[For previous blogs please visit “blog archive” to the lower left of this screen. Click on the small black arrows for a drop down list of earlier blogs.]
As we go about our day-to-day lives we encounter many people. We stand in line with them when we’re out shopping, sit next to them in doctors' offices while we wait, have our hair done and visit not only with our stylists but also other patrons, we grumble to each other at the gas pump, and unless we are shy we have these pleasant exchanges fairly often. I know we have a few nasty encounters here and there as well but this blog is about the nice encounters.
Recently I visited my local Social Security office a few times with questions about my upcoming enrollment in Medicare. They open at 9:00 and there’s usually a line. Once inside we must go through a short security check and we are then asked whether or not we have an appointment. I have not had an appointment these past few visits because a few odd things popped up that I wanted to tend to immediately so I decided to visit without an appointment. Each visit was handled with efficiency and I left in a happy mood. During this time I also visited DMV. Visiting Social Security and the DMV in the same week made my knees tremble but both visits (multiple with S.S.) were uneventful and helpful. I do have another visit to go with DMV and I haven’t started trembling yet.
While waiting for my turn at S.S. the other day I struck up a conversation with a woman sitting next to me. We were both reading and it turned out we liked the same books and movies. How incredible it seems to me that the chance meeting of two complete strangers could turn into a fun experience. She was there without an appointment also and amazingly neither of us discussed our reasons for being there but rather launched into our interest in books and movies. Though we each brought a book with us neither of us read our books because of our impromptu visit.
We sat there for about 40 minutes and learned a few personal things about our lives (husbands, children, jobs, retirement circumstances, area of town where we lived) in addition to our reading and movie preferences. We laughed at a few things, and we both complained about a few things of a political nature we had been viewing in the news recently.
Finally, her number was called and she went to one of the windows. A few minutes later I was called. When my turn was over I left the building and drove home. It is unlikely I’ll ever see her again.
I’ve had this experience countless times in life where I’ve had a chance encounter with a stranger that was pleasant and life affirming. This is particularly true of one-day seminars, colonoscopies (yes, I struck up a great conversation with another patient waiting for the same procedure and it was hilarious), dental appointments, the vet, and the list goes on. In fact, visits to the vet are my favorite stranger encounters because we are all instantly bonded to one another over the love and care of our pets. Sometimes I’ve had to wait for quite some time with other nervous pet owners and the camaraderie is intense. Especially when meeting someone who is there for more than a routine visit.
I remember a visit not long ago where another woman and her husband and I spent a very long time (busy day for the vet) discussing almost every pet we ever owned. By the time it was their turn for their appointment I felt a little tug. I didn’t want this meeting to end but I knew it would and it did and I often wonder how their dog was after his visit. Or maybe I don't want to know. My visit was for a routine nail clipping and the couple thought it was quite funny that my dog was sleeping on my lap when their dog was having a nervous break down. That’s because the only way my dog can visit the vet is if she is drugged.
I was on a three-week jury trial a few years ago with a group of bright, thoughtful, sincere people. We bonded almost immediately. Before we were selected, I watched the attorneys examine the prospective jurors and noticed they were interested in a certain type of person. As people were excused and the list got smaller and smaller I became more and more eager to participate with this bunch. Finally, I made the cut and to this day I am so happy to have had this brief encounter with such a nice group. In fact, when the trial concluded we met one time for dinner to freely discuss the case without the structures set forth for us by the judge and it was fantastic. I was so happy to have had a final meeting and though many of these people could have become personal friends I knew we wouldn’t.
I’m not sure what it takes to develop a permanent friendship but some relationships are simply meant to be temporary. I suppose we could take it upon ourselves to propose additional meetings, coffees, lunches and eventually a friendship would develop but I’m not sure that’s the way to develop a friendship. Perhaps if we run into the same patient at the doctor’s office over and over we may eventually branch out but chance encounters of a pleasant nature are just that—chance encounters, not meant to last but meant to enjoy nonetheless.
Friendships often do develop when more time is spent getting to know the other person. I’ve made friends taking night classes, friends at work, neighbors have become friends, and sometimes friends introduce their friends who then become my friends too. Those friendships develop over time, not necessarily a long period but usually with more frequent visits so that the friendship simply develops and usually pushing for coffee or lunch isn’t necessary. It happens or it doesn’t.
But I love the brief encounters with friendly people waiting in line the most. Sometimes several people in a long line will strike up a conversation (like waiting for a movie or a concert) and everyone enjoys the wait and learns interesting things from each other. I recall a great discussion while standing in a “Star Wars” line many years ago. Many of the people had already seen the movie several times but I was a first-timer and they all gathered around me and my kids (tiny kids) and started jabbing me and telling me this and that was going to knock me off my feet and by the time we got inside I was so excited I almost burst.
Years ago I took my kids to see Olivia Newton John at an outdoor pavilion near the San Diego Animal Park. The line of people was fantastic. It was a warm southern California evening and as we all visited and laughed someone shouted “LOOK” and off in the distance we saw a small herd of antelope—--in the parking lot! They had escaped from their enclosure and were off and running. After that everyone was laughing and talking and then we started streaming into the concert and the good will and friendliness continued all night long.
Another time I took the kids to see “Wings” in Berkeley. Another fantastic evening of visiting with total strangers who were complete Beatles fanatics (like me) and after the concert we all walked to our cars singing Beatles songs. From the moment that we got there until we returned to our car we visited with happy strangers and learned so many things about so many people, people we’ve never seen again but that I remember with great fondness.
There have been great temporary friendships waiting in lines at Disneyland with entire families. Sometimes after the ride we waited for was over we would drift off to other rides with the same family then eventually we would all go our separate ways but run into each other from time to time throughout the day.
Over the last few years I have run into the same dog walkers every day when I take my dogs out for their walk. We exchange friendly hellos and/or growls and barks (depending on the dogs) and sometimes chat about happenings in the neighborhood. I worry if I don't see one of the regulars for a while then am so relieved when they appear for their walks again.
I hope making temporary friends is enjoyed by many of you reading today's blog. It’s rewarding and connecting and also helps pass the time while waiting, especially when visiting a government entity!
www.sharonstrawhandgarner.com
Each week in this spot I will report an instance of good customer service (if any) but without embellishment. Just an entity or an individual that knows how to treat customers:
This week I received excellent customer service from:
Social Security Administration-Santa Rosa Office
[No part of this content may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.]
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Mani-Pedi (Part 2/2)
[For previous blogs please visit “blog archive” to the lower left of this screen. Click on the small black arrows for a drop down list of all the blogs.]
(While you’re reading this push your cuticles back.)
Last week I posted a few suggestions for conditioning damaged, ugly, disgusting, malnourished, pitiful hands and nails. This week is the segment everyone has been waiting for: The Mani-Pedi. 7 steps.
My routine begins on a Friday night. Pick your own day.
1. Friday night: Push the cuticles back, remove all polish and scrub nail with a nailbrush. Let them “breathe” overnight. Just put on a little lotion before going to bed. Takes about 5 minutes.
2. Saturday morning: Push the cuticles back, put lotion on the cuticles and massage. Takes about 2 minutes.
3. Saturday evening: Push the cuticles back, brush on one thin coat of clear polish, dry nails in front of the small space heater (suggested last week) or professional nail dryer. Takes about 10 minutes. Nice nails for Saturday night!
4. Sunday morning: Push the cuticles back, brush on one thin coat of color or if you don’t like color one more thin coat of clear, dry nails in front of the little heater. Takes about 5 minutes.
5. Monday evening: Push the cuticles back, check the nails for damage done during the work-day, file and clip as necessary, brush on one thin coat of color. If polish chips or (gads) there’s a broken nail, file the nail first and make sure all the other nails are the same length to match the broken/repaired nail. If there’s a polish chip in the nail polish dip a Q-tip in polish remover and lightly dab on the damaged area, dry it thoroughly in front of the little heater, then brush on ONE thin coat of polish and dry in front of the heater again. Note: if the nails are not tortured during the day, just push the cuticles back and put a thin coat of polish on if necessary. Takes about 5 minutes but longer if damage repair is required. Maybe 10 in that case.
6. Tuesday through Thursday evening: Repeat step 5.
7. Friday evening: start over!
That is all there is to it. Just a tiny bit of time each night (or whatever time works for you) is all that’s needed as long as the routine keeps going. Try not to let the nails and hands fall into hard times again because starting over is, well, starting over. If it’s been a hard day at the office and there’s a broken nail, don’t stress. Just cut the thing and be done with it and make sure all the others are trimmed to match. Sometimes when I wore longer nails I’d almost cry when I broke one. I see that as neurotic now. If nails are healthy and the cuticles are in good shape, the nails will grow out very quickly. It’s possible to go from short to long in just slightly over a month.
Even if longer nails aren’t desired, try keeping the nails in good shape and always put a coat of clear polish on them. It does protect the nail and for those who like longer nails, keeping polish on them does help prevent breaks. It depends on how hard we are on our hands during the day. That’s why I use gloves whenever possible.
The quality of nail products available goes from the ridiculous to the sublime. I buy medium ranged nail products. Cheaper tools break or don’t last. Nail polish can get gummy if not used frequently, especially the cheaper brands. I have many bottles of polish and I often have to toss them. It’s possible to put a drop or two of nail polish remover in them when they get gummy but it doesn’t always work the way I want it to. There is a special product made specifically for that purpose which I’ve never used.
Revlon manufactures my current favorite polish. They make a line called ColorStay. It’s a clear protective coating brushed over the polish and is sold as a set. The one-week routine above can be extended to two weeks if we are careful with how we handle our hands and use this line of polish. I have been able to keep a manicure going for as long as three weeks with touch ups.
One of the most frustrating aspects of pretty nails is the smudge. We spend time painting the nails then pick up a brownie too soon and bam (sorry Emeril) it’s smudged. That’s because it takes a bit of effort to dry the nails so don’t fudge (pun intended) on this step. Either a small space heater or a professional dryer is absolutely essential to keeping the manicure less frustrating each day. Some people say they don’t have all night to polish their nails. Not necessary. Spend a few bucks and get the little space heater. I place mine on a small stepping stool then I place my toes on the edge and dangle my hands in front and I’m done in about five minutes.
My last “trick” is a fun one and it works great. If I am a little sloppy with the polish I let it go. In fact, I’m usually very sloppy when it comes to the toes. I just let it dry. When the polish is thoroughly dry I slip on my socks and gloves with petroleum jelly or lotion before bed and the next morning the excess dried polish comes right off with a few swipes of the nailbrush. For stubborn spots just scratch it off with an emery board! And resist the urge to put too many coats on per session. One thin coat is best per day.
For pretty hands, feet, and nails, I spend just a few minutes each day before bed--instead of eating a bowl of ice cream. You can too.
www.sharonstrawhandgarner.com
Each week in this spot I will report an instance of good customer service (if any) but without embellishment. Just a business that knows how to treat customers. This week I received excellent customer service from:
www.MemoryMixers.com
[No part of this content may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.]
(While you’re reading this push your cuticles back.)
Last week I posted a few suggestions for conditioning damaged, ugly, disgusting, malnourished, pitiful hands and nails. This week is the segment everyone has been waiting for: The Mani-Pedi. 7 steps.
My routine begins on a Friday night. Pick your own day.
1. Friday night: Push the cuticles back, remove all polish and scrub nail with a nailbrush. Let them “breathe” overnight. Just put on a little lotion before going to bed. Takes about 5 minutes.
2. Saturday morning: Push the cuticles back, put lotion on the cuticles and massage. Takes about 2 minutes.
3. Saturday evening: Push the cuticles back, brush on one thin coat of clear polish, dry nails in front of the small space heater (suggested last week) or professional nail dryer. Takes about 10 minutes. Nice nails for Saturday night!
4. Sunday morning: Push the cuticles back, brush on one thin coat of color or if you don’t like color one more thin coat of clear, dry nails in front of the little heater. Takes about 5 minutes.
5. Monday evening: Push the cuticles back, check the nails for damage done during the work-day, file and clip as necessary, brush on one thin coat of color. If polish chips or (gads) there’s a broken nail, file the nail first and make sure all the other nails are the same length to match the broken/repaired nail. If there’s a polish chip in the nail polish dip a Q-tip in polish remover and lightly dab on the damaged area, dry it thoroughly in front of the little heater, then brush on ONE thin coat of polish and dry in front of the heater again. Note: if the nails are not tortured during the day, just push the cuticles back and put a thin coat of polish on if necessary. Takes about 5 minutes but longer if damage repair is required. Maybe 10 in that case.
6. Tuesday through Thursday evening: Repeat step 5.
7. Friday evening: start over!
That is all there is to it. Just a tiny bit of time each night (or whatever time works for you) is all that’s needed as long as the routine keeps going. Try not to let the nails and hands fall into hard times again because starting over is, well, starting over. If it’s been a hard day at the office and there’s a broken nail, don’t stress. Just cut the thing and be done with it and make sure all the others are trimmed to match. Sometimes when I wore longer nails I’d almost cry when I broke one. I see that as neurotic now. If nails are healthy and the cuticles are in good shape, the nails will grow out very quickly. It’s possible to go from short to long in just slightly over a month.
Even if longer nails aren’t desired, try keeping the nails in good shape and always put a coat of clear polish on them. It does protect the nail and for those who like longer nails, keeping polish on them does help prevent breaks. It depends on how hard we are on our hands during the day. That’s why I use gloves whenever possible.
The quality of nail products available goes from the ridiculous to the sublime. I buy medium ranged nail products. Cheaper tools break or don’t last. Nail polish can get gummy if not used frequently, especially the cheaper brands. I have many bottles of polish and I often have to toss them. It’s possible to put a drop or two of nail polish remover in them when they get gummy but it doesn’t always work the way I want it to. There is a special product made specifically for that purpose which I’ve never used.
Revlon manufactures my current favorite polish. They make a line called ColorStay. It’s a clear protective coating brushed over the polish and is sold as a set. The one-week routine above can be extended to two weeks if we are careful with how we handle our hands and use this line of polish. I have been able to keep a manicure going for as long as three weeks with touch ups.
One of the most frustrating aspects of pretty nails is the smudge. We spend time painting the nails then pick up a brownie too soon and bam (sorry Emeril) it’s smudged. That’s because it takes a bit of effort to dry the nails so don’t fudge (pun intended) on this step. Either a small space heater or a professional dryer is absolutely essential to keeping the manicure less frustrating each day. Some people say they don’t have all night to polish their nails. Not necessary. Spend a few bucks and get the little space heater. I place mine on a small stepping stool then I place my toes on the edge and dangle my hands in front and I’m done in about five minutes.
My last “trick” is a fun one and it works great. If I am a little sloppy with the polish I let it go. In fact, I’m usually very sloppy when it comes to the toes. I just let it dry. When the polish is thoroughly dry I slip on my socks and gloves with petroleum jelly or lotion before bed and the next morning the excess dried polish comes right off with a few swipes of the nailbrush. For stubborn spots just scratch it off with an emery board! And resist the urge to put too many coats on per session. One thin coat is best per day.
For pretty hands, feet, and nails, I spend just a few minutes each day before bed--instead of eating a bowl of ice cream. You can too.
www.sharonstrawhandgarner.com
Each week in this spot I will report an instance of good customer service (if any) but without embellishment. Just a business that knows how to treat customers. This week I received excellent customer service from:
www.MemoryMixers.com
[No part of this content may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.]
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Mani-Pedi (Part 1 of 2)
[For previous blogs please visit “blog archive” to the lower left of this screen. Click on the small black arrows for a drop down list of all the blogs.]
A few weeks ago I mentioned that I anticipated posting a blog on manicures and received dozens of emails to please move it up on my list! I am NOT a professional. The advice herein is based on my own lifelong experience. It will be two parts because the hands need a little preparation before the pretty nails appear. So here it is:
Over the years I’ve been asked how I manage to maintain such nice nails. Everyone seems to feel I was born with great nails or that it’s a laborious process to have manicured nails. I’m here to share my secret that it is not. It does take some initial preparation if nails are in bad shape but after about two weeks even the most neglected nails will respond to tender treatment. Once they are conditioned a minimal manicure routine will keep them that way—forever!
When acrylic nails became popular many women who previously could not seem to manage a nice natural nail manicure at home found salon acrylics to be the answer to their prayers. The acrylics do look beautiful but they are costly and they take time for the constant visits for fills and lost nails and so forth. There are also health concerns about the process itself and the hygiene of various salons. Some salon equipment is not cleaned properly between manicure clients and some shops have been closed by county health agencies. There are even reports of permanently lost nail beds and fingers due to infection and fungus.
Most acrylic users wore very long acrylics when they first became popular but eventually many women pulled back to medium or shorter looks yet still acrylics. The acrylic is beautiful and for those who have no problem with shelling out the $$$$ and the trips to safe salons, feel free to skip this blog.
At one time I had very long nails (not acrylics) but for the past 10 or so years I’ve kept them somewhat short/medium. Many women today have left the long red nail style for shorter clear nails. But the nails and nail beds still must look good and a coat of clear polish does wonders.
Hands and feet are a credibility issue. Employers notice the hands and if certain summer shoe styles are worn the feet are noticed. Men and women also observe each other’s hands and feet when looking for romantic interludes. Most like clean men and women, including hands and feet. I take my dogs in every two months to have their nails trimmed.
When I’m out and about I often see feet in sandals that should be in boots. The pedicure is just as easy as the manicure. Dirty feet and nails are not just unattractive but they are unsanitary. Sometimes people are nicely dressed and their feet are horrible. People forget their feet! This goes for men too. I’ve seen toenails on men that could be used as weapons of mass destruction (and often are when snuggling).
Sometimes when I’m out and about and around people where hands are viewed I’m alarmed to see that often their nails are dirty. This doesn’t mean the hands are but the person may work in the garden or work with something that leaves residue under the nail. When I work in the garden I use gardening gloves but sometimes I remove the gloves if they are too bulky for something I’m doing that requires a fine touch. When I’m done, I use a nailbrush. I keep the nailbrush right next to the sink. Out of sight out of mind so it’s simple enough to keep it right next to the sink. If dirt is too embedded I soak the nails for just a few minutes in hot water and soap. Catching it quickly before it has time to make a home under there is key to its easy removal. There’s a funny commercial where a cartoon fungus character looks for a nice cozy place to live. It’s not a joke.
My father worked in a dirty environment in the trucking industry for many years but when he came home he changed and showered and cleaned his nails. He kept them short to prevent yucky stuff from collecting there. He later owned a restaurant and did the same routine because of food handling, also a dirty environment.
If nails aren’t polished or trimmed or kept in good condition, they should at least be clean. If nothing else is done, the nails should be clean. It’s a complete turnoff for most people to see dirty nails. Some work is done in environments with materials that stain the hands but I have noticed more and more of these professionals use gloves. So many wonderful gloves are made today and many feel like they aren’t even there. The gloves are often worn to protect the person from disease or dangerous substances but they sure help keep the hands clean. We eat with our hands. I have watched people bring burgers to their mouths with dirty nails. It’s a great dieting tool for me.
I use several types of gloves: Thick rubber gloves for gardening and thinner gardening gloves for sweeping and non thorn-related work, thin latex or non latex for most uses, thicker “dish” washing gloves that are easy to slip the hands into quickly and just as quickly slip them out. (It’s a habit but a good one. I get them a bit large so that I don’t struggle to get my hands in and out. If it’s cumbersome, people won’t do it.)
So basically here’s what needs to be done after a preliminary review of the nails. If the nails aren’t too bad begin the steps in next week’s blog. If they are out of control let’s get them in order first and remember, this will not have to be done again unless the routine disappears.
CONDITIONING: First, supplies. Emery boards, a cuticle stick, clear polish or color polish, hand lotion, petroleum jelly, nail clippers (small ones), small space heater or professional manicure heater, and manicure gloves to be worn during the night while sleeping for the conditioning phase. These gloves are made specifically for this purpose and are inexpensive and never need to be replaced, just laundered. I have socks specifically made for the pedicure too.
Take a long hard look at the hands. (All of this is ditto for the feet.) The nails should all be the same length and slightly rounded or a modified square but with slightly rounded edges across the top of the nail but not filed down the sides. This style keeps them from breaking and getting caught on things throughout the day. Use the nail clipper and emery board and make each nail smooth and short. For now. If super short is preferred, it’s still nice to have a smooth filing over the top. If (horrors) a nail breaks, resign yourself to the sad fact that ALL of the remaining nails must be filed down to match the broken nail. Hands with nails of assorted lengths are not attractive.
Now look at the cuticles. Most people never touch their cuticles and that is not healthy for the nail bed. Some salons never touch the cuticles and if the salon ignores the cuticle, change salons. Cuticles should NEVER be cut or clipped. All that is necessary for a healthy looking cuticle is soaking and pushing with a cuticle stick and once they are conditioned just pushing them gently with the fingers is enough to keep them nice. If the cuticle is very tight it may take a few days to move it.
Cuticle sticks come in a variety of styles. (See photo at left.) They are pointy on one end usually have a flat “moon” on the other end. The pointy part cleans under the nail and the half-moon pushes the cuticle into compliance. Wooden are my favorite but I currently use a plastic one that came in travel kit I found.
I mention the cuticle a lot in this blog because it’s the key to pretty nails and growth. I’ve learned there are many people who have never worked with the cuticle and once they do they are amazed at how their nails grow. If the cuticle doesn’t move easily at first don’t push too hard. If the nails are bad it may take a few treatments. Like I said, initially to get the nails in good shape it may take two weeks.
After the nails have been trimmed and filed to a nice short length and the cuticles have been worked on, the next step will make all the difference in the maintenance of nice hands. Right before bed dip each finger into the petroleum jelly up to the first knuckle then put on the manicure gloves without removing the excess petroleum jelly. A nice big glob is what works. Do this a few times throughout the first two weeks but not every night unless your hands are hideous. (Be honest. And the feet are usually hideous if they haven’t been taken care of. Don’t forget the heel. Eww.) Once in a while it’s nice to do this to the hands and feet to keep them from getting rough even after they have gotten into pretty good shape.
Every few days throughout this two-week period look at the nails and use the cuticle stick and file as needed. Improvement will appear in just a few days. Resist the urge to cut anything off that doesn’t belong there around the cuticle. It will drop off by itself in a few days. Just keep pushing the cuticle. I push my cuticles throughout the day without even thinking. It takes SECONDS to do both hands. The cuticle is the key to pretty nails.
Every day rub lotion onto the nails several times a day especially around the cuticles. Massage the lotion into the nail bed. It feels good and will improve their appearance but the petroleum jelly is what will do the most work. Note: Doris Day used to completely cover her entire body with petroleum jelly on a weekly basis then go to bed in a sweat suit, socks, and gloves. She swore it was what kept her youthful and beautiful. Some do this with their hair but I imagine it would take a couple of bottles of shampoo to get rid of it.
After two weeks it’s time for The Mani-Pedi. The first week may be a learning curve. However, after only one week nice nails will appear and it should be an encouragement to continue the routine. Remember: The maintenance phase won’t be necessary anymore once the regular routine begins. Just the daily steps will keep the nails looking great.
I’ve used this method on myself for years but I have helped countless family members and friends too. The only problem with this routine is that some people fall off the wagon. I’m posting a few photos of my nails and the cuticle stick. Disregard the wrinkles. No petroleum jelly in the world is going to make them go away. Next week: the 7 steps.
www.sharonstrawhandgarner.com
[No part of this content may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.]
A few weeks ago I mentioned that I anticipated posting a blog on manicures and received dozens of emails to please move it up on my list! I am NOT a professional. The advice herein is based on my own lifelong experience. It will be two parts because the hands need a little preparation before the pretty nails appear. So here it is:
Over the years I’ve been asked how I manage to maintain such nice nails. Everyone seems to feel I was born with great nails or that it’s a laborious process to have manicured nails. I’m here to share my secret that it is not. It does take some initial preparation if nails are in bad shape but after about two weeks even the most neglected nails will respond to tender treatment. Once they are conditioned a minimal manicure routine will keep them that way—forever!
When acrylic nails became popular many women who previously could not seem to manage a nice natural nail manicure at home found salon acrylics to be the answer to their prayers. The acrylics do look beautiful but they are costly and they take time for the constant visits for fills and lost nails and so forth. There are also health concerns about the process itself and the hygiene of various salons. Some salon equipment is not cleaned properly between manicure clients and some shops have been closed by county health agencies. There are even reports of permanently lost nail beds and fingers due to infection and fungus.
Most acrylic users wore very long acrylics when they first became popular but eventually many women pulled back to medium or shorter looks yet still acrylics. The acrylic is beautiful and for those who have no problem with shelling out the $$$$ and the trips to safe salons, feel free to skip this blog.
At one time I had very long nails (not acrylics) but for the past 10 or so years I’ve kept them somewhat short/medium. Many women today have left the long red nail style for shorter clear nails. But the nails and nail beds still must look good and a coat of clear polish does wonders.
Hands and feet are a credibility issue. Employers notice the hands and if certain summer shoe styles are worn the feet are noticed. Men and women also observe each other’s hands and feet when looking for romantic interludes. Most like clean men and women, including hands and feet. I take my dogs in every two months to have their nails trimmed.
When I’m out and about I often see feet in sandals that should be in boots. The pedicure is just as easy as the manicure. Dirty feet and nails are not just unattractive but they are unsanitary. Sometimes people are nicely dressed and their feet are horrible. People forget their feet! This goes for men too. I’ve seen toenails on men that could be used as weapons of mass destruction (and often are when snuggling).
Sometimes when I’m out and about and around people where hands are viewed I’m alarmed to see that often their nails are dirty. This doesn’t mean the hands are but the person may work in the garden or work with something that leaves residue under the nail. When I work in the garden I use gardening gloves but sometimes I remove the gloves if they are too bulky for something I’m doing that requires a fine touch. When I’m done, I use a nailbrush. I keep the nailbrush right next to the sink. Out of sight out of mind so it’s simple enough to keep it right next to the sink. If dirt is too embedded I soak the nails for just a few minutes in hot water and soap. Catching it quickly before it has time to make a home under there is key to its easy removal. There’s a funny commercial where a cartoon fungus character looks for a nice cozy place to live. It’s not a joke.
My father worked in a dirty environment in the trucking industry for many years but when he came home he changed and showered and cleaned his nails. He kept them short to prevent yucky stuff from collecting there. He later owned a restaurant and did the same routine because of food handling, also a dirty environment.
If nails aren’t polished or trimmed or kept in good condition, they should at least be clean. If nothing else is done, the nails should be clean. It’s a complete turnoff for most people to see dirty nails. Some work is done in environments with materials that stain the hands but I have noticed more and more of these professionals use gloves. So many wonderful gloves are made today and many feel like they aren’t even there. The gloves are often worn to protect the person from disease or dangerous substances but they sure help keep the hands clean. We eat with our hands. I have watched people bring burgers to their mouths with dirty nails. It’s a great dieting tool for me.
I use several types of gloves: Thick rubber gloves for gardening and thinner gardening gloves for sweeping and non thorn-related work, thin latex or non latex for most uses, thicker “dish” washing gloves that are easy to slip the hands into quickly and just as quickly slip them out. (It’s a habit but a good one. I get them a bit large so that I don’t struggle to get my hands in and out. If it’s cumbersome, people won’t do it.)
So basically here’s what needs to be done after a preliminary review of the nails. If the nails aren’t too bad begin the steps in next week’s blog. If they are out of control let’s get them in order first and remember, this will not have to be done again unless the routine disappears.
CONDITIONING: First, supplies. Emery boards, a cuticle stick, clear polish or color polish, hand lotion, petroleum jelly, nail clippers (small ones), small space heater or professional manicure heater, and manicure gloves to be worn during the night while sleeping for the conditioning phase. These gloves are made specifically for this purpose and are inexpensive and never need to be replaced, just laundered. I have socks specifically made for the pedicure too.
Take a long hard look at the hands. (All of this is ditto for the feet.) The nails should all be the same length and slightly rounded or a modified square but with slightly rounded edges across the top of the nail but not filed down the sides. This style keeps them from breaking and getting caught on things throughout the day. Use the nail clipper and emery board and make each nail smooth and short. For now. If super short is preferred, it’s still nice to have a smooth filing over the top. If (horrors) a nail breaks, resign yourself to the sad fact that ALL of the remaining nails must be filed down to match the broken nail. Hands with nails of assorted lengths are not attractive.
Now look at the cuticles. Most people never touch their cuticles and that is not healthy for the nail bed. Some salons never touch the cuticles and if the salon ignores the cuticle, change salons. Cuticles should NEVER be cut or clipped. All that is necessary for a healthy looking cuticle is soaking and pushing with a cuticle stick and once they are conditioned just pushing them gently with the fingers is enough to keep them nice. If the cuticle is very tight it may take a few days to move it.
Cuticle sticks come in a variety of styles. (See photo at left.) They are pointy on one end usually have a flat “moon” on the other end. The pointy part cleans under the nail and the half-moon pushes the cuticle into compliance. Wooden are my favorite but I currently use a plastic one that came in travel kit I found.
I mention the cuticle a lot in this blog because it’s the key to pretty nails and growth. I’ve learned there are many people who have never worked with the cuticle and once they do they are amazed at how their nails grow. If the cuticle doesn’t move easily at first don’t push too hard. If the nails are bad it may take a few treatments. Like I said, initially to get the nails in good shape it may take two weeks.
After the nails have been trimmed and filed to a nice short length and the cuticles have been worked on, the next step will make all the difference in the maintenance of nice hands. Right before bed dip each finger into the petroleum jelly up to the first knuckle then put on the manicure gloves without removing the excess petroleum jelly. A nice big glob is what works. Do this a few times throughout the first two weeks but not every night unless your hands are hideous. (Be honest. And the feet are usually hideous if they haven’t been taken care of. Don’t forget the heel. Eww.) Once in a while it’s nice to do this to the hands and feet to keep them from getting rough even after they have gotten into pretty good shape.
Every few days throughout this two-week period look at the nails and use the cuticle stick and file as needed. Improvement will appear in just a few days. Resist the urge to cut anything off that doesn’t belong there around the cuticle. It will drop off by itself in a few days. Just keep pushing the cuticle. I push my cuticles throughout the day without even thinking. It takes SECONDS to do both hands. The cuticle is the key to pretty nails.
Every day rub lotion onto the nails several times a day especially around the cuticles. Massage the lotion into the nail bed. It feels good and will improve their appearance but the petroleum jelly is what will do the most work. Note: Doris Day used to completely cover her entire body with petroleum jelly on a weekly basis then go to bed in a sweat suit, socks, and gloves. She swore it was what kept her youthful and beautiful. Some do this with their hair but I imagine it would take a couple of bottles of shampoo to get rid of it.
After two weeks it’s time for The Mani-Pedi. The first week may be a learning curve. However, after only one week nice nails will appear and it should be an encouragement to continue the routine. Remember: The maintenance phase won’t be necessary anymore once the regular routine begins. Just the daily steps will keep the nails looking great.
I’ve used this method on myself for years but I have helped countless family members and friends too. The only problem with this routine is that some people fall off the wagon. I’m posting a few photos of my nails and the cuticle stick. Disregard the wrinkles. No petroleum jelly in the world is going to make them go away. Next week: the 7 steps.
www.sharonstrawhandgarner.com
[No part of this content may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.]
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Customer Service (Part 2/2)
[For previous blogs please visit “blog archive” to the lower left of this screen. Click on the small black arrows for a drop down list of previous blogs.]
Resolving customer service issues is designed by corporations to be convoluted and abhorrently difficult in order to make customers give up resulting in the loss of the customer’s money and/or the product or service.
I’m not planning on spending weeks detailing all of my customer service problems. Google would kick me off eBlogger. I just have a few more choice examples and a big finish so stick with me.
I bought a security screen door for $64 and by the time I got it partially installed I ended up spending $350 for it and it took a year. I fought a variety of issues with this project including store policies that were insane. I have the door now but I still have to put weather-stripping on it. I have put some on the door but I didn’t like the way it was working (which they suggested) so I recently purchased more and will soon affix it. I was given wrong information from day one on this project and I made dozens of phone calls and store visits and NEVER got it resolved. NEVER. I had to pay someone else to install it and NEVER got my money back I gave the store to install it. I fought and fought and fought and finally had to give up because by this time I had other more pressing issues to deal with than a screen door. Sometimes I have multiple customer service and product problems running at the same time. They require prioritizing and some of them must die a slow painful death of non-resolution. I never give up on the big issues.
Resolving customer service issues is designed by corporations to be convoluted and abhorrently difficult in order to make customers give up resulting in the loss of the customer’s money and/or the product or service.
I spent over a year on horrific Dell computer issues including my computer dying a miserable death and I lost EVERYTHING. Since then I purchased an external back up drive that is large enough to run a small airport. I had 99 phone calls, chats, and emails. My computer was sent to the factory and returned with a note that said it checked out perfectly. When I turned my computer on it crashed. I took vacation days to sit on the phone with technicians all over the planet. Eventually they sent a technician to my office and he sat in a small cubicle and replaced everything. He did not speak to me though I had dozens of questions. It was unbelievable. The computer then worked great for a while and then it died another horrible death. But----I had it all backed up on my external drive. I only had the computer about three years and I only got use out of it for about a year give or take. My daughter had the same exact computer and did not have the issues I had. We bought them during the same week.
Eventually my daughter bought a new computer and we gave her old one to my mother. It crashed and died immediately and we had to spend $350 to get it up and running. If you doubt any of this because Dell has such a great rep, go online and you will find THOUSANDS of unhappy customers. For quite some time I printed out many of these messages, until my printer died.
My daughter has had cell phone problems from the first cell phone she ever purchased. Each new cell phone comes with new problems.
I bought a new computer, a Mac, and I’m having daily trouble with it. I really can’t go into it because my stomach hurts.
Before I retired I had a list of suggested things to do prior to that happy day. One great suggestion was to replace older appliances. So I bought a dishwasher, a heavy-duty garbage disposal, a vacuum, and a few other things. I purchased these items a few days before Thanksgiving when I expected my family for the event. Two days before Thanksgiving my dishwasher flooded my entire kitchen and part of my dining room on my new carpet which was also on the list and was only a few months old at the time of the flood. The store told me to call a plumber and they would reimburse me. The plumber came (but not until after Thanksgiving) and gave me my receipt and I went to the store—and they wouldn’t reimburse me. The store manager said he didn’t have that authority. I asked why he told me to do that and he said he didn’t though I had written his name down when I called with the flood report. I NEVER got my money back. I got a puny store credit. It’s another store I’m not welcome in. I was vocal using my ever so fetching banshee style voice. (The vacuum stopped working slightly under a year and my mother bought the same vacuum and it too is sitting in my closet, broken. Of the items I bought at that store only one is working—the garbage disposal.)
Here’s the good part: the guy who installed the dishwasher originally was a psychopath. I’m only slightly exaggerating. He was supposed to be here at noon and got here at 6:00. He didn’t finish until 8:00. I called my daughter and made her stay on the line with me the entire time. He was scary and surly and scary. Did I mention scary? He made many personal calls and I heard partial conversations. They were unpleasant. He asked to use my bathroom and of course I said he could and while he was in there for a very long time I heard doors and cupboards opening and closing. When he left I threw many things away in my bathroom including my toilet paper and I washed everything down and laundered ALL of my towels. I tossed my toothbrush.
When I called the store after the great flood they tried to send him back. I refused to have him in my home. The store plumber then started calling me about every 15 or 20 minutes until I called the store and told them I was terrified. I told them I was going to call the police. There are MANY additional details to this horrible story but my nice plumber told me it was the worst job he had ever seen. I learned later the store plumber was relieved of his duties. I secretly went back to the store and pretended to shop for a dishwasher and got a different sales clerk. I told her I’d like it installed but that I heard they had a terrible installation guy. She said, “Oh, yes, he’s gone. They had to let him go.” She said this with wide eyes and exaggerated nodding of the head. I told her thanks and said I’d come back in a few days. I had to sneak in to do this because of the aforementioned vocal expressions on my last visit.
I can’t continue detailing all these problems. There are so many. The bed I bought that I was charged twice for (for over a year and ended up in collections), the car lube and oil when the plug was improperly replaced (three months to get a new engine and a trip to the lube and oil place with a police officer to demand they give me my car back which they had hidden in an effort to try to “fix” it), my roof leaked when my house was about three months old as did many others in the neighborhood (and we never ever were able to get a hold of the builder), my mother and daughter both were charged “club fees” of $14.95 a month when they purchased something online and after the purchase they were automatically registered in the “club.” [After research I learned this is a very successful con. Most people do not notice a mere $14.95 on their bill. Hundreds of thousands of people pay this before they find it and of course the company removes it immediately so that this way they won’t get into trouble, but they do not refund what was taken. How much do they make prior to discovery?]
These issues do not cover daily customer service contacts we’re all subjected to from unhappy customer service reps. That would take more blog space than I care to contribute. Except for the mouthwash incident in part 1, which I absolutely had to share. CSRs are often poorly trained and are on the receiving end of customer abuse all day every day. The very nature of the position is adversarial.
CSRs are not paid well, many do not have benefits, and many are on their feet all day. I get it. But some will move on and leave those jobs and build careers while others will remain in service jobs forever. I can say this because I’ve had a few low-paying demoralizing jobs including customer service jobs and having been in those positions for a time I soon made plans to get out of them by going to night school and acquiring skills to find better work with better benefits. And I did. Youth is a gateway to all types of employment abuse and degradation.
And now Toyota. For years they have been held in the highest esteem but in reality they just had excellent customer service and kept their problems concealed by fixing problems on a case-by-case basis. They also did not outsource parts as much as they do today which they’ve done to lower costs. This dangerous debacle was too big and they were too slow to hop on it. I’m sure the hearing can be viewed online if you have a strong stomach. I think YouTube has the entire hearing. Catch the interview by Mr. & Mrs. Smith. You’ll want to buy a horse.
We are controlled and owned by disreputable corporations and most of them are not even owned or operated in our own country. Everything is outsourced and we have homeless people and people living in poverty who can’t find decent jobs because corporations don’t care. Every time someone criticizes Michael Moore or Ralph Nader or Greenpeace or any organization that fights the battle for safer goods and a clean planet should remember that the next time a family gets wiped out on a freeway because of a defective car part made in China. Some customer service issues are much more dangerous than a faulty bottle of mouthwash. And I can’t even begin to go into the Saudis and their oil hold on the world while they live in luxury that is obscene and absolutely criminal.
And Congress. Can you say lobbyist? Corporations contribute to their longevity by barely operating within the law to elect these people. Many in Congress have wealth based on stock in corporations who screw us.
For those interested in how our goods are produced watch “China Blue” below. Almost everything we purchase and use is made in China. If watching this show doesn’t hurt us to our soul then there’s no hope for us. We have hoards of unemployed in our country due to outsourcing and people in China are literally being enslaved for “wages” of cents a day. Many of our large stores contract with China for these goods, visit the factories, and accept the lies of management even though anyone with eyes could see the truth. Watch this show and study the expressions of the corporate visitors. Prepare to puke.
/www.pbs.org/independentlens/chinablue/
The following article in “Business Week” explains the “China Price” and how it affects Toyota and corporations. No one can compete with China as the “China Blue” documentary points out only too well.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_08/b3921062.htm
Resolving customer service issues is designed by corporations to be convoluted and abhorrently difficult in order to make customers give up resulting in the loss of the customer’s money and/or the product or service.
Just yesterday (3/6/2010) I viewed a news story that Whole Foods’ “organic” line of some items are made in China. It’s written on the bag. Would YOU eat food made in China?
I’m going to plant flowers now.
http://www.sharonstrawhandgarner.com
[No part of this content may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.]
Resolving customer service issues is designed by corporations to be convoluted and abhorrently difficult in order to make customers give up resulting in the loss of the customer’s money and/or the product or service.
I’m not planning on spending weeks detailing all of my customer service problems. Google would kick me off eBlogger. I just have a few more choice examples and a big finish so stick with me.
I bought a security screen door for $64 and by the time I got it partially installed I ended up spending $350 for it and it took a year. I fought a variety of issues with this project including store policies that were insane. I have the door now but I still have to put weather-stripping on it. I have put some on the door but I didn’t like the way it was working (which they suggested) so I recently purchased more and will soon affix it. I was given wrong information from day one on this project and I made dozens of phone calls and store visits and NEVER got it resolved. NEVER. I had to pay someone else to install it and NEVER got my money back I gave the store to install it. I fought and fought and fought and finally had to give up because by this time I had other more pressing issues to deal with than a screen door. Sometimes I have multiple customer service and product problems running at the same time. They require prioritizing and some of them must die a slow painful death of non-resolution. I never give up on the big issues.
Resolving customer service issues is designed by corporations to be convoluted and abhorrently difficult in order to make customers give up resulting in the loss of the customer’s money and/or the product or service.
I spent over a year on horrific Dell computer issues including my computer dying a miserable death and I lost EVERYTHING. Since then I purchased an external back up drive that is large enough to run a small airport. I had 99 phone calls, chats, and emails. My computer was sent to the factory and returned with a note that said it checked out perfectly. When I turned my computer on it crashed. I took vacation days to sit on the phone with technicians all over the planet. Eventually they sent a technician to my office and he sat in a small cubicle and replaced everything. He did not speak to me though I had dozens of questions. It was unbelievable. The computer then worked great for a while and then it died another horrible death. But----I had it all backed up on my external drive. I only had the computer about three years and I only got use out of it for about a year give or take. My daughter had the same exact computer and did not have the issues I had. We bought them during the same week.
Eventually my daughter bought a new computer and we gave her old one to my mother. It crashed and died immediately and we had to spend $350 to get it up and running. If you doubt any of this because Dell has such a great rep, go online and you will find THOUSANDS of unhappy customers. For quite some time I printed out many of these messages, until my printer died.
My daughter has had cell phone problems from the first cell phone she ever purchased. Each new cell phone comes with new problems.
I bought a new computer, a Mac, and I’m having daily trouble with it. I really can’t go into it because my stomach hurts.
Before I retired I had a list of suggested things to do prior to that happy day. One great suggestion was to replace older appliances. So I bought a dishwasher, a heavy-duty garbage disposal, a vacuum, and a few other things. I purchased these items a few days before Thanksgiving when I expected my family for the event. Two days before Thanksgiving my dishwasher flooded my entire kitchen and part of my dining room on my new carpet which was also on the list and was only a few months old at the time of the flood. The store told me to call a plumber and they would reimburse me. The plumber came (but not until after Thanksgiving) and gave me my receipt and I went to the store—and they wouldn’t reimburse me. The store manager said he didn’t have that authority. I asked why he told me to do that and he said he didn’t though I had written his name down when I called with the flood report. I NEVER got my money back. I got a puny store credit. It’s another store I’m not welcome in. I was vocal using my ever so fetching banshee style voice. (The vacuum stopped working slightly under a year and my mother bought the same vacuum and it too is sitting in my closet, broken. Of the items I bought at that store only one is working—the garbage disposal.)
Here’s the good part: the guy who installed the dishwasher originally was a psychopath. I’m only slightly exaggerating. He was supposed to be here at noon and got here at 6:00. He didn’t finish until 8:00. I called my daughter and made her stay on the line with me the entire time. He was scary and surly and scary. Did I mention scary? He made many personal calls and I heard partial conversations. They were unpleasant. He asked to use my bathroom and of course I said he could and while he was in there for a very long time I heard doors and cupboards opening and closing. When he left I threw many things away in my bathroom including my toilet paper and I washed everything down and laundered ALL of my towels. I tossed my toothbrush.
When I called the store after the great flood they tried to send him back. I refused to have him in my home. The store plumber then started calling me about every 15 or 20 minutes until I called the store and told them I was terrified. I told them I was going to call the police. There are MANY additional details to this horrible story but my nice plumber told me it was the worst job he had ever seen. I learned later the store plumber was relieved of his duties. I secretly went back to the store and pretended to shop for a dishwasher and got a different sales clerk. I told her I’d like it installed but that I heard they had a terrible installation guy. She said, “Oh, yes, he’s gone. They had to let him go.” She said this with wide eyes and exaggerated nodding of the head. I told her thanks and said I’d come back in a few days. I had to sneak in to do this because of the aforementioned vocal expressions on my last visit.
I can’t continue detailing all these problems. There are so many. The bed I bought that I was charged twice for (for over a year and ended up in collections), the car lube and oil when the plug was improperly replaced (three months to get a new engine and a trip to the lube and oil place with a police officer to demand they give me my car back which they had hidden in an effort to try to “fix” it), my roof leaked when my house was about three months old as did many others in the neighborhood (and we never ever were able to get a hold of the builder), my mother and daughter both were charged “club fees” of $14.95 a month when they purchased something online and after the purchase they were automatically registered in the “club.” [After research I learned this is a very successful con. Most people do not notice a mere $14.95 on their bill. Hundreds of thousands of people pay this before they find it and of course the company removes it immediately so that this way they won’t get into trouble, but they do not refund what was taken. How much do they make prior to discovery?]
These issues do not cover daily customer service contacts we’re all subjected to from unhappy customer service reps. That would take more blog space than I care to contribute. Except for the mouthwash incident in part 1, which I absolutely had to share. CSRs are often poorly trained and are on the receiving end of customer abuse all day every day. The very nature of the position is adversarial.
CSRs are not paid well, many do not have benefits, and many are on their feet all day. I get it. But some will move on and leave those jobs and build careers while others will remain in service jobs forever. I can say this because I’ve had a few low-paying demoralizing jobs including customer service jobs and having been in those positions for a time I soon made plans to get out of them by going to night school and acquiring skills to find better work with better benefits. And I did. Youth is a gateway to all types of employment abuse and degradation.
And now Toyota. For years they have been held in the highest esteem but in reality they just had excellent customer service and kept their problems concealed by fixing problems on a case-by-case basis. They also did not outsource parts as much as they do today which they’ve done to lower costs. This dangerous debacle was too big and they were too slow to hop on it. I’m sure the hearing can be viewed online if you have a strong stomach. I think YouTube has the entire hearing. Catch the interview by Mr. & Mrs. Smith. You’ll want to buy a horse.
We are controlled and owned by disreputable corporations and most of them are not even owned or operated in our own country. Everything is outsourced and we have homeless people and people living in poverty who can’t find decent jobs because corporations don’t care. Every time someone criticizes Michael Moore or Ralph Nader or Greenpeace or any organization that fights the battle for safer goods and a clean planet should remember that the next time a family gets wiped out on a freeway because of a defective car part made in China. Some customer service issues are much more dangerous than a faulty bottle of mouthwash. And I can’t even begin to go into the Saudis and their oil hold on the world while they live in luxury that is obscene and absolutely criminal.
And Congress. Can you say lobbyist? Corporations contribute to their longevity by barely operating within the law to elect these people. Many in Congress have wealth based on stock in corporations who screw us.
For those interested in how our goods are produced watch “China Blue” below. Almost everything we purchase and use is made in China. If watching this show doesn’t hurt us to our soul then there’s no hope for us. We have hoards of unemployed in our country due to outsourcing and people in China are literally being enslaved for “wages” of cents a day. Many of our large stores contract with China for these goods, visit the factories, and accept the lies of management even though anyone with eyes could see the truth. Watch this show and study the expressions of the corporate visitors. Prepare to puke.
/www.pbs.org/independentlens/chinablue/
The following article in “Business Week” explains the “China Price” and how it affects Toyota and corporations. No one can compete with China as the “China Blue” documentary points out only too well.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_08/b3921062.htm
Resolving customer service issues is designed by corporations to be convoluted and abhorrently difficult in order to make customers give up resulting in the loss of the customer’s money and/or the product or service.
Just yesterday (3/6/2010) I viewed a news story that Whole Foods’ “organic” line of some items are made in China. It’s written on the bag. Would YOU eat food made in China?
I’m going to plant flowers now.
http://www.sharonstrawhandgarner.com
[No part of this content may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.]
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