Hi I’m Laurie Fagen and it’s a positively perfect day to bring you what I hope will be the first in a series of videos entitled “Positively.”

I got the idea from a long time friend, Steve Stieneke, who was formerly with Valley Newspapers. My late husband, Geoff Hancock, and I worked closely with him for many years while they printed the Santan Sun News, a community newspaper we published for 13 years.

Steve has a website called www.Scottsdaleskies.com and some time ago he asked me to write something that would be positive in nature that he could use on his website. Well, fast forward a bunch of months and I finally got organized to write something, and decided that not only would I submit one for him called “Positively Glorious,” but I would also entertain the subject of doing some “Positively” videos as well.

Many of you know I have always been the type of person who believes that not only is my glass usually half full, but it’s most likely overflowing. Contrast that with Geoff, who thought his glass was always half empty — and in fact, dry as a bone. That was one of the many ways that the often heard “opposites attract” phrase applied to us during our 26-year marriage.

I do believe in the power of positive thinking as instilled in me by my father and mother, especially during the time my dad taught Dale Carnegie courses.

Through the years, I’ve collected turtles of all kinds, and early on discovered a turtle-related slogan that fits me well: “You’ll never get ahead … unless you stick your neck out.”

Well, I’ve stuck my neck out plenty, whether it’s moving across the country at least three times for career opportunities; starting six different businesses; opening an art gallery just before the downturn in the economy; or just this year, white-water rafting, zip lining; and in December, I’ll be rappelling down a 27-story building in downtown Phoenix to raise money for Arizona Special Olympics.

I believe you have a choice in whether to be a positive or a negative person. And I can assure you, being optimistic rather than pessimistic is a lot easier … and much more fun.

So, until next time, make it a positively perfect day.

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For the actual YouTube video of this “vlog,” go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isW6Fpfv60M