Restaurant Owners Face Problems Followed By Crisis

Problems and Crisis

If there is a certainty that a restaurant owner must face, it is that they will be exposed to a flow of continuous problems, being only interrupted every two to three months by a real crisis.

This is a fact of life and there is nothing that we can do about it… or is there?

As the owner of a small business, you must be mentally ready to confront the many problems and crises that you will face during your years at the helm of your restaurant. All industries have problems, however, the main difference between a successful business and an unsuccessful one is how well the business owners can cope with the problems and crises that will arise (because they will, make no mistake about it).

To put things in perspective, you have to realize that problem solving and troubleshooting are staples of the small business owner’s mindset. Although you can’t predict when something wrong will happen, there are steps that you can take to mitigate the stress - and cope with the situation.

First, let’s try to catalog the problems.

Basically, they boil down to three categories:

  1. Problems with work-related people
  2. Problems with equipment or facilities
  3. Personal Problems

Let’s look at each one of them in more detail:

1.- Problems with work-related people

We can divide the problems with people in three new categories:

A. Problems with Employees and Food Providers

B. Problems with People who provide you with services (such as Lawyers, Accountants, etc.)

C. Problems with Clients

Let’s now try to analyze each one of them in more depth:

A. Problems with Employees and Food Providers

This category will would probably be one of the recurrent ones.

We’ve all being there. One of your waiters (or your chef or hostess) get sick precisely the day that you have a big party, and it is too late to replace them.

Your provider, who promised you to deliver the special food for that super-exclusive dinner that you were preparing for - for an entire week - is nowhere to be found.

One thing after the other occurs. A good way to deal with this problem is to always have a plan B.

When you create your schedule for your staff to work, have always at least one person on call in case something happens.

Tell your staff that they won’t be called unless it is absolutely necessary, and that you will compensate them by giving them an extra bonus if they have to come to work.

Explain to them that this is not a “nice to have”; this is a need and therefore non-negotiable. You can be flexible on the order (rotation) of on-call status.

The people who are off have other commitments and other plans, but if they understand how important this is and they know that this will be on an exception basis and that they will get generously compensated, they will agree with the conditions. It is also a good idea to have your staff cross-trained so that a waiter can be a replacement host or your host can replace a server if necessary.

Same thing in the kitchen: Your cooks should be able to cook any of the dishes even if the chef is sick or taking a well-deserved vacation. If you have read Module 1 from my Seminar, you already understand how important is to have great staff, and why it is totally worth it to surround yourself with the best staff that you can find. If necessary, re-read the module-; and make sure you do the homework!

Regarding the providers: Make sure that you get everything that you need for your meals way in advance so that you have time to plan if something doesn’t get delivered on time or arrives in bad condition. Don’t wait until the last minute for any shipment, even if the providers promise you that it will get there.

If, for whatever reason, you must wait for the delivery, make them sign a contract (it doesn’t have to be very long or formal, one sheet with some clauses will be enough) so that if they don’t deliver the goods on time, you have the right to obtain missing products from another source, and also the right to decline the products if they are delivered late.

They should also compensate you for the difference in price. I think that this is fair and they shouldn’t refuse to sign it.

B. Problems with People who provide you with Services.

This one is more a hassle than a real problem (at least if it is your lawyer lying to you, or your accountant messing up your books, etc. But that is beyond this newsletter to fix).

If you are not happy with the services that you are getting from your services providers (either they don’t deliver good quality work or they are rude, often unavailable, etc.), simply change to another provider.

Live is too short to deal with less than excellent professionals and the world is full of good ones. Try to get referrals before you commit to one of them.

C. Problems with Clients

I cover in the first three modules of the seminar how you need to put clients as your priority number one. For those of you who have subscribed to the Seminar, I encourage you to re-read these three first Modules.

For the ones who haven’t subscribed yet, I will give you a brief overview: Basically, you need to fall in love with your clients and try to make their experience in your place as pleasant as possible.

They are the ones who - at the end of the day - give you the money to keep your business alive, and should be your first priority.

A disgruntled client is bad business, and they will tell others about their (bad) experience in your place (including thousands of readers in forums and restaurant review web sites) so do your best to compensate their unhappiness and make them feel good again.

However, there are some cases (few - very few) where you are better off without a troublesome customer. In this case, be firm and invite them to leave your premises. Never confront them directly and don’t hesitate to call the police if they become aggressive or violent.

This should never be a tolerated behavior.

2. Problems with Equipment and/or Facilities

Things break. This is a fact of life. And it always seem to happen when you least expect it (well, we never expect things to break, do we?) or we need them the most (again, we always need the things that we use, right?).

However, there are some things that you can do to prevent/mitigate these kinds of problems:

1. Perform routine maintenance of all your equipment.

Although you will spend some extra money, it is totally worth it if this saves you grief and expensive emergency repairs. There are companies that specialize in maintaining and servicing your equipment and appliances on an ongoing basis.

You can get an annual contract with them with scheduled visits to check all the equipment, change filters, lubricate the moving parts, etc. Think about this as insurance for your well-being.

2. Keep in your place a handy list with phone numbers of all the companies and professionals that can help you whenever something fails in your place.

If you don’t have the maintenance contract, something will break or malfunction, and your stress level will rise quickly when you can’t find the phone number of the company or professional that can fix or repair your equipment.

It is a good idea to keep a folder containing the warranties of all the new equipment that you buy, in this way, if something is still under warranty, you will get it fixed for free (or just for the price of the parts).

Whenever you buy something new from a distributor, ask them also who services and repairs the equipment it if it breaks and it’s not covered by the warranty anymore.

Take note of the person or place and write it down in your contact list. Also write down the warranty expiration date, so that you know if it is still covered or not. Include in your list the names and phone numbers of other professionals that can be handy whenever something goes wrong. Make sure that you keep copies of this list (things get lost) at your home, and post a copy in a place where everybody can see it.

Don’t forget to tell all your employees where you keep the list.

Not only they will be able to quickly find and contact the necessary repair person, but you will also ensure that they call the people that you want instead of looking blindly through the Yellow Pages.

These are some categories of professionals and their phone numbers that you could start compiling in your handy list. This list is limited (you’ll have specific needs to cover depending of what kind of restaurant and appliances you have), but you’ll get the idea:

3. Personal Problems

These are the most difficult to deal with, since emotions always run high when problems involve our own personal issues.

We are all human beings with families, relationships, etc. so personal problems are unavoidable.

Restaurants are stressful environments because we have to deal with so many variables: providers, staff, clients, services, financial issues, bookkeeping, insurance, marketing, sales, food, drinks, etc. On top of that, schedules are often intensive with late hour shifts for dinners and drinks (especially if you have a full bar) and always busy weekends when other families can have quality time with their loved ones.

This busy life often takes its toll on the restaurant professionals and their families.

Although it is difficult to balance your business with your family’s schedule (unless you are single or your spouse also works in the industry), there are things that you can do to mitigate this problem.

First, we need to go back to your employees. You need to surround yourself with top-notch people. You also need to have a manager that you can totally trust so that you can delegate some of your tasks.

If your place is too small to have a dedicated manager, train one of your servers to perform some of your duties.

Pick a motivated, ambitious and especially honest person and spend time with him/her. Train them to the best of your abilities without withholding information.

Many restaurant owners are wary and afraid to share their knowledge, thinking that their employees are just waiting for the moment to quit and open their own place. Perhaps this is true, but the burden that you will unload and the loyalty that you will create with them will totally outshine the possibility of another competitor.

Also make sure that you compensate them generously for the extra responsibilities. I see often in this industry, owners giving their people extra work and responsibilities in exchange for nothing. This won’t work!

After you have trained somebody to keep the business running, assign yourself at least two off days a week (you can pick Sundays and Mondays that are normally slower than the rest).

Your manager should be able to cover for you. Once you trust that your manager can do the work, take bolder steps: take some vacation time, go away with your family for a week at a time while your place keeps on running on autopilot. Again, by changing your focus from your business and place to your clients and employees (as I explained in my Restaurant Marketing Strategies Seminar), you should be able to excel in all aspects and have much more relaxed and happy personal life.

So there you have it. Are you going to avoid problems by following these steps? No, you won’t - that would be impossible. But I can assure you that you can mitigate quite considerably many of them by having a plan that you and your employees know and follow.

It’s like being in the armed forces. The more trained that the soldiers are to respond under fire, the more ready they are whenever a critical situation arises.

I hope that you found this newsletter useful. Please feel free to email me at jose@RiescoConsulting.com if you have feedback about this letter, or ideas, suggestions, etc. for a next issue. Also, don’t forget to visit my website to get free downloads, read my blog, check the forums, etc. You can also subscribe to my newsletter so that you’ll receive it in your inbox every month.

Thank you for your time and attention,

Jose L Riesco

Jose Riesco is a marketing expert who has applied marketing concepts from other industries, into the restaurant business. Restaurant owners rely mainly in advertisement and promotions spending a lot of money in inefficient marketing.

Jose has created an online Restaurant Marketing Strategies Seminar (9 modules) where he teaches the restaurateurs to think strategically (instead of spending their time only with the daily operations) and changes their mindset.

His Seminar is groundbreaking and will make the restaurateurs who are committed and willing to follow it excel in their industry and make their restaurant stand out from their competitors. Their clients will love them and will come back over and over, happily spending their money.

To find out more about this Seminar as well as get more free information, visit his web site at Restaurant Marketing Strategies

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AFC South 2006 Preview and Projections

AFC South Division:

1) Indianapolis: The bad news for the Colts is that they lost key players RB Edgerrin James, PK Mike Vanderjagt, and some defensive talent to free agency, the good news is that they are a pass first team anyway which somewhat negates the loss of James and they were able to steal away PK Adam Vinatieri from the Patriots and the free agent hits the Colts took on the defensive side of the ball wont hurt much because of the comparatively weak division that the Colts reside in.

In the big picture Indianapolis will return the vast majority of last years roster and should easily capture another divisional title, provided of course that they can stay healthy. The Colts had a very average draft but did manage to get a replacement for RB Edgerrin James in Joseph Addai with the 30th overall pick. The Colts have won 10 or more games for the past four straight seasons now, which of course means that they have been a very successful team, but it also means they have had four years of picking fairly low in the draft and eventually it catches up to a team and especially so if the ole injury bug hits and you have no depth, you need look no further for this simple truth then Green Bay and Philadelphias fall to earth from a year ago. Projected record: 11-5

**Look to play ON the Colts in their November 5th showdown at New England, the Colts finally got that Patriot monkey off their collective backs last season with an eye opening 40-21 win in last years visit to Foxboro, how ironic would it be if Colt PK Adam Vinatieri booted his new team to a win over his old team?

2) Jacksonville: The Jags have several question marks on offense for the upcoming 2006 season, for instance, is QB Byron Leftwich healthy and can he stay injury free for an entire season? Is RB Fred Taylor healthy and can he last for an entire season? Who will step up and replace WR Jimmy Smith? The Jags posted a 12-5 record last season which was their best record since the 1999 season but they were fortunate to do so when considering that half their wins (6) were by a mere 6 points or less, having so many questions marks on offense makes me believe they will drop half of those close games this year. Thank goodness for Jag fans that the defense will in all likelihood be a sturdy unit once again after finishing 6th in total defense last year, but defense will carry them only so far and especially when you are trying to unseat a team like the Colts. Projected record: 9-7

**Look to play ON the Jags when they visit the Colts on September 24th, good defensive teams have had great success in handcuffing Peyton and company and at the top of the list is this Jag team which has covered 6 of their last 8 meetings ATS against the Colts, as a side note its nice to know that the visitor in this divisional rivalry is an amazing 5-1-1 ATS.

3) Tenneesee: The Titans who have posted a 9-23 straight up and 11-21 ATS record over the past two seasons drafted QB Vince Young out of Texas as their future which made QB Steve McNair expendable. The game plan this year is to start former backup QB Billy Volek and bring on Vince Young slowly much like they did when they drafted McNair out of Alcorn State, however, rumor has it that the Titans might bring in former Oakland QB Kerry Collins as an insurance policy should Volek fail to perform. The Titans appear healthy once again after an injury filled season last year but the fact remains that they are still a very young and very inexperienced team that will be led into battle with a career backup QB under center. The Titans with HC Jeff Fisher at the helm should make strides this year but it wont be reflected in the win column. Projected record: 4-12

**Look to play AGAINST these Titans on October 15th when they visit Washington, these young Titans will be playing their 4th road game in a 5 week span and figure to be a very road weary team, a check of last years results reveal that the Titans lost 7 of 8 road games in straight up fashion with five of those losses coming by double digit points.

4) Houston: These Texans won a mere two games last year and over the past four years have compiled a shoddy 18-42 straight up record, needless to say this kind of productivity got HC Dom Capers and his coaching staff fired, in Dom Capers place the Texans hired former Bronco offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. Houston actually had a pretty good draft which was highlighted by DE Mario Williams who was the first overall selection in the draft, Houston also drafted two huge OTs in Charles Spencer and Eric Winston to protect beaten down QB David Carr. The free agent signing of WR Eric Moulds will give Carr a downfield threat, that is as long as Carr can stay upright. I like what HC Kubiak is doing with regard to building up the offensive and defensive lines first and foremost but the truth of the matter is that this is another rebuilding year that will be slowed down by everyone having to learn new schemes and packages. Give this team a couple of years and they could jell into a contender when considering the talent they have. Projected record: 4-12

** Look to play ON these Texans when the Jags come to town on October 22nd, Houston has only won 18 games over the past four years but 11 of those 18 wins came at home in front of the home crazies, a look-see into the ole history book reveals that Houston has covered 6 of their last 8 meetings ATS versus the Jags including a nice 3-1 ATS mark when facing the Jags in Houston.

Jim Campbell runs http://www.FootballForecastor.com which has been an internet based sports handicapping service since 1997, you will be hard pressed to find another handicapper that has had the kind of success Jim has had, over the past eight years he has maintained one of the very best winning percentages of any sports handicapping service.

Jim Campbell finished the final four weeks of the 2005 NFL regular season with a mark of 14-5-2 ATS coming down the stretch for a winning rate of 73.68% and for the season in the NFL he finished with an overall mark of 48-33-4 ATS for a winning rate of 59.26% and that includes a perfect mark of 7-0 ATS in the NFL Playoffs, Jim has posted a mark of 6-2 ATS over the past EIGHT years with his Super Bowl selecton.

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Change Management and Business Risk Taking

Often there are times in business when corporate managers and executives need a little shake up and that means to shed the dead weight that is not up to the performance standards that are required to run the company efficiently. When this happens it is of the utmost important to get rid of those executives or corporate managers who cannot cut the mustard.

If employees, executives or managers who are up to snuff, but perhaps not well liked are the ones that get the ax then this becomes a political event and other top-notch employees who are giving 110% in everything they do will stop taking risks because they are afraid they might be next to go. This causes increased primate politics and favoritism and only makes things worse.

In fact in case studies after Chainsaw Al had done his dirty work in large corporations it was noted that many middle managers all the way up through executives stopped taking risks, because they were afraid if they did the wrong thing they would be fired. Businesses must take some risk in the marketplace because the only constant as we know is change.

When you were involved in a dynamic market there will be changes and the executive management team will need to deal with these changes and take risks and find new ideas to handle the challenges. If change management is not fair and honest with a good measuring stick then you risk the problems of executives and managers afraid to do their job and take the necessary risks to succeed in the marketplace. Please consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

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Get Cheap Car Insurance in Nashville Tennessee

Tennessee is one of the several states that doesnt have minimum liability car insurance requirements. Rather, the state has financial responsibility requirements; therefore, cheap car insurance in Nashville can be obtained in a variety of different ways to meet the financial responsibility requirements as well as your own financial needs.

The following are ways you can meet Tennessees financial responsibility requirements:

An auto insurance card (the kind you keep in your glove compartment)
Other written proof (such as a file or binder) from an Tennessee auto insurance company affirming you have a policy that meets financial responsibility requirements
A certificate issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety (DOS) affirming youve posted a cash deposit or bond that meets financial responsibility requirements
A certificate issued by the Tennessee DOS affirming youve qualified as a self-insurer (to provide insurance/money yourself)

Cheap car insurance in Nashville will come from whichever one of the above financial responsibility choices works best for you. Remember, if you arent in a financial situation that allows you to post cash deposits or bond, or self-insure, theres nothing obsolete about a good old fashioned Nashville auto insurance policy. You can still save month on those, too.

Make your insurance premium payments quarterly, or every six months, rather than every month. This can help cut down on additional fees.
Raise your deductible. Even though this means youll have to pay more money out of your own pocket in the event of an accident, raising your deductible also means you pay a cheaper Nashville car insurance premium.
Purchase multi-line insurance. If you already have an insurance policy from a particular company (for example, a homeowners insurance policy), find out if you can purchase an affordable Nashville car insurance policy, too. Many insurance companies offer discounts for purchasing more than one line of insurance with them, which means you could end up saving money on both insurance policies.

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Landscape Design

Landscape design is an important aspect of designing your property. If you have land surrounding your house, you can plan and design a beautiful landscape to give you extra living space or add aesthetics to the building. Landscape design can be done for homes, public places and corporate establishments. A well-designed landscape can enhance the value of the property.

Before going in for landscape design, plan and work out the design in detail. If you can visualize your plan using software, it can give you a good idea of how the landscape will look. The landscape should merge well with the building around it. You can use a formal style, informal style, English garden, or an Oriental or woodland look, depending on the architecture and look of the main building. Then prioritize what functional this landscape design should serve. It can be a new area for play or leisure, to block sun, wind or street noises, or to improve the look of the property.

Analyze your site to see how you can implement your ideas. Decide on the plants, statues, steps and lighting you will need. Finally, see that your plan matches the climate of the area as well as your budget. Looking into all the details beforehand can save you lots of effort and money in trying out various ideas.

If you cannot handle this task on your own, you could hire a landscape designer. Or, if you have enough interest in the subject, you could learn all the tactics in a landscape designing course. On the Internet there is vast information on landscape designing available, if you want to put in the time and effort. There are lots of forums and associations of landscape design that have come up to bring together people to share views and experiences on landscape designs. Whatever way you go, it is better to go in for such a plan that involves minimal use of pesticides in the long run and does not require a great deal of maintenance.

Landscape Design provides detailed information on Landscape Design, Landscape Design Software, Free Landscape Designs, Landscape Design Plans and more. Landscape Design is affiliated with Landscaping Ideas.

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Posted on Sep 30, 2008 in Garden Landscaping | Comments Off


Make Your Small Office-Home Office e-Green

The good news is that an e-green office is not only good
for the planet, its economical. And, when combined with a
few other green tactics, it is healthier. Try some or all of
the following:

1. Purchase upgradeable computers and other electronic
equipment. When necessary, upgrade rather than replace.
You save money and reduce consumerism.

2. Turn off electronic equipment when not in use to reduce
energy by 25%. If you put everything on a power bar, you
need simply to turn off one switch. Turn off your computer
at night and save an additional 50%.

3. Set your computer monitor to go into sleep mode or
Standby if not used for ten minutes. This reduces power
to peripherals but maintains the memory so you dont
lose your work. On Windows XP, use the Start menu —
Control Panel — Display Screen Saver — Power, then
choose your settings. On a laptop, using the Hibernate
function will extend the life of your batteries.

4. Recycle old equipment and computers. Many of the larger
computer and electronics companies have begun offering
recycling programs. If this doesnt work for your situation,
find an organization that accepts recycled electronics, or
contact your local government to ask where and how
electronics are recycled in your area. This includes
energy efficient light bulbs, which contain zinc and
should not be thrown in the dump.

5. Speaking of energy efficient light bulbs, begin or
continue using them. Youll save considerable energy costs.
Position your desk and equipment to catch natural light
from a window.

6. Use a fax modem as much as possible, rather than a
fax machine. You send documents directly from the computer
rather than printing them out and using paper. Bypass the
cover sheet and help the recipient save paper.

7. Print and photocopy double sided documents to save
paper. Use leftover scraps of paper or used envelopes for
memo pads. Print out only that which you need to print out.
Store the rest in computer files.

8. Communicate more by email and less through letters
and paper memos.

9. Schedule more conference calls, video conferences
and net meetings instead of face to face meetings. Youll save
resources, time and money by cutting down on business travel.

10. Look for ENERGY STAR logo before purchasing computers,
monitors, photocopiers printers, fax machines scanners and
multifunction devices. This logo confirms that the machine
meets energy efficient standards. Ensure that the energy
efficient features are activated. Some products ship from the
manufacturer with the energy efficient components turned off.
Ask the sales rep to show you how to activate if you are not
sure how to proceed.

11. Recycle paper, cardboard packaging, toner, ink cartridges
and other materials. Use high yield cartridges. Purchase
earth-friendly products, including cleaning supplies, toner
and office supplies.

12. Use rechargeable batteries wherever possible, rather than
disposable ones. Try to stay away from disposable products as
much as possible. You may pay more for a sturdier product
(such as a sturdier case), but since they last longer, you
save over time and cut down on waste.

Remember, everything you do makes a difference. For other
things you can do, run an Internet search for environmentally
friendly office or green office. You will find a wealth
of information.

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Clever Clown Uses Ventriloquism as Secret Tool - 7 Questions Answered by Ribbons the Clown

1. What is one thing every Ventriloquist must do?

A mans gift makes room for him and brings him before great men. Proverbs 18:16. Practice! In the room where you spend the most time, place your puppet on a stand as well as a mirror. Pretend youre talking to a friend every time you pass by your puppet. Move your puppet in silly ways. New ideas develop every day as you grow to know your puppet. Their personality emerges. Even if you dont have talent and want to be a good ventriloquist, just pick up a puppet and play with it OFTEN. Practice your lip control when you are in the car.

This is my new thing I do Sing and talk as you walk down the street without moving your lips and ACT NORMAL. This is great practice to act normal as well as a great use of your time. Sometimes get rid of the mirror. Instead, practice in front of a video camera. Acting normal will be impossible if you always use a mirror; you become co-dependent on it.

2. What is one thing every Ventriloquist must avoid?

Avoid staying in your comfort zone. Think outside the box. Instead of doing what everyone else does, take a common thing and go one step farther. Just DO IT.

I recommend:
1) Step out of your comfort zone by using new material often. Perform for free; perform for neighbors and nursing homes; and take your puppet with you when you go shopping. Although, dont expect to get any shopping done. I take my puppet with me to local stores. This forces me to be in new situations, teaches me how to move my puppet, as well as what to say in new ways. This has greatly improved my puppet manipulation.

2) Avoid the lecture look and sound. Watch people; move your puppet the same way people move. Move your body like you would if your puppet was a person. Dan Horn is excellent on this technique. He has his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth, brushes his hair off his face, gets a drink, and offers it to his puppet. BE NATURAL. Get comfortable. If you enjoy it, the audience will too.

3. Is this Ventriloquist stuff something that is here to stay?

I think so. Its like watching a cartoon come alive before your eyes. That never gets old.

4. Can a Ventriloquist be successful if they are in a crowded niche?

Yes! Just be yourself, find your unique style of dress, puppet and presentation. PRACTICE!

5. What has Ventriloquism done for you?

It has opened the door for me to share everywhere God is a good God and a loving Father. I can share this creatively and not in the conventional way of other ventriloquists. I want people to hear the message and not even be aware they heard it because they are engaged in the show. Id rather demonstrate than preach.

I am a professional clown/ventriloquist and adding the ventriloquist part has opened the door to clown for adults. I never perform ventriloquism without being dressed as a clown. I am Ribbons the Clown/ventriloquist which is my unique way of using ventriloquism.

6. What trends to you currently see in Ventriloquism?

I see too many hard figures. Personally I think they are limiting. They have eyes, ears, nose, and hair that wiggle. How often can you use that in one show? Soft puppets move, bend and twist to portray different reactions which can be funny or realistic.

7. What was your first job?

I have been clowning for 15 years and have always used some type of Niki monkey. About four months ago I bought my first professional puppet, an Axtell orangutan. It was love at first sight. She looked so good I decided to get serious about ventriloquism, so I signed up for ConVENTion 2007 and decided to perform on stage for my first major show. I used her for performances at three other nursing homes and at my home church. I did okay but felt I did not practice enough because the audience consisted of seasoned ventriloquists and I forgot part of my show. So, PRACTICE!

I am my worst critic. The worst thing for me is the battle in my head, knowing I am much better than what I just performed.

A. H. Scott
July 31, 2007

Angela Scott, http://www.thatstorylady.com, encourages, inspires and motivates non-readers and those who live and work with them to discover hope.

Visit my website to read more about ways you can discover hope and change your life.

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Fashion? What Is It All Fur?

With global warming upon us, it is hardly surprising that not many of us wish to think about wearing fur, especially during the winter months. In many parts of the world, the winter has been so mild, that wearing fur on such days will bring you out into a sweat. So why do so many people think that it is cool to wear fur? Do they not know that they would be more comfortable in a skimpy shirt and trunks?

And if wearing fur was all about keeping warm, then most peoplefashion conscious or notwould be wearing knitted tights provided by their grandmother. There are plenty of grandmothers around that would be only too pleased to provide a conveyor-belt supply of knitted garments. Grandmothers were made just for the role of supply for spoilt grandchildren.

Of course, fur is more about wearing something for fashion rather than utility. Even in the 21st century when fur products have been deprecated, it is still surprising whether fashion is involved or not.

Fur sales in Britain rose by 30% in 2005. Sure, fur does look good on some people. And if you are high profile, then dawning fur can make it seem that you are part of the jet setthe lucky few who have money and influence. But with the dislike of fur products being so widespread and especially as it has been publicly denounced by a number of popular celebrities, it is still surprising that celebrities in the public eye still choose to wear this type of garment.

Visit us or share your opinions at the worlds best homepage or free content resource. Do you want to quit smoking? Visit Smokefree England for further information.

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Carpet Cleaning In NHS in the UK

Hygiene takes a whole new meaning when one is in a healthcare environment. This is the place where people of delicate health conditions frequent, and any sort of laxity with hygiene could compound their problems. That is why extreme care is taken with things like pollen in the environment, mould and mildew, dust, and such other pollutants. Recently, one more aspect of hygiene that has gained prominence, especially in the healthcare institutions of the UK, is carpet cleaning. Organizations like the National Health Service (NHS) are considering carpet cleaning to be a very important part of their overall healthcare program.

Carpet Cleaning and the NHS

The NHS is a healthcare organization of the UK that works entirely with public funds. Its main purpose is to provide healthcare services to people of the nation, which includes both long and short term patient care, inpatient and outpatient care, ocular and dental problems, and a lot more. This sprawling institution is quite predictably crowded all the time with patients seeking treatment and with its own employees administering treatments to them. Quite naturally then, their rooms are much more prone to health hazards than other institutions, and more so the carpets.

Pollutants from the carpets can aggravate allergies, cause infections and might cause severe health problems. That is the reason why NHS requires routine carpet cleaning services for its establishments. Quite a few carpet cleaning companies in the UK are affiliated with the NHS on a contractual basis, and look after different areas in which the NHS operates.

How do Carpet Cleaners for the NHS handle things?

Carpet cleaners for the NHS in the UK have to be very particular that they are doing a very clean job. Their job includes many stages. A brief summary of how they go about it is given below:-

1. The first step would probably be to understand the whole layout of the establishment. The carpet cleaners would then separate places according to the amount of footfalls they get. Areas that are trod upon by several people each day are marked for more severe cleaning. While, areas that do not have many footfalls, such as the cabins are marked for less frequent cleaning. The carpet cleaners might use a colour coding system to differentiate between the areas.

2. Then the structure of the carpet is determined. Professional carpet cleaners have different cleaning methods for different types of carpets. During this step, the fibre of the carpet, its thickness, its warp and woof and several other technical aspects of the manufacture are taken into account.

3. Once the carpet style is determined, the treatment appropriate for it is implemented. Dry cleaning is the most usual method used in professional carpet cleaning in the UK, but depending on the maker of the carpet, different methods could be implemented.

What does NHS look for in its Carpet Cleaners?

The NHS is a body serving a very important purpose, and for that reason, it is not possible to be lenient with its carpet cleaners. Before striking an affiliation, the NHS will check into the credentials of the carpet cleaners and check out how professional they are and what methods they use. They will have to sign contracts with the NHS. But they are free to work with other clients too, if they want.

About the Author

Ian Harper owns and operates a cleaning company, http://www.allergystop.carpet-upholstery-cleaner.com/ which specialises in Asthma Attack Prevention caused by air allergens in the home and work place., using the most up-to-date efficient methods and allergystop (allergstop). this product is also useful in controlling MRSA. You can learn more about this unique cleaning technologies by visiting the website for his Carpet Cleaners Network .

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Creativity Tool: Spreading Synonyms

This article is one in a series of short articles describing practical creativity tools. The technique described in this article is especially good when you need to work on catchy names or slogans, impressive speeches, or other occasions in which your creativity has to be expressed through words.

Here are the steps you should take:

  1. Write down the first version of the text you can come up with: Usually the first version of a name or slogan is not the best one you can come up with. However, writing it down is your first step towards working on it and coming up with many more creative options.

  • Find all the synonyms you can for the words in your sentence:
  • Build new sentences with the synonyms:
  • Choose one (or more) of the new sentences: Now you may choose the best of the new slogans, or use several variations on different places in order to keep things interesting (one on the front door, another on the menu, a third in the newspaper ad you make, etc.).

    • * Article on Creative Ideas for Restaurant or Special Dinner for Friends - see: http:///?Creative-Ideas-for-Restaurant-Service—Home-Dinner-for-Friends&id=420079

    Amir Elion is a management and innovation consultant and facilitator. His Practical Creativity website on http://www.best100ideas.com includes numerous creativity and innovation tools. The tools and ideas on this article as well as other creative ideas in many fields and creativity tools, may be found on the free monthly Creative Ideas Newsletter: http://www.best100ideas.com/newsletter.shtml

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