What Is Barbara Howard Thinking?

Hello world!

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:18:39 +0000

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Focus on Your Strengths

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:26:00 +0000

In Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham encourages us to identify and play to our strengths rather than to eliminate or work on our weaknesses. I think the hardest thing about this approach is actually knowing what we are good at since our tendency as entrepreneurs is to want to be good at everything. Yes being at least competent in most things is a necessary part of the entrepreneurial life, but I’ve realized that we don’t have to be super-human. It may seem obvious, but what I have learned about myself is that I am really good at starting things—having a vision and doing what is absolutely necessary to at least execute on enough of that vision to get it off the ground. Others, however, are better at making my vision beautiful, transforming it into a lovely perfect rainbow that even I could not have foreseen. Recognizing these facts about myself and others is quite freeing and has allowed me to be more open to the world around me and to what each unique being in it has to offer.

A Historic Day in America - The World Reacts to President-Elect Obama

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:11:00 +0000

Miami Book Fair International 25th Anniversary!

admin — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:21:00 +0000

Interview with Co-Founder, Mitchell Kaplan & Lissette Mendez (Comix Gallery Event Coord)

MBFI Co-Founder, Mitchell Kaplan & Lissette Mendez (Coordinator of the Comix Gallery Event) will join me on tonight’s program to give you a sneak peak of the upcoming Miami Book Fair International event.

The mission of Miami Book Fair International is to promote reading, encourage writing, and heighten an awareness of literacy and the literary arts in our multi-ethnic community.
First called Books by the Bay in 1984, the two-day street fair has evolved into the largest and finest book fair in America. Attendance grew steadily and, by the late 1990s, hundreds of thousands of book lovers were eagerly participating in the annual literary festival.

Today, Miami Book Fair International is a full-scale international event that includes a Sunday-to-Sunday schedule of stellar programs, readings and special activities.

The centerpiece of the Book Fair is the highly impressive Festival of Authors. Previous year’s guests have included prize winning authors, recipients of the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, Casa de las Americas Prize, Pushcart Prize, O’Henry Award, National Magazine Award, Commonwealth Prize, MacArthur Fellowship, and Edgar Award. Along with many American voices, there will be international voices from Argentina, South Africa, France, Cuba, Guatemala, England, Mexico, Hong Kong, Spain, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Bosnia, Trinidad, Russia, Taiwan, Haiti, Finland, Canada, and the Philippines.

Mark Your Calendar & Join the Conversation here on TRB!

AND …

We’ll be broadcasting LIVE with interviews …

over 2 dozen authors during the event.

Friday & Saturday, November 14-15 starting at 9:00am Eastern.

You don’t want to miss it!!

Live Broadcast by Ustream.TV

Barack Obama ‘Dreams from My Father’ Interview Transcript

admin — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:17:00 +0000

Watch the historic vote:
Barack Obama & Family go to the polls, November 4, 2008

Barack Obama Dreams From My Father Transcript

6 Interesting Things About Me

admin — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:42:00 +0000

One of my Twitter buddies, @neosoulsister (www.neosoulessentials.com), tagged me for the 6 Interesting Things Game. Now I have to tell/confess 6 things that people don’t know about me.

1. I was baptized in the Jordan River in Israel.

2. I was a speech writer for the CIO on detail to GSA from the State Dept in Washington, DC.

3. I was married at historic Ft Myer Chapel, horse-drawn carriage, honor guard, the whole 9.

4. I traced my genealogy documented in the US back to 1811.

5. I am a member of the Official Elvis Insiders Fan Club

6. I love all the old cartoons & b/w movies of the 50s & 60s, especially musicals & quote/sing songs from them daily.

Okay now to tag six more tweeples.

@davidbullock
@romanticways
@roxanneravenel
@radioproducer1
@pastor_robert
@sacredglo

Show Me the Money - Preparing For College

admin — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:30:00 +0000

Most college students are paying anywhere from $15,000 to $28,000 a year for a college education. That isn’t cheap.

The good news is you can find a lot of financial assistance for college very easily. You don’t have to go searching around the world. In fact, you can do it from the comfort of your very own home or desk.

You can search for financial aid for college on the Internet. NOW…

Here is the catch.

There are a lot of information or internet sites that “claim” to offer information about college financial aid and tuition assistance. 95% of these don’t offer really helpful information. In fact, they are nothing more than ads placed by spammers or advertisers looking for pay-per-click income.

So, you may find within a few hours of searching on your own on the Net, that you are frustrated with it. You may give up. This is the last thing we want you to do, because there IS information on the Net you can use to finance your college education, whether you are an undergraduate or a graduate student.

What you need to know is WHAT and WHERE.

You need to know WHAT types of information is available and WHERE to look for it, so you don’t spend hours and hours looking up information on those phony sites that are put up by affiliate marketers and spammers.

Here are a few helpful websites.

Feel free to leave a comment with resources that you recommend!

Grants.gov – http://www.grants.gov/ - This site is not for students alone, however students can use the information on this site to find grants that are available for students whether undergraduates or graduates. There are even opportunities for PhD candidates looking for grant opportunities to support their research. You can perform an online grant search or request email alerts for grants that fit the criteria you are searching for.

Education Week - http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/grants/index.html - This is a site provided by GrantsAlerts.com and edweek.org that works to provide information on a weekly basis about grants offered primarily by the US Department of Education and related institutions. These grants are primarily for research or for educational purposes. There are also related articles and stories you can research and information on educational job opportunities. The types of grants offered are less likely to be those that would appeal to undergraduate students. Researchers may benefit from many of the posts applied on this site.

FinAid - http://www.finaid.org/ - This is a good site for someone that wants information on loans, financial aid, savings plans, military aid, and wants to de-mystify financial aid forms in general. You can use their free scholarship search sponsored by “FastWeb” which is another Internet “powerhouse” for financial aid gurus. You can take advantage of financial aid calculators and other tools, even EFC or “expected family contribution” calculators. Why not take advantage of information on savings plans if college is a ways away or if you are preparing for college when your child is still in preschool? It is never too early to plan ahead!

Hey - sign up for my newsletter, Recipes For Life Today, and receive a free download of Preparing for College.

Using Natural Oils for Skin Conditions

admin — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:50:00 +0000

You’ve all heard that the skin is the largest organ on the body; not only does it help protect your body; it is an important part of your appearance. However, it can be difficult to keep the skin healthy at all times – rashes, sunburn and acne may occur and compromise the health of the skin. When this happens, it is not always necessary to reach for an over the counter remedy that may or may not work. Natural remedies are often better for the skin and are more effective.

Natural remedies are safe, but it is also important to proceed with caution where the skin is concerned. They should be treated with the same caution as an over the counter remedy. Each person’s skin reacts differently to different medicines, including the ingredients in many home remedies.

“Natural” does not always mean that it’s right for everyone. After all, arsenic is natural! Don’t use any natural remedies that contain an ingredient to which you are allergic. In addition, be careful with large portions of the skin that need to be treated. For example, if your arm has broken out in an eczema rash, test on a small part of your arm before covering the whole area. By doing this, you ensure that the natural remedy that you use will not irritate the skin condition any further.

Here is a quick list of natural oils that are good for the skin:

Shea Butter – A product of the shea nut, shea butter can be used on the skin for the treatment of sunburn, eczema, stretch marks, scars and wrinkles. Shea butter may be combined with a liquid oil to improve skin “spreadablity”. Of course, it is advised to do a small patch test on your skin to determine there is no allergic reaction.

Hemp Seed Oil – Products that contain hemp seed oil can help reduce inflammation in the skin, such as what occurs in eczema outbreaks and penetrates deep into the skin to help alleviate dry skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Virgin Coconut Oil – An excellent oil for the skin, virgin coconut oil (VCO) may help delay wrinkles and serves as a great moisturizer for the skin. VCO is also wonderful for skin massage.

If you try these natural oil remedies for the skin or products that contain these natural oils, you may find out that they work better for you than those over-the- counter remedies.

Please note that this information is not meant to diagnose or treat any skin condition or disease, nor is it meant to give medical advice. Contact a medical professional on advice on how to treat your specific skin conditions.

This article was provided by Christine Woolard, Owner of NeoSoulEssentials.com

Blog Action Day 2008: Poverty

admin — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:58:00 +0000

As the destruction of Hurricane Ike becomes clear, we urgently need your help to rush emergency food and supplies to the devastated areas.

The hurricanes have nearly depleted our Disaster Relief Fund and emptied the shelves of many of our food banks!

We must get 17 truckloads of food and emergency relief supplies to victims of Hurricane Ike immediately.

Every penny you give today will go directly to helping the men, women, and children left reeling in the wake of these recent disasters.

Your neighbors need you. There is no time to waste. I hope I can count on you today to help provide emergency food and supplies for those in need.

Sincerely,

Vicki Escarra

President and CEO

P.S. Many victims of Hurricane Gustav still need our help and now Ike has brought a new wave of need to our doors. Please give what you can today!

America’s Second Harvest is now Feeding America
As of September 1, 2008, America’s Second Harvest will be called Feeding America. Research has told us that making this change will not only make our mission of fighting hunger and feeding Americans in need relevant to more people, but it will allow for increased awareness of a problem that is hidden to most — 35 million Americans facing hunger. As our new name suggests, our mission is the same as always — to feed America’s hungry.

"No More Foreclosure Evictions!" Chicago Sheriff Takes a Stand

admin — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:56:00 +0000

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

RELATED STORY:

90-Year Old Woman Attempts Suicide Due to Foreclosure Eviction.

AKRON, Ohio - By the time deputies came to escort Addie Polk out of her home of 38 years, the 90-year-old had taken out her life insurance policy and placed it next to her pocketbook and keys in the neatly kept house.

She shot herself in the chest Oct. 1 before she could be taken away from the foreclosed house, which was worth less than its mortgage from the day she took out the loan.

Read the rest of the story here.