Mind your shoes

Word for Men

In this fast of doing business you cannot afford to looose the little details that matters. If you want to look good you will have to spend money, to reduce the cost of expenses on your shoes. please take note of the follwings: . Remember, the measure of a man is by his shoes.

With some little knowledge on maintenance your shoes should be able to last long sometime

Use water repellent

Before taking your new shoes out on their first walk, be sure to apply a coat of water repellent to the leather. After the initial application, habitually reapply it as instructed. Most experts recommend that you use a water-based repellent to seal the leather because it allows it to breathe and the moisture inside it to escape. Moisture impacts leather’s elasticity, so keeping moisture balanced is a must; too much moisture causes the leather to stretch, while too little moisture causes the leather to shrink. In both cases, the leather becomes ugly and loses its original fit. For as little as $8, a can of spray-on water repellent can dramatically increase the comfort and the lifespan of your leather shoes.

Tip: Wipe your shoes with a clean, warm sponge before adding additional coats of repellent; this will warm the leather, making it more porous and improving its ability to absorb the product, and prevent trapping dirt between the leather and the repellent.

Use shoe polish

A good shoe polish keeps leather shoes shining like a new dime. Polishing your shoes regularly does two things: It covers and repairs the damage of daily wear and tear and it nourishes and moisturizes the leather, keeping it flexible and healthy. Experts recommend using cream-based polishes and carrying your shoes with you when you purchase polish to ensure you get the one that best matches your shoe tone.

Tip: Buff the polish off your shoes with a pair of panty hose to get an optimal shine.

Hang your shoes on a tree

Do yourself a favor: Use shoe trees with any good pair of leather shoes; they’ll make your shoes last that extra mile. The beauty of shoe trees is that they fill out the shoe, helping the leather maintain its form. This prevents the leather from shrinking and creasing.Like other protective options, you have multiple choices when buying shoe trees, but the experts will tell you there’s only one viable option: ones made of cedar. Cedar has the ability to absorb harmful moisture and objectionable odors. Any reputable shoe store will have shoe trees in stock, so go ahead and get this $20 add-on to keep your shoes in mint condition.Tip: Insert the shoe tree immediately after taking off your shoes; this allows the interior moisture to be instantly absorbed.

Take care of your soles

A house is only as solid as the foundation on which it’s built, so make sure you take steps to save your shoe soles. While there are many types of soles out there, chances are a good, high-quality pair of leather shoes will be based on leather soles. Just like the leather on top, the leather on the bottom must be protected. The best option is to have your local cobbler attach “taps” to the front and rear heels. Acting as buffers between the heel and the ground, taps absorb the shock and damage of constant pounding, and prevent the sole from erodin, this is undoubtedly the cheapest way to protect the most vulnerable part of your shoe.

Tip: Don’t add taps until you have worn the shoes about 12 to 18 months; this allows the soles to conform to your gait, making for a smoother stride and more comfortable wear.

Replace your soles

The soles on your shoes are like the tires on your car: They eventually wear out and need to be replaced. According to the experts, the “upper” part of the shoe can last as long as 20 years, but the “lower” part of the shoe, on average, only lasts around five. So, when the sole becomes uncomfortable to wear and gets ragged in appearance, the best option -- rather than replacing the entire shoe -- is replacing the sole.

Have fun!

INSPIRATION…

The story you are about to read is a humorous, but inspiring one. It is about Les Brown, born on the floor of an abandoned building, with his twin brother, Wes. They were adopted when they were six weeks old by Mrs. Mamie Brown, a single woman who had very little education and financial means, but a very big heart. In a low-income Liberty city in Miami, Florida, Les was mislabeled as a slow learner. The label and stigma stayed with him for several years. Les had no formal education past high school. But with persistence and determination, and his trust in God, he has initiated a process of perpetual self-education, which has distinguished him as a resource on human potential.
Les Brown told a story of how by determination, tenacity, and the encouragement of his schoolteacher and mentor, Mr. Washington, he got his dream job:
“I needed to get a job to help my mother in the family upkeep. I went to Mr. Washington, my high school teacher, who was like a mentor to me. I told him what I wanted to be – a disc jockey. To this he replied ‘if you want to be a disc jockey, you got to be hungry. You’ve got to be willing to do the things others won’t want to do, in order to have the things others won’t have. You’ve got to work on yourself, develop your mind. You don’t get in life what you want; you get in life what you are. Always strive to get on top in life, because the bottom is over crowded. You’ve got to be hungry!’
I said, ‘Yes Sir, I’m hungry. I want to be a disc jockey.’ He said, ‘Start listening to people who are effective communicators. Be conscious of what you are saying and how you are saying it, because once you open your mouth you tell the world who you are. See yourself as a radio disc jockey; start working towards getting sponsorship, start creating the radio format that you want, start developing your personality.’ I said, ‘Wait a minute, Sir, I want to be a disc jockey, I don’t have the job yet.’ Then he said to me, ‘It is better to prepare for an opportunity and not have one, than have an opportunity and not be prepared.’
So I started working to develop myself, and my communication skills. I expected to have a radio programme, so I created my format. I started learning how to write promotion and do jingle, and then I went to him one day and said, ‘Okay, Mr. Washington, I am ready.’ He said, ‘Remember you’ve no journalism background, and you know broadcasting is a very crowded field, and very competitive. You are going to face enormous rejections everyday, but if you are hungry enough, the world will make a place for you.’
Then I went to apply for a job and met the Programme Director. I introduced myself. I said, ‘My name is Les Brown. I want to be a disc jockey.’ He asked, ‘Do you have any journalism in your background?’ I said, ‘No sir, but I have been training myself. Let me audition for you, let me show you how good I am.’ He said, ‘I m sorry, I don’t have a job for you now.’ I was discouraged, so I went back and told Mr. Washington. I said, “Mr. Washington, they said no.’ He said, ‘Don’t take it personally, most people are so negative they have to say no seven times before they eventually say yes.’ He said ‘You’ve got to be hungry!’ He said, ‘Go back again.’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’
I went back to the Programme Director the second day. ‘Hello Director, how are you sir? My name is Les Brown, I’d like to be a disc jockey.’ Surprised, he asked, ‘Weren’t you here yesterday?’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’ ‘Did I not tell you no yesterday?’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’ ‘So why are you back today?’ ‘Well sir, I don’t know whether or not somebody was laid off or fired sir’, I replied. ‘No one was laid off, no one was fired’, he retorted.
I was back the third day, ‘Hello Director, how are you sir? My name is Les Brown. I’d like to be a disc jockey.’ This time, certainly in rage, he answered: ‘I know what your name is. Weren’t you here the last three days?’ ‘Yes sir.’ ‘Didn’t I tell you no vacancy?’ ‘Yes sir.’ ‘Then why are you back today?’ I don’t know whether or not someone is sick or someone died.’ ‘No one is sick, no one died, no one is laid off, and don’t you come back again.’
I came back the fourth day, talking loud, looking happy, like I was seeing him for the first time. ‘Hello Director, how are you sir?’ He looked at me with exasperation and said, ‘Go and make some coffee’, I said, ‘Yes sir!’
Sometimes you have to stoop to conquer. You’ve got to sacrifice before you reign. So, I became the errand boy for the disc jockey. I’ll get their lunch and dinner, and stand in the control room. I will not leave until they ask me to. Then pretty soon, they trusted me to pick up entertainers from town.
Then one day I was at the radio station, and this disc jockey by the name, Rocky Rogers, was drinking while on air. He would slur his word; it was obvious he was inebriated. He couldn’t complete the show. Then there I was looking from the control room, walking back and forth, young, ready and hungry! Rocky was dead drunk. I was ready to go and get him more drink if he asked me to. Then pretty soon the phone rang, it was the General Manager. He said, ‘Rocky couldn’t finish his programme.’ I said, ‘I know.’ He said: ‘Would you call one of the other D.J’s there?’ I said, ‘Yes sir’ and hung up the phone. I said, ‘He must be thinking I’m crazy.’ I called my Mama, and told her to turn on the radio, that I’m about to come on air! I waited for about 20 minutes then I called him back. I said, ‘Sir, I can’t find anybody.’ He said, ‘Young boy, do you know how to work on the control?’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’ I couldn’t wait to get behind the turntable. He said, ‘Go ahead and start the recording.’ I said, ‘Yes sir!’”
That was how Les Brown became a disc jockey. After the first recording, Les impressed the General Manager so much that he got the job of a disc jockey without qualification.
Les Brown’s passion to learn and his hunger to realize greatness in himself and others helped him achieve his goals. He rose from morning deejay to Broadcast Manager, from community activist to community leader, from political commentator to three-term legislator, and from an emcee to premier keynote speaker. He has risen to national prominence by delivering a high-energy message, which tells people to live up to their greatness. It is a message Les Brown has learned from his own life, and he is helping others to apply it to their lives.

PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE!

While watching the network news recently, there was a report of a little baby that was sexually abused by an adult. Increasing number of children are daily being sexually abused by adults in our society today. Those who think such abominable acts only occur in western societies had better have a rethink. Children of all ages are victims of sexual abuse. The sad news is that friends, relatives and even fathers are the perpetuators of these evil acts. Reports of children ranging from infants as young as six months being raped, to 13 year old girls giving birth to their fathers’ babies are becoming common in our society today.One of the best ways of preventing child sexual abuse is to educate and teach your child how to avoid getting into such trouble. It’s the parent’s sole responsibility to do this. Parents should discuss the subject with their children, and should start early, even when they are as young as twelve to eighteen months. These youngsters are soft and tender at this age, so teach them the proper names of their body parts. A child of about three years can be taught about the private parts of the body, as well as the right to say “no” to unwanted touch. A child who is constantly forced to kiss, hug, or sit on the laps of someone they dislike often loses the feeling that his or her body is theirs. Children feel that if they must kiss or hug a person, then they might also have to do other things they dislike as well.

If a child asks questions about sex, give him straightforward answers. Don’t wrap them up in ambiguity or ignore the question, because you think it is too embarrassing to discuss. By starting an open line of communication with your child at this age, you increase the chances of your child coming to you when problems come up later on. Besides, incest and child abuse thrives on secrecy and fear.
As your child gets older and starts going to other children’s homes, and perhaps staying the night, it is time to discuss safety away from home. Your child should be well aware of the difference between good touch and bad touch. You should always ask about your child’s outing and encourage him or her to discuss any possibly scary experiences.

At age twelve, boys and girls often start paying attention to themselves and each other. Puberty has begun, along with the body changes that go with it. Children at this age often feel they are immune to so many of the rules and regulations up to this point. They want to go “hang out” with their buddies, or ride their bikes while out of their parents’ sight. It is at this time that personal safety and sexual conduct should be discussed. Though many parents will shudder at the idea of their child even thinking about sexual conduct, but this is the right time for sexual education.
Sit with them and actually discuss sexual abuse and what it entails. Many children believe that sexual abuse is all about old men forcing one to have intercourse with them. But it is much more than that. Make them aware of the facts, even if you have to give them a pamphlet from their pediatrician’s office to read. Be sure they are aware the dangers of “strangers” on the Internet. Past the age of twelve, a child must be made aware of “date rapes”, sexually transmitted diseases, and unwanted pregnancies. As hard as it is to imagine, some girls believe that if they didn’t actually fall asleep with the boy, they couldn’t possibly be pregnant.
At this time it is imperative that the lines of communication between the child and parent be open and uninhibited. If your child seems to want to discuss a matter, but is having a rough time talking about it, be understanding and make sure he or she knows you are interested. At all ages a parent should know where and with whom a child is spending time with. Also make sure your child is spending time with those of an equal age. Avoid letting him or her spend periods of time in out of the way places with much older children or other adults.

A school’s curriculum should include abuse prevention programmes for both children and teachers. If the school does have a programme, and your child attends it, this will be an opportune time to discuss sexual abuse. Churches should also include such programmes in the Sunday school activity for children. If you were abused as a child, tell your son or daughter the details you are comfortable about sharing. By knowing you went through it, a child who is abused is much more likely to bring the subject up if it happens to them. One of the most important things to remember is to give your child enough of your time, so he or she won’t go looking for it from some other adult. The lonely child who is not listened to at home makes a perfect target for almost any pedophile.