Imagine hearing that Vikki Baptiste of RelyLocal had nominated me!  I was deeply moved by her gesture, the words she shared just made me cry! I feel very grateful. 

Karen’s tireless efforts to promote healthy and safe nutrition range from free public workshops to blogging and other forms of social media. Some know her as the “Burger Lady”, campaigning for fresh and vibrant local food, and the health benefits that come with it.

Others know her by way of her blog, bestofmotherearth.com, which teaches how healthy nutrition, and the right vitamins and supplements, can be beneficial to the health of children and adults alike.

Reaching out to community groups as well as individuals, Karen inspires us all to keep our health at the forefront of our minds by encouraging us to make our meals from scratch, using locally grown organic produce, and to supplement naturally rather than chemically.

Karen Hanrahan is the perfect recipient for the McLean County Public Health Award!

It’s taken me two years to get back into the classroom.

It felt tremendous to be teaching again!

Thank you to the Community Education division of Heartland Community College for the opportunity

I started consulting folks on how to begin blogging this past December. People kept asking me. Why do I blog? Why WordPress? How has that helped your business?  I not only had strong passionate opinions about it.  I found myself giving away a lot of tips and tricks!!  Seemed like an opportunity to service a need with the people around me.  I don’t think of myself as an expert on blogging more like an advocate on how powerful the medium of blogging is to someone’s personal voice and an expert in ideas to get someone going!  I had such great mentorship along the way, I really feel I want to pass that same mentorship onto others.

My students were seriously awesome.

Some things my students taught me:

• Plan for time to become related.
• Students really do do their homework!
• Being savvy in the technology of the classroom is a plus
• Various levels of interest and experience bring a richness to the class
• a student said “i have no idea what the “f” you are all talking about” SERIOUSLY funny
• Revelations about one’s expertise, personal brand and the potential of published voice is positively inspirational!

one student realized that her topic, as shared by others was very toxic, she wanted her voice to be different, and found her passion around that

another had two blogs and realized by merging them together it would enrich her brand.

some just beginning began to play with blog names, post titles, language and how to illustrate

another realized that perhaps blogging daily might be too ambitious.

The reality of the class may unveil some new and very exciting bloggers!

Goodness — 15 years old — where has all the time gone!!

I am a seasoned single mom with two in college. While many might be wondering what to make their child for lunch tomorrow  I am curious when I might see my kids again. It’s definitely a different mindset.

Back in my in the trenches days I was a very particular and inquisitive mom. I strived to match my parenting to my sensibilities. Often those ideas were not like the moms around me. Was I a mom on a mission ? Perhaps I was! When I saved a McDonalds hamburger in a cupboard for a year. I had no idea that an image of it would become an internet sensation. For me, I just thought it would be a perfect prop for the discussions I wanted to have with other parents.

When I think of myself as an activist I could let the burger do the talking. Sure, it sits in it’s oh McDonalds hamburger glory. Yes, it looks exactly like the day I bought it. My mission surrounding the burger was really to get a conversation going. I’d ask my parents what are we actually eating? Why are these being sold around the world? What do we call food? When did food become entertainment or a treat? Are we addicted? Where is the nutrition? I wondered if we need a hotline to sway us from the convenience of drive thru. I asked what if we could get back to cooking, eating seasonally, shopping for food locally, sharing the evening meal as a family?

I started my own inquiry surrounding these very issues when mine were little. I nursed, used cloth diapers, made my own baby food and cooked scratch. Folks thought I was weird. In my community I decided to teach these concepts to others. This was my determination. What I was learning had to be useful to others. I started a workshop. We got uncomfortable together. Some parents were shocked and angry when they realized mainstream food sources were not all they seemed to be. When my parents made changes they noticed remarkable differences in their children’s behavior and attention at school and home. The kids were sick less when they ate well. Many parents weaned from diet soda addictions after learning about methanol poisoning. They began to plan weekly menu’s, grocery shop in the produce department, make homemade soups and eat vegetables! They believed they had a choice in the matter. I so loved this about my role as a community educator.

When the image of my 1996 McDonalds Hamburger went viral on the internet in 2008, it hit 196 countries. The post got a remarkable volume of hits!! I got phone calls from around the world. I got yelled at. I was applauded. I admit that I was not prepared for the devotion to the iconic golden arch mentality. I found it horrifying. I also was not prepared to be criticized for being me or for a simple sharing. Folks – it’s a picture of a burger for gosh sakes. The experience truly opened my eyes to popular culture and the larger issue surrounding fast food. I was invited at one point to tour and speak to this topic. I thought my goodness what would it be like to shut this thing known as fast food down? I admit I found that remarkably exciting. While that opportunity didn’t realize I did re-engage myself into community education. I feel at a grass roots level somehow I have had impact.

Since the above essay was written I am happy to say I am very honored to be part of a terrific group of woman speakers in the In Woman We Trust Speakers Bureau. Consider my activism and my story for your next event.

This year the keynote is Commander Mark Edward Kelly.   For those of you who do not know about this remarkable american hero and astronaut, his accolades are pretty darn amazing.

Our company owner, Roger Barnett in an email  shared these details with us:

Mark has either piloted or commanded four space shuttle missions, most recently commanding the Endeavor mission which landed safely just last month. Mark is also a highly decorated Naval aviator, having flown numerous combat missions during the Gulf War, and earning a total of 15 awards and medals during the course of his Naval career.

Unexpectedly, Mark found himself thrust into the midst of a tragic event that made news around the globe when his wife, U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, became the target of an attempted assassination in Tucson, Arizona. Now Mark and Gabby face a long road of recovery ahead together, requiring a different kind of courage than that which Mark has evidenced throughout his career. But no less heroic.

Roger Barnett bought our company in 2004.   He is a man of great vision and a profound thought leader. He told our field that he would surround us with the best people in the industry, and share with us the personal connections he has…

In his email he further shared :

Both Mark and Gabby are my friends, and I was with them when they met. Mark is a person who has faced an incredible diversity of challenges and has much to share with us about the way in which these experiences have deepened his faith, and also his belief in the strength of the human spirit.

Upon receiving this email I was struck with the magnificence of the company our owner keeps.  His selection of keynotes always has at it’s core a message of perseverance and hope. Roger has in his heart  a wish for all of our lives to be full and passionate!   It humbles me and it has me in awe.

I am not a rock star in my company.  I am an average sales leader.  I proudly built something many years ago that provides me today my core income.  I did this in a way that had me be the single mom I needed to be.  My work in nutrition and sharing wellness has served me tremendously through some very challenging times. This to me, makes me my own rock star!! I can choose to represent a tremendous company  and it’s products and be loved and celebrated at whatever level I am.

This rocks!!

Who do you know wants supplemental income or perhaps to be their very own boss.  Someone who believes in prevention, nutritional supplementation and sheparding a shift to green products?

I’d love to meet with them and share a business opportunity!

The central Illinois event offers a variety of expertise treks to learn from. To those just starting out – to the more advanced, and all the places in between!  I am part of the “Start Me Up” Trek and  will be talking about how blogging allows you to be an expert in your profession, craft or hobby. I will also be sharing the story of a certain image/post that went viral!

There is a VERY nicely discounted registration right now – don’t hesitate to sign up!  That discount ends June 10th.

Please follow the #atmw tag to see what’s developing

He’s taking his phone, laptop, one humungous bike bag and riding his bike to the airport.  That’s going too.

Thoughts and images of him fleeting in my mind today are amazing.

I am letting them stream over me.

I feel celebration for him and his leaving.

Go fine son.

Journey free.

Be tremendously safe.

I adore you.

Love.  Mom.

I have given up fighting the fact that I am know far and wide as the burger lady!!

Jenn is part of Green Moms Carnival, a group of spirited, enthusiastic woman that I proudly write with.

My prompt, just for the “heart” of it, asked my fellow green moms why are we doing what we do and to say so in 250 words.

Here is my from the heart rise to the challenge…

Green Mom’s Carnival Two Hundred Fifty Word Challenge:

Many would agree that the need to be heard can be very strong. Some thrive on being heard more than others. I am one of those.  Add my curious, sharing and passionate self and my remarkable enthusiasm for oh…everything, and one will find that I am someone who cannot be contained.  I often must say. While I knew this about myself to some degree, I didn’t realize at what level having voice defined my very core.  Creative expression either in written form, in photography or my being more effusive, meaning way more verbally demonstrative than some often care for. Blogging has me expressed! I love to blog for many reasons, but mostly I blog because I can be me. We are all continuing to become.  Would you agree?  I know I am. The blog world is forgiving.  It’s a very generous place and the truth is it isn’t particularly selective. It has infinite room for all of us! We get to choose who we read, like, follow, friend and comment with. The vastness of this has me in awe. The impact and reach continues to humble me. Each and every day a person, email or commenter tells me something I’ve shared, written or photographed made a difference for them.  This is why I blog.

comfort tea

This has been an absolutely awesome year for my blog!

I am very grateful Luke for your mentorship, your patience with me, and your skills and creativity!!

evening rooftops by karen hanrahan

I asked permission to share….

Why? Because this was just the prompt I needed ….

Typically I feel determined to reflect on the year past and eager to launch into what’s next….

and yet

this past year wasn’t like most.

I admit some overwhelmedness here…

not sure if it was too many hats, not enough, or if my emotions were at high play…

On Dec 30, 2010, at 1:01 PM, Naomi Dunford wrote:

Hello, my lovely,

A lot of people didn’t have a great year in 2010. You are not alone in this.

It doesn’t really matter why 2010 sucked. What matters is what you can take away from it.

Stop and think for a minute about your Top Five 2010 Moments. This doesn’t have to be hard; you don’t have to do any ranking or anything. This isn’t going on David Letterman. It’s just five moments that you would want to live again. Go ahead and write them down if it makes them easier to think about.

Consider them for a minute. Roll them around in your mind like you’d roll a particularly good piece of chocolate around on your tongue. Remember how happy they made you feel. Think about why they made you feel happy.

See if you can find a common thread (or two, or three). Then – and I can’t stress this enough - write that common thread (or two, or three) down. Don’t just think it, and don’t type it; handwrite it. And then put it somewhere where you’ll see it every day.

You want that piece of paper in plain sight because that common thread is what you’re going to work toward in 2011. Keep thinking about it, remembering it, and returning to it. When you have a choice to make, think about which outcome would be more consistent with that thread.

If you do that – if you keep that common thread in your mind – I guarantee you’ll have a better year in 2011 than you did in 2010, no matter what else happens.

But tonight, just think about your top five moments, your common thread(s), and what you’re going to do to be consistent with them in 2011.

Truth is …

I couldn’t immediately encapsulate 2010 into moments because the year seemed like such a blur.

I went back to my blog as if I was going to do a best of  or something and no wonder it seems like a blur…it totally was!!

I narrowed it down to these five themes rather than moments:

Freedom

Identity

Technology

Fame

Creativity

At this juncture of my life I am in a huge re-design. Midlife crisis? I’d say more like midlife opportunity! I have not only one door opening, but many!! I hadn’t put perspective on it but when I add the way these five things make me feel. Why do these things make me happy?? They as themes reinforce the “I can’s”!! It occurs to me how important to me it is to know who I am.  Knowing is one thing.  Doing “me” as in work, and life …is completely different. I need and thrive on being “me”

I am going to roll all of this on my tongue like a good piece of chocolate.

One thing I want to ponder is what does any of the above have to do with my work??

I have to say this …I am very grateful for blogging for many many reasons, but I am especially happy and i totally just realized this. Often I get about the doing….and while I have a semblance of a plan.  My blog shows me what I’ve actually done. This past year was impressive and it makes me very very proud.  There — the strongest feeling of ALL of this year?

Pride.

Way GOOD stuff madame Nadine!! Thank you!!!

image by karen hanrahan