Woodworking Hints and Tips

Recently, we have noticed people have been searching our site for tips on woodworking. We told the expert at Shea Paul’s that people are interested in woodworking tips; and asked if he would talk to us about working with wood. He was kind enough to provide some tips you can use that will save you time, money and heartache.


Many decisions need to be made before starting a project. The first is wood selection. Are you going to carve the wood? Then you should use a soft wood like pine or maybe a soft hardwood like some varieties of maple. Are you going to make a baseball bat? Then you need a hardwood like hickory or ash. If you want the project to have a glass like finish then you need a closed grain wood. If you use an open grained wood like oak which has a wide open grain, you will spend a lot of time trying to get that glass like finish. Not impossible to do; but it can turn into a nightmare! Like most projects, painting the house, remodeling, etc. planning ahead will save you hours of time and energy.

The next thing you should know about is buying material. You consider your project, decide on the type of material, and figure out the piece of material you will need. You figured out that if you bought a piece of wood 12 inches wide by 8 feet long you could get all the pieces you need to complete your project. Off you go to the lumber yard in search of your material. The first thing you discover at the lumber yard is there are no boards that measure 12 inches wide in any length. Unfortunately, finding a board that is 12 inches wide is rare. Next, you find out lumber is sold by the board foot. A board foot is 12 inches wide by 12 inches long by 1 inch thick. So, a board 12 inches wide by 8 feet long is 8 board feet. Because there are no boards 12 inches wide, how do you know the number of pieces you will need when you are selecting the material? Here is a good tip to use; if you find a board that is 4” wide and the next board is 8” wide stack them next to each other measure their length and you know approximately how many board feet you have. So if you have a board that is 4 inches wide and 8 feet long and you set a board next to it that is 8 inches wide x 8 feet long the two boards added together equal 8 board feet. This tip holds true even when you have one board at 3” wide, one at 2” wide and one at 8” wide. Even though the width adds up to 13” the next boards selected might only add up to 11”wide. If you try to figure it out exactly you are going to have a very long day. This tip becomes real handy if you are buying a lot of material.

The lumber yards use a tally stick to determine how many board feet you are buying. Running over to the yard guys to see how much lumber you have every few minutes is not a good idea. He has a lot of work to do; so babysitting you will not make him very happy. If you are buying lumber by the running foot it is a lot easier. Usually you will find price by the running foot on moldings, trim strips, or where the width of the boards is the same size in the whole stack. So, if the price is 99 cents a running foot and you buy 8 feet it is about 8 dollars. Ok, it is exactly $7.92; but the point we are trying to make here is buying wood is not exact. We can tell you why. The length of wood is random cut so most of the time your selection may be 8 feet 2 inches long or 7 feet 10 inches long rather that the perfect 8 feet. This also holds true for the width of the board. Also, you have to allow extra for machining and maybe a mistake or two. Now that you know how to buy the lumber you should also know what to look for in your selections. Unusable material is costly and usually ends up in a fireplace.

 

Why some Birthday Gifts for Kids are a Hit and Some are a Flop

Finding birthday gifts for kids or coming up with kids birthday gift ideas can be difficult. This is one of the best tips we know; DO NOT buy clothes! A typical mistake people make is buying a child clothes. If you want to see disappointment on a kids face, clothes will do it. If you do want to buy them clothes; take them shopping and let them pick out what they want. Style and fashion is very important in their peer group.

Kids want toys and games. With electronic games being so popular with kids, it is easy to make the wrong gift choice unless they tell you a specific game to buy. Why? Because a boring game will never be used; and they probably have the games they really want already. So what do you do? A great tip here is to see what they do when not playing electronic games. Do they enjoy Legos? Do they like to take things apart or tinker with their bikes? Do they enjoy puzzles or like to watch you cook? Do they ask you for the time or love to pretend play? Do they like crafts or decorating with glitter? When you see what they enjoy buying a birthday gift becomes an easy task. Here are a few of the birthday giftt ideas for kids we feel they will love.

We all know this kid, Tim, the timekeeper. “What time is it?”, “Is it lunch time yet?”, and “tell me when it is 3 o’clock”. The perfect birthday gift for any kid who likes to keep track of time is a watch. A watch that is also a toy is two gifts in one; so, our Lego watches are great birthday gift ideas. Kids love Lego toys; and a Lego watch with action mini figure has to be the best idea to come along in a decade. We carry Buzz Lightyear and Woody Lego watches from Toy Story. We also have Storm Trooper, Darth Maul, R2D2, and Yoda from the Star Wars animated series The Clone Wars. These are not ordinary kids watches. They are build your own watches with additional colored links to customize the watch band in any style you like. The watch face is an illustrated image of a Lego mini figure. The two links around the face feature standard Lego studs for attaching the additional Lego elements that are included. Add the studded bezel and attach additional Lego pieces for your own unique look. As an added plus these are water resistant watches to 150 feet. What could make a better birthday gift for a kid?

Perhaps you know this child, take apart Mark! Mark wonders how things work and how things are put together. Perhaps, one of the most important gifts you could ever give Mark is an Erector set. Opening a child’s mind to structural engineering, architectural design, or mechanics could become their life calling. Now with modern designs, colors and plastics, Erector sets are fast becoming great gift ideas for kids again. We feature Erector sets from the Space Chaos collection, Silver Force and Dark Pirates.

Thomas the Train toys have been a love of children since the TV series Thomas and Friends began in 1984. Now your child can make Thomas whistle while he works with the Thomas Train Whistle. Thomas the Tank Engine toys are always great birthday gift ideas for kids; and this whistle is no exception. Kids love to play with flashlights; and Thomas will make his or her flashlight special. You will be a hit giving a Thomas and Friends tin flashlight as a birthday gift or just to say I love you. Not just a toy, but a handy item to have around when needed!

We carry wooden toys, games and puzzles from Melissa and Doug. The Stacking Train, Take-Along Tool Kit, and Shape Sorting Clock make great learning toys and are classics. The Decorate Your Own Piggy Bank or Decorate Your Own Princess Mirror is perfect for kids who love crafts or love to decorate. Kids have fun while learning with the Farm Animals Sound Puzzle. Place the puzzle pieces in the correct spots; and hear farm animals sound off. For pretend play we have the Bake and Decorate Cupcake set. Your little bakers will have lots of fun decorating and serving the cupcakes. With more kids birthday gift ideas like the Turbospoke Bike Toy, Rattlesnake Egg Singing Magnets, or The Hyper Dash Race Game, we are sure your gift will be a hit. Visit our Birthday Gifts for Kids page or you can find all of our kids gifts under our Toys and Games category page. If you are looking for more gift ideas and information, visit Great Gift Ideas.

Hubcaps and Gravy has birthday gifts for boys, birthday gifts for girls, birthday gifts for kids from toddlers, preschoolers to preteens. We have baby gift ideas and gift ideas for kids of just about any age! Do you have trouble finding just the right gift; or need help with gift ideas? Browse gift ideas for kids to get great gift ideas; or email us to tell us a little bit about the gift recipient. We will be happy to make some suggestions for affordable gifts.

We hope our Birthday gifts for kids and great kids Birthday gift ideas page will help you find a great birthday gift for that special boy or girl in your life.

1962 World Series Game Six (Part 2)



Whitey Ford





Juan Marichal

 As you can imagine Giants fans were wound up going into game six with the Yankee’s ahead three games to two. Our star pitcher Juan Marichal lost a fingernail trying to bunt in game four putting him out of contention for game six or seven.

The big day was here at last. There was a light rain falling; and I was sick with a cold. Not a bad cold; but bad enough to stay home from school. About 8 or 9AM there was a knock at the door. It was Mr. Tenant looking for me. I jumped out of bed; and got ready to go to game six of the World Series. We were going to go to his office where he had a meeting to attend before leaving for the game. Just before we left my house he was talking to my mom and was praising me for the wonderful letter I had written to him. My mom asked him “what letter”? I went numb realizing there was some kind of mistake. Mr. Tenant had mistaken me, for someone else. I heard someone say “you remember that letter I wrote” realizing the words came out of my mouth! An awkward pause, then I remember my mom uttering something like “oh yes”. I had lied; and I think Mr. Tenant knew something was wrong. I felt sick to my stomach as we walked to the car knowing I not only lied but; was also cheating another kid out of going to the World Series. To this day that lie troubles me; and I am sorry that I had not told the truth.



Mickey Mantel





Willie Mays

 Mr. Tenant’s office was very large with a great view atop a building in downtown Oakland. It seemed like he was in the meeting for hours. I had a lot of time to think. Then, I remembered a name I had heard a few times at the Boys Club that sounded like my name. I knew that someone mixed up the names; and had given Mr. Tenant the wrong phone number. When Mr. Tenant came back in from his meeting, he said the game was rained out. I still said nothing about the lie.



Willie McCovey



Roger Maris



Orlando Cepeda

After three days of rain the sun came out; and game six of the World Series would be played. That morning Mr. Tenant picked me up; and we drove out to Walnut Creek to pick up another kid. Off to Candlestick we went. The funny thing is I don’t remember much about the game itself. I remember helicopters drying the field when we got there; and I remember seeing and hearing the names of the players. Perhaps you know some of the player’s names like Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Whitey Ford, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey Felipe Alou and Orlando Cepeda, The Giants won game six by a score of 5 to 2 tying the series at 3 games apiece. Game seven would determine the 1962 World Series champs. I think that Juan Marichal and Felipe Alou telling the ending to the 1962 World Series would be a lot more interesting than me telling you.





1962 World Series Game Six

One October evening when I was nine years old I received a phone call from a Mr. Tenant who had gotten my phone number from the Boys Club. I had never met him before; but was asked if I would like to go to the sixth game of the World Series. The San Francisco Giants were playing the New York Yankees at Candlestick Ball Park; and at nine years old I was going!

These were the days when baseball was America’s favorite sport or past time. People listened at work, home, the grocery store, or office to their favorite team on the radio. People walked around with an earphone and transistor radio wherever they went. Games on TV were watched whenever possible with the same enthusiasm as football is watched today. Color TV was new; and only a small percentage of people had one in their homes. Our TV was an old black and white that needed a butter knife, slipped behind the station tuner knob, to see the picture.

All the kids in the neighborhood traded baseball cards looking for Giants players with Willie Mays being the prize card to own. I never saw a Willie Mays card but I did have a few others that are lost and memories of them, forgotten long ago. Cereal boxes had baseball cards printed on the back that you cut out. They were printed on grey card board; and not considered a true baseball card. When I went to the store I would search the cereal boxes for my favorite players. One day when I went to the store with my Aunt, I looked at the back of the boxes for that one special card of Willie Mays; and there it was printed on the back of a box of Post Grape Nuts.

Not a real Willie Mays baseball card, but a card never-the-less. However, there was a problem. Grape nuts were hard as rocks; and impossible for my aunt to chew. What were a few broken teeth compared to a treasure as great as this? My Aunt gave in knowing that she was going to suffer eating rocks for a week. Of course, being a kid I did not appreciate what she did for me; and I still remember her sitting at the table grinding away one painful bite after another. This selfless act helped to make that summer one I will always remember.

The summer of 1962 was a neck and neck race between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants for the National League pennant. The Giants and Dodgers were and still are fierce rivals. The Dodgers had a song sung by Danny Kaye broadcast everywhere on the radio; and played a lot in the San Francisco bay area. You can here the song here. It runs about five minutes; and is pretty funny. Of course, the Giants came up with their own song, “Bye Bye Baby”. You can hear it here .

By the end of the season the Giants and Dodgers were tied for first place in the National League. Back then there were no playoffs unless there was a tie for first place. The National League race came down to a three game playoff between the two teams. Everywhere you went people talked abut the upcoming playoff. Dodger pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, the great shortstop and base stealer Maury Wills, and powerhouses Frank Howard and Duke Snider were respected and feared by Giants fans. Ultimately, the Giants won the playoff in Los Angeles; and headed home to play the New York Yankees in the World Series.

To Be Continued

InkjetSuperstore's Father of the Year Award

InkjetSuperstore's Father of the Year Award

Spammers Invade Facebook

We’ve all received the email promising something wonderful like a million dollars. All we need do is click on the link in the email to find out how to get it. Instead the email is the work of a spammer hoping to gather your personal information for their own illegal use. This is called “phishing”. Seems most of us have studied helpful hints and tips on how to protect ourselves from spammers; because they have moved into new territory.

Spamming is quickly becoming a problem on Facebook. Want a free iPad just for filling out a survey? Would you like to see a video of a whale slamming into a building during Japan’s tsunami? If you see these sorts of things on Facebook, BEWARE! Don’t click on any links. These are most certainly spam.

These kinds of attacks have long gone on in email. The attackers have now set their sites on a new target, social media. Facebook has 500 million users and counting. Think they’ll be able to hit this target? You bet! Spammers look at Facebook as a gold mine of untapped riches…your riches. And, you have all your connections on Facebook; so these criminals won’t stop with you. They hope your friends, family members, and co-workers will bite, too.

Spammers make money by driving people to sites that pay them for clicks. Facebook users get tricked into “helping”. Spammers rely on your social media relationships to help them spread the word, so to speak. If you see something on a friends page, do you believe it’s okay? There’s the built in trust factor that spammers count on.

Phishing uses fake messages to get you to sites or pages that can capture your computer. It also is used to trick you into downloading malware onto your computer. Malware is triggered when you click on a button on a scam Web page. Then, it sends your friends messages, directing them to a website that will infect their computer; and so on.

Remember that survey to get a free iPad? If you complete it, you just may be subscribing to the joke of the day for $5.00 each charges to your cell phone. If you watch the whale hitting the building video you probably instantly spammed all your friends and family…all your connections. One internet worm can hijack your Facebook account and send messages to all your friends; then steal their accounts and passwords.

So, what do we do to protect ourselves? Here are some Facebook Security Tips:

Review your security settings and consider enabling login notifications. In the drop-down box under Account on the upper right hand corner of your Facebook home page choose Account Settings, then click on the Notifications tab.

Don’t click on strange links, even if they’re from friends. Notify the person if you see something suspicious. If you come across a scam, report it; so that it can be taken down.

Don’t download any applications you aren’t certain about. Don’t accept friend requests if you don’t know the person. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Go to Facebook security and read “Take Action” and “Threats” for more information. Portions of this article are from “Spammers fast becoming huge Facebook problem” by Pete Carey of Bay Area News Group.

Shea Paul's Exotic Woodworking

We visited a friend’s workshop whose artistry and talent for working with

exotic woods was awe inspiring. Walking into the shop you see a table saw, small planer, cutoff saw, drill press, and some hand tools. It’s a small shop with the smell of wood and linseed oil in the air. The impression left us with the feel and smell of an artist’s loft.

We noticed a purple night stand on the workbench; and wanted to know if it was stained purple. The master craftsman explained that Purple Heart Wood is a natural purple wood that he finished with hot linseed oil then hot Danish oil. We asked why use hot oil and not a varnish or polyurethane? He further explained that hot oil is used rather than cold oil because it provides a deeper penetration with the added benefit of being able to reapply and rejuvenate the wood throughout the years. He said “It’s really all about what the customer wants for a finish or the type of wood used”.

We saw a half-round table against the wall and asked him what kind of wood he used. He told us it was “certified cherry”. We did some research; and found that certified wood and paper products come from responsibly managed forests as defined by a particular standard. With third-party forest certification, an independent organization develops standards of good forest management, and independent auditors issue certificates to forest operations that comply with those standards.

We were looking over the purple heart nightstand and opened the drawer.The drawer was easy to use and didn’t bang shut when we closed it. We wanted to know what was different about the construction and how his pieces of furniture were built. He explained that he uses solid wood construction with pinned mortice and tennon joints and dovetail drawer sides. We knew this was not your typical furniture store item. This was old school construction with a modern twist. He uses special Blum European Style Drawer Guides that gently close drawers without slamming.

We asked to hear more about the woods he uses. He told us most of the true exotic woods come from the rain forests of South America or Africa. Woods from these countries have strange sounding names like Bloodwood, Bocote, Ziricote, Bubinla or some not so strange sounding like Purple Heart, Canarywood, Teak and Zebra Wood. A lot of exotic woods are close to extinction; and as a general rule are not used. The biggest gripe at Shea Paul’s is the burning of the rain forests. This creates pollution, affects our oxygen supply, and destroys the woods themselves - a tremendous loss. He is angered and saddened that all the beautiful exotic woods are going up in smoke. He told us that if the loggers would clear cut before they burn, then the woods could be available for years. His wish is to at least let this beautiful lumber be harvested and used instead of burning it. We had to agree!

A strange feeling came over us as we were leaving. We felt as if we had just visited a great artist’s loft; and traveled back in time. We saw a glimpse into the “old world” of master craftsmen where quality, caring, and workmanship were important. For more information on how you can own one of these beautiful works of art, phone (510)-338-8749.

By Law You Will Be Forced To Use Neurotoxins In Your Home

As federal and state mandates for energy-efficient lighting take effect, tons of mercury is being released into the environment every year! Going green, in this case, is not green. Instead, going green has created an environmental nightmare. A fluorescent tube is filled with a gas containing low pressure mercury vapor, argon, xenon, neon, or krypton . A fluorescent tube contains12mg of mercury and a CFL bulb contains 4mg. An incandescent bulb has no mercury, but is rated at 10mg of mercury, because of the coal used to produce the energy. We hate data like this because they don’t add the mercury from the power plant to the total fluorescent bulb figures. We call this flawed data. You can read our article on flawed data here as an example.

Recycling, of CFLs and fluorescent tubes are also problematic because of how fragile the lamps are. How do you deal with a fragile toxic item waiting to be recycled in your home? It is impractical to run to a recycle center with one CFL or tube. The question then becomes; how do you store toxic CFLs and tubes until you go to a recycle center? You don’t want your children to get into these items so; what should you do? Keep them under lock and key in a padded container wrapping each bulb in bubble wrap? Not practical. To make recycling practical there needs to be an easy way to do it. When the recycling of household trash began it was a flop. People were not going to sort, wash, and place items in separate containers then drag them out to the street for collection. Only when people were given a recycle cart that they rolled out to the curb along with their regular garbage did recycling work. The same holds true for e-waste; it will not work very well until there is an easy and practical way to do it.

 

Finding a place that will take CFLs is hard; but finding a place that will take fluorescent tubes is even harder. You can find a list of  recyclers here; or by phone at 1-800-253-2687. Your local home depot will take CFLs; but in our area, they will not take fluorescent tubes. At some point they have to go to a recycling center or waste management location. Do they carefully wrap and store them in special containers? Or are they thrown into a big heap of broken glass and toxins then dumped into landfills?  The cost to carefully take each bulb apart in a controlled environment, with each component of the bulb being reused, including capturing and recycling of the gases would be astronomical. We have a bad feeling that a lot of recycled products get dumped into the landfills because of the cost involved to dispose of, and recycle them properly.

 

The use of LEDs and other technologies will help with the problem of mercury toxins in the home. A bigger problem is burning coal to produce electricity.

If the mercury released to run a light bulb is 10 mg; what amount of mercury is released to run a city?

Flawed Data

In an article by Jerry Hirsch of the Los Angles Times, “Tips to improve your vehicle’s fuel economy”, were some good tips. In our opinion some of the tips have flawed data. The reason most people want to improve their fuel economy is to save money; and that is where the flawed data comes into play.

A few of the useful tips included properly inflated tires, drive more smoothly, change the oil, remove excess weight, and turn on the ventilator and turn off the air conditioning. All very good tips!

In our opinion the flawed tips were; reduce idling, use a lower grade of fuel and slowing down. We will take each of these points one at a time and explain the problem with his tips.

"Reduce idling: Turn off your engine if you’re waiting for more than 20 seconds. Idling wastes more gas than turning off your engine and restarting it.”

This is good idea with a few flaws that make it a bad idea. At every stop light you have to wait over 20 seconds. So you are restarting your car as many as 10 to 20 times more a day than is necessary. The wear and tear on your starting system will cause premature part failures, costing you a lot more in the long run. Also, starting the car causes the largest drain on the battery thus overworking the charging system, creating premature wear. The alternator uses horsepower from the engine to recharge the battery. The larger the drain the more horsepower the alternator uses to recharge the battery. The excess drag on the motor uses more fuel than you will save. The greatest wear on the motor itself is during start up; more premature wear. If your battery is not up to par; added start ups may not let your charging system have enough time to charge the battery. You could be stuck at a signal with a dead battery. We could go on and on about the flaws in this practice, but we think you get the point. If he meant while waiting for a long train or in front of someone’s house, etc.; then he should have stated this in the article.

"Use lower-grade fuel: Regular unleaded fuel won’t hurt most vehicles even if premium unleaded fuel is required. Unless your engine starts to knock or ping when using a lower-grade fuel, stick to regular.”

Not a good idea. There are good reasons for fuel recommendations. Premature engine wear and damage to the valves should be considered. Although, spark knock and pinging exaggerate the wear, spark knock and ping should not be the determining factor. Excessive wear should be! Also one other point here; if you fill your tank with a lower grade of fuel and you have spark knock and or pinging what can you do about it before damage does occur? Drain your gas tank? Play chemist and try adding different additives to stop the knock and ping? You could cause even more damage trying to fix the problem.

“Slow down: Most vehicles get the best fuel efficiency at 45 to 55 miles per hour. Driving more than 60 mph can cut fuel efficiency 7 percent to 23 percent.”

The only thing to say here is; driving too slow is a ticketed offense; and for a good reason. It’s dangerous!

Here is a great tip on fuel economy: Only fill you gas tank half full. Gasoline is heavy and only filling the tank part way will increase your gas mileage.

A Relaxing Bath Surprise

Ah, it’s been a long day and you can’t wait to get home and soak in the tub. You light the candles and reach for those relaxing bath salts only to find you are out. That’s strange you just picked up some the other day and the bath salts are all gone. Without giving it another thought you take your bath promising yourself that needed soak another day.

Once again your thoughts drift to lit candles, soft music and those relaxing aromas that await you. The bath salts are gone again! Ok; it’s time to get to the bottom of this! In your child’s trash basket you find empty packets of bath salts. What is going on here? My child has the sudden need for relaxing baths?

You get a phone call from the hospital telling you your child is in the emergency room. Your child has overdosed on bath salts. Bath salts? Shocked you go to the hospital and find your son has tried to cut his own throat. Stunned by the whole thing you seek answers.

Snorting, smoking and injecting bath salts is the new drug craze! Some say the effects are as powerful as abusing methamphetamines. Law enforcement agents and poison control centers say the bath salts with complex chemical names are an emerging drug problem. Sold under such names as Ivory Wave, Bliss, White Lightning, and Hurricane Charlie the chemicals can cause hallucinations, paranoia, rapid heart rates and suicidal thoughts. The drugs cause intense cravings with kid’s bingeing three to four days before showing up in emergency rooms.

The chemicals, mephedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone, are in bath salts and even plant foods that are sold legally at convenience stores and on the internet. The stimulants aren’t regulated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration because they are “not intended” for human consumption.

Niel Brown got high on bath salts, took his skinning knife and slit his face and stomach repeatedly. In Brown’s case, he had tried every drug from heroin to crack and was shaken by the terrifying hallucinations. Mark Ryan, director of Louisiana’s poison control center said “even though it’s a horrible trip, they want to do it over and over again”.

The bottom line for parents is to go with your instincts when it comes to your family. If something does not feel right, then it probably isn’t. Experts say that education is key when it comes to your child. Education does not always work especially with kids and teens; but you have to try anything you can to help them.

Excerpts of this article were taken from “Bath Salts are a growing drug problem” by Shelia Byrd Associated Press. Read the full article here.

Hints and Tips for Springing Forward Without Becoming a Zombie

We have heard all our lives that a good night’s sleep is essential to our overall well-being; so we decided to provide some hints and tips for getting a good night’s sleep. Read on for our dos and don’ts.

Recently we turned our clocks forward; and lost an hour of sleep. This just happens to coincide with the end of National Sleep Awareness Week. (Who knew?) Joking aside, sleep deprivation can cause us to be a grumpy gus; or something much more serious like a heart attack. Here are some statistics found in the San Leandro Times:

1.Sleep deprivation is the most likely cause of a 17% increase in accidents after the spring daylight saving time change.

2.There is a 5% increase in heart attacks in the first week after the time change.

3.The level of impairment for sleep-deprived drivers is comparable to those who drive drunk.

Most of us know we need 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. However, not as many know that it is not only the quantity of sleep we get; but also, the quality. So, how do we ensure that we always get quality sleep?

Do set a regular sleep schedule and stick to it as much as possible. Go to bed and get up at the same time everyday. Keep this schedule on the weekends, too.

Don’t eat or exercise just before going to bed. These type activities tend to keep us from sleeping.

Do turn off the TV and the laptop. Better yet, don’t have a TV in your bedroom. A quiet relaxing space is best for good sleep.

Don’t take naps. It is best not to nap throughout the day; however, if an afternoon nap is a must use an alarm clock; and keep it under an hour.

Do create a dark and quiet environment. Light and noise will keep your mind from relaxing. Turn off the lights; and eliminate noise. If there is outdoor noise that is out of your control, mask it with a fan.

Do make sure your bedding is comfortable. Use a properly supportive mattress, comfortable bedding and appropriate pillows for the way you like to sleep.

Do take a few moments before bed to clear your head and unwind. A conscious effort to put aside thoughts of the things you did not get done today or the things you must do tomorrow will help you rest easier.

Don’t let poor quality or insufficient shut-eye turn you into a zombie. For more hints on how to improve sleep read Mayo Clinic’s 10 tips for better sleep. Good luck and good sleeping!

30,000 Found Dead in Japan

We have all heard the words “good job” but very rarely do you hear “perfect job”. Try as we might perfection is impossible to achieve; and that is what drives a perfectionist crazy. All of our lives we have heard “nothing is perfect”; but we continue to strive for perfection. Most of us have perfectionist tendencies; but when it becomes an obsession, perfectionism is a disorder.

Who would you rather have in this scenario, a perfectionist, or someone that does a good job? You have very little time to get a proposal ready for a customer. If the proposal is not completed in time you will lose a $100,000.00 contract. It is your job to assign the task to either Jane Doe, the perfectionist, or John Doe, the “good job person”. It needs to be perfect; but if it’s late you’re dead in the water. Jane Doe is your best worker; and every job she does is “perfect”. While talking to Jane you find out it takes her 3 hours or longer to get dressed for work. She tries on each outfit to make sure it is perfect for that day. So, if you assign the job to Jane she will definitely provide you a perfect proposal; but will she get it done in time? In this scenario, John might be your best choice as he will do a good job; AND get it completed by the deadline.

Perfectionism, as defined by The American Heritage Dictionary is a propensity for being displeased with anything that is not perfect or does not meet extremely high standards. Perfectionists are often high-achievers; and they are also at risk for eating disorders, sexual dysfunction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, divorce, and suicide. They lead a life of continual anxiety and fear of failure even when they succeed. As is the case with Jane, she has to be perfectly dressed before leaving for work. Even simple daily tasks can create tremendous anxiety. Read more about perfectionism here.

Why is being a perfectionist a bad thing? Stress plays a major role in your health; and perfectionists spend much of their time stressed. We are taught from early childhood to be perfect, especially in school. The pressure for good grades by your teachers, parents and peers plants the seed of perfectionism. Problems can arise when children are pressured for excellence. Dr. Sidney J. Blatt, a psychologist at Yale University, and others say that harsh parental standards are a frequent source of neurotic perfectionism. Such expectations send a message to the child that whatever he or she does is never quite good enough; and that the child must be flawless in order to win approval and love.

The solution might be to stop the grading system of A,B,C,D or F. The grading system of pass or fail is itself a failure. Pass or fail grading promotes under-achieving and “just getting by”. So, maybe the system should be Good job, Just getting by, and Under-achieving. You can add a category of “over-achieving” with a warning to parents of the dangers of perfectionism. Japans suicide rate is about 30,000 a year due to many factors; but the one that stands out the most is failure due to the pressures of perfectionism. Failure for a perfectionist or even the perceived notion of failure can send a perfectionist into the dark depths of suicide.

Unfortunately, the reward system we have when we are young starts the perfectionism ball rolling. We are praised; and given money when we get good grades. That feels good; so we then strive to please and be rewarded over and over again. People want to feel good; so they chase the feel good dragon. To the perfectionist the feel good dragon is being rewarded for perfection.

Perhaps, the best thing to do is take a critical look at how our school system and accepted parenting practices are potentially creating future perfectionists. Of course, we don’t want to lower standards to prevent this. How would you like a doctor who was a chronic under-achiever? So, where is the middle ground? Maybe a system that rewarded effort on a regular basis rather than just the final result is the answer.

How do we do a good job without crossing the line into perfectionism? Simply put, we don’t know. Maybe that is a question that can only be answered on an individual basis. However, we believe it is possible to do something to help future generations avoid the anxiety and stress that striving for perfection cultivates. We need our children to learn to do their best; and be able to accept that it is good enough.

Hints for Making the Right Impression During a Job Interview

The U.S. unemployment rate is at 9%; and in some states or localities it’s even higher. If you are one of the many that is on the job hunt, you know you have to stand out in a crowd in order to beat out the competition. It seems like common sense that you would try and put your best foot forward in a job interview. However, being an employer I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Here are some tips to help you avoid the bad and the ugly.

Be prepared; and think ahead. Try and anticipate the kinds of questions you think you will be asked. Then, formulate an answer in your mind. Don’t memorize so that you sound like a robot or a bad actor when the question comes up; just have some idea of what you will say. Learn something about the company with which you are interviewing. What do they manufacture? What do they sell? What service do they provide? Think of how your particular skills and experience apply. Potential employers aren’t mind readers. You need to show them how you will be an asset to the company. Even if you’ve listed your best attributes on your resume; don’t be shy about pointing them out in the interview.

Sometimes the simplest things are the ones that we forget. Put gas in the car and get directions ahead of time. Last minute errands and becoming lost will do nothing for your state of mind on the day of the interview. You need to be calm. The interview itself is enough to make us a little nervous; so don’t let any added stresses creep in.

Dress appropriately. Did I just hear you say, “well duh”? Amazingly enough many of us have a funny idea of what is proper dress for a job interview. You need to be your best in all areas; and that includes looking the part. So, what is appropriate? A good rule of thumb is to dress as you would if you’ve already landed the job. However, this doesn’t always work. My daughter who’s a nurse was recently searching for new employment. On the job, she wears scrubs everyday; but going on job interviews in scrubs isn’t the way to go. Use your head. If it’s a professional office job, wear a suit. This applies to guys and gals. If it’s a job on a loading dock, you can dress down a little. Dressing down doesn’t mean wearing the most worn out pair of jeans you own and an old sweatshirt even if that would be appropriate to wear on the job.

So, what about those nerves I mentioned earlier? The morning of the interview is here; and you have a bad case of the jitters. First, let’s cover what not to do. Don’t take a “nerve pill” that will impair you to the point of “I don’t give a flip land”. Don’t drink two beers just because that’s what your Uncle Lush advised. Do take deep calming breaths while trying to clear your mind. Get in some exercise. Go over your answers. (See paragraph two above.) Give yourself a pep talk. Knowing you can do the job goes a long way toward calming those nerves. Mentally list all the ways in which you are perfect for the job. If you don’t believe it, the potential employer won’t either.

Feed yourself before you go even if you don’t feel like eating. Have a light meal so that you don’t get a rumbly in your tumbly. This can be very distracting in the middle of an interview; and there is just no way to disguise the noise. Avoid foods that give you gas like the plague. Undesirable bodily noises (or smells) are a big no-no! Hey, it had to be said.

One of the worst things you can do is be late. DON’T! Set three alarm clocks if you must, put a note on the refrigerator, have your mommy call you, whatever it takes. No excuse is good enough if you are late to an interview. If I’m the interviewer and you show up late; don’t bother to come inside and waste my time and yours. In fact, you should be a few minutes early. By the way, it’s okay if you had your mommy call you to remind you of the interview; but don’t take her with you.

The day is here. You’ve thought about what you will say, you’ve dressed appropriately, calmed yourself, and arrived at the interview spot. So, now what? Don’t chew gum. No interviewer wants to look across the desk at what appears to be a cow chewing its cud. Don’t fidget. Look your interviewer in the eye. If your eyes are darting around the room, you’ll have your interviewer wondering if you are there for an interview or if you are casing the joint. If there is a jar of, let’s say jelly beans, on the interviewer’s desk; and you absolutely adore jelly beans, resist the urge. If you followed advice and ate a light meal, you shouldn’t be hungry. Besides I’m pretty sure the interviewer didn’t put jelly beans on the desk just because they knew you were coming.

Relax as much as possible. This doesn’t mean take off your shoes and slump down in your chair. Sit straight in your chair; and put your hands in your lap. When the questions begin be honest. Also, be thorough; but don’t ramble on forever. If the nerves set in and you feel a trickle of sweat on your brow; remember those calming breaths. Take a couple of quiet ones to help.

Don’t be negative. Like my mother, did yours teach you that if you don’t have anything good to say to not say anything at all? Well, that truly applies here. Don’t talk bad about your spouse, your last employer, your dog, the weather, or anything. Believe me. Positivity will leave the right impression.

Ask questions. A job interview isn’t only for a prospective employer to find the candidate they are looking for. It’s also the perfect opportunity for you to find out if this place of employment is the right fit for you. If you did your homework and found out about the company, you should be able to ask informed questions. This will impress even the toughest nut to crack.

When the interview is over, it’s not over. Do not forget to thank the interviewer for their time; and advise you will be in touch. After you get home be sure and follow up with a note saying thanks; and reiterating your interest in the position. After that probably the hardest part begins, the waiting. Whatever happens, don’t get discouraged. If you didn’t land this job, don’t take it personally. Getting a few interviews under your belt will only hone your interview skills; and make you better. Hopefully, these hints and tips will help you find the perfect position. Good luck and good hunting!

Smoking Is Not Just An Addiction

The new nicotine patch?

Here is a great tip. Stop smoking! Easier said than done? Why is smoking such a difficult thing to stop? Cigarettes are very addictive and a deeply ingrained habit. People, habitual by nature, may be the reason quitting is so difficult. With the nicotine gums, lozenges and patches to overcome the cravings, the habit itself needs to be addressed.

If we were not habitual, simple tasks like going to the store, become problematic. Can you imagine looking up directions to the store every time you needed groceries, or too find your way to work? So the question becomes; are memory and habits using the same part of the brain? According to ehow the frontal lobe, is the part of the cerebral cortex under the forehead, functions to control memories involving habits and motor activity. The temporal lobes, located just above the ears, are used to control memory acquisition.

So, it makes sense why habits are so hard to break. Have you ever tried to forget something? We all have forgotten things; but have you ever made a conscious effort to forget something? That is why habits are so hard to break. Habits are a type of memory.

The more a habit is repeated, the stronger the neural connection becomes, and the deeper a pattern is engraved. If you think about how many times a day you smoke a cigarette, then multiply that times the number of years you have smoked, you can see how ingrained the smoking habit has become!

Break the habit!

The website, self improvement mentor.com states, “Experts claimed that complete abstinence of a habit for 21 to 30 days will be enough to break it. So, you don’t have to worry about having to continuously struggle to not indulge in a habit for the rest of your life. After 21 to 30 days, you would have surpassed the required threshold. What you need to do is challenge yourself to keep away from that habit for 30 days.” Take up the 30 day challenge; and see it through. If you stumble or fail along the way, start the habit breaking challenge from the beginning.

If At First You Don’t Succeed, Try Try Again

 

An old saying but there is a lot of truth to it. The process of repetition is just repeating the same old habits. The process of repetition with change is a formula for success. Look at quitting smoking as a two part challenge; one, the addiction itself and two, the ingrained habit to light up.

Search for tips on quitting smoking with Google then search for tips on breaking bad habits. Use the information you find and maybe, just maybe, you can kick the smoking habit. We wish you the best of luck!

How to Guard Against Distracted Drivers

Have you noticed the improvement in drivers using Bluetooth devices on their cell phones? Or, have you noticed driving habits to be the same or worse than ever? Has the use of Bluetooth devices given drivers a false sense of security causing them to pay less attention than ever? Facts and figures for 2010 are not yet available; so determining what distractions caused accidents is difficult. The facts do show distraction caused accidents are on the rise. The proportion of fatalities reportedly associated with driver distraction increased from 10 percent in 2005 to 16 percent in 2009. During that time, fatal crashes with reported driver distraction also increased from 10 percent to 16 percent

Even though the stats show a drop in hand held device usage, observations of distracted driving today seem the same or worse. Case in point; sitting at a four way stop, waiting our turn to go, a speeding truck blows through the stop sign. Cars not staying in their own lanes, driving through red lights and cutting people off, have shown (in our opinion) no driver improvements. As a result we use defensive driving, our own dos and don’ts and situational awareness, in our arsenal for roadway survival.

Here are a few tips and tricks we use that may keep you from being involved in an accident.

At stop signs – Don’t assume that all the cars will stop at a stop sign. A distracted driver is more likely to not see a stop sign. People struggle with a four way stop sign. The rule is to yield to the car on the right but confusion seems to dominate. A distracted driver can make a four way stop into a disaster.

When a stop light turns green – wait at least 2 to 3 seconds before entering the intersection. Also, look both ways to see that everyone approaching the red light is slowing to a stop.

Don’t assume a person in a vehicle can see you – Even if they are looking right at you, they may not know you are there. Tests have shown people distracted don’t always see what is right in front of them.

When two lanes are going left or right, at a traffic signal, don’t assume the car next to you is going to stay in their lane. More times than not at some point during the turn they will drift into, or wind up going into, your lane. Distracted drivers may not realize that both lanes are turning; and at a minimum will cut you off.

Don’t assume a person in a vehicle can see you – Even if they are looking right at you, they may not know you are there. Tests have shown people distracted don’t always see what is right in front of them.

Do be on guard at all times – When you are next to another car they might not know you are there. With the craze in SUV’s, smaller cars hide in the blind spots.

Do make sure your vehicle is safe – Read these tips on vehicle checks and general safety travel information

Here are a few more tips we use to combat the distracted driver. Is the driver talking on the phone? Is the driver talking to the passengers? Are the driver’s arms waving about or do they look distracted? If so, give them extra room; and keep an eye on them. If the situation does not look or feel right, get out of the situation safely. Taking two minutes longer to get to your destination has to be better than not getting there at all. The bottom line is; the more you drive defensively; and are paying attention, the less chance you have of being in an accident. Watch out for the other guy!