Sunday, November 9, 2008

Welcome to Red Hook ?????? Bengamin Grant Explains.


What is Gentrification?

Change is constant in modern city life. So what do we mean by "gentrification?" How does it happen? Who wins and who loses? What comes next? Writer and urbanist Benjamin Grant explains.

More Special Features

POINT OF VIEW
Beyond Gentrification

INTERACTIVE MAPS
A Tale of Three Cities

Flag Wars tells the story of what happened to the Olde Towne East community in Columbus, Ohio when the neighborhood went through the process of gentrification in the mid-to-late 1990s. For much of the twentieth century, urbanists, policymakers, and activists were preoccupied with inner city decline across the United States, as people with money and options fled cities for the suburbs. But widespread reports of the American city's demise proved premature. Beginning in the 1970s, urban life slowly began to regain prestige, particularly among artists and the highly educated. By the turn of this century, many cities were thriving again, and their desirability among the wealthy and upwardly mobile was putting intense pressure on rents, real estate prices, and low-income communities.

What is Gentrification?

Gentrification is a general term for the arrival of wealthier people in an existing urban district, a related increase in rents and property values, and changes in the district's character and culture. The term is often used negatively, suggesting the displacement of poor communities by rich outsiders. But the effects of gentrification are complex and contradictory, and its real impact varies.

Many aspects of the gentrification process are desirable. Who wouldn't want to see reduced crime, new investment in buildings and infrastructure, and increased economic activity in their neighborhoods? Unfortunately, the benefits of these changes are often enjoyed disproportionately by the new arrivals, while the established residents find themselves economically and socially marginalized.

Gentrification has been the cause of painful conflict in many American cities, often along racial and economic fault lines. Neighborhood change is often viewed as a miscarriage of social justice, in which wealthy, usually white, newcomers are congratulated for "improving" a neighborhood whose poor, minority residents are displaced by skyrocketing rents and economic change.

Although there is not a clear-cut technical definition of gentrification, it is characterized by several changes.

Demographics: An increase in median income, a decline in the proportion of racial minorities, and a reduction in household size, as low-income families are replaced by young singles and couples.

Real Estate Markets: Large increases in rents and home prices, increases in the number of evictions, conversion of rental units to ownership (condos) and new development of luxury housing.

Land Use: A decline in industrial uses, an increase in office or multimedia uses, the development of live-work "lofts" and high-end housing, retail, and restaurants.

Culture and Character: New ideas about what is desirable and attractive, including standards (either informal or legal) for architecture, landscaping, public behavior, noise, and nuisance.

How does it happen?

America's renewed interest in city life has put a premium on urban neighborhoods, few of which have been built since World War II. If people are flocking to new jobs in a region where housing is scarce, pressure builds on areas once considered undesirable.

Gentrification tends to occur in districts with particular qualities that make them desirable and ripe for change. The convenience, diversity, and vitality of urban neighborhoods are major draws, as is the availability of cheap housing, especially if the buildings are distinctive and appealing. Old houses or industrial buildings often attract people looking for "fixer-uppers" as investment opportunities.

Gentrification works by accretion — gathering momentum like a snowball. Few people are willing to move into an unfamiliar neighborhood across class and racial lines¹. Once a few familiar faces are present, more people are willing to make the move. Word travels that an attractive neighborhood has been "discovered" and the pace of change accelerates rapidly.

Consequences of Gentrification

In certain respects, a neighborhood that is gentrified can become a "victim of its own success." The upward spiral of desirability and increasing rents and property values often erodes the very qualities that began attracting new people in the first place. When success comes to a neighborhood, it does not always come to its established residents, and the displacement of that community is gentrification's most troubling effect.

No one is more vulnerable to the effects of gentrification than renters. When prices go up, tenants are pushed out, whether through natural turnover, rent hikes, or evictions. When buildings are sold, buyers often evict the existing tenants to move in themselves, combine several units, or bring in new tenants at a higher rate. When residents own their homes, they are less vulnerable, and may opt to "cash them in" and move elsewhere. Their options may be limited if there is a regional housing shortage, however, and cash does not always compensate for less tangible losses.

The economic effects of gentrification vary widely, but the arrival of new investment, new spending power, and a new tax base usually result in significant increased economic activity. Rehabilitation, housing development, new shops and restaurants, and new, higher-wage jobs are often part of the picture. Previous residents may benefit from some of this development, particularly in the form of service sector and construction jobs, but much of it may be out of reach to all but the well-educated newcomers. Some local economic activity may also be forced out — either by rising rents or shifting sensibilities. Industrial activities that employ local workers may be viewed as a nuisance or environmental hazard by new arrivals. Local shops may lose their leases under pressure from posh boutiques and restaurants.

Physical changes also accompany gentrification. Older buildings are rehabilitated and new construction occurs. Public improvements — to streets, parks, and infrastructure — may accompany government revitalization efforts or occur as new residents organize to demand public services. New arrivals often push hard to improve the district aesthetically, and may codify new standards through design guidelines, historic preservation legislation, and the use of blight and nuisance laws.

The social, economic, and physical impacts of gentrification often result in serious political conflict, exacerbated by differences in race, class, and culture. Earlier residents may feel embattled, ignored, and excluded from their own communities. New arrivals are often mystified by accusations that their efforts to improve local conditions are perceived as hostile or even racist.

Change — in fortunes, in populations, in the physical fabric of communities — is an abiding feature of urban life. But change nearly always involves winners and losers, and low-income people are rarely the winners. The effects of gentrification vary widely with the particular local circumstances. Residents, community development corporations, and city governments across the country are struggling to manage these inevitable changes to create a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Benjamin Grant is an urban designer, city planner and writer in the San Francisco Bay Area.

U-Haul in Olde Towne East
Olde Towne East

 

Related Links:

Read more about reverse migration in this Christian Science Monitor article.

Read about the accelerating pace of change in this Time Out article.

¹ Those that do are sometimes called "urban pioneers," and some have pointedly extended the analogy, likening the fate of existing communities to that of Native Americans.

Find out more about this struggle in our managing growth roundtable»

What's Your P.O.V.?

Share your thoughts about gentrification with other viewers orask filmmakers Linda Goode Bryant and Laura Poitras a question.

P.O.V. > Flag Wars: Flag Wars Update | Special Features | Behind the Lens | Talking Back | Resources |For Educators | About the Film

Everybody's normal til you get to know them

Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them (Hardback)

Ortberg, John (Author)

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Normal? Who’s Normal? Not you, that’s for sure! No one you’ve ever met, either. None of us are normal according to God’s definition, and the closer we get to each other, the plainer that becomes.

Yet for all our quirks, sins, and jagged edges, we need each other. Community is more than just a word—it is one of our most fundamental requirements. So how do flawed, abnormal people such as ourselves master the forces that can drive us apart and come together in the life-changing relationships God designed us for?

In Everybody’s Normal Till You Get to Know Them, teacher and best-selling author John Ortberg zooms in on the things that make community tick. You’ll get a thought-provoking look at God’s heart, at others, and at yourself. Even better, you’ll gain wisdom and tools for drawing closer to others in powerful, impactful ways. With humor, insight, and a gift for storytelling, Ortberg shows how community pays tremendous dividends in happiness, health, support, and growth. It’s where all of us weird, unwieldy people encounter God’s love in tangible ways and discover the transforming power of being loved, accepted, and valued just the way we are.

The need for community is woven into the very fabric of our being. Nothing else can substitute for the life-giving benefits of connecting with others—not even God. He won’t preempt the way he himself has designed us to reflect his own intensely relational nature.

But there’s a hitch in our experience of community, says John Ortberg: We’re all weird. Folks around us may seem normal enough, but just wait till we get to know them—and they get to know us. The unhealthy, sinful ways we respond to life in a fallen world are hardly God’s idea of “normal,” and they can make us as unhuggable as porcupines. We face the “porcupine dilemma,” says Ortberg: We need each other, but how do we get close without getting hurt? How do we get past all those quills and grow together in Christ?

In Everybody’s Normal Till You Get to Know Them, Ortberg once again reveals his gift for sharing profound insights using a lighten-up approach. With winsome humor and a fondness for well-spun stories, he pops the myth of normalcy and hands us the keys to creating and sustaining relationships. “God’s dream for community encompasses the redemption of all spheres of life,” he says.

Who doesn’t want like to be liked, to be wanted, to have solid, satisfying friendships! Ortberg shows what such relationships are made of. He reveals the benefits of authenticity—what it means to live with an “unveiled face,” as the Bible puts it. He encourages us to trade the stones it’s so easy to cast at others for acceptance. He opens our eyes and heart to empathy, the art of reading people. And he takes us through the ins and outs of conflict, forgiveness, confrontation, inclusion, and gratitude.

The principles and discussion questions in this book are down-to-earth. They’re for real people living in a real world, and are intended to help us count the practical cost of relationship and then pay it—because in all the rewards and struggles of community, we’re investing in something beyond our comprehension. You could call it heaven. You could call it home. It’s the place where all of us are headed, all of us belong, and all of us will be normal at last.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

A make believe Maverick

Oct 11, 2008 2:38 AM
Subject:Make-​Belie​ve Maver​ick
Body:From Rolli​ng Stone​
A close​r look at the life and caree​r of John McCai​n revea​ls a distu​rbing​ recor​d of reckl​essne​ss and disho​nesty​.​

Read the full story​

At Fort McNai​r,​ an army base locat​ed along​ the Potom​ac River​ in the natio​n'​s capit​al,​ a chanc​e reuni​on takes​ place​ one day betwe​en two forme​r POWs.​ It's the sprin​g of 1974,​ and Navy comma​nder John Sidne​y McCai​n III has retur​ned home from the exper​ience​ in Hanoi​ that,​ accor​ding to legen​d,​ trans​forme​d him from a callo​w and reckl​ess youth​ into a serio​us man of patri​otism​ and purpo​se.​ Walki​ng along​ the groun​ds at Fort McNai​r,​ McCai​n runs into John Drame​si,​ an Air Force​ lieut​enant​ colon​el who was also impri​soned​ and tortu​red in Vietn​am.​

McCai​n is study​ing at the Natio​nal War Colle​ge,​ a prest​igiou​s gradu​ate progr​am he had to pull strin​gs with the Secre​tary of the Navy to get into.​ Drame​si is enrol​led,​ on his own merit​,​ at the Indus​trial​ Colle​ge of the Armed​ Force​s in the build​ing next door.​

There​'​s a dista​nce betwe​en the two men that belie​s their​ share​d exper​ience​ in North​ Vietn​am — call it an honor​ gap. Like many Ameri​can POWs,​ McCai​n broke​ down under​ tortu​re and offer​ed a "​confe​ssion​"​ to his North​ Vietn​amese​ capto​rs.​ Drame​si,​ in contr​ast,​ attem​pted two darin​g escap​es.​ For the secon​d he was bruta​lized​ for a month​ with daily​ tortu​re sessi​ons that nearl​y kille​d him. His partn​er in the escap​e,​ Lt. Col. Ed Atter​berry​,​ didn'​t survi​ve the mistr​eatme​nt.​ But Drame​si never​ said a dislo​yal word,​ and for his heroi​sm was award​ed two Air Force​ Cross​es,​ one of the servi​ce'​s highe​st disti​nctio​ns.​ McCai​n would​ later​ hail him as "one of the tough​est guys I've ever met."

On the groun​ds betwe​en the two brick​ colle​ges,​ the chitc​hat betwe​en the scion​ of four-​star admir​als and the son of a prize​fight​er turns​ to their​ acade​mic trave​ls;​ both colle​ges spons​or a trip abroa​d for young​ offic​ers to netwo​rk with milit​ary and polit​ical leade​rs in a dista​nt corne​r of the globe​.​

"I'm going​ to the Middl​e East,​"​ Drame​si says.​ "​Turke​y,​ Kuwai​t,​ Leban​on,​ Iran.​"

"Why are you going​ to the Middl​e East?​"​ McCai​n asks,​ dismi​ssive​ly.​

"​It'​s a place​ we'​re proba​bly going​ to have some probl​ems,​"​ Drame​si says.​

"​Why?​ Where​ are you going​ to, John?​"​

"Oh, I'm going​ to Rio."

"​What the hell are you going​ to Rio for?​"​

McCai​n,​ a marri​ed fathe​r of three​,​ shrug​s.​

"I got a bette​r chanc​e of getti​ng laid.​"

Drame​si,​ who went on to serve​ as chief​ war plann​er for U.S. Air Force​s in Europ​e and comma​nder of a wing of the Strat​egic Air Comma​nd,​ was not surpr​ised.​ "​McCai​n says his life chang​ed while​ he was in Vietn​am,​ and he is now a diffe​rent man,​"​ Drame​si says today​.​ "But he's still​ the undis​cipli​ned,​ spoil​ed brat that he was when he went in."

McCAI​N FIRST​

This is the story​ of the real John McCai​n,​ the one who has been hidin​g in plain​ sight​.​ It is the story​ of a man who has consi​stent​ly put his own advan​cemen​t above​ all else,​ a man willi​ng to say and do anyth​ing to achie​ve his ultim​ate ambit​ion:​ to becom​e comma​nder in chief​,​ ascen​ding to the one posit​ion that would​ final​ly enabl​e him to outra​nk his four-​star fathe​r and grand​fathe​r.​

In its broad​ strok​es,​ McCai​n'​s life story​ is oddly​ simil​ar to that of the curre​nt occup​ant of the White​ House​.​ John Sidne​y McCai​n III and Georg​e Walke​r Bush both repre​sent the third​ gener​ation​ of Ameri​can dynas​ties.​ Both were born into posit​ions of privi​lege again​st which​ they rebel​led into medio​crity​.​ Both devel​oped an uncan​ny socia​l intel​ligen​ce that allow​ed them to skate​ by with a minim​um of menta​l exert​ion.​ Both strug​gled with booze​ and louti​sh behav​ior.​ At each step,​ with the aid of their​ fathe​rs'​ power​ful frien​ds,​ both faile​d upwar​d.​ And both shed their​ skins​ as Episc​opali​an membe​rs of the Washi​ngton​ elite​ to build​ polit​ical caree​rs as self-​style​d,​ ranch​-​inhab​iting​ Weste​rners​ who pray to Jesus​ in their​ wives​'​ evang​elica​l churc​hes.​

In one vital​ respe​ct,​ howev​er,​ the compa​rison​ is deepl​y unfai​r to the curre​nt presi​dent:​ Georg​e W. Bush was a much bette​r pilot​.​

Friday, October 10, 2008

Talk about not trusting Senator Obama., Hmmmmmmmm????

Alaska inquiry finding: Palin abused power

By MATT APUZZO, Associated Press Writer1 minute ago

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Sarah Palin unlawfully abused her power as governor by trying to have her former brother-in-law fired as a state trooper, the chief investigator of an Alaska legislative panel concluded Friday. The politically charged inquiry imperiled her reputation as a reformer on John McCain's Republican ticket.

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Investigator Stephen Branchflower, in a report by a bipartisan panel that investigated the matter, found Palin in violation of a state ethics law that prohibits public officials from using their office for personal gain.

The inquiry looked into her dismissal of Public Safety CommissionerWalter Monegan, who said he lost his job because he resisted pressure to fire a state trooper involved in a bitter divorce with the governor's sister. Palin says Monegan was fired as part of a legitimate budget dispute.

The report found that Palin let the family grudge influence her decision-making even if it was not the sole reason Monegan was dismissed. "I feel vindicated," Monegan said. "It sounds like they've validated my belief and opinions. And that tells me I'm not totally out in left field."

Branchflower said Palin violated a statute of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act.

"I disagree," said Palin attorney Thomas Van Flein. "In order to violate the ethics law, there has to be some personal gain, usually financial. Mr. Branchflower has failed to identify any financial gain."

The statute says "any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that (public) trust."

Palin and McCain's supporters had hoped the inquiry's finding would be delayed until after the presidential election to spare her any embarrassment and to put aside an enduring distraction as she campaigns as McCain's running mate in an uphill contest against Democrat Barack Obama.

But the panel of lawmakers voted to release the report, although not without dissension. There was no immediate vote on whether to endorse its findings.

"I think there are some problems in this report," said Republican state Sen. Gary Stevens, a member of the panel. "I would encourage people to be very cautious, to look at this with a jaundiced eye."

The nearly 300-page report does not recommend sanctions or a criminal investigation.

The investigation revealed that Palin's husband, Todd, has extraordinary access to the governor's office and her closest advisers. He used that access to try to get trooper Mike Wooten fired, the report found.

Branchflower faulted Sarah Palin for taking no action to stop that. He also noted there is evidence the governor herself participated in the effort.

Wooten had been in hot water before Palin became governor over allegations that he illegally shot a moose, drank beer in a patrol car and used a Taser on his stepson.

In proceedings revealed by the report, former Alaska State Trooper Col. Julia Grimes told investigators that Sarah Palin called her in late 2005 to discuss why Wooten hadn't been fired, and Grimes told her the inquiry was confidential by law.

"Her questions were how can a trooper who behaves this way still be working," Grimes said. "I asked her to please trust me, that because I can't tell her details I would ask her to please trust me that I would take the appropriate action if and when I knew what the findings were. ... I couldn't have another conversation with her about it because, again, it's protected by law."

Grimes said Todd Palin also contacted her by telephone in late 2005 to discuss the confidential investigation of Wooten.

Wooten's disciplinary case was settled in September 2006 — months before Palin was elected governor — and he was allowed to continue working as a trooper.

After Palin's election, her new public safety commissioner, Monegan, said he was summoned to the governor's office to meet Todd Palin, who said Wooten's punishment had been merely a "slap on the wrist." Monegan said he understood the Palins wanted Wooten fired. "I had this kind of ominous feeling that I may not be long for this job if I didn't somehow respond accordingly," Monegan told the investigator.

For months afterward, Todd Palin filed complaints about Wooten, saying he was seen riding a snowmobile after he had filed a worker's compensation claim and was seen dropping off his children at school in his patrol car. Monegan said Wooten's doctor had authorized the snowmobile trip and his supervisor had approved his use of the patrol car. Monegan said Alaska's attorney general later called him to inquire about Wooten, and Monegan told him they shouldn't be discussing the subject.

"This was an issue that apparently wasn't going to go away, that there were certainly frustrations," Monegan said. "To say that (Sarah Palin) was focused on this I think would be accurate."

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Exposing Hypocrisy

[Fwd: Fw: exposing hypocrisy]

Monday, September 15, 2008 7:54 PM
From:
To:
"undisclosed-recipients:;"

Subject: exposing hypocrisy



I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....

If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're 'exotic'
and 'different.'

Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you're an American story.

If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.

Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, and you're a maverick.

Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.

Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, then you're well-
grounded.

If you spend 3 years as a community organizer, become the first black
President of the Harvard Law Review, help register 150,000 new voters,
spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, 8 years as a State
Senator of a district of 750,000 people, chair the state Senate's
Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United
States Senate representing a state of 13 million people, sponsor 131
bills, and serve on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works,
and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership
experience.

If your resume is:  local weather girl, 4 years on the city
council and 6 years as the mayor of a town of 7,000 people, 2 years as
governor of a state of 650,000 people, you're qualified to be a
heartbeat away from the presidency.

If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising
2 daughters, all within Protestant churches,  you're not a real
Christian.

If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, left your ill
wife, and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

If you teach responsible, age-appropriate sex education, including the
use of birth control, you erode the fiber of American society.

If you staunchly advocate abstinence-only education, while your teen
daughter ends up pregnant, you're responsible.

If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a
prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city
community, then gave that up to raise a family, you don't represent
America's family values.

If your husband is called 'First Dude', has a DWI conviction, didn't
register to vote until 25, and was a member of a group that advocated
secession of Alaska from the USA, yours is the quintessential American
family.

And, finally, if you're famous for your quick temper, you're the one
to have your finger on the red nuclear button.

OK, much clearer now.

We MUST expose the hypocrisy of the McCain campaign
- share this with everyone!








Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Stuff that keeps me going


Turni​ng Point​

Throu​gh the Chris​t Spiri​t withi​n me, I am a wise,​ confi​dent,​ and lovin​g perso​n.​

Comin​g to a cross​road in life,​ a turni​ng point​,​ I may be makin​g a decis​ion about​ a caree​r chang​e,​ where​ I live,​ or a relat​ionsh​ip.​ It's about​ my life,​ and I have a choic​e in makin​g a decis​ion about​ what my respo​nsibi​litie​s are and how I go about​ fulfi​lling​ them.​

What do I bring​ to this turni​ng point​ and beyon​d?​ I bring​ my faith​ in God worki​ng throu​gh me in all situa​tions​,​ my enthu​siasm​ for life and every​ uniqu​e oppor​tunit​y it offer​s me, and my willi​ngnes​s to be both stude​nt and teach​er in what is now unfol​ding.​

Whate​ver new direc​tion I am consi​derin​g this day or in the days and weeks​ to come,​ I know that the Chris​t Spiri​t is withi​n me and flowi​ng from me. I am on my own journ​ey of disco​very,​ becom​ing a wiser​,​ more confi​dent,​ and lovin​g perso​n each day.

"So if anyon​e is in Chris​t,​ there​ is a new creat​ion:​ every​thing​ old has passe​d away;​ see, every​thing​ has becom​e new!​"​
2 Corin​thian​s 5:17

Daily​ Word

Monday, August 18, 2008

Motivation

"Achievement seems to be connected with action.
 
    Successful men and women keep moving.
 
    They make mistakes, but they don't quit."

    -  Conrad Hilton

____

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Inspirational



"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a 
matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited
for, it is a thing to be achieved."
- Winston Churchill

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Free stuff for women link

http://www.coolfreebielinks.com/Freebies_For-Women/

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

A Quote for today

"A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any other invention, with the possible exceptions of handguns and Tequilla." -- Mitch Ratcliffe

Monday, July 28, 2008

A Quote for today

"Make a decision to be succesful right now.

    Most people never decide to be wealthy and that is

    why they retire poor."

    -  Brian Tracy

______

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Inspire

"If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country." -- E. M. Forster

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Let Go, Let God


Daily words from myspace friend Vanessa's Choice

God always has a blessing for me, and I am ready to receive one now.






A rush of serenity flows through me when I release a problem to God for a divine solution. I have ceased thinking that I have total responsibility for the outcome of a challenge, and I have opened my mind and my life to God and a divine solution.






Along with the act of letting go and letting God, I have made a commitment to be a spiritually alert and active participant in helping bring about positive results. I am working in partnership with God.






God is my Creator, Healer, Guide, Friend, and more. I trust God as a source of all the wisdom, life and love that I need to overcome whatever is challenging me and to achieve my heart's desire. God is always with me, ready to Bless me. I am ready to receive.






"But as for me, I will look to the Lord,
I will wait for the God of my Salvation;
my God will hear me.




"
Micah 7:7

Daily Word

Friday, July 18, 2008

Inspire me!

"There is one way to find out if a man is honest -- ask him. If he says yes, you know he is crooked." -- Groucho Marx

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Quote for today

"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Woman To Woman: Daily Motivation

Lakedra with motivated moms 




Date: Jul 16, 2008 9:40 AM 
Subject: Daily Motivation 
Body: Though the odds may not be in your favor, you can do it. Though the challenges are great, you can make it happen.



People will likely tell you it's impossible. Even so, you can find a way to make it possible and to make it real.




When it means enough to you, then you can do it. When you are willing and committed and persistent, you will get yourself there.




Look within yourself and find those values that you most earnestly desire to express with your life. The things that are most genuinely important to you are the things that will power your achievements.




When you can put the power of your passion behind it, you will create it. Make the effort to find and to know that passion, and there is no limit to what you can accomplish.




Be utterly true to who you are. And fulfill your greatest possibilities.




-- Ralph Marston

Tips for Women: What to wear for the job interview!

 I am a Personal Shopper for  a major non profit women's organization.
 Today I applied all of my skills to help a woman who called  Women In Touch and asked for clothing for a job interview. 
Today I made a difference in her life.
I dressed her from head to toe.
 I gave her information for Women's Health Services and some personal products. 
I told her she can do it .
What a rewarding experience it always is for me.
I remember when I was trying to make a difference for myself and my children after being on Public Assistance and getting  no where. 
There was a group of neighborhood women who wanted me to get the job, but I did not have the proper clothing, they went shopping for me and even went into their own closet and offered me a selection of shoes, clothing, handbags. 
I was so sharp and so confident when I went for that job interview. 
I got the job! 
And so can you! 
If you can't make it to Women In Touch or other organizations that help Women, follow this list below to make sure you are dressed appropriate:
Women's Interview Attire
  • Solid color, conservative suit
  • Coordinated blouse
  • Moderate shoes
  • Limited jewelry
  • Neat, professional hairstyle
  • Tan or light hosiery
  • Go light on the make-up & perfume
  • Manicured nails
  • Portfolio or briefcase or neutral hand bag
@Woman In Touch