It’s no secret that using the same usernames and passwords for all of your email, social media, business, and personal online accounts is a big mistake.  All it takes is one data breach, and suddenly your entire online presence is jeopardized.  This is prevented by creating unique login information for each of your accounts, but it simultaneously burdens you with the responsibility of remembering up to a dozen login combinations.

Keeping a list of usernames and passwords on a sheet of paper or in a document on your computer is the most cost-efficient option, although it’s not the most secure one.  Fortunately, the login process can also be simplified with password manager programs.

Password managers generally are programs that organize your collection of online credentials into an encrypted database.  All you have to do is create one master password for the program; from then on, any time you want to login to a site you’ve listed on the database, simply type in your master password and the password manager will sift through the database to find the login information specific to that site.

There are password managers for nearly every platform—Windows, Mac OS X, Android, and iOS each have several programs to choose from.  Each program has varying features and prices to match, depending on your personal or business needs.  For one person using one device, a free or one time payment service would suffice.  For more users spanning across several devices, a monthly or annual subscription service will be required.  Either way, you only need one password!  Check out this list of popular programs to compare prices and features.

Of course, as with anything, there is a drawback to using password manager programs: all of your sensitive information is stored in an online server.  As we know based on the sheer number of world data breaches reported each year, nothing online is guaranteed 100% safe.  In fact, LastPass, a popular password manager program, had its servers hacked just last year.  

By and large, it’s left to your discretion.  Do you prefer to keep your usernames and passwords in the cloud or on the ground?

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Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

 

 

“Get over it!”  We’ve given and received this advice countless times, but do we ever stop to think about what that phrase truly means?  We’re telling someone—or being told—to accept that they’ve made a mistake and move on. Though it seems like sound advice, I think it’s missing a crucial element.

Sure, you can just ‘get over’ (ignore) your problems, but that may do more harm than good.  If you don’t understand how and why you messed up, you’re likely to mess up again.  Next thing you know, you’re in an endless cycle of mistakes and getting over them.

It’s perfectly normal to make mistakes, assuming you know how to handle them.  Before you ‘get over’ your mistake and move on to the next one, take these 4 steps to assess your situation:

1. Own it.  Accept the mistake as yours, and only yours.  No excuses.
2. Why did it happen?  It’s important to understand why you messed up, but don’t beat yourself up about it.  Sometimes, things just happen.
3. Can I fix it?  Well, it already happened.  There’s no taking it back.  But taking immediate action to remedy the problem or simply giving an apology can alleviate the damage.
4. What about next time?  Keep this experience, however mortifying, in mind.  When you’re placed in a similar predicament, you’ll already know how to handle it.

These 4 steps will help you understand and learn from your mistakes.  Then, and only then, should you ‘get over it’!

 “You can never make the same mistake twice because the second time you make it, it’s not a mistake, it’s a choice.” – Steven Denn

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Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

Since opening in April of last year, Pop’s Poboys in Downtown Lafayette has become everyone’s favorite poboy joint in the city.  And it’s no surprise why.  The hot lunch spot offers classic interpretations and exciting twists on Louisiana’s favorite sandwich plus starters, salads, sides, sweets and refreshing beverages all in a relaxed casual setting.

In addition to serving up traditional shrimp, catfish and oyster poboys, Pop’s also has a number of creative takes on poboys.  A few special customer favorites include:

 

The Surf & Turf
debris style roast beef, crispy gulf oyster, horseradish peppercorn sauce, lettuce, tomato

 

The Darlene
meatballs simmered in “stew” gravy, lettuce, tomato, blue plate mayo

 

The HOT HOT
Nashville style HOT fried chicken, blue plate mayo, dill pickles, green onion buttermilk ranch

 

A range of appetizers, sides, and salads are also on the menu at Pop’s.  The fried, pickled okra served with green onion buttermilk ranch is a must-have; as well as Mimi’s Mac & Cheese, a creamy and cheesy old fashioned style mac & cheese with long noodles in substitution of elbow noodles.  Some apps and sides are served on little cast iron skillets.  

And everything is so fresh!  Pop’s uses only freshly baked French bread and local ingredients to give you the best possible flavors.  

The whole atmosphere is quite charming; the rustic decor and stained concrete floors mixed with the white walls give it an old time feel with a modern twist.  And the service is just spectacular.  The only downside is that they aren’t open in the evenings, but the poboys are so large, you can eat one half and save the other for dinner…unless you eat it all in one sitting, which you probably will do.

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Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

 

The quest for native plants and more natural landscapes is leading many gardeners to rediscover an often-overlooked jewel — moss. In favorable conditions, moss forms velvety emerald cushions and richly textured carpets and tapestries that grow happily in containers as well as on posts, rocks, trees, and ground. Homeowners increasingly cede the turf battle to mosses, too. Carpet mosses create a no-mow ground cover that often thrives in shady, acidic soil, and other places that grass abhors.

Now that moss in the garden is being seen more as an asset than a pest, specialty nurseries are growing and selling trays of common and exotic kinds for instant gardens or as plugs for starting naturally spreading colonies. If you plant clumps, give them the same soil, light, and moisture conditions they enjoy in the forest. Keep them moist for the first year until they become established and begin to spread. If skunks or raccoons frequent your yard, cover newly planted patches with a net to prevent the animals from digging in search of insects.

Landscaping designers suggest that, instead of digging up and moving patches of wild mosses or buying moss plugs, gardeners should encourage species that are native to where they live. Look for mossy patches, then carefully pull the grass and weeds out of the moss colony, and pick up fallen leaves and other debris that can smother it. That’s often enough to invigorate the native mosses.

Most mosses prefer moist, acidic soil, and many will readily colonize disturbed or bare earth. To encourage new spores to grow, spray a mixture of 1 quart buttermilk and 2 gallons water over the soil in mid-spring. Water as needed in summer to keep moss green and lush.

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Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!  We observe this day in remembrance  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who we all know to be one of the most influential people of his time.  With his powerful ‘I Have a Dream’ speech given in 1963, the nonviolent civil rights movement to end racial discrimination in the US was propelled into action.

King received numerous awards and recognitions, both before and after his death, for his brave and influential acts. His powerful words and ideas changed America as we know it.  And all of this came about because he had a passion to help others.  He dedicated his life to the well being and prosperity of his fellow Americans.

So, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., I challenge you to do something for others today.  Now, I’m not saying you need to start a political movement (although, if that’s what you desire, then by all means, go for it!).  Even the smallest acts of kindness can make a huge difference.  Not only will you make someone else’s day a little better, but the good feeling that comes with helping someone will generate a positive feedback loop: the better you feel, the more good you’ll want to do!

MLK Day coincides with the National Day of Service.  Today, organizations across the country will be volunteering their time and work to help those in their community.  If you’re interested in contributing, check your local organizations’ websites and see what you can do to help out!

I leave you with this quote, from Dr. King himself:

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘what are you doing for others?'”

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Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News