September 24th Columbia SC

Hey Ladies! Are you a “gear head” or “motor head”? Do you love your car or motorcycle? Are you the one that built her, or has major plans for the future, to race, tweak, or upgrade? A new publication called “Monster-Motorgirl” is looking for you! This is a women run newsletter that caters to you! You are not alone! And if you’re tired of being made fun of in the car mags, not seeing the women's perspective? Now is the time to stand up and represent!

September 24th I'll be in Columbia SC interviewing Women to be featured! Contact me and lets talk!

Be loud and proud! No more scantily clad women who know nothing about cars scratching the paint on the beautiful rides! This is about the how and the why of women motor enthusiasts!
Please send pictures and a short bio plus $2.99, about you and your ride and you will be considered for a feature article! If you are featured you will be compensated!

Send your submissions in to info@MonsterMotorgirl.com . Pictures must be in JPEG format up to 5 pictures, and the bio should be no longer than 500 words, inclusive of your contact information so that we can get back to you! Submission fees are to be sent to partschick12@hotmail.com via PayPal.

If you don’t have a PayPal account Click here:

New publication specialized for women and their rides!

I’ll admit it’s taken me a long time to figure this out. My entire life has been about fitting into a man’s world. “Why?” you may ask, because, I’m a motor head. I love cars, bikes, racing, going fast, the sound, smell and feel of machinery. The smell of rubber, and grease under my fingernails makes me happy.

I have found a few women in my life who share my passions, but there is something sorely lacking in the publications that we buy to fuel our enthusiasm. Real women who own the cars, build them, appreciate them. Now, I’m not talking about the fake women who splay themselves across the hood to tantalize the men. Real Motor Girls!

I see four types of women that are MotorGirls! There may be more, so don’t be offended if I haven’t written it here, I’m open for more interpretations.

1. The Wrench (not wench, this is me I think); I see potential in every rambling rusted hulk, and I want to bring her back to her full glory. I want to paint, and refinish and refurbish. In other words…get my hands dirty. The $500.00car has just as much value as a $5000.00 one
2. The Matron; These girls are there by their men/partners at the car shows and race tracks because they love it just as much (if not more) than he does, and it makes the relationship stronger. They buff and polish and want to learn and participate. It’s part of their family dynamic.
3. The Maven; These are ladies who know exactly what they want and will get it. That doesn’t necessarily mean getting their hands dirty, why not pay the mechanic? “I know I want a turbo charged 300z but I don’t care how it works, I just want it!” They know what they want, and the car is an accessory, like a Gucci purse, or diamond rings.
4. The Apprentice; These girls know what they want, They will barter, and learn, and participate, and align themselves with people who know or have what they want. It’s a slow process but ultimately the passion is maintained and increased with every step.

So, to pay homage to these types, I have created “MonsterMotorgirls!” a publication dedicated to women and their passion, their Rides!

Check out our Facebook page “Girl Cars and Rides”, and Like us! You may be the next Feature!

To expand or not to expand outside of eBay...that is the question

I used to be a HUGE Ebay fan. Huge. I've been selling on that site since 2002 with success and seemed like happy customers. Then a few years ago they did this restructuring since they were loosing out to other sites like Amazon.com, they were loosing market share and started implementing these "policies" to generate revenue. I get it, thats business. But you cant alienate the ones who pay the fees. The SELLERS.

All this "buyer Protection" has made it difficult for us who sell on eBay. We have no protection and eBay doesnt really back us up during a dispute, basically raising their hands and saying " we cant make the Buyer do anything". But they can make the Sellers jump through hoops, because we have more to loose. We have more at risk just by the fact we are Making money vs. Spending money. So automatically we have to be watched and scrutinized because how dare we want to make a buck! What I'm finding now is that since PayPal has been purchased by Ebay, the rotten policies are filtering over.

I had the "Feedback Extortion" happen to be and cause multiple negatives in a short time, or no feedback at all, and that PayPal look at my transactions and hold my money! So I had to be a good little seller, jump through the hoops, and spend the cash I had available to me, vs. the money for the item plus shipping to send out packages.Hoping of course for positive feedback to release the funds. They wanted to "VERIFY" that the buyer was happy, and that I had money to issue refunds if necessary.

The problem was, since the funds were in a "pending" status, you still had to use your own cash to issue the refund! Even if they're happy and they still don't leave feedback, you'd have to wait 21 days to get your money. Meanwhile, you've spend money shipping, you've spent time and energy, and you do't have the inventory anymore...you are working backwards, hoping that your buyer will take 2 seconds and leave feedback. Of the positive kind.

Ive NEVER held out on a return, ever, in 9 years on EBAY, Ive had 100% positive feedback and even a "Power Seller" status until these changes. And a couple of idiots who didn't read the listing, cause all this mess. I Loose my status, and my money isnt available and there NOTHING I can do about it.

"Yes, Ill bend over so you can do what ever you want. Thank you Sir my I have another"

So Im in the process of expanding to other sites as well as upgrading my personal site to a less "social" one and taking charge of this situation.A pre-built store format site? Or build your own adding a shopping cart? Hmmm? Im spending anywhere from $200-500 per month with eBay, what will that get me elsewhere?

I'm happy to say business is growing, but its still frustrating to know other people control your destiny.

So, I beg you. please READ the whole listing, ask questions and communicate with the seller. Be dilligent like you would if you were buying a car. Open your mouth, don't just bad-mouth.

Have "Pride"- Honda Civic Pride

OK peeps, here we go...if you've read any of my prior posts, you'll know of my mid-life crisis's.

Many, in fact that I have spoke of, and others I haven't. 2010 has been a hell of a year and I feel I'm on a path of redemption and rebirth. Joseph Campbell said "Follow your bliss", and I have been in a minor way up until now.

Its been a hobby, a passion a driving force in my life that brings me peace, and comfort, and most of all happiness. So now its bring me, and my family the livelihood we need to move forward in this life.

I've mentioned that I grew up in a bike shop, but what you didn't know is my passion for these little roller skates called Honda Civics. I've owned many and I have written about them on my other blog.

Since then, my father and I have moved this into a fledgling business called Honda Civic Pride. We have sponsored a car show, built a website, sold some cars and a ton of parts and we're learning more everyday.

So, you'll see in the coming months the new toys we pick up, the cool parts we aquire and tweaks and tricks we learn along the way.

Stay tuned!

Here we go AGAIN...

Well, as you've probably guessed, I'm busy. Busy doing stuff, lots of stuff. Legal stuff, property stuff, living stuff, renovationg stuff, tearing down stuff and wanting to build stuff.

Stuff, stuff and more stuff, but heres some stuff you may not know. I have eneavored with my mother to do some baking stuff. We both have been involved with baked goods for the general populous, but I'm talking for the masses, and yet a chosen few, virtual baking. Baking for a friend, a real need to be addressed, a desire to taste what we can make. as well as cooking for ourselves in the hopes of better health, happiness and well being. We are Convertible Cooking. To be found at our new site http://www.convertiblecooking.com/.

Yes, I'm still doing the motorcycle thing, I cant help myself there but, this, this feels right. My mom Carol, says the same thing, like we were made for this.

So check it out, comment, suggest, follow allong and tell us what you think. And please tell your friends who need help breaking the old routine with the same old stuff.

And know,
We're here cooking for you.

Noelle

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“Duh-vorce” the tail end of the fairytale

“Duh-vorce”
All the movies and fairy tale love stories don’t tell you what happens when that everlasting love fades, or life changes in a way you don’t expect and you end up not on that same path that you planned together anymore.

You thought you were “married” for all intents and purposes. Your friends and family treated you that way. You made plans that were supposed to be for the next “50 years”, but that’s all gone now. You’re alone dealing with the trappings of a life made together. Your plans don’t include your mate anymore, and you’re having trouble with the pronouns, the “we” vs. the “me”.

I call it the separation of church and state. It seems to be that kind of undertaking. “This is mine-That’s yours” , “No its not…I bought that for you and I want it back”. We seem to resort to being petty school children “Indian giving”, or being the brat who throws tantrums if we don’t get what we want.

You never think that you need to prepare to split up, in the beginning of the romance. Because that’s all you want to think about is the romance itself and how good that feels. How wonderful that person is, how they’re everything you could have asked for in a mate, we wont even talk about how good the sex was….We are told “don ‘t focus on the bad stuff”, because then that’s what will happen…well maybe so.

But if it does, then what? And what if you’re GAY? Sometimes you think “thank God there weren’t children, because going through the dishes and cook ware is hard enough.” terrible I know but its true. My parents didn’t prepare me for the break up after nearly a decade together. Hell, my parents are still together and in love…with each other! Can you imagine?
The fairy tales seem to skip the part about dealing with the yelling, the fighting and arguing about what’s fair and right, amicable and who “deserves” the castle when Prince Charming decides that Cinderella doesn’t suit his life anymore…Or better yet, let the bank have it because Princie doesn’t want to live there anyway, even though it was Cindy’s dream that she was beginning to make a reality.

When you’re in an alternative relationship they don’t tell you anything about how to deal with the fact you have no rights. You actually do know that going in, but it doesn’t hit home until things are bad. That you can make all the plans and preparations for the blissful life you expect to have and you still end up getting fucked. Even though you followed the letter of the law as much as you could, or were allowed to…Now, undo it all.

Most states especially North Carolina don’t have courts that help with domestic partnership separations. You can’t really just hire a lawyer and say “help me null this out so I can be done” There isn’t a paper that says the divorce is “final”. We don’t have the luxury of a date. It seems that we have to take the extra step to claim the day that its “final” over and done with. Great- another thing to add to the list!

So how do you get there without losing your mind, and your house? Good question.
The pain the second guessing the self esteem issues, the revisiting past discussions and arguments can’t be good…can they? They don’t feel good.

Trust me, I’m ready to be done, but I don’t want to walk away from years of hard work, time, effort, and money. I’ve been building something, and now I may have to walk away from it? Is that the best thing? To get a fresh start, is it fresh? Who knows, really, only time will tell.

Life, and Real Estate

Well it’s been a while and it’s been a wild ride so far. The last time I wrote my blog I was considering getting back into real estate. Well, it’s a done deal.
I have started Monster-RealEstate.com which ironically the first person I told that I was getting back in the game, coined the name before I said anything…The Monster Motorgirl sells “monster real estate”, and that’s all she wrote.

It’s been about 18 months since I’ve worked with any clients, I’ve been building websites and researching web marketing for other agents in the meantime, but I’ll tell you the climate has changed.

We all got spoiled I think. People were literally throwing money at us, any listing that was ½ way decent had multiple offers within 24 hours, and the sellers were likely to get 100% plus for their property. And usually the sellers had their cash within 15 to 20 days. Crazy!

Well-those days are past, and past is prologue. There is a moral to the story and the moral is this…appreciate what you have when you have it, don’t be greedy, things don’t last forever, and prepare for the rainy day…because inevitably even in the desert, it will rain.

I had it all really, a nice house, a beautiful car, money in the bank and a job that I enjoyed that I made some serious bank, but I lost myself. I could have had everything I had ever wanted if I had paid attention to who I really am- Not who I was perceived to be. I got lulled and dulled and bought the bullshit that I was selling, pretty much about all aspects of my life. I did things that you “should do”, “this is what you’re supposed to do”, “this is the best thing to do”, and “this will guarantee security and more” and now there is…nothing.

Actually that’s not true, there are some things left fortunately- an investment has turned into my permanent residence, the nice house is now the rental, which hopefully will help in the future. I have computers, tools, and a truck and miscellaneous other trappings of my former life. I have contacts from the business that have turned into friends, and friends that have turned into clients. I have a reputation for hard work and fair dealing and that I am a “natural” at this real estate thing, and I also have experience and knowledge, that will assist me on my new path of life.

So this new life is this…survival. I have had to sell things that were precious to me to survive; I’ve had to make hard decisions about “things”, what to keep and what to try to keep as necessities for survival. Things that seemed important became trivial and things that were forgotten became essential. Let’s call it downsizing on Crack.

This summer has taught me things about myself that I never knew, and things that I have forgotten. I have been happy in my solitude, and lonely amongst people. The true friends have emerged, old friends are found and perceived friends have fallen by the wayside-as well as the forgotten passions, talents and skills, which have resurfaced.

On the eve of my 42nd birthday, I am secure in the knowledge that I am a survivor, I can take care of myself and I am in control of my life. Well, it sounds good anyway. My moments of self doubt and uncertainty have a lot to do with my relationship of the last 9 years, tumultuous times that we have gotten through, one way or another-until now.

With many relationships there is give and take and you hope that there is mutual respect, understanding and love. And the hope that you don’t loose yourself in the pursuit of achieving some level of happiness with another person, but sometimes you do and you end up fighting to get yourself back. Fighting with yourself and fighting with your mate.

I’ve had the last 6 months to get back to who I am and be ok with that person, by myself, having to make decisions for both of us because my partner was in training after joining the Army. And now upon graduation, the life that we once had does not exist and the current one is very different than what was remembered, by each of us. That is causing problems.

We have been individuals, separated by distance and experience; and now it’s hard to be a couple again. One of us has been encouraged to be selfish as a means of survival and the other has been encouraged to do the same, but with great difficulty. One of us has been taken care of through their experience so that singular focus could be on getting through to the end, and the other has taken care, with no end in sight. And now the feelings have changed, circumstances have changed, and we have changed.

I have always had my partner in my head as I make decisions, about this house, our little family aka "the fur children", about which bills I have the money to pay to keep moving ahead and so on. Now that’s causing “pressure” on my mate because they don’t “feel the same” as before the Army. “Seeing through different eyes” is sometimes a good thing, and sometimes not. It will cause pain in others and maybe you, but hopefully in the long run you would hope for a greater good to emerge. Change brings new experience, experience gives perspective, perspective brings change, change is hard, hard builds strength and character, and Lord knows I’m a character…

The time is now to make decisions for my future, “my” future, not ours. If there is an “us” we will survive because we are each doing best thing for ourselves as individuals. The nest egg is gone and one day you end up counting change on the coffee table hoping to have enough to buy firewood since that’s the only heat you have. The income that was “rolling in” has slowed to a trickle, if that; and you realize a capacity for comfort in small things, a touch, a cuddle with a pet, a smile and kind word from a stranger. Baking and cooking smells in the kitchen bring warmth in many ways, family coming to visit and a fire that warms you twice, makes you appreciate the decisions you’ve made about your life, and your capacity for contentment.

I have regrets, but they are not as big as you may think. I should have put more money in a savings account instead of buying that house. I should have watched what I spent on the business, and I should have planned better, I should have talked about what I felt and thought more instead of holding it in. But, “shoulda, coulda, woulda” doesn’t amount to a hill of beans now, does it? Move forward; keep moving forward, and as my father says “what have you learned from this experience?”. Lots trust me but, I’ll tell you what, I’m tired of learning.


I can't seem to get the learning part to be "applied learning"...is there a problem here?