Category Archives: Health

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Don’t Jump In The Water!

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June has just begun now, and the weather has warmed up. With that, the water beckons.

But don’t jump in yet! Unless you live in the tropics or near the tropics, chances are, the water hasn’t yet caught up to the air as far as warming goes.

Generally, the water in lakes and rivers takes longer to warm up from the summer sun than the air does. Where I live, when it first warms up significantly, people head for the nearby rivers and lakes. Unfortunately many jump in and some drown, sometimes even if they are excellent swimmers. This is because of the shock effect of the cold water. This can be exacerbated if the difference between air and water temperature is great. The coldness can easily paralyze the best swimmers if they jump in and are unaware of the temperature difference. In many areas, the water is made colder still if it is coming down from mountain areas that often still have quite a bit of melting snow on them, as in my area.

So, when is it safe to jump in? Well, it depends. Often, in areas where this is a problem, the local weather people on the local news will talk about this. In my area, it is usually late June to early July before the local rivers warm up enough to make jumping in not as dangerous. Of course, that doesn’t mean one should be reckless, as there are still other dangers, such as rip currents , undertows, and underwater obstacles. But, with common sense and a little checking with those who know, you can go and enjoy your local river and lake.

Have a great and safe summer!

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And thanks for reading! 🙂

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Don’t be a Hoarder! or Do You Really Need All That Stuff?

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We’ve probably all know someone like this, or it may even be some of us! You know who they, or you, are. People who cannot seem to throw anything away, get rid of old unused items, or clear space.

There’s even a show on TV about them. I believe it’s called “Hoarders“.

I think we all have a tendency to hoard things. I have been guilty to some extent, but I am more careful now, and I’ve never come anywhere close to the extremes I’ve seen others go to. I do have a limit. I see a pile of paper growing, consisting of coupons and advertisements that I think I may be interested in, only to find I’m not using them. So, after the pile gets to a certain height, about 1-2 inches, I go through it and discard most, if not all, of it.

I’ve also become more careful about buying things, or rather, not buying things that I really don’t need. And when I do replace something, I either give the old item away or sell it at a local flea market.

But some people, including some I know or have known, go to much further extremes than a 2 inch high pile of papers. One person I knew kept his place very neat and organized, but kept every paper that he ever received from any source. As a result, his place was greatly crowded with tall stacks of paper and boxes, to the point where you could only get through his place single file!

Another person I know had tons of old magazines and articles and his place was a real mess. The stuff was piled on top of a table and he slept under it!

Another person I know had a garage full of items and absolutely no room for even a Smart car!

Then there are other people I have known who had apartments crowded with things they didn’t use and also were renting storage spaces for even more things that they didn’t use!

All of this hoarding makes their places cramped and much less enjoyable, and, for those who are renting storage spaces, it is costing them money. All for a vast majority of items that they no longer need. And if they move, all those extra items mean a lot of extra work to move them to the new home or apartment!

Plus, this can be a safety hazard. I have heard of people dying in their homes when piles of stuff fell and buried them. Really!

One of the hoarders I knew kept every receipt for every purchase they ever made!

Now, of course it is a good idea to keep a receipt for a major purchase for a time, at least until the warranty runs out, but keeping a receipt for a burger and fries you ate 10 years ago is just plain crazy!

Now, some hoarders do change. The people with the garage finally decided to clean it out, to everyone’s immense surprise. And, it was only the garage that they had filled with items. The house was always in good order and clutter free.

My advice, if you don’t have clutter, don’t start! Think about what you’re buying and keep the emotion at bay. Yes, this can be hard at times, and yes, I’ve let emotion make me buy things I didn’t need, but try to keep emotion at bay. It will save you time and money.

If you do have clutter, go through it, a little at a time. Try not to look at the whole “pile”, as it may look too daunting and make you give up. Just take a little at a time, and go through it, and really ask yourself if you really need that item, and does it really mean that much to you?.

Yes, it may be your favorite aunt’s hat. But, if you have a picture of her, isn’t that much more meaningful? And if the hat is not being used, and especially if it is in storage, why are you keeping it?

That little at a time may not seem like much, but if you work at it consistently, maybe once a day or once every other day, you’ll see a significant clutter reduction by the end of the week. And maybe you won’t need to rent that storage space! And the space you’ll free up will give you that bigger place you’ve been yearning for, without the rent increase!

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Good luck, and thanks for reading!  🙂

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Don’t Fall!

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Well, fall is here and with it, in my area, the rain. And an increased awareness of slippery surfaces, which ice may add to in the coming winter months.

And an increased risk of slipping and falling. Of course, there is always a risk of falling, but, I’ve become aware of surfaces when the weather turns wet.

Now, the reason I am more aware of this is, I distribute flyers door to door and I come across all kinds of surfaces once I leave the common sidewalk. Many people have wooden steps, or brickwork, or painted surfaces.

During the drier summer months, there are fewer slippery surfaces, and my shoes will grip the vast majority of these different surfaces just fine. But in wet weather, this can change. And, while most of you may not do as much walking on the job as I do, you will still be walking sometime, and in wet or inclement weather eventually.

So here’s what I found to watch for.

Wood. As I now tell myself, “Watch out for that wood!”. I’ve found that wet wooden surfaces can be as good as ice when it comes to slipperiness! Now, a lot depends on the type of wood used and how, and with what, it was treated. Sometimes there’s no problem, and other times, I really have to watch my step. So, when I see a wooden surface on someone’s walkway, I step over it, or, if I can’t avoid stepping on it, I test it out with one foot first and walk gingerly and slowly.

Painted surfaces. Again, it depends on the kind of paint. Even stepping on a painted curb where the paint has not yet begun to fade, can be very slippery. So can the painted stairs of older houses. And, you don’t have to be entering a person’s residential property to encounter this. Some malls and shopping centers and other entertainment venues can sometimes sport decorated sidewalks that are smoothed out with paint. A shopping mall I know of had to change its sidewalk design because it was very slippery when wet!

Brickwork. This can vary, too. If the bricks are smooth and new, they can also become a very slippery walk when wet.

Extra smooth concrete surfaces. Sometimes people’s driveways are like this, or they may have a walkway that is made to be like cobblestones, with the stones rounded and very smooth. This too can be very slippery.

Moss or leaf covered surfaces. I’m in an area where the leaves fall in the fall, and where moss is prevalent. And, these, too, can create slip and fall hazards. Also, so can sidewalks under fruit bearing trees.

And just so you know, I usually wear trail runner type shoes when I walk on the job. And I have nearly slipped and fallen a few times.

So, if you’re out for a walk, on a short shopping jaunt, or visiting a friend’s house, just be aware of what you’re walking on. After all, it’s your feet that belong on the ground, not your backside!

If you like what you’ve read, please let others know of this post and site. Thanks for reading!  🙂

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Working: What I’ve Gotten Distributing Fliers and Route Distribution

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Not In Cubicle Land: Priceless!

I currently work distributing fliers door to door, and also driving a distribution route. I also am self-employed making resumes for people on the side, from home.

You may have seen people like me distributing fliers, business cards, circulars, etc to homes, or, when shopping, you may have seen someone dropping off publications at the store’s publication rack. These don’t usually pay much money, unless you co-ordinate them right and market yourself well, which I am still learning to do, and they certainly don’t fit the image of what most people think a dream job would be, or should be.

However, pay and prestige aren’t the only things a job can give you, and, some of the benefits of a ‘less than traditional’ job aren’t always apparent.

What many think a dream job is: When the question of what a dream job is, many, if not most, will think that the dream job is being the high-end big executive or corporate lawyer in the big fancy downtown office of a large and prestigious corporation. In addition, they will think that the way to this job is to go get an office job where you start out in a cubicle and slowly work your way up to ‘Assistant Senior Clerk’, then ‘Senior Clerk’, then ‘Supervisor’, then ‘Assistant Manager’, and so on. Before this, many feel that you should have gone to a very prestigious and expensive university beforehand.

The reality: The reality is that many people never escape ‘cubicle land’, and, many of those who did go to that expensive university have tons of student loan debt and have found that their degree doesn’t even guarantee a job anymore, let alone a guaranteed path to the executive corner office!

Of course, some do manage to gain those ‘dream jobs’, after much time and work, only to find that, despite the big salary, title, and perks, that they often have to put in more hours than ever, to the point that some almost forget who their families are or that there is an outside world! They are stuck, and almost ‘married’ to their offices! There’s an Elton John song called, “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters“, where one line talks about “Sons of lawyers, sons of bankers…..don’t even know if it’s day or night”, or words to that effect. And, it’s often true for many executives and lawyers, as well as for many of those trying to come up in cubicle land.

What I thought and found: I was often told as a kid, both personally, and reinforced by media images, that jobs such as car washers, delivery people, meter readers, and even taxi drivers, bus drivers, and small store and food cart owners, were ‘dead-end’ jobs and occupations that went nowhere.

But, I always had the feeling that they were more ‘into’ the world, because they either involved personal movement within the world, or had a much greater view and connection to the outside world.

Car washers, small store and cart owners are all outside or have close access to the outside and people at large. They see and hear all kinds of things, including people’s stories, the weather, the seasons, and events.

The taxi driver, bus driver, route driver, flier distributor, the meter reader, and delivery people of all kinds are moving from place to place and have a constant change of people and scenery every day!

Oftentimes, these people have greater freedom on the job as well.

And, I was right. I had a job in the office of a large corporation for 13 years, and always had  a yearning to see what was going on outside and, while the job paid well and I had good co-workers, I eventually saw that this working environment was not really for me as much as I’d once thought. So, when an offer for a voluntary separation package was offered to the employees, I took the package and left.

After leaving and moving to a new location, I tried a number of office type jobs, still thinking that maybe a ‘change of office’ was all I really needed for a work environment, but I was wrong again, as I found I just didn’t want to be stuck inside any longer.

So, I looked for an outdoor job, either driving or walking, and found a flyer distribution job. Later, I found another, which became my main job, and now also drive a route as well. I’ve never looked back and have realized that what many people think of as a ‘dream job’, is based on what society wants all people to think!

What I like: Yes, the jobs I’ve had since leaving my last office job have paid less than some (but not all!) jobs in cubicle land, and I do have to put up with weather extremes at times, but I do get benefits that I do like with the jobs I have now.

I see much that many in cubicle land just never see! I’ve seen the seasons change, wildlife, which in my area has included many squirrels, birds of prey, migrating geese, occasional raccoons, deer, tree frogs, and even garter snakes.

Weather has included beautiful displays of clouds and sun, and falling snow.

I mentioned the seasons above. With this comes the changing colors of the trees in the fall as well as in the spring, when the flowers come out, followed by the light green of the first leaves.

And, when I’m in hilly areas, I am often treated to spectacular views. Plus, walking has helped keep me fit without having to take extra time to go to a gym or exercise after work.

In addition, I go through different neighborhoods and can often really feel and see their uniqueness first hand.

On my driving route, and sometimes even when I’m distributing fliers, I will pass by all kinds of interesting shops and eating places. Carrying my camera with me, I can often get great pictures on the spot as well.

Lastly, no office politics and greater work freedom. Working on resumes at home, I can work completely how I want and when. As for my employers, they are the greatest, and very rare in this world where so many employers and bosses want to own you, my employers allow me a great deal of freedom in how I work and even when I can take time off.

So, in my own way, I do have my ‘dream job’.

Please be sure to check out my services page, especially if you, or someone you know, needs a resume!

If you like what you’ve read, please comment and let others know of this site!

Thanks for reading! 🙂

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New Diet? READ THIS FIRST!!

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If you are considering a new diet that you’ve never tried before, be it from any source, do your research first! If reading a book about a new diet, read the book completely through, and do further research afterword for confirmation before starting the diet!

Personal example: I heard someone who I greatly respect say that getting wheat out of one’s diet will help them to feel better and to lose weight. This intrigued me, so, when I happened upon a book about the subject of eliminating wheat from one’s diet, I bought the book. The book was well written and researched, and included a very important caveat!

If you eliminate wheat entirely from your diet and stay wheat free for two months or more, and then have wheat reintroduced to your diet, chances are good you will have some really negative reactions, the most common being abdominal cramps and diarrhea for anywhere from 6 to 48 hours afterwords!

Wheat is just about everywhere among the foods we eat. And it can be found in many foods that you wouldn’t expect to find it in. Now, if wheat were as easy to detect as a lit cigarette, then avoiding wheat would be easy. After all, if a lit cigarette somehow made its way into the Thanksgiving turkey or the soup you ordered, you’d know it instantly, certainly before it reached your mouth. But wheat? When the turkey or soup was prepared, it’s quite possible that some bread crumbs might have been added, and guess what? You have possibly two agonizing days ahead!

And according to some other websites that I’d checked out regarding the re exposure and re introduction of wheat into the previously wheat free diet, some people can experience these symptoms and effects as soon as 7 days after going completely wheat free!

Now, you may think that, “Okay , now that I know, I know what to watch out for when I make my meals.” Fine, but what about going to someone else’s house, or a restaurant? And there may be times when there’s no choice but to do this. Say you travel a lot on business. Can you be sure that you won’t be hit while on a plane or during that crucial business meeting? Or have that dream vacation ruined?

I also understand that re introduction of dairy products to the dairy free diet will also have some effects, though not as bad. (Though I could be wrong about this.)

My advice, from a layman’s view, is to do your research, talk to your doctor, and weigh the options, and don’t jump in until you do! My guess is that cutting down on intake of a food group will probably still reap some benefits while keeping you safe from bad reactions in the case of inadvertent re exposure.

The person I mentioned above who I’d heard talking about a wheat free diet did say he wasn’t a zealot and still ate a cookie if he felt he wanted one, which leads me to believe that he, too, is cutting wheat intake down rather than cutting it out completely.

All in moderation.

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Thank you for reading! 🙂