Kella Price Nominated for Military Spouse of the Year

I am nominated for the Military Spouse of the Year. Please vote Tuesday, Jan 21st for me --Voting is 1 day only. Popular vote determines who moves to the next round to be considered for this honor. VOTE TUESDAY!! It's one vote per email address and open to all (you do not need to be affiliated with the military), please vote and enter your email address. They won't sell your address or spam you. Thank you for your vote  for the 2014 Military Spouse of the Year.

Kella Price

When my day started off with morning frustrations with the kids, I couldn't wait to pound the

pavement with a run...a nice long run. (It was going to be a LONG day, I home school the kids). I threw on my running shoes and left, hoping to come back with a clear head, dissipated of the anger and frustration of the morning.

I love my workouts. I could workout 3 hours a day if I had the time. I love the peace and quiet of a workout (I listen to music, but there's not the constant buzz of kids in my ear). I love the focus on something that I can accomplish, literally "cross off my list" for the day. I love the high from the endorphins of a great workout, the strength I get physically and emotionally from my workout. And I certainly can't complain about how it translates to my body and how I look. It's a great stress reliever..

Most of us are busy with "life". It's so easy to get in a rut and eliminate a workout from the day's schedule. However, the stress of home and family life can pull us down.  A nice workout, just you doing your best, is good for your body and your soul.

4 miles later, the frustration of the morning's events are gone, and I'm ready to try again!

Proverbs 31: 17 "She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong."

This Wonder Woman needs her SUPERMAN!

As I conducted my last board meeting as President of the ABWA Verdugo Glen Chapter, I was presented with a vintage Wonder Woman metal poster, and bracelet resembling the bracelet she wore.

The board had presented me with the gifts as a thank you for my service the

incoming President commented, "You ARE Wonder Woman".

I used to love that show: beautiful heroine with not only the beauty but the superpowers too ! A

few years ago, I even dressed up for Halloween as Wonder Woman.

When I got the presents from my Board members, I really appreciated the recognition for my hard work. It’s really difficult to balance the requirements of home and family, work, and volunteer service.

People often remark, "I don't know how you do it..." My most frequent responses are: "I drink a lot of coffee", and "I can rest when my kids go off to college" (12 years from now). Then, someone recently told me when I met them that, while I was nice, that they were intimidated by me. I was shocked! While my schedule could overwhelm anybody, I aspire to

motivate and inspire others, not intimidate them. I am a perfectionist, and definitely push myself to the limit, because that's who I am. I try to present myself as someone's who's put together, polished...even when it's a struggle. The fact is, I'm just a professional and mom, just like so many others. I make mistakes and although I strive for excellence, there are many times I fall short. I struggle to find time to do my workouts (and then feel bad about myself and beat myself up mentally all day when I do),

sometimes get frustrated and yell at my kids (yes, I'm still working on the Fruits of the Spirit--see Galatians 5:22-23) , have been known to drink wine before dinner when my day has been rough, and at times raid the kids candy stash when they've gone to bed (hey, don't judge ;) I know many of

you have done it too).

I am able to persist in my daily schedule (where there is never enough time) because of the

grace of God. I am just as imperfect as anyone else, maybe I just hide it better. But I pray daily

to God to help me teach my children, give me patience, and encouragement so that I don't

become overwhelmed. My hope is that people, especially moms, see me as an encouragement. My favorite Bible verse is "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). I don't have it all together: the glue that keeps it together is God. There are plenty of challenges in my life; but I want others to see that those are opportunities to overcome, inspiring others and sharing God's grace with those who we come in contact with daily. So, if you have problems or challenges at work or home; know that no problem is too big for God…he’s your Superman!   He has done great things in my life with my marriage, my work, and my children. He can do the same for you…Superman to the rescue!

Ready, Set, GO! ASTD International Conference 2012

As I sit in the LAX airport at some ungodly hour in the morning, I am filled with excitement and anticipation for the conference...some might even call me antsy (and I've refrained from my morning cappuccino)! For many, conferences like ASTD (American Society for Training and Development) are a way to get renergized. I always enjoy reconnecting with old friends, meeting new friends, and learning something new. I have the opportunity to hone my skills and increase my effectiveness. And, since I love to use Twitter, it's an opportunity to connect with my tweeps face-to-face! But, as energized as I start the conference, my energy can wane during the conference for several reasons. Not eating properly (a wine and cheese party is NOT dinner), not sleeping enough (I only see our friends from Sweden once a year, so who can blame me for staying out till 3 am), not sleeping well (my roommate snores!), and not exercising (at least I brought my gym clothes so I wouldn't feel guilty). Does this happen to you? From a conference veteran, I can tell you that the key for staying bright-eyed through the conference is moderation. Plan each of your meals to visit with different groups of friends--this will ensure that you will eat, and be able to maximize your "connection time". If your energy is depleted, go pick up a banana for a quick snack: the potassium will give you a boost. Stepping outside of the Convention Center for some sunshine and fresh air is another way to refresh yourself during a long day full of sessions. A quick 10-20 minute walk outside will give you a boost. Conferences are a great place to connect. If this is your first conference and you don't know anyone, sign up for "Meet to Eat" for dinner. This is a great way to meet others, and the restaurant choices are super. Step out of your comfort zone and walk up to someone you don't know who might be sitting alone during the Expo lunches and introduce yourself. If you're the shy type, an easy opener like "What sessions did you attend today?" or "What did you learn so far today?" can help you start a conversation. Don't forget to exchange business cards with people you meet this week. With all the new connections that I will make, I write a little note on the business card about what I talked to the person about; this helps me recall the conversation for follow-up when I get home. I also encourage you to get linked into the backchannel conversation (all the dialogue and learning on Twitter from the conference sessions). If you don't have a Twitter account, it is easy to set up in just a few minutes. You can search for the official conference hashtag (#ASTD2012) and read all the posts other conference attendees are making. Most importantly, make a commitment to take action from something you learn from the conference. There are so many big ideas and tools to try, focus on 1-3 that you will implement. Reflect on this (waiting at the airport for your flight will give you plenty of time to do so) and create a short action plan. POST IT somewhere that you are going to see it everyday; share your action plan with a colleague or friend to keep you accountable. Enjoy your time at the conference: networking, learning, growing.

Eternal life online? Making your mark on the world online and forever

Shocked. Unbelief. Sad. Honored to have known him.

I lost a friend last week, Terrence Wing. His death was unexpected and, for earthly standards, before his time. It also “hit home” because Terrence was a friend my age, busy with a business and family. He had big plans and was always working hard to make those ideas a reality. Full of energy and life: now suddenly gone.
For some, the call to leave our earthly home brings us eternal life…but human memories fade and our loved ones left behind have only stories, photos, and perhaps a video to remember us. For others, the ability to substantially impact and change the lives of others in a positive way leaves the Earth a better place than when we entered it. With the use of Internet and social media networks, one’s impact can be far-reaching and everlasting. Terrence will have eternal life online, which is where he impacted and influenced so many. Since his passing last week on December 1st, the hashtag #TerrenceWing has appeared in 620 posts on Twitter, and I am certainly not the first to reflect on his impact to my life and the training and development community (several others have focused their blogs this week on Terrence). His mark was made on the learning community as well as a broader audience; a Google search of Terrence Wing results in over 12,000 hits, including: blogs, summaries of some of his presentations, and YouTube videos. Workplace Learning Professionals will continue to learn from these archives for years to come.
Terrence served the training and development community. He worked on the ASTD International Conference Planning Advisory Committee for the past two years. His experience and insight helped identify top presenters and key subject areas for the conference. Linda David said, “His knowledge of social media was a bonus and he freely offered advice and how-to's to all of us on how to leverage these tools.” His love for technology and how it can be used in learning was used as he also served on the ASTD TechKnowledge Conference Planning Advisory Committee, which influences the 2012 conference program. His proposal review and selection responsibilities were Emerging Technologies and Platforms & Tools.

Terrence shared his knowledge and expertise freely with colleagues, both locally and nationally. Terrence first spoke for ASTD at the 2011 TechKnowledge conference on the topic of “Twitter for the Learning Professional.” He also spoke that year at the International Conference on the same topic, as well as offering a preconference workshop on “ISD 2.0: Retooling Instructional Design for a Socialized Workforce.” He was scheduled to speak at both conferences in 2012 on “Navigating the Social Learning Roadmap” and” ISD 2.0: The Fusion of Semantic Tech and ISD.”He also spoke at ASTD chapter events on a range of social media topics. His sharing and collaboration extended to regular #elearnchats on Twitter and JustinTV, writing for eLearning Guild’s Learning Solutions Magazine, and his own blog for LiquidLearn. In more informal settings, Terrence was always willing to share his ideas and opinions with others, and with a smile. His presence and warmth always made you feel at ease; he often mentored others using his charisma and expertise to embody the ideals of ASTD: “making the world better”.

I met Terrence several years ago through my involvement with ASTD. A fellow advocate for social media and its uses in training, we often tweeted back-and-forth about the latest T&D articles or news. We always had something to talk about, and often it was online…even though we both live in the Los Angeles area. With travel, our schedules often conflicted so face-to-face meetings for coffee or lunch were limited.

I was able to collaborate with Terrence on multiple projects, including earlier this year when we both participated virtually via Twitter in a learning event called ("Blend Me") for the Sacramento ASTD Chapter in May. He served on the national committee for Social Media, which I chaired. As a committee member, he helped in the development and execution of our monthly Twitter #ASTDChapters chats, featuring topics relevant to chapter leaders and members of the ASTD community.
As the National Advisors for Chapters, I had the opportunity to work with Terrence through his local chapter of ASTD (Los Angeles), where he was President-Elect. He was a leader who stood up for his beliefs with integrity and respect. He embodied the ideals of “servant leader”. He was always willing to share his expertise about social media, technology, and training to anyone who wanted to learn. His big ideas and zeal for life made him an inspiration to others.

Terrence was honored in a tribute on the #elearnchat, on JustinTV; the archive can be viewed at http://www.justin.tv/relatecorp/b/301949476 . ASTD-LA is accepting comments remembering Terrence on their webpage: http://www.astdla.org/Terrence?mode=MessageList&eid=764240&mlpg=2 Terrence influenced many through his life, and was respected by the learning community as a leader, a visionary, and a friend. You will be missed, Terrence.

Mad dash to learn & change: Social media is keeping it fresh

I am headed to Washington DC this week to speak to learning professionals about social media and how to use it effectively in their strategy. Social media has played a dominant role in how we do business for several years; it’s not a fad with fifteen minutes of fame…Social media has changed forever the way we interact, do business, and socialize. In fact, Americans spend 23% of their time on social networks . Additionally, mobile users increased by 62% in 2011 .
But people are always complaining about changes made to their technology and networks; and it seems that the changes are constant. I just received notice via email this afternoon that Hootsuite acquired Geotoko and is adding functionality to its tools for users, including: improved analytics, added functionality for LinkedIn Company pages, and a new Tweet trending feature via acquisition of “What the Trend”.
Additionally, Facebook seems to be changing all the time. Recent changes incited near riots for many users who were infuriated by the new look and features of Facebook. Status updates are now on the “Ticker Bar” on the right side of your page. Why do people dislike this so? I am glad trivialities that clogged my News Feed, like Farmville posts from friends, are on the Ticker now. Other changes included adding a Polling option, threading comments for multiple posts of the same link, and adding lists to organize your friends (a response to Google+ circles).
Are these truly improvements, or just irritation? Why are we so resistant to change? In a fast-paced world that is constantly in a state of flux, why aren’t we responding more positively to these changes around us? Aren’t we supposed to be flexible? I would expect learning professionals to be receptive to changes, especially as improvements make our actions more efficient or effective.
The changes will continue, so long as there is competition in the market to drive improvements in products and services. It is our role as learning professionals to lead our organizations and keep employees up-to-date about technology and tools that make information sharing and learning easier, more collaborative, and more efficient. As we embrace technology tools, we improve the communication and relationships in our organizations.

Investing to Reach your goals - Stay the course!

Portfolio got you down? Delma Luna says to “Stay the course”. At the June meeting of Yuma’s American Business Women’s Association, Delma Luna provided insight into investing to achieve your goals.

There are several reasons that investors fail in their finances:
• Procrastination is the biggest reason. The sooner you start planning for retirement, the better. How much of your retirement income is your responsibility? Social security and pensions will account for not quite half of your retirement funds. The remainder will need to come from your savings. Social security will just be a portion of what you will need in retirement. The system is in trouble and a person can’t depend on it to be there in the future in its present form.
• Ignorance of investment fundamentals such as asset allocation, diversification, and using insurance. Asset allocation is how your money is divided between cash, stocks, bond and other investments. Diversification is spreading your money around to many different investments to spread out the risk. Life insurance fills a need if something happens to you before retirement to protect your family.
• Ignorance of tax laws, not using the tax-deferred options available to an individual and through employment. Using tax deferral in a retirement account allows you to save and defer the taxes until the money is withdrawn in retirement. The maximum amount to contribute to an IRA in 2009 is $5000 with a $1000 catch-up if you are over age 50. Roth IRAs allow you to save for retirement using money that has been taxed already and then it is tax free upon withdrawal.
• Retirement Distribution Planning – not planning how to take the withdrawals once in retirement, either by taking too much, or from the wrong place in the wrong order.
• Not being ready for the unexpected. This is where an emergency fund and insurance comes in, such as life and long term care insurance.
• Not having a comprehensive retirement strategy – having a plan make all the difference in the world. Working with a financial advisor can help ease the way.

Delma can be contacted at (928) 329-1700 or by email Delma.luna@lpl.com