.: Kingston Amadan Profile and Articles
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1). The Anxiety of Everyday LifeMany people I know claim that life stresses them out, and for all I know, they're probably telling the truth. Some, however, often say they feel anxiety over the major issues in their lives. When I hear this, I can't help but smile. You see, I suffered from generalized anxiety disorder for most of my life. While they may experience brief episodes of worry over life altering events that anyone would worry about, I would often find myself anxiously worried about everything.
2). My Battle with Bipolar Disorder
Since my early twenties, I have suffered from bipolar disorder. I am now in my mid-forties and have managed to keep it under control through the use of medications as well as the support of my friends, family and my wonderful and compassionate husband. Unfortunately, it took a long time to get to the point I am at now. For many years, I suffered through the challenges of trying to lead a productive and functional life despite being plagued by the imbalances brought on by my condition.
3). Muzak for the Business Phone System Ruined My Favorite Songs
When someone calls my office, there's a good chance they will be put on hold. We don't want to put anyone on hold; it's just a necessity that arises from being busy. When people who call are put on hold, they are greeted with a short message telling them how much we regret having to make them wait, followed by the soothing sounds of Vivaldi, Wagner, Bach, Brahms, Beethoven and others.
4). Phone Sales not Ready to Yeild to the Internet
There is no question that the internet has revolutionized business. Many people are not only paying their bills online, but also ordering products and services at an ever expanding rate as well. Businesses with a web presence have opened themselves up to new market where many consumers take advantage of the ease of shopping from pages visually no different from a catalog.
5). Taking Business Phone for Granted
Located in Manhattan, my company occupies a small space in the basement of a upper east side brownstone. Because the space is so limited, we store our servers and phone equipment in the boiler room. I know what you're thinking, and you're absolutely right. It's not a good idea to put your most expensive equipment in a tiny room that feels like the foyer to hell.
6). Restaurant Supply a Lifesaver for Caterer
A few years ago, I was working as a catering manager of a local historic hotel. The hotel had been in terrible condition for many years until a group of investors purchased it and began the long arduous process of renovation. They were able to get the majority of it renovated before the funding started to run out, at which time they opened for business to offset some of the costs of ownership.
7). The Rise of Social Conscience in Art Inspired Fashion
Art can be a means of reconstructing experiences, communicating emotions or echoing the sentiments of individuals or the masses. From the ancient to the modern, artistic works have run the table from simple observations on life to biting social commentary. The growing segment of contemporary artists who bravely showcase their displeasure with the current state of affairs using creation as an inspiration for positive social change are turning up in the strangest of places, even the world of fashion.
8). A Call to Action
Because of a recent boom in business, my company needed to update our office phone system. We had a very nice system in place already, but our business had tripled within a matter of months. Since we rely on phone orders for the vast majority of our sales, we needed to upgrade in order to handle the increase in call volume. We were lucky to have a great relationship with our telephone equipment provider, as within days we were able to have a new system ready to put in place.
9). Tips for Entrepreneurs Opening a Restaurant
As entrepreneurial enterprises are concerned, opening a restaurant is by far one of the hardest endeavors to undertake. While the rate of restaurant failure isn't nearly as bad as it's purported to be, restaurants do fail at a much higher rate than many other types of self starter business. For that matter, even franchised restaurants (usually the smaller "fast food" variety) have a failure rate just a few percentage points below self starters.
10). The Market for Used Business Phone System Equipment
Business phone systems and the companies who sell them exist in a world all their own. The competition is stiff, with several different retailers and wholesalers carrying the same brands. The competition for used and refurbished business phones and business phone systems is even fiercer, as many companies are searching for equipment that can be used to expand their current system.
11). Customer Service for Business Phone Systems
Working in a law office often means long hours and late nights, especially doing probate work. Getting in before seven A.M. and staying until well past business hours, I assumed that I would always be available for whoever might call me. Recently, my office switched our business phone system and I started to notice a drop in the number of calls I was receiving each day.
12). New Business Phone System Makes the Difference
My small business was growing in almost every way imaginable. Every way except the bottom line, that is. My company primarily does business over the phone, with over ninety percent of our sales coming across our telephone lines. When our call volume started to increase late last year, I hired several new employees to man our existing phone system. We updated our computer software, desktops and server to make order processing substantially smoother.
13). Finding the Right Equipment Supplier Paramount to Success in the Restaurant Industry
Most companies with any degree of overhead know that finding the right supplier of products necessary to run their business is of the utmost importance. For most businesses, it can mean a substantial savings and reduce the headaches often associated with searching for a reliable equipment dealer. For restaurants, however, finding the right equipment supplier can mean the difference between success and failure in the industry.
14). My Experience Buying a Business Phone System
As the office manager for a small insurance company, one of the many duties I perform is purchasing. This normally involves stopping off at the local office supply store for pens, paper clips, printer paper, ink and toner. In other words, I'm not exactly entrusted with making high level, crucial decisions when it comes to purchasing. In fact, we used to have one of the secretaries do it.
15). Gift Baskets A Great Way to Celebrate Easter
Easter is such a special time of year. I can recall fond memories of Easters past when my mother and father would hide brightly colored eggs in the yard and send my sisters and I out to find them. What joy we had running around the yard, looking in every nook and cranny for the eggs we had hand decorated together as a family. As I recall, whoever found the most always received a special gift, usually a dollar or two.
16). Caller ID of Death
As a broker, there is an unwritten rule that you don't steal clients from a co-worker because we all work on commission. Our office phone system works in such a way that if a desk is unmanned, the call will be transferred to another desk until it is picked up. When I get a call of this nature, I can pull up the investor’s information and see exactly what has portfolio holds and who he normally deals with.
17). How to Save Money When Buying Inkjet Cartridges
Purchasing ink cartridges for professional and consumer printers can be a costly endeavor. With many desktop printers costing less than the ink cartridges needed to run them, the search for affordable ink has never been more necessary than now. Unfortunately, many individuals and purchasing managers alike are unfamiliar with ways they can reduce their ink expenditures while getting the products they require.
18). Upgrading Your Business Phone System
Upgrading a business phone system is, whenever possible, a much more cost effective alternative to replacing a business phone system. Replacing a business phone system can be an expensive and time consuming endeavor, to say the least. The biggest obstacle most businesses face when upgrading is that many business phone systems are expandable to a limited degree.
19). Handsets an Important Factor in Choosing Business Phone Systems
By necessity, business phones are usually a bit more bulky than regular phones. Although technology has greatly reduced the size of business phones in recent years, ergonomics hasn't necessarily caught up. Of course, when choosing a phone system, some manufacturers' trunk equipment setups will limit the types of handsets that can be used along with them.
20). Buying Business Phone Systems Doesn't Have to be Complicated
As a purchasing manager, it's my job to make sure that the items purchased for my company will not only meet our present and future needs, but that they will do so in a cost effective manner. With some items I am charged with obtaining, it's simply a matter of price. I look for the lowest price at the highest level of quality. I am often put in a position to make qualitative judgments on the merits of different items, including things as trivial as the adhesive used on the back of sticky pads.
21). Gift Basket Heaven
I love receiving gifts, and let's face it...who on earth doesn't. Getting flowers from my husband always makes me feel special. The cards I get from the kids on my birthday and the holidays are precious to me. Still, there is one gift I look forward to more than any other. I have an aunt who I have always been very close to and who sends me a gift basket every year for Christmas.
22). Hoodia and Hunger
Perhaps you've already heard of hoodia, the unsightly and unpleasant tasting cactus-like plant which grows in the Kalahari Desert. In recent months, hoodia has received an overwhelming amount of attention from the media for it's ability to suppress hunger with no discernable negative side effects. But how exactly does this plant fool our brains into thinking we are full?
Hoodia contains, among other things, steroidal glycosides.
23). Bunk Bed Basics
Bunk beds are a great way to fit two beds into a smaller space, or to maximize the floor space of a shared room. There are now bunk beds available with storage drawers, roll out mattresses and even some that double as desks and workstations. All the additional amenities that bunk beds now offer are certainly something to be considered, but nothing is more important when purchasing a bunk bed than safety.
24). Purchasing Business Phones Doesn't Have to Hurt
Finding the right business phone distributor can be a lot like dating. Inevitably, you will go through your fair share of undesirable suitors before finding the right one. Not only that, the process itself will be well beyond nerve wracking for most. Long after you have decided that one or another retailer or wholesaler is not the one who you should entrust your business to, you will still likely be getting phone calls from them.
25). Refurbished Business Phone Systems an Excellent Way to Save
Buying a business phone system can be an expensive endeavor, especially if you are operating a new business and aren't prepared for the expense. One way to help keep costs low is to purchase a refurbished business phone system. Refurbished systems are can save you a great deal of money, especially if you operate a multiple location business.
Many business phone system retailers have customers who quickly outgrow their initial phone system.
26). Gift Basket Gets the Attention
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, our family found itself in an odd situation. My husband had recently been promoted within his company, which resulted in our moving to a new city. We made the move in mid-November, which made planning for Thanksgiving virtually impossible. There was so much to do in regard to closing on a new home, selling our old home, the move itself and getting settled that we decided to have a simple Thanksgiving instead of the feast we normally prepare.
27). Disaster Recovery More Than Meets the Eye
As the Vice President of Operations for an online retailer of contact lenses, I am used to the potential problems related to doing business on the World Wide Web. Like any other online retailer, we have a responsibility to our customers to maintain their personal and payment information with the strictest of confidence and within regulatory guidelines mandated by our government.
28). Game Tables have Come A Long Way
When I was young, my family had a game table in our basement that my siblings and I all enjoyed. We played chess and checkers just about every night to amuse ourselves and I can still recall many fond memories of conversations we had while seated around that table. My mother would always want us to play upstairs where she could keep a better eye on us, but that would have meant bringing the game table upstairs as well.
29). Recognizing the Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a treatable brain disorder marked by extreme shifts in a person's mood and disposition. Periods of intense mania are followed by bouts of severe depression, often with periods of normalcy in between. While on either end of the spectrum, sufferers of bipolar disorder often find it difficult to concentrate and maintain functionality sufficient for leading a productive life.
30). MSDS Availability for Chemical Manufacturers
Material Safety Data Sheets are an important part of the chemical manufacturing business, not only from a safety standpoint, but from a regulatory standpoint as well. Chemical manufacturers must make Material Safety Data Sheets available for all clients and products when applicable. In order to provide the proper documentation and labeling, chemical manufacturers must rely on MSDS generating software.
31). Understanding Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders can have a devastating effect on those who suffer from them. Left untreated, anxiety disorders often inhibit an individual’s ability to function normally in everyday life. Anxiety disorder may also be a source of additional tension caused by the strain the condition places on personal and professional relationships. Physical manifestations.
32). Skip the Tie This Father's Day, Try Something New
I remember past Father's Day celebrations well. Mom would buy dad something he asked for while us kids would use his money (our allowance) to buy him something I am positive he not only didn't want, but didn't need as well. Sure, I know...it's the thought that counts. Unfortunately, the only thought I have about those particular days centers around the astonishment I have that dad could keep a straight face after opening our gifts, much less offer up a gracious "thank you" as he always did.
33). Ogoplex
I recently tried ogoplex, a supplement that originated in Europe. I had heard that ogoplex could make orgasms during sex better for men. Better doesn't even begin to describe what ogoplex can do.
I'm sure most of you are familiar with a woman's ability to have multiple orgasms. As men, we're fairly spent after one. When I was younger, I could recover after a short rest and jump back in the saddle.
34). How NOT to handle bad breath
We've all been there. You round the corner to your cubical ready to start the day's work when you are suddenly accosted by the familiar stench of a co-worker's bad breath.
"Here we go again...", you think. "Another 'H'-filled tirade that won't ever permeate my ears because I'm too busy trying to keep it from permeating my nose."
"So anywahhhhy," continues your co-worker, "Hhhhank Hhhhenshhhhaaw from Hhhhuman Reshhhhourcess told me ouhhhhhr 401k plahhhhn is an outstahhhhnding invehhhhhstment optiohhhhhn.
35). Valentine's Day a Perfect Holiday for Gift Baskets
Many people associate gift baskets with Christmas, Easter, housewarming or job promotions, and rightfully so. Gift baskets are wonderful gifts for these occasions and many others. Gift baskets also make a great gift for Valentine's Day. With so many gift baskets available now for specialty gift giving, it's no wonder people are starting to discover that Valentine's Day is the perfect holiday for gift baskets.
36). Head-set on Embarrassing Myself
My job is not stressful, I would say, just demanding. I answer the phone for a brokerage house on Wall Street. I enjoy my job, but I was having a problem keeping up with the volume of calls that come across my desk everyday. My supervisor noticed that I was having problems and suggested that they could provide me with a headset, if I thought it might help.
37). My Jewelry Armoire
The older I get, the harder I find it to throw things away. By far, clothes are the most difficult for me to get rid of as I keep thinking that I will have occasion to wear again what hasn't been worn in years. Despite my reluctance, I decided to go through my wardrobe and donate anything I hadn't put on in over a year. It wasn't easy to let go of some things, especially when I remembered how much I had paid for them and how little they had been used.
38). The Voice of Reason
In my position as an investment portflio manager, I often have to make phone calls to other departments in the financial organization I work for. Several months ago, I placed a phone call to our accounting department, which is located on an entirely different floor in our building. Instead of the usual voice I am used to hearing, I was pleasantly suprised by a sultry "Accounts receivable, this is Regina speaking".
39). The Merger of Art and Designer Clothing
The human figure has been portrayed in art for centuries. From the anatomically precise sketches of pre-modern Da Vinci and post modern sculpture of Damien Hirst to the telling facial expression and body language of Caravaggio, the human form has been explored and exploited both inside and out. Whether early Pollock or pornography, abstract or offensive, the body has managed to inspire a great body of work.
40). Cheaper is Not Always Better
I work for a large insurance firm in the northwest, in an office with over 500 other employees. Management recently decided to replace our existing phone system as the old system was no longer meeting our needs. I and my co-workers were under the impression that they were going to update the system, as in "make an improvement", and that we would have late model phones with technological advancements galore.
41). Disaster Preparedness in a Post 9/11 World
So much has changed in the last several years after 9/11, and yet most businesses are still inadequately prepared for disastrous situations. Not only are they vulnerable from the threat of terrorism, but from security and natural disaster standpoints as well. While a terrorist act poses a substantial threat to business operations; data loss, internal and external theft, floods and fires can be just as harmful.
42). Bunk Beds Change, People Don't
I remember vividly the day my family moved from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Chicago. I was all of ten years old and like any child would be, excited to see the city. My father had received a promotion at the bank he had worked at since well before I was born and we were now leaving the relative comfort of our home for an apartment on Michigan Avenue. Driving into the city was almost surreal, and although sullen over leaving my friends behind, I was enthralled with the possibility of great opportunities that lay ahead.
43). Basics of Multi Line Commercial Phone Systems
While most commercial phone systems offer standardized features such as voice mail, call forwarding, transferring and hold music, not all are created equal. With three different options for businesses, it's important to understand that the phone system you choose should be reflection of your businesses size and where you expect to be several years down the road.
44). Gift Baskets Offer a Variety of Holiday Treats
It never fails that each and every year, I have a hard time deciding what to purchase for friends and relatives around the holidays. Lately, I've been sending gift baskets as these are the one gift that I know will be appreciated. There are two reasons why I feel a gift basket is a wise choice, especially for holiday gift giving. The first reason is that gift baskets can be tailored to suit any taste or any person.
45). The Importance of a Knowledgeable Restaurant Equipment Supplier to Your Business
It was early on a Friday night, and already the front of the house was packed. My kitchen looked like a beehive, and as usual, my whole staff was working furiously to keep everybody happy. It's a necessity both they and I have come to live with as a result of our setup. You see, our kitchen is entirely too small for the amount of business we get. Because of my location, which I wouldn't give up for the world, there's not a lot I can do about it.
46). Cellular Ties in to Business Phone System
The roving sales reps at my company have something to be happy about. We recently updated our phone system to allow them to use the full resources of our office phone system from their cell phones. All information that they receive at the office is instantly transmitted to their mobile phone no matter where they are. This has greatly simplified their lives in a big way.
47). The Accidental Gift Basket
My husband and I recently had a baby, and family and friends have been dropping by regularly to visit and see our new addition. We live near my family, so they've been over almost every day while my husband's family is spread out all over the United States. Since his family can't exactly drop by for obvious reasons, we've gotten a lot of cards, letters and gifts in the mail.
48). Web Furniture Retailers Embracing Art Yet Another Reason to Shop Online
It seems that once again, the virtual world has outperformed the real world. Online furniture retailers are offering canvas transfers and prints from respected artists alongside their furniture.
I have to confess, I am an avid online shopper. Being a New Yorker, there are two elements to the online shopping experience that make it so much better than going to a local retailer.
49). A Line for Every Extension
I recently replaced the business phone systems in the company I own to accommodate the needs of my staff. I wish I could say that it was to accommodate the needs of our customers, but sadly, that isn't the case. You see, our old phone system had many more extensions than we had lines for. It was built with the assumption that inter-office communications would be utilized more than incoming and outgoing calls.
50). The Phone From Hell
Last April, our office secretary retired after thirty-seven years on the job. I had been around as department manager for the last fifteen of them, and I knew we were going to have an impossible time replacing her. She was unbelievable, to say the least. My impression of her was that God himself would have been jealous of her organizational skills..