Vivian Greene

Blog Your Way To The Bottom! I learned something about golf today. The golfer with the lowest score wins. Kevin Sousa told me.

Kevin Sousa is my blog guru who encouraged me to create this blog. He was explaining to me (patiently for the third time) that my low ranking was good on Alexa. Excellent. Cheers!

“The websites that have a lower ranking score, have more relevant content, are more popular and/or have more incoming links than websites with higher scores.”

I wasn’t sure who Alexa is, but the name sounds kinda sexy.

Kevin tried again. “In essence, the ‘lower’ the web site scores at Alexa.com, the “higher” its rank.” Wow. I’ve only been doing this for two weeks and I have a hot blog!

Out of curiosity I asked what the ranking is for BJ Gallagher and Mac Anderson who co-authored “my” book Learning To Dance In The Rain, The Power of Gratitude. It’s based on my quote (Mac’s favorite).

Giggle, giggle, giggle. My sexy rating is lower (like better) than both of their personal websites and I’ve only done 11 posts in two weeks! I haven’t even attempted to market this or anything …yet. Giggle, giggle….Don’t tell Mac, but BJ’s is lower (better) than Mac’s too. You really need to Blog Your Way to The Bottom!

Now, I find this very exciting. Because Mac has been an idol of mine for decades. He owned the Successories stores in most major malls throughout the country, and my Kisses™ and Juvenile Delinquent (naughty but nice) Greeting cards were in every mall, too.

We both love putting together words and pictures. I wanted to do a photographic line and write captions for him. When I sent him some material, he wrote me the nicest note. He said he could tell from my writing that I had a “heart as big as Texas.” I couldn’t wait to work together. He is a marketing genius!

My own work had been published in 24 countries. I wrote a daily and Sunday comic strip, several books, both inspirational and children’s. The children’s books are in schools and libraries forever, I guess. Kisses™ books are used to teach English in Japan. and adorn hundred of products . I’ve been involved in writing, designing, product development, licensing and speaking for three decades.

Mac Anderson

Mac’s a tycoon at the business helm. He founded Simple Truths, and put forth his expertise – and client list I suppose – to grow his success with motivational gift books.

He has that Midas touch. He was the founder and CEO of McCord Travel, the largest travel company in the Midwest, and part owner/VP of sales and marketing for Orval Kent Food Company, where they made inspirational (prepared) salad.

People love my website VivianGreene.com, but I love doing this blog even more because I can personally do it without waiting for a webmaster to help me. I love working with Kevin and I am going to really dance with Mac and Simple Truths. Together, we’ll reach hearts bigger than Texas. Are you ready, world?

=*=-Mac Anderson’s Top 20 Quotes -=*=

• Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass…
it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
~Vivian Greene

• Sometimes our candle goes out, but is blown into flame
by an encounter with another human being.
~Albert Schweitzer

• When we have done our best, we should wait the result in peace.
~J. Lubbock

• Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.
~Henry Ford

• Inch by inch, life’s a cinch. Yard by yard, life is hard.
~Unknown

• To love what you do and feel that it matters –
how could anything be more fun?
~Katharine Graham

• Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples,
don’t count on harvesting golden delicious.
~Bill Meyer

• You can have anything you want in life if you
just help enough other people get what they want.
~Zig Ziglar

• Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
~Abraham Lincoln

• A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.
~Benjamin Franklin

• We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.
~Winston Churchill

• What lies behind us, and what lies before us,
are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

• We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
~Aristotle

• You’ll always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.
~Wayne Gretsky

• Progress always involves risks. You can’t steal second base
and keep your foot on first.
~Frederick B. Wilcox

• A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
~Chinese Proverb

• The key is not to prioritize what’s on the schedule,
but to schedule your priorities.
~Stephen Covey

• All things are difficult before they are easy.
~John Norley

• Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.
~Will Rogers

• Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do,
something to love, and something to hope for…
~Joseph Addison

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Vivian Greene’s Top 2 quotes by Mac

• The right words can engage the brain and bring an idea to life.

• Less is always more.

Blog Your Way To The Bottom!

Vivian Greene
Invest In Love inc
“All that is real is seen with the heart.”

© 2009 – 2011, Vivian Greene. All rights reserved.

The Nerd in The Cabinet…*Steven Chu

Nobel Prize Winning "Nerd"

“Once a professor, always a professor.” began my favorite writer’s article. I was surprised, to say the least, by the word “nerd” in the headline, and “once a professor, always a professor.” I’ve only known Marc Gunther to give generative, not negative comments.

One of my greeting cards says “Once a king, always a king.“ The inside says “but once a night is enough.“ Oops, my age is showing.

Seriously… I’d give anything for the ability to be as balanced and non-judgmental as Marc Gunther who I’ve followed religiously -pun intended- since I first read the God and Business article in Fortune Magazine, which spawned Gunther’s book by the same name.

Well, he did not disappoint me. I found the article of such great value, I’ve taken the liberty of passing it on to you here: The Nerd in The Cabinet | Marc Gunther. And if you know the answer to my question in my reply, copied below for your convenience, do pass it on to me too.

Two questions re these helpful suggestions:

1. The simple step of painting roofs white could cut air conditioning costs by 15% in warm weather regions”

Exactly what type of paint, and where is it available, and could we arrange a cost efficient way to distribute it? I live in Miami. For office and home we’re talking $5000 a year here in addition to helping the environment and the future of our kids.

2. ”The costs of enacting climate-change legislation, he said, are about 45 cents a day for a family of four.”

Can you give another “simple step” we can each take, personally, to help enact this legislation?

Vivian Greene
Invest In Love inc
“All that is real is seen with the heart.”

* Steven Chu, the Energy Secretary, winner of the Nobel Prize and former physics teacher at Berkeley, spoke at a Washington fundraising dinner for Conservation International, the global NGO.

Actually, he delivered a lecture, deploying a long, detailed PowerPoint presentation.

Steven presented charts and graphs explaining temperature fluctuations over decades, rising CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere over the last 800,000 years.

He pointed out changes in sea levels, payback for investments in energy efficiency, even a diagram of a new battery technology.

Kisses™ has said that more simply for a long time. . .

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The Nerd in The Cabinet – A Revolution in Finance

© 2009 – 2011, Vivian Greene. All rights reserved.

I’ve had the pleasure to help a lot of literary campaigns. I’ve been writing since I could hold a pencil, and how I loved to read the moment I discovered books.

I also love to eat. Doesn’t everyone? So when I was asked to help benefit a vital lifelong literacy campaign in the Pacific Northwest, with a very novel (pun intended) program called Literary Feast, I immediately agreed.

Yes, there are thousands of children, and families, who lack the educational resources to read, succeed in school, operate a computer, or find a better job.

Well, we all need to eat and read. Elliot Wolf from Classic Day Publishing came up with a very unique and fun way for the King County Library System Foundation to support its innovative literacy and learning progams — Literary Feast: The Famous Authors Cookbook.

It’s a fascinating book of favorite recipes by your favorite authors ranging from Christmas Cream Puffs to Chicken Amondrata to Dan Greenberg’s canned ravioli. It is available through The King County Library System Foundation web site at www.KCLS.org/foundation or order directly at www.thriftbooks.com.

Since my comic strip features Rotunda, the President of Weight Wishers, we put together a little something different. Here is an excerpt from Literary Feast: The Famous Author’s Cookbook.

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Copyright © 2009 by Classic Day Publishing

When Vivian Greene asserts everything in life is a gift, it’s not out of naiveté. The creator of Kisses™, a popular syndicated comic strip and books, has maintained an appreciative spirit while moving through a great deal of loss in her life. She lost long-time love Toby Stone to cancer. She lost 18 years’ worth of work when Hurricane Andrew hit her Florida headquarters. And, she lost virtually all of her remaining possessions in shipping them to Hawaii. Her response? “I’m infinitely resilient. I have so much love in my life. Unconditional love is all that really matters.”

Not that it has been easy. She has a blessing to show for each loss. Greene, who launched her cartoon character Kisses™ in 1971, used what she learned from Stone’s life and death to write Good Mourning, a book on grieving, followed recently with Mourning Glory.

When Hurricane Andrew wiped out the business that had put her into the millionaire ranks at age 26, she saw it as an opportunity to head in another direction. “I said, ‘I’m just going to go to Hawaii to do this.’ “ And the personal property loss has given her new insight into the generosity of others around her.

“The kindness I receive is absolutely priceless,” acknowledges Greene. “What I’ve really learned is nobody can take away what’s really mine. My favorite recipe, like Rotunda’s, is sharing the laughter and love and the theme of Kisses™, who’s eyes are covered because ‘All that is real is seen with the heart.’ “

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

“My favorite recipe is a recipe for success. It all began with cookies. Rotunda, the main character in my Kisses™ cards and comic strip loves cookies. She is the President of Weight Wishers, and has a secret to dieting worthy of Oprah’s highest award. Even if all Rotunda’s diets don’t work, she looks the same after 30 years.” ~Vivian Greene

Rotunda’s Philosophy is if you eat something you really, really love, you get so excited you burn up all the calories.

Rotunda put her photo on the refrigerator door as a Diet Reminder. And every time she opened the refrigerator she smiled, even if she didn’t diet – because she looked so happy in the picture.

“You are what you eat, ” her brother warned her.

“Oh,” blushed Rotunda, “You mean I’m your little cookie?”

Literary Feast: The Famous Author’s Cookbook
Copyright © 2009 by Classic Day Publishing, Compiled by Terry J. LaBrue, APR
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Vivian Greene
Invest In Love inc
“All that is real is seen with the heart.”

© 2009 – 2011, Vivian Greene. All rights reserved.

I’m always inspired and find I create my best work under the full moon. The only “madness” I associate it with is creative. Do you know where the word “lunatic” comes from?

“Madness or Mysticism” was the name of my thesis in college. There are usually 13 full moons in a year. In days of yore when we lived by nature’s moonlight and sunlight rather than electricity, women had 13 mensus in a year – all at the same time during the full moon.

Indian women, for example, would spend this “sacred” time together on the mountain, under the full moon. They were said to be in their highest psychic power. Then…they would guide the men as to what was needed for the weather, hunts, medicines etc.

Later, patriarchy said “No!” and forbid these psychic gatherings. In fact what had been an intuitive sacred service became known as “witchcraft!” Women would be burned at the stake. And, as you have undoubtedly noticed….13 became the unlucky number. Thirteen lunar cycles, thirteen periods were equated with werewolves and spells. Mental institutions were actually called Looney Bins.

Imagine anything as beautiful as the moon, as stars, being considered dangerous. Boo!
And boo hoo.

I would like to honor women who remain undaunted, loving, and giving. Each Full Moon I am presenting a Full Moon Award. The creation will honor a woman I consider to be a moonful of Love in the world, sharing light.

Here is the first to Oprah Winfrey:

Each Full Moon, a special creation of mine will be given FREE
for any donation exceeding $80 to Invest In Love.
Please include $8 for shipping and handling.

 

Prosperity

The night ocean is filled with stars
That only the moon can display.

We cannot put them in our savings account
Or patent them, or buy them, or own them.

Yet they are ours–always.

…from my book Prosperity Is Free.

Everything is beautiful, under the full moon!

Kisses,

Vivian Greene
Invest In Love inc
“All that is real is seen with the heart.”

© 2009 – 2011, Vivian Greene. All rights reserved.

When I submitted Just Get Up and Dance, Love Is The Greatest Healer, Simple Truths maven Mac Anderson, who published Learning To Dance in The Rain, suggested an even better subtitle: Just Get Up and Dance, Life Starts When You Do!

My quote “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain!” topped the list of favorite quotes and has inspired a great many books and products which will be coming soon. Check our Showcase Licensing section for a sneak peak for what’s new and up and coming.

I am compiling material from my many greeting cards, posters, and writings about dance for Just Get Up and Dance, Life Starts When You Do!

The following are Sample Chapters & Quotes from the book which promise to make you laugh, cry, and above all…Just Get Up and Dance! If you would like to submit your own story for consideration (limit 400 words) or any quotes, please let me hear from you!

* Excuse Me, but No Excuses
Check out this amazing video. Love is…no doubt…the best healer!

More Sample Chapters & Quotes:

* Seize the Moment
“Do what you can
with what you have
where you are!”
~Theodore Roosevelt

* When You’re at Peace, You Rock!
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs;
ask yourself what makes you come alive.
And then go and do that.
Because what the world needs
is people who have come alive.”
~Howard Thurman

* LOVE Spoken Here
“I’m never alone.
Life is my Lover…
So I Just Get Up and Dance!”

~Vivian Greene

© 2009 – 2011, Vivian Greene. All rights reserved.