Hi all,

This week I want to share the top five reasons I love the company, Amazon!

1. They advertise my books for me—less work for me and it’s free!
2. I can search and get nearly anything I want around the planet—right from the website.
3. Only one click and the payment is sent—I don’t even need my wallet!
4. Whatever I order comes to me—no need for my car, so I save gas and I don’t have to deal the crowds in the malls!
5. They have saved my life!

I know, you may be thinking that the last one on the list is a bit of an exaggeration. Well, I assure you that it is not. Let me tell you why.

Since my return to the States, I blew up like some kind of a blow fish. It was disgusting. I really don't know why either. Okay, I admit, maybe the fact that I sat all day at my dreaded day-job clicking away at the computer and then again all night clicking away writing all four of books, may have had something to do with such unbecoming bloatiness (Wait, is bloatiness a word?).

Sure, my ego's gone up steadily since the books have come out, but so did my skirt sizes—three sizes! I even grew out of my underwear! Literally! You do not even want to go there. Not to give anyone a visual, but trust me, it was not pretty.

Eventually, I went to the doctor for a regular cholesterol check, and she said, “Wow Marsha, your thyroid has jumped ship. These numbers tell me that it’s just not working anymore. That would explain your excessive weight gain and tiredness (another word I’m questioning actually)”

What? What the hell does the thyroid have to do with anything? (You can tell that I'm not medically inclined at all.)

“So let me see if I understand this correctly doctor, I have high cholesterol, I'm pre-diabetic, and now my thyroid is null and void. Well that explains me literally popping out of my underpants! So what can I do about it now?”

“Well, you can start some medications to help with your thyroid, but Marsha, you have to start exercising, eating better, and losing some weight.”

Easier said than done doctor!

So after many trials and errors, I finally found the solution to my dilemma. I accepted a seasonal warehouse job with Amazon here in Phoenix. Several people tried to warn me against it saying that it would be too physically demanding for me. “You have to hustle and move boxes around the entire shift. It's damn hard! Lots of people quit because they just can't handle it.”

“Oh wait. You mean I will have to walk the entire shift, and there will be no time for stupid water cooler crap? That is great! That is exactly what I want to do.”

My friends thought I was crazy; that is until they saw that my plan was actually working. I'm proud to say that I can now walk from my car to my assigned work-area without stopping and resting. To give you an idea of how bad I was, the day of my orientation, I had to stop three times and rest. But now, not only have I lost weight, I feel 1000 times better than before I started; I feel stronger and firmer--all over my body.

You see, my job at Amazon is sorting and scanning boxes—all different sizes, weights and shapes. I grab them from the conveyor belt and place them on the corresponding pallet to be shipped out. For example: a number 75 on the box means it goes on number pallet 75. How easy is that? And I get paid for doing it! My first full day on the job, my scanning rate was 94 boxes an hour—now that is hustle hustle hustle!

So, the bottom line is, I get to work out each day without paying the gym, I'm making nice cash on the side, my heart is now stronger, my clothes are fitting better, I have stopped my thyroid meds, …..aaaannnnddd…… I am lookin damn sexy (if I do say so myself). Damn! This is frickin awesome!!

You may ask me, is it easy working a four-hour part-time job--6 days a week--along with my regular full-time job? Well, no it isn't. I am pushed to my limit each day; but is it worth it? Absolutely! I feel great!

Like I said before, Amazon has saved my life. Viva Amazon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!