Category: FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER

APPLE GOES AFTER THE SENIOR MARKET WITH NEW CELL PHONE.

When APPLE announced they were making an iPHONE 4 that would work on Verizon, I instantly knew what their next product would be.  A product aimed at their largest, untapped market ….  SENIOR CITIZENS!

Verizon spent millions touting their “Can you hear me now?” theme.  Now that they’ve teamed with APPLE, what would be more logical than a product that solves the major drawback for Seniors when using technological devices?  SMALL PRINT!  It is a natural and logical step to blend the iPAD size with the features of the iPHONE 4 to go after Seniors.

Couple that with a tweak in their advertising theme and it will be a “BABY BOOMER BONANZA!”  It will create the perfect storm for marketing to an aging population because it would include over-sized speakers for the hard of hearing.  It doesn’t get any better than that!

Now… Would it be too much to ask for a manual in LARGE PRINT?… with lots of pictures for those of us who are “technologically impaired”?

DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF RAINBOWS…A CHILDREN’S BOOK ABOUT EATING A RAINBOW DIET OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Are you looking for a great way to encourage young children to eat Fruits and Vegetables?  This book might be your answer.

Discover the MAGIC of Rainbows: Annie Oxidant finds the path to Healthy Foods is a new book that tells the story of a little girl,  ANNIE OXIDANT and her dog, PHYTO.  They love rainbows and follow one looking for treasure.  They are disappointed when it ends at a produce stand.  Friendly farmer, BROCK O’ LEE, assures them they are actually looking at the treasure because “You can eat a Rainbow”.

RUDY BAGA, Annie’s neighbor, doesn’t think that is possible.  To explain what he means, BROCK O’LEE takes them to the garden and orchard.  He has them pick fruit and vegetables representing each of the colors in the rainbow and in the process  explains, from a child’s perspective, what’s in it for them to eat the rainbow.

When I got the idea for the book, I needed nutritional information that would resonate with children. I’m not a nutritionist, so I contacted a good friend with a Masters Degree in Nutrition, Dr. Jane Oelke, ND, PhD .  She outlined the reasons why kids, from their perspective, would want to eat fruit and vegetables.  Additional valuable input was provided by Sandi McArthur, Education and Outreach Coordinator for Oryana Natural Foods Market, a Community Cooperative in Traverse City, Michigan.

My goal in writing and illustrating the book was to provide parents and educators with a resource that not only would provide accurate information but be interesting to kids.  Educators say most of the materials for teaching nutrition to young children are “dumbed-down text books”… boring to most children.  Discover the MAGIC of Rainbows has an engaging story line designed to teach the basic concepts of whole food and where food comes from… in the format of a treasure hunt.

After reading the book, parents say children become more interested in what they are eating and why .  Conversations about the book have created a means for parents or educators to address issues related to diet and attitudes about food.  To order the book, go to my website: www.BearClausePublications.com or email me at: bearclausebooks@gmail.com.

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STRESS MANAGEMENT-101

Stress is the one thing all humans have to deal with.  There’s a lot of money being spent on stress management techniques when, in reality, we were born knowing what to do.

I drew this cartoon back in the 60’s when I was enrolled in a Psychology class in college.  It pretty much says it all.  We don’t need to spend a lot of money on seminars, tapes, videos and the like.  All we need is to find our thumb to suck and drag out the time-tested security blankie…

WHOA!! I can hear it now… What about the germs and bacteria?  Shouldn’t your thumb and blankie be sterilized before use?  What if you sneezed into it when you were two… are the germs still there?  And, mold?  What about that?  How do you know the blankie wasn’t made by a Third World manufacturer that used lead in the dye?  Oh boy!  I’m getting all stressed out just thinking about it!

See what’s happened to us?  We worry too much about things that MIGHT HAPPEN.  What’s the saying?… “Paralysis by Analysis?”  The next thing will be stressing over who to sue because we’re stressed out about being stressed out!

Let me make a suggestion…  We need to find ways to reduce our stress by sharing the load in ways that benefit us all.  For example, when I had decided to produce my first book, a coloring book: “UP NORTH WITH TC BEAR“, I got all stressed-out trying to wade through the maze of information about self-publishing.  The more I got involved, the more I realized I didn’t know.  Fortunately for me, I happened to be illustrating another book: “ADVENTURES OF MR. BILL”, for BILL PARRISH.  Bill was struggling with the same issues but he is smarter than me and sought help.  Long story short… He was referred to an expert in self-publishing, MARY JO ZAZUETA, who proved to be a Godsend… the best form of stress relief.

We are surrounded by talented people who can reduce our stress by helping us achieve our dreams.  Mentors and consultants are stress relievers… we don’t have to know it all!  If we network and find the expert or person that already knows the answer, we all gain.  Look around you. Reach out and let someone help you!

NOTE: If you have an interest in the process of writing and publishing a book, you’re in luck!  The MICHIGAN WRITERS Organization is sponsoring a class at the University Center (Boardman Campus) at Northwestern Michigan College on February 24th, 2011.  Mary Jo’s Class should help you understand what is needed to write and produce your own book.  If you decide to sign-up, tell her you heard about it here.  I’d like to know if anyone is reading this! THANKS!!… Help is on it’s way.