Savvify

The girl heading in my direction at the tram stop was smaller than my daughter who is 10 inches shorter than I am, so she really had to look up to me. She asked us what tram she needed to get to the Central Station and could we please point her in the right direction. Now my daughter lives in Amsterdam, so she knew the right answer.

“This is the Munt and across the street over there is the next stop and there you can get any tram, except number 14.”

The girl seemed surprised and then turned to her very darkhaired girlfriend who was standing with her back to us, busy with her mobile phone. She was of the same height as the blonde girl that had just asked us for directions. She turned to us again and said: ‘Well, eh….?”
“Over there.” My daughter pointed to the tram stop on the other side of the street, some fifty meters away from where we were standing. “You need to get over there, not here.”
The girl hesitated and looked first at me and then at my daughter again. That gave me a moment to do some comparative research. Here was a young girl, barely 16, with long blonde hair, and next to me stood my daughter, 24, a young woman, her long blonde hair streaming from under her blue wool cap. In a friendly manner she was explaining to the girl how to get to the Central Station. The girl looked a bit like my daughter, from afar, but there was something about her eyes. They seemed to look in your direction, without really looking at you. My daughter is an expert in looking at you. Her blue-green eyes will penetrate into your soul and you sense the presence of someone that even after a fleeting encounter you will not easily forget. The blonde girl was not ugly, she was pleasant to watch, but she was not in the same league, strangely devoid of presence. I realized that my daughter showed an extremely rare fusion of beauty and character.
It had been made pretty clear. Central Station was thattaway, the tram would stop fifty meters in that direction. I knew that too, though I hadn’t lived here for thirty years.
My daughter and I had been wandering in the inner city for a long time. To her, this was her biosphere, whereas to me, it was just a source of nostalgic memories. I had studied here, at the Singel, to become a minister. On the other side of the Munt was the Keizersgracht where I had first begun to study theology and behind the mote was the Philosophy Faculty where it had all begun, when I took my first exam ever, in Greek Philosophy. It was the only time I ever got a C and had to do it all over again. I recovered from that.
All around us, in the busy streets of the City, there had been bookshops, like the American Discount and the Athenaeum and several second-hand bookshops were in my memory too. All of them suitable for a small student budget. They had all faded away in the new age of internet and porn shops. Even the American Discount had changed irrevocably and only sold the latest and most popular novels at the uniform price of 5 euro’s. Most books I could have bought long ago for under a third of that.
All of the differences I noted between now and thirty years ago, seemed malignant growths to me. I guess that sentiment makes it possible to understand how old one really is, at the age of fifty.
In those bookshops that were still here my daughter and I had been talking books and authors all day. She reads. I mean, she really reads. Shakespeare, Chaucer, Cornwell, Murdoch, Vance, Colin,.. she reads it all. These few bookshops had become part of her world. She had seen too many wonderful books hat afternoon and she had not been able to decide which one to buy. When I offered some financial assistance she politely declined. “I have too much to read anyway, I am still reading Austen and Bronte and the Pickwick Papers and then there is that book you gave me about Al-Qaeda.”
I stood there a s proud father, listening to my off spring, this wonderful young woman that had not been engulfed by the internet and television and discotheques and was still reading.
“My daughter,” I mumbled to no one in particular.
The dark girl finished her phone conversation and motioned to her blonde friend, just when the tram arrived at the stop. Without looking back they ran to the back end of the tram and got in. We saw them passing by, in heavy conversation, when the lights turned to green, in the direction of the east of Amsterdam, away from the station.
“She is really blonde,” my daughter said.

“she was,” I said.

“No, the dark one was.”

I consider that to be an accurate and irrefutable assessment.

I dragged my aching legs across the campus toward my dorm. After five straight hours of standing behind the counter of the UMass bookstore, my legs are as stiff as turkey legs. I got a temporary job at the bookstore during the beginning of the school year. Never did I expect that these three days of working would teach me knowledge that I would never be able to obtain from books.

This is the second time that I have worked at the bookstore. When school begins, the busiest place on campus is the bookstore. Every student has to go to there to buy his/her textbooks. The first time I worked there was after winter vacation last semester. It was a cold, wet day. Not too many people showed up the day I worked, but a lot of workers had been hired. If even only one customer came into the store, he/she would get the most attention and assistance. I didn’t get much of a chance to help out anyone.

This time was a completely different story. People came in and out of the store and waited impatiently in long lines that wound all the way out the door. Everyone was looking for textbooks. Boxes of books were carried onto the shelves from the storage room. We had to stock new textbooks and used textbooks onto different shelves at an incredibly fast pace in order to satisfy our customers’ demand. Even though my eyes were aiming to work as a cashier, (so I could see how the cash register, one of my favorite toys as I was growing up worked) I was still at an entry level position, so I worked as a bag-keeper at the entrance of the door.

Everyone who went into the store must put their belongings into a small security room; this is to prevent anyone from stealing books. How hard could this be, right? Wrong! With only two people working in the room, we had to quickly label every bag with numbers and give them a matching number too, so they’d be able to retrieve their bag later. When a throng of people came in, we had to run around checking and labeling. Every bag was also extremely HEAVY as well! People passed their laptops to you with instructions to be very careful with it. After hundreds of backpacks, handbags, laptops you found yourself almost losing your happy smile and working like a robot.

On the second day, I was promoted as a cashier. I was very eager to learn this amazing “toy.” As a child, I always admired the cashiers who constantly pushed the buttons and put in/took out the money. I liked the dinging sound it made as well.

Now, standing behind the counter, my boss gave me $200 to put into the register tray and taught me how to use it. It was pretty easy, since the computer calculates the change for you. The hard par—you have long lines of customers waiting in front of you, you have to work fast, and you must make sure you give back the right amount change.

If a customer uses coupons, you have to press a special button to deduct from the total amount. I learned how to swipe credit cards, cash traveler’s checks, and regular checks. At first, I was really nervous. The workload is so intensive; you don’t even have time to go to the bathroom. After a couple hours, though, I began handling it very well. We have 11 cashier registers, and everyone had a non-stop flow of customers. There were two security guards standing by to help out.

The store was bustling with noise. At the end of work, we all went to our boss, counted the money we had taken in, and gave the money to him. Then, we could leave. At that moment, you found out your legs do not belong to you anymore.

During my last day of the work, I worked as a cashier register again. People still poured in. As a pro, I could take the customers more easily. I returned their change faster. I also saw many familiar faces from last year’s class. We can only exchange a quick smile, before I had to return to concentrate on my work. Through my work, I also met some new friends, especially those who helped me when I was still fumbling with all the buttons. I am very glad I didn’t make any mistakes counting the money. It would be such a headache if my cash tray ended up missing some money.

Three days of work has trained me to be a fast, efficient worker. I also learned that every occupation is important in this society, no matter if it’s big or small. You have to be responsible, have a good line of communication with people, focus on your work and accomplish the work in a timely fashion.

I also learned that a cashier’s job is definitely not child’s play!

A lawyer…

I like the sound of that. I would have loved that, actually.  A lawyer who works on behalf of the little people. I’d be their superman. And some day, one night, an incredible thing might happen.

A family of four sits at the table, dining, with their two children enjoying their delicious plate of spaghetti and meatballs. The father looks up across the table, and meets his wife’s eyes. And they smile at what they have. Out of nowhere, he hears something. He picks up his napkin, gently wipes his mouth, stands up, and walks to the window behind him. From outside, you can see his fingers slowly pulling the curtains as his face comes to view and finds what he’s looking for.

His wife and his two kids wait for his response.

“It’s him.”

That simplistic line prompts all four them to walk hurriedly to the front door. The father places his hands on the doorknob, turns it, opens it, and he sees how his family are not the only ones heading towards the front door. Houses across and down the streets already have their owners and occupants standing before the front door, their eyes all aiming the same way.

Underneath the moonlight, walking down the middle of the lonely street, I walk. Everybody can hear the sound my shoes make as they slap against the cold, hard pavement. Briefcase in hand, tie undone, hair out place, my eyes never move away from my goal. The end of the road.

I walk, tired, battered, and alone after a loooong, hard day.

And then they start applauding. One by one, every individual that lay their eyes on me applaud giving me an ovation because I can stand up, and fight those men of evil sitting behind their desk over at those Insurance Companies. I fight  men like Bush or Karl Rove, who have rewritten the constitution and slowly begin to tear apart this country that so many fought for over 225 hundred years.

I fight those who lay on their yacht over the Caribbean Islands, smiling in triumph as bulldozers begin to tear forest and destroy natural habitat, propelling creatures unto that long list of endangered species. I fight men who unscrupulously take advantage of the lower class, blue-collar workers who work for pennies simply because pennies are worth much more than nothing at all.

That’d be a heck of an ovation, don’t you think? I can see Gregory Peck walking down that street as Atticus Finch. Why can’t anyone be like him nowadays?

Barack Obama was coming to my hometown, Colorado Springs, Colorado. It had only been two days earlier that I learned he was here to do fundraising and talk to an invitation-only crowd of people in a city that is known for its conservatism, large military presence, and fundamental Christian population. I told myself I had 48 hours to find an invitation. My efforts to contact people began instantly. My tenacity was relentless, but no amount of persistence seemed to change the responses I was getting, which were, “I’m sorry, I want to help but I simply can’t”…

The day of the event arrived and I still did not have an invitation to the event. That particular day of work, my boss told me to dress down because we’d be getting carpets ready for cleaning.

Readying my hair, I looked at myself in the mirror, and that’s when the conversation with myself began. “Dianne, you aren’t giving up now, are you?!”

“Why in God’s name should I have any hope left at all? Today’s the day of the event, I don’t even know what time he’s speaking, I don’t have an invitation, and anyone who’s connected with the event is certainly not sitting at a desk thinking about contacting me!” I shouted back at myself.

“Dianne…has Barack taught you nothing at all about hope?” I retorted.

So, without a reason for hoping, I began to once again. I decided I better take to work with me a nice dress, shoes and jewelry, just in case. I then called for my girls. “Girls! Guess what? I’m going to see Barack Obama today!”

I must have been quite convincing because my 10-year-old said, “Oh my gosh, Mom! When did you get a invitation!”

I enthusiastically said, “I didn’t!” Her face fell.

“Thennnn, how are you going to see him today?” she asked.

I told them, “Because I just am, that’s how!” Oh, how the grins returned to their faces, for they knew what Mommy was up to. “Now I want you to say,’ Mommy is going to see Barack Obama today!’ three times.”

They said, “Mommy is going to see Barack Obama today. Mommy is going to see Barack Obama today. MOMMY IS GOING TO SEE BARACK OBAMA TODAY.”

It was TRIPLE stamped!

I drove to work, with my dress confidently riding in back, and arrived in Manitou Springs at 9 a.m.

My boss knew how disappointed I was to not be attending the event, so she began to console me by telling me about the other times I might be able to see him. I tried to remain upbeat as the minutes ticked by. By 10 a.m. and no miracle in sight, I admit, I was even worrying about the triple stamp.

But then….

A call came in at 10:15. a.m. It was a woman whom I had been e-mailing back and forth about the event. She had been so very kind and helpful to me, even though getting me an invitation was beyond her abilities. She simply said, “Dianne, here’s the deal. He’s speaking at UCCS at 11 a.m. When you get there, you can try to get in on a stand by basis (there is only room for 400). But you better go right now.” I thanked her profusely and then did a “Superman” quick change and was out the door.

I got to UCCS, they showed me where to park, I walked right toward where the event was and told the security I was on stand by. With no hassle, they gave me a ticket to fill out. It was totally surreal. My hands were trembling. Security wanded me over and then said, “Go right on in, Miss.”

It just couldn’t be true, but there I was, at the event. I found one lone seat in the far back. When he came out, my entire body got goose bumps. His speech was outstanding. My eyes and ears drank in every precious moment.

Afterwards, he moved to the inner circle of the crowd. I’m not really sure how I did this, but I snaked my way near the front where he was shaking people’s hands.
I think it was my height that helped me out. As he got nearer to me, I stretched out my hand as far as it could go. He saw my arm first, then me. Then he took my hand and shook it. I looked him straight in the eye and said “Hello, I’m Dianne Perea.”

He said, “It’s nice to meet you, Dianne,” and off he went.

I shouted out, “Are you going to the top of Pikes Peak?” His eyes twinkled, but he stayed focused on who he was meeting and on his momentum toward others.

Seeing Obama and shaking his hand was the most exhilarating experience of my life. He is bright, warm, magnetic, inspirational, and has those eyes that say, “I really want to be here, I really want to engage with you, I really want to help all of you.” There is nothing “politician-like” about him.

I can see why he is so good at community organization. He draws you in and instantly ignites a passion inside you to be a part of something larger than you, something that seems impossible, but made probable because of the efforts of the people. He makes you want to be a part of a movement that is changing the world for the better. He makes you want to be the best you you can be.

July 2 will be forever known as “Barack Obama Day” for me. When I talk to my kids about this, I tell them the moral of the story is treat everyone kindly, no matter what, because that’s just the right thing to do. And never give up your hopes and dreams.

To the forces and the people that made this happen, I thank you a thousand times.

In a world where size zero is the expected norm… it is nice to see a “plus size model” become successful. Nancy Hayssen, is one of those models, and she is beautiful and is trying to help change the modeling industry, especially after the publication of a very “anorexic” looking model in Europe.

According to statistics, 6 out of every 10 North American women are considered “plus size”. Plus size is considered size 14 and up. This means that more than 1/2 of the female population will be buying the latest fashions and styles in a size 14 and up.

Then why do they insist on displaying size zero models?. Why not show your fashion designs on a “average size” woman and help the self esteem of many young girls.

Young teenage girls want to fit in, and will aspire to become like these models. The problem is, that if your frame is larger, you are never going to be a size zero no matter what diet you try. But there are many young girls damaging their health trying to maintain this image.

In the last few years, stores have sprung up that cater to the plus size girl and women, but they are separate from the main stream stores, which further alienates a young girl. I personally am considered a “plus size”, at size 14-16, and after seeing a style in the window of a popular store, I went in, only to be told “my size is in the back”… like I had a disease or something. The front of the store only had size zero to 8.

Lately though, I have noticed a few more stores catering to all the sizes, and as long as we have beautiful “plus size models”, like Nancy Hayssen, then we should start seeing more styles and fashions for the 6 out of 10 women in North America that fit into the “plus size” label. Who came up with that term anyway?

Nancy Hayssen, is also a great author, and has written a book “You can be sexy at any size”.. she also is in a small film clip where she talks about her modeling career as a plus size model, and she is comfortable enough with her body to pose naked for the camera, (tastefully of course). This is a real plus for us larger girls. The short film gets the point across quite well…

Do these Things to Release Dynamic Energy:

1. Set some goal for yourself that you are trying to achieve.

Make that goal big enough so that it will excite your imagination and arouse tremendous interest. Your energies will rise in proportion to the needs you have. If you have a goal to make only fifty dollars a week, it is not a very inspiring goal. If you push that goal and set a figure such as two hundred and fifty dollars a week, instantly your subconscious mind will release the dynamic energy and the dynamic ideas to make it possible to achieve the larger sum.

2. Have some person or persons in your life that you are trying to help. This can be your own mate, your children, your mother and father; whatever it is that you are trying to do for others unselfishly will automatically give you greater energy and more stamina to endure and persist. If you live just for yourself, it is unlikely that you will have more than just enough life-force to exist. Florence Nightingale was the first woman in history to go out into battle to help nurse soldiers. She freed womankind from the restrictions of their sex, and created a new and honorable profession for women. This frail woman was so inspired by her desire to help the sick, that it gave her tremendous energy and vitality.

3. Find work that you really enjoy doing.And if you happen to be in work you despise get out of it as soon as possible. Nothing will so quickly lower the curve of energy as being in work you detest. It has even been known to make some people chronically sick because they are constantly frustrated. This restricts the glandular action of the body and depresses the body organs. But if you are in work you love, your body cells sing with joy and health and energy, they are stimulated, so that you constantly feel good.

4. Have hobbies that give you pleasure as well as relaxation. Dynamic energy is created when your mind is interested in doing something. It is vitally important that you have avocations as well as a vocation. The moments you give to painting, writing poetry or stories, modeling in clay, stamp collecting, rug weaving or whatever hobby you indulge, are moments well spent, for they will serve to release energy which will make your regular work easier and less boring.

5. If you are not already in love with someone, fall in love as quickly as you can.Nothing helps release dynamic energy so quickly and potently as being in love. Science is now aware of the importance of this powerful emotion in our lives. Children thrive and are healthy when loved. When denied love they are sickly and lacking in energy and interest.

6. Set daily goals for yourself that you are trying to achieve.

If you are a salesman, set a certain number of sales. If an author, set a certain number of pages you wish to write. If a student, a certain course of study which you do regularly. It has been found that the mind responds to the challenge of direct suggestion. If you know you are going to play eighteen holes of golf, the body and brain see to it that the necessary energy and drive are created to carry you through that course. If a prize fighter builds himself up mentally to take on a certain opponent, his body will release the energy to carry him into that ring facing formidable opposition. As you achieve these small goals at first, keep raising the level of your goal, until you have reached a high peak of energy and achievement.

7. Each day, when you start your activities, say a series of suggestions that will be energy-boosters to your subconscious mind.

Here are a few you might memorize and repeat every day when you feel the need of inspiration or greater mental or physical energy.

• I am strong and healthy.
• I can accomplish anything I desire.
• I am young and vital, and my body now responds with new energy and vitality to do all my tasks today.
• I am happy, happy, happy.
• I find joy in my work and my life sparkles with interest and happiness.
• I have faith in myself, my work and my destiny.
• I now extend this faith to the entire world.
• I am successful, well-liked, and attract friends to myself.
• I now radiate confidence, poise and inner power.
• I love everyone I meet, and they will in turn love me.
• I am rich as any millionaire; with gifts of mental and physical health, free estates of parks, and the golden gifts of friendship, love, peace, happiness and beauty.

Whenever you feel tired or discouraged, or your energy is low, just stop whatever you are doing, breathe deeply for ten or fifteen times, say all of the above energy-boosters, and really mean them, then you will see how quickly your mind recovers its sharpness, and your body becomes filled with new energy and vitality.

When I was a small child living in British Columbia, Canada, each evening before bed, my father would gather my brother and me and place us on chairs in front of the open oven door of the kitchen wood stove on cool evenings and on warm ones we’d gather at the kitchen table. Once we were settled with our before bed snack, he would read us a chapter of a Thornton W. Burgess bedtime story. It was a time that I will never forget. As well as entertaining, it taught both of us the value of a good book. So many wonderful, entertaining and educational things can be learned from books. I believe that my love of reading and writing was fostered in these early years of my life.

Inspiring your child to read could be the single most important thing you can do to help him or her succeed in school. Stories are an excellent way to stimulate the mind and expand the imagination, for all of us.

Starting early with your child is the key to a lifelong passion for the written word. Use the tips below and watch your child develop into a proficient reader.

Read Together Every Day

Read to your child every day with different voice tones. Sometimes you can be fun, crazy, and exciting, other times be serious and intriguing. Even if your child does not understand all the words, you are making reading fun and interesting!

Have Your Child Read to You

Make this a warm loving time where your child feels safe to make mistakes. Have your child repeat after you. Start with simple phrases and words and move forward as your child progresses.

Show How Much You Love to Read

Tell your child that you need a certain amount of time every day to read by yourself. “This is my time,” tell her. This shows how much you enjoy reading. Research shows that 55% of communication is body language, 38% tone of voice, and only 7% the content. If you are reading and enjoying it, your child is more likely to model that behavior. You may even find your child picking up your books and pretending to read.

Get Excited About Reading With Your Child

Throughout the day tell your child how much you are looking forward to “Story Time!” Remember the percentages of communication above.

Know When to Stop

Little by little is the key. Reading should be fun time. If your child is losing interest, put the book away for a while. If reading time is not surrounded by positive feelings then negative feelings will emerge. It is very difficult to reestablish the fun in reading when apprehension surfaces.

Talk About Writing

Ask your child what she thinks it would be like to write a book like the ones she loves. Mention to her how it’s interesting how we read from left to right and how the text is separated by spaces, commas, and paragraphs.

Point Out Words Everywhere

Talk about written words you see in your community: road signs, advertisements, bumper stickers, grocery stores. Challenge your child to find at least two new words on each outing. Then celebrate her discoveries with positive body language, exciting tones of voice, and positive words of encouragement.

Follow the above tips and watch your child develop a strong vocabulary and passion for the written word. The importance of reading with your children cannot be over emphasized.

Reading is a wonderful way to bond with your children and provides memories they will carry with them all their lives. Proficiency in reading, more than any other skill, increases their potential for success in school and as an adult.

In short, reading with your children is a gift that gives for a lifetime.

In experiencing the Internet and trying to do business there, I have learned a lot of things. I have learned terminology, HTML, coding (just a bit) and my favorite, Internet Marketing. By no means am I finished learning, I have just begun.

Even though I have been using the net and learning on the net for over a decade I am still a newbie. I have recently begun and slashed business ideas and formats because of what I call the ‘Internet Blues’.

The Internet Blues comes from working hard, learning hard and basically having a hard time dealing with a lack of immediate results. Like a lot of people in my sphere of influence, I am impatient. I am used to dealing with the real world per se and can do business there just fine. The Internet however is a completely different animal even if it shares similar dynamics. What I have learned here could fill several books on what and what not to do and yet I often feel as if I know nothing.

I have found that for me, this feeling of stupidity comes from being or allowing myself to be overwhelmed. Remember, even though the Internet may be fun, it is also a vast resource and a tool with power that has changed society, for the better I believe.

Currently I am writing about my love of Internet Marketing and have found myself to be less than enthusiastic at times due to my lack of immediate traffic. I also would like to make money but that comes as a result of being good and informative in my writing. To be honest, I know better because no real time has passed but the Internet Blues does not care. I have determined that I will stay the course with my current venture because it will succeed. All I have to do is keep learning and keep trying.

Along with this affirmation comes some tools and affirmations that I have begun to use daily in order to fight off the Internet Blues, If you ever find your self in this predicament, I hope you use them and that they come in handy.

Affirmation #1

I can achieve my goals because I have the ability to achieve them.

Tool #1

Look at what has been accomplished and not at what has failed, then relish them for what they are and move on.

Affirmation #2

I am not alone in my endeavors, there is help to be had.

Tool #2

Talk about what is going on with like minded people who can help and not criticize.

Affirmation #3

Everything takes time.

Tool #3

Work on patience, this also takes time. Eventually you will get better.

Affirmation #4

I will not give up no matter what.

Tool #4

Persistence. Try again. Modify what you have tried until it works.

Power Affirmation

I am the King.

Power Tool

Strut your stuff. This is intended to make light of the situation. Levity and laughter can break the foulest moods.

So there you have it, my way to break the cycle of the Internet Blues. It works for me the majority of the time and it might work for you. You should come up with some affirmations and tools of your own. If they don’t work combine your affirmations and tools with something you love and a little bit of time. I like to write hence this article. This reminds me of my tools and affirmations and also gives me a venue to express myself honesty.

In the time it took me to write this short article/essay, I have learned more about myself that will help me achieve my goals and demand more realistically of myself. If you come up with some great universal affirmations and tools, I would sure like to know about them, we Internet Blues’ers need all the help we can get.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andrew Witherspoon is a freelance writer, professional logger an Internet Entrepreneur and a staff writer for Literafeelya Magazine.

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