Beauty And Style Vlog - All you need on video!

Your Dry Cleaner’s Double Standard

2008-03-02T05:05:00.002-08:00

Women are charged more for dry cleaning services. Don't fume, find a better way. While it is true that the practice is unfair it is also true that we have options for keeping our clothes clean and holding onto more of our cash. Try some of these tactics to stem or stop the unfair flow of your dry cleaning dollars.

• Examine labels before you make a clothing purchase. Go for easy care (read machine washable) items whenever possible.

• Determine if dry cleaning is a suggestion or a mandate before you shell out big bucks. If dry cleaning is not necessary for the care of your fabric, consider gentle hand or machine washing.

• Investigate home dry cleaning products such as Dryel. These products work with a special bag and fabric-softener like cleaning sheet, and your dryer to freshen your clothing. You can find home dry cleaning products in the laundry aisle of your grocer or local discount store. Dryel and similar products typically run around $10.00 and clean 6-9 pieces, a significant savings over dry cleaning costs.

• Negotiate with your dry cleaner for better prices. Politely mention your concerns around gender price differentials and ask that your cleaner offer comparable prices for comparable fabrics.

• Invest in a steamer. They are now widely available and priced affordably.

• Take advantage of savings and discount programs. Some dry cleaners offer discounts with pre-payment or a particular number of items.

• Pay cash. Unless you pay your credit card balance in full each month you incur additional costs in interest on top of your already exorbitant dry cleaning costs.

• Wear clothing items twice, instead of once before making a trip to the cleaner.

Dry cleaning costs can run as high as several hundreds of dollars each year. These costs are inflated by gender bias. Fight back and keep more of your cash with a few of the suggestions listed above.

Enjoyed this article? Read similar ones at CreditUnionRate.com

About the author:
Nicole Soltau is the President and Founder of http://CreditUnionRate.com-
The Leading Credit Union Directory
Search, Find Join.

You may have found the best sourced advice pertaining to baby shower ideas.

2008-03-02T05:05:00.001-08:00

When you're trying to find high-class information on baby shower ideas, you'll find it hard separating superior advice from foolish baby shower ideas proposals and support so it is important to know how to qualify the advice you are presented with.

Find baby shower ideas
Your relevant result is a click away!

Here are a few tips which we really think you should use when you are trying to find information about baby shower ideas. You need to understand that the advice we tender is only applicable to internet based information regarding baby shower ideas. We can't offer you any direction or assistance if you are receiving information offline.

A great hint to follow when offered help or advice about a baby shower ideas page would be to determine who owns the site. This may show you the people behind the site baby shower ideas credentials The easiest way to find out who is behind the baby shower ideas web site is to find the sites 'about' page.

All respectable sites giving you information on baby shower ideas, will almost certainly provide an 'about' webpage that will list the owner's details. The particulars should reveal major points about the owner's necessary expertise. This enables you to make an assessment about the vendor's education and practical knowledge, to offer advice about baby shower ideas.

About the author:

Darren Hoye is the webmaster for http://www.baby-shower-game-ideas.info

You Can’t Water a Garden With an Empty Bucket - Self-Care for Women

2008-03-02T05:04:00.000-08:00

Women who are around me hear me say this all the time – ‘You can’t water a garden with an empty bucket’. What does this mean to you? I use it as an illustration to get the point across that women are taking care of work and everyone else and fitting themselves into the little, tiny cracks of time that are leftover – if there are any. So how lush and gorgeous is the garden that gets watered with an empty bucket? Not! How well can you take care of the important people and tasks in your life when your energy bucket is bone dry? Not well, at least not for long. When you are considering your own energy bucket it’s important to know what fills it up and what depletes it. Read on to learn the 5 questions to ask yourself so you know how to fill up your bucket.

1. What brings you joy? How much of what you do during your day brings you joy? How often do you purposely add joy to your life? For some, work is joy, but for most it’s far from it. Make a list of what it is that brings you joy – a child’s smile, dancing, coffee with friends, sex. Keep it handy, so if you get really overwhelmed you can have a quick reminder. Joy puts energy in our bucket.

2. What’s your natural energy level? For a woman who is more active in her energy, having a lot of quiet down time may actually deplete her bucket. If you think of it like a spectrum, with naturally low energy as a 1 and naturally high energy as a 10, where do you see yourself? Answer this question as you truly are not how you want to be.

3. What is your current pace? Now that you know your natural energy level, evaluate the pace of your current energy output. Use the same 1 to 10 scale. Are you a natural energy 4 going at the pace of a 9? Or are you a natural energy 9, going at the pace of a 4? Work on getting your pace oriented towards your natural level of energy. We talk a lot about women being way to busy in our world (which is true), but you can also get too bored. Neither extremes put energy in your bucket.

4. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Does being around people energize you or deplete you? If it energizes you then you essentially are an extrovert. Extroverts fill their bucket by being around people. Introverts generally recharge by being alone or with one other person. So, if you’re an introverted women who works with a lot of people all day, getting some serious alone time will help to fill your bucket.

5. How are you maintaining your machine? Not your car, your computer, or even your IPod – but, your body! Your body is a big part of your bucket and it needs proper care and feeding in order to do its best job. It’s amazing to me how many women I work with who don’t eat breakfast. And, who don’t drink water during the day because they don’t want to take the time to go to the bathroom. What about sleep? Getting enough? Probably not. These are the basics. You can get 100 pedicures to take care of yourself, but if you’re constantly dehydrated and your brain isn’t getting proper nutrition, then life is still going to seem hard. Make a true assessment of how you’re doing in the care and feeding of your body.

Everyone’s bucket is different, which is why I’m giving you questions to ask yourself rather than the top 5 ways to fill your bucket. However, if you’d like some more specifics or new ideas on how to get energy flowing into your bucket, then check in at my blog, The Balanced Living Journal http://www.balancedlivingjournal.blogspot.com, where I’ll be regularly posting some very specific bucket filling ideas. What’s a blog, you ask? Go back to the newsletter and read the ‘Soapbox’ section to find out.

About the author:
Copyright 2005 Catherine A. Bruns. This article may be reprinted in full with the following attached: Life Coach Catherine Bruns coaches women to success in their personal and professional goals. For more information visit http://www.coachbalance.com

Yoga For Pregnant Women

2008-03-02T05:03:00.000-08:00

Master your mind!
Gain control over your body!
Be relieved of your stress through the practice of gentle art of Yoga!

Pregnancy is a physical as well as mental experience. Women often becomes hyper aware of all the changes their bodies are going through. Yoga allows pregnant women to adapt to these changes more gracefully and to feel proud and a sense of appreciation for their bodies. Yoga exercises can increase flexibility, strength, circulation and balance. Many pregnant women find that regular yoga exercises help to reduce swelling, back and leg pain, and insomnia.

However, Yoga must be practised very carefully among pregnant women, as improper exercises will bring negative effect on both moms and babies. Here are some tips for pre-natal pregnancy Yoga practise:

1. The general yoga exercises are recommended for the first 2 months. You must consult your doctor and find very experienced Yoga teachers. With proper guidance, you can practice some yoga right into labor. If you new to yoga then you should start slowly.

2. Breathing exercises are beneficial if done twice a day. The breathing exercises provide more oxygen and energy both to the mother and the child.

3. Some yoga poses that can help a pregnant women dealing with the symptoms of pregnancy, ensuring smoother and easier delivery, and faster recovery after childbirth. Pregnant women should pay attention not to overstretch the body - the ligaments around the joints become loose and soft during pregnancy. The abdomen should stay relaxed at all times. Difficult and poses that put pressure on the abdomen and other should NOT be done during advance stages of Pregnancy. No any kind of pain or nausea should be felt during and/or after yoga. If this happens, you should stop yoga practise and contact your GP.

4. When carrying out standing poses with your heels to the wall or use a chair for support to avoid losing your balance and risking injury to both you and your baby.

5. Deep relaxation is crucial to give rest to body and mind, and you will benefit more from a good sleep. Deep relaxation helps the nerve system change from sympathetic to parasympathetic activity. Parasympathetic activity is associated with the restorative processes of the body, which is needed both by the pregnant woman and the child.

We also strongly recommend regular morning and evening walks. Yoga is very individual. For more great Yoga advice, and other pregnant women support services, e.g. domestic cleaning services, babysitter services, personal trainer, chef and many more great services just visit us at http://www.londonrate.com

About the author:
LondonRate.com is endeavouring to build an online emporium of staff service providers with online comparisons, bookings and ratings. Everything is designed to provide you with the best service, tailored exactly to your needs. visit http://www.londonrate.com

Why Ladies Craze For Women’s Sandals?

2008-03-02T05:02:00.002-08:00

Talking about sandals in front of women is absolutely a tempting topic for them. When women check some magazine and store where they saw some new design of sandals, surely they will talk about it and if possible would willing to purchase it.

Even when a woman looks at somebody’s beautiful sandals, there is no doubt that she would eager to buy them too. It seems that women cannot be separated with sandals, shoes, and other beauty accessories.

Of course not only women who can collect sandals. Men and kids are also able to do so, though they cannot choose a wider option compared to women. Yes, it is because manufacturers produce women’s items in a very extensive designs, colors, and materials.

What about you? Are you also fans of sandal, shoes and other footwear? If you are part of them, maybe you ought to know more on different type of sandals. Women’s sandals can be divided into so many types based on designs and models. You can name them: beach sandals, bridal, dress, flip flop, platform, sport, thong, and wedding. There are so many of them which you can find the information about it at MySandalsGuide.com!

Moreover, here are the designs you can find in one of the sandals types above. If you love dress sandals, you can get diverse styles such as: ankle strap, backless, flats, glass, heel, slingback, strappy, and woven. What a complete collection!

Well, well, well, you can imagine how many styles you’ll get if each type has its own styles. Of course every type or style has its own plus and minus points. It’s you who make review toward the sandals, whether they are comfortable or stylish enough to fulfill your desire.

Some of you are the big fans of designer brands. No matter how expensive the items are, you don’t really mind with it as long as you feel comfy and confident while wearing them. Well, looking for branded items at shoe stores could be tiring and time-consuming, right? The only way, namely, the most practical way, to hunt for so many brands is by using the Internet. Yes, find the perfect pair from all over the world just at your fingertips!

About the author:
Diana Claire lifelong for footwear led her became footwear reviewer. She has tried different kind of footwear, and she put her review at MyShoesGuide.com Her experiences on footwear can be helpful for those who need more information about a certain kind of footwear. Visit her Website http://www.mysandalsguide.com

Who Should Relocate In A Long Distance Relationship?

2008-03-02T05:02:00.001-08:00

My Dear Lover,

Soon or later, you and your beloved will have to take the decision of who should move, because it is very hard to live apart.

Moving will change your life drastically, you should what you and beloved really wants from life, you need to communicate, communicate and communicate until you arrive to a very clear understanding about your expectations, It is your future.

Here are some questions to help you make the decision.

Will you have to "give up" of your domestic animals? Does your beloved love having cats, dogs, birds, etc. at home?

Any of you already have children? How well will they accept living together, now as a new family? There are good schools for them in the new place? They like the new place? How about their friends, they accept being apart from them? Can they keep their current activities, like sport, etc. in the new place?

Are you moving far away from your family? If you are a kind of person that is very close to your family, it will be very hard not. to be with them so often. Maybe your parents are "old" and need your assistance. You have the right to build your life, your happiness, your love, but I think it isn't fair to leave your parents alone most of the time, when they most need your help. And if you already have children, can they live far away from their actual family? They are willing to have a new family?

If you are divorced and your ex lives near to you, will he accept your new mate? After all he comes from "nowhere", and almost from one day to another, he is already living with you.Of course you can't let your ex be the main reason for you to live your life, where you want, and with who you want, but if your ex is a kind of person that don't accept that you have a new mate, you need to be prepared to deal with that.

Can you live in the new area, possibly, for the rest of your life? Do you like the weather? The culture? If you are an urban lover and will move to a rural area, can you live with that, or will you miss the urban live too much?If you are a kind of person that can adapt very easy to new environments, this is no problem at all, but if you are not, and decide to move, you will need all the help, understanding and support from your beloved, for the more "difficult" phases, be aware that he knows that. Do you really know the new area, or you have been there before, only for a couple of weeks in romantic holidays? Try to know better the new area, if you can spend more time there and not. only when both of you are in holidays, before you move forever.

God forgive me, but if things don't go well between you, and you decide to you should end your relation, after you move, will you come back to your old home, or will you live in the new area? Can you live there, without the support of your family and old friends? It will be a very difficult time for you.
Well, with all these questions, it might seem to you, that this is a very difficult decision to make.It is a big decision that will change your life forever, you need to be very clear about your expectations.

But my most important advice to you is to listen to your heart. True love is so precious and can overcome any difficult.

Don't measure the distance, measure the Love, Maria Madeira. http://www.distancelovinghelp.com

About the author:
Being in a long distance relationship since 2003, Maria Madeira share her advices, her experiences, her help, teaching how to survive a long distance love.

Who do you think you are?

2008-03-02T05:01:00.004-08:00

Are you totally in love with your life?

Whatever your current situation I want to give you some food for thought…

Your current level of love, passion and intensity for your everyday life is directly proportionate to how close you currently live to the purpose for which you came to this life.

Take an office worker. Is he going to work because of his love for paperwork or because he has an intense passion to crunch numbers? Or a receptionist, is she going to work because of her deep love for answering ringing telephones and the thrill of asking the question, ‘May I help you?’ Of course not; like millions of others they are both going to work to earn money to pay for the necessities in life.

But just for a moment let’s question the necessities. Sure a five bedroom home, the luxury car and the two week holidays abroad are all great, especially when you measure your success, as nearly all of us do, by what we ‘have’ and what we’re ‘doing’. The only problem is, ‘having’ and ‘doing’ have very little to do with a key factor in what we’re ‘being’ while we’re ‘having’ and ‘doing’.

‘Being’ is all about ‘who you are’. Sure you can have all the material things in the world, but if you have to sell your soul for forty years doing something which you have no passion for in order to ‘have’ and ‘do’ – or in other words ‘look good’ to others – then, have you been who you really are and do you really need to question why you might not be feeling aroused, playful and passionate. Sounds a bit like good sex…

And living life can be like good sex… great sex… And I bet great sex for forty years interests you more than working passionless, grinding hours!

In order to live life with passion you need to find purpose. And when I say ‘purpose’ I mean, ‘Life purpose’. And when I say ‘Life Purpose’ I mean, understanding the unique gift – that special talent that got buried long ago due to all that necessity you created in order to look good – and expressing it in a distinctive way.

The problem you might have is uncovering that talent and then finding a viable way to make a living. But that is really all just stuff and nonsense. When you’re involved in your passion and remain open to the possibilities out there waiting for you, you can be swept along on a wave of possibility.

So, to return to our original question, “Who are you?” Are you someone who is willing to be swept along on a wave of possibility, adventure and life or will you hang onto what doesn’t excite you?

Life is for living.

Best wishes

Jo Ball
Unstoppable Life

What Should You Know About Summer Sandals?

2008-03-02T05:01:00.003-08:00

It’s summer time! Have you had any plan yet? How would you spend this summer holidays? Spending them with friends, family, or just with your loved one? Well, you can do almost anything. Just don’t forget to bring your summer sandal wherever you go!

Let's find out more about these sandals, and how come it has this name. As has been described in encyclopedia, sandals are an open type of footwear. Sandals can be made of rope, rubber, leather, wood or combination of those materials. Obviously summer sandals are light and casual footwear you going to find during summer. It can made of any materials based on your favor.

Find Your Summer Sandals

Summer sandal? Yes, enjoy your summer with stylish, comfy footwear that will make you feel relaxed during the holidays. Throw away your fatigue after months of hard work and enjoy the feast right away!

So, have you bought any summer sandal yet? If not, here are some tips you should be aware of before buying a new pair. The first thing is your foot should cover the lining of the sandal; yet don’t extend over the front or back of the sandal.

Next, it’s better if you choose a larger size if you have one foot larger than the other. The summer sandal should make you comfy, right?

Hmm, do you need new socks? Not really necessary. You know that sandals are made to be worn barefoot. So, just keep your money in the wallet and spend it to get a more stylish summer sandal you’ve wanted.

Well, those are just few points to notice before you find new sandals for the summer. Now, if you’re ready for shopping, think again where you’re going to find the sandals. Have you chosen certain shoe stores already? If you haven’t, why don’t you try to search the items on the Internet first?

Use the Internet connection and you’ll find it more practical than going to the stores without knowing the designs you’re going to buy. All you need is to type the item names and soon you’ll see them on the screen. Complete with the color options and the price! Very easy and advantageous! Start using the Internet now and be an economical shopper!

About the author:
Diana Claire lifelong for footwear led her became footwear reviewer. She has tried different kind of footwear, and she put her review at MyShoesGuide.com Her experiences on footwear can be helpful for those who need more information about a certain kind of footwear. Visit her Website http://www.mysandalsguide.com

What is My Life Purpose?

2008-03-02T05:01:00.001-08:00

Why am I here?

If you haven’t already asked this question, I’m sure you will. Sooner or later most of us do.

It’s not an easy question to answer. It’s broad in terms of possibility.

Right now you might be a go-getter in the city; but you could just as easily be a procrastinator in a suburb. Same question, different perception.

But whatever we’re searching for in life, be it a bigger home, a wonderful relationship, a new car, top job with a superb salary, loving children or just a little peace in our hearts, it’s clear to see we are all united in our search for one thing. But what is that thing?

It’s a simple thing. It’s at the heart of all of our decisions, yet it often passes us by too easily, too often. When we do catch it, it is a marvelous experience.

I believe we’re all searching for happiness and I believe the reason why we miss it so often is because of how we search for it. What do I mean?

We’ve been conditioned to want. Wanting creates “doing”. We desire possessions and money and careers so that we feel or look good so we “do” the things that bring this to us. We attach our happiness to these objects and then somehow feel empty when we have them.

This is why so many people fell disillusioned, lost or confused about their path. This is why so many people are asking or will ask, “Why am I here?”

I asked this question too. Many times, several years ago, I looked up to the sky and asked it. I’m not sure what I expected – perhaps a bolt of lightening striking the pavement before me or a boulder falling from the sky with the details engraved on it?

It didn’t happen.

Then I asked a more powerful question. “How do I discover why I am here?”

Looking back now I can see there have been hints. In fact my whole life is littered with hints that can lead me closer to my truth.

But did I follow these hints?

Not on your life. I wanted lightening and boulders and I got day to day life and opportunities dressed up as things I’d never done before.

And then I heard someone say, ‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.’

But when we stop the ‘doing’ of making money and objects and start to ‘be’ we can honestly see that God-given signs are unique to fairy-tales and Bible stories.

In real life we don’t get a bolt of lightening, we get an email, a phone call or a meeting with an old friend and somewhere within this communication, if we’re paying attention to being with the person with the message, we can find answers.

We also don’t get boulders dropping out of the blue in real life, we have an accident, a fall, a bump on the head or bereavement. It’s called a wake up call!

If we are ‘being’ we understand that call and will somehow know the answers to how and why will be repeated so that you can ‘get’ them.

Let me give you a hint now. Your life does have a purpose. To suggest anything else defies the very nature of our existence.

You have been given unique gifts that you are not using. You need to find them and then understand what to do with them.

Good luck on your journey to happiness

Jo Ball x

Coach & Founder, Unstoppable Life

About the author:
At Unstoppable Life, Jo Ball is developing the next generation of people finding the answers about their reason for being here. These people are discovering and defining their life purpose. Join Jo’s Fr>ee newsletter at Unstoppable Life now and go through the link on the home page to discover a mass of information others are now acting upon. www.unstoppablelife.com

What Does Living in Balance Mean Anyway?

2008-03-02T05:00:00.002-08:00

Balance. Hmmmm. Seesaws, tightrope walkers, the scales of justice, and, not long ago, Olympics gymnasts on the spooky balance beam. Imagine walking a balance beam -- perhaps you've done it sometime in your life. It's hard enough just to put one foot in front of the other and not fall off right away, but somehow these lithe female gymnasts have acquired such skills of balance that they can jump and flip and tumble and, most of the time, land with their feet squarely on the beam.

Luckily, most of us are not tested in front of millions of people as we tumble across a wooden beam only inches wide, but we certainly do have our own challenge of maintaining balance as we walk our path in life.

To me there is nothing more important than living in balance. This means that all parts of life-- work, family, spirit, play, chores, self-care, etc., are in harmony. to provide for our needs and support the way of living that is the best for each of us. In typical American culture most folks would say that work and chores dominate their lives, and for most people that would not be the choice of how they would choose to live. I hear so many people say, "There's just not enough time." The frustrated cry of an unbalanced life.

How do you know if your life is balanced? Take a few moments to complete a brief exercise and find out. http://www.coachbalance.com/exercise-life-in-balance.html and then come back.

When we live in balance we open up a whole room full of opportunities that were just not available to us before. Let's start with joy and happiness-- sounds good, right? How about health, better relationships, increased income and newfound interests. Maybe more friends, stronger connection with Spirit, a sense of well-being with yourself, and the ability to fulfill dreams. Who would not want to live life engaged in this fashion?

You probably can't be a gold medal gymnast and let's hope beyond hope that you never have to perform on a balance beam, but if you think there's a better way to live your life, you re probably right.
If you did the exercise above, take it one step further.

A. Decide which area of your life you want to have take up more or less of your time. Less time for chores, more time for self care, perhaps? For example: I want more time for myself.

B.Now, write down 3-10 solutions or actions.

1. Find a regular babysitter
2. Make it a rule to leave work by 5pm
3. Write "time for me" in my daily schedule
4. Agree with my partner specifically what time in the week is for me

You get the idea. When you make the list, make every attempt not to let your cynical little saboteur tell you, "That won't work".
You are the brilliant expert at your own life.

Now pick the ones from this list that pop out at you and put them into action. Then sit back and see what kinds of changes happen. Joy anyone?!

About the author:
Copyright 2004 Catherine A. Bruns. This article may be reprinted in full with the following attached: Life Coach Catherine Bruns coaches women to achieve great success in their personal and professional lives. For more information visit http://www.coachbalance.com

Wedding Photography

2008-03-02T05:00:00.001-08:00

If there is one occasion that everyone wants to celebrate with photographs, it is their wedding. It is an occasion that every one wants a degree of professionalism, and many people want to ensure quality. Therefore there are many opportunities for a photographer to make money, if they are willing to cover weddings.

A contract for wedding photography is very important, go to your local library and have a look at sample wedding contracts and do not forget to include a disclaimer. Your disclaimer should clearly state that you are not responsible for photographs that do not come out for equipment failure, which is not your fault. You should also use a disclaimer to say you are not responsible for photos misplaced as a result of sending the film away to be processed. You definitely do not to be sued for breach of contract on your first job.

Before the wedding has started, you should have in writing how many photographs need taking, and be aware of the cost of processing, and the cost of the albums. All that is necessary is that you estimate how long the session will take and add your hourly rate to the figure. Pay special attention to specific requests of the families, they may have a long lost cousin, coming, and they particularly want separate photos of them. It is important you can talk with each family well before the ceremony and establish exactly what they require. Remember that a lot of the guests will also be recording the ceremony, or aspects of it, so avoid unnecessary competition, get as many of the photographs done before the ceremony as you can. Be aware that some venues restrict the places that you can photograph from, so make sure that you are fully aware of this before the ceremony. It is important that you pick the correct vantage point before the ceremony. Do your homework properly, because verbal referrals will be very important for you from this type of business.

Before the ceremony make a complete list of all the photos that will be required. Here is a fairly standard list
PRE-CEREMONY:
Bride with her mother
Bride with her father
Bride with both parents
Groom with both parents
Bride with her immediate family
Bride with grandparents
Groom with grandparents
Bride with maid of honor
Groom with best man
Bride with flower girls, etc.
Groom with ushers
The flowers
Any other special requirements.
JUST PRIOR TO CEREMONY
Groom's mother entering church with usher
Bride's mother entering church with usher
Groom's father entering the church
Bride with father, about to walk down the aisle
Any other special requests.
WEDDING CEREMONY
Bride's and groom's attendants as they walk down aisle
Bride with father walking down the aisle
Bride with father approaching groom at altar
Shots of wedding party at the altar
Shots (if permitted) of bride and groom at altar
Bride and groom kissing
Bride and groom leaving altar
Any other special requests.
POST-CEREMONY
Bride alone at altar
Bride and groom at altar
Bride and groom with bride's family
Bride and groom with groom's family
Bride and groom with minister, priest, rabbi, etc.
Bride and groom with wedding party
Bride and groom kissing
A photograph of the bride and groom’s hands, entwined with the wedding ring.
Bride's attendants (all) alone
Ushers alone
Any other special requests.
RECEPTION
Entry of wedding party
Different shots of guests (table to table)
Different shots of guests not at tables
Bride and groom dancing
Parents of bride and groom dancing
The wedding cake
Bride and groom cutting the cake
Bride feeding groom
Groom feeding bride
Best man's toast
Bride and groom kissing
Bride tossing the bouquet
Groom removing bride's garter
Groom tossing the garter
The band
The servers
The "getaway" car, especially if decorated
Bride and groom driving away in car
Any other special requests.

Not every wedding you cover will want every type of photograph, but it will be a good idea to write down a list of what is required, for your first few weddings, because if you forget, you cannot organise a re run. Also you must remember that it is a sentimental day for many people, and there will be opportunities for unusual photographs, keep a watchful eye out for the child guests, at some point the possibility of an unusual photograph is going to present itself. Weddings are all fairly standard, but most people like to add a reminder of poignancy or humour.
It will be a good idea to get yourself invited to the wedding rehearsal, that way you can meet the guests, and be more comfortable with them on their big day.

The film is a large outlay for a wedding, but most people will be prepared to pay up to 50% before the day, which will be sufficient to cover your expenses.
Do you use digital or film, for the big day. Digital photographers can use Photoshop to enhance your wedding photographs with such techniques as hand-tinting, flaw removal, montage, changing images from color to sepia and black and white, and much more.

About the author:
Publisher & author: Roy Barker. Roy is the author of the popular ebook, Income from Photography - a downloadable ebook guide on how to start up and market a Profitable Photography business. It can be viewed at http://www.profitable-photography.comOther related and reviewed services & research sources can be found at http://www.profitable-photography.com/html/117/

Very Early Symptoms Of Pregnancy - Do You Know These Very Early Pregnancy Signs?

2008-03-02T04:59:00.002-08:00

Very early symptoms of pregnancy - what are they? If asked, most women remember their very early pregnancy signs if they have been pregnant before. Some women can detect the moment they begin ovulating, while many women cannot tell when or if they have ovulated. Often, women can detect when the fertile days of their cycle has ended. Some can detect the moment they have become pregnant. And for others, one of the more accurate inexpensive home pregnancy tests is a reliable way to know that the very early symptoms of pregnancy you are having mean you really are pregnant.

Here are the earliest of the very early pregnancy signs:

• Missed Period - missing a menstrual period is an obvious very early pregnancy symptom. However, many women have missed periods for other reasons and conditions. These reasons include illness, stress, hormone imbalance, adverse reactions to foods and ingestion of substances that result in some level of adverse reaction. For a missed period to be one of the very early symptoms of pregnancy, it should be confirmed by other means.

• Morning Sickness - a feeling of nausea in the mornings can be another of the very early symptoms of pregnancy. But this very early pregnancy sign needs to be experienced for several days to be considered reliable. And nausea can have other causes that are not pregnancy related.

• Tender and Enlarged Breasts - very early in pregnancy, the body begins making a series of changes in the normal hormone levels. However, the body is unprepared for these changes when they first occur. There are several changes that will happen in the body in reaction to new hormone levels. One of the most noticable changes occur in the shape of and feelings of tenderness in the breasts. The good news is that these feelings of tenderness go away fairly quickly as the body becomes accustomed to the new hormone chemistry.

• Frequent Trips to the Bathroom - having to urinate more often is one of the very early pregnancy signs. Many women experience more frequent urination even before a missed period. The reason, as with tender and enlarged breasts, is a change in hormone levels produced by implantation of the embryo. A hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is produced, which has the side effect of causing more frequent urination. This is another of the very early symptoms of pregnancy which can be mistaken for some other condition, or as a reaction to the consumption of various foods or other substances. Pregnancy needs to be confirmed by the results of a pregnancy test.

• Fatigue - the lack of energy as one of the very early pregnancy signs is sometimes hard to distinguish from other kinds of exhaustion. Again, health professionals attribute this fatigue to the change in hormones in the body, which usually disappears as the body adjusts to the new hormone levels.

These are the most common very early pregnancy signs that most women agree on. Some women will experience only one of these signs, and some will have several or all of these very early symptoms of pregnancy. Once the very early pregnancy signs are experienced, confirm pregnancy by using one of the better home pregnancy tests (there are major differences in the reliability of the home tests for pregnancy). And the health of the baby begins with the mothers health and habits before conception as well as during pregnancy. Becoming pregnant and enjoying a successful pregnancy is a complex but wonderful experience. Learn as much as you can about fertility, pregnancy and your health so the brand new person will have the very best beginning to life that is possible.

Copyright 2005 InfoSearch Publishing

About the author:
Olinda Rola is President of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com- visit the website for more information on pregnancy, ovulation and fertility, progesterone levels during pregnancy, prenatal vitamins and the reliability of early home pregnancy tests.

Vacation Is One Way To Run Away From Stress During Pregnancy

2008-03-02T04:59:00.001-08:00

What should you do to have a happy pregnancy? Many things you could do, but what most pregnant women rarely do is having a vacation. Get a life and try to relax a little bit. Or take an extended weekend just to refresh and recharge your batteries.

Downtime is very important, and in a world where nearly all of us are tied to cell phones and lap tops, even away from the office, it is good to get away from it all from time to time. Having time to walk along the beach or play golf or even to stay inside and read a great book without interruptions can help us recharge our batteries.

When the baby comes, your number one job is to be Mom. So, you will not have much time for yourself, at least not in the beginning when the baby depends on you for everything. Capitalize on those spare moments of highly valued free time now.

When you are refreshed, you are more effective and productive anyway. You will also be easier to get along with, and it will be easier for you to deal with others (even the difficult ones!).

You are not a slacker for needing time off. Enjoy spending time with your spouse, too, in these nine months, since the second the baby arrives, it will become the number one priority for both of you. Even so, do not let your relationship with your spouse become a low priority. Otherwise, you may look up five or ten years from now and realize you no longer know the man who fathered your baby.

Keep romance alive. Go on regular, standing dates, even it they are on Tuesday nights. Leave the baby with a sitter and enjoy some adult time away from Blue’s Clues and Dora the Explorer. It is important to realize that as much as you are a mother, you are also a wife. And you need to build a life for yourself so that when baby grows up, you still have meaningful things and people around you.

About the author:
Sara Jameson writes her experiences in The Very Happy Pregnancy: Avoiding Stress and Depression. Read her secrets and truths about having a happy, healthy pregnancy at http://www.you-know-you-are-pregnant.infoand http://www.pregnancy-question.info

Trust the beauty products and brand names you know

2008-03-02T04:55:00.001-08:00

Advice about the latest assistance in relation to beauty products.
When you're seeking better advice concerning beauty products, it will be easier said than done extricating the best information from amateurish beauty products suggestions and help so it is important to recognize how to moderate the information you are presented with.

Health & Beauty Depot: Healthcare & Beauty
Offers discount prices on brand name products in categories such as makeup, skincare, hair care, bath and body, and candles. Free shipping over $75.

Here are a few tips which we recommend you think of using when you're searching for information about beauty products. Understand that any recommendation we may offer is only pertinent to web based information about beauty products. We can't give you any assistance or guidance if you are receiving information offline.

Folica.com - Beauty Products
Shop at Folica.com for beauty products. Check out product reviews and free shipping at Folica.com.

A good pointer to follow when you're presented with information or advice on a beauty products web site is to research who is behind the website. Doing this could reveal the owners beauty products qualifications The easiest way to reveal who owns the beauty products site is to look for the 'about' page.

Any reputable website providing information regarding beauty products, will nearly always have an 'about' or 'contact' page which will provide you with the owner's details. The details should make known a number of indications concerning the owner's requisite knowledge. You can then make a judgement about the webmaster's familiarity and qualifications, to advise people on the subject of beauty products.

About the author:

hugh campbell is the webmaster for http://www.beauty-products-1st.info

Treat you,re self to a face lift

2008-03-02T04:54:00.002-08:00

Seeking the best sourced help regarding face lift.
When you are looking for better information relating to face lift, you'll find it hard extricating superior advice from ill-advised face lift proposals and directions so it is important to recognize how to judge the advice that is offered.

Younger Looking Skin
Hydroderm uses a unique collagen infusion to reduce facial wrinkles making skin look years younger. Get firmer, more beautiful skin without surgery or painful injections. FREE Trial.

Here are several guidelines that we believe you should use when you are trying to find information about face lift. It is important to remember that the guidance we put forward is only relevant to web based information about face lift. We don't offer any advice or guidance when you are also conducting research in books or magazines.

ThermaCool FaceLift
FDA approved technology lifts and tightens the aging face without surgery, lasers, and recovery time required. Includes info on complementary treatments.

A terrifc piece of advice you can follow when you are presented with information and advice about a face lift article is to find out who owns the site. This could reveal the people behind the website face lift credibility The easiest way to find out who is behind the face lift site is to look for the 'about' page.

Any reputable site providing information concerning face lift, will almost certainly provide an 'about' or 'contact' page that will list the owner's details. The details should let you know a number of key indications about the owner's necessary expertise. This enables you to make an assessment about the webmaster's depth of experience, to offer help regarding face lift.

Tips For Hosting a Party!

2008-03-02T04:54:00.001-08:00

If you have never hosted a party before, it can be a little intimidating the first few times you do it. You may feel more at ease by hosting small parties until you become more experienced.

The first step is to decide what kind of party it will be.

Will it be formal, or informal? Large or small? Indoors or out? Who will you invite? Will you serve food and liquor? Are you celebrating any special occasion? How much money do you want to spend? How much space do you have?

These are just some of the decisions you need to explore before you start issuing your invitations.

Once you have decided on these matters, pick a date, time, and location, and draw up a list of people you wish to invite.

Depending on the custom in your social circle, you can issue formal written invitations, invite your guests by telephone, or ask them in person.

Whatever method you choose, it's a good idea to issue your party invitations at least two or three weeks in advance.

One of the most important aspects of throwing a party is to make sure that all your guests understand exactly what kind of party it will be, and what is expected of them. Be very clear about the exact time, date, and location of the party.

Here is a checklist to help you make sure your guests know what to expect:

-Is the party formal or informal?
-Is it a costume party?
-Does the party have a theme?
-Are you supplying food? Will you provide a full meal, or just snacks and appetizers?
-At what time will the food be served? Will it be a formal, sit down meal? Or buffet style?
-Are you supplying alcoholic beverages? Do you want people to bring their own beverages?
-Do you want the guests to bring anything, such as food, appetizers, party favors, or liquor?
-If you have any unique requests, make them very explicit. For example you may not want anyone to consume alcohol or smoke on the premises.
-Do you want people to bring their children, or leave them at home?
-Does the party start exactly at a certain time, or is the starting time approximate?
-Is attendance "come and go"?

A few days before the party, telephone everyone on your list to remind them again about your party, and to have them confirm whether or not they will be attending.

Parties can be very simple or they can be quite elaborate affairs.

You can create a memorable splash without spending a lot of money.

Use your imagination to turn your party into a unique event. You can get lots of great creative ideas from magazines, television programs and books to help you plan interesting activities, food, and décor.

Don't get too carried away--the focus should always be on creating a warm, enjoyable experience for your guests. You are not creating a theme park.

One of the easiest kinds of parties to host is a potluck party. In this type of party, you are not saddled with the overwhelming task of preparing all the food yourself. You simply ask each person or couple you invite to bring some food for all to share.

If you are a very good cook, you may prefer to do all the food preparation yourself. Howevery, you will still benefit by asking a friend to help you get everything ready. You may want to start all your preparations one or two days in advance.

Before the party starts, be sure that the house is reasonably clean and that you have enough chairs, plates, cups and glasses for everyone. Have enough containers available for trash. Pick out some music selections that your guests will enjoy.

You will have much more fun at your own party if you let go of the idea that everything has to be perfect. Parties are not about perfection, they are about fun. Things that go wrong may seem disastrous at the time, but they may seem very funny later.

Try to be at the door to greet each of your guests as they arrive, and thank them for coming. Let them know where to put their coats. Tell them when and where the food will be served and show them the location of the bathroom. Introduce any new arrivals to the people who are already present.

If any of the people at your party seem to be especially shy, be sure to introduce them to others who will talk to them. If you notice someone who seems to be alone a lot throughout the evening, you can ask that person if they have been introduced to everyone at the party.

Sometimes people who are socially awkward will leap at the chance to help you with some party chores. You can ask them politely if they would be willing to take around a tray of appetizers to the guests, or help pick up empty glasses.

Try to get to each guest several times throughout the evening, and don't play favorites, ignoring some, and monopolizing the time of others. If at all possible, try to speak to your guests as they are leaving and thank them for coming.

Who knows, you may enjoy hosting a party so much that you will do it again and again!

About the author:
This article by Royane Real is taken from her new book "How You Can Have All the Friends You Want – Your Complete Guide to Finding Friends, Making Friends, and Keeping Friends" Sign up for her free newsletter filled with Life Improving tips! http://www.royanereal.com

The Secrets to having these Ten Pairs of Shoes

2008-03-02T04:53:00.002-08:00

Whether you love shoes or not, there are ten shoes every woman should have.

Did you know there are actually only a basic 8 shoe designs and every style of shoe out there are a variation of 1 of these 8 shoe designs.

"see a shoe and pick it up and al day long you’ll have good luck" – Andy Warhol

By having these ten pairs of shoes you will discover how easy choosing your clothes will be – your style will be improved.

Adding to your collection of shoes then becomes fun - understanding how to choose shoes is more important than you might think.

THE TEN PAIRS OF SHOES

1. high heel

2. wedge heel

3. strappy heel

4. sandals
[with or without heel]

5. kitten heel/Sabrina

6. tennis shoes/trainers

7. ugg boots

8. leather boots
[with or without heel]

9. flip flop sandal

10. flat

WHY THESE TEN

These ten shoes run across the 8 basic shoe designs.

You have a shoe for every occasion and if you choose your heels and colours right you will have the perfect mix for anything you wear.

“not diamonds but heels are a girls best friend” – William Rossi, World Famous Shoe Designer

“shoes are not an accessory, they are an attribute” – Christian Louboutin, World Famous Shoe Designer

Every single pair of these shoes will benefit you in some way.

If you want to know more about how womens shoes benefit you and actually improve aspects of yourself and your life visit

http://www.womens-shoes-guru.com

A personal guide to womens shoes and the secrets they hold.

The Facts About Breast Implant Surgery

2008-03-02T04:53:00.001-08:00

From a very early age, women are subjected to ideals regarding the size and shape of their breasts. Modern media – glossy magazines and movies - tell us how big and what shape they should be. Many women consider and eventually have breast implants in order to conform to these opinions but while there are advantages to having this done there are still some concerns and many questions that need answering.

Not all cosmetic surgery is carried out on women who simply want bigger breasts. Many face psychological problems because the size or shape of each breast is different. Breast cancer sufferers consider breast-rebuilding treatment to try and get their lives back on track.

Gone are the days where the only surgical procedure available for women was breast enlargements. There are numerous surgical procedures for various areas of the body although the breasts remain a firm favourite for women. You can now have breast augmentation, breast reconstruction, breast implants, a breast lift and a breast reduction.

You should always consider every view and get the full facts before you consider any surgery, least of all cosmetic surgery.

For most forms of breast implants a small incision of approximately 1.5 inches is made in the fold under the breast, around the areola or in the underarm. For saline implants, a pocket is then created and the implant inserted. Once inserted the implant is then inflated with the saline solution.

More information about the surgery.

The procedure itself usually takes between an hour and two hours and dressing and bandaging is worn for the proceeding 24 to 48 hours. After this a support bra is worn for around 3 weeks although patients can normally be up and moving within 24 hours of the operation. It is advised that strenuous activity and heavy lifting should be avoided for about a month after surgery.

You will suffer bruising and swelling around the breasts that should disappear with time, and also a firmness in the breasts that will disappear with time. You will more than likely feel a little discomfort for several days following the procedure; if this discomfort continues you should consult the clinic where you underwent the operation.

What are the possible side effects of breast implant surgery?

Current research shows no heightened risk of systemic disease or breast cancer in patients, however, as with all surgery there are risks attached. Unfavourable scarring may occur leaving nasty marks around the incision area or around the implant. Infection may occur as with any surgery. Bleeding, excessive firmness, rippling, deflation, asymmetry and a change in nipple sensation may also be encountered but breast augmentation has the highest satisfaction rate of any cosmetic surgery.

What implants are used?

Currently, in the United States, saline implants are used for breast augmentation; these are a silicone rubber shell filled with saline (salt water) during surgery. They are available in a wide choice of shapes and sizes. If a patient has significant problems and saline implants would not be the best solution then gel implants may also be used.

The advantage of saline implants that if you are one of the unlucky 1f people who’s implants deflate, the body absorbs the salt-water solution and the implant deflates at a rate that means the body can cope with the amount of salt water being absorbed.

How much will breast augmentation cost?

Obviously this will differ dependant on exactly what procedure you want, the incision type your require and where you have the procedure done. It is obviously not advised to plump for the cheapest option as this may lead to using an inefficient surgeon and complications with the procedure. As a very rough guide you can expect to pay between $4000 and $10000 for breast augmentation. There are probably cheaper and more expensive options available, but I wouldn’t advise either. The price you pay also takes into account the availability of plastic surgeons in that area and the qualifications and expertise of the potential surgeon.

If you are certain you want breast implants but feel that the price is a little too high for your budget, you will be pleased to hear that many surgeons will offer credit agreements to spread the cost over time.

You should always be very careful when picking a clinic or surgeon. Make sure they are professionally certified and be aware that this is a prime example of you get what you pay for; the price you pay is usually indicative of the qualifications, experience and expertise of your surgeon.

Do not be afraid to ask your surgeon for testimonials from satisfied clients; any professional worth his salt will be able to supply them and will be only to pleased to do so.

At the end of the day, you must have confidence in your surgeon. And the only way to achieve that, is to do your research.

©2005 Jenna Keys

About the author:
Jenna Keys is Editor of http://www.change-your-breasts.biz, an online resource for breast surgery information.

Tanning Beds, Should You Purchase One?

2008-03-02T04:52:00.002-08:00

Tanning Beds, Should You Purchase One?
By Ben Shar

Many people are often taken in with tanning beds. It seems like a great way to get a great tan, right? It is often a little more difficult than this. In fact, for those that do not take the time to heed the warnings, it can be a life threatening aspect as well. It is important to weigh your desire of a tanning bed with the cost of one and the risk involved. Here are some things to consider.

First of all, it is important for you to take the time to know what you want to gain from a tanning bed. Will it provide for you something that you can not get from a salon?

Second, the cost is a big one. Can you afford to invest the money into something like this? Is it less expensive or even close to the cost of weekly tanning visits to the salon?

Third, consider why you are not going to the salon instead. What is it that you are trying to gain from owning a tanning bed rather than going to a salon?

Do you know how to operate one? Will you take the necessary steps to keep it operational? Will you heed the warnings about them?

For many people, this is a big decision to make. It takes a lot of an investment to get one and when you do, you will need to take the time to learn how to use it properly and maintain it.

But, when you do decide to purchase one, make sure that you take the time to get the right one that fits well within your budget and your lifestyle. You will enjoy the benefit of using it within your own home as well as the knowledge that it is yours to do with what you will. But, make sure you find the time to get the right option as well! Tanning beds are a great investment if they are taken seriously!

About the author:
Find more information and tips about tanning beds by visiting http://www.tanningbedsnews.info

Sunless Tanning Booth

2008-03-02T04:52:00.001-08:00

As we begin to fully understand the serious consequences of sun tanning, we are looking for alternatives and that’s why a visit it a sunless tanning booth has become so popular. There are no tanning bed risks and no tanning bed burns to worry about. Just a beautiful golden tan that lasts about a week.

Remember the first self tanners that hit the shelves many years ago – wella you became instant carrot orange. Well we’ve come along way babe! The hottest thing to hit the beauty seen is the sunless tanning booth which gently sprays your entire body a golden brown. You’ll look naturally sun kissed and no one, and I mean no one will know its not a gift from mother nature.”

Although you can get your spray tan out of a can it can be a bit tricky and you might land up looking a little streaky so why not book an appointment at your favorite salon and get it done right. Just think the perfect sunless tan! No more harmful UV rays

If you don’t which shop has a spray booth or who is good then ask around, word of mouth is always a good way to find out what salon does the best spray tanning. Once you’ve chosen a salon book your appointment.

On the day of your appointment shower and exfoliate to make sure you’ve removed all loose and flaky skin. All the spray tanning in the world won’t do you any good if its just going to flake off tomorrow with dead skin. A loofah works great for removing dead skin.

If there are parts of your body that you don’t’ want spray tanned than choose old clothing to cover them because they are going to be covered in a dye that doesn’t come off easily. You’ll also need to make sure they fit tight so that spray can’t waft up.

Be sure you follow the instructions the salon gives you. Normally they give you a handout to read that tells you what to do.

After your sprayed you need to stand still for 60 seconds to let the tan dry evenly. This doesn’t mean its completely dry it just this is when it’s easiest to rub off or smear. You should actually be cautious for a couple of hours. After the 60 seconds gently blot your skin with a towel to catch drips and remove any blotches.

Feet don’t normally get as much sun as the rest of you so they are often paler. In a spray booth they may actually darker faster because of the angle so it’s best to wear the paper booties the salon gives you to keep your tan looking natural. You can always apply a coat at home with a can tanner if they are too light.

If you’ve got a special event coming up, perhaps a wedding, prom, or a re-union, spray tanning might be something you’ll want to try. When done correctly it results in a very natural looking tan adding summer color to your pale winter skin. Using a sunless tanning booth is what could be called smart tanning. So what are you waiting for? Why not give it a try?

About the author:
M.D Stacener from Home Tanning Beds has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing valuable information to keep you beautiful and healthy. Please visit us at http://www.tanabanas.com/

Successful Career, Rocky Relationship?

2008-03-02T04:51:00.004-08:00

While you’re soaring with the eagles at work, things are about as low as they can get on the home front. This is a quandary many people before you have had, but within the situation is an opportunity to evaluate life.

Often it takes a relationship breakdown of divorce proportions to force us to stop and take stock of the meaning and direction of our life.

We also know that “love” is one of the pillars of our life. We also know it’s not logical to be working as hard and as long as we do, creating all the money and success imaginable only to end up alone and unable to share all the fruits with the one you love the most.

What the successful career, rocky relationship situation provides you with though is an opportunity to evaluate. Let me explain.

Life is about purpose – life purpose. You, within your life purpose – above everything else, are striving for happiness and in order to help you evaluate your situation I have a few questions for you that takes you right to the heart of the matter.

Are you happy “with you” in your relationship?
Are you happy with your partner in the relationship?
Do you still want the relationship?
Can the relationship be salvaged? If so, how?

Are you using work to hide from something at home? Children; in-laws; step-children, the pain of a family death; something your partner said to you months ago that hurt and you never let go of it?
Are there pressures at home that could be worked out with a different strategy i.e. outside help, like coaching or counseling?

Do you love your work more than your partner?
Do you change into a different person that you don’t like when you cross the threshold, or when you turn into the street?

Many situations can be worked out if you want to work them out. In the short term talking or working together can work, but you must be careful that you don’t just stick a plaster over what appeared to be a small wound only for it to reopen again later.

One of the ways to avoid this is to strip down your life in order to rediscover your self. Doing this will make you happy, not just for an hour or a day, but for life.

People who have been in successful careers, rocky relationships are using this situation to reevaluate their meaning & direction in life. They’re doing it and finding they’re now mastering more than just the career pillar, but the relationship one too.

They are growing into stronger, fitter, happier people. Do you want to join them?

Best Wishes

Jo Ball
Coach & Founder, Unstoppable Life

About the author:
Jo Ball (LCA, Dip, NLP Prac)
Are you someone who wants to develop a successful career and relationship? Jo Ball is developing the next generation of people who succeed in career and relationships at Unstoppable Life. These people are clear on their purpose – “Life Purpose”. Join Jo’s Fr>ee newsletter now and discover what others worldwide are already discovering. www.unstoppablelife.com

So You Think You’re Pregnant? A Brief Discussion Of Common Pregnancy Symptoms

2008-03-02T04:51:00.003-08:00

A baby begins life even before he is born – from conception until the uterus finally pushes him out of his mother’s body. This is the phenomenon we call pregnancy. It starts when the male sperm unites with the female egg and develops into an embryo. While several women say they can already detect pregnancy from the moment of conception, some see the pregnancy symptoms much later.

As the woman’s body prepares itself for child-bearing, she will notice several changes. The telltale signs of pregnancy include the following:

Absence of menstruation

This is usually the first sign of pregnancy. Take note, though, that it should not always be linked with pregnancy symptoms, as missing your monthly period can also mean some other kind of hormonal imbalance or condition.

Morning sickness

It would be prudent to note that the pregnancy symptom called “morning sickness” does not happen only in the mornings. This feeling of dizziness can happen at any time of the day. The hormonal changes occurring during pregnancy generally trigger bouts of nausea and vomiting. Another related symptom would be constant tiredness, which a possibly pregnant woman experiences even if no physical activity had been performed (but, then, again, it could also be due to improper nutrition).

Strong craving for certain foods

The cause of this pregnancy symptom is still undetermined. But pregnant women have been infamous for requesting/demanding different kinds of food, owing to uncontrollable appetite urges. On some cases, “strong craving” is an understatement.

Mood swings and headaches

A woman’s emotions sometimes become slave to the hormonal changes linked with pregnancy. Quite common are bouts of depression, vagueness, listlessness and irritability.

Sleepiness

This symptom is not due to fatigue. Women who are pregnant usually long for sleep early in the evening. Again, blame the hormones.

Frequent urination

As the womb expands to make room for the growing fetus, it bears down on the urinary bladder, causing constant urges to pass urine. Some women have also been observed to develop white, creamy vaginal discharge during pregnancy, while the breasts tend to swell and grow tender (as the mammary glands brace themselves for breastfeeding).

Not all signs of pregnancy are obvious. But when the above mentioned symptoms present themselves to you, and you have enough reason to suspect that you are pregnant, you must consult your doctor at once, preferably an obstetrician. (An obstetrician specializes in caring for women while they are pregnant and even after pregnancy.) The doctor will then run tests to find out whether you ARE pregnant and in which pregnancy level you are already in. If your doctor bears good news, that, indeed, a miracle has formed in your womb, congratulations! You will soon be holding in your arms the greatest gift you will ever receive.

About the author:
Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about pregnancy, please go to: http://pregnancy.besthealthlink.net/or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

Slash Your Wedding Ceremony Bills

2008-03-02T04:51:00.001-08:00

When it comes to your wedding services alone, nobody wants to spend an arm and a leg on this and still have to foot the bill for the reception. Really it depends on where you want to your wedding to be and what type of service that you are hoping to have. With careful wedding planning, you can save a small fortune!

When you are planning your wedding , there is a way to satisfy all types of weddings as long as you know what your options are. Let’s take a look at the different types of ceremonies that you can choose from that can save you a great deal of money.
Church Ceremony

When you are planning your wedding ceremony to be in a church, you will often have to pay for the rental and the priest or minister to perform the ceremony.

Some churches will decorate for you while others will not. If this is an issue, be sure to ask first. How much money you will pay for the ceremony will vary and will depend on how the policies of the church. Careful wedding planning requires you to discover all the costs upfront so you can make an informed decision.

Here are some tips on how you can save money on a church ceremony.

* Look for a church that offers complete services or all inclusive packages rather than separate fees
* Try to bargain deals for outdoor weddings
* Rent the church alone and hire your own minister
* Have your services on a day where there are no church services because it may be cheaper
* Decorate the church yourself
* Offer to volunteer at the church for awhile in exchange for a discount
* You can save some money by hosting your ceremony in the church basement rather than in the worship center.
* Churches will often offer more inexpensive prices if you are a member of the church.

These wedding planning tips should give you something to think about for now!

In the next instalment, I will be showing you how you can save money and have fun with some creative, unconventional wedding planning ideas that will allow you to express your individuality (nobody will suspect you are actually saving money by doing things this way!)

If you can't wait for the next instalment of my wedding planning tips, check out my links below for some links to ideas you can get started with right away!

About the author:
Lucinda Lane has written a complete guide to cheaper weddings available at www.weddings-information-guide.com

Skin Care Home Remedies

2008-03-02T04:50:00.005-08:00

Natural homemade recipes for your skin are simple to make and cost-effective. What you put on your skin is just as important as what you eat. Commercial products often contain chemicals that are absorbed by your skin finding their way into the bloodstream which can be harmful to your overall health.

Virgin coconut oil/butter makes for a good moisturizer by providing a protective layer that locks in natural moisture. Coconut oil solidifies at temperatures below 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the coconut butter in small lip balm or eye cream jars or any small sterilized jar. For a lip balm, use coconut butter on its own or add peppermint or spearmint oil. As an acne treatment, add a couple of drops of tea tree, lavender, or patchouli oil. For wrinkles, add rose, orange or patchouli oil. To treat eczema, add chamomile, geranium, or orange oil. To treat broken capillaries, add rose, palmarosa, or parsley oil. To treat cellulite, add grapefruit, tangerine, or orange oil. For stretch marks, add palmarosa or neroli oil. To treat burns, add geranium, patchouli or lavender oil.

For sunburned skin, break open a leaf of an Aloe Vera plant and smooth onto the skin. The gel is also good for other types of burns and has soothing, cooling, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Strawberry juice, cucumbers and avocados are also soothing to sunburned skin.

For tired eyes, place cucumber slices over your eyes. For dark circles around your eyes, place cooled tea bags over your eyes.

For a homemade facial toner, mix green tea, chamomile or ginseng tea (made with mineral water or distilled water) with lavender or lemon oil. Green tea is rich in antioxidants which fight free radicals that damage and age the skin. Green tea is said to diminish fine lines. Lavender oil is a good toner and lemon oil is a good rejuvenator and toner. Add Vitamin C crystals as a preservative and antioxidant. MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane) is a natural source of organic sulfur good for the skin. Add MSM crystals to your toner or eat high sulfur foods such as kale or watercress.

Prick a capsule of Vitamin A, E, or wheat germ oil and smooth directly onto your skin, add to coconut, almond or apricot oil, or to your toner. Vitamin A is a potent antioxidant and Vitamin E is said to slow down the aging process. Almond oil soothes and lubricates the skin. Apricot oil protects and softens the skin. Wheat germ oil promotes skin elasticity.

For a moisturizing and refreshing mask, mix avocado with shredded cucumber. Avocados are rich in protein and Vitamin A. Cucumbers are cooling and cleansing. Use a mashed banana for a skin firming mask.

To lighten age spots, rub lemon directly onto your skin.

For a body powder, mix cornstarch and baking soda with your favorite essential oil. For a foot powder, mix cornstarch, baking soda and tea tree or peppermint oil. Baking soda acts as a deodorizer and soothes the skin. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic, germicide, antibacterial, and fungicide. Peppermint oil is soothing to the feet and swollen ankles.

Drinking plenty of water, eating raw fruits and vegetables, and getting plenty of rest are one of the best ways to achieving healthy and radiant skin. What goes into your body is reflective on your skin.

About the author:
Elizabeth Kiely is the owner of EK Shower Caps: http://www.eklbc.com

Skin and Hair Care Guide for the Summers

2008-03-02T04:50:00.003-08:00

SKIN:
Looking after your skin in summer the right way is very important. So, make it a point to use a face wash. If you are on the run, never forget to carry face wipes. They help to cleanse, tone and moisturize the skin. They even take the grime off the face. In summer, try to opt for oil-free moisturizers with SPF 30, which also double as sunscreens. Avoid soap. Instead use a cleansing milk. A lip balm is a must for all age groups. Since summer is all about gime and sweat, avoid oily astringents and use rose water instead. Remember to drink lots of water to hydrate the skin. To get more information on skin care, refer this http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com/beauty/skin-care.htm

MAKEUP:
Less is more. Get minimum makeup and just a hint of translucent powder. But if you do want to add a dash of glam, try this, if your skin is dry, try creams which give a dewy effect. This hydrates the skin and adds a glow. Opt for clear mascara instead of a black one, and use a pale lipstick for your cheeks and lips. Pepermint foot cream also works wonders. And finally a word of caution, "never sleep with makeup on".

HAIR:
Try using a sunscreen for your hair. Leaving on a conditioner with UV protection is a great bet for dry and brittle hair. Products for treated hair are a must in summer, besides regularly using liss and fizz control solutions. A regular oil massage too helps. Try deep-conditioning treatment, as the sun-rays damage the hair.

THE GOLDEN RULE:
You need to regularly follow the three golden rules of cleansing, toning and moisturising for a healthy skin and fabulous glow.

Find lots of homemade beauty recipes here - http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com/homemade-beauty-products.htm

About the author:

For http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com
Find lots of makeup and beauty tips here with loads of information on skin care and skin disorders. Also you get to learn about aromatherapy and various homemade beauty recipes.
If you wish to reproduce the above article you are welcome to do so, provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this resource box and LIVE(clickable) link to our website.

Shopping Tips and Tricks to find a perfect pair of shoes

2008-03-02T04:50:00.001-08:00

Shopping Tips and Tricks to finding a Perfect Pair of Shoes

This article will provide you with some useful shopping tips and tricks to finding a perfect pair of shoes.

Following a recent advertising campaign I asked a number of women what information they would find most useful about womens shoes.

After collating the feedback received the majority asked for:-

How to find the right size and width
How to find discount or inexpensive designer shoes
Assurance of return policy/shipping service etc
How to choose fashionable shoes that are comfortable
Reasonable priced shoes without searching all day to compare prices
Quality - how to recognise poor quality shoes

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT SIZE AND WIDTH

Know your shoe size and always choose a pair in your true size. The size you usually wear.

Most online shoe stores offer half sizes.

Unless the store is in Great Britain or Australia, most online shoe stores list their shoes in US sizes.

Check your country shoe size. For instance I live in England and my size is UK 7. In US this would be a size 9.5 and European size 40.

Not all online shoe stores offer narrow or wide width shoes.

If you require a narrow or wide width shoe try to choose stores that provide these.

It would be disappointing to go shoe shopping and find a pair of shoes you love only to discover the store only offers standard widths.

HOW TO FIND DISCOUNT OR INEXPENSIVE DESIGNER SHOES

The beauty of online shoe shopping is that the majority of the top stores offer up to and more than 100 designer branded shoes.

It is unrealistic to expect to get yourself a pair of Gucci shoes and only pay $30 for them.

However, there are shoe stores that offer such designer names at far lower prices than you would expect to pay at a boutique or mall store.

There are sites that have unique partnerships with designer houses and only offer end of season or discounted items.

Be very wary of doing random searches for designer shoes online.

The increase in fake or replica items is on the increase.

You might end up paying a little more than some of these sites offer. However, shopping with a reputable store will ensure you get what you are paying for and not some fake or replica item that will only be very poor quality.

Sadly sites offering fake goods are
only after your money and not to give you any customer satisfaction in terms of service or quality product.

ASSURANCE OF RETURNS / SHIPPING POLICY

There a few top stores that offer free shipping [usually within the US or their own country] and free returns.

Stores usually only charge for worldwide delivery.

Always check the return policy before actually paying for your shoes.

Reputable online stores offer excellent customer service and make great effort to ensure their customers are happy.

They give you fast delivery and a free or inexpensive return service.

HOW TO CHOOSE FASHIONABLE SHOES THAT ARE COMFORTABLE

Almost all top internet shoe stores offer designer and branded shoes which means they are well made and have comfort elements taken into account.

There will always be reports out there that high heels will ruin your feet.

A poor quality pair of any shoe including high heels certainly will but you can be fashionable without sacrificing the comfort and health of your feet.

Current fashion spreads across an enormous selection of styles which means you don't have to have towering high heels to be fashionable.

Wedge heels are very fashionable at the moment.

Due to the fact that you have a wedge heel rather than a spike or narrow high heel they are very easy to walk in.

You won't feel like you have the height they actually are.

Wedge heels give you all the benefits of high heels such as lengthening and slimming the look of your legs and lifting the posture of your bottom.

They also come in closed toes, sandals and lots of different colours and textures with ankle ties or straps.

High heels will always be fashionable and wedge heels are a great way to get the heel without the wobble if you struggle to walk in heels.

Sabrina or kitten heels are quite in vogue.

The heel is only up to a couple of inches in height. You do still get the heel benefits but are extremely comfortable and easy to walk in.

Flat sandals or flip flops will always be comfortable if they are well made.

If you don't fancy being completely flat you can get wedge flip flops or small heeled sandals.

A shopping tip to remember with sandals is to choose something that flatters your feet.

If you have long toes or feet, choose a flip flop that has some detail at the centre of the thong. This draws the eye away from your toes and creates width rather than length.

Sandals that have a strap or band across the foot to reveal your toes will draw attention to your toes. Trying sandals that have a thong style will reveal more of your foot.

Shopping tips show that an ankle tied sandal which will draw attention to your legs as well as your feet.

Loafers or slip on flat shoes are always comfortable.

Shoe shopping trends show that indian style satin slippers are extremely fashionable at the moment you can choose a few pairs in a variety of styles and maintain the flat heel.

A good shopping tip is to choose one with a genuine leather hard sole. The quality is better and they won't fall to pieces after short while either.

Mules and pumps are becoming more popular and designers are creating collections of colours and styles in these ranges.

REASONABLE PRICES WITHOUT SEARCHING ALL DAY TO COMPARE PRICES

Top online shoe stores are extremely competitive.

Behind the scenes each store will compete for certain key words that their visitors search for.

For instance if you are looking for a flip flop and go to your search engine and type in 'womens flip flops' you will see pages of listings to choose from.

Each company's listing has competed against the next to get higher up on the search engine page.

Their listings then entice you to click on their listing.

Just because you click on the top listing doesn't mean you are getting the best store for womens flip flops.

It just means that particular listing has competed better for that particular word and got to the top.

Unless you have purchased shoes online and know of a few reputable stores, its best to check out a guide or read up on what to look for.

Prices vary enormously online. The top online stores remain at the top because
they offer their customers low prices and quality products.

These stores will regularly offer sales and maintain low prices.

Again, don't expect to buy a pair of Gucci shoes for $30. You can expect to get shoes far cheaper than in the stores at the mall and a greater choice of quality designers and shoes in general.

A good shopping tip is to shop around the top online shoe stores. All have regular sales and heavily discounted lines.

HOW TO RECOGNISE POOR QUALITY

Due to the fact that online shoe stores only offer branded items, you can be assured of the quality.

A good shopping tip is to look at the shoe images on the sites you are shopping at.
They should be clear and a description and larger photo available for you to view.

Don't waste your shopping time buying shoes from sites that offer little or no choice in terms of both styles and sizes.

The store doesn't have to be the largest out there but any store should offer you a good selection to choose from.

The quality of the site itself is also a good indication on what you can expect in terms of service and value for your money.

If you find it impossible to locate the policy, terms of use or contact us page try and avoid. Its important to have clear policies.

A shopping tip to remember is the more customer service benefits you see the better your overall shopping experience will be with them.

IMPORTANT TIPS

Shopping tips are important if you want to do this in a breeze. Try to decide what you want before starting out and remember some of the things outlined above.

Payment is an extremely important factor and you should never give your credit card or personal details if you are not on a secure site or subscribing to something.

An accurate way and most important of the shopping tips is to check that the payment page is secure is to look at your browser. It takes a second.

The browser is the white box you see at the top of the web page beginning http://www.thenameofthepage.com

When you have selected your item[s] and click to checkout the browser screen should change to https://www.thenameofthepage.com/paymentorcheckout.html

Or something along those lines.

What is important is the little letter s. This means you are on a secure page to provide your payment details.

If you note these shopping tips your online shoe shopping experience will be a good one.

Regards

Shelley Costello

Womens Shoes Guru

About the author:
Shelley Costello is webmaster/author of the Womens Shoes Guru site which provides a complete guide and benefits to womens shoes.
Shelley works from her home in England with her partner and two young children.

Shop Online And Save Money

2008-03-02T04:49:00.001-08:00

With our days having fewer hours than we need, online shopping has become a way of life and a time saver. Now you can stay at home, sit in front of the fire, poolside or near your favorite window, enjoying a good cup of coffee or your favorite beverage, and shop till you drop. You can take as much time and compare prices and quality without having tired legs and sore feet.

As gas prices escalate you can use your gas savings money for selecting an extra item or two that capture your fancy. Online shopping will save you time in your busy day. You don't have to rush to the store for that gift you forgot about, hassle with the kids that want to be in the toy department and certainly not with you in the clothes, jewelry and other departments.

We know a woman whose husband thinks it is Christmas all year round! She shops online and gets packages delivered to her door about four times a week. He comes home from work and has a ball opening the packages. For him, it's like Christmas 52 weeks a year!

Not only can you shop online, but you can fine printable grocery coupons that are not available anywhere else but online. Another positive to online shopping is online coupons which the companies display on many shopping sites. These coupons are discounts given to you for shopping at their online stores.

These are just some of the benefits of online shopping. You can read information and tips about online shopping published by the US Federal Trade Commission at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/online/cybrsmrt.htm and the Better Business Bureau at http://www.bbbonline.org/OnlineShopTips/ . Enjoy online Shopping!

About the author:
Eric Madsen is the webmaster at http://www.glamorousshopper.com

Seven Tips For Coping With Hot Flashes

2008-03-02T04:48:00.002-08:00

What do you do when you suffer hot flashes? Ask most women and they will agree that the most common and irritable symptom of menopause are hot flashes. Some women refer to it as a “flash” because women report a flushed feeling about the face and neck. Those feeling usually came together with sweats.

Current theory proposes that certain brain chemicals called catecholamines and opiates may mediate hot flashes. It’s now believed that the hypothalamus, one of the glands affected by estradiol withdrawal, somehow releases a trigger substance that results in thermoregulatory instability. The body’s signals get mixed, triggering a warming and sweating sequence, in an effort to stabilize what it perceives as a change in body temperature.

To help you with that situation, here are 7 tips to cope with hot flashes which you might need.

1. Dress in layered clothing, preferably cotton, since natural fibers allow your skin to breathe. Then when you feel a flash coming on, you can simply shed layers to cool off. Since some flashes are followed by chills, it can be helpful to have a sweater to put back on.

2. Limit or eliminate altogether substances that may act as triggers: caffeine; alcohol; hot, spicy foods; diet pills; hot tubs; stress.

3. Drink plenty of water. Keeping well hydrated can help modulate your body temperature.

4. Keep a supply of ice water nearby - even at night beside your bed.

5. Use lighter blankets or a fan near your bed to deal with hot flashes at night.

6. Limit your intake of red wine, chocolate, and aged cheeses, which contain a chemical that can affect your body's thermostat and trigger a hot flash.

7. Make use of other coping behaviors. Psychological or behavioral coping techniques are getting more attention from the scientific community. For example, a small study conducted by a professor of psychiatry, Robert R. Freedman, Ph.D., at the Lafayette Clinic and Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit found that regular, practiced breathing reduced hot flashes by 50 percent in the study’s 33 participants.

Other self-help behavioral methods include practicing self-acceptance (remind yourself, out loud if necessary, that this is a temporary symptom of menopause and perfectly normal), tracking the emotions and situations that precede a flash (thus putting some degree of self-control back into the equation), and trying to keep a sense of humor (share funny moments with friends who are also going through the transition).

About the author:
Alicia Simpson is a mother and housewife who experience menopause. Her new guide book: "Menopause without Stress" is to tell women that menopause is part of life you cannot avoid. Visit her Website MenopauseWithoutStress.com at http://www.menopausewithoutstress.com

Searching for the most up-to-date opinion regarding baby products.

2008-03-02T04:48:00.001-08:00

When you are on the lookout for excellent information relating to baby products, you will find it hard separating quality information from unprofessional baby products proposals and support so it's astute to know how to qualify the advice you are presented with.

Baby And Products at Shopping.com!
Find, compare and buy Strollers and other Kids and Family products at Shopping.com. Read product reviews and compare prices with tax and shipping from thousands of online stores.

Here are a few tips which we sincerely believe you should use when you are searching for information concerning baby products. It is important to remember that the advice we tender is only relevant to internet information about baby products. We cannot offer any tips or guidance when you are also conducting research offline.

Buy Baby Products
Find a great selection of baby products and other baby products at aBaby.com. aff

A really good piece of advice you can follow when offered information and suggestions on a baby products site would be to determine who owns the site. This could reveal the people behind the website baby products credibility The easiest way to reveal who owns the baby products web site is to look on the 'about' page or the sites 'contact' page.

Any reputable website providing information regarding baby products, will almost always provide an 'about' or 'contact' page which will list the people behind the site. The details should divulge a number of key indications about the owner's skill and understanding. This permits you to make an informed assessment about the site owner's knowledge and skill, to advise people on the subject of baby products.

About the author:

Darren Hoye is the webmaster for http://www.baby-products-online.info

Reclaiming Self: Making Time For Yourself

2008-03-02T04:47:00.001-08:00

It often seems that our days are engulfed in a myriad of tasks. Today we have many responsibilities and many roles - spouse, parent, sibling, child, friend, and career worker. Do you find you lose yourself in your relationships, in your nurturing roles, and in the busyness of life? Does it seem like your life has become a series of tasks to complete, rather than moments to enjoy? We often get so caught up in the DOING that we forget to BE.

Usually the first thing to go in this whirlwind of activity is time for ourselves. Lack of time for ourselves often leads to feeling frustrated, tired, overwhelmed and out of balance. Without this time for self, we lose sight of what's important to us and of what we need to be our best.

If you are feeling like life is out of control, that you are undervalued, that you are too busy, or if you put the needs of others consistently before your own, then it is time to create some time and space for yourself. Taking time for yourself allows you to renew, heal, and create reserves of energy and peace. Honouring yourself enables you to discover your truth, access your creativity and experience a sense of peace, wholeness, purpose, and balance.

Taking time for yourself is really about Self-Care and is an extremely important component to creating the life you want. It is about honouring yourself and connecting with yourself. Taking care of yourself is one of the first steps on the journey of discovering your truth and accessing your creativity. When you take time for yourself it allows you to stop doing for awhile and to just BE. It is in the Being where your power lies. You automatically raise your standards and capabilities and create potential and possibility in your life. When you honour and nurture yourself you can hear your inner voice much more clearly - you can hear your own truth and this connection enables you to live authentically.

In order to make time for yourself consider the following. Write the answers down on a piece of paper or in your journal or notebook.

Coaching Questions

* How could it be a gift to others to take time for yourself?
* What would it take to make time for yourself a priority?
* What activities bring you joy or nurture you?
* What is keeping you from doing the things that energise and inspire you?
* How can you bring more of these simple treats into your day?

Take Action

Commit to doing one activity from the list you created each day for the next week.

Each day take 5 minutes for yourself. Find a quiet place where you can sit and not be disturbed. Close your eyes and simply follow the path of your breath. Just focus on your breath. If other thoughts come in, just let them go. If you find this difficult at first, then focus on repeating the affirmation "I am happy and peaceful". Quieting your mind and body and focusing on the breath will help to change your emotional state and provide your soul with a peaceful respite from the busyness of your day.

Time for yourself does not have to take half a day or come at someone else's expense. In fact, taking the time to replenish and nurture yourself will give you more energy and you will be better able to support those you love. It is often the simple things that can make the biggest difference. For example, sitting in your favourite chair and sipping a cup of tea, going for a walk, or listening to your favourite music. I encourage you to carve out 15 minutes for yourself each day to do something that nurtures you and brings you joy. Try it as an experiment for one week and see what changes for you. Reclaim your Self! When you do, you will experience a sense of peace, renewal, and connection.

I offer a variety of e-courses and e-retreats that are designed to help you Reclaim your Self and experience the peace and sense of wholeness that comes from knowing your purpose and living authentically.

About the author:

Jan Hornford is a Life Coach & Retreat Leader whose passion is to help individuals re-connect with their own wisdom and power and to support them to create the life they want. Her retreats offer the opportunity to experience joyful self-care, connection, and possibility. For more information, please take a look at her website: http://www.futureperfect.caOr, call her: 403-313-4064 For more information about the free 4 week e-course: "Living Authentically: Honouring Your Truth in Everyday Life" visit: http://www.futureperfect.ca/store/index.php?cPath=1

Problems Associated With Teen Pregnancy

2008-03-02T04:46:00.002-08:00

Pregnancy is one of the pivotal moments of a woman's life but not when you’re young with a bright future ahead. Teen pregnancy is one of the most difficult experiences any young woman can go through. The stress of pregnancy, revelation of pregnancy to parents, and moving on despite the shame and worry can be nerve-racking. Indeed pregnancy especially during teenhood will never be easy.

According to studies, teenage pregnancies in the United States have decreased steadily over the years. In 1991, there were 60 out of 1000 young women who gave birth and in 1998, 51 out of 1000 gave birth. This decrease may be due to the effective use of birth control and decreased sexual activity among teens.

Yet teen pregnancy rates remain high. According to Women’s Health Channel, in the United States alone, approximately 1 million teenage girls experience pregnancy every year. At least 5f young girls give birth and in 1997, at least 13f the births in the US are of teenage girls. ??
Health risks to the baby and children out of teen pregnancy are more likely to experience health, social, and emotional problems. An increased risk for complications such as premature labor in teen pregnancy and socioeconomic consequences are present.

But there are more serious problems for the teenage mothers-to-be than the statistics and how the world views them either negatively or positively. Both the baby and the mother are at risk in major areas of life such as school failure, poverty, and physical or mental illness.

Pregnant teenagers may not seek proper medical care that may lead to a bigger risk of medical complications. In their pregnancy, they need understanding, medical care, and education – particularly in nutrition and complications of pregnancy.

Pregnancy to teenagers brings all sorts of emotions. Some do not want their babies while others feel that its creation is an achievement. Some feel guilty and anxious while others feel that they need to baby to love but not aware of the special care it would need. Also, depression is common during pregnancy in teenagers. And when worse comes to worst, a pregnant teenager may even require the help of a mental health professional.

Teen pregnancy can be risky to unborn babies. Teen pregnancy results to underweight babies, poor eating habits of the teenager, and smoking and drinking tendencies of the pregnant girl. Lastly, pregnant teens are less likely to seek prenatal care.

Unwanted pregnancy can be prevented through open communication and providing guidance regarding sexuality, contraception, and risks and responsibilities of possible pregnancy. Sexual education and family life in schools can also prevent unwanted pregnancies. Finally, support of family and love will greatly help pregnant teens.

About the author:
Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about pregnancy, please go to: http://pregnancy.besthealthlink.net/or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

Powerful Intentions

2008-03-02T04:46:00.001-08:00

Intention. I know you know what it means, but when pressed to define it in words your tongue may get a bit tied. Most people somehow relate intention to goals or the process of goal achievement. And that is true, as we must ‘intend’ in order to accomplish. But intention is so much more than simply the road to completing a goal. Intention has a decidedly spiritual side. Even the dictionary has a definition that involves intention as prayer.

So what’s the purpose of all this? Who cares about all this intention mumbo jumbo anyway? Well, intention is a powerful tool in life and if you’re not already using it to the best of your abilities, you’re missing out. Using powerful intentions is a primary way for us to focus ourselves and be open to new information.

A powerful intention is like a lighthouse. The lighthouse shines a strong powerful beam of light that acts as a beacon for the ships at sea. I would bet that at some time you have felt like a ship at sea, lost perhaps, buffeted around by strong currents and waves, and finding a beacon – or following your intention - can give you just the direction you need.

So, intention is a tool that creates direction, focus, and openness in our lives.
Often folks mistake intentions and goals. There’s a big difference.

Goals are attainment ideals that we set for sometime in the future. Two things to think about with goals – the energy that we use to accomplish goals is push; and goals keep us in the future.

Intentions, on the other hand, are aims that guide our action in the present moment. Intention is what allows us to discover better ways of approaching our current challenges and remaining in the moment. It is really only in the present moment where we have our power – the past is gone, and the future isn’t here yet, so your power is how you act right now.

Jennifer Louden, The Comfort Queen, http://www.comfortqueen.com, wrote about this distinction beautifully in her book, 'The Women’s Retreat Book'. She advises framing intentions in the form of a question. Questions tend to make us more open to opportunities and awareness, rather than simply having the tunnel vision of accomplishment and checking things off your to do list.

I think you’re all pretty familiar with what goals looks like:

· Increase salary by end of the year
· Paint living room this weekend
· Call 5 new leads by Friday

Here’s some examples of intentions:

· How can I best care for myself this week?
· What do I need to do to be my most productive?
· How can I listen and honor my own inner wisdom?
· What are the natural resources in my life that serve me?
· How can I ask for help?
· When do I need to hold my boundaries?

Feel the difference between the push of the goal and the pull of the intention. Both are useful tools, you just need to know how to use them both effectively.

In the Weekly Women’s Focus and Intention Call, http://www.coachbalance.com/weekly-womens-focus-and-intention-call.html, that I conduct, women spend time creating powerful intentions that steer their actions during the week. These women find this weekly practice extremely helpful in grounding themselves during the week, and in providing direction in what is often a chaotic environment. For these women, intention provides the necessary guidance to stay on track - both with their to do list, as well as their inner feelings of control and satisfaction.

Intention is powerful! Do you have powerful intentions in your tool belt?

About the author:
Copyright 2005 Catherine A. Bruns. This article may be reprinted in full with the following attached: Life Coach Catherine Bruns helps women to achieve their goals while creating a balance between what they do and who they are. For more information visit http://www.coachbalance.com

Plugging Your Energy Leaks

2008-03-02T04:45:00.003-08:00

You can’t water a garden with an empty bucket – right?! Last month we worked on filling your bucket and keeping it that way, http://www.coachbalance.com/self-care-for-women.html but a full bucket doesn’t do much good if you’ve got lots of leaks. A leaky bucket requires you to put much more effort into filling it than if you have no leaks at all. Don’t you want to keep the energy you put in your bucket? Don’t you want to be in charge of how you choose to use your energy? Sure you do! Read on and learn which of the 3 Energy Leaks are creating the biggest holes in your bucket.

ENERGY VAMPIRES – the things we just put up with and tolerate.
Just think of a vampire – it sucks the life out of you! And that’s just what all those little things in life that you’re simply putting up with do to you. Look around your home or office right now. Is there a pile of paper or clutter that you’ve been walking by thinking that you’ll get to it later? Do you hate the color of the wall? Is your computer slower than molasses and it drives you crazy? These are great examples of tolerations. Every time you walk past that pile and think you should do something about it, a bit of your energy is drained away – the toleration has occupied space and taken some of your resource. Here’s the challenge – make a list of everything in your world that you are tolerating. It can be stuff, or people, or attitudes – things you can do something about or things you can’t. Keep that list handy; you'll be using it later.

ENERGY WASTERS – our bad habits.
Picture this. You are running a race, an important race. You are effortlessly bounding towards the finish line, exuberant and full of energy. You gloriously leap across the finish line to celebrate your great accomplishment. Nice picture, huh? OK, how ‘bout this one? You’re running the same important race, but tied to your ankle is a small footstool. You have to run in a really awkward way to avoid stepping on the footstool and it keeps banging into your other leg. Now imagine, that the footstool becomes a sofa tied around your waist. You’re running as hard as you can, but making such little progress and using so much energy that you often have to sit down on the sofa to rest. You can’t even see the finish line. Our bad habits are just like the footstool or the sofa (or perhaps even a refrigerator!), wasting our energy and preventing us from finishing our race with energy and joy. What are your bad habits? Make a list.

ENERGY QUICKSAND – worry.
When you think of worry, think about your garden hose in the backyard with the tap turned on. If you worry a little, the water just trickles out endlessly, if you worry a lot, it gushes out flooding your whole yard and making it impossible for things to grow. Here’s an exercise for you. Draw a line on a piece of paper, with 1 at one end, 10 at the other, and 5 in the middle. Then rate your self on this ‘worry scale’. Put yourself closer to 1 if worry doesn’t impact you much – if you find yourself worrying, you take action to solve your problem. Mark closer to 5 if worry affects you somewhat, impacting your sleeping or eating and other things in your life. You're closer to a 10 if worry affects your life daily and your sleep, eating, moods and relationships are regularly affected. If you mark yourself above a 3, you likely have a worry leak that needs some attention.

So, now that you’ve identified some of the leaks that you’d like to take care of the question is what do you do to plug them up?! April is Plug Your Leaks month at the Balanced Living Journal, http//:www.balancedlivingjournal.blogspot.com (my blog - remember). Throughout the month I will be posting some very specific ways for you to tackle your leaks and hoping that you will also post what works for you. So go there frequently during the month to get and share information about your energy leaks.

Some leaks are easy and some are much harder to plug up, but I'm quite confident that you can do it. Awareness and persistence are your tools in this task.

About the author:
Copyright 2005 Catherine A. Bruns. This article may be reprinted in full with the following attached: Life Coach Catherine Bruns coaches women to success in their personal and professional goals. For more information visit http://www.coachbalance.com

Plan A Wedding You Can Be Proud Of - Without Breaking The Bank!

2008-03-02T04:45:00.001-08:00

A wedding is probably going to be the biggest event that you will ever plan in your lifetime. When you are making such a commitment to the person that you love and plan to spend the rest of your life with, you will want everything to go just perfectly.

Weddings are always a welcome addition to everyone’s circle and they can a great source of joy to all people involved.

These days, most couples would prefer to spend the majority of their money on a great honeymoon, but still they want to have a memorable wedding. This will be your comprehensive guide to having the best and nicest wedding on a budget.
Just because you don’t have the money to be able to afford the fanciest of everything, you can still host the wedding of your dreams. People throw weddings on a budget every day, and with this book handy, you will be able to do it too.

You Can Throw The Wedding Of Your Dreams On A String Budget. http://www.getwhatever.com/nccwc/

About the author:

For more information, check out http://www.getwhatever.com/nccwc/

Personal Visibility: How to Take Charge and Create Buzz for Yourself or Your Business

2008-03-02T04:44:00.002-08:00

Personal visibility is critical for success no matter what business arena you work in. Many women make the mistake that if they work hard and do good work, that they will be recognized for their efforts. This is just not so.

Take a look around you at the people who seem to buzz with success, no matter what they do or what they touch. These are the people you read about in the paper and who seem to be at all of the right networking events and know all of the right people. They are also the people who are in demand to speak at events and whose articles appear in your local paper.

What do these men or women know that you don't? They have mastered the art of personal visibility. I spoke with a woman that fits this description shortly after she had signed on to do her own radio show with a local station. I asked her what her secret of success was in terms of personal visibility. The main thing she told me was that you can't sit back and wait for visibility. Instead, you have to go out and find it.

Here are some practical tips you can use:

1. Send News Releases:
Send out a news release for anything noteworthy that you might do. Signed a new client? Appointed to a new board position? Remember, local papers are often searching for stories with a local angle. Be sure to include a photo.

2. Write Articles or Editorials:
This is a great way to become recognized as an expert in your field. Remember to develop relationships with your local editors. Contact them with your ideas and help them when they are looking for resources.

3. Speak at local events:
Many chambers of commerce, professional organizations and other non-profit organizations look for local speakers knowledgeable on a range of topics. Find the organizations that might be interested in your area of expertise and get on a panel or facilitate a program for them.

4. Allow reporters to interview and quote you:
Reporters are always looking for third parties to corroborate or refute information that they include in their stories. Many women do not like to be quoted because they fear that their words will be misconstrued or misrepresented. Women need to get over this fear and make themselves more available to be quoted in public. This serves to position you as an expert in your field and gets your name into the public eye.

5. Volunteer for visible projects or committees:
This can be either internally at your organization or externally within your community. Then use this opportunity to advantage by using tips 1-4 above.

6. Get nominated for an award or recognition list:
Typically women sit back and wait to be nominated by someone. However, if there is an award or recognition that you think you are worthy of, let someone know that you are deserving and ask if they would be willing to nominate you. Even if you don't win, you will still receive visibility.

7. Teach a college class or seminar:
This allows you to get out in front of your peers or a target audience that you are interested in getting exposure from. This not only gives you visibility but may also provide you with your next business referral or job opportunity.

These are just a few ideas. If you have other ideas, we'd love to hear about them. Email them to us at info@redladder.com and we will share them in next month's newsletter.

In the meantime, remember, to get ahead in business you need to take charge of your own visibility. For those that do, the possibilities for success are endless.

About the author:
Regina Barr is a management consultant and speaker with a special passion for helping women achieve leadership success. Regina helps companies develop strategies to attract, develop and retain women leaders. Her consulting firm, Red Ladder, Inc., also helps organizations and their leaders develop their full potential through strategic project management and coaching. For more information visit http://www.RedLadder.comor http://www.RedLadder.blogs.com

Non Piercing Nipple Jewelry

2008-03-02T04:44:00.001-08:00

A new way to look sexy without the pain of body piercing with NippleCharms.com hoops nipple jewelry. Simply visit www.nipplecharms.com and see for yourself how sexy this jewelry is; experiencing all the pleasure and none of the pain of body jewelry.

v No need for needles.
v No need to visit a piercing salon.
v No healing time!

NippleCharms.com’s hoops jewelry attaches using a rubber-link ring, similar to those on the ends of sunglass holders’. These are adjustable around the nipple. The wearer can make the tension as tight or loose they need to keep the jewelry attached. “All the pleasure of nipple jewelry and none of the pain!”, as our motto states.

Most of the jewelry has some type of charm or “dangle”. The most popular are their “slave bells.” You can be heard coming when you wear the bells. We also have attachments for your existing piercing. We also have bells for the boys!

Nipple shields are also a very HOT item. These are just like the Janet Jackson Nipple Shields from the Super Bowl a few years back. But these are all non piercing.

Nikki of NippleCharms.com is quoted “Our customer base is about 50-50 men and women. Our male customers tell us how much they enjoy seeing the lady with our jewelry and how hot it looks. The women tell us it makes them look sexy and feel horny!”

Surprisingly, another group that has embraced these non piercing nipple jewelry are exotic dancers. NippleCharms.com has had many dancers order the jewelry.

Exotic dancer Sunshine from Baltimore offers, “I like the ability to quickly change from one charm set to the next, between dances. Many of my customers love the chains. They like the sound of the slave bells too. And I have to admit that it does make me horny when I wear them for my boyfriend!”

NippleCharms.com jewelry is showing up in more retail shops and some Internet e-commerce sites. But primarily you can see the jewelry at their website, www.NippleCharms.com.

Our goal is to make everyone that wears our jewelry feel and look his or her best. And all jewelry is hand-made in the USA.

About the author:

NippleCharms is a very hip and trendy non piercing nipple jewelry site. www.nipplecharms.comis located on the web at www.nipplecharms.com

New Hope to Prevent Breast Cancer: What Every Woman Needs to Know

2008-03-02T04:43:00.002-08:00

In March, 2005, a major nutritional breakthrough in the fight against breast cancer was announced by U.S. scientists. This new information is absolutely critical for every woman looking for a natural way to reduce breast cancer risk.

Researchers at Cornell University found that extracts from ordinary apples "effectively inhibited mammary cancer growth" in laboratory animals. The study concluded that "consumption of apples may be an effective strategy for cancer prevention."

The study, "Apples Prevent Mammary Tumors in Rats," was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Phytochemicals from apples- known as polyphenols- have previously shown effectiveness against colon, lung, liver and stomach cancer, among others. But this is the first published study showing that apple polyphenols may be even more effective against breast cancer tumors.

Beyond Breast Cancer Prevention?

In the recent study, treatment with apple extracts prevented new tumor formation by up to 44% in animals given the highest amount.

But the most startling finding- and by far the most significant- is this: after 6 months of treatment, the number of existing tumors was reduced by 61%.

This remarkable finding indicates that adequate doses of apple polyphenols may go beyond prevention, and actually reduce existing mammary tumors.

What Can This Mean for You?

The researchers at Cornell believe that apple polyphenols may prevent breast cancer in humans. If this were the only study available, it might be too early to recommend increased doses of apple phytochemicals.

However, there are multiple studies in different types of cancer, showing that apple polyphenols are anti-proliferative, anti-mutagenic, and highly antioxidant. Consistent results have been obtained in studies on skin cancer, lung cancer, and six other types of human cancer cells.

Now, a new study from Cornell shows that apple polyphenols are also anti-metastatic- they seem to prevent cancers from spreading. This is a crucial finding for those at risk for breast cancer, as well as survivors of the disease.

Can I Just Eat More Apples?

In nearly all the available studies, the highest benefit from apple polyphenols comes with the highest intake. The Cornell scientists said the highest benefit was seen in rats eating the "human equivalent" of six apples a day.

There is no question that phytochemicals in apples are good for you. And one way to get more of them is to substantially increase the number of apples in your diet. But there's a problem...

Aside from the difficulty and expense of eating that many apples (42 apples a week), there is another important health issue- pesticides. Apples are one of the "dirtiest" foods in the U.S. when it comes to pesticides.

A Perfect Solution?

If you or someone you love is at risk for breast cancer, you need to know the answers to these three questions:

1. How many different pesticides are lurking in your apples?

2. Does washing the fruit take care of the problem? (This one may shock you.)

3. How can you get these apple phytochemicals with zero risk of pesticides?

Get the answers by clicking the link at the end of this article now...

About the author:
David L. Kern is a researcher and publisher of New Health & Longevity, a newsletter devoted to the latest advances in medical nutritional science. Get the full story on this new health discovery now at http://www.applepoly.com/preventbreastcancer

“Natures Fireworks” - A beginner’s guide to OPAL - Pt1 Myths, Legends and Folklore

2008-03-02T04:43:00.001-08:00

This 8 part series has been written for the novice opal collector or admirer who has little or no knowledge about opal.

It is hoped that by reading the information contained within, you will have a better understanding of where opal comes from, how it is mined, and the value and various types of opal available to the collector, investor, or those who just want a better understanding of these fascinating stones.

There are over 100 different types of opal being mined around the world, with each type being unique to the area it came from and no two opals alike.

I have attempted to include the most common types available to you as a buyer.

Myths, Legends and Folklore

Opal has been treasured throughout history from the early Aztecs and Romans to Queen Victoria, who loved opals so much that she gave them away as wedding presents. They have adorned the crowns of the Holy Roman Emperor, and are set in the crown jewels of France. Josephine was given an opal with brilliant red flashes called “The Burning of Troy” by Napoleon. Roman historian Pliny described the beauty of opals as the combination of the beauty of all gems.

“Natures Fireworks” and “The Queen of Gems” are some of the superlatives that have been used to describe opal. The word itself – “opal” – may have several origins and differing suggestions as to its first use: One is that it comes from a Sanskrit word “upala,” simply meaning “precious stone.” Another is that the Romans knew it by different names
– “opthalmus,” from the Greek word for “eye,” and “paederes,” meaning both “child and “favourite.” Whatever the actual name origin; opal has been a favoured, valued stone throughout a long period of history.

The Australian Aboriginals believe that they have lived in Australia since the Dreamtime, the beginning of all creation. Over time, their culture has produced a rich variety of mythologies in hundreds of different languages. To the Aborigines, opals, like other minerals, have a spiritual value because they represent something a Dreaming ancestor left behind as a sign of their presence. The aboriginal Wangkumara tribe recount a legend of how their people gained fire from opal stones, with the assistance of a Muda – a creator who switches from human form to pelican:

"Long, long ago the Wangkumara people decided to send a pelican (Muda) to explore the Northern Territory, so he could return and tell them what was there. After a time, while still in Queensland, the pelican felt ill and landed on top of a hill. While resting, the pelican observed the ground beneath him, amazed by its magnificent array of colours. Being curious he began to peck at the coloured stones with his beak. Suddenly, a spark flew out and lit dry grass nearby. The flames rose and spread across long distances, approaching a group of Wangkumara who were camped near by. The people were able to cook their meat and fish for the first time, grateful for this new gift brought by these precious stones".

Throughout history, early cultures credited opal with magical properties, believing it to possess the healing properties of all the gemstones, due to its multitude of colours.

The ancient Greeks believed the opal gave the wearer protection from disease and was a sought after gem for its gift of prophecy and foresight. Greek astrologers, mediums and soothsayers also used the stone for divination. As well as its mystical significance and psychic vision properties, opal was also thought to aid in digestion, stomach disorder, and to cure all disease associated with the eyes. It was believed that when a person was to suffer a minor illness, the stone became dull and grey; it would turn a sickly yellow when an injury or accident was about to occur.

Superstitions associated with opal continued throughout the Middle Ages, when opal was widely believed to be beneficial to eyesight, while others thought wearing opal would render the wearer invisible to the eye. It was for this reason thieves held opal in such high regard, using it as their symbol, due to this superstition. Blond haired women wore necklaces of opal to protect their hair from loosing its colour, while opal amulets were worn to attract happiness, love, good fortune and favour.

In the 19th century, opal was considered unlucky in Europe, due to the plot of a popular novel of the time written by Sir Walter Scott, while in Asia it has always been considered to bring loyalty and hope to the wearer.

This conludes part 1. in part 2, we will discover where opal is mined around the world. You will be surprised at some of the locations.

i hope you have enjoyed reading part 1 and i look forward to your company again in part 2.

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart Bazga
Kulpunya Opals

Native American Drums - Two Indian Mothers, Only One Baby

2008-03-02T04:42:00.002-08:00

When Native American drums speak it is not always good news. Things are going great but the ministry is not without heartaches. Last week, we experienced a tragedy that left us all shocked.

A month ago, two of our Tarahumara Indian ladies came to church, both with new babies. We were really excited and Deb had a good time with the ladies holding the newborns and making over them. She gave them baby blankets and sleepers that were provided by friends in the US.

Then last week, we had to travel to renew our permission papers to minister in Mexico. While we were gone, one of the babies became ill and suddenly died. On Sunday, when we arrived from the van route, Deb met us with tears in her eyes and shared the tragic news. Another Indian lady had arrived early and shared what had happened, and that Rosa, the mother, would probably not be coming for church.

Rosa and her family live very primitively in a remote area and she is not yet saved. They took the baby to the witch doctor that the Indian people use. After a time they took her to the medical clinic in town, but it was too late. The baby was buried in a small wooden box, wrapped in the blankets that we gave her. It was the best they had.

When the service began that Sunday morning, Rosa did in fact come. Deb was able to minister to her and love her for Christ. Rosa had a frightened look in her eyes and was deeply hurt. It was difficult to see the two ladies that morning, one with her new baby and the other without. If anything good can come from such a thing, it is probably that Deb was able to build a bond with the ladies that has drawn them closer. Please keep Rosa in your prayers. Perhaps in time, God can use the experience of her baby’s death to draw her to Christ.

Life may allow us to believe we have a long time on this earth. But tragedy rings true with the reality that our life really is but a vapor, and each day precious.

About the author, Craig Chambers, is the President of Mission Del Rey, an Arizona non profit organization preserving and advancing the culture of the Tarahumara Indians through traditional skills. Native American drums, rawhide lamp shades and other hand crafts are available through the mission store at www.missiondelrey.com

About the author:
Craig Chambers, is the President of Mission Del Rey, an Arizona non profit organization preserving and advancing the culture of the Tarahumara Indians through traditional skills. Rawhide lamp shades and other hand crafts are available through the mission store at http://store.missiondelrey.com or on ebay at http://stores.ebay.com/Mission-Del-Rey For further information or questions you may write to info@missiondelrey.com

Mystery Shopping Exposed: The Other Side of the Hype

2008-03-02T04:42:00.001-08:00

You've seen the ads touting how you can make a part time or even a full time income doing “mystery or secret shopping.” Some say you can make between $10 – $60 an hour or more. That is technically true. But it’s stretching the truth a bit. There's another side of the story that most people neglect to mention. I believe everyone should know this side as well.

According to Mystery Shopping Providers Association website: Mystery Shopping is the practice of using trained shoppers to anonymously evaluate customer service, operations, employee integrity, merchandising, and product quality. You can mystery shop for practically any service or product you can think of.

First and foremost, there is NO need to pay for mystery shopping information. Mystery shopping information is available for FREE online. You just have to know where to find it.

Mystery shopping on any sort of regular basis is really for stay at home Moms, people who have plenty of spare time or someone with an extremely flexible schedule. Lots of notifications are for “emergency” or “urgent” shops which may need you to do it the very next day.

You MUST have internet access. You also must be intelligent. You will need to write out your reports and you have to be able to articulate your observations well.

The hardest part about getting an assignment is to get that FIRST one. The trick to getting selected is to SELL YOURSELF in your reply.

With many shops you must pay out of your own pocket first then wait to be reimbursed. That's not always the case, but it's quite common. Many companies pay you the following month and it can take up to 45 days. So if you need the money you’re spending to do a mystery shop to pay the bills, DON’T do it.

The most time you will spend associated with a mystery shop is in filling out the report/survey afterwards. It will take you over an hour to complete the survey if you are just starting out. Anyone who tells you otherwise is not being truthful. Something very important that gets
conveniently left out is if you don’t fill out the survey 'correctly,' your report may be rejected and you will NOT get paid.

Those stories about people making over $7,000 in a month doing mystery shops are anecdotes. They are few and far between. The truth is that you will earn far less. It is true that you can make $10 - $60 an hour doing mystery shopping. But...you may not get more than one job a week or a month for that matter. The reality is that you might make between $50 - $100 a month when you first start out. If you stick with it, you can make several hundred dollars a month or more by doing
multiple shops. To make any decent money, you’ll need to do multiple shops in a
day. And the longer you stay with it, the more money you’ll be able to make.

You've heard all the hype, now you have the other side of the story. It's easier to make an informed decision when you look at the whole picture. You'll now know what to expect going in, and you won’t have to learn through the school of hard knocks like so many others have.

About the author:
Cynthia Alexander has been mystery shopping for several years. She has written a detailed report on the subject. In the report she reveals insider tricks, tells where the highest paying jobs are and gives a website that lists hundreds of mystery shopping companies and best of all, it won’t cost one penny to sign up. Go to
http://www.stopyourbarking.com/mysteryshop.htmlto download the FREE report.

Mum’s The Word - What Your Mother Would Rather Not Tell You

2008-03-02T04:41:00.003-08:00

Let's talk frankly, but sincerely, about what happens to your vagina and surrounding feminine parts during menopause. There are two key changes in the body that, for many women, cause a variety of sexual problems, including inability to properly lubricate, pain or discomfort during intercourse, increased urinary tract infections, and for some, urine leakage, especially when laughing, sneezing, or crying.

Not too pleasant, any way you look at it, is it? All this happens for two reasons: your body isn't producing as much of its feminine hormones as it once was, causing you to lose lubrication. Secondly, as you grow older, your muscles start to thin, including the muscles making up the walls of your vagina.

Fortunately, choosing diets rich in Vitamin E and soy products seems, for most women, to keep your muscles strong. In addition, pelvic exercises known as Kegels will strengthen your muscles, helping you to maintain a healthy and well-lubricated vagina. Kegels are deceptively simple to perform, and you can often exercise your pelvic muscles at the checkout line at the grocery store, while watching television, or while holding a conversation with someone - once you know what you're doing, no one will know!

To perform Kegels, imagine you're trying to stop your urine in mid-stream (or better, the next time you go to the toilet, go ahead and try it!). The muscles you engage in doing so are your pelvic muscles, and these are the muscles that you're aiming to exercise. The exercises themselves are as simple as flexing and relaxing your leg or arm muscles. Over a count of four, slowly tighten these muscles, making sure you're mimicking the action of trying to stop urinating and not engaging your abdominals, and hold the muscles tightened for a few seconds.

Then, in a slow and controlled motion, over the same count of four, relax these muscles. Do several sets of slow flexing and releasing, followed by repetitions where you flex and release the muscles as quickly as possible. Repeat this several times a day, whenever you think of it, and as the muscles grow stronger, increase the length of time you hold the muscles tight. Remember to keep breathing deeply and regularly throughout - this should not be a strenuous workout!

Remember to exercise your Kegels as often as possible, and don't be too modest or embarrassed to share the tip with others!

About the author:
Dawn M. Olsen is an Advocate for Better Women’s Health through Education, Recipe Developer, Soy Food Enthusiast and the Author of "Menopause A to Z - A Definitive Guide to Modern Menopause” available online now at http://www.MenopauseAtoZ.com

Mom’s Head To Toe List - Five Things To Do Before Summer

2008-03-02T04:41:00.001-08:00

Summer is here! Are you prepared to be a sun-loving beauty? This checklist for Summer Preparation will give you a good start for swimsuit season.

Exercise – Ladies, there’s nowhere to hide it anymore. The big, bad cellulite fairy visited during the winter again. Or does cellulite reproduce when it’s cold? Either way, get out your walking shoes and hit the streets. Or grab an exercise video and shake it until it melts off.

Pluck or wax those eyebrows. – The bright sunlight will show every little straggler. There’s nothing worse than looking like Bert in a bikini!

Swimsuit Shopping – Although most women would rather have a root canal than to go swimsuit shopping, it is a necessary evil. If your options are to go swimsuit shopping or to run around the pool in a worn, baggy, see-through swimsuit – please drag yourself to the store! I’ll be the one hiding in the stall next to you, laughing as I try on yet another swimsuit over my undergarments and try to figure out exactly what I’m looking at.

Body Hair – Let’s face it. Winter is not the time we are most diligent about keeping up with shaving or waxing. If you’re dreading another year of shaving, check out semi-permanent laser hair removal. http://laserhairremovalodyssey.blogspot.com

Feet – Eew! Those scratchy, rough, lizardy-feet need to go away now. Buff them or grab a power sander, but get them looking like skin again before sandal season. Once you’ve got people-feet instead of hobbit-feet, then dust off a bottle of toenail polish, grab a toe-ring, and make them pretty.

Now you’re ready for swimsuit season. Grab a little drink umbrella, drop it into your diet Coke and enjoy your summer, as the sun goddess that you are!

About the author:
Nicole Dean is the mostly-sane mom behind
http://www.romanceyourhusband.com/– 'til death do us part is a loooooooong time. Enjoy it!
http://exerciseisboring.blogspot.com/- on the hunt to find fun ways to exercise!

Menopause Symptoms – Herbal Remedies

2008-03-02T04:40:00.004-08:00

Menopause is a natural occurrence for women and it is something which every woman will face at some point in her life. Fortunately, studies have been done in order to provide herbal treatments and remedies for women going through this stage. Herbal remedies, as controversial as they are, can potentially provide positive effects for women experiencing menopausal symptoms. Here are some common menopausal symptoms and the best form of herbal remedy associated with each:

• Hot Flashes - Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms for women during menopause. Hot flashes can last up to 6 minutes and can potentially occur several times within one day.

Herbal Remedy – Black Cohosh (also known as squaw root, black snake root or rattle weed) has been studied and is proven as a reputable treatment for hot flashes.

• Insomnia – Many women experiencing menopausal symptoms also have difficulty sleeping. If you suffer from sleeplessness on a regular basis, you probably suffer from chronic insomnia.

Herbal Remedies – Kava (or Kawa) is used throughout the world as a remedy for anxiety and insomnia. Other remedies proven effective for treating insomnia and sleeplessness are Valerian root and HOPS.

• Depression and Mood Swings – Although most people joke about women becoming depressed and moody during menopause, these symptoms are very serious and if not treated properly can become dangerous and harmful.

Herbal Remedy – St. John’s Wart (also known as goat weed) has proven to be an affective antidepressant in reversing the feelings of depression which many menopausal women experience.

• Abnormal Hair Growth – Abnormal hair growth (also called hirsuitism) is perhaps one of the most embarrassing symptoms for women suffering from menopause. Abnormal hair growth can occur anywhere, although above the upper lip is usually a common target.

Herbal Remedy – Saw Palmetto (also known as Serenoa repens or windmill palm) is used for treating men with enlarged prostates as well as for women who are experiencing abnormal hair growth during menopause.

Menopause is a difficult time for every woman, but every woman must face it at some point. Approaching menopause with a positive attitude has been proven to reduce the likeliness of some menopausal symptoms like depression and anxiety. Researching remedies and treatments is the best way to prepare for this stage of your life. This way, when it does happen, you’re aware of what to expect and the best ways to deal with it.

About the author:
Caren Killtral found out the hard way that Menopause can hit a woman with force even earlier than most expect. She has spent several years learning all she can to help not only her own symptoms, but other women going through menopause as well. She works as a contributing editor for http://www.menopauseinsight.com

Man Made Diamonds, The Affordable Alternative.

2008-03-02T04:40:00.003-08:00

Diamonds may be a woman’s best friend, but modern man made diamonds are so good as to be indistinguishable from real diamonds. And when you look at the huge savings on price, man made diamonds may be a woman’s best decision.

Increasingly, engaged couples are considering the cost of some wedding jewelry. In today’s high pressure high cost lifestyle couples are really wondering whether or not it is appropriate to spend big on, say, a diamond engagement ring.

The more spent on wedding jewelry the less available later for the important things in the marriage, like a house. Or the kids when they arrive. Is it responsible to spend so much to buy a diamond engagement ring when these more important things may need to be compromised later?

Especially when you consider that good quality man made diamonds cannot be distinguished from real diamonds, even by jewellers.

Faux diamonds are big business. The pearl jewelry industry was revolutionised by the advent of cultured pearls. Synthetic diamonds are doing the same thing to the wedding jewelry business.

There are a range of ways to produce synthetic diamonds. Modern technology is very adept at making any product which will sell well and faux diamonds are no exception. And the quality is so good that many of the alternatives to diamonds perform exceedingly well when compared to diamond using the common diamond quality tests.

In such tests as hardness, refractive index, fire, brilliance, luster and others the man made diamonds perform admirably. Sometimes even better.

Brilliance is a test of the amount of light which enters the stone and gets reflected back. It is affected by the quality of the cut of the stone.

Fire is the ability of the stone to break light down into it’s component colors and is also affected by the cut. “Fire” can be seen as color coming out of the stone.

Luster is the amount of light reflected back from the surface of the stone.

Moissanite, for example, outperforms diamond in brilliance, fire and luster and is only very slightly lower on the hardness scale. In fact a special piece of testing equipment had to be designed so that jewellers could tell moissanite from diamond as so many were unable to.

And, of course, moissanite is much cheaper than diamonds. And if most jewellers cannot tell it apart from diamonds, could you?

There are a range of different processes used to produce a stone which is a good diamond alternative. Most produce fine quality stones which produce stunning quality jewelry which any woman would be proud to wear.

Moissanite is not strictly a man made diamond though, as it is, in fact, naturally occurring. Unfortunately it doesn’t occur in sufficient quantities to be commercially viable for mining. But technology has come to the rescue by devising a method of producing high quality crystals.

Our preference for the best alternative to diamonds? Moissanite. A fine jewelry stone which will make a stunning engagement ring, or other jewelry piece. And you can buy moissanite wedding jewelry at a fraction of the price of diamond wedding jewelry.

And when the kids come along, buy them something extra from us from the money you’ve saved.

About the author:
Find out more about Moissanite Stones at Peter's website the Magic of Moissanite, at http://www.magic-of-moissanite.com/as well as moissanite engagement rings, moissanite bridal rings and many other types of moissanite rings at http://www.magic-of-moissanite.com/moissanite-engagement-rings.html
© 2005 Peter Crump.

Looking for the latest and accurate opinion relating to morning sickness.

2008-03-02T04:40:00.001-08:00

Sometimes when you're trying to find superior information about morning sickness, it will be hard separating quality information from amateurish morning sickness proposals and guidance so it is wise to recognize how to moderate the information you are offered.

Find morning sickness
Your relevant result is a click away!

Here's several tips that you should make use of when you are trying to find information about morning sickness. You need to understand that the advice we give is only appropriate to internet info about morning sickness. We can't give you any guidance or advice if you are receiving information offline.

Look for morning sickness
Find morning sickness at one of the best sites the Internet has to offer!

An interesting tip to pursue when you are presented with information and advice about a morning sickness website is to research who is behind the website. This may show you the people behind the site morning sickness authorizations The easiest way to find out who is behind the morning sickness website is to look on the 'about' page or 'contact' page.

All decent sites providing information on morning sickness, will nearly always have an 'about' or 'contact' page that will list the owner's details. The fine points should detail major points about the owner's skill and understanding. This permits you to make an informed assessment about the webmaster's familiarity and qualifications, to advise you on the topic of morning sickness.

About the author:

Barry Wise is the webmaster for http://www.morning-sickness-help.info

Look Fashionable At The Beach!

2008-03-02T04:39:00.003-08:00

It’s that time of year when we pack up our bags and head to the beach for the day to enjoy those warm sunrays and the refreshing sound of the lapping water.

So what constitutes a good beach wardrobe. Well there are certain essentials that none of us forget. On goes the swimsuit and bathing suit cover, flip flops on our feet. Beach bag has been packed with the essentials – sunglasses, floppy hat, towel and a good book. Great – got the basics covered but what about the rest.

So if we are so prepared for a day at the beach, why is it by the time we get home we look pretty worn. Here are some helpful tips to make your day at the beach fun and keep you looking fashion fresh all day and all the way home.

First before you leave home, if you’ve got long hair pull it into a high pony tail or fun knot. Use some funky hair accessories that will stay in place when you’re swimming. Try a fun colored bobble or some firm fastening clips in bright summer colors. If you pull your hair up your neck will stay cool and you’ll look fresh all day with your neat hairdo.

Second slather yourself in sunscreen before leaving the house, then toss the sunscreen in your bag so you can reapply after a swim or every few hours. A sunburn is not only unhealthy and painful, it’s unattractive, so don’t let yourself turn into the lobster of the day. Your sunscreen should be a SPF of 15. It doesn’t hurt to use a strong SPF on your face or your entire body if you burn easily.

Your beach bag should be large enough to hold your supplies for the day. Why not get something fun and fashionable to keep you looking fashion fresh. Make sure you’ve got all the daily essentials in your bag – sunglasses, sunscreen, a good book, a floppy hat, some lip gloss, and any other makeup touch ups you’ll want. If you plan to wear eye makeup make sure it’s waterproof. Stay away from heavy foundations. If you must apply something use a bronzer moisturizer. It’s also a good idea to bring lip balm with an SPF15 to protect your lips. It never hurts to put some moisturizer in the bag. Include a snack and plenty of fluids. It’s important not to get dehydrated.

Okay great we’ve got the basics covered now what about the wardrobe basics? If you’re planning to wear a swimsuit it’s usually easiest to put it on at home, that way you’re not chasing down change rooms. So great – first on goes the swimsuit. Now what to wear for a cover? Well you’ve got plenty of choices. A tank top and shorts, tank and skort, or a nice light cotton dress all work well over top. Choose something that’s easy to put on and take off, and choose fabrics that breathe to keep you cool. I also suggest including a long sleeved cotton blouse just incase you start to burn you can protect your shoulders and arms.

If you’re planning on heading out later in the day without returning home you might want to toss a pair of jeans or long skirt into your bag. If your outing is going to extend into the evening you’ll want to include a sweater for the cooler evening air. If you’re worried about your evening wear getting sandy or wet at the beach, then place them in a separate bag and leave them in the trunk of your car. That way you are guaranteed they’ll remain fresh.

My favorite beach look is this. And what’s perfect is it keeps me looking fashion fresh throughout the day and takes me right into the evening. First I like a swimsuit that’s got lots of support and is bright and cheerful. I throw a fitted tank on top and throw on a loose flouncy long skirt. The long skirt serves me through the evening and also works great to cover up if I’m starting to burn. I choose a lightweight material in a darker color with a pattern that accents the colors in my swimsuit. Flip flops are my footwear. Depending on where I’m heading after the beach I choose either a basic pair or one of my funky pair with rhinestones or crystals. Easy to walk in, feet breath, and terrific for an evening out. I keep a fitted light weight sweater in my car, and take a long sleeved cotton blouse down to the beach. I usually choose a long sleeved and long length blouse because it’s versatile. I can knot it to create a short blouse, wear it long as a beach cover, and put it on if I start to burn on my upper body. I usually choose white or a soft pastel depending on my other colors. I like white because it’s cool to wear and refreshing to look at. Every year I buy a fun new beach tote that’s big enough for the beach but not too big as to take it with me for an evening out. I like a fun bag that’s full of character.

Since I always feel naked without my jewelry I wear fashion jewelry to the beach. That way should I loose something I won’t be out a lot of money and I won’t feel so bad. I like to keep the earrings simple and elegant. I may or may not wear a necklace. Often I’ll toss a funky wood necklace in the bag to add to the evening outfit. I like to wear a couple of fashion rings just to add the finishing touches. Now if you’re fussy about tan lines you’ll probably want to forgo the rings. I toss my watch in the bottom of my bag so I can put it on later.

That’s it – simple is the key. Keep your beach wardrobe choices simple but fashionable. Think ahead so you can go from beach to an evening out without hassle. Remember to always make your fashion statement!

About the author:
© Copyright Sher Matsen, All Rights Reserved.

About the author:
Sher has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing affordable estate jewelry, and a wealth of information on jewelry, fashion, designers, and beauty with on staff industry professionals. Please visit us at Estate Jewelry International.

Like It Or Not, You Have A Score To Settle!

2008-03-02T04:39:00.001-08:00

(Part 1 of 2 on Credit Scoring) by Credit And You.com

Just when most people finish with school and can stop worrying about test scores, there’s a new kind of scoring that enters the picture. It’s called credit scoring. And, its impact on your financial future can mean more to you than a college degree.

Why It’s So Important:

Ever wonder how a creditor decides whether to grant you credit? For years, creditors have been using credit scoring systems to determine if you’d be a good risk for credit cards and auto loans. More recently, scoring has been used to help creditors evaluate your ability to repay home mortgage loans.

Precisely what is credit scoring?

Credit scoring is a system creditors use to help determine whether to give you credit. Information about you and your credit experiences, such as bill-paying history, the number and type of accounts you have, late payments, collection actions, outstanding debt, and age of your accounts is collected from credit applications and your credit report.

Using a statistical program, creditors compare this information to the credit performance of consumers with similar profiles. A scoring system awards points for each factor that helps predict who is most likely to repay a debt. Total number of points helps predict how creditworthy you are; how likely it is that you will repay a loan and make payments when due.

Why is credit scoring used?

Credit scoring is based on real data and statistics, so it usually is more reliable than subjective or judgmental methods. It treats all applications objectively. Judgmental methods typically rely on criteria that are not systematically tested and can vary when applied by different individuals.

To develop a model, a creditor selects a random sample of its customers (or a sample of similar customers if their sample is not large enough), and analyzes it statistically to identify characteristics that relate to creditworthiness. Then, each of these factors is assigned a weight based on how strong a predictor it is of who would be a good credit risk.

Each creditor may use its own scoring model, different scoring models for different types of credit, or a generic model developed by a credit scoring company.

How reliable is the credit scoring system?

Credit scoring systems enable creditors to evaluate millions of applicants consistently and impartially on many different characteristics. But to be statistically valid, scoring systems must be based on a big enough sample. Remember that these systems generally very from creditor to creditor.

Although you may think such a system is arbitrary or impersonal, it can help make decisions faster, more accurately, and more impartially than individuals when it is properly designed.

In fact, many creditors design their systems so that, in marginal cases, applicants whose scores are not high enough to pass easily, or are low enough to fail absolutely are referred to a credit manager who decides whether the company or lender will extend credit. This may allow for discussion and negotiation between the credit manager and the consumer.

What happens if you are denied credit or don’t get the terms you want?

About the author:
For the answer to that crucial question and how to improve your credit score, be sure to read Part II of “Like It Or Not, You Have A Score To Settle.” At http://www.creditandyou.com/creditscoreexplained.html

Credit And You.com are a group of credit expert, who have created a free credit information website for consumers. Feel free to pass this article along to family and friends.

Laundry Dilemma, Three Simple Questions to Save Your Sanity

2008-03-02T04:38:00.002-08:00

Our laundry was a disaster and if answering three questions were going to help us we would have been thanking anyone for any advice. So I decided that it would be a goal of mine to be on top of the laundry so whoever showed up whenever they showed up at our house laundry would not be an obstacle on the way to the kitchen.

First I need to go back a little ways. My wife of twenty seven years and I have raised four children and held down our careers in spite of the odds against it and we are still together and in love. Our children three of which are grown, well almost, twenty-four, twenty-one and nineteen are happy well adjusted and on their way to becoming a positive contribution to society. We still have a nine year old and the third grade is tougher than we remember.

The twenty-one and nineteen year olds have moved out and have an apartment five miles away. They are girls so that took away a lot of the laundry and a lot of the laundry doers all in one move. Our son twenty-one years old and our nine year old are at home and believe me both contribute to the laundry in a big way.

Now you can imagine that with three teens and one toddler our laundry was a disaster. We could never find the time or when we could find the time we could not find the energy to get our laundry done and put away.

Now our house by no means was dirty just cluttered with laundry, no surface area uncluttered, mounds of laundry waiting to be washed and another mound waiting to be put away. I remember four or five laundry baskets lined up in the dining room and our kids having the time of their lives pulling each other around in them.

I tried every way including the military way to get everything going in one direction but to no avail. Things just seem to be out of control and no sign of returning to normal. So I was going crazy and thought to myself that whenever I go to someone’s house it looked like Better Homes and Garden, why can’t we just get the laundry done? My poor wife would be exhausted and be dragging around the house trying to get the laundry picked up before she would pass out from total exhaustion.

So finally I figured out what the problem was and it was logistics. From this I will ask you three simple questions and your answers will help you get ahead of the tornado and help you keep up on the dreaded laundry. First of all it wasn’t until I decided to not sweat it that it became easier.

Question number one, “Where are the socks?” You if you are like me and my wife you have forty five unmatched socks at any given time. I finally took those unmatched socks and threw them away. We went to a discount department store and bought twenty four pairs of the same socks in two size ranges each size range with a different design and a big wicker basket that stays near the laundry room. Everyone wears the same socks and all the socks are rolled, yeah just like in the old days, in a ball. The socks are in the wicker basket so no need to sort and put away in drawers. We did eventually have to get two baskets to keep the sizes similar as the kids grew. This alone was an incredible time saver both in doing the laundry and in the morning when every one was trying to find socks.

Question number two, “How many hangers do you own?” We were trying to fold up tees and shirts and skirts and pants and pajamas and putting them all in laundry baskets only to have someone rifle though them to get something and mess up all the folded clothes. It was frustrating and self defeating. One day I called my wife while she was at a department store and asked, “How much are those plastic hangers that don’t get tangled when they are in a pile”, she said, “Ten for a dollar, why?” I just told her to buy a hundred. Now we hang everything, drawers aren’t stuffed full; laundry baskets are a thing of the past. I even put up a bar in our laundry area where empty hangers are hung waiting for the next shirt or pair of pants to be hung on them. The closets are full and the floor is clear. Closets have doors but floors are right out in the open this makes a big difference.

Question number three, “How does the laundry get to the washing machine?” This is the logistics problem and it really takes thought. Most kids and men and the occasional women just leave the clothes where they drop off the body. This is the hardest part of the equation as I see it. Every room in my house has a hamper or a basket of sort to put dirty laundry in. Some of you lucky people have laundry shoots that deliver the dirty laundry right to the laundry room. Well we are not so lucky so we had a problem, how to get it all to the washing machine and in a way that made it easier to sort and get in the washer without creating a mountain of laundry right in the middle of the house.

Answer “Funneling”. This is usually a complicated system of getting something from one place to another without it being visibly noticeable and looking like a mess. At this point there are categories of laundry and we’re not talking about whites and darks and delicates and perm press. If you own Woolite you are not the person I am trying to help. This article is for the despaired laundry household, the one that on Saturday nine or ten loads are not uncommon. You people out there who can do laundry once a week and only need to do three loads don’t know what its like for the rest of us but maybe you will some day so keep reading.

Funneling is logistics like a giant company moving goods from one place to another then to the customer. The more you know about where the laundry is and in what stage it is at the easier it will be to do it. Why have appliance companies not come up with the washer that magically turns into a dryer when the wash is done and dries the clothes without having to switch the load. I would have paid a thousand dollars for that one. Back to the chore at hand, logistics or funneling your laundry to the machines.

I wrestled with this concept in two ways, one was even days of the week would be assigned to two people and odd to two others leaving Saturday and Sunday a free for all where it was open laundry time with the machines. I also toyed with getting two washers and dryers. Then I came up with the funneling technique.

First the categories, category one is clothes that need to be worn for work or school, they are the highest priority wash. This category of laundry is immediately upgraded to the closest staging area of the laundry funnel.

Second category is underwear and socks and towels. This category is the second highest priority. Third category is play clothes and odds and ends like dishtowels and bed sheets etc. This should cover all your laundry but feel free to change items to different categories that more suit your family’s needs. There is a fourth category that should me avoided and that is the, “I just got to have these jeans washed right away”, category.

A family using this system should not have the fourth category if you are working the system faithfully. Now stage laundry baskets at inconspicuous places leading from the bedrooms and bathrooms around the house. This may sound odd but compared with what it looks like now give it a try. The final laundry basket is at or in the laundry area. This is known as the “Current Load” basket.

To start the funneling system you need to empty your washer and dryer so install the one-hundred hanger process first and when the washer is empty push the final load through the dryer. Now you’re clear for the new process.

Backfill the laundry baskets with the categories the way set forth and take each person in the household and explain to them the process. Tell them that only towels and socks and underwear can be put into the baskets in the bathroom and that their clothes from category one need to be put into the baskets closer to the laundry. Never allow the baskets to overflow, when they are full move them to the next station. Meanwhile there is a load of category one washing and that load is pushed through the dryer and hung on hangers.

The hung clothes are hung by sorted rooms that they will need to go to and your mantra for the first month will be, “Take your clothes with you”. By the way do not take the time to turn clothes that are inside out right side out just hang them that way. This will teach your family to right side out the clothes when they take them off and speed up the chore immensely. Same with socks, be aggressive they will learn. Learning to be a polite laundry creator is what is important; you’re not a bad laundry doer if the people you are doing for are not good at giving the product to you.

After a while what you will discover is that people will bring their favorite clothes in category one to the closest basket to the laundry area. Those who don’t will miss out on the next load. If you focus on the category one clothes that incorporates the hundred hangers concept you will find that category one will be done with minimal effort.

Category two is the most time consuming because except for the underwear no one really owns these items. Remember the sock basket concept. Try to get the underwear right into the drawers and to do this try rolling the underwear. This is how they do it in the army. It takes up less space and is easier to keep the drawer neat.

So here are some tips to remember:
1. Get the hangers.
2. Select good locations for your baskets.
3. No clean clothes in baskets.
4. Hang everything that can be hung.
5. Install a bar that can both hold empty hangers and ready hung clothes in the laundry area.
6. Don’t right side out the clothes (this will eventually fix itself).
7. Don’t wash a load bigger than what will dry in 45 minutes (this may take a little practice and will save money in the long run).
8. Only use bleach on whites that don’t cost a lot to replace.
9. If your laundry area is downstairs only let category one laundry reach the laundry area basket when not doing laundry and use the washer as a basket to build a load.
10. Tell your kids that if they don’t follow the process they will not get their wash done. This is good for them and you are not a bad parent no matter what they say.

We want to hear from you so feel free to write us with your questions and comments; I would love to hear how you improved your laundry problems.

About the author:

Paul Griffitts has been a Bibical Researcher for over 30 years
Currently Paul is the Editor of The Good News Letter for Believer.com
Click here for a Free eBook The Two Natures in the Child of God

Is it Lust or Love -- How to Tell the Difference

2008-03-02T04:38:00.001-08:00

Far too many people, both men and women alike, confuse lust for love. Physical attraction alone will not withstand the test of time in relationships. Physical attraction is an important factor but must never be the only factor you rely upon when choosing a mate. Many make the mistake of confusing lust and love and end up broken-hearted when the relationship doesn't last.

Perhaps you're wildly attracted to someone and thoughts of that person dominate your mind a good portion of the day and night. Perhaps you can't wait until the next time the two of you will be together again. When you are together you can't keep your hands off one another and when you're apart, you fantasize about the next time you can see one another. True love and lust are easily confused because they are so much alike.

As a rule of thumb, if you share few other interests and have nothing in common other than an overwhelming physical desire for one another...it may be lust. If you have nothing of real value to say to one another and have difficulty relating to one another outside the sexual arena...it may be lust. If you don't particularly enjoy one another's company unless you're having sex...it may be lust.

On the other hand, if your relationship is based on factors other than physical attraction and sex is not necessarily the number one priority...it may be love. Most long-term relationships are built on a strong friendship which turns into love over time. Having sex is not the driving force behind the relationship, but is a nice sideline to it.

There really is such a thing as "love at first sight". It happens to many people and the relationship may last for the rest of their lives. A budding relationship based on lust feels much the same as one which is truly "love at first sight". So how do you tell the difference?

Ask yourself the following questions. Read each question carefully and really think about it before answering. When answering, try to be as truthful as possible. If you can honestly and sincerely answer "yes" to all or nearly all of the questions, it may be safe to assume what you feel for the other person is actually love and not merely lust.

Keep in mind, these questions are quite general and are in no way a total and complete checklist.

1. Do you share similar ethics, values, and morals?

2. Do you find it easy to talk to one another and can you talk freely about almost anything?

3. Do you enjoy the time you spend with one another, regardless of the activity?

4. Do you enjoy even the most mundane activities when you are together, simply because you ARE together?

5. Do you have a genuine concern for the happiness, safety, and well-being of the other person?

6. Are you able to work out any differences you may have with this person to the satisfaction of both of you?

7. When disagreements arise, are you able to discuss them openly and frankly without losing your temper?

8. Do you find yourself longing for this person's presence in your life in terms other than a sexual relationship? In other words, do you feel a need simply to be with that person and spend time with them even without having sex?

9. Can you laugh together and at one another, share jokes, and generally have fun together?

10. Does spending time with this person make you feel good about yourself?

11. Does this person give you a heightened sense of self-confidence and vitality?

12. Can you look at this person even when they are at their worst in their physical appearance (such as when they are sick) and not feel repulsed?

13. Do you share a strong mutual respect for one another?

14. Are you willing and able to share both good times and bad with this person and work through life's ups and downs together as a team?

There is a very fine line between lust and love because the two of them are closely related. Being able to tell the difference can save you from wasting your time pursuing an unhealthy relationship which is doomed to eventual failure.

If your long-term goal is to seek out a partner with whom you can build a solid, lifetime commitment, knowing the difference between lust and love is an essential and vital skill you'll want to master. Learning to accept a relationship for what it really is can mean the difference between a broken heart and a happy, fulfilling, lifetime of bliss with your partner.

Copyright 2005 Deborah Willis All Rights Reserved

About the author:
Deborah Willis is the author of ATTRACT WOMEN -- The Average Man's Guide to Attracting, Dating, Loving, and Maintaining Relationships with Women. For more down-to-earth dating advice visit ATTRACT WOMEN
This article may be freely reprinted as long as the article resource is left intact and there is a live link to the author's web site.

How To Use Avocado As Your Hair Care Product

2008-03-02T04:37:00.000-08:00

Let’s role on…life must go on and the life of your natural hair is in your hand. Take care of your hair with avocado and don’t let it look dull due of incorrect caring. It’s your responsibility for having good looking hair since your appearances is based upon your healthy hair. You probably need good natural hair care products.

But, what does it mean when people said about natural hair care products? Well, hair care products that are advertised "natural" may probably mean free from chemical substance or it may also environmentally friendly products with plant and herbal additives as their substances.

How do you choose natural hair care products? Hmmm….when you purchase hair care products please read the labels and make your own decisions on what level of "natural" ingredients you wish to accept in the hair care products that you use on your hair. This is the most responsible way to select the best products for you.

But there is other way; besides using natural hair care products, you can do some favor for your hair to make it more wonderful here using real natural fruit. This is the hair conditioning treatment using avocado. Check this out:

- Mash one avocado which is recommended for its hydrating benefits and proteins and mix with one-tablespoon lemon juice, one teaspoon of sea salt, and one tablespoon of pure aloe until it becomes a paste.

- Comb through hair with your fingertips.

- Cover hair with a plastic shower cap or bag, and wrap a towel around it to seal in the treatment.

- Leave in for 20-30 minutes and enjoy a great book, CD or even better - just savor the peace and quiet!

- Unwrap you newly conditioned hair. Rinse, shampoo and rinse again for soft, luxurious hair!

Of course there are other fruits you can use for your hair natural treatment. But the step you do is the same like have been described above. You will have good looking hair by the time you check the Internet for more natural hair care products.

Why you need to look for your other natural hair care products at the Internet? Based on some people experiences, Internet is the best place to search for your hair care product. Although you already use fruit such as avocado above, your hair still need more nourishment from hair care products that is available in the Internet.

About the author:
Loraine Lesley is editor for some Website concerning women. She wants to help women to look beautiful, that's why she offers practical articles and tips on Skin Care, Hair Care, and more. To discover her advice, visit http://www.myskincareonline.comand http://www.myhaircareguide.com

How To Take Care Leather Handbags

2008-02-28T01:56:00.002-08:00

Owning leather handbags with certain famous brands is a dream for almost every woman. Carrying leather handbag in different occasion is like promoting yourself that you have class in choosing things. You will be proud of yourself and feel confidence.

Wait a second! Will you also be confidence when carrying your branded leather handbags in dirty condition and not treated well? Do you know that if you own leather handbags, you must treat it properly? You going to have a long lasting handbags if you willing to do that. Well, at least you have one leather bags for your everyday life. .

Leather handbags can match with what ever you wear. What ever your outfit is, leather handbags help pull together almost any outfit. No wonder why you must own at least one leather handbags for an emergency. Because there is no other style of handbags that perfectly fits for so many different level of formality, except leather handbags.

Okay, having at least one leather handbag is important, so now it’s time for you to know how to treat and clean these leather handbags. But before going there, you must know that leather is a very difficult surface to clean. They stain easily although leather is tough and long lasting.

Well, here are some tips on how to treat and clean your leather handbags. Check it out!

- Using soft white damp cloth, wipe down your leather handbag softly

- Use leather cleaner after you wipe with clothe. If you feel satisfied then treat it with a conditioner to restore its luster and replace the leather’s natural oils.

- Always test leather cleaner to on an inconspicuous area of your leather hand bag before using.

- If the leather has become discolored, there are available leather sprays that can restore color to the handbag. Simply match the color as close as possible to the original.

- Don’t try cleaners, solvents and other usually normal cleaning solutions on leather. It is by nature a very porous material and often cannot be completely restored.

If you follow that tips you probably only need one leather handbag in life. Hmmm… hopefully you are not boring with only one handbag. If you do, and want more leather handbags, just check through the Internet.

About the author:
Rose Anne affectionate on bags, handbags, luggage, etc has made her into bags reviewer. Her experiences on bags can be helpful for those who need more information about a certain kind of bags. Visit her Website http://www.mybagsguide.comYou can also visit MyBootsGuide.com at http://www.myhandbagsguide.com

How to Play to Your Strengths

2008-02-28T01:56:00.001-08:00

Are you clear on your unique qualities, talents and personal strengths? And what’s more do you centre your life around these gifts?

You’re busy, trying to be a good worker, colleague, partner, parent, friend and neighbour; you’ve been brought up with parents and peers ideals, educated well, maybe have a religious background, and perhaps a little of your past behaviour might been influenced by something you saw on TV or in a movie.

In fact, maybe… just maybe… and you’re not alone here… some of your thinking and behaviour belongs to what others have told you to think or feel in any given situation.

In fact, it is highly likely that other people might influence a large chunk of your life. Maybe you followed a career path based on your father telling you it made good career sense or because you’d earn a lot of money; maybe because everyone else drinks tea or coffee or beer you do the same, even when the taste doesn’t excite you; and maybe you buy certain brands of food because an advertisement makes it look good.

What am I saying here? I’m saying it is easy to be steered down one path, then another, then another, and then before you know it, “BANG” you’re in the middle of a forest, cut off from your original path, and have no idea how to get back on the right trail. On a journey we call this being lost. In life we end up calling it something else.

When we get lost on our path we say we got disillusioned. But if we get disillusioned surely that must mean we had an original illusion in the first place, (because if we didn’t have an illusion, how could we become dis-illusioned).

It’s a fact that many teenagers through to twenty-seven year olds are already disillusioned with life, disconnecting from life with behavioural change like attention deficit disorders and by using gaming stations, DVDs and in some cases drugs. In older generations the same disconnection is manifesting in other ways, stress, sick notes from work, anxiety and depression.

In my understanding we come to this life with a purpose.

Life = Active principle of living things and movement

Purpose = Thing intended

But what happens is life – education, religion, friends, family, TV, work – all lead you away from this purpose or illusion, until you become disillusioned. It is only then, in disillusionment, that you begin to find your true self.

You are furthest from your true illusion when you lose the concept that you have unique qualities, talents and personal strengths and when you don’t centre your life on these gifts.

Teenage and early adult behaviour problems and the issues of later generations begin to disappear the moment you live in alignment with ‘YOUR PURPOSE.’

Love and best wishes,

Jo Ball
p.s. Happiness comes in through doors you forgot you left open

About the author:

At Unstoppable Life, Jo Ball is developing the next generation of leaders who play to their strengths. These people are discovering and defining their life purpose. Join Jo’s Fr>ee newsletter at Unstoppable Life now and discover the mass of information others are already using to enhance their lives. www.unstoppablelife.com

How to overcome your “Obstacles”.

2008-02-28T01:55:00.002-08:00

Hilary Swank puts her breathtaking performance in Million Dollar Baby down to the way Clint Eastwood was able to get her to relax and stop her interfering with her natural ability to create such an awesome character.

What about you? How do you interfere with your natural ability. How do you stop yourself from progressing? What do you say to yourself that ensures you stay within a safe arena? In Hilary Swank’s words what is your “obstacle” to success in your life.

For most of us our obstacle is the same as Hilary Swank’s. It is our mind. The way we were raised. The area we lived in. The schools we went to. The education we received or not as the case may be. The first jobs we had. The people we idolised in our youth and in later life. All give us a way of being.

Think for a moment. What do you now do that can be traced back to your past. Have you ever said anything and a sibling or member of your family immediately responded “You sound just like……….”? If you have then you have just met an “obstacle” That thought was not a new thought. It is not even one of your thoughts. It is a response to a stimulus. It is a learned behaviour. A behaviour that isn’t yours it is someone else’s and you copied it. It is well and truly an “obstacle”

This is a small example but one that can be identified quickly. How many, other hidden behaviours do you have that are a carbon copy of someone else. All these “obstacles” ensure that you are ‘kept in your place’.

Have you ever thought to yourself;” I would like to do that” and quickly another thought enters your mind, “but I don’t think so”. The thought that comes says, “It is embarrassing” or “my (mother) wouldn’t like it”…or whatever your excuse is. It is this that Hilary Swank is talking about. Your mind is holding you back.

How do you progress?

Kathy Sierra, the well known author of bestseller Head First books, says you just need to overcome your brains “Crap Filter”. That area of your brain that stops you moving forward.

How do you do it.?

Simple.
Do exactly as Hilary Swank says Stop Thinking.
Exploit what your mind thinks is important…….. Your Feelings.

Instead of following a path that is run by your head and what you think you ought to do. Go with your feelings. Do what you feel is right. Don’t let your mind hold you back. Awaken your feelings. The stronger your feelings towards a particular action the more you overcome the filter on your brain and now you have overcome your obstacle.

How do you know you have the right feeling? How do you know you are on the right path?

Simple.

When you are on the correct path and doing what is right for you. You feel great.
Everything appears to be in synch. You may be doing something for hours and it feels like minutes. Your face is all aglow. You are really enjoying yourself. In a nutshell you stop evaluating what you are doing and have started to do things you never thought were possible. You are performing naturally, everything is “right”.

Don’t just accept what we say. Try it. Imagine for a moment that you are Hilary Swank. You have been given this great opportunity. You have the knowledge, you have done the research. Everything that can be prepared has been prepared. Now let go of your learned thinking and let your natural talent emerge. Go on you've got nothing to lose.

You now know how to overcome your obstacle.

Good Luck.

Graham and Julie
www.desktop-meditation.com

About the author:
To improve your intuition, initiative and energy levels please go to:
www.desktop-meditation.com
It's free!!!!

How to create a thriving prosperous life...

2008-02-28T01:55:00.001-08:00

You only have to look around you at your friends, family and colleagues to see that there is an abundance of people who have talents, yet many are held back by a mortgage, a family, lack of confidence or some other reason.

Deep inside us we all have a dream of living a thriving, prosperous life, but often we‘re unsure of how to navigate our way through the issues that come our way, and too many people, too often, give up and start making excuses to themselves about success being for others.

What I think is vitally important, and something that is often completely ignored these days is this: no-one else is quite like you. That’s right, you are unique - as unique as a sacred place, rare bird or a beautiful flower.

This uniqueness seeps out of you each and every day. It can’t help it. It’s because it is who you really are. When this uniqueness is suppress, negative feelings like frustration, anger or disillusionment rise.

You only have to look at the statistics that employers publish about lost days through stress or other related sicknesses to know something is not right in the employment market. This is nothing more than individuals forgetting about their unique gifts and trying force themselves into a role they have no energy for.

What I work with is Life Purpose. Life Purpose is all about starting with the unique gift you were born with and using that as the central driving force for your whole life. Working like this clears away the clutter of reasons and excuses. It re-ignites the fire of life.

You only need remember a time when you totally loved what you were doing. If you remember a time like this, you'll know you were in timeless awareness - where the hours slipped by without you realising.

I'm one of the fortunate ones, I'm absorbed by work I love. It took some initial searching to find my purpose, but I'm now totally absorbed by what I do and earn my living from doing what I love.

If you've been signed off work recently with stress, feel lethargic, overweight, depressed, lost and often unsure then I strongly suggest reviewing your life purpose. If you don't you're going to drift through life like a boat drifts across the sea when it has no rudder.

Suggestion – Take time to consider all your talents and gifts. What have you been doing when you have been completely absorbed and lost all track of time? What areas do you feel you haven’t explored that you would have like to have done? Ask
other people what they see as being your strengths, talents and gifts. What do they think is unique about you?

About the author:
Jo Ball (LCA, Dip, NLP) is a Life Purpose Coach. She’d love you to join up to her free monthly newsletter full of ideas, tips and stories on living life on purpose. What’s more when you join the fast growing readership she’ll send you a free e-book, Greater Steps to Happiness as a thank you gift. Join Jo now at www.unstoppablelife.com

How to Create a Balanced Life

2008-02-28T01:54:00.002-08:00

So are you? Out of balance, I mean. Is work ruling your life? Do you want more time for fun, family and friends? Do you wonder what ever happened to that dream of yours? Maybe you’re doing pretty good at the balance routine, but aren’t quite satisfied with your life. Or, perhaps life is pretty dang good, but if you could have just a little more of this, or a little less of that, it would be ideal. If you’re interested in learning some pretty simple ways of how to create a balanced life today and bring yourself greater satisfaction and fulfillment, read on.

1. Be Self-ish
No – I’m not talking about your mother’s definition of self-ish. I’m talking about becoming the center of your Universe, not the center of the Universe. Still get an icky feeling in your stomach? Think about it this way. If you don’t take extraordinary care of yourself, you do not have as much to offer others. As I always say, you can’t water a garden with an empty bucket. Being Self-ish means different things to different people, but it always means taking extraordinary care of yourself. Think about how you fill your Self Bucket. Time alone, exercise, pedicures, girlfriend time, sex, creative outlets, splashing in puddles…or all of the above. How full is your Self Bucket? What do you need to do to fill it up a little more?

2. Plug the energy leaks
It doesn’t do any good to fill up your bucket if it has a hole, or a zillion holes. There are several categories of energy leaks: things we tolerate in our lives – the energy vampires; bad habits – the energy wasters; and worry – energy quicksand. It’s amazing how much of our mental and emotional (and sometimes physical) energy we give to these energy drainers. Likely you are not fully aware of your energy vampires, wasters and quicksand. Take a good look at your life: home, work, relationships, physical self, beliefs, financial, etc. and make a list of all your leaks. Then take each one and eliminate it as an energy drain.

3. Create & Maintain Great Boundaries
Boundaries are essentially a filter that allows or doesn’t allow certain people, behaviors or situations to enter your ‘space’. Some people think about them as invisible lines around us that define our space. Others think of them as the rules and laws we have as to how others can impact us. When your boundaries are intact and maintained you do not have to spend time and energy managing the behavior of others and how it impacts you. Is it OK for people to speak rudely to you or yell at you? Probably not. This is an example of a boundary. So when someone crosses this boundary and yells, what is your response? Are you holding your boundary or allowing it to be trampled. Remember, we teach others how to respond to us.

4. Put People before Results/Tasks
Are people or results more important in your life? Some might argue that results are more important. Consider however, that at the end of the day you generally can’t snuggle up with your results. When you put people first you make a commitment to strong relationships and become an attractive person. Think about who you want to be around at the end of the day – those who put people first, or results first?

5. Become Need-less
What happens when you have a need? Most often our needs influence what we do and how we feel in a big way. Needs have different levels, like a hierarchy. Survival needs are at the base and enlightenment needs are at the top. If you have a need in the survival category, then all the other aspects of living in balance go out the window until you get that need met. What needs are driving your life right now? Wealth, things, love, fame… Believe it or not, you really can take care of these needs for good. When you are not living from your needs, you become more able to live from your values and your wants.

6. Live Your Values
Speaking of values – what are yours? Mine are freedom, abundance, be joyful, and spirit. These are core elements around which I orient my life. Defining my values is what led me to begin to uncover how to balance my own life. Once I defined my values I realized that my life did not reflect them at all. How enlightening! I became very clear about what in my life needed to change, and it wasn’t going to be my values. Are you living your values?

7. Be in Integrity
Integrity is one of those words that we all seem to know what it means, yet have a very difficult time putting it into words. Here’s my best attempt – integrity is an overarching relationship that you have with what guides you in life to be moral, good and aligned with your path. Integrity means wholeness, so it encompasses a sense of you feeling whole. It unfortunately is easy to be out of integrity and perhaps not even know it. Sometimes we do things to meet a need that take us out of integrity. When you are out of integrity in an area of your life, that area or task feels hard. You may feel that you want to avoid it or run away from it. Check your integrity. Where are you out?

8. Create Reserves
Let’s take toilet paper for example. Horror upon horror, the time is now for toilet paper and you are out! None of us want to be in this situation. So do you buy one roll of toilet paper at a time? Perhaps. But maybe you buy enough toilet paper for 6 months. That’s a reserve (a super reserve in fact). When you have reserves of everything you need (toilet paper, money, time, energy, coffee, love, and on and on) then you do not have to spend your time or energy replenishing your supply. Think about having a reserve of time or energy. What richness could you add to your life if you had the time and energy to grab an unexpected opportunity when it came your way?

9. Develop an Outstanding Community
Human beings are not meant to be alone. Especially women. Relationships and community are how we thrive and shown scientifically to reduce our stress. Take a look at your communities – work, friends, family, hobbies, spiritual, service, etc. Do these communities add to your life or drain your energy? What you want are communities that strengthen you and build you up. If you don’t see the kinds of communities that you want in your life now, determine what (or who) you need to add or subtract to enrich this part of your life.

10. Live Your Dream
What is yours? Is it long forgotten or constantly on your mind? Your dream is there for a reason. Acknowledge it, speak it, and begin to find ways to make it so. Let go of the outcome (kinda hard to do, I know). Your dream may show up in a different package than you expected.

How’d you do? All set in these areas? If so, great, and I’d love to hear your story about how you achieved and maintain your balance. If not, I’d be happy to be your partner in balancing your life and shooting your life satisfaction and fulfillment through the roof!

About the author:
Copyright 2004 Catherine A. Bruns. This article may be reprinted in full with the following attached: Life Coach Catherine Bruns coaches women to achieve great success in their personal and professional lives. For more information visit http://www.coachbalance.com

How To Choose Your Wedding Shoes

2008-02-28T01:54:00.001-08:00

Wedding day is known as the most unforgettable day in human life. Most women wish that day could be perfect and hoping nothing would go wrong. Well…sometimes not all wish are fulfilled. There are some who get panic due of wedding shoes.

Getting panic to find perfect wedding shoes at the last minutes seem common as some brides feel the shoes are the least important of the wedding day attire. They might not know that choosing the right shoes to match their other wedding attire is not as easy as to buy other type of shoes.

Don’t ever think that people will not look at bride’s shoes. Currently it’s no longer do a bride's shoes remain hidden under traditional hopped skirts, tulle and meters of train. The simplicity of wedding dresses today has prompted renewed interest in bridal footwear. People will of course see what shoes the bride is wearing.

If you’re the bride-to-be and wanting to buy shoes, be wise! Don’t just consider the look. Just because they are the most gorgeous wedding shoes you’ve ever seen, maybe even the most expensive - doesn’t make them the most suitable shoes to wear for up to twelve hours on your special day. Find wedding shoes that comfortable on your foot.

The important thing to find comfortable wedding shoes is to consider it heel! The higher the heel, the more stress you put on your lower back and also making your back muscles contract. Sure you don’t want to pain yourself on your first day honeymoon!

There is several of wedding shoes styles. Some wedding shoes styles are made from leather, which is combined with cotton for strength and silk satin for richness. There is also wedding shoes that are made from other material, which is also beautiful.

If you want to check what style is match with your wedding dress, just click the website which purchases wedding shoes. You can order easily and without waiting very long, your wedding shoes will be on your hand. Try it on and see how it is on your foot. If not comfortable enough, you can return and change it with the one that is more comfortable.

It’s recommend that once you've found your dress, you start looking for the perfect shoes immediately for your wedding. You should have your shoes by the time your gown is delivered and ready to be altered. You will need to bring your shoes to every fitting so that the hemline remains the same.

At least two weeks before the wedding start wearing your shoes around the house. An hour at first, then slowly increase the time at three day intervals leading up to the day. That is to break them in, so you get familiar with your shoes. You do want to have gorgeous wedding shoes with beautiful attire feeling uneasy, don’t you!

Now, walk to the altar and make yourself the most charming bride in the world with your perfect gorgeous wedding shoes!

About the author:
Diana Claire lifelong for shoes led her became shoes reviewer. She has tried different kind of shoes, and she put her review at MyShoesGuide.com Her experiences on shoes can be helpful for those who need more information about a certain kind of shoes. Visit her Website http://www.myshoesguide.com

How Microenterprise Can Help You Achieve the "American Dream"

2008-02-28T01:53:00.003-08:00

Making the “American Dream” Come True for You:
Do you have an idea for starting your own business? Have you ever dreamed of being your own boss, having the freedom that comes of working for yourself instead of someone else? Are you ready to weave your dreams into reality?

If you think you’ve got what it takes to become an entrepreneur, but you need a little help getting started – training, technical assistance or start-up capital, then maybe what you need – is microenterprise.

There are over 500 microenterprise development programs in the U.S. alone. Microenterprise Development Programs have been around since the 1970s, and are designed to provide you with the support you need to become a successful microbusiness owner.

A microbusiness is defined as a business with five or fewer employees that was started for less than $35,000 and has an annual revenue of less than $100,000.

What kinds of businesses are eligible for microenterprise loans?

Traditional businesses such as:
*beauty parlors
*bakeries
*auto or small engine repair shops
*childcare facilities
*small retail businesses
*small service businesses
*arts and craft sellers

Nontraditional businesses such as:
*massage therapists
*event planners
*soap and essential oil manufacturers
*business, life and relationship coaches
*acupuncturists

No Credit or Bad Credit, Low-income People PLEASE Apply:
If you’ve got bad credit or no credit, you’re considered low or middle income, and you don’t have the collateral to get a loan through traditional methods, then you’re a prime candidate for a microenterprise development program!

What Can a Microenterprise Development Program do for you?
*Provide you with the individualized training, support and technical assistance you need to be successful
*Help you develop a solid business plan
*Put you in touch with other microbusiness owners, create business contacts and build a strong support network
*Provide you with access to credit through a MicroLoan, to give you the start-up capital you need to succeed

Where can you Find a Microenterprise Development Program in Your Community?

*Check out local nonprofit organizations such as the United Way, local community colleges or Small Business Development Center
*Talk to a SCORE Counselor
*Visit your local Chamber of Commerce
*Contact your local women’s organization or other small business group
*Visit http://www.microenterprisesuccess.com for free resources, information and helpful articles

About the author:
Cheryl Antier is the President and CEO of Dream Weaver Enterprises, a business and fundraising consulting company. She started MAPS (Microenterprise Answers to your Personal Success) as a way of giving something back to other women, because of the many blessings she's received in her life. If you want information about the latest grants, funding and start up information for your business, sign up for "Directions" the free newsletter that does all the research for you! Go to:
http://www.microenterprisesuccess.comtoday!

How Did Online Dating Become So Popular?

2008-02-28T01:53:00.001-08:00

The reason is pretty simple. It is very much the same reason that the internet itself became so popular. The Internet opens up a whole new world of communication and contact. And the reasons for this are given below.

Speed

Try to picture what used to happen earlier in the days when people had to depend on the good ol’ postal system. During those days, a person had to wait for one or two days for a letter to get across to a person who lived in the same state itself. The second person in turn would take one or two days to respond and this letter would take on or two days to get back to the first person.

So in effect, a single correspondence would stretch over a week. But now it’s a totally different story. The time taken for the first letter and the response has been brought to an amazing 2 minutes! Waiting may make the heart grow fonder but e-mail makes two people get close faster!

Privacy

The Internet provides for absolute privacy too. One can carry out communication with another person in the absolute privacy of one’s bedroom or bath room or wherever one chooses to be. There is no fear of eavesdropping (ugh) or over hearing (shudder!) thanks to e-mail and chat facilities.

Options and Opportunities

The Internet provides for other options like voice chat or video conferencing and stops short only of the physical touch. But then who would want to start a relationship by touching right away? You can see a person, talk to a person, and listen to the person’s voice, can you think of a better way to start a date?

Economy

All this and more is possible thanks to the internet and the best part is that all this comes to you for peanuts. All you need is a P.C (who doesn’t have one?) and an Internet Connection (how can anybody live without one) and you are all set. The only thing more you could ask for is a step by step guide to find your dream date…well here it is!

About the author:

Are you lonely? Are you looking for someone special? Visit "Online Dating" and find date, romance, marriage, and fun. Millions of singles are waiting for you. Go here:
http://www.kosspa.com/dating/

Home moms on eBay

2008-02-28T01:52:00.004-08:00

As a home mom, you will find on eBay a great possibility to create a
second or part-time income. Many home moms are making some money and
having some fun at the same time on eBay!

To start you will only need a computer, a digital camera and some
spare change. All that selling on eBay requires for a home mom is to
pack and send the items you sell, and that you obviously keep control
of how much you make. As you can see, this is perfectly combinable
with the daily tasks of a home mom.

First of all you will need to have an account on eBay. It does not
take longer than 5 minutes to open it. Then, start by buying a few
items so you can also get the experience of being a customer.

Once you have an idea of what buying is like, and you have browsed the
categories and made yourself familiar with the market that awaits you,
you can start selling.

Start collecting those cute but old soft toys, those gifts you were
given and never liked, the fancy jar that you bought long ago and never
used. Take nice and clear pictures of them, make sure that the items
look good, without touching the photograph so much that it does not
resemble to the actual item.

Write a good description of the item in the listing, including bits like
how you got the item (people like stories), how old it is, if it is special
for any reason (i.e. is part of a collection of rare tea cups), if it
has any important flaw or is damaged. If this is the case, you should
always let your potential buyers know. Nothing worst than an upset
customer that has just realized that the beautiful ornament dish they
bought from you is badly scratched on one of the sides, and you didn't
say so in the listing. You would not like to be in that position as a
customer.

Once you start realising which items sell better, and the price you can
ask for them, you will be ready to move your eBay business to another
step. You will consider trying different types of auctions, improving your
listings, focus on the type of customer that would buy from you.
Check these pages for tips on how to improve your listings and your
photographs: http://www.auction-buying-tips.com/free-ebay-selling-tips.html
and http://www.auction-buying-tips.com/ebay-seller-advice.html.

You can also make your business look more professional by buying headed
letters and sending a compliment slip with your items. If you also include
a small gift your customers will feel obliged to you.

Later on you can expand your eBay business by finding the items that
sell in flea markets, garage sales, etc, and selling them on eBay for a
profit. You can also trade with wholesalers and sell a type of item or
create an eBay shop for it.

Your hobbies and passions can also be a source of income on eBay: you can
sell the pottery or the hand-craft works you make. Other possibility is
selling or reselling information, which includes public domain.

Here is the best assistance concerning pregnancy signs.

2008-02-28T01:52:00.003-08:00

When you are after top information about pregnancy signs, it will be easier said than done extracting the best information from ill-equiped pregnancy signs submissions and support so it is important to recognize ways of moderating the information presented to you.

Find pregnancy signs
Your relevant result is a click away!

Here are several tips which we think you should use when you're searching for information about pregnancy signs. It is important to remember that the wisdom we're offering you is only appropriate to internet info about pregnancy signs. We cannot offer any guidance or advice when you are also conducting research offline.

Look for pregnancy signs
Find pregnancy signs at one of the best sites the Internet has to offer!

A good hint to track when offered help or advice concerning a pregnancy signs page is to find out who owns the site. This may reveal the operators pregnancy signs credibility The easiest way to work out who is at the back of the pregnancy signs website is to look on the 'about' page or 'contact' page.

All decent sites providing information on pregnancy signs, will almost certainly provide an 'about' or 'contact' page that will list the owner's details. The details should let you know some specifications regarding the owner's proficency and credentials. You can then make a judgement about the webmaster's familiarity and qualifications, to offer help regarding pregnancy signs.

About the author:

Kevin Temp is the webmaster for http://www.early-pregnancy-signs.info

Have You Done Your Hair Care Correctly?

2008-02-28T01:52:00.001-08:00

Love your hair like you going to lose it. Hair is delicate, growing stuff which need to be handled with care. A lot of care will make your hair healthy, shiny and also beautiful. Beautiful hair is an asset for any woman. Some are gifted with naturally beautiful hair while others have to really work hard on it. But essentially everybody has to work on hair either for improving or for maintaining them.

Hair has been called as “crowning glory.” That’s because hair is covering our head like a crown which can influence our appearance. Sure, your appearance will be good if you can make your “crowning glory” looks good, shinny and healthy. That’s why you need to do your hair care diligently. Don’t wait until you have damage hair to make your move.

Tips for Your Hair Care

To help you taking care of your hair, here are a few hair care tips which might help you:

- Understand your hair type. Being understand your type of hair, such as, oily, dry, natural, curly, straight, kinky or what ever, you can correctly treat your hair with product that is useful to your type of hair..

- Pick shampoo that give benefit to your type of hair. Apply shampoo from root to tip - gently work down the hair. Don’t pile up hair while lathering! Rinse thoroughly under running water.

- Choose conditioner that works with your shampoo Always condition after shampooing. Apply conditioner from tip to root. Comb your hair while condition through hair to ensure distribution and penetration. Use as much conditioner as your hair can absorb.

- Dry your hair gently. Do not rub your hair especially if it is very long. Take time to dry it slowly with a gently patting or wringing action. Don’t overdrying your hair.

Start to Care Your Hair

Okay, those tips surely will give you awareness how to treat your hair basically.

Followed here are tips for you who feel that looking after your hair is important to its health. Healthy hair looks better and holds the style you want. These tips include the following:

- When you put your hair in a braid or ponytail don’t use any plain rubber band, always use a specially treated band like bungee or similar. This will prevent hair breakage and hair loss.

- Don’t sleep with your ponytail or in tight braid. You will breakage your hair and it turn into hair loss.

- If you plan on trying out a new hairstyle such as a braid, updo or twist, for a special event then practice the new braiding style several times before the big event arrives. This will guarantee great results.

Now, another tip is finding the right place for your hair care products. Although all hair care products available almost everywhere, but the best place to find for your hair care products is in Internet. It so convenience shopping online since you will check all the products, compare each product, order so easily and you can return after purchase if you feel not confidence with the products. Easy isn’t it? Okay, enjoy your tips here!

About the author:
Loraine Lesley is editor for some Website concerning women. She wants to help women to look beautiful, that’s why her object features practical articles and tips on Skin Care, Hair Care, and more. To discover more of her advice, visit http://www.myskincareonline.comand http://www.myhaircareguide.com

Have you been looking for the most informative assistance concerning pets.

2008-02-28T01:51:00.003-08:00

When you're in the hunt for better information on pets, you'll find it hard separating superior information from ill-advised pets suggestions and advice so it is wise to know ways of moderating the information offered to you.

Moore Pet Supplies - Doors for Pets
Retailer offers pet doors with installation options such as wall mounts and patio inserts. Buy automatic dog doors, cat flaps, and security French-panel doors.

Here are several guidelines which we think you should use when you're searching for information about pets. Please understand that the recommendation we give is only pertinent to web based information about pets. We don't really offer any direction or assistance when you are also conducting research in books or magazines.

Avian Fashions FlightSuits Pet Bird Diapers, Leashes & Harnesses
Store offers pet bird leashes, harnesses, and costumes, as well as pet bird diapers with a patented poop-pouch that contains droppings.

An excellent piece of advice to follow when you are presented with information and advice about a pets webpage would be to determine who owns the site. This may show you who owns the site pets integrity The easiest way to reveal who owns the pets web site is to find the sites 'about' page.

Any reputable site providing information about pets, will always have contact information that will list the owner's details. The fine points should detail a number of key indications about the owner's necessary expertise. You can then make a judgement about the vendor's qualifications and experience to offer help regarding pets.

About the author:
Tom Brown is the webmaster for http://www.hession-roof.info

Have you been looking for the most informative advice pertaining to knitting .

2008-02-28T01:51:00.001-08:00

When you are looking for top-quality information relating to knitting , it'll be complex separating superior information from reckless knitting proposals and help so it's prudent to know how to qualify the information you are given.

Find knitting
Your relevant result is a click away!

Here's a few guidelines which we advise you to use when you are trying to find information about knitting . You need to realize the help we present is only applicable to internet based information regarding knitting . We are unable to offer any guidance or advice if you are receiving information offline.

Koala Baby Thermal Knit Receiving Blanket - Babies "R" Us
Provides this thermal knit baby receiving blanket in blue with puppy imprints. Check out customer reviews and ratings, and place an order.

A good hint to track when offered help or advice about a knitting site would be to determine who owns the site. This may reveal the operators knitting credibility The quickest way to work out who owns the knitting web site is to look on the 'about' page or the sites 'contact' page.

Any worthwhile website providing information on knitting , will always have contact information which will list the site owner's details. The particulars should reveal some specifications about the owner's skill and understanding. You can then decide for yourself about the webmaster's depth of experience, to give recommendations about knitting .

About the author:

Tara Cross is the webmaster for http://www.basic-knitting.info

Hair Care Home Remedies

2008-02-28T01:50:00.004-08:00

Save money and give yourself a break from the chemicals found in most hair care products by using the following natural home remedies.

Tame your frizzy hair by rubbing coconut oil into your hands and applying sparingly onto your hair. You don't want to overdo it - too much will make your hair look greasy. Shampooing your hair less frequently also helps with the frizzies. Excess shampooing strips natural oils from the hair.

Rinse your hair with baking soda and water to rid your hair of shampoo build-up and styling residues. Rinsing your hair with one juiced lemon and one cup of water is said to bring life and shine back to dull hair. Apple cider vinegar mixed with water will give your hair shine and bounce.

Add essential oil of ylang ylang to your shampoo, conditioner and styling agents as a hair rejuvenator and to stimulate hair growth. Add patchouli to your shampoo if you have oily hair.

Rosemary is an effective hair tonic and conditioner. Rosemary also helps retain color especially in dark hair.

Chamomile and lemon juice have a mild bleaching effect on hair. Mix chamomile tea with lemon juice and use as a rinse to lighten hair.

For problems with dandruff, add rosemary and/or patchouli essential oils to your shampoo or mix with almond oil as a hair treatment for your scalp.

For hair loss, add horseradish oil, cedarwood, clary sage, and/or rosemary oil to your shampoo. Also, Vitamins B, C, F, zinc, iron, copper and protein are essential for hair growth. MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane) is a natural source of organic sulfur good for treating hair loss. Take MSM supplements or eat high sulfur content greens such as kale and watercress.

Drinking plenty of water and eating plenty of raw fruits and vegetables is probably the best way to achieving healthy hair. What goes into your body is reflective on the outside including your hair.

About the author:
Elizabeth Kiely is the owner of EK Shower Caps: http://www.eklbc.com

Girls Only – How to have it all…

2008-02-28T01:50:00.003-08:00

You return home after a tough day and slip into a bath.

The taps trickle, the candles glow, the water, warm and soothing, soaks into your skin and the ballad of the moment defines your mood.

Your thoughts drift and the challenges of the day melt away. You’re dreaming of being on a beach. A turquoise tide tumbles on a sandy shore and the warmth that fills your pores now is the warmth of the sun. You feel wonderful and drift deeper and deeper and begin to picture the life you’d love…

Things haven’t been right for a while. You’ve felt like you’re turning up to work, hanging out for the weekend – which turns out to be a bit bland and samey, just like work. Days float by. You’re aware that life is lacking excitement and I know you’d love to change that. The problem is ‘how’.

If you are serious about making changes then read on:

1. How uncomfortable is life really?
A while ago I emailed my newsletter database list. I offered every person on that list the opportunity to get out of a rut and gain sufficient confidence to change their life within a year. ‘Yeah,’ they said in their droves. ‘Pick me! Pick me!’ a massive sixteen percent of my database responded. Problem was this though: when they discovered they needed to do something the willing sixteen percent fell to one point four percent.

Decide now who you want to be. Do you seriously want to change Life? If so read on. If you just want to gripe and hope that life will miraculously change then stop reading now. The good advice in this article is not for you.

2. Accept that life changes when you change.
Do you want to look back at life in twenty years and see that your life is no happier than it was twenty years ago? Accept now that life will only change when you change it. No one will do it for you. Expecting life to change without doing anything any different is the definition of madness.

3. Be responsible
Don’t blame your boss, your partner or your children. Your life is your responsibility. Take responsibility and understand you are the creator in your life. You have made everything happen and will make everything happen.
4. Learn to understand yourself.
Knowing what you don’t like or want is easy. Take the time to understand what you do like and what you do want. Try to do things that moves you towards pleasure, rather than avoiding pain.

5. Have courage
Have the courage to take some action. Small action is fine. Little steps lead you a long way over time. Find people who support you and learn to ignore the ones who get in your way with discouragement. Read books that help you learn more about what you want to do. Find a personal development group, go on a workshop or find a coach.

If you enjoyed this article take a look at more information on discovering & understanding your life purpose – www.UnstoppableLife.com

Best Wishes

Jo Ball
Founder, Unstoppable Life

About the author:

If you’ve read the article above and get my points, I’d love you to become one of my newsletter readers. Each month the articles cover the kind of subjects that would interest you. It’s free and I’m happy to add you to my list. I’d also be pleased to send you a free e-book, Simple Steps to Greater Happiness. Sign up now. newsletter@unstoppablelife.com

Gift Giving Gets Better with Fine Art

2008-02-28T01:50:00.001-08:00

Art and fine crafts provide a unique solution to anyone’s gift shopping needs. It offers personalized originality and is surprisingly affordable. Fine paintings and sculpture come in a wide variety of styles and can meet the tastes of just about anyone you know. Handmade crafts suit traditional and country décor but can also be found with a contemporary flair. Fortunately, seasonal art fairs and online galleries have made art less intimidating and more easily available. Here are a few more gift ideas from the art world and where to find them.

Original Jewelry
Many think of jewelry as a romantic gift. Not true. If you know an animal and pet lover, Sigi Jewelry Design in San Fransisco, CA hand-creates mini-sculptures of a wide variety of animals, including dogs, cats and a Sigi Design favorite, Happy Hippo. Buyers can choose a piece from the catalog or have one tailor-made in the image of a beloved pet.

If you are looking for something unique, but you’re on a budget, look no further than the Kitty Deluxe of St. Clair Shores, MI beaded collection. Kitty Deluxe offers affordable necklaces and earrings suitable for any age including her versatile Poppy Pendant necklace. The young and trendy style is a perfect thank you for the teenage babysitter.

Photography
Any home or office can be jazzed up with fine photography. Whether black and white, traditional color or digitally enhanced photography the result is a dramatic addition to any room. For those who love travel you might choose from the collections of Steve Bart of New York or Jim Caldwell of Montana where you will find a wide variety of extraordinary landscapes and seascapes. If that special person enjoys outdoors and gardening, Larry Friedman of Wyoming has an incredible collection of floral and nature photographs while Barry Gray of Colorado will appeal to those who prefer a Southwestern look. Fine photography is a classy way to say congratulations on a promotion and dress up that new corner office.

Now you know what to buy, but where?
Art fairs are one way to shop for art and fine crafts. They expose buyers to a variety of items and provide an opportunity to see and feel the product while meeting the artist. For the indecisive shopper, however, there may only be a few days before the fair ends and the artist moves on. Buyers can usually still arrange for payment and shipping if the piece is still available later. Midwesterners can enjoy the Ann Arbor Street Fair in Ann Arbor, MI, or, for an art fair near you, check the listings at http://www.artfaircalendars.org/index.html.

The Internet is another way to shop for art and fine crafts. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, total e-commerce sales for the first quarter were estimated at $19.8 billion, an increase of 23.8% from the first quarter of 2004. (http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/data/html/05Q1.html) The growth is due, in part, to an increasingly Internet savvy audience who enjoy the ever-increasing choice of product available and prefer the convenience of “no-lines” and secure credit card processing. Especially convenient when purchasing gifts is the online shipping which allows the gift to go straight to the recipient without a time-consuming trip to the post office.

For more art and fine craft ideas online including fine acrylic lighthouse paintings by Florida artist Frederic Kohli and the other artists mentioned here, visit Artists’ Heaven (http://www.artistsheaven.com) or try Froogle (http://www.froogle.com), Google’s shopping network.

About the author:
Shannon Southway is the Director of Strategic Relations & Quality Assurance for E-Integration, Inc., a provider of Information Technology services and solutions. E-Integration owns and operates Artists' Heaven, an art & fine craft emarketplace. More info: shannon@e-integration.net or http://www.e-integration.net

Get Blissed

2008-02-28T01:49:00.003-08:00

Elton John, Billy Joel, Phil Collins and Freddie Mercury all have something in common, aside of a smidge of talent and the fact they all became pop-stars.

Watch Elton John perform I’m Still Standing or Billy Joel play My Life at their pianos, or witness Freddie Mercury winding up for We are the Champions or Phil Collins on drums during In The Air Tonight, and you’ll witness something magical happening, something that sends shivers down your spine. But what is it that they do?

We’ll it’s the same ‘something’ that caused Bob Geldoff to pull all his music industry pals together and raise millions for charity back in the eighties with the hit Do they Know its Christmas and the subsequent Band Aid appeal. It got Churchill to move the nation with powerful speeches and it is all that stands between you and our true greatness.

But what is that ‘something’? And is it simple enough to bring into our everyday lives?

The answer is yes.

It’s to do with the first principle of Life Purpose, that we all have a unique gift and a distinctive way to express it. The best way for me to explain this to you is to tell you a short story.

A year ago I suggested that my son took up music lessons with his grandfather. His Pappy is a professional musician, and if you’re child is going to become the prodigy that all parents’ hope they will be, you want them to learn from a pro, don’t you, especially if that pro is a family member. He took the suggestion up and here is what unfolded.

Nine months later he’d had enough. It seemed like hard work. Sure he mastered the scales – nothing wrong with his fingers – could read the notes – nothing wrong with his memory – but he couldn’t sit still during the lessons and in the week in between each session we only ever heard him doing minimal practicing.

(Does this sound like you when you are at work? Going through the motions, doing what needs to be done and not managing more?)

After school he never took himself off to his room, plugged in the keyboard and shocked himself with something new he’d learned to do. He never hit heaven, blissed out, totally astounded himself or got excited over a new discovery. He never came to me, shook me from my book and said, “Listen to this, Dad. It’ll blow your mind!”

We concluded it wasn’t his thing – each to his own – and he admitted he only took it up because he thought I’d be happy!

Stephen King once said, “Talent renders rehearsal meaningless; when you find something you love you do it until your fingers bleed and your eyes fall out your head… every outing is a bravura performance because you as the creator are happy.”

My son and I chatted. We concluded if there’s no joy in it, there’s no point in it, and therefore he’s best off spending keyboard practice time searching for that ‘something’ else where he can hit that high, reap the rewards of joy and ensure his life becomes an energetic adventure.

Some of us pretend in life. We pretend to do what we think makes our parents happy. We pretend to enjoy work. We pretend to be happy while we sell our soul. We pretend to be artistic or creative but never put oomph into it and maybe… just maybe we drift through life with that thought that there must be something else out there.

But life is an experience – one big talent show for us to show off our skills. It’s a stage for us to use our skills for our fun and pleasure and for the pleasure of those around us.

Life is not a practice for some future event that we hope will just drop out of the sky. We have to make it happen.

Great writers write everyday until their eyes fall out their head and their brain won’t function, great coaches coach everyday, great musicians play until their fingers bleed. All of them love every single moment of what they do. It’s about passion. It’s about blissing out. It’s about happiness. It’s about being at one with your self - being truly honest with who you really are.

Remember you’re heroes – great comedians, interviewers, musicians, singers, teachers etc. They all have that bliss in their eyes, hearts and minds at the moment they affected you most.

Let’s not pretend another day. You and I came to this earth with a unique and special talent, yet why in God’s name don’t you use it to the full. Why are we doing spreadsheets and sweeping roads when we would sooner be an artist or a therapist?

Put up with snotty customers at the call centre or organise the bazaar for the WI committee if that means something to you, but please do not ever kid yourself about your level of passion and commitment when you choose what you do with your life.

My son made his stance to be blissed by life as a ten year old. How old are you?

Have you made the same commitment to your life yet?

About the author:

Get tips, stories and ideas on achieving what you want in life in a monthly email and join Jo Ball and Neil Millar. It’s FREE and you’ll receive their e-book free, Greater Steps to Happiness as a way of saying thank you and a free life purpose report for joining the subscription list. www.unstoppablelife.com

Gemstones to Rocks and stone info right here

2008-02-28T01:49:00.001-08:00

Looking for the latest and accurate help pertaining to gemstones.
When you're seeking the best information relating to gemstones, you'll find it's complex separating quality information from unprofessional gemstones submissions and proposals so it is imperative to know how to moderate the advice you are presented with.

Here are a few tips which we believe you should use when you're searching for information about gemstones. Understand that the help we tender is only relevant to internet information about gemstones. We don't really offer any tips or guidance when you are also conducting research offline.

A terrifc piece of advice you can follow when offered information and suggestions on a gemstones page would be to determine who owns the site. This may show you who owns the site gemstones integrity The easiest way to reveal who owns the gemstones web site is to look on the 'about' page or the sites 'contact' page.

All respectable sites giving you information on gemstones, will nearly always have an 'about' or 'contact' page which will record the owner's details. The fine points should tell some indication regarding the owner's proficency and credentials. You can then make a judgement about the webmaster's training and understanding, to offer help regarding gemstones.

For Women: Ice Is Nice!

2008-02-28T01:48:00.001-08:00

Ice therapy is a women’s best friend. Really! I’m not kidding. When it comes to alternative medicine, using ice is an easy, drug-free and inexpensive therapy right out of your freezer. The simple technique of ‘icing’ is used to lessen pain and decrease inflammation, but it has many more uses, particularly for women.

Injury treatment -- For sports and overuse injuries. R.I.C.E. therapy (rest-ice-compression-elevation) is the recommended method to treat muscle and joint pain, strains and sprains. Many athletes also use ice therapy as preventative treatment after a workout. Did you know that women’s risk of developing ACL injuries is four times greater then men? Always have ice therapy on hand after a marathon or off the slopes, in case your anterior cruciated ligament decides now’s the time to act up.

Comfort back pain – Forty-one percent, or 10 million women a year, suffer from back pain. The major causes for women’s back pain are housework and gardening. Cool lower back pain with ice therapy. It’s an easy, immediate relief for nagging pain after you’ve been pulling weeds or lugging groceries.

Ease migraine headache pain – Every woman experiences migraines at some point in their life. It might be part of your monthly cycle or a symptom of menopause. Ice therapy is a proven remedy for migraine relief. Lie down for five to ten minutes and place an ice pack behind your neck, on your forehead or temples. Ice naturally reduces inflammation and numbs pain, decreasing the effect of migraines and easing you into relief without the use of drugs.

Chill hot flashes and night sweats – 80% of women will experience body heat fluctuations during menopause. Nothing chills a hot flash like an ice pack! Keep a chilled pack in an insulated tote next to your bed at night, ready when a flush of heat wakes you up.

Family first aid and home emergencies – If you have children or an accident-prone husband, an ice pack in the freezer is a necessity. Considered the first line of treatment to use for bumps, bruises, sprains, black eyes, strains or minor burns, ice therapy is a must for home emergencies.

Reduce swelling after surgery – Whether it’s cosmetic, reconstructive, or joint replacement – all will result in postoperative swelling and bruising. Ice therapy is recommend by most doctors to decrease inflammation and bruising after surgery.

Reduce puffy eyes – Not enough sleep? Allergies? Ice therapy relieves puffy, swollen eyes with a little TLC.

Cool minor burns and treat insect bites – Like to garden, but hate sunburn and bugs bites? Summer sun and pesky bugs won’t get the best of you when you use ice therapy. Wrap an ice pack in a towel for a cold compress to gently cool sunburned skin. (But don’t use on skin that has blistered – seek medical attention for damaged skin.) Take the sting out of bug bites, by using an ice massage directly on the bite for 5 to 10 minutes. It will numb pain, relieve some of the itching, and reduce swollen bumps caused by the bite.

Let ice be nice to you!

Disclaimer: This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical treatment or consultation. Always consult with your physician in the event of a serious injury.

About the author:

About the Author: Louise Roach is a health and fitness editor, marketing specialist, and product development consultant. She helps others find pain relief through the use of SnowPack Cold Therapy products. Ms. Roach has recently developed a take-with-you ice therapy kit for women, with a percentage of the proceeds being donated to the Women’s Information Network Against Breast Cancer (WIN ABC). Learn more about the benefits of cold therapy at http://www.snowpackusa.com/

Extra Accessories for riding your Motorcycle safely

2008-02-28T01:47:00.002-08:00

If you engage too much in your riding your motorcycles, I bet you would also spend too much for your riding accessories. Those who spend many years driving their motorcycles have proven these equipments, gears and accessories to be very helpful. Aside from the common accessories like helmets and foot gear, you will also need a couple of survival outfit and equipments for which some consider as optional but I guess these would be pretty helpful in one way or the other.
Some motorcyclists use earplugs. This will save your ears from the excessive noise and disturbance on the streets. Imagine if you are in a heavy traffic stuck for about a couple of hours, think of how much noise you will encounter. All those horns, engine revolutions and car beeps are very painful and throbbing to the ears. With the use of the earplugs, you will get a hassle-free feeling and noise-free traveling.
You can bring along food and water containers when exposed on a sunny hot ride. You will definitely need these especially if you engage in long hours of traveling. What is five minutes of stopping to feed your thirst and stomach for a while?
You should bring a little face towel for wiping once in a while your sweat. I’m pretty sure you can’t bear to drive with all your perspiration boiling down to your neck. Wiping your sweat will give you ease and comfort in riding.
When it comes to safety, you should bring along a first aid kit. You never know when these will be helpful so better be always ready. You can place the kit under the seat of your motorcycle. I’m quite sure you won’t bring a medical box so it will definitely fit in there.
You should bring your ID for references in case one commits an accident. ID’s have been very helpful in most accidents. Those who have been involved in accidents are easily identified and their folks are quickly informed and notified. These infos are very helpful and make it easy to track down the person’s personal infos for hospital purposes.
Carrying your cell phones is pretty helpful too. If you are going to a place which you are not familiar with, you can easily call a friend for instructions and information. If you are in a hurry for an urgent meeting or appointment, you can inform them immediately if you cannot come on time because you had a flat tire or you were unluckily caught under the heavy traffic.
Understanding these tips is very useful so we should not take these simple things for granted. You don’t know when these circumstances will come your way. There’s no better way to deal with it but simply just be prepared.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.bestmotorcycleparts.com

About the author:

Karen Nodalo came across writing when she was about 11. The whole craze for writing started when she first wrote her diary during elementary years. After school, she would write in it first before doing homework. She finds it cool and until now she still keeps one.

Her passion for writing started and improved. She joined in the school publications and they made her the editor.

Endless Beach Wedding Themes

2008-02-28T01:47:00.001-08:00

If you are considering a beach wedding, the ideas are as endless as your imagination!

One thing about choosing a beach wedding theme is that it allows you total creative freedom. Depending on the time of day, the beach can set the mood. At sunrise or sunset, it is a place of serenity, beauty and romance. Mid-day, it is the hub of excitement, activity, and fun. By nature, a beautiful scene has already been set for you. There is no need for many decorations! Are you planning an intimate wedding with just a few guests? Let the beach help you set the stage for your romantic wedding ideas with a dawn or dusk seaside ceremony. The sunrise or sunset will provide a spectacular background for your wedding photos.

On the other hand, if you want to "tell the world" and have a large gathering of people, consider a mid-summer day "beach-side bash" or fantasy beach wedding that includes your guests. That's the fun part of a beach wedding - your guests can participate. Everyone has fun!

Here are a few ideas to get you started...

* Be Cinderella with your Prince Charming. Have him place the "glass slipper" that fits on your foot as a symbol of your perfect union. You could hire a professional sand sculptor to build a beautiful sand castle as a background for your fairytale theme. Leave in a horse drawn carriage.

* Have a Pirate Wedding. Rent costumes and decorate with treasure chests fake gold coins and jewelry. Have a real treasure hunt. When you leave, sail off into the sunset.

* How about an "I Dream of Jeannie" beach wedding theme? Decorate with pretty, colorful bottles in the sand like the one she was found in. At the end of the day, disappear in a cloud of smoke!

* A Western beach wedding theme would be fun! Many beaches allow horseback riding. The reception could be a good old fashioned fireside "camp out" under the stars. Leave on horseback.

* Have a Rainbow Wedding. Create a rainbow to wed under out of brightly colored helium filled balloons tied together. Hold them down with the "pots of gold" at each end. Have everyone bring a colored umbrella to decorate the aisle with. Great back plan up in case it rains!

* Butterfly weddings are popular. Shades of yellow and orange with butterflies woven amongst the flowers in your tiara and bouquet would be beautiful. Use butterflies as boutonnieres for the guys.

* A Surfing theme would be neat. Of course surf boards and "The Beach Boys" come to mind here!

By the way...

Don't rule out you beach wedding ideas because you don't live near an ocean. The definition of a "beach" is - "the shore of a body of water, especially if sandy or pebbly". That includes lakes and rivers. For that matter, you may have a "beach" right by your swimming pool. There are no rules. Be creative!

It is your beach wedding...it can be anything you want it to be - wherever you want it to be! Most of all...have fun!

About the author:
Cindy English is the publisher of:
http://www.Beach-Wedding-Themes.com
Beach wedding themes full of fun, fantasy and romance!

http://www.All-Florida-Beach-Weddings.com
Plan your wedding celebration in Paradise!

© Copyright 2005 by Cindy English

End Hormone-Replacement Therapy Confusion

2008-02-28T01:46:00.000-08:00

Women CAN fight aging: feel forever young, healthy and feminine

What do women want as they get older? They want to retain the wisdom of their years, but they certainly don’t want to look, or feel, old. Fortunately there are natural ways for women to treat menopause and the health challenges that accompany aging.

The years may pass, but you can still feel – and look – young, healthy and vital.

End hormone-replacement therapy confusion

For years, some women looked on hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) as a panacea for aging. They took HRT not only for uncomfortable symptoms like hot flushes, irritability, and insomnia, but also as a preventative to help protect themselves from diseases like heart disease, stroke, and even Alzheimer's.

Then the "HRT risk" studies began to appear.

If you've been to see your doctor lately, you'll find that the doctor is as confused as you are. It seems that HRT is not the ultimate solution that women hoped for, and may even cause the very problems women were hoping to avoid.

Some women decided that they could face the risks and stayed with hormone treatment. Some women stopped taking HRT and sought other solutions instead: natural remedies.

Researchers believe that going the natural route is better for women's health, because each woman experiences menopause in her own way. Some women have no symptoms. Others have both physical and emotional symptoms that make their lives a misery.

Stay forever young with Goldshield Elite anti-aging products for women

Goldshield Elite has a full range of products to help women to look and feel young, and to improve their general health and well-being.

Time Fighters For Women: get your groove back

If your busy lifestyle means that you're missing meals and vital nutrients, Time Fighters will help. It's a multi-vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant supplement, with enhanced calcium and vitamin D for strong bones.

Time Fighters is for menopausal women, and contains herbs to help you to kick the emotional problems which plague many women during the menopause years.

These ingredients include Panax ginseng, a general tonic and energy boost; black cohosh for irritability and mood swings; and chaste tree fruit, used since the 1930s for hormonal fluctuations which cause fluid retention, headache, and fatigue.

Eternal Youth: get your youthful glow back

If your skin is dry, and you're pining for youthful dewiness, pine no more. Eternal Youth features Hyaluronic Acid (HA) and Dermatan Sulphate (DS) in an exclusive " Master Moisturiser" formulation unavailable anywhere else.

A US television show featured a Japanese village, with many healthy, happy, active 80 to 90 year olds with clear, supple, smooth, young-looking skin. The reason? A diet rich in HA. HA is also beneficial for healthy joints and connective tissue, as well as supporting healthy vision.

Rejuvenate for Women: get relaxed, calm and healthy

Rejuvenate for Women has been specially formulated to combat the PMS-like symptoms that women of all ages experience. These can include bloating, cramps, increases in appetite, weight gain, and many more.

Rejuvenate for Women contains a combination of natural substances which not only relieve all PMS-like symptoms, but also make you feel great. These include natural herbal extracts, plus fatty acids, phyto-estrogens, wild Mexican yam, and evening primrose oil.

Rejuvenate Natural Balancing Progesterone Crème: all natural HRT from plants

Rejuvenate Natural Balancing Progesterone Crème is a safe, natural form of hormone-replacement progesterone which comes from plants.

It's used as a skin cream, because by entering the body via the skin, it bypasses the liver, and maintains the product's potency.

Rejuvenate Natural Balancing Progesterone Crème contains other natural plant essential oils and estrogenic herbs to help you look and feel great: ylang ylang oil, dong quai root, red clover blossom, chaste tree berry, and chamomile blossom.

With Goldshield Elite's products, no one will ever guess your age – and if you tell them, they won't believe you.

About the author:
John has been involved in the health & wellness industry for a number of years. The human body requires good nutrition to renew, repair and rejuvenate itself on a daily basis.
John created http://www.LifeStyleSuccess2007.comfrom his experiences and personal success and now supplies cutting edge, scientifically backed nutritional products.

Do You Need To Prepare For Menopause?

2008-02-28T01:45:00.002-08:00

You’re probably asking, "Is there really a way to prepare for menopause?" The answer is yes and no. It’s not like you can go to your calendar and write "menopause" on September 22, 2025. It’s not that easy, although most women sure wished it was; however, although we may not know the exact date that menopause will begin, we can prepare for it by being informed and learning as much as possible about the subject.

From the time of your first period until your 40’s, your ovaries produce estrogen in response to monthly follicle maturation. Both estrogen and progesterone are responsible for the monthly menstrual cycle and both are produced using male hormones. During her reproductive years, a woman’s ovaries produce more estrogen than testosterone. As menopause nears, the estrogen level declines while the male hormone levels stay about the same. Lacking former levels of estrogen to counteract them, hair growth on the face and oily skin may begin to crop up during the years right before menopause in some women.

As Age Reach 40, Changes Happen

A woman is born with approximately one half million eggs. Over time, that number decreases as some are reabsorbed back into the ovarian lining. As a woman ages get older, the number of eggs available for release also diminishes. As a result, from about age 40, a woman’s period will begin to change.

In her mid-40s a woman becomes perimenopausal. The period of time from perimenopause to postmenopause can take 5 to 10 years. A full decade before you become menopausal, changes are happening in your body that begins to set the stage for the transition from reproductive to nonreproductive states. Up to 50f women are beginning to experience hot flashes in the two-year period before cessation of menstruation. Menstruation at this time is also likely to be erratic. During this period a woman is considered to be perimenopausal.

As soon as you begin noticing changes in your menstrual cycle, especially if you’re in your 40’s, you should consult with your gynecologist, who will probably want to run a battery of tests. One of the tests your doctor should perform is a blood test that will check your hormone levels.

But change is certain. There is no predicting your own passage through menopause; it may be long or short, bumpy or smooth. Nor can you foresee the time when you will begin it.

Whenever and however menopausal changes appear, it can be valuable to have information beforehand and while you’re experiencing menopause. Studies have shown that women who are prepared to take charge of their own health care tend to do best through the menopausal passage. Information can function as your survival kit as you negotiate your way through this very important change in your life.

About the author:
Alicia Simpson is a mother and housewife who experience menopause. Her new guide book: "Menopause without Stress" is to tell women that menopause is part of life you cannot avoid. Visit her Website MenopauseWithoutStress.com at http://www.menopausewithoutstress.com

Does Your Childhood Hold You Back?

2008-02-28T01:45:00.001-08:00

Have you come to a point in your life and got stuck and unable to move on?

I’ve been shocked recently to discover how many women and men have suffered one trauma or another during childhood, in particular the amount that have been through abuse.

The experience of abuse, at an age when it would be impossible to know how to handle it, is horrific, be it beatings, humiliation or sexual abuse. These experiences stay with many children, through their teens right into adulthood, bringing up insecurity, anxiety jealousy and even threatening or violent behaviour patterns throughout life.

And maybe it’s here that your life gets stuck. In day-to-day situations where you feel insecure, anxious, jealous or violent you’ll probably revert to a behaviour pattern that you learned in your childhood. When you use that to deal with a current issue this is what you do…

You react – withdrawing or lashing out – even though you know the current situation has nothing to do with what is happening now, and before you know it you have lost an opportunity.

In the aftermath regret and depression set in. You might ask why this happens to you and why life is such a mess and why, every time things seem to get better something comes along and stops you from progressing. Within it all you might even be searching for the meaning and point of life.

If you search for the meaning and point to life and are stopped just knowing and believing the three points below is a very good foundation for your future.

1. I want to tell you that whatever life has dealt you up to this point, that your future can be brighter.

2. I want to tell you that you do possess a unique gift. I also want to tell you that you have a distinctive way of expressing that gift.

3. What might well have happened is that that gift has been buried underneath all the other confusion and chaos.

The last few years of my life have been dedicated to helping people from all walks of life, with all kinds of childhood and adult issues. The moments when they overcome what previously stopped them is very powerful. Their stories are amazing.

Whatever it is that stops you in life right now I hope this article has helped.

Love & best Wishes

Jo Ball (LCA, Dip)
Coach & Founder, Unstoppable Life

About the author:
I want to help you move on and become unstoppable. At Unstoppable Life, I am developing the next generation of people overcoming block in life and becoming more powerful than ever before. These people are discovering and defining their life purpose. Join my Fr>ee newsletter now at Unstoppable Life and explore my site and discover a mass of information that others are using to better their lives www.unstoppablelife.com

Does Lack of Confidence Stop You?

2008-02-28T01:44:00.004-08:00

Ever had the sense that there is more to life than you’re experiencing?

Ever felt that there’s more out there for you to do, but never been quite sure of what that is? Or maybe you know what you need to do, but have been putting it off because you lacked the confidence to take the chance.

One of the biggest things in our way of exploring this path is our necessity to pay our bills. This usually means staying in a job or career that no longer fulfils us for a little while… usually forty years!

Another block to changing life might be your upbringing – maybe a parent who tells you that you need to stick with what you know – or a spouse who’d prefer you to stay the way you are and not follow your dreams, or friends who think that anything other than what you’ve been doing for the last few years is odd.

It can be quite scary to reach out for your truth. By your truth I mean your life purpose. What’s more, those around you might find it quite scary too – that’s why they try to put you off doing it. I mean can you imagine their faces if you suddenly became crystal clear, not only that you were going to change your life, but also knew how.

Imagine how powerful it would sound to them. Imagine the example you would make when you succeed. Imagine their faces then!

Living your Life Purpose is more than a career, but since you spend so much time earning money it is a key element.

The biggest hint I can give you to finding Life Purpose through work is to search for something you feel a deep pull and an undoubted passion towards. When you find that, many things will happen…

You’re health will improve. You’ll work longer, faster and harder than ever and love it. You’ll smile and laugh more and become a people magnet as you become more interesting and fun to be around.

Your confidence will literally rocket.

Begin by finding your unique gift and then explore how you can use that in a distinctive way to help others improve their lives.

Best Wishes

Jo Ball
Coach & Founder of Unstoppable Life

About the author:

Build your confidence through your life purpose with top UK coach Join Jo Ball at www.unstoppablelife.comStart to rediscover and understand the real you and step into your full power. It’s simple to do. Jo’s newsletter is full of tips stories and tricks on living Life Purpose. It’s FR>EE to sign-up and she’ll send you an e-book, Simple Steps to Greater Happiness as a thank you for joining give you a FREE Life Purpose Report.

Ditch Lack of Confidence and Unlock Full Potential

2008-02-28T01:44:00.003-08:00

Being the next Carmen Electra or Paris Hilton might or might not appeal to all you, but there are things that do appeal to you, and you don’t do them.

Maybe this is because you lacked the confidence to reach out for it or maybe this is because you just we’re not sure it was right for you.

In this article I want to help you use lack of confidence as your indicator – showing you when you should clearly hold back and when you should go for it.

The first thing you need to get clear on is what you want. You need to know what your outcome is going to be. When I say this I don’t just mean in any old day-to-day situation, I mean in your life as a whole.

There’s an effective way to look at your life as a whole, gain clarity and boost your confidence all in one shot. Shall I share how with you?

There is nothing more effective in creating confidence than knowing how you want things to work out. When you do this you educate yourself. From the point of knowledge you can make an educated decision and literally pivot your whole life from where you are now to your ultimate destiny… and all the success and happiness you can imagine.

If you know clearly the ‘what’ and the ‘why’ of your life then you can look at daily events and never again need to consider if you have the ability or if you can or can’t pull it off.

When you know the ‘what’ and the why’ you look at life differently. You no longer look at your life and question your ability with can I or can’t I or could I or should I questions. Knowing ‘what’ and ‘why’ gives you a new kind of power.

When you know ‘what’ and ‘why’ you look at daily events and never question your ability. You do this because you now know clearly how life is going to be. The question you will now ask yourself is: will I? And this subtle question can change your life.

When you’re focussed on your meaning and direction instead of your level of ability your energy becomes channelled and focussed. It hones in on the outcome with such clarity that your chances of success literally explode.

The most powerful way I’ve found to find the ‘what’ and the why’ and you’re meaning and direction is to work on what your life is all about. You do this by discovering and understanding Life Purpose.

Life Purpose is based on the idea that you have a unique gift and a distinctive way of expressing it that will benefit others. When you discover and understand your life purpose you unlock your full potential.

Know what and know why.

I hope these words have helped you.

Love & Best Wishes

Jo Ball
Coach & Founder, Unstoppable Life

About the author:

Are you someone who wants to develop greater confidence? Jo Ball is developing the next generation of people who want to succeed in career, relationships and life through Life Purpose At Unstoppable Life. Join Jo’s Fr>ee newsletter now and discover what others worldwide are already discovering. www.unstoppablelife.com

Discovering the amazing benefits of womens shoes

2008-02-28T01:44:00.001-08:00

I love womens shoes and in my lifetime will never own enough pairs.

Thousands of women every month search online for womens shoes. In turnthousands of listings come up and compete for that visitor. You could spend an entire day browsing page upon page of beautiful, colourful and stylish shoes.

Shopping online for womens shoes allows you to view an enormous range from designer shoes, dress shoes, high heel shoes, summer sandals, flip flops to running shoes, boots, golf shoes, slippers and pretty much any style of shoe you could imagine.

Online shoe shopping gives you shoes at lower prices than in offline shoe stores. Most give discounted or free shipping and lots of sites offer a free gift of some kind as an incentive to shop with them. Free handbags are the most common gift you can expect to receive with your new shoes. Bags are another story altogether but whats a shoe without the bag to go with it.

What you might not know however that in addition to the advantages of shopping online, there are some secret benefits to womens shoes.

Now I know it sounds a little odd that womens shoes have secret benefits but having researched this quite extensively I have come across some pretty amazing facts that in turn improve various aspects of your life.

Once you discover these facts you will change the way you choose your shoes and perhaps transform yourself a little too.

Something good is always worth sharing.

Some Secrets

Womens high heel shoes increase the lift of a woman’s bottom by 25%. Amazingly true when you wear a pair of high heels the height of the heel creates this lift. High heel shoes also lengthen the look of your legs and make them appear slimmer.

Womens cowboy boots will make any woman look sexier. Worn with knee length skirts these boots will give you a little heel height to create slimmer legs and give you sex appeal.

Finding the right pair of womens golf shoes could shed you 600 calories!

Investing in a pair of decent womens running shoes will lead to major life improvements generally and where your health is concerned.

Choosing the right colour shoe will improve other aspects of your life. For example
of all the colours in the spectrum green is easiest on the eye. Pastel green and other pastel colours will tranquilize energy whilst reds and purples will draw energy. Pinks will soothe emotions.

Womens shoes are about fashion, trends and style but there are major advantages to you if you choose them carefully and become familiar with some of the benefits they can give you.

I’ve created pages giving guides to womens shoes online and the secret benefits associated with each.

Check out the Womens Shoes Guru site and if you join today you get the chance to have a free pair of designer shoes.

About the author:
Shelley Costello lives in Leicester, England with her partner and two young children.
Shelley has built a site designed to give women an honest guide to womens shoes and some researched secret benefits that they have.
Shelley also owns a successful online womens clothing and accessories store.

Visit Womens Shoes Guru
http://www.womens-shoes-guru.com

Denim Is Big This Season - Dress It Up Or Down

2008-02-28T01:43:00.003-08:00

For all you denim lovers, like myself, this is the season for you to shine. Denim is big this season. Denim has become a fashion statement of its own. No longer are we limited to boot cut, low rise, or relaxed fit jeans. It has come into its own - we can have denim hats, tops, belts, skirts, and even shoes. So wear denim with the attitude it deserves.

Many celebrities are really utilizing denim - they're dressing it up with embroidery, lace, fur, jewelry, accessories. What ever the heart desires. Dark denim, light denim, stone washed denim, colored denim - all good to go this season!

The gals can dress it up with pearls, the guys with a tie. Crystal or rhinestone jewelry will make you dazzling! Add some long fun beads, a chunky necklace, or an armful of bangles. Don't forget to accessorize. Add a hat, a belt, or how about suspenders just for kicks. Add a fitted blazer to that denim skirt, add some heals to your favorite pair of jeans. Try a pair of the ever popular wedge shoes with any of your denim items.

For women with small waists and wider hips Joe's jeans has a new jean line called "Honey Jeans" They are designed so they don't gape at the waist. They accomplish this by making a two part waist band which give them more of a curve. Low rise jean that truly fits the feminine form. Check them out. They run around $148.00 a pair and can be found online.

Paper Denim has grown in popularity and offers great body fits - Super low rise, low rise, x-low slash pocket, and x-low flare. As well as the trouser and boot cut if your looking for something different.

Marc Jacobs has a form fitting dress that is ever so sexy. Add a light cardigan for those cooler evenings and you'll look sensational.

There are a host of denim designers and manufacturers offering jeans of various cuts, mini skirts, bustle skirts, form fitting dresses, flowing dresses, capri pants, denim shirts, vests, hats, denim belts, denim shoes, the list goes on and on.

If you want to get some great ideas of what you can do with your denim I recommend you visit Misssixty.com Very interesting and informative site!

Denim is durable, wearable, comfortable, and now more than ever fashionable. So enjoy your denim and dress it up or down to whatever the occasion. Be certain to accent it with your favorite jewelry and have fun! Make your fashion statement!

About the author:
Sher from Estate Jewelry International has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing fashion, jewelry,and wedding help. Please visit us at http://www.estatejewelryinternational.com/

Define Me

2008-02-28T01:43:00.001-08:00

We’ve all had a vision or a great idea and had someone who knows better squash it.
We’ve all decided to clear our debts and been tempted by the next great offer.
We’ve all been determined to save up for a holiday or some other thing that will enhance our lives and then been clobbered by a bill that sets us back a month or few.
We’ve all affirmed a diet in one moment and been offered chocolate in the next.
We’ve all ran a mile from heartache and nightmare, as well as from our dreams or love affairs and we’ve all laughed when we should have cried, cried when we could have laughed and ran ourselves into a downward spiralling place.
We’ve all judged ourselves too harshly: beaten ourselves up for what we’re not, what we don’t have and what we believe we can never be.
But let’s not do that anymore. Let’s resolve not to define ourselves by our weakest moments. Let’s resolve not to make harsh judgments on ourselves for our failings.
Should we really give ourselves a hard time – slaughter ourselves for trying, but not achieving? The answer to this my friend is no.
Life purpose is more important than all our outcomes. It’s more important than money, cars, houses, your children’s private education, your career success, holidays in the sun and all of the winning and losing in life. What is important is what we experience and how we change because of that experience.
Some moments in life are all about just showing up, or taking part. Some moments are about just hanging on, gripping onto what you have and hoping the pain passes. It’s moments like these that humble us – make us realise that maybe something else in our life had greater importance than our work, or the gadgets we crave or the TV soap operas that hook us.
But pause a moment, right here, right now and just mull over your day – not the results: the winning or the losing – but the choice whether to take action or not – and if you did define yourself by your decision to take action or not, what have you been today? Who have you been? What are you on the way to – a greater life or a more sorrowful existence?
I tell you this…
It’s not all about right now, or even today. It’s not even about looking at what you have done and understanding it better. But a life full of purpose is a life full of making better choices – choices from your highest place that line up with who you really are and what you really want to do with life.
I ask you: have you come to this point in your life, through all your toils, troubles and experiences, to be without a vision and be financially broke? Have you made it to this point to be hard on yourself, to be fat or sick or too feeble minded to stand up for your beliefs, your dreams and your hopes?
No.
What you have done is this: you’ve been busy defining who you are not. Because unless you define who you are not, how can you ever define who you really are. It is from within the definition of who you are not that you define who you are. And when you know who you really are you can begin living life, enlightened by your own sense of purpose.
In every thought you make a statement. In that statement you define your current belief. In every belief about your current situation you build your history and ultimately that history comes to this point…
To do or to die.
If you find yourself habitually saying:
I don’t have the confidence instead of saying, I’ll try,
I can’t afford that, instead of saying, I’ll find a way,
I don’t have the time, instead of turning off the telly, or
Diets don’t work instead of finding one that does;
Are you living or dying?
Ultimately what defines you is not what you achieved, but whether you live your life with purpose – making choices that bring you closer to the truth about who you really are.
Everything else is just existence.
What will you do improve in your life?

About the author:

Jo Ball (LCA, Dip) invites you to join her tips, tricks and stories newsletter at Unstoppable Life, free. And as a way of saying thanks for joining, she’ll send you the e-book Greater Steps to Happiness. Join now at www.unstoppablelife.com

Dealing with the Blues: Your Mental State and Menopause

2008-02-28T01:42:00.000-08:00

Going through menopause and suddenly feel like life's stresses have just become a thousand times more difficult to deal with? Find yourself crying at Oprah more than you used to, or worse, crying at reruns of the Flintstones? Finding that your cute 3-year-old nephew or granddaughter is suddenly… well… a little childish, making you irritable? Finding yourself depressed?

You're not alone, and it's not just a case of the blues. Menopause alters your core body chemistry, after all - and with that, the physiological ways in which you manage your emotions are also changed. However, there are a few simple ways in which you can stabilize what's going on in your head:

Get some sleep! Unfortunately, a common side effect of menopause is the inability to sleep, either due to night sweats or other aches and pains. For night sweats, lower your room temperature (even use the air conditioner year-round, if you must!), reduce your caffeine intake, and get some exercise. All of these things, of course, contribute to sleeping well throughout your life, but those who sleep soundly and deeply when approaching menopause are mentally better equipped to deal with stresses.

Watch what you eat! Let's face it - we all get a little down if we find ourselves sagging or having gained a few pounds, and in menopause, we don't metabolize calories as quickly as we did when we were younger. In general, eating more healthily, as well as reducing your daily calorie intake by 200 calories (about 1 candy bar) will not only keep you fit, but keep you from grabbing the Ben & Jerry's out of late-night-depression.

Talk to someone! Of course, if what you're feeling is beyond melancholia or "the blues," please speak to your doctor openly and honestly about what you're feeling. He or she may recommend a number of treatments, therapies, or even medications to get you through this difficult time.

About the author:
Dawn M. Olsen is an Advocate for Better Women’s Health through Education, Recipe Developer, Soy Food Enthusiast and the Author of "Menopause A to Z - A Definitive Guide to Modern Menopause” available online now at http://www.MenopauseAtoZ.com

BLOW WHISTLE, LOSE CAREER

2008-02-28T01:41:00.002-08:00

"I realize this is the end of my Air Force career."

With these words, a chaplain at the Air Force Academy, for the first time, went public about a "systemic and pervasive" problem of religious proselytizing at the academy by evangelical Christians.

Capt. MeLinda Morton, 48, told The New York Times that a religious tolerance
program she helped create to deal with the problem was watered down after it was shown to officers, including the major general who is the Air Force's chief
chaplain.

Captain Morton said she had decided to step forward without the required authorization from the public affairs office because: "It's the Constitution, not just a nice rule we can follow or not follow. We all raised our hands and said we'd follow it, and that includes the First Amendment, that includes not using your power to advance your religious agenda."

Ironically, she told her story as an Air Force task force arrived at the academy in Colorado Springs to investigate accusations that officers, staff members and senior cadets inappropriately used their positions to push their evangelical Christian beliefs on Air Force cadets.

The academy began developing the tolerance program, called “Respecting the
Spiritual Values of all People”, or R.S.V.P., in response to a survey it took
last year. The survey found that more than half of the cadets said they had
heard derogatory religious comments or jokes at the academy.

Maj. Gen. Charles C. Baldwin, the chief of chaplains for the entire Air Force,
screened the R.S.V.P. program in October. Afterward he asked Chaplain Morton, "Why is it that the Christians never win?" in response to some of the
program's dramatizations of interactions between cadets of different religions.

She said: "It was obvious to us that he had missed the point of the entire
presentation here. It wasn't about winning or losing, some kind of cosmic
battle, it was about helping our folks at the Air Force Academy understand the
wonders of the whole range of religious experiences."

General Baldwin acknowledged making that comment and said he had objected because too many scenes in the original program had portrayed Christians at fault for excessive efforts at evangelizing.

"In every scenario, where cadet met cadet in the hall," he said, "every time it
was the Christian who had to apologize and say, 'I'm sorry, I wasn't sensitive
to your needs.' I said, that's not balanced, and the Christians will turn you
off if every time they were the ones who made the mistake."

General Baldwin said he asked that the Air Force cut out segments in the program on non-Christian religions like Buddhism, Judaism and Native American
spirituality, as well as a clip from "Schindler's List," the 1993 movie on the
Holocaust.

However, Captain Morton it was "patently untrue" that all the segments portrayed Christians in error. She says that in most cases there was no religious identifier at all. "And I've got the film to prove it."

There are two important issues at play here. One is the proper constitutional boundary between church and state. The second is the fate of people who come forward to report wrongdoing – whistleblowers.

There are tens of millions of people in our country who demonstrably do not believe in any separation of church and state. These are same the people who corrupted their tsunami relief effort by handing out copies of the King James version of the Bible and religious tracts to victims, along with food, water and medicine. Who ranted in front of a Florida hospice as Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube was removed. Who were cheerleaders as our Congress stepped in to interfere with that case, and as our President hurried back from Texas to sign a law that could have been a scene from ‘The Crucible’. Who are now so busy attacking our judges for ‘judicial activism’. Who would make ‘Trashing the Constitution’ the latest reality show.

And, as for whistleblowers, we shouldn’t be surprised that Chaplain Morton sees the end of her career in the Air Force. While we have laws that are supposed to protect whistleblowers from retaliation, they haven’t been doing all that well lately.

Hundreds of Federal employees have come forward to report waste, fraud, and abuse. Private sector employees have blown the whistle on the Halliburton Corporation and numerous other defense contractors. Public servants working for US security agencies have recently formed their own organization to protect whistleblowers in the FBI, the CIA, and the many other agencies dealing with intelligence and counter-terrorism. And it was members of the armed forces who revealed our treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay, and Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

Many of these people have been subjected to retaliation: they have been fired, demoted, ostracized, transferred to other locations. The documents they need to prove their cases have been classified, thus transforming them into ‘state secrets’.

One of the best known of these whistleblowers is Sibel Edmonds, who reported wrongdoing by other employees at the FBI, and was fired for her trouble, despite a government report that confirmed the reason for her termination. When she tried to sue the agency, they classified the documents she needed, and her case was thrown out by the courts (now she’s going to ask the Supreme Court to hear it).

Chaplain Morton is but the latest in a long string of people who summon the courage to speak out – and are rewarded by losing their careers. And if the evangelical right wing of Christianity continues to blindly support the governmental power structure, she won’t be the last.

Bling Bling on a Budget

2008-02-28T01:41:00.001-08:00

A nice piece of jewelry can brighten up your entire day. It can bring together an outfit and make you feel great. Paying a lot for that piece of jewelry however, doesn’t make you feel very good. There is a lot of variation in the jewelry industry, and prices can fluctuate greatly between vendors. Your job as a bargain shopper is to find the best quality pieces at the lowest prices. Here you'll find a few tips to get you started in your bargain jewelry hunting journey.

When looking for a good piece of jewelry, you need to understand what you are looking at. Read up on the 4 C’s of diamond grading, as well as the terminology for gold and silver rating. This knowledge will help you find the best jewelry deal possible. Don’t get hung up on brand names. Often times, you are paying more for the name itself not the piece of jewelry. Pay special attention to the picture of the piece of jewelry. It should have adequate lighting and give you a good idea of what the piece looks like in person. Ask about the companies return policy, in case you find that the piece is not what you thought it would be.

Whenever possible, try to shop at a discount jewelry store. The quality is often the same as a name brand store, but the prices are significantly lower. Look online for a list of discount jewelry vendors, or try your hand at a closeout site. If a company is going out of business, they will sell their inventory to a closeout site, in order to make some of their money back. The closeout site then offers the products at very deep discounts. You can try overstock.com for deals on just about anything that you can think of. For an even better deal try going to an online coupon website. You can find coupon codes for a variety of different stores and items. You may be surprised at what you find! Be weary of auction sites when buying jewelry. Many of the sellers are unfamiliar with jewelry terms, and can mislead you into buying something that isn’t right. Ask plenty of questions before committing.

Buying jewelry on a budget has never been easier. With a huge assortment of discount websites, you can find anything and everything at less than the retail price. Imagine how much more your budget will allow, since you are saving so much money!

About the author:
Melanie Breeze, avid online shopper and user of online coupons at CouponChief.com, is always shopping around for the best deals. You can find jewelry deals and shopping discounts available around the web at CouponChief, all in one location. Finding a coupon before your online purchase helps you get that extra discount!

Better Than a Million Dollar Lottery Win…

2008-02-28T01:40:00.002-08:00

Do you remember the feeling of seeing someone you were attracted? It makes the heart bump, doesn’t it?

Have you ever stood on stage in front of a sea of faces that you know well and pulled out your notes to make a speech? Boy does the vibration of shaking liven you up!

Have you ever felt the breeze on your face, either during a hot-air balloon ride or by sticking your head through the car sunroof? It wakes your senses up, doesn’t it?

And on a scale of 1-10 how much does your heart bump, body shake and senses wake when you do your day job? I bet you can practically do the tasks with your eyes shut. In fact I bet there are days when you feel like you did have your eyes shut?

Most people don’t feel awakened by their day jobs. Their role lacks excitement and the chores get done with a distinct lack of passion. In many places of work you often hear people making a, “If I have to work for a living I’d sooner do something I enjoy,” kind of statement.

However finding or creating work that engages you to the extent that you lose track of time isn’t easy, is it?

Many people find themselves in the place of having money and all the trappings, yet still feel unhappy and not knowing why.

Part of the issue here is that they/you probably don’t attach any other meaning to work except the money taken home at the end of the month. And if you won the lottery this weekend, would we see you at work on Monday?

Probably not.

But I want to give you an example of a guy I know living his life purposefully and totally engaged in his work. He used to be obese. He used to pack in a minimum nine hours sleep each night, he often got ill and he was forever counting the clock down at work.

Now he has lost 84 pounds, works in timeless awareness – where time slips by unnoticed - sleeps on average 5-6 hrs per night and wakes up raring to go in the morning. In fact on a summer morning he’s worked for an hour, jogged six miles, done an hours yoga and is sitting at the breakfast table by 8am. Also he’s not seen a doctor in three years and had only one cold or virus!

The weight loss will give him years extra to live and the lack of pharmaceutical drugs in his body means his major organs are no longer breaking down and continuing the illness cycle. And the extra hours he now has because he is not sleeping… well these give him just over two moths extra living each year!

And the good news is he began as an ‘ordinary’ person and learned to make extra-ordinary changes when he discovered and began to understand his Life Purpose.

If you don’t feel engaged in your work it is probably because you are not working close to your life purpose or because your natural talent and ability is being choked.

If you feel apathy in your work, lethargic or are suffer from weight issues it is well worth taking a look at your life purpose.

Best Wishes

Jo

About the author:
Take a look at your life purpose. Join Jo Ball (LCA, Dip, NLP) at www.unstoppablelife.comand start to rediscover and understand the real you. It’s simple to do. Her newsletter is full of tips, stories and tricks on living Life Purpose. It’s FR>EE to sign-up and she’ll send you an e-book, Simple Steps to Greater Happiness as a thank you for joining and give a FR>EE Life Purpose Report.

Better Orgasm ~ Mouth Action For Him

2008-02-28T01:40:00.001-08:00

It’s an obvious misnomer to believe that all men think about every day or all the time is sex. The fact is a man’s mind is usually filled with the daily issues of finances, politics, sports especially if their favorite team is losing—and sex.

Women, this is a prime opportunity to get and hold his attention—literally. Giving a guy a hand job is good. Giving him a better orgasm with a little mouth action is even better.

So here are a few techniques to blow…his mind and take him to the peak of ecstasy with an even better orgasm.

As women we are definitely masters at creating a romantic atmosphere. So here are some more ideas on getting the timing right and setting the mood using a few good skills and techniques that will drive your man to a better orgasm. So get ready, be open-minded and add your own creative touches as you surprise him with a better orgasm.

Start by providing scent-ual stimulations. Place his favorite scent between your breast and any other place he likes to nibble. Next, wear sheer lingerie. There’s something about sheer lingerie that stimulates the imagination—send his mind into overdrive.

Undress him and bring him to the edge of a better orgasm by giving him a sensual massage. Use edible oils to lick your way over his body. By the time you’re done, he’ll be begging for you to ride him. But, remember this is his time to have a mind blowing orgasm. Resist the urge to climb on for a wild ride. Now, choose a unique location such as a sturdy chair, have your sensory stimulating toys and edible oils nearby.

Ladies its time to enjoy your treat! Imagine eating an ice cream cone—the licking, sucking and satisfying sounds that you make. Take his erection in hand and lick your way up from the base of penis to the crown. Pay special attention to the crown since the nerve ending are very sensitive to stimulation.

Run your tongue up and down the length of his penis. You can also add a flavored lubricant for added wetness. Take his penis into your mouth with a swallowing motion and pump it back and forth to create rhythmic suction with your mouth.

Turn the heat up for an even better orgasm, add variation by using the tip of your tongue and firmly stroke his penis working your way down to his testicles. Stroke his penis while adding the stimulation of licking his testicles.

Be inventive, run circles around the head of his penis. Alternate your stoking technique. Remember it’s important to vary your sucking and stroking. His hip movements will let you know that he’s enjoying it.

So, what are you going to do when he starts to climax? It’s extremely important to decide this beforehand that way you’re prepared. If you choose to swallow, then keep sucking with gusto showing him that its’ still all about helping him achieve a better orgasm. If you choose not to swallow an alternative is to use an open-mouth technique that allows you to suck as he ejaculates, opening your mouth will allow his load to run down his penis—actually acting as a lubricant.

Ladies, now is the time to let him see what he’s been missing…a better orgasm that will take him to the pinnacles of sexual pleasure. A better orgasm is not just about sex, it’s about unleashing primal desires, wild fantasies…turning him on. Now that you’ve learned a terrific technique for giving him a little mouth action practice it—he will definitely be a willing participant.

Copyright 2005 – E.J. Davis

About the author:

E.J. Davis is a writer who firmly believes that the ultimate pleasure begins with a simple caress. She currently writes for a1-online-dating.com Get more sizzling tips at: http://www.a1-online-dating.com

Be Nice When Choosing Your Bridesmaids Dresses!

2008-02-28T01:39:00.002-08:00

You have chosen your dream dress, you and your future husband have decided on the wedding party and the bridesmaids are anxious to see what their dresses are going to look like. When choosing your bridesmaid dresses, don’t forget to keep their emotions and tastes in mind!

Remember that although this is your big day, your bridesmaids have decided to share in your joy and help you make lasting memories. And one of the biggest ways that you can include them in the merriment is to ask them to help you with the decision. In other words, in addition to your own ideas, find out what their likes and dislikes are. After all, if they’re not happy with your choice and they feel uncomfortable, it will show in your wedding photos.

Compliment your bridesmaids’ figures, hair color and complexions when choosing their dresses. You can still be the center of attention while allowing your wedding party to glow and shine behind you. Be sure to have your bridesmaids try on several styles and colors and let them choose one or two of their favorites to help you make your decision.

As important as comfort is for you, it is just as important for your girls. So, when choosing the bridesmaids dresses, look for comfort in the fit and the style. If you are a courteous bride, thinking of their needs while tending to your own, it will be appreciated by your wedding party and they will be more willing to help you.

If you’ve ever been bridesmaid yourself, then you likely understand how important it is to consider cost when choosing the bridesmaid dresses. While you may be working on a wedding budget, keep in mind that your wedding party also may be hoping for affordable attire. Talk to your bridesmaids and ask them how much they are willing to spend.

Be sure while choosing bridesmaids dresses you record everything in a notebook so that you won’t forget or lose the valuable information. Through the chaos of planning the rest of the wedding, it could be all too easy to forget sizes, styles, alteration decisions, and how much is owed on the dresses. Keeping everything in a notebook will help you stay organized and feel less stress.

After the bridesmaids dresses have been decided on, don’t forget to ask about fittings. Find out how many fitting will be needed for each girl and exactly what the cost is for each one of them. Write down times and dates to help your wedding party remember and if possible, let the bridesmaids schedule the appointments themselves to ensure it is a good time for them.

Now you have chosen the bridesmaids dresses, they are happy about the color, style and fit. Don’t forget the shoes! Remember to tell your bridesmaids whether they are to wear flats or pumps. And if you want them dyed to match the dresses, let them know and give them time to prepare. As long as you use respect and common courtesy, you will most likely have a happy wedding party thus giving you a beautiful, happy day to remember.

About the author:
This article courtesy of http://www.wedding-planner-guide.net

Beauty and Raw Food

2008-02-28T01:39:00.001-08:00

One of the best ways to improve the appearance of your skin is by incorporating raw food into your diet. Beautiful skin starts from the inside out. People who switch to eating mostly raw food often see an improvement in their skin and look younger.

Heating food above 105 degrees Fahrenheit destroys the enzymes as well as 50% of the protein and 70-90% of the vitamins and minerals. Eating cooked food overtaxes the body’s enzyme reserves. Eating more raw food decreases the amount of digestive enzymes your body has to produce. Raw foods are foods in their natural state with the enzymes left intact. Enzymes are needed to perform many functions in the body including digestion, assimilation and elimination of food. A drained enzyme supply can result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies, premature aging and low energy. Raw foods high in enzymes include sprouts, papaya and pineapple.

Free radicals damage your skin and interfere with collagen production causing premature aging. Antioxidants counteract free radicals that age the skin. Berries, especially blueberries, are potent antioxidants that promote collagen which reduces wrinkles. Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and grapefruit help rid the body of free radicals keeping the skin looking young. Foods high in the antioxidant beta carotene including carrots and apricots protect the skin against sun damage.

CoenzymeQ10 is an effective antioxidant involved in the energy process and present in every cell in the body. CoQ10 levels in the body diminish with age. CoQ10 destroys free radicals and slows aging. Spinach, broccoli and peanuts are foods high in CoQ10.

Alpha-lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidant that boosts the strength of other antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E, and assists the body’s energy production. Alpha-lipoic acid can be found in spinach, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, tomatoes and peas.

Sulfur is a mineral present in every cell in your body. It is needed in collagen production and for healthy skin, hair and nails. Organic sulfur levels in food are lost when processed, heated or dried. Sulfur is known to help improve skin conditions such as acne. High sulfur content foods include asparagus, broccoli, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, red pepper, garlic, onion, watercress and kale.

Silicon is an essential trace mineral needed for healthy skin, hair, nails and bones. Silicon levels decrease with age. Fruits and vegetables are the richest source of silicon including apples, oranges, cherries, grapes, strawberries, beets, cucumber, carrots and green leafy vegetables.

Phytochemicals are plant chemicals that help the body defend against damage and are said to have anti-aging properties. Phytochemicals can be found in berries, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, spinach, carrots, cocoa and bell pepper.

Raw nuts and seeds are high in Vitamin E which is beneficial to the skin. Selenium keeps the skin elastic and can be found in garlic, onions and shallots.

When the body rids itself of toxins, it passes through the skin which is the largest elimination organ. Raw food increases your detoxification rate. Drinking water helps the body rid itself of toxins. Seaweed is high in vitamins and minerals beneficial to the skin and also helps rid the body of toxins.

To achieve a healthy complexion, drink plenty of water and eat plenty of raw food. What goes into your body is reflective in your overall appearance.

About the author:
Elizabeth Kiely is the owner of EK Shower Caps: http://www.eklbc.com

Beach Wedding Cakes

2008-02-28T01:38:00.002-08:00

Looking for ideas for a beach theme wedding cake?

When it comes to wedding cakes, long gone are the days of following tradition. Since you are considering a beach theme wedding cake, you are obviously not a slave to those traditions. So...let's stray from the "norm" and be adventurous!

One thing to remember...there are no rules! If there are...well, rules are made to be broken. Your beach theme wedding cake can be anything you want it to be!

What Size?

How many guests are you planning to have? If you have your cake made professionally it can range in price anywhere from $2.00 to $15.00 per slice. A "slice" is normally considered to be 2 ounces or, approximately 4" x 2". The range in price
will depend on how much intricate detail you want on it. If the cake you choose is very labor intensive, you can expect higher prices. If you are on a tight budget, keep it simple!

What Shape?

A beach theme wedding cake can be any size, shape or description. Be creative. If you have an idea for your cake, sketch it out on paper and take it to that talented friend, relative or your chosen bakery. If you can imagine it, someone can make it!

Do not limit your thinking to a two or three tier cake. It can be round, square, a sheet cake, a sculpted cake, individual mini cakes, cupcakes or even cookies! Some brides even choose a one or two layer, individual wedding cake on each guest table rather than the traditional large cake at the head table. This is a nice idea because it also serves as the table centerpiece. This eliminates the added expense associated with having a wedding centerpiece at each table!

A couple of things to keep in mind though...

* Since your reception may be on the beach, consider the sun! If you are having a dawn or dusk ceremony, heat from the sun will probably not be a major factor. However, if you are having your wedding midday, consider an "ornamental" cake. By that I mean, not edible with the exception of perhaps the bottom layer if you and the groom plan to cut it. You don't want your creation to melt!

* Consider draping your cake in a decorative manner with tulle to keep the bugs and sand out of it. It would be
beautiful yet practical.

* Purchase decorative, individual cake boxes. Fill them and perhaps tie your wedding program or thank you to them with
ribbon. Keep them in a cooler until time to pass them out to your guests. They will serve as your wedding favor, killing two birds with one stone!

* Make your own beach theme wedding cake! Look inside the next "Duncan Hines" cake mix you buy. The instruction for baking tiered cakes are printed on the inside of the box! You can do it. If you can't, I'll bet you know a friend who could! In EVERY town there is a friend or a "friend of a friend" who makes beautiful wedding cakes. It's a hobby for them. They love doing it! Of course they still want to be paid, but not the ridiculous prices that a professional will charge you.
So...go... find that friend!

About the author:

Cindy English is the publisher of Beach-Wedding-Themes.com
where you will find ideas for beach wedding themes full of
fun, fantasy and romance. Discover new places to shop and
things to make at: http://www.beach-wedding-themes.com

This article may be reprinted with no changes, omissions,
or additions. All links must be left live and in tact.

Are You An Amber Gal?

2008-02-28T01:38:00.001-08:00

Amber is a beautiful gift from mother nature. It comes in many different colors - yellow, orange, red, white, brown, green, blue and almost black. It may be transparent or clouded. Transparent tones range from pale to dark yellow, to yellow light brown. Cloudy amber comes in many colors.
Amber is fossilized resin of ancient trees that grew in “amber forests”. Through various physical and chemical changes the resin becomes Amber. Amber is unique because it is able to preserve the organic tissues in it. It is very common to find pieces of plants and insects, trapped in amber making it extremely valuable to both collectors and the scientists. A beautiful and fascinating gem!

Amber is found in various parts of the world. The largest amber deposits are off the shores of the Baltic Sea. Baltic Amber is the most sought after and valuable for making amber jewelry.
Baltic Amber has been used for decorative items since prehistoric times. A Baltic amber amulet has even been found in Egyptian tombs . Amber was also very popular in ancient Rome during the reign of Neron when: jewelry, ornaments, amulets, and even dice were made from amber. During the Middle Ages, amber prayer beads were exported. From the 16th century into the 18th century item made from amber included jewelry, dishes, buttons, pipe mouth pieces, chess sets and a host of other fine products.

The majority of Baltic amber comes from a 400-square-mile area - the Samland Peninsula, now known as the Kaliningrad region. The Kaliningrad amber mine supplies 99% of the Baltic amber. Up until the 19th century amber was retrieved manually from the sea. During the latter part of the 19th century operations became much more sophisticated as they began dredging and mining for amber. Since then millions of pounds of Baltic amber have been mined.. A small town in the Kaliningrad region has the world’s largest amber mine.

Amber has a special beauty in its ability for each piece to be truly original in nature and content. The downfall to amber is like anything organic it does not last forever. Baltic amber is known to have the longest life expectancy. Taking proper care of your amber will result in enjoyment for many years, sometimes thousands of years as seen with the recovery of jewels from the past.
Some important tips for caring for your amber:

* Never store amber where it may rub against hard surfaces such as metal or other jewelry.
* Do not expose amber to harsh chemicals such as soap, jewelry cleaners, perfumes, hair products.
* Do not expose amber to direct sunshine or heat.
* To clean your amber wash in lukewarm water. Use a soft cloth to wash and dry. To restore the shine polish with pure olive oil.
* Treat your amber like any fine gem

Where amber with pride, add it to your jewelry wardrobe and be sure to make your fashion statement!

About the author:
Sher from Estate Jewelry International has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing fashion, jewelry,and wedding help. Please visit us at http://www.estatejewelryinternational.com/

Are You A Leader in the Chrysalis?

2008-02-28T01:37:00.002-08:00

Let’s get this straight at the outset…

Leadership skills can be found in their droves on an Internet search. Lists… dozen of them; and if you want to define yourself and tick the box by a pre-set, ready made standard based on what ‘experts’ in business and the church think, then go right ahead and look because I am not going to reproduce it here and encourage you to pigeon-hole yourself.

Face facts: the guy in the pin-stripe suit and the one with the dog collar are not the only leaders. What’s more their ways, their definitions and their lists are not the only way to lead.

In your lifetime you’ve been exposed to all kinds of ‘leaders in their day’. Take your teachers; yes, the ones who made you tuck your shirt in, do your tie up, remove your make up, ear rings and often your smile…

Take your parents – doing their best as the leaders of your home and your childhood – using what they had and what they knew to bring you up with good morals and good values so you would become an acceptable member of society who could get a good job and find a good spouse and go on to be a good reflection of them. Maybe they were kind and nurturing, maybe they were overbearing torturers and heavy-handed disciplinarians….

Then take your peers: the leaders, the tall kids in the playground who developed first and got all the attraction from the opposite sex. The first couple to make out, the first guy to have a car, the first one to leave and get a job and reach the heady-height of leader for five minutes…

And I guess what sends us on those searches to pigeonhole ourselves is the hope that we are as good or better than that standard. Maybe it will help us if we can be recognised as someone or something by a business leader’s standard or a spiritual leader’s values.

And this is okay, but remember that the standard of the wealthy and the clean have often been brought into question.
Perhaps the standard of the person who walks their dog, chatting to the mums and the kids on their way to the school bus, or the parent who can ignore the tantrum of their child or the lady who helps you settle into a new community by throwing a party for you, are the type of leaders we might want to consider being.

Real leadership is not about striving to meet an external standard so that tick can be put in boxes under your name. Real leadership is about living with purpose – finding, defining and using your birth given gifts and bringing them to the foreground in a distinctive way that changes, enhances and glorifies the greater good.

Now that’s real leadership!

Good luck on your journey

Jo Ball x

Coach & Founder, Unstoppable Life

About the author:
At Unstoppable Life, Jo Ball (LCA, Dip, NLP) is developing the next generation of leaders who have been in the chrysalis. These people are discovering and defining their life purpose. Join Jo’s Fr>ee newsletter now at Unstoppable Life’s home page to discover a mass of information other leaders in chrysalis are acting upon. www.unstoppablelife.com

Are YOU a Leader in Procrastination?

2008-02-28T01:37:00.001-08:00

Putting off tasks, leaving them to the last minute, arriving late, leading a chaotic life with stress, resentment and guilt, but worst of all missing out on opportunities…

Saying ‘I have to do this’ or ‘I have to do that’, being gripped by the panic of impending deadlines, beating yourself up, kicking out in resentment and rebellion for missing the goal posts for something you felt forced to do…

Making excuses, ‘I can’t afford it’ or ‘I lack the confidence’ or saying ‘This doesn’t work…’ and ‘that doesn’t work’ without even making the effort to find a way…

Hanging onto the things you’ve been doing for years, while not starting anything new until the other project is finished. Perfecting, perfecting, perfecting it’s a great trap…

This is the habitual way of the Leader in Procrastination.

But hey, don’t beat yourself up for not doing ‘STUFF”. Ignore the jibes of the less worldly and wise. Maybe you’ve been the shrewd one. Maybe it is for the best that you didn’t do ‘THINGS’. Maybe ‘stuff’ and ‘things’ just haven’t been right in a while.

Deep down you know that you’ve been marking time. Deep down you know the moment has not been right for you to seize life. Deep down you know your time to act will come; your moment when you no longer ‘HAVE TO’, but ‘WANT TO’.

And if that want hits you this week; if that want packs a punch in your gut today; if that want stirs you in an hour, a minute or now, you’ll know to act. And act you will, striking like a viper.

This is the Leader in Procrastination… biding their time.

Many others are just like you now, marking time. Many others were like you yesterday, but then decided to strike today and grasp the life they have before them. They have chosen to shrug off the ‘have to’ and discover the ‘want to’; they have chosen to dream a little, to find passion, to find the leader within them that will bring love and life in golden bursts of sunlight.

They have chosen to re-find their gifts and use them in distinctive ways that touch and change other peoples’ lives. They have shrugged the existence. They have chosen to drop the clinking chains of education, religion, family values and peer pressure and be true to their souls, not what they are told their souls ‘must’ be.

And you can join them. You too can move beyond the ‘have to’ to the ‘want to’. You can discover who you really are, what you really want to do. You can be a leader.

But what if you don’t act this week, this day, this hour, this minute? What if you put it off and let it go now? Well then perhaps the best moments of your life will never be. Perhaps your dreams of leadership, love, laughter and light will dissolve and then where will you be.

In twenty years you will be older, more disappointed, maybe haggard and resentful; spitting mad at the love you lost or never was; spewing that you have to work such long hours for little money and bitter at the world for denying you the wealth others have in abundance.

But who will be the one to feel the hurt? Who will be the one to cry on the mattress?

Not you my friend, not you.

Not you because you were a leader in the chrysalis – a leader in Procrastination.

Not you because you are not that person now. Not you because this week, this day, this hour, this minute you have changed. You have woken up to your true power. You understood that this procrastination was protecting you from stuff you have to do.

Now you have found a want with in you. A want to discover you; a want to discover your purpose; your meaning; your direction; a want to be who you really are; a want to do what you really… want!

Take that want now and do something with it now. Explore. Have fun. Open up to the vast field of potentiality out there and be free of the chains of procrastination.

You are a leader now, no longer in procrastination.

Find yourself

Jo Ball x

Coach & Founder, Unstoppable Life

Anger and the American Family: 3 Steps to Diffuse Family Anger by Changing Your Inner Conversations

2008-02-28T01:36:00.000-08:00

Case #1: Jeanette and Tom had been married 15 years. Wanting
to surprise him for his birthday, Jeanette, with her own money, bought Tom a big-screen LCD television.

Tom’s reaction? He instantly blew up and berated Jeanette for spending so much money—buying more television than they needed, a bigger model than they had previously looked at together.

Jeanette was dumbfounded at Tom’s reaction; she truly thought this would be a gift that would greatly please him.

Case #2: Jim was having a friendly beer with his brother-in-law Jack when the discussion turned to Jack’s success in life. Wanting to compliment him, Jim commented on how far he had come, how proud of himself he must be and how much he is an inspiration to others, given his background with alcoholic and dysfunctional parents.

Rather than seeing this as a compliment, however, Jack became offended and angry. He berated Jim for “putting him down," as he interpreted Jim’s comment.

Views cause anger

As these examples clearly show, people are not disturbed by things or events, but by their view of them, as Epictetusan—a Greek philosopher—observed early in the 2nd century.

When an upsetting family event occurs, you have a choice of how you are going to explain it to yourself—what you are going to tell yourself about it. This will influence how angry, stressed, or upset, you become over the event.

Learning to change what you tell yourself —your self-talk— can break the cycle of negativity that can often poison our minds when we get angry. We all have 'scripts' in our minds that tell us messages and stories about family members and how they behave.

Tom, who exploded when his loving wife bought him a new television, was telling himself things like: she has such poor judgment-buying a bigger TV than we need; there she goes again, spending money excessively; why can’t she ever do what I want her to do? Why did I marry such a woman?

Of course, none of these things made any sense to Tom once he cooled down and became his rational self again. But, at the moment of anger explosion, Tom’s self-statements seem 100% true to him.

Jack who became offended at being congratulated for overcoming his past, was actually having the following conversation in his head: he is putting me down because I had alcoholic parents; he is saying I am not capable of being successful on my own instead of 'overcoming' something in my past; he is mocking me because of how I grew up.

No wonder he became so upset at Jim’s innocent attempt at a compliment. Like many of us, Jack was responding to his perspective of what was being communicated—not Jim’s.

Changing your self-talk

The next time anger threatens to spoil a family event, try these simple steps:

Step 1: Retreat and think things over. Never respond immediately to a family anger or stress trigger. Give your body and your mind a chance to calm down so you can think rationally. Research shows this may take at least 20 minutes.

Step 2: Examine the evidence. The most convincing way of disputing negative self-talk toward a family member is to show yourself it is factually incorrect. Do not lie to yourself, but—like a detective —simply and honestly look at all the evidence at hand.

For instance, when calm Tom remembered that his wife was excellent with money and rarely overspent. Jack remembered that Jim never disparaged him and, in fact, had always supported him throughout the years of their friendship.

Step 3: Find a more positive and useful way of interpreting the behavior of family members. Tom was finally able to see his wife’s buying behavior as a sign of love and caring for him, rather than trying to hurt him or cause stress.

Jack was eventually capable of seeing that Jim was truly trying to compliment him and that he truly saw Jack as someone to be admired because of how far he had come in life.

About the author:
Dr. Tony Fiore is The Anger Coach. New anger resources are now available Anger Management for the 21st Century: The 8 tools of Anger Control print and ebook,bonuses www.stopyouranger.comChëck our Anger in the News blog and comment at: www.angernews.com

A New Way To Shop – Online

2008-02-27T11:19:00.003-08:00

With the advent of the internet, our lives have changed dramatically. All the major chain stores, from Walmart to Nordstrom’s have online stores. By doing a search on one of the search engines you can locate hard to find items that would take you weeks or months to find if you had to go from store to store. Online shopping lets you shop the world from London to Korea; the internet has become the magic carpet of the shopper. And you can do this from the comfort of your own home.

Most of the online stores run sales that if you go directly to the store site you will never see. These stores give these special sales and coupon sales to their affiliates sites, Sales such as “30 o 70ff”, “FREE Shipping” and “Special five day sales”.

Most of the online shopping sites have a place to subscribe to their mailing list. I highly recommend subscribing to their newsletters. They will email you the latest online coupons and special sales. This way you can check your email and not have to go to each site to see what sales are offered.

With our busy lives, the kids, and the cost of gas, let alone the need for more time, it is a lot easier to shop online. With the holiday season coming up it would be easy to start your holiday shopping now and avoid the stress and anxiety of waiting till the last minute,

If you haven’t shopped online, try it! You will be amazed at how convenient it is. And if you are worried about exchange polices, they are better than the stores, and guess what, NO LINES!

To fine an online shopping mall go to any search engine and type in “online shopping” or try our site.

About the author:
Eric Madsen is the webmaster for http://www.glamorousshopper.comEric can be emailed at eric@madsenswebsolutions.com

A New Beginning

2008-02-27T11:19:00.001-08:00

Sometimes showing up for life can seem like a major achievement.

And within that ‘showing up’ we’re showing tremendous courage. We’re not giving up.

We’re forcing our way back - searching for meaning, trying to find a new direction… a reason to go on.

I know the emotions of failure. I know the thoughts - the questions: what’s the point? Why me? Why now? What is this all about? And I know the choice we come to within these questions: do we fall away, a bitter cynic; or do we find our way, make our way back and somehow make our life worthwhile.
Too many days can be spent alone. Too many days can be lost to failure or fear. Too many days can be lost in pity.

The world is changing, life is evolving, every twist and turn on our path can bring us new hope, new beginnings, new love, new adventures. If only we can see that the world is not a darkened, hopeless place, put our hearts back into place, remember life is about love we will not only ’show up’ but make our days fulfilling and meaningful.

Rebuilding life starts with a brave look around you. I know how easy it is to be sucked into materialism, achieving, being the best, succeeding; and I know the consequences of these things: often a shallow, unfulfilled existence where we forget or close down and deny, not only the people around us we love and adore, but deny our selves.

The world is waking up. Westerners are hungering for meaning and purpose. We want to find the reason for life. We’re finding that doing and achieving feels great for the ego, but can leave something missing in the spirit.

And we want to fill that spirit. And we begin our search.

What I find is that more and more people are looking for purpose - life purpose. Some come with hope - hoping to find what’s missing others come with an attitude of ‘doing’ purpose and moving on again.

Life purpose is not for doing. It is for being. It is where you rediscover that the world is timeless. Where you fall back in love with life and handle everything from your heart and not from your wallet or your clock or your diary.

It’s about waking up in the morning wondering about the possibilities, rather than focussing on difficulties.

About the author:
Jo Ball (LCA, Dip, NLP) is one of the UK’s leading Life Coaches. Join her fast growing Life Purpose newsletter at www.unstoppablelife.com

Advising on the most up-to-date assistance in relation to numerology.

2008-02-27T11:18:00.003-08:00

When you're seeking the best information on numerology, you'll find it hard separating superior advice from ill-advised numerology submissions and proposals so it is imperative to know how to qualify the information you are often given.

Now we'd like to give you some advice which we really think you should use when you're seeking information about numerology. Hold in mind any recommendation we may offer is only applicable to internet based information regarding numerology. We can't offer you any guidance or tips when you are also conducting research offline.

Look for numerology
Find numerology at one of the best sites the Internet has to offer!

A good hint to track when you're presented with help or advice concerning a numerology web site is to verify the ownership of the website. Doing this could reveal the owners numerology integrity The easiest way to find out who is behind the numerology website is to look on the 'contact' page or 'about this site' information.

All reputable sites providing information about numerology, will nearly always have a 'contact', or an 'about', page which will provide you with the owner's details. The fine points should detail major points about the website owner's expertise. You can then arrive at a decision about the vendor's insight and appreciation, to give recommendations about numerology.

Acne Adoloscent Style – How To Deal With It?

2008-02-27T11:18:00.001-08:00

Adolescent acne is referred to by many names, teen acne, acne adoloscent, and hormonal acne to name just a few. Whatever you want to call it, it can be frustrating, painful, and embarrassing to a teen.

Living with acne over a prolonged period during your teen years can be emotionally devastating, after all this is the age where your appearance is most important. Teen acne is very hard on the ego, often resulting in teasing and razzing from peers. Some teens suffer from not only acne but sever depression.

During the adolescent years almost every teen will have at least an occasional whitehead, blackhead, or pimple. Adolescent acne usually occurs between the ages of 12 and 20, and is usually the result of fluctuating hormone levels. Once the hormones stabilize out the acne will normally disappear.

So what’s the bet way to deal with adolescent acne? The simplest and most important thing a teen can do, is to learn to take good care of their skin, keeping it clean and as oil free as possible. This is not a cure but can help keep acne breakouts to a minimum.

Eating healthy and drinking plenty of water will also help by keeping the skin hydrated and the body flushed. Girls should use oil free cosmetics. Lightly exfoliating once a week will help open pours, and remove dead skin debris.

Milder cases of acne can be controlled by using conventional over the counter medicines that are applied directly to the skin. These medications usually include benzoyl peroxide or retinoic acid as an active ingredient.

Some natural products that can be used to treat acne are tea tree oil or Echinacea. Wash your face twice a day with a mixture of these herbs to reduce the number of break outs. Both have anti-inflammatory and anti-septic qualities.

In more severe adolescent acne a Doctor may try various oral medications such as antibiotics, oral contraceptives or Accutane.

As teens get older and hormones stabilize, fewer outbreaks should be seen, however some people do continue to have outbreaks well into adult hood. If the teen acne condition worsens or becomes emotionally debilitating it is important to seek medical help from a dermatologist.

You do not want an adolescent to grow up with skin and emotional scars as a result of acne, so treat not only their physical scars but their emotional scars.

About the author:
M.D Stacener from The Acne Cure has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing valuable information to keep you beautiful and healthy. Please visit us at http://www.acnel.com/