Wednesday, October 31, 2007

The new store and the environment.

After several months work, the new store is up. Two years ago, when I first decided to build web stores, the first one I was anxious to build was a "green" store offering recycleable, reusable, and sustainable products. The store is now open and there is only one type of product so far. (I am looking at and for other products, and am trying out some solar yard lights.) I first thought that finding eco-friendly products would be easy. It isn't. Sure there's lots of stuff out there, but It is often overpriced, not well thought out, or not available. Then there is the question of quality. I won't market anything I don't believe in, so I test, personally, each product before I put it in my store. That takes time.

I am excited about this new stuff. Bioplastics are a new generation of materials that are made from natural products like corn, soybeans, and potatoes. It is a compostable, biodegradeable, replacement for all those styrofoam, paper, polyethylene and plastic dinnerware we used to buy for parties, picnics, and barbecues. Under perfect conditions the material can be turned into compost in as little as 180 days. When you compare that with our previous choices that sit in our landfills for hundreds of years and leave toxic remains, this is a huge step forward. I have been using the products in my home and am very pleased with the results. Yeah, at first my wife was upset that we weren't using the china, but now, she is equally impressed. We wash them and use them over as many as 10 times, and they hold up very well. They are strong enough to withstand cutting any meat or what ever and don't fold, even when I overload my plate. I'm done with the testing and they will be the exclusive dinnerware for our 2 week Christmas holiday at Big Pine Fish Camp in the Keys, and for all the trips in our 1966 Airstream. If you see us somewhere, stop by and I'll show them to you.

Oh yea, the new store is TocobagaTraders.com.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Breast Cancer Awareness

I have been busy in another arena for the last week and a half. Like many guys I never quite got it when it came to breast cancer. I lost a very good friend about 20 years ago to breast cancer but didn't understand the issue. It took another wonderful friend, who is recovering now to make me pay attention. I called her to see how she was doing and then she told me what she was going through. We have lunch together every other week and it has opened my eyes.

That's why I wanted to share this with you now. My friend shared with me that she had not been doing her monthly self breast exam and therefore wasn't diagnosed as soon as she could have. A regular self exam would probably have meant she wouldn't be going into her second round of treatments now.

What can we do to help? Lots! You can support cancer research and treatment by participating in walks and runs sponsered by your local Susan G. Komen group and the Pink Ribbon groups, and /or make donations. On the personal side you can ask women if they are doing their monthly exam. I called my sister and other loved ones, and after they got over the shock that I asked such a question, answered me and I was surprised that so many weren't. It's a love thing. Ask. Share your concern for them. They appreciated it. Only about 14% of all women do their breast self-exam. Thats not good enough, and half of those don't do it right.

Here is a website that shows you how to do it right:
http://www.y-me.org/information/concerned_about_breast_cancer/earlier_detection_methods/perform_BSE.php
Copy and paste it in that box thing at the top of your internet page. It will take you there.

My wife recently got information about a new device that aids in doing a self breast exam, making it easier to do it correctly and helping you to find lumps easier and sooner. Its called 'The Breast Self-Examination Kit'. So, what am I doing? First I made a large donation to the local branch of the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Then I participated in their walk. And, I have put the self exam kits in my bridal store to make them available to everyone. Why do I want that word bold? Because, men, you want to protect your loved ones. A portion of the profit made by the supplier is donated to their local cancer charities, and I am doing the same in St. Petersburg. Fla.

What are you doing?

Thanks for listening,
Bob

Monday, October 1, 2007

Have you seen "The Secret" yet?

If you haven't seen the movie/video "The Secret" yet, then you have an interesting viewing to do. I saw it a couple of months ago and thought, "I knew that." And I did know it, in an unconcious way. I remembered that a friend of my Dad's, told me when I was about 11 years old, to watch what I thought about, because thoughts become things. So if I wanted something, think like you have it and it will happen. Later when I worked as an IBM salesman, I read Napoleon Hill's book and he said the same thing. So what? Well, the idea wasn't really solid in my mind but I can think of a lot of instances where I used it, but wasn't really aware of what I was doing.
Actually seeing the video made it hit home for me and clarified it in my mind. As I have noted elsewhere in this blog, I am on a new track with a new vision of where I am going. I am going to actively use "The Secret" on this new journey and I will share the trip with you. If you are interested in learning more of how to do this, (this was what escaped me most of my life,) below is a link for seven free 'How to do the secret' lessons. They were assembled by three of the guys on video and I am putting them to use.


7 Free Lessons from the Teachers of The Secret