Blizzard Aftermath

People!  Please be careful out there.  I know we all need to work, make money, pay bills, but this blizzard is stronger and more stealthy than any of us.  People are stuck in cars, trains, and buses - some with infants, some with extreme medical conditions - for hours and hours.  It's well below the point of freezing so walking for refuge isn't even an option if you get stuck on the road.  And, if you're stuck on the road for hours and hours, keep your tailpipe clear so the carbon monoxide doesn't build up inside your vehicle.  You won't even be aware of it, and it could kill you!

If you're not in a job that actually saves lifes or gives medical assistance to others, STAY HOME.

That's my public service announcement for the day.  :)

Be safe,
Ginny

Blizzard-like Conditions? (@10:41 a.m. E.T.)

The Nor'easter we're expecting has already hit Ocean County around 9:30 a.m. today and is heading north.  Make sure you're prepared and ready, folks!

For those of you who celebrate it, I hope you had a very Merry & spiritually fulfilling Christmas day.  Whatever holiday you celebrate/d, I hope it was full of blessings.  May 2011 bring us all good health, happiness, and prosperity!  Amen.

Best,
Ginny

Caroling in Chester, NJ 12/19/2010




L-R:  Ginny D, Janene D, Dolly P, Patti S
Caroling in the quant and beautiful town of Chester, NJ
We are all members of the Hickory Tree Chorus Chapter
of Sweet Adelines International, based in New Providence, NJ * 570 Central Avenue.
We meet on Wednesday evenings at 7:30pm (except for 12/22 & 12/29/10).
Photos:  kgdesignllc.com 

 

This photo was taken in front of the town fire house.  We sang for the folks
who were waiting for the horse-drawn carriage ~ a beautiful day for a ride!





We also sang inside the many shoppes along Main Street.



Here we're serenading the birds...or was it vice-versa...?
At any rate, we ALL had fun! 



Caroling in Perth Amboy, NJ 12/18/2010

Members of Hickory Tree Chorus posing with Santa
Saturday, December 18, 2010

Prayers for Elizabeth Edwards - R.I.P. Dec. 7, 2010

Cancer cannot destroy peace, suppress memories, silence courage, conquer the spirit, kill friendship, corrode faith, or cripple love. - Prayers for Elizabeth Edwards

I am so deeply saddened by this news today. I thought she was a thoroughly beautiful and inspirational person inside and out.  My prayers are with the family she left behind.



“The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered. We know that. And, yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It’s called being human. But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that I am grateful.


“It isn’t possible to put into words the love and gratitude I feel to everyone who has and continues to support and inspire me every day. To you I simply say: you know.



“With love, Elizabeth.”

Photo Posterizing/Warhol Influence

Posterizing with a Warhol Influence

The Truth is Profound

"..that the truth always wins.  Doing right is never wrong.  Being honest and trustworthy is the way to live.  Perhaps a slight twist of the facts might bring a short term gain.  A little misrepresentation might bring some short term satisfaction.  But in the end truth always wins, so live like a winner."  --Posted by a friend on FB



This quote is profound on so many levels, I just had to post and share it with the sole intention of inspiring people.  I know we are all "only human" and we may slip up from time to time when events or people hurt us, intentional or otherwise. 

"When people close to you are caught up in a "control issue" you have to remember that you did the right things for the right reasons....and this fits the whole issue perfectly."  -- Posted by a friend on FB

Utterly Profound (for a Leo)

"Connect with the person sitting next to you on the bus, Leo, or the one behind you in line at the store. He or she may have a piece of wisdom to share that will change your life forever. Know that you, too, could be that person who changes someone else's life with a single thought or piece of wisdom. Communication is the key to expanding your world in many ways."  - author unknown

This is one part of me that is longing to come out.  Hence the Social Networking, the blog, the website that is in the process of being updated.

http://www.kgdesignllc.com/

Happy Monday everyone!

Ginny G. DeMario

Upcoming Engagements

Today/Sunday, December 5th:  Caroling with Hickory Tree members in Summit, NJ  3:30-5:30PM

Friday, December 10th: Singing engagement-  Barnes & Noble, Livingston, NJ  8pm

December 5, 2010

In memory of my beloved sister claimed 4 years ago today; and for all those taken by or battling cancer in all its insidious forms, please take a moment today to pray for a cure. I miss you, Margaretann.

Dear Santa: "I would like a sizeable contribution to my 401k plan."

Yes -   My favorite line in our show when our "hostess/MC" was speaking to Santa...."I would like a sizeable contribution to my 401k plan."

Sat., Nov. 20th - HTC Show (Sweet Adelines International Chapter)

Saturday, Nov. 20th
3pm  and 7:30pm
West Morris Mendham High School
65 East Main Street (Route 24 or Rt. 510)
Mendham, NJ  07945

Hickory Tree Chorus Chapter of Sweet Adelines International show theme - "HAPPY TOGETHER" - COME SEE US!!

And if you're reading this....tell them GINNY SENT YOU!

Voice of Gotham Guest Quartet

vgdx1234U

vgdx1234U

This is my link to Elance.com.  Just kindly read my profile and hire me for your writing/transcribing/editing needs!  Or...simply do it here!  :)

Best regards to all,
Ginny G. De Mario

Are these writing skills acceptable? Really?

The following is a sentence taken from a Wall Street Journal article:

"Getting certified as a Temporary Staffing Specialist, a Personnel Consultant, or a Professional in Human Resources don't require any coursework"

"Doesn't" anyone proof these articles, especially for a prestige newspaper such as the WSJ?  (Hint:  "doesn't" should be used in this sentence, in this context.)

Another faux pas:

"...all require previous experience and the passage of an exam. "

Through what form or means is the exam passing?  "Passage" in this instance, is used improperly.  It should be edited to read "all require previous experience and passing an exam". 

Ok.  Well, this is the kind of reader I am.  It stems from my years as a youngster when my older sister, Margaretann (who was one of the smartest people I have ever known, and a grade school teacher) taught me how to read and write, among other things.  So this is a constant with me.  Throughout my college years (of the past decade), I have always received high grades (nothing lower than a B+) on my papers.

I can write conversationally, or in essay form as the need arises.

A Breath of Fresh Air for Chileans!

Yes, the world has been following this event and it's a glorious day - finally - to see them being rescued...albeit slowly.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/14/world/americas/14chile.html?th&emc=th

Blessings to all and I hope their health issues are minimal.

Vigeland Sculpture Gardens

PowerPoint presentation of some of the photographs I took during my trip to Norway (2006).


http://www.linkedin.com/ppl/webprofile?vmi=&id=27607595&pvs=pp&authToken=I822&authType=name&locale=en_US&trk=ppro_viewmore&lnk=vw_pprofile

Writing Skills - Important to Note

I have superior writing and English skills and would love to help you with your transcription (tapes/CDs/mp3s/etc.). I can also edit your business transcripts/papers/etc. to make them readable, flow well, and you successful!


I also have a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (B.F.A.) with honors, with a concentration in graphic arts from William Paterson University (’08), Wayne, NJ. Contact me at canvasPal@gmail.com.



Skills included, but not limited to:

Spelling * Grammar * Punctuation * Sentence structure * Subject/verb agreement

Sketches

"Reading" sketch by Ginny

"Smart Child" sketch by Ginny

My sketch of Tom

My sketch of Bill

I Fought For You By The Sound Tank

Sound On

KG Design LLC

new logo

Watch this space. 

Today...September 1, 2010...on Oprah

"To be able to keep yourself grounded, to treat other people well around you is so important." - Oprah

"You stay here during commercials, you talk to people. You make everybody feel important, and that's a great lesson for people..." - David Foster about Oprah


Amen.

DaleDiva - A Video you MUST watch!

This is what Sweet Adelines is all about!  Women of all ages singing, dancing, and having a ball!

You GO DaleDiva! 

Check out "Don't Stop Believing" too.  :)

GirlPower!

Tom Jones Burning Hell Jonathan Ross July 9 2010

Superior!

My thought for today...

I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.  

I don't know who first said this, but I share the sentiment 100%.  Boy - do I miss my parents.  August was always a very special month in my life.  That is, until a few years ago. 

My elder sister, Margaretann, was born on August 2nd, my brother, Anthony, was born on August 3rd, and I was born on August 4th - also my parents' anniversary!  My father's youngest sister was born on August 5th.  All different years.  All are now gone. 

Indeed, I miss all of them and think about them on a daily basis.  The great comfort and biggest joy now is I know they're watching over me.

Barbra Streisand - Somewhere

Barbra and Celine

This is sheer bliss!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emHrsJ93Sr0

Twitter Help - Finally!

Things I'm figuring out about Twitter (finally) ~

Twitter is an information network made up of 140-character messages called Tweets. It's a new and easy way to discover the latest news (“what’s happening”) related to subjects you care about.

I love this.  This means your messages have to be short.  Can you handle it?  :)  But, they're subjects and issues YOU care about.  Indeed, it's right up my alley. 

Twitter contains information you will find valuable. Messages from users you choose to follow will show up on your homepage for you to read. It’s like being delivered a newspaper whose headlines you’ll always find interesting – you can discover news as it’s happening, learn more about topics that are important to you, and get the inside scoop in real time.

Sure works for me!  I follow Oprah, Dr. Oz, Deepak Chopra, Jean Chatzky, Barbara Walters, Tory Johnson...to name a few.  I haven't tried to "build a voice" yet, until I understand more about how to navigate the site.  My endeavor is to be careful, wary, and sensitive to others' feelings while keeping my own present, accounted for, and intact.

WOW.  I'm finding meaningful reading in my quest to figure out how to navigate Twitter.  Who knew?  It dives into Javascript and other web-friendly, web-enhancing coding that I have been searching for for a long time.  My web classes in college (and I say, or type, with great affection) didn't cover a lot of this information.

Oprah and her magazine - both great inspirations!

Always an inspiration, here is a quote found on the cover of the September 2010 issue of O Magazine, The Makeover Issue! Oprah has been inspiring me since the onset of her show in the mid-80s. I am grateful to and for her.


"What Wonders Can You Achieve? It's Time to Find Out" -- Oprah

I'm reading James Van Praagh's Talking to Heaven. Here's a quote that rings to my core.

So many experiences had led me to that moment. I simply had to have the courage and self-confidence to take the next step.

Amen.

Question: Why do you paint?

My Answer: I paint to discover the unknown. Every painting is a new mystery that is revealed through its process. Working on solving the mystery is the best part for me. I enjoy it because it isn’t easy (at times). I love the feeling I have inside working with colors and forms and shapes and creating something that I know is unique to me as an artist. I work with flesh tones and portraiture (mostly) because it gives me a certain "order" and peace while doing so. It's the one activity I engage in in which I am able to experience a true sorting out, as opposed to chaos, that I feel is vital in my life and that I haven't felt in recent years.

"The insides of our heads are filled with fabulous wonders not found in the real world. I paint to share the hidden lands of the imagination. From my paintings, you can see that the inside of my head is filled with bright colors, strange creatures, and unlikely situations. It’s a wild and cartoony place, and sometimes it feels good to take a break from looking at an alien reality and really see my own world.
And it’s even nicer to be able to share it." -Colette Bezio (Inkwolf)

I wish I could figure out...

...how to change a Heading from Opportunity and Technology to .....

Activities

Spent several hours this past week creating and organizing another brochure in QuarkXPress 7 – another promo. This is long overdue. Contributing to the delay were my filing systems (both computer and filing cabinets). They have been horribly in need of attention the last several years. My heart and mind have just not been able to reconcile the thought of dealing with all the junk I might find hidden within those metal walls. Pleased to announce that that phase of my life has been engaged in positive change. I’ve had plans simmering in the background for quite some time now and am finally in a good place to follow through on same. I know what I want and I am going after it. I have achieved much since 2001 – even through much adversity – and I’m more than ready to let the past go and reap the rewards of my education. I'm not trying to be vague here. If you read earlier posts, you'll figure out exactly what I mean.

I’ve also been working on another Quark project - an address booklet - that I have maintained annually since 2002. Updates have been made. I’m waiting to verify that the changes are correct, and then need to create a cover to go with. The project has been delayed a bit due to other obligations that cropped up, but I’m working through that.

I'm sorting certain photographs that I want to include in my portfolio and upload to my website to the end of restoration. I love using Photoshop to edit and enhance photos and I love the education I received at WPU in digital imaging. One of the best classes I ever took during the Fall of 2006. Unfortunately, while I was ready to dig in to the "meat" portion of my discipline - graphic arts and design - life had other plans for me. My sister announced she had breast cancer on September 1. I went through that entire semester in a tail spin. She passed away on December 5th that year.

On a lighter note, I’ve also recently selected some of the best photos in my library from my 2000 Alaskan Cruise and uploaded them to my Facebook account. So much fun! So many memories. (btw...the photo above of the aerial view of the glacier was posted unedited)

I’m also working on PHP – teaching myself. I have also been brushing up on my animation background when time permits. Time is so fleeting!

I wanted to paint today, but that didn’t happen. I’m dying to get into the acrylics and work on some portraits. I have a few canvases ready and waiting for my personal touch. Went to a local Star Trek Convention today with my hub instead. He’s known about it for weeks, but decided to let me know this morning about an hour before it started. That was unexpected, but hub is a real fan and I could use the distraction. It was a fun day. Plus afterwards, we did a trial run to an appointment I have this week.

I am now officially exhausted. The painting will have to wait until tomorrow.

Updates, Highlights

I‘m back. It’s been a very busy month and I have many updates. Probably the one thing that has and will affect me most is I’ve been able to resign from my weekend job. I now have a weekday job that I am getting acclimated to. As a result, I have had very little access to the internet for about a month especially during the day. Still, given the current economy, I am grateful for this new daily opportunity.

As for the artistic side of my life, I was totally psyched to be able to contribute to the Paterson Art Walk again this year held in Paterson, NJ (of course) on June 12th. The exhibit was, once again, amazing. My little part of it, however, was a bit disappointing, turns out, to the end of location. I had a prime spot (lobby!) in an air conditioned building on Spruce Street on the edge of town right off the elevator. In addition to the lobby painting I was able to hang, I had set up my photography pieces and additional paintings on tables in the main room under the perfect lighting of a skylight. I showcased my Paterson Falls painting on an easel for easy viewing as you entered the spacious room. Trouble is I had few visitors. Someone wrote in my book that my location and the floor I was on, wasn’t advertised. But that was not the case. I rechecked and found it *had* been printed on the flyer. Such is life. At least I had the chance to reconnect with some college friends I don’t get to visit with so often. I learned a lot and that is very important to me.

As usual, I am glued to the news. For the first time in a long time I heard that the economy is picking up somewhat. Whether or not this is true is yet to be seen and felt. I know this is good news for all of us. We need more jobs, we need more people working!

Don’t get me started on the oil spill. Forgive BP? Give me one good reason why we should. I cannot fathom what the spill is doing to our environment and it pains me to even think about it. It made me laugh when I heard that private owners of BP gas stations are being adversely affected by this and that it’s not their fault. It may not be their fault, but it is still BP gas. If BP execs had the will and foresight to embark on such an endeavor 5,000 feet under our precious sea, it is my strong opinion that they should have had a Plan B, Plan C, and even a Plan D in the works in case of such an incident. The whole mind set and situation is deplorable. Greed will kill you. I feel for all the workers who lost their lives because someone didn’t give a damn about the safety of the facility and its workers. I also feel for the people whose livelihoods were destroyed by this event.

LeBron James(sp?). Enough is enough. The media is way too focused on this event.

Real Housewives of New York and New Jersey. I usually don’t get too involved in reality shows. In fact, this is probably my first. I can’t relate to most of them and I have enough going on in my own life that I view them as tiring. Don’t ask me why, but I got involved in the New York version and really was entertained by it. I found myself getting to “know” the women of New York, how they lived and how different their lifestyles were from mine. Having exhibited my artwork there in the last few years, I was enjoying becoming more familiar with the city via this show. When the New Jersey area came out, I found that even more interesting. These are places I know, I’ve traveled, and some I am familiar with. One thing I have found sort of comforting is that among a group of four or five women, there is always one who is set apart from the rest by her erratic behavior. In New York it’s Kelly. In New Jersey it’s Danielle. I find that both enlightening and amusing. Human behavior in various situations has been of interest to me for many years. The way different personalities interact with each other and how any given situation may be construed as casual and non-threatening to one and blown out of proportion to another has always intrigued me. By the way, my favorite person is Caroline from New Jersey. She’s not only very attractive, but she seems to have a pretty good head on her shoulders. I like the manner in which she handles most any situation. A little note here: While watching the marriage portion of “Bethany Gets Married” (Housewives of New York), much to my surprise, I bawled through the whole thing. The woman’s had a rough beginning, a tough family life, she’s strong, successful, and beautiful, and she’s waited a long time for “Mr. Right” to come along. Mazel tov.

Next Great Artist on Bravo. By my estimation, there’s some pretty interesting artistic work and ideas going on there. It’s like being in class again, only now I get to watch others work. The critiques are always the most useful. The artists tend to let their egos emerge but I guess that’s just good TV and, I suppose, sleep deprivation. It reinforces the fact that I’m glad I commuted to college rather than living in a dorm.

So many updates

I just typed a bunch of stuff only to hit the exclamation point and have it obliterated. Am I angry? ugh!

I have to return to this later.

Paterson Art Walk

Come visit the Paterson Art Walk tomorrow, Saturday, June 12th.
10am - 10PM
Begins at Federici Park, Cianci Street

I am exhibiting some of my paintings and photographs at the NJCDC building (#7 on the map), 32 Spruce Street, 3rd floor lobby, also in the room under the skylight. It's air-conditioned and there's an elevator. It's a beautiful location.

There are various artists exhibiting throughout the city.

Come visit me!

Best,
Ginny ;)

Writing Skills - Important to Note

I have strong skills within technical writing and communication, and have scanned, transcribed, and proofread medical press releases for a medical journals at Knolls Publishing Group, a small business firm that was sold to a larger company. I have transcribed legal documentation for law firms and set up technical manuals with coding for computer language to streamline repetitive keystrokes for the administration.  I have also lent my transcription services to manufacturing professionals and actuarials. My services were performed during a time in which document retention was not the simple task it is today. Indeed, I regret not having retained hard copies of most of my medical work as an editorial assistant.

Note: My transcription work went into medical journals including dermatology, oncology, and managed care.  

 

Anniversary - 9 years!

Nine years ago yesterday, May 26, 2010, Ken and I made a commitment to each other in front of family, friends, and God. It's been wedded bliss ever since!

(I know this really doesn't fit in with the "Opportunity & Technology," but until I can figure out how to create and edit another heading, it'll just have to stay put.

Same goes for the American Idol commentary. :) I *do* have a light side, as well.)

American Idol

Last night's American Idol was a mix of talent and emotions for me. I thought Janet Jackson rocked! Her talent is vast and her choreography Rocked! She made me miss Michael even more. I didn't care for Christina's choice of songs, but her voice is very good and she looked presentable - sexy but not ridiculous. Gotta give the "Pants on the Ground" fellow (name not on the tip of my tongue) credit, too. I really like the song. It speaks to my strong dislike of the underwear-hanging-out-of-the-pants fad - and the guy's in good physical shape. Personally, I thought Paula's tribute to Simon was too long with too many wide gaps in between. Made me uncomfortable for her. That was embarrassing. I'm finding the comments on Facebook pretty interesting. I enjoyed Chicago then and now, Joe Cocker, too. Hall and Oates could've chosen better songs from their repertoire, but they were still good. That's it for now.

Congrats to Lee! I still LOVE Crystal Bowersox!! She rocks, too! I particularly love the Janis Joplin flavor she brings. I loved JJ, too.

A little background

I've had a series of crises in my life since approximately late 2003 when I was told (under rather dubious circumstances) that my brother was ill. Really ill. I discovered he had been diagnosed with lung cancer. He was the oldest of the four of us, which included two elder sisters. God rest his soul, he was a lifetime smoker and I guess it had finally taken its toll on him. But don't be fooled by that news. I have known other people who never smoked and succumbed to lung cancer. The news about my brother was essentially the beginning of my "crisis" state. During that time, a maternal cousin of mine had lost her battle with a brain tumor. I spent many summers down south with this cousin in my teen years and to say this affected me greatly is an understatement.

Just months after that, and during the "digestion" of the news about my brother, I received another phone call. My maternal aunt, Mom's only remaining sibling, had died of congestive heart failure. Wow. Since we were separated by many states, I wasn't privy to all the details. So picture this. The situation is such now that three family members were at my doorstep delivering tragic news. Mind you, my mother, by this time in her 80s, was dealing with health issues of her own. Concurrently, I had been an active student at community college studying and preparing for my Associate in Applied Science degree in Graphic Design. The stress level had really mounted. Being in the "meat" of my discipline by now, I wound up having to extend some courses through the summer, but graduated in May of 2004, with Honors, just days after my brother's service. Life was certainly beginning to show me a series of emotional situations, bad tempered with good. Ken and I decided that advancing to university-level studies would be a positive thing for me. I was accepted to William Paterson University, and in the fall of 2004 started my studies.

Mom had been receiving excellent home care for 11 months when the money ran out. In early 2005, faced with another difficult decision, she had to be put in a nursing home. She subsequently passed on in the summer less than a week before my finals. During her stay there, necessity dictated that Ken and I also look to purchase a house. If you're thinking that it's going to calm down for me soon, think again. We settled on a house and closed about 10 days after my mother's funeral. Even though this may sound like a soap opera, this is all real and true! Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Several months pass and we're now into the summer of 2006. This time, I get news that an aunt on my father's side was diagnosed with another form of cancer. She was the last surviving blood member of that generation. It wasn't long before I was at her wake, as well. Literally just weeks after her passing, my sister Margaret announced she had breast cancer. None of us will ever know when she discovered the problem. She called her daughters/my nieces from the hospital the morning of the day she decided she couldn't control the bleeding and needed special attention to tell them. SUPER HUGE WOW. For all of us! Margaret may have literally been my sister, but she was figuratively my mother. From as far back as I can remember, we always shared a special closeness. Hence, this occasion was monumentally devastating to me. The minor aspects of this event were what caused me to, once again, extend four university-level classes into another semester, and adding on four additional classes. I wound up having to take an eight-class semester the Spring of 2007. All things considered, it was nothing short of atrocious.

Opportunity! and Education

The purpose of this blog is quadruple-fold. It is meant to be therapeutic, informational, educational, and to help others in the same or similar situation. My goal is to expand my knowledge of online marketing, website development, and management.  I have created, developed, and maintained two websites since 2002: http://ginnyza10r.tripod.com/, and http://stanhopepresbyterian.org/.  Also of interest to me are Search Engine Optimization, Social Marketing and Networking, and today's technology in general.

I love technology!


Background
In 2001, after many years in Corporate America, the last several working in large, high-tech companies, and with the aid of my husband, I felt the timing was right for embarking on furthering my education. I first went to county college and did so well (Honor Student, Dean's List) that my husband and I decided it would be best for me to attend university. I never could have anticipated the great joys or the deep sorrows that were about to happen in my life during my college years. I will expand on this a bit later.  Note:  Please refer to "A Little Background."

This is a brief account of what I have done in between my decades in the workforce, college, and back into the workforce. I have been employed as a temporary, updated my websites, taken many photographs of my travels, reworked/edited HTML code for my websites, taken on opportunities as a freelance artist, and organized my work in preparation for exhibits (the list may be viewed on my website, Ginnyza10r (link above)).  My work includes all phases of graphic design, i.e. drawing, painting, brochures, business cards, posters, print work, et al.

I follow Tory Johnson, Deepak Chopra, Dr. Oz, Oprah, and others on twitter.com; www.twitter.com/GinzArt1000.


My ultimate goal during my short existence here on this planet is to help improve the lives of others with whatever gifts may have been bestowed upon me in this body in this lifetime.  This is just the very TIP of the iceburg for my blogging "career", as I would like to communicate by any means with others on a professional level. So please stay tuned...