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One of the things I do which I have not really talked much about, is visualization. So, today, I want to just talk about it a little bit.

There are several versions of visualization. One of the most common lately seems to be vision board idea from the movie, The Secret. Basically, it’s a poster with a bunch of pictures, words, ideas and etc of things you want in your life. You create this poster and hang it where you can see it now and then.

About 7 or so years ago, I took a course and we studied some of these things. We did several techniques of the vision board – we made mobiles with things we wanted career wise and we made rock gardens that were labeled with things we wanted in all areas of our lives. In fact, I still have them and there is only 1 thing in my rock garden that has not yet happened. It will at some point, I believe.

But anyway, there’s another thing you can do and by the title of this post, you’ve likely guessed it already. You can create a picture for your computer’s desktop wallpaper that includes the pictures, words and ideas you want to manifest. I actually have several wallpapers that rotate on my desktop all day long.

Every now and then, I will minimize whatever I’m working on and just look at that picture. And it’s refreshing. It puts things back into perspective when I need it. It allows me to dream a little when I need it. It’s so helpful in many ways, I don’t think I can explain it, really.

It’s just one of those little ways I can connect with myself and my desires and I thought I would share it with you today! I hope you find it useful.

Be blessed,

Last night was the my oldest daughter’s NJROTC Annual Military Inspection and Parade (AMI) and her younger siblings and I were there to support her. She invited a handful of other friends and family but
none of them were able to make it. I think she was rather bummed about that even though she didn’t say so directly. Her body language showed her disappointment, though.

Even though the little kids thought it was boring and my youngest son had some trouble sitting still – and being quiet in otherwise silent gymnasium – I enjoyed it. The kids did a wonderful job marching and showing their expertise to the higher-ups. And **24** of them got perfect scores during the inspection!

I did get several pictures . . . none of the Teenager – she wouldn’t let me take one. Even though I begged. Pleaded. Bribed. Still, she just wouldn’t let me. The shots I took of her platoon didn’t turn out as clear as I would have liked but there is one where you can mostly see her peeking out from behind the others.

I haven’t uploaded the pictures from my camera yet but I will do that later today and add them to this post. Plan to check back tonight or tomorrow if you’re interested in seeing them.

Until then . . .

Be blessed,

It’s so frosty outside this morning! At first glance, I thought it had snowed! And it was only 23º f outside when I took the kids out to the school bus. It had BETTER NOT be another winter like last year . . . GRRRR

Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business – just as if it were her own.

If you’re in the Seattle area, there’s plenty to do this weekend with the SeaFair 2009 activities getting under way. Check out what’s happening:

SEAFAIR 2009

SEAFAIR Torchlight Parade & Run
July 25, 2009
Stake out a spot along Seattle’s downtown parade route to get your fill of SEAFAIR royalty, marching bands, dance teams, and military units. An 8K Torchlight Run precedes the parade; participate in the race and you’ll enjoy the opportunity to run in front of 300,000 fans. Awards go to the fastest runners and wheelchair racers, and to the most creatively costumed runners. This Saturday evening parade starts at Seattle Center and moves south down 4th Avenue to Qwest Field. You can reserve a comfortable parade view in the form of bleacher seats or grandstand seats, available for a fee through Ticketmaster.

SEAFAIR Hydroplane Races
Jul 31 – Aug 2, 2009
The unlimited hydroplane races on Lake Washington are among the most thrilling of Seattle’s summer events. Held near the shores of Stan Sayres Memorial Park, the racing and associated events cover three days. Park guests can take advantage of food and beverages booths, general admission seating, a pit tour, a hospitality area, and the log boom for boaters.

SEAFAIR Air Show
Jul 31 – Aug 2, 2009
When the Blue Angels take off from Boeing Field and fly in varying formations over Lake Washington, all eyes are glued to the sky. The SEAFAIR Air Show also features other military, vintage, and specialty aircraft, which can all be seen flying over South Lake Washington and the hydroplane race spectators.

Other Events Around the Sound:
Jul 22, 24-26 – IKEA Renton River Days (Liberty Park and other Renton parks)

Jul 22 – Greenwood SEAFAIR Parade (Greenwood)

Jul 24-26 – Tour de Terrace (Mountlake Terrace)

Jul 24-26 – Silverdale Whaling Days (Silverdale)

Jul 25-26 – Ballard SeafoodFest (NW Market St. – Ballard )

Jul 26 – Hispanic SEAFAIR Organization Festival (Seattle Center)

Jul 26 – Pista Sa Nayon (Seward Park Amphitheater)

Jul 31 – Aug 1 – Magnolia Summer Festival and Parade (West Magnolia Play Field)

Aug 1 – Lake City Summer Festival

Aug 22 – Central Area Community Festival and Parade (Garfield Community Center)

The SEAFAIR schedule of special events for 2009 includes the following:

Jul 25 – Seafair Scholarship Program for Women

Jul 25 – Torchlight Run (begins and ends near Qwest Field on Occidental Avenue)

Jul 25 – SEAFAIR Torchlight Parade (Seattle Center to Qwest Field)

Jul 29 – Aug 2 – SEAFAIR Fleet Arrival and Tours (Downtown Seattle Waterfront)

Aug 1-3 – Chevrolet Cup Unlimited Hydroplane Race (Stan Sayres Memorial Park)

Aug 1-3 – SEAFAIR Air Show – U.S. Navy Blue Angels (South Lake Washington)

Aug 1 - Seafair Concert & Fireworks (Genessee Park)

If you know of any other happenings around the Sound, please let me know.

In the arena,

Have a safe and happy SeaFair experience if you’re in Seattle this weekend!

Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business – just as if it were her own.

I’m not really one for resolutions. I think they do more to keep us stuck than to help us achieve our goals. But I do believe that the Universe conspires to help us when we ask.

Now, I don’t think we can just sit back and do nothing once we’ve asked the Universe for our desires. We must take some action. Because the Universe rewards that action.

When we show ourselves as serious about our desires by taking action, things begin to happen. Those things might be little at first but like a snowball, they get bigger and bigger as they continue to develop, as new snow is added to the ball.

And so this year – 2009 – I resolve to take ACTION. That’s my only goal.

I have a whole list of things to take action on but, you know what? I find that achieving things comes much easier only having one goal to keep track of. One simple goal to maintain. One goal I can apply to anything I wish.

Some things I plan to take action on:

Now, taking action isn’t trying to imply I’m going to finish everything. And that’s the point – you don’t have to finish every goal you set.

It’s not really about finishing anything.

I think that’s where most people get bogged down. They think that if they’re going to add something to their goals list, it must be finished. Not true. This is why most people give up – the goal is too big to accomplish in the time frame it’s been set within.

Make your goals manageable. Break them into chunks. You’ll find them much easier to handle and you won’t run the risk of burning out before anything is accomplished.

What do see for yourself in 2009?

In the arena,

“Following another’s path leads to who they are, not to who you are.” ~ Henry Palmer
Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business – just as if it were her own.

The KWJZ Smooth Jazz Festival yesterday was AWE.SOME! I cannot even begin to tell you how cool it was. I’ve never been to a concert at the Chateau Ste. Michelle so that was an experience as well. (I have been to the Chateau numerous times for other things, though. It’s a gorgeous place. If you’re anywhere in the Seattle area, you owe it to yourself to check out the wineries in Woodinville.)

Anyway . . .

My mom picked me up about 10 am so that we could arrive early enough to hang out, look at all the booths (food, food, wine, food, and many others) and enjoy the surroundings. We even got there early enough that we got into the VIP parking on the Chateau grounds.

The weather wasn’t all that warm, in the low 70’s and it was kinda overcast but it was comfortable for an outdoor concert. I’m actually glad it wasn’t hot. I don’t do that well in temps above 80.

Gates opened at noon-ish and we found our seats in the reserved seating area. Even though security had to check everyones bags and coolers, it went surprisingly fast and we were inside within 10 minutes.

Since we both have food allergies, we brought a cooler of stuff (I’ll post my moms killer vegan potato salad recipe maybe later this week) so we didn’t sample any of the great food booths – except an incredibly tasty and delicious Mango Lemonade – but wow! The smells were enough to make ones mouth water and tummy rumble!

First up was Nils, kicking off the concerts at 2pm. He did a mix of old and new stuff that can only be described as incredible. Nils is a great guitar player and a true showman. He even waltzed through the isles a couple of times and it was great. He really knows how to have fun. Nils’ 2007 CD, Ready to Play is beautiful.

Next was Marion Meadows. His set was awesome! Marion is a pretty funny guy, he had us laughing a couple of times – a real character. And his sax skills are spectacular! I wish I could play the sax like that. He also stepped into the isles a couple of times and touched hands with some of the fans. A very personable and instantly likable guy. His show was great. And his band is awesome too. His keyboardist is a little gal with awesome pipes. I don’t remember her name, but he introduced her as the gal who sang the Lion King vocals in the movie. She was great, too. Check out Marion’s 2006 CD “Dressed to Chill.” If you like sax, he’ll blow you away.

Third was – how to describe, because AWESOME just isn’t enough – Wayman Tisdale. I’ll tell you, that guy is one hell of a guitar player. And so nice! He’s incredibly down to earth and humble for being such a huge star, both as a guitarist and in NBA basketball. He played a bunch of songs from several of his CD’s including his most recent, Rebound. Wayman had the crowd up on our feet almost the entire set. It was the by far the best the set of the day. I wouldn’t mind seeing him again.

And last, was the Crusaders. The lineup included the original members – Joe Sample, Wilton Felder, Nils Lundgren and Ray Parker, Jr. – along with Joe’s son, Nick Sample and a guy on drums whose name I didn’t catch. I mentioned Friday that I don’t particularly like the Crusaders, but seeing Joe Sample and Ray Parker, Jr. was cool. Ray even sang a bit of his famous “Ghostbusters” song, except that Joe made him change the words to the Crusaders. It was pretty fun. They sure can rock a crowd still for being “old guys.”

My mom and I bought a wine we hadn’t tried before – Syrah, pronounced like sir-ah – that was delicious. It’s very similar to Merlot (which is my favorite) except that it has a more spicy flavor. We shared it with my husband when we got home last night.

So – there you have it! I’m definitely going to both days next year and hopefully my husband will come with me too. He’s not that into jazz but he’d still have fun. And although I liked sitting in the reserved seating area because it was so close – we were about 12 rows back! – I think next year, I’d rather bring all my stuff and my lawn chairs and sit in the grass.

And if you’re in Seattle, let me know if you go next year. I’d love to meet you.

In the arena,

PS – Just a quick update – our septic is fixed!! YAY! My husband and his buddy put a new line from the house to the tank, fixed the junction box and got it all put back together before noon yesterday.

Make $10k in a weekend – “Too good to be true.” That’s the first thing I said when
I heard of http://tinyurl.com/5lq2g4. You can’t REALLY make $10K in a weekend. But I quickly bit my tongue once I saw the content. . .

Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business – just as if it were her own.

Thank. God. It’s. Friday.

I’m so excited it’s Friday! I always like Fridays as it means the weekend is arriving and my husband will be home. It means he gets to spend time with the kids. During the summer, it also means no worries about kids getting up late for school and it doesn’t matter so much if they can’t find a their shoes or whatever. Of course, it also means *I* don’t have to get up so freakin’ early.

But this weekend is extra cool because my mom and I are going to the Smooth Jazz Festival in Woodinville at Chateau Ste Michelle Winery. My mom usually goes every year and usually her friend goes with her but this year, he can’t make it so she invited me. A day without kids! I am so excited! (I’m sure you totally couldn’t tell, right?)

We are going to see Marion Meadows, Waymon Tisdale, Nils and the Crusaders. I don’t especially like the Crusaders, but everyone else is pretty cool. The lineup for Sunday includes some equally cool musicians like Chris Botti, Boney James, Blake Aaron and Janita. Unfortunately, we’re only going to Saturday’s show which kinda sucks because I really like Chris Botti. Wish we could go to both.

You can bet that I will be posting all about the festival, probably sometime Sunday. I plan to take my camera as well so hopefully I’ll actually remember to use it and take some pictures! Although it’s not supposed to be extremely warm, it should be pleasant weather and with any luck we’ll get some good shots as we’re supposed to be in the VIP seating area. Not sure exactly what that means, but I’m sure it means something really cool. Like maybe front row or something.

Seafair Weekend

I also wanted to share with anyone who happens to be local to the Seattle area, that this weekend is Seafair and I’ve written a listing of Seafair activities going on around the sound over at Beyond Real Estate. Please feel free to check it out. If you know of anything I missed, please do post something about it in the comments there.

Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing this weekend, I hope you have a great weekend! I wish you lots of fun times and safe adventures!

In the arena,

PS – Anyone having a big time delay between when they publish a post and when it shows up in the RSS? Usually it’s pretty fast – I can publish a post here and it’ll post to the RSS feed within just minutes. But lately, unless I schedule the post ahead of time, it takes 2-3 hours before it shows up in the feed. I’d appreciate any clues anyone might have. Thanks!

PPS – I can’t get the formatting on the post to allow the picture to be aligned left with the text wrapping around it. If anyone knows a fix for that, I’d appreciate any tips on that too. Thanks again!

Make $10k in a weekend – “Too good to be true.” That’s the first thing I said when
I heard of http://tinyurl.com/5lq2g4. You can’t REALLY make $10K in a weekend. But I quickly bit my tongue once I saw the content. . .

Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business – just as if it were her own.