Jeff Pothan's August Newsletter
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“He who asks, is a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask, is a fool forever.”
- Chinese Proverb
You can get anything you want in life if you ask for it. It might not be delivered to you on a silver platter, but it will show up. You might have to ask for it more than once. And you might have to ask for it very creatively. The key is - don’t give up asking.
You might even look like a fool when you ask. Who of us hasn’t looked like a fool from time to time. You will be perceived as a fool primarily by one person - you! It might even seem a little pushy or forward to ask all the time.
I call it persistence. You can ask your way to whatever you want in life.
You might want to brush up on what you’re asking for. If you know what you’re talking about, the answers will come faster and more consistently. Knowledge will add to the expediency of your requests.
If you ask consistently with persistence, nothing is beyond your reach. Eventually, you’ll get what you want. Ask, ask, ask - don’t be afraid of what you might look like.
Go make it happen!
“Did You Know Where This Saying Came From…”
Scaredy Cat
Meaning: Someone who is afraid; scared. (This phrase is also said as ‘fraidy-cat.’)
Origin: Since cats are so easily frightened by things, this is most likely where the phrase derives from.
Indeed, cat owners probably understand how this expression would originate. Let me give you an example: Imagine you have an unfamiliar face enter your home, let’s say it’s an electrician. A dog might react by barking at them, but what about a cat? The moment a cat hears the unrecognizable voice of a stranger, let alone see them, they will immediately become much more alert, and if they become too frightened, they will run off and take cover somewhere in the house, hiding in spots that they deem to be safe. Hence, you’ll find them under pieces of furniture such as beds or desks—places where they can fully conceal themselves.
So they are scared, and they are cats. If you put the two together, dare I say it, they are scaredy-cats! And let’s not get started on what they do after you turn on a vacuum cleaner... alright, it’s pretty much the same thing, they run and hide. Anyways, from what we could find, the expression first appears in print as ‘fraidie-cat.’ The earliest we could find it is from a newspaper called The Chronicle, May 1897: “I Shan’t-tell you what’s his name! When we want to play a game, Always thinks that he’ll be hurt, Soil his jacket in the dirt, Tear his trousers, spoil his hat— Fraidie-cat ! Fraidie-cat!”
As for ‘scaredy cat,’ the earliest we could find it is 9 years later, in the book Billy Bounce, 1906: “’That is Scaredy Cat, and she will never come back.’
Short End Of The Stick
Meaning: Getting the bad end of a deal, or receiving the least desirable outcome from something.
Origin: This saying has existed since at least the 1500s, but it was said a bit differently back then. During those times, this expression was said as ‘the worst end of the staff.’ Despite the different wording from the modern version, from what we can tell, it’s meaning was still similar.
This older version appeared in Nicolas Udall’s translation of Apophthegmes, that is to saie, prompte, quicke, wittie and sentencious saiynges, 1542: “Which as often as thei see theim selfes to haue the worse end of the staffe in their cause.” The transition from the word ‘staff’ to ‘stick’ happened as early as the mid-16th century according to the writings of John Heywood, who lived during those times and was a writer and collector of proverbs.
He wrote a book called The Proverbs, Epigrams, and Miscellanies of John Heywood in 1562, and in it he explains: “Staff, ‘the worse end of the sta ’, we now say ‘wrong end of the stick.’ “ The earliest we could find the modern version of this phrase in print is from the late 19th century. For example, here’s a quote from the Bar Harbor Record newspaper, 1895: “There was a horse and hog trade consummated in Bar Harbor last week between two well-known men which has been the topic of discussion ever since, and it is a question as to who got the short end of the stick.”“
Most of our customers are referred from other customers.
We are so happy and proud to be able to say this. So we thought we should reward our customers for thinking of us and recommending other businesses. To do that, we are giving away $10 of free drycleaning. Refer a business and if that business signs with us they will receive their first weeks service free of charge, and you will receive your next week’s standard laundry service free.
Every 3 months we’ll do a draw to see who wins a $50 Amazon.com Gift Card
Congratulations to Phil Lester for winning a $50 Amazon Gift Card.
Remember, referrals earn you $10 in free cleaning and the person you referred also gets $10 in free cleaning. Our clients are amazing. Thanks for your support! You are the reason we have been able to grow to serve more clients. You referring a business has made all the difference. Thanks for recognising our e ort and desire to exceed your expectations. We thank you!
If you’re ready to refer that business right now, you can call (07) 872 0171 and give us their name and info.
If they sign on to our laundry service, you will get one weeks standard laundry for free, and your name will be entered into the draw for the FREE $50 Amazon.com gift card.
AUGUST SPECIAL
10% Off Curtain Cleaning
Are You Using Too Much Soap?
The biggest problem new appliance manufacturers have is that people don’t understand that using more soap causes problems. This is true for both your dishwasher and your washing machine. The machines we use today are much more efficient and conserve water than the machines our parents used. As a result, we are guilty of throwing money down the drain by using too much soap.
Here’s a test. For a front loader, take 4 regular sized bath towels that are clean. Run them without soap. As they are agitating, check to see if you see any soap suds. If you do, that means you are rinsing the soap from previous washings. Some people find they have to run the towels six to eight times to finally have no suds forming. Remember, soaps are much more concentrated than they used to be. Back off, save money, and the environment.
Answers Given By Year 2 Kids
What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men’s bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
What did mum need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your mum marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mum eats a lot.
2. She got too old for anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that mum didn’t have her thinking cap on.
Time To Do This...
□ Schedule fireplace flu clean
□ Order firewood delivery
□ Check door and window seals
□ Clean out gutters and check downpipes are not blocked
□ Check rodent bait stations and replenish
□ Clean our filters on moisture control systems and heat pumps
□ Organise lawnmower service
□ Check vehicle antifreeze
□ Take time to enjoy a hot coffee at your favourite cafe