Talking Dirty - Secrets to Getting Your Choice Girl

Talking dirty to your partner turns him/her on for you. When in bed with your partner, talking dirty is a sure way to set in motion an unforgettable experience that will make your partner to love and cherish you. You can make your sex life incredible only if you know what turns your partner on.

You may think that you know all that she wants, but the truth is you don't really know. Women are really turned on by what they hear regularly and you can turn this to an advantage for you. Be relaxed and comfortable when talking dirty with your partner.

Telling your partner sexy and loving words stimulates their urges and get them turned on. It could be what she fantasizes about or about a sexy movie that you both watched. Just be relaxed and let the words flow and you will have a fantastic experience.

You could change your voice tone to make it sexier and more appealing to your partner. Find out what your partner wants and tell him/her complimentary words to soothe your partner anytime you are together. This makes your partner feel relaxed in your presence and loves you for being understanding.

Funny enough, you can talk dirty to your girl in public areas and make her want you instantly. This really works well as it puts her in the mood for you. There are some words you will tell her in the bedroom when she is climaxing that will make you love her for life.

How Do I Lucid Dream With the Wake-Back-To-Bed (WBTB) Method?

Lucid dreaming is all about dreaming consciously. There are many methods to induce lucid dreams. Wake-back-to-bed, abbreviated as WBTB, is one of them. There are mainly three steps in WBTB.

Go to sleep preferably tired, sleep for 5 to 6 hours continuously and then wake up forcefully.

Be in lucid dream world in wake up period. If one wakes up dreaming, write down the dream, concentrate and think on the same dream; If not, read some lucid dreaming material such as magazine, article, book or watch a related movie on DVD or browse internet for related contents. Be specific and in lucid world without stressing self. Do this exercise for 30 minutes to 90 minutes. Exact duration shall depend on individual experience on how much time one requires to induce the desired lucid state. Start with less time first and if not succeeded, increase the wake up duration in steps. This wake up duration can be shortened by thinking about lucid dreaming during day time before WBTB starts in step above.

Go back to bed after the chosen wake up duration is over. It is better to choose a different sleep position or different bed or different body orientation or different place from where you had woken up in the first step. Trying different things shall help you get the desired conscious sleep and avoid deep sleep. Start saying to self what you want to see in dream, imagine about desired dream, visualize self in that dream. Practice it for 10 minutes or so like it is done in MILD technique. Take a nap and sleep consciously to enjoy the lucid dream.

Since WBTB involves manual sleep interruption by compelling yourself to wake up, it is more suitable to be tried on weekends. WBTB is very simple and reliable technique and is especially suitable for them who wake up in the middle of night anyway in line with WBTB.

Sony KDL52V5810 Review

The Sony KDL52V5810 is new on the market and is offering top of the line technology. It has digital content, and a free satellite service - a carrier is not needed to get over 140 channels free. An added benefit is the seventy hours of free HD channels you can view in a week's time at no added charge. Simple and direct viewing in a relaxed atmosphere.

All you need to do is sit back and analyze the channels, all at the click of your remote. No worries or anguish about getting bound into a digital contract, or of paying any cable fees. The accuracy of HD precision and the clarity and beauty of this TV are exceptional. The color is amazing and so bright you will feel like you are right inside the television itself.

No cable down times or boxes and cords to bother with. You can invite friends over to share in the exceptional pleasure of watching your TV. This Sony Bravia KDL52V5810 is a different style that is not only artistic in its creation but also has a graceful quality. Its appearance will always be a welcome sight in any home.

A home entertainment center, internet, videos, music, and much more all can be yours in one television set, with the V5800 networking system. View what is happening in another country with the touch of a button. Connect your pc to the Bravia and enjoy a personal photo big screen adventure.

Conserve energy, while watching your admired shows with added color, and abounding HD magnification. You will be very happy with what this Sony KDL52V5810 TV model can do. The Bravia is so absolute and admirable that it is astonishing to think that this technology has baffled the television industry and brought the future into today.

Filled with amazing possibilities, the 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution is outstanding. The blackest blacks will stand out with sharp enhancement. Enhance your scenes with invigorating color that will stimulate the senses. Control the sound the way you like it with the digitally mastered surround sound system.

The Sony KDL52V5810 comes with many advantages, ensuring the best television viewing that can be found. Set your preferences to your satisfaction. Watch what you want the way you want on the TV of the future. Its astounding features are capable and reliable and easy to use. Just click the remote for easy switching from one program to another.

Movies appear in a vivacious panorama of color explosion. Lighting adjusts with the mere touch of a button and the eco settings are ambiance friendly. The beauty of this television is that it adapts to your computer and your favorite photos and music can be displayed on the big screen.

The Sony KDL52V5810 will exceed your expectation about television viewing. You can turn the TV off while viewing pre-installed images or personal photos. The Bravia television is to be admired by anyone who enjoys watching TV, playing videos, or listening to music as it does so much more!

4 Imaginative Wedding Themes For the Month of January

As the holiday season now officially starts many brides are already about to have their holiday and winter weddings. However for the bride still planning their event, there are many other great times this winter to have their winter wedding. One great example is a January wedding. A January wedding has many advantages. It is after the bustle of the holiday season, it during the wedding off season, and you can find many interesting themes to use for the wedding. Here are some great ideas that you can use for a January wedding.

The first great idea is a New Year's wedding. This is perfect since January is the first month of the New Year. Also New Year's is also appropriate because they are also synonymous with new beginnings which a wedding is for you and your groom. The best part is the glamour and glitz that is possible with a New Year's theme everyone knows the look from classic movies or seeing New Year's Eve celebrations on TV every year. This allows you to decorate your wedding venue in a sophisticate and astounding manner that you may not be able to do as effectively with other winter wedding themes. It also does not emphasize flowers which will be a boon especially during January when most flowers will have to be imported or grown in a hot house. As you know that means higher prices that can put a stranger on an otherwise well planned budget.

One common mistake when planning a winter wedding is the belief that there are only one or two ways to interpret a winter theme. It normally falls into categories that are variations of the winter wonderland theme. This while beautiful can quickly become cliche and unoriginal. This is something a bride wanting to make her ceremony and reception a special event tries to avoid. A unique idea would be to have an Arctic themed wedding. This would be a wedding that would integrate the best themes of winter with an exotic landscape. You would be able to find all sorts of interesting decorations that will make your wedding look unforgettable.

Another great idea is the Golden wedding. This one is kind of interesting. From what I gather in my research it is a great January theme because gold was first discovered in the United States in January 1848 in California. The Golden theme is one tied with majestic decorations and color schemes and the best part is that you don't have to follow the normal boring ice and snow theme. You will find yourself able to use more imaginative motifs and decorations than you would normally have available at your disposal.

A great theme that you can work with for your wedding is a black and white wedding. This is a classic and formal wedding theme with everyone being required to dress in their best formal black and white clothes. It can also be the theme for the decorations. Try to add class and elegance with contemporary designs and add some sparkle with crystal and sequin decorations. This will make your wedding a formal event that few of your guests will ever recall having in a long time.

These are just some of the great ideas that you can use for a January wedding. They will allow you to see the possibilities that are there for the person who wants to plan a winter wedding after the holiday season.

Maverick Money Makers YouTube Videos

Instead of reading about how you can achieve online success, why not take a look at some of the Maverick Money Makers YouTube videos. There are a bunch of recommendations about the club itself and how others are using it teachings to achieve online success. By taking a look at these videos you can get a glimpse on how to take the ideas that you will learning and putting them into action to get a lifestyle that only the seems to be portrayed in the movies.

Getting a glimpse in to the world of Maverick Money Makers, allows you to see how the video training can be applied in your learning process. There are several videos in which you will get to hear Mr. Mavericks voice himself, so that you can get a flow of he is going to present the information to you once you sign up for the membership club. Becoming prepared is a vital aspect in being a success.

In addition videos take getting information to a whole another level. For one you get to see who is actually recommending the program that you are about to pay money for. Secondly, the information is presented in a short and concise entertaining format. And I for one, would like to be entertained when watching a video.

In order to watch the videos, all you have to do is visit YouTube.com and search for maverick money makers and see the different videos that come up. There are several Maverick Money Makers YouTube video testimonials that are provided so that others can get a feel how the average Joe is already making money and how you can to, if you are willing to put in the work and have the determination and drive to make the internet marketing thing work. And that is all that it takes, a little desire, drive, and determination in order to make it success in the world of online marketing.

The bottom line is that if you want to see how others feel about the program then you should take a peep at the Maverick Money Makers YouTube videos. Learn about the program from people who have insider knowledge and see for yourself that they are average people like you and me and hear what they have to say in real time about the program. You can't go wrong with the power of video testimonials.

Residual Income Model - The Superior Way to Make Money

Residual income model is described as income that is generated continuously after being set in motion with one action or sale. Robert Kyosaki wrote in the book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad describes this type of income as preferable over fees, commissions, wages, or salaries that are linear income, or income that is paid one time.

What's Wrong With the Linear Income Model?

The major problem with the linear income model is this income must be generated constantly through marketing a service or product. Examples of linear income are working a job for a salary or wages, selling products for a commission, and fees for providing professional services. You are paid one time for each of these, and then other customers must be obtained in order to keep a constant flow of income.

Why is the Residual Income Model Superior?

It allows you to earn continuous income even after the first sale. Here are some examples:

* Earning royalties from writing a book, writing or recording a song, or developing software
* Earning royalties as an actor from TV shows, movies, or commercials
* Earning a percentage from oil wells drilled on your land
* Renting or leasing real estate
* Interest or dividends from investments
* Creating information products to sell online or offline
* Becoming a distributor in a network marketing business

How to Choose a Residual Income Model

Most opportunities require an investment of money, skill, and time. While there are many opportunities out there, some take more money and effort than others. It's up to you to decide whether or not the business could actually fit within your budget and time constraints, and also if it's something that you would want to do.

Once your residual income exceeds your linear income, you will be able to decide whether to keep working for money or let money work for you.

The Little Things That Make a Difference

Its the little things that can make the biggest difference. In today's society, we get caught up in the day to day hustle and bustle of life, that when we are home with our sweetheart, we can get comfortable and relaxed. Not that this is a bad thing, in fact we should be very comfortable with our partners and our home life. But we should not get so comfortable we let moments to steal a kiss or say something nice slip away. And we should always make some time to look good for our partner as well.

Snuggling: I cant tell even begin to tell you how good it feels to have her sit next to me and lean against me. Mayber her head is on my shoulder, or her back is to me leaning against me. You cant help but to feel close and together when you are snuggled up close to your sweetheart. Watch a movie like that or read the paper, whatever, but its a great opportunity to let each other know that you still love to be close to each other.

Holding hands: Ok, now this is something I like to do. If I am walking with my baby, I am holding her hand. Rising in the car, any chance I have. In fact, one of my favorite commercials is the Zales commercial where the young couple is walking through the park, and they pass an elderly couple on their walk holding hands. The younger lady looks back at the older couple as she passes, and has that look like she see her and her man like that many years down the line. If I can still walk when I'm old and grey, I'm going to be holding my baby's hand. Its just a great feeling.

Kissing: I cant get enough kisses. I even like to sneak a kiss when we are out. maybe not when everyone is looking, but if no one is around in the near vicinity, I'm going to sneak a kiss. Maybe we get caught, maybe not, who knows, and really who cares. Maybe we will remind someone else how important a kiss is. Remember the first kiss with your partner? I do. And I still feel that feeling every time I kiss her even today. And I intend to kiss her any chance I can get for decades to come.

Calling or texting: Now I was not into texting when I met my sweetheart, but I text her every day now. We talk on the phone too when we aren't busy with work, but if we just have a second and we pop into each others mind, we will leave the other a nice little text message. When the other one has a break from work or errands, we read the message. It's just a nice feeling to know your other half is thinking of you. And with a text message, you dont have to take the time for a call, its just a few seconds to say how beautiful she is, or how you cant wait to give him a kiss. Go ahead try it. You might be surprised when you see each other later in the day how big their smile is.

Hugging: Give each other hugs! If you aren't hugging and kissing your baby, someone else might. Its an essential part of feeling secure and loved. Think about when you were a kid. Or even think about your kids. What is one of the first things they do if they haven't seen you all day?

What American Dream?

Picture this-middle America. Mom and dad, two kids, quaint house, picket fence-you've seen it in the movies, or maybe read about it in a book. It's the American dream. As part of that dream, dad puts his arm around his young son, pulls him near and looks him straight in the eye. The words permeate within little Jr. "Son, I want you to work hard. This is America. Go to college. Earn your degree and get a good job. Work hard in your life so you can retire when you're older. I want you to have a better life that the one I've got."

Now picture this-third world country. Single mom, 5 children, a small dwelling with maybe two rooms. Not as popular as the previous scene; yet still they cling to a different version of the American dream: the one we've let slip through our fingers. This mom takes her eldest son in her arms and pulls him close. She whispers poignantly in his ear. "Son, I want you to work hard. Go to America. There you can start a business-any business you desire. You can provide a better life for all of us so we can grow old in comfort. I want you to create a better life for all of us."

America has always been the land of opportunities. Yet somewhere along the way we have changed our perspective. Many of us have lost that appetite to take a risk-we've been conditioned to seek comfort. This didn't happen overnight, it has been a gradual and steady process. We are losing the entrepreneurial spirit. We seek the safety of someone else making the decision or taking the risk: COMFORT has become the new American dream.

Why is it that other people come to this country with great hopes and desires to start a business? Donut shops, laundry mats, nail saloons-the list is endless. Yet we, as Americans, bypass these opportunities in anticipation of landing a job that has a 401k plan and dental insurance. These perks make us feel secure; and they make us feel safe.

But are they really? What about the Enrons of the world? Bernie Madoff? And others?

The conception of comfort and security is stripping our inner potential for freedom-for the very success that we intrinsically crave. The American dream needs to be transformed to what it once was. The American ideal has always been founded upon the back of the entrepreneur. It's time to get back to what we once were. Let us not be afraid. Mark Twain once said, "Go out on a limb, that is where the fruit is." May we have the courage-the entrepreneurial spirit- to seek after this precious fruit. It will make all the difference in our lives!

Good Forex Affiliate Manager

Just like with most affiliate programs, forex advertisers get a personal manager. I assume that every affiliate has different expectations from this partnership; however there must be some basic characteristics that define a good manager. How do affiliates prefer to be treated? What is considered a healthy relationship between an affiliate and the affiliate manager?

The manager is a representative of the broker you choose to promote. The main responsibility of the manger is to help an affiliate to be able to create leads and earn commissions. Unfortunately, not every manager is qualified to give adequate support and practical assistance.

The partnership between an affiliate and an affiliate manager can be a walk in the park, or an endless horror movie! Despite the differences among affiliates, here are some key features we all look in a forex manager:

1. Patience, Respect and Honesty

Respecting each other is the first necessary ingredient in any relationship. The manager should address any affiliate with professionalism and patience required. Even when affiliates become extremely demanding, suspicious and irrational at times, it is necessary for the manager to keep the affiliate happy.

Like with any other job, affiliate manager sometimes makes mistakes. The best thing in this situation is for the affiliate to admit it and do everything in their power to resolve the issues caused by it. Transparency is an important characteristic of a good affiliate manager. Dishonesty is the first thing that will end the relationship.

While advertisers can go to extreme of demanding the impossible, forex affiliate manager should at least try to understand. Affiliate relationship is timeless and complex, therefore it is necessary to listen what an affiliate needs in order to optimize the promotion of a particular broker.

Of course, a manager has the right to disagree with any proposals presented by an affiliate, however, at least an explanation should be given. For example, if similar campaigns had bad results in the past, it should be clarified in front of the affiliate. After all, there is a similar interest involved - both parties want to make money. And the best way to find out what is the optimal method of advertising a particular forex broker is via a manager.

2. Time, Quality and Knowledge

Good affiliate managers that know forex industry and able to discuss SEO are few, but even that isn't an issue. A good manager usually has so many affiliates to handle that it is simply impossible to figure out where and how to focus their hard work.

So, here is the trick. A good manager should know how to give attention to all affiliates, without giving obvious preference to the top advertisers. And by obvious, I mean that even a small fish should get emails from time to time. Besides, the manager should also realize that a forex website with zero visitors per month can turn into thousands visitors per day within a matter of months.

When affiliate manager ignores the need of communication with the advertisers, the result is catastrophic. The relationship fail due to poor performance or cheating (in this case, affiliate will turn to another program in search of a new partnership!)

A manager should familiarize himself/herself with all the campaigns and advertiser profiles. Making notes about affiliate background, family status, monthly payouts, preferred way and time for communication etc. is essential.

A knowledgeable forex affiliate managers are like gold! The least, they should know everything affiliate knows, and preferably more. A good forex affiliate manager should know which banner/advertising is best for your forex site. This kind of intuition only comes with experience. Since forex hasn't been around long enough to create lots of experienced managers, don't be surprised when you don't get answers to push your campaign forward. Sometimes, affiliate has to figure things out without much help.

3. Communication and Updates

A good forex affiliate manager should stay in touch with the affiliates, but not overdo it. Pushy emails or limitless phone calls are definitely unnecessary and surely annoying. I need emails that contain latest updates, contests, bonuses, press releases, promotions, terms and condition changes of the broker. This is objective, helpful and keeps affiliate from forgetting about promoting the program.

Forex affiliate managers work for commissions just like affiliates. And despite the eagerness of making as much money as possible from both sides, it is necessary to keep in mind that a long-term profit requires an affiliate relationship based on trust, patience, knowledge and respect.

Christmas Gift Ideas - The Top Selling Gifts For Adults and Kids This Year

When it comes to Christmas gift ideas for 2009, there are always the classic present choices. But when it comes to getting them what they really want, you need to look at what's hot this year! If you've left the Christmas shopping to the last minute and don't know what to get then use this list as an emergency guide.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids 2009

If you live in the UK and you have kids to please this Christmas, then the chances are they're going to be asking for something from the 'dream dozen' top toys list.

This is an official list released each year detailing the toys that are expected to do the best that year - and if your child sees one of them in their stocking on Christmas morning, you can guarantee you'll see a smile on their face!

So what are the top toys?

  1. Bakugan Battle Pack
  2. Battle Strikers Starter Set
  3. Ben 10 Alien Force Kevin's DX Action Cruiser
  4. Bendaroos Mega Pack
  5. GO GO Pets Hamsters
  6. GX Racers Tightrope
  7. Kidizoom Multimedia Digital Camera
  8. Lego Games Minotaurus
  9. Monopoly City
  10. Princess Peppa's Palace
  11. Sylvanian Families Caravan
  12. Transformers Movie 2 Voyagers Figures
You better act fast, as many of these toys will sell out this Christmas. But if you've left it to the last minute, getting your hands on just one of these hot toys is guaranteed to make your child happy on Christmas day!

Top Christmas Gift Ideas for Adults in the UK

Unfortunately it isn't as simple for finding the best Christmas gifts for adults in the UK, but there are still items that are guaranteed to be hot this year.

Among them is the new craze in digital eBook readers. These are gadgets that can allow you to transport your entire book library in the convenience of one small device. You'll find that Sony devices are the top sellers this year, so get your hands on one if you have a book lover (or a gadget lover) to buy for!

Otherwise, options like jewellery, unique days out, vouchers and more are all classics to help you solve that last minute gift dilemma. Good luck finding the perfect Christmas present!

Safe Holiday Shopping - Tips on What to Look For

The internet has made it quite convenient for people to shop online and many are making purchases from the comfort of their home versus trying to tango with traffic and mill through mall mobs for their one day every day deals and sales offers. Time is money and consumers are making good use of their time by spending online. While shopping online has many great advantages, like anything else, it has its downsides.

Below, weve compiled some of the best online shopping tips out there to help you avoid any online headaches when making your holiday purchases. Follow these guidelines and you may just end of saving more time and money.

ONE: Cater to credit and discard the debit. Using your debit card may seem more convenient and thrifty, avoiding creditor fees, etc but many banks are now assessing more fees to debit card charges than the difference youd pay in interest. More importantly, should you become a victim of identity theft your entire bank account could be drained using a debit card vs a credit card. Also, banks have made it more difficult to recover funds from debit fraud than credit card disputes.

TWO: Trace your transactions. Most online purchases provide a print option from the purchase confirmation page. This is a great tool if everyone had a printer, ink cartridges were half the price of a new printer, and or we went conservatively trying to save the planet. A better option is to take a screen shot of the confirmation page and email it to yourself, creating a folder on your desktop or in your email account labeled receipts. This is also ideal to do with your monthly bill pays. Ever so often an online payment may not have 'processed' and creditors are quick to hit you with a fee. If you screenshot and document all your online transactions you're creating an E-trail to reference should something arise later regarding your purchases or payments.

THREE: Watch UR URLs. Number one / if you receive an email from an unknown source asking you to click through delete it. Delete it and permanently delete it. Most viruses are spread by email. Some gimmick about some fantastic deal that weve all fallen for. Along with email there any many phantom sites that mirror legitimate sites to make people think their on the official page and BAM! You've voluntarily given all your payment information to a hacker. Most of the bogus emails we mentioned earlier are directed to sites like these. You can identify these bogus bad boys by checking the url at the top (the web address). If it says http:target.com/sales/567/ghuytns%?wef or has sort or weird extension- get out of there asap. Also, you can identify a secured page versus a non-secured page by checking the http at the beginning of the url. A secured page will have the http with an s, like https:// this ensures the information youre submitting is on a page protected page.

FOUR: Shop shipping and service fees. Surprisingly enough, some sites will allow you to make your purchase and enter your shipping details in anticipation of a swift delivery while they do not physically have the item in stock. They could also be a middle man with better online presence and have to order from the manufacturer as orders come in. This can really slow down your delivery and are often the case when you hear those horror stories of kids not getting their presents xmas day...not that its all about the presents right?....Anyway, make sure the item you're purchasing is 'in stock'. Look for shipping guarantees and read their policies. Skim the policy if you must but get the main points before clicking their buy now buttons. Become knowledgeable of their return policies and all their fees too. Sometimes the shipping and handling fees outweigh the savings you could have gotten going to the store yourself.

FIVE: Spend your dime on your time. Please...don't shop online while you're at work. Its bad enough were all face-booking during business hours and writing it off as -company networking- hogwash. Those employed should be very thankful to be in such a position as the current state of the economy plummets while unemployment rises. Losing your job and income because you were spending it at an inappropriate time is somewhat of an oxymoron. The movie Friday comes to mind...How ya gonna lose your job on your day off?! Keep the income coming and spend your dime on your own time.

Remember to always budget before buying. Know what you have to spend in accordance with your regular monthly bills. With proper money management you can easily avoid going overboard for the holidays and falling behind. For a free budget counseling session call one of our certified credit counselors 800.905.1563 and learn even more effective ways you can save money and be debt free with Freedom Debt Management. We are a non-profit financial counseling organization rated A+ by the BBB for educating America and helping people become debt free.

How to Safely Drive on Icy Winter Roads

With winter approaching faster than a Japanese bullet train, a major cause of concern is driving safely on the icy roads. While those who live in the South are given respite from these potentially dangerous weather conditions, others are not so lucky. A fresh, evening snow fall and a plunge in temperature can bring about a layer of ice on the road that can easily result in an automobile accident if proper precautionary measures are not taken. Here are some of the best ways to minimize your chances of losing control of your car and plunging two hundred feet off a cliff.

One tip my mother gave me before I moved from the sunny beaches of Florida to the cold, wintry mountains of Colorado was to fill my trunk with bags of sand. By throwing in several 25-50 pound bags of sand you weigh down the back of your car, allowing for better traction. This will not only help prevent you from getting caught in really deep snow, but its primary purpose is to prevent hydroplaning by allowing for better traction. This can be made even more effective if you consistently rotate your tires and ensure they do not go bald.

If you live in the northern states many places sell special tires designed for gripping the road during icy conditions. While some suggest you only need two winter tires, it is recommended that you purchase four snow tires. According to tiretrack.com, four winter tires as opposed to two allows the car to work uniformly in the same conditions, as opposed to two tires attempting to work one way while the other work another way.

Clearly the best way to avoid getting into an accident while driving on the icy roads is to simply avoid the roads entirely. If you don't have to drive, don't. Stay in, make a fire, and watch a movie. At times it's unavoidable, however, and if you can you should take public transportation such as the bus or subway. If you can handle the cold and live a short distance from your destination, walking (provided there are clear sidewalks available) is always a good idea. It's safer, and you get some exercise to boot.

Yellow Labrador Puppies FAQs

How Do I Know if a Yellow Lab Puppy is the Best Dog for My Family

Owning a Yellow Lab is a big responsibility. Cared for and trained correctly they can make amazing and rewarding pets, but you must be committed to being a responsible pet owner. A lot of would-be owners don't realise the work and time that is required to care for their Lab. If you are committed to making your Lab a part of your life and your family, including him in exercise and trips and family occasions, then a Lab will make a great choice.

Is training my Yellow Labrador Puppy important?

Yes! Training your lab is both a rewarding experience and a means to get your lab to easily follow commands. Failure to train your puppy could result in a dog like Marley from Marley and Me...if you haven't seen the movie just rest assured that you should definitely train your labrador!

What are the Essential Things to train?

If you want to train your Lab puppy in only the basics to start with then firstly make sure that he can respond to his name. You should also aim to have your lab trained to walk on a leash properly so he doesn't lunge after every passing pedestrian/dog/car/etc. It's also important that your labrador can heel on command - not only is this practical but it also makes him safer when near busy streets. When you start training remember that your puppy has a very short attention span so make sure you keep training sessions short to begin with. Also, try to train through reward rather than fear - it's more effective and avoids being cruel.

My puppy is still not toilet trained - what should I do?

Puppies usually take until about six months to learn how to control their bodily functions. When you spot your puppy looking like they're about to have an 'accident' then lead him outside. Consistency is the key and when your lab does well make sure you praise and reward him.

Is Separation Anxiety Something that Affects Yellow Labs?

All Labs crave attention and failure to provide this can leave them feeling depressed. Separation Anxiety is a diagnosed medical condition which can be very upsetting for both the dog and the family concerned. The best approach is always prevention so make sure your yellow Labrador is involved in family activities and left alone for the least amount of time possible. If your Lab still becomes depressed then seek advice from your vet without delay.

How Long Can My Yellow Lab Live For?

The typical Labrador Retriever lifespan is approximately twelve years but with good care and attention they can live for even longer.

What should I be feeding my Yellow Labrador Puppy?

Like humans, dogs require a balanced diet. Lab pups should have food that contains lots of calcium, particularly while they're still growing. While it's expensive, high quality dog food is always the best option if you can afford it. If your budget doesn't stretch to the top of the range food then just be cautious about the cheaper foods as some have been known to cause stomach upsets.

Internet Security - Managing Your Connections

It's not surprising that with the popularity of the Internet, it has become an everyday thing for all of us who have access to it. There's always a lot of things to do online - chat with our friends, check out our Facebook, listen to You Tube, watch a movie, read e-an book or simply surf around. Most of us actually spend at least four hours a day flipping webpage after webpage. In fact, it has come to a point when we can no longer quite imagine life without the web. While erasing the Internet from our lives remains to be a remote possibility, not getting an Internet connection is a very real and frustrating scenario that anyone of us will have to deal with at one point or another.

So what do you do if your connection fizzles out? Unless you've got a really bad situation, there will be things you can look into that just might solve the problem. First, you'll want to check on your modem. A blinking orange light is a sign that that the problem is with your Internet Service Provider (ISP). You can reset your modem and wait till the orange light is steady. Another thing that you might want to check is your IP address. If your computer is connected to a Local Area Network (LAN), it might have been assigned an IP address that is being used by another unit on the network. When two computers in a network share an IP address, the resulting IP conflict will make sending and receiving information to and from both computers impossible. Have your IP address changed by a technician and start surfing smoothly again.

There are times when the Internet connection itself is corrupted. In this case, you can just simply reboot your computer and connect again to the web. If this doesn't solve the problem, try scanning your computer for viruses or spyware. Once you're done getting rid of them, restart your computer and your Internet connection.

If things still don't work, then you'll probably need someone with the expertise to revive your connection. Call your ISP for assistance and inform them about what you've done so far as you tried to fix the problem. If this scenario happens too often, an angle you can consider is viruses damaging your computer's ability to access websites, much less connect to the Internet. In this case, you may have been indiscriminate in the sites you've visited or links you've clicked.

If you simply lack the knowledge to tell good from bad sites and don't even have the time to learn, you can simply get an IP hider software. It will take care of your IP address by hiding it so you can go on with your online activities without catching the eye of hackers and other unscrupulous online elements.

Your Ego is Not Your Lover - Only an Acquaintance

Your ego is not your lover, only an acquaintance and there is no need to take it on a full-time basis job posting! The power of stillness such as the one that can be developed through meditation is in the abundance of natural healing of fear and worries it provides instantaneously. Though, when fear and worries have left, the ego may still continue to shine. It is then time to wake up to the beautiful new beginning the universe is giving in the potential to create. The wisdom of uncertainty is the value that life is moving towards a better tomorrow; create a new reality, blend with the flow and be ready to just let it go.

Positive thoughts are hundreds times more powerful than negative thoughts. Positive talking such as asking and answering in positive ways will bring positivity. Action in the now is all that matters. The trick is to succeed in moving beyond the labyrinth of the mind. The mind does not like the present moment and prefers to wander from past to future, to plan, to query, to ponder, to calculate. This is good, in moderated doses to prevent overflow of the system. That is the story inside both sides of the brain. The middle way, the silent way is the way of the now. The Tao of the moment is the now. The way of the present moment is the way of the intuition. In other words live as though you are starting all over every day. It is not a crazy idea, rather a survival mode when uncertainties abound. Live, think, breath, walk, eat, talk in the now is equivalent to sitting down comfortably and watch the good movie of your own actions. Only then it becomes possible to see the importance of the present moment as being inextricably a moment of change.

Accept to engage in healing and let the body tell its story. It may be very exhausted of all the inputs given with many years of conditioned behaviors. Live dreams; allow a dream to become reality. Accept wanting to change path or engage in a new beginning because the beliefs in is sharper than the negation of it. Live today with the value of today as though tomorrow would never come; live permanently in the now. The expanded version of today is already tomorrow and to keep calling it the present re-balances alertness on the pure potential of creation. Any time, any day in any location change can be embraced easily. The future is already in the present moment. The present is already gone, it is already yesterday. Every moment is impermanent. When the past knocks at the door of the now open it, let it in and smile and realize the manifestation in front of you.

Make a list of the five most important things or persons in your life and make sure your own name is on top of the list, because love for the self is the springboard for relinquishing an egoistic perception of the self and the beginning of an active observation of others and their needs. The love of the self is the source of love for the others, which in turn becomes the steaming up for the love of life. The trick is to prevent becoming infatuated with the personal love for 'you'. The ego is like a chain, a leash attached to a pole somewhere in the past. The ego is full of the past as in 'I am', 'I did' and the same. There was the story of an immigrant in a western English-speaking country who made a remark about having to learn a language in which the word used to refer to one self is always written with a capital letter 'I'. Who is "I" to deserve such a big attention of a capital letter?

The ego is a powerful filter that narrows down the vision on the universe and as such can create the most powerful sufferings which can accompany any being to the final destination, in lack, not in abundance, because detached from the others. To keep attention on the ego, creates the powerful consciousness about 'I am" rather than just "being". So rather than detach from the others, detach from the ego and be with others, in new togetherness. Being is important because all is inter-connected. Two egos cannot co-habit. Awakening in the now means waking up to the intrinsically connection with the surroundings. If there has been a fight in a room, the energy of the room is filled with heaviness and usually fights either verbal or physical are just about egos and domination. To drop the ego, see and feel the connection with the universe is a powerful healing force.

The results of dropping the ego are abundance of liberation and connection with reality as is, absence of judgments and opinions about others and a firm step into the cycle of positive creation. At collective level the ego fusions with one or two or more individuals and instead of "I" there is "we" but the impact of the 'we' is similar as to an "I' at the individual level. The importance is to drop this cumbersome ego and just be one.

Things You Should Consider Before Adopting a Pet

You're thinking about adopting a pet and you are excited about it. You don't know many things about pets, only that they are cute and loving companions. So you go and get Flippy or Daisy and you bring them home. Then you realize that you don't know much about pets and start asking questions. Too late! Questions should be asked before bringing a pet at home. Pet ownership is for a lifetime!

Many people don't have a clue about the responsibilities related with pet ownership. They may have good intentions but they soon realize that having a pet at home is not as easy as they thought it would be and this revelation can often lead to tragedy.

Most people, either children or adults want a pet because they find it "cute" They watch movies, TV shows with adorable baby animals, which by the way are already trained and their desire for a pet is getting bigger. Usually their desire is directed to a puppy or a kitten, (often a specific breed) and finally they bring it at home. Everyone is happy and wants to take the furry little thing in their lap, cuddle it and play with it.

When the issue comes to who's going to take care of it, then the excitement wears off since nobody wants to do it.

People who never had a pet don't have the slightest idea of how it is to take care of one. They think it's easy, put some food and water in their bowls twice a day and that's it. Their new furry friend will be playful and happy whenever they want. After all, how much trouble can a loving little thing cause?

Surprise, surprise!

A pet in your house is like a child in your house. In fact at some point your child grows up and doesn't need your care any more, they become independent and leave your house to live on their own. The same thing won't happen with your pet. Your pet will always be a child that will require your attention and care as long as it is with you. So, there are a lot of things to consider before taking the serious decision of adopting a pet.

Getting a pet is not like buying a car. It's a living creature so if you don't get along it is not easy to get rid of it of change it for something else. When you adopt a pet you become the animal's "parent" as long as it lives. You must keep in mind that, a dog for example has an average life expectancy of 14-15 years. So, for the next 14-15 years or so, it will be your responsibility!

It's like having a baby at home. You can't send it back because it doesn't meet your expectations or because it's different than what you thought it would be. Or can you? I hope not. The same kind of responsibility must be in your minds when you are thinking of getting a pet.

A pet is not a video game. You don't just shut it down when you're finished playing with it and expect it to just sit waiting for you until you decide to come back. Puppies are like young children. They need a lot of sleep but when they are not asleep they are wondering around the house looking for fun! A puppy who's just started growing teeth will find a lot of fun and pleasure in chewing your favourite shoes or slippers. At this point many people start losing their patience and instead of finding a way to divert the puppy's attention to something else, they get rid of it in an animal shelter, or worse they abandon it in the streets. The only crime of the puppy was in fact that it was a puppy! Puppies are not destructive and naughty just because they want to make you furious. It's just what they do. If you are considering of getting one you must rearrange your home first, so the puppy will not have access to things you don't want to be destroyed. Another good idea is buying a lot of chew toys. You can be sure that the puppy will choose them instead of your shoes.

Another important issue to consider is which breed you are fond of and would like to obtain. Every breed has special characteristics and even though you'd love to get a puppy of a certain breed, this may not be the right one for you. There are certain things to consider, for instance will it be easy to train, will it be a shy dog or a hyperactive that will require many walks during the day, will there be any health problems with the breed you chose, etc. You may adore a Labrador or a German Shepherd but if you live in a small apartment, maybe you should reconsider. Large dogs require space to run and play and they'll feel depressed in a confined space. Also some large breeds develop back or hip problems that will require extra health care especially when they are getting older.

Pets also cost money to raise and maintain, just like children do. You must buy pet food, pay several bills to the vet when your beloved friend needs vaccines or medical care, monthly expenses such as heartworm and flea control and maybe grooming bills. You must also remember that you'll have extra costs when you leave for vacation and leave the animal in a pet hotel. My point is, if you're not fully aware of the cost of having an animal, maybe you should reconsider. Of course they worth every penny you'll spend for them and they'll pay you back with their unconditioned love, but still you should know all about it.

Another thing you must consider is neutering-spaying your pet. If you don't plan on breeding it, you must go to a vet and have it neutered-spayed. There are a lot of people who don't like depriving sex from their pet. Don't think like them! It is a fact that if you don't get your pet neutered while being young there will be many problems in the future and most important, health problems. If you don't spay your female dog, it's quite possible to develop cancer in its uterus in later life.

Many male or female dogs become short-tempered and anxious because they are not allowed to mate and this is against their nature.

Some people think that they can solve this problem if they allow their dog to mate at least once. Some others like the idea of having a puppy of their dog before being spayed. I strongly disagree with these tactics. First it is very irresponsible to allow pets to reproduce without control. Overpopulation in pets is a very serious problem. Every year 10-12 million pets are euthanized by shelters because they can't find homes for them. Why would anyone of you want to add to this number? Second, dogs should be neutered-spayed before they sexually mature in order to avoid health problems in the future. If you think I'm lying, just ask a vet..

To make a long story short, if you plan to obtain a pet, be responsible and have it neutered-spayed. You may think that you'll earn money by selling the puppies, if you have a purebred. You must know though that there are no guarantees that you'll sell all the puppies and even if you do, you must consider that, for every puppy you sell, there's one waiting in a shelter somewhere and may die without being adopted.

The dog breeding business, has its responsible professionals but also its lousy ones. There are several puppy mills where the poor animals live in awful, unsanitary and crowded conditions. Many breeders just don't care even a little bit about their health. These breeders mate males and females from the same litter and this can cause several health problems later in the life of the dog. For example many Dalmatians suffer from deafness due to inbreeding.

So, why are you looking so badly for a purebred and you doing not consider getting a mixed breed? They are also very cute and much healthier but still, they are not people's first choice.

Why not adopt a pet from the Humane Society or your local SPCA? At least you can give them a chance even if what you really want is a specific breed. There are several advantages if you adopt an adult dog from a shelter or from one of the many breed-specific rescue operations. You can be sure that you've done a good deed by adopting a pet this way and you've saved it from being euthanized.

Some more useful thoughts...

-Don't ever consider giving a pet as a gift to someone, especially not a child. (Unless the child is yours and you clearly know that you'll be the pet's caregiver) Whoever is going to obtain a pet must do it on his own will and he must have considered everything about raising it.

-Don't bring live chicks or bunnies to your children as Easter gifts. It's cruel, they are small breathing creatures. Chicks grow into chicken, so unless you have a farm you shouldn't even think about buying one.

-Do learn what pet ownership is all about. You must have an idea about the cost, in terms of time and money. Also, a good thing to know is how getting a pet is going to change your style of life.

With all that I've mentioned above you must think that I'm not encouraging pet ownership. On the contrary, I LOVE animals, I have six dogs and two cats and I'm in a position to know what is this all about and speak about the responsibilities that pet owners should face. After all, I'm a pet owner myself. Having a pet is happiness but also means a lot of responsibilities and compromises in your private life. All I'm saying is that you should know all about it before making your decision. Pets may be very cute and sweet but trust me, they hide a lot of surprises, surprises you must be ready to deal with!

Wardrobe Makeover - Part One - The First Five Steps

It never fails to amaze me that the most organized and professional women often have the greatest need for wardrobe makeovers. Intriguingly, they fall into one of two extremes when it comes to shopping for clothes - the shopaholics, always ready-to-shop,and then at the other end of the spectrum, the group that's seriously allergic to malls, stores and fitting rooms.

The shopaholics often suffer from the closet-full-of-clothes-but-nothing-to-wear syndrome while the second group simply never discards anything. Their closets provide a trip down Memory Lane: prom dresses, blazers with quarterback shoulder pads, jeans in "once-upon-a-time sizes."

All these women recognize that personal style is career enhancing but don't know where to begin. They wouldn't hold a meeting without an agenda but have never thought about wardrobe planning. My role is to help them understand the strategy of building from the ground up, rather like working with a personal blueprint.

Let's get started!

Step one: Make a checklist of relevant clothing categories.
o Career clothes
o Casual chic (clothes for dress-down days, movies, dining out)
o Sportswear/Casual weekends
o Gym
o Specific activities (hiking, skiing, Pilates, etc.)
o Elegant
o Eveningwear

Rank the categories according to your lifestyle priorities. Elegant could follow Career clothes if you're a member of the opera committee, have season's tickets for the theatre and enjoy formal restaurants. Someone with a more casual lifestyle could rank Sportswear second, after Career clothes.

Step two: Self-analysis! Which of the following best describes your style? Select the look that makes you feel most confident.
o Classic
o Natural
o Romantic
o Dramatic

Of course, it's possible to be a combination - say, Classic for Career Clothes, Natural on the weekend and Dramatic by night. Think about how you want to project yourself.

Step three: Inventory - step up to your closet and remove everything that:
o Doesn't fit
o Doesn't flatter - could be the style or colour
o You haven't worn for the past year
o Is out of date
o Requires alterations or repairs

No doubt about it, this is a major challenge for the shopaholics - be brave. Destination Goodwill for the first four groups; you'll revisit the "alterations and repairs department" another day.

Step four: Seasonality - divide your clothes into seasons. Even if you live in Southern California, keep the cool weather components together and away from sundresses and beachwear.

Step five: Separate the pieces according to the categories in step one - all Career clothes together, Sportswear, etc. Group all the jackets within a category and do the same with pants, skirts, blouses, dresses.

Now, your "foundation" is in place and you're ready to start building. We'll wait for everyone to catch up before moving on to Part Two.

Know Your Competition and You Will Build a Stronger Business

There is only so much money to go around, so to an extent we are all fighting for the same dollars. It does not matter what business you are in, you will have competition either from direct competitors, or from less likely sources. The important thing is to make sure you get your fair share of business.

Competition can take two forms - direct and indirect.

Direct competition comes from businesses that use similar marketing strategies and sell similar products or have similar skills. When I was in the toy business I competed directly with other toy sellers: Department Stores, Discount Warehouses, Specialty Sores and even Supermarkets. At Christmas time it seemed that every man and his dog began selling toys. Store owners knew that Christmas was the time people shopped for children, so they added toys to their range to generate extra store traffic and profit. They became direct competitors over the peak selling season.

The second, less obvious form of competition is indirect competition. How strongly do they compete for the same customers' dollars? Again using my toy store example, I was competing with any other business seeking the leisure and entertainment dollar. That included: Amusement Parks, Arcades, Movie Theatres, Fast Food Operators, Confectionery Sellers, Bookstores... the list goes on. When school was out I was even competing with non-profit entities like: Public Parks and Playgrounds, Libraries and Beaches. In short, anything that families might do in their leisure time was competition.

It is true that some markets are more competitive than others. However, if you bury your head in the sand and pretend you are safe from any threats, you really are putting your business in a vulnerable position. Competition can come from the most unlikely sources and can catch you by surprise. Have clear, focused marketing strategies and you will be better placed to handle whatever gets thrown your way.

I learnt not to limit my definition of competition. By thinking outside the square, I was less likely to be sideswiped by an unexpected competitor coming from an unexpected direction. You can do the same.

Good marketing with focused disciplines is like having an insurance policy. You can play the game to your rules and have to react every time there is a change in the market. Perhaps I am a bit of a control freak, but I would rather be in charge of my own destiny (with my own marketing strategies), than always be at the mercy of someone else (and their marketing strategies).

Learn How to Save Your Marriage Before It's Too Late

You met the spouse of your dreams, fell in love, courted for a while and then got married. Life is wonderful and things seem to be going just fine. Then all of a sudden it appears that you two have started to grow apart.

Could it be that it is the long hours at work, or do you simply need to rekindle the flame? The following are some tips on how to save your marriage and get back to that blissful partnership you once had.

The first thing to do is to find out what happened. Why does there seem to be a distance between you and your spouse? There are a lot of reasons why a person can appear to be distanced from their partner. Once you have determined what the issue is, you can work it out and grow close again.

The second thing to consider is to make plans to schedule date nights. If you have kids, find a babysitter and take your wife out to a nice restaurant for a nice romantic evening, a nice movie, or maybe even Salsa dancing, if you are the adventurous type.

Another thing to look at, have you let yourself go? So take a hard look at yourself, and see where you might need improvement. You might even ask your spouse if that is the problem.

If you have an open line of communication, it shouldn't be a problem to get a straight answer. If your appearance is the issue, then maybe you can partake in a gym membership and work out together.

The bottom line here is that everyone experiences bumps in their marriage. However if you take the necessary steps to smooth out those bumps then all can be well.

If you start to see your marriage headed down the dreaded break up path, be quick to do something.

The Ugly Truth Revealed

My husband, Joseph, and I recently attended a workshop where we heard the following truism. "Usually, women want their men to change. Usually, men do not want their women to change. Mostly, men don't change."

It reminded me of the scene in the movie, The Ugly Truth, where Mike tells Abby that personal growth ends for men at toilet training! And then I read the words of a respected spiritual advisor that went something like this, "You wouldn't leave the nurturing and care of your business in the hands of a kindergartner, why do you leave the nurturing and care of your relationship in the hands of your husband?!" That spiritual advisor, by the way, is a man not a woman!

When information comes in threes, I pay attention. What is the message here and is it any deeper than, "Don't expect a man to change?" I think the answers are yes and yes; there is a message and it is deep.

Men and women are hard wired to bring very different but complementary gifts to relationships. Hundreds and thousands of years ago, these different and complementary gifts gave us very few problems and a lot to celebrate. Presently, however, men and women spend so much time together both in society and at home, that we women expect men to understand us the way our sisters do and men expect women to understand them the way their brothers do. But we don't understand each other in that way and no amount of wishing will make it so.

Some of the gifts a man brings to a relationship include wanting to protect his lady, desiring to take care of her, feeling as though he must earn her trust and admiration. This means when she brings a problem to him, he doesn't want to listen to every little detail and allow her to process. He wants to offer advice or action that will bring an end to the problem and her processing! He has no patience for her need to talk it all out. That is counter intuitive to his soul and counter productive to providing for her happiness.

It especially means he doesn't want to hear how he done her wrong. If things he does or says offend her and she tells him every little detail of why what he does or says doesn't work for her, she communicates to him that he's the problem, even the enemy. It makes him want to fix that problem, which can look like him leaving. Whether he leaves for a short while and goes to his cave to process the problem or whether he leaves for good; if she communicates that he is the problem, she limits his options to help her.

These gifts of wanting to protect his lady, desiring to take care of her, and feeling as though he must earn her trust and admiration also mean he doesn't suffer fools lightly. If she has a friend, co-worker, family member, or superior who disrespects her, he will want to communicate to that person in no uncertain terms that he or she needs to back off from his lady or they will have him to deal with. And if he cannot get to them and if his lady insists on maintaining a relationship with a person who abuses her, she will find herself on the receiving end of his impatience.

It is fine for a husband and wife to name each other as best friends. However, men don't want to be treated like girlfriends. They want to be respected as men, as difference makers, as protectors and providers. And so, if you want to change him in order to improve him, making him more like you; you are, in fact, asking him to sacrifice the beautiful qualities that make him a man and that bring sexual chemistry to your union.

If you are a man reading this, imagine how you can be proactive about communicating these ideas to your lady. Even though you are not hard wired to nurture and grow the relationship, you do have a responsibility for the unique gifts you bring to it. Especially if she wants to make you over in her image, you could invade her space a little bit, come right out and tell her, "I want to be your lover, not your girlfriend." That said with desire coloring the words, "I want to be your lover," are capable of cutting through her resistance. Though it may be a scene that needs to be repeated once in a while, the rewards are worth it!

Your Ex Dumped You and You Want to Move on

The relationship with someone you cared about has ended. He made it clear that he is moving on and you should do the same. You want to try. Whether the relationship had been going on for years, or only a short while, somebody hurts when it ends. You were dumped but you really want to move on. You do not plan to look back.

There are a number of things that will help you get your life together and make it worth living again. The end of a relationship is not the end of the world. It is a door to your future.

Now is the time to take control of your life. While the pain is at its worst, begin to rid your home of anything that has strong ties to your ex. Whatever you see around you that reminds you of him, dispose of it, or pack it away until you feel like looking at it again.

You may think your house is going to be pretty bare if you toss out everything that reminds you of him. Maybe you think you must keep some of the items.

That can work, if you are selective about the things you choose to keep. Bear in mind, however, that you should remove those items that bring you the most pain when you see them.

Down the road a few months, you may be healed enough that many of the items you stored away can be brought out again. And then you will realize that you have forgiven him for ending the relationship because you turn over the events of that specific day in your mind but they do not bring the pain they once did. That is progress.

Another thing you might try, is to make a list of those irritating habits your ex had. Each of us has habits that annoy someone else, whether it is biting our nails in public or something more serious. Once you have listed those annoyances, review them from time to time. That will help you appreciate your singleness so much more.

Some people begin to socialize again rather quickly following a breakup. If you are able to do that, it is okay. But you may find that you really do not want to begin to mingle very soon. If that is your case, work on bringing yourself back to life again.

If you have gained weight during the relationship, join a gym and begin to work out. If that is not possible, start walking during your lunch hour. Do anything that gets you out in the fresh air. You will be amazed at how different you will feel when you take a 20 minute walk.

Try to update your wardrobe. Buy something new in colors that look absolutely wonderful on you. Understand that the fashion industry forces styles and colors on all of us that we should not wear. For this reason, it is important that you shop with a critical eye.

If you bring a friend shopping with you, she is going to try to influence what you buy. That is why you should shop alone. Oh, and do not listen to the sales person-she makes a commission of the sale and will try to encourage you to buy.

Try on clothes and pay attention to how you look in them. All of us have figure flaws, and over the years we learn how to hide them, or at least not draw attention to them. When you try on clothes, pay attention to the fit and your flaws. Does the style hide your figure flaws well? Does the color make you feel bright and cheery? Whatever you buy should fit well and be the right color for you.

Not all of us can wear the styles or colors that are on the market at any given time. All of us learn to shop carefully. We also learn that our favorite color may not be the color that does the most for us. Again, shop carefully, with a critical eye.

Another idea to help you move on is getting a new hair style. Or, get your nails done, or even a pedicure. The idea is to pamper yourself just a little.

And, of course, you will eventually begin to move around socially. Perhaps with your circle of friends first. Maybe take in a movie, go bowling, out to eat at a really nice restaurant. Anything that gets you out of the house and doing something that gives you reason to laugh.

After a few months, you will be ready to date again. When a relationship dies, it does take a period of time before the one left hurting has healed enough to venture out on a date. But that time will come. You will feel good about yourself again and be ready to face the world socially.

The Early Days of Television Were Exciting

Remember running home from school in the late '40s, pouring a glass of milk and grabbing a few cookies then plunking yourself down in front of a massive piece of furniture housing a ten TV inch screen? You'd turn it on and watch the soundless test pattern waiting for the buzz to begin. This sound signaled that in just a few minutes Howdy Doody and his friends would be pumped into your living room in glorious black and white. If this experience was part of your distant pass, you're a pre-boomer.

Howdy was a round-faced, freckled, little cowboy. He become so familiar, it was hard to think of him as a marionette. Being surrounded by live host "Buffalo Bob" Smith and Clarabelle the mute clown along with a number of other puppet characters made Howdy a household name for years. A little remembered fact is that when the show began in 1947, an uglier, horse-faced, clownish Howdy Doody graced our TV screens. Then magically, overnight the new-look Howdy came on the scene. No one minded. The new image was an instant success and is the one most everyone thinks of today.

The Howdy Doody Show ran from 1947 to 1960, so the early baby boomers grew up with him as well. It's interesting to note that during the '50s, RCA, owner of the NBC network, used the program to help introduce color television to kids in an effort to get the little ones promoting the concept to the rest of the family. Advertising people have long known the power of children when selling products, but color TV was a high ticket item compared to breakfast cereal and snacks.

During the early years of the tube, we'd watch anything - nothing aired until late afternoon. There were terrible movies, and equally bad live TV. No one cared as long as they were watching television. But there were some good variety shows that premiered back then such as the Ed Sullivan Show (first known as The Toast of The Town) and the Milton Berle Show (Texaco Star Theatre). Live dramas (first in the evening and later the daytime soap operas) along with sports were a big part of programming in those days.

Late night TV ended after the local news, because Jerry Lester's Broadway Open House did not appear until 1950. So, a minute-sermon followed by the Star Spangled Banner marked the end of the broadcast day. Soon the stations realized not everyone was ready for bed before midnight, so local shows started to appear, but the audience was too small to sustain this effort, in time this would change. Then someone had the bright idea to sell the unused time that was just sitting there. Possibly the first infomercial to run on late-night TV was for Charles Antell Formula 9. It utilized a quirky spokesman using only a hairbrush and the product that he touted as being the answer to everyone. Grooming needs, because it contained lanolin. Now infomercials, both log and short-form, are the most visible means of support for late-night television.

It's fun to recall those simple, not-very-slick days of television when the power of the medium was the technology rather than the message. Somehow the computer, with all its sophistication is not nearly as exciting as the old black and white TV.

Make-Up Application and Your Fake Eyelashes

The application of fake eyelashes can be a very frightening thing for a good many women. Because of this daunting fear, many women don't ever manage to learn the ins and out of it. But it is their loss, since applying false eyelashes can be most dramatic way of enhancing your makeup. It takes you from day to night makeup with one simple easy application. Basically it can be just a simple extra step during your Make Up Application process, and you have that dramatic movie star look that you wish you had, but never knew you could achieve on your own (yes, even without your own makeup artist!!).

The application of the fake eyelashes is quite simple, merely take the false eyelash strip and cut it to fit your eyes. Then you apply a thin, even layer of glue along the edge and inside edges of the strip. Wait for 30 seconds until it is tacky, then apply from inner eyes first and carefully press as close to your lashes as possible, adhering the whole eyelash strip until you reach the outer area of your eye. Hold in place for 30 more seconds, pressing firmly. Now that we have covered the application of the false eyelashes, here are a few Makeup Application tips which will help to make your false eyelashes look much more natural and indeed, make the process easier.

1. First before the application of any fake eyelashes, curl your natural lashes with an Eye Lash Curler. (That way your natural eyelashes will blend in with the artificial curl of the fake eyelashes)

2. Add a coat of mascara after curling your real eyelashes. This helps to hold in the curl from the eye lash curler. Do not apply too many layers of mascara, just a coat will do, you do not want spider lashes sticking out from under your fake eyelashes!

3. After you have pressed on and applied your fake eyelashes, sweep another coat of mascara through your eyelashes and the false eyelashes, blending them, so you can not tell that the false eyelashes are not your own. Mainly work on blending the mascara from the bottom of the eyelashes, not adding too much at the tips. You do not want to have fake looking lashes, so do not go too crazy on the mascara! this step is mainly for blending purposes, the fake eyelashes already achieving the height and drama on their own.

4. Now take an eyeliner pencil (or for a more neat and precise makeup look use liquid eyeliner) and draw over the strip attached to your eye, carefully blending and covering any glue that may be visible.

5. Add a eyeshadow color and blend over so that your whole look looks very seamless, without any over emphasis being on huge and tacky eyelashes.

Using these tips, you are sure to achieve gorgeous eyes for that glamorous night out. You will have people remember how gorgeous your eyes looked, and not how bad of a fake eyelash application you had. Good luck!

A Vari Kennel For the Dog Who Almost Ruined Christmas

The movie, "The Dog Who Saved Christmas" reminded me of our dog who almost ruined Christmas. It was unavoidable that we leave him alone in the house for a number of hours on the day before Christmas. He was good about everything except for the tree, and he must have gotten caught on the string of lights. When my mother arrived home late in the evening, the tree was lying on its side across the living room and the decorations were broken and/or chewed. We were lucky that he apparently did not swallow any of the pieces, and that the house did not catch on fire. It was just a good thing that we had another artificial tree in the basement. My mom spent most of the night re-decorating the tree. Come Christmas, morning no knew and my mom just kept quiet.

Elves are a good thing to have as helpers this time of year; as was the dog crate which housed him for the rest of the night. If only we would have taken the time to place him there before leaving, we could have avoided the catastrophe. He loves his crate and enjoys nestling safely on his very own blanket. We have the large Petmate Vari Kennel and have really enjoyed its durability and how easy it is to clean. In the summer time, we just turn the hose on it. It is more to refresh it than because it is dirty, but during hunting season, it gets pretty muddy.

One of the best things about the Petmate Vari Kennel is its portability. The dog has been trained to go there when company comes and to travel in it during hunting season. It serves as sleeping quarters on those cold nights when he cannot remain in our outside enclosure. One really good thing about Vari Kennels is that they are lightweight and can be moved about easily. It is not difficult to lift onto the bed of the pickup truck and secure it for travel to the marsh. After the Vari kennel is secured in the back of the truck, if trained properly, your pet will willingly jump up into the bed of the truck and then head right for the kennel knowing he is going off on an adventure with his trusty master. The large size is roomy enough for our large hunting dogs to stand up and turn around in, which is what you should be looking for in a dog crate. We all know that before a dog lies down to rest he will turn around several times finding just that right position. In the right size crate, he is not cramped for space, and there is room for a water dish so you don't have to worry about him becoming thirsty on the long drive back home.

I might mention that it is a responsible owner who sees that his pet's riding arrangements are safe and that he is not hanging over the edge of the truck where insects, dust particles, and other dangerous items will become lodged in his eyes or ears. Hope your travels with your pet are safe this Holiday Season.

Plasma Technology

Many people would have heard about the plasma screen and about its working. But there are certain facts that may surprise you. For instance, a plasma screen showing a bright picture like a football game would consume more power than watching a darker screen like night scenes in a movie.

Recent technology has developed to set plasma screens in a particular mode. There are various modes like 'shop', 'home' based on their power consumption. A 'shop' mode consumes twice as much power as when the screen is set to 'home' mode. It should be ensured that the dealer checks out this before delivering the system. New generation plasma screens lasts for about twenty seven years of 'normal' viewing, after which it is still viewable but not as bright as new ones.

The picture quality of these screens is due to largely varying contrast between light and dark colours. The difference is been quoted as twenty thousand to one. The range apart from this is harder to be viewed by human eye.

Due to the recent technology development these screens shows truer 'black' than the old versions. The brightness and sharpness of the image makes it so prominent that it has been a necessary thing in lot of homes today. A word of caution is 'Do not set the brightness to its highest level' which might significantly shorten the life span of the monitor. So checking out and following these cautions the life span of the monitor could be increased. Every one needs to save electricity and also the life of their plasma screen, for this you should follow the above mentioned activities.

Six Days and Seven Nights

I saw a movie a few years ago called 6 days, 7 nights. Anne Heche and Harrison Ford were in a bar on a beautiful tropical island - Heche says that she and her fiance came there hoping to 'find', in the peaceful beautiful setting, the romance they had lost because of their busy hectic careers in the big city. An inebriated Ford replies, "It's an island, babe, if you didn't bring it with you, you won't find it here."

Don't you agree that's true? We always search for people or things outside of ourselves to try and find the joy that we feel we are lacking, and to our dismay we find that they are unable to acquiesce to our request. Ultimately, when we discover or create the joy from within us, and not from outside influences or people, that inner found joy is the one that truly completes us. It is "now" the one thing that no one and nothing can ever take away from us.

Many people may argue that they cannot function without this person or that thing, that they are not complete without another person, but they are missing the most important revelation of their life and it is that each one of us is all that is, we (each of us) are One with All That Is, we are already complete perfection. We have truly forgotten our own Divinity and the power that accompanies that remembrance.

"When you find or create joy from within and share it, every person you interact with becomes your soul mate." Hey, I just made up my very own quote! "As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same." - A Course in Miracles.

The Fun Never Stops in Las Vegas

One of the great things about planning Las Vegas Vacations is that seasons don't really matter. It doesn't matter what time of year it is. This destination makes a wonderful place to get away from the cares of the world.

The average high temperature in this Nevada city is 63 degrees. And if the mild climates are enough to lure you here, the attractions definitely will. Everyone knows that Las Vegas is known for providing the best casinos in the world. In fact, it is commonly referred to as The Entertainment Capital of the World, partially for this reason.

Gaming is certainly a main attraction for those visiting this state. Almost every hotel in the city has its own onsite casino. Some are larger and more elaborate than others. This will depend on what lodgings you choose for your stay in Las Vegas. Travelers are often amazed at the wide variety of quality hotels available in this location.

There are fantastic accommodations for Las Vegas Vacations. These range the gambit, as far as, amenities are concerned. This area has such a choice that tourists can find hotels that fit into any budget. One of the luxury locations in the city is Bellagio. This hotel is probably the world's most famous casino site.

The Bellagio has been featured in many movies, from the big screen to the little one. Hotels like this one offer shopping, spa, and golf to their guests. Most travelers will seek out lodging options that are affordable. This is because they intend to take part in the activities and attractions that make this destination great.

Gaming, of course, is an important attraction of Las Vegas. This area offers much more to travelers than simply casinos. Those who are traveling here with their family, will be surprised at all the city can offer. An example of this the Bootleg Canyon Flightlines. This is an exciting activity that will challenge your bravery.

The Bootleg Canyon Flightlines can enhance Las Vegas Vacations with fun. Participating in this requires you to zip-line at speeds of up to 50 mph. You will have the awesome bird's eye view of the desert valley. This is a great spring and summertime activity.

Adventure Canyon draws a fair amount of tourists each year, as well. This location is a mere 40 miles south of the city. It offers a lot of fun to families, and adventure seekers. Here you will find the first interactive log ride in the world. Visitors are able to shoot at staged bad guys as they enjoy their log ride.

Adventure Canyon also has a 35 foot drip-filled drop in this ride. Those looking for a weightlessness experience should give Big Shot a try. This attraction gives visitors the opportunity to become an astronaut for the day. They are launched 160 feet in all of 2.5 seconds.

This will be one of the most fantastic experiences of your trip. The Big Shot attraction will allow your to travel at 45mph, while you're pretending to be in outer space. Families will discover many of these types of attractions to explore on Las Vegas Vacations.

Some attractions and activities in the city are completely free. One of these even provides wildlife. It is the Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand hotel. This habitat allows visitors to see some of the world's most amazing animals. Sites like this help to fill each day here, with wonder.

Ten Useful Tips For Learning Chinese

A lot of people ask me about how to learn Chinese faster. Frankly speaking, there is no shortcut in learning language, but I have some useful tips for you on how to learn Chinese easier. Making all these tips a habit of your daily study will definitely lead you to success with less time.

1. Practice as much as you can. When you walk by your house, try to practice your Chinese with everything you meet, such as chair, table, bed, door and so on. Ask yourself "Are you hungry?" or "What time is it now?'' in Chinese and repeat the sentence patterns and phrases you learned.

2. Pay attention to communication in Chinese, not merely voice. When talking with Chinese people, try to observe their shape of mouth and how they use their tongue to pronounce. Sometimes you find it difficult to distinguish what one says, but you may understand the meaning by watching, because some people use body language to communicate.

3. Keep track with news in China everyday. Keep an eye on what happens in China everyday no matter what the source language (It is better in Chinese) is. On one hand you could directly practice your Chinese in this process, on the other hand you could expand you knowledge of China which is very helpful for one to better understand Chinese. By doing this you will find it more effective than studying for a long period at one time.

4. Find your own way of learning Chinese. Buy some Chinese language DVD's and watch them with English subtitles, then watch them again later with Chinese subtitles. If you are an advanced learner, I recommend you watching these movies without subtitles. Although you could not completely understand, you may become more sensitive when using it.

5. Make friends with Chinese people. If possible, try to find a study partner to do your practice drills. It is not only a good way to expand your social life, but also an effective way to learn Chinese. Learning Chinese by chatting with your language partner is faster than merely learning in the class.

6. Make vocabulary flashcard. First of all, writing words on the flashcard is a good learning process. Second, it will be convenient for you to remember some words during your spare time.

7. Listen to Chinese as much as possible. Get yourself in Chinese speaking environment. My recommendation is finding a radio channel online and listening to it whenever you have time.

8. Review what you have learned before go to sleep. Someone find it difficult to memorize all he learned on the class. It a good habit to review your previous learning. But if you do not have time to do so, be sure to review the outline and key points of what you have learned before going to sleep.

9. Read your study material loudly. When you are to read the textbook dialogue, newspapers, novels, magazines or articles on the Internet, do so by reading out loud, rather than silently. Don't be shy and worry about saying them correctly. It will perfect your tones and enrich your vocabulary rapidly.

10. Memorize Chinese characters by splitting into component. Each Chinese character can be broken down into component parts. Identify the components and use these to build an image of the characters meaning. And the phonetic component will give you a hint to how the word is sounded.