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I'll be honest -- "I can fix it" are words that my wife came to dread during our first couple of years in the house. I found little projects that needed doing around here -- and they did not come out nearly so well as we would have liked them to. Indeed, one of them led to a rather expensive visit from a locksmith to clean up after the mess I made within days of moving into the house.

It seemed like an easy enough task -- change a couple of door locks so that the keys were the same and we were sure that the previous owners and their family/friends didn't have keys still floating around. Its not like they were bad folks or anything like that, but just a desire for a sense of security.

Well, I headed over to Big Orange Cube for a a set of door knobs and locks that would be keyed to a single key. I found what I wanted easily enough, and immediately got to work on the project when got home. Naturally, I decided to start with the front door. I removed the old knob and lock and began to place the new one. But being the butter-fingered soul that I am, I dropped the assembly, which split into a couple parts. I simply put the thing back together and continued.

Unfortunately, nothing would line up. If the lock mechanism was in place, I couldn't screw the door knobs together, and the door would not latch if I did get them to screw together. I had damaged the entire assembly when I dropped it -- and had broken the old assembly removing it (it was 25 years old, and not in good shape). And what on earth are you going to do on a Friday night at 7:00 pm when you have no working lock on the front door? Call a locksmith, who ended up charging me the night-and-weekend rate.

My later projects have become more successful as I've gotten more experience. It also helps that I've acquired a few resources to help me better understand how to do the tasks before me. Knowledge is power, so now I can build bookshelf or fix a door, or even tile or drywall if I need to. And I've found websites that can supply me with plans and tips to make sure I'm prepared for anything that might face me in the course of my future projects, like DoItYourself.com. Check them out before you begin your next project.

Posted by: Greg at 10:07 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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When I was a kid, it seemed like every business gave them away to customers in order to earn a little good will and keep their name in the sight of the public. I'm talking about calendars, of course, in all their various varieties and configurations. The ones that we always liked were the wall calendars with scenes and sayings on them that helped widen my horizons to other, more exotic places. Even our church did a print calendar with all the holy days and a devotional picture that fit with the liturgical season.

But you know, you businesses can still do such calendars As I linked above, they even have beautiful 2008 calendars with some of those beautiful sights -- the Coliseum, the Parthenon, the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Stonehenge, and other bits of European scenery. I'd love to hang that one in my classroom, just to expose my kids to a little bit more culture, and to sites that go beyond American shores.

But you don't have to stay with that design. You can pick from a number of calendar templates -- or even upload your own images to make a calendar suited to your business. Add your logo and business information and you have an ad that is guaranteed to be seen for at least 12 months, through the entire year of 2008. That is a great use of your advertising dollar -- and guarantees to keep bringing them back.

Posted by: Greg at 06:41 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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When I was a kid, I had a directors chair in my bedroom -- I just loved it. Well, directors chairs are a hot promotional item these days -- from providing seating at trade shows to serving as promotional swag for your business, they are quite popular. Imprinted with your name and logo, directors chairs can help provide a boost to your name id and sales.

Camelback Displays has a great selection of director's chairs in stock, ready to be imprinted with logos, names, and art. You just decide what you want, and they can make it happen for you.

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Christmas is coming. Well, you need to start thinking about the gifts you are going to buy for the holidays. And if you are going to be buying gifts online, you need to remember Coupon Chief.

At CouponChief.com, you can find all sorts of great savings on gifts for the whole family. Are you looking for a new computer? Coupon Chief has coupon codes for HP desktop and laptop computers that will really make your holiday a merry one. They've got coupons for high dollar discounts and promo codes for big money off the cost of that new computer. That will certainly stretch your holiday budget.

Or maybe you'd rather buy a computer from Apple -- Coupon Chief can help hook you up. They have free shipping to go along with that free gift with certain purchases. Again, you can make that gift-giving dollar go a lot farther just by using these great coupons and promo codes when you make your purchases.

Hey -- these are gifts you were planning to buy anyway? Why not be a smart holiday shopper and save yourself some cash in the process?

Posted by: Greg at 06:03 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Billing and payroll are two of the most important functions of any any business, especially in service and professional fields in which sell their professional expertise by the hour. Such businesses need a Timesheet that will enable them to keep accurate track of hours worked, billable hours, and even hours spent on projects (so that one can analyze the efficiency of one's business and employees).

Journyx Timesheet is a program ready-made for all of those tasks so that you can achieve per-person, per-project profitability. This integrated software allows you to coordinate billable hours and expenses, project costs, and to do payroll more quickly and easily.

Best of all, Journyx Timesheet is available for a 45 day free trial. Test it and see if it is right for you and your business.

Posted by: Greg at 09:47 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Trinidad is one of those places I've always wanted to visit, mainly because I keep having various folks from Trinidad enter and leave my life as friends and co-workers. What I've noticed is that Trinidad natives are among the warmest, most friendly folks you could ever want to meet. And the cultural variety of these people has been incredible -- the people of Trinidad run the gamut from East Asian/Indian to African to European to various mixtures of ethnicity reflecting that diversity. What's more, because of the rich and diverse history of both Trinidad and its sister island, Tobago, the culture and architecture of the island reflects a unique blending of styles and customs.

So I'll have to see if I can make my way south to the islands one day, to see if I can experience for myself what I first heard of from my friends Elizabeth and Paul when we were kids together. I wonder if they followed their parents into the hotel business. After all, toruism and hospitality are among the most important industries for Trinidad.

Posted by: Greg at 06:21 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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A lot of my friends have been doing licensure exams lately. The new teacher in the classroom next door just took the state's certification exam, and one of my friends who is getting ready to retire just took the Mortgage Broker Exam. One of the things that has changed over the years is that many folks no longer use test preparation booklets -- they use computer programs for that purpose. They come with many more questions than the books had, and they are much more interactive.

CompuCram has a great system with hundreds of possible questions in their test bank, presented in a format that is accessible and easy to use. The price is reasonable, and those who have used the product say that it went a long way towards preparing them for the exam. If you are preparing for a licensure exam, you should take a look at their full line of products, which includes Real Estate, Appraisal, Insurance, Mortgage Lending, and the NASD Securities Exam.

Posted by: Greg at 09:51 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I've been talking with my students recently about the need to obtain a new costume for our school's mascot. That old horse has started looking really ragged the last few years -- as well it should, given that it has been in use since the Reagan administration. I found a replacement for it on a site that specializes in halloween costumes, and they have quite a selection of mascot costumes as well. I wonder if the student council would be interested in raising the money for a replacement?

Of course, they do have some great halloween costumes as well. I just love this kid's penguin outfit! I wonder if my wife and I can find something good to scare the trick-or-treaters?

Posted by: Greg at 06:08 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Well, friends, I spent today watching my Houston Texans beat the Kansas City Chiefs over at Reliant Stadium. Great game. But I'll tell you, it also put me in mind of the other great sporting event that goes on RodeoHouston.

Just like with the Texans, my wife and I have season tickets for RodeoHouston. We have since we moved first here eleven years ago and bought Houston Rodeo Tickets for the first time. And I'll tell you, we consider it to be the entertainment bargain of the free world. After all, where else can you go and watch a sporting event -- and yes, boys and girls, rodeo is a sport -- and see a spectacular concert for under $30? And those are the expensive seats on the club level, where my wife and I sit! We sure couldn't afford them for the football season, I can assure you of that. In fact, I made my payment for this year's tickets just this past week. I can't wait to hear who the concert entertainers are for those twenty nights. What I do know is that they will include some of the top acts in country music, as well as other musical entertainment in other fields.

What is great about RodeoHouston, though, is the fact that when you buy those Houston Rodeo Tickets you are not just getting great seats and great entertainment at a great price -- you are also contributing to a scholarship fund that helps send many young people from around Texas to college. So whether you are on the field level, in the club seats, or up in the 500s and 600s, you are a part of something greater than yourself -- the future of our young people.

Posted by: Greg at 09:20 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I have always been fascinated by clocks and the telling of time. Maybe it is that fascination with time that led me to my fascination with both the past (history) and the future (science fiction).

Now I've owned many clocks over the years, but my favorite has to be one given to me to mark my fifth anniversary with my school district. It is a Howard Miller alarm clock, and it sits next to my bed. It is absolutely beautiful, and keeps excellent time. Frankly, I'm rather impressed by the quality, and am still surprised that the district treated us all so well that year. I guess it is true that clocks make great gifts.

Now I knew nothing of the Howard Miller brand when I received this clock, but my wife was quite impressed. I've since discovered that Howard Miller clocks are considered to be among the best in the world -- especially their grandfather clocks.

As my wife and I continue with the redecorating planning, we want to make sure that we have a clock in the living room that really helps set the tone for the space and the Old West/ranch house theme. It will, of course, have to be predominantly wood, and appear to fit with the time period. Personally, I'm rather fond of this wall clock, though there are several others that I could be quite happy with if my wife prefers them.

Posted by: Greg at 12:19 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I really believe that banks and other lenders are sometimes too ready to loan money. The current problems in the home loan market and with other secured loans are a great example. So are the credit card offers received by my dog -- many of them pre-approved, despite her lack of employment or a verifiable source of income!

Of course, the most clear example I can think of are the credit cards I see my tenth graders flashing around. Yeah, that's right -- fifteen-year olds with credit cards. I then hear them say that they have maxed them out and will simply transfer the balance to another card. I'm sure that many of them have ruined their credit scores before they have a high school diploma.

That isn't to say that borrowing money is always a bad idea. Rather, it is important that one take out personal loans responsibly -- do your research to find cheap loans with the best interest rates and terms. That is called being a responsible borrower -- and is likely to keep you out of financial trouble.

Posted by: Greg at 01:07 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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One of the many products that have become more commonly used in America as our population ages is Adult Diapers and other products designed to help deal with issues of urinary incontinence. Many Americans find it necessary to use Adult Diapers and related products, whether during an illness and convalesence or as a long-term solution to the problem of incontinence. There are many sources for these products, including Adult-Diapers.com, which has a wide selection of such products in a variety of styles.

Posted by: Greg at 06:09 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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You know, if I ever rally get the house the way I want it in terms of setting up a work area in the garage, I'd like to be able to do a bunch of my remodel work myself. That includes redoing some cabinet doors around in the kitchen and the knick-knack shelves in the living room. The big task, though, will be redoing the entertainment center/bookshelf in the living room. And since my wife is planning on an Old West/Ranch House theme for those areas, I'd like to incorporate some hand-crafted western design into these wood to accent that.

Now I've used wood routers before to work with wood, but this will be Greg's big adventure. Fortunately, I've come across a great site that is devoted to wood routers and their accessories. They've got articles that can advise me about the router bits I'll need to accomplish my task, as well as woodworking plans. They even have a great series of articles about how to select the right wood router -- something I hadn't given much consideration yet.

What I especially like about the site, though, is the straight-forward way in which it deals with the subject. There is a great quote that really brings into focus the nature of the tool -- one so simple that it is often overlooked.

A wood router is basically a motor with a bit stuck on the end. All of the features available today simply make it easier, safer, or more efficient to use that basic combination.

Such simplicity makes this a great site for a beginner, and an one that will be useful for those who are more experienced. I'd really encourage folks interested in this sort of woodworking to take a look at Just-Wood-Routers.com for solid, down-to-earth information and guidance on the subject.

Posted by: Greg at 09:47 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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You are going to pay lots of cash when you buy a house, in part because of the commission to both real estate agents. How would you like to save some of that money?

You can, by using ePERKS.com to find an agent in your area. I know I've got one agent in my area rebating 15% of her fees to ePerks.com customers. that can be hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars! I don't know about you, but I wouldn't turn that much cash down.

Posted by: Greg at 06:02 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I could live in my shower. Really -- my day isn't complete without a luxurious time under the water. . . well, maybe that is an image that you don't want in your head!

But this is an older house, and we are needing to update some things, including a shower faucet that has started to leak around the handle and which doesn't give the pressure it used to. It is time to find a new one -- and I think I have at Faucet.com. For what a lower price than I can buy it local, I can get a Price Pfister "Marielle" in a finish I like (I prefer brushed nickel). It has a big head that will just rain down warm water on my back and shoulders before I start my day.

if you are looking for beauty, luxury and great prices on shower faucets, look at Faucets.com!

Posted by: Greg at 09:58 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I'll admit it -- I've got an old ford Escort that I love to drive. It is a great car that has been reliable for me over a decade. And even though it is now semi-retired, I still love it because of some great features and the fact that it has given me over 200K miles of faithful service with relatively low maintenance costs.

Why did I get the car in the first place? A combination of brand loyalty and dumb luck. I'd been driving a Mercury Lynx (same car, different nameplate) for the previous eight years. Unfortunately, some kids vandalized the car one weekend -- and insurance totaled it out on me and just cut me a check for the value of a car with 160K miles on it. That left me with a nice check and a car that looked awful -- when two days later the tranny dropped two blocks from the Ford dealer. Sitting on the lot was a recently returned lease vehicle with low mileage and an even lower price. I cut arranged financing, cut the check, and drove off the lot in two hours -- probably the easiest sale this guy ever had. I was the proud owner of a white 1995 Ford Escort.

I drove that car to my wife's hometown for our wedding. We took our honeymoon in it. We moved from Illinois to Texas in it - and I even taught my wife how to drive in it. There is even a nice ledge in the hatchback for the dog to sun herself in when we are on the road! This car is really the fourth member of our family.

What can I say -- she still doesn't burn much oil, and still gets right around 28 mpg all these years later. Aside from standard maintenance, I've spent very little on her -- brakes, a new timing belt and water pump, and a few other miscellaneous repairs. But she still handles well, and has a comfortable feel like my favorite chair in the living room. For an old Used Ford Escort, she still seems like a luxury car to me. I plan on nursing her along for as long as I can.

I cried when Ford quit making the Escort. Having driven this one for years (and the Lynx before), I was displeased that I would not be able to get another. And I plan on buying from Ford again in the future. They've earned that loyalty.

Posted by: Greg at 06:43 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Interested in living in Miami Beach or South Beach? Those are some hot places to live, no doubt about it, surrounded by beautiful people and a beautiful environment.

And if you are after South Miami Beach condos or other real estate, the best way to find it is to start viewing the MLS listings for the area. Oh, and you need a good real estate agency -- which is where South Beach Investment Realty can be a great help to you. With the help of SBIR, you can find the place you want. SBIR has agents with expertise in all of these areas, and can get you settled in the just the right place. After all, there really is no place like home.

Posted by: Greg at 09:59 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I'll be honest -- I never thought much about mortgage before I bought my house. I knew they were secured loans with the money guaranteed by the house itself, but never about the ins and outs of getting one. Today I hear about too many folks who are not good credit risks who got unsuitable loans, and are losing their shirts because of adjustable rates or outrageous payments.

Frankly, I'm glad I'm not looking for a house today or seeking to refinance because I am locked in at a very good rate that I've found I cannot beat. However, I keep hearing about folks getting a bad credit mortgage to try to reduce payments on their home. Others have begun to seek some sort of mortgage payment protection in case adjustable rates increase or unfortunate circumstances cost them a job or otherwise make paying the mortgage untenable.

Posted by: Greg at 06:49 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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As this teacher is all too aware, summer is over. But on the bright side, that means it is time for the summer clearance sale at OnlineDiscountmart.com -- which means great savings on home and yard decor. But even better, that means that the Halloween Decorations are coming in fast, and you can snatch up yours before they sell out! Remember, OnlineDiscountMart.com has all of your home and garden decoration needs. Make sure you check them out.

Posted by: Greg at 09:30 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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You folks know me, and that politics is one of the great passions of my life. I look forward to election season the way in a way that some of my friends think is a little bit weird -- but let's just say that I consider this fall to be sort of the equivalent to Spring Training for baseball.

But where do you go to find a community of fellow political junkies, ready for teh campaigns to really begin to heat up? Where do you go to find fellow supporters of your preferred candidates, but also your political opponents to argue with? Why not try the 2008 Presidential Election Forum, where boards are open and waiting for discussion of every candidate and every issue.

What is the purpose of the 2008 Presidential Election Forum? Well, to identify the issues that are most important to American voters in the upcoming election, and the candidates who resonate with those voters. It is also a place to take the temperature of the users of the internet – sort of neutral forum for multipartisan discussion. It isn’t like the big sites, where one side or the other dominates because of the host’s perspective – this is really meant to be a forum for all comers.

You know, dialogue.

What a concept.

Posted by: Greg at 06:55 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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For those in the mission field, travel is a big deal. How does one travel from one's home to the place where one has been called by God? How does one make it home? Most travel agencies and airlines are not set up to help with the special needs of missionary travel, with its low budget and pressing time constraints.

Golden Rule Travel is a company that specializes in assisting missionaries with their travel needs. For over 20 years, the company has been making travel arrangements for missionaries, their families, and people traveling abroad for international adoptions. To judge from the many testimonials on their site, they do a fantastic job. Not only that, but they go the extra mile to aid those who travel with them. Golden Rule offers a special toll-free number to its customers to receive assistance with their travel needs in the event of problems.

Posted by: Greg at 08:19 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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OK, ladies, here it is -- HerFabLife-Your one-stop lifestyle guide to all things fabulous!. HerFabLife is a social lifestyle community for women who are up with all the latest trends and interested in the latest styles and the best places to eat, drink, shop and relax. HerFabLife even provides you with information about upcoming entertainment events in your area. best of all, ladies, you can even add your own content to the site, making you part of a fabulous social network. So drop by HerFablife.com and see what they have to offer you!

Posted by: Greg at 06:06 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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At age twelve, I knocked out one of my front teeth. It was reimplanted, but remained a source of constant trouble well into adulthood, when it had to be surgically extracted. My dentist decided the best option for me at that point was a bridge to replace the empty spot that would be left in the middle of my smile.

In hindsight, I wish I had explored dental implants as an alternative to having two other teeth shaved down so that they could anchor that bridge. Wouldn't it have been so much better for me to have one replacement tooth, anchored in place to the bone, to replace the damaged tooth and fill the hole it left? It would certainly be better not to need special cleaning devices and a lower likelihood of future complications.

If you are interested in dental implants, check out DentalImplants.com to find a dentist who can help you make the best decision about your mouth.

Posted by: Greg at 08:54 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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One of the common causes of vision problems for older adults is macular degeneration (AMD), which occurs when deposits are made on a weakened retina, causing blurring and color changes in the central area of one's field of vision.

Once it begins, it is hard to stop, and few effective treatments exist for the condition. But there are steps that one can take to help prevent macular degeneration. Vitamins for eye health prevent visual impairment from AMD, reducing the risk for the disease by 70% and even slow the progression of the disease by 25%. This is significant for retaining healthy vision in old age. If you are at risk for AMD, you need to take steps now to help preserve your vision. more...

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Debt is a two-edged sword. It can allow you to acquire things you want or need right no, but it can also strangle you economically over the long term if you are not careful.

I look at the situation some friends found themselves in not too many years ago. They are a nice couple -- he in his 50s and her in her 40s, with two wonderful kids approaching college age. Unfortunately, they had allowed themselves to live a lifestyle that was well beyond their means. They were in serious financial trouble. They had lots of unsecured and secured loans -- everything from student loans to car loans to credit cards to a mortgage, not to mention almost weekly use of payday loans just to keep up with it all. And then he lost his job as an executive with a local company, and they nearly lost it everything. Fortunately, a new job quickly materialized and the opportunity to refinance the mortgage loans to lower monthly payments and tap into their equity in their house allowed them to recover and live a more scaled-back life.

If you are facing financial need and you are looking for a way to restructure your debt to better manage it, might I suggest Rebuild.org?

Posted by: Greg at 01:45 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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