The Infamous Home Office – (Tuesday’s Tel-Class – 1/17/12)

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Have you been dreaming of getting your home office into shape?

Would you like to know what is the key to having an office that runs efficiently?

Then you may want to consider signing up for this upcoming class:  REGISTER HERE !

 

Smart Systems that Work for You

the-infamous-home-office

When you walk into your office, do you sit down at your desk and begin your daily work with a strong sense of focus and concentration? If you said yes, well good for you!  But many of us don’t feel this way.  Instead of entering with a purpose, we get distracted and end up going in several directions, none of which proves to be productive or efficient.

If you can relate to this and feel overwhelmed and scattered, take a serious look at your desk!

(And then consider signing up for this class right now!)

Has it become your dumping ground and covered with things to read (I know, one day you will get to relax and read it) such as newspapers, magazine articles, letters…need I go on?

First, suffice it to say, you need a system to streamline your stuff and organize your work.

So let’ me give you a taste of what you will be learning in class:

Smart Sorting

Take those papers and divide them into three categories:

1. Immediate Attention

2. Look Later

3. File

Please, make it simple on yourself, throw away, shred, or recycle everything else that you have not touched or looked at in years and do not need!

Never underestimate the power of having things within arm’s reach – so now put all those immediate action items there!

Organize them so you can see them…try something that will keep them upright, such as a letter sorter. If you lay them down, it’s too risky to start piling again, hence they get buried.

Now create an area that is for your “Look Later” stuff. Find something that is colorful and will draw your eye as a reminder.

I personally like the file totes that have the detachable file inserts. It’s ideal for your magazines, papers, and catalogs and you can make bold labeled tabs for each category.

Tip: Once you see it getting full or heavy, it’s time to purge!

Curious? Want to hear a little more?

Keep reading, but I’m telling you – you should sign up for this class – it’s going to be a popular one!                                                                                                

Clearing Your Space

I always say, you must be attracted to your tools, and a filing cabinet is no exception. Find something that you like that will compliment the style of your office. You have to feel like you want to “go” to the files.

Take the time to shop or go on-line and browse a bit. I suggest you find one with drawers that close – it helps things look less cluttered and professional.

Finally, it’s important to put like with like.  This means, no commingling your papers please. Separate your mail immediately and keep your bills in their own home. Then put the rest of the mail in the homes you already established prior – “Immediate, Look at Later or File.” Remember, now is a good time to toss, shred or recycle the rest.

Tip:

If it’s been more than 2 weeks and you haven’t read your catalogs, it’s time to let them go.

Want to learn more and get that office of yours humming?

Then I suggest you sign up now and take advantage of this opportunity – so don’t delay!

REGISTER HERE 

Don’t forget to come prepared with your questions so I can personally help you!

 

 

The New Year Buzz

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It’s almost time to “ring in” the New Year…

and the most popular buzz that’s humming around town for a resolution is:

“To live a simpler lifestyle.”

Now I knew it would only be a matter of time before this idea caught on, and I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am for anyone who is considering reducing their stress level.  I am a firm believer that by living a simpler lifestyle you can reap many benefits, such as overall health and wellness.

But unfortunately most people have misconceptions about how to go about this and end up overwhelmed, thus causing them to break their goal for the New Year.

Living simply can be implemented once you have a simpler state of mind – which can begin with a fresh perspective on considering the lifestyle you want to live.

One mantra in particular I found helpful for awareness is “less is more.”   Try thinking about how to apply this in all aspects of your life and then choose something small to begin building on.

Sometimes purging areas of your life can be the catalyst to living a simpler lifestyle!

Why I Chose My Winners To Get Simplified!

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To say the least, Melissa and Tammy wooed me!

They made me feel something for them…

And for me, that translated into wanting to help them.

Check out what they had to say and you will see why it wasn’t difficult for me to select these Two Amazing Women as My Winners!

 

 

 

               Melissa’s Story

 

 

Hi Patricia,

The clutter and disorder in my life has become my biggest obstacle. I ran across your contest on the internet and it inspired me to do something about the heaviness that is preventing me from becoming all I can be.
So….. 3 Good Reasons Why I Want To Get Organized. 

(How will getting organized benefit my life?)

Reason #1: Getting organized will allow me the freedom to live my life, to focus and achieve my goals.

I am an over achiever with a dirty little secret. To the outside world I seem the confident, pulled together career woman, able to handle anything that is thrown at her.  At home I am exhausted and unable to relax, completely overwhelmed with stuff. Lots of stuff. Old stuff, new stuff….stuff that should have been thrown out years ago…stuff that makes no sense….stuff that is smothering me….stuff that is stopping me…holding me back….occupying my shelves, my life and my mind.  I am stuck…unable to move.

There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about it….how to manage it…where to pile it, put it, stack it, fold it, categorize it, store it….in case…I need it.

All this thinking about stuff just makes me feel heavy…and nothing ever gets done about it. Something is always more important… I am at a complete stall.

Every plan I have for myself begins with these thoughts….”As soon as I get organized..”, “When I finally have the time to organize….”, “If I could only GET ORGANIZED!”

I keep telling myself I need time to accomplish this…and it never happens.

I have tried to analyze why I do this…why I buy things I don’t need, that don’t fit….that I don’t even LIKE…and why I hold on to everything I buy and have bought…unwilling to part with it….in case I need it….in case it fits some day. In case it comes back in style….like clogs…..I mean..that proves my point…doesn’t it?

Is it because my parents lived through the great depression? “Save everything…it cost you hard earned money..don’t you dare throw money away like that….”

My father collected tools, nuts and bolts…tiny little things in piles…all over the garage…my mother collected paper, books, memorabilia….I still have all of her things…in a storage unit…because she will not part with them.

As I sit here on Thanksgiving night…drinking a chocolate martini…writing this contest entry…amidst piles of paper…bags, books, boxes,dishes in the sink…while my two cats run amok…I can’t for the life of me figure out where to start….

When I have a day off…I think…wow! Today is the day…I can begin! ….It never happens. Perhaps…I am afraid.

I want to break the pattern, I want to lighten the load…shake my wings free and soar! I want to start my own business and free my space, as well as my mind from clutter…so…I can focus. I want to make a difference.

Reason #2. Getting organized will allow me more time to dedicate to loved ones.

Aside from holding down a demanding career, I am a full time caregiver to an ailing parent. Along with managing my mother’s daily needs (diet restrictions, cooking, bathing, laundry etc) I am constantly shuffling around clutter.  Because I am constantly moving things around and rearranging things…I am unable to spend time with my mom that is worthwhile. At the end of a long day, when I finally sit down, it is either past midnight and she is asleep or I find myself exhausted and too short tempered to talk….not very good company to someone who has just spent the day alone with no one to talk to.

I have help with the house cleaning…although…the cleaning lady can’t really do much…because it is impossible to move around the stuff. My house is never dirty…it is just a cluttered disaster! I am embarrassed to have friends and family over. If I do host an event I spend days going on a painful hide and clean binge. It is like being bulimic….buy,pile, HIDE as opposed to eat and purge!  The first floor will be spotless and sparkling:) the upstairs bedrooms and basement will look like Beirut! I have even gone so far as hiding the cats…along with their kitty litter in my mother’s bedroom!

If I was able to simplify my life, I would have more time for my mother and a cleaner, safer environment for her. I could host a party and spend quality time with my guests without feeling like I fought a war!

Reason #3 Getting organized will allow me to sell our home and finally live with my husband!

My husband, is in the military and is currently serving in Afghanistan. He is away from home for many months…sometimes a year at a time. This leaves the business of running the household and managing our affairs to me. When he is home…he works and lives in Washington DC, we spend weekends together. We are unable to live together because our house in NJ needs to be renovated before we can sell it. I would like to complete the project before my husband returns home from his tour in the spring. I don’t want to disappoint him.

We live in a very old farm house (circa 1920)…I have undertaken several renovation projects and now have to tackle the upstairs rooms in our home. The accumulation of clutter (especially upstairs)makes this job ten times harder than it should be. I am embarrassed to take the contractors up to look at the job because of the mess. My husband wants me to get the house ready for sale so that we can finally live together in one place! I just can’t seem to step back and come up with a plan that works.

I would like to have a comfortable place for my husband to come home to. I don’t want to allow the clutter to stop us from living together as a family.

3 Good Reasons:  Why I Want To Work With Patricia

(How will the quality of my life improve by working with Patricia?)

Reason #1:
I need someone to help me find a path!
I can not do this alone! I am not a person who asks for help easily. As a matter of fact my typical mantra is…”I can do this! I don’t need help…I can make this happen on my own.”  Well…this time I can’t. By admitting this I am already improving my life. As much as I don’t want to say it…I need help. I am at my wits end! I need assistance, I need a strategy, I need some sort of a push to get out of this stall pattern and hit this thing hard. I am sick of living like this. I am tried of crying in the shower and feeling overwhelmed!

Reason #2:
I need to be able to get up in the morning and out of the door without feeling like I have put in a full days work.
I can never seem to find anything to wear…my bedroom looks like Filene’s Basement after an explosion. I don’t even know what I have. Although it can be fun to hang out in my room and dig through all of the cool, funky clothes (never, ever bought at full price!)…like the purple faux Persian lamb cape coat….evening gowns..every color ..some never worn with the tags still on them…red and white,candy striped, peep toe, spike heels with bows…(thought they would be cool while lounging by the cabana…WHAT cabana????), I cannot seem to find one single outfit that fits my body shape and size TODAY that is suitable for work. So….after preparing mom’s breakfast and taking it to her…. after packing her lunch….after feeding the cats….after doing the dishes…throwing in a load of laundry….making a cup of coffee….I enter my bedroom and begin the mad Dig and Dash.

I frantically begin the search through one of 6 areas that I store (or semi-store) my clothes in. The guest bedroom has become a place to pile clothes and throw shoes…there are also two closets in this room full of clothes and shoes….I have three closets in my bedroom…along with a rolling clothes rack and another closet in the bathroom…another rolling rack in my entry foyer, stuffed with clothes… and another closet on the first floor…supposedly for coats….although I am no longer really sure WHAT is in there. Most of my clothes are dry clean only…so there is a ton of plastic over the clothes making it difficult to see where anything is.

I begin by tearing off plastic…trying on things that don’t fit and piling them on to an ironing board. After about a half an hour of digging and trying on, and discarding and repeating…I look at the clock…panic, yell goodbye to my mother, trip over one of the cats and run out the door….late for work…again. Sometimes…unable to make a decision, I throw a second pair of shoes into a bag and bring them with me….in case I want to change them
before entering the office. I leave behind a pile of clean clothes…that will just grow bigger as the week progresses.

As much as the paragraph above might have made you laugh…the next will be sobering.

I am tired of living like this. There is no reason for this stupid excess. I should know better. My husband spends a lot of time in third world countries, where people have nothing but the clothes on their backs. I am ashamed of what I am doing and I want and need to stop. I need someone to set me straight and remind me of this.

Reason #3
Clutter and disorganization has stalled my (and our) life, and I want it back.
My husband and I wanted to adopt…we have dreamed of having a family. We talk about it , but there never seems to be a right time.  I have all of the paper work…we even began the home study before he left…but I have never been able to complete all of the documentation required. I am getting older and I fear that the opportunity may have passed. It is sad to think that the clutter in my life has prevented me and my husband from sharing our love with a child. I don’t want the clutter to stop us from doing what is important to us. I hate that I spend so much time with this disorder that I can’t enjoy my life with my husband.  Our marriage is strong…but I am not sure any marriage could withstand this burden over time. I fear that, without help, I will lose everything that is important to me and be left with only regret. I have not been able to make this happen on my own. I need someone that I trust in my corner to help me keep the gloves on. I need a coach.
I want to win this fight.

Sincerely,

Melissa Williams

 

 

 

    Tammy’s Story

 

 

Dear Patricia,

I’m so excited to join your contest!

I didn’t hesitate to list my three good reasons why I want to live an organized life.  I absolutely know why!!!

1)    I am ready, r e a d y, READY!!!!!  I’m beyond ready!  I’m mental, physically and spiritually ready to get it right.  (It’s the off season in my business right now so I am not only ready, but willing and able.)
Mentally I need this to help me cope, physically I’m going to be 50 soon and can’t just keep plowing through & spiritually I want the peace in my life to focus on the most important things. Let’s go!!!!

2)    I have no choice.  I HAVE to get a system because my life is sooooo full.  I can’t see my way clear to cultivating the right system on my own.  I’ve seen a lot, read some, listened to those who ARE organized.  I desire it….but I need HELP!  I want to put my efforts into something worthwhile.  I’m afraid to pick the wrong thing, because then, I may not pick something successful and will end up further behind with more wasted time and less of a chance to try again.  Like a failed diet!  No choice.  I HAVE to do this.

3)  My girls.  I have a 10 and 14 year old girls.  I don’t want to have them live in and perpetuate my chaos.  I want to teach them how to balance their lives properly.  I see some of my bad influence in them now and I see them struggle.  I wish I knew how to help them.  Please!  Help me so I can in turn help my own girls improve the quality of their lives too.  My husband, I and my girls all benefit.  It would improve the quality of the life in my family beyond words!

Three reasons why I need YOU!

1)  No fanny patting… I want the BEST!  If I’m going to give it 100% I want someone who is THEE authority on the subject; Someone whom I admire and can truly learn from;  Someone who calms me and helps me complete a thought!  That’s YOU, Patricia!  I’ve spoken with you and have longed to partner up together.  I know I could be a great student!

2)  I’ve wanted to have a session with you forever.  I think I’ve been trying for two years now and with a new business and paying for the girls to go to Christian school…I just have not been able to budget myself in, even though I know the value of it.

3)  My health.  I don’t know how to do this on my own.  If I could of, I would of by now.  NO ONE would be able to understand my life like you.  I’m working only 76 hours a week now (off season!), am an assistant leader in 4H and active in the Christian school as well as a mom and wife.  I keep myself pared down to only important things and keep downtime at home a priority.

I don’t want to run, run, run….so I don’t; but…and it’s a big BUT….I don’t know how to turn down the pressure in my own life.  My business is a convenience store, with gas pumps, liquor store, laudrymat and full pizzeria/deli.  I’m BUSY!!!!  I’ve done good.  People always tell me they don’t know how I do it….but I probably could do it with much less effect on my health and family if I had your help!

Thanks for your consideration!

Tammy Schack and Family

AND THE WINNER IS…

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I had no idea how many entries would be coming my way, and what I would be encountering.

I am amazed at the time everyone took to express their feelings in terms of where they are now and where they would like to be in the future!

As you know, I put a strong emphasis on the word “feeling.”  I wanted to really be able to “feel” someone’s emotions pour out so I could get a real good pulse on what they were experiencing and how their life would be different if they had an opportunity to change their course.

So please let me preface that this was an exhilarating and emotional challenge for me as well.

As I read all the entries, I  laughed, I pondered, I analyzed, I cried, but mostly I was just in awe of all of YOU!

I want to say thank-you to each and everyone one of you who took the time to participate in this contest – you are SIMPLY AMAZING!

But as you know, someone has to be the winner and I am head over heels, couldn’t be happier to announce…

THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER of a complimentary consult & assessment & one-on-one time with me is….

Melissa M. Williams – Grand Prize Winner

Melissa’s story compelled me to want to help her – I guess you can say, she wooed me big time!  I read her story over and over and allowed myself sometime to really imagine what her life must be like.  She did an excellent job of depicting her circumstances and strongly conveyed to me that she is certainly up for THE CHALLENGE!

So let’s give a big time round of applause for Melissa.

But wait, there is one other winner to be announced – Tammy Schack!

Tammy’s story resonated with me! I can tell that with a little coaching help she will be able to sort a few things out that she is currently challenged with.  So I am thrilled to announce that Tammy has won a COMPLIMENTARY COACHING SESSION WITH ME!  Yahoo for Tammy!

Once again, thank you to everyone who participated – I hope in some way this helped you realize that living an organized and simplified life is a very COOL THING TO DO!

Check Out Melissa and Tammy’s Story!

 

 

Are You Working With Passion?

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Martin Luther King said – “Whatever your life’s work, do it well.”

He went on further to explain that – “A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.”

I believe the point he was trying to stress is that your work should be aligned with your life’s purpose. 

Doing your work “well” is easy if you believe in the value of your occupation and you continue to seek work that you find meaningful.

Unfortunately some of us settle into jobs that we dread waking up each morning to; thus leaving us unhappy and unfulfilled.

Yes, I understand that in these economically challenging times, most of us are fortunate to be working, but I want to challenge you to take that labor of work and turn it into a labor of passion.

Ask yourself;  What can you do right now to gain a new perspective on what you are doing that will bring about passion for you?

Seeking out passion in your current position can provide you with a fresh perspective and clear out the cob webs of confusion.  Your new found passion can create sparks for future creativity, which can ultimately lead you closer to your life’s work. 

 

Get Simplified – Take The Challenge!

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I have a Special Announcement that I am so excited to share with you!

In honor of launching my new website – (which I’m just loving – aren’t you?) I am officially running the “Simplify Me – Take The Challenge” contest.

So what does this mean for you?

Well it means lots of fabulous, deliciously good things for you, but first you have to be prepared to be courageous enough to enter the contest and put yourself “out there” … and I mean soulfully, gut wrenching, deep rooted, out there.  And then you will you have the opportunity of a lifetime to finally put the wheels in motion towards getting your life in order.

So if you are interested in taking the “Simplify Me Challenge” here is all you have to do:

  • Give me 3 Good Reasons Why You Want To Get Organized.  (How will getting organized benefit your life?)
  • Give me 3 Good Reasons  Why You Want To Work With Me.  (How will the quality of your life improve by working with me?)

Now here’s a clue –  superficial answers will not win me over – I want the wow factor – I want you to dig deep and really express yourself to me.   Wow me over!

You do this by emailing me here:  [email protected]

So what will you win?  (Yes, I know, this is the key factor of why you are going to go through all of this in the first place right?)

Well, my dear, you are going to win ME!  And then I am going to give YOU a complimentary Consult & Assessment and then additional One-On-One time with me! (Rules & Regulations do apply)  There is no price on the value of this – (How can you put a price on getting your life back on track and breathing easier?  You simply can’t.)  That’s why this “Simplify Me – Take The Challenge” contest is one of a kind – jump at the chance, just do it now opportunity!

Why am I doing this?

Because I have seen within the past ten years of my practice the overall success of my clients and there is nothing more rewarding then to see happy faces and feel good feelings that change people’s lives.  I believe in the process of what it takes to live an organized life. It’s why I do what I do and what makes me want to forge forward even in the toughest of times.  I know my programs work and I want you to have the opportunity to see what a deep impact they will have on you and how life enhancing they will be!

So this is what you need to know as well…

I will be judging them myself.  Yes, that’s right.  I am going to take the time to read each entry and judge them on how they make me feel.  REMEMBER, I need to feel everything about you.

The Winner will be posted on Friday, November 25, 2011.  (That’s the day after Thanksgiving.)  So you have plenty of time to really provide thought provoking information to me.  I will be posting the Winner on my Blog.  And hey, you never know, I may just be in the festive mood to give some other goodies away – one never knows how you may turn my head if you really give me something good!

So there you go…good luck...take your time…really think…and I wish you the best of success!  I will be talking to you soon!

Here’s to living simply,

Patricia

xoxo

How Clutter Will Travel

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HOW CLUTTER WILL TRAVEL
Organizing Expert Takes Her Show On The Road

Organizing Expert Is Helping People Door to Door Reclaim Their Lives. 

Patricia Diesel, Founder & CEO of Keep It Simple Now, a professional organizing and life coaching business continues to make ground-breaking efforts to help people get organized.  Diesel says – “Clutter is on the rise and within each state there are many cluttered souls that need help.”  

People are continually inviting Diesel into their homes to help them “let-go” of their stuff and regain control over their lives.  “Clutter is a very personal and private affair” says Diesel – “It is an honor and a privilege to be able to help and assist people get their lives back in order.”

<a href="[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iWZnyW2HU8&w=560&h=349]”>
From Arizona to Maryland, Diesel assesses each client with compassion and empathy, but make no mistake, this organizing expert doesn’t “mess” around.  “I’m there to help my clients fight back and reclaim their homes and their lives – I teach them how to jump in and win the battle over their clutter.” Diesel states.

Diesel has made guest appearances on TLC, GMA, Lifetime and other networks, but she claims there is nothing more fulfilling than actually working with a client step-by-step, from beginning to end.  “Going through the process with them and celebrating their success is what keeps me passionate about my business.  I just love it.” Diesel concludes.

Can Moving Our Stuff Really Change Our Lives?

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Can Feng Shui bring us love, money, respect and happiness?

Some people believe by implementing Feng Shui concepts into their lives they can find much of their heart’s desire – such as dream jobs,  better grades in school,  intimate relationships on a deeper level and so forth.

I am curious, what do you think?

Do you think utilizing Feng Shui practices help with living an organized life?

Can Feng Shui bring us love, money, respect and happiness?

Well, I will tell you, up until this point, I have been, well, how can I say it, a tad skeptical and quite frankly, so focused on my subject matter that I just was not so interested in learning anything further about this.

However, as my business evolved, the topic of Feng Shui continued to appear in front of me in some of the most interesting ways …

Until eventually I just said, ok Pat, take your own advice here…

You are always preaching – “an open mind sees opportunities that others miss” –  so what do I need to see that I may be missing from the topic of Feng Shui?

As I started to explore the subject matter a little bit more, I found some connections with living an organized life simply fascinating.

The irony is way beyond coincidence so I feel compelled to share it with you.

I hope you will join me for this tel-class because it’s going to be so much fun and informative that I wouldn’t doubt it if you started to think twice about it too.

So come on, REGISTER now and let’s explore it together.


Let’s talk about it on Tuesday’s Tips Tel-Class!

REGISTER HERE

Showing You Some Love…

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Life’s Too Short To Be Disorganized…


Wouldn’t you agree?


We should be with people we love…

We should be doing things we love…

We should be enjoying life!


What does clutter have to to do with relationships?

What’s the connection you say?

Well being disorganized doesn’t leave a lot of free time for you to have fun now does it?

Most of us are always trying to “catch up” and may even feel guilty when we engage in other activities, especially when we are thinking we should be home cleaning up or in the office writing that “to-do” list.

When you are spending time with significant others, I want your time to be care-free. Worrying about other things and allowing that to preoccupy your mind when you should be relaxing and having fun is stressful.

I understand how important it is to be able to kick-back and enjoy your time being in the moment, but when your thoughts race to all the things you should be doing instead, well, that’s when the anxiety level kicks in high gear.

So read on to see how I am going to make things easier for you…

Labor of Love

I kicked off the year by offering a series of tele-classes – the first, How To Organize Your Life in the Home and Workplace. I wanted to find a way to help people stay true to their goals to live more simply.  It was a huge success.

Another smashing tele-class was Coping With Change. Here we talked about the many faces of change and how to deal with it in a pro-active way to help minimize the fear.  This class had many ah-ha moments for the participants which helped ease their anxiety.

It is my goal to provide you with practical core models and tools that you can apply into action right away.  These tele-classes are a great way to take a pro-active approach to living simply.

I understand from your feedback that these tele-classes are really make a difference for you and that makes me so happy.

One way to make these tele-classes more accessible for you is to have a built-in retainer so you can pick and choose which classes you would like to listen to.  This way you don’t have to purchase each class separately.

So if this interests you…

You can CLICK here and make a $50.00 deposit into your very own tele-class bank.  When you see a class that interests you, you just send an email and you will be registered.  And in the event you cannot attend live, remember, you still receive the link.  It’s that easy!

It’s just another way of me thinking simply and showing you some love…

Spread The Love

Listen to what some people are saying who already took advantage of this offer:

“I love having my own tele-class reserve.  Now I just pick and choose and it’s done.” ~Diane

“This is so simple, what a great idea.  When a class strikes my fancy, I just drop an email to you and I am registered.  Thanks Pat.” ~ Susan

“Smart thinking there Patricia – you always come up with great classes so I know I will use the reserve up in no time – and that’s ok – I’ll just purchase another one.” ~ Todd
I hope you take advantage of this offer –

Just CLICK here – it’s so simple, I’m even amazed at myself!