April is National Jazz

Appreciation Month Jazz is an historical, cultural and living

American treasure. That's why the Smithsonian

Institution launched National Jazz Appreciation

Month in 2001 to pay tribute to jazz as a living art

form.

The Smithsonian houses a huge jazz collection

that includes Duke Ellington's unpublished music,

Ella Fitzgerald's red dress, Dizzy Gillespie's angled

trumpet, and Benny Goodman's clarinet.

Jazz comes in many forms: ragtime, bebop, the

blues, soul, Dixieland, big-band, fusion, Latin,

funk, and the list goes on. JAM, as the month-long

tribute is called, encourages every musician,

concert hall, school band and orchestra to offer

special programs.

This month, dig out and play your old records by

Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ella, Lena Horne or

Nancy Wilson. Visit a used record store and learn

about the history of jazz by thumbing through the

albums.

Steep yourself in the swing rhythm, polyrhythm,

improvisation and syncopation that represent the

almost exclusive characteristics of jazz music.

Frog analogy reminds us to:

‘Get the right things done’

Here's something to think about. Managers, supervisors and many kinds of

workers do the same types of work the company president does: plan, organize,

integrate and motivate.

How can you do all of that with so many demands on your time that add little,

if anything, to your productivity?

You have to devote chunks of time to meaningful tasks. You won't get enough

done if you start, then stop for interruptions, and start over again.

Handling recurrent crises is a big time consumer. A recurrent crisis could

actually be a failure to plan. Knowing the problem will arise again, you can take

steps to prevent it or reduce it to a routine that others can handle.

Dealing with problems before they become serious could be illustrated by the

boiled frog parable. That is: If you put a frog into hot water, it will jump out. If

you put the frog into cold water and gradually heat it, the frog will adjust to the

temperature until it's too late.

Your own "frog" could die if you see a problem gradually increasing and do

nothing until it boils over. In a well-run organization, there are few crises. Most

problems are anticipated and dealt with in advance.

Lack of organization is a big time waster, and that is especially true of

meetings. Someone once said, "One either works or one meets, but cannot do both

at the same time."

If you must call a meeting, have a planned agenda, keep the discussion on

track; promote participation and group discussion. Then produce minutes promptly

and follow up.

Be more effective on your job this week. Set aside uninterrupted time for

significant tasks and have smart meetings.

Get the right things done.

These meetings are 'Agile' and held standing up

In an effort to reduce time spent in meetings, more companies are using these

rules: Attendance is required, no casual chatting, and everyone has to stand up at the

meeting. Anyone who's late has to do something like sing a song or pay a small fine.

Some companies don't even allow tables, because those attending spend too

much time leaning on their laptops.

Stand-up meetings are not a new idea, but today’s are based on the growing use

of "Agile" in software development. It compresses projects into short pieces.

As Agile has become more widely adopted, stand-ups have spread along with it,

says The Wall Street Journal.

Meeting participants update their peers on what they did since yesterday's

meeting; what they are doing today; and any obstacles that stand in the way of

getting work done. Daily meetings take about five minutes.

Free Cleaning Tips and Specials at www.celebritycleaning.com

April 2013 Volume 4, Issue 4

The Workplace Newsletter That’s Both Informative and Fun!

Do You Know...

... someone that could use our services? Perhaps a colleague, friend, family

member, or networking buddy?

When a new client signs up for regular cleaning services at your

recommendation; you will receive $100!

If you would think of 3 or 4 people that could use our services, then don’t

hesitate to call them and give them our name and phone number. Be sure to

have them mention your name when they call so we can send your $100

Bonus!

Thanks in advance for your help and we look forward to sending cash your

way!

Answers to TV Detectives 1-b, “Remington Steele” 2-c, “Moonlighting” 3-b, Thomas Magnum 4-c, Helen Mirren 5-a, Cabot Cove 6-d, Mike Connors 7-a, “Peter Gunn” 8-a, “Cagney & Lacey” 9-d, Tenafly (Harry) 10-b, “Veronica Mars”

Eating an early lunch

burns more calories

Neuroscientists say meal timing seems to

affect weight loss. One study compares those

eating lunch before 3 p.m. to those who had

lunch after 3 p.m. Early lunchers lost an

average of 22 pounds in 20 weeks. Those who

ate lunch later lost about 17 pounds.

Neuroscientists at Brigham and Women's

Hospital and Harvard Medical School say the

study suggests both calories and timing have

an impact on weight loss.

The research included 420 overweight and

obese people who participated in a 20-week

weight-loss program in Spain.

Overall, participants consumed about 1,400

calories a day. There was no significant

difference in caloric intake or energy

expenditure between the early lunchers and the

late lunchers.

The findings were reported in the

International Journal of Obesity.

Being aware of impending severe weather is a

skill you'll want to develop Learning to recognize when severe weather is on its way could save your day...or

your life. Awareness will help you plan what you'll do so you can be ready to act when

it approaches. Your safety, and the safety of those in your care, is up to you.

Planning ahead can make all the difference when seconds count.

Some things that should be done well in advance are similar for several types of

weather emergencies, such as making an emergency supply kit and developing

emergency actions.

* Why worry about thunderstorms? Lightning causes an average of 55-60 fatalities

and 400 injuries each year, most of them in males under age 40. Outside, there is no

safe place to be during a thunderstorm, because there will be lightning.

* You should worry about tornadoes. Earth's fiercest winds are found in the heart of

a strong tornado. They can destroy houses, hurl cars hundreds of feet, and take the life

of anyone caught in their path. Each year hundreds of tornadoes strike the United

States, more than in any other nation of the world.

They cause an average of 60-65 fatalities, 1,500 injuries each year, and can

produce wind speeds in excess of 200 mph. They can be a mile wide and stay on the

ground for over 50 miles. Seek shelter immediately. Never shelter under an overpass.

* Straight-line winds are dangerous. They can exceed 125 mph and cause

destruction equal to some tornadoes.. They cause trees to be uprooted, and could knock

you down if you're on foot. Stay inside your home.

* Flash floods are deadly. They are the number one cause of deaths associated with

cloudburst rains and thunderstorms, causing 90 fatalities each year. Many are people in

cars. Never drive over a flooded road or bridge. Back up and take a different route. Just

two feet of moving water can sweep a car away.

If your vehicle is surrounded by water, abandon it immediately and seek higher

ground.

Trivia Teaser –

TV Detectives 1. Pierce Brosnan starred on what TV

detective series that paired him up with

Stephanie Zimbalist? a-"Hardcastle and

McCormick," b-"Remington Steele,"

c-"Mr. and Mrs. North," d-"Lois & Clark."

2. Maddie Hayes and David Addison

were co-owners of the Blue Moon

Detective Agency on what TV series?

a-"Hawaiian Eye," b-"MacGruder and

Loud," c-"Moonlighting," d-"City of

Angels."

3. What private investigator was

assisted by friends named Rick and T.C.?

a-Matt Houston, b-Thomas Magnum,

c-Richie Brockelman, d-Jim Rockford.

4. Who starred as the no-nonsense

female British Detective Chief Inspector,

Jane Tennison, on the TV series "Prime

Suspect"? a-Keira Knightley, b-Kate

Burton, c-Helen Mirren, d-Maureen

O'Hara.

5. What was the Maine hometown of

nosey mystery writer Jessica Fletcher on

"Murder, She Wrote"? a-Cabot Cove,

b-Crabapple Cove, c-Coffman Cove,

d-Cherry Cove.

6. Who starred as detective Joe Mannix

on the TV series "Mannix"? a-William

Conrad, b-E.G. Marshall, c-Dennis

Weaver, d-Mike Connors.

7. What TV detective series starring

Craig Stevens was created by Blake

Edwards? a-"Peter Gunn," b-"McCloud",

c-"McMillan and Wife", d-"Toma."

8. What TV cop show won six

consecutive Emmy Awards for Best Lead

Actress in a Drama? a-"Cagney and

Lacey," b-"Hill Street Blues", c-"The Mod

Squad," d-"Hunter."

9. Which of these TV detectives had a

first name? a-Quincy, b-Spenser,

c-Columbo, d-Tenafly.

10. What TV series featured a female

detective in the town of Neptune,

California? a-"The Nancy Drew

Mysteries," b-"Veronica Mars,"

c-"Modesty Blaise," d-"Police Woman."

You can decide to control emotional situations

If you've ever seen someone "fly off the handle," you know it solved nothing and made

the situation worse for both parties. Maybe you've done it yourself.

Researchers at Duke University looked at why small things caused people to melt

down. Their findings suggest that you may react strongly to violations of the fundamental

rules of fairness.

These unwritten rules say we're not supposed to be rude or inconsiderate. We're

supposed to be polite, fair and honest. That is: don't cut in front of someone in a line; drive

safety; clean up after yourself; and don't get irritated at customer service reps who are

trying to help you.

Because an angry outburst often makes the person who exploded feel worse,

neuroscientists at Duke give this advice. When someone explodes at you:

* Apologize if you should

* Don't respond or argue, move on.

* Empathize and say you understand how they feel about it.

* Share the story later. Customer service reps are encouraged to gather, share their

horror stories and laugh.

* Don't take it personally. Other people's bad behavior is about them, not you. If you

are cut off in traffic, the offender is likely to cut off others as well.

When you explode at someone else:

* Prevent it by thinking of scenarios that will make you angry, then imagine having a

calm response.

* If you are prone to outbursts, ask your significant other to help you calm down. Use

a password, a funny look or a hand on your arm.

* Empathize. Remember when you inconvenienced someone else.

* Talk yourself down. It's really not a catastrophe.

* Don't react to rude behavior. If someone cuts in front of you, it's about them, not

about you.

April Birthdays and Company Anniversaries

Birthdays

12th – David Moore

21st - Gayle Vicorek

29th – Peter Tristan

29th – John Warmkessel

Anniversaries

19 years – Angela Rushatz

9 years – Tammy Rovinske

3 years – Donna Jones

2 years – Linda Lindenmoyer

1 year – Annette Noll

Healthy life reduces risk of Alzheimer's

Doctors at the Memory Disorders Clinic at UCLA Health System

say the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease is reduced with better

medical care and healthier living. That includes:

* control of elevated blood pressure,

* control of cholesterol,

* maintaining a healthy body weight,

* having an active lifestyle and exercising,

* eating a healthy diet,

* and taking an omega-3 fatty acids supplement (fish oil).

“The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to

schedule your priorities."

Stephen Covey: educator, author, businessman, and keynote

speaker

Michael Josephson, founder, Institute of Ethics

Take the Trivia Challenge and Win a $25 Gift Card to Applebee’s!

Call our office with the correct answer by the 15th of

the month to be entered into the drawing!

How many injuries do tornados cause a year?

1 – 1,200 2 – 1,900 3 – 2,600 4 – 1,500

HINT: The answer is hidden somewhere in this newsletter.

About Our Company

Celebrity Cleaning Inc. is a full service commercial cleaning

company that serves the Greater Lehigh Valley.

Services include but are not limited to: general cleaning, carpet

cleaning, upholstery cleaning, all types of hard floor care, window

washing and construction cleaning.

Wally Myers and Kevin Brown, are the owners and have been in

the cleaning industry for 20 years, and they feel it's important

provide cleaning services that place the utmost importance on the

health and safety of their clients and employees. For that reason,

they are active participants in industry associations ISSA

(International Sanitary Supply Association) and BSCAI (Building

Service Contractors Association International).

If you haven't shopped for a new car in the last few years, and

many people haven't, you'll be pleasantly surprised at what

technology has brought for you.

* The air bag in a seat belt. The new, stronger shoulder straps in

some cars have built-in air bags. Ford Motor Co. started offering

them on its 2011 Ford Explorers. Conventional seat belts save lives

but can cause serious injuries in violent crashes. Inflatable belts

reduce the risk.

* See in the dark and avoid hitting a pedestrian. BMW AG is

launching "dynamic spotlight" technology that uses an infrared

camera mounted behind the grille. The software can pick out the

outline of a person or animal and signal the car's headlight to

illuminate them and prevent a collision. It also has an in-cabin alert

that projects an icon representing a person on the dashboard screen.

* Design your own dashboard. Some auto makers are ditching

the dials in favor of a programmable screen that can display more

information and allows drivers to personalize the look of the cockpit

displays. The new Lexus IS F-sport, due out in June, is the first to

have them.

* Use the ninth gear for fuel efficiency. Chrysler says it will

introduce a nine-speed gearbox designed to fit into a small front-

wheel drive car. A German device maker says it can improve fuel

economy by 10 percent to 16 percent compared with a six-speed

automatic.

* Drive by computer. Experts at The Wall Street Journal say

steering a car traditionally involves a series of mechanical

connections that allow the wheel in your hands to guide the four

wheels on the road.

* Infinity's new Q50 series, by Nissan, boasts the industry's first

steer-by-wire system, swapping mechanical elements for an all-

electronic system that responds faster.

These new technologies make driving

easier

1063 Seventh Street North Catasauqua, PA 18032 610-266-7800 610-266-9630 – fax www.celebritycleaning.com