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LET'S TALK
BUSINESS
Your Web Site and You: When to
Update?
???I haven??™t updated my Web site
since 1993 and I??™m still getting
clients.???
I was amazed to read the above statement, which came from a
copywriter. What amazed me the most was the very fact that ten
years have passed without her Web site being updated, yet she
still has prospective clients knocking on her door or sending
her e-mails.
As every writer knows, a web site can be a valuable tool in
helping us to gain promotion and future clients. Yet does
having a Web site mean it needs to be updated ever so often?
The short answer to this question is ???no.???
The long answer is, it depends on what purpose your Web site
serves. If you have a Web site to promote your services with,
then the only tweaking it might need now and then is to fix
broken or outdated link or to add a photo of yourself/your
company. Yet if your Web site is being used to promote what
work you have done, it might be a good idea to give it the
occasional facelift to show any recent services performed or
products you have created.
Since I am a freelance writer and author, the main purpose of my
Web site is to showcase any new articles I have written or books
that will be published or are published. As a writer, I know
that continuous material can help me get more promotion and
assignments. For this reason, I have updated my Web site
regularly.
How often you choose to update your site is entirely up to you.
Yet if you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, having an updated
Web site could mean more business opportunities to keep your
business thriving.
Dawn Colclasure writes for
both on- and offline publications.
Her online pen name is Dana Mitchells and she has written for
sites such as Write From Home, Absolute Write, Writing Etc. and
Worldwide Freelance Writer. Visit her (updated) Web site at
http://dmcwriter.tripod.com/
COOKING TIPS
Slow Cooker Tips
Once you've placed ingredients in the slow cooker and turned it
on, it is
neither necessary nor advisable to lift the lid to stir the
mixture. The
steam generated in the cooking creates a vacuum that seals the
lid. Every
time you open the lid, both steam and heat dissipate, which can
prolong
the cooking time.
Avoid placing a hot ceramic insert directly on a very cold
surface. There
is a remote possibility that the shock will make it crack.
Clean the ceramic insert completely between uses. Built-up food
stains are
impossible to remove. I often put the inserts in the dishwasher.
When cooking at a high altitude, be sure to allow an additional 30
minutes
for each hour of cooking time specified in the recipe. Legumes, in
particular, take twice as long to cook at a high altitude as at
sea level.
At any altitude, cooking on LOW heat generally-but not
always-takes about
twice as long as cooking on HIGH.
Because things cook for a long time, I usually note the time I
turn on the
slow cooker on a piece of paper and put it on the counter. It is
sometimes
advisable to use a thermometer to test for doneness.
Condensation will form in the lid. To avoid dripping the
condensation onto
the food, always lift the lid gently, straight up, without tilting
it,
until it is away from the insert.
In addition to its usual position in the electric base, the slow
cooker's
heavy ceramic insert can also be used in the microwave, in the
oven, and
under the broiler. This makes it easy to soften or even brown
onions and
garlic in the microwave before you add ingredients for stews,
soups, and
sauces.
Browning meat and some cuts of poultry before placing them in the
slow
cooker adds immensely to the finished flavor. Dredging them in
flour
before browning thickens the cooking liquid into a sauce that
needs only
to be skimmed of fat and seasoned before serving. While some foods
will
brown during the cooking process (particularly if they are not
submerged
in liquid), they will not develop the same color and flavor that
they get
when browned first on the stove top. If you can find the time for
this
step, the results will be worth the effort.
CRAFTS
Silverware Windchimes
silverware: 1 fork,1 knife,4 spoons
heavy clear nylon thread or fishing line
drill
small metal ring
needle nose pliers
Drill a small hole in the handle of the fork and spoons and at the
top
of the knife on the end that you would use to spread butter. Bend
all
four tines of the fork into four opposite directions. With needle
nose
pliers, bend the tips of the tines up and around till the tip
touches the
tine. Thread and knot the nylon thread through the holes in the
spoons
and knife. Tie the opposite end if the thread from the knife
around two
tines of the fork so that the knife hangs down from the center of
the
fork. Tie one spoon to each of the tines at a height where they
will
clap onto the knife and make the noise. Thread and knot nylon
through
the hole in the fork and knot the opposite end onto a metal ring
for
hanging.
BEAUTY
Natural Beauty Aids
Aloe Vera Gel
Thought to aid healing, soothes and moisturizes the skin, the gel
is 99 1/2% water and absorbs quickly.
Avocado
Full of natural oils, vitamins, and protein. Feed your face. Mash
and apply as a mask for 15 min, then rinse (for extra moisturizing
add some mashed banana).
Cucumbers
Use grated cucumbers as a soothing mask on sunburn.
Flower Waters
Such as Orange Flower and Rose make a gentle but effective
astringent.
Honey
Add to bathwater to soften skin. Mix a little in with your
favorite conditioner to boost its effectiveness. Be aware though,
honey can eventually lighten your hair.
Salt
Use sea salt as an Exfoliant for your body a bit in your hand
moistened with water while showering scrub !! Great for those
stubborn areas like elbows and feet.
Tomatoes
Astringent - great for blackheads helps remove dead surface cells.
Witch Hazel
A gentle astringent as well as being soothing to irritated skin.
Yogurt
A terrific mask for any skin-type absorbed easily and highly
moisturizing.
CLASSIFIED ADS
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The Homestead Store carries a unique collection of handcrafted one
of a kind & custom gifts including bags, bears, home decor and
accessories, memory gifts, frames from classic to primitive, magic
mirrors and more.
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