Peggy Lee Brown

Archive for October, 2011

A niece recently passed the licensure exams for accounting and is now a certified public account. She actually has received a slew of job offers after passing, since she graduated with honors in college and many accounting recruitment firms were just waiting for her to pass the board exams so she can have formal job offers. She would be making a decision in the next few weeks and we pray that she chooses a career in a company that will foster her career growth and compensate her well.

For those who have not passed the board exams, she is encouraging them not to lose heart and study again and retake the exams. They can even work while reviewing again. There are many job openings in the financial sector.

1. Banking industry. There are window teller positions that are the traditional entry positions. You can also get involved in loan underwriting, loan processing and account management.
2. Bookkeeping. Companies need bookkeepers. You need at least a two-year degree to be eligible for bookkeeping positions.
3. Brokerage firms. Brokers, broker associates and financial analyst positions are available. Job positions in this area involve numerous investment opportunities – stocks, bonds, foreign exchange market rates.
4. Accounting. This field of expertise requires specialize education and a license to be able to practice.

My niece, before passing the board exams, actually worked as a bookkeeper before working as an assistant to an auditing firm so she can have a feel on what type of workplace she wants to be in.

We should take care of our feet as much as we take care of our face. While our face maybe the most presented part of our body, the feet does the unforgiving job of keeping us on our toes, literally, and taking us to places all the time.

Oftentimes, our feet is the most neglected body part – we don’t massage it after a long day of hard work (walking us around), forget to scrub in between the toes when taking a bath, and forget to even put lotion on it afterwards.

The best care you can give your feet is to have it wear well-fitting shoes. Ill-fitting ones,especially those which have stiletto heels and very pointed ends, may look pretty but do damage to your feet, especially your toes. I believe in reasonable and practical fashion. It is better to wear comfortable but nice shoes than to have suffer corns and callouses for a lifetime afterwards (not to mention ingrown toe nails!).

Different toe abnormalities, like mallet toe, trigger toe, claw toe or a hammer toe, often result from ill-fitting shoes. Your feet would need arch support when you have these conditions. These are painful and look unpleasant. Just think about how your toes will look when going barefoot at the beach.

If you are in the IT industry and have been dealing with projects for several years now, you would now what IT charge back and the issues involved in this aspect is. An IT Chargeback is an accounting strategy that applies the costs of IT services, hardware or software to the business unit in which they are used. There have been debates on this one actually since it’s hard to apply an IT Chargeback especially if the cost is huge, knowing that IT solutions nowadays is really pricey. What’s interesting with IT Chargeback is that the system used contrasts with traditional IT accounting models in which a centralized department bears all of the IT costs in an organization and those costs are treated simply as corporate overhead. Major issue isn’t it? With the CIO’s and CFO’s, this is a major issue especially if both these executives are maintaining low project costs. This has always been a challenge for them ever since!

The solution that I came across is to get an ITIL Financial Management solution that would do all the work for you. With a fully developed solution, you can make the IT executives happy by giving them fair results and real time data. At least all of the business units are assured that the data analysis was done fairly.

How To Dress For Success When Going To Auditions and Free Casting Calls

Job interviews are crucial in the success of your chosen career. For dancers, singers, actors, and actresses, auditions usually take the place of job interviews. To be able to get a role in a play, movie, commercial, or TV show, they have to go to free casting calls and audition for the part.

casting call

Just as you would not go to a job interview unprepared, it is the same if you are going to an acting audition or any free casting call. Aside from practicing your lines and talent, it equally important to go to auditions dressed properly. Below are some fashion tips to help you increase your chances when going to auditions and free casting calls.

Dress the part. One option that you have when going to free casting calls is to take on the role even in your clothing. Be in character from start to finish and this includes dressing the part that you are auditioning for. There is no need to dress to the hilt but put on something that will be appropriate for the character that you are applying for.

Consult your agent. If you have an agent then it is good to consult him or her on what will be acceptable clothing for the free casting call. Sometimes the suggested attire is included in the casting call brief.

Wear business attire. If you are unsure of how to dress, one of the safest choices in your audition attire is to dress as if you are going to a casual business interview. Slacks and pants paired with a polo shirt or collared blouse are safe choices for any gender. For women, if you prefer to look more feminine, choose a simple skirt and pair it with a classy blouse. A simple and stylish dress will also be acceptable. Avoid jeans if possible unless they are appropriate for the role.

Dress decently. Unless you are auditioning for a sexy role, try to avoid revealing clothes. Steer clear of plunging necklines and very short skirts. Instead, wear something that will flatter your figure without showing too much skin. Try to limit the length of your skirts and dresses to below the knee.

Limit your accessories. When attending free casting calls, you want to attract attention to your talent and not anything you are wearing. This means you have to limit the accessories that you will wear and to try to hide any exposed tattoos. For men, try to remove any body piercings unless it is appropriate for the part that you are auditioning for.

Pay attention to your hygiene. Part of the whole package includes your personal hygiene. Make sure you brush your teeth, comb your hair, and trim your nails before going to the auditions.

Be confident. Any attire can easily look fashionable if paired with good old self confidence. Make sure you are comfortable with what you are wearing to ensure that you carry yourself well and that your confidence shows in the way you dress, talk, and move.

Fall season is a season of layering clothes and most of us would probably need to take out sweaters and light jackets for the colder weather. There is no reason not to be fashionable as fall season gives you plenty of opportunities to dress up without getting bulky. And the colors of your wardrobe can go subdued and vibrant at the same.

Here are some gorgeous color combinations you can try. Pediatrician Jobs need to be bright-colored to not scare kids but still look professional enough – these combinations are perfect!

Spicy Gold + Emerald Green
J.Crew Spicy Gold Lucinda Blouse ($98), Vanessa Bruno Crewneck Sweater ($327)

Heather Gray + Dark Turquoise
T By Alexander Wang Knit Crew Neck Pullover ($195), Madewell Silk Bookmark Blouse ($110)

Aubergine + Red
Gap Scoopneck Sweater in Aubergine ($13, originally $40), Equipment Scarlett Signature Blouse ($208)

Happy Layering!

I was thinking if I should let my husband try the egyptian magic cream I have been hearing for the longest time. A friend has tried it and got good words aboutit so I got more curious. He has dermatitis and when it flares up it can get really itchy.

It is highly recommended for any one seeking relief from Psoriasis, Eczema, rashes or other skin conditions.
* Made with 100% Natural Ingredients
* Helps relieve Psoriasis and Eczema
* Deeply Hydrates skin on face and body – this hydration lasts all day.
* Creates an amazing “glow” of skin whether used on face or body.
* Contains only 6, all natural ingredients! (see the ingredients tab)
* As Seen In many magazines and television shows such as: Vogue, Allure, Daily Candy, Lucky, Shape
* Does not clog pores like some other body creams with beeswax
* Also works great on chapped lips, burns and blemishes
* An effective preventer of stretch marks for pregnant women
* Directions: Take moderate amount and rub in your palms until it takes the form of oil. Apply softly to skin.

Charming girls have all the fun!

I think this is going to be a very nice gift for the holidays – for those who can’t afford a titanium watch.

It’s made with a blend of juicy guava, sparkling pear and creamy vanilla musk. The site states that it’s “inspired by taking chances, having fun and savoring life’s fabulous moments”.

This adorable bag comes with Mini Body Lotion, Mini Shower Gel and Mini Fragrance Mist, 3 oz. each, in our exclusive, impulsively sexy new scent.

* Charmed Life™ is a positively sexy fragrance inspired by taking chances, having fun and savoring life’s fabulous moments
* Key fragrance notes: Juicy guava, sparkling pear and creamy vanilla musk
* 3 oz. products are TSA compliant for carry-on luggage

When it comes to matters of personal finance, I am still a work in progress. Even at my age, I still need to learn so much more on money control, savings and investing. I was advised that before I apply for a credit card I should read about the credit card reviews and feedback from consumers who have used and are using it. It also would be an added bonus if I get business credit cardsthat have perks and rewards (best credit card deals) that will fit my lifestyle – free airline mileage points, rebates on gas, certain discounts on establishments, etc. I heard citibank credit cards have a lot of offers like these. I am thinking I need to look over their various card types before deciding which one to get, not just getting the first card that is offered to us.

There are also finance tools in finance boards that will be helpful, like how to compute for interest rates in loans, savings and mutual fund deposits.

I have a lot to learn. But I am confident that next year will be a better year for us – I just need a little more discipline when it comes to saving vs. spending!

All businesses start out with great ideas. Selling those ideas and making the market receive and support them is another thing altogether. Getting your message across to the consumer successfully is something that isn’t always easy but one can get help from a creative agency by developing a brand strategy and identity.

What does a creative agency do?

They cover everything from rebranding a company including all marketing literature, logos, business cards, stationary and brochures to smaller campaigns and regular marketing activity through flyers and catalogues.

All the hard work when putting up a business actually doubles when you market your business. Hiring a creative agency to work for you and with you will cover everything from rebranding a company including all marketing literature, logos, business cards, stationary and brochures to smaller campaigns and regular marketing activity through flyers and catalogues. The sky really is the limit when it comes to hiring a creative agency.

1.     A creative agency can help with Brand Identity

Your business needs to have brand recall, one that has great memory recall to customers and for you have that, your brand identity needs to be rock solid. It’s one of the primary functions of a creative agency that you should take advantage of. A great creative agency will take the time to understand your business goals and values as this is central to creating the sort of brand identity that you are craving. They can look things at perspective and often know what clicks with your customer base. Sometimes when you are too close to your business, it is hard to get a good viewpoint on what your identity should be to the market.

2.     They can help with publicity

The identification of target markets and how to engage these demographics will be one of the chief responsibilities of a creative agency and something that will come from working closely with their client. Getting your business advertised in different kinds of media – print, radio, TV, web – is a marketing task best handled by the proper agency. It takes a different set of skills and marketing tactics to be able to be successful in marketing one’s product and business.

3.     Increase web site traffic.

It is the norm for businesses to have online presence since we live in the Internet age. Do not fall for agencies that promise that you can increase web site visitors from 300 to 3,000 in a month. This would not be realistic. A good creative agency would be able to grow your web site over time, making sure you gain loyal visitors, who come back. They have the know-how and follow trends and techniques to get more visitors (like tagging content). This is something that is very time-consuming and would the experts handle best.

4.     Creative Skills

You would not hire a creative agency without the very idea of making you hire them won’t you? Their creative skills will help you brand your business and set you apart from competition. From making your logo, developing your slogan, designing your brand materials and web site  – their creativity is what would make your business sell.

For example, StruckAxiom is a company that handles these areas – they compare their areas of expertise “tentacles” of an octopus. They attack a problem (branding of a company for example) with these tentacles:

1.     Brand Identity

2.     Advertising

3.     Mobile Applications

4.     Motion Graphics

5.     Installations

6.     Brand Strategy

7.     Interactive

8.     Social Media

9.     Environmental Design

10.  Merchandising

Once you’ve worked together to create the look and feel of your business, your chosen agency will work alongside you to successfully manage your brand and ensure that your identity remains strong and in the public’s mind. Giving your business a personality of its own is essential given the competitive nature of the commercial world and how easy a company’s reputation can be tarnished these days.

Color blocking is not showing any signs of going away anytime soon and it might be fun to know where it came from. You would not need birthday invitations to wear this because it is versatile to wear to work and play.

Dutch painter Piet Mondrian was one of the pioneers of modern art, using abstract black lines and primary blocks of color in most of his designs. One of the first fashion designers to re-interperet Mondrian’s aesthetic in clothing was Yves St. Laurent, who actually created “The Mondrian Collecton,” at the height of mod culture in 1965.