Quattro Boosters

Quattro’s 90-day Challenge – Day 90 – We are through!

Wow, it’s finally Day 90. What a challenge it has been to get to this point without missing a day, but we DID IT!!! Both Dennis and I learned things along the way we didn’t expect we would, and often we weren’t sure where we were going during the journey.

We learned discipline – had to to get the video and blog up every night. We can apply this in future projects and be sure now that it is possible for us to give it our all and see it through, despite the outcome.

We learned perseverence – there were many nights I wanted to say, “screw it” and skip a night. I have to thank my husband Dennis for talking me out of my lethargy and continuing on. He was an inspiration to even just sit back and watch. He got videos up despite relatives going to the hospital, despite getting all his teeth removed and the terrible pain and discomfort he endured up until a week or two ago (yes, he was in some form of pain or another THIS ENTIRE TIME SINCE THE SURGERY) AND despite having a miserable cold after the surgery. I don’t know another human with so much determination to see something through to the end.

I learned flexibility, more creativity than I thought I had (and I thought I had a lot before!) and that you learn more and different things than you set out to when you embark on a self-improvement journey. A lot of people are, to put it bluntly, too chicken, too lazy or make excuses that they are too busy to even start on one. It is those people I pity because they will NEVER BE MORE THAN THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. And really, how lame are those excuses when we only have one shot at life? Think about what you are doing with your life RIGHT NOW. Are you happy? Are you fulfilled? Does your life have meaning and purpose? Mine does and so can yours. The only one holding you back IS YOU.

I said in my YouTube video tonight I would go over my goals here tonight in my blog, but I am going to save that for tomorrow. It’s getting late and this wrap-up is all that is needed to be said tonight about the fact that…

I FINISHED THE 90-DAY CHALLENGE…What is your challenge? What will you do to change your life?

Quattro’s 90-day Challenge – Day 89 – Blood Drive Today

54 donations at the drive today, WOOO HOO!!!

Quattro’s 90-day Challenge – Day 88 – Setting up at the Loscon Art Show

It was good to finally get set up at the art show today. I have done this show a few times in the past and it was always a stress, struggling to get enough pieces made to fill a panel and/or a table space, coming up with design ideas, etc. This time went quite effortlessly, and I credit that to learning how to detach from stress, through setting and following a strict schedule of working on the final preparations with no distractions this past week, and enjoying working on my beaded bottles the past two months. All of this has been possible through applying the principals I have learned in these past weeks during my course.

Life is good and getting better =)

Quattro’s 90-day Challenge – Day 87 – Photographing art show pieces before Loscon

It has been a while since I’ve been in the Loscon Art Show. I used to be semi-regular, trying out new mediums and experimenting with new designs in jewelry, beaded bags, doll clothing and gifts such as handmade jewelry boxes, hair picks and costume masks. This time I am bringing bags, masks and my new beaded bottles. It is exciting to be participating again, especially adding my bottles. They have been such a joy to create, I can’t wait to share them with everyone.

Dennis and I will be at the convention all weekend. If we aren’t at the Blood Drive or in a panel, you’ll be able to see me sitting in the lobby, con suite or anywhere the lighting is good and I can bead. Come by and say Hi and see what I’m beading next.

Quattro’s 90-day Challenge – Day 86

Even thought this was only the second day I have devoted especially to working on website design, I am already noticing how much more productive these days are turning out. Not only was I able to catch up on my client’s needs, I was also able to get billing out I have been trying to get to for several weeks but never had the time.

The trick was not only devoting an entire day to working on one particular business – I have done that before and not gotten as far as I have in two short days – the trick is also in something called, “time management”. Understanding time management and our relationship to time shifts one’s perceptions of time (as it did mine Monday) and allows the user to get much more done in shorter a time. But even that wasn’t enough. Eight weeks of intensive training has led me up to this point – the point to allow the concept of time management the fertile ground to work. Every lesson builds on the ones before. This is an important concept to remember.

Quattro’s 90-day Challenge – Day 85 – Beadwork Day

Today was beadwork day, though it was more like organize a bit in the studio, look for steampunk parts for some projects and go through half-finished bags and see where I have improved, are they useable to finish and put up in the art show, etc. Most of them aren’t since my skills have improved in adding fringe to the bottom edge of the bags. I will be tearing them down and resuing the beads in new projects. That’s a good thing in that it gets the clutter out of my studio and helps me see how far I have come in skill since I started creating amulet bags. Tomorrow I switch back to computer work, though with the loss of two days to the holidays this week, I may finish up quickly and be able to get back in the bead studio (hopefully).

Quattro’s 90-day Challenge – Day 84 – So What is all This New Moon Hype, Anyway?

Ah…it reminds me of my Star Wars days way back in 1977. I didn’t see what all the hooplah was. The first time I saw Star Wars was in a drive-in theater. Bad place to see it. The space scenes got completely washed out on the screen and the sound quality was terrible. Yet, I still kept hearing amazing things about it, so I gave it another chance in a theater. Then I saw why it was such a milestone destined to be the “Doctor Who” of American pop-culture.

One of my girlfriends has already seen New Moon and said it was better than Twilight by far. In tonight’s YouTube video she explains why it is so appealing to such a wide range audience. I think the thing that amazes me is how even grandmothers and moms of teens are flocking to see it. My friend Kristen said Twilight had a heavily female demographic in the audience at showings, but New Moon is drawing a 50/50 crowd of both men and women. Very interesting…I guess the guys like to see wolf transformations and fights, too, unless they are being dragged to see this newest installment by their girlfriends. That’s what happened to our best friend Chris when Kristen went.

I’ve made a date with Kristen to see it the day after the 90-day challenge ends. I’m sure it will still be around in 7 days. Can’t wait!

Quattro’s 90-day Challenge – Day 83 – My Vision Board is Done!

With the emotional stress of things last week, I fell behind in some personal growth assignments. Today I finished up my Vision Board. This board is a little different than typical boards…it has a timeline of my present and future, with representations of the tools to how I am going to get to my future dreams. These tools are placed in the middle of the board, a logical place for them since they symbolize how the change is going to happen.

Vision boards can be powerful tools for transformation when constructed in a way that the subconscious understands. The subconscious mind carries out the will of the conscious mind, so the board must speak to one’s emotions, not to one’s logic. Symbols are a powerful communicator because they are embedded in our neurology and genetic memories. They have the backing and power of deep meanings to all the generations that came before us. The pictures each person will use will vary according to the goals they want to accomplish, but generally, wealth is symbolized by money, gold, and to some, fast cars, expensive jewelry and large homes. Love can be conveyed by hearts, couples, romantic scenery, etc. Use what gets an emotional reaction out of you – that is the important thing to remember.

Once done, be sure to spend time meditating/comtemplating the board. When you get up in the morning and when you go to bed at night are perfect times. Beginning and ending the day with your goals in mind will cement them in your mind and keep you focused on the prize.

Quattro University’s 90-day Challenge – Day 82

This afternoon and evening I am retooling my daily schedule in accord with our further advancement in Sensei Ron’s class. Implementing intentions, goals, strategies and tactics gives me more of a fighting chance to realize my dreams. The subtle difference between intentions and goals will make all the difference.

Quattro University’s 90-day Challenge – Day 81

Today was a fierce, emotional wringer that surpassed the many I have had so far in this 12-week course.  Couple that with the fact that the material this week in our homework has me thoroughly confused, and it doesn’t make for a very happy day.