Do One Nice Thing

I read about this web site in Glamour magazine recently. The point of "Do One Nice Thing" is that you can in a matter of minutes do something to help someone whether it be send an email to support the troops or send a card to a sick child.

I had lots of extra skymiles and learned that I could donate skymiles for the Fisher House which provides free or low cost lodging to veterans and military families receiving treatment at military medical centers. I donated a ticket in a matter of minutes from the Delta web site.

The nice thing about Do One Nice Thing is that they provide summaries and links and they make it easy for you to do something quickly. They also have a newsletter.

Do One Nice Thing
http://www.doonenicething.com

Fisher House
www.fisherhouse.org

Donate Delta Miles to charities
http://www.delta.com/skymiles/use_miles/donate_miles/skywish_charities/index.jsp

1009 W Ashley Folly Beach - Don’t Stay in this Beach House Rental

Fred Holland Realty advertised a beach house rental that is good for “large family gatherings” on the beachfront. It has 4 BR and 2 BA and if you count the mold infested mothball smelling downstairs room, it has 5 BR and 1 more bath but it’s not livable down there.

We complained when we arrived 1) that it wasn’t cleaned from the previous week’s visitors with food on the counters and floors among other nasty findings and 2) that the house itself was in need of a major upgrade. I have a 9 month old baby and we had to put a sheet on the floor as it was so dirty that your feet were black after walking around on the carpet. We covered the furniture as it was disgusting as were the curtains and mattresses.

So, Fred Holland Realty’s answer? You get what you pay for. $3,000 a week for a nasty, dirty beach house? I don't think so. Why don’t you take pride in all of your homes and insist they be clean? Why don’t you insist that the owner upgrade it to living conditions or take it off your list?

Tell the owner, Mr. Jerry Zucker, the second richest man in South Carolina to replace the dirty carpeting and floors and make it a respectable property. Well, that won’t happen. And more families will stay here. Which is why I’m warning you now. Do not stay here. It is not family friendly and the realty ruined the start of our family reunion and my dad’s 70th birthday.

More to come including their listing of the house vs. the actual listing that it should read.

1009 W AshleyFolly Beach, SC 29439
http://holland.vrmreservations.com/vrmgr/rental/PropertyDisplay.aspx?PropertyId=25&WebCode=all&ReturnPath=/vrmgr/search/SearchResults.aspx

Description: An excellent home for a large family vacation (NOT). The top floor is the main living area with a full kitchen, living room (needs new curtains, furniture, paint on the walls and carpet), and bedrooms (that need new mattresses and carpet). A totally seperate (spelling?) unit downstairs has two more bedrooms (OUTRIGHT LIE - it’s one bedroom and a family room with two twins and damp, mothball scent throughout, floors need replacing) and a full bath. Great ocean front home value (it’s a dump).

Also, there is a fly stuck inside one of the pictures with a water stain on it. Lovely.

Pets Allowed: NoBedrooms: 6Bathrooms: 3Half Bathrooms: 0Security Deposit: $0.00Beds: 3q, 1d, 4t

Home owner: Jerry Zucker (he also owns 903 W Ashley and they were complaining of bugs in the bed)
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/10/G399.html

Technorati Tags: folly-beach-house-rental, fred-holland-realty, folly-beach, 1009-west-ashley, charleston-beach-rental

Peanut free snack ideas for the classroom

My daughter's birthday is this Friday and I called her daycare and asked about bringing in a treat to celebrate. I was warned that there is a child with a peanut allergy, so no cake or cupcakes were allowed. I was shocked that bakery items even had trace amounts of peanuts but found through research it's because they are made in a place where other peanut items are also made. This little known fact opened my eyes as I launched an internet search for peanut-free snack ideas for my daughter's birthday celebration.

Here is a great article for all of us not familiar with peanut allergies and how many foods we don't even realize have trace amounts of nuts:

If Your Child DOESN'T Have Allergies: Read This!
http://www.yummymummysite.com/index.cfm?PID=16916&PIDList=16915,15873,16916

Here is a list of snack ideas from a school. I can't imagine what schools are going through now that allergies are at an all-time high.

Peanut free snack suggestions:
http://www.walledlake.k12.mi.us/llake/peanut_free_snack_suggestions.htm

I think I have decided on Kroger brand ice cream sandwiches. But I still need to check the label for that specific package as even different factories have different products being made there and could possibly have peanut items.

Wow. I am thankful that so far my kids don't have a peanut allergy.

So next time you look to buy vanilla ice cream for a party with kids with allergies present, think again. Nuts are found a lot in many ice cream flavors so even the nut free flavors could contain it. Check the label!

Also, Oreos and Chips Ahoy cookies are good.

Cornhole, the new bean bag game leading a nation

We visited friends in Charleston who are from Ohio and discovered an awesome new bean bag toss game called cornhole. It is simply made of 2x4 foot pieces of wood with a hole cut out and they are slanted. You throw corn-filled bean bags into or onto the wood board. It is a great mix of horseshoes and tic tac toe bean bag toss from our youth.

Then we returned to Atlanta and I saw two cornhole games on the same day. One at Piedmont Park at the Park Tavern and one at the Braves game while a college group tailgated. Both times I shouted "cornhole!" My cousin from Chicago was with me and had never seen it. It's so cool!

So I just ordered my auburn cornhole bags and my husband will make the boards this weekend so we can start playing. Please check it out. It rocks.

Links:
How to build your own cornhole game platforms
http://thefuntimesguide.com/2005/08/build_cornhole.php

Playcornhole.org
http://www.playcornhole.org/

The cornhole portal
http://www.cornholeportal.com/

Directions how to build your own
http://home.fuse.net/mikebrungs/cornhole.htm

Cornhole made from some notre dame alum
http://www.kevincooney.com/archives/000040.php

Let's stop teaching our preschoolers to be sexy

There was an eye-opening article recently in Glamour magazine about the onslaught of sexual marketing messages our sweet preschoolers are exposed to and the effects it has on them.

The Bratz dolls are a key example.

As a mom of a 4 year old, you bet I'm concerned.

Here's the link to the article:
http://www.glamour.com/news/articles/2007/04/childrensexy

Technorati Tags: parenting, preschooler, marketing+to+kids, marketing, kids, preschool

40 glorious paris-free days

Glory day.

Technorati Tags: paris+hilton, paris, hilton

Stereotypes in Commercials

It's funny. The more we change, the more we stay the same, at least in commercials. I am used to the female as sex object role model in commercials, but what's interesting is how my husband is offended by the usual dumb husband roles in commercials. The typical male who cannot do work around the house, who has to order pizza and sit drinking beer watching sports. I realize it goes both ways when commercials dumb down American families or at least husbands and wives. Hopefully they will wise up and realize that many of us are intelligent creatures who both work, take care of the family, house and each other. And yes, we do enjoy a cocktail or two, but we are respectful to each other and others.

SEXISM IN TV, ADVERTISING, AND MOVIES
http://newmedia.cgu.edu/nardi/projects/a3/

Someone is Finally Going to Jail

Being a Hilton (and no, no from THAT family which I get asked all the %$#* time), it is about time a certain member of this name should finally go to jail. If it were any other citizen with the amount of citations that this celebutante has, we would all be in jail for a much longer time. I try not to talk about it to give into the media feeding frenzy but I am including a link to the petition that I did sign. It won't stop her and I'm sure this is the beginning of a very long E True Hollywood story, but at least LA County is finally doing something. You would think they were paid off or something. hee hee. LA Confidential.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/jailparishilton/

Technorati Tags: paris+hilton, paris, hilton

George Clooney and Budweiser

George Clooney makes we want to buy Budweiser beer, and I don't even LIKE Budweiser. His smooth, rich, full bodied voice along with his dashing good looks, mocking self deprecation and enigmatic charisma makes him one of the most appealing and compelling leading men in Hollywood. You rock George!

http://www.clooneystudio.com/

Technorati Tags: george+clooney, budweiser

Why saying "Thank you" is more than just good manners

Why saying "Thank you" is more than just good manners

A 10-year study of 200,000 managers and employees suggests that praising people for a job well done may lead to bigger profits, says Fortune's Anne Fisher.

By Anne Fisher, Fortune senior writer
April 12 2007: 6:46 AM EDT

NEW YORK (Fortune) -- Dear Annie: I changed jobs last year, going from a small company (where I had worked since the start-up phase, over a decade ago) to an organization about 10 times bigger. I've made the adjustment pretty well, except for one thing. My old employer was very gung-ho about recognizing people for their achievements. If someone met a tough deadline or went above and beyond for a client, that person got a public pat on the back and maybe even a "prize" like a free dinner for two at a nice local restaurant.

My new company is completely different. No one ever says "thanks" for anything or shows any appreciation for extra effort, and as a result people don't do anything more than the minimum required to get the job (sort of) done. I think this hurts the business, but I can't convince my boss. Any thoughts? - Trying to Help

Dear Trying: I'd be willing to bet we've all worked in organizations like yours, at one time or another. Many years ago, Fortune had a top editor who made a point of never praising anyone for anything. Asked why not, he replied, "People who are good know they're good. They don't need to hear it." Well, if any proof is needed that that approach to managing people is wrongheaded, here's where to find it: "The Carrot Principle" (Free Press, $21.00), a fascinating book by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, both consultants at Salt Lake City-based consulting firm O.C. Tanner (www.octanner.com).

The book's subtitle says a mouthful - "How the Best Managers Use Recognition to Engage Their People, Retain Talent, and Accelerate Performance" - but the basic idea is simple: People will work harder and more enthusiastically for an appreciative boss, and companies that praise topnotch performance are more profitable than those that don't. In a study of 200,000 managers and employees over a 10-year period, Gostick and Elton found that, in companies where few people agreed with the statement "My organization recognizes excellence", annual return on equity averaged a paltry 2.4 percent. By contrast, companies with a culture that emphasized thanking people for excellent performance racked up returns more than three times as high, at an average of 8.7 percent. (For the complete study, go to www.carrots.com, under Research.)

Of course, anybody who has taken Statistics 101 will tell you that correlation doesn't always imply causation, and companies that praise their workers are probably doing lots of other things right, too. Even so, at a time when employers are competing fiercely for top talent, the authors note that 79 percent of employees in a recent poll who had quit their jobs cited lack of appreciation as the main reason. It seems saying "thank you" is even more important in retaining people than paying them more money - and a pat on the back is free.

How can you persuade your boss to start recognizing his team's achievements? Adrian Gostick says that about one-third of managers in the Fortune 100 companies he works with are, like my old editor, dead set against the idea of praising people. "They don't believe in it. They're always the ones sitting in the back of the room at our seminars with their arms folded, and that negativity often spreads to others," he says. "To overcome their resistance, we start by asking why they don't want to. Often they say they don't have time. But another big reason is, lots of managers want to be seen as 'tough', and recognizing people looks 'soft' to them. Another obstacle is that they just don't know how."

That doesn't mean your boss can't change. Gostick says that, in a former career as vice president of a bank, "I had to be told to recognize people. My employees urged me to do it." He adds, "We've found that, if you encourage a reluctant boss to start with just a few small things, he or she is often pleasantly surprised by the response and will want to do more."
"The Carrot Principle" is full of creative ideas for thanking employees, and you might take a look at those, and pass a few suggestions along to your boss. But some of them - like buying lunch for all employees who have to work on a Saturday and inviting their families to join them; or springing for an extra plane ticket so a spouse can accompany an employee on a business trip - may be too much for the budget. No problem.

Says co-author Chester Elton, "You don't need to spend a lot of money to make an employee feel valued. We find that a handwritten thank-you note, which costs next to nothing and takes just a couple of minutes, is something people really love to get. It's far more effective than an e-mail, especially if it's timely and specific. It should say, not just 'Way to go!', but 'You did a terrific job on that XYZ project'. We've seen people who are so pleased to get these that they keep them for years."

But let's say you show your boss the bottom-line results of Gostick and Elton's research and make a few gentle suggestions for how to start recognizing people, and he doesn't budge. You know the grassroots-political maxim, "Be the change you'd like to see in the world"? If you were to make a habit of thanking colleagues and praising the people around you for a job well done - beginning with (why not?) your boss - who knows? You just might start something big.
http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/11/news/economy/annie_praise.fortune/index.htm?section=magazines_fortune

Technorati Tags: human+resources, workplace, ethics, office, management, motivation, corporate

Atlanta Investing Named Finalist for the Atlanta Business Chronicle Pacesetter Award

Atlanta Investing Named Finalist for the Atlanta Business Chronicle Pacesetter Award

Atlanta Investing ranked among the fastest growing companies in Atlanta

Atlanta, GA – April 6, 2007 -- Atlanta Investing, Inc., a residential Atlanta real estate investment company specializing in foreclosures, announced that it has been selected as a finalist for the Atlanta Business Chronicle Pacesetter Award. Atlanta Investing joins an elite group of fast-growing, successful companies in the Atlanta area.

The annual Pacesetter list is compiled by the editors of the Atlanta Business Chronicle To qualify for the award the companies must be headquartered in Atlanta, must have 2006 revenue between $1 million and $300 million, and must have two years of growth in sales of more than 50 percent. Companies are ranked by a growth index formula, which is used to level the playing fields among companies of different sizes. Factors in the formula include the percent change and absolute change in revenue and number of employees.

"We are excited to be selected as a finalist for the 2007 Pacesetter Awards. We’ve experienced tremendous growth over the last two years and it’s due to the outstanding work done by our staff on behalf of our clients”, said Chris Wall, President of Atlanta Investing. About Atlanta Investing

Atlanta Investing, Inc. is a residential Atlanta real estate investment company specializing in foreclosures. The company acquires distressed properties and works with investor clients to match the perfect property to each investor. Most wholesale properties are offered 30 percent or more below market value to its investors. For information on future open houses, consulting services and real estate seminars, please call Atlanta Investing at 770-934-6906 or visit http://www.atlantainvesting.com.

Technorati Tags: atlanta+investing, atlanta, flip, house, real+estate, fixer+upper, atlanta+investment+properties, residential+real+estate

Office affairs in a small business

I work for a small company and it seems there is an office affair going on by a supervisor and a staff member, who are both married. Everyone in the office is aware of the situation and rumors are flying. It's awkward.

How do people deal with this type of work environment? It's not healthy or professional. I don't respect my supervisor. If management is supposed to address personnel problems like this and he IS the management, where does that leave the staff? Just turn the other cheek, I guess.

Workplace romance: love affairs and lawsuits
http://www.gruntledemployees.com/gruntled_employees/2006/11/workplace_roman.html

Dealing With Workplace Affairs And Other Office Dilemmas
http://www.careerjournal.com/columnists/workfamily/20050916-workfamily.html

The Iraq War Through US Soldiers' Eyes

Although I don't agree with the war, I wanted to do something to support the brave men and women of the United States who are fighting on behalf of our country. I heard about Adoptaplatoon on a local Atlanta radio station a few years ago.

www.adoptaplatoon.org is a wonderful non-profit organization where you can adopt a soldier to support and send care packages and/or letters. Check it out. You don't always hear back from your soldier for obvious reasons, but I have been surprised by the soldiers that have emailed and written back their heartfelt thanks for my support. There are many soldiers who don't even receive letters from their own families, so please reach out to them if you can. Make their day with mail call.

Here are some blogs by soldiers and families of soldiers - it's the best way to gain perspective on what is going on through their eyes.

Midnight in Iraq : US Marine in Iraq
http://midnight.hushedcasket.com/

Daily Life of A Marine Mom - Her son is in Iraq
http://usmcmom.blogspot.com/

American Soldier
http://www.soldierlife.com/

Iraq War News
http://iraqwarnews.net/

Technorati Tags: adopt, soldier, adoptaplatoon, platoon, support

Wholesale Atlanta Properties - Flip this house

Looking for Distressed/Wholesale Atlanta Properties to Flip?

Atlanta Investing, Inc. is a residential real estate investment company specializing in foreclosures in the Atlanta area. Atlanta Investing acquires the properties and works with investor clients to match the perfect property to each investor.

Most properties are offered 30% or more below market value to its investors. Sign up for our free 7 part newsletter “Learn How to Make Money with Real Estate Investing” and learn key real estate investing strategies including evaluating a deal, securing financing, best areas to buy and more.

Investors can subscribe online at http://www.atlantainvesting.com.

Subscribers can also receive updates on new property listings in the metro Atlanta area and receive a link to a free Foreclosure List via e-mail in less than 60 seconds.

For more information, call 770-934-6906 or visit http://www.atlantainvesting.com./

An Anniversary, St. Patrick's Day and March Madness.

Life is good. This is quite possibly one of the best weekends of the year! Today is our wedding anniversary, tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day on a Saturday, no less, and it is march madness. Let the games begin!

Erin go bragh!
http://www.guinness.com

Beware the angry leprechaun
http://www.liquidgeneration.com/Media/Default.aspx?MediaId=386

http://www.liquidgeneration.com/Media/eCards/The_Evil_Leprechaun_Lovely_Lassie/

March hoops bracketology
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology

Swiper, witches and crocagators, oh my!

My 3 year old daughter is having bad dreams just like I used to. I worry about it but we filter her television viewing to preschool shows and try to turn off the tv a lot. I know we read stories with bad people and I guess it's just going to happen. I am trying to talk about it more with her so it won't seem as scary. Here is a good article about nightmares and preschoolers on babycenter, my bible.

http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/refcap/preschooler/psleep/64922.html

Technorati Tags: bad+dreams, preschooler, parenting, swiper

'The Office' As a Training Tool

I started watching "The Office" a few months ago on maternity leave. Previously, it was too painful to watch as it reminded me of bad managers and unhealthy workplaces that I have experienced as a worker bee. Now I have been able to get past the pain and laugh. And laugh and laugh.

Here are some interesting insights into "The Office" and how it pertains to real life management and training in the workplace. Worker bees unite! Managers, please read!

NPR Business
'The Office' as Management Training Tool
Morning Edition, October 25, 2006 · The dysfunctional workplace portrayed in the TV show The Office rings true to many viewers. It also provides a roadmap of how not to manage a workplace.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6380073

Must See TV: Lessons from NBC's "The Office"
December 01, 2006
What can "The Office" teach you about managing a sales force? Plenty.
By Rebecca Aronauer
http://www.salesandmarketing.com/msg/content_display/publications/e3i778b0e5af917c8c649a51ebf1bd4fe4b?imw=Y

Technorati Tags: the+office, training, motivation, hr, human+resources, management, bad+boss

80s Music in Commercials

It is disturbing to see some of my favorite songs from the 80s infiltrating the tv commercial landscape.

The The has sold out to M&Ms which I never thought that I would see. The Cure was featured in a polaroid ad a few years ago, but there are many popping up now.

Our House for Maxwell House?
Don't You Want Me for Chips Ahoy?

This is getting ridiculous.

Here is a list of songs from the 80s that have been "butchered" by tv commercials:

Songs from the Eighties That Have Been In Commercials, Index

Well, it was bound to happen, and it has been happening now for a while, Commercials bleeding the memory of the eighties, for music. The first one I remember is "Like A Rock" and then "Born in the USA." Now it's food items. What's next? I'd love to hear your recomendations.
http://www.inthe80s.com/adsmusic/

Technorati Tags: 80s, music, commercials

Maternity Leave - 2 glorious weeks left of mini-retirement

I have two weeks left of my wonderful maternity leave before I have to leave my daughter at daycare (which will rip my heart out) and rejoin the ranks of corporate america. I return to work a bit older, and a bit wiser this time around. And a major fan of the tv show The Office.

My job is just that - a job. I work to live, I do not live to work. I have a great husband and two beautiful daughters and they are my everything. So now I am faced with the guilt most working moms feel. How can I leave my kids at a daycare and go work? Emotionally and financially, it is hard, but it is what I need to do for myself and my family.

My future goal is finding an ideal part time job by the time my kids go to school so at least I can be home when they get home. These times are different than when I was a child, but I don't think our children are suffering for it. My daughters are learning at an earlier age - social skills, learning skills, you name it.

Yes, it would be nice to be home and have the luxury of spending more time with them. But either way, the quality time you spend with your kids is so important. And yes, I can work and have a family balance and all that good stuff. How is it that men aren't questioned to balance work and family life, rather it is accepted, but for women, the same is not true?

I have friends who work and friends who are stay at home moms and there are issues and rewards with each situation. The battle we face internally and among ourselves is constant and the guilt is always there - am I doing what is best for my family? For me? And the judgment is out there. But I don't care if others judge me for working. I believe that you have to have time for yourself, time for you as a married couple and time for your family. I believe my job is part of my "me" time and I contribute towards our household which gives us many choices and a lifestyle we enjoy living. It also makes me feel accomplished.

I just hope that society will be more willing to accept working moms as a positive force and end the judgment that all women feel, whatever choice they make. In the end, we are all working hard and working moms - it's just a different title, office space and type of superior. For stay at home moms, the job never ends. For working moms, there are two jobs to balance - the one at work and one at home. Either way, it's a tough role. Let's all support each other as we make our way.

Waiting in Line Etiquette at the UPS Store

I don't know what topic to file this post under, but it's just plain wrong what happened to me.

I took my 2 month old to the UPS store this week so we could ship Grandma's Christmas gift in time to make it for the holiday. I walked up to the register and there was one person in the store other than the employee and she was making copies.

So I am waiting at the register with my infant in a car seat for about two minutes. The woman making copies goes to the other register and the employee waits on her first. Fine, she was already here, no problem. Whatever.

Then it's my turn. I give him my envelope and he weighs it. Then I see this large, tattooed, white-bearded man appear (no NOT Santa) and he starts complaining loudly how he "might as well go to the $#%& post office". So the employee gives me my package back and WAITS ON HIM. Then my brain starts going into complete shock and my face starts to contort.

The woman, then leaving the store, stops by to tell me that it's okay, he was here first, but he just WENT TO KROGER and then came back. As if it would make me feel better. During the busiest shipping week of the year.

Uh, in my book, when you wait in line, you WAIT IN LINE. You don't leave for another store and keep your spot in line. There is no invisible Georgia line holding law that this jacka-- was covered under. And I absolutely cannot believe that the employee started to wait on me and then stopped when the man started bickering and waited on him. Shame on you, UPS store in Cumming GA. I will never go to your establishment again.

I don't know who to tell about this, Clark Howard or Dane Cook.

Anyway, my two month old fussed less than that tattooed old man. Bah humbug to you old man and employee who waited on him.

You have one bad experience, you tell 30 people. That employee needs to remember this...

Now what do you do? Well, I will tell everyone I know.

Do NOT go here!

The UPS Store 4473
2659 Freedom Pkwy
Cumming, GA 30041 USA
770 886-7774