Sometimes BIG STEPS allow us to go onto BIGGER THINGS

Original art by Jeannette Marshall #CalgaryBlogger (c) optioneerJM

I have butterflies in my belly.

Done. I am nervous.

We just signed away our house at the same time as submitted an offer on a new place - seems like one swift sweep.

There's a lot of things up in the air at the same time.
Its a big step after living where we are for 25 years for me, and 13 years as a couple.

Sure hoping there's nothing other major that happens.  I seem to be squeezing my eyes mentally constantly, waiting for the next bombshell in our lives.

Reading the Bible has been meditative for me.  It sheds light from understanding the reasons Christians have such strong faith.  Similarly, for others, the Q'ran or HINDU or Buddhists I'm sure.  

I have had to really work on faith and putting my trust in the hands of the lord.

On my knees begging for help and apologizing and asking forgiveness.

Taught by my sister that I am not being punished.  My mother keeps telling me to stop being so hard on myself.  My best friend says that I'm stronger than I think.  She's helping us make everything happen on the move.  A real true authentic angel.  I'm lucky I've known her 40 years.  That's a test of time.

I'm going to make a living from social media.  I've said that in the beginning in 2007 - March.  13 years ago.  It took me 10 years to build a following on Twitter, only for them to chop it away.  I have all the details and communications chain to create a separate blog - just another on my blog and other to do list.  

That seems to be mushrooming as my procrastination nature is being put to the test.  I can't put things off any more.  The sad part being that Rob is a much worse procrastinator than me, and we feed off each other.  Ironically, when we first met and were married we had a great deal of energy.  Blending 4 teenagers, 3 of them girls into a family of 6 over night.  That did expel a bit of energy, not going to lie.

(c) Jeannette Marshall

I've assessed, reviewed, asked questions a great deal.  Bored my daughter to bits re-iterating every detail to her and the hubby as well.  Separately, together, so they've heard the same things at least three times.  That's before the other daughters come for a visit and it's shared again.

They'd love to turn off the taps to the churn I'm under.  Recovering from breast cancer has been a bit more of an uphill climb than my delusional self ignored.  Be strong for everyone for so many years and being able to react under pressure has been my norm for most of my adult life.  Finishing college in 1981, starting a career in 1981, getting married at 21 in 1982, having a child in 1989, 2 more in the 1990s while my career took off.

I think the amount of stress you've lived under, your habits like smoking and or drinking all impact whether you'll get ill, especially with cancer.

Cutting back on my stress is most likely what the doctor should order.  

We'll be able to really cut back our living expenses as we currently live in a place where two salaries made things work and now one LTD only meant a lot of tightening up the hatches.  Cut back on to needs instead of wants.

I'm going to still continue writing and posting on social media as I continue to develop my art (per examples) but more importantly am looking to launch my own postcard business with my art images for blogs, profiles, advertising, social media posts since the feedback is that it was worth noticing and inquiring whether I could do animation (from instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/optioneerjm/

I do not own this nor did I create this image.

You can check it out just search my name Jeannette Marshall and go to my other blog on leadership, sales and social media -- I'm offering so that others can  either pay to use my content or pay me to place your tasteful ad inserted within a post (see content on right to highest views) on the pages (sidebars) or within the content inserted like the images on this post.  Cutting out the middle man.

A social media friend started a GO FUND ME campaign on Facebook - it got $18.  Unfortunately, inaccessible because it was set up on the US.  I don't really like asking for money from friends.  It's bad for business, friendships, families, relationships.  Period.  Then again, it is a very long term friend who is helping is move on to the next phase of our lives:  survival.

Perhaps one door ALWAYS OPENS when one closes.
I'm active on LINKED IN - I'd suggest you follow me there minimum so you see my posts regularly and set up your professional profile and reputation management control... and jump on board.

Jeannette

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Posted on Wordpress

A work I started: if a company can commercially make its mark, why can’t a women go to the moon? My guess, she’ll be a Millennial ~ get ur rockets thundering! Are we preparing now Canada?

Posted on Wordpress

The updated version of today’s CEO … writing more on #CalgaryBlogger at http://www.optioneerjm.com on WordPress < doing Facebook from my iPad sucks! It doesn’t automatically link when you type with www . com > THAT @Microsoft is impressively intuitively improving its force quietly. I’m not surprised Bill Gates is becoming even more legendary successful dominance in technology. Constantly being of the social UNIVERSE: giving back and paying it forward. Leading by example that it is POSSIBLE to be the BEST version of himself AND help the world be a better place. 1000% control of his personal brand, for example what he’s reading…I’ve followed on Linked In for 12 years now…

Here is my opinion on what your CEO is doing:

A CEO is the frontman of every great band.

…. to be continued …..

Posted on Wordpress

What exactly does a CEO do? Today, he’d better be digital! READ MORE: http://www.optioneerjm.com where I’m writing a blog about it using the outline of the cartoon below, in progress. FYI @optioneerJM was suspended by @Twitter > please #RT so my 20000+ followers know and to follow me under @1960to65 … it’s fine everywhere else @optioneerjm on @Instagram @Facebook @Pinterest @reddit @LinkedIn @Quora

Posted on Wordpress

⁦@MarioFrangoulis⁩ >> just listening to your song with ⁦@SarahBrightman⁩ how beautiful and lovely

PRIVACY pondering

By now, talking about data is passé and the cloud, simply yawn.

That made me realize, that besides the odd news story, there isn’t more noise and clucking about PRIVACY.

It wasn’t a television or radio ad either.

The race for our almighty dollars has started, without a start horn,  we are meekly falling into a deep trap door that narrowly funnels towards brand popularity and premium choice.

Who is their voice?

WHO’s Responsible for PRIVACY breaches?

As more privacy channels chain of command paths are broken, more and more incidents and varying degrees of alarm.

Definitely the United States lead the world with paranoias surrounding being under attack.  Deservedly so.  Simply because they’ve been attacked in many forms, for example:

On soil:  Pearl Harbour > World War II

World Trade Center 9/11

Russian Interference 2016 Election 

However, are they fulfilling their own profecy?

I personally can’t decide which is worse because they are equally horrible: greed and corruption.  It must be said, clarified, that I am a Canadian, representative of where Baby Boomers stop, a parent of Millennial children, all successfully employed and tumbling throug “adulting”, providing a safe landing when they veer off course, and championing & cheering them on to accomplish their own dreams in their own way.

Who owns your data? Your employer, your providers, or the government?

If you ask most people, I’m sure they would say they do.  It’s personal, thus it belongs to you.

YET, while you are at work, your everything belongs to your employer: calls are recorded for “coaching” purposes.  Nobody can notice a grumpy boss who tenaciously goes through all employee’s communications to find something, anything, that they can use to discipline or fire someone.  You’d think by now from the abundance of data, employers might track supervisors who have a lot of people quitting, transferring or being fired and a red flag would go up.

WHEN it’s your personal time: lunch, breaks, off time, your information is your own.  Not likely, before you can even have a cell phone, you have to share your private information: age, income, employment, education and credit score to the provider who may have a system that rates those things on a numerical score.

ONCE your smartphone is in hand, what you text, click on is registered in some way.  That’s long before you start adding apps.  If you subscribe to any media outlet, you release information, if you use a credit card, they can save for convenience or even pay for stuff.

If you click or swipe, you are sprinkling your data around.

DATA REALLY IS INFORMATION

About you, your likes, your weaknesses, your monetary strength or weakness.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR HEALTH?

When my husband was in the hospital, a friend of the kids knew about him before the ambulance had arrived to the neurological medical center, worked on his ward, even though it violated health center regulations.  Our medical charts seamlessly pop up between medical centres, physicians, specialists, etc.  That’s a lot of places where leaks can happen.

BODYGUARD on NETFLIX: a must see

Timely, yes.  There are many excellent examples of why you may want to watch this stunning cinematic TV drama.  However, if you happen to have PRIVACY as a hot button of late, you may register how much the main character’s privacy is disregarded in all forms by government, employers, clients, security sectors, and on and on.

I want to avoid spoilers but I hope someone does comment, to begin a real discussion of value.

I got more on a tangent about PRIVACY on my blog: YUPPYdom from @WordPress 

LOYALTY is king or [QUEEN of Purchasing, Operations, Design, Communications, her own domaine....READ for MORE

Pure transparency is THE most critical criteria that builds TRUST; trust begets LOYALTY; loyalty creates ADVOCACY.  DO YOU understand the value based on demographics and speak to one, at a time ~ AKA [Also Known As] target marketing instead of mass mktg.

Why should you care?

As you do more things and look up more stuff online, you are creating a definable persona that is geared to your own personal data.

Think of it as your online DNA or footprints to your soul.

Not before long the two worlds could collide [ intellectual will challenge privacy and ownership - less likely copyrighted governance or protection] .... Intellectual Law would be fascinating to learn!

Oscar the Pug | #OscarThePug                          @optioneerJM

                               w w w . g r a FX . o n l i n e

COMMENTS on the story: Virtue & Moir 2 play tribute 2 Gord Downey as a statement to Canada

The source of the HUFFPOST story: https://www.spot.im/s/00RMETHD2yGO

Oh heavenly devine angels to share an ode to Canadians so proud!

Thank you for this wonderful tribute

that shows our character as a nation

we stand together

one and all.

We unite together

across many divisive factors other geographies cannot comprehend

Being at peace with our neighbor,

reach out a hand if you feel it is needed.

The reaching hand of humanity, no divisive color or race or defining character

is allowed to belong

It is the faith of this one nation that seems to send a ray of hope

shining brightly from the inside

with pride [ not ego ] humanitarian peace and a kinder world

void of catastrophe or calamity or violence

With the unified strength and ability to reach out a hand to the world

as naturally as we've learned to live together.

In a peaceful, proud nation, of diverse peoples and bruised history

we will always stand together

when it is time to step up and say:

(NOT this country or that culture or some race)

ONE COUNTRY

Creating a future for our children and their children

to build upon the foundation of the strength

we've relied upon.

Not infallible, without human shame, and all other unimaginables

Yet that sense of optimism that joins us all

For all of US command!

xo Jeannette

2017 HEADLINE of my year: mental health MATTERS

My family would say that it usually comes from people behind me.

I posted the following on Facebook as is my latest habit.  If you want a peak glimpse of my journey when I log online:

1. Check email
2. Click on a link from SUBSCRIPTIONS 
3. Share that article on FACEBOOK
4. Make a comment, or more these days blog about the article on my social media channels, mostly Twitter and Facebook because all the other sites make it annoying and a hassle to do much.  Other than Google in a major way:  the best stuff I curate on G+
5. Copy and paste that post, especially if I've yawned on and on to any one of my blogs, where I think it fits the theme [ from ATTITUDE to GRATITUDE to PLATITUDES ] is the common thread.

My headline of the year was Mental Health and my purpose for 2018 will be to supply Mental Health education and awareness as best as I know possible: by leveraging my social media handle OptioneerJM​ to bring understanding to those that need enlightenment mostly, with help resources shares for those who think they may need help.

Call it a New Year's Resolution if you must.  For me it is a direction on a path I began about a year ago.  Some of the big disappointments from 2017 will be exorcised on my blogs (on meanderingsABOUT.blogspot.com or YUPPYdom.wordpress and POSTINGSfromtheEDGE.blogspot ) with the intention of bringing greater awareness to Mental Health and, in particular, the work place.

The story will be told in the not too distant future.  What lead me to this place.  What lead me to this start on this cause? To be shared, honestly and personally, my own rude awakening this past year, 2017, by golly:  at 56 years of young, I am just coming to terms with being bullied.

Bullying is a horrendous affliction.  I wrote about it and did a presentation/speech in Toastmasters International in Calgary at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce [ where our Pioneer Nooners tribe gathered, formed deep-rooted friendships in a distinguished circle of high achievers, dreamers, innovators and quality crew of misfits (nod to Steve Jobs) who wanted only to be better.  Not to settle for the status quo but to leap into the abyss of the black hole of fear.  We were all horrified at the thought of speaking in front of a group.  Many of us knew that in our careers (one architect of the firm that designed the now-beleaguered Calgary Saddledome went on to be our The Calgary Chamber of Commerce​ president the year after he joined.

An interesting behavior I was able to observe fairly closely, provide constructive criticism on his speeches within the same luncheon boardroom.  How lucky was I to be able to be surrounding by sucy magnificent people!!  All I had to do was join Toastmasters.  

Soooooooo, this list of the words of the year would be an awesome Table Topic at your next Toastmasters Meeting in Calgary, or anywhere else in the world for that matter!  

Here is the Table Topic:  for 2 minutes, tell us your WORD of the YEAR + why you chose it.  Avoid any ums, ahs, sooooooo's, you know.  Don't go over 2 minutes OR ELSE you will have a penalty (eliminated from winning by vote-using the various numbers and tools available on the web).  If you want to do a video ~ just reply and attach it; share it if you participate, or like, or on your first 2018 to do.  

Regardless of who you are, how you know me, what you do, your age, occupation or education:  say or video what your word of the day and why!

LINK to optioneerJM on Facebook (feel free to share with me on Twitter, InstaGram, Pinterest, G+ etc.)



There my journey comes to a halt or a pause.  I'll ask hubby if he's done gaming with the kids and can we please watch a movie ...... if he ignores me per usual, it is a complete halt, as I go on the offensive of getting my way.

Hubby and I with our latest toy: 1964 Ford Falcon Ranchero (nostalgia or what?)

Happy New Year's Eve 2017

Thank you for reading my blog.

Let's make 2018 an even better year!

xo Jeannette

Minions: Mayhem for Mental Health

There you go:  I made a mistake posting this on optioneerJM, intending to post on meanderingsABOUT .... I guess I'm off the beat or out of sync with blogging, having been on hiatus for the past month, with a mental health holiday in Mexico with my sister and mom, making new friends and what I anticipate enduring connections with some fabulous women:  a Kat [who should launch her own shopping network, fashionista blog or vlog!! If I can help, I CAN], a Rose [a woman who lost her thorns and built a life for herself that should be an inspiration to many who have felt lost, not belonging to anyone or anywhere, etching herself as a memorable gal and free spirit].  Thank you to the 4 Amigas who were founded in the little corner of heaven called Mazatlan Mexico - the pearl of my heart and destination for my soul.

It seems a long time ago when I posted this.  The eternal optimist, scoffer of pessimists, sharer of gratitude, dolling out good cheer.  Well, looking back now, I can see how keeping one surrounded by positive people AND positive images CAN make a difference.  

I dare you to look at these Minion images, cartoons, quotes and quips and not plant a smile on your face.  If your eyes squint a little closer and your face loses its frown:  you are on your way!



Sunday, July 26, 2015

Minions Mayhem

Minions are everywhere.  Even creating mayhem in McDonald's commercials and even snuck into corporate ads.  Everyone wants to get in on the fun, apparently.

I had fun surfing and looking for minion photos and quotes that I could relate to that tells you a lot about me:

You've been warned



I'm not a morning person and tend to roll around, if time permits, for a couple of hours before I get out of bed

Someone had me in mind when they created this one.

Wise advice to those who love us and "try" to understand women.



I believe this to be true, so true.

Who hasn't done this?  We should laugh at ourselves.

You can control who you surround yourself with and they should accept and adore you.  If not, turf them.

A note to my loving family .... particularly my kids xo

You can relate to this if you have teenage and young adult kids

What a positive message.  I do try to be a perfectionist so this pokes fun at me!

Slash will be coming to Calgary at the Grey Eagle resort with Miles Kennedy

A fun social media share for Mondays

This has been repined many times on #Pinterest

Can you imagine having one of these?



Poking fun at advertisements



I'm a BIG fan of Johnny Depp and his Jack Sparrow character is classic in  Pirates of the Caribbean (filming the 5th installment in Australia right now!)

I love dark roast in my French press - the only way to have coffee

Great question!

Need for speed:  I tend to go over the speed limit ... GUILTY!

True that:  don't mess with me, when I have "the look"

Giggle, snicker, chuckle

Rarely would I think that because I don't tend to waste my time with those who whine all the time

Everyone loves a snow day break, admit it?