10 Life Pro Tips of the Week – Part 4

Here are 10 Life Pro Tips of the Week.

01. Windows users, use alt-space for…

Windows users, alt-space is your friend when a window opens up outside the visible area of your screen. Sometimes (especially when changing from multiple to single display configurations), a window or popup will open up outside your display area, making it impossible to proceed. Hit alt-space to bring up the window menu. Click on “move”. Then use your arrow keys to reposition the window within your visible display area.

02. Don’t max your yearly 401k contribution early when your company offers a 401k match

This is for everyone contributing more than the amount required to receive the maximum match from your employer. 401k contributions have a yearly individual maximum contribution ($18,000 in 2015), however company 401k match contributions do not count towards this limit. In many companies (check your company policy on 401k matching), the 401k match does not take into account how close the employee is getting to their yearly limit. Once the limit is hit and the employee contributions stop, the company match also stops. You then lose out on that extra money for the remainder of the year.

03. Take better pictures of children by asking them to go ‘Hahaha!’

To take better pictures of children by asking them to go ‘Hahaha!’ instead of asking them to smile. Kids pull all sorts of bizarre faces when you ask them to smile. If you ask them to pretend to laugh, or even say ‘Hahahaha!’, you’ll often get much more natural happy faces.

04. Don’t use your dog’s kennel as a punishment

If you want to punish your dog, have a separate area or leash/chain them outside for a while instead of sending them to their kennel. By only teaching your dog to go to its kennel when it’s time for sleep, you teach it that the kennel is a safe place where it won’t be harmed and it should be happy to go there. If you use the kennel as a punishment it creates negative connotations which can make a dog reluctant to kennel or even make it reluctant to sleep. As an addendum, never force your dog out of its kennel (unless it went in there to avoid doing something it doesn’t like, but isn’t scared). If you make the kennel a safe space a dog will go there when scared, and allowing it to stay in there when scared can help calm it down and also gives you a clear sign of what it’s feeling.

05. For fluffy, Mile-High pancakes…

For fluffy, Mile-High pancakes, let your batter sit for 10-15 minutes to “rise.” This will make your flat pancakes an inch higher or better.

06. Leftover pizza for breakfast? Try this

Try heating up your slices on a frying pan for a few minutes. Unless cold pizza is your thing, it’s faster than heating up in the oven and a better texture than heating up in the microwave.

07. When a dealership tells you the vehicle is on the lot…

When a dealership tells you the vehicle is on the lot or will hold the vehicle for you and then tells you it was sold when you get there, leave. They pulled a bait and switch on you. This is a very common tactic to bring in customers on to the lot. Half of the work in selling a car is to get the buyer to come to the dealership. Most of the dealerships that pull this tactic are not ones to be trusted. They showed you that they are willing to trick you so you can come to them. They have a mindset of tricking their customers for profit. If they don’t have your vehicle then leave and continue your car search. Dealerships like these are more trouble than they are worth.

08. For people who watch Netflix on their computer or laptop…

Load it in Internet Explorer or Safari to get 1080p. Google Chrome will only play in 720p.

09. How to find a lost dog

On day 12 of searching for my dog in a heavily wooded area, distraught and hopeless, I ran into a couple of hunters. They said they lost the occasional dog on a hunt but always got them back. What they told me has helped many dogs and families be reunited. I’ve given their advice out a few times in the last couple days.

The dog owner(s) should take an article of clothing that has been worn at least all day, the longer the better, so the lost dog can pick up the scent.

Bring the article of clothing to the location where the dog was last seen and leave it there. Also, if the dog has a crate & familiar toy, you can bring those too (unless location undesirable for crate). You might also want to leave a note requesting item(s) not to be moved.

Leave a bowl of water there too, as the dog probably hasn’t had access to any. Do not bring food as this could attract other animals that the dog might avoid. Come back the next day, or check intermittently if possible. Hopefully the dog will be waiting there. I was skeptical and doubted my dog would be able to detect an article of clothing if he didn’t hear me calling his name as loud as possible all day for 12 days. But I returned the next day and sure enough found him sitting there!

10. How to tell if a company is a multilevel marketing company.

If a company ever has to tell you in their pitch why they aren’t a multilevel marketing company, then they are a multilevel marketing company.