Suzanne Delzio Quality Content Writer/ SEO Copywriter

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3 Companies Rocking Facebook’s Timeline and the Critical Features They Get Right Se p t e mb e r 12, 2012 b y Je une O rt iz

While many complain about Facebook ’s new Timeline format, the social networking company’s goal for the change was to bring businesses more sales and engagement. After all, it wants to sell ads to businesses. Before it can do that, it must prove to businesses that consumers become engaged on Facebook and ultimately buy from that business. This means that customers actually have to enjoy spending time on brands’ Facebook pages. So how is Facebook rising to this challenge? You can imagine Mark Zuckerberg and his pals sitting around the table thinking . . . thinking . . . thinking . . . and then . . . Eureka! “Hey guys. Let’s – “ 1. Make pages more visual and less text based . . . hence the larger cover photos and App icons. 2. Engage customers with brands better by having those brands offer more fun, entertaining and informative stuff to visitors . . . hence larger Apps in a more central location. 3. Make the pages more malleable to brand administrators so they can emphasiz e certain posts . . . hence “highlights” and “pinning.” 4. Use story- telling to engage, convert and sell . . . hence the easy timeline format where visitors can jump from year to year, month to month at will, learning about

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all the great things a company has done. The new timeline format launched in March of this year and while many are still trying to schedule time to optimiz e Facebook’s timeline for their brand, the big corporations have been working on it since fall of 2011. They’ve been taking full advantage of the large cover photo, more visible apps, post enhancements, and the story- telling features to engage their audience. We picked two from Facebook pages with the most fans (for all 15, see CNBC article “The World’s Most Liked Brands )” but also added a non- profit to demonstrate how these organiz ations get it right, too. Keep in mind that the two corporations we feature have amassed huge followings through million- dollar Facebook sweepstakes and offers of free items–options small and even medium siz ed businesses don’t have. Nevertheless, smaller companies can still create amaz ing Facebook pages relatively easily. It’s just a matter of uploading photos, videos and giving visitors opportunities to engage with offers of RSS feeds, newsletters, coupons and more. In other words, give give give on Facebook. Wit h t hat disclaimer, be prepared t o f aint at t he biggest Facebook pages’ f an numbers: Coca Cola: 41 million Walmart: 12 million National Wildlife Federation: 98,000

Let’s Start With Coke

Facebook’s Timeline for Your Business 3 Companies Rocking Facebook’s Timeline and the Critical Features They Get Right What are Marketing Personas and How Do I Use Them? How to Handle Social Media Mistakes, Blunders and Missteps 12 Creative Press Release Topics that Get Great Attention (and Backlinks) 13 Top Tips for Using Press Releases to Create Backlinks

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Covers these days are made up of two images: the large cover photo which is 851 x 315 pixels (tell your graphic designer) and then the small brand icon in the lower left hand corner which is 180 x 180. Clever designers integrate the small icon with the rest of the cover, as seen here. Most of all, however, this cover must do 2 important jobs: tell the brand’s story and elicit emotion from the visitor. This cover says that coke is both classic and hip, small town and international (note the model might be American, but can easily be from another country too). Check out Coca Cola’s Apps:

Recent Posts The #1 Thing You Must Know to Have a Website that Sells 3 Free Ways to Perform Customer Research A Non- Writers Guide to Writing a Powerful “White Paper” Trust Icons that Help Increase Sales on a Small Business Website Quick Tips for Optimiz ing Facebook’s Timeline for Your Business 3 Companies Rocking Facebook’s Timeline and the Critical Features They Get Right What are Marketing Personas and How Do I Use Them? How to Handle Social Media Mistakes, Blunders and Missteps

Wow. Coke is taking full advantage of the 12 allowable apps and some of them are custom Apps (which we’ll be writing about soon.) Coke gets visitors wrapped up in its brand by giving them fun goodies like “Your Stories,” where consumers get to post about their experiences with Coca Cola. Visitors are always curious about others who have the same tastes. It also has videos, music, events, anything to entertain the cubicle worker taking a break from crunching numbers or the Saturday morning web surfer looking for a fun and easy entertainment. Here’s how Apps appeared in t he old f ormat :

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Inbound Marketing Increase Conversions Internet Marketing Off- beat Search Engine Optimiz ation (SEO) Social Media You can barely see the tiny grey lettering and the miniscule icons weren’t appealing at all.

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Before we leave Coca Cola, we want to draw attention to the small “about” verbiage on the left side of the screen under the cover. Instead of going with something boring and common like, “Established in 1902, the Coca Cola company provides . . . “ It says, “The Coca Cola Facebook page is a collection of stories showing how people from around the world helped make Coke what it is today.” First, in an interesting departure, this “About” entry discusses its Facebook page rather than the company itself. Secondly, it gives itself “social proof” by giving consumers the credit for its success. Very clever, Coke! Finally, it emphasiz es stories, implying entertainment from other individuals rather than dry information from a multi- national conglomerate.

Check Out How Walmart Does It

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This cover photo does some heavy lifting for Walmart. The mega- corporation’s biggest issue right now is its reputation as anti- community, anti- union, basically gouging its workers with no health benefits and drawing attention away from small local businesses. To combat that reputation, Walmart focuses on an employee from a vulnerable group: senior citiz ens. This kind- hearted- looking lady has worked for Walmart for 50 years, so Walmart MUST be a good, down home company, looking out for the little guy. The altruistic theme is repeated in the About section with a Sam Walton quote, “If we work together, we’ll lower the cost of living for everyone. . . . we’ll give the world an opportunity to see what it’s like to save and have a better life.” As in the Coca Cola About blurb, it stays away from dry information about its products. Notice, too, that its Apps give to the visitor with: local ads, “Meal Solutions” ideas and information about the nearest stores.

On To Our Non-Profit Pick: The National Wildlife Federation

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A Non-Writers Guide to Writing a Powerful “White Paper” O ct o b e r 25, 2012 b y Je une O rt iz

You’ve most likely seen white paper, ebook and report offers on sites you visit but, you probably never gave them much thought. The truth is that a well- planned and precisely targeted white paper does more than educate your ideal prospects on your products and services. It is also a brilliant way to generate leads by collecting emails in exchange for the ebook. Chances are you’ve turned over an email address or two yourself, only to find regular follow up emails from the vendor on the topic.

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Despite the white paper’s potential, many business owners gasp at the thought of writing up a ten page paper; they thought their essay days were behind them! The following steps should help take the anxiety away.

1. Move Away from the Marketing Mindset A powerful white paper doesn’t cover product or service features and benefits nor is it focused on selling. Instead, it should be written with a laser- like focus to help your reader use your product or service to make their lives better. Helpful topics are more engaging and are more likely to be remembered and appreciated than a flat sales piece. Try searching “white papers” + “[your industry]” to find some examples. Your industry’s national association website should have some, too. A white paper writer must be more of a teacher or journalist than a salesperson, more objective than compelling.

2. Craft a Topic Your Target Audience Finds Irresistible Business owners are often surprised when comparing what they assumed ideal customers find irresistible and the reality . For the best success, you must research your ideal prospect’s biggest problems with your product or service. Spy on ideal customer conversations by: reviewing their testimonials for your company and for other companies. What are they most relieved to find? What frustrated them about other vendors before they found you? reading the relevant trade magaz ines to see what people complain about versus what thrills them. researching blogs on Google Blog Search or Technorati and find those where your customers may hang out. Technorati lets you search blog titles and subjects OR the individual posts themselves for mentions of your products or services. exploring review sites. Yelp.com, BBB.org and AngiesList.com have search bars where you can enter a company name, product or service and see what people are saying about businesses like yours. Organiz e the paper around a common complaint and help the reader avoid the issue and have a better experience. using Twitter: search your product or the careers and hobbies of your target audience. using www.forumfinder.org to locate forums, chats and message boards that your ideal prospects are most likely to use. Also, try searching “best [industry] forums” to find the most populated and robust ones. Researching your customers’ pain points is a crucial step in creating a white paper that they must have. Don’t skip this step.

3 Companies Rocking Facebook’s Timeline and the Critical Features They Get Right What are Marketing Personas and How Do I Use Them? How to Handle Social Media Mistakes, Blunders and Missteps 12 Creative Press Release Topics that Get Great Attention (and Backlinks) 13 Top Tips for Using Press Releases to Create Backlinks

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3. Determine the White Paper’s Format Your white paper’s topic and/or title will most likely help you pick a format. Would this topic be best as: A how- to (6 steps to cleaning wine from carpet; how to refinish painted furniture) A list of tips, secrets or “insider” information Survey or research results Education, also known as “The Explainer” Introduction to a new product Trend watch

4. Go Online to Find an Excellent and Similar White Paper Deep breath: you’re really halfway through at this point. Now that you have the format, go online to find white papers like it. You’re looking for a template on which to model your own white paper. Hi- Tech businesses can depend on Tech Republic’s library. Educators often turn to eSchoolNews’ white paper library for the latest on curriculum. Chances are, large competitors and national industry organiz ations will have their own archives of white papers. If you’re still having trouble, check out some of the largest white paper archives: ITPapers.com, Builder.com, ZDNet.com, and CNET News.com

5. Copy from the Outline of Your Model White Paper On a separate sheet of paper or document, write down the paper’s title and all subtitles under it. Beside each title and subtitle, write your own versions. Now you have an outline for your own white paper. But hold on. You’re not ready to write up your information yet.

6. Gather Your Illustrations or “Stories.” Put your outline aside for now. Most readers tire of dry information. Bring your “explainer” or “how- to” white paper to life with stories. What client or customer had issues similar to those you’re addressing in your white paper? On a separate document, write down some real life examples, numbering them. (Change names if that makes everyone more comfortable.) A 10- page paper should have five or six illustrations. A five page paper can get by with three. Once completed, put the illustration number under each topic on your outline.

7. Brainstorm Your Ideas Under Each Topic and Subtopic. Make a big mess of it. In other words, “free write.” Write your grammatically incorrect,

Recent Posts The #1 Thing You Must Know to Have a Website that Sells 3 Free Ways to Perform Customer Research A Non- Writers Guide to Writing a Powerful “White Paper” Trust Icons that Help Increase Sales on a Small Business Website Quick Tips for Optimiz ing Facebook’s Timeline for Your Business 3 Companies Rocking Facebook’s Timeline and the Critical Features They Get Right What are Marketing Personas and How Do I Use Them? How to Handle Social Media Mistakes, Blunders and Missteps 12 Creative Press Release Topics that Get Great Attention (and Backlinks) 13 Top Tips for Using Press Releases to Create Backlinks

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Make a big mess of it. In other words, “free write.” Write your grammatically incorrect, disorganiz ed ideas under each topic. Finally, provide the solution. Rinse and repeat. Two to three paragraphs under each subtopic suffices. Print out this mess; staple it together; get out the highlighter.

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8. Revise Now you have to write more coherently. Look for the most important sentences and highlight them. Lead your paragraphs with those, supporting that point as you develop each paragraph. Consider starting with the problem that each subtopic presents. Define it clearly and then insert your illustration or story, starting with transitions like “for instance,” or “take Bob and Mary Jones.” The third paragraph under each section can cover how the problem is solved.

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9. Get Criticism Hand your ebook to employees, friends and family, even your web developer! Ask them if any parts are confusing or made them stop. Revise accordingly. Turn over to your web developer to insert on your home page..

The Easy Way to Get a White Paper Done If you’ve always wanted to put content marketing to work for your business, contact us. We have writers who will make your ideas irresistible, who research your target audience and discover the buttons that need pushing. C at e g o ry: Inb o und Marke t ing | 1 C o mme nt Ab o ut t he aut ho r: Jeune Ortiz is VP of Marketing and Creative Director at futureink. With more than 20 years of experience in graphic design and marketing, Jeune brings extensive knowledge and creativity to each website and internet marketing solution to grow your business. Twe e t

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1 Comment France s | October 31, 2012

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Quick Tips for Optimizing Facebook’s Timeline for Your Business Se p t e mb e r 25, 2012 b y Je une O rt iz

Hopefully, our previous article, “ 3 Companies Rocking Facebook’s Timeline and the Critical Features They Get Right” oriented you to the new “timeline” format for Facebook business pages. There, we explained how, with the new format, Facebook focuses on making business pages work harder to get more traffic and sales to business websites. It’s not, as some have speculated, just trying to discombobulate us for a laugh.

Upload a Cover Photo that Provokes Emotion in Facebook Users In our previous post, we used the examples of Coca Cola, the National Wildlife Federation and Walmart. All three do a bang- up job of making visitors feel something. Coca Cola’s cover photo elicits fun and excitement. Walmart: nostalgia and gratitude. The National Wildlife Federation comes out on top, however, displaying just why their work matters in two photos of amaz ing creatures. What feelings do your products or services elicit in Facebook users? Here are some you can aim for by picking the right Facebook cover photo: Gratitude: veterinarians, plumbers, accountants, churches

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Excitement: Decorators, fashion retail, autos Wonder: photographers, art, animal- related businesses, nature, environmental causes Concern: non- profits, environmental causes Security and Confidence: financial services, health services, home protection Greed: financial services, marketing services And don’t forget that the smaller “profile photo” (180 x 180 pixels) is another chance to go for user emotions.

Use Apps that Get Visitors More Engaged with Your Business

Get permission to stay in contact with visitors by providing Apps that let them sign up for a newsletter or blog feed. Coca Cola, Walmart and the National Wildlife Federation do this well. Consider giving visitors ways to express themselves through “Your Stories,” “Your Photos,” or “Your Videos” Apps. Have Apps that illustrate your brand with videos and photos you’ve created. Design an unusual App that encourages users to Like your brand. Walmart gets attention by offering Angry Birds loot.

Take Advantage of Facebook’s Prominently Placed “About” Entry: Focus on Fans Stay away from a dry explanation of what your business does. Instead, focus on what your business page provides to your fans and just which fans should congregate there (hopefully all of them!). Even a lawn service can say, “Where landscape lovers meet to deepen their knowledge of the beauty outdoors.” Rather than identifying your company, let Facebook users ident if y t hemselves t hrough t his short descript ion.

Optimize your Company’s Awards, Best Photos and Text Posts with Highlighting, Milestones and Pinning When you highlight a post, you expand it from a square to a double wide rectangle that stretches across the screen. Pin a post when you want it to appear at the top left position of your page for a week. After 7 days, Facebook moves it down to its proper chronological order. Highlighting and pinning can get a little tricky as Facebook uses buttons that appear and disappear when you scroll over them with your cursor. Below is a post with the cursor away from it. When we move the cursor to the upper right of the post box, a star and a pencil appear in their own little rectangles. Click on the star to highlight and on the pencil to get a drop down menu. One of the options on that menu is “pin.”

Quick Tips for Optimiz ing Facebook’s Timeline for Your Business 3 Companies Rocking Facebook’s Timeline and the Critical Features They Get Right What are Marketing Personas and How Do I Use Them? How to Handle Social Media Mistakes, Blunders and Missteps 12 Creative Press Release Topics that Get Great Attention (and Backlinks) 13 Top Tips for Using Press Releases to Create Backlinks

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Click it to pin that post at top left.

Recent Posts The #1 Thing You Must Know to Have a Website that Sells 3 Free Ways to Perform Customer Research A Non- Writers Guide to Writing a Powerful “White Paper” Trust Icons that Help Increase Sales on a Small Business Website Quick Tips for Optimiz ing Facebook’s Timeline for Your Business

Move your cursor over the top right to reveal the “highlight” and “edit” functions. Brands get to build out their fan page and tell their company story by choosing Milestone from their status drop down menu. When you click on Milestone, a screen drops allowing you to fill in information easily.

3 Companies Rocking Facebook’s Timeline and the Critical Features They Get Right What are Marketing Personas and How Do I Use Them? How to Handle Social Media Mistakes, Blunders and Missteps 12 Creative Press Release Topics that Get Great Attention (and Backlinks)

Big brands have discovered that people respond better to stories than aggressive sales pitches. Timeline is designed to tell a brand’s story in Milestones. Here are a few business milestones that will humaniz e your business, engaging customers and creating goodwill: Company creation Product launches Mergers with other companies Acquisitions Initial Public Offering New executive officers

13 Top Tips for Using Press Releases to Create Backlinks

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Partnerships Alliances with non- profits Activities with non profits 100 th , 1,000 th customer Big parties Those with press release databases can get this process finished quickly. Simply put releases in chronological order and add milestone after milestone in Facebook with appropriate dates. Facebook will arrange them in the right order on the page. Doing this also wins your company more internet real estate and search engine love because more words about your company now exist on the web. People like stories. Give them what they want in story form. Research shows that the more a user invests time learning about a company, the more likely they are to buy.

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The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same. . . Even on Facebook! Even with a new format, Facebook users are still looking—not to shop or research initially—but for diversion, entertainment and a chance to connect with friends. While Facebook provides a great platform for political organiz ers across the world, most users in the United States aren’t looking for the serious stuff when they log on. In fact, Dan Zarella of Hubspot calls Facebook “The Jersey Shore” of social media. Quick snippets of something amaz ing or unusual related to your brand win those likes, comments and shares best. Also remember that businesses should shoot to win shares. Likes and comments are nice but they stay on the business’ pages, where shares go into the user’s newsfeed and out to all of their “friends.” Shares carry a Facebook post and company name farther.

The Best Way to Win Facebook Shares Hubspot’s Zarella tracked and analyz ed 1.3 million posts from the 10,000 most liked Facebook pages. He found that unique, int riguing phot os get t he most shares. Try to find or take photos related to your business that evoke amaz ement or laughter. Every one of your milestones has the potential to carry with it a photo that could be shared.

Is Facebook’s New Timeline Format Scaring You Away? Don’t let it! With 800 million people on Facebook these days, a business takes more risks in NOT developing a fun fan page. More, Facebook boosts the effectiveness other internet marketing efforts, particularly blogs. Facebook can be your very own 16

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Why Content is Still King: Crucial Updates for 2014 and Beyond Posted on May 17, 2014 by Cindy

At the risk of sounding self-congratulating, I have been saying that content is king and links are the king’s ransom since I began my career in Internet Marketing. Today a modification to that statement is to add the word “quality,” as in “QUALITY Content is King.”

What is the Difference Between “Content” and “Quality Content”? From it’s inception, Google has been adjusting it’s algorithm to provide the best possible search results for it’s users. It’s used metrics such as the number of pages a website had, the amount of relevant keywords on those pages, links from other websites which supposedly indicated that the content had impressed those at other sites enough for them to include a link to it in their own content (articles, posts, etc.) and even “community engagement” to position pages higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs). However, shady search engine optimizers, business owners and others began churning out meaningless sentences shoved together into paragraphs just to get more pages and words up on their websites. In 2006, BMW’s German site used these techniques to artificially inflate their visibility and you can only imagine what happened when Matt Cutts, head of Google’s Webspam came across this tactic being used. That’s right, zero visibility. As Dave Davies from Search Engine Watch explains in, “What is Pure Spam: 10 Examples from Google,” content spam includes, “automatically generated gibberish, cloaking and scraping content from other websites.” “Spinning” is another form of spammy content creation that surfaced when duplicate content became an issue with Google and people could no longer copy content from other websites. “Spinning” is taking a piece of content and changing words, sentences and/or paragraph structures before posting it—fully reconstituted—on a website. Google can spot this as well so just don’t do it. Here’s a low quality content example from a movie site describing kids movie, “Despicable Me, Too”: “Gru is a modified man. No more a super-villian who needs to be the baddest of the bad people, he’s now trained, with his three lovely children, his very funny gobbledygook discussing, Tic-Tac-looking minions, a creepy dog and an wicked researcher associate (Russell Brand) whose concentrate is now creating jellies and jellies.” And another from a fitness site: “the benefits calorie burning is the only benefit of Pure Barre. According to Pure Barre, the technology to protect your joints, because it does not involve any rebound or jump. Each followed by stretching create long bulk, muscle exercise intensity part.” The strange choice of words “gobbledygook discussing” and “benefits calorie burning” and the poor grammar exposes these authors as either non-native speakers or content spinning software programs. The content has been posted to websites basically with the assumption that no one is really reading this content except Google bots. Think again because quality content is what rules the kingdom and if you need guidance about living within the rules of this kingdom, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I specialize in consulting with companies who are looking for a stronger presence on the Internet. It’s what I do.

QUALITY Content is King and Rules the Kingdom At this point, the Google algorithm has become sophisticated enough to send spam alerts to teams of editors who DO open pages and actually read through content with their own eyes. They even pick different pages to read randomly, without an automated alert. From now on, before you write another word, assume that your article or web page will not only be read by people on the web, it may also be reviewed by a professional editor at Google. While you may think that spam does the trick, the bottom line is people don’t like it and Google doesn’t like it. Therefore, creators of spam and what converted by Web2PDFConvert.com


Google considers “thin” content, are now out of luck. Like any business, Google’s prime directive is to deliver the best products to its ideal customers. For Google, those products are website PAGES containing specific and detailed answers to questions users type or speak into Google search. Google is continuing to perfect its process of decoding exactly what the user wants via the semantic web, and delivering the most precise answer whether that’s information, a business, a non-profit, directions, photos, a government entity or a page full of separate answers. “Spam” is NOT Ham, and “Thin” is NOT “In”: Quality Content to the Rescue Spammy content isn’t the only content rustler riding the Internet. “Thin content” or content that provides little or no added value to the site might have many words but little or no authentic or original content. Examples include weak affiliate pages, cookie-cutter sites, doorway pages, automatically generated content and copied content. SEO writer Paula Allen, explains, “thin content is the opposite of the “unique, quality, relevant content” that the search engines want to show on results pages. Thin content can hurt a website’s SEO and revenue.” Many businesses have been in the habit of charging their front-desk assistants and low- or un-paid interns with creating content for their websites. A marketing director or business owner tasks these clueless but eager individuals with going to other sites, copying the content and rewording it a bit here and there. After reviewing it and a little editing, it’s posted online. While this process may be something of a step up from content created by a software program or non-native speaker, it is not content that focuses on the company’s target client’s pain points and how the business’ services and products can help. It’s neither detailed nor specific enough to impress Google and its hundreds of MIT PhDs much less a reader seeking information. Over the years with it’s many algorithm updates and overhauls Google has made it very clear that “thin content” and spam will negatively impact page rankings. They’ve said this before, however they are in a “take-no-prisoners mode” now and demote web pages regularly. Even if a web page manages to escape a manual penalty, it flounders and slowly drift downwards in the search results.

Visibility in Google Here is the good news. Google has really stuck by its mission statement to serve up quality content to searchers and there are some things you can do to improve your existing content and create new. If you feel you need help please don’t hesitate to contact me. I consult with companies who are looking for help with their SEO campaigns to gain more visibility in the search engines. I am happy to help.

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Why Content is King Cindy Turrietta Find out why content IS king and the only modification to that statement today is to add the word “quality,” as in “QUALITY Content is King.”

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Block Island Decks and Patios San Diego has the perfect weather for outdoor entertaning year-round. Let us help you create an outdoorlving space that flows from the interior of your home to your outdoor living space.

Creating the Outdoor Spaces that Complement San Diego’s Spectacular Terrain/Scenery Boasting the nation’s best weather and many of its amazing views, San Diego just begs homeowners to come outside and play. Block Island Decks and Patios makes playtime possible–even easy–by creating outdoor spaces that match your artistic/architectural preferences, lifestyle, habits, needs and budget. Since their days as a place to store firewood and boots, the deck and patio have come a long way. Now, you can get a deck to perch on top of your roof, extend your living room or serve as a second kitchen. Decks and patios come in several styles of native woods–redwood, Brazilian walnut and mahogany are just a few —or composites of wood fiber and plastic, aluminum or vinyl. Each has its advantages, look and feel. When we come to your home with our samples and photos, you’ll be amazed at how unique and personalized your deck or patio can become. If style is your sticking point, rest assured that you can get a deck with the craftsman touches of old New England all the way to the sleek contemporary sheen of plastic coated steel (lifetime guarantee on that one, by the way.) No other decking company has more choice of styles, colors and materials than Block Island Deck and Patio [or is it Block Island Remodeling as on their Facebook page?]. Whether your home’s style is modern, cottage, Victorian or southwest, we have the designs to emphasize its beauty and structure.

Full Financing Gets You Into the Great Outdoors FAST! Block Island Deck and Patio is one of the few San Diego companies that provides financing options that help save you money AND enjoy family and friends outdoors starting this year. There’s something about a deck that encourages people to sit and relax. Think too of the resale value you create when you add outdoor space to your floor plan. Outdoor living is made easy for you and subsequent owners with Block Island’s full financing options. Questions about financing can be answered during our noobligation initial consultation in your home. Feel free to call us at 858-668-3356 with any questions as well. Make yours the go-to home of the neighborhood or the must-have new property listing when you enhance your home with a custom deck.

She Wants Practical and He Wants Gorgeous? We Can Handle That After all, you both want to be outside, so let’s start there. In fact, we bet you agree on what you want to use the deck for. Both raised decks and platform decks can be appended to the home. Some even go for a double-decker deck! No matter your choices and your points of departure with other family members, Block Island can tailor your deck to satisfy everyone. If you look at our gallery, you’ll see that we’ve raised, re-railed, gazeboed, bent and extended decks to fit all kinds of homes, even those with unique additions. You’ve probably already read that many of the new decking options are “maintenance-free.” While we don’t go as far as saying they require NO maintenance, we are pleased that many of our options remain free of rot, termites and don’t require new staining or hefty maintenance for 25 years. Steel decks, aluminum decks and some composite decks have a lifetime guarantee. Call us today at 858-668-3356 to get your questions answered.

No Payment Until You’re 100% Satisfied We’ve been in the deck, patio and outdoor kitchen business in San Diego for long enough now that we don’t need your money up front. That’s right: you don’t pay a dime until you’re completely satisfied with the job we’ve done. After discussing your vision of your new outdoor living space with us, we create 3-D plans, pull permits and submit any paperwork for homeowners’ associations, handle issues with county permitting and homeowners board members, review all plans with company owner, job supervisor and you on start day, maintain an online project management system you can check into every day, review all completed work with supervisor and you.

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Deck, Patio, Outdoor Kitchen Installation Process No payment until you’re 100% satisfied! After 15 years as San Diego’s patio, deck and outdoor kitchen installation company, Block Island has gotten permitting and installation procedures nailed down. Every supervisor and crew sticks to our fail-proof and tested steps for: filing permits, arranging homeowners’ association approval, scheduling, financing, preparing the space, keeping homeowners up-to-date, and building and cleaning up.

We’ve worked around and with all kinds of construction, landscaping, city and even neighbor challenges to create some of the most beautiful outdoor spaces in San Diego. Have an addition that gives your house an unusual outline? We’ve seen it. Yard hopelessly uneven and hard? We’ve dug through it. We get jobs done with as little hassle to the homeowner as possible. Curious as to how things will go during your new install? These steps clarify the process:

1. Contact & Initial Meeting: Once you contact us, we schedule an appointment to come to your home. There, we get an idea of your decorating style, home, neighborhood, the space you’re looking to improve and any challenges that may arise. We record measurements and other details. As you look through the photos of our recent work, we get an idea of your tastes and desires. We can also discuss financing at this initial meeting. Block Island is one of the very few San Diego companies that offers financing! Rest assured, too, that we collect no money until the client is 100% satisfied.

2. Block Island Creates a 3-D Model: Back at our office, we put your vision onto paper and monitor with our 3-D modeling program, a benefit most other companies sidestep. We then schedule a second appointment with you at your home.

3. Second Meeting: At our second meeting, we bring sample materials, colors and more photo books to show you what each looks like in finished form. If need be, we gather more information from you and add it into our drawing. We determine a week or day to start work. At this point, you may want to check out our quick tips: 5 Steps to Preparing for a Deck Installation 5 Steps to Preparing for an Outdoor Kitchen Installation

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Kitchens & Fire Pits

From Simple to Sophisticated: San Diego Outdoor Kitchens and Fire Pits Cook and Entertain Outdoors in San Diego’s Perfect Twilight! America’s “foodie” trend has brought gourmet cooking skills, farm-fresh produce and grass-fed beef into the home. These flavor enhancements can only be made better by one thing: outdoor dining. The outdoor dining trend has been great fun for us at Block Island Deck and Patio. We’ve installed outdoor cooking areas as simple as one counter top with a grill and a few barstools to an outdoor kitchen so tricked out our crew never wanted to leave! Get an outdoor kitchen with one, two or all of the following: The pre-requisite giant barbeque grill Double stainless steel sinks A brick pizza oven Refrigerator (1 or more) Granite or stone countertops A fire pit built into the countertop A television Food drawers

* Fireplace * Gas-plumbed Island * Conversation area * Hard-scaping * Gas heaters * Accent lighting * Umbrella holders * Drink sink

. . . all in one, beautiful, continuous design! In the outdoor kitchen, deck and patio business for 15 years, we’ve satisfied every culinary desire the avid outdoor cook can dream up. We work with composite, wood or stone deck materials, granite and marble countertops, hardscaping, gas and electrical lines and more. We know the outdoor furniture dealers and how to match our designs with what they offer. We can even put a pergola or gazebo over the whole layout. When you don’t need an outdoor kitchen fit for Hollywood royalty, we can install lovely kitchen options that still get everybody outside. After all, even without a bun-warming drawer, that grilled steak is just as tender and delicious.

3-Dimensional Outdoor Kitchen Design Plans that Whet Your Appetite . . . Your Block Island plan will blend building materials and design options into the spacious and inviting or cozy and intimate space of your dreams. The variety of options we offer families is unmatched in San Diego and Southern California. We typically meet with a homeowner twice before starting work–once to get an overall feel for your lifestyle, needs and vision for the space and again to show you the plans we’ve created. Our straight-forward, streamlined work process makes each step clear and manageable. Once work starts, you can keep close tabs on your new space by using our handy online project management tool. You simply log in to the tool to find and send any emails to your project supervisor, a crew member or even the company owner. This is where you can forward progress to your spouse or other family members as well. The online project management tool helps keep everyone on task and organized.

Gather Family and Friends Around the Fire Pit What is it about a fire that unifies and relaxes people? Warmth and ever-changing flames just seem to give everyone lots to talk about. Promising toasty marshmallows moves crowds outdoors quickly, too. Working with dozens of product lines, Block Island Deck and Patio, will help you create an irresistible gathering space. Rest assured that we have quality fire pits for every budget. There are lots of solutions to proper placement, safety and gas line accessibility as well. We can help you see all of your options during our in-home consultation.

Hard-to-Find Financing from Block Island Gets Your Project Started During our 15 years working with San Diego families, we’ve come to appreciate that the children are only young once or that you may be living here by the coast for a few more years. The time to get out and enjoy is now. 20


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When to Rock the Real Tree; When to Use the Fake Sam ant ha Gre e n

Wednesday, No vember 16 , 20 11

A bout ten years ago, America stopped cringing at the site of the artif icial Christmas tree (except f or the bright white or blue ones; those are still cringe-worthy). Now, f or about $200, f amilies can pick up a six-f oot tree complete with twinkle lights that looks darned close to real. Artif icial trees probably stand in about half of the homes on any street. Which makes sense f or your f amily this year? Weigh the time, money, ethics and health trade of f when trying to pick a real versus a f ake tree. Make your decision based on your biggest constraint. Whether the dominating pressure is Christmas plans, budget or environmental issues, the goal is to make the holiday as enjoyable as possible.

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For the years when Christmas gets shoehorned in, the artif icial tree saves time and ef f ort. Families avoid back and f orth trips to the tree f arm and af ter-Christmas tree drop of f site. Also, f oregoing the thirsty tree’s almost daily watering saves time. Finally, since the artif icial tree doesn’t throw dead needles, endless vacuuming stays of f the never-ending Christmas to-do list.

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T he size of your Christmas this year should also weigh into the f ake/real decision. T he prospect of 20 f amily members crowding into the house f or Christmas day dinner is stressf ul enough without having to worry about dead needles and strips of bark migrating all through the house. T hose concerned with guests’ attitudes toward cleanliness should stick with the artif icial tree.

Budget High end catalog Horchow Collection sells an artif icial Christmas tree with lights f or $1,500. T hat translates into a lot of Christmas gif ts or even 20, $75 real trees. T his nine-f ooter will pay of f . . . in 21 or so years . . . maybe. Most aren’t that pricey. A good-enough, pre-lit, artif icial tree f rom Target will run you $250. A live tree of similar size and quality bought f rom Home Depot or another chain runs $75. T he artif icial tree you choose better last f our years or more to make up f or its high up-f ront costs (4 x $75 = $300). It’s only af ter that f ourth year that you’ll have a f ree tree. Do you think you’ll remain interested in the artif icial tree f or all that time? A possible compromise is the relatively inexpensive, live, mini Christmas tree which can f it on a table top and wear sparkling lights and ornaments just as well as a Douglas Fir, although on a smaller scale. Further, the mini Christmas tree, typically an evergreen Cypress costing less than $40, can be kept f or years.

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Environmental Impact While the manuf acturing process behind the artif icial tree pollutes and uses energy, its biggest environmental sin lies in the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) it’s made of . T his plastic cannot be recycled and it doesn’t biodegrade. Once an artif icial tree is created, it’s on the planet f orever. Live Christmas trees have issues of their own, however. Environmentalists complain large tree f arms spray their crops with pesticides and even herbicides which leach into soil, water tables and ecosystems. Luckily, with increased awareness of environmental toxins, pesticide use has halved over the last 10 years. Jill Pennington, a North Carolina State University plant pathologist and f orestry specialist, surveyed growers in western North Carolina in 1995, 2001 and 2007. Many f arms have not only reduced their use of pesticides, but they’ve gone to pesticide-f ree or f ully organic Christmas tree cultivation methods.

Pricey Plants They’ve filled palaces and mansions throughout the world, and in some cases their beauty was considered more valuable than gold. The Tournament of Roses parade Flower History More than just accessories flowers have been used as medicine, to decorate palaces, and have even played a part in a battle or two.

More, real Christmas trees benef it the environment by: converting the planet’s carbon dioxide produced by our f actories. An acre of Douglas f ir trees can absorb 11,308 pounds of carbon dioxide. getting ground into mulch, an organic weed deterrent and compost in gardens and f lower beds. T he real tree is reusable and biodegradable. preventing erosion and creating habitats f or wildlif e. Because of their hardiness, Christmas trees can be planted on lands inappropriate f or other crops or livestock. To f ind an organic, local Christmas tree f arm near you, check with Beyond Pesticides, a nonprof it group in Washington State that monitors organic trees and plants.

Health: Can that Pretty Tree Can Make Me (or My Kid) Sick? Here’s where the real tree just routs artif icial. According to the children’s environmental health advocate, Healthy Child Healthy World, artif icial trees contain lead. Lead causes neurological issues, cancer and more. If the real tree has pesticides in it, at least these pesticides maintain EPA-approved levels determined saf e f or humans. Some doctors go so f ar as to advise parents to disallow children f rom touching the artif icial tree at all.

Ar tif icial vs. Real: The Decision Can Needle You 24


First manuf actured by a toilet brush company, the artif icial tree was nothing more than a tall toilet brush spray painted green. It looked about that good, too. Artif icial Christmas trees have come a long way, but they’ll never land in the homes of those looking f or that “f resh pine scent” at Christmas. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, 31 million f resh Christmas trees were sold in the United States last year, creating revenue of $1.3 billion. T he f ake/real decision of ten hinges, not on whether it looks like Christmas, but whether it smells that way.

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Top Gifts CEOs Need Most Marla Gre e n

Mo nday, Octo ber 10 , 20 11

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In 2011, venture capitalist Ben Horowitz discussed high-level stress in his TechCrunch article, “What’s the Most Dif f icult CEO Skill? Managing Your Own Psychology.” T he article conf irms what those of us outside the corporate suite suspect: each day, the most successf ul CEOs grapple with relentless stress.

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What, then, could those of us who don’t toil under such pressures possibly buy f or someone who has the money to buy everything but no time to enjoy it?

Teacup Orchid

Toys Typically type-A personalities, CEOs and other executives are driven by a compulsion to cross the next task of f their list. New York Times columnist David Brooks reviewed CEO personality studies to f ind that this group, rather than charismatic and personable, are, “humble, dif f ident, relentless and a bit unidimensional. T hey are of ten not the most exciting people to be around.” Well, no wonder. Most have their nose to the grindstone at least 60 hours a week. Break these dogged routines by giving something novel, challenging and FUN. Tell your recreationreluctant CEO that scientists have proven that play boosts creativity and imagination, stretches attention span, relieves stress and connects us to loved ones (which in turn relieves stress). In f act, some researchers claim that the benef its of play on the body and the psyche may even exceed the benef its of exercise!

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yourself in and then choose whether you want to do the zig zag, straight or drop track. Recapture the thrill of childhood hill rolling, but this time there’s no risk of collision with bees, trees or rocks. T he company promises that you’ll emerge f rom the Z orb ride with “sore sides f rom laughing so much and the unstoppable urge to ride again.” T his New Z ealand company doesn’t sell the Z orbs (although there are knock of f s available) singly, but it does have one amusement-park-like site in the United States Z orb Smokey Mountains USA in Pigeon Hole Tennessee. Prices run $53 f or one ride and $244 f or f ive rides.

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All t he Frills ThinkGeek USB Rocket Launcher : Nothing like sitting behind a computer monitor waiting f or your next target to walk through the mahogany door. T he USB-enabled, desk-top rocket launcher rotates 360 degrees horizontally and 45 degrees vertically just with a f ew computer keystrokes bef ore locking onto the coordinates of clients and colleagues. Styrof oam missiles soar over six meters. Take that, accounting! All at a price of $24.99.

Understanding Psychologists tell us that people under stress don’t want f riends and loved ones to solve the stressf ul situation; they just want someone to understand how hard it is while they’re f ighting through it. Show your genuine empathy by giving gif ts that acknowledge the exhaustion and stress inherent in the chief of f icer position.

Por table Mesh Hammock: Tell the CEO you care about to relax wherever he is. T he portable mesh hammock assembles in seconds without tools. T he compact carrying bag keeps all parts together and allows the user to take it to the beach or park easily. Prices vary, but generally run $89 - $150. Gif t Baskets, Delivered: What a relief to f ind a spa gif t basket af ter an 80-hour week! Permission to relax, all tied up with a silk ribbon. Luxuriating in bath gels, salts, candles, potpourris and loof ah sponges, the bather can get the complete spa ef f ect right in their own tub. Prices vary, but can run f rom $39 to $100+. If you don’t see your CEO indulging in the tub, a gif t basket delivered to the door still conveys concern. Healthy, organic f ruit or dried f ruit and nuts express your desire to nurture and sustain the recipient.

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Finally, celebrate a milestone or accomplishment with one of the many (even sugar f ree) gourmet gif t baskets available. If ever someone deserved chocolate . . .

Interaction with Nature Cornell University environmental psychologist Dr. Nancy Wells conducted a review of research on the link between an individual’s health and surroundings. She and her colleagues f ound that “access to or views of the natural environment improve cognitive f unctioning and improve recovery f rom surgery and illness.” More exciting studies about the impact of nature on mood and health report similar conclusions.

Flower History More than just accessories flowers have been used as medicine, to decorate palaces, and have even played a part in a battle or two. Where our Flowers Come From Americans purchased more than 1.5 billion roses in 2011. If you’re wondering where roses and and all of our other favorite flowers come from, we’ve got the answer.

Reconnect that of f ice-bound CEO to nature with the f ollowing gif ts that bring him or her into relaxing natural spaces.

Gif ts of Local Trail Guides: Trail maps get the Type A executive outside while still f ulf illing that goal-oriented nature: complete the loop, climb the peak, f orge the stream. Nonetheless (and whether they intend to or not) they’re still lengthening their f ocal distance, absorbing the beauty of trees, streams and f lowers and benef itting f rom abundant f resh air. Prices range f rom f ree, state park maps to $20 f or guides f rom Fodors. Nature Indoors: Cornell’s Dr. Nancy Wells explains that even a view or proximity to natural objects like indoor plants and Bonsai trees helps calm stress and increase f ocus. Like the miniature Feng Sui garden, the bonsai tree’s shape and contours f ascinate. Any CEO could use a 60-second escape into the thicket of those well-trained, mini-branches throughout the day. Prices range f rom $29.99 to $75. Gif ts that Truly Help the CEO Our grandmothers were right: it takes all kinds. T he hard-working, single-mindedness that makes a business leader so dependable year af ter year doesn’t show up in the most successf ul artists or politicians. In f act, political leaders seem to have the traits — charisma, personality — that torpedo them once they leave Washington and try to make it on Wall Street.

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Nonetheless, of f ering the CEO a temporary departure f rom his or her usual industrious ways can be a great gif t. Play, understanding and time in nature are generally luxuries the CEO has crossed of f his or her list long ago, replacing them with material objects that f it better in the go-go lif estyle. Remind this business warrior that a great belly laugh or centering hike f ulf ills better than any new electronic gadget.

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Amaryllis Bulb Care Guide Sam ant ha Gre e n

Wednesday, June 0 8 , 20 11

Nothing says “Spring” like a blooming Bulb garden! ProPlants has numerous bulb plants to select f rom and they’re shipped during early phases of budding, meaning the little green tips will have just started to be visible above the moss. ProPlants ships Bulbs in this stage so customers enjoy the Bulbs’ entire cycle of blooming, which is beautif ul. T he term "bulb" is used by most people in ref erence to plants that have underground, f leshy storage structures, however; a “bulb” is actually is any plant that stores its complete lif e cycle underground. ProPlants’ mixed Bulb gardens f eature varieties that may bloom at dif f erent times, both Spring and Summer varieties, which makes f or great f un, as Bulbs are continuously changing. In some zones, Bulbs are grown and planted outside and may re-bloom the f ollowing year (see below). Hippeastrum is f rom South Af rica, grown in the USA

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Water: Keep the soil moist caref ul not to over water or water inside the neck of the bulb.

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Fertilizer: Liquid Feed once a month.

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Growth: 10" or taller Blooming: Blooms in 6 to 8 weeks.. Re-potting: N/A Planting Outside: Af ter the plant has f lowered and when the f oliage has yellowed cut it of f just above the top of the bulb. Leave the pot dry f or about 3 months then begin watering again. USDA Gardening Z ones: Not hardy in the U.S. so grown indoors or treated as annuals outdoors

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Mother’s Day Activities by Mom Type Sam ant ha Gre e n

Thursday, April 19 , 20 12

In need of meaningf ul and unique Mothers Day activities that f ill the entire day? You’ll f ind lots of creative ideas f or mom here. Each has three, interrelated steps based on your brand of mom. Keep in mind: research has shown that what mom wants most on her special day is to be with f amily! Don’t just arrange an activity and take of f . Instead: 1. Arrange the activity ahead of time. 2. Enlist your siblings. 3. Plan to spend the day with mom. T hese ideas f or Mother’s Day are not only creative, they’re specif ic to mom’s hobbies and style, and you all will end the day f eeling satisf ied, energized and wellloved.

Mothers Day Activities f or The Career Mom 1. Take a work-related lesson with your hard working mom or teach mom a computer or internet skill you know but she doesn’t. Worth magazine lists 10 of the Best Private Lessons. While you may not choose to put a deposit down on these pricey classes, they can inspire you. For local versions, check your area’s Learning Annex, community college, adult school or university extension programs. 2. Make reservations f or lunch at a restaurant well known in your area f or business networking. Do a little research on what deals were made there and which big shot local executives typically dine there. Tell these stories at lunch to entertain your working mom. 3. Shop at Ann Taylor, Talbots or any career-oriented store f or women. Even second hand stores have designer clothes that may suit her.

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Mothers Day Activities f or The Fit Mom 1. Sign up f or a personal trainer session or a marathon, race or f itness walk to engage in alongside mom. You can f ind Mother’s Day races and marathons in nearly every large city. Find lots of Mothers Day Half Marathons here. 2. Af ter your workout, treat mom to lunch at an organic, f arm-to-table or vegan restaurant. 3. Schedule a post-workout Jacuzzi or massage f or you, mom and siblings.

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Mothers Day Activities f or The Single or Divorced Mom Who’s Looking f or Love . . . 1. Of all the Mother’s Day Activities writing an online dating prof ile may not have gotten to the top of your list. Hint: getting a draf t written up f irst and having her edit it with you may get the job done more ef f iciently. Otherwise, she may stall and eventually get out of it. 2. Go with mom to an over-50 or over-60 Mixer. Check out www.meetup.com to f ind singles groups that f ocus on mom’s hobby in her city. T here are 132 singles groups in Minneapolis, Minnesota alone! Volunteers, nerds, cocktail lovers, golf ers and many more all have groups in Minneapolis to f ind other like-minded unmarried “f riends.” 3. Buy mom the beautif ul f lowers she deserves.

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Mothers Day Activities f or The Single or Divorced Mom Who’s Loving the Single Lif e! 1. Call this “T he Mother’s Day of Total Self -Actualization.” T he single-and-loving-it mom is f ree to do whatever crazy thing she wants to do whenever she wants to do it: adventure trips like river-raf ting, sky-diving or rock climbing f ill the bill. Too ambitious? How about backstage with the playwright, a lesson with a f avorite local chef or an adventure on horseback? If you don’t want to participate, at least chauf f er her to and f rom her X-games-like event. Even the f ree-wheeling single-mom will want you with her. 2. Introduce her to a genealogy website or research f amily history yourself a present her with a graphic f amily tree. She’ll love to know where she f its into the larger f amily picture. 3. Gif ts f or Mother’s Day f or a single mom could be a digital photo f rame with photos of many f amily members, extended and close: grandparents, cousins, uncles as well as children and grandchildren.

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T his will help mom realize she’s surrounded by people. Also, the 2012 book Going Solo: the Extraordinary Rise and Suprising Appeal of Living Alone by NYU sociology prof essor Eric Klinenberg of f ers a well-researched and positive take on the single lif e.

Mothers Day Activities f or the Fashionista Mom 1. Arrange with a local department store f or a “personal shopper,” a clerk who will spend time with mom picking out clothes and alternatives. Stores currently of f ering this service f ree include: Nordstroms, Neiman Marcus, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fif th Avenue. T here are also independent shoppers who patronize lower priced stores, but they are not af f iliated with the stores themselves. Find these Super Shoppers through the Association of Image Consultants International. It’s probably smart to ask each one you call about their pref erred store to see whether you mom appreciates those vendors as well. 2. Help mom go through her closet, tossing those outf its that are outdated and helping her coordinate new outf its. 3. Buy mom a season of Tim Gunn’s Bravo show Guide to Style or f ormer model Heidi Klum’s Project Runway. Watch a f ew episodes with her while chowing down on slimming, high-f iber popcorn!

Pricey Plants They’ve filled palaces and mansions throughout the world, and in some cases their beauty was considered more valuable than gold. The Tournament of Roses parade Flower History More than just accessories flowers have been used as medicine, to decorate palaces, and have even played a part in a battle or two.

Mothers Day Activities f or The Reading Mom 1. Find the biggest bookstore in your town or leave town to f ind the bookstore of her dreams down the f reeway and browse the aisles with her. Spend two hours if you have to. Keep some of these titles in mind while you’re there; they’ll make a nice gif t at the end of the day. Best Mothers Day books ever: Lef t Neglected by Lisa Genova; Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts, Heartwood: A Novel by Belva Plain, Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler. But don’t f orget: f ascinating books about the worst mothers ever are f un too! Try T he Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls and T he Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus and make sure to tell mom that you recognize how wonderf ul she is in comparison to these maniacs. 2. Read together on the porch or lobby of a beautif ul hotel that you crash. Dress up a bit and you’ll f it right in. People watch and laugh when they look at you when conf used. 3. Find a book reading by a local author at a bookstore or library f or that evening. If nothing is available on Mother’s Day, organize your own book reading by having siblings and dad choose selections f rom mom’s f avorite books to read aloud to her bef ore/af ter lunch, brunch or dinner.

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Mothers Day Activities f or The Foodie Mom 1. Depend on science to conf irm mom’s opinion that she has a sophisticated palette! In other words, measure the number of “papillae” or taste buds on mom’s tongue. To do this, you’ll need a white, donut-shaped, hole-punch protector, a magnif ying glass and green f ood coloring. Have mom put a dot of saf e green f ood coloring on her tongue. Have her place the hole punch protector on the green area. Using the magnif ying glass, count how many taste buds lie within the center of the hole punch protector. Under 15 taste buds and mom doesn’t have a “discerning palette.” 15 -30 taste buds ref lects that she’s an average taster. Over 30 taste buds and sure enough, mom has a “discerning palette,” qualif ying as a Super Taster! 2. Af ter the educational (and possibly comical adventure above), go with mom and other siblings to either a Farmer’s market to pick up the most f resh and best tasting local produce (possibly organic or at least pesticide f ree) or to a Farm-to-Table event, where a local restaurant prepares special dishes with ingredients f rom local f arms. To f ind one of these, simply perf orm a web search of “f armers markets” or “f arm to table” and your city. 3. Foodie presents f or Mother’s Day: herb garden kits f or her kitchen; premium salts, peppers and other spices. Exotic cheeses and unique kitchen implements.

Mothers Day Activities f or The Activist Mom 1. What’s her cause? Most likely, you already know. Go online and create a list of all of the organizations that support that cause. Type these up and present the list to her so she can get resources or join the conversation should the spirit so move her. 2. Arrange a membership in the local chapter of Amnesty International, the Sierra Club, People f or the Ethical Treatment of Animals or any other group. Determine where the interest group meets and of f er to attend the f irst f ew meetings with her. T his time commitment ref lects not only that you respect her passions, but how much her happiness means to you. 3. Go to Caf é Press to f ind stickers, t-shirts, tote bags, buttons mugs and more carrying the slogans of every activist group out there. If “Hug a Vegetarian” t-shirt isn’t her style, how about a “Free Tibet” phone case?

Mother’s Day Activities f or The Cooking Mom 1. As this mom likes, even LOVES to cook (and f eed), taking her out to lunch or brunch doesn’t quite cut the mustard. Perhaps better is to take her to a cooking lesson where she gets to work alongside an accomplished local chef , learning his or her secrets as dishes get prepared. High end

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cooking supply stores, local libraries, hotels and restaurants of ten of f er culinary classes. Interested in going all out this year? Check out T he Culinary Institute of America or the Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts f or longer programs and even “chef ” certif ication. 2. Film mom making her f avorite recipes. Edit videos and create a YouTube video channel just f or her. Her recipes are recorded f or all time, all f amily members and maybe even some f ans! 3. Take mom to a f ood store that’s exotic. T here are still butcher shops and bakeries around. You can also try an Asian f ish market, a f armers market or a gourmet f ood store. Search online f or a Baldacci’s, Dean and DeLuca or an organic grocer. Ethnic markets are spreading to suburban areas, and it’s not unusual to f ind one that specializes in Italian, T hai, Indian, Japanese or South American ingredients. Mom could have a ball discussing spices with the clerks!

Mothers Day Activities f or The Outdoorsy Mom 1. Organize a picnic hike on a trail she’s never explored bef ore. Recruit f riends and f amily members to join you. Bring cameras, take photos and give mom a f ramed photo that says Mother’s Day 2012 on it. Write up an account of the adventure and seal it into the f rame with the photo. 2. Introduce her to a love of the outdoors she hasn’t explored yet: kayaking, birding, f lower hunting, geocaching, paddle-boarding, photography, caving, mountain biking, rock climbing, sailing and surf ing make up much of the list. Give her a list of local clubs and adventure services organized around these outdoor activities. Start with www.meetup.com to f ind a relevant group close to mom’s area. 3. Take mom to an outdoorsy store like L.L. Bean, REI or Capellas or Bass Pro Shops (which has more than bass!)

Mother’s Day Activities f or The Music Loving Mom 1. Burn a CD of pieces you think she’ll enjoy interspersed by your comments between the songs. T he comments can be memories, jokes or reasons why she’s a wonderf ul mom. Make this Mothers Day activity whole f amily style by including siblings and even dad. Ef f orts like these ref lect how much she means to you. Record your voice to your computer with 2. If musical mom has passed her genes onto you and your siblings, orchestrate a f amily concert f or her as a surprise. T his ef f ort should bring tears to her eyes as she recognizes how much inf luence she’s had on your lif e. 3. Get siblings, dad, f riends, aunts and grandmas to an outdoor concert in the beautif ul spring air. Check with your local symphony, big hotels and restaurants, smaller orchestras, churches, libraries and public parks to see what’s playing.

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Mothers Day Activities f or The Ar tist Mom 1. Find a museum exhibit or a new art supply store she’ll love and go to it with her. 2. Give her time to paint, take photos or practice whatever art she loves by watching a younger child or doing some housework, grocery shopping or the laundry. Give her a computer generated coupon f or “4 f ree hours of artistic time.” 3. Introduce her to a f orm of art she may not have discovered yet: f loral radiography, electron microscopy, f ractal images are just a f ew.

Mothers Day Activities f or The Mom Who Fears Technology 1. Get these steps done ahead of time so she doesn’t f reak out: Pre-write her Facebook inf ormation page. Gather some digital photos that f latter her and have them in a handy f ile. Find some f orums and blogs she may enjoy participating in. Make a list of them and entice her with the prospect of talking to other gardenia growers, Chopin f reaks or Japanese cooks. Introduce her to YouTube and show her the f unny videos that ref lect her hobbies. Set a YouTube channel up f or her and show her how to create a list some of her f avorite videos. Help her learn to search YouTube f or inf ormation and entertainment. Sit with her and help her ask questions on f orums and comment on blogs. Buy a special notebook f illed with your instructions f or participating in Facebook, YouTube, f orums and blogs, along with the blog addresses of all. List the blogs she may enjoy reading. Leave this helpf ul notebook beside the computer! Leave blank pages at the back f or her questions that you’ll promise to answer. Show her how she can get a lot of answers without you simply by Googling the question.

No matter their personality dif f erences, all moms love and appreciate the ef f ort adult kids put into the day reserved f or them. But Mother’s Day brunch? “Been there; done that,” most likely. T he keys lie in planning ahead, recruiting help f rom dad, siblings and f riends and tailoring your activities to mom’s personality and hobbies. Use the ideas f or mom above to orchestrate a beautif ul day mom will never f orget. Happy Mother’s Day! 37


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It’s on you, Office Party Planner: unite the team and create company appreciation through the office holiday party. When this one key tip infuses all your office holiday party ideas, everyone has a blast. The Crucial First 20 Minutes: Distract Employees with Entertainment, Contests or Speakers Party attendees, whether at an office or private party, generally feel most anxious in the first 20 minutes. The issue underlying these jitters is always an uncertainty about what they have in common with others at the party and what to discuss. Even employees working together, despite common experiences, can struggle with what’s appropriate and inappropriate to say to co-workers.

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Giving them an immediate common experience that has nothing to do with work warms them up for the social interaction to come. Creating instant topics of conversation is one of the best office holiday party ideas we’ve come across! That immediate, common experience can be: A speaker, comedian or other entertainment for the first 20 – 30 minutes. While large companies can pay for a comedian or motivational speaker, smaller companies can certainly run a funny clip from a comedian or television show for employees. Give the resident techie the job of lining up NetFlix and running it at the appropriate time. A quick speech by a vice president, manager or company owner explaining why he or she chose the clip and how it relates to the company’s experience that year brings it all home. After Thanksgiving, Holiday Contests Extravaganza Some of the best office holiday party ideas include contests and prizes to winners. People just get cheerier around the holidays, except of course for the resident Scrooge. Hey, why not include that bah-humbug, too!

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santa-claus-trophy Biggest Christmas Grump: Giving this employee a Christmas Trophy for his or her ho-hum or unengaged behavior needs to be handled delicately. Make sure the employee has a solid sense of humor! Best Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanzaa Decorated Cubicle. Easy enough. Who brought in the most lights, electric candles, ribbons and bows? If you have several talented decorators, you may need to order a few Christmas crystals ornaments to reward effort for several. With such low prices available on crystals and fun Christmas ribbons, many can win. Best Holiday Dressed/Worst Holiday Dressed. There’s a fine line between these two categories. Too much holiday bling can be a bad, bad thing. When holiday earrings, light-up necklaces and sweaters combine, sensory overload follows. But since its all in fun, ribbons can be distributed all around. Raffle. You’ve probably read that aligning with a charity creates goodwill for

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the company in your customer base. It does the same for your team. Alert employees that the company will hold a robust raffle at the office party, donating proceeds to a charity. Sending out a few emails in the six weeks before Christmas builds excitement about the event. After all, everyone wants to give back. Let everyone know the 5 -10 valuable prizes for winners ahead of time. Sell tickets every day after Thanksgiving and before your event. Display company ticket halves in a ribboned glass jar at reception to foment competition. Here’s where the best holiday office party ideas improve your party. Turn the raffle giveaway into a party event. Showcase the lavishly wrapped prizes at the front of the room. Pass around drinks and appetizers as someone draws the names from Santa’s hat or some other holiday-themed container. Distribute the prizes, blast the holiday music (another of the best office holiday party ideas) and then let the mingling begin! The prizes themselves are conversation starters. The Best Office Holiday Party Ideas and Prizes and at the Lowest Prices in the Industry Crown Awards helps deliver the fun your employees deserve at the holidays. The best office holiday party ideas involve prizes! Christmas trophies, medals, crystals and ribbons make sure there’s a focus for the fun. Call Crown today at 800-227-1557 to speak with one of our friendly representatives about multiplying the holiday spirit at your work place. We’ve helped many office managers, administrators and owners pick out the perfect awards and ribbons. Order online in minutes, too!

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Inspiration for Employee Anniversary Recognition No matter their level in a company, each employee should feel that their work is valued. The best bosses reward employees for their dedication and hard work in concrete and meaningful ways. There are however, superstars that take employee anniversary recognition the most seriously. The top three: Qualcomm, Philips Healthcare and Insight Global. Oracle, Time Warner Cable and Microsoft also made the list. These were recognized in 2013 by Career Bliss, a website that focuses only on employee happiness.

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What can businesses without such a high profile learn from these companies? Qualcomm’s Strategy for Employee Recognition Qualcomm delivers employee recognition quickly and regularly. In recent years, managers have rewarded 74% of its American workers with concrete recognition in the form of personalized thank you cards, trips to exotic locales, electronic gadgets and even cash awards. With a multi-tiered system, Qualcomm has inspired employees to consistently strive for bigger and better awards.

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It goes without saying that, particularly with today’s fluid workforce, employee anniversary recognition awards are a must. Awards for years one through five can consist of enamel pins, cash or gift card awards. Pins help employees feel their contributions are recognized and that they belong to a team. Recognition pins can be worn on purses, lapels and even placed in prominent areas in an employee’s cubicle or office. These serve as just part of the overall rewards package. Employee Anniversary Recognition – Zappos Style Zappos online shoe store is famous for creating revenues by inspiring their customer service team to sell, sell, sell! Their employee rewards systems turns on “zollars” or money they can spend on Zappos items. In a surprising turn, every employee has the right to award any other employee with “zollars” when they recognize exemplary customer service and work in general. In fact, every employee gets $600 “zollars” to distribute to cubicle neighbors and even supervisors. Talk about employee empowerment! While you may not quite be ready to cut checks to every employee, you can use their employee anniversary recognition strategy. Every new Zappos employee starts out with a paper license plate than hangs from the ceiling over their cubical. After their first year, paper changes to metal and then different stickers

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are used to signify each additional year of service. crystal-paperweight Similarly, you can invoke a program of increasingly improving symbols of an employee’s tenure at your company. These symbols show new employees which colleagues have been at the company the longest. Long-time employees get to enjoy concrete indication of their superiority. While, as recommended above, employee recognition awards can start with enamel pins, feel free to progress through the years by the value and heft. Acrylic employee recognition awards keep recognition within budget while making status clear all the same. Crystal paperweights—quality at a budget have room for company logo, employee name and more. Crystal awards, which can reach 18 inches tall, stand out on shelves in employee offices and homes, reflecting the highest level of recognition and gratitude. These are generally reserved for twenty year and above employee anniversary recognition. Find the Widest Variety of Employee Anniversary Recognition Awards at the Most Affordable Prices Rewarding loyal employees is as simple as a few clicks on a keyboard or a 2 minute phone call. Crown’s employee awards start at 99 cents and range all the way to an 18” crystal spire engraved with company logo and employee name engraved. Call Crown today at 800-227-1557 to speak with one of our friendly representatives about employee anniversary recognition ideas. We are happy to help you help employees feel valued. You can also “Like” us on Facebook to receive our stream of offers, great award ideas and more.

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Charity Sponsorship Awards Charities offer successful business owners and executives the opportunity to find meaning in helping those who have been less fortunate. Beyond the intangible benefits, providing these well-intentioned individuals with meaningful sponsorship awards makes a charity’s gratitude concrete. Plaques, trophies and crystals, typically displayed in offices, inspire and even ground business owners and executives during a stressful day’s work. Administrators can design sponsorship awards to most effectively convey their gratitude.

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Best Inscription Ideas for Sponsorship Awards All awards typically have the charity’s name and logo featured prominently at the top. The recipient’s name comes next, followed by an inscription expressing appreciation. To make your charity’s message meaningful, try to be as specific as possible as to how the donor contributed. Choose from these ideas to fashion your message: Because you cared, we thrived sponsorship-awards For keeping our clients housed/healthy/served For making our important work possible For bringing hope to so many For your boundless generosity In gratitude for your enduring support Thank you for your sponsorship Your contributions make all the difference For making all the difference For your years of sponsorship Thank you for keeping our doors open Thank you for making our _________________ (program/wing) possible In gratitude for your sacrifice For giving so many another chance

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The Right Sponsorship Awards for the Level of Donation Most charities have several levels of donation so that people of all budgets can be involved. Typically, the higher level of sponsorship, the more robust the sponsorship award. While there is no specific etiquette for this sensitive area, we recommend the following levels:

Beginning Donors: Plaques. Both versatile and affordable, acrylic plaques can be tailored to your brand’s colors and affixed with a laser version of your logo. Wooden plaques have a more traditional feel. Marbleized plaques convey a more classic approach and have an insert for 3-dimensional appeal. Sponsorship awards in the form of plaques fit every budget. Repeat, Low-Level Donors: Trophies. Where sports trophies have a fun appeal,

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many trophies fit sponsorship awards more closely . . . given they have a classic style. Our Eclipse trophy for instance has a distinctive circular design with plenty of room for free engraving up to 40 letters. There are also cups, stars and bowls with the clean lines any business owner or executive would relish displaying in his or her office.

Mid-Level Donors: Acrylic Awards. With all kinds of shapes available, tailoring your acrylic sponsorship awards to your organization is a breeze. Motivate Your Sponsors with Meaningful Sponsorship Awards We all start out working to earn money and support our families. Once a sustainable standard of living is achieved, however, most keep working for more complex reasons. Sponsorship awards serve as a reminder of the importance of working for more than mere consumption. Recognizing donors with awards generates pride in both the charity and the donor. Call Crown today at 800-227-1557 to speak with one of our friendly representatives about how to genuinely reward sponsors for their dedication. You can also “Like� us on Facebook to receive our stream of offers, great award ideas and more.

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By planning ahead, Bridgeway can help position middle and high school students for college-level courses early in their high school careers. This is a natural lead-in to our dual enrollment opportunities, where students can earn both college and high school credits for the same advanced courses without any additional fees (pay one price for each course).

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The Best Grass-fed Meats for Christmas! Merry Christmas Friends! With the big day less than a week away, I wanted to make sure you have the resources you need to stay within your values while preparing your amazing feast for family and friends. I am a spiritual person, and I feel a deep connection between myself and the animals I eat. I honor their life; I give thanks for my food and I only eat humanely raised and slaughtered animals. But spiritual concerns are not the only motivation for the meats I choose. When compared with corn-raised, feed-lot beef, grass-fed beef has: Less total fat More heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids More conjugated linoleic acid, a type of fat that’s thought to reduce heart disease and cancer risks

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Part 2 – Gluten-Free Sports Nutrition on Pre-Competition Day & Competition Day Hopefully, you have been gearing your body up for race day for months now. Read Sports Nutrition for Athletes in Training: Going Gluten-Free (and next week’s post Post-Race Gluten-Free Sports Nutrition) to see if you have prepared your body adequately without glutinous foods and to make sure you start the post-race repair process as quickly as you can. Sports nutrition for Athletes in Training: Going Gluten-Free covers just how to get those necessary carbohydrates without resorting to wheat, oats and rice-based, processed foods like breads, rice and pasta. Even the whole or brown versions of those grains can cause the inflammation that impedes performance and health. As mentioned there, many top athletes are putting a gluten-free diet at the center of their sports nutrition protocol. While I included a complete sample daily diet in the previous blog posts, I’ve added and changed a few things for pre-race day and race day. On a prerace day I recommend adding more carbohydrates: 2 sweet potatoes instead of 1; or ½ to 1 ½ cup of sprouted rice (remember that this will vary 53


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Would A GAPS Diet Help You? Would a GAPS Diet Help You? Ironically, our “advanced” western medical establishment cannot always successfully treat some of the most pervasive issues affecting Americans today. Families go from doctor to doctor looking for answers for: 54


Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) Bi-polar disorder Learning disabilities Autoimmune conditions Digestive distress Many of these families find great relief and even complete healing when they regard their disease through the lens of gut and psychology syndrome, an issue first identified by British neurosurgeon Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. The basis of gut and psychology syndrome or GAPS™ is that when the bacteria or “flora” in the digestive tract or “gut” becomes compromised, the resulting toxicity can interfere with proper brain function. Effective nutritional therapy can re-balance gut flora to create a healthier overall physiology. What’s in the Gut? You May Be Surprised The human body carries around 4 to 6 pounds of bacteria or “flora.” We have more organisms living within us than we have cells in our body. It is a specialized, organized eco system, developed over years of evolution in our environment. Our gut flora has enabled us to adapt to our environment and the foods available. When in proper balance, our gut flora supports our immune system. It synthesizes vitamins, aids digestion and elimination and detoxifies the body. Our beneficial gut flora also keeps pathogenic microorganisms in check by cleaning the intestine and fueling colon cells. A newborn’s gut is sterile. As the baby passes through the birth canal, he swallows his first mouthful of flora. Whatever resides in mom’s vaginal tract colonizes baby’s gut. In her book Gut And Psychology Syndrome. Natural Treatment Of Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Depression And Schizophrenia, Dr. McBride explains that antibiotics, medications, bottle feeding, chlorinated water, stress, alcohol and pollutants can put the gut flora into an unhealthy state. She also points to unhealthy foods like refined carbohydrates, sugar and processed foods ferment in the gut. This fermentation supports pathogenic microorganisms but starves the healthy flora which in better conditions would combat those pathogenic organisms. An imbalance in gut flora also impacts the enterocytes, the cells in the small intestine that carry out final digestion by absorbing nutrients, electrolytes and water. With unbalanced gut flora, the enterocytes weaken allowing nutrients and even food particles cross the gut lining and go into the blood stream in inappropriate sizes. Without nutrients broken into the form the body can use, the immune system is compromised and the body can even become malnourished. When the pathogenic microorganisms running rampant in the gut move into the blood stream, toxicity and disease follow. A toxic brain can cause seizures, autistic behavior, migraine headaches, mental and mood disorders, learning disabilities and more. The GAPS Diet The goal of the GAPS protocol is to reestablish the optimal gut ecology, heal and seal the gut lining, and gently detoxify the body. The diet removes all: Processed foods Foods that feed pathogenic microorganisms; and Foods that cannot be broken down by damaged enterocytes. It replaces those with: Nutrient dense, whole foods diet that provides the building blocks necessary to rebuild and repair the entire body from the cell up Healing foods like bone broths, fermented vegetables and dairy products Fresh vegetables, proteins and animal fats And supports those choices with the following supplements: Therapeutic probiotics EPA and DHA from fish oil Other supplements based on individual need and level of toxicity GAPS Diet Creator Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride In the 1990s British neurologist and neurosurgeon Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride’s son was diagnosed with autism. With no effective treatments available, she began to explore the condition herself. The changes she was making in her son’s diet seemed to ease some of his behaviors. Eventually, she obtained a second doctorate in human nutrition at Sheffield University in England. She is now recognized as one of the world’s leading experts in using nutrition to treat autism spectrum conditions, mood disorders, learning disabilities and digestive and immune issues. Why The GAPS Diet Is Worth a Shot: My Perspective The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that “about 1 in 88 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)”. “About 1 in 6 children in the U.S. had a developmental disability in 2006-2008, ranging from mild disabilities such as speech and language impairments to serious 55


developmental disabilities, such as intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, and autism”. The CDC also states that 4 out of 100 children have a food allergy, and children with food allergies are more prone to develop asthma and other allergic conditions. To this scenario, we add the hundreds of thousands of children suffering from delayed food sensitivities and intolerances. Each year, hundreds of thousands of parents try treatment after treatment for these mystifying disorders with no results. I have personally seen amazing turn-arounds in the health and well-being of both children and adults after utilizing the GAPS™ diet. I had one client who, suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, spent three months detoxifying and then re-balancing and rebuilding her body with non-processed, real, whole foods. Her rheumatoid arthritis abated and she is now able to live a normal, healthy life, and even play tennis again! Another client put her autistic son on the GAPS diet. Within six months, his head-banging and other autistic behaviors had diminished to the point where he could make eye contact, play with toys without engaging in distractive behavior, he is now seeking the company of other children and he is being a social butterfly. As a Certified GAPS Practitioner I have seen so many clients heal and regain their lives. I have seen children and families blessed with a second chance. Getting Started on the GAPS Diet There is enough information on the internet to make some strides in developing a diet of your own. If you or a loved one is suffering from ASD, bi-polar disorder, a learning disability, or an autoimmune condition, please get a copy of Gut And Psychology Syndrome and visit www.gaps.me (I am not affiliated with that site in any way.) If, however, you want to make sure to get started correctly, figuring in your own medical issues and goals, I can help with a GAPS consultation. It takes time, planning and dedication to implement GAPS. The protocol is strict and it is labor intensive. But the results are short of amazing. If you’d prefer to just check me out for a while, sign up for my newsletter or “like”my Healthful Living Facebook page.

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About the Author: Francesca Francesca: "Food and health are lifelong passions of mine. I grew up in Italy, the country that gave birth to the Slow Food movement. I was raised appreciating the gifts of the land; I was taught to savor every bite, to make every single meal a sensory experience. Francesca is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition and Lead Instructor for Nutritional Therapy Association Inc."

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We’re lucky here in San Diego – we get to enjoy summer until the end of October! We still have two more months of long days and warm, golden evenings, perfect for entertaining and relaxing. The Resort Club has filled these two months with golf events, family parties, sophisticated cocktail events and even romantic overnight getaways for couples! Just around the corner, though, the holidays begin, adding their own flavor of fun and magic to our lives. Here at the Resort Club, we’re preparing for an amaz ing season of celebration. From Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas, the facilities and grounds transform from spooky to warm harvest hues to the daz z le of lights and color that make Christmas and Hanukah so special. Expecting out- of- town 58

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guests? Use your spend to feed and entertain them here—at your home away from home. We’ll make sure to get the November/December newsletter out early enough for you to RSVP, make reservations and get all the fun filled into your calendar. Any questions or suggestions? Feel free to email me, Andrea, at alambert@jcresorts.com or call me at 858- 675- 8484 .

NEW! CONVENIENT RESORT CLUB HOUSEHOLD SERVICES We have the staff. Why don’t you use them? We’re rolling out ways to support and streamline your busy work and family life. You get the peace of mind–not only of knowing that every member of our staff is pre- screened and background checked–but that they have the resources of the Rancho Bernardo Inn behind them should any challenges arise. Don’t let tasks overwhelm you. Rely on us to help! Babysit t ing Services –Fully vetted babysitters will entertain, feed and care for your children at our fun facilities. We have the room for them to run, plenty of food and bathrooms—pretty much all kids need. You may as well take advantage of it! Email RBIconcierge@jcresorts.com or call 858- 675- 8487 for availability, areas served and cost. Transport at ion Services – As a Resort Club member, chances are you’ve already met one or two of our drivers. We’ll get you or your out- of- town guests where they need to go on time and in the comfort in our limousine. Email RBIconcierge@jcresorts.com or call 858- 675- 8487 for availability, areas served and cost.

MEMBERS-ONLY OPPORT UNIT IES – WHAT WE HAVE FOR YOU!! 20% Off Special in the Spa Because we appreciate the consistent patronage of our Resort Club members, we’re happy to discount spa treatments like waxes, massages and facials. Keep watching the newsletter and the Resort Club’s 59

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Facebook notices to take advantage of these great discounts. Monthly Resort Club Member Night Away To show our appreciation to our members, we’re offering Friday overnight stays with or without dinner and breakfast for a much reduced rate. To review our September 21 and October 12 Resort Club Member Monthly Night Away details, check the calendar. More Member Perks 20% off at the Veranda, Café Granada and El Biz cocho 20% off all items in the gift shop 10% off all Couture by the Sea items by Debbie Schmeling Use of our fitness center, locker rooms and lockers Discounts on rooms Enjoyment of swimming pools and gardens

FEAT URED ART IST AT CAFE GRANADA: DEBBIE SCHMELING, COUT URE BY T HE SEA The earthy elegance of Debbie Schmeling’s hand- crafted jewelry fits the Rancho Bernardo Inn perfectly. Inspired by her love of nature, Debbie uses the purest form of silver available (99.9%) with naturallyshaped and hued freshwater pearls. You probably haven’t seen baby blues this frosty or pinks this precious in a while. Each piece is hammered and fused by hand. Debbie loves living near the beach in San Diego with her husband and two daughters. Rancho Bernardo Inn Resort Club members enjoy 10% off all Couture by the Sea treasures. View more of her jewelry!

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UPCOMING EVENT S THURSDAY NIGHT GOLF LEAGUE Thursdays, Now t hru Sept ember 30 | 5 pm Because summer still has plenty of play left! This Thursday night golf league helps you and your friends wedge a quick game between work and home. $20 per game includes green fee, cart, on- course contests, team games and a $6 voucher for two beers and a hot dog. Ease into Friday the fun way! The Thursday Night Golf league gets you into the swing of things while evenings still have plenty of sunlight. Call the Golf Pro Shop for reservations at 858.675.8470.

FAMILY SUNDAY FUNDAY AT THE SANTIAGO POOL Sunday, Sept ember 16 | 11:30 am – 1:30 pm Free to members, this 2- hour party includes a magic show, games, balloon sculpture, and face painting. Guests are welcome to join for $20.00 for adults and $10.00 for all those 21 and under. You won’t find hot dogs and plaid blankets at this picnic, however. Our chef Nicolas Bour will whip up a light but luscious special to please parents and kids. RSVP to alambert@jcresorts.com or call 858- 675- 8484. RSVP’s will be charged to your account at the time of reservation

RESORT CLUB MEMBER MONTHLY NIGHT AWAY Friday, Sept ember 21 Ahhhh . . . the pause that refreshes. One overnight away with breakfast and dinner included for two may be just what the doctor ordered. And with everything (tax and gratuities) included for just $189, the accountant won’t complain either. Enjoy good food, company and even music at The Veranda. Soothe all the senses with this reasonably- priced break from the routine. The package code is RCNIGHTOUT. Contact Leisure Sales at 800 869- 3557 to schedule.

MEMBERS COCKTAIL RECEPTION Sat urday, Oct ober 6 | 5 pm – 7pm Spa Pool Socializ e with those you know and our newest members at our exclusive Spa pool. Great music, food and open bar! Members are free and guests are welcome for just $20 per person. Early October sunsets 61

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are gorgeous in San Diego. Make sure you get yours at this event! RSVP to Andrea at alambert@jcresorts.com or call 858- 675- 8484 to register. RSVP’s will be charged to your account at the time of reservation.

RESORT CLUB MEMBER MONTHLY NIGHT AWAY Friday, Oct ober 12 Couldn’t get away in September? Make it a date in October! The rate code is RCNIGHTOUT. Contact Leisure Sales at 800 869- 3557 to schedule.

HALLOWEEN AT THE INN Friday, Oct ober 26 and Sat urday, Oct ober 27 | 5 pm – 8 pm Keep the Halloween fun, add some delicious food and our Mediterranean gardens lit in spooky sparkles, and you’ve got a Halloween for both kids AND parents. Many of us are parents ourselves, and we know how to keep the Halloween scary- fun rather than scary- scary. We put on our creepiest thinking caps to come up with a kid- friendly haunted house, trick- or- treating, face- painting, pumpkin- decorating, a costume contest and Halloween themed pastries that will put your neighborhood festivities to shame. Kids activities ($17 for non- members) cost just $12 for members. Food and bar options include piz z a, street tacos, hot pretz els and more for a fee. Looking for more sustenance on All Hallows Eve? Try our fall 3course pre- fixe menu at Veranda Fireside Lounge & Restaurant, $34 per person. No RSVP necessary; simply sign in at the reservation desk on Friday or Saturday.

STAY & SPOOK MEMBER OVERNIGHT Friday, Oct ober 26 and Sat urday, Oct ober 27 RBI’s Halloween at the Inn can wear out even the most sugar- charged kids and parents, so we are opening up rooms for our resort club members for on- the- spot collapsing. Members who book by October 1 get admission to all Halloween at the Inn activities, the trick or treating, PLUS S’mores & Snores, all for just $179. Book later and pay $199. We even throw in cookie decorating with Pastry Chef 62

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Margaret Nolan from 4- 5pm for the kiddos & 2 glow- in- the- dark cocktails for the adults! Stay & Spook reservations can be made through our Leisure Sales Department at 877- 517- 9340. RSVP’s will be charged to your account at the time of reservation. Additional fee for over two children.

MEMBERS AND GUESTS GOLF TOURNAMENT Sunday, November 11 | 12:00 pm Green fees, carts, food, fun and great priz es, all covered for just $60. Compete and commune with old and new friends on our championship golf course. We post the results that afternoon, all ready for you to brag about or explain away. Show us what you’ve got on the golf course! Need to be added to a foursome? No problem! We’ll take care of that. RSVP to Andrea at alambert@jcresorts.com or call 858675- 8484 by September 26 th .

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Winning the Child Support Critical for a Positive, Productive Future San Diego Family Law Attorney Jim Green

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Neither the law nor the computer program cares who was wronged, who bought the children’s gifts or who made lunches every day for whom. California even offers a Child Support Calculator, similar to the online mortgage calculators, to estimate which party will pay whom and how much. Facts entered into the Dissomastertm include: income of each parent time children spend with each parent child care expenses insurance premiums mortgage payments other, unique expenses

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With 15 years as a California family law attorney for both military and civilian couples, I’ve learned to create sophisticated strategies beyond typical child support calculations. My associates and I share the best strategies so that you receive the support you’re due. We negotiate hard for which items to include in an individual’s income, expenses and time with the children, thus keeping some items from the Dissomastertm while emphasizing others. Without an attorney, you may be missing out on funds like bonuses, commissions, overtime work, income from investments and more. A parent of three children under 10 myself, I work hard to make sure the children not simply survive, but thrive. More, I have the right priorities when fighting for a child support order. Since the judge’s prime directive is to keep the child safe and protected, I make sure to present a case so that he or she views requests as in keeping with that priority. I also know the intricacies of the law the opposing party may exploit to shirk his or duty but really puts a child at risk. I waste no time pointing out these manipulations to the court. Initial child support decisions are made on a specific date, but lives, careers and circumstances change over time. If you need a child support modification, know that you are well within your rights to petition for a change, even if your divorce, marriage settlement agreement and custody orders are final.

Get a Free 30-Minute Consultation about Your San Diego Child Support Issue At The Law Offices of Jim Green, we understand how critical it is to secure the funds that allow you to continue being the parent you desire to be. If you have questions about getting the child support you’re entitled to, do not hesitate to call us at 858-509-4991 or schedule an appointment here. We’re happy to provide a FREE 30-minute consultation about your case and your first steps toward getting through it. converted by Web2PDFConvert.com


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If children or marital property is involved, however, seeking the advice of a divorce attorney makes sense. We are a happy to speak with you to review your case and let you know how the court will most likely rule. Feel free to contact us at 425-830-9345 to make a phone or in person appointment. Remember, the first 30 minutes is part of our free initial consultation.

Mediated Divorce In the mediated divorce, a trained mediator sits down with you and your spouse to help you agree on child custody, asset division, alimony and more. The mediator makes no decisions. Rather, he or she keeps the discussion moving forward effectively. Contact Us!

Divorce and marriage settlements conducted through mediation are the least likely to be contested years later because spouses did much of the work themselves. Parties or an attorney can then submit the divorce judgment (which includes the marriage settlement and custody agreements) to the court. Acting as a mediator in scores of California divorces, I have witnessed first hand the money, heartache and energy saved with in the mediated divorce. Keep in mind, however, that the mediator is working toward the effective resolution of the matter itself, not your individual rights.

Collaborative Divorce A step more involved than the mediated divorce, the collaborative divorce, involves both individuals hiring separate divorce lawyers. The four of you then work cooperatively and in the presence of each other to discuss the settlement. Both parties must be willing to disclose all financial information. Parties agree at the outset NOT to take the divorce to trial. My associates and I have participated in hundreds of collaborative divorces in California, San Diego county and elsewhere. In the case of the collaborative military divorce, we can speed the process along even when one spouse is deployed in another state or country. We are well versed in the strategies the top San Diego divorce attorneys use and have the experience and knowledge to both detect and conquer these ploys.

Contested Divorce in California Spouses who cannot agree about the division of property, child custody, alimony and more have a contested divorce. Generally, each spouse gets an attorney to represent their interests and if no agreement can be reached, all documents go to a judge. Still, you can avoid formal court if you agree to‌

Arbitration The contested divorce goes to arbitration when the spouses agree to hire a private judge (arbitrator) to base decisions on California family law in the same manner as would an acting judge of the court would make. This arbitrator is typically a retired or semi-retired San Diego Family Court judge who has seen a myriad of divorce cases and situations, including military divorce. The J Green Law Group can advise you not only on the top judges and arbitrators in San Diego County, but on how best to present your case to them. We also work diligently to create a powerful case that benefits you.

Taking a Divorce to Trial When spouses won’t agree to collaboration, mediation or arbitration, the case must go to trial. Because taking a divorce to trial is extremely expensive, 98% of cases are settled through the alternatives mentioned above. Still, if a great deal of money is at stake or the parties are extremely emotionally charged about child custody and other issues, going to court may be the only option. If your divorce comes to this point, rest assured that we fight relentlessly for you.

Fill Out the Form on this Page for Your Free 30-Min Consultation When you fill out the form on this page, we will call you to schedule your free 30-minute consultation. You can also call directly at 858-509-4991 to schedule. Rest assured that I know every inch of California family law and will fight for you to protect your rights under the family law system.

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The Keys to a Productive San Diego Divorce While right now is a difficult and frightening time, in the matter of months or a year, you WILL be starting a brand new course. As a dedicated San Diego family law attorney, I’ve built a small firm focused on guiding you, step by step, through the choices with the most potential to empower your new life. Our free 30-minute consultation via phone or in person can help you get some clarity, reassurance and insight into whether we are the right firm for you. We get the most satisfaction from our work when, after all documents have been filed and assets divided, a client walks into the office clear-eyed and confident, completely transformed from when we met them months earlier. While you’re overwhelmed now, trust you will feel both safe and excited about life again.

Everything Goes Better when Attorneys Communicate Closely with Clients After graduating from law school, I began work with a big firm before moving on to a mid-sized firm. While many divorce attorneys promise to stay in close contact with divorcing clients, they don’t. I could never get used to this practice. Never. I’ve shaped a firm dedicated to patient and thorough customer service and high quality work. My staff and associates must genuinely share this clientfocused approach or find work elsewhere. We know too well how those going through divorce are waiting by the phone for a call from me, an associate attorney or staff member about terrifically sensitive issues like child custody, child support, domestic violence issues and marital settlement agreement. When clients receive frequent, attentive contact, they are better able, not only to get divorce tasks done, but to carry out their work and child rearing responsibilities. Clients kept in the dark become paralyzed, missing work and struggling as parents. The more stressed they become, the harder it is to make rational decisions, and quite frankly, the harder it is to work with them in a reasonable, effective way. My staff and I will make sure that you are constantly updated on the progress in your case so that you can get through this difficult time with grace AND get every bit of the custody, agreements and assets you deserve in the eyes of the California family court system.

There Is No ONE Way To Get Through A San Diego Divorce Which is Best for You? The first step in the effective and productive divorce in San Diego is to clarify your primary goals. Do you want to remain a stay-at-home parent for the next few years? Do you need to protect an inheritance you received while married? Is custody paramount to you? Are you feeling frantic about who will retain the family home? Is saving as much money as possible the priority? Divorce in San Diego can be tailored to your situation and needs. We will carefully go through your options and make the decisions based on your specific goals. A divorce begins when one person, the petitioner, files a formal petition at the courthouse. If the respondent answers within 30 days, the case is contested. If the defendant does not answer, however, the case is “uncontested.” The divorce is also uncontested when both parties agree to terms they set forth together.

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The days of one spouse proving another is at fault for the end of the marriage are long over. Judges don’t even take infidelity into account any more. Instead, informing the court that the two of you have “irreconcilable differences” indicates that the marriage has had an “irremediable breakdown.” When the two parties are able to divide assets and determine custody and alimony on their own, there may be no need for extensive attorney services. In other words, the divorce is uncontested. converted by Web2PDFConvert.com


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Contract Disputes A San Diego Contract Attorney Helps You Weigh Your Options and Win Parties create business contracts to control risk and create certainty, and most of the time these instruments do both. But unforeseen conflicts can open even the most carefully-crafted contract to interpretation and challenges. An experienced San Diego contract attorney, Scott Fikes puts your personal and business solvency first. He makes clear the costs and benefits of pursuing or defending a potential contract dispute action in court. Our clients understand long- and short-term ramifications each legal remedy may have on your business or organization. Fikes Law focuses on clients’ most critical priorities when considering the feasibility of pursuing one action over another. Solvency and reputation must be considered along with the potential to recoup expenses in the short term.

Flexible Fee Arrangements Make All the Difference Unlike many San Diego contract attorneys, Fikes Law understands that not everyone has the thousands of dollars it may take to start a contracts dispute action or even pursue real estate disputes. We’ve worked hard to craft the flat fees, hybrid payment models, flexible fee schedules and moderate contingency fees that ensure good cases get their day in court (or mediation) despite the personal wealth of the claimant. We also want to ensure that pursuing an action is financially worthwhile. Ready to put an aggressive, knowledgeable advocate in your corner? Call us at 619-550-3322 and we’ll get you on the phone with an attorney quickly. Fill out the case evaluation form on this page and Scott will call you!

The Fikes Law Advantage . . . Once a breach of contract case begins, litigants are often surprised when bankruptcy and collections issues arise, complicating what they thought would be a simple action. In these cases, most San Diego contract dispute lawyers who specialize must hire the services of other attorneys to handle these tangential aspects. Scott Fikes handles all aspects of all practice areas. Early in his career, Scott recognized that he could be of far more use to his clients by accruing experience and training in many practice areas. When the opposing attorney attempts to mire a case with additional aspects, Scott never loses his stride or your time and money. He’s handled not only the bankruptcy and collections issues both separately and in conjunction with a breach of contract cases, but also the real estate, probate and fraud issues that often impinge on these cases. Because of this broad experience, Scott can react quickly (and ease your mind quickly) when the terms like “bankruptcy” or “real estate dispute” suddenly show up. When you want your case prosecuted or defended efficiently and thoroughly and, trust Fikes Law.

Determining Breach of Contract: First Steps Fikes Law conducts thorough and efficient investigations. We never cut corners. Instead, once we have marshaled a comprehensive body of facts, dates and other information, we explore all options of resolution, including arbitration and mediation. Unlike many San Diego breach of contract lawyers, our drive to win at all costs is tempered by a keen focus on the ultimate best interests of your business or organization.

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San Diego Contract Disputes Lawyer that Understands Helping All San Diego Neighborhoods including: Point Loma, Bankers Hill, Mission Valley, Clairemont, La Jolla and North County Legal actions are stressful. We get it. Contract disputes can be emotionally and physically draining, and the cases that verge on fraud [link here to Fraud page] tax claimants the most. But clear information helps ease the anxiety of the entanglement with the court system. That’s why Fikes Law attorneys and staff are committed to returning calls within 24 hours. Our straightforward legal advice aims to benefit you and your business or organization, not our egos. We believe clients are entitled to a level of personal service that helps keep all areas of their lives running smoothly. If you need to resolve a contract dispute in San Diego, contact San Diego contract attorney Scott Fikes. Call us at 619-568-3189 and we’ll get you on the phone with an attorney quickly. Fill out the case evaluation form on this page and Scott will call you!

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Every Good Case Deserves a Great Attorney Scott Fikes, San Diego Civil Attorney Too many good cases in San Diego go unprosecuted when claimants fear the complexity of our civil justice system, oppressive attorney’s fees and extended hassle. Fikes Law shoulders these burdens, demystifying the civil process for clients, returning peace of mind and ensuring your long-term financial well-being. How? Fikes law explains the civil process in straightforward terms allowing you to understand the risks and benefits of pursuing your claim. Demystifying the process helps you understand how our legal services may be utilized to obtain the result you desire. Fikes Law’s hybrid payment models, flexible fee schedules and modest fee agreements also ensure that all San Diegans get the day in court they deserve. Not everyone with a civil claim has the thousands of dollars most attorneys require to get started. Alack of sufficient funds should not stand in the way of restitution deemed sufficient and lawful by the California justice system. Fikes Law ensures California laws are carried out to the fullest extent, returning your rightful property. At the same time, Fikes Law provides superior service to each and every client. More, Scott Fikes is known by his peers as a highly skilled and ethical lawyer. In independent practice, he knows that each case won contributes to his remarkable reputation, a reputation he strives every day to keep.

The San Diego Civil Lawyer with an Edge Despite the fact that many lawyers handle just one narrow field like Wills and Trusts or Commercial Law, most cases do not fall cleanly into one specific category or another. Scott Fikes’ experience in many areas of both civil and criminal law gives him an advantage unmatched by attorneys who specialize. 67


Attorneys focusing just on probate and trust issues are out of their depth when a commercial business issue like a collections matter or unfair trade practice dispute arises. Similarly, a family member suspecting financial elder abuse will be better served by an attorney who’s spent time in criminal and civil court as these cases often require an attorney familiar with investment fraud and breach of fiduciary duty claims. Scott Fikes’ comprehensive knowledge of and extensive experience in a variety of practice areas of both civil and criminal law creates a synergy that empowers individual cases.

A Free Case Evaluation – Just 15 Minutes of Your Time The prospect of managing the crating of your own trust, prosecuting a case or defending oneself in court is one of the most stressful situations an individual faces. Our commitment to returning your calls within 24 hours and providing straightforward legal advice are just two ways we deliver the personal service that helps you carry out your daily life calmly while handling a legal action. Filling out our “Free Case Evaluation” form here gets the process started. Scott will contact you asking for more details and then spend 15 minutes going over possible options. Can’t wait? Feel free to call us at 619-550-3322. Our staff will do our best to get you talking to an attorney right away. We’ve found a little legal insight goes a long way in easing potential clients’ fears. Don’t hesitate to contact us. We can almost always help! Civil Attorney & Commercial Lawyer San Diego | Probate & Estate Planing | Elder Abuse Law | Fikeslaw.com | (619) 550-3322

Practice Areas Brain Injury Car Accident Motorcycle Accident San Diego Residential and Commercial Landlord-Tenant Disputes Truck Accident Top Business Lawyer for San Diego Contract Disputes San Diego Real Estate Attorney with Both Broad and Deep Experience Real Estate Transactions Elder Abuse & Nursing Home Negligence Evictions San Diego Fraud Lawyer Estate Planning Probate and Trust Administration & Ligation Conservatorships

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(619) 550-3322 Offices in San Diego & North County

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Motorcycle Accident San Diego Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Because the Motorcyclist is Rarely at Fault Research is conclusive: when a car and motorcycle collide, fault is found on the car driver’s side 70% of the time. You probably realized the day you bought the motorcycle that car drivers seemed oblivious to your presence. These drivers, distracted by bigger vehicles and unfamiliar with motorcycles in general, don’t check blind spots and misjudge motorcycle speed. This negligence causes accidents resulting in lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering and—too often—death. California law mandates that motorcyclists and their families are entitled to recovery of all losses resulting from a motorcycle crash. San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer Scott Fikes can help you recover monies California law demands when your life has been affected by a motorcycle crash. Call him today for a free, no obligation consultation at 619-568-3189.

Even When No Other Vehicles Are Involved in a Motorcycle Crash . . .

Road Conditions May Have Caused Your San Diego Accident With only two wheels and far less weight, motorcycles are more vulnerable to road and signage defects than heavier cars and trucks. State and county roads must be built and maintained to keep ALL drivers, including motorcyclists, safe. In San Diego, courts have found the following road defects at fault: Undivided highways Poorly maintained roads Potholes Pavement ridges Drastic curves Malfunctioning traffic controls like stop lights Inappropriate or expired signage In these cases, judges often find county and state departments of transportation at fault.

Review These Motorcycle Accident Statistics When Considering Legal Action Uncertain of their responsibilities versus those of the other driver or even county and state transportation departments, sometimes those who call us are hesitant to proceed with legal action. These facts help bring clarity on fault. 42 % of two-vehicle fatal motorcycle crashes occur when a different vehicle made a left-hand turn while the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking the vehicle. Motorcycle fatality rates are typically 5 times higher than the fatality rates of passenger vehicles Losses from motorcycle accidents can be 4 to 12 times higher than losses from car-only accidents Head injury is the leading cause of a fatal motorcycle accident motorcyclist deaths more than doubled between 1999 and 2008. Make sure you leave determining your case’s feasibility to an expert motorcycle injury attorney. 69


San Diego Motorcycle Lawyer Scott Fikes Handles Oppositions Team of Lawyers for You To meet their safe-driving standards, the California Vehicle Code places specific requirements on motorcycle riders. Scott Fikes works diligently to prove that his clients were abiding by those requirements when the accident occurred. He also knows just how to prove an insurance company responsible for covering medical bills and lost wages resulting from an accident. Uncertain about whether you have a good case or not? Scott Fikes will speak to you personally at no obligation for 15 minutes to help determine your chances of winning in or out of court. Simply call 619-568-3189 or fill out the Schedule Case Evaluation on this page. We can help you win the restitution that gets your life back to normal.

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Are you looking to reconnect and rejuvenate the passion that once defined your relationship? Craig Lambert is a San Diego marriage therapist helping couples strengthen their relationships and improve communication. Find out how he can do the same for you. Marriage counseling DOES work for La Jolla and San Diego couples.

A couples counselor for more than 30 years, Craig Lambert, LCSW, has helped hundreds of frustrated, hurting couples gain new understanding of themselves, their partners and even the world around them. Proven, gentle strategies like Mindfulness exercises and Imago Therapy let individuals recognize when they’re bringing issues from past relationships —and particularly their family of origin—into present relationships. Craig’s clients gain new insights, relief and peace when they understand the often unconscious underpinnings of relationship conflict. Craig uses practical but powerful strategies and exercises to get to the heart of dire communication issues and even devastating events like addiction, infidelity and violence. Contrary to some public perception, couples and marriage counseling does not require years before improvement begins. Most couples report a sense of relief and clarity within a few weeks. Pre-Marital Counseling

Now, La Jolla and San Diego parents and couples can give themselves or a child’s or other loved one’s marriage the best shot from the beginning. An extensive study from the University of Denver’s esteemed Center for Marital and Family Studies found that couples who’ve invested in premarital counseling lowered their divorce rate by 31%! Premarital education gives couples crucial tools to cope with expected and very normal marital challenges, starting with the post-wedding-bell blues when the big day has finally passed. More, it helps partners deeper their understanding of and appreciation for each other as well as the relationship itself. Craig is a staunch believer that not only are "we meant to be in relationship," but "we are here to grow and connect through the miracle of human love." Marital & Couples Workshops

Craig Lambert Couples Therapy offers several workshops throughout the year. Those looking to deepen their relationship with their partner and even understand some of the unconscious underpinnings of the mysteries of love and connection enjoy Couplehood as a Spiritual Path and The Mindful Couple: A Journey to Real Love and Wholeness. Aimed at singles, Getting the Love You Want helps those determined to find a nurturing, healthy relationship examine their own needs and desires. Only when you become your best self can you attract an ideal partner. Get announcements about Craig’s workshops by liking our Facebook or Google+ page! Senior Marriage & Couples Counseling

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Can a Happy Marriage and Individual Growth Co-Exist? A La Jolla Marriage Counselor Says YES! Craig Lambert | Monday, July 14th, 2014

In his popular New York Times article, “The All or Nothing Marriage,” researcher and Northwestern University psychology professor Eli Finkel claims that that the goal of marriage in the 21st Century has shifted. Finkel asserts that most couples now find the 20th Century’s “companionate marriage”—which fulfilled individual needs for love and intimacy—inadequate. At this point, partners assume the marriage must provide not only love, but also “a vehicle for self discovery and individual Do these divisions make sense to you? growth.” Termed the “selfexpressive marriage,” this demanding union has the best chances of being considered a happy marriage. In other words, the marriage of 2014 and beyond must not only serve needs for support AND love, it must help each partner achieve individual goals in career, hobby and other areas or be considered unsatisfying . . . not a happy marriage.

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Finkel concludes it’s impossible to achieve a marriage meets both the goal of great connection AND the mutual support that ends in ultimate selfactualization. People should either aim to be a support partner, sacrificing their own growth and career achievement, OR reconcile with the fact that their marriage will be somewhat empty while each partner toils away after his or her own career, hobbies and emotional growth.

Not So Fast, Dr. Finkel . . . As a La Jolla Marriage counselor for over 30 years, I reject this conclusion. Finkel expresses a very narrow perspective, an extreme point of view. More, he generalizes one finding to the entire population. Both are always red flags for me. His conclusions an all or nothing, black and white. Time and energy allotted to individual growth and time and energy allotted to a close relationship are not mutually exclusive. First, you can’t stop individual growth. It’s a natural process that occurs often without the individual even realizing it’s occurring. More, however, Imago relationship theory firmly asserts that personal growth happens as we nourish our partners and the relationship. Caring for and understanding others creates emotional growth. It broadens our capacity for compassion, even compassion for ourselves and the children of the union. The act of nurturing your relationship grows you as an individual.

The Happy Marriage: Balancing Individuality and Union Both connection to another and private time can feel incredibly nurturing. Relationships are a dance between maintaining an identity as a separate individual and experiencing a sense of oneness with your partner, a two-step converted by W eb2PDFConvert.com


that can get tricky. Striving for both individual growth and relationship growth may appear on its surface to be two different things. However, in a mindful relationship, the partners learn that caring, compassion, intimacy, sensitivity and vulnerability are all qualities of personal growth. Inherent in sensitivity and compassion is the idea that, at times, one’s own needs and desires need to be put on the back burner for the good of the relationship. While perhaps an immediate goal is lost, a more powerful one is gained. Couples who practice mindfulness in marriage learn to lessen their focus on “what can this relationship to for me,” and put more energy into, “what can I do for this relationship?” For this reason, they’re able to care for their relationship AND themselves. In a mindful relationship, loving your partner means committing to giving him or her what he or she needs without asking for anything in return. That may mean playing cards with the friends shifts from every week to once a month, going to the gym twice a week instead of four. Partners who consider these changes as sacrifices have an even bigger challenge ahead. Mindfulness in relationship encourage a “no strings” commitment to the welfare of our partner. The ultimate practice of mindfulness is non-attachment or giving without expecting anything in return. In this way, we learn to love unconditionally. At the same time, we’ve achieved the ultimate in personal growth.

Mindfulness Counseling for Marriage in San Diego and La Jolla Curious about the power Mindfulness can bring to your marriage? I share a few tips in previous posts: 5 Ways Mindfulness Training Prevents Infidelity in Marriage 3 Great Mindfulness Exercises Couples Can Do Together If you are interested in mindfulness training for your relationship, contact me at craig@craiglamberttherapy.com. You can also consider attend a Mindful Couples Workshop my colleague therapist Nichole Kahn and I hold 4 times per year. Keep in mind, too, that I post daily reminders of mindfulness in relationship on my Facebook page. You’ll receive these in your newsfeed when you “like” the Craig Lambert Therapy page.

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Cipika’s Natural Sunburn Remedy Home – Blog – Skin Care: Cipika’s Natural Sunburn Remedy JULY 31, 2014

* see disclaimer below If this photo makes you wince, most likely you, too, have experienced a sunburn this severe. Worse, you’ve had a child or other loved one come home with white raccoon rings around the eyes and tender, burning skin everywhere else. If this sunburn starts going to blisters or causing fever, nausea and dizziness, please see your doctor right away as medical attention is imperative. If not, you may want to try one of my tried and true natural remedies. Act Fast To Cool That Burn . . . I suggest you go to your local Sprouts, Trader Joes or even CVS to find a jar of coconut oil. Mix it in with equal parts Vaseline. Direct the sunburn victim to take a lukewarm to cool bath, dry by patting and then slather the effected skin with the coconut oil/Vaseline combination.

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Why Make Yourself or Your Kid Smell Like Coconuts? The Science Behind the Remedy To understand why I’m suggesting coconut oil, I want to share a few facts about sunburn. We all know that melanin in the skin acts as a protectant by absorbing the sun’s UV rays and creating a healthy tan. When the amount of UV radiation becomes excessive, however, melanin becomes inadequate and skin is burned. The sunburn feels incredibly hot because, among other reasons, blood is rushing to the effected area in order to heal it. Sun’s rays dry the skin as well, robbing it of much needed moisture and making the skin feel tight. Skin peeling off is the body’s attempt to rid itself of potentially cancerous consequences of sun damage. Even more interesting, the sunburn also effects skin’s protective coating. Did you know that, like frogs and other slimy creatures, our skin combines oils, lipids and dead skin cells to seal out viruses and bacteria. This protective layer also keeps moisture in, helping skin have a soft texture and glowing appearance. When sunburn disrupts this protective coating, the body fights to get it back into place. In other words, dry, irradiated skin signals damage to your immune system, which responds by inflaming the area, causing more pain and discomfort. Coconut oil is an emollient, a layer of oil that slows down water loss from the skin. Protected and moist, skin cells are free to repair themselves. When the cells start to heal, the immune system can relax its sometimes over-the-top response. Free of the chemical preservatives and other additives, coconut oil doesn’t build up and clog pores. More, you can buy it for a fraction of the price of manufactured treatments. The Vaseline serves to keep the coconut oil close to the skin and as more reinforcement for the skin barrier. As I mentioned above, however, if the sunburn is so bad that it’s causing dizziness, blisters, fever, chills, nausea, get to the doctor or emergency room right away. In any case of sunburn make sure to drink lots of water to support the body’s efforts to rehydrate all cells.Be good to your skin! * Disclaimer: This is a natural home remedy for a common problem. This information is intended to educate visitors, not to provide medical advice. In reading materials on this website and its social and internet channels, you acknowledge and agree you do so at your sole risk. Do not use this information to diagnose and treat diseases. Serious health problems must be treated by licensed health professionals. Always consult with a qualified medical professional before deciding on any treatment, particularly for serious or life-threatening illnesses.

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Pets and Seniors – Benefits vs. Concerns for San Diego Families

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Family Learning Center This exclusive free resource is specifically designed for family members who provide any type of direct care or support. These courses can be accessed directly from our website and do not require attending classes. Get more information about the Family Learning Center.

“There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face,” - British Philosopher, Bernard Williams.

They melt our hearts and brighten our days, but would a pet be a smart choice for an elderly person who is struggling to take care of him or herself? As we discuss below, studies from many research universities and even the U.S. National Institutes of Health reveal that pets increase the well-being of people of all ages. With the threat of isolation higher in the senior population, however, it makes sense that a pet would be particularly helpful. While pet ownership does bring mental and physical health benefits, care and expense can tax the elderly as well. When it comes to pets and seniors benefits should be weighed against risks. This post will help you decide whether the pros of senior pet ownership outweigh the cons for YOUR family.

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Pros for Seniors Owing Pets The research on senior pet ownership indicates that elderly people benefit from having furry friends around. These studies conclude that among the U.S. elderly, pet attachment is highly linked to strengthened emotional health, specifically the diminishing of depression and other signs of psychological distress. More findings include: Seniors with dogs go to the doctor less. For people aged 65-78, walking the dog becomes a neighborhood social opportunity. Conversations often begin with a discussion about the dog. Elderly pet owners with minimal human support but a strong attachment to their pet report less recent illness than isolated seniors without a pet. Senior pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Pet owners in general have fewer minor health problems, lower medical costs, better psychological well being, and higher one-year survival rates following coronary heart disease. Pets encourage playfulness, exercise, and promote laughter in all populations. Pets satisfy the human need for touch. They provide non-judgmental affection. San Diego therapeutic massage practitioner and owner of Interactive Healing Karen Baskin, MA, HHP, NMT specializes in human and canine rehabilitation, neuromuscular therapy and biomechanics. In her work with what she calls “my yummy seniors” and others, she’s noticed that pets act as natural mood enhancers and companions for movement and exercise. “Pets are a pain distraction, too,” Baskin explains. “Their gentle breath even slows your heart rate. For seniors in particular, pets satisfy that need to be needed.”

Concerns about Pets and Seniors Despite the clear benefits, if you’ve made it to this article, chances are you’re not completely convinced that you or an elderly loved one should have a pet. The responsibilities of pet ownership can be numerous and possibly overwhelming if medical issues are involved. Aware of the specific challenges seniors have with acquiring pets, one group of enterprising animal lovers created the non-profit, Pets for Seniors. The organization rescues older pets destined for euthanasia from shelters for placement in the homes of the elderly. It supports the adopting seniors life long by guaranteeing to help with veterinary bills, transportation to the vet clinic and foster care should the owner need to spend an extended period in the hospital. After surveying many seniors who had given up their pets, Pets for Seniors designed their program to meet their specific needs. The significant issues included: high veterinary bills and, for seniors no longer driving, transportation to and from the veterinarian with a pet becoming too cumbersome possible hospital or nursing home stays which could last weeks or months getting the pet out of the house in an emergency or getting the pet to a veterinarian if it became ill during the night or weekend arranging pet care due to illness difficulty in retrieving the pet should it run away Keep these potential stressors in mind when considering acquiring a pet.

Alternatives to Owning a Pet for Animal-Loving Seniors If you decide that a pet just wouldn’t work for your elderly mother or father or even yourself, these alternatives to owning a pet for San Diego seniors may scratch your itch for fur, feathers and pretty eyes. a backyard bird or butterfly garden. Local nurseries and botanical gardens have the flowers, birdfeeders, baths and more to attract local species. Buying your products there will guarantee you get a lesson in creating a rich bird or butterfly space. Trips with friends and family members to local dog park or beach. Seeing 20 happy dogs running and playing lifts anyone’s spirits. Zoo, animal shelter, aviaries or even a pet store can scratch the animal itch without tying anyone down to a major responsibility. Love 2 Live’s Thursday San Diego Senior Activities feature selects pet related activities suitable for seniors. We’re pet lovers, too! [Insert photo of Sheila & Oreo] We let you know about the big dog show up in Del Mar a few weeks ago and we’re excited for the opening of the Butterfly Festival in the brand new Butterfly Pavillion at the San Diego Water Conservation Garden on April 5. Make sure you always get our Thursday Things to Do in San Diego with Seniors feature by liking our Facebook page!

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Sheila and Oreo

Select a Love 2 Live Senior Caregiver with a Penchant for Pets! If you need or a senior loved one needs a senior caregiver with pet experience, please don’t hesitate to call us at 619-291-4663 or send an email here. A few walks, a ride to the veterinarian or some backyard arranging from one of our caregivers [LINK] could make bringing a pet into your or a loved one’s home a reality.

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Get At The Roots 12-Week Weight Loss Program A personalized, 12-week, health and weight loss program and support group. Stop blaming your lack of willpower. Stop thinking you have to do it alone. Did you know that underlying causes – unique to you – can frustrate your most conscientious dieting efforts? I am talking about such things as hormonal imbalances, blood sugar levels, digestive issues, candida overgrowth, etc. There are also all of your individual life circumstances such as stress and lack of sleep; these all conspire to make your body retain fat.

Your best diet must be tailored precisely to your individual needs.

Despite the fact that everyone’s body is unique and that each of us faces a specific set of life challenges daily, many Americans turn to mass-produced diets—powders, bars and frozen meals. These concoctions are formulated for averages. None of us is average.

Francesca is wonderful, she knows more about nutrition than anyone I’ve ever met! I am so grateful for everything I have learned! Thanks Francesca!

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My Personalized Program Explores YOUR Body’s Opportunities and Limitations for Achieving Ideal Weight For 12 weeks I will help each member to recognize the underlying causes of their weight imbalances. The participants will begin by taking an inventory of signs and symptoms that may indicate: Digestive problem Food sensitivities Yeast overgrowth Unstable blood sugar Dehydration and mineral imbalances Fatty acid deficiency Stress and adrenal fatigue Hormonal imbalances Toxin overload Brain chemistry deficiency 74


Then, with my guidance and the support of the other participants, they will develop a program that, aims to correct their unique issues as well as: 

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Ask a powder, bar or frozen meal to do all that!

Will you take charge of you emotional and physical health today by signing up to join us? Francesca has changed my life! She is extremely knowledgeable and simply taught me how to nourish my body and the growing bodies of my 2 young children with real, whole foods.

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Get at the Roots™ gets YOUR Body Functioning at Peak Capacity! If you choose to participate, you will feel and look better than ever. The 12-week duration increases the likelihood that you’ll maintain the new habits you’ve acquired over your lifetime. Once you build your: 

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You’ll never abandon your Get at the Roots™ program. And you did it all with the help of new friends on the same path and a fun, energetic guide! Tuition is $395 for 12 weeks of personalized weight loss program. That’s just under $33.00 per class and far less than any other program. You can pay through PayPal or credit card. Together we can get you looking and feeling great with results that last! REGISTER NOW

Tuition is $395 for 12 weeks of personalized weight loss program. That’s just under $33.00 per class and far less than any other program. You can pay through PayPal or credit card. REGISTER NOW

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Cost-Effective Options that Entice High-Quality Employees “Running your own small business is great! You get to choose whatever 100 hours per week to work!” Sound about right? As hard as it is to stay solvent while running your own business, offering health insurance to employees can seem even more daunting. And yet, providing health coverage not only feels like the right thing to do, it could be mandatory starting January 1, 2014. Small business insurance was already complex enough BEFORE the federal government and the state of California got involved. Navigating all aspects of insurance for over two decades now, Holly Bishop fights to secure the most competitive rates and smartest benefits through both new government insurance exchanges and private carriers. A San Diego small business ourselves, we know how important it is to keep revenues ahead of expenses!

What Our Customers Say Holly Bishop, she is the very BEST Insurance agent we have ever worked with! She has our back like a Rottweiler! Smart, experienced, personable, and creative. Her agency provides finest in customer service. Thank you Holly! You help us look good AND help our company to prosper and grow. ~ Midget & Yevette Valterza, Old School Iron, Inc

Point Proven: “Small Businesses that use an insurance broker pay lower premiums” Most business owners understand that insurance brokers get paid by insurance carriers, not by business owners. Now, a 2013 study conducted by the University of Minnesota reported in the Washington Post found that businesses with 50 or fewer employees have lower premiums if they use a broker. While this was news to some, we’ve known for years that we significantly lower insurance costs for our San Diego small business clients. Because two businesses never have the same needs, Bishop Services works with a wide variety of insurance carriers. We know which provide the best rates and benefits according to business size, budget, employee variation. . .even company values and mission! A San Diego insurance broker with ALL the options, we are happy act as your guide and advocate in the quickly changing insurance climate. Start exploring your options, contact us today.

Only 45% of American Small Businesses Offer Health Insurance That’s About to Change . . . Covered California, our state’s version of the federal Affordable Care Act, stands to challenge many small businesses. The good news is that for the businesses strictly mandated to offer health benefits, the government has developed reimbursement plans. This means, for the first time, those companies who have always wanted to offer health care benefits to their employees can finally afford to do so. More exciting, research has proven that the availability of health care coverage makes for a more efficient, cost-effective company. The Insurance Institutes of America has consistently shown that offering employees health care coverage: attracts the most qualified, efficient employees, fosters goodwill among employees, increases the productivity of your business. Preventative plans keep employees healthy and working. Insured employees see doctors more regularly, staving off serious illness.

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How Can I Help You? Save Money Get the Right Coverage Understand the Affordable Care Act Protect Your Family with Life Insurance

Call me: 760-444-0200 Holly Bishop has been helping people in San Diego County navigate health insurance changes since 1991.

From The Blog Your Healthcare Reform questions answered… In my many discussions with people recently regarding Healthcare reform, the following questions have popped up more than once so I thought I would put them together in a little Q&A format. Q: My employer offers coverage for my dependents but it is very expensive. Can I get an individual policy for them through Covered […]

contributes to overall company morale. Create a more stable and efficient company when, with attractive health benefits, you can finally fight toe to toe with larger companies for the most talented job candidates. We even bet that many of these creative and hard-working individuals will be excited to bail out of the corporate world for a smaller, more 76


intimate, small business work environment. After all, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation study 80% of employees do accept coverage when offered. Holly Bishop has been following the progress of the Affordable Care Act for years now. We’ve been to the trainings, watched the webinars and pressed government agents for the nitty-gritty details. Fully certified to be your broker for Covered California, we can interpret the fine print, saving you time and energy. Explore your options by submitting your information.

Reduce Employee Turnover with Dental and Vision Plans Help employees feel more secure and cared for when you offer dental and vision plans along with overall health coverage. While private carriers have a long list of options, Covered California does as well. In fact, Covered California encompasses: preventative and wellness care, ambulance, emergency, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health, substance abuse disorders, behavioral health treatment, prescriptions drugs, rehabilitative services and devices and laboratory tests.

Does Every San Diego Small Business Have to Offer Health Insurance Starting January 1? Absolutely not. The Affordable Care Act mandates that only employers with 50 or more full time (or equivalent) employees cover partial health insurance expenses for employees. Those that refuse or fail to submit paperwork in time must pay a penalty. Businesses with less than 50 employees who do not offer health insurance do not fall under the mandate and will NOT have to pay any penalties if they do not offer health insurance. They do not have the “shared responsibility” for health care larger companies do.

Bishop Insurance Services Helps You Keep Profits Growing while Offering Attractive Benefits Even if you are not “mandated” to offer health insurance, you may decide the time is now. There are many creative ways, including HSA (health savings accounts), HRA (health reimbursement arrangements) and HDHP (high deductible health plans) options, to keep your costs down and profits growing, even when you offer attractive health benefits to employees. Bishop Insurance Services has studied each and can work to combine them for your situation. While you can watch one of the affordable care act webinars than frequently run on the Small Business Administration website, you can leave the fine print and options-weighing process to us. We’ve not only read the fine print, we understand what it all means in a practical sense and which plan works best for which type and size of business. Explore your options by submitting your information. Have a quick question? Never hesitate to call us. As the San Diego insurance agent with ALL the options, private and public, we’re happy to share with you the exciting benefits and cost savings available. Feel free to call us anytime at 760-444-0200 or contact us via email.

Be sure to allow us to assist you with your application and plan selection. There Is NO COST to you.

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Feeling overwhelmed about all your options? Call today: 760-444-0200

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Life Insurance

San Diego Life Insurance Broker

Contact Us for a No-Hassle Quote

Your Financial Goals. Your Family’s Security. The Right Life Insurance Secures Both! A life insurance policy not only maintains a family’s lifestyle in the case of an untimely death, it can stabilize a diversified investment portfolio and even act as a common-sense, personal bank-of-one—you! Weighing all kinds of insurance plans for over twenty years now, Holly Bishop can help you reduce risk to your family and stabilize your investment portfolio with flexible life insurance options. Feel free to call us anytime at 760-444-0200 or contact us via email to safeguard your family and lifestyle!

Advantages Life Insurance Offers San Diego Families 1. The obvious: life insurance maintains family standard of living after death. Life insurance policies can be designed to provide enough “death benefit” to pay off a house and take the place of the policy holder’s income for as many years as desired (many choose an amount equal to 5, 7 or 10 years of their income.) More, the money passes to beneficiaries’ tax free. 2. Permanent life insurance can act like a personal bank. If you must borrow, why not borrow from yourself at a very low rate? If you haven’t paid it back by the time you die, the loan is paid off by the proceeds from the insurance. Life insurance also stabilizes a larger, diversified portfolio because it keeps cash secure and available to borrow against. 3. Life insurance acts as the most stable—and possibly somewhat profitable—component in a complete investment picture. Unlike investments in stocks or mutual funds, life insurance value never goes down to 0 (given the holder doesn’t borrow against it). According to Adam Sherman, chief executive of Firstrust Financial resources, “Over a 20-year holding period, most permanent life insurance policies have an internal rate of return of 3 to 5 percent depending on the company.“

What Our Customers Say Holly is one of the most thorough, knowledgeable, and helpful agents I have ever worked with. She understood our needs and sought to do what was best for my family and me. Holly went way beyond what was necessary to help me assess which policy would be best. She was always accessible and very responsive to all my concerns and questions. Not only did Holly service all my insurance needs, I felt like I gained a friend who really cared about the welfare and wellbeing of my family and me. Holly is an agent who is clearly on the side of her customers! ~ Tracy, Encinitas CA

4. Life insurance policies can be structured to include disability coverage. According to the Council for Disability Awareness, 1 in 4 of Americans in their 20s will become disabled for a period of 3 months or more during the working years from 18 – 64.

Strengthening San Diego Small Businesses through “Key Person” Insurance

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The U.S. government has stabilized the small business sector by allowing businesses to insure the company founder, owner or a critical “key” employee. Because the business is the beneficiary, it can use the funds it receives from insurance to cover costs until a replacement for the individual is found. These insurance policies have made the continuation and solvency of many businesses possible.

Save Money Get the Right Coverage Understand the Affordable Care Act Protect Your Family with Life Insurance

Further, a “key person” life insurance policy can act another asset that adds value to your business if you’re trying to sell it. If you’ve been paying into the policy for a long time, the policy reflects your dedication and active, central role. The “key person” insurance policy not only adds financial value, it could provide just reassurance the potential buyer needs to choose your business over your competitors’.

Call me: 760-444-0200

Great Recession Life Insurance Lesson #1: Stick with the A+ Rated Companies to Protect Clients The economy got pretty dicey there from 2008 to 2011. When vulnerable companies collapse, they take investors’ funds with it. Some monies can be recouped, but only after protracted legal battles. While we escaped unscathed, the overall situation got tense nationwide. Unwilling to put our clients’ lifestyle and future in jeopardy, we only deal with A+ rated life insurance carriers known for financial strength. When measured by A.M. or Standard & Poors rating companies, an A+ is interpreted as “superior secure,” and is based on “ability to pay on claims.” With our reputation riding on the carriers we choose, we choose very carefully.

Choose from a Variety of Carriers and Products to Match Your Goals, Family Structure and Lifestyle

Holly Bishop has been helping people in San Diego County navigate health insurance changes since 1991.

From The Blog Your Healthcare Reform questions answered… In my many discussions with people recently regarding Healthcare reform, the following questions have popped up more than once so I thought I would put them together in a little Q&A format. Q: My employer offers coverage for my dependents but it is very expensive. Can I get an individual policy for them through Covered […] 78


People buy life insurance for two main reasons: 1. To protect their families in case they die unexpectedly 2. To stabilize their portfolios and pass money to heirs tax-free Term Life Insurance: This low cost option has no investment aspect to it. You simply pay until a certain age (often retirement when you no longer need life insurance to replace your salary) to win a benefit should you die. Insurance carriers are not keeping your money in accounts watching it grow or deflate. They’re taking your money as a fee in exchange for accepting the risk of your death. Term life insurance is typically less expensive than permanent or universal PERMANENT or universal life insurance is more flexible. As mentioned above, your money is held in an account for you and often you can determine whether to add more or less to it. With an average return of 3% to 5%, it should keep up with inflation for the foreseeable future. If you think you may need to borrow against it, know you will be paying interest to the account. The inability to pay back the initial loan could result in snowballing interest, cannibalizing the account.

Bishop Life Insurance: Holly has Protected Families and Businesses for 20 years . . . looking forward to 20 more! We could go on and on about the types and benefits of life insurance, but since each family and each business has its own goals, we’d prefer to tailor the selection to you in a phone call or over coffee. Those with high incomes may make different choices than those living more modestly. Younger life insurance buyers have some advantages those closer to retirement don’t enjoy. For over 20 years, we’ve helped families, individuals, sole proprietors and small businesses find affordable and reliable insurance plans in San Diego. If you’re interested in just following along with us for a while, sign up for our blog feed. Feel free to call us anytime at 760-444-0200 or contact us via email. We can give you an idea of your options in a quick phone call or discuss them in person. Either way, we look forward to meeting you and your family!

Be sure to allow us to assist you with your application and plan selection. There Is NO COST to you.

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“R eady To Wi re Call Us For Electrical Services!

(619) 219-0428 CA lic# 930279 Licensed, Bonded, Insured

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About Danand Mathewson Residential Commercial Services

Google+ About Dan Mathewson Dan Mathewson is in charge of the electric vehicle services of this website and company services here in San Diego. Call us today at 619-246-6159!

A San Diego Electrician Brings Out Your Home’s Beauty Car’s Power

Dan Mathewson is in charge of the CLICK HERE electric vehicle of this About services Dan Mathewson for Electric Vehicle website and company services here in Charger Installation. San Diego. Call us today at 619-2466159! Dan Mathewson is in charge of the electric vehicle services of this About Dan Mathewson website and company services here in San Diego. Call us today at 619-2466159! Dan Mathewson is in charge of the electric vehicle services of this website and company services here in and Electric San Your Diego. Call us today at 619-2466159!

Brothers Dan & Dave Provide Affordable, Personal Service Your designer kitchen, bathroom, alcove or new landscaping deserves the enhancement precision lighting provides. You deserve a home with a safe, reliable and energy efficient electrical system. And your smokin’ hot new electric car? Well . . . see below . . . Mathewson Electric has seen and handled the electrical design, installation and repair needs of San Diego homes and businesses for 30 years. We’ve matched countless indoor lighting solutions to each room’s décor and purpose. We’ve also rectified the electrical repair issues that seem to follow the county’s builders. And where the builders aren’t at fault, San Diego’s variable climate can create havoc, expanding and contracting wiring, causing fire in electrical panels in the summer and rusting or corroding panels along our “socked-in” coast. What’s a San Diego homeowner to do? Call Dave or Dan at Mathewson Electric at 619-219-0428. Owner-operated, we know every job contributes to our reputation. That’s why we never send techs or assistants. We provide the affordable, efficient and reliable service we expect from service providers in our own homes. We’re proud that we have both the technical and design backgrounds to make sure your rooms not only look beautiful but work seamlessly as well. Fully up-to-date on the latest Energy Star™ energy-saving fixtures and appliances, we can help you save money and protect our environment. Our residential services include: Custom Kitchen Remodels Custom Bathroom Remodels Lightning Design Fluorescent Light and Ballast Installation and Change Ceiling Fan Installation and Repair Electrical Switches, Outlets & Fixtures Electrical Wiring or Panel Upgrades 80


Bath and Exhaust Fan Installation and Repair Troubleshooting

The Affordable Alternative to Pricey Dealer Electric Car Charger Installation We’re Excited to Be San Diego’s Electric Vehicle Charger Installers!

— Pretty electric blue Tesla that needed a charger

From a long-line of car fanatics, we were one of the few San Diego electricians that jumped at the chance to become the certified, expert electric vehicle charger installers San Diego, La Jolla and many other local neighborhoods have come to trust. An affordable alternative to car dealer installation, we are fortunate to have the privilege of seeing your new Tesla, Fisker, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Fiat, Volkswagen or good old Ford while we install your charging unit. We take that privilege seriously. First, you can leave the county permitting paperwork and legwork to us. After your install, we don’t leave until you know how to charge your new electric and maintain your Aerovironment, Leviton, Eaton or any car charging station precisely. See our testimonials! Our clients are astonished at how easily and quickly we install new chargers, getting their new electric vehicles fully charged and road ready. Read more about our affordable electric car charger installation and our background tinkering with cars, rebuilding model-Ts, and being gearheads in general . . . possibly like you. Ready to schedule a site assessment for your EV charger installation? Just contact us or call Dan at 619246-6159. The El Cajon and San Diego Electrician with Endless Electrifying Solutions San Diego Homeowners have come to expect affordable, reliable service–no more than

we expect when services providers come to our own homes. Electricians for 30 years, we are on the ready with lighting design, accurate diagnoses of your electrical issues, ceiling fan, recessed lighting and electric car charger installations. Contact us [link] today with your questions about your project or electrical issue. Call us at 619-219-0428. Don’t’ forget to follow us on Facebook and Google+. If you REALLY love all things electrical (like we do), you can get the RSS feed for our blog: San Diego Electrical Blog. We share photos of our recent lighting projects, really scary and dangerous outlets and panel boxes with our comments. When our clients allow, we love uploading the latest 100% electric and hybrid cars we install chargers for every day!

About Dan Mathewson Dan Mathewson is in charge of the electric vehicle services of this website and company services here in San Diego. Call us today at 619-246-6159!

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Wednesday, January 15 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. $49 per Couple $49

7:

USE MINDFULNESS TO EXPLORE YOUR RELATIONSHIP IN GENTLE, PRACTICAL WAYS

Home of Craig Lambert 7791 Starlight Dr. La Jolla, CA 92037

Mindful Couples Mini Workshop with Dr. Craig Lambert Reth

Join us for an evening of growth and insight. Craig’s short discussions of key couple issues are followed by experiential exercises to build meaningful connection. Participants gain a deeper sense of appreciation

the movie

and loving communication with their partner. Remember what it feels like to be present, interested, curious and appreciative of yourself, your partner and the space between. Seats are limited. Register by calling (619) 990-­‐9032 or leave your name on my contact form: www.craiglamberttherapy.com/contact. Craig Lambert has been a marriage counselor, yoga student and instructor and mindfulness practitioner for over 30 years. Early work with renowned relationship authors Drs. Harville Hendrix and Helen Hunt focused his approach to relationship counseling. Craig has also studied with Ram Das, BKS Iyengar, the founder of Iyengar yoga. Zen teacher Joko Beck, Ezra Bayda and more. Craig believes we are here to grow and connect through the miracle of human love.

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