4 Tips for Maintaining Vinyl Siding

We all know that vinyl siding is a great choice for one’s home due to its low maintenance and longevity. But that doesn’t mean that it is totally without basic maintenance needs or steps to be taken to see that it looks its best. Some of the common issues one might deal with are cracking, puncturing or perhaps pulling away from the house.

Thankfully, these proactive measures do not take a great deal of skill or a toolbox full of special tools.

Tips for Maintaining Vinyl Siding

1. Be sure to keep any shrubbery around the home trimmed back so that the branches cannot poke or scratch the siding. Failing to do this will result in the coating on the siding being scratched, nicked or punctured thus making the siding susceptible or mildew and mold.

2. No matter what type of siding you have on your home. It is important to take time to clean it, at least once a year. With vinyl, you can do this by using a soft scrub brush, soapy water, and a water hose for rinsing. Yes, you can use a power washer but be sure to keep it at the lowest setting and take care not to use excessive force.

3. In the event that you do discover dents, punctures or scratching, replace the piece as soon as possible. Be sure in doing this, that you use a siding removal tool so you can avoid damaging the surrounding pieces of siding.

4. Make time to clean your gutters- especially during the spring and fall or after a heavy storm as this will help keep the siding clean and prevent risk of damage to the siding.

It is also worth noting that while most people opt to have vinyl siding in a color they like, it you purchase a home with siding in a color you do not like, it can be painted. It will take two coats of 100% latex paint and the paint will need to be re-applied every two years in order to always look great.

Maintaining your vinyl siding is not a full-time job, but it does need the occasional repairs or cleaning. Don’t just assume that your home’s siding is a one and done aspect of ownership. Take time throughout the year to ensure that your siding will last as long (if not longer) than you were promised at installation. If you are new to vinyl, then be sure to talk to a local siding company and find out what they recommend for your particular type and style of home siding.

Mistakes In Choosing Posts For Letterboxes

Post mounted letterboxes are still popular these days since it is more visible than other types of mailboxes such as brick in, fence mounted as well as wall mounted ones. Not to mention, these boxes can easily improve the looks for your front yard. However, in order to obtain these features, you need to make sure that you partner this letterbox with the right post. Unfortunately, some homeowners neglect this, which can affect the safety and appeal of post mounted mailboxes. To help you, below are some of the most common mistakes in choosing posts for letterboxes.

Failing to consider mailbox designs

One of the main mistakes that homeowners make when buying mailbox posts is they fail to consider the design of their boxes. As mentioned above, there are numerous mailbox styles. But, there are also a wide selection of posts to choose from. Because of this, there are cases when individuals forget about their mailboxes when choosing a post. As a result, combinations can be odd. Or perhaps, mailboxes are too stylish than its posts making it unsightly.

Neglecting post composition

The next mistakes that individuals make when choosing posts for their mailboxes is they neglect post composition. Some individuals think that mailbox posts are all the same. However, there are numerous factors that differ posts from each other. For instance, when it comes to composition, individuals may find wood, steel and even composite posts. Each post provide certain features that can accommodate the need of homeowners. Sadly, this factor is neglected which can affect the looks and reliability of letterboxes. Not to mention, harsh weather conditions as well as vandalism can easily damage mailboxes due to inappropriate posts.

Not checking mounting options

Another mistake that homeowners make when choosing posts for their letterboxes is they do not check mounting options. As of now, homeowners can install mailboxes on posts in numerous ways. Sadly, when this factor is neglected, you are unable to install the mailbox properly. Not to mention, safety can also be compromised. So, it is best to ask letterbox providers if what posts are suitable for the box they purchased to make easier decisions.

Forgetting about installation processes

Finally, some homeowners also forget to ask about post installations. Just like mounting, there are different ways to install posts. Therefore, you need to check which process will meet your needs. Apart from that, you also need to make sure that you have the right tools when installing posts to ensure reliability.

These are only some of the mistakes that homeowners need to consider when searching for letterbox posts.

Ease the Holiday Stress of Family Meals

Will you be visiting your family for the holidays? Do you have any concerns that you’ll fall back into old, familiar eating patterns that work against you and sabotage your health?

Most people say their stress climbs during the holidays, and weight gain is one of the stresses. The food and alcohol that are everywhere during the holidays can too easily become part of the coping strategies used for dealing with the other stresses: long lines, crowds, expenses, family conflicts, and so on.

What did food patterns look like in your early family years? Family patterns may affect your eating behaviors during your family visits this holiday season and add to your stress.

In many families, eating is part of the family dynamic, but in some families it’s the major part. Overeating is accepted, expected and encouraged – and overweight is simply ignored.

In other families, food involves power games and control issues:

  • who can get whom to eat what (and how much)
  • who can get whom to gain weight during the visit
  • who pushes others to eat dessert just to feel better about eating it her- or himself.

Sometimes one family member is the “food pusher”; sometimes there’s group pressure.

All of this is rather crazy stuff, but it can affect us. And some folks appear to have few defenses against these behaviors. Here are a few strategies to help.

One-Meal Strategies

If you’re visiting for only one meal, eat healthful foods before you go. It will be easier to turn down unhealthful items if you’re not starving, or even not very hungry.

Even better, eat protein before you go. That will stabilize your brain chemistry so you can avoid temptations and stay in control with ease.

Work out before you go. It’s a reminder of who you are now, and another way to stay on track. Why undo the benefits of your workout by overeating unhealthful foods?

Bring a healthy dish with you – even if you’re not asked. Heck, ESPECIALLY if you’re not asked. Take food you’d feel good about making a focus of your meal, and bring plenty for everyone.

Organize a group walk after the meal, even if there’s initial resistance. The walk will help you, and turning it into a family event will make it social. It needn’t involve every family member. When you return, it will be easier to make wise decisions about further eating.

Extended-Stay Strategies

If you’re visiting for a few days, take healthful foods with you and eat them as snacks or part of your meals during the visit.

Take along some reminders of your present life. Stay connected in a few ways to your present life to remind yourself that you’re no longer the child who grew up in that toxic food environment.

If you’re asked to help with meal preparation, use that perfect opportunity to make something healthy and delicious for everybody.

Find ways to work out while you’re there. Even a 10-minute workout can help if you do intense intervals.

Follow the other suggestions above, as well.

Does this mean you can’t indulge at all for the holidays? Obviously not, but be in control. If you do indulge, be sure you have decided when to do so, what you’ll eat, and how much. Have a plan – and follow it – for getting back on track, preferably right after your indulgence.

Picnics & Pointers

Picnics have been around for as long as people have been eating meals (even if they didn’t realize it at the time). Over the years, the “dictionary definition” of picnic has changed; however, the original relaxed setting associated with a picnic still resonates today. The mention of a “picnic” versus a “cookout” or “BBQ” tends to take one down a slower, nostalgic path. Taking food out of the kitchen and moving to a less formal setting has been enjoyed throughout the ages.

Whether in a park, at a festival, on a hike in the woods, or in your own living room, having an informal meal in a setting other than your normal meal setting will put one in a frame of mind that alters significantly from what is commonly referred to as breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Formality is no longer at the forefront of the meal. The lack of formality tends to lead to more open, fun communication with those you choose to have at your picnic.

It’s best to keep the food simple. One should not over-complicate a picnic meal. Keeping the items simple and light will lend to the change being incurred with the change of scenery. Items such as finger sandwiches, crackers and cheese, meat and cheese wraps, fruits, nuts and/or vegetables are all simple foods that provide sustenance and variety when planning a picnic.

The foods and location you choose will dictate whether or not you require to keep the food cold or if it requires heating once you arrive. There are cool packs, small grills and solar warmers that can be used almost anywhere these days. Be sure to keep your food stuffs at the appropriate temperatures to prevent food born illnesses.

Whenever there’s a meal, drinks should definitely a consideration. Water, wine, soda, coffee and tea are all popular. Small coolers of ice and reusable cups are always a good idea. Should you decide on wine, be sure to pack a corkscrew or you’ll be very sorry come mealtime.

Your location will dictate some of the supplies you will need to have available and carry with you on your route. If you’re in your living room with the furniture pushed back to create a space, the weather is likely not going to have an impact on your event. However, if you choose an outdoor setting, weather is a definite consideration – from what to wear to what you might bring with you. Umbrellas are great for beaches and unpredictable weather while backpacks and outdoor gear are more suitable for true outdoor enthusiasts that may be hiking to their final destination.

As you are considering what to eat and drink and where to have your picnic, there are other items highly recommended to have on-hand. Other items that come in handy when picnicking are:

  • Plates & Utensils
  • Napkins and/or Paper Towels
  • Salt & pepper
  • Blanket (in the event there are no picnic tables where you end up)
  • Sanitizing Wipes
  • Garbage Bag(s)

If you’ve never been on a picnic or it’s simply been a long time since your last one, please make a plan and take a moment to relax and enjoy the smaller things in life; starting with a picnic.

Writing For Professionals

Having a great resume is the first step to landing that ideal job. Resume writing can be the most stressful part of the job search. But it is also the most effective way to share your experience and qualifications. The purpose of your resume is to create enough interest that the employer will want to see you for a more in-depth face to face interview. Those resumes receiving the most attention are structured with the following components:

Value Proposition Statement

This section should state to the employer the immediate value you will bring to their organization. If you are a business development professional with successful experience working with companies in the medical industry you should have this listed in this section. An example of this statement would be “an experienced business development professional with established existing relationships in place with key regional medical equipment companies. These established relationships will allow me to gain immediate access to key decision makers early within the sales cycle”. The value proposition statement allows the employer to visualize you in this position and as an immediate contributor to their organization.

Keywords In Resume Writing

Effective resume writing should be done in a way that allows you to stand out from the crowd. One of the most effective ways to do this is to make sure you use the appropriate keyword (s) for the job posting. So we know that most companies are using parsing software in reviewing resumes. This software is designed to filter for keywords from the resumes they receive. This software will look through resumes for these keywords.

So simply put keywords are those words that easily describes the position you are applying for. In the example above the position is business development professional. So what words immediately come to mind with this position? Correct, business development. Therefore you will want the keywords to be the words business development. To tell your story you should use these keywords in a natural story telling manner.

Highlight Your Experience

Many professionals have a wealth of valuable relevant experience to share. The key is how much of this experience should you share on your resume? Resumes are parsed and if selected will be reviewed by the employer for about 20 seconds or less. In resume writing it is totally acceptable to construct a 2-3 page resume if you are applying for an executive level position. All other positions 1-2 pages are common. Remember most employers know that the average job seeker has three plus jobs in their career. The length of the resume is not as important as the use of keywords and highlighting your relevant experience and qualifications. The only experience you should highlight are those experiences that apply to the job. As mentioned above you should naturally tell your story using keyword and relevant job experience.

Having a great resume is easily accomplished and doesn’t require fancy words, design or layout. There are many free resume writing templates on the internet that can help you with layout etc. Because this document is so important in getting you closer to your new job we encourage you to devote the necessary time to get it right. Most importantly before you send your resume to a perspective employer you should have a trusted person review it and provide feedback. Be sure to use spellcheck and look for grammatical errors etc. Remember you only get one chance to make a great first impression.

Resume Writing Made Affordable

Many professionals choose to write their resumes and with tremendous results. But if you feel the need to use a professional service know that these companies and professionals fees range in price from $300-$1500 based on the required technical copy writing skills. In other words if you are applying for an IT or Medical position you would want a resume writer with that level of experience to write impact copy or content on your behalf.

You are now closer to securing that position that most fits your skills and qualifications. Wishing you the very best

We hope this article clarifies some of the confusion in the use of keywords and value proposition statements. Resumes are designed to gain the attention of the prospective employer. Take some time in listing your qualifications and skills. With this article you are now equipped to tell a great story about your qualifications and experiences.

Travel to Costa Rica: Hotel Reviews

The Best Western, Costa Rica
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

It was only 15 minutes away from the airport and right in the middle of the city. I felt as though it was a nice transition from being in the U.S. to being in a different country since it is a big, international hotel chain. Everyone we spoke with spoke perfect English but they were also locals so they were open to sharing any advice you might need. The rooms were pretty average and clean with a great view of the courtyard and pool area at the center of the hotel. We swam in the pool during the day (very clean and well kept) and the hot tub was located to the side, a little more private, with an ‘infinity pool’ kind of feel. Overall, it was a simple hotel that offered just enough for us.

Lomas del Volcan, San Carlos
Rating: 4/5 Stars

To this day, it has been one of the most unique and memorable places I have ever stayed. It might seem sketchy when you have to go off the main road and drive up this dirt trail on an incline for a bit, but then you reach a normal road and it takes you right to the main hotel site to check in. The staff was attentive and welcoming. It was a simple dining center, both indoor and outdoor with a terrific buffet. From there, we had to keep going up the incline and walked with our luggage to our own huts. (unfortunate downside: no one carting you around the resort) Towels shaped into flamingos were propped up on each bed accompanied by rose pedals. The bathroom was very large and open which was nice when sharing with others. We had a little front porch and a back porch opening up to all the beautiful surrounding nature. When we would head out in the mornings there would be monkeys swinging around the trees, right outside our hut!! It is also very close to all the near by activities, right off the Arenal Volcano!

Condovac la Costa, Playa Hermosa
Rating: 4/5 Stars

We stayed at this large resort right off the sandy beaches. There is constant uphill and downhill traveling so you’re in for a good work out but luckily there were golf carts roaming around to help guests get around. The welcome desk was very pleasant, with tons of people around to assist you. The rooms were okay, not completely 4 star worthy, but it was everything else that made me give it this rating. They had a tennis court, game room, pool area, karaoke, infinity pool, zumba lessons, salsa lessons, a great restaurant, gift shop and most importantly: their private beach entrance which only lead you to do more! We barely even stayed in the hotel room the amenities kept us so busy. We had no problems with anything here! Highly recommend.

Underated Garium Sulphate

The Underated garium sulphate!

Over the years I have heard a lot of people condemn the intake of soaked Garri (also known as Garium Sulphate, cassava flakes) and have reduced it to a poor man’s meal. Take your time to read through this article, you will understand the nutritional benefits of taking soaked Garri as a normal meal.

Garri is a popular West African food made from cassava tuber. The soaked garri is a popular fast food for majority of people in Nigeria. Moreover, it could simply be taken as regular flakes and mostly taken when the weather is hot (in the afternoon or at night).

Best ways to soak garri

Garri is basically associated to poor people because it’s sold very cheap (measured in cups), easy to prepare and can be prepared with nothing but only water. Therefore, those that can’t afford a decent meal would rather go for it. Hey! That’s for poor people, left to me garri is for rich dudes but have been abused by the poor. I have met a lot of rich people who really enjoy taking garri as a meal. An average Nigerian in one way or the other must have taken garri. I was amazed when T-boss (from Big Brother Naija, BBN) opened her mouth to say she had never taken garri. I don’t really want to talk about that now.

Nevertheless, there are special ways of preparing your lovely soaked cassava flakes. This is how a normal garri looks like without adding anything:

Things you need to prepare it:

a. Cassava flakes
b. Water
c. Cubes of sugar
d. Groundnuts or kuli kuli
e. A tin of milk
f. Ice blocks or cold water
g. Fried/grilled fish or Pkomo (also known as Canda)
h. Coconut

Adding these things properly together makes up a decent soaked garium sulphate and can cost about N700, which is far above an average Nigerian’s meal. Moreover, there are nutritional benefits of soaked garri. Garium sulphate is rich in fiber, magnesium, Vitamin A (for yellow cassava) and copper. This directly implies that garri made from yellow cassava can improve your eye sight and when taken according to my prescription above will give you a balanced diet. Therefore you have no worries, because a plate of soaked garri can make your day (especially if your day was hectic).

Be proud of Africa and its wonderful heritage. I love My Africa!

Google’s Mobile-First Indexing – The New SEO Strategy

Have you heard about that Google will be switching to a mobile-first index in the upcoming future, but if you’re not certain what this means or how it will work on your site, don’t get worried? With a modest research, you won’t have to be panic about Google turning your rankings upside down. Here in this write up you will get the complete explanation about the basics of the update and can take steps to get ready.

Right now, as you know Google crawls as a desktop user’s point of view and thus catalogs websites according to the desktop version. But with this latest update now the genuine content of a mobile site doesn’t have an effect on the desktop site’s ranking in SERPs presently.

This update from Google was introduced back in November of 2016, more than ten months ago. Some people are calling this update an ‘experiment,’ but in reality, it’s really the primary move in Google’s intended move to looking mainly at mobile content, somewhat than desktop, when deciding how to grade results.

Now to your concern its good to mention that, if you’re using a responsive design, you should be well with this latest update. Technically, mobile and desktop version has similar content being easily reached on mobile and desktop. But if you’re using different mobile URLs, or using different content on your mobile URLs by means of dynamic serving, then you have to be very cautious. This update somehow can potentially cause colossal problems including a fall in rankings across URLs on both mobile and desktop versions. To make sure whether you require taking any action for with this issue, website owners can test their site in Google’s Page Speed Insights Tool. This tool will help you in checking all the important aspects of your website.

Mobile-first indexing is the new search norms, where users are using mobiles for search on mobile devices. Because the greater part of web users now use mobile devices, so Google is shifting the technique it indexes content. Historically, even after the mobile-first update, Google will uphold its reliance on a solitary index of apps and pages.

Google has in fact been experimenting with this update for at least 10 months now, but the question here arises why haven’t we seen this change yet now? Back in March, an expert from Google claimed that Google wants to start on mobile-first indexing this year, there’s no official timeline for this process to start, and it may take quite a few more months to get started. In the meantime, I extremely suggest all sites review their current mobile system for Smartphone’s and use understand how Google is seeing your mobile content. Don’t wait for search engines to act… the time to take action is now.

Business Growth Leveraging Your Personal Brand

Marketing is like sex. Everyone thinks they’re good at it.

– Steve Tobak

We are in a golden age of solopreneurs: independent, innovative experts who are turning the traditional working model on its head. No longer content with working under layers of organizational management, workers around the globe are increasingly making the decision to take full control of their careers. To carve their own niche and capitalize on their skills. To join the solo revolution.

And you are one of them. A revolutionary!

Creating your own brand has never been easier. With the explosion of social media, solopreneurs have immediate access to billions of people around the world. You can speak directly to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Likewise, the number of services and products consumers have instant access to is infinite. Neither business nor buyer is bound by location anymore.

It is an incredibly liberating age. But it’s also one that some entrepreneurs and businesses find overwhelming.

We’re Living in a Digital-First World

In his book Ctrl Alt Delete, Mitch Joel discusses the term “digital first”. He reveals the five key movements that organizations must embrace to future-proof themselves – or go out of business. One of these shifts is the fact that now, the first place your brand and business are validated is online. Essentially, the internet and social media have the power to make or break your chances of success.

Serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk is a great example of how to cultivate a successful business by leveraging digital media. Born in the Soviet Union in 1975, Vaynerchuk immigrated to the United States in 1978. From humble beginnings, his father went on to own a liquor store in New Jersey. In the early days of the digital-first world, Vaynerchuk could see the burning potential of his father’s business. After graduating from college, Vaynerchuk transformed the liquor shop into a retail wine store, which he named the Wine Library. In 2006, he started a daily video blog, Wine Library TV. This hugely popular webcast turned him into an internet celebrity. It attracted 90,000 viewers a day and led to a flurry of TV and speaking engagements. In just six years, Vaynerchuk grew the family business from $1 million a year to a whopping $50 million a year.

Not too bad for a small family business, right?

So, as you can see, traditional marketing has been blown out of the water. We’re no longer restricted to cold calling and setting up meeting after meeting to generate leads and sales. Digital marketing has opened an array of cost-effective avenues for self-promotion and lead generation. Sales are now about leveraging your social networks, engaging with people online and educating.

This is, essentially, the social sales model: (see link below)

Today, the businesses and entrepreneurs that make the most impact on their audiences are role models. They’re trusted advisers who create tribes – powerful online communities that help their brands grow. They educate and provide solutions. They’ve jumped on board the social sales train and embrace the connection economy whole-heartedly. Because if you don’t, you get left behind.

But we can’t rest on our laurels. We must build on this massive sales reform and look to the future. We must become industry ambassadors. We must become thought leaders who engage meaningfully with our followers, share generously of our expertise and regard our audiences not just as leads or dollar signs, but as lifetime partnerships.

Why Stand Out from the Crowd

Solopreneurs are the way of the future. They account for 61% of Australian businesses[1]. And with the advent of freelance sites such as Upwork, 99designs, Freelancer and Airtasker, an increasing number of Australians are freelancing. According to freelance marketplace Elance-oDesk, 30% of the Australian workforce – or 3.7 million people – undertake some sort of freelance work[2].

Digital marketing presents an enormous opportunity for solopreneurs. According to Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange, the average person spends two hours a day on the internet. Furthermore, IBM’s Global CEO Study found that CEOs believe social media utilization for customer engagement will increase by 256% over five years. This means social media will become the second-most popular way to engage customers after face-to-face communication.

Social media has created a level playing field. It’s cheap and readily available. You don’t need large amounts of money to build a business. You don’t even need an existing client base – you can start one from scratch online. The internet has given everyone the potential to create a successful solo business.

But there’s a downside to this equal opportunity. Despite the accessibility of social media, one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs continue to face is finding leads and retaining clients.

The digital marketplace means you’re competing against everyone else with a business like yours. You can’t simply create a LinkedIn or Facebook account and expect clients to come to you. How will they know you’re there? What makes you stand out? When everyone else is pushing their own unique selling point, what will make people choose you?

In a world where customers have immediate access to information on every kind of business around the world, it’s hard to cut through the noise. To gain that competitive edge, you must create a connection.

Being a solopreneur is not enough. You must bond with your audience by offering more than your products and services alone. You need to educate, lead and gain trust. You need to make a real difference to the lives of your clients.

Position, Position, Position

Positioning is fundamental to creating trust and having influence. It’s more than just creating an image. It’s about owning your space in your industry. It’s about flexing your expertise, starting conversations, changing the game, creating engaging content and enlightening others. It’s about being the go-to expert for peers and clients needing guidance.

And it’s what leads to sales.

When you have a rock-solid positioning, your return on investment is second to none. Digital media and technology company Burst Media’s 2014 Influencer Marketing Benchmarks Report found that on average, marketers who implemented an Influencer marketing program in 2014 received $6.85 in earned media value for every $1 of paid media.[3] The primary tools used in Influencer marketing were:

Blog posts
Social syndication and branded content distribution
Influencers and influential content

Blogs. Content. Social media. These are indispensable, cost-effective tools if you want to elevate your positioning from business owner to leading industry expert. And they are what will build your audience’s trust in you.

Build A Business From Scratch

My passions have always been gardening and painting. The two seem to go together and this was born out when starting a business in landscaping. It was natural to paint a picture of the finished design in my head. This led me to undertake counseling for those who could not imagine what a garden should look like. My long-standing interest in the outdoors held me in good stead as my little fingers were always in dirt from the time I could toddle.

Once advertising started and my first consulting job came to me it led to other things. The lady was so impressed with what she was offered that she paid me $400 to draw a plan of it. This was something right up my ally.

Putting my imagination to work the plan was a great success and before long there were some 2-3 per week along with consulting jobs. The main requiring for doing something like this is confidence. If one shows that they know what they are talking about and can satisfy their client with quality work, then it has to be a success.

Of course my enterprising didn’t stop there. The main point of this article is that people need to step out of their comfort zone and use their hobbies and interests to build a business. They have to start from scratch to do it but if they have enough confidence and knowledge they will success.

Mistakes will happen and that is the learning curve one has to go through. Costs of consulting work doesn’t have to be over the top as there is no outlay to doing it. Start small and build up. For consulting my charge was $75 and that is more than affordable when most landscape designers might charge 10 times that much for the same advice.

Norma Holt has knowledge that enables her to understand many issues. Political, social and behavioral problems are usually on her list for discussion as well as anything to do with the Spirit of the Universe and reincarnation, which she experienced. She is happy to hear from any of her readers.