Wedding Anniversary Information

Hi All,

I was just reading an article from Newsday about wedding anniversaries.  Click here for the link to the article that started me thinking about this topic for a blog entry.

Click on this link from Hallmark to find anniversary gifts year by year.
Do note that there are two columns - one for the traditional gift and one for the 'modern' gift.  Users should check out the 1st, 10th, 25th and 50th anniversaries.  Very cool.

1st - Paper/Clocks
10th - Tin or Aluminum/Diamond Jewelry
25th - Silver/Silver
50th - Diamond/Diamond

For more wedding anniversary background, readers might want to click on this entry from Wikipedia entitled 'Wedding Anniversary'.  The entry is quite comprehensive and even has a list of flower gifts and gemstone gifts for each wedding anniversary year.

Click on this next link to see an article from Hallmark titled 'Top Tips For the Perfect Wedding Anniversary Gift'.  Interesting stuff! 

Finally, there is an excellent list of references that readers might want to peruse to get even more information about wedding anniversary'!

Enjoy the links!
Regards,
Stu

Do It Yourself - DIY

Hi All,

Lots of folks own homes and condos or co-ops.  Other folks rent the apartment they live in.

And there is quite a bit of difference from renting an apartment or owning a condo/co-op vs. owning your own home.

One of the major differences is that with a condo/co-op/apartment, a representative of the organization will do the maintenance of the property (fix leaks, paint, install new carpet, etc.)

But with a house the homeowner is the one who makes the repairs or does the fixes...either that or the homeowner pays a contractor to perform the work instead.

So...with that all said, today's blog entry is all about DIY - aka, 'Do-It-Yourself' projects for the home.  Simply put there are many, many DIY websites on the internet.  Today, I'm going to discuss one of the better ones - DIY Network - which can be found by clicking on this link: DIYNetwork.

DIYNetwork is from the makers of HGTV and Food Network.  DIY Network is available nationwide via DirecTV, DISH network and various local cable tv providers.  The site is authoritative, advertisement-free and easily navigable.  With all that out of the way, we can talk about the specifics of the site. 

At the top of the page is a ribbon that  has many of the DIY Networks' best features.  The ribbon has links to topics related to Painting, Windows and Doors, Floors. Decorating, Remodeling, Electrical, Plumbing, Bath, Kitchen, Outdoors and Rooms. Above this ribbon are further links to TV Shows, Experts & Hosts, Blog Cabin, Watch DIY Network and the Video Library.

One of the best aspects of the site are the drop down boxes that appear when users click on one of the topics in the ribbon.  The drop down menu for "Windows and Doors" (for example) is extensive - with sections on "Inside Windows, Walls, and Doors", "Shows", and "Best of Windows and Doors".  Even better is that the first section "Inside Windows, Walls, and Doors" has further categories like 'Floor Tile', 'Windows', 'Concrete Doors' and more.

Along with these links to repairs are sections that explain - for example - how to 'Repair Your Drywall', 'Wall-Covering Trends'.  Each category has different DIY projects that is related to that particular category. 

Users can also use the search box at the top of the page to enter some key words related to the project that they are working on - or need to find assistance with.

Examples of Electrical issues addressed by DIY Network include: Lighting, Appliances, Heating & Cooling, Ceiling Fans, Home Theater and Wiring. Click on any of these links to find out more.

Some of the specific projects that DIY Network discusses include 'Accent Lighting', 'How to Add Outlets', 'Tips For Air Conditioner Maintenance', '10 Things You Must Know About Home Security Maintenance Systems' and 'Family Friendly Home Theaters'.

Finally, users can look at videos or view photo galleries of various projects that they are interested in completing.  There is also a very complete list of topics on the site which is very, very helpful for finding projects!!!!

Just remember...this is just one of the many categories that DIY Network covers so there is a LOT of information on the site!  And, as you can see, DIY Network is comprehensive, well organized and easy-to-use...homeowners or amateur diy'ers would serve themselves well by visiting the site and utilizing its many DIY features.

Enjoy the site - hope all your home repair projects turn out to be easier and less expensive than you expect!

Regards,
Stu

How to Become More Productive?

Hi All,

Let's call today, 'Efficiency Tuesday' because today, is, well, Tuesday. And besides, who doesn't want to become more efficient?  You get more done with less work and you can spend time doing the things that you really, really want to do.

So...read on and become, well, more efficient at work.

One of the more well known small business magazines, Inc., has created an article titled, '6 Things Really Productive People Do'.  Click on the prior link to get to the article.  So, what does the article say readers should do? 
1. Pick Your Priorities
2. Go For Efficiency
3. Integrate Your Activities
4. Actively Manage Time-wasters
5. Be An Active Learner
6. Lighten Up

All good ideas - especially the last one - lightening up....

From the work and employment point of view, readers might want to click on this link from US News and World Report for this article titled, '10 Ways to Be More Productive At Work'.  And who wouldn't want to become more productive at work - especially since we spend roughly 25% (40 hours out of a total of  168 hours in a week) of our time at work.  We may as well be efficient and do good job!

As you will see the list is more holistic and appeals the mind and body of the employee - especially when compared to the prior list. 

The 10 ways are...
1. Take breaks
2. Prioritize
3. Set long-term goals
4. Start your day earlier
5. Surf the web - occasionally
6. Don't multitask
7. Meditate
8. Snack right
9. Power nap
10. Counter interruptions

So there you have it - two really good links that will start you on your way to becoming more productive at work.  The real question is, will you take the next step and click on the links? I bet you will!

Enjoy the sites and good luck on becoming more productive!

Regards,
Stu

USA.gov - Travel, Transportation and Recreation

Hi All,

One of the great things that our federal government does is publish extensively on a wide variety of topics.  For purposes of this blog entry, I'm going to discuss the 'Travel, Transportation, and Recreation' section of the USA.gov website.

Simply put, USA.gov is a central repository for all research, studies, white papers, articles, comments, editorials, summaries, annotations, pamphlets,  and more that the federal government publishes and generates. In and of itself, the website is an extraordinarily large storehouse of government generated information.   You don't want to miss it if you like research on a topics as varied as Consumer Protection, Government Sales and Auctions, Blood Donations, Historic Places and Preservation and much more.

The Travel, Transportation and Recreation section has lots of different sections - the most interesting of which (to my way of thinking at least) - is the  'Road and Train Travel' section -which can be found by clicking on this link.

The links in this category will help you find resources on local gas prices, road closures, traffic information and more.  Click on this link - to fueleconomy.gov - to find gas prices on Long Island.

Click on this link for a whole host of gas mileage tips from the folks at fueleconomy.gov.  Finally, users might want to click on this link from Natural Resources Canada entitled 'Fuel-efficient Driving Techniques'.  Finally, this last set of links discuss Distracted Driving and is brought to you buy the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

Finally, click on this link for National Traffic and Road Closure Information in New York State - brought to you by the Federal Highway Administration.
 
Enjoy the links - I hope they help you save money, time and keep you busy during the long, summer driving season ahead!

Regards,
Stu

American Academy of Pediatrics' website: HealthyChildren.org

Hi All,

The umbrella organization for Pediatricians' is called the American Academy of Pediatrics.  Click here for their awesome website.  Click here for the parents version of the website (HealthyChildren.org) - which is the subject of todays' blog entry.

The parents version/edition of the site is HealthyChildren.org - and what a site it is! All parents should visit this current, comprehensive, unbiased, remarkably reputable website.  It is the gold standard for infant, toddler, pre-schooler, school-aged and teen-aged children. 

So, what makes the site worth the visit?

Well, for one, there are multiple ways to get to the same information. For example there are links with headings like Ages & Stages, Healthy Living, Safety & Prevention, Family Life, Health Issues, News, Tips & Tools and the ever-present 'About Us' and 'Contact Us' links'.  And that is just the ribbon at the top of the website. 

An interesting part of the site is the link 'HealthyChildren Bookstore'. Clicking on the link brings the user to a page where they can browse the bookstore by child's age and other ways to search.  There are links for Baby, Toddler, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Illnesses and Conditions, Fitness and Nutrition, Health and Wellness, Spanish, Child Care Centers and Schools and more. Users can click on a particular title and you can actually purchase the book on the website using your credit card.

When users scroll down a bit on the homepage, you can enter a phrase or keywords in the searchbox to search the whole website for children related material.  The homepage has a section where a scrolling box changes every 3 seconds or so.  Topics vary daily, and on the day that I wrote this blog entry the topics varied from 'How Pediatrician's Screen For Autism?', Autism Spectrum Disorder, 'Alcohol and Pregnancy: It's Just Not Worth the Risk', 'Breakfast For Learning' and 'Is Your Child a Budding Artist'?

Further down on the page is another with rotating topics.  This section is called 'Ages and Stages' - and rotates between GradeSchool, Teen, Young Adult, Baby and Prenatal.  All titles on the list link to other pages on the website.

On the right side of the page is a box titled 'Hot Topics'.  Users can click a tab to go to 'more hot topics' related to children. 

Toward the bottom of the page is a section called Your Family Health Center where new users can register for the site in order to receive up-to-the-minute pediatric health information and a monthly HealthyChildren.org newsletter.  It is very well worth the time spent signing up for the site!!!!

Last, but certainly not least is a link on the right side of the page that enables users to 'Find a Pediatrician'.  Users enter a zip code to generate a list of pediatricians in their area.

Finally, and this is a not-so-shameless plug for the Farmingdale Public Library!!!!

Did you know that we have an absolutely wonderful collection called the Parents Collection at the library?  If not, you do now.

The collection is housed in the Children's room and material is in print and DVD and book-on-CD format.  Topics include, children's physical and emotional needs and growth, health and wellness, school-related issues, potty training and much, much more.

New parents, experienced parents and parents in-between would do well to take a look at this comprehensive, current and well-organized collection.

Enjoy the links and the site! You'll be happy that you visited the site

Regards,
Stu