Community Blog

Earth Day started in 1970 as a series of teach-ins and demonstrations across the country and is widely considered to be the start of the modern environmental movement.  It began with 20 million people coming together and has grown exponentially in the decades that have followed.       However, rather than being a day we celebrate and then move on, Earth Day is an opportunity for us to stop and evaluate our actions every year.  Each day is a chance to make a different decision, and Earth Day is just one of 365 days a year to think about the choices we make.     I am sure you are familiar with the three R's - reduce, recycle, reuse.  But how often have you thought about how you can implement them into your lifestyle?  There are all kinds of calculators that will show you your carbon footprint as well as giving you information and ideas on how to lower that number.  But sometimes those numbers feel too abstract to help you

So I was digging around and found out that Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day was started in 2004 as a way to give everyone a break after staying up all night working on taxes.   And while the tax deadline has been extended this year, it's also pretty clear that most of us have been living our best pajamas as work attire life for awhile now, so lets celebrate all things comfy and cozy and the "business" outfits of the past year.     Flamingos and flowers from Lisa This has become one of my go to outfits lately, the flamingo pj pants are cropped and light enough that they work perfectly for the warm desert spring, and the flower print long sleeve sweatshirt is the perfect thickness.  Both are super soft from being washed so many times but are sturdy enough that i don't mind going out to grab the mail or being in my backyard watering the garden in them.  People might side eye my fashion sense, but I love them.       Cool and stealthy from Sa

The days are getting longer, green things are growing and blooming... and my allergies have returned.  That means that it is Spring again.   I was curious what the change in seasons meant for everyone else, so I asked around and I love the different stories I got in return!   New growth From Torrey March is the start of spring, which is the start of new growth and new beginnings.   That's what I'm hoping to do, start new habits and routines and take it one day at a time.             Learning appreciation From Sasha Not many know this, but I was raised on the beautiful island of Antigua, which is blessed with 365 beaches, one for every day of the year.   If you are wondering, No, I haven't been to all. However, the beach is literally just the beginning.     During Springtime, you are welcomed by the warm sun and cool sea breeze. Coming to America, this was a different experience. It was difficult to adjust to the d

Yesterday, Feb 17th was National Random Acts of Kindess day.   Did you know that kindness can not only affect your mood, but actually boosts serotonin and dopamine levels in your brain helping you feel happier? And it decreases cortisol levels which helps lower your stress levels.      A neighborly hand From Ami: I’ve had the good fortune to see quite a lot of kindness in my life, but never more than I have in the last year. To me, kindness looks like selflessness. Giving your own time, energy, or resources to someone else who may need them, without expecting anything in return. Most recently, as the polar vortex tore through the US and resources were pushed to their limits, I saw communities come together to help each other through. Where I am in Boise, the impact was mild but we still saw over 8 inches of snow. Of course, I, being a new homeowner originally from the South, did not own a snow shovel, and found myself with a driveway and car packed with sn

It's hard to believe we are almost through the first month of the new year, but as I post this, there are only 3 days left in January.  For Show & Tell this month, we decided to look forward to the new year and how we want to meet it.     It must be green From Lisa: Obviously, a new year doesn’t magically reset the slate and start everything anew, but there is a sort of magic in having a whole new year laid out in front of you.  I don’t do resolutions, but I do try and choose a few points in the year that I want to focus on and how best to make sure they come to fruition.  In past years this has mostly meant planning for vacations or big purchases I know I will need to make during the year and how I’ll save for them, but this year I am more focused on things much closer to home.   One of the things I’ve been most excited about since moving into an actual house with a yard is the ability to have a garden.   I’m not a huge flower pe

Every year as the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, it's a good time to stop and take stock of your year, what you accomplished and what you dreamt, the struggles you overcame, and the hopes you have for the new year.           Holidays in Nature From Corey: California’s majestic Yosemite National Park is frequently touristed during the summer, but it’s winter which captures my heart. Five years ago we began a new winter holiday tradition: Yosemite in December. We like to stay at the historic Wawona Hotel around winter solstice, in the days just before Christmas. From there, we go on hikes during the day, wearing our winter gear. It usually snows at least once during our stay; on those days we stay by the fire all day, playing board games for hours. We share this tradition with friends, who’ve been known to join us for a night or three.      The Wawona Hotel’s regular pianist Tom Bopp has been entertaining guests at the hot

  This month's edition of Show & Tell is all about recognizing and giving thanks for the good in our lives.       Best Friends and Blondie From Lisa: When I think about what I am most thankful for right now it is the way that I have been able to stay connected with my family and friends without seeing each other in person for months.  From Discord game nights and paint parties, to neverending FB Messenger conversations, and  random text messages in the middle of the night, technology has been vital in letting us stay in touch and feel connected.          I am also incredibly thankful for my dog, Blondie. Having her has been such a joy this year, I can’t even imagine how different things would have been without her. She keeps me to a regular schedule, I am told very clearly when I get too absorbed in work and dinner is 15 minutes late, lol. And she is always up for snuggling up at my side on the couch and getting the pets

It's here!  Today is the QuickBooks Connect live event.   I'll be attending as many of the panels as I can fit in, but I'll definitely be focusing on the keynotes.  Check back in all day long as I'll be updating this post as I attend each panel.   Right now things are just kicking off, but there is a ton to do.  Check out the Lounge - you can chat with other attendees, take a picture in the virtual photo booth, or even kill some time playing some fun arcade games.   And did I mention that you can customize a Zoom background with your logo and/or company name?  Because you can!  There are several different styles to choose from and it's simple to upload your logo or type in what you want to appear.   I'm pretty fond of this one.  Creating Together background by Natalie Harmon   We'd love to see you, so make sure to share your photobooth pictures here, and let us know how you are enjoying Connect.  &nbs

  We are celebrating our feline WFH co-workers today, and to start things off we hope you check out our blog post about The Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter & Sanctuary. To continue the celebration, we are launching a new series that will be a monthly feature here on the community; Show & Tell.  The theme will change each month, but just like in school, it is a way of showing the things we care about and telling the stories behind them.   This month, since I always love stories about how pets come into people's lives, I decided to ask around, and learn more about the cats of Intuit.    These are their stories.   The Story of Otis   From Shelby:    I found him as a 2-week old kitten that had been abandoned by his mother, along with the rest of his littermates. After finding good homes for all the other kittens, Otis came home with me. I bottle fed him by hand and kept him on a heating pad in my bathroom as he was so small. No