Hello all, Helpful Hank Here, Today I want to talk about Reinventing how we make our income. Here in the valley the unemployment rate has jumped to 10.3%. I understand it’s the highest it has ever been or the highest it has been in years. If you are unemployed it can seem like you will never find another job.
In this economy companies are just not bringing in new staff and are reluctant to fill needed vacant position choosing rather to train and teach employees that they have to be able to handle the jobs of the laid off, filling only positions that are necessary.
Unemployment rates seem to be cyclical. I find they change about every 4 to 8 years based on my experience. We have just come out of an eight year cycle that started us off on top, companies were hiring the economy was good. ( the pervious eight year cycle put us there) As we progressed through this last eight year cycle jobs became more and more scares, The unemployment rate jumped and continued to grow to it’s highest rate ever.
This particular eight year cycle was particularly nasty. Some people ride it out as best as they can others take the reins and decide to chart their own course. Both can be equally difficult.
Riding it out is not easy. Sure our economy is starting to pick up ( slowly) but, what have you done to make your own economic situation improve? Things will get a bit worse before the get better. That old adage that it is always darkest before the clouds lift is true.
What id those clouds could have a silver lining? They can it is up to you. You can do things to improve and make your income better. It won’t happen overnight but they seeds you sew today can grow into something wonderful.
Right now we see an increase of Work from home opportunities and it is difficult to find one that is legit or that you can actually make an income from without 1. laying out a good amount of money to start. 2. Actually make enough money to survive on.
Growing a small business is tough enough. Growing a small business in this economy is even tougher. Here are some thoughts and Ideas on how to get started based on my experiences.
When starting your own business I feel it is best to use all avenues available to you and there are many. Take a look on the internet to see who else is providing the type of services that you are looking at providing. Figure out what you can do to set yourself apart from the heard. Look at what types of social networks might be the best to use. Google search networks (Example graphic design networking.) to see if there is a networking site that pertains to what you want to do. Use all networking sites you can to market yourself.
It is important to look at what your natural abilities are. For instance if you are an office worker who has lost their job think about freelancing your services. If you are a techie do the same, freelance. You can freelance most services. You can buy a domain name for as little as 0.79 cents these days and you can even buy simple software that will allow you to set up a page for your domain name. If you can’t afford such software then use social networking sites to set up a web presence to offer your services. Right now I have a client who is using My space as a starting point. We have set up a business profile for them and they have already had several people check out their page as well as friend them. Doing this yourself will cost you nothing but time. In conjunction with this make sure that you are taking advantage of the many temporary placement agencies to help support your endeavors. Always make sure that any assignment that you choose to go out on will in someway help you to further your own goals. (I have actually turned down assignments because the pay and time involved was such that I would be losing money. I have also taken assignments that even though I might lose a bit of money the company that I performed the services for might be of some benefit to me as far as a reference for my own business. The benefit of working temp jobs is that it can help keep your skill level up. When signing up for a temp agency take every test you can that will show what your skill level is. Use this as a base line for your skill set. If your test scores are high then use that to your advantage by marketing it on the social networking sites. If like me you are in the expert range of excel then say so on these site. Leave a business card with the person(s) on the job site so the remember who you are and the work you did while there.
In this economy we have to look outside the box but, this is nothing new. Great mind have always approached life this way. We have to combine our efforts and open our options.
The one. Key thing in all of this is marketing ourselves. It is not as difficult as it seems. We have many free marketing opportunities that are available to us. Social network marketing is one of the best ways to market yourself. You can get your name out there along with the services you provide at no cost except for time, and it can be time well spent. With sites like Twitter, Face Book and others you can leave short little notes promoting your business, posting them several times a day.
It is going to take time but anything worth working for ( a stable income and career) is worth having. Cross promotion of yourself is important. Why would you color with one color in a crayon box when there are 64 colors? Use all the social networking sites you can to promote yourself. You will not use them all the same way, but use them. Again, Sites like twitter and face Book are good for short blurbs about you, what you are trying to establish and, where you want to go with it. Twitter is especially good for this. Google search the phrase Twitter Getter. This is an online source for generating a following. A bigger following means more people seeing what you have to offer. Sites like My space or The Private Membership are good sites to set up your virtual storefront. Use these sites to set up your business profile. Join or start groups on these sites that are related to what you are doing. If you are a freelance electrician then join some of the groups that are for the electrical contracting community (My Space has a few.)Then, use sites like face Book and twitter to market it and yourself.
Gone are the days of walking up and down Main Street and handing out your resume. Time is more wisely spent marketing yourself on line.
Educate yourself, learn new things. A year ago, I knew nothing about creating web graphics, today I sell my creations on sites set up for exactly that. Again, think outside of the box. Learning new things and be patient with yourself while you do this can vastly increase your potential for making an income. It might take you in a direction you never thought possible. As you learn new skills, you will find the skill that you excel at and in turn offer those services as well.
Do not be afraid to offer your services at no cost to charitable organizations. Not only can you claim the time (and any expense you cover) as a donation on your taxes but word of mouth is powerful. If you do this, ask for a letter of recommendation from the organization or even just a one or two line sentence that you can post on your different social networking profiles or web site for your business if you have one.
They key to moving forward and getting to where you want to be is in how you look at each day. For me I approach each day as if I were working a 9-5. I take time to map out and make a list of what I want to accomplish every day. I check those Items off once the task is completed for that day. My workweek though doesn’t always end at five or stop on the weekends. I know it takes more then that. Starting with a 9-5 base is just that a start. The more you but into it the more you can get from it.
Taking regular breaks helps to keep you focused. After you have been on line, on the phone calling agencies for three, four hours your eyes can get fuzzy so step away and take a break come back with clearer eyes.
Make sure that your day included some exercise even if it is just short walks a few times a day. Sitting behind a computer all day can be hard on your body so Stretching is a great way to help with that.
One Final Thought, I’m a work in progress as are we all. What works for one person may not work for another. Don’t be afraid to try different things. The fact that we keep trying to find a better way on this journey is good. If the Idea excites you, figure out how you can make it work for you
To my readers, any tips you have on this subject that you would like to share send them in I will happily pass them on and try them out myself.
Well that’s all for now
Helpful Hank.
Hank’s Helpful Hint:
Make a list of agencies you are listed with and call them each Monday letting them know you are available for assignments that week this keeps you fresh in their minds. When going to agencies for your first appointment always present yourself as a professional whether you’re a dish washer or accountant dress for success (as you would for a job interview). In addition, when ever you have to stop by the agencies dress in Business casual. (As you would on a job.)
Stretch Stretch, Stretch. At the end of the day your body will thank you.
Some site to market yourself on.
http://twitter.com/
http://offto.net/twittergetter/
http://www.myspace.com/
http://www.facebook.com/
Write Helpful Hank at: askhelpfulhank@gmail.com
Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow
Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Some simple and inexpensive ways we can spruce up our home
Hi All Helpful Hank Here. Today I would like to share with you some simple things you can do to spruce up some of your living spaces that won’t cost you a fortune.
My husband comes home once a month for seven to ten days , then it’s back to the airport and back to work for him. While he is Home though we try to get as many projects done as possible. There are projects we work on together and others we work on separately. As I have mentioned in earlier blogs we like to haunt the thrift shops and even go dumpster diving behind hi end resale shops (after they are closed for the day they frown on you looking through their dumpsters when they are open.) I thought I would share with you some of the simple fixes that we worked on the week he was home as well as some other easy projects.
I have a love hate relationship with Wall Mart or as many call it Sprawl Mart. I don’t like crowds or rude people and Sprawl Mart seems to have plenty in spades most of the time. Those poor clerks. How they stay so friendly is a wonder. Anywho I digress as I say I have a love Hate relationship with the place as I am sure many do. They do have great prices which is great for the budget and a wide selection. Now I like to head straight to the fabric department and there 1.50 table ( was a 1.00 but with this economy things change) I am fortunate enough just to have a Wall Mart that still has a fabric department.
We decided to spruce up our patio area a bit so we decide on what simply changes we could make to achieve this. And sense we have a lot of Patio furniture ( our patio is very long and has four distinct areas that are covered.) I thought sprucing up the cushions and pillows would be one thing to give it a fresher look. Pillows we use outside can fad and get dingy after a time so this is an easy fix even if you don’t sew. For this project you will need small to medium size pillows, about 2 to 2 ½ yards of fabric(covers four pillows), No Sew or fusible webbing I prefer the fusible webbing as you just iron your seems shut with it easy squeezy) and stick backed Velcro (it can be had for a few dollars at a craft store or fabric store.), and scissors.
I tend to by fabric I like or feel I can use at Wall Marts 1.50 table when I see it. I may not use it for sometime but eventually I will. I went to my fabric trunk (another dumpster dive find. It is an old steamer trunk. In excellent condition even had the hangers and the key to the top drawer. Someone put it curbside years ago and I snagged it.) I started looking through what I had. I wanted to see if I had anything that would go well with the bright Blue and Green cushion we have on our wicker couches. Unfortunately, I didn’t have anything that would work well. Off to Sprawl Mart. I found fabric that was perfect so I bought two yards of bright blue and two yards of bright green. I took four pillows I had on a day bed outside that were looking rather shabby (and not in a chic way either)
I unfolded my fabric and lay it out placing the pillows on the fabric then I cut the fabric to size leaving enough space on all sides of the fabric to close it up. Depending on they fabric you by you may want to embellish it. The fabric I bought was a solid color. I had decided I wanted to use fabric paint on it.
What you will need to do first is to wash your fabric. I wash mine in the sink with detergent and hot water (this is mostly for shrinkage and putting it in the washer can sometimes make the fabric fray.) then I run it through the dryer or, in this case, since the weather has been so warm, I hung it out to dry. Once I have painted the design I want on my pillows and they are dry, (leave enough boarder to fold sides of fabric under) I fold one side over running a length of fusible webbing underneath it (the fabric should be folded inward so the edge of the fabric is on the inside of the pillow.). and the run the Iron over it thus bonding the fabric together. I do this on all four sides. This creates a seamed edge all the way around. Then on opposite ends (top and bottom of pillow cover) I place the Velcro. (This will allow me to take the new pillow cover off for washing) Then I fold the fabric in half again running a piece of the fusible webbing now between the folded fabric sides and Iron. Give the fusible webbing a chance to cool and run your Iron on high no steam. Once you have done this slip, your pillow inside through the end that has the Velcro closure and you have a new pillow. Keep your lines as straight and as even as possible when using the fusible webbing as it will show if you don’t. I made four pillow covers in no time and just put existing pillows in them.
While my husband was home, he went over to one of our local thrift shops and found a medium size chandelier that just needed some TLC. As he put it to me, I only paid ten dollars for it I couldn’t pass it up.
We decided to hang it above the board table on the patio.
The tools we used for this project were wire strippers, spray paint (both primer and topcoat of color) and wire nuts.
I used a combination of black primer spray paint hammered bronze spray paint and, green spray paint. I gave it a couple of primer coats let it dry. I gave it a third coat of black primer and while it was still wet, gave it a coat of hammered bronze. After that had dried, I took the green spray paint and applied it lightly to different spots to create a patina. I then went over it lightly again, with the hammered bronze while it was still a bit tacky, softening the edges of the green so that it blended better.
Once the lamp was dry it was time to fix the cord, it wasn’t long enough for the chain we had. I took an old extension cord cut the female end off and using wire stripers, I stripped the plastic coating away from both sets of wires. I did the same on the light fixture end. I twisted the wires from each side of the cut extension cord to the wires from the light fixture. I capped the wires with wire nuts then used black electrical tape wrapping it around each of the wire nuts to seal them off, using more electrical tape I taped the wire nuts together. I wove the cord through the chain and since we were replacing an existing hanging lamp, we hung it in the same spot.
In warm weather the spray paint dries fast. You can have this project done in about an hour to two hours depending on drying time.
The third project we worked on, were new curtain rods. We had priced them and they were expensive for new ones. The ones we had were bowing and sagging from the weight of the curtains we had on them. To replace them with sturdier rod was going to cost a lot. We found a cheaper alternative. What we bought was 1 inch metal conduit pipe ( the come in 8 to 10 foot lengths) it was only $6.49 per ten foot pipe as opposed to a curtain rod at $23.00 to $43.00 We got some primer spray paint and a top color coat. We chose hammered bronze. (You will need a surface long enough and big enough to spray paint them.) Wash your poles with soapy warm water removing all labels. Let dry then give it two coats of your primer letting thoroughly dry between coats. Then to coats of your top color coat. (I like using a satin sheen for the op coat) Once it is all dry, you just replace your existing rods with the new ones.
If you want to add, fancy end caps to your curtain rod just get the end caps you want. Get a wooden dowel that fits snug in your conduit ends. Cut off about two inches of dowel for each end screw your end caps in to dowel and put your end in the conduit so that only the decorative end caps show. (You may need to pre drill the end of the dowel but not much because you just want to start the hole this way the end cap stay firmly in place. You can also put a little wood glue down the pre-drilled hole. This will secure the end cap to the dowel even better and you’ll be less likely to have it come undone.
Small home improvement projects don’t have to be daunting. They can unleash your creative side and if you have kids there are small home improvement projects (Pillow covers) that the can participate in and feel as if they made a difference in make the place you call home just a bit brighter and better.
Well that’s all for today Have a super Easter Weekend. Keep an eye out for my next blog spot column and you can send any hints tips or deals you have and I’ll be happy to post them.
Happy Easter,
Hank
Helpful Hanks Handy Hints: Using a Stencil to create your designs on your pillow covers easy an easy way to create fabulous designs, you can use a stencil brush or even cut up an old dish sponge (wash it first then dry it for about a minute or so in your microwave and it is good to go) Remember not to get to much paint on your sponge or brush, you’ll want it rather dry, this way you end up with a more uniform design. You can also use this same technique on old lampshades as well. You can also incorporate ribbons and beads on lampshades by tacking them down with a glue. (Remember the tip of a glue gun is very hot so don’t touch it with your hands.)
Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow.
My husband comes home once a month for seven to ten days , then it’s back to the airport and back to work for him. While he is Home though we try to get as many projects done as possible. There are projects we work on together and others we work on separately. As I have mentioned in earlier blogs we like to haunt the thrift shops and even go dumpster diving behind hi end resale shops (after they are closed for the day they frown on you looking through their dumpsters when they are open.) I thought I would share with you some of the simple fixes that we worked on the week he was home as well as some other easy projects.
I have a love hate relationship with Wall Mart or as many call it Sprawl Mart. I don’t like crowds or rude people and Sprawl Mart seems to have plenty in spades most of the time. Those poor clerks. How they stay so friendly is a wonder. Anywho I digress as I say I have a love Hate relationship with the place as I am sure many do. They do have great prices which is great for the budget and a wide selection. Now I like to head straight to the fabric department and there 1.50 table ( was a 1.00 but with this economy things change) I am fortunate enough just to have a Wall Mart that still has a fabric department.
We decided to spruce up our patio area a bit so we decide on what simply changes we could make to achieve this. And sense we have a lot of Patio furniture ( our patio is very long and has four distinct areas that are covered.) I thought sprucing up the cushions and pillows would be one thing to give it a fresher look. Pillows we use outside can fad and get dingy after a time so this is an easy fix even if you don’t sew. For this project you will need small to medium size pillows, about 2 to 2 ½ yards of fabric(covers four pillows), No Sew or fusible webbing I prefer the fusible webbing as you just iron your seems shut with it easy squeezy) and stick backed Velcro (it can be had for a few dollars at a craft store or fabric store.), and scissors.
I tend to by fabric I like or feel I can use at Wall Marts 1.50 table when I see it. I may not use it for sometime but eventually I will. I went to my fabric trunk (another dumpster dive find. It is an old steamer trunk. In excellent condition even had the hangers and the key to the top drawer. Someone put it curbside years ago and I snagged it.) I started looking through what I had. I wanted to see if I had anything that would go well with the bright Blue and Green cushion we have on our wicker couches. Unfortunately, I didn’t have anything that would work well. Off to Sprawl Mart. I found fabric that was perfect so I bought two yards of bright blue and two yards of bright green. I took four pillows I had on a day bed outside that were looking rather shabby (and not in a chic way either)
I unfolded my fabric and lay it out placing the pillows on the fabric then I cut the fabric to size leaving enough space on all sides of the fabric to close it up. Depending on they fabric you by you may want to embellish it. The fabric I bought was a solid color. I had decided I wanted to use fabric paint on it.
What you will need to do first is to wash your fabric. I wash mine in the sink with detergent and hot water (this is mostly for shrinkage and putting it in the washer can sometimes make the fabric fray.) then I run it through the dryer or, in this case, since the weather has been so warm, I hung it out to dry. Once I have painted the design I want on my pillows and they are dry, (leave enough boarder to fold sides of fabric under) I fold one side over running a length of fusible webbing underneath it (the fabric should be folded inward so the edge of the fabric is on the inside of the pillow.). and the run the Iron over it thus bonding the fabric together. I do this on all four sides. This creates a seamed edge all the way around. Then on opposite ends (top and bottom of pillow cover) I place the Velcro. (This will allow me to take the new pillow cover off for washing) Then I fold the fabric in half again running a piece of the fusible webbing now between the folded fabric sides and Iron. Give the fusible webbing a chance to cool and run your Iron on high no steam. Once you have done this slip, your pillow inside through the end that has the Velcro closure and you have a new pillow. Keep your lines as straight and as even as possible when using the fusible webbing as it will show if you don’t. I made four pillow covers in no time and just put existing pillows in them.
While my husband was home, he went over to one of our local thrift shops and found a medium size chandelier that just needed some TLC. As he put it to me, I only paid ten dollars for it I couldn’t pass it up.
We decided to hang it above the board table on the patio.
The tools we used for this project were wire strippers, spray paint (both primer and topcoat of color) and wire nuts.
I used a combination of black primer spray paint hammered bronze spray paint and, green spray paint. I gave it a couple of primer coats let it dry. I gave it a third coat of black primer and while it was still wet, gave it a coat of hammered bronze. After that had dried, I took the green spray paint and applied it lightly to different spots to create a patina. I then went over it lightly again, with the hammered bronze while it was still a bit tacky, softening the edges of the green so that it blended better.
Once the lamp was dry it was time to fix the cord, it wasn’t long enough for the chain we had. I took an old extension cord cut the female end off and using wire stripers, I stripped the plastic coating away from both sets of wires. I did the same on the light fixture end. I twisted the wires from each side of the cut extension cord to the wires from the light fixture. I capped the wires with wire nuts then used black electrical tape wrapping it around each of the wire nuts to seal them off, using more electrical tape I taped the wire nuts together. I wove the cord through the chain and since we were replacing an existing hanging lamp, we hung it in the same spot.
In warm weather the spray paint dries fast. You can have this project done in about an hour to two hours depending on drying time.
The third project we worked on, were new curtain rods. We had priced them and they were expensive for new ones. The ones we had were bowing and sagging from the weight of the curtains we had on them. To replace them with sturdier rod was going to cost a lot. We found a cheaper alternative. What we bought was 1 inch metal conduit pipe ( the come in 8 to 10 foot lengths) it was only $6.49 per ten foot pipe as opposed to a curtain rod at $23.00 to $43.00 We got some primer spray paint and a top color coat. We chose hammered bronze. (You will need a surface long enough and big enough to spray paint them.) Wash your poles with soapy warm water removing all labels. Let dry then give it two coats of your primer letting thoroughly dry between coats. Then to coats of your top color coat. (I like using a satin sheen for the op coat) Once it is all dry, you just replace your existing rods with the new ones.
If you want to add, fancy end caps to your curtain rod just get the end caps you want. Get a wooden dowel that fits snug in your conduit ends. Cut off about two inches of dowel for each end screw your end caps in to dowel and put your end in the conduit so that only the decorative end caps show. (You may need to pre drill the end of the dowel but not much because you just want to start the hole this way the end cap stay firmly in place. You can also put a little wood glue down the pre-drilled hole. This will secure the end cap to the dowel even better and you’ll be less likely to have it come undone.
Small home improvement projects don’t have to be daunting. They can unleash your creative side and if you have kids there are small home improvement projects (Pillow covers) that the can participate in and feel as if they made a difference in make the place you call home just a bit brighter and better.
Well that’s all for today Have a super Easter Weekend. Keep an eye out for my next blog spot column and you can send any hints tips or deals you have and I’ll be happy to post them.
Happy Easter,
Hank
Helpful Hanks Handy Hints: Using a Stencil to create your designs on your pillow covers easy an easy way to create fabulous designs, you can use a stencil brush or even cut up an old dish sponge (wash it first then dry it for about a minute or so in your microwave and it is good to go) Remember not to get to much paint on your sponge or brush, you’ll want it rather dry, this way you end up with a more uniform design. You can also use this same technique on old lampshades as well. You can also incorporate ribbons and beads on lampshades by tacking them down with a glue. (Remember the tip of a glue gun is very hot so don’t touch it with your hands.)
Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Relax your on vacation and beside you might learn a thing or two
4/5/09
Hi All, Helpful Hank Here, Today I would like to talk a bit about Travel. Now Hanks husband does a lot of traveling, But O’l Hank here doesn’t get to do a whole lot himself. I have to keep the home fires burning. When I do get to travel, I enjoy it. For the most part, it is just as easy and safe to travel by plane, and sometimes even cheaper then to travel by car. I haven’t been many places but where I have been for the most part I have enjoyed. I would say that every one of the trips I have taken have a special place inside of me. I may not remember every little detail but the key points are still there. A few trips really stand out for me. My First trip to Canada, we stopped on the way in Laramie Wyoming. Who would have thought that just a few short years later a young boy by the name of Mathew Shepard would have lost his life? It is such a sweet and innocent looking town. I remember the people to be nothing but nice.
My trip to the Estes Park in Colorado We drove into town just as the parade was coming up the street for the Scottish Irish Games. We had to pull off the side off the road and let the parade pass us by.
My trip to Hawaii were I got to swim by happenstance with a giant Sea tortes and view those magnificent sun sets and the trip on saddle back road in the mustang convertible.
My trip to Nashville and the Ryman Auditorium. Seeing the Mother Church was a site. It’s funny we call it taking a vacation or holiday but I think we learn the most when we are on vacation. Here’s the thing. We are given opportunities to meet new and interesting people and see things we have not seen before or not noticed before. So our minds are open to learning as well as experiences that can alter us forever both good and bad.
For years, I did not like Donald Duck. When I was seven years old, we went to Disney Land. I couldn’t wait to see Mickey and Donald and get their autographs. I got Mickey’s autograph and a picture. I went to get Donald’s autograph and he scribbled all over Mickey’s autograph. I wasn’t about to take my picture with that trader.
One camping trip with my family a man lost his life in the lake at the campsite as everyone watched. That night my family gathered everyone in the campsite, we had a big O’l fire, and every kid was given something to make music with as my father played guitar and we sang away our troubles. It was the only camping trip that my Grandmother who I was very close to and grandfather ever went on with us.
In Yosemite, I never felt as small or tall standing next to those rocks. When a couple of cubs were treed the rangers that came to rescue them… Lets just say something was awakened that summer. Pikes Peak, Amazing. Other trips have had things fascinating as well. In Canada we saw an intricate drawing of a male nude in pencil on tile that had to have taken a bit of time to do. In Wyoming, we saw this flat rock about 20’ around that set centered on a pointed rock as if it were a table waiting to be sat at. In Hawaii it was the Guys playing Volley Ball in a sandy area between to sets of building wearing nothing but board shorts, Getting caught in the rain with the top down coming back on saddle back road from Hilo, Seeing wild orchids growing on the side of the road and, graffiti done with little white stones on the sides of large slanted and flat rocks. In Arizona, we got off on the wrong road and I have this great picture set in the middle of the Arizona desert were my best friend her husband myself and my husband are standing at different points. We ended up in one of the vortex areas. But that dirt road got us back to where we were staying and we had an adventure in the process. Those red rocks are incredible.
I may not travel the world (yet) but, I have been quit a number of places. The things that I have learned are that a vacation should always be enjoyable, even when you have mishaps, you can still have an enjoyable vacation. You will only have as much fun as you let yourself. We tend to be more open to experiences (which can be both good and bad.) which we can learn from. The memories you will take away are priceless.
I recently planned a trip to see my best friend, my G son’s mother as well as my G-son. I made sure that I planned the trip plenty in advance. And got on-line to check out flights. For me and for many people the best place to do this are sites such as Travelocity and Price Line. With Price Line, you can actually bid your fare. Tell them what your travel dates are and where you are traveling to and what you want to pay. They then will let you know when that fare is available. Two things here in doing this,1. Allow your self enough time to see if you can get the price, you want. (You can’t expect to bid on a trip that you are taking next week) and 2. Be prepared to pay for that trip when they contact you. To let you know your price has been met. Also allow yourself time to make arrangements if your price isn’t met. If you haven’t received notification that your price has been met, you want at least a 2 weeks to try and find a flight that is closer to your price range. If you don’t mind, flying stand by, taking a red eye or having layovers you might get an even better deal as well. Sometimes not flying directly to your destination can be a good thing. The trade off is time spent in an airport. You can also combine Hotel and Flight packages which can also save you money as well. Last minute travelers can also find deals on these sites as well.
These sites such as Price Line and Travelocity all have the same flights and sometimes it is just a matter of fees. (The fewer the better I opt for none) These sites make money off of your flight the fees are just cream on top. The fees can vary from site to site but they all have them hidden or seen it is just a matter of how much. Another thing to be aware of is luggage weight restrictions. I believe on most are lines your bag is aloud to be 50 lbs. anything over that you get charged. My Husband went over that his last flight home and it cost him a hundred dollars (it didn’t help that he had a bathroom sink in his suitcase. (A marble bowl that sits counter top it weighed about twenty-five pounds.) The charges can add up quickly for luggage over the weight limit.
I always say save your airline miles for a trip you really want to take. If you don’t have a mileage card get one that works with the airline, you are most likely to travel on for your trips. Or sign up for a mileage program directly with that airline. Always be aware of restrictions and black out dates even with sites like Price Line and Travelocity. You can also travel off-season safely to many locations and still have a blast
My last tips on travel are this, plan out what you would like to see once you arrive at your destination but don’t fill every waking moment with an activity. You should always have time for the unexpected. Don’t save it for the last day either. As you may find that you want to explore it more. If you are planning an extended stay somewhere (a week or more.) use that first full day to just explore and get your bearings. Sometimes the most enjoyable part of your vacation can come from the unexpected and oft not traveled roads we take. In countries where travel outside certain areas is dangerous believe it. Always pack things like Band-Aids, Pepto, aspirin ect. Any liquid items should be in your checked in luggage, as it won’t be confiscated. Make a list of Items you need to be sure to pack and check it off as they get packed. Forgetting your camera can be costly. It is also always good to keep your souvenir buying to a minimum. When I went to Hawaii we went to a flea market/swap meet on Hilo. They had beads that were made from local seeds shells and other native materials so I bought some put them on hemp cords and gave those as necklaces to the people I had planned to bring something back for. In Arizona I brought back pieces of red rock picked up a book on how to paint native symbols and once home with a little black paint and an over coat of varithain I created my souvenirs
On my trip to North Carolina to see my sister. I mined for stones. I got to keep what I found it cost me five dollars and I was and still am able to make pieces of jewelry as gifts. Mining for stones or gold can be a fun outing for a group of friends a family or, by yourself.
For those of you thinking about a Staycation as they are calling them. Make sure before you decide to do so that there are plenty of things for you to do on your day trips. See things in your area you haven’t taken the time to see. Go down to your local tourism center and find out in advance what there is to do in your hometown that you might not have thought of. You can then make an informed disicssion as to whether or not a staycation is right for you. And My very last 2 Tips are.1. Your on vacation NO WORK ALLOWED! This is a chance to relax and unwind. Why do you need to call the office? When I went to Hawaii I thoroughly enjoyed myself. When I got back my boss had closed up shop. There really wasn’t anything I could do while on vacation except enjoy it and If I had known I would have worried the whole time ( actually my husband says if we had known we would have stayed longer.) The bottom line is your job will be there when you get back and if not you’ll find another. Life is two short to fret on vacation. 2. don’t put yourself in hock to go on vacation. If you do come back and have a situation like mine happen at least you’ll have some money saved to live on while you get situated in another position.
The most important things about taking a vacation are to relax, unwind and, have fun. That’s what vacations are suppose to be.
Helpful Hanks Handy Hints: When going on Vacation tidy your house before you leave. There is nothing worse then coming home to a place that needs cleaning. On top of it you have all your un packing to do so there is more work on top of what you have left yourself. Also it is great to come home and have one day of rest before you have to go back to work.
Hank
Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow.
Hi All, Helpful Hank Here, Today I would like to talk a bit about Travel. Now Hanks husband does a lot of traveling, But O’l Hank here doesn’t get to do a whole lot himself. I have to keep the home fires burning. When I do get to travel, I enjoy it. For the most part, it is just as easy and safe to travel by plane, and sometimes even cheaper then to travel by car. I haven’t been many places but where I have been for the most part I have enjoyed. I would say that every one of the trips I have taken have a special place inside of me. I may not remember every little detail but the key points are still there. A few trips really stand out for me. My First trip to Canada, we stopped on the way in Laramie Wyoming. Who would have thought that just a few short years later a young boy by the name of Mathew Shepard would have lost his life? It is such a sweet and innocent looking town. I remember the people to be nothing but nice.
My trip to the Estes Park in Colorado We drove into town just as the parade was coming up the street for the Scottish Irish Games. We had to pull off the side off the road and let the parade pass us by.
My trip to Hawaii were I got to swim by happenstance with a giant Sea tortes and view those magnificent sun sets and the trip on saddle back road in the mustang convertible.
My trip to Nashville and the Ryman Auditorium. Seeing the Mother Church was a site. It’s funny we call it taking a vacation or holiday but I think we learn the most when we are on vacation. Here’s the thing. We are given opportunities to meet new and interesting people and see things we have not seen before or not noticed before. So our minds are open to learning as well as experiences that can alter us forever both good and bad.
For years, I did not like Donald Duck. When I was seven years old, we went to Disney Land. I couldn’t wait to see Mickey and Donald and get their autographs. I got Mickey’s autograph and a picture. I went to get Donald’s autograph and he scribbled all over Mickey’s autograph. I wasn’t about to take my picture with that trader.
One camping trip with my family a man lost his life in the lake at the campsite as everyone watched. That night my family gathered everyone in the campsite, we had a big O’l fire, and every kid was given something to make music with as my father played guitar and we sang away our troubles. It was the only camping trip that my Grandmother who I was very close to and grandfather ever went on with us.
In Yosemite, I never felt as small or tall standing next to those rocks. When a couple of cubs were treed the rangers that came to rescue them… Lets just say something was awakened that summer. Pikes Peak, Amazing. Other trips have had things fascinating as well. In Canada we saw an intricate drawing of a male nude in pencil on tile that had to have taken a bit of time to do. In Wyoming, we saw this flat rock about 20’ around that set centered on a pointed rock as if it were a table waiting to be sat at. In Hawaii it was the Guys playing Volley Ball in a sandy area between to sets of building wearing nothing but board shorts, Getting caught in the rain with the top down coming back on saddle back road from Hilo, Seeing wild orchids growing on the side of the road and, graffiti done with little white stones on the sides of large slanted and flat rocks. In Arizona, we got off on the wrong road and I have this great picture set in the middle of the Arizona desert were my best friend her husband myself and my husband are standing at different points. We ended up in one of the vortex areas. But that dirt road got us back to where we were staying and we had an adventure in the process. Those red rocks are incredible.
I may not travel the world (yet) but, I have been quit a number of places. The things that I have learned are that a vacation should always be enjoyable, even when you have mishaps, you can still have an enjoyable vacation. You will only have as much fun as you let yourself. We tend to be more open to experiences (which can be both good and bad.) which we can learn from. The memories you will take away are priceless.
I recently planned a trip to see my best friend, my G son’s mother as well as my G-son. I made sure that I planned the trip plenty in advance. And got on-line to check out flights. For me and for many people the best place to do this are sites such as Travelocity and Price Line. With Price Line, you can actually bid your fare. Tell them what your travel dates are and where you are traveling to and what you want to pay. They then will let you know when that fare is available. Two things here in doing this,1. Allow your self enough time to see if you can get the price, you want. (You can’t expect to bid on a trip that you are taking next week) and 2. Be prepared to pay for that trip when they contact you. To let you know your price has been met. Also allow yourself time to make arrangements if your price isn’t met. If you haven’t received notification that your price has been met, you want at least a 2 weeks to try and find a flight that is closer to your price range. If you don’t mind, flying stand by, taking a red eye or having layovers you might get an even better deal as well. Sometimes not flying directly to your destination can be a good thing. The trade off is time spent in an airport. You can also combine Hotel and Flight packages which can also save you money as well. Last minute travelers can also find deals on these sites as well.
These sites such as Price Line and Travelocity all have the same flights and sometimes it is just a matter of fees. (The fewer the better I opt for none) These sites make money off of your flight the fees are just cream on top. The fees can vary from site to site but they all have them hidden or seen it is just a matter of how much. Another thing to be aware of is luggage weight restrictions. I believe on most are lines your bag is aloud to be 50 lbs. anything over that you get charged. My Husband went over that his last flight home and it cost him a hundred dollars (it didn’t help that he had a bathroom sink in his suitcase. (A marble bowl that sits counter top it weighed about twenty-five pounds.) The charges can add up quickly for luggage over the weight limit.
I always say save your airline miles for a trip you really want to take. If you don’t have a mileage card get one that works with the airline, you are most likely to travel on for your trips. Or sign up for a mileage program directly with that airline. Always be aware of restrictions and black out dates even with sites like Price Line and Travelocity. You can also travel off-season safely to many locations and still have a blast
My last tips on travel are this, plan out what you would like to see once you arrive at your destination but don’t fill every waking moment with an activity. You should always have time for the unexpected. Don’t save it for the last day either. As you may find that you want to explore it more. If you are planning an extended stay somewhere (a week or more.) use that first full day to just explore and get your bearings. Sometimes the most enjoyable part of your vacation can come from the unexpected and oft not traveled roads we take. In countries where travel outside certain areas is dangerous believe it. Always pack things like Band-Aids, Pepto, aspirin ect. Any liquid items should be in your checked in luggage, as it won’t be confiscated. Make a list of Items you need to be sure to pack and check it off as they get packed. Forgetting your camera can be costly. It is also always good to keep your souvenir buying to a minimum. When I went to Hawaii we went to a flea market/swap meet on Hilo. They had beads that were made from local seeds shells and other native materials so I bought some put them on hemp cords and gave those as necklaces to the people I had planned to bring something back for. In Arizona I brought back pieces of red rock picked up a book on how to paint native symbols and once home with a little black paint and an over coat of varithain I created my souvenirs
On my trip to North Carolina to see my sister. I mined for stones. I got to keep what I found it cost me five dollars and I was and still am able to make pieces of jewelry as gifts. Mining for stones or gold can be a fun outing for a group of friends a family or, by yourself.
For those of you thinking about a Staycation as they are calling them. Make sure before you decide to do so that there are plenty of things for you to do on your day trips. See things in your area you haven’t taken the time to see. Go down to your local tourism center and find out in advance what there is to do in your hometown that you might not have thought of. You can then make an informed disicssion as to whether or not a staycation is right for you. And My very last 2 Tips are.1. Your on vacation NO WORK ALLOWED! This is a chance to relax and unwind. Why do you need to call the office? When I went to Hawaii I thoroughly enjoyed myself. When I got back my boss had closed up shop. There really wasn’t anything I could do while on vacation except enjoy it and If I had known I would have worried the whole time ( actually my husband says if we had known we would have stayed longer.) The bottom line is your job will be there when you get back and if not you’ll find another. Life is two short to fret on vacation. 2. don’t put yourself in hock to go on vacation. If you do come back and have a situation like mine happen at least you’ll have some money saved to live on while you get situated in another position.
The most important things about taking a vacation are to relax, unwind and, have fun. That’s what vacations are suppose to be.
Helpful Hanks Handy Hints: When going on Vacation tidy your house before you leave. There is nothing worse then coming home to a place that needs cleaning. On top of it you have all your un packing to do so there is more work on top of what you have left yourself. Also it is great to come home and have one day of rest before you have to go back to work.
Hank
Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Helpful Hanks Advice, Handy Hints, Bargains and, Deals. A Marbled Mosaic
Hi all, Helpful Hank here,
In my last post I talked about two words Hope and Patients and how I have learned valuable lesson from each of these word and, how they have shaped my life. I’d like to know what you folks think. What words, phrases, or sayings motivate you? How have they have shaped you on your life’s journey.
Here are some replies to Helpful Hanks first post
Dear Helpful Hank,
Boiling water works well sometimes also along with the best way, a pipe wrench, remove and clean the trap.
Deserttrek.
Thanks for the Tip Deserttrek. I am sure my readers will find it helpful
Helpful Hank:
Looking forward to your blog, it sounds like a great idea, and fun to see what surfaces round here! Best of luck too!
I know where there are literally 100's, if not 1000's of pounds of huge slabs, and tiles of marble. Slate, and other large pieces of natural stone that has either been removed in remodeling, or teardowns but do not contain any cement, or glue on them. Can these pieces be used in artist's mosaic works, or any other reuses that you could list? I really hate to see them go unused, and become buried in the sand where some of them lie, or turned into pebbles by land graders in the years to come.
I see beautiful pieces of solid wood furniture on curbs for the trash to take, or dumped in empty lots valley wide that are often rare woods, priceless antique. These items often contain hardware such as hinges, drawer slides, knobs, pulls, and decorum that are in perfect condition and again, often rare and unique items simply discarded.
Are there any uses for these items that are quite expensive to purchase and many are unique, and/or no longer manufactured. As a seller on E-bay I assure you what I am describing have a very high general resale value.
Any ideas, suggestion, or local references of someone who may be able to help me find a place for reuse or resale would be appreciated?
Suzie Adams
Dear Suzie, I love using pieces of scrap marble for mosaics. I use to work for a Marble contractor and obtained some through away pieces. I broke them up and using an Old coffee table that had no top to it I took a ¾” piece of Plywood cut it to size and used the Marble to create a new coffee table. This is a great way to recycle. The one thing you want to make sure of is that the pieces you use be of relatively the same thickness so you have a smooth surface on your mosaic. As the say one persons trash is another persons treasure and you never know what you are going to find discarded behind some of these high end resale shops, or even at garage sales. Sometimes you can find a piece of furniture that has great bones but it just needs to be refinished. Recently had been discussing making under the bed storage and I kid you not that evening we went to our favorite dumpster dive spot and sitting right next to the dumpster were to sets of drawers used for a waterbed. Each set had three drawers one drawer had it slider wheel detached. So we took it home I refinished it and we now use it for storage under the bed. The plus, was that it also had the cut plywood that lies on top and although I didn’t need those pieces for this project, I can use them for another project. Nice hardware can be expensive so if you can find it free take it while it is and use it. It is better then it going in a landfill. Your Ideas are both great ideas. Thank you for your question. And Hey if you’d like to share where that marble is We are looking for a few pieces in this house to redo bathroom counters. Now there’s an idea mosaic counter top made with Marble or Slate. Something to think about.
Remember we are all Imperfectly Perfect
Helpful Hank
Helpful Hanks handy Hints:
1. When you find old furniture with good hardware you can use that old hardware such as drawer knobs and pulls to give an existing piece a new look.
2.When breaking up old pieces of stone, marble, slate or other such pieces, lay the piece upside down a board you have place on the ground to break it up on. By breaking it up from the backside, you are not damaging the top side.
Also, make sure to wear protective eyewear as chips can fly up.
3. When going to get your vehicle serviced oil changes and what not always look to see if the shop has any discounts or coupons that you can print out from their web site. It can save you money. I recently had my oil changed and saved about 10 bucks. Hey that’s almost 3/4 tank of gas on my S-10
Write Helpful Hank at: askhelpfulhank@gmail.com
Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow.
In my last post I talked about two words Hope and Patients and how I have learned valuable lesson from each of these word and, how they have shaped my life. I’d like to know what you folks think. What words, phrases, or sayings motivate you? How have they have shaped you on your life’s journey.
Here are some replies to Helpful Hanks first post
Dear Helpful Hank,
Boiling water works well sometimes also along with the best way, a pipe wrench, remove and clean the trap.
Deserttrek.
Thanks for the Tip Deserttrek. I am sure my readers will find it helpful
Helpful Hank:
Looking forward to your blog, it sounds like a great idea, and fun to see what surfaces round here! Best of luck too!
I know where there are literally 100's, if not 1000's of pounds of huge slabs, and tiles of marble. Slate, and other large pieces of natural stone that has either been removed in remodeling, or teardowns but do not contain any cement, or glue on them. Can these pieces be used in artist's mosaic works, or any other reuses that you could list? I really hate to see them go unused, and become buried in the sand where some of them lie, or turned into pebbles by land graders in the years to come.
I see beautiful pieces of solid wood furniture on curbs for the trash to take, or dumped in empty lots valley wide that are often rare woods, priceless antique. These items often contain hardware such as hinges, drawer slides, knobs, pulls, and decorum that are in perfect condition and again, often rare and unique items simply discarded.
Are there any uses for these items that are quite expensive to purchase and many are unique, and/or no longer manufactured. As a seller on E-bay I assure you what I am describing have a very high general resale value.
Any ideas, suggestion, or local references of someone who may be able to help me find a place for reuse or resale would be appreciated?
Suzie Adams
Dear Suzie, I love using pieces of scrap marble for mosaics. I use to work for a Marble contractor and obtained some through away pieces. I broke them up and using an Old coffee table that had no top to it I took a ¾” piece of Plywood cut it to size and used the Marble to create a new coffee table. This is a great way to recycle. The one thing you want to make sure of is that the pieces you use be of relatively the same thickness so you have a smooth surface on your mosaic. As the say one persons trash is another persons treasure and you never know what you are going to find discarded behind some of these high end resale shops, or even at garage sales. Sometimes you can find a piece of furniture that has great bones but it just needs to be refinished. Recently had been discussing making under the bed storage and I kid you not that evening we went to our favorite dumpster dive spot and sitting right next to the dumpster were to sets of drawers used for a waterbed. Each set had three drawers one drawer had it slider wheel detached. So we took it home I refinished it and we now use it for storage under the bed. The plus, was that it also had the cut plywood that lies on top and although I didn’t need those pieces for this project, I can use them for another project. Nice hardware can be expensive so if you can find it free take it while it is and use it. It is better then it going in a landfill. Your Ideas are both great ideas. Thank you for your question. And Hey if you’d like to share where that marble is We are looking for a few pieces in this house to redo bathroom counters. Now there’s an idea mosaic counter top made with Marble or Slate. Something to think about.
Remember we are all Imperfectly Perfect
Helpful Hank
Helpful Hanks handy Hints:
1. When you find old furniture with good hardware you can use that old hardware such as drawer knobs and pulls to give an existing piece a new look.
2.When breaking up old pieces of stone, marble, slate or other such pieces, lay the piece upside down a board you have place on the ground to break it up on. By breaking it up from the backside, you are not damaging the top side.
Also, make sure to wear protective eyewear as chips can fly up.
3. When going to get your vehicle serviced oil changes and what not always look to see if the shop has any discounts or coupons that you can print out from their web site. It can save you money. I recently had my oil changed and saved about 10 bucks. Hey that’s almost 3/4 tank of gas on my S-10
Write Helpful Hank at: askhelpfulhank@gmail.com
Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Helpful Hanks Advice, Handy Hints, Deals and Bargains – Hope and Patients the two most important lessons I have learned
Hi all it’s Helpful Hank Here
I look back over my life and the many who have passed through it and are still in my life. I think about those who have taught me some pretty valuable lessons whether they knew it or not. The importance of having hope ( The Heart) and the importance of having patients ( The Mind ) are two of the most important ones. Both have saved my life more then once. Kay taught me that if it is impossible to say you can’t then you can’t say it’s impossible. That is hope. My father always said use the right tool for the right job and to never force it because you can ruin it. That is patients. When I did not have both of these things I always found myself either in or drifting towards troubled waters. The problem with getting to close or in troubled water is that it can be double the effort to pull yourself out of them. I think as I get older that I realize that it is a lot of work that I don’t want to do.
I have never been one to toss anyone away. Friends that I have lost contact with over the years I still consider Friends even if they don’t That is just how I am built. I don’t tend to give up on people. I’ve always been that way. In my life thus far I have learned a lot of lessons. Some the easy way some the hard way. But all the lessons I have learned can be summed up with two words Hope and Patients. The very first two people that I learned these to lessons from were my mother and grandmother, amongst many other lessons. My mother and grandmother both taught me that the can be good in anyone and we can find it if we choose. They also taught me that you have to use the right tools for the job and not to force it as well. My mother taught me to cook and my grandmother taught me to bake. From this I learned I needed the right tools for the job and that I had to follow directions. As with anything change happens and we learn to stream line our lives in how we approach it. We learn who we can count on and who we can’t. We learn who is harmful and who is not. Then we make choices, choices of varying degrees. We weight it out figure it out and decide who we can count on or who might be harmful to us given the chance. And sometimes we get it wrong but, if we can learn from the times we get it wrong those can also be very valuable lessons. They can also be very dangerous ones. They can be the ones that take away our hope and patience instead of taking away the lesson of what mistakes not to make we take away the lesson of, Why even bother, or worse, It isn’t even worth it. When you get to this point you have lost all hope and patients. When you do that you stop trying, you stop caring, That’s when you give up and give in. Whether you feel beaten down and become resigned to that or you feel superior to everyone and untouchable. It doesn’t matter you have given up and given in. When we stop feeling for others we can’t really feel anything genuine for or in ourselves. Hope is lost. It is important to find a balance. And we find that balance when we honestly assess the mistakes we have made and move forward in the knowledge that we now how to recognize that mistake and will avoid making it again. And yes sometimes that means we give up and move in a different direction. There are things to be gained from this as well. Sometimes it also means we given in. Again we Assess from what we have learned and experienced. We weigh out the pluses and minuses and make our decision. That’s O.K. because we have honestly looked at the situation and we have chosen the path we chose because we feel it is where we need to be and not because we feel that we have no choice but to be here. There are enough times in our lives that we are forced into boxes that don’t fit why would we want to purposefully do this to our selves? We need to get beyond this type of thinking. One size does not fit all! Sometimes screaming feel as if it is the only option. But is it really? The answer to that is that yes sometimes it is. Screaming isn’t a bad thing. Just scream under controlled circumstances. And what I mean by that is ( and this is nothing new) there is no need to scream at others scream in your car in private in the shower. By all means get it out but don’t take it out on others. We have all heard the say about shit traveling down hill. Why? Why? does it do that? Because there are always those who feel better off then others. The Mistake people make is in thinking that money makes them better off. Can it of course it can but, here’s the thing if your base personality comes from a place of Hope and Happiness you will be happy with a simple life or a life of wealth. You may not want to achieve a higher financial position or you may but the one thing that you will want to achieve is being a better person and learn from your failings and recognized your flaws with the hope that you can change that and knowing it can take time but, also knowing you will have to work at it, having patients in yourself and using the right tools available to you to make that change.
I have always said that we get enough negative thrust upon our lives why open our door and invite it in when we can clearly see it parking it’s car in our driveway? Sometimes we have to lay it on the line and sometimes we have to hold our tongue. Sometimes holding your tongue isn’t a bad thing as long as you can find a positive way to release it outward and not turn it inward. We can’t always say what is on our mind. There are times though that we need to say what is on our minds. We have to be counted which is never to say that ever end justifies it’s mean. This what I’m talking about This is where Hope and patients come in. Hope gives us the ability to see change can happen and the patients we need to find the right tools and reasoning we need to try and bring about that change. We are not always going to be successful. When we are not successful we learn to use new tools that we have been taught can get the job done as well. The internet is a good example of a new tool that has evolved from an old tool, communication. We now communicate in a vastly different manner the we did just 10 years ago. This ability to learn is fueled by hope and patients. Without hope we would fell there is no need. Without patients we would not take the time.
We live in a McDonalds world of instant. Instant satisfaction, instant glory, Instant even,. We take away our uniqueness. We are not always going to be on a level playing field but we can and should treat each other equally, appreciating the differences instead of trying to conform them with little variation. We need to be comfortable in our own differences, accept that while some things can come readily to some and not so readily to others that we still have the ability to achieve what we want it just may take us more time. We need to get comfortable with the fact that not everything should come instantly and easy. That some thing’s, a great many of them are better much sweeter and rewarding when we have worked and earned them. Those rewards come from hope and patients. We had faith that we could get to where we wanted to be and we had the patience to take the time use the right tools and do the job right.
There are many things that can give us our Hope back when we loose it. We don’t often recognize them though do we?
One trick I have learned to do when I drive is to find land marks. Odd ball things that I will remember so that when I pass that way again or come back from going that way I don’t get lost. I guess for me this is part of my hope. What I mean by this is that. When I have lost hope and am trying to find it I find myself keenly aware of the signs that are pointing me towards hope. Like land marks or road markers being aware of these signs can make our journey’s much easier. They can steer us away from roads we don’t want to go down and down the roads we need to go down to find that hope. Sometimes it is a leap of faith. Take our recent election. I am sure there were a lot of people who had to take a leap of faith ( for me it was a no brainier but, everyone is different) on their journey to get hope back, or to find new hope. However one manages to keep their hope and patients alive is what matters, because hope lets us dream of change and patients gives us the ability to want to make that change. One last thing Without Hope and Patience how can you find balance in your life.
Remember we are all imperfectly perfect
Helpful (and Hopeful) Hank.
1. Helpful Hanks Handy Hint : Grow your own Sugar, Stevia plants can be bought at many nurseries and large hardware chains. All you have to do is grind up the dry leaves to a powder and use in place of sugar It is a challenge to find just the right amount of Stevia to use because it is so highly concentrated. Using the tip of a toothpick to scoop out the powder is a great trick for measuring, and it should prevent you from using too much. You can also mix Stevia powder with water and measure out the drops. The limitation in baking with it is that it will not allow browning to happen and it cannot be used in recipes involving yeast as it will not activate the yeast as sugar does. On the plus side you can use it in almost anything and it is easy to grow and you don’t have to re-plant it every year just cut it back in the fall. It is also pretty frost resistant and is safe for diabetics. Stevia grows well in pots and planters.
Write Helpful Hank at: askhelpfulhank@gmail.com
Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow
I look back over my life and the many who have passed through it and are still in my life. I think about those who have taught me some pretty valuable lessons whether they knew it or not. The importance of having hope ( The Heart) and the importance of having patients ( The Mind ) are two of the most important ones. Both have saved my life more then once. Kay taught me that if it is impossible to say you can’t then you can’t say it’s impossible. That is hope. My father always said use the right tool for the right job and to never force it because you can ruin it. That is patients. When I did not have both of these things I always found myself either in or drifting towards troubled waters. The problem with getting to close or in troubled water is that it can be double the effort to pull yourself out of them. I think as I get older that I realize that it is a lot of work that I don’t want to do.
I have never been one to toss anyone away. Friends that I have lost contact with over the years I still consider Friends even if they don’t That is just how I am built. I don’t tend to give up on people. I’ve always been that way. In my life thus far I have learned a lot of lessons. Some the easy way some the hard way. But all the lessons I have learned can be summed up with two words Hope and Patients. The very first two people that I learned these to lessons from were my mother and grandmother, amongst many other lessons. My mother and grandmother both taught me that the can be good in anyone and we can find it if we choose. They also taught me that you have to use the right tools for the job and not to force it as well. My mother taught me to cook and my grandmother taught me to bake. From this I learned I needed the right tools for the job and that I had to follow directions. As with anything change happens and we learn to stream line our lives in how we approach it. We learn who we can count on and who we can’t. We learn who is harmful and who is not. Then we make choices, choices of varying degrees. We weight it out figure it out and decide who we can count on or who might be harmful to us given the chance. And sometimes we get it wrong but, if we can learn from the times we get it wrong those can also be very valuable lessons. They can also be very dangerous ones. They can be the ones that take away our hope and patience instead of taking away the lesson of what mistakes not to make we take away the lesson of, Why even bother, or worse, It isn’t even worth it. When you get to this point you have lost all hope and patients. When you do that you stop trying, you stop caring, That’s when you give up and give in. Whether you feel beaten down and become resigned to that or you feel superior to everyone and untouchable. It doesn’t matter you have given up and given in. When we stop feeling for others we can’t really feel anything genuine for or in ourselves. Hope is lost. It is important to find a balance. And we find that balance when we honestly assess the mistakes we have made and move forward in the knowledge that we now how to recognize that mistake and will avoid making it again. And yes sometimes that means we give up and move in a different direction. There are things to be gained from this as well. Sometimes it also means we given in. Again we Assess from what we have learned and experienced. We weigh out the pluses and minuses and make our decision. That’s O.K. because we have honestly looked at the situation and we have chosen the path we chose because we feel it is where we need to be and not because we feel that we have no choice but to be here. There are enough times in our lives that we are forced into boxes that don’t fit why would we want to purposefully do this to our selves? We need to get beyond this type of thinking. One size does not fit all! Sometimes screaming feel as if it is the only option. But is it really? The answer to that is that yes sometimes it is. Screaming isn’t a bad thing. Just scream under controlled circumstances. And what I mean by that is ( and this is nothing new) there is no need to scream at others scream in your car in private in the shower. By all means get it out but don’t take it out on others. We have all heard the say about shit traveling down hill. Why? Why? does it do that? Because there are always those who feel better off then others. The Mistake people make is in thinking that money makes them better off. Can it of course it can but, here’s the thing if your base personality comes from a place of Hope and Happiness you will be happy with a simple life or a life of wealth. You may not want to achieve a higher financial position or you may but the one thing that you will want to achieve is being a better person and learn from your failings and recognized your flaws with the hope that you can change that and knowing it can take time but, also knowing you will have to work at it, having patients in yourself and using the right tools available to you to make that change.
I have always said that we get enough negative thrust upon our lives why open our door and invite it in when we can clearly see it parking it’s car in our driveway? Sometimes we have to lay it on the line and sometimes we have to hold our tongue. Sometimes holding your tongue isn’t a bad thing as long as you can find a positive way to release it outward and not turn it inward. We can’t always say what is on our mind. There are times though that we need to say what is on our minds. We have to be counted which is never to say that ever end justifies it’s mean. This what I’m talking about This is where Hope and patients come in. Hope gives us the ability to see change can happen and the patients we need to find the right tools and reasoning we need to try and bring about that change. We are not always going to be successful. When we are not successful we learn to use new tools that we have been taught can get the job done as well. The internet is a good example of a new tool that has evolved from an old tool, communication. We now communicate in a vastly different manner the we did just 10 years ago. This ability to learn is fueled by hope and patients. Without hope we would fell there is no need. Without patients we would not take the time.
We live in a McDonalds world of instant. Instant satisfaction, instant glory, Instant even,. We take away our uniqueness. We are not always going to be on a level playing field but we can and should treat each other equally, appreciating the differences instead of trying to conform them with little variation. We need to be comfortable in our own differences, accept that while some things can come readily to some and not so readily to others that we still have the ability to achieve what we want it just may take us more time. We need to get comfortable with the fact that not everything should come instantly and easy. That some thing’s, a great many of them are better much sweeter and rewarding when we have worked and earned them. Those rewards come from hope and patients. We had faith that we could get to where we wanted to be and we had the patience to take the time use the right tools and do the job right.
There are many things that can give us our Hope back when we loose it. We don’t often recognize them though do we?
One trick I have learned to do when I drive is to find land marks. Odd ball things that I will remember so that when I pass that way again or come back from going that way I don’t get lost. I guess for me this is part of my hope. What I mean by this is that. When I have lost hope and am trying to find it I find myself keenly aware of the signs that are pointing me towards hope. Like land marks or road markers being aware of these signs can make our journey’s much easier. They can steer us away from roads we don’t want to go down and down the roads we need to go down to find that hope. Sometimes it is a leap of faith. Take our recent election. I am sure there were a lot of people who had to take a leap of faith ( for me it was a no brainier but, everyone is different) on their journey to get hope back, or to find new hope. However one manages to keep their hope and patients alive is what matters, because hope lets us dream of change and patients gives us the ability to want to make that change. One last thing Without Hope and Patience how can you find balance in your life.
Remember we are all imperfectly perfect
Helpful (and Hopeful) Hank.
1. Helpful Hanks Handy Hint : Grow your own Sugar, Stevia plants can be bought at many nurseries and large hardware chains. All you have to do is grind up the dry leaves to a powder and use in place of sugar It is a challenge to find just the right amount of Stevia to use because it is so highly concentrated. Using the tip of a toothpick to scoop out the powder is a great trick for measuring, and it should prevent you from using too much. You can also mix Stevia powder with water and measure out the drops. The limitation in baking with it is that it will not allow browning to happen and it cannot be used in recipes involving yeast as it will not activate the yeast as sugar does. On the plus side you can use it in almost anything and it is easy to grow and you don’t have to re-plant it every year just cut it back in the fall. It is also pretty frost resistant and is safe for diabetics. Stevia grows well in pots and planters.
Write Helpful Hank at: askhelpfulhank@gmail.com
Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow
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