Vivian Greene

Yes, a Tushie to Tushie Talk With President Obama!

If I’m in a tug of war – be it a personal struggle, with Goliath Dade County Water & Sewer who charges me up the kazoo for a leak that never existed, or even if I were the President of the United States, there is one thing that is always true. In a tug of war, no matter how hard and strong the other side is, if I let go, technically I lose. But the truth is…when I let go, the other side falls on it’s tushie.

When I was a little girl I wanted to be the First Lady. Jacqueline Kennedy was so beautiful, eloquent, regal. I know today little girls want to be the first Lady President. But my family hailed from Italy and the Greek island of Rhodes, and as you may have seen in that hilarious (true true true) movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the Mama of the family says her hubby may be the head of the family, “But mama is the neck.”

Michele…help. What a terribly difficult decision we’re facing.

I’ve never had political aspirations. But I’ve always had Love inspiration – a desire to add love to work, politics, health, relationships…life. That’s why my Kisses™ characters are drawn with their eyes covered: “All that is real is seen with the heart.”®

When I saw this picture – pictures say so much more than words – I felt such compassion. I hurt. For our president, our country, all of the people who suffer so from war.

I read that Napoleon Hill, the famous author of Think and Grow Rich, was an advisor to President Roosevelt. I wish I could do the same with President Obama and help him. It’s not that I know the answer, but I do know as I say in my book:

“You can’t see the mountain when you’re standing on it.”

“I know we all can enter that space of the artist, or musician, or poet, or dancer, that place in the heart where the vibration is more clear and pure than advice.”

Maybe you can enter that space and help too. I don’t mean by writing congressmen, marching around, or making any kind of demands. Not demands. Questions. Seeking the answers within and sharing them by the love we put into each and every day, and relationships. If we can’t get along with a parent, spouse, boss, friend — how can we expect peace in the world?

This incredible art came from an article by Ray McGovern. Please visit Truthout. Most of all, search the truth within. Let’s help..

Friday 27 November 2009

Ray McGovern | Obama’s Profile in Courage, or Cave-In?
Ray McGovern, Truthout: “‘It took a lot of courage on Kennedy’s part to defy the Pentagon, defy the military – and do the right thing,” said Col. Larry Wilkerson, USA (ret.), according to Robert Dreyfuss in his recent Rolling Stone article ‘The Generals’ Revolt.” …

Wilkerson, who was chief of staff at the State Department (2002-2005) and now teaches at George Washington University, was alluding to President John F. Kennedy’s courage in 1962, when he faced down his top generals and refused to bomb Cuba and risk nuclear war.”
Read the Article

Let’s have a Tushie to Tushie Talk With President Obama!

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

Please Leave a Comment

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

Kisses™ and Volkswagen To The Rescue!

“Can a Kisses™ or Volkswagen initiative save Dade County Water & Sewer?”
asks Vivian Greene pictured at a Warner Bros Display
International Licensing Show, NY.

-=*=–=*=- -=*=–=*=- -=*=–=*=- -=*=- -=*=–=*=- -=*=- -=*=–=*=-

I wonder if an initiative of Volkswagen could help me solve my problem with Dade County Water & Sewer?

Cram the entire Customer Service into a VW? No, not exactly.

But VW reminds me of what has created my success all along. And maybe…maybe…it would work with Miami Dade Water & Sewer.

You see they keep billing me hundreds of dollars for a leak they claim I had last year. I never had a leak. At least, that’s what the plumber and their own experts who kept coming out to my house said after I called the mayor in desperation.

I mean…I use purified water, and I can shower at the local Spa, but I do prefer a toilet to kitty litter.

When I paid a monthly $100 which I agreed to do while we explore the problem, they came to turn off my water anyway. They claimed they had not received my $100 good will payment. Funny. They cashed the check.

The nice Mayor’s office got DCWS to change the meter. Then DCWS said, I still owed more money. Thanks for fixing the leak.

There was no leak. I didn’t fix anything. They turned off my water again last Thursday.

Maybe Volkswagen can help me. God knows, I need a car too. And the message of the Volkswagen initiative and mine are just about the same.

The VW initiative is about FUN. They’ve shown that FUN can change people’s behavior. They must not be having enough fun at Dade County Water and Sewer. I must think of something and save them.

Truth In Lending came to my rescue. They paid the alleged Water bill. The water was turned back on late Friday afternoon.

Are we having FUN yet?

No. Now DCWS wants another $160 by December 7 for “penalties.”

Goodness, they must not have any fun working at DCWS at all. They should learn a thing or two from Volkswagen.

VW has shown that FUN changes the behavior. If you haven’t seen Piano Stairs yet…take a quick peek at this:

So what next? How can I get to Dade County Water & Sewer and make their life more fun so they have better things to do than this silly (and costly) stuff? Do I go dance on John Renfrow’s desk? I think he should personally answer my letter. Maybe I should send it daily – hundreds of copies:

Why is DCWS so anxious to go to court? I’ve tried so hard to avoid this. Let’s face it, Miami Vice has more demanding problems than my toilet.

But if I must go to court, and pay $700/hr, I’m still going to ask the judge to order DCWS to have more fun. They must be suffering from LackofFunitis.

That must be the problem. Because there is no leak. Because there is no reason to be this inefficient. Because there is no censured censured censured. Imagine how many people Dade County Water and Sewer have offended. Stress is toxic. You give it out, you breath it in.

I’d like to save Dade County Water and Sewer. I’d like all the money this has cost me back so I can share some fun and steward the money for good, like I do with all my work at www.VivianGreene.com. I’d like to see a world full of Volkswagen drivers with flowers on their cars.

Everyone should have more fun. Dance, eat, drink, and remarry (renew vows or new partner or new water meter). Like my book says: Just Get Up And Dance!

What a court order! Give Dade County Water and Sewer a sentence of 30 minutes a day to dance Disco con Salsa.

Maybe Gloria Estefan, or KC (he lives in my neighborhood) can help me? Volkswagen has the right idea. And as Marie McDonnell from Truth In Lending said, “The city has it wrong.”

As I always say, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

My thanks to Volkswagen for their shining example. I hope Kisses™ can save Dade County Water and Sewer.

Kisses® are drawn with their eyes covered because
“All that is real is seen with the heart.”

Kisses™ and Volkswagen To The Rescue!

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

Please Leave a Comment

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

Don't Call Your Lawyer, Call A Magician!

Don’t Call Your Lawyer, Call A Magician!

“We have to change more than our light bulbs. We have to change some laws.” said Al Gore when I saw him Saturday. I couldn’t agree more.

The response to my blog about my sog with Dade County Water and Sewer was incredible. It was suggested I set up a Defense Fund.

Okay: Donate

Many people feel the difficulty to reach anyone, the arbitrary billing, and our requirement to pay monies and penalties not owed are out of control. How can anyone afford the time to document, investigate, and take off from our own work and responsibilities to fight these disputes?

Justice is only what we can afford to pay.

Okay: Donate

I would like to see a law enacted which makes institutions pay for the time we are on hold, the time it takes to prove our case, not only attorney fees but our fees for time and expenses.

So: Donate. Let’s do it!

 

“You don’t need to call your lawyer,” business man Jim Cassidy said. “You need a magician.” And bless his heart, he sent me a magician in this hysterical video of an old Johnny Carson Show, starring Steve Martin:

But, I’m not joking. I will gladly match any funds which you Donate with art or gift certificates to change this system. Let’s flush injustice down the toilet.

Don’t Call Your Lawyer, Call A Magician!

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

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

You teach best what you most need to learn.

How many people are forced to flush money down the toilet? Does the Gov just shove things down our throat? An email slapped me in the face today.

The list that was sent to me by a 72 year old man and his 100 year old mother – both VERY alert — is really thought provoking. I haven’t been around as long. Nothing speaks like experience. So even though I don’t like what it says, I cannot ignore it.

I’ve removed the bitter comment that surrounded the email – blame, name calling, etc – because to me that is not an effective way to solve a problem. Yet the list is worthy of our attention. How would you respond?

I was thinking of my blog post Beware of Bankers and Skunks. The banks are big and corrupt. The people who work there have little authority and are under the same victimization we are. So who is the boss? Who do we hold accountable?

Well….I guess ourselves. Because the government is “we the people.” So what are WE THE PEOPLE doing about it?

I’m the author of LEGAL LEMONADE, Should I Sue Or Is There A Better Way? I especially asked myself this question today.

Dade County Water & Sewer shut off my water, even though I have kept my agreement and paid them monthly for the last 10 months for an alleged leak that never existed. I’ve paid more than a thousand dollars to the Water Company, and more to plumbers, et al. I had help from the mayors office. A new meter was installed. No leak. So DCWS insisted I fixed the leak. They said “Pay and go to arbitration — but no one ever wins.” Talk about Money Down The Toilet! This is our government telling me to go sue myself.

Now I have to admit, I know a lot of government officials. Calling on them because I cannot flush my toilet doesn’t seem like the highest and best good for all of us.

But at this point I did have to call someone for my health, sanity, and the environment. Just what am I supposed to do if i cannot flush a toilet, and I cannot lift a gallon jug of water because I am recovering from an accident? I mean …what?…kitty litter?

Of course, I had to ask myself, Why. Why is this happening? Why me? And then the magic happened.

In the book Illusions by Richard Bach, he said,
‘ “You teach best what you most need to learn.” ‘

I did get help. It was not from DCWS. An advocate, Marie McDonnell from Truth in Lending took 5 seconds to ask “Where do I send the money? This is a legitimate issue and the city has it wrong.”

I learned something very valuable. The help is “we the people.” We simply must help each other. Truth in Lending clicked the Donate button on my site. My water was turned back on at 3:30.

I missed four appointments today. Critical ones for my health and business. I had to be home from 2 to 4 for DCWS. No one knocked when they turned the water off or on. I was told I am expected to pay another $128 in penalties – interest and the charges for turning my water off Dec 7th. The help will continue to pour in – because in the end it will help so many.

Who knows? Maybe there is one clerk, or computer glitch, or …elected official who has made this error that has caused so many problems. The water turned on, and this email arrived by someone infuriated with the government.

What can we do to help? Help each other.

a.. The US Post Service was established in 1775.
You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke.

b.. Social Security was established in 1935.
You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.

c.. Fannie Mae was established in 1938.
You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.

d.. War on Poverty started in 1964.
You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of
our money is confiscated each year and transferred
to “the poor” and they only want more.

e.. Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965.
You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke.

f.. Freddie Mac was established in 1970.
You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke.

g.. The Department of Energy was created in 1977
to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned
to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year
and we import more oil than ever before. You had 32 years
to get it right and it is an abysmal failure.

And now we are expected to trust you with a Government-Run Health Care System??

The emailer wanted this circulated to reach “duly elected officials.” Do we really want to continue flushing Money Down The Toilet?

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

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