Purrs'

Happy Spring Equinox Weekend (to be PC about it)

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Whether you celebrate Easter traditionally, only the fun parts or not at all-have a fantastic weekend and enjoy the start of Spring!

What is a Virtual Easter Egg?– Is it simply a picture of an Easter Egg……like this one?



www.4gloriousgifts.com/gifts.html

NOPE!

A virtual Easter egg is an intentional hidden message or feature in an object such as a movie, book, CD, DVD, computer program, or video game. The term draws a parallel with the custom of the Easter egg hunt observed in many western nations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_egg_(virtual)


Google Tricks, Hacks and Easter Eggs….hmmm?

Easter, also known as Pascha, is always the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox. This year the Equinox fell on March 20th.

This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people
used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

If Easter seems to be a little early this year, it’s because it is only the second earliest date it can be based on the Hebrew dating. This year marks the earliest we’ve seen Easter celebrated in 95 years.

This YouTube is a serious depiction of Good Friday.

Purrs'

When you drop the ball….

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drop the ball (American, informal)
to make a mistake, especially by doing something in a stupid or careless way.
Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms © Cambridge University Press 1998

I’m writing today about something most of us have done done, usually both in life and in our careers. There is a reason for the timing of my writing since we are coming to a Holiday weekend. A time where we juggle more and an opportunity for either work or personal promises are forgotten or dropped.

 

Perhaps when you have “dropped the ball” you felt a little something like the guy above….becoming someone else or a shell of someone else when attempting to recover the “drop”.

You may be tempted to devise some little lie….. or even a large fabrication to pass the blame on to someone else or some situation that deemed you blameless. This turns your human error into an intentional act of deceit and usually doesn’t sit well with either you or the person who suffered your fumble.If they believe you, you achieve only that lie. If they don’t believe you, you lose trust forever. In either situation, you learn nothing.

Good?Evil?

OR


There is a vast difference between feeling like a failure, and actually being one.
-Brian G. Jett

If you want to do the right thing it’s best to be honest.

Believe it or not, there is a wrong way to do the right thing. There is an etiquette to follow.

Neglecting to apologize….(Or, neglecting to apologize properly)-Admitting you were to blame for an error is a great thing, but if you neglect to apologize for it you may send the message that you don’t care about the damage it caused. “I’m Sorry” or “I Apologize” say to a person that you did not intend to cause any negative consequence.

It is very important that you are sincere with your apologies. Saying,

“Hey, Sorry I missed the deadline. I’ll git ya caught up right now!”,

is NOT an apology.

It says,

“I don’t care that you were inconvenienced”

“I don’t need your forgiveness”.

It also implies that it can and probably will happen again.

I found a terrific site on the “Art of Apology”. Perfect Apology

This site goes into detail on the best way to apologize.

It is a great asset to those that don’t have naturally warm sensibilities or who have anxieties over saying “the right thing”.

Also check out Life Learning Today on How to Recover from a Fumble at Work.

In business, the inability to recover from errors could mean a loss of accounts and financial suffering.

In our personal lives it means being misunderstood and the suffering of loneliness.

Or, Madonna’s thoughts on saying sorry….

Purrs', SaVoa

Purrs ‘n Roars – A Resource for Voice Over Talent on Voices.com

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100+ Industry Resources for Voice Over Talent

My Blog has been listed as a Resource for Voice Over Talent on Voices.com.

Voices.com yet again assisted the VO Community with a wealth of knowledge by publishing 100+ Industry Resources for Voice Over Talent. This is an enormous help to the industry. It would be like taking everyone’s messy bookmarks relating to Voice Over, excluding the waste and cleaning it up to where it’s easy to navigate and provides info at a glance.

With all that information, it seems unnecessary to add to it. But since these sites have proven their value to me in business, perhaps they can be a new resource for some of you.

This website is a site of links to anything that a person running a business may need. Like Voices.com, CEOExpress.com created a beautifully organized list in a category specific format. You can link to Legal Issues, Business forms, Trends, Periodicals, Marketing help, SOHO, etc.

Since I am incredibly cheap, Fatwallet is a resource I use to save some Scratch! This site talks about deals, financing issues,links to special finds and also has a “cash back” feature that sweetens the pot!

Check out the links to the FW forums:

  • Hot Deals » King of the forums! Hottest deals, coupons and offers.
  • Expired Deals »Dead deals…but comments and follow-up still welcome.
  • Travel Deals »Hotels, flights, cruises, rentals, and more.
  • Online Auctions »Strategize online auction issues.
  • One Time Use Coupons »Share (or beg for) “OTU” coupons.
  • Free Stuff »Absolutely free stuff.
  • Product Reviews »Here’s your chance! Share your product experiences.
  • Deal Discussion »Discuss deals not currently hot, or ask a deal-related question.
  • Rebate Tracking »Share rebate experiences with community.
  • Finance »Often-cited source of investing and borrowing information.
  • Contests & Sweepstakes »Find a Contest? Share it with FatWallet friends!
  • Computers »Discussion on all things computers…
  • Off Topic »If it doesn’t fit elsewhere, and it’s fit for general audiences…drop it in!
  • Testing 1 2 3 »Create your Frankenpost here! Try posting/new techniques.
  • FatWallet »Questions, comments and suggestions about our site. Be nice!
     

If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life.

–Billy Graham

And, let’s not forget about SaVoa!

Thanks to the crew at Voices.com for all of their hard work! I want to thank Stephanie Ciccarelli especially for her continued hard work, effort and continued contributions to the Voice Community!

Now for some YouTube!

How about an Exclusive Interview with Lead Voice Actor from Witchblade – Jamie Marchi?

Purrs'

World Kidney Day? A Nephro Holiday….

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In an effort to learn something new everyday, I definitely met my goal yesterday when I learned that TODAY is World Kidney Day; a day intended to raise awareness of kidney disease and educate “at-risk” people about the importance of prevention and early detection. I guess today is the official “Nephro” Day…”

Since I do a large amount of my work as KatsVoice is performing Medical Narration and Health Education, I thought a strong mention of this enlightened day would be very relevant.

Image from www.nlm.nih.gov/

Every day our kidneys filter and clean 200 liters of blood – a quantity that would fill about 200 bottles or 20 buckets! Besides this impressive, daily feat, kidneys also help to control our blood pressure, to produce red blood cells and to keep our bones healthy……. Excerpt Taken From www.WorldKidneyDay.org


Take some time today and learn about your risks, prevention and testing available for ESRF (End-Stage Renal Failure). It’s always a good policy to follow to take better care of yourself.

Here are some places to learn more about it:

NKDEP (National Kidney Disease Education Program) http://www.nkdep.nih.gov/
NKDEP is an initiative of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK),
National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS).

Here you will learn more about:

What your kidneys do.
What kidney disease is.
Your risk factors for kidney disease.
How your doctor diagnoses whether you have kidney disease.
Treatment options available for kidney disease.
What would happen if your kidneys fail completely.
Where you can find more information about kidney disease.

You can also watch a video where an African-American woman living with kidney failure shares her story…

Learning, just as everything in life, should be fun!

Learn about your Amazing Kidneys, find events in your community and empower yourself with information to celebrate World Kidney Day at www.WorldKidneyDay.org

And….let’s see what YouTube has for us….

Be Well!

Purrs'

Are you ready to kick winter out of here?

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Daylight Savings Time snuck up on me with little notice. My 8 year old son reminded me of it this past weekend. I thought “Yeah, Winter is finally over!”.

But, after doing some research, I realized that winter has been far from over in our history.

Today marks the anniversary of the beginning of the Great Blizzard of 1888; The most famous snowstorm in American history that lasted from March 11 to March 14, 1888. A storm that paralyzed the Northeastern US Seaboard killing over 400 people. New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut were home to major devastation as transportation was shut down and man people were confined to their homes for up to a week without services with over 40-50 inches of snow falling in a period of 4 days.

If anyone is prone to throwing themselves a pity party this time of year crying for winter to end, read more about how bad it was and could have been here (you pansy):

Impact of this Devastating Storm on New York Transit

Excerpt….” When the storm first hit New York City, the temperature was mild as a light rain began to fall on March 11th, gradually increasing in ferocity. By March 12th these torrential rains changed to heavy snow and buried the unprepared city in drifts of up to thirty feet deep! The temperature plunged and winds reached over eighty miles per hour. This continued for the next 36 hours. Sources vary on the total devastation caused by this massive storm, but over 400 people lost their lives, some 200 in New York City. This snow storm became legendary, earning the nickname “The Great White Hurricane,” after it paralyzed the East Coast from the Chesapeake Bay to Maine. Ships at sea sunk or were grounded, telegraph and telephone wires were down cutting off communication between major cities. All transportation was immobilized. An estimated $25 million was caused in property damage from fires alone. Many cities were hard hit by the blizzard, but New York City was hit hardest of all.”

Children slide in the snow outside the Old Town Hall on Atlantic Square. Congregational Church in the background.

The Stamford Historical Society’s Recount of the event….

Excerpt….“The most famous snowstorm in American history, the Blizzard of 1888, has acquired an almost legendary status. Although there have been many heavier snowfalls and significantly lower temperatures, this blizzard’s combination of inclement conditions has been unmatched in 110 years.

The ‘Great White Hurricane,’ as it was called, paralyzed the East Coast from the Chesapeake Bay to Maine……”

AND…Since I can’t seem to lay off the YouTube Videos in my blog, I need to ask if you would prefer a Medium Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard instead…?

Purrs'

KatsVoice takes a day off to enjoy Durango Mountain Resort’s 5th Annual Ski for Education

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It was a great “powder day” at Durango Mountain Resort. The kids have a four day to celebrate President’s Day weekend and the folks at Durango Mountain Resort hosted the 5th Annual Ski for Education day today. A portion of the proceeds of today went to benefit The Durango Foundation for Educational Excellence.


Photo credits to DurangoMountainResort.com

Now, although I still harbor resentment that our mountain isn’t named Purgatory anymore… I must say that I am incredibly impressed at how well the staff and surrounding businesses handled the incredible crowds…especially since many of the skiers today were school aged.

Some highlights of my ski day included:

  • Being able to ski with my two sons.
  • Enjoying the company of my son’s friend Zach. How’s your book coming along?
  • Seeing more of my sons’ friends on the mountain…It was nice to see you Charlie and Devon.
  • Enjoying the company of a friend. Thank you, Holly. Love ya’ hon!
  • Enjoying a phone call with a colleague and friend over lunch.You made the $8.00 burger worth it…thanks!
  • Seeing a former co-worker. Hi Jessica!
  • Meeting and having a short conversation on the 6-pack lift with the Native American Center Director at Fort Lewis College.
  • Meeting and giving a ride to an employee of DMR. We all enjoyed your company, Ky.
  • Getting happy greetings and fantastic service all over the mountain! You guys ROCK!

If anyone wants to enjoy the friendly atmosphere and awesome snow this year…Come to Colorado…here’s some SPECIALS!

Roars

Boycott Valentines Day! Don’t pay to share your feelings.

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In the voice biz, we communicate lots of things….usually educating, persuading or selling. Commercial Valentine’s Day is a blatant attempt to commercialize how we show love.Boycott Valentine’s Day and be thoughtful, loving and giving every day of the year.

Valentine’s Day has become a confusing and stressful day for many people.

Love it’s its own gift and should be shared freely every day.



Cook a romantic dinner.Pack a sunset picnic.Pick wildflowers on the way home.Burn a CD with hand selected love songs.Snuggle together on a rainy day.Leave little love notes everywhere.Send a love email every day.Take a moonlit walk on the beach….or anywhere. Snuggle together while watching romantic movies.Bring home good coffee or tea.Take a walk down memory lane — visit some of the special places from your early days of dating. Make a scrapbook with photos, mementos, and little notes from you lives together.Kiss in the rain.Ride a ferris wheel.Sneak away from a party and make out.Bring home great take-out, and light some candles.Fix something in the house together.Slow dance to romantic music.Take a nap together.Kiss slowly, touching his or her back and neck and nape — slowly. Make a list of everything you love about him or her.Write a love letter.Clip or email things that make you think of him or her, every day.Go to a movie, ignore the movie, and make out like teen-agers.Take some quiet time and talk about your day.Write little notes, one for each way he or she drives you crazy.Feed each other.Recreate the first time.Sing a favorite song to him or her.Have dinner on the deck, with some candles.Say I love you in a different way, every day.Declare your love, very publicly.Do what comes naturally. Slowly.

This list was inspired by Creative Zen’s 50 Ways to Be Romantic on the Cheap

Roars

Can you hold please?……click….music…..

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Have you ever been placed on hold calling a business?

Of course you have!

When it happens to me, it usually goes something like this…

Business: Please hold.

Me: UhhBusiness: ……click….music…..

Or, maybe they are more polite…

Business: Will you hold please?

Me: Uhh ….yes.

Business: ……click….music…..

Sometimes the “click” occurs prior to me stumbling through an answer. WOW!

It kind of makes me wonder what would have happened had I said NO.

Companies today are working harder than ever to “stand out” to their audience of potential clients. They do whatever they can to generate interest in their products and services: They create White Papers, have an online presence, advertise wherever they feel their audience is and ……then a prospect calls to do business.

Many businesses don’t practice good conversational skills and basic manners.

Here are basic rules everyone in business should practice
1. Always greet someone when they call or visit. Depending on your level of formality of your business and the client, you can adjust the greeting. But, you should always say, “hello” or “hi” when someone visits so that the client feels welcome visiting or calls.

2. Say, “Please” and “Thank you” generously! There is no such thing as saying it too much. Showing these manners shows the other person respect and appreciation.

3. If a person says thank you, you should acknowledge them with a “You’re welcome” or “Anytime!”. This tells the person that they are welcome to come to you again with a request. It is a kind way to say that you invite their correspondence.


“Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward. When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand.” – Anonymous

4. Wait your Turn! Don’t interrupt other people when they are speaking. Never assume you know what the person is trying to say. Oftentimes the act of speaking and being heard is all a client wants. Be sure and give your full attention and really HEAR what they are saying without assumptions or prejudice. Oftentimes, conversational acknowledgments such as: “Uh-Huh”, “Yes”, “Oh”, “I see” tell the other person you really hear them.

“So when you are listening to somebody, completely, attentively, then you are listening not only to the words, but also to the feeling of what is being conveyed, to the whole of it, not part of it.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti

5. Clean up after yourself. No matter who is to blame in a conflict or complaint, be pleasant and gracious. If your client is found to be to blame, don’t gloat or show off, but be kind . If you or your business is to blame don’t sulk or get mad, but be gracious and sincerely apologize.

“If you want the last word, apologize.”

6. Take compliments courteously. If someone praises your business, be gracious and say, “thank you”, and invite further communication.