Recently, Oprah got the cast of The View to empty their pocketbooks and although I didn’t get to personally read their purses, after watching the video, I am ready with my predictions.

Barbara Walter’s purse had lots of practical work-related items.  I also overheard one of the other cast members say that her purse was very organized.  Barbara responded, “Well, you know that I’m neat.”  Since there is only one neat and organized purse carrier, my predication is that Barbara is a Classy.

Whoopie Goldberg shocked all of the women by professing that she doesn’t carry a purse.  Only a Brassy would have the confidence to go through life without a purse.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s purse was bulging with stuff. Her purse had a little bling too. My prediction is Sassy, since Sasssy’s tend to be the messiest purse carriers and like some bling and shine on their purses.

Joy Behar’s purse looked to be a designer bag. She also seemed to have very few items inside her purse. This one stumped me because you would think she’d have a big flashy bag to go with her Sassy purseonality.  I think it’s safe to say that she is a Brassy.

Sheri Shepherd had the other big messy bag and I was surprised that it wasn’t more of a flashy purse, because I believe that Sheri is a Sassy too.

So there you have it. No Lassies on The View, although I would say that Lassie is Elisabeth and Sheri’s secondary purseonality.

Click here to watch the Oprah.com video!

To learn what your Purse-onality is, check out my radio show on TheWinOnline.com!

As I rummaged through my purse for my checkbook, she said, “Oh, I see you’re saving for those pots and pans at Jewel.”

“Uh, yes, I am.”

“I have a bunch of those stickers in my car.”

“I’m just six short for a second pot,” I complained, “but did you know they’re not giving out anymore stickers.”
“Oh, wow,” she said while looking up and down the front of the checkout area.

I wondered what she was looking for. She seemed more interested in finding something, than focusing on my purchase. As I handed her my check, she completed the transaction and said, “Let me see if my supervisor will let me close and I’ll run out to my car and get you those stickers.”

“Uh, Really?” I asked in disbelief.

“Sure!”

Just then her supervisor walked by and after getting the approval to close her register, she followed me outside.

“Where’s your car?” she asked.

When she learned that my car was on the opposite side of the parking lot, she said, “Go get your car and park next to mine. Then you don’t have to walk back and forth.”

I just shook my head in amazement as I walked toward my car.

I drove over to her car, rolled down my window and she handed me the six stickers plus two extra.

My Superhero was already sprinting across the parking lot, when I shouted, “What’s your name?”

“Diane!”

As I pulled away I couldn’t stop smiling.  I smiled all the way home and into Jewel the next day where I purchased a brand new frying pan and a stir fry pan for only 2 cents.  I smiled a couple of days later when I called the store manager to tell him about Diane. I’m still smiling weeks later as I share this story.  When it comes to women and purses, anything’s possible!

But once you’ve lost perspective, your perception of the situation actually seeks out that which will reinforce it. So what started out as a bad moment turns into a bad day and you begin to attract more things you perceive as bad.  Suddenly the pile of papers on your desk looks like Mount Everest. Then, your boss comes in with a pile that rivals Mount Kilimanjaro, at the same time the school calls for you to pick up your puking pre-teen. Your spouse is out of town, your car is in the shop and you suddenly feel sick yourself. You are in a downward spiral. Let’s face it. There is no way warm, fuzzy affirmations like, “There is good in every situation.” and “I love my hips.” is going to flip that stress switch now.

So what do you do? Take the Slightly Off Reality Check to begin to spiral up and put life back into proper perspective! Here’s how it works. On a scale of 1-10, ask yourself, “How bad is it?”

Of course, you’re going to tell me, “Oh, it’s bad, Deb, it’s a ten!”

But it can’t be a ten, because on the Slightly Off scale, a ten is the end of the world. And the only thing as bad as the end of the world, is the end of the world! So you can’t pick ten. You can pick nine, but you can’t pick ten, unless, of course you see a meteor zooming towards your head.

Now it also helps to know what a one is on the scale. One is a vurp. What’s a vurp you ask? Well, if you must ask, I must tell you. A vurp is when you burp and kind of vomit at the same time. And you get that awful taste in your mouth? Well, you asked!  Okay, it’s unpleasant, but overall not that bad!  And if you want to see the girl having a vurp on my Slightly Off Reality card, open it and print it out. Now without even realizing it, you’ve added another tool to help you out of the stress response. Humor.

Humor has the power to release the feel good hormones called endorphins. So does exercise. But wouldn’t you rather laugh than jog? Me too!  So keep your Slightly Off Reality card handy for those tough days. Then you can start to spiral up by choosing this one better thought, “It’s not the end of the world and there is no meteor zooming towards my head!”

I’ve been dealing with an annoying co-worker for years now. He encroaches on my personal space and sniffs around my desk, making strange noises while I’m busy at the computer. Either that or he’ll lurk right outside my office door and just stand there, expecting me to take a break. He doesn’t care that I am in the middle of an important phone call, he just keeps standing there! Waiting for me to finish, begging me to notice him.

Sometimes I lose my patience and shout, “What do you want!”

He doesn’t respond. Unlike one of those non-stop talkers, he’s the silent type. Even more annoying, you never really know what he’s thinking.

I still haven’t figured out how he can have so much free time when I’m always rushing to get my work done before the day ends.

I’ve been told he has a crush on me, but that’s not my fault. And honestly he’s not a stalker, so I can’t go to HR. He’s just plain, well, bothersome.

No matter how often I vary my lunch break, he seems to know and takes his at the same time. Then, he thumbs his nose at his own food and sits there, staring at mine, silently begging me to share my beef sandwich or a few fries. But I never give in.  Because I know he’s got food issues and I’m not going to be responsible for what happens if he eats the wrong thing.

Sometimes he doesn’t care about lunch; he just wants to go outside and take a walk. I try to explain to him, as firmly as I can, while gently grabbing him by the collar, “I can’t drop everything, just because you’re bored, buddy! You need to focus on your own life!”

Then I feel bad, because I can tell I’ve hurt his feelings, even though he would never admit it.

But recently I’ve learned that everyone we meet is there for a reason. Whether it’s a new boss or a new neighbor, they come into our lives to teach us something. So I decided to take a step back and think about what it is this co-worker could possibly be here to teach me.

He may be here so that I can practice patience.

He may be here as a reminder to look for the good in everyone, even someone with bad breath and a mole on his forehead.

He may be here to teach me how to be more compassionate.

He may be here to remind me of the importance of taking a break. Because sometimes I get so caught up in my work, I forget the sun is shining and that a bit of exercise would do me good.

Come to think of it, he’s a really good listener. The other day, when I was upset about a client, I confided in him and he didn’t tell me what to do, he just listened and I could see the compassion in his eyes.

Now that I see what he is here to teach me, it has changed everything. I don’t find him nearly as annoying and sometimes I even ask him if he’d like to take a walk. Click here to see a photo of my co-worker.

Without hesitation he said, “Yes.”

So, I took a deep breath and proceeded to tell him what I had to tell him. Then I shared all of my feelings about what I had just told him and then I explored all of my options on what I thought I should do about what I had just told him. I was about to ask him what his feelings were about what I had just shared and if he had an opinion on it, when I heard this drone breaking through the phone saying, “Deb, Deb, Deb, Deb!”

It seems my husband had been interrupting me for quite some time.

“What?” I asked impatiently.

“I’ve got to go.”

Feeling slightly miffed I sniffed, “Fine.  See you tonight.”

That night, after a cold dinner and I’m not talkin about the meatloaf, I broached the subject of our earlier phone call.

My husband’s explanation was simple. “Honey, I told you I had a minute.”

I was about to let him know just exactly how that made me feel, when a light bulb went on. “Oh! You mean you really had a minute!”

Wow. That never even occurred to me.  That’s because I am an expressive, talkative type and he is a specific, get-to-the-point type. Thanks to my research into purses and the four different purseonalities of purse carriers, I finally understood. My husband is a Brassy with Classy tendencies and I am a Sassy with Lassy tendencies.

When Brassys have a minute to talk, they actually mean a minute – as in sixty seconds!

When Sassys have a minute to talk, they mean, sit down, and pull a chair!

Don’t be surprised if your spouse’s personality style is the opposite of yours. That’s because we’re here to learn from each other. So next time I’ll figure out how long it will take me to say what I need to say, and what I feel about what I need to say and all of my options about what I need to do about it and then ask my husband, “Do you have 22 minutes and 36 seconds?”

Note: If you’re looking for an enlightening and informative presentation on Dealing with Different Purse-onalities for your next women’s event, contact Deb@slightlyoff.com

Then there’s the layering. Sweaters on top of sweaters, pants on top of pants, the frantic search for lost mittens, matching scarves and hats in last year’s winter box.

Then there’s the snow, which looks inviting when I’m viewing it from the window in my warm living room, but not as attractive when I’m shoveling it or attempting to maneuver a two- ton snow blower over it. I did dive in when my daughter, Jenna, asked me to take her sledding – at night. Jenna, an expert sledder, brought along Pam in a can, just in case our rides weren’t slippery enough.  But they were. Oh, yes, they were.

As I stood at the top of the hill, Jenna cautioned me, “Now, don’t go in the middle there, mom. Someone built a huge bump, and you’ll go flying.”

Determined to miss the middle, I sat my many layers down on the slippery blue circle and steered to the left, but just like my kids, the sled had a mind of its own and decided to steer right towards the middle, while spinning me around, so I was facing backwards. I didn’t see the sled hit the bump, but I felt it. Suddenly I was airborne.  The sled went in one direction and I was soaring above the snow in another.

Jenna’s friend looked over as I plummeted toward the ground and said, “Look at that idiot sledding right over the bump.” Then she looked more closely. “Oh my gosh! That’s your mom!”

I came down on my back, bottom and the back of my head.

“Mom, are you okay?” My daughter asked as she peered down at my twisted layers.
“I see stars, but they’re not in the sky,” I mumbled.

Fortunately, I have a hard head and didn’t need a hospital, unfortunately that meant we were still sledding.  So, Jenna’s friend traded sleds with me. She said hers was lame. Lame meant that it barely slid, unless you leaned forward with all of your weight and someone gave you a push from behind. Just my speed.

January is almost over. I’m revising my resolution for February.

For a complete description click here to contact Deb!

WHAT’S NEW

Women’s Conference February 17th
Ready to empower your career and your life? Join me and my three colleagues for an invigorating, inspiring and information-packed women’s conference set for February 17th. Click here for more information and to register!

To avoid this drastic dip and looking like a dip, eat some nuts. Nuts take longer to digest and will trigger serotonin, the feel good hormone. And that’s not all, nuts are a great source of the healthy omega-3 essential fatty acids, which have been found to protect the heart, promote better cognitive function, and provide anti-inflammatory benefits for asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, eczema and psoriasis. Walnuts also contain an antioxidant compound known to fight cancer and support the immune system.

The best snacks are a mix of complex carbs, fat and protein – a combo that metabolizes slowly, giving you more energy over time. Which is why even a piece of fruit alone, isn’t as good as a piece of fruit or celery with some almond butter or a handful of nuts.

But that’s not the only nut worth cracking. You also want to crack that N.U.T. (Nagging Unfinished Task). Studies have shown that N.U.T.s can cause all kinds of unhealthy stress. So try this, find and finish one N.U.T. every day. It doesn’t matter what it is, it just has to be the one that you’ve been putting off, the one that nags and wakes you up in the middle of the night. Crack that N.U.T. and you’ll feel the weight of the world fall right off your shoulders.

So, what kind of nut do you need to crack today?

(Blog posting inspired by The Snack That Closes Up Nutrition Gaps, RealAge)

Take charge and reap the rewards YOU deserve! Make 2011 the best year yet! This power-packed day will energize and give you the tools and strategies needed to reach YOUR Goals. As women we face different challenges than men do. This conference will address these issues that plague women today.

How is this Inspiring Women’s Conference different?
We have brought together four professional speakers and trainers to give you their insights based on their experience and knowledge not theory. Each of these outstanding women have dealt first hand with difficult gender challenges and will tell you how they did it.

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Attend this conference with a friend or colleague – together you can support one another and meet your goals.

WHEN: Thursday, February 17, 2011
TIME: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM (CT)
WHERE: Country Inn and Suites, 1837 Centre Point Circle, Naperville, IL

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Deb DiSandro, owner of Slightly Off, along with an advisory team of experts including
Editors
Literary Agent
Book Manufacturer
Published Authors
Self-published Authors
Other Writing Experts

will coach you through the process from idea to finished draft.
This program teaches you methods that work to help you achieve success; and of course, it will be fun!

I have built my career on a “Fun and Done” Philosophy.  We put off so many of our dreams, waiting for the perfect moment and waiting until we can do something so perfectly no one will find fault with it.  My strengths lie in my ability to listen, encourage, suggest ideas, adjust the program to best meet your needs, so that you can make your dream come true. There are many writers who have already completed and submitted manuscripts after taking this program. There are also those who have not. The work is up to YOU.  The rewards are all yours too! Good luck and I hope to work with you. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call or e-mail. – Deb

1. CONFERENCE CALLS
We kick off with a live conference call – Deb DiSandro will share her expertise, an outline of the six month program, upcoming conferences and YOUR first assignment!
Monday, October 4th, 7 p.m. (central time zone) Can’t be on the call?  That’s okay!  All calls will be recorded!  All assignments will arrive by e-mail so you can go at your own pace.
Conference Call Information
Dial:  605-475-4000
Access Code:  404632#
Playback Recorded Conference: 605-475-4099
Access Code: 404632#

MONTHLY CONFERENCE CALLS (Plus bonus recorded calls from past sessions)
EXPERTS IN THE FIELD – featuring current book information and inspirational stories from successfully published and self-published authors, advice from editors, publisher, and agents spaced throughout the program will give you that boost of information, confidence and encouragement just when you need it.

2. ASSIGNMENTS & INITIAL ASSESSMENT
After the conference call and receipt of payment, Deb will e-mail you an assessment to learn about your book project and experience. She will respond with suggestions and ideas for your individual project.

WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS
Every Friday you will receive a weekly assignment that relates to each stage of the book writing process.  These assignments are meant to help you and support your progress.  You can go at your own pace and only complete the ones that you feel will benefit you.

3. WEEKLY TIPS
Every Tuesday and Thursday, you will receive informational and/or inspirational tips to support your book writing project. 

3. REGULAR E-MAIL SUPPORT
Deb knows that not every question will be answered in the information provided and she is open to e-mail questions and will respond in a timely manner. Deb cares about your book almost as much as you do!  If she doesn’t have an answer, she will find it for you. 

4. ACCOUNTABILITY CHECK-IN
Deb has all writers e-mail their progress on a weekly basis.  Whether it is fast progress or slow progress, it’s all good and all a necessary part of the book writing journey.
This is a critical part of the program and Deb has found that those who check in regularly make more progress and are often the ones who complete their first drafts. 

5. PERSONAL PHONE CALLS WITH DEB!
Every month, you can schedule a half-hour phone call with Deb, or save up your half-hour and have a one-hour call every other month.  This is a time to set goals and discuss your project in greater detail. (Yes, this is highly unusual with online programs, but Deb believes it keeps writers on track and she’s willing to go the extra mile). 
 
6. CRITIQUE OF MANUSCRIPT
(Up to 10 pages (double-spaced) critique per session)
After 20 years of professional writing and instruction, Deb offers a thorough and effective thematic critique of your work. She will point out the strengths in your story and the development of your idea. She will help to bring clarity and continuity to your writing and make suggestions for revising the manuscript.  This does not mean Deb will line edit for every grammar mistake.  That is a completely different kind of editing service and one that is not necessary at this stage of your manuscript.  When you are ready for that stage, Deb has resources for manuscript editing that she is happy to share with you.  
(Note: For those who want coaching and critiquing on their entire manuscript during this program, book shepherding with Deb is also available at an additional cost, based on an assessment of your writing and project. 

815-439-1172
deb@slightlyoff.com
Schedule a FREE call with Deb to discuss your book project and save $100!Your dream begins right now!