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When Your Office Is Home2005-09-27 @ 05:47:21 PM
When Your Office Is Home By Jenna Glatzer It's easy to get obsessed. Really, it is. With work, with the almighty dollar, with achieving and building your business.
When your office is home, there is no clock to punch, no rush hour drive to get as far away from the madness as possible. No, when you work from home, it's all up to you. You can work as little or as much as you like. Unfortunately, most home-workers fall into the two extremes: those who don't work enough, and those who work too much. The ones who don't work enough get caught up in the "home" aspect of the home office. Something is always calling them away: a crying baby, the laundry, a trip to the convenience store, a pot on the stove, daytime TV shows. They give in to temptation and never truly put in an honest day's work. Then they come to me and ask how in the world I'm so productive. It's because I fall into the other extreme category. I’m a full-time writer, and I get caught up in the "office" aspect of the home office. It gets simple to see each minute as a potential dollar, and each day as a new possibility to sell the novel, write the next bestseller, break into the almighty national magazine market. Know that when you are self-employed, you won't have anyone looming over your desk to keep you on track. Sure, that may sound delicious, but do some real self-assessing: can you handle it? If no one tells you when and how to work, will you have the discipline necessary to earn a living? Will you ever start your work? Will you ever stop? When you get hooked into the cycle of never truly leaving office-mode, the point of working from home gets diminished. Sure, you may work in your pajamas, but you wind up putting in more hours than you would have at a day job, and you forget to enjoy the perks of being self-employed. The single cure for either extreme mode is the same: set goals and meet them. If you're not getting enough work done, set an attainable goal (write a new press release before noon, or make five cold calls before the end of the day), and keep to it, no matter how you have to juggle your life around it. If you're working too much, set that same goal and then STOP. Write those releases, or make those calls, and then get up from that chair, stretch, and do something that doesn't involve work in any manner. I once read something that has stuck with me (pardon me for not knowing the attribution): At the end of your life, will you regret not putting in more overtime? As for me, I'll be embarrassed to die until I've achieved a lifestyle with a better balance: One that involves more family and fun time, and less time logged in my computer chair. Sanity breaks are so important, and if you're going to freelance full-time, you have to set limits. You have to take days off, re-discover your significant other's birthmarks, and just plain enjoy life. Otherwise, why are you working? Remember what it is you’re working toward and why you chose to work at home. If you're like me, you may work better with a written schedule. On this schedule, write down both your work responsibilities and your "play" responsibilities. Mine sometimes looks like this: 9:00-12:00: Work on new article for XYZ Magazine. 12:00-1:00 Lunch break. 1:00-5:00 Write query and send it to 5 new markets. 5:00-6:00: Cook dinner. 6:00-7:00 Dinner. 7:00-8:00 Exercise. ...and so on. I keep a daily schedule book that has room for me to write down all of my "to do" list each day. If you lose track of time, you may want to set an alarm clock to remind you when it's time to quit, or you may try setting your computer to "defragmentation mode" at a particular time each day (your "quitting time"). Commit to becoming less extreme. Working from home is a wonderful thing... in moderation.  JENNA GLATZER is the author of Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer and several other books. Visit her at www.jennaglatzer.com and pick up a free editors' cheat sheet! She is also the editor of www.absolutewrite.com, the most popular online magazine for writers.
SeaLadys' Note: I thought this article was interesting. I fall into the "work too much" category most of the time, but there are times when I fall into the other category. I, however, do not have the luxury of "working in moderation". At some point, in the near future I hope, when I'm making a few thousand a month, then I can relax a bit. But when I'm spending more and bringing in nothing yet, I feel guilty if I take any time off. I know I have to now and then for my own sanity but not often. This gives me the opportunity to give you a gift. I use this every day and don't know what I'd do without it! It's Free too! http://www.tenzor.cz/clocx Hope you'll like it as much as I do. I gave it to Joe Sansoucie and he loves it! Enjoy!
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We Are Being RIPPED OFF!!2005-09-23 @ 01:19:45 AM
I received this in email today and thought: What better way to get this
out to the masses than in my blog? Please spread the word.
~~~~~~~~~
The following is corroborated by the Urban Legends website:
http://gojipower.com/drugs.html
Let's hear it for Costco!! (This is just mind-boggling!) Make sure you read
all the way past the list of the drugs. The woman signed below as a Budget
Analyst out of federal Washington, DC offices.
Did you ever wonder how much it costs a drug company for the active ingredient
in prescription medications? Some people think it must cost a lot, since many
drugs sell for more than $2.00 per tablet. We did a search of offshore chemical
synthesizers that supply the active ingredients found in drugs approved by the
FDA. As we have revealed in past issues of Life Extension, a significant percentage
of drugs sold in the United States contain active ingredients made in other countries.
In our independent investigation of how much profit drug companies really make, we
obtained the actual price of active ingredients used in some of the most popular drugs
sold in America.
The data below speaks for itself.
Celebrex: 100 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $130.27
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.60
Percent markup: 21,712%
Claritin: 10 mg
Consumer Price (100 tablets): $215.17
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.71
Percent markup: 30,306%
Keflex: 250 mg
Consumer Price (100 tablets): $157.39
Cost of general active ingredients: $1.88
Percent markup: 8,372%
Lipitor: 20 mg
Consumer Price (100 tablets): $272.37
Cost of general active ingredients: $5.80
Percent markup: 4,696%
Norvasc: 10 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $188.29
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.14
Percent markup: 134,493%
Paxil: 20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $220.27
Cost of general active ingredients: $7.60
Percent markup: 2,898%
Prevacid: 30 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $44.77
Cost of general active ingredients: $1.01
Percent markup: 34,136%
Prilosec: 20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $360.97
Cost of general active ingredients $0.52
Percent markup: 69,417%
Prozac: 20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets) : $247.47
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.11
Percent markup: 224,973%
Tenormin: 50 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $104.47
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.13
Percent markup: 80,362%
Vasotec: 10 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $102.37
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.20
Percent markup: 51,185%
Xanax: 1 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets) : $136.79
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.024
Percent markup: 569,958%
Zestril: 20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets) $89.89
Cost of general active ingredients $3.20
Percent markup: 2,809%
Zithromax: 600 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $1,482.19
Cost of general active ingredients: $18.78
Percent markup: 7,892%
Zocor: 40 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $350.27
Cost of general active ingredients: $8.63
Percent markup: 4,059%
Zoloft: 50 mg
Consumer price: $206.87
Cost of general active ingredients: $1.75
Percent markup: 11,821%
Since the cost of prescription drugs is so outrageous, I thought everyone should
know about this. It pays to shop around. This helps to solve the mystery as to why
they can afford to put a Walgreen's on every corner. On Monday night,
Steve Wilson, an investigative reporter for Channel 7 News in Detroit, did a story
on generic drug price gouging by pharmacies. He found in his investigation, that some
of these generic drugs were marked up as much as 3,000% or more. Yes, that's not a
typo.....three thousand percent! So often, we blame the drug companies for the high
cost of drugs, and usually rightfully so. But in this case, the fault clearly lies with
the pharmacies themselves. For example, if you had to buy a prescription drug, and bought
the name brand, you might pay $100 for 100 pills. The pharmacist might tell you that if
you get the generic equivalent, they would only cost $80, making you think you are "saving"
$20. What the pharmacist is not telling you is that those 100 generic pills may have only
cost him $10!
At the end of the report, one of the anchors asked Mr. Wilson whether or not there were
any pharmacies that did not adhere to this practice, and he said that Costco consistently
charged little over their cost for the generic drugs.
I went to the Costco site, where you can look up any drug,and get its online price. It
says that the in-store prices are consistent with the online prices. I was appalled. Just
to give you one example from my own experience, I had to use the drug, Compazine, which
helps prevent nausea in chemo patients.
I used the generic equivalent, which cost $54.99 for 60 pills at CVS. I checked the price
at Costco, and I could have bought 100 pills for $19.89. For 145 of my pain pills, I paid
$72.57. I could have got 150 at Costco for $28.08.
I would like to mention, that although Costco is a "membership" type store, you do NOT
have to be a member to buy prescriptions there, as it is a federally regulated substance.
You just tell them at the door that you wish to use the pharmacy, and they will let you in.
(this is true)
I went there this past Thursday and asked them. I am asking each of you to please help me
by copying this letter, and passing it into your own e-mail, and send it to everyone you
know with an e-mail address.
Sharon L. Davis
Budget Analyst
U.S. Department of Commerce
Room 6839
Office Ph: 202-482-4458
Office Fax: 202-482-5480
E-mail Address: sdavis@doc.gov
~~~~~~~~~
This just makes me sick and makes my blood boil! Why do some people (and it seems the
more they have, the more they want) have to be so darned greedy and to hell with their
fellow human beings.
As much as I love my computer and the creature comforts we have today, I think I was
born 30-40 years to late. I just don't see how some people sleep at night.
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PHEW! What A Day!2005-09-19 @ 09:26:19 PM
Today started out great for me today. I was toodlling along working on my website pages and actually doing well with them for a change, LOL. But then, IT happened!! I was using the toaster and had my small electric heater on and the power went out. :( I keep forgetting that I can't use the toaster and heater or the microwave and heater at the same time. It blows a breaker every time! I have to keep reminding myself that I do not live in a "house" anymore! It's irritating at times. Not enough wattage. not enough space......
Annnyway, I got everything turned back on...I thought. My computer came back up, my cable for the computer came back up, but....no lights on my Vonage telephone router! So no connection to the internet. Well, to say the least, I was pretty upset. I finally had things going pretty smoothly and actually 95% knew what I was doing and...WHAM!!
I tried everything I knew before calling tech support. I was hoping I wouldn't have to. It's frustrating to call tech support knowing it's most likely going to be someone that doesn't speak English well. But, I called. And yes, it was someone in another country that couldn't speak English well. It was very hard trying to understand him. I borrowed a telephone from my neighbor and it wouldn't work here, but did work half way between our rig and hers. It was windy and hard to hear plus I had to stand stock still in one spot where I could get fairly clear reception. So I couldn't write instructions down as we talked. The tech guy said to try plugging the router nto another outlet to see if it would work, well, that would be a major hassle with the way the cords have to be in my desk setup. I found a small fan and tried that in the same outlet that the router was plugged into and no go. I took it up into the bathroom and plugged it in there.....nope! So I started thinking about what to do, when I decided to check the breakers again. There was another breaker out! It was barely noticeable because it only stuck out a teeny tiny bit over the others. I pushed it in, plugged in the fan up in the bathroom again and VOILA!! I looked in at my desk and the router was ON!! I was tickled pink. So the entire day won't be a waste after all! Hurrah! Good lesson learned. Now I'll know to check all breakers next time. And....in an RV, there WILL be a next time. HaHa! Have a beautiful evening wherever you are! Until next time, Health, Happiness, & Prosperity
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Unbeelievable! :( Boooo!2005-09-16 @ 07:45:11 PM
I just heard on the news that Karina victims now are going to have to fight their insurance companies to get the money needed to rebuild their homes.
After all they've gone through... now this. The insurance companies are saying: They need to read their policies, floods are not covered. But...they DO cover windstorm damages.
Well, one homeowner said this: Without the wind, we would not have had any water! And he is right!! So I hope the insurance companies wake up and smell the coffee. And think about what would they do if it were them in the same situation. Honestly, some people!! While I'm speaking of Hurricane Katrina, someone mentioned this to me the other day and I thought: Yeh, how come? The question is: Why can't the government house Hurricane Katrinas victims in our military bases that have been closed down? I think it's a darn good idea. What about you?
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Christmas Gifts For Dolphin Lovers2005-09-14 @ 01:00:47 PM
Choosing a dolphin lover gift may not be as easy as it is for a pet lover, but that is not to say it is not possible. In fact, you will find quite a range of dolphin related gifts around the internet, although in your local store it may be hit and miss as to whether you will find anything. In my case, I received the true, ultimate dolphin lover gift, some years ago, but more of that later.
The demand for dolphin gifts, though, is undoubtedly high. On a brief and unscientific survey, dolphin lover gifts are about half as popular as cat lover gifts. If you think about it, that is amazing. Most people will never see a dolphin in their lives, yet we are surrounded by cats.
What is it, then, that makes dolphins so appealing? I love birds and cats especially, but dolphins I adore. They are wonderful and appealing creatures with a mystique that helps their popularity. Dolphins are the stuff of sailors' tales, and true stories, about dolphins and man. They have faces that are expressive in a human like way, and they seem to smile. Dolphins also seem to follow man out at sea, when men venture out in their boats or into the water.
Dolphins are also performers, not just in captivity, but in the wild. While they do travel at high speed and jump out of the water in so doing, they do come across as playful, and capable of enjoying life. So, in a way they are partly human like, and therefore easy for us to relate to. They are also very intelligent.
Dolphins engender excitement, and at times everyone becomes a dolphin lover. In my country of origin, England, dolphins off the coast have always been something of a rarity; although I have read that large numbers of dolphins have been seen off nearby Wales recently. While I still lived in England, though, the appearance of a few dolphins close to shore may even have made the television news and front pages of the newspapers. Now, that's something cat's cannot do!
I am one of the lucky few, though. I was fortunate to be able to live on the Dorset coastline, where a group of about 6 dolphins had become familiar passers-by just offshore. Very rarely they ventured into Swanage Bay, but mostly they were observed sometimes off Durlston. But, you needed a lot of luck and patience to see any dolphins there, even when they were known to be in the area. I had a naturalist friend who had lived in Swanage for 25 years, and was a frequent visitor to Durslton; he had never, ever seen a dolphin there.
I was a member of Dolphin Watch, spending long hours on the cliff top looking out for the dolphins to record their movements. I had no luck ever while on duty, nor had many fellow dolphin lovers on the watch. My luck suddenly changed, though, when I was out walking with my daughter one Sunday afternoon, on the cliff tops at Durlston. It was early December, and winter and Christmas were in the air.
The grass slope was a little bit slippery, and I slipped over, ending up on my back. After my daughter's initial concern subsided, we both had a good laugh, and I hobbled over to a nearby bench to get my breath back. The bench was looking out to sea. That's when something of a miracle happened; well, at least a major coincidence; an incredible coincidence.
As we sat down, I said: "Ok, we will sit here until we see a dolphin, even though it may mean missing Christmas." Christmas was 3 weeks away, so it was a rash thing to say. We looked out to sea, and within a minute, I saw two dolphins. I was in disbelief, but I took another look; I had my glasses on so was not being deceived. It really was dolphins.
My daughter thought, assumed, and was sure, I was joking. Then she saw them also, plus a third dolphin. We watched them for about 45 minutes, walking along the coast with them, and then back again. It was a mesmerising and unforgettable time, even though they were so far away; those three bottle-nosed dolphins were, to me, the ultimate dolphin lover's Christmas gift. A few weeks early, and free, but a wonderful gift nonetheless.
About the Author: This dolphin lover gift article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner author of the Gifts For Xmas website, http://www.gifts-for-xmas.com
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Now I've Heard It All....I think...2005-09-03 @ 12:12:06 AM
What's Wrong With This Picture??
Controversial News You Won't Hear On Fox- Plus Weekly Guests & Topics On Conspiracies - Cover Ups - Health - Paranormal - Earth Changes http://OutThereTV.com   **
Now I've heard it all....(I think...probably not, but...I think.) I just heard on OutThereTV that one of our wonderful government entities wants to make it illegal for any of us to collect rainwater for any use whatsoever! UNBEEEEELEEEEVABLE!!!!! Is this ridiculous or
what? They're saying that there would be a fine of $500 if caught without first getting a permit!!!
**
The newscasters also spoke of the Presidential Inauguration that cost US taxpayers $40,000,000!!! Yes, that's 40 MILLION DOLLARS!! They said that would have provided groceries for 15,000 military wives and their children so that they wouldn't have to use food stamps. There were bottles of champaigne that cost $2,000 apiece!!! $40,000,000 would also have been a nice down payment on the national debt!
I think in light of all that has happened in recent years and as expensive everything is in today's world that it is unconscionable and irresponsible to spend that kind of money on a party. Especially when so many could be helped with that money....he could put it BACK into Social Security for one thing. Too many things to list that could be done with that money, but you get my drift.
There was more, but I don't take shorthand and can't type faster than they speak, so you'll have to go to their website to read this outrageous stuff.
Some of this stuff is so ridiculous it makes you laugh and cry at the same time. Other stories will fascinate you and others will just make your blood boil!
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
I just watched Dateline. They were covering the devastation left from Hurricane Katrina. Some of the people that were standing up with the stars and media are intimating that the help isn't coming fast enough for a certain group of people. I could not believe my ears. Now, some are making this a race issue when that should not even come into play. It never should at anytime, ever! We ALL bleed RED blood. Please people, let's be more intelligent than that and help one another as much as possible in this heartrending horrific time of need.
I feel helpless as to what to do to help. I have goods I can send, but they don't want us to do that. They want money, of which I have none. I would like to know what those that do not have money to donate can do? Anyone know or have any suggestions?
The Red Cross
FEMA
Help the Victims of Hurricane Katrina
Featured Charities
Sep 1, 2005
brought to you by CHARITY NAVIGATOR
This story tells you how you can help:
How You Can Help The Victims Of Hurricane Katrina
Give To An Established Charity: Don't let an unscrupulous charity take advantage of your goodwill. Find a charity with a proven track record of success with dealing with this region and this type of disaster. Avoid...read more
~God Bless~
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Helping Hands....2005-09-01 @ 08:41:07 PM
In watching the morning shows today, they've said to please NOT send any goods to Katrina disastor victims. ONLY send money and ONLY to legitimate organizations such as: The Red Cross FEMA This was mentioned on the show too: Help the Victims of Hurricane Katrina
Featured Charities
Sep 1, 2005
brought to you by CHARITY NAVIGATOR This story tells you how you can help: How You Can Help The Victims Of Hurricane Katrina Give To An Established Charity: Don't let an unscrupulous charity take advantage of your goodwill. Find a charity with a proven track record of success with dealing with this region and this type of disaster. Avoid...read more
The guy on the show is with Charity Navigator and he said do not give to anyone that calls you on the phone or to any telemarketer stating they are a charity organization. The "REAL" charities will be too busy to be calling anyone. If you do receive a phone call, get their number and call them back. If you decide you want to go and volunteer your services, do not go on your own. Go through The Red Cross or FEMA because you will need to be trained. Please pass on this information to everyone you can.
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