Just Breath and Keep Calm

This is our busy season. That being said, we can sometimes be in over our heads with work, and in all honesty, it adds quite a bit of stress in our lives.

In order to fight this unwanted stress, we went to our smartest, most reliable friend; GOOGLE.

We came across an article by Life Hack on ten tricks that successful people use to keep their calm. They are the following:

1. Remain Positive
2. Avoid Caffeine
3. Make Jokes
4. Identify the Stressor
5. Decompress
6. Reframe the situation
7. Make a plan
8. Get some sleep
9. Ask for help
10. Mentally Prepare

These are awesome tips!  We're not so sure about #2, but the other ones are spot on!

We decided to ask our own and see how they handle stressful situations.

• Breath, count your breaths, use a stress ball and have a mantra - Cindy Smith
• Take a step back; maybe go for a walk - Brenda Gutierrez
• Write it out; get it on paper - Christina Bember

Easter is Almost Here!

Chocolate Eggs, colorful baskets, and a stuffed toy bunny; these thing are the essential elements in an Easter Basket. An though the Easter basket has become a huge part of America's Easter Celebration, Easter is a lot more than simply chocolate, baskets and stuffed toys.

In the Christian religion, Easter is the day on which the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is celebrate. It is the culmination of the Passion of Christ followed by a forty day period that includes fasting, prayer and penance. This forty day period is called lent and during the last week of lent, Good Friday and Easter take place. 

Apart from the religious ties to Easter, many Americans gather with their families in order to celebrate the holiday. Then there is the Easter Eggs. The original tradition was to boil chicken eggs and dye them with different colors. But with the rising technology and the modernization of our society, the chicken eggs have been traded for colorful plastic eggs, which proves to be a lot cleaner! Also, the plastic eggs can be filled with different candies like jellybeans or chocolates.

Hope you enjoyed this post and have a Very Happy Easter! Don't forget to comment and subscribe!

Did you know?

112 years ago, the first J.C. Penney Store opened in Wyoming. In honor of this great feat, here are 10 things about J.C. Penney!

1. J.C. Penney stands for James Cash Penney
2. As of 2010, there were 1,106 stores open
3. JCP Credit Card were first issued in 1959
4. In 1963, JCP issued their first catalog
5. Most of JCP's success came in the 1980s and 1990s
6. In 1983, JCP began selling their products online
7. In 2007, JCP partnered with Sephora, the cosmetics store
8. In 2011, JCP decided to close their catalog outlet stores
9. JCP and Martha Stewart are in the works of adding a 'store within a store' of Martha Stewart Products
10. In 2012, JCP decided to have a new pricing system; instead of having sales, JCP would have "Every Day", "Monthly Value" and "Best Prices" prices.

If you have any other facts about JCP that you think should be mentioned, leave them in the comments below! Don't forget to subscribe! 

The United States

We are proud to be Americans! In honor of the United States of America, here are 10 amazing facts!

1. The smallest state is Rhode Island coming in at 1,545 square miles and Alaska is the largest coming in at 663,268 square miles.
2. Montana has three times as many cows as it does people.
3. The original name of the city Atlanta was "Terminus".
4. There are three towns in the US that are named "Santa Claus".
5. The highest point in the state of Florida is only 345 feet above sea level.
6. Alaska has a longer coastline than all of the other 49 U.S. states put together.
7. The only place in the United States where coffee is grown commercially is in Hawaii.
8. The tallest mountain in the world is located in the United States Mauna Kea, located in Hawaii
9. The first American cookbook was published in Hartford, CT in 1796.
10. The grizzly bear is the official state animal of California.  But no grizzly bears have been seen there since 1922.

Furry Facts

In honor of the Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl, we decided to give you all 10 fun facts about the adorable furry friends! 

1. Puppies have 28 teeth and adult dogs have 42 teeth.
2. Dalmatians are pure white when they are born and develop their spots as they get older.
3. Dogs actually have sleeping cycles like humans and they dream during REM sleep.
4. Dogs have night vision.
5. 72% of dog owners believe their dog can predict the weather.
6. Dogs only sweat through the pads of their feet.
7. Dogs have three eyelids, an upper lid, a lower lid and the third lid, called a nictitating membrane or “haw,” which helps keep the eye moist and protected.
8. 45% of dogs sleep in their owner's bed.
9. It’s a myth that dogs only see in black and white. In fact, it’s believed that dogs see primarily in blue, greenish-yellow, yellow and various shades of gray.
10. A Dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 – 100,000 times more acute as that of humans.

There you have it; ten facts about our adorable, loyal friends. Remember to comment and subscribe!

Why do you watch the Super Bowl?

While watching the Super Bowl, everybody knows that companies pay big bucks to have their advertisement aired during the commercial break. According to an article from Advertising Age, 80% of Super Bowl Ads don’t help a company’s sales. The article finds the many faults that Super Bowl advertisements have. For example, Super Bowl ads are just that; the name of the product is not mentioned as often as is should be in order to impact consumers and be successful. Also, showing an ad once is not enough to impact a consumer watching. On the other hand, ads that are introducing a new product or concept tend to do a lot better than ads of well know products.

Looking at it from a consumer’s point of view, we just want to have a good laugh! We honestly don’t really care about the product or what it does or what new flavor came out. It could be possible that companies like Doritos and Pepsi make Super Bowl ads for entertainment and not for the increase in sales. If that’s their goal, they sure have succeeded in the past. Take a look at these stills from 2013 commercials.

What do you think of these ads? Remember to stay tuned, comment and subscribe!

Happy Anniversary Texas!

In honor of Texas’ anniversary as the 28^th state, here are 10 things you didn’t know about Texas.

1.       Dr. Pepper was ‘invented’ in Waco, Texas in 1885.

2.       Texas has three of the top ten most populated cities in the U.S.L Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.

3.       Central Texas is referred to the “Silicon Valley of the South.”

4.       The battle of the Alamo occurred in San Antonio, TX and almost lasted two weeks.

5.       The final battle of the Civil War took place near Brownsville, TX.

6.       Because Texas is so big, the climate can vary dramatically throughout the state.

7.       El Paso, TX is closer to Needles, CA than it is to Dallas, TX.

8.       74% of Texas is covered in farms and ranches.

9.       Texas was an independent nation from 1836-1845, until December 29, 1845.

10.   The city of Slaughter, Texas has never had a homicide.

New Year's Fun

Can you believe it? Yesterday was Christmas and here we are, 5 days away from the New Year. On Christmas, we usually get together with friends and family, eat delicious food and exchange gifts. But for the New Year’s celebration, there is so much you can do! So here is a list of some pretty cool things to do to await the New Year.

1.       London. I know it’s a stretch, but it just so happens than London is BIG on celebrating the New Year. They have fireworks, cruises, and even party clubs designed to celebrate the New Year. To see what other amazing things you can do in London, click here.

2.       Spend it with your family. I know, you were with your family for Thanksgiving AND Christmas, but they are FAMILY.  There is nothing more special than awaiting the New Year with the people that love you so much.

3.       Go out with friends. Although spending time with your family is important, sometimes it is okay to go out and have fun. So go ahead, call up your best friends, get all dressed up and go have fun! Remember your friends also love you.

4.       Host a party. If you can’t decide whether you want to wait for the New Year with family or friends, host a party and invite everyone! You do not need to cook, simply buy a few snacks and drinks and have a good time!

So there you have it! A few things you can do to make sure you enjoy your New Years. Comment, subscribe, and stay tuned for our next blog.

The Powerful Kettle

We have all seen them; the courageous volunteers facing the cold weather, ringing a Christmas bell for your dollar donation. With every dollar they receive, they get one step closer to being able to feed those less fortunate on Christmas Day. It has been that way since 1891 when Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee placed an iron kettle next to the Oakland Ferry Landing in California. Captain McFee wanted to feed 100 people on Christmas, but didn't know how to fun his goal. He then thought of when he was a sailor in Liverpool, England. At Liverpool’s Stage Landing, there was a large, iron kettle called “Simpson’s Pot” where incoming sailors would throw change to feed the poor. Thanks to the “Simpson’s Pot”, Captain McFee was able to fulfill his goal of feeding 1,000 people that year.

Now, let’s be honest. More often than not, we pass by the volunteers, give them a shy smile and move on with our day. But should we not pay more attention to the brave people trying to give back, or better yet, be one of the brave? The Salvation Army has made it very easy to become part of their team, including the Online Red Kettle. It is super easy to set up and can be a great way to give back! Check it out and start your own kettle!

Thank you so much for tuning into our blog! Remember to comment, subscribe, and in the words of Captain McFee, “Keep the Pot Boiling.” 

You Can Do It!!

The New Year is two weeks away and everyone is in the process of thinking of resolutions. Setting goals and sticking to them can be very beneficial. Whether you want to lose 15 lbs or cook more often, changing yourself, for the better is a great goal.  But although it is beneficial, it can be a bit difficult coming up with a resolution that means something and it is even more difficult sticking to it. On that note, here are a few tips that will get you on your way to fulfilling the resolution that will make you year AWESOME.

1. Think about this year and the things you wanted to get done, but didn't have the chance to. This is a good starting point because chances are you want to get that same thing done in the New Year.
2. Make sure to write your resolution down. Make tons of copies and put them everywhere. In your car, your bathroom mirror, your fridge: EVERYWHERE. This will constantly remind you of your goal and keep you on track.
3. Remember, you have twelve months to complete fulfill your resolution; there is absolutely no rush. So, take your time! And if your resolution can’t be done in a year, then make it a three year resolution or a five year one. There is nothing wrong with pacing yourself; Rome wasn't built in a day, you know.
4. DO NOT be afraid to ask for help. Asking for help doesn't mean that you are not got at your resolution, it simply means that you confident enough to get assistance from others. So go ahead, as your best friend for cooking lessons.

So there you have it; four tips that are sure to help you pick a resolution and stick to it. I hope this helps and that you have a very Happy New Year! Be sure to comment and subscribe!

The Super Bowl

The Super Bowl; we get together with family every year to watch it, make tons of food and root for your favorite team. But do we know how it came to be?

In the 1960s the NFL, National Football League, had several rival leagues. They would compete against each other for players and fans. One of the rival leagues was the AFL, American Football League. Before the 1966 season, the NFL and AFL decided to merge. The merge took place in the 1970 season. This merge is what we know to be the Super bowl today.  And that is how the Super Bowl was created!

Now for a few facts about the Super Bowl:

• The owner of the AFL, Lamar Hunt, first used the term “Super Bowl” to refer to the merger games. Hunt actually got the name from one of his son’s toy called a super ball.
•  The Vince Lombardi Trophy has been awarded to the Super Bowl winner each year.
• The Green Bay Packers was the first team to win the Super Bowl.

And there you have it; a crash course on the history of the Super Bowl. 

Healthy, Speedy Breakfast

As you may know, I am an intern at A Royal Flush. I am also a full time Sophomore at Bay Path College in Massachusetts. This basically means that every second of my day is full.

For some particular reason, which I have yet to figure, I always seem to skip breakfast because I wake up, get ready, and by the time I need to leave, it is way too late for breakfast. I am pretty sure that many of you reading this experience the same thing. Whether you are on your way to work or late on dropping your children off at school, breakfast seems to be the easiest thing to forget about.

Now, we all know; breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So, I have found a few breakfasts that are fast and easy:

The first one is Emerald Breakfast on the go!. They come in three delicious flavors, Breakfast nut, S’mores nut and Berry nut. Not only are they delicious, but they are good for you and have tons a protein.

Next there is Special K Breakfast Shakes. With 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, the breakfast shakes keep you full for a long time

Lastly, there are the Clif Bars. They come in a variety of flavors like peanut butter, chocolate chip, and blueberry crisp. They, like the Emerald trail mix, are delicious and have 9 grams of protein.

These are just some of the options out there.  What is your favorite “fast food” breakfast of choice?

I hope that you will benefit from these recommendations. I know they work for me and hopefully work for you.

Stay tuned for next week’s blog: The Super Bowl 

Telephone Tips!

If you have browsed thru our blogs in the past, you know that A Royal Flush is a business that aims to please every single one of our customers. This takes time and skill.

Among those skills is talking to our customers and making them feel comfortable enough to do business with us.  The majority of our customers call in to place their others. Talking over the phone is completely different than talking in person, therefore, there are a few things that we do to make the conversation with our customers smooth and easy.  I thought I would share these tips with you, so you can make yourself more ‘personal’ over the phone.

First of all, don’t follow a script verbatim. Don’t get me wrong, scripts are an amazing guideline for a successful phone call, but if you read them word for word, you begin to sound like a robot. Who wants to buy anything from a robot? Would you? I didn't think so. So to prevent this from happening, put your own twist on the script and practice it. Remember, practice makes perfect.

Second, you can also try smiling. Yes I know, it sounds silly because you are on the phone and the person on the other line cannot see you, but smiling is actually reflected in your tone. Think about it, when you have a bad day, your tone reflects that.

I hope that these quick tips will help you on your daily phone conversations. Keep in mind that these tips are not only for customers, you can use them with everyone.

Lastly, we are always looking for new ideas for our blog.  So if you have any requests, leave us a comment and we will most definitely take them into consideration.

Now is the time to buy

The Connecticut Post recently posted an article about homebuyers under the age of 35 looking for homes after a 6-year slip. The article focused on a young couple, Alison Machowski and Chris Molyneux, and their experience of being first-time home buyers. 

This article is perfect example as to why it is a perfect time to buy. This is why…

Maggie Gordon, the author of the article, states “Across the nation, young homebuyers have been trickling out of the market since the housing bubble burst. But now, with low prices and low mortgage interest rate, local real estate agents are seeing their return.” 

The key in the quote is the fact that houses are being sold at a very low prices and in addition, the mortgage interest rates are low. 

There are two main reasons why this is happening.  First, homeowners that are trying to sell their home are desperate to sell. Second, as an incentive, interest rates are very low to pull in home buyers. 

Therefore, if you are thinking of buying a house, now is the perfect time to buy because as soon as enough buyers flood the market, prices will rise along with the mortgage interest rates.

Learn to listen!

Working in a small business can be a little crazy. There is always a lot going on. Having to pay close attention to different aspects of the business, such as: customers, employees, vendors, operations, etc. can be a challenge, but rewarding. In order for these aspects to perform at their highest possible level, certain skills need to be used on a daily basis.Among these skills is listening. Listening is one of the many skills that help run a small business. All people that have made a small business work have this skill. Now, I know what you’re thinking, how is listening a skill? Everyone listens.The thing is, everyone hears, but are they really listening? Listening involves comprehending what you hear, not simply hearing. Because listening is a skill that needs to be practiced, I thought it would be helpful if I went over a few listening tips.

1.       Face the person you are talking to you. This forces you to look at the person, automatically making it easier to pay attention to what they are saying. It also helps you block out distractions.

2.       Respond to what the person is telling you. This helps you pay attention and comprehend what you are hearing because you have to actively respond. DO NOT murmur. So no “mhm” and “uh huh.” Try saying things like “Really” and “Interesting.” You can also ask questions to be an active member of the conversation.

3.       Focus on what the person is saying. Don’t worry how you are going to respond to what the person is saying. That can greatly distract you, and distractions lead to not listening.

4.       Do not interrupt the speaker. Wait for them to completely finish their thought and then respond. Even if the person is negatively criticizing you, wait for them to finish speaking and then defense yourself.

I hope you all will enjoy these tips to help you become better listeners! They can be use in the work place or at home. And remember, these tips will only help if you put them into practice. 

Communication Tips

Whether you work for a local business, or a fortune 500 company, communicating is a huge part of everyday office life. From internal phone calls, to emails, to face-to-face communication, being able to talk to your coworkers is essential to any business’ success.

Each of the communication methods mentioned above are different from one another. The most casual method would be the internal phone call, or a call made to someone else in the office. Although it is the most casual of methods, it does not mean you can ‘go crazy’ on the phone. Even if you’re truly comfortable speaking to someone, you should never answer the phone like you would if it was your best friend calling. In order words, the words ‘hey girl’ or ‘sup bro’ should ever leave your mouth.

                                  

Another tip. When you’re taking internal calls, keep it short and stick to the point. To help you remember this concept, refer to the acronym above. You are at work and I can guarantee that the person on the other side of the conversation has plenty of work to keep them busy. Therefore, they do not want to hear about the amazing shirt you bought or what you are going to eat for lunch.

Now, lets discuss emails. My personal email pet peeve is incorrect capitalization. There is nothing worse than having run-on sentences, with no punctuations mark, incorrect spelling, and horrific grammar. It is an email, therefore you have a chance to review the email before sending it. It does not take an hour to quickly read it over before clicking the send button. So as a favor to yourself and the recipient, use spell check and give your message a quick read.

Lastly, the fastest, but sometimes most difficult, method of communication is face-to-face. The reason why, it is very difficult to hide your reactions to certain things. When you are talking on the phone or sending an email, it is easier to hide your initial reaction, which in certain situations, may offend the person you are speaking to. Also, do not stare a person down. It will make them feel uncomfortable, and that is obviously not a good thing. Here’s a tip. Looking at their nose will make it seem as if you are looking at their eyes, but not staring profusely.

The most important tip, in any of these methods, is to listen. Listening to what your peers have to say, whether it is criticism or an idea. Those things are being said for a reason. That being said, here are a few things you can do to better your listening skills.

• Try to take notes
• Focus on the main idea of the conversation
• Block out anything that isn’t part of the current conversation
• Practice

As we all know, practice does make perfect.