A solitary reflection

George Karasov 

This blog was original written and posted on the optioneerJM blog. 

Excuse moi to readers who come to optioneerJM for business, leadership, sales or social media advice.  You have been bombarded with clips from Polyvore, independently posted.

I apologize.  It was another experiment or test.  No apologies for the test certainly.  I disclose that I am constantly trying out new avenues online to see what is what, what works, and how I may want to do things differently.

This is a "do differently".  

Polyvore allows users to create fashion statements, creative ensemble within a specific user base:  fashion enthusiasts, fashionistas and creative personalities.  I hadn't been there for a while before yesterday.  Because I haven't, I looked at the experience with fresh eyes, as if new.

Polyvore is a great environment for the fashion conscience, creative minds, fashionistas and the like.  My meanderingsabout blog is my reflection on creative expression ... outside the "box" of what I write here.  

Creativity is an integral part of who I am.  I recognized the following I had and that they were not interested in the fashionista and beauty side of who I am:  a woman in her 50s fighting aging by using a tasteful fashion, accessories, beauty regime.  That's where I created Meanderings about a year ago.  

Maybe the original idea was to have a blog where I could "rant".  Then realizing that people just don't like to read about rants, in general.  The only time I've seen them work is when a group amasses to express a similar disapproval.  More often, I've noticed, they are directed at airlines.  I would say telecommunication cellular providers would battle for first other days.  

Then I began writing as if I was giving advice to my daughters on life, living, love and dating.  They may not read it.  My three daughters and stepdaughter aged 22, 23 and 25.  A great representation of the Millennials.  

Not all experiments are successful.  Usually you can extrapolate what you have learned from the exercise and extrapolate "do differently" for down the road.

So Polyvore has the right idea:  they allow enthusiasts to share their creations on Pinterest, Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook.  Sadly, missing is instaGRAM.  Also, when you select posting for a Blog, the default is Tumblr, while allowing you to select "BLOG" for Google's Blogspot posts.  It defaults to the blog you have associated with your email address, which in this case is optioneerJM.  It doesn't allow me to distinguish it if you happen to have more than one blogspot.  

I will continue to fiddle around and experiment.  Thank you for your understanding.  I apologize if it seemed misleading to draw my loyal readers here, thinking I may be writing about sales and instead be bombarded with these posts that seem commercial.  You share the image you created on Polyvore, and then what Brands represent the products you have selected.

Polyvore has Polyvore Clippers, which I am liking, and just getting around to trying (for instance the image of Sally Field in character of Doris surrounded by scarves and cat eye glasses.  

There are a lot of tools or sites that start out with one idea and its users evolve and experiment, bringing a wider ensemble of tools and ways to share.  I'm never content to just create, post, share.  I like to test to see how it can be used in building social media audiences or "content" as the big thing these days is.  

Corporate brands and companies have gotten the message.  They are adding "Blog" to their websites.  However, the conundrum is how to keep the Blogs fresh, relevant, with regular posting.  A way to drive viewers to the website, where the website is suppose to take over and keep the audience there longer, to click, go deeper into the site.  Even better if an inquiry or lead generated or a sale.

I will keep exploring and doing experiments and reporting findings for others to benefit.  Even if that means an annoying array of blog posts that seem to have little to nothing to do with the central theme.

IF, this happened to make you curious.  I went to Polyvore to gather ideas for a Halloween costume -- obviously, I'm looking to be "Doris" from this great, whimsical, movie about an isolated woman in her 60s who steps out, after the passing of her mother whom Doris was caregiver to.  The idea of how she takes on what is normally Tween or Teenage experiences about dating and socializing.

  Doris is wonderfully portrayed by Oscar winner Sally Field, whom I hope gets an Oscar for this great role.  You can't help but be entertained with her crush experience, being coached by a 13 year old friend's granddaughter.  

Now, I will tidy up optioneerJM and move the creations over to meanderingsABOUT and delete the errant posts from here once they are where they belong.  (CHECK ~ done)

I will continue to experiment and try new things.  To report on findings that may help others with their social media experience, expand their social selling efforts, or share advice on business or leadership.  It has been a fun ride, and after 200,000+ page views, I look forward to continue to learn and share those experiences with you.

You can join me on Polyvore and join in the fun!  I've experimented with GROUPS, creating one for fashionista creatives who want to create ensembles that Doris would love:

This post has also been featured on "The Publisher" and "optioneerJM".

LINK to The Publisher

optioneerJM

I was a little taken aback by this blog I had written.  I can't say why it was sitting in drafts?  I am going to guess it was Halloween 2016.  

That was my first climb out of depression.  I am honestly telling everyone.  Twice, in the past 6 months, I threatened suicide -- not to my family or friends -- to respond to the threat of bullying, commonly accepted culture where I found myself spiraling downward into.

If "Alice in Wonderland" fell into a hole with magical ramifications and whimsical delights, then I fell into the waiting room with next step:  HELL!

If you stand out, stand up.

It's not just about "data" ::.... numbers tell a story

NOW, I remember what I started to do before being sidetracked sideways for a few hours ::... * mon dieu * [my dear] .... maybe I am losing my mind?

by Jeannette Marshall
@optioneerJM

A storyteller is someone who is imaginative
evoking empathy, intellectual connection with a highly *involved crew.  Not always YUPPIES as my egocentric alter ego YUPPYdom on Word Press has developed a pulse.  Thank you for that.  That is the start of how we would define a storyteller, by traditions, teachings, assumptions.  

In my mind's eye I see a storyteller as someone who can write
a story, encouraging the absorption of the tale, definition solely by you.
A storyteller can and often does evoke reaction.
Some positive, others not so.
Tears of sadness that comes with empathy,
chuckles or giggles that express joy and humor [key to our Mental Health].
Intrigue, mystery, literature or entertainment
the writer's gift to the world.
A bond that is established.
A loyalty.
A tribe.

You see, I study the numbers, absorb them, roll them around
in my head.  Then an eruption of ideas explode
from an implosion from within.  A strong
desire to develop writing, a following, 
a brand.

I'm always testing things consciously or subconsciously.  Perhaps that is why my tribe is really very, tres coolio [ translation:  my vibe ].  I had decided from the start to be who I am, be truest to myself.  Cherish my mental wellbeing above all else.  Sometimes failing, sometimes melancholy, other times a fear of despair.  

Have I been spirally downward and only just now realizing it?  Or, in the utter pit of despair, clambering to stay as far away from depression as possible, as I read and absorb that topic:  Mental Health.  

A fascination that compliments my life long love of numbers, hatched at the ripe age of 25.  Yes, the parent of a few Millennials of my own.  Offspring of my heart, soul and love.  Who would have imagined a YUPPIE being able to exude that much love, give up attention, recognition, so yield pride and ego to the exit door.  That should in essence describe the boon of the aging YUPPIES.  The champion of so many things, discoverers of wondrous wisdom, leaders of free worlds, emblematic of racial acceptance and waivers of discourse.  Fashionable statement is the championship of a YUPPIE.  In the 80s or ever since.  Bred of a generation in which appearance meant everything::... if you appeared the cleanest, purest, honest, intellectual, polished, fashionable young lady or man who surfed their way through the 1980s, hitting your 20s in practically, direct unison with the Millennial implosion of population, attitude, aptitude, striving, able, strong hipsters [ born in the 90s when their parents had done a little adulting before diving into parenthood ].

Lucky for me, when someone was showing me and teaching me something in my 20s, it snapped in to my brain, and hasn't really let go.  I think that sales was a science with numbers if I think back on it now.  A way to set up your own intellectual (golf-like) game of improving your own score.

If you are driven with south doubt, there is nothing more soothing than a love story of numbers ::... the characters evolving and changing, the plot rotating, the cast of characters alternating.  What stays true, is the numbers.

There is corruption in numbers.
But far more poetic and entertaining for sure.

I've been hinting at forecasting being critical
over the past number of posts.  Where many of my most devoted readers merge with me, hang out with me virtually, so to speak.  What's appealing to me or something worth a expulsion of thought.  Some pass on.  Others pick up.  

The ones that pick up are part of my crew.
How else could they not be (wow, what a bunch of bad grammar eh?)  meaning they must be my crew, if the followers are attributed to me.  Right?

Let me show you what I mean
while I tell you a story with numbers.
My own numbers.  
No one else.

Derived by really smart people
developing algorithms
that pops with artificial intelligence
of a different kind.

My perception of AI or what is catching on
as "artificial intelligence".
Just recently, Facebook announced 
setting up shop in Montreal.
As its "Artificial Intelligence" Headquarters.

Facebook has really fallen by the wayside when it comes to my interpretation of "Artificial Intelligence" (theory posted without research other than casual reading and dissemination of information available on the web for free) this Monday, September 25, 2017 at 10:30 pm MST Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Before I started reading up or noticing clips on television about artificial intelligence, I truly thought that how I defined it in my mind to mean to be the right interpretation:  AI for simplicity sake of typing as I've ranted about ACRONYM HELL before (maybe one of my more entertaining rants).

I thought and think that AI is the absorption of personalized information (or aka also known as "data" ) stored to the "cloud" [ which is not an Apple creation as in Xerox still is to photocopiers].  

It makes sense.  
The more faithful I am with certain social media platforms, the more forthcoming they are starting to bring me my numbers.  I commented about Linked In's more intuitive dance that they are experimenting with what I would think is mostly my crew:  the early adopters of online culture and earliest users of Social Media platforms like Twitter and Facebook before getting a special invite to be able to be the first to sign up to Google Plus or G+ as it is affectionately known.

By reading the numbers, I can tell who is my crew.
It's a vibe that resonates and seems to bounce around like an uplifting game of toss the ball, virtually meaning a rallying of support from those who get to know you by your message, your consistent messaging and vibe.

I did go on a rant today, which I really try to avoid.
Nothing destroys a social media following
 more than a rant.
Since people are used to the SPAM and self-promotional garbage,
they're able to tune out that noise and grasp real important stuff.

BUT they avoid rants like a rampant virus.
Toxic and toxicity avoided
so most people run away from toxicity
yet ironically rally around violence or catastrophe.
[You don't have to think that far back
glued to Twitter feeds and 24 hour news
about hurricanes and earthquakes
as most were.]

Nothing deafens your voice faster than a rant.
A misuse of power or a disuse of trust.
That is what I've tried to uphold as an online motto
and a heartfelt belief.

To use the information at your disposal to uplift
educate, elevate anything worthy of a rallying assembly of really smart, gifted, talented, successful, financially stable and morally sound folks.

Those are my PEEPs, TWEEPS, TRIBE, FRIENDS, FAMILY, and FAVORITES.

Looking at the numbers, just defines the spirit of who they are.  See if you can see the story?

Let me float this out one more time:  this is a very telling page of numbers.  I'm wondering if you see what I see?

Happy healing and healthy being

When it seems like all other areas in your life are falling apart, there is only one thing you can possibly control:

HOW YOU REACT!

If you try to be the best person inside, true to your truest character, spectacular vibe and kindness to everyone ~ you HAVE the ability the change not only how you view the world, but also how the world views you.

After facing bullying myself for the first time in my life after turning 56 years old just this past April, I find strength building within me, not without the assistance of my therapist Marjory.

At this prime time age [ NIX the MIDDLE AGE already!] you have earned the right to be who you ARE!

Fashion 911 Board on Pinterest > SOURCE < Link

I'm not saying if you're a guy, you are aspiring to be a character cast permanently henceforth as the "grumpy old guy" or "old perv".  Nor am I suggesting that we women have to resort to comfy shoes only, bloaty tops with massive floral collage intended as a decoy to hide that post-menopausal early trimester pregnancy look [ that MOST women experience regardless of race, color, demographic  [= age + education + where you live], location, living conditions].

You MAY think if you wear those life-weary looks of drooling at really young girls or scowling at their belly buttons showing or deep enough cleavages that makes toe jam look like a speck of dirt.

What about testing my theory?
Be the truest you that you can possibly be!  There is no linkage or printed guides or rule books or user manuals or YouTube videos required.  Totally unique to you, wired closely between the head and the heart.  More close to your identity than your DNA.  You.

Who you were meant to be.
Forget about looking at the past.  Examining and spending so much agonizing energy on what ifs?  You CAN start to be you.  There is NEVER never enough time.  You do not need pocketfuls of money or unlimited VISA limits for shopping or pulling together your look.

Yes, it starts inside.
Nothing more difficult than asking yourself:  "What do you want?"  At my first therapy, recovering anxiety from the bullying experience, Marjory started with that simple question.

Journal til there's no ink left.
That was the instruction.  Start writing and writing and writing.  Regardless of what you are writing.  No judgement, complete privacy, just empty your heart and your head essentially is what I thought it meant.  Yeah, it took me outta my blogging, which has been mostly a release of the brain:  sharing what I know.

Helping people.
That's what I like doing most.  I tend to focus on avoiding the pitfalls that I've had to go through in order to clear the air and focus on moving forward.  By saying forward, I am meaning mostly that you are just .... 

LETTING GO ... 
..... letting go of the past.  With a big picture in mind, putting all the junk in a bubble:  lack of confidence, humble beginnings, shortfall in knowledge (aka lack of formal education), poor body image, horrible childhood, victimization, gender or race discrimination, divorce, violence, bullying, failure, disappointment, hurt ......... put it into the bubble [ aka journal if you need to about that stuff so that you can talk it over with a therapist ~ breaking the rules of letting it go ].  

THE BUBBLE FLOATS AWAY
Bouncing with the tide and blowing with the wind, the bubble has left you behind.  Now what are you going to do?

BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF
Now that you let all that toxic waste float away in the bubble, what do you have left?  Only YOU.  What does that look like, how do you look?  That's where the "What do you want?" steps in.

What do you want?
You can write and think all you like about lists upon lists of the little things to the gigantic dream.

"The bigger the dream,

   the more the hard work."

  ~ Jeannette Marshall 

    @optioneerJM 

No item too big or too small.
If it is what you want, it is what you want. Remember, in your private journal, it is YOU, it is private, it is between "Me, myself & I" if you need a debate or thrive on controversy go for it.

BIG DREAMS = HARD WORK
There are no short cuts for you skippies out there who like to dart around things and stomp on people to get to where they want to be.  What seems like an overnight miracle are years of perspiration:  that's what I extracted from watching THE NINETIES by CNN where its focus was really about the first kings of technology:  STEVE JOBS and BILL GATES.  Even if you want to lean towards sympathizing with the founders of NETSCAPE, stop it.  They earned millions of dollars on an idea they were able to execute.

EXECUTE ideas.
Don't just talk about it, give your ideas away, or work for a company who will gladly swipe that idea under the umbrella of corporate regulations and employment contracts:  what you create there becomes their property.

Life is unfair.
Get used to it.  Heck, if you're in your 40s or beyond you should know this by now and stop talking about it or how luck evaded you.

GET THINGS DONE
 Getting things done requires elbow grease or perspiration or agonizing or choices.  Checking things off mental lists that surface in the middle of the night when you are longing for slumber.  EXECUTE. Complete.  Finito.  Bon Voyage.  NEXT? Get'er'done already!

I got ahead of myself again, per usual.  Jump forward, bending sideways, and sometimes losing the very important point.  I guess that is the part of blogging that I really enjoy:  helping others and exhausting those thoughts that don't fit into a journal and may be better to share.

When I wrote what I wanted, it wasn't about material things, I am very fortunately married to Hunkster Hubster which I appreciate most days [ trials and tribulations of married life is normal ].  Sure, I'd love a much bigger house in a tropical locale with the web my biggest tool [ or hammer, depending upon my mood ].  

FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE
Was what I thought I really wanted.  Until you try it, you don't really realize or appreciate how difficult that is.  I think it was Oprah Winfrey probably in the 90s who got everyone thinking about having a GRATITUDE journal, whereby you wrote about what was positive that happened that day.  Even as you wake up, you can write down what you look forward to that day.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR 
I am at the very early, formative stage of doing cognitive behavior development.  With my baby toe on my right foot touching the tip hesitantly.  I hardly think it is possible without emptying the brain and the heart of anything toxic, and placing it in the bubble to float away.

Happy healing and healthy being,

Jeannette xo

Celebrate CREATIVITY

So many things to aspire to and be inspired by.  Here is a gallery of quotes blended with quotes, as I prove:  PRACTICE does make PERFECT [and I have a long way to go .... and will keep trying].

I hope you like one or two ... let me know which one is your favorite or if I missed one of your's.

I am celebrating creativity.  A form of coping in a unruly world of controversy, chaos and so many decisions in the life of opportunity.  Rely on nobody else.  There is no one more invested in YOU than YOU.

Oh dear, oh my .... my give a damn meter has been turned OFF!

This post was originally written on  The Publisher blog where I've tripped over and trickled past some interesting things to write about or share that is off the radar usually.  I decided it was worth a share here.  I see where the insight can be used in sales and business scenarios to which I will expand and explain better in a sales-oriented blog.  I still dream in sales and think of ways to sell better.  I just have expanded my interests and want to test new theories or ideas.  Stretching my creative scope even farther than I thought possible.  I referenced my optioneerjm.blogspot.com already and meanderingsabout.blogspot.ca before, now I guess I'm flogging The Publisher (link below) because what I wrote really spoke to me and about me.  Thank you for reading if you are still with me this far.  I owe you my gratitude.

Sincerely.  Jeannette 

Oh dear, oh my ....
my give a damn meter is turned OFF!

SOURCE

There are a few things that are really annoying me, but I am really trying to focus on trying to withdraw something positive from this whole experience.  One of the gifts wisdom has so wonderfully bestowed upon me is to try to turn EVERYTHING from wine (or whine) to vinegar (rinse out the anguish) to champagne!  (Pop, let it out.  Let er RIP!)  

Well, giggle, snort ... very few people even read my blogs.  Like today, for instance!!  Geez, what a day of a hell on a week bouncing around WIRED.  This really young chap where I work came sauntering in today (yes, that is a great word even for someone not writing a novel or a script ... to be made into a play or a movie ... where she stars opposite that guy who plays the latest Superman and Man from U.N.C.L.E. dreamboat of "if I were 10 or 20 younger....).  I complimented him on his advancement which his chest puffed right out of when he then introduced his brother, whom he was escorting and showing around his new workplace.  Timing is everything ... timing things right is a gift isn't it?  

He said:  "Ah, yes, and Jeannette is a writer of a blog and has many many followers on social media."  WOW, I got a zinger:  "I said, aw, thanks, so you've read it then?"  This young whipper-snapper politely referred to as a chap.  (NOW, you GET IT).   He was too young, and still blinded by the glory of the compliment, through the glow came the honest answer:  "Uh, no".

Someone older and wiser would giggle, snort or gleefully snicker at the big trap the chap had just handed to them.  Like forcing a speeder with a strong tendency to get off on police car chases, disciples of Fast and Furious fame to go lay a tire popper track thinga majiggy then back his car up a few blocks away, start a cop car chase, being hunted and pursued.  Then go exactly the familiar way, and driving over that popper track thinga majiggy that blows up tires contraption.  

I was forced to exude my frustration and humility in writing here.  Unencumbered.  Fairly alone with my harmonious strokes of my thoughts, my fingers, to the keys.  Hardly read.  Maybe there is freedom in that.  I admit, I've been peeking around writing about nothing more than experimenting with styles and topics that appeal to me.  Even for me, it is getting a little confusing.  

SOURCE

I trust a champion will emerge or a gust of more than a few readers, or maybe five on a good day.  I know it can happen.  It has happened to me a couple of times on my optioneerjm.blogspot.ca blog where a particular post would bounce around a lot and jiggle with some spikes in readership.  It was a glorious two times that resonate.  The elusive reward of actually resonating with a certain group of people, under any number of topics, or a singular interest or passion shared.  A nice feeling when you're more used to a horseshoe curve, more like a wish or a hope to be blessed with a little traction.  It is really great.

I couldn't imagine being one of those bloggers who just blogs, turning a passion into writing or writing into a passion with uninhibited ability to express oneself in whatever fashion they want.  I got a hint last weekend, a great weekend.  In fact, one of my greatest or most favorite weekends I can remember from a very long time.  Maybe it WAS 10 years ago when I got married to the love of my life, Rob.  My affectionate version being "the Hunkster Hubster" mostly in my tweets as @optioneerJM .  My whole family was together.  It has been only since August when we were all together, but for a wedding, it was clouded with intricacies of varying family dynamics is not any definition of quality family time!

I had the nerve to send this email to an organization, whom I edited out for obvious and legal reasons:

SOURCE

Why do your communications not include a website link what-so-EVER?  Not even a paragraph as to who represents "communications@------------,ca" ? along with an alternative contact internal IMMEDIATE contact encrypted to hide for privacy but also someone where it can get IMMEDIATE attention.  Also include the time frame in which a person can anticipate a reply .. be realistic, but be sure you are really really close to following that rule or you will sink your trust in your attentiveness (or lack thereof), lose loyalty faster than the price of oil, to any messages you send out.  

 ~ Jeannette 

    @optioneerJM

"you need my help" . calm

LOST & AMAZED: INHALE beauty to push OUT toxins

I scooped some awesome art to share from Pinterest this evening. It is sure easy to get lost and amazed at great talent and just inhale its beauty exuded by an artistic interpretation on life, dance and living life and lives being lived. (I will try to go back and forth and see if the artist’s name/identity is linked with those PINs.

Isn’t it amazing how automatically at peace you find yourself in? I do. Most times, I will listen to music to chill out and nose in a book to escape. Then there is that more unique connection as I find myself in the tide of waves floating out wonderful images for me to just absorb, enjoy.

As you can probably tell, I like bold zesty colors in art the most. Whimsical catches my fancy. If I can even pick up something to learn: BONUS!

BONUS: I’ll have to slip in a bio of the artist here when I can search and find a good one. A while back, I created a BOARD “Artist Spotlight” and started a new BLOG: JMgallery, once again by blogspot from Google. However, I am working with my partners at @ifttt to forward my blogs from Google’s Blogpost to WordPress automatically. It is easier to do now that I renamed it “YUPPYdom” as a nod to my generation, our version of HIPSTERS of the Millennia generation. I keep dabbling with various Blogs to test my writing depth and see if it helps or divides too much. Ahhh, another experiment as I often talk about on optioneerjm (see link for ALTER EGO and click).

Yuppydom is more generic yet speaks to a specific age group or group of similar minded folks. Since there are fashionistas, social media superstars, art buffs, photographers, artists, current affairs, social matters, reviews, shopping, consumerism specialists. If I were to have ‘it’ it may as well be something I know: what I like, what I think, what I value, what I learn to share with others of a similar mindset or age group.

 Dance images calm and inspire creativity

deep inside. As I still struggle with mindfullness, this is a nice almost meditative state where I gaze across marvelous images. Of that, and just about anything that catches my wandering eye .

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