Karen’s Back at the Keyboard
October 27, 2008
Since last Thursday I’ve been in Baltimore attending the 2008 Coaching Super Summit with over 100 amazing coaches from all over the world and experts on everything from latest trends in Internet marketing to how to really get in touch with the pain of your target audience. The speakers, many of whom may be resources for you in your business, included:
- Conference organizer and the coaching entrepreneur guru, Milana Leshinsky
- Michel Neray
- Kendall SummerHawk
- Dan Janal
- Christian Mickelsen
- Beth Schneider
- James Malinchak
- Adam Urbanski
- Kevin Nations
- Tom Antion and
- Terri Levine
If you’re an entrepreneur or a solopreneur, any or all of these experts could help take your business to the next level. So as you have time, check out their websites.
In the meantime, I’m glad to be back at the keyboard writing here at Midlife’s a Trip. Our schedule was so jam-packed at the conference that there wasn’t time to blog. But I really missed your friendship and readership so my apologies for being away so long.
I’m baaaaaaaa-ck.
Podcast with Author and Alzheimer’s Caregiver Mary Ellen Geist
October 20, 2008
I’ve graduated from just blogging (well it’s never really “just”, is it) to my first podcast interview with author Mary Ellen Geist who left her successful career to come home to Michigan to take a new job as caregiver to her father, Woody who is a victim of Alzheimer’s. Talking with Mary Ellen was like connecting with a soul sister. We both have parents with dementia, both are from Michigan and both are in midlife.
Hearing about Mary Ellen’s midlife transition — can we ever really call these things a crisis — was amazing especially since she decided to share her experience in her new book Measures of the Heart - A Father’s Alzheimer’s, A Daugher’s Return. It a wonderful story that had me smiling in some chapters and crying in others. I hope you’ll add this to your book list for a long winter’s night (at least here in Michigan).
Do you have a special story to share about care-giving?
Do You Feel Like Piggy Banking
September 29, 2008
I don’t know about you but I can’t even watch the news these days without feeling anxiety over how the economy isn’t doing. Last Thursday, I started watching the 1/2 hour of news I now allow myself each morning — it’s all I can stand. The expert being interviewed on the economy stressed me out so that I had to cut my news allotment in half that day.
Now lest you think I live in a cave, I’m on the computer all day getting those pop-ups on “breaking” and usually bad news from the New York Times. And these days, the bad news seems to be about stocks, money and banks. Do you feel like putting your money in a piggy bank these days?
Since there have been two major bank crises in the last week, you may be wondering how your bank is doing. If you’re curious, check it out at Bank Rate where you get a detailed report on the condition of various financial institutions. And it’s fair to start asking questions about whether your money is safe.
It’s not time for panic but it is time for being as informed as possible.
What Fresh Hell is This Award — Telemarketers
September 16, 2008
Author Dorothy Parker, celebrated as the wittiest woman in America, was known to get very peturbed when someone calling on the telephone would interrupt her as she sat writing. Urban legend has it that her favorite retort to unwanted callers was:
What fresh hell is this?
Well lately I seem to be getting more than my fair share of unwanted call from telemarketers. Luckily my caller ID alerts me to the easily identifiable telemarketer numbers. But they are still an annoying interruption to just about anything I might be doing. So why are telemarketers still calling me.
I can’t figure it out. I could have sworn I registered my phone number on the Do Not Call List . Lately it seems I must have registered on the “call me all the time” list. So on the outside chance that my midlife brain got this wrong, I went back and registered — again — on the “don’t call me anymore or this time I’ll file a complaint on you” list.
Apparently it will take a month or so for my request to take effect. In the meantime, if you didn’t register way back when and you’re being bothered by telemarketers on your home phone, cell phone or email, register now. It takes less than a minute to fill out the form and submit it. Then you have to click on the email links the government sends you to make it official. Then the telemarketers leave you alone like you have the plague — or so that’s how it’s supposed to go.
I’ll keep you posted.
My Top 10 Daily Stops in Cyberspace
September 10, 2008
As a blogger, I hang out in cyberspace quite a bit. And there are times when it’s like trying to take a journey around the world in only 1 day!! There’s so much to see.
So I’ve created a roadmap that helps me not jump all over the map. Here’s my top 10 daily stops:
- The New York Times online. I also get the breaking news alerts. What better way to stay on top of what’s happening close to home and around the world.
- Living Life Out Loud with my friend Michael. Great advice and wisdom from a gay man who describes himself as a straight girl’s best friend. He’s right!
- Women Bloom where friend Allison posts so much info it’s no wonder that her site is a popular “go to” resource for midlife women.
- The Boomer Chronicles where Rhea writes about all things midlife and has a kick-ass blogroll. Don’t miss her on Friday when she shares links to even more places to visit in the blogosphere. And btw — Boomer Chronicles was my very first stop out here as a blogger.
- Midlifebloggers started this year by Jane is already the latest hang-out for women of a “certain age” who aren’t afraid to tell it like it is. Jane hosts a ongoing “pot-luck” where women stop by with an article or an inspiring comment.
- Blogher, the hub for women bloggers world-wide who post info and commentary on virtually any topic you can think of and where I write as contributing editor.
- Viral Video Chart where all you can find all the latest videos “sweeping like wildfire” across the Internet.
- Facebook where I’ve made my first baby steps into social networking.
- My latest discovery, Alltop which Dan Roan, author of Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems with Pictures, describes with a great one picture worth a thousand words. Check out my new Alltop “Confirmation that I kick ass” banner on the Midlife’s A Trip sidebar.
- And of course, my home base right here at Midlife’s A Trip where I stop by everyday to post or read the great comments you leave.
So where do you hang out — out here?
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Karen - Midlife Coach
