The iFamily
by Mark Arens
From waking up in the morning, to making a pot of coffe technology has become a way of life. What sacrafices would we be willing to make to keep our cell phone, laptop, Blackberry, GPS… And more importantly, what sacrafices have we ALREADY made by accepting the “iWorld” (Think iPhone).
The Blackberry offers up some great benefits for users so that things are made simpler. The organizer will help keep you on task so that you do not miss any important meetings or events. The GPS system helps when you are traveling in a new area so that you do not get lost on your way. The Blackberry’s media player offers you entertainment on the go.
Take the new portable DVD players that are on the market now. These are a lifesaver for parents that are in their vehicles a lot with children. It’s so easy to keep your children pre-occupied while in the car with the advanced technology of having DVD’s in our vehicles. This helps to keep the kids calm and occupied on lengthy trips.
For many people on the go a lot of these new technology devices are a major asset. Nevertheless, there are downsides to these new advances in technology that many people overlook. It would seem that traditional children’s products are being pushed to the wayside.
With cell phones now in the hands of almost all people, we are spending more and more time on the phone. How many kids have sat patiently beside their parent waiting for them to get off the phone and talk with them? Everywhere you look, you can see people sitting in the restaurant with their kids and a cell phone to their ear. We hand our kids a gaming device so that they are entertained and will give us a few minutes of peace and quiet. After all, how can family values be instilled into the children when the children have headphones on listening to their new MP3 player and Mom is working on the computer while Dad is closing a new business deal on the cell phone? We seem to live in what is the ifamily no longer interacting in the real world with our loved ones. It has gotten out of control. How can we turn back the clock and fix the direction we are going?
Nothing can take the place of spending real time with your family. Playing good old-fashioned board games with your children gives all of you a chance to really talk and get to know each other. Many parents think they know their children but in truth how can you know them if you are too busy to really connect through a true conversation. Connecting with your kids takes more than just speaking to them on their cell phones. while their on the go. A great way to spend time and bond with your children is to play one of those old-fashioned board games with them.
With small children, a bedtime story at the end of a busy day can do wonders for both of you. Your voice while you read a children’ book to your small child can help build a bond between you and your child. This can see you through many of the hectic times as you move forward through a busy day.
As we move forward as a society, more and more we are starting to live in isolation due to the advances of technology. It’s important to not let technology replace good old-fashioned family time that truly connects the family at deeper levels. We can send letters over the computer through emails to our loved ones to tell them we love them and stay in touch.
This does not take the place of an old-fashioned hand written letter. Nothing speaks louder of our love than dropping the technology and connecting with other people in the real world. Human contact is so important but, unfortunately, and in many ways, technology has pulled us further and further away from each other.
Mark Arens, author of Thumbuddy books and resources shares principles that will ignite the dreams within both the reader and child. ThumbPeople’s pragmatic tools will equip you to rediscover and utilize your God given talents so you may be the Thumbuddy you were meant to be, more available at:–> http://www.thumbpeople.com
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Finding Time for You: Looking at the Big Picture
by Kimberly Reddington
As mothers, finding time for ourselves can be nearly impossible. There are always a million things on our to-do list that we mark as a high priority. At the end of the day, there just isn’t any more time.
The other day I was reading an article written by a man. He isn’t married and has no children. He mentioned in his article that he was very stressed just from working and doing things for his friends. He felt he had no time for himself. No time to unwind and have fun. I thought to myself, “This guy needs to really figure out what he is spending his time on”.
I have a husband to make happy, a house to clean, 3 children to nurture and teach, 2 cars to clean and maintain, a business to grow and that is just to name a few. I’m sure many of you mothers can relate. There are many times when I feel very pressed for time. I asked myself, “How can this man who only has a business and a couple of friends be so stressed and feel he has no time for himself?”
The answer is that we can all get carried away with the little and mundane tasks that get us through our day and forget to look at the big picture, no matter who we are or where we are in life.
So how do we fix this problem?
I recently made a list of all the tasks I do throughout the day. I made a new list for each day for about a week. I estimated how long I thought I was spending on each task. At the end of the week, I took a look at my lists and realized I was wasting quite a bit of time. Can you believe I spent a total of 15 hours checking and responding to emails during that week? That was just email!! Now I know I don’t get that many emails. I tend to get sidetracked when I’m reading my email. That is my problem.
What are your time-wasters?
I dare you to create similar lists for yourself for a week and see where you stand. Are there things you can spend less time on? I bet there are some things that can even be eliminated? How important is each task? Which ones are really contributing to your family or your business? Really look at those tasks, does your family or customers/clients really care if you tackle that task, or is it something that could wait for another day?
Scheduling time for ME.
If you want to have time for yourself, you really need to schedule it in. We schedule our work hours, we schedule in time for cooking dinner and spending time with the kids. We even schedule play dates for our children. Why don’t we schedule play dates for ourselves? These dates could be just browsing in a mall. They could be taking a bath or reading a book. Whatever it is that you need to help you unwind and feel alive, is what you need to schedule in to your daily calendar. You should be taking at least 15-60 minutes per day for yourself.
You need to schedule these dates in for yourself. You will rarely have a spare hour just pop up where you can decide to take off and do something for you unless you schedule it in.
Kimberly Reddington, founder of CereusWomen.com, teaches moms how to turn their skills and talents into a successful home-based service business and to find a balance between work and life. Discover Kim’s popular special report by visiting http://www.CereusWomen.com
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Fire Damage - How To Do A Proper Assessment
by Chris Blastoyout
After you complete the process of creating a set of steps for the protection of your house, the next logical step would be assessing the fire damage occurred to it. To achieve claims in a short span of time, you need to make a careful evaluation of the fire damage to your belongings as well as to your home. Evaluation would make the process smoother and easier for you as well as the insurance company.
Get the services of a restoration company which offers you professional services. They would fasten the process of restoration and you can move ahead with your daily routines in a short span of time. Making use of such a company is vital as it would reduce the unnecessary headaches after fire damage.
Taking care of the external fire damage
Make a careful inspection on the outside surface of your house. You need to carry on the process of evaluation, only if it is deemed to be fit. Use a camera or a video recorder and make sure that you create a visual document.
Begin from the outside surface of your property. Make sure that you visually document the roof and the gutters which are fire damage. Chimneys in fire damage condition pose a severe risk, make sure you take into account chimneys as well as fire damage shingles. In short, whatever is fire damage needs to be assessed.
Taking care of the internal fire damage
Once the structure is deemed to be fit, start form the top of the structure. Document everything right from the attic to the basement. Include the bedrooms as well as the bathrooms. None should be left out. Make sure that you cover the fire damage ceiling and the fire damage caused to the ducts. Look for stains in the ceiling and assess the fire damage caused to the bathtubs and toilets.
The basement fire damage needs to be thoroughly assessed as it contains the foundation over which the entire structure rests. Flooring fire damage needs to be completely assessed, as in most of the cases the entire floor ought to be replaced. It all depends on the fire damage afflicted to the floors. If the burn is not deep, it could be easily sanded down. In some cases, it would be just the smoke odor and the stains would be a result of soot. They can be easily rectified by salvaging it and deodorizing it.
Assessing the fire damage to Your Personal Items
Once you complete the structural evaluation, you need to make an assessment of your belongings. Create a list of the undamaged goods as well so that it makes the job of the adjuster easier. You need to make sure that the list is not ambiguous in any manner.
Make sure that you don’t do the mistake of turning on your appliances when water is clogged in them. Make a thorough assessment of the wooden furniture and list all the problems involved in it. Make sure that you open the fire damage cabinets and inspect the things inside. Take into account all the dresses, fabrics and even carpets. If you have your own collection of books, CDs and DVDs, ensure that you add them to your fire damage list.
Completing the Final fire damage assessment
Once a thorough analysis of the various fire damage done is recorded, ensure that you a provide a well detailed copy to your agent so that he can go ahead with further processing and do the needful to minimize your loss.
Chris Blastoyout is a article writer for document and water damage. For more info go to http://www.sanfrancisco-waterdamage.com/
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A School Fundraiser That Will Change the World
by Amie Nelson
Make a list of everything you can buy today with one dollar. Short list, isn’t it? Yet more than 3 billion people in the world exist on less than a dollar a day.
Two mothers were so concerned by this reality they created Global Goods Partners - a nonprofit organization that ensures income from goods made in the developing world is received directly by those who produced them. Their model is unique, as it gives women from disadvantaged regions access to new markets through school fundraising programs in the United States. Their merchandise - mainly handcrafted jewelry and clothing - is sold by students to generate school funds and help raise awareness of the challenges facing these disadvantaged communities.
In traditional commerce, the return to laborers for the manufacture of jewelry, clothing and accessories is minimal, with economic rewards going directly to the owners of local factories, importers, wholesalers and international corporations. Fair trade practices, in contrast, can ensure that women’s work is properly valued and rewarded so they are paid justly for their contribution to the production process. It creates entrepreneurial opportunities for less-favored producers, especially indigenous women, and protects young girls and boys from being exploited. Fair Trade is a pragmatic approach to reducing poverty and improving the living conditions of people worldwide, particularly women and children.
Joan Shifrin and Catherine Shimony of Global Goods Partners in New York City are creating an innovative fair trade model by working closely with craftswomen and their communities, traveling to their villages, and spending days talking and learning from them so they can assist with unmet needs and find the right markets for their products. These two mothers are bridging worlds; giving support to women globally, while providing educational opportunities to students back home.
When Joan became a mother, she found herself thinking more about other caretakers globally and how most want the same basic things for their children: education, safety and a chance to succeed. She knew when you empower a woman in the labor force, it directly benefits her children’s quality of life and ultimately society as a whole. “When you invest in women through fair trade practices, you’re investing not only in the family, but the community and the country,” says Joan.
For years, Joan and Catherine worked with humanitarian aid and grant-making organizations, and during their travels they noticed women were making beautiful products, yet having a very challenging time selling them. They also noticed that no one was really looking at these women’s livelihoods from a personal, human perspective. As Catherine describes it, “the production of beautiful handcrafted products incorporated their culture, their country, and also traditions that were passed down from mothers to daughters. We thought it be great if we could tap into this craft supply in marginalized communities and bring them to the U.S. market, while at the same time provide education to consumers through the schools–reaching out to students and educators and encouraging them to start thinking about the concepts of fair trade and working conditions in the developing world and how they could play more of an active role.”
Their vision became a reality in 2005. Since then, Global Goods Partners has been dedicated to alleviating poverty and promoting social justice by strengthening women-led development initiatives for communities in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Their partners are primarily women artisans and craftworkers in countries such as Afghanistan, South Africa, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. A majority of these women are mothers trying to support their families.
In Swaziland, for example, women are weaving grass that is of no use to others. The animals don’t eat it, so they weave it and make elaborate, colorful baskets and coasters. The income they earn through fair trade is raising their standard of living from a dollar a day, to being able to adequately feed their children and themselves.
At a woman’s cooperative in Bolivia, mothers are making hand-painted ceramic animal figures. On their premises they have a kindergarten, something the mothers together decided to create with their profits as their priority was to have their young children close by so when orders came in and they needed to work longer hours, they could have a safe place for their children and a place where they would be educated.
These are just a few examples of the type of fair trade partners Global Goods Partners works with - women who are not only earning an income, but also taking an active role in improving the lives of their families. As Catherine shared, “These women have such pride in the products they make, and knowing they are appreciated and worn or displayed in homes of women in another country very far away truly changes their lives in many ways, even beyond the financial.” As more fair trade businesses like Global Goods Partners thrive, so do the lives of women and children.
Amie Nelson is interviewing mothers for her book- Inspiring Mothers: Wisdom and Activism from Mothers Around the World. To set up a Fair Trade Fundraiser at your school or to obtain a free report on 7 Simple Steps You Can Take Now to Change the World, visit www.celebratingmothers.org
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Chuck And The Flooded Basement: A Short Story
by Chris Blastoyout
Chuck was 27 years, 5 months, 6 days and 14 minutes old today as he began to button his new uniform. Looking at himself in the mirror, he could read his name, “Chuck” stitched in cursive bright red on top of another stitching that reads “Owner”. Yes, Chuck is the proud owner of his own company called, “The Flooded Basement Experts, Inc.” Indeed, Chuck was proud of his accomplishment and his new found company. As Chuck boarded his company van with all the right equipment in it, he began to recall how he got interested with basement flooding in the first place.
When Chuck was 9 years, 8 months, 3 days and 12 minutes old, their home encountered their first flooded basement. This happened unexpectedly since their home was neither located in a highly precipitated area nor in an area that had a history of flooding from swollen rivers. Their flooded basement was brought about by a single weakened joint among the water pipe installation located in their basement.
The flooded basement that Chuck and his family experienced was not considered severe since the amount of water collected did not create an indoor pool nor did it damage any household items stored in the basement. It did however, made the entire basement floor wet. What made Chuck interested in the flooded basement business was how his father made all the necessary precautions to fix the problem. Chucked saw how cautiously his father made sure that the switch to the main power was turned off before stepping in the flooded basement to move things around to make mopping easier.
Chuck also delighted in the thought that a simple weakened joint of a water pipe can be responsible for basement flooding. He merely surmised that a flooded basement can only happen if there is an upwelling of a river and that there is a natural flood disaster that is taking place in the area. Being a person that is a stickler for details, Chuck started to research on other reasons a basement can become flooded. Chuck found out that things such as high ground water level, wrong sloping of the yard, and wrong orientation of the downspouts can all cause a flooded basement to happen.
At that young age, Chuck was further fascinated with a gadget known as the sump pump that is installed within basement floors to automatically start pumping water out once the water level inside the sump pit reaches a certain height.
Growing up, Chuck’s dad was in the sales business and because of this; their family had to move often to his dad’s new assigned area. Chuck’s fascination with flooded basements and their causes made him the pseudo-expert in basement inspection. Chuck would always make sure that the basement of their new home is water tight and he would ensure this by caulking up the small cracks and holes in the basement walls. Even though he was too small to paint, Chuck made sure that his dad would buy paint that has water sealant properties and would often times supervise other contractors that were hired to renovate the basements of the houses that they moved into.
Now, as Chuck was pulling up the driveway of the house that hired him, he began noticing all the small details of the lawn, the gutters, and the driveway and began assessing them as the possible cause for the flooding. Chuck quickly knew what went wrong and thought to himself, “No problem.”
Chris Blastoyout is a storm damage writer. See http://www.floodcontroller.com/view/services#
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