Auston Grove Apartment Homes Blog

Can cats and dogs live together in peace? Could your cat get along with another cat?

Whether you’re blending households with a roommate or partner who’s bringing a pet or adopting another animal for your current menagerie, you will have to figure out how all these creatures will share space. You may need to play guidance counselor for your furry friends, and we’ve got some tips to help you get started.

When You Can Choose Your New Pet
If your current pet is an older one, consider how it will feel about having a young puppy or kitten underfoot. Youngsters can often make an older pet feel young again. On the other hand, if your current pet is a real curmudgeon, you might want to avoid a young animal that may make it crankier. In either case, don’t leave old and young pets alone together until you see how they get along together.

Consider how different breeds might get along. If you are looking to adopt a new pet, you might be successful in choosing its characteristics and temperament based on the new pet’s breed. Also, if possible, make a point to spend some time observing the new animal before you adopt. It’s a good idea to try to match energy levels and easygoing natures to difficult ones, though the truth is that chemistry between animals, like people, is fairly unpredictable.

If you bring together two or more dogs or cats of different sexes, make sure they are all spayed or neutered so you don’t end up with a litter on your hands!

Making Introductions
Whether you are inheriting pets from a new roommate or a significant other or bringing a newly-adopted pet into your household, the way the animals meet could have a lot to do with how they end up getting along. For dogs, meeting in a neutral location, such as a park that neither one has been to before, is a great way for them to get to know each other without territorial disputes. Be sure the dogs are each on a leash and handled by a different person, in case they have to be separated.

Watch the animals’ body postures. If there is teeth-baring, deep growls, or stiff-legged stances, separate them, encourage them, and then reintroduce them. Once the dogs are in the same space, use plenty of positive reinforcement with each one to encourage them to get along.

With a Cat in the Equation
Cats, typically temperamental, can become even more so around dogs or other cats. Before introductions happen, keep the animals in different, but nearby, rooms so they can get used to the smells and sounds of the other. After a few days, let them share space in small bursts to see how they get along.

You may discover that a cat ends up claiming a certain part of the apartment for its own, at least initially. Keeping the dog’s bowls and the cat’s bowls, litter box and scratching post in separate places should help give your persnickety kitty the space it needs.

No matter what combination of pets you try to unite under a single roof, make patience and gentle support your priorities. Your new animals will need to adjust to new humans and a strange apartment, as well to their peer critters, so give them a chance to be scared and uncomfortable while they settle into their new home. In most cases, with time, animals that initially can’t stand to be in the same room together end up becoming good friends – or they at least learn how to tolerate each other.

Apartments in Raleigh, NC

Having a celebratory liveliness is what the Raleigh area is all about, and zest is a simple word with a big meaning. Greater Raleigh offers old-world charm in combination with unique festivals and events that set the area apart from the competition.

Featured Event - Spring Daze Arts and Crafts Festival - April 30, 2011

The festival is filled with wonderful arts and crafts, your favorite festival foods, community based civic groups handing out information on things you can get involved with, and entertainment. Children will be delighted by activities just for them in the Children’s Village and will be invited to exercise their imagination as they play in the always popular Lazy Daze Playground. Learn more »

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Apartments in Raleigh, NC

Do you like to keep a journal as a record of your life experiences to help you remember and catalog the fleeting thoughts of daily life? How would you feel about sharing those thoughts or observations with others?

If this interests you, you might wish to start your own online blog, which is like a journal that you compose in cyberspace.

A blog can be a place to share your expertise or interests, collect your thoughts, or even market a business. Read on for reasons why creating a blog might be for you.

What will your blog be about?
If you decide to start a personal blog, the sky’s the limit in terms of what you can write about. In keeping with the old axiom to “write what you know,” sharing information or insights about your everyday experiences is a great way to start blogging. Linking your observations to facts and information that can educate and entertain others is a bonus that will likely keep readers coming back.

Whether you choose to write a food blog, a travel blog, a political blog or one about garden gnomes, you may very well find an appreciative audience interested in what you have to say.

For business sites, of course, blog topics should relate to the product or service being promoted.

Which blogging site will you choose?
There are a number of different interfaces you can use for your blog.

Blogger, now a Google property, was one of the first blogging sites. Tumblr has a simple, yet sophisticated format, and Posterous makes setting up a blog quick and easy. WordPress themes allow for a very smooth, professional look.

LiveJournal, as the name implies, has a more personal than professional approach. Like a MySpace for the blogging world, LiveJournal’s focus is on community and groups gathered around shared interests. Its options allow users to make their journal as private or public as they like. Diary.com is a similar option that also lets you sync with task, calendar and social media applications.

A live journal…and more
Blogging began as a way to expand a personal Web presence by talking to friends and strangers about what you love - or hate - in a ‘dear diary’ style. With a blog, you can get personal in a timely way, updating it whenever you want. You can create an online journal that just might become “appointment reading” for friends and fans.

Fame can be achieved through blogging. In 2003, a frustrated temp, Julie Powell, decided to cook the 524 French recipes in Julia Child’s book “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” in the span of one year - and blog about the experience, at the same time. Her Julie/Julia Project project gained a large following and was adapted into a 2009 major motion picture, called “Julie & Julia” - the first time a blog had been brought to the big screen.

Powell’s blog ultimately had a dual purpose: it was both a personal expression and a professional outlet for her as a writer. This is common: a popular blog may take the form of a professional (or intentionally unprofessional) observation about a person’s experience in his industry or a citizen-journalist’s update on a particular subject.

Though the blog - and its new media cousins, Facebook and Twitter - have institutionalized the habit of sharing personal information with scores of complete strangers, the most-read posts of today are either truly informative or else very funny, offering readers tips, insight or humor that they can’t get anywhere else. And as businesses make blogging a part of their marketing plans, it seems everyone is bidding for the most eyes.

Perhaps you don’t care about publicity; you may just have something to say and don’t really care how many others will read it. Either way, if it’s time for you to blog, there are more ways to do it quickly and easily than ever before.

Like a pen-and-paper journal, a blog is the perfect venue for stream-of-consciousness creative writing and sharing about any number of topics - for all to read and share. Choose your blog host, your topic, and your style - the only limits are the time and energy you find to post what you have to say!

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Posting your resume online can assist you in your job search by making your unique qualifications known to thousands of employers who scour the Web for job candidates. But simply posting an online resume won’t get you hired. Find out how to leverage your online resume to help you find the job you’re looking for with these tips.

Why should you have an online resume?
Online resumes are fantastic job search tools because they’re efficient. Just think how long it would take for you to mail a copy of your resume to every potential employer - the time and expense would be staggering!

But with an online version at the ready, you can distribute your resume to hundreds or even thousands of potential employers and networking contacts quickly - and that’s an important advantage. In a job search, speed counts.

Online resumes are also convenient. Let’s say that you start your job search by informing all of your friends and contacts that you’re on the lookout for a new job. That’s a great beginning-of-job-search strategy, but your friends aren’t going to carry around paper copies of your resume with them everywhere they go. If a friend has a contact with a potential position for you, however, that friend can easily share the link to your online resume with a potential employer. Online resumes really can help your contacts help you.

Online resume tips
Once you realize how important it is to have an online resume, it’s good to know how to make your resume stand out in a crowd. Start by making sure that your online resume is filled with strong keywords. If you post a resume to a large job board like CareerBuilder.com or Monster.com, you should know that employers search for candidates on these sites by scanning resumes for keywords, specific search terms that illustrate the qualities and skills employers want. If you want to work as a software engineer, for instance, then a few good keywords to include in your online resume might be:

• Master’s degree
• Linux
• Software design
• Algorithms
• Network security

These terms are good keywords because they are specific to a software engineer’s job. Remember that employers will be looking for different keywords applicable to skills required in their industries. If you have created a well-crafted resume, the right keywords should be there.

Keep in mind that you can do more with an online resume than simply post it on job boards. You can attach the link to e-mails for quick responses to job inquiries or for dispersal among networking contacts. (If the print version of your resume has fancy formatting, you may need to convert your resume to plain text format so it is easily readable when copied and pasted into an e-mail.)

Remember to keep your online resume current. You should always keep your current resume online so that it accurately reflects the breadth of your skills and achievements. Certain job board sites also push newly-updated resumes to the top of the heap for employer searches - another reason why keeping your current resume online is a plus.

Get the most mileage out of your online resume
In addition to keeping your resume current, you can help make your online resume work for you by maintaining active status on social networking Web sites where you post your resume. Each time you update resume information on one of these sites or interact with other uses in some way, the site informs all of your contacts that you’re active. LinkedIn, for example, does this via a weekly newsletter; Facebook uses a live feed. If a former coworker repeatedly sees your name in her weekly LinkedIn newsletter, for instance, she’s more likely to think of you when she hears of a job opportunity. In this way, networking sites like LinkedIn, Plaxo, or Facebook keep working for you even when you are not actively job searching.

An online resume really can be a tremendous asset to a job seeker. Follow some basic guidelines to keep your resume current and well-written, and you may dramatically increase your chances of finding employment.

Apartment in Raleigh, NC

You might think it’s tough to conserve resources living in an apartment, but it’s actually easier that you imagine. You can go green and take conservation matters into your own hands by making small changes and putting these eco-friendly tips into effect in your apartment and around your community.

Save fuel
Cutting back on car trips reduces the use of fossil fuels and the amount of pollution in a city. It’s as simple as walking, riding a bike, taking public transportation or carpooling. Start by mapping out a walking or biking route to work.

Look up local bus and train routes and start commuting via public transportation. Organize carpooling groups for your apartment community. If you are planning a move and looking for a new apartment, try to find one that is close to your office or your favorite shopping areas. Practicing energy conservation with your commute is a big step in the right direction.

Watch your water use
One of our most important natural resources ends up going right down the drain if we aren’t careful. Hundreds of gallons of water are wasted by individuals every year. Conserving water is as simple as turning off the faucet when you are brushing your teeth or washing your hair. You should also alert your apartment maintenance staff when you notice a leaky faucet or other water leak in your apartment or in community common areas. Be proactive by asking your apartment manager if you may install an energy-efficient showerhead in your bath.

Encourage energy efficiencies
There are a number of ways to go green on your own in your apartment. Make sure you turn your lights off when you’re not at home, and replace light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs that conserve energy. You can also unplug phone and battery chargers, as well as other electronics, when not in use. Even small changes make a big difference.

Remember to consult with your landlord first before you make any energy-efficient changes to permanent fixtures in your apartment.

Learn the 3 R’s
Reduce, reuse and recycle are the 3 main tenets for energy conservation. Try to work these into your daily routine. Reduce the amount of energy you use by keeping your thermostat set lower in the winter and higher in the summer. Cut down on waste by installing a water filter on your faucet instead of buying bottled water. Help your community reuse items by organizing a yard sale or swap meet to exchange used furniture, clothing and household items. And make the most of your community’s recycling efforts: you might raise awareness about recycling by recruiting volunteers to pick up recyclables door-to-door.

These are just a few of the ways you can practice conservation at your apartment and in your community. You may be able to partner with your apartment management to suggest conservation steps for your apartment community. You might even take recycling to the next level by organizing an electronics recycling drive right in your own apartment community.

Apartment in Raleigh, NC

Do you like to attend music concerts or art gallery openings? Do you enjoy live theater or improv comedy? If these activities are exciting to you, you will want to locate arts and culture opportunities that are convenient to your apartment community.

Read on for suggestions to help you find the creative outlets you are looking for.

Find your “scene”
What brings people who live elsewhere to visit your community? Perhaps people visit your city because of interesting things it offers to see and do. If you look for information tailored to guests of the area, you may discover that you have access to all kinds of creative outlets.

If you enjoy viewing fine art, keep your eyes open for museums and art galleries open for your patronage. Check for show openings or performance art “happenings” to take part in, and frequent your local music store to keep your finger on the pulse of your local music scene. To satisfy your craving for live music, look for everything from small clubs to large arena venues.

Maybe movies or live comedy are more your thing. You may want to investigate the types of cinema available near your home. Perhaps your town has an art-house cinema in addition to a large multiplex theater. Or look for a stand-up comedy club or a theater that specializes in improvisational comedy.

Start your search at home
Start with your computer. Go online and let your fingers do the searching for theaters and concert halls in your area. You might enter your zip code and the type of creative activity you enjoy. You may discover local venues which cater to your interest. Check their online schedules and get an idea of how often they hold concerts or gatherings. Try both general and specific searches: either way, an online search should help you narrow down local options for an artistic night out.

Keep up with local arts and culture
Look for information about arts organizations from local publications and blogs, including your local newspaper’s arts and culture pages. Getting into the habit of regularly checking these sources — such as an art council’s Web site — will both help you find the options of most interest to you and keep you abreast of what’s going on in your artistic community.

Also, visit your chamber of commerce, either online or in person. These organizations are great places to find information about your community, including active arts opportunities. Your city’s chamber should be able to provide current and comprehensive listings of open art galleries, working theaters, and live music venues. Remember to sign up for newsletters from your Chamber, retail stores, or news outlets that will send information to you regarding the kinds of art you are most interested in.

Get involved with the arts
You may wish to start a deeper involvement in a particular area of arts interest. When you visit your local museum, you might stop by the information desk and inquire about groups that meet regularly, for instance, to help you do this.

A community’s commitment to its art and artists can tell you a lot about who lives there. Show your support by finding and attending the arts and culture events that fire your imagination. You are sure to meet like-minded individuals who share your excitement about experiencing the world of artistic expression.

Apartment in Raleigh, NC

Why not try your hand at social networking in the apartment community where you live? You’ll find the returns may not only enhance your day-to-day life, but might benefit your professional one, as well.

Meet your neighbors
In our fast-paced lives, the days of front porches and sidewalk strolls have mostly passed away. We need another way to meet our neighbors. With busy schedules and few organized ways to meet, it’s no wonder that online social networking has become the way to connect — to folks both faraway and next door.

A social network that includes the residents of your apartment community is a great way to meet and share with the people you live close to. Like a neighborhood association, social networking within your community presents a chance to get to know your neighbors and discuss apartment living issues.

Discover professional opportunities
Business and social networking have become so intertwined that it’s now relatively easy to connect what you do with who you know. Sometimes the best business connections are the ones made casually and personally, and you might discover some great professional opportunities through social interactions with your neighbors. Connections to a business, for instance, can be made through chit-chat around the pool or via a posting of your product or service on your social networking venue.

Share information
Social networks can be used by residential groups to share information about the community, coordinate get-togethers, help residents find repair assistance, discover new businesses in the area — even monitor weather concerns and neighborhood watch issues. With an online neighbors’ network, you’ll likely be better informed about what’s happening around you, and you may discover new ways to get involved.

Neighbor networking sites
Facebook is, of course, one of the most popular social networking tools around. On the site, you can create “members-only” groups, where membership could be set up and limited to residents of your apartment community.

You might also look at other sites designed to unite a very specific population - the people you live near. OneTwib lets you see other users in your area via a virtual map. You can say hello, exchange information, buy or sell things, or offer services. i-Neighbors is another site that includes discussion groups, bulletin boards and photo albums.

Social networking can make friends out of virtual strangers, and help connect you to your neighbors, as well. You may discover that online social networking is another great way to feel at home in your apartment community.

Apartment in Raleigh, NC

So, you have moved to a new community that is unfamiliar to you, and you want to learn about your new neighborhood. Why not start your search by going online, right from your apartment?

Take a look at these suggestions for learning more about your new community through the Web.

Search for what interests you
The Internet has a wealth of resources waiting to connect you with the world right outside your apartment community. Think about the things that interest you: maybe you enjoy eating out in restaurants and going to movies?

Sites that focus on specific activities are great for expanding your awareness of destinations in your neighborhood. You can look to the Web to help you find, say, a Southwestern restaurant in your neighborhood, or find a theater and check the times on the new movie you want to see. For information about restaurants, for instance, check out Urbanspoon.com. You can even make online reservations at many eateries via sites such as Opentable.com. You can find local theaters and movie times on sites such as Fandango.com or Moviefone.com. Once you get used to it, looking for local attractions and events via the Web becomes as easy as clicking your mouse.

Google it
Don’t forget about one of the most versatile tools on the Internet: Google! Google is a first-class ticket to seeing the world online. You can find maps to destinations, in many cases with pictures of the actual places you want to visit. You can easily search by key words and categories, and get suggestions from Google about searches that others have made using similar phrases. One search to try is to enter your city, region, or neighborhood by name and see what comes up for you. You may discover a regional publication that serves your area with a blog about your favorite pastime and where to pursue that activity near your apartment home.

Find friends in your neighborhood
Some Web sites are designed to bring people together. You customize these sites for your city or area simply by entering the city’s name in the search field. Meetup.com, for instance, can be used to set up group events between like-minded people who live near each other and are interested in similar activities. On that site, just click “find a group,” then enter the activity that interests you, along with your location. You can then browse through a multitude of groups that have formed because of a love for music or flower arranging. Diving into the diverse opportunities found on pages like these may lead you to discover resources and opportunities in your community that you had no idea were available.

It’s not all fun and games
Your neighborhood may very well have a presence on the Web. Search by name for state and city government sites to learn how to conduct official business or where to find important services. Community-based sites are great online places to learn about your neighborhood and stay abreast of community news.

Of course, it is especially important in new surroundings to familiarize yourself with services you may need some day, like the location of the hospital nearest to your apartment. Of more daily assistance, you can find online services that will suggest different routes for getting to places, or you can check the current traffic on your favorite commute path. Maps and travel schedules for rapid transit can typically be found online, as well.

The people have spoken
One of the most useful and exciting features of the Web is its ability to bring people (and their opinions) together. Sites such as Yelp.com give people community forums where they can share their experiences of visiting stores, restaurants, nightclubs, and other services. You can benefit from all this information, but, as with everything you read on the Web, use your own judgment: a few negative comments, no matter how strong the objections, do not necessarily mean that an establishment should be avoided. Look for a general agreement over a series of postings, and notice if you tend to agree with certain commentators who post frequently. You may even decide to join the fray and offer your own online feedback.

The power of the Internet to help familiarize us with our world is one of its great achievements. It has rapidly become quite common that any place we might want to visit now has two locations: one on a street somewhere, and one on the Web.

Bookmark your favorite destinations on the information highway and check in with them regularly — it’s the easiest way to stay informed about what’s going on and to explore the world where you live.

Apartment in Raleigh, NC

Yoga classes seem to be everywhere, from the local gym to boutique studios. But what is yoga exactly, and why is the practice so popular? Check out this yoga guide for answers that will help you decide if a yoga class might be right for you.

What is yoga?

Yoga is an ancient method of exercise, stress-relief and meditation that has been practiced for around 5,000 years. As ancient Eastern medical practices have continued to become more popular in the West, yoga classes have become more accessible, with a growing number of choices. Increasing flexibility, strength, lung capacity, relaxation and mental clarity, yoga offers an arsenal of health benefits. It can also lower blood pressure and help inhibit heart disease, while decreasing the risk of stroke.

Most Western presentations of yoga focus on a set of poses. You may have heard of yoga postures such as the downward facing dog or the child’s pose. Once you learn the basic poses, you can practice them whenever and wherever you want — at home, on the road, with or without a video to follow.

Different Types of Yoga

Though based on the same general poses, yoga varieties differ in their intensity and emphasis.

Hatha yoga is slow-paced and gentle, and provides a great introduction to yoga principles and poses.

Vinyasa yoga generally focuses on breath-synchronized movements. Encompassing a number of movements called sun salutations, this method is more rigorous than Hatha.

Ashtanga, usually the basis of a power yoga class, is one of the most strenuous kinds of yoga. In Ashtanga, the same series of yoga postures are performed in a specific order, one after the other. The rigorous flow between poses makes this method physically challenging.

Iyengar yoga is most focused on body alignment, the precise way your body should be held in each posture to avoid injury and get the most benefit. This method emphasizes holding poses, rather than moving quickly between them.

Bikram yoga, known as hot yoga, is performed in a room that is 95 to 100 degrees, which helps loosen tight muscles and promotes sweating, part of a cleansing process. Bikram usually uses 26 yoga postures, though not every class makes use of them all.

Kundalini yoga focuses on freeing the energy of the lower body and moving it upward, while using controlled breathing.

What to Know Before You Start

First, choose the style of yoga that is right for your level of physical fitness. If you’re a beginner, Hatha or Vinyasa are good places to start. Then begin researching a convenient and reputable yoga studio. You can search online or in health magazines. If you already see an alternative health practitioner, such as a massage therapist or acupuncturist, that person might also be able to recommend a particular yoga class. Many studios will offer a free introductory class, so be sure to ask.

Each class will begin with a warm up, so be sure to make use of it and ease into the postures. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re feeling any awkwardness or discomfort in a yoga posture. Be prepared to be a little sore after your first class, and be sure not to push too hard. Yoga is about ease of movement — nothing jerky or sudden.

What to Bring

Check with the facility where you’ll be taking your yoga classes to see what they’d like you to bring. You can buy yoga-specific clothing, but non-binding, comfortable exercise clothes will work fine. You can bring your own yoga mat, or use one at the studio, sometimes for a small rental fee.

Ready to see if yoga is right for you? Don’t be afraid to experiment, trying different facilities and types of yoga to see which one is the best fit. Then get ready to reap the benefits of this powerful tool for healthy living.

Apartments in Raleigh, NC

Have you been feeling blue for a while? Do you find yourself avoiding people or activities that you formerly loved?

We all face feelings of sadness and anxiety at times in our lives, but if these feelings seem to be staying with you over time, you may want to consider whether something more serious is affecting you. Read on for information about depression and how to deal with it, head-on.

Depression is An Illness

Depression is a medical condition, with physical, mental and emotional facets. There are many potential causes of depression, including one’s biology, genetics, and stress level, and the symptoms of depression are many and varied. Individuals suffering from depression may have trouble concentrating or focusing on activities. They may feel constantly fatigued, even though they get sleep, or they may suffer from insomnia. Weight changes are reported, in addition to physical pain, such as head- or stomach-aches. Sadness, anxiety, guilt, or worthlessness are common feelings of those affected by depression.

To evaluate clinical depression, a doctor will look at the duration and severity of a patient’s symptoms. The way a person describes his experience is also important in directing him toward an appropriate treatment path. Antidepressant medications may be prescribed, which alter brain chemistry in an attempt to regulate mood. Seeking the help of a therapist, in addition to or instead of medicine, may be recommended to help patients better understand life factors which may be contributing to their depression.

Getting Help is Key

If you suspect you are depressed, the first step toward relief is to consult with your physician. If you are diagnosed with depression, your doctor will work with you to develop an action plan for improvement. If medicine is prescribed, take it exactly as directed. Never stop taking powerful antidepressant medication without consulting your doctor first. Even if a doctor advises a patient to stop taking an anti-depressant, all medications are different, and some may require the patient to decrease doses over time instead of quitting cold turkey.

Know Your Options

Be aware, also, that medication is not your only option. Because of the complex and individual nature of depression, you may discover different, yet equally successful, methods of improving your symptoms. Working with a professional therapist may help you to learn to think differently about your situation, which may, in turn, help lessen your suffering and lead you away from experiencing depression. Exercise, diet, and relaxation lead, for some people, to the same improvements facilitated by medicine or other therapy. Some patients may require a combination of treatments to deal with depression.

Stay Connected

Look to family, friends, a trusted therapist, or a support organization for the assistance you will need in getting and staying better. Research shows that talking about one’s experience with depression is an extremely successful avenue toward lessening depression’s negative effects. Set aside regular time to spend with people with whom you can express your emotions and be honest about what you are feeling. Above all, do not isolate yourself when you feel depressed, and talk with someone immediately if you have suicidal thoughts or feelings.

Take steps to help if you notice symptoms of depression in yourself or someone you love. Addressing the feelings caused by depression — and getting help for their causes — are the best avenues for healing.

Apartments in Raleigh, NC