Decorations for nightlight

These night lights out now are in such an aray. Some sing to your child others just sit there and do nothing except give light. So what would be in your child best interest to put them to sleep and don't forget waking up. My choice was a simple but, timeless black light I put baby hand prints and feet prints in matching colors for his comfortor. This light well for him and well as myself. As he has grow over the years the night light has been put to use for his consolation of plantes. This is also a highlight for a castle with knights, princes, prince etc... I still belive in putting a little one to sleep with some music but, something with some inspriation. Mozart ect...
As he's grown so has his music now he sings, very happy.

Making Home Affordable - Home

Making Home Affordable - Home

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Calculate Your Net Worth

·                             Get a clear understanding of your financial status; calculate your net worth by adding up your cash       assets, property, and personal belongings, and then subtract your debt, including home mortgage and credit cards. You’ll have an instant idea of your net worth. One general paradigm to use as a guide: a healthy net worth equals your age times 10 percent of your pretax income. What a wake-up call, eh?

·                             Manage and track your spending. You’ll soon see where you over-indulge.

·                             Start a savings account, and save as much as you can. You’ll need it, trust me.

·                             Reduce credit card spending. Duh.

·                             Ask for a raise. Duh.  

·                             Be reasonable with yourself; if you can only save a little, then save a little. Remember the old adage that “if you put a little on a little, soon you will have a lot.” 

·                             Protect yourself: maintain a marketable skill. Continue to learn – even when you must duck out of the job market periodically to have children, or attend to other family responsibilities, you want to be able to jump back in when you’re ready.

·                             Retain a financial advisor.

·                             Adhere to the basics of financial planning: spend less, save and invest more, and follow a plan.

·                             If you’re married, know what your personal financial liabilities are. If your husband or partner declares bankruptcy, you could be forced to claim bankruptcy too. What then?

·                             Make sure you have adequate insurance coverage.

·                             Help yourself. Take some responsibility for your own future. Open a retirement account, like a 401(k), or IRA, and invest as much as you can in it.

·                             Be honest and open about your feelings and expectations regarding financial arrangements.

·                             Communicate. Work out a harmonious budget that brings into balance all the contributions both of you make to your life together.

Foreclosure to a Renter

After my foreclosure of my property...becoming a renter again was inevitable.  The experiences that were encountered are as follows.

• no heat
• lack sufficient hot water
• faulty electrical
• rodents
• leaky roof
• walking into home
  
  

Reading the codes.ohio.gov.orc/5321
After much researching their really isn't any information on landlords.  Why???

Neglect is camouflage by many reasons;

• health
• financial
• other

Keeping notes, photos, etc...
consult an Attorney

Change Up Goals

Every year I try to make a list of things I want to accomplish.  This is the first year I will make a list of things I want.  Most recently listening to a LiveOutLoud tape on Ustream I found a new twist on things; pay bills off, marketing to a niche, figure what my net worth is, etc...

#30 Things I want this year (overlay #8 areas' of life)

1. Health
2. Friends & Fun
3. Family
4. Relationship
5. Physical improvement (environment; clean desk, files, clutter)
6. Money
7. Business/Personal development
8. Spiritual growth

If you had goals last year and you never accomplished one of them just change up goals.  eg.  loose weight - do 15 jumping jacks a day.  Then it's a new goal/want.  Try this on your own and don't take all day doing it. In the next 2 hours get it done and post me a note that you made a list.  

You will always get the same result if you do the same thing.  So, change up goals and succeed.

1. workout on scheduled
2. loose 20 lbs
3. bring fat count down 18%
4. workout on pole 20 min everyday 
5. foods that fuel, portions smaller ; Shakeology
6. connect w/ people online & off
7. put cost of my services
8. really listen w/ empathy
9. family-life lessons & money magnet
10. Ask God for; discretion is: discernment & balance between knowledge-common sense, insight-discernment
11. Clean clutter; desk, organize, & downsize
12. Save $20 put in envelope
13. Downsize bills; house hold
14. Sell patients
15. get back into Investor RE
16. Workshop host
17. Go Disney World
18. Zip-line &Beach
19. Science Centre
20. Cedar Point
21. Rock & Roll hall of fame/ Regee concert
22. Study religious health book
23. read bible every day
24. Sell, sell, sell everyday
25. blogs; write & renew old topic every Monday #3
26. continue to follow Wally B. and read more of his book list
27. Put self first
28. Negotiate everything till win, win situation is achieved
29. document & work Supervisory skills and work on them daily
30. resist pride and sexual immorality. Date men, find a suitable mate.

First Day on the Job

The first day at a new job is critical for making the right impression. After all, no office needs another toxic co-worker: the know-it-all, the gossip hound, the death breath guy and the "hey, look at my underwear" lady. Instead, you want to ooze dependability, preparedness, politeness, good grooming and above all, normality.

1. Get Two Weeks of Restful Sleep Before You Start     You will look better too.  Your mom was right when she told you to get a good night's sleep before your first day of work. You want to be sharp, clear-eyed and preferably awake while you meet dozens of new people, process loads of critical information, choose your network password and figure out the quickest route to the restroom.But what mom didn't know was that one good night of sleep won't make up for three months (or more) of late nights and afternoon naps. You need to re-train your body to keep regular "working" hours. Experts say this requires two weeks of going to sleep at a reasonable time and waking up unreasonably early [source:Vogt]. Stick to this regimen, and soon your internal clock will jibe with the alarm clock -- give or take three smacks of the snooze button.    
2. Test Drive Route Beforehand    Never had to use this because I came I when I got there, but this works.   Whether you drive, bike, bus or walk to your new job, it's smart to test drive the route before that first important day [source: Huhman]. Google Maps doesn't have a "rush hour" button that will automatically double the time of your daily commute. Plus, traffic is a lousy excuse for being late, since the rest of the office had to battle the same gridlock but still managed to make it in before 9:37. If you take public transportation, have your train/bus arrival and departure times, as well as any transfers you need to make, down pat well before your first day. Do you have to drive to the train or bus station? Master that route as well. Have a back-up plan handy, just in case.
3. Brown Bag it    The good lunch at the desk thing.  Every office has its own lunch culture. Only a lucky few cubicle slaves still get a leisurely lunch hour. The more common lunch ritual is of the e-mailing-with-one-hand-while-jamming-a-tuna-salad-sandwich-down-your-throat-with-the-other variety. If you're unsure of the lunch scene at the new job, better to brown bag it than get stuck with a vending machine lunch of peanut butter crackers and Mountain Dew. You may end up having lunch with the boss on your first day, but that's no guarantee -- and you may end your first day at work hungry.
   Either way, start your day with a hearty breakfast. You'll need more than your usual coffee and Cap'n Crunch to sustain you through hours of orientation and hand-shaking
4. Do your homework     An in depth look at the company.   A surefire way to impress your boss on the first day is to show up with a clear understanding of what the company does. Thanks to the Internet, this is a cinch. Read your company's Web site, its clients' Web sites and any recent news articles about them [source: Vogt]. You can even set up an e-mail alert through Google News to notify you when stories hit the press about your employer or your industry in general [source: Weiss]. You don't have to spout out all this info at will, but it will keep you from saying something stupid in front of the higher-ups
5. Hit the mall    Personally I have always gone for the fine material yet simple & professional.  Even at the most dressed-down workplaces, there is a line between office casual and college bum. It's time to put away your ironic T-shirts, hoodies and flip-flops and invest in some clothes that say, "I'm not the pizza guy."
   Every office has its own definition of appropriate dress. Pay attention to what other people are wearing when you go in for an interview. If you don't remember, you can call the human resources representative at your company and get his or her opinion. You certainly don't want to appear too casual, but you can overdo it the other way as well. You don't want to hear, "Hey, who's the guy in the tux?"
6. Take notes  Great time saver why people don't do this is beyond me.  The first day is a whirlwind of introductions and meetings. You'll meet four different people named Dan, receive a phonebook-sized packet of information about your healthcare plan and be walked through the simple 30-step process for clearing a paper jam in the copy machine.Take notes; you'll thank yourself later.  
7. Don't Be Yourself....Yet    Being the new guy can be easier if you read the book at the bottom of the page. The key word for your first day at work is restraint. If you're a naturally bubbly hyper-energetic type, tone it down a notch [source: Grobart]. You don't want to scare people. Likewise, if your default gear is low and slow, have an extra cup of coffee and practice your best fake smile
8. If You Don't Know...Ask       If your boss puts you on a task, try to get all of the details straight during that first meeting. You won't look stupid -- just attentive and thorough. If you're in the middle of the assignment and something still doesn't make sense, pop your head in the office and clear it up. Again, you look sincere, not slow. If you pop your head in every five minutes, though, you'll get annoying. Get it down as quickly as possible.Here's a question that's music to a manager's ears: "Can I help you with anything?"  Do more than what's asked of you make your self valuable.    
9. Shut up & Listen   Prevent hitting the glass ceiling. The best way to win people's trust is simply by listening to them [source: Vogt]. Show respect for their opinions and seek feedback on your ideas before presenting them as the new reality [source:CareerBuilder]. When in doubt, bring doughnuts.                   
10. Get On the Same Page     Learn about Others Personality and Character so that you know how each of your co-workers work.  What they expect without trial and error.  Read  Please Understand Me: Character and Temperament Types by David Keirsey, Marilyn Bates                                                            Here's what a professor of Purdue University is saying "Do you want to know yourself, and people around you including your rivals or enemies, then you must read it. You will see them as if without clothes, then you can deal with them very well for your merits. Know the person who sits in square table, so that you can deal with him very well. You will love this book. If you read without letting know them that you read it, and then you tell them, "Who you are, and what you want." They will be surprised and ask you, "How dare you know about me that much. I am wondering. blah blah... " 

Magic Key

A man who worked his way up the corporate ladder had kept earning his way.  He used his time wisely, kept on schedual, and was always ready for more.  He was not a slacker at all, as he grew older he thought why don't I just relax.  I have had this job for such a time that I am as good as I am going to get.  So, he relaxed and became unorganized.  Orders were not filled and soon after a time someone made sure that the boss was informed of his missed order.  It was time for a meeting and he became nervous. He realized someone had their eye on his job.  He decided to take a vacation and to recap the events of his work nature.  The decision he came to was simple, he realized that he had let go his concentration.

Upon his return he decided that he would follow a daily schedule.  The morning he would take the inventory, then make the calls to fill new orders, just before closing of the day he would clean off his desk.  He would follow this schedule everyday until it became habit.  He had concentration of his task and that was his Magic Key.
Keep in sight of that schedule, push though the tough days until that schedule becomes habit.  Concentrate on a task until complete. 

Back Burner = Procrastination

When was the last time you turned to the things you put on the back burner? Well, it's about time to get those ( to do's) out in front. For the past few weeks I've been getting some important things back into the works of daily moving forward.

How about some earlier methods that you've out grown/used? Maybe using them again with the new knowledge you have obtained will change the out come. Rereading some of the books that got put on the shelf is a great place to start.
Problogger


Research methods that have become old or just forgotten. Bring some of them back to the front and see what you come with. I have recently gone back to some basic sites that I have stored useful information on and reread the news feeds. Found out how I have lacked and improved.

Focus back on a very narrow road of organized effort so, so much of that useless information just seems to clutter time, energy, and effort. Maybe you want to check how your positive energy is in your home, office, or self (spiritual).

Scents from nature, where do they take you

Scents are a welcome in any home as well as stimulation to an ordinary day. Walking through gardens with the smells of flowers is always so enjoyable. Going to festivals and entering some shops with potpourri is top notes experience. Finding new ways to make tokens of application for loved ones. Well here's another great topic from Twittermoms and SeventhGeneration to share with you some great facts.

Scents and where they take me;
• Fresh Citrus & Ginger takes me back to a clean I just love. I enjoy a top note and these two common scents put together take me back to the kitchen with loads of fresh fruits and spices. Cooking has been a passion of mine to learn each culture to enjoy some of their fine foods. Perfume is also something that triggers great memories sometimes its of a person. Another scent will remind me of a place like the beach. Here's a link for some great perfume on a forum to inspire, share or just talk.
• Lavender Floral & Mint back some years I use to plan for a huge field of lavender just rows and rows of this wonderful smelling plant. Back by my garden I would have mint growing and use this spice for my Mexican dishes as taco’s were always so, good.
• Lemongrass & Clementine Zest is a wonderful spice used in dishes also but, somewhat hard to find. So, I try to keep some on hand because it adds a unique taste. Clementine’s my mother would buy for holiday baskets and the smell was always a welcome guest with all the pines.
• Free & Clear I have always enjoyed original scents I'm one who buys the first product. I used for years Tide, Downy, Clorox, and Bounce because it is a clean like no other. I enjoy scents but I also enjoy time to just enjoy the air and the simplicity it brings with it. It is a quiet time for me of waiting for God while I study his word with my bible and meditate.
Lets Talk Period
No-Glow
90% post-consumer content recycled




I've been a Tide user for my whole life, my mom used it and now I use it but, after finding out more about bio-based products I'm changing not only for my family but to help save the environment.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Seventh Generation blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Computer Maintence Time - Spring & Fall Cleaning

Staying up to date with the latest computer tools for cleaning can be trying and sometimes expensive. Like you I feel that I've bought the best for my computer and then to talk with others find out different, or still more information. The best way I've found in getting the rest of the story is to talk to someone who really knows and fixes computers, tablets, and phones that's up to government standards.

Let me share with you what I learned;
Malwarebytes.com is free and does a great job in cleaning your computer. It's quarantined infectious threats to my computer, cleaned it, and now it's now faster. It found 22 threats I'm impressed..see what it can do for yours.

Viper.com has a three year purchase period but is very inexpensive in addition to that it also takes up very little space. And that's a huge plus in my book. It's is also very fast running at cleaning your system it's the fastest I've seen. Try it you'll be amazed.

lspfix.com is a site for all your malware, virus ware shopping needs. I wasn't impressed with this.

tdsskiller.com by kaspersky is another top of my list for getting and removing codes off my computer that would be threatening. This removes all the entries and goes to such paths deep inside while it removes, it also takes and makes codes all zero's and then goes back and changes them to all one's and still goes back once more and makes them all zero's again.

HijackThis.com has a free tool as well as a few others to purchase. This is a another great tool that I was told about that does a super job in keeping your computer, tablet and phone clean.

NOTE: make sure you don't over protect your computer you could do more damage than good. One for every kind of threats and then alternate once in a while just to make extra sure your computer is running at it's best.

Basic Tips for Adults Who Want to Make New Friends

Finding myself in a new area I found myself using Basic tips for making new friends. While figuring that going to a near by friends house was the easiest, I also learned that I was still alone and vulnerable. Being tested for how many insults about my cooking, parenting skills, decorating were very painful. Getting introduced to many new people at her house was great, but when the boyfriend thing arose...there was an conflict of interests, me being the new kid on the block didn't hold much weight. After, leaving a church that we attended for ten years we were with without family. So, after backing up and looking at my situation I've done some reasearch so, that I may get back into a positve position again. Here's Basic Tips for Adults who want to make new friends:

Making friends is something that we have been doing since we were little kids. Unfortunately, the older we get, the harder it can be to make new friends. This seems counter intuitive since most other things in life get easier with time. However, it makes sense because of the way that our lives change as we get older. When we are young, we have a lot more opportunity to meet new people than we do when we are older. And we also tend to be less judgmental and less set in our ways about what friendship means when we are young than when we grow up. These things combine to make it more difficult to make friends as we age. As a result, the real key to making new friends is to regain some of that openness, adventurousness and exposure to new people that we had when we were kids. The best ways of going about doing this as adults tend to depend on the reason that we are seeking new friends.
Let's take a look at some common reasons that adults are on the lookout for new friends and some great ways to make friends in those situations:

Moved to a new area:
Many people make a move to a new area as adults and leave their social circle behind. Although this can be difficult, it also presents the easiest opportunities for making new friends in the new environment. That's because you're going to be introduced to new sets of people just by virtue of living in a new place, shopping in new stores and working in a new location.
Here are some basic ideas for making new friends when you've moved to a new area:
•Chat up the people at your new job.
•Spend time in the neighborhood at local coffee shops or bars and open yourself to conversations there. •Introduce yourself to your neighbors.
•Meet the parents of the kids that your kids quickly become friends with.

The key to making new friends in this situation is really just to put yourself out there. As long as you are open to meeting new people and you are outgoing in your approach, you'll be able to meet new people fairly easy throughout the course of your daily activities.

Shrunken social circle
There are many reasons that our social circles shrink as adults. We drift apart from high school and college friends. People get busy with their spouses and new families. Friends move away. And soon we find ourselves with a few great friends but not enough of them.
Here are some basic ideas for meeting new people to add to your existing social circle:
•Start hosting Sunday dinners at your place. Invite the friends you do have. Also invite acquaintances that you'd like to know better. Encourage each of them to bring others. A group will develop.
•Take a class or join a local group that engages in an activity you enjoy. Even if you don't become friends with people outside of the group, you'll have a set weekly activity where those friends are based.
•Meet people online who live in your neighborhood. Use the "strictly platonic" section of Craigslist, the forums of a local website or sites that get people together for events in order to start meeting new people.

The key to making new friends when your social circle shrinks is to remember that you have a foundation of friends already and just need to add people here and there. This reduces the pressure of finding a "best friend" and lets you just focus on finding people to do things with now and then.

Major life change
Life changes can unfortunately cause us to lose friends. Your relationship ends and the couples you were friends with don't spend much time with you anymore. You get married have a baby and your single friends are doing things that don't interest you much anymore. You go through therapy and make some serious adjustments to your life who cause you to leave behind people who were dragging you down.
Ideas for finding new friends after a major life change include:
•Join a support group for people in your situation.
•Start a weekly social event in your area around an event you enjoy. A weekly theater performance group or a weekly wine tasting will bring new people around you have similar interests to you.
•Look to your acquaintances.

We often already know people who would've made great friends if things had been a little different. Maybe they're different enough now. For example, perhaps there was a great gal in your office that always wanted to hang out but you were too busy doing things with your boyfriend and the couples you knew. Now that you've split, give her a ring and see if she still wants to hang out.

Other general thoughts on making new friends: No matter what your situation, there are some basic things that you can do that will help you to make new friends.
These include:
•Get to know yourself better. When you know what you want from a friendship, it's likely that it will materialize.
•Say "yes" to invitations and activities more often than you say "no".
•Actively tell the people in your life that you're on the lookout for new friends. They'll start setting you up with others before you know it.
•Be a joiner. It doesn't matter what it is as long as you join something that interests you. That's where people you'll like will be.
•Let go of your ideas about friendship. Let things develop without a lot of expectations about them.
•Identify people in your life who interest you but who aren't yet friends.

The lady at the post office who always has a kind word, the friend of your mother's that you haven't seen in years, the guy at the office who always talks about his weekend hiking trips ... these are people who have the potential to be your friend if you start getting more proactive in talking to them.

Ultimately, making new friends boils down to a few basic things. You need to be willing to put yourself out there. If you aren't comfortable introducing yourself to people in person then you might want to do it online. You also need to be open to meeting all kinds of different people and not putting a lot of pressure on the relationship to be anything specific; just let it be. Try to get back some of the feelings that you had about friendship as a kid and you'll start to find yourself rapidly developing new friends as an adult.

 Artice writen By Kathryn Vercillo

Simplifying your life by downsizing your possessions!

While moving to our new/century farm house I found myself downsizing. This was one way I didn't have to take so much to the new place. While unpacking I found that I could still down size on my wardrobe. I felt so much better after wards that it was a great lift off my shoulders. I still have so more down sizing to do but, here's a list of benefits I found on line;

There are many small ways to reduce costs in our every day lives, so to help do just that each week I post the money saving “Tip of the Week”.

“And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.” Luke 19:17

This week’s tip involves…simplifying your life by downsizing your possessions!

A Common Problem
A lot of people are experiencing a steadily increasing amount of stress & discontent related to unquenchable desires and/or a paycheck-to-paycheck type existence. Many of us have been following the ever-so-common path of college, career, & consumerism – like so many others – only to wind up with a big house, a bunch of debt, and a restless state of mind! Many times we end up feeling that our lives would be better if we could just get that raise at work!

As an alternative to dwelling on the absence of desired salary increases – over which we have no control – we’re better served to focus on reducing our possessions and lowering our expenses. It stands to reason that taking charge of what we can change and forgetting about what we cannot are necessary predicates to the increased financial well-being we seek.

Thinning out & streamlining your “stuff” is a great way to start taking charge of your own financial destiny, and will likely yield any or all of the following benefits:

Reduced clutter
Reduced stress
Reduces expenses
A smile on your face
A little extra money on the side
A jump start to your very own Debt Free Adventure!
When is the last time you took an inventory of the items in & around your home to decide whether or not you actually need, use, or even want them? Chances are, if you did take a home inventory, the amount of unnecessary stuff you have would blow your mind!

Normally an overabundance of useless possessions exists in direct correlation to an empty savings account & financial instability.

So What’s The Answer?
Go through every room of your home with a pen & pad of paper and ask yourself these questions:

Do you need it? Need…not want.
Do you use it? If you have not use the item with the last year or two, you can safely rid yourself of its burden.
Do you believe in it? Your belief system may have changed since you originally saddled yourself with it.
Does it do more harm than good? Making positive choices can be awesome turning points in our lives, be it financial, physical, or spiritual.
Do you even want it anymore? Past purchases made in haste often lose their luster after just a short while. This is a common reality and just one example of the empty promises of rampant consumerism.
Make sure you do not limit this philosophy to your possessions alone; you can also successfully apply these questions toward your habits & services used. You may decide to sell your DVD collection, quit a bad habit, cancel your TV service, install a rain barrel or may decide to do all four!

Remember that you do not need to do everything all at once. This exercise can be something you do over the course of one week, or something you do over the course of one year! My wife & have been actively taking inventory of our behaviors & belongings since the beginning of 2009, and intend to do so continually for the rest of our lives. Slowly but surely this practice of downsizing and simplifying our lives is yielding great results, both expected and unexpected. This weekend we found several items that we either never use, no longer enjoy, and/or no longer believe to be beneficial to our lives…so we’re selling them on eBay!

What about you??

Click here to see all our past DFA Tips of the Week.

DFA is passionately dedicated to helping others break the bondage of debt using biblical principles.

by Debt Free Adventure

Fat Belly Solutions

After finding out my son has high blood sugar I went looking for a better diet. While doing so, I learned that many foods that make high blood sugar also, make fat. My son has gained some pounds and is very hungry sometimes. While learning this I want to take a moment to share with you some tips. Here's what I use for an exercise and diet regime. Click Here!

Sugar = Enemy

• Juices
• Wheat breads, noodles
• Dressings
• Artificial sweeteners
• High fructose
• Corn syrup
• Hydrogenated oils
• Processed soy products – ex. Yogurt
These are bad for your liver too

CArbs

• Sprouted brain bread
• Rice
• Spelt
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Sweet potato
• ALL fruits & Veggies

FAT baD vs GOOD fat

BAD
• Hydro Oils
• Canola
• Margarine
• Substitute Butter
• Processed foods

Things you must eat to lose fat:
• Real butter
• Whole eggs
• Bacon
• Coconut oil
• Trail mix
• Olive Oil
• Avocados
• Real Nuts
• Steak

Click Here for Video

Most people do not eat right and are not getting enough of the right foods

Help! My Family Room is Always a Mess…

It is a challenge with a one parent household and a child. I started noticing that my upstairs and family room is in constant disarray. There are days when it looks like I've just had ten kids over for a play date. I would clean one area and keep moving forward and look behind me...Yikes there is a mess just where I cleaned.

Look Mom!! I just built this car. And there lies a pile of blocks everywhere.

My house is an mess most of the time and it is a change for me. I like things clean and organized a clean house makes me happy. I sometimes get uptight and angry because of the mess. Somewhere in the house you can hear me

" I can't stand it anymore it's got to go or pick it up."

I'm no longer frustrated with the mess and confusion. Because it's gone.
Stay tuned next month to read how I solved my Family Room Disarray Problem.
You know I'm all about overcoming a challenge!


What is your biggest household challenge?
Win and ipad2 for taking the time to share your biggest challenge! How? For a chance to win the new iPad2, 'like' Kenmore on Facebook and let us know in your reply.

Share your Genius Tip!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kenmore. The opinions and text are all mine.

Share a classic recipe or Coke-inspired family mealtime memory

Warmer weather is here and I have my picnic basket cleaned and ready for our next adventure. Is yours? Well, get ready for some inspiration and memories that were very fond of my family and friends. With Twittermoms SocialMoms and Coca-Cola® I have the opportunity to remiss about some of my memories.

With Coke a cola being our favorite we usually use this to make floats in the summer after a long day at the pool. This makes for a great snack after the barbecue and the kids just take a little time out for some ice cream. Coke recipes; click here

My family loves going to festivals for the warmer months, from the strawberry festivals, to the end of the season pumpkin festivals. We pack up our picnic basket with cold sandwiches, pickles, beans, seeds and fruit we have a selection for all day at the beach, camping, or just the annual holiday event. Walking around we can always stop by some where and pick up a Coke.

I never knew how many different things were made by Coke, I meet one man who just collected all kinds of archives from; pop machines, cars, signs, metal pedal trucks, and the list is endless. Many of these items are in new or slightly used condition and worth money. It's quite amazing what some people will spend their money on and call it an investment. We have one neighbor who owns an old pop machine and while walking we can stop by put our money in and open it just like a refrigator and pull out a glass bottle of pop. You can't do that every where, it's so nice we have a good neighborhood to enjoy.

Are you ready to BBQ;

In the South-East Coca-Cola has been a popular (somewhat) way to sweeten & tenderize meat. It may sound strange, and it is, but the results taste better than they sound.

In Baja California Coca-Cola is also used often in the making of carnitas owing to the fact that sugar can be hard to find in some remote villages. The ubiquitous Coca-Cola however can be found in places you wouldn't imagine!


Amount Ingredient Preparation Method
2 cups Coca-Cola classic
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup cooking oil
2 cloves garlic smashed
1 tsp Hungarian paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper


Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cool. Marinate pork or beef roast overnight. Reserve marinate for basting.

AT A GLANCE:
The product that has given the world its best-known taste was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 8, 1886. Dr. John Stith Pemberton, a local pharmacist, produced the syrup for Coca-Cola®, and carried a jug of the new product down the street to Jacobs' Pharmacy, where it was sampled, pronounced "excellent" and placed on sale for five cents a glass as a soda fountain drink.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Coca-Cola® blogging program. If I am one of the first 100 blogs received by SocialsMoms, I will receive a $25 gift card. For more information on the program, click here."

Things We Should Say, But Don't

by Jeff Dowler

It occurred to me, upon reflecting on some recent experiences, that there are probably things we should say, but we don't. And not just in business.

For example:


"No."

This is a big one. Whether we are fearful of annoying someone, want to please them, or just don't have it in our gut to say it out loud, sometimes you should say NO. It might be a very difficult buyer, a challenging agent, a listing that you know cannot sell at the price the sellers need, an unreasonable or inappropate request from someone, but there are times we probably should say no. I'm preaching to myself here. There are nice ways to say no. But the direct approach is sometimes called for. But there are many variations: I can't do that; I am unable to; That doesn't work for me. You get the idea.



"I'm sorry," or "I Apologize."

Not always easy to say, but no doubt we have all done things we didn't mean to do, or hurt someone in some way, or uttered something we regret, or didn't follow-through on a task we told our clients we would, or forget to tell a buyer or seller something we should have. Letting someone know you're sorry is also a way to empathize with someone who is suffering, feeling down, or in a tough situation.



"Thank you."

I'd say those are 2 of the most powerful and meaningful words we can utter, and there are lots of opportunities to do so. So often we don't say so when we could...or really should. I suspect most people will appreciate being told this. Even for the little things.

From a more real estate business related perspective, "I'm not an attorney," "I'm not an accountant or tax professional," or "I'm not an inspector," could probably be stated more often than we do. While we know this, there may be a tendency to overstep our professional boundaries and make statements or give advice to clients when their best interests are met by consulting someone who really knows.

Any thoughts?

Mentor

How often in a day do you take the time to mentor someone. Maybe your a mentor and don't even know it. What are some of the strongest influences in your life? As a child many choose their teachers, or a character which we know not. Did you know that 40% of our kids spend their time alone, unattended without a mentor. My point is where do you get most of your mentoring? Boss, Books, TV, or Olympic...thier are many sources for you to become a better mentor if your not one already.

In Greek mythology, Mentor (Greek: Μέντωρ / Méntōr; gen.: Μέντορος)
The first recorded modern usage of the term can be traced to a 1699 book entitled "Les Aventures de Telemaque", by the French writer François Fénelon[3] In the book the lead character is that of Mentor. This book was very popular during the 18th century and the modern application of the term can be traced to this publication.[3]

This is the source of the modern use of the word mentor: a trusted friend, counselor or teacher, usually a more experienced person. Some professions have "mentoring programs" in which newcomers are paired with more experienced people, who advise them and serve as examples as they advance. Schools sometimes offer mentoring programs to new students, or students having difficulties.

Today mentors provide expertise to less experienced individuals to help them advance their careers, enhance their education, and build their networks. In many different arenas people have benefited from being part of a mentoring relationship, including:

Authors — H.P. Lovecraft mentored Robert Bloch, Clark Ashton Smith, and Robert E. Howard
Business people — Freddie Laker mentored Richard Branson
Politicians — Aristotle mentored Alexander the Great

Delegation of Authority

While reading this week I found a topic I feel should be elaborated on. Decision making skills and how do we guide leaders, or for that much mentor good leaders? So I decided to do some research on the topic.
1. Work to each person's strengths.
2. Avoid bad relationship assignments
3. Make sure the person you are tapping on the shoulder can handle their new assignments.
4. Avoid favoritism or singling out individuals
5. Delegate with care.

Differences between Authority and Responsibility
Authority Responsibility
a. It is the legal right of a person or a superior to command his subordinates.
b.It is the obligation of subordinate to perform the work assigned to him.
a. Authority is attached to the position of a superior in concern.
b. Responsibility arises out of superior-subordinate relationship in which subordinate agrees to carry out duty given to him.
a. Authority can be delegated by a superior to a subordinate
b. Responsibility cannot be shifted and is absolute
a. It flows from top to bottom.
b. It flows from bottom to top.



Why delegate authority?

It is impossible for a manager in a huge company to deal with everything. So, if you delegate authority, you break your work into several peaces hire people and let them manage instead of you. You are still responsible for your work but let others somehow help you. For example, you are a top manager and are responsible for several departments (marketing, R&D, HR, etc) you hire Marketing manager for example and you delegate authority.

Do you have the Type A Personality?

While filling out a profile like so, many sites require of us to do. I decided to ask some close friends; how would you describe me? like what type of person
smart, funny???? and what did you notice about me when you meet me? One told me that I was a Type A and intelligent. OK, I googled it and saw many errors in my life such as; impatient, workaholics, and Social Isolation.

Here's a fun 5 minute test to check yourself Click Here

Here's what it said about me;
You have many of the characteristics of a Type A Personality. Type A Personality is characterized by two main factors, Achievement Striving and Impatience-Irritability. Type A persons tend to measure their success in terms of how many or how much of everything they acquire. They are generally dissatisfied with the world, including themselves. They are quite rigid in thought and conduct and tend to distrust others. In addition, they experience difficulty expressing their emotions, are generally very critical of themselves and others, and are of increased vulnerability to the physical and emotional effects of stress. Persons displaying Type A behaviors do not know how and when to relax. They feel impatient with the pace of most events. They strive to do too much at once and others often get tense and feel threatened in their presence.

In short Type A has; Competitiveness and Strong Achievement-Orientation

Want to discover more? Click Here

Where to Meet Your Furture Boyfriend

How many times have you tried to come up with new places to meet a guy. Many places such as: grocery store, bar, weddings and the such have been seriously lacking. Some of the more popular sites for match making are just about as lame. Here's some GPS-suggestions that will direct you straight for a eligible cutie.


Volunteer with an animal rescue organization, and sign up to work one of the tables.

Craft beer are getting really popular, which means tons of local breweries have been popping up. Go for a tour-most are free, and the majority of visitors are men.

Stop by the iPad displays in the Apple store; guys love playing with them.

Groupon is an awesome way to find bargain...and men. Here's how; The site sends people different deals based on their profiles. So if you create a Groupon account for a 28-year-old male, you'll get daily e-mails with the lowdown on all the fun, cheap and (most important) guy-friendly events happening in your area.

Lots of new books have been coming out lately by off beat celebs with sult(and mostly male) following, like Living Loaded, by Playboy columnist Dan Dunn, Check the events calendars of nearyby book stores to find out when a signing for one of these is happening and go. HINT; Wait for a cute guy to pick a seat then sit next to him.



Online dating sites based on a silly shared interests such as; alikewise.com, which looks at your favorite reads, and saladmatch.com, which gives you your Salad Soul Mates based on you go-to-toppings. Since they don't take dating as seriously as the big matchmaking Web-sites do, your likely to meet someone more laid back and has a sense of humor.

Work out at the gym ask your trainers if there's an eligible guy she could introduce you too.

Go to a coffee tasting. They've been big lately and the guys who attend them are pretty often chill. (read; totally approachable).

Men with fun date ideas do exist, and howaboutwe.com is the fastest way to find them. Instead of posting a profile, users explain their ideal date. (e.g., "how about we take a sushi-making class together?" or "How about we kick ass at trivia night?") When you see a date idea you like just message the guy and make it happen.

Ideas collected from Cosmopolitan.com