INTERACTIVE ACTIVITY FUN!

Interactive Blog Post!!! 

I need you to help me come up with my latest blog post!! I need from you:

1. a topic to talk about. Post all ideas from zombie apocalypse recipe ideas to what to wear during a flying shark attack. I will choose the topic at random.
2. Tell me what adjectives I need to have in my blog post. I WILL USE ANY AND ALL ADJECTIVES
3. Three random sentences. Give me a random sentence, I will work it into my blog post. The first three will be used!!
4. Allow me to use your name! I will put you PERSONALLY into my blog post! No guarantees it will be flattering!!!

Come on! Do it! You know you want to!!! Thanks in advance - you all make this world more awesome.

Setting goals

I am lucky enough to have the drive to become an entrepreneur, and am fulfilled enough by it. I've been a goal setter ever since I can remember, and owning my own business allows for that to happen in a very natural way. Set goal. Achieve goal. Set new goal and so on. I'm also lucky enough to work in an industry I LOVE. Yay me! I never feel like I am "at work" and always arrive work feeling optimistic and refreshed, and leave feeling satisfied and fulfilled.

But long work hours, unpaid weekends at work and no vacations (for four years running!!) can take their toll on a lady. Burnout is a major cause of lady business owners to go a little crazy, and I've been close (and more) several times!

I've had the chance to go to a Women in Business Conference put on by my local Chamber of Commerce, where I got to network with a bunch of other women entrepreneurs, and having that peer group to spend a day with can do wonders. They understand what you've been through. What you're going through. You can understand, commiserate, encourage... We had workshops where we learned about what type of personality we have, and how to make that work in our workplaces. We got hypnotized to visualize and achieve our goals! It was like my mini vacation. This came on the heels of a Regional Franchise Conference where we were told how awesome we're doing as franchise owners, and how to become more successful. It was like the week of being uplifted! And if that only comes once a year, I will take it and cherish it! And then I got the chance to listen to Frank O'Dey speak. He is the co-founder of Second cup and his 'rags to riches' story will make you cry, make you think, make you act! His call to action of: "Hope, Vision, Action" should be a call for all of us! If this man could pick himself up and become a successful entrepreneur and humanitarian, then there truly is hope for ALL of us.

Now how about THAT for an uplifting and inspiring message?

I endeavor to arrive at work feeling refreshed and ready to accomplish all my goals. I will remember to be a kind, understanding but firm employer. A friend who is there, and will listen. A mother who's love knows no bounds. And a promise to be true to myself. To live well, laugh often and love deeply.
I WILL accomplish my goals. I WILL become the woman I know I was always destined to be.

Thanks to the universe for arranging my uplifting week. It worked.
Now, back to work for me! <3 br="br">

Let's get dixie-fried!

I've been everywhere, man! Work related activities have been at an all time high for me these days! Regional business conferences, Women in Business conferences! Client meetings, networking meetings, committee meetings and business travel on top of all that - phew! Oh my!

But I love it. I really REALLY do. Recently I was reminded about why I love what I do, and it's rejuvinated me. However, I have to remember to put ME first. With business, family and friends, it's easy to put me on the back burner, and forget I need TLC. Bubble baths, read a fun book, get a really great - sweaty work out that gets your blood pumping! Eat something you shouldn't. Get lots of sleep and the permission to make mistakes, and the permission to be SUPER silly.

But with the permission to love myself and make mistakes, I've decided this Friday is BEATNIK day at my regular watering hole. Everyone knows that I go to the same place on the same day to engage in my "relaxation technique". While there, I will be engaging in beatnik phrases, dress and perhaps a poetry slam and some really intense silly dances! (I've been practicing... heyyyy, sexy lay-day!)\

Why don't YOU do something silly? Out of character fun, silly and abstract? I promise to post pictures of my insanity if you do! Get out of character, and give yourself permission to just have fun. Don't worry about what you look like, and let loose! I predict lower stress levels and higher productivity at work! Try it!!

Everybody just calm the fuck down!

I decided to jump on the current bandwagon, and instead of discussing the current, popular series The Hunger Games - even though it contains lots of violence, and throw my two cents into the online discussions on the just as violent but not in the same ways Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James.

Originally made as a Twilight fan fiction, this book has captured the attention (and lusty dreams) of women everywhere. Why not? It has sexy main characters, and more importantly lots of sex.

I started reading it as a lark. I wanted to see what all the fuss (both for and against) this book. Why were people in love with it? Why did people hate it? Being honest, I wanted a completely out there silly read and I wasn't disappointed. My favorite line in the book? "I don't make love, Anastasia. I fuck. Hard." So ridiculously bad it's good. It promises lots of sex, and it delivers.

It's easy to see the parallels between the main characters of this book and Twilight. Brooding, too handsome, powerful man. Klutzy, ordinary, doesn't know how beautiful she is woman that every other woman can identify with. And it has lots of sex. Kinky sex. Rough sex. Mmmm. Sex. Women love reading about sex as much as men love surfing the internet for weird porn.

The reason this book has polarized the erotic literary world is the Dominant / Submissive rolls depicted in this book. Women arguing that this books sets women's rights behind fifty years, women arguing that feminine power is all about the right to give that up to the person of their choosing, women arguing that unhealthy ideals about sexual power come from growing up in a society that forces them to be submissive. There's just a whole lotta arguing. Over sex. Fictional sex. Is that the most important thing we can do with our time these days?

What do I know about BDSM? It's "Safe, sane and consensual" sex, in which the submissive does hold their own power, despite how it looks outwardly. That it's about mutual respect, pushing boundaries, and it has its flaws too. Ultimately, whether you play in that realm or not, D/s sex is fun to think about. Obviously, or this book wouldn't be so wildly popular. So is all sorts of sex. Pirate sex, alien sex, werewolf sex, robot sex, public sex, gay sex, sex in cars, sex WITH cars, sea monster sex, lumberjack sex. Does that mean you want to be abducted by pirates, and made to have sex with lumberjacks in public? Not necessarily. (If you do - please call me!) One of the most popular types of erotic fiction being devoured is male on male sex. Women eat this up! Is it because they secretly want to be a gay man? Is it because they want to share their bed with two men more interested in each other than themselves? Or is it because women love romance and sex in all the various forms they can get their hands on? Sex and fantasy is fun. Just because so many women turned on by rough, dominating sex doesn't mean they want to give their free will up in a sexual contract. (Because seriously, it's just like marriage. Once you sign on the dotted line, all the fun is gone.) Fifty Shades of Grey succeeds in offering women a titillating view into a fantasy world, and that's as much that should be read into this books' popularity.

I love reading about true crime and serial killers and unicorns and zombies and (gasp!) yes, even zombie SEX. Does that mean I want to commit crimes and murders and turn myself into a zombie and have sex with other zombies? Of course not. That idea is preposterous. So why are so many people up in arms that so many women are having fun fantasizing about the D/s dynamic and rough sex? It could foster discussions about their own sexuality, desires, wants, and might even spice up the bedroom. Isn't that why we read erotica in the first place?

What harm is there in healthy fantasy? Absolutely none. The world should just calm the fuck down. I'm going back to my dungeon to read some more. Come join me when you're ready. Wear that sexy alien mask and bring my favorite flogger. I'll be waiting...

I Love Fluevog Shoes!

I'm rocking a funky bright red pair of John Fluevog mary jane shoes today, and decided to add John Fluevog to my twitter. And then got caught up in browing the beautiful shoes on their website. An hour later, I discovered their open source adverts. They put an open call on their website to designers to design a poster for a specific new launching shoe.

This makes sense - who better to advertise for them, than devoted fans? Why spend gobs of money on advertising when there's bound to be hundreds of graphic designers who would love the chance to take credit for designing one of their advertisements? I love the concept of bringing the company and the consumer together. If you win, you get the bragging rights of claiming you designed their ad. You also get a $1000 credit to their store. They get awesome ads, you get fame and shoes. It's win/win.

I looked at two styles that will be launching soon - both with a due date of August 31, and figured this will be my summer craft project. I don't have a LOT of spare time, but this shoe spoke to me, and I've practically got that money spent. The shoe I'll be designing an ad for is the On Course Portside shoe. It's funky and linear and will be the first pair I purchase with my money once I've won. Check it out: http://www.fluevog.com/code/fc_briefs.php?brief=20 (link goes to the design brief in case you want to be my competition for the ad)
Here are some other submissions: http://www.fluevog.com/code/fc_gallery.php?brief=19

May the best design win!