Saturday, December 30, 2006

Very cool Recruiting Blog

Bill Radin is a very respected authority on Recruiting training and information. I stumbled acrossed him in the search for reputable Recruiting training (that doesn't cost a year's salary). I wanted to share my finding in the event others are looking for a good Recruiting blog to read too ;-)

http://www.go4recruitingsoftware.com/GeoEmailFreeHandbook.html

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Good clean fun with Sitepal

Want to have some GOOD clean fun? I'm sitting here with my 10yr old daughter - having a blast typing odd things into the SitePal dialog box. It's hilarious! Type something for the lady to say - go ahead...it'll be fun!

Go here to play with it.

Friday, December 08, 2006

Billy Ray Cyrus, Tish Cyrus and Miley Cyrus


My 10yr old daughter is a HUGE fan of the hit Disney show Hannah Montanna. Miley Cyrus (Billy Ray Cyrus's daughter) plays Hannah Montanna. I must admit, I enjoy watching the show too.

Hannah is on tour right now, and if she comes within an 80-100 mile radius of us, we'll be nabbing some tickets! She makes great music, just like her dad ;-)

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Yahoo Messenger Hidden Emotions?

What does it mean?? Well, I'm an avid Yahoo Messenger user. LOVE IT. There are MORE cute smiley's to use than is listed on the drop down menu! They are called HIDDEN emotions.

Go here to find them

http://messenger.yahoo.com/hiddenemoticons.php

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Want to work from home so bad you can taste it??

I know the feeling! I was exactly where you are right now. I felt like it was utterly hopeless at times - that I would NEVER find a legitimate work at home job. Scam after worthless scam.... There were several arguments that conspired between my husband and I over the dollars that I wasted on scams. Some of them were so believable! I learned that I am definately not cut out for MLM / Network Marketing. It's just not my cup of tea (so please, in the nicest way possible - stop trying to recruit me).

Remember: NEVER PAY SOMEONE SO YOU CAN WORK! I know, I know - LiveOps charges YOU the background check fee. And Willow is a "Business Opportunity". In my opinion, it's just not worth it. I have heard too many horror stories about the battle of the hours / assignments. Do you REALLY want to go through that, just to say you are working from home? Not worth it!

Remember - there ARE legitimate work at home jobs out there. Check out my links (under Favorite Spots Online) - click on FREE Telecommuting Job Leads. That is an EXCELLENT resource. Just sign up, then log in. There are countless legitimate companies hiring telecommuters listed.

Friday, December 01, 2006

AWESOME Clips from our trip to the 73rd Annual Hadi Shrine Circus

Happy 7th Birthday Maddison!!

11-28-06
HAPPY 7TH BIRTHDAY Princess Maddison!! 8 1/2 hours of labor and TWO WEEKS overdue (shesh). You're a beautiful little girl, and have been a blessing to me since the day you arrived ;-)

Love you sweetheart,

Love Mommy :)

Happy 7th Birthday Maddison!!

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Telecommuting Tips & Work At Home Jobs That I Know Of

I am often asked about work at home jobs that I know are legitimate. In my five years of searching for a legitimate work at home job, I know what it's like to get ripped off for those stupid lists that promise all these wonderful job leads, yadda yadda yadda.... or membership sites that seem to have all the WAHM.COM job leads recycled. Don't waste your money!

First of all, use WAHM.COM/forum!! Click on Telecommuting Moms. There are TONS of job leads there - and they are all free. Not to mention networking with other moms, and being able to learn from their mistakes rather than repeating them.

Secondly, the best paid subscription site I've found thus far is www.TeleWorkRecruiting.com If you can't afford the membership fee, ask a few moms to go in on the price (I believe it's $47 for the year). There are all kinds of job leads in there.

Thirdly, do a search on some of the major job boards like Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com, and Yahoo Hot Jobs! Use search terms like;
"Telecommute", "Telecommuting", "Remote", "Satellite", etc.

And as promised, here are two of the work-at-home jobs that I do know of and have had personal experience with.

1.) www.NetBasedMoms.com Remote Screener / Recruiter positions. $10.00 per hour, paid bi-weekly by check mailed to you. Submit your resume' by emailing Info@Netbasedmoms.com. These are all part-time positions.

2.) BabyToBee.com. There isn't a place on their site to submit a resume' or inquire about openings. I do know they are hiring at least 100 agents right now. The pay is $10.00 per hour, weekly - direct deposited into your account. Minimum of 25 hours a week (you must work that much) with no maximum on the amount of hours you can work each week. To apply, send your resume' to Seth@Babytobee.com

I hope this answers some of the questions I get, and I certainly hope this helps someone ;-)

Saturday, November 25, 2006

Maddison & Elijah (Live)

Aerial (Live)

Thanksgiving Day Circus - Tiger Act

The Tiger act was awesome. At first we were afraid they were going to eat the man dressed in white (who was swinging the whip), but then realized they are very well trained (and loved) by him.

They actually hugged him! (We were shocked). Anyway, it was a GREAT act ;-)

Thanksgiving Day Circus (Elijah)

Elijah had a blast at the Circus too. His favorite part was the clowns ;-)

Thanksgiving Day Circus (Maddison)

Maddison had a blast her second time to the Circus this year. Her favorite part was the Trapeze AND the Tiger act. It's a toss up for her :-)

Thanksgiving Day Circus (Aerial)

Aerial really enjoyed the Circus this year too. Her favorite part was the Trapeze act. ;-)

Thanksgiving Day Circus (Noah)

This was Noah's first time to the Circus. He really had a blast. He got restless toward the end, but all in all had a wonderful time. ;-)

Thanksgiving Day Circus (Kayden & Teanna)

Kayden & Teanna (my nephew and sister-in-law) at the 73rd Annual Hadi Shrine Circus (Evansville, IN)

We've decided to make it our family tradition to attend the Hadi Shrine Circus each Thanksgiving Day. We started it this year, and we had a BLAST! I will post more pictures ;-)

Friday, November 24, 2006

Master Real Estate Investing Course (Finally!) FREE!!!

I'm not sure about you - but I am SICK to death of watching all of these courses being touted on TV and the Net, - confusing the heck out of me as to which one is best and worth the price.

Good news! Mr. Fitzgerald is offering a FREE Real Estate Investing course. Do yourself a favor and learn how to do some Real Estate Investing from someone who is DOING IT - and not charging a dime to teach you STEP-BY-STEP how to do it!!

Blessings ; -)

Go to his website and get to reading.

OR

Watch The Videos

OR

Listen to the Podcasts.

Episode 1
Download Episode 1

Episode 2
Download Episode 2

Episode 3
Download Episode 3

Episode 4
Download Episode 4

Episode 5
Download Episode 5

Episode 6
Download Episode 6

Episode 7
Download Episode 7

Episode 8
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Episode 9
Download Episode 9

Episode 10
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Episode 11
Download Episode 11

Episode 12
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Episode 13
Download Episode 13

Episode 14
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Episode 15
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Episode 16
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Episode 17
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Episode 18
Download Episode 18

Episode 19
Download Episode 19

Episode 20
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Episode 21
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Episode 22

Download Episode 22

Episode 23

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Episode 24
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Episode 25
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Episode 26
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Episode 27
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Episode 28
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Episode 29
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Episode 30
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Episode 31
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Episode 32
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Episode 33
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Episode 34
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Episode 35
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Episode 36
Download Episode 36










Wednesday, November 22, 2006

In love with a new Auction Reviews / Info Site

In case you're into online auctions or maybe even dream of oneday being an eBay Power Seller, there is an AWESOME site called www.AuctionBytes.com - REALLY cool info and even news casts on the updated info.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Walmart Black Friday Ads

Want a sneak peek at the upcoming After Thanksgiving Day Sale Ads for Wal-Mart?

Someone is definately getting fired over this - but here they are...

DRUM ROLL..................

TA DAAA!!!!!


(These are the actual ads, in PDF format ;-)

Here's the SEARS ads too!

Saturday, October 14, 2006

My 10 yr Old is BRILLIANT!

This was a bit of a rough week. The kids were wonderful - no problems there. We just had some deadlines to meet for work, and thank GOD we did meet those deadlines.

Aerial is absolutely brilliant. I got a new computer (but no a new monitor - as I already had one and didn't need to waste the money getting a new one.) I couldn't figure out why the speakers weren't working. She came in (without my knowing) and got my speakers all set up! She's 10!!! She did a GREAT job. Well, I'm off to spend the rest of this weekend relaxing with the family. I will blog more during the upcoming week.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Spinning Bear

Aerial and Maddison on the Spinning Bear ride. (Aerial to the left, Maddi in the middle - strange kid on the right). They had a lot of fun on this ride. Elijah is next to the strange kid, but we didn't get a good shot of him.
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Elijah wasn't impressed

Elijah wasn't the slightest bit impressed with the Fire Truck ride. It went in a full circle (and up pretty high IMO) but he thought it was pretty dull.... He's the one in the middle ;-)
 Posted by Picasa

Noah

 Posted by Picasa

Noah and his new Dancing Elmo...

Noah just LOVES his new Dance With Me Elmo. He's palying with it so much, they're starting to look and act like ;-) Posted by Picasa

Elijah & Noah in the car!!

There weren't a lot of rides at the Fall Festival that Noah was big enough to ride, but the cars were perfect. Elijah felt like such a big man driving his little brother around in the car ;-)


 Posted by Picasa

Fall Festival 2006

This is a picture of us pre-Fall Festival. The Fall Festival is the second largest street festival (next to Mardi Gras), and is held right here in Indiana (Evansville - just a short 15 mile trip from us.) We had a blast, and I will post more pictures.


 Posted by Picasa

We finally found the babies!

Our cat had babies nearly two months ago, and we weren't sure where they were - or if they were still alive. We kept her in the house, but one day she got out and two days later when we found her she was no longer expecting! She had the babies under our house, and we found them when Maddison (the lil' brunette in the picture below) heard one meow. Aren't they adorable? There are 3, but one ran off before I could snap the picture.
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Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Today was a good day ;-)

Today was a great work day and homeschooling day. The kids are loving their virtual schooling. I am so relieved to not have to use a packaged curriculum, and they are too. They don't miss it one bit - and virtual schooling is definately here to stay.

Thank God for technology!

Monday, October 02, 2006

It's working out just fine

Sometimes I get a little freaked out about being a homeschooler. I worry that they aren't getting the kind of education they could be getting "elsewhere". Usually this fear only creeps in when outsiders ask me a ton of questions like "What do you do for socials kills?" or "Aren't there state laws aboout homeschooling?"....

My fears are quickly put aside when one of my brilliant children proves their intellect (without my asking to do so). I hate it when people drill them on their Math or Reading skills, or ask them an off-the-wall kind of question like "Who was the first President of the United States?".... These are COMPLETE strangers drilling my children (once they've learned that we are a homeschooling family). Of course the kids know they don't have to answer the question or prove themselves to ANYONE - but they are proud to do it - and prove that they ARE very intelligent.

In the meantime, I hope people will worry more about their own children's education and social interaction - and leave the worrying about my children to ME.

Okay, I'm done with my little vent ;-)

Feeling a little crafty? Try this....

I must admit, when I saw this website - I was SHOCKED. A fellower WAHM'er shared this site with us.

Check it out & (prepare to laugh)

Saturday, September 30, 2006

Contemplating buying the kids their own laptops....

Ok, we're thinking about buying the kids a laptop of their very own (each). David doesn't think Elijah should have one - and I may agree with that. Maybe we should start with the VTech Learning Pad for him - but I think Maddison and Aerial would do well with their own Laptop. They are both getting really good at researching topics of intererest, which is AWESOME for keeping that 'love of learning'.

VSmile Rocks

It wasn't until recently that the kids really got into playing the V-Smile. I bought it for them LAST Christmas - but they didn't seem all enthralled with it....until Aerial was grounded from her GameCube.

She prefers the V-Smile now, so that's a good thing. Elijah even loves it!! He's only 4 and can play the games like a pro. Little does he know, he just mastered all the pre-k curriculum while playing a fun and interactive game! Technology rocks!

Monday, September 25, 2006

WARNING ABOUT BACON GREASE!!!

This is what happens when you keep cooking with bacon grease. This is a warning, send this to everyone you care about.
It could happen to you...








Bacon Grease

it will make your feet small!!!!!

Monday, September 18, 2006

David & the kiddos

 

Here's an adorable picture of David and the kids. They were all playing outside when I asked to take their picture ;-) Posted by Picasa

Simplicity.

Simplicity. That is our focus lately. We are truly blessed to be work at home parents. Working from home works out so well for our desire to homeschool our children too. David and I are able to both work 8 hours a day, and still spend plenty of quality time with our children. I work two hours, and then he works two hours. While the other is working, we have two quality hours to spend with the kiddos.

We are de-junking our home. It's amazing how you acquire so much crap over the years. I think it's a woman thing to impulse buy - just because something is on sale.... We are getting rid of most everything we don't use. First step is to bag up everything except necessities for 1 month. The conecept is 'out of sight, out of mind'. If we can make it for 1 month without it, chances are - we just don't need it. We'd rather give it to someone who needs it (via www.freecycle.org) or donate it to the Salvation Army or Goodwill.

We've gone high-tech this year form the majority of homeschooling this year. www.Time4Learning.com is awesome, and so is www.ClicknKids.com for the phonics portion. It has replaced our usual Hooked On Phonics. Of course we're still using Hooked On Math though - it's a great program.

We've also started the Body For Life challenge / Eating For Life. Since we've done so, our children's behavior has improved dramatically. We eat six small meals a day, balanced carbohydrates, protein and essential fats. I wake up before everyone else and get my workout done first thing in the morning. It just makes me feel better, and I'm losing weight - so that's a big plus.

Anyway, this is an update on what our family is up to. I hope this inspires others to do less. Less REALLY is more.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

It's A BOY!

 


No mine - my friend Amy's :-) Posted by Picasa

Monday, September 04, 2006

Glitter image test

Steve Irwin, 'The Crocodile Hunter,' was killed

Steve Irwin, 'The Crocodile Hunter' died today. He was swimming over the top of a Sting Ray and was stabbed in his chest. They said he may have died instantly, but aren't sure.... So sad...we really enjoyed watching him and his wife on tv.

Resources for online marketing

Google AdWords Made Easy (FREE Ebook)

Lynn Terry's Self-Starts Weekly


Host Gator - Host unlimited websites for just $10 a month!

Monday, August 21, 2006

Bad Apples

I have recently had an encounter with a very bad apple. She seemed to be quite successful and even claimed to be a business mentor and "success coach". Upon further investigation, I learned that she had cheated her way to a prestigious status within her Network Marketing company. Actually, she not only cheated - but literally broke the law in the unethical way she built her business. Sadly, I think the company she is with will not do much about it becuase they will lose out on the money her business has brought them....

I have faith in the law of attraction though. What goes around, comes around - without fail. This same person tried some pretty nasty stunts to sabatage my own business building efforts, and thankfully was exposed without my saying a word. Pretty neat how that law of attraction works.

It won't be long until her business world comes crashing done. I only hope that those involved will get out while they still have time. And for those who are unaware of her unethical behavior, that the truth be brought to light before they are brought down with her.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

What Do You Do?

What Do You Do?

You are on a horse, galloping at a constant speed.

On your right side is sharp drop off, and on your left side is an
elephant traveling at the same speed as you.

Directly in front of you is a galloping kangaroo and your horse is
unable to overtake it.

Behind you is a lion running at the same speed as you and the Kangaroo.

What must you do to safely get out of this highly dangerous situation?



If you do not know, scroll down to see answer below.





Get your drunk ass off the merry-go-round!

Harold The Computer Guy

Harold, the Computer Guy

I was having trouble with my computer.

So I called Harold, the computer guy, to come over.
Harold clicked a couple of buttons and solved the problem.
He gave me a bill for a minimum service call.

As he was walking away, I called after him,
"So, what was wrong?"
He replied, "It was an ID ten T error."
I didn't want to appear stupid, but
nonetheless inquired, "An ID ten T error?

What's that . in case I need to fix it again?"

Harold grinned...."Haven't you ever heard of an ID ten T error before?"


"No," I replied.

"Write it down," he said, "and I think you'll figure it out."
So I wrote down. I D 1 0 T

I used to like Harold

JESUS vs SATAN Joke

Jesus and Satan were having an on-going argument about who was better on
the computer. They had been going at it for days, and frankly God was tired
of hearing all the bickering.

Finally fed up, God said, "THAT'S IT! I have had enough. I am going to set
up a test that will run for two hours, and from those results, I will judge who does the better job."
So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away.

They moused.

They faxed.

They e-mailed.

They e-mailed with attachments.

They downloaded.

They did spreadsheets!

They wrote reports.

They created labels and cards.

They created charts and graphs.

They did some genealogy reports

They did every job known to man.

Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than hell.

Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly
flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the
power went off.
Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curseword known in the underworld.
Jesus just sighed.

Finally the electricity came back on, and each of them restarted
their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming:

"It's gone! It's all GONE! "I lost everything when the power went out!"

Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from
the past two hours of work.

Satan observed this and became irate.

"Wait!" he screamed. "That's not fair! He cheated! How come he has all
his
work and I don't have any?"

God just shrugged and said, ...
**

**

**

**

**

**
...JESUS SAVES

THE PASTOR'S ASS

The Pastors ass

The pastor entered his donkey in a race and it won. The pastor was so pleased with the donkey that he entered it in the race again, and it won again. The local paper read: PASTOR'S ASS OUT FRONT

The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the pastor not to enter the donkey in another race. The next day, the local paper headline read: BISHOP SCRATCHES PASTOR'S ASS.

This was too much for the bishop, so he ordered the pastor to get rid of the donkey. The pastor decided to give it to a nun in a nearby convent.

The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the following headline the next day: NUN HAS BEST ASS IN TOWN.

The bishop fainted. He informed the nun that she would have to get rid of the donkey, so she sold it to a farmer for $10. The next day the paper read:

NUN SELLS ASS FOR $10

This was too much for the bishop, so he ordered the nun to buy back the donkey and lead it to the plains where it could run wild. The next day the headlines read: NUN ANNOUNCES HER ASS IS WILD AND FREE

The bishop was buried the next day.

The moral of the story is....being concerned about public opinion can bring you much grief and misery...and even shorten your life. So be yourself and enjoy life... Stop worrying about everyone else's ass and you'll be a lot happier and live longer!

Monday, August 14, 2006

Update

To this date, I have lost 8 lbs using Power Pops incorporated with Weight Watchers Flexplan (the points system). I love Weight Watchers, because nothing is off limits - and the Power Pops just make it so much easier to say not to things I shouldn't have. I will post pictures soon :-)

Thursday, August 10, 2006

The Secret

A friend of mine told me I just had to see The Secret. So David and I watched it a week ago - and it was well worth the $4.95 I spent to view it online. It has given me a whole new perspective on life. I even bought the DVD. It's so deep that you really need to have the DVD to watch it on a weekly, if not daily basis to fully grasp the concept. I highly recommend it to EVERYONE - not just entrepreneurs.

You can see it by going to www.TheSecret.Tv

Even the kids enjoyed watching it with me today - and they have started taking steps to change the way they think. It's AMAZING. It's actually transforming our entire family. Carve an hour and a half out of your schedule and watch it!

Sunday, July 30, 2006

Josh and I swingin'

Alright - I'm having a lot of fun with Picassa and cropping pictures. This one's of Josh and I swinging. I'm guessing I was around 2 or 3 and he was 6 or 7 years old. Cute, huh? :-)

 Posted by Picasa

My big brother Josh :-)

Ok, so I was having a little fun using Picassa, and recropped this picture of my big brother, Josh. He's a technical GEEK (but I hear that's a good thing - being called a geek) :-) Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Listen To The Conference Call For FUN Unlimited (Power Pops)

There are some weight loss suckers out, that contain the powerful appetite suppresent, HOODIA. They are called Power Pops. Watch what EXTRA had to say about 'em.

Listen to the conference call about them.



Tuesday, July 18, 2006

My Net Marketing Favorite Sites

My favorite sites online for learning about internet marketing are, web design, hosting, etc. are;

www.InternetBasedMoms.com (this is a GREAT one for experts as well as beginners) Alice Seba and Kelley McCausey have a great FREE course called 'The Truth About Traffic' which will really get you going as far as driving traffic to your sites. She also has LOTS of freebies (she's a sweetie marketer).

www.GoDaddy.com - I buy my domain names and hosting services from GoDaddy, and have used their site builder - but I perfer XSitePro. XSitePro is pricey ($199.00) BUT - it's awesome, and you can build unlimited websites with it - and crank out a website out EASILY within an hour or two. They also have video tutorials, which cuts the learning curve drastically.

www.MomsTalkRadio.com - AWESOME podcasts about internet marketing, and LOTS more. Check it out :-)

www.PerryMarshall.com - the KING of Google AdWords, and Search Engine Optimization. He has some REALLY good information. If you can't afford to buy his products, definately sign up for the podcasts on Alice Seba's site and learn as much as you can for free. (Also sign up for his free ecourses).

Here's a FREE Keyword Suggestion Tool

I'll post more later - gotta get to work. I totally love working from home :-)

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Adventures Of A Homeschooling Entreprenuer

Ok - here's another really cook Podcast (internet radio show) - it's www.BabyTalkRadio.com (all about babies).

Work At Home Mom Talk Radio!!! And others (Podcasting)

I'm totally into Podcasting. It's so neat! This is the Work At Home Talk Radio by Kelly McCausey.

Here's another one all about Internet Marketing (From the Internet Marketers Radio Show)- it's called Live From The Marketing Promenade.

And here's another AWESOME Podcast from John Reese (the kind of Internet Marketing - yet humble about it) It's called The Optimization Series.
(An awesome one to learn tips and tricks about site optimization - which is awesome for AdSense Revenue!)

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Difference between Telecommuting Resume and Standard Resume.

What Are the Differences Between Telecommute Resumes and Standard Resumes?
by Jennifer Anthony, Resume Expert


Jobseekers often ask me what the difference is between a "standard" resume and a telecommute resume. So I have compiled this short article to explain those differences.

1. Telecommute resumes have to stand out.

Recruiters and hiring mangers are flooded with resumes when they post a telecommute job. I spoke to a recruiter that stated he gets between 750 and 1,000 resumes, each day, every time he posts a project. It starts to taper off a little after the third day. So after just three days, he could easily have more than 2,000 resumes to sort through.

Because of this, you absolutely have to have a resume that stands apart from the crowd. I don’t mean that you should add all kinds of clipart and colorful graphics - so don’t go crazy. You should take time to make sure your information is presented in an easy to read and eye-pleasing format. You will need to emphasize your skills, particularly your ability to work independently, and your time management skills.

2. Telecommute resumes are highly scrutinized.

You are competing with people all over the country instead of just local applicants. The telecommuting employer has the “cream of the crop” to choose from. They are going to analyze and make judgments on what they find in your resume.

You have to pay extra attention to spelling and grammar errors. Make sure you aren’t using the word, “I” anywhere on your resume. Pay attention to where you place commas, and remember to end your sentences with a period.

Don’t rely on MS Word to teach you proper grammar, those little green lines look intimidating, but you can make them go away (see below). Instead, refer to a manual such as the Gregg Reference Manual or some online manual.

3. Telecommute resumes have to take the place of you.

The hiring manager is not going to be able to meet you. They may call you for a phone interview, but they will make most of their hiring decision based on your resume alone. You want to make sure to cover everything you think is applicable, and leave off information that isn’t. Read over your resume and think about what impression you will make.

In addition, if you have taken any online certification tests, (offered at Brainbench.com) be sure to add that information. If you belong to professional associations, (like the International Virtual Assistants Association) be sure to note that on your resume. Going the extra mile might make the difference between a regretful e-mail, and “you’re hired.”


How to make those green squiggly lines go away:

In Word 2002, go to the “Tools” menu and scroll down to “Options.” When you click on “Options” a new window will open up that has several tabs to choose from. Select the “Spelling and Grammar.” Look for the check box that says, “hide grammatical errors in this document.” Check the box and hit the “OK” button. Voila! All of the little misleading lines have vanished.

Saturday, July 08, 2006

FREE Virtual Homeschool!

FREE Virtual Homeschool! This is brand new, and very neat! It's free for the entire homeschooling / unschooling community. Check it out here!

There is also a new internet radio show / podcast called unbridled learning. Very neat! Check it out!

MLM Divas

There is a new radio show online that is very neat - for all you ladies in Network Marketing (aka MLM). It's called MLM Divas. Check it out!

Saturday, July 01, 2006

BBB Online Search (Always check a company out!)

In case you weren't aware, you can search ANY company in the BBB database online, by going HERE.

I had some fun searching, and was actually able to locate an eBay phone #! ( 800-322-9266). These are top-secret phone #'s, and are changed often.

I know eBay Powersellers have a direct line to eBay they can call 24/7. Other eBay sellers and buyers have to use the Live Help link to talk to someone at eBay, which can be very irritating when you're needing help right away.

Friday, June 30, 2006

Google Checkout (Look Out PayPal - you've got competition!)

I was shocked to learn that Google has come out with some awesome new stuff!
Drum roll...... Google Checkout!

Look out PayPal - you've got some real competition here. (and those of us that sell online have a great alternative to PayPal - which sucks in many ways.... but that's just my opinion).

Cool features of Google Checkout:

1) If you're an AdWords user - for every $1 you spend on AdWords, you will get a $10 credit toward payment processing (for those that sell online).

2) If you use Google Checkout for making purchases online, you don't have to reveal your email address when making a purchase. This prevents commercial spam - a BIG problem. Alot of times you'll get emails over and over again from a seller attempting to sell you another product or service. That can be frustrating.

3) When you make purchases online with Google Checkout, your credit card info. is not revealed to the seller - and you can be in and out in just two clicks. It's that easy!

So...will I make the switch? You betcha!

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Hypochondriac or Hypoglycemic?

It's cheaper to be Hypoglycemic :-) It's easily fixed by simply changing your eating habbits. That can be a lot easier said than done...especially when you're the one who usually cooks for the entire household. As it turns out, hubby tested high for the hypoglycemia too. Explains A LOT for us... Thankfully hypoglycemia is a lot cheaper to fix than going to marriage counseling.

Test yourself and see if you have it. If you test high - schedule a Glucose test with your Dr. Don't be suprised if your doctor isn't supportive. It's one of those deep unkown's for a lot of Dr's, but it definately is a pre-cursor to diabetes. Find a Dr. who is experienced in treating hypoglycemia. It is NOT a mystery condition - it really just means you live in America and consume the 'all American diet' - which includes LOTS of sugar.

Sugar isn't just in donuts, cakes, pies, cookies and sodas. It's in Ketchup, sauces, gravy's, processed dinners (microwavable) and LOTS more. Educate yourself :-)

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Update on Loss Mitigation...

I have been putting together a business plan for offering Loss Mitigation services to homeowners in foreclosure. Loss Mitigation is actually an intervention on behalf of the homeowner to work out a repayment plan of the arrears so the homeowner can keep their biggest investment (their home, of course).

This seems to be a very big business, but unfortunately there are A LOT of companies out there taking advantage of people... They take their money saying they can do the mitigation, and are unable to work out an agreement with the lender and the homeowner ends up losing their home AND the money they paid the Loss Mitigation company. So sad...

Here in Indiana they are now requiring all Loss Mitigators to become licensed (a new development, but I'm so glad it happened), and I look forward to getting licensed. I hope to see other states follow suit and require licensing for all Loss Mitigation professionals.

I will keep posting on the process of my business plan and how things are working out. I have an alternative plan (rather than working with a Loss Mitigation company).... I will fill in the details just before rolling out with my website.

Monday, June 12, 2006

Making a website

I'm making a website using Microsoft Office Live. Please stop by and check it out. I'll be filling in the content as I have the time to do so - so feel free to shoot me an email and offer suggestions for additioonal topics. Your feedback is really appreciated.

Friday, June 09, 2006

Forgive

When I was a girl, I craved your love and attention...
If you did love and care for me, it's something you failed to mention.

All the times I came to you, desperate for compassion...
But all I got was cut down, and of course - the daily lashings.

Sorry about all the mistakes I made....but Mom, I was just a child.
So many times I tried to please you....hoping for a hug or even a smile....

But you were ALWAYS yelling, angry and enraged about somethin'
I don't know why you are so angry, or why you refused loving..

Nothing I did was good enough no matter HOW hard I tried...
Each time you hit, ignored, or yelled at me, a piece of my soul died...

Now I'm grown and have four little ones of my very own.
And I try my best to show them the love I was never shown.

Years and years it took to heal the massive pain within...
I tried so hard to forget the past, but the memories surface again.

My Creator reached into my soul and He stopped the bleeding, and filled that hole
your abuse left me.

I'll never forget the past, but now the pain is gone...
And that's all I needed was pain relief, so now I can move on.

I didn't say this to hurt you, rather, for you to know the truth...
And although you tore my heart apart, I DO love AND forgive you....

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Gettin' It Together W/ Proverbs

The book of Proverbs is one of my favorites in the Bible, because it's straight-forward and has such a no-nonsense approach to everyday issues. Here are some of my favorite verses.

A fool thinks he needs no advice, but a wise man listens to others.
Proverbs 12:15

Some people like to make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise soothe and heal.
Proverbs 12:18

Truth stands the test of time; lies are soon exposed.
Proverbs 12:19

A wise man doesn't display his knowledge, but a fool displays his foolishness.
Proverbs 12:23

Anxious hearts are very heavy, but a word of encouragement does wonders!
Proverbs 12:25

Hope deferred makes the heart sick; but when dereams come true at last, there is life and joy.
Proverbs 13:12

It is pleasant to see plans develop. That is why fools refuse to give them up when they are wrong.
Proverbs 13:19

Be with wise men and become wise. Be with eveil men and become evil.
Proverbs 13:20

The good man eats to live, while the evil man lives to eat.
Proverbs 13:25

The wise man looks ahead. The fool attempts to fool himself and won't face the facts.
Proverbs 14:8

The backslider gets bored with himself; the godly man's life is exciting.
Proverbs 14:14

Work brings profit; talk brings poverty.
Proverbs 14:23

Reverence for God gives a man deep strength; his children have a place of refuge and security.
Proverbs 14:26

A relaxed attitude lengthens a mans life. Jealousy rots it away.
Proverbs 14:30

Reverence for the Lord is the foundation of life; its waters keep a man from death.
Proverbs 14:27

A wise teacher makes learning a joy; a rebellious teacher spouts foolishness.
Proverbs 15:2

Gentle words cause life and health; griping brings discouragement.
Proverbs 15:14

A wise man is hungry for truth, while the mocker feeds on trash.
Proverbs 15:14

When a man is gloomy everything seems to go wrong; when he is cheerful, everything seems right!
Proverbs 15:15

Pleasant sights and good reports give happiness and health.
Proverbs 15:19

Better a little with reverence for God than great treasure and trouble with it.
Proverbs 15:16

From a wise mind comes careful and persuasive speech.
Proverbs 16:23

Kind words are like honey - enjoyable and healthful.
Proverbs 16:24

An evil man sows strife - gossip seperates the best of friends.
Proverbs 16:28

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Learn Loss Mitigation, and Real Estate Investing

I've been with We Save Homes for a few months now, and the training is really good. We Save Homes teaches you how to do Loss Mitigation. Loss Mitigation is a term coined by the insurance industry, and it just means to reduce the loss of the banks when a home goes into foreclosure.

As Independent Financial Cooridnators, we locate homeowners in pre-foreclosure and foreclosure, and inform them of their options. This is a valuable and ethical service, and a great situation because it's truly win-win-win.

Why is it win-win-win? Well, because the homeowner gets to keep their home, you earn a fee for the Loss Mitigation service you provide the homeowner, AND you learn how to locate pre-foreclosure and foreclosure properties for future real estate investing transactions.

If you want to get started, email me at NetBasedMoms@Gmail.com, and we'll getcha started :-)

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Worthless? I think not.

I hear dysfunctional families are a dime a dozen, so I'm sure there will be a lot of you who can relate to my emotional struggle and triumph from a "bad childhood". It took me a LONG time to realize that I am loved, needed, wanted and a downright enjoyable person to be around. Four very special people were instrumental in showing me my self-worth.

When I was in Junior High & High School, I was either on the Dance squad or Cheerleading squad and even Student Council every year. Sure, it was the "in" crowd and most would be thrilled with that - but I wasn't. I never felt like I truly fit in... like I wasn't "good enough".

My parents both came from dysfunctional families, so I guess it's safe to say it was the blind leading the blind as far as parenting skills go... To say there was a lack of love, attention and affirmation is an understatement. It was hell....truly and honestly.

I came out of it confused, bitter, angry and an emotional wreck. There were things I needed from my parents that I didn't get....mainly love and attention...and to know that I was "good enough". I don't know why my parents didn't recognize the dysfunction and choose to break the cycle.... I guess change is just too painful for some. But for me, staying the same was much more painful than change.

The best healing balm for my broken heart has been my four precious children. They have shown me each and every day of their lives how much they love me, need me, want me, and even enjoy my company and conversation - no matter what! It's the unconditional love and fellowship I was craving from my parents, but didn't get. Now it's a win-win love for my own little ones. I enjoy their company, love, attention and respect as much as they enjoy mine.

They healed my heart, and have shown me how I am good enough. Actually, they say I'm the BEST Mommy in the WHOLE World. They may be biast though :-)

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

No FICO Needed Investing

Can you prosper in this country without a credit score or FICO number?

Yes! If you learn the secret from the inventor of the NO FICO investing system.

This Thursday night (May 25th), Thomas Kish will interview Omar Bey and show you how to invest in real estate, obtain business credit and even buy the car of your dreams with NO FICO or personal credit needed.

Omar's ten-year in-depth study of the traditional credit system gave him the vision and insight to create the most powerful credit-building system I have ever seen.

But this is NOT a credit repair system!

It's a system that allows credit-challenged individuals to reap the benefits that "A" credit individuals enjoy while simultaneously rebuilding their credit for the future for a lifetime of great credit.

Don't miss this Thursday night call if any of these apply to you -

1. You don't have any credit history.
2. You do not want to use your good credit to invest in real estate.
3. You have terrible credit. Even if your credit score is 400. Omar can show you the way to buy with NO FICO.

What is it that Omar does to help his clients all over the country?

You will find out on this LIVE call.

When -
Thursday May 25th
6:15 pm Pacific / 8:15 Central / 9:15 Eastern

How -
Live Dial In # (641) 985-0900
Participant Code: 7364627# (Seminar)#

Replay of Last Week's Training Call is Available HERE.

Monday, May 22, 2006

Larry LaPrise died....

With all the sadness and trauma going on in the world at the moment, it is worth reflecting on the death of a very important person, which almost went unnoticed...

Larry LaPrise, the man that wrote "The Hokey Pokey" died peacefully at the age of 93. The most traumatic part for his family was getting him into the coffin.

They put his left leg in, and then the trouble started.

Shut up. You know it's funny.

One Step Ahead

Take one little step forward. Don't worry about whether it's perfect, or what other people will think, or why you didn't do it sooner. Just take one little step. And notice how good, how right it feels.

Take that one little step forward, and then take another. Suddenly, momentum is on your side. Yes, new and difficult challenges will surely arise, now that you're moving forward. As you climb higher, the terrain will likely become steeper and more rugged.

Yet, whatever you're able to reach, you're also able to handle. With each step forward, you build the strength and the confidence to take the step.

Right now is the time to take that next little step forward, without hesitation, with no worriws or complaints or regrets. And you'll quickly be so very thankful that you did.

Sunday, May 21, 2006

Picassa is really neat & FREE!

Picassa is a really neat, FREE program from Google. You can make cool Collages like this one. Just wanted to share that with ya :-)

 Posted by Picasa

Awww....

So we went to Harmony State Park yesterday, and since we don't have a lot of pictures of David & I, I asked Aerial to take a picture of us. It's a tad blurry - but hey, I think she did pretty good for being 9 yrs old.  Posted by Picasa

Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life...

We were made to having meaning. This is why people try dubious methods, like astrology or psychics, to discover it. When life has meaning, you can bear almost anything; without it, nothing is bearable.

A young man in his twenties wrote, "I feel like a failure becuase I'm struggling to become something, and I don't even know what it is. All I know how to do is get by. Someday, if I discover my purpose, I'll feel I'm beginning to live."

Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope. In the Bible many different people expressed this hopelessness. Isaiah complained, "I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing." Job said, "My life drags by - day after hopeless day" and "I give up; I am tired of living. Leave me alone. My life makes no sense." The greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose.

Hope is as essential to your life as air and water. You need hope to cope. Hope comes from having a purpose. If you have felt hopeless (as I have often struggled with hoeplessness), hold on! Wonderful changes are going to happen in your life as you begin to live it on purpose. God says, "I know what I am planning for you...'I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.'" You may feel you are facing an impossible situation, but the Bible says, "God is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of - infinitely behond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes."

Knowing your purpose simplifies your life. It defines what you do and what you don't do. Your purpose becomes the standard you use to evaluate which activities are essential and which aren't. (So no, I won't join your home based business - it's just doesn't fit into my purpose. Please stop calling me now.) You simply ask, "Does this activity help me fulfill one of God's purposes for my life?"

Without a clear purpose you have no foundation on which you base decisions, allocate your time, and use your resources. You will tend to make choices based on circumstances, pressures, and your mood at that moment. People who don't know their purpose try to do too much - and that causes stress, fatigue and conflict.

Without a clear purpose, you will keep changing directions, jobs, relationships, churches or other externals - hoping each change will settle the confusion or fill the emptiness in your heart. You think, Maybe this time it will be different, but it doesn't solve your real problem - a lack of focus and purpose.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Got Purpose?

Being raised in quite a hypocriticle home, I was VERY confused when it came to Christianity. To be honest, I still am - and it's a struggle to sort through the half truth's and just plain nonsense I learned growing up. The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren has been helping me A LOT. I wanted to share some of what helped me here recently.

What Drives Your Life?

I observed that the basic motive for success is the driving force of envy and jealousy!
(Ecclesiastes 4:4)

The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder - a waif, a nothing, a no man.
Thomas Carlyle

Everyone's life is driven by something.
Most dictionaries define the verb drive as "to guide, to control, or to direct." Whether you are driving a car, a nail, or a golf ball, you are guiding, controlling, and directing it at that moment. What is the driving force in your life?
Right now you may be driven by a problem, a pressure, or a deadline. You may be driven by a painful memory, a hauting fear, or an unconscious belief. There are hundreds of circumstances, values, and emotions that can drive your life. Here are five of the most common ones:

Guilt, Resentment, Fear, Materialism and Approval.

(I'm only including those I struggled with. You can get the book to find out more about the others.)

Many people are driven by resentment and anger. They hold on to hurts and never get over them. Instead of releasing their pain through forgiveness, they rehearse it over and over in their minds. Some resentment driven people "clam up" and internalize their anger, while others "blow up" and explode it onto others. Both responses are unhealthy and unhelpful.
Resentment always hurts you more than it does the person you resent. While your offender has probably forgotten the offense and gone on with life, you continue to stew in your pain, perpetuating the past.
Listen: Those who have hurt you in the past cannot continue to hurt you now unless you hold on to the pain through resentment. Your past is past! Nothing will change it. You are only hurting yourself with your bitterness. For your own sake, learn from it, and then let it go. The Bible says, "To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, sensless thing to do."

Many people are driven by fear. Their fears may be a result of a traumatic experience, unrealistic expectations, growing up in a high-control home, or even genetic predisposition. Regardless of the cause, fear-driven people often miss great opportunities because they're afraid to venture out. Instead they play it save, avoiding risks and trying to maintain the status quo.
Fear is a self-imposed prison that will keep you from becoming what God intends for you to be. You must move against it with the weapons of faith and love. The Bible says, "Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life - fear of death, fear of judgment - is one not yet fully formed in love."

Many people are driven by the need for approval. They allow the expectations of parents or spouses or children or teachers or friends to control their lives. Many adults are still trying to earn the approval of unpleasable parents. Others are driven by peer pressure, always worried by what others might think. Unfortunately, those who follow the crowd usually get lost in it.
I don't know all the keys to success, but one key to failure is to try to please everyone. Being controlled by the opinions of others is a guranteed way to miss God's pruposes for your life. Jesus said "No one can serve two masters."

There are other forces that can drive your life but all lead to the same dead end: unused potential, unnecessary stress, and an unfulfilled life.
This forty-five day journey will show you how to live a purpose-driven life - a life guided, controlled, and directed by God's purposes. Nothing matters more than knowing God's purposes for your life, and nothing can compensate for not knowing them - not success, wealth, fame, or pleasure. Without a purpose, life is motion without meaning, activity without direction, and events without reason. Without a purpose, life is trivial, petty, and pointless.

If you decide to go out and get the book, let me know - I'd like to go through this journey with you :-)

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

My little brother, and his son.


This is my little brother, Jonathon, and his son Cayden. This is the first time he held is son. Doesn't he look like a natural? So adorable!

Monday, May 15, 2006

Skype is FREE!!! (Free PC to Phone calls!)

Skype has just announced FREE Pc to Phone calling!! This is awesome!! Read about it HERE. (Thanks for sharing this Josh.)

Adventures Of A Homeschooling Entreprenuer

I wanted to share an EXCELLENT homeshchooling website with everyone. A fellow wahm.com message board member and experienced (15 + yrs) homeschooler created this site. It's awesome!!

VIEW THE WEBSITE HERE

Boundaries

I'm reading a good book called Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend. I have always been confused about that whole submission thing I learned in church. I was delighted to learn more about it today while reading this book.

Whenever we talk about a wife setting boundaries, someone asks about the biblical idea of submission. What follows is not a full tretise on submission, but some general issues you should keep in mind.
First, both husbands and wives are supposed to practice submission, not just wives. "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." (Eph. 5:21). Submission to one another is always the free choice of one party to another. Wives choose to submit to their husbands, and husbands choose to submit to their wives.
Christ's relationship with the church is a picture of how a husband and wife should relate. "Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should sumbit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless (Eph. 5:24-27).
Whenever submission issues are raised, the first question that needs to be asked is, What is the nature of the marital relationship? Is the husband's relationship with his wife similar to Christ's relationship with the church? Does she have free choice, or is she a slave "under the law"? Many marital problems arise when a husband tries to keep his wife "under the law", and she feels all the emotions the Bible promises the law will bring; wrath, guilt, insecurity, and alienation (Rom. 4:15; James 2:10; Gal 5:4).

I just wanted to share this with others who may have been struggling with the same issues I struggled with understanding the whole submission thing. I do hope this helps someone else :=)

Sunday, May 14, 2006

I had a wonderful Mother's Day :-)

Today has been a wonderful day. I woke to Aerial SO excited to give me her hand made Mother's Day gift. It was a special picture book she made with my favorite family pictures. It was so precious!!

She also stayed up late with Dad and the kids and made me a chocolate cake (my favorite kind). They did a GREAT job making it.

Then, for dinner we had Chineese. Perfect day!!

Maddison is feeling a lot better today, although her and Elijah have had the tummy flu for the last few days and David thinks he may be coming down with it. We're hoping not.

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day too :-)

Saturday, May 13, 2006

GREAT Mother's Day Laugh!!!

This is HILARIOUS!!! It'll be a GREAT laugh for Mother's Day.

It's Almost Mother's Day..... Us Mommies Get To Be

Check Out Blinkyou.com for thousands of custom glitters and layouts

Loving My New Job!!!!

TOTALLY loving my new job!! I just got trained on inbound calls and I am doing them tonight. It's a good change of pace from outbound, and once I complete this training it will allow me to do both at the same time which makes the job even more interesting :-)

BabyToBee.com will be hiring again on May 22nd, for those who are interested in applying. It's a GREAT job!!

Adventures Of A Homeschooling Entreprenuer

I just found the coolest website! (Well, besides wahm.com) Okay, it's www.GenuineJobs.com. They have an extensive list of current work-at-home jobs you can search and has all the info. you need to apply for the job - FREE. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER pay to work-from-home!!! If you have to pay, it's most likely a scam. Well, I do have a good friend who does Willow and she makes money with them (pretty good money I might add) but they do have various fees and such. That's the big turn off for me - but it works for her. Just be very cautious - there are a lot of scams out there!

The www.GenuineJobs.com also has a Work-At-Home Blog. It's VERY cool. I really like this guy and his writing style. He does an excellent job on his blog, so check it out :-)

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Loving My Job!

Tonight was my second night on the phone with BabyToBee.com. I love the job! It's a lot of fun, and there is never a dull moment which makes the time pass quickly.

It's fun to be a mom and relate to all the new or expecting parents and get paid to do it. I'm blessed to have such a cool job :-)

Saturday, May 06, 2006

My Big Brother is a genius!!

My brother, Josh, is an absolute genius! He fixed my computer through remote assistance on MSN and got it configured properly so the BabyToBee software works GREAT. (Thanks again Josh).

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Murphy's Law, Anyone??

Tonight was my first night with Baby To Bee. I logged on and tried to take the first call, but I was having a technical problem. I was instructed to uninstall a program and see if that would work. That didn't work :(

Then I was told to hard wire to the modem, which will probably work - but as I'm about to get my registration # from tech support, my ISP's server goes down.... I have VOIP, so that left me without a home phone OR internet service.

I am blogging here in my van in the parking lot of my library.... I have been rescheduled to start with Baby To Bee tomorrow. I HOPE and PRAY my ISP is up and running by then, and I get this software problem resolved.

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

I got the job :-)

WOO HOO - I got the call today to do the software check and got a start date!! I'll be on the phones tomorrow!!

I'm SOOO excited :-)

Saturday, April 29, 2006

Your Father's Love Letter

You need to read this. This is a love letter....from your Father. It will change your life.

Laptops ROCK!

I have had my laptop for about 3 months now and have REALLY enjoyed the freedom of Wi-Fi. I haven't even bothered to hard wire it through the Ethernet & Router. I was sure I'd have to install all the Insight software and go through all that with tech support (because the registration # they gave me in the beginning never would work.)

I was pleasantly suprised to find that just connecting to the router and ethernet card did it - NO SOFTWARE to install!! OHH - how I love my laptop!

Update on BabytoBee.com

I've passed orientation and have been given the download for their software. Just after downloading the software I received an email about a software hold. They are upgrading their software so it may be a little while before I get the call for the system check and the date to start working.

Now I'm just sittin' tight and waiting for the call. This is a legit work at home job, and pays a good hourly wage ($10 / hr).

I found out about BabyToBee on the wahm.com message boards. If you're not already a member, go get your login!! It's the BEST place to make friends and learn the lowdown on work at home jobs and TONS of other stuff! www.WAHM.com

Sunday, April 23, 2006

10 Real Estate Investing Myths You Must Vanquish

10 Real Estate Investing Myths You Must Vanquish

by Attorney William Bronchick

These are the Top 10 reasons people use for not succeeding in real estate investing. OK, maybe this list is a bit obnoxious, but I'm trying to make a point. If I offend anyone with this list, it probably means I'm right on track!

Reason #1: I have no cash

The Myth: "You need money to make money"

The Truth: Find a good real estate deal, and the money will find you. Ask any seasoned investor and they will tell you that lack of funds is never an issue; lack of good deals is! If you can negotiate a good price on a house, you will find plenty of partners willing to put up the money.

Reason #2: I have no time

The Myth: "I've got a job, a spouse, kids and very little time"

The Truth: Throw out your television, and you'll have all the time you need. People spend an average three hours per day in front of the tube. They spend even more time on weekends.

Want to do something fun this Saturday? Load the kids in the mini van and go driving around looking for ugly houses. Make a game out of it giving a dollar to each of your kids that spots an ugly house. Tell them that each ugly house your buy means enough money to take them all to Disney World.

Reason #3: Everyone says this stuff doesn't work

The Myth: "That late-night TV stuff doesn't work"

The Truth: You can convince yourself that anything won't work. Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can or think you can't, you are right."

Every real estate transaction has risks; some risks are realistic, while others are remote. If you listen to the critics, the naysayers and other pessimists, you'll convince yourself it doesn't work.

Most people that criticize money-making ideas need to do so for their own ego. After all, if it were true, what's their excuse for not being successful? Make it a point of not taking financial advice from anyone who makes less than you do.

Reason #4: There's too much competition

The Myth: "Too many people are buying houses to find a deal"

The Truth: There are more than enough deals to make everyone rich. At any given time there are hundreds of properties for sale in your market for each investor looking for them. In addition, a majority of people who say they are investors are just sitting on the sidelines waiting for someone to fall in their lap. Don't be one of them - go out and make deals happen.

Reason #5: It doesn't work in my market

The Myth: "It doesn't work in my market."

The Truth: It works in EVERY market. True, it may work differently in some markets than in others, but there are investors making money in every city, every day of the week. You have to learn your market: the rents, the trends, the local customs, the bankers, the title companies, etc.

Then, learn the techniques and adapt them for your market. Six months ago, someone told me that the San Francisco Bay Area market was "too hot" to find a deal. Really? Talk to me in a few months after the rash of technology layoffs!

Reason #6: The recession is coming

The Myth: "Certainly, the September 11th tragedy, the huge number of layoffs and the decline of the stock market will kills the economy, so anything I buy will go down in value."

The Truth: Sell cheaper or with attractive terms. When Dell wants to move computers, they drop the price. When GM wants to move cars they offer no interest financing. Be creative and go things they make your houses sell and rent faster.

If the prices are falling, buy way below market and sell just below market. If rental vacancies go up, offer free satellite TV (heck, it's $25/month. When everyone else is "dooming and glooming", it only clears out the competition.

Reason #7: Realtors won't cooperate with me

The Myth: "Real estate agents don't want to cooperate with investors"

The Truth: The right agent can be your best friend and #1 source of business. I have a one agent that brought me six deals in the past year. He knows exactly what I want and only calls me when there's a deal.

You need to educate a few agents and let them know exactly what you want. Few agents have repeat customers - you have to make them understand that you will be giving them business over and over again.

Reason #8: I have bad credit

The Myth: "I need good credit to buy houses"

The Reality: Good credit helps, but you don't need it to make money in real estate. Lease/options, owner-financing, flipping properties and other creative techniques will allow you to buy real estate without credit.

You can always use a partner who has good credit. You can also borrow "hard money" without having good credit. In the meantime, you can work on fixing your bad credit so you can use it as an asset in the future.

Reason #9: I might lose money

The Myth: Real estate is very risky

The Reality: Real estate is one of the safest investments you can buy. The stock market is beyond your control. Savings, CD's and money market funds won't give your enough return to make money. You have to be willing to take a calculated risk to make money.

The more you educate yourself, the less risky real estate becomes. However, don't think you need to know EVERYTHING before taking action.

Reason #10: I don't know what to do

The Myth: I need to learn more before I start

The Reality: You probably know more than enough to get started in real estate. It takes years to learn a lot. You never learn everything.

Success is an ongoing learning process. Read some books, take some seminars and go take MASSIVE action. Then, learn some more and take a lot more action. If you are really impatient, enlist the help of others.

Henry Ford said, "Why should I clutter my mind with general information when I have men around me who can supply any knowledge I need?" He was a smart man because he realized that he didn't need to know it all if he could consult with others that did.

Ronald Reagan's cabinet was said to be the team of the brightest people in politics. The bottom line is that if you want to succeed faster with less risk, have someone you can call on for knowledge.