Rock Stacking In Galveston Texas

We went on a four day trip to Galveston Texas just to get away and as we were driving along the beach we started to see rock stack along this rock wall on the beach so we stopped. for what I understand stacking rocks have many different meanings such as success, happiness, health, marking trails for hikers. but below are 2 opinions and who really know all the truth on rock stacking. I have spent an hour looking and reading about rock stacking. personally I'll call it art however with anything that has folklore attached to it with multiple races attached to it in one form or another must also have some truth to it. It you know the truth it would be cool to know. So here are some photos of the rocks stack at the beach in Galveston Texas and if your ever there stack some. and in between well be to different meanings. enjoy.

First Possible Answer:

The Jewish Encyclopedia tells us that the worship of sacred stones constituted one of the most general and ancient forms of religion, but among no other people was this worship so important as among the Semites.

Sacred stones are mentioned with great frequency in the Old Testament. In Genesis 12:8, Abraham had pitched his tent to the east of Bethel and built an altar of rocks. Later, his grandson Jacob slept in a certain place and dreamed of a ladder going up to heaven then he named that place Bethel. Jacob used a rock for a pillow and after waking stacked it on a stone pillar and poured oil on it.

It has long been known that there was a West Semitic deity named Bethel, associated with the veneration of sacred stones. The Catholic scholar Bruce Vawter says that Genesis 31:13 should be read as "I am the god Bethel" ('El Bet'el). although it is commonly translated (incorrectly) as "'I am the god of Bethel". So, stacking rocks has a spiritual meaning associated with the Semitic worship of sacred stones and, in many cases, with the god Bethel.

A PYRAMID

Second Possible Answer:

Rocks are about time, a record of the planet's geological history, of forces deep within the earth thrusting up, cooling, shattering, eroding. The slowness of the metamorphosis relative to brief human life has made rocks symbols of strength, solidity, and permanence. All human endeavor rests on stone; even when we break away to sail or fly, we soon return to bedrock. Stone has been used by artists and artisans who value permanence. Yet it also has properties that make it suitable for temporary shoreline installations. Rocks can be piled, stacked, arranged, and balanced.

THE ROCKS WE STACKED

     Me and my wife are not rock stackers we just wanted to do one to so we did, and besides if it gives, luck, happiness, success, health we win and if not we just enjoyed ourselves doing something different. That what it is all about experiencing new things on a regular basis no matter how different they may be. So stack a rock, or two, or three, or four, etc.

Galveston Texas Trip december 2012

        The trip to Galveston Texas was just a 4 hour 4 day get away from the normal routine. We decided to stay at two places and one being Silverleafs Seaside Resort and the other was Four Points Hotel on the ocean. We went to several things in Galveston area such as Seawolf Park which had the USS Gavalla a WWII Submarine and the USS Steawrt a Destroyer of WWII also. We went to the Pleasure Pier and had dinner at the Bubba Gump Srimp restaurant. A couple of restaurants we tried while there are Kellys off of I-45 coming into Galveston and the Shy Katz Deli in Galveston, and I will describe everything so if you want to take a little get away to Galveston Texas you might have some what of a clue.
        For any place that has a beach in December that is a tourist area is not that busy as if it is during the summer time. I only say about 15 people swimming the whole 4 days we were there. During the summer it would be backed and there would be swim suits everywhere. The area was steady with locals and tourist but not congested with people from all over the country like the summer is so if you want less people go in the winter.

        Now lets start with where we stayed, me and my wife decided to try two places one being the Silverleaf Resorts Seaside Resort and the Four Points Hotel seen below. The Seaside Resort is a nice place if you have children and its not a torcher chamber the reason I say this the kids can play at the recreation center and outside, and at night your room has a lock so the kids don't walk in. You have a kitchen so you can eat inn and save money, if you have a descent size family like we did when our kids were growing up. We save a lot of money this way so we could see and do more with our family. We were in a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, kitchen, dinning, and living room with a balcony. I was more than enough room for me and my wife but we had a friend stay the night since he was in town and we just hung out. The resort is quiet and about 13 miles from anything major how ever the ocean is right across the road and its just a short walk to the beach and right now it's the only handy cap accessible walkway to the beach in Galveston Texas.

Silverleaf Seaside Resort

        The beds at the Seaside Resort we comfortable and we had no problem sleeping. Now I don't know if they were comfortable or we were just tired, It was one of the two. Basically the bad this about the resort is you are 13 miles from the main activity however if you have children its not that bad and you are in a resort community which is nice also. Along with the recreation center you have miniature golf and you can even check board games out on the rainy days while you are there so they have something to do.
        The Four Points Hotel was different but nice and if you have children it is a torcher chamber just because its a standard hotel room however the room is a modern style design and the beds are very comfortable with a pillow top. The hotel offered free internet and breakfast does not come with your stay. If you want a microwave or small refrigerator you can rent them for an extra $10.00 US a day. The hotel has a pool, bar, and restaurant located in the lobby area to the right as you walk in. It's also right across the road from the Pleasure Pier. The coolest thing about where we stayed we purchased them through out travel club membership that we have and we are even going to make a commission on our own booking. So if you want information on how that works, click on the link to a DREAMTRIPSLIFE site and watch the video.

Four Points Hotel

        Let get to the food a the Pleasure Pier at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. The food was pretty standard at the Bubba Gump and if you are looking for Gulf shrimp don't go there because all there shrimp is from a shrimp farm and believe me its a different taste and not in a good way. I would ratter have gone to the Shrimp N Stuff instead. However the food was still good but the bear battered fish was great we would have that again but forget the shrimp. The liquor drinks are tasty and reasonable in price.

        The Pleasure Pier In Galveston Texas is nice but for some it could be pricey however there may be a reason for this is simply helps control who wants to be there on the pier instead of who wants to hang out. The pricing is below and here is the link to the pricing at the pleasure pier.

All Day Ride Pass

This is the pass to have! Ride as many times as you want throughout the day! Valid for all 16 rides. Based on height requirements.
$26.99 (48" and up)
$19.99 (under 48")
You do not need to purchase a Pier Walk-On Pass if you choose this option. Good for day of purchase only. Children 2 and under are admitted onto the pier at no cost. Every guest must purchase a ticket/wristband to ride one of our rides including children under the age of 2.

Family All Day Ride Packs

$89.99 - Two passes (48" and up) and Two passes (under 48")
$94.99 - Three Passes (48" and up) and One Pass (under 48")
$99.99 - Four Passes (48" and up)
Additional passes must be purchased at regular price.

Individual Ride Ticket

Tickets start at $4.00 per ticket.*
*Requires Pier Walk-On Pass to gain access to Pier

Pier Pass (Walk-On)

You will need a Pier Pass in order to gain admittance to the Pleasure Pier. The Pier Pass only allows you to enjoy the Pier, but NOT to experience the rides. If you're on the Pier and decide to join in on the fun, you can upgrade to an "All Day Ride Pass" by paying the remaining difference ($16.99 48" and up and $13.99 under 48") – or you can buy individual ride tickets inside at our ticket windows. If you are purchasing an All Day Ride Pass wristband, this pass is not necessary.
$10 (48" and up)
$8 (under 48")
$7 Senior Citizens (must show valid I.D.)

         We also had breakfast at a place called Shy Katz Deli right off the boulevard in Galveston. Lets just say it was great and the portions of food were more than enough as you can see to the left. The restaurant appears to be an old reclaimed corner neighborhood grocery store as you can see below. Don't let the exterior of the building fool you, the food there is fantastic and if your ever in Galveston Texas and wanting breakfast or lunch go there we went there two of the days we were staying. You and your family will thank me and my wife. Besides its helping the local business instead of the large franchise corporations.

 

        Lets talk about one more place called Kelley's Home Cooking. The food at Kelly's is truly home cooking and about as close as you will get for a restaurant. the one we ate at was right off I-45 heading into Galveston located at the address below. If you like chicken fried steak go to Kelley's, if you like home made mash potatoes go to Kelley's, If you like baked potatoes GO to Kelley's. Pretty much if you haven't figure it out GO TO KELLEY'S. The food is great so check it out, and you will be full when you leave maybe a little to full.

4604 Gulf Frwy. @ F.M. 1765
LaMarque, Texas 77568
409.935.3131
Fax: 409.935.2113
Click For Map

Lone Star Flight Museum

        The Lone Star Flight Museum was pretty cool. We started out by getting 50% off to get in because the

travel club we are apart of had a 2 for 1 discount coupon seen above that we could use anytime. So we printed it out. There were several others coupons we could have used in Galveston, but we go down there a couple times a year and I can write about those places next time. You see the discount coupons are not just for things such as this. Their are so many other places such as museums, movie ticket, food, oil changes, gyms, hair salons, shopping, and much much more. Its a great right now value, other than the travel we are able to do. We have never been here and it was pretty cool and we found out that all the aircraft in the hanger works and they fly them every Saturday. They fly PT-17 Stearman Bi-plan, T-41 Muscaler, T-6, P-51 Mustang, B-52 Bomber, and the B-17 Flying Cross Bomber. They all cost to fly with the instructor and the prices for the experience is valued right. You can go to the Lone Star Flight Museum and check out the prices and schedules

The  aircraft above is a modified Boeing PT-17 Stearman. Built in 1942 and was used as aprimary trainer in the US ARMY Air Force. The aircraft has been fitted with the more powerful R-985 engine rated at 450 HP.

This aircraft was featured in the film " Secondhand Lions" sharing top billing with Robert Duvall and Michael Caine. Flying Scenes were performed by on of the Lone Star Flight Museum pilots.

        There are so many aircraft in this museum that it is very impressive that they have them but more impressive is that they fly. As they acquire more aircraft to restore to fly you have to appreciate the love of aircraft that the men and women that volunteer at the flight museum and what it takes to make all this happen. So go to the flight museum and see the aircraft you and your children will enjoy yourself. We will go back again, because this helps to support the museum in the restoration and maintenance of the aircraft.

Seawolf Park

        Seawolf Park commemorates US naval history with the USS Cavalla, a World War II submarine which memorializes the lost USS Seawolf, and the USS Stewart, a destroyer escort, both of which are open for visitors to tour. The park is situated on Pelican Island, located between Galveston Island and the mainland. Other structures at the park include a 3-story pavilion, a lighted fishing pier and a playground. We all need to support our history. The money for the military vassals are mainly by the people that visit and donations. Maintenance is mostly done buy volunteers so go do your duty young and old and see what your fellow Americans from the passed used to protect the shores of this country. Do your duty and help preserve the history of the United States of America.

USS CAVALLA SS244 BUILT IN 1943

        The USS Cavalla is berthed in Seawolf Park, Galveston, Texas as a memorial to the lost submarine USS Seawolf. Cavalla was a Gato class fleet sub, designed and built in the summer of 1943 by the Electric Boat Company and launched on November 14, 1943. She was commissioned on Feb. 29, 1944, the first "leap year" boat built by E.B. On June 19, 1944, on her maiden patrol, she sank the 30,000 ton aircraft carrier Shokaku (veteran of Pearl Harbor and Battle of Coral Sea). This earned her the Presidential Unit Citation.

        After the war, the Cavalla was decommissioned in 1946. She was brought back to service in 1951 and assigned to the Submarine Squadron 10 in New London, Conn. To meet the Soviet threat, she underwent conversion in 1952 to a new class of American sub--the SSK (hunter/killer).

        On January 21, 1971, the U.S. Navy transferred possession of Cavalla to the Texas Submarine Veterans of WWII. The Cavalla was then delivered to her permanent berth in Seawolf Park, Galveston, Texas.

Gulf coast locals usually refer to the Cavalla as the "Seawolf", mistaking the name of the memorial park for that of the submarine on exhibit there. Next to her is the USS Stewart DE-238.

        Cavalla is currently enjoying a renaissance; volunteer efforts are at a ten year high, the local press has covered her history and renovation, and efforts are underway to bring her back to the proud state her crews maintained.

Cavalla Historical Foundation 2504 Church St. Galveston, TX 77550
Curator: Master Chief Petty Officer John McMichael, USN, ret. 409-744-7854

USS STEWART DESTROYER ESCORT 238 BUILT IN 1942

         USS Stewart began her service operating out of Miami as a "school ship" training student officers. She escorted President Roosevelt in the presidential yacht down the Potomac River to rendezvous with USS Iowa in the Chesapeake bay for his mission to Casablanca and Tehran. In 1944, she commenced North Atlantic convoy operations, making 30 crossings with occasional enemy submarine and aircraft encounters. Heavy seas and icing conditions were frequent.
         Stewart moved to the Pacific theater in mid 1945, and conducted training exercises out of Pearl Harbor until the end of the war. She was decommissioned in late 1945. In 1974, Stewart was formally donated to Seawolf Park. She is the second ship named for Rear Admiral Charles Stewart who commanded another ship in the historic naval fleet, USS Constitution, from 1813 to 1815.

        Overall it was a great time in Galveston Texas and if you want to know more about the travel club we are apart of go to DREAMTRIPSLIFE and watch the video. If you want to know how you can make money go to the opportunity and watch the video you will have to put your name, email and phone number to watch the video. All that will come from that is I will contact you and this is all you have to say, not interest, I'm interested or I have some questions very simple. So click on OPPORTUNITY and if you want to be notified of future trips just join this site for free and you will receive them as we travel.

ATLANTIS TRIP

Nassau Bahamas

     The trip to Atlantis in the Bahamas lets just say it was AWESOME.... Well me and my wife left from Dallas Texas to Miami Florida then Miami to Nassau on American Airlines the day before our arrival date so we could arrive in Atlantis by 9:00am and this was during the time when American Airlines is downsizing and restructuring the company. I have to say not one flight was delayed and all the staff were very professional even when the plane was over book in Miami Florida. The entire staff of American Airlines were great. This trip was purchased through our travel club that we are apart of and I'm so glad we are. I can honestly say that we saved 50% on this trip to Atlantis through our membership at tpwv.dreamtripslife.com.

     Our package was a 4 night 5 day staying at the Atlantis Beach Tower with transfers to and from the airport in Nassau. Breakfast and dinner was also included. We had access to all areas of Atlantis, and lets just say there is a lot to do and see and 5 days and we still did not see everything. We knew before we arrived that we would have to pay a 15% gratuity on all meals and liquor drinks were not included in the package that we had. However the drinks were very reasonable after we saw the amount of liquor that was in every drink and the average price was $10.00 US. Also there was a $400.00US room deposit required and we thought it was a lot however the young woman explained that everything in Atlantis was done through the room key and that included food, drinks, tips, gifts, excursions, etc. So really $400.00US isn't really that bad for a required room deposit.

     A little note before you leave make sure you contact and bank or credit card company's that you will be traveling and that you don't want you credit cards to be turned off. The reason I'm saying this is we actually did not contact our bank and credit card company's so Atlantis let us call all the company's we needed to and they did not charge us. Also make sure you have cash for tipping  the drivers, valet's, etc. and you will be fine.

The view from our room...Nice

     We arrived in Nassau at 9:00am and was at Atlantis by 10:00am and in the process of the check-in the young woman said we had a smoking room. We asked if there was any way to change our room because we are non-smokers so we went from the top floor to the 8th floor instead. We had no idea where are room would be facing until we got there and for the price I was expecting the greatest view. The picture to the right is our view from the balcony and it was awesome. We had a king size bed seen below. Our room was a basic room but still very nice. We didn't need a room that was large, it was just me and my wife and the only time we were in the room was to sleep other than that we were somewhere in Atlantis. 

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

     The bed however was perfect and I did sleep very well and so did my wife. If the bed was uncomfortable I'm sure my wife would have said something about it. The hardest thing about traveling is wondering if the bed you will be sleeping on is going to be good. If it's bad you are worn out by the end of your trip just wanting to go home. In this instance we wanted to stay and play more. I have been in places that the bed should have been good but I was miserable and a couple of times so bad I checked out and went somewhere else.

     The first night there we went to buffet and the food was really good for a buffet. There was fresh sushi, salad, deserts, chicken, roast beef, vegetables, mac and cheese, bread, really anything you would want and if you wanted Chinese, that was fresh due to stir-fry and it had to be cooked. I basically tried a little bit of everything. 

     The next day we found a restaurant that made a fresh breakfast and a that evening we found a restaurant that made everything fresh and it was good. Look at the pictures below and the caption below each picture describes the food. If you are not a member of the travel club I'm involved with make sure you purchase a meal plan for your trip. You will thank me after your first bill and if you don't purchase one don't die when yo get your first bill. The reason I say that is our first meal was $120.00 US for the buffet. Breakfast was an average $50.00 US daily for two people. Our second dinner was for one person and it was $185.00 US but the restaurant served the food family style with a lot of food so me and my wife shared the meal due to the amount they served us.

The Stir-fry at the buffet the first night

The buffet the first night

 

 

 

 

 

An average Breakfast

Crab cakes about 1.5 inches thick and good

 

 

 

       This crab cakes could have been a meal all buy themselves. they were probably the best crab cakes I every had in a restaurant. They had plenty of crab meat and very little breading. YUM YUM

 

38oz Porterhouse Steak and Mash Potatoes

 

 

 

 

 

     Now the Porter house steak on the right was great and it was a 38oz, let me say that again 38oz and that was a serving for one person. and the mash potatoes was probably a 5lb bag cooked. I'm being sarcastic of course but it was really good.

 

 

     Now onto the the the casino in Atlantis, lets just say we had a good time and like any other Casino on the planet expect not to win. So consider the money you loose as an entertainment expense. Now me and my wife are not heavy gamblers we would rather be doing something but after a long day of having fun. Messing with those One Arm Bandits was a little change to the day. We only used $200.00 US for entertainment fund. Yes we lost it all in the end, however 3 days of slot play at night isn't really bad. See here we are at it.

She will not say it but she loves the slots

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm having some fun to

 

 

       The next bit of photo's will be of the water park and everything in it. My wife just wanted to relax and I wanted to go play. and that's exactly what we did. We had fun together and when we both were by ourselves. There is a video on our YouTube page of the slides and let me say its difficult to hold a camera when your going down some of the slides but it was a blast. Click on the YouTube and check it out on my channel.

The Harbor area

The Cove Atlantis

The Beach Tower where we stayed

The pool by our building

I like this pool it's by the pyramid

The beach

The ocean and the beach

Beach

A chair that fits

The SHARKS are under this.

This is cool, you can see the sharks and all the fish

     The drinks at Atlantis were great and NOT watered down, so here are a couple of photos of our drinks that we had while on the trip.

A Goombay Smash

     The name say's it all, this drink was good and OMG Strong 3/4 of the drink was liquor and if your Interested in a strong tropical elixir that's not too strong and not too sweet? Then the Goombay Smash should be right up your alley. It’s got a good dose of liquor favoring on rum, its full of citrus juices to give you that island vibe, and after enough it will put you on your butt. The original recipe was allegedly created by Miss Emily at the Blue Bee Bar in New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, in the Bahamas. Like many rum drinks though, there are many variations on the recipe, and all claiming to be the original/real goombay smash. After hearing that Caribbean chain, Bahama Breeze was offering a new island drink menu including this one, I thought it would be fun to share here. So thought this may not be the same recipe you’ll get everywhere, it’s a great one to try. So here is The Goombay Smash recipe.

 

1 oz Dark Rum (or spiced)

1/2 oz 151 Rum (optional)

1 oz coconut rum

1/2 oz apricot brandy

2 oz pineapple juice

2 oz orange juice

Pineapple wedge

Orange slice

My wife having a good time...

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a great time and so much fun that I just can tell it all or this would be a novel but like I said we are a part of an exclusive travel club and it has had the craziest deals with a price guarantee to be the best trip at the best price and it is. Without the travel club we would have never went to Atlantis because of the price so check it out at tpwv.dreamtripslife. Now the Bartender says it all and if you ever get the chance to go to Atlantis trough the travel club I'm involved in go. If your not in the club well go ahead and pay retail instead of wholesale. If you want information contact at teamphoenixwv@hotmail.com and happy traveling.

 

  

Nine Things More Important Than Capital

I just had to share this, and I did not write this it came from Jim Rohn.

     When starting any enterprise or business, whether it is  full-time or part-time, we all know the value of having plenty of capital  (money). But I bet we both know or at least have heard of people who started  with no capital who went on to make fortunes. How? You may ask.
Well, I believe there are actually some things that are more  valuable than capital that can lead to your entrepreneurial success. Let me  give you the list.

1.  Time
     Time is more valuable than capital. The time you set aside  not to be wasted, not to be given away. Time you set aside to be invested in an  enterprise that brings value to the marketplace with the hope of making a  profit. Now we have capital time. How valuable is time? Time properly invested is worth a  fortune. Time wasted can be devastation. Time invested can perform miracles, so  you invest your time.

2.  Desperation
     I have a friend, Lydia, whose first major investment in her  new enterprise was desperation. She said, "My kids are hungry, I’ve gotta  make this work. If this doesn't work, what will I do?" So she invested $1  in her enterprise selling a product she believed in. The $1 was to buy a few  flyers so she could make a sale at retail, collect the money and then buy the  product wholesale to deliver back to the customer.
My friend Bill Bailey went to Chicago as a teenager after he  got out of high school. And the first job he got was as a night janitor.  Someone said, "Bill, why would you settle for night janitor?" He  said, "Malnutrition." You work at whatever you can possibly get when  you get hungry. You go to work somewhere—night janitor, it doesn't matter where  it is. Years later now, Bill is a recipient of the Horatio Alger award, rich  and powerful and one of the great examples of lifestyle that I know. But, his  first job—night janitor. Desperation can be a powerful incentive. When you say,  “I must.”

3.  Determination
     Determination says I will. First Lydia said, "I must  find a customer." Desperation. Second, she said, "I will find someone  before this first day is over." Sure enough, she found someone. She said,  "If it works once, it will work again." But then the next person  said, "No." Now what must you invest?

4.  Courage
     Courage is more valuable than capital. If you've only got $1  and a lot of courage, I'm telling you, you've got a good future ahead of you.  Courage in spite of the circumstances. Humans can do the most incredible things  no matter what happens. Haven't we heard the stories? There are some recent  ones from Kosovo that are some of the most classic, unbelievable stories of  being in the depths of hell and finally making it out. It's humans. You can't  sell humans short. Courage in spite of, not because of, but in spite of. Now  once Lydia has made 3 or 4 sales and gotten going, here's what now takes over.

5.  Ambition
  "Wow! If I can sell 3, I can sell 33. If I can sell 33,  I can sell 103." Wow. Lydia is now dazzled by her own dreams of the  future.

6.  Faith
     Now she begins to believe she's got a good product. This is  probably a good company. And she then starts to believe in herself. Lydia,  single mother, 2 kids, no job. "My gosh, I'm going to pull it off!"  Her self-esteem starts to soar. These are investments that are unmatched. Money  can't touch it. What if you had a million dollars and no faith? You'd be poor.  You wouldn't be rich. Now here is the next one, the reason why she's a  millionaire today.

7.  Ingenuity
     Putting your brains to work. Probably up until now, you've  put about 1/10 of your brainpower to work. What if you employed the other 9/10?  You can't believe what can happen. Humans can come up with the most intriguing  things to do. Ingenuity. What's ingenuity worth? A fortune. It is more valuable  than money. All you need is a $1 and plenty of ingenuity. Figuring out a way to  make it work, make it work, make it work.

8.  Heart and Soul
     What is a substitute for heart and soul? It's not money.  Money can't buy heart and soul. Heart and soul is more valuable than a million  dollars. A million dollars without heart and soul, you have no life. You are  ineffective. But, heart and soul is like the unseen magic that moves people,  moves people to buy, moves people to make decisions, moves people to act, moves  people to respond.

9.  Personality
     You've just got to spruce up and sharpen up your own  personality. You've got plenty of personality. Just get it developed to where  it is effective every day, effective no matter who you talk to, whether it is a  child or whether it is a business person, whether it is a rich person or a poor  person. A unique personality that is at home anywhere. One of my mentors, Bill  Bailey, taught me, "You've got to learn to be just as comfortable, Mr.  Rohn, whether it is in a little shack in Kentucky having a beer and watching  the fights with Winfred, my old friend or in a Georgian mansion in Washington,  DC as the Senator's guest." Move with ease whether it is with the rich or  whether it is with the poor. And it makes no difference to you who is rich or  who is poor. A chance to have a unique relationship with whomever. The kind of  personality that's comfortable. The kind of personality that's not bent out of  shape.

And lastly, let's not forget charisma and sophistication.  Charisma with a touch of humility. This entire list is more valuable than  money. With one dollar and the list I just gave you, the world is yours. It  belongs to you, whatever piece of it you desire whatever development you wish  for your life. I've given you the secret. Capital. The kind of capital that is  more valuable than money and that can secure your future and fortune. Remember  that you lack not the resources.

The 5 Myths of Sales Prospecting

Myth #1: Prospecting is sales.

This is the number one mistake made by small business owners and sales reps. Prospecting is a separate function from sales. Just as marketing is distinct from sales but closely linked.
Prospecting is simply discarding all the unqualified leads and retaining the "gold". The job of prospecting is to find qualified leads that may buy your product. Only after this process is complete, should the selling begin.

Myth #2: Prospecting is a numbers game.

The old school of prospecting for business relies on contacting large numbers of cold contacts. However, quality supersedes quantity. You must find prospects that have a propensity and possible motive to buy your product or services.
I know of a large financial powerhouse, who provided sales reps with contact lists for mortgage and investments. The only problem was most prospects lived in a low income area and were highly unlikely to buy any financial product.

Myth #3: Scripts are for kids.

Many sales people insist on prospecting without any script. Scripting provides the framework of a successful prospecting campaign. It allows you to test what key benefits and qualifying questions work. The script must be personalized by the individual so the presentation does not sound "canned".

Myth #4: Prospecting takes time.

Prospecting takes only a few minutes to determine if the lead wants your benefits and can afford your company's product or service. Don't waste time on people unmotivated or unable to buy. Remember to focus on the "gold".

Myth #5: Close them on the appointment.

Far too many sales reps focus on setting the appointment. "Would Friday morning or afternoon, be better for you?" Next week only 20% of appointments show. What went wrong?
Prospects will sometimes find it easier to agree to an appointment rather than saying they are not interested. If a prospect is remotely interested, then offer a much subtler approach...send them an information package. This allows you to build interest and turn the lead from warm to hot.
Sales prospecting done right can have a huge impact on your sales revenue. It doesn't take an armor suit and great courage to deal with the fear of rejection during prospecting. Just keep an open mind to challenge the old school of sales and the myths of prospecting.

Business Trip To Waco, Texas

Well I'm staying 5 days in Waco, Texas on a business trip for my current employer. The cool thing I booked my hotel through myself and my employer is paying for it but the best thing is I'm making money by booking the hotel through my own travel booking web-site. Now that is pretty cool I was able to keep it below the amount required by my employer. So if you’re interested on that idea that when you travel you book it through yourself instead of going a traditional travel site such as Expedia or Travelocity. I know they won't pay you when you book travel through them but we do. So here is the web-site to check out the video at dreamtripslife.

So here are some of the things I did here in Waco, Texas. I first checked into the Extended Stay Hotel. It was a nice hotel and it wasn’t very expensive at all. I was there for 5 days and it only cost me $250.00 including taxes. The room was a good size and it had a small kitchen with a two burner stove top. It was as good as a home kitchen but for the week it was no problem and if you had to stay longer it still would be fine and manageable. You can get a pretty good idea by the picture

My rental car was through Avis and the process of getting the car went pretty easy and painless. I was able to upgrade to a large vehicle instead of the economy size car that I booked. It was a smooth riding can and I'm glad I did. The ride from Dallas Texas to Waco Texas was only about 2 hours and it was smooth sailing all the way there and back. I only spent $75.00 on gasoline on the hole trip and the Mercury Grand Marquis was and awesome ride for that type of vehicle and that’s the car I was in. My average MPG was 28 for the Mercury Grand Marquis and in my opinion that was good. Besides $75.00 for gas for the week was nothing. I'm usually just over a $100.00 when I'm in the Dallas, Fort Worth area anyways.

didn't do much while I was there because I was pretty busy with business but I did go to 3 restaurants and a movie theater. The first night I didn't want to cook so I asked the front desk about any pizza joints that were good. He told me to go to Poppa Rollo's Pizza and let me say he was right, it was delicious. So if your ever in Waco, Texas and you want some good pizza go to Poppa Rollo's Pizza it's worth the trip. Another place I went was called Rudy's BBQ and if you’re in Texas you have to have Texas BBQ. Now Rudy's BBQ is a franchise however its nothing like any fast food BBQ I've been too. The brisket was NOT dry, that’s a good thing and the portions were a half pound of brisket and that was more than enough for me. I actually enjoyed eating there at this restaurant.

I like Sushi, so I found a place call Fuji Waco and I went there for lunch and as soon as I walked in the door I knew I was in for a treat. They also had a sign posted giving military members and their families a 10% discount on their meal. I ordered shrimp tempura, Eal Roll, Spicy Yellowtail Roll, and a small sald with a ginger dressing and the meal was great.  I would defiantly go back to Fuji Waco if I’m ever in Waco Texas again.

Overall the trip was a great success and I completed all the businness I was there for and I also found new business. That's why it was such a great success. To reiterate, I booked my travel through my own travel site and I make and save money. Also while I was in Waco, Texas I was building my business. Now how funny is that, I'm saving and making money all at once? WOW a new concept, I am truly a mobile-preneur. That's right its not misspelled and if you don't understand you might in time after it soaks in some.

 

I would like to take the time and thank the peron that introduced me to this business. I just wanted to say thanks to Steve Glasker for showing it to me, and if you would like to see what I'm have been talking about just go to my link and watch a video, and click on # 2. You will either get it or you won’t and it's worth a good hard look. So take care and maybe I'll see you in my travels.

San Francisco Trip

Well let’s start off staying the trip was 3 nights and 4 days. We were pretty busy but we had a lot of fun. We left Dallas Texas on Virgin American airlines and this was probably the best air plane flight experience I have ever had. The employees were very happy and upbeat and they were not faking it they generally were happy. When you stepped onto the plane it felt like a disco tech with the pink and blue florescent lighting. All the seats were leather and every seat had a TV set installed. This was great since you had many choices to choose from food, music, movies, TV shows, drinks. Yes you had to pay for some, but there were complimentary drinks, snacks, music, movies, TV shows, and video games for kids. The selection was very rounded and pretty much could satisfy anyone wants, the food was good and even the environment on the planes had a positive energy to it. Seating was better for me since I'm 6ft 3in and 300 lbs I didn't feel like a sardine waiting for someone to peel the top open so I can get out, I actually had some room and I was comfortable the hole flight. We left from Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas on time and arrived on time in San Francisco, California and the hole flight went just like it should. Virgin America is defiantly an experience and for me if every Virgin flight is like this I want to fly Virgin where ever we go, if Virgin is flying there that’s who we are taking. Thanks Virgin America for your service to your customers.

We stayed in downtown San Francisco at a bed and breakfast called Haynes Valley Inn and it was nice. It was a very old building but very clean and it was in a European style which meant you share the bathroom and shower with all the guest on that floor. It wasn't a inconvenience at all and this was my first experience in this type of place. Every morning they had a continental breakfast from 7am to 9am which consisted of bagels, cereal, fresh fruit, juice, milk coffee, muffins, oatmeal, toast, peanut butter, jelly, lunch meat and cheese. Then from 3pm to 9pm they had cookies, coffee, tea available. The employees were very cordial and helpful with information about getting around in the city. We were told not to rent a car since there were so many ways to get around in San Francisco and they really got it down on transportation that’s for sure.

We couldn't check in real early since the room wasn't ready but we were able to leave our luggage and we went out walking in the city. The Inn said we are in a great location for food and we found out later that day. For lunch we stopped and a Patxi's Chicago Pizza and we actual tried a vegan pizza Now I'm not a vegan I'm a meat eater but my daughter was with me so we ordered something that she might like and let me say this, the pizza was delicious and it consisted of spinach, crushed garlic, red onions, and Daiya vegan cheese on a whole wheat crust and it tasted great

After eating we went back to the Hayes Valley Inn and were able to go to are room early so when we opened our door this is what we saw. It was a small room but able to have 2 twin beds in it. The beds were not supper fantastic. However if you are walking the city all day it really doesn’t matter because you will sleep if you’re like me. That I would say is probably the only negative with Hayes Valley Inn other than that it was great. We both enjoyed ourselves the whole time there. There were many restaurants we went to that were very close to the Inn we were staying in. Here they are names and the links to the their sites Lersos Thai food and was a very nice place to eat and to food was very fresh and had a great taste. Flippers where we had hamburgers and let me say it was tasty I had the Mediterranean burger and was good. Tartine Cafe Francais where we had breakfast one morning just because I wanted some bacon and it was a good portions with eggs and potatoes, and my daughter had bagel and some tea. 

On Sunday we went for a walk for about a half mile and we had an idea where we were going but had no idea really how to get there we walker down Market Street and made it to a shopping district and noticed the trolley and asked a few people questions. A gentleman showed us the ticket booth and told us to by a Day pass which was $14.00 per person but it covered all buses and trolleys in the entire city. We got around by asking the trolley and bust drivers how to get to where we wanted to go and they all were happy to give us advice and directions for the city transportation. They all were very helpful which made the trip much better. However when we come back I will probably rent a GoCar it's basically a 3 wheel motor cycle that you can sit in like a care, this way we can go more places because of time. If you want to see how they turn the trolly's around when they get to the end of there track just click on the picture of the trolly and it takes you to a video link.

We made it to Pier 39 and had lunch, we shopped and saw seals playing and fighting at the end of the pier. Pier 39 is basically where you go to get a tours of Alcatraz, Bay Tours, Speed Boat Tours, Whale Tours, basically any tour you want it can be found here. The only advice I can say is plan ahead. If you wait till you arrive you may not be able to do a Alcatraz tour or some of the others just because they are so popular. So plan ahead and book tickets in advance you will thank me later. We saw the seals so we decided to watch them and this is what we were looking at. To watch a video of the seals just lock on the picture of the seals.

After being at Pier 39 for a while we decided to start heading to the Golden Gate Bridge from Pier 39 you take Bus 30 then get on Bus 28 just ask the drivers to tell you where to get off, again they are very helpful so ask questions. There is an app in android and I'm sure theirs on for the apple phone but for the android look up MUNISF. Here is a link to SFMTA for bus routes for the trolly and bus services. We made it to the Golden Gate Bridge in about 20 minutes by bus and the Golden Gate Bridge was amazing to see it was so BIG and of course we took pictures and walked half way across the bridge it was windy and cold that day you may be able to tell by the picture here are a few. This was a great trip and we saw a lot and again we didn't rent a car and if you do expect to spend about $5.00 and hour for parking and about $15.00 to $20.00 dollars a night in a fenced in parking lot that may be a couple of blocks away from your hotel.


Finally I want to say thank you Rovia Travel for all my travel arrangements it went very smooth. If you would like to be a part of this great travel club just click dreamtripslife page and watch the Joe Traveler video it pretty cool and explain a lot, and I know I will be making another trip to San Francisco, California and that trip will we will be going to Napa Valley on a wine tasting tour along with seeing more of San Francisco so until then happy Travels.