Gazelle Intense

I am so excited. We will be debt free in the next three years.
Period.
End of Story!

Hmmmm Response to my mission statement and Thoughts about it.

I shared my mission statement with a local Nonprofit coach. She specializes in helping nonprofits generate funds more effectively. Her initial response to me was that she knew that there were databases that match volunteers with prospective nonprofits/volunteer opportunities.  Some thoughts on this:
A) She is right. In fact, my mission statement was a mix of original and borrowed ideas. The original idea was developing a formula for promoting volunteering as a social activity that enriches your life. A borrowed idea that I modified was the magazine for people who are potential donors/volunteers.The borrowed idea was how to do it. (i.e. the database, the media exposure).

So I was stumped for a moment.. Slept on it.. and here is my next step. In order to get creative and develop my ideas I need fertilizer! I have placed a post on Facebook that asks "What do you know about nonprofits?" My plan is to use the KWL strategy to gather information or develop my fertilizer.

This wonderful life coach also suggested that I hope on the twitter wagon. I must say I am intimidated, and yet I see the point in doing this. I would like to set an appointment with her, but am concerned right now about the personal funds to pay for it.

I know that my vision is doable and that I will find a way to get where I need to go. I am not worried about getting a chance to work with her. I understand it may not happen right away. That's okay though, because it will allow me to further develop my ideas and gather information!

Mission of Giving for Life

The Mission of Giving for Life is:
Develop a volunteer force that benefits non-profits and individuals and promoting a lifestyle that involves giving back to the community. Developing a network of non-profits which are used to populate a database which will be used to match volunteers to an agency/cause. Recruiting volunteers via information fairs, a monthly magazine, news paper articles, television, and online marketing. Promoting volunteerism through sales of volunteer oriented t-shirts and caps. Creating fundraising and opportunities for community and nationwide exposure to multiple volunteer agencies in their respective cities. 

Ideas Ideas Ideas

Gratitude is the Atitude, I am in love with giving. It's so inspiring, and exciting. There is always a positive, even if not one dog/cat/etc is adopted, they still had time to be outside, to be pet/brushed/loved on.
I want to make these organizations successful. I want to inspire people to give and experience the joy that it gives you. Will it be a magazine? Fundraising ? I don't know. I just know that if I could find someone like Chris found Brendan, then we could both benefit.
Here's to dreaming and keeping a vision alive!

Today is another day.

Keesha is gone. I don't know how exactly to say how I feel about this. I am ashamed of my feelings because I think I should feel differently. Does it make me cold-hearted? I don't think so. In fact, since we put Keesha to sleep my heart has felt free and unafraid. I believe that our path crossed and we walked it, but then it diverged. In the aftermath, I found my trips to Young Williams Animal Shelter were more difficult once there was a "spot" opened up at our home. Yes, the dogs were happy to have our undivided attention, but at the same time, we had room, and I was surrounded by dogs that didn't have a room to be in. Sometimes it seems as if you are chosen by a dog. My heart was won. She is here now. We have started a new chapter in our lives with dogs.

R.I.P. Keesha February 2011

And so we did.. Keesha's Story, Part 1

I want to write about what is going on with Keesha, but I don't even know how to start. Do I start with the terrible decision that I made last week? Do I start with the long, drawn-out war story or rather, stories that started in 2008, after we adopted her? Or do I start by saying "Thank you."?

Keesha came into our lives when our relationship was quite young. I was excited about helping the local rescue organization, Animal Compassion Network, and talked Brendan into going with me to buy dog food at their great dog non-profit pet store and foster dog kennel. The famous last words I heard as we both got out of the car were, "Cindy, we're not getting another dog!" I remember that I laughed to myself because Brendan sounded like my mother, "No more animals in the house!" So what happened next, was the last thing I expected. Brendan walked into Pet Harmony with me, and while I began the search for our brand of dog food, he wandered back there. He wandered into what I will refer to from now on as "The Vortex". The Vortex is where all sanity leaves, and nothing but pure emotion reigns supreme. Your familiar with it, even if you don't realize it. Walt Disney, Hallmark and Hollywood have monopolized on The Vortex. You've been there, done that.

I digress. I could have started this story by telling you that this was the precise moment that I learned that my boyfriend was emotionally sensitive. I knew that he was, but I do not think that I had any idea just how sensitive he was or how much it would dictate his actions. Never-the-less, after this day, I was to be fully aware of this aspect of my new lover's personality.

"Cindy!", came his voice from the kennel area. "Hey Cindy! Come here!" he called. As I walked towards him, and towards the back of the store I realized that I was seeing a look on Brendan's face I had never seen before. I can't really describe it. He appeared to be excited, and yet sad, at the same time. He appeared concerned, but like I said, excitement was breaking through around the edges. I turned my head, following his gaze, and there she was. Keesha was a hound mix, said her cage card. She was a 75 pound dog, white with black spots like she'd been sprayed with someone's paint brush. She has a perfect black spot on her lower back, above her haunches. The comical aspect of Keesha was her imitation of a cat. She was a tough looking broad, not a silky, long-legged dog. Yet, she was sliding up against that kennel like she was a cat rubbing around a favorite person's legs. I could almost hear her purr, but no matter, she was smiling and laughing as she did it. Keesha has one of the greatest smiles I have ever seen on a dog. I am biased, but I am also serious.

Needless to say, although Brendan was beyond hooked at this point, I was only able to offer up a very feeble protest, borne mostly out of concern for what my mother would say, rather than what I truly wanted, which was the same as Brendan. We wanted to take her home. We wanted to take her out from behind those chain links and love on her and hug her for as long as she'd let us. And so we did.

Strict - Firm. Are they interchangeable? What is the difference?

In my professional world I have learned to expect more so that I can receive more. I had a good coach. She forced me to see it her way. It worked. That's why she is a good coach. Now in my personal life, I have to make a decision. Do I expect more? If I do, then how do I communicate this? It might be easier if we were speaking the same language. My dogs though, do not speak my language. Lately, I'm not sure that we are even capable of coming close. The sad truth is that through lack of knowledge and experience, we've put ourselves in a bit of a pickle. We will put our hands and our wallets in the hands of professionals and hope for the best.