YESSSSSSSS!!!!!!

I just donated some exercise equipment and lots of books, DVDs and videos to the Women's Ministry at Church For All Nations in Tacoma, where I worship. I forgot to get inside my CD cabinet while Vernita was here and donate some of those, too, but I can always take them by on Saturday morning -- or give them to her tomorrow morning before our walk at the mall. I am simplifying while blessing others and making room for new blessings to come into my life simultaneously. It feels good. I may take another foray into the garage this weekend and see what else can be donated, but I think the vast bulk of it is gone now.

My Realtor and I determined my price for selling the condo (to realize the profit I need to get into a duplex) is entirely within the range of similar condos and homes in this area, so he feels pretty certain it will sell quickly. Vernita came by tonight and saw it for the first time. She was impressed and said, "Oh, yes, you will get that for this condo. It's beautiful." She will be praying for me to sell at for what I'm asking or even more. (If several people want it there might be a wee price war and the price could go up several thousand dollars.)

Tomorrow night I won't be blogging, probably, because I will be going with Vernita over to Pastor Pat's home to show the ladies how to make greeting cards. Oh! And I won't be blogging next Friday, Saturday or Sunday, either unless I decide to drag my laptop along and blog from the beach. And I might do that. Three days without writing might be considered a vacation for some writers, but for me it would be torture!

Today after I caught up at work I wrote note cards to former employers or work associates who might have need for on-hold programs for their businesses. I have already received a bite from a note I wrote last week from someone at Warner Bros. I wrote two and had a fifty percent success rate, so thought I would write some more and let others in on the great news of On-Hold Concepts! (http://www.onholdconcepts.com/). That would be a good thing -- a very good thing. Word is spreading and we are getting at least one new account every day. Not infrequently they will come in five or eight at a time. As soon as a new business gets their on-hold program up and running, businesses that call and hear their new program inquire, "Where'd you get that great on-hold program?" and we get their business as well! It's all a matter of people finding out about us. That's all it takes. The product sells itself once people hear samples and testimonials. Then it's up to us -- the copywriters -- to write the new program so the voice talent and music men can go to work and make it all become the magical thing that it becomes. I ENJOY being put on-hold by our clients because I get to hear the tremendous variety in each program -- and because quite often now I will hear copy I wrote being presented by professional voice talent with marvelous background music so that what I wrote sounds almost too good to have come from me -- but by golly, it DID! (blush) No two are alike UNLESS one business has five locations and requests that they all be the same. We strive for something new each and every time which gives us creatives a chance to engage our brains on a daily basis and dance with our Muse! There's nothing better in all the world than being in the zone dancing with the Source of all creativity!

End of plug. Sorry. I just can't help myself. I'm proud of what we do for businesses. It's like throwing an engaging, enthralling tractor beam on a caller. They are so happy to stay put on hold until the business comes back on the line, they never get cranky or irritated -- and if they call in irritated, by the time they hear a portion of the on-hold program, their irritation settles down and becomes less prevalent... It's almost like a mini-miracle happens: people communicate instead of irritate when they engage a live person again -- and that's always good!

It's quite an inexpensive way of making sure callers feel attended to and respected even while they are on hold. That has to translate into additional good will, and additional goodwill generally becomes additional dollars for a business. They get referrals, testimonials, kudos, awards... What goes around comes around.

But I said "end of plug" two paragraphs ago, didn't ? Okay, I'm serious this time. :)