Here’s what makes them a better choice:

• Reclaims wood from fallen and dead trees from urban forests or salvaged from old structures that’s headed for the landfill
• Selection of fast growing sustainable bamboo flooring
• Adhesives and finishes certified by GreenGuard Indoor Air Quality, VOC free and no hazardous chemicals
• Offers selection of flooring from Forest Stewardship Council-certified well managed forests
• Certified under the SmartWood Rediscovered Wood Program, a Rainforest Alliance program

You’ll find EcoTimber at 1611 Fourth St., San Rafael, (415-258-8454). Country Oak flooring, $10-$15/sq ft.; bamboo flooring, $5-$7/sq ft.

As we get older our memory starts to decline, beginning in our thirties. Also, stress can affect our ability to store new memories. When we exercise we counter the natural effects of aging by increasing blood flow to the brain and reduce stress - so encourage it!

• Doesn’t require pesticides
• As a renewable resource, is the world’s fastest growing plant and regenerates without replanting
• Reverses the effects of global warming & helps reduce carbon-dioxide gases
• A unique building material, bamboo is termite and rot resistant and has the tensile strength of steel

Make a difference in the future of our planet by looking for eco-friendly alternatives for everyday products. Bamboo products to look for: cooking utensils, serving trays, cutting boards, bowls, baskets, clothing, bed linens, towels, rugs, floors, and fences.

His realizations impressed me:

1. Take care of important things first when it comes to budgeting your money
2. Let the lack of funds spur creativity
3. Important relationships deserve the investment of time

That conversation inspired this list of gifts designed to foster meaningful relationships for the newly independent adults that are juggling school, part-time jobs, and dating.

• A cool picnic back pack loaded with everything necessary for an outing: Map or tour guide featuring the local hiking trails, sunscreen, trail mix, granola bars, salami, cheese, crackers, and sport’s drinks…exploring all the trails in the tour guide will promote good health and provide activity for future dates at a relatively low cost over time
• Gift card to the movie theater
• “Movie Madness’ gift box that’s stocked with popcorn, candy bars, nutty snack mix, soft drinks, and a gift card to the local video store (Or, why not purchase a plan where you can have 3 movies out at a time and give him carte blanche to use one of the three at all times?)
• A plant to grow & nurture, as does the relationship, with a Tree-in-a-Bag or a windowsill garden
• Gift cards to the local coffee shop or smoothie joint (In support of local businesses, I like to choose the ‘mom & pop’ joints over the big chains, which as an extra perk, often have free wi-fi & live evening music or art exhibitions making for a cool date)
• Gift card to the grocery store so they can shop together and then cook dinner together
• Gift card to a restaurant that can be used for a date (I’ve done this in the past for him. He told me they found a way to make it last by ordering from the appetizer menu that was 1/2 price during happy hour rather than ordering entrees.)
• Passes to the local miniature golf/amusement park

What’s your suggestion for these ‘newly independent daters’?

1. Cocoa contains cancer fighting antioxidants in higher amounts than even green tea and red wine
2. Dark chocolate has been shown to lower blood pressure (not white or milk) and help prevent heart disease
3. Dark chocolate decreases bad cholesterol
4. Chocolate can be a mood enhancer or aphrodisiac since it raises serotonin levels and releases endorphins in the brain
5. High in magnesium, chocolate can help alleviate PMS

Tip: the darker the chocolate the better for you since milk reduces the antioxidant properties and is higher in fat

How can an employer help without being taken advantage of?

• Offer financial & emotional counseling opportunities
• Allow the use of flex time to sort out problems
• Be flexible, yet fair
• Treat employees equally

Nope.

To be loved, valued, and appreciated.

Over the last year, I have joined several social media sites, but have only truly taken an interest and become active as of late.  These are the ones I belong to, listed in order of favorites and where I focus my energy:

Central Coast Today Profile name Elise

What I like best about CCT, is the fact that the membership is predominantly local and there are constant opportunities to grow relationships face-to-face. These meet-ups run the gammet, from pure social entertainment, outdoor adventures, social awareness & fundraising, to business networking and masterminding. There really is something for everyone, if you just take the time to look through the 150+ communities and 1000s of discussions. I feel as though my world has been enhanced by the new friends I’ve made on CCT.

Twitter @EnWrapture

This is very new for me, and I’m still caught up in trying to learn the lingo, the etiquette, knowing how often, etc. One of the biggest challenges is deciding which kind of tweets offer value to my followers. I’m greatly impressed with my mentor, @MarthaVan (creator of Action Wipes), and her abiltiy to create brand awareness as she ’stalks’ Lance Armstrong and other celebrity athletes. In a short time, she has garnered over 1600 followers and won the Twitter Shorty Awards for Branding. As @MarthaVan’s fan base has grown, so, too, has her roster of friends. As she is out and about on the road, she is always looking to meet local tweeps face-to-face (or f2f as they tweet it), and has both given and received the warmest of hospitality. Not only are her escapades entertaining to follow, she also often posts great pictures, contests and giveaways, so she’s well worth following.

Linkedin & Facebook

I haven’t put much effort into these two sites, and I’m not sure why these have so much less appeal to me than CCT and Twitter. Linkedin is definitely lacking the seasoning that personal comments provide, which serve to add warmth and humanize the profiles. I have had a few old friends reconnect with me via both Linkedin and Facebook.

Should I give them a little more effort? What value have you gained from using social media?