Thursday, May 31, 2012

Reducing the Stress of Moving

Few things rank as highly on the stress chart as moving. Some people move only a few times in their life, while others move many times. Regardless of how many times you move, there are ways in which to reduce stress and eliminate the risk of injury. A reliable company such as Maplewood Movers New Jersey will offer complete services ranging from packing, loading, transporting, and unloading.

Moving services are available not only for home to home moves, but for offices moves as well. Items can also be transported into storage facilities for you. Why allow someone else to tackle these tasks for you? Some opt to enlist the help of a moving service simply because they do not have the time to do it themselves. Others may not be physically able to lift heavy items, or are not willing to risk the common injuries that can occur when doing so. These are just a few of the reasons a moving company is a valuable asset.

Determining the cost of hiring Maplewood Movers New Jersey is easy. Free quotes are available at all times. Quotes are available online as well as by phone. Coupons may also be available to help reduce the cost of moving. Each move is unique, therefore pricing for your specific move will be needed. In many cases, the cost of hiring a moving company will not be much higher than had you decided to purchase the materials, rent a truck, pay for gas, and do it yourself.

Whether moving to a larger home or office, or downsizing to a more affordable home or apartment, Maplewood Movers New Jersey can help. For many, the very thought of moving can cause anxiety. There is simply no reason to allow moving to be anything other than exciting and fun. Consider allowing moving professionals to take care of the hard work while you handle the fun aspects of setting up your new home or office.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Revenge of the Slip 'n Slide

Instead of working all day yesterday I decide to allow myself some fun. This consisted of heading to a small cookout. Nothing fancy, just some food and beer. Oh yeah, and a Slip 'n Slide. My nephew was the only child there, but I knew right away that there would be nothing stopping us adults from using it as well. After all, if it was tons of fun as a kid, it must still be fun as an adult, right?

Look at it. It looks innocent enough:



Now consider the events that followed:

1st attempt: It was positioned on an incline making it impossible for the built-in sprinklers to wet the top. I run, try to slide, fall hard and stop dead in my tracks. Everyone laughs. I laugh. No harm done. We'll just use the hosepipe to wet the top next time.

2nd attempt: Hosepipe did the trick. As soon as my feet hit the slippery surface they come flying out from under me. My rotund butt hits first, followed by my head smacking the ground with a loud thump. I'm seeing stars, but am determined to get up quickly and not act as if I am dying. I'm positive I have a concussion so I quickly retreat to my folding chair to regroup.

3rd attempt: Never one to give up, I put a motorcycle helmet on and decide to give it another go. I go for the side slide to protect my noggin. I slide down relatively gracefully, get to my knees, and then throw two fists in the air to signal that I have defeated the Slip 'n Slide! Yay me!

4th attempt: With the 3rd attempt being a success, I decide to keep my helmet on and go again. Slide how now been covered with liquid dish soap. Yippee! I'll go even faster. I decide to go for the side slide again. As soon as I hit plastic - feet fly out and I come crashing down on my hip. Yes, I slide on down, but there is no victory celebration. Again, I retreat. This time admitting total defeat.

Today I feel as if I was run over by a herd of cattle. Stiff neck, swollen hip, headache, you name it. Moral of the story. Some of the things that were fun at 10 years old are not all that fun once you hit your 40's. Next time I will suggest a rousing game of Uno instead.

Friday, May 25, 2012

How To Guide For Buying Cars with Bad Credit

The number of people in the United States that currently have bad credit is staggering. The recession has certainly added to what was already a large part of the population that can no longer be approved for traditional loans. Car ownership is required in most areas of the country. Public transportation is not widespread, and even in areas where it exists, it is certainly not convenient. For these reasons and more, many people are now wondering how to buy a car with bad credit.

It is possible to obtain an auto loan despite a past bankruptcy of repossession. A low interest rate, no down payment, and flexible terms may also be offered with bad credit loans. Many assume that if they are approved they must select a used car. This is not always the case. Loans can indeed be used to purchase brand new cars as well. The same perks that go to those with excellent credit can be had by those who have had some problems in the past.

At this point you may be wondering, how can this be? When lenders exclude the millions of individuals who now have a poor credit score, they lose out on lots of business. Certain lenders have decide to embrace these same people, provide them with a second change, treat them fairly, and reap the rewards of being able to do business with virtually anyone. This allows both the lender and the loan seeker to benefit.

These lenders also know that many of those who have a poor credit score may have found themselves in this position due to circumstances beyond their control. Medical emergencies, divorce, death of a spouse or partner and more can create a situation in which bill simply cannot be paid as agreed.

Now you know the why, so let's move on to the how. Select a lender that makes it completely clear that they do offer bad credit car loans. The internet will be a great resource for connecting you to such a lender. Online you will be able to read about what is being offered in great detail. This will allow you to make an educated decision.

Ever since the invention of the automobile humans have been in love with cars. Not only do they get us where we need to go, they simply draw us in because they are so attractive and interesting. If you have bad credit, there is no need to do without. You too can own an excellent car.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Fantasy Baseball for Dummies

No, I'm not going to give you fantasy baseball in a nutshell. Why? Because each game differs. In some you set a lineup for the week using the players you drafted before the season even started. In others, you get the chance to select an entirely new lineup each and every day (within the allotted salary cap). There are millions of stats and projections to consider, with each website possibly offering entirely different information.

The secret that most people do not know it this: there is a lot of luck involved in fantasy baseball.

You can spend hours pouring over all of the information provided online, submit your lineup, feel like you are golden, and still lose.

Though luck plays a major role, here are some easy planning tips that may help you set your lineup:

1. Make sure that your players are actually playing. I've been stupid enough to make this mistake several times. Just because one of your players is not injury prone does not mean that he will not be given the night off. There are several daily lineup sources online. Pick one and check it just before your lineup officially goes in.

2. Beware of bargain pitchers. There will be days in which excellent, low dollar pitchers will be available. Go with your gut. If you do not feel good about them, spend the money to get a good pitcher. Pitchers account for the majority of points in most leagues. Do not overlook this fact.

3. Who's hot? Determining this can be tricky. Some websites will tell you what the batting average is for each player against the pitcher that he is facing that night. It can be easy to look at these stats and assume that a player is fantasy baseball gold if he is hitting over .400 against a certain pitcher. Before plugging him into the lineup, check ESPN or another website that offers stats to see what he has done in the last week. If he is hitting .122 over the last seven days, chances are he won't do much REGARDLESS of his average against the pitcher.

Take it from someone who has learned much about fantasy baseball the hard way. All is not what it seems. Don't stat yourself to death or lose your day job over spending hours on the internet comparing stats. Know who is hot and who is not. Pick a pitcher that should do well. Set it, and forget it.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Love For Older Gaming Systems

Am I the only one who has a passion for older gaming systems? I think not. Surely I cannot be the only person who gets excited at the sight of an Atari cartridge! Upon a recent visit to a thrift store and 2nd & Charles, I stood staring at old games. Many of them brought back memories of good times.

One example was E.T. for Atari. I still remember the Christmas when my parents assured me that our family could NOT afford an expensive gaming system. Christmas morning my siblings and I ascended the stairs only to hear a foreign sound. The sound was the E.T. game intro playing in a shiny new Atari. We played that game for hours, never getting bored, ignoring all our other gifts. Sure, there were some fights over who got to go next, but still, good times.

After that was the Nintendo and Super Mario Brothers. Hours were spent trying to complete that game, siblings by my side, trying to see who was best. I will freely admit that I was never the best, but I certainly did have a lot of fun trying to get Mario to do what I wanted him to do!
Sega Genesis. Oh, how I love thee! So many games, so little time. Skitchin', a roller blade game in which the player took risks that would have surely killed them in real life was one of my favorites. I saw this game in the thrift store and was tempted to buy it despite the fact that I no longer own a Sega Genesis. Our cable company even offered a Sega Channel that cycled games each month and allowed you to play games without the need to own them. Man, those were the days.

Other gaming systems would follow once I was a "grown up." I married at a young age. One of my husbands friends introduced us to the Sega Dreamcast. This system was completely overlooked. Maybe Sega did not market it correctly, because the graphics were and are awesome. My 20 year old son still owns one of these systems. I hope he keeps it forever.

Playstation and Playstation 2 changed the game. By this time I had kids. I purchased Rugrats Golf for my son, and could not wait for him to get on the school bus so that I could play it. Once the PS2 came along, I was once again reconnected with my siblings through various sports games, ATV racing, Guitar Hero and more. As adults, the same competitive spirit still exists. It never ends, and I would not want it to.

Today, my brother and sister both own the most modern systems - PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360. I will freely admit that interactive gaming is a lot of fun (despite the fact that one of the Olympics games blew my knee out). Still, nothing will ever take the place of the old systems. I fully plan to repurchase a number of older gaming systems and use them as much as possible. No, they will not offer state of the art graphics and game play, but they will offer me a way to reconnect to some of the best times in my life.