the Brain?
According to a WebMD story, energy drinks just might help exercise performance by stimulating receptors in the mouth. the Journal of Physiology reports that these receptors are “independent of ordinary taste buds.” The article says that the study found that when endurance cyclists were given “psuedo” sports drinks and were allowed to swish and then spit the liquids out, that the cyclists did about 2% to 3% better. By just tasting the liquids they were able to increase their performance a little bit. See the full article here: http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20090415/sports-drinks-may-give-brain-a-workout?ecd=wnl_day_041609
The Gathering Place: A Refuge for Rebuilding Lives
Did you know that food stamps do not cover feminine products such as tampons and maxi pads? Did you know that there is only one, yes, one, place in the city of Denver where homeless and poverty-stricken women and their children can go during the day to get support and resources?
That place is the Gathering Place. In 2008, the center was visited 6,701 times by 1,911 different women. This organization not only provides shelter during the day, but the resources women need to rebuild their lives. Women are offered GED classes to help them get jobs that require at a minimum a high school education. They have the security of knowing that their children are in a safe place while they are able to focus on making their lives better.
The main thing is like so many non-profits, they need help. If you can, consider donating to this great organization. Here is the website: www.the-gatheringplace.org. Thank you!
Kangopack: Antimicrobial Travel Gear
YOU AREN’T THE ONLY ONE GOING PLACES
GERMS THRIVE IN AIRPORT SECURITY BINS
PROTECT YOURSELF WITHOUT LEAVING THINGS
BEHIND WITH KANGOPACK™
LAS VEGAS (March 3, 2009) – Introducing Kangopack™, the only antimicrobial travel gear that allows travelers to easily and cleanly glide through airline security checkpoints neatly and organized without picking up germs in the process. The new pack ensures that your valuables – watches, wallets and other items don’t get left behind in the bins. The company will launch the Kangopack™ at The 2009 Travel Goods Show in Las Vegas, March 3-5 at booth 1019.
“Before Kangopack, I began to notice the security checkpoint bins are the same bins that people put their shoes, cell phones and other personal items in over and over again,” says John Spanbauer, CEO of Kangopack. “I set out to find out if this could be something that could endanger our health. Think about it, you put your cell phone up to your face after thousands of shoes have been there too. Our studies found that nasty germs do in fact live in the bins, so we developed this product to ensure that your things stay clean and protected as you move through the airport security checkpoints.”
More than 420,000 units of bacteria can live on shoes. Some can cause serious side effects. Mold, bacteria and fungus cling to shoes and personal items simply by putting them into the security bins at the airport. Dr. Daniel Lee of the University of California, San Diego recently found that many of the organisms that exist on shoes are potentially harmful. The study looked at the role of shoes in moving bacteria from contaminated floor spaces to other surfaces. Security bins at three airports, San Diego, Las Vegas and Phoenix were tested and cultures grown for five days.
Continued…
Kangopack – 2
The tests show mold and viruses that raise concerns about the effects on travelers’ health. Mold such as Trichophyston, which can lead to ringworm, Favus a nasty disease of the scalp; and certain antibiotic-resistant strains of the bacteria Staphylococcus were detected. “I do have concerns over the organisms found,” says Lee. “Staphylococcus causes skin infections that goes deep through the layers and people who are sensitive can pick it up.”
Other germs found in the study include Neisseria, which can lead to gonorrhea, Escherichia Coli, known to cause intestinal and urinary tract infections, Meningitis, pneumonia and Serratia Ficaria – a rare cause of infections in the respiratory tract and wounds.
The Kangopack Collection includes the Original Kangopack™, the only checkpoint-friendly pack that provides an antimicrobial protective barrier from airport bins with organization and efficiency. The compact 8”x 9” pack stores a Transportation and Safety Administration (TSA) mandatory pouch with a pre-packed one-quart bag for liquids. It fits nicely into briefcases, purses, or clips onto the front of a carry-on for more storage. With its antimicrobial properties built into the fabric, the pack unzips to form a 20”x15”x5” liner that protects all belongings from cross-contamination. An integrated shoe divider separates shoes from other travel accessories such as watches, cell phones, wallets, and belts. Everything is contained in one easy to pick up pack to get you moving through to your destination. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the Original Kangopack is $34.99. The pack conforms to TSA standards and is not considered an additional carry-on when clipped to the front of another bag.
Other items include the Kangomini™, offering the same antimicrobial properties as the Original Kangopack in a handy 4” x 3” wallet-sized version designed for checking liquids during airline travel. The Kangosleeve™, to protect laptops measuring 15”, 17” or 19” from scratches, dents and germs; and the Kangosock™, an eco-friendly sock made from 80 percent bamboo, 16 percent polyester and four percent spandex for one-size-fits-all antimicrobial assurance and comfort while waiting in security checkpoint lines. In addition, the Kangokit™, a TSA-approved cosmetic kit made to hold liquids and fit nicely in the Original Kangopack; and Kangomist™, a light, clean fresh spray designed to keep hands germ and bacteria free in one easy .34 fluid-ounce bottle.
Search for Kangopack on YouTube.com to see a full demonstration at one of the country’s top airports.
Kangopack™ is antimicrobial travel gear for today’s busy traveler. Developed by John Spanbauer and Eric Tyler of Lucid Sun LLC in 2008 to meet the needs of airport travelers internationally, Kangopack is the world’s only antimicrobial travel gear designed to provide an affordable, clean and quick method to move and secure belongings through airport security checkpoints. Available soon in retailers and airports nationwide. Patent pending, for more information on Kangopack and its line of products, visit www.kangopack.com.
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Kangopack: Antimicrobial protection and security for your belongings
I am working with a great company that has developed an awesome product to help save time and eliminate hassles when flying. The Kangopack is a 3-in-1 pack that lines the bins at the security checkpoints.
Here is the video, the product can be seen at the 2009 Travel Goods Show in Las Vegas, March 3-5. Check it out on YouTube. Type in Kangopack and then watch! Enjoy!
If you need additional information, contact me.
