Season Shopping Secret: Buy Online

Hi everyone,

Today, I just have to share with you an amazing holiday secret that will not be a secret much longer.

This season, instead of rushing to the closest mall and pulling my hair out from shopping frustration, I have found a smarter way to do the Christmas shopping.

Here's the secret: Shop online!

Online Christmas shopping is the new fad, trust me. It makes things a whole lot easier. In fact, I'm not sure I'll ever step into a department store during the holidays again (wink, wink). Don't get me wrong, I love all the stores like Macy's and Sears and others. But christmas shopping online is so much easier.

Plus, I have found the most awesomest online store ever! It's one that everyone in the family is sure to love. Vat19.com and its owners are "purveyors of curiously awesome products".

But my favorite thing of all about this site is that the gift cards they offer are sent to recipients over email and you can pick any amount you wish to give (literally). Honestly, it doesn't get any better than this.

Of course I can't leave out Amazon for anything.

The prices are amazing and they offer almost anything you could want. Overall, online Christmas shopping is revolutionizing the way we shop. I couldn't be more enthusiastic about this epiphany, obviously. :)

Please share any awesome sites that would be great for online christmas shopping. Leave you comments.

Rockwell Thanksgiving: American All The Way

Hey Everyone,

So this week is Thanksgiving week and I’m sure we are all getting ready to cook the turkey and hang out with friends and family. Well, before that happens I thought I would share something with you that might make your Turkey day a little more meaningful.

Check this out.

 For many of us this painting is a classic piece of history and is very sentimental to those of us that grew up when the painting’s creator was around. However, some of us, myself included, may not have been around when this piece of art was still fresh in the minds and hearts of Americans everywhere. In this case, here is a brief history of this artistic jewel that is known by many as the Rockwell Thanksgiving.

Norman Rockwell was a 20th-century painter and illustrator with most of his popular work created in the 1940’ s-1960, as he was a key contributor to The Saturday Evening Post magazine during that time. Many of his illustrations for the magazine are considered a reflection of American culture and his work was greatly remembered for representing everyday life during World War 2.

The painting above is one in a series of four paintings appearing in The Saturday Evening Post in the year 1943. Its name is Freedom from Want, and the series in which it appeared was entitled Four Freedoms, a series Rockwell created from Franklin Roosevelt’s speech that spoke of four essential freedoms.

Today we have things like Instagram to share photos and modern day novelties. But back then, magazines and newspapers were the way new fads and tributes were shared. So this Thanksgiving use Twitter and Facebook and Instagram full blast, but if you have time, Norman Rockwell’s work should be kept in mind as well. Not because of his artistic work, but because of what many of his paintings represented.

Freedom.

Without freedom to share our individual and corporate beliefs and practices, there would be nothing to celebrate with each other during Thanksgiving.

So that’s my thought for this week. Leave comments and let me know if you are familiar with Norman Rockwell’s work.  

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Top 5 Holiday Commercials 2012

Well guys, 

Here it is. The top 2012 holiday commercials list. I could only come up with about 5, as it seems only select companies take the holidays seriously as opposed to competitors. I have added them in order of most views but typically I think the bigger the brand the better chance the video has of getting more views. 

While television commercials often get a lot more views than online videos or ads, Youtube was ranked 3rd most viewed site on the web this year. So I think it’s safe to say that if top television commercials are at the top, they will most likely be available on the world’s leading video site: Youtube. 

The best holiday ads made by known brands and their competitors are hard to choose for a top 5 list. Still, this is what I’ve attempted to do, so hopefully you’ll get a kick out of it. Here goes...

1.Connecting Flights-4,846,467 views

Coming in number one is of course, my latest personal favorite with 4,846,467 views. The Sears holiday commercial is what I call the Shannon and Eddie punch... Sears did a great job pulling viewers in before they knew it was an ad.

2.Another Miracle on 34th Street-129,666 views

Other than a photo shopped version of the original Kris Kringal, this video’s storyline isn’t exactly a new way of telling the old edition. It is however a great advertising stunt by Macy’s with a little humor and a ton of admired faces in the acting and music industries. 

3.Mayhem Snow Video-33,805 views

While this video wasn’t released all that recently it still hits wide popularity with fellow Allstate fans. 

4.Big Dog-18,342 views

This year Target didn’t go all that crazy with any big black friday ads but they did perform their typical advertising with an adorable video entitled Big Dog. 

5.Hallmark Tell Me Commercial-Holiday-485 views

While not an amazing amount of views this video gives you that warm feeling always associated with Hallmark gifts and cards, especially during the holidays, I just had to add it in for its adorability. 

Hope you guys enjoyed it. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. 

My Favorite Time of Year- SHANNON AND EDDIE

Hey everyone,

sorry I've been absent for a while. Now that the holidays are coming up I thought I could finally share something with you guys that hopefully you'll get a laugh from...

                                         EDDIE AND SHANNON

So what is my favorite part of the holidays?

Is it the presents?

The food?

The family getting together?

Well, all of these things are awesome and I sure do look forward to them. However, as a blogger and entrepreneur I have to say that I always look forward to one thing:

All the holiday commercials!

I know what your thinking... what? why would you look forward to that? I know I know, it sounds lame right.... but come on, let's be real for a second. At least for us younger people, we all are exposed to an enormous amount of advertisements during the holiday season.

I'm not sure that any of them really make us want to go buy what they are advertising but some of them sure do stick out more than others. How about the target lady commercial for black friday in 2010? None other than comedian Maria Bamford played the over the top black friday shopper who took it a little too far.


With youtube, tv, and facebook, we are all bound to run into some ridiculous advertisements at some point this season. Well, just yesterday I got my first round of advertisement while surfing youtube. It was one of those ads that doesn't have the "skip ad now" buttons. I'm sure you know what I mean.

Wow, Sears really got me with this one. If the ad would have been a movie preview (which at first I thought it was) I would have gone to see it.

Here's how it starts...

first, a female announcers voice says "due to weather all flights are canceled." Then two people say "what do you mean all flights are canceled?"

Next, these two people who have obviously been previously introduced end up sitting next to each other in the airport.... it continues.... "eddie?"..... "shannon?"...... "so what do you do?" .... well, I'm a blogger"..... that's the part that caught my attention..... "no way, I'm a blogger too!"...... and on it goes

it's a full blown airport love story until Eddie runs into (literally) a Sears refrigerator and then Sears hits you with the advertisement "you won't run into the top 10 appliance brands just anywhere"...

I thought, wow.... someone really got creative with advertising this year. :) Although this may sound a little phony, it happens to all of us.

It's a non-avoidable part of the holidays... except I tend to have a lot of fun with it.... I love to see what company got the craziest with their advertising and sometimes I laugh thinking about how much that company had to spend to shoot that 20 second video...

So that's one of my favorite parts of the holidays... crazy I know, but no crazier than the people in the ads... :)

check out this year's favorite:
Connecting Flights

oh... and be looking for another post soon... The top holiday commercials and advertisements for 2012


Happy Thanksgiving

How to find a job

Hey Guys,

sorry I haven't posted in a while. I just got a job! I know what you're thinking. "what? but all the news channels say there are no jobs."

I know, but I don't believe them:)

In fact, I just got an awesome job this week! I'll be writing articles for an online company but the owner is from australia. Sometimes I think to myself wow, things have come a long way...

To think that you can work for someone that lives on the other side of the world is pretty amazing right? I thought so. So I guess there are some jobs left.... just sayin.

While we're on the topic, check out my employers website at articlemarketingco.com

Here are a few ways to find a job (you have to look in the right places):

1 first you should ask yourself a few questions like

Do I like working outside or inside?
Am I good with numbers or critical/analytical reading assignments?
Do I prefer mental or physical work?

These will clear your thoughts and help you figure out what jobs you are most suited for.

2 Start searching. If you want something that is more flexible that can be worked from home or at certain hours, consider starting online. Type in things like at online jobs and see what pops up. Of course, I think Ebay is a great place to start if you have a knack for buying and selling for profit.

If you want something more local start asking friends, family, and previous employers if there is work available. If you want something physical and outdoors, talk to some yard service businesses.

3 Make a good impression. Apply. Return phone calls. Be on time for interviews. You know, all the basics.

4 Don't quit after you get one rejection. Keep looking.

That's all I can tell you. Pretty much.... if you want a job, get one. There are plenty of them out there. If you have bulldog tenacity you just might end up managing the leg or arm of a huge company.

The key is, as Winston Churchill put it:

Never, never, never give up!

Expand Your Education: On a $1 a day

Okay guys, so today I have to share with you the biggest and latest tip I've come across this week:

How would you like to "expand your education" on only a dollar a day?

The latest book I've been reading is How To Talk To Anyone by Leil Lowndes

This book is a must read! I absolutely love it. It gives you '92 little tricks for big success in relationships.' 

Whether you're a businessman or woman, a stay at home mom, or college hunk that wants to be the center of a conversation, this book is the trick. 

One of the tips found in this great read, is to listen to or read something that is happening right now before you walk out the door to meet with someone; whether it be an old friend, a potential client, or a new acquaintance. 

So this morning I went to the closest gas station and got my copy of USA Today. It was the last copy! I had gone to pick one up yesterday but was too late (tip: get there before 9:00am). Apparently, it really is the nation's most popular paper, its the only one that always gets sold out. 

Anyway, it only cost me a $1.07 (including tax). 

Now today whenever I need something to talk about, I'll have a load of topics up my sleeve. It's a good idea to switch it up too. Buy a local paper every now and then too so you can know what's going on in your own community. 

This is what I got from skimming over the paper for about 15 minutes:

(in the News section) "Women allowed into Marine infantry training as experiment."

(in the Money section) it reads "October known for spooky stuff on Wall St." 

(cover story) "what voters want in tonight's debate." 

USA Today has sports, news, money, and life sections which will keep you up to date on pretty much everything. 

So that's how you can expand your education on a dollar a day..... or you can always turn on the tv to the news channel.... if you have time. 

pretty cool, huh? 

Cheers America 

ready for the holidays?

Grab a free copy this weekend on how to fry a delicious turkey for the holidays
http://www.amazon.com/Fried-Turkey-turkey-steps-ebook/dp/B009I3V0JK/ref=la_B0094S5NOM_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1348935028&sr=1-3

perseverance: the trait of real winners

Today didn't start out so great..... I've been working all week on my latest ebook(finally finishing it yesterday) and I've been working on getting the marketing side of this book ready for promotion. Simply, its been a lot of work..... sometimes I don't know how I can spend another moment in front of the computer screen....honestly.... I don't think my eyes can take any more of it! Not to mention the fact that I sold an item on Ebay yesterday for less than I was expecting and I thought I was going to lose money on it.

But non the less, I'm still going forward.... I read recently that billionaires and the people that are on their way to becoming one, always choose to give 15 minutes more thought to their problems than the average person.

That's what I'm trying to do.... so far, it seems to be working:) Today even though I'm a little tired I have two ebooks that are done and on a free promotion this weekend.

As for Ebay.... I decided to try something new. It paid off... I had never payed online for shipping before and now I'm not sure I'll ever step foot into a USPS again....:) It cost me less than I thought so now I'm still making money....

I scheduled a free carrier pick up and I don't even have to go to the post office myself and worry about getting there before they close early(on saturday). And how long did this bonus take?

15 extra minutes.....

maybe there is something to this trick.....

Now this weekend I'll just sit back and relax and let my hard work pay off for me....

As Robert Kiyosaki says, "it's not about working harder, it's about working smarter."

have a great weekend!

And remember, don't give up just yet.... your biggest breakthrough may only be about 15 minutes away...

First day of fall... my gift to you!

Today is the first day of fall! Or, autumn, as some people like to call it.

I always feel particularly happy and optimistic on days like these. You know, when you have something to look forward to…

 As many of you know, I’ve grown up my whole life in Florida, and this summer has been very wet… we’ve had a couple of tropical storms come though and it honestly feels like I’m living in the Amazon! :)

 But despite the weather (it’s always hot and humid), I absolutely love Florida! Although the weather is not likely to have any drastic changes, it’s still always nice to welcome a new season after a long and hot summer. 

And what does this season have to offer??

Oh, you know, all of the typical pleasures of fall: football season, family reunions, turkey trots, Thanksgiving, Halloween, leaves falling, and cooler weather (for some of us):)

Personally, Thanksgiving is definitely my favorite! I love spending time with my family and eating a delicious meal at the same time. I mean, who doesn’t?!

But while this season is always fun, I realize that it is only here in America that we get to experience these kind of pleasures. In other countries around the world, this season has no such hopes or things to look forward to.

 And as an American, this season also means a season of giving; after all, it’s what our country was founded on. In fact, the Thanksgiving holiday has been celebrated here in America even before President Lincoln declared it a holiday to be celebrated by all 50 states in 1863.

But what can I do to give this season? You may ask. Well, how bout try this:

This fall rather than just being thankful for the freedoms that we enjoy, let’s take it a step further. Why not set some goals for giving?

There are always ways to give and here are a few ideas to start off the season with:

• If you can’t give on a financial level, just help out at home in whatever way you can. Volunteer to do the dishes this Thanksgiving, or bless one of your neighbors with some pumpkin pie. You will be surprised by how far one act of kindness can travel.

• Get involved in your community and see where you can help. If you are a business owner, see if there are local sports teams you can sponsor, or help feed some people at some local food drives.

• If you want to take it to a worldwide level, you could find a cause that you want to promote and give to, and then get others to help with volunteering, donations, etc.

But if you want to make a really big difference this season, you are going to need some back up though. That means you have to get the word out; and where is the biggest audience today?

Social Media! That’s why I’m starting off this season by giving you a FREE copy of my latest ebook:

The Ultimate Conservative’s Guide to Social Media

Now, before you read any further, let me assure you that while the title says it’s for conservative’s, the content of this book is for ANYONE that wants to start using social media to promote anything and everything that you believe in.

It will teach you how to use it without getting sucked into the time wasting flaws of today’s top sites and start using them to your advantage.

So go grab your copy today! It’s only available for two days (September 22-23) on Amazon so hurry before you miss out.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it and that you will be truly blessed this fall :)

Don't have a Kindle? No problem.... you can get a free reading app for your iphone, ipad, tablet, and more here 

quote of the day

Never, never, never give up!
_Winston Churchhill

Quote of the day

The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.
-Albert Einstein

paypal-the best way to pay

Today I nearly had a meltdown.... after eating dinner I saw the mail on the counter and was looking through it. I saw an envelope that had my name on it and I was at first a little confused. I wasn't expecting anything...

For a moment there my heart skipped a beat.... I thought it might be a bill for something I had forgot that I purchased online or something.


I opened it and was pleasantly surprised when I saw that it was from PayPal:) As I have said before, I sell things on Ebay in my spare time and you have to have an account with PayPal to do so. I then remembered after opening the envelope that I had applied for a PayPal Debit Mastercard and was waiting to see if I would get approved.

I did! One big reason for getting one is that PayPay is notoriously known for being a safer way to pay and my sister and I are planning on traveling out of the country next year so I wanted to get a head start in preparing for the trip.

Now I have to work on my passport:)

Real vs. Imagined -life of millionaires

Hey guys,

so sorry I haven't posted in a while.... been really busy.....

So I just started a new book called The Millionaire Mind, written by the New York Times bestselling author Thomas J. Stanley in 2000, this book is really interesting. I had briefly read through his other bestseller The Millionaire Next Door earlier in the year..... this one covers a few things in more detail like:

What success factors made them wealthy in one generation?
What part did luck and school play?
How do they find the courage to take financial risks?
How did they find their ideal vocations?
What are their spouses like and how did they choose them?
How do they run their households?
How do they buy and sell their homes?
What are their favorite leisure activities?
(taken from wikepidia)

The part I wanted to share with you though, and found most interesting was-

"It's important for America's youth to discover that millionaires, even most decamillionaires, don't depend on consumer goods to enjoy life." 
-The Millionaire Mind 

what else have I learned so far?

Apparently, there are more underlying reasons for wealthy people to play golf than most of us realize... I guess I'll have to start playing:)

Here's another interesting fact: over more than half of the millionaires surveyed said that they watch their kids and grandchildren play sports in their leisure time... so I guess I'm already doing something right:) 

just thought I'd share these cool facts... 

American Rodeo

Tonight I went to our local Labor Day Rodeo with the family...

It's an annual thing here where I live. Every year at Labor Day we have a rodeo for labor day weekend.
I grew up in a small town where a huge amount of the industry is agriculture. And you know what that means? It's cattle country, and where there are cows there are cowboys and cowgirls. It's not exactly rocket science:) My family and I are not originally from the town we  live in like many of the families are.

We don't own cattle, we don't own a ranch, and we don't listen to country music....(ok so we listen to a little)... but not a whole lot:) We're more of the beachy boating type. I always find it hilarious when someone from one kind of life tries to fit into someone else's. It's so crazy! Here in my town, we have a lot of them that I think are a little confused... we have a good mixture of cowboys, boating/fishing enthusiasts, and sports fans.... but i can never tell who is who...

Anyway, although that's one thing that gets to me, I've always admired a real cowboy. At least, you could say that I really like rodeos.... here's why:

There it is... in the midst of all the horses and riders you can see the ultimate jewel: the American flag. 

All the horses and their riders lined up on both sides of it and everyone took their hats off. It was so cute, there was a little girl riding beside her dad (I'm guessing) that could barely fit her hat over her chest, but nonetheless it was there. That's what I like about rodeos. They're family friendly, entertaining, and patriotic. 

So that was my night, I hope you enjoyed yours just as much as I did no matter what part of this great country you are reading from. :)  

Kindle Revolution

Hey Guys,

so today I'm taking it easy.... I've been reading a lot (as usual) and doing research this whole week. A couple of days ago I got an email about "kindle publishing" and I clicked on it since I'm already an author on Kindle....

Turns out it was a sales pitch video (go figure) for this awesome course on how to make a ton of $$$ publishing on Amazon's Kindle.... I bought it. Couldn't help myself.... :)

So now this whole week I've been going through the course and reading all the books they recommend.

It's some seriously mind-boggling info... check out this article from the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/20/technology/20amazon.html?src=tp


So that's my latest venture.... I'll update soon...

Until next time,
America: is still the land of opportunity :)

Rain rain rain

Today it has been raining all day long!.......

we are experiencing some heavy rain bands from a tropical storm in the area. Rainy days make most of us tired... or ready for a good book or movie... right? Interesting fact: I've been reading a lot lately about many millionaire entrepreneurs that say that they spend much of their leisure time reading....

cool huh? I recently read an article in Inc. about the guy behind Wordpress and he said that he reads a lot of business books because he says he has to, before someone figures out he's not  a business man:)

Donald Trump said in one of his books that he is one of those people that only needs about 4-5 hours of sleep.... and he spends his early mornings reading....

I guess it's good that I do my share of reading too then:)

And since its still raining... I guess i should get to it...

if i don't fall asleep first:)

The Nike Way of Life- "Just Do It!"

Hey Guys,

So last night I was testing out my Skype.... I have a macbook so I've only used Ichat previously...
Anyway, I was Skyping my cousin and we were talking about my blog and she said that she was thinking of starting one. I gave her a few tips and then later as I was thinking about the tips I gave her (I came up with about 5) I thought, "hey! I could turn that into an ebook by the end of the week!"

I published my first e-book in June of this year so I already know how to do it... it's really simple actually:

Statistically speaking, Amazon has the biggest audience so if you can get it on that site then you've done most of the work... Barnes and Noble also has a "pubit" site where you can upload ebooks for the Nook.... which is also very easy. I have published on both.

But here is what I have found to be true and the big difference between successful people and unsuccessful:

The successful people take action!

We all have great ideas but if we don't put action to them.... we won't ever see any benefits... right?

Maybe you have thought about doing something but never done it... well, if you're afraid of failure... you're not going to know if you don't try.... plus

I just read this week: Failure is not the enemy of success, it is the teacher of success.

They said that Thomas Edison was stupid... I think he was just so smart for them that they couldn't handle it:)

I won't tell you the name of my ebook yet, but you can be sure I will have it done by the end of the week.... now you may be wondering... "how on earth could you do that?!"

Let me explain....

First of all, an ebook, or any book really, doesn't have to be 200 + pages... it can be as long or as short as you want it. So mine will probably come out to be around 30-40 or so...

Plus, if you already know enough about a subject then writing about it isn't that hard...

I heard someone say recently that a goal "has to be Measurable and it has to have a Deadline"...

So that's why the end of the week is mine. Maybe you should give it a shot...

Well, that's my latest venture....

I will leave you with the words of my mentor and role model:

"Don't think, just do."

If more of us lived that way maybe the world would be a little more black and white and not so much in between.... :)

Until next time- here's what Nike says the best.....

Good Business- the way I want to do it

Hello again to all my fellow entrepreneurs and readers,

As you might have already noticed, my writing is a little more upbeat and interactive than usual. Why? Because I'm in a really enthusiastic mood:) Yesterday was an uneventful day and I was expecting today to be the same... but it didn't turn out to be.

So this morning I went to church. After church I was in the parking lot on my way to the car... when I reached my car I noticed an orange flyer on the windshield. At first, I had the typical reaction: "oh great, it must be another one of those crazy advertisements that only make businesses appear more desperate and never seem like good advertising."

I was pleasantly surprised though when I picked it up and read:

"Did ya know? Bring in a church bulletin, a bible, or this flyer & receive 15% off your meal every sunday." It also followed with the scripture-2 Corinthians 9:12. The flyer was for one of the best bar-b-que places in town.

I thought to myself, "Now THAT'S the way to do business!"

Not only was I surprised by how well thought out that business strategy was... but who doesn't love some good bar-b-que?!

So it was very refreshing to see that there are still people who do good business and offer it to the church goers as well...

So if your a local reading this and want some good Bar-B-Que on a Sunday afternoon, stop in at Cowboys!

http://cowboysbarbqueandsteakco.com/Steak_House_Location_Okeechobee_FL.html


or like them on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/CowboysBarBQ

So that was my day so far....

I think it's important to support good businesses.
Until next time,
Cheers

Average day

So yesterday I read a lot, listed two more items on Ebay, and it wasn't a very eventful day...

On days like these I have to remind myself that being an entrepreneur doesn't always mean a more eventful life... but it can often mean a very rewarding one. I did go and look at two properties that are for sale in the neighborhood. I'm really interested in real estate lately (for rental property purposes) so I'm starting to learn the market in my area...

It's all definitely a learning process:)

I've also been using Rosetta Stone Spanish every day.... That is the language that I'm learning right now. So far I'm on lesson 3.

Today I'm taking a break and just plan on chilling out for most of the day, which of course will involve some reading too.

That's all for now,
keep it up USA

Day 8- still have a lot to learn

Hey guys,

Well, it's day 8 of my blogging...

As I mentioned in one of my last posts, on Tuesday night my Dad and I attended a free workshop put on by Rich Dad Education (a company owned by Robert Kiyosaki, bestselling author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, of which I'm a big fan), and it ended up being two hours of a very thought out sales pitch. But it was a good experience all the same...

one thing I did find helpful was this: I have noticed more and more lately that rich and financially secure people all talk and think the same. The good part? I found out that I'm reading all the right stuff, the stuff that all the financially successful people read.

The man conducting the workshop has at least two corporations that he funs here in south Fl. He mentioned during his presentation a few people that are on my reading list; names like:

Zig Ziglar
Thomas Edison
Donald Trump
and others

So I guess I'm on the right track... although I still have a lot to learn:)

Until next time though,
At least America is still the land of opportunity

P.S. I would still highly recommend Robert Kiyosaki's books to any entrepreneur; here's a link if you want to check it out.
http://www.richdad.com/

Make Freedom Count

Now it's your turn... don't forget to make freedom count!

Voting for the first time

Today I have to do research online so that I can make educated decisions when I vote in the primaries for my first time tomorrow.

My sister and I are twins and this is our first year to vote. It's exciting but it's also part of a civic duty that we should take seriously, so it's a little overwhelming. I'm also excited about tomorrow because my Dad and I are going to attend a Learn to be Rich workshop in Palm Beach.


I will update you on tomorrow's outcome.

Until tomorrow,
you rock America

Day 6-A Brief History Lesson

Hey guys,

So today, as a means of marking off another book from what seems to be an unending pile, I finished a book called The U.S. Mint. It was very educational and a good reminder of how American history and the country's coinage is "permanently intertwined." It covered facts dating from the first Mint all the way to the Gold Standard Act passed by Congress in 1900.

If you've ever seen those tiny P's or D's on a quarter and wondered what they are, I would recommend doing some research on the U.S. Mint. There is a reason they are there. So next time you have some change jingle in your pocket, think twice about how it got there and what it represents. As an American, there is nothing better for a nation than to have truly educated citizens.

In the mean time,
Have a coke

Day 5

Hey guys,

So today I'm taking it easy... well, kind of. I did list about 4 items on Ebay.... I'm trying to liquidate a bunch of stuff I need to get rid of. But other than that I'm still on that intense reading program :)

This morning after I woke up I started one of the latest books I'm reading: The Soul of Money by

Lynne Twist 

It's been very informative so far... and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to gain a new view of money. The first chapter has introduced me to a native tribe in the heart of the Amazon Rain Forest. 

It really makes you think. According to the story so far, these people live solely on "Reciprocity."

They are not in need of nor do they ever use money. At least, they never did until they came in contact with western civilization via missionaries. One of their younger warriors named Chumpi was chosen to come to America and learn English and study in the states. Unsurprisingly, the first thing he is introduced to is the language of money... I'm not sure how this book will turn out, but I can tell you that it's already given me an important lesson that we would do well to remember: Money is man-made. 
Well, that's today's update. 
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I've added two more things to my bucket list:
1 Get Abs: workin on it 
2 Learn a foreign language: underway 

Yes, I Read Inc... and Other Stuff

Hey everyone,

In my last post I gave you a look at my current bucket list. You may be wondering how on earth someone like me(an average person)  is planning on accomplishing such things... I wonder that myself sometimes :)

But I don't think it's impossible.

Someone once said, "There is properly no history; only biography" and I figure that if other people can do it, so can I.

So here is my game plan: Read and learn as much as I can on the subject of finance, successful business people, and business ownership; and since I'm still young, I guess I'm in a good position since I don't really have a whole lot to lose at the moment.

You should see my room right now; it has stacks and stacks of books everywhere! I'm a big fan of magazines too. Recently I've started to read Inc. : the magazine for entrepreneurs. I can't believe I didn't read it sooner. It's so inspiring and informational... I would recommend it to every entrepreneur out there.  You could say that I'm putting myself on an intense reading program for the next few months.

I'm reading things like Rich Woman by Kim Kiyosaki, The America We Deserve by Donald Trump, Inc. and Grow Rich, and a lot of others that I have yet to dive into.

I will keep you all updated on my favorites and least favorites and everything that happens with my job and job opportunities...
So until next time,
Go America

Day 3-My Bucket List

This morning I shipped off the two packages I mentioned in my last post...

Now that I have that out of the way, I thought I would share my current bucket list with you. It's kind of funny actually; the other day I took my two younger siblings to the park, and on our way back we stopped at a drive through and got icees... while I was driving I decided to ask them about what kind of things they want to do before they die. Of course, I wasn't that graphic with my words. It sounded more like, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

To which they gave me a whole list of things. Funny, huh? Kids are really good at dreaming until they get older and all of us adults tell them that it's impossible to do everything they might otherwise attempt.

As I listened to all of their aspirations I thought to myself, "Hey, I'm older than them, so I might as well have a bucket list too!"

This is what I came up with.
My Bucket List:

1 Go snow skiing:
2 Start a restaurant:
3 Travel the world: underway
4 Own a company/corporation:
5 Write a book: Done
here is the link to my first book http://www.amazon.com/Homeschooling-Today-Tomorrow-ebook/dp/B008EUQPMA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344474722&sr=8-1&keywords=sarah+hall+homeschool
6 Get a book of mine professionally published:
7 Start a podcast:
8 Create jobs:

Of course, there's still more to come... but for now, that's all I can think of. Next year in the spring my sister and I plan on traveling out of the country for the first time; so bucket list goal # 3 is underway.

I hope for # 7 to be happening in the near future, and the rest? Well, I'm working on them...

I will update you on how the job opportunity works out...

Until next time,
Sarah

Day 2- thrilling news

So today I had an interesting turn up... I got a job offer. Well, it's not official yet, but the opportunity is definitely there. A family friend who wants my Dad (a bit of an entrepreneur himself) to help him expand his business has a position that involves answering phones and talking to potential customers open. He told me a little about it and I said that it sounded cool. In actuality I was sort of jumping up and down on the inside... to sum the day up:

I don't think it's a good idea to say that there are no jobs/opportunities out there...

You never know, they just may come up and slap you in the face when you are least expecting them to.

Day 1

Today is Day 1 of my adventures that I will share with you...
First, I guess I should tell you a little about myself. My name is Sarah and I live in beautiful South Florida. I'm an entrepreneur, and I love America! I still believe that it is the land of opportunity. I'm young (just graduated high school actually), but I figured that I should get a head start... so I already have a bucket list:)

On this blog, you will have an up-close look at my ventures to mark off those things on that list.

As my first venture as an entrepreneur, I have started to sell things on Ebay: as a way of trying to avoid something that is NOT on my bucket list: to work in a fast food restaurant...

That is really the last thing I would want to do. Now don't get me wrong, I love my family and my parents always taught me about good work ethic... my Dad especially. I would say I'm a very hard worker. Fortunately, that means I'm also pretty motivated. And as an entrepreneur, I'm very motivated to do just the opposite of what a lot of people my age are doing.

Get a job, hope for the best... No offense to anyone in the fast food industry:) I definitely admire your courage, there are some crazy customers out there. I live in a very small town and there are not many great jobs for younger people just looking to make some extra money, except a fast food restaurant, or Publix.... but pretty much every high schooler and college hunk already works there so there aren't a lot of options: just another reason why I'm an entrepreneur.

So today I had two payments finally clear in my Paypal account (that's the site Ebay users use for direct payment), so I have two items I need to ship. One thing I have found buying and selling on Ebay is that I absolutely DO NOT like the shipping process! But hey, that's part of good customer service. Eventually I will probably outsource this, but I'm still figuring out the system so I have a ways to go still.

Honestly though, I never look forward to having to run up to USPS to wait in line to talk to the person behind the counter that always asks the same questions:

" Is there anything perishable, flammable, breakable, etc. etc...."

I know it's just company policy, but it gets old, right?

I'll let you know how it works out... but today I'm going to spend the day on the water with my family. We just got a jet-ski so we are going to go try it out...

Until next time,
You rock America!
GO Team USA

My first post

Welcome to my blog: Young, American, Entrepreneur! I hope you enjoy following me and my entrepreneurial adventures. I'm young, excited, passionate, and maybe a little ahead of myself...but hey, that's what young people are good at these days, right?

Enjoy!