Ms. B. Discussions and Reviews

Let me start off by saying this is a purely bias post based on the fact that I am a Montrealer and a proud one at that. This past Sunday the Alouettes took on the BC Lions in Montreal at the Olympic Stadium; a.k.a. the big O. Unfortunately I was not able to watch the whole game. Got home sometime during the third quarter. Montreal already had a huge lead in the game. They have a tendency to slack off in the forth quarter. I can’t lie about that. This time was different as they got another touchdown and sealed the deal by beating the Lions 56-18!

Soon after the eastern finals, the west got their game started. The Calgary Stampeders played in Saskatchewan against the Roughriders. I had no interest in watching this game. I only hoped the Stampeders won because it would have made for sweet revenge. In 2008, the Grey Cup was in Montreal and the two teams involved were the Alouettes and the Stampeders. Last year the Stamps stripped Montrealers of a home win. Well, I shouldn’t say they stripped us. We just did not have it in us to win. This year, the Grey Cup is taking place on Sunday, November 29TH in Calgary. Too bad the Stampeders are not even playing haha. Being a Montrealer who had to live in Calgary for five years against my will, I have a love/hate relationship with the city. (After I graduated high school I moved to Calgary because my mother was transfered there a year prior. She allowed me to stay in Montreal to graduate with my friends.) While residing in cow town I met a few good friends that I still keep in contact with so that’s the love part. The hate part (no offense to Calgarians), it just was not my kind of city. Smaller, less multi-cultural, nothing special about the food and more but I won’t go any further.

Oh well, regardless I will be having my football food ready and watching the Grey Cup on TSN HD this Sunday. It’s been a while since Montreal has had a parade due to a sports team winning. I know a lot of people say you can’t compare the CFL to NFL and I agree. There is more money in the NFL. What do you expect? Our soccer team, the Montreal Impact took the grand prize this year. Now it is time for the Alouettes! Wonder if the Habs can do it too? Is that too much to ask for?

Kerry Watkins 90 yard reception - November 22, 2009 East Final vs. BC Lions

 Finally posted my first video for my Avon YouTube channel. It is a place where I will be posting videos of products that I actually use and love. Seeing is believing. Instead of just telling you about it in my blog I wanted to have a more one-on-one experience with you. More videos will follow in the near future since there are different catalogues that come out often. As soon as I’m able to send e-brochures, those that don’t live in the same city will be able to shop Avon with me.

 Today is turkey day in Canada. Yep, Thanksgiving. It’s amazing how so many Americans did not know our Thanksgiving is not the same day. More than a month difference. If this is news to you, then you just learned something . In this edition of Motivational Mondays, I want to focus on the positive things and people in each of your lives.

Think about this. No matter what your situation is at any given point, there is always someone else in a situation worse off than you.

What that means is, do not take for granted the good that is in your life at the present moment. It can be as simple as being thankful for the ability to breathe every day. Good health, financial security, family, friends, a good education, clean water. The list can go on. When you are thankful for what you already have, it can give you motivation to continue living life. It is all about your mentality. If you change your mindset into a more positive one, you open yourself for more good to come in.

Here is something I would like you to try. Every day for the next month. Write down 2 things you are grateful for. Keep this piece of paper and make a list. After a month, you will see how many blessings you have been fortunate to receive.

A few quotes I want to share with you.

Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action. - W.J. Cameron

If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one. - Mother Teresa

Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living! - Amanda Bradley

 The well known Avon lady has been around for decades. Starting out doing door-to-door sales in your neighbourhood. I always associated Avon with my grandparents’s generation. My grandmothers would always buy the lipsticks, those talc powders you spread on your bed before you go to sleep. Don’t forget the Skin-So-Soft brand of bath oils. They would be great in the summer as a mosquito repellent. Haha those were the days. My mom recently became a representative. She was looking for something part-time to do. The more I looked into it myself, the more I thought, “hey I could do this.”

Avon as a company has changed a lot. They still have their staple brands but at the same time, they have kept up with the times. I’m sure they had to or else they would not be in business anymore. They have a wide array of beauty products. Makeup for many different skin colours. As a black woman, I had concern about that but they proved me wrong. I was impressed. Avon also has well known celebrity spokespersons to represent them. Right now it is Reese Witherspoon. She has a perfume called In Bloom. I smelled it last night at an Avon meeting and it’s very floral but not too overwhelming. This being the holiday shopping season, there are so many items to choose from. The 3 packs of dip are scrumptious. They sell clothes, shoes, jewelry and accessories. Products for dogs too. A line named Mark is great for teenage girls and young women in their twenties. I was looking at everything the other night and thinking if there are so many products that I would buy myself then I’m sure a lot more people like me are out there. I’m pushing thirty myself. In my opinion there is something for everyone.

I’m really excited about getting my own business going. Who would of thought I would be an Avon lady? The best part is that Avon is online now! So I can send my clients from all over the world an e-brochure and they can shop through me. I made a YouTube channel where I’m going to be posting videos of the products I use from Avon or new promotions. So you can always keep up to date with me that way too. http://YouTube.com/melanie4avon . If you would like a FREE consultation and you’re in the Montreal area, you can email me at melanie4avon@live.caIf you’d like an e-brochure to shop with me, please don’t hesitate to contact me through that same address. You could start your own business too with Avon and start accumulating your own income. Once again, contact me via email.

Stay tuned to my videos on YouTube!

 Most have us have been through some kind of heartbreak. If you have not yet, it is only a matter of time. Sorry to burst your bubble. It is just a part of life. Sometimes if happens more to some than others. This does not seem very motivational right now, I know. If this is your first time going through a heartbreak, the way you deal with it makes all the difference.

First of all, acknowledge it! Do not deny what transpired. Whether it was your fault or not. After you acknowledgement, you will be ready to go through the other set of emotions. If you don’t you really won’t be able to move on completely. In the beginning, find ways and things to build yourself up again. For me it is music. I think I have a soundtrack for every emotion hahaha. If I could sing, I would make my own damn songs and sing them myself. Alas I can not, so I leave it up to the artists and songs that relate to what I am going through at the time. My list of songs are more suited for women at times. Why wouldn’t they be since I am a woman. Here are some song you might want to add to your ipod/MP3 and make a playlist for yourself. Feel free to comment and add your own selections.

• Real Love - Mary J. Blidge
• Karma - Alicia Keys
• Me, Myself and I - Beyonce
• Single Ladies - Beyonce
• Shut Up - Black Eyed Peas
• It’s My Life - Bon Jovi
• Be OK - Chrisette Michelle
• Like a Pimp - David Banner
• Survivor - Destiny’s Child
• Freak ‘em Dress - Beyonce
• Son of a Gun - Janet Jackson
• Control - Janet Jackson
• On to the Next One ft. Swizz Beats- Jay-Z
• Dirt off Your Shoulder - Jay-Z
• Hate on Me - Jill Scott
• Like I Used To - John Legend
• What Goes Around - Justin Timberlake
• Loe Lockdown - Kanye West
• Sorry - Madonna
• It’s a Wrap - Mary J. Blidge
• When a Woman’s Fed Up - R. Kelly
• You Don’t Know Me - T.I.
• Million Dollar Bill - Whitney Houston
• Salute - Whitney Houston