House Cleaning Misses – Grungy But Forgotten
Published January 9, 2012
What grungy mess lurks inside your home?
Most of us do at least some house cleaning. That is, unless we’re blessed with an ability to ignore our mess altogether, or have an abundance of money and can pay someone else to do the job. Since I don’t fall into either category, I’m often the one taking up the chore at our house. And while I usually do a decent job of it, I can get into a cleaning “mode” where I’ll pretty much set myself on cruise control and think about other things to pass the time. That means certain chores like vacuuming get done, but others are bypassed until there’s a notable accumulation of grunge. Believe me, it can get ugly. Continue reading
Posted in Bob Anderson, Lifestyle, Zero-Based Living | 
Cleaning, effort, family, health, motivation, obligation, peace of mind, quality of life, tips | 
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Overcoming Shyness: 9 Tips For Making Conversation
Published January 4, 2012
Do you suffer from shyness? Do you find it's difficult to start a conversation?
Imagine you enter a room full of strangers. Is your first inclination to spin around and walk away? Or does the prospect of making new friends give you the courage to charge in like a bull and embrace the opportunity? If you think you’re the only shy one in the crowd, you may be surprised to learn most people experience at least some level of awkwardness and anxiety in a new situation. Meeting people we don’t know can feel extremely uncomfortable—that’s normal. Yet it’s also true certain people seem to have a knack for overcoming their natural tendency toward shyness. If you want to learn how they do it, check out the 9 tips below: Continue reading
Are You Ready For 2012?
Published January 2, 2012
Wake up to a new dawn. (Click to expand).
It’s a new year. Are you where you want to be? Are you hoping to make changes? If you’ve struggled with resolutions in the past, maybe you’re going about change the wrong way. Check out these articles for some great ideas to start building the future you want: Continue reading
6 Strategies For Overcoming Outrage
Published December 14, 2011
Shouldn't life look more like this?
Consider this: Outrage is an expression of anger, one often used to mask and refocus our feelings about situations or issues beyond our control. And increasingly, the way we express our outrage is over the internet. Here’s the thing: We’d probably feel a lot better if we skipped that. Continue reading
Posts Of Christmas Past
Published December 5, 2011If you only recently joined us at Javabird.com, we thought you might enjoy reading some of our favorite holiday posts from the past. Are they still relevant? You bet! Check ‘em out, here.
Why run to the store when the best deals are often at your fingertips?
Even if you don’t own a smartphone or have the latest app, when know what to look for you can turn the internet into your very own personal shopping assistant. An effective means to get the very latest and hottest deals is through a deal forum website. These sites are member driven and are a great way to save money on most anything you purchase. Read more…
Let's see here...ah yes, a true masterpiece. Ahem...'Twas the night before Quackimas and...
Twas The Night Before Quackimas
Here’s our wacky blogger’s adaptation of that famous holiday classic, “Twas A Night Before Christmas“. If you like ducks like we do, pour yourself a glass of eggnog, gather the kids and prepare to be entertained by Larry, Santa’s favorite helper. Read more…
These reindeer are cute and so easy to make.
The holidays always inspire me to want to do fun (easy) crafts. I love to give away the things I make as gifts. Plus, I’m a pushover for cute critters, so the candy cane reindeer project was perfect. This simple project will create whimsical ornaments to decorate trees, gifts, stockings or presents. Read more…
Life was simpler when we were kids.
Holiday Giving Part 1: The Magic Of Christmas
Though the tradition of holiday giving is as old as humanity, my experience of Christmas is the story of a boy growing up in a good-sized, middle-class family. My parents tried to instill a strong sense of Christian values within me, which meant a good part of my tradition took on religious overtones. Read more…
I like giving, but it sure takes a bite out of my wallet.
Holiday Giving Part 2: Getting Real About Giving
As much as I like the sights and sounds of the holidays I’ve learned there’s a practical side to giving—one I can’t afford to ignore. I don’t know about you, but unless I’m careful the holidays really put a hole in my budget. That’s why I love these gift ideas. Read more…
Holiday lights are so pretty, but I'm on a budget. Can I afford running them?
Are My Christmas Lights Costing Me A Fortune?
Are Christmas lights big energy wasters? How much do they impact a typical energy bill each year? I was curious to find out, so I went to Kmart, wrote down the figures listed on the boxes, and then plugged them into my computer. Here’s what I discovered. Read more…
Here are some tips for making resolutions that stick...New Years or otherwise.
Six Tips For Making Successful Resolutions
As the New Year approaches, I’m often asked whether I’ve made any New Year’s Resolutions. I know lots of folks who’ve given up on the whole idea, but I’ve discovered 6 sure tips for making resolutions that stick. Read more…
I've almost given up. Is there any way to achieve my dreams?
The Life Timeline: Planning For A Brighter Future
Feeling stuck? Hopeless? One planning tool that can make a real difference is the life timeline. Unlike resolutions or random goals, a life timeline is a great tool for bringing peace back into a life in turmoil. Making a life timeline arms you with the information you’ll need to start turning your dreams into realities. Read more…
Stay tuned…we’ve got a whole lot more coming your way. Happy holidays!
By Bob Anderson
© 2011 Javabird.com. All rights reserved.
Pet Safety Over The Holidays
Published November 18, 2011
We need to talk.
Ruff! Hi, my name is Dusty. I’m a Havanese. I normally sleep this time of day, but the top dog in our pack was feeling lazy and asked if I’d like to write a post for our blog today. Now, I’m usually a good-natured little fella and I remembered the holidays are coming up so I figured what the heck, why not? Of course, I’m not stupid, either, so I held out until top dog bribed me with a special treat. What a sucker! Anyway, I thought I’d talk about the holidays and pet safety so here goes: Continue reading
Posted in Guest Author, Javabird, Lifestyle | alternative thinking, family, loss control, motivation, obligation, peace of mind | Leave a comment
My New Diet For The Holidays: Nooooooo!
Published November 15, 2011
"Mfphh...munch....smack, smack...when did I say that?"
With the holidays rapidly approaching, I already see signs of my inevitable downfall. I’m not sure how it happens, but every year I end up convincing myself I can eat more at this time of year than I normally do. Of course, it doesn’t help there are pies galore, a multitude of cookies, and endless sweets, treats and meats to seduce me. Continue reading
Please Stop Staring
Published November 8, 2011
Even though I’ve lived with it all my life, there is one thing I will never ever get used to—people staring at my uncle. My Uncle Robert is one year older than me and was born with Down’s Syndrome. He just turned 57. This is extraordinary for someone living with his condition. As late as 1983 the average life expectancy for a person with Down’s was 25. Today that number is closer to 60. Continue reading
Honey, I Smell Gas And It’s Not Me
Published October 13, 2011
A recent explosion of natural gas in Seattle leveled a home and sent the two occupants to the hospital with serious burns. In this case it was a problem with the gas line. It could have been a lot worse. Most of the time, we think of natural gas as a convenient and efficient method to heat our homes, run our stoves or warm our fireplaces. However, there are a few safety precautions to be aware of that everyone should take if they suspect a gas leak. Continue reading
Posted in Bob Anderson, Lifestyle, Zero-Based Living | education, household, loss control, motivation, peace of mind, tips | Leave a commentDucks Occupy Wall Street
Published October 5, 2011
Is it just me or are the 99% once again copying the brave example set forth by ducks? Lately, there’s lots of buzz in social media. Users are trying to bring political focus to issues of Wall Street excess and our economic doldrums. They started by organizing a protest to occupy Wall Street and are now encouraging the public to start local “occupy movements” and join the struggle. Yet, when it comes to struggle, ducks have been at this game far longer than any human, which means they may just be worth watching for their carefully cultivated public disobedience skills. Heck, just take a look at the pictures below and no doubt you’ll learn a thing or two about demonstrating. Continue reading
Posted in Bob Anderson, Just For Quacks, Lifestyle | for fun, history, Laughter, motivation | Leave a comment
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