Recently the Weekend ReTweaters were invited on a River Expeditions adventure white water rafting on the New River in West Virginia. Lindsey Evans, Janice Robinson, Vicki Esh and I had the time of our lives white water rafting! It was a weekend of adrenaline rush fun, laughing until it hurt and relaxing in our luxury cabin complete with a hot tub! Perfect way to escape from it all!

I’ve never been white water rafting. Admittedly, I was a little nervous (ok…scared). Turns out I had nothing to fear. I haven’t laughed that much in a long time.

We arrived on Friday afternoon to get settled into our home for the weekend. River Expeditions has accommodations for everyone! You can tent camp, tent camp on a platform (tent and foam mattress included) or stay in small cabins, deluxe cabins or luxury cabins. We were thrilled with our luxury cabin with a kitchen, five bedrooms, two baths, wide screen tv, porch with rocking chairs for porch sitting and a deck with a hot tub and grill. The cabin would be perfect for a group of couples or any group of friends.

Porch sitting at it’s best!

Tent camping looked like a lot of fun… I even hear the showers were nice.

Platform tenting is genius in my opinion.

• #1 great use of the hill side
• #2 avoid tent set up and couples feuds over how to do it!

River Expeditions base camp is right outside Fayetteville, a historic little town that reminds me of a hippy Yellow Springs in the mountains. We headed into town for dinner, choosing Dirty Ernie’s for BBQ, and then onto sightseeing. The New River Bridge is a sight to see!

Vicki and I got up early to enjoy breakfast at the Cathedral Cafe in Fayetteville.  Thanks Vicki for the pic of me!  I love this coffee house, with a creative hippy vibe and huge stained glass windows from it’s past life as a church. Their Cheddar Jack Omelet was just what I needed before my big adventure. However, I began to feel a little more nervous when I noticed that I was in the land of tattoos and no body fat. These fabulously fit people made me wonder if I was fit enough for a white water adventure? My insecurities didn’t help, but I’m not one to back down from an adventure.

All the guides are a perfect mix of crazy fun and safety minded professionalism.  Marcus, our trip leader, leaned on the crazy fun side. I knew we were in for a fun day. I suspect that River Expeditions hand picked Brad to be our guide for the day, a veteran of the river and guiding adventures. He had his hands full with us girls. We couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to be matched with for the day, a group from Ohio who were just as fun loving as we are. After going through all the safety lessons and learning the rowing commands, I was ready to get this party started.

River Expedition photo

Adrenaline pumping, we charged our first rapid. Yep, my face tells the story. In all the pictures my smile is a mile long. I’m surprised that I didn’t drown from taking in the river while laughing hysterically. I don’t remember a single rapid that scared me, which could be a result of Brad making it look easy. He knows the river!

A few times throughout the day we got to hear stories of Brad’s adventurous lifestyle. He has seen so many cool places and trekked through America’s beautifully rugged places. The combination of having my first real outdoor adventure and listening to Brad’s stories left me with a desire to jump outside my comfort zone more and experience life!

The day was filled with creating great stories of our own and the first prank of the day was on me. First off, Brad made a point of telling us to make sure you go in feet first out of the raft if you plan to get into the water. Lindsey took advantage of the first chance to jump in, while I stayed in. Helping Lindsey back into the boat went something like this…

Lindsey: Would you be mad if I pulled you in?
Tiff: Yes, I’d be pissed

I finally pulled Lindsey safely in, which is not so easy to do, and slapped her on the butt for the fun of it. Don’t ask why. I don’t know.  As we turned to take our seats and continue down the river she tackled me into the water backwards, HEAD FIRST.

My first response: Lindsey he said FEET FIRST!

Watching the video later, Vicki observed how ironic that a rule would be the first thing to come to my mind. She never remembers me following the rules. Yes, rules are to be observed when it serves me.

We had several fun times throughout the day. Jumping off a 30 foot rock was not my idea of fun, but Janice attempted it. After several tries, she finally went off and unfortunately landed chest first, hard to explain. Poor Brad thought he might have the only casualty at the rock. Another really fun part of the trip was Josh “riding the bull.” Josh was brave enough to sit on the front of the boat going through the last rapids. I may volunteer for that one next time.

Returning to the River Expeditions base camp, we cleaned up and joined the rafters and guides at the Red Dog River Saloon to see our trip videos and scarfed down a steak dinner at River Expedition’s restaurant.  (PS… you’d have to read the Blogges to understand why we thought the Rooster was so funny!)  Exhausted, we enjoyed the rest of the evening hanging out with our new friends at our luxurious cabin. Janice’s video footage of the day had us in tears laughing.

All the way home we reminisced about our very amusing adventure. I realized that for a whole weekend I didn’t think about the worries of life or anything important. It was simply a weekend of getting outside my comfort zone and laughing at myself.

I’ve added a few more items to my bucket list. I now feel comfortable to do the next level. I would love to return to River Expeditions for the Gauley or Bridge Day. You will never see me jumping off the bridge, but would love to witness it and celebrate the season at their after-party at the Red Dog River Saloon.

Doing Life!, Travel adventure, Cathedral Cafe, Dirty Ernie's, experience life, lifestyle, outdoor adventures, River Expeditions, Tiffany Eckhardt, Weekend Retweat, White Water Rafting

Destination:  The Inn at Versailles

The Weekend ReTweat ladies hit the road this weekend!  I am fortunate to be spending another weekend with these talented ladies as we discover another fabulous destination in Western Ohio.

I am looking forward to exploring Darke County in western Ohio and staying at the Inn at Versailles.  Roy Brown, the general manager, has arranged for us to meet Michael Delligatta, the chef at Michael Anthony’s and tour the Inn’s farm.  Our agenda includes a trip to Greenville where we’ll visit the Kitchen Aide store and the signature shopping of this quaint little town.

As we collect unforgettable experiences, the Weekend ReTweaters love to share all the details with you!  If you haven’t yet, please “like” us on Facebook.  We’ll be posting updates on Facebook, Twitter @WeekendReTweat, Foursquare, Yelp, etc.  It is the mission of Weekend ReTweat to discover new get aways and spread the word using social media.

So… stayed tuned!

Have you been to the Inn at Versailles?  Do you love spending the day in western Ohio?  Please share your experiences in the comments section!   I love to swap stories.

Where ever you find yourself this weekend… hope it’s full of discovery and good times!

Travel Darke County, Inn at Versailles, Ohio, rural community-based tourism, Tiffany Eckhardt, tourism, travel, Weekend Retweat

I have created focus boards for years … you know the corny imagery that motivational gurus love to encourage?

Call me corny or a hopeless dreamer… I’m here to report that focus boards work!  For over ten years, my focus boards have pointed me in the direction of my dreams.  Recently I decided to create a new focus board, which inspired me to take a look at all my past boards to reminisce.  My corny motivational projects are now proof to me that dreams come true!

The Fall of 2000

When Jeff and I were home educating our children,  we were hoping to inspire our children to dream big, have a thirst for learning and instill a wander lust for our big world.  Looking at this focus board makes me giggle.  I always thought the big house and fancy cars would make me happy.  Turns out that the trips we took and the memories created were more precious than any home we were working hard to provide.  I am grateful that we took the kids to the Caribbean, Washington DC, New York City, camping trips, trips to Texas and just about every museum in the state of Ohio.  Our daughter spent a summer in Panama.  Our son spent a summer in Italy and Spain.  These are unforgettable experiences for them!

Focus for a successful career

When I was a Realtor, I had big dreams of building a team and being top in sales.  I loved looking at a picture of Stilletos propped up on a fancy desk and imagined a highly powerful career in real estate.  I did have some professional accomplishments to be proud of.  However, I am most thrilled about the experiences that my focus board motivated me to try.  Jeff and I had so much fun on a Harley Davidson we bought, putting 32,000 miles on the Harley in about a year!  I got in the best shape of my life and was running.  (that didn’t last)  For the first time I allowed myself to dream of traveling the world, with no idea how these journeys would ever take shape.  I just kept looking at images of all the exotic places I had in mind.  It’s amazing how many dreams have been realized from this one board.

Finding my “muse”

When I left my career as a Realtor, I definitely needed motivation.  I read a lot of travel blogs at the time and knew I had to set out on an adventure.  One day I came across a quote by Rolf Potts, “travel isn’t expensive, maintaining stuff is.”   So I listed my car on Craig’s list and sold it within a week.  Using the money from my car, I started to plan an adventure.  I chose to go to Costa Rica on a RealGap trip to learn Spanish and live with a host family.  If you look closely at my real estate focus board, you’ll see a montage of pictures of a girl having an adventure in Costa Rica.  Funny!  This wasn’t planned when I did my focus board for my real estate office. Now I have a wonderful family in Costa Rica that I keep in touch with on Facebook.  I will always cherish that adventure!

What I needed most after returning from Costa Rica was quotes to assist in “Finding My Muse.”

“In every real person, the will for life is also the will for joy” ~ Kari Barth.

And one of my favorites:

“Figure out which direction you want to go, but don’t be afraid to be creative with that direction… you have to go with the flow because you never know where it will take you.  Just don’t expect things to happen overnight” ~ Anne Marie Craig.

Travel full time?

The next focus board reflected a shift to pursuing travel full-time.  While travel is not a new pursuit, I decided to pursue a business in the travel industry.  Deep down I just knew it was the direction that I needed to point myself.  While I was pressing into the various travel related projects and working with social media, I looked at my focus board for inspiration.   I am very proud of the direction Weekend ReTweat is taking!  I believe success will eventually come from focusing on the direction I want to go and pressing into various opportunities that present themselves.

When I created my focus board for my real estate office, I couldn’t imagine ever realizing a dream trip to Italy.  After saving my money for a long time, Jeff and I finally took that dream trip!   I used to daydream about Europe while looking at a picture of a lady standing on a balcony overlooking an European city.  I had cut her out of a magazine and posted it to my focus board in the real estate office.  While in Naples, Jeff shot this picture me, yet another image of my focus board came to life… YEARS LATER.

Living the dream….

Every once in a while I need a fresh outlook.  I decided to create a new focus board with a slight shift in focus.  I will inevitably be traveling.  I need to look and feel good for all my future travel adventures!  I have made several attempts at conquering my fitness without much success.  However, I’ve learned that if I keep focusing on my dreams I will eventually realize them.  Day in and day out I will be reminded of all the great adventures that lie ahead and the need to be fit while experiencing the joys of life!

Here’s a quote from my new board:

“Her favorite story is the one she’s living right now”

Lessons from the focus board….

1. Dreams Come True!
2. Images from a focus board come to life &  focusing on them gives direction to press into
3. Don’t expect them to happen overnight… just keep pressing into opportunities that come your way!

Trust me!  Dreams do come true!!!  What’s on your focus board?  If you are inspired to create one… I’d love to see it when your done.  Please share a picture with me on my Facebook page and leave a comment here!!!!  Let’s inspire each other.

Doing Life!, Travel Costa Rica, dreams, family travel, Focus Board, inspiration, Italy, Jeff Eckhardt, Motivation, Tiffany Eckhardt, tourism, travel, Weekend Retweat

Where has Tiff been since Italy?

Good question…. I’ve been exploring my creative side and finding new ways to express my passion for travel.

I waisted about a week feeling sorry for myself when we returned from Italy.  Oh… how I love Italy!  I used jet-lag as an excuse, but in reality was feeling a little lost with out a dream to pursue.  I am deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to travel to Italy.  It was definitely a dream come true!!!  However, I’m not crazy about defining it as “a trip of a lifetime”.  I love travel so much that I can’t imagine only making a trip like that once in my life.  Paul Kurtz, a friend and fellow traveler, told me that the trip of a lifetime will only come when we go to heaven, which put my wander lust into perspective and gave me permission to dream up another adventure.

One problem always stands in the way of travel for me.  Money.  So, I decided to take inventory and focus on generating an income from the things I love.

Tiffany Eckhardt ~ traveler.writer.photographer

My first project: set up an Etsy shop to sell prints from my travels.  I have always loved photography and have taken photos in New Orleans, Memphis, Clarksdale, Austin, Texas, Washington DC and now Italy.  Why not share my passion for travel and promote my favorite destinations through photographs taken along my journey?

I enlisted the help from my friend Michele Savoldi at Columbus ImPRessions.  Michele created a new logo, business cards, banner for my Etsy store and postcards using my photos.  We refined my branding message into “traveler.writer.photographer”, encompassing my passion to promote travel through various blogs and social media platforms, making videos and photography.

On Friday May 6th the The Green Owl in Urbana, Oh will display my “bicycle and other unique rides” prints during their First Friday event.  In celebration of bicycle month, I have put together my bicycle prints from New Orleans, Italy, Clarksdale and even my own back yard.  In the month of July my Italian prints will be displayed at The Depot Coffeehouse, also in Urbana, Oh.  I am really excited to launch my new venture with two really exciting exhibits.

Weekend ReTweat

In the past month Weekend ReTweat has retweated The Cherry Valley Lodge and The Glass House, with two upcoming adventures scheduled.  We continue to have a great time promoting B&Bs, Inns and retreats using our collective social media platforms and are branching out to promote area attractions as well.  The trip to The Glass House included a canopy tour at Hocking Hills Canopy Tours and a hike led by Robb Landon.  Check out our Facebook Page for all the pics, videos and articles written about our trips!

The newest development for Weekend ReTweat: a partnership with The Tristate Roadtrip!  We will be offering ReTweats to destinations within the five county corridor.  I will be working for The Tristate Roadtrip developing their social media presence, creating videos for their destinations and improving the business listings on their website; another real exciting opportunity for me!  I love meeting with Linda Linham from Tristateroadtrip!  We have so many ideas for this project.

Ideas & projects ~ where will they take me?!

I have a few other miscellaneous projects…  I am currently developing a social media strategy for a local small business.  I was asked to help produce a short film… uncharted territory for me!  I am also helping with Team Zoe, mainly with the Facebook page and marketing Zoe Fest. Zoe is a nine year old girl with a rare brain tumor (DIPG).  It has been sad to watch her go through treatment, but rewarding to use my skills for good and definitely a reminder how precious life is.

I want to pursue ideas for a travel book, produce more travel videos and develop more partnerships in the travel industry.  I don’t know where in the world these ideas will take me or what is around the corner, but the journey is good!  I can only hope it leads to more travel, exploring the world God created and developing new friendships worldwide.  I am ready to dream up another adventure!  Where in the world should I go next? Leave a comment if you have a suggestion.

Life is a journey, come travel with me!

Doing Life! Cherry Valley Lodge, Columbus ImPRessions, Etsy, Hocking Hills Canopy Tour, Italy, Michele Savoldi, Team Zoe, The Depot Coffee house, The Glass House, The Green Owl, Tiffany Eckahardt, Tristate Roadtrip, Weekend Retweat, Zoe Fest

As of today:  50 Days and counting!

Michele Savoldi of Columbus ImPRessions, Shannon McGill of Shan’s Fitness and I have been working hard organizing the first ever retreat with the ReTweaters and are excited to release the  itinerary for the upcoming Weekend ReTweat Spring Fitness Retreat.  The itinerary is packed with invigorating and rejuvenating fitness activities led by Shannon, while leaving room for indulging in a spa treatment (extra cost) or just hanging out with your friends.

I’m excited to be apart of the Weekend ReTweat team planning this spring adventure.  Organizing trips marries my love of travel and my love for event planning.  Working with Michele and Shannon, along with the staff at the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls has been delightful!

And… as you may know, I could always use a little push when it comes to fitness.

Hope you are able to join us!  I am confident you will fall in love with the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls and will return to the routine of life renewed.

For complete details and to register visit:  http://springfitnessretreat.eventbrite.com/

Promoting My favorite places, Travel Columbus ImPRessions, event planning, fitness, getaways, Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls, latin dance, Michele Savoldi, Retreat, Shannon McGill, Shans Fitness, Tiffany Eckhardt, travel, Weekend Retweat, wine tasting, yoga

The problem that angers you the most is a key to the problem you were created to solve.

~Mike Murdock

I have been on a roller coaster ride lately, encountering people who spark enthusiasm and a situation that honestly got me hopping mad.

I am having a complete blast working with clients like Shannon McGill of Shan’s Fitness.  She is rocking Social Media PR and continually shows her appreciation.  I also had the opportunity to promote an upcoming event, the Historic Downtown Urbana Open House. I really feel like I was created to promote and am a genius at making money for other people.

Recently, I had the privilege of meeting Nicolette Pizzitola at the Meet, Plan, Go seminar in Washington DC.  Nicolette lights up a room with her enthusiasm for life and stole the show in DC!  I was totally inspired by her stories of living in Italy and feel blessed that she crossed my path.  Last week I had a Skype chat with her and was encouraged in regards to Weekend Retweat. Today Nicolette posted a quote on her Facebook page that stopped me in my tracks.

As a rule, adversity reveals genius and prosperity hides it. ~Horace

I love my appreciative clients and inspiring friends that gently and enthusiastically encourage me to pursue my dreams.  I need all the encouragement I can get!

However, I am learning that the difficult people and circumstances present unique opportunities that may not come naturally to me.

Without going into details, I worked myself into a good mad about a situation the past few weeks.  Do you know what it is like to be worked into a good mad?  I replayed the situation in my head a hundred times and wanted to tell the whole world how stupid I thought the situation was.  I don’t think words can express how worked up I was.

It wasn’t until I had enough of the bad emotions and calmed myself down that I had an epiphany.  An unexpected idea popped in my head that has potential to be a clue to what I am created to solve.  Out of the adversity a truly exciting project has presented itself to me that could be an ideal career path.

The next time a good mad creeps up on me I hope to have the clarity of mind to remember that adversity and anger are indicators of potential opportunity and genius.

Doing Life! Discoveries, Historic Downtown Urbana Open House, Nicolette Pizzitola, Opportunities, Shans Fitness, Tiffany Eckhardt, Weekend Retweat

Traveling to New Orleans… counting down the days.

I can’t believe it has been five years since Katrina.  It just seems like yesterday when Jeff and I flew there to surprise Paul, my father in-law, for his 60th Birthday.  It was a lot of fun, until I freaked out.  I did not handle it very well when I realized that I was about to experience my first hurricane.  However, the horrible ordeal did not keep me from returning.  In fact, we’ve returned every year since then (sometimes couple times a year).

In a couple weeks we’ll be heading back to celebrate Paul’s life and the revitalizing spirit of New Orleans.  The spirit and fortitude of this community is inspiring.  The citizens of New Orleans recently suffered another set back with the oil spill.  I think their word should be RESILIENT.  Maybe that is why I have a soft spot for this city.

Cajun cuisine!

You have to wear a bib to eat this dish!

Our first stop is always Desire Oyster Bar.  Hopefully we’ll see our waitress Teresa.  She treats us like family she hasn’t seen in years.  I imagine that is the kind of treatment everyone gets from her.  I have yet to try the oysters.  (SHH… don’t tell Paul)  There are just too many great restaurants in New Orleans to mention them all.  One tradition we have yet to break is eating at Pascal’s Manale for dinner.  It is located in the Garden District just down the road from where Paul grew up.  I love their BBQ shrimp, which has nothing to do with bar-b-queing.  It is a bowl of the biggest shrimp ever floating in a butter mixture that is to die for!  There will be plenty of french bread for dipping and bread pudding for desert!  MMM!

The Music!

A paddle that was used for my Birthday spanking

I love the zydeco and jazz music that fills the streets.  One of my favorite things to do is play the washboard with Timmy at Tropical Isle.  Last year there was a fire at Tropical Isle, so we spent our time at the Ole Opera House listening to The Bonoffs and twirling on a pole.  (don’t ask)   The last memory of Tropical Isle was on my 39th Birthday.  I have a cool souvenir from that trip.

The Art and Architecture

Art inspired by Katrina

I have yet to make it to Europe.  New Orleans architecture reminds me of what I might see one day.  Jackson Square always takes my breath away.  The artists that fill the streets are amazing too.  One of my most cherished pieces of art I bought from an artist in Jackson Square.

Artwork inspired by Katrina is along the river walkway, where you’ll find a series of small buses that were painted to reflect the resilient spirit of New Orleans.  Life is a journey that takes unexpected turns.  I have so many memories of New Orleans.  One memory that felt as if was a ride of a lifetime and many other memories that were pure fun!  I’m excited to head on back.

Stayed tuned at www.weekendretweat.com  I’ll be writing about this year’s trip there under Independent Travel.

Let me know if you ever want to take the trip!  There is still time to join us this year.  However, I am always open to going back.  I’ve always dreamed of taking a group there to share all my favorite spots.

Travel Cajun Cuisine, Desire, Hotel Monteleone, jazz, New Orleans, Ole Opera House, Pascal's Manale, Resilient, Tiffany Eckhardt, Tropical Isle, Weekend Retweat, Zydeco

A true vacation is a chance to relax….

A true vacation is a chance to relax and to escape everyday life by retreating to a place in the woods or a lovely secluded beach; even if it is for only one night. Recently, the Weekend Retweaters’ were invited to stay at the Inn & Spa At Cedar Falls. Michele Savoldi, Rose Landon and I were thrilled to have this opportunity to retreat from our hectic lives and be pampered at the Inn.

A short senic drive from Columbus, Ohio; The Inn & Spa At Cedar Falls is located south of Columbus in Hocking Hills. Hocking Hills is a special place for me. Some of my earliest memories are of camping at “old man in the cage”; at least that is what I called it. I loved Old Man’s Cave, despite the fact that I really believed there was an old man living in the “cage”. As a teenager, I went with a youth group to Geneva Hills regularly and took my first independent road trip with my friends to Hocking Hills. My husband and I have taken road trips on our Harley there just to get away and a couple years ago celebrated our anniversary at The Inn & Spa At Cedar Falls. Hocking Hills is an ideal getaway spot for both adventure and relaxation.

Life is enough of an adventure at times. I was looking forward to a relaxing getaway.

The first impression of The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls is simply inviting. The landscaping is just gorgeous! There is plenty of outdoor seating that seem to say, “relax and sit for a while.” The outstanding staff welcomed us with an impressive attention to details. Checking into the Hickory Hollow Cabin was yet another confirmation that this would be a retreat in the woods, a true vacation.

After I checked into our cabin, I headed straight for the Spa. I had a message appointment with Randall Wellman, spa manager. The Spa is in a former cabin tucked in the woods and offers a variety of treatments that all sound fabulous. The view of the woods from the message room is so peaceful. I felt as if I was getting a message out in nature. It was the perfect start to the retreat! Randall told me that they do spa treatments for couples, mother/daughters and girls getaways. I will be back!

Michele, Rose and I had a great time hanging out at the cabin and exploring the grounds. When we arrived at the restaurant for our dinner reservations, it was filled with couples having romantic dinners and groups enjoying each other’s company. We watched an older couple holding hands as they sat and talked on the deck outside the window by our table. It was fun to imagine our own version of their story. The Executive Chef, Anthony Schultz has prepared an incredible menu. The food is amazing! I had the Fennel & Cardamom Rubbed Salmon, served with linguine and cheesecake for desert. Michele and Rose both had incredible looking dishes. Pleasantly filled from dinner, we welcomed a walk back to the cabin.

The next morning we enjoyed the morning with coffee on the back deck. The deck is built up and feels like a tree house in the woods. Still thinking about dinner the night before, we headed back to the restaurant for breakfast. I loved the homemade granola, fresh fruit and pancakes served with an orange butter. It was fabulous!

After breakfast we had the chance to chat with the Innkeepers, Ellen and Terry. As always, one of my favorite parts of travel is the people you meet! I love their story. Ellen’s mother, Anne Castle had a dream and vision for the Inn & Spa At Cedar Falls. Ellen and Terry met and fell in love working towards Anne’s dream. Eventually, the couple took over operating the Inn, which became a wonderful lifestyle to raise their family in. It was really fun to listen to their commitment to the growth and development of their business. They recently added a beautifully designed meeting facility. Once again, I was impressed with the attention to detail. Ellen and Terry seem to work so well together. Ellen is committed to their mission and vision, while Terry is diligent at using green methods in building.

As I checked out that morning, I was already planning my next retreat from life. I love the atmosphere, the food, the pampering, the people and the service. I want to return with my husband, my friends and my family. I think everyone needs a true vacation from time to time.

To learn more about our trip visit:

www.facebook.com/retreat

Promoting My favorite places, Travel event planning, getaways, Hocking Hills, Inn At Cedar Falls, meeting, message, Michele Savoldi, pamper, rejuvenation, relaxation, resort, Retreat, Rose Lake, Rose Landon, spa, Tiffany Eckhardt, travel, Weekend Retweat

Well it is here… my big 40th Bday. 

And.. turns out it is no big deal.

Getting out and enjoying life

I had the lofty goal of being a size 6 for my 40th bday.  Well… that goal came and went. I’m not giving up on my health,  just refusing to stress about it in terms of my identity. 

What has become important to me is falling into my niche and having fun with my family and friends.  God is good and life is great!!!!

Time to get out and enjoy LIFE!

Social Media News…

Social Media has become a passion of mine (or obsession).  I am born to promote!  Lately I have been managing the social media for The Hall Company.  We now have a Facebook Fan Page and Twitter account @thehallco.  Marketing with social media is completely naturally to me and doesn’t seem like work.  After reading Linchpin, I decided not to take “no” for an answer.  After I finally sat down with my manager to explain how it all works, a light went off in his head.  He totally got it!  He said, “I feel like my parents do when I try to talk to them about computers.”   The other day he said to me in passing, “Tiffany, what ever you are doing, keep doing it.  It is working.”  Music to my ears!

The next big thing in Social Media for me is Weekend Retweat… a dream realised!  At a friend’s  party, I had a discussion with Amanda Cooper, owner of the Hopkins House B&Bin Mechanicsburg, OH.  Like a lot of businesses owners, Amanda was struggling with social media and finding time to implement it.  I offered to organize a group of social media mavens to help her promote her B&B.  Michele Savoldi, Kelly Gingery, Cheryl Harrison, Rose Landon and myself stayed at her B&B in exchange for our collective social media efforts.  It was a win win for everyone!   Weekend Retweat was created during our stay there.  Cheryl brilliantly came up with the name (even before breakfast) and Michele developed the logo.  With these two ingredients, Cheryl got busy creating our Facebook Fan Page and a Twitter account.  We already have our next destination and excited business owners!  I love how it all came about!

I have also spoken to several local small businesses and even a musician about helping them with their social media efforts.  I really enjoy using my gifts to help people!

40 is just a number…

Taking a lesson from my 90yr. young Grandma….  She has always told me that you are only as old as you feel. 

The “icing on the cake” this year is the fun I am having with my family.  This new season is allowing us to really get out and enjoy life together!  

I may be 40, but I feel BLESSSED!!!!

Doing Life! 40th birthday, @thehallco, @weekendretweat, Amanda Cooper, Cheryl Harrison, Hopkins House B&B, Kelly Gingery, Michele Savoldi, Rose Landon, Socail Media, The Hall Company, Tiffany Eckhardt, Weekend Retweat