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BMF Media – Learn More About The Company

One of most effective ways to ensure the success of a brand is to make it super relatable to the masses. Consumers love brands that they can relate to on an emotional and trustworthy level. This is the responsibility of several marketing companies who are constantly looking for ways to reach and captivate specific audiences to get them invested in that specific brand. This work requires research, innovation, and persistence, which only a few can pull off successfully.

Brand Music Fusion (BMF Media) is a marketing firm that focuses on several brands and has a variety of strategies, including content creation, sponsorships, target audience research, influencer engagement, and talent management. The company has earned the loyalty of major clients such as Uber, Dell, MasterCard, and Revlon. It also has multiple offices across the country, including New York, Los Angeles, Austin, and Miami. A recent expansion in later 2018 now includes London, the first international expansion. Other BMF client success stories.

What has BMF Media done to earn such strong loyalty from these recognized names? Read below to learn more about the beginnings of the company, its strategies, and how it has helped numerous clients.

The Beginnings of BMF

BMF Media was founded by two marketing visionaries: Brian Feit and Bruce Starr.

Brian Feit studied at the Stern School of Business at New York University from 1996 to 2000. During this time, he was interning with Clive Davis at Arista. Feit had sent him a letter and the music producer actually responded. This motivated Feit to make his next move. He became a member of Stern and Tisch Entertainment Business Association (STEBA) and worked hard to parlay his passion for both music and business into a solid career. Upon graduation, he worked at an independent music label for a few years. After considering attending law school, Feit instead worked with business partner Starr to found BMF.

Bruce Starr was born and grew up in the Chicago suburbs. After finishing high school, he moved to New York, where he became business partners, and later close friends, with Brian Feit.

(L) Brian Feit – (R) Bruce Starr

Feit and Starr founded BMF Media in October 2003. At that point, the company started with humble beginnings, operated out of Feit’s West Village Apartment. They only had two employees, but also two powerful clients: Maverick Records, a label company founded by Madonna, and Kiehl’s, the cosmetics brand that focuses on skincare and hair care. Despite the uncertainty of the company, it eventually grew in clientele and influence. 

Change in Direction

In the beginning, BMF Media lived up to its name (Brand Media Fusion) as it focused on combining several brands with musical talent. The marketing company essentially arranged for the brands’ musical events so they could raise their profile, humanize themselves to their customers, and reach a wider audience in general. At the same time, the duo also wanted to promote new musicians with these influential brands, which could also lead to new fame and recognition.

Eventually, the company had to grow in conjunction with current marketing trends and needed to expand. While BMF Media still has a powerful talent division at hand, it now also focuses on full event productions beyond music and concerts. The company also has a strong focus on experiential marketing, in which the consumers are involved directly with the brand’s growth through participation of several events, contests, and more.

The company has also recognized the rise of internet influencers as a method to entice audiences into trying the latest brand products. In addition to a musical talent department, BMF now also has a social media influencer division that increases the consumers’ engagement with the brands.

The Strategies of BMF

BMF Media has a general outline for any collaboration project with a brand that always guarantees results. While certain services can change and adapt to the clients’ specific requests or the specific event at hand, BMF provides the following services:

  • Strategize. BMF performs exhaustive research on trend activity and forecasting, as well as gathers consumer insights, to create the marketing strategy. The company comes up with the right sponsorship and talent for the campaign.
  • Execute. BMF actively procures the necessary talent, in addition to the partnership between the client and the sponsors. Other aspects worked on include brand immersion, the art direction, and the overall design strategy.
  • Amplify. The company now fully analyzes the analytics of the execution, such as ROI, KPI, and overall social impact. It also extends projects to talents, influences, and sponsors, among other tasks.

The staff and crew at BMF Media relish in the challenge of humanizing brands with new, innovative methods that create memorable experiences.

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What is Gender Lens Investing and How Can it Change the World?

Bloodworks Logo

Fulcrum Capital and Bloodworks Northwest to hold Gender Forward Investing Symposium to Leverage Power of Finance to Address Some of World’s Most Pressing Economic & Social Issues

SEATTLE (May 23, 2019) – Next Thursday, May 30th, Bloodworks Northwest and Fulcrum Capital are hosting a Gender Forward Investing Symposium drawing national leaders on the topic of gender lens investing to Seattle for an afternoon exploring the impact of this emerging national economic trend and its impact on nonprofits like Bloodworks. Bloodworks Northwest is hoping to be a catalyst for change here and across the nation. 

What is gender lens investment?
It’s the use of capital to effect real change in the lives of women and children. Harnessing the power of finance for both economic gain and to address systemic social challenges; gender-based violence, women’s underrepresentation in leadership positions. Right now, women and children make up almost 3/4 of those living in poverty in the United States.

Why does gender lens investment make sense?
According to a McKinsey Study in 2017, achieving full gender equality in the workforce could boost global GDP by $28 trillion by 2025. That’s greater than the six of the Eurozone economy today! Right now, only 29% of all enterprises in the U.S. are women owned. More importantly, senior management positions are held by women only 19% of the time. Leadership at the corporate level needs more female voices, especially in finance. Women hold senior roles in only 9% of Venture Capital Funds, only 6% in Private Equity firms and only 3% in Hedge Funds.

Why should gender be a factor in investment?
Experts say, better outcomes are consistently achieved if gender diversity exists. Companies with high gender diversity had lower stock price volatility and fewer drawdowns than similar companies with less gender diversity (Gender Diversity Continues to Work – Morgan Stanley 2016). Meanwhile, women are expected to control two-thirds of U.S. private wealth by 2020 (Market Watch 2019).

Featured Speakers:

·Joy Anderson – Founder Criterion Institute will provide background and lay out the case for finance to analyze gender as part of its work and depict how finance can be used to create meaningful change for women and girls.

·Chris Andersen, President & Executive Director – InFaith Community Foundation will provide real world example of integrating gender lens investing into an asset base of over $400 million, specifically pursuing investments that undermine the conditions that promote gender based violence.

·Tresa Thomas-Massiongale -BloodworksNW Chief Investment & Partnership Officer will offer a perspective of Bloodworks’ goals and motivations for investing in gender as a call to action for other investors, philanthropists and community leaders.

·Darcy Johnson – CEO Fulcrum Capital will provide a broad overview and speak to traditional asset class diversification and the importance of generating competitive returns.

About Bloodworks Northwest Bloodworks (formerly Puget Sound Blood Center) is backed by 75 years of Northwest history and 250,000 donors. It is local, nonprofit, independent, volunteer-supported and community-based. A recognized leader in transfusion medicine, Bloodworks serves patients in more than 100 hospitals in Washington, Oregon and Alaska — partnering closely with local hospitals to deliver the highest level of patient care. Comprehensive services include blood components, complex cross-matching, specialized lab services for organ transplants, care for patients with blood disorders, and collection of cord blood stem cells for cancer treatment. Bloodworks Research Institute performs leading-edge research in blood biology, transfusion medicine, blood storage and treatment of blood disorders. Patients with traumatic injuries, undergoing surgeries or organ transplantation, or receiving treatment for cancer and blood disorders all depend on our services, expertise, laboratories and research. Blood donation appointments can be scheduled on the Bloodworks App. For more information, visit bloodworksnw.org.

Fun Facts About the National Parks in Our Backyard

Washington's National Park Fund

Washington’s National Park Fund Springs into Summer with Fun Facts About the National Parks in Our Backyard

High Winds, Stinky Bob, Singing Marmots and More

Seattle, WA—May 22, 2019 — In an announcement sure to delight outdoor enthusiasts and trivia buffs alike, Washington’s National Park Fund (WNPF) today unveiled “Fun Facts About the National Parks in Our Backyard.” WNPF is the official philanthropic partner of Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic National Parks, and its collection of insights will tickle the senses of even the most urban among those in the Evergreen State. As people prepare to venture outdoors this spring and summer, these fun facts will add to their enjoyment:

• Winds Can Reach 70mph on Hurricane Ridge. There is a reason they call it Hurricane Ridge. The weather on that mountain pass in Olympic National Park can get pretty gnarly, with intense gales and winds reaching up to 70mph.

• Invasive Stinky Bob is not a Cartoon Character. Making its home in shady forests with damp soil, Stinky Bob is an invasive plant species that has made its way into our national parks. Officially called Geranium robertianum, Stinky Bob isn’t just a clever name. Its smell is most frequently described as a mix of diesel and mint. Ewww!

• Marmots sound the alarm! Hoary Marmots are often out sunning themselves in Mount Rainier and North Cascades National Parks and people can hear them whistling away. They are vocal animals with at least seven different kinds of calls, many of which are alarms alerting fellow animals to predators. The Olympic Marmot, endemic to Olympic National Park, has four different types of whistles.

• Olympic National Park works to help us see the stars. Things like streetlamps, porch lights, neon signage and more can be a barrier to our ability to see the stars. Olympic National Park has been working to get an International Dark Sky Park designation from the International Dark Sky Places by taking steps to reduce light pollution, creating dark skies to make stars more visible.

• The lakes are so turquoise blue because of “rock flour.” What makes alpine lakes like Diablo and Ross in the North Cascades those incredible blues and greens? Glaciers in surrounding high country slowly wear down the rock to a fine silt, or “rock flour,” that streams into the lake. And it’s those minerals, typically quartz or feldspar, reflected through the sunlight that produces those unbelievable colors.

• Lake Crescent doesn’t have algae. Known for its crystal-clear water, Olympic National Park’s Lake Crescent is the second deepest lake in Washington. Even still, in some places you can see as far as 60 feet down! That’s due to a lack of nitrogen which prevents the growth of algae.

• North Cascades National Park has more glaciers than Glacier National Park. That’s right! With 312 glaciers, North Cascades National Park has the most glaciers of any U.S. Park, except Alaska, and a third of all the glaciers in the lower 48. Now that’s a lot of glaciers!

• More than 10% of our beloved Mount Rainier is covered in glaciers. Aside from being the most prominent peak in our, Mount Rainier is also the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S., with 25 named glaciers that have a combined area of 90 square kilometers, meaning almost 10% of the park is covered by glacier!

WNPF is the only philanthropic organization dedicated solely to these three national parks and 100% of the donations stay in Washington State for park priority projects. Founded by former governor and senator Dan Evans and legendary mountaineer Lou Whittaker, WNPF has awarded more than $5.3 million in the last nine years to support these national parks.

About Washington’s National Park Fund
Washington’s National Park Fund (WNPF) is the official philanthropic partner of Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic National Parks, which span more than 1.6 million acres of the Evergreen state. Annually, WNPF allocates monies to 50-75 park priority projects with the goal of deepening the public’s love for, understanding of, and experiences in Washington’s National Parks. Get involved at www.wnpf.org

Kate Marvel Biography

Kate Marvel

Kate Marvel is a climate scientist, science writer, and Associate Research Scientist at NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Columbia Engineering’s Department of Applied Physics and Mathematics. She has her own column in Scientific American called “Hot Planet” and is a science communicator who speaks at a variety of events about climate change.

She attended the University of California at Berkeley in 2003 and she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in physics and astronomy. After she graduated from UC Berkeley, she attended the University of Cambridge as a Gates Scholar. She received her Ph.D. in 2008 in theoretical physics. After she received her Ph.D., Marvel decided to concentrate on the effects of climate change on the planet.

She then studied climate science and energy as a Postdoctoral Science Fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University and at the Carnegie Institution for Science in the Department of Global Ecology. She then studied at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as a postdoctoral fellow and then she joined the research faculty at NASA.

Marvel’s research predominately centers on climate modeling. Climate modeling uses mathematical equations to predict how energy and matter will interact in different parts of the planet. Through the use of climate modeling, she investigated the effects of cloud cover on rising temperatures. She has also studied and documented the shifting soil patterns from samples taken from different parts of the world to model the effects greenhouse gas has on patterns of drought.

This study was published in the journal Nature in 2019. Marvel and her colleagues were able to identify three distinct phases of drought. They discovered in the first half of the 20th-century draughts were caused by human intervention, then there was a decrease in drought from 1950 to 1975, and then a rise in drought from 1980 until 2019.

Marvel often has public speaking engagements where she discusses the impact of climate change on the planet. She has made guest appearances on different science shows like StarTalk and BRIC Arts Media TV where she uses her expertise in climate change to encourage others to act.

She gave a TED talk on the main stage at the 2017 TED conference about the double-edged effect clouds can have on global warming. She said, “We still don’t know for sure what the future holds, but we’re sending our kids to the future, and they’re not coming back,” Marvel says. “I want them to be prepared for what they’ll face. This is why it’s so important to keep our Earth-observing satellites up there, and to hire smart, diverse people to improve climate models.”

To see a full list of her scientific publications, please visit her Google Scholar profile here:   https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=cC8JXpQAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

Being There for Mom This Mother’s Day – in Sickness and in Health

With aging parents, we often think about the physical ailments that come with getting older. It could be vision loss, arthritis, trouble walking or a new heart condition. We can easily forget the emotional and mental health challenges that our parents may face.

According to the American Psychological Association, one in four adults ages 65 and older experiences a mental health problem such as anxiety or, more commonly, depression. However, older adults are far more likely to discuss physical symptoms than talk about emotions. There is generational stigma at play and the perception that feelings commonly associated with mental illness are just a part of getting older. 

If you’re anything like me, your mom is the strongest person you know, and you may never suspect she might be struggling. She may be the one that never misses a birthday or anniversary, makes the perfect cookies, relays the best advice when you have no words and always has a smile on her face. But remember she is human – just like you – and has emotional needs, just like her physical ones.

This Mother’s Day, take the time to check in on your mom, no matter where she is. You can help her avoid future issues or get treatment early if you suspect a problem. So where do you start?

  1. Visit With Her Regularly: Whether it be in-person, on the phone or video chat, let your mom know you are there. Encourage other family members and friends to do the same. This is the first step to help her avoid loneliness, boredom and even isolation. Also, aim to stay connected with your mom’s closest peers. They can be your lifeline should they suspect an issue and vice versa.
  2. Track big life changes: As people get older, they may experience difficult life changes – losing a partner, moving out of a home, undergoing surgery or experiencing new physical limitations. Pay special attention to your mom during these times as they could trigger an issue. 
  3. Look for the physical signs: Stress and mental health can impact your physical health as well. Even if your mom seems fine, physical signs that she may be experiencing a mental illness could include difficulty sleeping, a poor appetite or an inability to concentrate.
  4. Talk about the tough stuff: It can sometimes be difficult to talk about the new emotions and health concerns that arise with growing older. No matter how awkward or even invasive it may feel, carve out time to address potential issues with your mom. You may learn something new. And if you don’t, the door will be open should your mom ever need to talk in the future.
  5. Be a health advocate: Living a healthy lifestyle has a direct impact on your mental health and well-being. Encourage your mom to schedule regular check-ups, eat a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise. Join your mom for stress-relieving activities like yoga and spending time outdoors. Mental well-being isn’t just beneficial in the short term – according to the Global Council on Brain Health, adults age 50 and older who have mental well-being tend to report better brain health including memory and thinking skills.
  6. Ask for help: Encourage your mom to schedule an appointment with her physician to be evaluated if you suspect a problem. Some health plans, including some Medicare Advantage plans, also cover telebehavioral health services – where your mom could meet with a behavioral or mental health specialist for conditions including grief and loss, depression, anxiety or relationship issues without leaving the comfort of her own home. You can also contact your health plan and ask for help. Many plans offer behavioral health resources and have referral resources at your fingertips.

We all want to be there for our parents, just like they have always been for us. Part of “being there” is acknowledging that the life changes they are experiencing can be challenging and letting them know you have their back. 

Catherine Field, based in Federal Way, is Market Medicare President at Humana.

Blood Supply to Local Trauma Centers in Seattle Running on Fumes

Bloodworks Northwest issuing urgent appeal for donors after inventories dipped sharply

Bloodworks Northwest at Less Than 1 Day Supply of O Blood Types.

SEATTLE, Wash. (APRIL 25, 2019) – Running out of gas is inconvenient but running out of blood is deadly. Bloodworks Northwest is at less than a single day supply of O Positive and O Negative because those specific types are required most for emergencies in trauma centers across the Pacific Northwest.

“Making things worse, there is a nationwide shortage on group O, the universal blood type, which effects our ability to receive assistance from other parts of the country,” says Brian Danforth, Bloodworks Northwest Senior Customer Engagement and Business Development Executive. “Compounding the problem is the fact that Easter weekend donations were down as well.”

Bloodworks has fun perks for people who donate a pint by April 30 to help end the shortage. Donors who give before the end of the month will be entered to win travel prizes like $500 Alaska Airlines vouchers, $100 REI and gas gift cards. The campaign is called Bold for Blood & Adventure. So far, response has been encouraging, but Bloodworks is concerned that the upcoming Memorial Day weekend will impact their ability to provide urgently-needed blood for emergencies at a time when the trauma units around our region typically experience high patient usage.

 “We’re urging folks to make an appointment as soon as possible to pump up the community, if you will, and help restore our inventories to normal levels,” says Danforth. “A strong blood supply is critical to healthcare in our community.”

Donors can find locations of donor centers and drives or make appointments online at BloodworksNW.org, by calling 800-398-7888, or by texting ‘bloodapp’ to ‘91985’ to download the Bloodworks App.

Blood donation takes about an hour and each donation can help up to three people in the Pacific Northwest. The actual donation time is only about 10 minutes. Most people in good health are eligible to donate blood every 56 days. Volunteer donors are the only source of blood.

Bloodworks Donor Centers:

Please check BloodworksNW.org for latest hours and locations.

About Bloodworks Northwest

Bloodworks (formerly Puget Sound Blood Center) is backed by 75 years of Northwest history and 250,000 donors. It is local, nonprofit, independent, volunteer-supported and community-based. A recognized leader in transfusion medicine, Bloodworks serves patients in more than 100 hospitals in Washington, Oregon and Alaska — partnering closely with local hospitals to deliver the highest level of patient care. Comprehensive services include blood components, complex cross-matching, specialized lab services for organ transplants, care for patients with blood disorders, and collection of cord blood stem cells for cancer treatment. Bloodworks Research Institute performs leading-edge research in blood biology, transfusion medicine, blood storage and treatment of blood disorders. Patients with traumatic injuries, undergoing surgeries or organ transplantation, or receiving treatment for cancer and blood disorders all depend on our services, expertise, laboratories and research. For more information, visit bloodworksnw.org

Biography of Dr. Freddie H Fu

Dr Freddie Fu Biography

Born in 1950 in the Nanhai District, Foshan City, Guangdong province of Hong Kong, Freddie Fu attended St. Boy’s College and completed both his undergraduate and post-graduate degrees at Dartmouth College and Dartmouth Medical School, respectively. During his career, he focused on treating sports-related injuries and orthopedic bioengineering. He became renowned throughout his career for his revolutionary practices in orthopedic sports medicine. He studied at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, where he earned his MD in 1977, completing both his residency and fellowship there. He received additional training in Germany at the Hanover Trauma Center.

In 1982, he became a member of the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine where he later became the David Silver Professor as well as the chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery in 1998. He was only the eighth professor distinguished in the University’s nearly 140-year history.

Fu also retained secondary assignments as a professor of health and physical activity, mechanical engineering, and physical therapy at the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Additionally, Fu was an Editorial Board Member of the journal Orthopedics Today, which reports on the most up-to-date news and advances in orthopedic medicine. 

Fu received acclaim for his teaching and research centered on innovations that were evidence-based, and not based on personal interest. His work advanced understandings in orthopedic care and sports medicine, primarily on knee injury treatments. 

In 1986, Fu was responsible for founding the very first sports medicine program located in Western Pennsylvania called the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine. It later moved to the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, and in 2018, the program was renamed UPMC Freddie Fu Sports Medicine Center. The center incorporates an approach to sports-related injuries and performance that is multidimensional and provides excellence in care regardless of a person’s athletic status. 

In addition, Fu also started the first athletic training program for high school in Western Pennsylvania, where he was also involved in building a program for emergency medical services during high school football games. This program is one of the largest in the entire country, supporting more than 40 high schools. 

Fu also worked for 37 years as the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s physician. This was one of the very first professional ballet companies to have a committed physician for dance-specific injuries. He attended each and every production performed by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and served to care for any injuries that occurred during production with immediacy. During that time, he also helped garner a relationship between the Pittsburgh Penguins and UPMC to create the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. This project was completed in 2015 and was used as a facility dedicated to hockey-related injuries, training, and preventative sports medicine. 

From 1985 through 2003, Fu served as not only the executive medical director and board chair of the Boston Marathon, and the medical director for another annual event, the Thrift Drug Classic, a professional cycling race, beginning in 1991 through 1997. 

During his lifetime, Fu received over 260 honors and awards and focused on serving his community for over 30 years in a variety of capacities. Among his most notable achievements is the July 2016 induction into the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Hall of Fame, an honor awarded to very few notables each year. In 2011, he was awarded the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Diversity Award for his incredible contribution to drawing surgical residents from incredibly diverse backgrounds, including upwards of 1500 people from 62 distinct countries.

Family was ever important to Dr. Fu, and no matter how busy his schedule was, he made time for his family, which he cherished above all else. Married for 47 years to Hilda Pang Fu, he helped to raise two children who remember him with great fondness and love. He was also a devoted grandfather to five grandchildren.

Due to his acclaim, he attracted the most skilled surgeons, as well as other care providers in the musculoskeletal field, to his program at the University of Pittsburgh. He encouraged these brilliant medical professionals to excel in their own skills and brought out the very best in each of them through his love and care for teaching.

Dr. Fu’s work helped to transform the field of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with passion and innovation. He was unyielding in his fight to revolutionize the treatment of ACL injuries, which are commonplace among athletes of all ranges. Throughout his extensive career, more than 1200 presentations, both national and international, can be attributed to Fu, as well as co-authoring 137 chapters in books, and the writing of nearly 700 peer-reviewed articles. He also worked to edit 30 significant orthopedic textbooks. 

Dr. Freddie H Fu passed away, comforted by his dear family on September 24th, 2021, and will be remembered for his remarkable personality and his devotion to sports medicine. 

Response To ‘Seattle is Dying’ KOMO News

This concerns the story about the Homeless crisis and what was called ‘Seattle is Dying’ by KOMO News.

Cities don’t die, they are killed by the people running them under the guise of “helping”. If you had stopped the homeless mess when it first started, it wouldn’t be like crab grass growing out of control in the yard. It’s hard to get rid of once it gets going. First of all, you say there is no affordable housing. HOW COULD THERE BE? My little $10,500 house I bought and rented it out for $1.50/month – that was what I call affordable. It was all I could afford when I looked in my wallet and bank account. And yes I was working at a full time job. Georgetown was filled with single family dwellings, school, several stores, boots and hat gas station and even a Valu-mart, but politicians re-zoned it and now it’s mostly condo’s. Guess what they then said? My little house had to pay the same property tax as the new high-rise condo beside it (best use) and my property tax went up to almost $4,000. But worse, you were going to do the renters a favor and make a landlord rent to the first person who stopped by (could be from a homeless camp, that you give a months rent to). We cannot ask him a thing about his criminal past, job or a thing. A landlord can’t even get a damage deposit. I am willing to bet you the farm that if you picked out at random someone in one of those camps and set him up in a nice apt or house, his first month would be taken care of but by the second month, he would have it looking exactly like tent city, and it would cost the landlord a fortune to get them out. We would be racists, bigots, and some more words I cant even spell.

YOU LEADERS CAUSED THE SEATTLE AFFORDABLE HOUSE CRISIS. Seattle is a disgrace with all the homeless and all the big talk and crap and spending millions on studies only to have things get worse. It would change overnight if you cut off ALL THE CASH to them. Anyone in a tent has a choice, JAIL or treatment. Period. You put up a huge circus tent or find some big empty apartment houses or something and anyone is welcome. Soup/Spaghetti would be served 24/7. This would end saying these are poor hungry people with no shelter. If they want something better, they would have to change their ways. They do not want to follow any rules, but we taxpayers have to. They can burn in a burn barrel, but we can’t burn in a nice heater if the air is stagnant. Mayor Jenny said recently she thinks the show ‘Seattle is Dying’ about the homeless is a little biased and they should have shown the good things. No Jenny the story is about how you liberal do gooders have ruined Seattle. And our Governor has the nerve to be running for President.

Turning Someday into Right Now

Making A Change In Your Life Tips
Tips to help you make a change in your life

There’s a couple people in my life that have been saying they are going to make a major life change for years now. I know that feeling. I kept waiting for the right time, the right plan, the right amount of money to get me out the door.

Guess what? It never came. It doesn’t ever come. I still had to jump, kicking and screaming, not fully prepared and frankly more than a little scared.

And for those people in my life, waiting? It’s not going to come for them either. Unless you get hit by a truck, you’re not likely to stop what you’re doing and focus instead on what you want to be doing. We procrastinate. We weigh options. We wait. The reality is we get comfortable in our lives and many times don’t have the burning desire it take the leap and make it happen right now.

I’m a seasoned traveler who has pushed the limits and took the risk to travel the world. I hope the tips below help you. Adjust according to your situation and what you would like to make happen in your life.

It’s completely psychological, but you can get past it:

  • Start telling people what you’re going to do.
    Have conviction, believe it and make other people believe it.
  • Pick a date under 6 months.
    Anything more than that and it becomes the “far off future”.
  • Make a financial commitment.
    Put a big hunk of change down on your plan. Buy the plane ticket to Europe, put a deposit on a language school in Central America, pay the deposit on the volunteer program in Thailand.
  • Don’t worry about all the details.
    Most of them don’t matter. I had spreadsheets of stuff I wanted to get done before I left traveling the world and only half of it got finished.
  • Drop your other commitments now.
    Yes you’re not leaving the country until 6 months til now, but don’t wait until the last minute to excuse yourself from those time sappers now. (Your job is an exception).
  • Make a list of 5 major things you need to get done before you go.
    That’s your to do list. This will force you to make decisions about what’s really important and what you have to spend your time on.
  • Start living your new life now.
    If you’re traveling for a year, then you don’t need to buy new work clothes, do you? Start making decisions in your life like you’re already in the new life you want.
  • Keep your energy up and keep yourself inspired.
    Read travel blogs. Watch movies based in your future destination. Find songs that make you excited about your trip. Look for books about people who have done similar things.
  • Act as if you already know 100% that this will work out.
    Having second thoughts? Feel a little panicky? What if you knew for sure you’d be happy, that this would all be fine? Those of us on the other side know that, and this stress you’re feeling is totally normal and not a predictor of the quality of your decision. Do whatever it takes to convince yourself of this, and the rest will catch up.

Comments:

By Chris
Let’s see, where I am up to:

  1. Done. This is all we talk about with friends and family (probably annoying them)
  2. Date picked, but it’s 9 months away (quit job is 6 months away)

And 4, 7 & 9 – Good to know!

By Keith
In 1966, I planned to emigrate to Australia when my parents passed on. Guess what? 43 years on, and my father is still with us!

However, looking back, I’m glad I stayed here, because I like travelling, and almost everywhere is much more accessible.

By Mitch
Life change is never easy, most of it is never planned. It is like jumping with your eyes closed and just see what happens.

I always wanted to travel around the world but it never happened till a major life event. Now that I have tried it, I never regretted nor looked back.

By Gillian
This is an excellent expansion of the list you gave me as advice a number of months ago. I think I have completed all 9 and now am just waiting for June to arrive.

As you know, I was a nervous wreck when we first decided but you were right and telling people was the tipping point for us. Now, our upcoming year of travel is a quiet reality.

Our whole life is focused on this goal and nothing is purchased or done unless it will fit in our backpack or directly influence our travels.

Thanks again for your inspiration and support!!

By Gene
Major life change is never easy, but it can be very gratifying. The idea of starting now is an important one. Do something. Anything. That will let you understand your long-term reward for the change. Happy traveling.

By Melissa
Great tips! I’m in the middle of making a major life shift myself and I’ve done all of the above (except for “Make a list of 5 major things you need to get done before you go” – haven’t done that yet). I’ve found that the biggest impetus is telling others what you plan on doing, but also telling them you are planning on doing it on a certain or by a certain day. That makes it real to you and to the people you told it too…and I hate to embarrass myself by saying I’m going to do something and then not following through. I’d rather follow through and fail than be someone too scared to take a chance. Great post!

I also live in Seattle.

By Jenn
Keep up the words of encouragement and reminders to your readers that life is simply too short – this post is great.

I am on the verge of self-employment and was forced there by a lay-off from my regular gig. A lot of what you list here reflects how I have had to react in order to prepare for such a significant change of lifestyle. And yes, I know that it will all work out 100%!

By Nomadic Matt
Tomorrow never comes and now is never a right time. You are right. You just have to jump. Life always finds its way to work out for the best.

By Bert and Patty
Such great advice….we have been planning for 2 1/2 years now and have 6 months to go before we leave on our 9 month adventure—maybe longer if the opportunity arises and then we are moving to scotland…..you are right, just do it now….good to read your post because it confirms that we are on the right track….maybe we will cross paths at some point.

By Daniel
I remember going through these steps before my move to Korea, and I’m sure I’ll go through it again for my next move. I think telling people you’re going to do something makes the decision feels real. It also makes you accountable: you don’t want to be a liar now, do you?
Great advice and list.

By Serena
1,2,3,4,6,8,9 all check! My friend is doing travelling in September for a year with her boyfriend and two friends and the more she talked about it the more I wanted to do it to which she replied ‘what don’t you?!’. So I am. Not for a year though, just for 3 weeks around South East Asia without the other half…I’m hoping that after 9 years of severe clinical depression it will help me at least find the path to my own happiness. I’m so excited I think my family are getting sick of hearing about it already! S xx

By Scott
Your posts are a wealth of information and they’re helping me stay motivated. I love #4 – it’s so easy to get caught up in “planning” and trying to take care of too many things before leaving. It’s great to know that you didn’t cross everything off the list either 😉
Scott´s last blog ..Why go solo? My ComLuv Profile

By Anthony
Excellent post. I’m writing that list down ASAP. Keep it up!

Building Our Bridge – Seattle Housing Authority Residents Crossing the Digital Divide

Housing Authority Seattle

The Seattle Housing Authority’s Rainier Vista community has been hosting dual-language Tea & Technology Talks since April of 2018 to seek resident input on a new computer skills program coming this summer. Building Our Bridge – Seattle Housing Authority Residents Crossing the Digital Divide is an SHA resident-led, City-funded initiative to bring digital literacy skills to the Oromo, Vietnamese and English-speaking tenants of this low-income family community in Seattle’s Rainier Valley.

Septuagenarian Edward Frasier III attended the 4th Tea & Technology Talk on Friday, February 15th, 2019 to discuss the project over cookies and beverages. Surveys of proposed class topics and volunteer pledge sheets were distributed, and Frasier remarked, “You know, when you get old, you forget things. It’s not that I don’t know; I just need a refresher.” 

Ben Wong, Elizabeth Kennedy, Dorene Cornwell – Building Our Bridge Project Team

The beautifully developed curriculum for the program has been generously donated by the Seattle Public Library. Topics over the next two years will be selected from Email, Mouse & Window, Keyboarding, Internet, MS Word and Resume-Writing, Social Media, The Source and Parent Engagement. The Seattle Public Library brought a Vietnamese Basic Computer Series to Rainier Vista in 2016, and a Somali series in 2018. 

There has been a buzz in the Rainier Vista Oromo community about parent engagement and use of the Seattle Public School system’s The Source. The Source opens on-line access to parents and guardians to their children’s attendance, assessment scores and secondary student assignment grades. By allowing parents to track their children’s progress, The Source helps students move more quickly into advanced learning options and get on the college track. In so doing, The Source addresses academic barriers faced by Children of Color in communities experiencing economic hardship. 

Computer skills classes at Rainier Vista in will be conducted in Oromo, Vietnamese and English cohorts, and the project hopes to open the program to Somali instruction in 2020. Representatives from each language community will have the important opportunity to shape the program by meeting to review resumes and conduct interviews for (6) bilingual computer instructors and computer instructor assistants. More than 45 applications have been received so far.

The Building Our Bridge project was created by three Seattle Housing Authority residents (Elizabeth Kennedy, Ben Wong and Dorene Cornwell) who wanted to expand the Full Life Care-Seattle Housing Authority Mobile Lab Project. For two years, the Mobile Lab Project brought a mobile computer lab with devices and instructors to residents of (9) Seattle Housing Authority Low Income Public High-rise and Senior buildings in North Seattle. 

Kennedy and Wong were instructors on the project, and they teamed up with Cornwell to bring the mobile lab to the Seattle Housing Authority’s immigrant and refugee communities in South Seattle. With the loan of (4) Windows laptops, (3) Chromebooks, a mobile hot spot, and (3) plastic tubs on wheels from community partner Full Life Care, it is poised to do just that.

The Seattle Housing Authority has supported the project with use of space for classes, and staff time from Rainier Vista Community Builder, Jen Calleja. One challenge the project is still trying to address is how to meet families’ needs for child care so parents can take classes. 

Like the Mobile Lab Project before it, Building Our Bridge is financed through the City of Seattle Technology Matching Fund grant. The Technology Matching Fund has seeded technology programs in the City for more than 20 years. 

Seattle Neighborhood Group has partnered with the project to act as fiscal agent. Located in Seattle’s Central District, Seattle Neighborhood Group has been building relationships and working to engage people to create safe neighborhoods for 25 years. “Building Our Bridge makes a vital difference in the lives of SHA residents by providing them with opportunities to develop job readiness and technical skills, and build the confidence needed to make a positive difference in their respective lives and communities.  Seattle Neighborhood Group is proud to be a collaborative member in this important project,” Linda Spain, Executive Director, Seattle Neighborhood Group.

This article was submitted by Elizabeth Kennedy, Project Manager for the Building Our Bridge Project.

Samantha Lepidi. Program Assistant; Elizabeth Kennedy, Project Manager Building our Bridge
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