No Drips

The Peglight

When people have candlabras, I find they are rarely used. If they don’t have a taper candlabra, I describe a typical taper candlabra – over in the corner, dusty, cheap bent or crooked candles from the heat, possibly cobwebs/dust, probably newspaper underneath to catch the drips. Just as an example (because I don't have a candlabra), the picture to the right shows a peglight next to a drippy candlestick.

Peglights resuscitate the candlabra and probably move it out of the corner!

I pull out a peglight, share the above, and when I light it in the host’s candelabra – or in my taper holder (pointing out light, scent, colour, and no drips - they don’t have to worry about a ceiling fan or a light breeze going through the room), they buy multiples (at $15.95 each, but I remind them that they will last forever), they buy votives, and burn more candles (so they buy more later). Brilliant. Probably works at every other show. I sell 3-5 peglights at a time. And the peglight is tiny, so it fits in my bag no matter what.

Please feel free to share your ideas here. Just comment....

Mogy and Copper

Copper was born on August 28, 2007. He came into our home on October 20, 2007. In two short days, the playing began...

Forty Facts of Life

A few thoughts from the wise (and the looney, punk-ass, fruit-loop) Angela Little...

1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.


2. Don't worry about what people think. They don't do it very often.


3. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.


4. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.


5. If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before.


6. My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.


7. Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.


8. It is easier to get forgiveness than permission.


9. For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.


10. If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.


11. Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.


12. A conscience is what hurts when all of your other parts feel so good.


13. Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.


14. Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.


15. No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.


16. A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.


17. Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.


18. Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.


19. Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it.


20. There is always one more imbecile than you counted on.


21. Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.


22. By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.


23. Thou shalt not weigh more than thy refrigerator.


24. Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.


25. It ain't the jeans that make your butt look fat.


26. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved -- and never will achieve -- its full potential, that word would be "meetings."


27. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."


28. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.


29. You should not confuse your career with your life.


30. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.


31. Never lick a steak knife.


32. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.


33. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.


34. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.


35. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age 11.


36. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we all believe that we are above average drivers.


37. A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)


38. Your friends love you anyway.


39. Thought for the day: Never be afraid to try something new.


40. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

The Psychology of Candlescapes

It is my pleasure to provide this article which has been contribued by the FABULOUS Lynn McCabe. Lynn presented on the Psychology of Candles at our September Unit Meeting and we loved every word. In case you missed it, here is the information in prose. Please take a few minutes to soak it all in. See if you can use some of it as you work your PartyLite magic at shows.

The Psychology of Candlescapes

by Lynn McCabe

The wonder and enchantment of a candlelit room, and the delicious experience of different textures on our skin, resonates deep within our psyche to produce feelings of peace and well being. The psychological mechanisms that create these feelings have been unlocked by researchers, and identified as beauty, touch, fragrance, colour, ritual, symbolism and scarcity (to name but a few). PartyLite offers not only beautiful products, but also the cues to trigger these mechanisms to create a wonderful psychological experience for our customers. The field of psychology is therefore a rich source of information about why we love our products, and useful factoids that can be applied to the selling of our candles. Here are a few examples:

1. Beauty
Beauty has a physical effect on us. It lifts our mood, it offers a lovely distraction from mundane thoughts and ruminations, and it motivates us to not only beautify our life, but to live it differently.

Research support: Research has found that people in ‘lovely’ environments rate their life satisfaction as significantly higher, and behave in a more socially pleasing ways, than those in ‘ordinary or drab’ environments. This is one of the reasons why money was invested in beautifying housing commission (council housing) estates in Britain. Beautiful surrounds have significant social consequences.

We treat beautiful people differently. For example, in the court system, attractive people have been found to be significantly more likely to receive lesser sentences than unattractive people. Beauty therefore appears to have a value that is hardwired into our thoughts and behaviours.
Studies of Gorillas in captivity have shown that these animals will forsake food rewards in favour of ‘visual beauty’ rewards such as a better view from a window.

Product application: All our beautiful accessories.

2. Touch
Psychologists agree that touch is essential for well being.

Research support: Orphaned babies who are touched are more like to survive and thrive.
Rats are licked by their mothers when born. In one experiment the newborn rats were taken from their mothers so they couldn’t be licked. They were then either left untouched or softly brushed by a human. The rats that were left untouched failed to thrive while those brushed by humans thrived. This demonstrates that the actual act of touching is essential to rats’ well being.

Harlow conducted an experiment where he took baby monkeys from their mothers and offered them surrogate ‘wire mothers’. The one surrogate was wire with a bottle of milk attached. The other had no milk but the wire was covered in soft terry toweling fabric. It was found that the babies clung to the soft fabric mothers in preference to the wire mothers offering milk. In other words, they chose the comfort of touch over food. Touch is therefore a must have, not a nice to have as once thought.

Product application: Massage oil, foot lotion, and other body products.

3. Fragrance & colour and their effect on mood.
Both fragrance and colour have been found to induce either positive or negative moods.

Research support: Human memory is made up of a network of codes. Every experience is coded by fragrance, mood and colour (to name a few factors). That is why you can smell a familiar fragrance and suddenly feel you have been transported back in time to the memory which was first coded with that fragrance. Likewise, negative moods are treacherous because once you start feeling sad, every sad experience is cued in memory which can lead to an exacerbation of the original sad feeling!

Similarly colour has been found to be linked to early memories and may trigger the positive or negative memories they are associated with.

In addition, colour has been found to affect mood, motivation and levels of stimulation. This is to do with many factors but light reflection is one. Brightness stimulates positive mood, and some colours are perceived as warm (while others as bleak). Such effects have been identified in disorders such as Seasonal Affective Disorder where people in countries where there are long, dark, winters, literally suffer depression from the lack of light and colour stimulation of their brains.

Product application: Positive moods can be induced by (1) warm flame light (all candles), (2) exquisite fragrances (wax, body products, linen spray, room spray, reed diffusers, etc.), and (3) rich and varied colours (wax and accessories such as the Moroccan Spice Lantern, etc.).

4. Ritual and symbolism
While we are sophisticated creatures there is a primitive core of our brain that likes routine and ritual. There is safety and assurance in this which is why symbols that represent the well being of a particular ritual are so powerful. The human brain is very efficient and can learn to affect physical change with just a single cue. For example, when we go for a massage, we do not need to have the complete massage to start feeling relaxed. Just the sound of the music, or the smell of the massage oil, cues the body to be relaxed, long before the massage begins.

Research support: Ritual - Babies thrive on routine. Rituals associated with processing grief in certain religions have been found to produce better psychological outcomes than no rituals.

Research support: Symbols - Single, representative cues can be enough to cause a chain of physiological effects. For example, hypnotists can give a single word cue to get people into a deeply relaxed state. Also, alcoholics start the physical changes that produce cravings when shown a mere symbol of drinking, such as a logo of an alcoholic beverage, or the sight of a bar mat, or the people they have previously drunk with.

Product application: The symbols from the well being range are an obvious shortcut to relaxation. Looking at one of the symbols tells the body the relaxing/revitalizing ritual is about to begin, and the individual’s physiology may change before the melt has even liquefied!
The act of lighting candles, and releasing lovely fragrances, can be a ritual of relaxation

5. Scarcity
From our primitive beginnings, humans have learned to desire and value things more highly when they are in short supply.

Research support: People have been found to more highly desire products that are not easily accessible which is why marketers successfully use words like “exclusive, rare, and limited”.

Product application: All specials, all limited offers, the seasonal catalogues, labour intensive/hand crafted/exclusive products e.g., striated candles, Global Fusion range, Elegance Hurricane, lead crystal, etc.

Conclusion
The way candlescapes help us decorate, celebrate, and illuminate is therefore no longer a mystery. They trigger a complicated series of intertwined, psychological mechanisms that give us a sense of joy, enchantment and well being. So, it is not a question of why, but rather… why wouldn’t people want to buy PartyLite!!

Crazy John

Crazy John has died. Forty-two years old and rich, rich, rich. And now he's dead. Funny how that makes me more and more happy about the choices I've made.

(Sorry, I have to interrupt this story for a minute. Here's what just happened: Mogy walked into the office. Copper (see the cute picture, that's Copper) was having an intense moment of biting my ankles and pulling at my jeans while I typed. Guess what? Mogy had a rope toy and actually teased Copper with it by grunting and waving it in his face. Yes, this is the same Mogy who I call the Sloth - he might get a new nickname soon. I took leave from my typing to get them outside onto the grass where I had a 3 minute "I wish I had a camera" moment. They were playing tug-of-war! Oh so cute to see 6.8 kilos versus 32.8 kilos. Mogy is going to LOVE Copper. In fact, I think he already does. Photos imminent.)

Back to the choices I've made....

• Working for myself rather than for a corporation. I would have missed that moment above if I worked for a company. I would have had to get up at 6:00 in the morning, commute to work, deal with bosses and customers and employees, commute home, fit in life around work. Sorry... not for me.
• Not buying into the more money is better argument. Time is more valuable than anything else. Time spent with friends, family, art, nature. Money is the means, not the ends.
• Not watching TV. Although a relatively new phenomenon, this is a winner. I'd like to get rid of it. The computer is all I need.
• Moving to Sydney, Australia. Wow, what a great decision we made. I can't imagine living in the US any more. When I go back, I notice the difference. We could choose to live in a material world here, too and lots of people do choose to. But not us - and it took moving here to break the cycle.
  
• Starting this blog. I'm so glad that I started this blog. It is nice to be able to read back. It's nice to be able to share a bit about myself and the various hats I wear. My opening statement is proving to be pretty rock solid. Even if is is just for me, I really like it.
• Marrying Alan. Nineteen is pretty young. I am so happy that I had the courage to say yes. I am so happy that he had the courage to ask. I'm so happy that we have the tenacity to change together. We are not the same people we were when we met - heck, we're not the same people we were 10 years ago. And it's getting better all the time.
• Not having children. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. It's just not for us. No regrets. Puppies are going to fit the bill just fine.

Crazy John had it all, and he worked his butt of for it. And he's gone. All out. Game, set, match.

Forty-two. Only forty-two.

My friends and family mean more to me than money. I know I have to get better at making money while still making the type of choices I've made, but I know I will. I already have.

October in PartyLite - Just My Thoughts.....

What Am I Thinking?

This is my third October as a PartyLite consultant. The opportunity is right in front of me. November has always been my biggest month and this year I'm committed to ensuring my business grows.

Sales is not a problem. Our candles sell themselves. In fact, my guest average is getting higher and I really don't feel like I'm doing anything different.

Bookings is where I have excelled in the last few months. I have consistently gotten 1-3 bookings at every show. My calendar has never been so organised. Until two months ago, I had always said I do 4-5 shows per month and I always had. Then, when I made the commitment to do eight, guess what happened? I'm doing 8+ every month.

Goals = Action = Results

It really is that simple. I've set goals and then do something to achieve them, and guess what? I bonus. I get the sales rewards. I get the bookings for the next month. And I feel good.

Weaknesses

Here are the areas I want to work on:

• Sponsor new consultants!
• Help new consultants to achieve BriteStart! All three months!
• Keep track of my finances properly!
• Deposit all cash!

I have an action plan for all of these. Next week Ange and I are hosting an Information Session and are advertising it in the local paper. We're also letting our consultants bring their potential consultants to the session.

BriteStart is so important. My plan is to try a buddy system within my Unit to see if I can get new consultants the support they need to get going. I also want to ensure that each Consultant in my Unit sets up their new Consultants to succeed, so we'll do a little bit of training at our next Unit meeting.

I just downloaded a trial version of MYOB and I'm inputting my income and expenses into it. This is important now that I am a Unit Leader. I don't think Consultants need to have that sort of system, but I do plan on making enough money to pay taxes and I want to really be able to track it right. My goal is six figures of income, so it is important to start right.

As I started putting the financial information into they system, I noticed that the cash I receive from customers is generally only getting into my bank account 50% of the time. Sure I might be spending it on important things, like groceries and petrol, but I think I should deposit it first and then keep good track of what I am spending it on. I'm sure the pub has gotten a hefty chunk. :) Oh, and the Indian and Thai restaurants in Five Dock, too. So Rule #1 is to deposit all cash.

What Are You Thinking?

I hope you are thinking that you have some weaknesses, too and that you want to put together a plan to overcome them. If you need help, I'm happy to assist. Not in developing the list of weaknesses - that's your job - but in assisting you in developing a plan - I can help there.

Last Thoughts

PartyLite isn't about being as active as anyone else, or as organised as anyone else, or as dedicated as anyone else - it is personal. No one can tell you what your goals are. Only you can do that. The only thing I ask is that you don't give up unless you've tried to do that. Unless you've tried to set goals, create action, and get results.

It took me two years to get where I am. I persisted. I burned candles all along the way. And one day... I decided to take it further. You might have a different path. Or you might want to come on my journey. I promise it will be fun.

See what happens when I just sit down and type. Hope it gives you some food for thought. Bye for now.

2007 Australian Citizenship Test

So many people have sent this to me that I thought I'd share it with you. I will also indicate whether I got the answers right or not, but won't give out the answers. Feel free to ask questions about the questions or even to suggest answers so we can all have a laugh.

1. Do you understand the meaning, but are unable to explain the origin of, the term "died in the arse"? - The sepo (that's me) got it right!
2. What is a “bloody little beauty?” - The sepo got it right!
3. Are these terms related: chuck a sickie; chuck a spaz; chuck a U-ey? - The sepo got it right!
4. Explain the following passage: "In the arvo last Chrissy the relos rocked up for a barbie, some bevvies and a few snags. After a bit of a Bex and a lie down we opened the pressies, scoffed all the chockies, bickies and lollies. Then we drained a few tinnies and Mum did her block after Dad and Steve had a barney and a bit of biffo." - The sepo got it right!
5. Macca, Chooka and Wanger are driving to Surfers in their Torana. If they are traveling at 100 km/h while listening to Barnsey, Farnsey and Acca Dacca, how many slabs will each person on average consume between flashing a brown eye and having a slash? - The sepo got it right! (Though the answer is flimsy.)
6. Complete the following sentences:
• If the van's rockin' don't bother ________? - The sepo got it right!
• You're going home in the back of a _________? Doh!
• Fair crack of the _________? Doh!
7. I've had a gutful and I can't be fagged. - The sepo got it right!
8. Have you ever been on the giving or receiving end of a wedgie? - The sepo got it right!
9. Do you have a friend or relative who has a car in their front yard "upon blocks"? Is his name Bruce and does he have a wife called Cheryl? (I have an Uncle Bruce and he likely does have some vehicle up on blocks.... but I still think I need to say Doh! to this one....)
10. Does your family regularly eat a dish involving mincemeat, cabbage, curry powder and a packet of chicken noodle soup called either chow mein, chop suey or kai see ming? - No, but that's a good idea for my (looming) citizenship celebration lunch.... Does that count?
11. What are the ingredients in a rissole? Doh!
12. Demonstrate the correct procedure for eating a Tim Tam. - The sepo got it right!
13. Do you have an Aunty Irene who smokes 30 cigarettes a day and sounds like a bloke? - This sounds eerily like the Simpsons.... No comment.
14. In any two-hour period have you ever eaten three-bean salad, a chop and two serves of pav washed down with someone else's beer that has been flogged from a bath full of ice? - All 'cept the beer bit, so I'll take it as a winner....
15. When you go to a bring- your-own-meat barbie can you eat other people's meat or are you only allowed to eat your own? - The sepo got it right!
16. What purple root vegetable beginning with the letter "b" is required by law to be included in a hamburger with the lot? - The sepo got it right! (but I break the law.)
17. Do you own or have you ever owned a lawn mower, a pair of thongs, an Esky or Ugg boots? - The sepo got it right!
18. Is it possible to "prang a car" while doing "circle work"? Doh!
19. Who would you like to crack on to? - The sepo got it right!
20. Who is the most Australian: Kevin "Bloody" Wilson, John "True Blue" Williamson, Kylie Minogue or Warnie? - The sepo got it right!
21. Is there someone you are only mates with because they own a trailer or have a pool? - Not really, have to miss this one.... Doh!
22. What does sinkin piss at a mates joint and getten para mean? - The sepo got it right!

So, Aussie readers, am I in? If so, could you please ask the department of immigration to hurry it up a little. I applied in February, was approved in August, and haven't heard boo since. Need to pledge an oath or something. Bring it on!

Television Sucks

I've been hit by a wave of emotion about the TV. Hate it. Hate that it pulls me into it's grip whenever I need to do other things. Hate that it is the first thing Alan and I do in the morning . We get up and turn on the "news" and drink our coffee.

No more.

In case you don't know, I am the Metro Gnome. So when you read my rant on Hotsource, think of me.

By the way, it's 9:21 and I haven't watched TV for 3 hours and 21 minutes.

The Most Important Thing: Customer Service

Dealing with your clients in a friendly, ethical, honest, and consistent manner is critical to your success as a consultant. Know what their rights are. Give them everything they're entitled to. Work with integrity. When things do go wrong, surprise them with your speedy response time, your approachable demeanour, and your positive attitude.

Here are a few areas to focus on:

Booking gifts - You are responsible for keeping track of the booking gifts a hostess has earned. Don't make her call you to ask where it is. You call her and let her know the progress she's made. Action: I'm going to write it in my diary 60 days after each show to call the host and let them know.

Replacement orders - READ Section 14, page 14-16. Really, go get your manual and READ those pages. Let all of your guests know that they should contact the host immediately to report any issues with their order. Get the new product to the customer right away by submitting a replacement order. The replacements will be sent quickly and without question. Get the other products at your convenience and bring them to me with the pink slip at the next Unit Meeting.

Returns - Even in the best of worlds, returns are occasionally going to happen. The customer may even change her mind even before the order is delivered. She's allowed to - that's the law. What you need to know is that returns impact the product credit that had been earned by your host and they also impact the commission you earned. Sadly, they also might impact rewards you thought you had earned. Just be aware of that. If it happens, put on a happy face, talk openly to your host about the implications, and get through it.

Order processing - It simply isn't fair to anyone for you to delay putting an order into the system. Unless every buying guest at the show knows that you will be delaying the order entry, they will expect to get their goods within 5-10 business days of the show. Be clear with the whole group that you will process the show once you receive all payments. Work with the host to get all payments on the day. Call people if you are delayed. It's only right.

Deliveries - Make sure your host is aware of who gets what. Either give her a copy of each order form or send her the order summary once you place the order. Importantly, make sure she knows that it is her responsibility to get the goods out to her guests. I let my hosts know that they get 20 percent product credit in return for the food, drinks, and deliveries. I also let the guests know that the order will come to the host and that she will get the orders to them. Action: Call your hosts once the order has been shipped, go through the process for them, make sure they have everything they need, and remind them to tell their guests that the order has arrived.

Perspectives Radio

Trolling through the Internet today and I found a neat little application called LinkedIn. Of course I set up my own page on it and I wrote to others who have already used it to see if I could build up the network a bit.

The neat thing is that I found a blog written by a fellow guitar student, Mark Braidwood. Mark and I are in Feeding the Animals for the Hive Live performances. He plays a mean harmonica, too.

Well, in addition, Mark writes pretty regularly in a blog, and I have included a link to one post so you can see what he's writing about. I love learning about the intellect and the interests of other people. The web is pretty cool for this sort of thing.

Perspectives Radio

I'm off to YouTube now to get lost for another hour.... See ya!