'elf Expressions Ezine
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“Get hold of your ‘elf!”
Your weekly collection of marketing tips, hints, and advice interspersed with humor, inspiration, and other goodies to spice things up a bit. It is offered with the intention of being of service to entrepreneurs, would-be entrepreneurs, and online marketers, who need guidance, tutoring, advice, mentoring, and inspiration.
The publisher’s philosophy is that most learn faster by taking small bites, rather than large gulps. Small bites are chewed more thoroughly, swallowed, and digested more readily. Keeping that in mind, many features will be solo items. That way, you will not be bombarded or overwhelmed.
Publisher: Mary Wilkey
Volume 1 - Issue 44 - January 22, 2002
Published every Tuesday evening
Welcome, all. Just a note to call your attention to a couple of things. Sometimes I just can't believe the things I hear on the radio. Today, on Marlon Maddux's "Point of View" program this afternoon, a Colorado congressman was the guest, and he was telling about a public school librarian somewhere in Colorado, who refused to display the American flag as part of a school exhibit, because it "might offend someone"!
Imagine! Our country's flag offending someone here in the United States! I say, if a person is here, living or visiting, and that person is offended by our national symbol of patriotic pride, then that person should get his tail back to wherever, and the sooner, the better. Choosing to live here is a privilege, and should remain a privilege only as long as that person respects the principles upon which this country was founded. If anyone is offended by our flag, that person should have no right to remain here where our flag can be proudly displayed (still).
To further add to this librarian's convoluted thinking, he or she simultaneously allowed a blatant display of brightly painted phallic symbols in the name of "art." And THAT was above offending anyone??? What a travesty!
Finally, don't miss the Public Service Announcement toward the end of this issue.
If you enjoy this ezine, you can help it grow faster by introducing 'elf Expressions to just one other person—because the faster we grow, the more everyone benefits from their ads. Thank you!
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Often the difference between a successful person and a failure
is not that one has better abilities or ideas,
but the courage that one has to bet on one's ideas,
to take a calculated risk and to act.
—Maxwell Maltz
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CONTENTS:
Subscriber in the Spotlight
Feature Article
Today’s Chuckle
Today's English lesson
Internet Tips & Hints
Guest Article
Inspiration
Public Service Announcement
Etcetera
Begin to free yourself at once by doing all that is
possible with the means you have,
and as you proceed in this spirit
the way will open for you to do more.
—Robert Collier
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SUBSCRIBER IN THE SPOTLIGHT
The first subscriber to submit his or her personal profile sharing with the rest of us all about who he/she is, background, family, location, interests, hobbies, goals, dreams, etc., will be spotlighted right here next issue—and yes, an email and/or URL may be included! Send to readermail@elfexpressionsezine.com
Today's Subscriber in the Spotlight is Lisa Ferguson.
My name is Lisa B. Ferguson. I am forty years old, live in New
York, and am the mother of three sons, ages four, six and
twenty-two.
I currently work outside of the home as a legal assistant. I have a degree in business administration and paralegal studies. I also just recently finished a course in real estate sales; I will soon be a licensed real estate salesperson in the states of New York and Connecticut.
I am a member of the PTA at my children's school, and I am a member of the school's Shared Decision Making Committee— this is a committee that discusses and devises ways to achieve the school's academic goals.
I am also an EPIC (Every Person Influences Children) facilitator. We are volunteers, who present workshops to help parents resolve conflicts in daily living. We give workshops on self esteem, helping children succeed in school, and emotional growth, just to name a few.
Last, but not least, I have a home business called My Special Stories. I make personalized books (mostly) for children, and I maintain a parenting website called The-Parenting-Network. This is a website that offers resources to parents with children of any age.
I started my business for several reasons. First, because I have three sons, two of whom are in elementary school, and I have faced many obstacles trying to balance a full time job and parenthood.
I believe that, at these critical stages in their lives, I need
to be a dominant presence. I want to be sure that my children are
headed down the correct path to a successful and productive life.
Second, I have realized that I am no longer satisfied with just a job. I want to be able to dictate my own destiny, not rely on a
paycheck. Also, the rules and politics of the corporate world are more stressful on me than I care to deal with.
Finally, and most importantly, I chose my business because I am a mother, and I realize that the future is in the hands of our children. They are the ones who will set the policies and standards for the rest of us when we are no longer able or willing to do it, and they need to be properly prepared to take on those responsibilities.
In addition to emotional nurturing, they also need to be nurtured educationally. I believe that education is the home of success, and reading is the foundation. I believe that every child should
read and be read to. Hence, my personalized books business was born.
I believe that, if you start children reading at an early age, and if reading is fun for the child, they will always want to do it. My goal is to put at least one book into the hands of every child.
Lisa's website: www.create-a-book.com/10702
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Too often the strong, silent man is silent
only because he
does not know what to say,
and is reputed strong only
because he has remained silent. —Winston Churchill
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DIABETES
I had felt so sick for so long, I was ready to try anything. I have been a diabetic for nineteen years, and my body has continued to deteriorate over the last few years. My doctors put me on every drug imaginable to help the pain in my legs and feet. My blood sugar was running 350+ and every spare moment I had was spent lying down, because I just didn't have the energy to go.
Two months ago, I developed a diabetic ulcer. I didn't even know I had it until my foot and ankle started swelling. I went to the doctor and he put me in the hospital on an antibiotic drip. I took a week of oral antibiotics, then another week of the antibiotic drip administered by a nurse. There was still no change in my foot. I went to a foot specialist, and he did a little surgery on my foot. He said they would do what they could, but it was pretty bad and would be a long healing process—if it healed at all.
Then I began taking Clark's Colloidal Minerals. A very dear young lady brought me a bottle and asked me to try them for a month, then let her know how I felt.
After six weeks on the minerals, my foot is almost healed; my sugar is down to 200; I quit smoking with no craving for tobacco or sweets; my energy has returned; I sleep better at night; and I have no pain in my feet or legs. I just feel so well inside for the first time in ten years! I've been so excited about feeling this good, I've been telling everyone I know—if this can do so much for my problem, what might it do to prevent yours?
—Connie Stafford, Covington TN
If you would like to see what has worked miracles in Connie's life, go to:
http://goodbody.healingamerica.com
The only company in the world with scalar enhanced products!
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FEATURE ARTICLE
The Eternal Now
Not a new concept, one that has been tossed around for many years—but one that few, I would surmise, have focussed upon.
The present, as we've all heard, is called the present, because it is a gift. And we've also heard that yesterday is a cancelled check, tomorrow, a promissory note. And that's all accurate.
What isn't so well caught is the fact that neither the past nor the future exist, except in our own minds.
Today is all we have, folks!
We can reminisce about all the pleasant memories we have built up in the past.
We can put together the most ambitious, lofty plans for the future.
BUT—and it's a BIG BUT—what and how we think right NOW and what we DO TODAY as a result of that thinking is the only thing that really matters.
NOW is where we live. It is the only time we ever shall have. It is the only time we shall experience. Seize the moment. Carpe diem. Just do it!
Now ... wait!
Don't go out and say that I'm advocating living just for today.
I'm merely saying to live today. Plan for the future, yes, but in all your planning, don't forget to live today. More importantly, do not dwell on the past, good or bad.
What you call your past is only your memory of it. Realize that anyone who was part of your past will have DIFFERENT memories of it. That is what makes it invalid. There is NO PAST, only our individual recollections of what happened in times long gone. And time past is just as lost if it happened yesterday or last century.
The consequences of choices you have made in the past still are but the expression of your present state of mind. You control your reactions, as well as your actions!
Same with the future. All your plans and dreams and all that you may be dreading to face still are but the expressions of your present state of mind. And only YOU have control over your mind, yourself.
To quote Emmet Fox, "The only joy you can experience is the joy you experience now. A happy memory is a present joy. The only pain you can experience is the pain of the present moment. Sad memories are present pain."
I guess it's KIND of saying "stop to smell the roses," and that's good, but it just doesn't go far enough.
Live each day as if it were your last (remember September 11), BUT go ahead and work on those plans for the future. Just don't LIVE there!
Live, love, laugh, and be happy TODAY! Life—just like happiness—is a journey, not a destination.
The only thing you have to change or heal is the present moment.
If we all will develop the habit of being constantly aware of this every day of our lives, we would not be so stressed out over what we THINK will be our tomorrows.
So when you pray, focus on what you need TODAY. The Bible says that we should give no thought for (the cares of) tomorrow, because (the cares of) today is all we need to concern ourselves with handling.
One day at a time ...
Inch by inch ...
Moment by moment ...
Just concentrate on the task at hand, and the rest will take care of itself.
Live the present moment RIGHT (the Biblical equivalent of being righteous).
Use this, from Phillipians 4:8, as your guide: " ... whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
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Feel free to reprint the above article with this info intact:
Article penned by Mary Wilkey, publisher of 'elf Expressions Ezine: http://elfexpressionsezine.com
To subscribe, email me at subscribe@elfexpressionsezine.com
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A BIBLE RIDDLE
Think you know the Bible? Okay, so what does Aceldama mean??
ANSWER: Word means "The field of blood" according to Acts 1:19: " ... that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood."
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"Forget the resolutions.
Forget control and discipline ... too much work.
Instead try experimenting.
Go in search of
something to fall in love with."
—Dale Dauten
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TODAY'S CHUCKLE
Little observations ...
- I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
- I work hard, because millions on welfare depend on me!
- Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them.
- I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.
- Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.
- I'm not a complete idiot—some parts are missing.
- I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather—not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.
- God must love stupid people—He made so many.
- The gene pool could use a little chlorine.
- I took an IQ test, and the results were negative.
- Consciousness: that annoying time between naps.
- Ever stop to think and forget to start again?
- I must be a proctologist, because I work with buttheads!
- Wrinkled was not one of the things I wanted to be when I grew up!
- Procrastinate now!
- Rehab is for quitters.
- My dog can lick anyone.
- Finally 21, and legally able to do what I've been doing since I was 15.
- Failure is not an option. It comes bundled with the software.
- I'M OUT OF ESTROGEN, AND I'VE GOT A GUN!
- A hangover is the wrath of grapes.
- A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance.
- They call it "PMS," because "Mad Cow Disease" was already taken.
- He who dies with the most toys is nonetheless dead.
- Heck is where people go who don't believe in Gosh.
- A picture is worth a thousand words—but it uses up a thousand times the memory.
- The meek shall inherit the earth, after we're through with it.
- Ham and eggs: A day's work for a chicken—a lifetime commitment for a pig.
- The trouble with life is that there's no background music.
- The original point-and-click interface was a Smith & Wesson.
- My wild oats have turned to shredded wheat.
- Mop and Glow: Floor wax used by Three Mile Island clean-up team.
- NyQuil: The stuffy, sneezy, why-the-heck-is-the-room spinning-medicine.
- Quoting one is plagiarism—quoting many is research.
- "My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he was God, and I didn't!"
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Oh, The Things that Money can Buy!
Money can buy pleasure ... but not love;
Money can buy a show ... but not joy;
Money can buy a slave ... but not a friend;
Money can buy a woman ... but not a wife;
Money can buy a house ... but not a home;
Money can buy food ... but not appetite;
Money can buy diplomas ... but not culture;
Money can buy books ... but not intelligence;
Money can buy tranquillizers ... but not peace;
Money can buy indulgences ... but not forgiveness;
Money can buy the earth ... but not the sky.
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TODAY'S ENGLISH LESSON
Seeing the same elementary mistakes over and over again has prompted this publisher to write an English lesson each issue.
"Who's" or "whose"?
"Who's" can be substituted for "who is."
"Whose is simply a pronoun and refers to possession.
And you thought English was hard!
Reminder: We offer a reasonably priced editing/proofreading service for articles or even entire ezines. Just email: editingservice@elfexpressionsezine.com
Leaders create an environment in which everyone
has the opportunity to do work which matches his potential capability
and for which an equitable differential reward is provided.
—Elliott Jaques
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INTERNET HINTS & TIPS
Have you ever wanted to print only a portion of a page instead of wasting a lot of paper on extra stuff you really don't want? No problem. Just be sure you select the PRINT option from the FILE menu of any program you're using, and then in the PRINT RANGE area, choose
the SELECTION radio button. Only the selected (highlighted) text will be printed. Saves paper and time both!
The above tip courtesy of The Newbie Club.
Visit the site at:
http://www.newbieclub.com?check_it_out
Polish shoes—with Pledge furniture polish.
To make your shine last longer, spray your shoes with Pledge and buff dry.
Pledge also helps shoes repel water stains in Winter.
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- I Can Sleep When the Wind Blows -
Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings, the crops, and the farmhands who worked on them.
As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a
steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin man, well past
middle age, approached the farmer.
"Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him.
"I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.
Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help,
hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from
dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.
Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping
out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to
the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and
yelled,
"Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow
away!"
The little man rolled over in his bed and said firmly,
"No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."
Enraged by the old man's response, the farmer was tempted to
fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for
the storm.
To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had
been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away.
The farmer returned to his bed to also sleep, for he now fully
understood what the short, thin man had meant.
When we are prepared for life, we have nothing to fear. We
can sleep when the wind blows.
~ Author Unknown
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GUEST ARTICLE
Am I Normal?
By Jackie Ulmer
It's 3:00 am and instead of sleeping, I'm trying to figure out how to get listed near the top of the search engines. Am I normal?
Am I normal? I pondered that question this morning while I quickly checked email one last time before shuffling the kids in the car and off to school.
Am I normal? It crossed my mind again while racing back toward my home office, as I watched a group of moms head to the bagel shop for coffee and a chat.
Am I normal? This afternoon, as my neighbors talked intensely about the latest episode of ER, my mind kept wandering back to my website, and I wondered if that was normal.
My mother tells me I should quit thinking about business so much and just enjoy my children, which I do, but I still wonder, am I normal?
Am I normal? My friends look at me as if they've seen an alien when I tell them that I'm never going back to my corporate marketing career. I'm building an Internet empire from my home, and would they like one, too?
Now, don't get me wrong. I love life and live it to the fullest, with lots of playtime. But ambition and the challenge of "building the perfect beast" push me relentlessly sometimes. I figure you can relate if you are reading this article. You are looking to create
something bigger than yourself, too!
But it's a crazy world we live in. A world where people have learned to stifle their dreams, their desires, their creativity. We are taught to "settle" for what we are dealt in life. All too often, when we try to move beyond that, those closest to us try to hold us back, save us from ourselves.
"Consider yourself lucky for what you have."
"It's a good job, and the benefits are great."
"The average American family has thousands of dollars in credit card debt."
"It's too risky."
I don't know how you feel, but I want to LIVE my dreams, have my heart's desires, and allow my creativity to blossom. I want to be my own boss, work in my pj's if I choose, take a four-hour lunch to go shopping, and fire myself when I'm not measuring up. (Of course, I'm
eligible for rehire tomorrow!)
Normal SHOULD be waking up when your body is rested, not when the alarm clock rings. Normal SHOULD be taking a vacation when it fits your family's schedule, not when your seniority allows. It SHOULD be having a parent at home when a child comes home from school.
To me, normal ISN'T sitting in rush hour traffic twice a day. It ISN'T working fifty weeks in exchange for two weeks off a year, or five days on for two days off a week. It ISN'T wearing my name and picture attached to my clothing.
Everyone must determine his own definition of what "normal" is and isn't. For those of us who have decided to step outside the box, take control of our lives and build our own business, normal is anything
BUT normal!
Life is full of risks, it's true. But everything great that has EVER happened has done so with some degree of risk. I don't want to get to the end and WISH I had taken just a few risks.
I'm urging you to take some risks with me! Step up to the plate! Decide what it is you want out of your life and your business and GO FOR IT! FORGET ABOUT NORMAL! Create your own "normal"!
We are at the very beginning of the new millennium! The Internet is overflowing with possibilities, as it breaks all growth records ever set by anything, and it is just not NORMAL!
As I lie in bed, building my empire (business) on my laptop, I realize just how much I love my other-than-normal life. I wouldn't trade it for anything! The clock says 10:07 pm. Ahhh, lunch break!
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Jackie Ulmer, author of Street Smart Wealth Home Business News, is a veteran home business owner and has coached and trained thousands of representatives, both inside and outside of her sales organization. One of her primary goals is to help others succeed. Her free newsletter is available through email at
mailto:streetsmartwealth@quicktell.net. She can be reached through her website at
http://www.streetsmartwealth.com/
jackie@streetsmartwealth.com.
Street Smart Wealth Team
http://www.streetsmartwealth.com
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INSPIRATION
God Knows ...
When you are tired and discouraged from fruitless effort,
GOD knows how hard you have tried.
When you've cried so long your heart is in anguish,
GOD has counted your tears.
If you feel that your life is on hold and time has passed you by,
GOD is waiting for you.
When nothing makes sense and you are confused or frustrated,
GOD has the answer.
If suddenly your outlook is brighter, and you find traces of hope,
GOD has whispered to you.
When things are going well, and you have much to be thankful for,
GOD has blessed you.
When something joyful happens, and you are filled with awe,
GOD has smiled upon you.
Remember that wherever you are or whatever you are feeling,
GOD knows!
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PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
The other appalling thing I found today was on a display of bananas at a local supermarket. A rack of "Pineapple Shake" caught my eye, and I turned over a package to see exactly what was in it. (I'm a habitual label reader.) Folks, I could hardly believe my eyes. Propylene glycol!
This is a petroleum byproduct, people, commonly used in antifreeze and hydraulic fluids, and although the official jury is still out, a word to the wise ...
Here are several websites and comments—you be the judge as to whether you wish to allow your loved ones to ingest this substance.
http://www.pgep.org/about.htm
Use Precautions
CONSUMERS WHO USE PRODUCTS CONTAINING PROPYLENE GLYCOL ETHERS (INCLUDING MANY CLEANING PRODUCTS, PAINTS, BRAKE FLUIDS AND INKS) SHOULD BE AWARE THAT SUCH PRODUCTS ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE INGESTED. WITH LARGE EXPOSURES, PROPYLENE GLYCOL ETHERS—LIKE MOST CHEMICALS— CAN CAUSE ADVERSE TOXIC EFFECTS. CONSUMERS ARE URGED TO FOLLOW PRECAUTIONARY INSTRUCTIONS ON PRODUCT LABELS TO MINIMIZE INHALATION AND SKIN EXPOSURES.
http://www.toxicexposure.org/
Propylene glycol - Warning updated 11-3-97
Tom Morris on 11-1-97 (morris4@herald.infi.net)
My family has a certain trait about chemical sensitivity, and some of us, particularly me and my mom, are very sensitive to propylene glycol. If you notice yourself feeling sick when using propylene glycol-containing products, drink LOTS OF BLACK COFFEE. That is what my mom was told by truckers, who often have to carry propylene glycol and ethylene glycol antifreeze with them. Always keep the work area well ventilated and use as small a batch as possible.
http://atsdr1.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts96.html
This fact sheet answers the most frequently asked health questions about ethylene glycol and propylene glycol. For more information, you may call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-888-422-8737. This fact sheet is one in a series of summaries about hazardous substances and their health effects. This information is important because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present.
HIGHLIGHTS: Ethylene glycol and propylene glycol are clear liquids used in antifreeze and deicing solutions. Exposure to large amounts of ethylene glycol can damage the kidneys, heart, and nervous system. Propylene glycol is generally regarded as safe for use in food. Ethylene glycol has been found in at least 34, and propylene glycol in at least 5, of the 1,416 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
http://www.mlmsys.com/personal_care.htm
Pure herbal extracts. Rich botanical nutrients extracted from herbs using cold-pressed aloe vera, instead of using alcohol and propylene glycol or glycerin for extraction. Safe all-natural, non-toxic ingredients.
- No sodium lauryl sulfate.
- No ammonium lauryl sulfate.
- No propylene glycol.
- No mineral oil.
- No glycerine.
- No methyl parabin.
- No tallow (pig fat).
http://www.healthybiz2000.com/skin_care.htm
Plastics/Pesticides/Antibacterials. Petroleum by-products coat your skin with a "plastic" layer, inhibiting its ability to breathe. Resulting in hormonal disruption, immune system malfunction and premature aging. (Examples: mineral oil, PEGs, propylene glycol, triclosan, butylene glycol, PVP, and acrylics).
http://www.toxicexposure.org/
Propylene glycol - Warning updated 11-3-97
Tom Morris on 11-1-97 (morris4@herald.infi.net)
My family has a certain trait about chemical sensitivity, and some of us, particularly me and my mom, are very sensitive to propylene glycol. If you notice yourself feeling sick when using propylene glycol-containing products, drink LOTS OF BLACK COFFEE. That is what my mom was told by truckers, who often have to carry propylene glycol and ethylene glycol antifreeze with them. Always keep the work area well ventilated and use as small a batch as possible.
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ETCETERA
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elfbutter@erinet.com
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To use our editing/proofreading service, send a blank email to: editingservice@elfexpressionsezine.com
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