Poll: My least favorite chore around my apartment is…

Let’s face it, Stewarts Ferry.  No one likes to do all of their chores.  Sure, some don’t mind washing dishes.  But those same people probably HATE doing laundry.  Take our latest poll (in the right column) and let us know which TWO chores you least look forward to doing.

Why You Should Buy Organic Flowers

I get why we should buy organic food. If it goes into our bodies then it makes sense that it be the healthiest stuff we can find. But what about organic flowers? Is it really important that we use organic materials in our homes? I have no intention of eating the mixed flower bouquet that I buy at the grocery store, so what’s the diff?

In reality it has very little to do with health, but it it important that we have green buying habits so to promote sustainable practices within the flower industry. The more people who buy organically grown flowers, means there is will be a reduction in toxic chemicals used and an improvement soil quality. It is just better for the environment all the way around that we use as few chemicals as possible. Moreover, it creates healthier working conditions for farmers, farm workers and florists.

One of the biggest problems with pesticides and chemicals is that they don’t stay put. They drift through the air and also get into the water supply. If we buy organically grown flowers then we won’t be contaminating our water supply and our air.

Renting from a Hall of Fame slugger

The next time someone asks you where you live, just tell them that your renting the home of Hall of Fame baseball player George Brett.  I just came across the most interesting article (thanks,  Daphne Graskewicz) on CNN.com titled Weird baseball contract clauses. In it, CNN details a pretty funny story about a clause that Avron Fogelman (former Kansas City Royals owner and founder of Fogelman Management Group – our parent company) implemented for former MLB slugger Brett. It actually involves Stewarts Ferry apartments.  Small world, isn’t it!

George Brett becomes a landlord

The contract extension George Brett signed with the Kansas City Royals in 1984 must have been one of the stranger deals in MLB history. The club agreed to give Brett the bat he used in the infamous 1983 “Pine Tar Game” as part of the pact, but that wasn’t the only odd perk. The contract also gave him part ownership of an apartment complex in Memphis.

At the time, Avron Fogelman co-owned the Royals. Fogelman had made his fortune as a lawyer and real estate baron in Memphis, so when the team needed a little extra incentive to get Brett to sign, they offered the third baseman a piece of one of Fogelman’s developments.

To read more, follow the link to Weird baseball contract clauses on CNN.com

Make Spring Cleaning Earth-Friendly

Earth Day 2010 is upon us and it would be great if everyone at Stewarts Ferry could practice at least one new way to help conserve our collective environment.  Every little bit makes a differend.  Below is an article that I just read online regarding “green cleaning.”  Check it out…

Thinking about spring cleaning? Don’t forget the environment. The irony is that in making your home brighter and fresher, you may inadvertently soil the air and water. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Nothing is completely safe. Almost anything we dump down our drains, even if derived from plants and other “natural” substances, can cause problems. Even with the increasing number of greener products on the market, none is perfectly safe for the earth.

To read the entire thing, visit earthshare.org.  There are plentyof other “green tips” on the site as well.

Fogelman 2010 NCAA Bracket Challenge Leader Board: Are you on it?

The first weekend of the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is in the books and the leader board for the Fogelman 2010 NCAA Bracket Challenge is set. With 50+ bracket submissions, this is sure to be a tight race.

A few interesting statistics developed among the Fogelman residents that participated. Among them…

• 31% of the participants picked Kansas to win it all.
• 14% picked Kentucky
• 12% picked Duke
• 7% picked Syracuse

Here is the leader board after the first two rounds of the tournament along with their pick to win the whole thing…

1. Kim Martin (Kansas), 46 pts.

2. Garrett James (Kansas), 44 pts.

2. Kate Asselin (Kansas), 44 pts.

4. Amanda Hill (Michigan State), 43 pts.

4. Heather Towe (Kansas), 43 pts.

6. Zach Hightower (N/A), 42 pts.

6. Chris Gholston (Syracuse), 42 pts.

6. Janelle Crandall (Kansas), 42 pts.

6. Dani Soto (Kansas), 42 pts.

10. Melissa Rosenthal (Kansas), 40 pts.

The tournament itself is proving to be one of the best in years, with major upsets and Cinderella stories playing out as the field battled to join the ranks of the “Sweet 16”. Northern Iowa’s upset over Kansas in the second round will definitely shake up the Fogelman Bracket Challenge leader board in the coming weeks.

If one of your neighbors has made it on the leader board, be sure to drop them a note of congratulations on your community’s Facebook page and cheer them on. And make sure you stay tuned to all of the drama in both the NCAA tournament and the Fogelman Bracket Challenge. I’ll post a new update next week.

The Regional Semifinals play out today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday, March 26-27), with the Regional Finals being played on Saturday and Sunday, March 27-28. Check your local CBS affiliate for game times.

Any Funny Apartment Hunting Stories?

I just came acros this joke on the Internet and thought I’d share it with you.  Very funny!  Anyone have any good apartment hunting stories to share?  I’d love to hear them.

Bill and Sarah were Londoners and were blessed with seven healthy children. After many months of discussion, they finally decided to move to New York. It should have been a simple enough move, but when they arrived, they had great difficulty finding a suitable apartment to live in.
Although many were big enough, the landlords always seemed to object to such a large family living there. If only Bill wasn’t so honest about the size of his family!

After several days of unsuccessful searching, Bill had an idea. He told Sarah to take the four younger children to visit the local cemetery while he went with the older three children to find an apartment. After looking for most of the morning, Bill found a place that was ideal.

The landlord asked him, “How many children do you have?”

Bill answered with a deep sigh, “Seven . . . but four are with their dear mother in the cemetery.”

He got the apartment!

Grateful for Friendship

One doesn’t know, till one is a bit at odds with the world, how much one’s friends who believe in one rather generously, mean to one.  ~D.H. Lawrence