Good time to give Independence day golf lessons. Contact harryhurleygolf.com
Harry Hurley
952-250-7372 harry@harryhurleygolf.com
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Here's A Recipe To Help You Enjoy Summer
Westonka BNI members,Do you feel trapped in your office? Would you like to work from a different location, and still have access to all your files? If you answered yes then here's a hot tip for you! Yesterday, I stumbled upon a web-based service that allows you to control your office or home computer from a remote location. It's called Log Me In
https://secure.logmein.com/welcome/access/fasteasy/7/default.aspx
https://secure.logmein.com/welcome/access/fasteasy/7/default.aspx
After registering (which was easy) I was able to get on Kathy's computer and, by way of the internet, work on my computer. The best part...........It's Free!
Personally, I think it's a great way to show clients images while visiting with them outside my studio.
Jon Wright
Social Networking
Westonka BNI
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Grilling tips from the Handyman
Many people are turned away from grilling with charcoal because of how difficult it seems to be to get a good bed of coals going to ensure that food it cooked properly and in a timely manner (for example, it shouldn't take two hours to grill brats!).
Our goal with this post isn't to convert the world to charcoal grilling, but rather to demystify the process so that your next grilling party can be a relaxing occasion rather than a searing headache. The advice given here comes from Chris' personal experience over years of successful grilling (as I, the wife of Chris Meis and recipient of many fine meals, will attest to!).
There are three basic items you need to start your charcoal grilling adventure: charcoal briquettes, lighter fluid, and a grill.
Before you begin, make sure that your grill has been emptied of ash from past grilling sessions. Fire needs oxygen, and if the bottom of your grill is thick with greasy ash, it cannot adequately draw air. If you have an adjustable lower damper, make sure it is open half way.
Pile your charcoal briquettes on one side of the grill. This is done to provide you with hot and warm sections of the grill; the hot section is where you will do your cooking, and the warm section is where you will keep the finished food warm while cooking the remainder of the food.
Not sure how many briquettes to use? Chris suggests 20-30 briquettes for cooking smaller items like brats and hot dogs, and a coffee can full to a can and a half for larger items like chicken and hamburgers.
Once your briquettes are set, soak liberally with lighter fluid, but avoid putting so much on that there is standing fluid in the bottom of the grill.
Let the fluid soak in for about a minute before lighting. If you light it too soon, the fuel will simply burn away at the surface and not actually catch the briquettes. When you do light the briquettes, make sure to light in several places around the briquette pile.
The briquettes should blaze for a while. If there is a strong breeze, you can shield the flames by hanging the grill lid on windy side of the grill. Do not cover the grill at this point.
The fire will eventually die down, but if you had a good initial blaze, the briquettes will continue to burn. It is OK if you don't actually see any flame - the fire at this point is smoldering and turning the briquettes to coals. You can check that there is still life in the coals by blowing on them and seeing if they glow red.
Once the coals have turned white, they are ready for cooking. Using a grilling tool of your choice, knock the coals down so they spread out a bit more, but try to maintain your hot and warm zones of the grill.
If you need to cook quickly with high heat, place the grill cover on and leave the damper open. This will draw more oxygen and create a hotter bed of coals.
If you want to slow-cook your food, place the grill cover on and set the damper to mostly closed. This starves the oxygen, but still allows enough to filter in to feed the coals. Closing the damper completely could starve the coals too much and put them out.
We hope that this advice will help you at your next summer cook out! Happy grilling!
Our goal with this post isn't to convert the world to charcoal grilling, but rather to demystify the process so that your next grilling party can be a relaxing occasion rather than a searing headache. The advice given here comes from Chris' personal experience over years of successful grilling (as I, the wife of Chris Meis and recipient of many fine meals, will attest to!).
There are three basic items you need to start your charcoal grilling adventure: charcoal briquettes, lighter fluid, and a grill.
Before you begin, make sure that your grill has been emptied of ash from past grilling sessions. Fire needs oxygen, and if the bottom of your grill is thick with greasy ash, it cannot adequately draw air. If you have an adjustable lower damper, make sure it is open half way.
Pile your charcoal briquettes on one side of the grill. This is done to provide you with hot and warm sections of the grill; the hot section is where you will do your cooking, and the warm section is where you will keep the finished food warm while cooking the remainder of the food.
Not sure how many briquettes to use? Chris suggests 20-30 briquettes for cooking smaller items like brats and hot dogs, and a coffee can full to a can and a half for larger items like chicken and hamburgers.
Once your briquettes are set, soak liberally with lighter fluid, but avoid putting so much on that there is standing fluid in the bottom of the grill.
Let the fluid soak in for about a minute before lighting. If you light it too soon, the fuel will simply burn away at the surface and not actually catch the briquettes. When you do light the briquettes, make sure to light in several places around the briquette pile.
The briquettes should blaze for a while. If there is a strong breeze, you can shield the flames by hanging the grill lid on windy side of the grill. Do not cover the grill at this point.
The fire will eventually die down, but if you had a good initial blaze, the briquettes will continue to burn. It is OK if you don't actually see any flame - the fire at this point is smoldering and turning the briquettes to coals. You can check that there is still life in the coals by blowing on them and seeing if they glow red.
Once the coals have turned white, they are ready for cooking. Using a grilling tool of your choice, knock the coals down so they spread out a bit more, but try to maintain your hot and warm zones of the grill.
If you need to cook quickly with high heat, place the grill cover on and leave the damper open. This will draw more oxygen and create a hotter bed of coals.
If you want to slow-cook your food, place the grill cover on and set the damper to mostly closed. This starves the oxygen, but still allows enough to filter in to feed the coals. Closing the damper completely could starve the coals too much and put them out.
We hope that this advice will help you at your next summer cook out! Happy grilling!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Decking out your deck
Your favorite summer cook-out spot. Nature's safe answer to the tanning booth. The place you relax with a good book and a nice, cold drink. You use your deck for all kinds of summer fun, so it's important to make sure your deck is looking good and staying in great shape.
While Chris Meis Handyman won't build you a deck from the ground-up, we'll make sure that your existing deck stays off the ground! Have a floor board or railing that needs to be repaired or replaced? We can do that! Need to add additional staves to ensure your new child or grandchild will be safe when playing outdoors? We'll gladly help you with that!
If your wood deck has gotten dingy and weathered-looking over the years, we also offer deck washing, staining and sealing services to spruce up your favorite summer hang out!
If you plan on hosting any big events at your home this summer - graduation parties, wedding gatherings, or get-togethers with friends - your deck may be the last thing on your mind. But it will likely be the place where most of your guests gather! So make a phone call to Chris Meis Handyman and scratch that item off your list - we'll make sure it's ready for whatever summer fun you have planned!
1 Call, 1 Fix - 612-234-1FIX (1349)
While Chris Meis Handyman won't build you a deck from the ground-up, we'll make sure that your existing deck stays off the ground! Have a floor board or railing that needs to be repaired or replaced? We can do that! Need to add additional staves to ensure your new child or grandchild will be safe when playing outdoors? We'll gladly help you with that!
If your wood deck has gotten dingy and weathered-looking over the years, we also offer deck washing, staining and sealing services to spruce up your favorite summer hang out!
If you plan on hosting any big events at your home this summer - graduation parties, wedding gatherings, or get-togethers with friends - your deck may be the last thing on your mind. But it will likely be the place where most of your guests gather! So make a phone call to Chris Meis Handyman and scratch that item off your list - we'll make sure it's ready for whatever summer fun you have planned!
1 Call, 1 Fix - 612-234-1FIX (1349)
Friday, June 4, 2010
Dues Increase
Effective October 1, 2010, BNI Membership fees will increase to $365 for one year, or $565 for two years. The registration fee will not increase. The last increase was three years ago. This represents a 3% per year increase, annualized over 3 ½ years.
Any member wishing to renew their membership, regardless of due date; can do so prior to October 1, 2010, at the current fee. This means that as long as their check or credit card slip is dated September 30, 2010, or earlier, there is a savings. Current fees, through September 30, 2010, are $330 for one year or $510 for two years and the current registration fee is $100.
BNI is a private marketing business. Compared to other business expenses or forms of advertising, BNI’s marketing program is not excessively expensive. Most people see only the tip of the iceberg when looking at BNI. For most members, BNI can appear to be just the weekly meeting with their chapter members, but it is so much more! Word-of mouth marketing is a performance activity that requires constant vigilance, energy, maintenance, and new growth.
Benefits of Membership:
BNI fees provide a member with
Potential for a significant amount of new referred business.
Current information about the latest business trends in other industries that facilitate the
operation and growth of one’s own business.
Training and practice in public speaking and specific marketing/advertising of oneself
and one’s service/product.
Special business contacts that can be converted into long-term strategic
alliances at the regional level, up to and including the global business community.
Special coaching about word-of-mouth marketing from trained and talented BNI Directors.
Advanced Member Success Program Training
BNI Connect featuring database, website and social media forum
If any one of the above benefits were fully utilized by a member, its value alone would far outweigh
the monetary investment of a BNI membership.
John Meyer Connie Hinton
U.S. National Director East U.S. National Director West
Any member wishing to renew their membership, regardless of due date; can do so prior to October 1, 2010, at the current fee. This means that as long as their check or credit card slip is dated September 30, 2010, or earlier, there is a savings. Current fees, through September 30, 2010, are $330 for one year or $510 for two years and the current registration fee is $100.
BNI is a private marketing business. Compared to other business expenses or forms of advertising, BNI’s marketing program is not excessively expensive. Most people see only the tip of the iceberg when looking at BNI. For most members, BNI can appear to be just the weekly meeting with their chapter members, but it is so much more! Word-of mouth marketing is a performance activity that requires constant vigilance, energy, maintenance, and new growth.
Benefits of Membership:
BNI fees provide a member with
Potential for a significant amount of new referred business.
Current information about the latest business trends in other industries that facilitate the
operation and growth of one’s own business.
Training and practice in public speaking and specific marketing/advertising of oneself
and one’s service/product.
Special business contacts that can be converted into long-term strategic
alliances at the regional level, up to and including the global business community.
Special coaching about word-of-mouth marketing from trained and talented BNI Directors.
Advanced Member Success Program Training
BNI Connect featuring database, website and social media forum
If any one of the above benefits were fully utilized by a member, its value alone would far outweigh
the monetary investment of a BNI membership.
John Meyer Connie Hinton
U.S. National Director East U.S. National Director West
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Substitutes
Westonka BNI members,
Please remember that a broad network of subsitutes are available through the Minnesota/Wisconsin BNI website at: http://www.bni-mn.com . If you can't make a meeting please take a moment to arrange for a substitute. This week four members were absent without subs. The success of our group depends on members following the basic BNI guidelines. Doing so goes a long way toward developing and maintaining a strong Westonka BNI chapter.
Thanks,
JW
Please remember that a broad network of subsitutes are available through the Minnesota/Wisconsin BNI website at: http://www.bni-mn.com . If you can't make a meeting please take a moment to arrange for a substitute. This week four members were absent without subs. The success of our group depends on members following the basic BNI guidelines. Doing so goes a long way toward developing and maintaining a strong Westonka BNI chapter.
Thanks,
JW
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