Hello again.

It’s been a couple weeks since our last post and we’ve had some interesting weather to go along with it. This time last week Corvallis was being covered in about 18-24 inches of snow (four days) that cancelled our last meeting… followed by freezing rain (one day) that put a thick layer of ice over the freshly fallen powder. Corvallis pretty much shuts down when we get a couple inches of snow, so you can imagine what this did to us.

The most snow since 1988!

Fortunately for Willamette Valley residents we got a recent taste of this in early December and were better prepared for it. People shoveled their sidewalks and the city, slowly but surely with their single plow, got the main streets cleared.

We came back today with full force!

September is the most popular birthday month in the US, which means there are a lot of pregnant (to-be) mamas out there right now. Oni [Balance Point Acupuncture] is able to help women maintain a healthy pregnancy through her acupuncture practice; as well as help with fertility if you’re still trying. Christine with Red Stem Landscaping had her hands full with the off weather last week. While some trees “pruned themselves” others remained intact and it’s time to give them a proper trimming. We always love to see samples at our PEERS meetings and today Lora [Initials Inc], Michelle B. [Arbonne International], Shelley [Alta’s Antiques & Collectables], and Lori [Thank You People] all brought items to show-off or share. You’ll have to attend one of our meetings to see all the goodies these ladies have to offer. 🙂

The snow also left some people stuck at home. Elaine [Simply Home Professionals] was able to put her remodeling skills to work in her own home for a change and completely redid her laundry room. If you’re not looking to remodel, but perhaps just some early spring cleaning and reorganizing then Susan [Let’s Get Comfortable Interior Design] is who to call. Peg W. of Path Finder Travel kept some of her clients from losing out on their vacation plans when the weather halted their travel. Trip cancellation insurance is a MUST for all of your get-away plans, big or small, and having a travel agent can help you get refunds on those pesky non-refundable items as well. And if you’re not one to be held back by whatever mother nature throws at you then Jess [JessBFit] has some great personal training and adventures planned just for you! …and don’t forget your Vitamin D3. Our typically very overcast winters can leave people’s vitamin D levels a bit depleted and feeling blue. Cori Anne at Heresco Chiropractic encourages everyone to go pick up some supplements, perhaps at Rice’s Pharmacy & Gift, and take 2,000-5,000 units each day with something fatty (vitamin D is fat soluble) like avocado, cheese, peanut butter, or olive oil. Yum!

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow and what better way to celebrate than by having your carpets cleaned. Seriously. Michelle V. [VS Restoration] is offer 10% off to PEERS members, but will happily clean anyone’s carpet, tile, or grout at a competitive price. Maybe a more traditional way to celebrate would be with a lovey-dovey portrait …perhaps engagement ::hint hint:: portrait session. Amanda [Amanda Photographic] is quickly filling up for the spring and summer seasons, but is eager to share your love story through beautiful photography. Speaking of spring and summer Anne Fahy [Remax Integrity] encourages you to get your house on the market earlier, like right now, rather than waiting for warmer weather. The buyers are out, seriously right now, and want to buy. Plus there’s a whole process that could take the sale into the spring, get a head start with the Fahy Team. …And if you need a mortgage then we have just the bank for you. Citizens Bank has a wonderful team of dedicated members like our Peg O. This week Peg was able to get a loan approved for a new business after she had been put through the ringer at two other institutions. Working with a local bank, like Citizens Bank, really has so many benefits for yourself and the community.

I know that we’ve made the connection before, but it’s such a classic that I’m compelled to make it again: Death and Taxes. Barb [DeMoss-Durdan Funeral Home] kindly reminds us that everyone has a last day and that there is no better final gift to give your family than by having all of your arrangements made in advance. Which goes so nicely with tax season ramping up as we enter mid-February. Ilene and her team at A&S Accounting make this process as painless as possible, while helping you get the most back from the IRS. Hmmmm maybe I can also make a connection with the dentist. While going to the dentist is slightly more avoidable than taxes or our inevitable demise, making regular visits to your dentist can save you from uncomfortable cavities and other issues. The dental practice of Drs. Bugni, Laster, and Jensen are a full service office with excellent care to make your visit more pleasant.

If that last paragraph wasn’t enough let’s talk about insurance. hahaha… No really, Tara from Jeff Mills State Farm is here to get you the best coverage available for your car, home, and business. State Farm also offers life and health insurances, all to protect you when the unforeseen happens. Part of staying healthy to avoid using that insurance comes with exercise. Like participating in the Girls On The Run 5K coming up this June! Karen, Director of KidSpirit and GOTR (541-737-KIDS), is registering girls in grades 3-8 for the upcoming season and still looking for coaches, running buddies, and team sponsors. Get out there and RUN!

We also had a guest today: Michaela of Michaela’s Counseling will hopefully be joining our group later this month. Please check out our PEERS MEETING page for more details about visiting our group.

Announcements + Events:

Amanda Long with Amanda Photographic is stepping away from the photography slot in our group to instead represent a former PEERS member’s business: Forks & Corks Catering and The Vue. Amanda is scheduled to present next week so we’ll leave the details about Forks & Corks and The Vue until next time.

16th Annual Soroptimist Spring Tea + Auction

• Sunday May 18th from 1:00-4:00 at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center
• Benefiting non-profits that improve the lives of women and girls.

Our presenters today were Amy of Carefree Massage and Julie of Tobias Weiss Design.

Amy gave a demo chair massage on a very sore Peg W from shoveling all the snow from her considerable drive way. While working on Peg’s middle back Amy explained how she approaches a new client vs a returning client – what she looks and feels for in their muscles. In this case Amy noticed that one side was much tighter than the other, but that didn’t stop her from working on both sides.  It’s important that your LMT works on you symmetrically since our bodies will often compensate with one side to protect the other. If they only focus on the side that hurts then you might feel lop-sided later. Water. Water, water, water, water… water. We should always be drinking water and keeping up our electrolytes so that we stay hydrated, but there is no more critical time that right before and after a massage. All that rubbing and digging breaks up old blood, lactic acid, and other chemicals that have been stuck in your muscles; once back in your system you want to flush it out quickly. Amy offers in-home or office chair and table massages for individuals or whole offices. $40/hr for chair or $60/hr for table.

Having Amy come in to your office is a GREAT way to show your employees how much you appreciate all their hard word. 🙂

Today Julie talked to us about logos. Oh yes, the dreaded logo that can make or break a first impression of your company; so much rides on this initial imagery. Julie showed us some logos that she had recently been commissioned for, a couple by ladies in our own group too, and explained her process. Sometimes people have a vague idea of what they want or don’t want in there logo. Other times it’s a blank slate, and still other times people have a very specific idea of what they want and just need someone with the skills to make it happen. Enter Julie. She usually leaves a meeting with a list of adjectives in her head or on paper that is her starting point for the design. Meeting with the client in person is something that she’s found to be critical to the collaboration process, even though sending sketches and proofs by email is easier, seeing her clients immediate reaction and hearing their voice gives her a much stronger sense of where to go next.

Julie is constantly thinking of those first adjectives along with asking the question, “Who is the audience?” to guide her creativity. When recently designing a logo for our own Jess of JessBFit, Julie knew that Jess’s main clientele were middle-aged women and that the design needed to appeal to them as well as Jess.  Luckily, Julie fits into this demographic as well as using her own experiences with Jess’s personal training made this logo extra fun. And of course the client doesn’t always like the design that Julie likes best… sometimes they’re on opposite ends, and they pick Julie’s least favorite design. It’s ok though because Julie will always deliver a strong design and image regardless of if it matches her personal style. She is happy to meet with new clients for brainstorming.

See you next week!