New Year's Resolutions

It is a long standing tradition to make New Year resolutions. You know the routine: lose wait, quit smoking, exercise, save money, etc.  I'm not to big on these, but if you are, here's one piece advice.

Be realistic.  If you make resolutions and fail miserably, it can be a bit depressing. Failure usually comes from being over the top with your goals.

Want to lose weight? Don't set a goal of 50 pounds in the first month. You will not do that and, if you come close, you will likely wind up sick. 5 pounds is reasonable, and when you accomplish that, you can feel pleased.

If you have not exercised in years, don't start out trying to run 10 miles and lift weights for 3 hours each day.  Start with walking a mile and doing some stretching and calisthenics for twenty minutes a day. Work up slowly from there.

Saving money is always a fine idea, but don't tell yourself you are going to cut down to a diet of Ramen noodles and toast and bank half of your paycheck (unless you are in a deep financial crisis). You will not live up to that resolution for more that a day or two. Resolve to cut out a dinner out each week and save an extra $20. That will help your finances and, from there, maybe you can find other, minor corners to cut.

In short, don't set yourself up for failure. Keep your goals realistic. Have a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year.

Post Holiday Stress

Christmas is over; well, I guess a lot of folks have today off because of the Sunday holiday, but even if you're not working, it's not a holiday. Come the weekend, we're at it again with New Year. This week figures to be a bit odd.

Be practical and realize that most people will be on auto pilot this week. That is just human nature, so don't get stressed if your employees are not giving it their all, if service in stores is sluggish, and no one seems to be accomplishing much. This is a once a year phenomenon, and it will pass, about a week from Wednesday. Just roll with it and chill out yourself. It will do you no good, and possibly a lot of harm, to expect the Nation to hop back to full speed this week. It ain't happening.

In your personal life, take it easy on yourself. After a weekend Holiday, filled with rich food and drink, be kind to your body. Give your gastro-intestinal tract and your liver a short time out and go easy on heavy foods and even easier on alcohol. It will not be a joyous New Year if you start it sick.

If you have been burning the candle at both ends the last few days, be nice to yourself and get some sleep. Naps are nice.

The Holidays come but once a year and should be enjoyed. There is nothing wrong with the Country taking a week or so to slow down and goof off a bit. There is even nothing wrong with over doing thins this time of year. Just remember that the body has limits and you need a little time to recover before you start the next go round.

Time to be Impractical

It's Christmas week and this is the only post I'll do on this site this week. You officially have my permission to be impractical this week, mostly.

This is a week of shopping and parties and feasting. Forget diets, eat, drink, and be merry. You can worry about diets next year. There are exceptions. If you have a medical issue, diabetes for instance, sorry, you must be careful.

As far as partying, please be sure that, if you are driving, if you have more than two drinks, don't drive; take a cab or Uber. You do not need all the problems that come with a drunk driving charge.

Shop. That is part of the season, but try to use some restraint. Go easy on the credit cards. You do not want to be the Grinch, nut you do not want to faint when you open your bills in January.

Other than that, have a great Holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Foodies and Common Sense

I spent the latter part of my working life around food and, since some of that involved catering, I had to deal with many considered foodies or, sometimes and more accurately, food snobs.

These are folks who jump on ayt food fad around and delight in nothing more than finding exotic, new culinary experiences. Okay, I'm generally game to try new foods and I certainly enjoy good food, but it is a fine line between enjoying and obsessing.

There are folks, many, who will demand always top cuisine and gourmet quality and preparation at all times. They would not accept a frozen ingredient and would faint if offered anything from a can. If someone told them that crocodile toes cooked in elephant sweat was the latest craze, they would be on the next flight to Africa.

Let's be honest and practical. Food is a necessity; it provides the energy and nutrients to keep us alive and well. Eating can, and should be, a pleasurable experience, but it is a fleeting experience. Short after you complete the last bite of a meal, the experience is over, unless you have gas. By the next day, all sign of it has left your body. Why spend inordinate time and money on such a passing pleasure.

Enjoy your food. Treat yourself from time to time. But use some sense. Be practical.

Cheap Healthy Cleaning

Cleaning products are not cheap and, often are harsh and generally unhealthy to use. Now, every now and then you do need to use things like degreasers. But, for a lot of your cleaning, try two safe, effective chemicals; vinegar and baking soda.

Baking soda is a fine scouring powder. Just mix with a little water into a paste, and it will clean very effectively. It is also a great de-odorizer. Most people know to put a little in your refrigerator, but it is also a good idea to put some, from time to time, in a microwave. Actually, is excellent for general cleaning of your microwave. It is also perfectly good as a toilet bowl cleaner and to, occasionally wipe out your washing machine.

Vinegar is a mild acid. It will cut light grease and is effective as a whitener, like bleach, only much safer.

If you have drain clogs, try this. Dump a cup or so of baking soda in the drain. add about a cup of vinegar, just plain white vinegar. If will foam immediately, so have a drain plug handy. As soon as it starts foaming, plug the drain and let it sit until you hear no more fizzing. Them unplug and rinse with warm water. It is almost as effective as any harsh drain cleaner and much safer.

These cheap, safe cleaners are most effective when used often. Don't let dirt build up and you will seldom have to use harsh, dangerous chemicals.

Take Care of Your Car

There is someone living near me who has a problem. Every time  they start their car, the belts squeal horribly. Now, that in itself is annoying, but that is not why I am writing. Any belt making a noise like that will, at some point, will snap. It may be when she is leaving for work and that is bad. It may be when she is zipping along the highway and that is worse.

Yesterday, I heard a truck go be with a periodic squeal coming from its left rear wheel. This truck needs a wheel bearing replacement. At some point, the wheel will simply seize and the truck will not move, and if this happens when it is going 60 mph, the results will not be pleasant.

I see cars that are leaking an assortment of fluids and I hear brakes so worn that it is definite that there is no pad left, just metal grinding metal. I have neighbors driving on tires that have absolutely no tread.

O know that money is tight and the Holidays are here but some things cannot be put off. I know. I have done just that, several times. Trust me, a vehicle will almost always break down at the worst possible time. And, in almost every case, neglect will make the repairs more costly than if you went ahead and did them when the problem is first evident. In addition, cars in disrepair are dangerous for you and every one else.

Take care of your car.

Canned Foods

As most of you realize, many canned foods are cheaper than fresh or frozen. In recent years, they have lost favor and are even shunned as low quality. This is a mistake.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with canned foods. True, canned vegetables will not be crispy and, in a few cases, may not have the same flavor intensity, but they are nutritious and sometimes very tasty. In fact, sometimes tastier that fresh. Tomatoes are picked green and ripen in shipment (unless you live near a farmer's market). Tomatoes bout fresh in a Grocery store often have all the flavor of soggy newspaper. On the other hand, canned Roma tomatoes are picked ripe and flavorful and when canned, they retain all of that great taste.

My Grandma used to fix dried beans, like pintos, by picking through them for stones (and they were always there) soaking them over night, pouring off the water and refilling the pot with fresh water, then simmering for hours. One day, I had dinner with her, complimented her on the beans and learned that she had switched to canned. They were just as good and since then, I have always used canned pintos, black beans, black eyed peas, etc.

Most folks eat canned tuna. Why not canned chicken or ham? There is nothing wrong with them and, not only are they convenient, they are often very reasonably priced.

There is a myth that dented cans are to be discarded as contaminated. There is nothing wrong with dents. There is only contamination if the top or bottom is bulging; then throw it out.

I would try not to keep cans longer than six months. After that, they are still perfectly edible, but they do lose taste.

In short, canned food is perfectly acceptable and you can often find great bargains that will save you considerable money.

Use Your Heads During the Holidays

At the risk of sounding like a buzz kill, let me ask my fellow Americans, what the hell is wrong with you.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales went through the roof. Great for the stores, but idiotic for consumers. I will bet every nickel I have that almost all of that is on credit. The Cyber purchases are definitely on credit.

I love to give gifts, but I do not love paying interest charges on things I cannot afford. Some of you will never, ever pay off those debts. You will spend a very long making minimum payments that barely cover the interest. I know, every one intends to make bigger payments, but something always comes up.  Your car dies. The kids get sick. The refrigerator breaks down. It is always something and there you are with unneeded debt.

And God help you if you miss a payment, or even if you are late. Then your credit rating takes a nose dive.

Enjoy your holidays, by all means, but set some limits. Buy and give gifts, but make restrict them to what you can afford. I know this sounds trite, but it is true; it is the thought that counts.

Christmas Tree Care

If you want a real Christmas Tree, one cut from the forest, there are only 3 things to remember.

First, be careful with electric lights. They are lovely, but you need to look at your wires and be sure that none are losing their insulation. This is a natural occurrence as the light age. Do not try patching them with electric tape; just replace the whole strand. Bare wires get hot and it will not be a very Merry Christmas if you burn your house down.

Second, keep checking the water. When you first set up the tree, use hot water in the well. This melts the hardened tree sap and makes the tree more absorbent. Then you can use cold water, but check it often; you cannot overwater. If needles start turning brown or falling off, you need water.

I just thought of a third issue. If you have a dog or cat, make sure they understand that the tree is off limits. Not only can they tear up your decorations, they can chew wires. With a dog, I would set the tree on something high enough to keep it out of reach, unless you have a very mannerly dog.  With cats, I really have no idea how to discourage them; they are lovable, but stubborn.

Have fun with your Christmas tree. They really do brighten the Holiday.

Turkey Time

If you had the traditional turkey yesterday, you likely have a whole lot left over. Turkey sandwiches are great, but there are a lot of other options.

First, if there is still meat on the bone, remove it, take that carcass, put it in a pot of water, bring it to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and leave it for a 2 or 3 hours. You will have great soup stock. Then, add whatever you want, pasta, potatoes, vegetables, and of course, turkey. Cook until everything is tender. Or, if you don't want soup then, freeze your stock.

You can thicken that stock with corn starch (the procedure is on the box) and pour it over a pan full of turkey and vegetables, top with a pie crust, and bake it at 350 until the crust is brown. There, you have a simple pot pie.

Make turkey salad. Use any chicken salad recipe you like and substitute  turkey. A nice touch is  the addition of grapes, raisins, or any dry fruit,, and some chopped walnuts or pecans.

Turkey tetrazzini is a nice dish and simple. Cook some spaghetti, drain and set aside. Sauté, in butter, some chopped onion and celery until it's tender. Add some chopped mushrooms (they cook quickly) and chopped turkey. Then, add some cream, or milk, and let the liquid reduce a bit. Then add a little white wine, and, again let it reduce. Then toss this with the pasta and pour this into a baking pan. Top wit be read crumbs and grated cheese, and put it in a 350 oven just until the bread crumbs are brown. Notice that I didn't give any precise amounts. That is because you can vary this dish to suit yourself. Some like it creamy, some like the wine to dominate. It's up to you. Also, you can add any vegetables you want, carrots, peas, squash, anything.

Use your imagination. Turkey sandwiches are terrific, but you can do a lot with your left over bird.

Christmas Decorating

It's about time to drag out the Christmas decorations again. I have but one thing to say; be careful. You will not spend a happy holiday in a cast.

I see folks who have not engaged in a lot physical activity in a very long time struggling up and down ladders, trying to keep strings of lights untangled, and  attempting to drive nails. All worthy endeavors but, remember, you don't have to do it all at once. If you are not used to such activities, take your time.

If your lights are old, and there are burnt out bulbs, don't spend a lot of time replacing them. Just buy new ones. They're not that expensive and it's worth the cost to save the aggravation. Don't overdo the lights. Aesthetics aside, you don't want to overload circuits. In fact, switch to LED bulbs. They're cooler and draw  a lot less power.

Get a helper. You really want someone to steady the ladder, hand you tools and keep the lights strings from tangling. Also, remember: those warnings on ladders that say do not step on the top rung are there for a reason. It is just not safe to work from there.

There are options. I once decorated a place by using colored spot lights. Now, that is simple because you can get them with solar batteries that charge enough in the day light to last all night. Just stick them in the ground and go on with your day.

It's nice to decorate for the holidays, but there is no reason to overdo, and many reasons to be careful.

Thanksgiving - Do What You Like

Come Thursday, turkeys will be roasting and smoking and even deep frying (if you are trying that, make sure you know what you're doing or your holiday will be spent either watching the firemen try to save your house or hanging out in a hospital emergency room). Some others will be baking ham;s and much stuffing, yams etc. will be cooking. All of these are wonderful foods and I love them all.

However, you do not have to be wedded to tradition. For those who do not like turkey or ham, can't cook, don't have time to cook or, as in our case, only have 2 in the household and don't want a mountain of leftovers, cheer up. Eat whatever you want.

A fine roast beef or lamb is always an option, as is a pork roast; a pork loin is perfect for 2 or 3 people. If you want poultry, consider roasting a chicken or individual game hens. Duck is terrific; just remember to score the fat on the breast and place the bird, breast side down, on a rack in your roasting pan so it doesn't cook in its own grease. We have had salmon for Thanksgiving and it was great.

My Mom one year cooked spaghetti and meatballs and it was a fine meal. In other words, whatever you want. The important thing is to remember to be thankful for the good things in your life.

One quick note: To those dining out for the Holiday. Good luck. I worked in a restaurant one Thanksgiving and I can testify that the kitchen, on a holiday, is a complete mad house. You may get what you want and it may be good, just do not count on every food safety rule being followed.

Learn to Think

We seem to have become a might brain dead in this Country. People seem to jump at whatever pops up at the given moment. If the news tells of terrorism, folks panic. In reality, you are far more likely to be hit by lightening that by a terrorist.

People voted for Trump after hearing his radical campaign promises and are now watching him back pedal faster than a circus performer on a  unicycle.

Pundits talk of the need to eliminate business regulations, saying that they kill business. They fail to mention that when we deregulated banks, we got stuck having to bail them out after the debacle of the early 2000s.

Economic pundits are always spouting off about what the economic trends will be. I remember several of them saying that there would never be a recession, that the thought was laughable, right before we fell into a recession.

People fall for all of this nonsense because they do not think. They seem to have forgotten how, so they believe what they are told by experts, even when  those experts, time and again, are wrong. The Practical American needs to think for him or herself.

How? Easy. Do not buy into things you hear without carefully examining them. Get the facts. It may require a little digging, but it's not that hard. Look at the past; that way you can get an idea of how trends develop.

Stay away from rosy optimists and prophets of doom and gloom. The truth almost always lies somewhere in the middle. Do not lock into your own position; as new facts become available, you may have to change.

Use your brain. Never panic. Always look before you leap. Learn to separate facts from opinions and to trust your thoughts more than those of someone getting paid ridiculous amounts to babble on TV. You are as smart as any of them, if you just learn to think.

Get Ready to Roll

The Nation is about to undergo some huge changes. Unfortunately, we have no clue what might happen. The Practical American will get his act together right now, because change, of some sort, will come fast.

As I keep stressing, get your debts paid down. This is a liberating; it gives you room to breathe and move around.

Don't like your job?  Get over it. Do not go changing jobs now, unless you get an absolutely incredible offer. A period of great flux is a time to stay put.

But, do everything you can to be ready to jump. If things start working out in this Country, at long last, opportunities will be abundant, if, and only if, you are ready. How do you get ready? Easy. Work on your health. As someone who used to do hiring, I will tell you, a healthy, energetic applicant is frequently a hired applicant. Develop good habits. Learn to speak, not formally, but properly and clean up your language. Swearing during an interview, for any kind of decent job, will eliminate any hope you have of getting hired. Get some decent clothes, nothing fancy, but presentable. Appearance does count.

Be aware that your interviewer may be anyone, of any race, cultural heritage, gender, and sexual orientation. No matter how you feel about any of those, be ready to show only respect. Things are not like they used to be.

Learn as many skills as you can. Right now, if I were getting ready to seek better employment, I would be studying everything I might possibly need to know about that line of work. Take courses, read books, watch training videos, whatever you have to do, and, remember, you may start at entry level, but. if you show your knowledge, you may start moving up quickly.

Lastly, be flexible and optimistic. Things are going to be a bit weird for a short while, but they will change fast. Be conservative for now and ready to expand on a minute's notice.

Use It or Lose It

This post is for those of us who are getting a little older. I hate the term 'senior citizen' and refuse to use it. Those of you who are younger will want to keep this in mind because your time is coming.

I see people my age who do as close to nothing as possible. They watch TV and eat. That's about all. My neighbor recently died in his sleep of a heart attack and that was what he did. TV and food were his only pastimes. He was fat as a pig, could scarcely walk and frequently was none too sure where he was. Again, all he did was eat and watch TV. And, I notice, this is pretty common.

The human body was not meant to be idle. Our muscles enjoy moving and become soft and ultimately useless when ignored. The brain is unhappy when idle and ultimately just quits working when ignored. There are complex physiological reasons for this and they can be summed up with 'use it or lose it.'

Now, all you folks know this, but how many of you pay anything more than lip service to these facts. If you find yourself growing idle and staring vacantly at the tube, you must get off your rear end an do something. It can be almost anything that is not illegal or ridiculously stupid. (I would not recommend bank robbery or drinking a quart of Scotch a day). Just make sure you are using your facilities.

You do not have to start spending hours in a gym, although if that appeals to you, go for it. Just taking a good walk or gardening or swimming, as long as you are moving your muscles around, is fine. If you have physical limitations, I understand, but you still need to move as much as you can.

Mentally, it is just as important to use that brain. You don't have to learn differential calculus or ancient Greek, although bot would be really cool, but you need to do something. Read a little, anything will do, or have a really good conversation, or maybe rediscover the seemingly lost art of letter writing/

You can combine the physical and mental. Learn a new skill. Woodworking, sketching, golf, anything that requires a blend of the physical and mental is wonderful.

Push yourself, within reason. There is no need to go until you risk physical or mental breakdown, but there is nothing wrong with tiring yourself out. That means you have had a good work session and, as a bonus, you will sleep better.

So, get off your backside, turn off the TV and, do something.

After the Election - Watch Your Back

I do not use this blog for politics, but today, I am making an exception. The elections will be over soon and no matter who you support, watch your back. No matter who wins, things will not be good. If either candidate gets control of congress and thus gets their way, you will see the deficit, the National debt, go through the roof.

Both are proposing programs that will cost unbelievable amounts of money. On problem, we are broke and deeply in debt. Yet, they are both proposing tax programs that will not come close to even balancing the budget, must less paying down the massive debts.

This makes our standing in the World economy a wee bit shaky and this will effect both the value of the dollar and the willingness of foreign governments to invest by buying our Treasury bills. Add to this the pledge both behave made to raise the minimum wage (which will just be passed on by increased prices) and the shakiness of our economy and you will, I guarantee this, see inflation and job loss. This is called stagflation and it is a nightmare.

In addition, medical costs are rising, in large part due to the incredibly stupid mess of Obamacare. How long gas prices will stay low depends on the whimsy of the Saudis. Increased oil prices drastically effect food costs as well as home heating.

Things will not be good. The solution? First, stay healthy. Even if you are insured, not only are your premiums going up, your deductibles are also rising. For example, in Arizona, you will likely have a $5000 + deductible. So, stay healthy.

If you have a job, keep it. Hold onto it like grim death. If you dislike your job, learn to like it. If you become unemployed, you will be in deep difficulty.

Most of all, pay down your debts as quickly as possible. If that means skipping a ball game or a dinner out, live with it. If that means your kids can't have the latest, most fashionable shoes, they'll get over it. Do not put Christmas on your charge cards. Again, no one likes cutting back, but you really need to get rid of your debts.

Learn to do as much as you can around your home. A lot of repairs are simple. It is easy to cook instead of depending on take out and cooking yourself is cheaper than buying frozen dinners. Do it yourself, within reason, should be your motto.

Eventually, things will perk up again, but you have to be sensible. Watch your back. Watch the backs of friends and family. You have to, because, Uncle Sam is not going to be your buddy for a while.

Winter is Coming

I live in South Georgia, and while it does get cold, it's not the bitter cold of the North. Right now, it's quite toasty and that seems to be the case over much of the Country.

But, Winter will be here and it's a good idea to be ready. Make sure your heating devices are working well. Freezing weather can hit without a lot of notice and you do not want temperatures to drop to 20 and discover you have no heat. Re[airmen will be busy and you might have to wait days. Also, make sure you furnace has enough of whatever fuel you use.

If your car battery is getting old, you may want to consider going ahead with replacing it. Very cold weather can kill a battery, but your odds are better with a new battery.

Look around your house and check windows and doors for leaks. Weather stripping, properly installed can save you a whole lot of money.

If you have an outdoor swimming pool. and have not yet had it shut down, get to it. Do it yourself if you can, call a service if not. Basically, you want to drain the water at the pump, add stabilizer and. cover it with a pool blanket. Then, some warm weather, it will be easy to get it up and running again.

I know that most of you have heard this advice and I hate to be redundant, but a Practical American is always ready for weather changes. Being ready can save you time, money and aggravation.

The Internet

I just wanted to write a short note today about something that almost slipped my mind. Due to Hurricane Matthew, I was without internet access, recently, for 10 days. I have mentioned this before and I will say it again. Stop being so dependent on the internet.

It was a bit of a shock for about a day, and then I began doing all the things I could have been doing all that time I was online looking at, well, junk. It's worse than TV. Right now, I am doing my blogs and looking for a publisher for some fiction I have written. Other than that, I am not using my internet much at all.

I am also writing this because of the recent news events. Russia and the us are seemingly engaging in ever escalating cyber espionage. recently, hackers got into some Russian agency. Other hackers shut down Amazon, Netflix and Twitter, among other things. Banks, Credit Companies, and various stores are hacked. So is, from time to time, the Defense  Department and the State Department. Just ask Hillary.

So far, the damages, while serious, are not catastrophic. There is so much redundancy that it is unlikely that the internet can be totally shut down, unless of course some one sets off some sort of electromagnetic pulse or a serious Solar event occurs and then the internet will be the least of our worries. But, some shutdowns and some sabotage is almost a sure bet, as are continues t hefts of credit information. I urge every one to start rethinking their dependence on the internet. Besides, just think of all the other things you can do.

Sleep Aids

Americans, we are told, do not sleep enough. I don't know about the rest of the World, but in this Country, a lot of folks are starting their days groggy and stumbling along in a fog. You cannot do your work safely and efficiently if you don't get enough rest.

How much is enough? That's kind of hard to say. The only guideline seems to be what works for you. The standard is 7 to 9 hours a night, but there are some who feel perfectly rested with only 4 to 6 hours. I, personally no of no one who does well with less than 4, but I don't know everyone and if you do well with 3, then that's right for you. If you need more that 9, I suggest you see a doctor. Something may be wrong.

Some folks who don't sleep well try various aids. Some work, some don't. If you have trouble sleeping, watch your caffeine intake, especially late in your day. Do not use alcohol as a sleep aid. If you drink enough to knock yourself out, you likely will not dream, and you must dream, the body and mind demand it. The same goes for a lot of sleeping pills.

In the old days barbiturates and Quaaludes were used and they have the same drawbacks as alcohol. Same goes for Valium and Xannx. A common over-the-counter remedy is diphenyl hydramine, or Benedril. This will help you get to sleep and you will dream, but I guarantee that your dreams will be bizarre and you will not wake refreshed.

There are a few things that work with little side effect. Herbs like chamomile, passion flower, hops, and valerian are, when taken as directed, very effective and have little after effect. Same for melatonin. With melatonin and herbs, just don't take too much. Use them as directed.

Warm milk actually works. It contains the amino acid l-tryptamine and it will help you get to sleep.

Meditation often helps and is very easy to learn. The simplest form I know of is just breathing easily and counting your breaths.

Whatever works for you, please get enough sleep. You will function a whole lot better during your day.

Keep Your Trees Trimmed

Hurricane Matthew did not touch land with its strongest winds, yet it caused a lot of damage. Trees were uprooted and a lot of limbs went flying. Buildings were damaged and power lines went down. A
good bit of the trouble could have been prevented by proper tree maintenance.

Most of the damaged trees had not been pruned or at least not properly pruned. You do not cut trees back a lot. Instead you want to open them up. Cut away dead wood. Cut away crossed branches. Thin out most of the small branches, leaving the main limbs and some of the smaller branches, the ones coming right off the main ones at nice angles. This opens the tree to air flow and gives the uncut branches room to blow around. When cutting, do not cut right where the limbs join, this can damage the bark and invite insects and disease. Instead, you will notice, near where the branches join, a slightly thicker area. This is the collar and you cut right against that.

If you can trim yourself, great, but be careful. I once got hit in the back of the head by a heavy branch and it did a lot of damage to my neck. If you have any doubts, call a professional. Sometimes, more often than we care to admit, you will, ultimately, save a lot by having a job professionally done. Just make sure you get a licensed arborist.

One more thing. I noticed that a lot of damage was done because trees were located right up against buildings. This is a poor idea, especially when large trees are involved. When you plant a tree, find out how big it will grow and plan accordingly.

Trees are beautiful and we all love their shade on hot days but, they must be properly cared for or disaster may strike.

Do Things Right and Avoid Trouble

I am just returning to blogging after a short layoff. We, after Hurricane Matthew, were without the internet for 10 days I have been waiting to write this blog because we almost had a very avoidable disaster.

We were not hit all that hard, but, things did get a bit rocky for a while. My guess, and I have seen many tropical storms and hurricanes, is that our winds were about a steady 60mph for a few hours with gusts to maybe 80.

Across the street from where we live there is a business which at some point, put up a metal structure for employees to park under. It was about 10 feet by 12 feet and looked like a storage shed with no sides. They seem to have forgotten to properly secure it to the ground.

When the worst of the wind hit, the entire structure was tipped on its side and scooted across the road, at high speed. Luckily, it only sideswiped one car and slammed into a tree. Had it hit a person, it would have killed them and, had it not hit the tree, it would have ended up in someone's apartment.

I looked it over the next day and it was easy to tell that it had never been anchored to the ground, just set in place. This is amazingly negligent and it is very fortunate that no one was seriously injured.

Folks, please, if you are going to do something, do it right.

Take Care When Driving

Driving safety may seem like an odd topic for this blog, but hang on and you'll see my point.

A few years back, I was fairly broke. Driving to a store one day, I forgot that I was entering a mini-speed trap. For a two block range, the speed limit dropped from 50 to 35 and then back up to 50. I stayed at 50 and, sure enough, got pulled over and ticketed. The police periodically parked in that area and, at time, had 4 or 5 cars pulled over. I knew this and simply forgot.

Well, I had no argument. He had me and I was fined $145. Of course, my insurance also went up. At that point in time, I was just getting by financially and the fines and increase created a few weeks of hardship.

I have seen the same thing happen several times to folks I knew. I have had friends and acquaintances get in wrecks that were their fault, sometimes with no car insurance, or inadequate insurance. They ended up buried in debt, all because of a moment's lapse in attention.

I have also known folks who ended up with severe financial, personal, and legal problems because they drove in a somewhat altered state of consciousness.

My point is that in  all such cases, using a little common sense and paying attention to what you are doing, especially when operating a car, can save you a whole lot of time aggravation and money. Being practical is not just about fixing things and handling money. It also means avoiding unnecessary expense and stress.

Taking Care of Hoses

This may seem a silly point. You should take care of hoses but, believe me, it's not. I see hoses tossed in piles, thrown in the Sun and left full of water. As a result, when you go to use them, they are a tangled mess.

First. When you finish using hoses, get the water out of them. This is easy to do. Just stretch the hose out, grab one end, ad lift. Then, just walk down the line, picking up the next bit of hose while letting the previous part lay back down. You will notice an amazing amount of water coming out. Why is this a good idea? Well, all of that weight makes the hose heavier than it need be. Also, the water will, over time, rot the hose. Finally, if you don't do this, inevitably, you will soak yourself the next time you use the hose.

If you just throw the hose in a pile, it will tangle and that will lead to kinks. Then, when you go to use it, you will waste time untangling it and as you stretch it out, it will keep kinking. Again, you will waste time, and get sorely aggravated, so why not put it up right to begin with. If you have a hose reel, great. But, as you wind it up, make sure you're not crisscrossing the hose, or, when unrolling it, you will have those tangles. Without a reel, just make large loops and hang it up. You'll be fine.

Try not to leave a wound up hose in the Sun, It will get hard and brittle and will start to leak well before it should be wearing out.

All of these things may seem trivial but I bring them up for a reason. By simply taking a few extra minutes to store equipment properly, you will save a lot of time, aggravation and expense.

Cooking Smart

Electricity is not cheap, neither is gas. So, whichever you use to cook with, use your head. Be smart and efficient.

My Mom, was not the finest cook, but she was smart about it. She never turned on the oven for just one item. Once a week, she would cook a roast, come chicken, maybe a meatloaf, and baked beans, macaroni and cheese and a bake a pie or a cake. At the same time, on the stove top, she would cook a pot of greens, some chili or spaghetti sauce and maybe a beef stew.

Then, during the week, we just warmed up what we wanted. Now, you may ask, why was that smart and efficient? Simple. It takes time and power to heat an oven, Once its hot, it doesn't take that much to keep it hot. In fact, if you heat an oven to 350, you can turn it off for the last fifteen minutes or so that you have food in it and it will keep cooking just fine.

In addition, using an oven, really heats the kitchen a lot and that, in turn, spreads heat to the whole house. In the winter, that's a good thing. In the summer, it is not. The more you heat the kitchen, the more your air conditioning will run and the electric bill goes up. By cooking so much at once, you are only heating things up a lot, that one time. Warming food doesn't take that much energy and you don't have to turn the oven, or burners up a lot, so less heat is created. In fact, heat things in a microwave and you create no heat and use little power.

We all need to save money and, more and more it is a good idea to not use so much electricity (every year, power companies, in the summer, threaten and sometimes implement, rolling brownouts). Gas, is not cheap either, especially if you are heating your home with it, so why use more than you must. Cook smart and be efficient.

The Practical Importance of Goofing Off

Fall is almost here and that means back to school for kids, and, sooner than you can believe, the Holidays will arrive. Fall is traditionally a hectic time of the year as we get geared up for the even more hectic, and fun, season of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.

So, as you are running here and there, driving the kids to school and games and various other events, and dealing with bosses who are trying to maximize their years profits, and, in this year, trying to figure out the more than puzzling Presidential campaign, I want you to remember one thing. You must, occasionally, at least twice a day, take a few moments to do absolutely nothing. Goof off a bit. It's good for body, mind and soul.

You cannot push all the time. I know. I have tried. Oh, for brief periods you can, but try to avoid those situations. After all, no matter what we tell ourselves or what others may say, there are really very few emergencies that have to be dealt with immediately.

Find time, make time, every day to just do nothing. Don't work, don't read, no TV, preferably no talking. Just do nothing. The longer the period the better. Whatever you are not doing at the moment, will still be there when you start up again and I am pretty sure that Empires will not crumble and The four Horsemen will not start saddling up for the Apocalypse.

Taking time to goof off, to do nothing, is like hitting a reset button. When you start back, your mind will be clear and your body at ease. You will get back to your chores refreshed and working with a lot more efficiency. So go ahead. Goof off a bit. You have my permission and trust me, I won't tell a soul.

Bottled Water

Bottled water is still being consumed in ridiculous amounts. I would have thought that folks would have wised up by now. First, the plastic bottles are, at the current rate of consumption, going to cover the planet one day. Second, it, in almost all cases is just tap water, run through a simple filter (if that).

Simple filters will screen out larger particles, that is all. True, you will get rid of any sediment, but that is not the health concern. To filter out the harmful chemicals, such as lead, chlorine, fluorides, arsenic, etc. you need better filters.

What kind? Well, reverse osmosis is a popular choice. When used, you get roughly the equivalent of distilled water. In both distilled water and water processed by reverse osmosis, all minerals are stripped out. The down side? There are minerals in water that we need. Try raising a plant with distilled water. Unless you feed it heavily with a fertilizer containing trace minerals, it will not do well at all. You can drink completely pure water, but you best plan on taking some kind of mineral supplement.

The ideal filter is a mixed media filter. They selectively process the water, removing what you do not want and leaving what you do. If you are worried about water purity, look into this.

But, when it comes to bottled water, you are not getting anything but slightly filtered tap water. Buy a simple filter, and a re-usable plastic bottle, and pour your own. You will save much money and a lot of environmental wear and tear.

A Little Research Can Save You Money

I have been seeing ads on TV recently for a product called Superbeets that is said to increase blood flow by relaxing blood vessels, thus increasing stamina by improving the oxygen supply to muscles and nerves. It is also said to lower blood pressure. Sounded interesting but, it is not cheap, so I researched it. This is due to the presence of nitrates that promote the production of nitric oxide.

One great thing about the internet, and I have a lot of complaints in other areas, is how easy it makes simple research. Extensive research is another issue, but, for things like product backgrounds, it's great.

Well, it seems that increasing nitric oxide levels is beneficial, to  a degree and that beets do contain the appropriate nitrates. However, so do leafy green vegetable and, for reasons unexplained, simple walking also increases nitric oxide levels. Beet juice does seem to work especially well, and is most efficient when combined with walking and green leafy vegetable consumption.

So, given that the supplement is costly, and there seems to be no indication that it works better than the juices and raw vegetables, the sensible thing to do, and a far less expensive thing to do, is just use the raw products. You can buy juices, of decent quality in health store (and now, often, in grocery stores) or, just buy the vegetables and a juicer and make your own. And, of course walking is free. See, a little, simple research can save you money.

Finding Jobs - Be Careful

If you are out of work, the temptation is to grab the first job you are offered. Face it, sometimes you have no choice. But, try not to get in that place. When you start your job hunting, apply to several spots; give yourself some options.

In my last post, I gave a reminder; while the employer is interviewing you, you should be interviewing her/ him. You are going to be spending a good deal of your waking life working for this person. Do you find her/ him likable? You do not have to feel that you are going to become best buddies, but there should be at least a little rapport. Do you feel uneasy? If you are sure that this is not just your nerves, then do not discount that feeling. Mind you, paranoia is not a good idea, but trusting your instincts is and there are unpleasant folks out there.

Listen closely. I have heard potential employers say amazing things during interviews. I have heard anti-Semitic, racist, sexist, and homophobic remarks rear their nasty little heads during such interviews and, if they do, you should excuse yourself and leave.

Sometimes, I have seen interviewers interrupted by their staff, asked questions or asked to sign papers, that sort of thing, and, in those cases, pay attention.. Notice how they interact with employees. I have heard, in such instances, employers almost bite the head off the interrupter. That may be a clue that, no matter how well your interview is going, this might not be the job for you.

Does the interviewer seem nervous, ill tempered, reluctant to answer questions or give exact answers? You need to notice and consider these things. Remember. You do not have to take a job just because it is offered to you. Trust your observations and instincts.

Of course, if you are broke and the rent is due, you mat have to take a job even if you are fairly sure it will not work out. Okay, you have to do, what you have to do. Just, after staring that job, keep looking around. Be ready to move to another job as soon as you can. Do not become married to any job. Stay light on your feet and ready to move.

Job Hunting - Put On Your Best Face

I no longer work for anyone, so I no longer have to go job hunting, a frustrating and often humiliating task. You go round and round, filling out applications with the same information, over and over again. Even doing the applications on line is repetitive and mind numbing. Mailing or faxing resumes becomes a mechanical chore.

There is little as frustrating as going to a potential employer, filling out that application, attaching a resume, all the while thinking, 'this looks promising,' only to be told by the receptionist, 'I'll see that Mr. Jones gets this. He'll review them and be in touch.' Then, you're off to the next potential employer.

You know that, very likely, you have just been fed a bunch of BS, that there are countless applications in that office and that Mr. Jones will only see the applications that pass the screening of his receptionist. Worse still, you know that if you do all of this on line, it is not even a human who does the screening, it is a computer program (you do know that, don't you? If not, realize this, computers use programs that scan applications and/or resumes for key words. If yours lacks any one of them, sorry).

But, you have to find a job, so you persevere. Eventually, you will get a call back, or find the rare employer who actually deals with potential employees directly and you will be interviewed. This is your chance. Take advantage.

I have interviewed many potential employees and been through the process as the applicant more times than I care to remember. You have about 10 seconds to get the employers attention. In that brief time, he has made a judgment. Yes, he might change that judgment, given sufficient cause, but that very first impression is hard to shake.

First, dress well, but appropriately. If it is an office job, don't wear jeans. Likewise, don't wear a suit to a warehouse job. Second, before you approach the employer, take a few deep breaths; it helps you relax and focus. Try to get a good night's rest; you don't want to be dragging.

Make sure you're well groomed, hair neat, especially (guys) facial hair. Wear deodorant but go easy on colognes (or skip them altogether). Eat well, but stick to bland foods. You don't want onion breath, nor do you want a sour stomach. Go easy on caffeine; jittery is not good. And, don't drink a lot of liquid before the interview. It is a horrible feeling to, in the middle of trying to impress someone, realize that you really, really have to pee. Something else I shouldn't have to say, but I do; no chewing gum or breath mints.

I shouldn't have to say this, but from experience I know that I do. Do not drink alcohol before an interview. I don't care if the employer is drunk, he or she will not appreciate you showing up smelling of alcohol.

Be friendly, but don't overdo. The person interviewing is not looking for a new buddy. Be enthusiastic, but, again, moderately so; you don't know enough about the job yet. Ask questions, on a general level. If you get the job, then, you can get details. Most importantly, pay attention. Do not let your mind wander, it will be noticed and it will not look good.

Be honest. If you can do something, let it be known, but, if there are aspects of the job you are not really qualified for, admit it. You will be surprised at how many employers appreciate that and at how many employers are willing to work with you. After all, no one is skilled at everything. Remember this. If you get hired and then get fired because you cannot do the work, that looks a whole lot worse than not getting the job in the first place and it will be a lot more stressful on you.

Don't get overly personal. If asked, certainly you should talk a bit about yourself and your interests, but don't get carried away. On the other side of things, beware of any potential employer who wants to get to personal. An interview for a job is not the place for him/her to tell you his/hers woes and he/she has no business prying into your life at any depth.

That brings me to my last point. Not only is the potential employer interviewing you, you are interviewing them. Decide if you think you can work for this person. Of course, if you are flat broke and desperate, that doesn't matter. You have to get a paycheck coming in. But, even in that case, if you are hired, you can keep it in the back of your mind and keep putting out feelers about other jobs. Just because someone hires you, you don't have to pledge undying loyalty. Trust me, if they take a notion, they will dump you in a heartbeat.

Be confident, but not arrogant. Be alert and attentive, but not edgy and nervous. Be friendly but not fawning. Dress appropriately. Your job hunting, not hanging with your friends or going on a date. Getting a job is stressful there is no doubt about that, but, by using your head, you can greatly reduce that stress and get the job.

Back to School Time - Speak and Write English Properly

I read on line articles and blogs here and there and listen to people talking, and it seems that speaking and writing proper English has become something of a lost art. Now, when at home or when hanging out with friends, relax and speak in any way you are comfortable. As far as writing, I write some fiction and I have to have my characters speak in a way that is true to them.

But, in business situations, you really should be able to speak the language the way it is supposed to be spoken, especially when you first encounter new customers and/or new business associates. When you get to know them a bit, then things can relax a little, sometimes, but not always. Why is this important?

First, it let's others know that you have manners and respect and a decent education. Second, English is a pretty precise language. When you speak it properly, others should have no problem understanding what you mean. When you lapse into slang or sloppy grammar, meanings can get blurry and, in a great many situations, blurry meanings can lead to disastrous results.

In writing, it is even more essential to use the language properly. If you write clear, grammatically proper sentences, with subject, verb, adjectives and adverbs all properly positioned, your meaning will be clear. It is also vital that you understand tenses of verbs and the proper use of pronouns if you want others to know what you mean.

It seems that, somehow, kids are graduating from high school, and even college, without the skills required to effectively communicate in the English language. Reading, speaking, and writing your native language is a must if you want to get anywhere in the business world. I find it fascinating that very often Europeans, who have learned English as a second language, speak English far better than many Americans.

If you have trouble speaking, writing, or reading (especially reading) English, please do not be embarrassed. Instead, take a course or two. They are available on line, some for free, and in many communities  at night schools and community colleges. Just gaining skill in using the English language will help you in your search for decent jobs.

One last thing, and this is strictly a personal thought. The English language is beautiful when written and spoken properly. Learning English skills will open the whole world of literature to you, a world of new ideas, great adventures and explorations of what it means to be human.

Time is of The Essence

Time is something no one seems to have enough of. We all hurry and scurry frantically around and never seem to get enough done. The answer? It may seem paradoxical but, you simply need to slow down a little.

Let me explain. When you hurry too much and too often, you are not thinking clearly. Your brain will only move so fast. Now, it does move very fast but not instantaneously. Also, contrary to popular belief. multi-tasking is impossible. You cannot think of 2 things at once. Instead, your brain switches back and forth, at high speed, but you do not deal with 2 issues at once. That is an illusion. Now if you keep that up and especially if you keep adding tasks, trying to do several things at once, your brain, which is far from being perfect, will start getting tired and confused. Like an old fashioned Pin Ball machine when banged around too much,, it will finally say, "Tilt," and just stop, but, long before that, it will start making mistakes. Mistakes are inefficient, time and energy wasting.

If you slow down a bit, try to think one thing through before tackling the next, you will work more efficiently, and, as a result, you will find yourself with more time.

A lot of folks realize that but are pressured by bosses to stretch themselves thin. Here's what you do. Realize that  your unreasonable boss cannot watch your brain function.  Let your boss think that you are balancing everything at once, while, in fact, you are thinking through one task at a time. You will get good results and that is what bosses care about. If that boss continues to push, expecting more and more all the time, get a new boss. Believe me, if you work yourself to death, they will just replace you. Protect your mental and physical well-being.

Another way to function with more efficiency is to learn to take little mini-vacations throughout the day. Here and there, learn to shut your brain down, just for a minute or so. You can be in the middle of performing a task while letting yourself go for a very brief while. Call it meditation, prayer, day dreaming, wool gathering, whatever the name, just take a few deep breaths and take a quick trip to your happy place. You can picture your favorite place, your favorite, person. your pet cat, a flower, anything. You can chant, silently of course, a mantra, say a prayer, remember a funny saying or a snippet of a song. The point is to give your brain a break. When you do this, it is like hitting a reset button. The old garbage clears out and you find yourself refreshed. No one will be the wiser and you will feel a lot better. You feel better, you become more efficient and have more time. Warning: do not go away for too long. 30 seconds is refreshing, any longer and you might doze off.  Also do not close your eyes if anyone else is around, it's not necessary and you do not want to attract attention. And do not do this during an important meeting, that would be rude.

I promise you, learn these tricks and you will work more efficiently, have more time, and feel a whole lot better.

Plumbing - Part 3, Copper and Galvanized

You will be unlikely to deal a whole lot with  galvanized pipe. Generally, these are the bigger metal pipes running to your house. At some point, they tie into the meter that measures your water usage. On the street side of the meter, they belong to the water company. Don't even think of touching them. On your side of that meter, they are yours, but, they seldom, very seldom leak. On rare occasions, they may leak at a coupling. If so, try tightening it. If that doesn't work, you just take it all apart and replace it. Almost always, this is a threaded coupling. When you get ready to tighten it, first, paint the threads with pipe dope, just not too heavily and/or use plumbers tape. I like to use both. This will be difficult. You have to be careful you don't cross thread the fitting or, you will have to throw it out and star all over. You will definitely need a pipe wrench. Unless you have some time to spare and a lot of patience call a plumber.

Here and there, especially in older homes, you will have smaller galvanized pipes that other pipes thread onto. For example, an outside pipe that hoses and/or faucets hook to. Use the same procedures as above, and you will have no problems.

Copper pipe is common and fairly easy to repair. The procedure is just the same as PVC, with 2 exceptions. One, you will need a pipe cutter. You just set it, turn it, and you have a nice clean cut. You can use a hacksaw, but it's a bit more work. Also, copper is fairly soft and you run the risk of bending or crimping it. Then you have more work. The tubing cutter is cheap, so buy one. The second difference from PVC is that you solder copper, not glue it. Make sure you have smooth edges. Use a small torch (you can but them at any hardware store). Remember, the hottest pert of the flame is the outer edge. You want that edge near the pipe and be careful. You want the pipe hot, not melted. When it's hot, you touch the solder to the pipe and move it around the pipe until your connection is sealed. You want a seal, but you don't want to gob the solder on. You absolutely must wait until the pipe is completely dry before you solder. There are  copper compression fittings and sometimes you can use them; just be careful tightening them because, again, copper  is soft and you don't want to crimp it

If you have never soldered, I would recommend you get some pipe and fittings and play with it until you get the hang of it. Also, be careful doing this in tight areas or you run the risk of setting something on fire. Also, if you use gas anywhere in your house, make very sure you have no gas leaks before you start using torches. As always, if you are uncomfortable or uncertain about any of this, call a plumber.

Plumbing, Part 2, PVC

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is an amazing substance that has made many plumbing jobs relatively easy. You do no soldering, which makes life simpler.

First, you will see many different thicknesses of PVC, called schedules. In repairs, use the same one you are replacing. If you are unsure what that is, ask the folks at your supply house. Note: pipe carrying hot water may call for CPVC. Do not substitute regular. The pipe may melt a bit and PVC, when heated gives off a toxic chemical, plus, it stinks.

If you have a leaky pipe, they do wear out, or coupling, you have to cut out the section it is in. A hacksaw will work fine. If you are using a lot of PVC, you may invest in a PVC cutter. One problem: sometimes, especially indoors, you will have little room to work. Buy a string saw, a piece of cable with handles. Just wrap it tight, move it quickly back and forth, and the pipe will cut like butter. Make your cuts neat.

You need to always measure carefully. How much you cut out depends on how big the leak is and what kind of coupling you use. If you have a lot of room. say in a sprinkler system, slip couplings are cheapest and work fine. Make sure you have enough pipe to fit deeply into the coupling. You may have to fight a bit to get the last coupling in place because you have to bend both sections of pipe until you can push the last end into the coupling, but, if you are careful and have room, it's not that bad.

If lacking room, consider an expansion coupling or compression coupling. They are a little more costly but better than driving yourself crazy fighting with pipes. An expansion coupling is just what it sound like. It slips on one end of a pipe; you glue a coupling to the other end and it telescopes into position. A compression coupling is a tube that fits over the gap in a pipe. Before you insert that, there are 2 ends that screw on, each with a gasket. Put one on each piece of pipe, position the tube and tighten the screw on pieces; the gaskets will make the fitting water tight. Do not over tighten; I have done that and cracked the fittings. Also, tighten one end a bit, then the other, switch back and forth until both are tight. Do not completely tighten one first. With a car tire, you do not tighten one lug nut completely before tightening the next. Treat this coupling g the same way.

You will, here and there, need to attach threaded couplings. One end glues to the pipe. A female coupling is threaded on the inside, the male on the outside. In other words, the male screws into the female, as should be expected. You will see many kinds of bends, 45 degree, 90 degree, Y couplings; just use the same sa what you are replacing. Same goes for bushings which are used when the pipe changes diameter. There are also flex coupling which are quite handy for certain uses.

Gluing pipe is a bit tricky. First, you must treat both the pipe and the coupling. Sand both until slightly rough, then apply PVC Cleaner; do not skip this step. It makes the PVC tacky and receptive to the glue. Then sand again. There is a PVC primer. I only used it on pipes that were going to be under a lot of pressure, but really, you should always use it. Both cleaner and primer cans come with applicators and you just spread them lightly and evenly. Let the cleaner dry and scuff the pipe before using primer/ Important note: PVC Cleaner is acetone. Do not breathe in a lot of it and definitely do not smoke around it. Also, don't get it in cuts, believe me, it burns.

Make sure your pipe is clean when you start gluing.

There are 3 basic glues, each with pluses and minuses. Gray glue: plus; it dries slowly so you have time to work. Minus; it dries slowly, so you cannot turn on the water for a while, several hours. Clear glue; minus; it dries super fast so you can turn on the water right away. Minus; it dries super fast so you need to really be on the ball or it will start setting before you are through and you will have to clean it all off and start again. Both gray and clear glue require a completely dry surface, so the pipes will have to drain completely. There is a blue glue, sometimes called Raintight. You can glue wet pipe with this (it is better if it is dry, but it does pretty good on wet pipe). Also it dries quickly, but not instantly, so you have a reasonable amount of time to work and you can turn the water back on in an hour or so. All glues come with applicators. Paint the inside of the coupling and the end of the pipe thoroughly but not heavily (you just have to try this until you get the hang of it but, you'll learn quickly). As you insert the pipe into the coupling. twist it, about 180 degrees, if possible. This will ensure that the glue is evenly distributed.

If all this sounds complicated, it really isn't. Like many things, once you try it, you get the hang of it quickly. One last note. Try not to get it on your clothes, the glue will not come off. Unfortunately, you will likely get it on your hands (I tried working with gloves but it just didn't work). When you do, get it off as soon as possible. wash your hands in the PVC cleaner to soften the glue (but remember, if you have any little cuts, it will burn). Then use any pumice based soap. such as Lava, or any of the soaps sold for mechanics (there are several and you can get them at places like Home Depot).

Learning to do simple PVC repair can save you a bit of money and really isn't too hard, so give it a try. Have fun.

Plumbing, Part 1

I have been remiss in giving home repair tips, so I am going to do a brief series on plumbing repairs you can do at home. First, things a home plumber should not attempt.

Do not re-plumb your air conditioning (central air, window units are not worth repair, just buy a new one). It is illegal. You are working with pipes containing coolants, highly regulated substances, so call a professional. Second, do not work on pipes carrying natural gas. If you make the slightest mistake, you will blow yourself and your house up and, that's no fun at all.

Do not attempt to run all new pipes. You will find that at certain points you must change the diameter of the pipes and knowing when is the job of a contractor. Do it yourself and you might wind up with little more than a trickle in you shower.

However, it is easy to fix a simple drip, and not to hard to fix a broken pipe. Replacing a toilet flapper or a fluid master is easy. Even replacing a toilet is, while a lot of work, not too complicated. Replacing a shower head is simple and repairing or replacing faucets is fairly simple.

The main thing is to look at what you are repairing and think. When you are done, everything should look pretty much the same, so just keep that mental picture in mind.

Often, you will find connections that are threaded, various nuts and screws, and,  quite often, these will not be easy to loosen. Do not start trying to play King Kong and force the issue. Get yourself some WD40, spray the connection thoroughly, then tap it a couple of time, firmly, but not too hard, with a small hammer or even the back of your wrench. Then wait 5 minutes or so. The connection should loosen up. If not, keep trying it. If it just won't give, the threading might be stripped; that would be the fault of whoever worked on it last. If it is, you will have to cut the connection out and the repair becomes more complex. If at that point, you want to call a plumber, that is understandable and fine. But, if you want to keep doing-it-yourself, there are some steps to take, and we will get into that over the next few posts.

I want to say a few words about the tools you should be using and about patience. A good, fairly large pair of channel lock pliers will usually do the trick for most home repairs but a Stillson wrench also called a pipe wrench, gives a better grip on the connection. If the wrench starts slipping on that connection, slow down and be careful. You run the risk of chewing the whole thing up so badly that you will not be able to continue getting the wrench to grip. Do not get in a rush. Also, sometimes, okay, often, you will not have a lot of room to work in. If that is true, you just have to go slow. Sometimes, you sill only move things a fraction of an inch at a time before you have to rest your wrench. Sorry, there is no way around that. Just remember, a plumber would have to go just as slow, and he would be charging you for all of that time.

Next, post, PVC.

Learn To Duck

Times are downright weird, that is undebatable. If you have a nice secure job that you love (okay, love may be too strong a word, let's try 'find tolerable', instead), count yourself lucky and hang on for dear life. But, trust me, I know from hard earned personal experience, that nothing is secure. That is just how the World is, and things are especially shaky now.

So, the smart and practical person learn how to duck. When trouble rears its head, you need to be ready to move quickly. There are a few things you can do.

First and most important, relax. If you are all uptight, your vision and reflexes will not be at their best. It is easy to freeze when the unexpected arises and you cannot afford to waste time. Just remember, you are smart and like a cat jumping from a tree, you will land on your feet, if you do not tense up.

Second, try, try very hard, to keep caught up on your bills. Nothing is worse than having troubles when you are deep in debt. Stay away from credit, pay down your car and house as quickly as possible. You do not have to live like a monk, but do try to avoid most unnecessary expenditures.

Third, if possible, find a way to bring in some extra money and put that away. Even a few hours a week helps. If you do not want a part time job working for someone else, start something of your own. Use your imagination, If you like to write, try your hand at that. If you like gardening, open a small business doing that. Clean houses, deliver newspapers, deliver phone books (I made some much needed money doing that one summer and it wasn't bad), anything. Again, you need not work 24/7 but those few extra dollars help. And, that part time work leads me to point  four.

Fourth, whatever you are doing, learn to do something else. The economy is changing rapidly and a field that had many job openings one year, may have none the next. Learn to be flexible. You can never have too many job skills and being able to work in any of several fields gives you a better chance of staying employed.

Eventually, in everyone's life, there comes a point when the crap hits the fan. The smart, practical person is always ready to duck.

Trade Schools

I don't work anymore, at least not at a regular scheduled job, so I seldom look at job listings. Recently, for some reason, I glanced at some listings and was not surprised by what I saw. There are jobs, just not a lot of good ones. If you have to work, you will find something if you are diligent in your search.

However, surely you want to do more than just get by. Now, if you really want to make it, I would recommend you stay away from business training. Think a minute. You have countless graduates leaving colleges with business degrees. The market is saturated. Same thing for IT work. Yes, that training will get you a job but, with more people trained for that,  the harder it is to get a job and the less it will pay.
Hospitality and food service, hotels, restaurants, etc. are areas where you can always find work and believe me, you will work. the pay is low, the stress is high and, having done it, I would stress the fact that these jobs are not for everyone. Some love it, but you should know, you will not be well paid until you work your way up to management. upper management.
Health care is another employment option where you will always find a job if you have the right training but, it is another area that has a lot of qualified people so, again, the wages won't be very high.

There are some areas that always need workers and, since too many young people overlook trade schools, there are always openings and good wages. Welding, tool and die, plumbing, carpentry (finish carpentry and cabinet making), electrician, car repair, air conditioning, refrigeration. All of these jobs require training and there are schools to get that training. Usually, the cost for these programs is not very high and once you are qualified, you will always have a job, a good one.

If those trades are not for you, consider another option, one that requires training, but not a 4 year degree. Many community colleges offer programs in the areas of medical technology and biotechnology, in other words, lab work. There are openings in these fields that pay well. You may never get rich, but you will be comfortable.

To young people out there: if you don't feel that you want to go through a 4 year college program, get yourself into a community college or trade school program. The costs usually are not high, you can go and still have time for a part time job to keep money coming in and the programs generally don't take that long to complete. Think about it.

Stay Calm and Stay Efficent

When you are working, or just when you are living, the unexpected happens. Some freak accident, some unforeseen situation, an unwanted interruption. Your whole routine, your basic plan, is suddenly upset.

All of us deal with this in our own ways. Some yell and curse (always my favorite), some hold it in  and fuss and fume for hours, some just quit and walk off. Occasionally, some will resort to throwing things and slamming walls, or simply breaking things. Now, be honest, all of us do one or all of these things from time to time.

None of these are effective. True, you might feel a minutes relief but, when you're done, you still have the same problem. Actually, by the time you settle down, the problem may be worse.

All of us need to find a quick and efficient way to deal with such frustrations. I know of one (no, not having a quick drink or two. I've tried that and it and generally makes things worse). There is a simple technique and if you just trust it, you'll be back at it in seconds, calm and ready to go.

Simply breathe deeply. Deep breath in, hold briefly, then out. Do that 10 times, concentrating on nothing but feeling the flow of air, in and out of your lungs. I guarantee that you will calm right down and feel a whole lot better.

When you are calm, you function more efficiently. It is great to get excited when you are doing fun things but excitement over a problem  with a job is ineffective, in fact detrimental. So, learn to take a few deep breaths and just chill out.

Stay Away From The Stock Market

We all like making money and the Stock Market seems, to some, to be a good way to do that. Maybe, at times, but not at this time.

I am not an economist or any sort of financial whiz but I come from a long line of gamblers and con men. I know when someone is trying to hustle me. The current rise in the Market to record highs is a scam. Do not get caught in it.

There are no reasons for the Market to keep rising. The economy, as shown by the last GCP report, is sluggish. Unemployment figures are manipulated. For example, if you do not look for a job in 4 weeks, you are dropped from the unemployment roles. If you take a part time job, you are dropped from the rolls. The real unemployment figures are around 20%,  higher if you are black or Latin and sky high for all young people. This is not to mention those who have settled for low paying jobs that don't pay the bills.

Inflation rates are said to be low. That is true in some areas but food medicine and housing, especially rental housing, are through the roof. Senior citizens are getting no cost of living increases.

Add into that the fact that the payments for Obamacare are eating into family budgets and the rates are going up. Top that off with the massive debts young people are coming out of college with. The economy is not good, not at all. Yet, the Market keeps climbing.

There was a big drop right after the Brexit, the the rapid climb began. Now, there was absolutely no reason for that drop except that the Media went into a frenzy of doom saying. The investors saw the prices drop and bought low. Soon, they will sell and reap huge profits. At the same time, prices will drop and, once again, the average investor will be the one hurt, and hurt badly.

Do not gamble your money on Stocks. You may as well take a trip to Florida, head to Gulfstream Racetrack and put it all on the longest shot in the first race.

Preventative Maintenance

There are a few things I know. Problems will not fix themselves. Small problems will get worse. And, it is far better to prevent problems from developing. The answer, Preventative Maintenance.

How do you do that? Simple. First, periodically, say once a month or so, look around your property. If you are an apartment dweller, just take a glance around. Do you see any frayed wiring? Is your refrigerator making strange noises? Is the air conditioner acting erratically, or,  more importantly, does it have a lot of built up moisture. While you're at it, change or clean that AC filter. If it's cold out, check your heat source. Make sure you are seeing no drips around your washer and dish washer and, if either is rattling or clunky, get them checked out.

Do you see any little water spots on your ceiling? Apartment dwellers, call your maintenance staff  and bug them until they look at it. Home owners, if you are able, and feel comfortable doing it, check out your roof. If not, call a roofer. Small repairs are quick and cheap. Large ones are not.

Keep your roof's gutters unclogged. If you live where there are serious storms, keep trees properly pruned. If you have a nice garden, check your sprinklers every week or so; it is easier, and, again, cheaper than having to replant parts of your garden or lawn. If you have a swimming pool check the chemicals daily and the flow rate weekly. Once a pool is out of balance, it can be nightmarish to rebalance it.

If your toilet is not flushing correctly, go ahead and fix it and, if you are a home owner, periodically have your drain lines cleaned, either by machine or with one of the many chemical drain cleaners available. I am sure you will not enjoy having your toilets back up.

Take care of your car. Check fluids once a week and do not skip scheduled maintenance, such as oil changes, belt replacement and tune ups. Do not ignore any little drips you see. They may indicate a serious problem.

Most of all, keep your property and belongings clean and neat. People will be surprised just how much this will improve the functioning of autos, appliances and your home in general. Preventative Maintenance does not have to be a huge chore. Just, on a routine basis, give your place a few minutes attention and you will save yourself a world of time, expense and aggravation.

Using Ladders

I have seen many, many folks suffer injuries, ranging from minor scrapes to permanent back problems, because they did not use their head when using ladders, If I dwell on accident prevention it is because, as a practically minded individual, I know that accidents cost people a whole lot of money and aggravation. Hurting yourself is going to mean lost work, which means lost pay and it is also going to cost you time spent enjoying your life. I have hurt my back so badly that I could not even sleep without taking a substantial quantity of drugs.

First, make sure your ladders are stable. If the have loose rungs or wobble, fix them or replace them Second, make sure they are long enough. If you have to climb to the very top rung, you know, the one marked 'do not stand here,' then do not use that ladder for that job. This even applies to those little step stools we use around the house.

Whenever possible, if you are using anything more than say a ten foot ladder, have someone steady the ladder, especially if you are carrying tools or supplies. I know, at work, your boss may say no to that and if that happens, do your job, and start scouting around for another. Yes, we all need that paycheck, but in the long run, an accident is going to cost you a lot. If you are on good terms with your boss, and he is generally reasonable, you may want to gently remind him that if you are injured, his workman's  comp insurance is going through the roof.

If you are working on scaffolding,, you will be given a harness. If you do not wear it, you are an idiot. Make sure, when working on ladders or scaffolding, that you are wearing appropriate shoes. I have seen guys painting their houses on weekends, wearing flip flops. This is amazingly dangerous, not to mention hard on the feet.

If you are setting up a long extension ladder, insist on help. I saw a guy doing that alone on a windy day. A gust turned it in his hands and he spent several months recovering from his back injury.

Used carefully, ladders are perfectly safe. Well, reasonably safe, anyway; odd things happen occasionally no matter how many precautions you take. However, you must take all of those precautions. Do not hurt yourself.

Emergency Preparedness

Hurricane season is here, California is having earth tremors and before you know it, snow and blizzards will set in. It is simple to be ready for any emergency. I, having grown up in S. Florida, hurricane zone, have a bit of practice at this, so let me give a few pointers.

Loss of electricity is likely. It may be a few hours, or days.  After Hurricane Andrew, power was out in some areas for a couple of weeks. Generators are great but, if things are bad, you may have trouble getting gasoline. If you use a generator, use it sparingly. Propane grills are excellent, but, you better have extra tanks. A plain old charcoal grill is a great idea and charcoal is cheap and easy to store.
Make sure you only use grills outdoors, away from buildings. I have heard of people setting them up inside and dying of carbon monoxide poisoning. I have known people who set them up on their porch and burned their house down.

Water is vital and you do not want to be one of those people standing in line for hours to get a case of bottled water. I do not approve of using bottled  water for every day use, the disposal of all that plastic is a n awful problem. However, having 2 or 3 cases around for emergencies only, is a fine idea. Or, you can buy hard plastic or glass jugs, like you would use for tea or juice, and just fill them with water from the tap. You cannot have enough water on hand and you must drink water.

Toilets can be a problem if the water is shut off (this sometimes happens during severe hurricanes). If you have room, fill a few 5 gallon buckets and keep them handy. Just pour water into your tank, from the top, and you will be able to flush. Note: when the danger is past, empty those buckets, unless you want to breed mosquitoes.

Food may not be available as grocery stores may be damaged. Keep some canned food around. Tuna, salmon, chicken, and ham are good as are beans. You do not want to have to heat up the grill every time you're hungry so stay away from canned chili, spaghetti and soups unless you like to eat them cold. Crackers keep better than bread (if it's hot and humid, it will mold). Dry foods, such as nuts and fruits are a great idea. Remember, you are not eating for pleasure. These are emergencies and you are in survival mode. You see advertised, dry meals; just add boiling water and eat. That is great, but again, if you have no power and no grill, they are useless.

If you are on any medications, try to have some in stock. Keep a well stocked, reasonably extensive first aid kit. Make sure you have a good fire extinguisher; the fire department may have trouble getting to you. If you live in hurricane zones, the winds will stir up rotting vegetation and you will want something on hand to deal with allergies and sinus issues. Also, at certain times of year, you will be advised to keep something like Off away. There will be no air conditioning and with the windows open, mosquitoes will be ready to feast on you.

Make sure you have a basic, minimal tool kit handy, just because you never know what you might need

If you have advanced warning, fill your car's gas tank, and, if possible, fill a couple of 5 gallon cans with gas( store them safely, in a fairly well ventilated area). You do not want to be sitting in 2 mile long lines at the gas station. Also, keep some cash on hand as ATMs and banks may be shut down for awhile.

One last thing. You will do yourself know good if you sit and brood. Keep some non electronic pastimes on hand. A few books and a deck of cards will do.

I sincerely hope you never go through an extreme emergency, but they do happen. A little planning, and you'll come through just fine.

Get a Grip on Your Weight

Many of us are fat and, many of the rest are too darn thin. This causes a world of health problems and health problems create a loss in quality (and often quantity) of life. They are also expensive. So, the practical thing to do is get a grip on your weight.

We all do not have to look like super models or Olympic swimmers, but we all should strive to have a reasonable weight. If you are too fat, you are going to feel sluggish, stress your circulatory system and, especially as you age, have a bunch of aches and pains. I can certainly testify to the latter. I am, now a bit heavy. In the past, I have lapsed into obese and spent many years wavering between fat and chunky. I have arthritis and I am sure that my weight has contributed and, in recent years has caused unnecessary pain. I am now, slowly, getting rid of excess baggage. I stress slowly because losing weigh too fast is not a good idea and, even if it works, the results will be temporary. You cannot stay on a diet  your whole life, nor should you. You also, should stay away from any fad diet, all quick loss weight loss pills (they're usually mostly caffeine) and there is no need to send away for pre-packaged meals (they are expensive).

The answer is simple; eat less and exercise more. You lose weight when you burn more calories than you eat. It is that simple. You do not need to count calories; if you eat less and are still not losing weight, you need to eat even less or exercise more or both. You do not have to hire a personal trainer or head to the gym; walk more, ride a bike, do some old fashioned calisthenics, work in the garden, chase the family dog around the back yard, anything that gets you moving.

You will lose weight. It will be slow. You need to eat a balanced diet, with small amounts of each food group. Do not eliminate fats, carbs, or proteins. You need some of each, just cut the amounts. If you get a little hungry between meals, a small snack, very small, of nuts, crackers, cheese, fruit, yogurt are good ideas; just a bite or two. Note: if, during these hunger spell, you feel faint, shaky and mentally weird, you may be a bit hypoglycemic. Eat a high protein snack and get to a doctor as this may cause serious problems and may have underlying causes. If you go out to  dinner are a party and overdo things, do not beat yourself up. Just start back the next day and move on.

As for being underweight, I have no experience with that, but, everyday, I see people, usually young women, who are so thin they look sickly. Obviously, they should eat more but, I am told that they have body image difficulties and see themselves as fat. In those cases, there needs to be some sort of counselling available. If there is none, or, as is often the case, it is not affordable, I suppose the best thing is for family and friends to be supportive and loving and try to reason, gently, with the individual. I mention girls here because I see this extreme thinness most often in them and hear it mentioned more often as a female problem. I imagine there are males with the same problem and I would think they should be treated the same. In any case, the individual should see a doctor and make sure there are no underlying conditions.

We are a culture bombarded with images, in advertising and entertainment, of slender, athletic young men and women. You do not have to look like that but, for your own health and well being, neither should you look like Homer Simpson.      

Health Tip - Be Careful with Farm Raised Seafood

I think the idea of farm raised seafood is wonderful. The oceans are fished out and must be allowed to rest awhile and regenerate, yet many of us love seafood. Farm raising seafood is a great idea.

But, fish, shrimp etc. are easily contaminated, especially some that are often farmed. For example, catfish and shrimp both are scavengers and will eat anything.

Now, American and European aquatic farms are fairly well regulated and their products safe, reasonably. The same cannot be said of other countries. I have seen films of fish farms from various parts of the world and they are nightmarish. They are raising their fish and shellfish in a nasty mess of near sewage, they are far too overcrowded and, really, the only way they stay productive is by adding enormous amounts of hormones, pesticides and antibiotics.

I once got sick by eating tainted shrimp, imported from Thailand. I felt like the character in Alien who had the monster bursting out of his stomach and was sick for a week.

Retailers are required to mark where farm raised seafood was grown. Please, do yourself a favor and buy American. It is far safer, and besides, it is a good way to support American businesses and workers.

Planning

We can all save a lot of time and energy with just a little planning. I do not mean writing out long, elaborate lists full of details. Just give your day a bit of thought.

Say you need to go shopping for groceries. Before you run off, stop and make a mental list of the basic things you need. Also, think about what other shops are in the area. Maybe you can make a stop at the bank or post office while you're in the area. If you need a new shirt, maybe there's a department store nearby. Anything in the area that you need? Stop in before you get those groceries. You will be surprised how much time you save. It beats getting home and realizing that you have to go right back out. You also save wear and tear on your vehicle and, if traffic is heavy, you save wear and tear on your nerves.

At work, stop a minute before you leap into a job. Do you have all of your materials and data on hand. Is there any thing related to the specific job that you can take care of at the same time. I have often started doing a repair and found that while doing that, I could do a bit of preventative maintenance  at the same time.

Now, the thing about plans is you must be flexible. It is a good idea to do a bit of planning but, you have to accept the fact that situations change, sometimes in a matter of seconds. I have known folks who planned so thoroughly that when things changed, they were lost.

Still, I urge you to do a bit of planning before you start anything. You will save time, money and energy and who doesn't like that.

A Cheap Refreshing Drink for Hot Summer Days

I learned this trick when I was working in a school kitchen. Take a large container. 2 gallons is good, but it should be at least 1 gallon. You are going to add a small amount of finely cut fruit or chopped herbs (or berries or cucumber). Fill with water and refrigerate for a couple of hours. You will have a nicely flavored, healthy, almost calorie free drink.

For example: thinly slice one orange, peel and all, or 2 lemons and/or limes.
                      a thin sliced cucumber with peel aand a quarter cup or so of chopped mint or
                      10 thin sliced strawberries with a quarter cup chopped mint 

You get the idea. Just a small amount of flavoring, you're not making juice, just adding some taste to your water. Of course, the better the water the better the flavor but, really, just tap water works fine.

This is called spa water and I think you may be surprised at how tasty and refreshing it is. We served it to kids used to soda and sweet drinks (ie lemonade and energy drinks) and they loved it. Refreshing, great taste, and not enough calories to count. You can't beat it.

Stop Wasting Time Complaining

We all complain. When there is a job to do, whether at home or your job, it is all too human to complain. We sit around and bemoan the fact that we have to do this and that and fuss over how much of our time is spent at our tasks. I did it and I am sure all of you do it. If you don't, then you are in the minority.

One day, I had an epiphany. I realized that I might be spending more time and energy fussing about what I had to do than I did actually doing it. Well, I thought, that can't be true but, as a test, I started keeping track of each job that day. O actually timed how long I spent complaining and how long it took to do the job and, guess what? I was wasting a lot of time and energy on uselessly complaining.

To further the test, I watched my co-workers and found that they too, were spending way too much time kvetching. Then, I applied the same test at home, with the same results.

Just do your work. You're going to have to so it anyway so why waste your time and energy. If your boss has a difficult job for you, just get to it. You'll have a happier boss, you can move onto easier work and you won't be as tired and grumpy.

If you're asked to do an unpleasant task at home, get to it. Everyone, including you, will be happier and home life will be smoother. You will have more time for fun.

So stop complaining. It is in your best interest.

Food - Simple Can Be Great

We all love to eat. In fact, we generally eat too much. That aside, we often make a really big deal out of meals. Cooking shows and recipe books are filled with elaborate meals involving exotic ingredients and multiple steps. That is fine, on occasion, but it is just too much for everyday life.

Often, as an alternative, we turn to take out and frozen food. Again, that is fine, here and there, but a steady diet of that is boring and pricey.

As a third alternative, we often turn to, well, junk. Boxed mac and cheese, spaghetti, hot dogs, stuff like that. Now, such foods are cheap, and, as with any food, alright at times, but they lack nourishment.

There are alternatives, simple, tasty easy meals. The simplest are the ones you cook in one pot, stews, soups, etc. You can put darn near anything you want in them, add water or broth, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer. In one pot, you cook your meat, veggies, and carbs and it always comes out tasty.

One example is a simple dish, the kind once known as peasant food. If that is an accurate description, then I proudly declare that I am a peasant. I am talking about beans and rice. Just cooks some beans in water, if you want to start with dry beans, but, I am lazy and use canned beans. Any kind, they are all good. Add some meat, bacon, sausage, ham hocks, or, if watching your fat intake, smoked turkey. Add onions, peppers (hot, sweet or both), garlic, rice and let it simmer. Or, use potatoes instead, For more flavor, add a can of dice tomatoes. You can also add celery, cabbage, whatever you want. Just let it simmer for a while and you have an excellent, health, tasty meal.

Really you can put just about anything you want in the pot and it will come out well. If you have a crock pot, life is even easier since you can put it on before you go to work and it will be perfect when you get home. There you have it, good, healthy, simple and very inexpensive.

The Internet

Right now, as I am writing this, our cable and internet are out. They're doing work in the area and I have no idea how long this will take. I can live without TV, but I find myself a bit adrift without the internet. For example, I cannot post what I am writing. I am apartment huntinng and it's darn hard to do that these days without going on line. I am looking for book and magazine publishers to send my work to and I cannot even check my bank account. Now, I am not as dependent on my computer as some folks, but this little down spell is making me aware of just what a disaster it would be if the internet went away suddenly.

And, it might. There have been cyberattacks and there will be more. There are environmental disasters and we have been darn lucky that nothing catastrophic has hit.

So, I am beleiving more and more, that we should begin weaning ourselves away from technological dependence. Keep some paper and pencils around in case you can't access a calculator. Make sure you have phone numbers in order if, one day, you can't email. Back up any important files and print out the information; just store it away. You may never need it but, if you do, you'll be very glad you have it.

Remember, if you lose your internet connections, that will include that smart phone and you probably won't want to roam the neighborhoods looking for a free signal to hitch to.

If you also lose your cable, and often they are bundled together, you better have some ways to entertain yourself. For ideas, I invite you to look at one of my other blogs, Entertainment and Pastimes. The link is near the bottom of this page.

Actually, losing the internet may, ultimately be a kind of mixed blessing, forcing us to get off our rears and do things. Now, if we lost our electricity, that would not be fun, especially since the air conditioner would be off and it is supposed to hit 100 today. Oh well, one day that may happen, but I sure hope it's in the winter.