Learning Forgiveness

By Joseph Swank

". . .Father, forgive them. . ." Luke 23:34

When we know the cross, we know forgiveness.

From that holy Body flows the blood which cleanses from all sin.

Just as Jesus looked upon the fellow to His right and then the other to His left, forgiving them, so Jesus looks upon our repentant hearts. He forgives us of our wrongs. We have all broken God's laws. There is none of us righteous, except Jesus the One born without sin.

Therefore, this sinless sacrifice has the credentials by which to forgive us of our wrongs. Only He has the wherewithal to do that; no other religious leader in history can perform that miracle upon the soul. Jesus only.

Consequently, because we know of forgiving grace through Jesus' mercy, we likewise can climb upon our cross by which to forgive those who have wronged us. In ourselves we do not have the equipment to show mercy. We are basically too selfish for all that.

Yet when Jesus' mercy is poured out upon our souls when we don't deserve it at all, then we are modeled by Him in how to forgive. He has already displayed for us the act. Therefore, follow this Jesus--which is what He has called you to do once you pick up His cross--into forgiving hearts.

There are persons who have been mean to you. They have lied about you. They have tried to cripple you when you did nothing to deserve it. They laid traps for you. They told friends things about you that were never factual.

And now those people go on their merry ways with you hunkering in the dust.

What are you going to do about all that injustice? You are going with Jesus into forgiveness. It will be painful. It will be hard. It will cause you to flinch. Yet you know that your forgiving another is your own healing just as it was the healing upon the body of Jesus.
"By His stripes we are healed."


And by His stripes He provides us with forgiving grace by which to look upon our enemies with prayer.

That in turn blossoms health within our own hearts.

To refuse the forgiving grace is to fester our own spirits. Eventually, we will die from such boils upon the soul. We are going to disease our inner parts if we continue with our grudges and seeking vengeance upon those who have wronged us.

But when we follow Jesus to the cross, entering into His provision of mercy, we then realize that it is a double blessing. We forgive and in that we are healed. We extend grace and in that we are lightened of our burden.

Is not Jesus kind in inviting us to forgive others as we have been forgiven. "Forgives us as we forgive those who have trespassed against us." Yes, it is basic, as fundamental as what we term "The Lord's Prayer."

So it is that we piously pray that prayer over and over again, alone and in the company of Christians; yet it is whether we live it out or not that determines our sincerity.
Read: http://truthinconviction.us/weblog.php

What Can The Gold Coin Dealers Do For You?

By Paul Abbey

Among all the links that form the chain of coin collection, gold coin dealers are the most important link. They buy coins from different sources and sell them to collectors or investors. A collector who wants to dispose off his collection to safe hands can also approach a gold coin dealer. These are the professionals in the sector of coin collection. They do it to make a living and the level of expertise gained by gold coin dealers can only be termed magnanimous.

The gold coin dealers procure the coins from a number of sources. They can purchase gold coins from mints, coin and estate auctions and in some cases even by importing the coins from other countries. However the most cherished source that they have are other coin collectors. The coin collectors come in contact with a number of coin collectors during their business dealing. Most of the time, collectors have more than one coin of the same time and they sell off the coins.

Services offered by a gold coin dealer

First and foremost, the gold coin dealer sells gold coins to a customer. The customer may be a collector of gold coins, a person investing in collectibles or a person simply investing in bullion.
The gold coin dealers procure coins from a number of sources and then sell them to people who want to buy gold coins. Most of the gold coin dealers do their business within the country but there are a number of veteran dealers who can export gold coins overseas with proper licenses and paperwork.

The gold coin dealers only buy the coins for resale if they are satisfied about the validity and genuineness of the coin. It is a necessity for them to be sure about the value of gold coin if they do not want to suffer a loss. In a number of cases, the gold coin dealers can provide their expertise for hire. A gold coin collector can get his collection valued by a gold coin dealer when he wants to know the net worth of his collection

Apart from this a number of gold coin dealers also act as gold coin brokers for people who are interested in selling off their gold coin collection but want the collection to be sold to a gold coin collector only. This is mostly done when the collector develops an extreme emotional attachment to his collection. The idea is that the buyer can take appropriate care of the collection.

Apart from this a number of gold coin dealers are also known to help people get loans from various sources with the god coin collection being held as mortgage.

Gold coin dealers can come handy for anyone regardless he is a gold coin collector or a person just interested in gold as a hedge.

P Abbey owns and operates http://www.goldcoinfacts.com Gold Coin

Music Exams - Controlling Performance Nerves

By Antony Copus

It happens to the best of us: everything sounded fine when we were practicing last night, our teacher has assured us that we are ready for the exam but now. Standing in front of the examiner our hands have started to sweat, our breathing has got faster, we're feeling sick and frankly would rather be anywhere else in the world than about to try to play music beautifully and go through the mental agility course necessary to remember a raft of scales and arpeggios.
If this situation sounds even vaguely familiar to you then read on...

No matter what people tell you, everyone suffers from some sort of nervousness or performance anxiety. It is, after all, a completely natural reaction to any stressful situation. Long ago in our evolutionary past our ancestors, facing a large-clawed animal would have had a simple choice:

they could either stand their ground and fight or they could turn tail and run for safety.
Whichever option they chose their bodies had to prepare for some sort of emergency action.
Psychologists call this state the Fight or Flight response and, unfortunately for us, its physiological effects are still with us today.

Sweaty hands, a dry mouth, nervous tremors and an upset stomach are all symptoms caused by the body’s release of adrenalin. Blood is routed away from the extremities and the stomach (this is what causes ‘butterflies in the stomach’), and towards the muscles needed for fighting or running. In order to power these muscles breathing quickens to increase the oxygen supply and the result is a body tense and poised for action. All this is great if you need to run away from a tiger but is sadly rather less useful if you are trying to play a Mozart violin concerto.

The sabre-toothed examiner
Of course nowadays we rarely encounter dangerous animals but there are still plenty of other stressful situations to deal with. For many people performing in front of an audience (whether it is playing an instrument or making a speech) can be a real cause for concern. So we have swapped big cats for grade 6 but the feelings of stress remain very much the same, so what can we do about it?

1. Prepare thoroughly:
   There are few things more unnerving than performing in front of an audience when you are not completely sure what you are doing! In an exam, for example, the nagging worry that you haven't properly practised your scales can really affect your performance in your pieces as well. Being thoroughly prepared can give you real a confidence that can be an incredibly calming influence. Your nerves are much less likely to get out of control if you are really comfortable with all the material you have to play.
2. Visualize success:
   This is a technique used by top athletes and musicians alike. A week or so before your exam, when you start your daily practice, spend a couple of minutes visualizing yourself begin successful. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the exam giving a confident and successful performance. Try to make the image as clear and as detailed as you can. ‘See’ yourself playing all the scales you are asked easily, giving musical performances of your pieces and coping effortlessly with your sight reading, etc. This technique can be incredibly powerful. Try it, you may be surprised at the results!
3. Block negative thoughts:
   In the build up to your exam it is only natural to have the occasional worry and feel a little apprehensive. It is important though to keep these thoughts in perspective. If you catch yourself thinking things like ‘I know I am going to make a mistake’ or ‘what if I muck up my scales?’ do not give them lots of attention. Instead just smile and visualize yourself performing successfully (see tip 2).
4. Use your nervousness to energize your performance:
   There is a great similarity between the nervous excitement you feel climbing a big slope on a roller coaster and the nervousness you might experience when you are taking an exam. The difference between them lies only in the way you perceive and treat your feelings. You feel excited because you anticipate something good happening. When you are nervous, in contrast, it is, perhaps, because you fear something going wrong. Most experienced performers will tell you that they would not want to lose their nerves. Instead they use the nervous energy to build a sense of excitement for their performance.
5. Perform in front of friends and family:
   Once you are comfortable playing your pieces and scales to yourself, ask members of your family or friends to listen. Even a small and supportive audience is enough to make most people feel a little on edge so this is a really good tip to practise what it feels like to be nervous. The logic goes something like this: if you get used to what it feels like to be nervous in a controlled and friendly environment, you will cope better with the real thing, even if little things go wrong.
6. Smile:
   When you walk into the exam room, smile. You’ll be amazed at how much better this can make you feel. The act of smiling, even if you really don’t feel like it, encourages the release of endorphins (the body’s feel-good chemicals). These endorphins can really improve your state of mind and make you feel much more relaxed.
7. Get a good night’s rest:
   Never underestimate the effect tiredness can have on your ability to perform. You might feel as if you can cope easily with little sleep but countless scientific studies have show that a tired mind just does not function as efficiently. Being tired will have the effect of making you feel less sure of yourself and this is a certain route to increasing nervousness. Get to bed on time!
8. Control your breathing:
   A common symptom of nervousness is a quickening of the breathing. One of the quickest ways you can make yourself feel more relaxed is to get control of your breathing. Breathe in gently through your nose to a count of 5, and then let the air out slowly through your mouth, again to a count of 5. Don’t be tempted to gulp air in as this will only make you more tense.
9. Concentrate on the music:
   In an exam room it is all too easy to forget why you started playing or singing in the first place. Hopefully, though, you will have arrived at your exam with some pieces which you enjoy playing so try to concentrate on communicating this enjoyment to your audience. After all this, really, is what music performance is all about: sharing your feelings about a piece with other people. That should be as true in an exam room as in any other performance environment.
10. Don’t worry about mistakes:
    Everyone, but everyone makes mistakes. They are a normal part of live performance and it is important to remember that nobody really minds hearing the odd glitch. It is much more important to enjoy your performance, to make it involving and exciting, than it is to get hung up on trying to be perfect. Concentrating on not making mistakes will only make your music-making sterile and boring.

And finally remember: examiners are musicians just like you. They want you to succeed and they want to enjoy listening to you play. They are certainly not just on the lookout for mistakes or bad points, …and they don’t really have sabre-teeth – well at least not most of them!

Antony Copus has performed with most of the United Kingdom's great orchestras: the London Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia, the Halle and the BBC Symphony amongst many others. He was Director of Music at Bradfield College, near London, for some years before starting http://www.opuscopus.com a company dedicated to providing fun and innovative resources for young and experienced musicians alike. Visit http://www.opuscopus.com for hundreds of high quality mp3 accompaniments, exciting new books to help learning scales and improve rhythm, free resources and much more.

Life Insurance - Be Careful If You Want The Best

By Chimezirim Chinecherem Odimba

Life insurance agents are sometimes taught never to mention the word "life insurance" to prospects. They do their utmost to sell it in light of its benefits such as mortgage protection or retirement plan. If after all the talk you're promised that your family will even get something when you pass on, they it is life insurance (in its many forms) you're being sold.

Like for everyone selling stuff, they present the best side of the product and life insurance are no different. It's your responsibility as the buyer to ensure you know the downsides too.

The accumulation of a tax-free cash value will likely be something an agent will highlight while selling a whole life policy.

However, it's really up to you to know the commissions (Usually very high), how long you'd have to pay before your cash value become sizeable enough, surrender charges and penalties for cashing the policy early.

Don't buy any life insurance until any doubts are cleared. There are downsides to every life insurance policy and you'll do well to know them.

You can really do this well by getting educated yourself in life insurance: The various types, their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. There are documents that an agent is bound by law to give you prior to signing a policy. Do your best to read through those documents and make sure you understand them before you pay.

A free look period is something your insurer is bound by law to give you.

This is a period within which you can decide to return a life policy and still get a refund. Just make sure you return the policy by certified mail within the specified period and you'll get a full refund of premiums paid so far.

You will save a lot of money on life insurance if you obtain and compare quotes from insurance quotes sites. It should require around 15 minutes. Make sure that you input the same (correct) information about yourself at every site visited. It is NOT wise as the quotes you'll get this way will NOT be of any use to you. You'll then have to pick what represents the best insurance quote for you from the list of quotes obtained.

Get your free, quick and easy, cheap life insurance quotes here...

Free Affordable Life Insurance Quotes

Hometown Life Insurance Quotes

Chimezirim Odimba writes on life insurance.

Blogging for Business - How To Write Blog Posts That Are Interesting, Informative, and Get Readers

By Connie Ragen Green

Blogging for your business or for your niche market is a way to start a conversation with your readers and keep it moving. But keeping your blog posts fresh, interesting, informative and frequent can be a real challenge.

Before you make more than one or two posts to your blog, write down a list of topics that you will cover. You may have many ideas on what to write that readers will want to read, so keep a journal of topics and ideas that you can draw from. You will also want to read other blogs on topics that are similar to yours. You should actually read and comment on several blogs regularly to truly become part of the blogosphere.

Having a series of blog posts on one topic may make your readers more likely to sign up for your feed (your RSS feed) and come back to your blog often. A series of tips is a good way to show your readers that you have thought out what you are going to write about. You may also want to offer them a PDF file of all of your tips that they can easily download from your blog.

Make every effort to post to your blog twice a week. Even if you only write one paragraph, it is better to post more frequently. This will help both readers and search engines to find you more easily and get your name and message in front of more people. Adding pictures will also make your blog more interesting. Make sure you use royalty and copyright free photos. Blogging can boost your business tremendously if you stick to it and always give your readers good information.

To download a f'ree report on how articles like this one can help you to promote your small business visit http://www.NewMediaMarketingforRealEstateProfessionals.com

How To Prevent Email Spam

By Francis Kilkelly

Ever now and then I'll get an email into my inbox saying something like:

"I'm receiving lots of spam all of a sudden and because I signed up with your site then of course YOU are the reason why I'm getting it!"

I really hate these mails but rather than get peeved I'm going to share a few tips that everyone can follow to reduce the amount of email spam they receive.

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- If you receive a spam/unsolicited email NEVER follow their 'helpful' Unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of the mail. What spammers do is send out millions of emails to random email addresses. If you happen to prove that your email address is alive by 'Unsubscribing' then what you are really doing is subscribing to their spam list indefinitely. I'm tech-savvy but I still fell for this one for a while.

- Related to the previous point, it's a good idea to use an email provider that doesn't display images in emails until you specify to display them. This is because if you open a spam email containing images as soon as the images load the spammers will recognize this and you have proved that your email address is alive. Gmail is one of the email providers that offers this protection.

- Never sign up to any forum/community using your email address as your username. If you do this spammers can read your email address straight from your profile page and when you write posts. You are displaying your email address to them, it's like throwing a little innocent lamb in front of a pack of lions! DINNER TIME!

- If a site asks you to sign up but you don't completely trust what they are going to do with your email address then I would recommend using a temporary email address service. Using a service like this you can sign up using a temporary email address that you can discard afterwards leaving your original email address untouched. However if you are signing up with a website that you DO trust and that will need to use your email address for sending notifications etc... (like Facebook, eBay) then I would not recommend using these temporary email services.

- Instead of using a temporary email address you can set up an entirely separate email account just for purposes like signing up to services etc... and use your existing email account for important tasks like emailing friends etc... Divide and conquer!

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I hope this article has helped a few of you out there. Have a spam free day!

Frank Kilkelly is webmaster for a popular home and gardening community at GardenStew.com, containing helpful gardening forums and entertaining gardening blogs.
Original article location: How to Prevent Email Spam

Increase Your Income From a Home Business

By Emmanuel Sodipo

This is an overview of the eight steps you need to take in order to start and grow a more profitable online home business:

Find a niche market -- BEFORE you decide what to sell Write compelling sales copy that attracts visitors Design an effective site that converts visitors into buyers Use the top search engines to drive tons of targeted traffic to your siteTap into sources of cheap and free traffic Use email marketing to communicate with visitors and convert them to buyersGrow your business by selling new products to your existing customer base Harness the power of affiliate programs for hands-free traffic and sales!

Anyone, from newbie to seasoned marketer, can benefit from going through these proven series of steps. No matter where you are in your home based business, it always pays to revisit the basics and make sure you're doing everything possible to grow your home business and increase your income opportunity from home.

I believe strongly in testing. Most email software these days allows you to test absolutely every single aspect of your marketing efforts -- so you can discover exactly what is working and what is NOT. When it comes to your email campaigns, I strongly urge you to test as many different elements as possible:

The email: Be sure to test different email messages to see which one encourages the greatest number of buyers through to your sales letter.

The Subject lines: This is the first point of contact with your audience. Your subject line has to grab their attention and encourage them to open your email!

The offer: Try testing different price points, different bonuses to go along with your main product, different product "bundles" -- as many variables as you can come up with.

The list: Send the same offer to different segments of your list (e.g., your customers vs. your subscribers)

The calls to action: You never know what language is going to get your readers to click on your call to action! Maybe they'll respond to a simple "click here." Or maybe they like more casual language, such as "check it out by visiting..." Maybe they don't need the URL written out for them -- or maybe they do. The only way to know for sure is to test different calls to action -- and see which works best for you!

The Best Timing: Which day of the week yields the best response? And which time of day? Will you get better results if you send on Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. -- or Sunday at 11:30 in the morning? Once again, the only way to know for sure is to TEST. Most email marketing solutions allow you to do this kind of testing. If yours doesn't, it's time for you to start looking for a new software package or service provider.

A responsive email list = more Income for you!

Follow the rules! These are the international laws that outline what email campaigns can and cannot do in order to avoid being labeled as spammers.

At any moment we wish; we can discipline ourselves to change it all. Any moment we wish, we can open a book that will expose our mind to new knowledge. Any moment we wish, we can start a new a campaign. Any moment we wish, we can start the process of business change. We can do it today or next year, but time is the only resource that once lost can never be regained.

Emmanuel Sodipo manages several successful online business, visit
http://www.scrollsolutions.com for a free book

Getting Started In Life Coaching - How Do You Get Your First Clients?

By Lawrence Mortenson

One of my clients recently completed the initial coursework of one of the most reputable coach training programs around, and is just about to begin their coach certification program.

He’s a powerful individual, successful entrepreneur, and is committed to adding coaching to the mix of businesses he’s involved in. Fascinatingly, even though he’s achieved great success in other businesses, he’s worried about hitting the minimum number of paying clients required to begin the certification program.

Even he’d fallen into the strange funk that afflicts most new coaches when it comes to getting clients!

For many, life coaching seems like the best profession in the world…until they’re confronted by the realities of building the business. I talk about this at length in my other articles and resources, but your job as a coach is fundamentally about getting clients, keeping them, and charging what you’re worth.

That’s how you make money, and that’s how you make a difference.

If you’re working on transitioning out of a job and beginning your journey as a life coach, here’s a 3-step plan to get you jump-started in building a professional practice.

Contact everyone you know – friends, colleagues…and even family and ask them to work with you

When you’re starting at the ground floor and don’t have a lot of relevant professional experience, just get started coaching!

Once you have a few basic skills the most important thing is to get experience. The more experience you get at this phase, the more confident you’ll become. And with confidence, it’ll become much easier get paying clients.

Make a list of all of your contacts, and rank them in order of how comfortable you are with them. Then, call them one by one and let them know you’re pursuing your passion for helping people by becoming a coach and that you’d love to work with them for three months for free.

Let them know how much you’d appreciate their help in getting you started, and that you can guarantee they’ll get significant value from the process.

Make sure you set an end date for the free coaching. It’s important because it’ll allow you to come back to them in a few months and begin charging.

Making these calls does 3 things:

• You let people know where you’re headed
• You get no-risk experience having enrollment (‘sales’) conversations
• You will ABSOLUTELY get the clients you need to get started on the right foot…if you make enough calls.

Get busy coaching
Now that you have 5-7 clients (if you have a job, you probably won’t be able to manage many more), immerse yourself in coaching them. Take yourself and the coaching conversations seriously and focus on creating value for your first clients.

If one or two clients drop out, that’s okay. Just go back to your contact list and start making calls again.

When you’re approaching the three month mark, you’ll find you have a lot more confidence in your coaching ability. And now it’s time to ask for a raise.

Talk with each of your clients and let them know that the initial three month period is about to end (you’ve set the stage, so this should be easy) and that you really enjoy working with them.
And that it’s time for you to begin charging for your services.

Let them know that if they’d like to continue, you’d be charging $50 per month for the next three months.

As uncomfortable as it may be, it’s critical that you have these conversations at this stage of the game and that you begin charging for your services.

• You’re making the transition from ‘coaching hobbyist’ to professional coach
• You’re experiencing asking for money for your coaching services for the first time
• You’ll now have the paying clients you need to complete the requirements for any certification program you may be in.

Get more clients, and repeat the process time and again

Once you’ve had the conversations and transitioned the majority of your current clients to paying clients, it’s time to make more calls, to ask for referrals, and to start working with more people.

You’re ready to increase your client load to 10 or more.

As you bring the new clients on board, you have the opportunity to leapfrog your pricing.
Instead of $50 per month, charge $100 or $150. You’ll have a solid base of 5-7 clients you know will be sticking with you for the next 3 months, so take a leap of faith and begin asking for what you’re really worth.

Make sure everyone understands that you’re still in ‘training’ and that you’ll need to increase prices in another 3 months. Set the stage for having the repricing conversation a few months down the road.

Following this simple 3-step process, you’ll build the confidence, skills, and client base to have a thriving coaching business just twelve months from now. A full practice of 20-30 clients paying what you’re worth is virtually an inevitable outcome.

Of course, knowing what to do and doing it are two completely different things, and NOTHING HAPPENS until something moves.

What are you waiting for?!

For no-nonsense resources on how to become a coach and start your life coaching or business coaching practice on the right foot, check out the Coaching Success Institute at http://www.coachingsuccessinstitute.com

Learn simple strategies for getting you coaching business started on the right foot, getting clients and keeping them for life, and doubling your income and your time off.

Do yourself a favor and take the short-cut to success in the coaching business.

How to Use An Elliptical Trainer

By Jim Kesel

If you're like a lot of people you have been thinking about using an elliptical trainer to get into shape and burn calories. You have heard that they are the best piece of exercise equipment at the gym or Y but so far you have not taken an elliptical for a test ride. A lot of people feel intimidated when trying something new and that goes for new pieces of exercise equipment.
After all you don't want to look stupid or uncoordinated and of course these always the risk you might fall off right. There is really no reason to fear using an elliptical trainer and here are a few elliptical trainer information tips to get you stated.

• When you step up on to the elliptical trainer make sure you place your foot on the pedal that is in the lowest position.
• When you begin to make your stride it is not uncommon for your feet to go backwards and you need to make sure that you are stepping forward. When you become more advanced you will want to use a back stride but not now.
• Start slowly and let the natural stride movement of the elliptical direct your motion. It may feel a little strange at first but you will get used to it.
• Select the lowest resistance level available using the controls on the console and then very gradually increase the resistance to where you feel comfortable.
• Place your hands lightly on the handle bars and follow the cross country skiing motion. Some older models to not have handle bars but do have a place to place your hands so that you can maintain balance. As you probably already know the handle bar motion is what gives the elliptical trainer its ability to giver you a full body workout.
• Be patient during your first couple of workouts. Use less resistance to let your body develop the muscle memory necessary to properly use the elliptical trainer.
• Beginning workouts should be short, about 10 minutes in length. Make sure you use enough recovery time between workout sessions.
• Stand tall on the petals keeping your back straight. As you become more accustomed to the trainer you can use other body positions to target different muscle groups.
• Stay in control while you develop good rhythm and balance.
• Increase your workout intensity only to the point where you remain in control.
• If the elliptical trainer begins to sway or wobble then stop and use a different machine.

Many gyms and fitness centers have people on staff that will take the time to get you started on any piece of exercise equipment. They will also direct you to the elliptical trainer models that are the easiest to use and have the least amount of problems. Ask them if they have any written elliptical trainer information that you can take home to review. You should never be afraid to ask questions. Many times our pride will let us get ourselves into trouble. It is always better to ask first. An Elliptical trainers is great piece of exercise equipment that is relatively easy to use.
Do not let the fear of failure keep you from getting a great workout on an elliptical machine.

James Kesel, MS. is the publisher of Elliptical Trainer Information website, We have information on Nautilus, Nordic Track, Life Fitness, ProForm, Tunturi, Schwinn, Reebok, Horizon, Vision elliptical trainers and cross trainers.

The Easiest Way to Move Songs from an iPod to a Computer

By Tl Kleban

Probably the single most frequently-asked question from iPod owners is “How do I copy music from my iPod back to my computer?” You’ll hear this most from people who just purchased new computers but are stuck with their entire library on another computer and inaccessible.

Although Apple’s iTunes program is very good at keeping a computer-based library for transferring songs from your computer to your iPod, moving them in the opposite direction from an iPod to a computer is a bit more advanced and actually an advanced procedure even for users with a moderate amount of computer experience.

The way to get around this little roadblock is by enabling your iPod accessible for disk use. Here are a few steps how to accomplish this for both Windows and Macs.

• Well you can’t do much without connecting your iPod up to the computer, so do hook that up first. Windows users will find this project much easier to accomplish than those using Macs.
• Now that your iPod is connected to your computer and iTunes, go to the “Control Panel” and find the “Tools” section. You’ll be looking for the “Folder Options.” Now, under “Advanced Options,” click on “Show hidden files and folders.” Click the “Apply to all Folders” setting and hit “Okay.”
• Now, open up the “My Computer.” Find folder labeled iPod and double click on it. Your iPod will more than likely be found under external storage devices in the “My Computer” folder.
• Now that you are in your iPods file, try to find the folder that contains all of the MP3s. It is normally named "iPod Control” or something very similar to that. Locate the “Music” folder and browse through the subdirectories. You will see that all the file names will be random numbers and letters.
• Copy and paste the songs you want to move over to your computer. Another option you try is to drag the entire folder onto the desktop if you wanted to just move everyone song on your iPod over.
• Now that you moved all your songs from the iPod over to your computer in an MP3 format, you can easily add them to the iTunes library. This can be done by selecting all the songs and dragging them into iTunes or clicking “File” then “Add to Library.” Either way will work.
• For those of you out there who own a Mac, the process is slightly different. First off, you’ll need to enable your iPod for disk use. This is done by clicking the “iPod” icon in your iTunes and checking "Enable for Disk Use" under options in the “Summary” tab.
• You’re now ready to begin moving songs over from your iPod to your computer. This is simply done by dragging and dropping files from your iPod to your computer. Access your iPod like you would with an external hard drive, access the files and drag and drop them to your desktop or a folder to copy.

SoundOnUSA offers practical wireless audio solutions. SoundOnUSA products include Wireless Speaker Systems, wireless gaming headphones, Sound Hoppers and other products delivering audio data without wires. Visit them at www.soundonusa.com.

Buying Australian Art For Sale

By Nate Thomas

If you were looking at buying Australian art for sale online a good place to buy original yet affordable art (or at least find it first) on the Internet would be to do a search for an online art galleries directory.

A lot of online art gallery directories quite often have links to other online galleries and art resources. As a result; they are a very effective method to track down what you are looking for in terms of what is on offer at an affordable price.

A lot of emerging artists promoting and selling their original paintings will quite often register their artwork with online art directory sites and pay a flat monthly fee to have their work promoted for sale. The artist then does not have the worry of having to build a web site in order to make a start at promoting their artwork online. In a lot of cases the better online art directory sites are optimised quite well for the visitor looking to buy original art online. The advantages to the artist in this regard are obvious…they get guaranteed eyes on their paintings.
The advantages for you in regards to buying original art from these online directories is that you can view the works of many different artists and a broad variety of original art for sale from one website.

A lot of these sites cater for serious collectors of art while they also of course cater for the casual buyer simply looking for some decorative art for the office.

One thing that is worth considering is the "overhead" costs are quite low in regards to the upkeep of these online art directory sites. Additionally, quite a lot of online art gallery sites don't charge the artist a commission on the sales of their paintings outside of the standard flat monthly rate. This is quite appealing for emerging artists because while they don’t have to pay expensive brick and mortar art gallery fees to have their artwork hosted, they are still getting the professionalism required to adequately promote and sell their work to art collectors and the general punter looking to freshen up the office block.

So if you are looking at buying Australian art that is for sale online perhaps consider visiting these online gallery directories as they quite often provide a great service and affordable art produced by up and coming artists.

Nate Thomas is a writer and advocate of original Australian art. If you are an art collector or simply an admirer of quality art then please feel free to visit http://www.cakuart.com

The Power Of Imagination

By Susan Velez

The power of imagination is the most powerful tool you can use to help you create the life you desire. The best part is that it is free and anyone can utilize it. You can also learn to have fun with it as you create your life in your mind and watch it become a reality.

We all used the power of imagination when we were children; but for some reason we stopped utilizing it when we were told by our parents or society "to get real, we can not do that."

As children we tend to think we can be do have anything we want. Ask any child and they will give you a response like:

• they want to go to the moon
• they want to become the president
• they want to play in the NFL
• they want to race cars
• they want to live abroad

Whatever they tell you; they use their power of imagination to think about what they want to be do have.

The cool thing is you can use the techniques taught in personal development combined with the power of imagination to begin thinking about what you would like to attract in your life.

Personal development teaches us how we have control over our lives; we can not blame anyone else for anything. Even though sometimes we would love to blame others for things that are not going right in our lives.

It is your job to find out where your passion is, then begin seeing yourself in that situation and the more you visualize yourself in that situation you desire you will begin attracting it to you.

This will work for you in both positive and negative situations. The more you utilize the power of imagination for things you do not desire, those things are drawn to you. So your job is to focus your attention and energy on the things that make you happy and take your mind off of things that do not make you happy or things you do not wish to experience.

So how can you begin to utilize this powerful tool to attract all the good to you?

1.) Read as much and learn about personal development and what it entails. After all this is the first step to begin taking control of your life and realizing that you have no one to blame but yourself for your life.

2.) Do not just read the information; after all anyone can read the information on personal development. If you do not take action and begin utilizing the power of the imagination then how can you expect things to be any different for you? It will work when it becomes a habit and you learn to utilize it on a daily basis.

3.) Patience. We live in a society where people expect things to happen overnight. Once you begin putting everything into action it does take time for everything to manifest. However believe that it is manifesting and begin acting and believing like it already has.

In order for anything to work in our lives, it must become a habit that we do on a daily basis, you too can begin to use the power of imagination to attract all the good you desire.

So take the time today to sit down and figure out what your goals are and what you expect from life. As you begin to figure it out begin envisioning yourself in the positive situation and be sure to keep your mind off of the negative.

Imagination is the key to living the life of your dreams. So it will benefit you to find out how to utilize it and make the most of it.

Visit http://www.personal-development-life.com for loads of free tips on wealth creation, meditation and other personal development techniques. Plus sign up for the free Powerful Living newsletter.

Staying Healthy With Promotional Products!

By Mark Yokoyama

For many people, staying fit is a daily challenge. By making a healthy routine easier for your customers, you can increase brand affinity and customer loyalty with minimal investment.
There is a wide selection of promotional health products that are available for this purpose.

From first aid kits to sports equipment, you can help your clients live healthier lives. As morale and well-being increases, customers will respect your company for its thoughtful contributions and attention to their satisfaction.If you're ready to promote health and happiness within your company, or if you want to give customers a head start on the path to peak physical fitness, promotional health products are here to help! Here are some ideas for your next campaign:

1. First-aid and swab kits. These useful kits are perfect for just about any audience. Nobody knows when an injury might occur, so having a portable first-aid kit on hand at all times is always a smart idea. Customers can keep it in their cars or in the medicine cabinet at home, while teachers can keep one nearby in the classroom. These helpful kits package all of the basic necessities for minor first-aid issues.
2. Lip balm. Most companies aren't even aware of the fact that they can imprint their name and logos on promotional lip balm. These compact giveaways are perfect for direct mail packages or trade shows where space is limited. Lip balm is especially useful in the dry heat of summer or the dead cold of winter. If your customers live in these extreme climate zones, they won't be able to get enough of your promotional lip balm! As always, a frequently used item means frequent exposure for your company.
3. Massagers and stress balls. Part of staying healthy means keeping a mindset free from stress and unwanted tension. If you want to help your customers or employees take a load off, give them promotional massagers or stress balls. These bestselling items are a perfect way to unwind at the end of a long day. Employees can use them while working at their desks to help keep them focused. These useful products will leave recipients feeling refreshed and relaxed, and they'll have you to thank!
4. Pill boxes and medicine dispensers. These promotional giveaways are a great idea for elderly audiences that have to keep track of a variety of vitamins and other pills. This daunting task can easily become stressful, but promotional pill boxes and medicine dispensers will take care of everything. These functional products will help people organize their medications and make sure they're getting the proper dosages each day. This also means customers will become very familiar with your brand, which will be clearly imprinted on the product.
5. Sunscreens and lotions. If your customers live in sunny regions, dangerous sun exposure is a constant concern. Provide clients and prospects with promotional sunscreen, and you'll clear their worries up in no time! Portable sunscreens can be attached to a keyring and taken to the beach, park, or anywhere else your customers are going. Not to mention, this is a very unique promotion that most people don't run across very often. So if you're looking for a health-conscious promotion that will also make your company stand out, promotional sunscreens are the way to go.
6. Anti-bacterial wipes and sprays. A big part of staying healthy means preventing the spread of germs. Especially in crowded office environments, promotional anti-bacterial products can be extremely helpful. These practical items will reduce the amount of sick days employees are forced to take, saving your company time and money. Healthy employees that aren't plagued by illnesses will find it easier to produce great work, and they'll continue to use wipes, sprays, and lotions often. These promotional items work especially well during flu and cold season, when illness is widespread and demand for anti-bacterial products is high.
7. Sports equipment. Promotional sports equipment is a great way to encourage people to get out and get some good exercise. Items like baseballs, Frisbees, and even picnic gear will give people a good reason to get off the couch and away from the television! Exercise will lead directly to improved health and fitness, which means less employee absences and higher morale. When given to prospects or customers, brand affinity can be instantly improved.

Using promotional health products during your next marketing campaign can bring about enormous success and a lengthy list of benefits for your company. Since these are items that clients, prospects, and employees can actually use to improve their own lives, they are very popular choices. Frequent use of these products means that your brand will receive significant exposure, leading to new sales, improved customer loyalty, higher employee morale, and much more.

Mark Yokoyama is Director of Marketing for ePromos Promotional Products, Inc, one of the largest promotional product and corporate gift distributors in the US.

A Date With Destiny

By Victoria Leal

September 25, 2007, a fine day it’s starting out to be. I’m sitting here in the garage contemplating cutting the yard, at least the front yard. I get into motion, go out and start to pick up the fallen sticks and branches from the hovering trees and my mind is made up. I gassed up the lawnmower and went to work. If my neighbors were looking, they may have wondered what was up with me; I’m tackling this grueling job, with a big smile on my face. I’m not wearing headphones; I’m not listening to anything, but the thoughts inside of my head.

Prior to cutting the yard, I was talking to one of my girlfriends on the phone and I told her that it looked like rain, so I was going to get off the phone and get started. Within only a few minutes, I knew that I was going to get to complete the cutting of the front yard…without a doubt. This was going to happen, no matter what. As I began cutting, it started to rain lightly and my smile grew bigger because I already knew that it would be finished. The rain was so light that you could not tell the difference between it and my sweat. It all looked the same. Then all of a sudden, the rain stopped and I just kept cutting. After a few more minutes, it began to rain again, still lightly…and I still went on cutting…never stopping. Because remember, I knew that the job would be finished, without a doubt. Not once, did I ever say, “Oh God, please let me finish before it really starts to pour down.” It was not necessary. In times past, I definitely would have said that, but not today, not anymore.

As I hit the home stretch, the rain continued but it began to pick up slightly. I had two rows left to finish. At the end of the first row, the rain began to pour down and I continued to smile. On the last row, it was me and the rain, in full force. When I completed the last row, I let go of the mower handle and raised my hands in the air and said, “Thank You.”

Now you may be wondering, “What’s the big deal? I’ve been there, done that.” But here’s the big deal: I knew without the slightest bit of doubt that I would complete my task. I also knew that however it turned out, there was nothing that I could do to effect a change. I’ve never know this before. But at that moment, I knew that there was nothing I could do to stop anything from happening, that what ever was going to happen was going to happen. I also knew, in that moment, that everything that happens in this life happens exactly as it is suppose to…I knew it in my heart, in my mind, in my spirit, and in my body. In that moment, I knew that my life was perfect, whole and complete.

Now, there are those who may say that it was positive thinking or that through some universal law, I willed the completion of the job into effect, or that I visualized myself completing the job…but I’m telling you, none of that is true! I just knew at that moment that whatever was going to happen was going to happen and that there was absolutely nothing that I could do to effect a change, nor did I want to. In that precious moment, my eyes were opened, my spiritual eyes, and I realized that everything that I have been through and everything that I have yet to go through has happened and will happen, EXACTLY as it is suppose to. And with that thought in mind, there are no more worries, no more fears, no more doubts, no more second guessing yourself; nothing but the pure joy of watching this game of life unfold and becoming excited about the tremendous possibilities that are loaded in each and every moment. It’s like watching a script of your life unfold on the screen and you are watching in complete amazement.
Ultimately, you already know the outcome and you already know that by the end of the movie, you will be just fine. You are completely safe and nothing can ever harm you. So, with this in mind, you just watch how the different events unfold, you note your thoughts about the events, and all the while knowing that there is absolutely nothing you can do about it, you just relax.

Know that the script has already been written, the movie has already been directed and produced and has hit the box office. Think of it this way, when you go to a movie, there is absolutely nothing you can do to change the movie. You have no choice but to sit there and watch it unfold and at the end of the movie, you leave the theater. I was talking to my oldest son this morning and he was expressing a concern about is life and as we talked more about it, I told him that whatever decision he made, it would be the perfect decision for him. He said, “What if I start to make a decision and fear sets in and I change my mind and not follow through with my first thought?” And I told him, in no uncertain terms, that all of that has already been factored into the script, if you will.

Every thought, every feeling, every emotion, and every action has already been factored in and there is nothing you can do to effect a change. Whatever you do, you can’t make a mistake, you can’t mess it up, you will make the prefect choice every time.

Because we think of ourselves as humans, we feel that we have to fight back, or that we have to say something, or do something about what is going on in our lives but nothing could be further from the truth. Whatever we think, do, or say has already been factored in, so quit fighting it, quit feeling guilty, quit agonizing over your decisions and when you finally realize that everything really is happening exactly as it should, different things will begin to happen for you and to you. Your higher spirit will not let you down, believe me, it will take care of everything, it will give you everything you desire and then some and right now your only job is to trust, totally and completely, whatever is happening to you.

Situations that have previously been difficult to deal with and that have caused you grief, no longer seem impossible to deal with. The emotions that use to flood your body are no longer there because you realize that everything is happening exactly as it is suppose to and the best part is that everything is happening, for the good of you, no matter if you can see that right now or not, trust and believe that it is. This means that whatever someone else says to you or does to you just know that they are acting exactly as their part has been written. In fact, they deserve multiple Oscars! As TCM (Turner Classic Movies) puts it…”Damn Good Actor!” And this is all anyone in your life is, an actor, playing a role, and doing a damn good job at it. In fact, you should just look at them in amazement because the real truth is that you wrote the script, hired the actors, and you couldn’t have picked a better person to play that part!

Victoria Leal is the Owner of Reality Check.bravehost.com. To find helpful information on how to live the kind of life you deserve, please visit: http://realitycheck.bravehost.com This article is copyright 2007 by Victoria Leal and may be reprinted in it's entirety as long as this byline and copyright statement are included.

A Glimpse Of Truth

By Victoria Leal

Tonight I was given a glimpse of the truth. I met my Spirit. Earlier, I had been wondering about reincarnation and past lives, whether there was such a thing. I learned tonight that there was, but not in the way that we think. When we think of past lives, we tend to think of the body when actually, it is the past human forms of the Spirit. Our Spirits are as old as this earth. It has lived for millions of years, yet I have only been on this earth for 48 years. I am but one body that has experienced the journey of my Spirit. My body is but the vessel for which my Spirit uses to travel along its predestined path.

Because there is one Spirit that used many, many bodies to travel the path, there will be certain traits, characteristics, innate talents and abilities, that all of these bodies will have in common. I would be willing to bet that all other bodies, before me, were great writers. If you’ve ever wondered how you are naturally able to do something—really well, it is because it is a talent or characteristic of the Spirit that is housed by your body.

When someone with the ability to see your past lives tells you that in another life, you were such and such, they are correct in what they see. They are actually seeing the journey of your Spirit, not your body. For your Spirit has always been and has existed throughout different eras and different bodies.

Because the journey of the Spirit has been on the same path, when we experience dejavu, it is simply our Spirit remembering something or someone that it has already encountered, but in another body. The body that we are now does not actually experience dejavu. But the remembrance is so strong that we feel it.

We, this body, knows that we have never been to this place, or met this person, or spoken these words before. That’s why it is not possible for us, as the body and mind, to experience dejavu. The body remembers things that it has actually experienced but the Spirit remembers through dejavu. It has been to that place, it has met that person--or the Spirit of that person, and it did speak those words.

This leads me to believe why some people get along very well with certain others. It is because their Spirits have had a previous encounter and through the Spirits, the bodies are brought together. And the same could be said for those who don’t seem to get along. My body was chosen by my Spirit. When you think about it, what a privilege it is to know that every part of you was hand-picked by your Spirit. Therefore, the Spirit is who we really are. The mind and body are but tools that are used by the Spirit to travel its path.

How does this explain “Free Will” and the ability to think? Are we thinking and making decisions independently of our Spirits?

The dictionary’s definition of Free Will is this: Made of one’s own free choice; the power of self-determination; the capacity to choose freely between alternatives. The Bible states that God gave us free will, which in this case also means the ability to make choices. Free will is what differentiates the human species from the animal. Animals do not think, they operate on instinct. We too also have an instinct but at the same time, we have the ability to think about that instinct and we have the choice of acting on it or ignoring it.

Therefore, by all outward appearances, it would seem that we are thinking independently of our Spirit. But that instinct that we possess as humans is actually our Spirit trying to tell us something. Sometimes, it can be persistent by giving the same instinct over and over again.
Learning to trust your instincts and acting upon them will ultimately bring our Spirit one step further on its chosen path.

As humans, we have no mission or purpose. It is the mission and purpose of our Spirit that is being achieved, through the body. And its ultimate purpose is to make its way back to God, from whence it came…not that it has ever been separated from God…that would be impossible. In a sense, the body is just along for the ride. However, for the purpose of the journey, it is necessary.

Our Spirit knows the truth of our nature as humans. And the more it can bring the body and mind in harmony with itself, the more peaceful and joyful will be the experience of the body.
Since this is the part of us that we, as humans, identify with most, we always want to know, “What’s in it for us?” Well, here is what’s in it for us…a life abundant with peace, joy, and love. You ask, “How do we get that?” And the answer lies in listening to your Spirit (your inner guide) and learning to trust your instincts and acting on them.

It is said that we are co-creators of our lives, and we are. But to truly understand this concept, you have to accept full responsibility for your choices (free will) and understand the Law of Cause and Effect, which simply states that for every cause (decision) there is an effect (outcome). Nevertheless, regardless of the decision you make, the path remains the same but the journey may have taken a turn.

I can think of situations where had I listened to my instincts, I would have made a different decision which would have called forth a different outcome. But without knowing the mission and purpose of my Spirit, who’s to say that I didn’t make the “right” decision?

In my relationship with my ex-husband, for example, had he and I not been together, I would not have my two oldest sons, which I adore. They are who they are because they were sired by him and me. However, my instincts were telling me that I would not be in this abusive relationship for long. I knew that one day I would be free, but not before they were born.

However, before he and I met, my goal (me, Vickie) was to become a veterinarian, which obviously did not occur. But back then, I believed that was my purpose. Then I believed that my purpose was to become an Attorney, which obviously did not occur. This brings me to my youngest son. Had I not moved to Kentucky and met his father, he would not be here, as the incredible person that he is. He is who he is because he was sired by his father and me. What really prompted me to move to Kentucky? The reason that I gave myself was that I was tired of Houston. Also, at that time (1986) the threat of gang was on the rise and I wanted to protect my two sons from any possible involvement.

But was that the real reason? The urging of my Spirit was very strong, in fact, I could not think of anything else. I knew I had to move. I knew I wanted to move. My youngest son was waiting for me, which goes to prove that although the journey may take several turns, the path remains the same. The mission and purpose of my Spirit remains the same.

When I look at my life today, I can clearly see a unity of my Spirit, my mind, and my body beginning to take shape. I am learning to trust my instincts and to act upon them. I am learning to trust my Spirit on its journey and although I am only along for the ride, I am beginning to enjoy the ride. I am beginning to experience the joy, love, and peace that comes with a united body mind, and Spirit.

Victoria Leal is the Owner of Reality Check.bravehost.com. To find helpful information on how to live the kind of life you deserve, please visit: http://realitycheck.bravehost.com This article is copyright 2007 by Victoria Leal and may be reprinted in it's entirety as long as this byline and copyright statement are included.

The History Of The Jewelry Box

By Lisa Becker

The history of the jewelry box dates back centuries. Throughout the ages, jewelry boxes have been designed and crafted by skilled craftsmen. The Industrial Revolution initiated the concept of mass production. It enabled the middle class of the society to purchase decorative items like the jewelry box along with other essential commodities. This was possible as jewelry boxes could be manufactured in bulk and the cost involved in the mass production was less.

Mail Order Luxuries
In the early 1900s, mail order catalogs such as Sears, Wards and Marshall Field, enabled the average family to purchase jewelry boxes from home. Even the jewelry stores put on display the latest and trendiest jewelry box designs. Jewel boxes were available in all sizes, from the smallest ring box to handkerchief and even glove sized boxes. The bottom parts of these boxes were as beautiful as the top design.

Antimonial lead was the most common base metal used for the construction of jewelry boxes. Initially, the jewelry boxes were electroplated with copper, and then finished with either gold or silver. Other finishing touches included French Bronze, Roman Gold, Pompeian Gold, French Gray, and Parisian Silver. Ivory finishes were introduced around 1911. Enamel finished boxes lasted longer than gold or silver boxes.

International Influences on Jewelry Boxes
International trade and travel opened new doors to decorative styles all over the globe. During the early 1900s, the most outstanding decorative style of jewelry boxes was Art Nouveau. It was a romantic design that was famous for its flowing, asymmetrical lines, with motifs relating to nature. The Nouveau design reflected flower sentiments on jewelry boxes; the four-leaf-clover for good luck, daisies for innocence, roses for love and beauty, and so on.

From 1904 to 1918, there was an overwhelming mass production of jewelry boxes. In this era, gold and silver boxes were very common. Silver-plated boxes are considered as antique jewelry boxes and are very rare. Other types of antique jewelry boxes include the souvenir boxes that have commemorative ceramic or photo discs. There are also the ivory finished boxes. Thought they were designed later, they are very hard to find. Their finishes were extremely durable.
Hence, these antique jewelry boxes may still be passed down the family generations.

Lisa Becker is an avid jewelry box collector and writes for Jewelry Boxes 123: Shop For Your Perfect Jewelry Box. Her expertise regarding jewelry boxes provides insight into the world of jewelry boxes and armoires. For more articles, visit Jewelry Boxes 123 Articles.

Why Location Matters When You Buy Your Next Home

By Krayton Davis

You probably have heard this question before: what are the three most important things when it comes to buying a home? Realtors will almost always give you their stock answer: location, location, location. If your home is in the right location, then you’ll find almost everything else about the neighborhood to be just fine. On the other hand, a bad location can come back to haunt you in the form of crime, reduced home values, schools, long commuting time to work, and more.

Let’s take a look at several factors that should weigh in when you select your next home.

Take a Walk Around the Neighborhood

The home that interests you could be structurally sound and situated on a quiet street filled with well kept homes. At first glance, it looks as if you are in an ideal location. However, by taking tours of the neighborhood at different times of the day and week (preferably on foot to get a true feel for the area) is the best way to determine what a neighborhood is really like.

Some things to be on the look out for include:

• Are the homes on the surrounding blocks as well kept as the homes in your area? Signs of deterioration nearby could signal that your neighborhood may soon experience the same problems. You'll also want to check the appraised values of nearby homes to determine whether the home you are interested in compares favorably.
  
• What is the town's zoning for the area? A mixed use of residential and commercial properties doesn't have to be a show stopper, but if the town has plans to allow a nearby factory to replace an office building, do you want to have a factory for a neighbor? Apartments, trailers, and other forms of rental properties nearby could mean that the neighborhood is more transient than you like.
• The line of forested lots backing up to the neighborhood is certainly serene and enjoyable. You will want to find out who owns the land or that park-like setting could eventually fall to the developer's bulldozer. Be on the look out for power lines, gas lines, and other right-of-way areas.
  
• Eminent domain is a concern for many homeowners today. This is where the town can condemn entire neighborhoods to make "improvements" by welcoming other forms of housing or businesses. A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling has made it easier for towns to take action that could drastically change any neighborhood. Fortunately, some states have stepped in to strengthen homeowner rights in a bid to limit this practice; you may want to familiarize yourself with state law to understand your rights as a homeowner.

Public Schools, Local Services, and Commuting Time to Work
The quality of life in any community is often measured by three factors: public schools, local services, and commuting time to work. Besides your home’s condition, size, and neighborhood, property values can vary dramatically from one town to the next.

Some things to be on the look out for include:

• Whether you have children or not, the quality of the local public schools will have a significant impact on house values and taxes. If the schools are rated above average than your housing values will be reflected accordingly. An older or expanding school system means that the district will have to increase taxes in order to accommodate renovations or expansion. Paying higher school taxes may be necessary in order to maintain home values.

• Local services provided by the municipality can vary from town to town. Incorporated areas offer the most services with correspondingly higher municipal taxes. If your home is outside of city limits who pays for garbage renewal, recycling, water, and emergency services? What about libraries, community centers, and parks? Lower property taxes could quickly be offset by higher out of pocket fees for uncovered, but desired services.

• Commuting time to work is especially important as gas prices continue to rise. Homes nearest to major areas of employment will usually command a higher value than homes where a longer commute is necessary.

Finally, before buying your next home get a copy of the neighborhood’s crime report from the police department, learn the flight patterns for the closest airport, and take a look at a local map to find out just how far away shopping, hospitals, and government services are from your home.

The more time you spend on researching the neighborhood, the better equipped you will be to select the right home at the right price in the right neighborhood: location, location, location!
Krayton M Davis is the Executive Principal of nBuy Associates, which owns and operates the Home Buying Center. For more information about our services, link to:
http://www.SayHomeBuy.com

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How To Cure Fear Of Public Speaking - One Sure Fire Way To Get Up And Get Speaking

By Christopher J Barnett

Are you afraid of speaking in public?
It’s remarkable just how many people want to know how to cure fear of public speaking forever! While there are many suggested ways of the reducing the stress of the moment when you appear in front of your audience it’s my experience that there is only one sure-fire way to even begin to cure the fear of public speaking forever.

Why are you afraid?
Essentially most nervous speakers are worried that they are going to make a fool of themselves in front of an audience, they also believe that the audience are baying for their blood and just waiting for them to make a mistake.I’m an accomplished speaker with Toastmasters International, and in my experience I’ve found that nothing could be further from the truth.
Your audience simply want to be entertained… by YOU! They actually want you to do well, what they don’t want is to be bored and fidgety, they want to be utterly riveted by your speech.
Understand this first point and you are well on your way to knowing how to cure fear of public speaking forever.

Reduce the tension.

There are two moments in any speech that generally cause more stress than anything else:

1) Your opening line.
There’s a simple tactic to make absolutely sure this goes really well, but it’s not something I recommend for the main body of your speech. It’s simply this, learn your introduction off-by-heart, practice it until you can repeat it in your sleep.

2) Forgetting what to say next.
Every speaker has experienced this at some point. It’s usually caused by one simple error that’s just so easy to make. Inexperienced speakers will often try to learn their entire speech off-by-heart, it’s a BIG mistake! At some point you will forget your next line and the ensuing silence is devastating to your confidence. I suggest instead that you break the main body of your speech into three sections. Give each of these sections a summary title (use these titles as your speech notes) and then create a story to wrap around them. This tactic results in a fluid speech that makes you look really confident!

These simple tactics will arm you well in your overall strategy to find how to cure fear of public speaking forever.

There’s only one way!

In my experience as a Toastmaster I’ve found that there’s only one way to actually find out how to cure the fear of public speaking.

The tactics I’ve mentioned so far will help you reduce the effect of stressful moments but that isn’t actually going to cure fear of public speaking is it?

The answer is suprisingly simple…

Get up in front of an audience and speak… Your close family will do.

Then do it again… Maybe your friends and family this time.

You get the picture don’t you?

I can heartily recommend that you join a Toastmasters International affiliated speaking club. The whole purpose of these clubs is to help YOU to cure fear of public speaking forever by creating a mutually supportive environment in which you can practice.

So… you wanted to know how to cure fear of public speaking forever? The answer is simple, stand up, take a deep breath and make yourself heard, before you know it you’ll be doing it with ease!

Have fun, show up, be awesome!
Christopher Barnett,
September 2007.
Chris Barnett - Public Speaking...

To Love and to Be In Love

By Victoria Leal

When you love someone, you primarily love them because of what they bring to your life. You love them because they make you happy, because you are grateful to them for what they bring to YOUR life. You love them for what they say and do to make your life a little more pleasant. You love them for the joy and happiness they bring to your life and how they make you feel about you.

When you love someone, it’s all about YOU!
When you are In Love with someone, it’s about what you can bring to their life. Being in love with someone causes you to do and say the things that will bring about joy and happiness in their lives. When you are in love with someone, you will do and say things that will make their lives more pleasant. You look for ways to make them feel good about themselves.
When you are in love with someone, it’s all about THEM!

The most wonderful experience that you can have is to love someone and also be in love with them because your needs are being fulfilled by loving them and you in turn fulfill their needs by being in love with them. When you both love each other and are both in love with each other, the cycle is complete.

When you love someone and are in love with them and they love you but they are not in love with you, eventually the relationship will become one-sided. When this happens, the person that is in love will begin to feel the effects of not having their needs fulfilled. In other words, they are doing all of the “giving” of support to their partner, but they are not “receiving” the support they need from their partner.

Once this point is reached and their need for emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual support are not being met, they tend to feel as though they are being taken for granted, or that their partner does not care as much about their happiness as they do their own, and the feelings of wanting to make your partner’s life easier, more pleasant begin to dissipate…hence we have the term “falling out of love” with them.

In the beginning of love, it has become more acceptable to say that you are “falling in love” with someone rather than to just come right out and say “I love you”! When you do that, the other person may doubt your love for them. Because they don’t yet love you, they can’t understand how you can love them. However, if they love you also, then when you first tell them that you love them, it brightens up their world and the two of you now have a starting place for something beautiful.

The beginning of love is just love. When you first realize that you love someone, you love them and then you begin to fall in love with them. And the two can happen instantaneously. Think about it, in the beginning of every relationship, we are looking at how this relationship will benefit us; how happy it will make us; how attracted to them WE are; how being in this relationship makes us feel and more importantly, how the other person makes us feel. To be honest, it’s really all about US.

As we begin to fall in love with someone, we begin to think more about them and what will make them happy. We begin to do things that will please them and make their lives happy, peaceful, and more at ease. But first, we will have taken into consideration our own happiness factor before we allow ourselves to fall in love. And it’s important to note here that time is not a factor. You feel what you feel, at the moment you feel it. But because we have been conditioned to live in fear, we believe and others are quick to advise us to “Take Your Time.”

Others are quick to say that what you feel is just infatuation or worse yet, they attempt to take what you feel and hold it up against the Bible’s definition of love, which most find impossible to live up to, so you begin to doubt yourself, to doubt what it is that you feel, for someone else, in your heart. Learn to trust your heart and to trust your instincts about what you feel. What you feel in your heart is real and it is no one else’s place to define how you feel.

In case you’re wondering, Yes, I definitely believe in love at first sight and if you saw that person through the eyes of love instead of through the eyes of fear, you would too. In order to experience the most beautiful, profound love, you must not be afraid. Do not be afraid to open your heart and give your all, for this is truly the only way that you will know a love so complete, that it will blow your mind! And if you do open your heart and give all that you have to give and it doesn’t work out, you just have to keep going, realizing that you are that much closer to finding the man or woman of your dreams…trust me on this!

If you can realize the beauty that is you, the essence of all that is good, then you will eliminate heartache from your life. After all, why would you want someone who doesn’t want you? You are God’s most spectacular creation and you deserve to be loved in the grandest way. And yes, if it does not work, it may hurt for a while but you move on. This does not mean that you did not really love; it just means that you were not in love with the right person and the more time you spend with the “wrong” one, you are taking precious moments away from the “right” one.

So, do not be afraid to love; do not hold the “New” person in your life responsible for what the “Old” person has done. Do not shield your heart for fear of it being broken…Open up, Forgive, Let go of past hurts and pain, Live, and Love to the fullest extent and you will draw unto you that which you so richly deserve, which is someone who will love you and be in love with you…totally and completely!

Victoria Leal is the Owner of Reality Check.bravehost.com. To find helpful information on how to live the kind of life you deserve, please visit: http://realitycheck.bravehost.com This article is copyright 2007 by Victoria Leal and may be reprinted in it's entirety as long as this byline and copyright statement are included.

How to Keep Your Marriage Alive

By Mike L Jones

Does your daily routine consist of waking up in the early hours of the morning, to get ready for work, and then to get your children ready for school? And then after work you come home, cook for your partner and childrens dinner, then watch some TV before you pop off to bed. Well it doesn't have to be like this day in, day out.

Is the life you want to lead?
I'm guessing you don't want to live your life like this, put the romance back into your marriage today! First of all you need to communicate with your partner, for god sake how is your partner suppose to know how your feeling if you don't communicate with them. And I don't mean to talk to your partner if he is watching a football game, or if she is watching her soap operas. I mean proper communication time, sit down alone with no distractions. Talk about how your feeling, talk about your ambitions, your dreams every single day! When listening to your partner, don't just nod and reply with one word answers, you have to be interested in what they got to say.

I love you, those three words mean a hell of a lot. You do not need to say it every hour of every day. What you do is say it just before you go to bed, of whenever you “feel” it. “I love you and appreciate everything you do for me and our children”, wow, saying that goes a long way. How special is that, you can even spice it up every now and then, leave a little note by the side of your partners bed before you leave for work, or a simple email during the day etc.

And finally; surprise your partner every now and then. Buy a single red rose, which are really cheap or a bunch of flowers, these little gifts go along way. Or simply surprise your partner by saying “you look beautiful / handsome today” just out of now where.

Mike Jones is a marriage counselor with over 20 years experience, he started off his career in marriage counseling after a bad patch in his marriage, but he managed to revive his marriage using tips from the internet. Click here for Mike Jones' free tips on marriage and divorce

Aljawzaa Dubai Marina - Dubai Property Advice On The International City

By Sophia K

Aljawzaa is a union of conventional and contemporary structural design. It is located in the esteemed International City Phase 3, offers easy entrée to all the key attractions in Dubai.

Aljawzaa pretty much demonstrates Dubai's cosmopolitan make-up. The whole city of Aljawzaa is quite a big complex spread across eight hundred hectares of prime real estate. As Aljawzaa offers a wide array of business opportunities and residential options, this is hardly a surprise that it attracts lot of international as well as local investors.

According to a study, Aljawzaa will accommodate more than 60,000 residents in the coming years. In other words, Aljawzaa will play a prominent role in sustaining the region's booming tourism industry. Aljawzaa offers convenience and ease to both investors and residents. Each apartment is fully equipped with the latest facilities reflecting meticulous attention to every detail. All the apartments within the freehold development project are well priced and come with equally attractive payment plans.

The best part about Aljawzaa is that it merges conventional design with modern comforts, which in turn gives both residents and investor’s an opportunity and convenience for comfortable living as well as business. Aljawzaa offers residents a culturally diverse environment, thanks to the unique blend of global architecture. Comfort is the buzzword in Aljawzaa as the apartments are fully equipped with all the modern amenities.

Some Features of Aljawzaa Dubai Marina Apartments

• Outdoor swimming pool and garden
• Sauna and steam room
• Superior finishing with insulated walls and double-glazing
• Hi-tech gymnasium
• Heat, soundproof and double colored glass
• High quality doors and sanitary ware
• Fully furnished kitchens with brand name refrigerators, gas cookers
• Parking facilities

If you want to invest in real estate market of Dubai, investing in Aljawzaa is a very lucrative deal as not only location wise Aljawzaa is a profitable option but also there is no match for the kind of amenities that are offered here. However, before you buy any property in Aljawzaa or enter into any contract, make sure that you have read the terms and conditions carefully, to avoid any unpleasant consequences.

Sophia K is the webmaster for Dubai Real Estate Property Advice website, which provides you with the information about Dubai real estate and property markets advice to enable you to decide what to buy and where to invest sensibly in real estate property markets in Dubai, UAE region.

Tips for Natural Childbirth

By J Charleston

When pregnant women give birth to babies out of a process that requires minimum medical intervention, it is known as natural childbirth or natural delivery. At times, doctors use medical interventions like anesthesia, episiotomies and forceps to ensure that the delivery is successful.

The intention behind every childbirth activity is to ensure that the baby is born from a natural childbirth. Doctors resort to surgical and medical interventions only as the last resort.

Why do women prefer natural childbirth?

Women prefer natural childbirth as opposed to having medical and the surgical interventions due to the following reasons:

• Use of anesthesia and other surgical techniques can have long-ter
m side effects on the health of the mother.

• Medically, any medical or surgical interventions used during childbirth limit the movement of the pregnant woman. It is important that a pregnant woman moves naturally to ensure that the baby is delivered properly.

• Women feel good giving birth to babies by natural childbirth. Giving birth to babies is not a daily occasion and women tend to cherish this experience for their lifetime.

How to prepare a woman for natural childbirth?
If a woman is planning to deliver a baby by natural childbirth, it is important that she knows the process of delivering the baby. This will ensure that she does not suffer from shock when the baby is delivered. Systems or techniques that educate and prepare mothers for natural childbirth are as follows

• Bradley Method – Dr Robert A. Bradley conceptualized this technique in the early 1960s. As per the Bradley method, mothers tend to deliver babies by natural childbirth if they are helped by a supportive coach. Bradley method classes advocates the principle of nutrition and relaxation.

It has been observed that close to 85% of pregnant women who adhere to the Bradley technique have delivered babies by natural childbirth.

• Birthing from within method – This technique involves preparing the mother and the father of the baby on the pains and the process of child birth. Birthing from within prepares the parents mentally on natural birth thus alleviating a lot of nervous excitement in the mind of the mother.

There have been a lot of arguments on the advantages of natural birth. The objective of any type of childbirth is the same – to ensure a successful delivery of the baby and the good health of the mother.

Natural childbirth has its own set of advantages. Apart from preventing from the mother from being prone to the long-term side effects of medication and surgical intervention, it also may empower the mother with better parenting skills.

More and more parents are saving their baby’s cord blood. You can choose from private cord blood banking and public cord blood banking. Learn more at
http://www.babycordbloodresearch.com