Have you ever noticed in our world of tweets, emails, and texting (just to mention a few modes of communication used nowadays) that there are a lot of people chatting, but are they really being heard?  Are we really listening to each other?

We receive Twitter messages in our email, but do we really have communication with the person who initiated the message?  How many times do we just hit “delete” and move onto the next message in our inbox.  The same thing applies to messages we receive from Facebook that someone either wants us to confirm their friendship or comment on one of our posts.  Do we always respond?

Then there are actual email messages.  First thing in the morning before scurrying to begin a busy day we sit down to check our inbox. We tend to scan messages we have received, maybe answer one or two of high importance and make a mental note to respond to those which remain.  Before we know it the day has ended, we are ready to eat dinner and spend a relaxing evening with our family and then it is off to bed.  The “respond to later” group grows daily.  Often times they just get deleted once too much time has elapsed.  Here we find a break in the chain of communication.

We are definitely living in an age of advanced communication technology.  We have computers for our Tweets and Facebook posts, IPhones, BlackBerrys and plain cell phones.  Can you remember when we did not have a cell phone?

With the use of blue tooth it took me a while not to respond to a person standing next to me in a store when the spoke.  I now know that they are speaking with someone on their cell phone.

If you take your kids to the park to spend “quality” time with them and you get a call, or a text message how long is it before you forget why you are there?  How long is it before your children just decide that they are not being heard?  You are busy with a digital conversation. The face-to-face communication with your child has run amuck.

A cell phone is great when we need to take care of an emergency at work and put a solution into the works.  However, how many times are you out to dinner with your spouse, or family and they are looking forward to your being part of the occasion, and you get that dreaded call demanding your full attention.  Communication at your table comes to a standstill!  They are talking, but you are not listening.

We are living in a culture that demands constant connectivity with no respect to what we are personally doing.  You could be having dinner out, or at home, sleeping or in the shower and our hand held devices have no mercy.  We snap to attention.

Whatever happened to our face-to-face communication? I have a very dear friend who made a very wise comment to me.  He told me that he did not send emails, or read them.  “Emails do not tell me how you are really feeling,” he said.  How true is that?  Granted we can express our thoughts in an email, and even put a certain tone in what we are saying, but where is the personal interaction we used to enjoy?

Another misuse of emails or texting, in my opinion, is when a person goes on a rant about something they are displeased with and without truly considering their words they put how they feel out there and do not really care about the person on the other end reading it.  Unfortunately, as much as the world is a much smaller place and people are able to stay in contact more readily with digital capabilities, our personal consideration of others can get lost.  Once those words are out there the damage is done, you cannot take them back.

Obviously, I am part of the digital world of communication.  I appreciate your reading my article.  I also personally realize, from the expression on a child’s face, or even on an adult’s face, the importance of being listened to and truly heard.

In closing, I am hoping that this might prompt some thoughts on sharing your voice, your true personal face-to-face communication and actually listening to a person to hear what they are trying to say.  We need to step back and realize that conversation, as we once knew it, is on the decline.  We also need to recognize how conversation is changing and try to keep somewhat a balance in our communication.

Happy Tweeting, Texting and Chit Chatting.  Make sure that when all is said and done you have been truly listening and heard what has been said!

Judy Conway
Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
Skype ID: judy.conway
http://homebusinessinatlanta.com
http://fullservicemarketingtools.com

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The cost of prescriptions is on the rise.  Many people have been laid off and find themselves without health insurance.  This situation necessitates looking for less expensive medications or different means for obtaining them.    Is this uncertain economy, affording health care and medications can be a real challenge.  I hope the tips I offer in this article will help you save money on your medications.

Go Generic – Take a close look at the medications you are taking.  If you are not already taking generic drugs, this is one place you can cut costs.  The cost is the major difference between brand-name and generic drugs.

If you are unsure, check with your physician.  Even when purchasing non-prescription items, if you check the labels you will find the ingredients are the same in store-brand or name-brand items.

Generic drugs can save you up to 90%.  If a generic-brand is not available see if there is a similar drug in the same class that has a generic version available.  As an example, Lipitor a cholesterol drug does not have a generic equivalent but Zocor another statin does.

Cut your pills in half enabling you to cut the costs. Drugs, as a rule, cost the same regardless of the dosage.  If you are taking a dosage of 50 mg ask your doctor to write a script for 100mg allowing you to split the pill in half and get “double” for your money.  You will need to discuss this option with your doctor.

Do your homework – The internet has a wealth of information. You can cut your prescription costs by 70% by shopping online.  Be sure to check with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacies (NABP) at http://www.nabp.net for a list of reputable, recognizable sites.  The sites listed at NABP have earned a Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) Accreditation.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration at http://fda.gov/oc/buyonline can also provide advice on buying medications on line.

Order by mail – if you are fortunate to have health insurance, many plans allows you to purchase a 90-day supply at a lower cost than what you would pay at your local pharmacy.  If you choose this method be sure to order your medications two weeks in advance so you do not risk running out.

$4.00 Generic Drugs – Many pharmacies offer a generic $4.00 per month or $10.00 for a 90-day supply for certain generic drugs.  Ask your pharmacy for a list of the drugs they provide on this program.  Here I would like to offer a word of caution.  Just because your doctor is prescribing a generic drug does not mean it is definitely on this program. I personally take Tricor and my doctor wrote me a script for the generic brand.  I was in a state of shock when my pharmacist told me it cost $144.00. for a 90-day supply.  Needless to say, I did not buy those and went through the necessary steps to have the brand-name Tricor sent out from the pharmaceutical manufacturer for zero cost.

Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs – If you have little or no prescription drug coverage, you definitely want to check into this option.

Major pharmaceutical companies provide drugs for free or at a low cost to people who qualify.  You can find more information by going online to the pharmaceutical manufacturer of your drug.  You will find applications on their website that you can print out or request.  You will need to complete the application, get your doctor to fill in his applicable section, provide copies of your last two years of income tax returns,  and social security payment information, if that applies.

There are also companies, such as RX for Less that will take care of submitting your forms for a nominal fee.  If you have the time, filling out these forms and submitting them is not difficult and will help you save the cost of administration services.

If you decide to go directly through your pharmaceutical manufacturer, be sure you mark on your calendar when you will need to request a refill so you do not run out.  This all takes some effort on your part, but the savings are substantial.

I hope that this information will help you save money on medications.

I wish you good health!

Judy Conway

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A very wise person once anonymously wrote, “Excellence is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution and the vision to see obstacles.” This statement can serve to stimulate our thoughts. A job well done does not come about out of the blue. Planning and effort have been initiated to achieve the end results.

If we are going on a vacation, the first thing we usually do is plan where we are going, what we will take with us and what exciting things we will do once we get where we are going. I find it unsettling that we put more effort and thought into planning a vacation than we do in planning our lives and future!

How often do we live our lives without a specific destination in mind? This can start at an early age. We graduate high school or college with no concrete plans for a career. This spills over into other areas of our lives. We meet that special someone and we decide to get married. Have we considered the possibility of children? What impact will children have on our careers? How many people just charge ahead without giving any thought to finances, education, and spiritual activities? These things all require planning an intelligent direction with a sincere effort for skillful execution. If we live our lives by just passing through these various phases we probably will not accomplish our goals and dreams.

Most people admit that they could live better lives achieving their full potential if they would do planning.

How often do we find ourselves wandering aimlessly around only performing a less than adequate job because we did not really plan the route to our destination. We might not be inspired by what we are doing. If we intentionally plan our future we will be more apt to fulfill our aspirations.

Our everyday skills of being a successful parent, a good spouse, employee or overall person will take focusing on those items. We will achieve skillful execution of the various aspects of our life by disciplined practice and planning. Writing down goals and tracking our progress can be very beneficial.

Napoleon Hill, in his timeless classic, “Think and Grow Rich,” recommends and promotes the “mastermind” group theory. He describes the mastermind group as any group of like-minded people assembled for the attainment of a worthwhile goal.

Directors are much like a mastermind group giving guidance and direction essential to achieve success in a corporation.  This mastermind group concentrates on an “intelligent direction.” If you are finding it difficult to execute your vision, you need to seek counsel with like-minded people to guide you in reaching your destination.

We can learn to make lemonade when we are given lemons. It takes a visionary to see an obstacle as an opportunity. Hardships serve to build our character and help us become stronger, more focused individuals.

It is our choice whether we want to live lives of mediocrity or excellence.  Planning, high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution and the vision to see obstacles will be the tools that will bring us excellence!

I wish you a life of excellence!

Judy Conway
http://homebusinessinatlanta.com
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Email:  judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
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Who would think that the reason you are not losing weight might be because you are not eating sufficient carbohydrates? (Good ones, of course!)  If you have Metabolism B and are following the Metabolism Miracle eating program it is important that you remember to eat 11 – 20 g net carbs every 5 hours in Step Two.

I hit a plateau on my Metabolism Miracle eating program and was becoming quite frustrated by not losing more weight.  I went over everything I was doing and hit upon the fact that once you have come through Step One on this eating program and you begin introducing carbs back into your diet in Step Two it is imperative to consume six or more carb servings per day. These servings must be 11 – 20 net low-impact carbs .

In Step Two you are allowed to reintroduce specified cereals and grains consisting of cooked oatmeal, cooked barley, brown or wild rice, whole-grain pasta, bulgur and dry cereal with 2 grams of fiber or more.

A greater variety of vegetables and legumes are allowed in Step Two such as corn, beets, peas, sweet potatoes or yams, carrots, kidney beans, lima beans, chickpeas, black and white beans.

Various fruits are reintroduced into your diet in Step Two. I really like fruit so this was a yummy addition to my diet!  On the acceptable list is apples, pears, peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries, natural applesauce, grapefruit, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, oranges, pineapple cubes, dried apricot halves and bananas.

For those of us who enjoy milk, Step Two has a great addition of fat-free, nonfat, 1%, 2% and skim milk.  You can also enjoy plain yogurt containing 11-20 g net carbs. Fruit-flavored yogurt sweetened with Splenda or sucralose – 11 – 20 g net carbs can be used.   If you like buttermilk you can include that in your diet (11 – 20 g net carbs).  If you are looking for desserts other than jello and flavored ricotta, you can now once again enjoy sugar-free/fat-free pudding (11 – 20 g net carb) and no-sugar-added ice cream products sweetened with Splenda (11 – 20 g net carbs).  I believe Bryers has an ice cream that will fit into this category.

Timing is very critical in Step Two.  It is important that you never go more than five hours without an 11 -20 gram net carbs serving.  You want to keep your metabolism stoked.  If you forget to do this, your liver will over compensate with glycogen.  This will cause stress on your pancreas and cause weight gain.

Step Two is a safe, nutritionally balanced diet that you can stay on as long as you like and continue to lose weight.  Once you have reached your weight goal Step Three details how you can keep weight off for the rest of your life and be healthy in the process.

As the book, The Metabolism Miracle goes into great detail and explanations on the changes taking place in your body, I would greatly suggest purchasing this book.  Mine is never very far away.  It is helpful in making up my menus and shopping lists.  It is a very small investment to make for a healthy body and eliminating the medications I am currently on.

I found that Amazon had a reasonable price for this book.  If you can find other things to put with your order adding up to $25.00 shipping will be free.  Check out the link below.

As always, I wish you great success in your journey to a healthier body.

Judy Conway

Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com

http://fullservicemarketingtools.com

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Have you ever dreamed of having a home based catering business?  If you have a love of cooking this would be a great career.

In many homes nowadays both parents are working.  Economic pressures require a double income.  Schedules are hectic and it is very difficult to prepare wholesome, nutritious meals.

A catering business can be very lucrative in providing daily meals for these families (singles or couples).  You would not only be preparing delicious meals but eliminating the stress that these people feel when they under the pressure of shopping and cooking.  They would have more time to enjoy each other and do the things they enjoy most.

Before you jump into your apron, here are some things you want to consider:

What will be the name of your business?

Are you doing this by yourself or will you have a partner?  If you have a partner will you both be responsible for the cooking, or will one take care of the administrative duties?  In the future you may find the need to hire a cook.  Dependability is a required.

Create a business plan that you can use if you need to get financing.

Check with your local food administration authorities about the laws governing your type of business.  Find out the appropriate licenses and permits you will need.  Check into these details first so you will not have problems in the future.

Decide on what types of meals you are going to provide.  You will want to include two or three choices daily.  Once you establish your clientele you can give them an order form of the various meals available on certain days.  You can establish the time frame you want to maintain.  A week or two ahead have the forms returned to you. You can come up with a computerized form that you can email your clients and they can email you their choices. Do whatever you can to automate your business and eliminate unnecessary legwork. You will have to decide what works best for you.  You will want a week’s notice for shopping and preparation purposes.

If you want to specialize utilizing your specific cooking/baking talents, your catering service could be for special soups, desserts or birthday cakes.  This is your choice.

Pricing your meals will be more of a challenge.  You will want to keep your costs as low as possible in order to have a desirable profit.  Call other catering businesses to get an idea of what your completion is charging.  You do not want to price your meals so high that you will price yourself out of the market.  Allow for a fluctuation margin in market prices.

You will want to buy in bulk.  Get a membership at your local wholesale club.  This will save you quite a bit.  You still want to be a savvy shopper as there are times when your local supermarket’s prices are lower than the wholesale club.

Bulk shopping will necessitate your knowledge of the shelf life of the foods you are storing. When in doubt of how to, and how long to store food items, the internet holds a wealth of information at your fingertips.

How are you going to advertise your business?  Of course, word of mouth continues to be one of the best forms of advertisement.  You should consider flyers, or posters that you can leave at various businesses in your area. You will be able to create and print these on your computer. This will cut printing costs. Newspapers and mail coupon services can get the word out to many, but will be more costly.

You may want to consider designing a web page so that you can create an internet presence. Print up business cards including your web address. Get permission to leave this in places such as the doctor’s office, dentist, or hairdresser. Design your website so you have your weekly choices listed and your contact information.

If you go this route, you will want to find a web hosting company that also provides you internet marketing tools.  I know of one company that has a bulk emailing program, with an auto responder where you can set up various campaigns. It also provides a video producer with templates that you can create for your specific business.  The best part of this company is that they have training by professionals in the industry.  If you are a cook, more than likely, you are not overly versed in computers!!

How are you going to get the meals to your customers?  They can pick them up from your home or you could deliver to their place for a set fee.  You will need to put great thought into planning your cooking and delivery schedule.  As a suggestion, allow yourself about one hour to an hour and a half.

What type of containers are you going to use to pack your meals? As there is a possibility that the food may need to be reheated, you will have to take this into consideration when purchasing containers. Look into microwavable items. A wholesale club usually has great prices on food containers.

Be a good planner.  The internet will provide you with an endless supply of recipes and ideas for different meals.  If you are cooking for a family with children, take this into consideration. Spicy does not always work with little ones!

When you purchase your fresh produce make sure it is cleaned properly and when possible cut and ready for use.

Keep a cautious eye on your costs.

You want to develop a good relationship with your clients.  When possible, satisfy special requests. Always be the type of person that you would want to work with.

As suppliers are an important element in your business you want to develop a good relationship in this area.  This will go a long way in getting better service.

It is up to you to decide on how large of a business you want to create.  A small business will be easier to handle.  Once it grows it will necessitate hiring additional staff members. But then again this would translate into greater revenue.

As an added suggestion, be sure to keep your recipes either on the computer or in a binder in protective sheets.  Who know, someday you can add to your business profits by publishing a cookbook of your catering recipes.

I hope that your love of cooking will be the first step to initiating a profitable home based catering business.  I wish you all the best and a kitchen filled with aromas of happiness and success!

Happy Cooking,

Judy Conway

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February 2nd, 2010 update!!  Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning … so we will have six more weeks of winter!!

Earliest references to Groundhog Day can be traced back to February 4^th, 1841.  Pennsylvania at the Historical Society of Berks County has information noted by James Morris, a storekeeper from Morgantown, in his diary on February 2^nd making reference to a German holiday known as Candlemas day (precursor to Groundhog Day) back then.

German tradition stated that if the sun comes out on Candlemas the groundhog will see his shadow and retreat back to his winter quarters for another six weeks.  After arriving in Pennsylvania the Germans continued this tradition using what we know as groundhogs to predict the weather.

Groundhog Day was first officially celebrated on February 2nd, 1886 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.  Clymer Freas, the editor of The Punxsutawney Spirit, posted a proclamation that at the time the paper went to press the groundhog had not seen his shadow.

The following year The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club (of which Freas was a member) made the first legendary trip to Gobbler’s Knob in search of “Phil” the Punxsutawney groundhog.  The groundhog’s full name, as given by the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club in 1887, is “Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extraordinary.”  Phil’s fame has spread world-wide.

For the better part of the year Phil actually lives in a climate-controlled home at the Punxsutawney Library.  On February 2^nd he is taken to Gobbler’s Knob and placed in a heated burrow underneath a fabricated tree stump on a stage.  He is then pulled out at 7:25 AM to give his prediction.

People, including news reporters, travel annually to Punxsutawney, located in Western Pennsylvania about 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, to cover Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction.   It is a big celebration.  If you are planning on being part of this annual weather prediction plan to arrive no later than 6 AM.  There is no parking at Gobbler’s Knob so you will have to take one of the shuttles.  You might want to make it a weekend excursion and enjoy all of the action-packed activities ranging from a chili cook-off, trivia contests, ice carving exhibitions, the Prognosticators Ball, sleigh rides, etc.  There are even groundhog day weddings and if you celebrate your birthday on February 2^nd you can share the special day with others attending Phil’s Birthday Celebration.

The amount of attention Phil receives must be the envy of our “technical” weather forecasters!

Below are 4 things you might not know about groundhogs and their role in weather prognostication:

1. Groundhogs, scientifically known as Marmota monax, are related to squirrels.   If predators are scarce and a groundhog can find abundant alfalfa is abundant, they can grow to three feet in length (tail included) and may weigh as much as 30 pounds. Groundhogs have been known to live as long as 22 years in captivity. Zoo life agrees with them as well.
2. American groundhogs, mostly brown tinged with gray, are found from Alabama to Alaska. They live in the lowlands.
3. Groundhogs are called by many names.  In some areas groundhogs are they are as marmots; in others they are called land beavers or, sometimes, “whistle pigs” because of they are inclined to sit on their hind legs near their burrows and make a whistling noise to alert their neighbors when danger (a coyote or an eagle, for example) approaches.
4. Regardless of the hype, groundhogs’ ability to predict the weather for the final six weeks of winter (that amount of time is fixed by the calendar) is no better than random chance.

So as Groundhog day is upon us, start your own tradition.  If you do not already own a copy of the Groundhog Day movie starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, consider getting one.  Curl up with a bowl of popcorn and enjoy your evening.

Here is hoping that we are NOT going to have six more weeks of winter!

Judy Conway

Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com

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