Jay McHugh 617 699 7442
October 2014
I know people... In my work, I’m connected to service people of all kinds. I’d love to recommend them to you. So if you need a painter, gardener, handyman, plumber, etc, I can refer you to someone who’s really good at what they do! Just pick up the phone. Call me!
617 699 7442 Spooky Tongue Twisters to Share on Halloween! Say these three times fast... Creepy crawler critters crawl through creepy crawly craters. Dracula digs dreary, dark dungeons. Ghostly ghouls gather gleefully golf on ghostly golf courses. Gobbling gargoyles gobble gobbling goblins. Horribly hoarse hoot owls hoot howls of horror in Halloween haunted houses. If big black bats could blow big bubbles, how big would the bubbles be that the big black bats blow?
Try Edible Landscaping—Indoors & Out Food gardening is thrifty, good for the planet and for our health. But many people avoid growing food because they can't imagine planting and maintaining a vegetable garden.
Go at whatever pace suits you. Focus on foods you want to eat yourself.
In the book The Beautiful Edible Garden, the authors suggest swaps, like replacing a magnolia tree with a Luckily, edible landscaping doesn't fuyu persimmon, peppers in place of have to be so utilitarian. Making zinnias, and boxwood in place of edible plants part of your landscaping blueberries. Onions add texture and can result in beautiful outdoor spaces flowers, while leafy greens replace and decorative houseplants, full of broad-leaf fillers. An indoor planter interesting textures and designs. full of herbs or even a tomato plant provides both decor and food. An easy approach to edible landscaping involves starting with a Many edible landscapers like the one-on-one replacement. Switch out idea of having an “off the grid” food just one ornamental plant, tree, or source in case of emergency, and houseplant with something edible. many prefer to use scarce water to Then try it again with something else. grow food, not ornamentals.
How Much Is Your Home Worth Today? Home prices have risen almost universally. If you haven’t checked lately, you might be surprised at what your home is worth today. Send your address to Jay@JayMcHugh.com and I’ll send you an instant estimate.
with Jay McHugh 617 699 7442
The Roar Report
Story: Don’t Look Down! A man who was afraid of heights decided to conquer his fear by rappelling down the side of a steep cliff. A guide was on hand to help him, but as he stood on the edge of the cliff, the sight of the long drop and the rocks waiting for him down below made him freeze. The guide gave him some simple advice: “Don’t look where you don’t want to go.” By this simple twist on familiar goal-setting advice ("look where you want to go"), the man was able to complete his descent. The following Monday at work, the man remembered his mountaineering advice. He had been stressing about all the stuff he didn’t like about his work: his boss, his effectiveness, job duties, co-workers. His efforts to fix these issues just made him feel anxious. After his climbing trip, he realized that, metaphorically speaking, he had been staring directly down the mountain at these issues at work—looking only where he didn’t want to go. He decided to try an experiment.
He resolved to “see” only things he enjoyed about his job for the entire day. The result? He found himself relaxing more, getting along with his boss better, and getting more done. Next time you find yourself buried in pessimism…take the guide’s advice and don’t look where you don’t want to go. Focus on things you enjoy about the situation. It may not fix the problems, but you’ll probably feel better...and that’s worth a lot in a hectic life!
Why You Might Not Have Gotten a Raise Lately During tough economic times, employees are more worried about keeping their jobs than getting a raise. Times are changing, though, and if you haven't had a raise lately, here are some reasons it might not be happening: •
Your achievements are invisible. Don’t be a showoff, but make sure your bosses know what you’ve accomplished in the previous year.
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You’re focused on the wrong priorities. You can work hard, but if you’re not supporting your manager’s objectives, you won’t be able to justify a raise.
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You haven’t asked. Don’t make demands, but tell your manager what you’d like to earn.
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You don’t know your value. Keep track of the employment market for people in your job and region. Current data will help you make your case.
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You’re not pushing yourself in the right ways. The days of getting more than a cost-of-living raise for just showing up are dwindling. Show your willingness to take on more responsibility—stretch your skills, and demonstrate a commitment to going the extra mile when necessary.
with Jay McHugh 617 699 7442
The Roar Report
Welcome & Thank you Welcome to new clients and Thank You to friends who’ve trusted me with their referrals. Jon Moy Lilian-Lee Morse Stephanie Moy Newbury I appreciate my wonderful friends and clients who feel comfortable introducing their friends, family and coworkers to me.
Want to Win a $10 Starbucks Card? It’s easy! Answer the quiz question on page 2. Each month, all correct entries have a chance of winning a FREE $10 Starbuck’s card. Put the word QUIZ in the subject line and send it to: Jay@JayMcHugh.com Last month’s quiz: A flock of crows is called a murder. What is a flock of ravens called? Answer: A congress, a quorum, unkindness, conspiracy, or flight of ravens. Congratulations to last month’s winner: Susan Ho
Where Did the Concept of Jack O’ Lanterns Start? Have you ever wondered how the practice of turning pumpkins into jack o’ lanterns was born? The origin is fascinating. O’ lantern sounds Irish, and it is. The carved pumpkin faces that animate the Halloween landscape worldwide derive from an old Irish custom of creating lanterns from vegetables. The Irish child’s typical Halloween flashlight was a hollowed-out turnip or potato with a
New Consumer Report
Self-Staging Secrets to Use Whether Selling—or Not After staging, home sellers often say, “Gee, my home looks so nice now, I wish I had staged it when I was still living in it.” Here are a few pointers that stagers recommend. If you’re selling, you can use them to get a better offer, and if you’re not selling, you can stage now and enjoy the fruits of your labor while still living there. Get a copy for yourself or someone you care about. Email me at:
Jay@JayMcHugh.com Quiz Answer. A tittle (rhymes with little). .
candle Inside. When the Irish landed in America in the nineteenth century, they were quick to spot the possibilities of using pumpkins for the same purpose.
5 Simple Ways to Fill Wall Space Create an abstract painting. Buy a large canvas, use your favorite colors, then do something fun, like a large flower, splashes of paint, chevrons, etc. Add a frame and it will look like you bought it at a home decor store. Super-enlarge a favorite photo. Go online to find a photo enlarger who can print your image into poster size. Use four of any images you like. Print the image into different color saturations using your home printer on good paper. Frame each image and hang them in a square pattern. Paint a favorite quote or words directly onto your wall. If you can't paint well enough to make it look good, search wall lettering on YouTube for instructions about how to make smooth designer letters. Add a shallow shelf around the top of a room, two feet from the ceiling. Paint the wall above the shelf a contrasting color. Set album covers, books, or other decorative items on the shelf around the room.
Jay McHugh Chief Appreciation Lion 617 699 7442 Jay@JayMcHugh.com
LABEL/Or replace this area with an article, a Sudoku Making the Last Big Move Easy puzzle, an image, a game, a Selling a home can be scary. There's a lot to know, a lot to do, and a lot to worry about. Will you get the price you want? Will youpersonal get a good buyer note, who won't ask you to make every little repair? etc. When should you pack up? What do you need to do to get the most money? And many more questions. She had these questions. She was selling her long-time family home after the death of her husband. She needed more than a real estate agent. She needed an understanding person who could sympathize with her feelings as she went through a trying time. I was grateful that she trusted me to be her champion, and I was able to get her the most money possible with the least hassle. If you know anyone with elderly family members who need to sell their home, please call me so that I can be their champion!
~ Chief Appreciation Lion, 617 699 7442 This newsletter is for entertainment purposes only. Credit is given to the authors of various articles that are reprinted when the original author is known. This information is solely for entertainment, and should not be substituted for medical, legal, financial or tax advice. Any and all decisions and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a qualified physician, attorney, financial advisor and/or CPA. Do not hold us responsible for actions you may take without proper medical, financial, legal or tax advice.