Unschedule Your Life!
Many peoples lives today are busy and over-scheduled. From the time we wake up, to the time we go to bed, our days are full with work, meetings, kids activities, chores, etc. Even our weekends have become over-planned. What many people don’t realize however, is that too much planning and scheduling has become routine and can have a negative effect.
According to the article, “Unplan Your Life,” found in the July/August 2008 issue of Body + Soul magazine, “Routines essentially allow the body to allocate resources elsewhere and conserve energy. But while patterned thought and behavior keep things running smoothly, routine also has a dark side: rigidity. Some research has found that people who don’t make room for enjoyable “noninstrumental” activity (reading for pleasure, chatting with a friend) may experience more stress—and that, in turn, can contribute to problems like depression, anxiety, weakened immunity, and heart disease,” states Christine Caldwell, PhD of Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado.
While schedules and to-do lists help us to be organized, and are necessary for many of us, we all need to stray from them a bit and be open to some unscheduled time, where we can enjoy ourselves.
Following are a few ways to help unschedule your life from the article:
- Pencil It In—See your schedule as a sketch of what you might like to do instead of a rigid to-do list with things that have to get done. Be open to situations, circumstances, or things that come up. If you just allow yourself to partake in a situation, you might just end up having a good time. (i.e. Spending a day with family, friends, meeting an old acquaintance, or visiting a location that you’ve never seen before, etc.)
- Tweak a Habit–Instead of making some sort of drastic change in your life, just try and change a regular habit, or routine a bit. Subtle changes can make a big difference, and add a bit of variety, or opportunity to your life. (i.e. Try a different coffee shop, change your regular walking, or biking route, etc.)
- Rejigger Your To-Do List—”We get stuck in what should happen, whether it’s this moment, or our whole lives, that we stop hearing what we authentically want to do.” It is common to confuse pre-made plans with priorities. While you may want to get some chores around the house done, there is nothing wrong with setting your to-do list aside to just enjoy a beautiful, sun-shining day. Why not go fishing, water skiing, boating, biking, etc.? The household chores, etc. can wait—maybe for the next rainy weekend.
- Say Yes—It is easy to say “No” when our schedules are full, but “we often say no out of habit and fear because it keeps us from having to take a risk,” according to Patricia Ryan Madson author of Improv Wisdom: Don’t Prepare, Just Show Up. It can be fun however, to say “Yes!” Try and Say Yes to the next halfway descent invitation you get. Why not see a movie, go to someone’s lake cabin. etc. You might just end up having a good time!
- Wing It—Sometimes it is just nice to have a day that is totally unplanned. You could do this, or that, but why not just wing it and go with the flow? Vacations can also be an opportunity to just wing it. Sometimes vacations end up being too scheduled, where you have to be here, or there at a certain time and you end up feeling stressed. They don’t have to be though. Why not plan a vacation where you don’t have to be here, or there and have the opportunity to just make decisions, just as they come up?
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Uncategorized, Business on July 8th, 2008 by Barb | | 0 Comments
Recipe: Wild Rice Salad
Here’s a good recipe to try for one of those summer get togethers. I found it in The Seasonal Cabin Cookbook. It sounds good, and will be trying it this evening at the lake.
Wild Rice Salad
3 cups cooked, cooled wild rice
1 can (8 oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 tbsp. Grated orange zest
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup orange juice
1 tsp. celery salt
Half of a small apple
¾ cup frozen green peas thawed
lettuce leaves for serving, optional
Drain wild rice if necessary. In a large bowl, combine wild rice, water chestnuts and orange zest. In a galss jar, combine oil, orange juice and celery salt; cover tightly and shake well to blend. Pour over wild rice mixture, and stir gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 3 hours. Just before serving, core the apple and cut into chunks that are not quite ½ inch in size. Add apples and peas to rice mixture, stirring gently to combine. Serve on lettuce leaves if desired.
Enjoy!
Barb
Posted in Cooking in your kitchen on July 3rd, 2008 by Barb | | 0 Comments
Recipe: Garden Pasta Salad
I am sure there are many of you out there that are invited to 4th of July gatherings. Well, I made this pasta salad this past weekend and it is delicious and easy to make.
Garden Pasta Salad
1 lb package of pasta (bow tie, campenelle, etc.)
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 small container of cherry tomatoes halved
1 can of whole black olives halved
1 cup of red onion thinly sliced
1 bunch of broccoli florets (put in with the pasta during the last 3 minutes of boiling)
1 package of Kraft Italian Cheese Crumbles
1 16 oz bottle of Kraft Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette
Mix all the ingredients together and chill. I am sure that you can substitute just about any veggie that you like.
Feel free to share…
Angie
Posted in Cooking in your kitchen on July 2nd, 2008 by Angie | | 0 Comments
Open Your Eyes To Natural Stone!
The other day I wrote a blog about a walking program we started at work, and also mentioned that I belong to a health club (Life Time Fitness). I don’t know how many of you out there belong to Life Time, but for those of you that do, you probably have noticed all of the remodeling going on at the clubs. Over the past several months, members have been able to see some of the changes being made including the addition of lots of natural stone! While another fabricator did the work, I was happy to see so much stone going in, as it is beautiful and promotes the industry.
Last weekend, was the grand re-opening of their Moore Lake location. I wasn’t able to attend the re-opening, but was anxious to see it this week. When I went to work out on Monday, I made sure to tour the new club, to see all of the changes, especially the stone.
Some of the changes include:
- St. Cecilia Classic Granite Countertops Throughout The Facility
- Verde Butterfly Granite Vanities
- Multi-Colored Slate Waines Coating And Wall Coverings
- Jura Beige Limestone Flooring Along With Various Granite flooring
- Etc.
The clubs look great, and I’m not surprised they incorporated so much stone into their new design. Afterall, granite and other natural stones have been used throughout the ages for building because of their durability, and beauty. In fact, many commercial buildings including banks, government centers, etc., built today use granite, and other natural stones for this very reason. Just look around, and you’ll begin to notice all of the stone! Who knows, you may get some ideas for an upcoming remodeling, or building project.
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Granite, Company, Industry News on June 26th, 2008 by Barb | | 0 Comments
Walk This Way!
I don’t know about you, but I am avid walker. I enjoy walking outside, no matter what the season, and also enjoy walking inside on a treadmill. While I walk to get some exercise, it also is a form of meditation for me. It allows me to clear my mind, relieve the stresses of the day, and gives me some time alone to think about things. While I also have the privilege of belonging to a health club to exercise, I know that not everyone does. That is why walking is so great. It requires no equipment, no membership fee, and can be done in many places.
Last week, we kicked off our “Walk For Wellness At Work” program. We purchased pedometers for all of our team members to track their daily steps. The idea behind the program was to encourage everyone to get out and walk—both on breaks and lunches, as well as on their own. The goal is to reach 504,000 steps before anyone else, and the one who does is able to claim a grand prize.
The program and pedometers already have everyone comparing steps, various activities, and is getting our team members interested in their health.
Have you considered purchasing a pedometer? It’s a great way to get on track to health.
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Uncategorized, Company on June 25th, 2008 by Barb | | 0 Comments
Building a Successful Team
I was paging though the May 2008 issue of Kitchen & Bath Design News and came across an article titled, Suggestions for Inspiring Motivated Teamwork. I found it very interesting and a good reminder. Whether you are in a corporate, non-profit, small business, or service environment, teamwork is essential to the success of the organization.
In the article, Hank Darlington, points out the many advantages to building a successful team within your organization:
- Employees working together are generally more successful at solving problems.
- Being a member of a team helps people to feel more energized.
- Teams can make constructive use of differences in expertise, experience and personalities.
- Team members can work together to improve processes and reduce mistakes, waste and costs.
- Teams give employees a sense of belonging and security.
- Since most work requires the cooperation of employees, teams simply make good sense.
Successful managers set the tone for the success of a team through their actions and attitudes. Following are 10 ways to prepare your team for success:
- Give them a clearly defined set of goals and purposes.
- Let the team make its own rules.
- Encourage fun and a sense of humor on the job.
- Give employees the authority to make decisions and act on them.
- Be supportive. Do what you say you’ll do!
- Let the team find solutions to its problems without intervening.
- Allow team members to make financial decisions and create their own budgets.
- Expect ups and downs. Some projects will run more smoothly than others.
- Let the team set up a rewards and recognition system.
- Create and nourish team spirit and pride.
Building a successful team will take time and open communication. The longer teams work together, the more effective and comfortable they will become. Print off the lists above and use them as daily reminders of the importance of, and the goals to promoting a healthy team in your workplace.
Feel free to share…
Angie
Posted in Company, Business on June 24th, 2008 by Angie | | 4 Comments
Recipe: Kicked Up Margarita’s
OK—I know that technically this isn’t cooking, but you can try one of these margarita’s while you’re cooking in your kitchen, or grilling outside. They are really easy to make and taste great!
Kicked Up Margarita’s
1 can limeade
2 cans beer
Mix together in a pitcher. Prepare a maragarita glass with ice and pour desired amount of tequila in. Top with mixture.
For frozen margarita’s, pour the mix above into a blender filled with ice. Fill limeade can with tequila, or half way depending on how you like them. Pour in the blender. Blend and serve.
These would be great with the Best Black Bean Salad recipe I posted awhile back served with tostito chips.
Enjoy! (In moderation.)
Barb
Posted in Cooking in your kitchen on June 20th, 2008 by Barb | | 0 Comments
Finishing Options For Granite Countertops
Many of our customers visit our showroom to make both their color selections, and edge choices for their granite countertops. Some customers however, don’t realize they also have a choice when it comes to finishes. While a polished finish is by far the most popular choice with its reflective, mirror gloss appearance and best rating in regards to staining and scratching factors, there are several other finish options to choose from for select colors.
A honed finish offers a matte look, that has more of a dull appearance and is non-reflective in nature. It is also fairly popular, (especially when shown in a variety of Parade Home models), but the honing process does make the material more susceptible to staining and scratching. A satin finish is also available for some colors, and is somewhat similar to a honed finish, but offers a smooth, softer look with a vibrant, non-reflective finish.
There are also several textured finishes available in a limited number of colors that have become available over the years. A leather finish offers a smooth, yet soft look and appears slightly more polished than a honed finish, but with a slight texture. An antique finish offers a brushed, dull appearance that is slightly textured. While an antique finish can be used for countertops, it may be a better choice for fireplace surrounds, or flooring applications.
Another finish choice for flooring and fireplace surrounds, is a thermal or flamed finish, which offers a rough textured look and has a varying depth. A thermal finish is produced with the use of a high temperature flame that is quickly run across the surface of the stone.
If you are interested in more information on stone finishes, or stone terms feel free to check out the MIA’s (Marble Institute Of America) Glossary of Stone Industry Terms.
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Granite on June 19th, 2008 by Barb | | 2 Comments
The two Seasons….of Minnesota!
Anyone who is from Minnesota and is reading this has heard the expression that there are two seasons in Minnesota, one being Winter and the other being Road Construction. Well, at PGC ,we have been feeling the effects of the latter quite a bit the past couple of months!
Today the tides are changing. Not only are the skies a clear, sunny, beautiful blue color, but Barb left the office and a few minutes later called to inform us that the County Rd 36 ramp to Hwy 101 South is FINALLY OPEN! Can you sense my excitement? 
Thankfully, we will not longer have to detour our customers around the road construction and mess that comes with it. Now it will be much easier and convenient for them to visit our showroom Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Thursdays from 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. 
Now lets just hope the other dreaded season doesn’t come too soon!
Feel free to share…
Angie
Posted in Company, Business on June 13th, 2008 by Angie | | 0 Comments
Granite Countertops: Seamingly Beautiful!
One of the questions we get asked by our customers is, “Will my countertop have seams?” This is a good question, but the answer varies from job to job and may vary from room to room. Most seams are dependent on overall slab length and layout of pieces. Some other factors that may come into play include material strength, or design of the actual room. If a customer has selected a more fragile stone, making a larger piece may not be an option because there might be more of a possiblity of the stone breaking. Room designs such as low ceilings, stairs, or doors can also deter the possiblity of making some runs in one piece. Sometimes to accomodate a homes structure, a piece that would normally be made as one, would instead need to be made into 2 pieces.
At PGC, we always do our best to minimize the number of seams, and make them as tight as possible. In fact, with some finer grained granite countertops that we’ve installed, the seams have looked almost invisible. Keep in mind…granites that have more flow and movement to them that require seams will be more obvious.
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Granite on June 12th, 2008 by Barb | | 0 Comments
