Just last week I installed a GFCI electrical outlet in one of my bathrooms. I guess the house is about 30 years old and it wasn’t part of the electrical building code way back then. Most home accidental deaths come from electrocution, I’ve read. That considered, $18.00 isn’t too much to pay, eh?

Monthly testing is an easy and quick task so there’s really no reason to avoid it. I mean, it isn’t like taking out the trash or washing the dishes.

There are two buttons on the GFCI receptacle. The first is labeled “test” and the other “reset”. Here’s the plan:

• Plug a light into the outlet.
• Press the test button. The light should go out.
• Press the reset button. As you might expect, the light should come back on. If not, it’s malfunctioned or the electrical wiring wasn’t connected properly when installing the GFCI.

That’s all there is to it. Do this monthly when you test your smoke detectors. Or wash those dishes. Whatever.

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In these tough economic times when the administration bails out businesses that are “too big to fail” and ignores small business, you might think entrepreneurs would just pack their bags and go. But no, as it turns out, that flame refuses to be extinguished.

One such example is the Magnogrip. Simple in concept; handy in practice. It’s basically just a Velcro-secured wrist band with magnets sewn in. The magnets are strong enough to hold nails, screws, nuts, bolts, etc until they’re needed. Then, they’re close at hand (pun intended).

While you might use your carpenter pouches for production work like hanging drywall, that would be overkill for going around the house hanging pictures, installing baseboard or door trim, or even working on the car.

And call me crazy, but I’m going to try it out for holding flies the next time I go kayak fishing.

One good thing is that the Magnogrip is available now at home improvement stores like Home Depot,  and Ace. Just in time for a Christmas stocking-stuffer gift? They say timing is everything…

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I can recall, not so many years ago, when I worked for a furniture company. Most of the week, I busied myself restoring antique furniture.

On Wednesdays, I drove all over Houston delivering sofas, chairs, and sectionals. As I left one home, I would ring the next using a mobile phone. The thing was the size and shape of a brick, and weighed about the same. This was very, very, pre-cell phone days.

The Evolving Cell Phone Industry

Since the days when I had conversations with my brick, the technological evolution of the cell phone and communications industry in general has been expanding exponentially.

In fact, many of the newer features were developed long before launch; companies like Nokia, Sony Ericsson, and Motorola were just waiting for batteries that could handle the needed horsepower.

iPhones and the BlackBerry; More Than a Cell Phone

As Apple and Research In Motion (RIM, manufacturer of the BlackBerry) soon realized that the cell phone was rapidly morphing into something better described as a miniature workstation. They soon capitalized in a range of accessories, like the Apple iphone dock. These handy devices do things like charging the unit and providing a sound system so the songs stored on the iPhone can be played like a home stereo or a boom box.

Another consideration is that these gadgets make for a sizable investment. And being mobile, and humans being clumsy, it only make sense to buy some protection. RIM, for example, offers a number of styles based on the original blackberry case.

Other Cell Phone Accessories

The first accessory that comes to mind is the bluetooth headset. This gadget basically turns the phone into a wireless, hands-free device. The most common one just hangs on the ear.

The first time I saw someone using one of these, I thought it was some sort of whack-o talking to himself. It still looks a little creepy, but it’s handy and much safer than talking into the phone itself while driving. In fact, increasingly, laws are being put into place outlawing using hand-held phones while driving in a school zone.

Do I have a cell phone? Yep; a Nokia 6650. It’s one of my favorite business expense tax deductions. I still haven’t put my arms around Twittering via texting though. Luddite that I am…

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Face it, moving is a traumatic experience at best. Whether you’re relocating to accept a higher paying job or just to keep the one you’ve already got, you’ve got quite a lot of things to juggle, what with trying to wrap up things at your old place and coordinate getting situated at the new.

One of the first things to think about is shopping around for a conveyancing quote. This need not be a chore. Just be sure to use a reputable firm; your removal company can assist you with this.

Moving Strategies

But there are strategies you can use to make the transition more seamless. let’s look at a few.

• Have a professional, experienced company do the heavy lifting for you. This is a great time saver. They are called movers in the US but are removal companies in the UK. I love US/UK language differences!
• Plan ahead. It’s never too soon to start on your game plan. Things will escalate the sooner the move gets. It you are moving because of business obligations, they will expect more from you before you leave; no loose ends.
• Be careful with conveyancing. The legal aspects of relocating are always a potential area where costly mistakes can be made. The cost is not always an indication of accuracy and professionalism; even cheap conveyancing will do the trick as long as the firm’s reputation is sound.

Transfer Your Services

Not many professionals leave it all at the office. We always bring work home and make things happen after usual business hours. For this you need a seamless transition of broadband services.

Satellite TV is a bit easier. One of the big selling points of Dish TV is “leave it there, we’ll get you a new one”. Good hype, but a Godsend for transitioners.

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