Virtual Assistance On The Move

Bubble Wrap!

Greetings!

We're still going through boxes...a weed through really for the boxes that should have never made it down here.

I found a great picture! It's of my assistant who was such a godsend - she is standing next to a HUGE roll of bubble wrap - that was totally gone when we were finished! It was about 5' tall and you couldn't get your arms around the wrap. LOL!

Do you have any funny pictures of when you moved?

Moving keeps on giving...

Greetings!

I took a respite from opening and organizing boxes after the move - I simply couldn't look at one more box. But lately, my office has felt restrictive and unorganized. Not good for a VA. At the end of last week, I knew it was time to tackle the boxes!

So over the weekend, I gathered 3 boxes that contained scrapbooks and pictures. I had been too busy when I was moving to even really look inside. What a find! A flood of memories came rushing back....yes, there was some tears...but mostly a look into past memories,  good times, and a generation gone by.

First to tackle was the scrapbooks. 2 scrapbooks from the very early years - kindergarten, elementary and high school. What a riot! It was revealing to me what one saves from those years. Report cards, birthday cards, get well cards (from when I had my tonsils out at age 12). Mementos from trips I took with the family. A huge picture from kindergarten of all the kids...most of who I went to high school with.

On that same day, Mom sent me the obituary notice if my Kindergarten teacher. A sort of around the circle karma.

No emails, no Facebook, no Twitter. I did have hand-written invitations to parties. What made these interesting was that not only were they hand-written, but "parents will be there to chaperone", and "attire is school clothes" were quite obvious. LOL! Can you imagine putting that on FB or Twitter today. There was also an RSVP and a phone number. How adult we were. I put the name of my date on the card. LOL! These were definitely from another place and time.

Also was a card from the prom with my name and my date's name - I thought he was the love of my life until I read his note to me in the yearbook - "this has been the best 6 months of my life!" Really, 6 months...that is such a small amount of time now, but back then it was an eternity. I've been married 35 years now...ok...no jokes here.

Then there were the photos: family, friends, wedding. The wedding pictures are so funny! 35 years ago - we look like different people! Siblings from birth to college. Hmmm....there may be blackmail material here. Aunts and uncles - some living and some gone now. Nieces and nephews. And now there are my great nieces and nephews. There are the photos of a trip to Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong...a trip to Hawaii when we moved back to the states from Guam...pictures of graduations, my parent's 50th wedding anniversary, trips with friends, a trip to St. Thomas. My life all condensed into pictures and memories.

One of the most touching was the picture of my college friend, me and my dad. I was moving back East from Iowa. My friend has been a constant in my life. She introduced me to my husband. Now FB has made it so much easier to stay in touch. This picture said it all.

There was clippings about the family business, first owned by Dad and Mom, now by my brothers. I kept these...not sure what I'm going to do with them. Definite business lessons to be shared here.

I went through everything once on Saturday. Shared a lot with hubby...somehow speaking out loud of the memory made it permanent. Sunday was decision day - took the items from the scrapbook that I wanted to keep...then the rest into the trash. Not really...not in my mind...but no need to keep the physical memento. Pictures were kept. Everything was re-wrapped so as not to break.

At the end of the day, I was tired. But it was the type of tired you experience after a wedding, or a fabulous party...and I'm smiling today...content with the process.

What will I tackle next?

5 Business Practices I’ve Learned From Playing Farmville

Greetings!

 

Playing Farmville? Feeling Guilty? Don’t. Here are 5 business practices you can learn from playing Farmville.

 

1.   What will be your focus?

Do you need a lot of cash (revenue)? Do you want agriculture farming or live stock farming (who do you want your clients to be)? How much time do you want to spend (what hours will you work and how many clients do you need)? Are you competitive - do you need ribbons for your excellence (how does this apply to you – do you need to be blogging, twittering)?

 

2.   Develop a plan/strategy.

Now develop a game plan based on your focus. What will be your strategy –

 

3.   Play nice with others.

You help your neighbors in Farmville...do you do that in your business? Do you help others with their business? If someone does something nice for you, do you return the favor?

 

4.   Customer Service is a top priority.

Milk the cows, feed the chickens, harvest the trees. Are you doing everything to help your clients – projects in on time, catch-up calls, giving them suggestions on how to grow their business?

5.   Check the farm regularly.

How often do you check the farm, I mean your business? Is everything running smoothly, clients happy, even marketing? Do you re-evaluate your plan/strategy and are you sure you’re on target?

 

   

What else have you learned from playing Farmville?

 

 

30 days of Thanks - Final

Greetings!

I'm going to summarize the remaining days as I am off for a few days: I am thankful for:

1. my clients - they challenge me and they allow me to challenge them. They are kind, sweet, funny people, who have been with me for years - some since the beginning.

2. my support team who have been with me during these last 3 weeks of strife and turmoil. Thank you for listening to me when I needed to vent. You all gave wonderful advice and solace.

3. life in general - I am blessed with abundance...friends and family who love me, a job I love, clients who value my worth, and overall good health! The stumbles along the way make me who I am and I learn from them so that I can be better.

I have enjoyed reading everyone's thanks! It has given me new insight into the people I work with and has reassured me that I chose the right profession.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Warmly,

Barbara

30 Days of Thanks - November 21

Greetings!

Today I am thankful for Sugar Free Fat Free pudding! LOL! Sometimes it's the little things that make you happy!

Warmly,

Barbara

30 Days of Thanks - November 20

Greetings!

Today is simple...I am thankful that's it Friday!! I'm doing a happy dance! I know...not very original, but alas, true!

Enjoy your weekend!

Warmly,

Barbara

30 Days of Thanks - for November 19

Greetings!

Sorry...yesterday got away from me.

Yesterday, I was thankful for computer games - all kinds, the types on Facebook and the types on my computer! They relieve my stress and distract me from worrying about things I often have no control of. I work, then play, then work, etc. I'm amazed how these games are so intricate - who created these must be amazing people. Were they sitting around a table sitting on a sofa once night when they thought,"hmmm...let's have a game where people buld a farm", or "let's put one of James Patterson's books to a game?"

Way cool!!

Warmly,

Barbara

30 days of Thanks - November 18

Greetings!

I love email...it allows me to stay in touch with friends, family, clients...it allows me to hear good news, bad news, with a detachment so I can hear the news and what's really being said.

Thank you for email!

Warmly,

Barbara

30 days of Thanks - November 17

Greetings!

I love music! I especially like country western music. Dad used to play it all the time..the real stuff...Ernest Tubb and his Texas Troubadoors. Music calms me when I'm upset...uplifts me when I'm down...and in general makes me feel wonderful!

I like pop music, Broadway tunes, and even a little hip hop...my ipod shuffle has a real mixed bag of music. I'm not much into classical or opera, although Andrea Bocelli (http://www.andreabocelli.com/andreabocelli_eng.htm) can bring a tear to my eye.

Music is the eyes and ears of the soul and the expressway to the universe.

Thanks for music!

PS: Don't forget my favorite folk singer, Christine Lavin. If you haven't heard her, see if she's playing in your area or buy one of her CDs (www.christinelavin.com). You won't be disappointed.

B.

30 Days of Thanks - November 16

Greetings!

Today I'm thankful for my mother...91 years old and still able to console and support me. She knows the right thing to say and makes me smile. It's so nice to know she is alway there on the other end of the phone. love you, Mom!

Warmly,

Barbara