Cocoa Beach on Stormy Days

My husband and I are so envious (in a good way) of the people living on the front beach. I bet that they enjoyed watching the sunshine or sunset everyday. The lovely breeze from the sea is always nice so; they have plenty of that too. Waking up every morning with the sound of sea waves splashing is a good music to enjoy as well. Few days of these lovely moments are stormy days. Hurricane Season is not a welcome event of the year so; having to live away from water front is a good thing for me.

I took these photos on a stormy day during Hurricane Season. It is not a good sight.

This is Cocoa Beach on a Sunday. A handful of people were here just to watch the big waves.

Though the water is rough and dangerous, surfers love this moment so; we saw few surfers trying to have the ride of their lives.

The condos on the front beach are ready for the storm so; I saw their windows already covered with hurricane shutters.

When storm passes, the activities are back to normal here. I was browsing about storms that hit Cocoa Beach and it shows the years: 1871, 1880 and 1885. There were major hurricanes slammed into Brevard County and hit Cocoa Beach. The 1885 hurricane’s storm surge supposedly pushed the ocean over Cocoa Beach and into the Banana River. That's few miles away and that was a scary flooding. The report said that the beach near the Canaveral Light House was so severely eroded.The thought just scared me. That is why; I still prefer the place where I live than live at the front beach.

Online Store: Glass and Crystal Awards

When I was working in a gaming company before, the management recognized our effort for the success of their business. They gave us 20 lbs. of Turkey every Thanksgiving and Christmas, and sends out early bonuses for the holiday. They also have employee appreciation day for three consecutive days in every quarter.

The managers and supervisors are required to serve us during our lunch break. The food is festive. Awards and cash prizes are given to deserving employees in each department which I think, boosts the morale of the employees. Personally, I like that company because they take care of their employees.

They provide the best insurance coverage for the employees; they gave us above average rate and most of all, they encourage us to go back to school and earn a higher education. This company is willing to award an employee based on the work performance. I know that some companies and corporations share the same motivational strategy.

Corporate Awards are great for employees. In fact, awards are driving force for employees and they strive to work better to earn that recognition. Whether you own a micro business or own a large scale company, the need to acknowledge the good performance of your subordinate is important. It always yields for a great success into your business.

If in case, you are looking for an online store, check out Able Trophies. This store is North America's premier provider of corporate awards. They specialize in creating Crystal Awards, Glass Awards and Crystal Globe Honors. The Crystal Awards and Glass Awards are popular choices for employees and corporate recognition awards. The design is considered as unmatched beauty and very elegant.

Cocoa Beach: The Surfing Capital in the East Coast

When we live in Orlando, we often visit the city in Cocoa Beach. It is about an hour drive but, it is worth the effort of driving the 528 and paying the 2 tolls of a $1 each. Cocoa Beach is the Surfing Capital in the East Coast and located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Banana River. The body of water in the pictures below is the Atlantic Ocean.

We often came here to watch the waves especially on a stormy day. Crazy huh? We usually do not swim at all but, just walking and dipping our feet on the sandy beach. We hang out at Cocoa Beach Pier and enjoy a sumptous seafood. Oh, you should try the food here. It is affordable and delicious.

This place is jam-packed on holidays but, no matter how crowded this place might be, there is always a good parking space for you. Not free but, your time will be worth it.

Swimming, surfing, whale and dolphin watching, dining, boating and kayaking are fun activities that you will enjoy when you visit Cocoa Beach. As for me and my husband, we just come here to enjoy the breeze and dine a good meal.

Five months ago, we moved to Cocoa area and Cocoa Beach is just 20 minutes away from home. Do I like living here? I certainly love it. It is more like a country living; peaceful and no traffic congestion compared in Orlando.

Cruise ship terminal of Port Canaveral is just few minutes away so; often times, tourists flocked this area as well. Looking for another hang out while you are in the area? You can visit Kennedy Space Center and you will be there in 23 minutes. I will see you around.

High Strength Fasteners for Bridges

Almost two years ago, I had a week-long vacation in California. I visited Sacramento, Los Angeles and later, I traveled on a road trip with my friends towards San Francisco. I enjoyed the trip especially when we pass the farmlands, vineyards and ranch. We also pass by barren lands, low mountains and one area that have windmills. The whole trip was pretty amazing. Finally, I was in great awe as we drove in the vicinity of San Francisco and saw the magnificent Golden Gate for the first time.

The architectural and suspension design of the bridge is impressive. The shape of the bridge towers and the lighting scheme are beautiful to view from a distance. The art deco elements such as the tower decorations, street lights, railings, and functional walkways add the beautiful design of the bridge. It has an orange color; very visible and attractive to see from the Bay area.

From the readings that I gathered online, I learned that the weight of the roadway on the bridge is hung from the two cables that pass through the two main towers. The cable is made of strands of wire and they are by the thousands therefore, this bridge is pretty safe.

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge which span from the opening of the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. This bridge is noted as one of the most recognized symbols in the United States, in San Francisco as well as in the State of California. Aside from that, Golden Bridge is now known as one of the modern wonders of the World. From the hotel, I saw the bridge from the window and it was really gorgeous at night with all those lights. Golden Gate is a beautiful landmark and each high strength fasteners are made in excellent quality materials.

NASA: Kennedy Space Center in Florida

Last week, we went to NASA's Kennedy Space Center here in Florida which is just 15 minutes away from home. We purchased a Commander's Club Pass and having this ID gives us the priviledge to visit NASA everyday all throughout the year.  It has few block out dates such as Christmas and New Year's Day which is alright coz we stay home for that special day anyway.  

The picture above is the ticket booths. Next photo is the checkpoint inside Kennedt Space Center.

Here, my husband is heading towards the IMAX Theater.

The picture below is the parking space.

Here is the road heading to Kennedy Space Centor.I love this location at sunset. It's awesome!

We went to NASA on this particular day because there was a memorial for Astronaut Armstrong. I wanted to hear the speech but, when we arrived, the event had concluded. I heard that it lasted for 10 minutes only.

A Glass of Wine A Day May Keep the Cancer Away

We have quiet few bottles of wine in the wine rack just waiting to be consumed by us. Some were given to us by friends who traveled Spain and France. We drink occasionally so; the wines are intended for visiting friends. We drink wine in moderation especially in the evening for health benefits. A glass of wine a day may keep the cancer away which probably is a true premise considering the facts are stated below. Check out the info-graphics below:

Presented By ONEHOPE Wine Online Fifty Percent of Profits Go To Charity

The Need to Have a Budgeting Software for Small Business

When you have the budget for traveling, dining out and shopping, your time is more gratifying. You will enjoy the scenic beauty of your chosen location; appreciate and savor the sumptuous food being presented, and you will have the satisfaction of buying the things you desire most.

Budgeting is hard especially when you are not used to doing it. Some of the people I know spend their check on pay day like water. They just spend and do not budget what they earn for the month. That could turn into a disaster. When rainy days come, they will run out of resources. Those who knew budgeting will set aside for their priorities. Savings first, pay the bills and other concerns.

In small business, budgeting is vital for success. They must know the cash flow, how much asset they have, how much they owe, bills to pay, payroll and more. If they do not track every little transaction, they will surely lost potential income. It will boomerang and eventually hurt their business. Therefore, budgeting is important.

There is a handy accounting tool that you can purchase to make your business consolidation of finances easy. Get the budgeting software at outright.com and budgeting will come easy. The software will sort all your business income, expenses and categorizes every transaction you made. You need it! For more information, visit the Website and purchase the software now.

Port Canaveral: Cruise Cargo and Naval Port

Port Canaveral is about 20 minutes away from our place and it is a cruise, cargo and naval port. We usually come here to see some cruise ships sail away. Some of the cruise ships are Carnival Sensation, Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Dream, Norwegian Sun, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Monarch of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas. They usually sail at 4 PM and we just parked our car at the parking lot and enjoy the beauty of the cruise ship.This road heads to the restaurants and bars such as Rusty's, Baja Tavern and Eats, Fish Lips, Milliken's Reef, and Grills Seafood Deck and Tiki Bar.The picture below was taken in Astronaut Blvd and George King Blvd.If you travel towards the cruise terminal, you will be driving on this road Bennett Causeway and you will get excited to see the cruise ships on the left side of the road.They have a huge parking lot in the terminal and you can park your car on a daily rate. Parking is not a problem here because you can find parking lot with starting rate at $5.95/day. Most of them offers free rides to and from the cruise terminal. I rather have this area as my Port of Call than in Miami. Less stress and no traffic and the area is easy to navigate so; have a wonderful cruising!

The Inspiration Sessions at Havertys Furniture Home Store

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Havertys Furniture. All opinions are 100% mine.

Finding the right elements to make up an ideal home office is challenging especially when I tried to incorporate some of the old pieces that we have. The ensemble in our home office right now has rich black finish storage collection and a dark brown dust free desk. Actually, it is a multi–functional room and I spent most of my time in this room. I reconfigure it as a home office and a lounging space for entertainment in between. Havertys: Discover Something You sparks my attention when I saw this home office design from their Website. It just looks elegant and definitely would set my mood to accomplishing the goal for the day.

I like rearranging the furniture's in a room and changing the window curtains to set the mood for the season. My husband and I went to Havertys Furniture about 4 miles from our place to see their new Inspiration Sessions on display. The design style that they have inspired like what I saw on their Website, Now Showing (Sept 15) is Designing an Entertainment Space, just in time for Football season! If you plan to redesign your living room or entertainment space then, take a look at this photo below:

Winter is coming so; Havertys suggested to heat up the Man Cave with an Electric Fireplace, the Haverty's MARANA FIREPLACE/entertainment console holds most 60" flat screens. This is the perfect option if you are considering using the basement for his space. Flame-like embers and an interior light create the look of a real flame while a thermostat controls the heat - much more attractive than a space heater. This provides supplemental zone heating of approximately 4'-5' in a 12x12 room.

Style his space with a nod to his personality with prints, oversized canvases or dimensional wall art. For the All-American guy, the OLD FAITHFUL CANVAS sets the tone with a weathered finish. At 45" wide, this is a clear statement piece.

For more Inspiration Sessions, check out their Website on Oct.13 for Seasonal Escapes which is all about Designing for Seasons; Nov.10 for Winter Colors which is Designing to Incorporate Winter Colors and Dec1 is all about Finishing Touches by Making that Room Complete.

Please hit LIKE Havertys fan page on Facebook and follow pinterest.com/havertys for a chance to get a $50 gift card give away. Enjoy your shopping at Havertys.

911: Remembering Flight 93

I was reading the life stories of the people who perished on 911 and it truly crushed my heart. 11 years had passed but, stories of heroism and act of kindness are endless. I remember the news about people giving free food and water to the 911 First Responders in New York. I also remember the bravery of the crew and passengers of Flight 93. As I was watching the activities on TV today and seeing the faces of the families who are there, I see tears of pain and anguish.Here are the names of the brave crew and brave passengers of that flight: (source: www. nps.gov/flni/historyculture/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&%3bpageid=317714 )
Crew:
Captain Jason M. Dahl- 43, pilot
First Officer LeRoy Homer - 36, pilot
Lorraine G. Bay - 58, flight attendant
Sandy Waugh Bradshaw- 38, flight attendant
Wanda Anita Green- 49, flight attendant
CeeCee Ross Lyles- 33, flight attendant
Deborah Jacobs Welsh- 49, flight attendant

Passengers:
Christian Adams - 37, Export Director of German Wine Institute
Todd M. Beamer - 32, Account Manager of Oracle Corporation
Alan Anthony Beaven - 48,Attorney with firm of
Berman DeValerio Pease Tabacco Burt & Pucillo
Mark Bingham - 31, owner of The Bingham Group
Deora Frances Bodley - 20, student
Marion R. Britton - 53, Assistant Regional Director, U.S. Census Bureau
Thomas E. Burnett, Jr.- 38, Chief Operating Officer, Thoratec Corporation
William Joseph Cashman - 60, Ironworker
Georgine Rose Corrigan - 55, antique and jewelry dealer
Patricia Cushing - 69, retired Service Representative, New Jersey Bell Telephone
Joseph DeLuca- 52, Business Systems Specialist, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare
Patrick Joseph Driscoll- 70, retired Executive Director of Software Development, Bell Communications
Edward Porter Felt- 41,Computer Engineer and Technology Director, BEA Systems
Jane C. Folger- 73,retired Bank Officer, Commercial Trust
Colleen L. Fraser- 51, Executive Director, Progressive Center for Independent Living
Andrew (Sonny) Garcia- 62, Owner of Cinco Group, Inc.
Jeremy Logan Glick - 31,Sales Manager, Vividence, Inc.
Kristin Osterholm White Gould- 65, Medical Journalist
Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas and Unborn Child- 38, Advertising Sales Consultant, Good Housekeeping Magazine
Donald Freeman Greene- 52, Executive Vice President, Safe Flight Instrument Corporation
Linda Gronlund- 46, Manager of Environmental Compliance, BMW North America
Richard J. Guadagno- 38, Project Manager, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Toshiya Kuge- 20, student
Hilda Marcin- 79, retired Bookkeeper & Teacher’s Aide
Waleska Martinez- 37, Automation Specialist, U.S. Census Bureau
Nicole Carol Miller- 21, student
Louis J. Nacke II- 42, Director of Distribution Center, Kay-bee Toys
Donald Arthur Peterson- 66, retired President, Continental Electric Company
Jean Hoadley Peterson- 55, retired registered nurse
Mark David Rothenberg- 52, owner of MDR Global Resources
Christine Ann Snyder- 32, Arborist and Project Manager, The Outdoor Circle
John Talignani - 74, retired bartender
Honor Elizabeth Wainio- 27, District Manager, Discovery Channel Stores

Let us say a prayer for them and their family as well. For us who are still alive, may we continue to be vigilant. Terrorism is just around us lurking and would strike anytime. It could be homegrown or not, let us all be vigilant all the time. Let us continue to live in harmony and respect one other. God Bless America!

Last Week of Summer Holiday

We are supposed to go to the beach today to watch the activities but, the heat was a scorcher. It's about 91 degrees and it feels like 96, whewww. We chose to stay home and watch TV. This is the last week of summer holiday so; people are really out to the beach.The waves are big so; a lot of surfers are showing their abilities to play in it. I just can't wait for this scorching heat to be over with. I can smell the eggnog already hehehe. I am looking forward for Christmas holidays. Yip, can't wait! The picture above was taken at Miami Beach. Gorgeous huh?

All Excited For A Cooler Weather

Finally, summer is over and I am all excited for a cooler weather. Though I won't be wearing my woolrich parka any time soon here in Florida, I sure can use it when I visit Missouri next month. In October, their lowest normal temperature is about 46 degrees so; wearing parkas are great help keeping warm in a cooler season right? I prefer a cooler temperature but, dislike a freezing weather too. That will be a hassle especially when you have to deal it every day driving on a frozen road to your work place. I don't want to be in that situation.

In cooler weather, I have the luxury to wear stylish boots, long sleeve tops and comfy sweaters. That is fun for me and I admit, I look forward to wearing all that. I am all excited for winter time and Christmas holidays. The smell of pine trees, enjoying a cup of eggnog, catching the snowflakes and busy shopping for the holidays are so much fun and gives me a thrilling sensation.

Anytime this week, I will start unpacking my winter clothes and footwear. I stored them at the top area of my closet. Oh yeah, that's how excited I am!