Hi ladies! I'm going to atttend the Los Angeles Booming Women Conference February 23-25. This 3-day conference will be great for baby boomer women, and especially entrepreneurs, speakers, authors, etc.

I have a friend who registered that may not be able to go, so I am trying to find someone to take her place. The only cost to you would be $135 to share a room with me at the Westin LAX (two nights) and your meals. If you fly in, there is a shuttle from the airport to the hotel so you won't need a rental car.

If you are interested in attending, please PM me asap!! I think this will go fast. Here's the schedule for the conference:

FRIDAY

1:00-1:30 Opening Ceremonies

1:30-2:15 Will The Real You Please Stand Up? - Fran Harris

2:30-3:30 Self-Esteem, Success & You - Artemis Limpert

3:45-4:45 Breakout #1 - Trainwreck To Triumph - Teri Werner

Breakout #2 - Fabulous at Any Booming Age - Dr. Debra Nixon

Breakout #3 - How To Make Money On The Internet in the next 30 Days!

5:05-6:00 A Question Of Change: Creating The Powerful Change You Need - Teri Werner

6:00-6:30 Closing Ceremonies

6:30 - 7:30 DINNER on your own

7:45-9:30 Entertainment & Networking



SATURDAY

8:15-9:00 Opening Ceremonies - Who Moved My Millions? - Fran Harris

9:00:-10:15 How to Look 10 Years Younger Without Surgery - Cynthia Rowland

10:30-11:30 The Art of the Business Lunch - Robin Jay

11:45-12:55 Create Your Dream Life - Marcia Wieder

12:55-2:05 LUNCH on your own

2:10-3:10 Make Your Book A Bestseller - Jacqueline Marcell

3:25-4:20 Step Forward In Your Life - Artemis Limpert

435-530 Breakout #1 - Six Figure Speaking Secrets

Breakout #2 - Financial/Estate Planning

Breakout #3 - Rewriting Marriage: Creating Relationships That Work - Dr. Debra Nixon

5:45-6:15 Closing Ceremonies

6:30-7:30 DINNER on your own

8:00 Networking



SUNDAY

7:15-8:15 VIP Breakfast

8:15-8:30 Opening Ceremonies

8:30-9:20 The Courage To Fly: How To Transition Into The Career You Want - Brenda Ferguson Hodges

9:35-10:30 Our Lady of Weight Loss, Fitness & Wellness -

10:45-11:40 Inspirational Keynote - Artemis Limpert

11:55-1250 Boomer Fashion Show

12:50-1:50 LUNCH on your own

2:00-2:50 How To Get Millions In FREE Pubicity on Radio & TV

3:05-4:05 Inner Fitness Living - Dr. Louise-Diana

405-5:05 Breakout #1 - How To Be A Spunky Old Broad - Dr. Gayle Carson

Breakout #2 - Exercise Your Face to Look Healthier - Cynthia Rowland

Breakout #3 - How To Be A Home-Based Business Superstar

5:15-6:00 Closing Ceremonies - You're Inspired, Now What?

***Speakers, topics, titles & times subject to change without notice

Is anyone interested? This will be a fun girl's weekend!

Sorry, I can't make it but it's a steal for someone.

chick

Wish I was back in LA. I'd go with you, Kathy.

Bringing this back up again to see if anyone is interested.

Kathy

I'm posting to keep it active...sorry, I can't make it, either!

Thanks Jane! I'm sure someone will see this the day after the conference ends and say "Dang, how'd I miss that??!!"

Come on ladies. This is an excellent opportunity. I'm sorry I can't take you up on it but I'm already busy those days. I hope to see boomer women at the other conferneces in Texas and Lauderdale.

Last call for this free admission to the Booming Women Conference - send me a private message if you're interested.

Kathy

Meredith came with me, and you can see us here!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74tZMXVbWJ0

Oh my gosh, now I can see how much I really need to lose weight!! I already knew I need to lose weight, but the video really shows it! Yikes!

We had a great time, very motivating, and I am moving forward on my biz in ways I never thought possible, thanks to the information the speakers shared at the conference.

If you're anywhere near Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, or Dallas, AND you want to be an author, do public speaking, or have a biz you want to grow - this is the conference for you. Very motivating!

Kathy

Here's the link if you want to learn more or sign up:

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=1729135

I watched the video...Cathy and Merdith...you both looked awesome! I'm glad it was such a wonderful experience.

Here's the link to the video, in case you missed it on the previous page:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74tZMXVbWJ0

Great to seee that you gals had a ball...I was envious and if I lived in you neck of the woods(or even near) I would have jumped at the chance. It was lovely to see Merideth also....as we say in Ire...nice one lasses.

Popea

You two gals looked goreous and sounded so awesome! I love this being able to see AND hear you all!

It's nice to put voices with you two we communicate with on this site. You two are AWESOME and the energy was infectious. Maybe one day they'll have a show in Mobile Alabama so I can come.

Sob! Can't see any videos or listen to JJ's juke box. Something is direly wrong with my compoooooter. I hope it is fixed by the end of the week...or I'll look like Cookie's little computer man!

And I missed out os seeing Cathy because I was 'down' and 'out' when she was here in Vegas. Hey, maybe I'll take a ride up there when the weather gets nicer, and visit her. I have missed her twice now,bummer!!

You are beautiful just the way your are, Kathy.
Enjoyed seeing you both and hearing what you had to say.
I don't have a business to grow, but it sounds like so much fun! Looks like you all cut up a bit...
Happy you had a great experience and can feel your newly found motivation through my screen! Keep on keepin' on...

Remember videos put on pounds!

Looks like the two of you had fun. Share more, please.

I'm baaaaack! Kathy and I -- and pretty much everyone else -- had a really great time. I've been MIA for 3+ weeks because I've been on a paper-filing, computer-file-organizing, housecleaning, website-updating binge. I kept doing it because I WAS doing it -- I usually flake out after a coupla hours, and I NEVER have sustained this much unpleasant work more than 2 days. So as long as I was on a roll, I wasn't gonna quit!

Quite probably the convention was the catalyst. The AHA! moment was when I realized that my biggest problem in getting where I need to in life is -- not lack of confidence, not lack of talent or creativity, not lack of goals -- but the presence of 500 tons of clutter and stuff I don't want to do, hanging around my neck. The stuff that I always avoid, and then get depressed because there's too much and I'm overwhelmed, so then I don't do it and I get even more depressed.

So I did it. Not everything that needs to be done, but an awful lot and I'm really proud. No depression and no computer games. I followed a schedule for 3 weeks of stupid boring things, and when one stupid boring thing threatened to overwhelm me, I just switched gears and did another different stupid boring thing. All day, every day (except when I had to attend to the jewelry biz), no breaks. I didn't give up, not once.

This is my first break of unscheduled relaxation. I work over the weekend. Then Monday, I finish off the last batch of "stuff" I have scheduled. Tuesday I order the bathroom tile (remember the tiles? OK, I've been sidetracked...), buy the bathroom paint, and start painting.

I'm really amazed at how much I did.

Meredith, reading your post gave me my own AHA moment. I need a good kick in the behind to gut this place out. Where do I start and how do I keep it up. I have made several attempts but can't stay focused. My sister is coming to visit in July. I need to be motivated now though. Any suggestions?

chick

I'm so glad you posted this, Meredith. I need the encouragement to clean up. Now I need to put the time into it.

Great going Meridith!

I've learned over the years that organizing and cleaning my house as well as being there almost 24/7 with a business is a big PAIN!

I have a big problem with papers and then my 2nd area of horror is my garage. I realized that since I left NY I don't do spring and fall cleaning, the way I'd grown up with. Funny how the seasons aren't so cut and dry as they were in NY, when I didn't have enough space to have two or three seasons of cloths in the closet.


I have hired organizers in the past, and this time I found an organizer to barter with and she's already cracked the whip once (I did give her permission) and will do so again next week.

It's amazing what I'll do with someone standing over me

The other thing I do is host Integrity Days... to keep me in integrity and organizing is one of the many things I do.

Wow, Meridith. You really stuck to it! And you seem to have motivated others to do the same. Thanks for sharing.

HIP, HIP, HOORAH, Meredith....Doesn't it feel really good to know the jobs nearly all behind you now. The key is to keep up with it now and not let things get to that depressing point again.

been doing something similare becouse i get readiy to move house but i having trouble being consistent with getting the junk out the way as i don't want to moce it then have to throw it away ...once done i feel better and less sufficated thanks Mbead for not giving up and doing it dailie...i should follow your lead

OK, I'm starting tomorrow...I promise. I'd rather sit down and cry. I hardly know where to begin. I promise never to be a pack rat again. It is so hard for me to get rid of stuff. And it's just stuff. Where is a good place to start? Any suggestions?

chick

Hello...my name is Queen Jaw Jaw and I'm a pack rat. (sigh...)

Hello...my name is Chickadee and I am a pack rat. (sigh)

Would the real pack rat please stand up?

This reminds me of that old game show, what was it called?
I think it was What's my Line? LOL

I need to do some of the same here. My closets are in bad shape. But mostly I need to get my things organized and get on a schedule and then stick to it!

What's your secret Meredith? I don't think I could stand to clean nonstop for 3 weeks straight. You are an inspiration!

Chick, I think the best place to start is by finding a place for everything and then putting everything in its place but I've never been able to accomplish this yet.

Chick, I just remembered about the fly lady.
Flylady.com I think. I used to get her emails. Anyone still do this? She gives you jobs to do, and has tips for eliminating Chaos (Can't have anyone over syndrome) Maybe she can help us get started.

I cleared out my wardrobes and shoes...edited out unworn items.Somewhere as new so someone will benefit at the charity shop.I believe I stored items during a spell of reative depression.I see as I declutter I was in a state and I am so happy I have moved on.
I love the space I have created...and intend to keep on top of things...
Mountain ash

well one tinie steap for mankind but a huuuuugh one for me ....lol so far got the livingroom cabinate dune and the important papers, bills, documents drawers done lol ...why did i have 2 yrs of credit card, phone bill etc payment slips keept!!!

anyway no more they are bined..so whats next?

Meredith, that's a lot of work. You go girl.

I go through my daughter's room twice a year and clean out the clutter and outgrown clothes and give her room a thorough cleaning. Today is the day we're going to do that. UGH! It's no fun. There's the whining and stomping of feet and that's just me. It's always nice when were finished though.

Laurel

Ugh, just finished cleaning off my desk and putting books somewhere else. The Cox guy is due any time now to install my High Speed Internet, I am so excited. I will also be getting new phone service from Cox as well. I figure, in for a inch, in for a mile.

Hello, my name is Anno (aka Grannie Annie) and I am a TOSSER! I sometimes throw away or give away too much. I have been known to look all over for something and it is gone. Must have given it away!

I didn't even make a stab at it. I took one look, turned on my heels and closed the door. I'm weak.

Hello. My name is Hannelore, and I'm a mountain builder.

If you look down, from about two miles above my desk, you will see a beautiful snow-capped mountain range. Somewhere in between you may spot a tiny bleached blond head, hunched over a keyboard, typing madly away.

But wait! Are those eyes playing tricks on you?

Zoom in and those beautiful mountains slowly transform to stacks of paper growing by the minute. They threat to topple over and bury the mad typing woman under them! She need helps! Dire help! Never mind the organizer, call the mountain patrol!!!!!!

Mountain control, come in. Our dear Hannelore is is desperate need. Please bring the plow.

My name is Dotsie and I am a tosser, especially since cleaning out Mom and Dad's house when they moved. Seeing what Mom collected through the years, scared me. I couldn't go down that path.

Someone, and I'm sorry I can't recall who it was, suggested in the New Year resolution post that she was doing a drawer, closet, cabinet one at a time. I adopted that routine and got my kitchen finished by doing only one little thing a day, It feels so good to have everything in it's place.

Meredith, thanks for posting this. Now I need to move to our bedroom!

Watch out, chatty's getting high speed. You're gonna love it girl.

Hi Dotsie,
I believe that was me posting about my resolution to clean one cabinet and closet etc. per day.
Too bad I didn't stick to my own plan....
It's never too late to get started though right? Right????
Someone please help me get started!
Hannalore, I'll help you, if you'll help me.
Or maybe we can both get Meredith to come help us.

Go Hi-Speed Chatty!

TVC15...
listen carefullie to me. Get up go to the cubord/cabinet open it and dive in and do it, ok...ya got your orders girl..

i just gonna go do bathroom cabinate/shelves now...

LOL! Hi-speed Chatty! I love it. Chats you got yourself a new moniker.

I have made the move girls.

Hello, my name is Queen Jaw Jaw and I am a half-as_ tosser.

What?

At least I started. My kitchen table is a catchall. Is anyone else's? I put all my mail, papers, purse, bags of books, etc., on that table. Now it is a huge table. It was built in the early 1800's by my ggrandfather. It is 90" round with a pedestal in the center. Just giving you a visual of how much "stuff" it holds.

I have a quilt over it as a tablecloth because the sucker is so large I can never find a tablecloth to fit it. ANYHOOOOO....This is where I put it all.

I cleaned it off. Sort of. You can see the quilt now.

I alsooooooooooo...(I'm feeling puffed up about moi) started putting my files in folders and have them laid out in the floor of my office. I'm filling them up a little each day and labeling them so that I can hopefully get them in the file cabinets. I HATE FILING. So this is a big step for me.

Anybody else got any Confessions of Clutter?

Confessions of Clutter: What's on your Kitchen table?

Let's start there.

3 boxes of Sculpy clay, several babies in the making, mini fairies, 1 hanging male fairy (anatomically correct) and headless (can't leave him hanging he needs to be baked soon).

This is my release hobby. I work my troubles and cares away. 1 unfinished yawning, bored fae.

Well here's a picture.

These are still in the making...needs leg, bum work. It's my 'twitterbug and flutterby' series. My nicknames for my girls when they were small.

Needs lots more work. face, fingers etc.

They are very tiny pieces. A long way from finished but wanted to give you an idea how small they are
.
.
.

Well that's whats on MY kitchen table. Whats on yours?

bread crumbs...

Chick, your kitchen table is much more interesting than mine.
Maybe you should model little elves...you know like the fairy tale in the Elves and the Shoemaker.
Sprinkle a little magic dust over them, and they'll clean the whole house while you are sleeping. sigh.

I'll buy a dozen.

Back again. Been busier than I thought this week, but life is like that sometimes.

Celtic, you're doing pretty good, gal. Chick, at least you're doing something creative on your table! Those pics are wonderful! Everyone -- happy to be of inspiration where I may

There were two parts to the 3-week clean-a-thon: attitude; and specific plans of action. I'll start with attitude.

Cleaning has always depressed me. Filing things has always depressed me. Organizing depresses me (unless it's beads, and then I'm good to go.) But the problem with being depressed about all this stuff is, it never gets done. And then it just gets worse, and I'm overwhelmed, and then I get depressed some more. And then I avoid doing that stuff, because of all of the above. Sound familiar to anyone here?

So the first thing I had to do was break out of that cycle, which is basically a rut.

At the conference all weekend, I kept saying that my biggest problem was time management -- time management being a buzz word for all that cleaning-filing-organizing stuff that I hate. And then something funny happened -- on the last day of the conference, pretty close to the last hour, I stood up in front of everyone and announced that time management was no longer my problem, because I had it under control.

Just like that. A public declaration that I could do something which I had never managed to do before. And in announcing it, I committed to doing it.

And then I wrote down: "My time is valuable. My time is my life. Every moment I waste time, I waste the gift that life has given me.

I will not waste time, because I'm more precious than that. I will not waste my life, because life is precious and I am precious, and I deserve better than to be wasted.

I control my destiny and I control my time. Whatever time I have been given in this life, I will use it wisely."

I repeated this aloud the whole time on my drive home, about 1 hour, while thinking about all the things I was going to do. I imagined myself succeeding -- not being overwhelmed -- and told myself that it was no longer a problem.

In other words -- instead of thinking about how I had failed in the past, I envisioned how I would succeed in the future. Instead of being overwhelmed by the task, I told myself I was stronger than the task. I renamed it -- the chores went from "impossible" to "no problem."

And I did it. Three weeks worth. (Had to do a bunch of jewelry catch-up this week.) Like boulders were lifted from my soul. And tomorrow's chores? No problem. They will be done.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT: Write down whatever you need to do. Keep it in perspective -- this is not cancer, it isn't a child on drugs -- it's CLUTTER, okay? And you are better than that. And stronger than that.

Then write down a statement of empowerment. You can use mine above, or make up your own. Print it out. SAY IT OUT LOUD. Again.

And post it here, in the Forums, where 1000 women will read what you wrote and hold you to it.

Because we believe in you.

next post: some of my how-to's.

Meredith, I am so glad to har you walked away from the conference feeling motivated. Tha'ts what it's all about girl. Three cheers for Meredith. Then you bring you excitement to us so we can catch the spirit. Thank you!

Chick, I can't believe you make those things. Oh my gosh girl. That's unbelievable. Heck, I'd feel good if my counter space was cluttered with such creativity. Do you work on these daily?

My kitchen desk is my spot to clutter and the kitchen bench is Ross's spot to clutter, and we're good at it. I think it's time!

One thing I learned and try very hard to remember is that junk mail should only be touched once!

You wouldn't believe the number of catalogs I toss without even looking at them. The waste of paper is sinful.

Meredith, thank you for posting. I am going to get started as soon as I get back from my fishing trip. I am actually looking forward to it. I will post it here for everyone to see so I will be monitored.

I have lots of paper too Dotsie, wish I could recycle it.

I play with my 'clay' almost every day. I love it. A great release if your over-stressed and a great way to have fun when you're alone. I'd recommend everyone get a box(under 10 dollars) and see what you can do.
All the pics are unfinished pieces, I'll post one finished piecelater.

chick, I'm laughing at your recommendation for me to get clay. The only thing I can do with clay is build a snowman.

Chick, doesn't your town recycle paper?

Chick, I knew a woman who made tea cup fairies. They were remarkable and she built quite a nice business.

When there's too much clutter I start in one place and my mantra is "one piece of paper at a time." Before you know it, the space is clean. Yeah!

Hey, is anyone going to share the beauty and face lift secrets you learned?

Saundra...
You don't need a face lift...you look 15 in your picture...