"Oprah Winfrey" "In God I Move and Breathe and have my Being"

December 30, 2011 11:17 AM
From: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Oprah Winfrey" Add sender to ContactsTo: evelynorjalo@yahoo.ca

Dear Friends of Summer and 2011,

Here's wishing you the best days of your life in 2012. I'm signing off on this email and can be reached now on FACEBOOK, a weekly update that I will personally write and Twitter whenever I can, and Oprah.com.

I’ve enjoyed chatting with many of you, but of course cannot respond to all. And enough of you have let me know you don't appreciate an email replied to ALL. So this will be the last one of those.

I've been traveling the country doing NEXT CHAPTER which premieres Sunday Jan 1st at 9 pm. Enjoying this new phase of just talking to whomever holds my interest and hopefully yours too.

On Sunday, I get to play with Steven Tyler at his lake side home in New Hampshire. Talking about fun stuff like "how do you remain monogamous when fans are greeting you with their panties on their heads"?

And can you be humble and still be a rock star, or is it all an ego game?

He was surprisingly honest and a hoot to hang with.

We're now good textin' buddies. (Only when not driving of course)

Next week I visit Lakewood Church, in Houston (with Joel Osteen). It ain't your grandma's service, for sure. I wanted to see why he has the largest congregation in America and his Sunday service viewed in 100 countries. Now I get it. The world is looking to be fed Hope!

Join me at their house, for Sunday supper.

Soon off to South Africa for another proud, proud day.

All 100% of first graduating class at my academy for girls have been accepted into colleges. 10% will be moving to USA for colleges here, so my mothering duties kick in full gear this year. With girls at my house during school breaks.

Never been to India, it's been on my vision board forever, going to film Deepak Chopra there for NEXT CHAPTER.

For each of you who's reached out in hopes of a response, I regret that I could not write a personal note but I do know for sure that the commonality in the human experience is a shared one.

Our journey is the same, though every circumstance is different.

We are all on a quest for Wholeness that comes with fulfillment and Grace, and a connection to something GREATER than ourselves. Whatever challenges you're facing, I know that your faith, resolve, and your Decision to get through whatever it is, is most important.

You alone are responsible for transforming your life. Which ultimately means seeing yourself as a human vessel for experiencing a deeper spiritual essence as a Being here on earth.

Every problem has a spiritual lesson. Get the lesson. Life gets better. Don't get it. And the lessons get harder.

Stop resisting what is. Either change it or find a way to move with the flow.

That is my new goal: to become what a Sufi teacher recently shared with me "A Feather on the Breath of God." Flowing where I can best be used in service to my calling.

So as I travel the world, and take on new challenges, and have days like all of you that rise and fall like the waves. I keep moving ahead, recognizing that no matter what the new year brings…all will be well. For this reason alone: "In God I Move and Breathe and have my Being" Acts: 17:28

Be Blessed Y'all
2012 Come on in!

Oprah Winfrey

Free QR codes really work

By Dan Wood

Want more calls from your listings? I found a free use for QR codes. All sales reps can start getting more leads directly from the yard sign. This is how: To start, your QR code marketing should be used in print marketing including for sale signs, newspaper ads and direct mail. The QR code takes your offline marketing and turns it into digital marketing – right on the phone of the home buyer.

I didn’t think people used QR codes until I had them directly printed on my signs. In only a few months over 200 people have used a smart phone to get the listing details. (I can’t believe they actually use it – I never do, so I thought it was the same for others). As it turns out, it’s a great way for people to get information passively. So how can we do it cost effectively?

I used the free Google QR code generator (http://www.goo.gl ). Create an account so you can use the free service and track the results. If you don’t make an account you can still use the service, but the more you do, the more Google will see (and if you are the owner of an account bringing Google traffic, they take notice). So make sure you use your Google account.

Once you have an account you can shorten any URL. For example I took http://www.openhouse-tour.com/Featured and Google shortened the link to: http://goo.gl/W73wO (a great way to index your page with Google… and small URLs can be used on Twitter). When you shortened the URL, Google also created the QR code. The code shown here is the one it produced for me and I have it on all my listings.

My sign was designed to use all methods of communication: text, QR, web and calling. See what it looks like at http://goo.gl/43oa2.

I used the “featured page” on my site – not the individual listing, for two reasons. First, it reduces the cost – why make a new sign for every listing? Use your featured page because any listing you have will be on that page too. Think of the power of all your signs working together and cross promoting. Second: after they view the details they might find that listing is not for them. So now they have other options that could be a fit!

The benefits with the Google QR code generator include that your page gets indexed with the biggest search engine in the world. It tracks how many times it was used (showing you what marketing is working or not). It creates a short URL for other social media and it’s free.

Other ways to use QR codes?

Get a sign rider that reads “Scan QR for price” and set it so that when they take a picture it calls your cell. (Cool, the phone can still ring in this business? Yep.)

On direct mail: Direct them to a community fan page you created on Facebook. (A great way to own your farm market).

On public transit: “Look at real estate on your phone as you take the train/ bus/taxi.”

In the waiting room of services in your farm area (dentist, lawyer, auto shop), use the same message: “Look at real estate as you _______”

To watch a video with my thoughts on this topic and more, visit www.HDvideocoaching.com.

Dan Wood is a technology coach at RobVivianCoaching.com and a sales representative with Keller Williams Energy in Oshawa, Ont. Contact Dan at www.openhouse-tour.com or 905-903-5442. Twitter: http://twitter.com/CallDanWood; Facebook www.facebook.com/HDvideocoaching

Dancing Santa lifts mood in Philippine traffic jams

By Jason Gutierrez | AFP – Sun, 11 Dec, 2011

Traffic enforcer Ramiro Hinojas mixes struts and footwork copied from Michael Jackson …


Ramiro Hinojas directs traffic in Manila wearing Santa Claus costume. Popularly known …

Thousands of traffic enforcers struggle grimly to keep the Philippine capital's notoriously gridlocked roads moving every day, but Ramiro Hinojas does it with a smile and a little help from Michael Jackson.
Rain or shine, seven days a week, the diminutive 55-year-old stands in the middle of one of Manila's major intersections, and to the cacophony of roaring engines, puts on an elaborate dance show as he deftly guides traffic flow.

The struts and footwork may have been copied from the King of Pop, Hinojas' deceased American idol, but the flare and passion by which he mixes them with hand signals to direct amused motorists are uniquely his own.

His sleek moves, which appear on Youtube, have made him a minor celebrity and a champion for the country's lowly paid traffic force that is faced with the impossible task of trying to keep roads flowing freely.

"It gives me joy to see people happy while they're stuck in traffic, because I know how the rush hour can make anyone crazy," Hinojas told AFP in between breaks at the main junction in Manila's Macapagal Boulevard.

The father of three has been adding even more spice to his routine this month, dressing up in a Santa Claus outfit to help motorists cruise into the Christmas season.

One of 16 children from an impoverished family in the central Philippines, Hinojas came to live in the chaotic slums of Manila as a boy.

He found his calling as a traffic enforcer about a decade ago when he was laid off from his previous job as a security guard.

Hinojas said he decided to introduce the dance routines in an effort to get motorists to take notice and follow his instructions.

"So I picked up the dance moves of Michael Jackson, and adapted them for my routine," he said.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the agency that oversees traffic management in the megacity of 12 million, said it employed about 2,000 full-time enforcers.

The number, however, could run into the many thousands, because various districts where the MMDA does not operate also deputise their own traffic volunteers. Hinojas is one of those deputies, and easily the most flamboyant.

With their blue or green uniforms, the enforcers crowd small and big intersections even when there are perfectly working traffic lights, ready to pounce on erring speedsters who ignore the signals.

They are supposed to help out when traffic lights fail, or when perennial floods render areas impassable.

But because some roads are so densely packed and slow moving, vehicles often get caught by the red light in the middle of the junction, meaning the enforcers have to take over the chaotic road management.

MMDA spokeswoman Alu Dorotan said that apart from being exposed to terrible pollution, traffic enforcers sometimes fall victim to "road rage" partly because they have the power to issue motorists' fines for traffic violations.

At least two have been wounded in gun attacks by drivers since September, according to the MMDA.

The assailants in both instances have been caught and charged in court, but in a country where unlicensed firearms proliferate and where rights groups complain of a culture of impunity, Dorotan said more attacks were likely.

"Other constables have been punched and verbally abused in scenarios that could have turned worse," Dorotan said.

Hinojas said his dance routines were precisely meant to relieve those kinds of tensions.

And entertained commuters often show their appreciation by honking their horns, as he wriggles his bottom and pirouettes to pull in oncoming traffic.

Others take the time to stop at a nearby mall to buy him food and offer cash donations that augment his measly take-home pay that equates to less than three dollars a day.

"He is very nice, and dances for us while we're stuck in traffic," said a smiling Reynaldo Nieto, a bus driver who passes by the busy intersection several times a day, and a self-proclaimed Hinojas fan.

"We always follow his traffic commands."

There are some, however, who ignore the law, hurl insults, and challenge his authority.

Hinojas said he remembered one instance when teenagers gave him a lunch pack, only for him to find out it consisted of left over chicken bones.

But despite the insults and other hardships, he genuinely appears to love his job.

"Sometimes I get sick from being under the sun too long, or if I get wet from the rain, but I always tell my family that in my own small way, I am doing my share to improve the country by putting things in order."

Three women share 2011 Nobel Peace Prize

10/12/2011 8:30:11 PM

CTVNews.ca Staff
Three women who displayed rare courage in the face of oppression took the stage in Norway Saturday, to collect their Nobel Peace Prize for their continuing their campaigns for women's rights in Liberia and Yemen.

"My sisters, my daughters, my friends -- find your voice," Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said after collecting her Nobel diploma and medal.

Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first democratically elected female president, shared the award with fellow Liberian Leymah Gbowee, who has confronted her country's armed forces over the use of rape as a weapon, and Tawakkul Karman, who began pushing for change in Yemen long before the Arab Spring. They share a 10-million kronor ($1.5-million) prize.

Karman, who is not only the first Arab woman to win the prize, but at 32 is also the youngest peace laureate ever, paid tribute to Arab women "without whose hard struggles and quest to win their right in a society dominated by the supremacy of men I wouldn't be here."

While the journalist and founder of the human rights group Women Journalists without Chains criticized the "repressive, militarized, corrupt" regime of outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh, her acceptance speech bemoaned the fact the Yemeni revolution has garnered less attention than other Arab Spring revolts.

"This should haunt the world's conscience because it challenges the very idea of fairness and justice," she said.

While praising Karman's struggle against Yemen's dictatorship, Nobel committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland sent a message to Syria's leader Bashar Assad, whose crackdown on a months-long rebellion has killed more than 4,000 people according to UN estimates.

"President Assad in Syria will not be able to resist the people's demand for freedom of human rights," Jagland said.

The Nobel committee said it honoured Gbowee, 39, for mobilizing women "across ethnic and religious dividing lines to bring an end to the long war in Liberia, and to ensure women's participation in elections."

In 2003, she led hundreds of female protesters -- the "women in white" -- through the capital Monrovia to demand the disarmament of fighters who continued to prey on women even though a peace deal ending 14 years of near-constant civil war had been reached months earlier.

"We used our pains, broken bodies and scarred emotions to confront the injustices and terror of our nation," she told the Nobel audience gathered in Oslo's City

The peace prize, she said, is a recognition of the value of fighting for women's rights.

"We must continue to unite in sisterhood to turn our tears into triumph," Gbowee said. "There is no time to rest until our world achieves wholeness and balance, where all men and women are considered equal and free."

The Harvard-educated Sirleaf, now 72, took a roundabout route to the presidency in Liberia, a country created to settle freed American slaves in 1847.

She worked her way through college in the United States by mopping floors and waiting tables. Jailed at home and exiled abroad, she lost the 1997 election to warlord Charles Taylor, but earned the nickname "Iron Lady" in the process. After a rebellion forced Taylor from power in 2003, Sirleaf emerged victorious in a landslide vote two years later.

While Liberia is more peaceful today, Sirleaf has critics at home who say she hasn't done enough to restore roads, electricity and other infrastructure devastated during the civil strife. Her opponents have accused her of buying votes and using government funds to campaign for re-election, charges that her camp denies.

But African and international luminaries welcomed Sirleaf's honour. Nobel peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu reacted with pleasure when the award was announced last month.

"Who? Johnson Sirleaf? The president of Liberia? Oooh," said Tutu, who won the peace prize in 1984 for his nonviolent campaign against white racist rule in South Africa. "She deserves it many times over. She's brought stability to a place that was going to hell."

Last year's peace prize went to imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo.

The other Nobel Prizes -- in medicine, chemistry, physics and literature, and the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences -- were presented by Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf at a separate ceremony Saturday in Stockholm.

In an emotional moment, Claudia Steinman accepted the Nobel diploma and medal on behalf of her husband, Canadian-born Ralph Steinman, who died of cancer just days before the medicine prize was announced in October. Before sitting down, she blew a kiss toward the ceiling of Stockholm's Concert Hall.

An exception was made to Nobel rules against posthumous awards because the jury wasn't aware of Steinman's death when it tapped him to share the award with American Bruce Beutler and French scientist Jules Hoffman for discoveries about the immune system.

The typically stiff white-tie crowd erupted in cheers when wheelchair-bound Swedish poet Tomas Transtromer, partially paralyzed by a stroke two decades ago, received the Nobel Prize in literature. The 80-year-old had figured in Nobel speculation for so many years that even his countrymen had started to doubt whether he would ever win.

U.S.-born scientists Saul Perlmutter, Brian Schmidt and Adam Riess collected the physics prize for discovering that the universe is expanding at an accelerating pace.

The chemistry award went to Israel's Dan Shechtman for his discovery of quasicrystals, a mosaic-like chemical structure that researchers previously thought was impossible.

Americans Christopher Sims and Thomas Sargent won the economics prize for describing the cause-and-effect relationship between the economy and government policy.

With files from The Associated Press

It’s Time to Lend a Helping Hand

December 8, 2011 -- In hopes of avoiding sounding like a broken record, but rather helping to be a constant reminder of how important it is, not just during this time of year, but all year to give back, and help those less fortunate.

The GTA REALTOR® community has sponsored a number of worthy organizations throughout the years that helps build solid foundations with homes and communities.

One notable organization is Habitat for Humanity Toronto, and in a recent column, I wrote about our most recent build located at Kingston Road and Morningside Avenue. This build marks the fourth title sponsorship of seven Habitat for Humanity builds to which we have contributed in recent years. The house will soon become a home for one family currently living in substandard housing.

Luckily, we had beautiful weather for our day of volunteering and I was put on garden patrol. (I’m not to be trusted with a hammer.) If you’ve ever wondered what a day on a build site looks like, or represents, I encourage you to watch a short video of our day at www.YouTube.com/TREBChannel.

We are also proud to say that The REALTORS Care Foundation last year raised more than $500,000 and provided grants totaling $178,710 to 35 shelter-based charities throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

So as you can see we certainly put forth a great deal of effort in helping Canadians achieve their dreams of homeownership, but we also feel community goes beyond homeownership, we also want to help improve the quality of life in our city.

The Children’s Breakfast Program, initiated five years ago by REALTOR® Carolyn Griffis of RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd., involves more than 150 Toronto Real Estate Board Member volunteers who serve and clean up after the approximately 9600 nutritious breakfasts provided every month to children in 17 different local schools. GTA REALTORS® believe that providing a nutritious breakfast to children in our communities will ensure they begin each day ready and able to learn and succeed.

In recent years, TREB contributed $10,000 to the construction of the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg, which is now nearing completion.

The museum is envisioned as a centre for learning where people from around the world will engage in discussion and commit to taking action against hate and oppression. Human rights issues from Canada and around the world will be featured, highlighting the hardships in countries from which many of our REALTOR® Members have come.
REALTORS® from all over Canada, me included, have donated to this important institution, and you can learn more about this project at www.humanrightsmuseum.ca.

A number of years ago I was involved with Casey House Hospice, an AIDS hospice that offers people dealing with HIV/AIDS a place to seek respite from the disease. Casey House Hospice will soon begin building a new facility that will house all of its services under one roof. It will include hospital-style rooms, a day centre and home hospice services.

Casey House Hospice and Habitat for Humanity are two of the charities that will benefit from some of the fundraising activities at TREB during my term as President.

So I share these pieces of information and stories with you in hopes of helping show that if we join in our efforts we truly can make a difference in our communities, in our cities, in our world. I encourage you to take whatever measures in your reach to help those in need.

From our REALTOR® family to yours, best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season.

Richard Silver is President of the Toronto Real Estate Board, a professional association that represents 32,000 REALTORS® in the Greater Toronto Area.

The Better Salesperson

Become a better salesperson by honing your skills
You knew this going in – you need certain skills to be a successful real estate salesperson.

The knowledge includes lessons you have learned in school and accumulated over the years. You may have learned some of the skills in school, while other skills come with experience. Following is a recap of the list of skills that can help you become a better salesperson. Hone them well.


Time management - American writer Sam Ewing said “It’s not the hours you put in your work that count; it’s the work you put in the hours.” A great deal of valuable energy is wasted due to poor use of time. You need to know how to manage your time effectively, and find a balance between your professional and personal life. You need to know how to prioritize, to plan for the next day, and to avoid time wasters.

Record keeping - When maintaining files of real estate transactions, you need to know, understand, and comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (the privacy law). You need to know what constitutes personal information, and your role in maintaining confidentiality.

Communication - Real estate is a people profession. A day rarely goes by when you are not interacting with colleagues, clients or customers. You need to know the different types of communication and what it means to be a ‘good communicator.’ Good communication skills mean you will be able to gain the trust and respect of buyers and sellers.

Problem solving – This can be defined as the ability to address difficulties and arrive at plausible, practical solutions, given conflicting interests of parties involved in a real estate transaction. You need to know how to define the problem and select the best approach to resolve it.

Negotiation - Negotiating on behalf of buyers and sellers to arrive at mutually agreeable terms is a routine part of the job. You need to know the various states of negotiations, how to engage in win-win negotiations, effective negotiating tactics and how to handle concessions.

Conflict resolution – Conflict is a part of life. You need to know how to prevent conflicts from happening, and how to handle conflicts when they do happen.

Respecting diversity - We live in a multicultural society. You need to know how to interact with and be respectful of people whose culture, language, or customs are different than your own.

Other essential skills are also needed:

People skills – umbrella term for the skills noted above (i.e., communication, problem solving, negotiation, conflict resolution, and respect of cultural diversity), entails the ability to establish rapport and gain the trust and respect of buyers and sellers

Organization and planning – ability to organize personal affairs and conduct business activity in a logical, efficient matter (e.g., obtain listings, show properties, handle offers, and conduct negotiations)

Confidence and persistence – confident attitude and firm grasp of personal goals

Self-discipline – ability to work independently to get the job done

Interview techniques – basic understanding of questioning methods (i.e., asking the right question at the right time to help buyers determine their needs) as well as being a good listener

Research – practical knowledge of how to locate, read, and understand legal documents involving property ownership

Math – basic grounding in math fundamentals, particularly multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, and percentages

Computer knowledge – basic understanding of computer hardware and software

English language comprehension and proficiency – ability to understand, draft and explain real estate agreements, listings, and other related forms.

For more information, check out A Mentoring Kit for New Salespeople: Training for Success, a valuable resource for real estate professionals. Visit www.orea.com and look under OREA Real Estate College in the Products and Services section.

A Time for Giving

November 28, 2011 -- It is that time of year again: a time to give.

As TREB Members, we have sponsored a number of worthy organizations throughout the years, one of which is Habitat for Humanity Toronto. I recently had the pleasure of working alongside Members from the East and West regions as we took part in the construction of a house located at Kingston Road and Morningside Avenue. It marks the fourth title sponsorship of seven Habitat for Humanity builds to which TREB has contributed in recent years.

The house will soon become a home for one low-income family currently living in substandard housing. For their part, the family will be required to contribute 500 volunteer hours to Habitat for Humanity Toronto and repay a zero-down payment, interest free mortgage over an average of 25 years.

Luckily, we had beautiful weather for our day of volunteering and I was put on garden patrol. (I’m not to be trusted with a hammer.) To learn more and check out how we did, view our YouTube video of the project: http://youtu.be/BIChA_RM63k


Another example of our efforts to improve the quality of life in our city is the Children’s Breakfast Program. Initiated five years ago by Carolyn Griffis of RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd., the program involves more than 150 TREB Member volunteers who serve and clean up after the approximately 9600 nutritious breakfasts provided every month to children in 17 different local schools. To learn more about volunteering, or if your office is interested in adopting a school click here.



As part of the Every REALTOR® campaign, TREB Members also contribute $1 per Member per month to the REALTORS Care Foundation, which last year raised more than $500,000 and provided grants totaling $178,710 to 35 shelter-based charities throughout the Greater Toronto Area. On your behalf we contributed to the following organizations:

Blue Door Shelters
Casey House Hospice Inc./Casey House Foundation
The Centre for Addiction & Mental Health
Covenant House Toronto
Durham Youth Housing and Support Services
Ernestine's Women's Shelter
Eva's Initiatives for Homeless Youth
Good Neighbours Club
Habitat for Humanity Toronto
Horizons for Youth/Housing for Youth in the City of York Corp.
Houselink Community Homes
Inn from the Cold Inc.
Interim Place
Interval House
LOFT Community Services
Na-Me-Res
Nellie's Women's Hostels Inc.
New Leaf Living and Learning Together
North York Women's Shelter
People in Transition - My Sister's Place
Salvation Army
Sanctuary
Sandgate Women's Shelter of York Region
Scarborough Women's Centre
Seeds of Hope Foundation
Street Health Community Nursing Foundation
Sutton Youth Shelter
Heart Touching Heart Ministries - The Dam
The Redwood
The Vitanova Foundation
Touchstone Youth Centre
Yellow Brick House Project Hostel
Yorktown Shelter for Women
Youth Without Shelter
YWCA Women's Shelter

In recent years, TREB contributed $10,000 to the construction of the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg, which is now nearing completion.
The museum is envisioned as a centre for learning where people from around the world will engage in discussion and commit to taking action against hate and oppression. Human rights issues from Canada and around the world will be featured, highlighting the hardships in countries from which many of our Members have come.

REALTORS® from all over Canada, myself included, have donated to this important institution, which will feature the REALTOR "R" in its entryway. If you are interested in contributing please visit www.beginswithyou.net

Sadly, our REALTOR® community lost one of our own Members to violence recently. Devinder Kumar, a Sales Representative with Re/Max Legacy Realty Inc. Brokerage in Mississauga, was slain November 10th near a Caledon home that he had listed for sale. Mr. Kumar, who was 38 years old, leaves behind a wife and two daughters, ages six and nine. A trust fund has been established for the Kumar family, and TREB has made a contribution. Additional donations can be made at TD Canada Trust using transit # 01842 and account # 5259280.


Earlier this year we lost another Member to tragic circumstances when Tony Han, a REALTOR® with Homelife Landmark Realty Inc., was abducted along with his client while viewing a property. It is believed that the ordeal caused Mr. Han to suffer a fatal heart attack in the hands of his kidnappers. A fund was also established to help his wife and son. Donations can be made at TD Canada Trust TD Canada Trust using transit # 1277 and account # 6310458.


A number of years ago I was involved with Casey House Hospice, an AIDS hospice that offers people dealing with HIV/AIDS a place to seek respite from the disease. Casey House Hospice will soon begin building a new facility that will house all of its services under one roof. It will include hospital-style rooms, a day centre and home hospice services.

Casey House Hospice and Habitat for Humanity are two of the charities that will benefit from some of the fundraising activities at TREB during my term as your President.

Though TREB has contributed to these good causes on your behalf, we encourage you to join in our efforts to support them.

We know that our Members give to many great causes throughout the year and we would like to hear about your good works. Each year, TREB recognizes Members’ volunteer efforts with its Civic Service Award – be sure to watch for a TorontoMLS posting regarding award nominations in the coming months.

In the meantime, please accept my best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season.

Yours truly,
Richard Silver, President
Toronto Real Estate Board