Otterocity!

I am always on the lookout for people who have passion and enthusiasm for what they do.  Tuesday I visited the Ft Collins Coffehouse at 3701 S. Mason Street in Fort Collins,Colorado.  It was the second time I visited as our writing group meets there once a month for our morning coffee networking time.

I met Andrea Sebald who is the owner/operator along with her husband Mike.  I got to talking with her after our writer’s group was over and found out that running her small businessis her passion.   A year ago she was looking for a small business to purchase and was presented with the opportunity to take over the coffee shop.  They bought the business in March of 2012 and changed the name to Ft Collins Coffehouse.

Now, it is a little tucked out of the way, but well worth the visit.  The coffee shop is light and  airy with wonderful smells of coffee and tea floating in the air.  It is located one block West of College Avenue across form Midtown Arts Center and IBMC above Boomer’s music.  They have a full menu of coffee, tea,espresso, and other hot and cold beverages as well as seasonal drinks like the Pumpkin Pie Latte.

They have a large open seating area with a small stage that they use for open stage night on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. where random people can get up on the stage with their instruments and jam.  I am thinking of going just to listen one Wednesday. Thursday nights is Cruise Night. Cruise on in for a warm or hot drink and camaraderie. They also have a conference room in the front of the building you can rent by the hour for your group or meeting.

If nothing else, you have to go there to play Ms. Pac-Man.

So, share in their enthusiasm for coffee, enjoy the good atmosphere,and contribute to the success of a small business.

Ft Collins Coffehouse, keep up the Otteroicty!

Otterocity! Field Guide by Tim Northburg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wrote this book as a follow up to Otterocity! I wanted it to be a guidebook for inspiring you and to help motivate you into action to bring a joyful spirit to your life. We all face challenges. It is how you meet those challenges and it is the attitude you choose to take when facing those challenges head on that makes the difference in your life. I hope you enjoy.

--Tim Northburg

View all my reviews

Otterocity! by Tim Northburg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wrote this book to help people, who are going through tough times in their lives, find joy and happiness again. If you are touched by the economic downturn, in financial distress, experienced the death of a loved one, or are having a tough time in general, this book was meant to inspire you to bring a joyful spirit back to your life. If Otters can be hunted by predators, constantly forage for food, deal with harsh conditions living in the sea, and possess a joyful spirit . . . so can we. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

--Tim Northburg

View all my reviews

Thanks to all who became a member of Otterocity in the last few weeks. Your membership has put you into the drawing for the free books. I took all the names of entrants and put them into my little red wagon, on my desk, for the official drawing.

I shuffled the names and picked one random winner.

The winner of the free book Otterocity! and Otterocity! Field Guide is: Pat

Congratulations. I will contact you and arrange delivery of your copies of my books.

I appreciate all who entered the contest. Thanks for your support. Stay tuned for any future contests to win Otterocity stuff.

THIS IS OTTERING!

HA! HA-HA! WOO! WOO-HOO!

YEAH! OH-YEAH! YES! ALL-RIGHT!

TEBOWING: Tebowing is a phenomenon that has swept the globe, thanks to the high profile NFL football quarterback Tim Tebow, and thus is named after him. Tebowing is, “to get down on one knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different.” Tim Tebow has done this throughout his career at Florida but his stint with the Broncos, and his miraculous comebacks to win games, has brought Tebowing into the spotlight. You can visit www.tebowing.com if you want to see photos of Tebowing.

OTTERING: So what is Ottering? Otters have fun in life. They are playful and happy. So, in the spirit of Otterocity which means (quality of otters) Ottering is a verb that means, “a. to show that you are having fun, even if everyone else around you is not having fun. b. To throw your hands in the air, or up by your face, and have a facial expression of happiness while doing something fun—usually this is accompanied by a ha, ha-ha, woo, woo-hoo, yeah, oh-yea,yes, or all-right!”

Both Tebowing and Ottering are used at completely different times, for different reasons. You can use them back to back if you want, or one at a time when needed.

Here is a girl Ottering while hula hooping:

Hands up high!

Hands down low!

Double fisted!

Single Fisted!

Whatever style you choose, make sure you show that you are having fun!

So, send me your photos of Ottering and I will post them in the photos section under Ottering. Send photo along with name/s and location of the photo to: tanorthburg@otterocity.com

Get Ottering and have fun in life!

By sending your photo to Otterocity you agree that yo have sole ownership of said photo and grant Otterocity and its representatives the right to use /publish your personal name, image, and/or company name. You authorize Otterocity, its assigns and transferees, to copyright, use and puglish the same. You agree Otterocity may use such photo with or without your name and for any lawful purpose, including for exampe such purposes as publicity, illustration, and social media applications--free of charge.

Has the economic down-turn affected you?

Are you having financial difficulties?

Are you experiencing health problems?

Do you feel anxious?

Are you stressed out?

Are you missing joy in your life?

This book may be for you!

-or-

Do you know anyone who displays any of the above?

This book may be for them!

Otterocity!
Bring a Joyful Spirit to Your Life.

Otterocity, is a story of self discovery during trying times and how to live positively through circumstances that are out of your control. It is about being able to take your situation and change it for the better. It is about understanding life lessons that come at a time where everything seems bleak and unbearable, when you don’t want to go through what you are going through.

Meet 38 year old Rich Dawson. He is just like you, or I. He is a top executive at an advertising agency. He has been married for 13 years, has three beautiful children who love him unconditionally. Suddenly a huge wave crashes over him and his life sinks him into a deep abyss. In a short period of time, the 2009 recession rips through his life. He is forced to downsize and layoff employees. On top of that, Rich loses his best friend (who is also his boss and employer) to cancer. After closing down the marketing firm, he is forced to commute 60 miles to Denver for an entry level position that pays peanuts. On the verge of foreclosure, his marriage stressed, and his personal life in shambles, Rich finally hits bottom and contemplates suicide.

In his time of struggle, Rich receives the opportunity of a lifetime. His brother-in-law offers him a two week job to film a documentary on Sea Otters on San Juan Island. Accepting the job, Rich heads form Colorado to an island near Seattle, teams up with a “salty” sea captain named Old One Eye, and begins filming. Through chance, he meets a one-of-a-kind otter he names Lizzie. Observing this tiny creature he finds inspiration that changes his thinking, morphs his beliefs, and sets him on a personal journey to bring a joyful spirit to his life.

As you will read, on the following pages, Otters live a tough life. They incorporate hard work and perseverance in their lives. They show unconditional love and teamwork without losing their individual uniqueness. Despite all the odds of nature, they possess an innovative spirit, creative mind, a playful disposition, and most of all a joyful spirit.

Otterocity is incorporating the traits and attributes of otters in your life to bring about change, and ultimate joy. You too, can have Otterocity and bring a joyful spirit to your life!

Smart Work, Teamwork, Unconditional Love, and Perseverance are some of the Otter qualities I write about in my book, and many qualities displayed by the High Park Fire crew and victims of the fire, near Fort Collins, Colorado. The American Red Cross, the fire fighters, and volunteers have shown their Otterocity in response to this disaster. As a local Fort Collins resident and author I pledge to donate $1 of my royalties for every Otterocity! and Otterocity! Field Guide book sold, now through August 31, 2012, to the American Red Cross Northern Colorado Chapter to continue their disaster relief campaigns.

Buy, Read, Donate!

Thank you,

--Tim Northburg

If you would like to donate additional monies,
click on the link below:

American Red Cross Northern Colorado Chapter

Creativity is the spark of all things new. It is the beginning of innovation. We would still be huddling in a cave to keep warm if it weren’t for creativity. The creation of a camp fire, and using it for heat and cooking, brought human kind out ofthe dark and into the light.

Fire brought the creation of tools and the dawn of the Bronze Age. Creastivity brought forward mankind through the Industrial age and into the Technology Era. Just think of all the advances of medicine, technology, travel, etc. that we have today. What great things will we create in the coming century?

Possessing a creative mind is one quality that Otters show. They learn how to use their environment to survive. For example, they use rocks to help open shells and tie kelp around their young so they don’t float away. If an animal can create, then we should beable to use our creative minds to figure out the problems of society and bring peace and joy to the world, solve world hunger, or reduce waste.

Creativity isn’t just about thinking up some invention, or finding a cure for a disease. It is about problem solving. It is finding solutions to a challenge, or creating a unique idea that will improve your life. It is about using your mind and creativity for whatever challenges you face. It is about new and different ideas that spark change for the good of an endeavor.

Creativity is all around us, in art, music, science, agriculture. It is at work, home, school, or whever you are. It is unlimited. Only we place limits on it.

Ask yourself this one question:

What creative thing can you think of that can improve your life, or the life of others around you?

So, go out there and possess a CREATIVE MIND!

"Creativity is the key to innovation!"

What have you thought up today?

One way to keep Otterocity (A Joyful Spirit) in your life is to listen to music that moves you and motivates you. I am the type of person that is affected by music. There are many people out there that are too. If there is a event that happens that changes my mood, I pop onto Youtube and listen to a song that instantly changes my mood. When I am writing I listen to music and I seem to get in the flow better.

One group I listen to is Snow Patrol. About ten years ago I asked my Brother-in-law, who lives in England, what up and coming bands he knew of that were breaking out. He mentioned Snow Patrol. I looked them up and ordered their CD. I instantly liked them. Ten years, and several albums later Snow Patrol has emerged as a popular American group singing a variety of songs that have appeared on several large motion picture soundtracks.

I enjoy his melodic voice and great tone. Their beats vary with each song and more often than not, they sing great love songs. here is In The End from their new album.

This next song is from their new album as well. It is upbeat and gets me going on the way to work - Called Out In The Dark

This song makes me feel romantic - Chasing Cars

This song gets me pumped up - Just Say Yes

So, whatever you listen to, use music to get you motivated, in a different mood, or to just bring some joy to your life!

Have Otterocity with music!

HARD WORK:

You can work really hard. You can go all out onwhatever thing you set out on, and invest a lot of energy on accomplishing anendeavor. But that is where the comparison between hard work and smart work ends. Often when you work hard you look busy, spin your wheels, and take unnecessary steps.

But what have you really accomplished.

SMART WORK:

When you work smart you get more accomplished. You work less, but get more done.

Here are several things that you can do to incorporate smart work in your life:

You can work smart, be more productive, and happier too!

(For more, stay tuned for the forthcoming book Otterocity Field Guide.)

WORK SMART
WITH OTTEROCITY!

Here is the fotune cookie quote I received the other day:

"Life is not a matter of holding good cards,
but sometimes playing a poor hand well!"

This goes along well with my Otterocity theme. Like many, during this past economic downturn and recession, the character Richard dawson is delt some poor cards. He is having a tough time with the cards he was dealt. But, he plays the cards and things change for him.

Yes, it is nice to get a good hand. And, it would be nicer if that was all you were dealt in life. That isn't always the case. So, what do you do when you are dealt a poor hand in life?

Give up?

No, you continue on. Fine your joyful spirit and like the quote above says, play your poor hand well.

It is not about what life does to you, but what you do to your life.

Are you going to wallow around in your self pity and self doubt. That isn't going to change the hand you were dealt. Instead, accept things as they are, and go out there and change them.

For the next hand, may be a little better!

So, find your Otterocity and persevere through the troubled waters and you will get through to calmer waters!

If you did not see theToday show about the baby Sea Otter found on the coast of California and taken to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, check it out. It is a heat-warming story of these endangered animals.

Today Show: Shedd Aquarium Otter

Kayucos is a ten-week-old baby sea otter that was rescued from Southern California and sent to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. She waighs roughly 13 pounds. The aquarium specializes in raising sea otters, since it started caring for otters caught in the aftermath of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spil.


Check out this other Shedd Aquarium Otter Video:

The Shed Aquarium has Otterocity

and the workers there

bring a joyful spirit to . . . Otters!

When I left for work this morning a brilliant sunrise greeted me:

It told me:

"Have a joyful day!"

I found this quote today and it seemed to go with a chapter in my new book;

"When one door of hapiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see which has been opened for us."

--Helen Keller

Dont' stare too long at the closed door, go through the open one!

Add Happiness to your life with Otterocity!