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Posts tagged ‘articles’

Tipping

It’s possible, and even likely, that you’ve never heard of the kind of tipping I mean.

This week’s podcast guest has something so important to share! And I want to get that message out to as many people as possible.

Debbie Deming is on the show to talk about furniture tipping over onto little children. She says that in the US this year, about 25,000 children go to the ER and a child will die every 9-11 days due to a tipping accident.

It’s the kind of accident that can happen in any home, to any one’s family. And so many people have never even heard of it before.

When it happened to their granddaughter, Debbie and her husband thought it was a freak accident that had never happened to anyone else. But as they mourned the loss of Amaya, they found other families who had gone through the same tragedy, and they realized that tipping happens all too often.

So they started a foundation, Safe and Sound with Amaya, to spread the word about the dangers of tipping. And along with information, they give out free furniture straps to anyone who needs them.

safe and sound icon photo

You can hear Debbie’s story on the podcast, but whether you listen or not, I just want you to be aware that this is a thing that happens. 

As I said on the show, I climb up on things that I know I have no business attempting. These little kids are just doing the same thing – trying to reach something they want. Only they don’t have the experience to understand that it’s dangerous. Until it’s too late. It’s our responsibility to keep them safe, and tipping deaths are totally preventable.

If you have kids or know anyone who has kids, please look around and see if they are as safe in their home as you think they are. A 25 pound child can pull over a 100 pound dresser just by stepping or pulling up on a single open drawer. That’s a fact that too many parents have learned in the worst possible way.

Free furniture straps are available!! Be safe now, instead of sorry later.

Debbie Icon

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Listen to the podcast ~ Debbie Deming: on Furniture Tipping
Visit Safe and Sound with Amaya
Contact Debbie for free furniture straps
Consumer Product Safety Commission ~ report on tipping

A Year in the 80’s – People of Influence

So I  totally copied and pasted a lot of this information. These are very time consuming, so if I could find all I wanted in one place, I just copied it. But I linked all the sources.

Ronald Reagan (1911 – 2004)
RR photoUS President from ’81-’89. During the eight years of his presidency, he reshaped national politics and carried out his campaign promises to cut taxes and increase the defense budget, using the latter as leverage to negotiate significant arms control agreements with the Soviet Union. Despite some setbacks, including notable budget deficits, Reagan left office in 1989 with strong approval ratings. MillerCenter.Org

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Reagan is credited with bringing a quicker end to the Cold War, along with this man:

Mikhail Gorbachev (1931 – )
mgThe general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991 and president of the Soviet Union in 1990–91. His efforts to democratize his country’s political system and decentralize its economy led to the downfall of communism and the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. In part because he ended the Soviet Union’s postwar domination of eastern Europe, Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1990. Britannica.com

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Margaret Thatcher (1925 – 2013)
MTIn 1979, Thatcher was elected British Prime Minister, the first and only woman to hold that position, and the longest-serving Prime Minister of the 20th century. Called the “Iron Lady” by a Soviet journalist, that nickname became associated with her leadership style and politics. During her three terms, from 1979 to 1990, Thatcher worked to cut welfare programs, reduce trade union power and influence, and privatize state-owned companies. The policies she implemented have become known as Thatcherism, and continue to have influence today.

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Sandra Day O’Connor (1930 – )
SDOIn 1981, Ronald Reagan nominated O’Connor as a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and she received unanimous Senate approval. O’Connor made history as the first woman justice to serve on the Supreme Court. As a justice, O’Connor was a key swing vote in many important cases, including the upholding of Roe v. Wade. She often focused on the letter of law, not the clamoring of politicians, and voted for what she believed best fit the intentions of the U.S. Constitution. She retired in 2006, after serving for 24 years. Biography.com

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Bill Gates (1955 – )
BGIn 1975, Gates co-founded Microsoft. In 1980, he partnered with IBM, adapting an operating system (86-DOS) for their new personal computer. Microsoft retained the copyright for the operating system, and went on to become a major name in the computer industry with sales of MS-DOS, which was released in 1982. Microsoft Windows was launched in 1985, which went on to become an industry standard. “His Microsoft software shaped the way millions use the technology that has transformed communications and commerce.” – USA Today

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Hiroshi Yamauchi (1927 – 2013)
HYYamauchi transformed his grandfather’s playing card company into one of the world’s most recognizable brands. Nintendo’s Famicom (The Family Computer) launched in 1983 and became a must-have product in Japan. Against the advice of many experts in the US toy industry, and despite the fact that the North American market was still reeling from the video game crash of 1983, Nintendo launched the Famicom in the United States as the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985.  And the rest is history. NintendoLife.com

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Stephen Hawking (1942 – )
SHCosmologist Stephen Hawking is regarded as one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists since Albert Einstein. His work on the origins and structure of the universe, from the Big Bang to black holes, has revolutionized the field, while his best-selling books have appealed to readers who may not have Hawking’s scientific background. His first book,”A Brief History of Time,” was published in 1988 and became an international best seller. Space.com

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Ryan White (1971 – 1990)
RWRyan White and his mom courageously fought AIDS-related discrimination and helped educate the Nation about his disease. Diagnosed with AIDS at age 13, he and his mother fought for his right to attend school, gaining international attention as a voice of reason about HIV/AIDS. At the age of 18, Ryan died just months before Congress passed the AIDS bill that bears his name – the Ryan White CARE (Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency) Act, now called the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. HSRA

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Princess Diana (1961 – 1997)
PDPrincess Diana, the wife of British Prince Charles, endeared herself to the public through her warmth and caring. From her picture-perfect wedding to her untimely death in a car accident, Princess Diana was in the spotlight nearly at all times. Despite problems with so much attention, Princess Diana tried to use this publicity to bring attention to worthy causes such as the elimination of AIDS and landmines. She also became truly a princess of the people when she publicly shared her struggles with depression and bulimia, becoming a role model for those who suffer from those ailments. About.com

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Wayne Gretzky (1961 – )
WGConsidered by many as the greatest hockey player of all time, “The Great One” helped the NHL gain popularity in the US. At the end of his 1980 rookie year, he was MVP and tied for first in scoring. By the end of his second year, he had broken two major records, for points and assists in a season. Gretzky has won or shares 61 NHL records (one of his records is for breaking the most records). In his first nine years in major league hockey, he won eight consecutive MVP’s, four Stanley Cups and seven Art Ross Trophies (award for most points). His #99 jersey has been retired by every NHL team.

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Michael Jordan (1963 – )
MJo2By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. As a phenomenal athlete with a unique combination of fundamental soundness, grace, speed, power, artistry, improvisational ability and an unquenchable competitive desire, Jordan single-handedly redefined the NBA superstar. A listing of his top accomplishments include: Rookie of the Year, Five-time NBA MVP, Six-time NBA champion, Six-time NBA Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, 14-time NBA All-Star, Three-time NBA All-Star MVP, Ten scoring titles (an NBA record), Retired with the NBA’s highest scoring average, Hall of Fame inductee. NBA.com

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Michael Jackson (1958 – 2009)
MJTAt approx. 65 million copies sold, “The King of Pop’s” 1982 Thriller  remains the best-selling album of all time worldwide. The 14 minute music video was so popular that MTV played it twice an hour to meet demand. Jackson had nine #1 singles throughout the 80’s, more than any other musician, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He is only person from pop and rock music to ever be inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame. Jackson has 13 Grammy Awards, the Grammy Legend Award, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and 26 American Music Awards (more than any other artist), including “Artist of the Century” and “Artist of the 1980’s”. Jackson is the most awarded recording artist in the history of popular music, and posthumously became the most downloaded artist of all time.

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Madonna (1958 – )
291863aMadonna is known for continuously reinventing both her music and image, and for retaining a standard of autonomy within the recording industry. She attained immense popularity by pushing the boundaries of lyrical content in mainstream pop music and imagery in her videos, which became a fixture on MTV. Critics have praised her diverse musical productions which have also been known to induce controversy. Her music and style has influenced numerous artists around the world. Madonna is considered by Forbes as a cultural icon and she is often referred to by the international media as the “Queen of Pop”. Wikipedia

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Russell Simmons (1957 – )
RSRussell Simmons is the most important businessman in the history of rap music. As co-founder of the Def Jam label in 1984, his street-friendly taste and marketing savvy helped bring hip-hop into the mainstream of American culture and mass media. Simmons ensured his artists remained as uncompromisingly rebellious as possible, an attitude that made hip-hop a music of choice for a generation of multi-cultural teenagers simply by staying true to its roots. Simmons shepherded rap music into big business, gradually building his own communications company into the largest black-owned enterprise in the industry. MTV.com

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Steven Spielberg (1946 – )
SSIn the ’80s, this director was basically an unstoppable blockbuster machine. Virtually everything he made was huge — all three Indiana Jones  films, E.T., Back to the Future I  and IIGremlinsPoltergeistThe Goonies — and he perfected the difficult mix between family accessible adventure and enormously successful moneymakers. He’s inarguably one of the most influential people in film, and from Raiders of the Lost Ark  onward, all his work in the ’80s became pop culture gold. AskMen.com

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Whoopi Goldberg (1955 – )
WGbIn 1985, Goldberg won a Grammy for skits taken from her one-woman show, which addressed the issue of race in America. She also starred in The Color Purple, for which she received an Oscar nomination and her first Golden Globe Award. She won her second Golden Globe for her role in 1990’s Ghost, and became the first African-American actress to win the Academy Award for best supporting actress since 1940 (and only the second to win an Oscar for acting). That same year, the NAACP named her the Black Entertainer of the Year, and she also collected an Excellence Award at the Women in Film Festival. Biography.com

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Tom Cruise (1962 – )
TCThomas Cruise Mapother IV always thought he would be a priest. But he ditched that idea in high school, and focused on becoming an actor. He made his 1981 début in Endless Love, and quickly shot to stardom. Within five years, Tom became the highest grossing actor in the market, starring in hits like Top GunRisky Business, and Rain Man. Tom became a big supporter of The Church Of Scientology in 1990, claiming that the teachings cured him of the dyslexia that he’d had all of his life. HollywoodLife.com

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Oprah Winfrey (1954 – )
OWIn 1984, Oprah moved to Chicago to host a faltering half-hour morning program, which she turned into the hottest show in town. In 1986, it was broadcast nationally, and quickly became the number one talk show. In 1987, it received three Daytime Emmy Awards, and in 1988, Oprah herself received the International Radio and Television Society’s “Broadcaster of the Year” Award; the youngest person ever to receive the honor. Achievement.org  “She pioneered a form of intimate public discourse that brought taboo subjects into the open and sparked a confessional, self-help culture.” – USA Today

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So there you have it. No matter what you think of their politics, opinions or careers, they were all people of influence, in one way or another.

Obviously, these are not the only people who were influential in the 1980’s (and beyond).

Who’d I leave off this list?

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5 Ways to Give Your “Resolutions” a Fighting Chance

Today I present you with a guest post by Lamisha Serf!

Lamisha is a Life Coach who blogs at LifeOnceDreamt.com, and she’s also my first guest on season two of the podcast, which premiers tomorrow (listen here). And it’s totally awesome, because Lamisha had great advice and was really inspiring!

Today Lamisha offers us five great suggestions to make our 2014 goal setting more successful. Take it away, Lamisha…

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Here we are in a bright and shiny New Year and many of us are overflowing with tons of inspiration and motivation for making it the BEST year yet.  We have big plans, amazing dreams, and we have resolved to make them happen in 2014.  We have planned, schemed, and outlined exactly  how to succeed only to find a few weeks into the New Year, things get difficult and our inspiration and “resolutions” fall by the wayside.  Below are 5 ways to give your dreams and “resolutions” a fighting chance.

  1. Set intentions instead of resolutions.  Resolutions often feel so definite and leave little room for error.  We are all human and are bound to have a cookie or skip a workout now and again.  Instead of setting ‘resolutions’, consider setting an intention to eat more veggies or to get to the gym a few times a week.  Simply changing the word you use can make your goal feel less rigid and can greatly improve your chances at succeeding.
  2. Start small.  Setting an intention for the New Year doesn’t have to be a big bold move.  It can be as simple as trying a new veggie each month or to begin a walking regimen.  Too often we think we need to hit the ground running with huge changes and giant leaps.  Remember small steps add up to successful change.
  3. Make it fun.  When goals feel super serious, they can also feel quite restrictive.  I guarantee you are less likely to make lasting change if you hate every single step of the way.  Why not find a way to make it fun?  If you want to get healthy, find a fun exercise class or a group of friends to join you.  Want to write a book?  Join a writing group or class to get your creative juices flowing.
  4. Be kind to yourself.  Remember that lasting change takes time.  You are human and there are bound to be times when you slip up on your intentions, and when you do be gentle with yourself.  Don’t judge or demean yourself if you miss a day at the gym or eat something that is less than healthy.  Simply regroup, refocus, and revisit your intentions and begin again.  You only fail when you quit trying.
  5. Find support.  A lot of times this comes in the form of friends and family members, but it can also come in the form of a coach or other professional.  There is no shame in seeking a bit of help with your intentions.  In fact, people who have accountability partners are more likely to succeed than those who do not.  So find someone you mesh with and who will remind you of #4.  You don’t need a drill sergeant to whip you into shape as much as you need someone to inspire you to keep going.

2014 is going to be an amazing year and this is only the beginning.   Remember to have fun and be kind to yourself as you set your intentions for the New Year.  You were meant to do great things and it all starts with a single step.  Good luck and Happy New Year!

Summit

Thank you so much, Lamisha!

I was so taken with Lamisha on the podcast that I booked a free Life Coaching session for myself. I’ll post about that on Thursday; it was really great. So great that I hired her to help me with some goals and improvements I want to make in 2014. She’s still offering free sessions for a little longer, if that’s something you think would be helpful for you:

If you find yourself wondering where to begin or you need a little support creating your easy, peazy plan for 2014, I would love to offer you a free coaching session to chat.  If you are interested in seeing what life coaching can do for you, feel free to contact me at lamisha@lifeoncedreamt.com and include a little information about what you want to accomplish this year, and we can get you scheduled for your free 45-minute session.

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Lamisha bio shotLamisha Serf is a life coach and dreamer extraordinaire that uses her Masters in Psychology to work with inspired souls who are ready to make their dreams a reality.  With her unique, inspiration-driven coaching philosophy, she helps clients get out of their heads and follow their hearts to the incredible life they are meant to live.  When she is not coaching or writing on her blog at lifeoncedreamt.com, she can be found with her nose in a good book or her head in the clouds dreaming of her next big adventure.

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Items of Interest:
People I Almost Know podcast – my chat with Lamisha
Lamisha’s Story
Lamisha’s program
How Lamisha categorized her goals and dreams
photo credits: Lori Ann & Dvidshub respectively

The Happiness Query

Back in May, we had some discussion about happiness.  It started with “Is life supposed to be happy?” and ended with more questions.  Or rather it didn’t end, because, you know, more questions.

If you didn’t read all about it in May, then click on the links at the end of the next page.  It’s worth reading through all the posts and comments!

I decided to take it outside of the blogosphere and make it a Query.  I asked two questions: “Is life supposed to be happy?” and “How do you define happiness?”

Click here for the Query, to see how people answered.

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