2 or 3 inspirations

I should begin each Sunday’s check-in with what I found inspirational last week, to set a positive tone, right? So here it is.

My friend Denise and I did our presentation yesterday for a group of around 100 certified medical assistants from across the state. The topic was poverty in America and how it affects people’s health, because as medical professionals that’s the kind of stuff we get CEUs for. But, with our passion for Kenya, Denise and I sprinkled the talk with stories from Africa and pictures of poverty there. After the presentation, one of the attendees who I have known for years told me that we should pass an envelope around for donations. I told her that we couldn’t do that as this was a function of a different organization and one time a past speaker had done that and gotten into trouble. She said that then she would do it herself, to which I answered, “I can’t control what someone else does.” The envelope came back to us at the end of the day with $113 inside. Not a huge amount, but enough to warm my heart. I’m sure that many people didn’t feel compelled to give or just didn’t have any extra money on them. I keep telling my daughter that bit by bit we will raise the $6000 needed for her return trip to Africa in April. Just gotta have faith.

The state conference of this organization is the end of April and they are soliciting vendors for the event. The cost is $100. I talked to the organizer (another friend of mine. It pays to get around I guess.) who said she would waive the fee if we would donate one of our Kenyan items as a door prize. Done. So we already have one date for sale of our Kenyan arts and crafts which our team will bring back the second week of April.

A second (or would this be a third?) inspiration that occurred last week (or should I save this for when I have a bad week? No, must thing positive, there will always be ONE thing good at least in each week) happened at our new assisted living facility in town. I finally went for a tour and ran into all six of my patients who live there. They were all delighted to see me! And one started telling the other women with her about my trips to Africa and that I should do a talk for them all sometime. Just then, the assistant director walked into the room, so Joan immediately introduced us. I told her I would love to do a slide show for the residents sometime and we exchanged business cards. I emailed her as soon as I got home. We will see what happens.

Here is how my week ended up:

1) Run through my power-point presentation a few more times. I ran through it only twice, once by myself and once with Denise who was giving the talk with me. We got through it yesterday and I guess we did okay, as attested to above.

2) Write 1,000 words on the second memoir. Wrote 1,065, so that was impressive.

3) Blog twice here and three times on the Dino Chronicles Yes

4) Read six ROW80 blogs and comment on three of them. Yes, I actually read eight and commented on four.

5) Promote my books on social media once. Hmm? I can’t remember, so I’m going to bet not.

6) Send out five letters asking for donations for our trip in the spring. Actually sent out eight. One person got back to me saying that they would get a check in the mail, but haven’t heard from the rest.  

7) Walk/run on the treadmill three times for 20 minutes each day. Only did it twice. Just not enough hours in the week.

8) Submit a piece somewhere. Yes, I sent an article about my daughter and her nonprofit to the local newspaper in the city where she lives.  

Okay, the days aren’t getting any longer. Yet. But let’s keep the ball rolling and have another productive week:

1) Work on a new power-point presentation, this one will be geared towards kids with the title “Kenya for Kids”. I have two potential groups to give this to and might also present it at the assisted living home in town.

2) Write 1,000 words on the second memoir.

3) Blog twice here and three times on the Dino Chronicles.

4) Read eight ROW80 blogs and comment on four of them (since this is what I am averaging).

5) Promote my books on social media once. I think it is time to update my website, so I will work on that.

6) Update the GoFundMe page for our nonprofit’s trip this spring. I’ve about run out of people to ask for donations, but I also may remind the 4 or 5 people who said they would give something and still haven’t. 

7) Walk/run on the treadmill three times for 20 minutes each day.

8) Find something inspirational this week