My but I’m late sharing here today!  Why does it take as much time following up on a successful event as it takes to put it together?

Last evening was the culmination of over 2 months of planning to launch AWP and NAFE affiliated networks along the eastern corridor of Indiana-Ohio from north of Dayton to the mighty Ohio River.  If I may ‘crow’ just a little - it was a stunning success!  We tested the “ConnectWorking”(tm) model and it worked well with few ‘kinks’.  Great relief.  And the momentum began and is continuing, so I/we have to try to keep up with it!

“Keeping up with it” has consumed my entire day!  Emails and lists, etc. to get together and answer questions, etc.  And we do have some new AWP members, so all in all it’s been a great week!

Friday I try to do just a few “Tips & Tidbits”, so as not to renege on my schedule, I’ve posted the link for a newsletter with tips to stay safe ordering online this holiday season.  It’s one of the biggest concerns many consumers have about using the convenience and ease of internet shopping.  So take note; stay safe and enjoy browsing the internet for holiday gifts for all: http://p.p0.com/YesConnect/HtmlMessagePreview?a=yB3tDeq-RRq_rfxTz9ZR9&msgVersion=web

I’m searching for some great year-end tax planning tips (ugh!) as well.  They seem to be elusive at the moment, but I’ll locate them and post over the weekend.

This wasn’t much of a conversation today.  I apologize for being weary; blurry-eyed and operating on half a brain instead of both hemispheres!  Don’t know how many of you are Rush (Limbaugh) fans, but I love to listen to him when driving.  One of his famous phrases about his expertise has to do with being able to do more than the average ‘joe’ with just “half a brain”.  Well, I can’t say that today. 

When you awake tomorrow, it will be December 1.  Hard to imagine that just 31 days remain in this year and that the wonderful holiday season is once again upon us!  If it’s cool, cold or frigid where you are, then let’s make some awesome hot cocoa (with marshmallows) and curl up on the sofa or bed to ‘veg’ tonight! 

Sounds good to me.  How about you?

Until tomorrow, have an awesome evening!

  Linda

Sorry I didn’t get the “one woman shoppe” talk here last evening!  That’s because at this time in life, I’m a “one woman shoppe” and I was wearing too many hats yesterday!

Know the feeling?!

And this morning is NO better!  Have to wash the body, pack the car (everything by front door), get gas (ouch!) and travel to Ohio for a wonderful networking event this evening.

So this won’t be a lengthy conversation as you’ve come to expect from me!

I heard it from a wonderful small business owner earlier this week.  She is closing her business because she’s grown to the place where to really go to the next level, she would have to hire someone.  But the bottom line isn’t ready for another person on the payroll.  So the dilemna becomes “what do I do now?”

I suspect there are other issues or challenges that she faces as well.  But the sad part is that she has spent a number of years building a business to the point where to do what needs to be done isn’t the ‘leap of faith’ she feels she can take.

I don’t know if she comes to AWP of not since we only just met.  But a few weeks ago, I shared a piece about using college “interns” when the bottom line won’t support paid staff.  Some of us may not live in a college town or near enough to use this kind of resource, but you’d be surprised at how many young folks there are out there who’d help just for the experience!

Another resource, although perhaps not the best, is using some aspects of the Small Business Administration services, i.e. SCORE, etc.  If you’re a “one woman shoppe”, then shutting down a growing business because hired help is not affordable - my first piece of ‘mentoring-from-the-AWP-Blog’ is don’t!

Don’t until you’ve explored all other resources.  Put family or friends who believe in you and support your growth to work.  Look into the use of a ‘virtual assistant’ who may strike a deal with you and combine your needs with that of another client or two (depending on what you need).  If your business involves marketing and sales, then do look for college students majoring in marketing, business administration, etc.  Design a research project that they can do and they may get credit while you get the help you need to ’stay afloat’ and ‘move’ to the next level.

Oops, looked at the clock!  Gotta’ get out of here, but hopefully this is helpful!  While “one woman shoppe” can be fun, exciting and w/o the stress of overseeing another - it has it’s limitations.

But don’t let limits keep you from advancing.  As the song goes, “no limits; no boundaries; I increase all around me!”

Let this day be one of increase for us all!  Have an awesome one!

  Linda

It’s one of those days!  We all have them.  Days when we have too many tasks for the hours in the day!  But I’m adopting Peg’s style of being grateful no matter what!  I’m grateful everything I need to accomplish is coming together so well! 

Last evening, I attended a networking event in Indianapolis that several of our AWP members are active in.  Large crowd of folks, a ton of energy and loads of networking.

At least folks were connecting and I can only assume that business opportunities were being exchanged and connections being made that would lead somewhere significant.

This is another of those days where the events of the past 24 hours provide a significant amount of mental activity that has relevance for us here. 

A little background!  I’m a people watcher (comes with the territory for us counseling types).  I love to stand back and watch others.  In large groups, such as last evening’s roomfull, I take on the “pearl” that’s only a teeny-weeny part of my behavioral style (pearls are quiet, somewhat reticent and might be thought of as ’shy’). 

But I’m also analyzing the proceedings!  I’m watching to see what makes this event or group, ‘tick’.

Digressing a wee-bit again, I note that there are a number of buzz words in our 21st century business-professional vocabulary that weren’t around years ago.  Words such as “mentoring”, “coaching” (non-athletic type), “networking”.

Yet these words and their subsequent meaning and application are key to our business and professional lives today!  In fact, folks who’ve retired and left the corporate or business world, speak of ‘networking’ and some even have life coaches to help them through the transition from professional-business life to retired-leisure life.

The fact is this:  if we aren’t networking in some way, on a constant basis, whether to meet personal needs; business and professional goals or even our spiritual needs - we’re gonna’ lose out.  I know a woman in Cincinnat Ohio, who attends no less than 5 networking events a week (that’s really working on one’s business)!

I’ve talked a little over the holiday days about ‘mentoring’ and now I want to turn our attention to ‘networking’.  It’s different aspects, the various kinds of networking and how our personalities and behavioral styles are reflected in the kinds of networking we choose to focus on.

I’m a graduate networking professional (a certification program in Indy, Indiana); but I’m still not an expert at making networking work as I think it should work for me.  Part of that is, of course, my “McDonald’s mentality” (needs to happen yesterday!).  However, I did absorb much of what I learned in the classes and had enough of life and life’s reflective moments to feel brave enough to venture into sharing the remainder of this week and into the next on the subject of “networking”!

We all do it!  We do it instinctively!  Because we are social beings.  We’re made for relationship and seeking, finding and forming relationships is all about ‘networking’.  Unless we leave our safe conclaves (home, office, etc.), we’re going to have a difficult time networking (unless it’s here at AWP as we get that piece in place - excuse the PLUG!).  And if we ’shy’ away from networking, then strong bonded relationships will elude us.

And that’s not healthy - physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually!  Why, heck (’cuse the vernacular), one of the most natural places we practice the art of ‘networking’ is with the folks in our worshipping communities!

Tomorrow, I’m going to share a little more about ‘networking’ and focusing on strategies for networking in the new year!  If networking events or opportunities haven’t paid off for us this year - then maybe we need to look at new strategies for 08.  Or maybe, we need to take an inward look to discover what it is we really want from networking and then make a plan around our ‘want’ that fits our personality and style.

But I have this burning desire to say something about the “One Woman Shop”!  You know, the business where we, as a lone woman, wear all the hats (President, CEO, administrative assn’t, etc.).  I think that’s one of the strongest supports AWP can be to each of you when you are a “one woman shop”.

So look for a little more later today!  Once all the running and getting and accomplishing for. . . GUESS WHAT!

A THURSDAY evening NETWORKING EVENT!  Whew!  That’ll be 2 this week!

As they say on the streets . . . “later!”

Have an awesome day!

  Linda

Couldn’t resist another brief post for the day.

Halleluia (think that’s spelled right)!!!  Just checked the site and we have LOADS of folks visiting the site (406 to be exact).  Don’t know where the traffic is coming from, but let’s hope that kind of wandering with us continues.

So say a big prayer that we’ve been found in the vast wonders of cyperspace and growth now comes our way in a big way.  Because. . .

Big growth means that, as a community, we can have the things that brought us here and do the things we want to do to be all we want to be for those who join us here - in community!

Blessings in your day!

  Linda

Found this great Blog post on AWP member Lorraine Cohen’s “Powerful Living” Blog.  Here’s the link to read it for yourself!

  http://www.powerfull-living.biz/blog/2007/11/26/letting-yourself-have-outrageous-success-and-personal-happiness/

Thanks Lorraine, for giving us some great ‘clues’ to overcoming those inner ‘buggaboos’ that keep us from obtaining the fulfillment of our purpose and the rewards that doing so bring!

Awesome Day!

  Linda

Mentoring is the fine art of walking along side another long enough to share wisdom, experience, expertise, compassion and support.  Long enough that the one we are mentoring has reached the point where he or she can go on without us!

It’s a word that’s synonomous with ‘discipleship’ or in some instances, ‘coaching’.  What it is not is ‘therapy’ - professional or otherwise!

When I look back over that past years of the second half of the journey, I realize I’ve had more mentors than I thought.  Initially, they came into my life because of a profound spiritual experience that changed my life perspective dramatically!  But they stayed and our mentor-mentee relationship took on different forms as the need arose.

Why is having a mentor important?

When we embark on a new season of life or a new venture in life, it can be a scary thing!  It may be true that we have loads of experience (life experience that is); some expertise and the will to to whatever it is.  However, we may lack the commensurate courage, conviction and ‘moxxy’ that it takes to ‘pull it off’!

That’s when mentors can be most helpful!

The other thing we often lack is objectivity!  We KNOW what we want to do and accomplish and we ‘live it’ in our hearts and minds every moment.  But we don’t often see the pitfalls, downsides or upsides of what it is we want to do or where we want to end up.

Mentors can help us take on an attitude of objectivity.  She will help us sort it all out.  Look at things from ‘both sides - from in and out’ (words from a Judi Collins song).

Mentors naturally help us avoid the pitfalls that sometimes come with passion-territory!  Mentors may love us, respect us, and honor us - but they will also be brave enough to speak the truth to us in love!

And any new life season or venture requires such an approach if we are to weather the challenges that come.

Mentors, like coaches, know the right questions to ask to be provocative enough to stop us in our tracks long enough to look long and hard at what it is we are about - or about to do!

Does a mentor have to be standing right beside us to be effective?  Can someone mentor you or me - from afar?  Afar, like on the web - from across cyberspace? 

The answer is “yes”!  Standing beside us is a spiritual or emotional thing and physical proximity is not the critical component.  If it were, then coaching would never be done via telephone or email.

The AWP Blog is designed as a ‘mentoring tool’.  What is written and shared here has a mentoring message if we will take it as such.  Oh yes, sometimes what is said here is frivilous or fun - but then we need that as well.  But much of what we write is intended to be applied to life situations and to the decisions we make as we move through the 2nd half of the journey.

Over the next several weeks, I’m going to say more about mentoring - and networking.  Two aspects of moving through life transitions and business growth that are key to doing so successfully.  Stay with the process and we’ll learn how to choose a mentor; what to look for in a mentor; to “contract or not” for mentoring; to “pay for or not”.  All the questions we might have when it comes to mentoring.

We’re welcoming Carine Nadel, an AWP member from out west, to our BLOG conversations.  Look for Carine’s posts here on an every two week basis on Monday’s as we continue to dialogue about things pertinent to the road we are all traveling in some way!

Have an awesome AWP day!

  Linda

Hello! My name is Carine Nadel.  Linda has graciously invited me to become one of the bloggers here

at A Woman’s Place.  While I tend to write mainly on women’s issues-everything from family predicaments, diseases, funny and not so funny happenings, most of my main published articles seem to be of a culinary kind.   Bearing that in mind I thought this would be the perfect time to share some of my family’s favorite recipes.

The first is a different take on mashed potatoes. My kids only liked potatoes when they were little, this was my way of sneaking in another veggie. My daughter loves them so much that we served them at her wedding reception! In her honor, I’ve always called them:

Sarah’s Favorite Mashers
(appeared in Family Circle magazine and the Orange County Register)

3 lbs russet potatoes, cleaned, peeled and quartered
1 large head cauliflower, in florets
1/4 C each margarine and soy milk (we’re a dairy-free house)
kosher salt and pepper

In a large pot cover potatoes with cold water and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer-just until fork tender. Drain thoroughly and mash.(I like to use a ricer)At the same time, in another med-large pot, bring 1-1/2 C of water to a boil-add cauliflower, cover and steam until very tender.

Drain well. Puree cauliflower with milk, margarine, 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of freshly ground pepper.

Gently combine the potatoes and the cauliflower. Serve.   These are pretty darn low in fat. Serves 6-8. Make more though-you’ll need them!

My dad loves hard cookies. I love putting odd things together. I also love treats that are low in fat.

This is my answer to both:

Dad’s Favorite Biscotti
published in the Orange County Register

Pre-heat oven to 350 Grease two large sheet pans

3 C  AP Flour
1 C whole wheat flour
2 C sugar
1-1/2 tsp. powder
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
Mix above in a large bowl and put aside

6 eggs, beaten
2 tsp pure vanilla

2 C grape-nuts cereal (or 2 C chopped and toasted pecans)

In a heavy-duty mixer, combine everything, except the grape-nuts. When thoroughly combined, mix in cereal. With damp hands, divide batter in half (this stuff is really sticky, keep hands damp to keep it from sticking to you!)and place a half on each of prepared pans. Shape into 10 x 4 inch loaves. Bake only a few minutes, or until firm to touch and just starting to turn golden. Carefully remove loaves onto clean tea towels. Slice diagonally in 1/2″ slices with serrated knife. Place slices cut side up back onto pans.

Bake another 20 minutes. Cool on racks. Makes about 3 dozen.

And last-my son loves this tasty quick bread whether I make it with leftover roasted sweet potato or pumpkin:

It was a prize winner for Better Homes and Gardens Magazine.

Adam’s Sweet Potato Banana Bread

Pre-heat oven to 350 and grease 2 8 x 4 loaf pans. (I like to put wax paper on the bottoms)

2 C AP Flour
1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp each salt and powder
1 C each roasted sweet potato and banana, both mashed
1 C butter-flavored shortening
1 C each sugar and brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsps pure vanilla
1 tsp rum extract

Combine dry ingredients well in a bowl and put aside. In a mixer, cream shortening and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time until well-blended. Add extracts. Alternately add the flour mixture and banana/potato mixture. Beat well after each addition.

Spread batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.

Approximately 32 servings.
Delicious toasted with peanut butter for breakfast!

I hope you give these a try and they become your family’s favorites as well!

Have an Awesome day!

 Carine
 

Today, it’s back to “business as usual”!  I always find it difficult to ‘re-enter’ after any time off.  So I’ve learned to use holiday ‘down’ periods as time to get things I wouldn’t usually get done - done!  Fewer emails to respond to (usually, but there are others of us who use holiday down times in the same manner); little or no business calls, etc., etc.!

However, those of us in start-up mode or the early days/years of a new business don’t really have a 9-5 - 5 days a week mentality.  We tend to work at all odd hours to get the job done.  I find myself working the weekend, preparing things that are exceedingly time consuming for the week ahead.

Is there ever ‘down time’ for those of us who have transitioned and are now traveling a new road of venture and adventure?

Well, depends on our personalities, behaviorial styles, bio-rhythms, etc.  Some of us still apply our old 9 - 5 style to a new venture, regardless of where our ‘office’ is located!  Others of us find the demands and challenges of launching, building, growing and maintaining,  part of the excitement of the 2nd half of the journey!  So we work at it all the time!  If not physcially - then mentally!  Doing the head-planning (strategic design I call it) that is so key to getting the dream or vision we have off the ground.  Even more key once we’ve  left the ‘launch pad’!

If you’re like me, you find it difficult to focus on anything else until what you’ve planned or launched is where you have designed it to be.

Some months ago I did a series here on the 7 arenas of life and talked of the importance of balance in our life.  And that includes our business or professional life, especially.  That’s easy for me to say - but much more difficult for me to live out.  It’s just my ‘nature’ to get a targeted focus and go after it as my Mom used to say, “like she’s killing snakes”.

That approach ‘ain’t great’ (excuse my use of the vernacular)!  It blops us out of balance.  It makes me irritable when others upon whom I depend to do their part, don’t do it according to my timeframe or otherwise in timely manner so I don’t get stressed out because I don’t have answers or have a clue what’s happening.

Tomorrow I’m going to begin talking about ‘mentoring’.  It’s something we’ve promised to be a part of AWP and it’s an important tool for us to have in our “essential business tool bag”!  So let me suggest this:

1) begin now, before the end of this year and before nailing down strategic plans for next year, to look honestly at your own behaviorial style.  Especially when it comes to transacting on behalf of your business or professional life,

2)begin looking for a mentor or two.  One place to look is among your fellow AWP members.  If you don’t know how to do that, watch this week’s newsletter to learn how,

3)look carefully at the calendar for the month of December.  We all know that things pretty much ’shut down’ the week before the holiday (Christmas and Hannukah - my apologies to our Jewish friends if I misspelled).  Schedule your down time now and write it on your calendar.  Notify business associates and connections that you won’t be available on such and such a day or “from this date to . . . . “.  Yes, you can use your email auto away message, but telling our closest associates and connections ahead of time is a courtesy they’ll appreciate,

4) remember that the end of the year holidays are one of the most stressful periods of our lives (or so the experts tell us).  Prior planning, especially when it comes to business and professional life ends up costing us less in emotional and mental dis-ease and keeps our internal clock running smoothly.

The tree is up, but decorations still strewn about waiting for g’son (who lost out on decorating the tree) to come get his chance to help g’ma! 

Now that’s a real stressor that I should have avoided.  The season’s not started all that smoothly.  Best take my own advice and plan now so the voice doesn’t go up several decibels and the stomach doesn’t churn!

FYI - look for a conversation later today from Carine Nadels, an AWP member from the west coast.  Carine is an accomplished writer who submits for Woman’s Day and Ladies Home Journal (quite impressive I might add).  She’ll be sharing some of her best recipes that got her such impressive bylines.  Welcome Carine!

Have an awesome day!

  Linda

 The following devotional comes to me from Os Hillman (Today God Is First - a part of Os Hillman’s Marketplace Leaders daily devotional series).  This one is especially meaningful because most of the world knows of Jabez and his prayer because of David Wilkinson’s “The Prayer of Jabez”, published a few years ago.  Regardless of where we are on our personal faith journey or what it looks like or tradition to which it adheres, something stirs within us that draws us to a deeper understanding of ourselves at the very essence of our being.  The message I heard this a.m. as I attended worship on the internet is related to Os Hillman’s Sunday morning devotional.  For that reason I’ve share it here.

“Enlarging Your Territoryby Os Hillman, November 25, 2007

 …”Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory!….” - 1 Chronicles 4:10
He is mentioned only once in a brief description in the Old Testament, yet what he says and what his life bespeaks could fill volumes. He was a man whom God saw as worthy of a request that had significant consequences for him and his family. His name was Jabez. Here is how the Scripture describes him:Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request (1 Chronicles 4:9-10).

When you think of territory, you probably think of land or some area in which you have dominion. Jesus often spoke about giving responsibility based on what we do with the little things first. Jabez must have been a very responsible person. God describes him as honorable. Jabez must have understood what it really means to be blessed by God. He was a man who knew what it meant to press into God and ask for God’s favor with passion. God saw the heart of this man and gave him his request. His borders were enlarged! He lived a life free from pain. Imagine that!

The only reason God will enlarge a person’s territory is that He knows that person will use it responsibly. He will steward what is given in light of God’s Kingdom. God truly wants to increase our territory to have greater influence in the world around us. That territory can mean personal influence and/or physical territories.

It is rare to have a life without pain. Pain is often necessary to mold us and shape us. This is the only exception I have seen in Scripture. Jabez must have been quite a man with incredible integrity and purity of heart.

Are you this kind of person? Can God enlarge your territory and entrust you to use it for His purposes? Ask God today to enlarge your territory. Ask Him to make you the kind of man or woman who is worthy of such trust.”  (Os Hillman - TGIFMarketplaceleaders daily devotional).

My hope for you today is that you will enjoy much love with family & friends and recognize that great blessings are headed your way!

  Linda

I hope everyone had an awesome Thanksgiving Day!  Our family doesn’t celebrate it until today, so I still have some baking to do.  I’d be interested if any of you tried Kim’s dressing recipe or G’Ma’s pumpkin pie?  Let us know by posting it on the FORUM under “General”.

Today’s called “black Friday”!  I guess that’s because it puts a TON of merchants in black ink for the holiday season.  For those who do brave the crowds to take advantage of sales, etc., it might be called “red Friday”!  Because it puts our pocketbook in “red ink”!

For those who stay at home, I’ve compiled some interesting information via links that you can visit at your leisure. 

With year-end planning, especially the dreaded “tax planning” rapidly approaching (if not already here), I’ve included a couple of links to our accounting company’s e-letter.  Some interesting info.  Here’s the first of Friday’s tips & tidbits:  http://www.bizactions.com/index.cfm/ba/e116/en/72913845G1620J1879808/

http://www.bizactions.com/index.cfm/ba/e105/fa/73341683G1620J1879808P0P10064890T0/

First time I’ve tried this, so hope it works!  Let me know if it doesn’t.

I’ve also included some upcoming information from AWP member Lorraine Ball of Roundpeg (www.roundpeg.biz).  Lorraine is a well-recognized, highly energetic marketing guru in the Indianapolis area.  She is on the team that is presenting the MBO (Master’s of Business Online) conference in Indy on December 7.  For those of you out of the area, this won’t mean much, but for those of you in driving distance of downtown Indy - this would be worth your time and a little cash.  Learn more by visiting (http://www.getyourmbo.com).  Lorraine also has her own workshop series coming up on December 10, so I’ve included her info as well:  http://www.roundpeg.biz/
        Business Map 
        Are you on the Road to Success?  
       Greetings!  Are you getting the results you   want from your business?  Do you have a roadmap to your business goals? Without one it is likely you will get lost, fail to meet your objectives, or fail completely.  As a small-business owner, you need a map - a Business Map! Without it, you are traveling blind.  Business Map Seminar - Monday, December 10 8:00 - 11.00.  Lorraine Ball!

Check out Lorraine’s website to learn more.  She does have the workbook and a CD I think it is that can be purchased very inexpensively!

WOW!  I almost forgot to share some exciting, GOOD news!  A Women’s Place NOW has it’s own group on LinkedIn (http://linkedin.com/).  For some odd reason, it’s not yet showing in the “Groups Directory”.  If you are a current member of my network at LinkedIn, watch your inbox for an invitation to join the A Women’s Place LinkedIn Group!  It’s our exciting alternative for community networking until our expanded profiles are ready and uploaded to awomensplace.org.  We are excited about this!

 If you haven’t joined my network at LinkedIn, let me know.  I’ve invited all our members, but if I inadvertently didn’t get to you with an invite - please let me know at linda@awomensplace.org!

For those of you who are looking for something inspirational to start your day and want it from the Christian perspective, I recommend subscribing to Streaming Faith Daily Devotionals.  I get it every a.m., but don’t always get to read it at ‘first light’.  For the most part, find it great to read anytime.  In fact, that’s how I connected with one of our AWP members!  She had a daily devotional at Streaming Faith and I was so impressed I wrote to compliment her.  Personally, I find the ones written by us female ‘lay’ folk better, for the most part, than those written by ordained clergy!  I’m sorry I can’t put the link in here as it simply won’t take you where you need to go to subscribe.  HOWEVER, if you want to do so, write me at linda@awomensplace.org, and I’ll send the information for you to subscribe!

Finally, for Friday!  I get eBiz Insider (www.ebizinsider.com) in hard copy on a regular basis.  Great stuff published by Solid Cactus.  A recent copy had an article on “Saving on Software” with links to open source (usually free or at least very inexpensive) software alternatives to the expensive stuff (Microsoft and Adobe, etc.).  Here’s just a few you can check out if you’re doing or preparing to do business online:  “Star Office” (http://sun.com/staroffice) is a suite similar to MS Office.  In addition to all you want from a word processing suite, it can open files from and save files as Word, Excel, Access and Powerpoint.  Another, called “Gimp” (http://gimp.org) is a free image editing and manipulation program with many of the functions of Adobe Photoshop.

If you’re savvy in webdevelopment and design, but don’t want the expense of Dreamweaver, look at TopStylePro (http://newsgator.com/Individuals/TopStyle/) for your mark-up programming needs. 

These may not be of interest to you, but I’ve learned that it doesn’t take much to get a wee-bit tech savvy - at least enough to save yourself some money when it comes to web design and development.  As I’ve learned from Glenn and Kathy Bregulla, one of our AWP members, open source software can be just as useable as the costly programs and save loads of cost at startup and when adding aspects to a current site.

Okay - that’s it for today!  Dont’ know if these “tips and tidbits” have been helpful or not, but they caught my eye!

Have an awesome day with much love and many blessings!

  Linda