1-starting from zero

This is my final entry in this blog. Thank you for reading and contributing to it. I'll continue blogging, but tomorrow I'll blog directly to my website www.lennoxfleary.com

Tomorrow I will have completed 40 trips in a cosmic circle. Maybe I've learned something from going round all these times. This blog was a record of my 40th orbit around the sun, hence the countdown to zero in the title numbers.

The new blog will document the adventure I've dubbed "Three Thousand Bosses"

By car and rail, I'll be traversing states and nations, meeting people and making music. Kristi and Ray blessed me by saying they think this will end with way more than 3000 Bosses. We shall see. The new blog will count upward starting from zero. The orbit ends, the hiring begins.

At the precise moment of change, everything goes to zero.

Thanks for your support.

Goodnight, Beautiful...

Goodnight, Strender

2--Final Frontier

I got my heart broken today. When I looked to see who had done it, I saw only myself.

5--Drunken

One hour massage from Eva Rose at Knowledge Massage this afternoon. Amazing! I love her holistic approach to care. She's ministering to your spirit as well as relaxing and healing your body. Funny thing, I had some kind of euphoria afterward, so I showed up at Cornerstone to meet with Janna, sporting the most loving attitude. I could hear the universe singing. I could feel my skin flirting with my shirt.

I was like that drunk guy at the bar who loves everybody. You know the guy, "drinks for everyone!"

That's pretty much how I was at 4:30 this afternoon. Massages for everyone, I'm buying. Then I realized I can't afford to buy all of you guys a massage, but it's only $35 an hour right now, plus there's a special introductory offer. Blah, blah, blah, I love you. Call Eva NOW!!!

If you live near 97128, check out Knowledge Massage.

503-857-5563

I'm serious. I'm not drunk. For real. For serious.

5--Chellie Campbell Article: Everyone's In Sales

I went back to Los Angeles in 2005, worked at Carsdirect.com for a few months and then moved into video production at EyeAppeal Media, a videography company out of Canoga Park. The owners are long time friends of mine--I went to college with Deedra.

Deedra would send me out to networking functions to meet and greet vendors and suppliers who might have interest or relevant need for our services. I met some amazing people during those networking tours. I also learned how to deliver a 30-second "elevator speech."

One of the most dynamic personalities I encountered at a WRS (Worthwhile Referral Source) meeting was Chellie Campbell, who simply captivates an audience from the very first moment. I learned many things from her, although we never had more than two brief conversations. I have continued to receive her emails since 2006, and more than once now I have noticed subroutines in my thinking about money and wealth, that were likely installed by her writing and persona.

Here is an article included in a recent email from Chellie:

# 204 Everyone’s in Sales

“I don’t care how many degrees you have on the wall, if you don’t know how to sell, you’re probably going to starve.”—George Forman

Some of the stories in this book look like they’re meant just for salespeople and business owners. They aren’t. If you are a salaried employee, someone owns the business you work for and someone is in charge of raising the money to run it. Top salaries and perks are handed out to the people who are best at bringing in the money. Learn how they do it and contribute to the cause. Be one of the people who care about cash flow, cutting expenses, maximum efficiency, and productivity. Look for opportunities to maximize income and minimize expenses. Anyone can do this. Put yourself in your bosses’ shoes and think as they think. What do you think they want most—and how can you give them that? Be one of the profit centers of the business and your success will be assured.

Everyone is in sales. When you convince your significant other to go with you to the movie you want to see, that’s a sale. When you convince your child to stay in school, that’s a sale. When you convince a friend to stop drinking, that’s a sale.

I’m reminded of a conversation I had one day with a boyfriend named Bobby. I was trying to convince him to go with me to a movie. Well, Bobby was a salesperson too, and all of a sudden noticed all the sales techniques I was using on him. He said, “Chellie, you are closing all the time and you don’t even know you’re doing it!”

When I said, “Well, you know you want to see me,” he said, “That’s the Assumptive Close!” I continued, “And we could either go see that romantic comedy or the spy movie” and he said, “That’s the Alternative of Choice Close!” I said, “We would have fun, get to laugh, eat popcorn, have some balance in our lives, and the only down side is taking some time away from work.” “Benjamin Franklin Close!” Bobby hooted. “So what do you think?” I said, and stopped talking. Bobby didn’t say anything either. After a long silence, Bobby said, “Final Close, and The Next One Who Speaks Loses. I guess that’s me.” And so we went to the movies!

We’re all making sales every day. Use your powers of persuasion to convince others to contribute to your charity, organize political action, improve the schools in your community, or help you turn a hobby into a money-making home business. Help your company to make more money—and then convince the powers that be to give you a raise. The raise will not come automatically—you have to ask for it and show the reasons why you deserve it. It’s a sale.
You are a marvelous, creative human being and endless opportunities await you. Look for them. Then sell your way into them.

Today’s Affirmation: “I am a marvelous, creative person and wonderful opportunities await me.”

Please feel free to copy this article and use it wherever you like. Just include the following “author box” for attribution:

Chellie Campbell is the creator of the Financial Stress Reduction® Workshops, and author of The Wealthy Spirit and Zero to Zillionaire. She has been prominently quoted as a financial expert in the Los Angeles Times, Good Housekeeping, Lifetime, Essence, Woman’s World and more than 50 popular books. She can be reached at Chellie@chellie.com

6--yearning learning

Out of the depths of anguish, my soul cried to the Lord...Isn't that something David would say? Or did he actually say exactly that? There's a song my worship team's been learning and singing lately. I think it's from the Jesus Culture band out of Redding, CA. It's starts off..."my soul longs for you, nothing else will do"...

I've remarked over and again that I don't feel qualified to sing that since I don't really feel like my soul actually longs for God. I can't honestly say that I desire so greatly to be with God that I would define my need as a longing, or a yearning.

On Friday I was part of a conversation about personality types, as profiled by the Myers Briggs Indicator system. I'm an undoubted introvert. Yesterday Christopher said, I keep thinking, "what! Lennox is an invert?"

It's true. After enough time with people, I want to come away and be alone in the silence that allows me to heal something within. It's a familiar pattern. I've seen it and practiced it to the point of ritual. Except, now it's not working so good....

What to do when silence is not enough? I think of Merna's posting, "Do I hear you in my silence?"

Well, do I?

And is this growing desire for more, the beginning of a yearning? Is this how yearning happens? I'm quite sure I don't want human company. Vegas, at least, ignores my crazy antics and all the things I say to the walls.

My soul longs for you

My soul longs for you

Nothing else will do

Nothing else will do

I believe you will come like the rain.

Good thing I moved to Oregon.

So, um....ah, well...

let it rain?

7-Moving In Your Power

Seems I've regained the ability to sleep in. And having dreams, to boot. Time to return to the "real" world. Spent an entire weekend at worship with family, couple hundred of my closest friends.

Got lost in this song I'm recording bass for. It's by Truth Knox, long-time family. 4 hours pumping the same message through my headphones yesterday, and again this morning. It's amazing how you internalize what you feed into your senses. I'm listening to it right now as I prepare for work.

When the final mix is available, I have Truth's permission to include this song in the "Bosses" section of the new website.

I remember why I became a bass player. It's a quiet, unobtrusive position. If I do my job well, you don't need to know I'm there. If all goes well, I can remain relatively invisible. Shouldn't draw any attention unless I'm messing up or doing too much. This track let's me do that, support without being seen.

God does what He does--I just work here.

Have a great day, Beautiful

Time to name your exit date, Strender

11--Windrose

Windrose Retreat Center in Newberg, beautiful space. Right next to the highway, I've driven past this location so many times and never even knew it was here. It's almost 3 pm. I've been with this company for 7 hours now. I feel their passion and I admire their tenacity. I hope this conversation is helpful to them. I'm wondering if I'm helping? Is this just an annoying exercise for them?