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Monday, March 26, 2012

Peace in Afganistan and the Middle East


Post Traumatic Distress Disorder


I don't know how anybody takes on this job. I myself could never do it. No amount of brainwashing, training, desensitizing could ever make it possible for me to do this. It takes all kinds to make this world go around and I am thankful for all of them. Here is what I don't understand.


I believe that this soldier had hit his limit. I can't understand it, but I believe that Sgt. Robert Bales cracked, he had been pushed and experienced too much war. Killing, death, wounded, friends killed, so called enemy killed, young children and women. This must be where the brainwashing comes in because I can not imagine this. I live in NYC and won't even go to ground zero and walk on the area where so much death occurred. I love seeing the new buildings rise from above all the surrounding buildings as I walk to the Wall Street area to take in the history of the city.


The Army admits that PTSD is a problem with soldiers admitting that 76,176 have been diagnosed so far since 2000. Some are treated and returned, others go home and cannot live with what they have experienced. I think it is a risk to play with an individuals psych, mind control, or whatever it is that is used to build a good soldier. I don't believe that it is treatable as some say. I think you live with it all your life and you hope to forget and never to revisit it as long as you can hold it off.


With all that said, why is it we continue to fight this type of war with people that have lived since birth with this kind of fighting, war, death and have been desensitized to suffering and the value of human life? We seem to call it PTSD when it is one of ours but we call the other side the enemy. I have to believe that these people have lived and experienced so much war that they are also suffering with PTSD and they do not receive treatment. What Robert Bales did is react in the exact same way that these people suffering from PTSD have been pushed, brainwashed and trained their entire life to do. I believe he became one of the extremest that we are fighting. What he did, should show us exactly who we are fighting and that we will become them if we continue to fight in this way. The more these people see family, children, women, friends suffering and death, the more they are desensitized to it all, and then they fight for a cause they feel is real, want retribution and think it will ease the pain of losing one of their own. 


I want us to get out and not fight a war that can not be won with guns. I don't want to add to the suffering of these people in these war torn, devastated regions. I think we need to fight it in another way. Not guns and death but deal with them as you do a child. When you can show us respect and that your government shows your own people respect, then we will talk to you. We will give you all the time and respect you need if you do the same. Otherwise, we cut off all communications and protect our own boarders from here. We show them that we are the peace keepers and do not and will not add to the suffering. With the money that we would save from not fighting the old war, we use it to build wind farms and solar energy. We get on the fast track with safe energy and making our cities, transportation more energy efficient. I believe that the Taliban extremist knows and takes credit for much of the financial problems of our country. They made that clear on 9/11. The more we throw money into this war, the farther this country goes into debt. The baby boomers are moving into retirement and the workforce is making less and we have less of them. We have no way out but to raise taxes. If you would like to raise my taxes to rebuild and make this country new with renewable energy, more efficient energy, cars, homes, electric, wind farms, better public transportation in all cities, you go for it. I say we make ourselves, this country, the place to look up to. We show by example that life can be rich and peaceful if you will finally address the suffering and problems within our own boarders. If you want to raise taxes to fight people and countries that can never see it our way and maybe never should, as long as we keep returning and shooting, I am not on board. I want these countries to want to be us, that is what their new generations should see. Not our country shooting at them. 


We are raising the most tech savvy generations that are the future of this country. If you really want to create jobs, get out of this war and use the money to hire these tech savvy, smart, peaceful generations and build a better place for us and all those that would like to join us then go ahead and raise my taxes. Make this country the standout and maybe we can stop creating more generations of children in these war regions that feel they need to fight to get back. A country that will help in a peaceful manner any suffering in other countries that can not get the help needed. I understand that they will fight each other, but sooner or later there will be a generation of these people that we have not shot at, they are going to see a country that all religions, races, and its people work together to make life and living the most prized asset. Let's start here with our education, resources, good old american know how and build a country that is living and building a grand future.  


This is possible if this county comes together, if we stop our fighting (don't even get me started on the bickering in this election). Republicans and Democrats both have great ideas, we have become a government of all or nothing. We need to practice what we preach and come together and stop with the bickering and petty bull@#^& and do what is right for this country and for world peace. Lets lead by example with peace.


Jo Ann

Friday, March 16, 2012

Selling What?



I have an idea for a little coffee shop that I think is really great. Me, I would frequent often. But how do you know if the masses will come? The saying goes, "Build it and they will come." How do you know that will happen? Peter Drucker wrote, "The customer rarely buys what the company thinks it sells them." He said that over 50 years ago but it still rings true today. When you think of it his way, you start thinking more about the end user and what is most important to them. How do you satisfy and make them want to come back?


I look around every time I enter a Starbucks. It is usually full of people and not a seat to be had. Each have a cup of something in front of them. The line is long, and I dislike lines, but half the time I will stand in it and wait for a mediocre cup of coffee, latte or chi tea. After the wait in the line, and I have my drink in hand, sometimes not even really hot and just a simply a cup of coffee or latte but nothing really special, but I paid 2 - 4 dollars for it, I look for a place to rest and hope I find one. What is the draw of this place? My analysis is... people are buying a seat. It is a place to sit and check the email, catch up, meet a friend, or just a place to take a rest after a long day of being on your feet. Maybe a place to kill time before going to work or a meeting. Sit and prepare for the meeting or finish off some work that you can't get done with all the interruptions in the office. So I'm thinking Starbucks sells a spot to pull it all together before you continue on, Starbucks really isn't selling coffee.  It has to be that...the coffee just isn't so superb that you would stand in line, get a luke warm latte, and drink it anyway, service is ok but not great in most I have been in. That Peter is so smart! Starbucks sells coffee but what the customer wants is a spot to take the load off. That is the success of the place. Do I see people walking out with a Venti in hand? I do, but these people are in a hurry, or couldn't find a seat. I think what they are buying is a legal stimulant. The excepted drug of our day. I have long said that coffee is no longer a beverage to me, it is just a drug, my fix at 2:00 in the afternoon when I need a pick me up to get me through the rest of the day. If this person is like me, it doesn't have to be Starbucks, if a Redbull is closer, well that will work too. Starbucks in NYC is like Chase Bank. Every couple of blocks, you'll find one. Easy to make a habit out of it.

Easy Living
So, back to my great idea. Coffee, tea, bakery and botanic. Air plant designer, artist, baker, cultivator of creativity and a delicious cup of coffee. Select bakery items each day, but in the morning... fabulous french toast. The old fashioned kind made with french baguette bread and soaked over night in the egg and cream. This can be enjoyed at the table or you can take them away as a "to go" item in small little wax paper bags, and enjoy on your walk to work. 


I have it in my mind that I must include air plants (tillandsia). These plants speak to me. Growing in the most unlikely places, not only surviving but thriving. The spanish moss that blows lazily on the trees of the south... I love how it looks on its chosen perch, looks easy and like it just put its feet up and landed in this spot for a rest. You may see another tillandsia growing from a crack in an old building, for no apparent reason, it loves and thrives in this spot just landed and planted itself. I'm impressed at the success of these plants and that they need so little. They are little sculptures of nature and you can dress them up or keep them just all natural, and all they ask is for light and a bit of water now and then. These I will also sell, either designed as a group, in a vessel or just one for your desk at work.


They say that every business plan for a new venture should start with just a couple sentences that explains exactly what your business is. It should be clear to your investors or banker exactly what you are selling and what your investment will be just by reading the first paragraph. My business plan will be one of these special little plants and it should be easy to see that I will be selling the lifestyle of this plant in your visit to my shop. Just drop in, plant yourself and shoot the breeze, get yourself all in check with a perfectly brewed hot cup of coffee in an atmosphere that is relaxing as being under your favorite shade tree.


Jo Ann


Friday, March 9, 2012

Positive Vibe



If these signs said, "I am looking for an opportunity to change your life and I have the ability to do just that" I think things would have turned out different on that day.

I have had some true life altering experiences. Some that I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to be a part of. These are the memories that hold that special spot and you remember how happy you were and you tell yourself "how lucky am I".  I cherish each one of these. Then there are the times when all seems lost. Sitting in a situation that you never dreamed you would experience. These are also special and I have found, very beneficial to building stronger character if you have a positive vibe. Both of these types of  life's lessons are what makes me who I am. It's not what happens, but how I maneuver and pilot through each one.

Well, I am here to tell you, that a positive vibe will get you much farther than the defeated attitude. In times of distress and new challenges, you will receive exactly the vibe you put out. That has been my experience and I am continually reminded of it each day. I did lose my job and had never been out of work my entire life, not a single day. This was new territory for me, exactly what do you do when you get up each morning? How do you navigate the waters of unemployment? It's your choice, so do you stand on the side and skim rocks on the surface or do you build yourself one bad ass recovery boat? You can try to swim it, but it can be a long crossing and your instinct is going to be to keep looking backwards, and stress about how far out you are, then turn ahead and panic that you see no land in sight. Plus, you are going to find that their is no lifeguard on duty. 

I decided to build a recovery boat, one big bad boat that could handle a category 5 storm if I needed it to. It wasn't going to happen overnight, but I would be floating in no time. I immediately started my own full time business. This was going to keep my head above water and I have found that this fits my situation. And it is true, it is much more fun to be a pirate than join the Navy. I have learned to discipline myself and get up each morning and do all I can do. Take the time to teach myself new and exciting things. I need to keep sharp so I started this blog to work on my writing skills and hope that they improve. I have built a website for my business and if you would have asked me six months ago if I had that capability, I would have told you no, I do not. What I see now is land ahead, and that staying in one position too long keeps you from really exploring and challenging yourself, and that when you think you know all there is to know about something, you should move on. 

From the minute I walked out of my old office, I was determined not to look back, this is an opportunity to grow, to better myself and see just what I am made of.  It has been 8 months since that day. I now realize that I was never really unemployed, I kept on working and continued building upon what I had started 3 years ago with my home design business. I have a freelance stylist business that I love and am grateful for the work that I have received and I am charmed to have more on my calendar. I cherish the people that I work with and each new job is an opportunity to progress my skills. I had forgotten how much fun and rewarding it was to be challenged each day and given the opportunity to explore and experience new facets of life. I feel better about myself, taking the helm and traveling at 100 nautical miles an hour on a boat I built myself. I get up each morning and apply for the dream job but I am not going to jump on any old ship that passes by. I love my life as I have steered it and the positive vibe keeps me going at speeds I did not know I could reach. I pinch myself each day just to make sure that it's all real.  I am looking forward...and I see only paradise just a few nautical miles ahead.


This song gets me going each morning and reminds me of how best to navigate my daily journey.

Jo Ann

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Should I Follow the Big Dream?





Made all out of savaged materials
The Big Dream. Do I have the fire in the belly and undying enthusiasm for my dream business, one I can call  my own?  I am sure I have the creativity and I believe in my vision. I have the confidence and the can do attitude, even the fearlessness now that I am freelancing and not a full time employee work horse. It is starting to become an obsession. I can see the entire picture in my head and I'm saving every article, idea and recipe. I've been researching the costs of the products I would need and want, and how do I get them wholesale and how do I make it unique and better than the rest. Where do I need to go to register my business and how can I work out all the financials? Would I qualify for a grant?  I keep going back to it, so much so that I can even smell what it would smell like. An aroma of all the things I love. Flowers, coffee, garden and bakery. I want a great little place that I can live and work, that I can open the french doors on to a patio that is trellis covered, beautiful climbing roses on each side and overhead as you sip that first morning cup of coffee. The perfect landscape with beautiful salvaged garden gates, statuary, planters. I already have the antique bike that I would have right out front. I want to plant beautiful flowers cascading down the basket and the bike sitting on a bed of succulents. I bake from my kitchen the best muffins, handheld pies, cookies and small cakes. I make the best french toast and I can see that as the morning staple. I research coffee companies and have even started purchasing to see what would be the best signature taste for my place. Maybe Stumptown from NYC or Blue Bottle coffee from San Francisco. I am on the edge of my seat, just wanting to jump at it. 


Made out of salvaged windows and doors

I need the right location with an 8 or 9 plant zone. I want a greenhouse that also has tables and chairs that can be enjoyed by customers and they feel cozy on a cool morning. Plants hanging above and walls lined with new seedlings. 
I also have my eye on a great little 1960's airstream. I would love to redo it and have it on its own lot, all hooked up to water and electricity and rent it out as a single B&B. Breakfast on me with 3 or more nights booked. 


I think that when I retire I sell it and go on my merry way. I wonder how many people have had these same kinds of dreams and just didn't take the leap. Why did they decide not to do it? I think if I am going to work my arse off...best I get all the rewards for it and as my father use to say, If you're feeling froggy just jump! 


So, I'm going to take a trip to Santa Barbara California, I ran into a little spot their once while on vacation. Just a small coffee house, comfortable and quaint. Right next door was a small florist and greenhouse. I'm going to see if I get that same magic feeling that I did the first time. If I close my eyes and see it all come together as one place and all mine, and if I do... well froggy's going courting and I'm going to leap!
All made from salvaged windows