Valentine's Day

Did you know, according to the Greeting Card Association, that around 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year? That’s a whole lot of love goin’ around. The origins of Valentine’s Day are uncertain, but no matter which story is true, the fact remains that it is an important day to many people. Call me a Grinch, or a Scrooge, or whatever the Valentine’s Day equivalent, but I’ve never quite understood the “holiday.” Then again, I’ve never done anything super “Valentine’s Dayish,” and hey, I think I’d be willing to reconsider my opinion.

                Now, just because I’ve never been a die-hard Valentine’s day goer, it doesn’t mean I don’t take some interest in it, I’ve even bought a small gift or two. In 2010, the average consumer was expected to spend around $103 on various gifts, meals, and entertainment. I don’t know about you, but I’m on a bit of a budget. And since the other half’s birthday falls on February 6^th, the first week of February has pretty much always led to a $.50 Fannie May Trinidad and a $2 card in the second.

                Valentine’s Day is now quickly approaching again, but luckily, this year the Nixon Insurance Agency is offering a promotion to help you “insure” a happy significant other this year. By liking our Facebook page and filling out the promotions page, you could get the chance to ditch those “budget blues” we all get sometimes, and splurge on a great night out. Whether you prefer a toned down Valentine’s day like I do, or an extravagant night on the town, here’s to all the couples and continued happiness together.

Jenny

8 Ways to Boost Your Energy

Reading the latest hot topics on Yahoo's homepage, is something I do every day. I get to see what is going on in the world today and also I always learn something new. Today was no different; I was looking around on Yahoo and found something that sparked my interest. Sometimes during the day, you just need a Pick Me Up. There always comes that time during the day when you get tired and sometimes just a quick walk around the office is enough to wake you up. For the most part though, most people need something a little more. Here are some tips from Sarah Jio from Health Magazine:

1.       The more you yawn the more you will wake up because it is the body’s way of basically waking up the brain because it’s being cooled down.

2.       After taking a 10 minute walk, you will feel revved for the next two hours.

3.       Have a good laugh, because it will raise your blood pressure and boost your heart rate.

4.       Look for something red. Seeing the color can make your muscles move faster and work harder.

5.       Stir some chia seeds into your yogurt. They are filled of B vitamins, fiber, and protein. They will give you a boost of energy without making you jittery

6.       Stand up and stretch, because it will stimulate the sympathetic nervous system

7.       Go exercise before work, according to a Health.com poll, 58% of people felt more energized after they worked out.

8.       Eat notoriously, eating omega – 3 fatty acids can improve mood and brain function.

Time Really Does Fly

                Every other Tuesday my mother watches my two year old niece, Avery. It seems like just yesterday when I held her for the first time, yet this morning my mom texted me to tell me that Avery had to show her how to use the DVR. I keep laughing to myself as I picture that little girl teaching her grandmother which buttons to push to change the channel or play cartoons. She is getting so big, so fast. Where has the time gone?

                I never used to believe those older than me when they would say, “Take it all in, time goes by faster than you’d think.” But wow, were they right. Here I am, twenty-one years old and on the verge of beginning my last semester of college. I find myself constantly reminiscing about “the good ol’ days” and wanting to go home every weekend just to forget the fact that in a few short months, it will no longer be my primary home.

                Growing up is inevitable, but I wish I hadn’t wanted it to speed up so many times. Even those simple “I-wish-this-day-would-be-over’s” or the “Man, this-week-can-feel-free-to-fly-by’s” seem dumb in retrospect. Sometimes we have to do things we dread, and it is easy to just wish it would pass by quickly, but I’m starting to learn that every second counts. We should enjoy it all, the good and the bad, because it really does go “faster than you’d think” doesn’t it?

Have a great week. Enjoy the little things. I will try to take my own advice! J

Jenny

Dogs & Insurance

Dogs are the world’s most popular pet. They come in all different size, shapes, colors, and breeds. Personally, I prefer big dogs and that are full of energy. Since I can remember my family has always had Siberian Huskies and nothing else. Not to say I don’t like other dog breeds, but I just prefer the how elegant the Husky looks yet it’s a dog that will go for a walk for hours and still not get tired. Huskies have always been describes as a "real dog". This means they are not something pretty just to have in the house, they want to have a job or be doing something.

Like most families, we consider our pets apart of our family and not just something to stick in the backyard to forget about.  The way our dogs are raised is in a very structured way, they are taught not to be food or toy aggressive, obedience is started at a very young age, and we even use e-collars on them. Now I know some people would not agree with that, but if used properly, the end result can be great. Right now, we have a 6 year old male Siberian husky; he is full of energy with a personality to match it.

About 7 years ago we moved into a new house and my dad had to get quotes from homeowners insurance. When my dad would call around, he would get asked the typical questions like square footage of the house, how many bathrooms, fireplaces, and so on. Of course the agent had to ask about if we owned any pets. Obviously we did so my dad said yes, but when he was asked what breed we had, the agent said he would sorry but they should just not proceed on to a quote because they would not represent us because we had a Siberian husky.  My dad was stunned and asked why and the agent told him because Siberian Huskies are considered a high risk dog on the bite scale.

The dog we have now will be the 4th Husky we have had, and never have I felt unsafe around one. I can remember being about 5 and riding on the back of one of our very first Huskies, Thorson, and he was always so gentle around us because my dad raised him that way. We also had a female but when she passed away, the male would no longer sleep in the backyard and began sleeping in front of our backdoor at night. Since my dad worked 3rd shift at the time, it was just my mom, sister, and I at home. It seemed as though Thorson new that we were alone and it made people very nervous to come to our door. He was never aggressive toward anyone but if my dad was not home, he would always follow my sister and me around if we were outside in the yard. There was also a time a neighbor's dog came into our yard and started chasing our cat. Thorson immediately went for the dog and would not let him near the cat. Thorson was as close to a perfect dog as you could get, our backyard was fenced in but he would always get out but never leave the front yard.

 Dogs are like children as puppies and they learn behaviors based on how they are taught as they grow.  For example, our dogs are taught that food, toys, and bones can be taken away at any time and they are not allowed to growl or bite. This results in not only my family members but also anyone can take anything away from them safely. So for me I just find it impossible to blame the dog when they end up biting people or attacking another animal. Either the person who raised them taught them to be that way or they were not socialized enough growing up.

One the first dog’s that comes to mind when it comes to insurance, is pit bull type dogs. Now “pit bull” is a generalization of a group of dogs such as American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire bull terrier and mix breeds. A lot of insurance companies will shy away from these types of dogs all together. Personally, I do not think the labels these dogs get for being vicious dogs are fair. Again it all comes down to how they are raised because let’s face it no dog is born to be a killer. Actually, when the Staffordshire bull terrier was first bred, it was used a nanny dog to watch its owner’s children. People like Michael Vick, are the reason these dogs have the image they do.  In fact, in Florida, it’s illegal to own a pit-bull type dog in most counties but it’s legal to own a tiger. Now how does that make sense at all?

Here are scores, according the American Temperament Test Society, for some of the dogs who are considered risky dog breeds for Homeowners and Renters:

1.       Staffordshire Bull Terrier – 90.3%

2.       Siberian Husky – 86.9%

3.       American Pit Bull Terrier – 86.8%

4.       American Staffordshire Bull Terrier – 84.8%

Now this is just a general test yes, but with scores out of 100% that doesn’t look too bad to me. America’s second most popular breed, the Golden Retriever scored 85.2% which is lower than 3 out of the 4 breeds above. Seems kind of unfair to judge every dog in a breed based on a few individuals doesn’t it?

Small dogs such as Bichon Frise (76.7%), Cairn terrier (73.5%), Chihuahua (68.3%) and Miniature Poodle (77.9%) all scored lower than Pit Bull type dogs and yet are not on the list. This to me does not seem fair, because a dog bite is a dog bite no matter how big the dog is.  The day after Christmas, we had a TV mounted on our wall by the Geek Squad from Best Buy. My Husky was there and so was my sister’s Lab when the dogs came in, the guys who were there said that they did not mind the dogs because they were used to it. In fact one guys said that the only dogs he has ever had problems with are the little ones. He said the only dogs that snap at him or made him nervous were little dogs. I cannot agree more with this statement, as I feel the same way. Most people who own little dogs tend to let the dog get away with anything giving the dog a sort of Napoleon complex. Whenever the little dog snaps at someone it can often be seen as cute by the owner but it's really not. Little dogs should have the same rules as other dogs and be allowed to get away with anything because of their size.

I just think people should look at the facts and do their research before they label dogs they probably know nothing about and only take the media’s word for it. Lets face it the media always brings out the worst facts in the most cases and only show one side of the story.

Winter Break and the Future

It's been awhile since I have written a blog...mostly because schedules have been crazy and getting ready for holiday festivities took up a lot of time. Nothing real exciting has happened over my break, just enjoying the time off of school and all my friends being home on their breaks. It’s hard to believe that we are in the year 2013 already. 2012 just flew right by and I feel like this year is going to bring so many new and exciting things. I have a completely different mindset going into this year than I did last year so I can’t wait to get started. Sadly, last night I ordered all my books for school and took a look at what my schedule will be like for the upcoming semester. It looks like I will be pretty busy and I can actually say I am pretty excited about it because I feel that will make this semester go by much faster.

Things at Nixon Insurance are still running as smoothly as ever. I am still continuing to learn new things every day and am still considering a career in insurance when I graduate. The question of what I do want to do when I graduate is still in the back of my mind every day and when people ask me that question, I give them all the same answer, I just really do not know. I am so indecisive with what I want to do it drives me nuts. I am the kind of person who likes to know what I am supposed to do and when I will be able to do it. As of right now, I have neither of those things figured out and it really bothers me, but this year I have decided not to focus on the future so much as I have in the past. I am going to deal with what is in front of me at this moment and just take on everything as it comes at me and not rush anything.

Brooke

Just My Luck.

                It was my first night home for Christmas break; it was also the first night winter had decided to actually act like winter. The snow was coming down and the wind was picking up, but yet I insisted on going to a friend’s house. I hadn’t seen anyone in weeks, and their house was only a half-mile away anyway, what could go wrong? Like parents do, mine insisted that I stay home, constantly worried for my safety. And like I do, I insisted that I would be fine, I mean c’mon, I have four-wheel drive. I then left with the promise to text them when I got there.

                I made it the half-mile without any trouble. As I was pulling into my friend’s driveway I thought “Ha, I knew it wouldn’t be that bad.” I turned off my Jeep, grabbed my purse, and gave my door a nudge open without even giving a second thought to the wind that had picked up. As soon as the door whipped open, I knew something was broke. The sound said everything. It turns out the a combination of high winds, chintzy design, and my absentminded behavior can really mess up a car door.

                The next day I had to tell my dad what happened. Even worse, I had to admit that he and my mom were (somewhat) right. The hinge on the door was bent, it made an ugly sound when you opened it because it was hitting the fender, and it was rubbing the paint. Just my luck. I spent the next 5 days climbing through the passenger seat to prevent further damage. Long story short, after Christmas was over we were able to get it fixed rather inexpensively. But here’s my question, what age will I be before my parents stop being right about everything?

Jenny

Fall Semester is Coming to a Close.

This morning I attended the last Fall class of my undergraduate career. Isn’t that exciting? Well, I guess it wasn’t really that eventful. There was no music played or cake eaten in celebration (I wish!), just another class. It made me stop and think, “Wow, I am almost done with my college career, am I ready for that?” I guess the answer is, like it or not, I’m gonna have to prepare myself for the real world.

Not only am I almost done with my second to last semester of college, but now comes the thought of getting a “big-kid” job. I recently had my first, full-time job interview at Caterpillar. I was so nervous I hardly slept the night before, and when the interview began it seems like I went into auto-pilot (no, really, it is a pretty surreal feeling). Anyway, it went well and I passed with flying colors. Now, it’s all about the waiting game of whether or not there will be a position for me after graduation (fingers crossed!).

This time of the year always bring about a lot of excitement for college students; we finally get a break. However, this is the first time that the excitement has been tainted with anxiety and maybe even a little fear: a fear of new responsibilities, a fear of uncertainty, even a fear of failure. I think the best way for us to handle this pressure is to realize that we aren’t the first people to graduate from college, and we certainly won’t be the last. I guess it’s time to kick it into gear as far as job searches go, but to remember that nothing is going to happen to use that we can’t handle.

Best of luck to all you students on your finals!

Jenny