Rechtsschutz
Okay, I know that it is not the right thing to do, but I have been using the free translator to get through my German class. I know that I should by now know more German than I do, but my professor last year was a really idiot. This year, however, I have an excellent instructor, who will know if I am using the free translator, and I know that I am really sunk. I don't know enough from my last year's class to be able to keep up in this class. I have hired a tutor, but I feel like I am still not getting it. Now I have a translation that I have to do on this paragraph, and I am really not sure on it. Here is the paragraph in German:
When looking for insurance there are definitely some things that you should know. Private Krankenversicherung can be very costly but is important to have and quite honestly worth every penny if you need it. Other valuable types of insurance that are a must have are Riester Rente, Rechtsschutz, and Sterbegeld. Purchasing insurance can be a costly but worthwhile venture. When you need it you will be glad you did.
My sorry English translation:
When looking for insurance there are definitely some things that you should know. Private health insurance can be very costly but is important to have and quite honestly worth every penny if you need it. Other valuable types of insurance that are a must have are Riester pension insurance, legal protection insurance, and death benefit insurance. Purchasing insurance can be a costly but worthwhile venture. When you need it you will be glad you did.
I have checked it out on one of those free translation sites and some of the meanings seem a little confused. I am not really sure that the site I am using if providing me with a correct translation on the words, and I think that perhaps my German is not really good enough to tell the difference. If my professor can tell that I used the free translation service to translate it, instead of coming up with the English in the letter myself, I am afraid he will fail me or worse yet turn me in to the administration for cheating. I think that it is in my best interest to use my own translation of the paragraph instead of the free translation services. This way I may look stupid, but honest.
Posted by Jen on Tuesday, July 01, 2008 @ 12:35 PM
six sigma certification
Today I noticed something about myself that I hadn't before. I was doing some school work and I had a ton of things to balance out in the course of my day and I got through all of it and had to just stop and think about how well everything worked out. I realized that I had heard the words of my old boss in my head and some of the strategies in which he had given me to make my time work for me. Even though it was two whole years ago I think his words and techniques really stuck with me and will continue to make me a more efficient person for the rest of my life.
This was my first job out of high school where I met my boss David. I had graduated four days before I started working there at the wood shop. I wanted to work there because I had an ulterior motive for the experience. I wanted to teach myself how to build guitars and this was the only place I could see myself gaining both the experience with machinery to do so, and having access to machinery like this. I mean I had never even used an electric drill before this job so I was starting out with only a dream and that's what brought me in to the employment of this awesome guy.
David was like any boss, in that he cared about efficiency and getting as much product out the door as possible. The thing that made him different was his compassion and true interest in the lives of his workers. He did all he could to make himself a better boss and he even had a six sigma certification which sort of made him the biggest authority possible for his job. He also did everything he could to make his employees feel cared for. I remember at least one time every week in which he would take me aside and ask me how my guitar building efforts were going. Though my efforts never made it very far since I had no guide on how to do it, David still had the heart to take interest in what I was as a person. Today I felt his words coming through me as I flew through my day's works.
Posted by Jen on Monday, June 30, 2008 @ 10:22 AM
cash advance
While I will admit that I have had to get a payday advance a few times in the past, I have made a conscious decision to not go down that road again. Although, it did come in very handy at the time, once you get and spend the cash advance, then you still have to tightly budget to get yourself back on track. I have recently decided that if I can afford to pay $75.00 in interest per month to the cash advance place, then in theory if I were to pay off my payday loan a little each month and not take another check advance, then I could begin saving that $75.00 per month and then I would build up my own savings account to borrow out of. So far this plan is working. I have had to budget a little more tightly, but I think I finally have a handle on my own finances for the first time in forever. I really have given it careful consideration, and I really don't want to have to borrow more money. It weighs on me to be in debt all the time. I don't like having to run over to the cash advance place as soon as my check arrives either. It is just a big hassle.
Don't get me wrong payday advances have helped me out of a few binds, but unfortunately it takes me a little while to get them paid back in full, and then it just seems that a few months later, I am back there taking them out once more. My expenses are now down to the bare minimum. No car payment, just rent and my basic utilities and of course food. I have become much more aware of my spending and set a maximum that I can spend wherever I go. No matter how good the deal or the sale, I just can't buy anything over my limit and that is that. In short I am policing myself for the greater good of myself and my future. It has been tough, but I am getting more disciplined lately and it is really paying off in $$$. I have cut down my expenses and have saved a few hundred dollars. This may not sound like a lot to you, but to a struggling student it is a fortune!
Posted by Jen on Friday, June 27, 2008 @ 2:03 PM
classic car insurance
This summer is the time when I am getting all of my really ambitious projects out of the way. I am currently taking a full class load of credits and working a couple of jobs. One of my jobs is as a writer for the local paper and all of the work is freelance so I have a lot of freedom within that work. The other job I am doing right now is on my own grant project where I am converting an old diesel Mercedes Benz over to vegetable oil. This may not seem like too big of a deal to people since right now everything that's been going on with the energy crisis and the ways in which people are coping with it. For me it is a big deal though because I knew nothing about cars before the summer began. The last time I had opened the hood of my car was to put the oil in in a couple thousand miles before. Before that I had never opened the hood of a car. That basically tells you what kind of a mechanical background I have been coming from.
A few months ago I saw the first write-up in the paper about the conversion of diesel engines to biodiesel or vegetable oil. This article really peaked my interest and though my car is a gasoline engine I thought it would be an interesting project to create such a car. I wrote and received grant money to convert this car that has been donated to us by a professor in the environmental engineering department. Basically the conditions of my grant are that I will convert the car to the best of my ability by the end of the summer and then I will turn it over to the department for strictly study purposes. Next year they will be using this car to study biodiesel fuel uses in commercial settings. This will also be used to help generate proper rates of commercial car insurance for those seeking biodiesel auto insurance quotes. This car won't be getting either of those though since it is technically an antique I have gotten it classic car insurance. For now this classic car sits gutted in my garage waiting for my hands to go back to work.
Posted by Jen on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 @ 7:36 PM
car insurance
The price of gas just keeps going up, up ,up. This affects the food we buy the clothes we buy, everything. My friend George who I had run into at a Seven Eleven the other day tells me he makes a good living driving a truck and told me I should consider getting my CDL license. He even told me he would train me on the side in his rig. Considering I have not seen him in years he is still on of the most kind hearted people I know. He told me the price of his Commercial auto insurance was going up again, and we both agreed the economy sucks. Although I support our troops one hundred and fifty percent and believe in a strong military I believe this war is draining us as a nation. Even my car insurance is on the rise again. Maybe people and Companies are taking advantage of the high fuel prices. My wife is paying an extra dollar just for a bag of cat food! How could cat food go up a dollar a bag, along with everything else? Now we have the floods in the Mid West that is affecting the corn crops. I believe that ten percent of the ethanol used in fuel comes from corn, so here we go again. I will spend next Tuesday calling around for auto insurance quotes, but know I will be overcharged as always. Maybe I should just move to Canada or Mexico. My wife went through Chiropractic College and the people that were there from Canada and Australia did not have to pay a dime. That's right free for them, One hundred and thirty thousand dollars for us. I voted for Bush both times, but am regretting every minute of it. He is on his own agenda and seems to not listen to anyone. We want to start a family ,but with the economy and the area I live in where high paying jobs are scarce it seems impossible. My dad at my age had three great jobs that he had to choose from, I am lucky to get an interview with a descent one ,not for lack of trying. I have been putting in applications and resumes like crazy and am feeling depressed at the outcome. I really need to go back to College and I know this easy for most, but working full time and helping my wife take care of her Mother is draining us both, emotionally and physically.
Posted by Jen on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 @ 11:17 AM
Rancilio Silvia
A friend and I just opened our very own café. I had wanted to do this for a really long time, but have finally just given up on the idea of being a working stiff for the rest of my existence. I know I can run my own business and I finally came across a friend who had the same dream and had a little more money than I did, so we just got together and did it. I found the perfect location on a little cobblestone road in a small town. It is amongst many other privately owned shops and we even have gotten some tables for out in front, with cute pink and green umbrellas. My friend who is quite artsy, painted the sign in the window and it came out so nice, I really can't believe it. Well, we set it up like a luncheonette, a place to get simple lunch items; we serve bagels and coffee in the mornings and of course ice cream. Well, I had never had any of the fancy coffees, but Nancy insisted on having them all. We now have lattes, espressos, and cappuccinos, regular coffee and also 5 kinds of teas. We really have it all and so far business is doing well. When we first opened the shop, Nancy told me that I needed to try all the different kinds of coffee and tea so I would know what I was selling. Well, I gave them a try and I love lattes and cappuccinos. I never knew what the big deal about them was until I tried them.
Since our shop is only opened in the mornings and afternoons I have been feeling a little deprived not having the availability of having these drinks in the evenings. I went online and bought myself a Rancilio silvia cappuccino/espresso maker. Not only does it make these, but it also makes the lattes I so enjoy. Now I can have these drinks at home in the evenings as well. I have to say that this little home machine makes better lattes than our machine at the store does. They are easy to make and quite good. It is amazing how well this machine works, and it cleans up in a snap. I wish I had known about Rancilio before I went to purchase our big machine, I would have seen if they had an industrial sized machine that worked as well.
Posted by Jen on Monday, June 23, 2008 @ 9:00 PM
promotional items
Before this summer I had no idea that running a bike shop could be quite so intense. This summer I am doing an apprenticeship that will last until I graduate next year and it has been really cool so far. I have been learning a lot of things from the actual mechanics and diagnoses of bikes all the way to how to run a successful business. The guys at the shop have been more than willing to let me try and learn as much as I can since they are not paying me anything. After I graduate I will have to decide if I want to stay on and become a full time mechanic or if I want to pursue my degree and become a teacher in a high school program somewhere.
The apprenticeship has been going on for about a month or so and my mechanical skills have really picked up. I came in to this job because I really love to ride anywhere and in any conditions. I also like to work on and build my own bikes from parts that I find around town and in shops. I started coming in to the shop more and more looking for unique things like particular derailer models to put on my bikes. They eventually started to let me come in and work on my bikes with their tools. This has developed in to a formal thing where I am assigned shifts and have to work for my daily lessons on bike building and business.
Next week I won't even touch a bike though because they want me to get the feel for how to run the shop financially since it's a bit slow right now. My task next week will be to learn all of the financing and marketing tools used in the shop. I am more interested in American history and bikes so this week may be a bit tough to handle but I am motivated enough to just stick it out and learn something new. We will also being ordering all of the shop's promotional items online because prices are low right now and they want to show me how to do it so they can focus on the bikes.
I have been given ana amazing opportunity at this point in my life and I am ready to just take hold of it now.
Posted by Jen on Monday, June 23, 2008 @ 2:54 PM
promotional products
Sticky notes are such good promotional products. First of all, who doesn't need sticky notes? Every day I use them to organize a to do list and remember appointments that I have. Other times I use them to write my family or roommate a note about someone who called for them or a reminder to go to the grocery store. No matter who you are, you could use an extra pad of sticky notes. Not only do they benefit the customer when giving them as a promotional item, they also benefit the company doing the promotions. Every day I look at a post it, so in other words, every day I look at Chase Bank, which is one place that I received that particular promotional item. Sometimes it reminds me to go to the bank. Other times, it reminds me that I have spare change in a jar that needs to be cashed in, it even reminds me to pick up my pay check on Friday if I'm not working that day. So if Chase wanted me to keep them in mind, they certainly succeeded. I think the best promotional items are those that you use daily. A mouse pad is something that every single person looks at daily, probably ten times a day (or 50 if you're a college student). So if you're a local pizza place or advertising a buy one get one free t-shirt at the local bookstore or an ice cream or movie deal on a college campus, a mouse pad would be the way to go. Students spend their whole day almost next to a computer or on it so constantly looking at that ad would remind them to stop by. Half the time when I see an ad for ice cream or pizza it makes me want it, where as if I hadn't seen it I would probably not have thought of it off the top of my head and would have gone home and made nasty soup. Pens are also another great way to promote something around a school campus, especially college. We're too cheap most of the time to buy new pens, so when we get a free one from the bank or Pizza Hut, we hang on to it unless the ink is dried up. So if you are looking to promote something, especially on a campus, advertise on something we see daily, and then we will keep coming back for more.
Posted by Jen on Monday, June 23, 2008 @ 2:33 PM
Auto Mechanic School?
When it comes to anything…I mean anything, do your research!! There is just too much going on out there to be latching onto the first thing that pops up in your search engine. In a world where there are websites whose sole purpose is to advertise other websites in a particular genre or interest, there is no reason for anybody to have to do a Homer Simpson (“Duhow!”) when they later discover a better alternative for a choice they made. For example, let’s say you want to get automotive technician training. You could go to your local community collage, which may or may not provide the best training, or you could search for automotive technology programs on the web to find mechanic schools in your area or even out of state. If you use a search engine to do this you are only going to find the automotive schools that have invested to most money in internet advertising which could mean their tuition is higher, but not necessarily because the mechanic training is any better than the more affordable auto tech schools. If you come across a site that provides links to several different auto mechanic schools then you have struck gold in your search. These sites provide affordable advertising and are usually unbiased. You may find the schools that have paid more at the top of their list, but the list is isolated to your interest so it will be much shorter and easier to go through every option. You may find the schools on the end of the list to be more affordable and still provide better training since there focus may be less on savvy marketing and more on the business at hand. Another good thing about websites dedicated to the reference of particular topics is that you can find various facets of the trade you are researching. Automotive technology programs may also include listings for auto body repairs schools. When doing a search, keep in mind to use various word usages in your keyword searches. For example, auto body repair could also be listed under collision repair schools. Most companies will list under both, but you may pick up a few more options in one or the other and this is because listings depend on what the company selected as their keywords. One more thing that can be of benefit at a dedicated reference web site is that you may find new information for further research. You may never have considered searching for NATEF certified schools before this option was listed on a more technically informed resource than that of a general search engine.Posted by Jen on Monday, June 23, 2008 @ 10:49 AM
murder mystery
I received an invitation to a party from a person I haven't seen in several years. She was a good friend of mine when I was in high school, but since college we really haven't kept in touch. The invitation says it is to attend a murder mystery party. I love a good murder mystery, but I have never been to this type of party, and I am not sure whether or not I should go. I think it is actually kind of odd for her to invite me, but I am home for the summer and maybe she is doing this as a kind of reunion party. I am thinking maybe I should go though because I would really love to see some of my old friends and find out what they are up to now. There is one guy Russ that I am particularly interested in. He was one of my best friends when I was in high school and we were just friends. Well, I had dated the same guy all 4 years of high school and we broke up right after I graduated. During that summer, I had begun dating someone else, and I bumped into Russ and his best friend Jim and Russ confessed to me that he had been in love with me all through high school. Honestly I didn't have a clue. Maybe it was because I was so into the guy I was seeing that I just didn't see Russ' interest in me. Well, anyway I am single now, and I wonder what he has been up to. He was always a really great guy and a great friend. He is really smart and his is good looking, not like a movie star, but regular guy cute. Anyway, maybe if he is in town he will be there and if he is not seeing anyone, then maybe we could hook up this time. I don't know, but I think I will give it a try and see what comes of it. If the party is really lame and I don't know anyone, I can always make an early exit I am sure.
I am not sure if it would be rude to ask Ann who is coming or who she has invited, just to see if there will be anyone there I know. Either way, I would like to get out and meet some new people so it can't really hurt anything. I will call and RSVP today. What is life without a little adventure?
Posted by Jen on Thursday, June 19, 2008 @ 3:47 PM