Changes to this website

I have imported the personal blog http://www.christinahooley.wordpress.com into http://www.christinadoro.com – the photography website. I strongly feel that, in artistic businesses, clients should know the person behind the service as well. Small local businesses-like myself, should use the personal touch and social marketing on and off-line! A lot of businesses have been to the road to hell- some went back, some died there- business owners either going on search of employment or starting over with next to none budgets or with debts to their name. Yet, some will succeed. For those that want to, this is someone’ story that is going through the same trials-my story might give you encouragement, especially if you are a work at home mum with a toddler.

16 months old and vacuuming: sky is the limit!

The undignified walk of starting somewhere

Today I was promoted to sales leader with Avon. I can, technically, build my own team. It’s been three campaigns-9 weeks since I started with Avon, basically to pay basic business expenditures like ink, Internet and phone. And to get make-up for my photography clients. And to kiss goodbye to cancer. My mum did this – fought breast cancer – everyday for last 8 months. So, working everyday with a company that shares the same fight was the right choice.

It is easy and it is hard. It’s hard to cold sell door to door. First time was really awkward. I guess, after 15 years + in the advertising industry one takes oneself a little too serious. It’s healthy to go back to square one. Un-necessary I would say, but humbling and exhilarating at the same time. Empowering – when you get to get new friends, meet new people and find out you’re as good at selling lipstick as selling marketing and advertising.

Undignified when climbing a very long hill pushing a pram with a baby and 80 Avon catalogues and meeting former work mates. Because no-one talks about it. Loosing their jobs. Businesses. Marriages. Sanity. All of us we’ve been affected. Deeply.And we still don’t talk about it.

One has to start somewhere. And until you’re a success story it is undignified . Like marriage, unless you stick with it, you won’t get to see if it’s a success.

Working at home mum- debriefing on progress

So, I am trying to write this more to clear my head. My son, Luca started walking. Correction. Running. I used to have a system. It’s gone- my to do pads and notebooks are all over the place and so seem to be my ideas.

Whilst I am promoting my photography designing a plus size fashion collection, selling Avon because I need to be active, and to support the global fight against breast cancer, writing an “art of living” online magazine looking to monetize it, tweeting on 3 accounts, organising a photo studio in our living room- I am full day mum. I pick one million toys a day. Cook and feed several meals, potty training and cleaning a selection of most disgusting slimy things I never thought I would come close to ever in my life.

Working at home mum isn’t the smiling woman wearing a White top whilst holding an angelic toddler in front of a laptop! For God’s sake! A professional uses shortcuts on keyboard! Have you ever tried that with a wriggling baby on your knee that occupies one of your hands? My Luca even managed to pull the key G from my keyboard!

Still I have come an amazing long way: whilst my son is using potty at 14 months, started to feed himself, and have a relatively tidy house, I have 3 photoshoots booked, a wedding, and very well rounded blogs with nice numbers of visitors. They definitely need improving but they are working. They are defining my business plans, my goals

Hard to love

When you are a parent-what is going on the family front affects tremendously the work life.

I never believed in “professionalism”. When your mother goes under surgery – you will not focus on your work!

O think pure professionalism was invented by sociopaths (psychopaths). Because it’s lacking any feeling.

Half a globe focused for sooo many years on this schismatic life style. Is this the root of all evil? The money and status chase? Is this what’s infecting our economies?

I know one thing. I cannot work when there’s grudge, or tensions. But I’m shifting mountains when I am happy.

It’s easy to love when you love, but hard to love when you hate.

It is always hard living in blended families. At certain points, the balance will be broken and one side will get favoured in detriment of the other. Because I believe there are sides. It’s the request of attention, time, money. Then there’s jalousie. Both ways. Sometimes there are more deeper issues.

One have to keep in mind that being a step- parent is such a thankless job. Most of times the child comes to visit your house, your family, your sanctuary- with a grudge in her heart, accentuated by intensive brain washing from the other parent. Few are the families where tact, education, information, patience and care pave the road to a real blended family. That is Hallmark moment.

True blended families carry some degree of pain. Most of it useless, if both parties would go under “live and let live”.

Sometimes it takes years. To allow new partners just be.

But, as hard to achieve is live and let live- there is another way. The hard way, the steep path. CARE.

Caring when your heart is ript apart, caring when you are insulted-keep caring when – for years you seem invisible, or at best, furniture.

Remember what she likes. Remember what she wants. Negotiate with her father for something she wants. Care about her feelings. Care even if you don’t like her very much, and, despite years of efforts-can’t really find nothing in common. Chat about glitter. And smile.

Be” consistent in your caring everyday – especially when the one you care about has hurt or displeased you.” ( Yehuda Berg)

Following a day of a work at home mum

It has been a long struggle with the business. Economy is not helping, there are no jobs that would pay child care and having a super quick and active boy it’s been hands full.

I am going to document my/ our days as working at home mum on twitter and can follow them on the side of the blog.

WHAM – Working At Home Mum – Productivity

As a WHAM – as I found today that there is an acronym asigned to the semichaos life I’m starting to sort out- I found that there are a few tools and actions essential for

making it happen:

1. An iPOD or iPhone or any smallish PC tablet- anything that allows you to browse, read documents, read and answer emails and research

• listen to marketing, business, skills podcasts when you are in the bath, preparing breakfast, wlaking with the pram
• read emails timely wherever you are, respond imediatly to urgent ones and programm work you have to do for when your baby sleeps or is with somebody else
• research at night-it does not require a lamp, it will not bother your spouse- I know mine is just happy I leave him alone and don’t want to talk all sorts with him

2. De-clutter- your little one or ones will be busy enough throwing things about- the less you have, the less time it takes and your mind will slowly return to its normal functions. Keep it tidy at all times as well so you can find anything in a blink of an eye

3. keep notepads in every room, even bathroom- write any idea you have, then collect them and put them in an inspiration scrapbook

4. keep your accounts weekly-don’t postpone!

5. keep at a distance the down-putters, the envious and doubtfull- surround yourself with positive, dynamic, like minded people

6. keep your child the center of your day and involve him as much as possible, or take breaks from work as much as needed to provide him

with love, care, and attention. Otherwise there is no reason for you to be staying at hom

e- even if you have your own business, you would be better working in an office and your baby in a nursery where proffessionals will take care of him.

7. Pray or meditate – it is an imense task you are taking it on board – you need all the help you can get- praying, believing is a major destresser and puts more energy in your work. Meditation is way of unwinding that I found to be more than precious: its essential

8. Choose your clients – do not let one client eat all your time, energy and attention – you can get a job to accomplish that

Hello world!

Hello, world! I am a woman, a mother, wife, a professional and passionate about painting, cooking, photography, crafts, getting into wines, creative endeavours, graphic communication, project management, marketing. My name is Christina. The role of this blog is to document my endeavours. I, we, as a family, have been through a rough time last year and a half, and I decided I am going to turn my luck around. There are several projects I am working on, some on which I am both project manager and customer, some for other customers.