Financial Analyst (Planning budget | forecasting Material cost | Inventory |revenue | Microsoft Excel SAP/SOX ) (#108305)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Job Title:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"> Financial Analyst</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Location:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"> Milpitas, CA</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Duration:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"> Fulltime</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Job Description: </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 3 years of experience. Day to day includes the following: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"></span><div class="WordSection1"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">1.Responsible for reviewing and forecasting Book, Ship, Revenue and Warranty  line items</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">2.Responsible for all line items associated with Manufacturing costs, this includes, headcount , materials and allocations costs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">3.Responsible for reviewing standard costing and E&O Materials for Division</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">4.Responsible for all line items associated with Fixed Cost, these include but are not limited to Compensation, Project Spend, Allocations and Depreciation of Internal Tools, more items may be added later</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">5.This person will be the primary contact for Director of Engineering and Director of Marketing to forecast and track spending at a detail level</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">6.Understanding of SOX compliance/Internal Control Requirements</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">7.Participate in strategic planning for Finance</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">8.Monthly/ Quarterly close processes and meet regular corporate deliverables.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">9.Able to work/cooperate with different levels of the organization in Finance, Engineering, Marketing, Sales.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Education and Experience:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">1.Able to work independently and proactively </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">2.Energetic, openness to learning, dependable, responsible</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">3.Self driven and motivated to invest the time to learn new processes, add to existing ones</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">4.Strong communication skills, open to discussions to resolve issues</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">5.Strong technical skills in Excel modeling, SAP, TM1</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">6.Share KT values</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">7.Bachelor's Level Degree</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Basic Qualifications:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Bachelor's Level Degree with at least  5 years of experience.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">OR</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Master's Level Degree with at least 3 years of experience.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Please send your resumes to <a href="mailto:vinod.sanker@kla-tencor.com">vinod.sanker@kla-tencor.com</a> </span></b></div></div><div class="WordSection1"><br /></div></div>

Financial Analyst (Planning budget | forecasting Material cost | Inventory |revenue | Microsoft Excel SAP/SOX ) (#108305)

Job Title: Financial Analyst Location: Milpitas, CA Duration: Fulltime Job Description: The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 3 year...

Read more »

Google #3: Google Docs tips and tricks

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2Y3wdZauBritLMGGxXkuETxAtDrfAQSNQ1jjGWRDSwTc72f_MQn6ENngQ_L-FoQUNczdVgbl4gWhjbdhv5I0OJTTwqyBlgGBtEU2XuflXKVajyFIIhb9hmqL_GP_QLZ5_i77A2orypI/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2e-2ODxih9KprpZ1rR5qFvHfvYEoGyBTKNZrudz2aIUyKabgS5XYCJjJzVqWw8zgDozk5N53PudAuO4VPkLx2TBWhWyEchq4tCq9_aFYk4eWQ2TiNi5WDv7xf4LhAwkz-SVf-vm2REM/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Internet is full of posts relating to all the things you can do with Google Docs. It is an amazing suite especially when it is used in combination with Google Chrome. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Some of my favourite tips</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">1. I love the fact that you can upload any document such as a Microsoft PowerPoint and immediately be given an URL to share in whatever way you choose. This means that in a blog, for example, you might want to share a PowerPoint link without having to put it to Slideshare, or you might want to share a Word document. I thought Box.net was the best way to do this but Google Docs is just as good.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">2. The Chrome extensions are amazing! For example, I LOVE the way that when you are browsing the Internet and you come across a website you like...OK, you can bookmark it in Diigo, BUT, if you want a more tangible form like a PDF of the page you just click on the extension <i>Send to Google Docs. The DocWatch </i>extension is also useful for collaboration and seeing if the document you are working with has been added to since you last looked. The third extension I LOVE is not necessarily for Google Docs but is the <i>Dictionary</i> extension where you can double click on any word on a web page and get the meaning. This is so useful for our students. Is there any wonder that Chrome is my favourite browser! Across the top of my Google Chrome browser I have all the little extensions I love to use - <i>Scoop.it, scrible toolbar for annotating, Diigo, Send to Google Docs, WatchDoc, Dictionary </i>- the list is growing daily!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">The following presentation outlines a few of my favourite tips and tricks from Google Docs. </span></div><div id="__ss_13496009" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0px 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/google-docs-tips-and-tricks" title="Google docs tips and tricks">Google docs tips and tricks</a></b><object height="355" id="__sse13496009" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=googledocstipsandtricks-120629110238-phpapp02&stripped_title=google-docs-tips-and-tricks&userName=fionabeal" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /> <param name="wmode" value="transparent" /> <embed name="__sse13496009" src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=googledocstipsandtricks-120629110238-phpapp02&stripped_title=google-docs-tips-and-tricks&userName=fionabeal" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object> <br /><div style="padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal">Fiona Beal</a>.</div></div></div>

google Google #3: Google Docs tips and tricks

  The Internet is full of posts relating to all the things you can do with Google Docs. It is an amazing suite especially when it is used in...

Read more »

My Awesome WW Leader

I have been a WW member unofficially since I was 17 years old.   I have also had 5 WW leaders since I've started this journey.<br /><br />My unofficial membership began when my aunts and uncle proposed a little family weight loss competition.  Aunt Patty photocopied her Points slider and made one for me out of a manila envelope (back when Points were based on calories, fat and fiber, and eTools didn't even exist!).  She taught me the system, and so our competition began.  I think I managed to lose around 20-25 pounds during my first run on WW.  Not bad!  (I might even still have that homemade slider back at my parents house - mental note to look for that the next time I go home!)  <br /><br />Once I went away to college and actually had money to afford my own official WW membership, I started attending meetings at the local center at Penn State.  I cannot even remember if my leader was male or female at this center!  Shows how much of an impact they had on me.  Though I must say, it was during this time that I was most successful on WW, having removed nearly 50 lbs from my 5'8" frame!  Oh the glory!  I remember the amazing compliments that my college friends would offer me - definitely a highlight of my life!<br /><br />Then I moved to Virginia in 2006, slowly regaining those 50 lbs, and started attending meetings in Fairfax, VA.  My WW leader there was Wayne.   HILARIOUS guy and was so incredibly popular among the NoVA WW's that I eventually quit attending the meetings because I couldn't stand the crowd.  He was like a WW celebrity - women falling at his heels for attention with their own weight loss quips.  He had great information, but I was never able to form a connection with him, most likely due to the shear number of people attending his meetings.  However, I knew I needed to form some connection with my leader in order to hold me accountable.  So, eventually I quit attending Wayne's meetings in Fairfax.<br /><br />At one point in 2007, I actually cancelled my WW membership.  I decided that there was no sense in paying for it if I couldn't keep myself committed.  But then, once I returned home from a 3 month hiatus for work in Kansas City, Joel and I decided we would do WW together.  I started attending meetings again for a short duration, this time at a church in Arlington, VA.  The leader there was nice enough, but before long I quit attending (I don't think I ever knew her name!).  The people attending this meeting just wasn't doing it for me and the leader was just so-so.  I think around this time Joel and I both lost approximately 30 lbs but started slacking off thereafter.  <br /><br />Then I moved from Arlington to Alexandria in 2008 and decided to start attending meetings at another location once more.  This time I attended meetings at a center in Springfield.....with Wayne (again)!  By now I felt that Joel would be enough to hold me accountable, so I no longer felt the need to connect with my leader.  Wayne sure was hilarious just as he was in 2006, but again, his meetings were packed!  So, instead of attending his meetings, I started attending Mary's meetings on another night.  Another nice lady, but she wasn't cutting it either.  I wanted Wayne's enthusiasm and knowledge combined with Mary's attendance level.  This time I hung in there for a solid year, but once I moved to Waldorf, MD in 2009, I all together gave up on attending meetings.  I never felt like they were providing that much of a benefit for me and so I became strictly an eTools member.  <br /><br />I stayed as an eTools member for about 2 years.  Then, Joel and I moved back to Alexandria from Maryland in 2011.  <br /><br />Has all this moving annoyed you yet?  It sure did for me!<br /><br />A few weeks after moving back to the Old Dominion, I decided to start <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/07/living-life-making-friends.html" target="_blank">attending meetings again</a>.  I made this decision for a number of reasons, but mainly so that I could try to make some friends.  I was also at my heaviest weight ever (in the 260s), and I needed a boost.  I wanted to start fresh with WW, get the crash course in PointsPlus (which had just turned over from the previous Points system), and reinvigorate my weight loss journey.  A woman of persistence, I was willing to give meetings another go despite my experience, because I was determined to find a leader I could connect with and learn from.  He/she just had to be out there!<br /><br /><br />Enter Sharon.<br /><br />Sharon, with the shining smile and bright eyes, greeted me warmly as I weighed in at the Alexandria center for the first time in July 2011.  I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she was this location's leader.  From Day 1, Sharon was exactly what I was looking for in a leader.  Not only was she enthusiastic about WW,  but she had a ton of knowledge and experience to share.  She was always very willing to talk with you one on one and it was clear that she had personal connections with her members.  Sharon had immediately introduced me to another member who was around my age, sharing this member's success story with me.  Sharon's positive energy and warm demeanor always kept me coming back, despite the snail's pace at which the weight is coming off this time around.  Sharon, hands down, was the leader I had been looking for all along.<br /><br />Last week, during my Wednesday meeting, with about 5 minutes remaining, she told us she had an announcement to make.  Being the morbid person that I am, my mind shot to "she has cancer!".  Thankfully I was wrong, but the news still wasn't good.  Sharon informed us that June 27 would be her last meeting with us as our leader.  As she had tears in her eyes, she shared with us that her and her husband were going through a divorce and that she had to take time off to focus on her, her daughter and the sale of her much-loved home.  By this point, many of the members had tears running down their faces, me included.  Sharon went on to say that she had gained back a considerable amount of weight due to the emotional stress she was experiencing. She said she no longer felt good about projecting the WW principles to us, whenever she wasn't even capable of following them.  I'm pretty sure none of us were judging her on this!  Still, many of us expressed our support and concern to her at the end of the meeting.  I left the center with an extremely heavy heart.<br /><br />The irony in this story is that Sharon had weighed me in for this meeting, and I had told her that I didn't want to know my weight because I had just returned from our honeymoon.  She flashed her trademark smile and expressed genuine happiness for me as I shared our quick story with her.  Then, 30 minutes later, she shares her news.  But, that is the kind of person she is.  Despite the crap she has going on in her life, you would have never known.  Sharon was always smiling, always encouraging, always positive.  <br /><br />Last night was our last meeting with her until hopefully this fall.  She promises to come back to our meeting site at some point this summer to attend as a member, not a leader.  Her only request for us last night was that we pray for her.  She specifically said: "Don't feel bad for me.  Be glad for me.  I am going to have time to change my life and my daughter's life for the better.  All I ask is that you pray for me."<br /><br />I wanted to share this story with you so that you can pray for Sharon as well.<br /><br /><b style="color: #351c75;">How do you feel about your WW leader/Jenny Craig consultant/other well-being consultant? </b>

Weight Watchers My Awesome WW Leader

I have been a WW member unofficially since I was 17 years old.   I have also had 5 WW leaders since I've started this journey. My unoffi...

Read more »

you scare me, but i like you

<span style="background-color: white;">I started working on ideas for my living room a few weeks </span><span style="background-color: white;">ago</span><span style="background-color: white;"> and I'm having some good times with these fabric and paint ideas. (I'll share my board soon) I've realized though, that I have a color phobia. I'm usually down with all colors, and don't have any particular fear of using any of them...except for one.<br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Orange.<br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I've tried to use it a few times - in paint, fabric, accessories - and I almost always chicken out. Its sad. I'm thinking I might need therapy. </span><span style="background-color: white;"><br />This is my sole dip into the orange pool. Chicken.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXb8FwRZyQkKVBxLeGb1jmTOpxn6P9DjT7ocrW6_C31PoByLctHs7w4kK8eu8UZEPrjlofPgda_6oCbg9bAYZmHWLBiDn-kKLEprTRVsQ1mNfGVHGof0xJaXXx_NaH86VY70tcqBi4lYU-/s1600/P3145191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXb8FwRZyQkKVBxLeGb1jmTOpxn6P9DjT7ocrW6_C31PoByLctHs7w4kK8eu8UZEPrjlofPgda_6oCbg9bAYZmHWLBiDn-kKLEprTRVsQ1mNfGVHGof0xJaXXx_NaH86VY70tcqBi4lYU-/s640/P3145191.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I really like orange. And I find that I <a href="http://pinterest.com/ladybaum/" target="_blank">pin it</a> a ton.</span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61CL5oPI2EpNcNXAPUSTv2QricDjcrYkg20USntvFVLJVmJiE9cS8otZqOsS5_V-wX9ZU-oZs-E2ALBhM5YWcVam0l-XQQgwAZoC2GaxEXQioe60W0ny044T95BEx_I2DN-bLTrQLanG9/s1600/TobiFairley.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61CL5oPI2EpNcNXAPUSTv2QricDjcrYkg20USntvFVLJVmJiE9cS8otZqOsS5_V-wX9ZU-oZs-E2ALBhM5YWcVam0l-XQQgwAZoC2GaxEXQioe60W0ny044T95BEx_I2DN-bLTrQLanG9/s640/TobiFairley.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tobifairley.com/portfolio/glenwood/" target="_blank">Tobi Fairley</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjSwp3ZRRqk7qhiOTUK8Ccgrj5B_6DLmArqup4OWiOcsF2BAUN3Pg1-WTi-qMT_h7EcfhfIGZp8hmS8dxGg461oh0fDW5ZKi3gvWwIVvYJOUAQSmwEKLfaa3QUH-nHoyVplfPbRuu4ywC/s1600/Style+at+Home+design+editor+Jessica+Waks.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjSwp3ZRRqk7qhiOTUK8Ccgrj5B_6DLmArqup4OWiOcsF2BAUN3Pg1-WTi-qMT_h7EcfhfIGZp8hmS8dxGg461oh0fDW5ZKi3gvWwIVvYJOUAQSmwEKLfaa3QUH-nHoyVplfPbRuu4ywC/s640/Style+at+Home+design+editor+Jessica+Waks.jpeg" width="544" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.styleathome.com/homes/interiors/interior-girly-glam-bachelorette-pad/a/42127" target="_blank">Style at Home</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdVhZP8Kr_-bTFqzXXpQQktsoKvmFMieVBDVCDaGKNFF2LxBmFB_OkLSzdq2gWoeAEhkRRsdBVYgcAUBBHXkynC27T80Ut7aX8aDSdCAv8BViaAqzdsMzeKnjZAKTH6hea6YttpA3q337/s1600/amyweaver.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdVhZP8Kr_-bTFqzXXpQQktsoKvmFMieVBDVCDaGKNFF2LxBmFB_OkLSzdq2gWoeAEhkRRsdBVYgcAUBBHXkynC27T80Ut7aX8aDSdCAv8BViaAqzdsMzeKnjZAKTH6hea6YttpA3q337/s640/amyweaver.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amyweaverdesign.com/portfolio_2.html" target="_blank">Amy Weaver</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiythxczK-pM8vmpIS527-o9TLh_bCeBpptSFx2Br0RS7U6zVfpEq5Tx5Nc4jLSmpC_-wG9AazRARZ__mRvz893hGZJ3z5hxDNe51MD_wZEQQxbolijVoBGHX5PRC1pWDggdMJEd2XkNiSF/s1600/TobiFairley2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiythxczK-pM8vmpIS527-o9TLh_bCeBpptSFx2Br0RS7U6zVfpEq5Tx5Nc4jLSmpC_-wG9AazRARZ__mRvz893hGZJ3z5hxDNe51MD_wZEQQxbolijVoBGHX5PRC1pWDggdMJEd2XkNiSF/s640/TobiFairley2.jpeg" width="472" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tobifairley.com/portfolio/energy-house/" target="_blank">Tobi Fairley</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmQqw4fG7kBPTkkpnXZv4sz81NzIe0QrsFe5AtOaLJ2dbr2vpfdL9pH0Pqbb5h5NEU2Q7Jf2kfH60cbN6zAqqePy6x79OJD5BPXcFmK8ILbosEYYkAfsScy7SEHJH7PA_IfUdLX8e4FKu/s1600/MarthaStewart.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmQqw4fG7kBPTkkpnXZv4sz81NzIe0QrsFe5AtOaLJ2dbr2vpfdL9pH0Pqbb5h5NEU2Q7Jf2kfH60cbN6zAqqePy6x79OJD5BPXcFmK8ILbosEYYkAfsScy7SEHJH7PA_IfUdLX8e4FKu/s640/MarthaStewart.jpeg" width="496" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/" target="_blank">Martha Stewart</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORdmyZqeTt78Q1u8WrT_wf0476WbQSDIWEK6ZRFlXkJlaJma7Z7ncnX-xY3zsS1r-cSfzvQifa4E6yoV3yHq_jGI6nDKWPEfLDsUAyO-2stoP-5_RkxRj6gVaYN0y7K6E4BgMZ927XIsk/s1600/Style+at+Home+design+editor+Jessica+Waks-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORdmyZqeTt78Q1u8WrT_wf0476WbQSDIWEK6ZRFlXkJlaJma7Z7ncnX-xY3zsS1r-cSfzvQifa4E6yoV3yHq_jGI6nDKWPEfLDsUAyO-2stoP-5_RkxRj6gVaYN0y7K6E4BgMZ927XIsk/s640/Style+at+Home+design+editor+Jessica+Waks-1.jpeg" width="504" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.styleathome.com/homes/interiors/interior-girly-glam-bachelorette-pad/a/42127" target="_blank">Style at Home</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXpp_bt8yuRkqmJawBGfYe_2loaMQ76vHRWPXIuqa2uDXFyMUIKDZLpzZ0bo3pDocSmtfGCJ5ZD3Vdco3kXfhxmjRcGXmNDd0vLBF3o5aowulOBrb80Ez6DGQIEzIpX8K7rIq8bmucre_/s1600/Color+pop.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXpp_bt8yuRkqmJawBGfYe_2loaMQ76vHRWPXIuqa2uDXFyMUIKDZLpzZ0bo3pDocSmtfGCJ5ZD3Vdco3kXfhxmjRcGXmNDd0vLBF3o5aowulOBrb80Ez6DGQIEzIpX8K7rIq8bmucre_/s640/Color+pop.jpeg" width="514" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://amiecorley.com/" target="_blank">Amie Corley</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOon-CfDvUt1pxh55xReU-Jpwkl-4qCpDQj1dJa4fE98IRJ5sSqPpwujvIL1t-uEBzwlTrtZ1s3FfBf67tqbkN5RJgaLBj-At9zd07yOXbMsBX0jSxv5zg4jEfsdx-Wu33FRMMPTEMRRW/s1600/mr-banks-beforeafter-guest-bedrooms.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOon-CfDvUt1pxh55xReU-Jpwkl-4qCpDQj1dJa4fE98IRJ5sSqPpwujvIL1t-uEBzwlTrtZ1s3FfBf67tqbkN5RJgaLBj-At9zd07yOXbMsBX0jSxv5zg4jEfsdx-Wu33FRMMPTEMRRW/s640/mr-banks-beforeafter-guest-bedrooms.jpeg" width="424" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.peppermintbliss.com/2012/06/mr-banks-beforeafter-guest-bedrooms/" target="_blank">Peppermint Bliss</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Is there a color you are scared to use but always seem drawn to?<br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Also, before I go, a big THANK YOU to <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/before-after-restoring-a-dilapidated-deck-the-little-black-door-173326" target="_blank">Apartment Therapy for featuring our deck</a> redo this week. Can I get a WAHOO?! (And thanks to <a href="http://mybestfriendcraig.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Charmaine</a> for sending the link to me)</span>

you scare me, but i like you

I started working on ideas for my living room a few weeks  ago  and I'm having some good times with these fabric and paint ideas. (I...

Read more »

Transformer: Thoughts from the Perfect Moment

Good morning, my friends. I read a recent ebook by Andy Andrews entitled "Perfect" that changed my perspective. The point on the book was that we notice all the things that are wrong, but do we notice the perfect moments? Kip had sent me the ebook with a note that "let's start looking for perfect."<br />This morning is one of those.<br /><br /><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/115916382183421477315/BloggerPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCNPCp6bK0YDF6gE#5749424083570633218'><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DkWRPkvdLlTzw0f7l8L67_268WyBLhtOYVlAvB8u3H2q3r7kiGvKfndB1uzsuil2c0XtLYi2IhL98qeWMgXsezLeqItDxNLgfTT4KaHWyCyqYjE9iYrE93qPr3UL9GLOZ3rtpZ57dGnJ/s288/0.jpg" style="margin:5px" width="267"></a><br /><br />I get up so early (5 am most days) that for me to sleep until 7am is quite a feat. Up at 7am, it was still foggy here in North Georgia, where my husband finally got me away from the self-imposed rigor of my daily routines meant to keep my house neat, the 3 kids in line and moving in the right direction, and to write and share with you in fulfilling my God given purpose in life of encouraging and helping others.<br /><br />You'll be reading this post and living this morning with me in a week or so because my family has asked that I keep when I'm gone (unless to conferences) private until after we come back. We are pretty practical country people and there have been a spate of robberies in our local home town. While my house is not so fancy, I'd like to keep what is in it intact and respect my family's wishes.<br /><br />But this morning, I got up and grabbed one of those TIME magazines that just came in but I have not had time to read with the end of the school year. As a child, TIME was my introduction to the world. Starting at a young age, I read every one of "Dad's" magazines usually ignoring Better Homes or Southern Living for Newsweek, or TIME. Reading TIME always takes me back in time to when I was a young child on a Saturday morning wrapped up in a blanket on the couch reading it while cartoons played on the TV. <br /><br />The fog was out this morning as I settled into the garden tub overlooking the tops of the trees. I didn't put in my contacts so I wouldn't need reading glasses to get steamed up in the blistering hot water I was running in the tub. I started reading and stopped only to use my toe to turn off the water when I realized it was now running cold. Only half full (these mountain cabins don't have very large hot water heaters) I chose not to run the jets so I wouldn't wake up Kip in the other room. <br /><br />Fascinated by a flow chart showing the various options laid out to Greece and its struggles for fiscal responsibility and the impact on the Euro - I was transported to a world and wondered what my friend Craig in Greece has to say about the veracity of the reports that most of the cost cutting has been on the backs of schoolchildren and teachers in Greece. <br /><br />I read responses to a recent time magazine about Benjamin Netanyahu (another TIME I took time to read ;-) and found the critique fascinating of those within Israel who say that he gave access to foreign journalists that he wouldn't give to his own.<br /><br />I read TIME's cover story about Mitt Romney's life growing up and was curious about the unnamed malady his Mom had and the fact that she turned down a sizeable movie contract and could have been one of "those actresses" from the golden age that we watch in Turner Classic movies but instead chose to marry Mitt's Dad, George.<br /><br />As I read, the water turned cold and I got another tad of hot water from the hot water heater to heat things up. Not the steaming hot bath I hoped for but the view from the window made up for that. Over halfway through the magazine, I put it aside to look at the trees outside -- blurred like a water color painting by my not so great long distance eyesight, I realized that in the middle, there was a tree that looked a lot like a transformer. Yes, you know one of those transforming robots that my 11 year old watches on those movies with the tanned girl and quick witted Shia Labouf who looks just like my nephew Clint. There he was, staring at me.<br /><br />It was then I realized. It has been so long since my mind could wander. Wander through the random thoughts of a mind without a list. I sat there looking at my transformer friend and filled with gratitude for the moment. Many people in this world live such hard, desperate lives that to think of having such a moment would be the ultimate in vanity. I don't mind working and don't "live" for such moments away but as I write more and more, I realize that these moments nurture my creativity more than anything else. Not only that, I can relate to the Psalmist who said, "I lift mine eyes unto the hills where comest my strength." <br /><br />My family has been coming to these hills for at least 5 generations and I think perhaps it is something genetic - maybe our pale skin - that sends us here instead of the beach. (My son's nickname is "bleach" - just the way we're made.)<br /><br />So I looked at Mr. Transformer in the treetops and for a moment thought about being afraid -- he looked so real. But I teared up with the realization that the moment was Perfect. I had found a perfect moment and I wouldn't be afraid of that.<br /><br />Perfect because as I pondered all the different things I could do with my life that is left, that I'm perfectly at peace with asking God what He wants me to do with it and going that direction. (I profess that this is something many of you will find it very hard to understand and pray and wish you could.) <br /><br />Sometimes I worry that I don't really know where this life is heading with me. My oldest graduates this year with his sister following the next year. I look at June after we come back and it is literally completely booked until July 1. I have a second book due in early July and already have notes for a third and fourth. <br /><br />As the soul who inhabits this body, it is in my nature to ponder my own path -- I care about myself - of course I do. And one of the biggest things I've come learn after hitting 40 is the finite-ness of my own time. I can't do everything or be everywhere. When I was in Canada and my son got pneumonia it almost killed me. So, I've booked 3 events for the fall and a filming thing for a friend and that is probably just going to have to be it.<br /><br />There is definitely a force that tries to inhale me when I go to conferences. There is a certain pull to "be on stage" - be one of "those" people that we all secretly think of becoming that is up there while the rest of us listen. Those people who are lean, fit, have a perfect life, and have everything in order. Maybe if I travel all the time I could be "that."<br /><br />But reality has shown me that "that" would mean sacrificing "this." This is more moments with my babies and laughter with my husband. We laugh so hard sometimes at my house that I literally cry and we just can't stop. We talk about interesting things and work so hard together. My home is a fun place to be and I'm so grateful for the 19 years with this hero of a man that is my husband.<br /><br /><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/115916382183421477315/BloggerPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCNPCp6bK0YDF6gE#5749424096413979634'><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBut0YTfrxUoPKPJTVsvKepgtJktt32BnyCwnY4Go23-Ja48Pep-eDsc0XlWdf7mAfuBcNuuLzwREOKM3_6yUibAKuvE7IzHrkWgVF8_Y4hwe7ha2K9sazpG-OTgw-4cFU4xNqmxJq_PQ/s288/1.jpg" style="margin:5px" width="267"></a><br /><br />You can see it is getting brighter and the fog is dispelling. So, as I ponder Mr.Transformer man, I get out of the bath, put down TIME, run to the kitchen for a banana because I don't want to fill up before the incredible breakfast that my husband always cooks on the first day of vacation (Stripling's sausage - yum)<br /><br />Then, I realize that in the spirit of continuing the perfect moment that what I want to do most is write. I used to write in journals for hours a day but now, this blog is my journal. Most of my writing is for you who read this blog. I admit that some days it is so very hard to write and I don't feel like it, but I know that 95% of what I accomplish daily is my habits. I mess up all the time and wish I could do better or spend more time writing for you (and me, because my ephiphanies often come as I compose) but this is my life.<br /><br />I keep thinking that maybe I can show teachers a new path. A path of being and STAYING a teacher while taking a little time out to speak to help send your children to college. And yes, paying for college has been on our mind a lot lately. Within 2 years we'll have 2 in college and every book I can write and speech I can give will help us do that which we can't afford even on the salary of a teacher and an engineer. <br /><br />It comes to me that there are more of you out there that may want to take this path. While I have an immense amount of respect for those who "do the speakers circuit" I totally know that isn't a life I want. My strength comes from my family and I love and adore getting out and speaking to any audience of teachers. To do it all the time, however, would be too much. I have babies to raise still.<br /><br />Who on earth will ever even read this meandering post but me? This has got to be the longest post I've ever written and it breaks every rule of blogging, I think, that I've learned EXCEPT one -- being transparent and being real.<br /><br />If I share with you my goals and you share with me yours then perhaps we can help each other along the way. I do know what I do want to be. I want to be an excellent author who helps people and makes their lives better.<br /><br />Recently I was in a webinar with a college professor and her students and one student told a story about an autistic boy that bought tears to my eyes. She said "Vicki, I read in your book about the autistic boy in Austria who presented online and didn't have a speech impediment then so I decided to try it with one of my students who had a terrible stutter. I want you to know that when he presented in the online classroom, his stutter went away completely. It changed his life and I cried." (This is one of the stories in Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds) - That is what I want to do. Help people.<br /><br />I want to write books that change lives and soon will move beyond education books. I'm never going to write a book just to write a book but will only write books that solve problems. I'm not going to pretend I'm perfect but will be real about what I share. I want to be incredibly helpful, kind, and respectful even to those who are unkind to me to model my faith and the forgiveness I've received to others who may mistake Christianity with hate mongers. <br /><br />Should the good Lord let me write books to reach through the paper and ipads and computer screens to improve someone's life in some way - then let it be. Wherever I share whether it is here, tumblr, pinterest, facebook, Twitter, let it be to help others. There are enough narcissists in the world and arrogance is repugnant. If anything I'm pretty normal and probably boring. People where I live think I'm geeky and that I can't carry on a normal conversation but I disagree with them.<br /><br />God has a plan for you and a plan for me. I pray for each of us to find it. Now,I hear sausage sizzling so I'm going to be done and enjoy this perfect moment even if it produced a quite imperfect blog post though one that accurately represents the mind of a very tired teacher.<br /><br />As you think about transforming - what are you transforming into? Do you like the direction you're heading? Are you willing to change course if you're going a direction you don't like? Do you know what is important to you so you can make decisions? <br /><br />Have you had your perfect moment yet this summer?<br /><br />Written June 3 or so in the mountains.<br />Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br /><br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Oak%20Hill%20Dr,,United%20States%4034.910152%2C-84.288187&z=10'>Oak Hill Dr,,United States</a></p>

Transformer: Thoughts from the Perfect Moment

Good morning, my friends. I read a recent ebook by Andy Andrews entitled "Perfect" that changed my perspective. The point on the ...

Read more »