PAINTING With Asthma and Allergies

PAINTING
With Asthma and Allergies

Having Medical Conditions and being somewhat of an Environmentalist, I can personally recommend DUNN-EDWARDS ECOSHIELD PAINTS (www.dunnedwards.com). Ethylene Glycol Free!

So, I chose FROSTY FOG Semi-Gloss for Living Room, Hall, and Master Bath!

The sheen of your paint will be an esthetic and practical decision. I personally like immaculate walls, with no food residue, finger prints, or scuff marks. Choosing Semi-Gloss allows for both the ability to the wash walls and for oils and stains to not penetrate in the first place!

DUNN-EDWARDS “ECOSHIELD” Paints are available in the following:
Primer
Flat
Low Sheen
Semi-Gloss



DESCRIPTION:

ECOSHIELD™ Semi-Gloss is a premium interior acrylic semi-gloss paint that has very low odor and no added solvents.

ECOSHIELD™ Semi-Gloss provides a durable, washable film and has excellent hide, block resistance, and adhesion.

ECOSHIELD™ Semi-Gloss applies easily and its low odor formulation makes it ideal for commercial office buildings, schools, hospitals, and other closed ventilated buildings.

ECOSHIELD™ Semi-Gloss is also recommended for residential use.

SOLVENT TYPE: Waterborne
RESIN TYPE: 100% acrylic


AVERAGE DRY TIME AT 77°F/25°C (ASTM D 1640)
To touch: 1-2 hours
Recoat: 4-6 hours

APPLICATION EQUIPMENT
Brush, roller, airless spray

PACKAGING
One-gallon, five-gallon containers

CONFORMS TO:
Master Painters Institute (MPI) #147
Green Seal’s Standard GS-11 & LEED requirements
Section 01350/CHPS requirements

My experience with DUNN-EDWARDS “Ecoshield Semi-Gloss Paint”

Primered walls required more paint and retouching, whereas painting over existing Semi-Gloss (base color “off white”) Paint was virtually effortless!

If walls are only Primered or painted with older paint, I suggest using DUNN-EDWARDS Ecoshield Paints firstly (Ecoshield Primer Paint if needed), or two coats of ECOSHIELD Paint.

I used hand held rollers, rollers with extensions, two sizes of brushes (which included a medium and extra small brush about the size of a highlighter pen), and “Shur-Line Edger” (with guided wheels for ceiling lines, around doors, and windows) that I hand-held at times and other times placed on extension pole.

Being concerned with toxic fumes, skin sensitivity, latex allergy, and asthma… I am very pleased with my painting experience.









All content by Europa Pirate

Preparing To Paint: Interior

Preparing To Paint:

Interior Walls/Surfaces

Unless your structure is New and Freshly Primered, you will have as much Prep Work as you will have Painting! As a consequence, this is the reasoning behind most homeowners choosing to Pay Professional Painters when requiring Home Interior Painting! Exterior (Building) Painting is a World of Its Own, which I won’t detail here.

Your Prep Work will include:
Removing all Furniture
Removing all non-essential and non-industrial light sources, such as chandeliers, ornate light fixtures, ceiling fans (if you are painting ceiling), etc.
Removing all switch plates/outlet plates (turn off Power firstly)
Dusting walls by sweeping with clean/”like-new”, stiff broom
Possibly sanding uneven surfaces
Patching and curing holes
Sealing cracks

Failure to remove debris on walls, uneven surfaces, and brushes/sprayer with remains of old paint and dirt are the main causes for paint peeling.

Now that half of your Prep Work is Complete:

It is time to wash your walls.

Firstly, spot check your wall for any stains or smudges. A dampened “paste of Baking Soda and Water” on a clean lint-free cotton cloth will remove most marks. Do not rub too roughly, that you remove paint to the bare wall. Anything that cannot simply be rubbed off of your wall should probably be primmered or spot primmered prior to project.

Washing the Wall really entails wiping the wall down (from top to bottom) with a damp (natural material) cloth- Not soaking your walls! The point is to remove any debris that your broom did not pick-up yet, keeping your wall relatively dry.

After “Washing The Walls” you are now ready to mask off your windows, door frames, baseboards, sconces, and any other detailed item that will not be painted –or- will be painted at a later time. Remember to have ceiling somewhat clean irregardless of whether or not ceiling is to be painted, as dust, cobwebs, and particles can drift down onto your freshly painted walls.

Follow this step with the covering of the Floor, unless you have pulled-up old carpet or tile before hand. Paint will follow gravity and drip onto flooring (either from walls, brushes, or the unfortunate spilling of paint buckets). Knowing that you are painting over a drop cloth is much more settling to your mind than worrying about your flooring.

Drop Cloths:

Any Furniture, Appliance, Carpet, or Flooring must be covered with some sort of Drop Cloth prior to Painting!

You will have an array of choices in this area. I like to think in term of the type of Paint, when considering drop cloths. Additionally, budget is a factor as well as the color of paint also playing a part in your drop cloth purchase. How often are you to paint? Can you pass-on the painting accessories to a neighbour, relative, or charity home remodeling group? Or, should you simply avoid purchasing a professional drop cloth in light of using something already in your possession?

Being concerned with the environment, I rather avoid using plastic, whenever possible. Canvas drop cloths are more expensive yet can last nearly a lifetime, with proper care.

• 1st Canvas
• 2nd Assorted Cloth
• 3rd Paper

*The last two I would suggest: Paper/Poly, and finally Plastic





All content by Europa Pirate

MakeUp and Body Product Care

Product Care

In the United States, standards on Cosmetics shelf-life are usually much less than those in Europe. Furthermore, shipping the products to their "Retail destination" can result in temperature fluctuations, whose outcome may be unseen to the retail consumer.

Reliable Manufactures selling to their department store/salon clients will predetermine and guard against nearly all shipping dilemmas, using only reliable Trucks/Ships/Airline Companies with temperature-controlled cargo containers. Do not support businesses or individuals unaware of poor shipping and handling practices. And, do not purchase any Make-up/Cosmetic, Prescription Medicine, Over-the-Counter Med, or Topical/Body Product placed in direct sunlight or adjacent to any heat source!

The easiest tip you will ever get regarding home beauty/body care is this-

Once you have opened, used, touched

“the Product”:

You will have 6mo-1year Use/Lifespan

Sealed, Unopened Products

• may be stored inside an airtight plastic bag, in their original packaging, in your moisture-controlled refrigerator!
  

For cleaning/renewing make-up here are some tips:

• Use applicator, whenever possible (instead of using finger)



• Clean Eye Shadow by gently removing a layer of powder/cream with clean tissue or unused cotton swab



• Wipe Lipsticks off onto a (lint free) tissue once a week, removing film as if you were applying lipstick to your own lips



• Smudge Eyeliner/Lipliner onto clean tissue regularly (in same cleaning manner as Lipstick)



• Sharpen Make-Up routinely, prior to and after using



• Wipe the solid surfaces of your Make-Up Containers and Applicators with Cotton Squares or Cotton Swabs dampened with 50% to 70% Rubbing Alcohol



• When sunny days are present, carry your Make-Up or Medicine in an Ice Chest plugged into your Automobile or with “Blue Ice”, in waterproof bags/baggies rather than lying on a seat where sunlight and trapped heat can spoil items



• Never share products that directly touch your skin, eyes, mouth

For the fear of any sort of Contamination to Eye or Skin from Make-Up, I chose Epsom Salt Rinses and immediately discard the Item in question!



All content by Europa Pirate

The Accumulating, Storing, and Shredding of Receipts

The Accumulating, Storing, and Shredding

of Receipts

Items Needed List:

• Receipts
• Paper Shredder
• Trash Bin
• File Cabinet
• File Folder
• *Small Bin with Lid & Name Tag (“Receipts”) if you do not own a Filing Cabinet
  
  If you now own a paper shredder, this task will be much easier. Otherwise, be prepared to cut your receipts with a scissors.

For Security purposes and a clutter-free environment, the task of going through your Receipts is essential.

Many people simply toss-out their Receipts, directly after a purchase. Some simply inform the sales clerk that a receipt is not necessary. As this is unquestionably a quick way to be clutter-free, I do not recommend this abrupt idea.

Receipts are now an element of life. Long ago in small towns, shop owners knew every customer and each product stocked. Today, life is further complicated. Aside from the vital TAX RECORD, that receipts provide, your receipt should be looked at in the same fashion as cash in your wallet. Whether your purchase is a Gift or for yourself, receipts enable you to “Exchange the Item” or “Return for a full Refund”.

Non-returnable Items/Rules that most Retail Shops follow:

• Cameras/Digital Recorders
• Opened CDs/Movies
• Party Dresses/Formal Ware
• Alerted/Special Orders
• Swimsuits/Undergarments
• Holiday Items/Seasonal

The above list may not be returned unless item is defective, and an exchange for same product match is required. Each Store/Corporation will list their individual policies on Returns/Exchanges. Usually, corporate/chain stores are more liberal about returns. Specialty Boutiques usually allow neither return nor refund, yet maintain their upscale cliental quite pleased by carrying items not commonly found by the general public.

Receipts To Keep until Recorded/Used :

• Automobile Regular Maintenance/Service
• Clothing
• Food/Grocery
• Haircut/Hairstyling
• Gasoline/Petrol
• Restaurant/Trip Bills
• Shoes
• Service

Receipts To Store For Taxes:

• Auto Purchase/Rental for Work
• Birth of Child
• Business Property Purchase/Rental
• Business Trip Expenditures
• Career Clothing
• Career Enrichment Courses
• Charity/Donation Slips
• Childcare/After-School/Dependent Care
• College/School Bills
• Computer/Career Supplies
• Conversion to Green Energy/Energy Efficient
• Dependent Costs
• Gasoline/Petrol
• Medical/Hospital
• Mobility Devices
• Pharmacy/Medication
• School Supplies (Uniforms, Books, etc)
• Student Loan Payments
• Transportation Expenses (Ferry, Train/Monorail, Bus, and Parking Fees)

Charity/Non-Profit Organization Filing

*Check with your Tax Advisor

Once you have separated, tossed-out, shredded, and organized your receipts, file folders labeled with Month/Year can hold each group, in your filing cabinet.


All content by Europa Pirate

The Magic of Epsom Salt

Epsom Salt

The Health, Beauty, and Environmental Wonder!

MgSO4 = Magnesium Sulfate

Neatly boxed or bagged, Epsom Salt is almost always overlooked or avoided by the average consumer. Nevertheless, Epsom Salt is as useful as it is mysteriously enchanting!

The modern term Epsom comes from the mineral rich waters of the town with the same name. Like the town of Bath, England, Epsom was revered for it’s healing waters. Sulfate has a negative charge and, Magnesium a positive. Salt molecules form because of the opposing charges banding together.

Prior to going forward I must mention, I only recommend food grade Epsom Salt. All other non-internal/topical needs for Epsom Salt should start with the purest form, which is food grade.

Epsom Salts Uses

• An Eye Rinse
• An Internal Cleanser/Detoxifier
• Anti-bruising agent
• Agricultural Aide
• External Beauty Aide for Facials
• Irritability and Anxiety Relief
• Joint Supporter
• Management of Enzymes in Body
• Metabolizing of Vitamin C and (Mineral) Calcium
• Migraine Reliever
• Muscle Inflammation Soother and Sports Medicine Use
• Neurological Calmer (including use in Children: Autism, Hyperactivity, & ADHD)
• Oxygenation booster and utilization
• Protein Formation and Brain Tissue Construction
  
  

Recommended Strengths:

Eye Rinse
1 short glass (not plastic)
4 oz warm, clean water
½ teaspoon Epsom Salt

Stir until cool

Flush clean, non-infected Eye firstly
Follow same flushing method with bothersome eye last, or use new glass.

To achieve this, place glass upon face and blink fluid into eye.

If the liquid ever burns, water is too warm or the Epsom Salt crystals have not completely dissolved.

More information on the magical Epsom Salts, to be continued, with a later posting.




by Europa Pirate

Natural Sun Block

As the weather gets warmer, for those of us on the Northern Hemisphere,
and the hours of sunshine are longer…
do not forget to protect your skin.


Most people have experienced a cold, blustery day. Your nose gets red; cheeks pinks, lips chapped, and your skin can burn with pain from simply washing your dry hands under water.


Are you also conscious of the other seasons, the other months out of the year?
Skin cancer can and does affect all peoples no matter of skin color or race!The cancer can even form on skin never exposed to the sun’s violent rays. Whether fast growing or slow, skin cancer can grow on, under, and inside your body.

Safety with the Sun includes

• avoiding peak hours of sunlight 11am-3pm
• covering the skin with clothing
• and a natural mineral barrier
  

Natural Sun Block

Key Ingredient:
Zinc Oxide

Ingredients to Avoid:
Octyl Methoxycinnamate (O.C.M.), Petroleum, Oxybenzone (Benzophenone –3)




Natural Lip Balms

Key Ingredient:
Bees Wax

Vegan versions Key Ingredients:
Natural oils (coconut oil, almond oil, hemp oil) and waxes from fruits











by Europa Pirate

Birdcage Cleaning

Cleaning Bird/Avian Cages

Aside from the daily changing of paper/liner, birdcages should also be cleansed.
Tips on the Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Cleansing of your Avian Cages.

Daily
Toss out the old seed in each dish at least once per day. I find it is easiest to remember as a chore, first thing in the morning.
Change Water. Make certain water dish isn’t slimy. Wipe water dish with Vinegar and rinse well prior to refilling with water.

Do your birds bathe in their water dish? A separate bath for bird bathing can be placed in the cage during sunny times of day, when a wet bird should be able to dry easily. If you cannot place a bath in the cage, please change their drinking water more frequently.
Dispose of paper liner and any waste that is lying on the bottom of the tray. Replace bird paper, after doing so and after any baths where the paper should become wet.

Weekly

Wipe the bottom of your birdcage down with a damp towel or paper towel that is moistened with a vinegar and water mixture. I keep Vinegar/Water in a Spray bottle with a permanent label, since this mixture easily cleans as an All-Purpose Cleaner. If cage is damp, dry directly after.

Wipe any stick or perch off with another paper towel or a wire/stiff perch scrapper.

Monthly

Shower the Birdcage after removing the tray, paper liner, and all food/water dishes. Placing the birdcage in your shower (or outside on your patio if you do not feel comfortable mixing germs) stream the water from the shower nozzle into the cage, starting from top (ceiling) to floor (base). I do not recommend soaking.

If you regularly clean the avian cage, soaking would never be necessary.

After spraying cage with a medium hard stream of water, wipe all surfaces with a soft wet cloth of water and (food grade) Baking Soda (in a paste).

Rinse cage again with water from top (ceiling) to bottom (tray).

Spray cage clean with your Vinegar/Water bottle mixture.

Rinse with pure water and place onto a clean dry towel, such as an old bath towel.

Wipe cage completely dry with a clean rag or paper towel, and replace all items back into cage having hand wiped each prior. Resituate Bird Toys, after cleaning, into different areas of the cage for mental stimulation.

Giving your bird a change of scenery and brain stimulation is almost as important as it’s safety. Birds are very intelligent and can die from despair, as seen in a lovesick elderly person who’s lost their lifelong mate! If you have a couple of healthy birds, you can always swap toys, switching theirs from one cage to another.

The NEVER Do List:

Never have any of the following in your bird’s home:

• Cigarette/cigar smoke
• Oven Cleaner
• Perfume (typical mass-produced department store perfume/cologne/body spray)
• Flea Bombs or Pest Killer fumes or powders
• Hairspray
• Paint fumes

Always Treat your Bird as the Asthmatic Child of the House! Unlike an asthmatic, a bird may die from being exposed to harsh, chemical fumes even just once.

The above tips can be used for all birds including those in the Poultry Family, which make curious, clever, and loyal friends!

by Europa Pirate

The Paper Shredder

The Paper Shredder:

No longer just for The Office

In the Age of High Tech Identity Theft, shredding your paper can be your least expensive and an almost totally brainless defense. Ask your primary-school aged child to feed the Bot, ask your mate for a Shred Date, or do a Shred the Weight (Fitness Shredfest) to your Favorite Music CD. The point is, whether home or office, private documentation including any sort of Tax-ID, S.S., and Work-Visa Info must be Shredded and money, time, or space will no longer be an issue!

As a young person in Southern California… I turned to a hand-crank, manually operated (non-electric shredder). Therefore, whatever your financial status and locale in the world, chances are you can afford some sort of shredder to fit your needs. What you will need to keep in mind is this simple rule: the less expense, the least number of papers and the least amount of (shredding) time you will be able to utilize.

Motor and bits will determine how many sheets of paper and the number of minutes a shredder can do it’s shredding. Unless you are a Government and know of no price or destination limiting your ability for the highest technologic advances, home/typical office shredders do get hot/overheat with use. If the average number of papers you force into your machine is three and rarely have a Credit Card, you will find your choices seemingly endless, for a modestly priced Paper Shredder.


If you truly on an unyielding budget as a undergraduate or young parent, perhaps purchasing a Paper Shredder for only paper (not over endowed for CD destruction and plastic charge cards) would be your best option. So, you will want to remove the metal staples and certainly any paper clips prior to shredding yet having any automated, machine shredder is safer than none.

As you await your purchase, slice all papers listing your Social Security Number, Name, Address, and Age, and Birth date and Birthplace into tiny strips of paper. You may always place these in a bag or box inside your filing cabinet or metal safe until they can be properly shredded, if in doubt.

Businesses outside the home or of high revenue should really consult their Insurance Carrier since many companies will have information on Identity Theft and current product lines.

Unfortunately, I cannot list any one specific Brand or Model number due to the discontinuance of products, high turnover, or marketing/model name changes.

Here are a few tips for the Professional/Business User:



An Industrial Shredder will cost half or more of the price that you would pay for an automobile! Amazingly, Industrial shredders are not only efficient with time, yet are infinitely helpful for those not so detail oriented. These shredders will list the sheet (number) Capacity, Speed (sheet feet per minute), and Horse Power, aside from physical dimensions. Many look like little robots hungry for your rubbish to be tossed in.

The highest tier in protection will not necessarily be as fast as the Industrial Shredders although the High Security Shredder may be less expensive and offer immeasurable piece of mind. In the United States, these High Security Shredders are classified by Security Levels. A reputable dealer will not try to sell anything under the term High Security if it does not meet with N.S.A./National Security Agency current standards. An example is the destruction of a Classified or Top Secret (8 ½ x 11) paper document into 15,500 minuscule particles, something unmistakably outside the realm of a desktop paper shredder from your corner stationary shop. These incredible machines will be listed and sold under warrantee as long as serviced per manufacturer instruction as an automobile, with regular tune-ups and yearly maintenance. Cross Cut, Micro Cut, and Super Micro Cut are descriptions of cut assortment. And, the security rating will fall under Level 5, to Level 6 your highest-level standard.


Clearly, I am as fascinated with Security as I am with Technology and the choice offered in modern shredders delivers both. Shredder Residue Dispersion Systems will advance the highest level of security from here.




by Europa Pirate

Dusting

Dusting Pricey Wood and Pianos



For Dusting I again chose to utilize a natural fiber rag/dust cloth. Diaper Services will sell their older, cloth Diapers, which make nearly perfect dust cloths. If you have any hesitation, recall the times you have paid for your Auto’s Washing/Detailing. These professional automobile detailers are the #1 clients for Diaper Services, when selling their slightly worn cloths.

If your Porsche, Volvo, or Olds shimmers to satisfaction, than the idea of home use with diaper rags, as a prime cleaning tool, is surely applicable.




DUSTING DRY


For fine wood, such as a piano, I recommend dry dusting with cotton or cotton flannel. Dust all antique or pricey woods following the grain of the (natural) wood. Newer/Modern pianos and their technological advances on finishing’s should require much less care. Older, expensive models with basic finishes, therefore, will require more external care. Always dust prior to polishing your prized possession.



CLEANING KEYS:

The “key” to cleaning your Piano’s keys is cleaning one to two keys at a time. Again, your soft cotton dust rags will be used. Slightly dampened the cloth with water and a drop of natural dish/hand friendly soap. Very little soap is to be used. I recommend METHOD, ECOVER, or SEVENTH GENERATION. Have an additional dry cloth adjacent, drying each key precisely after cleaning.



The interior of the piano/case should be professionally cleaned every few years, or more if you are in a high humidity or severely dusty/windy locale. Once clean, “Wool String cover kits” can be purchased for longer-term storage or homes that again see high humidity or dust.


TUNING:

A new piano, during its first year of life, should be meticulously tuned four times, in ideal environmental settings, by a piano specialist only!

Remember:
For all wood cleaning, lightly dry dust
prior to polishing wood to avoid ingraining the dirt.

by Europa Pirate

The Cleaning of Rugs and Carpets Part 1

Rugs and Carpets:


A Broom may be used in a variety of ways, depending upon the type of broom and construction. Again, keep shop/garage brooms separate from indoor and interior wall brooms.

A stiff, clean broom can even sweep out dirt in carpets as well as beat the dust from rugs. When remembering your new broom, also purchase a dustpan to collect the unwanted particles.

Dustpans:
Plastic Dustpans are available produced from 80-100% post consumer material or otherwise used material- RCP’s!

Metal Dustpans are better for the environment if you cannot locate recycled plastic/material dustpans. There are even metal car License Plates fashioned into useable dustpans!

A Note of Caution:

Do Not use metal dustpans on wood floors!




Rugs:

Many rugs may be cleaned on delicate cycle of your washing machine. The rug will most certainly bleed or fade it’s color upon initial washing depending on it’s material and whether or not natural or synthetic dyes were used in the construction. Always assume your rug is not colorfast, and wash with another like colored rug. And, becareful of the surface that your rug touches when damp or wet.

A Natural Rug’s material may be from silk, cotton, abaca, hemp, nettle, or wool.
Peasant style sprayable rugs (non-washer friendly) may be closer to that of twine or twigs, than fabric.



Carpet:
Even though there is the old story of the flying carpet, a carpet is not very similar to rug. Carpet in most Western Countries has been mass-produced from synthetic fibers and is tacked to the carpet padding. Unfortunately, carpet padding is almost always very Toxic!

I.A.Q. stands for
Indoor Air Quality

As weather and work draws us more and more indoors, the quality of this air indoors should be of prime concern.

Carpet can be made from natural fibers and certain “seals” of environmental safety do exists, even if the average salesperson wishes not to divulge such information. Green Label and Green Label Plug are examples. Higher-End retailers will carry wool and wool blends. Ask about the backing of the carpet, the avoidance of chemical so-called “stain protection” and moth guard. Jute, a natural option, has been around for much longer than synthetic materials and is now a good option for backing. Natural adhesives, such as those from the rubber tree should be used over toxic, non-degradable substances.

Cleaning Equipment: Brooms

Cleaning Equipment:
Brooms by Europa Pirate


Starting with the top of each room, most likely there will either be dust, cobwebs, or insect cocoons that will need removal from the walls and corners. For walls, a clean natural broom is recommended. This broom should only be used for this sort of “Seasonal Cleaning” and not to be substituted for a random, worn broom perhaps found in your garage or basement.

For your needs, this information should assist with the purchase of
Your New Broom(s):

When purchasing a broom either for the first time or recently, within the past few years, you are bound to notice a pleasing surprise. Not only are there the availability of the standard looking, natural material brooms, which have been seen in all Western Euro/American Homes unchanged for decades, yet the are a myriad of sleek, stylist, or just plain silly ornamented brooms that will make this chore much more lively.

Your broom should be constructed of renewable materials, hopefully from a company that guarantees its labor/manufacturing doesn’t violate any deforestation/eco practices and human rights.



Your choice of broom may be constructed from
any single or a combination of the following:



Corn and Rattan

CORN
(*Additional reading: the three sisters growing system)
Corn has been a staple of Native Americans/Tribal Peoples
As food for animals and humans
Now, Corn/Maize is also used as
Biofuel
(bio-organic fuel)

RATTAN
(Palm family)
Fast growing, eco-friendly alternative
to deforestation practices of logging


Palmyra plant
and the select/superior part of this plant
which are
the Bassine/Bassine Fibers

Tampico
(desert climate edible plant,
cream to off-white colored fibers in there natural state)
Purchase only if grown in sustainable farming.
Do NOT purchase product reaped wild or from Preserve Lands.


Horsehair
(if Company has been backed/inspected by Cruelty-Free 3rd Party Inspectors)
Horse Hair that has been Cut/Trimmed
Without Harm to animal)

Sotol
(Yucca Fiber)
*Pollination in nature requires a moth for Yucca plant reproduction

Sorghum
(Originally from Egypt)
a.k.a. Broomcom (grass)
*Avoid
red-brown color; the inferior material

Bear Grass
Fire-resistant plant (not grass)
growing just above timberline, sub-alpine, and coastal regions


and Union Fiber

(the combination of natural fibers)

The above information should clearly detail the options for avoiding the purchase of any un-natural, petro-chemical sweeping device.

Your Workspace

Situating your Office/Home Office/Study

Clutter free environment will be equally important as will a solid work surface. This area, whether a University Student’s “study space” or “the Computer Station” to a small Biz Owner will uniformly affect your wealth. Besides creating or hindering your financial abilities, this area remains vital to the modern home.The Home Office (monetarily) feeds the House, as a Kitchen (bodily) feeds its occupants.

A clean kitchen is vital to the health of the home dwellers.

A tidy office is vital to prosperity!

Lets Start Bringing Wealth:


Dependent upon the sort of Specialty Course/Area you major in, all Modern Student Centers must incorporate a Computer (with Internet Access), clean/unused paper & paper storage, both pens and pencils (including separate erasers and liquid “White-Out” for those ultimate blunders) and a solid writing surface. This area for Study/Coursework will be larger for those earning an income at this specific workspace.


As much as Technology has taken over our lives and this world, always backup your information via CD/Floppy/External Drive or On-Line through a Private (Pay) Storage site. Do not rely on your home computer, laptop, or office Intra Net for primary storage. Closely view the fine print on liability for lost data, per each company/device.

Aside from the threat of Computer Virus or Home Invasion/Burglary, software incombination with Operation Systems routinely crash and nothing, no matter what the cost, nothing will foolproof a computer and the millions of bites of data you acquire and a programmers sloppy code. Computers crashing or otherwise shutting down unexpectedly... should be expected. Save, Print, Copy, Back-Up.

*I also suggest the addition of paper/hardcopy files for anything of importance including; Business Proposals, Resumes, Tax Returns/Audits, and Immunization Records (which may be vital as a Business or Student Traveler). Seek Specific State/Country Law advice through a Barrister/Attorney or sound Financial Advisor (with firm carrying unambiguous insurance protecting this advice against suits that may be filed against you).



A Reminder before we go further:

This designated work/study area must be cleaned from head-to-toe/ceiling to floor, before organizing and eventually inhabiting “this Vital Space”! Do not bring any “old/past Energy” into your newly transformed space. Cobwebs, bugs/pests, and mold have no place in your Income Earning Sanctuary!

A Pathway To A Clean Home

A centerpoint in all working civilizations is STRUCTURE!



In any working environment, such as a shopping center/mall, a gym club, or
Your Home:
Structure is essential!


Some terms are *Organization, *Feng Shui, and *Livability. What you may not see or consciously realize is that every moment in a structured, organized, and clean (relatively germ/bacteria free and mold void) environment is double that you may spend in an unsystematic and chaotic space. Not only will your work time be lessened, your downtime will be lighter and more livable.



For our first primer, let us now start with a brief description of Feng Shui, since this is possibly this least known in United States and The U.K.

Feng Shui, pronounced Fung Shoi, is also called Geomancy. Feng is Wind and Shui stands for Water, which along with the other elements, are centered around Pa Kua/Bagua. A note to those that spend much time in their Automobiles:
Feng Che deals with the energy associated with your Automobile
and your route to and from daily trips.

In Feng Shui, Qi means roughly “flow of energy” or natural energy. Therefore, when dealing with Feng Shui your seeking Qi Divination. If you can grasp the basic scientific principle of electricity in a closed circuit, you can understand a basic level of Feng Shui in your Home. Electricity, Water Flow, Doorways, and Furniture positioning will effect this flow, as will your color scheme and even outdoor topiary.

The Polarity in Feng Shui is termed as it’s Yin and Yang, which represent respectively dead and living, and dark and light, and cold and hot. Yin and Yang are complimentary yet are absolutes, and still have times or spaces where both are influential. Duality!

In Martial Arts, Yin and Yang meet as a dance and are never used separately. If someone attacks you on the street in a frenzied, aggressive manner, you repel or dissipate that energy. Rarely can you overcome someone so intent and angry by way of such emotion back. After the initial surprise, allow their unwarranted energy to roll off you for it should not be yours to keep. It is their negativity and poor rearing not you that sought such an encounter. This goes for emotional attacks as well.