The Beauty Denominator

I love to cut hair and do facials, but everything else I dislike. That’s why I no longer practise my profession. If you don’t love everything about the job you do then it’s time to leave it and find something that makes you happy because life is too short. I know many feel trapped in their job because of responsibilities and maybe the money is good, but are you happy and do you make your family happy or are you miserable and make your family just as miserable? Is it worth it? Well, it wasn’t to me.

Many of the girls I went to school with have also stopped practising for various reasons. Some couldn’t stand touching other people, others couldn’t use the chemicals on a daily bases and still others realized that they just weren’t good enough to make the grade. The ones I have run into seem much happier being bank tellers, clerks, cooks, and waitresses. They are still working in various people businesses, but it’s less personal.

It really is hard to touch other people, but it’s something you have to endure if that’s what you have chosen to do. It was something that I wanted to do all my life and so I did it finally and was very proud of myself. I really did enjoy it at first and it made me feel good when I was able to achieve something that my client wanted and they were happy. I hated using chemicals because as far as I’m concerned they destroy your hair, but people simply don’t care.

It’s an endless cycle, you screw up someones hair then they spend more money to have it corrected so you can screw it up some more. The money that people spend on perms and bleaching just to have over processed hair amazes me. Those people that wear acrylic or any other type nails as far as I’m concerned are nuts. I can do manicures if I want to, but I don’t because I have seen too many ruined nails underneath those tips.

The things women do in the name of beauty. I think it’s great to go to the spa and be pampered because it’s very relaxing, but some parts of the beauty rituals we women use and do really bother me. I will probably never practise again, but I still like to keep up with stuff. I keep my license active because I worked so hard to get it. Maybe someday I’ll open a shop for corrective cuts, facials, scalp massage, and deep conditioning, but no harsh chemicals allowed.

I was very surprised when I checked my blog this morning and saw an incoming link which said Honda Rebel so I went to check and see who was linking back to me and below is what I saw. They had taken my whole post and put it on their blog, but it did have a link back to me, but they had added a photo and a couple of lines of their own at the end of my post.

What was surprising to me was that I saw an Entrecard widget and thought what the heck? I debated all day about what I should do, but didn’t decide on a plan of action. It’s okay if someone wants to use something of mine, but ask first and don’t take the whole thing unless I give permission. I don’t mind a quote or portion being used with a link back to my original post.

I forgot about the episode until I was dropping EC’s for another blog and happened upon the same blog, but what surprised me was the following where the widget had been this morning:
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BLOG OF THE DAY
Sorry but I no longer belong to Entrecard. They dropped me. They say I am a scraper site.
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Now I find that hilarious because didn’t this person know that you don’t use another persons blog post as your own even if you do give a link back and not ask permission. At any rate they must have scrapped other blogs and someone reported them. I’m not sure what I was going to do. I still may ask them to take it down. I hate when this happens. Below are the screenshots and the last 2 sentences and photo is his.

Making sure that the customers that keep you in business are getting the best customer service care is crucial for any business. Don’t take that customer for granted and make it your job to make sure your customers are satisfied and they will continue to help your business grow. We all like to be appreciated and it really takes very little to make most people happy, a friendly smile and a kind word goes a long way.

A shop owner should always realize that if they have happy employees then they are more likely to give a better quality of service to your customers. Believe me I have seen disgruntled people that aren’t happy in their chosen job and they really don’t care if the customer is happy or not. My suggestion is to weed these people out if you want your business to continue to grow.

The best principle to live by is the basic do unto others as you would have done to you. You know that your employees take their cue from management and if you don’t set the services expected by your own example then you aren’t going to find your employees
doing as you would like. Make sure you show them by example instead of just telling them how and your customers will  notice it too.

Always remember your regulars and try to always acknowledge them. They appreciate it when you have an understanding of who they are. These are the people that actually pay your wages because without them you wouldn’t have a job. Treat them with the respect they deserve, you will keep them happy and returning again and again, it really does take very little.

Always try to make a good impression and remember just a smile and a few kind words will leave a lasting impression that will ensure they return. They will seek you out because of your friendly attitude and good service and they wont even mind paying an extra few dollars to ask for you specifically if you work in the type of salon. There’s a sense of trust and contentment knowing that you’ve been a good representative of the company to them.

That works in any company if you treat customers with respect and acknowledge them as being important to the continued success of your business these customers will continue to seek you out for all of their needs. Go that extra mile make those customers feel like VIP’s when they are being served. Give them your full attention and any ‘special’ treatment will go a long way in how they view the service they received.

Are your customers greeted when they walk in the door or at least within 30-40 seconds upon entering? Always acknowledge your customer with a welcome and a hello and accompanied by a smile this will have a huge impact on the rest of your service. If a customer feels ignored they will leave and give their business to another company. I have done this many times when I couldn’t find a salesperson to talk to, I go somewhere else that has better customer service.

Having the attitude that the customer is always right really does go a long way. Try to give your customers the benefit of the doubt. Even when you believe they are mistaken, give them the courteously of listening to their complaint and then do whatever you can to resolve their concerns. Also if a customer is looking for something specific and you don’t carry it tell them that you will be happy to order it for them and you will give them a call when it comes in.

I wrote about the baby bird we found yesterday and how bummed out I was and the more I thought about it I knew it had to come from somewhere, but where? I looked in the bench that I had made for a stray cat that is no longer around thinking there might be a nest, but saw nothing and was simply dumbfounded. Where in the world had this baby bird come from?

Things happen and I realized after the little bird ceased to be that there had to be an explanation. How did it come to be there and where had it come from it was just a fledgling and it had to come from somewhere, but where? I then got curious and decided to check my shrubs ( arborvitaes ) and I was totally amazed. The pictures will be posted below.

I hope you can help me with this because I was dumbfounded when I decided to climb up and find a nest in my bush to explain the baby bird. There was no nest, but there was a webbing of sorts and I found some other little fledglings holding on for dear life. I saw two which I took pictures of and also a webbing devise that they had to have been hatched in because there is no nest. It’s very bewildering because I found no shells below.

So even though I was depressed about one little bird I found something beautiful with the rest of my bush and I would appreciate any knowledge any one has. The pictures will speak for themselves. I had noticed a little bird that kept hanging around every where and made a lot of loud noises and I asked Bill, but he had no clue. I am assuming this little bird has been scaring the bigger birds away from it’s territory.

The last month my balcony has reminded me of “The Birds” because there has definitely been a lot of raised bird chatter and it has even brought to  my mind Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” and you can actually hear and decipher what they are saying if you listen close enough. At times they disturb me with all the raucous chattering and twittering and I even recorded some, but I don’t know how to up load it to my blog. This little bird guards from all sides.

Below You will find The photo’s I took yesterday and hopefully someone can tell me what kind of little bird this is with a red head and a red under belly, maybe a Finch or a Wren? It’s very small and there is no nest and I have seen no sign of egg shell that they might have pecked it’s way out of. I asked Bill if he had ever seen one of these birds and he had no clue, nor do I.

This is a valiant little Mother or who knows maybe it is the Father which ever it is it truly pulls a valiant guard that I admire. So please take a moment and give a look and give me some input on this species and how I may avoid another catastrophe with my Shadow perhaps injuring another one if it breaks loose of it’s web. My Shadow didn’t mean to harm the little baby bird.

We found a baby bird this morning laying by the bench and I thought it was a frog that Shadow was investigating so I told Bill he was smacking at something and when Bill checked he told me what it was. Now I know absoulutely nothing about baby birds and we couldn’t even figure out where it came from so he took it out behind the garage because it was still alive.

I just went out and got the little thing and put it in a box at least and brought it back where we found it, but put it up on the bench and covered it up a little and its little mouth kept opening so I tried to find a worm, but there are never any around till I start to mow then they are all over the place. I certainly didn’t want the stray cats to gobble the little thing up out back.

I know the little guy wont survive and that makes me sad. It’s a mystery because I can’t find any nests unless something dragged the little guy there and we scared it off when we came out. I hate when stuff like this happens because I feel so helpless to do anything. I’m hoping some mama bird comes looking for him, but I doubt that will happen, what could she do anyhow? Bummer Bummer Bummer

Well since no one has a Rebel they want to sell me I guess I’ll add another post. I was really doing the positive thinking and already riding it in my head. Well, it doesn’t mean it wont happen, just means it will happen in due course, just not right this minute.

I was focusing my thoughts on getting that used Rebel to learn on and picturing myself riding it and I truly believe that I deserve it, and I’m allowing it to come to me and that is the way to get it. I know the process works because I’ve done it before with other things that I have wanted.

There’s three steps to the Law of Attraction and asking is the first step, then feeling and acting as if you’ve received it is the second, knowing you deserve it and allowing it to come to you is the third.

You don’t want to create negative energy by having doubts about your worthiness because we are all worthy of whatever we desire. When you don’t think you deserve whatever it is you want then you won’t get it. If you think the Law of Attraction will work then it will, but any negative energy will produce negative results and it won’t work for you.

In order to get that positive energy flowing you have to think in a positive way which I am so therefore I know and believe I will obtain what I seek. So remember when you use the Law of Attraction know what you desire and ask for it. I’m sure everyone has heard all this before, but I’m repeating it. Knowing what you want may not be as easy as it sounds though.

Consciously and unconsciously our minds are filled with all kinds of desires, wants and fears apart from all the basic physical needs that we have. You have to know why you want the things you want. Could be that what you really want, isn’t what you’re asking for at all and if you have conflict with the conscious and unconscious then your defeating yourself because both produce the same amount of energy.

You have to believe that what you desire is already yours and this is a very important step because it’s positive thinking and you want to create that positive energy to complete your desire, visualization is very important.

Many people have a hard time with the last step of receiving and find it to be the hardest part. If you consciously or unconsciously feel you don’t deserve what you’re asking for then you won’t get it. If you don’t believe you’re worthy of having your desires come true then they never will, but if you just believe and allow the completion of your desire then your wishes will be fulfilled.

I know my desire will come true because both Bill and I are using positive thinking. I always have to tell myself to be patient because I always want it right this minute, but since I have seen the Law of Attraction work many times in my life I have total faith in the power of the mind and positive thinking. I’ll let you know when I get my Rebel and I’ll make sure to post a picture.              

This is not something I normally do, but I thought I would give it a shot on my blog in the hopes that some of you readers might be in the Lancaster, Harrisburg, York or surrounding area of Pennsylvania. I am looking to buy a used Honda Rebel so Bill can teach me to ride a real motorcycle and since they are a small bike that women usually start out on I thought this would be a good blog to run my ad on.

I want a Rebel and especially a small one to learn how to use gears and a clutch. If anyone has a used one near the location I mentioned above I would appreciate a message in the comment section or you can e-mail me with details at jude8753 at verizon dot net. I don’t want spam please just serious replies. Of course in the e-mail above just substitute @ for at and a . for dot that was simply to keep bots from picking up my e-mail.

Thanks for not minding my posting of this. I have checked Craig’s list and have been searching other avenues. I will be sure to post and let you know if I find one.

Everyone knows what time of the year this is and I’m sure there are many young women out there dreaming of being a June bride. Although many couples are getting away from the more traditional and opting for more unique times of the year, venue, and themes. I was married by a JP so I missed all the fun of planning or maybe they are considered headaches of having that perfect wedding day.

Even though I didn’t have a beautiful wedding I have been to many since then and when I did banquets I also served at many receptions. I love receptions that’s when you can really let your hair down and breath a big sigh of relief that everything went as planned, hopefully everything did. I remember one reception I attended where the Mother of the bride was handed the bill and she passed out.

We later learned that it wasn’t the amount of the bill, but simply sheer nerves and stress that she had been under to pull the whole thing off and since it was almost over she collapsed. It wasn’t funny, but it is now in retrospect. When one of my best friends got married the 3rd time to someone much younger she insisted on black and white for her wedding or funeral as she called it.

She had such a weird sense of humor, but at least she wore white, but she had the weirdest invitations with a casket on them. Imagine receiving one of those in the mail. Everyone of course is free to plan their wedding as they choose and besides the invitations and half the wedding cake hitting the floor everything else was lovely. I was just looking at some 1st Class Wedding Invitations and there is a new feature called ZOOM that I haven’t seen on other invitation sites.

When you click to view a card a little white square comes up and you can move it all over the card to view an area in detail. That is a convenient way to see all the details in any given area. They have some beautiful invitations and I was choosing the kind that I probably would have had for my wedding. I like to do that some times since I didn’t get to have one.

Once I planned my wedding to the very last detail and had costs of everything and a list of all my guest, but of course it was only make believe. My taste usually runs very simple, but I like a touch of elegance and class even though I’m very down to earth. This is the invitation I chose for my pretend wedding. They had so many beautiful ones to choose from, but the one below is more my taste.

Just because someone asks for advice or an opinion doesn’t mean they are going to follow it. They may just want their opinion backed up and when you have an opposing opinion to theirs they may sometimes take offense and get upset depending on the circumstance. I have known many people during my life that give their opinion and advice whether it’s asked for or not.

It is much easier to give advice than to take it regarding anything. Regardless of what I think I never give anyone advice unless I’m asked for it and even then I am reserved in what I might really want to tell them. I like being neutral and I would never point out the err of anyone’s ways because it’s not my place to judge and besides I am not perfect so who am I to hand out advice?

In writing a blog you put out general information that is there and if someone wants to implement it then that’s fine. Many people know the correct way of doing things, but they don’t always put that knowledge to good and practical use. We tend to be so critical of others that we forget to take stock of ourselves. I always like to see the people that are pointing fingers and making snide comments.

I looked up the word snarky and it seems to have several different meanings, but some of the blogs I have visited I think the word describes them perfectly. I enjoyed reading the different meanings that the word has been used for on Google Answers. I think a lot of people use that word to even describe themselves and seem to be quite proud of it, Oh well to each their own.

Most of us also tend to like that old saying, Do as I say, not as I do especially when it comes to our children, but we all know that people will listen with their eyes and heart and follow by example so if you’re doing something that you know isn’t right or healthy for yourself and you don’t want your children to do it, do you think just by telling them not to do it will be enough to discourage them?

I stopped the Friday recommended blogs because it seems I hurt a few friends feelings by not putting theirs up and for that I do apologise and I promise I will throw in a plug every now and then if you write an interesting article that I think it would be beneficial to my readers.

I took the weekend off and for those of you with comments waiting I will get to them shortly. Hopefully you have already found the information you needed, but if not I will answer them later this evening. I was glad to see that I didn’t offend any of you with the last post and you still left questions, but then again you probably didn’t even read it.

Most of the visitors that come here are cosmetology students or those that already have their license and the majority are looking for answers about reciprocity. I really don’t understand why it’s so hard to find the answers that are sought, if nothing else just by sending an email to your state board would provide a very quick answer for your problem.

I have a list of all the state board sites provided for your convenience and you can even find lots of answers that may apply for your situation in the previous comments that have been posted. As mentioned in earlier posts I would greatly appreciate you reporting any bad links that you find in this blogs information so I can fix them.