Soapourri Natural Bath and Body, LLC

Christmas 2011 - Birth of a New Tradition

Not sure who wrote this - it is all over the internet!  Cindy

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor.

This year will be different. This year Americans should give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift-giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon, or barber?
> Gym or yoga club membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American-owned detail shops, and car washes, would love to sell you a gift certificate, or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the Benjamins on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half-dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day. Or even a local masseuse!

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes. Many are available, reasonably, at your nearest State Park.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner-operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play, or ballet, at your hometown theater?

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand foreign-made lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy, or delivery person, and babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets and seeing our hard-earned wages go outside the country. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities ...and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine. Remember a local charity!

THIS is the new American Christmas tradition. Enjoy family get-togethers, church services, caroling, as in past Christmases ....but put more emphasis on the REASON FOR THE SEASON .....and less on material gifts.

Forward this to everyone on your mailing list -- post it to discussion groups -- throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in your city -- send it to the editor of your local paper, and radio stations, and TV news departments.

This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about, plus remember Jesus.

Adventures in Gardening

For the past couple of years we've planted zinnias on the terraced part of our back yard.  They grow so tall that we see them quite well from the house.  This year we added something new - Grandpa Ott's Morning Glories.  We weren't at all prepared for the climbing that these lovely plants wanted to do.  They reached out and grabbed anything around them, winding around several times, pulling things down, etc.  When we got our newest Midwest Living, we found a picture of them climbing up the side of a barn!  That is really what they are meant to do. Here's the link-

http://www.midwestliving.com/garden/featured-mwl/seed-savers-exchange/#page=3

This article is about the Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, IA, where we'd gotten our seeds. It was my pleasure, therefore, last weekend to meet Diane Ott Wheatly, the co-founder, see her new book and read about the Morning Glory seeds that were brought from Bavaria by her great-grandfather. 

Here's a couple of pictures of these beautiful plants.

 One of our zinnias.

 Grandpa Ott's Morning Glory 

 The zinnias being smothered by the morning glories!

Soapuri - Soap Your Eye??

Yesterday I signed up for a personalized license plate, but wait! There's more! It is in red, and is the license plate for the university that one of my sons goes to. It is so unusual and new, that I thought it would get twice the attention that a regular personalized plate would get. Actually, it kind of looks fake, don't you think?  ;)

Around here if you have a college plate, 99% of the time it is the University of Iowa or Iowa State. They've only recently come out with the smaller college plates. I was limited to 7 characters, and of course Soapourri is 9. So I got rid of an r and the u to make - Soapuri! I also signed up for Soapuri.com and had the website transfer to Soapourri.com.

Years ago I had that license plate - and I'll never forget the person in the church parking lot that pointed at it and said - Soap Your Eye, right? She was so pleased with herself and thought she nailed it. Still makes me laugh!

Are your customer service people acting like goalies?

Are your customer service people acting like goalies?  This analogy popped into my head the other day at the gym.  Since everyone has been buzzing about the U.S.A. vs. Canada in the Olympics for hockey, it seems very timely.

If your employees are acting like goalies, it means this:  when a complaint comes their way, they treat it as a puck.  They put on their pads, get out their sticks, and deflect it.  They deflect it back at the customer, or elsewhere, but most importantly they deflect it away from the net (themselves).

Here in Des Moines, the latest version of hockey is the brouhaha with some teachers at Legends restaurant.  It all started when a teacher found a hair in her salad.  She told the server about it, who said, "Well, I didn't put it there."  Classic goalie behavior!  Deflect!

Needless to say, the incident didn't end there, the teacher wasn't happy, and it turned into a major p.r. mess for Legends.  In fact, there is even a Facebook group for it!

When I was at the gym the other day, I wanted to use the sauna.  It is on a timer, and the timer knob was loose and didn't work.  I went to the front desk and told the woman there just that.  Her response?  "To turn on the timer, turn the knob until it clicks".  Oh.  my.  gosh.  Classic goalie behavior.  It is so condescending to act like I don't know how to turn on a timer!  It was obvious from her attitude that she didn't want to hear about my problem, didn't want to solve it, she just wanted to deflect the puck and make it go away.

People that complain are important.  There, I said it. For every person that complains, there may be 10 or 20 that don't but won't come back.   I once got a complaint about my labels that was truly a great thing and I will always be grateful for it.  But I won't deny that at first I wanted to be a goalie.

Do you recognize this behavior in you or your employees?  Tell them to take off their pads and put down their sticks!

Uncle, I say, UNCLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cool Website

RedKid.net is a cool website with lots of stuff, including image generators - you pick a photo, type in some text, and a photo appears with your text on it.  Like so:

 
Isn't that just so cool?

Young Deer Bathes Kitty

The Surprising Reason That You Should WANT Gray Hair

From the Beauty Brains.com:

First we told you about a better way to get your gray hair dyed. Then we explained how stress causes gray hair. And most recently we we told you how to to get rid of gray hair forever.  Now  we’re blogging about why you should be HAPPY that you have gray hair. (Why all the posts about gray hair? Trust me, if you had to look at the Left Brain’s roots everyday you wouldn’t have to ask that question!) Anyway, the latest news is that gray hair may actually protect you from cancer!

Gray hair is good

Hair color is produced by cells called melanocytes which are in part controlled by stem cells. When the number of stem cells in hair follicles goes down, hair turns gray. Now researchers at Tokyo Medical and Dental University in Japan have discovered that radiation and chemicals that damage DNA can cause stem cells to permanently transform into melanocytes. Without the stem cells to produce more melanocytes, hair turns grey (Cell, vol 137, p 1088). Another researcher, David Fisher at Harvard Medical School, suggests this processes may help protect us from cancer, by preventing damaged stem cells from passing on mutated DNA.  “One likely beneficial effect is the removal of potentially dangerous cells that may contain pre-cancerous capabilities,” he says. So there you have it gals, it’s Gray Pride Day!

The 99 Things You Should Have Already Experienced on the Internet

...unless you're old or a loser or something.  Well, I guess I'm both, because I have only seen a few of these!

Youshouldhaveseenthis.com is Greg Rutter's Definitive List of The 99 Things You Should Have Already Experienced on the Internet. 

Can any of us forget the dancing baby?

Note:  I hated #1 - don't watch it.  You've been warned.

5 Words You Don't Want to Hear From Your Doctor's Office

We lost your pap test.
          
You mean I have to do it AGAIN?????