Do you feel overwhelmed?

Are deadlines looming?

Do you feel lonely?

Are you concerned about money?

Do you feel a little blue?

Are you apprehensive about the future?

Do you second guess your choices & decisions?

Are you missing your loved ones?

If you say yes to any or all of these questions, go outside.

No matter where you live, or what the scenery go outside. It is amazing how seeing how small we each are in the big scheme of things can help to put life into perspective. Sometimes it takes a reminder that in the total problems and concerns of the world ours are actually insignificant. Who would have thought that by feeling insignificant you can actually feel empowered and better able to deal with the emotions and challenges of life. God doesn't micromanage our lives but without a doubt gives us the tools to make positive changes and shows us everyday that miracles surround us. We just need to remain faithful.

"Always remember..... Goliath was a 40 point favorite over David."
Shug Jordan, Auburn

Instead of my traditional morning walk, I detoured and treated myself to shelling. Hurricane Dean stirred up the Gulf depositing lots of shells and sand dollars on the shore.
I had fun searching for the ones that made me smile. I brought them home, cleaned them in bleach water as they baked in the sunshine. Now they are happily nestled in my shell basket .


It was a lovely way to start my day.

War and weather, starvation and peril; there are people around the globe in harm's way. Please take time out of your busy day to say thank you for being safe. It is a blessing that is all too often taken for granted.



For those who aren't as fortunate, who are in circumstances of danger or may be in the path of Mother Nature's wrath we wish you courage and pray that you will find safety.

The Victor


If you think you are beaten, you are.

If you think you dare not, you don't.

If you like to win but think you can't,

It's almost a cinch you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost.

For out in the world we find

Success begins with a fellow's will.

It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you are out classed, you are.

You've got to think high to rise.

You've got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win the prize.

Life battles don't always go

To the stronger or faster man.

But sooner or later, the man who wins


Is the man who thinks he can.


By: C.W. Longenecker

It is evident that I have inherited a condition from my parents that serves me well. It keeps me hopeful, filled with faith, child-like wonder, and the belief in possibilities.

Frank Sinatra described it best:

Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you
If you're young at heart
For its hard, you will find, to be narrow of mind
If you're young at heart
You can go to extremes with impossible schemes
You can laugh when your dreams fall apart at the seams
And life gets more exciting with each passing day
And love is either in your heart or on its way
Don't you know that its worth every treasure on earth
To be young at heart
For as rich as you are its much better by far
To be young at heart
And if you should survive to 105
Look at all you'll derive out of being alive
Then here is the best part
You have a head start
If you are among the very young at heart

May you discover that you also are young at heart.

This morning I received the initial proof of my sales and marketing book. I was so excited to see the way the cover was going to look and the professional layout.

Much to my dismay the cover was a serious disappointment. The subtitle was actually wrong and the font used looked angry and mean.

During the next 10 days I need to scrutinize the copy and look for any errors that need to be fixed. I anticipated that process but never in my wildest dreams was I prepared for my book cover to look terrible. Even the original I mocked up looked better and I am not a graphic artist.

So much for my little "pity party." On the bright side, I will request that corrections be made and I am much closer now to having a finished book now than I was months ago.

It is exciting to anticipate that one day the ideas that I compiled might assist someone as they grow their business in the direction of their dreams. Too cool!

I had the pleasure of meeting Merv Griffin and Eva Gabor in New York many years ago. Travel Agents from around the country were invited to New York to meet them and learn about his plans for the Paradise Resort and Casino in the Bahamas (now the site of the Atlantis).


It was a great day and fun to say that you were sharing time with the creator of Jeopardy and Wheel Of Fortune. My parents watched both quiz shows regularily and every once in a while I watched them too.


Every time I have seen Merv Griffin interviewed I have been impressed with his happy attitude. He was a brilliant businessman who gave Donald Trump a run for his money when it came to the world of real estate. He was a consummate entertainer and from what I could see a true gentleman.


The trip to New York and the opportunity to meet two very famous people was beyond exciting and best of all I was able to call my Mom and Dad and share my excitement. I used to have an autographed picture that they gave out to each of us that attended. It has since been lost but I happily found this photo online.


FYI I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Paradise Island Resort when a cruise I was on visited Nassau. It was awesome. I am looking forward to visiting the Atlantis someday. I understand the new owners of the property have pulled out all the stops and the resort is totally amazing.

I have alwasy been someone who enjoys looking at the sky. Some of my most productive daydreaming has been the result of looking at the sky. I especially like laying on the grass and watching the clouds as they move across the sky.



This morning a friend shared the news that on the 27th of August the Planet Mars will be so bright that it will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.

Mars will be within 34.65M miles of earth. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287.

Move over Mr. Man In The Moon you are about to have company.

I just saw the news break about the bridge collapse in Minneapolis. My first reaction was to call and e-mail all the people I know in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area to check that they are safe. I haven't heard from everyone yet and hope that each one and their families will not have been on or near this catastrophe.

I used to travel to Minneapolis several times a year. It is a beautiful area. It is surreal that this has happened. My heart goes out to those whose lives were forever changed by this horrendous tragedy.

I am certain that the cross-town in Tampa and the Memorial Bridge in Clearwater will be scrutinized as they were each constructed by the same company. It is frightening to imagine what it must have been like for the people in that circumstance. May god bless each of them and their families.

Last night my book, Sell More, was accepted by the publisher. After 10 months of researching, writing, editing and rewriting it is now in the hands of the publisher. I look forward to receiving their suggestions and edits and progressing until I have my published book in hand.
Then I think I will ask everyone I know to go to their local Barnes & Noble and order the book so I can create a "buzz." That will be fun.

Ultimately, I look forward to using the book as a promotional tool to launch, Ideas Unlimited. The goal of the book is that it will be a resource and tool for new and seasoned entrepreneurs to help them increase their company's visibility, sales and profits.

Now that the book is written and with the publisher, I find myself experiencing a little variation of "empty nest syndrome." It is on its way and now I am left to create my day to day world without concentrating on Sell More.

It is a most wonderful Wednesday, a day filled with new possibilities. To all that has been inspirational during this process and shared their ideas and support, thank you most sincerely.

I may have been writing the book over the last 10 months but the research began decades ago as I witnessed my dad go from valued employee to remarkable entrepreneur and learned from my Mom how choosing to go into business for yourself requires the loving support of those closest to you. There are lots of challenges from the time the initial decision is made until the ultimate dream is honed and becomes a reality.

I appreciate the enormous lessons I have learned from the various jobs I have had during my professional career. My family, friends, colleagues, classes, various publications and books have each sparked my curiosity and imagination. Without them Sell More would never have been born. From my heart I say thank you.

I am have been sincerely blessed to have been given this opportunity and will never take this gift of time for granted.