Slacker isn't a good word

Slacker isn't a good word for why I haven't been on this blog. I'm always busy and so that isn't an excuse. But, I've honestly forgotten about it. Trying to work full-time and be a part-time entrepreneur has left little room for some things...if only because the task doesn't come to the forefront of my mind.

So, what have I been doing while off this blog. Hmmm. Perhaps a couple of bullets will do:

• Dealing with furlough - yep, I've been furloughed. So, I have 11 fewer days of pay and ....in theory there are 11 fewer days of work. Except that isn't how it has gone. It has wreaked a bit of havoc on the job. We produce a lot of products and so all the schedules are all out of sync and it is creating more work.
• Taking my body back - lots of things have happened this year with health - stress, losses, scares, etc. This summer I've been diligent at swimming my laps at least twice a week and that has been wonderful amongst all the stress.
• Entrepreneurship - I've always wanted to be one, but with full-time work it is very difficult, But, http://www.nudgevillage.com is my website and I've got a few free courses on other sites that have over 500 students taking them! Pretty cool. I've paid a few coaches to teach me a few marketing principles and am finding that I know a lot about marketing. Just need to focus on what my product is, but ....hard to think on things when so much else going on.
• Moving on - time for a change. I've lived in the same place for almost 10 years and in the same area of the country for over 15 years! We'll see what happens. Maybe just a move to a different place. Who knows. Will keep you posted!
• Work - did I reference this above? Yes. It's been quite the year at work. I'm actually the "right hand woman" to a Dean that is setting up a new college in our organization. It is millions of dollars in projects and I get the joy of managing them. There have been many struggles along the way, but in the end I will be a more talented and marketable person, right? Seriously though - major lessons in leadership, management, culture, change, treating people well, risk, etc.
• Most importantly - the family - I'm trying to make time to see family amongst it all because the years are flying by. A few trips across country and even nearby. Family and friends are what it is all about, right? I'm putting my money where my mouth is and taking that time.

So, there it is - a bulleted list of what I should expound upon a bit more and with specific lessons learned and sharing. It does lack a bit of heart, but starting back into this Blogger space slowly.

Now, time to go read your blogs! It's been a while!

Highlight an Entrepreneur today!

So, I have a request!

In an effort to promote people that are entrepreneurs, I'm starting to ask people to highlight an entrepreneur you know through one of your social networks or blog.

Do you have an account on Blogger, Wordpress, Facebook, Twitter, or another social site?

If so, would you be willing to highlight someone that is taking a chance to forward their own good ideas - their company, their consulting services, their art, their book....?

Nudge Village - promoting entrepreneurship!

If you don't know anyone (or temporarily forgot), take a look at http://www.nudgevillage.com/ and select someone under the "Villager" section. There are some amazing people out there trying to make a living and creating things that never existed before they acted on their idea.

Just want to reach out and ask that we all help each other, especially in a time where a lot of people are struggling.

Oh, and if you think a little harder, you'd be surprised at how many people you know pursuing ideas and business ventures! I've been amazed at how many of my friends are actually doing so. When I brainstormed a few months ago, I realized that I knew over 100 people that were pursuing things! Wow!

P.S. Let me know if you'd like to highlight someone on the site. We are always looking for more people to talk about. (-:

My new website - Nudge Village!

So, I haven't really talked about it much, but I do have a new website.

It is called Nudge Village and it is a website to promote entrepreneurs - of all types. It is a place to share ideas and highlight your business, your book, your idea, your skills.

I don't have a logo yet because it is too important to select quickly. But, we'll have one soon.

Either way, take a look and let me know if you'd like me to highlight you, your talents and/or your company.

We will even highlight those that are really experienced or just starting out. The point is for all of us to learn and grow and share.

This is what I stay busy with late at night when I should be sleeping and prepping for the day job. (-:

Website: http://www.nudgevillage.com/
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/NudgeVillage
Welcome Video:

New Years - a moment of reflection 45 minutes in to a better year

It is dark out and quiet. I've turned off the tv because the mediocre performers on Dick Clark's show were polluting all the good ideas I had at the gym earlier this evening. Yes, my resolutions are "rolling resolutions" and they don't start today. However, those resolutions that continue to roll over multiple years have now become a priority.

Here I am in the dark, in my bed, and on the laptop. I cannot sleep. I want to pursue all ideas now and feel hope of their success in this 2011.

In some ways, I feel like a bit of a failure this year. So much work and most didn't work out the way I planned.

I only lost 10-15 pounds. I still have no self control with cookies. Even bad cookies run across the room into my mouth. They pester me from distance places.

I stayed at my job, in a role I created, though I thought I'd leave for bigger and better things. Should I say that here? Not a problem. I've said this for a couple of years at work and no one believes me.

I'm still single.

My debt didn't go down, but my 401k went up. Not a lot of good that does right now. Golden handcuffs don't seem so golden, aye?

Friends had big issues. I helped a few and not others.

My soul despaired and went through lessons I had to learn.

But, like all tunnels, there are bright lights in the distance.

Yes, bright lights.

Humility
Humility was learned. Humility I didn't know I needed.

Job
I did stay at my job. I very good job in a bad economy. A position I created myself. A position where I learned that I am the strategist, the coordinator, the puppet master, the implementer and ....not the numbers keeper. A position that requires me to create entire strategies and plans out of nothing and I find that I LOVE that freedom! I haven't moved mountains (yet), but I've been managing some pretty big initiatives and helping an organization through culture change. Changing from old school rigid thinking to implementing new approaches for capturing and sharing knowledge. Uncomfortable approaches for some. My approach isn't perfect, but we are further along than we were last year by a long shot and gaining a lot of buy-in. Plus, I've been able to work with some great forward thinkers along the way. So, why was/am I trying to leave?

Good Gifts
I'm learning to give good gifts. Truly giving. Some giving hurts because they are truly from the heart and take a piece of me away from me. But, I see the wisdom and depth it gives my soul.

Pivotal People
Certain people were there for me at pivotal moments. They helped me help myself...if only through listening as I verbally worked through a problem, or to say "it will be ok" or "I have full confidence in you."

Exercise
Exercise is a key element of my life. No matter what I weigh, I exercise at least five days a week, if only a long walk. This year had many, many, many walks. Many were at a local battleground park where I could think and see the horizon. Sometimes I was quiet with my thoughts and other times I listened to scriptures, books, music or podcasts. All helped increase my knowledge and open my spirit to the possibilities that we sometimes forget are there.

Voices, or lack thereof
More than ever, this year, I learned to tune out all the voices at important times and listen to the one voice that mattered - inspirations from Heaven. My soul trying to figure out what my Heavenly Father wanted me to do with different situations, with moments, with goals and with my life. I experienced more than ever "pure intelligence flowing through me" and "inexplicable joy" in isolated and overpowering moments. Those are the moments that carried me through moments where I could feel nothing.

Relationships
I learned to love some people at church and work that I didn't love before because I allowed myself to reach out OR I accepted their reaching out to me. How beautiful to re-realize and understand that cycle of giving and receiving love, gifts of the heart, etc.

Entrepreneurial
Finally, I've pursued some of my entrepreneurial ideas. One idea was to promote other entrepreneurs, which is a fairly common practice by now, but I'm ok with that. Another is a company I set up six years ago, but couldn't move forward on because it was a conflict of interest. Now I'm moving it forward in different ways. I'm starting some other side work that will hopefully grow larger as I devote more time to the efforts.

Religious and Spiritual
Many people separate these out, but for the most part I put them in the same bucket in my head. Either way, I've grown in all kinds of areas related to understanding the core principles of my religious beliefs, but also learning and growing in other spiritual ways. I've found that my love for reading about psychology, marketing, customers, innovation, learning and related topics help me understand scripture better because I develop better mental models to take the information into my brain in the way I need to use it. And, I continually learn that God loves Rebecker....much, much, much.

Miracles
I continue to experience and witness miracles. And, hope for more to come.



So, perhaps last year was more light than tunnel than I realize. Or, more likely, once you get closer to the light some of the darkness falls behind and seems smaller.


This probably should have gone into my personal journal (and it may well be added), but sometimes it helps to publicly expose trips down memory lane because it can make us accountable to ourselves and others.

Here's to a great new year in 2011!

It will be a great one ....just like how all the others ended up being ...after I forgot the details. (-:

First Job - Lemonade Stand

Click to enlarge

Yet another sidetracking while I keep looking for a particular photo.

My first major production of selling lemonade. I'm the person setting up shop in the upper left. My little sister is enjoying a drink on the right and below. Look at all the little neighborhood customers on the bottom right.

I think we drank more than we sold that day. I feel like a failure. An entrepreneur at eight years old and here I am slaving away at a desk 30 years later.

Memory Lane - puffy photo album covers

Back in the 1980s, when bad fads were abundant, I started one of my many entrepreneurial ventures.

Besides mowing lawns, paper routes and lots of babysitting, I also created chocolate suckers (chocolates from cool molds) and made a few crafts.

Shocking, I know. I do not make crafts at this point in my life. Only take pictures, re-type journals and make cool MyPublisher books.

But, I digress.

Though many people were creating photo album covers and photo frames with calico type fabric and cheesy patterns, I refused to do so. I would only buy silk or fake substitutes.

Here is one that I made for my grandmother. She gave it back to me a couple of years ago and as I de-junk around the house, the realization that this must be captured in pictures and then given away to Goodwill is upon me.

I can't believe I was a glue gun expert and liked making these things, but it does look classy in a 1980s kind of way.

Wish I had a picture of the lacy little jewelry basket top that I made. These are all during the time of the "Victorian" craze that some of my sisters went through while I desperately tried to be interested, but was not.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, off to Goodwill I go....

Photography - by Ryan

I just ordered my first photo from the Deviant Art website. My friend Howie has an online store with a few hundred photos he's taken primarily in the western Rockies. Here's a link to his store.

The first photo came in the mail and looks great from a photographer perspective, but also because they have quality control of the products that go out to the buyers.

It looks like this Deviant Art site is great for anyone that has art or photos that they want to sell, but don't want to take on the buying of a personal website, online shopping cart, printing out the product or shipping it. Great way to go!

Anyway, I have quite a few friends that are good at photography and art and thought this would be a good way for them to go. Plus, I provide free advertising on my blog. However, it would help if I actually communicated that I had a blog to more people so that the viral marketing approach would actually work.