Written by Dallea Caldwell

Ever since the universe cancelled the Mayan armageddon last year, everyone has been a little too comfortable with forgetting about their New Year’s Resolutions. People have been going around thinking that they have all the time in the world to quit that bad habit, do that thing they’ve been putting off, lose those pounds, and generally do everything possible to ensure that 2013 will be just another faded blur of missed opportunities, broken promises, and regret.

But that’s in the past now that we at Talk Local have just reminded you that May is National Recommitment Month, and have endeavored to guilt you into recalling and recommitting to all those goals you set for yourself. We’re recognizing your awesome potential too do great things, if only you weren’t bumming around instead of hitting the gym, applying for those new jobs, studying for that test, and generally being all the awesome you can be. Not feeling guilty yet, you big bag of wasted talent?

Well, what if we pointed out that tomorrow is not promised, but is likely to show up with grey hairs, arthritis, and a bunch of grandkids who will look at you with big doe eyes and ask you “Can I really do anything I put my mind to?” and expect you to smile reassuringly and tell them the story of your regret-free life? What if we mentioned that you’d have to tell them this from your death-bed?

That’s right. Get scared. Get angry. But, by all means get up, get back on the wagon, and get going! Time has gotten away from you and you’ve got less than 6 months to catch up. There’s no time but the present if you want to make 2013 count.

And remember… Don’t put off carpe diem what you can take by the full monty before they’ve hatched where your mouth is… Whatever that means.

The loving human mother is an especially amazing specimen. Her highly-evolved offspring requires among the longest incubation period of any species. The nutrient deprivation and extended period of vulnerability inherent in this process alone is daunting, even if infants were born walking and nearly self-sufficient, like other offspring.

Instead, the trajectory of post-natal development rendered this impossible, even for our primate ancestors. Add to that the unique demands of civilization, and you have a highly-involved breed of mothering which often becomes a fixed pattern of behavior for life. What makes this even more astonishing is that, due to a complex brain structure, the human mother is uniquely unrestricted by mere instinct. She is freed from the reigns of genetically prescribed behavioral patterns; so love is nature’s only possible weapon to ensure the caring sacrifice of a mother for her child — so integral to the continuance of our species.

Let’s show all of the mothers in our lives a little appreciation this Mother’s Day, and every day. You could even treat your mother to her own special day, fit with flowers, a day at the spa, her own personal chauffeur for the day, or a full, professional cleaning of her home.

Happy Mother’s Day!

The Seva Call Team

Written by Dallea Caldwell

Remember that macaroni necklace your mom wore every day for two weeks until she noticed that a flock of birds had mistaken her for a feeder and were circling overhead? She was so proud of you. In fact, she beamed just as brightly over every other piece of crap you did or made for her too. She even applauded when you made poopy in the pot! Man, those were the days, right? Now, if you give her a macaroni necklace, she’ll look at you like she did the night you were 2 hours late for curfew and she was worried sick and tired and sick of being worried, sick, and tired. Those were the days too, also called yesterday for some.

Mother’s Day Is As Easy As Macaroni Necklaces Again

But, this Mother’s Day, Seva Call is making it easy to make mom proud. She’ll beam like she did the first time you went potty all by yourself. “You did all this?” she’ll implore; and “Has my baby finally grown up?” she’ll wonder aloud. She’ll never know that you pulled it all together in the last minute and in minutes. We can help you get the perfect gift for any kind of mom you love.

               – If she craves glamour on her special day, she’ll love riding in a  limousine to a fancy restaurant.

               – Overworked and stressed? A relaxing massage will definitely put her mind, body, and soul at ease.

               – Perhaps you’ll just leave her flowers on the kitchen counter in her professionally cleaned home.

Talk Local can connect you to any service you need to put a big smile on mom’s face.  Your mom will think you’re so grown because you managed to orchestrate such a lovely treat. And, isn’t that really what Mother’s Day is all about? It’s the day in the year when daughters and sons step up and prove that they’ve learned the most important lesson a mother teaches: how to love and care for the people who matter most in their lives.

This Mother’s Day, don’t let your busy schedule stand in the way of giving your mom every thing she deserves. It took her 9 long months to make you, but it only takes TalkLocal 90 secs to make you the best kid ever!

Seva Man is ready to Rock and Roll as Seva Call rolls into The Cleve! We know that life is wild in The Forest City and finding the right service professional while balancing multiple other time-sensitive demands is one thing Clevelanders aren’t cavalier about.  So, we’re thrilled to be able to help Cleveland residents find the local help they need in the time they need it.

Seva Call is like a less pushy or embarrassing version of the old-fashioned relative  who has someone “really nice” they want you to meet, but for service professionals.  When a Clevelander needs an IT pro, personal trainer, masseuse, plumber, or anyone in one of our numerous service categories, they can turn to Seva Call’s complimentary service that connects them to a service provider quickly, easily, and hassle-free.

You Give Us:

Your location, availability, a detailed description of the service you need, and how we can contact you.

We Give You:

Three phone calls from top-rated, area professionals able to assist you in the time and fashion you need. Every call is securely routed to protect your privacy.

Customers and businesses from Buckeye-Shaker to the Warehouse District will love doing business the easy way. Just go to www.talklocal.com to put in your service request or register your business.

Written by Dallea Caldwell

Originating in Mahon, Spain, mayo- or Maionesa in Catalan, is a creamy white sauce composed of oil, egg yolk, and either vinegar or lemon juice. It is used as a condiment for sandwiches and typically accompanies lettuce, tomato, and, ideally, smoked ham, bacon, or a veggie burger. Many a brave or desperate soul has managed to digest a mayonnaise and white bread concoction known as the Mayonnaise Sandwich, but the simple addition of toast and tomato renders it a surprisingly palatable experience. A little known fact is that while a tuna sandwich is primarily composed of tuna, it’s secret ingredient is frequently mayo. The same can be said for nearly all salads for which  lack of lettuce render salad a misnomer — notable  examples including potato salad and egg salad.

In France and Francophone countries, mustard is a frequent ingredient in Mayo, a fact which so infuriated Mexico that it  sunk all the French ships delivering mayo to Mexico in  El Día de la Batalla de Puebla, which means: everyone don a sombrero and drink tequila in celebration of the unlikely victory of Mexico over the French, which secured the beautiful Mexican-American heritage we all share — the one that gave us Tex-Mex, Chipotle, Roberto Enrique, Eva Longoria, Jessica Alba, and over 31,689,879 amazing Americans, while saving us from the abomination of mustard-contaminated mayo .

Feliz Cinco De Mayo and may your mayo always be mustard-free!

Seva Call has officially launched in Columbus, Ohio. Good thing too! Any city named after a guy who never found what he was looking for could probably use a service like Seva Call. We’re like a navigational system for your to-do list, finding the top-rated professionals a customer needs for any of our service categories who are available at the times most convenient for the customer.  If  Chris C. had Seva Call, we might have found and connected him to a area navigational  expert. Luckily, however,  Christopher found America. Luckier still, you found us.

Helping the People Of Columbus Find Their Way

In the city MarketWatch once named one of the best in which to do business, Seva Call will make it even better.  “Businesses, especially the small family-owned ones we love to support but can’t  seem to easily find,  will be a click and a phone ring away” explains founding executive director, Manpreet Singh. That’s right, you say what you need and when, and then, hear from three local service providers that are both capable and available to meet your needs. Plumbers, IT pros, tutors, we’ve got all the everyday to-do’s you want done by an expert doer; but, don’t toss your old Yellow Book in the Scioto River — that’s an environmental hazard.

So, if you’re in Columbus and  your to-do list has you skimming listings in the big book or online, find your way to www.saveacall.com, request a pro, and hear from up to three top-rated experts in minutes.

Use the Promo Code #4Boston  When Submitting A Free Service Request This Week and We’ll Donate $1 to One Fund Boston.

The smoke has long cleared from the streets of Boston, but the warmth from concerned citizens continues to fill coffers, blood banks, and hearts across the country. Yet, more help is needed. For many victims injured during the tragic incident, the long, trying, and expensive journey toward recovery has just begun. They are losing wages, accumulating medical bills, and may eventually need to make their home wheelchair accessible or purchase prosthetic limbs, typically costing $20k-$50k.

Now, even in the midst of a personal crisis, you can do a little more to help the Boston bombing victims heal and rebuild their lives. Just visit www.talklocal.com and enter promo code “#4Boston” next to your name when completing a service request for one of Seva Call’s over 50 service categories. Not only will you save time and energy, getting connected to up to 3 vetted, local professionals who match your service and scheduling needs in seconds, but Seva Call will also donate $1 to One Fund Boston, a charity helping  the victims attain the medical care  they’ll need to take their lives back.

“I have loved ones there, so of course I feared for their safety when I heard news of the bombing. The worst for me is over now that I know they’re okay, but what about those for whom the struggle towards normalcy has only just begun?” explained Steve D’Adamo, Seva Call intern.

Now, anyone can do a little more for Boston — even in the midst of their busy schedules.  With Seva Call, every day heroes who need help from a local pro can raise money for One Fund Boston simply by using the promo code #4Boston when entering their free service request at www.talklocal.com this week. They can also spread the word and donate to make an even bigger impact in the lives of Boston’s victims. Seva Call is making it easier to take care of everything you care about- your home, pets, health, and now the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.

Seva Man, you’ve helped thousands of people find local service professionals quickly and easily. What are you going to do next?

Seva Man: Taking Seva Call to Disney World!

Yes, folks, it’s true. Seva Call’s Orlando launch dream comes true! Of course, life isn’t a fairytale when the honey-do list is way over your head, and finding a local service professional proves harder than finding Nemo.

That’s why Seva Man is here. Call him your personal fairy godmother. In minutes and with a few needed details, he can connect you to the right  plumber, electrical technician, heating and cooling professional, or any professional in one of our more than 40 service categories.

“Finding a pro doesn’t have to be  like a game of Jumanji anymore. You won’t have a foot-long beard and an estranged relationship with your friends by the time you’re done. You click, we save. It’s really that easy”, says Seva Man.

Orlando, Florida- your prince of time-savings future has come! Go to www.talklocal.com to place your service request and talk to local pros in minutes!

Written by Dallea Caldwell

Earthlings, Have You Thanked Your Mother Lately? No, not that mother. You don’t have to thank her for another 19 and a half days. It’s Earth Day, the one day in April when we humanoids take a stand with our distinctively high-carbon footprints to show appreciation for our long-suffering, unceasingly nurturing Mother Earth. Her nutrient-rich soil and habitable atmosphere spoil all of us Earthling kids rotten. We have all the ripe fruit, haughty grains, and fresh drinkable water we could possibly consume — assuming equitable global distribution, smart responses to population growth, and the adoption of sustainable development strategies.

Earth might not be the only big atmospheric ball of matter traveling about 100,000 kilometers per hour around a star and spinning at 1450 kph. It’s not even the only planet revolving within the habitable zone range of its sun, of which there is an estimated 500 million. Yet, Earth is our one and only big, wet, dirty rock, and it’s likely the only home we’ll ever know.  And, it’s blue and green surface is crawling with enough complex life that it makes all the other planets green with nothing but envy.

Of course, the qualities that make Earth so special are not invulnerable to our meddling. In fact, the Earth is currently experiencing a Mass Extinction Event, large numbers of species are going extinct at an accelerated rate. This is the 5th and fastest such phenomena, (the end of the Dinosaur era being one), and it’s the first with a single species as a root cause. But, we’re also the first species with the power to stop it, so there’s a lot we can and should do to keep Earth green and teeming with life.

Here are 3 changes you can make right now to be a better son or daughter to the Earth:

Low Energy Bulbs: The cheapest cost-saving way to brighten Mother Earth’s day. The most common energy-efficient bulb is the Light Emitting Diode or LED. It usually costs a few dollars and outlasts the conventional bulb.

Take 10-min  Showers: The luxurious sensation of steam-hot or even slightly cool water is a refreshing start or finish to a long day, but  fresh water is surprisingly scarce worldwide. So, those of us with access must use it responsibly. Furthermore, the hot water furnace works over time and drives up energy costs every time we turn that faucet.

Unplug Chargers and Other Appliances: This will take some discipline, but every plugged appliance is draining low amounts of energy, driving up energy bills, and growing your home’s carbon footprint one baby step at a time. So, it’s not a waste of energy to unplug appliances so that every volt goes to good use.

Your Home Can Be Earth-Friendly, Too!

Plus, there are lots of home improvement options that make your home as efficient as it can possibly be- which helps both you and the environment: installing low-flush toilets, solar panels, and better insulating windows — just to name a few. You should even consider non-toxic and biodegradable materials for your next DIY project.  TalkLocal can even find you top-rated handymen to help you with eco-friendly renovations. Just visit www.talklocal.com and describe when and how you want the make Mother Earth proud.