Here we are in a New Year – 2001. What do we want to do? Where do we want to go? How do we want to do it? Do we want to set new goals or continue to work on old ones? There are many more questions to ask, decisions to make and actions to plan.

What do you want to achieve this year? Will you need to change your strategies to accomplish them? What would you like to explore? What disciplines do you want to develop, refine? What do you want to let go of?

January is a wonderful month for planning and organizing. After the hustle and bustle of the holiday season it feels good to start with a clean slate. Even if you have some leftover 'stuff' from 2000, this is a relatively quiet period when you can really plot out new directions, giving yourself time to reflect, define your choices.

This also is an excellent time to feed your mind with new ideas, brainstorm with other people about different possibilities for achievement, allow your imagination to stretch itself into different avenues of expression, work with your personal development, both
professionally and in all other areas of your life.

Here are a few questions that perhaps you may like to use as guidelines to evaluate your perspectives and focus for this New Year – 2001.

• 1.What do you feel are your most 'positive' skills and
  strengths? How would you like to develop them further? Where would
  you most like to apply them?
• 2.What 'poor' habits skills would you like to
  improve upon? Why do you want to change them?
  How can you do it? What disciplines need to be developed?
• 3. What is your personal purpose? What do you have
  the greatest passion about? How can you make
  it a stronger part of your life?
• 4. What fun, wild and crazy things would you enjoy
  doing?

You will have other questions you will want to ask yourself but these may help get you going. Introspection, questioning, processing information is all part of the planning that enables us to determine our choices. What is even better you make the decisions. Someone once mentioned to me that 'when you don't make decisions, you are still making a decision not to make them'. With that in mind it surely pays to think for oneself and not leave it up to others to do it for us.

There is no one else like you in this vast universe of ours. Enjoy your individuality, your unique talents and skills. This is a New Year filled with opportunities for new friendships, knowledge, personal and professional expansion, and adventures. Like our traveler, you are embarking into new territory of life and time. Enjoy the journey.

May this year, 2001 bring you an abundance of life's gifts- joy, prosperity, friendship, a harmony of spirit, health and love.~~Donna Seebo

Steve and Dave were laid off, so they went to the unemployment office. When asked his occupation, Steve replied, "I'm an underwear stitcher. I sew the elastic onto cotton panties."

The clerk looked up 'underwear stitcher' and found it classified as unskilled labor. Sever would receive $300 a week in unemployment.

Then it was Dave's turn. When asked his occupation he said, "Diesel fitter". Since diesel fitter was skilled work, Dave would get $600 per week.

When Steve found out, he stormed back into the office to complain. The clerk explained that Steve was an unskilled laborer, while Dave was a skilled worker.

"Skill?" said Steve outraged. "What skill? I sew the elastic on the panties. Then Dave holds them up and says, "Yup, diesel fitter:"~~Richard Wright

**If you have a radio or television station in your area that you feel would enjoy having me as a guest, just e-mail or call my office with the details of how I can contact them. I do programming throughout the country and often travel to various areas to do shows in studio.

The annual marathon in my town usually occurs during a heat wave. My job was to follow behind the runners in an ambulance in case any of them needed medical attention. The driver and I were in an air-conditioned ambulance behind approximately one hundred athletes waiting to hear the sharp crack of the starting gun.

"We're supposed to stay behind the last runner, so take it slowly," I said to the driver, Doug, as we began to creep forward.

"Let's just hope the last runner is fast!" he said, laughing.

As they began to pace themselves, the front runners started to disappear. It was then that my eyes were drawn to the woman in blue silk running shorts and a baggy, white T-shirt.

"Doug, look!"

We knew we were already watching our 'last runner'. Her feet were turned in, yet her left knee was turned out. Her legs were so crippled and bent that it seemed impossible for her to be able to walk, let alone run a marathon. Doug and I watched in silence as she slowly moved forward. We didn't say a thing. We would move forward a little bit, then stop and wait for you to gain some distance. Then we'd slowly move forward a little bit more.

As I watched her struggle to put one foot in front of the other, I found myself breathing for her and urging her forward. I wanted her to stop, and at the same time, I prayed that she wouldn't. Finally, she was the only runner left in sight. Tears streamed down my face as I sat on the edge of my seat and watched with awe, amazement and even reverence as she pushed forward with sheer determination through the last miles.

When the finish line came into sight, trash lay everywhere and the cheering crowds had long gone home. Yet, standing straight and ever so proud waited a lone man. He was holding one end of a ribbon of crepe paper tied to a post. She slowly crossed through, leaving both ends of the paper fluttering behind her.

I do not know this woman's name but that day she became a part of my life – a part I often depend on. For her, it wasn't about beating the other runners or winning a trophy, it was about finishing what she had set out to do, no matter what. When I think things are too difficult or too time consuming, I get those "I-just-can't-do-its", I think of the last runner. Then I realize how easy the task before me really is.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support and interest in this monthly newsletter. It has been going out for almost wo years now and I have enjoyed the stories and special experiences that you have shared with me. E-mail has enabled me to keep in contact in a most wonderful way that just wasn't possible otherwise.

If you want to share this newsletter with others, please feel free to do so. Please continue to send me your 'special stories' that you would like to share with others. Do you have any about animals or teachers? Send them along. If you have a particular topic you would like to hear about, comments or suggestions, send those too. Your
feedback is important and I enjoy hearing from you.

Have a magnificent day and remember: "You Are The Master Of Your Fate, The Captain Of Your Soul".

Donna Seebo, P.O. Box 97272, Tacoma, WA 98497-0272
Delphi International & Mrs. Seebo's Classic's
www.delphiinternational.com
seeclassics@juno.com
(253) 582-5604 or (800) 872-8852 Fax(253)582-5597