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January 5th, 2012 - Corporate gifts can make your company memorable
Everyone likes a gift, right? Even customers. So one way to make your company memorable is to give a corporate gift, either at the holidays or during a conference/meeting. They don’t even have to be expensive gifts–some nuts, candy, cookies, mugs, or chotskies will do. Something with your logo on it will help keep your company fresh in your customers’ minds.
Our company has given client holiday gifts for the last few years. We may cut back next Christmas, but I hope not. Gifts can really keep your company in the forefront of your customers’ minds. I would even like to give corporate gift baskets to our best clients. After all, they have helped to keep us in business all of these years.
December 31st, 2011 - Enjoying my newly decluttered closet
Guest post written by Maxine Rogers
I really love picking out what I’m going to wear. But I only like doing it the night before because I can never seem to find anything that I need in the morning in a hurry. So I decided to finally do something about it because it meant more often than not that I would end up wearing something that wasn’t anything cute at the last minute because I couldn’t concentrate on putting together something that I really wanted to wear.
I thought that it wouldn’t hurt to go online and find some good tips on how to organize my wardrobe. I’ve just had so many pieces of clothing for so many years. When I was online looking at that, I ran across some info on tv and internet packages and after I showed it to my boyfriend, we decided to change over our apartment’s service to one fo those packages.
I was really proud of my newly decluttered closet. It just has made such a huge difference when I’m getting ready in teh mornings. Plus, I have more room in my closet for other pieces of clothing that i love!
December 27th, 2011 - Starting and building a business
I have a full-time job but also have a couple of irons in the fire on the side. The biggest one is my part-time law business, which for the most part consists of disability law. I also have my freelance writing gigs. Not sure if at some point down the road, I will go totally out on my own. Make law my primary career, supplemented by my writing. Sounds nice, if I could get it worked out.
If I went out on my own, I would want to make a go of it. I have been reading up on how to start a small business and hwo to fund it. I would prefer not to take loans–I have had too much personal debt in my life to want to add professional debt to it. I have heard that you can can get small business grants, which you do not have to pay back. Any thing you don’t have to pay back would be ideal!
I have looked online for information about small business grants, and there seems to be a bit out there. I am raring to go about this. I need to make more money and be financially secure. It seems to me that the only way to do that in this economy is to start your own business. But the scary part is the financial part–you don’t want to lose your shirt. If you can keep overhead down and cash infusion low, and get small business grants instead of loans, you may be a winner.
You just want to make sure that in case the business doesn’t succeed or take off like you want, that you haven’t lost that much. Minimize your losses in other words.
December 12th, 2011 - I want my skin to look better
Now that I am a woman of a “certain age,” I want my skin to look better. Even though I have taken good care of my skin in recent years, as a very young girl I didn’t. And yes, it has to do with laying out in the sun too much. Oh, those wonderful days at the pool. At least I don’t look as bad as some women my age.
I do, however, want to do some skin remedial work. I used to be up on all the latest anti aging creams, anti aging light treatment, and other such topics. But I have fallen behind on my reading in this area. I need to get some books and go online and find out what is good for skincare right now.
I do go to a dermatologist, but not for this reason, and I suspect whatever he would want to do for me would be very, very expensive. So I need to find out for myself what is new in the cosmeceutical world and get back to looking my best.
December 8th, 2011 - How to pamper my pooch
I love my dog and love pampering him. But like most dog mommies, I have working woman’s guilt. I leave him alone all day, and then sometimes I go out and have fun after work and/or on weekends and leave him alone then too. ( But only after giving him some proper attention of course.)
But I often feel guilty about not spending enough time with him and want to do more. I have a friend who walks my doggy when I am out of town, and she does a good job. But sometimes I think I need a dogwalker even on days that I am not out of town but have a late night event.
In the movies and on TV, I get a chuckle out of seeing dog walkers in New York City. They often are walking as many as 6 or 8 dogs at a time. How do they do that? I would think that would be difficult. But it always looks so chic to me. Fancy dancy. I saw an ad recently for Swifto Dog Walks. Even though I don’t live in NYC, it got me thinking about getting a dog walker for my pooch. Not for every day, but as a special treat once in a while. I think he would love it. He is a social dog and would love to go on a walk with a half dozen other pooches. He is strong though and can jerk and pull you down if you are not paying attention. As long as the dog walker knows my dog’s strength and doesn’t walk a bunch of dogs like him at a time, it may work!
November 23rd, 2011 - Disappointed that Michelle Obama was booed at racetrack
While most discussion of auto racing might involve speed, laps, pit times, air intakes, and other aspects of racing, I am upset about why First Lady Michell Obama was booed at a racetrack. What is wrong with these people? They have brawn maybe, but obviously no brain. How rude, first off. And how stupid? The race track fans are exactly the people that the Obamas are trying to help. They cannot even see this. Shame on them for not using their head. By booing her, they embarrass themselves.
I hope the racing fans wake up and see how off base they are being. Use your head!
November 18th, 2011 - Real housewives of Beverly Hills is captivating
I am so into the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I think it is currently the best franchise of the RH series. I used to like New York, but that last reunion show was a huge turn-off. And most of the women on NY are leaving. What is that all about? I’m glad Jill, Kelly, and Cindy are leaving. But I am sad that Alex is going. She was one of my favorites. I wish the Countess was leaving. She just cannot see herself and acknowledge her own shortcomings. Beyotch! Surprised she is still on. I like Orange County too. But that is for another post.
Well, back to BH. Some random thoughts about this season. Camille is so much nicer this year! I really couldn’t stand her last year. But she has mellowed out and seems genuinely caring this year. Hope that is the real Camille. I also like Kyle, Adrienne, and Tyler. I like Lisa too, but I think she has a little bit of the Countess in her. She can’t see her own flaws. I like her husband Ken as well, but I suggest they both get a filter for their mouths. Bottom line though is I like them both very much. Even though Lisa plainly said on camera that she and Tyler weren’t friends, and I thought that was odd. She said it a couple of times, but says she didn’t. What????? And some others don’t remember it either. Hit replay on the DVR and you will see it. That takes me back to what I said about Lisa needing a filter…..But then sometimes, she can be so sweet, and she is very pretty.
Poor Tyler. I really like her. She kind of has that Charlie’s Angels look about her. And depite what I have read elsewhere, I believe her story. I don’t get the thing about Russell. It is so sad, but I am curious as to why he did commit suicide. I think Tyler does seem like she was abused in the marriage. And she was abused earlier in her life, and it is not at all unusual that someone who was abused before will end up in an abusive relationship again. I understood why she went off at Lisa at the tea party. I can’t believe people were criticizing her about that. They choose to focus on the fact that she shouldn’t have attacked Lisa in Lisa’s own house, when the more appropriate question is why had Lisa said that to begin with and why not just give Tyler a break?
But I have been glued to the series. I know Bravo wasn’t sure how to handle Russell’s death, but I think they are handling it appropriately. At least so far. Or maybe I am just a voyeur (I admit I am) and I can’t resist watching, even though they should have written him out. But anyway, it is a shame that Russell died. Surely he didn’t do it because of the show. Doesn’t seem like anything could be important enough to take your own life.
November 7th, 2011 - What to get my dad for Christmas?
It is getting that time again, when you start thinking about what to get your family and friends for Christmas. I’ve already told my dad I want a kindle; now Ijust have to think about what to get him. Of course he has everything. He likes gadgets, so I would get him a kindle, but he is getting me one, and that might be kind of weird–to give him the same thing he is giving me. I am thinking of giving him power tools, maybe some newfangled tools that he doesn’t have. He hasn’t bought any tools in a long time, so he only has the old fashioned kind. Maybe he would like some power tools that would not only be fun to use, it would make do-it-yourself tasks easier to do.
Now what to get my mother and other relatives and friends. hmmm. Luckily I love Christmas and to shop. It makes me happy to look for the perfect present for everyone.
November 7th, 2011 - How do I want to age?
I really love life and like to be around others who do too. People who grab life and twirl it around and get the most out of it. I don’t know why I have been thinking about aging so much lately. I am young and vibrant now. But I am already starting to see people my age slow down and get in a rut. They don’t think outside the box! I want to age with curiosity and drive and interest in everything around me. For example, I want to continue traveling around the world and maybe even living in different areas for short periods of time. I have not spent much time in Canada, so am thinking about maybe renting one of the many Edmonton Apartments available or maybe a rental in other areas of the world or the U.S. We only live once, and I want to get the most out of it!
If I could rent an apartment in another country, or even in multiple locations, I could really get to know the area/s. And it would be a good alternative to staying in a hotel for a long period, and I would think cheaper, even though I don’t know for sure.
If I stayed in an apartment in Edmonton, or another city in another foreign country, I could really get to know the city, and the same goes for any city where I might rent an apartment. It would make me feel more like a local. I would be living around locals, as opposed to just tourists in a hotel. When you stay near the locals, you get to see and learn things that tourists don’t get to experience.
November 7th, 2011 - Living somewhere else for a temporary period
I love my city and my life here, but sometimes I fantasize about living somewhere else, even for a short period of time. Like Canada maybe. I hear that Calgary is very nice, so that might be a nice spot to perch for a while. I still have a full-time job, but am doing more and more internet work. Maybe some day I can do enough interent work to work remotely from wherever I want to live. That would be a great lifestyle. I am a nomad at heart.
I have been to Montreal and Quebec City before, but never Calgary. I think I got entranced by that area of the country from watching the Olympics in the past and learning more about it. It just seems so nice and clean. And healthy!
But whether it be Calgary or the beach, I would like to one day be able to have work anywhere I want. It is getting more and more possible these days. So if I just keep at it, I will build up my resources online to be able to do just that.