Suzanne Who?
So, I guess you have figured out that I’m fairly opinionated. No, it’s true – I am. Just ask me.
Other than that, there are a handful of other things you should know about me so you can put this blog in context.
Family
I am the oldest of 4 daughters in my family of origin, so yes, I tend to be bossy and headstrong. Consider it part of my charm.
I have three kids, six years apart in age, two boys and a girl, known here as Oldest Son, Second Son and Prima Donna Daughter, respectively. Oldest Son is going to make me a grandma this year (2008), but don’t go getting confused thinking I’m old, or something. I’ve still got an elementary student at home, for cryin’ out loud. (What L’Oreal and I cover up is none of your business, ok? Good. Glad we have that understanding.)
Oh, and I should probably ‘fess up right now (lest you be thoroughly confused) – my 3 kids have 3 different fathers, known here as…hmmm…I’m just realizing I’ve only given PDD’s dad a name…Completely Clueless. Guess I’ll have to come up with pseudonyms for the first two if it gets too confusing. We’ll see if it becomes an issue. Completely Clueless, however, has earned his name, and then some. No doubt you’ll see why if you read much of this blog.
Work Making Moolah A Life
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a school teacher when I grew up. Long story, short: I became a computer programmer. (I did say long story…remember.) I did that mess (and all manner of other related things) for 20 years until God saw fit to grant me what I’d been wishing for: to work at home. That memorable day was December 6, 2002 – the day I became a WorldCom statistic. (Be careful what you wish for…you might get it…and most likely in the most unexpected and inconvenient of ways!)
Today I have three businesses I run from home that I love and guess what? I substitute teach in the public school system, too. So, I have 4 income streams, and between them, I’ve managed to weather losing my job, and have kept the lights on, the mortgage paid and even added a whopper of a car payment in the years since.
MomsForLife is the first business I started before I was laid off. It was going to be my ticket out of Corporate America, and it fulfilled its destiny a little earlier than either I or it expected. With it, I’ve created a residual income that has paid me even through the times life has interrupted and I haven’t paid attention to it, all based on products I was buying and using already. I’ll be with this company until the day I die, most likely, because one simple decision about where to shop (not what to buy) made a 180 degree difference in our asthma around here. This business allows me to coach and mentor others to create an income from home, which is the part I love, so in a sense, I’m finally teaching.
vAssistantServices is the business I started when I got laid off from WorldCom. It seems I’ve become quite an eclectic mix of geeky attributes over the years, and I really enjoy building websites (and now blogs), creating graphics in PhotoShop and dabbling in all sorts of geeky things. My clients tell me that they love having me on their “team” because I speak their language and help them to understand their choices, make sense of what’s available and make good decisions that help their businesses grow. This business feeds the creative side of me and I get to do a little teaching along the way, too.
In late 2005, I became a substitute teacher (another long story, short, trust me) at the request of the vice-principal of Second Son’s middle school. Because I don’t have a teaching degree, I can only teach 70 days per school year, but that’s actually enough for me. Anymore and I’d probably go postal over how ridiculous our public education system is in this country. I’ve taught everything from kindergarten to 12th grade and I really prefer from about 8th grade up. I know – not what I expected, either. But it’s true. So, I’m finally, at long last, a teacher (not a glorified babysitter, thank you very much!) and while it’s frustrating and disheartening at times dealing with the school system, every once in a while I really connect with a classroom full of kids and they actually learn something and it’s FREAKIN’ AWESOME!
Learning Curve Coaching is my coaching practice that I finally grew the balls (excuse my crudity, but that’s really what was the hold-up) to start in late 2006. Through it, I finally figured out my purpose in this life:
To use my experience, strength and hope to support and inspire others to live a life authentically their own, realize their potential and leave their mark on this world in a way that is meaningful to them.
So, here at Suzanne Says…, you’ll get to hear from all of these Suzannes – the woman, the daughter, the sister, the mom, the soon-to-be-grandma, and the friend – with occasional guest appearances by the networker, the web geek, the teacher, and the coach – because they all (and even some others) live in me. As you can imagine, I have a lot to say most of the time. Hence, Suzanne Says…
