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IF MONEY HAS NO GENDER! WOMEN NEED JUST AS MUCH…
FIND OUT FROM GUEST EXPERT:
Nancy J. Hite, CEO, The Strategic Wealth Advisor® CFP® AIF®
Accredited Financial FIDUCIARYand author
“The Retirement Mirage”
Financial guru Nancy Hite, is available for Women’s History Month to cover Women and Money! Great insight, examples that get you thinking differently about money, especially Women vs. Men.
To learn more about Nancy Hite, visit https://
thestrategicwealthadvisor.com and be sure to subscribe to her newsletter. Fortune Recommends article: https://fortune.com/
recommends/investing/mutual- funds-vs-etfs/ “If you are still uncertain, you may want to consider the advice of Nancy J. Hite, CEO of The Strategic Wealth Advisor who says simply: “Get professional help, don’t try to be your own medical doctor with investments.”
About Nancy Hite
Nancy’s Passion for Planning
Helping people is my passion. I love what I do. I take pride in getting to know all of my clients very well because all my clients become friends as well as part of my extended family.
As a widow, I understand the emotional and financial issues that are created by this unexpected event. I miss the beautiful days my husband, Leonard, and I spent playing golf together and my winning a hole or two in the round. Also, the time we spent at the 19th hole. Cooking is a hobby of mine, and I continue to cook the unique recipes we shared together.
I also enjoy going to the gym early each morning to keep my body strong and my mind sharp. Going to the gym also starts my day on a positive note. I love what I do, helping people and I realize how fortunate I am to enjoy helping people prepare for the retirement they have always desired and deserve. I do not look at Monday through Friday as workdays but rather as days to help multiple people achieve their financial dreams!
Because cooking is my hobby, I use the analogy of breaking down the financial planning process step-by-step, just as one does with a recipe, so that the process is not overwhelming but is actually enjoyable. K.I.S.S. Keep it Simple, Sweetie. There are only 3 things you can do with money: SPEND IT NOW, SPEND IT LATER OR SPEND IT NEVER®.
When we begin working together, I want to know your dreams for your family and your retirement. Working together, our goal will be to make your financial and lifestyle dreams a reality. We will want to find out what is important to you: safety, growth, taxes, liquidity, and/or other issues. Is there anything about your present situation you are not comfortable with? Together we will develop a recipe (a sophisticated financial plan) and make sure to include desserts (special financial rewards and treats for you to enjoy!).
Each of us has a lease on life, yet we need to know how long that lease is. There are no guarantees, and due to medical breakthroughs and healthier lifestyles, many of you will live much longer than you anticipated. My job as a highly trained and highly experience Certified Financial Planner and Fiduciary is to ensure that you do not run out of money before you run out of time.
I know what you’re thinking… My office is not near you. Can your robust, proven processes and solutions still work for me? ABSOLUTELY! I can work very successfully with you through conference calls, shared screens, and the power of the Internet!
My new book, “THE RETIREMENT MIRAGE: TIME TO THINK DIFFERENTLY,” offers a powerful fresh perspective using stories on how you can address and achieve financial stability and the freedom to control your own time.
I would love to help you and your family pursue your financial dreams. Let’s Talk!
There is absolutely no cost or obligation to speak with me. In our conversation, you can ask me all your questions, have them answered, and learn if my 20 years of experience as a Certified Financial Planner® and a Fiduciary is what you have been looking for.
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Oneshi Press’s to Launch Fantasy TTRPG + Coloring Book + Short Comic!
Oneshi Press proudly announces the planned launch of its first-ever fantasy tabletop role-playing game. The Mag Tower TTRPG Zine has launched on February 16, 2023, along with a coloring book and short comic, all set in the immersive sci-fi/fantasy universe of Children of Gaia.
The Mag Tower game will be launched on February 16 as part of Kickstarter’s “Zine Quest” open call, which invites creators to launch zines for new RPGs or to elevate existing ones.
About the Mag Tower TTRPG Zine:
A foreign power has invaded Rendaraia, laying waste to its most ancient civilizations. Now, soldiers descend upon the realm’s last stronghold of magical power: the Mag Tower, hidden for years in the deepest forests of Mitheraia. The Mag are reclusive elven sorcerers, guardians of the fabled
Mage Stones —powerful relics that they’ve sworn to protect with their very lives. House Vargas is the military leader of the Terran Empire, and it will stop at nothing to gain total control of Rendaraia’s greatest treasures. TIn the Mag Tower TTRPG, players can be on either side in the epic battle
to protect—or to steal—the Mage Stones!Set in the vast, immersive sci-fi/fantasy universe of Children of Gaia, the Mag Tower role-playing game is a simple one-off game that can be completed in30 to 45 minutes, and enjoyed by 1 to 10 players.
The Kickstarter campaign will include:
digital and print versions of the Mag Tower zine, including stunning art by Jayel Draco;
a digital tabletop simulator for groups playing virtually;
a Mag Tower theme song by David Gueringer;
art prints by Jayel Draco and Chris Covelli, co-creators of Children of Gaia;
custom-made gaming dice from Flutes’ Creations.“We’ve been looking forward to Zine Quest for months,” says Jayel Draco, co-founder of Oneshi Press and co-creator of Children of Gaia. “I’ve been co-creating Children of Gaia for decades, and the goal has always been for it to be immersive. A role-playing game will allow players to deeply experience the epic story for themselves!
But the TTRPG zine is only part of the excitement! The campaign will also present…
Mitheran Fauna: A Coloring Book by Shadowind
In the deeply magical Great Nation of Mithera, the creatures and plants, insects and fungus, are just as fantastical as the elven mages who devote their lives to the mystical arts. Now, in stunning line drawings, Shadowind presents an ecosystem that will dazzle your eyes and invite you in to color it however you like!
“Children of Gaia: Diplomacy,” a Short Comic
In this short comic by Children of Gaia co-creator Chris Covelli, Lacerta, and Cardinal Rae, tensions are rising between the Empire of Celes and the Great Nations of Rendaraia. As the son of the empire’s highest general, Siegfried Vargas attempts to resolve the conflict peacefully. But navigating strange customs and opposing ideals in the foreign capital of Mithera, Siegfried wonders if war may be inevitable.
“We’re thrilled to bring our first-ever coloring book into the world along side this zine. Shadowind really brings the magical world to life on the page with stunning art,” says Lynsey G, co-founder of Oneshi Press and editor of the game. “And we promise that the short comic ‘Diplomacy’ by Chris Covelli is truly going to be one of the most beautiful things you’ve ever seen.”
Oneshi Press will also plant a tree for every campaign backer as part of an ongoing partnership with OneTreePlanted.org that aims to reforest areas that need it most around the world. Oneshi Press launched the Kickstarter campaign for The Mag Tower on February 16, seeking to raise $1.200 to fund printing and distribution of the TTRPG zine, the coloring book, and the short comic in 28 days, concluding on March 16. The Mag Tower campaign is currently in pre-launch on Kickstarter. Follow the project and be notified when it launches!
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It’s Time To Shift From Creating The “Ideal Worker” to Creating The “Ideal Workplace” – Intv. w/ Workplace Well-being Expert
Laura Putnam, a workplace well-being expert, international public speaker and author of Workplace Wellness That Works, about why companies need to shift their focus from trying to create the “ideal worker” to creating the “ideal workplace” if they want to increase performance at work. Laura has shared her insight in dozens of media interviews, including New York Times, USA Today, ABC, Forbes, Good Morning Arizona and more.
For decades, companies have used a practice known as “employee performance optimization” to try and improve efficiency and create the “ideal worker.” Unfortunately this has manifested into unrealistic goals that are often impossible to attain and then critiqued by managers during individual performance reviews.
This standard practice runs counter to what the research suggests, which is that better performance lies more in addressing the context within which the individual operates. That is, a better strategy – for employer and employee – is to focus less on what makes the individual great and more on what makes the workplace great.
How this looks depends on the company, however Laura believes there are four fundamental strategies companies can implement to create an ideal workplace. These include:
- Performance should be seen as a collective responsibility, instead of just an individual one. For decades businesses believed their employees’ performance was an individual responsibility and placed the onus on the individual to seek help rather than looking at the larger systemic and environmental factors at play. Seminal studies like Google’s Project Aristotle have demonstrated that high-performing teams are less a factor of the individuals within the group and more about how the team works together.
- Empower managers to become the “chief culture architects” for their team. According to a 19-country study conducted by ADP Research Institute, the culture that employees experience when they are at work is largely the one that they experience within their team. Therefore, managers need to be awakened to the key role they play in building a healthy culture, and given the training they need to successfully carry out this role. This includes training managers on how to build psychological safety within the team.
- Recognize that a workplace that fosters well-being is foundational to better performance at work. Most leaders now recognize that well-being and performance go hand-in-hand. However, the key to true well-being lies in addressing the workplace itself – as opposed to just providing a litany of individual resources. This means CEOs and managers need to address the root causes of poor employee well-being. For example, the top drivers of burnout are often about the workplace itself, such as work overload. Once the root causes have been identified the next step is to implement meaningful change that makes a tangible difference.
- Address equity concerns, such as fair compensation. Paying employees fairly and equitably is a critical part of creating a workforce that feels valued. This includes not just paying employees a living wage, but ensuring those in positions of power are not overly compensated. If employees feel like their bosses or managers are paid too much, this can create resentment and damage employee morale.
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Round Zero: Inside the NFL Draft by Andy Phillips
ROUND ZERO is a behind-the-scenes look at football’s most thrilling procedure. Drawing from interviews with coaches, general managers, agents, players, and more, Andy Phillips reveals the ins and outs of the NFL Draft with clever anecdotes and unexpected insights from some of the biggest names in football, including:
- Cris Carter
- Bill Cowher
- Terrell Davis
- Brett Favre
- Steve Largent
- Steve Mariucci
- Warren Moon
- Aaron Rodgers
- Mike Singletary
- and more!
Millions of people watching globally, hundreds of hopeful athletes and their families on pins and needles waiting, and billion-dollar football franchises making strategic decisions—the Draft is a big deal. The decisions made during this critical selection process will set the stage for entire years of football games to come.
From lead-up to game day, ROUND ZERO is a comprehensive tell-all that helps shed light on misconceptions that viewers of this great sport have held for years. How much do the players know before the Draft? How do coaches make decisions on who to draft, and when? What role do agents play, before, during and after? It all starts here, in football’s round zero.
About the Author
ANDY PHILLIPS is a contributing writer at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A former 2x Division-1 Football Captain, he played as an offensive lineman in four preseason NFL games with the Green Bay Packers.
Praise for ROUND ZERO
“…gives you the inside stories from the true angles of the NFL Draft.”
—TRENT DILFER, Super Bowl champion quarterback & former first round pick“…offers a real-life glimpse into the Draft to provide the full picture.”
—IAN RAPOPORT, NFL Network Insider“…pulls the curtain back and leaves no stone unturned.”
—DAVE HEEKE, Vice President & Director of Athletics, University of Arizona“To understand the Draft from the inside requires the insiders’ knowledge and perspective Andy Phillips reveals in Round Zero.”
—RICH DESROSIERS, Pro Football Hall of Fame -
New Book Uses Dreams to Discover Meaning and Creativity Through Writing and Journaling
Dreams have been an undervalued yet ever-present wellspring of inspiration and creativity, especially for writers. Author Tzivia Gover, a leading voice in the field of dreamwork, has published a new book, Dreaming on the Page: Tap into your midnight mind to supercharge your writing, which offers readers a unique method for accessing our naturally generous and creative dreaming mind, whether we remember our dreams or not.“Dreams serve the writer, and when we write them down, we give new life to the dreams that have been living inside of us—eager to guide and inspire us—all along,” Tzivia says. “In my new book, I make these connections explicit and show readers what I have intuitively known for years: that dreams and writing are perfect bedfellows, and that by honoring both, we can live more fully connected and harmonious lives.”Dreaming on the Page also offers an effective outlet for anyone suffering from stress and anxiety to transform these troubling emotions through creativity using dreams as the catalyst. “I started writing this book before the pandemic, but with each churn of the news cycle, and each crisis we faced collectively during lockdown, I believed more and more that we need effective ways to engage with our stories. Personally, and in community, dreams and writing can help us make meaning from the lives we are living. Dreaming on the Page offers a way to do just that,” says Tzivia.The book offers readers prompts, journaling tips, and exercises based on the psychology, science, and spirituality of dreaming to make the inner muse accessible to everyone who has a story to tell or a poem to write. Tzivia divides the book into three parts.Part One provides an overview of dreams, how to capture them on paper, and how to create a Dreaming on the Page daily practice that includes creating rituals for sleep, dreams, and journaling.Part Two, The Generative Dream provides exercises to jump-start your writing, and is packed with exercises and prompts inspired by dreams to get your writing started.Part Three discusses getting published and creating community and connections through dreamwork and writing.Readers will discover how to:•Turn your dreams into poems and stories•Supercharge your poetry and prose•Blast through writer’s block•Use brain science to help harness your creative powers•Have an endless supply of rich writing promptsAs we start a new year, Dreaming on the Page is the perfect book to help guide us to our goals. Whether it is to finish a novel, deal with stress and anxiety, or to follow thoughts in a journal to see where they lead, Dreaming on the Page will provide ideas to support our intentions. So, pick up your pen and get ready to dream.“Everybody dreams. And everybody has a story to tell.” – Tzivia Gover
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Tzivia Gover is an author, educator, and motivational speaker specializing in empowering people through everyday mindfulness, dreamwork, and writing. Using a unique blend of dreamwork and mindfulness-based practices, Tzivia awakens people to the extraordinary joy, beauty, and wisdom hidden within the ordinary moments of daily life. She has led events at the Esalen Institute, Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, the New York Open Center, and a variety of conferences, colleges and universities, among many others.Tzivia is the author of several books including Joy in Every Moment and The Mindful Way to a Good Night’s Sleep. She is a certified dreamwork professional, a member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams, and has served as the education director for the Institute for Dream Studies. She has her MFA in writing from Columbia University, and is a certified Proprioceptive Writing instructor and Reiki Master. She lives in Western Massachusetts. For more information visit her website www.TziviaGover.com. -
Children’s Book About International Adoption Paves the Way for Meaningful Conversations
Families that have navigated their way through international adoption know that it’s a complex process that takes time and involves multiple agencies — which can make it difficult to explain to children.
Award-winning author Julie Connor adopted her son from Colombia when he was 5 months old, and she used her own experiences to inform her new children’s book, The Baby with Three Families, Two Countries, and One Promise: An International Adoption Story. In it, Connor uses simple language and colorful illustrations by Saman Chinthaka Weerasinghe to explain the process of international adoption in a child-centric but realistic way.
“Most books about adoption are for parents; they’re not for children,” Connor said in a recent interview. “I wanted a book that showed the whole range of people involved in the adoption process: the biological mother, the adopting parents, the social workers, even the U.S. consul who has to give an internationally adopted baby a visa, the grandparents and even the family dog — I wanted to bring the whole cast of characters for a story in, so my book does that.”
Designed to be read by parents to a child adopted from a foreign country, the story traces the separate emotional journeys of the prospective adoptive parents from the United States and the biological mother from another country who makes the difficult decision to give up her baby for adoption.
“Experts urge that children be made aware from the earliest possible age that they are adopted, and this book sets out the complex story of an adoption in an easy-to-understand way,” Connor said.
Suitable for sharing with children ages 2-8, The Baby with Three Families, Two Countries, and One Promise introduces children to other important people in the adoption process, including foster parents, social service workers, U.S. consuls and grandparents.
In the final pages of the book, the adoptive parents tuck their baby in at night, telling him his story: he has three families, two countries and a promise to visit the country of his birth in the future.
Connor urges adoptive parents to make the story their own as they read it by substituting the names of people, countries and other details.
“Adjust the book to make it as different and as personal as your own adoption experience has been,” she said. “The author is smiling as you are adapting her book.”
About the Author
Julie Gianelloni Connor is an award-winning author and the owner and publisher of Bayou City Press in Houston, which focuses on travel writing, Houston, history and international affairs.
She previously spent 33 years as a diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service, first with the U.S. Information Agency and later with the U.S. Department of State. She had nine overseas assignments in seven different countries: Israel (twice), Paraguay, Guatemala, Indonesia, Colombia (twice), Malaysia and Chile. In Washington, D.C., she worked on a variety of matters, ranging from nuclear non-proliferation to narcotics control to women’s issues.
Connor is also the author of the award-winning guidebook and memoir, Savoring the Camino de Santiago: It’s the Pilgrimage, Not the Hike. She has one son, James, and two cats, Halloween and Charles Augustus V.
Learn more at https://julieconnorauthor.com, or follow the author on Facebook (JulieConnorAuthor), Instagram (JulieConnorAuthor) or Twitter (@JulConnorAuth).
