Friday, March 25, 2016

Show your appreciation


When do you appreciate your Boss?

How many times have you had a supervisor or a manager that you appreciated whole-heartedly? Did you have one that you could trust to go to bat for you? Someone that you would work harder for, if for no other reason than because you had a deeper respect for them than anyone else?
Now did you show your appreciation? When it was their birthday or Christmas, did you get them a gift?
Give yourself a moment to consider this. A great leader is one who leads by example. It is one that you have high respect for, and that you will strive harder for. But how often do you let them know that you believe they are that better person? They deserve to know. Especially as they are few and far between. Managers and other leaders are mostly chosen by degrees, it seems, these days. So few of them have the knowledge or understanding – they lack the connection ability necessary to guide their employees with confidence. They won’t have people willing to go the extra mile on the job unless there is some kind of monetary bonus or kickback they want. This is sad. Leaders should be approachable by everyone. They should have a defined respect from everyone around them, that can be seen by those coming in from the outside.
I’m happy to say I work for one such guy. My manager, Mark or Mr. V. is a guy that connects with his employees. He has managers under him to supervise the departments, but that doesn’t stop him from offering his help or talking to those other employees one-on-one. He wants to see everyone succeed. He knows how to run a tight ship, but his sense of humor keeps the mood light. He is a bit of a prankster, and he can handle getting it dished back. So when his birthday came around this week, you better believe that we treated him with as much as we could muster.
My supervisor took the time and effort to decorate his office,
take a group picture that she had a poster made of,
and coordinate with everyone in the office to help in the celebration.
I baked him a cake in the theme of his favorite candy bar, Baby Ruth.
The surprise was a fantastic success.
He really did expect the room to be filled with balloons thanks to having the balloons crammed in his window.
You don't have to go all out, but take the time to show your appreciation. Those worthy of such are a rare treasure in the business world. They need to know how much they mean to others sometimes.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Light but tasty snack ideas

Sometimes you want something to snack on that might not be the healthiest, but its just oh so good! One that I like doing is bacon wrapped, cheese smothered tater tots. Simple to make, takes only 3 ingredients… how can it get better than that?

What you need:
Bag of frozen tater tots

1 package of your favorite bacon (turkey doesn’t work too well for this one)
1 package of cheese (any of your favorite kinds)  

I like to deviate from the way I’ve seen them made online. I own a deep fryer, so I fry some tater tots first. Don’t need to crisp them too much though! Then you will want to let those sit on a napkin while you prep your next step. I cut my bacon strips in half. Get out that baking sheet and preheat your oven to 375. I cover mine in aluminum foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray. This helps to keep it from sticking too badly.
Grab one of the bacon strips, wrap up the tater tot, and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat this step with the rest of your bacon and tater tots until you have the desired amount. Bake for about 10 minutes. Then add your cheese and bake again for another 10 or so minutes. You want the bacon to be cooked and the cheese to be completely melted around your tots. You can make as much or as little as you want, based on how many people you are serving. I've also added chili to it and then covered it with cheese.
Another recipe I love is Doritos Nachos.
You know how Taco Bell has those tacos in the shells with Doritos flavoring? Well, you can pull that off with nachos as well.
What you need:
Your favorite Doritos chips (I use the HEB brand of them sometimes)
Cheese
ground beef
salsa
First thing you want to do is get that baking sheet ready. Preheat your oven to 375. Spread your favorite tortilla chips on it.
You can then top it with your favorite nachos ingredients such as ground beef, cheese, etc.
Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is all melted.
At my house, the kids like when I pour the Taco Bell sauce over them and then serve. You can use your favorite sauce and sour cream as well.


And lastly, I made bacon and cheese crescent rolls. I took a can of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, some bacon strips cut in half, and cheese that I sliced into strips and rolled them up together.
Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes until they are golden brown. You can use any kind of cheese and your favorite bacon. Or you can switch it out for pepperoni or sliced deli meats.

AdoramaPix information and dicount

As a member of the US Family Guide, I was able to join in the review group for AdoramaPix. As you may know, I love picture gifts and having pictures all around my home. Sharing memories is a great way to decorate. AdoramaPix is having a great sale and I want to share the information provided for you guys to get in on it!


AdoramaPix helps people turn their digital photographs from abstract computer files into beautiful keepsakes designed to last a lifetime. Their contemporary metal prints capture memories in rich color and vibrant detail. Because your images are infused right into the metal, and not painted on the surface, their metal prints are extremely durable. Not only will your metal image be water and weather proof, but scratch resistant as well. You can even clean it with glass cleaner. Your memories deserve to live in true, archival luxury with AdoramaPix metal prints.

You can find all the fun gift ideas HERE: 
http://www.adoramapix.com/app/home/

My readers get to save! 25% off Hexagon #Metal Prints! Use promo code: PXHEXMTL25 expires 06/ 15 /2016

Monday, March 21, 2016

Columbia restaurant review

Aesthetics were inviting. But that's the deceiving part. They draw you in with friendly staff that delivers a highly professional attitude. As you gaze at the beautiful layout and designs, you take in a clean atmosphere that fools you into feeling comfortable. They play classic Spanish or Columbian music that isn't overwhelming. 

We were seated promptly right off the street. The waiter prepped our 4 seat table for 3. We all ordered water. When he brought our glasses back, 2 of the 3 water glasses had to be sent back. Some of the silverware had a film or other contaminates on them. Thankfully, we decided to order sandwiches. Instead we should've just left. The prices in the menu make you think you're getting a higher quality. But that's just another deception on their part. The best part of being there was the bread.
Before serving your meal, they bring you fresh bread and butter. The bread is flaky on the outside with a warm and soft inside that was oh so tasty. It's the perfect way to start, particularly when you're famished from the heat waves outdoors. And especially when you have to wait something over 15 minutes for your SANDWICH. I mean honestly... I can make a gourmet sandwich in less than 2 minutes. They didn't have to cook anything. And they weren't that busy. Was there only one cook? That's the only thing I can think of. And if that's the case, what idiots! It's spring break vacation and late lunch time. On one of the most popular tour sites no less. We were down St. George Street. 
Other things to take notice of, most of their dishes are seafood. Everything was very pricey. Our sandwiches were in the $10-15 range. 

The sandwiches were good. Nothing spectacular. I liked the plantain chips they served with them. A healthier and unique side dish that keeps the meal light. 
The waiter had to be flagged down when we needed something. He gave us someone else's check as well. My sisters trick of draining your glass to get service didn't even work there. 
I found their website. 
I find it interesting that they require you to be classy enough to not wear sleeveless when you're a guy. In this heat, it could be appreciated by other patrons. 
I'm still disappointed. I don't feel that this is a place I'd want to refer loved ones to. Nor will I feel inclined to return to it. With so many options on George, no one needs to suffer through the same disappointment twice.