The Story Behind Seatcheck Art and Hudson A.Tannis

This is a story about  Hudson A. Tannis.  He is a conductor for the LIRR in NYC . My husband is a friend of his and that is how I met him . He is a artist . His his tools are a seatcheck puncher and a seatcheck ticket . He does a little show on the train when he is working .  He did this show for my kids the first time we met him . The kids LOVED him . He tells funny jokes and just can make them laugh . This amazing work he does he now has on t-shirts . 

http://www.seatcheckart.com

This is Hudson's story in his words . 

 I would like to tell you a little about myself before I continue.  I was born in ST. Vincent and The Grenadines and came to the United States when I was a little boy.  I had a happy childhood with good friends. After High School I went to College.  I earned an associates degree at Queens Borough Community College.  Afterwards I attended York College where I later graduated with a B.A. in Marketing.

After College I worked at UPS as a O.M.S. Supervisor and ToysRus as a Receiving Supervisor.  While working at ToysRus I got a chance to see how kids interact with others.  I got to see what made them happy, what peeked their curiousity and what bores them.  Several years ago after passing  a series of tests I got a job at the Long Island Rail Road as an Assistant Conductor.  The first few years are spent on learning your job and getting along with your co-workers.  Then after that you have to start studying again to qualify as a Conductor.  After you graduate and receive your Conductor Diploma you feel a sense of accomplishment, which is felt every two years when you requalify.

Now that I was a qualified and owned my own assignment I got to see the same passengers everyday.  Now I had the time to make souviners on my break and have them ready for the kids on the train.  I gave out souviners to kids to make their train experience more enjoyable and to help them better pass the time on long train rides.

When giving out souviners in December 2007 I was discovered as an Artist by Amy Cohen.  Mrs. Cohen was a Art Teacher at Huntington High School, where she invited me to do my first presentation as an Artist.  So began the beginning of Seat Check Art and the series they belong to.  Each Seat Check would belong to a series of difficulty, love, or just fun.  All Seat Check Art is made from my work punch that is shown in my blog.

In 2008 when I did my first presentation for Mrs. Cohen I had five series.  Currently there are 16 series in 6-12 are done but their names are not yet set.  Now when i give out the souviners on the train i do an entire interactive role play with the parents and kids.  This makes the encounter with me (the best Conductor) more memmorible and life changing.  Most of the ideas for the series come out of my mind but sometimes i get an idea or to from a passenger.  I try to do one presentation a year so it never seems like a job just something i love to do.

For the future i plan to finish series 13-16 which are absolutely amazing.  Currently my Seat Check Art in done in positive and negative space.  Series 13-16 go beyond the normal and are almost unimaginable.  When you see them you will not be able to comprehend that they were made with my work punch.  Until the future comes check back every week to see a new past and present of Seat Check Art design.

 

                                                       Seatcheck Art

Who cares what people think , They don't do it very often

Who cares what people think , They don't do it very often

Happy Valentine's Day !

Back to school

Going back to school can be an adjustment for many children . In our house we call it Sunday syndrome . Been home for the long weekend or school holidays and don't want to go back to school . It is that feeling you get in your stomach when you start something new.  

There are plenty of things you can do to make starting school easier on your child. I put together a few. 

• A week before school starts get them into the school routine . 

1. Start implementing the school bedtime . 
   
2. Have them fresh in up on school basics . 
3. Have your school supplies put together and labeled. 

• If your child is young : 

1.  Put a picture of you and them in there book bag. Reassure them that you are always there and you love them . 
   
2. Write them little notes in there lunch . You'd be surprised how it helps them get through the day . 
3. Send the teacher a little note on the first day of school . Introduce yourself and tell a little about your child. Then you can reassure your child that the teacher knows special things about them . They become more comfortable with the teacher. 

• Take them to play at the school yard . A lot of times there are other children from the same school playing . Get them reacquainted . 
  

1. Find out who is in there class . 
2. Possibly set up a play date with a child entering the same school in the same class .

Celebration of Life !

"How To Make EVERY Day Saturday... For Life!

 Sam Crowley thought he was following the "American Dream."

An ex-stuttering college dropout, Sam worked his way up to a corner office at a Fortune 100 company.

With a six-figure salary and all the perks, he was supposed to be content... but he was secretly MISERABLE.

Sam arrived home late every night, giving his best at work while his family got leftovers.

Like so many people in the corporate world, his American Dream had turned into a nightmare!

One night, Sam's daughter Madeline uttered 4 innocent words that stopped him in his tracks and changed the course of his family's life forever...

Arriving home late (again), Sam went upstairs to find his 3 year-old daughter already in bed.

She asked him, "Daddy, is tomorrow Saturday?"

Saturday was the only day Sam had time to spend with his family- the only day he could be a real father.

** Every Day Is Saturday Is Born **

That night, Sam decided that someday soon, every day would be Saturday.

He realized that his ultimate goal was to be a great father for his children.

Sam managed to quit his job and start his own business that allows hi the "Ultimate Saturday Lifestyle" as an international motivational speaker and business coach.

In short order, Sam was able to...

- Go from speaking for free to getting paid $25,000 per keynote address

- Quit his job and spend more time with his 3 young daughters

- Start a motivational podcast that is now downloaded by 30,000 loyal subscribers in over 100 countries around the world

- And much, much more all based on nothing but the power of his dream!

And it's not just Sam who is making a massive transition- just look at what his students have accomplished:

- Dustin Salisbury, a 24 year-old senior airman in the US Air Force, used Sam's message to conquer fear and adversity while deployed in Iraq

- Brian McElroy produced his first documentary film and helped raise over $100,000 for charity with Sam's guidance

- Dino Herbert was motivated by Sam to take action and truly live the life he wanted as a speaker, trainer, and author

** Six Days To Saturday **

While Sam was going through his own transition, and then started helping others reach their Saturday, he documented each step of the process.

He knew it would become an invaluable blueprint for anyone with a dream to make their own Saturday a reality.

The result is "Six Days To Saturday," the first-ever audio series dedicated to helping you go from Monday to Saturday!

In six digitally mastered audio CDs (and an accompanying workbook), Sam takes you through each step of the process:

Monday - Feel The Pain And Write Your Future

Tuesday - Preparing For Success

Wednesday - The Time For Action!

Thursday - Failure Is A Verb, Not A Noun

Friday - Commitment & Persistence

Saturday - You Are A Champion!

No matter what your Saturday may be, Sam's message is POWERFUL.

If you want to spend more time with family, make a bigger contribution to others, and bring your life to a whole new level, then Sam's message is for you.

You can learn more about "Six Days To Saturday" and request a free copy of Sam's powerful report "Seize Your Saturday Power!" athttps://friday.infusionsoft.com/go/signup/Dana

Go there now and make EVERY day Saturday!

Mother's Day Vs. Father's Day

Mother's Day Vs. Father's Day 

Which is a better holiday, Mother's Day or Father's Day? Let's compare the behavior of the typical mom and the typical dad on these two holidays. Let's start with Mother's day . The kids are preparing cards and gifts. The typical husband is waiting till the last minute to decided on what to do . Do I buy flowers ? Is a card enough ? Do I even know what my wife really wants ? Saturday comes and his is running around "Trying " To figure out a last minute great gift. Sunday morning he manages to pull it off !  Father's day ... The typical wife has the kids thinking about Father's day the moment Mother's day ended. She has purchased cards from everybody in the house ( including the DOG ) . She had already picked up the perfect gift . Knowing exactly what he has had his eye on . She debates to have the kids make gifts or let them pick one out . Sunday morning Dad sleeps in and the Kids arrive with breakfast in bed .  Why did this tradition of these holidays begin anyway ?  Father's Day is believed to have been held on July 5, 1908 in a church located in Fairmont West Virginia , by Dr. Robert Webb of West Virginia at the Central United Methodist Church of Fairmont. Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd of Washington thought independently of the holiday one Sunday in 1909 while listening to a Mother's Day sermon at the Central Methodist Episcopal Church at Spokane, and she arranged a tribute for her father in June 19, 1910. She was the first to solicit the idea of having an official Father's Day observance to honor all fathers . It took many years for Father's Day to become a official holiday . It wasn't till a bill was introduced in 1913 , US President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea in 1924 . By 1930 a national committee was formed .

Mother's Day Queens Zoo in Flushing Meadow Park

Zip Line

Don't judge a book by it's cover !

Susan Boyle - Singer - Britains Got Talent 2009
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My little World Travelers

Parkour was in Acapulco , Mexico at the liberty conference that I attended . They are a group of amazing people that help you let go of your fears . They had my kids join in the activities . They stepped up and inspired people around them . I watched my child climb walls and never give up till they were successful.

I could have never imagined a year ago I would have taken my children to the Bahamas and then a few months later head off to Acapulco , Mexico.  They are my little world travelers. I am in such gratitude that my children will be able to see the world . 

Ground Hog Day

It is Ground Hog Day. And the results are in 6 more weeks of winter !
Maybe we might just get a snow storm we can sled in .

Marking my visit to LA with a Tattoo

Doodles

Doodle by Lee. The code for this doodle and other doodles you can use on your blog can be found at Doodles.

Law of Attraction

How many of you have read or seen the "The Secret"? 

After reading that book I knew my life would never be the same again. As a long time student of personal development I have been searching for a way to really discover who and what I am supposed to be. When I really had a better understanding for the Law of Attraction and how it works my life started changing before my eyes. 

I stumbled upon this company that uses the concept of The Secret in there home study course. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. It cost me a investment of $1495. I have to say that was the best investment in myself I had ever made. I am not sure what direction in life i would have taken If I didn't at least taken a chance on myself. 

Boy I am truly grateful I know what I am capable of. I am now creating a life of financial freedom and spending time with multi 6 figure income earners. Looking back 6 months ago , I could have never foreseen that to be happening in my life. 

Tomorrow on Oprah  Michael Beckwith from "The Secret"  

Tattooed Mommy

I see everyday people judged on what they look like. I love tattoos . Just simply love them. I have been getting tattooed for about 15 years give or take a few. Every one I get seems to get bigger and bigger. Nobody really can see most of mine. They all tell a story. The only on that everybody see on the regular is the one on my back. That is my family tree. The butterflies are my husband and myself. The caterpillars are the kids. In this picture I am getting the whole tattooed reworked. I had  it done in sections to begin with.

Soon enough I will have tattoos that people will be able to see . I have plans on getting my arms full sleeved. In case you don't know what that means , my whole arms will be covered with art work. My Brother from another mother does most of my art work. (I guess that is why I became so addicted).

I hope for my kids that they don't judge them because of me. My son wishes I wouldn't get anymore. He thinks it changes me. I had explained to him that I waited my whole childhood to be able to have the freedom to express myself. One day he will have the same freedoms to what he wishes with his body.

Aigner Chocolates

            Today I was driving down Metropolitan ave in Queens, New York. We were headed to Trader Joe's . On the way there my husband noticed a old chocolate store. We love candy stores like that. So, On the way home we stopped in. 

The smell as soon as you walk in the door. Ah , The sweet smell of chocolate. You can tell that the store had been there for years. I asked It was 78 years old. The owner came out and greeted us. He was so friendly it felt as if we knew him for years.

They had old school toys there . They had other candy besides chocolate. Like Swedish fish and Sour gummies. The store was getting ready for the holiday season. I guess Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday cheer. If your even in Queens , drop by it is worth the trip.

Aigner Chocolates

Love being able to go on school trips.

We went to one of the oldest Buildings in College Point Queens . It is call the Poppenhusen . It was built in the late 1800's to serve as a town hall. The First free kindergarten was in that building in the 1900's. There is a lot of history in this building. It holds lots of energy. If you look at my pictures you can see orbs in several of them. 

I love being a aunt !

It is one of the most incredible things to be in the world. I love being a mother. Nothing tops that. But... But when your sibling has a child . It is amazing. I love my nephew. He is really bright. I know he is really young. I just can tell. He is something special.