To some, change is scary thing. Whether it’s quitting smoking, losing a few pounds or getting back into shape. Maybe the change is financially focused; like getting a new job or changing career paths. Maybe it’s relationship based as in commiting to spending more time with family, friends and/or personal hobbies.

Whatever the case, remember that regardless of the what changes we may or may not choose to make, things outside of our little bubble we call our ‘world’ will continue to change with or without us. We can choose to be proactive and see what changes we can affect for us or, we can sit back and see what changes happen to us.

Here’s a little video I found that could be food for thought.  Happy 2009!!!

What does this mean to you?

Are you making resolutions this year?

“Validation” is a fable about the magic of free parking. Starring TJ Thyne & Vicki Davis. Writer/Director/Composer - Kurt Kuenne. Winner - Best Narrative Short, Cleveland Int’l Film Festival, Winner - Jury Award and more!

SILENCE!!    I KEEL YOU!

You could be done with the rest of your Christmas shopping quicker than you can sing “The 12 Days of Christmas!”

Check this out! Finishing off your list couldn’t be easier. And your gift recipient will be sure to like their gift. There are over 600 gift items to choose from!! All ranging in price from $25 to $750. Perfect for any budget!!

Select from all the latest electronics, innovative electronic appliances, toys, kitchen items, fabulous food items, apparel, to tools, sporting gear, office supplies, jewelry, and beyond!! There’s something special for virtually everyone! View the Showcase Here

All from some of the best brand names in the business! Backed by a 100% “SIX-MONTH” No Questions-Asked Satisfaction Guarantee! You won’t find that at any brick and mortar store!

Place your order by midnight Sunday 12/14 to receive FREE SHIPPING! On ANY gift! With guaranteed delivery on or before the 22nd. NO minimums!!
Watch this short video to see how easy it really is.

Start shopping now!! Simply visit TFraley.OrderMyGift.com to start browsing all 20 Gift Collections!

Avoid the holiday hassles of crowds, traffic and long lines!! Have more time for Holiday parties! Friends, Christmas shopping just doesn’t get any better or simpler than this!!

Wishing you a healthy, happy holiday season filled with your favorite things!

So, the Christmas images of Norman Rockwell, Thomas Kinkade and the old Coca Cola ads are gone and are replaced with headlines of stampeding crowds, toy store shootings, robberies, pick-pocketing etc.

Happy Holidays everyone!!!

Holiday Shopping Season officially begins on Friday, 11-28-08 and is known as BLACK FRIDAY. That name alone makes me wary about going to a mall or any busy store for holiday shopping. Fear isn’t, nor should be, in the forefront of holiday shopping and although most people heading to the mall right now are thinking about the holidays and their holiday shopping list more than they are the potential hazards we call criminals laying in wait for them in the malls, parking lots ATMs and other popular public places.

I recently read an article that offered some holiday shopping safety tips but quickly saw that the most obvious tip was omitted. Here are the “Holiday Shopping Safety Awareness Tips” that were offered in the article and I’ve also added my ’2 cents’ to them. 

• If using an ATM at the mall, be especially vigilant and aware who may be around you. Try not to make large cash withdrawals. Remember the malls may be extremely crowded and this would be an excellent time for a criminal to catch you off-guard and grab your cash. Or, just use your debit card.
• Always choose a bank with an ATM located in a highly visible, well-lit area. If you notice anyone suspicious approaching, cancel your transaction and leave. Or, just use your debit card.
• Avoid using ATM’s where you must go inside the ATM area unless you are with others. This leaves you highly vulnerable to a criminal attack. Use the drive-up ATM whenever possible. Or, just use your debit card.
• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Don’t advertise large rolls of money in public. You don’t know who may be watching. Or, again, just use your debit card!
• Shop during the daylight hours whenever you can. If shopping at night, try to go with another person. If shopping alone and leaving the mall late at night, ask a security officer to accompany you to your car. Or, just shop from home.
• Be sure when you leave your vehicle that you lock your doors and keep windows closed. If you have an alarm on your vehicle, use it. Or, just shop from home.
• Even though you may be rushed and have a thousand things on your mind, stay alert to your surroundings. Always!
• Don’t leave valuable items inside your car that are visible to others. Place packages in the trunk of your car. Always!
• Avoid carrying too many packages that may make you a target. Make regular trips to your car to drop off packages. Or, just shop from home.
• Keep your purse tucked close to your body at all times. Don’t let it dangle from your shoulder as this may be a perfect setup for a purse-snatcher. Or men – carry wallets in front pocket rather than back pocket or jacket. Always! Or, just shop from home.
• Park only in well-lit parking areas and as close to a mall or store entrance as you can. Don’t settle for an isolated parking spot just because you’re in a hurry. Hold out for a safe spot to open up. Always!
• As you walk through parking lots, make sure you are aware of your surroundings and walk with authority. Don’t look like a victim. Always! Always!
• Don’t be talking on your cell phone as you leave the mall walking to your car. You need to pay close attention to your surroundings and anyone who looks suspicious. Always!
• Approach your car with car keys in hand and survey the exterior and interior of your vehicle before entering. Place your packages in the trunk all the while aware of anyone who may be nearby or approaching you. Or, just shop from home.
• Don’t get into your car if you are being followed or are suspicious of anyone standing near your car. If so, return to the mall or store or where there are other people. Ask for store security assistance. Always!
• Beware alert and aware of strangers who may be approaching you for whatever reason. At this time of year there are “scammers” trying various methods to distract you with the intention of taking your money and belongings. Or, just shop from home.
• Carry some type of personal protection device like a Taser C2, Pepper Spray, Mace, or a Stun Gun. Your safety and those of your family members should be a priority. If a criminal attacks you for your purse or packages, give him your belongings. Your life is more important! If he tries to hurt you or a loved one, use your personal protection to protect yourself and those with you. Or, just shop from home!!!

Are you getting the picture?! My advice is to always be contientious of your personal safety but, this holiday season, just shop from home!!!

Your personal safety and security is a priority whether you are at home, shopping, or traveling. Stay Aware Of Your Surroundings At The Malls, Stores & Shopping Centers. Have a wonderful Holiday Season and remember, Stay Aware…Stay Alert…Stay Alive! …or just shop from home!!!

Did you get the best deal on your purchases? Do you have all your receipts in case you have to come back after the holidays to go through all this again to make some returns or exchanges? Are you sure that, if you have to make some exchanges, what you need to exchange it for will still be in stock?

Amway Global™ is the sponsor of Tina’s tour and has some mobile exhibits on wheels that follow the tour all over the US and Canada.  The Mobile Brand Experiences, or MoBE for short, showcase two of Amway Global’s exclusive brands. To watch a short video and 360° virtual tour of each of the MoBE exhibits, simply click on the brand name: 

• Nutrilite™ 
• Artistry™

So after talking with the crew for a bit, Keli and I were asked if we would mind a quick video interview. Not really knowing what to expect but, being excited about the exhibits and our businesses, we happily obliged.

Earlier tonight I noticed that Cody had posted the video on YouTube and his blog. I can’t help but post it here too. Keli & I thought it was pretty cool to be the first and only IBOs so far to be video interviewed on the tour. It was a pretty impromptu, curbside interview but you can hear some other people in the background that were also checking out the exhibits. If you see on Tina’s tour schedule that she’s coming near you, even if you aren’t able to stay for the concert, make sure you go check out the exhibits.

With the rapidly advancing technology of today, change is increasingly common. From the way we communicate to the way we do business, from cell phones to computers and more, we are constantly finding new and sometimes better ways to do what we are already doing. Often, these new opportunities/technologies offer us the ability to do things faster and more conveniently allowing us (in theory) to do more of the things we’d rather be doing.

As sad as we are to see these businesses in our community decide to close their doors, I look forward to other new businesses that are just opening, like Steamin’ Joe’s coffee shop in the Foothills Shopping Center. And I, for one, will miss the convenience of being able to get gas without having to go outside of Big Canoe.

But, as the doors of the Wolfscratch IGA Express close, another even more convenient one has been opening to Big Canoe. As I’ve briefly alluded to in other blog posts, and as my girlfriend, Keli, and I have mentioned to several of our new friends here in Big Canoe, there is another, more convenient way to shop. Now you can have your everyday household items you typically take for granted (at least until you run out) delivered right to your door!

Health Vitamins and supplements for weight loss, and more…	Beauty Products for skin, hair, body, and more…	Personal Care Bath and body, oral care, sun care, drug store, and more…
Home Everything for the kitchen, bathroom, laundry, and more…	Electronics Home & car audio, computers, cameras, TV, and more…	Apparel Men’s, women’s, children’s, shoes, and more…
Food Breakfast, lunch, dinner, beverages, and more…	BABY Diapers, formula, furniture, safety, toys, and more…	Gifts Weddings, birthdays, graduation, showers, and more…
Seasonal Calendars, cards, wrap, decorations, and more…	Office Supplies paper products, cleaners, and more…	Partner Stores Circuit City, Barnes & Noble, Office Depot, and more…

 
That’s right. Now you can have your cat food, dog food, laundry detergent, trash bags, paper towels vitamins, skin care, shaving cream, cleaning products, toilet paper, toothpaste, food items, beverage items (non-alcoholic), gift items, and much, much more delivered right to your door… no matter how far up the mountain you live or where in the country you live for that matter. It all comes delivered by FedEx or UPS and not only is there a money-back satisfaction guarantee, shipping on orders of $75 or more of our core items is FREE!

And if you want even more convenience, learn about our Ditto® delivery program.

Imagine having access to the products and services your family uses on a daily basis, right at your fingertips; online or by catalog and an 800 number. Imagine a shopping experience with:

• NO Driving
• NO Traffic
• NO Parking
• NO Weather
• NO Crowds
• NO Lines
• NO Fuel Expense
• NO Vehicle Maintenance Expense
• the list goes on…

What used to take an hour or more can now be done in as little as 5 minutes. If you spend, on average, 2 hours a week shopping, that adds up to more than 100 hours a year. Imagine reducing that to less than 10 hours a year. That’s like getting 4 days of your life back every year, year after year. What would you do with an extra 4 days a year?

So, whether you live in Big Canoe or anywhere else in the US, you now have access to thousands of name brand products and services, as well as the many exclusive product lines we offer.  When you’re ready to start saving valuable time and money on the products and services your family uses every day, simply contact me. I will be here to help you get the most out of shopping with us and make sure you are completely happy with your delivery and your experience.

I don’t know why but, I just love getting out and just driving through the mountains. I like to get lost and find a new way home or see something new. Maybe it’s simple curiosity or my adventurous nature or perhaps I’m still just a kid at heart.

I took this picture today partly because I wanted to share it with you but it also reminded me of the Road Less Traveled video I just added on the right side of this page. Taking the ‘Road Less Traveled’ has been a common theme for me. I remember first hearing that poem as a kid and thinking how much fun it would be to go exploring where few others choose to go. But when I go to these places, all I can think about are all my friends I wish I could share the experience with.

I also added a ‘Now You Know’ tab at the top of the page which you may want to check out after you watch the video I mentioned. I think this ‘Road Less Traveled’, adventurous nature is what fuels my entrepreneurial spirit. There are just so many places I want to go, things I want to see, and people I want to meet and spend time with. Having the time and finances has always been my struggle though. My job always tied up so much of my time and energy that I usually had little left of either to do the things I really wanted to do. Yet not having a job would mean that I would soon be out of food and shelter. So, like many others, I opted for food and shelter over the things I felt more passionate about.

Moving to Big Canoe has been such a blessing in so many ways. I get to live every day in a mountain resort community full of great people that I really like being around and getting to know better. I can take off on a walk through any number of trails nearby, play a round of golf on our beautiful mountain course, go out on a boat ride with some good friends and maybe fish a little on our gorgeous Lake Petit or simply go for a drive through the mountains.

Cutting down to working only 4 days a week allows me more time for this stuff but, I could easily do more if I had more time. So what do I do? Well, by Now, You should Know. This is a way that I could not only hang out with all my favorite people, we could also have enough time and money to do whatever it is that we feel more passionate about.

If you aren’t already doing what you’d rather be doing, what is it that you’d rather be doing and what is standing in your way?

•  Completely redone top-to-bottom, front-to-back!
• Tumbled stone entrance walk
• Renovated Bath
• Renovated Kitchen with new stove, new cabinets and new stacked washer/dryer
• Bedroom with Murphy Bed + ‘Built-ins’ … (doubles as a den)!
• Walkout to fenced patio
• 100 Amp service
• 2 Satellite Dishes and Receiver 
• Window Air Conditioner Available

And Here are the ‘must see’ photos-

This house, located near the intersection of Ave T and Van Sicklen is Brooklyn’s smallest house.

Occupying what used to be a driveway, it’s a one bedroom, one bathroom home that sits on a parcel of land 7.25 feet wide and 113.67 feet long. It’s interior area is just under 300 square feet!

Here’s the living room, looking towards the front of the house… 

Here’s the living room again, looking towards the back … 

Here’s the kitchen. Note that despite the small space,
they’ve managed to fit a washer and dryer into the place. 

Here’s the bedroom. It comes with a Murphy bed, 
which is a necessity in such a space. This is what it
looks like with the Murphy Bed down

Here’s the bedroom with the Murphy Bed retracted and from the other direction. 

But wait!  You also get some patio space out back.

Here it is, looking towards the front of the house: 

And here’s the patio looking towards the back: 

And the price?!

Now, I can understand if this just doesn’t seem like enough space.  I can also understand if this isn’t enough of a view or pleasant enough of a neighborhood.  If that’s the case and you are looking for what else might be out there, try getting in touch with my friend Karin.  She has a few listings here in my neighborhood that might better suit you.  I’m sure my neighbors and friends can attest to the beauty of our community here at Big Canoe, right guys?!