Life as a Virtual Assistant - Lightening Your Load One Smile at a Time: Dinah Lee Griffey Allyn, Belfair,& LakeLand-Homes & Land (Windermere Peninsula Properties)

Haven't we all been here before!

My husband Dan Griffey is running for office this year. I applaud him for it. There are many challenges along the way but there are just as many rewards, if not more.

One thing that I am noticing as we go from event to event and catch all of the hearings that we can, are the issues that effect my clients.

Everywhere I go I hear of new concerns and programs to be implemented. Some of them impact the issues I heard at the last meeting that I attended. Some of the items headed for the ballot first will negatively effect my clients if passed by what is coming up on the next ballot. There are a lot of things to consider.

Timing is everything but even more important is our knowledge of the politics in our market. I have learned so much (it seems to be a full time job to go with my full time job) that is impacting the people I am working for.

I feel much better prepared as an Agent knowing the issues at hand. I know I am keeping my clients better informed and more competitive by knowing the local politics.

Do you feel it is important to keep up with the politics in your community?

This is one of my favorite places and I thought it made a fitting picture for this post of a few of my favorite things today.

I an effort to see the glass half full, I thought I would compile a little list of the things that made me smile today. Please add your own to this post!

A great hot cup of coffee this morning- dark and bold

Sunshine

My tulips are popping up

I have the house to myself

My family will be home soon

I just finished a great book

I am headed outside to prune my plants

it is warm out

I can smell fresh cut grass

summer is on the way

I found my sunglasses

my daughter told me she loved me

I can hear the buzzing bees and birds chirping

The list goes on and on.

When you take time to focus on the good stuff no matter how small...pretty soon all you see is the good stuff!

Do you ever run across people that change your mindset. Maybe you are grumpy or apathetic and they come in and ruin it all with a contagious smile. The rest of your day has now been altered and it spreads.

How would you like to be that person? You can be. Positive affirmation can change your world and your business in 30 days.

You may be wondering how to implement this. It is simple- change your thought patterns. As corny as it sounds you have to eliminate the negative and accentuate the positive.

Zero in on the thoughts that drag you down and replace them with the opposite. You may even have to write something positive and read it out loud. Try it for 30 days. You will see your life transform in amazing ways.

It will take practice to recognize negative thoughts when they invade but over the next few weeks as they are replaced with positive affirmations you will notice they rarely come by for a visit.

Please use caution as positive attitudes and thoughts are catchy and you and those around you may all benefit from a new outlook on life and there is no telling just how far this might spread!

My husband is a firefighter and has warned me many times to be careful when using the propane stove to cook. Long sleeves can ignite in a flash. I always thought I was really careful. Apparently I had become lax.

While making breakfast this morning I saw a flash of light and heard a whoof! I was on fire. I yelled to Dan who came rushing into the room and we got it out quickly. My arm is a little tender to the touch but other than needing to go shopping for a new shirt( side benefit) I am fine.

This did get me thinking about my kids cooking and my clients who are new to using propane. Before moving to LakeLand Village I cooked with electricity. It was slower and not as much fun as cooking with propane. I used to be so careful, now I have a little reminder on my arm to always be aware of the dangers propane cooking can pose.

So in closing- keep your sleeves rolled up, make sure you light the stove quickly and not allow the propane to pool and light a larger area than you intended. Be there when your kids are learning to cook. Make sure your towels and other flammable materials are away from the flame. Then maybe you will escape the little reminder I got this morning.

Went to a party, Mom

I went to a party,
And remembered what you said.
You told me not to drink, Mom,
So I had a sprite instead.

I felt proud of myself,
The way you said I would,
That I didn't drink and drive,
Though some friends said I should.

I made a healthy choice,
And your advice to me was right.
The party finally ended,
And the kids drove out of sight..

I got into my car,
Sure to get home in one piece.
I never knew what was coming, Mom,
Something I expected least.

Now I'm lying on the pavement,
And I hear the policeman say,
The kid that caused this wreck was drunk,
Mom, his voice seems far away.

My own blood's all around me,
As I try hard not to cry...
I can hear the paramedic say,
This girl is going to die.

I'm sure the guy had no idea,
While he was flying high.
Because he chose to drink and drive,
Now I would have to die.

So why do people do it, Mom
Knowing that it ruins lives?
And now the pain is cutting me,
Like a hundred stabbing knives.

Tell sister not to be afraid, Mom
Tell daddy to be brave.
And when I go to heaven,
Put ' Mommy's Girl' on my grave.

Someone should have taught him,
That it's wrong to drink and drive.
Maybe if his parents had,
I'd still be alive.

My breath is getting shorter,
Mom I'm getting really scared
These are my final moments,
And I'm so unprepared.

I wish that you could hold me Mom,
As I lie here and die..
I wish that I could say, 'I love you, Mom!'
So I love you and good-bye.

MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) IS HOPING TO GET 5,000
SIGNATURES ON THIS, THEN PASS IT ON TO SIGN.

When this petition has reached 5,000, please return this to:

MADD
P..O. Box 54168 8
Dallas , TX 75354-1688
1-800-GET -MADD  1-800-GET -MADD (  1-800-438-6233  1-800-438-6233 )

If you receive this petition and do nothing but delete it, your selfishness knows no bounds. Signing is such a small effort to make. After you have read the poem, please add your name at the bottom. And never forget, DON'T EVER DRINK AND DRIVE, not even once, thinking that it won't matter. IT DEFINITELY WILL MATTER!!!

How to set it up:
* Click on Forward
* SIGN YOUR NAME AT THE BOTTOM.
* Then send it to everyone you know.

It is common to see the words "apparent owner of record" followed by ET TAL. Did you ever wonder what the letters were referring too?

ET means -and

UX means- Wife

VIR- means Husband

TAL- means Others

I thought you may like to know the Mystery of the letters the next time you look at a legal description. It can be fun to know a little something that most people don't.

Now you are ready for Jeopardy!

We did it! Once again Windermere Peninsula Properties sent an Agent into the Frigid North Bay waters for a great cause...The Boys and Girls club.

If you don't beleive me watch this video from you tube... The Polar Plunge!

Catch it all again next year as those in our community dive into Case Inlet in January to make a difference for our kids. If you have not stopped by to see all that our local Boys and Girls club has to offer please do so. They are making a difference in our community one smiling child at a time!

So my brand new (actually just over 1 year old) washer locked last night and won't open. My dryer door is being held together with duct tape, and I am mad.

After recently upgrading to these appliances to save on power and water they both fell apart. So in this day of Social networking I sent the message out to all of my Friends on Facebook warning them not to buy Maytag.

A lot of them responded to my frustration and gave me great advice. The message that really got my attention was not from a friend but from Maytag.

Within hours of my post I had a response from the company themselves...before I called them! For all of you who may be doubting how effective this Social Networking thing is this is proof that we are on to something.

I am also getting great results for open houses and new listings. People don't always post comments but they are watching and reading. And in my case trying to shut me up by fixing the problem!

Where have manners gone? I am not old by any means but I remember my mother teaching me proper phone etiquette.

1. Announce who you are when you answer the phone.

2. Ask the caller to hold as you collect the requested person. Do not tell the caller that the individual is in the bathroom, showering, or any other private act.

3.Do not yell for the person requested.

4.Do not call after 7:00 at night.

5. Keep it brief. I had a 10 minute limit...It sucked!

6. When making calls do not ask the person answering the call who they are before you tell them who you are.

7. Ask if they will take a message...do not demand it.

8. Do not call repeatedly.

9. Calls are for appointments to talk in person. Do not share everything on your mind. You need to be able to see the other persons body language while sharing important information.

10. Do not call Canada and tell you Mom that it is free because you "think" it is. Check it out first. You may be racking up a $1,200.00 phone bill while babbling about cute boys. Your mother may faint when she get the bill and the best you will get is grounded for the rest of your life...MEGAN!