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In today's fast-paced world, effective communication skills are more important than ever and can make all the difference in achieving our goals and building strong relationships.

Did you know...?

"Crystal blue persuasion" is a phrase that originally comes from a song of the same name, released in 1969 by the American rock band Tommy James and the Shondells. The song is said to have been inspired by Tommy James' experience with a group of Hare Krishnas chanting and playing music in the streets of New York City.

In the song, the phrase "crystal blue persuasion" is used as a metaphor for a state of mind or a feeling that is pure, clear, and positive. It is often associated with feelings of peace, harmony, and unity. The song's lyrics encourage the listener to embrace this state of mind and let it guide them in their interactions with others. 

We hope that the stories we shared last week on Our Story Your Story inspired you to reflect on your own communication style and find new ways to enhance your skills, leading to better outcomes, greater understanding, and stronger connections.

The blog article for this week dives more deeply into that topic.

Toby is shopping for knives at the Bernalillo Indian Arts Festival on Saturday.

The Power of Respectful Persuasion: How to Avoid Bullying and Achieve Your Goals

by Shelley Carney

My creative partner Toby and I have been working together for the past 10 years. In that time, I have learned to navigate his moods and phases. 

When he decided to reboot our YouTube channel and make it about gold prospecting and processing (Garage Prospecting), he presented it as a project he would do and suggested that I could be involved or not. 

It was a done deal for him and there was no discussion of “should we or shouldn’t we?”

I did get involved in the project and I quickly learned about the equipment and the jargon. I started writing blog posts about the custom process he designed, and those articles helped solidify the ideas he had. 

I fit myself into the empty spaces and made a valuable contribution, and it was my choice to do so. 

Probably because I don’t like to be left out.

Of course, he appreciated my collaborative efforts.

Two months later, I decided we should reboot another of our previously monetized YouTube channels by telling stories (Our Story Your Story). 

We would begin by reading the chapters from the book we wrote, A Gypsy’s Kiss: A Treasure Hunt Adventure, and expanding on the theme from that chapter with more stories.

I presented this idea to Toby, and he balked. 

First, he didn’t like the title or the premise. 

So we compromised. 

Meaning I let him do it his way as long as the project moved forward.

Over the years, I’ve learned that Toby needs a few days to process an idea before he will accept it. But this time, he was very hesitant about telling his stories. It took all my persuasive powers to get him to agree to try it for a month. 

He dragged his feet to the point that I created the branding elements myself. This is his favorite thing to do, so I thought it would motivate him to take over the design.

Only after the first episode was recorded and released did he accept that this is happening and is a good thing. 

Now he is interested in changing the design and putting more thought and energy into this project.

Our first episode centered around the theme of bullying. That is the theme of Chapter One of A Gypsy’s Kiss. Toby shares the story of being bullied during a presentation he had to give in front of his sophomore class at St. Michael’s High School in 1964.

Click here to read the rest of Shelley's informative article on our blog.

Here's our next week in content:

4 pm MST, Wednesday, May 10, 2023. New Mexico Day Trips with Shelley Carney and Toby Younis. Video Upload.

The Walatowa Visitor Center on Jemez Pueblo and the Jemez Historic Site

Join Shelley and Toby as they visit two North Central New Mexico locations this week. The first, the Walatowa Visitor Center, is located in Jemez Pueblo, a Native American community situated in the scenic Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. The second, the Jemez Historic Site, located near Jemez Springs in New Mexico, is a significant archaeological and cultural site that offers visitors a glimpse into the rich history of the Jemez Pueblo and the ancient Puebloan civilization.

4 pm MST, Wednesday, May 10, 2023. Garage Prospecting with Shelley Carney and Toby Younis. Video Upload.

Will it Produce? Testing the Prospector's Dream 6x16 Combo Mat

We replaced the large-celled Prospector's Dream Vortex Mat with a 6x16 Combo Mat to determine if we could improve the performance on the -10 to -60 material we process. We tested it with two containers of tailings, one from The Misskimoson's Blue Tundra Delight run, and the other from the Arroyo San Pedro run. The first is very rocky and the second was very sandy.

GAW! We're going to give away the Vortex Mat that we replaced along with the gold that we recovered from this test. We're also going to include a new digital gold scale that we received as part of a package purchase we made. Watch the video for the details on how to win.

4 pm MST, Thursday, May 11, 2023. Our Story Your Story with Shelley Carney and Toby Younis. Video Upload.

The Surprising Themes in A Gypsy's Kiss Chapter 2 You Don't Want to Miss!

In this video, we read the second chapter of "A Gypsy's Kiss: A Treasure Hunt Adventure" by Toby Michael Younis and Shelley Carney and explore the powerful themes it presents. Join us as we delve into the importance of grief recovery, the value of family support, and how having choices can make moving forward easier. We'll discuss key moments from the chapter and share our own insights and experiences related to these themes. Whether you're a fan of the book or simply interested in exploring the power of personal choice and support, this video is for you.

Don't forget to share your own stories with us by emailing us at support@agkmedia.studio. We can't wait to hear from you!

Want to Have It All?

Find our New Mexico Day Trips website to see all our photos and blog posts for NM Day Trips and Garage Prospecting at nmdaytrips.com

Learn more about AGK Media Studio products and services on our website: agkmedia.studio

You can still find all our past content to improve your content marketing for your small business at messagesandmethods.com

Thank you for spending time with us in the AGK Media community. Scroll down for more information.

Sincerely,

Shelley and Toby

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Maximizing Gold Recovery: Crushing Ore with The Mighty Mill Gold Ore Crusher and Using the RDH Prospector 6" Mini Power Head Sluice for Efficient Processing

Gold prospecting is an exciting hobby that has captured the imagination of many for centuries. Whether you're a seasoned prospector or a hobbyist, finding gold can be an addictive pursuit. 

There are various tools that hobbyist prospectors can use to find gold, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. 

Recently we invested in two new pieces of equipment, the Mighty Mill Gold Ore Crusher and the RDH Prospector 6" Mini Power Head Sluice.

Using The Mighty Mill Gold Ore Crusher and the RDH Prospector 6" Mini Power Head Sluice in combination can provide a powerful one-two punch for processing larger quantities of material and recovering more gold.

This equipment will help us process more paydirt and find more gold when used as part of our customized process using the Mini Clean Up Sluice, Desert Fox Gold Panning Machine, Blue Bowl Concentrator, and Miller Table.

Click to read the rest of this informative article on our blog...

Schedule a Free Consultation with us to discuss how you can become a content creator, start a YouTube channel and build a community, or incorporate content marketing into your business in 2023.

SHOPPING FOR TECH or EQUIPMENT?

Looking for live stream, field recording or podcast equipment, great office/studio chairs, or a Garage Prospecting Kit? Visit our Amazon Storefront to find the collections and kits we recommend. We have a special kit just for budget-conscious home studio equipment that we have tested and approved. Look for all our favorite hobby and business equipment! https://www.amazon.com/shop/agypsyskiss

We've added a Books idea list to our store with our AGK books: Livecast Life, Women in Podcasting, and A Gypsy's Kiss. Find it at http://books.agkmedia.studio 

We get a small commission from Amazon, but there is no extra cost to you and you can find just what you need without searching for hours.

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