I Won Another Social Security Disability Case!

I won my second social security disability case! Woo hoo! I am thrilled, and of course so is my client. I have not gotten my fee yet, so am anxiously awaiting it any day. I have two other cases in the pipeline, and maybe a third one signing on. Can't take too many since I am only doing it part time. But two or three at any given time would be just fine with me!

I have been dismayed by the news that social security disability may run out of money by 2017? I really want to make this my next "second" career going forward, and I want to do it much longer than 5 years! I am hoping this is just hype and more social security doomsday talking. I want to make a go of this!

Disability Law Being Scrutinzed

The Wall Street Journal has been running a series of articles about disability law and problems therein. I have not read all of them yet, but hope to do so soon. The articles have pointed out problems with law firms (they name Binder & Binder, one of the national law firms that run social security disability ads seemingly nonstop) not turning in adverse evidence for their clients. For example, they may not turn in medical records that show their client is not disabled enough to get benefits.

Another article pointed out the disparity in judgments in SSA cases. Some judges have very high approval rates, while other judges don't approve many cases at all. Can the numbers of disabled people really be that disproportionate across the country, or is a problem with the judges decisions? Is that on purpose? They also feature an article talking about a judge in West Virginia who approves almost all of the SSA cases that come before him. And a lawyer in town who has made millions of dollars in SSA fees who has worked with this judge. This sounds bad.

As a new disability lawyer, I am definitely paying attention to any news concerning disability law.

cnn.com

Guest post written by my buddy Bernardo Graham

I know that I have gone on and on about how people are accessing their news these days and how much it has changed over the past ten years or so but I am going to write another post about it just for fun. I feel it is important to take note of how quickly technology has changed our world over the past decade or two. Think about the first time you saw an ipod. Did you know what it was? Did you have any idea that only a few years later everyone on Earth would be walking around with all of their music on a tiny device in their pockets? I like to access my national news stories via cnn.com. I find that they provide a ton of information about things happening in the U.S. as well as around the world. They are also usually one of the first news sites to bring the news to the front page of their site. If you are like me and don’t live in a metro area and have a hard time getting the internet you should check out Wild Blue Deals to find ways to access your news online like me.

Will I Ever Be Able To Buy A House?

Here I am, approaching mid-life and living in a small condo. Granted I love my condo, and I own it clear and free. But it is small and awkward when you have overnight visitors. It is a two bedroom, two bath, but somehow you feel like you are on top of each other. There is not a lot of storage space. And on and on.

So why don't I buy a bigger condo or a house? It is a great time to buy with the bad economy and the great low housing prices and rates. Why? Because I have a lousy credit score and not enough money saved. I really messed up when I was younger and accumulated too much credit card debt. I spend money like craxy. It passes through my hands like water. I'll be honest--my credit score is an F. How can I get a mortgage with bad credit?

Since I own my condo, I guess I could sell my condo and buy another property with the help of a bridge loan
I may have to do that, but I would really like to keep my condo and rent it, and apply those payments to my new house payment. The rents in my neighborhood are high, so that might be doable. But I have never done this before, and I have a lot of organization to do before I can accomplish that. I would have to keep up with what repairs need to be done and have enough money banked to do it. I really want to do that, but am I ready for it?

When I was in New Orleans this last May for the Rotary International Convention, I went on a Katrina tour and saw the work that is being done with rehabilitation of the homes that were destroyed. I hear there are rehab loans that you can apply for to fix such homes. Homes in other cities can also qualify for those loans, but not sure if any in my town would. I love the idea of fixing up such a home. .

Right now I need to concentrate on getting my credit score up. I know there are some companies out there that can help you buy a home with a low credit score. But rather than that, I just need to get the score up. Part of it is just paying attention and paying bills on time, something I have had trouble with lately. Focus, focus, focus!.

The Fun Of Trade Fairs

I may be nuts, but I really like going to trade fairs. Sometimes I think they are an afterthought for people attending conferences. Like during a meeting, they may go look at the trade show exhibits  to take a break and to see what is there. But it is not really a destination. But I enjoy walking up and down the aisles looking at all of the items and picking up literature and freebies.

The most recent conference I attended that had a trade exhibit area was the Rotary International Convention in New Orleans. There you would see  table top display after table top display showing the various and valuable Rotary service projects from around the world. The trade show room, with people from all over the world, was almost like a mini United Nations. It was very exciting.

I have attended many trade show fairs but have only been an exhibitor one time. I previously edited a trade show magazine and had a booth at one fair. It was a lot of fun to be on the other side of the coin. We sat in directors chairs and had fun answering questions and handing out our magazine. I would love to do it again if given the chance.

I Want To Buy A Home Somewhere!

I live in a condo and have what Dave Ramsey calls "house hunger." I need a bigger place, and I really want a home. The problem is, my money isn't there for me to do this yet. So, I won't. But I need to look ahead and figure out what I want to do when I can afford it.

I would love to buy a house in my neighborhood but they are waaaay too expensive. I could get a nice house farther out in the burbs, but I don't really want to live there.

I could continue living in my condo but buy a part-time home. Somewhere I could go for fun. That could be in my old hometown, where they have wonderful homes at rock bottom prices. Or it could be a lake house in one of the neighboring counties, where the real estate is priced low.

I could splurge and buy some Oahu real estate. Now that sounds silly, but I do have a couple of friends who are wanting to do the same thing, and maybe we could go in together and share the cost? One of my high school friends says one of her relatives has quite a bit of Oahu real estate. Maybe she could advise us?

I think I better sit still for a while and continue paying off my bills and saving money. And then I can find my dream home, wherever it may be. Maybe even if it is Oahu real estate!

Pampering Yourself Is Important

I work awfully hard, so it is important for me to pamper myself equally hard. I don't do that enough and need to start. A pampered self makes a happy self. So say I.

I am looking for ways to make my skin softer and younger. I used to be very good at keeping up with things like that, but now that I am working multiple jobs, skincare is one of the things at the bottom of the list. But it shouldn't be.

I was at the mall the other day, and there was a kiosk that was selling dead sea salt.  The guy really wanted me to stop and try the product, which I did. It was wonderful! He talked to me a little too long, which was annoying, but the salt made my hands feel so smooth. I need to use more products like that.

Saving For My Next Improvements At My Condo

I never have a lot of money for sprucing up my condo. I would love to buy all new furniture and such. But no such luck. I have to really plan out my improvements. In the last year, I have bought new carpeting (which my cats have promptly clawed in certain places), a new dinette set, and a new accent chair and ottoman. For me, that is a lot.

What is next on my list? Well, my kitchen sink is old, so I may get one of those undermount kitchen sinks. A new sofa is also in order.  The one I have is so comfy, but old, and again the cats have left their marks with their claws. I also need a new water heater. Further down the road, I need a new stove and maybe a new refrigerator.

It is fun to see my condo look better with every step. I just wish I could do it faster. Back to the freelance tabe!

When You Have Car Trouble, It Is Good To Have Pros Nearby

I went through a bad period with my previous car, where every few days it would not start. That is not good. I would take it back to the dealer, and they would fix it, or say they had, and it would work fine for a few days. And then, bam, three days later it wouldn't start again. This went on for weeks and weeks. Needless to say, I was getting very frustrated. It is not good to not be able to count on your car. And I got stuck more than once and had to call a tow truck. Not cool at all.

One of the times my car wouldn't start, I was still at work. At least I wasn't stranded somewhere in a bad neighborhood, but there was still the inconvenience. Then, I remembered the tow truck guys that worked next door. That is right! A tow truck company is right next door. I went over there and knocked on the door, and asked if maybe someone could help me.

They jumped right on the case and put my car on one of those asedeals auto lifts or something like that. They fiddled around with it for a little while, and walla! It started! It didn't solve it permanently, but it got me on the road for another three days until it broke down again. Finally, the dealership took care of the problem once and for all. Despite all of that, it was a good car, and i miss it.

Becoming A Foster Parent--Part 1--The Shock Of It Hitting Home

I added a new layer to my identity. For many years, I have been a writer, editor, blogger, lawyer, business person, traveler, reader, swimmer, friend, daughter, granddaughter, cousin, niece, curiosity seeker, intellectual, volunteer, and student. And now I am a foster parent.

No one is more surprised than me. I have seen the ads on TV and the signs around town asking you to consider becoming a foster parent, but I never connected that to me. It was not on my radar screen.

It all started with a minor relative who needed me, or someone like me. She was born into a toxic, unhealthy home, which got worse over the years. Suddenly, she was in foster care, and our extended family went into shock.  How did we not know about this sooner? How did things get so bad without us realizing it? People like us don't have family members go into foster care, do we? That just doesn't happen to people like us? What in the world happpened????

I should know better, as I have been involved with child abuse prevention activities for years and know that this can happen in anyone's family. But you still think it can't happen to yours. Until it does.

I had the option to get involved or not get involved. Of course, I got involved. I feel like in some way I have been preparing for such a role all my adult life: child abuse prevention activities, foster care activities, juvenile law class, guardian ad litem CLEs. My background is perfect for taking this on.

Especially since she is my relative, and I love her. And she needs me.

Replying to the social services letter that yes I wanted to be involved--to the point of saying she could come live with me--set off a whole chain of events. Background checks, fingerprinting, parenting class, home study. Since she was in state care, I had to get permission to see her, which wasn't often enough. Phone calls with her were discouraged, as social services did not want to provide too many opportunities for negative conversations about her homelife, which could cause her more angst about the situation.

The process had just begun.

Boyfriend Anniversary Gifts

I used to do all kinds of strange things, like fret too much over whether men liked me or not. I also was tempted to get boyfriend gifts for anniversary or generally make myself too available to men. Then I read the Rules. Yes, the book that caused so many waves a decade or so ago. The Rules was criticized for being manipulative, or some such. But people misunderstood the reason for the book. (The authors did themselves no favor by being bad spokespeople for their own message.)

The whole idea behind the Rules is that you have some boundaries for yourself and men. That you don't get carried away and think your relationship with a man is more than it is. That you protect your heart in order to make good choices. That you don't waste precious time chasing something that isn't going to work.

I have to admit that the Rules have worked for me. At least from the standpoint of not getting hurt so much or chasing after lost causes. That in itself is invaluable. I'm not saying you should never get a boyfriend an anniversary gift. Just make sure that there is a real anniversary to celebrate.

Most Eligible Dallas

I think I mentioned that I watch more reality TV than I should. I am hooked on several shows: some of the Real Housewives series, Millionaire Matchmaker, Survivor sometimes, and now Most Eligible Dallas. Sometimes you wonder where the TV producers get the cast members. Like how they picked those for Most Eligible Dallas, as compared to others who could have been cast????

Well anyway, I was hooked on the drama between Matt and Courtney, and the fact that they finally got together. But then it didn't work. That is too bad. Wonder if he ever called for flower delivery in the city of Dallas, TX? He should have ordered her flowers at least. Or maybe he did. He needed to make up to her for his wandering eye, or not carrying through.

I also was hooked on watching Tara and her icky choice of men. What gives?

Anyway, it will be interesting to see what happens next season. Although, it seems like it would be hard to beat the Matt/Courtney drama.

I Think It Is Hard To Buy Men's Birthday Gifts

I love to buy gifts, but I find it hard to buy gifts for men. Most of the time, though, I can come up with some good items, but it causes me a lot of angst, and takes a lot of time to come up with good ideas. It is so much easier to buy for women. I have a friend's birthday coming up soon, and I may have to look for: mens birthday gifts online. I love to shop, but don't have time to go look in person. Maybe I can come up with some good ideas. Just have to find the time to search the web.

Need To Up My Beauty Routine, Get My Groove On

I am tired of looking awful. Fat and overlooked. I miss getting looks from men. I need to lose weight, work on my beauty routine, get my skin back in shape, eat better, exercise, relax, buy new stylish clothes, etc. I need to do it all. And soon.

I think I do my makeup pretty well, but am thinking of trying some eyelash growth products, since I am a little deficient in that area. I may just buy some false eyelashes first, to see what I look like with bigger, longer, fuller lashes. If I like it, I may try one of the enhancement products. I want to get in shape and look my best. And then looks will come my way.

A Friend Had To Close His Restaurant

I am sad that a friend had to close his restaurant recently. It was a fun little hangout, and I had hopes it would turn into my "Cheers." It had good food and even better drinks. Seemed like it had all the right ingredients, no pun intended, to succeed. Good ambiance, friendly staff. It was close enough to downtown that people could go there for lunch or stop by after work. Except that they didn't. Every time I drove by, there were fewer cars in the parking lot. I stopped by when I could, and I was going to take my family there. But it closed before I could. He could not afford to lose money week after week, so he had to cut his losses. He had a lot to do to close the doors, including sell his restaurant supplies. It is sad, but I have heard for years that the restaurant business is extremely hard, and many do not make it.

Life Near A Medical Center

For years, I have lived near a major medical center. I used to dream of working there, handling their communications and PR. I never did that, even though I did that kind of work on the university side of things. And I loved it. Yet, the medical center did and still does call out for me. I guess I am a frustrated doctor.

I see the medical students come and go in their scrubs, and think--that could have been me! I especially think a teaching hospital, with all of its research, would be a fascinating place to work. I can't imagine a more satisfying line of work. Helping to heal people and sometimes give them a new lease on life. Of course, there would be sad times in being a doctor too. But I would think the good and happy would outweigh the bad.

But I am a journalist and a lawyer. Too late to go to medical school--that is for sure. No scrubs for me, unless I am sleeping in them. http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/

Spiffing Up My Bedrooms

Now that I am becoming more domestic :) I am looking around my condo to see how to make it more cozy and nice. I think I have done well so far and have done it on a small budget. (Even though a small budget for redecorating is still too big for me right now.) But slowly and surely, I am making it more cozy and interesting, at least I think I am.

I realize that you don't have to spend a lot of money to make your home environment more comfortable. Maybe a little splash here and a little splash there. For instance, maybe buying some new comforter sets for the bedroom could be all it needs for a makeover.

I am thinking about that for my two bedrooms right now. I like my comforter in my guest room, but it is really too small for the bed. I bought it when I had a day bed in there, and now I have a full bed. I may be looking for some comforter sets in the same color scheme in the near future.

As for my bedroom, I probably need to update it too. One of my comforters is just too hot. It never gets that cold at my house, and the few nights a year it does, I can make do without that heavy duty covering. And I am just tired of the other comforter. Guess I'll be looking for comforter sets for both bedrooms.

There Are Cute Maternity Clothes Out There Now

I have never been pregnant, so never had to buy or wear maternity clothes. I remember as a young girl thinking that women seemed to be depressed about their pregnancies. Don't really know why I thought that. They just always seemed to be complaining, and they looked disheveled a lot of the time. They didn't look like they felt well, and maybe they didn't. Somehow I got the impression pregnancy was a real pain in the ass, something not fun. Maybe part of the reason that I myself never got pregnant. 

Maybe had I been around more positive pregnant women early on, I would have wanted to get pregnant too. Seems like people celebrate being pregnant now more. They have fun showers and wear cute maternity clothes, even if they have to wear plus size maternity clothes. (However, when one mom told me that she wears plus size maternity clothes, I was shocked. To me, she did not look plus size.) Also, doesn't every pregnant woman really have to wear plus size maternity clothes?

Anyway, today it seems like women are happier about being pregnant. Back when I was young, it seemed more like drudgery. Of course, maybe part of it is today women have more choice about whether to get pregnant or not. Back then, it was just expected. 

Hope Banks Are Starting To Lend Business Loans

I keep hearing that banks are starting to lend unsecured small business loans. I hope that is true, because apparently that is one way to get the economy going. Businesses take out loans and then they make improvements to their businesses, buy more inventory, hire more people, expand. All good.

I don't have need of a business loan right now, but if I ever go into law full time, maybe I would, I would have to worry about rent, equipment, furniture, payroll. But that is so far away for me, I might as well not think about it. Maybe I will just be a solo forever. Who knows? But if I don't need a loan, I know a lot of other businesses do. I just want the economy to get better now.

BFF Settling Into Florida

One of my BFFs got married last year and moved to Florida. I miss her a lot, but I am happy for her. She sort of got her happy ever after moment. She married one of her former loves from high school, and everything came together like clockwork. You might say they are meant to be. Or least that is how it seems because everything happened like a dream.

Well anyway, they are making their new life together in Florida. They have a nice, big new house and entertain a lot. They built an ingrown pool, so of course they have to have a florida pool fence. They are both busy with their jobs, but also seem to have a lot of fun. They have invited me down anytime I want. The best thing is that because they have had this perfect reunion, it makes me feel like maybe I will have one too.

Mom Is Recuperating Well

I was really worried when I heard my mom needed laser spinal surgery. She had had a minor stroke only a few years before, and I was afraid the surgery would cause another one. I have no idea if that could be true, but when strokes are involved, you worry.when and if another might strike. Her regular doctor did not want her to do it because of the stroke.

Well, the surgery went well, and in  retrospect, I am glad she did it. The surgery has made her feel so much better, and she has better mobility and less pain, which is great. She can travel and even exercise a bit. And there have been no more strokes. I am feeling very grateful about all of this, and I know she is too. I guess she just followed her gut about the surgery, and it turned out to be the right choice.

My Studious Graduate School Neighbors

I live near two universities, so it is probably not surprising there are a lot of graduate students in my building. It is nice because they are quiet and study a lot. (I considered myself one of them when I was in law school a few years ago. We could all commiserate about studying and falling asleep on the sofa. Now I am done with school, but I still fall asleep on the sofa. But that is a whole other issue.)

My neighbor next door is studying to be a speech pathologist. She is perfect for that job; she is so nice and kind. I went to a speech pathologist for a short time, and she was very helpful. I know my neighbor will be just as good for her clients.

She will be finished this spring, and is already looking at Speech-Language Pathologist Jobs, She is such a good neighbor that I wish she would find a job here in town. But she is from another area of the country and says she wants to go back there. I will be sad when she leaves. I've had my share of bad neighbors, so I appreciate a good one.

Clearing Out My T-Shirt Collection

Part of cleaning out my closets and decluttering my home involved dealing with my T-shirt collection. My T-shirt collection was more than 25 years old. I had T-shirts from junior high swim team, high school, college, alumni band, travels, animals, concerts, charity events, reunions, and even funny tshirts that I had for no reason. My closet swelled with all of these shirts. Couldn't even get my good clothes in correctly--thing were always scrunched in my closet and wrinkled. Some of the shirts were so old, I couldn't fit into anymore--those from junior high. Others were so old the design had worn off. Others I was just tired of. So in the trash bag they went, and either out to the garbage, or to Goodwill. I did keep some that are particularly sentimental, and I am planning to make a quilt out of them. (It's kind of pricey though. It's on my to-do list.) Now I am just more careful when buying T-shirts. I don't have the room, don't want to spend the money, and most of the time, I don't wear them.

Shoe Shopping This Weekend

As I am cleaning out my closets and throwing out and giving away old clothes and shoes, I am reassessing my style and what I need. You have to have the right balance of comfort and spiffy and professional clothes. I used to have the right balance, but now it is unbalanced. I probably have too many comfort clothes. And that is not a good thing.

I like to be stylish, but it is a little harder when you are not in shape. The cool clothes just don't look as good on you. But even so, you still want to look good and not frumpy. You want to look good on your way to getting back in shape.

One thing is I want to wear cool shoes. I have a few pairs, but need to round out my selection. I may go shopping this weekend and hit Macy's, Nordstrom, Belk, or maybe look online for some good selections at
nicole shoes and some other kinds.

I want to be someone who turns heads again. I will get there! I have promised myself that.

Need To Update Equipment At Some Point

Since I am still only doing law part time, and I don't have a real office, I do not feel the need to update any office equipment. Especially since I don't really have any, except my netbook. I haven't even figured out how to use my printer at home. I've had so few clients that I haven't had to really start worrying about handling and storing a multitude of documents. But I do see that my system has some holes, and they are just going to get bigger as I start handling more legal problems.

One is, I need some scanner software, because there are just too many times that I need to turn something into a PDF, for example, and right now I just don't have the ability.  I also need a home fax machine, and a good color printer. I am thinking I can get one machine that does all three things. I do have an iPhone now, which is good. I have a 4 pixel camera, which is fairly good, but now you can get 12 pixel cameras for under $100, and that would be even better. It is amazing how much work you can get down without all of this apparati, but it sure would be helpful to have and fun to boot.

I am probably going to buy some nice cherry filing cabinets for home. A friend of mine told me I can use her office anytime I need to, so that is a good option. I am looking forward to the future and love being a LAWYER!

I Need To Get Some Chi Chi Clothes

I have been cleaning out my closets--long overdue--and I have been making a lot of trips to Goodwill. I tend to get attached to clothes and keep them long past their usefulness. I look at them and remember when I wore them. Oh yes--that is the outfit I wore when he "noticed" me. That is the pair of slack I wore t the inauguration. You get the drift. it makes me happy to look at these items, so I don't feel bad about keeping them way past the point of practicality. I don't have that many of those items.

I have a lot more items that I can pitch without a second's thought.  For example, the plus size dress that I thought was attractive until I saw a really unattractive woman wear it--that went immediately into the Goodwill pile.Or the many tops and skirts that I bought that are so-so. Pitch.

The thing that bothered me was looking at all the skinny dresses I can't wear anymore. My wardrobe used to be pretty snazzy. I know I could get in shape again and wear similar styles. I don't know why I haven't. I think I just haven't had time. Or the energy. But I need to do it and soon.

But in the meantime, I need to get some more attractive clothes. I have noticed that today a plus size dress
can be very stylish, as much so as a smaller size. I like to feel good and confident when I go out, especially if I am going to be in a difficult or awkward situation, and the right clothes can make a difference. Or the right clothes can set the mood for romance.

So, I am going to look for a plus size dress or two that makes me feel like a babe. But it will be only temporary, until I can get into those skinny dresses again.

My Friends, The Vegetarians

I admit I am a meat eater, even though I probably don't eat meat but a couple of times a week. But sometimes that steak or burger, or even chicken or shrimp just tastes so good. I do have some guilt feelings when I actually think about the animals being slaughtered in order for me to enjoy my meals. That is why I just don't think about it and stay in denial. Like when I refused to go to that slaughterhouse in Argentina.....I just couldn't face that.

There is a couple I am friends with, and they are vegetarian. They do eat seafood, but no other kind of meat. I know there are different kinds of vegetarians, some more strict than others. I guess they don't feel guilty about eating a little shrimpie. It seems like once you started down that path, it would be hard to draw a line as to what you are willing to eat and not willing to eat. I guess that is why some are vegans; they just can't draw a line anywhere. But to me, that would take the fun out of eating if you had to limit your choices so much.

But back to my friends--they are also into growing some of their own food. They have a great vegetable garden and have their own composter. They have been nice enough to share some of their spoils with me. I love fruits and vegetables, but don't think I could eat them exclusively. Well OK, my friends are into wine and chocolate too, so we have a good time at happy hours once in a while.

Need To Get My Diamond Appraised, Tightened

My diamond ring is my prized possession. No, it is not an engagement ring, but a ring I inherited from a loved one. And it was her prized possession, and her engagement ring. She wanted me to have it, and I wear it and think of her. I particularly wear it, when I need strength to face a tough situation. And I wear it when I am going to have a particularly good day. I want her with me on the good and bad days. She means that much to me.

I have insured it, which is good. But I have been meaning to get it cleaned, reappraised, and tightened in recent years. I am very afraid of the stone coming loose. Not sure why, but it is an expensive ring, and I have heard you need to get diamond rings tightened once in a while. I will, I will, I will do these things soon.

Onsite Clinics Can Save Companies Time And Money

One of the most interesting magazine articles I have ever written was on the benefits of companies having onsite health clinics. Corporations increasingly are focusing on occupational health and safety and how to cut costs and increase efficiency, and this is certainly one way to do it.

A company wanting to have an onsite clinic can make available a space for a nurse practitioner, partner with a hospital or medical group to do this, and then the clinic is open for business! Such a clinic can take care of occupational health and safety concerns such as minor injuries and illnesses, or employees can even sign up for preventive health exams and screenings. Some of the people at the company I profiled had had their first checkup in years at their onsite clinic.

It makes sense for companies to do this. If employees can get healthcare free or at reduced cost, and they don't even have to leave the workplace, they are more likely to take care of their health. The company benefits as well by having healthier employees and not losing downtime when employees have to travel offsite to go to the doctor. The increased focus on occupational health and safety and having healthier employees will enable companies to get better health insurance rates.

Travails And Anxiety At Cash Register Of A Bookstore Long Gone

About 20 years ago, a friend of mine worked at a beloved bookstore in my town. It was a family owned bookstore, with just two or three outlets across the city--something unheard of today or even yesterday. First the family owned bookstores fell to the chain bookstores, and now the chain bookstores have fallen to the internet and digital media. How things change.

My friend was a literature nut, so this small but packed bookstore was the perfect place for her to work. They wanted people working there who were well read and could talk intelligently about books and make good suggestions to the customers. She fit the bill.

What she wasn't so good at was doing math in her head. They had a cash register--old timey of course--and a calculator for figuring out sales tax. But they didn't want the employees using the calculator. They wanted them to figure all this out in their head. I had been a customer there for years and never knew this, until my friend told me. Unfortunately, my friend didn't last long there, because she could not do the math in her head. Her stomach would get tied up in knots everytime she had to ring someone up.

How stupid of the store, I thought. Doing math in your head has nothing to do with reading books. I don't know whether this ridiculous policy had anything to do with them going out of business, but maybe. If they were this stubborn about the calculator, what else were they stubborn about? I felt bad for my friend. She lost a job, and they lost a valuable employee. Even if they didn't know it.

Today, of course most establishments, bookstores or otherwise, have POS systems to make their checkout and sales easy. I would hate to think of the messes there would be today if stores insisted on employees doing the math in their heads.

No More Excuses--I Need To Diet!

There is nothing worse than going clothes shopping when you are overweight. Trust me, I love to go clothes shopping, but it has not been as much fun in recent years. Why? Because nothing fits. At least nothing cute fits. And it is so depressing. I need to get on a good diet--eating a lot of salmon and salads or do the South Beach diet or something. And start excercising. I was doing some exercising for a while, but somehow I hurt my hip, and that took me out of the exercise loop for a couple of weeks. It is feeling OK now, so I can start again. But I don't know what I did to hurt it before, so hope it doesn't happen again.

I need to buy some new PJs or sleep shirts and want to find something cute. I am afraid I may have to buy plus size lingerie at the rate I am going. That is not to say that they don't ahve cute plus size lingerie out there these days. I would just prefer that that demographic not include me. Even when I was thin, I did buy larger sizes for sleepwear, so it would be comfortable. But, there is a difference between a large size and plus size lingerie. I want to get into shape, so I don't even have to worry about it anymore. Wish me luck!

Need To Pay More Attention To My Teeth And Smile

Among the many things I haven't paid enough attention to lately is my teeth. And my smile. I have a nice smile, and I need to do it more often. Sometimes I'll catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror and see that I look tense, or mad, or hurried. I need to slow down, smell the roses, and smile. Take my time.

I also need to spend more time on my teeth. As in flossing. I am afraid I have gingivitis. And it isn't going away. If I could do one thing over, or one of many things over, it would not have let this get started. I floss, but not enough. I just need to do it. I am tired of going to the dentist and feeling like I let them down.

I also need to whiten my teeth, I have heard of different places to get this done, such as teeth whitening san antonio. I had my teeth whitened before, but it has been a while ago, and I need to do it again. I remember the whitener made my gums hurt. But it was worth it. Not sure how much it costs at teeth whitening san antonio, but I would need to maybe check their prices, as well as some other dental office prices. When I had it done before, the dentist had a special discount price for the procedure.

I had to use a retainer type thing with whitener in it and had to keep it in my mouth for several hours a day. Who knows? Maybe teeth whitening san antonio doesn't even use it that way. Maybe they use a laser? Not sure how they whiten teeth now.

In Our State, We Can Finally Buy Wine Online

Our state is getting a little more progressive in terms of wine sales. No longer do we have to buy wine only from a local wine warehouse, but we can now buy it from an online wine warehouse! That is so great, because we can now shop for online deals and also buy wines that may not be available in our local stores. Or if you travel to an area famous for wine, such as Napa Valley, or Simi, or France, or Italy, you can actually ship some back home. For so many years, we couldn't do any of that.

Now we have one more hurdle to jump. We need to be able to buy wine in our grocery stores. I love it when I travel to another state, and I can buy groceries and my wine at the same establishment. Grocery stores tend to have some good prices on wine, so that is another reason I like to buy there. 

So, for the time being, we can either buy wine online or go to a wine store or local wine warehouse, but we can't buy it in grocery stores. There is a movement right now to try to change that. I am all for that. And why not? The only reason we can't, is because of the alcohol lobby. And that is not a good reason. 

Taking Credit Cards Makes It Easy For Our Clients To Pay Us

I know some companies balk at the thought of taking credit cards for a variety of reasons, and we were one of them for a long time. But it got to the point where we had to start doing so. Some of our clients were paying late and falling farther and farther behind, or not ordering to begin with because we didn't take cards. We kept getting asked if we took credit cards, and we had to say no. Some new business went elsewhere. When it started to look like we were really losing sales by not taking cards, we had to rethink our policy.

Once we decided to start taking cards, we had to look into finding a credit card payment processing system. I was not involved with that process, but it seems like others at the company did a good job at researching various companies we could use.

Now that we have a credit card payment processing system in place, we take credit card payments all of the time, and it has helped our profitability. I noticed our statement from last month, and we had quite a few credit card sales. We would have lost out on all that money if we had not started taking cards.

I am not the one who does the credit card payment processing at work, but it seems to work quite well. At this point, we are glad we started taking cards, and because of the new system, we actually feel like we are a little bit more up to speed. With more money in the bank, we certainly feel more successful as well.

Hoarders Show--Unbelieveable!

There are some unreal reality shows out there today. I don't mean they aren't real life (as some complain) but that they are unreal. Who would think about creating a show about real addicts, or little people with pit bulls, or any number of the topics? I have to admit, I am somewhat of a reality show junkie. I don't watch cooking shows or fashion shows, except once in a while. I have watched the real estate shows some, and they are addictive. Oh heck--what am I saying? Most of the reality shows are addictive. My secret pleasures are the Real Housewives series. I always say I watch those franchises because I don't have enough drama in my life. Right!

The one that is the most unreal to me is Hoarders. Hard to believe that people live like that. Sometimes when I watch it, I almost feel like a voyeur (but that doesn't stop me.). I guess it is the disbelief that keeps us watching. Seriously, how can people live like that? Sometimes my house gets messy, and it might have looked like a mini hoard when I was in law school (who has time for housework when you are worrying about your torts or contracts exams?). But even then, at some point, I picked up things and threw them away. These hoarders have some truly disgusting homes.

Almost every week, you see Houston junk removal teams come to help clean up messes there, or other junk removal teams cleaning up in whatever city they are filming in. These teams appear to be quite efficient, as more often than not, they clean up a total disaster area in two days. Quite a feat.

I wonder what the Houston employees think when the Houston junk removal  trucks are called to a certain location. I wonder if they are warned ahead of time if it is a hoarder? Or do they just find out when they show up. I would hope they get fair warning as to whether it would be an easy job or one of the bad hoarding jobs.

It is good that there are such companies as Houston junk removal and the other Got Junk franchises. Because if they didn't exist, the hoards might never be cleaned up. It is just too bad that people get to that point. On the show they say hoarding is a form of OCD, and I guess it is. Something goes haywire for sure, and it makes their lives miserable.

Sexual Harassment And Exploitation Must Stop

There have been two unsavory accounts of sexual misdeeds and crimes in the news in the last couple of days. First are the allegations against Cain that he sexually harassed multiple women years ago. The second, more heinous, are the allegations that Jerry Sandusky of Penn State sexually molested multiple young boys over many years.

First of all, I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I think Cain is guilty. Why? Because some men think they are entitled to do such things and that they can get away with it. Why do I know? Because it happened to me. I was sexually harassed by a boss in my early 20s, and it was just seen as par for the course by him and others in the office. I was the youngest in the office by many years and had no one to stick up for me. Of course, Cain could be telling the truth. But I doubt it. As I have heard one talking head say, if you were accused of sexually harassing someone, even 12 years earlier, wouldn't you remember it? The fact that he says he doesn't is very suspicious.

The Penn State case is just heart wrenching. Those poor little boys and no one really did anything about it.  This case is as bad as the Catholic priests scandal. I too am sure that Sandusky is guilty. Again going out on a limb. Just a hunch.

The bottom line is that both of these cases involve men thinking that they can do what they want with their chosen sex objects: women children. It is disgusting and has to stop once and for all.

Making My Dog Stoopot Look Extra Special

I love my dog dearly, but I am not the best at dog grooming. You only have to look at the dog hair on the floor or on the furniture to see that. I need to brush him more. Not only would that cut down on dog hair, but it would be a bonding experience for the two of us. Dogs love to be brushed.

I don't even give him a dog bath as often as I should. He is not a water dog and doesn't like to get wet. So the hang dog face he gives me when I give him a bath breaks my heart. Since I live in a condo and have no yard, I have to give him an indoor doggy bath. I manage that by puttiing him in the shower. Yesiree! Step right in. He stands there so nice and quiet, but so sad  when I give him a doggy shampooing. You would think I am torturing him.

But not long after he gets out and gets dry, he seems to know how good he looks--all clean and fluffy. He has an extra spring in his doggy steps. I need to do this more often for sure.

Planning My Mother's Birthday Party

I have never done a birthday party for my mother, and I know she would like that. She has hinted at it a couple of times, so I thought I might do it this year. It is not a big birthday for her, but I have the time to plan it and some extra money, so why not go ahead and do it? I think she would really appreciate it. I am thinking of renting a boat and inviting some of her friends. It won't be until next spring, so it will be warm enough. And the river is so relaxing and beautiful. I think she and her friends would enjoy it. I would get some wine and beer and food. I have been invited to some birthday parties before on this same boat, so I know how fun it can be. And I love being on the water, and I think most other people do too. I will need to get some
invitations to send out. But I have enough time to find some really good ones, and to come up with a guest list and the menu. This far ahead, I shouldn't have any trouble booking the boat either.

Operations Requires Attention To Many Details

When I worked at a business school, I was involved with all of the academic departments because of my job. I probably had the most affinity with marketing, because of my writing background and the similarities between the two fields.  I was fascinated by other departments, including entrepreneurship and biotechnology. I was probably least fascinated by operations. And funny, now that I am working in a business myself, operations is what I am mostly doing. Or need to be doing. I like doing inventory, so that is not a problem. But you have to keep up with a lot of other operations in the company. The owner here still does most of these things the old fashioned way--in his head. Which is fine, but I am not in his head. Others keep telling me that you don't have to do all of these things yourself anymore, that there is maintenance management software that can do it. I have mentioned to the owner that maybe we could research some maintenance management software, but he looks at me like I am from outer space. I don't think he sees any need for it. Because he can do it in his head. But, if I take over the company someday, I could pursue this other avenue and check into  maintenance management software, and find a company that can design something we need. I would prefer we move on to this step,  but it looks like it is on the back burner for now.

Hair Salon

Thanks for the guest post by Jo Levy

Owning my own hair salon was never part of my life plan but one sort of fell into my lap while I was cutting hair there about 4 years ago. I’ve since taken this dinky little salon from a two man shop to the best place in town and I’m really proud of that, you know? I have a lot of employees counting on me and I know there’s nothing like the thrill of making that first $10 bill – do you remember that day if you’re an entrepreneur? I had to do everything myself in the beginning from going to http://www.bank-card-processing.com/ to calling on clients to my very first marketing campaign but it obviously all paid off and business is better than ever. I love what I do and that I’ve got so much flexibility and I know my stylists are really happy here, too. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without owning this salon but it was so out there it’s a wonder it ever happened in the first place! Things work out.

Cancer Is Such A Terrible Thing

I really hate cancer. I do. I want it out of the universe and gone. Everyone in my family who has died had cancer. And some of my friends have succumbed to the terrible disease as well. Most of my family members have died of lung cancer, so I have never smoked. And I try to stay away from those who do. I also used to be really good at following an anti-cancer vitamen regimen, but that has gone by the wayside a little bit. I want to start doing it again.

Some cancers have had some success. Breat cancer for one. You can see the pink cancer awareness ribbons and feel good that so much time and attention has gone into research for breast cancer.

Childhood leukeumia is another one. I don't know if there are cancer awareness ribbons for leukemia. The ALL version, the type that mostly strikes children, has had a lot of success. Most are cured now!

But there are so many awful cancers where there is no hope in sight. Lung cancer, pancreatic, sarcomas--all terrible death sentences. Again, I don't know if these individual cancers have cancer awareness ribbons, but I hope they do. We need cancer to be a thing of the past, once and for all.

I Need To Listen To More Music

All of my life, until I went to law school, I listened to a lot of music. A lot. I have my favorites, and I have to admit, I am one of those who listens to my favorite songs over and over and over. And then some. I have always had some kind of stereo. Until law school. Number one, I didn't have time to listen to a lot of music. Plus my stereo equipment took up too much room and looked tacky. So out it went, I bought a little CD player with radio, and to be honest, I have never figured out how to use it. It looks nice ont he end table, but I can't get stations without static, and anyway, it is no good and a pain in the nect. I think I will pitch it soon. I have an iphone but haven't figured out how to do music on it yet. I also have an MP3 player that I have never used. That could be my answer, but I really need to get some mp3 speakers. I miss my music and tension relieving it provides!

Going To Visit My Friend In The Hospital

I found out the other day that a high school friend of mine is in the hospital. She was sick way back then, but got better. Seems the old illness has come back, and it has been exacerbated by a bad drug. She sounds like she is in a realy bad way. She will probably get better once again, but she will have a long road to recovery. Another mutual high school friend and I are going to see her this weekend. She has already been to see her, and she has prepared me. She doesn't look well, she has difficulty talking, and basically seems worse than she really is. She did not get to talk with her much, as nurses in their brightly colored nursing scrubs were coming in and out of the room, as was the speech therapist and family members. I hate to think of her in this position--she is so sweet and nice. She loves her job, so I hope she can keep it--she has been out of work for quite a while now. I hope she has a full recovery. It is just not fair.

Cleaning Out My Closets

I have been cleaning and organizing my small condo for some time now. It has taken so long, you would think I owned a mansion. I don't know why housework and house organizing takes me so long. I can do work work all day long and get a lot accomplished, but give me a little housework to do, and I hardly make any progress at all.

And I know my friends wonder why it takes me so long. They ask me to do something, and I say, no--I have junk mail to sort, drawers to clean out, and closets to clean. My stash of girls belts alone will take a ton of time to go through.

Then, I have to sort my books and give some away. Then clean out the drawers and the heavy sweaters I don't wear anymore. Then clean out the kitchen cupboards to be able to store more food. But back to the closets.

Somehow I have to merge two closets into one. Give enough clothes away to move clothes from the guest bedroom closet into my closet. And then I have to get rid of a lot of accessories: shoes, purses, girls belts that I have accumulated, etc. Regarding the girls belts, it makes me sad, because some of them are so small, and I wish I could still fit into them. But I am not going to keep them. Even if I lose as much weight as I want, I will never lose that much!

Wanting To Get Back In Shape Now For Sure

Ok, I am on my way to better fitness! I have been trying to eat better and get more exercize. Little by little I doing both. I just need to ramp it up! What brought on this and why now? Well, I am not getting any younger or smaller. :) I want to look pretty and wear my skinny clothes. I have not had to wear plus size clothing yet, but it was getting close!

Also, I recently had a physical for the first time in a long time, and I am OK, but I need to make some changes now, before I am not OK. I need to lower my blood pressure a little, get my good  cholesterol number up, and just be healthier!

Also, my mother has given me some of her discarded plus size clothing, which is never a good sign. She has lost a lot of weight recently and the clothes are too big for her. They are too big for me too, but what is scary is that she thought I needed them. Eek!

Not that there isn't cute plus size clothing out there--there is. And if I needed to wear that size, I would still want to look smart. But if I get myself together now, I won't need to wear them, and hopefully, I can look great on my cruise after the first of the year!

I Miss Being Around A Business School

I used to work at a business school, and I miss those days. I picked up a lot of business concepts and terms, like hedge funds, derivatives, supply chain, and Business valuation NYC. I attended lectures given by prominent CEOs from around the world, and conferences featuring leading speakers from government and business.

Sometimes I sat in on classes too and would wonder what it was like to really be an MBA student. When they would toss around phrases like Business valuation NYC or IPO, sometimes it would go over my head, but at other times, it would sink in. I thought for a while about getting an MBA, since the graduates seemed to be so successful. But I think I made the right decision in getting a law degree instead.

But even more important than learning terms such as Business valuation NYC and triple bottom line, was the energy that I gained from those at the school. I learned from them that it is OK to keep learning, keep trying new things, and making and building new things. That you can reinvent yourself. I can't say enough how important these lessons were for me, as I embarked on my new careers. I am forever grateful.

Bar Exam Successful List

The results for the bar exam for my state will be released today. Luckily, I don't have to worry--I passed a couple of years ago. But I know the stress and worry about the list appearing online at a magic hour, and seeing if your name is there. If it is not there, you did not pass. You did not pass Go. You go back home and start studying again. I know--that happened to me the first time. And the whole world, or at least the whole bar exam world in your state, knows it the same time you do.

I hope for the best for all of the test takers. That one score can change your life dramatically. A passing score can put you on track for a new career and prestige, or a failing score can put you into stall mode for a while.

 But if your name is not on the list, do not despair. Just vow to understand why you did not pass and make changes. Maybe you need more quiet time. Or more rest. Or more support. Or a better way to study. Or a better place to study.  Or a group to study with. Or to study by yourself, if you studied with others the last time, and that did not work. Or to memorize more elements or rules. Only you can figure out how to increase your chances next time. But remember--if you graduated from law school, you can pass the bar. You just have to hunker down and do it.

The Wonderful Apple MacIntosh

Remember this little ditty? I was watching the Steve Jobs coverage last night and heard an old report of him saying that the MacIntosh was something that people could take home from work with them, and maybe someday they would even buy a second one to keep at home. I had to laugh! I used to take my home with me to work on the weekends, but I thought I was the only one. I just thought I was wacky and weird. And also thought maybe I shouldn't be moving it. Little did I know that Jobs had made the computer to do just that.

Quotes From Steve Jobs

Like almost everyone else, I am mourning the loss of Steve Jobs. What a remarkable man. And I do have to say, as young man, he was adorable! I listened to a lot of talk shows last night that recapped his life and career. Two of the more interesting points were that he was a real tech genius who wanted to create more than he wanted to make money, and that he dropped out of college, because he knew (like Bill Gates) that he had to be involved in this product, this movement NOW, not a minute or year later. Can you imagine having that kind of feeling or knowledge that NOW is the time to do something. If you don't grab on to it NOW, you are going to lost that moment? What a visionary.

There was a great CNN article today that captured some of Jobs' best quotes. Here are some of them:

"Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish"

"If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on."

"We don't get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life"

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking that you have something to lose."

"You can't connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something--your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

"Design is not just what it looks like. Design is how it works."

"I want to put a ding in the universe."

"Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we have done something wonderful, that is what matters to me."

"My model for business is the Beatles. They were four guys who kept each other's negative tendencies in check; they balanced each other. And the total was greater than the sum of the parts."

"That's been one of my mantras--focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean so it can be simple. But it's worth it in the end. Once you get there, you can move mountains."

"I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the unsuccessful ones is pure perseverance."

RIP Steve Jobs. We will miss you.

To Move Ahead Or Change Careers, Try Baby Steps First

The article below has some great advice for career changers and those who want to move ahead. If you are afraid to make major changes in your career, start small and slow. Try out new tasks and roles. See how you like it. Remember, change is the name of the game these days and has been for quite a while actually. You need to add to your job skills and look at the horizon at what you need to do to succeed in the coming years.

Also, what helped me make a major career change(s) is to be around other people who make changes frequently. Join business groups that talk about entrepreneurship and change. It will seep into your brain, believe me, and it won't be scary when it is time for you to make a career change.


http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-2756-Career-Growth-and-Change-If-fear-stalling-your-career/?SiteId=cbmsnhp42756&sc_extcmp=JS_2756_home1&gt1=23000

I Am Hooked On Breaking Bad

To me, Breaking Bad is the new Sopranos. Meaning it is my newest vice in TV. The word vice, I guess, is ironic, since it is about a super meth lab.

The whole premise of the show though is a little silly. What high school chemistry professor would work in a super meth lab to begin with? What kind of teacher would do that? He has lung cancer, an older child with cerebral palsy, and an infant. So the reason behind his switch in careers is that he wants to look after them. Whatever happened to the idea that that was what life insurance was for?

The other unbelievable part of the show is that someone with lung cancer could look that good and be that strong. I have known many people who have died from lung cancer, and they could never do what he does. They wouldn't live that long. On the show, it says he has gone into remission, something else that hardly ever or never happens. The storyline would be more believeable if he had lymphoma, prostate cancer, or leukemia--cancers that really do go into remission.

But despite these storyline weaknesses, it is a great show and one that is addicting. Haha. It is at the end of the fourth season, and both the authorities and the man in charge is closing in on Walter. Who will win?

The Help Is Gripping

When my book club decided to read  the book The Help almost a year ago, I didn't think I would like it that much. I am not originally from the South and my family never had a black maid. I often don't relate to Southern literature for those reasons. Growing up in the South was a lot different that growing up in the North apparently. Up North, we didn't have black maids and did not have the guilt conciousness that is prevalent in the South. If you are not a racist in the South, you more than likely have guilt consciousness about how blacks were treated. And that is a good thing.  For those who grew up in areas where blacks were servants and not treated equally, and you remember that from your youth, you should feel some guilt, even if you didn't do anything wrong. You were still part of that system, like it or not.

I could not put the book down. Being a journalist, I think I was initially pulled in by Skeeter, who is the journalist and the impetus behind the book. She is super. I would like to be at least a smidgen like her. Then I got hooked on the greater story--telling the story of the maids, and that was so compelling. Even though it is a work of fiction, there were probably some similar real milestones that helped the movement along the way. And you wished that there had been such a book published back in the 60s.

Then I saw the move The Help this weekend and thought it was likewise fabulous. It captured the spirit of the book very well and had a great cast. I shed a tear a time or two. The friend I went with said the book and the movie fell a little short--that the hard work of civil rights came after the time of the book. I told her I agreed with her, but that was for another book and another movie. This one was purely for the maids and their voice.  About time.

Jobs That Don't Require Education

The title of this post might seem weird. I am all about education, so why am I writing about jobs that don't need education? Maybe because in this day and age, it is good to get any job, education required or not!
I talked with a high school friend yesterday who is very down on his luck. He is highly educated--has a law degree and has extensive work experience. But a series of bad or untimely career decisions has left him out of work, and down on his luck. I am actually feeling kind of worried about him.

I was trying to think of what he could do and do quickly to make some money. I saw an ad for drivers wanted that I thought I would tell him about. Such a job would be out of his comfort zone--but which is better--to be out of your comfort zone or homeless? I think the former. I told him about the drivers wanted
ad, but he didn't really understand what I was talking about, so he will have to read it for himself and make up his mind. I have seen a number of drivers wanted ads in recent weeks, so it may be something that people can do start doing quickly and painlessly. I guess it wouldn't be everybody's cup of tea, but it wouldn't hurt him to look into it.

The Weather Outside Is Beautiful!

October is a wonderful month in the south. It is the perfect weather to be outside--sometimes you have to wear a sweater, but for the most part it is still warm but not bloody hot. You can actually go outside and enjoy a walk, a football game, or a picnic and not be sweltering but also not bundled up.

But even in the south, it gets cold come November and especially December. I live in an area where the weather can change quickly from warm to cool to cold to blistering hot all in a few hours or days. Well OK, maybe it is not that drastic, but it can fool people from out of town. "It was so hot yesterday--what happened?" you'll see some people shuddering as they huddle by in the unexpected cold wind. "That's just the way the weather is here," we locals will respond. It does make it hard when you only packed for one kind of weather or another and you get hit with a total unexpected change of temperature.

There are times in December/January/February that it is just too cold to be outside. Then you really have to be prepared. I have heard of heated gloves and I may look into them. That along with heated socks may help take the chill off when you just have to be outside and it is 17 degrees F.

Verdict Expected Today In Amanda Knox Case

A jury in Perugia, Italy, is deliberating today in the appeal of the 2009 murder conviction of Amanda Knox. Will she get off? Or will she have to spend about 25 years in prison there? We should know soon. Seems like the tide has change somewhat for Knox. A little while ago, it looked hopeless that she could get released. Lately, however, it seems like there has been renewed hope. The murder victim's sister--Stephanie Kercher--told reporters today that she thinks that the victim, Meredith Kercher, has been forgotten in all of the media hoopla. The story is so sad and strange. Amanda did herself no favors early on with her odd behavior following the discover of the murder. Hopefully, justice will work out somehow, and if Amanda is truly innocent, that that will come out in court.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/03/amanda-knox-appeal-update_n_991800.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%7C100936

UPDATE: Amanda Knox as well as her boyfriend were found not guilty today in the appeal of their murder tiral. Definitely good, although probably unexpected news. Knox's tears of joy were wonderful to watch as all of her friends and family stood next to her in the courtroom.

My Freelancing Is Drying Up?

Wasn't it only the other day that I was bragging on myself that I was sitting pretty with freelance writing Pulling in a decent amount of extra money every month? Well, how quickly things change. I had two extremely good contracts on odesk, one of the freelance websites. Pulling in some good money. And all of us who use those websites know how unusual it is to make good money on there. Well, I was doing it. And I had plans for that money!

The one contract, to be honest, went two months longer than expected. He hired me for two months, but I went five. So actually, it was a bonus. But he closed the job, saying it was complete. I loved that job, and it paid well. Oh well. I knew it was going to happen--I was just hoping he would use me in perpetuity. The other job pays a little less than the other, but still well. We were backed up on work, and that was a good thing. There was always work to do.  But today, there is none. What happened? I am fairly new with the contract, and others on the team have told me that work ebbs and flows with the project. So, I guess it will come back up. But I was counting on working a lot of hours this weekend. I need the money!

The life of a freelancer. At least I do have a regular job. This is why I would be scared to freelance full time. Things come and go too much. But it is good to have on the side.

Where Should A Company Buy Products?

Whether you are a startup or a multi million dollar firm, and if you sell products, you have to figure out where to buy them. Some are dedicated to buying locally, so their decision is easier. But if you want to buy the best products at the best prices, the whole world is literally open to you.

But how do you start? You need to do research and maybe get some help. If you are buying across the country from where you are, you need to either travel periodically to where your products are being made or hire someone to check on them for you. What if you are buying overseas? Same concept. If you are wanting or hoping to work with China, you could do research on such things as china sourcing; same thing if you are wanting to buy from Mexico or India, or wherever.

Most companies going into a foreign country would probably need help with this. There are so many things to consider: language, customs, culture, etc. It is best to get up to speed on these things. Mentors, or staff experienced in working overseas or china sourcing options might be helpful.

But whether you end up using china sourcing or india sourcing, or mexico sourcing, or trying to go it on your own in international business, do you homework. It's a whole new world.

Color To Enhance Your Worklife

Interesting article about how color can affect your worklife (and I guess your personal life too).

Use low wavelength colors to focus and calm down: blues, grays, purple, etc.

But use high wavelength colors to rev up and get motivated: yellow, orange, etc.

I guess the problem can be when sometime you are unfocused and other times you are unmotivated. Then what do you do colorwise???

I love the color gray, so if I could paint my walls at work, I would paint them gray. I think it is a tremendous color to make you feel in control and focused.

http://www.stylelist.com/2011/09/26/how-color-can-help-you-work_n_982043.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk1%7C99687

Career Changers Or Wannabes: Read Up!

You can tell from the subhead of my blog that I am a career changer. And I am always thinking about the next great thing. Not because I am disatisfied, but because I know that it is the best way to stay relevant and on top of careers and making money going forward. Plus, it is fun.

Even though I loved my past career and thought I would retire in that job, I always had the needling feeling that I needed to do something else. Just in case. Just in case my job and industry were phased out. That is not the case yet, but could be, so that was good thinking on my part.

Below is a link to an article about other women who were game changers. They started new jobs, new careers, or even new companies to broaden themselves and their opportunities. Happy reading!

http://glo.msn.com/relationships/change-it-up-1534405.story?gt1=49006

I May Need To Get Life Insurance

I have never really needed life insurance before. Sure, it would be good to have it to cover burial expenses and pay off my bills if I should die. I could have used it for that, but never really bothered. I have some paltry life insurance at work but not enough to take care of much.. I don't have dependents, so it never seemed important for me to investigate it.

Things may be different in the near future.  A young relative of mine may come to live with me, and I will be her caretaker. Her guardian, her custodian--however you want to call it. Things aren't good for her at home, and I have offered to take care of her. If so, she may be moving in with me in a couple of months.

Now suddenly I am thinking I should get life insurance. Probably term life--I hear that is best. I wonder where I can get a survey template to find out good rates?? I am hoping I could get a good rate. But I am not a 20-something anymore, and not even a 30-something either. So my rates will be higher, but hopefully still manageable. I already have a private disability policy, so maybe I could get a survey template from that company.

I am not a smoker and I am in pretty good health, so I should be approved. In the next few months, I will definitely take the plunge, fill out a survey template, and get signed up. I'll feel better once this is all taken care of.

When In Business For Yourself, You Worry About Getting Paid

Now that I am a lawyer, I am thinking about things like how to get business. I am just doing it part time, and am not ready to go full time, but I will at some point. I will need to know when to make that switch. But with more clients come more work and more billing. But how do you do that in an effiicient way and make sure you get paid?

I guess there aer not easy answers to making sure you get paid part. But there are systems and people out there that can help with such office tasks as billing.

A good friend of mine is a physical therapist, and she would like to go out on her own, but she is concernd about her physical therapy billing. Her work days are so busy helping patients, and would be even more so if she goes on her own, so when would she have time for physcal therapy billing and all other aspects of office work that would need to be done. And I know there are aspects of medicare and medicaid that she is concerned about now. Are those programs going to change, and if so, how would that affect physical therapy billing?

For right now, I think she is Ok with continuing to work at the nursing home, where others take care of these issues. But if and when she steps out and starts her own practice, these are things she will have to figure out.

Is Online Freelancing The New Online Dating?

After being an independent contractor on a couple of freelance writing websites for a little over a year, I have finally settled into a comfortable place. I am making enough money on the side from freelancing to complement my full time salary and actually get somewhere. Somewhere meaning being debt free, financially secure, and paying for some minor luxuries without panicking sometime on the horizon.

I have to admit it is a nice place. So many employers (a misnomer actually for those hiring independent contractors) only want to pay a pittance for work, sometimes as low as $1 an article for 500 words, and of course, they want it RIGHT NOW. Since I am a professional writer and editor, I pay no attention to these people. I won't even tell you what I think of them. (It is not good.)

But I have two regular gigs that are pulling in some nice money weekly. But they take time. I am also to the point, where I have to be careful to not take on too much work. When I bid and get selected, I am always flattered and want to do the work. But you have to be careful not to take on more than you can do well per week or month. When you have a full-time job, that can be hard to figure out.

But what is funny is how many employers post jobs and never fill them. Or contact you by phone or email, sometimes having a lengthy discussion, saying they want to hire you, and then you never hear from them again. Or even that they hire you for a job that they posted, and you never hear from them again. What gives? It reminds me so much of the online dating that I also do. All show and no follow through.

Fishing In Orlando

One of my best friends just got married and moved to Orlando. I am happy for her but really miss her. I haven't talked with her much since she moved down there, so that makes me sad. I know they are busy setting up household and getting used to each other. But I do miss hangiing out with her. She is also having fun doing all the great activities you can do in Orlando. They do things like go camping and fishing,, so they cae looking for a camping and orlando fishing guide, She told me xI could come down and visit, so i am looking forward to that sometime. Maybe I can do that sometime in the next year, since I have no more vacation time. I haven't been to Orlando is a long time, so that would be fun.

Already Excited About My Cruise

I am not going on my cruise until January, but I am already excited about it. I had dinner with my friend who plans the cruise for her boss. It is a private music cruise. That means it is more expensive than a regular cruise, but it is worth it. This year will be my fourth year, and I am beginning to get to know some of the regulars. Some go every year, and I think I have joined their club.

Seems like everyone I know has been going on cruises. My cruises have all been to the Caribbean. My parents and a friend have gone on French river cruises. A few of my friends have gone on Carnival Cruises. Others have gone on Mediterranean cruises. I am a huge traveler, so any kind of cruise is good with me. I just like to get away, and even sitting in a deck chair with a book and staring at the ocean is therapeutic to me. The cruises I go on leave from Florida. I haven't been on one of the  Carnival cruises yet, but I have thought of it. They have some that leave from New Orleans, and I would like to leave from there. Maybe I will end up being one of those retirees who live on cruise ships. That would be fun--you would always have a fun schedule and you would be meeting new people all the time. Carnival cruises could be my mailing address.!

Adventure Travel To Patagonia

It is hard to believe that it has been over 10 years since I had my big patagonia adventure. Four other people and I went to Argentina in 1998 for five weeks, mainly staying in the Patagonia area. What a chance of a lifetime! Some of the time we stayed in private homes and other times we stayed in hotels. We really got to know the people and the culture and improved our Spanish or really Castellano, which is a combination of Spanish and Italian.

While we were there, we were treated to a variety of patagonia tours. Patagonia is a very large place, and among other things, we got to see Ushuaia, or the end of the earth, some glaciers, penguins, the beach, and big and wonderful estancias, or ranches and farmland. All in all, it was fabulous. We started our trip in Buenos Aires, which is not part of patagonia, and then flew down to Ushaia and made our way back up to Buenos Aires. We did our travel by bus and airplane. What great memories!

We actually flew into Santiago, before hitting Buenos Aires, but we didn't get to do any chile tourism. Well, that is for another time!

Meetups Born Of 9/11

I belong to a wordpress meetup and recently also joined a wine tasting meetup, although I have not been to a wine meeting yet. I think the idea of meetups is wonderful. I would love to find a boating one and other meetups on topics I am interested in. I just have to keep checking the local website, as new meetups are added all of the time.

Scott Heiferman, CEO and co-founder of Meetup, sent out a mass email yesterday explaining the relationship between 9/11 and Meetup. He lived in Manhattan, and after 9/11, he noticed that neighbors were paying attention to each other for the first time and actually being neighborly. That people were taking the time to say hello and be nice to one another. 9/11 spawned a whole new interest in knowing one another.

Heiferman wondered if you could use the internet to get people off the internet to get to know each other pesonally.

To state the obvious, yes. He had a great idea, and it has connected people face to face in one of the best ways possible: through mutual interests.

Booking Vacations And Tours

If you were a company that was offering a bunch of different vacation packages and tours, where would you go to actually access the tours? Maybe you would visit an online tour booking conmpany. If so, that could be easier than reinventing the wheel, or lining up all the tours yourself. Starting from scratch, etc.

There are certain online companies out there that offer an online tour booking system that make offer a variety of tours and activities.  If you were going to lead a group of people somewhere, you would want to add on some activities of interest. You need to do the research and activing yourself, or you can use an established company to help you do it.

If you use an online tour booking company, you can look to see what such companies offer and then incorporate the activities into your broader trip. You want to make your company trip more interesting, and one way is to add tours or activities. Get the biggest bang for your buck. If you are a company offering a trip, make sure it is the best trip possible.

Lawsuit Settlements

Don't you just love those commercials on TV where the classical singers in costume sing about lawsuit loans? I think the ads are very creative. (But they do wear on you  after a while.)

As a new lawyer, I have not been involved in any personal injury work yet, so none of my clients have had to deal with a lawsuit cash advance. But I could take such a cash at any time, so it is good for me to be aware of the options for such clients. I can only imagine how frustrating it would be to be awarded a huge lawsuit settlement, but not to be able to tap into it for a long time.

There are many options out there such as presettlement funding that I need to learn about. All the better for clients to be able to access the money that they have won and are entitled to receive. It is heartbreaking to hear about clients who may be destitute while waiting for a big settlement to come through.

My Solo Law Practice

I still have an itty bitty solo law practice, but that's OK. I have a full-time non-law job, so I can only do so much, ya know? I would like to do more law, and maybe I will someday. But I would need to make some changes. Like let some things go in my life, so I have more time. And I need to do some more self study in practice areas. And I might need a paralegal. And to locate some good good court reporting services.

Sometimes I still feel so dumb about legal things. Like when do you have to supply your own court reporting services? I know we talked about that in moot court, but that was several years ago now. Last time I volunteered at the legal clinic, a paralegal gave me his card and said I could hire him freelance--that he had been let go. I did realize that if I had a knowledgeable paralegal, that could open the door for me to take on more cases. I will have to give that some though. Now if someone would give me the names of some good court reporting services, I might be set to go to the next level.

It will be interesting to see what my future will be like!

Getting In The Biz

Thanks to Lemuel Craft

I never thought growing up I would be so interested in real estate but when the bottom fell out a few years back I got really involved. Now all I do all day is search home listings online for the next great deal and I think I’m getting really close to finding the best house on the market in my area to buy and fix up! I did a lot of great stuff to my own house like going to http://expertsatellite.com/ to get satellite and I’ve also been thinking about hiring a professional decorator although I’ve priced that out already and I think it’s going to be pretty expensive. I don’t know that I really care, though, since I spend so much time at the office and online and soon enough I may have bought a new place that I need to worry about moving into anyway! I feel like now’s the time to strike on the market and I’d be missing out if I didn’t take advantage of this unprecedented buyer's market, you know what I mean?

Nashville's Exit/In Music Venue Celebrates 40th

Lordy, lordy, look who is 40! Forty years ago, Nashville's Exit/In opened up on Elliston Place, which by all accounts started the local live music scene in Music City. And what a run it has had. Those playing there over the years include The Police, Steve Martin, REM, Johnny Cash, The B-52s, The Red Hot Chili Peppers,
Linda Ronstadt, The Allman Brothers, Billy Joel, Jimmy Buffett, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Cheech and Chong, among many, many others.

I hate to admit that in my many years living in Nashville, I have only been to Exit/In a few times. Yes, I know that is terrible. I spent too many years just concentrating on the music on the radio, and missing the good, live stuff right here in Nashville!

In the past few years, I have been more interested in hearing live music, particularly in smaller venues. When I heard that Exit/In was having a series of concerts this week in honor of its 40th birthday, I decided to go to check it out. I went tonight and enjoyed it tremendously, and may go back this week for some more shows. At $15 a ticket (standing only) it is certainly a bargain. The price for table seats is more. And all the proceeds go to Musicares,a foundation that provides housing, addiction recovery, emergency financial services and other services to musicians in need.

The schedule for the 40th birthday celebration is listed below. All music starts around 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 6:
Buzz Cason, Barefoot Jerry, Mac Gayden and Skyboat, Dianne Davidson, Tracy Nelson, and Marshall Chapman.

Wednesday, Sept. 7:
Cowboy Jack Clement, Roger Cook, Lee Clayton, Denny and the Jets, Ballhog!, and Ranch Ghost.

Thursday, Sept. 8
The Babushka Brothers, The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker, Old Union, Alex Harvey, Tom Kimmel, and James Talley.

Friday, Sept. 9
Matthew Perryman Jones, Drew and Ellie Holcomb, Daniel Ellsworth & the Great Lakes, Griffin House, and Daddy

Saturday, Sept. 10
Walk the West, The Cadillac Black, The Weeks, Buffalo Clover, and New Pleasure.

There are also some rumors there will be special guests. Come out and participate in the fun. I know I am going back this week!

Bidding For Merchandise Online

I have an Ebay account and have bought and sold a  number of items. I started buying my law textbooks online this way, when I got tired of paying full price for them, and I realized it didn't really matter if I got the latest edition or not. I have also gotten a number of Christmas gifts by bidding and some other odds and ends. And when I got out of law school and passed the bar exam, I put a number of my books up for sale as well. It is always so much fun to see your item up there and to see how many people have looked at it, and what the bids are.

I have tried to sell some other things as well, including the final edition of a hometown paper. I did not get any takers for that, so I pulled it down and will put it back up at some time. I also used half.com to buy a lot of my textbooks too.

There are some other sites that have popped up in recent years, not all bidding sites, but unique sites were you can either bid on items or get group discounts. Groupon.com, socialliving.com, dealfun.com are just a few of them. A good deal is always a good thing!

I Miss My Twin Niece And Nephew

My sister brought her twins to town recently, and we had such a good time. They are almost a year old, and have gotten so much personality. We played in the pool, played patty cake, and just smiled at one another until I though my cheeks would freeze in that position! Now they have gone home, and I miss them so much. Wish they lived closer. Before they left, I bought them some gifts, including clothes, baby toys, and some things like what I hear is the the best baby video monitor, Not sure if it is really the best, but that is what I have heard it is called. I hope they can use it. I am sure they will like some of their other gifts better however.

Heart Health

I am two years out of law school, overweight, don't exercise, and still eat things that are bad for me. I need to lose 30 pounds asap. Even though I am healthy and feel good now, I am concerned about my health longterm. I have lost a few friends recentlly, who died in their sleep, and that is reallly creepy to me. I used to be so healthy and pretty and I want to get that back. Do I need an ekg and all that jazz? Probably not, but but I need to get my act together and getting moving to make sure I have a long and healthy life. Starting tomorrow!

Shopping For A Smart Phone

My contract with ATT allows me to get a new phone once every two years. That time is now, and I am so excited! I want to get a smart phone, because there are so many things I need to do with it. I need to text, check email, surf the net, plus have some extras. I do not know yet what kind of free phone I can get. But if I want to get one of the primo ones, I might have to pay some. Not sure yet. The ones I am thinking about include the iphone, some blackberries, may the blackberry bold 9700, or an android. There are so many things to think about--how I can make the right decision and get the best product.

Wanting An Electric Fireplace

My living room is small and cozy. I have to be careful when I buy new items, because I dont' have much room and I need to have things match and make sense. One thing I think I would like is an infrared heater or electric fireplace. It would not only make the room cozy but warm, and would save on heating bills. I have a few friends who have them, and they are really nice. Some look like a real fireplace, with logs and flames and everything. I don't want the kind with fuel canisters though, because they are messy and smell funny. I think an electric or infrared would be just the thing.

Clean Carpets Are A Must For Company

As I mentioned in my previous post, pet are very important, and vital to me, but they come with a price. Often they make a mess on the floor or carpet. I just got some new carpet installed, and my cat has made it her new pl;aything. I wish I had gotten some kind of spray right of way that would keep her away from clawing at it. I may have to replace a section of the carpet, and it is not even six months old! I was talking to a friend of mine in North Carolina last night, and she has a dog that often messes in the house. She said she was going to have to find some raleigh carpet cleaning business to help her clean her rugs. She thinks it is too bad for her to do it herself. She is having a large dinner party soon and has to have her place immaculate. That includes not having messy carpets. She said she would be way too embarrassed to have the guests if she didn't get a professional carpet cleaning company. I told her I am sure she can find someone good to come help her.