Bike Tour of Holland

Edwin always knew where we were and I was just along for the ride

Taking our bike on the train

Meet Edwin and Michael on a bike ferry

Getting our Hybrid bikes with 24 gears these bikes were amazing

When you have a guide they can take your photo anytime you want

Wish you could see this place

I just kept following Edwin 50 miles later

Buying fresh made mustard

This was my view everyday of our tour.

It is wet here and that means you wear wooden shoes

Our 145 Mile Bike Tour.

Read on, it was amazing.

When I was planning my tour of Europe I wanted to do something different. I did not want to go south in Europe because of the heat so I choose to go north where it would be cool so I choose the Netherlands. I spent three months emailing companies that are based in Holland and this one company kept the conversation going with me. He always answered my questions as silly as they were sometimes. He always had an answer and he responded within a day of my inquiry. I knew I wanted to take a bike tour or a bike and barge tour but I did not know where or with what company or should I just do this on my own or with a group or not? I was just about to book a bike and barge tour when I spook to my new found internet travel buddy in Holland, by the way his name is Edwin Groeneweg, his company is “The Dutch Travel Advisor”. I had a map laid out with my internet on the tour and I was ready to look at where I was going to bike and barge. Edwin said that after taking to me for the last three months and knowing a little about my travel habits he said I would not like it and do not book it. He said I would like his tour better. Oh gee I said to myself now what do I do? Trust a travel guy I meet on the Internet that has been talking to me for months? Yes! and this is what I did. He required full payment before I left the USA and this too made me worry but I had to go with my gut feeling. I trusted him and It felt right. So this is our story about the most amazing private bike tour of the Netherlands with a wonderful tour guide who I will always call my friend.

I had to go to Amsterdam on business and this is where our tour started. Edwin took over and I let him. He had us stay at the Park Plaza Hotel in the hub of the city. Perfect location. We tour this city on our own. My husband and daughter left after a few days to go back to the USA and my son and I continued on. I have never met him before and when he came into the hotel to pick us up to take us to where our bike tour would start. He is what I call a true Dutchman, tall and handsome. We went to The Hague where we would stay for five nights. He booked us at the The Boulevard Hotel right on the beach resort called Scheveningen. We had an amazing view of the North Sea. A haven for wind and sail surfers. The “strand” or the boardwalk as we know it had forty plus restaurants to eat at. These restaurants had huge areas with pillows and fire pits to relax and look out at the beautiful blue ocean. Each restaurant was colorful and exciting. The day we arrived we went with Edwin to pick up our bikes. These bikes were the best bikes we have ever rode. We loved them. They were better than the bikes we had at home. We rode them around and we were looking forward to our bike tour. By the way, I am a 56 year old in what I call good health but I am in no way a major bike rider or exercise nut. So what was I getting myself into? But Edwin kept saying if I get tired we can stop. I never did.

 

Day one we woke up and had a fabulous breakfast over looking the North Sea. It was freezing and extremely windy. Oh dear! Edwin arrived on time and Michael, my 15 year old and I were bundled up and freezing. When he arrived it started to rain and with the wind it was awful. But the bike tour went on. I was riding in the wind and I was cold and was complaining for ….. 10 minutes. Then the weather changed and it was beautiful is was beyond beautiful. I never complained again.

 

Taking a bike tour through the Netherlands is seeing something different everywhere we rode. It was all “off the beaten path” We just followed him and we never had to think where we were going. During the bike tour we explored the countryside as you can’t imagine. This is what you would be doing if you took this tour.

 

A bike ride from The Hague, the Royal city to the Keringhuis (Storm Surge Locks) is a beautiful ride that takes you through the spacious sand dunes to Hoek van Holland (Corner of Holland). At Hoek van Holland all ships are going through large locks, Maas River in the direction of Rotterdam.

Here you will find one of the largest locks in the World, the Keringhuis. Two large arms are able to close when the water level is too high or when there is a storm.

There is a possibility to see the Keringhuis inside. We took a tour to understand this marvel. Interesting! www.keringhuis.nl

From the Keringhuis we return back to The Hague. This time not through the spacious sand dunes but through the “Glass City area Westland”.

Westland is known for the many many green houses where mostly vegetables are grown. It is an interesting area with small villages, little bridges and of course many Green Houses. Each day we rode we had a lovely lunch in a small town. 

 

Another day ride we went to Gouda and Utrecht. The cherries route!  We ate fresh picked cherries from a local farmer. They were so good.

Gouda, pronounced, “howdah” the city that is know for the Cheese is the start point.

From here we followed Edwin through historical scenic villages of Stolwijk, Haastrecht, Oudewater, Woerden and Utrecht.

A bike ride from Ridderkerk in the direction of Kinderdijk and Rotterdam was beautiful.

Ridderkerk, just south of Rotterdam is a historic town with a very nice city centre.

It is surrounded by the Lek River. The bike ride is so nice because you need to use many small ferries to get to another place.

One of the areas is the famous Kinderdijk with the most windmills per square KM. Enjoy the views and learn everything about the windmills.

From Kinderdijk we rode the canals and took a ferry to get in the direction of Rotterdam. Rotterdam, a modern city along the Maas River.

Going over the Erasmus Bridge you have a spectacular view over the Maas River, the corner of South, Hotel New York and much more.

 

Edwin wanted to show us as much as possible. We took the train out of town and rode back to avoid too much biking. Taking a train in the Netherlands is fun!

 

The Green Heart of the Netherlands is near to The Hague. A nice bike ride takes us through many smaller villages such as medieval Delft.

The Netherlands is known for the many canals, rivers and lakes. Water is all over. It is nice to see how the Dutch protect their country by having Dikes. During the biking you will see plenty of Dikes.

 

Biking needs to be comfortable and Edwin made sure that we had the very best  hybrid bikes with a minimum of 24 gears.

There are no mountains in the Netherlands but wind can be your biggest competitor. That is also the reason why you find so many trees along the routes.

The Dutch call them wind blockers.

 

Delft is know for Delftware, Vermeer and the Dutch Royal House. A must to see!

 

The Hague has a lot to offer we really liked staying here but to really live like a Dutchman you need to have a bike and Edwin as your guide. We loved seeing how the wooden shoe is made and how they use the wind in a windmill to make flour. I purchased fresh mustard out of windmill that grounded the seeds. I compared tour groups and I compared bus trips. I will never go on a bus, how awful this would of been!  Edwins tour was by far the most reasonable. When my son and I were riding next to each other we were so happy we had Edwin as our guide. We never had to wonder where we were or where we were going. WE JUST WENT! 145 MILES IN FOUR DAYS. We were not tired at the end of each day. We went out at night walked the strand and had fun. This was a great tour and I recommend it to anyone. Happy Trails, Penny and Michael Fleming

 

For more information contact The Dutch Travel advisor, info@thedutchtraveladvisor.com or visit the website at www.thedutchtraveladvisor.com

Braille Restaurant Menus and Document Transcribing

When the economy slowed down I needed to speed up my ideas. On my Birthday January 4th, 2009 I started Braille Awards and Menu transcribing. This so happens to be the day the Louis Braille was born over 200 years ago. I needed to find a niche that I would be passionate about. When my kids were in middle school they had a blind skier come to the school and talk about himself being blind and his love for skiing. They gave this remarkable young man a beautiful certificate…. but it was behind glass. I knew I wanted to create awards for the blind but Braille transcribing has become a necessity. The most crucial fact of the matter is that visually impaired people cannot enjoy an independent dining experience without Braille menus. So this is what I do now. Well, I should say one of many jobs I do. This is what makes my job fun. I received a call from the Irvine Company to transcribe the Pelican Hills Hotel restaurant menus. What I love about this job is not only helping with the transcribing but the very important menu itself. I am working with a menu company to custom make the covers exactly like they have but in the standard size to fit the Braille Menu. The feel of the menu when it is presented and the way it is presented is very important. It’s our pleasure to offer menu printing in alternative formats to you so that your company can serve the visually impaired community.  Imagine a visually impaired person is at your host stand right now.  Can you provide them with the best of service and the respect and dignity of independence?  With the help of Braille Awards and Menu Transcribing, you can proudly show them and others how much you value their business, by having accessible Braille menus (or large print menus) ready and available for them.  Imagine the positive response of your sighted customers when they see you care enough to provide alternative menus for those with visual impairments.

Become Efficient – Having a time-crunched server reading a menu to someone who is visually impaired is not efficient.  Our Braille restaurant menus and large print menus allow your servers to save time by not having to read them aloud, but instead, dropping them off at the table with the rest of your restaurant menus.  

 Improve Customer Service – By allowing your patrons who are blind and visually impaired access to your menus, you’ve not only empowered them, but made them feel comfortable in a place they may otherwise not be comfortable.  Happy visitors = repeat customers to your restaurant.  After all, people don’t like to frequent places where they are not comfortable.

The fact that they do not have to be read to like a child is a reason why all restaurants should be required to have on hand Braille menus. We all love to be independent and how thoughtful the restaurants that have taken the extra step to provide a Braille menu. Join the forward thinking companies in “Making the World A More Readable Place.” We’ll translate your menu into Braille or Large Print and deliver it to you bound with a durable cover. You can send us your menu in a variety of formats including CD-ROM, e-mail attachment or regular mail. Does your menu change often? No problem – we can make the necessary edits and send you the updated menu very quickly.

 

Just us girls exploring London

LAX to London Business Class

Annie with the London Eye in the background

Great Place to buy candy from yesteryear

Rowan Atkinson as Fagin

The wonderful Rowan Atkinson

Dinner at Harrods

London

My daughter Annie (14) and I were traveling without the boys (my husband and son) for this part of the trip. We will meet them later in Prague. LAX to London business class (is there any other way?), was most enjoyable because my American Airlines Advantage Card was my ticket to comfort. I have often said I would need an IV drip if I had to go coach this long on an airplane. But I schedule my trips far in advance to take advantage of benefits that my credit card offers. I am fortunate to know when I want to travel and plan months in advance to get the seats. This does take planning but it is not hard. What is the best is basically flying for free. We flew first class from LAX to Vancouver by Alaskan Air and this was comfortable. But what we like is the American Airlines Executive Club lounges which are part of the deal when you travel using miles out of the county. We landed in Vancouver and had plenty of time to walk to prepare for our long flight to London. We were flying for the first time British Air to London and we were looking forward to boarding our home for the next 9 plus hours. Time to board and when we boarded we tuned right on the airplane. We were concerned because left on an airplane is first and business and we were going right. Our hearts sank as we saw the first section of the aircraft with normal seats and then we kept going down the aisle to find our seats when we entered another section of the aircraft. We could not believe the section we were in. I called it small condos. It was fantastic. Pods, small apartments whatever you call it, this was the only way to go. Thank you Citibank Advantage Card! Annie and I had fun opening the drawers to find the expected amenity kit. We love these kits they offer the eye covers, ear plugs, toothbrush and wonderful lotions. The seats had so many buttons that we pressed all of them and discovered our seat would go complete flat. This was the only way to sleep. We soon took off and we were spoiled the minute we were in the air. The movies were on demand and there were 20. We each found our favorite movie and settled into our seats. The food that was served was excellent and the cabin crew was truly the best. After dinner and a movie it is time to take an over the counter sleeping pill, pop the ear plugs in and pull the shade over your eyes and sleep. When we get to London we want to be ready to explore. We landed at Heathrow and immediately brought tube passes to take us into the city. This is our second time in London and I knew I did not want to stay near the loud hustle and bustle of crazy London and stay in a quiet welcoming, peaceful haven overlooking the lush Grosvenor Square in fashionable Mayfair. The boutiques and shops of Bond Street are only a 5 minute walk, with the open spaces of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens just a short stroll away. The City’s financial and commercial centre is within easy reach. This means weekends are dead quiet and most business close at 5. We stayed at Millennium Hotel London Mayfair, on Grosvenor Square in Mayfair. We had a great rate and a really nice room with two queen beds with very good mattresses, wonderful linens and a view of Grosvenor Square, perfect! We arrived late in the afternoon and this would be our second time in London so we knew what and where we wanted to explore. Whenever we arrive in a foreign county we instantly change to the time zone we are in. This helps with jet crazy so we are not going to sleep or waking up at odd hours. We headed outdoors to explore Bond Street and after a long walk to see the stores that we wanted to shop in it was time for dinner. We knew London would have great ethnic food so our first night was noodles at Wagamama. Simple and good.
After dinner and a look at Harrods we walked back to our very quiet hotel in an English residential neighborhood to go to sleep in our new time zone. You must go to bed exhausted and with a pinch of a sleeping pill to keep you asleep all night and to wake up in the morning ready to rock and roll. Good night.

Good Morning London. It was freezing and it was mid June. We broth had to buy coats before we turned into ice cubes. Until we had jackets to keep us warm we decided to head downstairs for the hotel breakfast. We were first surprised the cost that was over $60 but we were hungry and just decided to stay. We tried the buffet and it was awful. Spoiled fruit and dried out bakery goods. We decided to order off the menu and we ordered a bagel and eggs. They ran out of bagels and brought out a toasted hamburger bun. Yuck. Eggs were bright yellow and good but this was not enough to make us happy. So I called over the manager and asked her to go to the buffet and take some fruit and a baked good and try them. She did and came back and told us that we were correct and they did not charge us for breakfast. Time to explore the city hungry, oh well; lunch would be at somewhere wonderful. The area we were in had many of the Embassies and we did find an English restaurant that we ate at several times during our stay. I loved the coffee and it was close by to our hotel.

 We love to explore fine food emporiums just to see how they make food so gloriou. Harrods is truly a store to explore. Most of all we love The Borough Market which is a haven for those who enjoy a spot of gastronomic indulgence. Whether you’re a chef searching for the perfect produce for your pot or just a culinary adventurer, Borough Market is a delight. This food market will make you a very happy tourist. The restaurant and food stalls are the best I have ever been to and the food is amazing. What is sad is that I wanted to buy so many delights to take home but this was the beginning of my two month tour of Europe so we tasted, smelled and explored this wonderful market. By the way our best fish and chips dinner was here. Enjoy!

The next day I wanted to find a famous candy store named Hope and Greenwood. I like to see how stores are designed and how they merchandise the store. We found this delightful  store in Covent Gardens tucked in a corner we were delighted to see really how cute this store was. We could not decide what to buy. We decided on fizzy lemon balls and we wished we could pack the whole store in our suitcase. I told Annie we would dive into our candy after lunch. We found a wonderful little sandwich shop next door and we noticed right across the street was the Theater Royal on Drury Lane. We wondered over to the theater where the play Oliver was playing to see the architecture and we both starred at a sign that read, “starring Rowan Atkinson as Fagin” We could not believe our eyes. WE LOVE Mr. Bean. We asked the box office if there were tickets and they said not until July 29 which was a month away. But they did say to go stand in line for call back tickets and manager release. We were the first in line. Very soon the theater was filling up with lucky ticket holders and our line that we were lucky to be first in was growing fast also. Just then a lady came to the line and asked us if we would like tickets. Yes! We purchased our tickets and they were seats that if the Royal Family would show up that these would be their seats. We felt like the queen sitting in these perfect seat. The  play was very good and Rowan Atkinson showed some of his crazy humor from Mr. Bean. He really is a gifted actor. The last standing ovation Annie and I ran out side to the stage door to get his autograph. Annie got his Autograph and photo. When we left the theater it was 1:00 in the morning. We were hungry and found many resturant open. We were headed back to our hotel at 3 in the morning. Not one person was on the subways The escalators that are usually full had not one person on it. We felt safe where we were and we had a small walk from the subwa 

When I began planning my tour of London with Annie I wanted to visit wonderful tea rooms. Annie picked out dresses to wear to have tea at the tea rooms. Our first tea was The Orangery at Kensington Palace. We both were so excited to be here until we walked in. The pretty cakes and scones were laid out and they were not covered. We sat down and I was devastated. I was at Princess Diana’s greenhouse and this was approved by Queen Anne sure not! I had my hat and gloves on and I was sitting at a rusted (ok vintage) table with a paper tablecloth and I had a paper napkin to put on my lap. PAPER!!!! This was NOT happening. We ordered a pot of tea and it came to us in a simple white tea pot. NOTHING special. Water was warm and I asked if they forgot to put the hot water in thinking they were just keeping the pot warm for my tea. No this is your tea pot. NO CHOICES OF TEA, JUST HERE IS YOUR TEA. Then came the scone. What would Martha Stewart do? What would Emilie Barns say? The scone had been microwaved and it looked like a small dirty sponge. Needless to say it was terrible. We were sad to be in here and spending way to much money on a warm pot of plain tea with a scone that was not acceptable.  DO NOT GO TO THE ORANGERY!  We explored our favorite sites for the next few days.

The London Eye really has to be included in a trip to London. The 32 capsules carry around 10,000 visitors every day. Because of the way the capsules are suspended it allows for a full 360 degree-panorama when you’re at the top of the wheel. Tickets can be booked online, which really is the right thing to do as it saves a lot of time. The queues look long when you arrive but they move quickly as everyone is issued with a timed ticket. Don’t forget your camera!

 The Tower of London is where the Crown Jewels are housed, which are quite spectacular. It’s also where you can stand on the execution site of three English queens! The Tower Bridge Exhibition is also worth seeing and is only a short walk away. Tower Bridge’s architect, Horace Jones, and engineer, John Wolfe Barry, took 8 years to complete the bridge, which opened on 30 June 1894. It remained the only river crossing east of London Bridge till the Dartford Crossing (a tunnel) opened in 1991.

 Buckingham Palace is the Queen’s official residence. We liked seeing the  Changing of the Guard. The streets in the area are very nice to wonder. 

 The Houses of Parliament is only a short walk down Whitehall from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square. The building is stunning from Parliament Square, but it is worth taking a walk over Westminster Bridge and getting the view from the South Bank. Big Ben is actually the name of the bell in the clock tower which chimes every 15 minutes. Tours inside the Houses of Parliament for overseas visitors are only available during August and September.

 Shakespeare’s Globe Theater is interesting and was founded by the pioneering American actor and director Sam Wanamaker and has become one of London’s most successful theaters and top visitor attractions.

 And of course shopping anywhere in London all over London and it is fun to shop. We found stores that were full of hats and gloves and we wondererd in stores that were full of shaving brushes. No matter where you are you can hop on the tube and go shopping. After an exhausting day of shopping Annie and I had dinner at Harrods. We created a delightful ice cream sundae that was a foot tall. Tomorrow we are taking the train to Paris.

Travel is my passion and I know how to explore.

Showing Annie the world. London 09

Holland

Hi! My name is Penny Fleming and I am a (travel) Addict.  I am addicted to travel. I love to travel. My trips are long and I book everything myself and the internet is my friend. Travel is not just a luxury or a leap of leisure but an important element in my life and well being. It is essential life experience. I have this need. During the day I find myself taking a mini mental vacations and I look at the globe and wonder where will I go next? How long can I be gone? Then my heart starts to beat my forehead starts to perspire and my mind starts to Google. I am an addict. I use my credit card for everything in hopes to being closer to another business class ticket. Since I must spend the money for necessities and of course pay it off each month my Citi Advantage card is my friend. I will eat at special restaurants to earn triple miles and I will buy on-line to acquire the extra points. I am an addict and I know there is no rehab for this addiction. I can no longer fondle the tickets in my hands since all tickets are emailed. My passport is my passport through the many terminals of life.  I read it like a book and the stamps that I receive from the different countries are tattoos that I will never want to have removed. I am so very happy that there is no cure.

The Orange County High School of the Arts. A Mom’s opinion

School started August for both my kids. My daughter is a freshman and my son a sophomore. They both started at OCHSA when they were in the 7th grade so not much has changed except I now say they are both in high school. Gee I feel old. But I want to tell you what I think of this school. I cherish the opportunity to sit in on a class or just to be on the campus of this amazing school. This OC high school is not for everyone. You child will not be on a sports team but in a conservatory. They climb stairs to their air conditioned classes in an old but made new bank building. This is my story about this wonderful school. The dancing and music in the halls is loud , exciting and infectious. It gives me the chills to be here and I love it. I could almost feel my own feet wanting to tap. Oh to be young and to have had the chance to go to a school like this. Last year I sat in for awhile in my kids  math class. The kids were doing complicated math equations with I Pod music in the background. Each student had a sparkle in their eye. They were happy in class. My son’s science class was a class full of high energy and happy kids. The classes are not a lecture but a hands on creative group effort with colorful kids discovering new answers. Each student I get the chance to talk to or to see perform has found the true meaning of being happy at school. This is a school that they can be themselves, whoever they want to be. The parents here are involved and have worked very hard to prepare their children to achieve their artistic goals. You can not come to this school unless you have a strong parent. You see it is us parents that have driven these kids to their lessons and found this school for them so they can grow up be a part of the arts. This is a school that allows the student to focus on a passion that will be with them forever. They work hard to get excepted here and it is not easy to get in. My son Michael  made it into the Symphony this year and will have the chance to play at Segrestron Hall. He is a violinist and piano composer and already knows he wants to write music for the movies. Annie also plays the violin but she wants to try acting. She tried out for acting and did not make it in but this year she will take classes and try again this year.  If your child shows any creativity and you want them to be nurtured and guided to excellance then you need to look into The Orange County High School of the Arts. Kids commute as much as two hours each way just to come to this school. Good luck and remember. Practice! Practice! Practice!

Eco Friendly Products makes the Earth Happy

Logo Bean

What does “Green” really mean? Look here for way too much information

Recycled vs. Recyclable     need promotional products to keep the Earth Happy. www.EarthHappyPromos.com

Products labeled recycled are made from materials that have been used and reprocessed into something else. The materials in recyclable products are able to be recycled, if the user disposes of them in a recycling facility. They can, but may not necessarily, be used to make a recycled product. There is nothing inherently environmentally friendly about a recyclable product.

Bamboo

Bamboo fabric is a natural textile that is light and strong, has excellent wicking properties and is naturally antibacterial. Bamboo fiber resembles cotton in its unspun form, a puffball of light, airy fibers. Extensive bleaching is needed to turn the fiber white, but companies producing organic fabric leave it unbleached. Bamboo fabric is favored by companies looking for sustainable textiles because the plant grows quickly and generally doesn’t require pesticides or herbicides. The fabric also has insulating properties to keep the wearer cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

Jute

Jute is a completely biodegradable fiber. Though it’s found most in materials such as burlap, innovations with jute have made it possible to use it to construct a silk-like material. Jute is abundant in Southeast Asia and inexpensive to produce.

Biodegradable

A product deemed biodegradable can, under suitable conditions, break down into its natural parts and disappear without any harm to the environment – imagine a banana peel. Some biodegradable products take years to fully decompose.

Bioplastics

Plastics derived from renewable, biological sources, including vegetable oil and corn, rather than petroleum. All bio- and petroleum-based plastics are technically biodegradable under the right conditions, and some petrochemical-based plastics may be added to bioplastics to improve performance. Most bioplastics only degrade in strict commercial composting.

Compostable

Similar to biodegradable, compostable products can be disposed of in nature. Composting is the act of – either small-scale organically or in a large, industrial system – helping organic matters decompose. Compost can then be used in landscaping and agriculture as a fertilizer. Commercially compostable products have to decompose within a certain time frame, usually a few weeks – much more quickly than compostable and biodegradable products – under tightly controlled conditions.

Energy Efficiency

The most efficient products require the least energy to generate the most output. For example, compact fluorescent light bulbs use far less energy than typical incandescent lights while producing the same brightness; therefore, they are more energy efficient. Engineers compute energy efficiency using a ratio, written as a decimal between 0 and 1. The closer a method’s ratio is to 1, the more efficient it is.

LED Light Bulbs

Though slightly more expensive than fluorescent or halogen bulbs, LED lights have a much higher energy-efficiency ratio. The electric bill savings more than makes up for their higher sticker prices. Additionally, if every house and business in the United States switched a handful of light bulbs to LED lights, several fossil-fuel burning power plants could be closed.

Fair Trade

A model of international trade and a social movement that supports paying a fair price and upholding social and environmental standards, particularly relating to exports from developing and Third World countries.

Latex Balloons

Though one balloon can take up to six months to break down, the latex is biodegradable and innocuous to the environment. When balloons land in water, they can be dangerous to turtles and other water-dwellers, so many environmentalists oppose large, organized balloon releases.

Organic Cotton

Grown without pesticides and from plants that are not genetically modified, organic cotton is popular among fair-traders and agricultural purists. Organic farming requires crop rotation to reduce pests and maintain soil nutrients. This, in combination with lower abundance due to no genetic modifications, makes it more expensive to produce. It can cost the end user 20 to 50 percent more.

PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)

This material is the recyclable part of plastic soda and water bottles. It has been used in the past to make everything from clothes and carpet to more bottles.

Pre-Consumer or Post-Industrial vs. Post-Consumer

During any manufacturing process, some materials are inevitably scrapped. Instead of throwing these scraps away, some companies use them for other purposes. These are pre-consumer recycled materials. Post-consumer recycled materials come from items that have been used and then recycled.

Recycled Leather

Products made from this material are surprisingly controversial. Intuitively, making products from already-used leather lessens the need to slaughter animals for more. Hard-line opponents of leather, however, say the popularity of the recycled material will only increase overall demand for leather and will lead to more unethical treatment of animals.

Soy Candles

Candles are commonly made with paraffin, a petroleum-based hydrocarbon. This type of candle releases pollutants into the air when burned and only adds to the world’s petroleum dependency. Candles made from soy wax or vegetable oil pose a much cleaner-burning alternative.

Synthetic Polarfleece

Though the craze may have died down, fleece jackets are still cozy and popular. This light and soft wool-alternative is made from spun polyester and can be produced entirely from recycled plastic soda bottles.

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	Recycled – having been used before and then processed so that it can form a new product. Recycling – when paper, glass, plastic etc. is put through a process so that it can be used again.
	NON-Polluting – intentionally taking steps to avoid making an area or substance, usually air, water or earth, dirty or harmful to people, animals and plants, especially by adding harmful chemicals.
	Ethical – adhering to ethical and moral principles (eg ‘It seems ethical and right’). Conforming to accepted standards of social or professional behaviour.
	Sustainable – able to continue over a period of time: Causing little or no damage to the environment and therefore able to continue for a long time.
	Biodegradable – able to decay naturally and harmlessly: Biodegradable products and packaging helps to limit the amount of harmful chemicals released into the atmosphere.
	Organic – not using artificial chemicals in the growing of plants and animals for food and other products.
	Fair Trade – Trade carried on under a fair-trade agreement. A way of buying and selling products that makes certain that the original producer receives a fair price.
Bringing together recycled, biodegradable, organic and sustainable materials, fair trade and ethically produced products and non polluting technology is saving the environment in many ways. Fewer raw materials are being mined, less waste or discarded material is going to land fill and fewer workers are being exploited.The changes you make to your buying patterns may seem small but cumulatively the changes each of us implement will make a huge difference.

Earth Happy Promos for a Earth Day Promotion

Our Mission:

www.EarthHappyPromos.com

Earth Happy is just that, a company that wants to keep our earth happy  

by providing a wide variety of eco-friendly promotional products to meet your specific

 need sand create a unique quality product that showcases your company or business.

Corporate Travel Awards Recognize the Accomplished! Appreciate the Hardworking, Motivate others to Reach for the Stars

They say Diamonds are a girls best freind, but this girl says corporate travel incentives run a pretty close second! In today’s very competitive sales environment, incentives are prefect for driving sales, movtivating salespeople, and thanking top achievers. Priority for 2009 is keep morale up.  The news is loaded with executives being treated with extravagant trips. But no one is talking about the trip they take if they earned it. I mean earned it. NOT by scamming or lying but by the real way of going above and beyond in his or her job. They earned it  and if your company is doing well, then send them on a well deserved trip. When a trophy is not enough for the stellar executive, it is time to go above and beyond to experience the world of Awardpro travel. Awardpro is here to assist you in this decision. . We have been to the destinations that we recommend and we have stayed in their finest hotels. We only recommend the finest hotels which offer the finest service.We will not recommend anyplace unless we have been to the hotel, slept in the beds and be taken care of by the hotel staff.  We are here to work with your company or the award recipient to assist in every detail. We make sure that your award travel will cover every aspect. Awardpro knows what it takes to make your stellar executive feel that all the hard work has truly paid off with a vacation to remember forever. We know every detail that is important. We know the exact room to have from a corner suite on the executive floor of the Sydney, Australia Four Seasons Hotel with a sweeping view of Sydney Bridge and the Opera House. To the incredible yacht Sundance that takes you to an island paradise, Hayman located in the Whitsunday Islands off the gold coast of Australia. Maybe the award travel will take the hard working award winner to The Palace Hotel on Lake Lucerne, or up the steep mountain incline to a hideaway in the mountains of Switzerland. Maybe the sounds of the water on your deck in your over-the-water bungalow in Tahiti. Remember we have been to these places and we will only send the award winner to a place we have done an in depth study off. We also will work to make sure that your tours are coordinated and orchestrated to timed perfection. When the award traveler steps outside the door of the hotel they are whisked away in first class style to see the sights. From the minute the award winner arrives at one of our recommended destinations, the true feeling of Awardpro travel tells you that all the hard work has paid off.

Recognize the Accomplished! Appreciate the Hardworking, Motivate others to Reach for the Stars

www.Awardpro.com

How to Increase Tradeshow Booth Traffic.

Today I received a call from someone that needed help with attracting trade-show traffic. They wanted to keep women and men in the booth. I asked your standard questions about what they are selling? What color is the booth and the design of it? Will each of the people working in the booth have a uniform on? They said that they were selling a new medical devise and the color of the booth was black and purple. The team would not be in anything but business suits. I was able to see the trade-show booth from photos of previous events. It was not great. This is where I took over. I met with the booth design team at the company and they too said it was boring. I was in heaven with this project. First I needed to see the products they wanted to sell and I needed to see the graphics. I asked them could we go high tech and put your information on a DVD and this would be played on a HD Screen in the booth. They loved it. The background colors we changed to on the major colors in the video and it remained purple but instead of black we went with a soft gray. Each back board will be designed by www.TheMeetingCollection.com Radius Display Products (www.radiusdp.com), Showdown Displays and help with a construction crew we were done.  We made it look like a movie studio. We used Directors chairs and color coordinated everyone that was going to work in the booth. The give a way was two fold. Each attendee was mailed a dog tag that had the “movie studios” (name of the medical device). and on the dog tag it also had a special number on it. They bring this ego id. (look for this on my web site www.TheMeetingCollection.com When you came to the booth your dog tag id was scanned and you found out if you won one of several different give a ways, one was a trip to resort with a wonderful spa. If you did spend time in the booth you also received a flash light. While they were hearing about the medical device the booth workers put batteries in the flashlight. This gave the salesperson plenty of time to explain what they were selling. At the end of the day logo cookies  (information is on www.MonkeyBusinessPromos.com) with the companies information were handed out. The event was a hit and I had so much fun creating a very busy booth for a very appreciteive client. I love being a full service Promotional Merchandise Company.

Thailand. The only place to ride an elephant

Thailand. I fell in love with this beautiful county and I want to go back soon. I met a tour guide on the Internet. Yes I did. I had received many responses back from other guides and he was the only one that responded each time with what I wanted to hear. I knew he was the right one after weeks of back and forth emails. I told him I wanted to ride elephants and not in a circle. I wanted to ride on the neck of an elephant and trek through the jungle. I wanted to tour the county from the eyes of a local guide. I found him and his name is JOY and oh what a Joy he was. His web site is www.thailand-private-drivers.com  His email is onecoolsoda@hotmail.comThis wonderful man took us to places that were off the beaten path. Places you only see in coffee table books. I will be his friend forever. He was kind dependable and I trusted him.  Our first stop in Thailand was Chaing Mai at the Four Seasons Hotel. This resort will remain in my mind forever. We were having dinner and a man came up to us and ask, “could I spray your legs” ah sure. It was mosquito spray but a lovely homemade scent. Our room overlooked the rice paddies and to wake up and see this view was amazing. Joy would pick us up out front and took us the places I am sure tourists will never get to see. We went inside an umbrella making company. These umbrellas were made from paper and wood. The process was fascinating. He took us to a very small restaurant where we ordered everything on the menu so we could taste the different Thai flavors. Our bill came to $7.00. We stayed three days at the Four Seasons Chiang Mai http://www.fourseasons.com/chiangmai/ Because I also wanted to stay at the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai. This place must be on your bucket list. It just must be on your list. http://www.mandarinoriental.com/chiangmai/. This over the top resort was beyond perfect. When Joy took us over he too was amazed. We took a horse drawn carriage to our home. Yes, our home a two story house that had a piano and full kitchen on the ground floor and a light up out door jacuzzi upstairs. Our room was huge and each night lovely gifts appeared on our beds. This resort  is 60 acres of natural landscapes that offer a self contained world of beauty, incorporating serene paddy fields and exotic plantations. Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi is Chiang Mai’s only luxury hotel and resort where you can enjoy one of the world’s most beautiful spas and surround yourself with the rich heritage of the Lanna Kingdom. The resort map had eight folds to unfold to see this huge resort. Both my kids had their first spa experience here. How will I ever top that in the states. The pool had gigantic flowers that were showers and classical music played under the water when we swim. The minute you appeared in the pool area a tray of personal amenities arrives. We left the hotel only one day and this was for elephant trekking in the jungle. OH MY!. I also want you blog readers to know that there is a tailor at the resort and he was very good. Joy has remained a friend and I hope you get a chance to travel his county with him. He is a wonderful man and a fabulous guide.

Tour of Asia starts with research and finding the perfect guide.

I love to travel. I travel mostly for business and I turn it into pleasure. I love to recommend hotels.  Most of all I want to share how I find people that live where I am traveling to that are tour guides. The reason for writing this blog is I again have found an amazing tour guide. Let me tell you how I do this. I had to go to Asia last year to check on a factory I do business with. My husband did not want to go to this part of the world so both of my kids who are also learning about my company went with me. I decide what area I wanted to travel to and started planning a year in advance. Maps laid out I knew where I wanted to start and where I wanted to end. My first call is to American Airlines and I use my points for First Class tickets. If I am gong to go this far I want to be comfortable. If you have ever tried to snag these free tickets you need to plan at least a year in advance. I did weeks of research of what I wanted to see and where I wanted to go and I emailed tour companies with the same information. I emailed over 100 tour companies and the ones that emailed me back I started  conversations with them. You can tell so much in emails and how they respond to your requests. I was very lucky I found a company that was only two hours away from me in Tarzana, CA.  The company is Asia Pacific Adventures and the wonderful owner is Hima Singh. She helped me with the details of my Asia Tour. By emailing back and forth I knew she was the one I would hire. I wanted to a home stay in Kyoto, wanted to go explore Beijing, see the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xian and I wanted to hold a panda bear in Chengdu. With my research I wanted to see the old china that is still lit with lanterns. We started in Tokyo and since my kids areworld travelers we knew we wanted to plan our own tours in Tokyo. We went to Tokyo Disneyland and wondered the Ginza and ate strange food in bazaar places. Traveled the subways and fell in love with Tokyo. We left on the bullet train to Kyoto. Our host for the home stay picked us up at the train station. She spoke fluent English and we knew we in for a real treat. Her home was in the county of Kyoto and it was traditional Japanese. Since I had paid Hima in advance I never had to get my wallet out. She took us to bath houses, rice factory and we went to tea houses and learned origami. Read the story of us going to a place to be a Geisha for a day. She arranged this also. We love Fukiko. She had a garden and cooked wonderful meals. She took us to stores and explained what the different foods were. When we left we knew we would have a friend forever. The rest of our time in China was planned by Hima since we had to have Visa’s and be with a guide. When we stepped one foot off the airplane a man was standing there with a sign that said our name. We went through customs really fast. We were fascinatedby a machine that did a visual reading of your body temperature. They did not want you in the county if you are sick. We saw Bejing with a personal tour guide all arranged in the USA. Perfect !!  The Bejing acrobats took our breath away. The bugs that we saw for sale in the markets for people to eat was really awful. Next stop Xian. Annie was not feeling well and we were aware of the thermal imaging machines at the airport so she drank cold water before we got off the airplane. We are one of the fortunate tosee the Terra Cotta Warriors this experence will be imprinted on my soul forever. We were able to meet the farmer that was the first person to find these clay figures. We took rickshaw rides through the old city and I felt I was transported back in time. Each city we went to we saw elaborate shows that were famous for the region. The guide again was flawless. Next airplane took us to Chengdu. The guide again was perfect and showed us this city like a locol. We saw men that had tools to clean you ears in the park. We went to the panda reserve and got to hold a panda. Next plane took us to a city that would allow us  to fly non stop to Thailand. The city of Kumming china. We had so much fun here exploring this city. We went to the Zoo but this is not like any other zoo. The area we loved was  full of GIGANTIC fish and they had a wading area that you can catch fish in a net. They gave you a turtle if you caught a lot of fish. Next stop my favorite county in the world. Thailand.

What happened to Trust?

Trust, isn’t this suppose to be what brings people together? This whole trust thing isn’t going very well, from hanky panky to stealing fortunes to the priest that we take bread from while kneeling in prayer. We all want to trust. You would think from what is going on in the world we all would be more cautions. But we are not. You trust the person that reads the Bible yet lies to you and asks God to forgive them. I think these people use the Christian schools and the church like hospitals. They are sick and hope to get well. Or the girlfriend you told a secret to and asked her not to share what you said. Then later you find out she told someone. You know that feeling of, “how could they”?  Or remember the boyfriend that says, “I will call you tomorrow”. Or better yet, you trusted someone with your money and now it is all gone. Trust, do you trust the person that says they will never drink again? I must say I did trust and really wanted to believe in people but now I do not trust many people at all. Do you trust the police to tell the truth or to be on your side? I don’t!  They are not your friend. They make mistakes. And they do not care to make it right. So who can you trust? How do you know when someone is telling the truth or not? After you get hurt by another liar how do you start trusting again. I am close to sixty and I am still learning about friendships. I let a lady into my life that used our family and tried to tear us down. Darn. I wish we could read someone like a book and know if you want to buy it or not. .

 

What happened to “polite”?

While listing to the radio talk show host Dr. Laura Schlesinger’s rant of the day was about people that talk during a movie and how rude they are when you ask them to be more quiet. She was right on about how rude the youth of today is. I was at the movies withmy two teenagers over the weekend and I had to ask some teens to please be more quiet. They responded witha foul mouthand continued to be even more rude. My children said to me, “Mom don’t worry we will never act like that”. I said it is sad sometimes you have to see kids behave poorly to know how you do not want to be perceived. These kids that I said, “I don’t think you know that your talking too loud could you talk softer?” They responded so awful. Why do they feel the need to be rude? Why can’t they just say, “oh sorry, we did not know”.  What the heck is going on in the young kids minds of today? Most kids and teens are rude. This last Friday I was at the Huntington Beach Pier at a farmers market buying fresh veggies and there were 6 kids really well dressed, clean and looked like they came from a good family. A few minutes later I saw them all smoking. Their ages ranged from about 12 – 14 years old. They then started kissing and groping each other while coughing and smoking their cigarettes. I went up to them and said I am sure you guys are aware that smoking is not good for you and that it shortens your life. You all look so smart I am sure you have been told this.  I tried to tell them the awful death of my mother at 44 from smoking. AGAIN the foul mouth and awful treatment I received was not worth me saying anything. I felt so sorry for these kids. I wish their parents could see them. But would they haul off and hit me or threaten me? Or would they hurt their own kids? Or call the police and threaten me?  But then I thought about the the TV program, what would you do? You know the program that has  cameras rolling and they have actors in normal everyday life doing something that is not right and they want to see how the public will react. What scares me is what I would do. I read everyday in the newspaper about good Samaritans getting hurt or even killed when they interfere. Did you read about the MacDonald’s employee that help a women who was being beaten and McDonald’s wrote him a letter saying they will not pay his $300,000 medical bills for his life long medical problems he will have because he helped an innocent women from being killed. But he took the bullet. I was thinking that if I was to tell a parent about the behavior I witnessed on one of their kids. Would I be putting myself in harms way? I once walked up to a very pregnant women who was smoking and told here that it will hurt her baby. She said she did not care that she was going to give the kid away. I hurt for days after she said this. Why are people so angry? Road rage? Why do I see parents yelling at their kids with such venom. People that are rude and sometimes scary. You want to say something thinking that you may be the one that they listen too. That you may be able to help someone. I no longer feel this is the case. My son Michael as said to me many times, “don’t say anything mom, they scare me”. But it hurts when you see someone hurting themselves.  You wish that you could help. But the one time that you say to a mom that is yelling a child and maybe hitting them. Can I help you? When you want to help and they say awful things to you. Will the child suffer more after you interfere? Is it worth it? The angry people that I am seeing lately worry me. To raise a kid these  days takes a lot of thinking about them and not yourself. How will this effect their tomorrow. My kids came home from school this last Friday and told me that a 10th grader who committed suicide and how the whole school is taking about it. But before this young man thought the only way out of his problem was suicide. Who were his friends? Did they notice anything that they could of helped with?  This again gave me the opportunity to teach them about friendship and being a true friend. Please parents spend deep quality time with your kids. Stop thinking about your needs. Parents,  when someone calls you to tell you or to inform you that your child did something. Listen to the person telling you this and then open up a conversation with your child and find out if you could teach your kid that when they are out in the world that they are being watched by others and to behave properly and parents and if and when you get the call from another parent. Be nice. Why be nice. I called a family in our neighborhood that there son was bullying my son. ( I have more on this story later) They were rude when I called and I then knew where the child learned to be mean. We know longer with this rude family and oh yeah just to tell you these kids are the phony kids that go to Mariners Christian. I have more stories. I need to help my kids with their homework. oh and by the way my kids are not perfect. But they are polite and look the adult in the eye when they talk to you.

Exploring Japan with Annie the Geisha, Michael the Samuri in Gion, Kyoto

The word Geisha is derived from ‘Gei’, which in Japanese means performance or entertainer, and ‘sha’, which means person, and dates back 400 years ago to the ‘Edo’ period. During this time the Geisha entertained at banquets and social gatherings by playing a Japanese guitar (called a Shamisen), and singing and giving dance performances. There is often a misconception by some that Geisha’s are prostitutes, but nothing could be further from the truth. Geisha are refined and cultured girls and women who are highly trained in a variety of traditional skills. Besides playing the Shamisen, singing and dancing, the Geisha perform the Japanese tea ceremony, and are well versed in the art of conversation. Many learn to speak English in order to entertain Western guests. The training involved in becoming a Geisha is very rigorous, and because of this the numbers of Geisha are declining. Few young women in today’s society are willing to devote themselves to such demanding training. To become a Geisha, if accepted, a young girl must go through an apprenticeship that involves living with a head Geisha. This training period takes five to six years. During this time, the Geisha trainee must help with the chores and the running of the house, learn customs and social skills, and take music and dance lessons. After about six months, the trainee Geisha is called a maiko girl, and accompanies a Geisha on her appointments in order to become acquainted with customers. At about age 20, the maiko must make the decision to become a full-fledged Geisha or not. If a girl wishes to marry she cannot become a Geisha. Geishas often live near temples and shrines, in areas are called hana-machi. Geishas entertain visitors at teahouses called o-chaya that are located near these areas. The o-chaya is not a shop that serves only tea or coffee, but rather a sort of banquet hall where rooms can be rented for dinner parties. It is usually a small Japanese style house with tatami (wooden) floors and Japanese style gardens. O-chayas are often where young Geishas live and work. Today in Japanese hotels and restaurants Geisha entertain at banquets and socialize with guests. If you are staying at a hotel in Japan, you can arrange for a Geisha to attend a dinner party through the reservation desk. When you request a Geisha, it is important to be specific about what type of performance you want, because there are two different types of Geisha. One called ‘tchikata’ is usually a maiko girl and performs the traditional Japanese dance, and the other; usually an older Geisha is called ‘jikata’ and sings and plays an instrument. The costs for the services of a Geisha vary depending on the number the food, beverages, and the entertainment. The role of the Geisha in Japanese society is a source of much curiosity for tourists. To tap into that curiosity, visitors can go to shops where they can dress in traditional Geisha Kimonos, have Geisha make up applied and then have a souvenir photo taken. ——————————————————————————–

Promotional Merchandise Selling in this CRAZY Economy

I have been in the promotional products industry since 1983. I love it but I also don’t need to work. I want to work and this comes across to the client that I am not desperate.  I put money away from each sale for a rainy day. This really helps. My passion and experience is designing one of kind never seen before products. I sell the other junk, stuff or what ever you want to call it. But I prefer to make my client dependent on me.  So once I find out about budget and the timing on the project off to Asia the order goes. I have never had one problem with overseas orders. They are better than buying something off the shelf . This industry is really a lot of fun but you need years  to start making a living at it. I went to work for a company they taught me the basics and then this company was soon sold to another company. Then that company said they were closing the office. I moved my office home. This move has  been fantastic. Then I figured out how to be my own company and not give up half of my commissions. But it takes discipline. So here we all are hearing about all kinds of cut backs. I know my biggest clients can not buy from me this year in the volume they have so I am taking advantage of the extra time I have to make myself more visible on the Internet.  I am taking the time to develop my web sites. I am learning to Blog and most of all niche myself. My next blog will be about what my new niche is.

Yesterday I had a new call from a client that could not find what they wanted from anyone else. Everyone has an idea what they think they want but is it the right item? My next blog will talk about how I start the “sale”

Living in a Guard Gated Community

I happen to live in a guard gated community that has two beaches. This is a good hint. I married into this in 1990 so I do not have a choice and anyway I like my house. When I first moved here I thought for sure that I could borrow a cup of sugar or an egg from my neighbors. ( you can, but only a few) I thought that when you have a party that you invite the neighborhood kids to attend. I thought that you would be invited to their party’s. I thought for sure that when you walk around the neighborhood that they you would get a smile and maybe a hello. When people gossip about the truth maybe you would have a neighbor show up at your door and ask if they could help. When you go to the beach in the summer NO you can not just sit next to your neighbor. They talk behind your back and they are not very nice.  I am really disappointed in this close living but I do like my house. The rumors that start out as, ” did you hear”. Turn into the game telephone. The stories get bigger and bigger and bigger. How can people be so cruel? Many of the kids in this small neighborhood are attending private schools.  I am observing  these spoiled kids with few manners grow up. The kids that attend the so called religious school are the worst. They are foul mouth and not very nice. We have had a few parent meetings about the kids that are rude and use the family golf cart as a weapon. The parent I had to talk to once told me that “my son is a very nice boy and would never do that”  tooooo funny I showed her my photos. Needless to say she does not talk to me anymore. Like I worry. The parents must be blind, or they use the church as a hospital. The kids that attend the local public schools are much more nice to the other kids and they look you in their eyes when they talk to you. They are exposed to kids that are very rich and very poor. My kids do not like the other kids in the neighborhood. One child told my daughter that she can not play with my daughter because she goes to public school.  The people that I have gotten to know through the years are really not mentally healthy. I attend the events that our sponsored and I hear them gossip about people that I am sure that they have not asked to find out what they are saying is true or not. They get drunk and really make a fool of themselves. I went for a walk just before I started this post and walked by two ladies who would not give me the time of day. I smiled when they walked by but I got the feeling I was in high school when the kids gossip.  I find the young people in there 30’s early 40’s just so darn phony. They are just want to bee’s??? All the kids in the neighboorhood were raised by Nanny’s of stay at home mothers. This I will never understand.  They are giving unlimited supply of toilet paper to decorate houses. I live here and I will not be moving and I will continue to smile. When I hear something about a neighbor I will go to the neighbor and offer help. When a child comes to my door for a fundraiser I will buy something. I will be nice and I will not gossip. By the way I have noticed the much older people are still the nicest. I am 56 and being older is really nice. We just know that life is too short.

Awards are important this is why I started Awardpro.com

Awards…Did you know that this is one of my greatest passions? Awards yup the ones that you should receive when you have gone above and beyond. Here is the story.  I used to work for a company and I was in sales. In fact I was their top sales person for this year. I was very excited. The hubby was staying home with the kids, I had a new dress and my hair was styled. I drove to Palm Springs from Newport Beach and was singing all the way. I arrived in time to socialize with people I only saw at these functions. The evening was about to begin. By the way, this event was an award ceremony for the promotional product industry. The awards in the past were nice. But I was starting to line up the same awards year after year. I must admit I was hoping for something different. When you in this industry you are aware of what is available. The evening started. This year they gave all of us leather portfolios. I sell these so I had several but this one was nice and had my name debossed on it. The next awards were also leather portfolios. Gee I had two now. Soon the time came for the big awards to be handed out. I was called on stage and a speech began about how well I did and what I accomplished. I felt so special. Then it became clear that I was not going to receive anything special. They handed me a bigger portfolio and I look at it and my name is not spelled correctly and it is just handed to me. The audience was applauding and then they said to me oh and you also are being awarded the highest volume stellar award. They handed me the exact same thing they gave me for highest volume. I now had four leather portfolios that were stacked on the table. No special presentation or packaging. I was not impressed. I did not feel special. I was not honored for all my hard work. I enjoyed seeing my old friends and we all discussed they way they  presented the awards. I did not feel that the company put any thought into the awards for the evening and they were in the business. So I drive home the next day and come into the house with my awards. I express to my husband what had happened and he said, “why don’t you become an awardpro”. This is the day that awardprowas born. I want to make a difference. To be continued…

Why don’t people smile that drive nice cars?

Ready set blog. Have you noticed that people that have nice cars are not driving with a smile? They have this frown on their face and they do not look happy at all. You look at them and smile and they have this look on their face of  I am too cool to smile or I am just so not going to be nice or I have a frown on my face because I am cooler then you. (no you just look sad and not happy to me) I myself drive a nice car and I love to smile. I love seeing the reaction of people that look at me when I drive when I give them a big smile. Think about this. The next time you see someone driving a Bentley, Mercedes or anything you regard as nice. Check them out. They need to see you smile at them.