Unlimited Opportunities are All Around You

As I was driving along a road on the outskirts of town...the broad swaths of corn fields met with a golden blowing field of wheat. Heaven. These fields just seem to go on forever. I just want to run through them, 

with my pool shoes on, so no bugs will bite my toes. But alas, I restrained myself, so the farmers will not be angry with me.

Anyway, back to the purpose of this post. I posted this photo because the enormous fields and skies that seem to go on forever, remind me of one thing....UNLIMITED possibilities.

I have heard some pretty heart wrenching stories over my lifetime, of when folks were looking for a job and they just gave up. They stopped believing in themselves, in life, and in the opportunities all around them.

The more I reach out and see what is around me, on the internet and beyond, the more I see that there are UNLIMITED possibilities all around all of us. For those who make stuff.....content....or works of art, or songs, or wooden birdhouses, or financial plans.....I just want to help you understand that there are really unlimited platforms on which you can present WHATEVER it is that you make.

If you are a self publishes writer, I know of at least three free platforms upon which you can publish your own written manuscripts, at no cost, other than your time and creativity. The three that come to mind are

Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords and Draft 2 Digital. From what I understand, Smashwords is in the process of merging with Draft 2 Digital.

What are some other platforms that you can use to promote your artworks?

Kijiji, Craigslist, local art stores, local flea markets, yard sales, garage sales, estate sales, museums that feature local artists, as well as the galleries located in bigger cities.

What about local tv stations? Would they allow you to do a short segment explaining how you make your particular art works? What about youtube videos? It is so easy to film yourself for a simple youtube video to explain how you do what you do best. 

There is facebook, facebook marketplace. There is Twitter. You can use these social media sites to promote your content. 

There are so many platforms that require no upfront fees in order to start uploading your works. Redbubble is a good place which photographers and graphic artists can bring their best works and designs  to be featured on ¨print on demand" merchandise. There are no financial costs to uploading your special designs to these type of websites.

Reading Seth Godin´s writings really encouraged me to understand that with the way that the world has become such a global village, that it is easier now than ever before to find the particular type of fans that would find your works valuable. You no longer need to appear to a mass audience. You can stay unique and just keep spreading your art works and ideas until your tribe finds you by osmosis.

It  really doesn´t matter how unusual you are. You don´t need to force yourself to fit in. You don´t need to change your artistic style, or way of content creation to try to keep up with the ¨Joneses.¨

You really can be yourself. Be proud of who you are as an individual creator. 

Believe that some day soon, you really will and CAN be PAID to be YOU!

May God´s unlimited blessings begin to reveal themselves to you this week!

Peace,

Carla

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Countless Income Streams

Now now...you might say...she's waaay too cocky. She's out of her league.

Nope..... increase is indeed unlimited. Abundance is unlimited.

It's all about your imagination...It's all about your positive mindset.

When you are a content creator....know that there will always be new multiple platforms upon which you may place your content. New publishers, both for the self published artist and the more traditional publishing houses. They are all growing and learning how to put more good work out into the cosmos. They are morphing to find more work....just like what you create. Someone right now is looking for you....for what you have just the right now to express and put into words, or inventions, or songs, or artworks.

The world needs you. I don't know any other way to say this. You were born into this generation because you have something that needs expression that this generation requires. You were born for a reason. Make it happen. And don't lose faith.

Just as some social media platforms have their time in the sun....so others will be invented and rise up to take their place. Your content can be boosted onto all these spreading platforms....There are only the limits that you place or "refuse" to place upon your content.

Yes, you can create content for one platform....or for 100 platforms.

And then there are the platforms that will hunt you down and pitch and beg you to be on their platform.

Stay original....observe copy right laws and don't allow discouragement to stop your creativity from flowing. Keep creating. Stay artistic. Use your words. Use your colors, use your music. Stay confident. Adapt....learn how to navigate new software as often as possible, or pay people to do this for you.

Believe in your work! Do you know you have quality content? Do you "make good art" as Neil Gaiman would say? Don't stop now....don't slow down.

Do whatever you need to do to get back on that horse and make some more cool stuff.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF BECAUSE GOD BELIEVES IN YOU!

Carla.

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Is it Possible To Be Too Focused?

There is a story about an interview that was done with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. Both gents were asked the same questions...."what is the single most thing important thing for success"?

They both answered with precisely the same word ..."Focus!".

I always feasted on that thought....as it one thousand percent was in alignment with my own mode of operation. 

When I became a "written goal setter" I noticed there was more spring in my step....and a more pointed look in my eyes. I knew where I was going....and whenever I was unsure...I would simply dig out my goal list from my purse or phone and recite my written goals.... Instantly I would feel my peace restore itself and I could walk confidently.

Knowing where you are going is refreshing. How else will you know you've arrived if you don't have a destination?

But, now for the sake of a good argument, let's assume, that it isn't always a good thing to be hyper focused on one's goals. Could it be that when humans are too focused...that they forget the simple pleasures.....like riding a bike or singing a song in the car ride to work? Can it be that goal setting transforms us from people who dance .....into people who simply march like soldiers towards a goal?

Is it good to march through life? Or is it better to dance?

 I am simply stirring the pot. It's good to take both sides of an argument to help assess the pros and cons of both sides of an equation.

One might also suggest that being too "goal oriented" can be challenging in a marital and family setting. If one or both parents are very focused on goals outside the home...will they still have enough time and energy for their spouse and children? Or does the spousal time and children time need to be written into their written list of goals? These are good things to consider.

Being uber-focused is definitely a powerful tool to accomplish virtually anything in life. But let's not forget to enjoy and appreciate those unwritten aspects of human life which don't make it onto your list.

Let's not forget to smell the roses....and appreciate the scent of the grass after a morning rainfall.

Let's not forget to commune with our Creator...the one who understands us and wants to help craft our written goals. Let's not walk alone.

Peace,

Carla.

 

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My Argument with Extreme Bulk Buyers

Today is my story of my argument with extreme bulk buyers. By extreme....I mean the ladies who insist on shopping only in large quantities even when they are trying to stick to a budget.

And so today I brought an example. See to your left the lovely photo of a box of garbage bags I purchased this week at Dollar Tree in Ontario, Canada. If my memory serves correctly, I paid precisely $1.50 Canadian funds plus 13% tax for this box of 5 garbage bags.

Now, my extreme bulk buying friends are already pooo-pooing my choice...because they  say ¨ Why on earth would you pay good money for only 5 bags....when I shop I buy big boxes of garbage bags with at least 40 bags in a box!¨

But my comment to them is this ...Why on earth, if I am trying to stick to a predetermined grocery budget, allow such a large portion of my expenditure for the week to be allocated to the purchase of garbage bags.

I know, I know....people like to stock up.. People dont like to run out of things, and they really dont like shopping as often as I do. 

But, I must assert, that if you have a certain dollar figure that you try to stick to with your grocery shopping, then you need to discipline yourself not to splurge on a certain category, just because it happens to be a good deal. Do you understand what I am trying to say? 

Sometimes I see extreme bulk buyers go and spend 100$ on bathroom tissue because there is a good sale on....but they dont buy enough food for their children to make it to their next grocery shopping trip. Does that make sense? Is  it really a good deal if it leaves someone without the calories they need to function well during the week?

The painful part of disciplined shopping means being willing to pass up great deals, in order to stick to your preplanned budget. It may not feel like you are winning to buy a small box of garbage bags at your local Dollar store.....but you will most certainly feel a great sense of accomplishment when you realize that you can actually stick to the list you wrote to yourself and stick to the budget that you and your spouse or family members have agreed to. 

I can hear some of you saying....well, if you were rich, you wouldnt need to budget your grocery shopping. And to that I would tell you a little story about the great Mr. Warren Buffett...who is still one of the richest men in the world. I have watched ( several times over) the HBO special biographical film of Mr. Warren Buffett in which we, the viewers, are permitted a small peak into Mr. Buffettś daily habits.

One part of the film, shows Mr. Buffett with a handful of change his wife gave to him before he left the house, to spend on a preplanned breakfast sandwich from McDonalds on his way driving to the office. He knew exactly how much the breakfast sandwich cost and his wife gave him exactly that amount to pay for it. How wonderful! How disciplined and modest he is! 

If even, one of the richest men in the world, sees fit to preplan his modest  drive-thru breakfast meal, then certainly it is adviseable for us also to consider such a habit.

What is this habit? Simply the habit of planning what you are going to spend each day or week based on your income and outgoing expenses and savings and investing plans, and charitable giving.

Planning is good. 

Sometimes folks who are recovering shopaholics get their shopping fix by overspending on sale items in bulk purchases. They presume that they will not feel guilty for overspending because they got such a good deal! They soon figure out that they still feel guilty, because they have spent more than they planned to spend.

Well, thatś all for now. I apologize for the lack of ¨ apostropheś as this keyboard is hiding them from me as I type today :) Ha....lol!

Well friends, have a great day....and plan to succeed.

Peace,

Carla.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta (Full Movie)

The story of Mother Theresa is awe inspiring. No matter your religious convictions, you will be touched by her story. Enjoy...

Sweet Cheap Banana Cake

  Sweet Cheap Banana Cake!

Every once in a while, it behooves me to create something out of something else. So I took a basic cake recipe and tweaked it a bit to suit some CHEAPSKATE appetites out in the world.

There seems to be an insatiable appetite for frugality....now that gas and meat prices have gone up so much....and in such a short period of time.

So, without further ado.....here is a very simple, very basic low cost frugal BANANA CAKE recipe.

Ingredients:

Throw all the following in a mixing bowl.:

2 peeled overripe bananas (it's ok if the bananas have begun to brown)

2 cups all purpose white flour

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

a dash of veggie oil or canola oil : ( if you need to measure....I'd estimate 1 tablespoon)

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 

Blend all of the above with a high speed blender until thick and creamy.

Coat a medium size caserole or baking dish with a thin layer of veggie oil or canola oil.

Pour/scrape all the batter into your baking dish.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake the cake for 25 minutes and then leave it in the oven after you turn it off to let it settle and the crust to get a little bit more crisp. 

(oven  temperatures can vary by oven style and other factors..... use your common sense and adjust the temperature or length of baking time to suit your own particular oven)

One of the things that's cool about this recipe is that it doesn't take any additional liquids...such as milk or water. All the liquid that the cake requires is provided by the over ripe bananas!

That's it! Easy Peasy eh?

Enjoy once it cools a bit and serve with butter or margarine or all by itself.

Delicious and frugal!

No need to throw away browning bananas any more.... Just peel em and throw them into a zip lock bag and freeze them for these delightfully frugal banana cakes.

Bon Appetit!

Carla.

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Review of Flash Food App

So, If any of y'all are bargain hunters...you are definitely going to want to check out the "Flash Food" app. It is easy to download and very user friendly. You don't even have to handle payments in the grocery store....it is all done online.

So, what is "Flash Food" ? It is a way for grocery stores in Ontario to offer products at steep discounts rather than tossing them in their dumpsters when they are trying to reorganize their merchandising or getting rid of foods that are near their expiry dates.( i am sure that it operates in other provinces too....and maybe even the USA)

Above are all the items I was able to get  this week, for just under 20 Canadian dollars. I know that the choices are heavy on dairy...but that is just the way it is.....Dairy products are most sensitive to expiry dates...and stores have more dairy products near expiry than they know what to do with. It saves the store money to be able to sell these items instead of letting them be disposed of. It is also an environmental and social benefit for stores to be able to claim that they reducing their "land fill" items and offering lower cost food options for those who may need it.

I like that there was a broad assortment....including even some meat and high value cheeses. The yogurts are easy to freeze and kids like them for snacks. 

Do you have Flash Food app operating in your locality? Do you like it? Does it freak you out to buy foods near expiry? Do tell.

I thought those frugal friends of mine would appreciate a glimpse into what a Flash food order can be. Well, that's all for now. Be well....and take advantage of those blessings that God provides. Be well and prosper "biggly"!

Peace,

Carla.

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High Risk Covered Calls or Low Risk Covered Call Options

Are you an option trader ? Do you sell covered calls?

Today I just wanted to discuss how you can influence your levels of risk by several key factors when and if you sell covered calls.

For brevity, I am going to assume that you all know how to ¨sell to open¨ covered calls. If you do not know what  a covered call option is.....then this post may not be helpful.

What raises risk in a covered call scenario?

permit me to draft a list:

• Selling covered call options way out into the future...such as 6 months or even 2 years into the future. The future is unknown and the more we try to predict long term results....the more risk we may encounter....due to unexpected market movements.
• Using leverage to finance the purchase of the underlying asset. Using margin debt to finance your purchases of the underlying asset adds more risk to your portfolio. Not only must you prepare for interest payments on the money you borrow in your margin account, but you must prepare to prevent a margin call on your account, when/if your buying power becomes challenged by negative market forces or poor investing choices.
• Selling covered calls on equities that have an unproven financial record can/may add more risk to your accounts. When investors choose to sell covered calls on publicly traded companies that have no positive financial reports, they add unintended risk to their holdings.

There are several ways to minimize risk when selling covered calls on your stock portfolio. 

Permit me to draft another list:

• Sell covered calls on stock that you have paid for in full....(without leverage)
• Sell covered calls on companies with proven sound financial management, that produce healthy price to earning ratios(p/e ratio) and have a good reputation. Have a healthy respect for positive earnings. What is trendy is not always a ¨good bet¨.
• When you want to withdraw money from the premiums you have collected by selling covered calls, only do so after the contract has expired or been closed or assigned. This simple tactic will prevent unnecessary stress if/when a covered call position runs in a direction that you did not expect.
• Last but not least...do not lower the strike below your cost. This is very important, so that you do not risk losing money on the difference between your net cost of stock and the potential inflow of cash if/when a covered call that you have sold gets ¨assigned¨. To be fair, it is important to note, that there may not always be a strike price available at the correct price point to make your trade profitable. Therefore you may have to just ẅait and hold onto stock that needs time to recover from a market dip. This is another reason why it is prudent to eliminate the use of debt/margin/leverage when purchasing equities....so that you will be able to weather market ups and downs..... while maintaining a stress free and dignified investing experience.

Well.... that is all friends, for today. If you are an option trader or investor, I am sure you have discovered a plethora of methods you can use to control and/or define your risk. There is nothing more important in investing than controlling risk.

May God bless your trading and investing as well as your learning journey.

Peace,

Carla.

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Knitting is for Old Ladies She said

I was aghast that day. It was the wife of someone close to our family. She stated rather loudly that knitting was for "old ladies." 

Well, let it be said that this woman is not known for elegant comments. And so, after all these years, I have learned to just ignore ignorant comments and pursue whatever I wanna do....no matter what anyone says.

Life is too long and life is too short to really give a rip about what anyone says anyway. Do you agree?

And for the record, if I become old while still knitting the way I love to...then hallelujah...I will be a grateful camper.

And so, on that epic note, I bring to you my 3 hour slippers, which I knit without a pattern.

I don't know why I hate knitting patterns...Hmmmm....maybe it's for the same reason that I hate aerobics classes. I hate being told what to do by an instructor. I also hate being told what to do by a pattern. Lol....kinda amateur on my part...but I is what I is ")

I want to encourage those of you who, like me, have trouble following or even looking at a pattern. Just because you don't like knitting patterns, doesn't mean you shouldn't knit. You may be more creative than everyone else combined, simply because you want to do things your own way.....you prolly should!

Being creative and using what I have has allowed me to make things in a "logical" way as it pertains to my own style of doing things. I am not aiming for a pair of slippers to wear to the Met gala....I am aiming for something that fits my foot and doesn't cost too much to make. I want to be able to make it in a day or two...and I want the idea to be so simple and do-able that I could teach almost anyone on the spot to make them too. And so above, are the photos of my 3 hours slippers. Enjoy.

P.S.

Just because you don't like maps, doesn't mean you hate driving. I love driving!

Just because you don't like aerobics classes doesn't mean you hate aerobics! I love dancing!

Just because you don't follow recipes,doesn't mean you can't cook! Got it? Good :)

Peace out,

Carla.

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Networth and Comparing Celebs

As soon as you hear the sound of the word  "million" you might be tempted to be think that someone's loaded. Nah.....think again.

According to Zolo   the average Toronto single family home is a cool 1 million Canadian bucks. That's nothing to sniff at...but at the same time, it is a helpful mathematical tool to help you wrap your head around net worth stats.

(https://www.zolo.ca/toronto-real-estate/trends)

For example,  if you happen to watch any kind of reality tv, and you search up net worth estimates for some of the celebrities you might be surprised at the numbers.  Looks can be deceiving.

The reality real estate show "Selling Sunset" features lots of overdressed ladies whose net worth, for most of them is only 1-2 million. When you compare that to a Toronto home....that means most of them could only afford one home in Toronto without debt. And that doesn't include the financing of their supposedly lavish lifestyles.

For many of these reality shows, the glamour is funded by the producers of the show and therefore the clothes, shoes, hair, makeup, travel and even the cars and homes are funded by the show producers, with the express intent of making your jaw drop. Anyone can be featured in a fancy home and driving a fancy car.         It isn't rocket science.  These celebs personally juggle debt just like you might...but perhaps on a more epic scale. Letting the "show" pay for everything is par for the course....that's just how Hollywood works.

They get dolled up by professionals to make them look like billionaires....when they are just barely millionaires. Many of them are just getting started on their financial journey. 

A million dollar net worth is just not that impressive anymore.

With regard to high fashion clothes....remember that designers are usually quite delighted to loan or give their garments to celebrities in order to garner  "free" publicity for their labels. Celebrities love freebies too ")

 Enjoy the show....catch a few design or fashion ideas of your own, But don't ever believe for a minute that these celebs can afford such lavish luxury without the glitzy sham of the highly financed entertainment industry.  Entertainment is a business....a hard core industry that knows how to get eyeballs glued to the screen. It's just entertainment....it's eye candy with an end goal to make you a faithful fan.

Looking the part....is not the same as "owning the part". One plus one still equals two....and sound financial management is still your best friend.

 Be well and prosper friends. 

 The world is your oyster.

Peace,

Carla.

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When My Dream is Fulfilled....

When my dream is fulfilled ....this is what it will look like.

I will have instructed more ladies how to trade online for income from the comfort of their home or at the park or wherever they happen to be. Why? 

Because  a woman should be able to create income from exactly where she is.

I want for any Mom at home with her kids to know confidently that yes, she can do this, and that not only is it possible to thrive as a trader, but to prosper extravagantly....not only to meet her own financial needs but the needs of her children as well.

I want to leave a legacy of empowerment for women all around the globe. I want  every woman to know that this "trading/investing" livelihood is a viable option for women, young and old. There is no glass ceiling in trading ...I am happy to report.

Your only limits are your own capacity for seeking knowledge, gobbling it up, and retaining it ....and then using it in the real world. Focus is power. Accurate knowledge will feed your power.

It is not my style to tell anyone how to live or what they should do with their lives. It is simply my desire to embody and teach those chunks of knowledge, strategy and inspiration which have allowed me to prosper as a trader/investor. To show to others that women need not cower in ignorance or conformity to some antiquated idea of what it means to be a woman or a wife or a mother.

Be blessed, my friends, with what you are putting your hand to. May your choices coincide with God's will for your life and your family.

Peace,

Carla.

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Retail Respect

There is one action .....a concrete example of excellent customer service i have noticed lately.

I have experienced this numerous times from a certain financial services company. I won't mention their name because that is not my purpose today. Whenever i call this company with a question or request ...i notice that when the conversation is over...they wait for me to hang up the phone first. They literally never end the call first. That may sound like a very small gesture...

but it speaks volumes of  respect for their clientelle. 

Does your business serve the public? Are your staff closing the door hastily when the sale is complete? Or is there a more gracious exit that says to a person that you respect them as a person and not just their wallet?

peace out, 

Carla.

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God Makes It Better

Too many things now a days have artificial colors and dyes...The above was made by God. Fresh raw juice made from raw beets carrots and apples...that's it. No water added. 

Frugal side notes. The jar is upcycled and the juicer i use often was granted to me by someone who couldn't sell it to anyone at their yard sale. Free does not always mean low quality. Sometimes it just really rocks:)

Peace out, 

C.

The Podium

Where is the podium in your house? To which books are given "royal assent" by the authority figures in your home.

For me, it is the bible, of the Judeo Christian heritage, which is given that place of reverence. When a bible is read aloud, there floats about the house a bit of holy hush...a quiet thoughtfulness and pleasant absorption.

As I do have a fondness for "success" literature and "motivational gurus", I notice that every single one of them has a profound reverence for the act of reading. Every single big time billionaire places a high value on the simple and yet profound activity of reading.

Some folks prefer to listen to audio versions of their fave books, but that is still "almost" the same as reading, other than that it is more difficult to pause and reflect and/or take notes in the midst of an audio recording.

Having a physical copy of a book in your hand just lends itself to thoughtful pauses and reflection. The art of pondering, the ability to hover over an idea until one can see it from every possible angle.

So, in summary I would like to ask you gently, my good friends, relatives and associates and colleagues....who has the podium in your home?

Peace,

Carla

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Coke Pepsi Gates and Buffett

Sometimes it's interesting just to attempt to process and think through the different relationships
and allegiances that influence Wall St.

So, Mr. Bill Gates and Mr. Warren Buffett are best friends. Berkshire, Buffett's creation, owns a lot of Coca Cola shares.

In March of this year, Mr. Gates announced that he is withdrawing from the board of both Microsoft and Berkshire. Is it possible that Mr. Gates' withdrawal from these boards will help him not to feel conflicted as he moves ahead with a greater focus on his foundation?

Microsoft, this month of July 2020, announced a 5 year deal with Pepsi co, to have all it's employees use certain Microsoft products and have access to Microsoft teams. ( I'm assuming these are support personnel)

Remember that the Gates Foundation, which is run by Mr. Bill Gates and his wife Mrs. Melinda Gates, is set to receive billions of dollars from Mr. Buffett's Berkshire holdings over the coming years, as Mr. Buffett fulfills his giving pledge to donate much of his wealth to charity.

So what does this all mean? Will there be any tension because Microsoft has linked up with Pepsi, even though the Gates foundation will benefit from the heavy amount of Coca Cola shares that Berkshire holds?

Or, at the end of the day, does it not matter at all?  Maybe there are no passionate loyalties to consumer brands in the C-suites or billion dollar philanthropic powerhouses?

Just thinking aloud today.

Peace, and think on,

Carla.


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It's Frothy Earthy and Raw

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Frothy ....earthy and raw. Ahhh....the best things in life come straight from the earth. This wee sample of the raw juicing I've been doing lately just hits the spot. Contains raw beets, celery, apples, carrots and mini cucumbers....the blend tastes a bit like the store bought V8 juice that my mama used to use to make her famous homemade soup.

It's funny, that when you take things like this straight by drinking it right after you makeit...., it doesn't even seem to matter if it feels like a fruit or a veggie concoction. It just doesn't matter....

Why? Because it simply makes you feel good. Energizes and clarifies. The beets add an earthy grounding to the beverage. I hear that beets are good for your blood.

Well, that's all for now. Hope you are all able to face the new realities in your current locations, whether you are in a lockdown situation or a more "open for business" type of work climate. I pray that God will give you the patience to make your way through these times. He is still God....still good and cares about you, your needs and your household.
Peace,

sister C.