September 2008

Our contest for membership drive is over, and our lucky winner is Tom Sears, who works for Royal Crown Corporation. Congrats to Tom and thank you to all of you who participated!
 

Indonesian Crew Show                                          Alaska Town

Sept 19-26, my grandparents came from New York for a visit to the beautiful city of Vancouver to celebrate my grandfather’s 82nd birthday.  I originally thought it was their 50th wedding anniversary, only to be informed that their 60th diamond wedding anniversary is in 2010, and it’ll be my job to plan and coordinate this big festivity.  So, my mom, stepfather and the grandparents hopped on an Alaskan cruise on board the Veendam Holland America and ate to our hearts content…… Oh… 7 days without doing laundry, dishes or ever having to fold your bed is quite a nice escape.

I taught my family how to manoeuvre the 8-piece cutlery set at each and every dinner, and translating and ordering from the menu.  By day two, my grandfather had it figured out − that these fancy dinners don’t deliver much food, mostly it’s décor − so he ordered 3 appetizers and 3 entrees that night, much to our shock.  Richard, my step dad jokingly asked our waiter if the cruise has wheelchairs readily available, so if we need to, we can wheel grandpa out.  Grandpa polished away most of the good stuff, and danced his dinner off at the ‘50s and ‘60s prom in a twister competition with me ; we came in first place among 4 couples competing and WON a bottle of champagne.

The Holland America has really trained their staff well, from their neat uniforms, to their friendly greetings, to the humorous atmosphere they create.  We found out throughout our stay that most of the staff is from Indonesia or Philippines.  Everyone who works on the boat has at a minimum, a University degree, and it’s a one-in-twenty chance for them get the job.

My mom is a genius when it comes to bargain hunting, and she usually finds really amazing deals, like this 7-day repositioning cruise.  It was awesome because it was at the end of their season, so everywhere we went, there were massive sales.

Alaska has a rawness that is uncanny.  The mountains, water, and glaciers are so crystal clear.  It’s as if this is where earth began, and time has stood still in the picturesque ‘50s for the small town of Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, etc.  Most of the shops at these small towns sell jewellery and souvenirs. 

Being the workaholic and this trip just before metamorphosis, I fell for Holland America’s TV advertisement of the ease of usage for their global satellite internet and telephone − $300 US later, and hours and hours of waiting, babysitting − made me realize how lucky we had it paying $45 a month for consistent high speed internet.  What used to take 10-30 minutes to do, now took about 1.5 hours to 2 hours to do!  The internet was $0.75 per minute, while telephone was $8 per minute, in American dollars no less.

When I wasn’t working away on promotions, and coordinating logistics, etc, I did attend the Culinary Centre’s demonstrations of plating (they taught us how to make small cute animals using sugar and butter), saw a great performance by Dolores X, saw a surreal Disney and Salvadore Dali movie called “Destino”, participated in an art auction, and ate like a pig during their big chocolate extravaganza.  Everywhere I went, people would say hi or compliment me on my dancing.  I later found out that during our Twister dance off, there was a professional videographer recording the dance. The video, that they sold as “Cruise Memoir” was playing on all the TVs in every cabin, but also in the photo section on a flat screen TV.  So Grandpa and I were mini celebrities among the passengers that whole week. 

I made friends with some of the waiters and waitresses − one waiter from the Crow’s Nest was super nice and taught me how to fold origami flowers and eagle over two nights.  This was the family vacation that everyone should go on − although, if the cruise was any longer, the cabin fever would have gotten to everyone.


Last Sunday night, we transformed Stadium Club into a beautiful mythical forest, complete with an AstroTurf dance floor and greenery all around us.  The night was perfect, a big party with all my best friends, and seeing many familiar faces, watching Peter Robinson’s Livin In Swing Orchestra put on a great show. And Alley, a charming R & B crooner − especially flown in for this event − had the crowd melting in his hands with his sweet voice.  Mike and Tina from Dance 4 U got the dancing started, amazing us with their high impact flips and turns!  Who can forget the super sexy Bad Girls Go-Go dancers, all decked out in “Poison Ivy”-like make up, body glitter and ivy body paint, shaking their booties and getting everyone onto the dance floor.  Since I’m an avid Salsa dancer, my dance friends came out − Nestor and his lovely Russian date, Caron, Agnieszka, and Travis. The AstroTurf dance floor saw a lot of action.  Of course there were two crazy and wild ladies, Callie and Valeska, who were definitely the bar star of the night, made Zena warrior calls and friends with everyone.  People enjoyed the food, had a slice of cake, and tore up the floor with our 4 very talented DJs till 3am!  YES, till 3am.  There were bubbles, laser, fog and our dancers in green and blue bikinis.

The only thing I could have wished for more was a better turnout as it was a Sunday night, and most people have to get up early on Monday morning.  I made new friends, caught up with old ones who I haven’t seen in a long time, and felt so lucky that I have such amazing relationships with my suppliers, colleagues, volunteers, and friends who have faith in me, and support me in my journey.  Thank you to all of you who are a part of Social Butterfly Club.

The biggest support came from Stadium Club Edgewater Casino.  Its staff members were true professionals, who were gorgeous and were excited to get body paint to blend into our brand.  The space was cleaned and staffed with security.  They provided us with top of the line sound equipment, lighting, and connected us with Donna from KIAN, who handled all our sound needs, and produced very sweet music during our whole show.  Scott Roberts, the event manager from Stadium Club was easy to work with, extremely knowledgeable, and the constant professional.  He was on the ball the whole time, and had a great attitude interacting with my guests, and suppliers.  He and the gorgeous space at Stadium Club was the reason why I would ever choose a Sunday to throw a party.

It was a very busy weekend, right smack in the middle of Vancouver International Film Festival, and the media was all busy covering the federal election. 


I heard of the buzz on Eckhart Tolle’s new book “The New Earth”, and saw it on the desk of two friends. I began to read a bit and was intrigued. I heard that “The Power of Now” was his first book so got a copy and wanted to read them in sequence.  What an incredible journey of the mind it has led me in. Here is an excerpt from the book:

“Time isn’t precious at all, because it is an illusion.  What you perceive as precious is not time but the one point that is out of time: the Now.  That is precious indeed.  The more you are focused on time - past and future - the more you miss the Now, the most precious thing there is.” 

I highly recommend both books.


You’re invited to try a complimentary seminar!!!
Tele-seminar title: YOUR MILLION DOLLAR NETWORK
How To Start and Build Your Continuity Program

Discover how you can grow a network of barely 200 people to over 2,200 in 2 years.
“If you’re going to meet people anyway, you might as well get rich … and the sooner you start, the better.”
- July Ono

Have you ever looked for a job, money, advice, help, hope or a means to make a sale? There’s only one sure-fire fail-safe way to find them – your network. And only if you build one.
I will teach you how to create and develop a success system that is so simple yet rarely done. I will share with you examples of this system from a few of my mentees. They don’t have to look for business. It comes to them. You will see the power of cultivating your own million dollar network.
This system is a must if you are a real estate investor, network marketer, commission sales … basically everyone on this planet.

RSVP to alice@gracioushost.ca . This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots; you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Date:    Thursday, October 16, 2008
Time:    7:00pm to 8:00pm Pacific Standard Time
Place:    Tele-seminar
Cost:    Silver Membership $29.97 a month, but complimentary for all current Social Butterfly Club this month
Spots: Only 200 available, so first come first serve!


July Ono's Bio:
July Ono is a third generation Vancouverite and the eldest of four girls. She is an entrepreneur, real estate investor, educator and mentor. She is the President of On The Beach Education Corporation (www.onthebeacheducation.com) and the co-Founder of the Real Estate Network Group (www.renghome.com). She is the author of her own monthly newsletter “July News” which subscribers use as a source for upcoming networking events and investment opportunities. July strongly believes that financial freedom is available and achievable for anyone who desires it.
After graduating high school with academic honours, July went on to study marine biology at the University of British Columbia and business management through the Vancouver Community College; Douglas College and the Open Learning Agency.

July’s extensive workplace experience spans both the public sector (Federal and Municipal governments), and private sector as an executive assistant, advertising coordinator, administrative assistant, office manager and independent contractor. As the Operations Manager for an international computer company spanning three continents and four countries, July coordinated the administrative, operational and financial logistics for a multi-currency import and export business.

July spent 20 years climbing the corporate ladder only to discover repeatedly that job security does not exist. During the 1990s, her emotional and financial life was in shambles. Her 9-year marriage ended in divorce. Her employer let her go. She downsized from her townhouse and moved back home with her parents to live in their basement suite. The combination of legal bills and financial obligations left her $40,000 in debt. These events served as a sobering wake up call. It was the gift of adversity that created the shift from victim to commander. July spent the next 10 years recreating herself. Then in 2001, she discovered the missing link and transformed her life. Her goal was to become financially free within 10 years and she accomplished it in less than 2 years.

After researching a lot of opportunities, she chose real estate as the key to establishing passive income and financial freedom. Real estate investing is a long term strategy utilizing the profit centers of appreciation and leverage. In the process of becoming a real estate investor, she developed skills that would last for a lifetime. And the one crucial element to her success − using other people’s money and other people’s credit − she now manages a multi-million dollar real estate portfolio.

There are people who say “I can’t afford it” or “I don’t have any money” or “I don’t know anybody with money”. Those were her excuses until fear became the greater motivator. July’s fear was not being able to provide for her parents in their golden years. This precipitated her passionate desire to do something about her financial situation.

She invested all of her spare time in education, going to seminars, workshops, courses, reading books, listening to CDs and meeting the same people at different seminars. As her networking connected her to more events, more people and more opportunities, July had become a serious student of wealth. She transformed her scarce mentality into abundance mentality. July’s popularity amongst real estate investors precipitated the creation of the Fast Track to Real Estate course in 2005. A year later, she revised and expanded this course into the Power of Real Estate home-study program. This is the best of her experience and expertise to help entrepreneurs grasp the foundation of creating a real estate business of their own.
July has active and eclectic interests. She is a PADI certified scuba diver; black belt instructor in Taekwondo; small calibre marksman; speed typist clocked at 115 words per minute. She is an endurance athlete having completed the 1999 Vancouver International Marathon in 4:20:12 hours and the 2004 Squamish Triathlon in 3:21:06 hours. She is a classically trained pianist through the Toronto Royal Conservatory of Music. She is an equestrienne, golf enthusiast and wine connoisseur.

July is also an actor, screenwriter and independent filmmaker. Her onscreen credits include a host of commercials, independent films and most notably, the Harvest Productions/National Film Board production of “Obachan’s Garden”. She wrote and produced two short films: “Placebo” was screened at the 2000 Cannes International Film Festival and accepted into the Quebec Film Festival; “Ladies’ Night” which she also directed was accepted by Short TV for a 2 year exhibition release on a national cable network.

“Obachan’s Garden”, (94:00 minute docu-drama), completed October 1999
An intensely personal reflection of Japanese-Canadian history as told through Asayo Murakami, now 103 years old, and a testament to one woman’s incredible endurance and spirit.
      -Principal actor
“Ashioto: Sound of Footsteps”, (feature film)
A Japanese detective travels to Alaska to investigate the murder of his daughter and finds adventure, romance and a surprise ending to the case.
      -Screenwriter
“Ladies’ Night”, (13 minute digital short film), completed April 30, 2000
An amusing peak into the lives of two down-on-their-luck safe crackers. Stan is the brains of the operation. Ned isn’t very bright and likes to talk a lot. They are reduced to breaking into a male stripper joint when their fortunes take a turn and a turn.
    -Writer, Executive Producer, Director, Cameo
August 15, 2000 – “Ladies’ Night” has accepted a 2 year exhibition release on a national cable network.
"Your film was exceptionally done, and we are proud to represent filmmakers like you on Short TV. Short TV is a truly independent film channel and Internet company dedicated to supporting independent filmmakers by providing them with the opportunity to show their work before a wide audience. Short TV will show your work on national cable to around 2,000,000 viewers in New York City and Los Angeles."
“Placebo”, (17 minute digital short film), completed October 25, 1999
 A research scientist working at a biopharmaceutical company unwittingly stumbles upon a secret agenda called ‘Project Placebo’, whose connections to the Russian Syndicate points to one terrifying reality; that Placebo is conceivably the world’s most perfect terrorist weapon in a pill.
 -Writer, Executive Producer, Lead Actor
 -Screened in Cannes May 2000
 -Accepted into Quebec Film Festival, Fall 2000

Courage is the passion to follow your heart!