Ch- Ch- Ch- Changes

I have an admission to make.
My life is in the midst of change, which is why my posts have been slowing down.
All is well. Happiness. Comforts. Health. Security.
Life is good.


"They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom." ~Confucius
(ancient chinese philosopher dude)
Guess I've got a mix of soul searching and 'what do I want to be when I grow up' thing going on. The more I think about it, the more I think it is good to wonder what and why you what you do. To just get up every morning and accept what is happening as status quo is a bit unsettling.

It's not that I want more.
Geez, I'm in a pretty damn good spot.
I'm quite thankful.

I've just got this feeling that something very good is about to happen.
But I also have this notion that it is a 'right-turn' from the path I have been on.

"Trust your gut" is something I have always believed.

I don't believe in chance.
Flipping a coin never solves a problem.
The problem is solved,
you just can't see the solution.

So, I ask you to please be patient.
All this will sort out for the best.

As David Bowie sings, "Turn and face the strange."

How do you sort out changes in life?

Loving Yourself Naked

One of my Bloggin' Friends, Louise, posted about women loving their bodies as they are.

Louise purchased a National Enquire magazine because she was upset about how they critized celebrity women for gaining weight, calling them fat and losers. (Funny how you never see pictures of the editors or writers)

How to Look Good Naked is a great program that show women how great and sexy they truly are.



It is the women's self perception that is low ... and the media loves to push it down lower.

The majority of my clients are women.
So, I wanted to share this with you.

Stop thinking you need to be a size ___,
and BE happy with who you are.

I've been a woman who was told I was fat and stupid, and I believed it. When I realized I am intelligent and attractive, boy, did the world of happiness open up to me.

To follow Louise's challenge.

Give us 10 things you LOVE about your body.

Here's my ten:
1. My eyes -beautiful, deep brown
2. My smile -bright
3. My feet -plain cute
4. My lips -people pay for my lips
5. My curves -love my shape
6. My tummy -toned tummy
7. My legs - strong & short
8. My skin -baby soft
9. My muscles -strong as a tank
10. My brain -proud to say I'm pretty damn smart

What 10 things do you love about your body?

Birthday Card Challenge

My 39th birthday is fast approaching, March 5th.
I'm sooooo excited!!
Two cards came in the mail today. (yeah!)

I LOVE my birthday!

In fact, I attempt to stretch the celebrations out at least the week. I kinda feel like a month long of festivites would be OK, too. Definitely next year!

Birthdays are the one day of the year that should be yours,
why not embrace it?

Last year, I came up with this crazy idea to see how many Birthday cards I might receive.(click here)

Ended up getting 19 cards last year, pretty awesome.
...... though it's a new year now.

How many cards will I get this year?



Send them to:
Angie Weid
1485 Stonegate Court
Temperance, MI 48182

I'll let you know how many I get.

What do you think this year's total will be?

Bed Thwacking

Came across this bizarre, yet quite interesting article, in a Space Clearing newsletter I received. The article was about how to clear energy imprints in hotel beds, which led to an article about clearing up your own bed's energy.

Bed Thwacking (it just sounds fun):
To thwack your bed, you’ll need an object such as baseball bat. Something to beat your matress with force. Drag the mattress outside the house if you can, but if this isn’t possible just open a window, peel back the bedcovers (this is my choice, less work), and start thwacking it with the bat, or other hard object, vibrating the energies out. When you’ve done one side, flip the mattress and do the other side.

The warning is that loads of stuff will come out. You’ll see dust flying around and there will also be energies you can’t see. So if you do this indoors, don’t stay in the room afterwards. Leave the window open so there is some circulation of air, and come back a few hours later after the dust and other energies have settled. Do a quick once-round with a vacuum cleaner and that’s it.

I have always found when I beat the crap out of something I feel better. Yelling in my car while driving down the road at 65+mph with the radio blaring is therapeutic, too....uh, did I say that out loud?

Your energy imprints must be the reason getting home after a trip and sleeping in your own bed feels so wonderful. I've done energy clearings in my own homes and they are powerful.

I'm gonna do some bed thwacking ... besides it's been awhile since I've beat the crap out of something.

What would you like to thwack?

I'm Alive!

Yes, I am.

Posting has been challenging this week.
Guess I have kinda hit a slump in posting.


All is good and busy.
My boys are happy and healthy.
Life is still charming and delightful.

I've got some ideas and projects to post about.

Wondering .......
What ideas and thoughts do you have about this blog?

Secret Valentine

I feel so special!
My secret valentine sent me this card:

Inside is written:
"Never let it rest ... Until your good is better
and your better is the best.

Congratulations on your price increase!"
Secret Valentine, Thank you for making me smile.
Damn! You're support propells me to reach higher.
You ROCK!!!!

I truly feel so wonderful on all levels: health, family, friends, personal, business (yep, my rates are going up because I am worth more).
This card is going to sit out for some time before being placed into my "Feel Goods" folder.

How has someone encouraged you to reach higher?

The Bag Lady

Tax season is upon us and my positive thought for you is this means Spring is around the corner. (Yeah!) Now is the time to start gathering up all your paperwork and start planning to fill out your 1040's. The majority of us must file, so let's make it a happy experience.

Jill called me to help gather all of her paperwork together so she can get it to her accountant. Not too difficult of a task, though for Jill who is in her mid 70's and in a wheelchair this could become challenging. She had placed much of her mail in plastic grocery bags. There wasn't too much junk mail to sort through, but gathering all her medical bills and investement sheets took some time.

"I think I've become a bag lady," Jill commented as we opened a drawer in her dresser filled with bags of paperwork. Well, at least none of the papers will be damaged, I assured her plus it made it easy to sort through the papers since they were grouped in months. There wasn't a bag for each month, rather 2-3 months in each bag.

In the end, we had all of her investment papers together, her medical expenses sorted and the housing receipts collected. Jill thanked me for helping her complete this task in just over one hour, which likely would have taken her a full day and exhausted her had she done this on her own. And, she would likely have bags of unneeded papers scattered about her room.

It's tax time. It is what it is.
Complaining about it isn't going to make it better.
And does complaining ever truly help any situation?

So, What's your positive thought about tax season?

Organizing Intervention

A couple recent clients have had me help get their family members organized. Pretty much it was set up as an intervention. No before or after photos were taken at the request of the family.

A daughter or son had contacted me in regards to their mother. The family had recognized that something needed to be done. Their mom was accumulating far too much and the family's efforts to resolve this was getting nowhere.

Now unlike the Oprah hoarder story, these homes were not overrun with stuff leaving only pathways throughout their home. The problem lied only in 2-3 rooms where the mother's would store all the "good sales," "too good to pass up," "this is a great gift for ______" kind of stuff.

As I worked with the mothers with the family members present, I was able to push their mothers a bit harder to toss and part with items. Not only am I not emotionally attached to any items, I'm not attached to the mother. Typically when family members try to push each other, they tend to push each other's buttons. Arguments flare up and the project goes no where.

By having a indifferent person present, I am the one pushing the mother to make decisions on items. She can get mad at me all she wants, her children are smiling and laughing because they aren't getting yelled at. I'm very polite and respectful, though quite firm and decisive.

At the end of the projects, each mother was crying with happy tears. Amazed at their new rooms and the space they had for painting pictures, completing craft projects and grandchildren sleepovers. Both mothers apologized for how they scolded me, at times yelling. I just smiled, told them it was my pleasure to help them feel better about their space.

What would you do an intervention for?

What Was I Going To Do?

I'm a list person. It works for me.
My boys know if it is not written down somewhere, it doesn't happen.
Here are some simple and effective tips I found that can help you remember stuff.

1. Put it down in stone. If you don't record tasks you need to do, those tasks are bound to be forgotten. Write down what needs to be remembered and place your note in an obvious area, like one the bathroom mirror or the kitchen refrigerator.

2. Give yourself a tool to catch your bedtime ideas. Having trouble falling asleep? It may be due to the many ideas and plans floating around in your mind. Keep a pencil and paper near your bed. In doing so, you can write down those ideas that hit you once you're in bed and get them off my mind so you can rest. The ideas will stay on the paper and you can sleep. You will wake up much more refreshed.

3. Spread some cheer...on time. How about those birthday cards you mean to send out and then forget? Usually near the end of the previous month is a good time to mail. Just send out ALL the cards for the following month at once. (umm....my birthday is coming up next month)

4. Send yourself an email or a voicemail. The message will sit in your inbox until you've done whatever you've reminded yourself to do. Then, you can simply delete it.

5. Use calendar reminders. Yahoo! has a complimentary calendar reminder tool on their web site that reminds you of an upcoming task or event. Many cell phones also have calendar reminder features that remind you when the task or event is approaching.

6. Carry a little notebook. It can be a little bound tablet tucked into your purse or pocket. If you need to do something, just jot it down and you'll be able to refer to it daily.

7. Try and plan a scheduled routine each week. Designate certain days to do certain things. For example, do laundry on Mondays, do errands on Tuesdays and so on.

8. Set your alarm clock. Have to make a call at 11A or pick up your son from soccer practice at 4? Use your watch, oven timer or cell phone alarm feature, so it beeps when you have to leave.

9. Tie a string around your finger. Yes, this tip has been around for decades, but it works. Just tie a string around your finger. Make it just slightly uncomfortable so that it's a constant reminder of what you need to do. Once the deed is done, remove the string.

10. Put it in an obvious place. Have to return DVDs? Leave them in a tote bag on the door handle where you exit your home. Have to stop to get gas before work tomorrow? Leave a sticky note on your steering wheel. Need to remember to take your medication? Leave a note on your bathroom mirror.

How do you remember stuff?

Freedom to Read

My wonderful 3rd grader, Matthew, is a bookworm. He typically reads 4-5 books at one time. I checked his backpack for his current books:
Whale Rescue
My Dog Does My Homework
The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby
100 People Who Changed America
The Bible

Guess which book is causing a small uproar in his school.
... yep, The Bible.

Now, Matthew's reading perspective is that The Bible is a collection of stories and he does a verbal book report when he completes a section with his teacher. There is no philosophical discussion, no religious lecturing. A simple book report on what he has read.

When I first saw Matthew take The Bible to school (3-4 months ago), I chatted with him briefly about it, made sure his teacher had no concern. All seemed good, until this week. I have been told that Matthew cannot read The Bible in school.

I checked my passport and I still live in the USA!

This is not about religious readings.
I would not even say I am "religious." My son wants to read a book. I am not going to tell him "sorry buddy, you can't read that book."

I checked a recent list of past Banned Books in the US.
Here are just a few great books on the list:
(note: The Bible is not on this list of 90 books)
Blubber, Judy Blume
Catch-22, Joseph Heller
Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling
Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain
Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman
Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck
The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger

This is crazy! I have not spoke to Matthew about this.
I don't know what to say to him, he's 9 years old?!
This is about our basic freedom of choice.

Perhaps someday Matthew will be the "101st Person to Change America." For now, he is an individual making an impact on his hometown.

Update 2/9/2008: Matthew and I received a call from a school official apologizing. Matthew may read The Bible at school and report to the teacher for literature credit in class. I am tremendously proud of Matthew for the discussion he and I had on this situation. Thank you to the school district for your apology.

What book would you keep your kid from reading in school?

The Choice is Yours

There are a lot of great excuses out there for every part of our lives. Remember though, excuses are like assholes; everyone's got one. And I've heard them all from people as to why they can't be organized.

This list was found and I modified it a bit. You owe it to yourself to be organized. Here's some responses to some great excuses for not being organized.

I Can't Organize Today Because...
1) I don't know where to start. Pick a corner, shelf or spot and go! Organizing or being organized is a way of life. It's not an event with a beginning and an end. It's an ongoing process that will help change your life and the way you see it. You can jump in anywhere.

2) The kids are home. Perfect! Take the opportunity to teach your children valuable lessons and habits that they can carry with them through life. Kids thrive on organization, look at how their school classroom functions. If you give kids specific locations or directions, they will get the job done. You getting organized will benefit your entire household.

3) I don't have the money. Organizing requires no money to get started. You simply need to pick a project and start. Running out and purchase a bunch of pretty boxes or containers are useless before you have taken the important first steps of purging your no longer needed belongings and coming up with a plan for the stuff that will remain.

4) It will take too long. If you have just five minutes, you can begin to organize. Here's a list of 10 minute tasks. Example: Clean out your medicine cabinet. Get rid of old makeup, expired medicine and toiletries you haven't used in months (umm ...... years?). Taking 5-10 minutes a day will add up to hours quickly.

5) It's too overwhelming. Take baby steps. Don't make the project too big. You can break your organizing project into small manageable pieces. Instead of cleaning out your whole closet at once, decide to just go through your purses or shoes. Then the following day or the next time you have a chance, you can move on to another phase.

6) I like all of my things and do not want to get rid of anything! Very often you are so controlled by our emotions that you fail to realize that you are holding on to things that have outlived their usefulness. Once you take the items as simply items and not the memories that you associate with them, it can be very easy to let the item itself go. Remember if you are not honoring the memories of an item, why are you keeping the item? By getting rid of the item you are not getting rid of the memories. You will always have those.

7) I'm afraid to do it wrong! You know your stuff, you're not going to do it wrong. Don't try, Just do it. If you organize your closet and find out you want your belts to the left of the pants, then make the change. It's OK. Being willing to adapt and make changes as you implement your organizing efforts is an important part. There is no right or wrong way to organize.

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't,
you are usually right."
-Henry Ford
The choice is completely yours.

What can you get organized today?

The Dumping Ground

To follow up from the previous post: We DID build an awesome snow fortress which led to a classic snowball fight. My boys took hold of the fortress, while I was left to fend for myself on the perimeter.
It was so much fun!


Then we followed by warming up in our hot tub as little snowflakes fell onto us. I'm very glad school was cancelled because my boys and I had a great time together.


On to business:
Cheryl runs her business out of her home, along with caring for her husband, taking care of her two kids, dogs, basketball games, running kids to movies, feeding everyone in the house (including the kid's friends) ... um, Cheryl's office becomes "The Dumping Ground."

As you walk into her office, there were papers piled up on the floor, desk, cabinets and shelves. We began sorting through the piles and getting rid of all that was no longer needed.



Cheryl knew exactly how she wanted her desk to be set up: move the printer to the corner, file folder racks right in front and a working surface. Again, we began sorting through the papers and items on her desk. Supplies were sorted and put away, client info was filed, old notes tossed and the desk top was dusted shiny.

Cheryl's son even commented on how great it looked as he slipped in a "Mom, can you take me to the movies?" Her wonderful husband chauffeured him and buddies to the show while we finished up.

Organized and ready for business.
Cheryl seemed quite delighted with her office.

What has been your recent fun family moment?

Thank you Universe

It has been a good, crazy, busy week. Every day seems there was a cancellation, delay or some other change in plans. Though just as the change happenned, something extremely positive came about. Guess the universe is lined up for me....and I'm lovin' it!

Twice this week, I finished a bit early with a client and ended up having another client fill the open time. Awesome!

Yesterday I assembled a lateral file cabinet for Joani. She called me just as I was finishing lunch and wondering, "should I head home or stop at TJ Maxx?" Turns out I was right around the corner from Joani's salon, so I zipped over to help her out. Spread all the parts in a back waiting area of the salon (good thing no one was waiting for a massage).

My tools are nearly always in my car, never know when I'm gonna need my hammerdrill and stud finder. For this project, all that was needed was a Phillips screwdriver and a hammer. The assembly was a success! Joani's cabinet is ready to be filled with her files and reference books.

Today is a school snow day, bonus time with my boys. Hopefully the snow is packing so we can build a snow fortress!

Thank you universe for throwing me some awesome vibes.
Seems like I am on top of the world and every day gets better.

Who do you need to thank?