Red Butte Gaurdian Angels (12/02/08)

My brother, Randy Taylor, and I chose to volunteer at Red Butte Gardens for a service project required by an Environmental Science class we took at Salt Lake Community College in the fall semester of 2008. It took us a while to select this choice, and I was wishing we had discovered it sooner. We only started helping when we were down to two months left in the semester and the opportunities were starting to dwindle due to the imminent doom of winter. At Red Butte Gardens, we had to cross our fingers in hopes weather would permit us enough hours to get full credit on the project. Thankfully, snow wasn't am intrusive factor until after the semester had ended.

We spent our hours under the direction of one of the employees who is in charge of the children’s gardens. Her name was Camilla, and I don’t think I could have found a nicer instructor. With the cold weather closing in, she and the rest of her crew are increasingly growing more stressed with trying to get the gardens ready for winter. I discovered in my time there that places like these would suffer drastically if it weren’t for the volunteers who keep them afloat.

The majority of our time was spent planting bulbs for next spring, raking leaves (trickier than it sounds- I obtained many cuts and scrapes from this activity), pulling some mean weeds, and cutting grass (did so for 4 hours yesterday, and my right hand is killing me today…). Camilla repeatedly, and increasingly with each day we spent there, thanked us in a tone of desperation and pure gratitude. When we started, I didn’t see how big of a difference our time there would make. Camilla made it apparent we were saving all their butts with the time and effort we were offering.

One of the coolest parts of this service project was the view. Whenever we needed to take a second to shake out tension in our hands or regain circulation in the cold mornings, we could simply look up from whatever patch of ground we were working on and marvel at the view Red Butte has. You could literally see everything, from the mountains on the opposite side of the valley, to the flat plains on the other side, to the entire city and all the suburbs around it. It was gorgeous; especially in the mornings when light fogs were still settled on the opposing mountains. It was amazing what energy it gave me to know I was already up helping friends with yard work when many people would still just be waking up or laying in denial not wanting to. In a way I don’t quite know how to describe, it was refreshing.

I most often was left with scraped forearms, bruised something-or-others, dirty knees, and a sore back the next day, but every minute was worth it. Yesterday, I even discovered a frozen spider nest and dissected it to find dozens of little eggs. It was awesome. My favorite part was always at the end of the day when I stepped back to look at everything we accomplished. Just seeing the difference was entirely vindicating. I hope everyone else benefitted from their service projects as much as I did. This project has planted a seed, and it is an activity I don’t plan on stopping simply because I no longer have a class requiring for me to do it. I had a blast, met a lot of great people, and helped make a difference in a community. I definitely procrastinated and got lucky we did not yet have snow, allowing for us to keep coming into late November, but I nonetheless completed the assignment.

I am proud to say I completed my service project with a whopping 15 hours to show for it. On a day Randy couldn’t accompany me, I brought my boyfriend along to help out, and he loved it too. I can definitely say I’ll be going back next year.

Global Home Warranty Article (12/10/08)

In a time of economic strain like we are in today, new worries and pressures fall on our shoulders far more often than they should. From the work place to holiday shopping, there is rarely time of day for rest and relaxation. For most individuals, the only solid ground for comfort lies under the roof they come home to every day. It is in our homes we seek peace of mind and happiness.

The last thing we want to come home to after a long day at the office and fighting the crowds to wrap up our holiday shopping is to discover our home’s heating system has broken down. Unexpected accidents occur every day whether we’re prepared or not, but with the right home warranty, you will not have to worry about how you are going to afford sudden, costly repairs.

As a result of today’s technology, finding the best home warranty for your needs is simple. The internet contains many possible choices for any individual. If someone is looking for an Arizona home warranty, all they have to do is get online and see what is available for them in their area. Most services offer varying plans so each unique person can select which is best for them.

Home warranty programs offer coverage and help when problems arise with the appliances, heating, or plumbing in one’s home. In many cases, a warranty is set up through the real estate agent who sold the home as a gift for their new investment. All agreements vary from plan to plan and from area to area, but most generally cover goods such as: air conditioning, dishwashers, doorbells, furnaces/heating, water heaters, ductwork, garbage disposals, ceiling fans, electrical systems, stoves and ovens, telephone wiring, etc. All plans differ though, so be sure to see what is offered. Many providers for Arizona home warranties, for example, cover swimming pools due to the high percentage of pool owners in the area.

Along with the personal relief a home warranty provides comes other major benefits as well. Having a home warranty when in the process of buying or selling your home is one example. In most instances, a potential buyer will be more willing to close the deal when the arrangement includes protection from unintended expenditures in a newly acquired home. This in turn increases the odds for a seller’s home to sell, and often lessens the amount of time it takes for a sell to close.

So whether you’re moving in, moving on, or staying put, a home warranty provides what’s essential to your humble abode: peace of mind.