Why you never want to leave your ebay account open on the desktop!!

Sony DCR-TRV280 Handycam Digital8 Video Camcorder
Current bid:	US $52.00
Your maximum bid:	US $56,778,342.20
Shipping and handling:	US $12.00 -- US Postal Service Parcel Post.
Payment methods:	PayPal, Money order/Cashiers check.

Lucky for me Sammy didn't press confirm or I would have spent a fortune on a crappy video camera used to transfer old movies.

Slowly caughting up - yea!

For the past few months things have gotten a little behind. The 4 appointments a night in September and October have slowly taken a toll on my workload. Thankfully its almost over. Have you ever set a goal, then did everything you could to reach that goal and fail? Well, I rarely have that happen. Usually because I'm pretty realistic in my projections, but also because I really believe I can do anything.

No I don't think I can fly, or will I ever jump out of a plane but if it came down to me having to learn to speak Chinese and Sammy and Isaac would get accepted to Harvard well lets just say "La ho ma"



It's goal time again!!

Goal #1

Since I was able to lose so much weight, I've gain a bit back. My current weight is 215.

Starting Tuesday night I began my journey to 199. I hope to do this by December 7th when I leave for Florida. That gives me 6 weeks to lose 16 pounds.

Goal #2

16 / 6 = 2.666 pounds a week.

Get our Turn away number to 50 ( we hit 20) Our season runs from March to March and my yearly goal is 100. Last year we turned away 78 and the previous year 63.

Goal #3

Reduce my GTD list by half - GTD stands for Getting Things Done. A organizational methodology used by top executives to maintain an insane amount of work. My GTD list is about 400 items long and include paying for that parking ticket (opps forget to mention to Marianna) to renegotiating our new at the Boca studio.

Punch Drunk. But we made it!!

I've nearly reached my goal of 20 bookings for the fall bridal shows. I love this time of year.
Everything overlaps. Existing couples ordering, new couples booking and engagement shoots galore.

I"ll try to get more images and videos up when possible.


I met a very nice lady who is a make up artist. Karen showed me an album of her before and after and I was amazed!!! Of course, all my brides are beautiful and eht make up is just part of the wedding day, but if you are looking for a pro I put her

I have been a volunteer and co-team leader with the Look Good Feel Better Programme for 14 years.

On an individual and exclusive level, I am available to do bridal and special occasion makeup applications

I enjoy helping women look and feel better about themselves by putting their best face forward

My fees are reasonable and I am flexible in performing bridal trial applications.

I can be reached at 416 666 1963 my email is karrose@rogers.com

Karen Charyk

Where to start?

Well we are booking weddings everyday now. It's nice to get the initial nervousness out of the way. Even though we've been in the wedding business for over 10 years, I still get that little twinge (is that a word?) where I think, what if no one calls, or what if no one comes back. As most of you know we do not do pressure sales. Most of our couples go home, think about it then come back. But at this stage of the game I'm pretty confident that we will kick butt with our bookings.

I've always thought that chiropractors were quacks. Maybe its just something I picked up in the media but I never had much need for one. About 11 years ago I had a car accident and hurt my Hamstring muscle (actually my gluteus maximus - or lower butt for short). So whenever I became tired I would get a sharp pain in the back of my right leg. And my lower back would slowly get more and more sore. So my trainer Mike suggested I see the chiropractors/sports therapist at the gym Dr Aubrey Green. So I went (bought a pillow for Marianna, not as nice as mine see previous post) and he said I would have to see him 6-8 time to get rid of the pain. So get this. After heating, cooling and a type a massaging call striping the muscle I am pain free for the first time in 10 years. Seriously!!!!


So now that the wedding season is winding down in Toronto, its time for us to get cooking in Florida. Soon you will be able to see our new Boca Excellence site - look forward to your reviews.

Found my Ipod cable

Lost my ipod cable so I wasn't able to listen to podcasts at the gym for the past week. Of course, I could go and buy another but I've been sooooooo busy that I couldn't make the time. In fact, busy doesn't properly describe the insanity that has been my life in the past 6 weeks. 2 days off since mid august. yikes.

So if you are one of the people who have been trying to reach me (Mario's brother!!!, Mahsa, Chastity, Isaac from UAE Airlines, and Henry) I'm back on track and will reach you on Monday.

1. I follow an organizational consultant named David Allen,

GTD^® is the popular shorthand for "Getting Things Done^®", the groundbreaking work-life management system and book by David Allen that transforms personal overwhelm and overload into an integrated system of stress-free productivity.

Piloting a productivity seminar for a thousand managers at Lockheed in 1983, David has continued to test and refine the techniques and principles we now know as GTD - a powerful method to manage commitments, information, and communication. This pioneering and proven system is the result of those twenty plus years of David's consulting, private coaching and organizational programs with over a half million people internationally. GTD has well earned its recognition as the gold standard in personal management and productivity for many of the world's best and brightest people and companies.

Sophisticated without being confining, the subtle effectiveness of GTD lies in its radically common sense notion that with a complete and current inventory of all your commitments , organized and reviewed in a systematic way, you can focus clearly, view your world from optimal angles and make trusted choices about what to do (and not do) at any moment. GTD embodies an easy, step-by-step and highly efficient method for achieving this relaxed , productive state. It includes:

• Capturing anything and everything that has your attention
• Defining actionable things discretely into outcomes and concrete next steps
• Organizing reminders and information in the most streamlined way, in appropriate categories, based on
  how and when you need to access them
• Keeping current and "on your game" with appropriately frequent reviews of the six horizons of your
  commitments (purpose, vision, goals, areas of focus, projects, and actions)

Implementing GTD alleviates the feeling of overwhelm, instills confidence, and releases a flood of creative energy. It provides structure without constraint, managing details with maximum flexibility. The system rigorously adheres to the core principles of productivity, while allowing tremendous freedom in the "how." The only "right" way to do GTD is getting meaningful things done with truly the least amount of invested attention and energy. Coaching thousands of people, where they work, about their work, has informed the GTD method with the best practices of how to work (and live), in that most efficient and productive way.

GTD's simplicity, flexibility, and immediacy are its attraction. Its ability to enliven, enlighten, and empower is its magic. What, indeed, is GTD? More than meets the eye...

Getting back to Zero

So I gained 8 lbs over 2 weeks. Needless to say I'm upset. I workout 6 days a week ( 2 times a week with weights) and yet I still have to be carefull what I eat.

Special thanks to Catherine and Ben, Betty and Kevin, Christine and Peter, and Tanya and Gino. These couples all had incredible meals that contributed to my inability to fend off food. Thanks.

3 bookings this week and many more to come!!. We are slowly (quickly) closing dates off for next year - yippee. I am meeting so many interesting people. Who cares if they don't all book. I love that I can sit with brides and grooms and help them plan the most important day of their lives.

Here are few tips:

• take good advice but do what you want. If you want to stop at Burger King or Tim Hortons its up to you!
• the bridal parties job is to help you. Boss them around (nicely) and enjoy your day. Delegate
• dont worry about the small stuff. OK the knife you bought to cut the cake is missing - sucks, so what.
• 25 years from your wedding day what are you going to have? Food is in the toliet, dress is in the box and the tan has faded. Take the time you need to make the family photos perfect. Your great grand children will appreciate it.

I'm sorry!!! Its been a while

As you can probably tell by the lack of posts we are very very busy. In fact this weekend will be the busiest of the entire year. So for those who read this blog as regulars sorry.

Been meeting dozens of new couples, as you can tell by the number of new names on the couple pages on the Excellence photo site. We're slowly turning people away. My goal is 100!!! I expect a huge jump in turn aways in the next week as at least 1-2 couples are booking up spots everyday. Thanks Amanda for booking us today - and everyone else in the past week.

I went to a sports therapist today. Very cool experience. Turns out I had an old sports injury. My hamstring muscle was always sore and when I exercised it, the pain became pretty intense. So Dr Green put a hot press on my leg for a few minutes, then this cream that made it reall cold. He massaged the spot like my muslce was a pizza and bam it stopped hurting. While he was checking me out he noticed my back was super tight and did some adjustment there too.

In the end I walked out feeling better than I have felt in 15 years.

We are taking TONs of orders for old movies transfers in the Florida and Toronto offices. Remember Excellence couples get a huge discount so send me or Alex an email if you want to have your old film converted for xmas.

We have a new location opening up!!! Starting on Oct 15th 2007 we will be opening in Buffalo, New York (next stop Montreal!!)

So if are in the Northern US check out http://www.USHomeMovies.com
The website is not completely finished but our new co-op student John is spending hours on it so it should be ready to go by the 15th. The coolest part is that now we will have a presence in the Northern US and the South. I dream of the day when we have East cost (Boston) and West Coast (Las Vegas? or maybe LA?)

Here's a funny thing about me a dreams. I don't really believe that dreams are not real. I think they are the sub conscience mind planing for the future when we are in automatic mode. The only reason most people are unsuccessful is that we let our conscience minds take over and screw up the plans.

Here are a few dreams that I made in the past that are a reality.

1. I wanted plasma tv - got it
2. Jaguar - got it
3. business in Florida - got it
4. travel to tokyo japan - did that
5. 2 amazing kids and a beautiful wife - certainly got that.