Some NTL Stationery Show fun!

Day three! We made some booth design changes to better showcase of our cardline today - this is the third day - tonight we have our supplyside party and we are looking foward to a great afternoon. The sun is finally shinning in New York! Wish us luck!

thestepcardcollection is a website revolving around families and their issues. Lately I’ve been thinking and talking a lot about my family in Cuba. Everyone I come across is talking about the change in the US policy regarding travel to Cuba. Because I’m a Cuban born American Citizen they think I have the answers. There are many here that think a trip to Cuba is putting money in the hands of that government, there are also many that have always felt that keeping Cuban born Americans that have immigrated to the US over the past 50 years from being able to visit their loved ones in their homeland punishes the families in both countries rather than the Cuban government, in truth it is a bit of both. Though I’ve been here most of my life I still have close family in Cuba that I haven’t seen in over 40 years and barely know. I’ve always wanted to visit but fear of the Cuban government and what could happen to me there has kept me from going. It may be time, what do you think?

Visit us in Booth 1351!

New York, New York!!!

This is the first installment of our journey to the New York Stationery Show which is from May 17-20 at the Javits Center. We’re preparing to display our Collection of printed cards to sell to retailers and to get a Card Representative to sell our line. We’re excited about being in New York, but we probably won’t be able to see much except for the Show. Planning and designing our booth is going to be a mission. We all have varying ideas, most good (Carmen and Jeff) and some bad (mine). Although Jeff wants a life-sized cutout of me. No way, I say!!! I’ll keep you updated about our progress and we’ll have plenty of pictures from the design stage through the actual Show. We’re hoping to get the message out that stepfamily greeting cards really exist, but if you’re reading this, you already know that. More to come.

Dr. Rick

Superbowl Sunday

Superbowl Sunday!!!!!
This Sunday I’ll be perched in front of the TV watching the Superbowl, just like millions of others across our nation and throughout the World. It doesn’t matter if you are a fan of Pittsburgh or Arizona, many of us are just fans of football and sports, in general. For me, at least in part, it’s the coordination and cooperation of many that brings a common, singular result. Kinda works like a family should! I’ll be rooting for Arizona (Kurt Warner is a stepfather) since the Dolphins are out of it (again). It’s great to see how the old cliché works: the sum of the parts is much greater than each individual part. Our working together in our families gives us a much greater and satisfying result because we can support and encourage each other, and we can work to our strengths to achieve the common goal. Enjoy the game. Enjoy each other.

Dr. Rick

From Carmen's Point of View - Fear of Failure

These are all great comments! I too have an issue with failure, I don't like doing something i'm not good at so often it's hard to try something new but I try not to let it stop me. Though it seems silly now I have a story about junior high school. I wanted to try out for cheerleading and went as far as going to tryouts, getting dressed, then I chickened out and went home. I regretted it for years. Though it's really not important anymore, it still bugs me that fear of failing kept me from trying out, I always remember that when i'm up against any challenge.Carmen

Fear of Failure

I’ve met many people who talk about fearing failure. Some discuss this in terms of their family and the lessons they learned growing up; some talk about feeling anxious when they must perform, whether at work or in their personal lives, without a “safety net;” others fear the disappointment, sadness, frustration, or even ridicule, that may accompany failing at something.

There are two ways fearing failure may affect us. In the negative sense, sometimes people fear failing to such an extent that it immobilizes them. Instead of energizing themselves to try something, they are so wrought with fear that they can’t move at all. On the other side, some people fear failing and it motivates them to concentrate harder, work more diligently and effectively, and ultimately succeed. Most successful people in our society fear failure, but use it as a motivator. They don’t like or want to fail, and so they avoid it at all costs.

How does the concept of failing affect your life? Does it motivate you or scare you to death? Let me know.
Dr. Rick

No Brandy Bunch!

NO BRADY BUNCH.

I was watching one of the YouTube feeds that comes up periodically right here on the Step-Forum. It was Ron Deal from http://www.successfulstepfamilies.com/ talking about how the “Brady Bunch lied,” meaning life in a stepfamily isn’t always smooth and cozy. It’s true, the Brady Bunch had their share of mishaps and misadventures, but come on, sometimes our house can be a real battleground. I think he is just trying to paint a true picture. In the long run Ron’s point, however, is that all of us in our stepfamilies do a lot of stuff right.

We need to build on the good things—the foundation of love and caring that is mostly there, but sometimes hidden by real life problems and conflicts that can be resolved if we use what works and not what we know doesn’t. I’m guessing that there’s an inherent good in most of us and that leads to a pretty good first STEP in making our families better and happier.

Dr. Rick

Pictures! Enjoy! Send us your photos and we'll place them on our blog!

Father's Day

Father's Day.
Father's Day is June 15th this year. That would be my father's 83rd birthday. A two for one! He passed away 9 years ago tomorrow. We had a great relationship. We played tennis and golf together, although he wasn't that good at either. It didn't matter. I miss him alot, but I'm never sad about it. We talked and shared a great deal (not everything, of course), but enough to know how we felt about each other. My relationship with my
Dad wasn't perfect, or maybe in its way it was. Take the
opportunity to say and do the things with people you love while
you have the chance. To all you Dads and Stepdads out
there--Have a great day!
Dr. Rick

A word from National Stepfamily Day!

Dear Dr. Rick, My name is Christy Borgeld and I am founder of National Stepfamily Day.

I would like to commend you for doing such positive and supporting work on behalf of stepfamilies everywhere. As the stepmother/stepfather become central figures in the lives of our children, in a time that can be confusing for them, it’s comforting to know people like you dedicate and strive to work towards a common positive goal. It’s one that I share with you. You’re cards touch the inner thoughts and feelings that real stepfamily members feel. I was so moved by so many of cards. I admire your work.
My personal work with National Stepfamily Day came from some struggles with my own stepfamily. We sure hit some bumps along the way.

Today, I can tell you that our 16 year old stepfamily is very close and loving. We all share an intense desire to share happiness together. But it was through some of the heartache in our earlier years that I knew stepfamily issues needed to be brought to the forefront. So, National Stepfamily Day was born out of my vision to see that happen. Today, National Stepfamily Day is celebrated in the Untied States, Canada, and the U.K. Along with a National Stepfamily Day picnic that celebrates our families.
I would love to suggest a National Stepfamily Card for September 16? Maybe we could work on that one together?I look forward to sharing our idea’s and support each other with our endevors. Christy Borgeld Founder-National Stepfamily Day-September 16 EST. 1997

Are my feelings legit?

I wonder how many children have experienced this situation in their families? Your parents were divorced when you were young and you have been living with your Mom since the split. Your Dad's visits with you started out pretty regularly, but have gotten less and less frequent over the years. Maybe he got remarried and has a new family or maybe the interest is lower. Who knows? Your Mom married this new man a few years back (your stepfather) and it's turned out OK. In fact, your attachment to him is getting greater than your attachment to your biological Dad. Does this present a problem for you? You know--loyalty, commitment, jealousy on either of the Dad's parts? I just want to say that any of these feelings are legit.

Tell me how you're feeling about this. Let's see if we can get a dialogue going with others in this situation.
Dr. Rick