Andra Weber Creative
Design & Creative Development
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Create & Change

Posts in April
This Is What Happens When 5 Minutes Is All You Have To Give.

It's hard to find time to do things that are important to us. We let life come first and dreams come last. What happens when we take 5 minutes each day to move something important to us forward? I'm using my 5 minutes to write this post. What will you do with your 5 minutes?

Until tomorrow friends.

AprilAndra Weber
How Not Getting What You Want Will Make Your Life Better.

A few years back, I had a baby. It came out a boy. Having a boy was a surprise, after all, I was confident that I would have another girl. My daughter needed a sister. It is hard to communicate how desperately I wanted another girl. The future seemed to hold such female promise, and I wanted another girl to fill that future. However, Rolling Stones said it best:

And what I needed was a boy.

Boys can be confusing. They seem to have different priorities. They think in an entirely matter. As a girl, it can be overwhelming, confusing and maddening. However, four years ago I was gifted with a boy, and yes, he is very much an amazing gift. He came out fast, furious and six weeks early. The day he was born, I remember staring at him, holding his tiny hand and helplessly thinking I have no idea how to raise a boy. 

After lots of sleepless nights and days roaming wide open places looking for sticks together, I have realized the magic of getting what you need. He filters the world differently, and that means I get to see the world differently. I wouldn't know the magic of bugs, see the coolness in trucks or how speed is a pretty amazing skill to hone. I wouldn't understand that spicy, sweet and a whole big bunch of mischief makes life more interesting.

However, that's the thing about not getting what we want. When you try, we might find that we get something that helps us grow. We might need something that is so good it hurts. At first, a shuttered start-up, a failed book deal, a ruined relationship or twist of fate seem to be all unmet expectations. These moments however hard, offer up an opportunity for us to create something more powerful. They can provide a chance to change a part of us and in turn make our lives better.

Until tomorrow Rolling Stones.

 

 

AprilAndra Weberyet
A Pop Tart That Will Make You Fall In Love With Rhubarb.

It's that time of year again when we can fall in love. There is something about the spring that brings a particular inspiration to everything in our lives. It's a time of newness, hope and most importantly rhubarb. Yes, rhubarb. Some of us might not be familiar with the vegetable. It can be described as tart, red celery. It only pops out this time of year, and it makes a damn fine filling or topping to just about anything. Yes, anything.

When I was a kid when spring rolled around, my mom would bake a strawberry rhubarb pie. It was some damn fine pie. Perfect in it's sweet and tart flavor it made every taste bud light up. That pie made it amazing to be a kid. The only thing that would have made spring better as a kid was if my mom would have bought us pop tarts. She never bought us pop tarts, ever. 

Years later, I still dream of rhubarb and pop tarts. Today, I have brought the two together for a delightful, flaky nostalgic bit of heaven. I hope you enjoy these little delights. They made me feel like a kid again, and after making these, I hope you do too.

Rhubarb Pop Tarts

  • 4 cups fresh rhubarb cut into 1/4 inch thick pieces 
  • 1 cup frozen organic strawberries
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 (11 ounce) package refrigerated pie crust
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • sprinkles

Step 1: In a medium skillet set over medium heat, add the rhubarb, strawberries, butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice to the pan. Combine, cook and stir until the rhubarb is soft. Turn off the burner and set the pan to the side. Let the rhubarb mixture cool.

Step 2: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, unroll the pie crust. Using a rolling pin, roll out the pie crust to 1/8 inch thick. Square the edges and cut each crust into 8 equal-sized rectangles. Place approximately 2 tablespoons rhubarb on 4 of the rectangles. Spread the rhubarb out to within 1/4 inch of the edge of the pastry rectangle. Top each with another pastry rectangle. Use a fork to crimp the rectangles together and seal the jam inside. 

Step 3: Place the pastry on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake the pastry for 10- 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.

Step 4: In a Medium bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice until smooth. Spread approximately 2 tablespoons glaze on top of each pastry and decorate with sprinkles.

Enjoy the rhubarb and the nostalgia.

See you tomorrow kiddos!

AprilAndra Weberyet
This Is What Happens When You Try On A Swimsuit.

It happens almost every year. It doesn't seem like a big deal. We, tell ourselves, it's just an article of clothing. In the grand scheme of the universe, it doesn't matter. However, when we think about our bodies openly exposed for all the world to preview, it matters to each of us. It's amazing what happens when we try on a swimsuit. We can be male or female, and the moment we step into a dressing room we are exposed to ourselves. 

Our bodies tell immense stories about each of us. Scars from a childhood bike ride remind us of the dangers of making a leap. The signs of the week with chicken pox remind us we are vulnerable. The speckles of too much sun dotting our landscape tell a cautionary tale. The years of skipping vegetables say we need to be kind to ourselves. The ink tattooed in tiny areas whispers our boldness. Our rolling spine shows years spent sitting slumped over desks and devices. The rolls of buttery goodness make us remember being teased by a bully. The nooks, crannies, ins, outs, ups, downs are available for all to review. They become our front page headline. Our bodies, become voyeuristic displays of comparison. Is it any wonder that we don't want to share our story with the world?

That's the thing about a swimsuit. It can make us vulnerable, real and exposed by providing a visual context of who we might be. However, a swimsuit, just like a cover of a book, will only give you a sample of the story inside. The real story appears on the inside pages.

Until tomorrow friends.

AprilAndra Weberyet
How To Prescribe Order Around Your Life Meadow.

Recently, I asked my friend Alex to write a guest post. Alex is a long lost friend from a distant time. Our paths have crossed minimally over the years, but we have important memories together. She is a dear friend. When an e-mail popped up from her unexpectedly last week, I knew it was important to ask her to write about what she creates in her life. She said, "I don't think of myself as creative and don't know what I have to offer."

And yet she wrote the beautiful piece below on how she does create in her life.

It's a great reminder that religion is a very deep vein. It creates a woven fabric of culture through our lives. It sparks traditions, carries families, and makes history, but most importantly this piece proves we are all genuinely creative.

Enjoy this lovely piece from Alex.


Passover is the holiday where Jews celebrate freedom from being enslaved by Pharoah. It takes place over a full week where we don't eat anything that has risen like bread or pasta. It is because people left ancient Egypt in a hurry and didn't have time to wait for bread to rise.

It's my favorite holiday.

The holiday kicks off with Seder. Seder means "order" and encompasses a full evening of rituals. Sedar is observed with friends and family tightly squeezed around a long table. The Seder starts at sunset and ends before midnight.

We follow a book called a Haggadah. It's filled with detailed instructions such as “dip the parsley twice in salt water while reciting the following blessing” and “drink your glass of wine while leaning to the right.” Everything is in an order and has its place. Every Seder throughout history and around the world follow that same order.  The order includes a designated time for washing hands, praying, singing, drinking, asking questions, eating dinner, teaching, relaxing.

I have always loved the uniqueness of the ancient rituals, the familiarity of the music and the predictable structure of the holiday. As I started my shopping list this weekend, I couldn't help wonder why a holiday, which celebrates freedom from slavery, requires such a high degree of rigid observance. Shouldn't we be declaring ourselves free people by ACTING free from lots and lots of rules? By the nature of the holiday, shouldn’t we get to do whatever we want?  Why do we choose to celebrate freedom from oppression with a Seder?  

When I thought more about the question of freedom and what makes us free, I remembered a proverb a High School teacher once shared with me.

In other words, sometimes by limiting the space you operate in, you are freeing yourself up to discover, enjoy and appreciate what's there around you. Perhaps an unlimited, “open field” doesn’t always give us the choices and opportunities we desire. I know that when I tell my children to “find something to do” they reply with an assortment of “there’s nothing to do” or “I’m boooored.”

Last week I told my kids to each grab a notebook and write a letter to any person, place or thing in history. In a rare parenting win, the kids buckled down for 30 minutes. Soon, they shared hilarious letters written to baseball pitcher Sandy Koufax, our dog Freddy, and a piece of sushi. It turns out that by limiting choice, it gave them a starting point, a focus, and the freedom to explore their unique ideas.

It’s also true that there is still plenty to create at the Seder.  Each year what to make is a challenge. There are lots of delicious and still “Kosher for Passover” foods that force us to be creative with almond flour and matza farfel, trying new vegetables and many many uses for the potato.

This year we are welcoming new neighbors to our table who are bringing one of their famous family dishes. Last week, my kids built bright "10 plagues" centerpieces.  New recipes, people, traditions, memories.

Whatever your belief or observance, I wish you a chance to create a bit of Seder - a prescribed order or fence around your life meadow. May it enable you to experience freedom from a newly aware and grateful seat around the table.

-Alex


Until tomorrow friends.

AprilAndra Weberyet
You Can't Challenge Yourself In A Crisis.

There are days we don't feel like we have much to bring to the table of life. Sometimes our bodies or our minds don't align. Having this friction can have nothing to do with how the day presents itself. The day can be sunny, the moments perfect, and we can still FEEL if nothing is right. It can simply be we have filtered too much around us, and we are in crisis. On days like these, we tend to push ourselves to do more, feel more and think more. We want to fix ourselves and challenge ourselves to be something we are not.

Let's do something different. Next time things don't align, focus on self-care and put off the challenges for another day. 

Today's battle is just to make it tomorrow.

Until tomorrow friends.

 

 

AprilAndra Weberyet
How Eating Something New Can Make You an Insider.

New things are scary. We often take the same path every day. Whether it's the same walk to work, the same daily routine or the same meal plan. It doesn't just make things predictable; it makes us an outsider.

Often we think of outsiders as the people who live on the fringe. The artists, the ruckus makers and individuals willing to challenge the status quo. Outsiders are people who choose a different path. They live on the outside circle of society. They might look at things differently. They eat different foods and make different choices. However, what if it's the reverse? What if to be an insider, we have to take a leap of faith and listen to the change makers around us to understand our world more deeply?

I like my days to be somewhat predictable. I find solace in routine, and I eat just about the same things every week. However, my certain actions make me an outsider to the fascinating world around me. I'm missing out by not trying something new. I am consciously an outsider by not making changes in my life. What if by trying something new, I could make a new connection? That would be remarkable, and it would expand my understanding of the world around me. It would move me toward being an insider.

I went to a birthday party today and didn't try the Fairy bread. I regret it because I don't feel like an insider and I missed out on tasting something amazing from another culture. Today I am going to put together some slices of fairy bread and try something new.

By taking on risk, only then can we start to understand the power on the inside.

Until tomorrow friends.

 

 

 

 

AprilAndra Weberyet
You Need To Know Eating More Candy Will Make You Smarter.
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We have been avoiding the candy dish for years. We go out of our way to skip the island of chocolate calling to us at the grocery store. The Twizzlers and M&Ms jump into our bucket of popcorn at the movie theater, and we willfully put them back in their slot. We place the sinful little delights deep in our cabinets for the temptation to be at peace. Until now, medical experts equate eating sugary sweets as addictive as narcotics. Candy is downright terrible for us. Or is it?

New studies show candy helps with cognitive functioning in the brain. It can give you a huge boost of productivity and the more we eat, the better or gray matter performs. Read more about how candy can make you smarter here: "The Science Of Candy And The Brain."

Let's go pile on the jelly beans, down some Hersey Kisses and grab a handful of Snickers. I'm off to gobble up a pound of Skittles for breakfast and then write a sonnet or two. 

Until tomorrow friends.

March, AprilAndra Weberyet
Day 121 - Tail Chasing.

Day 121 - Hey There! Saturday is here. I'm going to keep this post short and sweet as hopefully you are currently watching Saturday morning cartoons, snuggled in a big, fluffy bed eating a pile of syrup drowned waffles. So let's briefly talk about the week so we can get back to watching the Smurfs. Was this week hectic? Yes! Was it a great week? Yes! Did it feel like a lot got done this week? Hum. Well, um, kind of. 

Here is how I would describe my week: chasing my tail. Just when I was the edge of a light bulb moment, it faded into a mental circle. For example, each day I wrote this blog was a painful process. I pulled out content word for word from the bowel of my brain. Every word seemed wrong, invalid and forced. Every image seemed to contradict the previous day's post. The lighting was off on the photography. The recipe didn't turn out. The quote wasn't quite right. Illustrations looked wonky. Yes, I was chasing my tail all week.

This brings me to today. Chasing your tail means we are trying to obtain something just out of our vision. The best way to stop chasing our tail is to create a list of things that are directly in front of us. Today, write down and create a list of ten things you are consciously trying to slow down and enjoy. Here are my ten: sleep, eating, family, sunshine, knowledge, new friends, creating, health, technology and cake.

Now, get back to the cartoons and waffle eating and I will see you tomorrow!

AprilAndra Weber
Day 120 - Study Break.

Day 120 - Hey! Ever studied so hard that knowledge came out your nose when you sneezed? No? Well, it's just me I guess. Suit yourself! I am not sure "Suit yourself" is the correct phrase to use within this context but who cares! All I can tell you is I am burnt out and totally slap happy. Remember in college when things started to look fuzzy on the pages and an order of Papa John's pokey sticks and a six pack of Mike's Hard Lemonade would fix a mind right up?

Well, those days are gone. My body is too old to consume anything that isn't Metamucil or tap water. This left me thinking about brain food. As any crazed knowledge hound knows, Google knows everything. A Google search determined brain foods include: oats, vegetables, nuts, fish and black currants.

Let's face it. I'm not going to be making a study snack that involves pickled herring. Fish is off the study snack list. Black currants? Delicious, yes. However, I'm saving black currants for my mother-in-laws martini.

That means I need to make a study snack from oats, vegetables and nuts. Challenge accepted. 

Rhubarb Almond Snack Cake

Rhubarb sauce Ingredients:

  • 3 cups chopped rhubarb stem (no leaves. they are poisonous)
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Almond Cake Ingredients:

  • 1 cup room temperature unsalted butter
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2-1/4 cup oatmeal flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup almonds coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup mini white chocolate chips

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8 x 8 baking disk with parchment paper and grease with pan and parchment with butter.

Step 2: Place chopped rhubarb, honey and vanilla in a small sauce pan on medium high heat. Bring to a boil let cook for 18-20 min until thick. Stir often.

Step 3: In a stand up mixer, add the butter and mix for 3 minutes until soft. Add the eggs one at a time until combined. Add the sugar and honey and mix well.

Step 4: Combine oatmeal flour, baking soda, salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet. Combine well. Add the almonds and white chocolate chips.

Step 5: Spread the dough evenly in the pan and add 9 tablespoons of rhubarb sauce to the top of the dough evenly across the top. Swirl in the rhubarb with a butter knife. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center comes out clean. Let cool to warm and cut. Top with any left over rhubarb sauce and ice cream

I have got to get back to some more study snacks, err I mean studying. Have great Friday see ya tomorrow!

 

 

 

 

 

Day 119 - Sage Advice.

Day 119 - Hey, hey hey! How is it going today? You know I have a dirty little secret. Sometimes I let resistance win. I just sit at my desk checking Facebook and surfing Old Navy for something new for the old closet. Then I think, "What the hell am I doing?" I get mad at myself, call myself lazy and then I pour myself some tea and resist more. All this creates some negative mojo and energy. All this negative space feels like it has been adding up lately. I did some Googling on how to 'clear the air' and what popped up was interesting. Who has heard of burning white sage to cleanse the air around you? Well, I own a pair of Birkenstocks. I'll give it a go.

I just happen to have white sage growing right in my garden but after cutting a huge bunch of mighty green stalks, to create a sage bundle, I realized I am clearly allergic to white sage. As I type this, everything is itchy, including my eyelashes. Maybe burning the sage isn't a great idea but gives me a good idea.

Let's talk today's project. I'm providing this sage quote and artwork to help clear something away in your life. Think of the bad mojo and then let it pass. Now send this image onto a friend to help them clear the air today too. 

I hope you and everyone you connect with finds peace today and air is clear around you. Peace out till tomorrow! 

Day 118 - Keep Going.

Day 118 - Hey you. I was thinking again today. Someone stop me! My altMBA classmates have been asking me about this blog and they don't really understanding why I started it or how I can post everyday. One even told me it was a sunk cost and maybe it wasn't worth the time commitment. Today, I started to doubt myself, maybe I should just forget about creating everyday? Maybe I should toss this blog out in the virtual garbage can. After all, maybe It's far better to shut this window right now, turn off my computer and walk away. This blog is risky. It is hard to do everyday. I'm tired. I should just quit.

More thinking brought me to this idea. It would be much easier to never take one step today to create: a book, a haiku, a movie, a new app, write one word, draw a first doodle, shoot for the moon, develop the business plan, write the first line of code, make a new friend, plant the first seed, sing the first bar, click the first photo, make a new YouTube channel, define a goal, gratitude, a quote, a decision tree, a first, a bucket list, a business, a collection, a cartoon, peace, advice, a website, a computer, a beautiful room, a podcast, webcast, a new way of thinking, a manifesto or anything.

It's much easier to sit and tell ourselves, we will buy the right book to set us on our plan, set a milestone to tackle our project, take time to find the perfect workshop and then do it tomorrow. Tomorrow is always reasonable. After all we are so busy today.

In the words of my wise grandmother, that's hog wash. We have to keep going. It's the only way to make change. So today's project is simple. Get started on the project you want to create. Go. Do it. Take one step today. Keep going.

I have to get back to some thinking but drop me a line about your project and I'll catch you on the other side of tomorrow!

 

 

AprilAndra WeberaltMBA, yet
Day 117 - Fight Resistance.

Day 117 - Hey there. It's Tuesday and I am thinking again. The old grey matter is spinning. There is a book I am reading for the altMBA class called "The War On Art" by Steven Pressfield. Nope it's not about organizing a big bunch of tourists to storm the Louve, armed with camera's to photo bomb the Mona Lisa. It's about 'resistance.' 'Resistance' stops you from doing your work. As I typed this blog post, I just checked my phone to see if I received and likes on today's post on Instagram. That's 'resistance.' In about five minutes, I'll need to go brush my teeth for the third time. That's 'resistance.' I'm now sitting here contemplating getting up to get a drink of water. That's 'resistance.' It's the enemy and the only way to defeat the enemy is to do the work. 'Resistance' will do anything so full potential isn't reached.

Today's project is to do your work and notice how many times 'resistance' comes up for you. Create a list of the amount of times 'resistance' takes over. I'm at 29 times and the day has just begun. Imagine what it would be like if we just did the work and didn't let 'resistance' stop us? This is mind boggling. 

Now you know why my head hurts. I think I need to go brush my teeth again. Let me know how the list goes and until tomorrow!

AprilAndra WeberBooks, yet
Day 116 - Reframe.

Day 116 - Hey There! It's Monday. I'm so glad this post lands on a Monday because we are going to taking about reframing today. Once again this altMBA class is really stretching my grey matter. My head hurts from thinking but let me share what I spent twelve hours doing today. It's something we can all use everyday and no it isn't pint of ice cream. However for the record, I'll take ice cream if anyone is offering.

What is framing? It's a way of sussing out a problem. For instance you might think, "I am gaining so much weight because I am eating ice cream." We might ask 'why' to collect information about this comment. Maybe by asking 'why' we find out your pregnant and your baby needs extra calories to grow. That tells us a different story and reframes the situation and then helps us come up with a better solution to the situation.

Here is a design example of reframing. Each of these ice cream cones has been reframed to tell a different story.

Today, think about a problem you have been working through. Maybe it's how to get eight tons of rocks from your driveway down a huge slope to your backyard, how to loose a few extra pounds or something as simple as what to create next in your life. Reframe the problem by asking "Why?" and then create three solutions for that problem.

If you need to stretch your grey matter more, here is a great article in Fast Company on framing: How Reframing A Problem Unlocks Innovation.

I am going to reframe Monday to seem like Friday by eating some ice cream and relaxing. Hope your Monday is a good one too. See you tomorrow!

AprilAndra WeberaltMBA, yet
Day 115 - Beauty School.

Day 115 - Hey ladies. Yes, this post is mainly for the gals out there in the crowd. Men can keep reading but it might blow your mind on the process women go through to make the tresses look fine. Yes, I'm talking hair today ladies. Normally I create something but I am going to turn over the creating process to my very talented stylist Sondra

The Monster.

The Monster.

Let me give you a little background, I'm getting old. My hair is starting to show signs that I have crossed the intersection of youth and am headed down the boulevard of grey. I was ok with a little wisp of white here and there until a little girl I know said "Mom, you have SO many white hairs on your head!" 

So here I am today, at Grove Salon putting my greying hairs in the hands of an exceptionally talented stylist Sondra. Let's talk hair and color. I didn't understand all the options out there. Sondra walked me through the basics. There is hair color, highlights, dual process and balayage. She recommended baylayage for my hair because it gives an overall natural look to the tresses. I asked Sondra about her creative process and it's super interesting. She first assesses the clients needs and wants. Then she decides the color process. Science is brought into mix so she can provide the perfect color for her client. She then needs to apply the color hair and then use toner, timing and foil to create the perfect highlighting. Let me show you a few photos of Sondra's creative process:

It's a mix of art and science for this change to take place. Stylist have a tough job and after hearing Sondra's creative process it made be appreciate her and her talents even more. It made me realize creating goes on around us everyday and we should stop ask how this process takes place. What can we learn from those around us that create everyday?

I'm going to now go ask my daughter what she thinks of my new color. I bet she will agree that it's perfect. Thanks Sondra!

Grove Salon

1483 Solano Ave

Albany CA 94706

 

AprilAndra Weberbeauty, hair
Day 114 - Create Easy.

Day 114 - It's Saturday! I'm taking some time from thinking today. I'm taking something new for a spin. I'm tying on Blue Apron a meal delivery service. Blue Apron is everything you need for a complete meal delivered to your doorstep in a box. Inside the box are all the ingredients needed to make a meal. In approximately thirty minutes after laboring away over the stove, bam!, dinner is ready. I have been shy about these meal kits because they seem like a paint by numbers for cooking but what the heck. It's still creating and I need all the help I can get.

Ordering my first week of meals for two days was easy. I hopped online and created and account. Like magic, a few weeks later, the Blue Apron box arrived at my door, Wednesday afternoon. I opened the giant box and unpacked the contents into the fridge. The first thing I noticed was all the ingredients looked lovely and fresh. The second thing I noticed was there was a lot of stuff to recycle. There is a big shipping box, cardboard liners, two huge cooler bags and all the food was pre-proportioned into little tiny containers. Yikes! Recycling nightmare but I continued to prep the meal.

Well, after our first meal of Mexican Pork Pozole and our second meal of Orange Chicken Wings, I can say I was surprised at how my family gobbled up the food. It did make dinner time more fun because I had everything I needed to make a meal. No running out to the store for forgotten ingredients. Trying Blue Apron made me realize that there are lots of options out there to make life easier.

Today's project is to try a new service that will make your life easier. Create easy today. Go sign up for a meal delivery service, have someone else mow the lawn or hire someone on Task Rabbit to take back the packages to the UPS store. Find time to get space.

Hope your Saturday is a good one and let me know how creating easy goes for you today. 

AprilAndra Weberrecipes, food, yet
Day 113 - Sandwiches & Corn Dogs.

Day 113 - Hey you. It's Friday and I'm eating a corndog at 8:00am. Nope, I'm not at a morning carnival. I'm just trying to emotionally eat my way out of this stress and exhaustion from the altMBA class. I'm going to keep this short but I just spent the last 48 hours coming up with 99 business ideas and the models behind each of the 99. I worked as a team but i needed to do 20 ideas alone and it has stretched me beyond what I thought was possible.

I had to learn MBA stuff. Like "Value Propositions" and "Channels." I know. "Hu?" I'm eating another corndog.

The take away from today is there is always a new business idea right around the corner. Let me share with you one of my favorites.

Sandwich John - Got to potty? We hold your sandwich while you loo.

Maybe the start of the logo.

Maybe the start of the logo.

Today's project is to dream up five business. What value would the business add? What problem would it solve? What does the process look like to get the doors open? Write it down and think about being your own boss.

Here is a link to the Business Model Generation Canvas. It was so helpful to create a business plan for the 99 businesses. It creates a great frame work for developing business plans quickly.

I need to go take a nap and maybe eat yet another corn dog. Looking forward to hearing your business ideas. Until tomorrow!

P.S. No paper cups today. It's Earth Day!

AprilAndra Weberprocess, yet
Day 112 - Miserably Terrific.

Day 112 - Hey Ya! I have to ask a question today. Who else has ever been miserably terrific? Yes, this altMBA class is making me miserably terrific. It's taking me to the brink of breakdown on a physically, mentally and emotionally level and I am only four days into the workshop. It is stretching every DNA molecule in my body and I don't like it. My lizard brain is saying RUN! FAST! GET OUT OF HERE!

In other words, every part of me wants to quit and give up. I keep trying to talk myself into turning in my books and saying, this has been real. See ya folks. I could then have time to do empty work like folding laundry and watching crappy television, which I love. I could eat breakfast at the table versus over the sink. I could go to bed before the birds start chirping. I might not live up to my full potential but isn't it better to be scared and run?

Insert record scratch here.

Wait, I am going to run from something that might stretch me into the a better person? Well, screw that. Bring it on, cheerleading style, and let's make this experience terrific! Yep, sometimes we just need a good cheerleader with two sparkly pom pons and an overtly, cheerful ponytails to fight down that lizard brain.

Today's project is to create a cheerleader for yourself and make that cheerleader you. Grab Post-It Notes and  write at least 10 phrases that will get you through to the other side of today. Here are 10 to make it easy but create your own if you can: Keep Going!, Good Shot!, Work It!, Make It Go!, Strong Start!, Take Time!, Go Up!, You've Got This!, Right Track! and Remarkable!.

That's all I have today. I'm going to go stare at my Cheerleader notes and hope I make it till tomorrow. If I drowned in knowledge and you don't hear from me, send help! 

AprilAndra WeberaltMBA, yet
Day 111 - Paper Cups.

Day 111 - Good morning all. Today let's begin with, I thought today was Earth Day. After a Google search, I have realized Earth Day is Friday April 22nd. Oops! Well, let's talk about the earth anyway. While the phrase "Earth Day" might conjure up visions of Birkenstock wearing, nature loving, granola eating people, Earth Day is an important day for us all for obvious reasons and then some.

Today, I failed my earth week promise. I caved in and bought a cup of joe in a disposable cup. This might not sound like a big deal but the environmentally astute say there is a "paper cup problem" and the storm is getting worse. Let's watch this video.

We live on a finite planet and sometimes our impact on it is greater than we realize. The seemingly isolated actions we take every day-from our choice of morning beverage to our choice of business practices-are often links in a chain of unusual connections we would never have imagined.

The water usage is just one aspect of the paper cup problem. Consider this from Our World:

  • Another alarming facet is the amount of solid waste produced by the ubiquitous throwaway paper cup — the most unnecessary environmental side effect of the coffee craving.
  • The word “paper” might suggest that the paper cup is easily recycled and that it is not as bad as its plastic cousin. However, most paper cups are coated with a plastic resin (i.e., polyethylene) for durability and convenience, therefore making both their composting and recycling uncommon and raising the specter of carcinogenic chemical leeching.
  • According to one study on the environmental impacts of paper cups, each cup, taking into account the paper, the paper sleeve, production and shipping, emits about 0.11 kilograms of CO2.
  • Depending on forestry practices (and whether they are sustainable or not) paper cup production results in loss of trees, ecosystem degradation and a reduction in the planet’s carbon absorption capacity.
  • In our world of shrinking forests and growing landfill, continued use of the paper cup is both redundant and unsustainable.
So Many Paper Cups.

So Many Paper Cups.

Taking all this information into account, today's project is to create a new habit of no more paper cups. Drink coffee at home, sit at a coffee shop with a mug or bring a reusable travel canister. We need to create this new habit to create change in our world or coffee and our future will be a thing of the past.

As for me, I'm feeling guilty about this paper cup. However, tomorrow I will put it to good use. Until then...

AprilAndra Weberearthday
Day 110 - Make No Little Plans.

Day 110 - Hey! It's Tuesday and I am wadding through and almost drowning in my second day of the altMBA workshop. We are talking about goals today in class and defining personal and professional goals. The project has directed us to not be grandiose with our goals because grandiose can lead to hiding. Really? Why wouldn't I want to be grandiose? The famous architect Daniel Burnham say it best:

"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men`s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever- growing insistency. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty."

Make Mountains And Move Them Too.

Make Mountains And Move Them Too.

Let's jumping right into the project today. Create a goal. Just one. Not 25 or 4 or 162. Just one goal and make it grandiose. Make it count. It's harder than it looks. Let's check out these seven steps of goal setting.

  1. Identify The Goal
  2. List The Benefits
  3. List The Obstacles To Overcome
  4. List The Skills And Knowledge Required
  5. Identify The People And Groups To Work With
  6. Develop A Plan Of Action
  7. Set A Deadline For Achievement

Here is an example of a goal: I am going to eat ice cream, because it is delicious, it might be expensive but walking to the store and scooping the creamy goodness is a one of my skills and I can get a few family members to help eat the ice cream so it feels like a party so I'm going to go out today at 2:58 get 8 ice cream pints, invite my family over and eat  the ice cream by 4:40 today.

On second thought, maybe I should shoot higher than eating ice cream based on Daniel Burnham's quote? Well, back to the drawing board. See you tomorrow!

P.S. How's the Earth Day promise going? Anyone have a cup of take out coffee or tea yesterday? I held firm, for now.