Let's link and drop like unique individuals

may 7 2008


Today:
The What-DOESN'T-Work-For-Me edition

Recently I joined entrecard. It's a system that gives me the opportunity to visit sites and let know I'm there.
In return I get a visit back and points which allow me to buy a bit of advertising space on a blog or even some special presents, like design, a recipe.

There are more visitor-exchange systems that work almost the same.

I've also joined some sponsored blogging sites, including the newest one I recently blogged about.
The new system registers how people reach the blogs. Entrecard and some other systems are monitored.
So I assume they're looking for unique visitors.

Those link exchange and dropping systems don't work for me, and in the end they don't work for you.

My guess is that it's important to create a linkexchange/dropping system that isn't monitored by the big guys.

When you want to participate, just let me know.

I'm thinking about a good system which takes just a little time, but gives you unique visitors. Those that really count.
Those that are really interested.

So I want only personal sponsored blogging blogs, no blogs that overflow with advertisements and have no interesting content.

Give me a comment and tell me (where I can find) your emailaddress, so I can mail you the details.

Let's make a good working team!

Because the excisting systems won't work for us in the end.


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More about Buzzfuse and why I use it under the topper of this page.)


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works for me - telephone hours

april 16 2008

Ever been in the situation that you needed to call someone and couldn't get hold of the person, and when he or she called back you were not available?

Ofcourse email works wonders, but some people simply refuse to use email.

The past years I've found out that limiting the time I'm available works great.
It makes people aware of the time my family needs me, and it also makes them aware of the fact that they need to know why they call me. So I get better formulated calls from teachers and other people from schools.

I limit the time to three times a week an hour between 8 and 10 in the evening.

These hours are mentioned in my emails to school, and I hand out a card when the semester begins to remind people.

Stating it in a positive way makes that people really remind it.

"My family is a very bussy one, so my time is very precious.
When I receive a call I want to be able to listen well, and to take the time to anwer properly.
So you can call me....."

During summertime I have only two hours a week available.
One early in the evening, after dinner, and one rather late.

Ofcourse people can always make an appointment to call at another time.
(But not during dinner!!!)

Works great for me.



Buzzfuse rewards toprated posts.
April is autism awareness month.
This month all my earning
will go to support of autistic children and their parents.
So help me win a buzzfuse reward
and rate this article with a free click.
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works for me - shoebags

april 9 2008

We don't have a large house, but we do have a large family.

With 3 women and 5 men there are a lot of shoes.

The shoes of the men are kept near the door.

But the shoes of us ladies are kept at a special place.

I've made shoebags.

One bag for each pair of shoes, with a tag that says which shoes are in it, and for each lady her own color for the ribbons.

The bags are hanging beside the stairs to the attick.
A place where they can hang in peace untill they're needed.
I've used the arms of blouses, the legs of trousers (for heavy shoes) and some nice fabrics, so we can recognise the kind of shoes from a distance.

It works for me and my family.





Buzzfuse rewards toprated posts.
April is autism awareness month.
This month all my earning
will go to support of autistic children and their parents.
So help me win a buzzfuse reward
and rate this article with a free click.
To be completely sure your rating is counted
you can subscribe free.
(And unsubscribe if you feel you want to.)


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works for me - Buzzfuse

march 26 2008

Well, now Shannon, the host and creator of "Works for me" describes so well a product that works for her and that's worth sharing, I'll share something too of my own free will.

Some people wonder about the Buzzfuse banner on my site.

Well, it's a great addition to blogging.

When I've written a post I register it at Buzzfuse and put the code under my post.
Membership is free.

Without doing anything Buzzfuse sends a mail to my fans at Buzzfuse to tell them I have posted at my blog. In a daily mail other members of Buzzfuse are informed.
All they have to do is click on a link to visit the blogentry(, or click on the delete-button.)

The widget enables readers to rate the item, to comment, to become a fan, etc.

Last months I've won a premium edition of Buzzfuse, which means I can win money with the hightest rated post.
I know I've won last month, but I don't know how much yet.
fact is that the toprated items win thousands of dollars.
That's why I would love people to rate my posts.

Additional pleasure for me is that I can see how many people have read my post.

Being a Buzzfuse member has enabled me to find blogs I wouldn't have found otherwise.
Because I get a mail with all the topics each day, I sometimes can read about matters that have my interest without spending long times surfing.

Bussfuse is run by a very dynamic team who're constant developing the service.
The widget will get even better soon, but even now it's well worth a try.

In case you want me to invite you, leave your emailaddress, or use the contactform to send your address. (slowloading page).

I'm glad to have been able to share this with you, because it has made blogging more fun and worthwhile.

Tomorrow I'll blog about what smallpipes are for those who have asked.


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works for me - filing a complaint

march 19 2008

Have you ever filed a complaint to find out you're mood was still below sealevel after all were forgotten your complaint? All, but you, I mean.

When I file a complaint I want three things:
1. a better mood, NOW!
2. my complaint read and discussed
3. proper action

I've been told that a complaint should be short and to the point!

WRONG!!!

When a complaint is short and to the point, the reader will say to himself: "That doesn't concern me", and at the best throw it in the mail for another reader.

I write my complaints like they're the biggest joke ever,
when I have to laugh when I send my complaints, I have already realised one of my goals, And that makes me feel sooooo goooodd, that I ring a week later when I haven't received an answer, and i still feel confident I'll solve the matter the way I want.

And it works.

Last week I was fed up with the noise in the neighbouring house.
I can understand noise,
I can also distinguish unnecessary throwing of doors, bumping on the stairs, driving a motor inside (yes, I saw one of the workmen do that), yelling on the street before 8 in the morning, etc etc.

But I don't understand a temporary toiletbuilding right in front of my house, smelling right in front of my house, attracting young aggressive people right in front of my house.

So I got a funny mail out.....
and today I got the person who represents the houseowners in.

It's a few hours later.

The toilet is gone...
the noise is gone...
the motor in the house is gone...

And I managed to save the trees in the garden too.
I made the guy ring the office and cancell the plans to cut everything off at eyeheight, like they did in the garden at the other side a year before.

Wow!!! That feels sooooo gooooooddd!!!!


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works for me

march 11 2008

Most people keep a little bit of paint after painting walls, furniture, etc.

We do!

To be able to find the right colour without opening tins and buckets, I put a label on top and a label at the side.
That way it's not a problem to find the right colour when something has happened with your livingroom wall.

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Thanks!

works for me (backwards edition)

march 5 2008

Today "Works for me" goes the other way around.

So you won't get good advice, you'll get a question.

How do you keep all those girly hairthingies clean?
My twingirls have so many clasps and bows and such.

What do you do with them to clean them and to store them?




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A post that might interest you:
a day in the life of a stay at home mom

works for me

february 27 2008

Recently we got a visitor who is a huge tea addict.
So the girls took out all of the teapackages, all the different blends and tastes and ofcourse they forgot to put it all back.

I decided that they'd better make a list of all the aromas and blends, and figure out a nice way to present it.
Maybe like a restaurant menu.

And so they did.
They typed the list,
took some think paper and covered it with a nice fabric.

Today the guest came again.
When she was offered tea she smiled.
"You don't have to take them all out", she said.

The girls presented her with their tealist,
and we all were happy.

That works for me, them... and maybe for you too.


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works for me: backwards edition

january 9 2008

Today we're not expected to give a good idea, but to ask for one.

Well, I have a question.

A couple of weeks plastic recycling has begun here.

I'm all for it.

Problem is that the container is rather far away, so we have to keep the plastic apart untill one of us can bring it to the container.

All those wrappins and bags take a lot of space.
It should be kept under pressure, that's what I think.

Any idea??

I now put all the stuff in plastic bags and put them in a box, put pressure on it to keep the plastic in.

I'm looking forward to a good idea.

Thanks!!


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works for me

January 2 2008

No, the christmasseason isn't over here in The Netherlands.

It lasts untill january the 6th.
That's the day the three kings arrive and hand their gifts to the little baby.
So the tree is still standing and the decorations are still up.

The perfect time to clean the attick before all the boxes will be piled up again.

It's also the perfect time to do things we would otherwise never do.

Like writing the birthdays at the perfect date in the agenda.

That way I won't forget who's birthday it is and when it is.

It works for me better than a calendar, far better.


Happy New Year!


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works for me

december 19 2007

Noop, I'm not blogging about christmas...
I'm blogging about the last evening of the year.
We call it old year.


The last years a tradition slipped in and I won't change it for a million dollars.

It was initiated by one of the boys, who wanted sausages just before 12, and threw a fit after closing time of the shops.
He wanted sausages at old year and nothing else.

Foreseeing a whole evening of a bad mood and an angry face, I told him that if he wanted sausages he'd better step in and take care of all the old years preparations himself.

He stepped in and even found in the back of the storage room a tiny tin with 5 sausages.
That posed a problem: we have 6 kids.
So he had to make something that one of the kids liked better.

Another boy jumped in and helped him.

The next year they asked me if they were allowed to do the preparations.
"OK."

Now most of the children are involved in the planning, the shopping and the making of plates with delicious treats.

I have to say, now they're getting older I have more fun trying out their creations.

I still feel odd.
After working for them all year, it's not easy to let them do what they want.
It's not easy to stay away from the kitchen, because I would love to see the mess they have to clean up themselves.

But it's nice to have the time to say goodbye to the year and focus on the new one for a while, before plates with apple pies, cheese sticks and other delicious dishes are placed on the table.

It works for me.


Merry Christmas and a happy new year!!

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works for me

When one of the children claims to be ill, I have a great solution.
Most of the time it works.

I state firmly what I want, for instance: "I know you're not feeling well, but I want you to go to school", and offer a tablet that works for that illness.
I have a box and it contains vitamin C. A pharmacy label states a very difficult name.

That pill does wonders!

It works for me.


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Works for me 2

december 5 2007

Shannon asks how we solve the problem of shortage of time, lack of ingredients, and the demand for food... NOW!!

I'm great at making a dinner that feeds the crowds.

First I make soup.
When the freezer doesn't provide the vegetables, nor the poultry or meat to fly through the water, I just add special instant soup ingredients that are also used by restaurants.
Hej...with 6 kids in puberty life here is like running a restaurant.

Then I either bake left over potatoes.
Put unions in the pan and glaze them.
Add the potatoes,
when they started to get brown, make space between them and shed egg in there.
Spice up with whatever you like.

Sometimes I even put the vegetables in there, making it a one pan dish.

It combines with whatever vegetables there are.

Some like it with cheese over it and grilled.

Dessert: yoghurt.

works for me

december 5 2007

Well, most of the time I really have to think about ideas that other people don't use.

Last night and today I've been through so many emotions because I was once again confronted with manipulation of organisations that "know better", that I suddenly realised my gram and dad gave me some sound advice when they were still alive:
don't accept manipulation, go for what you think is right all by yourself.

I will explain the complete situation in another entry a bit later this evening.
But I can tell you this.

Last year the pedagogue of the school of my autistic son said she had submitted a place at a far more specialised school.
I never received a confirmation, so when this schoolyear started I politely asked her about it.
Once, twice, three times.

Never got an answer.

Because things didn't go well at school a careteam was involved and they not only went behind our backs with trying to get psychiatry to inform them, but they also said it would be good that the pedagogue would apply for a place at that special school.

It gave me the ill feeling that we as parents had nothing to say at all.

So I jumped against the roof.. I hate it that people consider us incompetent.

So I mailed the new school and got an answer within minutes.
There was a place at level 4 (a bit above his level now), and they would appreciate a meeting.

So I suggested tomorrow morning.

This places the decisions again in my own hands.
And it also speeds up procedures a lot.

I hope to have good news tomorrow.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Going against manipulation and keeping actions transparent and honest is always one of my main goals when I'm confronted with organisation of people "who know better".
Often it turns out I can do the job better, faster, and I can guard the wellbeing of my own family far better.

It works for me.


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works for me

november 28 2007


This week something about hiding Sinterklaas and Christmas presents.


With a family of 8 hiding presents can be terribly stressful. When they find something the fun is taken away and buying something new is often out of the question.

So for the little presents I keep the washingpowderboxes. The empty ones are stored between the full ones and none ever has told me I don't need much detergent.
I wrap the presents in plastic, so they won't smell afterwards, and put them in a box with a little washingpowder. I cut a little hole in one or two corners, so when someone wants to take a box, it starts leaking powder. (Ha...that'll teach them!!)

For the large presents I have created room at the attick.
In the winter there's a large collection of boxes with summerclothes.
Behind the boxes there's space for real large items, if we have them, and otherwise the presents are stored in a box with "summerunderwear of the girls", right under the lovely T-shirts. So when they start looking in the boxes they'll start fitting the t-shirts. By the time they have seen them all I have found them there. LOL!

I've been doing this for ages and it works for me.

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works for me

november 21 2007

In time for the holidays I discovered a way to teach my puberty hormones driven boys some normal hygienic behaviour.
Many young people with autism spectrum disorder dislike water.

Showering is for some of my boys a delight. If I'm not turning the water cold from downstairs they would spill an ocean full of water,
others hate to wash themselves, which has made me wish the ceiling would burst and all the water from the showing person would just pour over them in one great big gush.

But now I've found a way to get those smelly boys to shower.

Hidden fore their eyes I've hung a little pot near the staircase downstairs.
As soon as I've told them to shower and they've refused, I'm taking an old bottle of perfume and pour a bit in the little pot.

I hate the smell of stale perfume, and so do they.

When they take the stairs, their nose passes the pot in cm's distance, so they'll get the full odeur.
They hate it. Yoooohooo!

I've told them that they won't smell it when they're showered, because they wask off the dirty hormones and they can't interact with the environment anymore.

Ofcourse they don't understand the clue... but it works for me!!!


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