An Extraordinary Writer

01/15/2017

How to … Tips on using Humidiifers

In keeping with my attempt to provide what I hope is interesting and/or useful information ...

With winter weather, our homes tend to have drier air inside.

Dry air can lead to respiratory discomfort and even medical problems. Static electricity increases, so you get that undesirable or even painful spark jump when you touch a door handle or something or someone that's grounded or at a different charge from you.

People tend to have a range of susceptibilities to lower humidity levels. About half the people begin to experience respiratory and/or dry skin problems when the relative humidity level drops below around 25-30%.

Why does this happen?

There are at least a couple of reasons or contributing factors.
1 - The air outside is generally drier in winter. Colder air has less moisture-holding capacity.
2 - Using heaters may in effect dry the inside air by pulling in the drier air from outside.

The second point may seem like a negative. Why pull in drier air when you want more moisture? But you also want the fresh air exchange to remove chemical and other contaminants in your home air.

Activities within the home will add some humidity to the air - things like baths or showering, cooking, even breathing - but these might not be enough to maintain comfort levels.

"Whole home" and portable humidifiers exist to help solve this problem.

I've tried both.
The whole home humidifier we tried, a nationally advertised brand, was a colossal failure for several reasons. We had it plumbed in to our central HVAC system - like it should be. That system supposedly "worked" by heating water to generate steam, which then flowed directly into the ducting for distribution to the house. The automated system would flush and refill the steam generation bottle using the house water supply.
The problems we experienced were noise, expensive maintenance, and premature steam condensation.
The steam generation bottles cost about $100 apiece, and with the house water supply (which wasn't too badly mineralized), they only lasted a couple of months. We went through two of these in one winter season.
That might have been okay, except for the other problems.
Even with the well insulated tubes carrying the steam, it was condensing in the tube and running down the drain before it ever got to the ducting. We never got any significant humidity increase. It took us some time to realize the cause of this problem.
The system was also very noisy. Unfortunately, the HVAC unit was located in the attic just a short distance from over our master bedroom. Each time it came on, there was a loud relay click. The water flowing into the bottle and draining from it during fill and flush operations was very noisy as well. This would happen at least twice each night. Our sleep suffered.
We tried a couple of things to help. We tried to muffle the noise by insulating the lines to quiet them. No success.
We tried using it only during the day. That's when we discovered the premature steam condensation problem. The HVAC tech was unable to solve that problem.
We finally gave up.

To resolve the low humidity problem in our home, we now use portable humidifiers. I've had several models over the years.
The two units I'm using now are different brands. Both are ultrasonic and work well.
Both were under $100.

If you want to use humidifiers, consider several factors.

First, and probably most important, is the water you use.
Tap water, whether from a city source or a well, is going to contain dissolved or suspended minerals. Neither of these is suitable for a humidifier. You must use either distilled water or water which has been filtered to remove those minerals.
The consequence of not doing so is that you will have a fine white powder deposited on furniture or other items near the humidifier - and maybe throughout much of the house.
You can get distilled water from the grocery store. Setting up your own distillation system is awkward and high maintenance.
I wouldn't trust store-bought filtered, spring, or other types of water in a unit without looking at the specifications (if they have anything) or actually testing it to see if it generates the white powder. Some companies make filters for home use which remove those minerals.

Humidifiers use two primary methods of increasing moisture levels - ultrasonic and heat.

Again, I've used both types.
The ultrasonic units vibrate a small plate at frequencies above what humans can hear to put out a cold v***r. They appear to use less electricity because they aren't actually heating the water to boiling.
The heat units have a heating element to boil the water and actually produce steam. This type also helps raise room temperature in the immediate area.

Back to the water for a moment. I've noticed that the heat units will tolerate a slightly higher mineral level without spreading the white powder, but I think it's because the minerals react with the heating coil and get deposited there. If you have a high mineral content, though, you will still get the white powder.

My experience with the useful life of both types is about the same - 3 to 4 years if maintained. I'll discuss maintenance later.

I look especially at these features.

- noise level
- water tank capacity
- ease of tank filling
- adjustable v***r flow

Noise:
You want a quiet unit when you're trying to sleep.
A humidifier will produce two types of sound. One is that of the water v***r being sent into the air. One of the units I have now is the quietest I've ever heard in that regard.
The other sound is from the small reservoir where the v***r is produced. This reservoir refills periodically as the water is turned to v***r. It makes a sort of faint "splashing" sound. This will happen every several minutes, depending on the v***r generation rate.

Tank size:
You want at least a one gallon tank capacity. Otherwise you'll be filling it more often. Some larger, more expensive humidifiers come with a multi- gallon capacity, but at that point they aren't very portable any more.
I think one gallon or slightly more is a good size. The two units I have now will run for a day or so on a gallon of water.

Ease of filling:
Related to this is the ability to refill the tank. Some units are easier than others. The tanks must have decent handles or grips positioned for easy removal, filling, and reloading. The fill opening should be at least one inch in diameter - somewhat larger is better. You'll likely be filling the tank from a water jug, a filtering container, or something similar. You may not know this answer in advance, but if what you get is a problem, you can always use a funnel.

V***r flow rate:
The capability for an adjustable v***r flow is a nice feature. That way you can dial down for situations where the humidity is just a little lower than comfortable or you can crank it up for faster humidification. The setting you use will have an impact of how often you have to refill the tank. You also want some air circulation so you don't get condensation in a localized area.

Now to decide which units to get ...
First, check any reviews on the brands and models. I've found that even some Amazon reviews can be misleading or inaccurate - not necessarily Amazon's fault. People don't always realize how to use a humidifier properly, and they complain about the unit when it's really an operator error or ignorance.

Maintenance:
Finally, as with most operational items, there is some maintenance. It's not a big deal but will take some time occasionally.
The biggest thing to check for is mold in the v***r generation chamber. This, in my experience, is usually a black material located in the chamber. (Depending on your water source, you may see some orange material. This may be either mold or bacteria.) The heat units may also have some black, but in my experience it's more from mineral or other reactions with the heating element than actual mold. I would expect the heat to kill any mold that does form in these units, but it can't be ruled out.
Sometimes just using a clean paper towel or tissue paper is adequate for cleaning the chamber. Occasionally, you may need to use chemicals of some type. Always check the owner's manual for safe things to use. If you use something corrosive, you may damage the plate and shorten the life of the unit.
You may also find black mold elsewhere in the base where the water flows. Treat it the same. Flush the region with distilled or whatever type of water you're using before using the unit again.
I have on rare occasions rinsed the tank, but I've never found the tank to be a problem.

Some Other Suggestions:
Since you are dealing with water, it can leak or spill, I would suggest only using the humidifier in a bathroom or some place where water won't hurt anything. Maybe a granite, formica, or other solid type of counter top.

I would also suggest you get a hygrometer (humidity meter) to keep track of where your sensitivities might be. They aren't very expensive. Using this meter, you could learn over time when to begin raising moisture levels before you have a problem, not wait until you do.

An alternative to using a humidifier is just to fill the bathtub and other basins with hot water. It will ev***rate and give you higher moisture levels. Do not use hot water streaming from a shower head. Although it may humidify faster than the tub, your tap water will have the minerals and you will get a fine white powder deposit in the area.

I hope this helps keep you healthier this and every other winter from now on.

Jim Stramler
828-490-4455

BTW, I write articles. Do you have one I can write for you?

11/25/2016

In case anyone's interested ...
I asked Jason Boyer, the WLOS Meteorologist, why we were having the current drought. Here's my question and his response.
Things don't look promising for anything better.
Jim

Jim Stramler? to Jason Boyer WLOS
November 17 at 10:02pm ·
So Jason, why are we having this drought? el nino, la nina, Pacific decadal oscillation, Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation, other?

Jason Boyer WLOS Likely a combination of the PDO and leftovers from the unusually warm summer. The PDO is negative, and ENSO is also going more negative (La Nina). Since these two are phasing more, the effects of La Nina are being magnified. This doesn't bode well for our winter in terms of significant precipitation. La Ninas typically mean below-average precipitation and above-average temperatures for DJF.
November 18 at 9:39am

11/03/2016

I found this in an old folder. The reference website I had noted for it no longer exists. I've modified it make it relevant for our time.

If you like this, like my page.
Jim Stramler
Extraordinarywriter.com

09/25/2016

Steps to a great 60 second self-introduction speech

August 31, 2016 by Jim

Many Chambers of Commerce and other business associations around the country have groups which help other members market products and/or services. The most common name I've seen for these is "Lead Groups". They are basically networking groups intended to generate leads for the members.

The meetings of these groups are often informal and generally last about an hour, during which time the people attending have an opportunity to give a brief presentation about their business.

Several types of these presentations exist, each with a specific intent. They may be called:
- a Center of Attention/Focus/Spotlight
- an Elevator pitch
- a Self-introduction/Icebreaker

Each of these is basically a different type of speech.

Many people don't feel comfortable giving a speech - maybe because they don't know how. They feel it's another stressor in life they don't need.

But it's part of the game you have to play as a business owner or manager or marketing person trying to network, develop relationships, and market yourself or your company.

Think of these speeches as opportunities - not as something to be feared - to tell people how great you are or your business is.

Here, I'll concentrate on the content for a one-minute (60-second) self-introduction. This may actually range from 45 to 60 seconds, depending on the size of the group and its rules. I may cover something on the other types in later blogs.

Essentially this self-introduction speech is to inform the audience about you and your business. How else would you expect to let someone know what you do - or what your company does?

But it's also a sales pitch.

I'll present some guidelines or suggestions here to help you present the best image you can in these speeches. Maybe reading this and thinking about your business will help you put something together to get your message across.

Take the following sequence of steps as an initial suggestion.

1) give a greeting to the group (a simple "Hi" will do)
2) state your name ("I'm ...")
3) state your business name, your position/relationship with the business. and what you or your business do
4) do one (and only one) of these - briefly: (If you present to the same group on multiple occasions, you can vary from one time to another. Variety helps.)
(And when I say briefly, I mean briefly. Some people think a minute is a long time when you're standing up in front of a group, but it's not. You only have 60 seconds. People will be turned off if you ramble on and on.)
A - tell an interesting story - what you have done or something that has happened related to your business
B - give a testimonial from one of your customers who provided a glowing report due to the product or service you provided
C - tell what differentiates you from others in the same type of business
D - quote someone on a topic you can relate to your business
E - ask a leading/interesting question. This may throw a little variety and arouse more interest or curiosity to make you more memorable
- try to make it related to your business
- have the answer backed up by a link or other reference.
5) spout a slogan/tag line/other - something for people to easily remember you by
6) state your name and company name again
7) ask if you can help anyone or if anyone in the group knows someone who needs your help
- to meet with you after the meeting
8) if time permits and if acceptable at that meeting, offer your business card

That's a lot of things to cover in one minute. Like I said, it's not a lot of time.

Now that you have a sequence and the material, you need to practice - both for timing and to get your rhythm down - before you present to the group.

Some final thoughts here.
1 - Humor can be a great attention grabber and memory maker, but you have to be careful. Not everyone's reaction to intended humor is the same.
2 - You probably don't have time to use any graphics unless they are immediately obvious
3 - Don't be negative. Keep your speech positive.
4 - Each business can be different, and sometimes variations of the above might be advisable.
5 - Take a deep breath before beginning to speak. It'll help you relax.

I can't provide a list of approaches for every business, but some thoughts for different types of businesses to make you stand out:
- HVAC - better materials, more experience, more efficient units, longer guarantee - and why ...
- financial - charge lower rates to manage funds, provide better return, more personal service
- food - better quality, more organic/natural, unique types, less expensive
- insurance - more/better coverage for same or less, more personal service
- computer supplies and/or services - lower prices, more personal service
- manufacturing - how your product can be used by members of the group

Remember, you know your company and maybe your competition better than anyone else in the room.

Now GO FOR IT. The more you do it, the better you'll get.
You'll form and maintain relationships with a group of people who can help you.

If I can help you, let me know.

08/01/2016

Garden of Dreams

In the movie "Field of Dreams", Ray Kinsella is walking through a cornfield when he hears a voice say:
"if you build it, he will come."

This line from the script has apparently been misquoted or changed to be:
"If you build it, they will come."

The movie used the "he" version. Well, I can vouch for the second "they" version.

Now I'm not talking about a baseball field. Just a simple (we thought) organic garden.

Have you ever tried to grow an organic vegetable garden?

If we set up a well-prepared garden - tilled with rich naturally fertilized soil, a variety of vegetables planted with care - we expected "they" would come.

We did what we thought were the right things.

We were told to expect a few w**ds. As a precaution against even that, and due to a suggestion from other gardeners, we laid down some of this gray liner material which was supposed to allow water and light to pass through, but would prevent or at least inhibit w**d growth.

Well ... "they" came.

I'd say we were very productive.

Only not in generating the "they" we expected or wanted.

The "they" was huge and pervasive w**ds (some taller than I) that overtook everything we desired. They grew much faster and larger than the vegetables.

Our bush bean plants were surrounded and smothered by w**ds. We got no beans.
Our carrots never really had a chance. The w**ds smothered them. We got very short, stubby carrots, if anything at all.

You can see how useful the gray liner was. The w**ds simply had their way with it and pushed it up over two feet.

That sucking sound we thought we heard sometimes was probably the fast-growing w**ds sucking most of the nutrients from the soil, leaving small, weak vegetable plants.

The only plants which outgrew the w**ds in height were the tomatoes. But even the lower branches of tomatoes were smothered.

Then the grasses moved in. We now have a grass and w**d carpet everywhere in this garden jungle.

We're still looking for a way to clear the grasses and w**ds from our garden. Supposed experts that I've talked to don't seem to have any organic solutions other than covering the entire garden with black plastic or pulling each w**d and grass root by hand.

So is this the Garden of Shattered Dreams or Nightmares???

07/03/2016

How to fire an unsatisfactory employee

It's one of the most difficult things to do in running your business

(This is a long post, but a good procedure I've learned through real life and research.)

As the Owner, President, or Manager of a small company, you have many responsibilities. Your primary responsibilities are to maintain and help your company grow. You have many difficult things to do.

One of the most difficult has got to be firing an employee who is otherwise a good person and who seems to work hard, but just doesn't measure up to what you need.

I've had some personal experience with this type of situation. Although I've never owned a multi-employee small business, I was the manager of a laboratory and had a situation like this.

I needed a programmer. A young woman came to the job with great references - best in her class, etc. She was a pleasant person, very friendly, etc. I liked her as a person. But she couldn't do the work I needed. She seemed stumped when I explained that she needed to develop some code for a project. She sat at the terminal for hours and days doing other things well, but not producing any significant code.

After I documented the problem, HR handled the rest of this situation for me. And I soon found someone else who could do what I needed.

But you own and operate a small business. You don't have an HR department. You are your HR department, along with everything else. What do you do then?

Consider a woman we'll call Mary. She owns a small company:*
Mary hired a woman for an entry-level position. The woman came recommended from a former colleague, and interviewed well. The woman works really hard, even staying late to finish things.

But that’s part of the problem. The woman takes much too long to do her tasks. Mary expected her to have more mastery over them by now. Mary has gone over the woman's strengths and weaknesses with her. The woman acted like she understood how she was failing to meet expectations, but hasn’t improved.

Mary feels she's made a good effort to help the woman succeed.
Mary doesn’t want to fire her, because she feels the woman is doing her best. But her best just isn’t good enough.

What should Mary do?

Having to fire an employee arouses many negative emotions - fear, anger, anxiety, self-doubt, and others. These lead to more stress. Mary - or you - already have enough stress just keeping the company going. High stress levels can cause sleep loss. They can cause digestive problems. Headaches. Maybe other things, too, depending on your physiology.

Well, put away the sleeping pills and antacids or whatever and get on with it.

When this problem exists ...

You could have three different reactions to it.

Avoidance. It's stressful and you don't want to deal with it - like the old ostrich sticking its head in the sand analogy - hoping the problem will go away. But it won't. It could get worse.

Procrastination. You have a solution, but you put off implementing it. You may not want to hurt the employee's feelings, or your fear may cause you to delay the inevitable.

Action. You do whatever is required to deal with the situation.

The first two will not help your business.

Whichever reaction you have initially, you must get to the Action. The sooner, the better.

You're not Donald Trump. This may be the hardest thing you've ever had to do. But countless other business owners have done it. You're not alone. For example, there were 4.8 million job changes just in the month of September, 2015. A number of those were firings.

You can do it.

How you do it?

So what actions do you - or Mary - take? Use these steps.

1 - Document the problem(s).
Use performance reviews or other information where you document that you have counseled the person about poor performance. This may take some time, but you have to start here to protect yourself and your business.

2 - Prepare three documents.
a. Summarize on a single page the facts of why this person's work is not up to par.
b. Prepare a checklist for meeting with the employee - based in part on some of the steps listed here. You don't want to forget anything in those emotional moments.
c. Prepare a hardcopy document stating the purpose of the meeting. Put a line near the bottom with the employee's name below it for their signature.

3 - Schedule a face-to-face meeting with the person, preferably early in the day.
Don't just text them, phone them, or email them telling them they're fired. Not cool.
If possible, arrange to have a trusted and responsible second person in the room as a witness.

4 - Rehearse what you are going to say before the meeting.
You don't want to stammer, ramble, or repeat yourself in front of the person.

5 - Open the meeting by stating clearly and firmly your decision to let the person go.
Be professional, compassionate, and respectful.
Don't apologize for something that's not your fault.
If necessary, provide the rationale for your decision from your summary in Step 1.
If the person disagrees and challenges your conclusion, don't get into an argument. Breathe slowly and don't respond in kind. Stand your ground.

6 - Get any keys, loose locks, badges, documents, instrumentation, or other materials your company may have given the person.

7 - Explain what happens next - e.g., when they will get their final check and what happens to any company benefits.

8 - Have the now former employee sign the form you prepared in Step 2.

9 - Allow the now former employee to retrieve any personal items before leaving, but don't let the person mingle with your remaining employees.

10 - Make certain the person leaves the company property.

Now take some time to recover

Go back to your office, sit in your chair, lean back, and take a deep breath - or several of them.
This was a very stressful situation for you, as it would be for any manager in that situation. Take some time to relax.

Realize that you have done what is best for your business - and maybe for the ex-employee as well.

Let yourself understand that you've crossed a big hurdle toward improving your business. Being a compassionate person, you wouldn't want to celebrate the firing of an employee, but let yourself feel satisfaction that you experienced success - that the road ahead is now cleared.

Call a friend and confide your feelings. Talking it out can be a good therapeutic regimen.

Realize that you want - no ... you need - an all-star team, where each employee steps up and does an outstanding job for your company. Occasionally, the only way to get there may be to let underperformers go.

There will be other challenges, but this one is behind you. Now get on to the next.

(This should not be considered strict legal advice. Consult a lawyer for your specific situation.)

06/03/2016

It's all about Position

You've heard the statement many times that the key elements in business are Location, Location, Location. That one word is called out three times for emphasis and because each use covers a different area.

In real estate, where it's thought the term originated, it means a quality neighborhood, nearby shopping, hospitals, etc.

For other businesses, it may mean ready access to forms of transportation, certain material resources, lower taxes, etc.

Price is also a key element in business, but I've never heard anyone say Price, Price, Price. In today's economy, however, with on-line shopping and discount stores, price seems to drive a lot of business. Maybe saying Price once is enough?

With people going less often to brick and mortar stores, this location mantra becomes less important, except maybe in the real estate market or other certain businesses.

In this modern era, with the internet and other forms of marketing, there is a need for a new mantra. It's

Position, Position, Position(TM)

For example:
It's your position in search engines.
It's your position in the eyes, hearts, and minds of your customers or clients.
It's your brand position among competing brands.

Where does your company stand in relation to others in your industry?
Are you positioned High? Middle? Low?

In today's market, position is one of the most important factors in how successful your company will be.

A higher or better position gives you more
credibility
name recognition
trustworthiness

Would you like to be positioned higher than you are?

When I was working at NASA, I knew the astronauts loved to look back at the beautiful earth from space. Doing so was relaxing. It gave them a break from their busy routines in whatever vehicle they were aboard. It gave them a greater appreciation for our home planet.

However, there was a problem in building the International Space Station.

A large 20 inch diameter window in one of the structures called the Cupola was intended for earth viewing. The planned position would not be well suited for that. It faced the gray side of another Space Station structure.

I had a better idea/solution and took the initiative to get that window into a better position. I proposed my solution to Space Station management. They found the new position acceptable, and approved it.

As a result, the crews on Space Station have beautiful direct views of the earth as they pass overhead. I show the view from inside the Space Station looking though the cupola on my website. Others looking directly through the big window are on the NASA website.

Have An Extraordinary Writer help get your company into a better position.

Jim Stramler
extraordinarywriter.com
828-490-4455

02/03/2016

02/03/2016

Maybe we should all take some time out of our busy schedules just to quietly observe nature a little more.

When the sun rises on a cold morning here in North Carolina, it begins to heat surfaces covered with frost. It creates a display from these objects which resembles smoke from a fire, but is merely water v***r. It's simple and beautiful in a way. It's almost hypnotic. In a gentle breeze, the wind blows the v***r away. With little breeze, it can create small whirlwinds. And it's not destroying anything.
Maybe it's just my inquisitive psyche or something else about my nature, but taking time to watch the v***r rise and a gentle breeze blow it away seems relaxing for some reason. It's like a gentle snowfall.
This particular event lasts about 10-15 minutes on a morning when there's a fair amount of frost.

(for some reason, the video did not show on my January 31st post of this. Repeating that one here.)

http://extraordinarywriter.com

P.S. This is not an ad for Luxor. That just happens to be the cover on the outdoor grill.

01/10/2016

As a recent transplant to the Carolinas, I was impressed with Clemson's football season. But ...
Will the Clemson Tide roll - or roll over?

10/28/2015

Asheville season change
This is a beautiful time of year in Western North Carolina. One of the mountains where we live is near its peak in color change. Unfortunately, the days now are a little hazy, with some rain from Patricia and the Gulf of Mexico in the area - so the picture is not as clear as it would otherwise be.. The photo shows the evergreens and mostly yellow-orange coloration of the tree leaves here. A few striking deep red tree leaves are present in places.

10/22/2015

Update from my Tuesday, July 14, 2015 post:
Robert is currently working on a sequel.

Fellow writer published
A neighbor and fellow writer just had a novel published.
Robert Beatty (p**n. Beety) wrote a book titled "Serafina and the Black Cloak". It was published by Disney/Hyperion.
It's a supernatural tale about a different young girl who secretly lived in the House on Biltmore Estate (here in Asheville) at the end of the last century.
The book is intended for children 8 years and above. It might be a little strong for readers younger than that. But it's a captivating read for adults as well. You really wonder what's going to happen.
I recommend it if you're interested in that type of story - or even if you're not particularly. It's a great read.
It earned an excellent review in Kirkus Reviews and was voted #1 on the Middle Grade Books of 2015 list on Goodreads.com.
Although it might be more understandable if you were familiar with the Biltmore Estate, it's not necessary. Robert gives some good descriptions which you can image in your mind as you read.
He also has a book trailer on YouTube which gives some views of the House https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFZvSzfnm6I.