Inauguration Day --- Day 30

Day 30

Inauguration Day, and a Day to Go Down in History for All

This morning was filled with fanfare and excitement as President Elect Obama took his oath as 44th President of the United States of America. Big Z stayed home extra long so that he could take in the event on T.V. We don't have cable or any extra features, but since we have a cable modem, we have the luxury of gaining 12 basic channels, one of which was CBS.

Maggie K. from MPM Customer Service rang my phone at 0755 . . . We spent about 20 minutes as she shared the steps to getting started with the live chat service. I'll be on deck on Sundays.

Big Z has been enthralled with the lengthy process of Obama becoming President. He and many of his friends have been. It was really good to be here with him. His school attempted to view it live-streaming on a laptop another parent brought in, but apparently, it didn't work too well as so many people were also trying to do the same.

I admit that I felt a bit celebratory afterwards . . . And, as the sun still shines in our world, I decided to take action and wash our car in the gorgeous sunshine. It really was looking pretty dirty . . . While I was at it, I took time to prune back our very few roses, hanging baskets and trees. Though it wasn't something that moved our business forward, it moved me forward, and it lifted my spirits. I was shocked at the time when I looked at the clock, but happy as could be.

I checked out the Live Chat training that I was asked to read before my Sunday session as Live Chat Operator for My Power Mall. I've also downloaded the software console which assists the operators in handling the queries from members and non-members alike. On Sunday, Maggie will walk me through the system and hold my hand while I help my first few customers ;-). It's going to be a great experience.

MPM Update came through, which is always a wonderful addition to any day . . . Thanks, Ginny.

I emailed my friend RE: her Booster Club meeting and let her know my availability for the evening, and that I didn't want to intrude upon work time.

The PM conference call tonight was really, really good. Jacki is back and facilitated the call with ease, and the Campers complied by answering all her queries. Campers are doing a GREAT job.

After the call, I called my follow-up appointment. No answer. So, left her a message.

I called my friend re: Booster Club meeting. Her son answered and said she was on her commute home, so, I left a VM on her cell phone. I didn't expect to catch her as cell service is spotty in the county I grew up in.

I called my brother. We caught up on things since our trip to CA. His wife has just lost her main job, the one that included her benefits. They live in San Jose, and money is always a stretch in this part of California as it is. As I told him what our plan is moving into the new year, he asked about Big Z's business. I gave him the link and he fired it up on his computer. He is going to look at it, and may be considering it for his wife in the mean time. It would be just fantastic to help my family.

And, just after Big Z was attempting to get me into a Pokemon game, I got a call from our friend and fellow MPM member. She and her husband, and their baby, are on their way back from the Lincoln Memorial. They traveled from CT to DC to spend time with his father and to meet up with his sister. They got to leave the kids with Grandpa and head down to see the action this morning. They said it was incredible, and they enjoyed their 45 minute walk to/from the location Grandpa dropped them off. People from all around the globe were in the crowd. The most peaceful feeling they'd ever felt in that area happened today. Her husband and his sister grew up there, and their Dad has been working in politics for years, so, they have a handle on what it normally feels like. The energy was palpable, and just as the media said, everyone had a smile on their faces. Though they are tired, they are so encouraged and excited. They even found a hip-hop song about Obama on the radio while they are trying to stay awake, and attempted to share it with us; alas, the hip-hop didn't make its way through the phone line as well, and the laughs were lost on us ;-).

Ed B. Boot Camper, maybe you noticed that President Obama reiterated the hopeful words of Paul Zane Pilzer in the book you recommended, The Next Millionaires. Perhaps you didn't. But if it hadn't been for you bringing it up and being so fired up about its contents, I wouldn't have read it; and, I would've been clueless about some of what Obama spoke about in terms of the economy and technology. Thank you very, very much. This read has made quite an impact on me, and couple it with what we heard today from our new President, I say again:

We are right where we are supposed to be ;-). Happy are we to be right where we are supposed to be.

Saturday Satisfaction --- Day 27

Day 27

I've spent much of today reading blogs, and reading The Next Millionaires by Paul Zane Pilzer, seeking current info he may have, and catching up on some house-keeping for office and home. I saw Big Z when he and his Dad came by to get some accouterments for a trip to the ice skating rink --- it's an indoor rink. What was most ironic about the trip to the rink was that this is our first SUNNY day in a long, long while. I got a trip on my bicycle in to the post office and felt the thrill of impending Spring ---never mind that it wasn't much above 30 degrees. I know, I know. Much warmer than some of the Campers have it.

All day I've been mindful of where I'm placing my energies. I realize I ought to be making calls, but I just can't get my head out of this Pilzer book. My thoughts are swimming, and before I say that it's giving me another affirmation that we're right where we're supposed to be in our lives, I want to finish it to make sure I don't miss anything that may change my opinion ;-). Ed, it's one good read ;-).

I spoke with a friend and MPM member last night. She and her family were on their way to D.C. to take in as much as they could of the events leading up to Obama's Inauguration Day. How very, very cool! I was able to share with her our newest bonus for being World Changers: $300 Certificate for Groceries. WOW! I just can't get over the benefit this will bring into our household ;-). If there were any time we could use it, it's n-o-w.

I also called a friend I haven't spoken with since last year. Left a message.

I called another friend from my home town that I missed seeing in November, and, didn't get another chance to call or see her at Christmastime. We had a very long visit, catching up, as we rarely get to do. She's got twins in college, a 13 year old at home, and she's taking a break from her own education while she adjusts to life without her beautiful twins, a boy and a girl.
She works hard for people in her community, and has always been civic minded. Due to the pinching of pennies, she's wearing about 5 different hats within her organization.

We once got to share a Relay-For-Life that she and her kids were participating in on one of my visits home. This was the first time we ever spoke about the concept of doing what we could to help the world. It was a very uplifting experience, and it was awesome to see how her kids relished the challenge of creating their own fundraising teams, and brought people together. My friend has a Together We Can Change the World Heart.

I caught her up on our life and what we are now doing to create income-- MPM and Reconnective Healing. She's on my old high school's Booster Club, so, of course, after we discussed how to solve the woes of the world (;-)), I let her know that MPM may be able to help fund the Booster Club. Right now, their main source of funding comes from the sales at the snack booths during games, which are mostly football. She ran down the list of cuts that have happened this year due to the economic situation at the school:

Hiring freeze
Grant helpers laid off
Reimbursements for school supplies being paid with IOU's
No increase in mileage reimbursements
Cola increase is zero
All field trips cancelled
No after school trips
No after school tutoring

Ouch. And I thought it was bad when I was a student.

I used the template in the back office to create an email to my friend, and I created an E-card for schools, and added the NPO voice message to it and sent her the link to learn more about having a f'ree World Changer Mall to fund the Booster Club after she said she would like to know more. I'll check in with her again on this. For years, I've wanted to have a way for us to spend more time together, and in collaboration on a project in which we can make a difference. This just **may** be the answer ;-).

Thanks to the Boot Campers who are paving the way. Gotta love you guys and gals, that's for sure.

Lastly, I emailed our friend at our credit union, as per the message in the blog last evening.

Business Partnership Program/Local Merchants

A Friend, and former business partner of our own Ginny Dye (CEO of Together We Can Change the World and My Power Mall), investor, and My Power Mall member, Linda, had these ideas to share on our training call this morning. Pretty incredible info. Thanks, Linda.

The question asked (I paraphrase): "Where can you advertise your brick and mortar business for $15.95/month?"

Linda thought that it's almost like getting it for f^ree if you register your business with the Local Merchant Program after becoming a World Changer and you get at least one sale per year. She has a real estate investor's club and to advertise with their club it costs $144/month. She added that most businesses have to pay an arm and a leg for advertising and what a gift this could mean for a business that is struggling in our economy right now.

I add, "Where can you advertise your business for $15.95/month AND receive $300 in fuel rebates over the course of a year just by becoming a World Changer?"

Bonus: Your business information will be picked up by the Google search engines, so people can find you even if you don't already have a website of your own. Your business and information will be displayed in a special area of your new Back Office that supports you and the growth of your business.

Bonus: If this business would like to get their advertising for F^ree more quickly, then, they can refer 10 of their best self-employed friends to do the same.

What kind of discount or rebate will this business offer MPM members (as of today, there are 148,548 of us around the globe) for shopping with their American Express Gift Card at their store?

2o% off? Waiving application fees? Buy one, get one f^ree?

{(Realize that this could mean a double discount for members, which keeps the concept of rebates for patronage. One rebate for the purchase of your Amex Gift Card AND one rebate given by the brick and mortar business--- well, that is unless you're like some of our creative shoppers and you go get an ADDITIONAL rebate (s ) by going to www.giftcertificates.com on your new World Changer Mall, after you purchased your Amex gift card ;-) Some are known to double, triple and quadruple dip into the rebate plan-- that's strategy!)}

Does this business have a favorite charity or special cause they support often (like the a Booster Club, or, your kid's soccer team, the football team, the Kiwanis)? If so, then, they can put a Foundation mall under their World Changer Mall for zero cost, and begin building under them. Perhaps all 10 of the referrals from this business would like to support the same local charity.

Pretty soon, the business owner will be receiving income from new shoppers at their business AND from the online shopping at their World Changer Mall . Sounds like a win-win.

((NOTE: If a business would like to be a part of My Power Mall's online shopping stores, it is possible. Let us know if you would like to know more. We can get you the information about how to do this as well as by being in the Local Merchant Program.))