Organizing for 2011 – Paperwork

Organizing for 2011 – Paperwork: "
This is a two-part blog on getting better organized for the New Year. Part 1 is on getting paperwork organized. Part 2 will be on clearing out the clutter.


As I head into 2011 and I look at the stacks of paperwork from 2010 (receipts, warranties, insurance documents, copies of bills, and a host of other bits of paper), I am very tempted to purchase a flame thrower. Instead of dealing with my paper mess, I would rather risk burning down my home while toasting marshmallows
in the flames generated from all of those receipts, than to actually sit down and go through each piece of paper.


At the beginning of every year I have this epiphany that all of this paper clutter stresses me and that I need to bring order to the paper chaos in my life. It makes me feel anxious and out of control when I look at the stacks of unfiled stuff. Every year, I vow that this will be the year I get my act together and get organized.
I buy new filing bins and with great energy, I start sifting through stacks of accumulated paperwork. Then I get bored and frustrated. I run out of enthusiasm for my organizing project and I end up shoving it all in a corner of my office. Sometimes I even cover it with a table cloth and pretend that it is
a sculpture that I am working on.


When it comes to organizing, instead of rushing in and just tossing everything in a massive purge, a plan should be in place. Here is a little guidance on what records and documents to keep readily available, which things to store, and which things are safe to toss. It is especially important to get things in order with tax season coming up. The Internal Revenue Service has some helpful suggestions about record keeping to reduce stress at tax time.


All those purchase receipts are something that I am inundated with, so I am considering going paperless by purchasing a portable scanner that I can use to scan receipts. Some scanners have character recognition capabilities that can catalog and classify your purchases for you. Another option is to reduce the amount of paper coming into your home. Many companies are now offering paperless bill paying where you can make arrangements to receive electronic bills, instead of paper bills. Check with companies that you do regular business with to see if they offer this option.


There is lots of advice and tips on the Internet about getting your paperwork organized. There are also many companies out there with products and services that can help you get organized. If you are having trouble doing it yourself, you may wish to look into getting assistance. If you are going to work with a professional organizer, be sure to research companies carefully. Also keep in mind that while organizers are helping you clean-up, they may encounter paperwork with personal information.


Do you have any tips or tricks to help me get my paper jungle under control? Feel free to leave
a comment.
"

MeL News

Job & Career Accelerator™ Selected as Part of Michigan eLibrary--MeL.org

Career and Job Search web resource from LearningExpress, LLC to assist Michigan job seekers

NEW YORK and EAST LANSING, Mich., Jan. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- LearningExpress, LLC—the leading provider of online resume creation and job search tools—and the Library of Michigan's eLibrary (MeL), are pleased to provide Job & Career Accelerator™, a new web resource for Michigan job seekers, which joins LearningExpress Library, a test and tutorial resource, already available through MeL.

This new resource in the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) is made possible by a grant from the federal government's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), of 2009 and through round 2 of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) Public Computer Center Grant. The $6 million grant, awarded to Michigan State University (MSU) in August 2010, will give residents in Michigan tools and training for broadband use, increase the number of computers in Michigan libraries, and provide additional resources to all libraries, schools, businesses and residents in the state. As a result of the grant, Michigan State University will also receive access to Job & Career Accelerator.

Job & Career Accelerator's job guidance and search platform arrives as the unemployment in Michigan has risen from 6.9% in 2007 to 12.9% in 2010. This data comes from the current recessionary period as defined by the US Bureau of Economic Research and places Michigan state residents in one of the eight hardest hit job markets in the US.

Public libraries have seen an increasing demand for job search assistance and librarians have stepped up to assist the unemployed with their job searches. "We are well aware of how public library users are turning to their libraries for job search assistance," said Nancy Robertson, State Librarian of Michigan. "Job & Career Accelerator will be an excellent resource for librarians to use with their job seeking public." The easy-to-use learning path in Job & Career Accelerator provides users with a personalized job search experience and will help librarians as well as workforce development professionals simplify the entire job search process.

Without Internet access or a method to respond electronically to job advertisements in today's standard web-based job application process, it is difficult for the long-term unemployed to get back on their feet. MeL enables job seekers to access the tools and information in Job & Career Accelerator to achieve employment success. Through the Michigan agreement, MeL will provide access to both LearningExpress Library and Job & Career Accelerator to state residents who are job seeking or career changing.

"We are pleased to continue working with the state of Michigan and the Michigan eLibrary to provide essential workforce services that help the millions of library patrons prepare for success in their job search and careers," says Barry Lippman, President and CEO of LearningExpress, LLC.

In addition to access to millions of active job and internship postings, Job & Career Accelerator provides a wide array of valuable information including predicted job growth by field, a review of today's hottest careers, model resumes based on job titles and experience levels, interactive computer training courses, and eBooks for further skill-building and study. Job and Career Accelerator is accessible free to all Michigan residents from any computer with an Internet connection.

The MI agreement marks the sixth statewide contract awarded to LearningExpress, LLC joining previous similar partnerships with Kansas, North Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia and New Jersey for its online career and job search solution, Job & Career Accelerator.

ABOUT THE MICHIGAN eLIBRARY, MeL is a project of the Library of Michigan, an agency of the Michigan Department of Education. MeL is supported by federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, enhancing library service to all residents of the state. Visit the Michigan eLibrary at: http://mel.org

ABOUT LEARNINGEXPRESS, LLC Founded in 1995, LearningExpress is a leading e-learning technology company that provides career advancement and education solutions to thousands of colleges and libraries, currently helping more than one million students and adult learners annually to meet their professional and academic goals. The company offers comprehensive and fully integrated web-based platforms designed to help users assess, explore, find, prepare, pursue, and achieve their career endeavors. Visit LearningExpress, LLC Job & Career Accelerator online at: www.jobandcareeraccelerator.com.

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, MSU has been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through teaching, research and outreach for more than 150 years. MSU is known internationally as a major public university with global reach and extraordinary impact. Its 17 degree-granting colleges attract scholars worldwide who are interested in combining education with practical problem solving. Visit Michigan State University at: http://msu.edu/

SOURCE LearningExpress, LLC

Back to top RELATED LINKS
http://www.learningexpressllc.com
http://mel.org

Battling Seasonal Affective Disorder

Battling Seasonal Affective Disorder: From GovGab: "Does your mood change from chipper and upbeat in the summer to sleepy and listless in the winter?

Lack of exposure to sunlight in the winter months is attributed to causing seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a change from a sunny disposition to a somber one as summer fades to winter.

Common symptoms of SAD include:

• Sleeping too much
• Being tired all the time
• Feeling depressed
• Lacking energy
• Craving sweets and starchy foods

Seasonal affective disorder is more common in the northern United States, where it's colder and days are shorter.

Changes in diet, light therapy and learning to manage stress are all ways you can alleviate SAD symptoms.

You can learn more about SAD and what to do if you think you're experiencing it at Medline Plus.

"

Protect Your Family─Lock Your Meds

Protect Your Family─Lock Your Meds: From GovGab: "I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions, but I am committed to doing an important chore really soon. That chore is cleaning out my medicine cabinets, kitchen cabinet and purse of all old and unneeded prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, and locking up the ones that we use.

The reason for this is that I don’t want these drugs available to my tween-age sons, or their friends, in case they are tempted to experiment. They’re in middle school now, and will probably hear about kids taking prescription or OTC drugs to get high. I’ve been keeping my painkillers, my son’s ADHD meds, and OTC cold medicines in a kitchen cabinet. All of these drugs are frequently abused, so that has to change. My kids are good kids, and we’ve talked about illegal drugs a lot, but middle schoolers want to be cool, and are subject to peer pressure, and may feel rebellious or depressed. I can’t risk leaving these meds where my kids can access them.


I’m going to keep these medicines locked up for many years. Even when kids are in college, if they’re home over a break, they may get bored or lonely. Parents need to remain vigilant during those times.


Once I remove all the expired and unneeded meds from my cabinets, I’ll be disposing of them in the proper manner. Unless they have specific instructions otherwise, most medications can be thrown out, but first you should remove pills from their original containers, mix them with something yucky like kitty litter, and put the mixture in a sealed bag or container for disposal. Except for a few specific prescription medications, you shouldn't flush your meds, as doing so could unnecessarily add to the chemical substances polluting our waterways.

And when I'm done getting rid of my old meds, I’m going to sit down and talk to my kids about prescription drug abuse, the fastest-growing drug problem in the United States.

"

National Radon Action Month

National Radon Action Month: From GovGab: "Is a colorless, odorless, deadly gas seeping into your home? Unless you test your home for radon, you’ll never know.
It’s estimated that one in 15 homes has elevated levels of radon. Mine did. The amount of radon in the air is measured in Picocuries per Liter, which is abbreviated pCi/L. When I tested our home, the radon levels were around 20 pCi/L, which is much higher than the EPA recommended maximum of 4 pCi/L.
Radon in your home is a serious matter. Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, and overall it is the second leading cause of lung cancer. It’s responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year.
The good news is that radon can be reduced to safe levels, and there are professionals out there to handle the job for you. We hired a certified radon mitigation contractor to come into our home and install a mitigation system. It was really nothing more than sealing cracks in the basement and installing some PVC pipes and a fan system to pull the gas out from under the foundation and route it safely out of the house.
Test kits are available at hardware and home improvement stores. I think my initial test kit cost about $10 and the test is easy to perform. Some state programs offer low-cost or free kits, contact your state radon contact for more information.
January is national radon action month. The radon level in my house is .7pCi/L. What’s yours?
"

HPL's New Books

Below is a partial list of our new books. To see the full list, download the Excel file for: 2010. To see new books from other years try: 2009, 2008, 2007, or 2006.

Say You're One of Them By Akpan, Uwem 2009-09 - Back Bay Books 9780316086370 Check Our Catalog Each story in this jubilantly acclaimed collection pays testament to the wisdom and resilience of children, even in the face of the most agonizing circumstances. A family living in a makeshift shanty in urban Kenya scurries to find gifts of any kind for the impending Christmas holiday. A Rwandan girl relates her family's struggles to maintain a facade of normalcy amid unspeakable acts. A young brother and sister cope with their uncle's attempt to sell them into slavery. Aboard a bus filled with refugees-a microcosm of today's Africa-a Muslim boy summons his faith to bear a treacherous ride across Nigeria. Through the eyes of childhood friends the emotional toll of religious conflict in Ethiopia becomes viscerally clear. …More

Sunset Park By Auster, Paul 2010-11 - Henry Holt & Company 9780805092868 Check Our Catalog BookPage Notable Title Luminous, passionate, expansive, and an emotional tour de force, "Sunset Park" follows the hopes and fears of a cast of unforgettable characters brought together by the mysterious Miles Heller during the dark months of the 2008 economic collapse. …More

Breaking the Cycle By Zane 2005-03 - Strebor Books 9781593090210 Check Our Catalog This eagerly awaited collection is a stunning and moving anthology of stories, each of which focuses on an aspect of domestic abuse and points toward the steps to be taken to break the cycle that perpetuates it. …More

The Shooting in the Shop By Brett, Simon 2010-11 - Five Star (ME) 9781594149245 Check Our Catalog …More

Can't Get Enough By Briscoe, Connie 2006-04 - Harlem Moon 9780767921299 Check Our Catalog "The memorable men and women of P.G. County are back in Connie Briscoe's wickedly funny and deliciously daring novel of romance and betrayal, dangerous choices and seductive second chances. "This romp of a read combines lush settings, humorous dialogue and outrageous behavior . . ." "Ebony magazine wrote of "P.G. County, Connie Briscoe's first excursion into the world of the overprivileged and undersatisfied inhabitants of an elite suburb of Washington, D.C. Readers will be delighted to learn that their mischievous machinations and meddlesome ways reach new heights--and sink to new depths--in CAN'T GET ENOUGH, the much-anticipated follow-up to "P.G. County. Barbara Bentley, the grand dame of P.G. County, is tentatively embarking on a fresh approach to life, abandoning the alcohol that served to soften the edges of her marriage to her bimbo-loving millionaire husband, Bradford. She's been sober for nearly a year, her part-time work as a real estate agent has boosted her self-confidence, and the unexpected attentions of a handsome young colleague have done wonders for her ego. For Jolene, Bradford's ambitious, conniving ex-mistress, the status she covets remains tantalizingly out of reach. Her decent, hard-working husband, Patrick, has left her for Pearl, a woman proud of her success as a beauty shop owner and eager to create a loving home for Patrick and his two mixed-up teenage daughters. Royalty comes to Silver Lake in the form of Veronique. She's rich, fabulous and everyone's new friend, or is she? As the characters slip in and out of their Pratesi sheets and stride into mayhem and misdeeds in their Jimmy Choo shoes, CAN'T GET ENOUGH will hold readers spellbound. Adelectable and scrumptious page-turner, it ushers in spring with the fabulous force of a Gucci-clad lion. …More

Criminal Minded By Brown, Tracy 2005-06 - St. Martin's Griffin 9780312336462 Check Our Catalog Brown tells the tale of the rise and fall of two young men determined to conquer the world, and the story of the women who loved them too much. …More

Twisted By Brown, Tracy 2008-05 - St. Martin's Griffin 9780312336509 Check Our Catalog From the "Essence"-bestselling author of "White Lines" comes a powerful new drama where the ultimate love must triumph over a tangled web of lies and betrayals. …More

The Damascus Way By Bunn, Davis Author Oke, Janette 2011-01 - Bethany House Publishers 9780764208669 Check Our Catalog Julia has everything money can buy--except for acceptance by either the Gentiles or the Jews. Her Greek father already has a wife and family, leaving Julia and her Hebrew mother second-class citizens. But when they are introduced to followers of the Way, they become part of that community of believers. …More

Nights of the Red Moon By Burton, Milton T. 2010-12 - Minotaur Books 9780312648008 Check Our Catalog In Sequoya County, Texas, Sheriff Bo Handel becomes entangled in the web of the Southern drug scene after a local minister's wife is murdered. …More

Side Jobs: Stories from the Dresden Files By Butcher, Jim 2010-10 - Roc 9780451463654 Check Our Catalog The first short story collection in the #1 "New York Times"-bestselling series includes a brand-new Harry Dresden novella. Here, together for the first time, are the shorter works by Butcher--a compendium of cases that Harry and his cadre of allies managed to close in record time. …More

Remarkable Creatures By Chevalier, Tracy 2010-10 - Plume Books 9780452296725 Check Our Catalog BookPage Notable Title When Mary Anning uncovers an unusual fossilized skeleton near her English coast home, she sets the community on edge. Mary soon finds a champion in prickly Elizabeth Philpot. Their relationship strikes a delicate balance between fierce loyalty, mutual appreciation, and barely suppressed envy. …More

Dead or Alive By Clancy, Tom 2010-12 - Putnam Adult 9780399157233 Check Our Catalog For years, Jack Ryan, Jr., and his colleagues at the Campus have waged an unofficial and highly effective campaign against the terrorists who threaten Western civilization. The most dangerous of these is the Emir. This sadistic killer has masterminded the most vicious attacks on the West and has eluded capture. Now the Campus is on his trail. Joined by their latest recruits, John Clark and Ding Chavez, Jack Ryan, Jr., and his cousins Dominick and Brian Caruso, are determined to catch the Emir and bring him in--dead or alive. …More

Port Mortuary By Cornwell, Patricia D. 2010-11 - Putnam Adult 9780399157219 Check Our Catalog BookPage Notable Title From the world's #1 bestselling crime writer comes the extraordinary new Kay Scarpetta novel. In this fast-paced story, a treacherous path from Scarpetta's past merges with the high tech highway she now finds herself on. In "Port Mortuary," Cornwell brings Scarpetta together with Marino, Benton, and Lucy in an intimate way that is reminiscent of the early novels. …More

Paradise Valley By Cramer, Dale 2011-01 - Bethany House Publishers 9780764208386 Check Our Catalog When conflict with the state of Ohio over compulsory education for Amish children forces them to relocate, will Caleb's daughters lose their chance for families of their own? …More

Crescent Dawn By Cussler, Clive Author Cussler, Dirk 2010-11 - Putnam Adult 9780399157141 Check Our Catalog NUMA Director Dirk Pitt returns, in the extraordinary new novel from the #1 "New York Times"-bestselling author. In A.D. 327, a Roman galley barely escapes a pirate attack with its extraordinary cargo. In 1916, a British warship mysteriously explodes in the middle of the North Sea. In the present day, a cluster of important mosques in Turkey and Egypt are wracked by explosions. Does anything tie them together? Pitt is about to find out. …More

The Jewel Box By Davis, Anna 2009-06 - Pocket Books 9781416537366 Check Our Catalog From the author of "The Shoe Queen" comes a jazz-age tale of love set in the world of London's high society. …More

Vortex By Denning, Troy 2010-11 - Lucas Books 9780345509208 Check Our Catalog In Book Six of the bestselling nine-book Fate of the Jedi series, the suspense crescendos as the Skywalkers and their treacherous Sith allies race against time to discover the origins of the mysterious Force-entity known as Abeloth. …More

The Ski Mask Way By 50 Cent Author Elliott, K. 2007-01 - G-Unit 9781416531012 Check Our Catalog A 28-year-old ex-con, Seven is trying to put his past behind him but soon finds the drug game all too tempting. When he meets another ex-con named Ditty, they consider a business deal where the payoff is big but the stakes are high, and possibly deadly. …More

Gingerbread Cookie Murder By Fluke, Joanne Author Levine, Laura Author Meier, Leslie 2010-10 - Thorndike Press 9781410429988 Check Our Catalog …More

World of Warcraft: The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm By Golden, Christie 2010-10 - Gallery Press 9781416550747 Check Our Catalog In this follow-up to her "New York Times" bestseller "Arthas," Golden delivers a sensational tie-in to the newest World of Warcraft game expansion. …More

Dead Man's Chest By Greenwood, Kerry 2010-11 - Poisoned Pen Press 9781590587997 Check Our Catalog Phryne Fisher needs a rest. It's summer. She packs up her family and moves to Queenscliff, a quiet watering place on the coast. Where she meets with smugglers, pirate treasure and som very interesting surrealists, including a parrot called Pussykins. What is the mysterious madame Selavey hiding? Where are the Johnsons, who were supposed to be in the holiday house? …More

First of State By Greer, Robert 2010-10 - North Atlantic Books 9781556439155 Check Our Catalog It's 1972, and 22-year-old decorated war vet CJ Floyd has recently returned to Denver from Vietnam with post-traumatic stress disorder. Navigating depression, he finds a friend in World War II vet and amputee Wiley Ames. After Ames and a mysterious Chinese man are found murdered, CJ's already fragile world threatens to collapse. …More

The Confession By Grisham, John 2010-10 - Doubleday Books 9780385528047 Check Our Catalog Grisham delivers his most extraordinary legal thriller yet. Filled with his trademark intriguing twists and turns, this newest novel proves that no one keeps readers in suspense like America's favorite storyteller. …More

Here Burns My Candle By Higgs, Liz Curtis 2010-03 - Waterbrook Press 9781400070015 Check Our Catalog A timeless tale of loss and redemption, flickering against the vivid backdrop of 18th-century Edinburgh, reveals the many flaws of human nature and the bright hope of divine providence. …More

Loving Frank By Horan, Nancy 2008-04 - Ballantine Books 9780345495006 Check Our Catalog "This graceful, assured first novel tells the remarkable story of the long-lived affair between Frank Lloyd Wright, a passionate and impossible figure, and Mamah Cheney, a married woman whom Wright beguiled and led beyond the restraint of convention"--Scott Turow. …More

Upcoming Events at Hackley Public Library

	Muskegon County Genealogical Society Tuesday, January 4 6:30 - 9:30 pm.  Meets at the Torrent House

Rain Gardens January 4 6:00 pm Tuesday Joe Hill, Advanced Master Gardener, returns to talk about rain gardens.  Rain gardens are a planted depression that allows rainwater runoff from areas like roofs, driveways, walkways, parking lots, and compacted lawns the opportunity to be absorbed. This reduces rain runoff by allowing stormwater to soak into the ground (as opposed to flowing into storm drains and surface waters which causes erosion, water pollution, flooding, and diminished groundwater).[1]. They can be designed for specific soils and climates. [2] Rain gardens can cut down on the amount of pollution reaching creeks and streams by up to 30%. This program is free and open to the public. For more information call HPL at 231-722-7276.

	Evening Storytime Monday, January 10 6:45 pm Storytelling, picturebooks, fingerplays, holiday tales, and special fun.  Each session ends with a craft project.  Signup required.  Call 231-722-7276 x 230 to register.

	Morning Toddler Storytime Monday, January 10 11:00 am Toddlers and care givers attend Toddler Time together.  The simple books and activities are just right for kids under 3.  Signup is required.  Call 231-722-7276 x 230 to register.

	Morning Storytime Tuesday, January 11 11:00 am Storytelling, picturebooks, fingerplays, holiday tales, and special fun.  Each session ends with a craft project.  Signup required.  Call 231-722-7276 x 230 to register.

	Piecing a 9 block Quilt January 11 6:00 pm Tuesday Nancy Hartman returns to teach participants how to piece a 9 block quilt.  The class is limited to 20, registration opens January 3rd.  Participants will receive a supply list when they register.  This is a two part class, the second part will be on January 25. For more information call HPL at 231-722-7276.

	MS Support Group Wednesday, January 12 5:30 - 6:30 pm Torrent House

Tech Wednesday Wednesday, January 12 Tech Wednesdays   2:30 pm Each class will cover a specific topic and run from 30 – 60 minutes. No registration is required, just show up! All classes will start at 2:30 pm in the Julia Hackley Room. If you have your own laptop feel free to bring it along, otherwise these are watch and learn classes.   Dec 8:  Blogging user Blogger Dec 15:  Email Basics Jan 12:  Windows Media Player Jan 26:  Publisher Feb 9:  Powerpoint Feb 23:  Chilton online

	Yarnspinners Wednesday, January 12 7:00 - 9:00 pm Torrent House

Senior Photo Fun for Grade 5-9 Saturday, January 15 2:00 pm Why wait for Senior Year?  Take your "Senior Picture" now and capture your personality (or a friend's) in a senior-style shot.  You'll go home with a great portrait.  samantha Vanderlist fromShutter Sam Photography will lead the workshop, while hackley library provides the backdrop.  Bring your own digital camera.  Registration is required. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230.