This isn’t about my needing to lose ten pounds, though that certainly woudn’t hurt.

Instead, it’s about sleeping at night, and making sure my family is well cared for. It’s about waking up with a smile on my face and excitement for the day ahead. When all is said and done, what else counts?

Think about it–

So many possibilites have briefly flashed through your mind. They’re part of a bright future just waiting to be lived, even if the path to that future isn’t completely clear. And there’s the big question: how to get there.

So now it’s a new year, a new chance to finally make it happen… or at least to start the journey.

So what’s next?

“Put it in writing,” it is often said. That’s the only way it will ever get done. Tape it to your bathroom mirror, so it’s the first thing you see in the morning and the last you see before bed. Beyond that, here are more ideas in a great blog post I stumbled upon.  Of special note is a tip to find support in a friend, co-worker, group or coach. Share your plan with people who will motivate you and keep you accountable, even when January is long past.

Here’s my dare: Share your top resolution with the world! And add it as a comment below (and/or in the FB panel at right.) I’ll act as your accountability partner and check in with you in a few months down the line. Of course, you’re welcome to reciprocate and hold me accountable too!

What’s my resolution? Get off the fence already! I’ve been juggling three major projects and really need to focus on one to move it ahead. IMO indecision = stagnation = frustration! That holds equally true for a brochure design or direct mail campaign. Only with clear direction can we reach our ultimate destination!

A Happy and Productive New Year to you!

So here (courtesy of Empire State College, NY) is a helpful guide to alleviate a frequently heard question: should one put the period inside or outside the parenthesis?

Short Answer: Punctuate correctly in and around parentheses. If a whole sentence is inside parentheses, then put the period inside the end parenthesis. If only part of the sentence is in parentheses, then the period goes outside of the end parenthesis.

Examples: Parentheses are like polite back seat drivers. (They interrupt to explain additional information that the reader should know.) Parentheses can hold explanations, illustrations, or clarifications forty (Byron was 36; Nathanael West, Rimbaud, and Robert Burns were 37; Thomas Wolfe and Pushkin were 38; and Dylan Thomas was 39). I told him I absolutely believe in marriage (as a cure for the temporary insanity of infatuation). Parentheses are also used to set off dates, provide reference information, and to enumerate a list.

• Angela Merici (1470-1540), an Italian, founded the Ursulines in 1535, an unconventional religious order in which women took vows but lived at home and taught in the community.
• The Chinese poet Li Po (c.700-762), a “lighthearted winebibber,” fell out of a boat and was drowned when he tried to kiss and embrace the moon’s reflection in the water (Hendrickson 111).
• The reason there are so many popular bike trails outside of Washington, D.C., is that the land is mostly flat (see contour map on page 6).
• If your toddler does not sleep through the night there are several questions to ask: (1) Have you developed a soothing bedtime ritual? (2) When checking on your child, do you accidentally wake him or her? (3) Is your toddler afraid of the dark? (4) Is your toddler waking regularly in the night hungry or thirsty? (5) Does your toddler use a pacifier or “cuddly” so he or she is able to comfort himself or herself?

It’s like running a red light, and then having your picture show up in the mailbox. The amount of your fine: 7 cents per piece, or a total of $175 in this case. Yes, that’s right. You pay for every address on the list, even the good addresses.

Friends, there’s no traffic school at the Post Office.

Standard class mail is becoming an increasingly unattractive option, unless you’re well equipped to navigate the postal system. And with all postage rates going up soon, we’re all well advised to get things right, before getting things in the mail.

Here are the new rules

Obviously, this is not a do-it-yourself job. It requires special tools and direct access to the most current version of the Postal Service’s Move/Update database.

NEED TO NCOA UPDATE YOUR LIST? Do it for FREE

Copies&Ink has special access to the NCOA database. Here’s what we will do to bring you into full compliance:

If you choose, we’ll process and mail your materials for the lowest available postage rates.

Keeping your list clean is a good step along the path to being “green.” You’ll save on postage and printing while less undeliverable mail ends up in the landfill. Besides, wouldn’t you want to know if your customer or prospect has moved (or died)? In any event, you’ll need to certify in writing that your list is ready for prime time.

FREE NCOA UPDATES
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: Copies&Ink will update and certify your list AT NO CHARGE if your project is printing and/or addressing & mailing at Copies&Ink. Contact our customer service department and ask for the NCOA promo. Offer expires Jan 31, 2009, so act today!

LOW COST NCOA UPDATE SERVICE
We’re also offering a special $27 rate for NCOA processing only (any list up to 2500 addresses), no printing or mailing services need be purchased to receive this price. Offer valid until Jan. 31, 2000.

TO GET STARTED or for additional information, fill out our quick form below. You can optionally attach your mailing list file in Excel or text formats.

Use this Customer Service Link or fill in the form below for additional information. Call us during business hours at: 866-345-COPY. You may attach your mailing list below, our use our special Send Files Menu to transmit your mailing list securely.

OPTIONAL: Attach your mailing list using the file upload button above.

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