The Benefits and Drawbacks to Using Scrapbooking Kits

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If you've never done scrapbooking before and is planning to start with the obsession, there is one sure way for you so as not to stumble into the common pitfalls most beginners have.

Scrapbooking kits are great ways to begin the craft with. They offer the basics for new crafters without having to spend much on them. Often, newbies have no idea of what would complete a page of an album or what theme to use for the entire album itself. With all the options set in their horizon, it is easy for them to get confused and be misled with choosing the "cool" and "pretty" stuffs.

By using scrapbooking kits, you are less susceptible to low confidence when making decisions. This often comes when the new scrapper hasn't honed his artistic capabilities yet. With the use of these materials, it is easier for the crafter to find his ways through training. These would let him see the possibilities of designs, themes and concepts to draw encouragement in setting their personal and innovative designs.

A scrapbooking kit works well too with people who have always loved the activity yet they are much too preoccupied with things of greater and immediate importance. Having a good combination of everything that you are expected to use can make it a lot easy to mount pictures and memorabilias into layouts without having to think much on the designs. Thus, you enjoy the fun of scrapbooking without having to take long hours typical for the obsession.

Obviously, since the materials in a kit are limited to those of the basics, your creativity too is very much limited. After all, if you would follow the lines that started from scrapbooking kits, you will see that it is linear. Experimentation are not as much welcomed therefore, limiting your creativity.

It is not to say that you have to make use of all the items found in the kit or that it you are strictly limited to those that you see. However, the normal reaction we have when we see the items designed t fit together, we tend not to use our imaginations anymore and be settled on what's within our sights.

There usually are specific uses for scrapbooking its. They normally work well for typical themes like birthdays, weddings, baby concepts and family themes. If you wish to create more diverse themes, kits won't get you through there. After all, they're only there to act as your training wheels. Once you've learned the curves, it would be more manageable for you to explore newer dimensions.

If you have plans of taking scrapbooking kits to newer heights, you can tray adding your own touches to them and use them for later projects. Atleast, now you already have fixed choices that you can work on to in case you find the hunch to start with an album. Keep in mind though that the package would coordinate well and will look good together when used.

Few of the basic things that should be found in your scrapbooking kit are as follows:

- A scrapbook or an album
- Papers (plain or patterned that has a common theme)
- Die cuts
- Stickers
- Ink and rubber stamp
- Any type of scissors
- Punchers
- Cardstocks
- Ruler
- Markers, pens and pencils
- Envelopes
- Adhesives
- Stencils
- Photos
- Any sort of embellishments

You may add many other things to these and be creative as to what to add. However, the only problem that you would have to deal with is the limit of your budget. Though scrapbooking may seem handy, the stuffs that you will be using would actually cause you to spend much. Especially when you have the strong urge of buying even those that you actually can't use.

As you walk your way through the scrapbooking shop, you should keep in mind the mental lists of everything that must be thrown into the basket. It is not a good practice to buy all things that you see nice. You need some planning or else, you'll find yourself dealing with problems on storage.

And please keep in mind that the common denominator among scrappers is their weakness on papers. Since this component takes the largest portion of use, we all fall in the trap of taking more than what we need.

The 10 Most Overused Digital Marketing Buzzwords

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If marketing is an art, content is the masterpiece!

You see, content drives sales, but it also creates buzzwords. According to Wikipedia, a buzzword is a word or phrase that becomes popular for a certain period of time.

To be more precise, these are words that appear in almost all marketing posts published on the internet.

Youve probably read them, and we cant promise that you are getting the last of them anytime soon!

So, anyway, here are 10 most overused buzzwords on the internet today.

Shall we?

#1. Viral

In an internet-less world, viral would mean bad news, because a life-threatening virus could be on the loose.

But in the Internet of Things, when something goes viral, marketers are almost always laughing all the way to the bank!

Marketers (and pretty much every who uses social media) use the term to describe an image, video, article or other content type that internet users just cant stop sharing.

#2. Deep Dive

No. This has nothing to do with swimming. Not even close to an inch of water.

In the world of digital marketing, taking a deep dive means youre about to go into the finest details of a certain topic.

Can we take a deep dive into the next buzzword?

#3. Millennial

Everything, and for good reason, revolves around millennials.

Being the largest living generation (and the most complicated consumers), marketers cant seem to have enough of this lot.

No one even remembers millennials are also called generation Y, because, well. Lets say millennial sounds better

#4 Netflix and Chill

Seriously, its 2017, but Netflix and chill is still a marketing sensation, albeit in the dating industry.

Technically, Netflix and chill happens when your love interest comes over for a love-making and Netflix-watching session (both happening at the same time!).

Theoretically, it could mean anything, from binge eating over Netflix, to bonding over Netflix!

#5. ROI (Return on Investment)

Once upon a time, ROI was a phrase used by investment professionals and corporate honchos.

Fortunately, it spilled over to the marketing world, and marketers are making a killing with it. Pull up a digital marketing blog on your browser and you will be extremely lucky to not find the acronym.

Beyond the buzz, ROI describes the efficiency and expected financial returns of a marketing program or campaign.

#6. Infographic

Marketers are always trying to invent new content formats to drive consumer engagement.

Infographic is one of the latest inventions that has really taken off and, as a result, a good share of the information we consume today is presented in visual charts.

#7. Thought Leader

No formal school offers courses in thought leadership, but that doesnt mean we cant have thought leaders.

These are professionals with authoritative and influential views on certain matters. This is a good thing, except for the fact that everyone who has hacked it in marketing or branding thinks theyre a thought leader.

#8. Big Data

Big data is a product of data science (which is also a buzzword).

Digital marketers use big data (large volumes of data) to make day-to-day marketing decisions.

Just listen to any marketer. The term big data has to feature in the first 100 words they speak!

#9. SoLoMo

Because, who has the time to say social media, local media and mobile apps in one sentence?

#10. Clickability

Hyperlinks are everywhere, and sometimes internet users love to click on them. When a link draws thousands (or millions) of clicks, marketers will tell you it has a high clickability.

In other words, the link in question is a gateway to super-awesome content.

In Conclusion

You probably cringe every time you spot a buzzword, but lets face it: they arent going to go away anytime soon!

Sure, some will die a natural death with time, but others like viral have been immortalized by social media!

What are your thoughts on these buzzwords? Any words or phrases youd like to be included in the list? Engage with us in the comments section!

The 5 Most Expensive BMW Cars of All Time

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Perhaps no three letters are as closely associated with luxury and class as BMW.

The automotive company has come a long way since its first car, the 1927 Dixi 3/15 PS DA-1, which maxed out at 75 miles per hour.

Now, BMWs are lightning fast and gorgeously sleek. Yet, to own some of the top models will cost you a pretty penny.

Today, were breaking down the five most expensive BMW cars of all time.

Have a few million dollars sitting around youve been itching to spin?  Lets take a look at what your money can get you:

1. The Most Expensive BMW: 1991 Nazca M12: $3 Million

Yes, you read that correctly.

The idea for this concept car was originally conceived by automobile designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, who came up with the model for engineering company Italdesign.

Though it never went into production, there were three Nazca M12s made. In 2011, one went up for auction for $1.1 million.

With its carbon fiber body and BMWs stellar V12 engine (the same in the 750i and 850i), experts estimate its value to have more than doubled now.

2. BMW M8: At Least $590,000

Kept under wraps for about 15 years, the BMW M8 became somewhat of a fable in the automotive industry.

The prototype, created in the early 1990s, was a fire-engine red stunner boasting 500+ horsepower and six-speed rear-wheel drive. At the time, it was the most tech-savvy car BMW had ever designed.

Yet, a fluctuating market and less-than-reliable demand meant it was destined to be kept under wraps, where it remained until 2010 when it was displayed in Munich.

While its valued at just under $600,000, the mystery swirling around the model lends itself to even higher estimates.

3. BMW X5 Le Mans Concept: $590,000

The oldest active sports car race in the world, Le Mans is the benchmark against which automobile manufacturers judge the speed, quality, and craftsmanship of their products.

In 1999, BMW won Le Mans with a high-power V12 engine.

The manufacturer then took that engine and ran with it: it incorporated it into its X5 series, an unlikely match considering the X5 is a luxury mid-sized SUV better suited for a family than the racetrack.

The resulting vehicle? An uber-strong and crazy fast BMW that could go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than five seconds.

Try taking that through the carpool lane or a BMW service center without turning some heads!

4. BMW M5 G-Power Hurricane RRs: $470,000

Looking for a sedan powered by an 830 horsepower V10 engine that can reach speeds of up to 231 miles per hour? The M5 G-Power Hurricane RRs delivers.

One of the fastest and most expensive BMW sedans ever created, its created in partnership with G-Power, the Bavaria-based car tuning manufacturer behind a few of the companys high-powered luxury vehicles.

5. BMW M5 G-Power Hurricane CS: Mid $400,000s

With a slightly lower output (and a lower price tag to match) the CS model boasts many of the same features as the RRs.

The V10 engine on this model is 750 horsepower. It also features a nine-way adjustable suspension, as well as carbon fiber seats, giving you all the power and agility youd expect from one of the most expensive BMW models.

Take Your Data to the Fast Lane

Looking to cash in on your car knowledge? We can help!

Whatever youre passionate about, well help you tell your story in an online format thats engaging, informative and draws readers in!

Sign up today to get started!

Steps On How To Make Soy Candles For Fundraiser Activities

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Most people love candles, and they just love collecting them for their homes. Collecting candles is a great idea but making candles is even better. Candle fundraiser activities have been known and used by many people for many purposes. Candles are easy to make, and you will enjoy it at the same time as raising money for a good cause.

Soy candles are best for candle fundraiser activities. They are much better and considered a healthier choice compared to the scented candles. Soy candles have benefits that can never be beaten by other types of candles. Soy candles can burn longer, up to about 50% longer than other candles because they burn slower. These candles are set at a lower heat temperature that is why the fragrance is distributed better.

Candle making is a fun activity and can make a great hobby. Your children and family members can even help you because they are easy to make.

First, you should have a mold in which the candles are formed. You can choose from cartons or metal molds and you can cut them to the desired height. If your children want to try making candles, they should start by making short candles because it will be easier for them to insert the molds into the wax.

Next, spray the inside part of your mold with silicone, or you can use a light wipe of vegetable oil. Then you cut a wick which is two to three inches longer than the mold. Attach a tab and stick it to the center of the bottom part of the mold with a little spread of melted wax. You can use a chopstick across the top of the mold so that it can be centered and straightened.
Now you need the wax. To find out how much wax you will need, you must pour water into the mold and mark the level you desire. After you have marked the level, you can empty the mold. Be sure to keep the mold dry. In melting the wax, the melting point should be from 130-150F but you can also set it to a temperature of 180-200F.

Now you can break the wax into chunks or you can pare it off so that it will melt faster. You can either melt your wax by making your own can which is placed inside a pot of water that is half full, or you can melt it in the top of a double broiler pan. If you use a can, make sure that it is not be too shallow because the can has the tendency to float. If it is shallow, the hot wax might spill. In order to prevent fire, you should keep baking soda on hand to toss on any flames that may flare up.

Then tip your mold a little so the wax can be poured down the side. Fill it to about an inch of your preferred level. You must keep the wax hot so that it stays melted. Watch the wax cool in the molds and your candle is ready. Soy candles use bees wax because they produce synthetic candles. You can apply drops of oils or vanilla to make the candle scented.

A Candle fundraiser is not that difficult to start. You just need the right materials and procedures in order to be successful in making your first candles for your fundraising activity.

Self-Motivation - Its like brushing your teeth

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Do you have the ability to do what needs to be done, without influence from other people or situations?

How many people, do you think, are self-motivated enough to find a reason and strength to complete a task, even when challenging, without giving up or needing another to encourage them?

Motivational speakers are cashing it in worldwide. But why in the world would a boss need to motivate employees? I know youll have a million good reasons as to why it is done, but think about it for a moment.

I can understand that you can increase SKILL level with on-the-job-training, but should one actually be hiring or training someone to be motivated at his or her job?

Heres my theory on this topic of SELF-MOTIVATION: On the one hand, the person is doing the job basically because there is some aspect to the job that is fulfilling and that he/she is passionate or cares about and they can make a living from it. Then, on the other hand, there is the person who cares only for the pay-cheque; they would rather be doing something else, but that "something else" is not bringing in the money like the "pay-cheque job", so they simply do the minimum.

Now, let me come back to my question I put to you in the beginning
Why in the world would you need to motivate employees?
The answer: because there are too many people who would rather be "doing something else" but they have become "addicted" to the paycheque. (Are you addicted to your pay-cheque?)

Gentle reader, are you self-motivated in your career path? Are you determined to be the best in your field of expertise and are willing to grow and learn, whatever it takes or whatever it might cost you? This question about self-motivation is an important question to ask.
Do not rely on friends, family or your boss to "pump you up" to meet targets or set personal goals. This is your task.

Here is the simple truth: People who have found their passion in life are by nature SELF-motivated. They stay on top of their industries and market trends. They are self-motivated to learn more about their job. In fact, they do not see their "job" as a job, but as a blessing to be able to learn and do more EVEN if they do not get recognition for it. They do not care about getting "appreciated" for their contribution - they are too busy focusing on their growth experience.

There are many tools you can use to help you get self-motivated. Books, seminars, mentors, role models, vision boards, etc, but you have to realize that it has to start from within. Meaning: It is a choice or a decision you make to be motivated each day. It is like brushing your teeth it is something you have to do each day and not skip.

You CANNOT allow, nor wait for people and circumstances to get you motivated and fired up. Simply, pick up the tools each day yourself and stay motivated. Be aware that a motivated person has the energy levels to far out-perform any colleague or competitor. Motivated people are ACHIEVERS and you wont find them procrastinating. They set their goals and achieve them with passion.

Rainy Day Crafts for Kids

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Bad weather days can keep your kids indoors, but television isn't the only answer to inactivity. Simple and fun craft projects that can be done with items you probably have around the house can easily become a fun family activity!

Edible Jewelry. This is a very creative and fun way to play with your food! You will need shoe string licorice (not the rope style, as the licorice will be the string) and goodies that have some sort of hole in them. Example would be: Cheerios, pretzels, gummy lifesavers, mini donuts and dried apple rings. String the items along the licorice 'thread' and tie the two ends together. You can make necklaces and bracelets!

Edible play dough. If you have young ones who tend to eat their play dough - this is a nice alternative. Mix together one half cup of honey, one half cup of smooth peanut butter and one cup of dried milk powder. Mix until you have the dough consistency you like, adding more powdered milk if it feels sticky. If you like, you can work in a few drops of food coloring at this stage. Then let the kids play with and eat it! This is meant for a single use, don't store this longer than one day.

Sponge stamps. For this, all you need is any type of sponges you can find. The more different the textures of sponges, the more fun the designs are. Just cut the sponges into different shapes with scissors. The kids can dip the sponge pieces into paint and create their own works of art. For more creativity, try gluing the sponge pieces onto a 3 inch paint roller.

Maracas. For home made maracas, all you need are paper plates, dried beans and tape. Give each child two paper plates. Have them color and decorate the bottom of the plates any way they wish. Fill one plate with about cup of dried beans, place the other plate on top, face down and tape together - making sure you seal all the way around. The hollow area creates the space for the beans to shake around and make noise!

Homemade clay. There are lots of recipes out there for homemade clay, this one is very easy, if a little messy! You will need, flour, 12 day old slices white bread (with the crusts removed), cup of white glue, food coloring. Tear the bread into chunks and put in bowl, add the glue and mix really well with your hand until it becomes a unified mass. Turn out onto a floured board and need until the clay is no longer sticky. You may need to add tiny bits of flour as you go. To color the clay, pull off a chunk and add a drop or two of food coloring. Knead well to incorporate the color. Let the kids form whatever designs they like, then air dry the pieces. It will take a day or two depending on how big the pieces are. Paint the dried clay designs if you like. Clean up with soap and water.

Pre and Post-Chemotherapy Care, and Detox with Clay

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Clay therapy, both internal and external, before treatments and during the crucial rest time between chemotherapy treatments is important. This detox strategy will assist the patient to recover and stabilize in time for the next treatment. After the chemotherapy treatments are finished, the critical convalescing period begins.

It should be noted that Calcium Bentonite Clay might allow some patients to complete the series of chemotherapy treatment that would otherwise withdraw before completion. This is where Calcium Bentonite Clay goes head-on against the dangerous accumulation of toxic waste and all the debilitating side effects.

Examples of this detox/healing process will start with topical oral hygiene: gums, mouth sores, tongue, lips, throat, etc. External will be the obvious skin problems: infection, fungus, yeast infection, etc.

1) Full Body Wraps Use daily with slightly warmed clay. Put some hydrated clay in a zip lock bag and put the bag in a sink of warm water for a few minutes. Apply head to toe and allow to dry in a warm room. Even a partial treatment, such as face or neck, an upper or lower body, or only legs and feet, would be of value to the stressed patient. However, a full-body treatment is an exceptional and favored tactic to dramatically reduce the flood of toxic poisoning that is overwhelming and literally choking the patients system. Wrap in a warm sheet if necessary while drying.

2) Detox Clay Bath Use twice a week. Sprinkle two cups clay powder and swish around as the bath water is filling. Soak for no more than 30 minutes. Drink water before and after the bath. You may use this method alone, or use after a full body wrap.

3) Clay Drink Drink Liquid Clay, 3 ounces, three times a day. Mix one part clay to 8 parts water. The recommended ounces can be added to juice or a smoothie. Make sure to drink plenty of water during the day as well. Drinking Calcium Bentonite Clay is great for settling and balancing a nauseous stomach, acid reflux, and stopping diarrhea.

4) Calcium Bentonite Clay Suppositories Use as needed. Clay suppositories aid in hemorrhoid, vaginal and anal fistula treatments, along with feminine hygiene needs. Take some hydrated clay and mix a little clay powder in it for a workable and firm consistency. Form into bullet-shaped suppositories and allow to dry slightly until firm enough to insert as a suppository. Re-wet suppositories to lubricate for insertion.

The cancer chemotherapy patient is in dire need of detoxification and wound healing which are provided by the soothing properties of Calcium Bentonite Clay. A patients whole system has been in a physical, emotional, and chemical wreck; the patient is totally exhausted and full of poison.

Antibiotics are of little value. The patients immune system is desperately depressed and in overload. It just cant deal with the bacterial and toxic assaults.

The body needs help to absorb and adsorb the mass of toxins and poisonous waste that any persons system isnt designed to handle. The ailing body needs assistance in searching out, capturing, and removing the destructive bacteria, which are growing by about one billion every hour.
It seems that clay has, among other properties, that of either stimulating a deficiency or absorbing an excess in the radioactivity of the body on which it is applied. On an organism that has suffered and still retains the radiations of radium or any other intensive radioactive source, the radioactivity is first enhanced and then absorbed. A clay could, in this way, ensure the protection of organisms over-exposed to atomic radiations. This radioactive effect has been researched: today when everyone is forcibly submitted to many artificially provoked radioactive aggressions, such as dust in the atmosphere from bomb testing, everything increasing this danger should be avoided. Experiments made with the Geiger counter have demonstrated that dry Clay absorbs a very important part of this surrounding radioactivity. [1]

Clay can absorb/adsorb infection in tissue, and acts as natures referee so your body can heal itself.

Remember, all clays are not alike. A good , pure Calcium Bentonite Clay cant be used incorrectly. Drink it, put it on your body, and bathe in it.

If taking life-sustaining medicines, check with your pharmacist to see if there is a conflict of medications. Allow 4-6 hours after taking medicine to take clay internally to make sure you have absorbed your medicine and that clay will not interfere with it.

1] This paragraph is taken verbatim from Earth Cures A handbook of Natural Medicine for Today Raymond Dextreit Translated and Edited by Michel Abehsera, A Citadel Press Book Published by Carol Publishing Group Edition 1997, Page 13

Perception Is Projection

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Why is it that two people watching the same accident have two totally different accounts of what just occurred? They both saw the same accident-yet, they processed two very different versions.

According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in the book Flow: The Psychology Of Optimal Experience, we take in 2 million pieces of information per second, yet we can only process 134 bits per second. How then do we determine which 134 bits of information to focus on? We choose those 134 bits of information based on our values, beliefs, attitudes, past experiences, memories and how we process information.

To illustrate this point, lets have some fun.
Look around the room you are currently in and notice all the items in the room that are colored white (for some of you this might be easy, for others you may have to really look carefully for "white" items).
Now, close your eyes and try to remember all the items in the room that were the color "black". Notice how challenging this task is given that I directed you to look for the colour "white".
Now, open your eyes and look around the room and notice just how many "black" colored items you missed when asked to recall them. There are just as many "black" items now that you are noticing them as there was when you were only searching "white" items. The only thing that changed was the focus you were giving to the two different colours.

This is just one example of how differently two people might see their respective worlds.

How do you see the world?
Are you a glass half full person or are you a glass half empty person?
What is the first thing you see, hear or feel in any situation?
Are you looking for and noticing the positive side of things or do you gravitate towards the negatives, the risks and what is wrong with the situation.

Both scenarios are present the positive and the negative-you, the observer, gets to choose how to interpret the situation.

Oh sure, you have your reasons for seeing things a certain way. We all have baggage we carry around with us that affects how we view the world. To quote Dr. Phil, "how is that working for you?" If it's working and you are truly happy in every area of your life, great. However, if there is any area of your life that isnt working, look at how you might change your perception of the situation so that you are experiencing the most positive 134 bits out of the 2 million bits of information available.

Here are 5 steps to help you more positively focus your attention:
1. Ask yourself What perspective you are currently holding as you evaluate a particular situation.
2. Ask yourself What other perspectives are possible that you may not have considered to this point.
3. Ask yourself Which perspective would offer you the best and highest positive potential for an optimal outcome.
4. Holding the best and highest positive potential perspective What are some actions you could take.
5. Go ahead and take positive action!

Your world is a mirror that reflects back to you what you are seeing, hearing, feeling and sensing. Your perception truly is a projection of what is going on in your inner world. Heres the good news-you get to choose how you interpret any situation. So choose wisely.

Meet New Age Medicine Healing Techniques

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As time is moving, things are changing dramatically, people from allover in the world inventing new things day in day out. Its with no doubt that in every corner something is being invented. For instance, healing techniques have been the main focus to many in local areas and beyond by scientist and spiritual leaders. Individuals and their affiliates aim to develop and come up with new and effective methods to assist you live abundant, healthy and happy life. Thus, the following techniques are hereby evaluated to cease old patterns distorted thoughts and fear and bring light methods that are highly innovative and effective that you will absolutely live to like and enjoy.

In the past there were more hideous techniques which are mostly called wild or out there methods which are positively overtaken by modern techniques new age medicine . One of the most popular is massage therapy. The massage therapist would do several kinds of massage like polarity or reflexology and other massage methods of energy balancing .Consulting the therapist is an essential so as to know which method and treatment to apply on your body .In many times ,people would use polarity therapy. It was discovered by a member of occult orientated mystic bible in decades ago. This method is either to add or to extract energy from your body. This can be done by exercise, dieting, gentle massage, thought & attitude, love and manipulation. Its discovery was after believes that people create their own problems by either negative thinking or negative emotions that affects and accelerate diseases at the subtle fields.

The other technique is aromatherapy/brainwave technology. This it a more unique way of healing where the patient is forced to inhale essential and special oil from flowers, aromatic woods and herbs. This helps him/her to regain the mind, spirit, soul, body to normal. Also, sound can be used to heal. Its believed that every body part corresponds to certain sound vibration .For example; use of unnatural sounds like motor sounds and other machine sounds has great effect. However, music sounds are well known for this meditative and soul soothing.

Healing with color is another well-known method. As numbers are used in numerology, colors also used the similar way. It applies by either eating fruits with healing colors or by wearing clothes that initiate and match with positive colors. In additional, use of machine is common way of healing that is well known as Biofeedback. You can control you muscles, brains waves, movement by responding to a machines information and learn to go into a more conscience way. And after certain period of time you get trained thus leaving the machine.

The other most popular method it known as Reading Auras, through brainwave technology. This is believed that there is an eggshell shaped energy that surrounds the body. As like colors, practitioners can read ones aura detect and determine a disease before it hurts. All these healings techniques are about believes and shall have power and heal. They work and bring credible results than ever expected.

Keep Your Mind at Ease with a Stress Journal

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At first, feeling stressed may seem pretty normal.

After all, who isnt stressed in the UK these days? However, it can be harmful if left untreated.

According to stats from the Labor Force Survey, stress was a factor in 37% of all work-related health cases from 2015-2016. It also accounted for 45% of all working days lost.

Some people use aromatherapy, copper, and other tools to handle stress. However, many still struggle with it. You need a proactive way of combating stress.

Use A Stress Journal

A stress journal is a simple way for you to manage your feelings of stress in a healthy, proactive way. Think of it as a one-person therapy session you can have at any time.

Using a stress journal is simple. All you have to do is write down a record your feelings of stress. Eventually, youll identify patterns in your stress. This way, you can find ways to reduce stressful behaviors.

You may not have ever kept a diary, but keeping a journal could be the key to getting your stress under control. Its not about the quality of your writing, its about putting your feelings on paper.

Articulate Feelings

Do you ever have trouble explaining to people why youre stressed?

Verbal communication may not work best for you, but journaling gives you an outlet for complicated feelings.

If you have trouble verbalizing and vocalizing how you feel, writing those feelings down can help you to better identify how you feel. Imagine finally being able to pinpoint your feelings of stress.

It will do wonders to boost your mood!

Process Emotions

Do you ever feel like you have trouble dealing with your feelings? Everyone has different ways of dealing with stress.

Some smoke or buy cigarettes online UK, while others get massages. Once youve found a stress relief method that works for you, why not try to expand your arsenal? Having a variety of ways to handle your stress ensures youll always stay in touch with your emotions and that your methods remain effective.

If youre stressed out and upset, finding a way to process difficult feelings can be hard. A stress journal will give you time to reflect on your feelings.

Having a bad client call or a fight with your spouse may feel awful, but it isnt the end of the world.

Taking time to write down your feelings and being able to reflect on them is crucial for managing stress. It may also help you to put your problems into perspective.

Identify Stressors

When youre stressed out, it can be easy to attribute certain frustrations and feelings to the wrong cause. Keeping a journal may help you make a breakthrough to discover exactly why youre feeling so stressed out.

You may think that meetings with your boss stress you out. But after looking through a few weeks of entries, you find that talking to a certain coworker before meetings make you more stressed than simply talking to our boss.

Dealing with stress is important. However, finding the cause for that stress is just as crucial. Once you sort through your journal, you may find that your stress is being caused by something youd never even thought of.

Stress Journals: Wrapping Up

How do you deal with stress?

Do you have ways to handle stress that have helped you in the past? Tell our readers about it in the comments section!

Introducing New Partner Too Fast, Too Soon

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Even though a spouse may have contemplated separation for years prior to informing their partner, to the partner, the news comes as a shock, even in view of a tumultuous relationship. For the children, the shock is often even greater.

To intensify matters befalling the children, the spouse who is emotionally further along the separation process may already have or may soon have a new significant other. If the relationship to that significant other developed prior to separation, the likelihood of the children taking to that person will be remarkably diminished. If the relationship comes after the separation, but before the child has an opportunity to emotionally and psychologically adjust, the likelihood of the child taking to the new person is also quite diminished.

A parent may view the separation as an event, but to the child, the separation is a process. A childs mourning and grieving the loss of their parents marriage typically takes months to years. The process is similar to the adjustment of a death and include; denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

The child cannot believe the change in circumstance. It confronts their belief that they lived in and would continue to live in an intact family. This is true even in cases where a child is worried about their parents marriage. Worry does not equal a desire for a parental separation even if they tell you so. Worry generally means they want the parents to improve and stabilize their marriage.

When it becomes increasingly apparent that the marriage will not or is not surviving, the child feels emotionally betrayed and is hurt and angry. This may be expressed directly to a parent, or indirectly though a change in behaviour. As the child sorts out their anger, he or she may next seek to improve the parental relationship with the secret view of helping them reconcile. The childs attempts may only be in their own head by harbouring thoughts, or by action whereby they make attempts to alter parents or their very own behaviour as a strategy for reunification. As their attempts are unsuccessful, the child feels thwarted, impotent and unempowered. The gravity of the situation weighs in as well as their sense of personal futility to help their parents. The child is thus depressed. Sometime thereafter, they come to accept the change in family status and are amenable to moving on. They complete their psychological and emotional adjustment.

Introducing a new partner prior to the childs adjustment causes the child to recoil against the new partner. The new partner is seen as a threat to the childs secret wish for the parents to reunite. To intensify matters, the degree to which the new partner is thrust upon the child, the greater the childs recoil and resentment. Thus while the parent cannot understand why their child wont accept or acts mean spiritedly to the new partner, the child is simply coping with an assault to their adjustment process. The child is not far enough along the adjustment process to tolerate the introduction of any new partner, regardless of the qualities that partner brings.

Demands for the childs respect or obedience to the new partner only makes matters worse and runs the risk of a life-long fracture, not only between child and potential stepparent, but between the child and that parent.

To minimize the risk of these conflicts, parents are advised to wait to form new relationships until after the child has adjusted, easily over a year post-separation. If a new relationship has been formed prior to the childs adjustment, expect the child to take at least a year to several, before the child is fully able to accept this new person. Resist early introductions to be sure the new relationship is in fact stable and ongoing. Resist cohabiting within the first year to minimize the risk of the child feeling overwhelmed and confronted by the change. The new person should also resist assuming a parental role until the child has adjusted to the parental separation.

If you have already gone too fast, too soon, you may be dealing with the fallout. Slow down and back off. Forcing a relationship likely didnt work for your first marriage; so dont expect it to work for your new partner and your child. Adjustment takes time.

How to Make Warhammer 40k Craters

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Craters usually comes as a result of huge explosion brought by bombs, meteors, or volcanic eruptions. In our modern world we can see craters when a bomb explode. We seldom see a crater created by a falling debris coming from the sky because this will leave a very big crater.

But in the Warhammer 40K universe they are an everyday thing so it is unusual if you cannot see a crater. It is therefor a common occurrence to see craters made by things landing from the sky. Lets put as example a dent a lascannon would leave if it hit the ground.

Materials List
- polystyrene (styrofoam)
- utility knife
- PVA glue (white glue)
- plaster
- toilet paper
-paint brush

PAINTS
- acrylic black
- tin bitz (dark gray/brown)
- graveyard earth (dark brown)
- bestial brown
- snakebite leather (light brown)
- camo green

Step 1 Prepare base

As the saying goes "there are many ways to kill the cat", we can say also that there are many things that we can actually use for creating the base. It is up to you what would be the best material to be use. A piece of thin wood or thin styrofoam will best fit the work. But for this project we use thin wood.

Step 2 Cut out crater bits

Creating a crater bits will be easy as taking the candy from a baby, simply grab the styrofoam and cut out small triangular wedges.

Step 3 Glue wedges

By using a PVA glue (white glue) stick all the wedges you cut out and stick all together to the thin wood that we created for the base. In gluing the wedges, to create a unique look into the crater try to alternate the wedges or leave a space between each wedge.

Step 4 Fill in gaps

After you glue the wedges, you can see that in every wedge there is a gap, fill the gaps between the wedge using a plaster. But if you have a putty you can use it in filling the gaps.

Step 5 paper mache you crater

If you know how to paper mache then this will not cause you any trouble or delay.

Using strips of toilet paper and watered down glue you can now begin to paper mache your crater.

The purpose of the paper mache is you will keep the plaster protected so that it won't chip off easily. The paper mache also gives for a more earthly look on the crater.

Step 6 Base coat

For the base coating just prime the crater with acrylic black paint.

Step 7 painting layers

After the base coating dries up its time to paint and finish the job. Actually there a lot of combination or painting layers to be use. These are our suggested layers to use. Begin with tin bitz (dark gray/brown), and then dry brush with graveyard earth (dark brown). Next dry brush bestial brown and then snakebite leather. Lastly, dry brush a final layer of camo green to give a mossy effect.

And there you have it! Nice, realistic looking craters made easy.

How to Know Your Local Dispensary is High-Quality

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When Fox news called Colorado the Black Market when it legalized marijuana, shouldnt it have been called the Green Market? As soon as the states law went into effect, cannabis dispensary after cannabis dispensary sprung up, showering the state with green of the pot and the financial kind.

With all the choices in Colorado and across the country, you want to make sure youre selecting a high-quality local dispensary. Read on to find out how to see whether your corner store is a place where you should be shopping more.

How to Know Your Cannabis Dispensary is High-Quality

Whether your town has one single outpost or dispensaries are now growing like you-know-what on each block, from a high level, they all sort of seem the same. They sell cannabis products, plus accessories, right? What else is there?

Quite a bit, actually. Here are some tips to determine whether your dispensary is a match for you:

Location, Location, Location

How far would you go for a good high?

This one factor alone can determine whether your cannabis dispensary is going to be a match. Convenience can mean a lot of things, including:

Is the dispensary close to your home, work, gym, or another facility you frequent?
Is it open hours that are convenient to your schedule?
Is the parking lot accessible?
Is the location safe? Some dispensaries have found a home in less-than-savory areas because those are the customers they cater to. But you may not want to run a gamut of homeless people or encounter drug supplies just to buy a baggie.

Fortunately, as more dispensaries join the ranks, you can search them out online. Find a site that is specifically dedicated to your state and enter your zip code. Some sites offer additional options to narrow your search such as particular strains or offerings (such as edibles, pipes, etc).

Keep in mind that if youre traveling, you can use site locators, too. Just make sure to comply with that states rules. You may live in a state which has legalized pot, but if you dont have a medical license and youre visiting a state which requires them, you may be out of luck. (And out of pot.)

Super Selections

The idea of having a wide variety (a cannabis buffet, if you will) isnt necessarily a way to tell if your cannabis dispensary is high quality. But it CAN be.

Its sort of like the jack of all trades idea. You dont want your dispensary to have so much supply that the workers cant help and advise you about your choices because they cant even handle whats in stock.

But it would also be nice if you had enough selection to sample around, try new things, experiment a bit, when the idea calls.

Is the Price Very Nice?

Price doesnt always indicate high quality, but its what some of the cooler dispensaries are doing that shows their dedication to happy customers

Maybe your local dispensary has a senior discount or contributes to charity.

Some cannabis dispensaries have specials throughout the month, buy 4 get 1 free deals, themes and giveaways, and of course, celebrations on April 20, the unofficial national pot day. (Thats 420, the stoner code.)

Meet the Cannabis Dispensary Budtenders

As soon as you walk in the doof of most dispensaries, youre greeted by whats now coined as the budtender. In fact, according to Leafly, a marijuana news site, marijuana buyers spend 90 percent of their time with the shops budtenders, and these folks can really make or break a store.

Budtenders are not just stoners who want a job that allows them to smoke up on company time.

They actually care about this stuff, big time, and they can really help you.

High-quality cannabis dispensaries will have high-quality help. They can answer so many questions for you about the products such as:

How much THC is in this versus CBD?
How fast does this high come on?
Is this filled with shatter?
Will this help my back pain?

Budtenders are also your go-to option to talk! Yes, they actually want to (and if they just try to take your money and rush you out the door, GO out the door, and never go back!). Theyre excited to talk up new products and even share their own experiences.

In light of legalization, there are even budtender certification programs now. But dont hold this against your cannabis dispensary or your favorite worker. Most shops do not require the certification. Good knowledge and superior customer service still win the day.

Higher Quality, Higher Percentages, Higher High

Even if youre new to cannabis, youve probably heard that a lot of the quality of the high comes from something called a concentration of the cannabis.

One way that cannabis aficionados know they can get a good strain (and the higher the concentration, the higher the high) is from a high-quality dispensary.

In fact, though weed bought from the streets or a private dealer may be cheaper, it is often weaker. (So your money may go farther, but youre going to need more marijuana to keep your high, which will, in turn, cost more money.)

An article published by Northwestern University showed that local dispensaries offer concentrations at about 18 percent where what youll get on the street is just six percent.

Looks Are Everything

Just kidding!

But when youre going to enjoy some legal weed, why not do it in a place that contributes to the beauty and good will you may feel from toking up?

Some cannabis dispensaries are going for the high-quality look by investing in their digs with improvements such as:

Rustic building materials
Calming, soothing color choices
Soft, welcoming seating (note: whether or not you are welcome to consume your purchases in the store will vary depending on the shop and the states laws)
High, airy ceilings to give a feeling of space
Hipster choices such as graffiti walls
Nods toward pot culture, such as the pineapple-themed Pineapple Express, coined after the major marijuana-positive movie of the same name

Compassionate Sharing

Has your state legalized marijuana?

What do you do to ensure youre getting the best quality from your cannabis dispensary?

Maybe you have a favorite budtender or a certain strain that is always a slam dunk.

Share with us here by posting suggestions and tips on. Sharing is caring!

How to Be the Expert Commentator in the Press

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News is made up of many different components most important of all it should contain something new. But it will also have some facts and figures, some human interest, perhaps elements of conflict, sex, death and money (one of which is rarely far from the surface of most stories) and invariably it will contain expert opinion.

Expert opinion provides the insight and the context for stories. Journalists rely on independent commentators to explain what it all means or to provide an opinion. Often that opinion will represent one side of an argument and another expert will be sourced to balance up the article with a view from the opposing side.

Understanding the basic structure of news is essential if companies are to work effectively with the media. The role of the PR agency is to help companies work with the media and present them and their work in a way that is accessible for journalists and helps them do their job.

Organisations are built on expertise and staffed by experts. In some cases that expertise is unique to that organisation because of the products and services involved. However, in most cases the benefit of the expert commentator for the media does not come from their unique viewpoint, but from the ability to communicate in an effective, timely and insightful way.

Your company may not be the only widget manufacturer in the world but you can still be the first port of call when a journalist is writing about widgets.

The benefits of being an expert commentator in the press can be considerable. It showcases you and your organisation as experts and potentially the leaders in your field. It also helps people see exactly what you do, the issues you are passionate about and the value that you could potentially add.

So how do you become an expert commentator in the press? The following steps explain how to build a PR programme around your expertise:

Awareness

Clearly, journalists need to know you exist, understand what you do and most importantly how you can help them. What is it that you know that could add value to a journalist? The best way to start is by meeting journalists suggest a lunch or a coffee and plan what you want to talk about.

Credible and authoritative

Build up your credentials perhaps you are professionally qualified, have won awards or have some unique experiences that journalists should know about. What are the things that mark you out as a leader in your field?

Insightful and timely

Having established that you could be a credible commentator you then need to demonstrate your skills. Look for opportunities to comment on relevant issues and do it regularly. Timing is everything. If you want to comment on a story or an issue you need to make it clear to the press that you are available for comment. The easiest way to do this is to issue a comment. This doesnt need to be a three page press release it can be two paragraphs of quotes on an email attributed to your spokesman.

Think of it as a free sample. If you are trying to sell something you need to let people know that you are in the market and let them see your wares. In effect you are saying to a journalist we want to comment on this story please consider us when you are writing about this subject.

Often there is very limited time available to get your comment in when a big story breaks. The newsroom will be chaotic and your chance of getting through to the right journalist before anyone else could be reduced. In these situations it can be best to make a pre-emptive strike. If you know that an issue is coming up then start posting your comment before the news actually breaks. That way you look like you are ahead of the game, more informed than your competitors and are being helpful by giving the journalist a heads-up before the event. It also clearly indicates to the journalist that you are available for comment.

Available

It follows that if you want to deal with the press and be a trusted spokesperson for them, you need to make yourself available. News happens around the clock and the best expert commentators make it clear to journalists that they can be contacted at any time. Give them your mobile number and any other contact information that will help to reassure that you are open for business.

Be responsive

It doesnt mean you have to shoot from the hip with an opinion the minute a journalist comes on the line. It is perfectly acceptable to ask for a couple of minutes to check the facts and get back to them. Just make sure you deal with the query promptly and do what you said you would do.

Colourful

Make sure your comment is interesting. Plan what you want to say but then think about how to make your comment more colourful by using analogies or examples. And practice your soundbites and key messages. Be pithy and succinct and make sure you emphasise the key points and then back them up.

Hate Your Job or Manifest A New One

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Many people spend their entire lives working jobs that they hate. Feelings of fear and insecurity lead them to do whatever is deemed necessary for survival. However, in this world of endless possibilities, there is no real reason for a person to waste their life away by waking up each day to do something that makes them feel bad.

Once you understand that you are completely empowered to harness the unlimited potential of the Universal laws, you may be more apt to let go of insecurities. You may also be more apt to create your dream job opportunity once you realize that you are 100% capable of doing just that. This doesnt mean you should walk out of your job tomorrow. After all, Law of Attraction is not summoned by your actions. It responds to the vibration of your thoughts. Therefore, my first recommendation is that you begin creating your new job by appreciating the job you currently have.

When you are appreciating, you are in a state of allowing Law of Attraction to bring forth all that you desire. Therefore, I am challenging you to start appreciating your job even if your boss is unfair, you dont get along with your co-workers, youre underpaid, or youre overworked. There is never any benefit to you in focusing on the negative aspects of your work (or any other situation). Your thoughts of frustration, anger, and discontentment will only prolong your unfavorable experience with this job. Furthermore, the negative results of those resistant thoughts will follow you to your new job and even spill over into other areas of your life. Ask yourself if it is worth it.

If you need a little help with changing how you think and feel about your job, try this simple exercise for cleaning up the resistance that is hindering your advancement.

Go to a quiet place where you can be alone without interruptions for at least a half hour
Take out 3 sheets of paper (more if you choose)
Write at the top of each sheet I Appreciate ____________ or I Love__________
Think of some things, people, or places that you truly love or appreciate (a dog, a type of flower, a child, a vacation spot, etc.)
On the first sheet, begin writing all of the things that you love or appreciate about one person, place, or thing you thought of in the previous step. Notice how good youre feeling inside as you do this.
On the second sheet, do this for a second person, place, or thing. Write everything as it flows from you, continuing to notice how good you are feeling as you write.
Now that you are feeling better, start thinking of things that you appreciate or love about your job. Write them on the next sheet of paper. You dont have to come up with a long list, but come up with as much as you can.
Take some time to look over the things that youve written in the previous step. Hold onto this sheet of paper because youll want to refer back to it often.

Once youve had a chance to practice feeling better about your job, you have changed your point of attraction. Youve reached a state of allowing Law of Attraction to manifest your desires. Now, your work is to continue offering thoughts that match the positive vibration of your improved feeling. Whenever you find yourself focusing on the undesirable aspects of your work, replace those thoughts with the ones you wrote down in step 7 of the above exercise. This is deliberate creation-- using your thinking to create the reality that you want.

As Law of Attraction brings new thoughts to match your elevated vibration, you will begin to notice that it is easier to think positively about your current job. And as these improved thoughts become your dominant thoughts, you will begin experiencing mini-manifestations that match what you really want. Enjoy and appreciate every manifestation, for this is the way to keep them flowing. Youll find yourself in the right places at the right times. People who can help with your career will be drawn to you. Youll attract all types of opportunities that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. This is the unfolding of what you have asked the Universe to bring into your life. And your desire will be fully realized if you will only maintain your positive focus. Your perfect work experience awaits you.

Great Gifts for Seniors Living in Senior Apartments This Christmas

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Dont just grab a gift card impulsively at the grocery store next to the impulse smut magazines or candy bars. Think long and hard about the gifts you are getting for the seniors in your life. Think about their personal hobbies, interests and tastes. Do they have a senior apartment or do they live in a house? Do they have a dog or a cat they dote over? What about sports or clubs they are apart of? If you think hard about just who they are all about, you will discover there are many more gifts then you could ever afford that are out there waiting to be discovered. Here are a few suggestions to help you decide just what the seniors in your life may need.
Hobbies What are their hobbies? Do they collect porcelain dolls? Famous peoples autographs? Perhaps they are big scrapbooking fans or quilters? Once you have made a list of their hobbies, think about all the gift items that come with hobbies- there are endless options. From glass cabinets to hold precious antiques to scrapbooking boxes and special stickers, there are several options to choose from- there is even stores devoted to people with hobbies. If the senior in your life has a hobby, there will be something you can get for them they will certainly enjoy. Plus, when you give a gift that says you paid attention to their hobby- perhaps a large part of their life, you are saying, yes, I pay attention, I know this makes you happy.

Pets Perhaps nothing is more fun then shopping for the senior in your life through their pets. Bird, dog or cat, there are huge mega-stores devoted to peoples passion for their pets. Getting the seniors in your life a new cat toy, dog outfit or bird feeder will bring so much happiness. What about paying for a weekend worth of doggie daycare so that they can go on a trip- or better yet, offer to watch the animals yourself? Another option is a trip to the doggie day spa- what a fun trip to make together. Watch their eyes light up as they watch their pooch get a shampoo, nails clipped and hair cut.

Travel Tickets for two, no matter if it is on the train, plane or on a cruise, travel is good for every age. Any senior in your life will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Experience What about tickets to the theater, museum or cheese factory tour? Look around your own city and before you know it, youve glanced past several companies that offer tours, wine tasting, plays, musicals, glass blowing classes, photography, golf or swim aerobic lessons! Most seniors are trying to minimize the clutter in their lives and often prefer an experience over a physical gift any time. Plus, when you give an experience- you also give them a precious memory they can relive over and over again.

About the author: Melissa Peterman is a web content specialist for Innuity For more information regarding senior apartment, go to Great Places.

Great Conversation Starter Questions For Every Situation

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Are you comfortable with walking up to someone and starting a conversation? Can you get people talking again when they have descended into eerie silence? If you answered no to either of these questions, you might benefit from learning a few more conversation starter questions.

Dont worry! You are in good company as many people do not feel themselves to be a natural conversation starter; questions many people can quickly think of often seem boring or inappropriate.

The ability to be able to make good conversation easily relies upon being able to ask the right questions at the right time in order to stimulate discussion. And the good news is that you can learn the art of starting a conversation and build up your own little stock of conversation starter questions which will give you a helping hand in many situations.

With the right conversation starter questions you will find it easy to begin conversations with people and this will really boost your confidence. The questions should be quite simple ones so that people can understand them and feel that they are able to answer them. Most of the useful questions that you can ask are open questions.

However, it is fine to ask closed questions so long as they are on a topic which evoke feelings, since then they are unlikely to be met simply with a yes or a no in answer.

Which questions you use may differ according to the situation and the person you are talking to, so the conversation starter questions have been loosely grouped into certain situations, in order to give you some guidance.

Conversation Starter Questions Appropriate for Talking to Clerks and Other Staff:

1. Has business been busy today?
2. Have you worked here long?

To Your Neighbor on an Airplane:

1. Do you fly very often?
2. Are you going on vacation or for business?

To a Classmate:

1. Are you enjoying the class?
2. I wonder what the exams will be like?
3. What do you think the tutor will be like?

To People You Are at a Function With:

1. So you have a child in the show?
2. How is you meal?
3. How do you know our hosts?

The above questions are suitable for people that will either be complete strangers or people who you know only a little. The basic knack there is to ask questions about the immediate situation in which you find yourselves, since you know that you have at least that in common.

The next list of conversation starter questions is more appropriate for people whom you see most of the time but may not be particularly close friends with, such as colleagues or classmates in a regular class.

1. What did you think about.? (a recent news event)
2. How was your meeting/class?
3. How are you doing?
4. How are things going with (the essay, the project, something you know they are engaged in at the moment)?
5. I like your (item of clothing, hairstyle etc); where did you get it?

Conversation Starters for People that you would like to Know Better:

1. How do you like to spend your free time?
2. Do you enjoy? (a favorite hobby of yours)
3. What do you enjoy about ? (whatever you are engaged in doing together at the moment)
4. If you could change one thing about your life, what
5. would you change?

Dont worry if you dont understand any of the responses which you get; just simply ask for clarification. A simple Im sorry, I didnt quite understand that will usually suffice.

So you can see how useful conversation starter questions are; now hopefully you can also see how they neednt be difficult to think of.

Glass Mosaic Tile Art Creating Mosaic Tables

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How do you create lovely stained glass mosaic tables? Once you know these basic steps, your creativity can take over. If you want something truly unique in a mosaic table, forget the many common styles of round mosaic bistro tables on metal stands that look they were produced on an assembly line. Instead, try integrating a beautiful stained glass design onto the table top of a piece of real-wood furniture.

Start with an unfinished table from a local or online store that deals in unfinished furniture. If you buy online, shop around because you can oftentimes find the same products in a wide price range. Search for "unfinished furniture" and you'll get tons of hits. The pieces that I buy are usually made of parawood, which is a hard wood from the Malaysian rubber plantations. Its density compares to birch or ash and its strength rates the same as maple.

Stain, seal, and finish the table with high-quality products. Use rags or paintbrushes to apply the stain and topcoat. If using rags, I suggest wearing plastic gloves. Check your local super center for a box of a ga-zillion of them for only a few bucks. They're cheap, but they work. Wood furniture can also be painted for dramatic results. For example, white is a nice color for breezy, beachy decors. The protective topcoat over stain or paint can be gloss, semi-gloss, or satin, depending on your preference.

Prepare the table top to receive the stained glass by painting it with white primer. The white color helps make the stained glass look bright and beautiful when laid in-place. Although a piece of stained glass may appear opaque, it oftentimes is merely translucent and the white background of the table top helps keep the glass color bright. Draw the stained glass pattern directly on the painted table top.

Following the pattern, measure and cut each piece of stained glass using the appropriate tool, which depends on the piece's shape and complexity. Grind the edges of each piece to remove all sharp edges. This ensures exposed edges on the tabletop are blunt so no one can injure themselves when dusting, wiping, cleaning, or otherwise using the tabletop. Most online stained glass stores offer decent glass grinders between $90 and $150. Sometimes the local hobby store has them for sale at half price. You don't need the heavy-duty, industrial-strength, super-duper grinder that costs $250. The cheap $100 unit is usually just fine for the average glass crafter. If you work with stained glass and glass tiles, then you ought to bite the bullet and buy a glass grinder.

When all the stained-glass pieces are in-place, apply the grout. After the grout cures, apply a high-quality grout sealer to help protect the grout color from dirt and spills. After the sealer thoroughly dries, clean and buff the glass with paper towels or a clean, soft cloth.

For a nice added touch, sign the furniture piece on the bottom side of the tabletop using a permanent felt-tip pen. The result is a beautiful piece of art that serves a functional purpose in the home or office. Each piece of stained glass mosaic furniture is truly unique, even when using the same pattern because no two glass pieces can be hand-cut exactly the same.

Giving it Away is Great

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Giving it Away Is Great

I guess I always knew that it really was better to give than to receive but recently I have been reminded yet again of the power of this simple action. When I published my second book, "The Walker on the Cape", my first full book of fiction I was a little fearful of what the reaction would be for this work in the great wide world. This was a stretch for me. I have been comfortably writing about work and workplaces for the last fifteen years and I had already published a self-help book on this topic which was generally well-received.

I had written a few short stories, mostly for myself that I shared with family and a couple of close friends but now I was out there in a genre, mystery and crime, that had many, many excellent writers, and just as many ardent critics. I feared that my work wouldn't be seen as worthy to share the same bookshelves as these other authors, and that readers would see me as a fraud or a charlatan. With the active support of my life partner and children I finally took the plunge, got a publisher and set my little paper boat off on its voyage.

Having been through the publishing process once I at least knew the ropes and where to submit my work to try and get attention but something inside of me suggested a different approach that trying to cajole a handful of influential editors and reviewers to recommend my book. I would still do that but in addition it came to me that I should give my book away. Not all of the copies, obviously, my family and I still had to eat, but to give away copies of "The Walker on the Cape" to a number of people without asking a lot in return.

So when my book came out I decided to purchase an extra 100 copies of my book at the discounted author's price and to give them away. 25 copies to the usual suspects of book reviewers and editors as usual, but the other 75 I decided to give to friends, family and even to some strangers. To this second 75 I asked only that they read the book. If they liked it they could tell me. If they really liked it they could buy another copy and give it as a gift to a friend.

The most interesting thing that happened next was the reaction of the "non-business" people who received the book. My family were of course grateful to receive the book without a lot of conditions and pleadings to buy as many copies as possible. My friends, some of whom I had not seen in a long time were happy to receive the book and almost every single one contacted me to tell me that. Many of them immediately bought another copy and one person bought five so that he could repeat the magical experience with five others.

The hardest books to give away were the ones that I set aside to give people who I knew could not afford to buy them. Many did not want to admit this and I respect that. I was just trying to give a gift and perhaps they were not used to that in their day to day lives. I have decided to give the last few copies I have left to local libraries whom I'm hoping can make them available and free to more members of the public.

All in all this is and was a fabulous experience. Out of a small decision that I do not take credit for coming up with I have received smiles, thank you's, encouragement and love. No amount of money could have bought this and it came about just because I decided to give something away. It truly is better to give than to receive.

During the Interview, It's Not About You

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When I hear people talking about the hiring process, what they are really relating to me is their WIIFM. Since they are the jobseeker, it must be about them. Right? However, for every interviewee, there is an interviewer, the person who is offering the job.

Most people approach job seeking with the goal of providing as much information about themselves as possible, making sure the person they are interviewing with knows how skilled they are. They list previous jobs, awards and community volunteer projects they have accomplished. All of this screams Me, Me, Me. Yet there are hundreds of Me's out there today. The DOL statistical average is just over 6 applicants for every job. Back around 2001, it was 1.1 jobs for every applicant. Times are different now and Me, Me, Me will not work.

If it's not Me, Me , Me, then what will work today? Actually, it's the same thing that has always worked. Having the employer see you as solving a problem that they have. In the past, the problem might have been that XYZ Company needed computer programmers and they couldn't find them because everyone was hiring computer programmers. Today, the needs of the employer and the problem you would be solving may be more subtle. And employers have the luxury of meeting many applicants for each position offered.

If you are applying for a dental technician's job, you are really applying to be one of the family. The Dentist interviewing you is looking at how well you will fit on with the rest of the staff. He or she is asking themselves, "will this candidate understand my customer service philosophy and take care of my patients the same way I would? Will they be great ambassadors of my business away from work as well as while they are in my office? Are they interested in learning, in keeping up with trends in my business and in the dental field as a whole? You can apply the same logic to any industry.

Your job in the interview is to make sure they see you as the person who can solve their problem. Having 3 degrees and a wealth of experience may have gotten you the interview, but the dentist is going to be talking to 8 more people who have similar backgrounds. If you can't solve a problem for them, you won't stand out, you won't get short listed, and you won't get the job.

During the interview, your questions should help steer the interview towards your goal of being seen as the problem solver. As I have said many times, you must have stories about how you have 1. saved companies money 2. increased sales for a company and 3. provided great customer service for a company. People remember stories. A future employer will use your story to justify his or her decision to hire you. They will tell their office staff, the people you will be working with, "your story". If they have a partner in the practice, they will use "your story" to prove to their partner that you are the best candidate.

The story they tell about you will be how you will solve their problem. Your story may be that "not only do you have the expertise in a particular procedure that they would like to offer, but you have already volunteered to teach the rest of the staff once you are on the job".

So, make sure that you spend time asking questions to find out what problem the employer is trying to solve by hiring. Then spend the rest of your time making sure the interviewer understands your story about how you will solve their problem. This puts WIIFM on the employer, where they see you as the only person who can solve their problem.

Now when you tell your story about how you used your story during the interview, your story will have a happy ending because they hired you!

Definition Motivation

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Motivation is the internal condition that activates behavior and gives it direction; and energizes and directs goal-oriented behavior. The term is generally used for human motivation but, theoretically, it can be used to describe the causes for animal behavior as well. This article refers to human motivation. According to various theories, motivation may be rooted in the basic need to minimize physical pain and maximize pleasure, or it may include specific needs such as eating and resting, or a desired object, hobby, goal, state of being, ideal, or it may be attributed to less-apparent reasons such as altruism, morality, or avoiding mortality.

Motivation Concepts

Intrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation comes from rewards inherent to a task or activity itself - the enjoyment of a puzzle or the love of playing basketball, for example. One is said to be intrinsically motivated when engaging in an activity "with no apparent reward except for the activity itself".[1] This form of motivation has been studied by social and educational psychologists since the early 1970s. Research has found that it is usually associated with high educational achievement and enjoyment by students. Intrinsic motivation has been explained by Fritz Heider's attribution theory, Bandura's work on self-efficacy [2], and Ryan and Deci's cognitive evaluation theory. Students are likely to be intrinsically motivated if they:

attribute their educational results to internal factors that they can control (e.g. the amount of effort they put in),
believe they can be effective agents in reaching desired goals (i.e. the results are not determined by luck),
are interested in mastering a topic, rather than just rote-learning to achieve good grades.

Extrinsic motivation

Extrinsic motivation comes from outside of the performer. Money is the most obvious example, but coercion and threat of punishment are also common extrinsic motivations.

In sports, the crowd may cheer the performer on, and this motivates him or her to do well. Trophies are also extrinsic incentives. Competition is often extrinsic because it encourages the performer to win and beat others, not to enjoy the intrinsic rewards of the activity.

Social psychological research has indicated that extrinsic rewards can lead to overjustification and a subsequent reduction in intrinsic motivation.

Extrinsic incentives sometimes can weaken the motivation as well. In one classic study done by green & lepper, children who were lavishly rewarded for drawing with felt-tip pens later showed little interest in playing with the pens again.

Self-control

The self-control of motivation is increasingly understood as a subset of emotional intelligence; a person may be highly intelligent according to a more conservative definition (as measured by many intelligence tests), yet unmotivated to dedicate this intelligence to certain tasks. Yale School of Management professor Victor Vroom's "expectancy theory" provides an account of when people will decide whether to exert self control to pursue a particular goal.

Drives and desires can be described as a deficiency or need that activates behaviour that is aimed at a goal or an incentive. These are thought to originate within the individual and may not require external stimuli to encourage the behaviour. Basic drives could be sparked by deficiencies such as hunger, which motivates a person to seek food; whereas more subtle drives might be the desire for praise and approval, which motivates a person to behave in a manner pleasing to others.

By contrast, the role of extrinsic rewards and stimuli can be seen in the example of training animals by giving them treats when they perform a trick correctly. The treat motivates the animals to perform the trick consistently, even later when the treat is removed from the process.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 2001-2006 Wikipedia Contributors (Disclaimer)
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.

Credit Scores - 10 Things Every Home Buyer Should Know

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Start researching credit scores online, and you will soon find yourself overwhelmed with conflicting information. Save yourself the trouble. This article tells you exactly what you need to know about credit, mortgage loans, and the relationship between the two.

You would be amazed at how much some people obsess over their credit scores. I've seen Internet forums where people share their experiences regarding their scores, what their score was the last time they checked, etc. It's a hobby for these people, like stamp collecting or bird watching.

I am not one of those people. But I do realize the importance of a good credit score when it comes to the home buying process. And that's what I want to share with you today. Here are ten things every first-time buyer should know about the credit, mortgage loans, and the relationship between them.

10 Things You Should Know About Credit

1. Your credit score does not come out of thin air. It is based on your financial behavior. Good financial behavior will help you earn a good score. Bad behavior on the other hand ... well, you get the idea. So don't blame the credit-reporting bureaus for your score. It comes from your own actions.

2. In the point #1 above, "good financial behavior" can be defined as paying your bills on time, managing your debt, and using credit sparingly.

3. There are several types of credit scores. Your FICO score is the one used by most lenders, so it's the one you should care about the most. This score will range from 300 to 850. Just like in high school, a higher score is better.

4. Mortgage lenders will look at several aspects of your financial condition when considering you for a loan. Your credit score is one of the top-three factors. Your current debt and income levels also rank high on the list.

5. A higher score will help you (A) get approved for a mortgage loan and (B) secure a good / low interest rate on that loan. A low score will make it harder to do these things.

6. You actually have three different credit scores -- one produced by each of the three credit-reporting agencies: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. They do not always match.

7. At the time of this article publication, there is no way to get your credit score without paying a small fee for it. You will often see "free" scores offered on websites, but it will require you to sign up for some kind of credit-monitoring service. Save your money and just get the scores.

8. You can get all three of your credit reports (different from your scores) for free, once per year. The government actually mandates this by law. But the only website regulated by the FTC for this purpose is AnnualCreditReport.com.

9. If your score is low, you can improve it by reducing your credit card balance, by paying all of your bills on time, and by fixing any errors on your credit reports. There's a reason you hear this bit of advice all the time. It works!

10. There's a lot of misinformation and confusion surrounding this topic. But it's not as complicated as some people make it out to be. Good financial activity leads to a good score. And the reverse is true for bad financial activity. You are in complete control of your credit score -- nobody can improve it but you.

I hope you found this lesson helpful, and I wish you well in your home buying efforts. If you'd like more information on this or any other home buying topic, please see the website listed below.

A Guide to Properly Cleaning Your Air Rifle Scope

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Buying an air rifle scope may have been the best decision youve made when it comes to target practice. But keeping the scope clean is the second best decision youll make.

If the scope is dirty, you may find it hard to see through at twilight or dusk. You might also have trouble seeing in the midday if the lens has dust or dirt on it.

Its important to keep the scope clean at all times so you can easily see your target. This ensures an accurate shot.

Plus, the cleaner the scope, the longer it will last.

Lets discuss the three steps to cleaning your air rifle scope in great condition: brushing, wiping and deep cleaning.

Round One: Brushing

Use a soft-bristled brush to dust any dirt or particles that have adhered to the surface. You can use a brush designed for a camera.

The brush should be soft and completely free of oil. Oil can damage the surface of the scope and make it harder to keep clean.

Look for a brush that can retract into the case when not in use. A good brush that features a nice cap is also a great choice because it keeps the brush clean between uses.

If the brush gets wet, you should toss it out and get a replacement.

Another option is to use a pressurized can of air to clean the lens when the lens is dry.

Round Two: Wiping

Next, use a microfiber cloth to remove any fingerprints or smudges. The cloth must be soft and must not be made with or come into contact with any chemicals. These can damage the lens surface.

A microfiber cloth has tiny fibers that are much smaller than a humans strand of hair.

A normal cloth has fibers that form a circle and will just smear oil over the lens. Triangular strands give the lens a deep clean, so look for this kind of cloth.

This kind of cloth can prevent scratches from tiny particles scraping across the lens surface. The microfiber cloth picks up the particles so they dont scratch your lens.

Round Three: Deep Cleaning

For water stains that have dried on the lens or pollen, use an anti-fog cleaner. Place a few drops of the cleanser on a tissue and rub the lens, from inside to out.

Then use a clean, dry tissue to remove the excess liquid.

Repeat as needed.

Just remember, be gentle and dont press too hard. Save your energy for when youre out practicing.

Youll want to make sure the cleanser is not a quick-dry mixture so that it doesnt dry while youre trying to clean the scope. Dont use glass cleaner because it contains chemicals that can damage the lens.

Check the lens out briefly before you finish cleaning just to make sure the lens is spotless.

If theres still dirt, smudges or particles, give it another try until youre satisfied. It may take a little longer than what youre expecting, but the payoff in shot accuracy will make it worth your while.

More Tips

Never ever use a rag, a wet paper towel or your t-shirt to clean your scope. And dont clean it with a new toothbrush, either. Or a used one, for that matter.

Although it may seem harmless, using the wrong materials and products to clean your scope can do a poor job of cleaning it, at best.

At worst, it can leave scratches that affect the quality of your shot. Its like rubbing filthy sandpaper over the lens. You may have to replace your scope, depending on the extent of the damage.

You should also avoid using your finger to clear away debris. That can cause dirt to stick to the surface, and it might scratch the lens, as well.

Keeping Your Cleaning Kit Safe

When youre not cleaning your scope, be sure to store your cleaning kit somewhere clean and safe. You dont want your rag to collect dust that will end up on the scope.

If the microfiber cloth gets dirty, check whether you can throw it in the washer and dry it. Just dont use any bleach or fabric softener.

Cleaning Your Air Rifle

It is just as important to clean your rifle as it is to clean your scope.

A lot of people think you dont need to clean an air rifle, but cleaning it is the best way to keep it in tip-top shape. It also helps the rifle last longer.

When your rifle is dirty and you try to clean your scope, your scope inevitably will get grime and dirt on it in the process.

Its like what happens when jellied toast hits the floor. It always lands face down.

But think about it this way if your toast was free of jelly, it would always land face up.

Bring a cloth with you if its rainy out to dry your gun right after you shoot. You should dry your gun thoroughly with a paper towel as soon as you get home.

Use a Lens Cover

Using a lens cover can also help you keep the scope clean when its not in use. And be sure to keep the lens cover on the scope while cleaning your air rifle.

Check Out the Terminals

If your scope is battery-powered, check the terminals for any rust or smudges. If you find any, you can clean the terminals with a pencil eraser.

Change the batteries as often as needed.

Summary

Now that you know the basics of keeping your air rifle and scope clean, you are wise to put these suggestions into practice.

That will help your air rifle stay in good condition and last as long as possible.

Then you wont have to shell out more money to purchase another scope if your first one becomes scratched or ruined from poor cleaning habits.

If you dont have an air rifle and you want more tips on deciding which type to purchase, check out this article.

Or, to learn what to look for when purchasing a scope for an air rifle, always remember to check out the scope reviews!

7 Awesome Website Promotion Ideas For Financial Blogs

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One of the hardest parts of starting a financial blog is drawing enough traffic to make it profitable. After all, youre competing against established financial websites and bloggers.

Heres the good news. You dont need to beat them! You just need to attract enough visitors on a regular basis to make your blog self-sustaining.

Theres no magic number of visitors that make a blog self-sustaining. If you want blogging to be your full-time job, this rough equation is the best most people can offer:

Your cost to run and promote the blog + the income you want / profit per visitor = the total traffic you need.

Once you do that math, you know how many visitors you need. All you need now is website promotion ideas that will get you those visitors.

So lets jump in!

Develop Valuable Content

Before you can implement any other website promotion ideas, you need to develop valuable content.

Valuable content starts with identifying your audience. You need a fairly clear picture of who youre to trying reach. For a financial blog that means narrowing down key attributes like age, income level, interests and financial area.

After all, millennials entering the professional world will want to know the basics of starting or managing IRAs. Boomers getting ready to retire will want to know how to get the most out of their retirement funds.

Once you know the audience and their interests, you need to offer useful, detailed information. For example, instead of surface coverage of IRAs, talk about the specific benefits of non-deductible IRAs.

Keep It Scannable

Ever seen the phrase wall of text before? If not, youve seen examples online. It happens when paragraphs in blog posts or articles get so long they become hard to read.

You probably felt your eyes glaze over when you saw those paragraphs. Thats what you want to avoid.

People dont read online so much as they skim and scan. They want to find the part of the text they care about. If you make this easy for them, theyll stay on your site longer, share more, and come back more often.

The trick is to keep your paragraphs short. The ideal is a few sentences, though you can go a little longer sometimes. Breaking up paragraphs with images helps too.

You can see a pretty good example in this article over at Small Cap Power.

Bring on the Video

Creating interesting videos for financial topics isnt always easy, but its worth the effort. Around 60% of people consume brand-related videos. People also share videos, which makes it one of the key website promotion ideas.

The key to good video isnt really production quality, though it doesnt hurt. Your existing and future audience consists of people who like your voice. That means your videos need to capture that same voice.

If youre irreverent on your blog, you need to be irreverent in the videos. If you sell yourself as a straight-shooter on the blog, that attitude needs to pervade the video.

You dont even need to appear in the video if you hate the idea of being on camera. You can record a slideshow with a screen capture program and do a voiceover.

SEO

SEO is a vast topic that ranges from technical minutia on your website to how you phrase things in your content. For blogs, though, most of your attention should probably be on two things: keywords and links.

The right keyword often means the difference between getting traffic and not getting traffic. Lets say you decide to write about credit cards.

A quick trip to a keyword research tool tells you that searches on store-specific credit cards get high volume. If you focus your post on one stores card, its much more likely to rank and draw traffic.

Links are all about borrowing credibility so search engines will like you. If you link out to reputable financial sites to back up your claims, it makes your blog look more credible. Search engines give higher ranks to sites and posts that look credible.

PPC

One of the more commonly applied website promotion ideas is paid traffic through pay per click or PPC.

PPC is straightforward. You create a keyword-focused ad on a particular search engine. The search engine displays the ad and you pay a fixed rate every time someone clicks on the ad.

PPC offers a lot of potential benefits, such as:

audience targeting
measurable results
fixed budget
building brand recognition
potential fast results

Like any form of advertising, you need it to target just the right audience in just the right way. It can take some time and burn through your ad budget before you zero in on the exact recipe.

Social Sharing

There are several elements to social sharing. The blog post should have social share buttons displayed at the top or bottom. That lets your existing readers share it.

You need to share it to the major social media sites through your existing accounts and to your mailing/subscriber list. You may also want to share it in any related groups if the site supports them.

An often overlooked option is sharing to subject-specific forums. A personal finance forum, for example, caters to people looking for the kind of information a financial blog covers.

Mobile Ready

Did you know that mobile and tablet internet access actually beats desktop internet access? That means making your blog mobile ready is one of the most critical website promotion ideas.

If your blog doesnt look good and work well on mobile devices, youre abandoning a great way to connect with your audience. Most blogging platforms now include a mobile optimization feature. If you use a custom site, make sure your web developer builds it to function on mobile devices.

Parting Thoughts on Website Promotion Ideas

Creating an audience that makes your blog self-sustaining means using website promotion ideas. These ideas arent marketing gimmicks but tactics with a track record of success.

By creating great written and video content, you give people a reason to visit and come back. SEO and PPC get your content in front of the people who are searching for those topics. Social sharing puts it in front of a wide audience in a setting where sharing is encouraged.

Making your site mobile ready means your blog is accessible whether someone is on a computer or on the phone.

Article City specializes in inbound marketing strategies. For more tips to improve your traffic, check out our post on SEO trends.