Lynn's Crackle Piggy Bank

I was checking on my Etsy listings this morning and saw this new piggy bank by our very own Lynn:OMG! It's so cute! I just had to share!

The Power of Reinventing Yourself

I recently saw a film that just may have been the best movie I’ve ever seen. Better than Lord of the Rings, better than Star Wars, better than, oh dare I say it, The Princess Bride. Inconceivable!

The movie opens with a heart wrenching scene that left tears streaming down my face. I was searching through my purse looking for a tissue to wipe my tears and all I had was this butter stained napkin in my lap. So here I am dabbing the tears trying not to get popcorn salt in my eyes and the next thing I know I’m on the edge of my seat, gripping the handles, teeth gritted, unable to breathe. This movie was exciting. And it kept getting better. It had action, adventure, sword fighting, love, and romance… everything a woman wants in a film.

Any guesses on the movie?

Star Trek

I know what you are thinking. The only people that go see Star Trek are 40 year old men who live in their mother’s basements.

WRONG!

The theater was packed with people of all ages. Sure, there were a few single dudes but there were a lot more couples and even families.

As an aside, the movie is rated PG-13. We took our 10 year old daughter. There were some scenes where I had to cover her face.

When I walked out of Star Trek the first thing I said was: “Let’s see it again. Let’s see it again, now.”

It was that good.

I admit. I am a geek. And a Star Trek fan. My husband likes to tell people that he only married me for my Star Trek Christmas ornament collection. I once dated a man because he had a chirping Star Trek Communicator on his jacket. But I was never a huge fan of the original series. My favorite is Deep Space 9.

Well this new Star Trek movie is based on the characters from the original series: Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Chekhov, Sulu and Uhura. And they are on the Enterprise. But that’s about where the similarities to the original television series end.

Director J.J. Abrams and the producers took this 40 year old franchise and turned it into something fresh, current, and new. They set the stage with this film to catapult the Star Trek franchise popularity for another 40 years. In the 2060’s there is going to be a Star Trek Centennial and people who aren’t alive today, are going to attend this big centennial celebration dressed up like Klingons and Romulans.

J.J. Abrams reinvented Star Trek. He gave it new life.

My daughter’s latest thing is tap her imaginary communication device saying “Beam me up Scotty, this planet sucks.”

Does YOUR planet suck?

Think about it, maybe it’s not your planet… maybe it YOU!

Just maybe, it’s time for YOU to reinvent YOURSELF?

You’re probably thinking: I CAN’T do that! I don’t know how.

Well here’s a question: Are you are married?

Think about your spouse the day BEFORE your wedding.

Now, think about your spouse the day AFTER your wedding. Are you married to the same person with whom you walked down the aisle?

No. The very act of getting married, changes a person. You go from being an individual to being half of a couple.

Are you a mother? Did becoming a mother change you? Yes! You went from being a woman, to being a mother.

Have you changed jobs? Did that change you? Probably.

What about joining the military? Does that redefine you? Absolutely!

That reminds me, have you heard the Klingon army motto?

Join the Klingon army.

Visit exotic planets, meet interesting people, and kill them!

Okay, maybe you need to be a Star Trek geek to get that one.

This concept of reinventing yourself is very powerful.

Becoming a mother redefined who I am. Becoming a mother is major life changing experience.

Can you reinvent yourself without a major life changing experience?

Think about J.K. Rowlings, the creator of the Harry Potter franchise. She outlined the series of stories on paper napkins sitting at café when she was a single mother living on welfare. She certainly isn’t on welfare today.

She had an idea, she believed in it and she made it real. She reinvented herself.

How do you go about reinventing yourself? According to Napolean Hill, the fist step is to get rid of indecision, doubt and fear. The rest, is up to you!

Here’s a good example:

This string walks into a bar and says: “Bartender, I’d like a drink.”

The bartender replies: “We don’t serve your kind in here.”

Dejected, the string walks outside. Then he decides, he not going to be treated that way. So he gets himself all twisted up and takes his ends and messes them all up. Then he walks back into the bar and demands: “Bartender, give me a drink!”

Bartender says: “Hey, aren’t you string?”

“Nope. Frayed knot.”

The string reinvented himself. And so can you!

Live long & prosper.

Race for the Cure!

This all started in February 2008. The short version of the long story is that I created a glow in the dark pillowcase for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®. Specifically, the West Virginia and Northeastern Pennsylvania Affiliates.

That's me on the left below, with Rebecca Newhouse, President of the WV Affiliate.

I could ramble on about how this all came about, but it might be easier if you just clicked HERE, to read a recent article from the WV Gazette. The important thing is that I have never been "part" of something like this before. I've donated to children's hospitals, the Hole in the Wall Gang summer camp and other organizations, but this is the first on-going association. In addition to having this motivational and inspiring "I Promise" pillowcase being part of the "Sleep In for the Cure" goody bags, Comfy Cozy® has signed contracts with each Affiliate which enables us to offer the pillowcases for sale on comfycozy.com. For each "I Promise" pillowcase sold, Comfy Cozy® will donate 10% to the selected Affiliate in the race to cure breast cancer. We're hoping to donate quite a bit to each Affiliate and add more in the future.

Click HERE to go directly to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® page on our web site.

Before any of this came about, I was always good about having my mammograms. Never whined or put them off:) Then, last June, my "your results are fine" letter said something quite different. It had words like "suspicious" and "second screening" and "biopsy". WHAT! There is no breast cancer in my family, anywhere. This can't be happening.

The short version of that long story is that by the grace of God I'm okay. But the surgical biopsy part was scary, painful and recovery was not fun. The fear was overwhelming. The mixed emotions of being upset for having to go thru it all "for nothing", the guilt for being upset and the joy that I was "ok". I have a new sense of gratitude and dedication to the women that have gone before me, the scientist researching and trying to cure breast cancer, the Komen organization for the voice it has given to survivors and everyone "up for the fight".

I hope this pillowcase brings joy and inspiration to those diagnosed with breast cancer and survivors. Encourage your female friends to have a mammogram. Hold their hands if their letter isn't what they expect and pray for and with them.

Yay!

I made my first Etsy sale this weekend. It's exciting because it's a new area for me. I know, I know, I already have a website, but my Etsy store puts me in direct competition with other piggy bank painters. My piggy banks are different and cost more, so I have kind of been holding my breath.

I have been hard at work redoing my images there. They are getting better, but I still have to get more familiar with photoshop. At least I think they look better.

Also this weekend my Zebra Piggy Bank was featured in an Etsy Treasury.  Thanks to judysnow for picking my piggy bank.

And check out ArtWhims blog where she picked my piggy banks as May Must Haves #1.

So, I have to say it was an exciting weekend for me. Plus I got to see my oldest DD play in 3 different concerts at college. Life is good : )