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.