 |
 |
Spreading Contagious Enthusiasm™
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
December 2009 Newsletter
|
|
CHRISTMAS 2009
"The flow of blessings in our lives is directly related to our passing blessings along to someone else."
-Thomas Kincaid
Dear Friends,
Well, it has been an interesting year! I think we have all learned what it means to rearrange our priorities and simplify our lives. I always choose a theme for my year, and this year it was "Rebuilding Relationships." I decided that God surely has a sense of humor because, with the economic situation and the postponement of many corporate meetings, He has given me extra time to do just that! ;-) However, as with any "bump in the road," there have been amazing blessings, and I have gotten to spend extra time with many people I love. One brand new delightful experience has been emceeing meetings.
Last year I spent Christmas in Portland with my children and grandchildren from Portland and Seattle, and then Erin, my youngest daughter, flew back with me and we took a 4-day Carnival Cruise from Tampa to Cancun, Mexico. It was cheap, fun, and a special bonding time for us. I highly recommend it! In mid-January I had major sinus surgery, which was long overdue, and was blessed to have a wonderful doctor, Nancy Cobb coming from Chicago to stay with me, and many other friends helping out.
In March I traveled with my friend, Barbara Sadek, to the Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu, Peru, on a trip sponsored by KU. As a result of the unique wildlife of the Galapagos, Darwin was inspired to write his classic, "The Origin of Species." We were intrigued by the giant tortoises (we saw "Lonesome George," the only one left of his species); the frigates (the males blow up their red chests like big balloons to attract the females); and we especially loved the Blue-footed Boobies, all completely indigenous to the islands. We also climbed volcanoes and hiked through rocky islands filled with both marine and land iguanas. This is definitely a trip for nature lovers!
On the first day when we arrived in Ecuador, we were on a bus going to some of the craft villages when our guide pointed out a beautiful glacier in the distance. We all took pictures out the bus window. Later that afternoon as I was going through my pictures, I discovered that the ones I took had a perfect white cross in the sky. NO ONE ELSE on the bus had that in their pictures even though they were all taken at the same time, so I felt that it was a special sign that my late husband, Charlie, was watching over us.
Machu Picchu was both a physical and a spiritual adventure! The beauty is breathtaking, and the skill of the Incas to build this city shrine in the highest mountains of Peru was beyond imagination. Although nearly all the pictures you see of this site are misty and foggy (very mysterious), we were blessed with a beautiful, sunny day and as a result, were able to climb to the very top. It was an unforgettable experience! (You can read my diary of the entire trip on my blog, www.barbaraglanz.com/blog.) I loved South America so much that this February I am taking a cruise with a friend down the East Coast - from Rio to Sao Paulo, Montevideo, and Buenos Aires, one of my favorite cities.
In early May I was blessed to be invited to Ken Blanchard's 70th birthday party in San Diego with all his co-authors. What an amazing experience to spend 3 days in discussion groups with such outstanding minds, and we had fun, too! Watch on my website for the video of how I originally met Ken through a chance meeting in the Ladies restroom! ;-)
I spent Mother's Day in Portland with Erin and Gretchen, Randy, Owen (4) and Simon (2). The Gawliks had come to visit in Florida in February, and Gretchen brought the little boys again in August. They love GrannaBarbara's beach and pool! Owen called me recently to tell me that he had all his flipflops and swimsuits by the front door and he was coming to see me "in two weeks." He is already riding a 2-wheeler without training wheels! They are precious, and we often do video chats through Skype. I recently spoke at the Minneapolis Zoo and bought a bunch of masks, so I tell them, "Someone wants to meet you," and then I come back with a gorilla, giraffe, or zebra mask on. They love it and think GrannaBarbara is very silly! Randy is still looking for the right job as a webmaster, and Gretchen recently began working part time in the evenings at Ikea.
Garrett, Ashley, Gavin (11) and Kinsey (nearly 9) came for a few days in June. I am spending Thanksgiving with them in Seattle where they have just purchased a new home. Garrett is still working for Microsoft in Marketing and manages a team of 40. Ashley this year is the president of the private school that Gavin and Kinsey attend. Gavin just started football and is mightily into video games. Kinsey loves soccer, her American Girl doll, and Sophie, their BIG puppy. I have told them that the summer they turn 12, they can choose any city in the US and I will take them alone for a 4-day weekend. Last year Gavin called to tell me that he had just learned Hawaii and Alaska were in the US! This year he called to say we are going to Cedar Point, OH, the roller coaster capital of the world!!!! Oh, my......AK and HI don't sound so bad now....... :-(
Erin finally has a fulltime job in the fashion industry for True Collaborative Fashions, a company that represents designers of organic lines. She loves it and has already sold to large companies such as Anthopologie. Last spring the Dean of the Art Institute asked her to teach the class on how to produce a fashion show because of her experience managing Portland's largest fashion show the year before. She did such an amazing job that they have asked her to teach again next spring - at 5 times the pay (and she doesn't even have a master's degree). I am so proud of all my children and grandchildren for the joy they are bringing to the world.
Although business has been slower this year, I have had some precious experiences with new clients like the University of Notre Dame, AZ Governor's Conference, UMB Bank, Carolinas Healthcare, the Joint Commission, US Travel Assn, and the Iowa Clinics, and I have gotten to visit friends in Mesa, AZ; Blowing Rock, Black Mountain, and Charlotte, NC; Indianapolis; KC; the SHRM national convention in New Orleans, the Veteran Speakers Retreat in MD, and the NSA convention in Phoenix. Another highlight was going to Ken Blanchard's Board meetings in NYC where I saw 4 shows in 3 days AND the Naked Cowboy (pictures on my blog)! ;-) I have done a number of radio interviews, been nominated for the 8th time for the Speaker Hall of Fame, and am working on three new books. It is my special joy to serve on the National Advisory Council for Guideposts as well as the Lead Like Jesus Board of Directors. On a more personal note, I continue to experience the joys and traumas of dating again
after 34 years of marriage.
As I think about the year, I am deeply touched with all the special people in my life - family, friends, clients who become friends, and all those in my audiences. God has blessed me mightily, and I pray those blessings for each of you in 2010. Thank you for being a part of my life.
Blessings,
Barbara
BARBARA HONORED ON THE COVER OF "WEST COAST WOMAN"
Barbara is featured as the cover story in the December issue of "West Coast Woman" magazine, in an interview with Carol Darling. View the article at http://www.westcoastwoman.com .
NOTE: To see a full size version of the Christmas collage, go to www.barbaraglanz,com/news/newsletter.html |
|
|
|
|
|
© Barbara Glanz Communications, Inc. 2009. All Rights Reserved.
Permission is granted to reproduce or forward this newsletter with copyright and contact information intact. If you are receiving this as a forward and would like your own no-cost, no-obligation subscription, enroll at www.BarbaraGlanz.com or write SUBSCRIBE in the subject of an email to: bglanz@barbaraglanz.com. To stop receiving it, write UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
Back to www.barbaraglanz.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
