"May I Step In?"

The other day, I got a call from a woman saying, "Hi Victoria! I'm calling about your friend Amy. She's trying to win a prize and if you'll let me come over and demonstrate the Rainbow vacuum cleaner, you're going to help her be one step closer!" Ah, the dreaded sales pitch call.
Don't you just hate these calls? It puts you in the most awkward of situations. Ok, so I have two choices at this point.
#1. Tell her I've never heard of Amy. Or #2. Lie and say I don't like Amy.

Ten minutes later, the appointment was set. Have you ever said yes to something and then regretted it? No? Ok, maybe it's just me then. Liars! (LOL)
Our appointment day came and I was so tempted to cancel. I'm an extremely busy person (refer to blog "this one's for you!" if you don't believe me!) and the last thing I felt like doing was having a stranger in my house. I knew the deal. She would come into my "clean" house and use her Rainbow to vacuum my carpet to prove what a lousy housekeeper I REALLY am. I wasn't in the mood for this! I knew I would not only have to endure an hour and a half demonstration, but I would need to shake my head yes to her questions and try my best to look interested in this overpriced system (I actually do think they're worth every dime!). Did you know that the Rainbow can kill those disgusting dust mites that sleep in our mattresses? I figure let them be. They keep me company!
Anyway, the reality is that I am friends with Amy. I actually like her very much. And if I could help my friend out, what's a little bit of my time? When she arrived, I noticed from the window that she had brought her two children along. She carried in two unopened boxes that contained the Rainbow (I bet that she wasn't planning on carrying them back out!), set up for her demonstration, and proceeded to ask me for friend's names so that I could win my prize (be expecting your call any day now!). She turned out to be a sweet, pleasant lady and her children enjoyed watching Sponge Bob from my living room. This whole experience brought back a memory from my own childhood that I wanted to share with each of you.

When I was 7 years old, my father was a salesman for Electrolux vacuum cleaners. He was very good at it. Dad never met a stranger (hmm, I wonder who I got that from!). I was very proud of him and all the trophies he brought home from being top salesman of the month again and again! That's MY Dad!

I'll never forget the first time my father asked if I wanted to go with him on a Saturday morning to "work". I was thrilled. Are you kidding me? Any day that I could spend with my Daddy was a good day. I enthusiastically said yes!

When that Saturday morning arrived, Dad came into my bedroom at 6:00am to wake me up. He whispered in my ear, "Do you still want to go?" I immediately jumped out of bed! I had even slept in my clothes! I was ready! I was actually going to watch my Daddy work. I felt like the luckiest 7 year old in the world!

Now, these were the days of door-to-door sales calls. Here's how it works. You scope out a neighborhood and start a knockin'. And that's just what we did.

Before we walked up to the first front door, my father sat with me to give me my "sales training". He said, "Baby Girl, here's what you're gonna do. Every door we knock on today, I want you to look up, smile and bat those beautiful brown eyes of yours. And this is the most important part of all, LOOK HUNGRY!" Hey, I could do that. I WAS hungry. Dad forgot to feed me breakfast before we had headed out. (Hmm, I wonder, could he have done that on purpose?)

Dad then placed this huge, gold bible (yes, a bible!) under his arm, held onto the cute little black haired girl's hand (that was me!) and we started up the walkway to our first door. After my father gave his pitch to the lady of the house, (as he called her), convincing her that he had the answer to all of her problems, he would then ask, "May I step in?" I can't remember anyone turning him down.

So, now it was time to do my part. I was ready and did as I was told. I've always been a great student. I knew what to do. I smiled on cue, looked up and the easiest part....looked hungry. Dad promised that when we sold our first unit, he would take me straight to the store to buy me a Grape Soda and a pack of HoHos.......for breakfast!

It wasn't long into the morning before we made our first sale and headed to the 7Eleven. We ended up selling 4 vacuum cleaners that day! I drank and ate so much, I had a stomach ache, but I was proud of how I'd helped my Daddy "close the deal". I'll never forget those memories.

My father passed away 3 years ago this April. I miss him a lot. The pain is unbearable at times. Dad and I used to sit and talk for hours about that Saturday morning. We laughed so hard. It always made him smile. Thanks, Dad, for waking me up that day. I sure do miss you.

I imagine that when my Dad stepped into Heaven, batted his adorable, beady little eyes, smiled at the gatekeeper and asked,

"May I step in?" And I believe that's exactly what he did.

Since I was a little girl, I've LOVED music.  At every chance I had, you'd find me singing and dancing in my room or around the house, in the backyard or up a tree.  Music always took me to another world and in the childhood I grew up in, I longed for those times.

There were my favorites like The Carpenters, Elvis Presley, Helen Reddy, Donny Osmond, Michael Jackson, Dionne Warwick, Eagles, Chicago, Bread!  I loved my records and took such great care of them.  No siblings allowed.  My music meant everything to me. 

But, there were two that were my "special" ones.  I could never get enough of them and wore out my record player listening.  Barbra Streisand and Barry Manilow.  These two weren't human beings to me, they were gods!  I actually thought about them even when I wasn't listening to their music.  I'd wonder what they were doing, who they were with, how they were.  It was crazy!  I dreamed about the day I would be famous because I knew that would be the one way I'd have a chance to meet them both.  I would practice in the mirror what I'd say to each of them and imagined hanging out at their houses and singing by the piano alongside them.  I mean, it is an understatement to say this, but I LOVED them.  "Even Now", I still smile when I hear their songs on the radio (or on my CD player!).

Being that Babs doesn't tour anymore, I had to mourn the fact that my dreams of ever seeing her in person were pretty much over.  Then there was that little business of coming to terms with the fact that since I'll probably never be famous, it was time to let the dream die of meeting them and sharing vacations.

Forunately, Barry IS still singing!  And two days ago, something beautiful happened.  As I was driving home from a speaking engagement, I heard an advertisement on the radio.  It said that tickets are going on sale for a Barry Manilow concert coming to Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on  July 28th Barry Manilow Show!  I was overcome!  I had to pull over.

After a few moments alone, containing myself, I made a promise.   Whatever it takes, however much it costs me, I will be there.  I want to be close enough for him to spit on me while he belts out "Mandy"!!

Friends are laughing at me, my husband thinks I'm crazy, but I don't care.  I love Barry and I'm going.  I will go alone.  I don't give a rat's @#*&.  I'm going to see Barry!  My Barry!  Am I dreaming?!  I will imagine he's singing just to me.

So, Barry, I'm coming!  You can count on it.  "It's a Miracle" and I'm still pinching myself.    

God and Tawni's Little Surprise

I had no idea until just last night that my daughter, Tawni, who is almost 27 years old, could sing like this.  She's been holding out on me.  I asked her, "What have I done as a mother to keep you from telling me that you have a voice like this?"  This was her genuine, humble answer.  "I don't like going around saying, I can sing, Can I sing?  That's just not me.  So, when Daniel asked me to sing, I said, sure."  He was shocked when I told him last night that I'd NEVER heard her sing before.

To say I'm proud of what you're about to hear is an understatement.  I'm beyond proud of not only her voice, her heart and her humble spirit.  She is truly a treasure.  I am truly blessed.

I've raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for non-profits, started businesses, publically spoken to literally hundreds of thousands of people all over the world, written a book now in its 4th print and now working on my second book.  But, I can say this with conviction and truth.  Nothing compares to Teryn, Tawni, Kendra and Kolby.  My girls' are the four greatest and most rewarding accomplishments of my life.

Enjoy.

True or False? What do you believe?

A realiable friend of mine sent this to me and I was curious as to how other's would respond.  If you're a supporter of our President or not, do you believe this is or could be true?  And IF it is true, what kind of responsibility, if any, do we have?

"IN THE MUSLIM RELIGION, DOGS ARE UNCLEAN AND NOT ALLOWED TO TRAVEL IN
THE SAME VEHICLE AS THE MUSLIM. Bo has never traveled in the same means
of transportation with the First Family .

WAKE UP AMERICA !!!! REMEMBER ALL THE OTHER PRESIDENTS WITH THEIR DOGS
COMING OFF THE PLANE WITH THEM??? NOT THE OBAMA'S...

HOW CAN AMERICA BE SO BLIND????????

I guess since they had to swallow their pride and use the Gulfstream
there just wasn't enough room for the dog and one other person.

Did you know the Pres. flew BO, the dog, in on a separate smaller jet
to Maine for their vacation????

Wonder if that sets well with all the unemployed, hurting, US citizens
who can't afford food, but we can pay for this. The above is true.

I Google "Bo the dog flying to Maine " and got 76,700 references
verifying this. One of them follows:

Michelle Malkin: Just Plane Crazy: Obama's Dog Flies to Vacation on
Separate Jet.

Doug Powers: The Obama's arrived at their vacation spot in Maine , and
the local paper, the Morning Sentinel, described the scene:

The president was the first to walk onto the tarmac, dressed casually
in a pale blue Oxford shirt and khakis.

A few minutes later, the first lady, dressed in black caprice, a
tank-top and sandals, walked onto the runway. Shortly afterward, Malia
and Sasha joined their parents. Baldacci and his wife, Karen, presented
the family with gift bags full of Maine-made goodies,including baskets
made by the Passamaquoddy Tribe, popcorn from Little Bakery in East
Corinth, iconic L.L. Bean bags, University of Maine ice hockey hats,
and an assortment of other Maine foods and books. Karen Baldacci said
the bags for Malia and Sasha contained one loon toy and one chickadee
toy that sound their natural calls.

Arriving in a small jet before the Obama's was the first dog, Bo , a
Portuguese water dog given as a present by the late U.S Sen. Ted
Kennedy, D-Mass.; and the president's personal aide Reggie Love, who
chatted with Baldacci.

The president who said the rest of us are going to have to sacrifice to
get out of these hard economic times let his dog fly on his own plane?
Not enough room on Air Force One for a Portuguese water dog and Reggie
Love?

OH, by the way, Mr. Love, Bo's handler,

is paid $102,000.00 a year to take care of him . Divided by 365 is
$279.45 per day.

What side of the ballot will you mark in November?"

That's defintely more than I make running a non-profit that helps thousands of families each year.  Hmmm, maybe I'm in the wrong business?

Are you Linkedin?

All the technology going on in the world right now simply amazes and intrigues me.  You can find ANYTHING you want online, ANYONE you want to, and SAY basically whatever comes to your mind.  For years, I've been warning my girls' about the dangers of what you put on the "super highway".  I have policed their Facebook pages daily.  Literally.  It drives them crazy when I call them or comment on a picture "delete this immediately"!  Thankfully, I haven't had to do that too many times.

But, let's face it.  Whatever is put online is for anyone to see.  It's scary.  Kolby calls it "big brother".  I'd say she's right.  Now, we've got employers demanding Facebook passwords before they'll hire you.  I don't agree with this, but I get it.  When I meet someone in my line of work, I immediately check their Facebook page.  It tells so much about a person's character.  But, is it really fair to judge someone according to their vulerability in a drunken state to post a picture they'll regret later?  Apparently, yes, it is!

For instance, people who've viewed my page would know that I'm passionate and outspoken about the pro-life issue.  I don't expect others to appreciate every stand that I take, but I believe "if you stand for nothing, you'll fall for anything."  I've lost some friends on Facebook in the past and I'm sure I'll lose more in the future.  I don't take it personally.  I've even deleted some on my own. 

It blows my mind the requests that I get from people I don't even know or remember from school!  There's that awkward pause, do I accept them or don't I?

The world of social media.  It sucks.  It rocks.  I can't decide.  In the meantime, check out my Linkedin.com profile!  http://www.linkedin.com/in/victorialaktash

And I'll "see" you soon!