As you may know I am participating in my second 30 day blog challenge – this one is hosted by Dr. Jeanette Cates where there is at least one post a day for 30 days. One of the most rewarding things about this type of event is that it brings you to blogs and information you never thought you’d see. So, I thought I would share some of these “Featured” blogs and bloggers with you folks.

Ok so we’re on day 3 of the challenge. I suppose I could do a featured blogger at this point but instead I thought I’d mention several that I thought were really sharp. If you’re not on this list toady don’t despair. With at least 200 blogs to look at, I’ve probably missed many and then others fit better with a different theme – or….fill in the blanks…LOL

Here are some I just love and think everyone should look at:

Ely Delaney – http://elydelaney.com/
I had to start with this one – http://elydelaney.com/ – “Loss of a Friend”
Now this intrigued me initially because he “got me to go there” – I thought as I’m sure many of you did “ah, how sad for Ely” (mind you, I don’t know Ely from a hole in the wall although that will change tomorrow night when I interview him – boy am I lucky).

But then I opened his post and saw how poignant it was and what a great thing to do early in the blog challenge because it will reach so many people and as you know, there really is power in numbers. So, if we all start off with this powerful “challenge” of his – we’ll make the world a better place for at least 400 people a day…here’s an excerpt – make sure you try this today – and then every day.

“Just go out and be happy, positive and find some form of random act of kindness you can act of each day. Its not that hard and it’s amazing what you can accomplish with it.

Besides, it’s also really fun to confuse the tar out of people.

So I challenge you to make it a point to just spend one day focusing on the good and positive things you can do for the world. It doesn’t  have to be difficult.

Tell someone that did a great job.
Post a great positive quote on Facebook.
Thanks someone for being such a great person in your life.

So what are you going to do today to that will add positive energy to the world? Me, I’m going to go out and confuse someone with kindness just for the fun of it!”

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Lydia Hall
http://attentiondeficitdisorderinadults.com/

Then I found Lydia Hall’s Attention Deficit Disorder in Adults!
Wow…how special is this topic. We hear all about it with kids but how often do we see serious information on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in adults? Lydia is bringing it home to us.

Check it out – she’s got several posts on it and I particularly like the one where she defines it for folks:

“”The person with the disorder is affected behaviorally due to low and inconsistent levels of certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters.  In general, Neurotransmitters serve as brain messengers responsible for sending information to various parts of the brain.  In the ADHD brain the transmission of information is affected by the inconsistent and low levels of the neurotransmitters,”

“Just to summarize, bad communication by the neurotransmitters can lead to the above mentioned functions being moderately to severely impaired.  This impairment shows up in each individual quite uniquely.  The person opting to seek medical treatment such as stimulants for the disorder, may not see immediate changes in the behavior they wish to change.  The reason for this may be due to the inconsistencies in the messages that affect certain functions.  Some days, even without medication, the person with ADHD can focus and function with moderate to minimal effort.  Others days can prove to be very difficult.  It’s unpredictable, and getting the right dosage takes some time.  The right dosage can depend on a wide variety of variables.”

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Jeanne Kolanda
http://jeannekolenda.com/

And if you didn’t suspect it already I could not leave Jeanne off my first group of featured bloggers. You can see so much about life at http://jeannekolenda.com/ – and the latest story (not really but every fact she talks about is a story and that’s a fantastic way to transmit your info) is about something my brother and I have been discussing for a few months now so even though she didn’t know it, she supported my brother – but I’ll never tell him that..LOL…Check out what she wrote on ‘cloud computing’ –

“Here’s what it would solve:

“1. When I travel, I wouldn’t have to pay for a GoToMyPC subscription to logon to my desktop computer in my home office to access my accounting program, (which I access a LOT) or anything else, for that matter. I always travel with my air card modem in case I can’t find Wi-Fi. So I almost always have internet access. I say “almost” because I was in the mountains on a camping trip recently where nothing would work – no Wi-Fi, no Verizon aircard, no cell signal – nada, zip! (I just decided to relax and enjoy myself anyway.)
2. Sometimes, I am in my office so long during the day that I want to work somewhere else in the evenings…so I take my laptop to another room just for a change of scenery. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have to get up and run into the office to get something from my desktop computer – files, passcodes, emails…you name it. I’m beginning to realize that if I used cloud computing, this would all be eliminated, or at least most of it.
3. The expense of software and hardware would be reduced. I haven’t run the numbers on this yet, but I think instead of buying some super-duper mega-terrabyte drive, I could just rely more on the “cloud.”

I am so glad that Jeanne is in this challenge so you get to experience her wit and wisdom.

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Melanie Kissell
http://www.solomompreneur.com/

And because there are so many people in need of her service I had to include Melanie Kissell in this group and the best way to show you how valuable her story is was to post about her – I also had the pleasure of interviewing her which you can find on my blog (http://fromthedeskofterriewurzbacher.com/melanie-kissell-interview/ )

“”My Story: I came online about three years ago with the hopes of making a living in my fuzzy bunny bedroom slippers.  I bought into all the hype and hoopla, fell into all the traps, and made all the wrong choices.  My bank account was drained and so was my energy.

I’ve been a single mom for almost two decades and I’ve raised four resourceful, talented, beautiful daughters.  They are my “why” for wanting to get away from “work-to-make-the-employer-rich” job situations.  My greatest desire is to teach my daughters, as a role model, that you can be your own keeper and design a life that has meaning and one that’s right for you.

So I went back to the drawing board and came to the realization that starting my own business was the answer.  I made lists of my strengths and skills, re-examined my life experiences, drew upon my knowledge of the challenges of single parenting, and Solo Mompreneur was born!”

There are plenty of single moms out there that are “tired” and need/want a change. If you know any of them, send them over to Melanie’s blog.

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Karen Wilson Wehrle
http://www.homebusinessroundtable.com/

In the business arena I thought I’d pick Karen Wilson Wehrle at

Here’s just a sample of what she has on her blog – check it out

“Hello, fellow or would-be entrepreneur. Welcome to my online business blog. Thanks for stopping by. I’m Karen Wilson Wehrle, a long-time self-employed professional tailor, writer, eBay seller, blogger and now Internet marketer.

Did the world need another online home business blog?

Maybe not so much, but here’s where I’ll share my enthusiasm for life as an entrepreneur and making money online. When I got my first computer, income was my goal. Turns out it was nowhere near as quick or easy as I’d hoped.

If you’ve struggled too, we’re not alone.

I connected with a very successful online marketer who says it took her two years of fumbles before she learned the ropes. What messes us up? Too many choices! Not knowing what we don’t know! Too many folks who offer “help” that isn’t anything we can make head or tail of.

Online marketing is an adventure.

Even the best marketers have failed projects or results that don’t turn out quite as expected. Affiliate marketing is touted as good for beginners, an easy and inexpensive income builder.

Well, yes, it can be—if you don’t miss one of the many necessary steps in the process. Just one weak or missed link wrecks everything!

Let’s roll up our sleeves and follow proven success formulas.

No more chasing after all those bright, shiny easy buttons that promise riches overnight, right? Riches come all right–to shiny-button people who take our money but leave us ill-equipped to accomplish our dreams.

I’m here to help you sidestep mistakes and shorten your learning curve.

I’ll show you mistakes I’ve learned the hard way, so you can avoid many potholes. My goal is to help you cross a bridge over the huge chasm from desperation to success with online marketing.

One top secret–pick trustworthy people as help-mates.

No one can succeed on their own any more. Ask me how I know. I’m experienced, but no guru, not even a top expert. So why should you listen to me? What do I have going for me at last?”

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Melanie Shaeffer
http://thesmallbusinessmuse.com

Another in the business area –
I was interested in her email signature post – here’s a bit of it- see what you think:

“What’s in your email signature? Do you have an email signature or is it one of those things on the list that you just haven’t gotten around to yet?

I’ll admit, I’ve been a slacker in getting a good email signature in place until about a month ago (insert gasp! here).  I use GMail for my email and there wasn’t an easy way to make a pretty signature.  Enter WiseStamp. Let’s dissect!

First, I’ve got my name (yeah, that’s important, right?) and photo there.  Using a photo is totally optional, but it’s a nice way to remind people that there’s a real “you” behind the emails.  You could also use your company logo or another image.  Most email programs do display basic HTML and images now, unless the user has chosen to block them.”

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Piotr Krzyzek
http://www.piotrkrzyzek.com/

Then on to my favoritist guy on the web – I also got to interview Piotr and what a blessing that was (as well as an experience since he’s in Poland). Piotr is an expert at many more things than he says he is and maybe that’s what I really love about him. In this post about customer service you’ll see what  I mean –

“See, near my home in the States there are plenty of mailing options for me to choose from. But I always pick one for my package mailing needs:

I’m a stickler for cheaper prices, I’ll drive around shop around and even buy international if it’s cheaper BUT what keeps me coming back to one place isn’t always the lowest price. Where I live in the USA, I have plenty of mailing options: UPS, USPS, FEDEX and there used to be DHL and a few local biz.

Do I use the local guys…. no. I’d love to, they have neat prices and some decent customer service …. sometimes. But they are sometimes a bit rude.

There is a very small FedEx store hidden away near a main street and you are guaranteed to never know it’s there unless you are looking for it, heck even if you are looking for it you’ll miss it a few times. It’s owned by a older asian lady whose English isn’t exactly up to par. But, she for the most part a) knows that I’m an idiot and have NO clue about mailing anything and b) she’s extremely patient c) is willing to bend the rules enough to keep me very happy.

So, where do I go to send any package? USPS because they are dirt cheap? No, I save that for regular mail. I go to this cool older (not old just older) asian ladies small Fedex store. I know she’ll understand that I didn’t package something right and she’ll fix it, she’ll help me fill out forms even if I mess them up several times.

Customer service and loyalty as I know it have kept her little business, even though it’s hidden away, going strong for many years now.”

Isn’t that a touching and meaningful story?

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Suzanne Holman
http://www.alzheimersinthefamily.com

This is another blog with important information that needs to be brought out to everyone’s eyes. Please take a look and pass the word – you may know someone who is affected by this disease.

“Are you an Ageless Woman…..or just Aging?    http://www.alzheimersinthefamily.com/the-ageless-woman-radio-launches-june-9th-with-alzheimers-program/

How has it been for you since your parent was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease?

I know for me it was a very difficult time when my mother started showing symptoms. My health and business both suffered. How would you like to learn some new ways of coping with this mind-boggling marathon of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Come join me when I reveal some simple strategies that can make the journey not quite so difficult. Find out ways to stay productive in your work as well as in your personal life.”

As if this wasn’t touching enough, today’s post is even nearer to my heart – it’s about aging dogs (one of my Siberian Huskies died 10 months ago and the remaining one is almost 12 years old and she and I have been going through some health issues with her lately – I do NOT know how any of you can be a mother – seeing my ‘baby’ suffer was heart wrenching – I just couldn’t imagine doing it with a human – more power to you Moms)

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Heather Bestel
http://www.magicalmeditations4kids.com

I adore Heather and encourage you to go to her site – her Magical Meditations For Kids is such a terrific product and does so much for kids – listen to my interview with Heather – http://fromthedeskofterriewurzbacher.com/check-out-these-interviews/

This will give you a flavor of how wonderful this woman is….

“Over the years I have worked with children as private clients with issues as diverse as:  mental, physical, emotional & sexual abuse; low self-esteem, fears and phobias, poor concentration, nightmares, nail biting, bed wetting, grief and bereavement, behaviour disorders, eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, image problems, stress and  other mental health problems.

I was invited as one of two psychotherapist to set up the pilot project in Liverpool (based on a Place to Be) of The Quiet Place (run by The Chieron Project & Liverpool University) to enable school children from 4-16 to have a place to go to within their school when they need to deal with emotions or be listened to.

This was very challenging and rewarding work and over the years we helped hundreds of children dealing with very difficult emotions and situations.  By the time I left, we had Quiet Places in a number of primary and secondary schools all over the city and in other schools around the country.  And we didn’t just work with the pupils, but supported the parents and staff too with counseling and massage.

In recent years I have gone back to working part time as a college lecturer with young adults (14+), developing and building self esteem and confidence.  Having grown up with very low esteem and feelings of inadequacy, I understand how important this work is.  At the time of writing, I am working with young people who have the added challenge of being in the care system – something they have to cope with on a daily basis and everything that comes along with that.

What I love to see is how my clients and students grow and develop and I am often touched when they get in touch to let me know how their lives are going and what they are proud of.”

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Mike!

The Reintegration Program
http://reintegrationprogram.com/blog/

Here’s another gentleman who is providing a much needed service to our military folks and their families (I know – I did 30 years in the Navy). Spread this one around to people you know who could use it. And as an aside, the selection of his that I chose to feature is about storms and boy did we have a humdinger of a storm last night

“Storms
There’s a storm front brewing.
I love weather.  Not just sunny weather, but cloudy, rainy, windy, even stormy weather.
I love to feel nature’s strength, to feel a building tremble and see the trees shake when a mighty wind rushes by.
I climbed onto the roof with some coworkers to watch a storm system pass the other day.  (No lighting, of course, I’m not totally nuts!)

But there was rain and clouds in the distance, and we could see the waves of rain and the clouds of dust blowing.  Suddenly, our relatively secure perch began vibrating as the wind began to gust.  For a minute there, I thought that I’d seen enough, but I didn’t want to brave the steep steps while the wind was so strong.
But just as quickly, the wind stopped.  Still, in the distance we could see the dust and clouds blowing along.  but here there was peace.  For a few moments, up on the roof, all seemed to stop.  There was peace right here in the heart of Afghanistan.

It’s like that in our daily lives as well.  The storms come, the winds blow…  We hold on, and the storms pass.
And we can find peace.  At least until the next storm.

There’s a storm front brewing.

I love weather.  Not just sunny weather, but cloudy, rainy, windy, even stormy weather.

I love to feel nature’s strength, to feel a building tremble and see the trees shake when a mighty wind rushes by.

I climbed onto the roof with some coworkers to watch a storm system pass the other day.  (No lighting, of course, I’m not totally nuts!)

But there was rain and clouds in the distance, and we could see the waves of rain and the clouds of dust blowing.  Suddenly, our relatively secure perch began vibrating as the wind began to gust.  For a minute there, I thought that I’d seen enough, but I didn’t want to brave the steep steps while the wind was so strong.

But just as quickly, the wind stopped.  Still, in the distance we could see the dust and clouds blowing along.  but here there was peace.  For a few moments, up on the roof, all seemed to stop.  There was peace right here in the heart of Afghanistan.

It’s like that in our daily lives as well.  The storms come, the winds blow…  We hold on, and the storms pass.

And we can find peace.  At least until the next storm.”

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I have many more but I have to get this posted and then head on out to work. I’ll be doing more later….Check these folks out.

Terrie