update

Hello:

Looks like I have been neglecting my blog. Sorry. I really wasn't getting any traffic anyway. I spent the last year building a new house and moving. Not something I would recommend.

Anyway, I am ending this blog. If you stumble on it from a reference to Arbonne International, contact me from my Arbonne Web site. I would love to help you order wonderful Arbonne products.

www.bgordon.myarbonne.com

Arts and Crafts Show, Feb 23 to 25

Callahan Promotions, Inc. Arts and Crafts Show

Adults: $5, Children ages 10 and under are free.

Iowa's largest arts and crafts show. Over 300 talented exhibitors present the Midwest's finest handcrafts with 1,000's of unique creations. Leather goods, fine oak furniture, paitings, ceramics, jewelry, candles, clothing, floral wreaths, food and many more original products, all handmade by the exhibitor at the show. Something for every style, taste and budget!
Event Days:
February 23, 2007
5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
February 24, 2007
09:00 AM - 5:00 PM
February 25, 2007
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Location:
Varied Industries Building

Contact Info:
Tom Callahan 563/652-4529

Art Festivals

What are you doing this weekend? Find an art fair in your area. I enjoy going to art fairs, especially with a friend. We can to talk and walk. The art gives us something to talk about. When attending an Art Fair with a friend, agree ahead of time how long you want to stay. Be sure you are flexible, though, you never know when you will find art that will attract your attention and might take more time. Be prepared to stop when your friend is attracted to a booth too. I always plan a budget, even if I don’t intend to buy anything, so I am prepared if I find a treasure that I just can’t live without.

I attended an art fair in Des Moines last weekend, Heart Fest, put on by Stookey Companies. I found some beautifully designed earrings from Harpstone.




I was blown away by Woven Baskets by Martha Monson Lowe, Decorah Iowa, 563-387-0349.




I have many pieces of blown glass and the McKenzie's had a wonderful display.




I have never seen anything like the flower pictures from Ron and Virginia Wessel, v.wessel@mchsi.com.




My friend, Linda Bender, was showing her handspun wool and knitted items, llb@raccoon.com.




Stookey Companies put on the and will also coordinate 2 antique shows at Valley West Mall (March 1-4 & August 31-September 3, 2007). Antique shows and flea markets are fun too.

The Des Moines Arts Festival is rated the 3rd Best Art show in the country, June 29-July 1, 2007 will be the dates for this year’s festival, Downtown Des Moines' Western Gateway Park. Free admission. B ring the men, they can buy beer and you can get them to talk about the art. Talk, really.

The Fifth Annual "The Other Art Show" is June 30- July 1, 2007 at the Varied Industries Building, Iowa State Fair Grounds. Hours: 10-6 Sat., 10-5 Sun. Over 200 Artists, Features Iowa and Regional Artists, Same weekend as downtown art show. Alternative, affordable show. See www.artfestmidwest.com for more details.

Book of Interest

I am reading Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. It was written in 1936, so the language is a little dated and the stories are about people and companies like Henry Ford. It is about a success philosophy. He shares 13 things to do to get money. Or anything else. I think it should be taught in school. It is very good and I am enjoying it.

More thoughts for improving your life in 2007

I presented a program at business group where I am a member. I was a co-founder of the group and have assumed a leadership position. Most of the members are quite a bit younger than I am and I hope I can share my experience leading and facilitating groups with them. I know I have learned much from other, more experienced people and I am glad to "pay it forward."

I shared a training recording courtesy of Arbonne International. Jack Canfield was the speaker on the recording. The 30-minute talk contained a lot of information. Jack authored the book, The Success Principles.

The recording covered a few of those principles such as:

Take 100% responsibility for your life. E+R=O Events plus your Response equals the outcome. You are presented with a cake (event). You eat it (response). You gain weight (outcome). How could you prevent the weight gain? Change the response.
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Act as if everything in your life is controlled by you. You can control what you think, imagine, do and say. Your experiences are a result of what your choices and actions.

Clarify what you want. Write down your goals. 3% of people write down their goals. The likelihood that you will reach a goal is increased 200% if you just write it down.

Visualize your goals. Dream Big (BHAG).

Take Action. Obvious action and inspired action. Ask for what you want.

New Year's Resolutions

Do you make resolutions at the beginning of each year? As an Arbonne consultant, I have access to some great free training. The training has helped me tremendously. There is a suggestion that is repeated over and over in the trainings: When you set a goal, write it down. Studies show that even if you never look at that piece of paper where you wrote down your goal, the odds are better that you will achieve the goal than if you never wrote it down.

Another thing that will help you with your goals this year is to applaud yourself for goals you reached last year. Success brings success. Practice makes perfect, reach a few goals and you are more likely to reach new ones.

If you don't know where to start with your resolutions or goals, try this one: Be kind. The funeral for President Ford was on TV this morning. The media has painted Ford as a kind man. I am hoping that the publicity around the funeral will help people decide that to be kind is a worthy goal.

Perfectionism

Some people believe in horoscopes and some don't. I read my horoscope in the paper now and then. I am a Capricorn and actually, most of the listings for Capricorn do seem to apply to me.

My dad was a Virgo. My mom used to comment on that all the time. Virgos are supposed to be perfectionists. Capricorns are sort of perfectionists too. I think a true perfectionist is someone who doesn't do much. They don't do much because they can't do everything perfectly. I have learned to "lighten up" by taking risks, failing or succeeeding, and then carrying on. I figure you can't learn if you don't try. Failing and imperfection are really not so bad.

I saw a great horoscope listing in the paper today for Virgos. I think everyone could benefit by the advice which ends in this quote:

The woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best. -Henry Van Dyke