That Crazy Future

Alright, I think it's time to get a little crazy. You know what, though, it's my blog and I can totally do that if I want to. So let's get weird. Let's talk about the future. Why? Because it's so friggin' bright that it's blinding people... or not. Maybe the reason no one can see it clearly is because how dark and narrow it is.

Early in life we are introduced to the concept that power corrupts. Whether you use your corruptible energy for bad or good, it is destined to be abused in some way. Often you will hear me say "use your power for good." I say it as a reminder to myself and any audience that will receive it. I say it because I know the power of influence and the power of the individual who has been influenced to believe in something.

Among my own "powers" I am blessed with creativity and a way with the written word. I realize that not everyone may think so, and to that I simply say "you may like my words or you may not, if you're still reading- thanks a lot!" ^.~

As a self-proclaimed writer ( I have a blog, therefore I'm a writer!), I acknowledge that the words I write may affect others in ways I have never imagined; and with such "power" I acknowledge my responsibility  in saying things that may challenge views, but are ultimately a push for influencing people to consider the future.

Fueled by a tie to old fashioned ideals of the American Dream, I believe in my power to influence others to use their own power for the good of the future. And that is why I have found my niche in marketing. Marketing has studied the human qualities so well, they know how to get you to "buy" anything. What they have done is created a buying machine of consumers that are dumb and who will buy anything including the idea that government is good for them and their future. Instead of using their power to promote good stuff - like community togetherness - they focus on pushing garbage and messages of hate and division.

So using this knowledge, and knowing that the consumer has been dumbed down enough to thwart their true power against leaders, I ask you to think about this very basic idea that even Disney pointed it out. "You've heard of the golden rule, right? The one with the all the gold makes all the rules?" Well folks, open your eyes. Who are the gold-holders?

Don't jump to conclusions, this isn't an attack on all big businesses. But it is certainly a: 'hey how ya'all doin'?

So if you've been paying attention, many of you know I'm on my way to starting my own business. Honestly, I had no desire to jump right into my own company, but despite my intentions of learning more it wasn't happening. So I decided to go a route that would be favorable of a portfolio, and potentially some funding for my own future. I've found a niche that not only is working, but allows me to push what I believe in - a strong American future. That future includes safety barriers to protect the free market, boost competition, advance the quality of goods, increase the value of customer service, and create a flood of new opportunities. Because that's what America was built on... the idea of opportunity.

The problem is that we have done everything in opposition of ensuring the opportunity of our American future. We have relinquished power to people who have been consumed with greed. Sadly, they stand out in the open, and we continue to support them. Well, that time is about to get a not so subtle jolt, because the masses are uneasy. As the meme suggests - "what will happen when millions of EBT cards all read 'Error'" Now is a time for companies to reflect on the ways of history, reflect upon the role that big business played in fighting wars.

Companies like Facebook, and Microsoft which readily sell out the American public to silence truth, are now being used to control the masses. If you post something they don't like or doesn't promote their agenda, you are "Facebook jailed." Microsoft might as well have it's own chair beside your desk, because every keystroke you make is sold. These are just a couple of the big ones. But who will leave Facebook? Who will switch computers, operating systems, and cell  phones. You won't, and that is how these companies will dominate. These companies actively participate  in silencing the leaders of revolution, and in doing so have demonstrated on which side of this future they stand.

In an effort to re-balance the country, it will be necessary to rely on those leading companies that stand for excellence to participate. With them, we can rewrite the documents upholding the modernization of our country, and we can reaffirm the standards of better business practices to promote the health of the economy.

For those of you who have put your trust in me and my vision for a better future, I cannot thank you enough. I promise I will keep pushing my goals forward. Remember, every little dog will have its day, and the future is looking brighter already. :)

Government Doesn't Love You & Neither Does Facebook #FUFB

Hot off the head - Facebook is ANTI- your freedom to speech. Shutting down conservative pages such as Uncle Sam's Misguided Children for spreading views that are in opposition of your government.

Ballsy move if you ask me. Has Facebook considered the repercussions? Who are the users of Facebook? Well, they are the consumers who follow companies big and small, they are the small entrepreneurs looking for an entrance into the free market, and they are the big companies trying to relate to consumers. So what does shutting down pages that promote varying views do for the dominant social media platform? That's yet to be seen, but I'm sure we'll find out.

However, I'd like to remind you of how Facebook came to be - the idea of Facebook - a STOLEN concept. The person who stole it - he paid a fine, but I promise you he is sitting pretty. Does he care what you think? No, he's a criminal. And as we have learned, only criminals can win in this country and be rewarded for their crime.

Facebook is now a public company, and it is up to you to decide if you are for their actions or against them. Regardless of what you think about our government or Facebook, this action affects us all, because it says "No one cares about what you have to say." Not about the food you eat, the sides you choose, the politics you follow, the laws that are broken, and the rights that are stripped. Facebook is anti- your constitutional right to stand up for what you believe in. They want you to be silent little puppets in making their wallets fatter. Enjoy that knowledge, spread it like the plague; because the government doesn't love you, and neither does Facebook.

Remember, it does not matter what side of the fence you stand on when it comes to politics or any other dividing idea. The fact remains that when they come for the rights of some, they come for the rights of all people. So you can do nothing, and wait till it affects you personally, or you can do something, and tell these criminals and violators of your rights that they are wrong.

Comment and share your thoughts. #FUFB

From the Best Place - The Heart

I call them: The Negative Nellies as I'm sure many of us do. These are the people who never seem to have anything nice or supportive to say. As an entrepreneur, I and many others come across these types everyday, and have for as long as we can remember.

I've spent many years surprised to find that these folks were people who I considered "required" to support anything I imagined. Many years, as in: I'm 30 and I'm just figuring it out. Better late than never, right?

So what am I talking about by "required?" I'm not necessarily talking about those awesome financial handouts (but I'm also not not-saying that... if that's your boat). I mean the people you  expect will go along with whatever you say just because they're your mom, or your dad, or a sibling, a best-friend - you get the point.

These people have notoriously been the very people that say or do the worst things in regards to your intentions. For some, this is just the right push. These people take on a prove-'em-wrong approach. Some succeed, and some fail. Some won't even try at all. Personally, I've done both; tried and failed, and failed to try at all. At those times the decision never really mattered.

Of course, as it is our human nature - especially as we near our 30s - we reflect and maybe even regret. We tell ourselves we can't change the past, and to learn from our mistakes.

In all my failures and reflections I have focused on the lessons - and trust me when I say there's been many, but that's another story and we're talking about support... or lack thereof... On this topic, I have the mother of all lessons, and its this: dismiss their methods and appreciate where it comes from... their love for you.

What? I know, right!

The people who love you the most tend to fear you being hurt by failure. Some people will go to great lengths to prevent you from facing a bad experience. The point is that it comes from their heart; and that they love you enough to stand in your way of "taking a bullet" shows they mean well and will always be there whether you succeed or fail. Count on them for what you know they will do and appreciate the knowledge that it comes from the best place - the heart.

...Of course, sometimes you just have  a real jerk on your hands that just needs to be showed what's up. Haha, I'm just kidding. Among the many lessons I've learned, take time to laugh has always topped the list. ^.~

So You Want To Work From Home

It seems like everyone you talk to these days is an entrepreneur of sorts and they aspire to work from home. To each their own, and for whatever their reasoning - that's great. However you want to roll, right? After talking to so many people who are trying or doing this, I can tell you from both experience and listening that you need to be sure that's the route you want to take.

Why?

Well, simply - if it's not for you, you will go nuts.

So let's put things into perspective by first figuring out why this is the route you want to take. Been out of work for a while? Tired of "dealing" with the stresses of working for someone else? Want more time with the family? You have a great money-making idea? Pretty popular thought processes, aren't they! Well, you are the folks who should probably stick to your day job.

Nothing can seem more tempting than jumping on the next big multilevel marketing thing that pops up; especially when you're down and out about having sent out hundreds of tailor-fitted resumes and either haven't gotten nibbled, or you've been through so many interviews and still haven't gotten that final call back. How about the men and women just trying to find that happy balance between work and home life? Daunting, and yet look at how many people make working from home work, right? Stop and think, though. There is not a career in the world that will pay you to do nothing. You will have to do something in order to make money. It's just that simple. Too many people are sold on this idea that they can buy into some marketing and networking business and it will just magically start accumulating money. It doesn't happen unless you make it happen.

"So what, Sabrina - I'm ambitious and I have a plan." Great! Don't let me squash it, but understand - your plan is nothing until implemented. Does that sound mean or as straight forward as I can put it? I will be the first to tell you how many "plans" I've got that will make life awesome and as glamorous as I imagined. You know what? Not a single one of them will be anything more than a note in my pages without the right resources. Money aside - resources include your time and effort. If you are unwilling to get out there, meet people, and invest in your plan it's just not going to move off that paper on its own.

In the meantime, you're probably beginning to realize how much you really don't want to spend so much time around your family or your home. Sure there's plenty that you could do in a day - like work in the yard, repair a leaky sink, change the oil on your car, play some board games, heck - even homeschool your kids and take them to the park more frequently. That's great for the person who enjoys those things, but if you're not motivated to make your at-home business work, then all that other stuff just becomes stuff you could be doing when you stopped doing everything and anything at all. See what happened there?

"Thanks for busting my bubble, Sabrina." You're welcome. But like any rant I go on, please let me help you with the solution. It's simple. Fill your day and schedule what you've filled your day with. Like a million people before me will tell you - put times to your plans. If you want to play with your kids - awesome - but put it on the schedule for a set time. If you want to create a business, sweet! But, put aside the appropriate time for accomplishing everything you need to in order to get it off the ground. Most importantly, make time for you. My "me-time" is a 30 minute run on my treadmill everyday, and whatever fitness I can fit in between doing everything else on my schedule - like this blog post (but you should totally see me knock out my squats while cooking dinner). Granted, I didn't know the topic until I sat down and wrote it, but I gave myself the time to write something on my blog. Glad am I to say it turned out to be something more than a "hey y'all."

Remember this simple guiding light, though: sacrifice. Your time is not yours alone. It belongs also to those you live with, those you service, and those you haven't even met yet. Now, that doesn't mean you can make everyone else happy, but you can pick and choose what battles you take. Maybe that means you have to wake up earlier, or go to bed later (or not at all). The point is - you have to create the balance. It's not going to happen just because you want it to. Make every minute of your day (and hopefully not all of it, but some part of the night) count for something. And because measuring your success (and hopefully not the lack thereof) is crucial, use a checklist. At the end of everyday look at your list and see what you've accomplished. That will help keep you motivated and satisfied to do just about anything.

That's all the time I have for this today. ^.~ Live productive and awesome lives, y'all and stop holding yourself back.

A Graduated Thought

If you have been keeping up, you know that I recently graduated with my Bachelors from CTU. Now, not to sweep anything under the rug too quickly - I understand this is a big achievement mostly for myself (who really lacked completion early in life...maybe I shouldn't say that...), and not really a big deal to anyone else. Obviously, no one in history is really known for their Bachelor's degree, and in today's workforce it's pretty much SOP to have a Bachelor's degree in something. With so many people holding degrees, we often find ourselves questioning the value of the name and location (or lack thereof) of the school. I have personally thought  very deeply on this topic and have solidified my own opinion - which is mine to have for myself and only shared when I am questioned about it.


 Today I was questioned as to whether my online-school degree was "accepted" at businesses. Now first, let me say - wow! How cool that my opinion matters, because I had a professor tell me that without 3 letters at the end of my name, anything I said would only hold up in a courtroom. O.O Anyway, the short and simple answer to your question is yes and no. Not what you wanted to hear, huh? Like I said, it was going to take more than 140 characters.

First, let me put out a few misconceptions. Online schools are set up to focus on the core material of your degree. Not the insignificant details. However, those details are available in the text books and material provided and you can still (and should) obtain the knowledge with a little investment of your time into the books you're supposed to be reading anyway. I can't tell you how many times I've been approached by students where it is clearly evident that they didn't read the material. The point is - if you're just looking for a degree, there's an app for that. I'm not kidding either - online schools offer apps to make it even more convenient to go to school. If you are looking to cut the shtuff and focus and really invest in your education, you will get out of the material everything that someone going to a brick and mortar school gets - we just get through it faster.

The next thing I want to address is the magic. What magic? Exactly! There's no magical experience at the end of getting your degree. No bright lights, sparkles or tissue paper falling from the ceiling; there's no companies throwing themselves at your feet because suddenly you have a degree. As I stated earlier, that's great - for you. If you thought just by buying the lottery ticket you were going to win - news flash - so did millions of other people. And that's not me being mean. I can't tell you how devastated I was when I received my final grade and there wasn't some big hoopla or a parade coming through. Haha! Kidding. I swear.

Those things cleared, let's revisit the question as to whether or not businesses "accept" my online degree. I will use my personal experience in the past, because currently my position was not exactly hard to get, but that's another post. To keep it short, in January of 2011 I got bored with everything I already had on my plate and wanted to take on more. So I sought out entry-level positions with just about any company that indicated they were a marketing company - don't do that. I applied to six companies and was interviewed by five, and each one was a lobby room of a minimum of 10 other applicants. Signs that the recession hadn't really hurt job availability, but that's another post. ^.~ At the time, all I had was my Associates from CTU, and you can imagine how easily I could write myself off sitting in this room with people who were not only taller than me, but had experience in the field. Did I mention marketing was technically a new field for me? Anyway, quite assured I wasn't going to get any of these jobs, you can imagine how surprised even I was when I actually ended up turning down jobs.

Was it my degree these people were after? My guess is no. Mostly because they never asked to see it. I imagine if I went to work for them, they would have asked for a copy or something. Would they have fired me when they found out I went to school online? I doubt it. I sold them on me - not my degree or the school from which it came.

BUT.... notice I used the big but. The big but is that - I also was not applying to companies like Bane who clearly indicate that they are looking for prestigious school names. They even have recruiters that go to Harvard and Yale. Sure you might get lucky, and I encourage you to try that. My understanding is that persistence pays off; but as awesome as I consider myself to be, we are in a nation full of people swearing the same thing about themselves.

So how do you stand out with an online-school degree? Show them what you learned, how quickly you applied and mastered it, and how ready you are to take that same fast-paced approach to excellence and grow their company. If you're ready to invest in your career, you'll be invested into outshining whatever school name is on anyone else's degree. Besides, it's marketing... if you can't sell yourself, how are you going to sell the company? Right? ^.~

I hope this answers your question, and I hope other recent graduates can take something from this.

What's "wrong" with our youth?

As a parent, I can honestly say that video games, television, and movies all influence our children. To deny it as truth would be a lie on my part as a parent. I watch how my own children respond to what they see on TV--I watch them act like the characters they see on TV. I have let them watch me play video games like Call of Duty and listened as they cheered me on when I reach a new level, blow someone up, or get a new weapon. They play video games like Mario kart, Legend of Zelda, and Lego Batman. Basically, bombs and death are a major component of the video games my kids are exposed to and play. And I agree, it all has an impact on my child's life. But so do I.

Where am I going with this, right?

Well,I play violent video games and watch violence in movies. If you've followed my posts, you know I like "fight" music to get my day started. And here's the frosting on the cake...

I'm also a gun owner. *gasp!*

You know what, though... I'm not eager to use them. The thought of really hurting people does not cross my mind. I don't use my gun to kill mosquitoes or house flies. I don't get the urge to randomly fire my gun in the air. I don't promote the use of guns to my children, but I explain what they are, what they do, and how to safely handle them. 

For the people with this misconceived idea of gun owners--sorry to bust your bubble. However, for the people still keeping up, we have a bigger point to make.

See, I'm a young marketer. And the more this country falls away from a free market, the more screwed I am. So when I see industry after industry attacked for their promotion of "negatively-influencing" products, I have to make a fuss. When I see us moving away from the the very things that make this country "free" I have to interject. When I watch our country's market take blow after blow for each scandal after greed-inspired scandal--I have to speak up. 

Because, here's the truth: the world isn't puppies and kittehs, folks. It was created through violence, turmoil, and tragedy. Death and massacre occur around us daily. When politicians use this to push policies and agendas, the lesser tend to agree with them; seeing only the food that's been put on their plate instead of digging deeper to make an informed decision. Just look at Sandy Hook...or don't and just accept what you've been fed.

So when politicians use these vile images to sell themselves, it's ok. But when video game makers and movie makers decide to exploit this vicious world's flaws, they are blamed as being the creators of the idea itself.

Well, unless videos games and movies found a way back in time; war, death, and violence have been a part of our world since its creation. Stop blaming companies for reproducing the images and "influences" our youths are already exposed to. 

But if we can't blame the makers of violent games and movies, what's really wrong with the children of our country that they can't seem to understand the difference? 

Take a look in the mirror. What are you doing about those influences? Do you think someone didn't tell me that shooting and killing people is unacceptable? Honestly, I don't remember, but someone probably did. A bigger reason I didn't grow up to be insane...my parents. 

Yea, it's the age old blame or thank the parents, right? No. Parents only provide the foundation. It involves a lot of participation to keep kids on the right track. If you're the parent that pretends throwing a kid into sports, or other organizations is enough to satisfy what they want in engagements...well news flash...it's not. And the age old saying that it takes a village--well, it does. Because how many times have you been the parent watching kids go toe-to-toe and decided to watch instead of be involved, because it wasn't your kid? How many times have you been able to provide a positive influence, and instead chose not to? How many have decided video games and movies are a great way to entertain your children without having to actually do something with them? How often have you neglected to hear your child was struggling in a class, or heard, but felt you couldn't help because the material was beyond you? 

The point is, if you push your kid towards these negative things, and you don't fill the gaps with positive anythings--you're going to get a child that demonstrates it in one way or another. Stop blaming companies for having a better grip on your child than you. Stop blaming the manufacturers of games and entertainment for creating evil. That existed long before game makers learned to promote it. Quit attacking gun makers and owners for death, when it's the same weapons that have been used to protect our freedoms. Then, start thinking, and quit letting those freedoms slip away through poor decisions.