In My "Spare" Time

What do you do in your spare time? Besides taking time with good friends and my dad, I devote quite a bit of time to an organization called Keep A Breast, an organization that dedicates themselves to youth in hopes of eradicating breast cancer through music and art and social awareness. Here is an article I had published back in May about the organization.

**************

In the next couple of months, Sudburians are going to see and hear more about Keep A Breast Canada. A unique non-profit organization that creates plaster forms of the female torso, customized by fine artists and auctioned to raise consciousness and funding for breast cancer. Combining sculpture, philanthropy, and symbolic artistry, the one-of-a-kind plaster forms of the female torso are customized by artists and auctioned to raise funds for breast cancer programs all over the world. Through these programs Keep A Breast strives to eradicate breast cancer by inspiring young people to adopt lifestyle choices that have long-term health benefits.

KAB (its loving moniker), has been heavily active in the United States since 2001, and became a legal charity in Canada in 2008, after its first appearance at the three day Pemberton Festival.

Co-founder Shaney Jo Darden said this about why she started KAB all those years ago “When our co-founders mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, we wanted to do something to support the cause, but we weren’t sure what,” Darden recalls. “That’s when we realized there wasn’t really anything out there for us. We’d been doing art exhibitions and fashion shows for years, so we decided to go with what we were good at. We started doing plaster casts of breasts, sent them out to artists to be painted, raised money by selling them, and it really took off.”

With the support of highly visual surfers, snowboarders, skateboarders, musicians, and artists; Keep A Breast hopes to reach out to youth and educate them about their bodies and their surroundings through educational and awareness programs. Canada is striving to reach a point financially so that they can produce the programs they have designed to directly involve and educate Canadians.

Keep A Breast is not only unique in its delivery, it’s effective, focusing their presence at festivals, concerts and events that attract our youth – KAB hopes to teach youth about breast examinations, living a healthy lifestyle and knowing your body. Travelling with the Warped Tour each year has KAB reaching out to thousands of younger adults and teaching them about their bodies.

Next time you see someone walking down the street wearing a I “heart” Boobies t-shirt or bracelet, don’t be quick to judge, it is in fact a Keep A Breast t-shirt (part of the I Love Boobies campaign), and it’s a great conversation starter to teach you more about Keep A Breast and their mission of eradication breast cancer, through art, music, education and awareness. You can check out Keep A Breast online at Keep A Breast or join the Facebook page KAB Canada FB Page.

Michelle Murray is on the board of directors for Keep A Breast Canada after becoming involved with the charity during the 2008 Pemberton Festival in Pemberton BC.

*********************

Keep A Breast Canada is preparing for their second event in Sudbury this summer. The 2010 Summerfest. With myself and a couple of amazing and devoted volunteers manning our Educational Booth, KAB CAN will continue working it's mission out to the people of Northern Ontario....

This is an organization that allows my passion to soar. It's an organization that takes a heavier edge to a disease that affects men and women of all ages. Check out the website, or join us on Facebook!

When Your Business Changes Direction

From idea to inception; I'd imagine myself working for small business owners, helping them with copy, PowerPoint, and maybe a few promotions. I never thought my business would grow locally in the beginning, and I never thought of which direction my business would grow right off the hop - more so, I had never imagined it growing this quickly.

I WAS WRONG - REALLY WRONG

With the business plan in the can, and my business cards on their way....I was slowly preparing for a soft opening. Devising plans on how to generate business, both locally and globally. I mean I am virtual...I have no walls... It now seems that I may have to change my focus from global, to strictly local. From small businesses to one type of business.

REAL ESTATE

When researching my business prototype, and trying to find a niche market, I talked to friends and family involved in different business ventures; trying to get a handle on what really needed help out there in the "big bad world," when it came to Real Estate, I was getting conflicting reviews - some people told me I couldn't do a thing, while others were panting with baited breath, waiting for the moment the proverbial doors to my business swung open so they could employ my services. I wanted to go this direction, but the negative comments from some far outweighed the others....

Until this week.....

With the ink still wet on my business plan, I have made the decision to go full boar into the REVA business. A REVA is a Real Estate Virtual Assistant, and is a guarantee to save Real Estate agents time and money by taking all those extra hours they put into the administrative side of their business and allowing agents to focus on what they are best at: The buying and selling of homes for their clients.

In the last week, the accolades I have received are great, but the client base is greater. With three agents already signed on to Virtually There, and prospects richer then a gold mine I am floating.. The road I wanted to travel down months ago, finally opened it's gate and welcomed me in...

From VA to REVA in one week....

Business is a funny game, and I'm ready to play.

Commute-tacation Breakdown

For the most part, our days consist of waking up, making coffee, having a shower, and getting ready to go work. Driving in bumper to bumper traffic, looking for parking, and finally making into the office with only minutes to spare. This is how many people start their day. This was (at one time), how I started my day.

BUT NO MORE

I now work from home. I can dictate my start time, my break time, my lunchtime. I can wear Betty Boop pyjamas, hoodies, or get dressed all professional like. I can listen to music, or have complete silence. My environment is geared to exactly what I want, and how I want it. If a friend calls, I can answer it...My day is built around my schedule. It may seem to the casual observer, that my life is fairly lackadaisical; running with the wind, going with the flow...That however is a preconceived notion.

I STILL WORK FULL TIME

Many people view self employment as fun time....Easier schedules, more time to communicate with the outside world; extra time to run errands, get that holiday baking out of the way, but in essence, it's not. It's far from all the fantasy ideas many people have about all those "lucky" people who get to stay home, and hold video conferences online while Regis and Kelly remain muted in the background. Many people who work from home face depression, loneliness, and the constant need to exceed far quicker then individuals who travel to and from an office each day. Already I find myself explaining to friends all the things I did in a day, so I can prove to them I was putting my time to good use.

A colleague of mine has friends who constantly stop by his shop throughout the day to have a beer with him. This colleague; when plagued with too many friends and less billable hours has to explain to his buddies he's working, the statement occasionally fall on deaf ears. Many people cannot register that others who work from their homes, are also putting in a 35-40 hour work week (sometimes more). The comprehension is simply not there!

My day starts at 6 o clock in the morning, by eleven, I am ready to take some time, and my afternoons can sometimes run until nine or 10 o'clock at night! Sure I can break up the day, go to Starbucks with a good friend, but all those hours I've "goofed" off, have to be repaid tenfold.

Working from home means the job is always there...Sure you can close the door to your office, but if you are unable to shut it down at the end of the day (and few self employed people are), and watch television without going back in there, you are doing OK. Walking out of the office at five o'clock for the long commute home may be taxing on your nerves or your vehicle, but for the most part, you can leave work at the office. Here at home, work is always a pillows throw away.

Whether you work from a building 20 minutes from your front door, or in the same living space as your home; work is work...It takes time, motivation, hard work, and dedication.