Thursday, February 28, 2013

DISC



Do you ever wonder how to communicate better with your spouse, how to work better in a team and how to motivate others? What about why some of your friends love to go out, and others prefer to be alone more often?  I would suggest taking as DISC assessment test, and encouraging those around you to take one as well.  A DISC assessment test is a personality test that scores the person taking it into the 4 personality categories of Dominance/Drive, Inducement/Influence, Submission/Steadiness, and Compliance/Caution. The test is based on the DISC personality theory of Psychologist William Marston, and the version we see today was developed by John Geier who simplified the test.
You can even go a step further after taking the test and read more about these personality traits. This can teach you about communication techniques that work best for yourself and with others. Additionally you can learn about motivational factors for yourself and others, as well as likes and dislikes of those around you.
A friend of mine insisted I take the test a while back, and I refused because I thought it was silly, but eventually I agreed to take it, and discovered it was actually very helpful.  I learned what categories I fit into as well as what categories my husband and some of my friends fit into. Obviously I already had a good idea of what motivates me and what forms of communication I preferred, but it got interesting when I exchanged DISC tests with someone else.  I learned about how they prefer to be talked to, and how to encourage them. You an even go a step further and briefly study what type of parenting style generally produces a certain character type, and if you have kids or employees  how to handle that personality type better. 
So go and take the test! Learn how to get along with others better, and how to become more effective in relationships! I don’t think you’ll regret it. If you would like to take a test for free you can go to www.123test.com/disc-personality-test/
“DISC assessment” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia Wikipedia foundation.,Inc, 28 Feb. 2013 web
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DISC_assessment

Have a great day!

Jamie

Friday, February 22, 2013

YIKES!

My car is a clunking and a squeaking as I drive down the road which means something is wrong. So I took it to the Dodge dealer's shop  and they determined the Tie Rod Ends and Tension Struts are bad on my Dodge Charger. No worries though because the Dodge dealer said they could fix it for a measly $1,756.86 ($756.86 for parts and $1,000 for labor) YIKES! After rubbing my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing things, the price still read $1,000 for labor. That sure seemed like a boatload of money for just replacing a few suspension parts. So I did some research and found the parts for half of what they wanted to charge for parts and found a mechanic to do the labor for 1/3 of the price. So in all I will have about $700 in the fix and that includes a basic tuneup. Much better than the $1,756.86 I was quoted by the dealer.


Good Friday
Dale

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Winter Blues



Happy snowy day folks!
It’s been snowing since last night, and I am sick and tired of winter. Don’t get me wrong, I like snow. I think it can be peaceful, beautiful, and fun for boarding, and other outdoor activities, but it should also fall only on Christmas, and days we don’t have to work. The ability for me to like snow goes right out the window when I get up in the morning to realize a powdery white substance has covered the ground overnight. That means leaving earlier, and the dislike further continues when I realize that even though I have a garage, I will still need to scrape my car, because our garage is so full of junk I can’t fit my car in it. The dislike continues even more as I slide around a corner and begin a slow crawling move of trying to get to my destination.  My dislike does not matter, winter will be over soon enough, and I am happier to live in a state with 4 true seasons. At least while I’m in my winter blues, I will continue to make plans for a productive and enjoyable summer.  
My Plans this summer:
1. Fixing up our yard
2. Going to the reservoir for swimming, jet skiing, and relaxing in the sun.
3. Planting a garden (which I am going to start now)
4. Working out
5. Playing ultimate Frisbee, and Frisbee golf
6. Sitting on my back porch and grilling as often as possible!
7. Traveling to my cousins wedding and seeing NYC.
8. Having bonfires
9. Oh yes, and of course traveling to work, quickly, happily, warm and dry.
I can’t wait for summer! Can you?

Have a great day!

Jamie

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Bargains!



First of all, I want to start out by saying Happy Valentine’s Day! Hope you all got your special someone a present.

How many of you are bargain hunters? There are some awesome ways to get some bargains out there.  If you are looking for something fun to do, a vacation, exercise or even spa activities, I would recommend Groupon, Amazon local deals, and any other local coupon sites in your area. Most sites like that email you alerts for new products or activities in your area. You can go to their site if you are looking for something specific, or you can just browse around and see if anything strikes your fancy.

Another great thing to do to get a bargain is to get apps for stores on your phone. I use it specifically for my local craft store. They always send me coupons, but I either forget the coupon at home or lose it. While I’m in the store I can just click on the app and get the coupon code to use right there.

One other thing I wasn’t aware of until recently is coupon codes that are available online. It takes a bit of hunting, but you can often find coupon codes for free shipping, or 5-10% off, among other things. The codes are usually located on another site that isn’t advertised on the site you are buying from. When you go to check out you can usually enter a promo code or a coupon code to save yourself a bit of money.
There a many more ways to save money out there. They do take a little extra time, but sometimes it can be worth it. Good luck on your bargain hunting and have a great day!

JAMIE

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Cookies!

Yesterday after work I stopped at the grocery store on my way home to pick up a few staples we seem to always be out of. I'd spent a good minute or two picking out some yogurt and just as I began my search for milk that didn't expire yesterday I spotted it. It was the most delicious looking package of premade cookie dough sitting there next to the cheese, beckoning me to come take a closer look. Now, I usually opt for homemade cookies, but at the time I had a really bad hankerin for some sweets, (which is why it is never wise to send me to the store with a hungry belly). What better sweet is there than a delicious cookie? None, so in one move, I dropped a gallon of milk in my cart and scooped up that package of dough. Luckily milk was the last on my list or I may have gone home without the rest of my groceries.

Once I finally made it back home I threw the groceries on the kitchen counter, turned on the oven and put those cookies on a pan. It, of course, took two eternities for the oven to preheat, but I couldn't risk burning the cookies. After taking its dandy time, the oven was finally hot, so I slapped those cookies in there and waited. "Dinner? Forget dinner. There are cookies in the oven"...is what might have come out of my mouth if my family didn't share the same passion for cookies as me. At last, "ding!". They're done!

I opened the oven and to my shock they were burnt to a crisp! Blacker than the tires I drove home on...


Totally kidding! They were beautiful! And tasty, too! Probably the most delicious not homemade cookie ever. Peanuts, caramel and chocolate all rolled into flat little circles of heaven. I know you're probably wondering what kind of cookies they were, so I'll tell you. "Peanut Caramel Milk Chocolate Cookie Dough" from Immaculate Baking.

Turns out they have a ton of products. Cookies, pie crusts, biscuits and more! Their cinnamon rolls look pretty darn good, too.


Happy Wednesday! Hope I didn't make you too hungry :)

-Shala-


PS. We did eventually have dinner.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

To Be, or Not To Be?

All of us face tough decisions everyday, but some are more complicated than others.  Every now and then as adults we run into the proverbial "fork in the road," where we realize whatever choice we are about to make will inevitably change the direction of our lives.  So, is there a default option that will always lead us down the right road?  This is what the economists at Freakonomics are trying to answer and YOU can participate in the experiment.  Those who know me know that I love podcasts, especially anything by NPR and those relating to economics.  So of course I came across this experiment while listening to the most recent Freakonomics podcast.  Here's how it works - choose a question you are currently asking yourself, take a short survey, flip the virtual coin, make your decision based on the flip, and then take the follow-up surveys. You're going to make the decision anyway, right? So, why not let someone else, fate, whatever decide this time? 

To participate and learn more just visit https://www.freakonomicsexperiments.com/


Anyone have a quarter?
Allison

Friday, February 08, 2013

Finally!!!!


It is time to once again watch the greatest show on Earth. That is right The Walking Dead season starts back up this Sunday February 10th and it can't get here fast enough. The show has all the attributes you need in a great show, Mystery, Drama, Action, Horror, Great Acting, A storyline that builds and builds throughout each episode! So sit back and get your popcorn ready it's going to be another great episode.

Happy Friday
Dale

Thursday, February 07, 2013

Valentine's Day



Hello All!
Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and I am sooooo excited. I have no doubt that I am one of the only ones.  Most people tell me that Valentine’s Day is the worst of all holidays-if they even consider it a holiday at all, but not me!  I love the holiday and I am cheesy to the max about it.  I give all of my friends presents, and bake cupcakes for co-workers.  I go out and buy the most sparkly cards I can find and pass them out to anyone that will take one, and when I have a significant other, I go above and beyond to let them know they are well loved. Somewhere along the way most of us have lost our ability to enjoy things like kids do, so this year, whether you are single, dating, or married, make this V-day one to enjoy! Here are some ways to make it more enjoyable.

             Start out by actually thinking of it as a holiday.
2.       Think of it as a time to show yourself, a friend, or a significant other that you care about them.
3.       Remember this holiday is not just for Women!
4.       Search the internet for good ideas, and think outside of the box whether you are doing something for yourself or someone else.

                                                           Happy future V-day!  <3 Jamie

                                                                          

Let's Start Some Seeds!


It's February now and almost time to start some seeds indoors. I always have trouble remembering when to start my seeds and almanacs are so in depth I tend to shy away, so I turned to the trusty old internet. A planting helper I searched for and www.sproutrobot.com I found.

This website takes your zip code and tells you when you need to start seeds indoors and outdoors. It's awesome! You can get email reminders to start the 10 most popular fruits and veggies for free, or you can sign up for a paid account and get all kinds of emails for multiple locations and tons of different plants. I signed up for the free account and it has info for pretty much everything I need to plant.

February 24th I start my tomatoes and jalapenos. I think I'm going to try the plastic bottle and cotton string method this year, so I don't have to water them as often. Plus, I've had about twenty little plastic bottles in my craft room for almost a year now. They're the perfect size for the job. Now I just need to get my hands on some thick cotton string...

I think I might actually have a garden this year. I'm pretty excited :D


Happy Thursday!

-Shala-


Wednesday, February 06, 2013

I Feel The Need

I've been waiting 26 long years for this moment. As I'm sure you've already heard, Top Gun is coming back to theaters in just a couple of days. And not just any theater, but IMAX theaters. It won't just be in plain IMAX, but IMAX 3D. Does it get any better? I think Knott. Unfortunately, you only have 6 days to watch this masterpiece in theaters.
In doing the necessary research required for this blog, I've discovered that they're doing a Thursday showing as well. So let's make that 7 days to watch this masterpiece. Well, my weekend is booked, better get yours booked.

~