My Favorites list

My Favorites list http://vanessae.com/blog.cfm Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:00:14 GMT http://bandzoogle.com My Organizing Tips... Strange coming from a musician, right? http://vanessae.com/blog.cfm?feature=2042134&postid=1765509 My Organizing Tips ...... The day I sent out my organizing tips in my last newsletter I received a phone call with my husband on the other end laughing when he read my email. I asked him why he was laughing and he reminded me that a few days before I'd been so overwhelmed that I vented about all I had on my plate and the challenges I was having! I told him I was buying an organizing book and needed to make some serious changes! So, from his prespective this was pretty funny! Okay, I get it! So here's what I told him, " I just want to give some hope and encouragement to people like me who get overwhelmed and don't know where to start. Maybe we can grow and get more organized together! I will start with a confession that may make you laugh. I've hardly read that organizing book I just had to have! Anyhow, I will just tell you what is and isn't working for me and take from it what you can! My Top Ten Organizing List 1. Write down your dreams & passions!  I wrote down mine and it helps to get them from thought to paper! 2. Break Them Down into smaller bites! I broke my big dreams and passions down into, "This Year's Goals", "This Month's", and to "Daily Goals". I decided to focus on efforts, not results because I can't control those! 3. Put Them Where You Will See Them! I put them all in one place! (in one binder) You can also hang up your goals where you can see them! 4. Celebrate Your Past Activity! I took inventory of what I had accomplished in the past year and praised myself even though I didn't do everything I'd wanted! 5. Acknowledge Your Current Activity! I decided to write down everything I did get done for the day, even if it was small like a household chore. I always do more than I think I do! 6. Get Help! If you're overwhelmed, get help! I asked for some help from my family and wonderfully organized friends. Greta Sergreant who is my assistant extrodinaire, happens to do organizing part time! She has commited to coming over once a week to help me get the administration stuff done that I hate to do! We may even eventually make it to some household stuff! 7. Start Your Day With Quiet Time! I have realized that I need to have some quiet time in the morning to collect my thoughts, read, pray, and make my list of to do's. I feel much more grounded when I do this. On the days that I don't, I tend to feel drawn in by the moment and spend my day in "reaction" mode. 8. Tell Yourself You Can Do A Little At A Time! I keep telling myself, "A little bit at a time! Just do something small" I have a tendency to want to get everything done in one day and to be very hard on myself. Maybe it's a women thing? I don't know, but it's unfair to expect that of myself, so I am trying to chill! 9. Learn From Others! I have a long way to go in this organizing journey and in many other areas but since we are each good at different things, it helps to ask other people what they are doing that's working. I try to di this in various areas to continue to learn! 10. Stay Positive! Even when things aren't going the way you want them (as they often don't), keep your chin up and tell yourself you can do it! I love the line from "Finding Nemo" when Dori the fish says, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming"! It reminds me to just keep going! Okay that's it for now! Hope you enjoyed what's new! I can't wait for you to hear and share the new album for this especially "sweet" price on my <a href="music.cfm">music page for a limited time only! Hope to see you at Chicago City Limits next week or on FB or Twitter! <a href="http://www.facebook.com/VanessaEMusic">www.facebook.com/VanessaEMusic <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/vanessae444">twitter.com/#!/vanessae444 All the best! Vanessa My Organizing Tips ......

The day I sent out my organizing tips in my last newsletter I received a phone call with my husband on the other end laughing when he read my email. I asked him why he was laughing and he reminded me that a few days before I'd been so overwhelmed that I vented about all I had on my plate and the challenges I was having! I told him I was buying an organizing book and needed to make some serious changes! So, from his prespective this was pretty funny! Okay, I get it! So here's what I told him, " I just want to give some hope and encouragement to people like me who get overwhelmed and don't know where to start. Maybe we can grow and get more organized together! I will start with a confession that may make you laugh. I've hardly read that organizing book I just had to have! Anyhow, I will just tell you what is and isn't working for me and take from it what you can!

My Top Ten Organizing List

1. Write down your dreams & passions! I wrote down mine and it helps to get them from thought to paper!
2. Break Them Down into smaller bites! I broke my big dreams and passions down into, "This Year's Goals", "This Month's", and to "Daily Goals". I decided to focus on efforts, not results because I can't control those!
3. Put Them Where You Will See Them! I put them all in one place! (in one binder) You can also hang up your goals where you can see them!
4. Celebrate Your Past Activity! I took inventory of what I had accomplished in the past year and praised myself even though I didn't do everything I'd wanted!
5. Acknowledge Your Current Activity! I decided to write down everything I did get done for the day, even if it was small like a household chore. I always do more than I think I do!
6. Get Help! If you're overwhelmed, get help! I asked for some help from my family and wonderfully organized friends. Greta Sergreant who is my assistant extrodinaire, happens to do organizing part time! She has commited to coming over once a week to help me get the administration stuff done that I hate to do! We may even eventually make it to some household stuff!
7. Start Your Day With Quiet Time! I have realized that I need to have some quiet time in the morning to collect my thoughts, read, pray, and make my list of to do's. I feel much more grounded when I do this. On the days that I don't, I tend to feel drawn in by the moment and spend my day in "reaction" mode.
8. Tell Yourself You Can Do A Little At A Time! I keep telling myself, "A little bit at a time! Just do something small" I have a tendency to want to get everything done in one day and to be very hard on myself. Maybe it's a women thing? I don't know, but it's unfair to expect that of myself, so I am trying to chill!
9. Learn From Others! I have a long way to go in this organizing journey and in many other areas but since we are each good at different things, it helps to ask other people what they are doing that's working. I try to di this in various areas to continue to learn!
10. Stay Positive! Even when things aren't going the way you want them (as they often don't), keep your chin up and tell yourself you can do it! I love the line from "Finding Nemo" when Dori the fish says, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming"! It reminds me to just keep going!

Okay that's it for now! Hope you enjoyed what's new! I can't wait for you to hear and share the new album for this especially "sweet" price on my music page for a limited time only!

Hope to see you at Chicago City Limits next week or on FB or Twitter!
www.facebook.com/VanessaEMusic
twitter.com/#!/vanessae444

All the best!

Vanessa
]]> Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:00:14 GMT 9E6A22FBBB1D7E9D2FCE30C41E423133 CD Release Countown & Music Video Premiere! http://vanessae.com/blog.cfm?feature=2042134&postid=1556923 Just 6 more days until my CD Release Concert! It will be this Sun. at 6:30pm at the Children & Arts Center in Romeoville, IL and I sincerely hope you will join the band and I for this special night! In order to celebrate a little early, I am going to unlock a new song preview each day and give you an inside scoop or unknown fact about the song! Come "like" <a href="http://www.facebook.com/VanessaEMusic" rel="nofollow">http://www.facebook.com/VanessaEMusic and tell your friends! I will post the first one later this afternoon! Exciting News! We will debut the "Fingerprint" Music Video this Sunday at the CD release concert! Don't miss this chance to see it on the big screen and make sure you tell all of your friends. Just to make it more fun, we are going to give a prize to the person who brings the most guests on Sunday! We can't wait to see you on Sunday and celebrate with you! We have a special night planned with some great songwriters to open up the evening, the music video debut, the band and I performing the new music and maybe a Christmas song or two, sweet treats, and lots of hanging out! It's going to be a special night! Lastly, a few of you have asked how you can help and we are so grateful for your generous spirit! The number one thing you can do right now is tell your friends about the CD release and share our links! Here is a link to the CD Release Event page for you Facebookers to click "share" and invite all of your friends! <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/233373540062036/">www.facebook.com/events/233373540062036/ <a href="http://www.facebook.com/VanessaEMusic">www.facebook.com/VanessaEMusic <a href="http://www.vanessae.com/">http://www.vanessae.com Can't wait to see you there! Vanessa
Just 6 more days until my CD Release Concert! It will be this Sun. at 6:30pm at the Children & Arts Center in Romeoville, IL and I sincerely hope you will join the band and I for this special night! In order to celebrate a little early, I am going to unlock a new song preview each day and give you an inside scoop or unknown fact about the song! Come "like" http://www.facebook.com/VanessaEMusic and tell your friends! I will post the first one later this afternoon! Exciting News! We will debut the "Fingerprint" Music Video this Sunday at the CD release concert! Don't miss this chance to see it on the big screen and make sure you tell all of your friends. Just to make it more fun, we are going to give a prize to the person who brings the most guests on Sunday!

We can't wait to see you on Sunday and celebrate with you! We have a special night planned with some great songwriters to open up the evening, the music video debut, the band and I performing the new music and maybe a Christmas song or two, sweet treats, and lots of hanging out! It's going to be a special night!

Lastly, a few of you have asked how you can help and we are so grateful for your generous spirit! The number one thing you can do right now is tell your friends about the CD release and share our links! Here is a link to the CD Release Event page for you Facebookers to click "share" and invite all of your friends!
www.facebook.com/events/233373540062036/
www.facebook.com/VanessaEMusic
http://www.vanessae.com

Can't wait to see you there!

Vanessa
]]> Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:30:00 GMT B183461B8580EC02FC8F22B3710B71B7 My Favorites list http://vanessae.com/blog.cfm?feature=2042134&postid=704546 It is winter in Chicago, and I have to confess it is a little hard for me to bear the cold and lack of warmth and sunlight. Although I do have to admit the white fluffy snow draped over the lanscape is quite breathtaking, I still get a bit somber in winter, so with this is mind, I thought it might be good to focus on the things I do love in order to help get my attitude on the positive!  I've decided to make a list of my favorites, you know kind of like; if I were stranded on a desert island what would I bring idea? Here it goes, in my stream of consciousness and not necessarily in order. *being with my husband and kids *writing songs *singing & performing & recording *being with people I love and who make me laugh *listening to music *sunshine *eating delicious foods *drinking special coffee drinks or coffee with a lot of sweet flavored creamer *praying with other people and by myself *watching movies, especially funny ones! *taking walks in New Mexico and seeing the beautiful mountains *playing around with my ipod touch (it's still new) *reading: I love historical fiction, reading the bible, and music info books *taking historical trips- I love anything that has to do with history! *walking along the beach and hearing the rush of the ocean and feeling the sand on my toes *Disney World!  it is a magical place like they say! *traveling- seeing new places and discovering new things *talking- I do talk a lot- always working on listening better and talking less! *excercising- don't know if this should be on my list, because it's hit or miss! *typing- I took it in high school and I'm pretty good at it! *meeting interesting people *making people laugh *petting and cuddling with my fluffy sweet dog *journaling *decorating *getting my hair done! (I can never make look as good) *buying books *watching my kids use their talents *long talks with my husband *sleeping *I love the smell of cookies and cakes freshly baked, my husbands cologne, and anything vanilla
*being with my husband and kids
*writing songs
*singing & performing & recording
*being with people I love and who make me laugh
*listening to music
*sunshine
*eating delicious foods
*drinking special coffee drinks or coffee with a lot of sweet flavored creamer
*praying with other people and by myself
*watching movies, especially funny ones!
*taking walks in New Mexico and seeing the beautiful mountains
*playing around with my ipod touch (it's still new)
*reading: I love historical fiction, reading the bible, and music info books
*taking historical trips- I love anything that has to do with history!
*walking along the beach and hearing the rush of the ocean and feeling the sand on my toes
*Disney World! it is a magical place like they say!
*traveling- seeing new places and discovering new things
*talking- I do talk a lot- always working on listening better and talking less!
*excercising- don't know if this should be on my list, because it's hit or miss!
*typing- I took it in high school and I'm pretty good at it!
*meeting interesting people
*making people laugh
*petting and cuddling with my fluffy sweet dog
*journaling
*decorating
*getting my hair done! (I can never make look as good)
*buying books
*watching my kids use their talents
*long talks with my husband
*sleeping
*I love the smell of cookies and cakes freshly baked, my husbands cologne, and anything vanilla

]]> Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:35:00 GMT 274CF09DAE7AAE7A18E84C727E045658