Russel's Blog

It's nine days until Christmas and you still haven't found the perfect gift for those special people on your list.  What will you do?

Are you kidding me?  What in the world have you been doing all year?  Certainly not selling houses -- the Media said so!.  You knew Christmas was coming this time last year! Uggghh...

I digress...

Here are some cool, SIMPLE, inexpensive gift ideas that you can whip up fairly quickly.  Yes, they are homemade, but they won't have to look homemade, if you put a little thought into 'em--

1.  Give the gift of THEM THEM.  You're a blogging maniac and I know you have loads of GREAT photos just waiting to be released from your MY PICTURES purgatory.  Release 'em already!  This is one of my favs.  I did this for my niece one year and she's raved about it ever since.  I gathered a couple pix of her 2 kids (ones she had no idea I'd taken!), uploaded them to Walmart.com's photo page, then picked them up at the store an hour later.  I didn't even have to buy frames since I buy frames like some women buy shoes (and always for a song!) so it was easy enough to pop some into frames, wrap 'em and call 'em a gift.

 

2.  Give the gift of YOU YOU.  Write 'em a letter.  Hand write your Dad (who has everything already, right?) a letter from the heart.  Tell him what he means to you, tell him about how you've come to appreciate those "mean" things he did to you in childhood (now that you are an adult w/your own lovely tykes).  Tell him you remember when he first took you to the zoo, or how he always made you pancakes on the weekends.  Tell him how much you appreciate the time he spends w/his grandkids now.  The sky's the limit on this one.  However, word to the wise, don't write a cotton' pickin' novelette...short and sweet, that's the ticket! And put it on some nice paper, too! Maybe frame it, I like frames...

 

3.  Give the gift of Food.  Yes, food! Everyone loves food. Just don't do the fruitcake thing. Decadent Chocolate Chip Cookies (yeah, that's all in CAPS, 'cause it's important!) in a gorgeous container, or your signature dish, whatever it may be, is always appreciated.  There are several variations on this one, too.  You could layer the ingredients for the cookies in a mason jar or some other decorative see-thru container (layer of sugar, topped w/layer of chips, layer of flour...) and top w/a bow. And you could should include the recipe (in a frame?..).

4.  Give the gift of Notoriety.  Write a blog about 'em.  You're a blogging maniac, remember? This is similar in concept to #2 but now you're taking it to a ho nuvah level.

These are just the tip of the iceberg.  Your imagination is the limit.  Just keep in mind that you don't have to spend hours in the mall or all of your money (that the Media says you don't have) to give a really great, inexpensive, yet unique gift.  All you need to do is stretch your creative wings and give the gift of your thoughtfulness.  People like gifts like that. That eat that stuff up (see #3).

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

I have been writing post about useful web sites as reported by PC World.  I am continuing on my with my series and these websites will help you find local stuff. 

http://www.yelp.com/ This is a wonderful website for all that local stuff.  You can read reviews about your local restaurants, stores, manicurist, etc.  You can also write a review if you so desire.  I have always written for localism so it has been easy to write some reviews about the local establishments in my area.  I also liked the fact that I could set up a profile and it allows me to connect two of my websites without having to reciprocate.  It is a cool place to connect with local people around my area.  You can also invite your friends to Yelp with you.

http://www.opentable.com/  This is the site where you can make your reservations online.  I checked out the find dining establishments in The Woodlands and most of the ones that we would frequent for those special occasions were there.  It also has a mobile application so you can easily select and make reservations from your phone.  To be quite honest we normally eat at the Peterson Grill but should we go out this is the place to make those reservations ahead of time.

http://www.stubhub.com/ This is like ticketmaster with a twist.  This site in effect took ticket scalping off of the street and put it on the Internet providing a secure market place for fan to fan ticket sales.  They don't charge the huge fees like ticketmaster and it might give you a shot at buying tickets for event that are sold out.

http://www.angieslist.com/Angieslist I have normally not included sites that charge but I have heard so much about Angies list recently I decided to go ahead and add it.  This is the place to go to find out if the contractor of auto shop is reputable.  According to the site companies do not pay to be put on the site.  It is a place to go for unbiased ratings and reviews.  I did look and it wasn't very expensive for a 1 year membership.  If you are in the Houston area and are still recovering from Hurricane Ike (which I know from all the blue tarps there are a lot still out there) this might be a good return for your money.

http://www.freecycle.org/ This is the second time I have included this site in this series but if you are looking for local stuff this is the place to go.  This site is cycling with a twist you are basically recycling your stuff.  This is a grassroots, nonprofit site that connects (Via Yahoo Groups) people who might like to trade items within their own community.  I joined the Spring TX freecycle and gave away my old Christmas tree to one person and decorations that I no longer wanted to another.  I guess this comes back to one man's garbage is another treasure.  Everything posted must be FREE!!

This is my fifth in the series of websites from PC World.  If you would like to visit the other four you will find them at:

Websites about "Surviving the recession!"

 Websites about "Planning a vacation"!!

Websites about "Buying, Selling and Renting Stuff"!!

Websites about "Learning Stuff"!!

For all your Spring TX Real Estate needs, contact me today!
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty
Cell: 832-721-8332

 

Anyone using PING.FM to post to multiple social networking sites? I am was just at the Star Power Star advance in Captive Island, FL and this site was recommended. My concern would be how posting the blog on multiple sites would affect the revelantcy of the content. It would be great to post my blogs all over, yet I would not want to damage my ranking because the content was deemed to be unique. Is Ping.FM the solution or would it create problems?

As always...thanks for commenting with your recommendation and tips!

Moving day brings many challenges to most families and one of the biggest concerns for pet parents is how their pets will adapt to the new home.  

Most new homeowners have a few odd jobs to do in their home before moving in. Depending on the things you need to do, this can be the perfect time to introduce your fur kids to the new home so they can get familiar with their surroundings. Of course you won't want to bring them along if you're painting or tackling a remodeling job, but if you're putting in shelf liners or measuring for new window coverings, having your pet along can be great company.

To make moving day easier on them, it's a good idea to schedule a day at their favorite boarding or daycare center.  Drop them off early on moving day so you can be back at the old house before the movers arrive.  You'll have peace of mind knowing they are safe and happy and it's one less thing you have to worry about.

With the pets out of the movers' way, you'll be able to prop doors and gates open for moving furniture and boxes out to the truck without fear of a stressed pet slipping out unnoticed.

Another good idea is to pack a "1st Day Survival Kit" for each member of the household, including your pets.  Your pets' Kit should contain the necessities to survive the first night in your new home, including their food, can opener, medications, toys, beds and food & water dishes.  And if you leave the kit in your car, you'll have no trouble finding their things when you get to the new house.

After the movers are finished unloading at the new house and before you pick up the pets, unpack their Kit and put their belongings in place. When you bring them home, hopefully tired after playing all day at daycare, it will be to their own things. And if you brought them along when you did your odd-jobs before moving day, they'll be in familiar surroundings, so there shouldn't be any anxiety.

If you follow these simple steps, your fur kids won't get stressed by all of the commotion on moving day and they'll adjust to their new home easily. Dogs don't care where they live - as long as they're with people they love.

This article provided by Allen and Allen, Fredericksburg Virginia car accident attorneys and personal injury lawyers trusted by Virginia families since 1910.

With the Holidays come family gatherings, office parties, socializing with friends and Year End football game get-togethers.  These are occasions we look forward to all year.  But there can be a dark side to the holiday cheer: drunk driving and the injuries and deaths that result.

Every December we see a spike in highway fatalities in the United States during the Christmas and New Year Holiday periods. In 2005, there were 193 deaths involving at least one impaired driver during the three day New Year weekend. Another 160 people died over the three day Christmas weekend in 2006.  These grim figures do not reflect the other horrific consequences of such accidents: a child's loss of a parent, a wife's loss of her wage earning husband, and the severe injuries and lost income innocent passengers may suffer.

It's up to each and every one of us to do our part to prevent these tragedies. Remember, everyone has a role to play in keeping drunk drivers off the road.

The driver.   No one is more responsible for preventing drunk driving than you, the driver. No excuses! If you drink, you can't drive.

• Line up a sober driver to take you home if you anticipate drinking alcohol during an evening out.
• Call a cab or set up a ride with a program such as Safe Rides or Sober Rides, which provide free rides home to intoxicated citizens.
• Watch what you drink and eat.  Never drink too much too quickly.  Put soft drinks or coffee into your mix of beverages. Don't drink on an empty stomach.

Make sure you eat food at the same time you're drinking.

• Stay overnight in a nearby hotel or motel, if you're going to attend a Christmas party and you know you want to have more than one or two drinks during the evening.  That way you can walk to your hotel room after the party's over.

The host.   Most of us enjoy hosting holiday parties for friends and family.  However, with the decision to serve alcoholic beverages comes the responsibility to make certain our guests don't leave the party so impaired that they are unable to drive safely. 

• Serve a variety of food, coffee, and non-alcoholic beverages.
• Keep an eye on your guests as you circulate during the party.  If you observe someone take more than one or two alcoholic drinks or you see someone who shows signs of intoxication, be pro-active.  Determine whether the person expects to drive himself home.  If so, intervene and ensure that a sober driver takes him.
• Provide a list of phone numbers for local cab companies and post it for your guests.
• Take the keys away and call a cab. Or call a family member or friend to give your guest a sober ride. If you can't take care of the situation on your own, ask his friends (or yours) to help.

The family.  Many of you know family members who drink too much at holiday parties.  You recognize your husband, boyfriend, sister, or mother risks his or her life and the lives of others when he or she gets behind the wheel in an intoxicated state.  Take a stand and be firm. No drinking and driving.

• Offer to take your family member to the party and pick him up afterwards.
• Arrange a ride with a responsible friend or a cab.
• If you are a parent worried that your teenager or young adult may drink and drive, try to establish an understanding or agreement on the subject.  Explain that you are available 24/7 to pick your child up, wherever he is, if he or his friends believe he is too intoxicated to drive.

Friends. We hear it repeated again and again, but it's true!  Friends don't let friends drive drunk. Do what it takes to keep an intoxicated friend from getting behind the wheel.  Take his keys away.  Move his car to a place where he can't find it.  Drive him home yourself. Call a cab, if you can't drive him home either because you don't have a car or because you've had too much to drink yourself.

You. Yes, you. You have a role to play in keeping drunk drivers off the roads.  Watch out for them as you travel the highways and roads over the holidays. If you see driver conduct that suggests a motorist is driving while intoxicated, call the police and report the suspicious behavior immediately.  Give location, vehicle make and model, and license plate number whenever possible.

For your own safety, think twice before you travel the roads and highways late at night during the Holidays. There are more intoxicated drivers on the road in the late evening and early morning hours. And be selfish! Don't get into a car or onto a motorcycle operated by someone you know has had too much to drink!

When living in a small home that you absolutlely love, that has charm, but is lacking in space with no room to expand there are a few fairly low cost alternatives you can try.

• Try removing doors to living areas to open areas up, so you can see through the house giving it a more open concept.
• Use white based cabinetry in the kitchen to allow light to bounce around the room.
• Try a cream colored countertop to blend with white cabinets. 
• Keep space above cabinets open to increase the sense of height.
• Use furniture that has legs to give you the illusion of more floorspace.
• Another form of illusion is to use a glass table top with views of the floors.
• The use of large mirrors , or a grouping of mirrors will also make a room appear larger.
• And while we are talking floors, keep them all the same.  For example don't mix, carpet, tile, or wood in a small home, use the same throughout.
• Use larger decor pieces instead of a bunch of smaller items, it will highlight and showcase your room.
• When using lighting, recessesd is best.  Using hanging fixtures brings attention to them detracting from the space.
• Monochromatic tones work best, with interesting fabrics that are sophisticated but comfortable. 
• Try to stay away from dark colors especially with rugs, pillows or bedding.
• White paint on the ceiling will make the room look taller, and if you use ceiling fans use white ones to blend in to the ceilings.
• Keep things open in the bath, using a half wall instead of a closed room for toilet area.

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Cindy Bryant is the owner of Redesign Etc. Home Staging & Redesign Specialist in Houston, Staging Your House To Sell By Professional Home Stagers! Our goal is to get your home sold for top dollar in the most cost effective way!

Contact Cindy today for a Home Staging Consultation.  Please visit our website for more information.

Areas Served:  Houston, River Oaks, Tanglewood, Bellaire, Piney Point, Mid-Town, The Heights, Montrose, Texas Medical Center, The East End, West Loop/Galleria/Memorial, Downtown, Museum District, West University, Spring Branch, Royal Oaks-Lakeside, League City, Clear Lake City, Friendswood, Kemah, Seabrook, Pearland, Sugar Land, Spring, Cypress, Tomball, The Woodlands, Kingwood.   And all areas down to Galveston Island.

                                                       

                                                                          

We also have a location for the Houston Bay Area- League City Home Staging.

There are many details to take care of when you are listing a house for sale and providing all the information about a property that buyers may find important is critical. You may not think that calculating acreage for a property with less than an acre is important, but many buyers are looking for a large lot and they think in terms of acres.

A home with .25 acres gives the buyer the idea that the home probably has a decent yard and isn't right on top of the neighbors. This can be a strong differentiator between and the reason a home gets shown ... or not. 

Partial acreage is easy to calculate. Multiply length of lot by width of lot and divide the result by 43,560.  OR, use this handy online calculator:

http://www.ez-calculators.com/land_acre_conversion_calculator.htm

Contact me to buy or sell real estate in Tallahassee, FL.

A few weeks ago, I came across www.postlets.com.  It is a great site!  You can post your listings for free, and it will even transfer the info to other popular sites such as Craigslist.  Why not take advantage of the free stuff???  Thought I would pass it along....good luck and happy selling!

 

http://podcasts.odiogo.com/kristins-blog/podcasts-xml.php

www.naymz.com kjohnston@remax.net, kjjj1234@gmail.com, www.activerain.com/kristinjohnston www.LinkedIn.com   www.ecademy.com  www.kristinjohnston.com www.kristinjohnston.com 414-254-6647,www.naymz.com www.zoominfo.com www.facebook.com www.plaxo.com www.trulia.com www.myspace.com  www.perfectnetworker.com  www.loopnet.com www.konnects.com www.twitter.com www.wordpress.com www.congoo.com www.xing.com and more. 

 

Quick, before the year is over... Make all your donations to non-profit organizations or charities (including church tithes).  And pay as many business bills as you can.  Remember you can pay a lot of things (including donations) over the phone or the internet by credit card, so you don't have to mail.

With MORE deductions for your income tax filing, it means LESS taxes you'll have to pay.  Ask your accountant for other things to pay before the end of the year, due to changing tax laws next year.

P.S. And if you're looking for a worthy cause, I simply love Habitat for Humanity.  Their mission is to provide decent, affordable, safe houses to very-low income families who would otherwise not be able to have a home for their family.  And the families have to contribute 500 hours of sweat equity labor, so they have a vested interest in building and maintaining their house.  But if you donate to Habitat, make sure you are donating to your LOCAL office, where it will do the most good for your community.

Any other ideas for end-of-year donations?  I'm listening...

Join my NEW group for professionals who work from their home office at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice

Regina P. Brown

As Christmas is just a couple days away, here is a great opportunity for the children to track Santa Clause. Just click here for www.SantaClaus.net

Here you will find the following:

1. Write to Santa
2. Christmas Songs, Games and Stories
3. Santa Tracker
4. North Pole Weather
5. Santa's Reindeer
6. Naughty or Nice
7. Elf House
8. Letter From Santa
9. Phone Call From Santa
10. Santa's Good List