Dear The Things We Talk About,

2009 wasn’t such a great year for me! I lost many loved ones and in the process I almost lost myself… I learned a lot this year even though the year is not over. My circle of friends is still a close knit one and they’re becoming more and more like my sisters every day. We have had arguments and disagreements but we get over it. I’m learning that everybody doesn’t deserve to be called a “friend”! There are friends and there are associates…

I know a lot of people that I was cool with in Miami and now that I’m away when I go back we still laugh and kick it like we were still in high school… There’s others that I do the same with but unfortunately as I’m getting old I’m realizing they’re not really my friends! I’ve had so many downs this year I didn’t think there was going to be an up for me.

I lost my drive and focus for school not because I wanted to but because there are so many things going on in my mind this semester… am I trying to get it together… yes I am! I’ve lost friends, some closer than others but memories of them still replay in my head like it was yesterday! R.I.P MIKE CESAR, R.I.P. JASPER “JAZZ” TYRONE HOWARD, R.I.P. DOMINIC “DUMBO” JACKSON, R.I.P PETERSON 2009 has taught me so much about myself… this was the year I turned 21, the year I fell in love, the year I experienced heartbreak, the year death affected me, and when I decided to please me and only me. Life obstacles are hard; I don’t blame those who give up… I just respect those who continue on the struggle. I’m more determined than ever to do better in 2010! I’m going to be more focused on school and myself than ever before! I’m aware that I’m a dependent person and that’s something that I’m working on to change. I can only make me happy with the decisions and choices that I make. I’m going to make it in life… just watch and see..

S.N. So Motivated…

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I know that death is a part of life, but the memories we shared will live forever in my heart!!! I miss the times we had together whether it was good or bad. Baby we were never meant to be, we just happened and I loved it!!! I remember meeting you on my birthday at the liquor store like it was yesterday. Geraldine and I was so cold so you let us come behind the counter and I didn’t even think twice and Geraldine’s looking at me like I’m crazy lol. That whole night was just crazy… nobody can top my 21st birthday but they can try! We were both night stalkers lol… out all night… sleep during the day then tomorrow do it all over again!!! I remember us falling asleep at the liquor store so many times, you fixing my car, THE INFAMOUS CAR WASH lol [inside joke] huh Shanny.

So many memories… I still have the first voicemail you left me on my phone… so I guess I have proof that you’re a bug-a-boo lol another one of our inside jokes! I can’t even remember how many times I broke up with you that’s how many times I did it but the funny thing is we were only broken up for a couple of minutes an hour if even that because you would always come to my house after I said we’re done lol… Baby I don’t care what people have to say; people are always going to have something to say and I know that now, it’s what I do with what they say that matters and that’s nothing because they don’t dictate my life.

I only live for me, I’m so tired of the he say she says shit… I know what we had… Girls are so funny babe… requesting to be my friend so they can see my page… lol I don’t care I would’ve done the same lol… the difference between me and them is that their ACCESS IS DENIED! lol Never in a million years did I expect what happened in August 2009 to happen to me… They say not to question God so I don’t… I’m not going to lie at times I feel like God did me wrong, but then there’s the people that he has blessed me with and I’m not mad at all, they make it a whole lot better. They say it’s better to have loved than not at all and I believe that now… I’m writing this because I am moving on with my life and even though you are not here with me… Your death was a lesson in my life like T.I. said… I will and forever love you Mike Cesar… hey how can I forget you… your birthday is tatted on me so I won’t ever forget!!!

R.I.P. Mike Cesar
October 23, 1983- August 3, 2009

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The day of the super bowl, after the Saints won, I came across this show “Undercover Boss” which runs on CBS on Sunday nights at 9:00PM EST. I watched the story of waste management and now I am a subscriber, I will be watching this show every Sunday as much as I can.

About the Show:

The real essence of the show is to capture CEO/Presidents of major companies stepping down from their title for a week and go work at the plant level of their companies in order to get a better understanding of what’s going on in the business.  I think this show helps to show what true leaders are made up of. They are not the best, they don’t always know what’s going on in their businesses but they are willing to find out.

The Hooters Story – 2/14/2010

In last night’s episode, CEO/President of Hooters, Cody Brooks, had a meeting with his executive board and informed them that he would step down as CEO/President for a week to go under cover within his own organization.  He visited many Hooters restaurants and tried to understand what was going on, he wanted to view the company which his father left him from a different perspective, not to mention his sales were going down so he needed to see how it is he could better the brand.

The first restaurant he went to, the manager was on his game because he kept everything under control, he had Cody work hard just like any other of the people working there. Also, Cody changed his name to Scotty to keep his identity a secret. On his first day at that Hooters restaurant Cody was let go because he didn’t perform well and he was working much too slow.

At the second restaurant he visited, he wanted to find out what people thought of about Hooters.  So he basically went out on a promotion with two of the hooter’s girls and was giving out free chicken wings and while speaking to some of the people on the street he found out that many people mostly women thought the Hooters’ uniform was just degrading to women, which was one of their reasons for not going to eat at the restaurant.

At the third restaurant, the manager there was just a complete Jerk especially to the young women working there, he didn’t respect or treat the women that worked there as human beings, rather as just puppets or properties. He went as far as making the girls eat beans as a contest to allow them to leave early. The girls didn’t appreciate it but they wanted to leave early so they found themselves doing something they really didn’t want to do.

At the last restaurant Cody visited, he met with a female manager, she was more of a mother figure to the women that worked there, she treated all of the ladies with respect and she worked really hard. Cody had asked the manager is there really a big difference between her and a male manager. She explained to him that, she understands the women that works there better because she was once a Hooters’ girl and also she’s a mother.

The final thought, he called up all the people that he met with during his week of undercover work and revealed himself to them. They were all shocked, some pleasantly and well the manager that was acting like a jerk not so much. For those that worked hard, like the mother, he gave her an all expensed paid trip to anywhere she wanted to go, the other hardworking manager, got a $50,000 check given to a military charity in his name, and well the other manager had to go an apologize to all of his workers. At the end Cody decided that he would do a campaign to have people understand more of what the hooter’s brand is about and how he can change and make the company better.

The End!

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Known as a designer of gowns, dresses and perfumes Vera Wang one time wanted to become a good Olympic skater. But, this did not work out for her and she joined the work force of Vogue and there she has become interested in dress design. She went on to design gowns and wedding dresses. Her clothes are worn by a few of the most notorious stars around the globe. Her dress designs are plain but chic and like her clothes patterns the Vera Wang perfumes are sophisticated and not overwhelming. The packaging is always neat and as gracious as every one of her patterns. The packages do not say ?buy me? but rather what they say is really a refined ?take me home?. Mainly, the layout belonging to the flask of the Vera Wang Princess brand of fragrance. This flask carries a top that could be worn like a ring.

Vera Wang fragrances contain the subtle smell of vanilla, flowers, musk and fruit. The fragrances offered as perfume, cologne, eau de toilette, lotions, sprays, oils, powders plus more. Every time a lovely lady enters into a room using Vera Wang fragrances it will be a joy being in the room along with her. Similar perfumes are usually so overpowering that you can not wait for the one wearing it to get out the area. Whenever she does, the perfume of the fragrance she used lingers on for hours.

Vera Wang fragrances may be worn together with formal clothing or dress up occasions as well as for less officialevents and with simple wear. There’s a proper fragrance for most of these occasions. The feeling one has when wearing Vera Wang fragrances is as if one just went over a relieving, content and cozy aroma remedy session.

Gentlemen, if there is a holiday, birthday or anniversary approaching get Vera Wang fragrances they’re a very encouraged and appreciated gift. It is a rare woman that would not feel exclusive by obtaining a Vera Wang fragrance present whether solely or inside a set. It’s possible you’ll pick a gift from the Vera Wang Princess line and make a dual present of perfume and ring.

Great info on Vera Wang perfume on our site

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I’m only 25, I don’t need an Estate Plan

Unless you were born into a very wealthy family (and sometimes even then), your parents’ probably never discussed estate planning when you were growing up and didn’t have any kind of relationship with a personal lawyer.

It’s not a surprise 80% of people die without even a Will. So, why would you need to take action now, when you’re young?

Because you’re financially smarter than your parents and you care more about the people you’d leave behind than the 80% who die leaving their loved ones in the lurch.
You may be young (or young at heart), but you likely have more far more wealth than your folks already; you certainly have bigger dreams, and there’s a good chance you have kids.
It’s not your age that matters when it comes to planning. Your vision and your family circumstances determine whether you need to plan and when to start.

Regardless of how much money you have in the bank, if you have kids at home, you want to be the one who decides who would take care of your kids in the short-term and who would raise them for the long-term, if you were in an accident. You definitely don’t want to leave that up to a court to decide.
Choosing who will take care of your kids and legally documenting your decisions is estate planning … if you have kids, you need it.

If you do have money in the bank (here in Florida more than $75,000) or own any real or personal property, you will want to get it to your family as easily as possible if anything happens to you. The State has a plan for your money, but it’s one that will make life difficult for your loved ones. If you don’t plan, your family will have to deal with the Court, not have access to your assets for 12-18 months and they’ll pay a load of unnecessary expenses that you could have avoided if you had planned ahead. You definitely don’t want to leave the people you love with a mess because you didn’t take care of things.??Giving your loved ones easy access to your money if you are in an accident is estate planning … if you have money in the bank or own even one piece of real estate, you need it.

And, if you have a big vision for your future, you want to set up your business in such a way that it can never be taken from you if you get divorced or sued and so that when you die, your family won’t lose half of it to the government. Yes, there are ways to totally protect what you are building and they are a lot easier to put in place when your company isn’t worth much, like when you are just starting out in your 30s.
Showing the world you mean business about your business and setting it up so that it grows protected for your family is estate planning … if you have a big vision for your future, you need it.

Last, if you want to pass on much more than just your financial wealth and leave the world a better place, you need to set forth the intention to do that and then take action steps throughout your lifetime to capture the intangible assets that are most often lost when someone dies, like your intellectual, spiritual and human assets. It’s about who you are and what’s important to you.

Creating a structure and plan for passing on your values, insights, stories and experience is estate planning …. If you want to leave the world a better place, you need it.

So, what do the old rich guys know that you should know too?

The most important thing to know is that estate planning is really not a do it yourself process. Sure, you can prepare your own will, trust or health care directive, but if you want to make a difference for your loved ones family wealth planning is about far more than documents; it’s about making the very best decisions for yourself and the people you love most so you can leave the world a better place.

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Happy New Year to all of our faithful readers, and to our new readers as well. We just want to extend warm wishes to you all, lot’s of prosperity and blessings. Today’s topic is one that is popular with so many of us and also one we forget about right around Feb 1 st. That’s right, new year’s resolutions. Every year we all come up with these great resolutions that we vow to keep and yet we never see them through. Don’t you notice sometimes that it’s the same resolutions that we have year after year? Well this year I want to invite all of you to have this simple resolution, ” I will do whatever it takes to stick to my new year’s resolution, because 2010 is all about the business.” Here at the things we talk about, we want to be able to bring our readers new things to talk about and also for our readers to always keep us honest. Please feel free to share with us your new year’s resolution so we can all keep our goal’s in check.

Happy New Year,

The Things We Talk About!

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