Veterans Day

Somehow I always equate the word Veterans with WWII and not the Vietnam or Gulf War. But a veteran is anyone who serves our country and puts their own lives at risk whether defending our country or following the orders of his leaders. I've never had any of my four sons serve in the military but I can just imagine the worry and heartbreak that accompany that event. Let us all be thankful today and always for those who serve and protect our FREEDOMS. (Photo of me about age 3, and my uncle Weston who served in the Army in WWII.)

Self Image

Talking about marketing ourselves, got me thinking of the self image we all have. Considering first of all-AGE. I think we adults all feel younger inside that we appear outside. Gazing in a mirror or window as we pass a store or house, it's interesting how we PERCIEVE ourselves. First of all, I check out my WEIGHT-am I looking any better since I'm loosing weight? In the mirror a SMILE takes years off my face and makes anyone look better.

Then there's HAIRDOS and CLOTHES. I have some apparel that I love to wear and feel great in, then other articles of clothing that sit unworn in my closet. Everytime I try them on, I end up taking them off and putting them back on the hanger. I don't like how they feel or look. Those are items I need to donate to a second hand store, also old shoes that I never wear. We Americans tend to have too much MATERIAL THINGS and could so easily share our access with those in need. We're also too influenced by the skinny youth model standard out there in advertising and magazines.

So our SELF IMAGE is made up of many things-our appearance, our age, our experience with others, our CONFIDENCE, our outlook, health, current stresses, EXPECTATIONS, etc. We can choose HOW we see our life despite any problems or challenges that are in our way. One way to change our viewpoint is not to dwell on our problems but rather COUNT OUR BLESSINGS...write them in a JOURNAL or a BLOG. This is a great month to do that. Also we need to practice UNCONDITIONAL LOVE on ourselves-despite our challenges. God loves us, and we need to love ourselves. Even the scriptures back that up. Love your neighbor as yourself. Make a list in a comment of 10 of your greatest blessings or things you love about yourself and your life. Here's mine:

1. My family-each one of them
2. Faith in God and a church I believe in
3. Writing abilities and opportunities
4. Trust worthy loving husband
5. Living in Utah-my home
6. Opportunities to teach
7. Friends to enrich my life
8 Internet for blogging, education and shopping.
9. Health and opportunities to exercise
10. Ancestors and a heritage

Putting your best foot forward

That's part of marketing too. I had a fun experience at church yesterday. Sat down next to a new couple and we started talking. They are new to our area, moved here from Idaho for the warm winters. We seemed to click and I ended up inviting my new acquaintance and her hubby to accompany us to a archeology club meeting this week. Later I got to thinking how making new friends is like marketing or presenting yourself. You smile, you listen, you ask questions and sometimes you connect.

Another experience last night at dinner our friendly waiter smilingly said "beer or root beer?" I laughed because I live in Utah where there are many non drinkers and root beer is a favorite drink. He was marketing or presenting himself as our helpful waiter and probably hoped to receive a bigger tip for his performance.

Then we went for a walk and I noticed the many desert flowers still in bloom-more marketing for those houses for sale, and for our community which has standards of maintenance to keep our area looking nice. I'm uploading some of the photos taken on our walk and will let you think more about appearances, smiles, dress, manners, behavior, dating, teaching, conversations, politics, etc as marketing. Note the difference in your reactions to the appearance of the daisies and the cactus. Would love your comments...

Marketing Self Again

Seems I've used this same topic on a post almost two months ago about marketing my Creative Blogging class. This post is about the local CRAFT FAIR we had yesterday. I organized a table for 5 local authors from our Heritage Writer's Guild to come and display their books for sale.

Photo of my friend Merrilee who is an artist and also sold some of her fun creations-quilted patterned apron-bibs and lovely artistic decorated family group charts. She is so creative and fun to be around. A friend indeed. We had a fun time visiting with one another and trying to market our own books and crafts to those attending the fair.

(See photo above l-r Lin, Beth, Russ, Marilyn and Betty-HWG President) I watched with amazement as one author friend Russ Estlack was very effective and sold 6 of his own books in less than 2 hours while some of us struggled most of the day, trying to sell just one book. This is how he did it, he made eye-to-eye contact with anyone passing our table and asked them a general question: "Do you read?" This was a hook to get them to slow down and come nearer to look at our display. Then he proceeded to tell them about several of the books on display ending with his own which is about the treatment of German Americans during WWII in the United States called "Shattered Dreams, Shattered Lives.

I learned much from watching him in action. One idea surfaced, I do not like to sell anything including my own books. But unless you have an agent or a book publishing company marketing your book, your choice is to sell or give them away. Then I got to thinking about how we all market our selves as we interact with others in our normal living. We try to sell our own value as a friend, teacher, etc. Maybe that is what blogging is about? What do you think? More tomorrow on that...

Learning More

about my father-in-law that I've never met, because he died before I married his son. Researching his life has been fascinating. He served in WWII in the Army Air Corps in the Aleutians. Bert Sr. joined the Army Air Corp, was trained in Shreveport LA Radio School, at Sioux Falls, SD, Gunnery School at Yuma, Arizona and served 9 months active duty in Aleutians during WWII as a radio operator, gunner, and navigator. (Analyzing his photo, he and my hubby could be twins.)

Bert Sr graduated from high school in Texas and enlisted in the army during WWII. He was soon far away from his new wife back home in Texas as he was stationed in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. He was serving with the Eleventh Air Force Liberator bombers patroling the Japanese sea of Okhotsk, west of the Kuriles. Serving 9 months in the Aleutians, flying land based airplanes over long stretches of open sea and in bad weather, being attacked by enemy fighter and flak, the Army Air Coprs had bombarded enemy targets in these north Pacific islands and did photo reconnaissance from Shimushu to Shimushiru. His son, my hubby was born while his dad was away serving his country. (Bert Sr.'s crew mates below, he is sitting on left.)

Bert Sr would be injured on a hard crash landing at his base and struggle with rheumatism in his back for the rest of his life. I've just discovered a website that will get me the info on that crash. They also will send photos of the plane he was a navigator and communicator-sitting right behind the pilot. (Below photo of B24D.)

Happy Second Anniversary

It's been two years since I started blogging with my friend Susi Q's support. Lots of water under the bridge since then. I love the opportunity for CREATIVE EXPRESSION it has given me to write daily my thoughts, stories, poems and anything that comes into my mind. It's helped me CONNECT with others in my family as well as make many new FRIENDS from all over the world. I've had the opportunity to TEACH several classes in creative blogging and family history blogs which have helped me stretch and learn more.

It's been fun to interact with those who leave comments on my daily posts. For those of you who don't, let me encourage you to say something once in a while. I appreciate your feedback on what I write, it's my PAYBACK for writing daily. You can comment as anonymous or if you have a google account, sign in and leave your reactions positive or negative to what I have written-I do appreciate it. THANKS!

Rocky Roads

Impressions float before our eyes,
everyone is happier than we are
more content, and better off.
But when the blinders come down,
we discover we all have
our own bumpy roads to travel.
Some are better at hiding their distress.

Envy gets us nowhere, but more
gratitude opens us to blessings.
Opportunities hopefully await us
just around the next bend.
As our Father watches our progress,
He knows before hand which trials
are needed in our lives and when.