June 2009 Articles (46)

Life Insurance is Hazardous to Your Health: A Story in Two Versions

Barton and I have been flushing out our new blog on www.loverollson.wordpress.com, a place where we talk about the adventures in our relationship. The response to it has been phenomenal, and we have received many comments about how we stagger our stories in a "he said, she said" manner. While this may seem cliche, of course I won't remember everything that happened, and Barton doesn't either. Then we also have the husband/wife factor that plays into our stories as well.

When crazy… Read More

Added by Megan Cutter on June 30, 2009 at 2:33pm — 1 Comment

Are we getting cut out of the chance to make referral money on-line in North Carolina?

I posted this question in the LinkedIn questions area: http://bit.ly/VN3GR

What do you know?

Are we getting cut out of the chance to make referral money on-line in North Carolina?

I received this email and got another one for Amazon. If this is true I think this hurts a lot of small businesses on-line in this state ( NC ). What do you know about it and what do you recommend doing?

"Dear North Carolina… Read More

Added by Martin Brossman on June 30, 2009 at 2:19pm — 12 Comments

JUNK IN THE TRUNK?

What you gon’ do with all that junk?

All that junk inside your trunk.

(Black Eyed Peas)

Got car clutter? How about junk in the trunk or trash on the dash? Perhaps you have no idea who the Black Eyed Peas are (lyrics above) but you are nonetheless asking yourself what indeed you’re going to do with all that junk. Conquer the car clutter!

Take the Homillers, a Cary family who needs to organize their family van in time for summer vacation. Annette, Dan, Sam,… Read More

Added by Geralin Thomas on June 30, 2009 at 11:45am — No Comments

A Birthday Party With 234 Candles on the Cake!

Quick Question: Who are William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, and John Penn?

This week is the big build up to the July 4th holiday. I first thought about this holiday when I heard fireworks in the distance on Sunday evening and then again when I noticed the morning commuter traffic on the highways was about half of normal on Monday. Someone mentioned to me earlier this week that this feels like the week between Christmas and New Years because no one is working and business slow. In my mind… Read More

Added by Tim Moore on June 30, 2009 at 11:27am — No Comments

The Battle of the Idle Thoughts

June 30, 2009

Every time I type the year 2009, I pause and say to myself "can that be?"

I would like to find the person who brought the first Japanese beetle to North Carolina. I'm sure Jim Vogel believes it came in a Toyota.

I used to complain about construction workers hammering early in the morning. Now the silence is deafening.

I just found a free spell check app on my Iphone. If I could ever learn to use my Iphone, I could take over some third… Read More

Added by Bob Butler on June 30, 2009 at 10:19am — 3 Comments

Idle Thoughts- Believe It Or Not

6-30-09 Apex, NC

It is the end of the month and the end of the quarter. I should be in a dealership helping out but I am not...

Only in the South; Carpenters working on a house, cutting wood outside in the driveway, wearing flip flops.

People are getting the flu. Isn't July like tomorrow?

I got a letter from the IRS this week. And it was a nice helpful letter concerning some tax changes with my business.

The First Lady wore a pair of… Read More

Added by Jim Vogel on June 30, 2009 at 7:22am — No Comments

The New Normal

6-29-09 Apex

I just love all the new terms that have found a place in our language. The lexicon is now filled with new terms that in better economic times would never be on the tip of our tongue. Things like “short sell’, “deficit-neutral”, “bubble”, “derivative” and “speculator” to mind. The best one of all to hit the media is what ABC News is calling “The New Normal”. This New Normal is the lifestyle change we have all faced since the total collapse of the economic system back in… Read More

Added by Jim Vogel on June 29, 2009 at 4:34pm — No Comments

Just a Quickie! Sales Words Pro's Use...

There are words that you are taught to use and not use in sales. (My belief is that you consider these words not in a "learn a script" kind of way, but in the "where they come from" way. I mean think about the mindset behind the words!)

Kevin Hall, author of "Aspire" is a "words afficianado". He studied the words used by salespeople and discovered a distinct and VERY consistent pattern of differences!

Words Used by the

Top 5% of salespeople::Bottom 5%:

We… Read More

Added by Heather O'Sullivan (HeatherO) on June 25, 2009 at 11:30pm — No Comments

Take A Step To Find Your Job Passion

I did not make the cut into the top 50 to move on for my wine/social media job. However, while there is some disappointment, I am also encouraged. I have learned some things about myself and about this process that I think applies to work and jobs. I hope it can help you.

I have to admit, that honestly I am good at what I do, and while on some level I like it, I know that I am not doing what I am passionate about. There is something to be said about someone who enjoys their… Read More

Added by Jay Izso, Internet Doctor® on June 25, 2009 at 5:00pm — 2 Comments

Rudy's Pub and Grill

6-24-09 Apex, NC

Common sense tells us that things have changed a ton over the past few years in most aspects of our daily lives. One thing that has always been hard to come by in any community is a neighborhood establishment that has awesome bar food and great service. If you couple these critical ingredients with a fun atmosphere to match, you have something BEYOND special. Not every town is blessed with such a place. Well, we are extremely lucky in the Peak City because Apex NC finally… Read More

Added by Jim Vogel on June 24, 2009 at 3:31pm — 4 Comments

TODDLER TOYS IN THE TUB

Has your toddler pretended to be a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king?

Are her bathtub toys up and down and over and out and drippin' on everything?

Are you drowning in toy-clutter?

A clever colleague of mine, Jeri Dansky, has a wonderful blog and posted an article dealing with ideas for containing bathtub clutter. If you don't want to take the time to hop-scotch all over the web looking for ways to control the clutter,… Read More

Added by Geralin Thomas on June 23, 2009 at 9:09am — No Comments

Life’s Too Short, Just Be Nice!

My wife and I turned this past weekend into a three day mini-holiday by leaving early on Friday morning for a road trip to Ohio. One way travel time was well over 9 hours each way but it was worth it to have the opportunity to visit with my son, Brian, who is working as the Lighting Designer and Electrician for the Weathervane Playhouse Located in Newark, Ohio a town located… Read More

Added by Tim Moore on June 22, 2009 at 6:01pm — No Comments

Save Money by Organizing Lower Bills

Save some money through organizing lower bills!

• Check the Kelley Blue Book value of your car. You may be able to lower your car insurance or vehicle taxes if you have high mileage.

• Organize items that are used on a regular basis so that you don’t buy duplicates: Batteries can be stored by type in specific battery holders which can hang on a wall and light bulbs can be housed in bins by wattage.

If you would like more tips of this nature on a regular basis, please sign… Read More

Added by Janice, Productivity Strategist on June 22, 2009 at 10:10am — No Comments

Happy Fathers day, how are you celebrating the value of "Father" in your life?

Happy Fathers day, how are you celebrating the value of "Father" in your life?

In honor of Fathers Day I created this "My Father's Workbench" with many of the wonderful stories that were contributed and I welcome more. Take a little time to read what others have contributed and maybe contribute your own story:

"My Fathers Workbench": http://bit.ly/WqWQQ

The profound contribution of Father and Mother are need by every… Read More

Added by Martin Brossman on June 22, 2009 at 12:00am — 1 Comment

Alternative to whining about your job search

Okay. The title is lame. But the situation is very real. Many people are wrestling with a new job hunting landscape and are frustrated by the process. I hear it all the time and imagine you do, too.

Finding a job in today’s market is daunting.

One company, though, has waded into the process and embraced technology, social media, and made an attractive offer.

Do you like wine? Are you interested in making $10,000 per month, living rent-free for six months in… Read More

Added by Steve Hand on June 20, 2009 at 6:52am — 1 Comment

Overwhelmed by your email inbox?

Here are some ideas worth exploring:

• Can you rename e-mails that have been sent to you? If so, rename any e-mail that has a subject line that doesn’t tell you something about the content of the e-mail.

• Can you set up filters? If so, consider filtering e-mails from certain sources into specific folders. You may already be doing this for spam. It can be done for other e-mail as well. For example, electronic newsletters can go directly to a Newsletter folder. You can read them during… Read More

Added by Janice, Productivity Strategist on June 18, 2009 at 1:42pm — No Comments

When Two Passions Collide in Business

Have you ever just dreamed of the perfect job? Have you ever thought what it would be like if you went to a job, but it wasn't "work"? Recently something came across my email that excited me so much that I couldn't pass up. Murphy Goode winery in Sonoma California is putting on a contest to hire someone for six months to promote their wine in video and social media. For me it is like my two passions have collided. It is a little scary actually because I am probably a bit overly… Read More

Added by Jay Izso, Internet Doctor® on June 18, 2009 at 12:21pm — 7 Comments

Idle Thoughts Are Back

6-17-09... Apex, NC

I went on a website recently that features a "Customer Experience Manager". Every business should have a person focused on the experience. Common sense.

Virtually every time I gas up and click to a round number, the pump always adds a dang penny. Instead of $22.00 it ends up being $22.01. We don't think about it but man, it adds up to profits big time.

Here is the power of Twitter. In Iran, it is the only conduit to the world after the… Read More

Added by Jim Vogel on June 17, 2009 at 8:24am — No Comments

What Would Momma Think?

I was at a networking event this month and a small business owner was telling me about a sales trainer he had seen recently and all the “tricks” the trainer revealed about how to get through to a prospect and close the sale. I asked if he thought these “techniques” were ethical. What he said next surprised me. He said “I don’t care how my salespeople get the order, as long as they get the order”. I was stunned.

In my opinion, that is a real problem. If the management and business… Read More

Added by Tim Moore on June 17, 2009 at 12:46am — 3 Comments

COLOR CODE YOUR KIDS

Buy everything in specific colors. For example, if you are the mother of two boys assign each a color: one could be blue and the other green. Buy one a blue backpack and the other a green backpack. Keep the color-theme going throughout the house. Bath towels, tooth brushes, placemats, mittens, file folders which they could place important papers for you to sign and them to return to school, etc. Everything can be color coded including their activities on the calendar. Use a blue pen for one and… Read More

Added by Geralin Thomas on June 16, 2009 at 9:23am — No Comments