By Jordan Chittley
Associate Editor
United Nations has declared a famine crisis in Somalia as the region experiences its worst drought in 60 years and staple food prices spiral upward.
Tens of thousands of people have already died from causes related to malnutrition and more than 10 million people are affected. The Canadian government has contributed $22 million in humanitarian assistance this year, but the UN says at least $300 million is needed over the next two months to stop the spread of famine.
Here is a list of aid agencies you can contact to contribute to these efforts.
Canadian Red Cross: Call toll free at 1-800-418-1111 or visit the web page for donation options. Money raised will provide emergency relief to numerous countries in the region. Donate here.
UNICEF Canada: They are on the ground in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia to help children and families with expertise in nutrition, immunization, water and sanitation. Donate here.
The Humanitarian Coalition: This network of Canadian NGOs (CARE, Oxfam, Plan Canada and Save the Children) unites in cases of humanitarian crises. Call toll free at 1-800-464-9154 or go to their website to donate.
Doctors Without Borders/Medicins Sans Frontieres: They have worked in and around refugee camps in the region for 14 years. They estimate about 500 people arrive at the already overcrowded camps each day and upon arrival are receiving inadequate assistance.
Donate here.
World Vision Canada: World Vision has been fighting hunger in the Horn of Africa for many years. Donations will help provide food, clean water, agricultural support, health care and other vital assistance to children and families in need. Donate here.
UN World Food Programme: WPF is reaching out to people on the edge of survival, especially women and children, with food. They aim to reach six million in the coming months. Donate here.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Federal EcoEnergy Retrofit Program Renewed
News
July 13, 2011 -- The federal government has renewed the ecoEnergy Retrofit – Homes Program, which provides grants of up to $5,000 to eligible homeowners to make energy efficiency upgrades to their homes.
Details
The renewed program is effective from June 6, 2011 until March 31, 2012. Homeowners who participated in the previous version of the program before April 1, 2011, and who did not receive the maximum amount of $5,000 can submit another application for improvements purchased and installed after June 6, 2011.
There are two important changes to the program. First, there is a requirement for participants to register directly with the program before booking their evaluation. Second, homeowners will now be required to provide receipts to their energy advisor at the time of the post-retrofit evaluation to confirm eligibility for the grant.
More Information / How to Apply
Detailed information on the federal ecoEnergy Retrofit – Homes Program, including the application process, is available from the federal government web site.
ecoENERGYecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes
The Government of Canada has renewed the popular ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program. From June 6, 2011, until March 31, 2012, homeowners are eligible to receive grants of up to $5,000 to make their homes more energy-efficient. Homeowners who participated in the program to date have saved 20 percent on their energy bills.
There are two important changes to the program. First, there is a requirement for participants to register directly with the program before booking their evaluation. Second, homeowners will now be required to provide receipts to their energy advisor at the time of the post-retrofit evaluation to confirm eligibility for the grant.
How to apply
The first step in the renewed ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program is to register:
•New participants - if you or a previous owner did not obtain an energy evaluation of your property since April 2007.
•Past participants - Homeowners who participated in the program before April 1, 2011, and who did not receive the maximum amount of $5,000 can submit another application for improvements purchased and installed after June 6, 2011.
If you plan to apply for multiple properties, a form must be completed for each one.
If you are not sure which form to complete, follow the instructions on the registration page.
Only products purchased after June 6, 2011, and installed after a pre-retrofit evaluation are eligible for an ecoENERGY grant. All energy retrofits and post-retrofit evaluations must be completed by March 31, 2012. The homeowner must also sign the grant application by this date.
For more information:
The Grant Table for ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes offers an overview of the program and a breakdown of eligible upgrades. Visit the Frequently-Asked Questions for more details
July 13, 2011 -- The federal government has renewed the ecoEnergy Retrofit – Homes Program, which provides grants of up to $5,000 to eligible homeowners to make energy efficiency upgrades to their homes.
Details
The renewed program is effective from June 6, 2011 until March 31, 2012. Homeowners who participated in the previous version of the program before April 1, 2011, and who did not receive the maximum amount of $5,000 can submit another application for improvements purchased and installed after June 6, 2011.
There are two important changes to the program. First, there is a requirement for participants to register directly with the program before booking their evaluation. Second, homeowners will now be required to provide receipts to their energy advisor at the time of the post-retrofit evaluation to confirm eligibility for the grant.
More Information / How to Apply
Detailed information on the federal ecoEnergy Retrofit – Homes Program, including the application process, is available from the federal government web site.
ecoENERGYecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes
The Government of Canada has renewed the popular ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program. From June 6, 2011, until March 31, 2012, homeowners are eligible to receive grants of up to $5,000 to make their homes more energy-efficient. Homeowners who participated in the program to date have saved 20 percent on their energy bills.
There are two important changes to the program. First, there is a requirement for participants to register directly with the program before booking their evaluation. Second, homeowners will now be required to provide receipts to their energy advisor at the time of the post-retrofit evaluation to confirm eligibility for the grant.
How to apply
The first step in the renewed ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program is to register:
•New participants - if you or a previous owner did not obtain an energy evaluation of your property since April 2007.
•Past participants - Homeowners who participated in the program before April 1, 2011, and who did not receive the maximum amount of $5,000 can submit another application for improvements purchased and installed after June 6, 2011.
If you plan to apply for multiple properties, a form must be completed for each one.
If you are not sure which form to complete, follow the instructions on the registration page.
Only products purchased after June 6, 2011, and installed after a pre-retrofit evaluation are eligible for an ecoENERGY grant. All energy retrofits and post-retrofit evaluations must be completed by March 31, 2012. The homeowner must also sign the grant application by this date.
For more information:
The Grant Table for ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes offers an overview of the program and a breakdown of eligible upgrades. Visit the Frequently-Asked Questions for more details
Friday, July 15, 2011
Understanding The Psychology of Sales
Friday, 15 July 2011 07:43 Heather Wright
Despite what you may think, you are not in the sales business. You are in the relationship business.
Your job, and the successful execution of it, lies in the ability to understand people, establish and foster relationships with them and to extract their needs and wants- and to help them express that need in the context of the product that you offer.
Check out this article
Realtor vs. FSBO: A Balanced Perspective
To get legal advice, you visit a lawyer; to get medical advice, you go and see a doctor; most people, to get their car repaired, leave it in the hands of a trained professional. Even to get your hair cut, you go to someone who is trained to do that job. In all of these instances, the average consumer, without specific training and resources in a given area, defers to a qualified individual. So what is it about Real Estate that is so different? ...
Read More
The actual sales are the by-product of this process and, to really succeed in client-centric, customer focused business like that of the Real Estate and Mortgage Professions, you must give a lot of thought to a rather volatile entity- the human being. While each client and situation is individual, there are some things that are common amongst most people. Therefore, part of your successful sales strategy should be trying to understand some of the psychology and motivation that most people have when approaching the purchase, sale or financing of a home. Furthermore, you need to know how they are approaching you as a professional.
All in all, it comes down to understanding where your client is coming from.
Set the Stage
In the relationship business, job one is creating an atmosphere in which people want to do business with you.
Like it or not, you are dealing with human nature. And despite efforts to keep an open mind, judgement will likely be passed on you shortly upon first meeting someone. Knowing that this judgement of you, rightly or wrongly will also likely set the stage for trust and for the building of a business relationship, it is worthwhile to look at yourself- and your business through the eyes of your clients.
Judgement sounds harsh, but if you can win your client over at this crucial stage, you have taken an important step towards creating both a meaningful relationship, and a viable atmosphere for business.
You will be judged outright on your appearance- both initially and over time- as to whether or not you consistently project a professional image. You will be judged on your knowledge of your market, product and other services; this can include things like experience or expertise in other areas like staging, property appraisals etc.etc. You will be judged on your people skills- where sincerity is the greatest currency you have, and on the perception of honesty (perception of honesty- because this comes down to optics. You could be the most honest person in the world, but if a client for some reason perceives that your honesty is somehow compromised, you can forget about building a long term relationship)
Understanding the Fundamental Needs of People
While people are indeed all very different, there is something that largely binds them all together.
All people like to feel important and that their needs matter and are understood. To know where your client is approaching you from can help you devise your approach to them.
Jay McInnes, Sales Agent, and Macdonald Realty, agrees: “Customers want to feel cared for and important and again, their comfort in the process is the most important aspect of the sale . Empathy is very important as everyone has to be on the same page if everyone is going to feel happy about what is going to happen- people typically don't buy or sell if they don't feel good about the deal.”
Adam Hawryluk, Mortgage Consultant, INVIS Mortgages, says that one of the best ways to project understanding, and to raise client comfort level is through good, old fashioned communication. “Communication is important in this industry, so understanding how your client wants to be communicated to and how often, is imperative. Some want a phone call every day with an update; others just want to know where to sign. Understanding that everyone approaches this, and life, differently, is very important for empathizing and making your client feel taken care of.”
Emotion vs. Logic
While the investment in a property is purely pragmatic, when you actually break it down, decisions surrounding it are often emotionally motivated, at least initially.
And as Hawryluk says, this is very much the case in the mortgage industry—and there is a role to play for mortgage agents in addressing this: “It's fair to say that people tend to approach decisions emotionally first, then realistically. I think this is exemplified by the amount of clients that real estate agents have that are looking at houses before they actually figure out how much they can afford; In a number of cases clients tend to "put the cart before the horse".
Not only is it good due diligence to have a full understanding of what your limits are before start looking- and possibly get attached to something- it is a good way of trying to balance out emotion and logic right out of the starting gate.
And as McInnes points out, just like the mentalities themselves, emotions aren’t cut and dried either- and you have to tailor that into your strategy as well. “Yes, people are influenced with emotion first, but there are different types of emotion that you can tap into. Physical or Mental, Physical emotion can be tapped into by making the home feel as modern / stark / cozy / new / old or flashy as you believe its specific target market is looking for.”
“Mental emotion would be targeted with price. Pricing the property well and selling at a price that the buyer would feel that they have purchased at a "good price" with monthly payments that they are not going to stretch to pay each month. So obviously all of these aspects put into the same property will open your seller up to the widest target market possible, to hit every level of emotion equally.”
You must be mindful of the motivations to purchase as well- and of their associated mindset when examining a purchase. Says McInnes, property investors bring an entirely different mental element to the process- pure pragmatism : ”Logic comes into play a lot more when it is a investor purchasing, as they are strictly looking at the rent-ability of the property and the numbers. It’s all a simple equation before making that quick yes or no answer. There is typically no emotion involved as it is just generating a yield for the purchaser.”
Again, success in this lies in knowing your client, their motivations and the context of their mindset. Whether a response is emotional or logical to the property in question, it is still up to you to create an atmosphere in which a client feels understood and comfortable.
Pressure or Persuasion?
Applying pressure by creating urgency is a good sales technique, but is it always the best way to go in client centric business? Make no mistake; your investment in a client is motivated by the desire to close a deal, so you should be asking for business. The real question is, how can you be most effective in generating business, while cultivating a relationship and creating an atmosphere at the same time?
Hawryluk says that, as always, you need to understand the client and act appropriately- and that persuasion is more relationship friendly- while pressure works best in a transactional, immediate situation : ”I see persuasion as a way of getting a client to your desired end result ("Option A or Option B, and just so you know.... Option A is dipped in chocolate"), while pressure I see to be used for a yes or no answer, an act or don’t situation.”
McInnes too, agrees that persuasion is a kinder tool, and plays better to a client’s psyche. Creating pressure and urgency in the short term may work well for you and your immediate bottom line, but it isn’t going to make your client comfortable- which again, is something that most people need. “I believe persuasion is painting a picture of what life would look like when living in this space and focusing on how it will specifically cater to something important to the buyer. Pressure is simply in my opinion harping on someone and telling them why they should purchase the home- a very different experience for the buyer involved; persuasion will assist in getting deal done, where pressure will most of the time blow a deal as it is a very negative situation to be in.”
It is worth pointing out too, that pressure lacks empathy- and empathy is an essential ingredient in building a relationship, and creating a favourable atmosphere.
You are not just buying, selling or financing properties. Although the process and the transactions are very much business, what you are actually providing is not. You are satisfying a basic human need for shelter. You are supplying families with a framework in which to build memories. You are building a bridge for someone to move from renter to the impressive title of home owner for the first time. For property investors, you are offering them opportunity for return on their investment. It’s not about bricks and mortar-It’s about throwing down roots. For property investors, it’s about feeding their pragmatic approach.
The old adage “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes” has a new depth of meaning in sales. It is much easier to fill a need, when you can understand the why behind it.
Despite what you may think, you are not in the sales business. You are in the relationship business.
Your job, and the successful execution of it, lies in the ability to understand people, establish and foster relationships with them and to extract their needs and wants- and to help them express that need in the context of the product that you offer.
Check out this article
Realtor vs. FSBO: A Balanced Perspective
To get legal advice, you visit a lawyer; to get medical advice, you go and see a doctor; most people, to get their car repaired, leave it in the hands of a trained professional. Even to get your hair cut, you go to someone who is trained to do that job. In all of these instances, the average consumer, without specific training and resources in a given area, defers to a qualified individual. So what is it about Real Estate that is so different? ...
Read More
The actual sales are the by-product of this process and, to really succeed in client-centric, customer focused business like that of the Real Estate and Mortgage Professions, you must give a lot of thought to a rather volatile entity- the human being. While each client and situation is individual, there are some things that are common amongst most people. Therefore, part of your successful sales strategy should be trying to understand some of the psychology and motivation that most people have when approaching the purchase, sale or financing of a home. Furthermore, you need to know how they are approaching you as a professional.
All in all, it comes down to understanding where your client is coming from.
Set the Stage
In the relationship business, job one is creating an atmosphere in which people want to do business with you.
Like it or not, you are dealing with human nature. And despite efforts to keep an open mind, judgement will likely be passed on you shortly upon first meeting someone. Knowing that this judgement of you, rightly or wrongly will also likely set the stage for trust and for the building of a business relationship, it is worthwhile to look at yourself- and your business through the eyes of your clients.
Judgement sounds harsh, but if you can win your client over at this crucial stage, you have taken an important step towards creating both a meaningful relationship, and a viable atmosphere for business.
You will be judged outright on your appearance- both initially and over time- as to whether or not you consistently project a professional image. You will be judged on your knowledge of your market, product and other services; this can include things like experience or expertise in other areas like staging, property appraisals etc.etc. You will be judged on your people skills- where sincerity is the greatest currency you have, and on the perception of honesty (perception of honesty- because this comes down to optics. You could be the most honest person in the world, but if a client for some reason perceives that your honesty is somehow compromised, you can forget about building a long term relationship)
Understanding the Fundamental Needs of People
While people are indeed all very different, there is something that largely binds them all together.
All people like to feel important and that their needs matter and are understood. To know where your client is approaching you from can help you devise your approach to them.
Jay McInnes, Sales Agent, and Macdonald Realty, agrees: “Customers want to feel cared for and important and again, their comfort in the process is the most important aspect of the sale . Empathy is very important as everyone has to be on the same page if everyone is going to feel happy about what is going to happen- people typically don't buy or sell if they don't feel good about the deal.”
Adam Hawryluk, Mortgage Consultant, INVIS Mortgages, says that one of the best ways to project understanding, and to raise client comfort level is through good, old fashioned communication. “Communication is important in this industry, so understanding how your client wants to be communicated to and how often, is imperative. Some want a phone call every day with an update; others just want to know where to sign. Understanding that everyone approaches this, and life, differently, is very important for empathizing and making your client feel taken care of.”
Emotion vs. Logic
While the investment in a property is purely pragmatic, when you actually break it down, decisions surrounding it are often emotionally motivated, at least initially.
And as Hawryluk says, this is very much the case in the mortgage industry—and there is a role to play for mortgage agents in addressing this: “It's fair to say that people tend to approach decisions emotionally first, then realistically. I think this is exemplified by the amount of clients that real estate agents have that are looking at houses before they actually figure out how much they can afford; In a number of cases clients tend to "put the cart before the horse".
Not only is it good due diligence to have a full understanding of what your limits are before start looking- and possibly get attached to something- it is a good way of trying to balance out emotion and logic right out of the starting gate.
And as McInnes points out, just like the mentalities themselves, emotions aren’t cut and dried either- and you have to tailor that into your strategy as well. “Yes, people are influenced with emotion first, but there are different types of emotion that you can tap into. Physical or Mental, Physical emotion can be tapped into by making the home feel as modern / stark / cozy / new / old or flashy as you believe its specific target market is looking for.”
“Mental emotion would be targeted with price. Pricing the property well and selling at a price that the buyer would feel that they have purchased at a "good price" with monthly payments that they are not going to stretch to pay each month. So obviously all of these aspects put into the same property will open your seller up to the widest target market possible, to hit every level of emotion equally.”
You must be mindful of the motivations to purchase as well- and of their associated mindset when examining a purchase. Says McInnes, property investors bring an entirely different mental element to the process- pure pragmatism : ”Logic comes into play a lot more when it is a investor purchasing, as they are strictly looking at the rent-ability of the property and the numbers. It’s all a simple equation before making that quick yes or no answer. There is typically no emotion involved as it is just generating a yield for the purchaser.”
Again, success in this lies in knowing your client, their motivations and the context of their mindset. Whether a response is emotional or logical to the property in question, it is still up to you to create an atmosphere in which a client feels understood and comfortable.
Pressure or Persuasion?
Applying pressure by creating urgency is a good sales technique, but is it always the best way to go in client centric business? Make no mistake; your investment in a client is motivated by the desire to close a deal, so you should be asking for business. The real question is, how can you be most effective in generating business, while cultivating a relationship and creating an atmosphere at the same time?
Hawryluk says that, as always, you need to understand the client and act appropriately- and that persuasion is more relationship friendly- while pressure works best in a transactional, immediate situation : ”I see persuasion as a way of getting a client to your desired end result ("Option A or Option B, and just so you know.... Option A is dipped in chocolate"), while pressure I see to be used for a yes or no answer, an act or don’t situation.”
McInnes too, agrees that persuasion is a kinder tool, and plays better to a client’s psyche. Creating pressure and urgency in the short term may work well for you and your immediate bottom line, but it isn’t going to make your client comfortable- which again, is something that most people need. “I believe persuasion is painting a picture of what life would look like when living in this space and focusing on how it will specifically cater to something important to the buyer. Pressure is simply in my opinion harping on someone and telling them why they should purchase the home- a very different experience for the buyer involved; persuasion will assist in getting deal done, where pressure will most of the time blow a deal as it is a very negative situation to be in.”
It is worth pointing out too, that pressure lacks empathy- and empathy is an essential ingredient in building a relationship, and creating a favourable atmosphere.
You are not just buying, selling or financing properties. Although the process and the transactions are very much business, what you are actually providing is not. You are satisfying a basic human need for shelter. You are supplying families with a framework in which to build memories. You are building a bridge for someone to move from renter to the impressive title of home owner for the first time. For property investors, you are offering them opportunity for return on their investment. It’s not about bricks and mortar-It’s about throwing down roots. For property investors, it’s about feeding their pragmatic approach.
The old adage “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes” has a new depth of meaning in sales. It is much easier to fill a need, when you can understand the why behind it.
The human touch in real estate
Advice Jul 6, 2011 By Debbie Hanlon
It’s been said that in the last 20 years the world has changed more than it did in the previous 100. Having made my start in real estate close to 20 years ago I can certainly attest to that. When I look back at it now, my first year in the business seems like something out of the dark ages, and yet in that first year I went to No. 1 in Canada. The reason I was able to enjoy that much success so early in my career and continue that success is because no matter how much things changed, one thing didn’t: people do business with people.
It might scare you to know this, but I remember real estate without the Internet, without emails or text messages. I can even remember a time before cell phones. Can you imagine that? Can you see yourself doing business today with a land line and a fax machine as your only means of communicating? Wouldn’t you feel lost if you were driving in your car or walking down a street, completely cut off from the rest of the world with no way of contacting anyone? Scary thought isn’t it, but that was reality when I was a rookie. I can remember standing in front of a house waiting for a client and having no way to send them a message unless I started a fire and sent up smoke signals.
Today with cell phones, we literally hold the world in our hand and are never out of touch with anyone or anything unless the battery dies. Then we’re lost, off the grid, out of reach and aimless until the thing recharges. Because with that cell phone we can email, text, get information online, take photos and send them and, oh yeah, we can call people as well.
The danger of having that much power at your disposal is you can get lazy. Why call someone when you can send a text? Why send someone a handwritten note when you can zip off an email from the comfort of your couch? Why meet someone for coffee when you can tweet what you’re doing to the entire world? Why meet anyone face to face when you can simply Facebook them?
Unfortunately a lot of agents today rely way too much on technology and have lost the one thing that truly makes them special – themselves. The interesting, interested, understanding, funny, forgetful human being they are that is unlike any other human being on the planet. That’s what clients want to experience. They’ll appreciate your knowledge and use of technology but they want you, a real live person, to work for them.
I remember one of my Realtors found himself in a bit of quandary that would make most sales reps jealous. His business was growing so fast that he was finding it hard to keep in contact with all his clients and past clients. He couldn’t meet with each of them or he’d have no time to do his job. He had made them an email group but was afraid a group email would be too impersonal.
So I told him, if you can’t go out and meet all your clients regularly, invite them to meet with you. From then on he held a client appreciation party once a year where he got the chance to chat with them and reconnect. It was nothing big and didn’t cost him a lot of money but these regular get-togethers gave him instant payback in the form of new and repeat business.
It’s been said that in the last 20 years the world has changed more than it did in the previous 100. Having made my start in real estate close to 20 years ago I can certainly attest to that. When I look back at it now, my first year in the business seems like something out of the dark ages, and yet in that first year I went to No. 1 in Canada. The reason I was able to enjoy that much success so early in my career and continue that success is because no matter how much things changed, one thing didn’t: people do business with people.
It might scare you to know this, but I remember real estate without the Internet, without emails or text messages. I can even remember a time before cell phones. Can you imagine that? Can you see yourself doing business today with a land line and a fax machine as your only means of communicating? Wouldn’t you feel lost if you were driving in your car or walking down a street, completely cut off from the rest of the world with no way of contacting anyone? Scary thought isn’t it, but that was reality when I was a rookie. I can remember standing in front of a house waiting for a client and having no way to send them a message unless I started a fire and sent up smoke signals.
Today with cell phones, we literally hold the world in our hand and are never out of touch with anyone or anything unless the battery dies. Then we’re lost, off the grid, out of reach and aimless until the thing recharges. Because with that cell phone we can email, text, get information online, take photos and send them and, oh yeah, we can call people as well.
The danger of having that much power at your disposal is you can get lazy. Why call someone when you can send a text? Why send someone a handwritten note when you can zip off an email from the comfort of your couch? Why meet someone for coffee when you can tweet what you’re doing to the entire world? Why meet anyone face to face when you can simply Facebook them?
Unfortunately a lot of agents today rely way too much on technology and have lost the one thing that truly makes them special – themselves. The interesting, interested, understanding, funny, forgetful human being they are that is unlike any other human being on the planet. That’s what clients want to experience. They’ll appreciate your knowledge and use of technology but they want you, a real live person, to work for them.
I remember one of my Realtors found himself in a bit of quandary that would make most sales reps jealous. His business was growing so fast that he was finding it hard to keep in contact with all his clients and past clients. He couldn’t meet with each of them or he’d have no time to do his job. He had made them an email group but was afraid a group email would be too impersonal.
So I told him, if you can’t go out and meet all your clients regularly, invite them to meet with you. From then on he held a client appreciation party once a year where he got the chance to chat with them and reconnect. It was nothing big and didn’t cost him a lot of money but these regular get-togethers gave him instant payback in the form of new and repeat business.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Go With The Flow: FROM OPRAH WINFREY
Wed, July 13, 2011 9:27:18AM
From: Oprah Winfrey
To: evelynorjalo@YAHOO.CA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello friends of Summer,
I haven't written lately because my technically challenged self could not access this email account.
So many barriers were put in place to protect the account, I ended up barring myself from access.
So here we go... Last week was at Allen Conference, with all the movers and shapers of our world. Met some fascinating people like Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook. Dynamo woman. So exciting to see women crack that glass ceiling and burst through it.
Came home inspired to work harder and do better.
Started out the week taking swimming lessons. Moving beyond my amateur doggy paddle. Learned the breast stroke today.
Over a year ago I pulled a picture from O mag of a woman gliding through water. It was such a striking image of Freedom and possibility I put it on my vision board (which I've still not completed). Today when I finished my swimming lesson I passed the vision board lying on the table where it's been since 2009. I had an aha moment. I had just become that woman, gliding through the water!
For years I've been a challenged swimmer, afraid of the water and fighting it. Today I learned to move with the flow.
This I've known forever is the great metaphor of life. "Move with the flow". Don't fight the current.
Resist nothing. Let life carry you. Don't try to carry it.
Sometimes we just have to be reminded. A swim lesson did it for me.
I've brought the metaphor to life as I try to evolve OWN into it's full potential. Erik Logan and Sheri Salata, presidents of Harpo today will bring their unique partnering leadership into alignment with the network.
In all things you must have alignment for "flow" to occur.
This I've known forever, but couldn't make it happen, because we were all so focused on ending The Oprah Show.
So as of today... Harpo Team and OWN team become ONE.
Our intention is to use the cable platform and the internet platform and the mobile platform to create messages that fill you up and bring you to new levels of awareness about yourself, ourselves, and our world; our potential...
It's an incredible challenge ahead trying to figure out what kind of shows and programming will resonate with you, inspire you, bring a little piece of light into your already crowded existence. But I feel called to do it, and will be relying on your feedback, emails and tweets and message boards to let me know what you think.
We're gearing up for October, The Oprah Show team of producers will be producing the Rosie show in Chicago at Harpo studios.
I'll be in L.A working on "Next Chapter".
I'm also taking The Oprah Show library of 4560 shows and redesigning them into the 100 best lessons I've learned about everything that can help you live a better life. Those will start airing Oct. 10. Same day as Rosie.
At my core I'm a teacher, masquerading as a talk show host.
And now I'll have a nightly class on OWN.
But for now, I'm enjoying every breath of Summer.
I hope you all are appreciating the warm sun and blue sky where ever you are.
Everyday I wake up grateful. For the smallest things and big things:
Health. Living in the U.S.A. Freedom. Democracy.
Promise and Potential. Growth.
And tiny pleasures like bathing my dogs or picking vegetables.
I have a garden, and every Thursday we harvest our veggies. I grew up in Mississippi, too young to appreciate what it means to pull beans from the vine. Then I just thought it was work, now I get a little thrill from every onion and corn stalk. Yes I'm growing CORN in my back yard. And beets and lots of basil.
I cook for Stedman, but have a limited repertoire.
Next I think I may want to take one of those Tuscany cooking courses.
Will let you know how it goes.
The Best of Life to you,
Oprah Winfrey
From: Oprah Winfrey
To: evelynorjalo@YAHOO.CA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello friends of Summer,
I haven't written lately because my technically challenged self could not access this email account.
So many barriers were put in place to protect the account, I ended up barring myself from access.
So here we go... Last week was at Allen Conference, with all the movers and shapers of our world. Met some fascinating people like Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook. Dynamo woman. So exciting to see women crack that glass ceiling and burst through it.
Came home inspired to work harder and do better.
Started out the week taking swimming lessons. Moving beyond my amateur doggy paddle. Learned the breast stroke today.
Over a year ago I pulled a picture from O mag of a woman gliding through water. It was such a striking image of Freedom and possibility I put it on my vision board (which I've still not completed). Today when I finished my swimming lesson I passed the vision board lying on the table where it's been since 2009. I had an aha moment. I had just become that woman, gliding through the water!
For years I've been a challenged swimmer, afraid of the water and fighting it. Today I learned to move with the flow.
This I've known forever is the great metaphor of life. "Move with the flow". Don't fight the current.
Resist nothing. Let life carry you. Don't try to carry it.
Sometimes we just have to be reminded. A swim lesson did it for me.
I've brought the metaphor to life as I try to evolve OWN into it's full potential. Erik Logan and Sheri Salata, presidents of Harpo today will bring their unique partnering leadership into alignment with the network.
In all things you must have alignment for "flow" to occur.
This I've known forever, but couldn't make it happen, because we were all so focused on ending The Oprah Show.
So as of today... Harpo Team and OWN team become ONE.
Our intention is to use the cable platform and the internet platform and the mobile platform to create messages that fill you up and bring you to new levels of awareness about yourself, ourselves, and our world; our potential...
It's an incredible challenge ahead trying to figure out what kind of shows and programming will resonate with you, inspire you, bring a little piece of light into your already crowded existence. But I feel called to do it, and will be relying on your feedback, emails and tweets and message boards to let me know what you think.
We're gearing up for October, The Oprah Show team of producers will be producing the Rosie show in Chicago at Harpo studios.
I'll be in L.A working on "Next Chapter".
I'm also taking The Oprah Show library of 4560 shows and redesigning them into the 100 best lessons I've learned about everything that can help you live a better life. Those will start airing Oct. 10. Same day as Rosie.
At my core I'm a teacher, masquerading as a talk show host.
And now I'll have a nightly class on OWN.
But for now, I'm enjoying every breath of Summer.
I hope you all are appreciating the warm sun and blue sky where ever you are.
Everyday I wake up grateful. For the smallest things and big things:
Health. Living in the U.S.A. Freedom. Democracy.
Promise and Potential. Growth.
And tiny pleasures like bathing my dogs or picking vegetables.
I have a garden, and every Thursday we harvest our veggies. I grew up in Mississippi, too young to appreciate what it means to pull beans from the vine. Then I just thought it was work, now I get a little thrill from every onion and corn stalk. Yes I'm growing CORN in my back yard. And beets and lots of basil.
I cook for Stedman, but have a limited repertoire.
Next I think I may want to take one of those Tuscany cooking courses.
Will let you know how it goes.
The Best of Life to you,
Oprah Winfrey
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Spratly Islands Philippine territory for Chinese oil exploration
Press Conference on Global Protest
July 6, Wednesday, 11AM-12NN
Green Room of the Lovin' Life Learning Center
4 West 43 Street, New York City
Filipino Americans Set Protest Actions in China Consular Offices in US
June 27, 2011, New York, NY -
Filipino Americans are set to picket the consular offices of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Washington DC, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco at 12 noon on July 8, 2011 to protest the PRC government’s scheduled oil rig drilling activities in the Spratly Islands territory of the Philippines this July. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas, a nation owns the oil, mineral and other resources within a two hundred mile radius from its base.
The protest actions were called by the US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG), a national organization led by Loida Nicolas Lewis and Rodel Rodis, which includes leading Filipino-American business, political and community leaders focusing on issues impacting the Philippines and the Global Filipino community.
The public demonstrations on July 8 seek to expose China’s abrogation of its pledge to the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to resolve sovereignty disputes peacefully through negotiations. In March 2010, China unilaterally declared the South China Sea a “core national interest” similar to its claims to Tibet and Taiwan and therefore "non-negotiable".
China also has 2.17 million soldiers under its command which is larger than the combined military personnel of all the ASEAN countries. With its superior military forces, China appears determined to begin its billion dollar oil rig construction activity this July approximately 125 miles from Palawan within the Philippines’ 200 nautical miles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
On May 27, 2011, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) conveyed its concern to the PRC government over reports in its state media about Beijing’s planned installation of its most advanced oil rig in the West Philippine Sea this coming July.
According to the Xinhua Report, “CNOOC (China National Offshore Oil Corp) plans to invest 200 billion yuan ($30 billion) and drill 800 deepwater wells – which they expect to have an output of an equivalent 500 million barrels of oil by the year 2020.” The target production is equivalent to approximately $50 Billion USD per year.
Citing Philippine military reports, Manila said an undetermined number of structures were recently constructed by China in the vicinity of Philippine-claimed Iroquois Reef-Amy Douglas Bank near Palawan. The site, a DFA statement said, is located southwest of Recto or Reed Bank and east of Patag or Flat Island “within the Philippines’ 200 nautical miles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).”
The Philippines has the only airstrip in the Spratly Islands, located on Pag-Asa Island which is part of the Kalayaan Islands in the Palawan province.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, while visiting Washington DC last week, revealed at least nine Chinese intrusions in Philippine territory in the last few months after a Philippine oceanographic research ship was chased out of Philippine waters by Chinese warships.
“We call on Global Filipinos and Philippine organizations throughout the world to stand up to the China bully and protest its impending intrusion of the Philippines by demonstrating in front of consular offices of China throughout the world,” Nicolas Lewis added.
“There are more than 4 million Filipinos in the US who can mobilize to defend the sovereignty of the Philippines by exposing China’s aggressive acts in the Spratlys. What is also at stake is the Philippines ownership of potentially trillions of dollars in revenue from its oil & natural gas resources,” said Rodel Rodis.
July 6, Wednesday, 11AM-12NN
Green Room of the Lovin' Life Learning Center
4 West 43 Street, New York City
Filipino Americans Set Protest Actions in China Consular Offices in US
June 27, 2011, New York, NY -
Filipino Americans are set to picket the consular offices of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Washington DC, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco at 12 noon on July 8, 2011 to protest the PRC government’s scheduled oil rig drilling activities in the Spratly Islands territory of the Philippines this July. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas, a nation owns the oil, mineral and other resources within a two hundred mile radius from its base.
The protest actions were called by the US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG), a national organization led by Loida Nicolas Lewis and Rodel Rodis, which includes leading Filipino-American business, political and community leaders focusing on issues impacting the Philippines and the Global Filipino community.
The public demonstrations on July 8 seek to expose China’s abrogation of its pledge to the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to resolve sovereignty disputes peacefully through negotiations. In March 2010, China unilaterally declared the South China Sea a “core national interest” similar to its claims to Tibet and Taiwan and therefore "non-negotiable".
China also has 2.17 million soldiers under its command which is larger than the combined military personnel of all the ASEAN countries. With its superior military forces, China appears determined to begin its billion dollar oil rig construction activity this July approximately 125 miles from Palawan within the Philippines’ 200 nautical miles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
On May 27, 2011, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) conveyed its concern to the PRC government over reports in its state media about Beijing’s planned installation of its most advanced oil rig in the West Philippine Sea this coming July.
According to the Xinhua Report, “CNOOC (China National Offshore Oil Corp) plans to invest 200 billion yuan ($30 billion) and drill 800 deepwater wells – which they expect to have an output of an equivalent 500 million barrels of oil by the year 2020.” The target production is equivalent to approximately $50 Billion USD per year.
Citing Philippine military reports, Manila said an undetermined number of structures were recently constructed by China in the vicinity of Philippine-claimed Iroquois Reef-Amy Douglas Bank near Palawan. The site, a DFA statement said, is located southwest of Recto or Reed Bank and east of Patag or Flat Island “within the Philippines’ 200 nautical miles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).”
The Philippines has the only airstrip in the Spratly Islands, located on Pag-Asa Island which is part of the Kalayaan Islands in the Palawan province.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, while visiting Washington DC last week, revealed at least nine Chinese intrusions in Philippine territory in the last few months after a Philippine oceanographic research ship was chased out of Philippine waters by Chinese warships.
“We call on Global Filipinos and Philippine organizations throughout the world to stand up to the China bully and protest its impending intrusion of the Philippines by demonstrating in front of consular offices of China throughout the world,” Nicolas Lewis added.
“There are more than 4 million Filipinos in the US who can mobilize to defend the sovereignty of the Philippines by exposing China’s aggressive acts in the Spratlys. What is also at stake is the Philippines ownership of potentially trillions of dollars in revenue from its oil & natural gas resources,” said Rodel Rodis.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Happy 4th of July from Oprah!
Hello Friends of Summer
Spent a week with my girls in S.A..
They were all stressed for tests, but doing fine. No major crisis this trip.
I love being with them and talking to them about all things important.
When I 'm there I'm talking from the time I get up til I go to bed, about EVERYTHING teenage girls are going through. It's the same all over the world.
I'm going back this fall to teach a class; calling it Life 101.
All the stuff I wish someone had told me about how the world works.
Should be fun since I love to teach. And they're like sponges.
Like 12th graders everywhere this first class is both anxious and excited about going to college.
Most will be the first in their family. So it's a very big deal for them, and they're feeling the pressure.
Nothing like going out of country to have an even deeper appreciation for our own U.S.A. The Freedom to have options, something we often take for granted, is the most striking to me.
When Chris Rock was last on the show he said, "real wealth is having options". I thought that was pretty profound.
I now stress to my girls that education prepares you to have options. Without it you have none.
Just took a walk around the neighborhood watching sprinklers on the back lawn. (I love sprinklers) Made me think about the red dirt road I traveled from Mississippi (no sprinklers) to the here and now.
And how that journey could have only been possible in the U.S.A.
I know the 4th of July has turned into picnics and fireworks, and barbecue moments. But it's worthy of a pause, to think about what it really means to have Freedom.
And while we're pausing think about those who sacrifice to make it so.
Wishing you all a Peaceful and Happy 4th of July.
Oprah
Spent a week with my girls in S.A..
They were all stressed for tests, but doing fine. No major crisis this trip.
I love being with them and talking to them about all things important.
When I 'm there I'm talking from the time I get up til I go to bed, about EVERYTHING teenage girls are going through. It's the same all over the world.
I'm going back this fall to teach a class; calling it Life 101.
All the stuff I wish someone had told me about how the world works.
Should be fun since I love to teach. And they're like sponges.
Like 12th graders everywhere this first class is both anxious and excited about going to college.
Most will be the first in their family. So it's a very big deal for them, and they're feeling the pressure.
Nothing like going out of country to have an even deeper appreciation for our own U.S.A. The Freedom to have options, something we often take for granted, is the most striking to me.
When Chris Rock was last on the show he said, "real wealth is having options". I thought that was pretty profound.
I now stress to my girls that education prepares you to have options. Without it you have none.
Just took a walk around the neighborhood watching sprinklers on the back lawn. (I love sprinklers) Made me think about the red dirt road I traveled from Mississippi (no sprinklers) to the here and now.
And how that journey could have only been possible in the U.S.A.
I know the 4th of July has turned into picnics and fireworks, and barbecue moments. But it's worthy of a pause, to think about what it really means to have Freedom.
And while we're pausing think about those who sacrifice to make it so.
Wishing you all a Peaceful and Happy 4th of July.
Oprah
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