This shoulda died...

Some of you know that I am on a mission to empower Network Marketers everywhere to win in this often-misunderstood industry. Along with Lou Abbott, my partner and friend, we are spreading the word about our free 7 Day Insider Secrets online seminar so they won't have to make the same mistakes we did (and lose money like we did initially!).

Others are on the same mission as well- so that people can learn what really works and what doesn't work in MLM. Kim Klaver is one whose work I totally respect- her most recent blog posting- Obituary: Old School Network Marketing Dies at 50 is right on. She says, "Old School died of complications from a terminal image problem and a misguided focus on big money".

SIDEBAR from me: It's really not dead yet- there are still way too many scams and schemes and business models out there that just flat out aren't good Business 101. Until people learn to differentiate a good business model from a bad one... all the hype from basic business fundamentals... they will continue to lose their hard-earned money, and the public's perception of the industry will continue to trend downward.

Kim states: "New School urges network marketers not to abandon their past, but let it help guide the future. She predicts that in time and with consistent practice in the new approaches, network marketing will become a jewel in mainstream American business."

Frankly, it won't unless the industry cleans up its act! And that's what we're trying to accomplish.

Business aside, Bill had his long-awaited knee surgery this past Wednesday. Diagnosis- just really bad arthritis. The good news is it could have been much much worse!

Today, he's being a grumpy patient. First day, his knee was so pumped full of painkillers that he was running around without crutches and without pain. Next day, that all changed. So Bill's hobbling around on crutches and trying to stay out of trouble.

Those of you who know my husband know that's pretty much a losing proposition- especially with so many things left to do at our new house (the one that was supposed to be finished a year ago!). New EMD (Estimated Move In Date)- sometime in the 21st Century.

We are so ready to get moved in- I can't wait!

Boggs on Sports...

Mike Boggs (Boggs on Sports) is one of my best friends. He's a young dude- much younger than me :-)... In fact, his mother is younger than me! We met a few years ago when Mike sent an email about an online project, and I ended up in partnership with Mike. We've done some Network Marketing projects together- some where he sponsored me, and vice versa.

Mike and I've been through some hard times together and some good times. Mike got divorced... our Seasilver business (can you say six-figures) went kaput... some other endeavors we stuck our toes in went south as well... and the list goes on...

Despite all, we've remained friends. What I admire so much about Mike is his ability to transform himself... Mike, I know you'll read this so I'm not going to share the personal details... but I just want to say that I think you are AMAZING! Bill and I both do. You have overcome some huge obstacles and are on track for what I believe is true greatness. I am proud of you, Kiddo!

By the way, Mike-y, I want your first autographed book! And I know you must look so cool in Bela's desk! Tee hee :-)

This is really crazy...

I just had the most amazing conversation within 15 minutes after I posted this in my previous post- I AM ATTRACTING, WITH GOD'S BLESSING, THE PERFECT CUSTOMERS AND BUILDERS TO MASSIVELY GROW MY BUSINESS.

I talked to this fellow Networker from Texas, who is the top earner in another Network Marketing company, and he shared his similar values and mission with me. He too, like I was a couple of years ago, is fed up with so many people getting hurt and losing money in the MLM industry. He had seen one of our ads online for our free MLM The Whole Truth 7 Insider Secrets online seminar, and he bought one of our books.

What he has read so far has blown him away, just as it did me. We had a simply amazing conversation and will be talking again soon in the next few days. Our new MLM The Whole Truth 'self-funded, cold market, attraction marketing' system is working so well that it's hard for me to even grasp- the high quality of like-minded individuals who are 'attracted' to our message is staggering.

I just have this incredible vision of the people we are going to be able to help, by empowering them with the knowledge they need to make wise choices about what really works in MLM and what doesn't work.

And as Zig Ziglar said so well, "Help enough other people get what they want and you will get everything you want in life."

My mom just came in and told me she had just filled up her car with the most expensive tank of gas she had ever bought. The reality is that is what most Americans are facing today- they will try to drive less, and they will probably pay by credit card more. They'll stress out trying to figure a way to pay each month for the extra expense that rising gas prices create.

That got me to thinking about the sad fact that most people today are living on the financial 'edge', and the edge is getting closer. I truly believe that I have the ability to offer a personal solution to this problem. That gets me fired up!

Getting Old Really S...ks!

This getting old stuff really s...ks, if you let it get to you. I never realized Bill and I would have so many physical issues after we hit 50. The reality is that it's our fault. As baby boomers, we're the generation that refuses to grow old, so we've had a tendency to put off till tomorrow what we didn't want to do today... like exercise, drink more water, you know the drill...

My good friend Margaret (who's just a tad bit older than me- tee hee) told me the funniest story awhile back. She was in Ross shopping, and when she left the store, she saw a sign on the window that said 'Age 55 and older- get 10% discount'. Now Margaret has the you-know-what to go back in and tell the clerk she would like her 10% discount. The clerk said, "I already gave it to you~!" Margaret immediately made an appointment to have her hair colored and highlighted (you know, banish that gray!).

Well, I just cackled about this. People 'always' think I'm at least 10 years younger than I am. So I'm telling my daughters this story a few weeks ago when they were here on a visit, and we're hitting all the thrift stores, looking for deals.

I'm checking out at the Waterfront Rescue Mission in Fort Walton Beach, and the sales clerk (who looked about my 'real' age) said to me, "Tuesday is Seniors Day. Would you like your 10% discount?" (That's another personal rant of mine- businesses that advertise to Seniors 'over 50'. Don't they realize those are fighting words to Baby Boomers, who will always be teenagers at heart?!)

I almost went through the floor, and I said NO THANK YOU! My daughters were a few people behind me in line, and I was hoping they didn't hear. So much for that.... We get in the car, and they're dying laughing.

Man, I was depressed for a week! I mean, I won't even join AARP because I won't admit I'm over 50! OK, I admit it... I'm a little vain...

Visualize this skinny little girl in high school (valedictorian of my class- pretty nerd-y looking) with the blue horn-rimmed glasses... It's that 'adult child' within us that remembers all the things people said to us growing up- 'four-eyes'... 'you're too thin...' 'you're going to grow up to be just like your Aunt' (the one who was an old maid)... 'straighten up- your posture is awful!'... 'you have the biggest feet'... Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me... WRONG... unless I let them!

Some people have 'flat forehead moments''. For me, I guess it takes a brick hitting me over the head. When I got hospitalized a couple of months ago with heart attack symptoms and it turned out to be Mitral Valve Prolapse, my symptoms were triggered by stress, dehydration, and lack of exercise.

I am very fortunate- I realize that my ailments are caused by neglect, not by some chronic illness. My friend Leslie is going through bone cancer treatments right now (she had breast cancer a couple of years ago), and it's very tough for her. I pray for her and ask that God heal her body. And I truly do realize that I can change my physical condition, at this point, by my own CHOICE. Leslie right now doesn't have that option. My cousin Tommy just lost his beautiful wife Sally to liver cancer. I pray for him and ask that God heal his soul. And I realize just how fortunate I truly am.

My big pity party mainly stems from the crash of my Seasilver business (parent company was shut down for 6 weeks by the FTC for making medical claims) almost 3 years ago, to the day. Watching a 5-figure monthly check plummet to virtually nothing was devastating. However, I like to think of myself as an entrepreneur and ENTREPRENEURS are future-based, not past-based. I quit walking the walk... was just talking the talk...

So having pity parties about my loss was totally incompatible with the person I like to think I am- an abundance-minded future-thinking entrepreneur!

I HAVE UNLIMITED ABUNDANCE AND RESOURCES IN ALL AREAS OF MY LIFE! I AM ATTRACTING, WITH GOD'S BLESSING, THE PERFECT CUSTOMERS AND BUILDERS TO MASSIVELY GROW MY BUSINESS. WHOSE LIFE CAN I ADD VALUE TO TODAY?

OK, with that said, I fired the conductor of the pity party band, and I'm moving on. Eating healthy, exercising (starting out slow, admittedly), being the best I can be in every way.... and I'm feeling GREAT again!

Now if I could just figure out a way to fire A.. (it's a 3-letter word) Coulter... Her latest rants about the 9/11 widows really ticked me off... She professes to be a Christian- but her behavior sure isn't God-like. Maybe the name of her new book really refers to her! I won't even say the name of it here- I refuse to fund her book sales, and I doggoned sure won't buy her book. Whether she herself believes what she says is not even relevant- it's all marketing calculated to 'drive' book sales.

However, as a Christian and a marketer myself, I totally believe that the energy you put out there will attract like-minded people and things, so A.. could have some 'interesting' things in store for her in the future.

My Daughter... The Star!

Well almost! Alana is a freelance documentary film producer, currently producing 'First 48' for A&E, one of their top ranked shows. Too cool!

Season Four of "The First 48" begins airing this Thursday, June 15, at 9pm Eastern on A&E. The first episode is called "Loved to Death/Unmasked."

Starting with the premiere, almost every new episode should have a Memphis case in it that Alana shot and field produced (Yay! She's excited and we're proud!!).

Alana thinks the Memphis detectives are really great... In fact, not too long ago, she made them this banana pudding which is so good you'll want to die for it... whoops, bad pun, since she follows these detectives around filming MURDERS! I couldn't do it- I would faint. But anyway, Alana had 'experienced' this to-die-for banana pudding at Magnolia's Bakery in NYC, and then found the recipe on the Net. She made it for us, too, on a visit home- that's where 5 of those 20 pounds came from!

I swear- it's so sinfully scrumptious you won't believe it! Just thinking about it makes me gain back the 5 pounds I lost... which I still promise to share how I did it. Not right now, though- business is cranking, and I need to go take care of that.

Just made our reservations for the end of August for the RiverPalmCottages Alana's fiance Ryan's Grandma's 80th birthday shindig, and I'm excited. The property was condemned, and 5 years ago, the new owners bought it and restored to its Old Florida glory. We'll (Bill, Gaga, and me) be in Unit #20- one of only 3 that still has the original Dade pine floors (the others were damaged beyond repair)- unfortunately, the Dade pine tree is now extinct. What a shame- these floors are absolutely gorgeous.

But anyway, this will be a much needed vacation, if Bill is OK to travel after his knee surgery coming up next week. He'll have physical therapy up to 3 months afterward, depending on what they find in the 'exploratory' surgery. Guess who will be driving him around- since it's his right knee. Plus he's not a good patient.

Don't you just hate that word 'exploratory'- makes you feel real confident about the doc 'exploring' parts of your body, best left alone. They're talking things like microfracture (can you spell 'breaking bones'?!) and cutting out bone from other parts of his knee and implanting bits and pieces. Of course, this is the worst case scenario- but even that is better than the tumor they thought he had originally. Thank you, dear God!!

Yahoo- John just showed up!! He's been on vacation and at work for the last 3 weeks, and we missed him. John is our amazing friend (and airline pilot with Bill at bankrupt Northwest Airlines) and has been helping us TREMENDOUSLY since we fired our builder. John and his wife Joyce are the salt-of-the-earth kind of people you appreciate so much having as friends!

Well, actually, it was only a glass and a half...

See, I did remember. I only had a glass and a half of wine, that's all I had left. But it sure felt like I drank more. I am really a cheap date. Give me a big $9 bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, and two glasses later, I'm asleep! Or maybe, I'm just a lousy date!

Promised to share my new 'diet'- this is the first time ever on one of my 'diets' that Bill and Gaga have been cool with eating the same way, so this is very cool. Believe me, I've tried them all- Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers, Sonoma...

Lost 5 pounds in the first 10 days, and plan to continue to lose 1-2 pounds per week.

It's just good healthy eating- nothing weird at all, but I am following a plan to get it ingrained.

Did my first walk around our property this morning- ran up and down the stairs at the new house- even had a 'hill' to climb on the septic mound- nice breeze and beautiful view of the water.

I'll have to tell you about my 30-minute exercise (step aerobics and strength training) I plan to do- it's cool! Can't find my weights but they're here buried somewhere in this house we're camping in till the new one next door is finished.

My daughter Alana emailed yesterday- we're invited to her fiance Ryan's grandmother's 80th birthday party the last weekend of August. We love his family- celebrated Ryan's 30th birthday two years ago with all of them in Key West, and then Alana's 30th last year in NYC. Hopefully, Bill will be recuped from his knee surgery next week, so that we can drive down and enjoy ourselves- a much needed break from this never-ending house building project. Of course, we should be moved in by then... God willing and the creek don't rise! Here's the location- this looks really cool- OLD FLORIDA VACATION Gimme first dibs on the hammock- there's where I spending my vacation.

Gotta go now... some really exciting things happening with my business... more later on these and the new eating program...

Well, cripes... what a hoot!

Well, cripes... We didn't make that Hoot movie after all.

Some of you know we have been building a house for the past two years (that's a whole other story that I won't even bore you with the details, except just two or three- we fired our builder, Bill fell off our 13-foot deck and broke his back, Bill lost 20 pounds and gave it to me somehow, I got hospitalized for 24 hours with heart attack symptoms (turns out I have Mitral Valve Prolapse, which won't kill me, thank God!), and I got shingles- yipes!), and that doggoned house interfered again.

Bill and I had the brilliant idea that we would finish our hardwood floors ourselves, so we did. Five coats of finish later (check out this- gorgeous finish that looks hand-rubbed).... don't even ask... The movie took a lower priority to the case of dermatitis I got from using mineral spirits to tack the floors, which then led to a rash that covered from the tops of my legs to my neck. I promise I am not making this up!

So instead of the movies, I was wearing a muu-muu (I can't even spell it!) and scratching like crazy. OK, I know I gained 20 pounds, but good grief- wearing a muu-muu (or is it moo-moo) is really embarrassing.

Maybe the movies next weekend...

The good news is the floors are beautiful. Check out our pics- see the 105 21st St album

Oh, and our dishwasher doesn't fit in the cabinet. Lovely. It's my fault, and I'm not even going to explain how I screwed up there. So it's either cut the cabinet or get the dish drawers we were originally planning to get anyway.

Right now, I'm not even going to think about it. I am going to drink a glass of wine and watch the sunset from our 'new' deck. Maybe two...

This should be interesting- I haven't had a drop to drink in a week- I've been on this new diet. Hey, I lost 5 pounds. I'll fill you in on the new diet later- it's actually pretty painless. So if I remember after my 2 glasses of wine, I'll fill you in.