Category Archives: Business

Thoughtful Thursdays

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“…be fair simply because you’re doing the right thing.” ~ Dr. Robin Smith

Along with our change of logo it’s a good time to switch up some other things on this site. In my opinion, we are living in a world with too much focus on disturbing news. We need more outlets for life affirming stories – tales that help us to remember all the honorable people in the world who make every attempt to “do the right thing.” After all, it’s up to each and every one of us to do our part to create the kind of world we want to live in.

happy-kids-world-10980590I am going to do my very best, to do my part, every Thursday by recognizing and bringing light to a hopeful story about someone’s kindness and thoughtfulness. I am going to ask our subscribers and readers to help me out by sending me tales that you think ought to be recognized and featured on this website. You can share it by way of a link to something you read about on the internet, in the form of a quote or the title of a book or film or beautiful music that you think will help others to have faith in humanity, and also the talents of our country’s people.

Today as a prelude to the start of  Thoughtful Thursdays on All Things Fulfilling, I’d like to share with you what Dr. Robin Smith says about happiness. Please follow the link to her article http://bit.ly/HfZbxt.  

See you right back here tomorrow! This blog brought to you by http://www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

 

Quick Delivery, Read it & Enjoy!

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sustainability_landing

On Friday, I read an interesting article in USA Today about business and entrepreneurship. The article described how the co-founder of Reddit, Alexis Ohaninan, was fueled by rejection. “True failure,” it was pointed out in the article ” is not to persevere and learn from setbacks.”

The article also mentioned how the Millennial generation has grown up in an environment so different than what older Americans have experienced before. There is no longer a predetermined path for the American dream, thus in today’s world “there aren’t a lot of conventions to be conventional about.”

This statement made me think about publishing and how it is almost unrecognizable from where it was back in the late 1990s, when I began my company. At that time, only a few brave souls with spirit dared “buck the system” and publish independently. Now, we have moved into a whole different publishing model, where the independents have gained substantial market share which includes e-books (digital publishing).  Whether we can predict whether a time will come when books will only be available in digital form, it is too early to tell.

sprout greenThere are those who say they will never read an e-book, but my  question to doubters is “What is wrong with progress? Is that not what brought about the printing press?” And, I will always maintain my position that “a good read, is a good read, no matter how it is delivered. E-books are just one more way you can say you’ve read it and enjoyed it!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling.

Publishing Message Of Importance

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 It is good to rub, and polish our brain against that of others. ~Michel Eyquem de Montaigne

This morning I’d like to send a shout out to two smart cookies –  Joyce Miller of Integrated Writers Services, LLC and to Jon R Tandler of Ryley Carlock and Applewhite for sharing their knowledge of copyright issues with the Colorado Independent Publishers Association members and guests. On Saturday, I came away feeling better informed. However, I am more convinced than ever that it is a good thing there are experts who can navigate the copyright laws for their publishing clients’ protection. Laws change, evolve, and are also constantly developing as we transition into world that is ever more reliant on digital media.  Here is a link to a very important resource for anyone in the creative field on copyright issues. http://amzn.to/19Uh3a0

 thank-you

 Image source – http://funlava.com/thank-you-quotes/

Now to a different subject but still within the realm of publishing – this year, the Colorado Independent Publishers Association has begun “focused forums” as part of their commitment to educating authors and publishers. These are great opportunities to hone in on a specific topic and learn from experienced publishing experts. Until the first of the year, these sessions are free for CIPA Members and non-members alike. Beginning in January there will be a charge to non-members of $25. It is necessary to pre-register on-line at www.cipacatalog.com  because space is limited.  See more specifics on the CIPA website.

The next focused form will be November 5th and the subject will be publishing children’s books. CIPA members Benjamin Hummel, Nancy Mills and Julie Federico will be leading the discussion. Anyone who has ever dreamed of writing for children should sign-up – it is free education!

On November 11th, Karen Saunders of MacGraphics Services will be talking about branding. If you are an author who is planning on writing more than one book, brand development is very important and can help sell books. (Think Chicken Soup for the Soul Series).

That’s my message for today. Have a fulfilling week ahead. This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com .

Copyright: The Godfather?

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“Yes, God made man first, but there’s always a rough draft before the final copy.”~Unknown

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I already know what is on my plate for the weekend – I’m headed into Denver for the monthly meeting of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association. http://www.cipacatalog.com/ . Copyrighting will be the focus of the day tomorrow, and “our” own in-house expert, Joyce L. Miller, co-author of Copyright Clearance for Creatives will be speaking.   I’ve found Dr. C. Daniel and Joyce L. Miller’s resource so helpful, and it recently received an excellent review from Esther Sinofsky of the Booklist Review. http://thecopyrightdetective.com/guide/ .

There is so much to learn about copyrighting. I just read a cleverly written article that initially made me think the movie The Godfather had something to do copyright permissions and laws, the kind of copyrighting the Millers are experts in. As it turns out I had the wrong kind of copyrighting on my mind. The article by Peter Michaels was about the value of watching The Godfather because of the copy that was written. The brilliance of the screenwriters, Mario Puzo and Frances Ford Coppola is evident as the audience is led through the movie with a brilliant opening scene, dealings of the characters and their standings in the community. The narrative is not necessarily all told through dialogue.

After reading the article, I have been persuaded that I need to watch The Godfather again this weekend for completely different reasons – paying close attention, this time, to how the movie communicates and convinces.

So, what are you doing this weekend? I If you are person who is considering publishing, I encourage you to join a regional or state-wide independent publishing association, such as the Colorado Independent Publishers Association or a local writers group. Joining and networking with a groups of other writers and publishers is where you will learn all kinds of tips of the trade.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. The space where independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business. Do return to All Things Fulfilling on Monday.

Lifestyle Solutions

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Mindful or mind fullIn the space between your thoughts there is your truth. ~ Reuben Lowe

Every once in a while I need to put on the brakes and find some lifestyle-oriented solutions to slow down my journey through life. I usually need to have a come-uppance with myself after a busy summer. It’s good to switch gears from Mind Full to Mindful to remind myself that life is not a race, and to enjoy every task, each day, that I have been given.

 The pronunciation of the words Mind Full and Mindful are exactly the same, but take on two different stories if you put the emphasis in different places, capitalize different letters, and eliminate one of the L’s. Strange isn’t it?

For instance, if you asked someone what having a “Mind Full” morning means, the response may go something like this:

  • Take the kids to school
  • Drop the dog off at the groomer
  • Stop at the store for bread and milk
  • Run back home and throw laundry in the washer
  • Jump in the shower
  • Slap some ham and cheese between two pieces of bread for lunch
  • Remember to gas-up
  • Arrive at work only a few minutes late

If you told someone you’ve had a “Mindful morning,” you’d probably be implying you spent the early hours of your day:

  • Watching the sunrise
  • Sipping a mug of hot chai
  • Reading a passage in a daily  devotional
  • Taking a leisurely bath
  • Letting your hair air dry while you do your nails
  • Moseying on to work with plenty of time to spare

the exquisite riskThe Mindful morning sounds more appealing, doesn’t it?  Practicing mindfulness means listening to our inner whisperings in our jobs as well as in our personal lives. It reduces burnout because we work more efficiently and productively, eliminating the feelings of rushing thoughtlessly from task to task.

Just by rising a little earlier each morning it may be possible to switch from a Mind Full to a more Mindful existence. And you may get the benefit of seeing something new and fulfilling growing within yourself called contentment.

Are you ready to trade chaos for calm and face a new dawn? The Exquisite Risk: Living an Authentic Life by Mark Nepo may help convince you of the value. To check out this book and his others, please visit this website.http://www.marknepo.com/. Note that Mark Nepo will be appearing on Super Soul Sunday in November. See the details on his website.

This blog  brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.  The space where independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business.

Reader Recognition on All Things Fulfilling

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Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.  
~Marcel Proust

Dear Blog Reader, 

Book-BloggerToday is READER RECOGNITION DAY ON ALL THINGS FULFILLING. Whether this is the first time you’ve stumbled upon this blog or if you are one of our regular subscribers who requests that the daily blog posts be delivered to your inbox, I’d like to say thank you for your interest. You are the people who make blogging worthwhile and fun.

Cornerstone Fulfillment Service, LLC has been empowering independent publishers since 1998. Since then, e-Commerce and e-Marketing has taken the publishing world out of the box!  A new generation of digitally published books, films and music has excited us about all kinds of things, including the future.

As you have probably noticed, there have been some changes to the visual appearance, and the services offered on this site. Hang tight… we are not finished yet! We like the new energy of the graphics but we have not yet rolled out all the changes.

Just as a baby does not suddenly become an adult overnight, that kind of change would be too drastic, we’ve decided to take a step by step approach, so our readers can gradually get used to seeing something new and different.

Our commitment and dedication to providing fulfilling content for our readers is as steadfast as ever. But, please pardon our appearance, as we blossom with change.  We are spiffing up our website, .

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. The place where independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business.  See  you on Thursday, this week is zooming by fast.

Grow as you Age

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“Art is not a part of life, it is not an addition to life, it is the essence of those pieces of us that make us fulfilled. That give us hope.” ~ Hasan Davis

The most inspiring people that I have crossed paths with in my life time have been people who never stop growing emotionally, spiritually and educationally. I’ve been particularly impressed with the large base of very active retirees in this community of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Many, many seniors well into their eighties continue to do volunteer work, which they say “keeps them vital .”

The other day, I stopped by on business to Casey’s Pond, the new senior living facility in town. The first phase of the project is just days away from opening. In all the hubbub of activity, I ran into the developer Charles Gee. He was so kind to spend a little time talking with me.

Our conversation led to art, and Gee mentioned he is a big “proponent of the concept of art and healing.” The developer proceeded to show me a book of plans and pointed out wall nooks that have been designed throughout the building to showcase permanent installments. “Not all, but much of the art, “ Gee said, “will come from talented local artists.” The state-of-the-art facility is beautiful, by the way.

After I left the building and walked toward the car, I began to think how quality senior living facilities endorse bringing a diverse range of programs to the residents so they can continue to be actively involved and have the best quality of life possible. According to studies, all things that are culturally stimulating affect longevity positively.

If you wish to read more about using art to enhance the lives of seniors, here is a great blog. http://bit.ly/19xWHXC.

That’s the good news for today! It’s all I’ve got at this moment.

October 3 three

Casey’s Pond Senior Care Facility. Opening October 2013

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. See you on Friday on All Things Fulfilling.

Do the Words Fit?

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“As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. ~ Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of Wind

The other day I was doing some research on student’s involvement with National Novel Writing Month. I came across a good article. Unfortunately, I did not bookmark it and now I can’t find it. It shared some helpful information about involving children in the contest. But to my way of thinking, there was a concern with the title of the article. It read, “How to Make Your Child Write.”

“Hmmmm,” I thought, “there seems to be something not quite right about that approach.” Renaming the article to something like “Help your Child Find the Joy in Writing” sounds friendlier and more fun, doesn’t it?

My point is word choices matter! One of my biggest challenges as a blog writer is making sure I am using appropriate words  when I communicate my thoughts. I spend a lot of time working them over to make sure I state things just right.

I am taking a course in public speaking, and the professor has been communicating to the young college students that  language that might be appropriate among their peers may be inappropriate in other situations (such as in public or in a business or professional situation). She said to the young adults: “You want to make sure your words convey a true story about who you are as professionals.”

IMAG0778I say “Amen to that!” And as a person who uses social media extensively, these principles should apply to on-line communications as well. For some of the younger folk, learning to eliminate inappropriate language in their public speaking has been a challenge.

There is a book that ever so gently but effectively reinforces these and other viewpoints on professionalism and becoming the best person you are meant to be in life. I mentioned the publication a few weeks ago, but I want to repost the book because I highly recommend it.

For more information on this publication, please visit www.revrobertkirkley.com

This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling!

Escaping Political Landscape with Humor

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“Happiness is like manna; it is to be gathered…and enjoyed every day. We have to go out of ourselves…to gather it, since it has rained down from a Heaven at our very door.” ~ Tryon Edwards (American theologian 1809-1894).

Yesterday’s blog about fickle Mother Nature made me think of a film that is currently playing in theatres across the country. The title of it, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, sounds like a description of our country’s political and economic landscape at this moment, but I assure you, the storyline is quite different.

The book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is manna for the soul. I must have read it to my son a hundred times or more, over the course of his growing up. It was a favorite and we returned to it time and time again, especially when we wanted to end the day on a positive note. I could probably recite the text by heart.

cloudy with a chance of meatballs2_The illustrations in the book made us laugh – images of Mother Nature releasing storms of mashed potatoes, meatballs and spaghetti. There were memorable pictures of torrential downpours of salt and pepper, people being flattened by flying hamburgers.

Despite the chaos, the governing body in the town of Chew and Swallow didn’t shut down. The plow trucks were out removing piles of peas and carrots blocking the streets and making order out of mess. They were working hard to solve the problems and change the landscape from rotten eggs clogging progress to a more sunny side up environment.

Now that I have been involved in writing and publishing, I see the book as a great example of how an author, Judi Barrett, used her imagination to create a wonderfully entertaining story for both children and adults.

Ahh… the days of reading bed time stories. My son, Marc,  is now twenty-five years old, and a filmmaker specializing in visual effects. He also works as a film colorist. A perfect way to spend a holiday evening  would be to watch this film  and escape to the fictional town of Chew and Swallow together where we can look in on his world, and he will have fun providing feedback about the movie.

I think I’ll put the DVD on my shopping list for Christmas…..sshhhhh…don’t tell Marc.

Here is where to purchase the movie if you can’t catch it at the theatre. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1985966/ .

This blog brought to you by www.cornerstonefulfillmentservice.com. See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling.