Last fall I made plans to partner with a non-profit organization to raffle off a “Day in Doylestown” package of gift cards.  It was determined that the proceeds of the raffle would benefit both the NPO and my education.  My little plan for this online auction was no small task considering that to receive funds as an individual from a raffle, it requires a long list of legal steps to walk through first.  Well, I certainly received an education on what it takes to pull off an online auction but on the eve of raffle launch day, one last technical hurdle brought my plan to a halt.  And while I’m not one to give up easily on my ideas, I decided that I no longer have the time to devote to pulling off the raffle in the way I originally envisioned.  SO over the next few weeks I’m going to auction off the gift cards to the highest ebay bidder with all proceeds going to support the cost of my education.

A very special thank you to some of my favorite Doylestown haunts and their owners for sponsoring my education through donating the gift cards to be auctioned (see my sponsorship menu for a full list of supporters).  Ebay rules dictate that I can only auction off one gift card at a time (oh, the red tape!!), so for starters, I invite you to:

ENTER HERE TO BID ON A FULL-COURSE LUNCH FOR 2 (INCLUDING DESSERT) AT:

Pennsylvania Soup & Seafood House is one of my absolute favorite restaurants in town so I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.  Check back soon for more gift cards to be auctioned here at The Track Record(ing).   And thanks for your support!

 

You might remember I’m a sucker for personality typing.  So this week in Marketing Management, when we discussed VALS types, I just had to take the short survey to find out what my VALS types are.  VALS is a tool used by marketers to determine Psychographic Segmentation or the values and lifestyles of a consumer.  Sure enough, when I took the survey, it pegged me primarily as an Experiencer and secondly as an Innovator.  The descriptions seem pretty accurate to me.  Take the survey for yourself here.

It’s been quiet here on thetrackrecording as I’ve been taking time to get assimilated in my new job.  All is not quiet in my personal life though.  I am enjoying class and still looking for ways to afford the cost of education.

A few weeks ago, I received an application in the mail for a scholarship for women in business.  I could really really use financial support for school, so I’ve been working on the application in my very spare time.  After seeing how much time the application is taking me, I guess it’s no wonder why most people opt to take a loan over doing the work for a scholarship.  I’ve had to complete my taxes early (yes they are already done for 2011 – thank you, Scott Kregel), complete a new FAFSA form based on the 2011 taxes, hand over my personal budget explaining my income and expenses, send a transcript, get 2 letters of recommendation, and write an essay.  Sheesh, I feel a little bit violated after all of the questions and hoops, but I understand why they are required.  At this point, I’ll do just about anything for education support.  Deadline is in March – cross your fingers for me!

PS- If you’re wondering, the Lifetime Learning credit was a huge help in my taxes this year.

Currently, I am seated at my desk, looking out the window at the snow on the ground.  It is indeed, January white.   I find it ironic that my last post contained the lyrics from a beautiful song about the hope that change can bring in the new year.  I find it ironic because yesterday was my last day at my old job – and today is the first snowy day of the year – it’s truly January white.  I start a new job in the arts this week – a job that I most likely would not have had if not for starting this blog.  I feel grateful and excited for a fresh start to the year.  This week I also start my second MBA course on Marketing Management and I’m looking forward to it.

Congratulations, Chrissie, on winning the cupcakes from Let Them Eat Cupcakes! Please contact me via Kristi @ Thetrackrecording.com to pick up your gift card!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you enjoy this song below by one of my favorite bands.

so let’s press undo.
rearrange the old and call it new-
january white.

every calendar is playing the same old trick:
a year will disappear, replaced with counterfeit
but we’ll never really mind.

‘cause if nothing else, we’re given a little time
to change the game, a chance to redefine
everything we are,
in our january white.

this year is a sealed envelope,
a culmination of hopes,
the lottery result that we’ve been crossing fingers for.

we could paint our walls a lighter shade of blue,
or we could pack our bags and change the entire view
to january white.

if nothing else, we’re given a little time
to change the heart in which we change our minds;
our hourglasses turn.

this year is a sealed envelope;
with apprehensive hope
we brace for anything.
i swear, i understand that nothing changes that,
the past will be the past,
but the future is brighter than any flashback.

well, we could let our guards down a little easier this time,
we could trust that when there’s joy, there’s nothing dark behind.
in spite of history,
hope is january white.

this year, we’re starting over again
letter openers in hand,
a chance to take a chance.
i swear, i understand that the past will be the past,
and nothing changes that,
but the future is brighter than any flashback.

Today, I’m anticipating a few more first time visitors than usual here at The Track Record(ing).  If you’ve found me through the article by Crissa Shoemaker, welcome.

When Crissa and I met a few weeks back, she asked me what I’ve learned since starting my blog.  I remember telling her that starting a blog, while working full-time and going to school part-time was a challenge.  It’s certainly hard work to try and pull yourself up out of a tough financial situation; especially in this economy.  What I should have expounded on though, is that since starting my blog, I have gained an even greater understanding of how lucky I am to live in such a supportive community.  I’ve always known that Doylestown is great — but I never expected the amount of support that I’d receive from businesses and perfect strangers.  Through this little project of mine, I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many new and wonderful people.  So, for that, I am grateful.

One of my new friends, Fern Lawrence,  is the owner of Let Them Eat Cupcakes.  In October, we had the chance to get to know each other over one of her delicious inventions (I highly recommend the turtle cupcake).  In honor of old friends, new friends, and this holiday season, Let Them Eat Cupcakes is giving away a half dozen cupcakes to one lucky winner!

TO ENTER:
It’s free to enter [Of course if you want to donate to my education you can!] Just:
1. ‘Like’ this post (below)
2. Leave a comment on my blog telling me: Who would you share your cupcakes with?

One winner will be chosen at random and announced here on December 31, 2011.