Chronicling Europe & The Baltics 2018 – Helsinki Modern Diversity

A Little Romance

Just like the cruises themselves, we as a couple tend to pack a lot into international travels. These trips ironically due to DK’s planning often take place around our anniversary. We’ve managed to celebrate more than one of these milestones as we’ve seen the world. It’s always nice to fit a little romance in while at work and on vacation.

I’m glad to have a husband that understands that my writing work travels with me wherever I go. Fortunately for me, his creativity kicks in on these trips and we both get to work and play. While in Helsinki we got the chance to combine our love for jazz with exploring the city. Rick Braun, Aubrey Logan, the UK Collective, and Rick Marcel provided exceptional onboard entertainment.

The city offered its own inspiration for romantic experiences. In our downtime, we found a terrific café for coffee and dessert. On the tour, we’d learned a lot about the delicious chocolates that locals enjoy. Including these with our treats was a definite no-brainer. Sitting outside and watching the world go by together…is my definition of romance!

Chronicling Europe 2018 - Reconnecting in Sweden

It’s always nice to be able to reconnect with friends and family members. This is even nicer when the place that you get to do this is in Sweden. One of the unique things about this portion of the cruise with Dave Koz and Friends was that we had family in this part of the world.

I can’t help but repeat that the weather was amazing and warm enough for light clothing. Traveling around the world can make things a bit confusing and challenging. Things like meeting people in a public place with signage in another language. Fortunately this time around, it was quite easy to get together with our family members.

This gave us an opportunity to also see the city through their eyes. Sightseeing with them included off-the-beaten path stops like a royal cathedral and a place for espresso. Shopping and taking home souvenirs for many tourists involves traversing to some of the best streets in the city. We got the chance to visit the Drottninggatan, as well as, Gotgatan areas.

It was possible to buy high-end items and those that were budget-friendly. Walking in Stockholm was nice, easy, and enjoyable with family as the guides.



My Journey to 50! - Changing Looks

If you’re like me, you’re features make you an enigma. People are always questioning my age, which is a compliment. However, I know the truth because I’ve seen me from the beginning to now.

Another key thing to consider on My Journey to 50 is the expectation of changing looks. Women, especially have a challenge in this area because we hear it more so than men. Who cares what other people think about your maturing looks?

Embrace who you are today and find ways to appeal to YOURSELF. I’m finding my way now just like I did as a teen. Peer pressure, trends and outside influences are always coming! I’m preparing by feeling good in my own skin, such as it is. Lol.

Let’s embrace this Speed of Life thing together!

True beauty is only possible when the inside is healthy, intact and positive…

What is Resume Development? – Necessary Details

Many people are unaware of the changes that professional resumes are expected to undergo. A part of this involves keeping up with trendy formats and designs. Others have to do with ensuring that these documents are both concise and informative.

The Speed of Life often takes people away from thoughts of how to fine-tune and modernize resumes and cover letters. The development process that content writers and resume specialists use is important. These are experts when it comes to crafting the wording that highlights an applicant’s skills and expertise.

These writers are familiar with the expectations of HR departments, hiring officials and interviewers. Showcasing details about experience is essential to securing an interview during this process.

Some skills are simply transferable because they are paramount to most any field or industry. Hiring a talented writer to tailor your experience in a way that catches the eye is important.

The details are what these readers are looking for so that they can connect them with the position they are recruiting for. Here are some skills to consider for your resume project:

• Team Collaboration
• Communications
• Problem Resolution
• Planning & Organization

Supplemental Learning – Follow Up at Home with Great Tools

It’s never been a secret that parents participate in home education activities, where their children are concerned. Although homeschool techniques are becoming more and more popular in mainstream society, this has always been the case in families.

Parents provide students with supplemental education for public school study. This is true whether the subject is math or history. If you’ve ever helped with homework or purchased study materials, you’re a home educator.

As your child grows and develops, they will likely require additional resources in this category. Online resources, such as programs from ABCMouse.com are terrific for those between the ages of 2 and 8.

These are tools that enhance the learning process and sparks interest in different subjects. It is possible to achieve these academic goals from home:

• Games Building Eye-Hand Coordination
• Stories to Develop Reading Comprehension
• Puzzles that Increase Mathematical Abilities
• Topical Studies for Context Referrals

Finding online resources that are effective and budget-friendly is possible with a bit of research. Parents with multiple children can actually purchase products that are unique. Any of these that build internet skills will be helpful for the future.


The more you are able to supplement the learning process, the easier it will be to prepare for increasing grade level work.

My Journey to 50

Yes, I’m Excited to Turn 50

I’ve had friends who practically lost it when they turned 30. I guess every milestone comes with a bit of trepidation. Embracing where you are in life and being truly thankful is important. This sets the theme for the rest of life.

Aging is a privilege to those who actually understand it. Make no mistake, I’m not saying sit back and knit…unless you know how. Lol. Who says you cannot embark on this phase of life with expectation?

Travel, learn, write, explore and whatever else helps you to grow! Getting older offers us all the opportunity to tackle life in a new way. The Speed of Life doesn’t slow down for any of us so finding a pattern and rhythm is crucial.

Fortunately for me, I’ve been an outside-the-box kind of girl from the start. My plan is to take the next 2 and a half years and get prepared. The embrace, may take a little bit of work. I’ll get there though.

How about you joining me on My Journey to 50? It’s going to be AMAZING!

Freelance in Your Lane – Utilize All Your Skills

There are many different ways to pursue career goals. Some will find work in their areas of expertise or field of interest. Others will discover the opportunities that freelance work provides. This is work that is available through companies and industries around the world.

In most instances, these employers are in need of short-term relationships to achieve specific objectives. Hiring freelance workers is a good way to get the work done at a reasonable cost. The options for freelance professionals are vast.

Those with diverse skills have the opportunity to earn in that number of ways. For example, if you are speedy at typing information, you can work for clients needing data entry services. It may also be possible to secure projects that involve document creation.

The key to pursuing these opportunities is to fully utilize your skill sets. Those with technical knowledge can find clients in IT or administrative fields. Writers, discover that there are many companies requiring articles, blog posts and marketing materials.

Freelancing in your lane requires being strategic about what you offer and consistently increasing your experience levels.



Setting Good Examples for Kids – Inspire the Future

There’s no rule stating that you have to be a perfect example as a parent. In fact, it’s virtually impossible to do so. Your goal, however, should be setting an example that inspires your kids’ future choices.

This could involve sharing your mistakes and successes. Children of different ages have the capacity to understand a great deal. It’s up to us to find easy applications and lessons that relate to daily life.

Young kids can learn from your suggestion to not run without looking. This is a simple lesson that makes sense right where they are. Older kids are sponges for good examples, too.

Sharing why it’s important to stand up for your beliefs may be a broad stance. Inserting lessons specific to you can be truly helpful.

Adopting a Healthy Diet

Kids watch what you do! If you tell them to eat healthy, you’d better be a good example for this, as well. it doesn’t matter whether you are choosing veggies sticks over chips or a salad over a burger.

Parents who adopt healthy diets are setting an example to their kids. Discussions about reasonable choices are good methods for starting the conversation.

Budgeting for Purchases

Relaying the importance of living on a budget to your children could be challenging. A 5-year old understands the correlation between good behavior and getting a sought after toy.

This same child can also learn how to reserve something now for a later date. Tweens and teens are ready for budgeting on a large or small scale. Start with tracking where their allowance goes each month.

Being a Good Friend

Many of our grandparents encouraged us to be a good friend, if we were looking for a good friend. This isn’t a dated message. Showing this through real life examples, parents can explain the efforts they take as a friend.

Sharing these experiences and motivations, at your child’s learning level can help. This like all important things will take time, but can impact the future. Sites, such as Cleverly Changing offer parents an opportunity to not only learn from previous mistakes.

It is possible to visit this site and gain budgeting, parenting, product selections and healthy living tips. These areas are terrific considerations for adopting good examples.

Remember that these are not simply individual lifestyle choices, but ways to model and inspire how our kids may live in the future.

Conversation Builds Relationships

It’s true that some people are just better communicators than others. Some enjoy sparking conversation with virtually anyone. Others may struggle talking with the people that they love the most.


Conversations are a real way to build relationships with friends and family. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to make a speech, far from it.The goal is to express what you feel, as well as, listen to the other person.


Couples, especially have to practice this when trying to strengthen connections. It doesn’t matter whether your desire is to build a good marriage foundation or a solid friendship.


Scheduling a time to talk about big and little issues is one option that can be fruitful for those dealing with the Speed of Life.

Teen Conversations: Important Parental Moves

It's true that parents and teens often speak a different language!


This shouldn't discourage either from conversation. It is important not only to the relationship of the family. Keeping these lines of communication active promotes expression in the future.


Teens learn how to think critically and to verbalize their positions. Topics of these conversations can vary. The primary objective is to use the time wisely. Although the Speed of Life is challenging to families, it is essential that they maintain relationships in a healthy way. Conversation is a good tool for this!


Daily Lives


Some teens need to be encouraged to talk about the issues that trouble them. The things that occur daily are a part of these concerns. Setting aside time specifically for these conversations, shows interest and concern.


Current Events


There are confusing things happening in society. This is true for both parents and teens. Discussing current events nationally and internationally can help. The goal is not to figure out the world's problems. It's simply to pursue understanding and spark more conversation. 


The Future


The future is one of the things that troubles teens the most. Parents don't always understand because they've conquered their fears in some ways. Teens need and want direction for attaining the goals, whether short term or long term. Conversation could mean the difference between success and failure.


Let's start talking more. . .


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Stand for What You Believe

Taking a stand for what's right can be challenging.


There are many ways to approach this particular issue. Everyone operates at the Speed of Life these days! Each day though we see or hear about injustices happening around us. What should we do?


It's important to invite conversation. Some of the world's biggest movements started with a simple conversation. It is super important for parents, especially to encourage talks where social issues and problems exist.


Our children will discover that their voices can stand against the ills of the world. There are times and opportunities to stand more tangibly in some instances. Being a good communicator is an essential step in standing for what you believe in. This is also one of the best ways to stand against something.


Here are some ideas that make taking a stand feasible:


* Use your verbal skills


* Write your views down


* Social media outlets


* Spark conversation


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How to Get What You Want from Work? - Job Satisfaction

I recently heard a story about an administrative worker who longed for more responsibility at work. This worker, of course, wanted to rise up the corporate ladder and earn more. Her primary objective, however, was to utilize the skills and expertise she'd gained over the years.


Because this worker had earned a good reputation at her office, she was able to get what she wanted. Speaking with one of the senior leaders, resulted in her being able to secure a new position. This position was a bit out of her current field, but it held greater responsibility and tasks. Not everyone will be able to experience this result because...


They don't showcase dependability


Dependability is a diverse area when it comes to workers. It is important to be on time for work and an active participant. At the same time, you show dependability by trying hard to meet company goals and objectives. Communicating well with supervisors is helpful, too.


They aren't team players


Team players are not simply people who follow the leader. They work cohesively with the team to achieve goals and objectives. This may mean working independently in some cases. Understanding initiatives, asking questions and completing projects effectively is essential.


They don't speak for themselves


Speaking for yourself is all about communicating well. This can be verbally or in written form. How do you express yourself? Professional examples are seen not simply through apparel. These individuals understand the company and its long term goals and missions.


It is important to be a GOOD worker no matter what your field or area of expertise.
Hiring officials and employers are looking not only for the brightest candidates. They want people who have committed to work and are trustworthy. This is the best way to get what you want out of your position or perhaps a new one.

Utilize Your Degree - Take Advantage of Diverse Skills

Just because your degree is in one particular area, doesn't mean you're locked into that field. As millions of Americans have discovered, their initial career fields aren't productive. Whether it be major layoffs or areas that are obsolete, it is important to utilize your degree to the best of your ability.


This may mean reevaluating your resume design. There are skills that you've gained from your field, that can translate to other career paths. With this goal in mind, you should take advantage of education, training and professional abilities that are instrumental to any position. Here are some ways to view your accomplishment:


Light Skills Transfer Easily


Light skills are those that are useful to almost all fields. Some of these include: computing, record keeping, finance, inventory control and many others. If you're looking to move from management to technical service, it's your skills that need to be expressed.


Use All Leadership Abilities


Leadership, whether supervisory or management is priceless. Employers want workers who have gained experience leading teams. The skills that these roles provide are diverse and critical to every field and industry. These skills allow applicants to consider many different professional roles.


Your resume is a tool that can make your first introduction. It doesn't matter whether your degree is IT related or in Humanities. The skills that you've gained over the years, can be helpful to virtually any employer. Showcase them in all future professional pursuits.


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Work Outside of the Box

In recent years there have been millions of job seekers deposited into the unemployment arena. Many of these people are those who have worked in the same industry for decades. Things were very different when they last had to look for work. Technology, for example, did not present so many options.

The internet itself is not simply a way to look for employment. It has become, in many instances, an employer for those ready for unique work opportunities. There are many different types of job options that are available online. It does take a bit of research to find out what’s out there. You will also need to apply flexibility to what you consider work to be. Let’s take a look at some of the earning options the internet presents.

Article Writing


Freelance writing is definitely one of the hidden opportunities that are available. There are many sites that connect writers with clients. Elance and oDesk are two examples in this category. Some clients are affiliated with magazines, websites and blogs. They are looking for someone to provide web content for their niche industry. Articles are used to steer traffic to sites or to sell products.

Blog Writing

There are a variety of different blogs on the internet. Some of these are related to companies, organizations and institutions. Blog owners don’t often have the time to produce current content. Blog writers come in and answer this particular need. Blogs are generally shorter than articles and tend to require posts of 350 to 400 words each.

Resume Writing

There are general freelance sites that provide resume writing services. You will also discover through searches specific sites only for resumes. These sites pay writers per resume and cover letter provides. This type of work is done based upon your own schedule and availability. The average fee for a resume is $20-$25 for the writer.

Customer Service

Small businesses often look for help as it relates to customer service. They are unable to pay a full-time salary but will outsource services. These jobs may require answering calls (routed to home phones), taking orders, making appointments and other clerical tasks. Some of the projects in this category are issued per contract. Contracts can last weekly, monthly or even longer.

 

 

 

Read to Communicate

We all remember being assigned a questionable book in school. There were times when we were surprised to find out that the book was exceptional. I can think back to certain titles that served to introduce a whole new world to me. Today, reading is a debated topic to many people. Because we’ve taken so many shortcuts in communications, reading has fallen by the wayside in some minds.

The things that we read are instrumental to how we communicate. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a song writer or a delivery person. Verbal and written communication intrudes into most peoples’ lives. Our ability to solve problems, think critically, or relate to others has to do with our experiences. Physical experiences travel and materials that we’ve read enhance how effectively we communicate to others.

Speech Patterns


The way that we use speech can be related to what we’ve read. Those who love the news and read it daily are capable to discuss it. This doesn’t mean that their opinions are unique or correct. It simply means that these individuals utilize what goes into their consciousness. The patterns of speech used by anyone can show their interests and understanding.

Empathize

Reading diverse materials about different topics can broaden your ability to empathize with others. You don’t literally have to travel across the globe to learn about people living in remote places. The more that you learn through reading, the easier it is to understand who these people are and how they live.

Connect

There are millions of pieces of material on the internet at any given time. Reading things that interest you can serve to connect you to other people. Examining topics, issues and history is an effective way to relate to the world. Connecting shows a desire to expand both knowledge and understanding.

Embrace 2014 - Get a New Perspective

Every year has something new to offer us. Embracing 2014 is all about getting a new perspective on life. This is a time to pursue goals that have long since disappeared. This is also a time to make changes towards happiness and away from negativity.

There are many steps that can be taken to grab onto a different perspective. Taking these steps is the best way to move ahead into the future. When we do things the same old way, we get the same old results. Let's take a look at some of things that can help us journey through a better and more positive year.

Consider Our Connections

The people around you have a direct impact on you and your perspective. If there's only a negative group in your circle, you need a new one. Moving towards your goals takes support and commitment.

Invest In Yourself

What investments have you made in yourself? This type of investment can be seen in time and resources. Achievements cannot be actualized without drawing a line in the sand. Research, reading and networking are useful tools for getting the perspective you desire!

Living Outside the Box!

I've always had a love for travel. I think it's the writer in me that wants to make a verbal image for what I see. As a family we've taken some pretty amazing trips both in the states and outside them. My most recent trip, however, was nothing less than a life-changer.

I spent 10 days in Europe with my husband, alone. We ventured to Rome to catch our cruise ship, Navigator of the Seas. This Mediterranean cruise was a jazz adventure via Dave Koz. The music was tremendous throughout our 8 days at sail. The talent of the artists was well worth travelling around the world to experience.

But I must say that living outside the box with my husband on our own Amazing Race was the best part. Running from airport to airport and stumbling over the languages was a lot of fun. Once onboard we were still on a terrific adventure. The music, the events and the excursions of the ports.

The beautiful cities of Messina, Mykonos, Athens, Naples and Rome gave us new experiences. For me it was a time to expand my mind and my impression of the world. As a couple it was time to enjoy not having any schedules to meet. Romance and all that jazz! I think that every couple needs to find their own adventure and get-away from it all. It doesn't have to be on the other side of the globe.

It just needs to be meaningful and outside the box!

Make It Simple: Kid Conversations

There is no blanket process for being a great parent and communicating with your children. Every parent must find ways to keep their relationships relevant. This means finding things that appeal to your kids. It doesn’t matter what age they are. You can discover real ways to encourage a better relationship.

When children are old enough for conversation, they will tell you how they feel about things. Parents moving at the Speed of Life have to slow down to listen. Group events with multiple children can be very special. It is important to remember that each child needs his or her own time with you. Simply talking over ice cream is a terrific way to express your love. You don’t have to be complex or try too hard. Just make a habit of showing your feelings in an effective way.

Use your strengths
Some people are not confident when it comes to verbal communication. This doesn’t let you off the hook in relation to your kids. Consider your strengths and incorporate them into the conversation. Sports, hobbies, and other things can be helpful in this process.

Show your interest
What things interest your kids? Listen to what they talk about and do some research. When you show your interest, you are also showing that you care. Simple tips can benefit you in conversing with kids.

Younger children are often less demanding when it comes to conversation. Teens have more involved interests and activities to accommodate. Even when time is short, you can find methods to keep conversations fresh. Texts and emails are wonderful modes to use, if you can’t talk in person.