Review: A Few Email Subscriptions That I Have

Well, HELLO there!  It's been a little while.....Life, job, kids, family, you've heard all the excuses.

I have been cleaning up my email inbox and realized that I have a lot of subscriptions to websites that I simply am not interested in anymore (I am sure that I can speak for many of us).  I came across several that I really look forward to reading and I thought I would share them with you:

 

Be Happy  (www.behappy.me) - This website is filled with great, motivational quotes including the one above.  They are laid out in a poster format and are available for purchase if you want to hang them up or you can copy and paste them for free as computer backgrounds, greeting cards, etc.  What I really like is that you can use these as Facebook covers and the website even prepares them for you and all you have to do is connect through Facebook and upload.

This is an example of an email that I received:

To live, love, and be happy, forevermore, Jennifer, just decide to be from this moment forward.

Tallyho,
    The Universe

I receive these cool emails from Mike Dooley by signing up on his website Tut (Letters From The Universe) (www.tut.com).  These "Notes From The Universe" are super cool and really resonate with whatever is going on currently in my life.  Plus, it's neat to feel that the Universe is talking directly to me.  The founder of the website, Mike Dooley, is a philosophical master who founded Adventurers Club on the Internet that's now home to over 500,000 members from over 185 countries.  He writes inspirational books and he is one of the teachers in the international bestseller The Secret.

Who doesn't have Facebook?  If you don't, disregard this information.  However, if you are like me and enjoy telling the world what's going on in your life, sharing pictures with family, catching up with classmates, you will get a kick out of this next share:

Everyday Me  (www.everyday.me)

I love getting emails that remind me what was going on in MY life years ago.  In our busy lives, it's hard to remember, but with this cool app through Itunes, I get a reminder of the posts that I made years ago from my Facebook timeline.

Everyday.me is a smart timeline journal to capture all your life moments, including your activities across the web.

• Private by default - Collect every thought privately and safely.
• Never lose anything - Everything is backed up online.
• Capture the moment - Photos, Videos, Emotions, Tags, Search, and more.
• Where were you a year ago? Find out with our "Blast from the Past".

Future Me  (www.futureme.org)

I LOVE THIS WEBSITE!!!!  Many years ago I found this and decided to send a letter to my "future" self.  I wrote a letter to be read one year later.  As the months passed, I forgot all about this letter.  To my surprise, one year later, I received an email from myself.  It was a little Erie reading it 365 days later but as I read on, I thought about how cool it was to see how much my life had changed in that year's time.  I decided to this every year after that and have also begun sending these letters to my loved ones so that they too get a message from me.  Who knows, maybe after my time on earth is through, my loved ones will still get to hear from me (I know, a little morbid, but SO cool).

From their website:    "So send your future self some words of inspiration. Or maybe give 'em swift kick in the pants. Or just share some thoughts on where you'll or what you'll be up to in a year, three years...more? And then we'll do some time travel magic and deliver the letter to you. FutureYou, that is."

Well, this wraps up my post.  I hope you explore the various, cool email subscriptions that I enjoy using and I know you will too!

Boats Can Tip, So Can You!

"Boats Can Tip, So Can You!"

"Tipping: It Isn't Just For Cows!"

"Bad Tippers Are Bad Lovers!"

 

As I begin my new journey as a "40 year-old waitress", I recall the frustrations I had as a "20 year-old waitress".

Many people simply do not know how to tip.  Seriously, it's not rocket science! 

Here are 10 reasons people don't tip or don't tip enough:

1. Too preoccupied to pay attention to their server or the job that they did.

2. CHEAP

3. Didn't plan to go to a "sit-down" restaurant and "have" to tip.

4. Bad service

5. Forgot wallet

6. Thought the other person was going to tip

7. They have not been out to dinner in 40 years and think that a quarter can buy something.

8. CHEAP (sorry, did I already say that?)

9. They thought the tip was included in the meal.

10.  The women being waited on did not like the waitress/waiter's hair, shoes, make-up, cologne, etc.....

Okay, just so we are clear, out of the 10 reasons, number 4 should be the ONLY time you don't tip or leave a small tip.  If you got crappy service, they don't deserve to get paid - I am fine with that.  But everything else is not an excuse.  

Here is some insight:

1.  Servers work for less than minimum wage.  For example, in the state of Arizona, minimum wage is $7.65 an hour.  For servers, depending on where they work, they can make as little as $4 and some change.  If you are not tipping them, they are barely making any money.  Would you bust your butt serving others for that little?

2.  Servers have to tip out too.  Customers don't additionally tip the bussers, cocktail waitresses or bartenders (since the server is who they are getting everything from).  So when you are just leaving a couple bucks on a big tab, the likely hood is that the tip is going to someone else.

3.  Restaurants split their tables into "sections" so that each server has a certain amount of tables in a certain section.  If you walk by empty tables and wonder why you can't sit there, it's because there is no server available for that section.

4.  Some restaurants limit the sections to 3 tables for each server.  This is done so that more attention can be given to each customer.

5.  A server's average shift is 3 1/2 to 4 hours total for waiting on tables.  They only make tips during those times and when their tables are sat.  If you sit at their table for a long period of time, you are taking away their opportunity to make money.  We want you to have a pleasant experience, so as long as you leave a decent tip, we are cool with it.

6.  Most smartphones have wonderful and helpful applications that will tell you the amount to leave on a tab.  QuickTip is a free app and will help you calculate everything based on the amount of people in your party, the percentage you wish to leave, total of the bill, etc.

7.  Speaking of percentages, if you don't have a handy, dandy application to help you figure this out, simply double the tax on your bill.  This is a quick way to figure approximately an 18% gratuity.  Breakfast and lunch gratuity is usually figured, for average service, to be about 18%.  Dinner starts at 20% for an average dining experience.  

8.  If your server was friendly, helpful, brought your food out when they were supposed to, checked back with you, kept your drinks filled and added a positive to your experience, let them know.  Although they can't pay their bills with your praise, telling a manager about your great service is a wonderful way to help that server get promotions or accolades.

9.  If you have a large party, expect to tip more than usual.  Large tables are a lot of work, especially when it comes to getting all those orders out together.  

10.  Lastly, please be pleasant and acknowledge your server when they come to your table.  They are there to help you and take your order - this is why you came - to get what you want.  If you are not ready to order for awhile, let them know.  Don't get mad it you have to flag your server down to finally order.  They are trying not to rush you. 

I hope this lesson in "tipping" has helped.  Please feel free to comment.


 

I Love When We All Work Together

During my morning commute, which is very long I might add, I drive with a bunch of idiots! I know, it's a mean thing to say, but it's true. They tailgate, drive with excessive speed, drive too slow, can't stay in their own lane, etc. I know you know who I am talking about. However, there are times that I don't feel this way.

There is a bridge that I drive down, and like anyone traveling down a hill, my car tends to go a little faster. At the end of this bridge, there is a hiding place that our local law enforcement love to sit, and wait for speeders. When I say a hiding place, it really is a hiding place for the traffic going in my direction. I think the cop actually backs himself/herself into this spot so as to not be seen. Luckily, my fellow commuters coming from the other direction can still see the car.

So, every now and then, as I am coasting down the hill, I see a driver flash his/her headlights at me and it reminds me to be careful. When this happens, it restores good feelings about my fellow drivers - I love when we all work together!!!!!

Why I Am Thankful

As the holidays are approaching, I can't help but think of everything that I have to be thankful for. I try to do this on a daily basis during my morning commute to work, but I felt it important to write it down. Hopefully someone will read this blog and decide to do the same thing. Then, if more people become grateful for the life that they have, the world will be a happier, more positive place.

So, here I am to explain what I am happy for:

* I am thankful for my wonderful family, who give me so much love and joy. I am thankful for their good health and for knowing they are safe.

* I am thankful for my friends, who have known me all these years and still love me.

* I am thankful for having a man who loves me inside and out, who wants to give me his all and who looks forward to our future.

* I am thankful for the realiable car, that gets me to my job that I love, which helps me pay my bills.

* I am thankful for the home that I live in which is filled with lots of love.

* I am thankful for my computer and that I have an outlet to release my thoughts and emotions.

I know there are many other things I am thankful for and I will never forget them.

Happy Holidays!!!!!