Paramount Granite Blog

2008 Summer Olympics

I have been looking forward to the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games all summer. And now it is finally here, Friday (8/8/08), will kickoff the global tradition that has been around for thousands of years. This year the Olympics will take place in Beijing, China. Beijing 2008

With that said, I felt it appropriate to research some interesting facts and tidbits about the Olympics. Did you know:

The five rings on the Olympic flag represent the five significant continents and are interconnected to symbolize the friendship to be gained from the international competitions.
The Olympic motto is a borrowed Latin phrase: Citius, Altius, Fortius (”Swifter, Higher, Stronger”).
1912 was the last year that the Olympic Gold metals were produced out of entirely pure gold.
Women first competed in the Games in 1900.
The Olympic Games is the largest single broadcast event in the world, broadcast in 220 countries to more than 3.5 bilion people.
Four Boeing 747 jumbo jets could have fit side by side in the Olympic Stadium in Australia.

For more interesting facts and information visit the following websites:

http://en.beijing2008.cn/

http://history1900s.about.com/od/greateventsofthecentury/a/olympicfacts.htm

http://www.didyouknow.cd/sport/olympics.htm

http://www.firstscience.com/SITE/editor/067_ramblings_13082004.asp

Enjoy the Games and feel free to share…

Angie

Posted in Uncategorized on August 6th, 2008 by Angie | | 4 Comments

Boycott Those Plastic Bags!

I don’t know about you, but I never have liked those plastic bags you get at various grocery, or department stores. They are flimsy, and your groceries never stay in them properly. When asked, “Do you want paper or plastic?,” my response was always, “Paper!” Several months ago, however, I purchased several re-useable cloth bags, which I like much better. They hold way more items, and are environmentally friendly.

I don’t know if you are a fan of the plastic bag, but I wanted to pass along a link regarding them that I received the other week. It is very interesting and has some astonishing information in it. Hopefully after reading it, you will change your mind about plastic bags and either bring your own, or use the paper bag (if they even offer it)!

(Use the bar on the right side of the slideshow to scroll through it.)

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/MULTIMEDIA02/80505016

Thanks for reading and please pass it along!

Barb

Posted in Uncategorized on July 29th, 2008 by Barb | | 8 Comments

Won’t Back Down!

Summer is a always a great time to enjoy a concert, and last night, we enjoyed a good one…Tom Petty. As usual, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers put on great show, which was held this year, at the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis. The show included several of his classics including: “Free Falling,” “Running Down a Dream,” “Breakdown,” and of course an on-core ending with…”American Girl.”

The song however, that struck me was, “I Won’t Back Down!” It is funny how song lyrics make you think about certain things. While listening to the lyrics, I thought to myself, “This could be the theme for the stone industry.” With the rise in myths and false claims, the industry is fighting back, and “Won’t Back Down,” especially in regards to radon.

Anyway—enough about these thoughts about work. Back to the concert…The music was good and overall, the show was a hit for both fans young and old.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Following is the playlist from the concert:

You Wreck Me
Listen to Her Heart
I Won’t Back Down
Even the Losers
Free Fallin
Mary Jane
End of the Line (Traveling Wilburys)
Breakdown
Saving Grace
A Face in the Crowd
Honey Bee
Learning to Fly
Don’t Come Around Here No more.
Refugee ENCORE
Runnin’ Down a Dream
Gloria (Van Morrison)
American Girl

Following are some photos from the concert:

Steve Winwood

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Posted in Uncategorized, Granite on July 24th, 2008 by Barb | | 2 Comments

Surround Yourself With Positive Thoughts!

Positive thinking helps promote well being, happiness, and an overall good mood, but with today’s changing ecomomy, it is sometimes hard to stay positive. The news media is constantly bombarding us with bad news. They are notorious for it, and they do their best to pass along as many negative stories to the general public as they can. From television, newspapers, radio, and the internet, todays technology allows us to access information quickly, and with so much focus on bad news, it is easy to get caught up in it all.

Most people have enough conflict and problems in their own lives to sometimes bring them down. If you top that off with more negative news stories from the media, it is bound to eventually effect your mood. What most people don’t realize is that there is a lot of good news out in the world too. In fact, there are way more good things going on than bad. We just don’t always hear about them. Earlier this year, my husband and myself basically stopped watching the nightly news because we were tired of all of the negativity. Of course from time to time we tune in, but for the most part, we don’t subject ourselves to it. It is much easier to stay positive about work, family, etc., when you aren’t constantly hearing how bad everything is.

To help keep positive, I wanted to pass along a few links to some websites, that I enjoy. They provide positive, inspirational thoughts and stories—Something we can all use more of!

Ode Magazine: Their print and online publications provide positive news, about people and ideas that are changing our world for the better.
Think Arete.com: A great website that I came across when I was searching for inspiritational quotes that provides inspiration, wisdom, and philosophy.
Guideposts: Their magazine and website provides inspiring, uplifting stories about everyday people.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Posted in Uncategorized on July 21st, 2008 by Barb | | 0 Comments

Learning Links: 07/10/08

Since we install quite a few granite bar tops every year, I thought it would be nice to share some information to help stock and accessorize them. You should be able to get some ideas for wine racks, lights, glassware, signs, etc., from the following websites. They have some pretty cool stuff.

Accessorize Your Granite Bar Top:

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Posted in Uncategorized, Granite on July 10th, 2008 by Barb | | 0 Comments

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 | | 2 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

Kindness—Pay It Forward!

The other day, on my way to work, I stopped at a local Starbuck’s for a cup of chai tea. I placed my order in the drive-thru, and pulled ahead to pick up my purchase. When I rolled down my window, to pay, I was told, “Don’t worry about it. The car that was ahead of you already paid for your tea.” In disbelief, I made the server repeat what he said. I responded with, “Wow! What a good samaritan.” I had no idea who the person was, if it was a man, or woman, young, or old. I guess it really didn’t matter, but it sure made me feel good and was a great way to start my day. It is funny how the simple act kindness can have that effect.

In fact, according to Dr. Wayne Dyer, internationally renowned author and motivational speaker, “Research has shown that a simple act of kindness directed toward another improves the functioning of the immune system and stimulates the production of serotonin in both the recipient of the kindness and the person extending the kindness. Even more amazing is that persons observing the act of kindness have similar beneficial results. Imagine this! Kindness extended, received, or observed beneficially impacts the physical health and feelings of everyone involved!”

Amazing! Isn’t it? So do your part and give this “kindness thing” a try. You’ll be glad you did!

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Posted in Uncategorized on June 5th, 2008 by Barb | | 0 Comments

Fun And Fishing At The Boundary Waters Canoe Area

A few weeks ago, six guys from the PGC team took a fishing trip to the BWCA (Boundary Waters Canoe Area) in northern Minnesota. Most of the guys that went, had never been there before, and didn’t quite know what to expect. It was hard work carrying in the 100 lb. packs along with canoes down numerous portages before making it to their destination campsite. They did however, have an advantage over most, since they work with heavy granite everyday, and they all made it in and out just fine. The weather could have been a little warmer, but the fishing was great. They had plenty of fish to eat up there, and came back with 10 lbs of walleye fillets.

While they were able to relax, fish, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and get some time away from fabricating and installing granite countertops, they weren’t able to totally get away from granite. Notice the big granite boulders in some of the pictures below.

Funny…you’ll never see that material they call “natural quartz” anywhere in the great outdoors!

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Posted in Uncategorized, Granite on June 3rd, 2008 by Barb | | 1 Comments

Adventure: Our Nation’s Capital

As some of you may remember, a few weeks back I blogged about my upcoming trip to Washington, DC. Well, as usual, the time flies by, and I have already been there and back home again!

I wanted to take this opportunity to share some of my experiences with you. From the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, to the Gettysburg Battlefield, we saw a lot. Washington DC is a city full of rich history and pride. Walking up to the Wall brought a chill to my bones. While we were there, some veterans were conducting a wreath ceremony, which was very chilling. Not to mention, walking through the hills of Arlington National Cemetery and witnessing the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, were also. While all of this may seem a little somber, it made me reflect on what so many have sacrificed in order to protect our freedom. It is truly an enlightening and moving place to visit.

And of course…I have to mention that the vast majority of the memorials and historic building are constructed of granite and/or marble. It is truly amazing how the reflective qualities of the black granite at the Wall, and the Korean War Memorial add to the impact of the experience. My dad pointed out to me that the faces that are etched into the Korean War Memorial are actual photos of fallen soldiers.

Of course there is so much more that could be written, but I will just leave you with some photos of the sites we visited.