Sunday, November 22, 2009

Ebates And Mr. Rebates, Usually I Write About Dealing With Scared Children! Consider This A Holiday Gift From Me!

MY FAVORITE LINKS
I know that I posted this before, and I rarely re-post, especially so quickly, but with this crummy economy we have, I thought this would be helpful to many of you, so here goes!  Excuse me if you think this is a little spammy...I do not mean to do that, I just want to save you all some money!

First of all, do you guys know about ebates? A fantastic website where you get rebates back from things you would have bought anyway. At this point, I have gotten back over $500 credited directly to my paypal account. Amazing.  I would have bought these things anyway, this just makes it that much more fun!

If you click through this link, you and I will BOTH get a bonus of $5.00  (sometimes they even give $10.00!) (After you make your first purchase!



Another site, Mr. Rebates sometimes has slightly better deals, and sometimes ebates does. I go back and forth between the two.  Either way I make money.

Here is the link for Mr. Rebates, and they also give a bonus for signing up.

You can also click the banner below.

There is no better time than now for holiday shopping, and to start getting rebates back from EVERYTHING you buy!

BOTH sites have every store you'd want to buy from...You'd be crazy not to join both rebate sites and check which has the better deal every time you buy! I just got a 10% rebate from GAP put right into my paypal account!  12% from Sephora!  WHY NOT!

Enjoy yourself while you are shopping, but remember to shop locally too.  The little stores in your own neighborhood are struggling to survive these days. Mom and pop ain't bringing home a whole load of bacon any more so spend some time shopping in your own neighborhood.  We appreciate it!

Mr. Rebates

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Important News About A Contest That Can Bring A New Life To A Worlds Worth Of People , And Save Children From Child Trafficking And A Life Of Forced Labor.

Please help the IOM/USAIM continue to rescue trafficked children!
Click this link and vote for USAIM to win the money they need to continue their good works!




Here is a little about the organization to help you make it your business to vote, taken from the USAIM website. Keep in mind, that the IOM/USAIM saves children and adults all over the world.
Overview
USAIM supports the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Project Trafficked Children of Ghana. This program is fighting to help hundreds of children forcibly taken from their families to work in the fishing villages along Lake Volta in Ghana. Your donations can help reunite them with their families, send them to school, and keep them from once again being caught up in this terrifying net of forced child labor.
 
Trafficked Children in Ghana Project
For the past three years, IOM has rescued hundreds of children. The children were forced to engage in fishing under life-threatening conditions along LakeVolta at Yeji in the Brong Ahafo and Northern Regions of Ghana. This project brought the children back to their families and enrolled them in schools or apprenticeships in their home communities. The process continues by delivering comprehensive rehabilitation, reintegration, and follow-up assistance to these traumatized children.
This project seeks to protect the children from being once again caught up in the net of forced labour. The Project will provide continuous support to rehabilitate, reintegrate, and monitor them for at least one year following their rescue and return to their home communities.

Thank you all so much...this is very near and dear to my heart!


Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Mr. Eric Peasah Is Coming To NY! Children With Special Needs, A Final Plea About Shopping Locally!


Mr. Eric Peasah of the IOM


I  am very excited right now!  Mr. Eric Peasah will be coming all the way from Ghana to the Bronx to speak about the problems of child trafficking and forced labor of children in Ghana. I am honored that he is coming to see me, as well as coming to see the students of Monroe College who have been so wonderful in fund raising for the organization.

Mr. Peasah works for the I.O.M....International organization for Migration.  A wonderful group that helps people all over the world.  If there is something you can do for these children, and if you are interested in meeting with Mr. Peasah, please get in touch with me.  He will be in NYC in early December, 2009. If you would like to donate, do so here.

Working With Special Needs Children

Those of you who know me, know that there is nothing I think is more important than the feelings of children. That is why I became involved with the IOM, and that is why I do the work I do.  The gratifying work I do with the families of typically developing and special needs children, trying to make those children as comfortable as possible while getting a haircut.

It might seem funny to some that I write about it in such a serious manner, after all, it's only a haircut!  But to some children, it is a major thing.  It is VERY serious!  Some children just hate every second of it.  It might be scary, the feelings might be just a little to intense for them to process.  I get it.  I really do.  The hardest thing for me is not when the child has a hard time, the hardest thing for me is when the parent doesn't get it! When the parent has a hard time! Not if the parent cries too, I understand that, it is hard to see your child so unhappy, but when the parent tries to shame the child into behaving! Your child isn't doing it on purpose!

I do the best I can. There is NOTHING I haven't seen at this point!  If I need to have a tea party first with your child, I will.  If I need to play with trains first or during the haircut with your child, I will.  If I need to stand on my head for your child...well figuratively I will but literally, maybe not!

I have alot of success and many, many kids who have cried before in other shops do not cry here!

Just remember, I do the best I can, which is better than the rest, but I don't guarantee your child won't cry.  That I cannot do. Keep in mind...I've been kicked, punched, spit at, and thrown up on.  I just keep going as fast as I can, IF YOU WANT ME TO, and as carefully as I can without hurting your child.  PLEASE never feel embarrassed. I know what to do, how to do it and most important, what to expect.  When I am done, 99% of the kids act like nothing ever happened.  And they look good too! 

In the past I worked for the board of education in district 75, the district for special needs children, and my shop is wheelchair accessible, everyone is welcome! 


A Final Thought About Small Stores Surviving In this Economy


Keep in mind everyone, that a store cannot live on haircuts alone.

I hesitate to say this, but while I am very busy, and often have to turn away walk-ins, as all of my customers know,  I haven't been able to find a second haircutter that can do this work well and like it. Without a second haircutter, not enough money comes into the shop, so I continue to struggle to keep Someplace Special going.

To survive, I must make income from selling things. But it painful to me when a child comes in and begs for a toy, and their parent says that they are on their way to Toys R Us, so they can't get something now.  You don't have to buy from me, but though it is hard for me to say this, if you do not, once in awhile, I cannot exist.  And that is part of the reason that there are so many empty store fronts on Riverdale Avenue, or any avenue in America.  The internet, the malls, and big stores have taken over.

Little stores cannot get the deals and the low wholesale prices that big stores get.  We do not get tax breaks. We cannot sell millions of items with low mark-ups and expect to pay our rent.  Owners have a hard time making a living wage.

If I don't make some money, how can I expand my inventory and serve you all better?

As time goes by, I have less and less toys, But I do have some nice ones...And I would LOVE to have more!

Please remember to shop locally.  If you do not, at least once in a while, someday, you will have no choice.  And honestly, where will you find someone like me who will sit on the floor with your child and play while they are giving her/him a haircut?

It really is your choice. I love what I do and I do not want to go away.


Friday, November 13, 2009

Someplace Special, Riverdale Food And Restaurants, Riverdale Strength And Fitness Club, Ebates And Mr. Rebates!

Today a more personal blog about the things I like out in cyber-space and in and around the Riverdale area.

FOOD
Ahhh Riverdale!  So much untapped potential here! The food is good, but there is not a big variety especially for lunch! For instance, right now I am sitting here eating a poppyseed bagel with cream cheese that I bought from Riverdale Bagels , it's always great to have a good bagel, and this one is very good! And yesterday I had a wonderful chicken slice from Salvatore's of Soho.  Great Pizza!

But the problem is, that for the last 8 years that I have been in business, for lunch I have eaten bagels, pizza, and more pizza. Sometimes turkey or BLT's from Blue Sky and Blue Bay, and fantastic salads from River City Grill. Oh yea, and more pizza

But I'm a little bored, I need more choices, good choices, healthy choices! So I am looking forward to the opening of the new Greek restaurant that will be opening practically across the street from my store...Greek Express!  I heard they were having trouble with their gas line, but right now it looks like they are back on track and opening soon. I'll keep you posted!

I am also looking forward to the opening of  Jay-Bars...a kind of Zabars in the Bronx.  Keep your fingers crossed, they have been having gas line problems too, from what I have heard.  


EXERCISE
I think you all know that I go to an exercise class! I go to the Riverdale Strength and Fitness Club.  And the trainer, William Harris can be reached at this email address,  and is easy to work with...well, he is easy to work with, but the work isn't easy!.

He is now starting a class for children, for more information, Read this!


MY FAVORITE LINKS
First of all, do you guys know about ebates? A fantastic website where you get rebates back from things you would have bought anyway. At this point, I have gotten back over $500 credited directly to my paypal account. Amazing.  I would have bought these things anyway, this just makes it that much more fun!

If you click through this link, you and I will BOTH get a bonus of $5.00  (sometimes they even give $10.00!)


Another site, Mr. Rebates sometimes has slightly better deals, and sometimes ebates does. I go back and forth between the two.  Either way I make money.

Here is the link for Mr. Rebates, and they also give a bonus for signing up.

There is no better time than now for holiday shopping, and to start getting rebates back from EVERYTHING you buy!

Enjoy yourself while you are shopping, but remember to shop locally too.  The little stores in your own neighborhood are struggling to survive these days. Mom and pop ain't bringing home a whole load of bacon any more so spend some time shopping in your own neighborhood.  We appreciate it!

That being said, remember I have all of the Munipals NYC subway cars, and I can do mail order! Give me a call! 718-432-6622.

If you join my facebook fan page, You can see many of the toys I carry. Please join!
In my next post, I will be listing more cool Riverdale businesses and websites including some great charities I am involved with.  Stay tuned!