Nov 5, 2024 | Marriage, Uncategorized
If you are considering doing a vow renewal with your spouse, you might be wondering exactly what that entails and whether or not it’s a good idea. For many couples, renewing their wedding vows is a way to recommit to their relationship. Some do this on landmark anniversaries while others do it to mark a particularly big milestone in their marriage. You can plan to renew vows wherever suits you and your partner, and you can have an officiant be involved if you prefer. Unlike a wedding ceremony, recommitment ceremonies are not a legal matter. For some couples, this type of ceremony can strengthen their marriage and deepen their bond. However, it’s important to make sure that you are choosing to renew your vows for the right reason, and not as a band-aid. Hopefully, you and your partner can make the decision that is right for you.
Vow Renewal: Is It Right for You and Will It Improve Your Relationship?
What Is It?
A vow renewal is a way of ceremonially and symbolically recommitting to one another. Often it involves repeating the vows you took on your wedding day. Or creating new vows to one another. For many couples, it’s a way of honoring and celebrating their love before friends and family.
Why Do Couples Choose This?
Some couples choose to do a vow renewal as a way to celebrate large anniversaries. For example, ten, fifteen, or twenty years of marriage. In other cases, couples might use it as a way of reconnecting if they have gone through a rough patch. For instance, if they considered a breakup or if there was adultery, they might use this as a way of symbolically marking their decision to stay together.
How to Plan a Ceremony
A vow renewal is a ceremonial practice only and not a legal matter. You don’t need to obtain a marriage license or speak to an attorney before planning your recommitment ceremony. It can take place wherever you like and can be as fancy or casual as suits you. Some couples choose to invite friends and family. And some choose to have clergy preside over the ceremony. It depends on your relationship and what suits you and your spouse.
Will It Strengthen Your Marriage
A bigger question many ask is whether the vow renewal will strengthen your marriage. A lot depends on the motivation behind it. It’s likely to bring you closer if both of you are truly and sincerely committing to your future together. However, if one person is using it as a peace offering or to get out of trouble, then it can be a bandaid. But it doesn’t really address underlying issues with your marriage. It’s best to choose this type of ceremony when you are in a healthy place, rather than as a way of throwing a “hail mary” to fix your relationship.
A vow renewal can be a great way to honor your marriage and pep up things in your relationship. It’s a fun way to gather friends and family to celebrate the strength of your love. Some couples choose to have lavish ceremonies while others choose small private gatherings. The choice is up to each individual couple because recommitment ceremonies are not legal matters. You might choose to renew your vows on a milestone anniversary or to mark the end of a rough patch in your marriage. However you choose to celebrate, both partners should be equally committed to one another and to your future together.
Aug 5, 2023 | Nursing Home Abuse, Uncategorized
If you’re entertaining the idea of putting your friend or family into a nursing home— it’s important to do your research. Elder abuse, unfortunately, is a common occurrence in many assisted living facilities. So, it’s important to pick a safe, and reputable one. But where do you start? Lucky for you, we’ve done our research, and put together a guide for picking a quality nursing home. That way, you can focus on your family member— we’ve got the rest.
Choosing a Safe, Quality Nursing Home For Your Loved One
Start by figuring out what’s important to you
What kind of criteria do you need the nursing home to meet? What do you expect the nursing home to be like, and provide in terms of services? There are plenty of nursing homes that focus on different aspects. Whether those focuses be hands-on hospice type care, luxury apartment style, special care, religion, physical therapy… You should begin by establishing what you expect of the place you choose, and work backwards from there.
Reach out for feedback
The wonderful thing about our day and age is that people are oversharing. While we distaste it sometimes, it’s pretty great when you need feedback. Ask your Facebook community, check out Google reviews, talk to friends, even look to Yelp. The point is, you’ll find out the most important information by reading and speaking with people that have a first hand account.
Write down your questions
It can be overwhelming when you’re at the facility for the first time. You’re taking it in, checking for signs of trouble, and trying to decide if it’s a strong fit for your family member. So, it can be easy to forget to ask questions. But, there are plenty of important questions to ask. So, put it in writing— as well as their responses. You’re likely looking into more than one place; you don’t want to get the wires crossed.
Visit twice, one time unannounced
You’ve already visited once and asked all your questions. You likely called ahead and told them you’d be making a visit so that you could talk to someone specific. While this is a great thing to do, and will help you get a good feel for the place— visiting one more time unannounced might give you a more authentic view of the place than your organized visit. You want to catch them off guard and see how the day to day operations go. Doing so, will likely make your decision much easier.
If you’ve picked a winner— make sure you understand the contract
Read it carefully, ask questions, and don’t agree to anything you’re uncomfortable with. Ultimately, this choice will be quite personal to you. You’re making a big decision, and putting a lot of trust into this nursing home. It’s not unfair of you to be extremely thorough, and if they treat it as a burden— they are likely not the place for you. So, take the time, put in the work, ask the questions, and make the best choice for your loved one. We wish you luck as you go forth on your search!
Dec 24, 2021 | Uncategorized
It’s important to know what types of addiction treatment options there are for recovery from alcohol or drug abuse. If you or somebody you know is struggling, then you’ll need to know what types of help there are out there. You can choose in-patient rehabilitation facilities. These are what we typically think of when we talk about rehab. You can also find out-patient rehab programs. In addition, there are sober living homes available. And finally, you can try twelve-step recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Hopefully, you can find the best fit for the help you need to get treatment for your addiction.
Types of Addiction Treatment for Recovery: Get the Help You Need
In-Patient Rehab
One of the types of well-known addiction treatment is in-patient rehab. These are facilities where patients go full time for around-the-clock help with their recovery. You’ll live at a substance-free campus for several months at a time. Typically, patients receive a lot of counseling and participate in therapy sessions to help them learn to cope with their addiction. In-patient rehab facilities are usually overseen by doctors.
Out-Patient Rehab
Out-patient rehab is another type of addiction treatment program. This rehab is similar to a typical rehab experience except that patients don’t live at the facility full-time. They typically go home each night and then come back. Doctors still oversee outpatient rehab, and patients join in a lot of therapy and education. However, living at home can make this harder for a lot of patients because they are not away from their triggers.
Sober Living Home
Another type of addiction treatment program is a sober living home. This is where addicts can go to live with others who are in a similar situation. A group home like this is a great bridge between full-time rehab and returning to normal life. It allows patients more freedom while still letting them practice the coping skills they learned in rehab.
Twelve Step Programs
If you feel that you can manage your recovery on your own with some support, then Twelve Step programs might be a good resource. Twelve-Step programs are another of the types of addiction treatment that are very popular. These are group meetings where addicts can come together to work on their common goal of living a sober life. Typically the meetings include education, goal-sharing, and encouragement. Before beginning a 12 Step Program, it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor and make sure that recovery is safe for you to do on your own. The most popular 12 Step Programs are Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.
Knowing your options for types of addiction treatment is a great resource if you are considering getting sober. Before you begin any sort of withdrawal, you should speak to a doctor. They might want to keep a close eye on your recovery. If you feel that you need full-time support, then in-patient rehab might be the best option for you. If you’d rather get full support but be able to continue living at home, then outpatient might be the way to go. A sober living home is a great step to take after you leave rehab to bridge the gap between full-time support and normal life. And finally, if you feel you can handle your recovery mostly on your own, consider looking into 12 Step Programs like AA and NA. Hopefully, you can explore your options and find the type of help that will best suit your needs.
Jul 4, 2020 | Accident prevention, Car Accidents, Uncategorized
Whether you’re in the kitchen or behind the wheel, what you smell can tell you a lot about a situation. When it comes to car smells in particular, there are a few in particular that you need to watch out for. From sweet to sickly and everything in between, our guide is here to help you be prepared in case something strange wafts up your nose when you’re behind the wheel. Furthermore, consider performing routine maintenance to combat these issues before they ever begin.
Car Smells: What to Watch For
Sweet syrup
The smell of sweet syrup might seem like one of the more pleasant car smells. However, it actually can indicate a major issue. In particular, this sort of smell could indicate a possible problem with your engine’s cooling system.
This sweet smell tends to come from ethylene glycol, which is a crucial component in your engine’s coolant. When you smell this, it may be because your radiator or a hose has sprung a leak. This is something you’ll want to get fixed as soon as you can, and thankfully, it usually isn’t too complicated. You may just need to get a new hose or heater core, and then you’ll be good to go.
Burning smells
Other car smells to watch for are any burning ones. A constant burning rubber smell probably doesn’t have anything to do with your tires. Rather, it could be due to a shifting drive belt, which may be rubbing up against another engine component. This can be seen just by looking into the engine, just make sure you give it time to cool down first!
A burning carpet smell, on the other hand, may be coming from your brakes. Now, if you’ve been using the brakes a lot, this isn’t something to worry about. However, if it lingers, then you may have a problem with your brake pads and should inspect them to see if they need replacing.
Rancid smells
Rancid car smells are definitely not pleasant. Not only that, but they could indicate some serious issues with your car. For instance, old locker room-like scents could be due to mildew forming in your car’s air filter. Running the fan on high for a few minutes can fix the problem.
A rotten egg-like smell coming from underneath your car might be from a failed catalytic converter. It could be that all you need is to replace your fuel filter. More-serious issues may need you to go even further and have the entire converter itself replaced.
Apr 9, 2018 | Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents, Uncategorized
There was a day and age where truck drivers were revered. But, it seems that in the past ten to fifteen years, that sentiment has faded and given way to a different view. It seems that, for most, the image that comes to mind is an uneducated, cat-calling, killer-type. It’s harsh, but, for many— the image that your mind crafts is overall unflattering. But where did the stereotype go south? When did the hardworking and driven men and women of the trucking industry lose all their street cred?
Truck Drivers: When Did the Stereotype Go South?
It begins in and around the ‘90s, when movies such as “Joy ride” and “Maximum Overdrive” came out; diving fear into the hearts of mass America. The characters were fictional, and the director— surely didn’t have a vendetta against hardworking truck drivers. However, in Reefer Madness fashion, the sentiment began to shift until the majority opinion was changed.
Cat-Calling Truckers
If you think of any movies you see with a tractor trailer driver in it, they’re typically not the lead. Usually, you see them calling to ladies from a parking lot, or flashing grins from the window to our heroine in the convertible. Ultimately, they have a long-standing portrayal of being flesh hungry, and easily distractible.
The All-Male Cast
Another thing you might notice about any portrayal of a truck driver (or that image in your head) is that they are never women. It seems like a man’s world, which can keep women form considering the career path. However, there are about an approximate 200,000 female long-haul drivers!! The career path is great for women. Plus, you get to make a difference within a career where you are underrepresented. Sounds pretty good, if you ask me.
Low-education
Many people consider truckers uneducated because you don’t need a college degree to get into the field. But, the career path is a pretty smart one to take! You have job security, a flexible schedule, a steady and livable income… Becoming a truck driver has been a life-changing move for many, and you have to be pretty smart to do it. If you don’t think so— consider navigating, driving, and adapting to conditions in an eighteen-wheeler. Doesn’t sound so easy, does it?
Not all truck drivers are upstanding citizens…
This is a given. But, if you think about it: bankers, car salesmen, mothers, cashiers… there are bad eggs all around us. When it comes down to it, a stereotype is simply that… a generalization made by people with a misunderstanding. Sure, there might be some truck drivers out there that fit this mold, however, you can’t judge a book by it’s cover.
Mar 23, 2018 | Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents, Uncategorized
If you’re considering taking the CDL permit exam, it’s important that you prepare ahead of time. There are a ton of benefits to getting your CDL, one of which is the ability to be a truck driver. But what do you need to know before you go? And what is the best way for you to prepare for the test? Luckily, you’ve got us, and we’ve done the heavy lifting for you.
Preparing for Your CDL Permit Exam
Am I qualified?
It’s important to start here before pursuing any employment opportunity. Luckily, the things you need before taking your CDL permit exam are very few. The things that are required are these two things: you must be at least 18, but 21 or older if you want to do interstate driving. You must also have a valid drivers license. Boom, that’s it. If you can check those two boxes, you’re sitting proper. But one thing that we suggest is this: so that you’re able to practice driving before your CDL exam, you should take the written test to get a CDIP. A CDIP is a commercial drivers instruction permit. This allows for you to practice driving before your CDL permit exam, which is essential to being prepared for your test and real-life situations that will arise during your employment.
Now, how do I study?
Every test taker should study from their CDL manual; all test questions are from the book. You can download the manual from your local DMV’s website. But, if you prefer to study from print— you can go to your local office and get it there. Plus, if you plan to be a commercial driver— you’ll need to have read this manual anyways. But, other than reading the manual— there are plenty of practice tests you can find on the internet or even in your manual.
One of the best resources I have found is a blog called TruckingTruth, and they have a few practice tests for you as well. You can find those here. But, it’s important to remember that practice tests won’t help if you don’t know the information. You have to take the time, learn, and not try to just memorize questions. As we’ve said, you’ll need all of this knowledge when you’re in the field— so, it’s better you learn now.
If you prepare, there’s no need to sweat!
The important thing to remember is that those who prepare, rarely fail. If you put the work in, read your manual, and study— you’ll pass without a problem. Most of us suffer from a bit of testing anxiety, and that’s perfectly understandable. If you prepare, take the test, and don’t do so well— try again! If you know your path involves getting a CDL, don’t stop trying. We wish you luck, and get to studying!
