An AWESOME Read....

You know a book is good when you find yourself thinking about it when not reading. You know a book is Great when you sneak every idle minute of the day to grab a few more words - even if it is only a page or less. You know a book is AWESOME when you are so ingrained in the story line that the illusion of fantasy presides over the reality of your true existence. So this is an awesome one. A fine and precious literary jewel, titled "Gang Leader for a Day". Sudhir Venkatesh, a graduate student at University of Chicago, has kidnapped my mind. What began as an innocent stroll through the stale airport bookstore, has resulted in a willing resign of myself to a story.
AWESOME Non Fiction has the capacity to do that to me! I relate to Venkatesh on so many levels, as I nearly walked his same path - in so many ways similar, but also so contrast. Sudhir is a graduate student at UofC, majoring in Sociology - a path I once thoughtfully considered, on the advise of my Sociology Dean at NIU, upon completion of my Bachelors Degree in Sociology and Human/Family Services. I ended the formal education there, at least for now. But, Venkatesh has so beautifully served up a true delicacy of words - a narrative of his life as it was lived out on the South Side of Chicago, amidst the gangs, cops and community. Within close proximity to the setting of my younger days, as a child of a South Side Police Officer, I am able to gain a birds eye view of the many characters in my life. It amounts to an adult, sociological perspective on the life I lived along side these cast of characters. Eye opening, edge of my seat entertainment, hitting so close to home that it leaves me wondering what world I am REALLY living in!
Read it - and then we need to talk :) ~Jodi

LOVE this Site

Ok, this may come as no surprise to ANY of you. Maybe I have had my head under a rock, but I discovered an AWESOME site, that is a vitual shopping mall of all handmade items - www.etsy.com. I am a HUGE fan of hand made. And, as a business owner myself, I want to support other small business owners. I LOVE dressing my daughter in unique and adorable clothes (my son has put a STOP to all of my "nonsense" when it comes to him :). Anyway, I am a major boutique, high end fan, but I can not justify the boutique prices, especially since their is a 50% chance that grape jelly will be spilled on the outfit during it's first "appearence". Well, I have found a happy medium with Etsy. Three of my favorite shops are listed below:

K Bella Bambino
Neskat
The Lucky Pebble

Try Etsy. I do not think you will be disappointed!!

Good Night.....................Jodi

This Blog HAS A PURPOSE!!

I want this blog to serve a real purpose. A need as I perciece it. A need, that I have been gifted with experience to help with. I have a passion - a burning desire to see Mom's find an outlet for creativity and income in their OWN HOME. I want mothers (or fathers) to use the current resources in this world to accomplish their desires to be at home raising their children. That is, if this is their heart's desire. I believe I have this passion because I experienced that horrible sinking feeling in my stomach when I realize that I was possibly going to HAVE to go back to work, soon after that that plump little baby forming so beautifully inside of me was born. I want to network, as I have in the world, but now in the virtual world, to discover legitimate work at home opportunities. I want women and men to know that Scentsy is a VERY VIABLE work at home option, with prospect for great income and personal satisfaction. But, I want those who are NOT interested in Scentsy to know that there are other options. I want a resource, readily available to seeking men and women, that provides legimate and potentially successful work at home options, so that they can avoid the heartache of scamming, that seems to exsist to play on these strong emotions that parents have to WANT to be with their children. I want women and men to know that their skills that they learned in school and in the working world are not in vain, just because they have made the conscious choice to pull themselves out of Corporate America for the sake of their heart's desires. I want them to know that they have been blessed with gifts, that can be used to generate income, while pursing their heart's desire of remaining at home with their children. I want women, like me, to know that once their children are in school, they can have the freedom to work their own schedules and hours, while being able to remain in the home, for those days when their children happen to be sick or just to maintain the homefront. I want them to pick their children up from school, usher them home and BE WITH THEM. I want people to KNOW. I want to find resources to GIVE. And, I want to MENTOR them on how to MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!
If you have a LEGITIMATE work at home opportunity that you would like to share with me, to help me compile resources - please do. I will be checking out ALL of these opportunities out in depth, before I refer ANYONE.

Blessings - on the home front, working world, or BOTH!! ~Jodi

Who would have known?

I certainly would not have known what an exciting world it is in website development!! I am currently working with a HUGELY professional and FANTASTIC web developer. She is creating an "external" Scentsy website for me - to provide me an online presence with my business. It is so exciting to participate in this process, and to help develop a picture of what is MY business!! It is a reflection of me and how I run my business - how exciting? I love to see my vision develop before my eyes. I am so excited to finalize the site, and officially enter the "online" world. I can only imagine where this can take my Scentsy business!! I have done 1 year of work with out using the internet to promote myself. I have done it the old fashioned way, and I am proud to say, I ranked #4 in the company, as a result. But, with an online presence, I feel like I am taking my efforts to a new level. I am ready for it. I WOULD NOT have wanted to START my business with an online presence. But, after one year of success and "pounding the pavement", I feel that I can serve customers and consultants WELL by developing an online relationship. I know my stuff now and I am ready to pass it on. Thank you to Lisa, from "My Colorful Treasures" for developing this FANTASTIC site. Lisa - you have a heart of GOLD and you want to see your customers satisified. You are a WEALTH of knowledge, and you are happy to pass it on. I would ONLY choose you and trust YOU to help me create and maintain an online presence. You can view Lisa's website at http://www.webdesign.mycolorfultreasures.com Thank you, Lisa - I can not wait to see my total package in the end. It is going to be FABULOUS! Jodi

Retro Image

I just had to incorporate this fun retro piece into my blog. The intent was to make it part of the "internals", but let's face it - I AM NOT SAVY! So, here it is - in all it's little glory. I love this piece - it's retro and brings me back -the meaning of the word, right? Well, since I was unable to incorporate it into the site, I wanted to give it some credit and cudos. I love you little retro wallpaper - maybe someday I can find a way to make you part of my "internals"!! Good Night..........