Today, I copied my barbecue recipe for a friend. Lots of tomatoes in there.
Then, I boiled up some beets. I sliced them and scraped away the skins, getting my left fingers noticeably pinkened.
Then, I made some red sauce. I had purchased some ready-to-prepare dried red chile, and I followed the instructions. It became thick, and bubbled and splattered. I tasted it -- a little too hot for my palate. So I added a can of tomato paste, and a little water. Tasted it, and added a little more salt.
So I've had quite the morning for red food. Don't know if it means anything.
It was fun.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Not the gifts I was expecting
Well.
I think I failed the faith test. Rereading my last post caused me to smile ruefully at myself. I took a small detour since then.
I was really getting stressed by not having enough income to cover our monthly expenses. So, I got a job. I've just worked at Convergys for six weeks, and quit yesterday.
It was an interesting experience. I admired their systems. I liked the people I worked with. The job was ATT Wireless Customer Service -- I was one of those voices on the other end of the phone when you call customer support. I was not yet very good at it, but I would have been eventually.
The real mismatch for me is that I really, really didn't like the rigid schedule. To keep wait times for customers calling in as brief as possible, a call center needs to keep as many reps available to answer the phones as possible at all times. That means scheduling breaks and lunches and time of arrival and departure to the minute. That means relatively little flexibility for days off, or choosing what time to start work.
The pay was reasonably good, especially for this area. And I wanted my freedom more than the paycheck.
So, instead of the safety net I was hoping for, I've left the job with a stronger understanding of what is really important to me. I was drained after doing the work there. I'm energized by writing, editing and coaching.
Time to go back to finding ways to do more of those.
I've had other gifts from the detour. I really did enjoy meeting my coworkers. I have a new appreciation for housework. Look! I can start and stop and take breaks whenever I want! Look! The results are entirely under my control! Look! I can actually see and touch the results of my efforts!
It's pretty cool, actually. And after six weeks of working both at Convergys and on my business, while Doug studied long hours at school, our life feels very soft now. I like that. I've been cooking a lot, and Doug and I get to eat meals together and talk. Heavenly!
Everything does work out. Convergys gave me six weeks of relief from worrying about our budget, and an interesting view into other ways of doing things. I'm thankful for the gifts, even though they were not what I expected.
And I am very thankful to let my time take its own shape again. Note to self: avoid work with strict half-hour lunch breaks.
Anna
I think I failed the faith test. Rereading my last post caused me to smile ruefully at myself. I took a small detour since then.
I was really getting stressed by not having enough income to cover our monthly expenses. So, I got a job. I've just worked at Convergys for six weeks, and quit yesterday.
It was an interesting experience. I admired their systems. I liked the people I worked with. The job was ATT Wireless Customer Service -- I was one of those voices on the other end of the phone when you call customer support. I was not yet very good at it, but I would have been eventually.
The real mismatch for me is that I really, really didn't like the rigid schedule. To keep wait times for customers calling in as brief as possible, a call center needs to keep as many reps available to answer the phones as possible at all times. That means scheduling breaks and lunches and time of arrival and departure to the minute. That means relatively little flexibility for days off, or choosing what time to start work.
The pay was reasonably good, especially for this area. And I wanted my freedom more than the paycheck.
So, instead of the safety net I was hoping for, I've left the job with a stronger understanding of what is really important to me. I was drained after doing the work there. I'm energized by writing, editing and coaching.
Time to go back to finding ways to do more of those.
I've had other gifts from the detour. I really did enjoy meeting my coworkers. I have a new appreciation for housework. Look! I can start and stop and take breaks whenever I want! Look! The results are entirely under my control! Look! I can actually see and touch the results of my efforts!
It's pretty cool, actually. And after six weeks of working both at Convergys and on my business, while Doug studied long hours at school, our life feels very soft now. I like that. I've been cooking a lot, and Doug and I get to eat meals together and talk. Heavenly!
Everything does work out. Convergys gave me six weeks of relief from worrying about our budget, and an interesting view into other ways of doing things. I'm thankful for the gifts, even though they were not what I expected.
And I am very thankful to let my time take its own shape again. Note to self: avoid work with strict half-hour lunch breaks.
Anna
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Faith
The moment I most liked in all of the filmed Lord of the Rings trilogy was when Legolas had despaired. He was ready to give up, and Aragorn counseled him to hold -- to do the best they could as long as they could.
So they fought. And they held out long enough for help to arrive and rescue them.
And I realized why despair is a sin.
We usually think of hope as the opposite of despair. However, faith can serve as a stronger cure for despair than hope. Faith -- faith that the universe will reach out and bridge the gap between what we can do and what we need -- lets us go on when we can't see how we can prevail.
Suppose that neither despair nor faith is provable. That is, suppose we cannot know whether we will receive help when we reach the end of our abilities. What happens when we despair? We stop acting. What happens when we hold on to faith? We continue to act, as long as we can. Which of these behaviors is more likely to succeed? The one that proceeds from faith.
So we find that faith is functional, and pragmatic, when we cannot know if help is on its way. In effect, we are more likely to find the universe benevolent if we believe it to be so. Because our actions will give more chance for the universe to bring us help when we believe it will do so.
This is why one of my chief functions as a life coach is to help my clients have faith. With faith in themselves and in the universe, acting becomes easier and more effective. I also help them select the best actions to take, in the best order. And I'm there, as a safety net of ongoing support, to ward off despair when the inevitable challenges come along.
Now, I also believe in science. There are times when we can know that a path we are on will never lead to where we want to go, or will cost more than it will be worth. At those times, it does pay to accept the feedback of the universe and try a different path.
So both accepting the reality of the situation and having faith are useful strategies. It's our responsibility to learn what we can and have the faith we can, and the universe takes care of the rest.
Seth Godin has a cool book on one way to decide whether to continue when the going gets hard. It's called The Dip, and I recommend it.
Meanwhile, I find I'm more in need of faith than course correction just now. My best study of what I need to build my business suggests more effort in the same direction. There are signs what I'm doing is working, and needs refinement and more time. So on I go.
May you have the faith to continue where you need to, the insight to see where to change paths, and the wisdom to know the difference.
All the best to you,
Anna
So they fought. And they held out long enough for help to arrive and rescue them.
And I realized why despair is a sin.
We usually think of hope as the opposite of despair. However, faith can serve as a stronger cure for despair than hope. Faith -- faith that the universe will reach out and bridge the gap between what we can do and what we need -- lets us go on when we can't see how we can prevail.
Suppose that neither despair nor faith is provable. That is, suppose we cannot know whether we will receive help when we reach the end of our abilities. What happens when we despair? We stop acting. What happens when we hold on to faith? We continue to act, as long as we can. Which of these behaviors is more likely to succeed? The one that proceeds from faith.
So we find that faith is functional, and pragmatic, when we cannot know if help is on its way. In effect, we are more likely to find the universe benevolent if we believe it to be so. Because our actions will give more chance for the universe to bring us help when we believe it will do so.
This is why one of my chief functions as a life coach is to help my clients have faith. With faith in themselves and in the universe, acting becomes easier and more effective. I also help them select the best actions to take, in the best order. And I'm there, as a safety net of ongoing support, to ward off despair when the inevitable challenges come along.
Now, I also believe in science. There are times when we can know that a path we are on will never lead to where we want to go, or will cost more than it will be worth. At those times, it does pay to accept the feedback of the universe and try a different path.
So both accepting the reality of the situation and having faith are useful strategies. It's our responsibility to learn what we can and have the faith we can, and the universe takes care of the rest.
Seth Godin has a cool book on one way to decide whether to continue when the going gets hard. It's called The Dip, and I recommend it.
Meanwhile, I find I'm more in need of faith than course correction just now. My best study of what I need to build my business suggests more effort in the same direction. There are signs what I'm doing is working, and needs refinement and more time. So on I go.
May you have the faith to continue where you need to, the insight to see where to change paths, and the wisdom to know the difference.
All the best to you,
Anna
Monday, March 10, 2008
Sailing on Momentum
I'm still traveling on the impulse of that moment of insight I captured last post. I feel launched into Terra Incognito. I do not know where all of this leads.
Meanwhile, I crafted a page at annaparadox.com/boutique-editing to talk about the service I do offer. It's my goal to offer the fullest support to writing your own book of any editor on the web. And I do have some unique advantages for that. I have advanced listening skills. I have the North Star philosophy of freeing the voice and essential self of my clients. I have the wide knowledge to work with science fiction, and the authenticity to work with personal narrative.
Your book, in your voice, your way, excellently. That's the goal.
Anna
Meanwhile, I crafted a page at annaparadox.com/boutique-editing to talk about the service I do offer. It's my goal to offer the fullest support to writing your own book of any editor on the web. And I do have some unique advantages for that. I have advanced listening skills. I have the North Star philosophy of freeing the voice and essential self of my clients. I have the wide knowledge to work with science fiction, and the authenticity to work with personal narrative.
Your book, in your voice, your way, excellently. That's the goal.
Anna
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
True Value
I woke up feeling manifesto-ish. Since I started calling myself a writing coach, I've heard about a lot of people who will:
1. Strategize your book launch so that you rise to the top of a bestseller list.
2. Write your book for you, so you don't have to.
3. Do both together.
I truly believe that these actions, especially when done together, will eventually cause the value of being a "Bestseller" to plummet, and raise the resistance of readers to buying books.
In other words, if you use marketing tactics to push low quality goods, not only do the tactics become ineffective, but the perceived value of all associated goods also falls.
In short, I think this is evil.
Now, it's not necessarily evil to market something excellent. Nor is it necessarily evil to hire a ghostwriter to create a book for you. But, if someone creates a poor quality book, then creates a massive marketing campaign to make it a bestseller, then books, bestsellers, and readers all suffer. And that is evil.
For me, evil is taking actions that reduce the size of the pie for everyone. A book is a significant commitment of time for most readers. So, having been sold a bad book, the reader's time is wasted, and she becomes less willing to buy the next one. The marketing strategies that sold her that book begin to stink in her mind, tainting anything else associated with them. And when she sees that that book has become a bestseller, she discounts the value of the next bestseller.
So, I've been a bit appalled when people hear what I do and say, oh, you're like so-and-so -- who does one of the actions above. I'm apparently not getting my point across.
The fault is mine, of course. I need to let people know clearly how what I do is different.
For a start, here's a small manifesto:
The Value of Writing Authentically
1. I believe that each person is unique, and the true expression of that uniqueness is the best gift they can give to the world.
2. I believe that some people have a calling to write a book and share their experience, knowledge, wisdom, voice, and ability to entertain with the world. Yes, that includes fiction.
3. I believe that such aspiring authors gain immensely from the process of writing the book themselves. New knowledge emerges in the process. They discover themselves and learn how to speak of their topic. They gain the well-earned self-respect and prestige of being an author.
Oh, it's terribly old-fashioned of me. But I believe that doing the work yourself has value.
And creating true value makes the pie larger for everyone instead of smaller.
That is why I offer writing coaching and editing instead of ghostwriting or bestseller creation. I make the process of writing easier and more fun -- and you still do it yourself -- and I work with you to make the completed manuscripts excellent and authentically yours.
If you want the journey and the learning as well as the final product, talk to me. If you only want the final product, and you don't care if it is truly an expression of you, and you are willing to accept the credit for a low value book, as long as it sells well -- please talk to someone else.
Anna
1. Strategize your book launch so that you rise to the top of a bestseller list.
2. Write your book for you, so you don't have to.
3. Do both together.
I truly believe that these actions, especially when done together, will eventually cause the value of being a "Bestseller" to plummet, and raise the resistance of readers to buying books.
In other words, if you use marketing tactics to push low quality goods, not only do the tactics become ineffective, but the perceived value of all associated goods also falls.
In short, I think this is evil.
Now, it's not necessarily evil to market something excellent. Nor is it necessarily evil to hire a ghostwriter to create a book for you. But, if someone creates a poor quality book, then creates a massive marketing campaign to make it a bestseller, then books, bestsellers, and readers all suffer. And that is evil.
For me, evil is taking actions that reduce the size of the pie for everyone. A book is a significant commitment of time for most readers. So, having been sold a bad book, the reader's time is wasted, and she becomes less willing to buy the next one. The marketing strategies that sold her that book begin to stink in her mind, tainting anything else associated with them. And when she sees that that book has become a bestseller, she discounts the value of the next bestseller.
So, I've been a bit appalled when people hear what I do and say, oh, you're like so-and-so -- who does one of the actions above. I'm apparently not getting my point across.
The fault is mine, of course. I need to let people know clearly how what I do is different.
For a start, here's a small manifesto:
The Value of Writing Authentically
1. I believe that each person is unique, and the true expression of that uniqueness is the best gift they can give to the world.
2. I believe that some people have a calling to write a book and share their experience, knowledge, wisdom, voice, and ability to entertain with the world. Yes, that includes fiction.
3. I believe that such aspiring authors gain immensely from the process of writing the book themselves. New knowledge emerges in the process. They discover themselves and learn how to speak of their topic. They gain the well-earned self-respect and prestige of being an author.
Oh, it's terribly old-fashioned of me. But I believe that doing the work yourself has value.
And creating true value makes the pie larger for everyone instead of smaller.
That is why I offer writing coaching and editing instead of ghostwriting or bestseller creation. I make the process of writing easier and more fun -- and you still do it yourself -- and I work with you to make the completed manuscripts excellent and authentically yours.
If you want the journey and the learning as well as the final product, talk to me. If you only want the final product, and you don't care if it is truly an expression of you, and you are willing to accept the credit for a low value book, as long as it sells well -- please talk to someone else.
Anna
Monday, February 25, 2008
Are the bills important when you've been hit by lightning?
I'm working through Fabienne Fredrickson's Client Attraction course. Today's assignment: see if you have a compelling story, and if so, consider adding it to your marketing materials.
This is a fun assignment. I don't know if my story is compelling. But here it is:
Doug and I had moved to New Mexico. I was taking poker coaching, and very much enjoying it. Wasn't quite sure I wanted to start playing higher limits.
I'd twice almost signed up for counseling training, and not quite done it. There was something about it that both appealed to me, and didn't feel quite right. I'd studied all the NLP books I could lay my hands on, and also trained as a hypnotist for a year. Still not quite right.
Some of the most brilliant memories of my life have been times when I could be there for someone as they made a new realization about themselves. There is nothing I've done that has had more meaning for me.
So, Doug and I and our cats had moved to a new town. We were looking for a chiropractor. We tried one, and while waiting, I picked up a copy of O. Martha had an article in there, and it mentioned her book Finding Your Own North Star. I was intrigued.
I went to the bookstore and picked up a copy. It was amazing, so exactly to where I wanted to go. I wondered if Martha had a website.
I remember sitting at the computer, feeling like I had been hit by lightning. Martha Beck teaches life coaching. Just thinking about it, I'm tingling again. That is so right.
Then I had to chase Martha down at The Crossings because my email wasn't getting through. Hey, it's only an 8 hour drive! No problem.
But that's another story.
I'm glad to have remembered that. Even though I am frustrated because my practice is not yet paying our bills, there is something real and true and important -- life coaching is a calling for me.
So, eventually, I'll be able to hear what the universe meant when it hit me with lightning.
Until then, continuing on the best I can.
Anna
This is a fun assignment. I don't know if my story is compelling. But here it is:
Doug and I had moved to New Mexico. I was taking poker coaching, and very much enjoying it. Wasn't quite sure I wanted to start playing higher limits.
I'd twice almost signed up for counseling training, and not quite done it. There was something about it that both appealed to me, and didn't feel quite right. I'd studied all the NLP books I could lay my hands on, and also trained as a hypnotist for a year. Still not quite right.
Some of the most brilliant memories of my life have been times when I could be there for someone as they made a new realization about themselves. There is nothing I've done that has had more meaning for me.
So, Doug and I and our cats had moved to a new town. We were looking for a chiropractor. We tried one, and while waiting, I picked up a copy of O. Martha had an article in there, and it mentioned her book Finding Your Own North Star. I was intrigued.
I went to the bookstore and picked up a copy. It was amazing, so exactly to where I wanted to go. I wondered if Martha had a website.
I remember sitting at the computer, feeling like I had been hit by lightning. Martha Beck teaches life coaching. Just thinking about it, I'm tingling again. That is so right.
Then I had to chase Martha down at The Crossings because my email wasn't getting through. Hey, it's only an 8 hour drive! No problem.
But that's another story.
I'm glad to have remembered that. Even though I am frustrated because my practice is not yet paying our bills, there is something real and true and important -- life coaching is a calling for me.
So, eventually, I'll be able to hear what the universe meant when it hit me with lightning.
Until then, continuing on the best I can.
Anna
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Where to blog?
I now have potentially three places to blog. I'm running a minutely detailed journal of my training in business, my marketing efforts, my new realizations, and in-jokes that are funniest to sister Martha Beck coaches within the protected Martha Beck coach forum. I've started a new journal to gather my newsletters at blog.annaparadox.com -- it is not quite ready for prime time. I'm having trouble getting my banner picture to the right size.
And then there is here, my old faithful. How kind to me you have been these long years, oh blog of mine! We've been through changes together. Plenty of stories to tell.
I think it will shake out like this: my personal thoughts will continue to appear here. The Martha Beck coaches forum can enjoy seeing me at my worst. And eventually those posts most likely to match the themes of my business will appear at blog.annaparadox.com.
At the moment, those themes are space activism, science fiction, success and self-help, and writing. Mmmmm, one of these days I may need to trim that list.
Well, we'll see how it rolls along.
Yesterday, I finished the final campaign in Heroes of Might and Magic V. The campaigns in this entry in the series were imaginative and carried a good story along. I liked that.
And this evening, I watched Enchanted at the local second run theater. I enjoyed it.
Wouldn't it be a better world if more people broke out into song and dance?
Anna
And then there is here, my old faithful. How kind to me you have been these long years, oh blog of mine! We've been through changes together. Plenty of stories to tell.
I think it will shake out like this: my personal thoughts will continue to appear here. The Martha Beck coaches forum can enjoy seeing me at my worst. And eventually those posts most likely to match the themes of my business will appear at blog.annaparadox.com.
At the moment, those themes are space activism, science fiction, success and self-help, and writing. Mmmmm, one of these days I may need to trim that list.
Well, we'll see how it rolls along.
Yesterday, I finished the final campaign in Heroes of Might and Magic V. The campaigns in this entry in the series were imaginative and carried a good story along. I liked that.
And this evening, I watched Enchanted at the local second run theater. I enjoyed it.
Wouldn't it be a better world if more people broke out into song and dance?
Anna
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Imperfection
I'm way imperfect. I've made a load of mistakes. I'm subject to bad moods, I've occasionally refused to listen to reason, and I can be incredibly stubborn.
And it was a major teaching moment for me when my coach said, "Anna, you are so, so perfect."
Oh. Because everything is. You are, I am, everything is. So, so perfect. Oh.
A couple weekends ago, I was at the OneCoach Mind, Marketing and Millions event. Jeff Stibel was talking about the secret he's employed to create multiple multi-million dollar businesses by the age of 35. I bet you'd like to know it. Would like me to tell you? Well, ok then, I will.
He fails a lot. He said someday he'd write a book, and he'd call it "Fail Your Way to Success". He said, "If you are not failing, you are not testing."
That last sentence is like a road widening before me. If I really want to find my limits, I'm going to want to fail. A lot. Frequently, repeatedly, in a wide variety of new ways, creatively, successively, reachingly, daringly and progressively.
Wow.
The first way I'm wanting to fail is to be imperfect in public. Which is perfect.
I feel a lot more blogging coming on.
Anna
And it was a major teaching moment for me when my coach said, "Anna, you are so, so perfect."
Oh. Because everything is. You are, I am, everything is. So, so perfect. Oh.
A couple weekends ago, I was at the OneCoach Mind, Marketing and Millions event. Jeff Stibel was talking about the secret he's employed to create multiple multi-million dollar businesses by the age of 35. I bet you'd like to know it. Would like me to tell you? Well, ok then, I will.
He fails a lot. He said someday he'd write a book, and he'd call it "Fail Your Way to Success". He said, "If you are not failing, you are not testing."
That last sentence is like a road widening before me. If I really want to find my limits, I'm going to want to fail. A lot. Frequently, repeatedly, in a wide variety of new ways, creatively, successively, reachingly, daringly and progressively.
Wow.
The first way I'm wanting to fail is to be imperfect in public. Which is perfect.
I feel a lot more blogging coming on.
Anna
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Blogging in sheltered places.
Hello, everyone!
Martha Beck and her group recently created a forum only for Martha Beck Certified Coaches. (Oh, yes -- they also changed the name of our certification from North Star Certified to Martha Beck Certified. Either way, I have that certification.)
After a few weeks, I decided to start a thread that collected all the thoughts and actions I took to work on building my practice. Some angst, some whinging, a lot of small details that I expected only coaches to find interesting, some posts that assumed we shared common experience and language, some wins, some celebrations, useful tactics and more.
I've been having a great time. Writing many, many words there.
There is something interesting about writing to a select group. In a way, it's like letting my inner child play in a gated community. I have appreciated both the extra security (at times) and the shared interests.
I read through the Mark Joyner blogging course. It amuses me a bit to find so many people thinking of blogging as the new, hot thing. This blog is approaching its sixth anniversary.
There wasn't much there I didn't know. It was laid out in the usual very organized and logical fashion for a Mark Joyner product. And the daily learning format is very approachable and effective. Also, it did remind me of some things I've known but haven't applied. That's helpful.
I suggest it more for people who have never blogged, or who want to start a business blog, than for personal bloggers or blogging veterans.
Anyway, one principle of building traffic to a blog -- which this blog has always ignored -- is to focus very tightly on a single subject. It increases your visibility in search engines, and lets people who are interested in that subject know they'll find something of interest in the blogs.
I've been focusing on building a coaching practice inside my gated community. It has its points.
So, I've started the process to create another blog, attached to annaparadox.com, that will repost my twice monthly newsletters and other closely related thoughts. I'll let you know when its ready for public consumption.
Have a great month!
:-)
Anna
Martha Beck and her group recently created a forum only for Martha Beck Certified Coaches. (Oh, yes -- they also changed the name of our certification from North Star Certified to Martha Beck Certified. Either way, I have that certification.)
After a few weeks, I decided to start a thread that collected all the thoughts and actions I took to work on building my practice. Some angst, some whinging, a lot of small details that I expected only coaches to find interesting, some posts that assumed we shared common experience and language, some wins, some celebrations, useful tactics and more.
I've been having a great time. Writing many, many words there.
There is something interesting about writing to a select group. In a way, it's like letting my inner child play in a gated community. I have appreciated both the extra security (at times) and the shared interests.
I read through the Mark Joyner blogging course. It amuses me a bit to find so many people thinking of blogging as the new, hot thing. This blog is approaching its sixth anniversary.
There wasn't much there I didn't know. It was laid out in the usual very organized and logical fashion for a Mark Joyner product. And the daily learning format is very approachable and effective. Also, it did remind me of some things I've known but haven't applied. That's helpful.
I suggest it more for people who have never blogged, or who want to start a business blog, than for personal bloggers or blogging veterans.
Anyway, one principle of building traffic to a blog -- which this blog has always ignored -- is to focus very tightly on a single subject. It increases your visibility in search engines, and lets people who are interested in that subject know they'll find something of interest in the blogs.
I've been focusing on building a coaching practice inside my gated community. It has its points.
So, I've started the process to create another blog, attached to annaparadox.com, that will repost my twice monthly newsletters and other closely related thoughts. I'll let you know when its ready for public consumption.
Have a great month!
:-)
Anna
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Trust and Mark Joyner
So, Mark Joyner has a new course on blogging. I find his Simpleology one of the most useful tools on the web, and have recommended it to a number of folks.
So, I'm going to give him a chance, by posting the following exactly as he offered it:
It's true! I'd say almost the same thing, if I was offering it in my own words. He's earned my trust enough for this.
Let's see what this is all about.
Anna
So, I'm going to give him a chance, by posting the following exactly as he offered it:
I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.
It covers:
- The best blogging techniques.
- How to get traffic to your blog.
- How to turn your blog into money.
I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.
It's true! I'd say almost the same thing, if I was offering it in my own words. He's earned my trust enough for this.
Let's see what this is all about.
Anna
Monday, November 26, 2007
Experimenting with the Vitamix
Hey, folks,
Glad to say I am doing better. My work is gaining traction, and I'm no longer so pressingly impatient with the process. Sometimes a small amount of progress -- just so I can see that progress is happening -- is remarkably reassuring.
So, on to a much more interesting topic -- what I'm trying in my smoothies. I recently read that if you have a high powered blender -- in the three or four horsepower range -- you can put the avocado seed in along with the avocado. Even more, it is supposed to be very healthy! Well, that certainly saves some trouble.
So today I peeled an avocado and tossed it in the Vitamix. Also a banana, some frozen mixed fruit, several slices from a large mango. I tried to put in a pomegranate, but the pickiness of gathering the seeds out of the sections stopped being fun about one quarter of the way through. Some soy milk to improve the texture, some vitamin powder, and some greens -- mustard greens, I really never eat enough greens and surely a heaping tablespoon of them will disappear -- and I'm all set.
The color is a little greenish. Next time, some beet might be good for color. (Don't tell Doug.) And a little more chilling might be good -- next time, a bit more frozen ingredients. The flavor is great! Yeay, lunch!
I did squirt pomegranate juice onto my yellow t-shirt. That looks a little permanent. Oh, well.
Have a great day! Eat well, too!
Anna
Glad to say I am doing better. My work is gaining traction, and I'm no longer so pressingly impatient with the process. Sometimes a small amount of progress -- just so I can see that progress is happening -- is remarkably reassuring.
So, on to a much more interesting topic -- what I'm trying in my smoothies. I recently read that if you have a high powered blender -- in the three or four horsepower range -- you can put the avocado seed in along with the avocado. Even more, it is supposed to be very healthy! Well, that certainly saves some trouble.
So today I peeled an avocado and tossed it in the Vitamix. Also a banana, some frozen mixed fruit, several slices from a large mango. I tried to put in a pomegranate, but the pickiness of gathering the seeds out of the sections stopped being fun about one quarter of the way through. Some soy milk to improve the texture, some vitamin powder, and some greens -- mustard greens, I really never eat enough greens and surely a heaping tablespoon of them will disappear -- and I'm all set.
The color is a little greenish. Next time, some beet might be good for color. (Don't tell Doug.) And a little more chilling might be good -- next time, a bit more frozen ingredients. The flavor is great! Yeay, lunch!
I did squirt pomegranate juice onto my yellow t-shirt. That looks a little permanent. Oh, well.
Have a great day! Eat well, too!
Anna
Thursday, October 25, 2007
More ups and downs
I gained some perspective and felt pretty good for a couple days there. Today again, the despair hit like a ton of molasses. It seems so hard to move. Everything is bogged down and slowed. The requests I send in for support receive slow, slow attention -- so slow that in some cases, I don't know if anyone has heard me at all.
We have run out of Kim Chee seasoning. I know four ways to order more. I can't seem to choose. Simply overwhelmed at deciding whether to buy a bulk three and a half pounds for $19.89 or 24 packets of just over an ounce each for $22, or one packet for $11.50. It's a product from Hawaii, and ordering small amounts incurs a hideous postage cost. All three prices include postage. On one hand, one packet would last me at least two months. On the other hand, the single packet price is ridiculous.
The fourth option? Ask my local supermarket to try to get it. At an uncertain price, uncertain success, and with another uncertain delay.
Bleck. I sound awful today. I knew that. Getting some words down makes it really obvious.
There are projects I'm committed to. There are steps I could take that would put me on the path to increasing my income so I wouldn't be woggled considering small financial consequences like buying the Kim Chee seasoning. I wish I had someone more to listen to me.
If I could buy my own service today, I'd get it in a heartbeat.
Anna
We have run out of Kim Chee seasoning. I know four ways to order more. I can't seem to choose. Simply overwhelmed at deciding whether to buy a bulk three and a half pounds for $19.89 or 24 packets of just over an ounce each for $22, or one packet for $11.50. It's a product from Hawaii, and ordering small amounts incurs a hideous postage cost. All three prices include postage. On one hand, one packet would last me at least two months. On the other hand, the single packet price is ridiculous.
The fourth option? Ask my local supermarket to try to get it. At an uncertain price, uncertain success, and with another uncertain delay.
Bleck. I sound awful today. I knew that. Getting some words down makes it really obvious.
There are projects I'm committed to. There are steps I could take that would put me on the path to increasing my income so I wouldn't be woggled considering small financial consequences like buying the Kim Chee seasoning. I wish I had someone more to listen to me.
If I could buy my own service today, I'd get it in a heartbeat.
Anna
Monday, October 22, 2007
Really scared
So, I joined OneCoach, and started a process to play business on a larger scale than I ever have before.
It went amazingly well for the first few days. I had some great ideas for new services I could offer. I made a plan to cooperate with a member of my networking group to offer more value at a seminar he is giving soon. I was making fast progress.
And then the fear hit. Really, truly petrified. Wave after wave, almost unable to move. Critical thoughts proclaiming loudly that I don't have any right to raise my income, that my services aren't valuable, and who do I think I am, anyway?
It hurt.
I know the theory about how moving out of our comfort zones causes fear. I know several methods for reducing fear. That didn't stop the physical reality of it, my body weak and drooping, struggling to sleep, craving sugar and grease. Hard, it's so hard.
I'm even scared to write about it. People will see this and know I'm not perfect. I'm going to blow my cover and never get clients again. More fearful thoughts on every hand.
But they are just thoughts. In life coaching, we are not required to be perfect. Especially through North Star, where one of our watchwords is TAO for Transparent, Authentic, and Open. Yes, our imperfections are visible. Truth creates freedom, and the truth is that I am suffering today as I expand my horizons. I'm frightened to aim higher than I have before. It is the right kind of fear. This kind of fear is actually a sign post that I am moving in the right direction.
So, I am practicing remembering how real and physical this is. I want to understand what you are going through, if you find this fear too. And, eventually, I want to be able to let you know that I made it through.
It is very fortunate that coaching is not based on me being perfect. I don't even have to be smarter or wiser than my clients. I'm certain to know less than they do about being them. What I do provide is an outside perspective, my knowledge of coaching, and my experience of being me.
May we both reach higher ground.
Anna
It went amazingly well for the first few days. I had some great ideas for new services I could offer. I made a plan to cooperate with a member of my networking group to offer more value at a seminar he is giving soon. I was making fast progress.
And then the fear hit. Really, truly petrified. Wave after wave, almost unable to move. Critical thoughts proclaiming loudly that I don't have any right to raise my income, that my services aren't valuable, and who do I think I am, anyway?
It hurt.
I know the theory about how moving out of our comfort zones causes fear. I know several methods for reducing fear. That didn't stop the physical reality of it, my body weak and drooping, struggling to sleep, craving sugar and grease. Hard, it's so hard.
I'm even scared to write about it. People will see this and know I'm not perfect. I'm going to blow my cover and never get clients again. More fearful thoughts on every hand.
But they are just thoughts. In life coaching, we are not required to be perfect. Especially through North Star, where one of our watchwords is TAO for Transparent, Authentic, and Open. Yes, our imperfections are visible. Truth creates freedom, and the truth is that I am suffering today as I expand my horizons. I'm frightened to aim higher than I have before. It is the right kind of fear. This kind of fear is actually a sign post that I am moving in the right direction.
So, I am practicing remembering how real and physical this is. I want to understand what you are going through, if you find this fear too. And, eventually, I want to be able to let you know that I made it through.
It is very fortunate that coaching is not based on me being perfect. I don't even have to be smarter or wiser than my clients. I'm certain to know less than they do about being them. What I do provide is an outside perspective, my knowledge of coaching, and my experience of being me.
May we both reach higher ground.
Anna
Thursday, August 23, 2007
A huge split test
I have two professional websites now: wingsofinfinity.com and annaparadox.com. Until recently, I had wingsofinfinity.com redirected to annaparadox.com. Then I copied most of annaparadox.com over to wingsofinfinity.com. Now they are beginning to diverge.
On the one hand, my ideal vision for my life coaching practice is to be the premiere life coach for science fiction fans in the English speaking world, and offer the best success tools to that audience in their language. On the other hand, I live in Las Cruces, and do my live networking here, and the science fiction concept met blank looks and confusion. I heard things like "But you can help so many more people than that!" and "I'm really glad I tried you, now that I know you are not weird."
Finally, I realized the best way to meet both desires was to split the way I talked about my life coach practice into two parts. Wingsofinfinity.com
is now developing as the general life coaching site to serve Las Cruces. Annaparadox.com is becoming the specialized site to serve the science fiction community.
Splitting the two will also serve as a very interesting experiment. Which will work better?
I'm having a great adventure developing my web presence and my business as a life coach. It's a lot of fun. I really enjoy the coaching and the web building.
It's all a work in progress. Meanwhile, there are some valuable success tools in my newsletter. If you haven't yet subscribed to Creating Space, take a look at the back issues at annaparadox.com/newsletter. The newsletter is my gift to the community.
After all, it is my mission to spread the best success tools to science fiction fans.
On the one hand, my ideal vision for my life coaching practice is to be the premiere life coach for science fiction fans in the English speaking world, and offer the best success tools to that audience in their language. On the other hand, I live in Las Cruces, and do my live networking here, and the science fiction concept met blank looks and confusion. I heard things like "But you can help so many more people than that!" and "I'm really glad I tried you, now that I know you are not weird."
Finally, I realized the best way to meet both desires was to split the way I talked about my life coach practice into two parts. Wingsofinfinity.com
is now developing as the general life coaching site to serve Las Cruces. Annaparadox.com is becoming the specialized site to serve the science fiction community.
Splitting the two will also serve as a very interesting experiment. Which will work better?
I'm having a great adventure developing my web presence and my business as a life coach. It's a lot of fun. I really enjoy the coaching and the web building.
It's all a work in progress. Meanwhile, there are some valuable success tools in my newsletter. If you haven't yet subscribed to Creating Space, take a look at the back issues at annaparadox.com/newsletter. The newsletter is my gift to the community.
After all, it is my mission to spread the best success tools to science fiction fans.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Progress
Check out Doug's blog at www.gdunge.com. He has a really great update on what we've been up to.
I've been working and reworking my business website, www.annaparadox.com. I'm looking for the words that will connect me to the people I can serve. It's surprisingly hard. I'm very happy with the recent upgrade to my graphics. Meanwhile, I have a handful of clients to serve, and that is going very well, and I'm working on a workbook to teach writers to write enjoyably whenever they want -- no more writer's block, no more fighting uphill against an internal critic.
I'm remarkably busy. It's good work.
Doug is looking forward to going back to class. He'll also be working on campus, with his workstudy grant. So everything on his schedule will be within walking distance. That's very convenient. Even though his summer job was only ten minute's drive away, the gas use and time loss add up quickly. Yes, walking takes time, too. Unlike driving, it improves his health.
And, selfishly, I will be glad to be able to run errands without the extra complication of driving him to work. An additional benefit is that he often stops at the grocery store on his way home, so I spend little time shopping during school. We'll see how it goes now that he is in class full time and working as well. With both of us putting in long hours, it will be helpful to stay conscious about saving time for each other, and keeping our stress down.
And that's the way it goes! We keep doing our work and looking out for each other!
May your alliances strengthen everyone involved.
Anna
I've been working and reworking my business website, www.annaparadox.com. I'm looking for the words that will connect me to the people I can serve. It's surprisingly hard. I'm very happy with the recent upgrade to my graphics. Meanwhile, I have a handful of clients to serve, and that is going very well, and I'm working on a workbook to teach writers to write enjoyably whenever they want -- no more writer's block, no more fighting uphill against an internal critic.
I'm remarkably busy. It's good work.
Doug is looking forward to going back to class. He'll also be working on campus, with his workstudy grant. So everything on his schedule will be within walking distance. That's very convenient. Even though his summer job was only ten minute's drive away, the gas use and time loss add up quickly. Yes, walking takes time, too. Unlike driving, it improves his health.
And, selfishly, I will be glad to be able to run errands without the extra complication of driving him to work. An additional benefit is that he often stops at the grocery store on his way home, so I spend little time shopping during school. We'll see how it goes now that he is in class full time and working as well. With both of us putting in long hours, it will be helpful to stay conscious about saving time for each other, and keeping our stress down.
And that's the way it goes! We keep doing our work and looking out for each other!
May your alliances strengthen everyone involved.
Anna
Monday, July 30, 2007
Camino saves me time!
I recently upgraded my web browser to the latest version of Camino. Looking through the preferences for a way to turn off the spellchecker (story for another time), I found an option to block Flash.
I love this! Many websites are loading much more quickly. I don't get distracting motion in my field of vision. It saves me time and bandwidth.
For example, I had one site that sends me an email every week, inviting me to listen to the answer to a business question. Often, I'm interested in the answer. But if I went to the site, the Flash would swamp my browser. I had to walk away from the computer, go check the land mail, get a glass of water, stretch for a minute or two. Then, when I came back, maybe the audio would be ready to play, and maybe it wouldn't.
All because the site designer put a rotating question mark in the margin of the page, and chose an inelegant solution for providing the audios. Completely useless.
Now it loads at a more reasonable pace. I've listened to more of the audios, now that I don't have the hurdle of a long wait keeping me from them.
What if I want to see a piece of Flash animation? No problem! Camino puts a button where the Flash goes. I can click on it, and then the Flash plays. Always at my choice.
It's the evolution of the web, become as useful and reasonable as pop-up blockers and anti-spam email filters.
Camino is a Mac browser from the Mozilla group. We're running it very happily under Mac OS 10.3.9 If you run something else, I'm sure you can find someone who can advise you on what would work for you.
May you have great control of your virtual environment.
I love this! Many websites are loading much more quickly. I don't get distracting motion in my field of vision. It saves me time and bandwidth.
For example, I had one site that sends me an email every week, inviting me to listen to the answer to a business question. Often, I'm interested in the answer. But if I went to the site, the Flash would swamp my browser. I had to walk away from the computer, go check the land mail, get a glass of water, stretch for a minute or two. Then, when I came back, maybe the audio would be ready to play, and maybe it wouldn't.
All because the site designer put a rotating question mark in the margin of the page, and chose an inelegant solution for providing the audios. Completely useless.
Now it loads at a more reasonable pace. I've listened to more of the audios, now that I don't have the hurdle of a long wait keeping me from them.
What if I want to see a piece of Flash animation? No problem! Camino puts a button where the Flash goes. I can click on it, and then the Flash plays. Always at my choice.
It's the evolution of the web, become as useful and reasonable as pop-up blockers and anti-spam email filters.
Camino is a Mac browser from the Mozilla group. We're running it very happily under Mac OS 10.3.9 If you run something else, I'm sure you can find someone who can advise you on what would work for you.
May you have great control of your virtual environment.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Monsoon Season
Las Cruces used to get most of its annual moisture in a two week 'monsoon season'. Two weeks in summer would have a lot of thunderstorms -- gully washers, even -- and that would be it. The rest of the year would be dry.
Last year, monsoon season uncharacteristically lasted twelve weeks.
It's running long this year, too. My theory is that higher temperatures lift more water out of the gulf, and higher air pressures carry it over here to dump it.
Ever since we watched An Inconvenient Truth, I've been drying most of the laundry on a rack and a couple lines in the laundry room. I like to catch the towels when they are not quite dry and tumble them a little to soften them.
Now that it's monsoon season -- the towels just stay at not quite dry. Nothing is drying that well on the rack or lines.
So, the heat create extra moisture that slows drying that tempts me to use the dryer and create more heat -- a vicious cycle.
I'll be glad when the air dries out a bit more.
Last year, monsoon season uncharacteristically lasted twelve weeks.
It's running long this year, too. My theory is that higher temperatures lift more water out of the gulf, and higher air pressures carry it over here to dump it.
Ever since we watched An Inconvenient Truth, I've been drying most of the laundry on a rack and a couple lines in the laundry room. I like to catch the towels when they are not quite dry and tumble them a little to soften them.
Now that it's monsoon season -- the towels just stay at not quite dry. Nothing is drying that well on the rack or lines.
So, the heat create extra moisture that slows drying that tempts me to use the dryer and create more heat -- a vicious cycle.
I'll be glad when the air dries out a bit more.
Friday, June 29, 2007
The house is staying cleaner
All of a sudden, it seems we keep on top of the dishes and the vaccuuming. It's very odd, really. At some point, Doug and I both looked around and said, hey! this place looks better with the floors and counters cleared. And the habits to keep them that way just seemed to happen.
I'm glad to report that I still don't fold fitted sheets as neatly as flat sheets.
May what's important to you come with ease.
Anna
I'm glad to report that I still don't fold fitted sheets as neatly as flat sheets.
May what's important to you come with ease.
Anna
Friday, June 15, 2007
Wood tastes better than metal
Hey!
It's been a while. I have been measurably swamped. With good stuff. The life coaching business is picking up speed, and Tommy's book nears completion. I can hardly wait to be able to show it to people.
Do you know, silverware tastes wrong to me with Chinese food. So I tasted metal and I tasted wood, and wood tastes better to me. Something I probably never would have noticed if I hadn't learned to use chopsticks.
I'm sure there's something profound in there. I'm taking a day off, so I won't dig for it.
Have a great day!
Anna
It's been a while. I have been measurably swamped. With good stuff. The life coaching business is picking up speed, and Tommy's book nears completion. I can hardly wait to be able to show it to people.
Do you know, silverware tastes wrong to me with Chinese food. So I tasted metal and I tasted wood, and wood tastes better to me. Something I probably never would have noticed if I hadn't learned to use chopsticks.
I'm sure there's something profound in there. I'm taking a day off, so I won't dig for it.
Have a great day!
Anna
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Too busy?
I just sat down to make myself a to do list, and added over sixty items to it. Hmmm. Some of them are simple, like feed the cats. Some of them are entire projects in themselves, like build a Paypal shopping cart. After all, I still need to create the products that would go in the cart.
I didn't even notice Tuesday passing without a blog this week. Not until Thursday.
So it's quite possible the 'blog every Tuesday' plan has run its course. I'm not sure it still serves a purpose. I have my twice monthly newsletter, Creating Space, to connect on a regular basis. It's more structured and more focused than the blog, and in its five issue life is already receiving much more response than this blog.
So, notice is hereby served: I'm going back to posting irregularly. I'll write here when I wish to. When this is the best forum for my passing thoughts, or when inspiration strikes.
The newsletter, for more regular communications, is available at annaparadox.com/newsletter.
I continue to wish you all the best.
Anna
I didn't even notice Tuesday passing without a blog this week. Not until Thursday.
So it's quite possible the 'blog every Tuesday' plan has run its course. I'm not sure it still serves a purpose. I have my twice monthly newsletter, Creating Space, to connect on a regular basis. It's more structured and more focused than the blog, and in its five issue life is already receiving much more response than this blog.
So, notice is hereby served: I'm going back to posting irregularly. I'll write here when I wish to. When this is the best forum for my passing thoughts, or when inspiration strikes.
The newsletter, for more regular communications, is available at annaparadox.com/newsletter.
I continue to wish you all the best.
Anna
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