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Amanda

Hello!! Is it me your looking for??

I wanna rock right.now... (Sing?) No, write! I have a blog - because I love to talk (I know, surprise surprise!) And writing is a natural extension, even though I have been told to "never put that in writing..."

These last couple weeks...ok months! have been busy. Really crazy busy - which is a great thing, but also a tire-you-out need a vacation thing; and last week was no exception. Brent and I had over-lapping conferences - one we were contracted to help out with and the other was BlissdomCanada - A 3 day event on all things Social Media that I attended. (A special shout out to my Parents here - they watched all 3 kids during this time - and one day was my Mom's birthday... yes, I am very grateful...)

One of the sessions I attended was about partnering your blog with other online communities... this is something I've been thinking about for a long time now - so the timing was perfect. There is still a lot of research I need to do to see if there is a fit - and if so, where... I mean really, they must love wine, cheese and Starbucks as much as I do!!

I have my eye on a few Communities - a group of other like-minded women that I admire and respect... now to see if the feeling is mutual!

I'm not above sending them wine, cheese and Starbucks Gift Cards...

Amanda

Inspire Marketing

how you say it is as important as what you are saying...

There has been a lot of talk this past week (and most concentrated this past weekend..) surrounding the upcoming 'ShesConnected' Conference - it is touted as:

Connecting brands and digital women: ShesConnected is holding a full day, hands-on conference and workshop to connect top brands with Canada’s most influential and powerful digital women.

I have the privilege of saying that I have been invited to attend. I had to apply - along of hundreds of others - and was one of only 100 women selected. Yes, only 100 spots were available. Hundreds of women vying for a spot - yes, as you can imagine - that is a recipe for disaster. Women at the best of times are not always the most... hmmm... I'm not going to say it - you get where this is going!

What I am terribly disappointed in *and for transparency I have included that I was invited to attend the She's Connected and BlissdomCanada Conferences* is how the very same women who outright dissed @Sheisconnected saying such things as 'not wanting to have companies 'pimp' their brands to them' - then jumped on the 'I want/need/have to go' bandwagon: as soon as the SWAG was announced... Some of them did end up getting an invite - while others (with more than 2 followers and yes, based on that alone are 'more connected') did not. That is a disappointment. Yes, everyone loves (and deserves!) 'free' stuff - especially really cool free stuff. I would be a liar if I said I didn't.

With all the attention surrounding bullying kids, this is what we see...a group of grown women - acting like children...it is shameful! I’ve been given the honour of attending this conference - and able to say that I am a ‘connected woman of influence‘; yet If one of my clients read something I have said that, by all accounts, appeared to make fun of, talk down to, or bullied another woman - well I would not have any clients left.

At the end of the day - this (or any!) is their event - and they can invite whomever they choose. I know I do - and no, sometimes I don't spell out my reasons; it's my event. Sometimes regardless of how hard you try - you just cannot please everyone. The same goes for being included in or invited to events. Who doesn't love getting an invite - there have been many I've have the privilege of attending, and just as many that I've had to decline - and equally just not been invited. Yes it stinks - but I don't however make the ones that are going (or are not, which is key here...) feel bad.

Amanda

Inspire Marketing: Creating a difference

(email) amanda@inspiremarketing.ca

(web) www.inspiremarketing.ca

(blog) http://inspiremarketinghamilton.blogspot.com

(twitter) @InspireHamilton

An Angel will get his wings...

Friends of ours are going through something NO parent should ever have to... children aren’t supposed to die before their parents. Bad things aren’t supposed to happen to Good people (and no I haven’t read the book - I can’t bring myself to. Not 4 1/2 years ago when my uncle passed away WAY too young and not now either. I pick it up to start and I begin to cry...)

Our friend’s son has been sick for half of his wee life. He is 4 years old. four years old. I can’t even begin to imagine... They are saying their goodbyes - how exactly they are supposed to do this I don’t know? but I feel like a failure as a friend - I could have, should have - but didn’t - do more as a friend. I’m busy... I’m tired... I’m out with my other friends and their children that aren’t sick. yes, I suck as a friend. and what is worse - as I sit here crying over the devastation they must be feeling - I am thanking God that my babies are okay. Reid wasn’t for a long time... he’s doing fantastic now - thank you God - but he wasn’t - and I had some friends that sucked too (and some that still do, but that’s another post and a bottle of wine...)

I am grateful for are the ones that were there for us. That are there for me. The ones that I know I can call after months of not talking - because we are all busy - and know they are there for me. Or the ones that I do talk to everyday - and will meet me for my beloved vanilla latte with caramel drizzle because they want one too... I am thanking all of you now.

I cannot put into words what all I am trying to say - what all I want to say - but my heart is aching. I know that an Angel will get his wings - too soon - but he will be beautiful. I know that a family will forever have an empty, aching spot on their heart and a friend that hopes they know how much I care...

Amanda

Editor's note:

Sadly, wee Tucker passed away peacefully in his sleep recieving his angel wings at 0027 on September 16, 2010. RIP little man, you now have your beautiful Angel wings. xoxo

"The most wonderful time... of the year..." or not

I've been enjoying this summer - it's been crazy-hectic, fun, dramatic and hot! Who wouldn't love to have their days filled with (all) of that?! Yet that little ditty keeps popping into my head... I have mixed feelings on the whole 'back to school' wonderful time of year - time of year... Abby is going into SK this year... yes you read that right - SENIOR kindergarten... my baby isn't a baby anymore. If you scroll back a few posts you will find us at the start of her JK year - I am happy to report that all ended on a fantastic note - heck she even made the front page of the Hamilton Spectator for her Mother's Day artwork portrait of me!! Yes, my little karate kicking, time-outing, asserting her independence little girl finished her first school year with flying colours! It's Abby I'm talking about - of course she did, everyone loved her!

Even faced with this knowledge of how she is becoming a real 'big kid' I can't help wanting to bottle up this time and hold on to it forever. Thankfully twinnies Ashlan and Reid are around to remind me of all the fun things 'little kids' do... and when they start JK - well Mrs. F here is a heads up for you: let me know what kind of wine you like, because a case will be delivered on their first day!

Ah yes - wine... along with Starbucks, cheese and chocolate - is one of my food groups! So you can imagine the horror (read: had to re-adjust the wine budget to account for this increase) when I discovered my (many) purchases at the LCBO are now HST applicable... (well to be fair - although sales tax on alcohol is decreasing, other alcohol fees and taxes are changing to continue to support social responsibility...) I can't take credit for that little tidbit of information - that goes to my friend Jon that works at the Ontario Ministry of Revenue (hey - friends in the MOR are a GOOD thing to have!!!) but he was very helpful in explaining the whole 'what is and what isn't' affected by the HST - click here to find a handy sheet that explains it all. Heck - he was even going to drive to our local Chapters to have my back when I thought they charged me when they shouldn't have...(and who says spending my time on Twitter isn't productive!!) turns out the book BAG I bought is HST applicable - but the many books I bought were not. Okay, fair enough.

So before you head out to do your back to school shopping - make sure you check out Jon's link - it is very informative... while I bottle up this time (need to do something with all my empties...) and enjoy the rest of the summer with the kids!

Cheers!
Amanda

Life happens when you're busy making other plans....

Or something like that the saying goes! However cliche, I know it's true - if the time between my blog posts is any indication...

The last few months have been an adjustment for all of us - but one that I am so very happy we've had to get used to. While working on growing Inspire with Brent has been at times - stressful - it has also got to be the best feeling ever. I am very fortunate to have as a partner someone that I share the same values and ideas, but also my best friend.

Tomorrow is Father's Day -and like my Mother's Day post, as good a reason as any to get together with those I love the most: My Parents and Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Ronnie -who are every bit as important to us! I've been thinking about what I wanted to say about my Dad, and about Brent, my babies daddy... wanting to make sure that what I said would do them justice.

My Dad can do anything - just ask Brent because he's certainly heard it enough times when (anything) needs to be done: 'oh, I will just call my Dad...' and it's true - I don't think there isn't anything he wouldn't do for me... hasn't done for me. He is my hero... he is the man that I based all the other men in my life on. Fortunately I was lucky enough to right some wrongs I made in that department - and met Brent. My Dad set the example for how I wanted my life to be, the kind of Marriage I wanted to have, the kind of father I wanted when I had children... and I am so very blessed that he is such a huge part of our lives... I thank you, Dad, for always being there for me... I cannot bear the thought... well I'm not even going to think those thoughts.

My babies Daddy... My Best Friend... Yes, My Soulmate. I am not afraid to say how pretty freakn' wonderful Brent is! 3 kids under 5 - that is enough to make anyone tired, add in that two of them are twins, and one was pretty sick for a long time - he was my rock... Even though I know it was killing him inside, he was strong for me. And now - well now my rock goes to the LCBO - probably about as often as we go to get milk - for me! and I wouldn't want it any other way: I am so very grateful it's him. I thank you Brent - for all that is yet to be...

So while life happens when you're busy making other plans - take the time to remember and cherish - those that mean the most. Happy Father's Day!

Amanda
Inspire Marketing

"We never know the love of the parent; until we become parents ourselves" ~ Henry Ward Beecher

I've read and heard a lot of things that are really down on Mothers Day - and wanted to add my 25 cents to this...

I'm in the same camp that thinks dedicating ONE day to us Mom's - or special women in our lives - is really kind of funny... kind of like Valentines Day - Brent doesn't need ONE day to tell me he loves me - he does it all the time (no, I'm not trying to score Starbucks points... then again, the Credit Card bill hasn't come in from my girls scrapbook weekend away!...) BUT what I do think about dedicating ONE day to us Moms, Dads - groundhogs and turkey's - is that it's as good a reason as any to get together with those we love and respect - and tell them so. It's the gesture that counts... you know, the 'little things' that matter most.

There was a time in my life that I didn't think I would have the opportunity to celebrate Mothers Day - as a Mom - and now I have 3 beautiful little faces that think I am the bees' knees - something that I wouldn't change for anything. I think I'm a pretty good Mom - and I am because of My better than pretty good Mom. Unconditional love - this is what she has given to me... for that I will be eternally grateful. xo

So while we don't necessarily need the card companies to tell us that this coming Sunday is THE day to celebrate the wonderful women in our lives - look beyond that and appreciate that we are 'given' this day for another get together! I know that I am looking forward to MY day - which includes dinner with my Mom, Aunt and Sister - and the boys in our lives too!

Amanda
Inspire Marketing