Go for it Magazine January 2012 by Susan Dakuzaku

January 2012 GO FOR IT 1

Let Them Do-It-Yourself! By Bob Cox

at the Best Price!

Ralph Opfer Floors 10265 Old Placerville Rd., #14 Sacramento, CA 95827

License # 757522

(916) 366-1672 (916) 870-0270

www.RalphOpferFloors.com Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm • Sat: 10am-2pm

2 GO FOR IT January 2012

ing in the bathroom. Vince agreed, and on Friday morning they returned and finished the job by the middle of the afternoon, and just in time because we were ready to move all our furniture in. The finished job was even better than we hoped for and we really enjoy our beautiful new floors! Vince and Greg were not just ridiculously fast, they really did an outstanding job overall. We were particularly impressed with the extra time and effort they took on all the baseboards. We have lots of small spaces in our home, and they really paid attention to every detail and took their time to make it perfect. Thank you Lynn for sending us the best in the business and for helping us find these amazing floors that fit our budget. You are the best! Editor’s notes: For more information about Ralph Opfer Floors, visit their website at www.ralphopferfloors.com, their showroom at 10265 Old Placerville Road #14 in Sacramento or call (916) 366-1672.

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Systems Pwy.

The Installers from Ralph Opfer Floors paid attention to every detail.

So, I turned to Diana and said, “I know we’re running out of money and time, but I cannot figure these floors out. I think we need to call Lynn and ask her to send out one of her installers.” After quickly assessing the situation, Diana completely agreed. So, I picked up my cell phone and called Lynn Lawson, the owner of Ralph Opfer Floors, and she gave the names of two of her best installers. When I called Vince Parker, he asked me where I lived; I told him I was in Rancho Cordova. Even though I had called him out of the blue on a Sunday afternoon, he was very friendly and said, “No problem, I live in Rancho Cordova too. I’ll be there within the hour. Vince showed up on time and was very attentive and courteous. He took a thorough look at the floors and patiently explained the things that were done incorrectly, which were pretty much everything! We told him we were out of time and the project would need to be finished before that Friday and he said, “No problem, my work partner Greg and I will get started this Tuesday afternoon and we will finish the job by Wednesday.” We told him we needed all the help we could get to pull it off financially, so he cut us a killer deal if we took up the old flooring and installed the padding, which we eagerly agreed to do. By the end of Tuesday, in just a few short hours, they had successfully installed more flooring than I had done the entire week. They were so fast and efficient; they reminded me of how Charlie Chaplin moved in the old silent movies! The next day, they wrapped up the job earlier than they anticipated, so we asked them if they would be willing to install all the baseboards and use the remainder of the floor-

Routier Rd.

I knew I was in completely over my head when my mind was too tired to think and my body too exhausted to move. When I took on the task of installing our new and beautiful laminate floors we had just purchased from Ralph Opfer Floors, I estimated that it would take me two full days to complete the job. I figured it would go smoothly and quickly because over the years, I had listened to several do-it-yourselfers describe how easy it was to install laminate floors. They would say things like, “It’s so simple, you just click the pieces together and you’re done. It is way easier than installing hardwood floors.” Since I had installed hardwood floors in our other home, I thought it would be a snap. How wrong I was! A full week had gone by and I wasn’t even halfway through the project. To make matters worse, the floor had gaps in several areas, and no amount of pounding and adjusting was making it any better. As a matter of fact, the more I pounded, the more boards I was chipping and damaging. On top of all that, my wife Diana and I were running out of time. It was late one Sunday morning and we had to move into our new home that upcoming Friday. One way or another, we had to get those floors in!

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January 2012 GO FOR IT 3

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Celebrating 60 By Bob Cox

Whenever my wife, Diana walks into our bedroom before the crack of dawn with a cup of coffee in one hand and a chair dragging behind in the other, I know it’s going to be a memorable experience. The other day, she came in while I was still half asleep and then sat down, kicked her feet up on the bed and exclaimed that she was really looking forward to her upcoming 60th birthday. She went on to explain that she was super excited and was planning to celebrate the big six-oh for the entire year, and not just one day. “This is the year I really want to have fun. I’m going to go on my cruise and buy a new diamond ring,” she shouted with joy. I said, “That all sounds great…can I be a part of your plan?” Whenever I think back to the days when I was a kid, my agenda was pretty simple and clear. It was the same goal that my all friends had too: to have as much fun as possible while avoiding boredom at all costs. Unfortunately, while pursuing this agenda, I somehow managed to create more than my fair share of trouble. Thankfully, it was never anything too serious, because I’m still around to tell the tales. Then suddenly, everything changed one day just two weeks before my 16th birthday. My parents whisked me away from southern to northern California and everything I ever knew and loved was hundreds of miles away. To make matters even worse, whenever I would complain about how unhappy I was, instead of feeling sorry for me, they unleashed a diabolical brainwashing campaign that made the Chinese water torture seem like a sponge bath by repeating the same message over and over until it felt like my left brain was separating from my right…GET A JOB! It took me over 30 years to unravel the mystery behind the motives of this cold case file. You see, before the big move, I was young, free spirited and having a blast hanging out with my buddies. During those care free days, I operated completely under the radar of my parent’s awareness. But after the move, I became bored, moody, frustrated and angry because everything in my world had changed. Of course, like any typical, self respecting teenager, I blamed my parents for all my misery. Tragically, whenever I complained about anything, my parents found an answer that would shut me up in no time…GET A JOB!

4 GO FOR IT January January2012 2012

At the time, I thought they were trying to be helpful and falsely believed that they were just hopelessly out of touch regarding the depth of my despair. Looking back, I finally unraveled the mysteries behind my parent’s diabolical plan: they simply wanted me to shut up so they could enjoy some peace and quiet…GET A JOB! I’d wake up in the middle of the night, with those words haunting me like a ghost with a grudge against lazy teenagers… GET A JOB! GET A JOB! Oh yeah and one more thing…GET A JOB! When I finally found a job, my childhood incentives changed from having fun to becoming independent. Once I was working, my parents relentless nagging ended and I was finally free from having to listen to the same old lectures. A few years later, when I was out on my own, I knew that the price of freedom, independence and a healthy self esteem had a big price tag, namely lots of hard work, but the rewards were totally worth it. The priority of having fun became a distant memory. If you take a look at the most common New Year’s resolutions, you might be surprised that freedom, independence and positive self esteem are at the core of many of them. Millions of people will set out to lose weight, look younger and be more attractive, and the reward is improved self esteem and feeling more comfortable in your skin. Others will set financial goals to achieve greater wealth and financial security and the payoff there is the freedom to make more choices and independence from excessive worrying and inner doubt. While all those resolutions are great, I think Diana is really on to something this time. Maybe it’s time to resolve to set aside the work first approach in everything I do and incorporate a few old ideas that involve having fun and celebrating life. I must be on the right track, because I’m already having fun just thinking about it! And if that doesn’t work I can always…GET A JOB! Bob Cox is the founder and publisher of Go For It Magazine. He can be reached by phone at (916) 266-3115. His email address is coxroert@comcast.net. Go For It Magazine is owned and operated in Rancho Cordova, CA. Copyright © 2012.

January 2012 GO FOR IT 5

Resolve To Let The Professionals Clean House! By Annette Arent Happy 2012, we’ve made it to another year! Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? Many people think about money, health and family when they resolve to take action toward being better people and living richer, fuller lives and what better place to start than with the cleanliness of your home? From saving you time and effort to improving the very air that you breathe, having your home cleaned on a regular basis by a professional cleaning company this year could be the most valuable action you take toward improving your and your family’s health.

We want all Go for it magazine readers to know we can take care of all your cleaning and organizing needs with just one phone call to (916) 381-5490. In addition to regular house cleaning, we offer several other services you might find useful to take care of tasks you’ve been meaning to get around to but just haven’t found the time or motivation to get started on. We clean offices, organize rooms, clean garages, clean carpets, clear rain gutters, clean windows outside, clear cobwebs around your house, and powerwash slippery walkways. Just call us for more information on these services. Those of you who enjoy getting a great deal should be sure to check out the Discounts tab under the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section of our website www.ezlivingcleaning.com for information about the discounts we offer to our clients! For the month of January 2012 we are putting the following services on special one room (up to 300sf) carpet cleaning for $59, regularly $99; 2 car garage (approx. 800 sf) cleaning / organizing for only $150, regularly $200; room by room organizing and cleaning by Annette & crew for $25

per hour with no minimum. Call for details! Get your house or office off to a clean start in 2012!

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6 GO FOR IT January 2012

Discounts for: Military, Disabled & Seniors Every Day!

Serendipity-Do-Duh One of my favorite works is SERENDIPITY. The definition is “making fortunate discoveries by accident”. The discovery might be a person, a resource, a path in life that takes you on a journey you could not have ever imagined (much less planned). 1) Believe in the serendipitous nature of the universe. It often requires a (big) leap of faith... I like the quote from Matt Damon’s character in “We Bought a Zoo” — “All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage, and I promise you, something GREAT will come of it.” (I posted the trailer on my blog and if you were on the edge about seeing this movie, I think the trailer will push you off the fence*). 2) Be willing to DO something. It requires an open heart, an open mind, and the willingness to listen to and act on those voices that often get muffled in the white noise, obligations, and headline stories... We need to tap into that inner wisdom (or higher power) that envisions us thriving in what we are destined to do. Jim Rohn said “If you learn to set a good sail, the wind that blows will always take you to the dreams you want, the income you want, and the treasures of mind, purse, and soul you want.” So, in short, “believe-act” or “Serendipity-DO (duh!)” Have a GREAT 2012!! On-line calendar of events (including fund-raisers) brought to you by:

*Visit www.BobsPocket.com for Bob’s Blog & Bio.

January 2012 GO FOR IT 7

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New Years Resolution: A Bright & Healthy Smile By Dr. Andrade & Dr. Montalvo Welcome to 2012! This should be the start of a great new year. With the rush of the Holidays over and the excitement of the New Year, sometimes we neglect to take care of ourselves. In this New Year, let’s make it a resolution and promise to ourselves to take care of our health and our smiles. Nothing is more valuable than good health. In fact, staying healthy is a sure way to be there for our family and friends as they depend on us throughout the year. Just think of how your life would change if you were to

get sick and could not do the things you normally do. This might mean missing work or missing out on your kid’s activities. One of the easiest ways to stay healthy and prevent a serious illness is to visit your doctor at least once a year and your dentist every 6 months. These regular checkups are essential in helping your doctor determine if everything is normal and if changes need to be made to your diet, your medications or your hygiene. Most dental checkups can be done in less than an hour. Nothing feels better than walking out after a six-month checkup with a clean bill of dental health and that fresh just-cleaned feeling. Most things, if caught early, are easily treated. Even if you get a cavity, it’s best to catch it early. Small physical problems become a lot harder to treat when we put it off. Did you know that women who go to the dentist have healthier hearts? That’s according to a new study from University of California,

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Dr. Andrade and Dr. Montalvo with son Noah and daughter Ella Luz.

10 GO FOR IT January January2012 2012

Horn Rd.

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HWY 50

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Berkeley researchers, who published their findings online Sept. 29 in the journal Health Economics. The study suggests that women who get dental care reduce their risk of heart attacks, stroke and other cardiovascular problems by at least one-third. So if you’ve been putting off your regular dental check-up out of anxiety, stop it! Going to the dentist can be fun if you do it every six months.

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Q&A

Heather Dowling, Aztec Solar By Bob Cox

2012 Resolution Check List 4Save Money by Lowering Energy Bills q 4Increase the Value of My House q 4Support Job Creation with Local Business q 4Invest in Environmentally Friendly q Products & Services

FREE Estimates & Financing Available 2012 Resolution Special

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R Solar for your Entire House R Solar Electric R Solar Water Heating R Solar Pool Heating

Q: How did Aztec Solar get started? A: Aztec Solar started 35 years ago. Ed Murray founded the business. He was an advocate for solar technology and worked with a company called Murray & Sun. From there he branched off and started Aztec Solar a solar electric and solar heating and cooling installation company serving commercial and residential customers throughout Northern California for 30 years. Q: What kinds of services does Aztec Solar offer? A: We offer solar water heating, solar electric and solar pool heating solutions to homeowners. Solar water heating is a great technology and it’s going to reduce your natural gas or your water electric heating bill. Natural gas uses up to about 40% of your cost in heating water. So, with a simple investment that is now covered with 50% incentives through the California Solar Initiative and through a federal tax credit, you can install a new water heating system in your home for under $4,000. Q: Can you tell us a little bit more about these programs and the financial incentives that they offer? A: Sure, installing a solar water heating system is a simple one day installation. Currently, there is a rebate program whether you’re with SMUD or PG&E. They both offer a cash rebate that we extend directly to the customer and in addition to that you have a tax write off of 30% of the installed system cost. Aztec solar wants to help homeowners become more energy efficient and achieve independence in their energy solutions, so we’re offering $800 off a solar energy system that’s good through February 29, 2012. Q: Aside from the big cost savings benefits, are there any other advantages of going solar? A: Yes, when you support local businesses, you help create more jobs, which is great for the community. You’re helping the future of our planet, which is great for our children and our grandchildren. Ultimately, you’re saving in your pocket book every month. Q: Can you tell us a little bit more about the solar electric program? A: Solar electric technology is going to reduce the electric portion of your bill and it’s a good idea to install all year around. It’s an especially good time to install solar electric when you’re using your heater a lot, when you have a lot of guests in the home and you’re using more appliances. There are financial incentives available right now and Aztec Solar has a special lease program that can get you into a brand-new system with no money down. January 2012 GO FOR IT 11

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