Massachusetts Martin Blog

My daughter's essay....

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:48:28 -0600

My 9 y/o had to write an essay describing the person who has been most important in teaching her the difference between right and wrong..... thought I'd share...

"A person I know that has taught me right from wrong is my dad. He is very smart, positive and he always says to be polite when I go to my friend's house. Some qualities my dad has are being nice, funny, neat, loving and very happy. He is also positive, so when I leave the house, my dad says, "make sure you act polite and friendly!" Those are some things my dad is, too. He teaches me to always be very positive, polite, friendly and outgoing. One method is that at Stop and Shop or Shaws, he always says to the cashiers, "Hello Mr. or Mrs. So and So! We are here to check out our items. We've got quite a few!" It really embarrasses me and my sister but it teaches us to be friendly and outgoing. This makes a big impression on me because he shows me I can make someones day or put a smile on someones face with the little things I do every day."

Boston Marathon - What Was I Thinking (Part 14): Moving Along

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:08:27 -0500

Yes. I am still here. Yes. I do have more to the story. Yes. I have had Active Rain-ites pounding on my door demanding that this long, drawn out, never ending, 26.2 mile story actually come to some conclusion! Tough! Too bad!! Although.... I will move the story along and hope I haven't lost everyone!

First, lets have a quick summary.

- I don't like to run
- I momentarily lost my mind and with just three months before the race, I got myself entered as charity in the Boston Marathon
- I was striving to hit $1000 in donations per mile that I complete
- I pushed my training too hard trying to ramp up in just three months. With just a few weeks before the race, both knees hurt to the point that I could no longer run.
- I did no training the last two weeks before the race except to eat well and stretch.

So to move the story along and to try and maintain the AR friends that haven't sent me evil letters, I'm going to jump up to race day. From here on out, the story is an attempt to give us non-marathon runners an idea as to what it's like to participate in the Boston Marathon.

I was picked up at my house by Super Dave at 6:30 AM and we head into Boston. The town feels like a ghost town as there are parking spots available everywhere since its early and its a Massachusetts holiday. Dave parked in one of the available spots and since its a holiday, there is no need to pump in the quarters. His plan is to just hop in his car at the end of the race and drive home. Someone will have to pick me up as I don't know when (if ever) I finish.

We met three of Dave's friends on Tremont street. There are about 30 school buses lined up which will ship the runners out to Hopkinton. It's an amazing thing to watch. Hundreds of runners pile into the buses, the buses pull out and are replace by 30 more buses. Quite a production line.

As we're driving out of Boston and hop onto the Massachusetts turnpike, it hits you... wow... this is pretty far. The bus I was on was filled with runners of all shapes, ages, sizes and experience. Some are listening to Ipods, some are napping, one, attempting this also for the first time, had plan written down and she was going through it. At mile one, a Gatorade. At mile two a water. At mile three a Gatorade. Etc. A bit too organized for me.

After 45 minutes, we arrive in Hopkinton, Massachusetts where the athletes village is set up. We found a spot in the village where we opened up a blanket and drop our stuff. What a great place to people watch. Just behind us were two twins from California, about 40+ years old and totally decked out in pink with pink fluffy boas and tiaras. There are alot of people napping, reading, drinking coffee, chatting with friends and eating breakfast. There was a stage set up which had performers singing through the morning!

The village also had an area for coffee, bagels, water and gatorade, all free. I brought my breakfast/lunch with me which consisted of two bagels, two bananas, a power bar and eight mini bottles of water.... the breakfast of champions? I space out my meal as I hate running on a full stomach. I also managed to get in a 30 minute nap. Dave's friends couldn't believe how relaxed I was. Actually, even with my knees in questions, I don't think that I was nervous or scared at any point before or after the race. It was all to exciting. THIS was the athlete's village for the Boston Marathon!

Stay tuned for Boston Marathon - What Was I Thinking (Part Fifteen)

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Staying in Boston? Try the Inn at Longwood in the Longwood area of Boston. This Boston Best Western Hotel is conveniently located near many Boston attractions.

When it Gets Messy, Clean it Up!

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:04:27 -0500

It happened about a year ago. My largest web site optimization client brought out the broom and decided to consolidate their SEO efforts. I was one of about four companies that they used and they only wanted to deal with one. The others were going to get swept aside. Besides consolidating, they were also going to expand their efforts. They were going to add many more of their hotels (they were a large luxury chain) and they were going to need an international presence.

To say the least, I was stressed. I had a feeling that things were going to get messy. (This was about the time I took Frumble for a walk... Thank you Mr. Frumble). I spent long nights working on a proposal. I worried and I got concerned about what to do and what would happen. Would we be one of the companies to get flushed away like dirty mop water?

Then we had a tragic event and I realized that the stress was preoccupying my thoughts completely. I was neglecting myself and my family and no good could come from it. I needed to clean up the mess that was in my head.

I realized that I had to take control and not just sit back and let things happen TO me but to make them happen FOR me. I needed to grab the mop handle and get working. I searched through the trash can of my mind and found my positive attitude. I worked at a solution rather than dwelling on the muck. I may get the client back... I may not get the client back... but I had to be prepared either way. I decided to clean the slate and go shopping and after a few months of research and searching, I made a purchase.

The same month that my client informed me that they would be going with a more International and larger firm, I closed on my commercial cleaning company!

Boston Marathon - What Was I Thinking Part 13 - Could this be THE END ?!!!

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Mon, 19 May 2008 07:43:46 -0500

I'll never forget the day it happend. It was April 1, 2006 and I had to call my parents to tell them that it was all over. With just two weeks left, there was no way I would be able to run the in the Boston Marathon.

It started when I was driving down the main street of town and saw a pop up camper with a for sale sign. I had always wanted a pop up camper and had been looking at both new and used. I pulled over and this one looked to be in great condition. After a few phone calls, a tour of the trailer and some negotiation, I made the purchase.

The seller delivered the camper to my house and we set it up together on the lawn. I kept it up for a few days and on April 1, I decided it was time to put it into the garage. So down it came, packed up nicely into its little box.

I called my parents to explain to them how I was tring to lower the front part of the camper using the crank. Unfortunately, the crank was not moving easily and I thought there was something that was locking it in place. Without reading the instructions, I turned the other handle. I explained to my parents how that was a big mistake.

The other handle was what secured the camper to the metal tube at the front. If you loosen it without it being attached to the car, the front end comes crashing down and in this case, I explained, crashes down right on my foot.

I continued to tell my parents how it was a good thing I had my cell phone with me because I was home alone and with the camper on my foot, I wasn't going anywhere. I was able to call 911, the rescure team was able to jack the camper off my foot which let loose the blood. When I woke up, I was in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

What was I to do? My foot was crushed and there were only two weeks left until the marathon. I guess the only thing I really could do was remind my parents of the date.

When they were finished laughing, they swore, as they do every year, that they would never again answer the phone on April 1.

(NOTE: The first part of the story was actually true, but the camper missed my foot by about 3 inches.)

Stay tuned for Boston Marathon - What Was I Thinking (Part Fourteen)

Boston Marathon - What Was I Thinking Part Twelve: The End of the Road?

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Thu, 15 May 2008 08:13:59 -0500

I had been feeling alot of pain in my knees after ramping up my training so quickly and I was a bit concerned. It had only been eight weeks since I started training and I had added on miles very quickly. I had been following my doctors advice and was heating my knees before running and icing my knees after running, but now they hurt every time I went out.

I had made another visit to my doctor to verify that I wasn't doing any permanent damage and he did confirm that he didn't think it would be anything long lasting. He told me that I had gone from such low mileage to such high mileage to quickly and my knees were having a hard time with the adjustment. He also told me to take some time off.

Time off! Sheesh!! There were now only four weeks until the race and I was supposed to be at the pinnacle of my Boston Marathon training! Sponsorship was over $700 per mile and I had to stop running. The doctor said to take at least two a two week break.

Well, mentally I was still okay. I had made the decision weeks before that I was going to do this and I was going to finish the marathon. I figured that even if I walked most of the race, or hobbled most of the race, every mile I completed brought in a large amount of funds for the cause. I really had nothing to lose.

I still recall a friend asking me, "You're not training?! How are you ever going to finish the Boston Marathon without training?" And I recall my answer quite clearly, "I am just going to." I had convinced myself that I could do it and I wasn't going to let anything make me change my mind. If I had to stop training for two weeks, then I'd stop training for two weeks but it wouldn't change my attitude or the outcome.

I think that all of the support I was receiving in the way of fundraising, phone calls of support and the constant inquisitiveness of friends and family on the status of pledges and training that really helped me stay focused. I also kept picturing, so clearly in my head, how it would feel as I crossed the finish line. What a feeling!

Boy was my head in the clouds. I had no idea how far 26 miles was when you have to run them and looking back, I'm glad I didn't know. I think I may have panicked. The pain I was feeling in my knees was nothing compared to what was to come.

Stay tuned for Boston Marathon - What Was I Thinking (Part Thirteen)

What Was I Thinking (Boston Marathon Part Eleven): I Must Recap

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:05:50 -0500

My original plan for this 'What Was I Thinking' series was to have the conclusion of my running of the Boston Marathon story coincide with the actual Boston Marathon. Unfortunately, since I had my two month hiatus from AR, I missed that opportunity. The Boston Marathon was held about two weeks ago. So, I've decided to run a 365 part series to be concluded at next years marathon. (No ... not really)

It has been awhile since part ten so for my benefit (to remind me where I was) and for your benefit (to remind you were I was), I thought that I'd delve back into the story by recapping the first ten installments. Here it is in the Cliff Notes version.

Part one - In the Beginning: I decided to get healthy and out of shape (out of the oval shape). This tends to happen in early January each year. To un-oval, I run three miles every few days until my motivation wears off. I don't like to run and I needed something to keep me motivated. (Little did I know it would all end in tears & pain)

Part two - Goodbye Reality: My mind played tricks on me and I decided to run the Boston Marathon to raise money for our local synagogue, my goal was $1000 in pledges per mile I complete. That should keep me motivated! This happened in January 2006, three months before the race.

Part three - The Point of No Return: I actually managed to get an entry number into the Boston Marathon and reality hit. I'm going to run the Boston Marathon!!

Part four - Super Dave: I consult with my running friend, Dave, who has run numerous marathons. We drink a few pints and discuss the fine art of marathon running and we come up with my plan.

Part five - My Follow Through: I buy sneakers and create a training schedule.

Part six - The Rise of Marathon Martin: A small committee is formed to discuss how I am going to reach the $1000 in sponsorships per mile. Marathon Martin is created and a plan is formed.

Part seven - Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News: Before I am allowed to continue, I have to visit my doctor for confirmation that I'm healthy enough to do this. He also consults with me about my knee that has been paining me after some small runs.

Part eight - Train, Train, Train: The training continues and I start to hit the big mileage.

Part nine - Show Me the Money: The fundraising continues and I start to hit the big dollars.

Part ten - Double Trouble: After running the last 14 miles of the actual marathon route, both of my knees start to hurt. A few days after the run, I am not able to complete small one and two mile runs. It's time to see the doctor again.

Stay tuned for What Was I Thinking (Part Twelve) .... soon... I promise!

SEO Help - Your Title Tag

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Fri, 09 May 2008 08:05:28 -0500

You have your site but you're not getting found. You thought you were doing SEO right. You did your keyword research and you have come up with a website full of unique quality content. So why aren't you getting ranked well on Google? Have you looked at your Title tags?

So what is the Title Tag?

Basically, the title tag is HTML code. This HTML code is located in the header section which is not visible on the webpage itself. You can see what the Title tag of a site is by viewing the blue banner at the top of the browser when on a webpage (It's the blue banner on Internet Explorer). Through the eyes of the search engines, the most useful piece of code on any page is the title tag and typically carries alot of weight in the search engines' algorithm. Don't skip over the importance of your titles.

Title Tag Errors

There are two main mistakes that website owners will make in relation to the title tags.

The same title tag is used on every page: You see this often when a business uses the name of their company on each page. This works well if the company is only optimizing to get found on engines for their business name. This, however, is usually never the case. Companies want to be found by visitors based on their services they provide.
The second mistake occurs when a designer places the page name in the title tag. This happens usually on the home page and contact us pages of site. Rather than put useful key word text in the home page title tag, it just says something like 'home', 'default' or 'business name home page'. This is not helpful in getting better ranked on Google, Yahoo and other search engines.

How Should I Create My Title Tag

Avoid the two mistakes I listed above when trying to optimize your sites. As I mentioned, the Title tag is extremely important in SEO. Here are some guidelines when creating your title. For these recommendations, I assume that you have done keyword research. To create useful title tags, take a look at the webpages on your site and review your blueprint (keyword list). What is the overall theme of the page? That is the starting point of your title tag. Create a 2 to 9 word phrase based on your theme and blueprint. Keep the tag to no more than 90 characters and make it readable.

Remember to do your Title Tag right as it is one of the most important aspects to the SEO fo your website.

My Blogging Wife

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:45:54 -0500

My wife has decided to join the Web 2.0 community and has started to blog. She's not quite sure why she is doing it but she has done it anyway. Honestly, I was a bit skeptical at first. She hasn't ever really read posts on other blogs and I didn't think she would really know what to do. Boy was my skepticism unwarranted. She only has about six posts up, however, I am very impressed with the quality of posts she is putting out.

Now she is wondering if anyone will ever actually read what she is writing. I told her that it takes a little while before the engines will catch on to her and then a little more time to build a following. But I am so impressed with what she is writing and feel that it could be useful and entertaining, I thought I'd give her a plug.

So... my AR friends... feel free to stop by Aviva's Thoughts and tell her what you think. Her blog is at www.knitting-mall.com

Today Was the Day that Winter Disappeared

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Thu, 08 May 2008 06:30:21 -0500

I realized today that winter is really over!!! It was that big annual event that really sealed it for me. It happens just once a year, is so monumental and so life changing .... and it happened today.

It is that one thing that truly ushers out the winter and leads the way for the renewal and rebirth of spring. It happens just as the flowers start budding on the trees and it is as significant to the new season as the crocuses popping up in the yard.

We've all seen it happen and it always puts a smile on my face. I like to watch it happen and I usually go outside to witness the event and to get a close up view. I stand there in awe as I can feel the last bit of winter disappear before my eyes.

Yes... today... was that day.

Today, I heard it happening and ran outside as I didn't want to miss it.

Today was that day....

Today..... the street sweeper removed the sand and grit from my street!

Thank You Mr. Frumble

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:25:58 -0500

I took Mr. Frumble, our humble Cairn Terrier, for a good walk last night. This wasn't out of the ordinary as I take him for a walk every night, however, last night was a bit different. I'm not quite sure why last night was different for we walked around the same neighborhood and we stopped in the same areas to 'do his job' that we always do.

While walking, I realized that recently, I seem to have forgotten alot of those things I believe in. I have been very stressed with my job to the point of losing sleep. I have felt overwhelmed with the amount of things that I had on my list to get done both in my personal life and with work. The affect of this was that I was a bit snappy with the kids and I felt tired. I didn't seem to be myself and I didn't like it.

So last night, while thinking and coming to that realization... I continued to think and I watched my dog.

Mr. Frumble stopped so many times along the way, to smell and explore and look around.... rather than being annoyed by his constant stopping, I tried to adopt his attitude (although, I didn't stop to smell the poop). I tried to notice things as well.... a row of bricks, a pile of terracotta pots, a boulder being consumed by vines growing up and around it.

Rather than just walking past all of the houses with the goal of finishing the walk, I relaxed. I actually looked at the houses and the gardens as I walked. I noticed the multitudes of beautiful flowers in bloom.... yellows, pinks, reds and whites. I also took some deep breathes and felt spring in the air. Spring, the season of rebirth and renewal. Everything I saw had it's own beauty.

And I remembered.

I remembered that there is so much beauty in the world from the flowers to the shards of terracotta. I remembered that the one and only thing that I have complete control over are my own thoughts and my own feelings. I remembered that happiness is a decision and that no matter what others do or say, I can decide to be happy regardless. I remembered that stressing and losing sleep doesn't help anything. Getting angry, sad or upset doesn't complete my work any faster. My to-do list will not get shorter by worrying about it. And I decided to be happy again, content with the world again, to notice the little things and to see the beauty in everything. My list will get done regardless of how long it gets.

I hope I don't forget again.

To Live Beyond My Fence...

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Mon, 05 May 2008 07:43:02 -0500

Our family moved into our house about seven years ago. There were many great features in the house but the one that really hooked me was the potential beyond the fence.

Our yard is fairly large with enough room up the side of the house to throw a frisbee with friends. At the end of this piece of yard is a small creek. I use the word creek loosely as it never gets more than an inche or two of water and is often dry. Although there is a small land locked wooded peice of land beyond the creek, which we own, the previous owner installed a stockade fence just before the creek.

I like nature and being outdoors so when I moved into the house.... I made a plan in my head and the fence came down.

I've spent my spare time over the past 6 years 'working' in my woods clearing brush, removing piles of garbage, moving rocks and just cleaning up. The toughest part was breaking all of the neighbors of their habit of dumping their yard waste back there. (Some broke the habit easier than others.... that's a story for another time). There were also friends and family that didn't understand what I was doing back there. They couldn't see beyond the overgrowth, piles and weeds.

In the fall of last year I finally put in the zip line for the kids, hung the tire swing and replaced the plank over the creek with a nice wide wooden bridge. I also have a friend that removes trees for a living (Marquis Tree Removal) and he offered to drop a truck load of ground up trees in my driveway. I moved 132 wheelbarrows full of tree mulch into the woods.

Last week, after seven years, some of my dreams came true. My kids (and a friend each) helped me pitch a tent on the soft mulch. We built a campfire in the new pit I had installed and three neighborhood families came over to toast marshmallows and eat smores. The kids and I spent the night in the tent and as I drifted off to sleep, such a feeling of satisfaction came over me. I had made a plan and after so many years I was reaping the benefits of all of the work I had put in. I fell asleep very happy.

My kids now spend most of their outside time back there swinging on the tire swing, riding the zip line or just building little fairy houses.

Next step.... the tree house!

Taste the Wine and Maintain Hope

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Sun, 04 May 2008 07:35:08 -0500

One of my closest friends has three boys ranging in age from 6 to 10. Each of them has Primary Immunodeficiency Disease... or PIDD. What is PIDD? Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases are disorders in which part of the body's immune system is missing or does not function properly. In contrast to secondary immune deficiency disease in which the immune system is compromised by factors outside the immune system, such as viruses or chemotherapy, the primary immune deficiency diseases are caused by intrinsic or genetic defects in the immune system.

In layman terms, this means that his children have a very difficult time fighting off illness. Pneumonia is common and some of their vaccinations are ineffective. These children have to have a weekly transfusion.

The good news is that they have been diagnosed and they are living their lives. They have hope that this disease may be cured. Along with two other local families (six children in all) they are part of Team Hope.

Last night, Team Hope had a wine tasting fundraiser which was a great event. I wanted to thank Salvatores Restaurant in Lawrence (as well as the other event sponsors) for throwing an amazing event and getting so much food, wine and auction items donated. Everyone had a good time and $1000's of dollars were raised.

What About Bob

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:32:05 -0500

For eight years as a youth I went to summer camp. I would go away to this camp for four weeks and I believe that I would not be the same person I am today without that experience. The memories I have, the things I learned, the music I heard, the experiences I had, the friends I made all contribute to the me that is inside of me. My last year at the camp was 26 years ago and I have only talked to one of those many friends over much of that time.

A few months ago, the camp put a private social networking section up on their site and I reconnected with a small handful of these friends. It was so amazing, and brought up such amazing memories that I tracked down more of those friends and invited them to the site. There were 20 people in my unit when I was a CIT ... and we found them all. It is amazing to speak with them again.

I had a conference in New York City two weeks ago so I set up a dinner with three of these old friends that I knew lived in the city. They put the word out and a total of 14 people from my generation of camp showed up. The stories and memories that floated around that table that night were amazing, however, the evening as a whol was very surreal. For one of our friends brought news about Bob.

Bob was the camp director when we went to camp and he was going back to this year.... it would have been his 50th year at the camp. It turns out that Bob died that day. I hadn't seen these friends for over 25 years and the day we do see each other, Bob died.

He was such a good man and told amazing stories. He ran a camp that shaped who I am. He instilled good feelings into everyone he met. Although he'll be missed, I was with the people that I should be with when I heard the news.

Thank you Bob.

Now What.... I'll TELL YOU WHAT!!!!!

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:57:10 -0500

Wow.... I was amazed at how many responses I received from my first blog post in months. It gave me such a good feeling to know that I was missed... and by the way... I did miss my AR friends. I have thought about you often over the months. Such the reception on my return.... thank you friends. It means so much and gives me such a good feeling. For those that emailed me during my absense, I appologize if I hadn't emailed back.

Things got very busy for me a few months ago with work and home. I realized that I was spending way too much time here in the Rain and although I really enjoyed it..... I had to withdrawl for awhile to get done 'everything else'. I was doing so much in the Rain and it was eating up my time....

- write a post that I want to write
- write a post for whatever contest is running
- comment on my posts to everyone that left a comment. I felt that it was proper etiquette so they knew I was reading what they said. If they took the time to write, I took the time to comment.
-then go and comment on posts of those that left comments for me. It's only fair that if they took the time to comment on my post, I should comment on their post.

And that doesn't take into account the reading for fun... and commenting for fun. And I did that everyday!!

So... now that I'm back.... I have made some modifications to my ActiveRaining (yes.... its a verb now). I just can't spend the time here that I would like to (unless someone wants to pay me a large lump sum of cash).

I'm going to try and put a few posts up each week
I'm going to write posts that I want to write, because I want to write
Please don't be offended if I don't comment on comments you leave for me. It isn't personal and I DO read all of them. I will try to leave some re-comments... sometimes.
I am going to read posts that I want to read.... and comment if I feel I want to comment.
I am NOT GOING TO LOOK AT MY POINTS!!!!

I hope no one gets offended. I hope my friends continue to read. I hope I can continue to write about stuff that people may be interested in reading about (unlike this post... I'm sure).

Again... thank you my AR friends.

I'm just a newbie?

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:56:05 -0500

Well... well... well.... (or as I like to say, "three holes in the ground")....

So this is Active Rain. I've heard alot about this place. I hear it's a good place to jot down your thoughts, to read about all kinds of things and to maybe even make a friend or two.

I think I'll give this blogging thing a try... maybe post a thought every now and then. Although it looks as though I have alot of points, I think that I would be considered a newbie.... having just woken up from a long slumber of In-the-Rain-Inactivity.

I think it's time to get Rained on again. Will people notice I'm back? Will my friends, that I've left out in the rain for so long, come back to read? I hope so.

To AR and my friends... as Eric Clapton says, "Hello Old Friend".

Relocation Package - Burlington, MA - Learn, Learn, Learn

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 08:01:44 -0600

Burlington, Massachusetts will give your children a quality public education. Our school systemis comprised of four elementary schools (K-5), Marshall Simonds Middle School and Burlington High School. The schools offer a wide curriculum coordinated through the new Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction.

Within the past few years, the Burlington Education Foundation (BEF) was formed as a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote community involvement in education by channeling donations from businesses and individuals to provide Burlington teachers with an alternative source of funding for curriculum enrichment programs. There is a great connection between our schools and our community with the BEF hosting some great fund-raisers including "Exercise for Education" and the annual adult spelling bee.

Burlington, MA Elementary Schools:

Fox Hill Elementary School:
(781) 270-1791
2006 Enrollment - 510
Students Per Teacher - 13
MCAS Statewide Ranking - 336 of 1011

Francis Wyman Elementary School:
(781) 273-7047
2006 Enrollment - 566
Students Per Teacher - 13
MCAS Statewide Ranking - 461 of 1011

Pine Glen Elementary School:
(781) 270-1712
2006 Enrollment - 392
Students Per Teacher - 13
MCAS Statewide Ranking - 614 of 1011

Memorial Elementary School:
(781) 270-1721
2006 Enrollment - 241
Students Per Teacher - 13
MCAS Statewide Ranking - 680 of 1011

Burlington, MA Middle Schools:

Marshall Simond Middle School
(781) 270-1781
2006 Enrollment - 861
Students Per Teacher - 13
MCAS Statewide Ranking - 83 of 308

Burlington, MA High Schools:

Burlington High School
(781) 270-1800
2006 Enrollment - 981
Students Per Teacher - 13
MCAS Statewide Ranking - 43 of 297

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Useful Burlington, MA links:

Burlington, MA Official Page
Burlington, MA Police Dept
Burlington Schools
Burlington, MA stump grinding/tree removal
Bulington Janitorial & Cleaning Service

Glittering Trees

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:39:46 -0600

I went skiing over this past weekend and once again was reminded about the beauty of the world we live in. While riding up the sky lift on a very overcast day, the clouds suddenly parted and the sun came shining through. It had rained the night before and all of the trees were covered with ice. With the sun now shining from behind them.... all of the branches started glimmering... like jewels. It was absolutely beautiful. These pictures don't do it justice.... but I tried.

For those that don't get to enjoy a nice quite ride to the top of a snow covered mountain.....

Relocation Package - Burlington, MA - Pray, Pray, Pray

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:13:15 -0600

Burlington, MA is a diverse community and is the epitome of America.... truly a melting pot. There is true tolerance of others here as there as so many different religious sects working together in harmony.

Here is a listing of the religious organizations that represent the many faces of Burlington, Massachusetts.

Burlington Church of Christ, Cambridge St (781 272-6439) - Church of Christ

Church of the Open Bible, Winn & Wyman St (781 272-0090) - Non-Denominational

Fellowship Bible Church, Center St (781 272-2278) - Bible

Grace Baptist Church, Florence Rd (781 750-8911) - Baptist

Heritage Park Baptist Church, Lexington St (781 273-1669) - Baptist

International Church of God, Cambridge St (781 221-8444) - Church of God

Islamic Center of Burlington, Lexington St (781 229-0336) - Muslim

Jehovahs Witnesses - Kingdom Hall, Winn St (781 272-7069) - Jehovahs Witness

Living Word Evangelical Church, Lexington St (781 738-7546) - Evangelical

Mount Hope Christian Center, McGinnis Dr (781 272-1014) - Non-Denominational

New Age Oriental Therapy, Middlesex Turnpike (781 272-3638) - New Age

Pinewood Lutheran Church, Wilmington Rd (781 273-1610) - Lutheran

Presbyterian Church Of Burlington, Cambridge St (781 272-9190) - Presbyterian

St. Malachy's Catholic Church, Bedford St (781 272-5111) - Catholic

St. Margaret's Catholic Church, Winn St (781 272-3111) - Catholic

St. Mark's Episcopal Church, St. Mark's Rd (781 272-1586) - Episcopal

Temple Shalom Emeth, Lexington St (781 272-2351) - Jewish

United Church of Christ Congregational, Lexington St (781 272-4547) - United Church of Christ

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Useful Burlington, MA links:

Burlington, MA Official Page
Burlington, MA Police Dept
Burlington Schools
Burlington, MA stump grinding/tree removal
Burlington, Massachusetts cleaning company

What Was I Thinking (Part Ten): Double Trouble

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:08:22 -0600

I was ramping up nicely and starting to build some big mileage.

In week four, I completed a ten mile run and in week five, I headed into Boston to try the actual course. My wife dropped me off in Wellesley at about mile twelve. The run was tough as I ended up walking much of it, especially up some of the hills. I would stop along the way and stretch and more than once had conversations with pedestrians going by. It was a beautiful day even though it was a bit chilly.

With about a mile to go, I ran through Kenmore square and imaginged all of the people that will be filling the square on race day. Kenmore square is where everyone coming out of the Red Sox game stops to watch the race. It gets very crowded and I could image all of the cheers. Although I was tired and my legs were throbbing, I forced myself to run.... there is no way I was walking through Kenmore Square!

The last few miles, I was alternating between walking about a quarter mile and running a quarter mile. The muscles in my legs were sore and both of my knees were very uncomfortable. By the time I turned down Boylston Street, where the race ends, I was exhausted and really in some pain, but I finished the fourteen miles and I was quite proud of myself.

I called my wife to pick me up from a Dunkin Donuts where I recall having a glass of water and having a conversation with a meter maid. She couldn't believe that I just ran in from Wellesley. Again, I was proud of myself.

The following week I did finish a twelve mile run, however, I was unable to complete two smaller runs during that same week. One of these difficult runs, I completed about a mile and a half and my knees were in too much pain. I walked the mile and a half home. The other run, I got a few blocks from my house and had to go home due to the pain in my knees.

In week seven, with just five weeks until the race, I made the decision to take some time off from running, do additional cardio excersizes that would not put pressure on my knees and to call my doctor again.

I was a bit nervous since now... it was both knees that hurt.

Stay tuned for What Was I Thinking (Part Eleven)

Relocation Package - Burlington, MA - Eat, Eat, Eat

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:09:58 -0600

If you're moving to Massachusetts and are looking for a location that has some good places to eat, then Burlington, MA is your town.

Two restaurants in town that really stand out are.....

L'Andana, the newest restaurant in Burlington is located just off of route 128 on Cambridge St. It is a very easy location to get to from anywhere in town as well as neighboring towns. The restaurant is a casual elegant experience in Tuscan dining. The ambiance has been described as 'extremely impressive with a Tuscan barn flair'. The chef/owner, Jamie Mammano, is the same Jamie Mammano that opened Mistral in Boston. (http://www.landanagrill.com/)

Cafe Escadrille, a staple in Burlington for years is a very nice luxury restaurant and function hall with a Boston restaurant feel. If you're looking for a great night out for a romantic meal or you just want somewhere to go for a glass of wine or bandy, Cafe Escadrille fits the bill. From the beautiful dining room to the sitting room with fire place, you'll enjoy your night. (http://www.cafeescadrille.com/)

Some other quality restaurants in Burlington, MA:
The Capital Grille, Wayside Commons
The Cheesecake Factory, Burlington Mall

Asian Cuisine in burlington, MA:
Burlington Jade, Cambridge St (781 272-9913)
Cheng's Wok, Cambridge St (781 272-5885)
Korean Barbecue Restaurant, Cambridge St (781 272-3787)
New Jang Su BBQ, Cambridge St (781 272-3787)
Sushi Masa, Cambridge St (781 272-1290)
Lemon Tree Thai Restaurant, Middlesex Turnpike (781 273-2323)

Restaurants that are 'different'
The Melting Pot (Fondue), Burlington Rd (781 791-0529)
Dandelion Green, Mall Rd (781 273-1616)
Rainforest Cafe, Middlesex Turnpike (781 272-7555)

Pizza in Burlington
Burlington House of Pizza, Cambridge St (781 272-5839)
Captain Pizza, Center St (781 272-0001)
Papa Gino's, Cambridge St (781 273-3020)
Pizzeria Unos, Burlington Mall (781 229-1300)
Regina's Pizza, Burlington Mall (781 270-4212)

Family restaurants in Burlington, MA
Bickford's Grille, Cambridge St (781 272-2262)
Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse, Middlesex Turnpike (781 221-3543)
Chuck E Cheese's, Wall St (781 229-2024)
Chili's Grill and Bar, Middlesex Turnpike (781 273-9303)
Papa Razzi, Wall St (781 229-0100)
Outback Steakhouse, Cambridge St (781 270-9300)
Romano's Macaroni Grill, South Ave (781 273-5180)

Seafood in Burlington, MA
Legal Seafood, Burlington Mall (781 270-9700)
Fish House Restaurant, Cambridge St (781 229-2929)

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Useful Burlington, MA links:

Burlington, MA Official Page
Burlington, MA Police Dept
Burlington Schools
Burlington cleaning company

What Was I Thinking (Part Nine): Show Me The Money

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 06:35:47 -0600

After a few weeks, pledges seem to have slowed down. I was no longer receiving daily pledge forms, rather it was one every few days. We were somewhere around $400 which was good but I wasn't going to let this goal of $1000 come up that short. Something had to be done to get things going again.

I reveiwed all of the forms that we had received so far and realized that there were still about 100 member families that hadn't pledged yet. It was time to get personal.

I made a plan and decided to make phone calls every night. My committee volunteered to help with this, however, I felt that it would be more effective if I talked to people. Again, I tried to keep it a very soft sell. I know what it's like to get solicitation phone calls and I didn't want anyone getting upset over this. I would ask people if they had heard about what I was planning to do and if they'd like to sponsor me. Some did, some didn't. This was all fine with me and the pledges started coming in again.

Personally, it didn't really matter to me if someone pledged $10 per mile or $1 per mile. The fact that I was getting support from my community and people were willing to part with their cash for this endeavor was enough. It turned out that we raised almost $200 per mile just from people that pledged the small amount of $2 or less per mile. Without them, we would not have gotten to the point we did.

My relatives really stepped up. I received a $500 check from a cousin and my uncle made an amazing pledge for our cause, neither of which belong to our Synagogue. My uncle called me to congratulate me on my endeavor. He then told me that he would sponsor me $10 per mile, which I though was great. But then, he told me about the catch. If I finished the race, he would cancel the $10 per mile and pledge $50 per mile! WOW!!! Talk about incentive to get to the finish line.

There was also an interesting pledge from one of our more entertaining members (he has a sense of humor like me). He told me that he wanted to do something different as well as help to give me motivation. This was his pledge:

2^(M-11)/100

M are the miles that I complete in the race. He told me that originally he wanted to sponsor me for a penny the first mile and double it for every mile I completed. However, he did the math and that would come to over $335,000. It was fine with me.... but he had an issue with it. So the formula pays me a penny for mile 11 and double each mile after that. This came to over $300 if I finished.

Fundraising was back on track!

Stay tuned for What Was I Thinking (Part Ten)

Relocation Package - Burlington, MA - Location, Location, Location

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:23:07 -0600

Burlington, Massachusetts is a great place to live, not only for the excellent school systems and fine dining options, but also for its prime location.

When living in Burlington, you are conveniently located along route 128 and route 3. You are also just a few minutes from route 95.

With these highways nearby, you will easily be able to hop into historic Boston to catch see history or to watch a Red Sox game within 30 minutes. If you're a beac person, Walden Pond is a short 20 minute trip or you can be on the beaches of Gloucester in 45 minutes. If it's skiing you're looking for, then you can be on the slopes, skiing down the mountains in New Hampshire within 45 minutes.

Enjoy the convenience of location with the small town feel in Burlington, MA.

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Useful Burlington, MA links:

Burlington, MA Official Page
Burlington, MA Police Dept
Burlington Schools

What Was I Thinking (Part Eight): Train, Train, Train

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:03:57 -0600

Things were right in the universe. I continued training and the donation forms continued to trickle in on a daily basis.

My mileage was growing and with just nine weeks left until the marathon, I had completed an eight mile run. It wasn't easy, completing all eight miles. At the two mile mark my legs were already feeling pretty sore but I battled through it. I did stop to walk briefly at mile four because I found a dollar bill on the ground. Boy... money was coming from everywhere!!! This must have been the Universe's donation! The last mile was really tough but I knew that I had to be able to finish this run strong as tomorrow would be a cross training day.

Something else happened on this run that continued through many of my other runs. Cars were honking at me as they passed.

They did this, not because I was in their way, but they were doing this as a sign of support. Since I had been telling everyone what I was doing and I was running locally, many of my supporters saw me train. I liked this support as it would reinvigorate me and remind me why I was doing this. It was for the community.

My knees felt good during the eight mile run. I had heated them up before setting out and iced them down afterwards. It looked as if my doctor was correct and they no longer seemed to be an issue.

The fundraising also continued to do well. We were a little behind pace, still brining in only about $75 per week, however, there were alot of members that hadn't donated anything yet and I had received alot of promises from them as well as family members, that they would make donations. I wasn't concerned. I knew we would hit our mark.

Training continued with a ten mile run the following week, which was very difficult. I ended up walking every 2 miles on that one which was fine. I expect to walk every mile or so during the marathon and I was also told that walking would help my muscles recoop a bit.

My mileage was increasing and my donations kept coming in. Things were good. It was time to start planning a trip into Boston to check out those Newton Hills.

Stay tuned for What Was I Thinking (Part Nine)

Help Me Get Rid of the Shakes!!!

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:02:16 -0600

I put a post up the other day of a real estate walk-through video done by a local real estate agent. I felt that the agent did a good job getting across the basic feel and major features of the house and wanted to show you that you too can create a walk-through video.

The post generated some conversation about ways to stop your video from being shaky. I felt that the information was very valuable and it required its own post. If you've had questions about this issue, please read through the entire post. Thanks and good luck.

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Eric Daigle, who recently video taped a testimonial for ZIPVO.com and owner of Daigtech Videography commented:

"First rule,

Don't walk with a video camera without proper equipment. No videographer would do that because of camera shake no matter how great you are. If you want the camera to be steady the use a tripod or if moving, then purchase a glide cam. http://www.glidecam.com/videos.php

I would record the house first then later using a computer microphone add my voice to the footage that I recorded and during the editing process put them together. This is voice over work.

As for camera shake here's software that you can purchase to correct this problem if need be. http://www.goodervideo.com/

The important thing to remember is that with every new technology out there, it cost money and takes time to practice and learn. You can't expect to be great after a few weeks. If I was a chef and you wanted to make a fabulous dish, you couldn't without the right equipment, knowledge and experience."

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Sandra Naroian, COO at ZIPVO.com commented:

"Thanks for offering your help! I was wondering if you could weigh in on the use of a glidecam, they are quite expensive and if an agent is not going to be using it frequently it may not be worth while .. is there another way to stop the shakes? ;)

I did see this camera recently when I was searching to buy another, what are your thoughts on the built in movie stabilizer?

http://www.amazon.com/Casio-EX-Z1080-Digital-Anti-Shake-Optical/dp/B000VH81IK

Movie Stabilizer Movie Stabilizer technology digitally processes video footage while recording to minimize the effects of hand movement. Stabilizer processing is also performed during playback, to ensure that movies always look great.

Anti-Shake DSPAnti-Shake DSP (Digital Signal Processor) minimizes image blur caused by shaking hands or moving subject matter

Maybe something like this would be a more affordable solution?"

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Eric Daigle answered:

You're correct the glidecams are expensive and really not worth spending the money on. I didn't mean to come across hard on my last post, I simply meant that walking with a camera in your hand should not be done if you're filming a home and you're on a budget. There are other creative and less expensive ways of filming a home with techniques that will look just as good and professional.

For example using a tripod and zooming in and out of each room. Zooming in or out of a room gives the illusion that you are moving, but without the physical walking and camera shaking that goes along with it.

To answer your question about the built-in movie stabilizer. This feature is pretty much standard in any digital camera now a days. Its function when tuned on basically prevents normal hand support of the camera from shaking so easily and stabilizes the footage from that shaky camera syndrome we sometimes see. Some people don't even realize that their camera may have this function built in, but it needs to be turned on. You should read your owners manual under stabilizer to enable this feature.

I understand that many of you have questions and may feel intimidated or even excited about filming and editing your own video. Regardless of the reason i'll be here for you if you have any questions. Think of me as your friendly Videographer. I enjoy what I do and I enjoy helping others.

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You CAN created your own real estate walk-through videos. Once you get past that initial nervousness and start practicing, your videos will get better and soon you're homes can get potential buyers from all over the world walking through.

Good luck!

Pepperell, MA - A Little Bit About Pepperell

Martin Abeshaus (JAE Commercial Cleaning Services) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:27:38 -0600

Pepperell, Massachusetts -

Pepperell, MA was established in 1775. The town is located about 35 miles north west of Boston on the New Hampshire border. Neighboring Massachusetts towns include Dunstable, Groton and Townsend. The major routes passing through Pepperell are route 113 and route 111.

Add your Pepperell business to the Arlington Business Directory at DailyHomeOwner.com

Pepperell average home sale price for October through December of 2007 was about $295,000 compared to $345,000 for July through Septemer of 2007.

There were 30 home sales in Pepperellfor October through December of 2007 compared to 31 for the prior three months.

Useful Pepperell, MA links:

Town of Pepperell Official Website

Pepperell Public Schools
Pepperell Historical Commission