Mars Candy is now selling whole bags of green M & M's.

I have never been able to celebrate this fantastic event in person. If I win the Lotto tomorrow, I will be off to join in the weekend celebration.
No, it isn't Manning or Brady that I want to see. I want to see
that cute little guy that tells us when Spring will arrive. You guessed it, if I was given my choice I would rather go to Pennsylvania to participate in the Ground Hog's Day celebration instead of traveling to Arizona for the Super Bowl.

After covering an emerging scandal involving the Mayor of Detroit the reporter said, "Never put anything in an e-mail or a text message that you wouldn't want to see in a headline someday."

Even Diane Sawyer stopped, as did her colleagues each wondering if they had ever written anything that could one day come back to haunt them or require an explanation.

Employers are monitoring employees e-mails at work and have even gone a step further and check blogs and messages on Facebook, MySpace and even YouTube to see learn more about the character of their employees and what is being said about their company. Human Resource Personnel are using these sites as well as Google and other means of Internet investigation to check out candidates for employment.

Technology is wonderful. It is fantastic that we now have access to people and information literally at our fingertips and instantaneously. On the downside, we don't have to wait until archaeologists unearth what is happening today. We are writing our own history everyday in the blogs, messages and information we exchange.

Just as the reporter's comment this morning seemed to be a wake up call for the stars and staff of Good Morning America, it is one we should all heed.

The request that appears on the screen before a movie does NOT say, "Please turn off your cell phone." It says, "Please silence your cell phone."



It is fine with me if people "silence" their phones rather than turn them off BUT please, pretty please, NO TEXTING.



Thank you most sincerely. While I am talking about "texting" let me say, "Please be safe."

I enjoy some of the creative reminders to turn off your cell phone that play before a movie starts. Now it is time to remind the audience that they should please turn off their bright screens. Texting has become such an addiction that apparently it is important to text while the movie is showing.


On the one hand I understand that it lets you communicate with your friends - maybe even make comments about the show - "supposedly" without bothering those around you because you aren't talking out loud. Unfortunately, those flickering lights are extremely distracting!


Maybe using the phone to text is now not considered having your cell phone on. Kinda like a "BJ" isn't considered sex. Maybe we need to have a Presidential ruling on this?!?

I was excited to be invited to participate in the Author Event in Murfreesboro last Friday night. It was described as a book signing and reception. It was exactly that BUT it wasn't how I imagined. Now don't ask me to describe what I imagined because I tried to articulate it but couldn't. It was just different.

Fourteen authors of a wide variety of books were lined up in a row. Three to a table with one notable exception, one gentleman who made a loud fuss that he was a more accomplished and recognized author said he should be at his own separate table. His name Gerry Lundy. His book is entitled "Disavowed." He said that he just returned from Chicago. He had been on Oprah and his book was the next one that was going to be spotlighted by her book club. Several of the other authors thought he may have been delusional however I thought it was exciting that we were all at the same event with someone who might have received the ultimate endorsement. Afterall, once the next title is announced we will all know if what he was saying was fact or fiction.

I was at a table that provided a little dejavue to the evening. One of Hope's teachers had written a book on how to raise test scores and she was seated at my table. She thought that Hope was there to see her but Hope introduced us and said she was actually there because of my book. Later in the evening when I needed to go to the Ladies Room, I asked Jim to take my place at the table. Poor lady, first she thinks Hope was there to see her and then she thought Jim was actually Tom, Hope's Dad. It was fun that Tom and Jim still get confused as being each other.

Directly next to me was a gentleman who wrote a financial planning book. I confess that I was feeling a little intimidated as he was signing lots of books and had his wife photographing each person with him. Everyone obviously knew him. His wife later explained that most of the people were financial planners that had contributed ideas to the book. She and her husband were very appreciative that everyone had come there to get their copies of the book so they didn't have to drive around town to drop them off. A reminder that I shouldn't "assume."

To my right at the table immediately next to me was a gentleman who had written books about Robert E. Lee's life after the war. He obviously had researched his subject extensively and was eager to share stores, facts and "did you knows" with everyone. It was an unexpected bonus to receive history lessons at my first Author Event.

In addition, there were authors who had books about Murfreesboro. There was a romance novelist, a lovely lady who had written an inspirational book, and a couple of writers of children's books and fiction. The assortment of writing styles was truly varied and happily the attendance by consumers was excellent.

Three hours is a long time for me to remain in one place. I can hear people who know me laughing knowing how true that is.

I was blessed because this event was a family affair for me. Jake and Noah were fantastic agents. They went throughout the store giving out my little magnifying glasses and candy. They no doubt stimulated sales and Hope introduced me to people she knew and that in turn resulted in her teacher introducing me to the people who came to get her book. Tom and Shelia advertised my presence to their friends and consequently not only did I sell their friends books but may have an opportunity to speak at a convention and help with marketing strategies. Jim was also awesome not only working my table, reminding me to breathe and measuring my stress level with some toy he found but later that night helping with my site. It was a family affair and they made the experience awesome.

Thankfully David Logan drove me to Tennessee from Florida. The snow and ice along the way in each direction would have been super treacherous if I had been at the wheel. He gave me a great compliment, saying he enjoyed watching me work the room as he sat in the Cafe observing. I kept hallucinating that he and David Hallal were sitting there together rooting me on.

As I sat at the table waiting for the next person to stop by, I reflected on the people who had supported and encouraged me over the years. I thought of the people I love who were unable to be at the event in person but who were in my thoughts and heart. I am definitely a blessed lady pursuing a dream. I am not sure where this adventure will ultimately take me but I am sure of one thing, I will always be grateful to those who believe in me when so often I don't find it easy to believe in myself and feel worthy of so many blessings.

I sold 12 books that night, excellent. I inscribed in each book, "Believe in possibilities" and then signed my name. My life adventure has taught me to believe in possibilities. It seems the natural thing to pass it along.

Even more importantly than the sales I made that night, I received leads for several job opportunities. The author of the Robert E. Lee books said he observed that I was different than the other authors there. He said from the way I interacted with the people it was clear my book was just a tool to get an opportunity to work with entrepreneurs. He said he enjoyed watching me use my book to, "Sell More." I loved it. My goal has always been to have my little book entice people to use Ideas Unlimited to create strategies that will increase their company's visibility, sales and profitability. I guess it is working. Hurray!

The popular "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" show with Guy Fieri,
featured the Ted Peters Restaurant tonight. It was fun to see one of our local "joints" on television.

It was "Viewer's Choice" night. Ted Peter's has a 60 year old legacy here in Florida. They are famous for their smoked fish spread, hot potato salad and cheeseburgers that are topped with velvetta.

It may be classified as a dive but there is always a line eager to sit at a picnic table and enjoy the food. Congratulations, to the owners and cooks at Ted Peters Restaurant!

One week from today it will be my privilege and pleasure to participate in my first author event. The kind invitation to join 11 other authors at a book signing and reception was extended to me about a month ago by Barnes & Noble. Now the event is nearly here. It is exciting.

I am an Author. Wow, it all seems to becoming real. My real reward will come when the sales and marketing ideas and strategies that overflow the pages of my little book provide a resource for entrepreneurs.

In "Sell More.." I included a quote from Mark Twain. I am definitely sailing away from the safe harbor; author signings and events are foreign experiences to me. I am excited about catching the tradewinds and enjoying the adventure.

Wherever you are is the perfect place to begin. Your "Someday" is here.

Catch the "can do virus." It is time to win the battle of lingering excuses:

I'm too old.

I'm too tired.

Not enough money.

Not enough time.

Not creative.

Not talented or skilled.

Celebrate your triumphs. Learn from your missteps. Enjoy your kudos. Revel in your success.

I am not one to post political comments on my blog but this is a bipartisan concern. Why when we have our men and woman fighting in a war and daily risking their lives is our congress taking time to have a hearing with Roger Clemens and his trainer about steroids and HGH?

We have daily concerns about Homeland Security.

We have people who can't afford to go to the doctor because they don't have health insurance.

We have children in America that go to bed hungry every night.

We have people being laid off.

We have gas prices that are rising every day.

We have jobs going oversees instead of providing employment for our own citizens.

We live in a country filled with red tape that could use untangling.

We have a pending election to determine our next President.

We have lots of issues that effect each of us every day of our lives.

Why does our congress have time to meet with Clemens and his trainer about steroids and HGH? They seem more concerned about the use in baseball and the effect it has on stats and records than on the effects of the use itself.

Afterall, if they were concerned about the use of such drugs wouldn't they invite the stars of American Gladiators to speak with them?!?