This blog consists of discussion about:

1. Virtual Worlds
2. Non-dualistic relationship between self and other
3. Buying and Selling
4. Dishing it Out and Not taking it (something my principal said I did during my early elementary days.)

Note: These blogs are a way for me to express myself in order to get clearer about my life purpose.  If it helps others with their process, all the better.  It hopefully will not be taken as making anyone wrong, including myself.

Virtual Worlds: We live in a virtual world everday.  This is a buddhist concept, I guess, like a dream.  It is interesting in that it is right in front of us as is learning.  Somehow, we want to create online expos (myself included) and online learning, when I am having trouble seeing the expos and learning of everyday life.  Is it money that is motivating me to promote this or just cause we can?  I am beginning to notice everday worlds being virtual when on the bus or at a stop light, seeing cars go buy and pedestrians walking, family gatherings or social events.  It is pretty fascinating.  it is like a movie and feel fortunate to be a part of it.  I mean, I don't have to be an actor to feel like I am acting for a living.

There is no difference between an expo or virtual expo and the organizers, the teachers and students of a brick and mortar school or online LMS.  What about between a brick and mortar expo and virtual expo?  No difference, I would think.

Non-dualism: It gives us the opportunity to explore ourselves and to stop doing certain things and to do things we weren't doing enough of in the past.  Looking back to the Dishing it Out but not Taking It, and seeing how I might be doing this today, especially in the biz world and when Buying and Selling, which is a bit focus for me right now in business. 

One of my goals is to make a good living: 100K per year to be exact.  Not chump change.  Another desire or interest is to help my clients get the best possible deal.  These can conflict, although they don't have to.  It seems to involve guilt.  Personally, I like to get deals on things, but this can be at the expense of the client and even the maker of the product, often back in China.  One way to make this up is to sell a lot of product to my clients, thus making up the difference in volume.  But just realizing that I have issues around buying is important.  Previously, I mentioned how my buying habits can impact how my clients buy from me.  If I am buying with the idea of getting the best possible deal (Think about $1 whoppers at Burger King) with not thinking about the long-term affects, mabye my clients are buying from me in a similar way.  Thus, seeing how my goals of making a living may be in conflict with the behaviors helping to reach those goals. 

By focusing on our relationship to our business, it gives us opportunities to stop doing negative things to ourselves or start doing positive things.  Business is a way to express oneself.  It is important to ask what is the technology and what is its purpose?  It's freeing to focus the attention back on oneself and the technology as opposed to focusing outward eg continually looking on Craigslist for job opportunities when we know it doesn't make sense to play that game. 

When I began trying a new method and looking to learn more programming language: mysql and php to modify my website, very soon after I received a call from a fellow consultant looking for a programmer to help her client modify their website.  There is no way to prove my introspection affected this incoming call but no guarantee it wasn't related.

Sellers vs. Buyers: how will this thinking of non-dualism effect things?  I have been so focused on finding partners in order to sell product.  If I signed them on:

1. buyers would just appear
2. wondered if I would get $/leads and indirectly approval from sellers
3. corner the market somehow
4. others would be excited about the product as much as I was
5. it kept me busy and stimulated when I did run into possible leads

It didn't happen.  Is it tied to dishing it out but not taking it.?  Someone mentioned I switch.  By listening, going through training - all listening activity (don't they say there is a lot of power in listening?) and dishing it out could be a "power" position, taking it passive or not taking it - not getting paid.  There is a particular type of commitment that goes along with being paid that doesn't exist with sellers although they are paying me with their time and sometimes use of the equipment.  Little do suppliers know that they might complete the circle more by paying some fees to commission salespeople.  Many of the resellers I have noticed are in the same place they were in when I first met them.  For all that promotion they are getting, paying some money might validate their gains.

Although won't totally get it, since this is a paradox, "not" dishing it out (listening) while still happy for the suppliers success or at least not putting any energy toward or against the seller; hoping for pay, taking it, feedback, pay, etc.

Buying and Selling: Could say, jeez, I've been giving away my time for a long time, but on the other hand, at least I am not 80 and just finding this out.  It reminds me of a boss I had when telemarketing for tickets to the symphony.  He said our job was to convince the callers they had a good job.  When recently telling a seller people thought I was crazy to work on commission this day and age, he seemed to agree.  When I asked why he would want a crazy person working for him, he didn't seem to know how to respond.  It is a paradox.  I have always wanted the challenge of commission sales.  Maybe I just haven't found the right seller where I buy into the system and the sales will follow.  This blog is a way to offer a service for free, be creative and attract customers.

Buyers are the other side.  Are they the key?  Spending so much time on resellers - exploring buyers.  Asking them questions.  Even asking sellers Q's they could turn into buyers.  Which is ok right?  Q's of resellers could lead to no further relationship, which is ok, too.  But the seller - again relates to how I am sold or buy into other services - how much is guilt, or obligation vs. desire purchases?  This is a bit scary since it's a lifestyle change when dealing with buying and possibly selling issues.

When told to ask more questions, was it to learn more (from my resellers) and technology?  No, from the client's themselves.  Maybe the same goes to sellers and technology.  Bottom line, more q's , more q's show interest.  Buyers - again non-dualistic.

Dishing out with Buyers: Buyers like sellers - I listen then don't get paid.  How do I dish it out but not take it with buyers?  And how can I utilize these experiences to stop doing this?  When contacting buyers, I rarely give advice, but continue to contact them.  In defense, it is harder to sell a product when on one's own.  Do I need to ask more questions of potential buyers and learn more about the products I am selling?  Am I not asking as much of myself as I am of my buyers?  Am I not developing and promoting my own products and services enough and thus "taking it" by "putting myself out there" like other sellers do?  They may wonder or pick up on my lack of commitment.  I am reminded of how I ate junk food until I heard it could effect my mood - stopped eating sugar cold turkey for the longest time.  How is my work style and situation affecting my mood?  There is something I get out of the way I interact with sellers and buyers.

Buyers:

1. Don't want to touch the money, other than my share or at least money is paid up front.
2. Don't want to close
3. Deliver on deadlines when I am ready - obligation vs. desire
4. dishing out solutions and visions/opportunities
5. Negotiating with resources developed
6. Tied to resources sometimes due to guilt, loyalty
7. Trying to make it win-win
8. Unclear about how I will get paid:
9. Trying to get possible solution for client - competition amongst suppliers
10. Do I want to invest the time in sellers and buyers?  Buying into them? 
11. Do I like doing what I am doing while getting paid?  Have I found my life work?
12. How does $ = love and acceptance?
13. Generous: Am I happy for other's success?

Sellers:

1. Commitment - time often ok and short term but $ and long-term?

Summary:

1. Do I want to help others (resellers) succeed or sell my own stuff? Selling others stuff/Selling my stuff that helps others sell their stuff/ Helping others help others sell their stuff
2. Do I want to help others (buyers) maximize their purchase or sell my own stuff that helps them maximize their purchase? Helping others buy stuff/Selling my stuff that helps others buy their stuff/ Helping others help others buy their stuff

There are fundamental questions you can ask yourself about buying and selling.   Other issues not mentioned include barter and paying it forward (helping someone in the future after being helped by someone you didn't necessarily pay or return the favor).  How do these relate to buying and selling.  Buddhist principle states is not right to make money when loaning money to others, thus no interest.  Barter appears to really help people get clarity about value.  Yours and others you are bartering with.  Finally, not mearsuring self-esteem based on the selling and buying you are doing. 

A new topic I hope to write about is "not" Selling and "not" Buying.