Say Good-Bye to your Beloved Cassette Tape Collection

If you own any cassette tapes,

you likely do not have a device to play these little music gems

... it's time to let them go.

Seriously ... It is 2011.

Yes, this includes your collection of Whitesnake, Depeche Mode, Wham!, Culture Club, Dokken and Men At Work

... especially your collection of "mix songs" made by your high school sweetheart

What was your first cassette tape purchase?

(mine: Michael Jackson, "Thriller")

Vegas, Zebras, Ant Farms and Desert Snowman

Been gone pretty much all last week in Las Vegas for the National Association of Senior Move Managers conference. I was honored to be invited to be a speaker in one of the educational sessions. My topic was a non-organizing topic, more like a marketing "rock show."

Well, like all great rock shows, there was some opening music. Then jumped right into the fun. It was awesome to hear the laughter and see the lightbulbs going off in many faces as I talked about how to make your most important marketing tool fun and unique -- YOURSELF!!

Good times indeed. In fact one person came up to me and said:
"I believe you could speak about
ant farms and make them sound exciting."

The set of zebras pic is one of my favorite slides from the show used to demostrate the power of being different. (you should see what I used for "unique")

Here's the opening playlist:
Spirit in the Sky, Nitty Gritty Band
Black Betty, Ram Jam
You Shook Me All Night Long, AC/DC
The Chain, Fleetwood Mac
Joy to the World, Three Dog Night
Lose Yourself, Eminem
Who Are You, The Who
How Far We've Come, Matchbox 20
Rockstar, Nickelback
Domino, Van Morrison
Son of a Preacherman, Dusty Springfield

Oh and of course my business partners were with me, my boys. We drove to Utah (because we could), toured the Hoover Dam (took lots of dam pictures), built a snowman in the Mojave Desert and they dragged me to the top of a 700 ft sand dune (so much damn fun).

What three songs would you have as YOUR opening playlist?

Original vs. Unplugged

Nothing to do with organizing just can't seem to get this song out of my head, usually a post does the trick. My vote is for the original, never really cared for the slowed down, unplugged version. Perhaps you do which is why they are both here.

Enjoy the day!

Eric Clapton, "Layla" original verison vs. unplugged:


VS.


What two song versions do you want to see battle?

Singin' Like A Rockstar

Driving around helping people get organized got me thinking the other day:

Music is awesome.

You can have your very own little concert driving down the road at 70 mph. A certain song comes on and you become Celine Dion, Bono or Pavarotti. It's pretty darn sweet.

Lately I cannot get Rob Thomas's "Her Diamonds" out of my head:

So many great songs out there. This one gets me groovin' right now.

What song gets you singing like a rockstar?

Use Me and Spin Me ... It's Friday!

We have all gotten songs that just make you turn up your radios and start jammin'. The song "Right Round" by Flo Rida has been my song lately. Dancing like a fool when if comes on:



Then there's "Use Somebody" by Kings Of Leon. Totally different song, yet I'm lovin' it, too:



Hope you take the time to dance like a fool.
It's Friday.
Enjoy the day!

What two songs get you jammin'?

Pumped Up and Focused

Big day today.
Feeling like Buster Douglas up against Mike Tyson.
Not looking for a championship, just fairness.

Music is how I pump up and get ready for everything.



Today, I choose Eminem, "Lose Yourself."

What is your rally song?

Find Your Parade of Success

Jonny Lang's music is amazing. Period.
You won't hear him on the radio, which is sad because his message is wonderful.

He has some great songs, though my favorite is "Anything's Possible".



"Don't ...let em tell you can't be, Anything you wanna be,
Don't be deceived, Anything's possible,
If ....you will just believe, Then you can succeed,
It might not be easy, But anything's possible."

The challenges and trials of life are what push you to grow beyond your limits. There are reasons for all bumps in the road and lessons to be learned from every twist.

If there is someone attempting to bring you down,
they are not happy themselves.
Remember: Negative people do negative things.

"The main reason people rain on my parade is
because they have no parade of their own," Jeffrey Gitomer
What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?

Heavy Metal Health

There are a few big projects in the works.
So, until those are completed how about our first quiz of 2009.


This is going to be a ROCKIN' good year.
"Bang your heads...." (little Quiet Riot reference for all us 80's rockers)
... yes, I owned this album on cassette.

You Are Copper

You are provocative and challenging. You help people realize who they really are. You live a very balanced life. You always take time for love and art. You are both a powerful and generous person. You always have time to give back. People find you to be incredibly ethical and loyal.

What Metal Are You?

These little quizzes always seems to catch my personality pretty good.

What music did you own on cassette?

A Christmas Card From Us To You

We're kinda breaking tradition this year.

For the past 8 years, my boys and I have always made our Christmas cards. It started as a little activity to keep them entertained. I cut out different shapes, supplied the glue and music, they went to town.

Each of the up to 50 cards sent out were unique for the first 6 years. (yes, looking back I was insane) Then I became wise and had the boys decorate one card cover to use for our Christmas cards.

This year I am doing what most great artist do - "A Best Of ..."
For example:
Eagles, Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975
Eric Clapton, Crossroads
Madonna, The Immaculate Collection
Bel Biv Devoe, Best of Bel Biv Devoe
Poison, Best of Poison: 20 years of Rock
(links provided in case these are a must have for your holiday shopping needs)

Here is our 2008 Christmas card.

I'm not going to be mailing any cards this year. Just not going to happen. I know my limits and it's just not going to work this year. Feel free to print it out and enjoy.

Matthew, Jacob and I wish you all the best this holiday season.
Have fun!

What's on your 'Best of' collection?

It's A Beautiful Day

"What you don't have you don't need it now
What you don't know you can feel it somehow
What you don't have you don't need it now, don't need it now
What a beautiful day"
~U2, "Beautiful Day"

This morning I woke up with this song running through my head.
Gotta admit, this is a good one to be humming all day long. Seems I always have a song stuck in my head. What's up with that? Guess there are worse problems.

Here's a list of of my few recent ones:

"The Lion Sleeps Tonight", The Tokens (this video is HYSTERICAL!)
"My Sharona", The Knack
"All Summer Long", Kid Rock
"Jack and Diane," John Cougar Mellencamp
"Jessie's Girl," Rick Springfield

OK ... That's probably enough to drive you crazy

Get out there and have an amazing day today!!!

What song is stuck in your head now?

Can You Breathe In Your Office?

Sweet home Alabama,
da dadah da dah da dah.
Where the skies are so blue ......


Hearing this song I reached for my phone, it's not ringing?
Odd...that's one of my ringtones.
But it wasn't me it, was Michelle's phone.....We have the same ringtone. How crazy cool it that?!

Michelle has a home office where she runs her photography business GSK Creations. She creates customized action sports posters for a school sports teams. With the school season coming to an end, she is quite busy and her office had gotten out of control.

"Just have Angie come help you, it is so worth it,"
my good friend Cheryl told Michelle.
(thank you Cheryl....you ROCK!)

Michelle explained to me how an old table was just being used to stack stuff on and a cabinet was for hiding items she didn't want to look at. Both of these were to be moved out of the room. We purged supplies that were not used and moved out the extra furniture. Slid a shelving unit and the room just opened up!

"WOW! I can breathe in this room again,"
she said.
There was much more space for Michelle to get her orders packaged for delivery. We talked about getting some track shelving on the open wall which would be perfect for Michelle's paper and other business supplies. And, these are something she can install herself. Remember: Just gotta catch those studs to hold the weight of paper!

If there is a room, or even a drawer, in your home that is feeling a bit suffocating, perhaps it is time to grab a few garbage bags and start purging.

Take in a deep breath,
You'll be amazed at the feeling of fresh air.

What's the coolest ringtone you've heard?

I'm Back ...

"I'm baaack in the saddle again!"

March 1st is here and I've decided to regain my focus. Aerosmith's 'Back in the Saddle' keeps popping up on the radio for the past couple days, so I took that as a sign.

I've posted before about staying on FOCUS.

"If you do get thrown off course, you have to keep bringing yourself back to what you want to accomplish." ~me

You'd think I'd listen to myself for once.......

Today is going to be a fabulous day.
Spin class this morning.
Lunch with a very good friend.
Onto the dive shop to pick up some SCUBA GEAR!!! (i'm a little excited)
Perhaps hit some golf balls.
Beautiful dinner this evening.

I'm feeling recharged and ready.
My focus is back. Bring on March!!
(p.s. only four days until my birthday)

How are you spending this beautiful weekend?

Same Old Lang Syne Goodbye

Dan Fogelberg, the singer and songwriter whose hits "Leader of the Band" and "Same Old Lang Syne" helped define the soft-rock era, died Sunday at his home in Maine after battling prostate cancer. He was 56.

Can't say I was a huge Fogelberg fan, though "Same Old Lang Syne" has a special spot in my heart. Just one of those songs that triggers a memory of a dear friend that I will forever be grateful. He pulled me through a very difficult time and helped me find the amazing woman that I am. He was the first person I shared my business idea, he encouraged me to start my business and to stick with it.

The power of a song is amazing to me. I hear many songs and I can recall events that were going on in my life. Thank you to all the artists out there making memories and connections for us all to enjoy. My condolences to the Fogelberg family.

What song makes you remember an old friend?

Pat Boone vs. Ozzy Osbourne

I'm in a post holiday, "I don't feel like working" mode........

Funniest thing happened this weekend. I was listening to Yahoo Music Jukebox while painting a room, and decided to listen to something different. I chose the Cover Artists station.

All was going great.
Learned a few songs I like are truly covers, as well as, lots of new versions of great songs.
Really cool stuff ....... until .......


Pat Boone
singing Ozzy Osbourne's
"Crazy Train"

What the?!
I just busted out laughing!
I wanted to run and skip through the song, though like a bad car accident, I had to stay and listen. It was painfully HYSTERICAL!!!!

You can listen to Pat's version (here).
Ozzy's truly classic version (here)

I had an amazing weekend in so many ways.
..... blah, blah, blah ... I know, get back to work.

What made you laugh recently?

Da Doo Ron Ron

I met her on a Monday and my heart stood still
Da doo ron ron ron, da doo ron ron ron
Someboy told me that her name was Jill
Da doo ron ron ron, da doo ron ron ron
... I cannot get this song out of my head!!
Shawn Cassidy's, "Da Doo Ron Ron."


So, then I start thinking about all my other great (uh, maybe not great), first albums. Music has always been HUGE in my life.




Cheesy 70's teen idols, Classic Rock when it was just Rock: Queen, Eagles, Seger, AC/DC, KISS!! Then on to the 80's: Van Halen, U2, GNR, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, so many more....

I listened to music constantly growing up.
Still do to this day.
I know soooo many lyrics.

For now though, I cannot get out:
Ya, he looked so fine
Ya, I'll make her mine
And when I walked her home
Da doo ron ron ron
Da doo ron ron....
Maybe I'll get a radio station to play some Shaun Cassidy
to save me from insanity!!

What song from your first album do you remember?

Get It Out of My Head

Ever since my last post, I cannot get Rod Stewart's "Infatuation" out of my head. (I'm not even a big Rod Stewart fan?)

It's just from the whole Procrastination and Infatuation rhyming. Nonetheless ...
It's driving me CRAZY !!!


You might think my question today would be:
"What song is stuck in your head?"
It is not.

I had the most incredible conversation last night.
My face is still sore from smiling and giggling with excitement.
To be approached for an interview is ridiculously sensational.
Should it come to be ... well, I will be speechless.
(those that know me, realize how huge that is)
Should it pass ... I am truly thankful for the interest and creating excitement in my boys and I that kept me from sleeping last night.

Simple Yes or No:
Would you read an article about me in a magazine published throughout our world?

Happy Songs

I'm a music chick.
Music is on FAR more than TV in our home. There are many songs that just make me smile. I have to sing along with them.

Before I do any presentation,
I belt out songs in my car like I am Celine Dion.
(probably sound more like Sanjaya)

I don't care. It pumps me up.

I bang on my drumset to work out stress/get creative/jam with my boys--Jacob on piano, Matthew on electric guitar.

By all means, this is NOT a complete list of my Happy Songs:
(the links go to videos.....enjoy)

"Before He Cheats," Carrie Underwood
"Suddenly I See," KT Tunstall
"Paradise By The Dashboard Lights," Meatloaf
"Travelin' Man/Beautiful Loser," Bob Seger
"Suspicious Minds," Elvis Presley
"Musta Got Lost (w/intro)," J. Geils Band
"Fat Bottom Girls," Queen
"Sweet Home Alabama," Lynyrd Skynyrd

What songs do you love singing as you're cruisin' down the road?

My Boys are Back!!

Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back in Town" has been running through my head all day!

Finally, after 23 days, Matthew and Jacob are home!!!

We have got some major cuddling to do.

Matthew wants to make me breakfast in bed, Jacob is his "wingman" making sure I don't get out of bed. We don't have any plans for tomorrow except catching up with each other.

I LOVE MY BOYS!!

It just feel great having them home.

Enjoy Labor Day!

Who Are You?

How to you gain trust and credibility with people who have no idea who you are?

You know you are fun.
You know you love what you do.
You know people need your services.
You know you are a fantastic person.
You know the work you do is beneficial.
You know you are honest and considerate.

But, no one knows that until they know you.
Until people know you, getting them to use your services
might be tricky.

You might get a response
similar to as The Who sings,
Who the %#*@ are you?

That is not desirable.


Personal introductions, word of mouth, networking are all methods to boost your image. These may not reach a large audience of your clients.

Publications, do.

From my first publication to my most recent article,
these have brought me clients and raised my credibility.

I have complied 10 articles/stories/publications in a new blog:
Organized Solutions Publications.

How have you gained trust and credibility?

Windsurfing and Steely Dan....What is next?

The universe is lining up for me lately.
It's crazy. And I am LOVIN' IT!!

Saturday I went out to Maumee Bay State Park for a bike ride and chillin' on the beach. Turns out there was a windsurfing competition going on which was fun. I came home with a board and two sails and it did not cost me a penny. The guy said someone gave him his first board. I have sailed a few times, loved it! Now a few more pieces and I will be mastering it this summer.



Now last night, my friend Kim and I had plans to go to the Steely Dan concert at the Toledo Zoo.

We did NOT have tickets to this sold out show at 5pm, but we had every intention of being at the show.



This is how we acquired tickets the day of the show:

-I had called Jennifer at the Toledo Free Press referring Kim to her for advertising.
-Jennifer called Kim to set up a meeting.
-Kim mentioned to Jennifer our intentions to go to the concert though no tickets.
-Jennifer has a friend with TWO EXTRA tickets!!
-Kim calls the friend and the tickets became ours at 6pm.
-We go to the show and stand along the side aisle.
(I had to be able to dance)
-Some guy walks up to us, we chat, he ends up offering
his two seats in the 7th row!

We went from NO tickets to 7th row tickets in 3 hours! WOW!!

I can't wait to see what happens tomorrow.

What is your serendipitous tale?