Summertime29's Blog

Sympathy Notes for Pet Loss

summertime29 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:44:10 +0000

People take the loss of their pets seriously. Pets are family for some people. A loss of a pet can be traumatic to adults and children. The loss of a pet is usually a child’s first experience with death. If the child is very young, it can be very difficult to explain. This can prolong the grieving process of your friend. Simply because the child may ask over and over again for sometime what happen to their pet. This can add stress to the grieving process. A sympathy notes can be helpful by letting your friend know you understand they are going through a tough time.
Pets are companions, best friends, and endearing. People treat their pets as human beings. So the loss of the pet leaves emptiness in the family. The grieving process can take a while. If your friend is going through this loss process you want to help. You want to acknowledge their loss as if it was a person who passed. A sympathy note can be personable and appropriate to acknowledge the loss. There may not be many sympathy cards in stores for the loss of a pet, but a blank card or note is fine. A blank card is actually better because you get to use your own words and that is great. This allows your friend to know that you really feel sorry for their loss. Some of the best cards are not cards just notes. A note is a powerful tool. There are people in times of loss who do not know what to say, and so they say nothing. That can appear callous or indifferent. You do not want to portray that feeling. A few lines in a card or note can give the feeling of a hug. It is heartfelt, and that is important. I know words can be tough so I am going to give a few examples, but you should express how you feel. The note can be solemn or funny depending on your friendship. The important thing is to say something and acknowledge the loss.

I was so sorry for your loss. I know you had Bernie (name the pet) since his birth. If you
talk I will listen.

I was so sorry to hear Lady (name the pet) is no longer with us. She was just like one of the girls.
We had been dressing her up since we were kids. I will miss her too.

I will miss Brute’s (name the pet) strong presence. I always felt safe when he was around. He
was a great protector. Plus he owes me a pair of pumps. (smile) I am here if you need me.

As long as your note is personal, it will be meaningful to your friend. Some people fall into a deep depression when they lose a pet. It is just as hard as losing a family member. This loss can be helped by a support system as with any other death. Your support in your friend’s time of loss of their pet will be greatly appreciated. Your sympathy note will give them something to let them know they are not alone. Plus whenever they feel sad your note can leave them with a warm feeling like a hug.

Advantages of Yoga

summertime29 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:01:54 +0000

Yoga is defined as a form of exercise by a series of different poses and breathing exercises. Yoga is done by slow and fluid motions. This exercise is not fast paced or a series of strenuous movements. Yoga is also found to be relaxing and to heighten your mental senses. It is found to be a very beneficial to your health.
Due to some of the poses, people tend to shy away from this form of exercise. It is true you can injure yourself if not done correctly. However, that is true for any exercise. There are instructors as well as videos to aid you in doing the exercises correctly. For instance, if you have a back injury, there is a series of poses for you situation. A few of the poses for back injuries are the pelvic tilt, standing forward bend, and the side angle poses. If you need to see these poses and others, there are numerous videos listed on the Internet. It really does not matter what shape you are in physically, there are yoga poses you can do.
The benefit of yoga is getting your body in shape. Today in a health care society, we have to remain active. Our lives are very busy causing exercise not fit into anybody’s schedule. You have to make a conscious effort to do so. If you add an injury to the equation, is adds to the lack of wanting to exercise. Yoga can be done in short periods of time, and if you have a physical impairment, you can still exercise. Yoga will tone your muscles, help you lose weight, and increase your flexibility. Plus, you will feel energized and relaxed.
As with any exercise, you do need to consult your doctor. The back injury is just an example of how Yoga can work with any injury. Yoga offers a range of exercises from beginners to expert. There are easy and complex poses. So you can increase your strength as you progress. There is no expensive equipment and clothes to purchase. The benefits truly outweigh the liabilities. Exercise is something we all must do. Try yoga, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Do Not Judge Me!!!

summertime29 — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:11:46 +0000

Believe it or not, this is not a sermon. It is just a thought. I heard that phrase, ‘Do Not Judge Me’, five times this weekend. I was just wondering is that the new catch phrase? I was doing my normal routine when I heard the phrase. I heard it three times when I was doing my running around shopping. I heard a person on a reality show say it. Then I heard it again watching a Sunday Primetime program. None of these programs had any religious affiliations. These were just everyday conversations.

We are a judgmental society. We judge people every day. However unintentional, we do judge. We take one look and form an opinion. Not all opinions are spoken, but they are thought. I know you have heard this before, ‘I knew he was trouble when I saw him.’ It is almost like we can read that person’s mind. We sometime label people for the past actions. The person did something 20 years ago, and we still hold it against them.

Or are we a people who truly do not judge? Are we as accepting of other people’s difference as we say we are? I want to believe we are. I try to be open-minded like most people. However, I do admit to being cautious. I do not just accept something or someone on face value. I take my time to learn and observe the person or situation. Is that judging or being smart? Today we have to be cautious for our own safety. That is the fine line, we do not want to offend and appear standoffish, yet we cannot be too friendly. I live in the South with the good old ‘Southern Hospitality.’ I love it here, and we are known for our welcoming environment. People tend to think we are easily deceived. Please do not be deceived by the myth. We tend to protect our own, sometimes too much. We are a very discerning people.

We say we believe in second chances. This is the goal we try to achieve as a country. We have not done that yet, but there is always hope. I want to believe, we as a people, are not very judgmental. However, I still hear regularly, ‘Do Not Judge Me.’ Maybe, this phrase will bring awareness to our actions. We should make the phrase work for us. We should make it a society or environment, where we do not have to say it. This will make our environment more accepting, and leaving the judging for our governing bodies.

Help Me Get My Boyfriend Back!!

summertime29 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 02:23:04 +0000

Okay, we hear you! What are the steps you are using to make that happen? Sometimes in your desperation, you can make the break up worse.

First you need to control your actions and impulses. Are you calling or texting him constantly? DO NOT DO THAT! Are you following him in your car? DO NOT DO THAT! I am not trying to trivialize how bad you want your boyfriend back, but you need to be calm. You impulses can be overbearing and very annoying to him. You do not want to alienate him any further. This can also be seen as stalking, which is illegal.

Start by being good to yourself. If you are not good to yourself, you cannot be good to anyone else.Stay away from him. No contact. I realize this is going to be hard, but you are trying to achieve a certain outcome. Remain strong and resist the old impulses. Now is the time you catch up on your personal social circle. Go visit your parents, girlfriends, or old acquaintances. This is a good time to volunteer somewhere. It is good to take the focus off your situation, and put the energy into helping others. You have been doing all the chasing; let him chase you for a minute. You never want to be in a one-sided relationship.

Now, one of two things is going to happen. Either he will start missing you, and start pursuing you, which is what we want. Or, and you have to consider this, you may never hear from him again. This is not the end we want, yet it is a possibility. Hopefully, during the time you spent alone, you realized you were a great person even without a boyfriend. You are a valuable part of this universe. This is what I want you to know. Even though we want you and your boyfriend to get back together, you are important alone. We want him to miss you so much, he will call or come by and check on you. When he does call; remember remain calm. You do not want smother him. You do not want to bring back the feelings that made him leave in the first place. Let him make the first move. Take it slow. Now you know he has feelings for you, and that is a great start. My wish for you and him is to be two happy people together.

Best Wishes,

M. Buford

Magic of Making Up- tinyurl.com/yfbkedu

Should I Quit Him?

summertime29 — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:44:00 +0000

You all have heard of the 80-20 rule. If not, here is a quick rundown. If you can deal with 80% of what your man does, then his is a keeper. The other 20% is supposed to be minor stuff, and nobody is perfect, right? But what if the 80% is money and not love. This is the one me and my girlfriends discuss the most. Could you grow to love him? That what the older people used to say when I was younger. Is that true? Is it enough, money?

Well I am older now, and for most of my friends, ‘Yes’, it is enough. How much older? That is none of your business and it is not the issue. The issue is as we grow older, our needs change. Our perspective on love is different than the younger generation. You see I used our old term ‘quit’ in my title. That is what we used to call it, when we broke up with a guy. This generation has more mature decisions than we used to have. I believe their live is more serious than when we were growing up. Or we may have just hid it better. I am not sure. Now we have young girls, who may not have had a father in their lives, who are looking for someone to take care of them. An older man with money is their goal. What happens as he gets significantly older, and you are hitting your prime? Is the money still enough?

My hope for the younger generation is the 80% is love. There are only a few things in life more beautiful than seeing a couple who has been married for over 50 years. They got married young, and took on all of life challenges together. That is a beautiful thing. That is something we all want. Life sometimes just does not end up the way you have it planned. To be married 50 years, you have seen all the good and all the bad life has to offer together.

My advice to ‘Should I Quit Him’ is to be true to yourself. You know deep down what are really feeling.Logically test the 80-20 rule. Then listen to your heart and gut. You should know by now, love does not hurt, and money cannot buy you love. Whatever you decide, stand by it. Do not be unfair to him by continuing just for the part you like, knowing you are not going to stay with him. Be a lady and truthful with him. If you are deceitful; it will only hurt you in the long run. If you are honest; you cannot lose.

Best Wishes!!

M. Buford

http://tinyurl.com/yfbkedu

Homemade Baby Formula

summertime29 — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:45:36 +0000

Today, we are a health conscious society. We have more mothers’ breastfeeding than ever before. Actually, if you do not breast feed people wonder ‘Why Not’. We all know that breast milk gives the babies antibodies that they need to be healthy. Yet sometimes, breastfeeding does not work out. It could be the mother or the baby, it just does not work. This can lead to frustration because do you want to give the baby store bought formula. Especially when it may take a couple of different types before the baby finds one they can digest easily. Well now we have a third alternative, homemade baby formula.

This formula adds gelatin to the cow’s milk for easy digestion for the baby. Here’s the basic formula:

2 cups whole milk, preferably unprocessed

¼ cup of homemade whey

4 tablespoons lactose

½ teaspoon good quality cream

1 teaspoon regular does of cod liver oil

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon expeller expressed sunflower oil

2 teaspoons coconut oil

2 teaspoons Frontier brand nutritional yeast flakes

2 teaspoons gelatin

1 7/8 cup filtered water

¼ acerola powder

Now please go to the website for substitutions and more specific details on the formula. You can go to:

http://www.westonapnce.org/children or http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com for step by step instructions. The formula makes about 36 ounces. I just wanted to let the new mothers know that there is a way to make formula for your babies. Now you have a way to still give them a healthy formula.

Best Wishes,

M. Buford

http://tinyurl.com/yzl56yk

Repercussions of Flu Shots

summertime29 — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:02:37 +0000

I know that we are all probably confused with all the information thrown at us about the swine flu. Maybe this
little bit of information will give you a start as what you need to do.

The elderly are the main population that needs the flu vaccine. Now there is no specific data that states the vaccine has prevented any deaths in the elderly. It is just the age factor that makes them more susceptible to catch the flu.
The people in good health, they probably have a better chance of surviving a serious flu infection than someone who
is elderly or has an underlying health issues. The flu vaccine would not make a difference in either group’s
mortality rate. There is no real proof that receiving the flu vaccine will save your life. This maybe be a myth
that the elderly may be told.

It would be wise to spend the money that would have been spent on flu vaccine on increasing your intake levels of
vitamin D, especially in winter when many do not have the benefits of natural sun exposure and those that do have a
smaller rate of sun exposure due to a weaker sun in the winter months. If the millions of individuals that are at
health risk would start a vitamin D supplement there may not be a need for a flu vaccine.

The non-shot version of the vaccine is a nasal mist. It contains a weakened live flu virus; it is not for people
with a weak immune system or certain health conditions. This nasal mist is for healthy, non-pregnant women between the ages of 2 to 49 years old.

Therefore, the main repercussion of the flu shot is you might get the flu. We know your age and health is the main
reason to get the shot, but that is no guarantee. I say, do not panic and run to the doctor for the shots. There
are three now. Evaluate your situation, and then act. However, if you are sick, and your symptoms are getting
worse, please go to the doctor. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Sway Your Finances

summertime29 — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:55:53 +0000

The bills just keep on coming. Yet the money to cover them, is not enough. You probably do not know which way to turn. The television shows all these ads on how to repair your credit. But if you are broke, that is like creating another bill. How about fixing your credit yourself?

If you created the credit problem, then you should be the one to repair it. You can do this yourself. Plus the obvious reason is you are the only one who knows what you can afford to do. You have the tools to deal with the creditors.Learning how to repair credit is figuring out how much debt you owe in total. Write down everyone you owe. Getting all your debts accounted for is necessary. This is the first and most importanta step.

Get a copy of your credit report from all three agencies, Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. You can obtain them for free once a year. When learning the basics of how to repair credit this step is also crucial since you need to know which debts to focus on first. You’ll also want to look over them for any mistakes, which are actually quite common to find, so that you can dispute them.Also you will probably want to research the Credit Repair Organizations Act. It protects you from credit repair organizations which falsify their claims or attempt to bill you before you’ve received their services.Debt Consolidation agencies can help you, if you feel there is too much debt for you. Try Consumer Credit Counseling, they are a low cost agency. Apply for a credit card. A credit card can go a long way toward repairing your credit score.

Once you get your credit repaired, or at least getting on the right track, stay on track. Get a copy of your credit report at least once a year. There’s no point in going to all this trouble to correct your credit rating if you’re just going to get right back into hot water. You will treasure your credit, especially if you fixed it yourself.

Etiquette of Friends with Benefits

summertime29 — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 01:31:31 +0000

Most of the time, it is hard to find a man and woman that are just friends. Sexual tension arises and it’s hard to keep things at a platonic level. The typical situation is you start as friend and end up having sex. Now the friendship is strained. This person could have been your best friend for life, and now when you see each other, it is awkward. You see the best part of being just friends is you get to meet new people. He introduces you to his friends and vice versa. That is the best part of being platonic. There is always someone there to make you feel better and getting great advice about the opposite sex. It’s good to hang out with someone completely different. Let’s face it, we learn more about ourselves and about people in general whenever we’re hanging out with people who are different from us. We get to have different experiences that we wouldn’t have otherwise. Now however, you have slept together. Now what? Well in today’s society ‘casual sex’ has been replaced by ‘friends with benefits.’ This makes the sexual encounter, no big deal. You can still be friends without all the guilt. Plus it gives you the options to pursue something more serious, if you both desire. Or, if it did not go as well as you like, both of you still can be friends. Another advantage is if both of you do not want to be a couple, but liked sleeping together, well knock yourself out. You both have an understanding. Now I appreciate the benefits of being friends with benefits. Yet, I really do not believe you can engage in this act for too long. The simple fact is, someone will eventually will want more. My personal opinion is you can get too comfortable, and someone could get hurt. If the other person does not develop feelings then this could be as bad as a regular relationship. Well my final word on this is, make sure you both agree and are on the same page. As adults, I recognize that all sexual encounters do not have to be serious. However, if the person is the opposite sex, and a friend, be careful.

M.Buford

http://tinyurl.com/yfbkedu

Review of the best sites for “Going Green”

summertime29 — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 05:30:57 +0000

Are you Interested in the Future of Our Environment?

Simply put, there are literally hundreds of products out there that teach you how to switch a home to solar or wind generated energy. When you look at these products though, only a few of them are worth anything. Converting a home using professionals is an expensive proposition. To compensate many are turning to do-it-yourself books and making the move to go green on their own. With the wide range of information available, let’s first discuss what a go-green learning package is and is not.

First, a program that teaches you to convert your home is NOT the only thing you need. To make the actual conversion you’ll still need to follow the guide to building solar panels or windmills or both.

Second, NOT every home is appropriate for green conversion. If you live in an condo for example you don’t have the surface area for solar panels, or the land needed to setup a windmill.

Third, a package that teaches you how to convert your home IS an excellent way to reduce and even get rid of that month power bill. In fact, if you do it right you’ll likely generate more energy than you use, and the power company will have to pay you for the power you feed back into the grid. Best of all, if you choose the right methods to convert your home it can be done for very little cost to you.

Fourth, if you don’t take the time to choose the right learning tools then you’re just wasting your money. You even run the risk of creating problems for yourself when your real estate value drops due to the non-working solar panels that are covering the roof. Choosing the right tool to learn with is the most important step!
To help you choose a green power package that works, along with some friends, I have worked to evaluate the top five learning products on the market today. We based my evaluations on the following criteria.

•Green Power – Obviously our main goal from any power generation project is to generate power. We tested how much power each solar panel and windmill could actually generate.
•Ease of Building – With a package that teaches how to convert a home, the material should be clearly laid out, and the components should be simple to build.
•Instructional Value – From the above criteria we gave higher ratings to those learning packages that taught us how to go green with ease. The best packages had everything clearly explained, drawn blueprints, and then further explained with how-to videos.

•Cost Involved – The main reason people choose to convert their home themselves is to save money. We gave much higher ratings to the packages that taught us how to find parts for less.
•Availability of Parts – Some of the learning packages we tested recommended parts that weren’t available. We gave higher marks to those that used parts that were available to anyone (such as at your local hardware store)
•Time Involved – How long did it take to build each component. We found this had a lot to do with how well the material was explained, but some of the plans just weren’t simple enough.
•Overall Rating – From the above factors we gave each package an overall rating.

To follow you will find our ratings for the top five products that can teach you how to go green. With each of our evaluations we did take the time to build each component that the book/video suggested, and in the process we converted a home.

I have more information if interested.

Best Wishes!

M. Buford

http://www.mmb01.com/goinggreen/