The Life of a Private Investigator!

When Blogging Becomes a Chore Get Inspired

I have not been inspired to blog for several weeks. I do not think it is any coincidence that my last blog post was in memory of my brother.  I had not even realized that until I was inspired today to finally get back to writing.

Sitting in my office this morning contemplating some witness interviews for a new sex abuse case, something hanging on my wall caught my eye.  A poster size thank you card from a case I worked back in 2002. Twenty men came to a mediation involving a very large sex abuse case. I investigated this case as the head paralegal. I also attended the mediation to offer support to these men and their families.  As I read some of the messages they wrote I felt a tremendous amount of gratitude and love to these wonderful people. I want to share some of these quotes with you today.

"Thank you for your help, you have given me and others a chance to heal and grow."

"Thank you for being apart of our army and going to battle with us."

"...thank you for your roles in our healing."

"...thank you for wielding the mighty swords of justice..."

"To all of you who have done so much for so many of us-you will never know all the ways in which your hard work, your time, your encouragement and your support have changed our lives for always."   

As I read this poster today I finally feel the inspiration I need to kick start my blogging. I can not list all of the  "thank you comments", but I can say thank you back.  I can say thank you everyday by continuing to fight for justice when someone needs a champion. I can continue to shine a light on the crimes done to adult survivors of childhood sex abuse.

Dawn Krantz-Watts

aka Inspector Watts

Inspiration - Please read and gives me some feed back because I am really curious what inspires all of you.

Today’s blog maybe a little out of left field for me but I want to know what inspires you?  In the last month I have several inspirations. They all came out of left field but I knew something awesome was happening. I could not put a name on what I was feeling but looking back over the past few weeks I would say these key events inspired me. 

First, I was inspired by a stranger; it was unexpected but in the moment I was visiting with this stranger I felt a confidence and boldness I have never felt before. I intend to hang on to that feeling because it was empowering.  I dare you to be bold; do something out of character. I promise you will learn something from this and love it.

 

Second, I was inspired by a client; this one was not so surprising on the surface because clients inspire me all the time. This particular client on the surface always has their act together. When he agreed to appear before the Oregon Senate I knew he would do well. During that testimony this client was truly vulnerable. The emotions and trust was astonishing not to mention brave.  It took strength and trust for this client to tell his story because in essence he told the whole world. His courage was so powerful it inspired me to embrace my fears, let my vulnerability show and trust. I highly recommend letting your guard down.

 

Finally, I was inspired by a child. I attended a 6^th birthday party this last week, I really did not want to go, it had been a long week and I was tired.  When I showed up to the party it was chaos, kids running and laughing with very little parental supervision. I felt drawn to these kids, their energy was contagious. So I ran, jumped, played and laughed. In fact I laugh so hard I was almost sick.  Did I mention the party was at a place called JJ Jump (lots of huge blow up toys)?  This day was awesome!! We all need to remember how fun it is to be a child. Just because we are adults with responsibilities does not mean we can not stop, take a deep breath and just go for it; jump, climb, run and laugh. I challenge you to just be silly it is very freeing.

 

I could go on and on about the little and big inspirations happening around us all the time. Stop and think about the things that inspire you. Post them on my site, share them with other people, you may inspire someone else.  And, FYI be bold, be trusting, be vulnerable and have fun, be a child. It is awesome!!!!!

Dawn

Aka Inspector

Watts

Harry Amon's version of The Golden Rule

Wise words from a twitter friend, www.harryamon.com.

Harry Amon wrote:

The rule I try to live my life by is the Golden Rule; I try to treat others as I would like to be treated - and I would always like to be treated well.

I try to be empathetic and compassionate; I try to be courteous and friendly; I try to be fair and helpful.

Peace -

    "It does not seem to be in a place where there is not noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart!"

Author Unknown

Pro Bono work for the Investigator -

How many other investigators do you know who do pro-bono work?  Since working in the legal profession for more than 20 years I have come across attorneys all the time, from all different specialties doing pro-bono work. It made me wonder how I could do the same. One day it came to me, It came in the form of an unexpected case.

A woman  contacted me who wanted to reconnect with her birth parents, we had our first consultation. After that consultation I knew this woman did not know where to start looking, nor did she have the resources to pay me for my time so how was I going to help her? The next day a local columnist in the Oregonian talked about the topic of private investigators who do pro-bono work.  At that moment I knew this is how I can give back for the blessings I have had in my business. Currently, I have two pro- bono cases. I can not afford more than two at this time but my goal is one pro-bono case per year. I will know the right case when it comes in the door.

It feels good to give back so ask yourself what are you doing to give back for your blessing! 

Be a Free Thinker- By Mr. Sting

I think on a day like today, Mr. Sting's post yesterday is worth repeating on my blog:

Today is Martin Luther King Day.  Tomorrow we inaugurate a new president.  This is a new world.

Doesn't matter if you like the changes, or if you don't.  Fact is they are here. You can learn to adapt, or not.

I don't know what color you are, and I don't care.  I don't know what religion you are, and I don't care.  I don't know what country you was born in,  and I don't care.  I don't know what political party you belong to, and I don't care.  All I care about is the person you are, and the person you strive to be.

Were ever you come from, is not what matters.  What matters is who you are, and where you are going.  Be a free thinker.  Think for yourself.  Question everything. Learn something every day.  Learn from yourself, learn from others, learn from books.  Then take what you learn, and think about it.  Does it make sense?  If not, make sense of it.  Think for yourself.

Learn to think for your self.  Be a better person.  Be a better friend.  This world is changing.  Change with it.  Change for the better. 

We are all in this world together.  Let's behave like it. 

I think on a day like today, Mr. Sting's post yesterday is worth repeating on my blog:

Today is Martin Luther King Day.  Tomorrow we inaugurate a new president.  This is a new world.

Doesn't matter if you like the changes, or if you don't.  Fact is they are here. You can learn to adapt, or not.

I don't know what color you are, and I don't care.  I don't know what religion you are, and I don't care.  I don't know what country you was born in,  and I don't care.  I don't know what political party you belong to, and I don't care.  All I care about is the person you are, and the person you strive to be.

Were ever you come from, is not what matters.  What matters is who you are, and where you are going.  Be a free thinker.  Think for yourself.  Question everything. Learn something every day.  Learn from yourself, learn from others, learn from books.  Then take what you learn, and think about it.  Does it make sense?  If not, make sense of it.  Think for yourself.

Learn to think for your self.  Be a better person.  Be a better friend.  This world is changing.  Change with it.  Change for the better. 

We are all in this world together.  Let's behave like it. 

I think on a day like today, Mr. Sting's post yesterday is worth repeating on my blog:

Today is Martin Luther King Day.  Tomorrow we inaugurate a new president.  This is a new world.

Doesn't matter if you like the changes, or if you don't.  Fact is they are here. You can learn to adapt, or not.

I don't know what color you are, and I don't care.  I don't know what religion you are, and I don't care.  I don't know what country you was born in,  and I don't care.  I don't know what political party you belong to, and I don't care.  All I care about is the person you are, and the person you strive to be.

Were ever you come from, is not what matters.  What matters is who you are, and where you are going.  Be a free thinker.  Think for yourself.  Question everything. Learn something every day.  Learn from yourself, learn from others, learn from books.  Then take what you learn, and think about it.  Does it make sense?  If not, make sense of it.  Think for yourself.

Learn to think for your self.  Be a better person.  Be a better friend.  This world is changing.  Change with it.  Change for the better. 

We are all in this world together.  Let's behave like it. 

Attitude is everything in life!

 

     The remarkable thing we have is a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.

Charles Swindoll

Ralph Waldo Emerson says------

   

     "Nothing Great Was Ever Achieved Without Enthusiasm."

                    Ralph Waldo Emerson    

                   (US Essayist and Poet 1803-1882)

Inspiring

"Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life".

 

                                                        Confusious

Inspiration

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”          Winston Churchill